ON THE WATER:

Cruising to the North Sea - David Rainsbury planned a trip across the North Sea to the Vikings' homeland, but first he had to negotiate the west coast of Scotland...
Weather class - Become an amateur meteorologist and learn to interpret the weather signs with the help of our new series
The CE Mark explained - Since June 1998 every boat sold, for the first time, in Europe needs a CE mark - we unravel the facts
Weather watch: March - What to expect and where to find the best sailing conditions at this time of year
Crew Class - How to keep your ropes correctly coiled and stowed, and lessons in throwing a line properly
Chartering in Scotland - The Firth of Clyde's an ideal place to experience your first tidal charter. David Rainsbury explains why

NEWS & VIEWS:

News - Independent lifeboats face a new threat plus all the latest news from around the UK
Boats at the Show - Tim Bartlett reports on all the latest launches to tempt your wallet from the recent London Boat Show
Copyshop - If vou missed one of our exhaustive boat or gear tests in an earlier ST, here's how to order a copy
Letters - Aluminium boats, among a wealth of other topics, debated and discussed. XWord p.44

TESTING:

Just In - New GPS receivers and folding electric bicycles are among the latest marine products to be launched
Gear on test - More equipment put through its paces on a gruelling 2,500-mile trip round-Britain - plus the latest tech news
Group Test: Navtex receivers - This free international text-messaging service is a real boon for sailors, but which receiver is best equipped to take advantage of it?
Used Boat test: Westerly Griffon - Superseding the Centaur, Westerly's Griffon became a sought-after cruising boat almost immediately. We find out why they're a popular second-hand choice
Shopping Around - Worthy alternatives to the Westerly Griffon for used-rvat shoppers , including Moody 27, Etap 26, Contessa 28, First 26 and Maxi 84

PRACTICAL:

Fitting a rope cutter - A fouled propeller will cost you time, effort and money to sort out. Fit one of these and avoid all headaches
Reader project - Roy Moulding couldn't pass up a bargain cooker he came across. Here's how he went about reconditioning it before fitting it in his galley
Fitting a cleat the leak-free way - Follow Greg Dalrymple's step-by-step guide to fitting a cleat on a balsa-cored deck and you won't compromise the deck's watertight integrity
Fat Martyn's Galley - FM crosses the culinary Channel and takes the mystery out of French fish stews to find most can be made in a single pan
Q&As & Readers' Tips - More of your problems solved by our team of experts, and some time and money-saving ideas from innovative Sailing Today readers