All At Sea April Issue

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APRIL 2010 • VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 4

Spring small sea small atat sea Just for kids See page 30 issue Just for kids

Photo: Tod VanSickle

Why ours is the ‘Sport for All’ See Geoff Holt’s new column on page 14

Racing with 500 Easter eggs in tow!

Shelley Jory-Leigh • p18

Protect your vessel and improve performance Antifouling special Page 21

or email us yachtline@yachtline.co.uk or telephone +44 (0) 20 7403 3884 or fax +44 (0) 20 7403 3885

Switched on

Your FREE pullout guide to marine electronics

Testing time for spring racers

WHILE motorists moan about potholes caused by the winter freeze, sailors have to take the rough with the smooth.

Glorious sunshine and a steady breeze made for a perfect first day of this year’s Warsash Spring Series last month.

The sunshine continued for the second week but in stark contrast, the breeze was often elusive and tricky, ranging from 4 to 15 knots.

The series runs on Sundays until 25 April, with a break for Easter.

New entries are welcome and enquiries can be made to Warsash Sailing Club on 01489 583575, admin@warsashsc.org.uk or www. warsashspringseries.org.uk.

Sail safe this season AS the boating season burst into life at Easter, the RNLI issued a timely warning to check and check again before setting sail.

The RNLI reminded anyone going afloat to make sure they are safe after the long cold winter.

A crowded IRC3 start on week 2

The charity that saves lives at sea is asking boaters to give their craft, engines and safety equipment a thorough inspection before their maiden voyage of 2010.

Every spring, the number of RNLI lifeboat launches rises as boaters

Photo: Eddie Mays / Warsash S.C.

throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland slip their moorings and head out on the water after the winter lay up.

From February to March last year, the number of lifeboats launched to pleasure craft almost doubled, from

96 to 183 launches, and that number leapt again to 383 in April as more people took to the water.

More than 190 people were rescued during the Easter weekend alone in 2009.

TURN TO PAGE 2

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

CREW AND CONTENTS Consultant Editor Bob Satchwell

Sea talk.. ................................................ 2

A mother’s true love . . .

News...................................................... 2 Geoff Holt............................................14

Seatalk

RYA.. .......................................................17 Ad Manager Katie Hawksworth Katie.Hawksworth@ cslpublishing.com

Company Focus................................19 Sticky’s Tips.........................................20 Antifouling..........................................21 The Green Blue................................. 24

Managing Director Sue Baggaley

Kit...........................................................27 Electronics pullout.................... I-VIII Small at Sea.................................30-31 Marina Guide..............................32-33

Sales Support Administrator Michaela Kingshott

Book reviews.. ....................................34 In the drink........................................ 37 Classifieds...........................................52 RNLI...................................................... 54

South Coast Rep. Bill Oakley

Designer Flo Terentjev

Production Controller Anthony Gibbons Contributors Shelley Jory-Leigh Sticky Staplyton Paul Antrobus Colin Jones Geoff Holt Published monthly by CSL Publishing Ltd Alliance House 49 Sidney Street Cambridge CB2 3HX Tel: 01223 460490 Fax: 01223 315960 Subscriptions: 01442 879097

By Bob Satchwell

Shelley Jory-Leigh............................18

Tidal predictions.............................. 54 The views and opinions of the contributors to this publication are not necessarily those of the Publishers.

Accordingly, the Publishers disclaim any responsibility for such views and opinions. Printed in Cambridge by Cambridge Newspapers.

Copyright 2010 CSL Publishing Ltd. ISSN 1475-8237 All At Sea is copyright of CSL Publishing Ltd 2010 and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

Every care is taken in compiling the contents, but the proprietors assume no responsibility for any effect rising therefrom. We welcome unsolicited manuscripts and photographs, but accept no responsibility for their loss, damage or total disappearance.

CSL Publishing also publishes Boat Mart, Jet Skier and PW and Sportsboat and RIB magazines.

Recycled paper made up 79% of the raw material for UK newspapers in 2009.

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MIKE Perham, the precocious teenager who sailed the Atlantic and then went around the world alone provided a fresh insight into young people’s achievements.

In a radio interview with Libby Purvis, no slouch herself as a leisure sailor, on BBC Radio 4 he was asked what his mother felt about his daredevil achievements.

With wisdom beyond his years he replied that, understandably as a mother, she was somewhat reticent at first but then of course offered full support.

The precise depth of that support may have to remain a matter of conjecture because good mums are expert at hiding their true thoughts but it does throw a spotlight on the way some young people grow up.

However reluctantly Mrs Perham has given her blessing to what by any standards were seriously risky, indeed lifethreatening, adventures.

Compare that to some parents who, encouraged by ludicrous, over-zealous health and safety officers, never let their children out of sight. They allow overcautious risk assessments to prevent their little dears from crossing the road, climbing a tree, riding a bike or enjoying a game of conkers.

As one of Michael’s fellow guests on the programme suggested, his lonely sailor antics contrasted sharply with young people who cannot be dragged from their televisions, iPods or social networks on the internet.

Quite. And we know the kind of mum we prefer.

Thanks Mrs Perham for allowing Michael to take a risk or too, properly assessed, and properly equipped, of course . . .

Congratulations on already allowing him the kind of

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Peter Chennell, RNLI Sea Safety Manager, said: “Last year over half of RNLI lifeboat launches were to pleasure craft and we’re asking boaters to follow our safety advice so they don’t become one of the statistics.

“Breaking down out on the water can be a stressful experience and, at best, ruin your day, so don’t forget to check your boat, service the engine and carry spares. But accidents can happen to anyone, no matter how experienced, so make sure you have a means of calling for help and ensure your lifejacket and its gas bottles are in good condition.”

The RNLI offers a range of sea safety advice for anyone planning

life of which most of us can only dream about.

Thanks Mrs Perham for producing another inspiring sailor to lift our spirits.

Open to all

TALKING about inspiring, listen to All at Sea’s newest columnist.

After helping Sunsail raise funds for sports relief Geoff Holt mused on the pleasure that ordinary people had from a short sail in Portsmouth Harbour.

He refers to the “amazing” feat of Franck Cammas and his crew who won the coveted Jules Verne Trophy last month by sailing around the globe in a new record of 48 days 07 hours 44 minutes.

Then he remembers watching his friend Keith Harris sail his Access dinghy using only his tongue to control his boat.

In some ways, it was equally amazing, says Geoff.

Ignore the understatement for a moment; his point is that we need to tell people that sailing is not only a rich man’s pastime. Sailing is for anyone and everyone.

The smiles on the faces of the Sport Relief sailors as they walked back up the pontoon was, says Geoff, “reassurance that sailing, is every bit as special as we sailors know it to be.”

Yes, but remember Geoff is the first quadriplegic to sail across the Atlantic. Along with Mike Perham, Franck Cammas, Keith Harris and a few more extraordinary people, Geoff is one of the greatest ambassadors for boating.

“The challenge is to persuade people that getting afloat is available and accessible,” says Geoff.

Persuasion is perhaps not quite the word. They set such examples that we should be ashamed of ourselves if we did not follow them to sea!

to go afloat, from tips on engine maintenance to everything you need to know about lifejackets.

