Stories of passion, cult boats, accessories, sailors. It’s SAIL of May!

Why get on board with us for the May issue of the Sailing Journal? For many good reasons. Read on, we already reveal ten of them for you to preview: starting with TAG Heuer VELAFestival’s 123 stories of passion we tell you about boats, characters and accessories, through practical advice on how to avoid getting caught in a gale and the adventures of Bill Tilman, the mountaineering sailor. This and much, much more.

1. WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE TOMORROW?

Turn off electronic tools and web connections. Watch carefully what is happening in the sky and at sea. Predicting what the weather will do tomorrow is one of the most fascinating aspects of going to sea: how to read the clouds, disturbances and winds to be calm while sailing? How do conditions change near an island? Barometer and hygrometer, can you read them? We explain everything you need to know to avoid finding yourself “in the eye of the storm.”

2. TWENTY-SEVEN SYMBOLS OF PASSION
The emblem of the love of sailing is them, the boats. So many and so diverse were the ones that animated the docks of the TAG Heuer VELAFestival. Protagonists as different as fast dinghies or solid Northern European boats, born for those who want to live aboard. Sporty and elegant cruiser-racer or comfortable models for family cruising, through catamarans and mythical ocean-going boats. Many new features made their official dockside debut in front of the general public in Genoa itself.

3. THIRTY-THREE MYTHS OF ITALIAN SAILING
They are like us, part of the same tribe even if they are famous: sailors, sailmakers, builders, designers, owners, helmsmen. They are sailing enthusiasts, seeming like old friends meeting in the harbor, young adventurers eager to set out to tackle the sea solo. These are the legendary sailors who brought the VELAFestival to life. Characters you dream of meeting at the dock to chat or just for a handshake. Great sailors able to share their passion for the sea and sailboats with you.

4. TWENTY-FOUR BOATS THAT HAVE A SOUL

There are boats that have a story to tell and become icons, cults because they mark a pivotal moment in yachting history. No matter how long their history is, what matters is what these hulls represent today. From the schooner America, a faithful reproduction of the schooner that won the 1851 Hundred Guineas Cup, to the Mini 6.50. We gathered them on the dock at VELAFestival and tell you about them one by one.

5. ACCESSORIES, SAILMAKERS, SERVICES FOR SAILING AT ITS BEST

At the VELAFestival there was truly everything a boat owner needs to optimize his or her boat: we show you the best of accessories on these pages, including on-board electronics, deck equipment, clothing, safety and gadgets for fun on board. The offerings were truly all-encompassing: the “top” Italian sailmakers and a large contingent of nautical operators were also present. There were those who promoted the most classic of garaging to the latest frontiers of “eco-refit.”

6. IN THE CARIBBEAN THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE FUN.

We went to the British Virgin Islands, where Stephenson set his legendary “Treasure Island,” to find out what racing is like on the other side of the Atlantic. Between constant winds, sunshine, lush nature, a fleet of nearly a hundred boats and beach parties, here even those who take a charter boat can win. A week in the Caribbean for the BVI Spring Regatta & Festival barefoot, listening to reggae. The iconic phrase “warm water, hot racing” stands out on the banners.

7. ANDREA MURA, SAILOR OF THE YEAR
We voted him 2014 Sailor of the Year for his tenacity, which never made him throw in the towel despite difficulties and propelled him into the international elite of ocean sailors. Andrea Mura told us in an interview, revealing his “down-to-earth” spirit: the real difficulty of ocean sailing, he told us, begins ashore with finding the budget needed to embark on the adventure. The rest, for him, is child’s play since “the sea and I speak the same language….”

8. BILL TILMAN, THE ULTIMATE HERO

Thirty years and 115,000 miles of sailing every ocean to reach the most remote peaks to climb, with no radio or electricity on board. And without women. A life worth ten (and which we tell you about in detail), that of Bill Tilman, the greatest explorer of the twentieth century: born in England in 1898, he was the protagonist of acts of great heroism during both world wars, then mountaineering. And, at 55 years of age, a visceral passion for sailing.

9. THE BEST OF WEST SARDINIA

The northwestern coast of Sardinia is the one most open to the center of the Mediterranean and for this reason perhaps less frequented in the summer: instead, it is home to unique natural beauty, such as the striking Neptune caves, and numerous unmissable beaches. Our “gastronaut” Davide Deponti reveals the “must” places for those who wish to venture to the west coast of Sardinia.

10. NAVIGATE BETTER WITH MARCO NANNINI
Optionally attached to the May issue of the Sailing Newspaper on newsstands (at the special price of €9.90 instead of €14.90), you will find the fourth and final DVD in the series “Sailing Better with Marco Nannini”, in which the great sailor from Turin will reveal all the tricks for adjusting your boat’s sails to the best of your ability, upwind, crosswind and downwind. It will also explain how to best prepare for bad weather and how to recover man overboard. Unmissable.

Remember, there are also many other good reasons not to miss the new May issue of the Sailing Journal. On newsstands,
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