When there’s a foot or two of slack left on a mooring line that’s been made up, it’s always tempting to tidy up by popping a turn of the standing part (the section between your boat and the dock) …
One final waypoint
On a passage of some length (South Coast to Cherbourg, or East Coast to Flushing, for example), it’s tempting to make the final waypoint at the outer harbour entrance. Once inside after dark, however, …
Don’t hog the hammerhead
Hammerhead marina berths can seem as rare as oaks growing in mid-Channel, especially if you’ve a larger-than-average yacht. A special place is reserved in a nasty corner of Davy Jones’ Locker for …
Heeling Error
In these days of GPS navigation, people tend to ignore changes in deviation caused when the boat heels and lumps of structural iron alter their relationship with the compass. Some boats, especially …
To Spring or not to Spring
Midships cleats are very useful in marinas for rigging lines that prevent the boat from surging fore and aft. These are not true spring lines however. Boat ‘A’ is rigged marina fashion, and there’s …
Instant position lines
When you’re piloting close inshore and everything is happening fast, trying to take and plot magnetic position lines is generally a bust. Here are a couple of ways to check a bearing without using the …