The charity’s sea safety booklet, Sea Safety: The Complete Guide is regularly updated and can be viewed at www.rnli.org.uk/complete_guide.

Visit the site around Easter to get the latest safety tips and advice for the start of the season.

The RNLI offers a free personalised sea safety advice in the form of a SEA Check.

Neither a test nor an inspection, there is no pass or fail, and instead a SEA Check is a personal safety advice service that takes place on board a boater’s own craft.

Whether new to the sport, or more experienced, a SEA Check gives

boaters an opportunity to ask any niggling questions on equipment or emergency procedures.

Peter Chennell added: “Fundamentally, the aim of RNLI SEA Check is to save lives by getting people to recognise the risks involved in going afloat and take responsibility for their own safety.

We believe that prevention is better than cure and we want to make sure that everyone gets the right advice.

So even the phone call to book a SEA Check is free.” www.rnli.org.uk/seacheck

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

‘Victory’ still afloat in 1933 NEW photographs have come to light apparently showing HMS Victory afloat for Navy Week in 1933.

In fact the pictures are a scaled down illusion.

Nelson’s famous flagship had been safely stored in drydock at Portsmouth since 1922 because she could no longer safely remain afloat.

In 1933, to celebrate Navy Week, a 50-foot model of HMS Victory sailed from No. 3 Basin and around the coastline, with a reduced crew of 18 naval officers.

Matthew Sheldon, Head of the Curatorial Department at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, found the evidence whilst researching the history of Navy Days.

“The first reference I found came from a young officer’s journal kept onboard HMS Hood which said, ‘The entire Gunroom has had the good fortune to be appointed to the … Victory, which is due to sail for a fortnight’s cruise.’” he said “A certain amount of towing was required but the ship then sailed as far as Dover, with the officer saying, ‘the greatest advantage gained in this fortnight is the unique experience of how a square-rigged ship – especially the old heavy bluffbowed type – was handled’.

“I then turned the page and found these amazing pictures apparently

showing the ship under sail.”

In fact the pictures showed the exact replica scale model which had a 52-foot mast and a 23-foot main yard.

It is not known what happened to the model but the journal and photographs will go on show along with other Navy Week/Navy Days archives for Portsmouth, at this year’s Navy Days.

HMS Victory was launched in 1765 at Chatham Dockyard. She continued in active service for 34 years, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, under the command of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson.

In 1812 Victory was retired from frontline duty and anchored in Portsmouth Harbour, following a warrant from Thomas Hardy, captain during the Battle of Trafalgar and now First Sea Lord, at his wife’s request, to save the ship from disposal.

In 1922, amid fears for her continued survival and following a national appeal led by the Society for Nautical Research, she was put into her present dock and work began to restore her to her 1805 appearance.

HMS Victory is still in commission as the flagship of the Second Sea Lord in his role as Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy’s Home Command. www.navydaysuk.co.uk

Team crown

Mussel farm fear

WEST Kirby Hawks remain RYA National Team Racing Champions after they successfully defended their title in a showdown at West Kirby SC last month.

The Hawks sextet of Dom Johnson, Debs Steele, Andy Cornah, Hamish Walker, Ben Field and Tom Foster, went into the championships determined to hold on to their crown for another year having finally claimed the title in 2009 following a frustrating runnersup finish in 2008.

Racing in two-person Firefly dinghies, the Hawks landed the Prince Philip Trophy and retained their National Champions title.

PLANS to create a giant mussel farm which could generate nearly half the UK’s existing production, have angered fishermen who fear it will cripple their livelihood.

The farm, planned by the Scottish firm of Offshore Shellfish off Lyme Bay, could produce up to 10,000 tons of blue mussels a year and worth more than £1.5 million pounds.

But smaller producers are worried about the mussel farm’s environmental impact.

News in brief New Year resolution FREIGHT company PSP sent two new 15m masts from Devon to China to keep Team Finland racing in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. The Hampshire-based firm had to get customs clearance for the masts on Chinese New Year so that Team Finland could get back in the race after damaged caused in bad weather off the coast of Taiwan.

Planning to launch IRELAND’S Ocean Youth Trust is launching a new fleet of RS sailboats 9 April at Queens Quay, Belfast. The boats will be used in the Trust’s work running a variety of sailing programmes for children as young as ten years old where they benefit from learning how to sail, the value of teamwork and a healthy outdoor activity. More about the Trust and its work at www.oyti.org

Charity bike ride A TEN mile sponsored cycle ride from Chichester to West Wittering, Sussex, along the Salterns Way cycle path, is planned on 9 May to raise funds St Wilfrid’s Hospice and Macmillian Cancer Support.

The ride starts at 9.30am at The Cross, Chichester.

‘Victory’ in No 3 basin

Photo: National Museum of the Royal Navy

Two lifeboats rescue yacht TWO RNLI lifeboats were launched in a south westerly gale to assist a yacht overwhelmed by the rough sea.

The Hayling Island Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat, Derrick Battle was launched on 30 March when the skipper and his daughter, on board a 24-foot yacht, telephoned Solent Coastguard. Their vessel, which was on passage from Brighton to Cowes was being overwhelmed by the sea conditions two nautical miles south of the entrance to Chichester Harbour.

The Hayling crew encountered heavy breaking seas but were

able to reach the yacht within ten minutes. One of the lifeboat crew transferred to the yacht.

A tow was set up but Peter Hanscombe, decided that it would be too rough for the yacht to be towed into Chichester Harbour and he set a course towards more sheltered waters north of the Isle of Wight.

The all-weather lifeboat from Bembridge on the Isle of Wight was launched to provide a backup and once on scene the larger Mersey class lifeboat, Peggy & Alex Caird, took over the tow.

RNLI – page 54

Stack them dry PREMIER Marinas will open its new dry stack at Gosport Marina with a two-day event showing how the stacking arrangements work to store up to 80 boats between 4.5m and 10m. The event on 15 and 16 May will show that the dry stack can increase capacity to 152 boats and is part of Premier Marinas £7m infrastructure upgrade on the site.

Whisky challenge THE British Dragon Association will hold its 2010 Northern Championship in Abersoch, Wales. The event, hosted by the South Caernarvonshire Yacht Club from 18 -20 June, will see the winner receive the Paisley Quaich which is designed for celebratory whisky drinking.

www.birdhampool.co.uk

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

News in brief Defending the dragon FIVE dragon sailing events are being staged at Cowes this summer starting with the Dragon South Coast Championship on 27 to 29 June, the Edinburgh Cup and the British Open Dragon Championship from 30 June to 3 July. Teams from Russia, France, Ireland and across the UK have confirmed they will compete and they include defending Edinburgh Cup holder Quentin Strauss with tactician Nigel Young and helm Jamie Lea.

Web presence WHITEHAVEN Marina has launched a website with comprehensive information for all berthholders and visitors about the facilities and on - site services. The website has pages on berthing, rates, cruising grounds, the local area, visitor attractions and transport links.

The marina has 285 fully serviced marina berths and extensive quay wall berth areas for larger boats. www.whitehavenmarina.co.uk

Rooms with a view BUILDING has started on the 32-storey, £60m, 200room Wyndham Cardiff Hotel overlooking Cardiff Bay. It opens in 2013.

