greek hurricane
Reader’s story: What happens When 100kN winds hit a secluded anchorage?
FEBRUARY 2012 £4.10
CROSS WINDS AHEAD
your yachtmaster guide to wind off berthing tactics
www.sailingtoday.co.uk
buyers guide
The 2012
charter 10 page special
the boats, the bases, the destinations, the deals
binoculars what do you need and what should you pay?
boat TESTS
NEW discovery 50 A catamaran to take on the world
USED bavaria 26
capable cruiser or broaching bruiser?
WIN!
£1,000 worth of jeckells sails for your boat
the ARC
who does it – and why?
essential gear guide
and boat show map
My MARINA: the insiders guide to hartlepool, county durham
Buyer’s Guide p48
Contents february 2011 Issue 178
Atlantic Rally for cruisers Raiders of the lost ARC
100
WIN Jeckells sails
54
New BOAT TEST Discovery 50
04 Sailing Today February 2012
Inventor’s corner Cause for alarm
66
116
www.sailingtoday.c www.sailingtoday.co.uk
Books reviewed p24 To buy a back issue call 01442 820580
This month News AND views Sailing News Readers’ Letters View From the RYA Riding Light
108
GEAR AND EQUIPMENT
Boat Handling Wind off berthing My Marina Hartlepool
6 12 20 146
86
Books Just In (London boat show special) Gear on test Buyer’s Guide: Binoculars
24 34 40 48
BOATS New Boat Test: Discovery 50 Used Boat Test: Bavaria 26
54 60
CRUISING Charter special My MARINA Hartlepool Ionian storm Cruising Cuisine ARC focus
69 86 92 99 100
Practical
69
Charter special Your getaway guide
co.uk
Inventor’s corner Essential tools: Jigsaw Fitting a satellite TV Q&As with Nick Vass
116 118 120 122
seamanship Wind off Berthing Weatherclass
108 114
WIN! WIN! WIN! Old Pulteney 12-year Old whisky Force 4 Chandlery voucher worth £50 Jeckells sails worth £1,000
12 17 66
subscribe and save!
18
February 2012 Sailing Today 05
cruising
“...terrifying glimpses
through spray of nearby boats knocked down with the day keels eventually showing...
“ came when we”
retired from full time work
”
Leaving Plymouth for a new lifesyle.
Holding power With a breeze getting up, ST readers Michael and Roseanne Hodin had just finished resetting their anchor in Vliko Bay in Ionian Greece. Moments later came one of the rarest and most dangerous freak weather events a sailor could encounter.
W
e had just endured a dramatic night of thunder and lightning in Abelieke in Meganisi, with violent bursts of flash and noise lasting all through the night and illuminating the whole sky every five seconds. It had been a dramatic night, so we felt relief at our planned night’s recuperation in the Vliko Bay with its Tranquil Bay and Hurricane Hole, so called because it’s so secure from all weather. Further up the bay, which really is more of a fjord with high hills on each side, we chose a place to anchor. It wasn’t really surprising that there were so many boats there; presumably a hundred other yachties had the same opinion as ourselves. This was
92 Sailing Today February 2012
a place of safe anchorage and further winds and thunderstorms had been forecast. We had a much needed siesta and woke to quite a bit of wind and choppy seas tugging at our anchor and, as it increased, we started to drag. Michael thought we needed more chain out and we re-anchored in 6m of soft mud, laying out 40m of chain. We felt confident in our equipment: we had a 20kg Rocna anchor, good 10mm chain and we had put out a catenary rope with a rope hook and 10m of extra chain, to lie under the water. Less than half an hour later I looked up at the high hills and saw a thick layer of what looked like innocent white fog rolling down the hillside. Moments later
it hit us with an unbelievable force. In just a few moments the visibility was down to less than a boat length with white flying spray or rain or both, whipped up waves of
GREEK MICRO STORM
Microburst or Tornado? There has been a lot of speculation on various cruising forums on what caused the hurricane force winds in Vliho Bay on 20th September 2011. The most characteristic features of this extreme weather event were its short duration (less than 10 minutes at full force), its very localised nature (at Nidri, just a mile away the wind was not strong enough to cause damage) and the fact that the wind changed direction suddenly with no obvious lull in between. As nobody reported seeing waterspouts,
maybe 2m, and our boat thrown right down on her side. The solar panel was thrashing dangerously about in the cockpit and as we couldn’t untie it we cut the string attaching it and I scurried below to bring up lifejackets. The next 40 minutes passed in noise and spray and terrifying random glimpses through the spray of nearby boats, knocked down and keels showing, or boats thrashing dangerously close to us. We saw two boats dancing a crazy tango together as their anchor chains had got tangled up.
