Salt Mead Ledge, Isle Of Wight, England
Salt Mead Ledge is located off the south coast of England within the Western Solent, on the northwestern shore of the Isle of Wight. This is a well-known tide-wait location utilised by local boaters to evade the formidable ebb tides of the western Solent.This is a tolerable anchorage in settled conditions, just out of the full run of the current but still tide-affected. Careful daylight navigation is necessary for access to avoid the ledge that provides its protection.... More »

Portbraddan, County Antrim, Ireland
Portbraddan, or Portbraddon, is situated on the north coast of Ireland approximately seven miles westward of Ballycastle and on the west end of White Park Bay. A vessel may anchor in the southwest end of the bay and land at the slip fronting the small hamlet.The anchorage is only suitable in settled or offshore conditions. Access is straightforward as although there are some outlying rocks around the headland the bay is clean and easily addressed in daylight. ... More »

Kells Bay, County Kerry, Ireland
Kells Bay is situated on the southwest coast of Ireland on the southern shore and deep within Dingle Bay. It is a popular bay with a sheltered beach that has a pier and slips where it is possible to anchor off or pick up public moorings. The bay offers a good anchorage in all but northerly through to easterly winds which send in a large swell and make it untenable. Access is very straightforward at any state of the tide as the bay is clean and there are no outlying dangers and the pierhead has a light.... More »

Cooncrome Harbour (Cuas Crom), County Kerry, Ireland
Cooncrome Harbour is situated on the southwest coast of Ireland upon the southern entrance to Dingle Bay. It is a remote beach at the head of a rocky sea bight with a historic pier and slip. Cooncrome Harbour offers an exposed anchorage that might be used in good conditions where the vessel may be watched from the shore. Access is very straightforward at any state of the tide during daylight as the bay is clean and there are no outlying dangers.... More »

Ormond's Harbour, County Kerry, Ireland
Ormond’s Harbour is a small isolated inlet on the southwest coast of Ireland, on the south bank of the Kenmare River and the north shore of the Beara Peninsula. It offers an isolated anchorage with a small pier at its head for convenient landings. Protected by islands the harbour offers a good anchorage with shelter from west around through south to north. Access however requires careful navigation in daylight but it is available at any stage of the tide.... More »

Ballydehob Bay, County Cork, Ireland
Located on Ireland’s southwest coast, Ballydehob Bay lies at the head of the extensive shallow Roaringwater Bay inlet. It offers a secluded anchorage in a remote area with access to the small coastal town up the estuary with a rise of the tide. It is also possible to dry out alongside the old town quay.Sheltered from the sea by rocks and islands to the westward of it, Ballydehob Bay provides a good well-sheltered anchorage. Access is available at all stages of the tide requires attentive daylight navigation to find and pass through a fairway leading to the bay through extensive marine farms ... More »

Poulgorm Bay, County Cork, Ireland
Located on Ireland’s southwest coast, Poulgorm Bay lies at the head of the extensive shallow Roaringwater Bay inlet. It offers a secluded anchorage in a remote area that is overlooked by the tower of a historic castle. Sheltered from the sea by rocks and islands to the westward of it, Poulgorm Bay provides a good well-sheltered anchorage. Access is available at all stages of the tide requires attentive daylight navigation to find and pass through a fairway leading to the bay through extensive marine farms in the head of the bay. ... More »

Castlepark Marina, Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland
Castlepark Marina is situated less than half a mile upriver from Kinsale town on the east bank and opposite side of the River Bandon. The marina is a full-service marina with ample berths.Set upriver in the fjordlike valley estuary of the River Bandon, and in a virtually landlocked natural harbour, the marina offers complete protection. The same features and scarcity of hazards outside the entrance provide for safe access in all reasonable conditions, night or day on any state of the tide. ... More »

Fahy Bay, Ballynakill Harbour, County Galway, Ireland
Fahy Bay is tucked into the southern arm of Ballynakill Harbour on the west coast of Ireland between Cleggan Point and Rinvyle Point. It offers one of the best anchorages of the inlet in an entirely sequestered location with lovely views of the surrounding hills. The bay offers good protection from north round through west to south and should it become exposed perfect protection may be obtained via a short move. Harbour access is straightforward at any stage of the tide but only during daylight and the bay is obstructed by a sand bar that requires a rise of the tide to pass over.... More »

Elly Bay, Blacksod Bay, County Mayo, Ireland
Elly Bay lies on the northwest coast of Ireland, on the east side of the Mullet Peninsula and within Blacksod Bay. It provides a well-protected anchorage off a wide-sweeping arch of a beach in a quiet and secluded location near a small quay.The anchorage provides excellent protection and is considered the best anchorage available in Blacksod Bay in which it is possible to find complete protection from any wind direction. The bay may be safely approached at any time of the day, at any stage of the tide and in all reasonable conditions. ... More »

