Yachting World Articles Archive
| February 2023 | When things run their natural courseit's eventally time to let someone else take the helm... So Skip is doing just that |
| January 2023 | Having watched a behind-the-scenes look at the Australian victory in the 1983 America's Cup, could the latest chapter possibly rival it? |
| December 2022 | A return visit to South Georgia never fails to excite, especially exploring the ‘alternative’ Shackleton route |
| November 2022 | Delving into nautical linguistics – why yachts will always be ‘she’, and ‘man overboard’ can’t be meddled with |
| October 2022 | True high latitudes wilderness is becoming increasing difficult to find... Unless you know where to go |
| September 2022 | Shouldn’t we all be getting off our phones when at sea? Skip makes the case |
| August 2022 | Current events lead to reflections on Soviet Russia’s famous Fazisi project |
| July 2022 | Navigating the South Atlantic using celestial techniues becomes a true test when the ship goes 'Dark' |
| June 2022 | Details count, right down to the size of a split pin… |
| May 2022 | Being in the moment in the Antarctic – rather than trying to capture it on camera – proved a rare treat |
| April 2022 | The expedition charter business has changed over the years, as Skip recalls how deals used to be done… |
| March 2022 | Abandoning your yacht should be a last resort, but how desperate should you be before making that decision? |
| February 2022 | Why every yacht’s user manual is a vital and ever-evolving project |
| January 2022 | Practical skills are still key for those who want to work in the marine industry, but these days formal training is necessary too |
| December 2021 | Are ‘retro’ race competitors better off being left to battle the elements undisturbed? |
| November 2021 | Asking the unaskable question: when is it time to give up sail in favour of power? |
| October 2021 | Sailing a brand new custom boat off the edge of the |
| September 2021 | Even after thousands upon thousands of sea miles, |
| August 2021 | It’s the end of an era, as Skip hands over |
| July 2021 | The blocking of the suez canal reminds Skip |
| June 2021 | A curious skipper’s mind works in mysterious ways, |
| May 2021 | Getting involved in the helicopter bombardment of a |
| April 2021 | Dwelling on the past is not in Skip’s nature, but the next edition |
| March 2021 | How hard should you push in a race as competitive as the Vendée Globe? There must come a point when it’s time to back off. . . |
| February 2021 | Skip looks forward to visiting the isolated Marion Island, after
sneaking glimpses of the remote spot while racing past it |
| January 2021 | A visit to Cowes on the uk south coast provokes a trip down memory lane, although not everything is quite as Skip remembers . . . |
| December 2020 | In praise of tumblehome: why rounded topsides can be a saving grace |
| November 2020 | When does being prepared become hoarding? Skippers should avoid the temptation of ‘just in case’ |
| October 2020 | To inspire a love of sailing, even the youngest dinghy sailors need the thrill of a voyage |
| September 2020 | While building a new expedition yacht, skip’s extreme utilitarian philosophies are being tested |
| August 2020 | Could technical rules being set by non-sailors signal the end of free roaming in high latitudes? |
| July 2020 | Being locked down in south africa can be likened to a long voyage... But with some gardening thrown in |
| June 2020 | Skip recalls the formative experiences that led to his pioneering sailing in the Antarctic |
| May 2020 | Heaving to is a necessary skill, but is a pararachute-type sea anchor aimed at reducing drift worth the investment? |
| April 2020 | Skip returns from an impressively ambitious scientific sailing expedition in antarctic waters |
| March 2020 | Can you make a serious contribution to science while sailing? Skip certainly thinks so |
| February 2020 | Cape town has, of necessity, always been a vital stop for sailors. Now they’re making a point of paying a visit |
| January 2020 | A well-designed galley is a fundamental asset for serious offshore sailing |
| December 2019 | Sailing yachts might seem to offer a means of transport with a low carbon footprint, but don’t delve too deeply, says Skip |
| November 2019 | Oddball projects and round the world heroics... Skip relishes the 30-year anniversary of a great whitbread race |
