The Mariner

The features that make 'The Perfect Boat' are an area of sailing that walks the narrow line between philosophical & scientific truth.  Historically it is also beset by sailors claiming dead cert, bald...

20 Jan 202334min

I found an interesting document on a pen drive over the weekend- given to me by the organizers of the Velux 5 Race  10 years ago, it was a series fo notes prepared by the Race Officers after discussin...

18 Jan 20231h 8min

After centuries of sailors, praying and hoping for a 'magic button' with which to save their lives far from shore on the briney deep, we are now in the 21st century in the enviable situation of having...

31 Dec 20221h 23min

Questions & tangents returns for the last time in 2022 and I have lots to get through, questions I cover this episode range from Man Overboard recovery systems I don't know about to Mainsail reefing s...

28 Dec 20221h 18min

Liferafts are probably the least understood part of the safety equipment on a modern yacht- sure you know where it is (probably), what it does (maybe) and almost certainly what it cost (!) but have yo...

15 Dec 20222h 9min

At 0904 on the 6th December 1917 a massive explosion ripped through Halifax, Nova Scotia instantly killing 1600 people, injuring 9000 and destroying the city wholesale. The blast displaced 20,000 soul...

6 Dec 20221h 15min

Although we have had a few false starts with a round the world sailing project since the podcast began in early 2020- I think everyone will recognize that trying to make any kind of big plans during C...

4 Dec 202244min

In this episode we investigate handling lines- a wide and varied subject that tests my abilities to stay on subject and not launch into exponential tangents!  I try to make the case for not just doing...

24 Nov 20222h 17min