Sue’s Blog Page

My sailing story started the way many do: as a wide-eyed Day Skipper fresh out of RYA theory classes, with a head full of tidal curves and a boat full of enthusiasm. Over the years I’ve traded that first nervous “will we make the tide?” feeling for the confidence that comes from hundreds of miles under the keel — but I still remember exactly what it felt like to be starting out. And that’s why I write the way I do: clear, step-by-step, and never forgetting that most of us sail to enjoy the journey, not just survive it.

Meet Sea Change

My home afloat is Sea Change, an Island Packet 380. I chose her for exactly the reasons most people fall for this American classic — she’s solid, forgiving, and comfortable enough to make a wet November Channel crossing feel almost civilised. She’s no slouch under sail either; point her in the right direction and she’ll carry you there with a steady, confidence-building motion that makes crew and skipper alike happy to be aboard.

What can you expect?

My blog posts will focus on that bit of sailing that sits between the safe familiarity of day hops and the big blue adventure of ocean crossings. This is the space where you might be crossing the Channel, running a night passage to make the tide at St Peter Port, or planning a weekend dash to a new harbour before Monday’s tide traps you there for the week. It’s a sweet spot — and also the place where preparation, weather sense, and tidal strategy make all the difference between a relaxed arrival and a stressful one.

My aim here is to help you bridge that gap. You’ll find articles on everything from plotting tidal gates for the Needles to choosing the right safety kit for a spring weekend to France. I also throw in gear reviews, passage planners, and the occasional “what went wrong and how we fixed it” yarn.

What You’ll Find on This Page

This page is the logbook of my written voyages — every article and blog post I’ve created for Chartroom Online. It’s your go-to harbour for:

• Passage Planning Guides — complete with annotated charts and real-world timing examples.

• Tidal Mastery Tips — turning tide tables into a friend, not a foe.

• Gear & Book Reviews — honest takes on kit I actually use aboard.

• Heavy Weather Tactics — not to scare you, but to show you how to be ready.

• Skill Step-Ups — from night nav tricks to “plan B” ports of refuge.

How I Write

Every article starts with a real question a skipper might ask — often one I’ve been asked at the marina or over a pint after a passage. I combine current tidal and weather data with pilotage notes, charts, and personal experience, then shape it into something you can apply on your very next sail. I keep jargon to a minimum, diagrams to a maximum, and I always test my advice against what works in real life, not just in the RYA exam room.

A Few of My Favourite Miles

I’ve clocked up plenty of Channel crossings and Solent sprints, but the trips that stay with me are often the smaller ones — threading into Newtown Creek with the last of the flood, anchoring under a summer sunset in Studland Bay, or sliding into Cherbourg after a night watch with the smell of croissants drifting down the pontoon. Sailing, for me, is as much about those moments as it is about logbook miles.

Fair Winds

Whether you’re just stretching your coastal legs or you’ve been out here for decades, I hope you’ll find something useful, reassuring, or just plain enjoyable in these pages. If one of my articles makes your next passage smoother, your night entry less stressful, or simply reminds you why you love the sea — then I’ve done my job.

So, make a coffee, pull up the chart table, and have a browse. The tides wait for no one, but the right knowledge will help you meet them on your terms.

Fair winds,
Chris