Editorials

James Reiley, ex resident of Mallorca headed off earlier this year to his new home, his beloved Yacht Saphir in Tortola BVI. He has spent a very pleasant few months at Bitter End Yacht Club on his mooring before heading off to Nanny Cay’s hurricane hole for the hurricane season. ... Read More »

Dear Islander, This past month has seen some of the worst weather ever recorded in several parts of the world, particularly in the Caribbean and Florida where Hurricane Irma caused widespread destruction, with the BVI’s and St Maarten suffering more than most. The number of boats wrecked or damaged only ... Read More »

Paul Dyer, technical manager at Marlow Ropes, examines the effect of fatigue on the performance of rope and rigging.   Ropes, like people, suffer from fatigue. Unlike people a good night’s sleep does not reinvigorate them.   What is fatigue? Fatigue is any mechanism that reduces the performance of a ... Read More »

Change is happening in Nicaragua. Rural communities are seeking a healthier and more prosperous future. In Nicaragua, approximately 65 percent of people who live in rural areas are poor with 80 percent being extremely poor and depend on farming for their main source of income. Due to unsustainable agriculture practices, ... Read More »

The Barcelona Boat Show’s offering is growing, with more boats in both the land-based and floating exhibition areas. The Barcelona International Boat Show is setting sail for its 56th edition, which takes place on 11-15 October in Port Vell, bringing together the biggest range from the sporting and recreational nautical ... Read More »

Salt in your face & sea in the air, the Colourful Journey of A Super Yacht Captain! A light rock sways the saloon on this 32 metre Elegance Super yacht ´Harmony´. Captain Nick Scantlebury is on the phone with the local Spanish Port, and Port Adriano inform the Captain that ... Read More »

 Back in the 1950s and 1960s, a young man called Pepe  Escaño ran a fishing fleet off Spain’s Cantabrian coastline.  It was competitive, tough, and financially unrewarding.  Suddenly news began to travel that Frenchmen Jacques  Cousteau and Émile Gagnan had invented the first open-  circuit self-contained underwater breathing apparatus – ... Read More »

By North Sails Woven or laminate? That’s the choice for anyone in the market for cruising sails – until now. Chris Beeson finds out how North Sails has blown the debate wide open As with most things in life, choosing new cruising sails involves compromise. You can opt for the ... Read More »

Marlow Ropes Paul Dyer, technical manager at Marlow Ropes, tests the effects of knots and splices on rope strength. It’s likely anyone who has ever used ropes has learned to tie knots – to create eyes, connect rope to objects or even just for decoration. There’s a knot for every ... Read More »

  The light disappeared as the bus from Boston trundled its way further north. Shimmers of mirrored light caught my eye as I passed giant lakes and rushing streams. The red glow of closed shop and restaurant signs lit up as we passed through villages and towns. Four hours later ... Read More »