Thousands of coastguard rescue officers will no longer be paid for emergency call outs or training exercises following a Maritime and Coastguard Agency decision
Laura Hodgetts
Features editor
Entries open for the YJA 2026 Young Journalist of the Year Award
Journalists, photographers, videographers, social media reporters, vloggers and bloggers aged 30 and under are being invited to submit their entries for the 2026 Young Journalist of the Year Award
Join the Wooden Boat Stage community at the Southampton International Boat Show
Following a successful debut year in 2025, an expanded Wooden Boat Stage will be returning to the Southampton International Boat Show (SIBS) from 18 to 27 September 2026.
Yacht club using AI community watch system to combat boat crime
Sailing club members are using MoorMesh – an AI-boosted community watch system to tackle thieves targeting yachts on remote moorings
Sailors’ Choice Awards: Nominate the gear that really works for you
Be part of Practical Boat Owner's Sailors’ Choice Awards – as we put the best sailing equipment, gear and customer service in the spotlight.
Lessons from the ARC: 24 top cruising hacks for blue-water sailing
Laura Hodgetts caught up with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers sailors for their best blue-water sailing hacks for everything from maintenance to lifejackets to lifestyle. 1. Winch upgrade Skipper Henrik…
Chance to win a Seafarer charter holiday prize in aid of the RNLI
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is auctioning off a one-week sailing holiday in Greece, which the charity was gifted by Seafarer Cruising & Sailing Holidays.
Start of season boaters’ checklist
As excitement builds for the new sailing season, minimise the risk of shakedown cruise glitches and common mistakes with this handy guide.
Why do boaters need to buy Class M compliant Man Overboard (MOB) devices?
Ofcom plans to phase out legacy man-overboard (MOB) automatic identification system (AIS) devices - after 2030, boaters need to upgrade to Class M compliant equipment.
Seafarer charter and boat club holidays celebrates 30th year
Independent charter yacht and boat club holiday specialists Seafarer is celebrating its 30th anniversary year.
Growing concern for missing 75-year-old sailor David Fretwell
Devon and Cornwall Police are appealing for information about David Fretwell, whose stricken boat Green Goddess washed up in the Hayle area on 6 March 2026.
What is S-100 and how will it affect the future of electronic charts?
“S-100 is indeed a great step forward. However, it does not promise any new chart data in the areas where leisure boaters frequent", says the Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN)…
GNSS-enabled electronic devices have ‘cyber-security vulnerability’
Sailors are being warned of the threat of spoofing or jamming of electronic kit, such as Man Overboard (MOB) devices and chartplotters, which have Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) functionality.
Restored Keewaydin trawler ‘unsalvageable’ after fire
Lowestoft wooden trawler, Keewaydin, which was close to post-restoration launch, is 'unsalvageable' following a fire, says the Sailors Creek CIC team
Jazz Turner is named YJA Yachtsman of the Year 2025
Jazz Turner, who is the first disabled person to complete a solo, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation of the UK and Ireland is named Yachtsman of the Year 2025
Find out how you can win £6,000 for your club with Funding the Future
Sunsail's Funding the Future is open to all RYA-affiliated sailing, yacht clubs, charities and university teams in the UK
Smoother to handle and easier to splice: the Marlow Excel Fusion+ rope
The Marlow Excel Fusion+ rope is made using a Dyneema D12 SK78 pre-stretched core for extra strength. It's designed to be easier to splice too.
Inspiring guests and club anniversaries at the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show 2026
Celebrations of milestone moments and a star-studded line up of guest speakers will be among the highlights of the RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show 2026.
Scottish sailors’ relief that ‘outrageous’ Clyde fee plan has been shelved
Plans to introduce a £100 annual fee for leisure boaters in the popular cruising ground of Scotland’s Clydeport have been shelved after a public backlash.
First prosecution under new watercraft safety laws
A motorboater who injured a teen kayaker in a “completely avoidable” collision is the first to be sentenced under new watercraft safety laws.