The Sailing Podcast

Getting your boat's electronics to play nicely together can feel like a dark art. This week on The Sailing Podcast, host Theo Stocker is rejoined by former Royal Marine, Yachtmaster Instructor, and Marine Surveyor Justin Morton to demystify marine networks.

Whether you sail a classic cruiser or motor a deck saloon, your plotters, radars, autopilots, and depth sounders all depend on accurate calibration. Justin breaks down his essential "Digital Shakedown" list to get your vessel operating with pinpoint accuracy.

In this episode:

Powering Down: Why turning off your chart plotter mid-passage is a highly revealing sanity check.

The 30-Second Depth Calibration: Figuring out counter-intuitive offsets and why you must explicitly brief your crew on where your depth reads from.

The Log Paddle Wheel Protocol: Step-by-step guide to pulling, cleaning, and testing your through-hull logs.

Taming Your Alarms: Re-configuring your AIS and depth vector settings to avoid alarm fatigue in crowded coastal waters.

Autopilot Wizards: Knowing the difference between dockside geometry tests and sea trial calibration.

Head down to the boat, grab a cup of tea, and map out your electronics checklist with us.

Catch more expert technical guides at yachtingmonthly.com.
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Welcome back to Part 2 of our conversation with Commodore (Retd) Richard Farrington CBE on The Sailing Podcast (Episode 20).

In this final half, Richard steps into his role with the Coastal Forces Heritage Trust. We dive deep into the breathtaking, forgotten history of WWII’s Night Hunters, the volunteer yachties and fishermen who manned wooden 'floating bombs' at 40 knots in the dark. Richard shares the unbelievable exploits of legendary figures like Mickey Wynn (who ended up in Colditz) and Robert Hitchens, the most decorated RNVR officer of all time.

Then, the conversation turns to blue water cruising. Richard shares with host, Theo Stocker, how he and his wife Julie decided to 'outrun the grim reaper' upon retirement, purchasing their Oyster and completing a massive 40,000-mile Atlantic circuit.

From the challenges of maintaining a dark blue hull to island-hopping through Cuba, New York Harbour, and Nova Scotia, Richard shares invaluable, real-world advice for anyone dreaming of proper long-distance passage making.

⚓ Enjoyed the two-part special? Give us a thumbs up, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more sailing masterclasses!
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Welcome to a very special, two-part edition of The Sailing Podcast with host Theo Stocker. In Episode 19 (Part 1), we are on board the beautiful Oyster 485 Escapade of Reim in Gosport with her owner, Commodore (Retd) Richard Farrington CBE.

Over a distinguished 36-year career in the Royal Navy, Richard commanded everything from wooden mine hunters to massive fleet flotillas. In this gripping first instalment, Richard takes us behind the scenes of precision ship handling, the evolution of maritime technology, and his fascinating time on exchange with the Royal Australian Navy.

But the heart of this episode centres on one fateful night in the middle of the Tasman Sea — the terrifying grounding of the Type 42 destroyer HMS Nottingham.

Richard vividly recounts the exact moment the ship struck rock at 25 knots, the absolute bedlam of the bridge alarms, and what he calls the "spin-dryer effect" as the ocean threatened to tear his ship apart. Learn how a tight-knit crew, manual steering overrides, and a helicopter's compass kept 260 souls from sinking into the dark.

🔔 This is Part 1 of a truly unmissable two-part story. Hit Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss Part 2 next week!
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In Episode 18 of The Sailing Podcast, host Theo Stocker sits down aboard the iconic Suhaili with a man who needs no introduction: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston CBE. He is arguably the greatest sailor of all time.

As the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world (1968 Golden Globe Race), Sir Robin changed offshore racing forever. In this exclusive chat, he reflects on his legendary master mariner background, shares harrowing stories of surviving the Southern Ocean, and explains why he donated his prize money to Donald Crowhurst’s family.

We also dive into his fiery defence against the myth that sailing is an 'elite' sport, the creation of Clipper Ventures, and an insider look at the brand-new Clipper fleet being built.

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Picture this: It's a dark, wet evening in Salcombe. A massive 40-foot cruising yacht pulls up to the pontoon, and the skipper is screaming at his terrified teenage kids because they cleated a line wrong. The holiday is ruined, the crew is miserable, and the skipper is utterly disappointed in himself. How do we avoid becoming that grumpy, overwhelmed dad?

Welcome to The Sailing Podcast, sponsored by Sunsail. This week host, Theo Stocker and his guest. Justin Morton talk about what it actually takes to be a great skipper.

The pair dive deep into 'unequal sailing partnerships,' the psychological difference between real danger and perceived fear, and why cutting a long-planned cruise short might be the ultimate sign of a successful voyage. If you've ever worried about stretching your family's tolerance on the water, this episode is an absolute must-listen.

Timestamps
00:45 – The Snakes and Ladders of Sailing
02:45 – A Sailor’s Confession
06:00 – Justin's first command: Surviving spinnaker carnage on a Hunter Horizon
11:45 – The Grumpy Skipper Trap
16:30 – Event Management at Sea
19:35 – The cautionary tale of an 8-meter catamaran and forced cross-channel runs
24:35 – When Fear Meets Reality
34:10 – Knowing when to cut your holiday short
41:00 – Why the small, rubbish boats have more fun
43:00 – How to build boat-handling skills
47:25 – The Lost Art of Heaving-To
53:50 – Why couples should do shore-based courses together but practical courses apart
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