| October 2019 | This year’s Fastnet race triggers memories of the 1985 event – and subsequent court case – when Simon le Bon’s Drum lost her keel |
| September 2019 | Working on yachts as a teenager set the scene for Skip’s adventures worldwide, but times for youngsters have changed, he laments |
| August 2019 | The distant and remote island of Tristan da Cunha is a place where the sun still sets over the British Empire, but it is slowly changing |
| July 2019 | When his yacht Pelagic was launched, Skip vowed he’d never return her to the Northern Hemisphere. Now he explains why he’s doing just that |
| June 2019 | Communication with shore used to be a hit-and-miss affair, but now it’s all at the touch of a button. Are we actually over-connected? |
| May 2019 | A wonderful film about the voyages of Americans Bob and Nancy Griffith has Skip recalling wistfully a time of total freedom at sea |
| April 2019 | Rounding Cape Horn is an experience to cherish, but what really qualifies for the achievement? wonders Skip |
| March 2019 | Skip is on standby to welcome or assist his friend Fedor Konyukhov, one of the world’s most incredible, almost superhuman, adventurers |
| February 2019 | What should you do if you or any of your crew suffer from seasickness? Skip has plenty of experience of it to share… |
| January 2019 | The Golden Globe race is a simple concept but, like all recreations of events past, is also full of compromises by necessity |
| December 2018 | Failure to reach a planned goal is a strong likelihood in adventure sailing, so we might as well embrace the fact we may not get there.. |
| November 2018 | The introduction of new Polar Codes for vessels visiting high latitudes could have profound implications for yachtsmen, suggests Skip |
| October 2018 | Instant communications mean plans are constantly being changed and modified. Skip hankers after the long-term commitments of past decades |
| September 2018 | The advent of self docking technology threatens to erode a vital and enjoyable sailing skills base, says Skip |
| August 2018 | It's time to get down to basics, says Skip. How much do you think about your yacht's skin fittings, and how often? |
| July 2018 | How can you have an interior that's comfortable in port but also safe offshore? Skip advocates simple materials and some creativity |
| June 2018 | Taking a yacht to the Falkland Islands, where marine facilities are primitive, is truly a frontier experience, says Skip |
| May 2018 | Expedition yacht designs have proliferated, but are they really fit for true expedition sailing, wonders Skip? |
| April 2018 | The prospect of foiling technology trickling down to cruising yachts is exciting, but it will have its downsides , says Skip |
| March 2018 | There is little comparison between the Whitbread Race of old and the Volvo Ocean Race of today. These days it's for experts only............... |
| February 2018 | Is there a lack of oversight on the Clipper Round The World Race yachts? Skip thinks manning improvements could be in order....... |
| January 2018 | The retreat of glaciers on South Georgia points to climate change and a recent voyage there helped gather more compelling scientific evidence....... |
| December 2017 | The Volvo Ocean Race's system to encourage female crew is confusing. There is only one good solution , says Skip |
| November 2017 | The Northwest Passage is still a treacherous way to travel between the At lantic and the Pacific. A fallback plan is essential....... |
| October 2017 | The best part about being a boat owner is that every morning you get to choose whether you see something new and unknown or the old familiar....... |
| September2017 | A yacht with no stowage in the forepeak and beds instead of berths forward of the mast is only fit for day sailing between marinas....... |
| August 2017 | Does a paid skipper ever out-rank his or her yacht’s owner? Having played both roles in this play, I can see all sides of the question....... |
| July 2017 | I’m just going to come out and say it: too many yachtsmen are being rescued at sea from seaworthy hulls....... |
| June 2017 | Since 2011 the number of vessels visiting Antarctica has risen steadily and in 2016-17 exceeded the all-time high. If you are going to go, don’t leave it long!....... |
| May 2017 | We used a drone to find our way through ice this season. Finding one safe anchorage would have been doubtful without it so they are here to stay....... |
