Sailing Safely at Night – Best Practice
by Safe Skipper | Boat Handling, Communications, Crewing skills, Emergencies, Navigation, Yacht ownership
Sailing at night can be a magical experience – the peaceful solitude, starry skies, and gentle lapping of waves create an unforgettable atmosphere. However, nighttime sailing also presents unique challenges and risks that require careful preparation and vigilance. This comprehensive guide will cover essential safety practices to ensure your nocturnal nautical adventures are both enjoyable and secure.
Fixing position at sea using traditional methods
by Simon Jollands | Communications, Crewing skills, Navigation, Preparation
This post looks at some traditional methods used for fixing a vessel’s position at sea, within sight of land. Electronic fixes using chart plotters are very straightforward to record, but if for some reason a vessel’s electronics are faulty it is essential that a skipper knows how to use traditional methods.
ESSENTIAL BOATING APPS >>

Safe Skipper App – a practical guide to managing risk at sea
Fast access to essential boating tips, emergency guidance & MAYDAY call support. Record vessel details & crew information. Save favourites & location. Be better prepared!

US Inland Navigation Rules App
Complete Inland Navigation Rules for all U.S. inland waters and the Great Lakes.
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ColRegs: Navigation Lights & Shapes App
Provides skippers and crew of sailboats, power boats and commercial vessels worldwide with a quick reference tool to identify vessels in their vicinity and the activities they are engaged in.

Knot Bible App - Knots Made Easy
Learn the 50 essential boating knots for mooring, anchoring and rigging, with step-by-step photos, save favourites, search, clear instructions and practical Knot Scores.

ColRegs: Buoys & Lights App
All the essential quick reference knowledge you need to quickly recognise and interpret the buoys and the light markers and improve your overall boating skills and safety on the water.
As specified by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) Systems A & B.

Boating First Aid at Sea App
This app provides rapidly accessible guidelines for dealing with medical emergencies in a small boat or yacht at sea.
As well as detailing medical procedures the app also provides information on emergency communications.
Take a look at the new features!

ColRegs: Rules of the Road App
All the boating Rules of the Road in our essential quick reference boating app. Search the rules, Save Favourites, continue studying and test yourself! Used by seafarers worldwide.

Start Sailing: Yachts App
Learn the essentials of yacht sailing with 100+ expert illustrations, useful crewing tips, quick search, save favourites, quizzes and reliable offline access.

