12sdsdcdc

NG

UP

e

c TI Dul G E H o G PA , LI Ri T G

R

he

E

EN

W

A

K

18

Deck LAYOUTS THAT Work

ES

+

BOAT DESIGN

SECURITY Brings PEACE of MIND +

PA G E 5 1

Yo u r P a s s p o r t t o t h e S a i l i n g L i f e

Ocean Waypoints Charter in the AZORES p. 4 2

E x p l o r e P O LY N E S I A’ S Re m o t e O u t p o s t s p. 3 4

M A R C H

2 0 1 7

c r u i s i n g w o r l d . c o m

ELECTRONICS PA G E 6 7

Bareboat | Skippered | Flotillas | Sailing Schools | Ownership Call 800.437.7880 or visit sunsail.com

Redraw your boundaries.

It’s the ultimate escape. You’re at the helm of your own yacht, the wide open sea waiting and the horizon is calling. This is a feeling that some will never know, an adventure full of straining sails and rushing water. Where you go is entirely up to you.

Fuel your thirst for adventure and discover your freedom in 25 destinations across the world.

Take a calm cruise down the Mediterranean coastline, stopping in at secluded beaches, sun-baked villages and hidden bays. Or ease your sheets and catch the Caribbean trade winds for an exhilarating blue water reach.

Your boat. Your path. You lead the way.

25 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION

GARY JOBSON Photo by Bronny Daniels

Twenty-five years ago, Gary Jobson received a call that changed his life. Friends of his in Annapolis were organizing a Leukemia Cup Regatta and asked for his help. That first Leukemia Cup raised $30,000 and has grown into 45 events throughout North America, raising more than $58 million for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). *DU\·V ZRUN WRRN RQ VSHFLDO VLJQLILFDQFH LQ ZKHQ KH ZDV GLDJQRVHG ZLWK QRQ +RGJNLQ O\PSKRPD +H QHYHU GUHDPHG WKDW \HDUV DIWHU JHWWLQJ LQYROYHG ZLWK //6 KH ZRXOG EH RQH RI WKH patients benefiting from the funds he had helped raise to accelerate cancer cures. Gary remains cancer-free today and committed all the more to helping LLS improve the quality of life for other patients and their families. +HOS *DU\ PDNH D VSHFLDO \HDU LQ KRQRU RI DOO FDQFHU SDWLHQWV DQG PHGLFDO SURIHVVLRQDOV ZKR are his daily inspiration by: 5HJLVWHULQJ DQG IXQGUDLVLQJ IRU D /HXNHPLD &XS 5HJDWWD LQ \RXU DUHD 0DNLQJ D GRQDWLRQ WRZDUG *DU\·V HIIRUWV 9LVLW www.leukemiacup.org/garyjobson to learn more.

National Supporters

sailing to make someday today

JOIN US: LEUKEMIACUP.ORG

LLS also congratulates the following sailors who qualified to participate in the 2016 Fantasy Sail with Gary Jobson, National Leukemia Cup Regatta Chairman.

Individual Qualifiers

Team Qualifiers

Christopher Bellone Burton Benrud, Jr. Deb Beutel John Boyle Guy Brierre Brenda Cheney George Chretien Matt Cromar Ruth Emblin 3DP *DIILJDQ Blaine Gahagan 7HG +DQQLJ -RKQ +HLQW] /OR\G +HOP .DUO +REDUW 7UDF\ +RZDUG Dominic Irpino Ernest Khirallah John Kilroy Schley Knight Chris Kostanecki Carl and Rhett Krawitt Ann & Tad Lacey

&RQQLH DQG 7HG 2·&RQQRU

Ray Leubner Nancy Levy Lisa Liles Mark McLaughlin John McNeill Scotty Murray 1HOVRQ 3HPEHUWRQ Matt Regan Doug Robinson Trey Rose Cruz Schroeder 3DWULFN 6KDQQRQ Diane Simon Donald Steiner Lisa Thorndike Jim Wade Rob Whittet William & Colleen Wildner Travis Wilhite James and Judy Wilson Alan Wolper Linda Zager

Top Team Fundraising Participants Zephyr 6RXWKHUQ <DFKW &OXE 1HZ 2UOHDQV /$ +ROO\ &DOOLD 'DYLG (UZLQ 5REHUW .RWWOHU DQG J. Miles Reidy

Hot Ticket: Jeff Burch Indigo: William T. Jones Jr., William and Susan Stevens Potomac Revelers: Michael Foster and George Umberger Rum Front: Bill McKenzie

Top Individual Fundraising Participants 0DWW &URPDU 6DQ )UDQFLVFR <DFKW &OXE &KULV .RVWDQHFNL 6DQ )UDQFLVFR <DFKW &OXE 7UDF\ +RZDUG &ROXPELD <DFKW &OXE 0DUN 0F/DXJKOLQ 6DQ )UDQFLVFR <DFKW &OXE -RKQ 0F1HLOO 6DQ )UDQFLVFR <DFKW &OXE *X\ %ULHUUH 6RXWKHUQ <DFKW &OXE 7HG +DQQLJ 6DQ )UDQFLVFR <DFKW &OXE

Top Fundraising Leukemia Cup Regattas 6DQ )UDQFLVFR <DFKW &OXE 6DQ )UDQFLVFR &$ &ROXPELD <DFKW &OXE &KLFDJR ,/ 6DYDQQDK <DFKW &OXE 6DYDQQDK *$ 6RXWKHUQ <DFKW &OXE 1HZ 2UOHDQV /$ (DVWSRUW $QQDSROLV <DFKW &OXEV $QQDSROLV 0' (OOLRWW %D\ 0DULQD 6HDWWOH :$

Team Tartan :DVKLQJWRQ 6DLOLQJ 0DULQD $OH[DQGULD 9$ 7HDP PHPEHUV &KULV DQG *DU\ 0F*UDZ

1HZ <RUN <DFKW &OXE 1HZSRUW 5,

Compass Self Storage &OHYHODQG <DFKWLQJ &OXE &OHYHODQG 2+ 7RGG $PVGHOO .DWLH )HWH (G +DLQULKDU .HOOLH +DZNLQV 6FKDIIQHU DQG 7RP 3XUG\

&KDUOHVWRQ 2FHDQ 5DFLQJ $VVRFLDWLRQ &KDUOHVWRQ 6&

Team Chance 6DQ )UDQFLVFR <DFKW &OXE 6DQ )UDQFLFVR &$ 6WDQOH\ +DOHV DQG 7RULQ .QRUU Team Jahazi &ROXPELD <DFKW &OXE &KLFDJR ,/ )UDQN DQG /RUL *LDPSROL DQG %UDG DQG 'HEEL 3ROLYND

:DVKLQJWRQ 6DLOLQJ 0DULQD $OH[DQGULD 9$ 6RXWKHUQ &KHVDSHDNH 'HOWDYLOOH 9$ $PHULFDQ <DFKW &OXE 5\H 1< &OHYHODQG <DFKWLQJ &OXE &OHYHODQG 2+ 6RXWKHUQ &KHVDSHDNH 'HOWDYLOOH 9$ +RXVWRQ <DFKW &OXE +RXVWRQ 7;

Upcoming Events Isles Yacht Club One-Design Races 0DUFK 3XQWD *RUGD )/ ZZZ OHXNHPLDFXS RUJ VXQ Isles Yacht Club PHRF Races 0DUFK 3XQWD *RUGD )/ ZZZ OHXNHPLDFXS RUJ VXQ Southern Yacht Club Leukemia Cup Regatta $SULO 1HZ 2UOHDQV /$ ZZZ OHXNHPLDFXS RUJ PVOD Southern Yacht Club Leukemia Cup Regatta Stand Up Paddle $SULO 1HZ 2UOHDQV /$ ZZZ OHXNHPLDFXS RUJ PVOD New Orleans Yacht Club Poker Run 0D\ 1HZ 2UOHDQV /$ ZZZ OHXNHPLDFXS RUJ PVOD

Contents M a r c h

2 0 1 7

FEATU R ES

34

6

”

THE WRONG WAY ACROSS, PAGE 34

COLUMNS

BOATS & GEAR

8

61

Editor’s Log

A Spot of Yachting The Jeanneau 58 is in equal measures stylish, spacious and sporty.

By Herb McCormick

14 Underway

26 march 2017

The only footprints on the beach were our own, and it was easy to pass a month there, knowing that there wasn’t anywhere else in the world we wanted to be.

On Watch

71 Chartering News

106

34 THE WRONG WAY ACROSS A west-to-east Pacific sojourn takes a cruising family to remote Polynesia, and they’re glad it did.

By Mike L i t zo w

Of Watch HANDS-ON SAILOR

51 Hitting the Deck Topsides layouts will difer, depending on a designer’s intent — to race or cruise.

By Tim Murphy

42 ISLANDS IN THE DEEP BLUE A charter vacation to the Azores is not for the faint of heart, but the rewards are well worth the challenges you’ll encounter in this midocean landfall.

64 More of a Good Thing With the HallbergRassy 40 MK II, the Swedes up the ante on a venerable cruiser.

By Mark Pillsbury

By He rb McCo r mi ck

55 Making Dinghy Chaps A sewing machine and some fabric will add life to your tender.

By Heather Francis

65

58

67

Shocking News New technology protects your boat from AC electrical shocks.

Monthly Maintenance

by Steve D’Antonio

Remote Control Log on and check your boat, any time you please.

Electronics by David Schmidt

Sailing Refined The M36x from Morris Yachts is fitted out for performance.

By Mark Pillsbury

ON THE COVER It’s “land-ho” time for Matt Yerxa and crew on the Beneteau 473 Kahe’a, about to make landfall at Vuda Point, Fiji.

Photo by Tor Johnson

BILLY BLACK (ABOVE); MIKE LITZOW (TOP)

cruisingworld.com

“

E d i t o r ’s L o g Schmitt shook the OPO tree again, and this time, thousands in donations rained down.

B Y

M A R K

P I L L S B U R Y

MUTUAL Appreciation

march 2017

8

COURTESY HANK SCHMITT

cruisingworld.com

I

t all started with a boat, float the moorings out into the as it often does in Hank harbor. Once in place, a pin is Schmitt’s world. Each fall released, and the block — with Schmitt leads the North Amerline, float and pendant attached ican Rally to the Caribbean, or — sinks to the bottom.

NARC Rally, from Newport, The Caribbean being the Rhode Island, to St. Maarten, Caribbean, only some of the and then spends the better part moorings were installed by winof the winter kicking around ter 2016. Still, PAYS organized the tropics rather than shovelthe first Yachtie Appreciation ing snow at his home on Long Week (Schmitt’s impromptu Island. Smart guy. name, which no one bothered One of his haunts as he travto change) in early February, els to and from the Windward and the party was on.

Islands is Dominica. Though it This year, says Schmitt, the lacks the white-sand beaches rest of the moorings are in, (and therefore the number and more to the point, Yachtie of visitors) of most other Appreciation Week II is set to Moorings are built island-style, with concrete poured into Caribbean islands, Dominica crank up the second week of wooden forms on the beach at Prince Rupert’s Bay. is blessed with soaring mounFebruary. During the celebratains, lush greenery and tion, PAYS waives the usual delightful locals, including the island’s boat and Lawrence’s new skif was launched. $10-per-night tie-up fee. This year, big boys. Several years ago, they founded the Then two years ago, Schmitt stopped parties ashore are scheduled on Sunday Portsmouth Association of Yacht Services

by Dominica on his way to St. Maarten and Wednesday at the PAYS Pavilion. to improve security in Prince Rupert’s from St. Lucia, where he’d just completed Twenty bucks gets you fed and all the Bay, the anchorage at the north end of the the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. Addressing punch you want, and the proceeds beneisland, and to cater to the needs of any sailthe lack of a mooring where you could fit the association. There are discounted ors who might stop to drop a hook. leave your boat for a day or longer to exisland tours, and an eagerly anticipated The first boat boy Schmitt met was plore ashore struck him as an opportunity soccer match between the local high Albert Lawrence, a father of three, who to help out not only Lawrence, but the isschool, and a yachtie-and-boat-boy team worked the anchorage during the tourist land as a whole. is scheduled. Then on Saturday, the govseason in a rickety old boat, which he then Schmitt shook the OPO tree again, ernment hosts a final bash at the restored took ofshore to fish the rest of the year. and this time thousands in donations fort overlooking the bay.

Over the course of a few visits, the two rained down. The goal was to install “I had three emails just this morning men got to know each other better, and 50 moorings in time for the 2016 season. from boats asking about the event,” finally four years ago, Schmitt, a former In all, 43 members “bought” a mooring Schmitt reported in early January. “I ofshore oil worker and fisherman himself, for $375, which entitles them to lifetime think we will have a big group for the decided it was time to do something about use any time they visit the bay, along with week, which is nice. Of course the point Lawrence’s craft. a name on a plaque at the PAYS Pavilion is to have boats visit all winter long, and I Schmitt’s real job these days is running in Portsmouth. Additional donations think that is working just fine.”

Ofshore Passage Opportunities, which brought the total to $21,975, which Ever the doer, Schmitt is talking about matches aspiring crewmembers with decovered the shipping of line, mooring new fundraisers and other islands that livery skippers and boat owners. It was to balls, shackles, etc., to Dominica. could benefit from having moorings the OPO membership that he turned for Each 2,500-pound mooring is made installed. Cuba is a thought, but there donations, and raised $6,000 to buy fiberon the beach, where rebar is installed in a are lots of possible venues throughout glass and resin to ship to Dominica. What wooden frame, and then a concrete block the Caribbean. was supposed to be a one-year boatbuildis poured. A payloader drags the block “If you have good moorings, people ing project turned into two, says Schmitt, to the water’s edge, where it’s suspended come and spend money, and the whole but eventually island inertia was overcome, under a wooden barge that was built to town does better,” says Schmitt.

Micron: Generations of Innovation Every parent hopes their children will do well and have a better life than they did. At Interlux, we feel the same way about the products we make.

With each new advancement and generation of Micron® Technology comes better performing, higher quality solutions. Innovation is 0a tradition we are proud to have carried on for over 30 years.

From the long lasting and always dependable Micron CSC to our new, powerful water-based Micron Optima with Activated Biolux®, we build on our past success to deliver state of the art protection today.

Whatever the year, you know you’ll always have the latest and best in Micron Technology.

Scan the code with your smartphone to watch our brand new Micron film.

All trademarks mentioned are owned by, or licensed to, the AkzoNobel group of companies. © AkzoNobel 2016.

EDITORIAL E D I TO R Mark Pillsbury mark.pillsbury@bonniercorp.com E X E C U T I V E E D I TO R Herb McCormick herb.mccormick@bonniercorp.com S E N I O R E D I TO R Jen Brett jen.brett@bonniercorp.com M A N AG I N G E D I TO R Eleanor Merrill eleanor.merrill@bonniercorp.com E L E C T R O N I C S E D I TO R David Schmidt D I GI TA L E D I TO R Benjamin Meyers C O P Y E D I TO R Savannah Vickers ART C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R Dave Weaver D E S I G N E R Tanya Loranca E D I TO R S AT L A R GE Bernadette Bernon, Cap’n Fatty Goodlander, Gary Jobson, Elaine Lembo, Tim Murphy, Angus Phillips C O N T R I B U T I N G E D I TO R S Jim Carrier, Wendy Mitman Clarke, Barbara Marrett, Jeremy McGeary, Lynda Morris Childress, Michel Savage, Alvah Simon, Diana Simon C R U I S I N G WO R L D E D I TO R I A L O F F I C E 55 Hammarlund Way Middletown, RI 02842 401-845-5100; fax 401-845-5180 cruisingworld.com V P, D I R E C TO R O F B R A N D S T R AT E G I E S Matt Hickman E D I TO R I A L D I R E C TO R Shawn Bean C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R Dave Weaver C O N S U M E R M A R K E T I N G D I R E C TO R Leigh Bingham GR O U P M A R K E T I N G D I R E C TO R Haley Bischof S E N I O R M A R K E T I N G M A N AGE R Kelly MacDonald M A R K E T I N G M A N AG E R Tabatha Hunsinger P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S M A N AG E R Evily Giannopoulos B U S I N E S S M A N AG E R David Erne G R O U P P R O D U C T I O N D I R E C TO R Michelle Doster P R O D U C T I O N M A N AGE R Kristin Prohaska 407-571-4942 kristin.prohaska@bonniercorp.com GRAPHIC ARTISTS Jennifer Remias Shaira Barnette H U M A N R E S O U R C E S D I R E C TO R Sheri Bass

PUBLISHER S A L LY H E L M E 401-845-4405 sally.helme@bonniercorp.com ADVERTISING A DV E R T I S I N G D I R E C TO R , N E W E N GL A N D, M I D - AT L A N T I C & E U R O P E Ted Ruegg 410-263-2484 ted.ruegg@bonniercorp.com S O U T H E A S T, C E N T R A L U. S . & W E S T C OA S T Parker Stair 865-599-9791 parker.stair@bonniercorp.com CARIBBEAN David Gillespie 303-638-7909 david.gillespie303@gmail.com CLASSIFIED AND SPECIAL-SECTION S A L E S M A N AG E R Michelle Roche 401-845-4440 michelle.roche@bonniercorp.com DETROIT Jef Roberge - Advertising Director Joy Gariepy - Account Manager E X E C U T I V E A DV E R T I S I N G C O O R D I N ATO R Trish Means-Reardon 401-845-4402 trish.reardon@bonniercorp.com E V E N T D I R E C TO R Jennifer Davies 401-845-4412 jennifer.davies@bonniercorp.com E V E N T A S S I S TA N T James Imhof 401-845-4408 james.imhof@bonniercorp.com

C H A I R M A N Tomas Franzén H E A D O F B U S I N E S S A R E A , M AG A Z I N E S Lars Dahmén CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Eric Zinczenko CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Joachim Jaginder C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R David Ritchie CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Elizabeth Burnham Murphy C H I E F D I G I TA L R E V E N U E O F F I C E R Sean Holzman V I C E P R E S I D E N T, I N T E G R AT E D S A L E S John Graney VICE PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARKETING John Reese V I C E P R E S I D E N T, D I GI TA L O P E R AT I O N S David Butler V I C E P R E S I D E N T, P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S Perri Dorset GENERAL COUNSEL Jeremy Thompson

W R I T E R / P H OTO G R A P H E R GU I D E L I N E S : cruisingworld.com/guidelines CW R E C KO N I N G S N E W S L E T T E R : Subscribe at cruisingworld.com.

CW ’ S C H A R T E R D I R E C TO R Y : cruisingworld.com/charter/charter-directory B AC K I S S U E S : Back issues cost $5 plus postage. Call 515-237-3697.

R E P R I N T S : Email reprints@bonniercorp.com.

This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources.

R E TA I L S I N GL E C O P Y S A L E S : ProCirc Retail Solutions Group, Tony DiBisceglie For customer service and subscription questions, such as renewal, address change, email preference, billing and account status, go to: cruisingworld.com/cs. You can also email CRWcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com, in the U.S. call toll-free 866-436-2461, outside the U.S. call 515-237-3697, or write to Cruising World, P.O. Box 6364, Harlan, IA 51593.

(410) 626-2720 sales@GeminiCatamarans.com GeminiCatamarans.com

MARCH 2017

U N D E RWAY NEWS and NOTES from the CRUISING COMMUNITY

cruisingworld.com

Ed i te d by Je n B re t t

march 2017

14

THE GAMBIER ARCHIPELAGO

S

horter days, longer shadows, hiking and big, hearty meals: To me this is what fall is all about. Even in French Polynesia — or at least in the southern Gambier Archipelago, arguably the most remote of French Polynesia’s five major island groups. The Gambiers are where I first experienced the onset of a subtropical winter. We’d arrived from the relatively touristic Galápagos Islands on the equator, where the sun rises and sets at the same time all year, and seasonal changes are measured in rainfall and swell rather than daylight hours and temperature. Suddenly (well, 18 days and 2,700 nautical miles later) we were in a farflung archipelago with a dry climate, dreamy 5 o’clock shadows, cool, clear water, no hotel in sight, and French baguettes baked daily. Heaven.

In the main village of Rikitea, Toyota Hilux trucks passed us by occasionally, women with flowers behind their ears smiling and waving, or men flashing the hang-loose sign out the window.

Seeking a destination that is off the South Pacific milk run, the crew of Tamata dropped the hook in the remote Gambier Islands.

KATE MACBAIN

march 2017

15

cruisingworld.com

• C• R U

IS

G WORL

• • • • • • • • •D•

IN

••• M

MA L

U N D E R W AY

H 2017 RC •• •• ••• •••• ` ••

march 2017

HERE COMES THE SUN SUN Over the past 20 years, I have mastered four diferent sailing vessels and made multiple transits on various commercial and military ships in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The type of boat I am aboard matters little. Each and every morning, I rise before dawn and go on deck for one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had the privilege in which to partake. It begins with stars so plentiful that any city dweller would think I was telling a sea story if I tried to relate the quantity of them that one can see. As the dark fades to light, the stars one by one disappear into the now-graying sky. On the horizon, I begin to see the first signs of a new day.

At sea one can see great distances. The horizon is frequently shrouded in a low cloud line.

Slowly, streaks of light slip through with a brilliance that can only be described as a heavenly hallow. As the sun moves between the earth and the low clouds, momentary flashes of light come and go with remarkable speed. As I sit and watch the light brighten, the streaks of brilliance grow in intensity until the sun itself peaks over the low-lying clouds. If I had to try to explain the majesty of this instant in time, I guess I would say it’s like seeing the eye of God rise to greet the day and bless all those on the planet.

Immediately following sunrise, my thoughts always turn to my loved ones and how they fill me with joy and pride. To all friends and family who could never understand why I am drawn to the sea, now you know.

During an offshore passage, sunrise is a favorite time for many sailors.

NEW TAKE ON WAKES Here’s a tip that might help inland-waterway cruisers. I have made the trip from Annapolis, Maryland, to Florida many times and have often heard the VHF radio squawk, “He waked me.” Many newer waterway travelers do not understand the wake dynamics of a large motor vessel. If the skipper of a 45- to 65-foot powerboat needs to pass a 7-knot sailboat, he will most likely need to overtake it at a speed of 9 to 13 knots or more. Many power yachts displace a much larger wake at those speeds than they do at their cruising speed. When a passing situation occurs, the slower vessel should reduce speed to less than 3 knots to allow the overtaking vessel to pass with a reduced wake.

Sailboats and slower powerboats can and should communicate in a simpler way. Slower vessels should fly one of two optional signal flags from their stern, high enough for an overtaking vessel to see. A yellow flag signals: I know you want to pass and I know to slow my speed to help you do so while creating a minimal wake. A green flag indicates that the overtaking vessel should maintain speed but give as wide a berth as possible.

If many of the marinas along the Intracoastal would post this type of suggestion and stock

Eric Dybing, S/V Reckless

some of the signal flags, many more boaters would pass each other safely. Also, having the name of all boats written in a size that can be read from a distance would help when trying to hail a slower boat in a passing situation.

I can’t tell you how many boats I come across with their sterns covered by a gray dinghy with 3-inch black stick-on letters to display the name on its bottom. Unreadable!

T. Graham Kastendike Via email AN AZOREAN WELCOME Thank you for the very nice article about the Sweets and Mid Atlantic Yacht Services (Herb McCormick’s Of Watch, “Sweet’s Tidings,” January 2017). I first met Duncan and Ruth Ann in 2007 while crossing the Atlantic singlehandedly in a Cape Dory 25D. I had a cutlass bearing that needed replacing, which required the boat being placed on the hard for several days. Duncan and Ruth Ann very graciously opened their home to me. They are wonderful people and made my stay in the Azores the highlight of my crossing. Although my ocean-crossing days are behind me, we still maintain a close friendship.

Odie Lingle Via email

MARK PILLSBURY

cruisingworld.com

A

16

Black-pearl farming is the main industry in the Gambiers, and the region’s pearls have a reputation for being the best in French Polynesia. It’s a lucrative business. Despite the fact that many of their necessities arrive only when the supply ship turns up, the people of the Gambiers have an independent spirit and a quiet pride in their islands. Compared with the three other island groups I’ve visited in French Polynesia (all but the Marquesas), the Gambier Archipelago most distinctly felt like it is its own nation, a regional introvert sitting quietly and happily by itself over in the corner.

