Safety Guides...
Safety Knives Buyers Guide
Whether you are dinghy sailing, racing or cruising, a good safety knife is an essential piece of kit to have either on board or on your person. Here we look at the different types available, as well as giving some advice on features and our favourite models...
Fitting & Stowing a Liferaft
If you’ve either recently bought, or are considering buying a liferaft for your boat, it’s worthwhile thinking about stowage options at the same time. In fact the type of stowage you have available may even dictate the type of raft you buy. So here’s our handy guide to....
Lifejacket & Buoyancy Aid Basics
Buoyancy aids are ideal for watersports where a bulky lifejacket would get in the way, while lifejackets are commonly worn in more offshore conditions, but what’s the difference between a buoyancy aid and a lifejacket, and what type of buoyancy aid is right for you?
Grab Bag Checklist
We spotted a good article in the April edition of Yachting Monthly, it's all about creating a ship's grab bag checklist. They've split the list into the Most Important and General items, and then whether they're essential or optional for Coastal and Offshore sailing. A really handy guide, and a good read.
Choosing the right flares...
Flares form an essential part of our on-board safety kit. We all hope we never have to use them, but knowing they are there (and in date!) gives us all peace of mind. In this guide we will have a look at the flares that are available, how to choose the right flares for your type of boating, and when to use each type of flare.
Guide to the Offshore Special Regs (OSR)
Published every two years, the Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) cover in great detail the required equipment and structural features for both mono and multihulls, as well as personal equipment and training that a yacht must comply with before it is allowed to race. Much of the OSR content can also be applied to cruising vessels to make them as seaworthy and safe as possible for the skipper and crew.
6 Step Guide To Maintaining Your Lifejacket
When the boating season kicks off and you dust off your lifejackets after their winter hibernation it's worth carrying out a few essential checks to make sure all is well...
Casting Off techniques – That may save your life!
From Duncan Wells, author of the Stress-Free Series of Boating Books.
Having guaranteed, robust techniques for getting off the dock and back on again will boost your boating confidence no end. All my techniques can be managed by one person from the cockpit of their boat.