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with MARCH 2021 £4.95

SOLENT DELIGHTS

Exploring off the beaten track

CRUISING AS A COUPLE Ultimate test of teamwork! How to fund your sailing with YouTube

RACING

Recover from a poor start BOAT TEST

Moody's new deck saloon AMERICA’S CUP Capsize at 47 knots

FIND A MOORING Tips and contacts

VENDÉE GLOBE Cape Horn drama

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REGULARS

10 News 26 Paul Heiney 28 Andy Rice 30 Andi Robertson 38 Tom Cunliffe 98 Jess Lloyd-Mostyn

UNDER SAIL

18 South coast sailing A socially distanced summer cruise

26 America’s Cup How things panned out in the Prada Cup

36 Two’s Company Rod Heikell on cruising as a couple

40 Spring berthing New season, new berth?

52 Vendee Globe Exclusive mid- ocean interview with Pip Hare aboard Medallia

56 Round the world plans Long distance passage planning

68 Interview Graham Nixon, outgoing Commodore at the Royal Southern Yacht Club

80 Gull’s Eye Portishead Marina in Somerset

86 You Tube

How to go blue water cruising and make money out of YouTube

BOATS

16 New boats 46 Moody DS41 A test of this 2020 British Yachting Awards winner

90 Three of the Best Three of the finest brokerage boats

GEAR

78 Launched 60 Buyer’s Guide: Insurance 66 Shortlist: Propellers 92 Books

MASTERCLASS

72 How to Win

Jon Emmett takes a look at recovering from a bad start COVER IMAGE: MOODY YACHTS

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting NOVEMBER 2020

I N S P I R E , E D U C AT E A N D FA C I L I TAT E ACCESS TO THE FREEDOM OF BEING O N T H E WAT E R # I N YO U R E L E M E N T

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Skipper’s View MOORING A BOAT CAN MAKE EVEN THE HAPPIEST RELATIONSHIP APPEAR DEEPLY DYSFUNCTIONAL - FORTUNATELY HELP IS AT HAND

ART & PRODUCTION EDITOR Gareth Lloyd Jones PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Martin Nott PUBLISHER Simon Temlett simon.temlett@chelseamagazines.com ADVERTISING ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER Jodie Green 020 7349 3722 jodie.green@chelseamagazines.com Mark Harrington 020 7349 3734 mark.harrington@chelseamagazines.com ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION Allpoints Media Ltd allpointsmedia.co.uk CHAIRMAN Paul Dobson CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Vicki Gavin DIRECTOR OF MEDIA James Dobson CHELSEA CREATE MANAGING DIRECTOR Steve Ross PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR Lyndall Beeton Published by: The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ Tel: 020 7349 3700 © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2020. All Rights Reserved. ISSN 1367-5869 (print) ISSN 2059-9285 (digital)

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WINTER MONTHS ARE naturally a fallow period for all but the hardiest of sailors, but this one is exceptionally bleak for all but those who truly love utter solitude and dystopia. With the whole populus back in confinement I therefore felt it was a good time to run an excellent piece by the esteemed Rod Heikell on the psychology of sailing long distance as a couple (p36). I think most of us have witnessed both the positive and negative aspects of this common arrangement. It is compelling and often actually upsetting to observe a truly dysfunctional couple trying to moor a boat alongside a windy quay. Having observed the often emotionally harrowing manoeuvre a few times in my life I am always astonished that; a) the couple ever got together in the first place and b) that they do not immediately march to the local solicitors and commence divorce proceedings. In reality I find what usually happens is that I spot said fractious couple a short while later at a waterside bar gazing contentedly - or at the very least not contemptuously - into each other's eyes. Ultimately it's fair to say that if a skipper is raising his voice to the crew then generally he is failing as a skipper. This is a theme touched upon in Dick Beaumont's article on blue water cruising on p56. This month Dick takes a look at how important it is to set up a good routine while on passage. The key to this is, of course, a sensible watch routine. I know from bitter experience how crippling a bad one can be. I once did a transatlantic passage with a skipper who presented us on the first night out with a terrifying flow chart that was supposed to be our watch keeping schedule. Despite there only being six people aboard, confusion reigned and frequently some sleep drugged unfortunate would blunder on deck in the middle of the night only to be told to go back to bed. Needless to say the passage was not a happy one. Anyway, back to the joys of lockdown and the only real consolation is that we can continue to live vicariously through the adventures of others. and in this aspect I have to offer a hearty thanks to the sailors in the Vendee for offering welcome escape - albeit to a world almost as scary and isolated as the UK at present.

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No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission in writing. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information in Sailing Today, but no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice portrayed herein. The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd makes every effort to ensure that the advertising contained in this magazine is delivered from responsible sources. We cannot, however, accept any responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers. For the Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd full set of terms and conditions please go to chelseamagazines.com/terms-and-conditions

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JESS LLOYD MOSTYN is a writer and blue water cruiser who is currently moored in Singapore

TOM CUNLIFFE is an author, journalist and TV presenter, and one of Britain's best-known cruising sailors

ROD HEIKELL is a blue water sailor and author of high repute. His pilot guides are essential reading

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

A loch is the key In a world that at times seems to be teetering on the brink of, well, something quite scary, it’s important to go to a happy place and where better than this tranquil anchorage on Loch Coriusk on the Isle of Skye. This is a freshwater loch that can be accessed from the sea via the Scavaig River. Although all looks tranquil, it can be a foreboding spot. Walter Scott, visiting in 1814 wrote: “Rarely human eye has known/A scene so stern as that dread lake/ With its dark ledge of barren stone...” All good cheerful stuff. Anyway, it provides a welcome spot of escapism for us. Arjeet Bannerjee/iStock

Desperate moments There were dramatic scenes in the Prada Cup in Auckland on 17 January, as the US boat, American Magic, lost control in a tack while travelling at an estimated 47 knots. The crash ripped a huge hole in the hull and only the frantic efforts of the emergency services, sailors from rival crews and the US team itself saved the multi-million dollar AC75 from sinking. Full story overleaf. Studio Borlenghi

News

Ebb and flow EVENTS | NEWS | TALES FROM THE SAILING COMMUNITY

The Vendée Globe was set for an incredible photo finish in late January, with any one of nine boats capable of winning. After 65 days and 23,000 miles sailed, the race effectively restarted off Rio de Janeiro, with the top five yachts separated by just 26 miles and only 127 miles back to ninth-placed Jean Le Cam. Contesting the 4,600-mile sprint to the finish in France was Yannick Betaven (Maître Coq IV), who led the race through much of the Southern Ocean and at one stage was ahead by 435 miles (pictured rounding Cape Horn in first place, below right). Charlie Dalin (Apivia) snuck ahead off South America, but double Paralympic gold medallist Damien Seguin (Groupe APICIL), Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée 2) and Boris Herrmann (SeaExplorer – Yacht Club de Monaco) were all close. Slightly further back were Benjamin Dutreux (OMIA – Water Family), Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group) and the ever popular veteran Le Cam (Yes we Cam!). Even his distance to the leader was one that could be overcome in the 12 days remaining. Each skipper was desperately looking for the best route into the easterly tradewinds that could propel them north towards the equator and from there back into the northern hemisphere. Making things even more tense, however, was the knowledge that three of the skippers had time in hand, after being compensated for their role in the rescue of Kevin Escoffier on November 30, when the PRB skipper had to abandon his boat 850 miles SW of Cape Town. Herrmann had six hours in hand, Bestaven 10hrs 15mins and le Cam 16hrs 15mins, differences that could shake up the finishing order.

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

PHOTOS: ROYAL AIR FORCE CPL PHIL DYE BFSAI

Vendée Globe set for photo finish

Pundits observed that boat set-up would also play a huge role. Herrmann had big, new generation foils fitted to a four-year-old IMOCA. Besthaven and Burton (below left) had smaller, less powerful foils. Ruyant had a truncated foil on one side and lacked power, while Dalin was thought to have a compromised foil after he too had to make repairs. At this stage the skippers were being cagey as to what public information they shared about the condition of their yachts. Herrmann said: “I am normally a humble person but here I would say in theory our boat should have the best potential for the next eight days on starboard tack, where I have a proper full port side foil, which should be better and more efficient than Louis Burton and Maître CoQ IV. It is now really in the hands of the weather.” IMOCA Class president Antoine Mermod said: “It is hard to know what the real state of each boat is. It is sure you need to have the best package for the next eight days on starboard tack – that means a good foil working well and a J2 (genoa) working well. “Remember that a one or two knot speed differential over 24 hours represents a big gain in this context.” Meanwhile, Jérémie Beyou, who was a race favourite until he had to turn back for the start to make repairs, back in November, had caught up to 14th place and was in the south Atlantic again, having rounded Cape Horn.

Of the British sailors, Sam Davies, who had to retire on Initiatives-Coeur after hitting a submerged object off Cape Town, made repairs and sailed on and had reached the middle of the south Pacific as we went to press, with Cape Horn 1,000 miles ahead. She was not part of the race but was gathering huge support for the charity that she promotes via her social media pages. Alex Thomson, who was another race favourite until he suffered a collision that damaged one of his rudders, repaired Hugo Boss in Cape Town and was sailing her with a team back to England, having departed in early January. The other Briton in the race was Miranda Merron, on Campagne de France, who was lying in 22nd place, almost 4,000 miles behind the leaders, as we went to press. Pip Hare’s impressive race so far – page 52.

News

NEWS BRIEFS OBE for Bill Northern Irish sailor Bill O’Hara was given an OBE in the New Year Honours. O’Hara, 62, competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympics, in the Finn, was RYA Northern Ireland Youth Performance Manager and is now a highly regarded international race official.

Heart-stopping capsize It was eventually towed back to Auckland waterfront late that evening, on 17 January. As we went to press, Hutchinson said the boat was repairable for the semi-finals, 11 days after the incident, but it was sure to prove a serious set-back to the US campaign. INEOS Team UK’s comeback–page 26

Jules Verne record After the big trimarans Sodebo and Maxi Edmond de Rothschild had to call off their rival attempts to lower the round the world sailing speed record recently, Sodebo has sailed back to Lorient from the Southern Ocean, where she sustained damage, while Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is back racing against the clock again. Skippered by Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier with four crew, the 32m trimaran was 800 miles ahead of the record after 10 days at sea, off Cape Town, having covered 846 miles at an average of 35 knots in the last 24 hours, as we went to press. RORC seeks new CEO Eddie Warden Owen is stepping down after 12 years at the helm of the Royal Ocean

Racing Club. “The time is right not only for the club, but for me personally,” said the Admiral’s and America’s Cup veteran. “I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life once the transition is complete. I might even get to do more sailing!” “Eddie’s shoes will be hard to fill,” said Commodore James Neville. “During his tenure as CEO the club has expanded its membership, as well as its physical footprint and racing programme.” Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

PANEL PHOTOS BOTTOM TO TOP: RORC/ NICK DEMPSEY RYA/ INGRID ABERY

PHOTOS: STUDIO BORLENGHI

American Magic suffered a capsize and was close to sinking in a dramatic turn of events in the Prada Cup. The AC75, backed by the New York Yacht Club, was leading Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli on day three of racing in Auckland when it was caught by a sudden increase in wind speed. The crew was attempting a tack and bear away manoeuvre and was sailing at an estimated 47 knots at the time. As the leeward foil came out of the water, the boat rocketed into the air and plunged down, turning onto its side. Skipper Terry Hutchinson later told how he was pinned underwater and was cut free by a team mate. After all crew were accounted for uninjured, the boat was righted, but was clearly low in the water. When the sailors rushed below they discovered a gaping hole in the hull (right). Led by the emergency services, rival crews joined in what became a desperate effort to stop the boat sinking.

Olympic hopes As Covid cases rose in Japan, head of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee Yoshiro Mori said in January: “All I can say is that we will go ahead with our preparations. There will always be morning, even after a long night. We have to proceed as planned. There is no other way to respond.” He said it would be “absolutely impossible” to postpone the Games again. The Games are due to open on 23 July, with 15 sailors selected for TeamGB. A final decision will be made by 25 March.

News

Register for virtual RYA Dinghy Show Visitors to the virtual RYA Dinghy Show need not leave their own homes to enjoy a fantastic line-up of talks, interactive coaching sessions, kids’ treasure hunt and more, over the weekend of 27-28 February (10am - 5pm both days). Once registered for free, you can visit the show as many times as you like over the weekend. The show, presented by Suzuki and supported by Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting as media partner, will feature big names including Hannah Diamond as host. Ian Walker will be chatting to a few of his sailing heroes including Santiago Lange, Xu Lijia and a surprise special guest. We’ll hear from IlCA sailors Alison Young, Elliot Hanson and Lorenzo Chiavarini, who will be giving their top tips on how to sail faster, plus there will be a live webinar with some of the Team GB sailors who will be heading out to Tokyo in the summer. Many of the popular event features will remain, including a virtual Main Stage and Knowledge Zone, where world-renowned strategist and Olympic coach Mark Rushall will be talking tactics and explaining the new racing rules of sailing. British Sailing Team meteorologist Simon Rowell returns to share his knowledge on how to use a forecast on the water and David Henshall will take us back in time to the first ever Dinghy Show in 1951 with his talk on ‘the ‘Seven Ages of Dinghies’. Hannah Diamond said: “With so much of last year’s racing cancelled, the show is the perfect place to prepare to get back on the water whether you’re picking up some coaching tips,

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

hearing from the British Sailing Team or grabbing an amazing deal on some new kit.” The virtual main stage will also feature Dinghy Cruising Companion author Roger Barnes, who will be sharing tales of his latest adventures, and award-winning quadriplegic sailor Natasha Lambert, who recently crossed the Atlantic in the ARC on her catamaran ‘Blown Away’. RYA Show and Promotions Manager Celia Edgington explains: “The show includes a mix of live and pre-recorded talks and will be available from all devices and has no limit on the number of times you log in.” Visitors can also explore the virtual exhibition halls to connect with boat builders, sailing clubs, class associations and holiday companies. You can collect digital brochures, prizes and other goodies in your ‘show bag’.

No Dinghy Show would be complete without award presentations and the virtual show includes RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year 2021, the Concours d’Elegance, live eSailing Winter Club Championship final and competitions throughout the weekend. You don’t need to install any software to attend the show, however, it will work best using Chrome or Safari and you’ll need a good internet connection. You don’t need a webcam and microphone, but they would make it easier to interact with others. The show can be accessed from a computer, mobile or tablet. An info desk will help with any technical issues. Register for free at dinghyshow.org.uk and find more practical details about your virtual visit there or on yachtsandyachting.co.uk

News

Post-Brexit sailing restrictions Sailors are facing a host of new restrictions post-Brexit, the Cruising Association and RYA warn. Both organisations are trying to get answers from the UK Government but they expect the coming season to throw up many unresolved issues on the water. The Cruising Association’s Brexit spokesman Roger Bickerstaff said anyone sailing to an EU country should be prepared for a more ‘administrative environment’, while RYA Cruising Manager Stuart Carruthers said: “The important point to get across is that we are now a Third Country and there are going to be some very significant changes to the way that people can do their boating. “As an example, the whole idea of taking a sabbatical in the Mediterranean, living on your boat, which you’ve bought with your pension, has just disappeared out of the window now that we are subject to Schengen Area visitor visa rules. That is just one post-Brexit reality.” Among a range of issues, the 90-day visa rule is likely to affect most boat owners. Bickerstaff said: “You need to sign in and out when you visit a Schengen territory. If you don’t sign out, the clock will keep running, so when you pitch up next into a Schengen country, a port or an airport, there is a chance they won’t let you in. “We’re going to have to work out how, when yachts leave to sail back to the UK, they stop the Schengen clock – how are they going to get their passports stamped when they enter and when they leave?” Referring to a widely reported incident at the Dutch border in January, when guards confiscated a ham and egg sandwich from a British truck driver, he said: “Like the ham and egg sandwiches, there are going to be all sorts of strange things to emerge this year. “What we’re doing at the Cruising Association is trying to

identify and sort out these issues as they arise.” One anomaly that has emerged is from Sweden, whose Customs officers are taking the view that British boats lose their VAT status simply because the transition period has ended. Bickerstaff said: “That’s never been something the EU Commissioner has said. In terms of HMRC’s view, that is pretty settled. Boats that have been in the UK are entitled to return by the end of this year and recover their UK VAT status. Boats that have been bought outside the UK will have to pay VAT when they come back in.” He warned: “We’re going to be seeing different countries taking different views.”

“Another issue is your port of entry,” Bickerstaff said. “In the past we have been able to turn up in France and not worry too much about it – it could be the middle of Friday night in whatever port we could make passage to safely. “It’s quite likely now we’ll have to go to specific ports of entry.” Channel Islands sailors have already been advised by France that ports of entry and exit will be set up. Belgium has said the same. The trade agreement reached late in December between the UK and EU made clear that reciprocal health care (EHIC cards) continues. But the RYA’s Carruthers warned that despite a lengthy, ongoing dialogue with the UK Government, many issues were still to be resolved. One question mark is over RYA qualifications and in which countries they will remain valid – an issue for charterers, as well as

for local sailors and marine professionals. “While we’ve been in the EU, there’s been a mutual understanding of other EU countries’ qualifications, but that is now changing,” said Carruthers. “We do know that in Spain you won’t be able to use RYA qualifications on a Spanishflagged charter vessel. This is something that we are endeavouring to address through ‘Diplomatic Channels’.” Another issue is whether EU countries will continue to allow UK-registered boats to be berthed permanently in their waters and whether these can be used for commercial purposes – that is still under discussion. Carruthers said the VAT issue was also on the table: “We’re still lobbying Government on this.” He advised people hoping to sail to the EU this summer that “it’s a case of wait and see”. “If recreational boaters are going to leave the shores of UK they’re going to have to fill in a C1331 form, like we used to do. Q-flags are coming back. I am recommending that anybody who is sailing to and from the UK reads HMRC Notice 8 [available on the gov.uk website].” “There are lots and lots of things that need to be sorted out. If people want to tow their boat to the EU, is there anything they need to do differently now? How is the boat going to be treated? “Another issue is food. Do the rules on what you can take with you apply to food kept on board? “The status of boats in Northern Ireland is also unclear. “Despite our constant lobbying Government, officials cannot give us answers at the moment. We’re dealing with departments that have not had the chance to consider the detail of how these things affect our sector, but we are keeping the pressure on.” See sailingtoday.co.uk for a free Cruising Association Brexit webinar.

NEWS BRIEFS Cruising advice Bookings are open for the RYA Cruising Conference, to be held virtually on 21 March 2021. Talks will include practical cruising advice from RYA experts and the latest updates on travelling around the EU. Places are free for RYA Members and £10pp for non-members. Book via the RYA website. CA online The Cruising Association is running an online Spring Promotions Week to coincide with the fitting out season, from 22-26 March. Alongside the use of Live Chat and Zoom 1-2-1 engagement, the CA will be running discounts on CA Shop orders and a variety of discount deals with its partners.

Lonely Rock The Royal Western Yacht Club has opened entry for its Plymouth Lonely Rock Race starting on 4 July 2021. The event will start and finish in Plymouth, rounding the Fastnet Rock to port and leaving the Isles of Scilly to port on the return. Entry will be limited to the first 70 boats. Youth champs The RYA postponed the 2021 Youth National Championships, hopefully until August. The regatta was due to take place in April in Plymouth. SailJuice series talks Organisers of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series have run a series of live talks over the winter, to compensate for the loss of events due to lockdowns. Topics include the Great Lakes Handicap System, and histories of the Bloody Mary and Draycote Dash. See the series’ Facebook page for links. Key Yachting Key Yachting has been bought by sailors Wayne Palmer and Hayley Quinn from Thinking Space Systems. Marie-Claude Heys, who founded Key Yachting in 1996 with her late husband Paul, aims to return to her roots in offshore sailing. She competed in four Figaro campaigns and two Whitbread Round the World Races. SailGP SailGP announced two new venues for 2021, Saint-Tropez in France and Cádiz in Spain. The two new venues form part of an expanded season that is planned to feature nine events, with seven having now been announced. The UK event will be in Plymouth, scheduled for 17-18 July.

News

Cameras for Cowes Week yachts Cowes Week Limited has been selected by the UK Government to take part in a technology initiative that will see 50 yachts in the regatta fitted with cameras, to enhance spectator viewing. The high definition 360° cameras will enable live pictures to be broadcast on a Cowes Live TV presentation, which will be shown on big screens around the town, as well as being available on the internet. In a virtual reality lounge on the Parade in Cowes, spectators will be able to don headsets and enjoy live action on one of the 50 boats, seeing exactly what’s going on right across the Solent. “Turn your head and the camera will show you what the crew are looking at right that second!” say

the organisers. A new Cowes Week spectator app will bring the technology directly to those watching around the world, further enhancing Cowes Week’s reach. The regatta organisers will also use the new technology to enhance their race management

capabilities – on average there are around 700 boats circulating on 42 different race courses every day. The scheme is called 5G Test and Create, run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which is spending £825,000 on exploring how 5G can improve people’s lives

and help the UK recover from the pandemic. Cowes Week Ltd and its partners, aql and the 1851 Trust, will deliver the ‘Connected Cowes 5G Project’ in the regatta, which is scheduled for the first week of August 2021. Cowes Week Ltd said it hoped the ground-breaking scheme would help attract sponsors: “An event like Cowes Week relies on sponsorship but in the past sponsor return has sometimes been difficult to quantify without the ability to put the sport on television…Cowes Week will be at the vanguard of covering the wide range of extreme sports which to date have struggled to get an engaged audience connected.”

Position: The survivor

The sailor who knows that every storm will pass

he world may look like it’s about to end, but keep on sailing. When the apocalypse appears to be nigh, just get the boat upright and sheet in. Like all sailors, the crews of these 18ft Skiffs know that every storm will pass. Blue skies lie ahead, maybe even on the next leg... Australian photographer Michael Chittenden caught this shot at the 2017 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff class worlds and it was shortlisted for the Mirabaud Sailing Image of the Century, a global competition to find the best photograph taken since 2000.

