Cruising Skills Week: Let's Go Cruising

Details

Join us for two FREE live evening webinars which will offer practical and confidence-building advice to help you start cruising safely and sustainably. From planning your first passage to understanding and maintaining your rig, these talks provide essential preparation skills to ensure you and your boat are ready for the miles ahead.

Open to non-members and members, Cruising Skills Week reflects the CA’s commitment to growing participation and supporting both sail and motorboat cruisers. Cruising Skills Week Week is an opportunity to experience the depth of expertise and supportive community the CA is known for. If you are considering joining the CA, it offers a clear introduction to how membership can support your cruising ambitions - whether under sail or power - at every stage of your journey.

All attendees registered for any Cruising Skills Week event will receive a digital goody bag packed with information and resources.

Programme Overview

Each talk will last approximately 40 minutes, followed by a 15-minute live Q&A.

19:00-19:55 hrs
Cruising for Beginners: Preparing Yourself and Your Boat

Speaker: Bob Garrett, Cruising Association Member
Talk Synopsis: New to cruising or considering your first passage? This session is perfect for those planning their first passage and looking to build confidence. Learn how to prepare yourself and your boat, choose suitable routes, build confidence and make the most of support from fellow cruisers. With insights from the CA’s Channel Section Rally and practical advice from experienced cruisers, this talk will help you take the leap into cruising with clarity and enthusiasm.

20:00-21:00 hrs
Rigging: Check it, Tune it, Trust it

Speaker: David Mossman, Technical Marine Supplies
Talk Synopsis: Whether you are planning your first passage or heading off on extended cruising, understanding your rig is key to safe and confident sailing. This session focuses on both standing and running rigging, covering how to log and monitor your rig’s condition, understand wire lifespan and fatigue, and align inspection routines with your cruising plans. Learn what to check before departure and during passage, how to spot early warning signs of wear or failure, and when replacement is prudent. The talk also explores rope selection and specification to ensure your running rigging is fit for purpose.

What you will Learn

• How to prepare you and your boat for a first passage or rally
• How to select suitable routes and build confidence through structured planning
• How to make effective use of support from experienced cruisers and CA networks
• How to inspect, monitor, and log standing and running rigging condition
• How to identify wear, fatigue, and early warning signs before and during passage
• When to replace rigging components and how to choose appropriate rope specifications

Meet the Speakers

Bob Garrett

Bob has sailed since his teens moving from dinghies to racing cruisers and then cruising with his wife Sue. From their base in Chichester Harbour, they have cruised their own yacht mainly in the English Channel doing up to 6 crossings per year. As CA Channel Section Secretaries, they have organised Channel seminars/webinars and Rallies for the last ten years. They have also sailed to Ireland, the Baltic (as far as Russia), the West coast of France, Northern Spain and the Netherlands as well as chartering or crewing further afield.

David Mossman

With over 40 years' experience, David has a practical, prevention-focused approach to preparation, maintenance, and optimisation. During nine years at Marlow Ropes, he supported Golden Globe Race campaigns and two Olympic cycles with the British Sailing Team, specialising in rope selection, system optimisation, and reliability. He also created Marlow’s Rope Show and Education Programmes. Now at Technical Marine Supplies, David works across both running and standing rigging, providing technical support on complete rig systems.

Discover Cruising Skills Week

This event is part of Cruising Skills Week, 23-28 March 2026 - a series of free online evening sessions from 23-27 March, followed by a one-day in-person and online Go Affordable Boating Seminar at CA House, London on 28 March. Discover the full programme.

Exclusive 20% Membership Offer

Use CSW20, the unique Cruising Skills Week 20% off discount code, to join the Cruising Association, reducing Full Membership (one member, or two members at the same address) to £137.60* instead of £172. Discover more about the benefits of CA membership.

With over 6,400 members worldwide and a history dating back to 1908, the CA connects sailors, shares knowledge and supports every stage of the cruising journey. If you are serious about cruising, this is an opportunity to experience our knowledge and discover the wider benefits of membership.

Discover the benefits of membership

*First year of membership, when paying by Direct Debit.