There were quiet trails to hike, motus to visit. We met locals who’d never been on an airplane and foreigners who’d come years ago and never left.

We traded fish we caught for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Someone told us about a man who’d gotten into trouble for possession of marijuana back in the ’70s. He was given the choice of either going to jail in Tahiti or being banished to a stunning but lonely island at the edge of the archipelago. Not surprisingly, he chose the latter.

His son now makes pizzas every Friday night in Rikitea. One evening we gathered with the people of the village at the large, openair gymnasium to watch boys and girls perform traditional dances in grass skirts and crowns made of waxy green foliage. Cellphone cameras flashed around us as the drumming thundered into the darkness beyond.

And the steak frites! OK, I admit they weren’t the best I’ve ever had. But I’ll always remember sitting in those plastic chairs surrounded by hibiscus trees and the scent of tiare flowers, eating lunch in the early-afternoon sunshine. Locals would stop in for casse-croute sandwiches to go, greeting each other with a kiss on each cheek. There would be a crew of dogs timidly inching nearer, hoping for a couple of my frites to find their way to the ground. It was hard to believe I was so far from home. To me, this Polynesian outpost was paradise.—Kate MacBain

Design + Performance™ and Legendary Performance Fabrics™ are trademarks and Sunbrella® is a registered trademark of Glen Raven, Inc.

L E G E N DA R Y P E R F O R M A N C E FA B R I C S S U N B R E L L A .C O M

FA D E P R O O F / E A S Y C A R E / B L E AC H C L E A N A B L E

™

RIO DULCE CRUISERS LIGHTING UP LIVES Havana Daydreaming

cruisingworld.com

CW readers Steve Michel and Anita London spent six weeks sailing in Cuba, and chronicled their adventures along the way. If you’re planning

march 2017

18

C

ruisers in Rio Dulce, Guatemala, are doing more than soaking up breathtaking vistas and eating delicious local fare — they’re improving the lives of locals in remote areas. Using old boat batteries and solar

de Pacayal was rumored to have been the site of attacks by a large puma, which killed several villagers, but it didn’t stop volunteers from trekking there with one of their lighting rigs.

Julia Bartlett, a tough, independent-thinking British

to sail in the area, or just want to learn more about Cuba, check out Steve’s blog at stephenmichel.com Facebook Q&A: What’s the onboard tool you can’t live without?

A wet/dry vacuum! It cleans bilges, pumps up the dinghy, unblocks toilets and shower sumps, cleans out water and diesel tanks, dries out parts ater washing in the degreaser, cleans the floors, sucks up water from defrosting the fridge and freezers, blows pingpong balls with cotton attached to pull lines through booms, and a whole lot more. —M.C. Headlamp. I use it with almost every other tool at some point. —J.F. That’s easy: zip ties.

—W.C. Definitely a Leatherman Wave or PST II multitool.

—J.O., C.D., B.P.

Using equipment donated by cruisers, Pass It On volunteers installed a solar-powered lighting system in a remote Guatemalan village (above), which required a hike to access it (left).

panels, volunteers of Pass It On Guatemala (passitonguatemala .org) are lighting up health clinics, community centers and schools in villages lacking electricity. The villagers are taught how to assemble, install and maintain the systems.

So far, 17 communities have benefited from this efort.

The volunteers endure long bus rides and hike for miles over rugged terrain to deliver the basic lighting setups. It’s not for the frail or faint of heart. The trail leading to the village of San Juan

cruiser who came to Rio Dulce in 2009, is the engine behind Pass It On. At 72 years old, she is indefatigable and as strong as a person half her age. When we donated our old mainsail to the organization, she carried it down the dock like it was nothing. In her makeshift oice in the library at Mar Marine, she explained to me how it all started.

“Tim and Pam Pennington, on the schooner Pamela Ann, put together a used solar panel and battery with a simple breaker

GREEN WAKES

box to set up lights in the home of a Guatemalan friend who was working on their schooner. I was aware that most rural villages are of the grid, and I thought there must be other boats updating their solar systems and batteries. Even used ones easily run a few LED bulbs. So I put out a call on the Rio Dulce VHF net and donations started to arrive.”

Tim Pennington continues to oversee the technical side of the operation. The former fire chief of Rio Dulce, Rita Rabre provides information and advice about the culture and how to best approach locals. Rabre’s husband, Daniel, a rural health worker, pinpoints which villages are most in need. Along with Bartlett, who is the chief organizer and fundraiser, they are the core team of Pass It On. The solar-panel project is 99 percent funded by the sale of castofs from the cruising community. “Cruisers are welcome to bring anything they are discarding and leave it in my cockpit. We are donated anything from old shoes and golf clubs to beautiful sails and used dinghies,” says Bartlett.

She takes no salary, though it has become a full-time job.

The organization recently started donating inflatable solar lanterns (Luci lights) to households with school children so kids can study at home after dark. Two villages are currently employing these lanterns, and four more will soon be recipients because 192 more lanterns are on the way.

The appeal of the organization, says Bartlett, is this: “During a hurricane-season layup, we cruisers need more to do than boat work and sightseeing, and Pass It On Guatemala ofers that.

It’s a chance to get involved in the community and contribute while having fun and adventures.

Occasionally we get a bit more adventure than we planned for, just like cruising.”

—Amy Flannery

COURTESY STEPHEN MICHEL (FAR LEFT); COURTESY AMY FLANNERY

U N D E R W AY

2017

40 | 43PC | NEW 45 | 48 | 51PC | 58

www.leopardcatamarans.com info@leopardcatamarans.com

U N D E R W AY

1 2

3

march 2017

20

STAY SAFE, HAVE FUN 1. HELLY HANSEN hp fjord jacket • $230 • hellyhansen.com

2. MAFIA w-pack • $150 • mafiabags.com

3. MOB LIFESAVER lifting strap • $25 • moblifesavers.com

4. MANTUS scuba pack • $600 • mantusanchors.com

5. EXPOSURE spotme • $50 • exposurelights.com

The new HP Fjord jacket from Helly Hansen offers good protection in a lightweight package. A shorter collar and snug hood provide the wearer with better peripheral vision than typical ofshore jackets. The twoply fabric is windproof, breathable and treated with a durable, waterrepellent finish. And with the Norwegian jord artwork printed on the inside, this jacket also looks good when it’s not being worn.

Looking for a new bag to take on shoreside adventures? Check out Mafia’s line of totes, backpacks, dufels and accessories made from upcycled sails.

Argentinian brothersister team Marcos and Paz Mafia launched their company in Buenos Aires in 2012, and today the company is based in San Francisco, California. Each bag is unique and hand sewn in California.

When it comes to getting a person who’s fallen overboard back onto the boat, you need all the help you can get.

The MOB Lifesaver is a 3-meter long, brightyellow Dyneema line that attaches to the lifting strap on an inflatable PFD. The other end is spliced with a handled loop, and it rolls right in with the air bladder for normal wear. When the PFD inflates, the strap floats to the surface to be grabbed by a rescuer.

Whether you need to clear a line of the prop or you want to check out a nearby reef, there are plenty of times when having scuba gear on board would be handy.

The Mantus Scuba Pack is made with cruisers in mind — the backpack, regulators, gauge and 13-cubic-foot tank weigh only 15 pounds total, and can all be stored easily in the specially designed backpack.

The SpotMe Strobe is designed to attract attention quickly. The small light has an IPX7 waterproof rating, is available with white or red light, and has a rapid, three-flash-sequence strobe that’s visible up to 1 kilometer in sunlight and 3 nautical miles at night. It is supplied with a tiny webbing holster and Velcro strap to attach to harnesses, PFDs or even a belt loop.

4

5

COURTESY THE MANUFACTURERS

cruisingworld.com

3

Elegant Simplicity

here’s just tons to like about this “little big boat.”

-- Cruising World Boat of the Year 2015

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349

Je an ne au Su nO dy ss ey 34 9

r ea eY th of at Bo

2015

rt po Im

r ise Cru et ck Po st Be

Je an ne au Su nO dy ss ey 34 9

In 2015, the Sun Odyssey 349 sailed away with awards for Best Pocket Cruiser and Import Boat of the Year during Cruising World’s Boat of the Year contest. Since that time over 400 boats have been built making the Sun Odyssey 349 one of the great success stories in Jeanneau’s 60 year history.

2015

410.280.9400

info@jeanneau.com

jeanneau.com

Sun Fast 3200 3600 Sun Odyssey 349 389 419 449 479 519 Deck Salon 41DS 44DS Jeanneau Yacht 51 54 58 64

QUANTUM SAILS

CRUISING SAIL TRIM GUIDE: MAINSAILS Quantum Sail’s expert David Flynn shows you how to get the most out of your mainsail with the right trim.

Proper sail trim doesn’t have to be difficult. We’re pulling on three corners of a triangle with a couple of control lines, all you need to know is how each control line works and an understanding of what you’re trying to accomplish.

The halyard and cunningham, outhaul, mainsheet, traveler, and boom vang are going to be the main tools you use to create the optimal sail shape for your point of sail.

AS WE LOOK AT HOW EACH SAIL CONTROL WORKS, WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON: • KEEPING THE BOAT IN CONTROL • MAXIMIZING POWER • OPTIMIZING UPWIND VELOCITY MADE GOOD When you hoist your sail, use minimum halyard tension then sheet the sail appropriately for the point of sail. With the sail now loaded, tension the halyard just enough to remove any horizontal wrinkles emanating from the luff.

The deeper (more curvature) in the sail shape, the more power it creates. In light to moderate wind, extra depth is desirable. In heavier wind, a fl atter sail shape is better.

Mainsheet tension affects every characteristic of the sail. More than any other control, sheet tension will change substantially. On a reach, the golden rule applies: when in doubt, let it out.

Visit www.QuantumSails.com to read the full guide to learn more about perfecting your mainsail trim.

BIG VOYAGE, TINY BOAT O, GOD, THY SEA IS SO GREAT AND MY BOAT IS SO SMALL. —Breton Fisherman’s Prayer

I

n 1993, newly retired airline pilot Hugo Vihlen was restless. While many his age were spending their remaining days on the golf course or spoiling grandkids, Vihlen got busy building Father’s Day, a 5-foot-4-inch steel-andfiberglass microyacht in which he was determined to break the record for the smallest boat ever to cross the Atlantic.

He was compelled to do this because his 1968 crossing record in a 5-foot-11-inch vessel had recently been broken.

Vihlen planned for the west-to-east crossing from Newfoundland to last about 85 days but was forced to stretch his rations when persistent storms battered the diminutive and uncomfortable craft.

Sleep-deprived and 34 pounds lighter, he hobbled onto the dock in Falmouth, England, 105 days later, again the owner and current holder of the record.

But of course records like these are made to be broken. For eight seasons Matthew Kent, 33, has served as bosun aboard tall ship Niagara in Erie, Pennsylvania. He became inspired to break Vihlen’s record when he was repairing the large deck of the brig and had a lot of time to think. “I wonder what the record is for the smallest boat to cross the Atlantic?” he pondered. And just like that, he began designing the boat.

The mission of Kent’s voyage will be to raise $300,000 to support science-based education programs of Bioreserve, a nonprofit biological field reserve in Glenmont, New York. With these funds, Bioreserve hopes to expand its lab and classrooms, and double the size of the reserve to 138 acres.

Kent seeks not just to break Vihlen’s record, but to obliterate it. Taking the Breton Fisherman’s Prayer to its terminal limit, Undaunted is a custom-built, square-rigged aluminum boat that measures just 3 feet, 6 inches from stem to stern. When I first saw that number, I thought it was a typo, but it’s not — then I thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t. This is insane: The bottom of my keel is longer than that. But apparently Kent’s the real deal, and he’s all in.

“I’ll be doing this with no resupply and no support boat out there,” Kent declared

confidently. “Part of that is because none of the people who beat the record before had a supply boat, so I don’t want an asterisk next to my record.”

After sea trials are complete, he’ll ship Undaunted to Gran Canaria and begin the 3,500-nautical-mile voyage to Florida in March 2017, which should take two to three months. His gear will include GPS, EPIRB, VHF radio, AIS, watermaker, running lights and sat phone, all powered by two batteries charged by a solar panel and a hand-cranked generator. For emergencies he’ll carry an immersion suit, life raft and flares. With food and water, Undaunted will displace 1,600 pounds, and there will somehow still be room for Kent and a Kindle.

Matthew Kent adjusts the sail on his diminuitive boat, Undaunted, which he plans to sail across the Atlantic.

I asked him about sleeping underway, and Kent was, as always, enthusiastic: “We designed this thing specifically around my dimensions,” he said. “And I really sleep well on board — I’m not claustrophobic.”

As Kent prepares for the voyage of a lifetime, I’m reminded of the old aphorism that when someone says, “That’s impossible,” they are only expressing an opinion.

Follow Kent and the Little Boat Project on Facebook as he pursues the record.

—Robert Beringer

COURTESY MATTHEW KENT

CRUISING TIPS

U N D E R W AY

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD. THOSE WHO SHY AWAY FROM NEW CHALLENGES, AND THOSE WHO LIVE FOR THEM. WHICH TYPE ARE YOU? QUANTUMSAILS.COM

C

IN

G WORL

P ople &

U N D E R W AY

SAVORY BEEF SATAY Sauce: 1 /2 cup peanut butter 1 -3 /2 /4 cup boiling water 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated finely 2 large cloves garlic, minced finely 1 teaspoon honey 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar Juice of one small lime Dried bird’s eye (Thai) chili peppers, to taste OR Pinch dried red-pepper flakes

march 2017

24

SAVORY, SPICY STIR-FRY To some, I’m known as the Peanut Butter Princess. (My mother swears I wouldn’t have made it through school without it.) Aboard Kate, our Newport 41, I keep it stashed in places with varying degrees of easy access so I always have a jar on hand. I even keep a small jar in our ditch bag.

Back in 2008, when my partner, Steve, and I were finally ready to untie the dock lines in San Diego, I ducked out for a final provisioning run. We already had enough stores on board to survive the zombie apocalypse, but I wasn’t going to start this crazy, scary adventure without my security food: I arrived at the checkout counter cradling 10 jars of all-natural peanut butter. I figured if I rationed, it might last three to four months; long enough to find my sea legs, figure out life on board — and find another peanut-butter source.

The great thing about peanut butter is its versatility. You can slather it on a piece of fresh bread at breakfast, pair it with fruit for a midafternoon snack, or use it in a spicy, savory dish like this favorite of ours, beef satay, at dinnertime. Now that’s what I call space-eicient provisioning! At least, that’s what I tell Steve every time he eyes the pile of peanut-butter jars in our grocery cart.

— Heather Francis

What Are Bird’s Eye Chilies?

Otherwise known as Thai chili peppers, bird’s eye (also called bird eye) chilies are small but pungent, and they pack a punch — they’re as hot as a low-range habanero and much hotter than a jalapeño — so use cautiously unless you’re accustomed to them. You can add these chili peppers to sauces, stir-fries or curries, either whole or crushed. —L.M.C.

Thin peanut butter gradually with boiling water, stirring constantly until it becomes a smooth, thin paste. Add grated ginger, garlic, honey, soy and sesame oil, and mix well. Add vinegar, lime juice and chili peppers (I use four to six, but use sparingly if you’re sensitive — they’re hot!). Mix well. Set aside.

Stir Fry: 1 cup rice (jasmine is ideal) 3 /4 pound beef stir-fry strips 1 to 2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil 1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings 1 carrot, peeled, halved, and julienned 1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional) 1 cup broccoli florets 1 medium green or red pepper, julienned 1 cup snap peas (optional) 1 lime, 1 cup peanuts, and fresh cilantro (if available) for garnish Cook rice; set aside and keep warm.

Sauté beef strips in a lightly oiled pan for one to two minutes, until just browned. Remove from pan; set aside.

Add remaining oil, heat until shiny; add onion and sauté until clear, one to two minutes. Add carrot, beans and broccoli, and sauté until al dente. Add beef, stir, and then add peppers and snap peas. Sauté until just wilted. Pour half to three-quarters of the satay sauce over mixture and toss well, reserving remaining sauce to serve at the table.

Serve immediately, over rice. Garnish with lime slices, cilantro and a handful of lightly crushed peanuts. Serves two.

P R E PA R AT I O N : AT A N C H O R O R U N D E R WAY TIME: 45 MINUTES PLUS 1-2 HOURS FOR SAUCE TO BLEND D I F F I C U LT Y : E A S Y

LYNDA MORRIS CHILDRESS

cruisingworld.com

Prepare an hour or two in advance to let flavors blend; adjust to taste before serving. Can be prepared a day (or two) in advance and kept in the fridge.

A P I E C E O F PA R A D I S E

to call your own

GUARANTEED MONTHLY REVENUE Each month you receive guaranteed fixed revenue regardless of charter activity.

OWNERS USE Liberal use of your yacht and sister ships.

ZERO OPERATING EXPENSES We take care of everything, including dockage, insurance, parts, labor and much more.

FINANCING The Moorings has endeavored to secure third party financing.

DURATION The program covers five to six seasons.

O n Wa t c h Because Direction Island lacked a functioning Wi-Fi hotspot, it was actually more out of communication with the rest of the world than it had been any time in the past couple of centuries.

B Y

C A P ’ N

F A T T Y

G O O D L A N D E R

cruisingworld.com

CUCKOO in COCOS

O

ccasionally my lives as a sea gypsy and an entrepreneur collide because I have to wear so many hats: captain, husband, writer, lover, sailor and money-grubber, to name but a few. When they do, odd things happen.

For example, a tasty little copywriting job came to me recently in the middle of the Indian Ocean via Sailmail, which I received via our single-sideband radio.

The writing took only a few days. Then all I needed was to spend an hour or two on the Internet fact checking, and another three months of cruising funds would be direct-deposited. Sweet!

Only one problem: Where would I find the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot in the windiest, wettest ocean on Earth?

“Cocos Keeling,” my wife, Carolyn, said without blinking. “Three hundred miles dead ahead. It’s perfect, Fatty.

Direction Island is historically all about international communication — from its

Long an Indian Ocean communications hub, Direction Island is deserted these days, save for the occasional cruiser.

1901 telegraph oice to its World War II underground telephone cable to its wooden Post Oice barrels that Joshua Slocum used to write home to its currently credit-cardenabled Wi-Fi’d harbor.”

“I thought Direction Island was deserted, that nobody

lived there,” I said.

“It is,” said Carolyn, “and they don’t. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t broadbanded.”

See how conflicting modern cruising can be? As a professional ink slinger in need of freedom chips, I was delighted. But as an ocean

vagabond, I was appalled.

Nonetheless, smarty-pants Carolyn had the answer to my every question.

“Really?” I asked. “Carolyn, is there anything you don’t know?”

“How to judge a man,” she replied.

Known oicially as Cocos (Keeling) Islands, this Indian Ocean landfall is a territory of Australia and is approximately 1,200 nautical miles equidistant between the motherland and Singapore. It was discovered by William Keeling of the East India Company in 1609, and is rarely visited because of its remoteness. The only vessels that normally transit are small yachts on their way to South Africa, 4,000 windy miles to leeward. Besides its location, the waters surrounding Cocos are rough.

Just outside the placid harbor, the Indian Ocean trades regularly gust to gale force. We barely managed to find the lee; twice I had to turn back for lack of visibility during violent

CAROLYN GOODLANDER

march 2017

26

NEW

588 Fast Cruising

Individual Customization

Design by judel / vrolijk & Co – safe, speedy, state-of-the-art

Enjoy space and daylight – luxury headroom with 2,15 m below deck

Easy Sailing

Ingeniously designed deck and cockpit – well-sized for sailing and relaxing

Innovative Design

The Silent Master Cabin – Perfect peace and harmonious environment

THE ASPIRATION OF BRILLIANCE

Silent Master Cabin

315

345

385

415

455

505

575

Hanse Yachts US Newburyport MA | Douglas Brophy | Ph: 1- 978 239 6568 | dbrophy@hanseyachts.com Almeida CA | Annapolis MD | Chicago IL | Houston TX | Huron OH | Manchester MA Newport Beach CA | Mamaroneck NY | San Diego CA | Sarasota FL | The BVI Seattle WA | Toronto ON | Vancouver BC

new

588

new

675

www.hanseyachts.com

march 2017

28

squalls as we approached the tiny, wind-swept island, one of several in South Keeling.

We expected the harbor to be deserted, but there were five or six stout cruising yachts at anchor in the lee of Direction. Australian Customs and Immigration was kind enough to come to us from nearby inhabited Home Island to grant clearance. As soon as our vessel formalities were complete, Carolyn booted up her computer to surf the Internet. “Ah, the Wi-Fi server is up!” she muttered to herself as I slipped away in the dinghy, eager to search for the famed postal barrel of yore.

As a young sailor boy, I’d dreamed of islands like Cocos in the Indian Ocean and Floreana, in the Galapagos.

Both had wooden barrels that sailing ships used as informal post oices in the 18th and 19th centuries. I believe it started with the South Pacific whalers. Those working the fishing grounds would drop of letters for home during the course of their two-plus-year voyages, while vessels heading back to civilization would fly a long, red homeward-bound pennant from their masthead and stop to scoop up the letters. Postage was free, and returning sailors were honor-bound to make sure the letters actually arrived at their destination, even if a year or three late.

Direction Island had one of the most famous and longestlived barrel post oices because both tramp steamers and cruise ships used to stop by, toss over a line, and the local men would wade along the beach to grab the incoming mail and release the outgoing in sealed, waterproof tins.

One cruise-ship line asked their passengers — a sizable number of whom were wealthy females — if they wanted to write to the lonely men on the island, and many did. It became a regular thing, and some steamy-if-anonymous missives resulted. One local resident wrote back, expressing a desire for a cat; once the word was out of the bag, many

a ship dropped of a basketful of kitties with the mail. This wreaked havoc with the bird population — ah, the misery of unexpected consequences.

Alas, after hiking the entire island, I found only a historical plaque marking the spot where the barrel once rested, not the actual postal bin itself. I felt strangely cheated.

Perhaps a passing vessel had carted it away as a famous antique or a local had chopped it up for firewood. Damn!

cyber-connected. I do not.

I’m more of a log-of, cast-of and sail-away kind of guy.

And so I often tell her, “I didn’t voyage here to check Facebook,” when I refuse to move within range of such cyber-bedevilment. But this was dollars-and-cents business, an oicial put-foodon-the-galley-table necessity, so I swallowed my pride and we moved closer to the beach.

The following day, we went in search of the once-busy

Legend has it that a photo of islanders inspecting damage to a remnant cable spared Direction from further war damage (top). Whalers left their letters in the island’s postal barrel.

Why couldn’t such a lovely maritime tradition carry on to this day?

By the time I got back to Ganesh, our 43-foot Wauquiez Amphitrite ketch, I could see Carolyn was frustrated. “I think we’re anchored too far out,” she said. “I can’t actually connect to the Wi-Fi. Can we move in closer?”

This has been a point of contention between us.

Carolyn always wants to be

telegraph station that became operational on Direction Island in 1901. All we could find, though, was a rusty, vine-encrusted cistern. Scratch of one more way to communicate with the outside world.

While ashore, we did managed to hunt down the Wi-Fi antenna aimed at the harbor.

Its solar cell looked OK atop a telephone pole, and no one had tampered with the locked box that held its battery.

That evening, Carolyn reported she was “in” on the Wi-Fi router, but it wouldn’t accept her credit card.

“The coconut telegraph was more dependable,” I quipped.

“True,” she said, “But you need island people to have island rumors.”

My next shore quest was to find where the famed undersea cable that brought communications to the Indian Ocean came ashore. I thought this would be easy, but it wasn’t.

However, I did stumble upon a massive amount of broken steel and concrete on the windward side of Direction, which may or may not be related to the cable.

The past is never far behind while beachcombing anywhere on Cocos Keeling’s 27 islands. While I could not find the 160-foot radio mast that was erected in 1910, I felt the ghost of the much-respected Capt. Karl Friedrich Max von Müller, a World War I German sailor who briefly captured the island in such a gentlemanly way (he was careful not to bomb the tennis courts) that his eventual captors became his lifelong friends and fierce defenders.