Navigating Portsmouth Harbour
This route offers the best tidal window to enter or leave Portsmouth Harbour, with waypoints to connect to the Small Boat Channel, the main channel, the Swashway, and the Inner Swashway, as well as the channel itself. Guidance is also provided for navigating the upper parts of the harbour towards Port Solent and Fareham.... More »

Southampton Water to Chichester Harbour
This route provides the best timing to take advantage of favourable tides when passing between Southampton Water and Chichester Harbour, as well as the nearby ports of Portsmouth and Langstone. It can be used in both directions, although the sequence of description is from west to east, proceeding as follows:⦿ Southampton Water, close south of the entrance to the River Hamble⦿ The North Channel⦿ The eastern Solent⦿ Spithead⦿ Portsmouth Entrance channel⦿ The 'Main Passage' of the submerged barrier through Horse and Dean Sands shoal⦿ Winner Cardinal⦿ Chichester Harbour's West Po... More »

Navigating the River Hamble
This is a suite of waypoints and a tidal guide for the River Hamble, which flows into the northeast side of Southampton Water, one mile north of Calshot Castle. From here, the meandering Hamble River continues northward for about 3 miles up to Bursledon Bridge, which, with an air draught of 4 metres (MHWS), effectively marks the head of navigation for most sailing craft.... More »

Cowes and the River Medina, Isle of Wight
This is the guide for entering Cowes, located on the northern coast of the Isle of Wight, as well as the various berths along the River Medina. Cowes is accessible at all tide stages, but the upper reaches of the River Medina are tidal, and its depth varies considerably with the tides. Access times depend on vessel draught and tidal conditions. Generally, vessels with a draught of 2 metres can proceed upriver and reach the Island capital of Newport 1½ hours before HW Portsmouth and 2½ hours after HW Portsmouth.... More »

South Around the Isle Of Wight - The Needles to Forland Point
This guide details the route south around the Isle of Wight, offering waypoints, guidance, and tide times. It links to Eastern Approaches to The Solent and the run-up to Southampton. ... More »

Easter Approaches to The Solent and the run-up to Southampton Water
This guide outlines the approaches to the Easter Solent, the eastern side of the Isle of Wight, and the northeastern coastline, covering the eastern Solent waters and their shorelines to the north and south, including Southampton Water along with the Rivers Hamble, Test, and Itchen. It provides waypoints, approach information, and tide times for optimal passage and a route through these waters to the river mouths of Southampton Water. It links to the Cowes and the River Medina, Isle of Wight .... More »

Navigating Carlingford Lough
This is the tidal counter and the run-up through the length of Carlingford Lough from the entrance up to the Victoria Lock, which can be reached by high water. Victoria Lock is located about 2½ miles above Warrenpoint at the head of the Lough and is the single lock at the seaward end of the Newry Ship Canal that leads to Newry's town basin approximately 3½ miles above. Pilotage up to Warrenpoint is straightforward via a deep-water shipping channel that runs the entire length of the lough, making the port accessible at night or day in all reasonable conditions. Although well marked, access a... More »

Donaghadee Sound
This is a coastal cut through the middle of Donaghadee Sound that separates the mainland coast from Copeland Island 1-mile northeastward. This cut is through the marked shipping channel, but it cannot be recommended at times as it is subject to strong tides that can attain rates of up to 4.5 knots in both directions.... More »

Kilmore Quay to the Isles of Scilly
This is a route from Kilmore Quay on the southeast corner of Ireland to the Isles of Scilly. It is a direct route passing to the east of the Saltee Islands to the deepwater anchorage of New Grimsby Sound, between Bryher and Tresco, in the north end of the Isles of Scilly.... More »

Old Grimsby Sound from St Mary’s Road (Scilly)
This is a passage across the broad stretch of shallow water that lies to the east of Tresco to allow vessels in Old Grimsby Sound to connect to St Mary’s Road. Large sections of the route are shallow and parts dry to 0.4 metres LAT so a sufficient rise of tide is required and it is ideally addressed on the flood. The route is sequenced from to St Mary’s Road to Old Grimsby Sound but it may is available both ways.... More »

Will boating kill us, or save our lives?
Leisure sailing is overwhelmingly perceived as a high-risk activity. This fear is easy to understand, fueled by the ocean's unpredictable forces, the need for specialised skills, and the constant potential for human error. Non-sailors instinctively conjure dramatic worst-case scenarios: rogue waves, vessels crashing onto rocks, capsizes, and man-overboard incidents.This widespread fear, however, masks a profound and vital paradox. When practised responsibly—with proper training, essential safety gear, and vessel maintenance—the actual danger is statistically low. Most sailing accidents are attributable to preventable human factors such as intoxication, lack of training, or the absence of lifejackets.Crucially, there is undeniable evidence that the opposite of popular belief is true: the lifestyle and inherent demands of sailing and its related activities undeniably contribute to better overall health, reduced stress, and increased well-being—factors linked to a longer, healthier life.