ColRegs: 3 App Complete Collection
The ColRegs Complete Collection brings together three highly visual reference, learning and revision apps for skippers and crew of sailboats, powerboats, fishing boats and commercial vessels.
Sending distress signals
In an emergency situation at sea, it is a top priority is to know how to send and receive emergency radio calls and alert others of your predicament. Likewise, if you receive a distress signal, you must be ready to go to the help of others.
Engine failure at sea – keeping the boat safe
If the engine stops when you are underway, or your have to shut it down when a warning buzzer sounds, you also need to make sure the boat remains safe. It’s important therefore to recognise situations in which the boat would be immediately put in danger if the engine were to fail.
Boat electrics inspection checklist
With the boat ashore, here are some recommendations for carrying out a boat owner electrics inspection. Safety is always paramount so remember to do the checks with the batteries off. Wearing a head torch helps, make notes as you go and only tackle a repair if you are 100% sure you know what you are doing:
Steel and Aluminium Hulls
The two metals used for hull construction are steel and aluminium. These are both very strong materials and will last a long time as long as they are cared for, which primarily means protecting steel boats from rust and aluminium boats from electrolytic action.
Stress cracks on GRP boats
It is quite common to find cracks in the gelcoat when inspecting the deck and superstructure of a GRP boat. It is important to differentiate between a gelcoat crack and a scratch.
How to read nautical charts
Whilst most sailors today rely on GPS to find their way at sea, nautical charts are a crucial tool for any sailor to navigate safely and effectively. Here is a reminder of some of the basic steps involved in reading a nautical chart:
Estimating and plotting your position at sea
This post covers how we go about estimating and plotting our position using traditional methods, when out of sight of land – covering Dead Reckoning, Estimated Position, Tidal Streams, Leeway and more…
Essential Boat Spares for Safety
Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 2
To prepare for antifouling, as soon as your boat has been lifted out and pressure washed, you need to check all the surfaces of the hull below the waterline, remove any remaining barnacles and check for blisters.
Tidal heights and the rule of twelfths
For those skippers who need to make a quick calculation or don’t have access to specific tidal curves for their location, it is possible to make an approximation using a system called the Rule of Twelfths. This is a simple method used to estimate the height of tide at any given time during the tidal cycle. It is based on the idea that the rise and fall of the tide is not constant, but follows a predictable pattern than can be divided into twelve parts.
Boat engine cooling systems
Some boat engine breakdowns are unavoidable but those caused by lack of maintenance or regular checks can be avoided. Failure to maintain an engine’s cooling system is a well known example of this, so it is well worth spending time checking over the cooling system both when the boat is ashore and afloat.
Navigating the Unknown: Boating in Limited Visibility
Sailing or Motor Boating in limited visibility, whether due to darkness, fog, or other adverse weather conditions, presents unique challenges for mariners. It requires a combination of skill, experience, and adherence to safety protocols to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey. In this article we will delve into the intricacies of sailing in such conditions, providing insights into preparation, navigation, and collision avoidance.
A simple guide to understanding tides when passage planning
Capsize – understanding the risks
Fixing position at sea using traditional methods
This post looks at some traditional methods used for fixing a vessel’s position at sea, within sight of land. Electronic fixes using chart plotters are very straightforward to record, but if for some reason a vessel’s electronics are faulty it is essential that a skipper knows how to use traditional methods.
Is Boating Good for Your Health and Happiness?
Boat maintenance – what does it involve?
The maintenance of a boat involves things like cleaning, varnishing, painting, polishing, antifouling, servicing the engine, servicing the seacocks, and maintaining the gas and plumbing systems. It all amounts to a fairly considerable amount of work that can’t be ignored if you are to keep your boat in a safe and good condition.
Navigating Through Rough Waters: Tips for Handling Adverse Weather Conditions in a Sailboat
Navigating through rough waters in a sailboat requires skill, preparation, and a good understanding of both your vessel and the environment. Here are some tips for handling adverse weather conditions including Preparation, Techniques, Safety and much more..
Five dangers a vessel may encounter at sea
What are the main dangers a vessel may face at sea and what should skippers do to reduce the risk of these happening?
Top five windvane self steering installation questions
Top five windvane self steering installation questions answered by Sarah Curry of Hydrovane International Marine, courtesy of Viki Moore from Island Cruising NZ
Top 5 Reasons Why an Inflatable SUP Should Be Your Next Yacht Accessory
Rig check – how to prevent failure at sea
Pleasure craft safety equipment recommendations
Care of boat batteries
Boat batteries need to be kept properly charged, which means never allowing the batteries to discharge below 50 per cent of their total charge. As well as the batteries themselves, keeping a boat’s charging systems in good shape will also help to keep batteries topped up to a higher level of charge.
Nautical paper charts – a reminder of the basics
The nautical chart is an indispensable tool for navigation. A chart is a graphic representation of an area of the sea which might also include coastlines, estuaries and islands. All cruising leisure boats should carry up-to-date paper charts.
Welcome to the Safe Skipper website.
Safe Skipper is run by boating enthusiasts who also have a background in publishing and TV production, design and app development. As well as creating great content for the website, we’ve developed a range of popular boating apps that allow you to get safely out on the water whilst having essential information to hand, covering International ColRegs: Nav Lights & Shapes, Rules of the Road, Buoyage & Lights to knot tying, nautical chart symbols and first aid at sea – all information available to you when on the water, on your phone or tablet, when you need it.
