If you could capture the energy and ingenuity of the Mini Transat race I'm sure you'd have a panacea for the troubles of our times. Many sailors in this big race in 21ft little boats, which runs from Douarnenez in Brittany to Guadeloupe, are engineer-inventor-builders. They are brimming with ideas for how to make their boats go faster, and the spirit of camadarie and friendliness among the 84 entries is palpable. If ever we need to restart a civilisation, you could just take a group of Mini sailors - they would make it work and it would be a nice place.The Mini Transat is the legendary solo transatlantic race in supercharged 21ft boats, which has run every two years since 1977. The boats have evolved to become sailing's ultimate hot hatches, limited to a tiny package 6.5m long and 3m w...

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you. As Maria Robinson once said, "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back. Here are some ideas to get you started: Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they'll make room for you.  You shouldn't have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your...

REGULATIONS for the use of Personal Watercraft (PW). Maritime authorities throughout the Mediterranean have become more stringent with PW use. There have been a number of reported instances where PW's drivers using PW's belonging to the yacht, have been party to a random check and heavily fined when unable to provide an appropriate licence. It is important that Captains / Officers are aware of local by laws and regulations, and clearly inform the Owners, guests and crew who are using the PW's. The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) offers both the 1-day RYA Personal Watercraft Certificate at various RYA Training Centres, as well as the provision for Yachts to become RYA Training Centre, offering the PW Safety Certificates onboard to guests or crew after appr...

Hello all, My name is Duncan Gibbons. I am currently busy planning how I can get to France and find a decent job onboard the Superyachts.   I would love to know what it all entails? What certificates/qualifications would you suggest I get in order to be almost guarenteed a job onboard these ships? What will I need to fund myself, ie what must I plan on having to pay for? Any suggestion how I can raise enough money in half a year to make this all happen? What are my chances of making this work, and anything else I should know before delving in this industry?   Any help would be much appreciated Thanks Duncan

    Its 21:28 on Day 3 of the crossing. You join me while I am aboard a 56m Feadship heading for Falmouth UK. We set off from Fort Lauderdale on the 11th after what can be described as "one of those days". Nothing seemed to be going to plan. ------------------------We woke early on the morning of the 11th to move on to the fuel dock.. oh no.... scrap that, someone has come in during the night and taken our spot. A lot of faffing later and the captain has been woken up and we are now at 8am on our way. During the maneuver a thoughtful chap needing ice.. yes ICE.. decided to pop in front of us. Thanks for that. So. There we are... waiting. Waiting in the channel like the girl who no one wants to dance with, awkwardly, waiting for the man... in his boat.. to pick up ice. What ...

Yotspot is starting to gather pace in the industry people. Last week we had over 300 new members join the site and we are getting more paid jobs. With 300 new members in a week, we need you to help us help you! Simply put.. we need more jobs, more links, and more exposure.    We ask all of you to spread the word. This website has the potential to be an incredible tool for all in our industry.   Captains can now Post a job for free, receive unlimited CVs for free, if s/he likes the quality of the applicants? s/he can pay just £99 to unlock the contact details of every one of the applicants for that job.   There are some exciting changes we want to make to the site this year, and change doesnt come for free ;) We need to spread the word about YOTSPOT!! We w...

I have been doing my best to land that first position in the industry it is so incredibly tough, I am still looking for a deckhand position onboard and will be looking until it happens. I have been looking for seven months, and have had lots of experience over the last six months. I would love for an opportunity, and hoping something to come soon. Any advice is well appreciated!  Thanks!  

I'm not sure about this whole blog thing but I just thought I would share my story...   I moved down from Falmouth, Cornwall, England nearly 2 weeks ago, to find work as a stewardess onboard a yacht this season.  It all happened so fast, and I left on a bit of an impulse if I'm honest!!  Some of my friends used words like 'brave and 'adventurous', whilst others used 'optimistic' followed by 'naieve'.. all of them were right!!  I felt I had no commitments keeping me in England, I had been single for 2 months, in between jobs, and the house I had just moved into I had to be out of in 6 weeks anyway.. so it seemed as good a time as any to take on a new and exciting adventure :-) It is far from a holiday being here in Cannes, with little money in the bank, it is defin...

Disclaimer: Owners of yachts are all incredibly awesome and generally fantastic people. Some of the nicest people that I have ever met, nay, THE nicest people I have ever met. What has been written below is clearly the delusional witterings of a pea brained village idiot. (see below)   Owners of yachts are mental. Fact. Actually, I would like to amend that statement 'your honor', and go as far as saying that all owners of yachts are mental. Anyone who decides that it is a good idea to throw gabillions of dollars/pounds/euros/groats into the cash black hole that is a luxury yacht has got to be a few croissants short of a continental breakfast right? Before I get myself black listed from every yacht on the planet, I would like to add that just because the...

  Tuesday, November 6, 2012   By Captain Peter Squicciarini, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Master Merchant Mariner   Yet another tragedy at sea. The October "superstorm" known as Hurricane Sandy claimed another vessel, this time the unique and historic HMS Bounty. She was lost October 29th off the coast of North Carolina in some of the Atlantic's most treacherous waters. She isn't the first or the last ship in the graveyard of the Atlantic. One crewmember has died and the Captain is missing, presumed lost.    How? Why? The investigations (plural) have already begun. The Coast Guard has some of its best investigators looking into it now. All of the answers will never be fully known as it appears the Captain went down with his ship. Bu...