Nautical terms that have sailed into everyday language
This curious observation stems from a week spent sailing around The Solent with a friend on the south coast of England. As we chatted from morning till night, we began noticing recurring phrases we used in non sailing related discussions stemmed from the marine. These phrases kept halting our conversations, as we started to increasingly identify the sailing jargon that had become common sayings, and started to wonder about it.

Solar Panels for Boats: A Complete Guide to Sustainable Sailing Power
For sailors venturing off-grid or undertaking long voyages, managing power needs can be one of the biggest challenges. While smaller trips along coastal routes might not present much of a concern, long-distance cruising demands a reliable power source to keep essential systems running smoothly. Traditionally, sailors have relied on fuel-powered generators, but these are not only noisy and polluting but also require constant maintenance and add weight and fuel storage considerations.Shore power can help when docked, but dependence on marinas severely limits your freedom. For those looking to explore remote locations or simply enjoy the peace of being away from civilization, a more sustainable, silent, and self-sufficient solution is essential. Solar panels offer an ideal answer, harnessing the sun’s energy to meet your onboard power requirements. With solar power, sailors can enjoy a cleaner, greener, and quieter source of energy while cruising.

Naming convention for describing objects relative to the vessel's heading
When navigating a vessel it is important that direction from which objects appear can be efficiently and effectively communicated. Having a single clear sectorial naming convention for the surrounding sea areas with reference to the various relative points of the vessel delivers this.

Easy reciprocal (back) bearing maths calculation method
We largely live in a world that uses base 10, or 'decimal' for mathematics. But this not the case with time and bearings which use base 60 or 'sexigesimal'. Because of this, the mental calculations required to quickly generating a back or reciprocal bearing can be perplexing for our decimal-based minds.

Checklisting for seaworthiness before departing the dock
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) state that the... 'safety of a yacht and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the person in charge, who must do his or her best to ensure that the yacht is fully sound, thoroughly seaworthy and manned by an experienced crew who have undergone appropriate training and are physically fit to face bad weather. He/she must be satisfied as to the soundness of hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear. He/she must ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained and stowed and that the crew knows where it is kept and how it is to be used.'Seagoing vessels are highly complicated craft. Ensuring that all the critical items have been checked, that the crew have been fully briefed and that nothing has been overlooked, will stretch human memory and attention to the potential limits.

Maritime flags and their meaning
Code Flags are commonly displayed on commercial vessels during regattas and races or used as bunting at shoreside events. But the principal use of code flags is communication between vessels. Commercial vessels use code flags and shapes alongside sound signals when moving, anchored or alongside terminals to communicate their intentions.

Understanding yacht rigs
The rig of a sailing yacht is the primary source of propulsion and it can be considered the equivalent in importance to the engine in a ship, or motor vehicle or indeed an aeroplane. But just as there is an enormous range of engine types for various applications, so there are many variations of sailing rigs which offer different properties and trade-offs to the user. This can be somewhat confusing.

Using the engine as an emergency bilge pump
Holed boats take on water very quickly. A 10 cm will leak 1100 litres per minute. Enough to sink a 30ft yacht in 12 minutes. Such an inrush will overwhelm even the best of bilge pumps.

Understanding the seagoing capabilities of a vessel
It is difficult to interpret the seagoing capabilities of a vessel from its appearance. However, if you overestimate a vessel's capabilities and use it into conditions that it was not designed for, it could be overwhelmed.

A bilge pump warning light
Whilst underway the sound of the automatic electric bilge pump is often drowned out by general boat noise. Never more so than when operating under power. This pernicious oversight could lead to the vessel sinking. Good examples of engine running issues are failures in the stuffing boxes or of an impeller. The stern gland is one of the few thru-hull fittings designed to allow some water into the boat. This is about 2-3 drops per minute when the shaft is turning but if there is a problem this drip could turn into an in-flood without anyone knowing it above decks. Likewise, an impeller could give way causing the engine to overheat and its hot gases to melt the engine raw-water hose. This opens the closed loop cooling system and allows water to enter the boat.

Staunching a hole that may be only addressed externally
If a boat is holed below the waterline and you can’t get at the hole to stop the flow from below decks, you have to get to it from outside. Typically, this is too dangerous a situation to put a crew member in the water as you are only compounding the danger.

Understanding the Beaufort scale
The (nautical) Beaufort scale, or to give it its full name the Beaufort wind force scale, is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. The scale of wind forces are described for practical purposes by name, range of velocity, and classified from force 0 to force 12, or, sometimes, to force 17.

Care and maintenance of batteries
Once a vessel is cast off from the dock all the power it requires has to be self-generated and then stored in batteries which require some working knowledge and maintenance.

Battery options for boating
Once a vessel is cast off from the dock all its electrical requirements have to be self-generated and stored in batteries. But there are many different types of batteries with slightly varying properties and widely varying costs that can make this area somewhat confusing.

Electrical power generation on a sailing yacht
Electricity is one of the most important blessings that science has given to mankind. It has become so much a part of modern life that we couldn't think of living without it. All devices which facilitate our activities and impact on a big portion of our life require electricity. But once we cast off from the dock we also unplug from the almost limitless power source that we have become accustomed to. Aboard a seagoing vessel, we have to generate all the power that the vessel and its crew require.

