Going Overboard Is Our Worst Nightmare It happens, crew members do fall overboard, on a crewed boat there are others who can turn back and rescue them, on a single-handed sailboat it could be disastrous. So how can boating folks reduce the risk without lessening the fun?Be prepared, is a great motto and I borrow…
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Outstanding! But, choose wisely and satisfy your dreams, and look forward to having the time of your life. A great deal depends on whether you are an experienced sailor looking for a new boat, an experience boater looking for a pre-owned boat or a new comer to boating and very keen to get your feet…
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Maintaining the security of your possessions, is essential isn’t it? So why do so many people leave the keys to their cars in places where they can be stolen? Very many cars are stolen every year because the keys were left in the ignition, on the hall-stand just inside the house door, on the kitchen…
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A lot depends on the extent of the damage of course, the off season is the ideal time to make repairs to your boat, as many of us in the Northern Hemisphere will be doing over the next few months, if you need something done properly advice is at hand. Are you able to perform…
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Communication is a Two-way Process, How do we communicate with other people when sailing? Wave? There is an old joke about a swimmer gesticulating frantically, ‘Is he waving or drowning?’ Any right-minded person would assume the worst and go to their assistance just in case. However, it does make a valid point about communication. According…
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As is often the case sailing close to the wind has its origins in sailing, in general life it means taking a risk, cutting it fine, and for experienced sailing skippers that is what life is about, the adrenaline rush, challenging yourself against the elements, enjoying the rush, literally. Sailing close to the wind…
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A magnetic compass uses the natural magnetism of the Globe upon which we all stand. Planet Earth has a magnetic field – North is north, and South is south. The pointer on a magnetic compass will always point Northward, once we know where North is, a fixed reference point, and we know that a circle…
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3 Square meals a day comes from the British Royal Navy where the sailor’s food was served on square wooden boards? Sailors were promised 3 squares (meals) a day when they signed on. Splicing the Main Brace was of the same origins and ran until July 1970 when the Royal Navy stopped issuing rum on…
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Knots perform important tasks in sailing and boating, and it is useful to know which is which. The purpose of knots in sailing is mostly to secure something using ropes, sheets, or lines and it is said that there are eight basic knots. Most of the knots in use have been developed and used since…
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When it is a Sheet. In general terms a rope is not called a rope when on a boat, so what is it called and why does it matter? It matters because communication is important when sailing on any boat where there are two or more people crewing, using the correct terminology is not about…
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