ALL ABOARD

By Jane Hyde

editor@allatsea.co.uk | www.allatsea.co.uk | facebook.com/allatseanewspaper

Spring is here! It’s getting dark noticeably later and, even better, the clocks change on 26 March. We might lose an hour on that day, but it is definitely worth it to have more hours of daylight. Hours many of us will no doubt use to stay out on the water for longer.

However, the temperature is still relatively cool, and it is important that we wear the appropriate clothing. So, we asked Zhik for their advice when it comes to choosing the best gear for inshore sailing. You can read their great tips on page 19. Next month they will be back with ideas for the best gear to wear for stand up paddleboarding.

We have also been finding out about the technology behind some of our sailing gear with Musto’s Lucy Davis on page 18. This month’s Shorestyle has some great clothing too; perhaps you need some new gear for an early season getaway?

In our first two issues of 2023 we brought you extended boating holiday pages to help you choose and plan this year’s getaway. If you missed them you can still read them in our digital holiday special at www.allatsea.co.uk. Turn to page 24 for more holiday news and advice in this issue’s two-page guide. For those of you preparing for the season ahead we have also put together some important boat insurance information courtesy of Craftinsure and Pantaenius. Turn to page 16 for money saving advice and a fantastic guide to boat insurance.

Next month will see the return of All at Sea’s annual events guide, and there are lots of fantastic shows, festivals and regattas coming up, so do not miss it. If there are boating events happening at your sailing club, marina or town let us know and we will include them.

Ahead of that, though, we have a pair of tickets to April's London Luxury Afloat, plus a complementary bottle of champagne, to give away on page 21. You can now also get hold of your show tickets; find out more in the news pages. It seems a long way off right now, but just a heads up that Southampton International Boat Show tickets are available too; head over to the show’s website to find out more.

In this month’s news pages you can catch up with February’s SBS BoatLife, discover an exciting race up-date from The Maiden Factor and, on page 12, see some shocking pictures from Sydney’s SailGP. Weather certainly left its mark on the event, which had to be cancelled after day one.

Sadly extreme weather events are all too common, but they are not just a recent occurrence. This month’s Dougal on Tour, on page 22, looks back at the devastating 1953 floods which were one of the worst natural disasters in British history.

I still remember, as a child, seeing the markers showing the high water mark in Leigh-on-Sea and being fascinated by the thought that the water had reached that level but having no comprehension of the devastation it had caused. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the floods, a film has been made which contains archive footage. You can see it on the All at Sea Facebook page. Events have also been taking place to give people a chance to come together and remember those who lost their lives.

I will leave you to enjoy the issue, and the arrival of spring...