DIFFICULTY RATING: 3/5

MICHAEL CHITTENDEN

When the world looks like it’s about to end, keep on sailing Quote and buy online at www.noblemarine.co.uk or call us on 01636 707606 Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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New boats DESIGNS | LAUNCHES | PROJECTS

J/45 American manufacturer J/Boats has been around for 45 years now and whether by accident or design, is marking that anniversary with the launch of their new flagship, the J/45. This is their biggest boat to date and, like the majority of their previous designs in this size bracket, the 45 will offer a compelling blend of racing prowess with decent levels of comfort. Interestingly, the accompanying talk around the launch makes much of this cruising comfort stating that: ‘The guiding principle involved maximising the interior volume and comfort whilst retaining an elegant silhouette, a minimal wetted surface area and by far the lowest weight estimate of its category.’ All very interesting. Anyway, the first images suggest that J will be producing a very good looking cruiser/racer.

X5 (6) X-Yachts latest mathematical equation in boat form is the X5(6). No, I don’t know what the algebraic answer is but it’s fair to say this looks like another exceptional cruiser/racer in what is becoming an increasingly packed field. The X5(6) is 56’ long and sits in the niche in the X range between the full blooded XP racing range and the XC fast cruising range. It’s a narrow niche you might think but the result is a lovely looking boat with superb performance. As you’d expect from the Danish manufacturers, quality is top notch. l x-yachts.com

l keyyachting.com

Dufour 470 Fresh from the Dufour yard for 2021 is the all new 470 which follows on from the launch of the 530 last year. In keeping with all of their recent yachts, the new boat is designed by Umberto Felci and features the usual blend of high volume, modern, angular looks and sprightly performance. In common with other recent launches from the yard, there are three versions: Easy, which is the base level boat, Ocean which, as the name suggests is highly specced and Performance which is… well, I’ll let you work it out. l dufour-yachts.com

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Italia 14.98 Italia Yachts is based in Venice and has dedicated many years to producing good looking, fast yachts that are both comfortable enough to cruise but also genuine contenders on the racecourse. Their previous launch, the Italia 9.98, certainly lived up to that reputation, scooping a plethora of trophies and plaudits mostly on the Mediterranean racing circuit where the boat’s light wind capabilities made for a potent weapon. The new 14.98 is certainly a good looking boat. For the new model, italia has switched from designer Matteo Polli, who drew up the lines for the 11.98 and 9.98, and instead gone for Maurizio Cossutti. One look at the boat and you can see that, while internal volume is decent, this is a boat designed with speed in mind. There is a good deal of taper aft and wetted surface area has been minimised. The boat is available in two versions; the racing focused Fuoriserie and the Bellissima which is geared more towards cruising. Both look like a lot of fun. l Italiayachts.com

Linjett 39 I’m ashamed to admit that I’d never heard of Swedish manufacturer Linjett and was astonished to discover that they have a range of four boats and a proud history going back to the 1880s. Anyway, the 39 is their latest launch and looks to follow the template of previous models being a conservatively designed yacht that is not going for maximum volume but instead the sort of hull form that will look after a cruiser on

passage in tough conditions. The 39 is a decent looking boat – perhaps a bit retro by comparison with, say, a Beneteau Oceanis 40.1 – but then that’s no drama. The deep L-shaped keel with substantial chord width and relatively narrow hull form tapered well aft suggests a boat with good sea keeping abilities. Meanwhile, the interior is very much old school Swedish class with lots of high quality woodwork.

l linjett.se Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Cruising ~ South coast

Socially distanced sailing Last summerâ€™s cruising season was, for many, a bit foreshortened. Yet sailors such as Mark and Nicky Green worked around the problem as he narrates

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Cruising ~ South coast

on’t worry, we haven’t come to rob the place!” I said to the slightly bemused member of Keyhaven Yacht Club. The wearing of face coverings in shops had been mandatory for some time, but it wasn’t enforced in pubs, restaurants or clubhouses. With our oversized hand-sewn masks we probably looked like pirates – certainly not visiting sailors! We explained that we’d paid our mooring fee over the phone and had come ashore in the dinghy for a mooch around. The Covid lockdown had prevented any form of cruising until early July and having spent more than 12 weeks living apart due to family lockdown commitments in Exeter and Poole, by early September we were itching to get sailing again. We set off with a deeper sense of appreciation of the freedom to slip our lines and had decided that this should be a sailing trip of new experiences, despite the familiarity of our local cruising ground. Our plan was to try destinations in the Solent that we’d either not been to before, or had visited only once. Remembering the advice from a long-term live aboard friend, we stocked up with supplies and dropped the anchor in Poole Harbour at South Deep to spend a day preparing ourselves and the boat for the adventure ahead. Whenever we’d passed Keyhaven I’d always been intrigued by the cluster of bare masts gathered behind the fort at Hurst Point. Having delayed the start of our trip to avoid some squally conditions, we’d lucked out with warm sunshine and light winds. With Covid restrictions changing regularly, forward planning took top priority. In the past we’d rarely booked a berth, but this time ringing ahead was essential. We dug out our trusty Shell Channel Pilot, which directed us to contact the River Warden at Keyhaven. He advised us that we were welcome to pick up any of the first batch of moorings that didn’t have a tender attached. We planned our passage from Poole to arrive on the top of the tide and set off the following day.

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Boozing at a distance

First job after a picking up one of two spare moorings was pumping up the dinghy for a trip ashore. We followed the line of boats upstream, but there didn’t seem to be anywhere for visitors. With hindsight we should probably have tied up to the small quay, but instead we asked a fisherman for advice. With a wry smile he told us not to use the fishermen’s dock and suggested we tie up on the Keyhaven Yacht Club tender pontoon. That done, we headed for the clubhouse. Once we’d gone through our “we’re not here to rob the joint,” precautionary facemasks escapade, it turned out that all racing was done for the day and we were free to leave the dinghy where it was. Armed with directions to the nearby Gun Inn, we set off with the option of returning for a drink at the yacht club on our way back. The proprietors of The Gun had set up a very well appointed bar in the beer garden and we duly ordered our drinks and made camp at an appropriately distanced picnic table. Upon wandering back to the

ABOVE Keyhaven is always a stunning stopoff BELOW Beer time at South Deep, Poole

Keyhaven clubhouse later on, we checked the dinghy pontoon only to find it wasn’t floating anymore! Removing our socks and shoes, we waded the dinghy across the mud and paddled back into deeper water, chuckling at our rusty cruising instincts. We’d been off the water for far too long. Keyhaven turned out to be a magical overnight stop. We woke just after low water on Monday morning still floating at the edge of the channel, but close enough to the shallow river bank that we could see (and hear!) the birds wading along the waterline. Basking in beautiful warm sunshine, we sat at the cockpit table and enjoyed our breakfast surrounded by visiting swans and a man from an adjacent boat gently mooching past on his paddleboard, his seadog companion laid out on the low bow, soaking up the sunshine.

Anchoring angst

We set off around midday, a couple of hours before high water. After popping into a busy Yarmouth Harbour to top up the fuel tank, we continued on the tide to Newtown Creek with the intention of dropping the anchor rather than attempting to pick up a spare mooring. Given the congregation of boats already assembled, this would have been overly ambitious, as was the idea to anchor in Clamerkin Lake. Space was tight to say the least, but we managed to find a spot where we felt our turning circle wouldn’t impede any other boats. As the tide slackened off during the afternoon, our proximity to other vessels became a concern. We watched nervously, trying to

predict how Waterlily would settle relative to the nearby yachts, conscious of Tom Cunliffe’s Shell Pilot warning to be aware of joining the “…wind over tide Newtown Pyjama party…” Feeling increasingly unsettled by how Waterlily and other boats were jostling around, we decided to reposition in the hope of a settled night. An hour after moving, the arrival of another boat dropping their hook close by, together with the unpredictable swinging of the other yachts prompted our decision to ship out and seek a more relaxing evening at Beaulieu. We weighed anchor at 18:30 and headed across the lumpy Solent. We’d maintained a consistent 1mtr under our keel as we’d crept across the bar 45 minutes before low tide and breathed a sigh of relief as the boisterous Solent chop gave way to the river’s flat calm. With no other boats anchored off the channel we motored on into the fading light towards Needs Ore Point, rewarded just before the sweeping turn to starboard with a spare mooring between two other visiting yachts – no moonlit pyjama party on deck required!

Tiddling in the Solent

The next morning we drifted off the mooring under full genoa and glided towards the Solent, en route to Bembridge. With fishing lines out, Nicky snatched three decent sized mackerel off Ryde Sands and gave two tiddlers back to the sea. Crossing the Bembridge bar around two hours before high water, I set our fenders while Nicky took the helm. Ahead of us, an attractive vintage sloop had reversed out of a berth and turned towards us, apparently with the intention of cutting across our bow to take up a different finger pontoon. Nicky heard a disgruntled comment about us taking our time to admire their boat, which seemed a bit odd because with the tide pushing us, all the oncoming sloop had to do was throttle back to stem the tide and wait patiently until we’d passed. We rounded the end of the visitors pontoon and shaped up for our allocated berth, experiencing a warm welcome from a sailing couple offering to take our lines. With Covid precautions and our preference for self-sufficiency in mind we stepped ashore, forgetting that the finger pontoons were only three-quarters of

ABOVE RIGHT Fishing for mackerel BELOW LEFT Passing Osborne Bay; Mark wth rod in hand BELOW RIGHT Bembridge Harbour is always a pretty stopover

Waterlily’s length, not to mention a bit bouncy on the narrow end! We thanked the couple for their offer of help, especially appreciative given our experience on the outer side of the pontoon. After a leisurely late lunch we wandered over to the harbour office. It transpired we’d been lucky to get a berth, so we hastily decided to pay for further two nights, only able to do so because of some very helpful reservation juggling by the marina staff. It was a timely reminder how Covid has changed the spontaneity of cruising. The marina walkway had human traffic markings underfoot which we duly adhered to, smiling acknowledgements to the thanks some fellow sailors offered when we ducked onto a finger berth to allow them to pass by at a greater distance. Thursday brought warm sunny weather, perfect for a gentle stroll to Bembridge seafront for an ice-cream and sunbathe on the beach. This shore leave prompted our first EBM (extraordinary boat meeting) for several years, during which we threw around some ideas for Waterlily and where she might take us in the future. “I suppose we should ask

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Cruising ~ South coast

ourselves what sort of sailors we are?” I suggested. Having sold our house 18 months previously after a lengthy refurbishment and bought a small flat, we realised that we’d reached a crossroads. As we pondered my question, an idea we’d been flirting with for several years came to the fore: with declining use over the last few years due to other projects on land, we either had to sell Waterlily, or take her south in search of warmer climates. It soon became apparent that this was “one of those conversations.” We concluded that Waterlily should come out of the water the following April for 12 months, during which time we’d install a holding tank and refit her for long-term relocation to the Mediterranean.

Chi guy

The next day, revitalised by our exciting plan, we slipped off the pontoon shortly after high water and joined the early morning parade across the bar then headed across the Solent. We’d only been to Chichester Harbour once some ten years before and that time we’d picked up one of the visitors moorings at Itchenor. But these days we preferred to anchor, so

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

we spent an hour or so scoping out the three designated anchorages and settled on a lovely quiet spot in Thornham Channel off Pilsey Island. Our day started well with my signature ‘throw it all together’ Spanish style chorizo omelette, and got even better with the arrival of Chichester’s Harbour Master to collect the modest £6 two-day anchoring levy. When I cheekily asked if payment would guarantee a seal sighting (reputed to frequent the Harbour) he showed us in the guide book where we could take our dinghy to see a few – observing a respectful distance, of course. Excited at the prospect, we topped up the outboard, took a spare petrol can and set off in the dinghy. Having located the creek off Marker Point, we gingerly edged in. The Harbour Master’s prediction turned out to be on the low side – we actually counted over thirty seals! With Waterlily’s small Danforth kedge deployed, we sat happily for two hours watching the seals lounge in the sun. Back on board Waterlily, more discussions about future adventures followed over Nicky’s sumptuous beef Thai red curry, washed down with a bottle of Duck’s Folly beer, brewed on the Isle of

ABOVE LEFT Sailing to Bembridge under genoa ABOVE RIGHT Chichester seals eye us warily BELOW LEFT Anchored off Pilsey Island, Chichester BELOW RIGHT Breakfast onboard; some sunshine but also note the rather wintry hat

Wight – the perfect end to a magical day. Many years ago prior to our first visit to Chichester Harbour I can remember studying the Shell Chanel Pilot notes about the notorious entrance sandbar and fretting over tidal clearances. One of the points of seamanship raised by editor Tom Cunliffe concerned the supervigilance of the Harbour Master (who may have retired by now) relating to yachts motor-sailing. Tom notes: “Policing is strict on the 8 knot speed limit and also on the Rule of the Road. If you are motor sailing, even motoring with a sail idling in calm weather, hoist your motor sailing cone.” No one ever does of course, I told Nicky; you never see yachts plugging through the Solent with mainsails hauled in and motor cones aloft. But because I’d hoisted our mainsail before pulling in the anchor, and with Tom’s sage advice engrained, I dutifully replaced the anchor ball with our dilapidated cardboard motor cone. The lanyard loop promptly ripped off the bottom corner, leaving the cone dangling just below the mast spreaders on the end of the spinnaker halyard. The engine drowned out my expletives as Nicky

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Cruising ~ South coast

steered us away from the anchorage and into Thornley Channel. Standing on tiptoes with one hand clinging onto a shroud, I stretched into a nautical tree yoga posture and managed to snare the wayward halyard and motor cone with a boathook. Unfortunately this procedure managed to wiggle my woolly hat off my head and over the side of the boat. “We’ll never find it now,” said Nicky, assuming that it had sunk. “Good man overboard practice!” I declared. I soon realised that Nicky is an ideal crewmate in such situations, because she spotted the hat straight away and brought us smartly alongside so I could hook the soggy escapee. I retied the motor cone, this time looping the deck lanyard up to the halyard snap

shackle, thus ensuring that if the (previous) Harbour Master was an early riser, he’d at least have a wry smile at our efforts to avoid his wrath!

ABOVE Aerial view of Cowes BELOW LEFT River Medina, view to Folly Inn

Mad Cowes

A gentle morning sail to Cowes followed, allowing us to time our arrival at the River Medina around lunchtime and the turn of the tide. I have a vague memory of having visited Cowes over twenty years ago on a competent crew sailing course, but knew I’d never explored further upstream. What an unexpected delight the River Medina is! We thoroughly enjoyed the gradual transition from chaotic boat berthing and heavy industry to pastoral tranquillity. The Covid situation

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Mark and Nicky Green have spent 10 years living aboard their Cobra 850, Waterlily. Now with a land base in Exeter, they are planning to refit Waterlily and relocate her to the Mediterranean. Nicky is currently enrolled on an English literature MA and Mark is finishing his fifth self-published novel.

required booking ahead for dinner at the Folly Inn and when Nicky had enquired online, the limited availability for Saturday night had given us an indication of how few visitors berths might be available. However, Sunday evening displayed many more timeslots at The Folly, indicating more chance of picking up a spare berth. In fact, we had almost an entire stretch of pontoon to aim for, no rafting up required. The staff at the Folly Inn had a very well sorted Covid routine and were it not for the masks, hand sanitiser and frequent signage, our dinner would have been like any other meal at a quiet local pub. This was a highly polished professional team who were clearly taking stopping the spread of the virus very seriously. The following morning brought a beautifully atmospheric hazy-mist sunrise, putting us in a dreamy mood for the passage back to Poole. The forecast of a rare easterly helped, filling our sails and gladdening our hearts. We pootled through Hurst Point, trailing Nicky’s mackerel line past The Needles, once again catching enough for a hearty dinner. Sheltered in westerlies, Studland proved to be a bit lumpy when we arrived, despite the light breeze, so we headed back into the harbour to seek out our usual spot at South Deep for one last blissful night on anchor before we had to adjust to the ‘new normal’ Covid-19 restrictions back on land. Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

World Series and Prada Cup

The comeback kid After a shocking start, Sir Ben Ainslie and INEOS Team UK had to pull something big out of the bag when the Prada Cup got underway in Auckland

ALL PHOTOS: STUDIO BORLENGHI/ CAMERON GREGORY/ DAN WILKINSON/ SAILING

he America’s Cup World Series Auckland gave the world its first glimpse of AC75 racing in December. And against the expectations of some, it produced real racing, with aggressive startline manoeuvring, high-speed tacking

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

duels, fascinating tactical battles up the course and close finishes. Throughout, the AC75s showed their pace, with straight line speeds of more than 40 knots and no skipper giving any quarter despite breathtaking closing speeds. It boded well for those in Europe intending to get up at 3am to watch the Prada Cup in January and February and then the America’s Cup in March. After the warm-up regatta in December, called the America’s Cup World Series, the New Zealand, American and Italian fans all went away happy, knowing their teams were on the pace and had boats that could win the America’s Cup. It was not a happy experience, however, for British fans, with INEOS Team UK finishing bottom of the World Series leaderboard, retiring from one race with technical issues and losing the rest of their races easily.

ABOVE LEFT A less than happy Ainslie takes questions about Britannia’s performance in the opening post-race press conference ABOVE CENTRE INEOS Team UK had moments of competitiveness but lost each of their races in the December regatta LEFT INEOS tweaked their foils for the Prada Cup as well as other components, including mast and sails, but would it be enough?

After a grand build-up and much talk of ending the nation’s 170-year losing streak in the America’s Cup, the World Series saw the British team humiliated, the radical INEOS design, Britannia, well off the pace and skipper Sir Ben Ainslie admitting afterwards the team had “serious problems”. The first intimations that the British boat might not be as fast as was hoped came in the days before the event, when INEOS failed to make some of the practice racing and were rumoured to be having technical problems. At the eve-of-racing press conference, Ainslie admitted the boat had been struggling in light airs, but he appeared confident. “We have a fantastic team and if anyone can sort out our issues I think it’s our team.” However the next morning, the British were in trouble before racing even began, suffering issues with their foil cant system, which controls

the massive foil arm on the side of the boats and is a one-design component of the AC75s. INEOS Team UK made it to the startline but finished their first race five minutes behind American Magic. In their second race they retired early against the Italians, as the foil cant system gave up the ghost. In a further humiliation, Ainslie had to call for a tow urgently as Britannia drifted towards the spectator fleet moored along the side of the course. Meanwhile the Italians were awarded the race and continued for another lap as practice. That evening, the post-race press conference on Auckland waterfront was tense, as Ainslie called on umpire Richard Slater to consider redress for teams that suffer foil cant issues. “This is supplied equipment,”

said a hunched Ainslie, his body language in stark contrast to the other three skippers. “It’s certainly not our fault. You can’t go through the amount of time and energy that goes into these campaigns and then you lose two races. “It’s not very nice in this event but it would be a lot worse if it happened to someone in the Challenger Series or the America’s Cup, so I’d like to call out to Richard Slater and the Rules team. We need to resolve it.” Slater responded: “We get given rules that we need to enforce. At the moment there is no rule for seeking redress on this point.” Overall, however, it had been a spectacular first day, with aggressive sailing between old rivals, notably Dean Barker helming the US boat and Jimmy Spithill helming the Italian boat, whose rivalry now

ABOVE Emirates Team New Zealand is the Defender of the America’s Cup and showed the best pure boatspeed in the World Series in December; they won’t race again until the America’s Cup itself, in March BELOW LEFT A screenshot showing the television graphics and INEOS Team UK some distance behind their US rivals in the opening race BELOW RIGHT American Magic is helmed by New Zealander and former AC winner Dean Barker, with British Paul Goodison on mainsheet; they later suffered a dramatic capsize, see News p10

stretches back several Cup cycles. For viewers, the spectacle was enhanced by television graphics – the use of which had become a legal tussle as we went to press – as well as racing close-ups and revealing onboard audio footage. Day two in the World Series dawned sunny and breezy enough for the big 75-footers to get up on the foils again. But despite Emirates Team New Zealand having dismissed Ainslie’s concerns over the foil cant system, the issue raised its head almost immediately, when American Magic had problems lifting their windward wing as they tacked, early on in race one. As the Americans swung precariously on the starboard side of their hull, the Italians shot past and were ahead by several hundred metres in a matter of seconds.

