Long Stay Port

20/09/2026

⛵ Is your yacht ready for winter?

As the days get shorter and the temperatures start to drop, many UK sailors will soon be leaving their boats ashore for the winter.

But simply putting the boat on the hard and heading home isn't quite enough! There are a number of important jobs worth doing before you leave her for the winter — from removing sails and loose gear to checking the engine, protecting the interior and giving the hull a thorough clean.

We've put together a Winterising a Yacht Checklist to help make sure nothing important gets forgotten.

✅ Remove and store sails
✅ Check lines, covers and deck equipment
✅ Service and protect the engine
✅ Clean and protect the hull
✅ Check batteries and electrical systems
✅ Protect the interior from damp
✅ Secure the boat and inspect supports
✅ Make a final pre-winter inspection

A little preparation now can save a lot of time, expense and frustration when you return in the spring.

👉 Read the full checklist:
https://longstayport.com/winterising-a-yacht-checklist/

What’s the one winterising job you never leave until spring? ⬇️

Preparing your yacht for winter? Follow our lift-out checklist covering cleaning, sails, engine, batteries, rigging, ventilation & protection

22/08/2026

⛵ No fridge on your boat? No problem!

Many smaller sailboats have nothing more than a coolbox — but that doesn't mean you have to survive a seven-day passage on crackers, baked beans and instant noodles! 😄

With a little planning, you can create proper, nutritious and enjoyable meals without relying on refrigeration.

Our latest LongStayPort article looks at:

🥫 The best long-life foods for a boat
🍝 Pasta, rice, couscous & other useful staples
🐟 Tinned fish, beans and pulses for protein
🍎 Fresh fruit that can survive life aboard
🥕 Vegetables that last without refrigeration
🥜 Nuts and dried fruit for easy passage snacks
🍳 How to manage eggs and other foods carefully
🧊 How to make the best use of your limited coolbox space

And we've included a complete 7-day passage meal plan for two, covering breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks — plus a full shopping list to make provisioning much easier.

The plan is designed to provide a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, fruit and vegetables while keeping cooking simple and avoiding unnecessary washing-up.

👉 Read the full article: https://longstayport.com/boat-food-without-a-fridge/

What's your favourite fridge-free passage meal? Share your ideas below — there's always room for another good recipe aboard! 🌊🍴

21/08/2026

⛵ Why do square and rectangular products make so much sense in a boat galley?

When you're sailing, every centimetre of storage counts.

At home, a round frying pan or kettle might be perfectly practical. But on a boat, cupboards, lockers and worktops are usually rectangular — so why waste valuable space around curved edges?

Square and rectangular galley equipment can help you:

🔲 Maximise cupboard space – pack and stack items more efficiently
🍳 Make better use of the stove – more usable cooking surface in a compact area
📦 Reduce wasted space – rectangular items fit neatly into lockers and drawers
🛥️ Keep your galley organised – easier to store and secure equipment when underway

We've looked at three great examples available from LongStayPort:

🍳 Boaties Fry Pan – a rectangular cooking surface designed with the compact marine galley in mind.

🥪 RidgeMonkey Deep Fill Sandwich Toaster – compact, versatile and easy to store, with its utensils fitting inside.

☕ RidgeMonkey Square Kettle Large – a 1.1-litre kettle with a space-saving square design.

It's not about making everything square. It's about choosing equipment that makes the best use of the limited space available aboard your boat.

👉 Read the full article and rethink your galley storage:
https://longstayport.com/boat-galley-storage-square-cookware/

What's the cleverest space-saving item you've got in your galley? ⛵👇

How square and rectangular cookware can improve boat galley storage, maximise cupboard space and make better use of your stove.

18/08/2026

⛵ Is your boat's galley organised for sailing — or just for sitting in harbour?

A tidy galley at the marina can become a very different place when the boat starts heeling! 😄

Everything needs to be easy to find, easy to reach and, most importantly, secure when you're underway.

Our latest LongStayPort article shares expert tips for organising your sailboat galley, including:

🔹 Non-slip storage solutions
🔹 Vertical plate racks
🔹 Secure mug and glass storage
🔹 Spice racks with retaining rails
🔹 Pull-out baskets for deep cupboards
🔹 Latching storage containers
🔹 Lazy Susans for awkward corners
🔹 Bungee cords to secure open shelves
🔹 Safe storage for knives, bottles and heavy items
🔹 Clever ways to make use of cupboard doors

And the best part? You don't need an expensive custom-fitted galley. There are plenty of affordable, off-the-shelf storage solutions that can make a huge difference.

👉 Read the full article:
https://longstayport.com/sailing-galley-storage/

Because on a sailboat, everything needs a home — and everything needs to stay there! 🌊

What's your best galley storage hack? Share it below — you might give another sailor an idea they hadn't thought of!

Organising your boat's galley with top sailing galley storage tips, including clever organisers and secure off-the-shelf storage solutions.

17/08/2026

🔥 Propane or Butane for sailing – which is best? ⛵

If you're cruising locally, the choice might seem straightforward. But start planning a longer voyage and LPG becomes a little more complicated.

🌡️ Cold weather? Propane has the advantage.
☀️ Warm-weather cruising? Butane can be perfectly practical.
🌍 Heading overseas? The real challenge may be finding a cylinder, connection and regulator that work with your boat.

