YACHTING MAGAZINE Issue 20
Souther ly 49 TEST REPORT
BY YACHTING WORLD
HRH,The Princess Royal opens new SOUTHERLY FACTORY
Souther ly 38 ‘Distraction’ wins SOUTHERLY CUP 2nd & 3rd places for Souther ly ROUND THE ISLAND RACE 2010 ISLE OF WIGHT - POOLE - BEAULIEU
W O R L D L E A D I N G VA R I A B L E D R A F T C R U I S I N G YAC H T S
CONTENTS 2-3
News at Northshore Shipyard
4 -5
Southerly wins 2nd & 3rd places in Round the Island Race 2010
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Southerly’s in the ARC
8-9
Royal Visit at London Boat Show
10-12 Southerly Product Update 14-15 New dealership for North Germany 16-23 Southerly 2010 Regatta 24-27 HRH, The Princess Royal opens new Southerly factory 28-29 Protecting the Environment 30-33 FAL500 Rob Packham’s blog, Star Dancer, Southerly 110 34-35 Southerly Owners Annual Dinner 36-37 Southerly in America 39
Dates for your Diary
40
Southerly Owners Association
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Achieving an ambition Richard Vass prepares for AZAB 2011
42-47 Test Report - Southerly 49 by Toby Hodges, Yachting World 48-49 Southerly Owners Open Day 50-57 Paul & Sheryl Shard shake down their New Southerly 49 58-59 More news from Southerly 60-61 Bob Davies takes delivery of his Southerly 38, Chantelle and ships her to Australia 63
Who in their right mind would climb a mast ? Sharon Hopkins, Southerly 38, Cardio
64-73 Southerly Adventures in the Caribbean by Paul & Sheryl Shard 75
A Dream Set Sail Kay Koudele shares her adventures in her new book
77-80 New Southerly Owners
SOUTHERLY 2010 REGATTA
Welcome to this edition of the Annual Southerly Yachting Magazine. Packed full of sailing news, company and product updates, you will see how the Southerly brand is still increasing its strength. We were very honoured to have HRH, The Princess Royal open the new Southerly Factory, earlier this year. It was a fantastic day, that many guests from within the marine industry enjoyed immensely. The new Southerly 57RS’s are starting to roll out of the factory, each one being quite individual and semi-custom. The expert level of design, technology and engineering going into these larger yachts is due to our specialist R&D team, who painstakingly design and evaluate every minute detail. The build teams have also worked meticulously, ensuring the highest levels of craftsmanship are achieved. We look forward to showing you the new flagship of the Southerly range, at forthcoming boat shows.
NEWS at Northshore SHIPYARD New launching facilities
As production levels have increased, investment in a new travel hoist was essential to increase the number of yachts launched or brought out of the water in any one day.
Having just organised the Southerly 2010 Regatta, it was great that so many owners took part and enjoyed the racing events and the social functions. We are also very proud of our two Southerly owners who received 2nd & 3rd places, in the Round the Island Race this year, despite both seeming very casual about the whole experience. We are delighted that we have been chosen by Ancora Marina to work together in promoting the Southerly brand. Their location in Neustadt, on the Baltic, offers excellent facilities which will no doubt strengthen the Southerly presence in Northern Europe - already a popular sailing ground for many Southerlys. We hope you enjoy our magazine which will give you an up-to-date insight into Northshore. You are of course, most welcome to visit us, to see it for yourself.
Lester Abbott, CEO NORTHSHORE YACHTS LTD
Dredging the Creek
Work is currently underway to dredge the creek at Northshore Shipyard. Over time, mud silts up in the creek. This requires regular clearing at low tide, so that large yachts can be lifted in and out of the water.
Investing in the future
The new R&D office consists of six naval architects and designers working on product design and the development of new models, using the latest technology.
New Southerly showroom
For customers visiting the shipyard, as well as a guided tour around the factory to see boats in build and various stages of construction, they can now expect to view a completed yacht in the comfort of the new Southerly showroom. Viewing is available by appointment.
ROLLS-ROYCE
Factory tour
A work study of the local Rolls-Royce factory at Goodwood, Chichester gave the Southerly production and design teams a good insight into their manufacturing capabilities. Understanding the production techniques and processes used during the three hour guided tour was inspiring and beneficial.
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ROUND THE ISLAND RACE 2010
SOUTHERLY WINS
2ND PLACE IN CLASS: 3RD PLACE IN CLASS:
Tim Wright, Southerly 38 SUB ZERO Phil Wilson, Southerly 42RST ISABEL The annual Round the Island Race is a one day race organised by the Island Sailing Club. The Race regularly attracts over 1,700 boats and around 16,000 sailors, making it one of the largest yacht races in the world. The 50 nautical mile course starts at the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, races westabout to the Needles, round St. Catherine’s Point and Bembridge Ledge buoy and back into the Solent to finish at Cowes. Everyone is celebrating this year's Race as being one of the most successful on record. Not only did the weather gods play fair, the racing was extremely close throughout the day proven by the tight finishes in most classes and the competitors came ashore happy and proud of their efforts whether first in class or trailing the fleet. 8 Southerlys entered this year's race, and congratulations go to 'SUB ZERO' Southerly 38, skippered by Tim Wright, who came 2nd in class and 52nd overall, and 'ISABEL' Southerly 42RST, skippered by Phil Wilson, who came 3rd in class and 83rd overall.
Tim Wright, winning 2nd place in class - Round the Island Race 2010
ROUND THE ISLAND RACE 2010, SOUTHERLY RESULTS: Place Time Class Boat Name Yacht 2nd 7:52:06 7C Sub Zero SOUTHERLY 38 Skippered by Tim Wright 3rd 7:58:58 7A Isabel Skippered by Phil Wilson
SOUTHERLY 42RST
7th 8:11:08 7D Two Tribes Skippered by Dom McKay
SOUTHERLY 110
8th 8:13:01 7C Summertime Skippered by Geoff Gray
SOUTHERLY 110
22nd 8:13:22 8B Showtime Skippered by John Ballinger
SOUTHERLY 115
28th 8:56:47 8B Southern Comfort SOUTHERLY 42RST Skippered by John Parker
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35th 8:23:21 7D Gernee Skippered by Mike Flint
SOUTHERLY 100
35th 8:59:28 7D Aurora Skippered by Andrew Scott-Brown
SOUTHERLY 110
2ND
&
3RD PLACES IN CLASS
Tim Wright, Southerly 38, ‘Sub Zero’, comments... ‘’I have to say I was rather surprised. The crew were just a bunch of friends of which only one has any real sailing experience. The football was so lousy the night before that Nick and I, whilst anchored at Osbourne Bay, looked at the tides and the northerly air flow and decided that a more offshore route south of the island would be preferable. The start went very well, we had just finished our bacon rolls, put the coffee down and were through the start within a few seconds of the gun. The gennaker worked sweetly and we were leaving everything behind, it was very bizarre. We were luffed on the easterly leg by several big Beneteaus pushing inland and noticed that we soon were well ahead of them. We had two crew on the main sheet, one on the genoa. I helmed till St. Catherine's and then Nick took over till we reached Ryde Sands. ‘Sub Zero’ performed amazingly, at each gust boats all round us began to round up and snake all over the course. ‘Sub Zero’ just leant over a few more degrees and went faster. All in all we had a great day out. We had no idea about our position until we received a text from ‘Aurora’ (Andrew Scott Brown) congratulating us. Thanks for building such a brilliant boat and for looking after us so well !!! PS. I think we beat the BP man’’. Phil Wilson, winning 3rd place in class - Round the Island Race 2010
Phil Wilson, Southerly 42RST, ‘Isabel’, comments... ‘’Being completely new to sailing last year with a Southerly 42RST it was a surprise to say the least to have come 3rd in our class and 83rd overall out of over 1600 boats with such a credible time. The objective of the day was to stay out of trouble and not take it too seriously. Had we known how well we were going to go we would have drained water tanks and dumped unnecessary weight! With most yachts starting with spinnakers and gennakers we decided to keep it simple until we had plenty of space. Having raised our gennaker in light winds we had a trouble free and gentle sail to the Needles. With a good percentage of yachts keeping close to shore on the way to St. Catherine's we decided to take an initial unfavourable tide and enjoy the full benefit of the northerlies with the more direct route. Having the Southerly variable draft we had the confidence to keep in close to Bembridge and Ryde Sands. Apart from those two decisions we kept it simple with mostly close hauled sailing in 15 to 20 knots. Beginners luck !’’.
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‘Nightsong’ sailing in Barbuda, after completing the ARC
Southerlys in the ARC
Andrew Beveridge with his crew in Las Palmas
Among the 230 entries at Las Palmas, for the start of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers were Nightsong, Southerly 46RS skippered by Andrew Beveridge and Sylvia of Blakeney, Southerly 35RS skippered by Tom Harrison. Both yachts completed the ARC in good times. After enjoying the Caribbean sunshine, Andrew is now sailing home to Scotland. He has experienced some severe weather, and advised of the following... ‘’I like to share the plaudits with the brickbats so I thought you would like to know that on the night of 28th/29th May about 500 miles west of the Azores, Nightsong experienced a full 40 knot wind for about 12 hours. We had the main down and sailed with either the storm jib or a very furled jib only - and the keel fully down. At no time was I in anyway worried about the boat. That night not far away: A Sweden Yacht 42 (in the ARC) suffered a bent rudder and had to be abandoned - the crew were taken on board a merchant vessel and the yacht is believed to have sunk A Beneteau 473 (with whom we were in radio contact) suffered 2 x 80 degree knockdowns and diverted to Flores No less than 4 boats in the neighbourhood lost their masts and have been towed into Horta in the past week So well done Northshore !! ‘’
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ROYAL VISIT - HRH, The Princess Royal HRH visits the Southerly Stand at London International Boat Show
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, was welcomed onto the Southerly stand at the London Boat Show by CEO, Lester Abbott and Sales Manager, Ben Davies. A conversation followed on the growth of the company, export sales and reasons for the continued success of the Southerly brand. Her Royal Highness also discussed the benefits of the variable draft Swing keel, which provides deep draft performance and shallow draft freedom. Although running half an hour behind schedule, Her Royal Highness still found time to step onboard the new Southerly 49 and meet designer, Rob Humphreys and Southerly MD, John Warne.
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Southerly Hospitality
Southerly Owners Lounge
Southerly Owners braved the bitterly cold weather to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the complimentary ‘Southerly Owners Lounge’ at London Boat Show.
Paul & Sheryl Shard met yacht designer Rob Humphreys and his wife Jo, on the Southerly stand, to celebrate the completion of their new Southerly 49.
Jo & Rob Humphreys (left) with Paul & Sheryl Shard (centre), John Warne and Claire Horsman from Southerly
Paul & Sheryl hosted shows on the main stage, during their visit from Canada, and talked about their Maiden Voyage onboard their Southerly 42RST - England to Antigua.
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SOUTHERLY PRODUCT UPDATE Jet Rib Garage
The New Southerly 57RS can include a cleverly designed tender garage to accommodate a Williams Turbojet 285, complete with a system for easy deployment and recovery of the tender. The transom door discreetly hides the garaging and folds down to become a large bathing platform.
Southerly 42RST exterior styling
Recent glass modifications can be seen to the side windows in the raised coachroof.
Maple & Walnut interior joinery In addition to choosing American Cherry, Teak or Maple for your interior joinery, Maple with walnut fiddles is now available. This is becoming a popular choice for customers, providing a pleasant contrast and warm atmosphere.