but there had been several thunderstorms and the area is mountainous, the balance of retrospective opinion suggests that it was a microburst, which in some respects can be considered the opposite of a tornado. While a tornado is a strong, spinning updraught of air a microburst is a column of air collapsing from cloud level to the surface (above). Warm, humid air contained within a storm rises, heavy rain forms and some of it evaporates in the colder air higher up. The cooled air then sinks, accelerates and hits the ground or sea surface. When it
Unbelievably, our anchor held on tight and Michael got the engine running and instinctively pointed our yacht, leaning right over, into the wind and held her there grimly. A huge noise was coming from our jib, which had come loose from its locked furling gear. It was wonderful to have the highly focused task of winching it in inch by inch, struggling with all my might, as an alternative to my previous thoughts, which had mostly been wondering if it was better to have life lines on or not in case the boat turned turtle.
hits the surface it has nowhere to go but spread out horizontally and rapidly, and this is the action that creates the high, but short lived, surface winds. In this case, the steep sides of the anchorage would have exacerbated the problem. As well as heavy rain, witnesses of microbursts also report virga, which is an observable streak or shaft of rain that evaporates before hitting the ground. It is likely that what looked to Michael and Roseanne like mist or clouds rolling down the hillside was the virga or rain heralding a microburst.
Once the jib was secured, I crept forward to see if I could bring down the dinghy, which had flown upright onto the mast and was pinned there, but I didn’t have the strength to pull it down against the wind and I slunk back on life lines to the cockpit. Michael could hardly see with the salt spray stinging his eyes. Around the boat were ominous pieces of boat ephemera, either in the water or flying through the whiteout. A horseshoe lifebuoy, an oar, a bucket, and all hurled through this huge angry mix of wind and sea turned into a pale green and white
Yachts washed up on the foreshore and also piled up in the boatyard where they had fallen like dominoes.
seamanship The big 5 see issue 172 august for full article
CROSS WINDS AHEAD
PART 2:
wind OFF berthing: the secrets revealed
This month Hamble School of Yachting’s James Pearson looks at how to avoid some common pitfalls when berthing and unberthing our boat alongside a pontoon when a strong wind is holding her off.
L
ast month we looked at berthing and unberthing with a strong sidewind pinning our boat onto the pontoon. We learned the importance of the stern line, a decent stern fender, springing her off and lassoing cleats. This time, the situation is reversed; for example, the main challenge when arriving is to get the boat close enough to the pontoon for crew to step ashore. With departing, it is all about doing so under control, in case of obstructions to leeward, and ensuring none of the crew is
108 Sailing Today February 2012
left behind on the pontoon. As we’ll be finding out in this article, it’s not always as easy as this sounds, so having a well drilled crew and a good plan that you stick to are just as crucial for this as they are in any other boat handling scenario. As we covered in detail in ST172 (August 2011) our boat’s behaviour is governed by five broad principles, which should help to predict what she will do and therefore inform our plans of action. See the top of this page for a reminder of the five principles.
Conditions Once again we had a direct crosswind gusting up to 26kn and were using Orinoco Flow, a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37. We conducted this photoshoot an hour either side of low water, so tidal effects were so minimal we were able to disregard them. However, one key principle must be stated; always conduct all of these manoeuvres into the tide. It helps steerage by allowing us to achieve more water flow over our rudder without moving quickly over the ground.
wind oFF berths
Arriving at a wind off berth
The clear and obvious challenge of arriving at a wind off berth is ensuring we get our boat close enough to get our crew off with lines to secure us. For novice helmsmen, especially
with an unfamiliar boat and especially one with high topsides, it can be disconcerting to get the boat as close as it needs to be to the pontoon. From an
Getting it wrong
further away by the second. Our crewman at the shrouds could further exacerbate the problem by making a leap for it and falling short, but we won’t be providing a demo of that today. This isn’t a major cockup where there is plenty of room, because we can always keep going round and trying to make our turn later and later until we get our crewman within range. Getting it wrong by misjudging the distance the other way by driving the bow onto the pontoon is thankfully rare.