There were still some craters on the island that might have been the result of World War II Japanese bombs dropped in 1942. The islanders were smart. While the strategic underwater cable that ran from Singapore, Australia and South Africa was undamaged, they took a photograph of a small spare section that appeared to be heavily hit, and told the Allies to report that the whole station and its cable had been wiped out. Whether the Germans and Japanese fell for the ruse nobody knows, but there were no further wartime attacks on Direction Island or its cable station.

“Still haven’t been able to cyber-connect?” I asked Carolyn as we made a signboard to hang on a palm tree, another delightful Cocos maritime tradition.

“No,” she scowled. “At first I thought it might be a creditcard-verification problem;

COURTESY CAROLYN GOODLANDER

cruisingworld.com

O N WA T C H

now I’m convinced the Wi-Fi server isn’t actually connected to the Internet at all.”

“Poor dear,” I said. “Going cold turkey on Facebook must be a drag.”

“Don’t start!” she said. “I haven’t twittered in so long, I’ve forgotten how to tweet!”

As the island days — and daze — flew past, we met our fellow cruisers. Paul and Celeste Carpenter, aboard the Valiant 40 Benguine, ofered to let us use their SatPhone to email my manuscript.

We were soon inviting each other over for cockpit dinners and rum-fueled laughs.

He’s a retired fireman from California, and she’s on her 21st year of living aboard.

Two youthful sailors from Australia sailed in.

Rhys Brindley and Trevor Youngberg were new to cruising and having the time of their young lives. They immediately dropped their hook next to Ganesh and dashed of to snorkel the pristine reef (nice!) and to spear their

Home or West Island with a sack of cash and avail ourselves of their satellite uplink.”

I smiled. The entrepreneur in me was disappointed, but the sea gypsy was delighted.

Because Direction Island lacked a functioning Wi-Fi hotspot, it was actually more out of communication with the rest of the world than it had been any time in the past couple of centuries. It had no barrel post oice, no telegraph, no underwater cable, no radio tower and no Internet.

Carolyn was in the final stages of cyber-withdrawal that day last fall. She needed a shot of Google, a dash of Instagram and a hint of Whisper to mentally right herself.

“You poor, info-starved thing,” I taunted.

“I want to find out what is happening with the election,” she said.

“Are you sure?” I fired back.

Colorfully painted signboards left behind by visiting sailors are yet another way crews have found to communicate on Direction Island.

dinghy (not so nice) when a too-clever parrotfish confused their field of fire.

We immediately took them under our parental wing, and eventually we all crossed the entire Indian Ocean in tandem — even after they 1) drunkenly flipped their dinghy twice in the same evening; 2) got their wallets stolen; and

3) begged the fishermen of Mauritius to bust beer bottles over their heads. (Fishermen the world over tend to accommodate such requests, but gosh, the youngsters were having some Aussie-style fun!)

Finally Carolyn dejectedly admitted defeat. “I can’t connect to the Internet here,” she said. “We’ll have to get to

Fatty and Carolyn spent the holiday season gorging with the Zulu meat eaters of South Arica.

CAROLYN GOODLANDER

cruisingworld.com

O N WA T C H

30

The Experts You Can Rely On.

THRUSTERS

• Ultra-precise maneuvering • Wide range of solutions from Internal/External, Retractable, DC, AC and Hydraulic • Easy integration with plug and play CANbus gateway

Put a Throttle in Your Thruster

We make it easy to GO PROportional Our Proportional Thuster Upgrade Program lets you upgrade any ,+ ,ƛ 1, ,2/ proportional...without taking your boat out of the water!

PORTIONAL

Premier Products

•

Unbeatable Service

•

Unsurpassed Expertise

•

508.995.7000

•

www.imtra.com

Break Free from the Ordinary This spring, feed your soul with unlimited adventure, ultimate freedom, and unforgettable moments on the water. Capture your best vacation ever with The Moorings, and experience Five-Star Sailing at its best. Over 20 of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sought-after, sun-drenched destinations await.

on the water Call 800.669.6529 or visit moorings.com/cw

Register Now! O O

Preview new & brokerage sailboats

O O

Discover the latest in marine equipment & accessories

O O

O O

O O

New Demo Area in Ego Alley! Try out kayaks, canoes, stand up paddleboards and small sailboats Listen to live entertainment and enjoy food and drink tastings Register for valuable door prizes

Learn to Sail at a Hands-on

First Sail Workshop

BUY TICKETS ONLINE! For more info:

AnnapolisBoatShows.com

410-268-8828

PROGRAM REGISTRATION Step One - Plot Your Educational Course Create your own schedule with these packages: ❏ Four-Day Elective Package: $660 ❏ Three-Day Cruising Preparedness Package: $530 ❏ Two-Day Cruising Preparedness Package: $390

❏ Four-Day Master Cruisers Series - $660 Two days of intensive training in one program class, plus 2 additional days of elective courses

Select One Program Class:

❏ Cruising Women (Limit 40) ❏ Diesel Maintenance (Limit 20) ❏ Modern Coastal Navigation (Limit 20)

❏ One-Day Cruising Education Package: $230 Program and elective classes run from 8:15 am to 3:45 pm

Step Two - Choose Your Elective Classes Thursday: Select one class per time slot 8:15 AM - 9:45 AM

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

2:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Diesel Maintenance (Day 1 of 2) Cruising Women (Day 1 of 2) Medical Emergencies at Sea

Exploring the Chesapeake

Docking & Line Handling

The Gourmet Galley

How to Maintain Your Cruising Boat (Part 1)

How to Maintain Your Cruising Boat (Part 2)

How to Maintain Your Cruising Boat (Part 3)

Weather Makers: Low Pressure Understood

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

2:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Friday: Select one class per time slot 8:15 AM - 9:45 AM

Diesel Maintenance (Day 2 of 2) Cruising Women (Day 2 of 2) Coastal Cruising: Chesapeake to Caribbean

Guide to Short-Handed Sailing

Choosing a Cruising Catamaran

OMG, We Bought a Boat!

Now What?

Weather Maps: What’s with all those Symbols?

Offshore Energy Management & Design

The Efficient Boat Fridge

Cruising the Florida Keys

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

2:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Saturday: Select one class per time slot 8:15 AM - 9:45 AM

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Modern Coastal Navigation (Day 1 of 2) Marine Weather Forecasting Proper Prior Planning

Anchoring & Docking: Tips & Tactics

Navigating the ICW

Communications for Cruisers

The Seaworthy Bargain

Refitting the Seaworthy Bargain

Top 10 Cruising Destinations

Living Offshore with Wind & Solar

Misery is Optional

Keeping Cool - AC Simplified

Crossing the Gulf Stream in Comfort

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

2:15 PM - 3:45 PM

Sunday: Select one class per time slot 8:15 AM - 9:45 AM

Modern Coastal Navigation (Day 2 of 2) 5 Step Plan to Your Cruising Dreams Great Products You Need Now

Safety at Sea

Bahama-Bound

Round Trip of the Abacos

Sail Trim for Control

Exploring the Chesapeake

Basic Diesel Maintenance

Collision Avoidance: Radar & AIS

Weather in Motion

Sailboat Plumbing Systems

Cruising Together 24/7

Re-entering Land Life after Cruising

Step Three - Register Today for Cruisers University - CruisersUniversity.com

C RU I S E R S U N I V E R S I T Y. C O M

march 2017

34

WRONG WAY ACROSS A west-to-east South Pacific crossing takes a sailing family well off the beaten track.

By Mike Litzow

S

ometimes you can be too smart for your own good. Galactic, our custom 45-foot cutter, was a week out of New Zealand, cranking eastward at 8.5 knots.

But the forecast showed a low forming in the tropics and moving southeast to intersect our path. My wife, Alisa, and I decided to slow down instead of sailing right into it. So we heaved to, and with our two sons, 7-year-old Elias and 4-year-old Eric, we waited for the system to pass in front of us.

Windy squalls are par for the course when crossing the vast Pacific en route to the remote islands of French Polynesia.

ALISA ABOOKIRE

cruisingworld.com

T H E

TWENTY-TWO DAYS AND 3,150 MILES OUT OF NEW ZEALAND, GALACTIC CAME TO REST AT TAHANEA, WHICH BECAME ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES IN THE WORLD. After the low finally passed, our new problem was persistent southeast winds, which put Raivavae, our tentative destination in the Australs, dead to windward. It had turned our voyage into a long passage, so we were happy to ease sheets and fall of for the Tuamotu Archipelago, known as the “Dangerous Archipelago” because of the low-lying atolls that sailboats rarely visited before the days of GPS and radar.

We were planning to spend five months in French Polynesia, after all, and we would get another chance for the Australs.

Twenty-two days and 3,150 miles out of New Zealand, Galactic came to rest at Tahanea, which became one of our favorite places in the world. We bypassed the crowded anchorage at the pass and dropped the hook on the far side of the atoll, where the starry nights were unblemished by the sight of anyone else’s anchor light. The only footprints on the beaches were our own, and it was easy to pass a month there, knowing that there wasn’t anywhere else in the world we wanted to be.

After that month, we began a slow drift through the Tuamotus. The passages were all gentle, the anchorages tended toward the delightful, and we had the diverting company of other sailors and villagers.

We saw Fakarava, Makemo and Hao, and as we slowly made our way to the windward end of the chain, I kept my eye on the course back to Raivavae. The farther we went, the better the angle was for catching the trade winds to the Australs. Finally, from Amanu, we jumped of on the four-day crossing to Raivavae.

R

aivavae was luminous. From the moment we saw it, the island glowed emerald on the horizon. When we entered the pass and motored inside the reef to the anchorage of the village of Rairua, the glowing colors only intensified. The sky and sea competed to put forth the purest blue. Thick vegetation seemed to reflect more sunlight than it absorbed. Raivavae introduced itself in its best light.

But then we rowed ashore to the wharf where a group of people was fishing, and everything fell flat.

Our few words of French were greeted indiferently.

No one smiled. This first impression was troubling.

Would Raivavae be standoish?

Luckily, we had a secret weapon for crossing the cultural divide. Back in New Zealand, we had met Paul and Francis Tudor-Stack of the Australianflagged Monkeyfist, who had told us about the reading glasses they carried on board. The glasses were collected, cleaned and graded by volunteers from the Lions’ Club, which then put them on traveling sailboats to be distributed to South Pacific islanders.

Alisa knew a good thing when she saw it, and when we sailed away from New Zealand, Galactic was carrying 400 pairs of glasses.

So now, at Raivavae, Alisa made an appointment to see the mayor to ask if she could distribute the glasses at the mairie, the town hall. The giveaway was a success. Everywhere Alisa went beforehand, she had a reason to stop and talk with people, telling them that she had reading glasses to give away at the mairie at such and such a time and that all were welcome. And when people showed up, she and Elias, who was her assistant, had something of real value to give away. Old folks came to Alisa with cracked glasses or no glasses at all, and hymn books with tiny type that they could suddenly read again after years of struggle.

When Raivavaeans asked Alisa why she was going to the trouble of giving away glasses in this place where we knew no one, she answered with a phrase that she had picked up in impromptu French lessons with a retired teacher in Fakarava, back in the Tuamotus. “It is to thank you for your welcome,” said Alisa. And it worked — people understood exactly what she meant, and were satisfied at that.

It was the kickof to a wonderful month in Raivavae. Suddenly we knew people all around the island. After the unforgiving flatness of the Tuamotus, the mountainous terrain of Raivavae seemed particularly mysterious and alluring. There were paths to explore in the mountains and a road right around the island that was perfect for father-son bike rides.

For three weeks, the people of Raivavae kindly let our children attend school, where they had the time of their lives. Soon we couldn’t walk anywhere on the island without a boy appearing from a banana plantation for a quick game of tag with Elias.

It was great. But as the season started to wind

Clockwise from top, left: Alisa, Elias and Eric head for the beach at Tahanea, in the Tuamotus.

A family in Rapa is decked out in their Sunday best. Galactic lies peacefully at anchor inside the reef at Makemo.

The Litzows get their first look at Raivavae.

MIKE LITZOW

cruisingworld.com

march 2017

36

But the low decided to move south instead of southeast, and then it stalled in place. The result was that we had stopped just in time to let its gale-force winds park directly on top of us.

In our seven years of full-time sailing, we had never experienced a gale at sea. We weren’t particularly troubled though. When we set out to ride the westerlies away from New Zealand, we fully expected to hit a gale at some point. We briefly rued our decision not to keep sailing, which would have carried us safely past the system, and then just settled in to wait it out.

We were heaved to for five days, all told.

Our trip eastward from New Zealand, a “wrong way” crossing of the South Pacific, against the trades, was the combination of two dreams that Alisa and I had been nurturing for years. Ultimately, this route would take us to Chile and the fjords of Patagonia.

More immediately, this was our chance to see the Austral Islands, the most rarely visited island group in French Polynesia. For years we had been hearing that traditional Polynesian hospitality persisted in the Australs, and we were eager to see for ourselves if the stories were true.

T H E W R O N G WA Y A C R O S S

IT WAS NATURALLY ASSUMED THAT THE CRUISING FAMILY ON THE SAILBOAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN EVERY EVENT.

T UA M Makemo O T U

AR CH IPE LA Tahanea GO Hao

Fakarava 20˚ S

N EA

AU STR AL

Raivavae O C N ISLA A C N DS F I C E I CO C I AC I F Nautical Miles PPA H H U TT 0 300

25˚ S

10˚ S

Tuam o tu Soc

iety Is lands

Au stra l Islan ds

20˚ S

Tropic of Capricorn

15

SO U

150˚ W

Rapa

30˚ S

140˚ W

NEW ZEALAND 180˚ E

40˚ S

Nautical Miles 0

170˚ E

Ar ch ip

170˚ W

160˚ W

150˚ W

on your own boat, with your own family, and traveling as a part of a group, no matter how good. While all of this feasting was going on between Rapa and the crews of Hanse and Galactic, there was an entire backstory of family-to-family interaction that we were lucky enough to find ourselves in. And this was where Rapa turned into a completely out-of-the-box Polynesian social experience.

On our very first attempt to walk into the village, we made it no more than a couple hundred meters down the road before Jackye Faraire came hurrying out of her house to invite us in for cofee. This turned out to be a coup, for in addition to being easy to befriend, Jackye also spoke English. Soon we were sharing meals with Jackye and her husband, Johnny, and their extended family, either at their house or on board Galactic. Alisa was baking bread with the women or learning to make popoi, while I was spearfishing with the men or paddling a va’a, the sleek outrigger canoes of Polynesia.

Meanwhile, we were enjoying one of our more remarkable friendships ever with another family,

300 140˚ W

600 130˚ W

Though the course to French Polynesia is predominantly northeastward and upwind (above), Galactic did get to spread her wings from time to time (opposite).

MAP BY SHANNON CAIN TUMINO; ALISA ABOOKIRE

march 2017

38

Y

ou’ll cry when you leave Rapa,” a friend told us in Raivavae when she heard Rapa was our goal. I repeated that to one of the National Geographic guys at Rapa, and he wasn’t so sure. “Yeah, this is nice,” he said. “But we’ve been to a lot of nice places. Not sure this is the one to make me cry.”

And therein lies the diference between traveling

o ag el

cruisingworld.com

R

apa reared out of the waves before us.

Its impossible clifs and towering spires looked like a citadel that had been left by some mischievous god in the farthest corner of Oceania. The comparison is apt because for centuries Rapa had been a heavily fortified island in the middle of nowhere. By the time Europeans first arrived in 1791, Rapa had developed into an odd social universe that saw the tiny island, barely 15 square miles in size, dominated by a series of mountaintop fortifications, called pares, from which various groups of natives stared across the lowlands at each other in mutual distrust. Rapans had been isolated for so long that they could barely make themselves understood to a Tahitian.

To this day, Rapa remains fortified by distance.

There is no airport, the supply ship comes only once every two months, and fewer than 10 cruising boats visit each year.

The island — sometimes called Rapa Iti to avoid confusion with Rapa Nui, or Easter Island — has the reputation of being diferent from anything else. We had wanted to visit for years. And now, as the anticipation built and we rounded the headland to get our first view into the harbor, we saw ... a cruise ship at the wharf.

We could have been deflated, but we aboard Galactic try to receive unexpected bumps in the journey with equanimity. And the ship, Hanse Explorer, turned out to be a major bonus for our visit.

Hanse was stufed with a National Geographic group and people working on a Pristine Seas project to set up marine protected areas around the world.

They were going fishing with the locals and engaging with them about community-based fisheries management. That evening they were inviting the community to a reception on board, and somehow, we were asked too. And that turned out to be the beginning of a perfect storm of social activity.

The Pristine Seas group did a fantastic job of extending themselves to the locals, of listening to their concerns and treating them with respect.

The people of Rapa, in turn, did something that Polynesian cultures clearly excel at — they treated these visitors as treasured guests. They reciprocated with leis and flower crowns and woven hats that are the Polynesian way of saying, “You are special; we honor you!” They played music for the visitors and taught them local dance. They showed their welcome with feasts where the only problem was finding a

clear space to work on a table that was stacked two or three layers deep in dishes of food.

And the miracle of it from our perspective was that it was naturally assumed that the cruising family on the sailboat should be included in every event. We were part of all of the incredible hospitality that Rapa showed the Hanse Explorer. We were treated to scenes of community celebration that were reminiscent, I imagine, of what a sailor might have encountered had they sailed into Rapa 40 years ago, when the Pacific was innocent of the great modern herds of traveling sailboats, and a friendly face from foreign shores was something to celebrate.

SO

down, I began to get itchy feet. There was one more place that we needed to see.

T H E W R O N G WA Y A C R O S S

MIKE LITZOW; ALISA ABOOKIRE (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM)

march 2017

40

cruisingworld.com

T H E W R O N G WA Y A C R O S S

Arnold and Lucie and their son, Manu. They spoke no English, to go along with our lack of French.

Arnold stopped by one afternoon when Alisa was cooking dinner and asked if he could come aboard, and soon enough he and Lucie were both hanging out on Galactic.

In our culture you don’t necessarily come into a stranger’s home and just sit around for an hour or two, even if you’re invited. In Polynesia, you do. So there were times, like that first day that Arnold and Lucie visited, when our Western conception of how the day would go, with some allegiance to a loose plan, would suddenly come grinding to a halt in the face of the largely incomprehensible people who were sitting in our saloon, placid looks on their faces, showing no signs of leaving any time soon.

SOON ENOUGH WE FOUND OURSELVES SWEPT UP IN AN IRREGULAR BACKBEAT OF SPONTANEOUS FUN WITH ARNOLD AND LUCIE.

When it was time to leave Rapa, there was no choice but to gather the whole gang for goodbyes (top, left).

Mountains tower over the island’s Haurei Bay (left).

On Rapa, a feast is called for when strangers come to visit (top, right).

With a little practice, the author masters the va’a so he can go paddling with friends.

But we went with it. And soon enough we found ourselves swept up in an irregular backbeat of spontaneous fun with Arnold and Lucie. They had us over for Sunday dinner; they drove us out to their house because they decided we really needed some homemade jam and veggies from their garden; they arrived late in the day to fish at the dock and eat a meal on Galactic. Arnold and Lucie’s attitude — there are people here, we don’t know them, can’t speak to them, but hey, they’re people, they probably eat, let’s take them home and give them a big feed — was so Polynesian. And, once we got past our Western concern over what they might be expecting in return, it was so much fun.

W

e have left a hundred places behind during our years of cruising. Our normal routine is to say our brief farewells ashore the day before we leave, and then slink away whenever we finally get ready. That was not an option in Rapa, where good manners clearly demanded that friends be ofered the chance to say bon voyage as we departed. So when the time came, we spread the word that we were leaving at 0600 the next day.

Johnny Faraire was the first to show up, and he handed me the va’a paddle I had been using on the island as a farewell gift. That floored me, although a couple of days earlier he had given me warning that was his intent. I had some tuna hooks for him. But I wish I had thought, in that electric moment of leaving, of handing our trolling rod to him. It would

have been the Polynesian thing to do.

Jackye came down with beautiful woven hats for the boys, and necklaces for all of us. Arnold and Lucie and Manu arrived at the boat, still looking very sleepy. Everyone had a cup of cofee on board. After kisses all around, it was time for us to shove of. We got the main up in the harbor, and then made a pass by the dock for a final wave. And then we sailed away from Rapa, most likely forever.

Ideas that a lot of Westerners pay lip service to — living in the moment, being generous, not being shackled to a life that serves material possession — are central parts of life in Rapa. There people treated us, strangers who could not speak to most of them, with an incredible grace. And that welcome made it hard for us not to see Rapa as a remarkable part of the world where people have learned to lead a life that’s a little bit more beautiful than what people have struck on in other places.

We just might have cried when we left.

The Litzows are continuing their adventures aboard Galactic in the Caribbean.

march 2017 cruisingworld.com

ISLANDS IN T

42

HE DEEP BLUE When it comes to exotic, challenging bareboat chartering destinations, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tough to match the rugged, pristine mid-Atlantic isles that constitute the Azores.

COURTESY SAIL AZORES

B Y

H E R B

M

C

C O R M I C K

A typical Azores backdrop of lush foliage, terraced hills and red roofs provides the scenic view for a Sail Azores bareboat charter yacht reaching into the Atlantic.

cruisingworld.com

CARDOZA.

march 2017

44

Silvia. DaCosta. Dutra. Mello. Borges.

Growing up in Middletown, Rhode Island, back in the day, those were just a few of the names of kids I went to school with who shared a common ancestry: Their dads — and in many cases, their dads’ dads — were fishermen. Farmers. Landscapers.

Boatbuilders. Mill workers. Masons.

Family men. They’d come to America seeking the vast opportunities it presented, and they epitomized the title of that great old Rolling Stones tune, “Salt of the Earth.”

Dashing through their kitchens, on the way from one baseball or basketball game to another, the stories around the table of the “old country” were all about the Azores, their homeland, an archipelago of nine rugged islands in the middle of the Atlantic where it was said that if you jammed a stick into the ground, it would grow into a towering tree, so fertile and lush was the land. That was the sort of observation that would send my buddies’ eyes rolling skyward, but it sounded pretty magical to me, and even as a landlocked teenager, I always wanted to go there, to see for myself. Then, when I grew older and became an ocean sailor, the itch to visit became stronger still for a whole new set of reasons.

Over the years, of course, literally tens of thousands of intrepid voyagers have made landfall in the Azores, along with Bermuda, one of the true crossroads of the Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps the first Yankee yachtsman to call there — all by himself, naturally — was Capt. Joshua Slocum, who watched the islands rise from the mist after an 18-day voyage from Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, in summer 1895. If some of my friends’ parents had originally piqued my interest in the place, it was Slocum who turned my hazy curiosity into a bona-fide obsession.

“Early on the morning of July 20, I saw Pico looming above the clouds on the starboard bow,” wrote Slocum in his classic tome, Sailing Alone Around the World. “Lower lands burst forth as the sun burned away the morning fog, and island after island came into view. As I approached nearer, cultivated fields appeared, ‘and oh, how green the corn!’

Only those who have seen the Azores from the deck of a vessel realize the beauty of the midocean picture ....

“It was the season for fruit when I arrived at the Azores,” he continued, “and there was soon more of all kinds of it put on board than I knew what to do with.

Islanders are always the kindest people in the world, and I met none anywhere kinder than the good hearts of this place.”

After reading those passages, and speaking with other sailors who’d arrived in

the Azores after a bluewater trip across the Atlantic, I reckoned and hoped that someday I would do the same. As it turned out, though, my very first glimpse of the isles came through the window of a puddlejumping airplane inbound from Lisbon, the Azores being one of Portugal’s autonomous regions. And soon after, when we hoisted sail to wander in Slocum’s wake, it wasn’t aboard my own yacht on which we set forth. Nope, our party of four — including my longtime Newport sailing pals, Joy and Ian Scott, and my good ol’ Aussie mate, Carole — would be taking in the islands on a bareboat charter from a company called Sail Azores on their spify Dufour 460 Grand Large, Primo. Slocum probably would have been appalled.