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Southerly 38 updates
Since its launch, the Southerly 38 has turned heads with her sheer good looks. Recent wins in both the Southerly Regatta, and Round the Island Race this year already, is proof of its powerful sailing performance. The option of an overlapping genoa is available, in addition to the self tacking jib, for those that wish to compete, or simply go even faster. A few recent features have been included:
Pull out double berth to port saloon This option is neatly hidden when not in use and provides a good size double, allowing three berths in the saloon
Timber handrails to saloon This standard feature runs the full length on each side of the saloon providing good grab rails when heeled at sea (also standard on the Southerly 32).
Forward lockers to saloon This standard feature provides additional storage, port and starboard.
Washing Machine With the advances in onboard power systems, marine washing machines are being specified more and more often, particularly on larger Southerlys. This option is now available on the 38, discreetly hidden inside a locker, opposite the forward heads.
Galley extension An optional fold down worktop can be fitted to the galley, to increase the amount of work surface area.
Transom door / bathing platform The option of a gas assisted hinged transom door, closes off the stern access, and folds down to become a large bathing platform.
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NEW SOUTHERLY 57RS BY DUBOIS
WORLD PREMIERE
SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW Innovative design, contemporary styling, powerful sailing performance, superior build quality and luxurious accommodation are all hallmarks of the New Southerly 57RS. Superyacht designers Ed Dubois have been commissioned to work alongside the Southerly design team to create the new flagship of the Southerly range. This ultimate blue water cruiser, offers the very best in cruising yacht design. The Southerly 57RS with a 3 cabin layout including the large master aft cabin and interior joinery in teak, will be on display at Southampton Boat Show. The Southerly 57RS with a 4 cabin layout and large tender garage for a jet rib, will be shipped to the USA shortly. This yacht has many unique features including a custom glass/stainless steel windscreen and ‘classic styling’ to the American Cherry interior joinery. Early viewings of either yachts may be possible, by appointment. Please call the Southerly sales office to arrange.
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‘’Why we like to work with Mastervolt? It offers so many top products, all of which have been thoroughly tested and precisely attuned to each other. This makes installation and operation a lot easier. And since Mastervolt shares our high quality standards, its equipment adds value to our yachts. This
. Mastervolt is the premium brand for electric systems and components . Compact, lightweight and quiet . All the relevant safety seals of approval . Designed and tested for maximum capacity . Simple to operate . Extensive monitoring . Easy to install thanks to clear instructions . Mastervolt Warranty Plan . Worldwide On-Board Service . www.mastervolt.com
MASTERVOLT UK LTD, Winchester Hill Business Park, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 7UT Tel: 01794 516443
helps more owners to take the plunge and buy the yacht of their dreams. And we in turn can be sure to always offer the right system with no weak links... no matter how much luxury people want to have on-board’’
THE POWER TO BE INDEPENDENT
New Southerly dealership for North Germany
A recent visit by Ancora Marina finalised details of the new Southerly dealership for North Germany. Superior build quality and powerful sailing performance were essential features for their search in a brand, to present to their customers. Combined with the Swing Keel for variable draft, the Southerly is perfect for the shallow waters, and is already a popular choice for many yachtsmen in Northern Europe. All Southerlys are built to order, to suit individual requirements. Customers can expect a high level of service and advice from Ancora Marina, when choosing their specification. For the first time, Ancora Marina takes over a direct trading function - for the trade mark Southerly. Mr. Oliver Seiter, General Manager of Ancora Marina, comments ‘’ This product is of the highest quality and provides a great range of drafts suitable for Baltic harbours as well as for sailing in foreign seas. We are extremely happy that we are able to represent as a premium product the trade mark “Southerly” according to our own five star standards. We look forward to welcoming clients to our marina where we will able to exhibit and test sail the Southerly. Southerly Owners looking to visit Neustadt and enjoy the Baltic Sea are welcome to visit us at any time’’.
Ancora Marina GmbH & Co. KG D-23730 Neustadt / Holstein, An der Wiek 7-15, Germany Tel. Fax. E-Mail: Web:
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04561 51710 04561 517122 sales@ancora-marina.com ancora-marina.com
Oliver Richter, Ronnie Heyne & Oliver Seiter of Ancora Marina, with Ben Davies, Southerly Sales Manager
Ancora Marina’s facilities and services: 1,400 berths (6-35m) with electricity and water Floating fuel station Air-conditioned hygiene facilities Complete yacht and yard service (inc Sundays & public holidays) Waste disposal facilities Yacht shop Winter storage Transport and crane facilities A range of workshops and courses On shore facilities: 20 holiday apartments Private beach Children’s playground BBQ areas Dog park Harbour restaurant with large patio Shopping in the mini-market Cocktail bar with a sea view
Excellent facilities at Ancora Marina in Neustadt, in the Baltic Sea
Ancora Marina GmbH & Co. KG in Neustadt , founded in 1972, is the largest privately owned marina in Germany. With 1,400 berths, Ancora Marina is more than just the largest private marina on the Baltic Sea. The wealth of facilities, the comprehensive range of services and its own high demands in terms of environmental protection, security and comfort also make the Ancora Marina one of the most modern ports of call. Justification for the five stars awarded to Ancora in 2006, and the blue flag eco-label, certified annually by the Association for the Environment and Education. Ancora Marina was accorded particular honour in being the only marina worldwide to be awarded the Gold benchmark by Lloyds Register of Shipping for its above-average standards. The company owns a shipyard providing a big variety of services including repairing damages as well as a comprehensive range of refits. The shipyard also consists of engineering and electronic department and employs skilled boat builders to carry out any necessary work required. Clients can rent one of the 20 recently renovated holiday apartments right on the premises offering a great view over the Marina and the Baltic Sea. Ancora Marina is the ideal home port in the Lubecker Bucht (Bay of Luebeck) from where you can plan trips into one of the nicest sailing areas in the Baltic Sea. The area around Neustadt is very picturesque and interesting. There are plenty of attractions for children and grown-ups like golf links, the popular fun park Hansaland, medieval cities or lush landscapes within 60 km.
Over the years, Ancora Marina has managed to offer an everincreasing number of options for boat owners to store their yachts over winter. Today, there is over 20,000m2 of indoor storage space, of which 10,000m2 is heated. In addition to this, there is also a further 20,000m2 of asphalted, outdoor storage space.The 70-ton weight-bearing crane system and a modern transport system manage the passage from the water to the winter storage space. Five mast cranes and a slipway are also available for boats that can be moved on trailers. Furthermore, Ancora Marina offer the services of local companies such as a paint shop, yacht cleaning service, a shop for yachting equipment and more than eight yachting traders.
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ISLE OF WIGHT - POOLE - BEAULIEU This year a fleet of 30 Southerlys and owners assembled at Yarmouth Harbour on the Isle of Wight, accompanied by the Southerly Team and marine suppliers for the 19th Annual Southerly Rendezvous and Regatta. Guests enjoyed a welcome Pimms reception & BBQ in the evening sunshine on the lawn of the Royal Solent Yacht Club.
We would like to thank the following suppliers for sponsoring the Southerly 2010 Regatta.
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Monday 1st June - Race 1, sponsored by Lombard
A light breeze filled in from the East as the skies cleared and boats gathered for a RSYC committee boat start. The first days racing consisted of two short races around the Western Solent. As the Southerly fleet lined up to start, it was clear that many had underestimated the strength of the tides around Yarmouth, at full flood. It was apparent that local knowledge today was going to be key ! As the start gun went off, all boats were clear and headed off towards the first mark on the mainland shore. For many boats racing for the first time in Solent waters, it would be a real challenge spotting the lay line with the tides but also the many back eddies that exist along each shore. As the race went on, the wind veered round to the South, allowing the fleet to reach back along the mainland shore to finish perfect conditions for raising the Swing Keel and hiding out of the tide in the shallows.
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Soon after finishing Race 1, the race committee were keen to start the fleet again, this time on a shorter course as the light airs had started to fade. With a good start, the fleet quickly sped away towards Hampstead Ledge and Newtown. As the last few boats rounded the mark and reached back with asymmetric gennakers flying, the tide was fast ebbing and carried the boats back towards the bottom mark and finish. Clearly the crew of RS Bounty had someone watching over them for this race, as they ghosted over the line in 23 kts of breeze. The few boats following close behind seemed to just stop dead as the wind completely faded away to nothing. Top marks to many who promptly demonstrated the fine art of sailing backwards, as the tide got the better of them !
RS Bounty, Southerly 46RS. Adrian Bligh’s children designed his gennaker
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Tuesday 2nd June - Race 3,
sponsored by Lewmar
ISLE OF WIGHT - POOLE - BEAULIEU
Gneiss Fantasy, Southerly 46RS (centre)
The following day brought more light airs as the Southerly fleet gathered to start on the club line, ready to race out of the Solent and down to Poole. The fleet set off on a broad reach as they rounded Hurst and headed up the North Channel to catch the first of the ebb tide. What a fantastic sight this made, some thirty Southerly’s racing along the shore as they sailed into Christchurch Bay. From afar, all you could see were the colourful gennakers emerging from the mist. With a time limit set for 5 o’clock, many boats now felt it was better to get into Poole and start the partying early. However, one boat, S110 ‘Troldand’ was intent on finishing what they had started as they pushed on to the finish, with minutes to spare - 3 minutes before the time limit to be exact, as they crossed the line to take fourth place. A valiant effort. A pleasant evening meal at an Italian restaurant in Poole Harbour was a great way for everyone to end the day, recap on their sailing tactics and plan activities for their lay day.
Carpe Diem, Southerly 42RST
Distraction, Southerly 38
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Thursday 4th June - Race 4, sponsored by Raymarine
ISLE OF WIGHT - POOLE - BEAULIEU
Dutch Courage, Southerly 42RST
After the owner’s dock party on the lay day, you could see many owners were less than keen to be up first thing in the morning to catch the tide and race back to Beaulieu. Even less so, when they arrived at the start to find that once again, there was no wind ! Whilst everyone waited for the wind, the sun was out and all had plenty to watch as the race committee boat demonstrated man overboard manoeuvres in Poole Bay !
ISLE OF WIGHT - POOLE - BEAULIEU
Roshanak, Southerly 32
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Flying Cloud, Southerly 110
Aqua Regia, Southerly 42RST
Soon the wind filled in, as promised, and the fleet set off towards the Solent. As the day went on, the wind built to a steady 15 kts as the Southerly fleet powered in through the Hurst narrows into the Solent. A short beat to the finish saw many boats take advantage of the tide turning later on the Island shore. The fleet closed on the front runners, which made a remarkably close finish to the days’ sailing. A leisurely motor along the scenic Beaulieu River to Buckler’s Hard was a particularly relaxing way to end a pefect day, bathed in the glorious afternoon sunshine.
Aqua Vita, Southerly 38
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The Grand Prize Giving evening was held at the delightful setting of Domus Abbey in Beaulieu where guests enjoyed a champagne reception in the evening sunshine, followed by a three course meal with wine. Derrick and Janet Gill owners of Southerly 38 ‘Distraction’ were awarded the Southerly Cup for 2010.
ISLE OF WIGHT - POOLE - BEAULIEU
Overall the week provided some fantastic, whilst challenging sailing conditions. It was great to see, once again, so many Southerly owners taking part.
