Dedicated to Cruising the world under sail including destinations, navigation, sailing tips, safety ideas, yacht & multihull reviews along with stories and insights for the sail cruising life in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
You have invited friends or family on a cruise. They have never done it before. They have put their trust in you as their hosts and sailing guides. How do you maximise your chances of a memorable and successful cruise?…
Not far from the Heads, at the southern end of Victoria’s Port Phillip, lies what must be one of the world’s most unique yacht clubs. Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club is unique in many ways. Not just because it sits on…
Everyone who reads Cruising Helmsman has an interest in boats. There is probably a voice in the deep recesses of your mind saying “one day I’ll just sail away…..”. So how do people actually do it? In this article I…
There are few things that set off a classic yacht as beautifully as a well laid teak deck. It is relatively non-slip, provides insulation for the cabin and, equally importantly, adds to the traditional appeal. But mine had another undesirable…
Affordable Gemini catamarans are designed by British boat builder Tony Smith, who established his company Performance Cruising in the USA and went on to build more than 1000 of this production boat. They have become one of the most popular…
After a three year cruise from the east coast of USA, Ian and I arrived on Outsider in Fiji in April 2015, our original plan was New Year’s Eve on Sydney Harbour. But after a month or so in Fiji…
TAMARA HOWIE, NT News POLISH off the wheels and throw on the detective outfits – the inaugural Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association scavenger hunt is here. DBCYA general manager Wendy McCallum said it was a great way to get out…
The Cruising Helmsman Yacht Club travelling seminar responded to an invitation from the Fremantle Sailing Club to host one of their day-long seminars last weekend. With the Fremantle Doctor piping in early at over 30 knots, over 60 people attended…
Lisa Blair is nearly two-thirds of the way through her attempt to becomethe first woman to circumnavigate Antarctica. March 23, 2017 – heavy fog in iceberg alley Evening all, Well this morning, as the first blue tinge of daylight started…
Happily, very few boat owners have experienced ‘that sinking feeling’ while an unfortunate minority know it only too well, their vessels suddenly leaking for no apparent reason. But there is always a reason if a maintenance regime is below…
In response to the success of previous events, Multihull Solutions has announced details of its three exciting cruising rallies in Australia and Asia in late 2017. Relaxed cruising is the primary focus of these events, which are increasing in popularity…
Three South African nationals have been rescued from their stricken yacht in the southern Indian Ocean by Royal Australian Navy warship HMAS Parramatta yesterday evening, 18 March 2017, in a search and rescue operation coordinated by the Australian Maritime Safety…
The Annual Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club Rendezvous is being held in Gloucester Passage over the weekend 24 – 27 August. If you are a person who does NOT enjoy socialising, swapping stories, being prone to mild exaggeration, helping out…
Lisa Blair is attempting to become the first woman to circumnavigate Antarctica. She has rounded Cape Horn and is now heading across the south Atlantic towards the Cape of Good Hope. March 16, 2017 – North or south of South…
Queensland, and particularly Bundaberg, scored a major coup late last year when Bundaberg was chosen as the location for the the ex-HMAS Tobruk to be prepared for scuttling. Withstanding challenges from other southeast Queensland cities, Bundaberg won the right to prepare the…
Lisa Blair is attempting to become the first woman to circumnavigate Antarctica. Last night she passed her first major milestone – Cape Horn – and is currently 49% of the way through her journey. After passing the Horn she sailed…
Lisa Blair's attempted circumnavigation of Antarctica is progressing well. Lisa has covered 45% of the total distance and has almost crossed the South Pacific Ocean. She is currently off the coast of Chile, with Cape Horn firmly in her sights….