JUST

for the record, Slocum’s Spray may well have had an easier time getting to the Azores than we did. First of, our overnight flight from Boston to Lisbon was delayed several times

before being canceled altogether, which necessitated an overnight stay in an airport hotel. Then, on day two, another long delay in Beantown caused us to miss connections once in Portugal, which meant a second night in a hotel when we should’ve been aboard Primo and underway. By that time, we’d met several islanders in various airport lounges who assured us such travel nightmares to the Azores never happen (then again, they’d never flown with me, no stranger to such shenanigans).

But as we soon learned, from a wind and weather standpoint, that missed day of what happened to be clear skies and favorable breeze threw a wrench in our itinerary from which we never truly recovered. In other words, we didn’t get to see everything we’d hoped to. That’s the downside of an ambitious weeklong charter.

On a much more positive note, from the moment we finally landed in Horta, on the island of Faial, we were bathed in the same sort of warmth and hospitality

HERB MCCORMICK

Velas Marina on São Jorge Island seems like it was carved out of the mountain (top left). The fájas off the isle’s northern coastline provide world-class surf (top right). No visit to the Azores is complete without a drink at Peter’s Café Sport.

islands. Harbor-hopping between them — and taking some time ashore to enjoy their many attractions — is now relatively simple and straightforward for voyagers and charterers alike.

Once aboard Primo, we settled into the chart briefing with Anabela Costa and Filipe Goulart of the Sail Azores team.

As she spread out the charts before us, Anabela said, “The best we have to ofer is nature,” and began to point out some of the must-see destinations on our route.

As the islands span nearly 400 miles of blue Atlantic from west to east, it would be nearly impossible to visit them all in even a fortnight, particularly since the weather is nothing if not changeable. (That said, Sail Azores also ofers two-week charters for extremely motivated and experienced sailors who don’t mind overnight passages with suggested itineraries that cover most of the isles.) So Anabela advised a tour of the group’s central islands: São Jorge, Pico, Terceira and Faial. Since we were down to five days after our airline escapades, even this seemed like a fairly bold plan, but we were anxious to give it a go.

It was too late in the day to shove of, so we wandered along the waterfront and took in the dozens of colorful paintings on the seawalls created by long-distance sailors passing through, an open-air gallery of sorts and a tradition among voyagers for which Horta is famous. Afterward, we wandered up the hill to the bright, fully stocked supermarket where we loaded up on local wine, beer, fruit, bread, meats, cheeses and other delicacies. Finally, after catching a cab back to town with our goodies, we enjoyed a terrific seafood dinner at the Genuíno Restaurant, named after its proprietor, Genuíno Madruga, Portugal’s first and only solo circumnavigator, a local celebrity who greeted us at the door like long-lost mates. Everyone told us we had to try the local lapas, or limpets, delicate clams on the half-shell broiled in garlic and butter; so we did, and they were delicious.

So too was the fresh pargo, or sea bream, that followed. Wandering back to the boat, we were astounded by how afordable everything was. Two full carts of groceries had come to roughly 70 euros, or about $75 USD, which was nearly identical to our restaurant tab for dinner for four, complete with flowing wine and several beers.

I was up early the next morning for a long swim of the deserted beach on the outskirts of town, reportedly one of the few true beaches in the islands and the only one we’d see on our travels. The water, in the low 70s, was delightful, precisely the same temperature as back home in Newport on this late- September day.

With that, there was nothing left to do but go sailing.

45 march 2017

that had struck Slocum all those years ago, and which became a recurring theme of our entire trip. The Azoreans we met were inviting, wise and friendly folks, but most of all, they were extremely proud of the natural beauty and heritage of the unique island chain they call home, and were more than eager to show it all of.

We were greeted at the airport by the afable Nicolau Faria, who founded Sail Azores several years ago. Before that, a coastal cruise of the Azores was a strenuous afair, for there are few spots to anchor in the deep, rocky waters adjacent to the steep, volcanic islands, which is why most transiting bluewater sailors confined their brief visits to the protected harbor of Horta before proceeding on their merry ways. More recently, however, a series of modern marinas, nestled behind new breakwaters and complete with clean, excellent shoreside facilities and even free Wi-Fi, have been erected on most of the

cruisingworld.com

ISLANDS IN THE DEEP BLUE

WITH

a fresh southerly coursing across the waters, and making better than 7 knots on a powerful beam reach, we pointed Primo’s bow toward Velas Marina on São Jorge Island, covering the 22 miles from Horta in about four hours after briefly losing the breeze in the lee of Pico Alta, the 7,700-foot volcanic peak on the island of Pico that’s the dominant, ever-looming feature of the central group. “We’re out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!” marveled Ian, an obvious statement that was still hard to grasp, especially given the benign conditions. It was a sunny, sensational day for sailing, but strangely, after a brief glimpse of another yacht as we left

enjoyed the ultimate bird’s-eye view.

As with every harbor in the Azores, you need to clear in and clear out, which is how we met port captain Filipe Silveira, who spoke excellent English and couldn’t have been a better ambassador for his island. When we told him we would be spending only a single night so we could sail on to Terceira the next day, he flatly told us we were making a huge mistake.

“The hiking trails, the waterfalls, the swimming,” he said. “You will miss it all.”

Anyway, determined to have at least a brief look around, we strolled into the nearby village square and were astounded by the ancient parish church and town hall, the intricate gardens and the amazing

line, we found ourselves in lush, terraced pastureland where cows have grazed for centuries — and are grazing still — and the shadowed cordillera of volcanoes long ago erupted. Even the aroma was great.

Carole, who grew up in the dairy country south of Sydney where the movie Babe was filmed, took a deep breath and said, “It smells like home.” On top of all that, the view of Pico, cast in the low light of the setting sun, was magnificent.

The next morning, against Filipe’s advice, we took of for Terceira, some 50 miles distant, which Anabela, during our orientation, insisted we visit. The historic city of Angra do Heroismo, beautiful lakes and stunning caves, perhaps even a

On the island of Pico, we toured the Landscape of the Pico Vineyard Culture, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The vineyard has been divided into small plots surrounded by lava walls that tamp down the strong Atlantic winds.

Horta, there wasn’t a single boat to be seen. It felt like we had this miraculous waterborne amphitheater, bordered by islands in every direction, all to ourselves.

Velas Marina was a minor miracle, a compact hidy-hole behind a formidable breakwater with berths for about 80 yachts, but only a handful are reserved for transients. It seemed to have been carved directly out of a 200-foot clif, the tall perimeter of which was lined with the nests of Cory’s shearwaters, which

paving stones. But we also wanted to get some elevation for a broader view, so we hired a cabbie called Manuel to take us for a ride. Our Portuguese, of course, was nonexistent, and Manuel spoke little English, but he did understand “up” and “more up,” and before we knew it, we were on a long tour of the island.

As we gained altitude, winding through thick stands of trees on a road lined with brilliant hydrangea, it just got better and better. Once beyond the tree

bullfight: Terceira was said to be one of the highlights of the Azores.

And this is where our flight snafus caught up with us. Had we arrived on time in the first place, we would’ve had the previous wonderful day to sail to Terceira.

Instead, we never got there.

Not that we didn’t try. Leaving Velas, we popped outside the marina and realized, though it had been windy in the protected basin, that in the open water, the dogs were getting completely blown

ISLANDS IN THE DEEP BLUE

the moist atmosphere keeps the flora and fauna green and flourishing. After descending a few hundred feet, we exited the thick mist and were greeted with sunshine, which provided breathtaking views of the north shore, including several of the fájas – low tongues of old lava that slid down the hills and extend into the sea – for which São Jorge is renowned. About that time, we ran into a small group of cattle munching their lunch from scrub just of the well-marked trail. It was like a hallucination; none of us had ever seen mountain-climbing cows.

Halfway along, sweaty from the exertion, we stumbled across the waterfall Felipe mentioned, and Ian and I took the plunge into the clear, cool, wonderful water. It was sensational. Continuing on, once we’d reached sea level, at the Santo Cristo fája — a ring-shaped lagoon

that provides a world-class surf break — we met a bunch of Aussie surfers who’d rented a simple shoreside shack from Airbnb and were spending a couple of weeks chasing waves. I knew the surf had to be special when they said they were from Byron Bay, a famous Aussie break in its own right. They’d come an awfully long way in search of a better wave than the one in their own backyard.

At the end of the line, above and beyond our awaiting taxi, there were a couple of treats: a small chapel with a breathtaking statue of the Virgin Mary in the crypt of a volcano, and a tiny cafe serving icy Sagres beers for 1 euro apiece. It was nourishment for the body and the soul.

THE

next day, with our time evaporating and a run to Terceira now completely out of the cruisingworld.com

of their chains. Worse, it was blowing southeast at a staunch 25 knots with higher gusts, basically the direction we needed to go. There was a ripping seaway building and waves crashing against the exposed shoreline, sending plumes of spray high into the air. Unlike the previous day, there was now no doubt we were in the middle of the tempestuous

COURTESY SAIL AZORES (LEFT), HERB MCCORMICK MAP: SHANNON CAIN TUMINO

Strolling the streets of São Jorge, our Aussie crew, Carole, acknowledged a local drinking hole paying homage to her homeland (above). In Horta, the sea walls are graced by the many paintings created by cruising sailors passing through (right). The Azores are a long way from everywhere (bottom right).

march 2017

Atlantic. Still, it takes a lot for me to get the hint, so we hoisted a deeply reefed main and attempted to claw upwind.

After all, we needed to see Terceira! But as we crashed and rolled, with solid waves burying the foredeck, it was readily apparent we’d be in for an ordeal, and at least a 10-hour one at that. So we bailed out and returned to São Jorge. The women were visibly relieved, and secretly, so was I. “Discretion is the better part of valor,” said Ian. He was, of course, correct.

Thanks to Felipe, however, we had a Plan B: a long hike down and along the northern shore of São Jorge, which proved to be like something right out of The Hobbit.

We hailed a cab and, following Felipe’s advice, were dropped of at a trailhead about a thousand feet above the coastline near Pico do Esperanço, beginning the trek, quite literally, in the ever-present cloud that the island is known for. (The helpful cab driver promised to pick us up at a designated rendezvous spot about 6 miles down the coast a few hours later.)

It doesn’t rain much on São Jorge, but

47

The Azores 40º N

AT LA NT IC

Corvo

O

Flores 39º N

Faial

Graciosa São Jorge Velas Pico Horta

C

E

A

N

Terceira

São Roque do Pico

São Miguel

38º N

Azores +

Formigas 37º N

N autic al Miles 0 31º W

30º W

29º W

28º W

30 27º W

60 26º W

Santa Maria 25º W

cruisingworld.com

march 2017

48

question, we quickly knocked of the short trip across the channel from São Jorge to Pico, where we picked up a free mooring of the whaling museum in the town of São Roque do Pico. These days, whale-watching is the only whale-related activity in the Azores, but for centuries whaling was an important part of the local economy, and was still in practice as recently as the early 1980s before being outlawed altogether.

Once ashore, for 50 euros we hired another cabbie, 82-year-old Joe Souza (yes, there were Souzas in my high school too), for a rambling four-hour drive from one end of the 28-mile-long island to the other. Joe looked about 20 years younger than his age, spoke great English and, like every taxi driver we hired, he’d spent a good 20 years working in the United States — in his case in Fall River, Massachusetts, another New England stronghold of Azorean immigrants.

One of the highlights surely was lunch, which we enjoyed at a local restaurant overlooking the sea that served fresh fish along with chewy bread and the famous cheese and wine that Pico is known for.

At subsequent stops along the coastline, we wandered through lava arches and formations that have been formed over the centuries, and many picturesque saltwater swimming pools built directly into

CHARTERING THE AZORES Charter company: The kind folks at Sail Azores Yacht Charter (sailazores.pt) were an absolute delight. The charter season runs from April through October, but if you care to visit, book early: the Cruising Club of America has already chartered the entire Sail Azores fleet for a two-week stretch this summer. Our trip during the last week in September seemed a bit late in the season, but the plus side was finding easy docking at the sometimes-tight marinas.

Flights: Azores Airlines (azoresairlines.pt), formerly known as SATA, is the best way to get to the islands. Most international flights land in Lisbon, where you catch a commuter flight onward to Faial. There are also direct flights year-round from Boston and seasonally from Oakland (many Azorean emigrants who did not land in New England settled in central California).

Guidebook: A copy of Atlantic Islands (Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson) by Anne Hammick and Hilary Keatinge is a must.

You can order one before your trip or pick up a copy at Mid Atlantic Yacht Services (see “Off Watch,” January/February) once you arrive in Horta. A side trip to Mid Atlantic is worth the effort in its own right.

the rocky landscape, which provide the islanders and visitors places to swim and sunbathe in the absence of any beaches.

The most unusual part of our tour was a visit to the Landscape of the Pico Vineyard Culture, which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Centuries ago, the vineyard had been divided into small plots surrounded by black lava walls, the purpose of which was to protect the vines from the howling Atlantic winds. The view from the windmill in the center of it all was positively surreal.

Once back in São Roque, after dining at a local burger spot, we retired to Primo for what turned into a very long night with only snatches of sleep in the On the isle of Pico, you can be sure of seeing two things: the peak for which it’s named, and plenty of cows (right).

On São Jorge, once above the tree line, the landscape is otherworldly (below).

My longtime sailing mates Joy and Ian Scott are always handy and happy on a cruising boat (bottom right).

rolly mooring field. My loose plan had been to attempt to tackle an ascent of Pico — Ian was up for a try, though the gals seemed happy to continue sightseeing — but the day dawned rainy and foggy, and it was impossible to even see

Primo touching 8 and even 9 knots of boat speed. Roaring into Horta, it was a memorable way to wrap up the sailing portion of the journey.

Outside Horta, if there’s one thing everyone agrees you must take in on Faial, it’s the Capelinhos Volcano on the island’s western flank. It produced one of the seminal events in the history of the Azores: the creation of a deep crater by more than 300 explosions and earthquakes between September 1957 and October 1958. So we hailed one more taxi and set forth to check it out. It was a quiet, barren, haunted place, with loose sand and ash everywhere that gave the entire area an almost lunar feel.

Today, there’s an Interpretation Center built among the remains that tells the tale of those fateful months, and there’s also a tribute commemorating President John F. Kennedy, who was instrumental in helping upwards of 15,000 people — nearly half the island’s population — to emigrate in the volcano’s aftermath, many to the United States. It was like finding the missing piece to a puzzle: Clearly, that still-remembered natural disaster is part of the

reason I have so many friends from this small part of the world.

After that hot, dusty sojourn, the mandatory G&Ts at Peter’s Café Sport, with a big slice of lemon and rattling ice cubes, could not have been more refreshing.

Burgees and stickers decorate the place, and the ones near our table — for the Water Brothers surf shop back in Newport, and the Fall River Police Department — made it feel like home. We wrapped up the festivities at a restaurant across the way called Canto da Doca, where hot lava stones are delivered to the table on which you cook your own thin slices of meat, fish and pork.

“You are the chef,” said the waiter. Like every other meal we’d eaten on the trip, it was marvelous.

So, all in all, it was a good several days, enough to get a nice taste of these remote, alluring islands. Still, Pico remains unclimbed, Terceira unvisited, and I’ve yet to make my own landfall after crossing the Atlantic. Which means only one thing: We’re going to have to go back.

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

cruisingworld.com

the mountain, let alone scale it. (Once again, thanks to our initial delay, we were a day late and a dollar short … the previous day would’ve been ideal for a big hike.) So we decided instead to return to Faial — which we’d only dashed through at the outset of the trip — and have a good look around. Heck, we’d yet to even down a famed gin and tonic at Peter’s Café Sport, one of the sailing world’s most celebrated watering holes.

Underway by 1100 with a reef in the main and 12 to 15 knots of northeast breeze, we sailed close-hauled out of São Roque, making good progress on the way to Horta, until the breeze faltered and we hoisted the full mainsail for a little more punch. Making only 3 or 4 knots, I was just about to call it a day, roll up the jib and start motorsailing when, just to again underscore how conditions can change rapidly in the Azores, the wind shifted 20 degrees and came banging in from the north. It turned out to be a cracking great sail in breeze that topped of in the low 20s, making for a fantastic power reach under full canvas that had

49 march 2017

HERB MCCORMICK

ISLANDS IN THE DEEP BLUE

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S YOUR WATERLIFE.

WE OUTFIT IT.

Andy L. West Marine Associate Andy is wearing Helly Hansen.

westmarine.com Plus more than 250 stores nationwide

I

G

WO

RLD • H

A N

N

S-

C 74 • RUIS

D

19

ON SA L O

•

D

R

MARCH 2017

ES

TA B LISH

E

HANDS-ON SAILOR S O L U T I O N S

a n d

T E C H N I Q U E S

1

2

3

D e c k D e s i g n Tre n d s

Inflatable Insurance

S ho ck Pro tect io n

PAG E 5 1

PAG E 5 5

PAG E 5 8

1 H I T T IN G T H E D E C K W hen it comes to deck layouts, designers balance control and comfort; we explore these themes as displayed in monohulls from the 2017 Boat of the Year fleet.

BY TIM MURPHY

cruisingworld.com

P R A C T I C A L

BOATBUILDING 51

T

march 2017

oday’s sailboat design has matured well beyond mere hull forms. Designers are focusing ever more intensely on the parts that make up a boat: underbody, rig, cabins, cockpit and deck layout. It’s on these last two categories that we’ll focus now as we reflect on the monohulls that comprised the 2017 Boat of the Year fleet.

TIM’S TIP

BILLY BLACK

Nonoverlapping jibs are very popular. Designers can bring shrouds out to the hull instead of to tangs in the middle of the side decks. The wider shroud base provides better rig support.

The natural compromises inherent in all cruising boats are on full display when we examine cockpits and decks.

Control and comfort are a good starting point for our examination, and a choice that favors one of these traits sometimes comes at the cost of the other.

Clockwise from top: The exceptionally clean lines on the deck of the Solaris 50 were achieved in part by directing the running rigging through channels under the deck. The Dufour 460 Grand Large offers a good compromise: midboom sheeting to keep the mainsheet clear of the cockpit and a traveler for sail-shaping control. In the Alerion Sport 30, concealed channels for the running rigging leave space for lounging on cozy settees.

cruisingworld.com

Clockwise from top left: Inboard chainplates, as seen on this Elan Impression 45, are becoming less common; tie rods belowdecks spread rig loads to the hull. The BOTY judges appreciated labeled line stoppers like these on the Dehler 34.

On all the performance cruisers, as well as this Beneteau Oceanis 62, nonoverlapping headsails mean that chainplates can move outboard to the hull, providing better structure for the rig and a more open passage along the side decks. The Catalina 425 featured plenty of value-added details, such as this raised boss under the chainplate to discourage water intrusion. On the X-Yachts X4, some of the headsail’s running rigging remains underfoot to avoid friction-inducing turns.

Control: Shaping the Sails A glance at the exterior instantly telegraphs signals about a boat’s overall design brief. Start with a simple question: Where does the mainsheet end? Two boats built by the same company — the 34-foot Elan E4 and the 45-foot Elan Impression, each designed by Rob Humphreys — illustrate the point.

The E4 features a doubleended mainsheet at the boom’s aft end with a lowfriction traveler in the cockpit sole, just forward of the helm. The Impression, by contrast, features midboom sheeting, no traveler, and just one end of the sheet to work

with. In these examples, the E4 ofers significantly better control of the mainsail — particularly for shaping the leech — while the Impression trades that sail-handling control for the comfort and convenience of fewer lines to fiddle with, less clutter in the cockpit, and ample space to install a big bimini.

A deeper look at both boats confirms our quickand-dirty hypothesis. The E4 is a hard-chined, twinrudder performance cruiser with a keel-stepped mast and a displacement-to-length ratio (D/L) of 150; this is a boat that’s been optimized for speed, if not straight-up

racing. The double-ended mainsheet allows crew in racing mode to sheet both ends simultaneously, doubling the speed of maneuvers. The Elan Impression, by contrast, exhibits fuller hull sections, a deck-stepped mast, tankage for 230 gallons of fluids and a D/L of 205; it is, in short, a

TIM’S TIP A double-ended Germanstyle mainsheet at the boom’s aft end — coupled with a low-friction traveler in the cockpit sole — is the perfect tool for dialing in optimum mainsail shape and control.

dedicated cruising boat.

As we look through the 2017 fleet, all the boats in the Performance Cruiser category — the Alerion 30 Sport, Elan E4, J/112 E and Dehler 34 — exhibit end-boom sheeting, as do two other performanceoriented boats from the full-size cruiser categories: the X-Yachts X4 and the Solaris 50. The Dehler and the X4 are standout crossover boats: “cruiser-racers,” to bring back an outdated expression, and winners in their respective categories in our 2017 contest.

Another category winner, the Solaris 50, features a mainsheet that terminates at a single point at the centerline

BILLY BLACK (TOP RIGHT), TIM MURPHY

march 2017

52

HANDS-ON SAILOR

TIM’S TIP

BILLY BLACK (TOP), TIM MURPHY

While many builders lead halyards aft to the cockpit, many sailors prefer halyards, particularly for cruising chutes, that can be jumped at the mast for faster setting and smoother manuevers.

sailing short-handed, the driver can sit outboard just forward of the helm, with a good footrest on the binnacle and within ideal reach of the mainsheet and low-friction traveler.

The Alerion 30 Sport and the Hallberg-Rassy 40 Mk II put end-boom sheeting to diferent uses. In these two boats, the mainsheet terminates aft of the helm, outside the coaming, which keeps the cockpit clear of the sheet while still providing optimum sailshaping control. The Alerion 30 Sport uses its praiseworthy performance not in service of collecting trophies, but rather toward an exquisite daysailing experience for one or two people at a time.

The Hallberg-Rassy is alone among this crowd: classed not as a performance cruiser (its D/L of 227 is the heaviest among the 2017 fleet) but as a center-cockpit, all-oceans cruising boat. Bluewater sailors like to shape their sails too, and this Hallberg-Rassy was among the short list that this year’s BOTY judges would love to take deep-sea voyaging, the sooner the better.

Of the boats with midboom sheeting, the judges preferred those with travelers: the Catalina 42 and the Dufour 460 Grand Large. Ofering the least mainsail-shaping control were the Beneteau Oceanis

TIM’S TIP Double-ended mainsheets are the clear choice on most racing boats because they allow crews to sheet in both ends simultaneously, thereby doubling the speed and efficiency of manuevers.

Boats with midboom sheeting and no traveler, like this Jeanneau 58, offer the least mainsail controls but have plenty of room for a big bimini and fewer lines to tweak.

Left: The Elan E4 features end-boom sheeting in the cockpit sole for max mainsail-shaping control. Right: On the J/112E, the helmsman can sit forward of the wheel with all sail-control lines within easy reach.

Dufour 460 Grand Large and the Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 62.

For the crew, this arrangement opens a much better passage forward along the side deck; you don’t have to step awkwardly around the shrouds.

The other recent trend is twofold. More than a decade ago, designers began bringing nearly all the running rigging, including halyards, back to the cockpit. Lately, we see many builders covering that running rigging in channels under the cabin top. In this year’s fleet, those boats include the Alerion 30 Sport, Beneteau 62, Dehler 34, Dufour 460 Grand Large, Elan Impression 45, Jeanneau 58, Solaris 50 and X-Yachts X4. The look is elegant, and the technique keeps running line out from under the feet of crew working — or lounging — on deck. That

53 march 2017

Comfort: Hide the Running Gear In the past few years, we’ve observed two trends related to both the standing and the running rigging.

The first trend is the prevalence of nonoverlapping jibs.

This means that designers can bring the shrouds out to the hull instead of to tangs in the middle of the side deck, which typically require tie rods or hanging knees below deck to support the rig’s tension loads.

The wider shroud base provides better structure for the rig. This design was adopted by all the performance cruisers we mentioned above, as well as the

cruisingworld.com

Yacht 62, Elan Impression 45 and the Jeanneau 58. On each of these boats, the mainsheet terminates at twin blocks and provides little to no athwartships control.

of the cockpit sole, relying mainly on the hydraulic vang for leech-shaping. For the J/112 E, naval architect Alan Johnstone designed exemplary ergonomics into the helm station. With a full crew, the helmsperson can stand on centerline aft of the helm, or sit outboard on a coaming with easy fingertip control of the helm. Alternatively, when

HANDS-ON SAILOR

54

said, we preferred the installations — on the Alerion, Dehler, Jeanneau and Elan Impression — that provided access to gear such as turning blocks that occasionally require service. The X4

provides access from under the deck, and the Dehler has a cover that can be removed with several screws. The Beneteau requires breaking a caulk bond, which would be time consuming to service.