Because for us with our long pontoon and wide channel downwind, falling short and blowing off would not cause any damage to anything other than the skipper’s ego, it was an interesting exercise to get it wrong first by falling short. As our pontoon is lying directly upwind of us with wind blowing across it at 90º our approach is pretty much head to wind. This makes it a little difficult to feel the force of the wind blowing our bows off until we make our turn and present our starboard bow to it. So, as human nature dictates, we err on the safe side and decelerate as we approach. As we turn when we feel we are approaching the pontoon we are going too slowly to adequately have steerage against the boat’s windage. This is worsened by the fact that the more we turn, the more of our side we present to the wind. The upshot of this is that by the time our boat is orientated parallel to the pontoon we are about 3m away from it and drifting
Getting it right Where we have the opportunity provided by a mooring slot on our pontoon considerably longer than our boat, as we have here, we can afford to come in at a shallow angle. This provides us with more of a handle on how our windage is battling with our steerage and also means that more of our turn has already been done before we get into close proximity with the pontoon. Ensuring our boat is well fendered right up to the bow, we might ask our crewman from his better vantage point at the shrouds to count down the number of metres or feet to the pontoon as we approach. The aim is to feather the bow along the pontoon, ideally rolling our fenders along the flat of the bow while being controlled but assertive on the throttle. A quick burst astern to take the way off the boat and our crewman is still well within range to step down and attach lines in an unhurried manner. So how do we gain the confidence to be
aft cockpit it often feels as though you are driving the boat onto the pontoon.
20 KNOTS
3
Turn completed and too far off from the pontoon
Turning too soon
Power reduced too soon
2
Approaching directly upwind
1
more assertive with the throttle, especially if we’re in an unfamiliar boat? If we have the room to do so we can dry run the steering off part a couple of times as we make our approach upwind. We’ll soon get a feeling for how much throttle we need to keep our control at different angles to the
4 Turn completed within range of the pontoon
wind. As we close the pontoon we can take a transit – cleats on the front and back of the pontoon can serve this purpose – to warn of a loss of steerage 1 as we slow down to >> make our turn.
20 KNOTS
3 We should aim to roll the bow fenders along the pontoon
2
A rough transit helps to gauge progress to our desired berth
Coming in obliquely to feel balance of windage against steerage
1
Asks?
Watch our short video of our test on COLIN”S boat at
www.sailingtoday.co.uk/videos/enginealarm
Inventors’ corner
Have you had a great idea for a nautical product? Sailing Today would love to hear how you have turned inspiration into reality.
The Rapid Response Engine Overheat Alarm
Jake Kavanagh meets up with inventor Colin Cox, who was concerned that many engine temperature alarms simply don’t react quickly enough, leading to avoidable engine damage. He decided to invent one that was fully adjustable and so sensitive that it can be triggered by clasping the sensor in your hands.
E
ngines in boats are fairly susceptible to overheating problems because of the way they are cooled. Usually, this cooling is done by raw water drawn from outside the hull and circulated around the engine (or across a heat exchanger) by an impeller. There are safeguards along the way, such as a grill outside the raw water intake and a large filter before the water gets to the impeller, but it doesn’t take much for these to get blocked. Anything from seaweed to a discarded polythene bag can stop the flow of water and the engine temperature will soon start to rise. Leave this for too long and serious damage could result. To warn the skipper of an overheating problem, most installations will rely on the dashboard temperature gauge, some of which – especially on powerboats – have a built-in alarm. The sensor is usually in the cylinder head, much as in a car. Other independent
116 Sailing Today February 2012
As a true ‘cottage’ industrialist, Colin painstakingly assembles each alarm kit by hand at home. systems have a metal probe, which is inserted into the exhaust pipe, because this heats up faster than the engine when there is a blockage and so triggers an earlier alarm. However, according to inventor Colin Cox, these alarms have a single setting, which is often too high, and they can react too late. By the time they go off, damage has already been done. His ingenious solution has been to develop a fully adjustable alarm, which can be set by the owner to exactly suit a yacht’s particular engine. The sensor is secured to the exhaust outlet pipe with doublesided Velcro and the control box is attached to the engine room bulkhead. The design of the sensor, which is a stainless tube filled with temperature sensitive liquid, means there is a maximum reach of 1.3m
between the sensor and the control box, so it has to be mounted fairly close. Power comes from the yacht’s own supply and can be either 12 or 24v. To set the sensor, the boat is run at full power to achieve its maximum safe working temperature and then the alarm is set just a few degrees above that with a simple twist of a dial. Should the temperature rise by only a small amount above this safe setting, the sensor reacts very quickly, living up to the product’s name of ‘rapid response’. A 110db alarm sounds in the engine room, telling the skipper to immediately shut down and investigate. The device is left permanently on, drawing minimal current, so in theory would also double as an engine fire alarm when you are not running your engine. Because the overheat alarm can be set so close to the maximum safe temperature and because the sensor reacts so quickly, this alarm should ensure that action is taken before a problem gets serious. Colin recommends that the impeller is changed as a matter of course if the boat has had any type of overheating problem, because dry running, even for a few moments, can compromise the integrity of the impeller blades. Colin has had a prototype working successfully for nearly two years on his Sealine F36, Blue Waters, and has recently developed an extension alarm, with a digital readout, that can be placed by the helm station. Not only is the alarm right there on the dashboard, the digital display tells the owner exactly how hot the exhaust has become.