Classic vintage set for centenary celebrations THE Yarmouth One Design Class of just nine boats starts three years of Centenary celebrations next month.

Based at the Royal Solent Yacht Club in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, it is one of the oldest and most exclusive fleets of racing keelboats still racing in the Solent.

May marks the start of the Centenary with an official launch taking place over the early May bank holiday weekend, including an open day in Yarmouth on Sunday May 2.

The discussions that eventually produced the YOD Class was initially instigated in 1910 by Sir Arthur Cope, a famous portrait painter of the Royal Family who was Class Captain from its foundation until 1935 and Commodore of the Solent Yacht Club from 1926 to 1934 – the Club’s Royal status was not awarded until 1947.

Henry Longmore, who worked at J Samuel White’s shipyard in Cowes during the First World War, designed the boats. Of the 13 launched, Theo Smith in Yarmouth

built 11 just prior to and after the First World War and two were built in the 1920s by Woodnutts at St. Helens on the Isle of Wight.

The original owners of the YOD Class were generally quite distinguished and included officers from the Army and the Royal Navy, a knight, a baronet and the first Lord Mottistone.

The Class Rules reflect the social conditions of the day: “One paid hand is allowed, but he may not touch the tiller during a race.”

Two YODs left the Class in the early years and two sank during racing, leaving nine surviving when it was disbanded in 1970.

Most of them stayed in the Solent and over a period of years they have all returned to the Royal Solent Yacht Club.

The highly dedicated YOD owners, now led by Class Captain, naval architect Chris Temple, is using the Centenary to help ensure that all the YODs are raced from late April to late September on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.

YODs mustering on the line in light winds

There are further festivities planned to celebrate the class formation and traditions dating back to 1910-1913. These include a private formal dinner seated at Sir Arthur Cope’s original dining table that is still in his house, The Towers, that is owned by a YOD owner.

The class has an annual charity party in August in the gardens of the

Humber’s new RIB aimed at leisure HUMBER Inflatables is adding a new Leisure RIB to its range.

The new Leisure Pro model is a high performance RIB aimed at the family leisure market.

Designed and manufactured in-house, the Leisure Pro’s can be tailored to suit individual tastes with a wide range of colours available and optional extras.

It is currently available as 6.5m or 7.8m with a 2.6m beam.

Humber will be officially launching the new Leisure Pro at the Suzuki sponsored RIBEX show in Cowes on 7 – 9 May. Prices start from £30,000. www.humberinflatables.co.uk

www.saga.co.uk/boat

Photo: Marion Heming.

Towers next door to the Royal Solent YC. Last year it raised £14,000 for the Asthma, Allergy and Inflammation Research charity.

This year it will take place on Saturday, August 14 in aid of ‘Ignorance Isn’t Bliss’, the prostate cancer charity founded by the late Kit Hobday. It is open to all. chris@christemple.wanadoo.co.uk

New gallery for historic dockyard TREASURES from Britain’s national maritime collections will go on show this summer when the Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent opens a major museum and cultural venue - No.1 Smithery. The £13 million pound project is a partnership between the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, the Imperial War Museum and Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.

Exhibits include rare ship models, works of art and other objects selected from more than 4,000 items to be stored at Chatham. Among the artefacts are a scale model of the 1759 Eddystone Lighthouse – the world’s first offshore lighthouse. www.thedockyard.co.uk

First females BRITAIN’S Dee Caffari and Spain’s Anna Corbella have confirmed their entry in the Barcelona World Race as the GAES Solidaria Team and will join the fleet on the start line on December 31. Following the successful sponsorship of the Spanish Mini Class sailor in the Transat 6.50/ La Rochelle – Salvador de Bahia, Barcelona’s GAES Hearing Centres are entering the first all female crew of the race.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

NATO stays vigilant on Gulf of Aden pirate patrol LAST month marked the first anniversary of NATO ships in the Gulf of Aden to fight piracy. Five NATO ships arrived in the Gulf of Aden on 24 March 2009 as part of a counter piracy mission, Operation Allied Protector.

Their aim was to disrupt and deter the piracy that was rife in the Gulf of Aden at that time. A year later British ships are still there but with an enhanced operational aim and with successes achieved.

By volume 90 per cent of global trade is carried by sea with 50 per cent of the world’s containers passing through the Indian Ocean.

The Gulf of Aden sees more than 22.000 ships per year transiting to countries all over the globe.

In March 2009, NATO’s Standing Maritime Group arrived in the Gulf of Aden to conduct Operation Allied Protector. Earlier this month, NATO nations agreed to extend Operation Ocean Shield until the end of 2012.

Between July and the end of December 2009, there were no successful hijacks in the Gulf of Aden.

News in brief Braving the elements HENRI Lloyd has been selected

by Clipper Ventures as the official technical clothing supplier to the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11- the oldest single-handed round the world yacht race. It will provide a comprehensive team collection to Clipper Ventures race management and VELUX. The partnership between Henri Lloyd and Clipper Ventures goes back many years.

French opener SETE on the South Coast of France will be the opening venue of the award-winning Extreme Sailing Series Europe 2010 from 27-30 May. The first event coincides with the city hosting the “Escale à Sète”, a historical maritime festival, which attracts tourists and sailors bringing together both spectrums of the sailing world from the traditional ships to the modern Extreme 40 catamaran class which has changed the way sailing is seen.

HMS Chatham

In 2008 there were 33 ships pirated in the Gulf of Aden, in 2009 this dropped to 19.

So far in 2010 there have been four ships pirated in the Gulf of Aden and four pirated in the Somali Basin.

Within the last two months the operation expanded into the Somali

Photo: NATO

Basin.

NATO Task Force 508 conducting Operation Ocean Shield is one out of three coalition task forces operating in the fight against piracy. TF 508 consists of five ships led by flagship HMS Chatham with ships from the US Navy, Turkey. Greece and Italy.

Rear Admiral Hank Ort,

NATO sailors reassure seafarers

help Somalis recognise that there is a viable employment alternative to piracy.

Royal Marine Boarding Team leader, Captain Chris Beesely RM said: “Interacting with local seafarers not only encourages them to get back to sea but it also helps us get a better understanding of their pattern of life. That means we can quickly identify if something is different from the norm and react accordingly.’

Commander of the NATO Task Group, Commodore Steve Chick of the Royal Navy said: “The combined efforts of NATO, other organisations such as the EU Naval Force, Combined Maritime Force, and not least, the Puntland authorities have led to a steady drop in piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden over the last year.”.

Photo: NATO

FOR NATO Commanders the counter piracy mission is not just about deterring and preventing pirate attacks.

They say it is increasingly about gathering piracy information and reassuring innocent seafarers that they can be safe on the high seas.

NATO boarding parties, made up of sailors and marines are routinely conducting maritime security assurance visits to small vessels operating in the Gulf of Aden.

The friendly meetings aim to allay concerns that local seafarers may have about their safety and to reassure them that naval vessels are patrolling in the area. Where necessary the navies will provide water and food to these small dhows.