How to smooth out the black caulking in teak deck joints.
Manufacturers and suppliers of teak deck caulking recommend using a flexible putty knife to smooth out freshly squeezed-out caulking.

A practical, low cost solution to monitoring charging and batteries
How to keep an eye on the state of your battery at all times, at rest, in use, and when charging.

The three magic numbers for optimum sailing comfort and efficiency
Newcomers to sailing can easily get overwhelmed by the complexity of the boat, the points of sail, the complex sailing environment and all the strings that need to be pulled aboard to make it happen. Worse, in this environment, it is all too easy to over canvas a boat and get into a right mess and even break gear.

An easy low cost system to store the mainsail
Gathering up, flaking and lashing down a big mainsail that’s sprawled all over a cabin top is a heavy wearisome and often daily task aboard a boat. It is particularly difficult with a high-set boom, when the sail is being blown about on a slippery rolling deck and as often as not approaching a busy harbour. It can be an absolute pain to handle shorthanded and particularly singlehanded.

Getting to grips with berthing (or docking) your vessel
In a three year circumnavigation, I can count on one hand the number of times I was berthed alongside in a marina. More than a dozen years later I have bought a boat twice the size, to accommodate my growing family, for sailing in The Solent on England’s south coast. But the first day out I realised my sailing experience to date almost counted for nothing. For gone were the vast deep oceans and open bay anchorages, it was all about operating in tight channels, and coming into river marinas with tidal streams whistling out beneath their pontoons. Worse, at 47 foot, my new boat was approaching a third longer and more than double the breadth of my lean circumnavigator. And, being in excess of 14 tonnes. it was way beyond what could be in any way physically manhandled. But with three young children, it was still all down to my wife and I to berth her. This all had to be handled in the area of peak density of UK boating, The Solent, and in tight marinas that were optimised for boats that were 20% smaller so there was with little margin for error. In short, it was a bit of a rude awakening. All of this had raised a level of unease within me that was approaching an aviation experience; tense take-offs, momentary liberation, then the apprehension for the inevitable tense landing. We even gave it a name, berthing anxiety, and it became an impediment to the enjoyment of our family boat.

Emergency cutless bearing fix
You discover you have a cutless bearing that has become badly worn causing the prop shaft to vibrate a lot. Your holidays are about to be ruined because you have to haul out the boat to fix that, right?

Buying a used sailing vessel in the UK
Buying a boat is one of the key ways to experience the pleasure of a countries coastline with family and friends. It is very much like buying a car and just as easy. However, as with a car purchase, key paperwork and legal matters need to be correctly attended to before a buyer may safely part with his money and take secure and unfettered ownership of a vessel. A new boat buyer has implicit Sale of Goods Act rights but not so a used boat buyer that are only covered by the laws pertaining to misrepresentation.

Getting about ashore more efficiently
A dinghy or berth will take the crew to the shoreline, but after that sailors tend to get about on foot. This is very slow going and range restrictive to the extreme.

'Rule of Twelfths': a simple method for estimating intermediate tidal heights
Applying a graphical procedure, found by reference to an appropriate almanac and the times and heights of high and low water, a navigator may precisely work out intermediate tidal heights and times. This then enables depth restricted vessels to pass into shallow waters supported by tidal water and accurately plot a position where a vessel may anchor and stay afloat.However plotting tides to this level of detail is a skilled, onerous and time consuming task. It is for many cruisers more for the world of merchant sailors. Moreover, tidal curves are often only available for major ports where most leisure vessels would have ample water, not in out of the way anchorages. In the real world, even if the information is available, few sailors would go to this level of detail.

A tide and current predictor when cruising in unfamiliar waters
When crossing oceans and seas to new sailing destinations it is not easy to have arrival tidal data. Typically boats acquire local tidal data after landing.

A simple and effective solar panel implementation
Solar panels perform well when they are free of shade, or even in partial shadow, and the sun is directly above. However finding a position on a sailing vessel that will be continually optimised for light capture is unlikely. To make matters worse a sailing vessel is highly space constrained, and large solar panels will easily encroach upon boat operations and crew comfort. The best solution is to build a dedicated panel gantry so that the panels are clear of the deck and are in an area of relatively little shade. However this is an extensive piece of engineering, requiring some investment and specialist work, and it will dramatically alter the vessels aesthetics.

Cutting through stainless steel rope and rigging wire
Many people carry at least one spare length of the heaviest / longest rigging stay aboard plus a pair of swageless terminations or compression terminals. These terminate stainless steel rigging cables with simple hand tools and because they are so easy to assemble, the terminals are ideal to use in temporary jury-rigging situations. However, the problem many people face is cutting the hard stainless steel rigging wire to size. In the best of circumstances, it is very difficult to cut multistranded stainless steel rope let alone heavy rigging in such a fashion that it is even and the strands of cable do not become unlaid in the process.