ps i T What’s in
Facts
T
the kit?
The kit – which, incidentally, hasn’t got any fancy packaging, but comes with full instructions – contains everything you need to get up and running.
Clockwise from right: The underside of the control box, showing the alarm and the socket to extend the unit to a digital readout at the helm. The sensor is held against the exhaust pipe with a length of double-sided Velcro, included in the kit. The sensor in position, care has to be taken not to damage the piping to the control box.
• Control box • Double sided Velcro • Fixtures and fittings • 102db alarm • Socket for dashboard display • 1.5m power supply wire
Developing the idea
Inventor’s friend – The Electric Connector
As a commercial pilot who has made some incredible flights in small, fragile aircraft over the wastes of Greenland and the unforgiving Atlantic Ocean, Colin takes engine reliability very seriously. “A friend of mine had a serious overheat on his powerboat, which caused a great deal of damage and could have had serious implications for his safety at sea,” he explained. “I realised that having a fully adjustable alarm could have saved him a lot of trouble and expense, but I couldn’t find anything like it on the market.” Before becoming a pilot, Colin was an electronics engineer, so knew how to build the type of unit he wanted. “The biggest problem remains sourcing the parts,” he said. “Building prototypes is usually at hobby level, but when you want to go into production, buying the components in bulk is almost impossible. Suppliers want to deal in thousands, not hundreds, so you still have to pay retail prices for small quantities.” The development of the system took place at his desk at home in Godalming and the first units used a copper pipe to feed the sensor. “There is a fluid inside which expands
WIN!
Sailing Today has one of Colin’s Rapid Response kits to give away as a prize. Just answer the following question: What is the piping of the sensor made from? A: Copper B: Stainless steel C: Cupro-nickel. Send your entry to the usual address and the first correct answer out of the hat will win.
very rapidly when the temperature rises,” he said. “Unfortunately, the outside of the copper pipe tends to oxidise with verdigris. This doesn’t affect the functioning of the unit, but it doesn’t look very nice, so I switched to stainless steel instead. Much smarter.” Unwilling to have his idea mass produced in a Far Eastern country, Colin retains full control of his invention through his company Anchor Marine Security and painstakingly assembles the units himself at home. Each one takes him about an hour and is tested thoroughly before being dispatched. So far, largely through media exposure, he has sold around 55, but admits he hasn’t really tried to push them yet. The idea is under constant review and Colin is now looking to source a custom-made control box rather than using a standard stock one from the electronics industry, but this is more a matter of aesthetics. What he is very pleased about is that his simple solution has found a niche in the market and has proved to be a remarkably simple ‘fit and forget’ system that appears to work exceptionally well. With engine breakdowns a major reason for RNLI callouts, the Rapid Response Engine Overheat Alarm should give skippers plenty of warning to avoid their becoming a statistic – and also save them a fortune in repairs. ■
Asks?
Colin recently came across these handy connectors during his prototyping and was so impressed at how useful they would be for boat owners, he became a stockist. The units are available in several configurations and look remarkably like a row of minature rope clutches. They can be used for multiple cable connections, rather like a bus bar. Being made almost entirely of plastic and tinned metal, they are far less prone to rusting than ‘choc block’ connector blocks. To use, simply strip approximately 6mm of wire, twist the bare ends tightly, open a clamp arm and insert the wire as far as it will go. Close the clamp arm and then pull the wire back slightly to ensure a tight fit. One cable per arm, with no need to twist wires together. The connector takes 12/24v cable from 0.8mm to 4mm (flex) and can take loads of up to 25 amps. Available in packs of five, from £2.55 a pack for two wire connectors, to £4.90 a pack for the five wire connectors. Minimum order £10.40 inc P&P. www. anchormarine.org.uk
Prices and contact: The Rapid Response Alarm as photographed here costs £87.50 inc P&P to the UK (VAT free) with the extension sounder taking the price to £112.50. The electronic version with a digital readout is £119.00. More details from www.anchormarine.org.uk or by calling 07831 429453.