NATO’s aim is that the assurance visits will

(NLD N) Chief of Staff at Allied Maritime Command Headquarters, Northwood, said: “Since the NATO mission began, there has been a significant drop in successful piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden. Whilst I am pleased with what we have achieved, we cannot be complacent and must remain vigilant.”

Building a future LUXURY boatbuilder Princess Yachts has unveiled details of the first phase of a £45 million development which will lead to 200 new jobs. The firm, which has 1,855 employees in Plymouth, will use the development of the ex-Royal Navy Smith’s Yard to build a range of larger yachts.

News in brief Make votes count THOUSANDS of votes and nominations are coming in to a website logging views of the public on where they want to see marine protected reserves.

Your Seas Your Voice is vital to the current government–led plans to set up marine conservation zones in the UK. It is hoped that by 2012 a network of marine protected areas will exist around the UK coast. Visit the site at www.yourseasyourvoice. com to make your vote count.

A nation’s heritage A MAJOR new season of programmes on BBC Four in May will look at the crucial ways in which the sea has helped shape Britain over the last 100 years. Sea Fever – The Story of Britain and the Sea focuses on maritime history, culture, economics and science and coincides with a new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum.

The season includes White Sails And Grey Mist: The Story Of The Sea, three programmes that combine amateur film archive with fascinating tales of our relationship with the sea, Shanties And Sea Songs which discovers the rich heritage of Britain’s maritime songs and The Boats That Made Britain, a sixpart voyage through the history of British seafaring.

Grylls sets course for RIB race TV adventurer Bear Grylls will descend upon Portsmouth next month as he uses the city as the starting point for an adrenalinepumping race across the Solent.

The survival star and chief scout will set course for Gunwharf Quay as he races the organiser of RIBEX, Hugo Montgomery-Swan, from there to the showground at Cowes Yacht Haven on the Isle of Wight at 11am on May 7.

The two man duel will mark the start of RIBEX, Europe’s number one adventure powerboat show, at which Grylls will be the celebrity guest.

The on-the-water battle was organised as a fitting way for the adventurous adrenaline seeker to

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

open the show. He will race RIBEX’s organiser, Hugo Montomery Swan, from Portsmouth to Cowes Yacht Haven, where he will run up the pontoon to the Suzuki Marine stand and officially open the show.

The pair will drive identical seven metre, Suzuki powered Coastline RIBs, which have been donated by show sponsors Suzuki and Coastline.

Grylls’ next major expedition will be a RIB voyage through the icy waters of the North West Passage.

The expedition is due to take place in the autumn of 2010 and it is hoped that the vessel will feature as a prime display within the Tented Village zone of RIBEX. www.ribexhibitions.co.uk

Welsh show gets afloat THE Fifth South Wales Boat Show has up anchored and Moved to Prince of Wales dock, Swansea.

The show will run from Friday June 18 to Sunday June 20. The biggest marine event in Wales, the show will include a mini marina with craft from a 40-foot Beneateu, 41-foot Jeanneau, several Bayliners, Quentex, Trusty 23, and the latest Falklands Fast Fisher.

Last year among the 15,000 visitors Sponge Bob SquarePants met thousands of children

on the Barkers Leisure Stand. This year Peppa Pig will attend the show.

Organiser Ben Sutcliffe said: “The time was right to develop the show in to the next decade at the new venue I am very grateful for all the support and sponsorship I have been given by the Welsh Assembly Government.

The Third North Wales Boat Show will take place from Frdiay July 30 to Sunday August 1 at The Vaynol Estate Bangor!

Tri-milers raise £2,000 for Sports Relief SAILLASER Weymouth and Scottish centres and the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy raised £2,000 in a Tri-Mile Triathlon event in aid of BBC Sport Relief on Saturday March 13.

The 33 participants Onboard Sailing Club held at SailLaser and neighbouring Weymouth and Portland sailing clubs, with an age range of seven to 15, raced in pairs They had to run and swim before putting their rigging skills into practice before setting

sail on stage three of the Tri-Mile, the sail.

SailLaser’s sister centre in Strathclyde Park near Glasgow also raised £600 towards the cause making the total amount raised £2,000.00.

All money raised by competitors from the event will go directly to BBC Sport Relief which funds Comic Relief through national sporting events.

One of their main target areas this year for funding is to help the child labourers working on the streets and in factories.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

Lord Nelson under new power THE Jubilee Sailing Trust has replaced the existing 260 hp twin powerplants that drive the Lord Nelson.

During a 144-day winter refit of the 368-tonne ship in Southampton’s Western Docks, JST engineers were helped by a team of six highly experienced engineers from Cummins UK Marine Centre at Hamble Marina who donated their time free of charge.

The Trust commissioned top level Cummins MerCruiser Diesel’s technology to deliver continually reliable power through two EPA Marine Tier 2 compliant 225 hp 5.9litre six-cylinder, four-stroke QSB230 heavy duty diesel propulsion units.

The engines play a vital role in the annual voyage schedule of the vessel, propelling the ship nearly 10,000 miles every year.

The charity’s subsidised nautical excursions take 2,000 adults of all

News in brief Three-year deal CLOTHING specialists Gill has been announced as the official technical clothing sponsor of Cowes Week for the next three years. Gill will develop a clothing range with Cowes Week organisers, run a series of competitions for exclusive prizes, introduce a voucher scheme for daily winners at Cowes Week and provide the regatta team with clothing.

physical abilities around the waters of the United Kingdom, Western Europe, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean every year.

Mark Drew, Engineering Manager for the Jubilee Sailing Trust says: “We first approached Cummins UK ten years ago to deliver a powertrain and genset solution for Tenacious.

Therefore, we did not hesitate to bring Cummins UK on board to supply new engines to the Lord Nelson.”

The configuration of the power units was completed with the integration of a SmartCraft® instrumentation display, and Cummins MerCruiser Diesel’s electronic throttle and shift which gives the helmman total control over the propulsion system.

Cummins UK will also be providing regular servicing of the units.

To volunteer your specialist services to the Jubilee Sailing Trust, please email operations@jst.org.uk.

Costs go up THE price of the Boat Safety Scheme certificate is going up by £5 to £29 plus VAT in April – the first rise for three years. And the new fee BSS examiners pay will remain frozen until April 2014.

A BSS certificate lasts four years before it has to be renewed. More information at www.boatsafetyscheme.com/info

Inspired bid A SIGNED first-edition copy of The Wind in the Willows has been sold by auction house Bonhams for £32,400 - ten times its estimated price. The book had belonged to the daughter of Sir Arthur Quiller Couch, the Victorian author, and also an oarsman and yachtsman, who was said to have been the inspiration for the Ratty character in Kenneth Grahame’s children’s classic.

Right: Volunteers from Cummins UK with members of the Jubilee Sailing Trust

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

Birthday skipper Hannah will steer Cork back home

News in brief Save the beach FEARS are growing that £3 million government funding to save the beach at Dawlish Warren on Devon’s south coast, which attracts 10,000 visitors a day will arrive too late. Teignbridge District Council says the sand level has fallen by over a metre and in the three years it will take for the Environment Agency to provide the money for protection schemes, half the beach could have disappeared.