Using smartphones, tablets and other electrical devices in an external boating context
Smartphones and tablets are increasingly being introduced in sailing circles to provide convenient chart plotters, pilotage and information services in the cockpit. Likewise, Bluetooth speakers are often deployed in the cockpit to liven up a passage. But water and electrics do not tend to mix very well and it is difficult to tell how much exposure to water a device can take, the vague marketing term waterproof is difficult to pin down.

Optimising electronic automatic pilots on tiller steered boats
The most common tiller pilot on a smaller sailing boat is an electrically operated ram connected between the tiller and the side of the cockpit area. By changing the length of the ram, the autopilot changes the position of the tiller. Tiller pilot installation typically involves a simple two-step modification. First drill a hole in the cockpit combing and hammer in a brass pedestal socket for the tiller pilot base unit. Alternatively, a cantilever socket can be used to mount against the cockpit side with wide vessels. Finally, you then either drill a hole and hammer in a pin, into the top of the tiller itself or mount a bracket underneath for the pilot arm to gain purchase. The problem with this set up is that over an extended period of use the pin in the tiller or bracket typically works itself loose. The constant back and forth motion is simply too much for the timber grain to sustain, holes widen causing the pin or screws to rock back and forth and then the rate of wear increases exponentially. This causes the pilot arm to increasingly fall off and finally to become inoperable. Although the cockpit fibreglass is less subject to this wear the pedestal socket will also fail just the same as the tiller pin in time. In use, the setup is less than convenient as the tiller is down and sweeping the cockpit under the instruction of the pilot. Another problem emerged in conditions when we used the tiller pilot most, when running downwind when the wind steering gear mechanical devices are less reliable, and in this sailing condition we often had a roll. Too many times we were surprised by a roll, overbalanced and where normally we would just drop across to land on the opposite seat of the cockpit we instead fell upon the tiller with all our weight. This weight in turn transferred in a highly leveraged fashion into the controlling tiller pilot ram mechanism. Something that I am sure can only dramatically shorten the working life of our piece of equipment.

Salt Mead Ledge, Isle Of Wight, England
Salt Mead Ledge is located off the south coast of England within the Western Solent, on the northwestern shore of the Isle of Wight. This is a well-known tide-wait location utilised by local boaters to evade the formidable ebb tides of the western Solent.This is a tolerable anchorage in settled conditions, just out of the full run of the current but still tide-affected. Careful daylight navigation is necessary for access to avoid the ledge that provides its protection.... More »

Will boating kill us, or save our lives?
Leisure sailing is overwhelmingly perceived as a high-risk activity. This fear is easy to understand, fueled by the ocean's unpredictable forces, the need for specialised skills, and the constant potential for human error. Non-sailors instinctively conjure dramatic worst-case scenarios: rogue waves, vessels crashing onto rocks, capsizes, and man-overboard incidents.This widespread fear, however, masks a profound and vital paradox. When practised responsibly—with proper training, essential safety gear, and vessel maintenance—the actual danger is statistically low. Most sailing accidents are attributable to preventable human factors such as intoxication, lack of training, or the absence of lifejackets.Crucially, there is undeniable evidence that the opposite of popular belief is true: the lifestyle and inherent demands of sailing and its related activities undeniably contribute to better overall health, reduced stress, and increased well-being—factors linked to a longer, healthier life.

Portbraddan, County Antrim, Ireland
Portbraddan, or Portbraddon, is situated on the north coast of Ireland approximately seven miles westward of Ballycastle and on the west end of White Park Bay. A vessel may anchor in the southwest end of the bay and land at the slip fronting the small hamlet.The anchorage is only suitable in settled or offshore conditions. Access is straightforward as although there are some outlying rocks around the headland the bay is clean and easily addressed in daylight. ... More »

Nautical terms that have sailed into everyday language
This curious observation stems from a week spent sailing around The Solent with a friend on the south coast of England. As we chatted from morning till night, we began noticing recurring phrases we used in non sailing related discussions stemmed from the marine. These phrases kept halting our conversations, as we started to increasingly identify the sailing jargon that had become common sayings, and started to wonder about it.

Kells Bay, County Kerry, Ireland
Kells Bay is situated on the southwest coast of Ireland on the southern shore and deep within Dingle Bay. It is a popular bay with a sheltered beach that has a pier and slips where it is possible to anchor off or pick up public moorings. The bay offers a good anchorage in all but northerly through to easterly winds which send in a large swell and make it untenable. Access is very straightforward at any state of the tide as the bay is clean and there are no outlying dangers and the pierhead has a light.... More »

Solar Panels for Boats: A Complete Guide to Sustainable Sailing Power
For sailors venturing off-grid or undertaking long voyages, managing power needs can be one of the biggest challenges. While smaller trips along coastal routes might not present much of a concern, long-distance cruising demands a reliable power source to keep essential systems running smoothly. Traditionally, sailors have relied on fuel-powered generators, but these are not only noisy and polluting but also require constant maintenance and add weight and fuel storage considerations.Shore power can help when docked, but dependence on marinas severely limits your freedom. For those looking to explore remote locations or simply enjoy the peace of being away from civilization, a more sustainable, silent, and self-sufficient solution is essential. Solar panels offer an ideal answer, harnessing the sun’s energy to meet your onboard power requirements. With solar power, sailors can enjoy a cleaner, greener, and quieter source of energy while cruising.