Sailing Today withwith Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY Sailing Today Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

“We know we were off the pace in the World Series and the entire team has been working incredibly hard to get the performance to where it needs to be” Sheer boatspeed brought the Americans back in and the two teams remained tight around the course, hitting high speeds in stronger breeze, and the Italians holding on for a win by no more than 12 seconds. Race two was INEOS Team UK versus Emirates Team New Zealand and the British fans had come out in force on the Auckland waterfront – New Zealand was not under any Covid restrictions at the time – to cheer Ainslie and the British crew on. The INEOS engineering team had worked through the night to fix the boat and now it was game on between Ainslie and New Zealand helm Pete Burling. In an aggressive manoeuvre, five-time Olympic gold medalwinner Ainslie came roaring into the start box on starboard, the two boats shooting past each other with a closing speed in the region of 80

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

ALL PHOTOS: STUDIO BORLENGHI/ CAMERON GREGORY/ DAN WILKINSON/ SAILING

World Series and Prada Cup

knots. Ainslie’s dominance in the start box was a feature of the day and indeed of the regatta, but overall Britannia couldn’t stand the pace of the New Zealanders, who won the race by 90 seconds. A later race between the two saw Emirates Team New Zealand finish 1min 42 secs ahead. However, there were moments when little separated the British from the America’s Cup defenders in boatspeed. INEOS, in fact, recorded highest speeds on both day two and three of the event. That gave the British fans cause for optimism, but the big question remained: what could INEOS do to catch up? Ainslie admitted: “We’ve

ABOVE Ainslie has been dominant in the starts BELOW LEFT In light airs the AC75s have been unable to foil, wallowing round the course on their bottoms BELOW RIGHT Ainslie and crew enjoy a rare quiet moment

got a lot of thinking about how we get more speed out of this boat.” Between the end of the World Series, which was won, but not dominated, by the New Zealanders, and the Prada Cup, which started on 15 January, there were three weeks in which all the teams could develop their boats and crew work. The Italians fitted an extra length of bustle beneath the boat. The Americans appeared confident and worked on perfecting the successful set-up they had already found. INEOS went into overdrive, the entire team having only Christmas Day off and working long days and nights in their Auckland waterfront

shed, as well as back in the UK. Ainslie said it was “siege mentality” and when the boat emerged again, we were looking at a different beast. Britannia had a new rudder, rudder elevator, mast, mainsail, headsails, as well as modifications to the foils, hull and systems inside the hull. It was an astonishing technical and practical achievement – but would it result in a faster boat on the water? “We’re up for it,” said tactician Giles Scott before the first race of the Prada Cup on 15 January, against American Magic, which is backed by the New York Yacht Club. In glorious conditions, Ainslie won the start and Britannia scorched up the course at close to 40 knots. Tacks were smooth and INEOS had the straight-line speed as well, leading the American team around the first mark, a scenario that had appeared unlikely just three weeks previously. In the first downwind leg they extended the lead and American Magic couldn’t come back, finishing 1 minute 20 seconds behind. “That race was for our shore team,” said Ainslie afterwards. “They’ve had a hectic three weeks turning this boat around.” Race two of the day was against the Italian outfit, Luna Rossa Prada

Pirelli. Again Ainslie won the start and the Italians were on the back foot up the first beat. Compared to both their opponents, the British boat was sailling higher and with a smaller jib, illustrating the improvement in their set-up since December. At the finish they were ahead of the Italians by 28 seconds. Prada Cup day one had been nothing short of a sensational comeback for the British, but day two held lighter winds in store, exactly the conditions that Britannia had failed to handle in December. Was the comeback a one-hit-wonder? The next morning Ainslie again showed his dominance in the start box, leaving rival helm Dean Barker, on American Magic, dead in the water. Britannia was 700m ahead

ABOVE British fans out in force on Auckland waterfront BELOW The revamped Britannia was fast and crew work was slick

after less than two minutes, but calm patches lay ahead. Boat speeds were down to four knots and the big AC75s inched forwards on their bottoms, unable to fly. Praise later went to Scott, who found breeze, and after a tense affair, victory was INEOS Team UK’s again. A fourth victory followed the next day against Luna Rossa, leaving the British top of the leaderboard after the first weekend of racing. The Prada Cup continues until 22 February, but as we go to press Britannia is the boat to beat, surely one of the great comebacks of Ainslie’s extraordinary career and one that he attributed rightly to all the INEOS shore and boat crew. For daily coverage visit our website yachtsandyachting.co.uk

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Paul Heiney What better time to talk about the joys of heating your yacht? Even better, Paul believes he has discovered the holy grail: a boat heater that actually works and he likes

reviously on this page…… Last month I was telling you about my lengthy and ultimately disappointing history when it comes to boat heaters. I’ve had the lot over the years; charcoal, paraffin, diesel, rubbing sticks together, dancing on the deck to get some feeling back into the frozen limbs. In the end, most of them didn’t cut the mustard. The drip feed heater dripped but didn’t heat, the paraffin hissed like an over-stoked steam engine and stank. The charcoal was pleasant but on the feeble side and never managed to cause any flexibility in the brick-like breakfast butter. But that’s all behind me now. I have a new heater. I love it. It actually works, even if it involved a transatlantic flight, a few verses of the Bible, and very nearly the loss of a thumb. I have fitted a wood stove! I love burning wood. The warmth is fine enough, but it’s the gentle patterns that a flickering flame casts across the cabin roof that adds the final touch of magic. The first time that the idea entered my head was that night I was telling you about, in the north of Iceland, when my crew and I were beginning to wonder what temperature it was at which blood actually froze. We mused as we stared at the cold,obstinate diesel heater. ‘What you want is a wood stove, said my mate. That was three years ago, and I would have done the deed sooner had I been able to find a stove that both fits the boat and does the job. It’s actually more complex than it looks, and there’s much more to a wood stove than an iron box and a chimney, although that will work to an extent. But if you’re clever with the internal design you can make use of the unburnt gases, recirculate them, ignite them, and get quite a bit of heat that would otherwise be wasted - environmentally much better. A stove of the pot-belly variety won’t do anything like that, but after a lot of searching I found a stove that did and, more importantly, fitted. But it was made in Canada. The price was remarkably cheap for such a well designed and attractive bit of kit,

but then I’d forgotten about import taxes not to mention shipping they dispatch by air - hence the transatlantic flight. But none of that mattered because I’d fallen in love. The sight of a roaring fire on a wet and windy night would surely eclipse any worry about the anchor chain grumbling in the bow roller. Wood fires and anxiety do not go together, they generate only only relaxation. I turned to the internet to confirm I’d done the right thing. All I can say is that they’re very popular with those who live all year round in a camping van in northern Canada. The videos usually go like this: ‘Hey folks, just look at this…’ quickly moves camera from roaring stove to thermometer.. ‘it’s minus 20 degrees outside and really toasty inside.’ By way of proof, he turns the camera and we see the snow is up to the windows and he’s sitting there in just his socks. There are many such videos. A strange bunch, these van-dwellers of Manitoba. One gave a splendid review of her stove, sang its praises, and if that didn’t warm you enough she then offered Bible readings, one for every day of the year. In fact, I did end up saying a few prayers. I prayed I had done the right thing, that it would fit. Then I had to marry it to an existing chimney of a different size already on the cabin roof, and how was I going to do that? On opening the box I discovered it to be a little darling, even down to the brass rail around the top to stop the kettle falling off, although I haven’t yet found a kettle with a small enough base. The wood, of course, has to be stowed and kept dry but there’s a locker beneath the stove that used to stink of diesel from the former uncooperative stove, but now smells of pine, beech, and bit of birch - an improvement. We had some old bits of softwood at home and I chopped that into kindling and, yes, that’s where I nearly lost a thumb. My hatchet work needs refining. Wet nights, chilly anchorages and winter sailing no longer hold any fear for me. I shall simply light up and turn my back on the elements while remaining snug and safe below. Having got a taste for all this warmth, I am now moving on to the next indulgent project. Has anyone managed to fit an AGA into a thirty eight footer? Surely it’s the only sane option?

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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Andy Rice The absence of tangible dinghy racing action led me to take a look at the history of the Bloody Mary pursuit race - and unearth some gems of knowledge

ithout question, I can honestly say this has been the least thrilling edition of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series. As I write, just the Datchet Flyer has taken place, with only the slimmest prospect of any other events taking place this season. At least us dinghy racers can live vicariously through the excitement of the closest ever Vendée Globe along with all the unpredictables twists and turns of the Prada Cup in New Zealand. In the spirit of trying to make something happen on every weekend where we had been due to have a Sailjuice event, our Facebook Live gatherings have unearthed some fascinating facts from the dim and distant past. “The History of the Bloody Mary” was a particular favourite thanks to past Queen Mary Sailing Club commodore Chris Simon and current commodore Andrew Craig’s delving back into the archives of the most famous Pursuit Race of all. Most famous? I would say that’s true, but more remarkably, did you know it is believed to be the first ever Pursuit Race in the sport of sailing? Chris relates the story: “It was a race that was brought about by popular demand because in 1972, after long negotiations with what was then the Metropolitan Water Board, access was allowed to the reservoir for recreational sailing, which had taken a long time and even some law changes to achieve it. “And shortly after that, people who were coming to the 1973 Boat Show came along asked, ‘Could we bring our boats and leave them at Queen Mary and maybe go for a sail at the weekend?’ And so that was agreed to and then several people said, ‘Well, that was jolly good. How about having a race for it next next year? It so happened that the sailing club rear commodore at the time was a chap called Bryan Willis who said, ‘Well, that’s good, because I’ve thought of a new way of dealing with handicap racing - we›re going to handicap at the start. And he produced all the logistics. And so the Bloody Mary was, as far as I know, the first pursuit race that was run, where the handicaps are applied to the start time rather than to the finish time. The first race was in January 1974. It was always held on the first Saturday of the London Boat Show.” If the name of Bryan Willis is familiar, it may be because you have one or more editions of his Fernhurst-published book, The Rules in Practice, you sitting on your book shelf at home. It was Bryan’s sailing course at Wootton Creek on the Isle of Wight that first introduced me to racing. Bryan, along with the Topper National Champion of the time, John Caig, ran a week-

long course that was the only formal youth coaching I ever received. Bryan’s infectious and boundless enthusiasm ran from organising Oppie training and racing at Papercourt Sailing Club in Surrey to being chairman of the jury and umpire at numerous Olympic Games and America’s Cups. But I never knew that it was Bryan who had been responsible for dreaming up our best known dinghy handicap race. Chris pointed out a number of other interesting facts about the race. Securing sponsorship from a vodka manufacturer led to the title of the Bloody Mary, a name which has long since survived the sponsorship deal. The International Moth has played a strong and controversial part in the history of the event. Chris Eyre won the inaugural 1974 event. After two more Moth victories by Peter Conway in 1979 and Michael Iszatt a year later, “The Moths were actually not allowed to enter for a while,” Chris explained, “because people were saying ‘it’s a stitch up’ and developing so fast.” The RYA PY handicap system was failing to keep pace with the rate of progress in the Moth as well as other development classes such as the International 14 and National 12, two other classes that have enjoyed disproportionate success at the Bloody Mary over the past half century. Yes, even back then, dinghy handicapping was a controversial topic. There have been a few double winners such as Graham Camm and Zoe Ballantyne in their National 12 (2007 & 2014) as well as Rob Greenhalgh, winning 2008 in an International 14 crewed by Dan Johnson, and 2013 when Rob sailed his foiling Moth to an easy win. However, even more impressive is the double-victory achieved by Ian ‘Chips’ Howarth, who joined us for the Facebook Live call. Chips’ first ever Bloody Mary was in 1990 when he crewed a GP14 for Neil Platt. There were 501 entries, a record entry for the Bloody Mary which is unlikely ever to be broken, and Chips won at his first attempt. Fifteen years later he helmed a Fireball to victory crewed by Vyv Townend. So Chips has been the only competitor to have won the Bloody Mary from both ends of the boat. He admitted he had been lucky, and of course, he was! To win the Bloody Mary you do need a hefty portion of good fortune, but when you look down the list of winners since 1974, there are numerous World Champions, Olympic medallists, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race veterans. While the London Boat Show has passed away, the Bloody Mary lives on and will be back as strong as ever once the cloud of Covid has cleared. To watch back through the ‘History of the Bloody Mary’, go to www.facebook.com/SeldenSailJuiceWinterSeries

PHOTO QUEEN MARY SAILING CLUB

‘SPONSORSHIP FROM A VODKA MANUFACTURER LED TO THE TITLE OF THE BLOODY MARY’

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

ANDY RICE As a sailing journalist and TV commentator Andy has unparalleled knowledge of the dinghy sailing scene, from grassroots to Olympic level

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Andi Robertson A final epistle from Les Sables d’Olonne and a big thank you to the organisers of the Vendee Globe for pressing on with the race in spite of the pandemic

There is a sporting requirement to have first past the post as the winner and second in second, and you cannot have a skipper who has finished – say – third in the Vendée Globe displaced by someone who has a bonus for helping in a rescue when, in the intervening period, they have not sailed as well. And there is a precedent where Vincent Riou in 2008-9 was elevated to third on redress for rescuing Le Cam but the redress happened after the finish once there was a clearer evaluation of the relative performances of other sailors and an objective understanding of where Riou would have finished. Do I favour that solution? I think I do – it takes into account a performance relative to the other sailors in front and behind him during the remainder of the race. The problem in that comparison and this is that Riou was at Cape Horn and the Escoffier incident happened not even half way through the race. And on a basic level, shoot me down in flames for suggesting any bias from a French led jury but Le Cam is the public favourite and gets the biggest bonus and Germany’s Herrmann gets the least. And right now I am loving the intensity of the race and how the emotions are surfacing towards the end. Damien Seguin has dropped off the media radar right now and he is one tough guy, Ruyant is realising he very well might not make it to the podium because he lacks his port foil, Bestaven ‘fessed the other day that he had big damage at Cape Horn – and I know many British fans spotted the clean up operation afterwards because I got dozens of messages asking if he was OK. But I have to confess I have enjoyed Boris’ race and the way he has approached it. I liked him finally admitting what I have worried about for weeks; that right now when he is worried about breaking so close to home he just does not have the ability to switch off part of his conscious brain and push like Alex Thomson naturally does, Bestaven does, Burton does. To me it is that same ability to switch that processing off and push out the start hut at the top of Kitzbuhel’s Hahnenkamm. Riveting.

PHOTO VENDEE GLOBE

‘NO SAILOR’S RACE SHOULD BE COMPROMISED FOR GOING TO HELP ANOTHER IN DISTRESS’

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

ABOVE Hard racing in the Southern Ocean

ANDI ROBERTSON An offshore sailing expert, few people can match Andi’s insight into the big boat world, both in the UK and globally

“

nd this, I promise, will be the last Vendée Globe epistle, my postcard from locked down, everything- closed Les Sables d’Olonne. And though that has been oppressive, no more so than elsewhere in Europe, you have to give huge credit to the Vendée region for making the race happen. It would have been easier for them to postpone and wait for 2021 but they went for it and have been rewarded with the closest and most engaged race, correspondingly with biggest ever global audience on all channels. So that is the payback in one sense, but the race is not just about flag waving for the Vendée region it is about bringing visitors to the region for the start and finishes and that has not really happened at all, especially at the finishes. There were over 200,000 people came through the start village but it looks certain that the finishes will be quiet, subdued affairs with no public allowed. But such is life in these times. The issue which is perplexing me at one week from the finish is the question of the time allowances for the skippers who helped in the rescue of Escoffier. I don’t have the answer right now. Today I agree with one commentator here in France saying no one should be displaced from their position across the line by a skipper getting an allowance subtracted from their elapsed time. If you finish first and someone beats you on a time allowance both skippers should share the position of the skipper who actually crosses the line. For me the logical implication all the way through, since the redress times were allocated, is that if Jean Le Cam had not stopped and participated he would have always been 16 hours and 15 minutes further up the track. And that is not evidently not true. Add to the fact that Boris Herrmann was visibly more shocked and affected mentally and took longer to get back into race mode and I personally think six hours was not enough. Of course there is a balancing act, no sailor’s race should be compromised for going to help another in distress, but there needs to be another more practical way, objective or subjective.

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Cruising ~ Sailing as a couple

Two’s company

Many couples have been learning about living in close proximity recently but a long voyage as a couple is in some ways the ultimate test as Rod Heikell narrates

had an email the other day from an old friend who was getting ready to set off across the Pacific. ‘What do you do for a watch system?’ he asked, ‘when there are only two of you.’ A lot of yachts making ocean passages are crewed by just two people, usually a couple and often not youngsters, to put it delicately. Across the Atlantic and on any overnight passages it all comes down to crew. On one of our earlier yacht,

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Tetranora which we took across the Indian Ocean we were initially three though illness forced one to fly home from Yemen. Cousin Frank and I fell into a comfortable three on and three off rhythm for the rest of the trip to SE Asia. Another of our yachts, Seven Tenths sometimes had three crew though often it was just me and Lu, my wife. On our current yacht Skylax we originally planned for a friend to make the crew numbers up

but this all fell through at the last minute. With two on board we were on a three hours on/three hours off rota. On seven tenths with just one extra person you get three hours on and a wonderful six hours off. This added rest means you are better prepared for bad weather or any other problems and that you can drive the boat harder. For the two of us you tend to keep the boat throttled back so that everything is easy and

Fear and falling in love again

this cuts into your daily runs. You do of course need a reliable autopilot or wind vane self-steering. On Seven Tenths we had a fairly useless wheel driven autopilot. She would steer herself to windward with the wheel tied off and a bungee on the opposite side to stop any excess movement – in fact she steered herself like that for five days from the Azores to Gibraltar in the Portuguese Trades. On Skylax we went around the world and some with a below decks linear drive unit and I still the spare drive unit I bought as a spare. Of course that autopilot has a name often mentioned affectionately by us.

The psychology of relationships on board is seldom talked about and the fears and shared love of sailing are taboo subjects for those, mostly couples, sailing together. Yet any thinking sailor will experience moments of fear, of imagining ‘what if ’ scenarios. I’m often asked by those on the land whether I get scared at all. Oh yes, even after all these years there are butterflies and more at the beginning of a passage, moments of self-doubt and mild panic when things go wrong at sea, and that sheer hanging on as the boat buckets along under half a gale or more. On my first foray offshore in the 20ft Roulette I wrote some years ago as follows: By day two I wasn’t feeling great. Or to put it another way I was seasick and lying down below wishing I was somewhere else. I was disgusted at my apathy and so was Bridget [my girlfriend of the time]. I lay like a bit of washed-out flotsam on the cabin sole while Bridget steered. Eventually Bridget told me to pull myself together and take the helm. She was exhausted. I pulled myself into the cockpit, retched a few times over the side, and then was miraculously restored. Sort of. I blamed the lamb curry on the first night out and ever since I have had a superstitious fear of eating lamb curry on the first night of a passage. Really I knew that I needed to find some sort of steel deep inside to pursue this adventure. While I got over my fears on that trip, I was still clearly anxious about this cruising thing and would wake up in the middle of the night with nightmares about dangerous situations. Worse, I used to sleepwalk as a kid and this odd behaviour returned with life on board in near-lethal ways. When my partner found me trying to untie the boat one night and cast it off out of the way of an imaginary ship bearing down on us, it became clear to her I was doing all this in my sleep. A bit worrying for me and even more worrying for my partner. I resolved to put things in some sort of perspective. While the boat had been the centre of our existence, I now moved it to second place and put our

ABOVE Mole the autopilot driving leaves time to catch up on some reading BELOW RIGHT Cousin Frank the ever resourceful kiwi on watch on the 31ft Tetranora in the Indian Ocean

safety first. If we lost the boat it would be a massive blow, it represented all we had in the world, but not the end of dreams and plans to go sailing. And so, it has remained and so far, so good. I don’t really understand the gung-ho attitude of sailors who say they don’t experience fear, who laugh at the elements and pooh-pooh those who express their fears. It hints of a lack of imagination and a bit of a worry when things get tough. I’ve been on board with this alpha male

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Cruising ~ Sailing as a couple

when the weather has deteriorated and watched them crumple, the bravado knocked out of them when things need to be done to get the boat back under control. Fear barely contained can give you the energy to buckle up the harness and go forward to put a reef in the main or re-tie the dinghy down when there are greenies coming over the foredeck. It also means that you move slowly and surely, rolling with the boat rather than fighting it, making sure you are securely wedged in place before getting on with the job in hand, and taking care on the return journey to the cockpit. And what of love. That comes from the silent partnership of running a boat. The slight motion with your head to turn the boat into the wind a bit more to let me get the reef in more easily. The thumbs up back to the cockpit when the anchor is up. Trimming the main and genny to get the best out of a beat to windward. This quiet unspoken relationship is one of love between me and Lu and between the two of us and the boat. There have been times in bad weather when it seems you have done all you can and the rest is down to the boat to look after you. You canâ€™t help but pat her cockpit coaming when she brings you through a storm safely. I fall in love all over again when Lu comes up to take her watch in the wee hours. She has three hours of sitting in the cockpit watching the

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

sails, scanning the sea for other craft upon it, scanning the sky for squall clouds, listening to the sounds of the boat in case there is a sound out of synch which will tell you something is not quite right, rolling a bit of genny in as the wind picks up, and just contemplating this wonderful symphony of shape and function surging along taking us onwards to the next landfall. I get to sleep in peace for my three hours and then she makes me a cup of tea before I come up on watch. How could you not fall in love again every night?

Organising it all with two of us.

On a few occasions we have picked up additional crew, more out of charity than need, the watch system

ABOVE Skylax at 46 ft usually has just the two of us crewing - oh and Mole the autopilot BELOW LEFT Lu cooking on Skylax BELOW RIGHT On watch keeping an eye on those pesky squall clouds

stays pretty much the same except that we all get a lot more sleep. Well usually. When we have crew for a crossing I generally send out odd emails on things to think about in preparation for the crossing. It is not meant to be a rigid list, more things to think about. The real preparation is when shipmates are on board and I show them where things are, how all the sailing stuff is rigged on passage, and the few rules we have. Itâ€™s important to let anyone new on board have a wander around deck to familiarise themselves with where everything is and to be conscious of what they might stub toes on. Sheet blocks normally. Things like no-one goes forward of the cockpit at night or in bad weather without a safety harness.

Everyone, but everyone on board cooks. The cook doesn’t wash up. The person coming off watch at night makes the new watch a cup of tea or coffee. When we arrive at a destination after a passage the skipper (me) is responsible for a slap-up meal with lots of alcohol to celebrate a safe arrival. Why do we run a three hours on, three hours off, watch system whether there is just the two of us or more? I’ve tried four hours and that’s too long for one person to stay awake and happy. Two hours is too short for the person off-watch to get a decent kip. We run just one person on watch, although should there be problems, then the other person(s) can be roused out of bed. The watches only run at night from 2100 to 2400 2400 to 0300 0300 to 0600 0600 to 0900. With just me and Lu on board I take the first and third watches, really

only because we have fallen into that routine. In the day we operate a loose cover so that if one of us feels a bit tired then off they go for a kip. It all works well because we are both fair about time off in the day. With three crew we run the same watch system, but instead of that meagre three hours sleep, you get a wonderful six hours and every third day one of us gets a miraculous nine hours off-watch should we need it. With the loose cover during the day we have only ever had one person who took more than his fair share of time off in the day. Neither of us mentioned it. From small beginnings a minor criticism can rumble about and become a major problem and you don’t need that in the middle of the ocean. Besides me and Lu were both pretty happy getting at least six hours sleep a night. Recently a friend was bringing a boat back for me with two other friends. All of them had life-long friendships. Before they left, I

THE

ABOVE RIGHT Dressed for the evening watch in the Atlantic. ABOVE LEFT Leaving the cockpit there must be one other on watch rule

thought I ought to at least mention the fact that while they were good friends who had known each other for a long time, they had never spent three weeks together cooped up on a small boat without an escape route. ‘No problem’, I was assured, ‘we are all really good mates and we look after each other … no probs at all’. Still I persevered and again they all gave that look which said ‘…don’t patronise us/we know what we are doing’. I figured I had tried and left it at that. Well, they didn’t kill each other or inflict horrible injuries on one another. None of them went bonkers and jumped over the side. But there were definite tensions on board and some muttering about offloading crew, never talking to one or other again, and mean-minded and mean-spirited behaviour. It happens and keeping crew happy on board can mean the difference between a memorable passage and one you never want to do again.

