John Simpson

John grew up in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex, UK. He considers himself fortunate that he began sailing early with his parents on their Lowestoft smack. His teenage years were spent racing and cruising dinghies, along with bigger boats offshore. Later in life he raced and coached sailing, along with single-handed long-distance sailing adventures in small boats. Now, retired, John feels that he would like to get a little more saltwater in his veins.

written articles

Boaters

Raising my mast wasn’t fun!

Doing everything on the cheap can mean you run into many problems. Our 26ft. Dutch wooden boat ‘Blauwe Slenk’. I’d dropped her mast in...
John Simpson -
Adventure

John McKercher’s Lobcouse

One subject for any professional sailor best to avoid is writing about boat food. Knowing that most guys in my game; will eat almost...
John Simpson -
Adventure

Enjoying Light Airs

Whether you’re racing or cruising most of us go sailing for the peace and joy it brings using just the wind to power us...
John Simpson -
Boaters

Owning A Money Pit

After reading recently that it costs more to own a wooden especially an old one. It seems to me that the writer was missing...
John Simpson -
Boaters

CJ’s Monster Overfalls And G&T’s

Some years ago, we were passing between Coll and Tiree into a gap called the Gunna Sound which on a good day is about...
John Simpson -
Boaters

A Good Look-Out

When returning across the Atlantic between Bermuda and the Azores with the leg almost finished, I was awakened from a light nap one afternoon,...
John Simpson -
Boaters

Campaigning An Old Classic yacht

I’ve made many mistakes in my life but that’s what any sailor does. Particularly if you’re in the pro. yachting game. When I was...
John Simpson -
Adventure

A Dodgy Landfall

This wouldn’t happen now……. but 41 years ago, it did for me!!!!! Heading North from St Martin, trying to break out of the NE Trades...
John Simpson -
Adventure

Sweet Landfall

All landfalls are special, particularly after any long oceanic passage. My boat and I ended 28 days at sea anchoring in Freeman’s Bay, English...
John Simpson -
Boaters

Trying out a Reed Boat

Shashas are inshore fishing craft built from reeds. They were still used locally until quite recently on this part of the Batinah coast and...
John Simpson -
Adventure

A Scottish Winter Weekend Jaunt

There’s nothing quite like a quick sail, especially when it’s not too busy. It might rejuvenate any of your winter blues. My wife Janet and...
John Simpson -
Boaters

Scotland – Staying Afloat In the Winter

Even at my great age now, I still go kayaking on Loch Fyne. Dinghy sailing my Laser isn’t really an option now at 76....
John Simpson -
Adventure

Using the Christmas Winds

A Simpson sea shanty after first single-handed crossing (With my profuse apologies to all those old seadogs that can write poetry). 28 days was no...
John Simpson -
Adventure

Superstitious Sailors Or Just Natural Phenomena?

Given many of the odd experiences I’ve had at sea it’s easy to understand why so many of the early sailors were extremely superstitious....
John Simpson -

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