RESULTS: RACE 1, SPONSORED BY LOMBARD 1st: Sea Spine S135RS Alan & Caroline Crockard 2nd: Distraction S38 Derrick & Janet Gill 3rd: Troldand S110 Sten & Rosemarie Englestoft
WINNERS: Derrick & Janet Gill (right) with Peggy and Richard Robinson
WINNER: Distraction, Southerly 38, skippered by Derrick Gill
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RACE 2, SPONSORED BY SELDEN 1st: RS Bounty S46RS
Adrian Bligh
RACE 3, SPONSORED BY LEWMAR 1st: Distraction S38 2nd: Carpe Diem S42RST 3rd: Dutch Courage S42RST 4th: Troldand S110
Derrick & Janet Gill Ian Campbell John & Lia Eastes Sten & Rosemarie Englestoft
RACE 4, SPONSORED BY RAYMARINE 1st: Roshanak S32 Julian & Diana Hansen 2nd: Augusta S110 Mike & Kay Vickery 3rd: Ellie Pimms S115 David & Janice Thomas OVERALL RESULTS 1st: Distraction S38 2nd: Troldand S110 3rd: Roshanak S32 4th: Dutch Courage of Cowes S115 5th: Augusta S110 6th: Flying Cloud S110 7th: Gneiss Fantasy S46RS 8th: Sea Spine S135RS 9th: Sea Legs S32 10th: RS Bounty S46RS
Derrick & Janet Gill Sten & Rosemarie Englestoft Julian & Diana Hansen Nigel Campling Mike & Kay Vickery Jonathan & Jill Barker Malcolm & Claire King Alan & Caroline Crockard Peter Leggett Adrian Bligh
Alan & Caroline Crockard
Rosemarie & Sten Englestoft
Rupert Pearn, Diana & Julian Hansen
Richard Adams, Jane Weller, Mark Williams Ian Campbell, Darren Coomer, Jon Inch
David & Janice Thomas, Rupert Pearn
Roger Cerrato, Lia & John Eastes
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ROYAL VISIT to open New Southerly Factory
HRH, The Princess Royal visited Northshore Shipyard on Monday 19th April to open the new Southerly factory. HRH, The Princess Royal was met by Mrs Susan Pyper, The Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex who then introduced local dignitaries: Elizabeth Bennett, DL, High Sheriff of West Sussex, Mark Hammond, Chief Executive of West Sussex County Council, John Ridd, Chairman of Chichester District Council and Olivia Pinkley, Assistant Chief Constable of Sussex Police. HRH, The Princess Royal then met CEO, Lester Abbott and Sales Manager, Ben Davies, who introduced her to the directors and key personnel from Northshore. Afterwards, HRH enjoyed a tour of the new 20,000 sq ft factory and showroom. Many guests from the marine industry were present to follow the royal tour around the new factory, viewing yachts in build at various stages of construction, including a walk towards the water’s edge to see Chichester Harbour. 24
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Official opening ceremony During the ceremony, Lester Abbott welcomed HRH, The Princess Royal to Northshore and gave a short welcome speech, before HRH, The Princess Royal unveiled a plaque to officially open the new Southerly Factory. Established in 1971, Northshore has a well earned reputation for building high quality bespoke yachts for clients from the UK and around the world. Since new ownership in March 2003, the company has concentrated its efforts on continuous product development and new yacht models. This has resulted in increased demand, from customers worldwide. John Warne, Managing Director, who has been with the company since it was founded, comments ‘’These are very exciting times for Southerly. In the last few years, we have worked hard on new model development and engineered quality. We command the highest levels of British craftsmanship and employ many skilled joiners and engineers so that we can produce world class products. The new factory has given us the extra capacity we need for our increased demand. Exports account for approximately 40% of our market and we currently employ over 160 staff on two sites. We also offer modern apprenticeships for selected individuals as we believe it is essential to continuously train new generations of people to uphold the excellent traditions of the boat builder’’. A champagne toast to celebrate the opening of the new Southerly factory, was followed by a buffet lunch. HRH, The Princess Royal was introduced to many key members of the marine industry including yacht designers Ed Dubois, Rob Humphreys and Stephen Jones.
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A letter was later received from the RYA Sailability Trust Manager, ’’ The donation is very unexpected and we are so grateful for your help. Donations are vital to us to continue development, buy new equipment, train volunteers, and support Sailability groups all around Britain.
HRH, The Princess Royal accepts Southerly charity donation to RYA Sailability A donation to The Princess Royal’s chosen charity, RYA Sailability was offered. The charity helps disabled people to enjoy sailing.
There are currently over 20,000 disabled sailors in the UK and over 200 sailing clubs with appropriate facilities and boats. Your generosity is wonderful and really does help our cause’’.
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Protecting the ENVIRONMENT
Green issues are a major consideration at Northshore Shipyard, even more so, as the company grows to meet demand. Northshore is committed to leading the industry in minimising the impact of its activities on the environment, both in the construction of its yachts and the day to day running of the business. In doing so, a natural by product is a cleaner, healthier and safer working environment for our team. We will continue to strive for a further reduction in our environmental impact and we have incorporated an environmental assessment into current and future projects, from board level to the shop floor.
Reducing emissions
The fleet of company minibuses provides 62 seats for employees to travel to and from work. This scheme has not only reduced fuel consumption but has also reduced the numbers of cars driving through the village. Those that choose not to travel by minibus, are encouraged to car share or use alternative methods of transport where possible.
Sustainable source
The new fume extraction system passes contaminated air through an activated carbon filter bed before re-circulating the air back into the factory. This is particularly effective in winter when the heated air is re-circulated, reducing the amount of heat required.
We ensure that all our timber comes from a sustainable source. Wherever possible we actively encourage all our suppliers to adopt the same responsible attitude as ours.
Reducing waste
Dust extraction
We actively re-cycle waste through a comprehensive segregation system which has reduced the volume being sent to landfill by approx 60%. A portable waste compacter has been installed for both general waste and cardboard, which has reduced the need for regular weekly collections, therefore also reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles.
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Free Company Transport Scheme
An efficient new dust extraction system has further reduced the emissions of fine dust particles. The waste is collected in a pressurised container which is recycled into briquettes and burnt in power stations to generate electricity.
Planting of 1200 Trees
Offsetting the carbon footprint by planting in excess of 1200 trees on neighbouring land, ranging from small saplings to already established English Oaks.
Increasing efficiency & reducing waste
Minimising waste by constantly evaluating operations and ensuring that they are as efficient as possible. Investment in a 5 axis milling (shown opposite), as well as increasing efficiency and accuracy, also reduces the amount of timber used and also significantly reduces the amount of waste. The reduced waste is cut into small pieces and sent for re-cycling.
The 5 axis milling machine is also used to precision cut plugwork components
Fuel efficient factories
The use of efficient building materials in the new factories has almost eliminated the need for heating during the winter months, saving significantly on oil consumption and fuel bills. Investment in two 10 tonne cranes has reduced the use of forklift machinery, saving on fuel consumption and allowing a safer and cleaner environment to work in. The design and build of the new factory and office block was carried out in house, only using outside contractors where necessary. Materials were sourced from local suppliers where possible, with efficiency, longevity and quality being priorities.
Natural overhead lighting has been maximised, supported by low wattage sodium bulbs, therefore dramatically reducing the electricity consumption.
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‘Star Dancer’ Southerly 110 FAL500
Sailing single handed ...
Running with spinnaker - 8.2 kts
ROB PACKHAM’S BLOG
Saturday May 29th 1800hrs 50:09.25N 05:03.91W Race Preparation at Falmouth
Made some good ground on several of the boats that started 10 minutes ahead.
Star Dancer is sailing the FAL 500 race which starts at noon tomorrow - Sunday 30th May.
Down the Lizard and the mist and drizzle set in and the wind went - all over the place.
We set out from Yarmouth at 8pm last Tuesday and made Falmouth in 21 hours.
Now off the middle of Mounts Bay and only making 2kts towards Lands End with the tide against now for the next few hours.
Had to motor much of the way but got a good sail from Eddystone Lighthouse. The remainder of the week has been boat preparation and we have another Southerly 110 for company - Wenda. Race briefing was noon today and the course is Falmouth to Fastnet Rock and then turn south to a waypoint 49north and 8west which is about 120nm out from Lands End and a similar distance from France. There are about 20 boats in the race with most using it as a qualifier for the 2011 AZAB. Most are double handed and three of us are single handed - a diverse threesome - a Mini Transat, Dufour 34 and Star Dancer! The weather looks a bit grim at the moment. Lights winds all over the place and poor visibility forecast for the first few days. The Azores High is dominant and a series of weak fronts are bringing warm weather over the cold sea. Nervous time before the start so dinner with the other crews at the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club tonight will be good. Sun 30 May 18:53 49:58.43N 05:25.21W Slow progress to Lands End The Fal 500 Race started at 1210hrs today and we had a good start with 12kts of wind and kept the Gennaker flying until the Manacles. 30
Wet and miserable but just had one of Tim’s special Fuizion meals - Chicken Dhansak with Rice - nice!! Looks like a long night ahead - not much sleep possible until we clear Lands End and the Traffic Separation Zone. Mon 31 May 10:40 Fw: 50:29.59N 06:53.82W 115 nm to Fastnet Rock A tough night with rain and mist drifting along off Lands End and around the Traffic Separation Scheme. Sailing solo I find I talk to Starry especially when doing a couple of knots off the Longships rocks in the middle of the night with the waves thundering a few hundred yards away. Once into the Celtic Sea the wind went to NE and has now been blowing 15/18kts from the SE for the last few hours. So it was time to bite the bullet and hoist the big 75sq m red and gold kite and we are sailing well - 7 plus knots towards Fastnet. Sleeping has been my big worry but thus far I have had many ‘power naps’ in the cockpit and even down on the bunk for a couple of 20 min sleeps. I have a Sonic Shaker alarm clock I clip to my oilies and sleep in full kit - lifejacket, boots and all. The radar guard zones seem to work well and AIS is a blessing - I called up a ship headed for us and he said he
could see me well and would go under our stern. We have just recorded 100 nm for the trip. Tue 01 Jun 15:00 50:29.57N 09:01.00W - Into the Sunshine. Been a tough 24 hrs but Starry’s progress has been good. We rounded Fastnet Rock at 0600 this morning and have since been sailing fast with the spinnaker towards the next waypoint mark at 49 North 8 West - a leg of 157 miles before we turn for Falmouth. (As I write (1500hrs) we have 95 miles left to run) We had rain, mist and fog in the run up to Fastnet yesterday afternoon and night with a beat in 18kts of wind for the last 4 hours. The rain cleared through in the early hours and the moon and sunrise at dawn were special. Three new crew arrived yesterday afternoon - racing pigeons. I got the shock of my life coming up the saloon steps when surprised by two of them perched just inches from my face!! Anyway they were given a room for the night, fed rivita and water and after bedding down on the cockpit floor with piles of pigeon pooh everywhere I sent them on their way when we got close to Ireland. After a couple of attempts at landing back on Starry they flew off towards Clear Island. I got their ring numbers and will find out where they were going.
Rounding the Fastnet Rock at dawn
correct the wind should arrive from the SE sometime this afternoon - not very strong but enough to get us going. This calm weather has given opportunity to catch some serious sleep - one hour in the bunk this morning. Feeling great! Must go - waiting for the wind!!!
Thu 03 Jun 00:31 49:00.00N 08:00.00W A virtual mark set at 49N and 8W had to be left to port so what GPS positions do you photograph to prove you have rounded it correctly? Well I think I got it right when we completed the second leg of the race at 15:51hrs and headed north for the Lizard and Falmouth.
