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Author, sailor, veteran search and rescue skipper, and pro maritime instructor Captain John shows you the no-nonsense cruising skills you need for safer sailing worldwide. Visit his website at https://www.skippertips.com and sign up for his highly popular Sailing Tip of the Week. Discover how to get instant access to hundreds of his sailing articles, videos, FREE e-books, and much more!
Recent Videos
Imagine sailing along the coast on a breezy day with the wind from astern. As you approach the entrance channel to the harbor, you see three vessels ahead, blocking your path. What vital steps will you take to ensure the safety of your sailing crew and sailboat? Watch this video to learn more.
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Few topics get more overlooked than ‘stability’, but a stable boat is a safer boat when day sailing, cruising, or voyaging offshore. What two vital forces are always in play to determine whether or not your boat will maintain stability or capsize? Watch this video to learn the answer.
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What super-simple and inexpensive technique can you use to keep your costly sailing lines from chafing? Add years of life to your line with this easy sailing tip. Watch this sailing video to learn more.
Captain John is a 20+ year Coast Guard veteran, author, sailor, and professional boating instructor...
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Your nautical or electronic chart shows symbols to help you navigate under sail or power. But do you know the most common wreck symbols found on all charts and chart displays throughout the world? Watch this video to learn more!
Captain John, with 25+ years of experience, shows you the no-nonsense cruising...
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Your sailing line is one of the most vital pieces of safety gear aboard when day sailing, cruising, or voyaging over the horizon. What five easy solutions can you use to protect your costly line from damaging chafe? Watch this sailing video to learn the answer.
Captain John is a 20+ year Coast Guard...
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If the computer plotting function on your radar went on the blink, would you still be able to determine the closest point of approach of an oncoming ship? Anyone who stands watch on a radar-equipped vessel needs to know this simple navigation skill.
*Captain John's Navigation Tip:
Use a wet-erase marker...
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How can navigation lights on a boat or ship tell you the distance to the vessel or help you determine the risk of collision? Know these 'Nav-Rule' secrets to gain the edge when sailing anywhere in the world. Watch this sailing video to learn more. (Click here to download the NavRules (see Rule 21): https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/navigation-rules-amalgamated
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How can the skipper master the art of backing a sailboat in a straight line, use the power of feathering to make a tight turn into a slip, or determine ‘drift rate’ before you approach a fuel pier? Watch this video to learn those answers!
Captain John is a 20+ year Coast Guard veteran, author, sailor,...
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Last week, I showed you how to find the direction, or ‘set’, of the current (click here: https://youtu.be/bIW3Fvdv4Nc?si=pjlV4aIxyDdbc_T1 if you have not watched that video yet). This week, I will show you the second part of the current formula, which is how to find the speed, or ‘drift’, of...
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The first step to find how the tidal current is setting you is to determine the direction, or set, of the current. All other calculations can wait, but if you do not know the current direction within two to three degrees, you could be set onto the rocks in no time! Watch this sailing video now. (Coming...
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Can you glance at a nautical or electronic chart and locate restricted or prohibited areas in five seconds or less? Protect your small sailboat and her crew from these dangers. Watch this sailing video to boost your sailing navigation skills sky high!
Captain John is a 20+ year Coast Guard veteran,...
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Imagine you need to navigate through a windy passage with swift currents surrounded by rocks on both sides. What super-simple backup navigation system will empower you to do this? Watch this sailing video to learn the answer!
Captain John is a 20+ year Coast Guard veteran, author, sailor, and professional...
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