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Spring Berthing

Berths and debts

For many of us, searching for a mooring is a one time decision. But with spring around the corner, there are offers to be had for those who shop around

ith spring around the corner, thoughts turn once again to where to keep your boat. This can have a profound effect on the kind of cruising you end up doing. Sometimes the decision is simple as you may well have a favoured marina or mooring you have used for years. Yet cruising intineraries can also change and there is every chance you may wish to strategically place your yacht nearer to some tempting new cruising ground. If this is the case, then it is well worth shopping around. Some marinas do ‘early bird’ offers for those who are quick to

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

make up their mind while discounts are also frequently available for those who are willing to pay in full upfront. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some of the bigger marina chains offer discounted berthing at some of their ‘sister’ marinas in other parts of the country. This may well prove beneficial if you have a rough cruising itinerary mapped out for the summer that coincides with the location of one of these marinas with a contra deal.

Mooring buoy?

Beyond the world of marinas, there are, of course a plethora of other options. Many marinas have a decent stock of swinging moorings which

can offer serious savings for the more frugal cruiser while still providing access to the facilities ashore. Swinging moorings are often pleasantly peaceful and there is the added bonus that you don’t have to worry about parking your boat precisely in the marina – mooring buoys tend to be somewhat more forgiving. The flip side is that you may have to face a brisk row out to your yacht at some point and in tidal waters that can end up being extremely brisk. For the real bargain hunters – and those with a suitable boat - a drying mooring offers further discounts but plan ahead in order to ensure you’re not a prisoner of the tide.

Useful contacts Name: Beaulieu River and Buckler’s Hard Marina Spring Offer: Marina location: Buckler’s Hard, Beaulieu Email: harbour.office@beaulieu.co.uk Web: beaulieuriver.co.uk Tel: 01590 616200 Name: Burnham Yacht Harbour Marina location: Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex Email: admin@burnhamyachtharbour.co.uk Web: burnhamyachtharbour.co.uk Tel: 01621 782150

Marina deals

You probably compared prices when you shopped around for your current berth, but if you’ve become rooted in your current location have you even kept an eye open for deals or advantages offered elsewhere? The chances are that ‘like for like’ costs per metre will be similar everywhere in your chosen cruising area – it’s a competitive market after all – but the growth of bigger marina groups means there’s a slew of ‘nights away’ offers that can add a painless extra dimension to your cruising activities, as well as additional extras designed to lure in new business. For example Premier Marinas is a considerably bigger group with South Coast locations from Falmouth to Eastbourne. Berth with them, and take advantage of a whopping 42 nights free at any of their nine locations, with fuel also offered at cost for berth holders. This is one of the benefits of going for a big chain of marinas. MDL, another big operator, offers Freedom berthing, whereby you can enjoy complimentary stays at any one of its 18 UK marinas and also lets you stay at 130 partner marinas in Europe. Again, fuel is sold at cost and they offer discounted boatyard services.

Name: Fox’s Marina Marina location: Ipswich, Suffolk Email: foxs@foxsmarina.com Web: foxsmarina.com Tel: 01473 689111

Other marinas offer tailored packages every year and this is certainly true of the Havens Group of marinas as their marketing manager Jonathan Cook explains: “We offer a range of deals across our network: For example, you can get six months summer berthing at Troon Yacht Haven, Ayrshire for £299/m, a monthly summer berth at Troon Yacht Haven, Ayrshire for £57/m. “Meanwhile for shorter stays, you can stay for five nights and get two free at Troon Yacht Haven. Down in the west country you can get a monthly summer berth at Plymouth Yacht Haven, Devon for £63 /m, in Pembrokeshire, a summer berth at Neyland Yacht Haven is from £52.50 /m while a monthly summer berth at Largs Yacht Haven, Ayrshire from £62 /m while for shorter stays, stay for five nights, get two free at Largs Yacht Haven.” Aside from that, if you are on the scout for a new berth, it’s worth casting your eye over which marinas have been recently upgraded or expanded. Buckler’s Hard Marina, for example, has recently concluded a revamp and expansion of its facilities and pontoons. One to keep an eye on here is Noss on Dart in Devon which is undergoing substantial expansion.

Name: Poole Harbour Marina locations(s): Poole Quay, Port of Poole Email: infor@poolequayboathaven.co.uk Web: poolequayboathaven.co.uk Tel: 01202649488 Name: Premier Marinas Marina locations: Swanwick, Brighton, Chichester, Noss on Dart, Eastbourne, Falmouth, Port Solent, Southsea Email: contact@premiermarinas.com Web: premiermarinas.com Tel: 01489 885000 Name: Boatfolk Marina locations: Portland, Hamble (Deacons), North Shields, Bangor (NI), Haslar, Portishead, East Cowes, Conwy, Weymouth, Penarth, Rhu Web: boatfolk.co.uk.com Tel: 023 8017 8680 Name: Mylor Yacht Harbour Marina location: Mylor, Cornwall Email: enquiries@mylor.com Web: mylor.com Tel: 01326 372121 Name: Arbroath Harbour Marina location: Arbroath Email: harbourmaster@angus.gov.uk Web: angus.gov.uk Tel: 01241 872166 Name: Yacht Havens Marina locations: Lymington, Troon, Neyland, Plymouth, Largs, Fambridge, Plymouth (x2) Email: marinas@yachthavens.com Web: yachthavens.com Tel: 01590 677071 Name: MDL Marinas Marina locations: Brixham, Chatham, Cobbs Quay (Poole), Hamble Point, Hythe, Mercury (Hamble), Northney (Chichester harbour), Ocean Village (Southampton), Port Hamble, Queen Anne’s (Plymouth), Saxon Wharf (Southampton), Shamrock Quay (Southampton), Sparkes (Hayling Island), Torquay, Woolverstone Web: mdlmarinas.co.uk Tel: 02380457155 Name: Berthon Marina location: Lymington Email: enquiries@berthon.co.uk Web: berthon.co.uk Tel: 01590673312

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Tom Cunliffe

am, at the time of writing, working on an interim edition of The Shell Channel Pilot. Because of the Covid situation, I’ve been unable to research the usual full-blown new publication. Fortunately, the current volume was produced relatively recently after exhaustive efforts, so we’re running through this and making sure the plans, together with any major changes in navigation and marina berthing, are in order. So far, so good, but what about the

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

useful restaurant and pub recommendations on which readers rely for recreation after a stiff beat upwind against the tide? While pondering on how to deal with this, my mind wandered obscurely to the work of George Gershwin whose character Jake offers us this pearl of wisdom in ‘Porgy and Bess’: ‘Woman may born you, love you and mourn you, but a woman is a sometime thing.’ A pilot-book compiler may not

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agree with Jake’s opinion of the fair sex, but after writing a guide for a few years, it becomes abundantly clear that, if Gershwin had been referring to restaurants instead of the ladies, he’d have got them bang to rights. One of the more slippery challenges facing me and my colleagues has nothing to do with harbourmasters and berthing fees. It’s the vexed question of restaurateurs. While on the whole a steadfast crowd, their trouble is

ILLUSTRATION: CLAIRE WOOD, PHOTOS TOM CUNLIFFE

Whether it comes to taking restaurant recommendations or advice on the finer points of seamanship, sometimes it’s just as well to find out for yourself

‘As he poured a glass of plonk all round, this honest fellow remarked that Jean-Pierre had been marched off by the gendarmes six months previously’

that they will move on. Some go bust, others retire, the odd one does so well he re-opens in Paris, and so on. You simply cannot be sure that the bistro that served you admirably in 2017 will keep up the good work, yet when you’ve enjoyed a meal fit for the gods and been delighted by the general atmosphere and the charming waitresses, it seems all wrong not to give the outfit a rattling five-star mention. I have to say that most of my readers appear to take a realistic view of this situation and I receive few complaints about my gastronomic reflections, but the occasional glaring ‘bum steer’ cannot be ignored. Pub landlords whose antisocial excesses have astonished even the most hard-bitten of mariners come in for short shrift, and rightly so. Sailors relying on an old hand’s remarks about where to refresh themselves deserve a pilot book that speaks as

honestly as it finds. The downside is when the bounder leaves to be replaced with a publican from Heaven, the quality of whose ales is matched only by the warmth of his welcome. Suitable apologies in the next edition generally straighten things out on the pub front, but howlers regarding the major investment of a crew meal in a smart restaurant are harder to deal with. When I first took over the Shell Pilot in 1992, my predecessor had been one of the great bon viveurs of the English Channel. His restaurant sorties were the stuff of legend, so when I found I had neither the time, the opportunity nor the funds to visit every establishment on his list, I simply went along with his generally wise counsel. On the whole, the policy proved sound, but it fell horribly short in Le Dahouёt, one of my favourite French ports. The waterside bistros were, and still are,

ABOVE Tom enduring the hardship of researching suitable watering holes for the Shell Channel Pilot

tops for value and ambience, but for anyone with the stamina to walk two miles over the hill and a further two miles back to the ship, my illustrious forebear enthusiastically suggested a visit to an establishment which, if memory serves me right, went under the banner of Chez Jean-Pierre. Imagine my shame on receiving a letter from a disgruntled mariner along the following lines: ‘Further to your glowing report, my crew and I hammered our yacht’s small engine to arrive in Dahouёt before the tidal sill shut us out. The rain started as the sun set but, determined to sample “the finest cuisine in the north”, we donned our oilskins and set out like pilgrims, full of hope. Your directions proved flawed and we finally fetched up at Chez Jean-Pierre an hour later, soaked through, only to find the restaurant boarded up. The ‘patron’ of the nextdoor bar ran us up a croque m’sieur apiece in his toaster. As he poured a glass of plonk all round, this honest fellow remarked that JeanPierre had been marched off by the gendarmes six months previously and had not been seen again. It was rumoured that he is now doing a stretch for poisoning his customers. Despite this unfortunate affair, I would like to thank you for an otherwise very useful book…etc.’ That’s the trouble with taking Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Tom Cunliffe

someone else’s word for things, and it doesn’t stop with restaurants. From time to time I’ve relied on proper nautical information freely handed out by local experts, only to have it end in tears. I once arrived at an island in the Bahia de Ilha Grande sixty miles or so beyond Rio de Janeiro to take delivery of a yacht I had agreed to look after for a gentleman in the city. He had arranged for the locals to lay a mooring for my boat so that I could leave her and go off on his with nothing to worry about. I have a theory about anchorages. If you can see the sea, you can never be sure of shelter. In this case, the sea was out of sight but the nearest land through a very wide gap to the southwest was a good ten miles away. I didn’t like the feel of it one bit. ‘What if it blows from over there?’ I asked. ‘No problema! It never does.’ Reassured, I took the Queen’s shilling and for several months, just as the man said, it never did. Then one stormy night I returned in the gent’s yacht to find the wind howling straight in at 35 knots. There was a five-foot sea running and my poor old boat was trying to lift her mooring block on a chain that now turned out to be far too short. Her wooden stem was split almost to the waterline and if I’d done nothing she’d have sunk before morning. I handed the yacht over to my mate and scrambled aboard. That boat was all I had in the world. She had no working engine, but I was able to hoist the staysail and slip the lethal mooring. As her head blew off downwind, I sheeted the sail in

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

ABOVE Damage to the stem of Tom’s boat sustained in Bahia is seen on the right, while the photo on the left demonstrates the fine repair job BELOW A muddy walk back from the pub following another bum steer

TOM CUNLIFFE Tom has been mate on a merchant ship, run yachts for gentlemen, operated charter boats, delivered, raced and taught. He writes the pilot for the English Channel, a complete set of cruising text books and runs his own internet club for sailors worldwide at tomcunliffe.com

and she bore away manfully. At the leeward end of the island I hauled her up as high as she’d go. She was just able to stagger into shelter of the land where I dropped anchor and collapsed in a heap on the foredeck. Later, we somehow managed to get the boat to Rio. There, she was stoutly repaired on the improbably named ‘Island of Conception’ after some tough negotiating by my friends in the shipping industry. Things could have ended a lot worse, but as I thought back over that wretched mooring, I was reminded of an earlier incident where I’d also chosen to believe what I was told rather than my own gut instinct. My wife Roz and I had sailed our first boat, a 22-foot centreboarder built in 1932, up the drying creek at Wootton on the Isle of Wight. This was long before I became a sailing instructor or a yacht skipper and any idea of reducing a depth reading to soundings lay in my distant future.

I was just a nipper with a nice little vessel. Arriving on the tide, there was plenty of water, although I knew much of the creek dried out. We anchored at the top near the pub. ‘Are we OK here for the night?’ I called to a salty-looking character lurking on the foreshore. ‘I reckon you’ll lie sweet there,’ he replied, then he took off before I could ask him to enlarge about the tide which had been causing me concern. We rowed ashore and, after a convivial evening, rolled out of the Sloop Inn to find our dinghy high and dry. The yacht was lying on her side fifty yards away in thick mud. I learned that night never to believe what people tell me if I have any reason to doubt them, yet it took the mooring in South America to hammer home a lesson I won’t forget again. These days I think about it even when I recommend a restaurant.

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Boat Test ~ Moody DS41

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Let there be light Moody yachts has garnered a strong reputation over the years for deck saloon yachts and the new DS41 is a worthy successor as Sam Fortescue discovered

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Boat Test ~ Moody DS41

PHOTOS: MOODY YACHTS

48 34

hen I put in for a test sail of Moody’s latest offering, I mistakenly referred to her as the ‘41DS’. ‘Of course you can test the boat,’ wrote back the contact from Moody owner Hanse Yachts, ‘but please note that the boat’s name is the ‘DS41’. It is a small but crucial distinction. Yes, the boat is 41ft long, but her chief characteristic is her vast deck saloon – a true deck saloon, where it is flush with the cockpit. Naturally, the ‘DS’ should come first. The justice of that minor correction became evident even before I even boarded the boat. As I peered down from the boardwalk above the marina in the placid Flensburger Fjord on Germany’s Baltic coast, I spotted her straightaway. There really is no mistaking her towering topsides and tall deck saloon. Aesthetically, it is a feature that will divide sailors. But love it or hate it, I was glad of it almost instantly, as a fine autumnal drizzle started up. Though you can’t helm the boat from in here, you can manipulate the autopilot and there is a remote throttle for the engine. Perched on the comfy navigator’s seat, surrounded by a wall of glazing that offers 360-degree views, it feels more like a catamaran than a monohull. There’s even a strip of glazing down the middle of the saloon roof, through which you can easily check on the sails, although you have go back outside to trim them. A decent galley is up here, as is the table and lounging space, and it’s all on the same level as the cockpit outside. Again, like a catamaran, you can open much of the aft wall of the saloon, with a glass door that slides open, and a hatch that pops up. I don’t know of another monohull this size that connects the interior and exterior spaces so well. But let’s rewind a short way. Once that drizzle had tailed off, we left the warmth of the saloon and prepared to slip out. Controls for the 80hp Yanmar diesel are on the starboard helm console, alongside those for the 6.3kW Quick bow-thruster. It makes manoeuvring in and out of a tight berth simple with clear sightlines forward over the coachroof. Only the high topsides, with their bulwarks

MARCH 2021 JANUARY 2021 Sailing SailingToday Todaywith withYachts Yachts&&Yachting Yachting

surmounted by a stainless-steel handrail, restrict visibility. We found it easiest to have someone at the bow to keep an eye out. The boat is cutter rigged with a large genoa, a self-tacking jib and in-mast furling for the main – the last two designed for maximum ease of use. Lines are led back in conduits to emerge on the cockpit coaming, where an array of jammers put them just about in range of the helmsman. Two electric Harken winches are positioned quite low down for the raised helm stations, but they make light of pulling

ABOVE With 20 knots of wind on a broad reach with the big genoa flying, the boat can touch 9 knots BELOW The bathing platform works very well, but Moody doesn’t appear to have considered how or where to store a tender on this boat.

out the main and genoa. The furlers are all manual, although electric options are available. And therein lies one problem with the boat I tested - hull number two in a series of 12. One winch on each side is simply not enough to take care of sheets, halyards and furlers. My host for the day nods at this and explains: “We’re still fine-tuning the boat. We plan to put two more winches on an archway over the ropes on the coaming.” At one point we had to lead the jib sheet across the cockpit and put the main on a jammer in order to

put some tension on the vang. There is also a slight difficulty with the running rigging, because all the lines look the same. Better differentiation of colours and labelling on the clutches/jammers would make raising and trimming sail a faster process. But such things can be easily rectified. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the boat’s performance. With a dry displacement of more than 11 tonnes and a 4.2m beam, plus that big deck saloon, she seemed unlikely to be a flyer. But while that is certainly true, she’s still fun to

sail. We managed around 7 knots of boat speed closed hauled under the jib and on a reach with the 55.2sqm genoa – all in a maximum 10 knots of true wind. She’s not hugely close winded – we managed a comfortable 48 degrees apparent, and that is due to a number of choices that Hanse has made in order to simplify sail handling. There is no mainsheet traveller, for instance, and the vertical battens of the mast-furling mainsail give a less powerful sail shape than horizontal. The German mainsheet system is fixed halfway along the boom and

ABOVE With 20 knots of wind on a broad reach with the big genoa flying, the boat can touch 9 knots BELOW LEFT The bathing platform works very well, but Moody doesn’t appear to have considered how or where to store a tender on this boat BELOW RIGHT The cutter rig is a very versatile set up

runs to a fixed sheeting point on the coach roof. It’s all very convenient, but makes for poorer sail trim. Set against that are a number of handy features. Moody’s trademark wide side decks make it quick and easy to go forward on the boat – there’s no ducking under shrouds here. There is also a useful tack point for a downwind or code sail on the hefty anchor fitting, which stands well proud of the bow, thereby minimising the risk of chipping the stem. This also gives very convenient access over the bow for mooring bows-to in the Baltic style.

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Boat Test ~ Moody DS41

A place for everything

Moody has also been phenomenally generous with its storage space, from deck lockers to cubbyholes in cabins. In fact, I may never have been aboard a yacht with so much stowage. Each cockpit locker is big enough to stand a couple of bikes up inside, and fit in all the fenders, warps, fishing gear, diving gear and so on that you could wish for. There’s a similarly vast sail locker at the bow and another big locker at the stern. The engine lives under the cockpit, in another generous space with excellent fore and aft access. The only downside is the noise in the cockpit. Moody says that the sandwich construction of the engine-bay lid means it doesn’t need sound insulation, but I’m not so sure. Elsewhere on the boat, though, the engine is very quiet indeed. I found no mention of it in the literature for the boat, but under the sole in the saloon there is access to a kind of secret locker. The test boat has steps down into a space fitted out with wooden shelving that offers sitting headroom. You could store provisions here for a non-stop round

the world attempt, never mind an Atlantic crossing. And of course, there are all the usual clothes lockers, wardrobes, under-bed storage and so on. It would be a smugglers dream! The space comes in large part from the high topsides, broad beam and flare at the bow – there just is a lot of volume to this boat. But it also reflects a less generous approach to accommodation below. Although she runs to 41ft on deck, this boat offers just two large cabins – the huge master double in the focsle and a twin aft, to starboard. The standard layout allows for one large shower room, but there is an optional smaller second one for guests that eats into the storage to port. No charter configuration here. Interior finish is a matter of taste, with the whole panoply of Hanse Yachts’ wood and fabric options to choose from. Great thought has been put into the comfort of the boat. So, both cabins feature large glazed hull lights, while the master in the focsle has a huge glazed section overhead, where the coachroof comes down to the deck. Natural light, then, is

ABOVE LEFT

With great all round views, the nav station is a great spot to keep watch on a chilly day

ABOVE

The galley offers a three-burner hob and gimballed oven, as well as top- and side-opening fridge

abundant. So too is indirect lighting, which has been developed to work with a bespoke controller. Instead of the usual plastic switches in each cabin, there is a nifty-looking panel which allows you to set the mood for each area. There are also optional Fusion repeaters to control the music in each cabin and optional outlets for heating or cooling. A large TV is also an option, folding down out of the saloon headlining. The social areas of this boat are also impressive. The deep cockpit has two long seats and a folding table (used to lever open the engine compartment below), all shaded by a sliding fabric ‘sunroof ’. There are also two padded seats facing each other at the foredeck – the only cruising boat I know of with this feature. The front of the coachroof has been designed to take a large cushion and there is another that can be positioned over the sail locker. There’s also a big manually-operated bathing platform aft, with a ladder cleverly stowed inside it for quick deployment. Clarification: in the January issue we stated this boat was designed by Judel/Vrolijk. it is, of course, designed by Bill Dixon

MOODY’S SLIDING DOOR Hanse’s engineers spent a lot of time and effort developing the sliding door system between the saloon and the cockpit. It has a really pleasing mechanism, where a twist of the handle levers the door an inch or so backwards, so it can slide to one side along a track. The first hulls used a track on the ground, but Hanse quickly realised that this would get gummed up with sand and other detritus. In the future, the door will hang from a track fixed to the glass back wall. Combined with the opening glass hatch by the galley, there is a good sense of connecting the saloon and the cockpit in fine weather.

