Learning from the ‘near-miss’

by Nikki Henderson, Yachting World
Back in December, I reminded myself what ‘too close for comfort’ feels like. After 18 days at sea, my crew and I finished an Atlantic crossing and parked up in Rodney Bay, St Lucia, with around 5 litres of usable diesel left – barely a couple of hours run time for our 60hp Volvo.

You could look at that and consider it an example of exceptional seamanship and precise fuel management – a perfect plan. Barely a drop in the tanks more than needed!

Or you may judge it a reckless ‘near-miss’. Just one unexpected variable such as a messy sea state or dirty fuel, and we’d have been stuck, windless and embarrassingly fuel-less, in sight of land. – Full report