Jumping on and of two dozen boats in a week, we appreciated such builders as Dehler and Dufour, who labeled line stoppers by their function.

Catalina designer Gerry Douglas color-codes all the running rigging and organizes it identically throughout the brand’s line so sailors moving through the fleet can recognize sheets, furlers and outhauls in an instant. Still another feature of the Catalina’s deck design that contributed toward its selection as Domestic Boat of the Year was that the builder

added raised bosses in the deck tooling around chainplates and stanchion bases to prevent standing water from doing damage down the line.

On the Jeanneau 58 and the X4, the designers made choices that favor low friction of headsail controls (a good thing) but at the cost of foredeck tripping hazards (a less-good thing).

The convenience of having all lines run to the cockpit brings at least one other trade-of. BOTY judge and sailmaker Carol Hasse strongly prefers halyards, especially for cruising chutes, that can be jumped at the mast for quicker setting. For halyards that run internally in the mast, this means they must exit above shoulder height. A line stopper in that position helps too, particularly for short-handed crews.

Tim Murphy is a Cruising World editor-at-large and a longtime Boat of the Year judge.

TIM MURPHY

cruisingworld.com

Though a center-cockpit boat, the Hallberg Rassy 40 MK II still features good end-boom sheeting.

HANDS-ON SAILOR

PROJECTS PROJECTS

T

he dinghy is an invaluable piece of equipment on board a cruising sailboat.

It’s the family car, the tour boat and the workhorse. Some people consider their dinghy a life raft, or at least another floatable vessel in case of emergencies. We’ve used ours to help pull boats of reefs and to assist disabled vessels maneuvering in tight quarters. Several times we rafted our dinghy alongside our own boat and used it as an auxiliary engine. Like any important piece of equipment on board, it pays to take good care of the dinghy. To protect our inflatable and prolong its life, I sewed a custom canvas cover for it, commonly known as a dinghy chap.

The main purpose of chaps is to provide UV and chafe protection to the inflatable

B Y H E AT H E R F R A N C I S

pontoons. Both PVC and Hypalon are susceptible to UV damage, and no inflatable is impervious to rusty nails and jagged edges when pulling up to a dinghy dock. Despite how complex the finished product might look, sewing dinghy chaps is not a diicult project.

A heavy-duty machine able to handle three to four layers of 10-ounce material is required, but only the basic ability to sew straight seams is needed.

If one takes time when patterning and has patience to work in small sections when sewing, the fit will be snug and professional-looking.

Fabric Selection Choosing fabric for your dinghy chaps is the same as choosing fabrics for all other exterior canvas projects on board. You want something that is both abrasion-resistant and UV-stable. A heavy-duty

marine canvas like Sunbrella is purpose-made for just such projects. It is solution-dyed to prevent colors running or fading, and is shrink-proof, stretch-free and easy to work with. It is woven to be water-, mildew- and stain-resistant and, perhaps most important, is rated to block 98 percent of damaging UV rays. All these features mean your finished project will not only fit well and look great, but you can count on it to stand up to years of use and abuse.

Sunbrella is available in a wide spectrum of weights, but the best choice for this project is the standard marine awning fabric, which is a 9.25- or 10-ounce cloth.

There is some debate as to whether using darker colors can be detrimental to inflatable pontoons. Opponents argue that dark fabric will raise the interior air temperature

cruisingworld.com

D I Y c a n v a s c o v e r.

TIP If using a fabric that has a multicolor weave, such as the Sunbrella “Tweeds” range, make sure to account for extra material so the weave pattern is oriented in one direction.

55 march 2017

Prolong the life of your boat’s inflatable tender with this

1 inch for seam allowances.

We have an 11-foot dinghy, but it has oversize tubes, so the chaps need to be 28 inches wide. Most Sunbrella colors are available in two widths: 46 inches and 60 inches. For my dinghy, I estimated that about 8.5 yards of 46-inch fabric would be needed, or to minimize waste and cut down on cost, I could purchase 5 yards of 60-inch material.

On the bow and around handholds, lines and oar

Your boat’s tender is your ticket to cruising adventures (above). A custom canvas cover will protect it from chafe and UV rays.

Snug-fitting dinghy chaps will usually stay secure without needing to extend the canvas over the aft tube ends (right).

HEATHER FRANCIS

2 MA K I N G D I N G H Y C H A P S

quicker than a lighter-colored fabric would. Over the years I’ve seen and sewn dinghy chaps in a variety of colors and never heard any complaints from boat owners. Checking the surface temperature of the pontoons on our dinghy with an infrared digital thermometer gun — one covered with dark green chaps and the other uncovered — I found little diference between the two. If your dinghy serves as a life raft, you might want to consider a high-visibility color like safety orange.

For rough fabric yardage, you need to measure the length of both pontoons (I consider this straight sides only), the distance around the bow and half the circumference of the tubes, adding

HANDS-ON SAILOR

cruisingworld.com

Clockwise from top left: Webbing sewn around the hem can prevent the fabric from fraying, and also serves as an accent color.

Use pins to hold the webbing in place while you sew the hem. When patterning, clearly mark where all seams and cutouts should be. If you find that it’s necessary to secure the chaps around the aft portion of each tube, a simple bungee cord tied to grommets can do the trick.

locks, I like to use a marinegrade vinyl as an extra chafe guard and for color accents.

Depending on the amount of extra protection you would like and the width of the vinyl available, you might need between 1 and 3 yards.

HEATHER FRANCIS

march 2017

56

Patterning Patterning is perhaps the most important and time-consuming step of the whole project.

However, taking time to make a careful and correct outline will make the sewing and fitting go much more smoothly.

I use medium-weight plastic sheeting to pattern. This sheeting gives me maximum flexibility and very low stretch, makes tracing and placing cutouts a snap because you can see through it, and has enough body that it drapes well and can hold basic shapes. A light plastic sheet like those sold in painting kits will be frustrating to work with.

I have made chaps from start to finish while the dinghy was in the water, but I do not recommend it. You will have a much easier time if the dinghy is high and dry.

Hoisting it up on deck is great if you have ample space to work around it, but taking it ashore is preferred.

If you look at the construction of your dinghy, you will see the lines of your pattern.

There are usually seams at either end of the long, straight pontoons to accommodate the tapering of the tubes and the curve of the bow. The bow itself is often broken into three, or perhaps five, sections so a graceful point or rounded edge is achieved.

The pattern for the tubes

TIP For a tight fit, deflate the pontoons slightly when patterning and fitting.

Any excess slack in the fabric will disappear when the pontoons are fully inflated.

will be a basic rectangle with various cutouts to accommodate the handholds, oarlocks, grab line, transom and the seat. The rectangle is naturally defined by the rubrail on the outside, where the straight tubes meet the curve of the bow up forward, a straight line parallel to the floor, and where the tube begins to taper at the stern. I do not try to encapsulate the aft sections of the pontoons, as in my experience such chap designs tend to pick up water and cause drag.

To transfer the lines onto the pattern material, lay out the plastic smooth and flat over the tubes with a few inches overhang on all sides, and hold the plastic in place with low-tack tape. I like to trace around the oar locks and other hard protrusions and cut them out first so the plastic can lay truly flat before continuing. Next trace the outline using the above-mentioned guides and any other cutouts that need to be made.

In theory you need to pattern only one side of the dinghy because the tubes and placement of things such as oarlocks should be mirrored on the other side. However, I have encountered small variations between port and starboard pontoons, so it is best to check your pattern and make any notations on your pattern using a diferent-color marker.

Patterning the bow requires a little more patience. The chaps are held taut by creating a pocket that the bow slips into. To do this without also creating a water scoop, first watch your dinghy in action and make note of how far the bow dips when the boat is under load.

Using the seams of the

dinghy’s construction, cut and lay out the several pieces of pattern material needed for your particular dinghy. Where seams will lay, overlap the plastic and mark both pieces with corresponding dotted lines. You might need to add darts to achieve the proper shape if your dinghy tubes are particularly rounded.

Carefully cut away excess plastic where necessary to allow for a smooth layout.

Don’t forget to add a cutout where the painter attaches if your bow pocket reaches down that far.

With the main patterning done, you can then make patterns for the vinyl that will be sewn on top of the Sunbrella. Since vinyl doesn’t fray, you don’t need to account for seam allowances and aren’t as constrained with the design of shapes for accents and chafe guards.

TIP UV-resistant thread is thick. It’s a good practice to have multiple bobbins wound and ready so you don’t have to stop the flow of work whenever a bobbin is emptied.

Once all your patterning is complete, you will need a large, flat area to lay out your fabric and cut out your pattern. I use a tailor’s chalk to make any notations and to transfer any cutout areas to the fabric. To prevent the fabric from fraying, it is recommended that you use a hot knife to cut the Sunbrella.

Sewing As for all canvas products that live outside, it’s recommended to use a UV-stable thread such as a UVR-bonded polyester.

You may choose a thread that is the same color as your fabric or use a contrasting color so your seams will appear as accents. Like fabric, thread comes in various thicknesses.

If using a 9.25- or 10-ounce Sunbrella fabric, 92-weight thread is needed, as well as a No. 18 needle.

I prefer to work in sections and sew the two straight

TIP Consider adding an extra yard or two to your fabric order so you have plenty of material in case of mistakes or for future repairs.

tubes and bow separately.

Plastic sheeting acts and drapes diferently than fabric, so I check my progress as I go along by doing several fittings where I take semicompleted sections out to the dinghy to try them on. During this phase I use an invaluable tool called Seamstick, a type of double-sided tape that is designed to hold fabric pieces where they are to be sewn together. Seamstick eliminates the need for straight pins, which could accidently puncture the dinghy.

When you are satisfied with the fit of the bow and the lay of the tube sections, double-check the final seams where the two meet, making sure they match up nicely before sewing the three large sections together. With the chaps essentially complete, all that is left is to add the vinyl chafe guards and accent pieces, and to finish the hem.

A quick and tidy way to hem dinghy chaps is to use webbing in place of the more traditional double-fold-andsew technique. Mark and trim the chaps to the exact length that you want them; I use the top of the rubrail as my guide.

Then encapsulate the raw edge in the fold of 1-inch webbing and sew in place. This not only reduces the bulk at the hem but it also adds a little weight so the chaps will lie down nicely. Some designs utilize the rubrail to capture a drawstring, but again I find this design picks up water because the rubrail also acts as a chine, dispersing spray while motoring. Others glue the hem in place, which means you cannot remove the chaps. A snug-fitting pair of chaps will not flap about in the breeze if the hem is simply finished and not secured. If desired, a piece of elastic cord can be sewn to the chaps and stretched around the end of the pontoon to hold it in place.

This practical sewing project can easily be completed in a weekend by the experienced and novice alike.

A little attention to detail and the proper tools and materials are all that are needed.

Handsome dinghy chaps not only make your ride easy to spot at a crowded dock, they will also protect and preserve the pontoons, extending the life of your tender.

Heather Francis is originally rom Nova Scotia, Canada, and has been living and working on boats around the world for the past decade. In 2008, she and her Aussie partner, Steve, bought Kate, a Newport 41, and have been sailing full time since. To follow their adventures, log on to yachtkate.com.

MATERIALS FOR THE JOB • Heavy-duty sewing machine • Hot knife • Sunbrella, or similar, acr ylic fabric • Vinyl fabric for bow section and chafe patches • 1-inch webbing

• UV-resistant thread • Medium-weight plastic sheeting for patterning • Low-tack tape • Permanent markers in several colors • Seamstick • Tailor’s chalk

HANDS-ON SAILOR

3 SHOCKING NEWS If you’re unaware of what an electronic leakage circuit interrupter (ELCI) is, by all means, continue reading.

BY STEVE D’ANTONIO

MONTHLY MAINTENANCE

cruisingworld.com

M

58

ost everyone is familiar with the ubiquitous ground fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI receptacle. Among other locations, they’re found in household kitchens, bathrooms, patios and garages.

They’re also recommended by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) for use in heads, galleys, engineering spaces, and on the weather decks of boats. Since their introduction in the late 1960s, they have no doubt saved countless lives. Requirements for GFCIs have been part of

the National Electric Code for more than 50 years, with the first mandate being inspired by electrocutions caused by underwater lighting used in swimming pools.

While GFCIs have been widely covered, there is yet another shore-power safety device, one that was introduced to the marine market only within the past decade, that’s also worthy of attention.

Referred to as an electronic leakage circuit interrupter, or ELCI, it ofers yet another level of protection from shore-power faults, fire and electrocution. Much like a

TECH TIPS ADVERTORIAL

Extending Epoxy’s Working Time In warm temperatures, epoxy can cure very quickly. To increase working time, pair WEST SYSTEM 105 Epoxy Resin with 206 Slow Hardener or 209 Extra Slow Hardener. Keep in mind that the larger the volume of mixed epoxy, the faster it will cure. Mix epoxy resin and hardener in smaller amounts, then spread it into a roller pan to dissipate heat. You can further increase epoxy’s working time by building a simple, watertight foam box to hold your epoxy roller pan. Add cool water to the box, then place your roller pan on top of it. The water acts as a heat sink, increasing the epoxy’s working time.

common GFCI receptacle (these have a comparatively low trip threshold of 5 milliamps, and as such are considered to be appropriate for protecting people), ELCIs remain in a state of equilibrium. As long as the current on the hot and neutral wires (the two currentcarrying conductors found in most AC electrical circuits) remains the same, they allow energy to flow. As soon as current finds an alternative path back to its source — through a green safety ground wire, the water or a person — the imbalance trips the ELCI’s circuit breaker and the power is turned of nearly instantly, often within 30 to 70 milliseconds. (Contrary to popular belief, electricity does not seek ground; it seeks to return to its origin, like the transformer at the head of the dock.)

While technically deemed “equipment protection” because of their 30-milliamp trip threshold, the goal of ELCIs is to interrupt current flow quickly enough to prevent

electrocution, electric-shock drowning or fire — and for the most part, they do so quite efectively, saving countless lives every year.

As it was with the GFCI, the adoption of the ABYC ELCI standard was inspired by a number of electric-shock drownings, or ESDs. An ESD is diferent from a conventional electrocution; with comparatively little current flow, it can paralyze a swimmer’s voluntary muscle reflexes, causing the victim to drown, which can mask the underlying electrically related cause of death.

In addition to the trip threshold, the primary diference between the ELCI and the GFCI is the location in which it is installed. GFCI receptacles are installed where power is to be used, like the galley, head and so on. ELCIs are installed where power enters the vessel, near the shore-power receptacle. Think of it as a “whole boat” GFCI with some modifications. A primary shore-power circuit

HANDS-ON SAILOR

breaker is already required for every shore-power inlet, and in the case of an ELCI, it is often installed either in conjunction with this breaker or as a single combined unit, achieving the goals of overcurrent protection and fault protection. It’s important to note that the presence of an ELCI does not

negate the need for individual GFCIs; both are still required for ABYC compliance.

ELCIs got of to a rocky start when they were first introduced in 2008. As is often the case, good intentions preceded the hardware with the ability to facilitate them; as a result, the implementation was

postponed for a couple of years.

Now, however, ELCI circuit breakers are readily available from several manufacturers in a range of configurations. With a few exceptions, new vessels or those that are being refit to ABYC standards must be equipped with ELCIs, and with good reason: They save lives.

An ELCI can be added to virtually any vessel’s shore-power system provided it is free of faults.

Steve D’Antonio ofers services for boat owners and buyers through Steve D’Antonio Marine Consulting (stevedmarineconsulting.com).

cruisingworld.com

STEVE D’ANTONIO

ELCI manufacturers have gotten creative with their designs, making it easier for builders and electricians to adopt and install their products (left). ELCI breakers are relatively new to the recreational marine marketplace, and this one, from Blue Sea Systems, is now found on many vessels (center). ELCI breakers, sometimes referred to as residual current devices, incorporate a test feature, much like those found on household GFCIs (right).

59

MARCH 2017

B OATS & G E A R

The latest edition to the French builder’s new Yacht series of all-oceans sailboats, the J E A N N E A U 5 8 combines stylish features with generous living spaces from stem to stern.

BY HERB MCCORMICK

BILLY BLACK

I

n recent years, more and more builders who forged their reputations on solid, afordable, midsize production sailboats have begun to expand their lines — figuratively and literally — into ever-larger, ever-rangier vessels that combine considerable comfort with greater seakeeping ability. Beneteau, Dufour and Hanse are just three examples of companies that were once ensconced in the roughly 35- to 45-foot range of wholesome cruisers but now produce big, powerful 50- to 60-foot (or larger) craft capable of

long-range, long-term voyaging adventures. It might be a relatively new trend, but it’s obviously here to stay.

Add to that list the gang from Jeanneau, who now have a dedicated line they call their Yacht series, which is comprised of a 51-, 54and 64-footer, along with a fresh addition for 2017, the Jeanneau 58. It perhaps goes without saying, but the 58 is One. Big. Boat.

The collaborative team who came together to create the yacht — the renowned naval architect Philippe Briand, who conceived the lines of the

Nifty Deck Details There’s a lot to like about the Jeanneau 58’s deck layout, including wide side decks and clever handholds built directly into the coach roof. Also note the butterfly hatches (left), which open in both directions and provide plenty of fresh air below.

61 march 2017

A Spot of YACHTING

slippery high-performance hull and tall three-spreader rig; Vittorio Garroni, charged with fashioning the deck layout and interior accommodations; and the in-house Jeanneau designers, who addressed the structural details — were handed a simple design brief.

Namely, to deliver a worldclass luxury cruising boat right from the get-go, with the attendant battery banks and power requirements, ample tankage, and other necessary features built in with a high level of craftsmanship and ready for action. And to do so — gulp! — at an afordable price point, in this case around $750,000 (once canvas, electronics, communications and so forth are all added in).

So, where to begin? At first glance, the obvious place is the long, expansive beamy cockpit, which dominates the deck layout and is truly the focal point of the design (and that’s not even taking into account the gargantuan dinghy garage that’s stationed beneath it). There’s lounging space galore on a couple of diferent levels, so bring your friends and family. The driver has a choice of twin wheels, both of which have good views of the Raymarine chart-plotter pod attached to the aft end of the central cockpit table, which also contains a fridge.

The hardware is dominated by Harken products. There are big Harken rewind winches for the primaries; hefty Harken blocks at the foot of the mast, which lead the running rigging under deck panels and aft to sets of clutches to either side of the companionway; and Harken adjustable sheet leads to dial in optimum headsail

cruisingworld.com

N E W T E C H N O L O GY, R E V I E W S a n d P R O D U C T S f o r t h e C R U I S I N G S A I L O R

B O AT S & G E A R

march 2017

62

trim for the 135 percent genoa.

There’s also a double-ended German-style mainsheet but no traveler. The large dodger and corresponding Bimini complete the picture.

Down below on our test boat, there was a large owner’s stateroom forward with a queen-size island berth, a small desk/vanity and a good-size hanging locker; aft, there were a set of double cabins with berths that can slide apart to create a couple of single bunks or be joined together to form a large double. However, this was just one of a startling five optional layouts available, with the possibility of two large cabins at the yacht’s opposite ends; four cabins split evenly fore and aft; and even five cabins with three forward (one of which could accommodate a professional skipper) and two aft. Interestingly, whatever the choice, there’s no change in the cost of the boat.

No matter which layout one chooses, the spacious main saloon remains the same. The

galley, to port, opposes an excellent navigation station, to starboard. Forward of the nav space, there’s a long settee flanking an electrically controlled dining table that can be lowered and folded in as a coffee table or raised and folded out to become a full-size dining table. To port, the middle section of the settee can be flipped over to reveal a serving table with an integrated bar. It’s all very clever. With a host of cabin-top windows and additional ports in the hull — not to mention a pair of skylight hatches directly over the cabin — there’s plenty of natural light and ventilation. Nice. So too is the light, sustainable Alpi wood employed in the interior furniture and bulkheads, which further contributes to the clean, airy look throughout.

A variety of colors, textures and veneers are available.

Boat of the Year judge Ed Sherman says, “They’ve done some good things electrically if you are indeed going to travel around the world,” noting both the 12- and 24-volt

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S J E A N N E AU 5 8 LENGTH OVERALL 58’4” (17.70 m) WATERLINE LENGTH 50’2” (15.28 m) BEAM 16’4”

(4.97 m)

DRAFT 6’10”/8’2”

(2.08 m/2.48 m)

SAIL AREA 1,571 sq. ft.

(145 sq. m)

BALLAST 13,448 lb.

(6,099 kg)

DISPLACEMENT 47,289 lb.

(21,450 kg) BALLAST/DISPLACEMENT 0.28 DISPLACEMENT/LENGTH 167 SAIL AREA/DISPLACEMENT 19.2 WATER 246 gal.

(931 l)

FUEL 111 gal.

(420 l)

MAST HEIGHT 79’4” (19.03 m) ENGINE 150 hp Volvo Penta D3-150 DESIGNER Phillipe Briand Yacht Design/ Garroni Premorel/Jeanneau Design PRICE $750,000 Jeanneau America 410-280-9400 jeanneauamerica.com

SEA TRIAL WIND SPEED 8-10 knots SEA STATE Slight Chop SAILING Close-hauled 6.3 knots Reaching 5.7 knots MOTORING Cruise (1,800 rpm) 7.3 knots Fast (2,500 rpm) 9.0 knots

For a complete guide to Cruising World’s extensive online boat reviews and to request reprints from our older print archives of reviews, go to cruisingworld.com/ sailboats/sailboat-reviews.

BILLY BLACK

cruisingworld.com

Our test boat featured an owner’s cabin forward, but there are multiple interior layouts from which to choose (top).

Whichever way you go, the bright central cabin remains the same (left).

service, the ability to convert power to 110 and 230 volts via an inverter, the generator and a pair of alternators feeding separate battery banks. One thing you won’t run out of is juice.

Construction-wise, the hand-laid hull is solid glass without any use of coring material; an internal grid is glued down and relaminated to the hull, making for an incredibly stif twopart monolithic structure.

Furthermore, the chain plates for the keel-stepped mast are also glassed into the grid, spreading the loads evenly throughout the boat. The deck mold actually falls away aft to incorporate the dinghy garage, which negates the necessity for the full seals and pneumatic systems that are often part and parcel with this arrangement; because it’s an integral part of the deck, there’s no danger of leaks or gas fumes permeating the interior, and so on.

We sailed the 58 on a moderate Chesapeake Bay afternoon in about 8 knots of breeze with slightly higher pufs, and like all Briand hulls, she was quick and a joy to drive, topping of at more than 6 knots hard on the breeze. Once out of the cockpit, moving about on deck was particularly easy and rewarding: There are good, high lifelines; excellent stainless-steel handholds built into the sloping coach roof; and with well-placed inboard shrouds, moving forward on the teak side decks, even with the overlapping headsail, was a breeze.

All in all, the Jeanneau 58 picks up where some of the builder’s smaller oferings end. A long-legged yacht with all the accouterments — not to mention plenty of ways to optimize and personalize it for your crew and your plans, whether it’s a hop down to the islands or a dash across oceans — she’ll take you where you wish to go.

GEICO and TowBoatU.S. have teamed up to help you on the water.

As a GEICO policyholder, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll receive outstanding coverage for your boat at an outstanding price. Plus, when you add towing to your 63ÂŁ-$@T @3<ZÂŁÂŁ ,!=' ;,' #'2') ;9 3( 9'8=-$'9 683=-&'& #@ 3> 3!; W WÖ&#x2030; hÖ&#x2030;;,' 2!ধ 32Z9 ÂŁ!8+'9; * '';W

geico.com/boat 800-865-4846

for your boat

Service provided by

Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company.

GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2017 GEICO

B O AT S & G E A R

march 2017

64

MORE of a GOOD THING

After 100-plus launches of a popular 40-footer, the H A L L B E R G - R A S S Y 4 0 M K I I is a fresh take on a seasoned bluewater cruiser.