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Boat test ~ Excess 15

ALTERNATIVE BOATS

NORDSHIP 40DS

SAM’S VERDICT Under German ownership, Moody has been very successful at carving out a niche in the deck saloon market. This unique design holds great appeal for older sailors, those with reluctant sailing partners or used to catamaran volumes. Don’t expect a thrilling, gutsy ride,

THE SPEC LOA: 41ft 1in (12.52m) LWL: 37ft 6in (11.42m) Beam: 13ft 9in (4.20m) Draught: 1.85m (6ft 1in) Displacement: 11.2t (24,692lb) Sail area - main: 45 sqm (484sqft) jib: 38sqm (409sqft) Designer: Dixon Design

but it will be supremely safe and comfortable, while the boat is very simple to handle. Phenomenal interior space can be turned to many uses.

Not quite one-level living, but with a table in a raised saloon giving exterior views. Semi customisable, even down to build material. Classic woody interior and highquality finish by a reputed Danish yard. €413,000 ex-VAT nordshipyachts.co.uk

PERFORMANCE: HHH HH VALUE: HHH HH COMFORT: HHH HH

Builder: Hanse Yachts UK agent: Inspiration Marine inspirationmarine.co.uk Price: from £382,358 ex-VAT Stability Sail area/displacement: 16.9 (2/5 v slow) Displacement/LWL: 208 (4/5 for stability)

“Bluewater Cruiser“

SIRIUS 40DS

40 DS Award winning German-built true deckhouse yacht with huge storage spaces. Minutely designed for crossing oceans or exploring off the beaten track. Flexible layout with up to three double cabins. €502,521 ex-VAT sirius-yachts.com

ALBATROSS 42

Spanish built cruiser with inmast furling and drop-down bathing platform. Twin helms and a dinghy garage differentiate this design, which offers up to three double cabins. €279,750 ex-VAT albatrossyachts.eu

JANUARY 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

55 51

Vendée Globe

Hare’s no tortoise British skipper Pip Hare chats to us from the Southern Ocean about her impressive Vendée Globe so far

iip Hare sounded tired but happy as she chatted over a Whatsapp call in January. Despite the fact that she was awaiting a 40-knot front, roughly 1,000 miles east of Cape Horn, lying in 17th place in the Vendée Globe, the Poole-based sailor had every reason to be upbeat. Hare had just done something very few others have managed, or even attempted. Having discovered a potentially race-ending crack in her port rudder stock, she had set about replacing the entire rudder at sea, her 60ft IMOCA being thrown around in a confused swell. As anyone who has replaced a rudder knows, this is a mammoth

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

job in a boatyard. Hare had two excellent consultants, Joff Brown of Lighthouse Yacht Services in Portsmouth, who is her boat manager, and Paul Larsen, the record-breaking Australian sailor who joined Hare’s team two years ago. But while they could advise, Hare herself was lying just east of Point Nemo, the lat and long in the south Pacific where sailors are closer to the International Space Station than to the nearest point of land. The job would very much be her own. Hare’s route to the Vendée Globe, the race she had been dreaming of entering since her teens, was far from smooth. She chartered a boat, built for the race 20 years ago, and found

ABOVE “I keep looking at the chart...I’m sailing round the world!” LEFT Joff Brown’s Lighthouse Yacht Services in Gosport has been key to multiple IMOCA and Vendée Globe campaigns

enough local support and sponsorship to do the race on a low-budget basis, when with just months to go Silicon Valley giant Medallia came in as title sponsor. The injection of cash enabled her to upgrade the tired IMOCA with new sails, winches, electronics and more. One of the last things she did, before casting off from Poole for the start of the Vendée Globe in France, was to pick up a new spare rudder from Carrington Boats in Southampton. She practised the rudder replacement procedure on the dock just days before the start in Les Sables d’Olonne, under the watchful eye of Brown. He had worked on Conrad Humphrey’s Vendée Globe campaign in 2005, when Humphreys famously had to replace his rudder, diving under the boat while moored off Cape Town. That, it is generally accepted, was the first time anyone had done it while afloat. Without diving equipment, he devised a method of using the anchor chain to weigh the naturally buoyant rudder down, so that it could more easily be slot into the bottom of the boat. Humphreys’ achievement, on a mooring buoy in a sheltered bay, is considered one of the classic moments of Vendée Globe history. Hare had to do it in very different conditions. With the boat bouncing around in an uncomfortable sea state, she could not go overboard and instead hung over the transom, using a spider’s web of lines and halyards, blocks and winches to try to control the heavy kit. “A new front was forming, pushing up from the south,” she said, “but you get these little bubbles of less windy conditions.

“I knew that I had to do it between gales. In terms of finding the window to do it, I’m not allowed any support – that’s outside help with the weather. The other option was sail 400 miles north to high pressure, but that would have meant losing four or five days.” Hare had been widely praised for her performance thus far, taking the oldest and theoretically the slowest boat in the fleet to 15th position, at times surfing at 28 knots. She was loathe to lose her hard-fought ranking and shed tears in a video posted on the race website. She said: “I will never forget the fact I was 15th for so long and when I get back to racing again, whenever that may be, I will do my very best to claw my way back up the fleet again. For now, I have just hit pause.” On board, she knew what lay ahead but was still consumed by doubts. “There was a lot of anticipation – should I or shouldn’t I – and I was getting very worried. I had no idea whether I’d be able to do it. I was worried about damaging the

ABOVE LEFT Hare’s position, roughly 1,000 miles west of Cape Horn, when we caught up with her; as we went to press she was in the south Atlantic ABOVE RIGHT After the rudder change; later Hare was in the lazarette aft when the boat crash-gybed BELOW A jubilant Hare shows off her new rudder

boat and what happens if I mess this up, what happens if I can’t get the other rudder back in and the boat starts filling up with water…. you go through all these scenarios!” With a drogue off the back and under bare poles, with 18 knots of breeze, she bit the bullet. Brown had set her up well, with the anchor chain in a dedicated net and other kit ready to use for just this emergency. “I think the whole procedure took about an hour and a half, with many hours of preparation and packing up before and after. My heart was in my mouth for the whole time. I ran around the cockpit, winding winches, pulling ropes, sliding over the to the back of the boat to grab, yank and manhandle rudder ropes and anchor chain. Once I was committed to doing it, there was nothing that was going to get in my way. “There were some tough moments and I had to plead with my boat and the ocean a couple of times, but when that new rudder stock finally came shooting up through the deck level bearing, the out-loud whooping that came from me could easily have been heard for miles around... if anyone had been there to hear it. “Every part of my body aches. I have bloody knuckles on every finger, bruises all down my legs and muscles I didn’t know I had that hurt but YES!!!!! The new rudder is in and Medallia is back in the game.” “I can’t believe I did that,” she said with characteristic humility, having had a few hours to reflect. “It’s one of those things you read about someone else doing.” She had lost two places – a mark of how tight the racing is in this edition of the Vendée – and was on her way Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Vendée Globe

How is Hare doing so well? Medallia was built in 1999 for the 2000 Vendée Globe and has done four complete circumnavigations since then. Hare’s would be the fifth. This edition of the race has one other boat of that vintage – Didac Costa’s One Planet One Ocean, originally known to the world as Ellen MacArthur’s Kingfisher. Kingfisher, however, was a radical step up in design at the time, leading commentators to observe that Hare’s boat is, on paper at least, the slowest design in this 2020/21 race. So, lying 17th out of 26 boats still on the water, how is Hare doing so well? Joff Brown of Lighthouse Yacht Services in Portsmouth prepared Medallia over the summer of 2020. He also worked on the Vendée Globe campaigns of Conrad Humphreys, Dee Caffari, Mike Golding and Rich Wilson. “Her nav has been really good and she has just pushed the boat as hard as she can,” he says simply. “The nav is important, but she has a great work ethic and competitive drive. “There are not many people who have done a rudder replacement at sea. When you’re sitting on the boat in those conditions, it helps to have done it once already, but it’s safe to say she has a particular tenacity. “The emotion [in the video at the time] was short-lived. Pip’s thing is the performance. She has worked really hard and didn’t want to lose the position. She lost two places but she can probably get back on those two guys.”

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

to Cape Horn again, three days to the east. At this stage of the race, with most of the planet covered and ‘just’ the Atlantic ahead, it would be tempting for the skippers to think the worst was behind them. For FrancoGerman skipper Isabelle Joschke, lying some distance ahead of Hare in 11th place, the worst was yet to come. Off Argentina, she suffered keel ram failure on her yacht MACSF and after battling with the problem for a few days, had to retire, amid widespread disappointment. Hare’s own problems were far from over. As she headed east, keen to be out of the Southern Ocean, her elation quickly turned to dismay.

ABOVE Hare glances back at her support team as she crosses the start line in France on 8 November BELOW LEFT Hare has pushed her elderly boat hard, with a top speed of 28 knots “once on purpose and once by accident”

There was a serious leak from the port rudder bearing. “It rapidly worsened and I was in the back of the boat every hour bailing out over 40 litres of water washing from side to side,” she reported. “We think that one of the seals in the bearing may have dropped out when I changed the rudder. All day I have been in and out with a bucket, each time bailing out the compartment and then crawling in with a torch to inspect every surface. “Just to cap it all off, on one of my expeditions I forgot the remote control for the pilot and a squall came up behind us. We took off fast and I could immediately feel that the wind was shifting as we started to roll to windward. “I scrambled to get out of the back but it’s a hard job, crawling through a hole in a bulkhead that is bisected by one of the tiller bars. It requires some contortion to get through – the larger members of my team cannot manage it. I was too late.” Medallia crash-gybed – Hare’s first of the race – and inside the black lazarette she was thrown across the width of the boat, before climbing out of the hatch into the cockpit with the boat pinned on its side, mainsail against the backstay, Code Zero flapping round the forestay.

‘We took off fast and I could immediately feel the wind was shifting as we started to roll to windward...’ Two unnerving and frustrating hours later Medallia was back on track, but the adversity had taken Hare to “the worst of despair”. She sailed on and 24 hours later was rewarded with blue skies and calm seas as she passed Staten Island and Cape Horn, close enough inshore for photos and a conversation with the lighthouse keeper and his wife. “It was just the tonic I needed,” she reported with undisguised emotion. “It made me smile despite my exhaustion and disappointment. It reminded me of just what I have achieved so far in this race. It was incredible to see it up close and I will remember that vision for the rest of my days.” As we went to press, the entire Atlantic lay ahead. The rudder leak still needed a long-term fix and a problem with her masthead instruments, which meant she had to constantly adjust the autopilot herself, had to be solved. Yet Hare’s mood was buoyant as she considered the miles ahead. “The sat comms are amazing and we can ‘whatsapp’ all the time. I’ve got my friends and my family sending me

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ABOVE “This is one of the proudest moments of my life,” said Hare as she rounded Cape Horn BELOW Back in warmer climes, with only the Atlantic to go!

amazing messages and there’s lots of banter, stupid jokes, and when times are tough there is that love and encouragement. But also, I’m busy! My days are rammed with all the things I need to do. “It’s amazing to be where I am. And, yeah, I’m loving it. Even the terrible bits – it’s just so good to be doing this. It’s really only this week I’ve started to get a bit fed up with the Southern Ocean! “But even with all the problems, it’s amazing to be immersed in the race for this long, to have this competition. “And I’m sailing around the world! I keep looking at the chart. When I got to Cape Leeuwin I thought: ‘Wow, I’ve sailed to Australia!’ “I love everything about it. It’s better than I ever thought it was going to be.” As Hare entered the south Atlantic again, after 64 days at sea, she had less than 30 days to get to the finish line in order to break one of her personal targets – the 94 day time set by Ellen MacArthur when she finished second in the 2000-2001 race.

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Sailing the world ~ On Passage

SAILING THE WORLD Dick Beaumont spells out what you won’t find in the almanac A blue water passage is surely one of the reasons many of us go cruising. The idea of a yacht booming along before the balmy trade winds is the dream. Yet a happy pasage can only be achieved by good skippering and a sensible onboard routine

PART FOUR On Passage

tart your voyage by choosing a weather window that offers at least two days of easy sailing with wind strengths of 10-15kts if at all possible. If a big blow has just gone through, allow a couple of days for the swell to die down. The first consideration should be ensuring the crew to settle into an ‘at sea’ pattern, overcoming seasickness, eschewing the nine-tofive routine and acclimatizing to cooler temperatures, all problems that one should expect with a crew that haven’t regularly been to sea. I’ve been told many times ‘Don’t worry I never suffer from seasickness’ only to discover that person hanging over the rail on the first day. Most people that aren’t regularly at sea suffer varying degrees of mal de mer during their first two days or so at sea and virtually all people get over it after a

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

couple of nights at sea. It isn’t a competition and it’s just a question of taking your time to get into the routine rather than trying to rush back from seasickness and leaving yourself exhausted. It’s a good idea to stock up with a couple of days’ worth of pre-made meals for each of the crew, and put them in the freezer, along with some sandwiches and quick snacks, minimising time spent below in the galley. There will be plenty of time for cooking once everyone has got their sea-legs. It’s important for a novice crew to experience their first day at sea in daylight to familiarise themselves with the boat and her systems, so as you make your final port clearances and if the departure time starts to slide, leave port by all means, but look for a nearby anchorage to spend

ABOVE Dick’s yacht White Dragon storming along on passage

the night. Then muster at first light and head out. Such a procedure will build confidence and reassurance. Spending the first night gently rocking in an anchorage will find the crew fully rested, raring to go with 12 hours of daylight ahead. It’s also essential the crew know that as skipper you are on call 24/7 and that they must not hesitate to call you about anything they are uncertain or concerned about. Try not to swear and curse under your breath when you get the call, having just crawled into your bunk tired and exhausted, only to find the crew are concerned about a ship which has appeared on the radar that has already crossed your track and is 20 miles away.

It goes with the territory.

On a passage across the Bay of Biscay after 24 hours in the cockpit, I was called up on deck every 20 to 30 minutes, right through my off watch, by a crew who insisted he had seen a lighthouse to the west of us. No matter how many times I explained patiently the nearest lighthouse was Cape Cod in the USA 4,000nm miles away. Eventually I too saw the ‘lighthouse’: lightning generated from a thunderstorm in the far distance. I admit I might have uttered a silent curse. So now you’re off with the freedom of the open ocean ahead of you.

Watches

Hopefully all crew have had some tuition from the skipper to familiarise them with the navigation electronics before setting off, so all crew members can be given a watch. The first issue the skipper needs to decide is the best watch system to suit the strengths or weaknesses of his crew. The watch system must be tailored according to the crew’s sailing experience and knowledge of the yacht and her systems. While my yacht is designed to enable one crew on watch to set, trim and reef all sails from the cockpit, with ease, most yachts will require one or more extra crew to be called on deck for a sail change or reef.

If you have, say, four crew, two of which are experienced but two who are not I suggest using a rolling or ‘Swedish’ watch. This works like this: 1st watch. (Skipper), two hours on the helm, next two hours on standby resting or sleeping in the cockpit, then four hours off watch. 2nd watch (Inexperienced crew) two hours on the helm (with the Skipper resting on hand in the cockpit ) two hours on standby in the cockpit, then four hours off watch below deck. 3rd watch ( experienced crew ) two hours on the helm (with an inexperienced crew on standby in the cockpit ) two hours on standby in the cockpit, then four hours off watch. 4th watch ( inexperienced crew) two hours on helm (with experienced crew on standby ) two hours on standby, then four hours off watch. For many years I have introduced a ‘free hour’ into this system at dinner time, where the watch system is suspended to allow all crew to eat, chat and meet once a day. Then all are involved in clearing up the galley and washing up. This works very well, allowing everyone to talk about their experiences together. It also breaks the rhythm of the watches to alleviate monotony. With this system all crew members experience dawn every four days. Dolphins alongside the yacht under sail at first light is a memory no one ever forgets. If the crew is, or becomes, experienced, the rolling watch system may not be necessary and you may change to a one-crew watch system. I strongly suggest only running three hours during the night time, if you are just two-handed it means your maximum sleep time will be around two and a half hours, which will be hard at first, but all crew fully adjust in about three days and in the end there is generally more than enough sleep for everyone if they make the most of their down time.

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Sailing the world ~ Port Preparation

With experienced crew I run four-hour watches during daylight changing to three-hour watches at a prescribed time after evening dinner at night.

Ship’s Log

With the advent of electronic navigation systems that do not require a paper chart position fix to be marked up, many contemporary cruising skippers do not keep an hourly log. This is a mistake because, if properly run, the hourly log update can be very useful for several reasons: Should your electronics fail, you’ll know where you were just one hour previously. I know plenty of skippers that complete a log every twenty-four hours or so, but in that time you could have sailed more than 200nm and will have created a wide error factor into your estimated position. Aboard contemporary yachts great reliance is placed upon electric and diesel power so it’s really important that all crew, not just the skipper, understand they must monitor battery and fuel levels and take appropriate actions when circumstances require it. As a result of all crew recording the data revolving around the management of the yacht it brings the team together in a way briefings never can. A log should include the recording of the wind strength and direction, so the skipper or next

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

ABOVE My log of White Dragon on passage BELOW White Dragon’s checklist

watch can see if the wind strength has been building, weakening, backing or veering so the helm or skipper can be considering what sail changes may soon be required. The log should be kept and completed below deck. This means that at least once an hour the crew must get up from the helm seat, go below, check the data required in the log, fill the log in and consider what actions if any are required. This keeps the crew awake and alert.

Checks at Sea

Prevention will always be better than cure, the only way to prevent a problem before it happens is by carrying out daily, weekly and monthly checks on the critical systems of the vessel and then maintaining the yacht’s equipment while you are using it, and when you are not. This can be accommodated much more easily if the yacht has been designed with easy direct access to all

the system’s ‘vital organs’ including fuel filters, sea chest or strainers, bilge pumps, engine coolant, engine and generator dip-sticks and fan belts, stern gland and sea-cocks. Most yacht designs look to shoe-horn in as many berths as possible, because that’s what works at boat shows but having to dismantle a berth to check a generator or any equipment that requires servicing can be a real nightmare at sea. In my view a true blue water yacht must have a dedicated equipment and engine room and I have taken that concept into the design of my own yachts without fail. If it is a quest to check these vital service areas it will get overlooked and the problem will surface only when the system breaks down, potentially damaging the equipment. An acquantance of mine recently told me that whilst chartering a certain production yacht made by ac popular manufacturer the generator packed up. The yacht charter company told them to drop the dinghy garage platform and access the generator through the transom garage. Even where that is possible, it is irresponsible and if not a fatal action to perform at sea. Sadly this problem is becoming more common as boats become more like motorhomes and are estranged from their proper seagoing environment. I suggest you elect one crew member to do all the daily ‘at sea’ checks. Once they are familiar with the checks it shouldn’t take them much more than 30 minutes to complete them. It’s important that all actions undertaken are noted with the measurements of how much was

topped up or whatever action was taken so one can see a pattern building up. Any variation from that pattern then indicates a problem.

DOWNLOADED WEATHER CHARTS FOR 750 NM PASSAGE GIBRALTAR TO SANTA CRUZ TENERIFE. 06:00 hours ,1st August 2020 Good time to go, winds will be force 2 or less through the Gibraltar Straits which is good as the Straits are very very busy so being under motor is fine. As we get away from the Straits the wind will gradually fill in at around 160 deg. Whilst under motor I would head to the east of my direct route, this will allow us to sail more westerly later on the passage therefore keeping the wind at around 140-160 deg, however if I am carrying the dual headsail rig with a Code K I would head more easterly to turn and run dead down wind with the Code K and Genoa set Butterfly rigged with no mainsail.

Lifejacket procedure

It’s important that the skipper lays out the lifejacket procedures that he is comfortable with and makes it clear that this regime must be adhered to. Of course we all know that the rule book will say all crew must wear a lifejacket all the time they are on deck but in my experience this is very rarely adhered to, especially in the tropics. I’ll weather the storm of criticism that I raise in revealing my own rules, but I only insist LJ’s are worn in winds over 20 kts during daylight hours if the crew are in the security of the cockpit, but must wear LJ’s at all times during the night or if leaving the cockpit. Each skipper will have his or her own rules.

06:00, 2nd August We would now start to curve our course more westerly to benefit from the predicted 20-25kt wind that will be around at around 150 degrees to the course.

06:00 3rd August Continue with our planned course curving west with expected the North North East wind steady around 25 kts and still well behind the beam.

Re-routing on passage

Get into the habit of downloading a weather GRIB file and weather charts for five days ahead, or less as you approach the destination. Accessing weather en route is a giant leap forward to mariners safety at sea because, even though you may not be able to avoid getting some heavy weather completely, you will be able to mitigate it and sail more productively. It’s a good idea to tell the all crew how you’re progressing and what to expect in the coming days, so if there is heavy weather ahead you can be well prepared with no surprises. It makes a big difference to confidence. Choose a wide area for the download so you can see the whole weather picture developing, such as the weather chart below.

Arrival

As you begin to approach your final destination, start to plan your arrival two or three days out to allow arrival in daylight. Ideally arrive in port early in the morning. If that’s not looking feasible, slow down so that it is, or look for a quiet anchorage nearby where you can drop the hook in daylight and go in the following

06:00 4th August Last 150nm or so to run into Tenerife ETA 05:00 5th August. therefore arriving Santa Cruz early morning. Note: planning a passage to arrive at early morning gives 12 hours of daylight to accommodate slower than expected daily run distances. This route plan was based on 170nm per 24 hour day which we would generally expect to achieve in a Kraken 50 with reasonable wind. morning. Don’t allow anyone to go ashore, tempting as it might be, and take out a broken piece of equipment, a clamp, a burst piece of pipe or an old fan belt and leave it to hand so if you are unlucky enough to get a Coastguard visit you can explain you needed to fix it before proceeding into port under engine. Don’t pull this stroke in Australia however, Aussie Customs and Immigration are sticklers for the book. Call Customs on channel 16 VHF as soon as you are 20nm out. If they don’t answer, call them every hour as you get closer. If still no answer, call the port control before you enter

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dick Beaumont is the CEO of Kraken Yachts and a bluewater cruiser of some note having sailed over 250,000nm on a range of yachts. He currently cruises his own Kraken 66, White Dragon. krakenyachts.com

port. You should know their channel, but if not try channel 12 or 14, most are on one or other. Although in the UK it is not mandatory to have a VHF radio, very few yachts today are not fitted with the device and harbour controls assume all vessels have them aboard. Many people worry about the demands of an Ocean Passage, but without doubt, it’s easier sailing than your standard coastal cruise as there is no lee shore to worry about, the winds are steadier and generally there’s only deep water ahead for many days. It’s just a case of striking a good routine and enjoying the ride.