We’re regularly adding new articles to the site, hope you’ll bookmark us and visit again soon.
Before you go, scroll down to our boating quizzes and check your boating knowledge!
Saildrive maintenance
There are less maintenance tasks to carry out on a saildrive transmission than on a traditional inboard shaft drive system with its associated stern gear. However, there are a few critical things that require maintenance, as recommended in detail by the engine manufacturers, and should be adhered to.
Wooden Hulls – Part 2
It is important to ensure the essential hull maintenance of a wooden boat is done, even if you are paying others to look after your boat for you. The priority is to prevent rot from taking hold. The protective layers of paint and varnish over wood are far more critical than on GRP boats, where the topsides are painted more for cosmetic reasons.
Rewiring a boat – overcoming the challenges involved
Skippers need to have a basic knowledge of boat electrics, to avoid potential problems and to be able to solve them when they happen.
Boat engine basics
2023 Rolex Fastnet Race
Safe Skipper’s Simon Jollands took part in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race – a classic offshore sailing event. This is the first of several articles on the race and focuses on the start.
Boatyard Health and Safety
Boat surveys
How to read nautical charts
Whilst most sailors today rely on GPS to find their way at sea, nautical charts are a crucial tool for any sailor to navigate safely and effectively. Here is a reminder of some of the basic steps involved in reading a nautical chart:
Keel maintenance and Repair – Part 2
If you have ever witnessed a boat colliding with a rock or other submerged obstacle you will know that there is an almighty thump and the whole boat shakes and judders. While such hard groundings seldom result in catastrophic keel failure, something has to give and even the sturdiest keels can easily be damaged by such an impact.
Hourly Checks when sailing or motoring
I have just downloaded and am using ColRegs Nav Lights & Shapes app, a brilliant training and reference device
Instructor
Beautifully produced and very simple to use, a cool learning tool
Sailor
Nav Lights & Shapes app – downloaded by 1000s of seafarers worldwide. Just one of our popular boating apps to download from the appstores for Apple and Android devices.
How to tackle osmosis
Learning about diesel engine maintenance
Marine diesel engines are internal combustion engines that are designed specifically for use in maritime applications. These engines are commonly used in a variety of watercraft, ranging from small boats and yachts to large ships and vessels. Learn about marine diesel engine maintenance courses.
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 10 – The Return Trip
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the final instalment of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first-hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
Essential boat engine checklist
Gybing a sailing boat
Understanding tide tables and tidal curves
There are many factors that influence local tidal patterns and it’s essential for every sailor to have a good understanding of tide tables and tidal charts to ensure they can calculate the level of tide at any given time.
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 8 – Arriving at the Azores
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the eighth of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first-hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
Avoiding personal dangers at sea
In order to stay safe at sea, we need to know the risks we are facing and to be aware of any personal dangers we could possibly encounter. Here are six of the most common potential dangers individual crew members should be aware of.
Getting a tow for your sail or power boat at sea or on inland waterways
Jester Challenge 2022 – Sailing single handed from Plymouth UK to the Azores: Part 5 – Boat Management
Jester Challenge – A modern experiment in old-fashioned self-reliance, self sufficiency, and personal responsibility. This is the fifth of a 10-part post where solo sailor, Bernie Branfield, shares his first hand account of his single-handed, 2022 Jester Challenge, from Plymouth, UK to the Azores, in his 26′ Invicta Mk2, Louisa.
Antifouling for leisure boats – Part 1
Boats that are kept afloat can very quickly become a home for small marine organisms such as barnacles, weed and slime. Applying an antifouling paint to your hull is necessary to protect it from these micro-organisms, as a fouled hull can cause problems and will slow down a boat’s maximum speed considerably if left unchecked.
Wooden Hull Repairs
While wooden boat hull maintenance is mostly straightforward, it is always a good idea to take expert advice on any repair job needed doing to a wooden boat, unless you have done the job before and know what you are doing.
Fire prevention on boats
Sailing Boat Rig Care
The rig of a sailing boat is put under huge stresses and strains so it is important for inspections of a yacht’s spars and rigging to be carried out at regular intervals.
Keel design – options to consider when choosing a yacht
Sailboat rig checks – Part 1
Sailing boat rigs need to be checked regularly to reduce the risk of rig failure at sea. In part one of Sail boat rig checks we run through a series of useful checks that owners and skippers can carry out.
The dangers of running aground in a motor boat
The peril of grounding a motor boat is not only an inconvenience; it can lead to substantial risks for both the vessel and its passengers. . In this article, we’ll explore the potential dangers of running aground and highlight the importance of proper navigation and preparedness to avoid these hazards!
Top 5 Reasons Why an Inflatable SUP Should Be Your Next Yacht Accessory
ColRegs – avoiding collisions at sea
Navigating narrow channels
Navigating narrow channels can present challenges for boat operators due to limited space, restricted manoeuvrability, and potential hazards such as shallows, rocks, or other vessels. To ensure safe passage through narrow channels, it’s essential to follow specific strategies and techniques.


