with DECEMBER 2026 £5.75
LOW STRESS HIGH SPEED The Beneteau First 60 and ORC 52.2 ON TEST SOLO TO SENEGAL Rookie sailor heads into Africa THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS Racing legend Paul Cayard opens up
RE-BOOT? The latest seaboots put to the test
A flock of Swans Boatbuilder Nautor Swan celebrated its 60th anniversary in style at the annual Swan Cup. The event is held in Porto Cervo, Sardinia and this year a remarkable 170 yachts took part. This was one of the largest gatherings ever staged for this iconic brand. Photo: Nautor Swan/Studio Borlenghi
Light and shade The late Carlo Borlenghi was a photographer who believed that the best photos did not need a caption because they spoke for themselves. He also had an exceptional eye for a photo. Here is a fine example of his work. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi
Boat test – Beneteau First 60
In a market crowded with king sized performance cruisers, Beneteau’s First 60 looks to take on the likes of Solaris and Grand Soleil on their own turf. Sam Jefferson finds out if it beats them
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GULL’S EYE
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CARDIFF MARINA
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SHOWERS, TOILET, LAUNDRY MARINA OFFICE
MAIN MARINA WALKWAY
D,E,F.G,H,I,J,K,L,M PONTOON BERTHS FURTHER UPSTREAM
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TROLLEY PARK
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Western Marina’s Cardiff Marina is located in a prime spot close to the capital city of Cardiff and offers fantastic cruising options along the coastline of South Wales writes Sue Pelling 51.44781 N, 3.18161 W
WHITE WATER RAFTING CENTRE
COFFEE CO BAR/ RESTAURANT TERRACE SEA LIFT
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MARINA ENTRANCE
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219 SAFE, SHELTERED BERTHS WITH FREEFLOWING, EASY ACCESS
ELY RIVER
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Three of the best BROKERAGE | BOATS FOR SALE
£19 Tax 9,0 pa 00 i d
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ARCONA 400 | AARDVARC
MOODY 54 | LADY MAYFAIR
Aardvarc is a 2009 Arcona 400, built by Arcona Yachts AB as part of the Swedish yard’s highly regarded performance-cruising range. The Arcona 400 was conceived as a genuine cruiser-racer rather than a cruising yacht with sporting pretensions, combining a light, stiff structure, deep high-aspect keel, powerful sail plan and refined underwater profile with a proper cruising interior and systems installation. Aardvarc is a particularly comprehensively-equipped example. Her current inventory shows considerable investment in the areas that matter, including North 3D Endurance sails new in 2024, complete standing rigging replacement in 2021, a Yanmar SD60 saildrive fitted in 2024, 460Ah LiFePO4 domestic battery system, extensively renewed Victron charging and distribution equipment, solar charging, Raymarine Axiom Pro navigation, Quantum 2 Doppler radar, AIS700, updated autopilot controls, Coppercoat, and substantial safety equipment. The Arcona 400 itself has an established pedigree. More than 160 were built between its launch in 2001 and the end of production in 2014. The design won Scandinavian Boat Show’s Sailboat of the Show in 2001, and was overall winner of the Gotland Runt in 2008.
Extremely well-equipped and much-updated example of the very popular Bill Dixon designed Moody 54 centre cockpit bluewater cruising yacht. Offering the ideal combination of performance, comfort and capability. Launched in 2002, Lady Mayfair is fitted out for long-term liveaboard bluewater cruising. With just three owners since new, Lady Mayfair was originally based in the Mediterranean before being shipped back to the UK following an aborted ARC adventure in 2006 (abandoned before the start due to health issues). From then on she was only lightly in around the Solent until her sale to her second owners in 2014 who based her in London completing a refit before moving down to the Mediterranean a few seasons later. She was sold to her current owners in July 2021, and cruised in Mediterranean waters, initially as a full-time liveaboard and latterly for seasonal cruising. During this most recent ownership, this yacht has benefitted from further and considerable refit and improvements to keep her 100% up to date and ready to go.
Year: 2010
Year: 2002
LOA: 11.98m (39.30’)
LOA: 16.72m (54')
Beam: 3.68m (12.53’)
Beam: 4.85m (15')
Draft: 2.08m (6.89’)
Draft: 1.8m (5')
Displacement: 8,000kg
Displacement:
Hull Construction: Glassfibre
Hull Construction: Glassfibre
Keel: Fin with bulb
Keel: Fin
Engine: Yanmar 3JH5E
Engine: Yanmar 4JH4-HTE 110hp
Designer: Stefan Qviberg
Designer: Bill Dixon
Accommodation: 6 berths in 3 cabins
Accommodation: 7 berths in 3 cabins
Location: Falmouth
Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Contact: red-ensign.com
Contact: grabauinternational.com
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20,060kg