Challenge Cup THE Royal Lymington Challenge Cup Notice of Race shows that the interclub challenge event from 3 to 5 June has introduced overlapping Class rating bands.

The IRC rating bands are: Class 1, 1.025 - 1.080; Class 2, 0.985 1.035; and Class 3, 0.950 - 0.995.

The regatta consists of three days of racing with a combination of Solent navigation and windwardleeward courses in Christchurch Bay. The Notice of Race and entry form is now available at www. rlymyc.org.uk/challengecup

Royal support

ROUND the world yacht skipper Hannah Jenner will celebrate her 30th birthday in the summer by racing into Kinsale in command of Cork, Ireland, in the Clipper 09-10 race.

She takes over at the helm of Cork following the grounding of the original yacht during the race to Singapore from Western Australia.

A replacement yacht has been chartered and the Cork crew, who have been racing on board the other nine yachts of the Clipper fleet since the incident, will take delivery of their new vessel in Panama at the beginning of next month.

Hannah has worked with Clipper since 2004. As a training skipper she helped prepare crews for three editions of the Clipper Race and took the helm of Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper in Clipper 07-08,

successfully leading her team to a podium finish and the Scottish team’s highest ever placing in four campaigns – third overall.

She is the only woman to have skippered a yacht for an entire Clipper Race and since making her mark in Clipper 07-08 she has developed a reputation as one of the rising stars of the British ocean racing scene.

In 2009 she completed a doublehanded Fastnet Race, raced across the Atlantic on the Open 60 Aviva and ran the New York Marathon having started running just four months previously.

Hannah is no stranger to Cork and has sailed into Kinsale and Cork on numerous occasions. She said: “I love it there – it is a fantastic place and I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to racing in there as

skipper of the home team.”

The Clipper 09-10 fleet is due to arrive in Kinsale between 1 and 4 July and on 7 July will sail into Cork City where they will stay until the race restart on 9 July.

The sponsors of Cork, Cork City Council, Cork County Council and Fáilte Ireland, are currently putting the finishing touches to a packed programme of entertainment for the eight-day stopover.

Hannah has already started to learn about her crew who are currently racing across the Pacific towards San Francisco where she will begin the important process of bonding as a racing team.

The replacement Challenge 67 yacht has been chartered from a private owner and was built in 1991 specifically for non-professional sailors.

She has circumnavigated the world twice and is currently fulfilling a safety role with the Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race 2009.

The steel-hulled yacht will carry the same range and number of sails as the rest of the Clipper fleet. She will be delivered to the Cork crew in Panama in time for Race 9 to Jamaica.

The Clipper 09-10 race started on 13 September 2009 from the River and will return there in July after 35,000 miles of ocean racing.

■ JUST before midday local time on March 30 and with the sun breaking through the clouds to herald the yacht’s arrival, the eagle of Cape Breton Island skippered by Jan Ridd from Dorset, came swooping under the Golden Gate Bridge as the Canadian entry arrived victorious in to San Francisco.

JUSTIN Taylor will take over as skipper of Clipper Race entry Hull & Humber following skipper Piers Dudin’s broken leg and medevac whilst racing from Qingdao, China to San Francisco.

Piers has every intention of rejoining his boat before the end of the race but in the meantime the task of leading the team from San Francisco onwards falls on the 38year-old skipper from Brighton.

Justin skippered Hong Kong in the 2002 edition, winning four of

the sixteen individual races and has also spent a number of years working as a training skipper for Clipper.

Since his medical evacuation Piers has been treated at the Sendai Medical Center in Japan and is recovering following two successful operations.

Hull & Humber continues to make good progress across the Pacific under the command of Spirit of Australia’s skipper Brendan Hall.

Based on recent progress the team was expected to arrive between 4 and 7 April with Justin flying out from the UK to join them shortly afterwards.

Hull & Humber skipper Piers Dudin is medevaced by the Japanese Coastguard

Justin takes over Hull & Humber Photo: Clipper Ventures PLC

RYA President the Princess Royal will officially open the RYA’s new multipurpose facility, RYA Portland House, as well as showing her support for some of sailing’s rising young stars at the RYA Volvo Youth National Championships on Wednesday, 7 April. Accompanied by new RYA CEO Sarah Treseder, the princess will tour the facility which provides accommodation, conference facilities and a home for the British sailing team in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics.

She will then continue to Dean & Reddyhoff’s Portland Marina to be given a behind the scenes tour of Skandia Team GBR’s performance unit and taking to the water at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy to watch more 250 of the country’s top young sailors vying for selection on to RYA Volvo Team GBR www.ryaracingevents.org.uk

Hannah Jenner, pictured in the Port of Cork, will take over as skipper of Cork. Photo: Clipper Ventures PLC

Photo: Clipper Ventures PLC

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

Photo: Mary Rose Trust

Lost dog back home after nearly 500 years

A TWO-year old mongrel who sailed aboard the ill-fated Mary Rose has returned home after an incredible 465 years away.

The painstakingly preserved and reconstructed skeleton of the Mary Rose’s dog is back among her familiar Portsmouth surroundings and the many sights and smells she would recognise from on board King Henry VIII’s flagship.

She went on display at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard last month.

Staff at the Mary Rose Trust named the old sea dog ‘Hatch’ as she was discovered trapped in the sliding door of the carpenter’s cabin of the Mary Rose where she had lain since the ship sank in mysterious circumstances in 1545.

She may have been a pet but is more likely to have earned her keep as a ratter – Tudor seafarers did not allow cats on board ship as they were thought to bring bad luck.

John Lippiett, Chief Executive of the Mary Rose Trust and Hatch’s guardian, said: “Expert analysis of Hatch’s bones suggests

that she spent most of her short life within the close confines of the ship. It is likely that the longest walks she took were along the quayside at Portsmouth, her home town.

“Hatch is just one of 19,000 extraordinary Tudor treasures recovered with the wreck of the Mary Rose, but she has never been on display in Portsmouth simply because we have not had the room.

All that is set to change with the building of a new permanent Mary Rose museum, bringing together the remains of the ship itself with the pick of her artefacts, displayed at last in their historic context.

The Mary Rose sank in 1545 in the Battle of the Solent. She was raised in 1982 with her artefact collection presenting a unique time capsule and one of the world’s most precious heritage icons.

The Mary Rose 500 Appeal is fundraising to give Hatch a permanent home and to secure the building of the new Mary Rose Museum to open in 2012. www.maryrose500.org

£100m marina plan for clay port WHAT was Cornwall’s major china-clay port for 150 years could become a £100 million marina.

A planning application for the marina scheme – part of a 5,000-home eco-town – is being submitted by Swiss firm Orascom Developments which wants to develop the “best marina in the UK” as part of a scheme to turn Par Docks, near St Austell into a luxury boathaven.

After a massive decline in china clay production over the last ten years, Par Docks finally closed in 2007 and clay is now shipped from nearby Fowey.

Orascom is working with clay producers Imerys Minerals and the Eden Project on

the 300 million pound scheme but Orascom chairman Samih Sawiris said that the marina was his “pet project”.