Howard Rice has been exploring Tierra del Fuego in a tiny pram dinghy. He has had his share of dramas along the way (see Related Content) but nothing to compare with the latest disaster when a local storm overturned the…
NSW Police News Release: In a joint operation between the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and NSW Police, two people have been rescued from a yacht in distress about 210 nautical miles (NM) east north east of Sydney. AMSA has…
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authroity (GBRMPA) has posted its proposed plans of management for the popular cruising area of the Whitsundays, if you are keen on this area then you should take a look and maybe post a…
Over the years I have tried several methods to create a watertight mast boot. As a temporary fix I once used duct tape. It was inexpensive and actually lasted about 10 months before it started to leak again. I tried…
Every year when the SE trades are blowing, cruising folk make their annual procession along the east coast of Australia heading north. Their usual destination is somewhere in Queensland’s far north, depending on delays along the way. Then it is…
Into every wonderful cruising life a little rain must fall. For live-aboard yachties this can often mean the annual haul out, when your boat will be taken from its natural environment and propped up on dry land. It will become…
A smooth underwater finish will reduce drag, increase speed and improve fuel consumption. Is the bottom of your boat smooth enough? If you get a group of five sailors to sit around the table with a jug of beer to…
“Remember, if you are passing through the ships at anchor or coming into Gladstone go to Gladstone Harbour control monitoring on channel 13”. It is the usual practice of volunteer marine radio Gladstone to inform sailors of the need to…
Whenever I think of Pangkor marina, Rupert Brooke’s World War I poem, The Soldier, comes to mind. I paraphrase it to read: “if in some corner of a foreign field, that is forever Australia.” This is because there are always…
March 5, 2017: Almost under water – timing is everything Throughout last night the winds continued to fill in and by 10 am there was a consistent 20 knots of wind from the North gusting up to 25 knots giving…
Port City Daily (Wilmington, North Carolina). By Benjamin Schachtman on March 5, 2017: WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH – It was a quiet Monday evening, about one hour after sunset, when a fireball erupted from the cabin of a sailboat moored in Banks…
Port Macquarie, on the NSW north coast, is a convenient overnight port of call of yachts and catamarans heading north to winter cruising grounds or the Whitsunday race weeks. It is ideally located on the edge of town and has…
Cruising Club of America (CCA) has announced the recipients of its 2016 awards that recognize special and exemplary achievements. This year the roster of awards has been expanded to recognize particular accomplishments by more youthful sailors. 2016 Blue Water Medal…
Media outlets and social media has reported that the German cruising yachtsmanJurgen Kantner was decapitated by the Philippines bandit group Abu Sayyef. Jurgen and his partner, Sabine Merz, were attacked last November resulting in Sabine being killed and Jurgen taken…
The Caribbean 'ring' saw a worrying increase of 17 per cent in reported crimes during 2016. The two previous years had recorded no increases. The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN) has published its full report and for anyone thinking…
Lisa Blair is attempting to become the first woman to circumnavigate Antarctica solo, non-stop and unassisted. Just over a month into her journey, she is approaching Cape Horn. To check on her progress, click on the tracker. March 1, 2017…
I am on the ocean as I type. By the time you read I should be tied to a mooring Jamestown, British island of Saint Helena, South Atlantic. Since last writing it has been mild. Wind behind pushing me. My…
Lisa Blair is now 35% of the way into her journey around Antarctica. Check her progress here. She continues to send interesting and informative blogs on a daily basis: February 26, 2017 – Reefing lines chafing Evening All, Well after…
Lisa Blair's Antarctic Adventure February 20, 2017 – one eco power source down – bummer! Evening all. Last night I was sailing a course of 020 trying to get north and sail around the worst of the large swells that…
Abell Point Marina has seen significant infrastructure and service upgrades since it came under new ownership in 2013. Achieving the first global 5 Gold Anchor accreditation in the world in 2016 cemented Abell Point’s position in the marina industry and…
February 20 – four weeks into the around Antarctica challenge. Evening all. Once again I haven’t managed to break this cycle of going to sleep late and waking late… I keep aiming to get to bed earlier like around 10pm…
Small Craft Advisor Howard Rice is attempting to sail around Cape Horn in an 11ft 3in pram dinghy. Recently he found the boat had dragged her anchor and been washed ashore. This is the dramatic story of his attempts to…
Evening All, Winds throughout the night have maintained a healthy 15 knots from the WNW making my course of 080 a comfortable downwind run. When I eventually surfaced from my pipe cot of a bunk to greet the day I…
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