One of the pigeons taking a ride
Very tired over the last 24 hrs with little sleep in the mist and fog - we had to dodge a couple of fishing boats some have AIS some not. Got three good half hours this morning - one in the bunk, and feel good now - sunshine and good sailing at 7-8 kts with the kite always helps! (Jen and I met 36yrs ago today!!!) Wed 02 Jun 12:06 49:03.39N 08:04.69W Waiting for some wind The wind died just before midnight last night and we are sitting on a duck pond - glassy calm as it can be out here. I have tried both the spinnaker and gennaker to get us going. We are drifting at 2 kts with a bit of help from the tide and have 4.5 miles to the waypoint where we turn for home. Just looked at Maxsea latest weather GRIB file and if
Sat 05 Jun 16:28 50:09.27N 05:03.89W Back at Falmouth Star Dancer arrived back in Falmouth at 0700 hrs on Friday 4th June after a strange last day at sea. Our result was a second in the single handed class with ‘RDG’ - Meaning “redress”, a ruling where the jury reinstates or changes a boat’s score for a particular race, based on a protest hearing. We spent the last 4 hours of the race towing another competitor whose engine would not start when he was drifting with no wind in the Lizard shipping lane at 0300. We therefore crossed the finish line under engine which was a bit sad after four and a half days racing at sea but were pleased we were given a ‘finish’. (NB only 3 boats were single handed!) We had arrived off the Lizard at dusk after a hard day beating up from the Scilly Isles. The wind then died completely and we drifted down and around towards the Manacles for the next 5 hours. At 0300 we spoke with Sleuth Hound, a Halberg Rassy, who requested assistance and motored back to the Lizard to take on the tow. 31
Rob Packham, Southerly 110, Star Dancer (AZAB 2007)
By the time we finished at 0700 Friday the last proper sleep (40minutes) had been at 1000 on Wednesday! Beating up to the Scillys and then to the Lizard, with lots of shipping, is a difficult place to leave Star Dancer to her own devices so I kept awake and managed to keep going. I struggled whilst doing the tow and had to helm and dance about just to keep awake!
highlight of the day! I think I have lost half a stone over the week - now to keep it off! Our total log for the Race was 603 n miles and in the early hours of 3rd June Star Dancer logged 10,000 n miles - she is a star!
And that is why this log has lost a couple of days! Jenny arrived yesterday afternoon and Star Dancer is now in cruising mode for the next week before I sail her back to Yarmouth. Really pleased how Star Dancer sailed and nice to prove to myself I can sail single handed over a few days. Out at sea, away from the shipping lanes, sleeping down below or in the cockpit worked well. Always a short sleep before checking sails and for ships and if all was well back to sleep again if needed. I managed to drop off to sleep in seconds and was often aware I had fallen asleep because I realised I was dreaming - a strange semi conscious experience. Always slept in full gear including lifejacket (thank goodness for the Spinlock life jacket - a design you can live in) Also pleased with handling the spinnakers. We had a 13hr run with the big spinnaker on the run up to Fastnet Rock and the smaller heavy (1.5oz) spinnaker for 15 hrs running south from Fastnet to the waypoint mark. The smaller flatter cut spinnaker was good in a lumpy sea and I felt more confident about sleeping with it up. Food worked well and being alone could eat what and when I liked. Tim’s Fuizion dried food was always the
Star Dancer in Guernsey
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Southerly Owners Annual Dinner
Left to right: Rob & Jo Humphreys, Lester Abbott, Hayley & Claire Horsman, Stephen & Anita Jones
Jill & Jonathan Barker
Tony & Anne Scales, Gill & Bob Pearson
A champagne reception was held in the Upper Deck Bar as guests enjoyed the pleasant views overlooking the River Hamble at sunset. Yacht designers, Rob Humphreys and Stephen Jones attended the evening with their wives. The event was also supported by major suppliers from within the marine industry.
Paul & Sheryl Shard
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Following a wonderful three course meal, guests listened to an interesting after dinner talk, by world sailors and TV presenters of Distant Shores ‘Paul & Sheryl Shard’ who had flown in from Canada for the event. They gave an interesting presentation with a slide and video show of their maiden voyage in their Southerly 42RST - a transatlantic cruise from England to Antigua.
Royal Southern Yacht Club - September 2009
Marisa Maidment, Sue & Philip Brown, Peter Maidment
Naomi & Martyn Barklem
Phil Wilson, Ross Sedgwick, Jane Wilson
Richard & Julie Thomas
Peter & Karen Litchfield, Gusti & Peter Taylor
Gary & Marian Clements
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Southerly in AMERICA Sharon & Jack Malatich have had a busy year, promoting the Southerly brand on the East Coast of the States, with test sails, boat shows and trips to Northshore Shipyard with potential customers. They are looking forward to the imminent arrival of the new Southerly 57RS in Newport. ‘’Southerlys have become a yacht of great interest in the U.S.! The design, build and particularly the shoal draft and sailing ability of a Southerly fit the needs of many sailors. We very much enjoy the boat shows, the people that we meet there and the opportunity to talk boats with people who love them. We are excited going into this next year and expect that there will be many more Southerly’s joining those already on this side of the ocean.
Zachary Lee & Kathryn Thompson are the proud new owners of the famous S42RST “Distant Shores”
Zach and Kathryn acquired “Distant Shores” with long distance cruising in mind and the boat has been well equipped for the task. Aside from the offshore cruising capability, Zach and Kathryn decided on a Southerly for its extreme shoal draft and great performance. They hope to depart as soon as next year for an extended trip across the pond and back. In the meantime, they are planning on keeping their boat on Martha’s Vineyard. The tidal pond where Distant Shores will be moored is accessed through a shallow channel that doesn’t normally allow monohulls of this size to enter. Zach has his captain’s license and hopes to offer charters on New England waters. Although less experienced as a sailor, Kathryn provided the impetus for their long distance cruising plans and has a boundless enthusiasm for sailing and adventure.
We look forward to working with the new owners to ensure their yacht is all they want it to be. To current Southerly owners - we look forward to hearing from you and are committed to keeping you informed and to being of whatever service that we can’’.
Juan and Gloria Florin are enjoying their Southerly 42RS. Juan and Gloria took a year out to sail their new yacht from England to their home port in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA. From Chichester, they sailed across to France, day hopped down the Atlantic coast of France, Spain and Portugal, stayed in the Canaries for a month, then crossed the Atlantic to Antigua, before travelling up the Caribbean, Bahamas and east coast. “The swing keel was a great asset when coasting Atlantic Europe, and invaluable when cruising the Bahamas and up the Intracoastal Waterway.” Sharon & Jack Malatich Southerly America 5990 Lawton Ave, Rock Hall, Maryland, USA Office: 410 639-2777 Website: www.southerlyamerica.com Email: sales@southerlyamerica.com 36
Last Summer they cruised local waters from Nantucket to Maine. The lifting keel and twin shallow rudders gives them the ability to escape the crowds in Nantucket and Martha’s vineyard, and to explore those other sandy coves forbidden to most sailors. Juan & Gloria are planning another cruise to Maine this summer - the main reason why they bought a raised saloon boat. “We actually “enjoy” seeing the fog roll into a quiet cove.”
Southerlys Sail South Pete and Jan Collins keep their Southerly 115 “Lady Itchenor” in Kitty Hawk, behind their house. Kitty Hawk is in the Outer Banks of North Carolina which has some very shoal waters. In the Eastern sound the norm is 3-9 feet making their Southerly the biggest boat around. To get to their dock they have to pass over a mile long channel that is only 3 feet deep. Rob and Phyllis Caldwell keep their S115 ‘’Great Escape’’ in the Solomon Islands in the Chesapeake Bay. In Jan 2010, the Caldwell’s and the Collins’ made a voyage from Kitty Hawk, down the Intracoastal Waterway to Key West, Florida, a distance of around 1,150 miles.
Pete Collins
The Intracoastal Waterway is a marked route that travels through rivers, creeks, dredged channels, canals and lagoons behind barrier island chains that run the length of the east coast. The waterway can be quite narrow in places and notoriously shallow in others, with areas which shoal regularly, and must be dredged. In other words, ideal conditions for Southerlys. Once in the Florida Keys, they explored the Florida Bay area to the north of the line of islands that form the Keys. Florida Bay is normally the domain of small power boats, since the water depth rarely exceeds 6 feet and averages much less. ‘’The waters are crystal clear and it was fun to raft-up for the night in 4 feet of water and have the locals scratching their heads as to how we got in and wondering how we were going to get out’’.
Rob & Phyllis Caldwell
The return voyage was made in March/April, with Pete going outside most of the way, while Rob and Phyllis dawdled up the Intracoastal and did some sightseeing. All together, a memorable trip spanning 4 months, and they are looking forward to doing it again. Their adventures appear on www.southerlyssailsouth.blogspot.com
Sunset in Florida
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Enjoy 5 days of fun, racing and social events ...
ST. PETER PORT, GUERNSEY
Dates for your Diary ...
Friday 27th - Monday 30th August
West Wales Rally, Aberystwyth Rally (SOA)
Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th September
Poole Rally (SOA)
Friday 10th - Sunday 19th September
Southampton Boat Show WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW SOUTHERLY 57RS
Saturday 11th September
SOUTHERLY OWNERS ANNUAL DINNER HMS Warrior, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Guest speaker: Sir Robin Knox Johnson
Friday 16th - Sunday 19th September
NEWPORT Boat Show, Rhode Island, USA
Thursday 7th - Monday 11th October
Annapolis Boat Show, Maryland, USA USA PREMIERE OF NEW SOUTHERLY 57RS
Saturday 6th November
Northshore Owners Open Day Northshore Shipyard
Saturday 6th November
Laying Up Supper (SOA) Crouchers Restaurant, Chichester
Friday 7th -Sunday 16th January 2011
London International Boat Show
Saturday 22nd - Sunday 30th January 2011
Dusseldorf Boat Show, Germany
Thursday 17th - Monday 21st February 2011
Miami International Boat Show & Strictly Sail Bayside, Florida, USA
Sunday 22nd - Friday 27th May 2011
Northshore’s 40th Anniversary
ST. PETER PORT, GUERNSEY
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Newport Rally
Southerly Owner’s Association The Southerly Owner’s Association was formed in 1982 with the aim of promoting cruises, rallies and social events, and to provide a forum for exchanging ideas and information on all aspects of owning, sailing and maintaining Southerly yachts.
Newport Rally
It is a thriving and very well supported body which has succeeded in building many friendships, helping most members to increase the enjoyment and satisfaction of owning a Southerly. The Association became affiliated to the RYA in January 2002. The Association is managed by a committee of about eight owners and is run independently of Northshore and currently has approx 250 members.
Laying up supper
A magazine is sent to members three times a year which includes details of forthcoming events, booking forms, technical information and topical articles. Please send membership enquiries to: Carol Borton Berry email: soa.carol@hotmail.com
AGM
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Yarmouth Rally
Achieving an ambition ...