And here's the bit many sailors overlook: your regulator won't necessarily fit gas bottles in other countries. Different countries can use different connections, pressures and LPG systems.

Our latest LongStayPort guide looks at:

⛽ Propane vs butane
🔧 Regulators and cylinder connections
🌍 Cruising internationally
🛠️ Cooker jets and operating pressures
🇪🇺 Campingaz for European cruising
🧯 LPG safety and gas lockers
📋 A useful pre-voyage LPG checklist

If you're planning a longer cruise, it's worth doing your gas research before you leave the pontoon!

👉 Read the full guide: Propane or Butane for Sailing? The Complete Guide: https://longstayport.com/propane-or-butane-for-sailing/

What do you use on your boat – propane or butane? And has finding the right gas bottle abroad ever caught you out? Tell us in the comments. 👇

Propane or butane for sailing? Compare LPG for boats, regulators, jets, cylinder fittings, cold weather and international cruising.

14/08/2026

⛵ Touchscreen or Buttons? Which Chartplotter Is Right for You?

Modern chartplotters are incredibly clever — but when you're standing at the helm in driving rain, spray and rough seas, is a touchscreen really the best option?

📱 Touchscreens are brilliant for:
• Planning routes
• Zooming and moving around charts
• Accessing menus quickly
• Integrating your boat's electronics

🔘 Physical buttons and rotary controls have some big advantages too:
• Easier to operate with wet hands
• Better when wearing gloves
• You can feel the control without looking
• Less vulnerable to accidental touches from water

And there's now an interesting middle ground: hybrid chartplotters combining touchscreen operation with physical buttons and rotary controls.

Our latest LongStayPort article looks at the current options from Garmin, Raymarine, B&G, Simrad and Furuno, comparing:

💷 Price
🗺️ Functionality
📱 Touchscreen operation
🔘 Physical controls
🌧️ Suitability for wet and rough conditions

The big question isn't necessarily touchscreen vs buttons.

It's which control system will work best when the weather turns nasty?

👉 Read the full article:
https://longstayport.com/best-chartplotters-for-sailing/

What would you choose — touchscreen, buttons or a hybrid system?

13/08/2026

⛵ Everything Has Its Place — Especially on a Boat

**“Where does this go?”**

It might sound like a simple question, but on a sailboat, knowing the answer can make a real difference.

Space is limited. The boat moves. And when something goes wrong, you may need to find equipment **quickly**.

That’s why experienced sailors are often very particular about where things are stored.

🧰 Tools have their place.
🪢 Mooring lines have their place.
🔦 Torches have their place.
🛟 Safety equipment has its place.
📻 The VHF has its place.

And there is usually a reason for it.

For new crew, learning **where everything lives** should be part of the initial briefing. Don't just know where the lifebuoy is — know where the first-aid kit, fire extinguishers, spare lines, tools and emergency equipment are too.

And perhaps the most important rule:

**If you take something out, put it back where you found it.**

A well-organised boat isn't just tidier.

**It's safer, quicker and easier for everyone aboard.**

👉 Read the full article and discover why good stowage is an important part of good seamanship. https://longstayport.com/why-good-boat-stowage-matters/

Boat stowage matter. Discover how organised storage improves safety, protects equipment and helps new sailing crew find things quickly.

13/08/2026

British sailing has a way of changing the weather on you—so your kit needs to keep up. Our guide breaks down what to look for in sailing apparel for our coastal conditions, from windproof layers to practical protection against salt, spray and UV. Built around what actually gets used afloat, it’s a no-nonsense checklist for staying warm, dry and comfortable from harbour to horizon. If you want apparel that matches real UK time on the water, this is the place to start.

https://longstayport.com/sailing-apparel-guide-british-conditions/

12/08/2026

🚨 Would You Know Where You Are If You Went Overboard?

A Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) or AIS MOB device could make a critical difference in a man-overboard emergency — particularly when sailing singlehanded or offshore.

But what's the difference?

📡 PLB – sends a distress signal via satellite to search and rescue authorities, providing your location even when you're far from other vessels.

📍 AIS MOB – broadcasts your position to nearby AIS-equipped vessels and your own boat, helping rescuers locate you quickly.

And now there are combined devices that can provide both satellite distress alerting and AIS positioning in one compact unit.

For singlehanded sailors, this technology is particularly compelling. If you go into the water, your boat's VHF and chartplotter stay on the boat — but the beacon can stay with you.

Our latest article looks at:

✅ How PLBs and AIS MOB devices work
✅ What to look for when buying one
✅ Typical costs
✅ Whether they're worth it for coastal, offshore or singlehanded sailing
✅ Satellite communicators and other alternatives
✅ The latest innovations in MOB technology

👉 Read the full guide:
https://longstayport.com/plb-vs-ais-mob-sailing/

Would you carry a PLB or AIS MOB when sailing? ⛵

PLB or AIS MOB? Discover how they work, what they cost, which sailors need them and the latest innovations in man-overboard safety technology.

11/08/2026

Dinghy tubes take a beating—salt spray, scuffs, and grime build up fast, and if you get the cleaning wrong you can do more harm than good. This guide breaks down the safest way to clean dinghy tubes properly, helping you lift dirt without damaging the material or shortening their life. It’s the kind of practical, marine-tested approach you want before the next launch, especially when you’re counting on reliable performance on the water.

https://longstayport.com/how-to-clean-dinghy-tubes/