“We are in an ideal position, owning both the harbour and the surrounding land, to make sure it is neither overdeveloped nor a ‘boat garage.’

“I believe this is a one-time opportunity for the entire area to have a claim to own the best marina in the UK,” he said. “If we do it right, it will be.”

Built in 1840, the 35-acre four-quay harbour is planned to become the biggest marina west of Plymouth.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

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News in brief Race for heroes A TEAM of limbless ex-servicemen were the first all-amputee crew to compete in the RORC Caribbean 600. The British Limbless ExService Men’s Association (BLESMA) crew was sponsored

by Otto Block Healthcare, which provides prosthetic limbs. The boat had no special modifications for the amputees as it competed in the 600-mile race from Antigua.

The BLESMA sailing crews are drawn from all three branches of the services.

Little lifesaver A PERSONAL locator beacon the size of a mobile phone has been voted Boating Product of the Year.

McMurdo’s FAST FIND 210 PLB, which includes 50 channel integral GPS for pinpoint positioning, operates on the global search and rescue satellite communications system. Its size makes it easy to carry whatever you do. It was launched in February last year and won the award for 2010 in Helsinki, Finland.

Riding the waves WATERSPORTS fans will soon be able to ride the waves all year round in Heworth Leisure Centre in Heworth, Gateshead. The centre opens its FlowRider, the first indoor boarding facility in the North East, this summer.

Switching the equipment from the relief lifeboat to Blue Peter 1

Blue Peter back in action after refit

Crew (l to r) Olly Lamb-Cona, Lee Harrison and Rob Rollins

LITTLEHAMPTON lifeboat station launched its newly refitted Atlantic 75 ‘Blue Peter 1’ for the first time last month to rescue a broken down motor cruiser on passage to Worthing.

Another vessel raised the alarm

using a mobile phone after seeing the casualty in difficulty suffering from engine failure due to blocked intakes.

The crew, Andy Harris, Keith Booth and Andy Hicks located them swiftly and towed them to the visitor’s

moorings in Littlehampton by the harbour office.

Atlantic 75’s have about 15 years in service have two complete refits. Blue Peter 1’ is eight years old and had just been for her second returning only the day before the rescue.

Top weekend planned at Plymouth show MDL Queen Anne’s Battery marina will stage the 2010 Plymouth Sail and Power Show on May and 9.

A highlight in the Plymouth spring boating calendar, the event has offers a top weekend for boating and watersports enthusiasts and their families.

The will host a selection of boats and leisure boating products as well as family attractions and on-water entertainment.

Amongst the attractions this year include the ‘Sealine Experience Roadshow’ featuring the new Sealine F46 flybridge motor cruiser,

launched in autumn 2009. Visitors can book a place in adavnce for sea trials during the show by calling Ancasta Plymouth office on 01752 255740.

Entrance is free and the show will be open from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and from 10am to 5pm on

the Sunday.

Visitors will also get the chance to see the hugely popular Freestyle Asylum team, featuring some ofthe world’s top Personal Watercraft riders. www.sailandpowershow.co.uk.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

Fishermen land £1m record deal SHANTY-singing fishermen have landed a £1million record deal after being spotted performing in their local pub.

The Fisherman’s Friends, from the village of Port Isaac, North Cornwall, have secured a deal with the giant Universal label, who have Lady Gaga, Take That and Amy Winehouse on their books.

The ten-strong group will bring out an album of shanties and folk-songs this month after being discovered by a record-producer on holiday.

The fishermen, lifeboatmen and coastguards aged from 50 to 70, have been performing locally for 15 years.

Founder-member, fisherman Jeremy Brown: “We just get together to sing in pubs. We never expected all this interest. The money’s nice - at least it will help buy the cider!”

Garden seats torpedoed

Webb joins RYA panel

Photo: Paul Wyeth

TWO wartime torpedoes which retired fisherman Steve Richards had converted into garden seats took police and bomb-disposal experts to his home in Redruth Cornwall.

And even though they were found to be harmless, Steve’s landlord, Coastline Housing has forbidden him to keep them.

Coastline tenancy manager Jane Pulley said: “It is not appropriate to have two torpedoes in the front garden of a house in a residential area.”

Steve, who inherited the nine-foot missiles from a relative who had had them for 17 years, said: “They were harmless and I had an ‘explosive-free’ certificate.

“I gave them a lick of paint and they looked really nice in the garden. They are more interesting than a bit of cast metal from China.”

SK ANDIA Team GBR’s Sarah Webb has joined the RYA’s Selection Panel responsible for determining the 2010 RYA Volvo National Youth Squad as well as sailors set to receive International travel grants and places on international teams this season. As Britain’s most successful crew at Olympic level, Webb brings to the panel a wealth of experience and knowledge gathered during her double Olympic Gold medal winning career in the Yngling keelboat.

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Boating bits

Solo double

LYMINGTON based chandlery Yachtmail is celebrating 25 years of success by expanding with a new 5,000 sq ft store at Hamble River boatyard, opposite Swanick Marina. The new store, which opens later this month, will offer a comprehensive range of equipment for all types of sailing and boating.

ALAN Rankin likes a challenge. That is why in April 2006 he became the first person to single-handedly circumnavigate Scotland by boat and bike setting off from Kirkcudbright on the Solway Firth on a 50-foot yacht to Blyth in Northumberland. Sixteen days sailing were followed by a 163-mile bike ride back to the starting point in Kirkcudbright. The 1000-mile voyage is now available in a book called Solo Round Scotland which costs £18.99.

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ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

Sailing tall in life-changing challenges

By Lawry Sear

A Challenger with three full sails in the setting sun

MARTIN Layng is a 21-year-old university student. He learned to sail just four years ago. But when away from his books he skippers a 72-foot steel-built Challenger round-the –world racing yacht crewed by three volunteers and 12 youngsters who have never sailed.

You might think he and his 22year-old first mate Sam Kilford are special. They, along with two Watch leaders, take a dozen raw recruits, some handicapped and some underprivileged, and give them a sailing experience which develops them as people. It teaches them

responsibility, teamwork, sharing tasks and chores and daring to achieve things of which they have never dreamed.

But Martin and Sam are just two ordinary guys who have come through the Tall Ships Youth Trust and now form a backbone of 1,500 volunteers who provide sailing experiences for more than 3,500 young people a year. Martin’s first voyage was a trip on the tall ship Prince William, bought for him as an 18th birthday present. Three and a half years later he did his first trip as a volunteer skipper. And that is what the Trust is all about, developing young people’s potential.

The Trust is the largest sail training association in the world.

It has a fleet of four Challenger yachts, built to race round the world

by Chay Blyth, and a 200ft brig.

Between them, the five boats provide 96 places a week for young people to taste adventure, work as a team and test themselves helming a yacht, climbing the rigging or learning knots and sail-handling.

The Trust was founded in 1956 and needs £2m a year to cover its running costs. Money comes from paying guests, sponsorships, legacies and fund-raising. Much of it goes in bursaries providing chances for more young people – 57 per cent of

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

Easing the yankee sheet

them disadvantaged or disabled – to try something different.

