Welcome to a brand new issue of Yachting Monthly, jam-packed with great features, including:

SAILING SKILLS

The 12 common anchoring problems
How our experts trouble-shoot their way out of tight spots when anchoring

Skippers’ tips
Lassoing moorings • Sailing by instinct • Buying a boat abroad

A Question of seamanship
What would you do in a spinnaker situation?

Safety checklist
Make sure you’ve got your safety kit up to scratch

Boat fire drama
‘A putrid smell of burnt oil, fuel and resin filled the air’

CRUISING

A week in France
Lu Heikell sails to the picturesque anchorages and buzzing cultural hubs of the French Riviera

The UK’s 40 best anchorages
Stunning spots to cruise to this summer

Anchorage: Isles of Scilly
Finding anchoring perfection in St Agnes

A lonely wild voyage
Pierre Huglo sails his Contessa 32 around the world

Contessa 32: A new classic
Witnessing the birth of a brand new boat

Cruising community
Atlantic with the Vikings • First-time Fastnet

Cruising logs
Cruising the American way on the Eastern Seaboard

OSTAR at 60
Why this Corinthian ocean race is still going strong

Magical Mull
Wildlife encounters and stunning scenery in the Scottish Isles

GEAR AND BOATS

Tested: BTC-22
The first sporty 22-footer from a British builder packs a whole lot of fun with minimum fuss

New gear
Recyclable tarpaulin • NMEA terminator • Winch load meter

Tested: propeller antifoul
We test Prop Defender over a full season

Me and my boat
‘Why we love our double-ended Pacific Seacraft 40’

Seacocks guide
There are plenty of misconceptions about seacocks. We dispel the myths

REGULARS

Editor’s letter – Big boat, little boat
News – Yacht registration via SafeTrx
Letters – Carry a grappling hook
Libby Purves – A gap in the market
Pete Goss – Enjoy the view, stay alert
Dick Durham – The greatest gift?
Books –  Blondie – The first Ostar
Confessions – A wheel of a time