Richard Vass prepares for AZAB 2011 (Azores and back) Tashatoo II, Southerly 42RST When Richard Vass took delivery of his new Southerly 42RST in March 2010, it was the resolution to a 25 year old itch. Tashatoo II now lives on the River Orwell in Suffolk, where the lifting keel and grounding plate allow access to some of the most beautiful spots to dry out. Richard has sailed many boats of different sizes, but the longest period (20 years) he was to be found racing the International Dragon. Whilst always happy taking it easy and cruising, he has not lost that slight competitive spirit. Combine this with his lust for adventure and you will see why he is about to achieve his second ambition of sailing the two handed Azores and Back Race in June 2011. Richard comments ‘’I really like the challenge and thrill of sailing a boat single handed but am not made of the stuff that would leave me happy all alone at sea for days. An offshore two handed race allows that thrill with the comfort and knowledge that not only can you get rest, but if the c*** hits the fan, you’ve got someone else with you’’. Richard will be completing a qualifying two handed passage to Norway this summer and the rest of the time he will be making preparations to Tashatoo II to make her qualify for the event. In addition to the safety features on board, additional preparations are required, for the fitting of storm sails, etc.
Richard Vass (left) with his crew
The first AZORES & BACK RACE took place in 1975 with 52 starters. With such a turnout, and so many competitors clamouring for a repeat event, it was decided to hold AZAB at four yearly intervals. The course covers just less than 2500 miles of ocean, approx 1220 miles on each leg. The majority of yachts usually take between 7-10 days to reach the Azores allowing a week or so to relax and restock for the return passage. The last AZAB (2007) had 70 entries, including 2 Southerlys: Southerly 110 ‘Star Dancer’ skippered by Rob Packham and Southerly 135RS ‘Sea Spine’, skippered by Alan Crockard. Both endured a storm with 12 hours of 35-50 knots of wind (max 61.3 recorded) and Rob Packham won Leg 2 in his class and was awarded overall class winner.
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SOUTHERLY OWNERS OPEN DAY The Annual Open Day has become a key social event for many Southerly Owners, providing the chance to have a good look behind the scenes and catch up on old friendships. The factories where turned into exhibition halls for the day, catering for nearly 400 guests. Owners could wander around at their leisure, viewing boats at various stages of construction, as well as seeing a newly completed Southerly 38, exhibited in the new showroom. Refreshments were served throughout the day, with a 2 course lunch with wine and pleasant background music by ‘All That’s Jazz’.
The New Showroom
Approx 20 suppliers displayed their products, which was extremely useful for customers looking for advise or wishing to update items on their yachts during the winter months. The Southerly Owner’s Association was present, and many Southerly Owners went on to their laying up supper, held at a nearby restaurant in the evening.
Lunch is served in one of the factories
Whale Water Systems
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‘All That’s Jazz’
Northshore Shipyard
The New ‘Southerly’ Factory
Raymarine stand
Mastervolt stand
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Award-winning filmmakers and best-selling authors, Paul and Sheryl Shard, have sailed to over 50 countries and colonies in the Caribbean, South and North America, Europe, Mediterranean and the Middle East. They have logged over 76,000 nautical miles (50,000 nm on their Classic 37 sailboat and 16,000 nm on their Southerly 42RST) and have crossed the Atlantic Ocean four times. They have just taken delivery of their new Southerly 49 sailboat and this season will be sailing from England to countries of the Baltic Sea. The voyage will be documented in 13-half hour episodes for season 7 of their sailing adventure TV series, Distant Shores which airs weekly in over 200 countries and is translated into 18 languages. Distant Shores features international destinations and provides invaluable tips on travelling and visiting these countries by boat.
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Maiden Voyage to the
CHANNEL ISLANDS Paul & Sheryl Shard take delivery of their new Souther ly 49
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New Distant Shores II Paul & Sheryl Shard
Sailing a Bigger Boat In early March we took delivery of our new Southerly 49, Distant Shores II. She is hull number 002 and she is beautiful! (But we’re not biased.) Previous to this Sheryl and I were the proud owners of a Southerly 42RST. We sailed 16,000 nautical miles with the 42RST from England to the Canary Islands then across the Atlantic Ocean to the islands of the Caribbean and Bahamas, home to Canada for a summer, and then back to the Caribbean for another winter. We loved the freedom the variable draft swing keel gave us, the comfort and visibility of the raised saloon and the way the boat performed in the many conditions we experienced during our voyages.
Bosham
When Northshore announced the new Southerly 49 designed by Rob Humphreys we knew it would be a great boat. We loved the layout and many additional features the larger boat offered us for the long-term long-distance cruising that we do in our work as sailing journalists and travel documentary filmmakers. The spring in the south of England was lovely and following hand-over we did a lot of small excursions around Chichester Harbour and the Solent to get the feel of the new boat before doing a good shakedown cruise across the English Channel to the Channel Islands in May. Bosham
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The Powerful Gem
G G G
3YM20 21hp (15.3kW)
Extra Performance Compact and Clean Lower Emissions, Minimal Noise
3YM30 29hp (21.3kW)
3JH4 40hp (29.4kW)
E. P. BARRUS LTD. Launton Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 4UR. Tel: 01869 363636 Fax: 01869 363630 tim.hart@barrus.co.uk www.barrus.co.uk
4JH4 54hp (39.6kW)
Drying out in Chichester Harbour
Dell Quay
Sailing like a Dinghy Crown & Anchor pub at Dell Quay
The day that really put my mind at ease about the bigger boat... we took out two local friends who are top-class dinghy sailors. Our friends have sailed in Chichester Harbour all their lives and know every inch of the place. (They have plenty of experience cruising around the world in keel boats as well). It was a breezy day and we had the self-tacker and one reef in the main. I let them take the boat as I filmed. You could see the grins as they steered Distant Shores II around the harbour! Their verdict was she handles great!! And to top off a perfect day we took her up to the head of the creek at Dell Quay at high tide and then at low tide beached the 49 right in front of the pub!! The Crown and Anchor for dinner! Visiting good pubs in hard to reach locations became a theme as we practiced handling our new Southerly.
Down in the mud !
The first time we put the new 49 on the ground - or in this case the mud – was at the quay at the immensely cute town of Bosham (pronounced bozzam) with its’ 1000 year old church down by the quayside. It’s just around the corner from the Northshore pontoon. We came in at the noon high tide and stayed until the next noon. Tides in England, at up to 5.2 meters, are much higher than Sheryl and I are used to dealing with even though we have sailed over 76,000 nm visiting 50 countries and colonies in our work over the last 20 years. At low tide the whole of Bosham is surrounded by mud flats. All the sea is missing!
Dell Quay
At low tide we sunk down onto the mud. We were careful to tie so we could fall without straining our mooring lines. Long lines are good here. In this case we didn’t fall very far since we landed on the mud - although the tide fell 4 meters we only fell a bit less than 2 so it was easier to tie! 55
Handling a bigger boat The Southerly 49 is bigger inside and has more storage but doesn’t feel that much bigger to handle than our Southerly 42RST.
I was wondering if the extra size would make it more difficult to manoevre especially in port and in close quarters. But in fact she feels quite similar to the Southerly 42RST. Although she is 7 feet longer she is just 6 inches wider and the same height. So she feels quite like the 42RST. Spinning her around in a marina requires me to take the extra length into account but we have had no problems. She handles very well in reverse - add the excellent bow thruster, and we have been fine. We have now wiggled our way into a number of tight spots without too much difficulty. (We do have some nice big fenders and that’s a good thing with any boat, I think).
Bigger, stronger, faster Of course one of the big advantages of a longer boat is a longer waterline which (on similar boats) should equal higher speeds. We have found this to be the case. The 49 can make 8 knots under power and so far hit 9 under sail. I know she can do more!
Comfortable motion The longer waterline also means less pitching and a smoother motion. We have not yet been in big seas with her but at least in moderate seas she shows the waterline length plus extremely deep keel makes for a very steady ride. (she draws 10 feet!!) Motoring out the Chichester Harbour entrance with swell against the out-flowing tide she cruised right through. Next to us smaller boats – 30 feet and under - were pitching quite a lot - showing their keel and burying their bows. A 42 footer was coming along as well and they were more similar to us - cutting through with minimal pitching. Waterline pays big dividends in comfort!
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Hints for drying out Check in advance that the area is going to be ok. The harbour master will have more info and recommendations. In our case we just need to find out if there is anything we don’t want to settle down onto. Tie up to account for the tides. Check that future tides will allow you to get off again! Read over the tables carefully. You don’t want to get “neaped”. Close the thruhulls before settling down on the mud. Especially intakes such as the engine, and head water intakes if these will be in the mud. You don’t want mud forced up into them. Remember to open them before motoring off. If you plan to stay more than 1 tide you might check it out the second time you settle down to the ground in case the boat’s position has shifted slightly.
Voyage to the Baltic We quickly adapted to our new Southerly 49 and after a great cruise to the Channel Islands are now ready for new adventures on our new boat as we sail to the Baltic this summer.
You can follow our adventures at www.distantshores.ca
Distant Shores airs on Sky TV on the Travel Channel. For schedule updates, visit www.travelchannel.co.uk
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More news from Southerly
MP, Andrew Tyrie visits Northshore
As a prestigious employer in the area, the Chichester MP, Andrew Tyrie visited Northshore to see for himself the progress the company has made, during recent years. Accompanied by Councillor Pieter Montyn, and Peter Arnold, Chairman of the Itchenor Society, Andrew met Lester Abbott for a factory tour and overview.
Southerlys in Convoy
Freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall during January did not disrupt the convoy of Southerlys travelling to London & Dusseldorf Boat Shows. Drivers had to contend with extremely hazardous conditions for their wide loads, which were shrinkwrapped for protection.
Chichester Yacht Club tour Southerly Factory
The 2nd organised visit by Chichester Yacht Club saw approx 70 yachting enthusiasts, keen to learn more about the marine industry, visit the shipyard for an informative morning. Coffee and pastries were served in the new showroom while visitors viewed the Southerly 38 on display. A welcome speech and brief company introduction was given by sales manager Ben Davies. Guests were then split into small groups for guided tours around both factories to view the yachts in build at various stages of construction. Trevor Ferris, Social Secretary of CYC commented ‘’It is a great way for our members to learn about the commercial side of the marine industry, and we are very proud to have such an important marine business on our doorstep. Everyone really enjoyed the morning and appreciated the effort involved’’.
GMT Carbon mast and boom arrives from USA
The 84 ft custom rig for the first Southerly 57RS arrived from USA and received an escort for the ‘long load’ to ensure a trouble free delivery from Southampton.
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Cycling for Leukaemia Charity Southerly sales manager, Ben Davies, and a group of friends recently cycled 90 miles from Southampton to London. They were not phased by the sweltering temperatures (approx 240) and they finished at the London Eye, after 7 hours. Over £7,000 was raised for the Red & White Appeal, supporting a new day care unit for leukaemia patients undergoing treatment and bone marrow transplants at Southampton.
Ben Davies (4th from left), and Emma with her son (centre)
Ben’s friend, Emma, had just been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia after giving birth to her baby son, just 8 days earlier.
Mark Williams
ʻt Cycling for Macmillan Cancer
Southerly salesman Mark Williams joined over 4,500 cyclists in Pitlochry, Perthshire for the Etape Caledonia bike ride, which raised over £430,000 for the charity. Mark completed the 81mile route around two lochs and up a steep climb in Schiehallion in 5 hrs and 13 minutes.
A keen sailor and sportsman, Mark has a Sports Studies Masters Degree and was previously a PE instructor whilst in the Army. He has also played water polo for England. Mark will be soon by entering the ‘Sky Ride Etape Hibernia’, a similar 89 mile charity event on the West coast of Ireland.
Southerly 57RS afloat
A 240 tonne crane was used to lift the Southerly 57RS into the water, and step the mast.
