Navigation

Charts are maps used for navigation and they represent the entire Earth's surface with details that can be useful to the navigator, such as the outline of the coast, lighthouses, reefs, probes, type of bottom, declinations, currents, etc. . There are two types of charts for navigation, gnomonic (for orthodromic routes)… Read more

When the good weather arrives, who doesn't want to go sailing? Whether to go fishing, spend the day anchoring or to skirt the coast enjoying the landscape and the sea breeze. Many people consider buying or renting a boat to enjoy the sea. However, you may have doubts with… Read more

Mainsail trimming On this course we need to keep the mainsail (as well as the genoa) trimmed with the sheet “full”. The sheet traveller is fixed “almost” in the centre of the boat, giving a slight inclination of the boom towards leeward. The vang has to be slightly trimmed, thus tightening the sheet. Read more

This article is aimed at those who are just starting out in the world of cruising sailing, but we are not going to explain the basic theory of sailing here. There is already a lot of literature on the subject in any beginner's dinghy sailing course. We assume that the reader knows what … Read more

Parts of a boat rudder: stock, guards, tiller and blade The rudder is one of the fundamental parts of a boat, located in the stern behind the propeller, and thanks to its evolutionary action it can maintain the course or change it, that is, steer. It consists of a flat surface called a blade or saffron which is moved by a … Read more

Mooring and unmooring Mooring on the bow or stern of the dock is done, usually next to other boats moored in the same way. Mooring on the side of a dock or pontoon is mooring parallel to the dock. For this maneuver, it is important that the fenders on the side that we are going to bring closer to the dock are in place to protect the side … Read more

Importance of the weather: Maritime forecast Before planning a trip, it is essential to assess the risk based on the weather. The forecasts provided by weather reports are increasingly reliable, especially within the next 24 hours. You should not hesitate to cancel or postpone a trip in the event of bad weather forecasts and we should take into account the weather conditions and the weather forecasts. Read more

Course and steering rules This part of the RIPA deals with the course and steering rules, i.e. provides the general guidelines that must be followed during navigation, and especially if there is a risk of collision. It is divided into three sections, where the predominant one is visibility. On the one hand, it assumes that there is no better means of transporting a ship than on the other. Read more

When sailing, it is extremely important to gather information about the weather. This directly affects the state of the water, which in turn affects the boat, with the consequent decrease in its safety and that of the crew. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify and understand concepts as relevant in meteorology as … Read more

Risk areas: kitchen, battery and more. On boats, when they have one, one of the areas most at risk of fire is the kitchen, as it is generally supplied with gas, so it is advisable to ensure that these pipes do not have leaks and above all to have a good gas extractor to prevent their accumulation. Read more