BY MARK PILLSBURY

P

erhaps it’s the allure of splendid sails along the Scandinavian coastline and 20 hours of sunlight each summer day that challenge the craftsmen at Hallberg-Rassy to build interiors exquisite enough to lure you below occasionally. Once there, you can appreciate creature comforts like rich mahogany joinery, thick cushions and soothing upholstery, a Webasto diesel furnace for when it’s cold, plentiful hatches and opening ports to make things bright and airy, and work and living spaces that have been designed for life at sea.

That’s my theory, anyway, after having spent some time this past fall aboard the new HR 40 Mark II, a handsome center-cockpit bluewater cruiser from Sweden’s largest production boatbuilder.

As CW’s Boat of the Year

judge Tim Murphy put it after our dockside inspection and subsequent sea trial during the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, “As far as fit and finish down below, this is, bar none, the one that I would most like to live in.”

The Mark II incorporates several changes to the company’s popular 40-footer that’s been in production for about a decade. The boat we sailed was hull number 164. In comparison to the Mark I, it has a slightly taller (25 centimeters), three-spreader Seldén rig; more headroom under the boom thanks to a deeper cockpit; minor changes down below to provide more headroom in the walkthrough to the spacious aft cabin; and several additional features such as ports embedded in the hull, a removable stainless-steel sprit for asymmetrical sails, adjustable-from-the-cockpit

fairleads for the optional 140 percent genoa (a 100 percent working jib comes standard) and, on the boat we sailed, a roller-furling main.

Down below, designer Germán Frers’ original drawings were tweaked to allow for four possible layouts. We saw the standard interior with settees on each side of the saloon and a drop-leaf table in between; the aft cabin was fitted out with a double berth to port and single sea berth to starboard. Other layouts replace the portside settee in the saloon with a pair of captain chairs with a cocktail table in between, and in the aft cabin, a double berth to port with seating to starboard or a centerline double berth with seating to either side.

In all the interiors, the wellappointed galley is located to port at the foot of the companionway, opposite the nav

station. Forward of the saloon, there is a large hanging locker and vanity to port just aft of the V-berth, and a head with separate shower to starboard.

As with all sailboats, size, accommodations and equipment compete. The HR 40 MK II packs a lot into a 40-foot hull. While one sailor might find some spaces tight, another would call them cozy, which was the case with our BOTY judges. With several of us aboard, the bimini and canvas dodger made the cockpit feel cramped during our dockside visit; I found when sailing (with the bimini down) and with fewer of us taking up space, that I enjoyed the room behind the wheel, and I appreciated the easy access to the Lewmar sheet winches when trimming sails.

Construction of the HR 40 is top-notch, as it should be on a boat that, well-equipped, sells for $520,000 (base price is $427,000). The hull is solid fiberglass to the waterline and then cored above it, as is the deck, with Divinycell foam to keep weight down and provide insulation for heat and sound purposes. A layer of vinylester resin is added behind the gelcoat to prevent blistering, and the bottom comes from the factory with two coats of epoxy primer beneath the antifouling paint.

Unfortunately on the day of our test sail, the breeze took a holiday. Even so, the wheel and rod-linked steering was smooth and responsive, and in about 5 knots of wind with the optional screecher set on a continuous-line furler, I was able to coax the speedo up to 3.

I must say, even in those light conditions, I was smitten. I left the HR 40 MK II longing for a few of those 20-hour days filled with breeze and sunlight along a secluded coastline.

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

BILLY BLACK

cruisingworld.com

Having the option to fly a powerful headsail gives the HR 40 MK II versatility.

B O AT S & G E A R

BY MARK PILLSBURY

BILLY BLACK

B

ack in February 2005, former CW colleague Nim Marsh wrote a story called “The New Sailing Machines” and explored the emerging genre of daysailers.

It opened with a quote from L. Francis Herreshof ’s 1946 book, The Common Sense of Yacht Design, describing sailing friends who were tired of ocean racing: “What they want is to sail in the daytime … and sail fast enough to get the sensation of sailing. The only thing that will satiate the desire of these men is the sailing machine, and they should be allowed to have it.”

Each in its own way, the three sailboats Marsh went on to review — the Morris M36, Hinckley’s DS 42 and the Friendship 40 — were indeed sailing machines, from their carbon-fiber rigs to the cuttingedge foils they carried below the waterline. These were not stripped-down racing sleds, but

rather proper yachts with teak and varnish, and price tags that ranged from $289,000 (the Morris) to just over $800,000 (the Friendship).

At the time, the M36 marked a turning point for Morris, which up to then had built mostly Chuck Paine-designed coastal and bluewater cruisers.

According to then-Morris president Cuyler Morris, he and his father, Tom, had been talking about building a different sort of boat in response to customers who had less time to sail and wanted something they could step aboard, enjoy for an hour or two, and then tie to the dock. The story goes that Tom was visiting the Sparkman & Stephens oice in New York when he saw a rendering of a wooden daysailer called Stormy; from that the M series was born. The range now includes 29-, 36-, 42- and 52-foot models.

Morris Yachts, now owned

by its next-door Maine neighbor, Hinckley, is currently further refining the M series by introducing performanceoriented X versions of the three smaller boats.

Late this past fall, on a day with a tinge of winter in the air, I joined Cuyler, now the company’s chief ambassador, at the Morris yard in Northeast Harbor, Maine, for a sail on the latest thoroughbred, the M36x. I quickly took a liking to the whole gentleman daysailer thing.

The boat’s carbon-fiber Hall Spars mast is a meter taller than the standard rig, and the M36x carries a 2-foot deeper keel and a longer high-aspect rudder that ensures it will twist and turn like a sports car ripping along a mountain highway.

The infused vinylester-resin balsa-cored hull and deck are also a little lighter. All these add just under $130,000 to the $489,750 price tag of a

Mark Pillsbury is CW’s editor.

65 march 2017

SAILING Refined

The M 3 6 X daysailer from Morris Yachts puts a little extra giddyap in its giddyap-and-go.

standard-model M36.

Even in race mode, sailing the 36x is simple and straightforward. Sheets and halyards are led to winches mounted on either side of the large wheel. An electric winch raises the main, which resides in a Leisure Furl boom when not in use; the self-tacking jib is efortlessly rolled out. Upwind at least, once the sheets are set, they can be forgotten. When it’s time to tack, put the helm over and you’re done. The sporty X package also includes a carbon-fiber sprit that can be extended on days you want to fly an A-sail.

It was blustery outside the harbor — perfect conditions to dip the rail occasionally as we beat to open water. Closehauled, the boat sailed like a witch and blasted through the pufs straight as an arrow. I’d have to say that a perch on the leeward rail with a couple of fingers on the wheel was the best seat in the house.

The boat’s sailing instruments were cranky that afternoon, but I’d guess the wind was in the mid- to high teens. The speedometer hovered in the 6-plus-knots range as we raced upwind toward Sommes Sound, and even jumped another knot or two with some of the bigger gusts as we eased to a reach.

Accommodations below are both elegant and minimal: sitting headroom, a V-berth for napping, an enclosed head, and enough room to get out of the weather. But really where you want to be on this boat is up in the spacious cockpit, savoring the ride. That’s where I lounged as Cuyler took the helm and steered us back to the dock. Once there, he casually rolled up the sails, and the little Yanmar diesel sent us gliding into our slip. With the lines tied, we were done — simple as that.

cruisingworld.com

The X performance package includes North Sails 3Di mainsail and jib.

CUBA April 8, 2017 (10 days/9 nights)

re His a R tor ic O pportunity!

Experience the Essence of This Wonderful Island Before It Changes!

You’ll do more than see Cuba, you’ll experience it: •

Orientation tour of Havana taking in some of the most iconic sights such as El Morro Castle, El Capitolio, Gran Teatro, the Bacardi building and more.

•

Walking tour of Habana Vieja, where you’ll learn the history of the city’s famous squares – Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco, Plaza de la Catedral and Plaza Vieja.

•

Hosted by the Hemingway International Marina and Commodore Escrich .

Three Passage Options: Charter one of Harmony’s boats Book a cabin on one Bring your own boat

FULL and LEGAL yacht passages to the island of Cuba!

Join Cruising World on this epic voyage to Cuba. Harmony Yacht Vacations has taken care of all the details. We have agreements with Cuban marinas and governmental organizations allowing us the SAFE and SECURE entry and docking of our vessels, completely compliant with the Cuba visa visitors program. Each charter/private vessel will depart from the Harmony Yacht Vacations base located in beautiful Stock Island Marina Village in Key West, Florida, bound for the famed Marina Hemingway, located just miles from Old Havana.

Nearly Sold Out!

BOOK NOW Only 2 charter boats left 305-504-3175 Harmonyyachtvacations.com/cwrally

Register Now!

Official Sponsors:

B O AT S & G E A R

BY DAV I D S C H M I DT

JEN BRETT

S

ailing lore is rife with colorful yarns, but one of the all-time classics belongs to Joshua Slocum, the Nova Scotia-born American sailor and writer who was the first person to circumnavigate singlehandedly. In Slocum’s legendary account of his adventures, Sailing Alone Around the World, he recounts an incident when Spray attracted the unwanted interests of unsavory locals one evening while anchored near Thieves Bay, en route to the Strait of Magellan. Slocum wisely scattered upturned carpet tacks on his decks before retiring to his berth.

“I had no need of a dog,” he wrote of his uninvited guests’

reaction. “They howled like a pack of hounds.”

The ruse worked, the thieves scattered, and Slocum and Spray continued sailing.

While this tale of preparation trumping thievery has a humorous outcome, it hits on several key factors that still hold true in 2017. A good security system employs careful planning, superior technology, and subterfuge to induce fear and confusion among any unwanted visitors. Moreover, like Slocum’s tacks, a proper security system gives those on board the tools and time to react to any threat.

Sailboats, after all, are high-dollar investments and will always be tempting

targets for thieves. To protect them, modern security and vessel-monitoring systems use stealthy sensors, cellular modems and geofences, among other surprises, to thwart intruders, while also allowing an owner to monitor and control diferent onboard systems and devices from afar. Here’s a look at how this technology works and how it can make your vessel safer from theft and systems-related trouble while delivering peace of mind.

The best vessel alarms are those that are hard to detect and involve multiple stages of escalation. “Security is like an onion,” says Jay Keenan, president and CEO of Global Ocean Security Technologies,

Vendor Information Aqualarm: aqualarm.net, 619-575-4011 Aydin: spartonre.com, 888-783-2584 GOST Global: gostglobal.com, 954-565-9898 Scribble Software: myboatstatus.com, 800-972-7423 Siren Marine: sirenmarine .com, 401-619-4774 YachtBrain: yachtbrain.com, 919-617-1409 Yacht Protector: yachtprotector.com, 888-898-8608

67 march 2017

Remote CONTROL

Vessel monitoring and tracking systems can deter onboard break-ins, let you keep control of devices, and help recover stolen assets.

or GOST. “The more layers there are, and the more independent each layer is, the more secure the asset becomes.”

Because of this, contemporary security systems use combinations of obvious and hidden devices such as deck-pressure sensors, infrared beams, door and hatch sensors, motion detectors, and IP-enabled cameras, as well as lights and sirens, all of which can be monitored and controlled from a smartphone, tablet or computer. These sensors and detectors report to a centralprocessing unit, or CPU, which is typically a black box that’s equipped with a cellular modem or a Wi-Fi card, giving it the ability to communicate with the outside world.

Most security and vesselmonitoring systems are designed to be expandable, allowing owners to add sensors and vessel-specific solutions as needed.

“Reduction of false alarms is critical,” says Keenan. GOST’s video extraction algorithms, which work at low data rates over cellular and satellitecommunication networks, are extremely advanced, for instance. “We have many

cruisingworld.com

You can protect your boat with more than a locked gate.

march 2017

68

Today’s remote monitoring systems let boat owners keep tabs on everything from engine temperature and bilgewater levels to the physical location of the vessel and its many systems, such as video cameras and even lights.

YachtBrain lets you adjust devices via your cellphone (left).

Adyin’s sensors can be used to track onboard data, which can be displayed in a number of ways (above).

sailing clients with mast cams who, when the system is armed, receive a video-clip alert if anyone pulls into their yacht’s perimeter on anchor.”

Most modern security and vessel-monitoring systems, in fact, can be configured to contact an owner, marina, harbormaster or police in the case of unwanted activity by sending an email or text message, or even make a phone call.

If this sounds like a home-security system, you’re on the right track — but with a key diference. Should an alarm trip, most vesselsecurity systems do not contact a monitoring center, where a worker calls the

owner and the police. Instead, these systems execute a call themselves based on a set of rules and parameters that are either bundled into their operating systems or determined by their owners.

Proactive Security, Monitoring While most criminals are quickly scattered by the sound of an alarm, the obstinate few press forward, perhaps thinking that they can defeat the system or that time is on their side, especially if valuables and electronics can be easily snatched. Should that happen, robust systems can create highly unpleasant working conditions for the thief.

“We make acoustic devices

that, at a close range, create an unbearable frequency pattern,” says Keenan. “It’s not loud, but the intruder will experience vertigo.” Should the intruder break into the saloon, for example, devices such as GOST’s Cloak emit a vaporized glycol solution that fills the cabin with a thick, disorienting fog that makes it almost impossible for a thief to see or, sometimes, even escape.

Critically, yacht-security systems should be able to be deactivated only by the owner and never by a burglar.

This is accomplished by using app- and website-based user interfaces to control the system, as well as hidden hardware and reserve batteries, should a mainline power

supply or the system’s CPU get compromised.

While vessel-security systems have historically represented the bulk of the remote-monitoring market, this is changing, says Keith Cariani, director of business development at Aydin Marine (née KEP). The vast majority of inquiries that Aydin gets these days are from customers interested in vessel monitoring.

In addition to Aydin’s Seatether, players in the monitoring arena include companies like Yacht Protector, Siren Marine’s Pixie, Scribble Software’s MyBoatStatus and Aqualarm’s various sensors.

These companies still ofer vessel-security elements such as geofencing, door sensors and pressure mats, but their systems are more oriented toward monitoring metrics such as bilge-water levels, the frequency that the bilge pumps are running, batteries and shore-power supply, as well as fire, smoke, temperature and humidity levels.

Like security alarms, most vessel-monitoring systems consist of a CPU and a network of wired or wireless sensors that can be set to monitor and control a bevy of onboard devices, ranging from masthead lights to bilge pumps. This is typically accomplished using relay switches that can power devices and systems on or of, and which are controlled via the CPU and apps that run on

When it comes to onboard security, a good defense is a flashing, loud and blinding offense. GOST Global’s systems can be configured using, from left, a brilliant strobe light, vertigo-inducing siren and a Cloak fog sprayer.

COURTESY THE MANUFACTURERS

cruisingworld.com

B O AT S & G E A R

Scribble Software’s sensors send small bits of data, keeping communication costs down.

has not run in 30 days, which could mean it needs maintenance, says Beckerdite.

YachtBrain is expandable by simply adding more sensors and relays. Unlike most other vessel-monitoring systems, YachtBrain doesn’t simply send an email or text message to notify owners about status updates or alarms.

“YachtBrain uses a reliable connection protocol that is designed to operate over unreliable network connections,” says Beckerdite.

“These protocols were designed for industrial use and are now being used for the Internet of Things.”

For remote access, most systems rely on a built-in cellular modem, a Wi-Fi card or satellite capability. Controls are via an app or secure Web page, allowing owners to log in to the networked systems from anywhere, provided that the vessel can communicate with the Internet.

YachtBrain, says Beckerdite, takes things a step further. In addition to its built-in Wi-Fi card, if no Internet connection is available, the system’s CPU can make decisions on its own, based on rules the owner has established, and then report the actions taken once connectivity is restored.

Provided that connectivity exists, modern vesselmonitoring systems provide

peace of mind, especially when owners are away from their boats. Here, however, systems need to strike the right balance of keeping an owner informed without generating and sending large, expensive amounts of data.

“The data bursts are really small, and our sensors run of internal batteries,” says Vance Young, the director of technology at Scribble Software. “Our entire system uses less than a megabyte of data all month.” Young notes that constant sensing (i.e., motion sensors) uses more data than ones that report on longer-interval schedules (i.e., high-water sensors), so an owner can tailor data usage to acceptable comfort levels through a choice of hardware.

“Alerts depend on how you configure your system,” advises Cariani, who stresses the importance of avoiding false alarms. “We want it to work, but we don’t want it to be a burden. Owners don’t want a warning over something that’s not a real issue.”

Finally, most vessel-security and -monitoring systems are also designed to help recover a boat in the event it’s been stolen. Fortunately for sailors, thieves tend to be more interested in powerboats, but sailboats do disappear, and unlike powerboats, are capable of operating for prolonged

periods without refueling.

Because of this, products such as GOST’s Phantom Insight or Nav-Tracker use hidden tracking antennas with self-contained, two-way Inmarsat satellite modems and GPS receivers that notify their owners or other ownerdesignated parties if the alarm trips or if the vessel breaches its owner-defined geofence.

These systems continually send their position information to a secure server, allowing the vessel to be tracked in real-time, even if the thieves destroy the CPU or start indiscriminately ripping wires from the panel.

While yacht-security and vessel-monitoring systems can be expensive — they can range from a few hundred to several thousands of dollars — and require proper planning, technology and connectivity, they are a wise investment for anyone who keeps their boat in a high-crime area or doesn’t live close enough to regularly check on its status and systems. Provided that the proper level of technology is applied in tandem with the right amount of subterfuge and surprise, these systems provide a ton of security and reassurance, without requiring you to scatter carpet tacks on deck before finding your bunk.

David Schmidt is Cruising World’s electronics editor.

69 march 2017

a smartphone or tablet.

Other systems, such as YachtBrain — which was launched at the 2016 U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, and which is expected to be available in 2017 — focus on vessel monitoring, control and automation. According to Allen Beckerdite, YachtBrain’s co-founder, the system uses wireless sensors and relays that are programmed to owner-defined rules and alerts, and take action when conditions warrant. The system might, for instance, blare an onboard horn if the highwater alarm is triggered or send an owner an alert.

YachtBrain’s basic system can sense up to four electrical devices, and users can define alerts for events such as a bilge pump cycling three times in 10 seconds or, conversely, to report a pump that

cruisingworld.com

Like many of the systems available, Aqualarm relies on a simple control panel and uses a cellular modem (left) to transmit data to a tablet or smartphone. Its devices include things like sensors for bilge-water level (center) and engine temperature (right).

Award winning Bearing Encased*

R U N - DR Y

* Upgrade k i t s ava i l a b l e

800 675 1 105

www.speedseal.com

Check out our New Website!

Great Sailing Vacations, Incredible Value!

For endless good times on the water, look no further than Footloose Yacht Charters! Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a party of 2 or 12, we have the right yacht for you, at the most reasonable prices.

Wish and wait no more because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your turn to take the helm in the British Virgin Islands.

877.426.4326 | www.footloosecharters.com

now on militar y, rescue & lifeboats

CRUISING WORLD’S

CHARTERING N EWS a n d N OT E S o n S A I L I N G -VACAT I O N O P P O RT U N I T I E S

HIGH ON THE BUCKET LIST: AMERICA’S CUP 2017 Want the best berth of all in Bermuda during the 2017 Louis Vuitton series and America’s Cup? Sailboats managed by Nicholson Yachts Worldwide are among 50 boats that have been granted coveted VIP-flag spectator status and are part of a smaller fleet authorized to conduct charters during the two celebrated regattas.

Boats with the VIP flag are allowed access to a front-row view of the race course adjacent to the electronically defined boundary during the events. The Louis Vuitton series runs May 26 to June 16, and the America’s Cup runs from June 17 to June 27.

The Nicholson-managed Savarona, a 95-foot custom CNB; Marae, a 108-foot Alloy pilothouse sloop; Bonnie Lynn, a 72-foot schooner; and Emily Morgan, a 60-foot Bowman ketch, are available. Other perks on ofer include access to opening ceremonies, exclusive parties, base tours, post-race press conferences, and various concierge and marina services. For details about the boats, contact Nicholson (nicholsonyachts.com). For details about charter options during the event in general, contact a broker through the Cruising World online charter directory (cruisingworld.com/charter/charter-directory).

COURTESY NICHOLSON YACHTS WORLDWIDE

SWEDISH COMPANY OFFERS CHARTERS, YACHTS Navigare Yachting, based in Malmö, Sweden, ofers hundreds of boats for yacht charter, brokerage and management. Models available include Jeanneau, Beneteau, Bavaria, Hanse and Lagoon in locations including Sweden, Croatia, Greece, Thailand, Maldives, BVI, Spain, Italy and Turkey.

Clients who participate

in the yacht-ownership program the company ofers are granted access to its vacation trips worldwide, including luxury villas, and activities such as sailing and skiing. For details contact the company (navigare-yachting.com).

DIVE WITH THE MOORINGS The Moorings has added Ultimate Dive Vacations in the British Virgin Islands with a

CONCH CHARTERS ADDS POWER CAT Conch Charters, a family-run company in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands, has expanded its fleet to include power. The company has added its first Leopard 47 Power Cat, which features four cabins, four heads, a generator and air conditioning. For details, contact the company (conchcharters.com).

— Elaine Lembo

COMPANIES ADVERTISING THIS MONTH The Moorings 888-703-3176 p.31 Sunsail 800-797-5307 p.C2-3 Kiracoulis 800-714-3471 p.86 FPP Canal Boating 888-652-3969 p.86 Dream Yacht Charters 866-776-8256 p.72-73 Tortola Marine Management Ltd. 800-633-0155 p.76 The Catamaran Company 800-262-0308 p.74-75 Footloose Sailing Charters 855-217-9217 p.70 Conch Charters Ltd.* 877-521-8939 p.78 Horizon Yacht Charters Ltd.* 877-494-8787 p.80 Annapolis Bay Charters* 800-991-1776 p.84 NCP & mare d.o.o. +385-22-312-999 p.85 Barefoot Yacht Charters* 784-456-9526 p.83 CYOA Yacht Charters 800-944-2962 p.82 Island Yachts* 800-524-2019 p.86 Sail Caribe 866-381-7609 p.81 Southwest Florida Yachts* 800-262-7939 p.85 Cruise Annapolis 443-949-9481 p.82 Harmony Yacht Vacations 888-542-2667 p.80 BROKERS Ed Hamilton & Co. 800-621-7855 The Globe Sailor 646-453-6602 Ocean Voyages 800-229-4444

p.81 p.85 p.86

*Also broker This directory is a list of charter companies advertising in this charter section; it is not an endorsement by the editors. Classified advertisers not listed. Listings are arranged in fleet-size order.

“Charter companies” listed maintain fleets of bareboats, and report that they maintain chase boats/personnel, carry liability insurance, return security deposits in 10 working days, deliver the boat contracted (or same size, type, age, condition or better), supply MOB gear and offer pre-charter briefings. “Brokers” are not affiliated with any charter company; they book private or company-owned boats, crewed or bareboat.

cruisingworld.com

PADI-certified captain and a dive instructor, chef and host.

The all-inclusive getaway ofers certified scuba divers a chance to explore underwater attractions from aboard the spacious Moorings 5800 sailing catamaran, which features five en-suite guest cabins with room for up to 10 guests, including divers and nondivers.

The trip is ofered in six-dive and 12-dive packages, and is priced per person.

The Ultimate Dive Vacation includes shallow dives, bluewater dives and an optional night dive. No rendezvous with a dive boat is required; guests can begin their adventures directly from the onboard swim platform.

For details, visit the company website (moorings.com/dive).

In other news, the Moorings has expanded its Mainsheet promotional print publication with an online component, Mainsheet: The Moorings Vacation Blog. The blog contains behind-the-scenes stories and industry news of interest to boat charterers. It also contains profiles of destinations and fleets, food and drink recipes, and news about upcoming events and regattas.

Find the blog at the company website (moorings.com/blog).

71 march 2017

The schooner Bonnie Lynn and others are available for charter in Bermuda during the America’s Cup 2017.

47 850+

DESTINATIONS

YACHTS

Now available for your next sailing vacation or to place in our Purchase for Charter program.

catamarans.com

Mention this advertisement when inquiring about a charter. We will reduce your charter rate by 10%!

Be a part of our social community:

Photo: Nicholas Claris

Live large. Earn large.