The Trusts’ objective is to put the personal development of young people first and achieve this goal through sailing, regardless of economic, social or cultural background.

A voyage helps youngsters aged between 14 and 25 to develop their confidence and life

First mate Sam Kilford instructs crew on the safe use of a winch

skills, to see the benefits of teamwork, communicating clearly, working hard and quickly, tackling new challenges and learning new skills without it seeming like learning.

Tall Ships proved this theory by taking a motley crew of nine journalists on a two-day taster voyage in the Solent. Few had sailing experience but we were supported by volunteers Newcastle engineering student Martin Laying as skipper, Bristol undergraduate Sam Kilford as first mate and watch leader Toni Briggs (47).

After familiarising ourselves with the layout, a thorough safety briefing and outline of what lay ahead we cast off from Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth, for a shakedown in The Solent. Everyone was

13 supervised and given a chance to try each job on board, crunching winches, sail handling, helming, galley rat or studying the state of the art navigation instruments.

Twenty-four hours later, after a night in Cowes, the same team worked smoothly and efficiently knowing exactly what was required of each of us. We were under full mainsail, yankee and staysail as we raced two other Challenger yachts round the buoys and back to Portsmouth. We had been turned into a team capable of sailing efficiently, achieving ten knots and confident in our ability and those of our mates.

Undergraduates Martin and Sam are typical of so many young people who first venture on board a Tall Ships Trust voyage. Many go on to complete a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Others return as volunteers on the Trust’s vessels and pay back the benefits they have gained by helping to lead the next group of young people.

For Martin and Sam their Tall Ships adventure changed their lives.

Now they are changing the lives of others, creating new opportunities, adventures and challenges to extend the boundaries of their lives.

The Trust also runs fund-raising voyages for 18 to 75 year olds to raise money towards their work. These cost from £99 for a day sail to a fournight trip in the Channel from £299 a person.

For more information about sailing or helping the Tall Ships Trust contact info@tallships.org.

News in brief Marine academy approved THE Government has signed the funding agreement for the UK’s first marine academy that will replace Tamarside Community College, St Budeaux, Plymouth, in September. The signing signals the green light for more than £17million worth of investment in the new school. The news was welcomed by the University of Plymouth, the academy’s lead sponsor and co-sponsors Cornwall College and Plymouth City Council. A trust has been set to manage the new academy which will offer a wide range of subjects, with specialisms in technology and science with a focus on the marine environment.

Green bonus THE young environmentalists of Hill Head Sailing Club in Fareham, Hampshire have won their club £1,000 as one of the winners of the 2009 Volvo Eco Challenge.

The money will be used to fund a number of environmental projects designed by the junior members of the club to improve recycling and reduce energy costs at Hill Head.

The presentation was made at local Volvo dealership Cambridge Garage in Havant by Business Sales Consultant Alison Davey.

Catching some wind and sun

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

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Why ours is the ‘Sport for All’ Geoff Holt GEOFF Holt, is the former professional yachtsman who inspired sailors everywhere whn he became the first quadriplegic to sail the Atlantic Ocean.

He joins All at Sea as a regular columnist this month. Geoff was paralysed in a swimming accident in 1984. Since then, he has committed much of his life to supporting the concept of sailing for people with disabilities and was the inaugural Chairman of RYA Sailability.

A marketing specialist by profession but more recently an author and motivational speaker, Geoff was the first disabled person to sail single-handed around Great Britain in 2007. In 2009/10 he crossed the Atlantic unassisted in all aspects of the sailing.

He sits on the national RYA Council representing disabled sailors and on the Paralympic Steering Group which is responsible for finding our Paralympic sailors for 2012.

In 2004 he was awarded the RYA Award for “Services to Yachting”, in 2007 he won the BBC South Sports Personality of the Year and in 2009 he was awarded the RYA’s Francis Elkin Award for “Services to Disabled Sailing”. www.geoffholt.com Portrait photo: onEdition

I WAS invited along to “Sail a Mile” for Sport Relief at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth last month.

Organised by Thomson Sport and sister company Sunsail, it was one of several sailing events around the UK designed to contribute to the sporting charity which, unless you were living on the planet Mars, could not have avoided on the night of Friday March 19.

HQ was a mini marquee on the quayside and the aim was to encourage people who were out shopping to sail a mile on a Sunsail yacht and to raise money and awareness of Sport Relief.

All wet weather clothing and lifejackets weresupplied. Adding to the sense of occasion, and helping raise the profile, Mike Golding and Dee Caffari were also there to show support and to skipper a couple of the yachts.

What struck me most was the sheer look of amazement on people’s faces that they - ordinary Joe-public, could possibly go out sailing, right there, right then, for nothing more than a £10 donation to charity.

But it wasn’t about the money. You could see people’s faces visibly light up at the prospect of sailing and escaping the drudgery of shopping.

For some, assuming the approach was yet another tabard-fronted student collecting for charity, said “No thank you” as they raised a hand in defiance and kept walking. But moments later, they would turn around, walk back and ask: “What did you say?” as the opportunity registered.

It got me thinking that, despite years of effort, sailing in the UK is still perceived by many as elitist or out-of-reach to the common man.

At one end of the spectrum, on Saturday March 20, Franck Cammas arrived back in France having sailed Groupama 3 around the world in 48 days in one of the most incredible feats of yachting. I’ve been glued to his website for the past month.

And at the other end of the spectrum, I was watching my friend Keith Harris the other day sail his Access dinghy, simply for pleasure, at his sailing club, using only his tongue to control his boat. In some ways, it was equally amazing.

Sailing means different things to different people but those who actually get out there on the water and experience that buzz share a bond that all sailors understand. It offers opportunities to everyone, regardless of ability or budge.

The challenge is communicating that message.

To see so many people take up the opportunity to sail the Sport Relief mile, to watch them sail back into harbour, walk up the pontoon, faces flushed from the spring sunshine, smiles spread across their faces, was reassurance at least that the product itself, sailing, is every bit as special as we sailors know it to be.

If we are looking to increase participation, then the challenge is to persuade people that getting afloat is available and accessible to everyone.

Well done to Thomson Sport and Sunsail for providing that opportunity which took more than 200 people sailing and raised £2,150 for charity.

Surely that’s got to be better than shopping.

Passion for peace I WOULD like you to put a date in your diary - Tuesday September 21.

It is the United Nations Day of Peace and the day is orchestrated by one of the most amazing men I’ve ever met.

Jeremy Gilley runs a charity called Peace One Day. On the face of it a noble but unattainable dream, Peace One Day, supported by a resolution backed by every single member of the United Nations, aims to make September 21 each year a day when militias lay down their weapons, when bullies don’t bully at school, when fighting stops.

And if you are laughing at the idea, let me tell you that last year, on September 21, in cities across Afghanistan, the allies and the Taliban did lay down their weapons and with the promise of a cease-fire for one day, the International Red Cross were able to vaccinate more than a million children against polio without fear of attack.

Ban Ki-moon, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela plus celebrities like Jude Law, Angelina Jolie, Annie Lennox, the list goes on, played their part. Supported by corporate heavyweights like Coca Cola, Puma, Nike, Ben & Jerry’s and many more, Peace One Day is focussing its efforts on sport as a weapon against violence and to bring about world peace.