February 2012 Sailing Today 117
My MARINA
xxxxxx
Hartlepool Marina Hartlepool, County Durham
We visit cruising sailors at their home port to get the inside line on what makes them berth their boat there. From local attractions to nearby cruising grounds, we get their personal recommendations.
I
t’s been a while since Captain Edmund Blackadder headed off to Hartlepool to buy some exploding trousers, yet for me the memory still abides. I was therefore disappointed to find that incendiary slacks were at a premium when I rolled into town. Nevertheless, there was plenty more to recommend the place. Situated between Middlesbrough and Sunderland, the port offers excellent shelter and is a natural stopping off point for any cruising yachtsman traversing this somewhat isolated stretch of coastline. This is an area with a rich maritime history. In common with many ports along this coast, the development of the harbour 86 Sailing Today February 2012
is inextricably linked with the coal trade and it was during the industrial revolution that the port really took off, becoming one of the busiest in the country by the mid-1850s and boasting a massive dock tucked behind behind the headland. The port reached its zenith around 1900 and inevitably this was followed by a gradual decline throughout the next century. This decline was punctuated by a German bombardment of the town in WWI. By the late 1980s recession had taken its toll on the town and particularly the docks, which were looking distinctly seedy. This decline was arrested in the early 1990s when the ÂŁ60m decision was made
to redevelop the dock, turning it into a locked marina complemented by numerous shops and restaurants. Since then, the marina has flourished and currently accommodates up to 500 boats. I can go no further without mentioning the Hartlepool monkey: an important footnote in the town’s history. During the Napoleonic wars, a French privateer was wrecked off the town. The sole survivor was a monkey and local fishermen, assuming that he looked and behaved as you would expect a Frenchman to, promptly tried and hung the hapless simian. These days, the locals are more friendly. Expect a hearty welcome when you tie up.
county durham hartlepool
Tony & Alison Hewitt – Bavaria 50 Spot On Rotherham based Tony and Alison Hewitt had a boat on the Humber Estuary for many years, but were seduced by the myriad charms of Hartlepool. They give us the inside line on the many attractions of the town and the marina itself.
L
iving in Rotherham, the Hewitts were faced with a bit of a dilemma when it came to the question of where to keep a boat: the northeast coast of England has a wealth of attractions, but marinas are at a premium. For many years the Hewitts opted
Tony and Alison aboard Spot On.
for the Humber Estuary as their cruising base, but eventually, better access to the open sea and a friendly welcome won them over to the delights of Hartlepool Marina. “Hartlepool is about 30 minutes further to drive to than the Humber, but we found that we were spending hours trying to get out of the estuary in order to get anywhere, so it just seemed like a better bet,” Tony explained. “Here, you only have to go through the lock gates and you’re out on the open sea and there are plenty of options for places to sail to. “The other thing that really won us over was the friendliness of the place; people here are really happy to stop and have a chat with you. It’s a really welcoming place and you don’t always get that. “If we’re heading in, for example, we only have to radio ahead and there’ll be someone there waiting to help us with our
Fuel Berth.
Looking towards the massive shopping complex.............
Berthing and Facilities Contact: 01429 865744 or go to www.hartlepool-marina.com. Facilities: Hartlepool has plenty to offer berth holders and visitors alike, including water, electricity and showers. In addition to this, there is ample storage for boats ashore. Fuel: There is a fuel berth within the marina, which also sells Calor Gas. Brokerage: The marina also accommodates a brokerage service that is based within the marina office. You can contact them either by going to the main Hartlepol marina website or calling direct on 07951 562 570.
lines. It’s great. “In addition to this, the marina is excellent; it’s got everything you need and it’s reasonably priced, even for a big 50-footer like Spot On.” The couple has a retirement plan which involves eventually taking their boat down to the slightly gentler climes of Lanzarote. For the moment, however, they are content to explore the varied coastline of the North East, with a favoured trip being the short hop up the coast to Newcastle. “A few hours’ sail and you’re right there in the heart of a really cosmopoiltan city.” Tony explained. They are also happy to simply spend time aboard their boat and generally average four or so days aboard per week, even through the winter months. “With all the restaurants and shops surrounding the marina, we’re never short of things to do,” Alsion professed. “The beauty of the marina is that all of this stuff is right on your doorstep.”
