Practical Sailing, Scuba Diving and Coastal Travel Guides

Sailers helps people make better decisions on and around the water. We publish beginner-friendly sailing guides, UK coastal safety advice, boat-handling explainers, scuba diving features and marine travel ideas, with a focus on clear, practical information you can actually use.

Written by sailing and diving enthusiasts, with safety-focused guides checked against official sources where appropriate.

Latest Articles from Sailers

New to Sailing?

Learn the parts of a sailboat, the basic principles of sailing, and how wind moves a boat.

Planning a Coastal Trip?

Start with our UK coastal sailing safety guide before checking weather, tides, navigation and crew preparation

Interested in Diving?

Explore family scuba, marine life, shark conservation and dive travel ideas

Meet the Sailers Team

Sailers is written by people with real interest and experience in sailing, scuba diving and marine travel. Our guides are designed to be practical, readable and safety-aware, especially for beginners building confidence on the water.

David Harken
Licensed yacht captain and lifelong sailor, David has logged passages across the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and South Pacific. He writes about seamanship, passage planning, and kit that actually earns a place on board, and champions ocean conservation every chance he gets.
Sally Minard
A certified Dive Master with 10+ years underwater, Sally has guided dives from warm coral gardens to chilly drop-offs. She covers dive travel, training, and photography, and is passionate about protecting the marine life that makes every descent worth it.

How We Create Sailers Guides

Our goal is to make water-based activities easier to understand without making them sound simpler than they are. For safety-related sailing and diving content, we prioritise clear explanations, current guidance, practical checklists and links to official or specialist sources where appropriate.

  • Beginner-friendly explanations
  • Practical checklists and diagrams
  • Clear author bylines
  • Corrections welcomed
  • Safety topics linked to official sources where relevant
  • No substitute for qualified instruction, skipper judgement or emergency services

Recent Articles

Your First Overnight Sail: How to Prepare as Crew

Prepare for your first overnight passage with clear crew arrangements, accessible clothing, a proper briefing and realistic rest.

Planning a Coastal Sailing Break in Cornwall

Compare a Fal-estuary base, Fowey and a quieter Helford-focused break, with flexible sailing days and practical plans ashore.

Buying or Renting Your First Dive Kit: What to Decide First

Decide what dive equipment to buy by considering fit, training, servicing, travel and the kind of diving you will actually do.

Navigation

Essential Sailing Guides

The UK Coastal Sailing Safety Guide

Safe UK coastal sailing starts before the boat leaves the berth. The essential question is not simply, “Can we go?” It is: “Can this boat, with this crew, on this route, in this forecast, still get to shelter if conditions change?” UK...

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling

Underwater Photography Etiquette: Getting the Picture Without Disturbing Wildlife

Put buoyancy, your buddy and wildlife ahead of the photograph. Practical questions and habits for more considerate underwater photography.

Buying or Renting Your First Dive Kit: What to Decide First

Decide what dive equipment to buy by considering fit, training, servicing, travel and the kind of diving you will actually do.

What to Pack for Your First Dive Course

Bring the paperwork and personal essentials you need, confirm the supplied equipment and leave unnecessary purchases until you know what suits you.

Environment

Shark Conservation Dive Travel: How to Choose an Ethical Trip

Shark conservation dive travel can support education, research, local conservation and better public understanding of sharks, but only when the trip is run responsibly. Choose operators with clear wildlife rules, qualified dive professionals, transparent conservation partners, small-group control, local permits, emergency...

Marine Animals Found in Australia

Australia is an island nation that offers an impressive range of unique marine life. From jellyfish to seahorses, the waters around Australia are home to a variety of incredible creatures that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. If you’re...

Training

Family Scuba Diving: How to Get Kids Started Safely

Children can get started with scuba diving through age-appropriate pool sessions, try-dives and junior courses, but age alone is not enough. A child also needs swimming ability, comfort in...

Deep Blue Sea

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Fresh Stories

Sailing Qualifications: Where Should a UK Beginner Start?

Choose a beginner sailing course by boat type and experience, and understand how crew training differs from learning to skipper.

Spanish Marina Towns Where You Can Sail in the Afternoon and Play Padel in the Morning

Spain is one of the easiest countries in Europe for combining court time with time on the water. Padel is part of everyday sporting culture here: the International Padel Federation reported...

Skippered, Flotilla or Bareboat: Which Sailing Holiday Suits You?

Understand who operates the yacht, how much support each sailing holiday format provides and what to confirm before choosing one.

How to Choose a Dive School: Questions to Ask Before Booking

Compare dive schools by teaching arrangements, course scope, realistic total cost and support after qualification—not just a headline price.

What to Wear Sailing in the UK: Dinghy and Yacht Kit Explained

Choose practical clothing for a UK sailing session, understand what to borrow and pack for the difference between a dinghy and a cruising yacht.

Planning Your First Sailing Holiday: A Practical Booking Guide

Plan a first sailing holiday around the people travelling, the right sailing format, realistic costs and enough flexibility for weather.