| April 2017 | Not every charter guest wants to learn the ropes but becoming a useful member of the crew is a fulfilling goal for anyone ....... |
| March 2017 | It doesn't matter how much or how little you use your yacht, it's a symbol of freedom - an escape from reality....... |
| February 2017 | Cape Town is an ocean away from my base in the Falklands, but it's worth the trip to get a proper refit done. The scenery's nice too....... |
| January 2017 | Summer weather on South Georgia became so problematic that we decided to head South in winter instead, with some success...... |
| Decemberer 2016 | Destinations that were once off the beaten track are now either controlled by permits or crwoded with other boats....... |
| November 2016 | Preparing for Summer in the Far South involves a supply run to Cape Town from the Falklands and a boat load of bureaucracy........ |
| October 2016 | I was very pleased to see the new course for the next Volvo Ocean Race. Looking at the map graphic, the course line is once again more or less a logical circumnavigation..... |
| September 2016 | Thrilled though he was about the ACWS visiting his home town of Chicago, Skip is not a fan of big city racing........ |
| August 2016 | Modern-day adventurers pale into insignificance when you consider the exploits of Shackleton 100 years ago.......... |
| July 2016 | Feeling a little like a fish out of water, Skip tries the St Barth's Bucket superyacht regatta........ |
| June 2016 | Ocean racing carries risks and great sailors have been lost overboard. It takes just a moment when your guard is down........ |
| May 2016 | Should something be done about the number of rescues in high-profile events? and if so, what? |
| April 2016 | It can make sense to keep going for larger and larger yachts, but you lose something in the process |
| March 2016 | It is a measure of good seamanship that, should the rudder fail, you don’t immediately think of the rescue services. |
| February 2016 | A catamaran is faster, safer and more comfortable than anything with a single hull – but you have to pay attention. |
| January 2016 | Remember when the maxi Drum capsized during the Fastnet Race? The crew do and a 30-year reunion brought it all back. |
| December 2015 | The new America’s Cup show is spectacular, but I have to admit to missing some of the shenanigans of the old-style game. |
| November 2015 | Relying solely on electronic charts when you’re sailing in remote areas is a mug’s game. Keep your paper up to date and ‘navigate’. |
| October 2015 | There is no activity more varied, with more opportunities to inspire young people to a lifetime’s interest, than sailing. |
| September 2015 | Pollution in Rio compromising the sailing Olympics? A clean-up is not going to happen. This is Brazil; just enjoy the carnival. |
| August 2015 | ‘Well used’ is surely a compliment for a yacht cruising off the beaten track, where keeping things ‘just-so’ is an exercise in futility. Download pdf >> |
| July 2015 | Does the plan for a cruising guide to Antarctica represent another ‘paradise lost’, another remote area tidied and packaged? Download pdf >> |
| June 2015 | Taking a deep breath and donning a hard hat, Skip launches into the Volvo gender question: why do all-female crews do so badly? Download pdf >> |
| May 2015 | The wind-in-the-hair sailing bit is only the icing on the cake of this experience we call yachting. First, you’ve got to get down and dirty. Download pdf >> |
| April 2015 | Is there any point in learning celestial navigation these days, when nobody is ever likely to use it in anger? Download pdf >> |
| March 2015 | There’s nothing like a good debate around the saloon table on a stormy night, but computer access to facts is threatening the fun. Download pdf >> |
| February 2015 | ‘The feel’ is what separates a good sailor from a so-so one, and you’ll never get it unless you’ve had a good soaking in a tippy dinghy. Download pdf >> |
| January 2015 | Racing and cruising are poles apart these days. While racing has become more extreme, cruising is now arguably too easy. Download pdf >> |
| December 2014 | Skip pitches into the Great Lifejacket Debate with his own views on when to don a personal flotation device. Download pdf >> |
| November 2014 | When it comes to sea trials for a new or refitted boat, it is a case of dont do what I do, do what I say. Download pdf >> |
| October 2014 | In the first edition of his new column, Skip Novak takes a trip down the Hamble River and memory lane. Download pdf >> |