Training: The marina also has an RYA instructor on site who can provide tuition across all disciplines of the sport. For more information, contact Shaun on Speak to Shaun on 07951 562 570 Lift out: The marina has a 40 tonne travel hoist. Annual berthing charges: £236/m Daily: £2.37/m Weekly: £14/m (summer) Monthly: £39/m (summer) £26 (winter). Lift in/out: £14.25 per metre each way
Charts and Pilots
Admiralty AC152, 2567, 2566, 5615. Imray C24.
SPECIAL READER OFFER – SAVE 10% ON IMRAY BOOKS Forth, Tyne, Dogger, Humber Published 2002, Henry Irving – £25. Simply call Imray on 01480 462114 and quote Sailing Today. Go to www.imray.com for more details. Royal Northumberland Yacht Club Sailing Directions. Available from www.marinechandlery. com – £27.55 Tides HW +0437 Dover.
February 2012 Sailing Today 87
NEW boat test
54 Sailing Today February 2012
discovery 50
THE ultimate
dreamboat?
If you’re planning your dream trip – the cruising experience of a lifetime or maybe even a full circumnavigation – you’ll want a serious bluewater yacht that’s up to the task. Duncan Kent went on board Discovery Yachts’ new ocean-going catamaran to see if she has all the essentials for world cruising in safety and comfort. Photos Rick Buettner
I
n the past decade a good number of our readers have sold up everything in order to afford to take their dream sabbatical – a round-the-world cruise under sail. Many of these prospective circumnavigators contacted us, before embarking on such a life changing voyage, to ask for advice on what would be the ideal bluewater cruising yacht and how she should best be equipped to cope with all that they would be likely to encounter on their way around the world’s diverse and challenging oceans. Clearly the available budget will play a vital part in their final choice of yacht, as there’s obviously no point in spending so much on the yacht that you couldn’t afford to stop working, but there are other factors involved that might well mean it’s good sense to opt for top quality. Residual value being one – custom built yachts that are designed specifically to take long ocean passages in their stride, while remaining a comfortable and safe living platform, tend to hold their value extremely well and, surprisingly enough, are sought after by those who don’t have the time to spend planning and executing the building of their own yacht. Another mandatory consideration on this sort of project is safety. Hand built yachts that have been designed and produced by
experienced ocean sailors have to be on the top of the wish list for anyone wanting a rugged, well found cruising yacht that is capable of withstanding the worst at sea. No one can afford the failure of vital items of deck gear when the pressure is on and leaving the cockpit is least desirable.
The dream UK-based Discovery Yachts was formed in 1999 to produce the Discovery 55 – a semi-custom built blue water cruising yacht, designed to be sailed worldwide, twohanded. The yard has since expanded into larger waterside premises in Southampton and added two new yachts – the Discovery 67 monohull and the Discovery 50 catamaran to its growing portfolio of luxury, ocean going yachts. The first Discovery 55 to be built was the dreamboat of Sunsail Charters’ founder and singlehanded transatlantic sailor John Charnley and his wife Caroline. They had the renowned designer, Ron Holland, amalgamate all their experience and requirements for world cruising into the one, easily handled 55ft monohull. Before long, however, their sailaway plans were put on hold as more and more like-minded folk asked them to build them something similar. It soon became a thriving
business and their plans were postponed. In 2010, after finally deciding it was now or never, John and Caroline revisited their wish list for world cruising and quickly concluded that two hulls would be better than one for the style of cruising they planned. Thus, with the help of the distinguished superyacht designer, Bill Dixon, the Discovery 50 catamaran was conceived, which exhibits all the hallmarks of the company’s hugely successful and meticulously built monohulls.
Construction The hull is laid up by hand in female moulds and is immensely strong. She has two coats of isophthalic gelcoat (clear below the waterline), making her almost impervious to osmosis. Woven mat, carbon fibre, Kevlar, E-glass and vinylester resins are all incorporated into the moulding process, and all the stringers and bulkheads are bonded to each hull and deck for maximum strength. The vacuum cured laminate incorporates a high density foam core for stiffness, weight reduction and insulation, and both hulls and decks are moulded as one for superior rigidity, with the decks both bonded and bolted to the hulls. She also has watertight crash bulkheads fore and aft and sealed engine rooms.