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SOUTHERLY 38,Chantelle IN AUSTRALIA More Southerly’s are being shipped to far away destinations around the world
Following their retirement, Bob Davies and his wife Cathy met up with their new Southerly 38 Chantelle in Melbourne, to sail the Australian waters 60
FROM MELBOURNE TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
Bob & Cathy Davies
‘’We plan to sail Chantelle non-stop to Sydney, leaving Port Phillip at the end of May. After spending about a week in Sydney, we will move along the NSW and Queensland coasts taking advantage of the prevailing SE trade winds. Our aim is to spend time on the Great Barrier reef and the Whitsundays. Being winter, we should get plenty of sun without cyclones or stingers (nasty poisonous jellyfish) which are predominantly a summer problem. Around November the weather pattern should change giving us favourable winds for a return to Melbourne in time for Christmas. While in Williamstown we have made a number of boating friends; marina life is very sociable here. some of these will be following a similar schedule to avoid the cold months down here, so we hope to have a few reunions along the way’’. Bob and Cathy’s voyages can be followed on their website: www.daviesunderway.com
Snippets from their website .... Sea Trials in the Solent On board with us were John Excell and Chris Warwick to provide technical knowhow, sailing experience and moral support, as we were naturally a little nervous sailing our brand new boat for the first time. It was an uneventful passage round to Port Hamble Marina. A light SW breeze developed along the way and we were able to do a fair amount of the trip under sail. Backing Chantelle into a marina berth for the first time was a bit tense – twin rudder boats don’t behave the same as the single rudder types we are more used to – but there were no excitements. The next day, there was a bit more wind and we were able to try her on all points of sailing. Having a professional skipper aboard gave us the confidence to push quite hard under full main in conditions where Cathy & I alone would normally have reefed. The highlight of this was lifting the keel while close hauled doing about 7 knots – the Southerly is perfectly balanced in the ‘keel up’ condition and the increase in leeway means that she slows down and comes more upright in a most genteel fashion. Our confidence in Chantelle’s sailing qualities grew exponentially. John spent most our sailing time with his head in various nooks and crannies below decks going through his very comprehensive checklist. His technical expertise, combined with extensive Southerly product knowledge, was proving invaluable in teasing out any problems. As we are shipping Chantelle to Australia so soon after handover it was in everybody’s best interest to find and fix the inevitable ‘snags’ that a hand built boat will have. This process also required one of us to go through the list with him. We were both pleased to find that on Chantelle we were able to spend time head down in the bilges while under way without being seasick. Another plus for the boat. We sailed Chantelle back to Itchenor after a week of frustration with the weather. Cathy and Chris had to miss the trip so John and I co-opted Clive to keep us out of trouble. When the wind finally moved to NW, making the Chichester Bar a comfortable proposition, we headed out in a lively Force 6 for a long downwind run. With two reefs in the main and a full jib we ran along nicely at 7+ knots with Chantelle handling the occasional big swell with great aplomb. Partially lifting the keel made for a smoother ride and noticeably reduced the work load of the autopilot. We were alongside at Northshore in less than 31/2 hours without any real effort, ready to haul out and decommission for the trip to Melbourne the easy way – on a great big Ro-Ro ship! 61
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Who in their right mind would climb a mast ! by Sharon Hopkins, Southerly 38 ‘Cardio’
No longer a virgin – yes, you read that right! After keeping our mast-climbing harness safely tucked away in the aft locker of our previous boat for four years, we finally decided to give it a go on our new Southerly 38. Or should I say my husband Bill decided one calm and sunny Tuesday afternoon that I (his long-suffering wife) should definitely give it a go. He would be in full control; he promised using his “muscles and intellect to safely winch me up the mast.” “Using the new electric winch,” I protested. And besides, his friend Chris would be on hand in case I fell. With such enthusiasm how could a girl refuse! So came the day when I took my life in my hands. But first, the obligatory phone calls or possibly farewells to my children. “Mum’s just saying hello, darling, no special reason for my call. How are the babies?” After putting down the phone, I found myself saying a few small words of prayer and encouragement before we set to work. Quickly deciding that shorts and slip-on shoes should be replaced with scratchproof trousers and strong trainers, I was almost ready to begin my ascent. But by now a crowd had gathered on the pontoon, and I saw a kindly looking gentleman coming towards me. No doubt to offer words of comfort and support or so I thought. In fact, his words were more along the lines of, “When you’ve finished there, Love, could you just nip up my mast and tweak my Windex.” So much for words of comfort! With the addition of a pair of climbing gloves, I was once again ready to go, when, out of nowhere, a cycling helmet was swiftly added to my wardrobe. “Just in case, Nigel said,” Up to this point I had convinced myself I was looking pretty cool. Then with the words, “if it ain’t tight, it ain’t right” (whoever first said that should be keelhauled), the safety harness was wrapped around me in a most unflattering way and I was suddenly hoisted up off the deck.
Sharon & Bill Hopkins
Moments later, I was on my way up through the shrouds, past the spreaders and over the white blobby thing. “Slow down,” I screeched. “Why do we have to go so fast?” Oh, I forgot, it’s a man at the helm. My heart pumped hard as the boat swayed out of control – well, OK, bobbed gently – beneath me. – Absolutely terrified, and holding tight with my legs wrapped around the mast, I looked down and realised I was a blinking long way up – 18.86 metres, to be precise, or 61 feet 10 inches, in old money. Reaching the top, I gasped for every breath. Even though it’s taking place inside a harbour on a quiet sunny afternoon with very little wind, the whole experience is mind-blowing. It’s not exactly an Ellen McCarthy moment, out at sea, all alone, in strong winds, with a drill in her hand experience, but I’ve reached the top and I’m still alive. Determined to take a photograph to prove I really did it, I reeled off five shots so blurry they looked like images of underwater sea monsters before managing to take a passable picture of the harbour. (Of course, I later realised I could have got the same shot simply by standing on the harbour wall!) I soon came safely back down to earth – I’d lived to tell the tale and will see my grandchildren grow up. As I reached the bottom, my husband said laughingly, “Do you want to do it again?” “Yes!” I say, “I need the practice.” And I really do mean it – only slower this time, please. Today climbing a mast on a Southerly 38, tomorrow who knows? Perhaps I might even be ready for the grown-up rides at Thorpe Park! And what of the kind gentleman who wanted me to check out his Windex? – Along with our friend and ad-hoc photographer Les, he was most disappointed. “Bit of an anticlimax,” he said. “No blood spilt.” “I’m so sorry that I didn’t manage to impale myself on a stanchion” I replied – “better luck next time.” 63
Southerly Adventures in the Caribbean By Paul & Sheryl Shard Aboard Distant Shores, Southerly 42RST
The longer we sail the more we realise that some of our most treasured cruising experiences are often in places that are a challenge to get to or stay at. It seems that if a destination is tricky to reach navigationally, has few harbours with good all around protection, or is off the main cruising route because of distance or prevailing winds then often that place is really special. i.e. quiet and undeveloped and the people, unscathed by massive tourism, friendly and welcoming. Such was the case on our recent cruise to a couple of the more remote islands of the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean – the Dutch island of Saba, the British island of Montserrat, isolated areas of the French islands of Guadeloupe, the Saintes and St. Bart’s – all fabulous places to explore aboard a variable-draft Southerly yacht.
We began our cruise to these gem destinations after spending a couple of weeks in the busy touristic island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten (one half is French, the other half Dutch). Cruising sailors love this place since the chandleries are superb, the well-stocked grocery stores make it a good place to stock-up on provisions, and the cream on the cake 64
is that everything is duty-free. The restaurants and nightlife are great too and the main anchorage in Simpson’s Bay Lagoon offers excellent all around protection with easy dinghy access to everything a sailor could possibly need. Indeed St. Martin/Sint Maarten is so set up for cruising sailors that some of them never leave! But by the time we had made our repairs and filled the boat with delicious goodies for our upcoming voyage, we had begun to grow tired of the hustle and bustle. We were ready to set sail for more isolated places starting with Saba and Montserrat. Surprisingly some of the best “off the beaten path” destinations in the Leewards aren’t really that far from major stops on the route south. Saba is only 28 nm to the southwest of St. Martin/Sint Maarten and Montserrat is only about 25 nm southwest of Antigua. The issues that seem to prevent sailors from visiting Saba and Montserrat are that the harbours are few and poor, tend to be rolly, and in many prevailing conditions are untenable. However, with the excellent weather information available to boaters today you can choose your days and take advantage of the right conditions. If wind and sea direction or strength change unexpectedly during your visit it’s not a long run to a protected port on a nearby island. Montserrat presents another deterrent to visitors – an active volcano that has put two-thirds of the small island off-limits. But more on that later ... We departed St. Martin and set a course to the southwest to the Dutch island of Saba. Saba is a tall tiny (5 sq. miles) steeply-sided volcanic island with virtually no harbour or
shoreline. Because it is difficult to reach by boat and only small aircraft can land at the short runway there has remained a pristine tropical paradise and a delight to explore when calm weather permits.
as well as to protect the pristine marine environment. We picked up the pennant, the long line attached to the mooring ball, and threaded a bow line through the loop, from each side of our bow.
The main anchorage available to visiting sailors is on the west coast but is an open roadstead. Even on calm days there can be a roll there and don’t even think about coming if there are any heavy northerly swells, common in the winter months, or strong northeastly winds in the forecast. Spring is a good time to go since the northerly swell starts to subside at this time of year. After watching the forecast closely we left St. Martin when we saw a stretch of about four days with light winds from the east to southeast and no northerly swell.
Saba is unique in that its entire coast is a protected marine park. The 11 moorings at Well’s and Ladder Bay and the 4 new ones off Fort Bay at the south end of the island are
We had a lovely fast sail reaching across sapphire seas in light breezes but as we approached the island of Saba, we suddenly experienced an abrupt wind acceleration at the corner of the island. The winds here pick up strongly as they sweep down and around the steep cliffs of the island. Be ready to reef down or deal with unexpected gusts! As we were adjusting sail we came up on Well’s Bay on the northwest end of the island where you have to watch out for Diamond Rock and the reef surrounding it but with the clear weather and amazingly clear seas it was easy to spot and avoid. The Saba Marine Park has installed moorings for visiting yachts and dive boats in Well’s Bay and Ladder Bay which together make one large anchorage on the west coast of the island. The visitor moorings are yellow with a blue stripe and are checked regularly by park staff to ensure your safety
available on a first-come basis for a very small fee. The Mooring Fee is $3US/person aboard and entitles you to a week’s stay on the mooring. There is also a park administration fee called a Nature Fee of $3US per person. So for a week’s visit for the two of us aboard Distant Shores we paid $12 US to be in one of the most beautiful spots on the island. The clear-in fee for the boat was $20 US which we paid at the Harbourmaster’s office in Fort Bay. From the anchorage at Well’s and Ladder Bay to the Fort Bay dinghy dock is almost a 2nm dinghy ride and you must 65
stay 150 metres offshore of any dive boats moored in the area, which is often, so be prepared to get wet. There is, however, an alternative way to get ashore from Well’s and Ladder Bay if, and only if, conditions are very calm - The Ladder. This is an 800-step stairway leading from the small rocky beach right at Ladder Bay up to the top of the island. Before the 1940’s when a road and harbour at Fort Bay was finally built, The Ladder was the only way to get goods and people to the villages at the top of the island. Male and female porters with great strength and pride carried food, furniture and even a Bishop up The Ladder! The village at the top of The Ladder is strangely called The Bottom but apparently is derived from the Dutch word for “bowl” Our favourite was the Sandy Cruz Trail which we did with Saban guide and naturalist, Crocodile James. The trail starts in a temperate zone where traditional farm plots can be viewed and then ascends into the cool rainforest where exotic plants abound. Like most Sabans we met, James was great fun. We had a wonderful morning as he pointed out many interesting birds and flowers and told us what plants were edible or had medicinal uses.
