Tropical Revolving Storms are not something you want to encounter when you are in a yacht. Thankfully they typically form only in special conditions, or seasons, so sailors can attempt to avoid them by sailing away from the areas where they form over those particular months. Cyclones in the South Pacific, Hurricanes in America and…
Sailors have a love hate relationship with the wind. We are a picky bunch, not enough wind can have you floating around at the mercy of the tide (and your motor), too much and life just becomes down right dangerous, and that is even before we start talking about which direction it is coming from!…
Clouds can give big clues about the weather, so it makes sense for sailors to be able to identify the different types of clouds, and what they might mean for the people sailing below them. While it is easy to focus on what the weather is happening at sea level, clouds give an indication of…
The Coastguard Boating Education Coastal Skipper course teaches you about traditional coastal navigation practices. It is so easy to just rely on GPS for all your navigation these days, however if you lose all your power, or if the GPS charts aren’t accurate – as in some Pacific Islands for example, then it is important…
A special thanks to everyone who is still reading my numerous Coastal Skipper revision posts in preparation for the Ocean Yachtmaster exam. I have certainly dredged up some things from the depths of my brain that had long been forgotten. I am flitting around with topics all over the place, which is just typical of…
Ocean currents for sailors are like those moving walkways you find at airports. If you catch one going in the right direction then you can considerably increase your speed and get a free ride along an ocean conveyor belt towards your destination. They can also make life pretty difficult if they are travelling in the…
Following on from last week’s post about the Atmosphere, at last night’s Meteorology lesson we learned all about Atmospheric moisture and clouds. Clouds can give you big clues about reading the weather, so it is worth learning a bit more about them. So – how are clouds formed?
For tonights Ocean Yachtmaster study I am looking at abandoning ship. I have already visited the Rescue Coordination Centre, and saw how these amazing people are able to muster assistance in the form of another boat or a helicopter to come and help you. I have learnt about EPIRB’s and how they work, what safety gear you…
Like politics and religion, discussions about anchors tend to create polarising opinions between sailors. But I do like a bit of a debate (and I love people who are passionate and have opinions even if they are different to my own), so please feel free to stick your oar in so to speak and let…
You can almost guarantee that whenever something breaks on a boat, it will be the one thing that you are not carrying a spare part for… It is very cool though when something critical does break and you not only have got the bits but also the expertise to make a repair and carry on…
Astrolabe Sailing 