Sailing Sailing Today Today with with Yachts Yachts & Yachting & Yachting JANUARY MARCH2021 2021

6959

Buyer’s Guide ~ Insurance

Rest insured Coronavirus has had the unfortunate effect of pushing up insurance premiums, but you can still save money, as Sam Fortescue discovers

ou would be forgiven for thinking that yacht insurance premiums should be on the way down after a year of stifled sailing activity. But don’t hold your breath. Broker after broker tells me that the industry is still facing catch-up after years of aggressively low premiums, and warns of further ‘corrections’ ahead.

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

All is not lost, however, and there are ways of trimming premiums, especially where usage has been curtailed by Corona. Rising premiums have been the story of the last few years, especially in the yachting market. Some $215bn of damage inflicted by three hurricanes in 2017 cost the insurance industry around $140bn in cover, and it has been on the back foot ever

since. Add to that years of undervaluing risk in order to win prestigious superyacht business, and it all adds up to a nasty mix. The specific insurance risk posed by British cruising yachts may not have increased, but the declining resources of the insurance industry means that they are charging more. “The market correction [of 2019/20] wasn’t enough and insurers

can’t rely on reserves or investment income, nor does there appear to be any near-term hope of doing so,” says Greg Hill at family-owned broker Traffords, which has covered sail, motor and narrow boats since 1959. “This means that insurers have to aim to make a profit every year, which historically can be difficult as all the premiums in the past could be wiped out by one or two big claims.” Covid has made a bad situation worse. In fact, the Chairman of the Lloyds of London insurance market warns that current losses are in line with the catastrophic losses of 2017. Lloyds is already paying out over £5bn in Covid related losses. Since then that figure has only risen. It all matters because the big insurance underwriters that cover our boats are also exposed to losses on health, events and in business

continuity policies. As the Lloyds spokesman tells me: “Covid-19 will impact across the market and classes of business.” Not everyone agrees. Mike Wimbridge, MD of Pantaenius UK, says that it’s likely that there will have been fewer 'bumps and scrapes' to boats due to lighter use during lockdowns. “I don’t see those insurers who are looking to raise premiums using Covid as their primary rationale for doing so,” he adds. “But many policies have been underpriced in recent years.” Ian McManus, Managing Director of Noble Marine takes a nuanced view: "The yacht insurance market has been a challenging place for insurers to make a profit in recent years and some insurance providers are highly likely to be increasing rates in 2021. "For most of those with relatively straightforward requirements, the

increases are likely to be quite modest however at the other end of the spectrum, cover may be difficult to obtain at reasonable terms. If you find you are falling into the second category, I recommend that you speak to providers as they should be able to help you understand what’s causing the issue and if they cannot help they will usually be able to point you in the right direction." Interestingly, insurers say that 2020 wasn’t such a quiet year for boat claims either. “Covid may have reduced boat use but there have still been the claims – some not helped by the fact that owners have not always been able to travel to their boats to check them,” says Greg Hill at Traffords. MS Amlin’s Paul Knox Johnston adds: “Following lockdown we saw a boom in boat usage from existing and new boaters, all adding up to a year which hasn’t necessarily been any lighter on claims than others.” This is a view confirmed by Topsail insurance's Nigel Hawkes: "One surprising outcome of the pandemic was the increase in the number of Small craft insurance enquires as it seems a number of people have spent money put aside for holidays that didn’t happened and decided to buy a small boat or caravan instead. Amongst the doom and gloom a boost for the pleasure craft market is most welcome." According to Rod Daniel of Craftinsure: “It will pay to shop around, particularly as some insurers have found it necessary to increase Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Buyer’s Guide ~ Insurance

CRAFTINSURE’S TOP TIPS l Make sure dinghies and smaller craft are securely tied down to the ground. Keep drainage channels clear of leaves and debris so that water doesn’t build up and find its way below l During periods of heavy rain, check for water building up in the bilges, as this can be a sign of trouble. l Don’t rely on automatic bilge pumps to prevent flooding. They often fail. If moored to a fixed jetty or pier, take steps to prevent any part of the boat becoming trapped as water levels rise. l Winterise engines in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations to prevent frost damage. Drain any domestic water systems to prevent burst pipes and tanks if the boat is not in use. l Have electrics checked thoroughly if leaving appliances such as heaters, dehumidifiers or battery chargers connected for long periods. l Remove sails, boom covers and dodgers to minimise windage. l If leaving the boat unattended over the winter, remove electronics and other valuables. Lock hatches and close cabin curtains or blinds. l Create an emergency numbers list in your mobile. Include boatyard phone numbers and the claims helpline number for your insurer.

point. “Keep to specialist boat insurers as that really matters if you are unlucky enough to have an incident,” says Daniel. “Knowing that your claim will be handled by a boat owner and not outsourced to call handling centre is important.” Craftinsure has launched a web app to help customers manage their policy documents and submit claims. Daniel says it is more important than ever during the pandemic. “The best boat insurers will have an app at the very least so you should be able to store your policy information on your phone – essential if you visit a marina or harbour where you may need to provide evidence of cover.”

New entrants

After a few market exits in recent years, it is good to see the launch of two new brands over the past 12 months. I use the term ‘new’ advisedly, as they both include some rather well-known industry figures. Very shortly in the new year, the well-loved Haven Knox-Johnston insurance brand will be relaunched, with Paul Knox Johnston, the son of the original founder, at the helm. The brand was phased out by previous owner MS Amlin, but with Aston Lark now in charge, there is the momentum necessary for the relaunch. “Haven Knox-Johnston was the

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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Buyer’s Guide ~ Insurance

VALUATION When looking for insurance, remember that the value of the yacht itself is a key component of the premium. In most cases, that means the current value, not the as-new replacement value. As a result, you should be prepared to adjust the insured value down each year to reflect the depreciating value of the yacht. “There is no point in over insuring,” says Greg Hill of Traffords. “If a policy is on an agreed-value basis rather than a market-value basis, the insurers generally have a clause that allows them to replace the craft. If you don’t want the replacement then

insurance brand will be relaunched, with Paul Knox Johnston, the son of the original founder, at the helm. The brand was phased out by previous owner MS Amlin, but with Aston Lark now in charge, there is the momentum necessary for the relaunch. “Haven Knox-Johnston was the champion of the average boat owner, people who look for great quality cover at a reasonable price,” says Knox-Johnston. “We are not about being the cheapest, but we are about providing friendly, helpful customer service and a claims team who aim to deliver a first-class standard.” The new business is still underwritten by MS Amlin, which is a vote of confidence from a major player. And it is basing its policy offer on the findings of a survey of boat owners, which showed that simple wording and friendly service were

it brings a negotiation element into play for a cash payment. “The market value basis is left to a surveyor to analyse the market and works exactly like car insurance. Carefully look at what is the current value of your craft in the current market and each year keep revising the sum insured so you are not paying a premium on a higher value.” There is a health warning associated with under-valuing as well. If you only pay a premium based on half your yacht’s worth, then expect the insurer to only pay out 50 per cent of any claim, even if it falls below the insured value.

what people wanted most. “You will see the Haven Knox-Johnston team out and about ensuring they are face to face with boaters across the country.” It is also worth noting Haven has an Irish office which will continue to ensure that there is cover for non-UK customers, and should ease claims in

EU waters. “The Brexit situation constantly evolves, but whatever happens, we are set up ready to insure boats and usage on both sides of the channel.” Another brand that has changed hands recently is Noble Marine. Managing Director Ian McManus explains how the company has evolved: "Since buying Noble Marine in early 2019 the team have been working hard to update the business so that we can ensure the strong heritage and values of Noble Marine continues for years to come, and despite the challenges of 2020 it has been an important year for us. "We recently launched our new brand and our new website which allows our customers to quote and buy on line as well accessing their documents or submitting a claim 24/7/365 through our online portal. "Importantly though we believe you should be able to choose how you deal with us so we are still at the end of the phone for customers who prefer to speak to us. Sometimes speaking to a reassuring voice on the end of the phone, is priceless." The other new brand is Stoneways, whose MD, Keith Lovett used to work for Haven. Lovett is aiming to offer a plainly worded all-risks offer to motorboaters and sailors alike. It offers some rather unique features, including mental-health support for those on board and non-medical repatriation. “Bringing a new and original policy with well-rated security into the yacht insurance market has been warmly welcomed. With choices limited in recent years, boat owners are eager to consider a new approach, wide cover and Stoneways high service standards”.

INSURANCE CONTACTS Admiral Marine, admiralyacht.com Craftinsure, craftinsure.com Euromarine, astonlark.com Haven Knox Johnston, havenkj.com GJW, gjwdirect.com Noble Marine, noblemarine.co.uk Pantaenius, pantaenius.com Traffords, traffordsinsurance.co.uk Stoneways, stoneways.co.uk WH Insurance, dinghyinsurance.com Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Shortlist | Propellers

SHORTLIST

MORE SHORTLISTS We keep this list and others like it bang up-to-date online at sailingtoday.co.uk

PROPELLERS Varifold

Kiwiprop

Also manufactured by Bruntons in Essex using high quality nickel aluminium bronze, the Varifold is designed to appeal to racers and fast cruisers. As a folder, it offers less resistance in sail mode than its Autoprop sister. Blades: 2, 3 or 4; Diameter: 12in to 45in

A three-bladed feathering prop that features no internal gears within the folding mechanism. The advantage is greater streamlining as each blade adjusts individually to the water flow when feathered. The blades are also unusual in that they are made of a Zytel. A four-blade option also available. Blades: 3 and 4; Diameter: 14.5in to 21in

 Bruntonspropellers.com  vectamarine.com

Slipstream

Flexofold

Slipstream is a folding prop and, unlike most, it is made out of stainless steel as opposed to bronze. This negates the usual electrolytic corrosion that occurs when you have a bronze propellor on a stainless prop shaft while steel is less easily chipped. Blades: 2 or 3. Diameter: 14.5in to 18.5in

Flexofold offers two- to five-bladed folding propellers at affordable prices. They are notable for their large blade area combined with a hydrodynamically efficient shape when folded. Twin gears on the folding mechanism ensure that the blades open and close smoothly and efficiently. Blades: 2, 3 or 4. Diameter: 13in to 27in

 Steeldevelopments.net

 Flexofold.com

Gori

Darglow Featherstream

A very popular folding prop. Gori offers seven different diameters in two- and three-blade versions to tailor for a wide range of different engines. Gori says three blades combines the extra thrust astern of a feathering prop with the hydrodynamic advantages of a folding prop. Blades: 2, 3 or 4. Diameter: 11.5in to 30in

A feathering prop which, it’s claimed, increases sailing efficiency by 15 per cent compared to a fixed propeller. The Featherstream has a nickel-aluminium bronze body, three or four stainless steel, heattreated blades and an external pitch adjuster for rapid fine tuning. Blades: 3, 4 or 5. Diameter: 12-20in

 Gori-propeller.com

 darglow.co.uk

Brunton Autoprop

Max-Prop Classic

Another feathering propeller, which means the blades do not completely fold in when not in use, but simply turn the blade edge in line with the water flow. Slightly more resistance than a fully folding prop, but less prop walk and better thrust astern. blades. Blades: 2 or 3. Diameter: 13in-35in

Max-Prop was the pioneer of the feathering prop and remains a hugely popular option with yachtsmen. The thin blades have a large surface area which produces excellent thrust astern and high efficiency ahead. Blade pitch can also be manually adjusted. Blades: 2, 3, 4 or 5. Diameter: 12in to 44in

 bruntonspropellers.com

 maxprop.it

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Interview ~ Graham Nixon

Southern Man

Mike Taylor talks to Graham Nixon, outgoing Commodore of the Royal Southern Yacht Club as he discussed the club and an eventful sailing career

ocated on the picturesque banks of the River Hamble, a tributary of Southampton Water the elegant Royal Southern Yacht Club can trace its routes back to the 19th Century. Approached down a narrow winding cobbled street Hamble is ranked as second only to Cowes as being the celebrated Mecca for sailing, drawing visitors from around the globe. In addition to its WWII aircraft training heritage the area can also boast as being the focus for the TV drama Howards’ Way. For my interview this month I talk to the Royal Southern Yacht Club’s Commodore, Graham Nixon. “I was one of three sons so my parents were always desperate to find active things to keep us occupied,” recalls Graham. “One day during 1958 my father, who worked for Pilkington glass manufacturers in St

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Helens said the company had a sailing club, which was running a course on how to begin sailing. My mother, father and elder brother all signed up but I was aged twelve and they told me I was too young; I was furious. That winter my father built an Enterprise dinghy and the following year I went on the course. It was the first time I’d stepped aboard a small boat and I just fell in love with it. I remember thinking that it was all about harnessing the wind and the water, it was really challenging and something I could enjoy for pleasure.” Later, Graham began to crew with his elder brother when they started to race their dinghy and on one occasion they competed at Blundell Sands just north of Liverpool. “The currents were very strong in the narrow channels, which made for extremely demanding sailing,” grins

ABOVE LEFT Graham rounds Fastnet Rock ABOVE RIGHT Beken captured this impressive broach of his Sigma 362 BELOW Early sailing adventures with his son in a Mirror dinghy

Graham. “In the event it was the first race we won.” Graham admits now to having a very competitive nature. “It’s all about calculating how you can arrive ahead of everyone else round the course,” he asserts. “Also, I quickly began to realize that dinghy racing is never the same twice, enjoy the complexity and the intellectual

challenge.” On leaving school Graham attended Southampton University, which had a team of Merlin Rockets. “This was my first experience of sailing on the Solent,” he says. “Then, following Business School I moved to Coventry and built a 16ft wooden Fireball from a kit in my garage and sailed it as a member of the Draycote Water Sailing Club near Rugby. I absolutely loved the Fireball and was desperately sad when I had to sell it.” Fast forward to the late 1970s, by which time Graham had a family and he’d bought a Westerly Centaur that they could all enjoy, which he kept at Milford Haven. “It was a very different sort of sailing although I

still participated in dinghy racing, too,” he adds. “The year of the huge Fastnet disaster (1979), I happened to hear the weather forecast on the radio, warning of a gale coming in. We were anchored off-shore and just managed to get the family on board and make it back to port before the bad weather hit. Over the next few days Fastnet race boats kept coming in, most very badly damaged from the weather.” Work years took Graham round the world during which time sailing had to take second place. “Then, I returned to the UK and my wife told me I should start sailing again and bought me a Laser dinghy and we joined Bosham Sailing Club near Chichester in West Sussex. This was followed by a Laser 16, which was large enough to take the children. Soon, however, we needed more space and we bought a Sigma 362, a fabulous boat which I sailed back from Plymouth to Bosham, solo.” Graham then started racing in the

ABOVE Family sailing in a Laser 16 BELOW LEFT Preparing the Fireball at Draycote Water BELOW RIGHT Cruising with all the family in a Westerly Centaur

Solent, including the Round the Island and Cowes Week events. It was during this time that one of his crew suggested they enter the next Fastnet race. After the hilarity had subsided it was agreed that during 2001 they would try out some Fastnet qualifying races along with essential sea survival courses. “It was a good job we did, as that year the race was consumed by gale force winds,” grimaces Graham at the memory. “In addition to high winds at one point we were unable to start the engine so the battery went flat. Result, no navigation lights. I arranged to sail in to Dartmouth to meet up with a Sea Start engineer who got the motor going. Later, we were becalmed off the rock and suffered another gale on the passage back to Plymouth. We and the boat were totally trashed but, at least we’d made it. If that wasn’t enough we did the 2003 Fastnet, too, getting into the medals. We also took part in the 2005 race before spinal problems put

Sailing Sailing Today Today withwith Yachts Yachts & Yachting & Yachting FEBRUARY MARCH 2021

Interview ~ Graham Nixon

an end to my offshore racing.” Over years of racing they built up a great team who all remain good friends to this day. “Six of the seven crew on each Fastnet race were the same six people who took part in all three races,” reveals Graham candidly. “Inevitably, we’ve had our fair share of scary moments, but many more of sheer enjoyment. Above all, sailing has given me many new friends over the years.” Entering so many events around the Solent as well as acting as race official and judge, made Graham realize that the Royal Southern Yacht Club organized the best racing in the area and was the club to join. The Royal Southern was established in 1837 as the Royal Southampton Yacht Club based in a palatial Victorian water-side mansion and was granted its Royal patronage by Queen Victoria whose country retreat, Osborne House was located just across the water in East Cowes. As the port of Southampton grew

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

busier during the late 1800s the decision was taken to move its headquarters and change its name to the Royal Southern Yacht Club and the club bought four fisherman’s cottages on the Hamble waterfront, then came the purchase of the shipyard behind, together with extra land. Post war, the Royal Southern’s membership spiralled and a new clubhouse was built in 1999 to facilitate social activities with a restaurant and meeting rooms. “Within a few years of my joining I was asked to assist with the Club’s race committee and later I became chairman,” continues Graham. “I then joined the sailing committee, which is ranked number two in the Club’s hierarchy of committees and was appointed Vice Chairman. Then I was appointed Chairman the following year, Rear and then Vice Commodore in 2016. I just kept being asked to take the next step and in 2018 I was elected Commodore. Looking back it was a challenging

ABOVE Surfing down a wave in the 2011 Round the Island Race BELOW LEFT Graham’s Fastnet crew assembled BELOW RIGHT Wife Ginny at the helm

learning curve, combining the operational, political and social aspects of managing a large sports club. It has morphed into becoming a demading role for the Flag Officers.” Graham believes that the primary challenge for the club is to ensure it continues to offer something that is valued across a broad age spectrum of the members. “The Royal Southern is a complex organisation spanning 6 to 99 year-olds who all need to feel they are getting what they want from membership. “When it comes to election it is the will of the majority and I’ve been lucky enough to be elected with a substantial number of votes. “Inevitably there are dissenters to new ideas. The trick is to find the positive link to the idea you’re promoting for each group.” With his business background and in depth knowledge of the Royal Southern’s operation how does Graham view the Club’s financial position as it heads into the next

decade? “Our strong financial stability is the result of a history of good decision making by my predecessors. As a result, we own all the land and facilities that make up the Club. The latest major challenge happened in 2014/15 with the project to construct our Prince Philip Yacht Haven. Our club house is alongside the water and was always at risk from flooding. During the winter of 2013/14 it happened three times, at one point to a depth of 18inches. The plan was to build, a marina-like facility with a sea wall, which would act as a barrier, with the Club financing the work through donations and increased mooring fees. It has been hugely successful.” Clearly, ensuring that the club largely delivers the activities the members want is critical to a buoyant membership. “The Royal Southern is a member of the International Council of Yacht Clubs,” reveals Graham. “While I was Rear Commodore Sailing I attended a conference in Copenhagen and one of the seminars was entitled ‘What Does a Yacht Club need to do to be successful’. One representative put forward the notion that a yacht club must focus ruthlessly on water-based activities, no matter what the activity. While shore-based social activities are important, they are not the primary reason why people join a yacht club. Ever since that seminar I have always tried to foster this approach.” The COV-19 crisis notwithstanding, has the membership profile of the club changed over the

last few years and why? Replies Graham, “Reports from the Marine Federation and the RYA suggest that participation in all aspects of sailing has reduced significantly over the past five years and is only just beginning to stabilize. This is partly because young families are finding it increasingly hard to allocate an entire weekend to sailing while other family activities get in the way. The future challenge for clubs like the Royal Southern is to implement activities which are family friendly. These could expand into dinghy racing, paddle boarding, rowing, or involving other sports and perhaps even constructing another clubhouse elsewhere on the Solent to extend our reach. The critical component here is what the mid 30s-40s members are looking for.” Inevitably the Covid-19 crisis has had a marked effect on the club, especially on its board members. “The pandemic has created a huge workload on the committee

ABOVE Two different views of the Royal Southern’s impressive clubhouse and facilities BELOW Graham at the helm

members,” comments Graham dryly. “I and my board members have worked extremely hard so that we were one of the first clubs to re-open as the lock-down was eased. Attendance at events has increased and we have a steady stream of people wanting to join the club.” As for the future Graham has now handed over the Commodore helm to his successor Robert Vose. So what messages will he be passing on? “I think the business model shared at the ICOYC in Copenhagen has borne fruit, members will always want to join a yacht club to go sailing in one form or another. As the membership grows older each year so the challenge is to attract new, younger sailing enthusiasts who then become the mainstay of the club for the next 30-plus years. My one major sadness is that, because of Covid 19 I wasn’t able to implement sail training courses for all ages, especially family members, using our J/70 yachts.” With its beautiful waterside Hamble clubhouse, today the Royal Southern Yacht Club has a membership of around 1,400, with an age ranging from young children upward, encompassing a wide range of interests, priorities and expectations. The Club is primarily a business with an annual turnover of £2m+. In addition to sailing it also arranges other activities including golf, shooting, bridge and social events. “But, we can only sell what our customer/members want to buy,” concludes Graham. “Things are moving at such a frenetic rate we have to respond accordingly.” Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

How to Win ~ Recovery from a poor start

Recovery Plan A bad start is, well, a bad start but it doesn’t have to be the end of your race. Jon Emmett coaches you back to the head of the fleet

he first thing we have to say is prevention is definitely better than cure. That is, it is better to be good at avoiding a poor start than being good at recovering from one! That said, every sailor gets a poor start from time to time, so both knowing how to mitigate the chances of a poor start and how to recover from one are very important. You can deliberately practise

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

recovering from a poor start when training by one boat having to start 30 seconds late and try and pull through the fleet. Practice makes perfect and doing a warm up regatta can be an excellent way to practise starting before a major event and at international events coaches are increasingly putting on “Coaches’ regattas” before World Championships, etc to give their sailors starting practice at the

ABOVE Think ahead; are you sure you can cross the start line?

venue before the main event (and perhaps get those black flags starts out of the way before the real thing). You don’t need a coach to practice starting, just get a group of friends together: it doesn’t take long if you use two or three minute sequences rather than the usual five. A good little routine is to do a few practice starts before every club race because this will greatly increase the number of starts you do in a year.