since the village appears to sit in a bowl created by the tall surrounding hills. When we arrived huffing and puffing after struggling up The Ladder on Day One we found a peaceful and spotlessly clean town. Many artists and artisans can be found here working in the inspiringly beautiful environment of soaring green hills and rainforest. The Saba Artisans Foundation is based here and we watched a demonstration on silk screening (Paul had a custom shirt made in the fabric of his choice which we picked up the next day) and we learned about the art of Saban lacemaking which is a form of drawn thread work. From The Bottom you need a taxi to proceed up the steep winding narrow road to the main town of Windwardside where the tourist office with its welcoming staff and many of the islands great restaurants, guest houses and dive shops are located. Before “The Road” was finally completed in the 1950’s the only way to get from one village to the other on Saba was by foot on steeply stepped foot paths and trails. These historic trails are now maintained by the Saba Conservation Foundation and hiking is a popular activity with visitors and, along with diving in the pristine seas, hiking was our main reason for coming. 67
their homes and businesses, many Montserratians have left to start over in other places. Sailing past Plymouth the island looks like a barren wasteland. The tops of buildings poke out of the massive volcanic debris that drowned the town. It is heartwrenching. It is fascinating. It is a humbling demonstration of the power of nature. Today it is Montserrat’s main attraction. Yet at the north end of Montserrat you’d never know the volcano existed. This region remains “the Emerald Isle” of the Caribbean (yes the Irish heritage is strong here) with lush vegetation, cool rainforests, clean villages and the peace and quiet of the Caribbean as it used to be. Although Saba is part of the Dutch Netherland Antilles (which is going through some changes at the moment) the language spoken in Saba is English with a delightful Scottishsounding lilt! Most of the 1,400 inhabitants are descendants of Dutch, Scottish, and English settlers who came here in the 1600’s and this is very apparent in their accent to this day. The calm weather finally came to an end. We reluctantly high-tailed it back to St. Martin and the protection of Simpson’s Bay Lagoon while the winds howled and the swell rose from the north again for another week but now we were watching for another weather window to visit the British island of Montserrat. In 1995 the majestic Soufriere Hills Volcano on Montserrat rumbled back to life and destroyed the main town and port of Plymouth on the south coast. It was buried in ash and everyone evacuated to the north end of the island behind the protection of the Centre Hills. Nineteen people died during the eruption, mostly farmers working their fields on the volcano’s slopes. At the time the population was about 11,000 people. Today it is about 5,000 since, after losing
68
Before the 1995 eruption, Montserrat was a popular escape destination for celebrities and many owned beautiful villas here including members of the Beatles and their manager, Sir George Martin, who set up a modern recording studio that attracted some of the top music artists of the day to the island. Now Air Studios lies decaying in the exclusion zone along with many other homes and buildings in the south. About two-thirds of the island is an off-limits exclusion zone. The zones change frequently since the volcano continues to have periods of activity the most recent in January of this year. So besides watching for calm weather with no northerly swells, the only conditions that make the one remaining harbour of Little Bay tenable, you have to check on the activity level of the volcano before sailing here. This is easily done as the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) posts regular updates on its informative website (see sidebar). We got the go-ahead and the weather we needed and arrived after island-hopping down from St. Martin with stops at St. Barts and Nevis.
On either side of the island of Montserrat there are exclusion zones out into the sea. At the time we visited we had to stay 4 km off the east side where during periods of strong activity pyroclastic flows can rush down from the top of the volcano and hit the water in 90 seconds. Along the southwest coast we had to sail at least 2 km off the coast. We could sail close-in along the south coast past Plymouth in the daytime only but we couldn’t stop or go ashore. At times when the volcano is quiet you can apply for a permit to go in with authorised personnel but this wasn’t possible this spring. Little Bay, the only port is on the northwest end of the island, and before arriving it is recommended that you radio the Port Authority on VHF 16 to check on conditions in the small anchorage. We did this and received good news and a friendly welcome. For $15 US we were cleared in and out. For a 3-day visit. The officials don’t work evenings or weekends and if you arrive outside of working hours there is an overtime charge of about $35 – another issue that deters sailors from planning a visit here.
sampling the unique cuisine (“goat water” is a popular dish and is a spiced-up version of Irish stew) and best of all talking with the ever-positive islanders. Those that remain haven’t given up hope and are looking forward to a positive future. A new port and marina is being planned. We can’t wait to return.
It is an industrial port far from town so you need a taxi to get anywhere. We had called ahead and through the tourist office had organised a driver to meet us. The delightful Jadine (pronounced Jay-deen) Glitzenhurn, a local woman who lost her gift shop in the 1995 eruption, became our guide for the next couple of days as we visited this modernday Pompeii, exploring half-buried homes, visiting the educational volcano observatory whose scientists constantly monitor the safety of the island, walking in the rainforest where there are many trails popular with birdwatchers,
69
Our next stop was the French island of Guadeloupe which you wouldn’t exactly call “off the beaten path”. With a population of 405,500 and an area of 1,780 sq. km it’s among the largest of the islands in the Leeward Islands. There is a major international airport there where thousands of tourists from around the world flood in daily to enjoy the sun and sea and French ambience. Several charter boat operators have bases here and long-term cruisers usually plan a stop when travelling up- or down-island to relax in one of the marinas, take advantage of the array of marine services available, and to stock up the ship’s larders with French goodies, namely fine French wines. So why would a couple of cruising sailors looking for quiet rarely-visited places come here? It was by accident really. We were looking for a part for a boat improvement project and there are good chandleries to be found in Guadeloupe. You can also get duty-free diesel there when you clear out which is always good for the cruising budget. And okay, any opportunity to add a few good bottles of French wine to “the cellar” on Distant Shores is always a draw. Since Guadeloupe was more or less on our planned route south we thought we’d just make a quick stop, do the chandleries, provision, top up the fuel, and go. But then we started doing a bit of research and talking to fellow cruisers, in particular French Canadian sailors who know the French islands well and feel at home there. French, of course, is the main language spoken in Guadeloupe. So as a result Paul and I discovered some of the most delightful and rarely visited cruising grounds in this popular Caribbean destination starting with the string of magical islets that lie off Guadeloupe’s north coast. We followed this with a unique “jungle cruise” down the Rivière Salée, a natural saltwater mangrove channel that divides Guadeloupe into two halves and is rich in exotic bird and plant life. And as if it wasn’t surprising enough to discover
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Les Saintes
these gems amidst the touristic and industrial chaos present in Guadeloupe, we found yet another rarely visited cruising area here - Îles des Saintes (known to English-speaking sailors as The Saintes), the small islands that lie just off the southwest coast of Guadeloupe where we concluded our “off the beaten path” cruise. As I mentioned earlier, Guadeloupe is divided in two by the Rivière Salée so in reality Guadeloupe is two separate islands. On the chart it looks like a lopsided butterfly. The “butterfly wing” or island on the west is called Basse Terre which means Low Land and is actually tall and mountainous. Grande Terre, which means Big Land, is the eastern wing of the butterfly. It has low rolling hills,flat planes and is the smaller of the two. We sailed into the harbour at Deshaies, on the northwest corner, in the late afternoon. Deshaies is a little fishing village that is slowly evolving into a popular waterfront destination with numerous wonderful yet casual French restaurants just a dinghy-ride away from where you drop the hook in the anchorage. We felt we had been transported back to Europe. The village was centred around the church with it’s tall steeple. The church bells tolled out 5 bells for 5 o’clock. French flags fluttered in the breeze. Guadeloupe is an overseas department of France so the same rules apply to yachts as if you are visiting Europe. If you are a non-EU flagged vessel and stay longer than 18 months you will be charged VAT for importing your boat. The currency here is Euros. There are no charges for clearing in. After a delicious dinner ashore, a good night’s sleep, and fresh croissants for breakfast the next morning, we set sail for the north end of the island. As we left a group of local sailors launched their traditional sailing sloops for the weekly Sunday race. Their colourful sails lent a festive air to our departure.
We sailed along the west coast of Basse Terre for the morning and arrived at Ilet à Fajou, one of the little uninhabited islands with quiet anchorages and isolated beaches lying off the north end of Guadeloupe. These islands are often overlooked by visiting sailors since you have to back-track here after clearing in, the navigation can be a bit tricky since there are shallows to avoid. They are well marked and most sailors coming to Guadeloupe are ready for a break and want to enjoy the benefits of restaurants and comfortable marinas in the more populated areas. Fair enough. We look forward to that too. Since it was the weekend there were several groups of local power boaters rafted up together at Ilet à Fajou visiting with family and friends. It reminded us of summer weekends at home in Ontario, Canada, on Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe – just a bit more tropical! We had a lazy lunch at anchor and spent the afternoon swimming and reading. We could have spent a week here. One by one the local boats departed for home and at about 5 p.m. we raised the hook too to begin our journey down the Rivière Salée. The entrance to this well marked mangrove channel was only a short distance from Ilet à Fajou and as we wound our way along the curving waterway we saw flocks of egrets and other exotic birds. We felt miles from civilisation but when we dropped the hook in the little anchorage we had marked for the night we were just north of the Bridge l’Alliance and discovered we were also at the end of the runway of the international airport which gave us a shock a few times during dinner when planes landed! To travel the Rivière Salée you must time your transit for two bridge openings. So not to disturb the busy traffic on the roads during the day, the bridges only open for boats Monday through Saturday at 0430 and 0520, the dark hours of the morning. This is another reason few sailors explore this area but if you approach this as a fun navigational exercise it is worth the effort to do the trip. Our first bridge going south would be the nearby Bridge l’Alliance which was scheduled to open at 0430. We had been warned that if you are not standing by with lights on and engines running by 0420 the bridge attendant turns his car around and goes home! We and one other sailboat were there on time the next morning! To add to our enjoyment it was raining. I started to wonder if this was such a great idea. But it really was fun to wind through the mangroves from light to light testing our abilities and getting familiar with this area that is also a good haven in hurricanes. Who knows, we might have to run here one day and deal with terrible conditions. This could just be a warm up. Pont de Gabarre was the next bridge. It’s actually two bridges since there’s a pedestrian bridge as well, but since they open together, they are considered one bridge for
timing purposes. We and our buddy southbound boat made the 0500 opening. Three sailboats were waiting on the other side ready to head north. They had cleared out and would continue on to the island of Antigua. We all shouted and waved. I think we were all happy to know we weren’t the only crazy ones out here having an adventure! With the bridges behind us we were home free. Soon we began to see a glow on the eastern horizon. The rain stopped. We started to relax and enjoy the early morning sounds of life in the mangroves. The channel started to widen and soon we began to see city lights ahead. We were headed for Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe’s most important city and commercial port. By daylight we were passing large cranes and even larger on-coming ships and ferries. Was it the same day? The contrast was fantastic! We spent a few days in Pointe à Pitre at the Marina Bas-duFort stocking up the boat with needed spare parts from the excellent chandleries and topping up our ship’s stores with imported goodies from France.