Cooncrome Harbour (Cuas Crom), County Kerry, Ireland
Cooncrome Harbour is situated on the southwest coast of Ireland upon the southern entrance to Dingle Bay. It is a remote beach at the head of a rocky sea bight with a historic pier and slip. Cooncrome Harbour offers an exposed anchorage that might be used in good conditions where the vessel may be watched from the shore. Access is very straightforward at any state of the tide during daylight as the bay is clean and there are no outlying dangers.... More »

Naming convention for describing objects relative to the vessel's heading
When navigating a vessel it is important that direction from which objects appear can be efficiently and effectively communicated. Having a single clear sectorial naming convention for the surrounding sea areas with reference to the various relative points of the vessel delivers this.

Ormond's Harbour, County Kerry, Ireland
Ormond’s Harbour is a small isolated inlet on the southwest coast of Ireland, on the south bank of the Kenmare River and the north shore of the Beara Peninsula. It offers an isolated anchorage with a small pier at its head for convenient landings. Protected by islands the harbour offers a good anchorage with shelter from west around through south to north. Access however requires careful navigation in daylight but it is available at any stage of the tide.... More »

Easy reciprocal (back) bearing maths calculation method
We largely live in a world that uses base 10, or 'decimal' for mathematics. But this not the case with time and bearings which use base 60 or 'sexigesimal'. Because of this, the mental calculations required to quickly generating a back or reciprocal bearing can be perplexing for our decimal-based minds.

Ballydehob Bay, County Cork, Ireland
Located on Ireland’s southwest coast, Ballydehob Bay lies at the head of the extensive shallow Roaringwater Bay inlet. It offers a secluded anchorage in a remote area with access to the small coastal town up the estuary with a rise of the tide. It is also possible to dry out alongside the old town quay.Sheltered from the sea by rocks and islands to the westward of it, Ballydehob Bay provides a good well-sheltered anchorage. Access is available at all stages of the tide requires attentive daylight navigation to find and pass through a fairway leading to the bay through extensive marine farms ... More »

Checklisting for seaworthiness before departing the dock
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) state that the... 'safety of a yacht and her crew is the sole and inescapable responsibility of the person in charge, who must do his or her best to ensure that the yacht is fully sound, thoroughly seaworthy and manned by an experienced crew who have undergone appropriate training and are physically fit to face bad weather. He/she must be satisfied as to the soundness of hull, spars, rigging, sails and all gear. He/she must ensure that all safety equipment is properly maintained and stowed and that the crew knows where it is kept and how it is to be used.'Seagoing vessels are highly complicated craft. Ensuring that all the critical items have been checked, that the crew have been fully briefed and that nothing has been overlooked, will stretch human memory and attention to the potential limits.

Poulgorm Bay, County Cork, Ireland
Located on Ireland’s southwest coast, Poulgorm Bay lies at the head of the extensive shallow Roaringwater Bay inlet. It offers a secluded anchorage in a remote area that is overlooked by the tower of a historic castle. Sheltered from the sea by rocks and islands to the westward of it, Poulgorm Bay provides a good well-sheltered anchorage. Access is available at all stages of the tide requires attentive daylight navigation to find and pass through a fairway leading to the bay through extensive marine farms in the head of the bay. ... More »

Maritime flags and their meaning
Code Flags are commonly displayed on commercial vessels during regattas and races or used as bunting at shoreside events. But the principal use of code flags is communication between vessels. Commercial vessels use code flags and shapes alongside sound signals when moving, anchored or alongside terminals to communicate their intentions.

Castlepark Marina, Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland
Castlepark Marina is situated less than half a mile upriver from Kinsale town on the east bank and opposite side of the River Bandon. The marina is a full-service marina with ample berths.Set upriver in the fjordlike valley estuary of the River Bandon, and in a virtually landlocked natural harbour, the marina offers complete protection. The same features and scarcity of hazards outside the entrance provide for safe access in all reasonable conditions, night or day on any state of the tide. ... More »

Understanding yacht rigs
The rig of a sailing yacht is the primary source of propulsion and it can be considered the equivalent in importance to the engine in a ship, or motor vehicle or indeed an aeroplane. But just as there is an enormous range of engine types for various applications, so there are many variations of sailing rigs which offer different properties and trade-offs to the user. This can be somewhat confusing.