Discovery Magic – where is she now?
Owners John and Caroline Charnley left the UK in April 2010 and headed for N Spain to explore the Rias. From there they crossed to the Azores and then another 2,050nm trans-Atlantic to Bermuda, arriving on 1 June. After a week enjoying the peculiarly English atmosphere of St George’s, the couple headed off again to the East Coast of the USA to discover the delights of Martha’s Vineyard and the island studded coast of Maine. After doing their duty at a couple of US boat shows, showing off the first Discovery cat ever built, they headed off to the Caribbean to relax and start their circumnavigation in earnest. After a cruise down through Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the stunning San Blas Islands, they have berthed Discovery Magic in Panama to await the end of the rainy season and to tour overland to S America, taking in Brazil, Chile and Argentina. You can follow the Charnleys’ world trip by logging into their blog at www.discoverymagic.co.uk.
February 2012 Sailing Today 55
USED boat test
MINIADVENTURER
Bavaria yachts are not generally associated with the smaller end of the market. Back in 1988, however, it was just another small boatbuilder with big ambitions. Sam Jefferson takes one of its early offerings, the bavaria 26, for a spin.
60 Sailing Today February 2012
Over the years, Bavaria Yachts has developed into something of a yachting industry behemoth, rivalling French giants such as Beneteau and Jeanneau in terms of output. It’s easy to forget that, back in the day they were just one of a number of boatbuilders struggling to get a foothold in the market. The company started out in 1979 in landlocked Giebelstadt which is fairly near to Nuremburg if that means anything to anyone. The closest stretch of sea is either the North Sea at Cuxhaven or the Mediterranean at Venice. Neither is very close, yet despite this, the German company had become something of a titan of the boatbuilding industry by the mid-1990s and its reputation
for producing affordable mid-sized cruisers grew at a similar pace to mutterings about the sometimes somewhat flimsy build quality. How deserved this reputation was is a matter of debate, but what is undoubtedly true is that since those dark days of the mid nineties, the company has shaken off this reputation with a succession of good quality cruising yachts. Ironically, in 1988, at the time when the Bavaria 26 was being built, the company undoubtedly had a reputation for building high quality boats. The thickness of lay up was comparable with her British and Swedish contemporaries, while the cabins were hand finished to an excellent standard. As already noted, Bavaria isn’t particularly noted for its sub-30ft designs, yet its roots
BAVARIA 26
photos: rod lewis
were in designing yachts for lake sailing and, given that the nearest meaningful stretch of water to Giebelstadt is Lake Constance, then it starts to make sense. In actual fact, the Bavaria 26 was originally conceived as a trailer-sailer. In order to get around the weight problems associated with trailering, the keel had sections that could be removed in order to lighten it. This made her ideal for trailing to the Bodensee or the neighbouring Italian Lakes. Becquerel, the boat we tested, has the deeper fin keel giving her a draught of 4ft2in (1.3m). Shallower keel variants are commonly found in Europe. Not many of these little Bavarias were imported into the UK. They date back to the days when Sparkes Marine on Hayling island was the sole importer, long before any of the
big boys got involved. Becquerel certainly seemed to have stood up to the test of time very well, although her teak decks had been replaced. She was a handsome boat to look at and designed by Axel Monhaupt, who also worked on several America’s Cup campaigns, including the successful design team behind Intrepid in 1974. It’s worth noting that these 80s Bavarias rarely suffer from osmosis. Apparently this is down to a special anti-osmosis treatment. Bavaria put in an impermeable chemical barrier called F+E polykondensate, applied between the gelcoat and the first layer of GRP, which continues to give a fair bit of peace of mind to owners of these boats.
About the owner Portsmouth based Tony Paternoster has owned Becquerel for two years and sails her with his wife out of Emsworth Yacht Harbour. He got into sailing about six years ago after giving it a go on a flotilla holiday. Having caught the bug, he purchased a Jeanneau Tonic, before upgrading to the Bavaria. He has put the boat on the market and is now looking for something slightly bigger and preferably bilge keeled to counter the shallows of Chichester Harbour. She is for sale with www. boatshedhaylingisland.com, Tel 07552 1692120
February 2012 Sailing Today 61
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