Winds gusting in excess of 50 knots have been testing the mettle of the Clipper Round the World Race crews as the fleet makes fast progress towards the scoring gate and San Francisco.

Isle of Wight based GRP Laminates and South Boats Special Projects delivered RRV Audrey to Holyhead Towing in October 2009, and already the vessel has proved invaluable in deployments ranging from fast wind farm transfers to dredging support.

The race management team for the Warsash Spring Series is ready for action, with racing starting on 14 March and entries currently showing an increase over 2009 with several class trophy winners returning to the fray.

In light and shifty conditions on day one of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland, the British TeamOrigin lost to their first opponent, the Italian Azzurra team.

British sailor Mike Golding opened the recent Solo Racing Festival with an inspirational talk on the trials and rewards of his long and successful solo racing career, writes Jerry Freeman of Solo Offshore Racing Club.

Cowes-based marine photographer Hamo Thornycroft shares a collection of great pictures from Round 1 of the Sunsail Spring Series, which saw close racing amongst a small fleet last weekend, sailing on the Solent in boisterous conditions.

The classic 95ft Bermudan Ketch Halcyon, now operating in the waters around the UK as a luxury charter yacht, will sail into the 2010 season with a new itinerary and crew, writes David Green.

The all new SB3 Match Racing Kit will be launched by LaserPerformance at the Southampton Solent Inter-University Match Racing event, using six Laser SB3 boats belonging to Cowes-based Pelican Racing.

Industry expert Sartech has warned that consumer apathy and data protection rules could scupper effective emergency responses for EPIRB owners.

Packed with visitors all weekend the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show has been a huge success once more with dinghy enthusiasts from across the country and the world flocking to Alexandra Palace, London.

The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, which starts in Cowes on 23 August, is seen as such a tough challenge that it's attracting much interest from the oceanic group of sailors including Volvo Ocean 70s, IMOCA 60s, and Class 40s.

The Portsmouth Numbers list will be announced at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show in London this weekend, 6-7 March.

The Clipper 09-10 yachts are ready to hit the open ocean again after the frustration of dodging container shipping and fishing fleets is beginning to grate, and the vast emptiness of the Pacific Ocean can't come soon enough.

In 2009 the Class 40 fleet held their first ever World Championships at the Royal Southern YC providing a fantastic spectacle in the Solent, and this year the Club is organising four Nationals, for Beneteau 40.7s, Swallows, J109s, and 6 Metres.

The number of entrants for this year's Shetland Round Britain and Ireland Race is the biggest for over 20 years with a line-up of 57 boats including four father and son teams.