What causes a poor start?

In order to start, you need to be able to cross the line on time and with good speed! This is true at both ends. Take a look at the opening photo to the right: either being able or unable to cross the line on port as we can see here for 199101 [note what a good start 216166 has!!] or being stuck behind the committee boat and unable to get to the start line. In this situation 199101 has no choice but to gybe around and come back for another starting attempt. Remember he will have to avoid any starboard tackers. A boat behind the committee boat however may be forced to wait until a gap opens up for them to get through but at least they will be on starboard tack on a close-hauled course and therefore will have right of way. Reasons for being unable to cross the line are related to time and distance (getting into position too

early or too late) and maybe caused by not allowing for the current plus increases or decreases in wind strength and direction in the final minute. The key to recovering from the poor start is to find a lane of clear air as early as possible and get racing as soon as is possible! Remember you may want to go one way up the beat for strategic reasons (that is you started near the pin end because you wanted to go left or you started near the committee boat because you wanted to go right). You however need to get clear wind and the corresponding good speed, and then head in the direction you want to go: first things first. In the picture above left you can see 028 has a poor start and is probably already 2–3 boat lengths behind the leaders just a few seconds after the start line but he has punched out into clean air and will comfortably cross the committee

ABOVE LEFT A quick tack out for 028 AUS gives immediate clean air ABOVE RIGHT With the line so, biased boats are trying to tack as soon as possible, 007 SWE has space to accelerate up to full speed before tacking BELOW LEFT More and more of the fleet are starting to tack, 104 AUS is clearly going to struggle to cross the line BELOW RIGHT SWE is able to tack off cleanly and was 1st to the windward mark, whilst half a dozen boats are jammed at the pin end [although the race was later abandoned due to the huge wind shift]

boat. A good recovery, especially if it pays to go right! Generally, the faster you are in any given condition compared to the rest of the fleet, the less risk you would want to take in a given race because you know you are likely to have a good result. In other words, in conditions where you really need a good start (like those races all the leaders come from one end of the line) you could take greater risk but also have to be prepared to recover if it goes wrong. The basics of a ‘safe’ start is to know that you can definitely cross the start line. If we look at this sequence of photos (above right and below left to right), with a huge left shift shortly before start time some of the boats should have realised that they had no chance to cross the start line and started their recovery early! [it also didn’t help that there was one boat length of tide right to left per minute – from the committee boat to the pin].

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How to Win ~ Recovery from a poor start

Dirty air

Probably the biggest total losses on a beat are from spending the whole time in dirty air. This is a small but continual loss which adds up to a big total loss as opposed to the small total loss of having to do two tacks to clean your air. Of course, the simple suggestion is, do not put yourself in that position, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Starting towards the ends will make it easier for you to find an escape route, either sailing low and fast (footing) or tacking and finding a lane. If you are right in the middle of the line, a transit is vital because if you end up behind a wall of boats then you have a really extreme amount of dirty air. Then you need to get out of there fast because every second the majority of the fleet is sailing away from you, as is happening to 1713 The secret of a good recovery is to think ahead and plan your escape route. You need to be pre-active and anticipate what is going to happen. Maybe you need to duck a few

transoms, or just wait a few seconds for the boat next to you to go. If you simply react to the situation you may end up doing 20 tacks before you are half way up the beat as you have to tack every time a starboard tacker comes across or every time you have a lane, someone tacks on you and you have to take off again.

The importance of acceleration

However, the biggest cause of dirty air is often not positioning but speed at start time and this means good acceleration: both getting the boat up to speed as quickly as possible and starting the acceleration early enough. This means being well behind the line pre-start (the more distance it takes to reach full speed the further back from the line you need to line up). This sequence of photos clearly demonstrates this: This is probably one of the most important things to practise. Just line up (maybe next to the pin end/ leeward gate/committee boat) and

ABOVE LEFT Stuck in maximum dirty air, tack out quick! ABOVE RIGHT 029 USA is the most forward and most at risk of UFD but is not at full speed BELOW LEFT The 1st big wave hits and those boats who are not at speed are in trouble. Note 011 CRO (2nd from pin) is 1st to climb over the wave BELOW RIGHT 011 CRO (2nd from pin) has now appeared to jump forward and go on to win the race, 029 USA is already caught and will soon be overtaken by the fleet

see exactly how long it takes you to get up to good speed. 90% speed can feel very similar to 100% and if someone is going 10% faster at start time that is the difference between a good and a bad start. Remember if you think you are going to have a poor start (you don’t have enough room or time or both to accelerate) the recovery can start before start time. It a case of reassessing; back out and try and find a better gap or even be ready to start the race on port tack, at full speed, just behind the fleet. The key to good acceleration is being able to ‘put the bow down’, while not making contact with the boat to leeward. Boats accelerate better on a close reach than on close hauled and accelerate very badly above close-hauled course. If you don’t have enough space to leeward, you’re going to need to get out of there BEFORE it becomes a bad start; that way you will at least be approaching the line at speed- which brings us to the next point.

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

How to Win ~ Recovery from a poor start

Speed (not to be confused with acceleration)

The only way to judge whether a start is actually good or poor is 30 seconds after the start time by judging your position relative to the rest of the fleet. If however after this point you are in a good position but later get overtaken then the issue is perhaps poor boat speed, rather than a poor start and therefore it is speed in those particular conditions that you need to work on! The start is a hugely important part of the race and something most sailors need to practise more but remember you will always gain the most by practising on your weakest skills – those which cost you the most places in a race (for example capsizing on a windy run or getting stuck in irons when tacking, etc).

Mid-line sag

On long lines a mid-line sag is very common and remember it is very hard to recover from a poor start mid-line as you may have to sail a long way to the sides to get clean air. To avoid a poor start in the first place you need make sure you are on the line. If you are on the line and something goes wrong, it is much easier to recover if you were on the line (because you are now only one boat length behind) than if you were three boat lengths behind at start time. Even with good transits it can be hard to know your exact position

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

in the middle of a long line than at the ends [practising mid-line starts on a long line is an exercise well worth doing with a coach]. Sailors often forget to take account of a small amount of current continuing to push them back (or sometimes over, hence the general recalls). A further fact is in strong wind and big waves the fleet tends to be ‘blown back’ off the line, much more so than in lighter winds and flatter water.

Conclusion

The aim of a good start is a good race [not just the fastest at start time or the closest to the favoured end but to be in a great position at the

ABOVE Unusually a nearly straight line BELOW A more typical mid-line sag

windward mark]. Sometimes a good recovery can be better than a ‘good start’ if a good start means you and the leaders are pinned in and unable to tack on the first big shift whereas the good recovery is immediately in phase with the shifts. Championships are very often decided by how bad the worst score you count is, not by how good your better races were. After all it is not that unusual for someone to win a Championship without winning a race. A good start is not simply about hitting the biased end of the line at full speed at start time, it is also about being able to sail up the favoured side of the course. For example, if the wind is hard left a good start may be to win the pin, tack and cross the fleet, then do the long port tack before the right shift comes in. A good recovery from the pin end on the other hand may be still going onto port, ducking lots of boats and staying in phase with the shifts (rather than just quickly footing off to clean air on the left), especially if the shifts are long/slow, perhaps just two shifts a beat meaning being in phase is vital. Finally remember the expression train hard – win easy. It is definitely worth deliberately practising difficult starts in training so that you know where the limits are and can pull off good starts when you really need to. A good start is not everything but it’s precisely what it says it is - a good start.

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14/01/2021 13:46:58

Racing Rules of Sailing Mark Rushall’s recent article told you everything you needed to know about the 2021-2024 Rules changes, but if you’re keen to dive further in, three books are available from the RYA online shop, plus there is an app from World Sailing. The Racing Rules of Sailing are updated every four years by World Sailing  RYA Racing Rules of Sailing £10.99  RYA Handy Guide to the Racing Rules £4.49  RYA Racing Rules Explained £18.99  World Sailing rules app, download free on app stores. If you have it already, it should be updated automatically

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GULL’S EYE

PORTISHEAD MARINA SOMERSET

51º 29’ .56N 002º 45’ .41W

N E

The Bristol Channel is famous for fearsome tides but also access to some superb cruising grounds. Portishead Quay Marina is a fine option for those wishing to explore the area

PORTISHEAD PIER

HARBOUR OFFICE LOCK

FUEL

LIFT OUT AND CHANDLERS

HARD STANDING

Portishead Marina

PHOTOS ISTOCK/ALAMY

ortishead is a Somerset town that for many fortysomethings will always be linked to the trip hop band hailing from the town which hit the charts with some pretty gloomy recordings in the late 90s. Aside from this though, it has long been a thriving port situated conveniently close to the great maritime hub of

ABOVE High buildings surround the marina, providing excellent shelter for manoeuvring

51º 29’ .56N 002º 45’ .41W

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Bristol. The town was something of an industrial hub and the large locked dock complex was mainly used to discharge coal for two nearby power stations. In a story familiar across the UK, commercial shipping generally declined at Portishead and ground to a halt in 1992. After a few years of lying derelict, the site was redeveloped and £400m was pumped in to build the

marina complex and surrounding residential and retail businesses that have made the marina emblematic of the regeneration of the area. The marina was opened in 2001 and was originally run by Quay marinas who recently merged with Dean and Reddyhoff to form the quaintly named Boatfolk . The Bristol Channel is often cited as having the second highest tidal

STEPPING ASHORE

range in the world - the Bay of Fundy is number one, incidentally – and, naturally, Portishead feels much of the force of that. Yet this is also a great area to sail with many enchanting anchorages to be discovered and good access to the lovely cruising grounds of Pembrokeshire and South Wales, Ireland and the slightly wild but very beautiful North Devon and Cornwall coastline.

Though Portishead itself is not particularly big, the buildings and restaurant surrounding this marina give it the air of a much larger city site. These buildings also help provide comprehensive cover so the marina is very well protected from the wind. There are a number of restaurants on site and even a supermarket that will deliver to your boat.

Portishead high street and town centre are only five to ten minutes on foot. However, with several decent restaurants on site, a Waitrose and a Morrisons mini-supermarket there is little need to leave the confines of the marina. The Portishead Cruising Club is actually not located in or even near the marina, so many sailors use the bar above Hall & Woodhouse for their post-race drink. Though this looks quite modern from the outside the interior is cozy and pub-like with a nice range of beers and ales. There is plenty of walking around the marina, once you get beyond the buildings and it is well worth heading to Battery Point where the Portishead Point lighthouse is located. Here, the deep-water shipping channel runs extremely close to the shore. We are told this means that ocean-going vessels pass closer to land at Battery Point than any other part of the UK’s coastline.

FACTFILE

PORTISHEAD MARINA Contact: +44 (0) 1275 841941 boatfolk.co.uk Berths: 250 Facilities: Wi-fi, fuel, 35-tonne hoist, new toilet/shower block, laundry facilities, Chandlery, water/electric, slipway Tides: -0405 Dover VHF: Channel 12 COSTS: Visitor: Daily: £3.25per metre per night Weekly: £19.50 per metre per week Annual (12 months inc. 8 weeks ashore) £264per metre (boats under 6m) £346 per metre (boats over 6m). This includes: National cruising pass, including 300 free nights at any of our 10 sister marinas Eight weeks hard standing included 20% discount on Helly Hansen & Musto kit Preferential rates on fuel 10% off Boatyard lifting services Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Portishead Marina

PASSAGE PLANNING Tides naturally dominate the approach to Portsihead but it’s not a complicated entrance As almost any sailor will be aware, the Bristol Channel experiences huge tides (up to 15m) – with corresponding rates of tidal flow. There are numerous sand banks and shoals, which dry at low water, but shift around due to the strong tides. Not only do these constitute navigational hazards, but also restrict the width of the channels through which the tide passes. There are also a number of islands and submerged rocks, which are hazardous to navigation. The tidal streams can limit your course over the ground, and there are not many places to shelter especially at low water. It would be blasé to say that the tidal race in the channel does not cause problems, however, with careful planning these tides can be used as a significant benefit, doubling passage speed. The rule of thumb here is avoid fighting a foul tide, particularly the three hours of strongest tide. Approaching Portishead marina from either up or down–channel, it is generally preferable to sail along the Southern coast and inside the ‘Bristol Deep’ shipping channel. Commercial vessels will often pass within 200m of Portishead Point and Battery Point, so that ‘Inshore Route’ should be well inshore to allow these vessels sufficient sea room. Those making the approach along the northern edge of the channel,

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

need to consider the best point to cross from north to south. There are not huge numbers of commercial ships making their way along the channel but it is worth noting that thanks to the commercial shipping channels being extremely narrow they have very little room to manoeuvre and so should be given significant space. Again the tide can be a challenge here so boats spanning the channel need to constantly keep in mind the additional drift they will experience. A large commercial vessel that looks to be well clear could be an issue with a large amount of sideways drift. Avoid the area around King Roads which is used to swing large ships accessing Portbury or Avonmouth Docks, when the tide is coming in the ships may need to turn through

BELOW Approach and departure

180° to allow them to stem the tide. After passing Battery point stay South of the shipping channel. As you approach the Marina entrance from the Northeast you will see the pier on your starboard side. If your approach is in darkness, you will be able to see the green light at the end of the pier. At the entrance to the lock, two vertical fixed port and starboard lights are displayed. The marina has a relatively high percentage of fishing craft among their bertholders – in keeping with Portishead’s history as a fishing town. However, most of those resident in Portishead are amateur fishers, so traffic in and out of the marina is not greatly increased. As such, leaving and entering through the lock rarely requires a long wait. Standard traffic-light rules apply for the lock system – three reds keep clear; flashing red do not proceed; green-white-green proceed on instruction from the harbour master. The lock operates a free-flow system at roughly 3.5hrs +/- HW, though check for specific times. During periods of restricted visibility craft should call Bristol VTS (VHF Ch12) to obtain shipping movement information prior to making way. In these conditions a call to Bristol VTS should also be made prior to crossing the shipping channel.

CRUISING GROUNDS For short day or weekend trips there are a few options available to the cruising sailor. Cardiff is only 18nm away and Bristol City docks just 7nm up the river Avon. The rather uninspiringly monikered Slime Road is a good place to anchor. An annual race /cruise put on by Portishead cruising club is the Holms race, this route â€“ towards Flat Holm Island and Steep Holm Island on a falling tide before coming back again after it has turned â€“ is also popular. Beyond that, this is a good stepping off point for a week or two week trip and there are many fine options available if you are happy to take your time. The most accessible is along

ABOVE LEFT Fishguard on the South Wales coast ABOVE RIGHT Cork in the Republic of Ireland is a lovely destination BELOW LEFT Lundy Island is very beautiful and close at hand BELOW RIGHT Ilfracombe in North Devon

NEXT MONTH

Fecamp Marina in beautiful Normandy

the south Wales coastline taking in the Gower Peninsula and then along to Pembrokeshire which offers an excellent selection of fine anchorages and ports, stunning white beaches and abundance of nature. For those with a bit more time on their hands, southern Ireland is well within reach with Wexford probably the logical first destination before you engage in a spot of coastal hopping down to Cork. Heading south, the North Devon and Cornwall coast is stunning albeit rather rugged and with only a handful of decent all weather ports unless you have shallow draft. Nevertheless, the intrepid and prudent sailor is amply rewarded. Lundy Island makes for a lovely spot to anchor and is

viewed by many at the prime cruising destination in the channel. If heading to Lundy Island it would be a shame to miss stopping at Ilfracombe 57nm away from Portishead on the south side of Lantern Hill and hidden from the sea. There is an inner and outer harbour here, though the inner dries and so is only suitable for those able to take the ground. Beyond that, the most appealing and secure port is probably Padstow in Cornwall which, despite the ominous sounding Doom Bar, is easily accessible in clement conditions. Beyond that Lands End and the ports of South Cornwall beckon.

We Clean your Sails and Covers to find out more visit www.tiptopsails.co.uk Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Cruising ~ You Tube

Digital voyagers Living the blue water cruising dream is just that for most of us – a dream – but Simon and Carla Fowler found a way to make their dream a reality by helping to pay for their sailing adventures through YouTube

ith over one thousand sailing channels on YouTube, is it still possible to break into the market and fund your sailing adventure? Most people that would like to live the cruising lifestyle would welcome some income as they spend their time swinging on the hook in a beautiful Caribbean anchorage. We have been cruising for three years and we have met many people along the way that have an income while cruising, this includes software developers, Public Relations manager, businesses directors, a fund manager, and yes, YouTube stars, they are all making a living on their boats. Other sailors make additional cash by working on fellow boaters, boats, electricians, canvas work, engine technicians and GRP repair specialists. Many people are funding themselves as they travel slowly westward around the world. As you sit on your sofa after the days commute, you can see the appeal watching the ‘Rock Stars’ of the sailing channels enjoying life in the sun with crystal clear waters,

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

stunning beaches, diving for supper and having beach barbecues at sundowners; add to that they are earning tens of thousand dollars per a week. Who wouldn’t want this lifestyle? So how to achieve it? The first step is to sell the house, cars, and all your possessions, buy the biggest boat you can, a GoPro and an Apple Mac, start your adventure and just let the money roll in.

ABOVE The dream of dropping anchor in a tropical lagoon and making a living from here is more tangible than ever ABOVE The Fowler’s yacht, Ocean Fox

How easy is it?

Is it really that easy? For the likes of SV Delos, Distant Shores, SLV and UMA, they started their channels quite a few years ago, and I do believe they have worked hard at creating and promoting their channel. They were the pioneers, on the back of their success there has been an explosion of similar channels. With a thousand channels, it is getting more

difficult to get YouTube’s algorithm to find you and push your channel up in the viewers search. For that matter it is getting harder still, thanks to YouTube’s quality content policy to get your channel monetized in the first place. Let’s look at the truth behind running a YouTube channel. If you think it is going to be easy then forget it. You are going to have to work at this like a business. You are going to have to put hours into this each week, shooting, editing your programmes and promoting your channel through social wwnetworking, for example Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, together with getting your name out there in the media. First we should set a budget for the amount of income we would need to keep our sailing lifestyle. At a basic level, not including boat maintenance and insurance, probably around £1,000 per month would be enough. £2,000 a month and you will be eating out more than once per week and staying in the odd marina. This does depend on your cruising ground, for example the YouTube channel Emily & Clark’s Adventure, have just produced a programme with five other YouTube channels, comparing the cost of provisions in the Caribbean and Europe. You should think about the style of your channel. It is not good enough to knock together some video clips and post it on YouTube. You need a unique selling point, you need to stand out as a channel, so people know what you are about and what they are buying into; just like a brand on the high street. This will help you in the long run to collect subscribers

and to keep your viewing numbers up, and the money rolling in.

Getting monetised

Your first task is to get monetised, this means that YouTube will pay you in return for placing adverts before, during and after your video. The criteria for becoming monetized is 240,000 minutes of watch time and 1,000 subscribers in the past twelve months. If you don’t manage this in the year the original subscribers and minutes watched will drop off your rolling total day by day. If you have not reached this target by your first anniversary you are going to have to re-evaluate your approach to making programmes. YouTube says: “This will allow us to significantly improve our ability to identify creators who contribute positively to the community and help drive more ad revenue to them (and away from bad actors).” After you become monetised you will start to make some money off the back of YouTube. It is very difficult to work out how much you will get paid each month, as with all of Google, some secrets are never let out of the bag. The more watchtime and subscribers you have, the more companies will pay to place their ads on your channel, this is why subscribers are so important to a channel. To start with, income is going to be next to nothing. Maybe you could try and work the YouTube algorithm and act on it in your favour. My conclusion after a while was “forget it, don’t lose time trying to out-think YouTube.” The algorithm is an ever changing and developing computation.

‘If you think it is going to be easy then forget it. You’re going to have to work at it like a business’ ABOVE Online onboard

Every now and then one video on your channel may skyrocket in viewing numbers, if you try to follow the same formula for the next programme it simply may not work. But what is important is that you need a good title and a good thumbnail to attract more people to watch your video. Your thumbnail must be part of your video, if not, you are in trouble with your viewers in your comment section. You now have a chance to convert a percentage of the viewers to become subscribers. This is achieved by asking for the viewers to subscribe and providing a link for them to just click, simply hoping they will subscribe is not enough. Sailing Today withwith Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY MARCH 2021 Sailing Today Yachts & Yachting

Cruising ~ You Tube

Persistence pays off

Persistence is key: You have to post a video regularly so your followers know that today Sailing Ocean’s Fox’s video is going live. The same day of the week, every single week. You can schedule your videos, in case you are away from that all important 4G telephone signal. The more remote your sailing grounds are, the less signal you are going to have, the more difficult it will become to upload your media and promote your channel. This is where we turn to social media. You need to have a following on all the main platforms. Every day you have to post an article, a picture or “stories” to keep your name in people’s feed. In addition you need to build excitement around the launch of your next blockbuster. To do this the YouTube Guru’s suggest you make a series of “Spin Outs”. These are short 15 -30 second clips of your upcoming program that are aired on your social media feeds, to build the excitement around the upcoming launch. Slowly with determination and hard work you can get your channel to grow and with something like 6,000 hours a month of watch time across all your programmes you could start to earn two or three hundred dollars a month. Looking at other ways to make money from your productions, the website Patreon could be a second income. The Patreon’s platform is a

way for creators of any creative talent to earn sponsorship money from those that would like to support them. People in the US are much more familiar with this kind of support. You choose a creator, choose one of their tiers, which could be something from four dollars to 50 dollars per month. These tiers will give access to more content and engagement. It is not good enough just to have the same program on YouTube as on Patreon. Your Patreon supporters will require more content and the feeling that they are special and getting more behind the scene footage than appears on YouTube. To keep your Patreons requires a lot more work than YouTube subscribers. You may choose to give them an extra video each week, a

ABOVE A spot of sponsorship can be a real boon BELOW The Fowlers aboard

Social media

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Simon and Carla Fowler are long term blue water cruisers who set off on their adventure in 2018 aboard the Lagoon 400 Ocean Fox. The pair haven’t looked back since. You can find out more about their adventures at sailingoceanfox.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

program that YouTubers do not have access to. The content of this video should also be in real-time, as our YouTube videos will probably be four or five weeks behind. Your Patreons should know exactly what you are doing week by week, day by day. They need to know more about your life, they need to feel they have inside knowledge. In addition to the extra video each week, every day they need to receive some content either through what Patreon calls ‘The Lens’, which is similar to Stories on Instagram and Facebook. They are short video clips “pushed” to their account instantaneously, a moment out of your day into theirs. You could also provide competitions where they can win exclusive gifts. You have to put a lot of extra work into your Patreon website, they can leave you very easily. To replace them is another challenge. Having been working on our channel for the past thirty months my feeling is there is room for more channels. Channels that are more focused on sections of the sailing community. For example channels like Adventures of an old Seadog, a Single handed adventure or Tally Ho, the restoration of a Bristol Pilot Cutter.Your channel needs to have that USP to make you stand out and to get those all important subscribers that will increase the advertising fees for YouTube, and start to pay you a return on your investment.