Not only are these new cats the largest, non-crewed

This new yacht has been brilliantly designed and

yachts for charter in the BVI, they are agile, fast, super

outfitted to meet the highest standards of

responsive, easy to handle and ofer the highest

The Catamaran Company and will exceed the

standard of comfort and luxury. The Catamaran

expectations of the world’s most sophisticated

Company’s specially designed Lagoon 52, provides

yacht owners and sailing vacationers.

four to six enormous en-suite staterooms, lavishly accommodating eight to ten guests plus captain.

The British Virgin Island’s Preferred Charter Operator for: Lagoon & Gemini Catamarans Email: charter@catamarans.com Phone: 800-262-0308 Web: www.catamarans.com

“I can’t stop telling everyone how cool this experience was!”

“

This was one of the most productive vacations I have ever been on. The instructors were amazing, I learned a lot and had so much fun doing so. I can’t stop telling everyone I know how cool this experience was. I will be sending my parents this trip as a gift.

”

Charles Zahalka, MD • Las Vegas, NV Fast Track to Cruising®

Day Sailing • Bareboat Charter Cruising • Performance Sailing Team Building Programs Florida • British Virgin Islands

OVER 140,000 GRADUATES SINCE 1964

Sailing - Good for you. Good for the world!®

OffshoreSailing.com | 888.454.7016

+ + + + + BVI’S

BEST DEALS ON KEELS

• Bareboat / Skippered • Catamarans 38’ – 47’ • Monohulls 32’ – 51’ Latest fleet addition: POWERCATS 47’ TH

CHARTER SEASON

Call us today to reserve your charter!

you’re in the right company...

Four stunning locations Immaculate yachts First-class customer service BVI ANTIGUA GRENADA ST VINCENT

+1 877 877 1888 • charters@horizonyachtcharters.com • horizonyachtcharters.com

At a time when sound advice is priceless... Ours is Free. oats look new and crews seem friendly online, but a picture never tells the whole story, so why risk your vacation on the unknown?

B

For over 30 years Ed Hamilton & Co has used their first hand knowledge to arrange Bareboat and Crewed Yacht Charters Worldwide.

See why Ed Hamilton & Co has been named one of Conde Nast Traveler's Top Travel Agents for 9 years running and remains the most respected Caribbean brokerage in the industry.

&Co.

Ed Hamilton Yacht Charter Agents

www.ed-hamilton.com | 800-621-7855 B a r e b o a t & C r e w e d C h a r t e r s Wo r l d w i d e

The Right Place, The Right Time, The Right People...

The Right Yacht!

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the opportunity to own a 2017 Lagoon 450F at 2016 pricing under $650k - fully equipp ed and delivered to St Thomas! Con tact us: yachtsales@cyoacharters.c om.

Š Photo Nicolas Claris

U.S., British & Spanish Virgin Islands Catamarans l Monohulls l Bareboat l Skippered Reservations: U.S. & Canada +800-944-2962 | International +386-210-4155 CYOA Yacht Charters Frenchtown Marina l St. Thomas USVI | email: info@cyoacharters.com l cyoacharters.com

A cruising ground that’s somewhere between heaven and earth, but a little closer to heaven.

Be a part of The Barefoot Lifestyle.

B

arefoot Yacht Charters

Celebrating 32 years of excellence.

Full service Marine Centre & Yacht Management Facility * Restaurant & Bar * Ocean-view Apartments Sail Loft * Surf Shop * Internet Café * Water Sports Centre * Boutique.

Blue Lagoon, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, W.I. | Tel: 1.784.456.9526 | Fax: 1.784.456.9238 | E-mail: barebum@vincysurf.com | www.barefootyachts.com

cruisingworld.com

BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER | LUXURY FULLY CREWED & HONEYMOON CHARTERS | ASA SAILING SCHOOL

march 2017

83

At Barefoot Offshore, we offer the perfect sailing conditions of St Vincent and the Grenadines to bring the highest level of sailing to everyone on top quality, professionally prepared yachts, using the industry’s best instructors. We help all sailors, no matter their sailing ability, reach their desired level to move purposefully towards their sailing dreams!

Barefoot Offshore Sailing School is proud to celebrate our 20th Year anniversary of B.O.S.S - ASA affiliated sailing schools!

Serious training for cruising sailors, and those who want to be F O RT L A U D E R D A L E , F L • M A R S H H A R B O U R , B A H A M A S • S A I N T T H O M A S , U . S . V I R G I N I S L A N D S • N E W P O RT, R I

Learn to Sail & Cruise!

Liveaboard cruising courses, 3 days to 3 weeks.

Earn ASA Certifications in: • Basic Sailing • Coastal Cruising • Bareboat Chartering • Cruising Catamaran • Coastal Navigation • Advanced Coastal Cruising • Celestial Navigation • Offshore Passagemaking Also Available: • Private & Own Boat Instruction

888.492.5973 / 954.763.8464

www.bwss.com

YOUR BEST CHARTER ADVISOR

ONLINE YACHT CHARTER

OVER ŏƗ ljljlj ke WORLDWIDE

ŏ ljljlj { k8) FkceX )c ) e )% ¥ k XF)c

www.theGlobeSailor.com

e {) kceX e% F k 8k ¥k eFXFc: BkXF%e¥

ťŏ ƆĊƆěĊăƑěƆƆljƗ

Who said family run companies are a thing of the past?

1-800-524-2019 www.iyc.vi

Island Yacht Charters, Inc 2010 National EPA Environmental Quality Award recipient

In our 40 years, IYC has earned a reputation as the premiere Virgin Island charter company, offering exceptional personal attention and unequaled yacht quality. Sail one of our lovely Island Packets and enjoy the US and Spanish Virgin Islands as well as the British Virgin Islands. Call or e-mail direct to our St. Thomas, USVI office today!

Island Packets available: Estero, 370, 440, 445, 460, 465, 485 Coming soon, the Island Packet 520 and the Blue Jacket 40’

cruisingworld.com

Celebrating 40 years 1977-2017

Family Run Since Day One Owner Operators, Andrea & Skip King

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

IYC is the official Caribbean Dealer for Blue Jacket Yachts.

Management Program Florida Solar Energy Center certified

solar panels aboard all our vessels.

6100 Red Hook Qtr., 18B, Suite 4, St. Thomas, VI 00802-1303 (340) 775-6666 • Fax (340) 714-4194 • email: sailing@iyc.vi

march 2017

86

EXPERIENCE CUBA/CARIBBEAN Aboard a Luxury Catamaran

SUMMERALLTHETIME SAILING CO. Stress free all-inclusive voyages, JUST STEP ABOARD! We handle all the details: • U.S. Customs approved itinerary • Ground Transportation • Full time Translator guide

• Documentation services for bringing your own boat • Cuba by the Cabin

Fully crewed or captain only charters in Key West, Dry Tortugas, Miami and Bahamas. 2018 The Great Loop of America. Book your trip of a lifetime today with Captain Jon and Dania Brunold.

BOOK NOW! 786-774-8644 Summerallthetimesailingco.com/cuba

CRUISING WORLD’S

BROKERAGE WHERE YOU’LL FIND the BEST USED BOATS on the MARKET

BOAT MONTH cruisingworld.com

•

march 2017

87

Sistership

2008 PASSP ORT 470 CENTER COCKPIT The owners of Abacus have significantly lowered the price on this one owner 3-cabin Passport 470. She has had several recent upgrades and it is now possible to own this well-equipped Passport 470 at a very attractive price. So if you are looking for one of the best cruising yachts around, this is the one to see.

In excellent condition with unique double walk-thru three stateroom layout. Features shoal draft, bow thruster, generator, reverse cycle heat and air, electric utility winch, Gori prop, SSB, water maker, Raymarine instruments including E80 color radar/chart plotter, Sirius weather, wind generator and dingy davits.

P L E A S E S E E O U R A D O N PA G E 8 8 - 8 9 Passport Yachts ◆ 410-263-0008 ◆ www.passportyachts.com.

FEATURED BOATS OF THE MONTH

PASSORT VISTA 515 CENTER COCKPIT Cayenne is a truly spectacular one owner Passport Visa 515 center cockpit that really is in â&#x20AC;&#x153;like newâ&#x20AC;? condition. She has been lightly used but has been outfitted with all of the amenities and systems needed for extended cruising. Her mainsail and both head sails are roller furling. All five winches are electric two speed and her working jib is self-tending.

She has a custom arch housing all the antennas and the tender davits. Below decks Cayenne is designed with three adult sized staterooms and two full sized heads with separate showers. The main salon is palatial and the galley is designed for a gourmet cook with loads of counter space and storage. Cayenne is outfitted with everything one could imagine or wish for and is offered for sale at less than half of replacement cost! A true bargain, just add water.

PASSPORT 40 Grendel is a great example of the iconic Passport 40, and is still owned by her original owner. As with all great designs it is worth the time and effort to make all things new again. And Grendel is a great example of that process. Everything has been replaced and upgraded to make Grendel a virtually new boat! The list is long and detailed and nothing has been overlooked. To put it in perspective, one would have to spend upwards of five hundred thousand dollars or more to duplicate Grendel. She is offered for $169,900 and is truly ready to sail anywhere in the world. Some things are just worth doing!

For more information on these and other previously owned yachts, please contact us: ANNAPOLIS: Yacht Haven, 326 First Street, Ste. 404, Annapolis, MD 21403

410-263-0008 www.passportyachts.com

PASSPORT 470 CENTER COCKPIT See more at www.passportyachts.com

2009 PASSPORT VISTA 515 AC Easy to sail single handed Solent rig design with twin furlers, self-tacking jib, inboard and outboard tracks.

Gorgeous interior and well equipped. Asking 598,000.

1989 Passport 41 AC Dark blue hull with unique two-stateroom two enclosed head arrangement. Well equipped.

Asking $195,000.

2008 PASSPORT 470 CC Fully equipped for cruising and ready to go! Excellent condition with unique double walk-thru three stateroom layout and shoal draft. Asking $524,500.

2007 PASSPORT 470 AC Owner spared no expense in design and equipment to cruise the world independent of marinas. Equally capable of cruising shallow waters. Asking $549,000.

2004 PASSPORT 470 CC Very well equipped with arch, twin wind generators and solar panels. Refit in 2016. Asking $389,000.

1997 PASSPORT 470 CC Gorgeous joinery, dark blue hull, three staterooms and teak decks make her a real head turner. Well maintained and constantly updated. Asking $375,000.

1998 GOZZARD 44 AC Absolutely gorgeous dark blue hull with factory made custom hard bimini. Versatile interior.

Asking $325,000.

1983 PASSPORT 40 AC Beautiful examples of the legendary Robert Perry cruising yacht. Two available starting at $134,900.

2000 PASSPORT 456 AFT COCKPIT A two owner boat that has been well maintained and spent hurricane seasons on the hard in the Caribbean. Available at less than half replacement cost. Asking $295,000.

1995 GOZZARD 36 AC Elegant blue water yacht uniquely designed for a sailing couple with occasional guests. One owner boat in pristine condition. Asking $149,000.

1987 GOZZARD 36 AC Gozzard 36 AC. Several to choose from. Excellent cruiser or roomy liveaboard. Asking from $189,000.

2002 GOZZARD 41 AC With only 300 hours on the 2010 Beta engine this fresh water only Gozzard 41 is a rare find.

Asking $329,000.

For more information on these and other previously owned yachts, please contact us: ANNAPOLIS: Yacht Haven, 326 First Street, Ste. 404, Annapolis, MD 21403

410-263-0008 www.passportyachts.com

qualit y yach t s from s w if t sure yach t s The Hylas 46 is an excellent choice for anyone considering a performance cruising boat with comfort to spare. This 2000 model features a low maintenance exterior: white gel-coat hull, molded non-skid decks, aluminum toe rail and anodized spars. Constant upgrades and all the gear needed for offshore sailing and cruising including new Cruise RO watermaker, Icom SSB, dinghy, outboard, stainless steel davits, genset, and air conditioning make her “turn key.” Electric in-mast Selden mainsail furling and electric primary winches make sail handling a breeze. Windswept is well situated in the Pacific Northwest where downwind tropical destinations can be enjoyed after an epic summer in British Columbia and Alaska.

Windswept 2000 Hylas 46 $310,000

d e ta i ls

o n l i n e

at

swi ftsureyac hts.com price reduced

Outremer 49 • 2010 • $615,000

Hallberg-Rassy 46 • 2000 • $348,000

Hallberg-Rassy 53 • 2003 • $499,000

Farr PH 60 • 1997 • $775,000 CAD

Valiant 47 • 1984 • $239,000

43 Jeanneau 43DS • 2006 • $190,000

Garcia Passoa 46 • 1993 • $298,000

40 Norseman 400 • 1987 • $149,500

Passport 40 • 1982 • $135,000

Shannon PH 60 • 2014 • $1,195,000

price reduced

Swan 46 • 1984 • $239,000 price reduced

Beneteau First 44.7 • 2006 • $187,500

NEW SAILING YACHTS for world cruising from Swiftsure Yachts 73 50 50 48 48 47 46 45 44 44 43 43 42 42

Manuel Campos Ketch Dubbel & Jesse Lavranos C&C J/145 Stevens Grand Soleil Passport 456 Morris Nordic Perry Hallberg-Rassy Roberts PH Hallberg-Rassy

1941 1989 1990 1973 2003 1984 1998 2004 1994 1983 2001 2005 1994 1983

$475,000 $269,000 $194,500 $248,000 $339,000 $175,000 inquire $375,000 $459,000 $129,000 $219,500 $385,000 $119,000 $174,000

42 40 40 40 39 39 38 37 35 34 34 33 30 25

Hallberg-Rassy Valiant Caliber 40 LRC Jonmeri Shearwater Hallberg-Rassy C&C 115 Beneteau First 375 Nexus Sweden Red Wing J/100 Admiralty Ranger Tug

1986 1977 1996 1986 1990 2000 2006 1985 2003 1984 2008 2005 2006 2012

$225,000 $79,000 $179,500 $119,000 $198,000 $239,000 $145,000 $60,000 $299,000 $59,500 $145,000 $69,900 $35,000 $115,000

SwiftsureYachts

™

www.swiftsureyachts.com www.facebook.com/swiftsureyachts Swiftsure Yachts, Inc. 2500 Westlake Ave. N. Suite F, Seattle WA 98109 206.378.1110 | info@swiftsureyachts.com

FAST SAILING EASY CRUISING

Feel the quality, experience the value

Seattle Yachts

Seattle Yachts

Seattle Yachts

Seattle, WA Anacortes, WA P: (844) 692.2487 www.seattleyachts.com

Portland, OR WS Yacht P: (971) 244.2667 www.seattleyachts.com

Vancouver, BC Yacht BC P: (778) 899.7723 www.seattleyachts.com

Intelligent Sailing

Springline Yacht Sales

St Petersburg, FL P: (813) 864.7633 www.intelligentsailing.com

Mystic, CT P: (860) 415.4810 www.secureyourdream.com

From the slopes to the sea, building skis and yachts for more then 70 years.

WWW.ELAN-YACHTS.COM

The Leader in Sales for New and Pre-Owned Island Packet Yachts - Visit Us at UsedIslandPackets.com.

Boats are in the Water and Ready to Sea Trial ...

The Weather is Wonderful, Come On Down Today and Sail Away in Your New Boat!

2004 Grand Banks 46’

2004 Island Packet 485

2003 Island Packet 485

Bradenton, FL $429,000

2008 Outbound 46’

Palmetto, FL $598,900

British Virgin Islands $424,000

Palmetto, FL $418,500

2006 Island Packet 440

2005 Island Packet 445

Brunswick, GA $334,500

2003 Island Packet 420

2000 Outbound 44’

Ruskin, FL $315,000

2002 Island Packet 420

Southport, NC $309,000

Ft. Lauderdale, FL $305,000

Palmetto, FL $279,500

2001 Island Packet 420

2012 Island Packet 360

1989 Hans Christian 41’

2001 Island Packet 380

2000 Island Packet 380

Palmetto, FL $275,000

Palmetto, FL $239,000

Enroute to US $219,900

Palmetto, FL $204,900

Palmetto, FL $198,900

2006 Island Packet 440 Brunswick, GA $388,900

2004 Tartan 37’

2001 Hunter 46’

2000 Seawind 1000 33’

1990 Passport 50’

2006 Catalina MkII 42’

Brunswick, GA $178,000

Beaufort, NC $175,000

Brunswick, GA $169,000

Tarpon Springs, FL $167,500

Tarpon Springs, FL $164,900

1984 Hank Hinckley 42’

1996 Island Packet Cat 35’

1993 Jeanneau Sun Fast 52’

1995 Shearwater 39’

1991 Tayana Vancouver 42’

St. Augustine, FL $139,900

Titusville, FL $129,500

Hilton Head, SC $129,000

Maryland $129,000

St. Petersburg, FL $124,900

1986 Island Packet 38

1991 Island Packet 35

2001 Hunter 41’

1993 Island Packet 35

1995 Hunter Passage 42’

Brunswick, GA $118,900

Palmetto, FL $115,000

Marco Island, FL $114,900

Palmetto, FL $109,900

Punta Gorda, FL $104,900

2001 Island Packet 420 2004 Island Packet 370 2004 Island Packet 370 2000 Island Packet 380 1996 Island Packet 37 2000 Beneteau Oceanis 46’ 1995 Island Packet 37

St. Augustine, FL Punta Gorda, FL Punta Gorda, FL Portsmouth, RI Punta Gorda, FL Vero Beach, FL Punta Gorda, FL

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

289,000 244,430 215,000 199,900 159,900 159,900 157,000

1988 Mason Cutter 44’ 1997 Island Packet Cat 35 1998 Island Packet 350 1990 Island Packet 38 1988 Island Packet 38 2002 Beneteau 39’ 1988 Irwin CC 44’

Brunswick, FL Brunswick, GA Corpus Christi, TX Brunswick, GA Palmetto, FL St. Pete Beach, FL Bradenton, FL

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

139,900 138,900 119,900 119,500 115,000 109,000 98,000

2000 Island Packet 320 1992 Hunter Passage 42‘ 2004 Catalina 35’ 2006 Catalina MKI 35‘ 2005 Gemini 105Mc 34’ 1979 Cheoy Lee 44’ 1999 Beneteau 36’

Palmetto, FL Punta Gorda, FL Bradenton, FL Ruskin, FL Melbourne, FL Brunswick, FL Palmetto, FL

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

97,900 97,000 95,000 94,900 94,900 89,900 76,000

Preferred Yachts – Exceptional Service – www.WhiteakerYachtSales.com Southern Tampa Bay - Palmetto, FL & Osprey, FL

Local: 941.776.0616

Toll Free: 888.717.SEAS

CUSTOM HINCKLEY/ALDEN 60' Exceptional build quality and design pedigree, with handsome lines and proven performance. Major refit (2015), including new carbon rig, teak decks and all new paint. Stunning!

OYSTER 56’, 2008 Lightly used G5 maple interior with preferred Yanmar power (1,650 hrs). Four-cabin layout, ready to cruise, with Reckmann furlers, gen, water maker, washer/dryer.

HINCKLEY SOU’WESTER 59' Rare late model, loaded with options. Tall carbon rig, bow thruster, hydraulic winches/furlers and all control lines within reach of helm. Gorgeous cherry interior with 3 SRs/3 heads.

TASWELL 56’ Popular Bill Dixon design is built to high standards and features a spacious three-cabin layout, extended hard dodger and many desirable options for comfortable bluewater cruising. New to market.

ALDEN 54’ AFT COCKPIT SLOOP In excellent shape and lovingly updated. Handsome lines and 3-SR/2-head layout below. Custom tall spar, power winches, generator. New house batteries and electronics. Smaller trades considered.

S&S CUSTOM 53', 2004 Sparkman & Stephens pedigree, built in New Zealand.

Award-winning raised pilothouse design. Modern construction yields lighter, stronger offshore hull with increased performance. Call for details!

MARK ELLIS/BRUCKMANN 47', 2000 Modern construction and systems, with classic lines. Easy to singlehand, with hydraulic winches, bow thruster and genoa furler. 2-SR/2-head layout. In pristine condition.

LITTLE HARBOR 46' One of the finest, most detailed center-cockpit Little Harbor 46’s built. This nearly-flawless cruiser offers a unique combination of easy shorthanded sailing and comfortable accommodations.

ALDEN 48’ Last Alden 48’ built (1997), in pristine condition.

One-owner boat, easy to singlehand, and set up for bluewater cruising. Shoal draft capabilities, with keel/ centerboard.

MCCURDY & RHODES/PAUL LUKE CUSTOM 46' Comprehensive refit 2009-2013. Virtually new custom yacht with pedigreed design/build. Fitted with the best equipment, and set up for shorthanded offshore cruising or crewed competitive racing.

LITTLE HARBOR 44' CENTER COCKPIT Maintained like new. Recent engine, generator, all new electronics, new mainsail, new canvas. Easy to singlehand, with electric furling main, primary winches, all lines leading to cockpit.

Rhode Island (401) 683-6070 | Info@WellingtonYachts.com | Florida (954) 527-4230 TED HOOD 2 MILES DAVID 2 CHRIS FAIRFAX 2 DOLF HAFFENREFFER 2 CHET HARTSHORN 2 MURRAY LORD BOB MARSTON 2 JOHN PERKINS 2 JIM WETHERALD 2 BRUCE SZAMIER

SEE MORE AT WELLINGTONYACHTS.COM

2010 X-55 $650,000

The X-55 is one of the prettiest and best proportioned yachts to ever be built by X-Yachts of Denmark. This one is in particularly fine condition, with all appropriate upgrades.

She is located in New England and available at a fraction of the cost of a new Xp-55.

X4

2010 X-55 ......................................... $650,000

XYa ch

2017

ts

r de Un er ruis eC Siz llFu st Be

Selected Brokerage:

et Fe 50

1926/2006 Alden Schooner 43 ........ $650,000 1962 Derecktor S&S Yawl 42 ................$85,000 2016 X4 ......................................................CALL 1985 Jonmeri 40 .................................... $145,000 2012 Xp 38 ........................................$ 325,000 2014 X-Yachts Xp38...........................$318,500 1986 Tartan 37...........................................$65,000 1985 Wauquiez 35...................................$ 69,500

X4 is the second model to be launched by X-Yachts in the brand new range, X. Designed to complement both the existing two ranges, Xperformance (Xp) and Xcruising (Xc), X models will offer both excellent sailing capabilities and a modern spacious interior.

+1 (860) 536 7776

2001 Buzzardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bay 25 .......................... $115,000 1993 J-105 .................................................$ 65,000 1995 Finngulf 335 .................................. $ 99,000

www.x-yachtsusa.com

BALANCECATAMARANS.COM

215-508-2704

THE 526

The Multihull Company The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leader in Multihull Sales, Service and Charter Broker Spotlight

Featured Brokerage Listings

2011 Lagoon 560 $999,000

2007 Lagoon 500 $580,000

2009 Sunreef 70 $2,289,000

2002 Catana 581 $649,000

2006 Sunreef 62 $795,000

2011 Lagoon 500 $599,000

2012 Leopard 39

2009 St. Francis 50 $670,000

2000 Catana 431

2015 Alibi 54

â&#x201A;Ź1.199.000

Alexis de Boucaud

Fort Lauderdale +1-484-744-2740 Alexis@multihullcompany.com Alexis grew up racing dinghies in the waters of Brittany, France. He immigrated to the United States as D \RXQJ PDQ DQG GHYHORSHG KLV LQWHUHVW LQ R VKRUH cruising and racing in New England and the Bahamas. Alexis spent ten years managing Nautorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swan &KDUWHUV D KLJK HQG FKDUWHU FRPSDQ\ ZLWK RYHU ÂżIW\ Swans based in the Caribbean, New England and the Mediterranean. This experience gave him substantial experience in the many facets of yacht sales and brokerage in the United States, Europe and the Caribbean.

Alexis is bilingual English-French. He was educated in the United States and has worked in the US, Europe and the Caribbean. He has sailed extensively on multihulls and particularly enjoys performance cats.

Need Assistance? Have Questions?

215-508-2704 w w w. m u l t i h u l l c o m p a n y . c o m

2012 Nautitech 542

$995,000

2010 Knysna 480 $545,000

$340,000

$364,000

DIVE IN TO A LOW-INTEREST BOAT LOAN.

