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A gradual return to a new normality, is starting to build. We have heard today that we can resume training for leisure boaters on the 29th March 2021. Whilst this is very welcomed news this new normality will require some getting used to, at least whilst Covid mitigations remain in place. In due course we will be able to offer our full schedule of courses…

Someone in the water is probably what most boaters dread, and something which all training courses teach and practise is how to return the boat to the casualty. Something that I feel personally, is that far less time is spent actually going through how to get them back out of the water. Last year we had a really scary incident in the marina when two…

As I sit here in the warm looking at the snow falling I almost needed a reminder of why we do boating! Then it dawned on me, not only was it February but 2015, that makes it 10 years since I decided that driving a desk at the RYA was to be a thing of the past and I should start my own little maritime…

The art of going slow!   Todays modern pace of life has us all scrambling about at a crazy pace and many do just that when on their boat. There is another way, slow is becoming the new cool, not just from the fuel that can be saved but it also means that the trip itself becomes part of the adventure, pretty much as our…

  Motor boating is normally a fairly relaxed activity all except for the final bit, berthing. Our previous articles have shown how to choose a berth and what clues to look for. Even with all that knowledge it can still go wrong so here is my view of ways to save the day! Everybody’s idea of ‘when’ its going wrong differs. Newer boaters tend to…

Many a great day out on the water has ended not quite as planned as the wind has got up whilst you were at sea, with a net result that even before you have arrived back at your marina, your stress level is already through the roof.  Windy conditions are what most skippers fear, in reality like most afloat the key is planning what you…

Stern-to berthing is typical in many non-tidal harbours, it just means that more boats can be accommodated in a small area without pontoons and not much has to be provided by the harbour itself. In its simplest form you drop your anchor a good distance out, reverse up to the quay wall and attach your stern lines, then pull in on the anchor rode to…

One of the great joys in this fantastic weather is being out on the water, brilliant warm sunshine and boiling flat seas, its all happening this summer. So just a thought, have you considered the option of spending a night at anchor rather than travel back to a marina? Not only does this offer new places to stay rather than just visiting, but can really…

Most marine engines are cooled by utilising the seawater around the boat through a heat exchange system to cool the coolant that is within the engine itself. Bizarrely most smaller engines only monitor the heat on the engine side of this system with no exhaust temperature monitoring, so often the first sign of an overheat will be the temperature gauge shooting up (very easy to…

Great little things tenders, they allow one to get to the shore for all manner of things, including “light refreshments”. Used sensibly they are a great aid to enjoying your boating even more. However like all great things there are a few small things to consider: If it’s an inflatable, pump it up correctly. Best of all use a pressure gauge, if you don’t have…