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BELLIURE 41 | BLACK PEARL A stunning Blue Water cruiser from the drawing board of esteemed designer Peter Ibold, an American naval architect probably best known for his Enduance class of blue water cruisers. His designs have always married comfort with seaworthiness and Black Pearl is no exception. Sleeping four across two double cabins (both with ensuite shower and heads) Black Pearl is beautifully finished throughout in high gloss Burma Teak. Extensively refitted and upgraded by her current owner, she is a go anywhere cruiser designed to take you over the horizon in comfort, safety and style.

Year: 1985

SWAN 44 | PEPPER III

LOA: 12.5m (41’) Beam: 4m (13’12” Draft: 1.80m (5’9”) Displacement: 9,400kg Engine: Volvo Penta 62HP Cabins: 2 Lying: Inverkip, Scotland michaelschmidt.co.uk

Swan Yachts need no introduction and it is often said that the old ones are the real beauties and this is certainly the case with Pepper III, a Swan 44 in only her third ownership since new. She has bee completely rebuilt and upgraded over recent seasons at substantial cost. Pepper III was designed by legendary Sparkman & Stephens and built by Nautor’s Swan in Finland in 1974. For her first 31 years she sailed in Italy under the name Kratos. In 2006 She was sold to the UK where she sailed under the name Solo. In 2011 she was found in relatively poor but original condition in Southern England. Her current owner sailed her back to his home waters in Finland where she has undergone a complete refurbishment. Today Pepper III is in mint condition and for sure one of the most stunning S&S Swan 44’s around. Year: 1974 LOA: 13.4m (43’9”) LWL: 11.89m (39’) Beam: 3.8m (12’5”) Draft: 2.3m (7’5”) Displacement: 12,700kg Engine: Yanmar 4JH5E 53hp Cabins: 2 Lying: Helsinki, Finland grabauinternational.com

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TOFINOU 7 | PELICAN Readers familiar with the Tofinou 7 will know what a beauty this little daysailer is and Pelican is one of the best examples around. This pretty modern classic features a lifting centre board and surprisingly good performance while an inboard diesel adds to the practicality of the boat. Pelican has had one owner from new and has been kept ashore each winter and professionally maintained. The engine has been winterised each year and serviced in preparation for each season and launched in April. She comes will a road trailer which has been very lightly used and several covers for use afloat and winter storage. Year: 2008 Designer: Joubert/Nivelt Keel Type: Lifting Keel Length: 7m (23’) Beam: 2.25m (7’5”) Draft: 1.1m (3.6m) Displacement: 1,300kg Lying: Itchenor, West Sussex keyyachting.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

TIME OUT SAM JEFFERSON REVIEWS SOME BUNKSIDE READS, AND THUMBS THROUGH THE LATEST REFERENCE PUBLICATIONS

Plunge – One woman’s pursuit of a life less ordinary – Liesbet Collaert Plunge is a travel memoir of the sort that you stumble across from time to time written by free spirits. Ex Sailing Today deputy Emma Bamford’s Casting Off is another prime example. Anyway, Liesbet recounts various sailing vagabond adventures with her partner Mark and his two dogs aboard two different boats – the first being ditched as it wasn’t an adequate home for a couple and two dogs – this is something I can readily identify with. Although I’d add that I’m not sure any yacht is big enough for a couple and two dogs. But perhaps I’m doggist. Is the book any good? Well, it’s a page turner I’ll give it that. Written in a brutally frank style that doesn’t spare the dark moments in a relationship (and there are generally a few when you live aboard together). On the other hand, it’s also a tad cliched; the first page features the quote ‘I’d rather regret the things I did than the things I missed out on’ you get the picture. But perhaps that’s just me. I might be jaded from having spent too much time around the sort of people who think having a marijuana motif on their bathroom towel is cool – not that Liesbet does I’m sure. Anyway, this is a faithful account of the sea vagabond lifestyle and if you’re dreaming of following that route, I’d recommend a read – though it might make you feel queasy.

Sail Book – Dorien Brouwers This is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that works for adults who just like looking at beautiful drawings and reflecting on a few sage sentences. The book uses the motif of a sailing boat for the ups and downs in life. it’s 36 pages long and each page features a lovely illustration and a wise word or two. It’s beautifully packaged and the illustrations, which are done in a mix of watercolour, pen and ink are a pleasure to behold. It would make a lovely gift. amazon.co.uk £12.99

amazon.co.uk £12.05

Classic Choice Voyaging – James W Holmes A little known classic here but definitely worth a read. James W Holmes was a sailor who learnt his craft in the great days of sail, working his way up from an apprentice in a selection of sailing ships and hitting his peak as commander of the wool clipper Cimba, a very fast ship and contemporary of the Cutty Sark in the Australian trade. Holmes

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

offers a good insight into life under sail. His description of life under various skippers as he works his way up through the ranks are illuminating, sometimes disturbing and, in one chapter describing life aboard a ship called the Kinfauns Castle, highly amusing. Holmes made a point of learning from his poor treatment at the hands of other skippers and when he took command,

he was at pains to make life better for his crews. This is verified by other sources at the time. He was evidently a very skilled skipper and there are some lovely descriptions of the niceties of handling a clipper ship. Perhaps my favourite insight Is that, after several days of persistent headwinds trying to get into Sydney, Holmes took the drastic measure of blindfolding Cimba’s figurehead (in this case a lion) which was apparently one measure sailors used to take to change their luck. A useful tip for modern skippers. As a bonus, Holmes also took up painting so the book is nicely illustrated with paintings of the boats he served on. All in all, this is a gently witty book with plenty of drama that is never over dramatized.

Considering an Electric Outboard? “Using a well-engineered electric outboard has been a revelation.’’ TOM CUNLIFFE Classic Boat

Quiet, Convenient, Reliable and Easy-to-Use In the popular 2-4hp category, the latest electric outboards – with their integral and rechargeable lithium batteries – have transformed the market, rendering petrol motors all-but obsolete. Advantages include: From £1650 Epropulsion Spirit PLUS 1276Wh battery Faster to charge Battery floats if dropped Foldable tiller means only one cable to connect › Three shaft length options › Direct drive (no gearbox) › › › ›

› Ease of Use Switch on, twist the tiller handles, go. Almost anybody can do it; no experience, strength or mechanical knowledge is needed. › Ease of Handling The batteries are removable, and the “pass up and down” weight (the shaft/motor assembly) is then 10kg or less. › Ease of Storage These electric motors divide into components, don’t leak oil or petrol, and don’t mind which way up they’re stored. › Quietness & Smoothness Electric motors are a delight to use.

From £1675 Torqeedo 1103 › 916Wh battery › GPS data on tiller gives speed & range indication › Removable tiller (more compact for storage) › Near‐silent direct drive › Much more robust than the previous model (Torqeedo 1003)

› Power Forget slow speed “trolling motors”, these 1kW electrics have huge torque (more like a 3hp petrol). › Range There are many variables, but most users achieve at least 9 to 10 nautical miles per charge, at 4 to 5 knots (2.5m inﬂatable dinghy). Much more if you slow down a little. › Reliability Many outboard motors don’t get used very often, and small petrol motors hate this. Electric outboards have fewer parts in general, and in particular there’s no carburettor to “gum up”.

Of course, it’s not all perfect. The range may still not be enough for some users. And they’re undeniably More Expensive than petrol outboards, mostly because lithium batteries are expensive. But that extra upfront cost is largely offset by their Lower Lifetime Running Costs, including (almost) No Servicing.

NESTAWAY BOATS is the UK’s number one retailer for both Torqeedo AND Epropulsion. You can ﬁnd out more on our website, and we are always happy to discuss further – and offer advice – by email or phone. If you’d like to see them before making a purchase, we are based in Christchurch, Dorset (UK).

www.nestawayboats.com mail@nestawayboats.com Tel 0800 999 2535

Dispatches DARTMOUTH/FINISTERRE | EMMANUELLE II ‘Have you got any drugs with you’. It was 2am and I was crewing on a yacht delivery bound from Gibraltar to Edinburgh when I was rudely awoken by the skipper with this weird request. Initially, I thought this apparently straight laced man was after some, ‘N-no’ I replied groggily. ‘Good, we’re being followed; if you have anything, ANYTHING, say now and we can dispose of it.’ I had nothing. Later that night I took my watch and it was clear that a motor boat was tailing us at a distance of a few miles. We had left Gibraltar and hove to off a bleak section of Finisterre to effect repairs to a leaky portlight. We got battered by storms in Biscay and were later buzzed over by a light aircraft. Now this. I eyed the stranger with interest. As daylight broke we headed into Dartmouth to get fuel ‘keep an eye out’ said the skipper, ‘things are likely to get lively. Look, these guys have the power to rip our boat apart if they wish. Whatever you do, do NOT admit we knew they were following us – they won’t like it’. Sure enough as we pulled into the fuel berth, a UK Borders RIB cut across or path. It was the first time I had seen men with machine guns and it was alarming. They were jumpy too; I tried to hand them a rope so we could tie up they went mad and told me to ‘drop my weapon’. Eventually we got tied up. I offered one of the men a cup of tea. He visibly deflated. ‘You haven’t got anything have you?’ Later, over tea, they explained how they had tracked us since Gibraltar and our brief stop off Finisterre had convinced them we were up to no good. ‘The thing is you can tell as soon as you speak to someone if they’re smuggling – you were way too relaxed.’ We grinned. ‘One thing,’ he added, ‘did you know we were following you last night?’ ‘Yes of course!’ I said, not thinking. The skipper glowered at me but they refrained from tearing our boat to pieces.

FEATURE HERE! Send us your dispatches – from St Mawes to St Croix editor@sailingtoday.co.uk twitter.com/SailingTodayMag

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DINGHIES RS400 SAIL NUMBER 1376. Mist grey hull. Built 2013. Very little use. Approx 15 events. Very competitive boat. Immaculate condition. Stored indoors. Combination road base / Launching trolley. Under cover. Top cover. Padded rudder bag. All Harken fittings. Mylar radial sails. Black kite. Vynalester hull. Carbon pole. Cut thwart. Carbon tiller extension. Cost of this package new over £15,000. £5950 Tel 07721 767777 / (HOLYWOOD, NORTHERN IRELAND)

2020 CABRINHA SWITCHBLADE FX KITE. New Cabrinha 2019 Switchblade FX Kite Complete With Bar And Lines kitesurf 2020 Cabrinha Switchblade FX Kite Complete With Bar And Lines kitesurf Available Colors - Orange / Yellow / Blue Contact +1 832 299 4636. Whatsapp +1 469 988 5877. £700 Tel 83229 94636 / (DALLAS) MIRROR 14 (MARAUDER). 14 foot racing dinghy with spinnaker & trapeze. With launching trolley and boom-up cover. £200 Tel 07913 604 574 / (STAINES)

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DINGHIES MERLIN ROCKET - 3760. Winder Canterbury Tales built late 2013. Selden mast, boom and spinnaker poles with Winder pole launch and Ronstan cleats on the mast. Rod rigging. Winder lifting rudder with carbon tiller 3 jibs, 2 mainsails,2 spinnakers all HD Sails. West Mersey road base. Lots of photos on request. £13000 Tel 07903 993588 / (CHICHESTER) SCORPION DINGHY PARTS. Everything for sale apart from hull - mast, boom, sails, rudder, centreboard, spinnaker poles, rigging and fittings, etc. Canvas cover only 3 years old. Launching trolley with removable jockey wheel. Everything in fair condition. Parts for sale separately, please apply. £20 Tel 01969 368371 / (LEYBURN)

TIDEWAY SAILS. Tideway Sails by Jeckylls in White Terylene Main - 1 row of reefing points fitted. (No battens supplied) Genoa some staining, nylon twist Hank’s on luff Jib - brass piston Hank’s fitted to luff All in good useable condition. £100 Tel 07887 771451 / (FAREHAM) EUROPE CLASS SAILS. Velas Pires de Lima (AP-3 layout, different shapes) 4 sails in very good condition, used 2-3 months Spanish Champion design 2014!!! £280 Tel +3466 0181999 / (SPAIN) MIRROR DINGHY. Mirror dinghy No.64859 for sail. Never sailed. Stored in garage since built. All parts still in original package, Stainless Steel rigging. £700.00. £700 Tel 07798 828733 / (DARLINGTON)

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31 FOOT CRUISING YACHT. A Sparkman and Stephens designed sailing sloop, with a black GRP hull, teak deck, beautiful lines and shape. Fully equipped for sailing, roller reefing and GRP/Radar installed 2011. New Nanni 21 hp engine and seacocks. Down below: 4 berths, leather upholstery, cooking galley, separate toilet and washing area. £15000 Tel 028302 60600 / (NEWRY)

JEANNEAU ‘16 479. Used 13.4m length polyester white coloured diesel Sailboat, with 4 cabins, 4 heads, 4 beds. Usage hours 3.289. Engine’s power 55bhp. Anemometer, Bathroom ladder, Auxiliary machine, Compass, Electric windlass, Fathometer, GPS, Gangway, Kitchen, Land socket, Oven, Plotter, Sewage tank, Tent, Tv, Vhf, Water tank, Auto pilot, Οutboard motor, Refrigerator, with 1 engine, A/C, Bimini Top, Bow Thruster, Electric Winch for Mainsail, Electronic Instruments, GPS Plotter Inside and on Cockpit, Reefing Mainsail, Outboard Motor, Radio/CD player, Solar Panel, Sprayhood, 2 Steering Wheels. £189000 Tel +30 6932606223 / (GREECE) FLYING 15 - 3827. Built August 2005 by Carbon Composites Cowes, Carbon deck, flyaway spinnaker pole system, carbon spinnaker chute, adjustable jib cars, fully faired hull, keel, rudder. Full amount of correctors. Lovely looking boat in off white. Comes with full set of Pinnell and Bax sails. Road trailer. Lying Grafham SC. £5000 Tel 07816 836245 / (HUNTINGDON) 1990 ROGERS DESIGN J-24. Good race results both in club racing and opens. 2nd Spring Cup 2019 in Dartmouth. 5th Summer Cup 2019 in Parkstone with race win. 3rd Autumn Cup in Poole. Race wins at the last two National Events. Last weighed in at 1272KG. Original Kenyon Mast with forestay reinforcement completed 2019. £9000 Tel +4477 87741871 / +4477 68533119 (POOLE) ROGERS CONTESSA J24. Race-ready Rogers Contessa J24. GBR4113 is ready to take away today, fully rerigged in 2019 with Kingfisher Ropes, Harken and Viadana blocks. Correctors, 2016 Dart Sails set, North Sails spinnaker, road trailer, outboard engine. Contact for full history and inventory. £6750 Tel 07894 275014 / (PLYMOUTH) 1980 SOUTHERLY 105. Well-maintained lifting keel Southerly 105, all the gear, including full suit of sails, inflatable dinghy, winches, full inventory and ready to sail away immediately for all-year round sailing. Viewing by arrangement, contact for more information. £30950 Tel 07894 275014 / (PLYMOUTH) SWALLOW YACHTS BAY CRUISER 23. Bay cruiser 23. Built 2015. Very good condition. Includes a braked trailer. £39000 Tel 07770 860730 / (CARDIGAN) SB20 NUMBER IRL 3148. Excellent condition. Ready to race. 1 – Main & Jib. 3 – Gennakers. Mast, boom and carbon gennaker pole. Keel hoist. Keel buffers. Tacktick Compass. 2 – Gennaker launch bags (blue). Rudder blade plus cover sleeve. Top cover. Lifting straps. Engine bracket. 2.5 hp engine. Many accessories. Road Trailer. £10000 Tel 00353 863731738 / (DUBLIN)

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OTHER EQUIPMENT VICTRON MULTIPLUS INVERTERCHARGER. Used. 48V/3000VA/35A. Latest Firmware 2.6 including MK3 USB-VE-Bus interface module. Images and further details on request. £800 Tel 01395 271256 / 07971 261798 (EXMOUTH)

SAILS

TRAILERS DINGHY TRAILER 3.8M X 1.5M. Suitable for boats up to 12’. Well maintained and in good working order. Bearings recently serviced. New tyres. Good mudguards. Winch with new handle. Two keel rollers, two sets of adjustable hull rollers. Painted black. Good, solid trailer. Reduced for a quick sale. £190 Tel 07928 082128 / 02380 732868 (SOUTHAMPTON)

OTHER EQUIPMENT YACHTING MONTHLY YEAR BOOKS. 0220 Books starting from 1908 through to 1925. 1909, 1910 and 1917 to 18 are missing. Condition is very good for age, there is some fading to the covers of some but bindings are all good. Collection or collection by courier NN6. £150 Tel 01604 686685 / 07977 538386 (MARKET HARBOROUGH )

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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting MARCH 2021

Jess Lloyd-Mostyn The fine art of setting the anchor and then relaxing for the night is not nearly as simple as it sounds and Jess often finds herself absorbed as her yacht takes part in the ‘slack tide dance’

ur boat is a heavy girl. She takes a lot of power to get going and build up her momentum and she hates to go in astern with any wind at all on her beam or her quarter. But, give her a quiet anchorage and a full moon and she suddenly becomes as nifty and adept a mover as someone on Strictly. When we imagine misadventures on a boat it’s often coupled with our minds conjuring up images of wild seas, crashing storms, big and violent conditions. In reality some of our most common mishaps have been when things are completely calm out on the water, which makes these narratives somehow even more comical on reflection. That’s all because our boat’s favourite little number is the slack tide dance. In northern New Zealand she spooked us by lying bow to bow with a big steel ketch at anchor in the small hours one night. We’d anchored nowhere near each other and both boats had plenty of scope out and both anchors were fully set but clearly the two monohulls were dissimilar enough below the waterline to ride the tide in completely different ways, causing us a rather sleepless night as we took turns to go up to the bow, fenders at the ready. We buddy-boated with some friends on a catamaran in Panama, and visited a lot of the same anchorages. But one night we found ourselves a little too close for comfort when, once low water came round, we gently bumped toe rails. The wind had dropped and the two boats were clearly wanting to do some kind of waltz. In order to avoid further soft collisions all night long we decided to simply raft up and disentangled ourselves in the morning, once the breeze reappeared. Some spots are well known by locals for the swirling currents and eddies that send all the boats swaying and spinning in all directions. In Labuan Bajo harbour, in the Komodo islands, there is a huge resident fleet of boats of all shapes and sizes and whenever the wind dropped we would find ourselves at odd angles with many of them when the water stopped moving. At one moment we’d be stern to stern with a large wooden junk, looking every bit like a classic pirate ship, but then, a

few beats later, a flat-bottomed steel cargo boat would drift towards us, looking as though it would t-bone us. Fortunately, the boats all had people onboard and every night would inevitably include friendly strangers hollering at us as we scrambled up on deck to push rails away. And, much like a rather worn out dancer, our boat’s hull had a few streaks of grime and paint after her nightly performances. It surprises me how often there is an anchorage in a place where currents churn and twirl. And it can be far more disturbing to witness your boat’s tidal dancing when viewed from ashore. I remember clinking well-earned cold beers with friends after a long day at a place in Pacific Costa Rica, only for the four of us to glance back at our boats and see the two of them in a very mis-matched number; their’s pirouetting on her chain whilst ours gambolled about like a clumsy puppy. We all sped over in our dinghies, drinks warming at the bar, only to find that neither anchor had dragged but that they were both influenced by the current in totally different ways. Moments later, a fresh easterly put an end to their conflict and they both settled into a perfectly synchronised routine like well-practised professionals. And of course, with so little force on the keel during times of still water, there is very little potential for our yacht to get damaged during these spontaneous performances. But it’s funny to think of the character of the boat beneath the water giving it a style of movement all its own, much like the trim of its sails dictating its movements above the water. Or perhaps she’s just putting on a show to remind us that she can still be lithe and graceful even at 30 years old? Maybe she’s just more of a marine mammal than I might have appreciated. As one of her most memorable dances was in Opunohu Bay, in Moorea French Polynesia, where crowds of seasonal sailors gather to see the stingrays and blacktip reefs sharks riding the currents, and where our own oceangoing creature would swoop and glide at each slack tide, swapping partners with each boat in the anchorage. And all beautifully choreographed so that she never collided or bumped the others.

MARCH 2021 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

JESS LLOYDMOSTYN Jess and James left the UK in 2011 in their Crossbow 42 and have sailed halfway round the world, growing their crew en route. Follow their journey at water-log.com

ILLUSTRATION: MICHAEL PARKIN

‘The wind had dropped and the two boats were clearly wanting to do some kind of waltz’