Essex Credit, a division of Bank of the West,

Loan Amount

has affordable boat loan options that can help you get out on the water quickly. Our

APR* as low as

Refinance — New or Used Purchase From a Dealer or Individual Seller — Purchase Locally or Cross-Country

experienced consultants make getting your loan easy and stress-free, so you can look forward to what’s really important — enjoying your boat. Changing market conditions can affect rates, so act now to take advantage of our low APRs.

Apply online today. www.essexcredit.com/cw (866) 377-3948

NEW - USED - REFINANCE

1919-1996 | Loans for part- and full-time charters WE ALSO OFFER: Live-Aboard financing | Loans for older boats (1919–1994) *Estimated APR (Annual Percentage Rate). Subject to consumer loan program requirements and credit approval. Certain fees, closing costs, and restrictions may apply. APR applied to the loan is the APR in effect on the date the application is received and is valid until 30 days after the loan is approved. APRs may vary with loan term. Boat must be 1997 model year or newer; for boat model year 1997 to 2006, add .25% to above rate. Maximum loan term based on model year, loan amount, loan type, and lender guidelines. Other rates with different loan terms are available. Example of a recreational use Boat loan: A 10 year fixed-rate $55,000 loan.

Based on an APR of 4.39%, this loan has 120 monthly payments of $567.10 each.

Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

© 2017 Bank of the West. NMLS ID# 19116.

Photo courtesy of Sunsail and Randy Lincks.

RISK NEVER SLEEPS. NEITHER DO WE. Gowrie Group & IMIS – the leading marine insurance specialists.

We provide coverage for everything marine and beyond.

• Power & Sailboats • Racing Sailboats & One-designs • Worldwide Cruisers (Jackline Program) • Luxury Yachts • Marine Crew Medical Learn more and request a quote at: www.gowrie.com/imis, 800.541.4647, yachts.imis@gowrie.com IMIS and The Jackline Program are now part of Gowrie Group

E !

E R R F APP U O MO Y R T E DE LI V

See the LIVE conditions of our demo vessel.

User Name: Yacht Password: demo

SMART WIRELESS MONITORING & TRACKING SYSTEM •EASY TO INSTALL •WEATHER, FORECAST & TIDE INFORMATION SET YOUR GEO-FENCE TO PROTECT YOUR BOAT ANYWHERE!

•BOAT INSURANCE DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!

Vi si t Yach t P ro t ect o r. co m f o r mo re i n fo rmati o n

THOUSANDS INSTALLED! On more than 230 brands of boats 19’ to 70’

MANUFACTURED BY THE WORLD’S #1 THRUSTER COMPANY

STERN

BOW

STERN

Thrust-([WHUQDOO\ 0RXQWHG 7KUXVWHU

Thrust-ΖQWHUQDOO\ 0RXQWHG 7KUXVWHU (Tunnel Thruster) INNOVATIVE HORIZONTAL DESIGN 0RXQWHG IXUWKHU IRUZDUG WR LQFUHDVH HɝFLHQF\ (DV\ WR LQVWDOO ZLWK RXU VHOI LQVWDOODWLRQ NLW

CONTACT US NOW!

ADAPTOR INSTALLATION KIT Custom rubber adaptor designed for simple LQVWDOODWLRQ DQG VWUHDPOLQHG HɝFLHQF\ HOUSING Tough and durable saltwater-resistant solid PDFKLQHG DOXPLQXP KRXVLQJ 12 ERQGLQJ UHTXLUHG

1.888.898.8608

KONG ANCHOR SWIVELS Stainless Steel Anchor Swivels up to 20,000 pound strength

S/S WATERTIGHT THROUGH-HULL FITTTING SEALED ELECTRIC MOTOR Rare earth magnets for ORZ EDWWHU\ GUDZ DQG H[WHQGHG UXQ WLPH PROPELLER In-house developed SURSHOOHU IRU RSWLPDO WKUXVW

CHECK OUT OUR NEW PRODUCT!

ADVANCED MAINSAIL MANAGEMENT

In-Boom Furling

www.kongusa.com

KONG SAFETY TETHERS

• • • •

Better Sail Shape Than In-Mast Furlers Multi-Factor Design Program Assures Fit Nine Different Sizes & Models for Cats & Monohulls Elegant Tapered Styling in Carbon or Aluminum

MORRIS 42X

PHOTO BY BILLY BLACK

www.kongusa.com

www.leisurefurl.com | 949.858.8820

by Forespar

CRUISING WORLD’S

MARKETPLACE EVERYTHING YOU NEED to MAKE your ON-THE-WATER DREAM A REALITY

CHARTERS: FLORIDA/CARIBBEAN

CHARTERS: PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Virgin Islands Price rollback to 1993!

You can't get a better deal!!

We enjoy introducing sailors to the Virgin Anchorages aboard Rochelle, our Amel54. cruisingworld.com

$3495 per week/couple includes my cooking.

march 2017

102

CHARTERS: FOREIGN

Check out our website!

Dr. Wayne Witt (865) 679-8663 www.rochellecharters.net

Caribbean Charters & Villas Rentals * St. Lucia * Martinique * Grenadines * 1-800-263-4202 WWW. SAIL-CARIBBEAN.COM

CHARTERS: EAST COAST

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 38’ Lagoon cat, 38’ Admiral cat, 42’ Leopard cat, 43’ Leopard cat, 44’ Voyage cat, and 46’ Leopard cat 7 Nights for $2800 to $8400.

Bavaria 33’, Beneteau 39’, Beneteau 43’, or Jeanneau 44i – 7 Nights for $980 to $4200. Seasonal Specials. thecaptainscompass.com

CHARTER A CATAMARAN OR MONO-HULL IN NEW ENGLAND! NARRAGANSETT BAY, GATEWAY TO MARTHA’S VINEYARD

Virgin Islands Sailing Vacation Captain Only or Fully Crewed Sailing Charters since 1992 – 46ft Sloop “SOPRIS” Join Us in the Beautiful USVI & BVI for the Best in Sailing, Snorkeling, Shopping, Beachcombing, and Restaurants.

Ask About Our Discounted Rates, 15% Off for Direct Bookings. Visit our Website www.soprischarters. com 1-888-821-0012.

YACHT CHARTERS & CRUISES GREEK ISLANDS / SOUTH FRANCE ITALY / CROATIA w w w. a l p h a y a c h t i n g . c o m , info@alphayachting.com US +1 954 234 2203, Athens/Greece +011 30 6974788888

CHARTER BOAT DATABASE SERVICE

(5) Catamarans 40’-46’ (5) Monohulls 30’-42’ Charter flotilla: Sept. 9-16

SAIL THE WORLD BY TALL SHIP Experience life under square sail.

Learn to sail a tall ship. Summer 2017 on the Atlantic coast of USA and Canada for as little as 10 days.

Around the world voyage begins Nov 2017. No experience necessary.

Barque PICTON CASTLE (902) 634-9984 www.picton-castle.com

www.narragansettcharters.com 401-649-1754

INSTRUCTION/SAILING SCHOOLS

CHARTERS: GREAT LAKES/NORTH CHANNEL

Sail Santa Cruz & Monterey Bay ASA Bareboat Certification Eight day liveaboard. pacificsail.com 800-374-2626, info@pacificsail.com

Sail The Apostle Islands Lake Superior-Bayfield, WI. Choose from over 40 charter sailboats. Bareboat, Crewed and Learn-to-Sail.

Representing new Jeanneau yachts!

SUPERIOR CHARTERS, www. superiorcharters.com (715) 779-5124.

34475 Port Superior Rd, Bayfield, WI 54814.

CHARTERS: WEST COAST SAN DIEGO SAILING ACADEMY ASA and US SAILING Certifications. Private Professional Liveaboard Programs. www.sdsa.com (800) 441-8672.

OFFSHORE PASSAGE OPPORTUNITIES Ofshore Passagemaking Instruction Aboard a Hallberg-Rassy 46 in the Pacific & Atlantic. (360) 378-6131, www.mahina.com

LEARN AT THE HELM™ Chapman School of Seamanship Career & recreational courses on sail and power vessels. 1-800-225-2841, www.chapman.org

Ofshore Passage Opportunities Your Offshore Sailing Network. Sail for free helping delivery skippers and boat owners move boats. Gain Quality Sea Time. www.sailopo.com call-1800-4-PASSAGe (1-800-472-7724).

Keep the Dream Alive for the Price of a Good Winch Handle.

Since 1993.

FL. Keys ASA Sailing School Award Wining Instructors Cottages W/sailboats. “Students: Girl Scouts - Royal Navy” * Charters BoatsAvailable. www.americansailing academy.com (305) 451-4700.

cruisingworld.com

Advertise Here! Marketplace Rates & Info Contact: 401 ĥ 845 ĥ 4440 cla ssifieds@cr uisingworld.com

MICHELLE ROCHE

INSTRUCTION/SAILING SCHOOLS

YACHT PARTNERSHIP/ TIMESHARE

MORE GEAR

56’ Catamaran Fractional Ownership $5000 buy in, as low as $2600 per week. Located in Med and Caribbean. sailpalarran@gmail.com

BOATYARD SERVICES

BOATS FOR SALE Classifieds@ cruisingworld.com

e-newsletter

Sign up for Cruising World’s e-newsletter, and you’ll get regular cruising news, logs, charter and gear updates from the editors of Cruising World magazine.

43’Jeanneau Deck Salon 2003 75hp turbo-charged Yanmar, all line led to CP, 2003 5kw genset, 2016 battery charger, 2013 Raymarine plotter/ radar, Strong Offshore capable vessel! $189,500 PH 866-365-0706, w w w. S a i l b o a t s i n F l o r i d a . c o m Edwards Yacht Sales 40’ Migrator Yachts Block Island, 1999 Yawl Rigged, Solar, watermaker, SPOTLESS inside & Out! $174,900, PH 866-365-0706, www.Sailboatsin Florida.com Edwards Yacht Sales

45’ Colvin Yankee Point Steel Schooner World Cruiser, 2000, 59’ LOA. Surveyed. Currently cruising Bahamas and south. $229,000. Includes delivery to any US East Coast port in June. Reply to sailworld@aol.com

cruisingworld.com

1991 Wellington 47 John Alden designed shoal draft cutter. Great Condition! Excellent live aboard or charter vessel. Three staterooms, raised salon, beautiful teak interior. Make an offer! tlstewart2@ gmail.com

CRUZPRO INSTRUMENTS Digital multifunction instruments with alarms/NMEA0183 for depth, speed, wind, battery monitoring, engine gauges, tankage, gas detectors, chain counters, PC Fishfinder and accessories. USA: w w w. d o w n w i n d m a r i n e . c o m , New Zealand: www.cruzpro.com, Australia: www.marinedirect.com. au, UK: www.energysolutions.com.

MORE GEAR

cruisingworld.com

BOAT PLANS/KITS James Wharram Designs World renowned safe, seaworthy catamarans. 14’-63’ self-build in ply/epoxy,glass from plans that are “a course in boat building” www. wharram.com

Composting Toilet The ORIGINAL, since 2001 www.airheadtoilet.com PO Box 481, Westbrook, ME 04098.

740-392-3642.

103 march 2017

BOATS FOR SALE

Visiting The Caribbean This Season?

BRADFORD MARINE offers Dry s t o r a g e a n d Fu l l b o a t y a r d services for Multi-Hulls in the Bahamas. 33.5’ Beam Travelift. Long Term Storage. Hurricane strapping.

COMPLIMENTARY STORAGE FOR BROKERAGE CLIENTS. Reserve your Space on the Hard Today. Contact 877-287-1513, bahamas@bradford-marine.com, or bradford-marine.com/bahamas

SAILS

5,> *6(:;(3 CRUISING SAILS FOR ALL BOATS.

ably d! d r o f f A Price Sails Ship Store Consignment

Since 1959 Bacon’s has provided the sailing community world wide with WKH À QHVW LQ QHZ DQG XVHG VDLOV Our long term commitment to quality, service and integrity makes %DFRQ 6DLOV WKH VDLORU·V EHVW YDOXH

cruisingworld.com

<ZLK :HPSZ PU :[VJR

CREW

march 2017

104

SELF-STEERING GEAR

ADD YEARS TO THE LIFE OF YOUR SAILS WITH THE LaMAUNEY PROCESS! Over 150,000 Sails Reconditioned in 26 Years!

98% of all stains removed! Rust, mildew, grease, animal & vegetable stains gone!

Resins replaced giving you a brilliant white sail that is UV, MILDEW & MOISTURE protected. Professional Repairs done on site. We do it all for less! Modifications, Roller Furling, Sunbands, Full Battens, Reef Points, Windows, etc. Furling Gear, Full Batten Hardware, Luff track conversions, Dutchman, SS Hardware, Line, Lazy Jacks, Over 50 sailing items in our new Catalogue.

Check out the video and request a catalogue at

www.sailcare.com info@sailcare.com 800.433.7245 1,000 Sails In Stock Discount Custom Sails View our complete inventory at our web store.

• New Sails In Stock • Used Sails • Roller Furling Units • Sail Covers • MacGregor Boat Covers • Sail & Canvas Repair Distributors for

Rolly Tasker Sails www.hydrovane.com

FEEL THE FREEDOM With an independent self steering windvane AND

Emergency rudder...

Even on a Cat!

Lagoon 470

STEERING THE DREAM

831-646-5346 www.thesailwarehouse.com

T he Sail Ware ho use Since 1993

New & Used Sails Buy-Sell-Consign Large Inventory. (800) 783-6953, (727) 327-5361. www.mastheadsailing gear.com

Donate Your Used Sails!

Developing Leaders, Producing Champions Tax deductible contribution.

Supports collegiate, high school & community sailing at first and foremost maritime college - New York Maritime. Contact: Rob at rcrafa@sunymaritime.edu or Paul at Masthead (800) 783-6953.

National Sail Supply Quality custom built sails at reasonable prices. newsails@aol.com, www.nationalsail.com 352-540-9101.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Partnership in Growing, Profitable and Tax Efficient Yacht Charter Co in Caribbean brent@heatseekerinternational.com

SERVICES St. Brendan’s Isle Mail Service & More VIEW & READ YOUR MAIL ONLINE Serving cruisers since 1988. Income Tax Free Florida. 411 Walnut Street, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043.

(800) 544-2132. www.sbimailservice. com Email: sbi@sbimailservice.com

WATERFRONT REAL ESTATE

JEWELRY

TARPON ESTATES, CAPE CORAL, FL

EXCLUSIVE GATED COMMUNITY, GULF ACCESS LOTS

5 LOTS FOR SALE cruisingworld.com

$750,000 TO $875,000 All have deep water docks, no bridges.

Dolphins and Manatee swim up to docks.

Call Terry Keller, Moecker Realty

105

RETIRING SAILORS BEAUTIFUL 2 Bed, 2 Bath, Apartment in CCRC in Annapolis, with SPECTACULAR VIEW OF CHESAPEAKE, walk to marinas.

CALL RUTH 781-929-3189.

march 2017

954.562.1659

Order Your Book TODAY!

RESORTS/RENTALS

0DUNHWSODFH 5DWHV & Info Contact:

Vacation Cottages W/FREE Sailboats Paddle boards, Kayaks, Bikes, Fish/ Snorkel Gear & More. Starting $175/ Night. * Charters Boats Available w w w. Ke y l i m e s a i l i n g c l u b . c o m (305) 451 3438.

MICHELLE ROCHE

MARINE BOOKS/GUIDES/ DVDS

nd.com

www.implege

401-845-4440 classifieds@cruisingworld.com

3267$/ ,1)250$7,21 &58,6,1* :25/' 9ROXPH 1XPEHU Ī,661 ĥ 8636 ĥ ī LV SXEOLVKHG WLPHV SHU \HDU Ī-DQ )HE 0DU $SU 0D\ - - $ 6 2&7 1 'ī E\ %RQQLHU &RUS 1 2UODQGR $YH 6XLWH :LQWHU 3DUN )O &RS\ULJKW# E\ %RQQLHU &RUS $OO ULJKWV UHVHUYHG 5HSULQWLQJ LQ ZKROH RU SDUW IRUELGGHQ H[FHSW E\ SHUPLVVLRQ RI WKH SXEOLVKHU 7KH WLWOH &UXLVLQJ :RUOG LV D UHJLVWHUHG WUDGHPDUN (GLWRULDO FRQWULEXWLRQV VKRXOG EH DFFRPSDQLHG E\ D VHOIĥDGGUHVVHG VWDPSHG HQYHORSH (GLWRULDO RIILFHV DUH DW +DPPDUOXQG :D\ 0LGGOHWRZQ 5, 0DQXVFULSWV DUW DQG SKRWRJUDSKV DUH KDQGOHG ZLWK FDUH EXW QR OLDELOLW\ LV DFFHSWHG 3HULRGLFDOV SRVWDJH SDLG DW :LQWHU 3DUN )O $QG DGGLWLRQDO PDLOLQJ RIILFHV 32670$67(5 6HQG DGGUHVV FKDQJHV WR 32 %R[ +DUODQ ,$ ĥ 6XEVFULSWLRQ UDWHV )RU RQH \HDU Ī LVVXHVī IJ ,Q &DQDGD IJ RWKHU ,QWHUQDWLRQDO IJ 2UGHUV 2XWVLGH WKH 86 PXVW EH SUHSDLG LQ 86 IXQGV 3XEOLFDWLRQV 0DLO $JUHHPHQW &DQDGD 5HWXUQ 0DLO ,0(; *OREDO 6ROXWLRQV 3 2 %R[ /RQGRQ 21 1 & % &DQDGD

Of f Wa t c h Let’s not forget that the major players in this rarified realm are all French, where offshore

cruisingworld.com

T

march 2017

106

he fastest I ever traveled aboard a sailboat — one tends to remember such things — was on a gorgeous afternoon in summer 2000 aboard a 110foot catamaran called Club Med. The boat had arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, after a trans-Atlantic training voyage in advance of an aroundthe-world contest called The Race, which was scheduled to begin from Spain that fall, and I’d managed to hop aboard for a test sail. Reaching across the entrance to Narragansett Bay in about 18 knots of southerly breeze, with a blurred seascape rapidly receding beneath the trampolines and the entire boat emitting a low, eerie hum, Club Med was soon piercing the light chop at a windswept 31 knots.

A couple of other interesting numbers: Club Med sailed with an international crew of 14 sailors, and the boat went on to win The Race in a time of 62d, 6h, 56m. Back then, that record-setting mark for a roundthe-world voyage seemed truly remarkable, and perhaps one that would stand for many, many years to come.

Um, not so fast there, speedy.

If I needed a reminder that the world of sailing — and particularly the subset of marathon ocean races and record-smashing voyages — has changed exponentially since the turn of the century, the proof came this past Christmas Day, when a 48-year-old French sailor named Thomas Coville completed a circumnavigation aboard the 105-foot trimaran Sodebo Ultim in the blistering time of 49d, 3h, 7m. That figure is crazy, but consider this: Coville did it alone. Solo. All by himself.

Coville’s average speed over the course of his 27,325-nautical-mile trip was a ridiculous 23 knots, and he bettered the previous During their recent record attempt, the crew of IDEC SPORT averaged better than 36 knots for an entire week.

SPEED Thrills record, set by his fellow Frenchman Francis Joyon a dozen years earlier, by an impressive 8d, 10h. It took Coville four tries to do it, but even he had to be amazed by the final tally. Nobody could’ve imagined that a singlehanded sailor could circle the globe in less than 50 days. Heck, it took the first man to do it — Robin Knox-Johnston, in the 1968-69 Golden Globe Race — a tidy 312 days to complete the course.

Coville, a vastly experienced mariner with eight round-the-world races or record attempts under his belt, had help that wasn’t available back in Knox-Johnston’s day — a shoreside weather router — but he was also blessed with incredibly favorable conditions. It took him only 8d, 12h, 19m to cross the Indian Ocean, and just six hours longer than that to conquer the Pacific Ocean, establishing new records by a solo sailor for both passages in the process. Consider that it takes the average cruising boat about three weeks to sail from the Galápagos Islands to the Marquesas in French Polynesia — a mere fraction of the Pacific in mileage terms — and you begin to grasp the enormity of Coville’s outsize accomplishments.

Meanwhile, as Coville regained his land legs and enjoyed a well-deserved rest, more records were tumbling quickly on the far side of the globe.

It’s no coincidence that 60-year-old

Francis Joyon, Coville’s countryman and like-minded speed demon, was involved in one of the high-seas quests. Joyon and five crewmates set forth from the French island of Ushant on December 16 this past year aboard the 103-foot maxi trimaran IDEC SPORT in hopes of capturing the Jules Verne Trophy for fastest outright time around the world, a mark that at press time stood at 45d, 13h, 42m, which was established by another French tri, Banque Populaire V, in 2012.

After a while, some of these figures begin to border on the absurd. Take, for instance, the entire week in late December and early January when IDEC SPORT made better than 800 miles a day — that is not a misprint — with three consecutive 24-hour runs of 876, 871 and 869 miles, respectively. That’s an average speed of 36 knots, which means there were consistent bursts over the 40-knot barrier.

And I’d been impressed with my own measly top speed of 31 knots. Sad. Exotic construction materials, better weather forecasting and route planning, the addition of foils to hulls as an ofshoot to the America’s Cup: There are plenty of reasons the world is seemingly becoming a much smaller place. And let’s not forget that the major players in this rarified realm are all French, where ofshore sailing is on a scale with professional football, and there are plenty of deep-pocketed corporate sponsors lining up to back these eforts.

At press time in late January, IDEC SPORT was poised to topple the Jules Verne record, though the final outcome was less than certain. Still, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t so long ago that Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days seemed like a remarkable feat. At the rate they’re going, it won’t be long before some crazy Frenchman knocks it of, under sail, in 40.

Herb McCormick is CW’s executive editor.

COURTESY OF IDEC SPORT

sailing is on a scale with pro football, and deep -pocketed cor porate sponsors are plentiful.

START YOUR BOATING SEASON Shop Our New Low Rates!

WITH BOATU.S.

7 i Ì iÀi >Ài > Þ ÃÕÀ> Vi V «> iÃ Ì V Ãi vÀ Ü i Ì V iÃ Ì w ` } V ÛiÀ>}i v À Þ ÕÀ L >Ì] >Ì1°-° à V à `iÀi` i v Ì i `ÕÃÌÀ޽à LiÃÌ° 7i½Ài L >ÌiÀÃ Ì ] à Üi Ü Ü « ÀÌ> Ì Ì Ã Ì Ã«i ` >à ÕV Ì i Ì i Ü>ÌiÀ >à « Ãà L i] ` } Ü >Ì Þ Õ ­> ` Üi® Ûi°

Low-Cost Policy Options • Towing Service from TowBoatU.S. – the Nation’s Largest Fleet 24/7 Expert Claims Service • Premium Discounts for Safe Boaters • Flexible Payment Plans

Boating Season is just around the corner – take a moment now to see why BoatU.S. is the Best Crew for Protecting You!

Log-on to BoatUS.com/insurance or call for a free quote 800-283-2883

ASK ABOUT OUR OPTIONS FOR CHARTER BOATS! All policies subject to limits and exclusions. In the state of California, the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Program is provided through Boat Owners Association Insurance Services, CA License # 0H87086.

DECKSALOON 54

living on one level & luxurious comfort

easy handling & perfect control

safety & seaworthiness

AC41 Moody Boats . Newburyport MA . Ph +1 (0) 978 239 6568 . dbrophy@hanseyachts.com Berthon USA . Newport RI . Ph +1 (0) 401 846 8404 . sales@berthonusa.com JK3 Yacht Sales & Service . San Diego . Ph +1 (0) 619 224 6200 . jeff@jk3yachts.com Pat Sturgeon Yachts . Mississauga / Ontario . Tel: +1 (0) 905 278 5100 . pats@patsturgeonyachts.com North Point Yacht Sales . Annapolis, Maryland . Tel: +1 (0) 410 280 2038 . ken@northpointyachtsales.com Freedom Marine . Vancouver . Tel: +1 (0) 604 609 0985 . freedom@boatingfreedom.com

AC45

handcrafted quality & high-tech

DS45

DS54

www.moodyboats.com