Spring is a beautiful time in the Caribbean. The trade winds become more gentle and the persistent northerly swells found in the winter boating season, formed by storms “up north”, subside. This general calming of conditions opens up a plethora of anchorages throughout the islands just when most cruising sailors are beginning to leave the Caribbean. Even the more popular anchorages become less-crowded as a result. We set sail from Pointe à Pitre heading south along the mountainous east coast of Basse Terre. Guadeloupe is comprised of two islands joined in the middle to form the shape of a butterfly and Basse Terre is the western island or butterfly wing. Les des Saintes lie just off the southern tip of Basse Terre. The trip is just over 20 nm and with the funnelling effect that the majestic La Soufriere volcano has on the winds along this coast you can always expect a good sail. We had very light winds when we first set out, but by the time we got out into the channel the winds were a constant 20-25kts. We weren’t in any hurry, feeling happy 71
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to be out on the sparkling seas again after being in port for a few days, so sailed under jib alone enjoying the sweepingviews of luxurious volcanic green hillsides dotted with picturesque red-roofed villages. We arrived at Terre de Haut (meaning high-land) the main island of the Les des Saintes archipelago in the early afternoon. Columbus came upon these charming islands on All Saints Day on his second voyage to the New World in 1493 and named them “Los Santos”. At the time, Carib Indians inhabited the islands and since then “Les Saintes” have been owned by several nations, but the French regained control again in 1815 with the Treaty of Paris and have been there ever since. As we guided “Distant Shores” through the Passe de la Baleine, the eastern entrance to the town anchorage between the small Let à Cabrit and Terre de Haut, we saw a sight that took our breath away. There anchored in front of Le Bourg, the main village, like a view from the past, was a tall ship that we instantly recognised as the Barque Picton Castle, an 180-foot long classic square-rigged sailing ship designed and refitted in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. We waved to the crew as we went past to anchor nearby off the fishing harbour and were later invited aboard for a tour. At this time of year with the lighter winds of springtime it is possible to cruise around the little archipelago and enjoy several anchorages which in the winter would be too exposed, such as the cove south of Pain de Sucre, a 200-foot mini-piton on Terre de Haut or Anse Fielding on the very quiet neighbouring island of Terre d’en Basse. We eventually moved “Distant Shores” from the anchorage off the fishing harbour to the other side of the bay to anchor just below Fort Napoleon where we snorkelled on the shallow wreck of the MV Lindy and later found lots of colourful fish diving on the reefs near the anchorage off Let à Cabrit. Although you can see the large island of Guadeloupe from Les des Saintes there is a different atmosphere here – definitely laid-back French. The islands are such a quiet paradise yet just a short sail or ferry ride away are all the conveniences of a big city. The best of both worlds is in reach. It would be easy to get washed ashore here. The small French island of Saint-Barthélemy (area 21 km²
and population about 8,500) has a similar appeal. Located further north, about 250 km east of Puerto Rico, St. Bart’s lies within sight of the island of Saint Martin, a major Caribbean tourist destination with a large international airport and all important services and supplies at duty-free prices. Yet St. Bart’s retains it’s small island charm with a fabulous twist. St. Bart’s has long been considered a playground of the rich and famous attracting the megayacht crowd (forget finding a berth at New Year’s) due to its beautiful pristine beaches, glamourous villas, gourmet dining in chic bistros and high-end designers. Where Les des Saintes is rustic, St. Bart’s is up-market - but so much fun! We finally tore ourselves away from The Saintes and sailed about 20 nm north to anchor for the night at Pigeon on the west coast of Guadeloupe, a favourite diving location of Jacques Cousteau. From there we did a 75 nm daysail to the island of Nevis where we picked up a mooring off Charlestown for the night. Then we did a 45 nm day, sailing on smooth seas, beam reaching under main and genoa, to arrive at the French island of St. Bart’s in the afternoon. We dropped the hook off Fort Oscar at the entrance to St. Bart’s main port of Gustavia and we dinghied in to the harbour to clear-in at the port office. To our amazement there were spaces available in the harbour and we were assigned a double mooring (tie bow and stern) dead-center in the harbour with the best view of all the goings-on and access to phenomenal shops (sandals decorated with real jewels, you get the picture) and divine restaurants. Needless to say, St. Bart’s is not a bargain-hunters’ paradise but it’s just so over-the-top you have to see it. (Our mooring however was a good deal at only 10 euros per night or about $15 CAD.) And in the spring it’s not crowded and you can anchor or pick up a mooring off fabulous beaches like Anse Colombier that can be untenable in the winter with the big northerly swells and strong winds. There’s lots to be said for spring cruising in the Caribbean so if you do get the opportunity to sail there don’t rush home too soon.
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Or you can order online at: www.yachtingworld.co.uk/southerly
A DREAM SETS SAIL ...
KAY KOUDELE’S awesome adventures onboard SOUTHERLY 115 Amazing Grace
Prepared to face every challenge jointly, Kay & Fred are soon put to the test by Mother Nature, when they nearly lose control with their first taste of harsh sea weather. However, luck and skill prevail and they make it through relatively unscathed, only to face many further trials and tribulations at sea. Sometimes exhilarating, other times horrifying, one factor remains constant - they can always expect the unexpected. In each port through Mexico, Central and South America, Kay and Fred learn about new cultures and customs. With each new adventure, they also learn more about themselves and each other than they ever thought possible. Written in an articulate and expressive style, Kay Koudele provides an extraordinary first-hand account of the lifechanging experience that this couple had the courage to embrace with passionate zeal. A Dream Sets Sail is the story of what can happen when two people have enough faith in themselves and each other to take a leap into the unknown to see what comes out on the other side.
After a four year journey of international cruising, covering about 20,000 miles in their Southerly 115 Amazing Grace, Kay Koudele has chronicled the adventure in her recently published book, A Dream Sets Sail, Part 1. It covers the first half of that trip, with she and her husband sailing from Portland, Oregano USA to Cartagena, Columbia, South America.
Kay & Fred after sailing under Golden Gate Bridge
For UK and European sailors, it’s a glimpse of cruising waters ‘on the other side of the pond’. From Kay’s career as a psychotherapist and her interest in people and cultures, she shares not only the sailing experience, but also the impact on relationships that such a journey creates. Originally written as a means for the couple’s grandchildren to vicariously sail along with them on the adventure, Kay found that the story had appeal to many others including those who: * had a dream of doing something special ‘someday’ * had an interest in doing blue -water cruising * had absolutely NO intention of ever ‘sailing off into the sunset’ to faraway ports for an indefinite period of time, but would like to know what it’s like ‘out there’ * would like to encourage themselves, their children and grandchildren to fulfil their dreams and live life as an adventure. Kay’s book may be viewed or purchased online at www.ADreamSetsSail.com or www.amazon.com 75
THE FREEDOM OF WIRELESS <MRH WTIIH ORSXW )ITXL Q 8IE XIQT )EXE [MVIW RSRI
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www.tacktick.com
NEW FOR 2010 PRICES FROM
£259.99RRP WIRELESS ENTRY LEVEL INSTRUMENTS Tacktick by Suunto’s extensive range of wireless, solar-powered marine instruments provides critical information about your boat and its surroundings. The Tacktick entry-level speed and depth system uses superior Micronet wireless technology, is extremely easy to set up and,
in most cases, is compatible with your existing Airmar transducers. And with the addition of Suunto precision instruments, you’ll have complete reliability and confidence in any boating activity. To find out more, or to test a configuration on your boat, visit our website.
Some of our NEW SOUTHERLY OWNERS ...
Jonathan & Jill Barker Southerly 110, Flying Cloud
Sue & Martin Schofield (right) Southerly 42RST, Tallulah Belle
Mr Jonathan Barker & Karina Jackson Southerly 32, Doodle
Callum Bremner Southerly 35RS, Blueprint
Martin & Vivien Melodey Southerly 110, Harmonix
Grahame & Valerie Poel Southerly 32, Cosmos
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An international brand, Hyde is one of the largest volume sail producers worldwide, delivering high quality
sails with a service to match. Backed up by 45 years of expertise, Hyde has always placed itself at the forefront of sail technology, design and production for everything from Optimists to cruisers and ocean racing yachts including the 09-10 Clipper Round The World fleet.
Tops’l Sailcruise was founded on the basis that to sail with the club should be as much like being a private owner and as affordable as possible Founded in 1979 Tops’l is a ‘not for profit’ sailing club and members are effectively part owners of three superb quality yachts, including the new Southerly 110, Carina, yet the club is no ordinary yacht share! Based at Port Solent, Tops’l is a sailing club offering members a flexible and unusual way to get out on the water that is truly cost effective. Our boats have different characteristics providing sailing adventures to suit everyone. We enjoy the home waters of the Solent and south coast and regularly visit the south west, the Channel Islands and cross the channel to Normandie. Club sailing events are organised regularly throughout the season both at weekends and mid week, sailing in company with more than one boat is great fun and an excellent way for a new member to get to know others. The pre-season maintenance and cleaning days are also very social and many a future sailing trip is hatched whilst stripping down winches etc.
So what does Tops’l offer? The feeling of being a private owner without the financial and time consuming burdens Sail as often as you wish All the year round sailing; special winter rate Fantastic opportunities to improve sailing skills and if you want to... try some boat maintenance Always someone to sail with, either sail with members or bring along your own family & friends plus family exclusive sailing Sailing to suit all abilities
The annual cruise takes one of the yachts away from base from late spring to autumn, sometimes there will also be a mini cruise (several weeks) to another location but at least one yacht is available for booking from Port Solent throughout the whole season. Tops’l sailors are a friendly group of like minded people; organised sails and social events add to the inclusive club atmosphere. Whether you are a beginner or have spent a lifetime at sea, whether you have limited time for sailing or have all the time in the world, Tops’l could ‘suit you’. We welcome sailors of all abilities. If you think you might like to join us, simply e-mail your phone no. & we’ll contact you. Visit www.topsl.net or email admin@topsl.net
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Some of our NEW SOUTHERLY OWNERS ...
NEFOAS
(Never Follow A Southerly)
‘’As you can see, Nefoas is lying comfortably on the hull, but the guy in the other yacht spent 5 hours in about 45 degrees. We had another two weeks of good sailing at the Waddenzee in the North. We became more familiar to the boat, and even 32 knots of wind did not bother Greet in happy sailing (with double reef). We wish you a good summer ‘’ Greet & Frits Perdijk
MAIDEN VOYAGE TO JERSEY
Chris & Beverly Lees with their daughter Southerly 38, Elysium
Anne & Vic Heap Southerly 42RST, Wotcha !
After taking delivery of his new Southerly 42RST, Kevan Greene hired local skipper Michael Burnford, to accompany him on his maiden voyage to his home port of Jersey. ‘’We motored all the way to Cherbourg, given the relatively light following wind. It took us 11 hours from Itchenor. Crossing the shipping lanes was straightforward, we had to dodge two ships, but that was no problem, thanks to the AIS and Michael’s experience. The Cherbourg - Jersey leg was just glorious. The sea was calm right through to Alderney Race and the air clear, so the views were great. We motored most of the way, switching to sail as we passed Sark. Lots of fishing pot buoys en route. All-in-all a great trip, and very comfortable in Haymaker’’.
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Barney Bannington Southerly 110, Amy Louise
www.southerly.com
W O R L D L E A D I N G VA R I A B L E D R A F T C R U I S I N G YAC H T S
NORTHSHORE YACHTS LTD. Northshore Shipyard, Itchenor, Chichester, West Sussex PO20 7AY England Tel: +44 (0)1243 512611 email:sales@southerly.com
NEW SOUTHERLY 49