Recent content by ancient mariner

Can recommend Sailing around the UK and Ireland by Roger Oliver (Sadler 25). Good all-round reference and pilot guide for any small yacht sailor thinking of doing this trip, as I did myself in 2104 in my Sadler 26). My copy was published by Adlard Coles Nautical in 2009 and I believe is still...

Re: Dutch Islands - Over 200 shipping containers currently missing from MSC Zoe.. The MSC Zoe which incidentally, is one of the largest and most modern of the ultra large container vessels of today, should in all respects have been fully capable of weathering such a storm, begs the question as...

If looking to 'downsize' then how about a Sadler 26? Did the Round Britain circuit myself in 2014 - round the top of Scotland taking in the Orkneys on the way - 4 months and 1 day from start to finish. Tiller steering and a wonderful 'bullet proof' unsinkable yacht to boot. Great trip...

Why on earth try and go anywhere on a Bank Holiday Weekend?? Similarly... . beggars belief the motorists who cram the roads and then complain that they cannot get to where they are wanting to get to at this time of year.... just as everyone else is trying to do the same - Doh! Best to stay...

At least they made it in through the buoyed channel.... credit where credit is due!

Brief details: Name 'Bluefang' - approx. 6/7m loa - French build, probably Jouet or similar - dark blue hull - white/light grey coachroof and decks - fin keel - tiller steering - dark blue sprayhood and boom cover - White mainsail (no sign of jib) - Yamaha outboard which has now been submerged...

See letter from Robert Holden in May edition of YM (page 12), as to an effective way of keeping decks clean from our feathered friends. I know the boat he refers to and it is always in immaculate condition all year round.

As one who pilots large ships myself (as well as sails small yachts in my leisure time), I found the programme gave a good and....for once, a factually correct insight into the professional work that marine pilots undertake. The depth sounder showing zero when the tanker was passing over the...

Shall be down in Penzance at the end of next week, so maybe will nip along to Hayle to see if there is any sign of life on board and also try to find out any future passage-making intentions.... or what.

A real pity that the lovely old NORA and her adventurous occupants could not have made the relative safety of somewhere like Penzance or Falmouth in the first instance, where at least the yacht could have laid nicely afloat without incurring risk of damage to the hull by taking the ground twice...

Just do it....

I did a single-handed Round Britain trip last year and like your friend referred to above, I cannot wait to do it all over again. So many places still to see that I missed the first time around, I think that alone is justification in perhaps having another go at it. Likewise Holland - not...

Saw the programme myself the other evening and to some extent, can sympathise with the loss of 'situational awareness' that Timothy Spall encountered on entering the Medway in the dark, as a similar thing happened to me when as junior Navigating Officer on a general cargo ship, we were in the...

Went round myself last year in my tough-as-old-boots (and unsinkable) Sadler 26 - voyage took 4 months and two days and that was still far too short, as others have mentioned in above posts. Boat behaved brilliantly and easily took in her stride one or two dustings on the way (rounding the...

Lovely videos of your summer sailing trips - all the more enjoyable to watch on a cold and wet November winter's day, such as today! Keep up the good work...