Cover Story – Hitch-hiker’s guide: The Joy of Essex
Dick Durham crews for Mike Peyton as the pair explore the tidal charms of the Blackwater River and its most famous town, Maldon.

Ships of the Desert- Gipsy Moth IV leads the Blue Water Rally through the Suez Canal

Cover Story: I Cheated On My Yacht
Dick Durham gets behind the wheel of a gas-guzzling powerboat to see if driving a gin palace is as easy as it looks

Blue Water Letter
Annie Hill explains why New Zealand is God’s cruising ground

Behind Bars
Ken Endean guides you beyond the tricky entrances to explore the Deben and Ore rivers in Suffolk

Ocean Pioneers: three oceans in a canoe
How a 38ft sailing canoe circled the globe in 1901

Expert On Board: Around and About
Discover the finer points of tacking and gybing

Learning Curve: Never on a Sunday
Engine failure and a North Sea gale end in a tow into Helgoland

Skipper’s tips
Navigation in fog, running safely plus clear commands at sea

Any Questions
Sourcing seasickness drugs and keeping keels watertight

Anchoring extra: Back-up
A line ashore can be the best way of anchoring your yacht

Troubleshooters
NEW SERIES: Join YM afloat to test and debunk nautical theories

Cover Story: Do Your Own Boat Test
Learn from the professionals – discover how James Jermain tests a new boat
PLUS Be a ‘fly on the bulkhead’ during a YM test

New Boat Test: Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36i
Performance provides an exciting sail at the right price, says James Jermain

50 Years Of Jeanneau
Inside Jeanneau’s boat factory

Used Boat Test: live life to the max
The Maxi 1100 suits an adventurous cruising couple

Cover Story: Seven Handheld VHF Radios Tested
Entry-level, non-DSC handheld VHFs on test

Cover Story: What’s The Weakest Link?
A snap decision – can you trust the C-link used to extend your anchor chain?

New Gear
Touch-screen chart plotter, budget EPIRB, wipe-on sail protection and the end of antifouling?

Columns
Is there room for truth at sea, asks Libby Purves
Tom Cunliffe sets sail with some ghostly crewmates
Nigel Calder praises furling genoas in Tech Talk