Fahy Bay, Ballynakill Harbour, County Galway, Ireland
Fahy Bay is tucked into the southern arm of Ballynakill Harbour on the west coast of Ireland between Cleggan Point and Rinvyle Point. It offers one of the best anchorages of the inlet in an entirely sequestered location with lovely views of the surrounding hills. The bay offers good protection from north round through west to south and should it become exposed perfect protection may be obtained via a short move. Harbour access is straightforward at any stage of the tide but only during daylight and the bay is obstructed by a sand bar that requires a rise of the tide to pass over.... More »

Using the engine as an emergency bilge pump
Holed boats take on water very quickly. A 10 cm will leak 1100 litres per minute. Enough to sink a 30ft yacht in 12 minutes. Such an inrush will overwhelm even the best of bilge pumps.

Elly Bay, Blacksod Bay, County Mayo, Ireland
Elly Bay lies on the northwest coast of Ireland, on the east side of the Mullet Peninsula and within Blacksod Bay. It provides a well-protected anchorage off a wide-sweeping arch of a beach in a quiet and secluded location near a small quay.The anchorage provides excellent protection and is considered the best anchorage available in Blacksod Bay in which it is possible to find complete protection from any wind direction. The bay may be safely approached at any time of the day, at any stage of the tide and in all reasonable conditions. ... More »

Understanding the seagoing capabilities of a vessel
It is difficult to interpret the seagoing capabilities of a vessel from its appearance. However, if you overestimate a vessel's capabilities and use it into conditions that it was not designed for, it could be overwhelmed.

A bilge pump warning light
Whilst underway the sound of the automatic electric bilge pump is often drowned out by general boat noise. Never more so than when operating under power. This pernicious oversight could lead to the vessel sinking. Good examples of engine running issues are failures in the stuffing boxes or of an impeller. The stern gland is one of the few thru-hull fittings designed to allow some water into the boat. This is about 2-3 drops per minute when the shaft is turning but if there is a problem this drip could turn into an in-flood without anyone knowing it above decks. Likewise, an impeller could give way causing the engine to overheat and its hot gases to melt the engine raw-water hose. This opens the closed loop cooling system and allows water to enter the boat.

Staunching a hole that may be only addressed externally
If a boat is holed below the waterline and you can’t get at the hole to stop the flow from below decks, you have to get to it from outside. Typically, this is too dangerous a situation to put a crew member in the water as you are only compounding the danger.

Understanding the Beaufort scale
The (nautical) Beaufort scale, or to give it its full name the Beaufort wind force scale, is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. The scale of wind forces are described for practical purposes by name, range of velocity, and classified from force 0 to force 12, or, sometimes, to force 17.

Care and maintenance of batteries
Once a vessel is cast off from the dock all the power it requires has to be self-generated and then stored in batteries which require some working knowledge and maintenance.

Battery options for boating
Once a vessel is cast off from the dock all its electrical requirements have to be self-generated and stored in batteries. But there are many different types of batteries with slightly varying properties and widely varying costs that can make this area somewhat confusing.

Electrical power generation on a sailing yacht
Electricity is one of the most important blessings that science has given to mankind. It has become so much a part of modern life that we couldn't think of living without it. All devices which facilitate our activities and impact on a big portion of our life require electricity. But once we cast off from the dock we also unplug from the almost limitless power source that we have become accustomed to. Aboard a seagoing vessel, we have to generate all the power that the vessel and its crew require.

How to smooth out the black caulking in teak deck joints.
Manufacturers and suppliers of teak deck caulking recommend using a flexible putty knife to smooth out freshly squeezed-out caulking.

A practical, low cost solution to monitoring charging and batteries
How to keep an eye on the state of your battery at all times, at rest, in use, and when charging.

The three magic numbers for optimum sailing comfort and efficiency
Newcomers to sailing can easily get overwhelmed by the complexity of the boat, the points of sail, the complex sailing environment and all the strings that need to be pulled aboard to make it happen. Worse, in this environment, it is all too easy to over canvas a boat and get into a right mess and even break gear.

An easy low cost system to store the mainsail
Gathering up, flaking and lashing down a big mainsail that’s sprawled all over a cabin top is a heavy wearisome and often daily task aboard a boat. It is particularly difficult with a high-set boom, when the sail is being blown about on a slippery rolling deck and as often as not approaching a busy harbour. It can be an absolute pain to handle shorthanded and particularly singlehanded.

Getting to grips with berthing (or docking) your vessel
In a three year circumnavigation, I can count on one hand the number of times I was berthed alongside in a marina. More than a dozen years later I have bought a boat twice the size, to accommodate my growing family, for sailing in The Solent on England’s south coast. But the first day out I realised my sailing experience to date almost counted for nothing. For gone were the vast deep oceans and open bay anchorages, it was all about operating in tight channels, and coming into river marinas with tidal streams whistling out beneath their pontoons. Worse, at 47 foot, my new boat was approaching a third longer and more than double the breadth of my lean circumnavigator. And, being in excess of 14 tonnes. it was way beyond what could be in any way physically manhandled. But with three young children, it was still all down to my wife and I to berth her. This all had to be handled in the area of peak density of UK boating, The Solent, and in tight marinas that were optimised for boats that were 20% smaller so there was with little margin for error. In short, it was a bit of a rude awakening. All of this had raised a level of unease within me that was approaching an aviation experience; tense take-offs, momentary liberation, then the apprehension for the inevitable tense landing. We even gave it a name, berthing anxiety, and it became an impediment to the enjoyment of our family boat.

