There’s more to Yarmouth than meets the eye—don’t just sail on by.
Crossing from Maine to Nova Scotia can be daunting, due to the big tides in the Bay of Fundy. But the rewards of entering a new cruising ground make it worthwhile. Here are a few tips on how to make the passage.
Some of the world’s most interesting cruising destinations are subject to theft and violence. Colin provides tips to stay safe. Fixation on risk plays no part in adventure…but planning does.
Colin’s report on testing some of the latest and coolest gear on a brand new Boreal 55: autopilot, plotter, radar, stove, hydrogenerator, it’s all here. A real gear-heads article.
Colin continues his tale of a fall voyage to Scotland, complete with snug loch anchorages, a gale in confined tidal waters, and a fast canal transit, wrapping up with a summary of the Boréal 55 based on a good real-world test—lots more to learn and enjoy.
There are few trickier places to sail than the waters surrounding the British Isles and when you throw in fall weather that goes double. Colin puts his decades of experience in the area to work to make it look easy—we can all learn a lot about coastal passagemaking from this article on the maiden voyage of the first Boréal 55.
After seven years of building great expedition sailboats, Boréal have put everything they have learned into the new 55. And no one is better qualified to tell you about this new boat, that we can all learn from, than Colin, who supervised her build.
The Golden Globe Race 2018 is on and AAC will be there. This post is one of the most exciting we have ever published, with news that will make a real difference to you, the readers of AAC…don’t even think about missing this.
Colin is one of the best sailing travel writers in the business, but he has truly outdone even his own high standard with this lovely tale of tropical islands, drug smugglers, and folk musicians.
The near-universal availability of accurate weather forecasts and GRIBs is great, but over-analyzing the data can lead to analysis paralysis and missed opportunities. Colin tells the story of an imperfect forecast that lead to a perfect voyage.
The Virgin Islands are a great place for a charter escape, but do you really want to cruise there? And if so, where are the hidden gems? This chapter will help you decide if and where to go in the Virgins.
Poling out the headsail to sail downwind can be intimidating, particularly offshore in big breeze, but Colin has a way to make it easy and safe.
Colin draws on his decades of experience racing and cruising to share some tips and tricks that will make reaching and downwind sailing faster and more comfortable. Chapter FREE to view for three days.
Alter two full seasons in the Eastern Caribbean, Colin has found the best places…and he is even willing to share them with us in his usual lyrical prose.
When you have decades of experience running commercial research yachts where downtime is not an option, you learn how to make repairs while out there. Colin shares information that could save your cruise, and maybe even your boat.
After voyaging and living aboard their Ovni 435 for 7 years, Colin gives us an update on what electrical kit has worked and what has died, as well as a look at newly available gear he and Louise have installed or are considering.
Does your boat swing violently back and forth at anchor when the wind is up? Colin has a solution that is simple, inexpensive, and easy to rig.
If you want to reef from the cockpit, you have to do it right. Colin shares how.
Even the most experienced mariners get rusty after a period ashore. Colin shares the process of getting into the voyaging groove.
Colin and Lou rejoin Pèlerin in Grenada for another season cruising in the Caribbean…and beyond.
Colin’s in-depth review of the English built Rustler 37.
The first in Colin’s two part report on his visit to English boatbuilder Rustler Yachts.
I rarely attend major boat shows these days, and sincerely don’t regret it. In the past I spent many a day on stands for whoever it was that I was working for, or supporting, at that time, generally in the foul aired mausoleum that housed the late, lamented (?) London Boat Show at Earl’s Court. Not […]
More years ago than I care to admit, I made my first foray into my favourite cruising ground, the western isles of Scotland. Not only did it have a special resonance for me as a Scot living in exile, but it also offered a vastly different experience from my usual haunts in the western Channel. […]
Colin is back from sailing in Scotland with one of his lovely marine wildlife articles. If this doesn’t move you…well, you are some cold hearted.