Emergency cutless bearing fix
You discover you have a cutless bearing that has become badly worn causing the prop shaft to vibrate a lot. Your holidays are about to be ruined because you have to haul out the boat to fix that, right?

Buying a used sailing vessel in the UK
Buying a boat is one of the key ways to experience the pleasure of a countries coastline with family and friends. It is very much like buying a car and just as easy. However, as with a car purchase, key paperwork and legal matters need to be correctly attended to before a buyer may safely part with his money and take secure and unfettered ownership of a vessel. A new boat buyer has implicit Sale of Goods Act rights but not so a used boat buyer that are only covered by the laws pertaining to misrepresentation.

Getting about ashore more efficiently
A dinghy or berth will take the crew to the shoreline, but after that sailors tend to get about on foot. This is very slow going and range restrictive to the extreme.

'Rule of Twelfths': a simple method for estimating intermediate tidal heights
Applying a graphical procedure, found by reference to an appropriate almanac and the times and heights of high and low water, a navigator may precisely work out intermediate tidal heights and times. This then enables depth restricted vessels to pass into shallow waters supported by tidal water and accurately plot a position where a vessel may anchor and stay afloat.However plotting tides to this level of detail is a skilled, onerous and time consuming task. It is for many cruisers more for the world of merchant sailors. Moreover, tidal curves are often only available for major ports where most leisure vessels would have ample water, not in out of the way anchorages. In the real world, even if the information is available, few sailors would go to this level of detail.

A tide and current predictor when cruising in unfamiliar waters
When crossing oceans and seas to new sailing destinations it is not easy to have arrival tidal data. Typically boats acquire local tidal data after landing.

A simple and effective solar panel implementation
Solar panels perform well when they are free of shade, or even in partial shadow, and the sun is directly above. However finding a position on a sailing vessel that will be continually optimised for light capture is unlikely. To make matters worse a sailing vessel is highly space constrained, and large solar panels will easily encroach upon boat operations and crew comfort. The best solution is to build a dedicated panel gantry so that the panels are clear of the deck and are in an area of relatively little shade. However this is an extensive piece of engineering, requiring some investment and specialist work, and it will dramatically alter the vessels aesthetics.

Cutting through stainless steel rope and rigging wire
Many people carry at least one spare length of the heaviest / longest rigging stay aboard plus a pair of swageless terminations or compression terminals. These terminate stainless steel rigging cables with simple hand tools and because they are so easy to assemble, the terminals are ideal to use in temporary jury-rigging situations. However, the problem many people face is cutting the hard stainless steel rigging wire to size. In the best of circumstances, it is very difficult to cut multistranded stainless steel rope let alone heavy rigging in such a fashion that it is even and the strands of cable do not become unlaid in the process.

Using smartphones, tablets and other electrical devices in an external boating context
Smartphones and tablets are increasingly being introduced in sailing circles to provide convenient chart plotters, pilotage and information services in the cockpit. Likewise, Bluetooth speakers are often deployed in the cockpit to liven up a passage. But water and electrics do not tend to mix very well and it is difficult to tell how much exposure to water a device can take, the vague marketing term waterproof is difficult to pin down.

Optimising electronic automatic pilots on tiller steered boats
The most common tiller pilot on a smaller sailing boat is an electrically operated ram connected between the tiller and the side of the cockpit area. By changing the length of the ram, the autopilot changes the position of the tiller. Tiller pilot installation typically involves a simple two-step modification. First drill a hole in the cockpit combing and hammer in a brass pedestal socket for the tiller pilot base unit. Alternatively, a cantilever socket can be used to mount against the cockpit side with wide vessels. Finally, you then either drill a hole and hammer in a pin, into the top of the tiller itself or mount a bracket underneath for the pilot arm to gain purchase. The problem with this set up is that over an extended period of use the pin in the tiller or bracket typically works itself loose. The constant back and forth motion is simply too much for the timber grain to sustain, holes widen causing the pin or screws to rock back and forth and then the rate of wear increases exponentially. This causes the pilot arm to increasingly fall off and finally to become inoperable. Although the cockpit fibreglass is less subject to this wear the pedestal socket will also fail just the same as the tiller pin in time. In use, the setup is less than convenient as the tiller is down and sweeping the cockpit under the instruction of the pilot. Another problem emerged in conditions when we used the tiller pilot most, when running downwind when the wind steering gear mechanical devices are less reliable, and in this sailing condition we often had a roll. Too many times we were surprised by a roll, overbalanced and where normally we would just drop across to land on the opposite seat of the cockpit we instead fell upon the tiller with all our weight. This weight in turn transferred in a highly leveraged fashion into the controlling tiller pilot ram mechanism. Something that I am sure can only dramatically shorten the working life of our piece of equipment.