So where does sailing fit in and why my

WITH the help and support of famous sailors Dee Caffari and Mike Golding and more than 50 Sunsail Skippers who volunteered for the day, £2,150 was raised for Sport Relief.

Many people who have never before set foot on a yacht and wouldn’t know their port from starboard were given the chance to take to the helm, hoist the sails and tack and jibe their way around the Sport Relief Sailing Mile.

The £2,150 will help transform the lives of poor and vulnerable people, both at home and across the world’s poorest countries. interest?

Well, I went to school with Jeremy and I do not just support his ultimate goal (who couldn’t?) but admire how his passion drives him and how that commitment shines out through his personality.

If anyone has an uphill struggle it is Jeremy but, despite the odds, he’s making progress.

I’ve overcome some pretty tough challenges in my life so I empathise with anyone who follows their dream, regardless of the difficulties on the way.

How does that song go? The higher you build your barriers, the taller I become. I would love the world of sailing to show solidarity with such a wonderful global cause on September 21.

Do visit Jeremy’s website and I’ll keep you informed of events planned for the day. www.peaceoneday.org

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

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ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

Chance to see how other half goes to sea Make RYA Spring muster a must

IT has been a long, hard winter but after months of battling with sub–zero conditions spring is finally here and with it come all the delights of the boating season: antifouling, mildew and peeling varnish. Sound appealing?

Maybe not, and it is therefore important to focus your mind on the joys of actually getting back out on the water and what better way to kick start your season than with the RYA Spring Muster for Power and Sail.

Taking place at Cowes Yacht Haven between Friday 23 and Sunday 25 April, this is the ideal opportunity to ease your way back in to your boat after the misery of a long winter layoff.

With Hamble School of Yachting and Sealine Sea School respectively running try sailing and try motorboating sessions, this is a perfect chance for battle hardened boaters to do the unthinkable and actually change sides for an hour.

This means that die hard yachtsmen and motorboaters can get a feel for how the other half live out on the water. Who knows, you might actually love the experience. This is another beauty of the muster; you don’t even need to have a boat to take part and there is ample opportunity to get out on the water.

If you do own a boat, however, all types and shapes and sizes are welcome: Last year there was everything from 40 foot yachts and Sunseekers, right through to a 25-foot Scorpion RIB. Yes, this is one of the few events where all those different cultures of boating get thrown into the mix and are given the opportunity to enjoy different types of boating.

The Muster is about far more than just trying out different types of boating: One of the most valuable aspects is the practical demonstrations from some of the big industry players.

Raymarine, ICOM, Ocean Safety, Mendez Marine and Sea Start will all be present to pass on some of their expertise and new to this muster will be an invaluable tutorial on servicing your lifejacket from Ocean Safety, Force 4 Chandlery will be on hand to discuss rig checks, Mendez Marine will take you out in a Rib to practically demonstrate AIS, while the RNLI will talk you through the finer points of towing with their ‘Tow or be towed’ presentation.

In addition, the RYA will be running free RYA Powerboat Level one courses over the weekend.

And one of the important aspects of the muster is the socialising. What better place to catch up with other boaters than at an event like this? The event is known for its friendly atmosphere, with hosts and guests all keen to swap stories.

This reaches a peak on Saturday evening when boaters retire to the opulent surroundings of the Royal London Yacht Club for an evening of revelry and good old fashioned salty yarns.

To book your place on the muster, you can download a booking form by going to www.rya.org.uk and post it to: RYA House, Ensign Way, Hamble, SO31 4YA. If you want to find out more, you can email: cruising.events@rya.org.uk or phone 02380604233 for an information pack.

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ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

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Racing with 500 Easter eggs in tow Shelley Jory-Leigh British Powerboat Champion www.shelleyjory.com

I GOT my 2010 season underway with a race against the clock to deliver 500 Easter eggs.

The charity challenge came from my new Sponsors, Rotary Watches, who decided to put me to the test before the season started and tasked me with delivering the Rotary Easter Eggs by road and water to 500 deserving children in various locations along the coast covering 100 miles in just six hours.

I called on the help of my friends at the Sainsbury’s Hedge End store and Wave 105 Cash for kids, to help me with the challenge.

I was joined on the day by newly appointed Sainsbury’s Hedge End Manager Mike Hawker and Wave 105 DJ Steve Power, who is always up for a challenge, with the BBC’s South Today Laura Trant also jumping at the chance to join us.

At 10:00am on March 30 Tom Tope, UK Sales Director for Rotary Watches and our official time keeper started the clock and we were officially underway.

We raced from Sainsbury’s Hedge End store

to Southampton General Hospital where we visited the Piam Brown Ward, the Wessex Paediatric Oncology Centre, which treats all types of childhood cancer for children aged from a day old to 18.

We sped through Southampton to Mansbridge School where headmaster Mark Sheehan introduced us to the 185 pupils in their morning assembly.

They had all done their homework and knew I was a Powerboat Racer. Many of them recognised Laura and a few even admitted to their parents listening to Steve on the Radio.

Before we could take to the water for the Isle of Wight we had one more stop in Southampton.

The Hampshire Autistic Society had arranged for us to visit Hope Lodge School.

We entrusted the 100 eggs to students Karla Piskorz, 14, and James Hornby-Smith, 11, for distribution.

We had two Cougar Powerboats waiting at Warsash and the plan was for me to drive the eggs and the team over to the Island. But there’s one thing a powerboat racer can’t control – the weather.

The experienced support crew of RYA officials Alan Goodwin and Brian Wheeler along with my husband and Race Engineer Trevor, decided

Shelley and the Children at Mansbridge School

that as some of the team had not been out on a powerboat before it was not safe.

I thought the challenge was over but a phone call to Red Jet and we were back in business.

But we were really up against the clock.

At Cowes we were met by staff from the Newport Sainsbury’s who drove us to the store to meet Alysha, Joel, Ben and Gemma from Beaulieu House Respite Care for Children, who were eagerly awaiting our arrival to take delivery of a 50 Rotary Easter Eggs for them and their friends.

With time ticking away we had to quickly head back to Cowes for the return journey on the Red Jet ferry in the hope of meeting our deadline. The Red Jet team were fantastic and we were invited up to the bridge.

Disappointed as I was to cancel driving the powerboats crossing, I was pleasantly surprised to find a female at the throttles. Commander Nicola George manoeuvred the ferry with ease despite the hideous conditions.

Back on dry land and we powered back to the Hedge End Sainsbury’s store to meet the Simon Says Charity for the last delivery of eggs in the hope of beating the time of six hours.

Tom Tope stopped the clock and as the team signed autographs and posed for photos the

Photo: Gary Lam

celebrations started. We completed the challenge in 5 hours 43 minutes and 50 seconds.

I have experienced so many wonderful things and places whilst powerboat racing and this challenge allowed me to meet even more phenomenal people doing some fantastic work with a special group of youngsters. I just hope that if we achieved one thing in the challenge it was that we brought a little happiness to their lives.”

Thanks to Cougar Powerboats, Sainsbury’s Hedge End and Newport Stores, Cowes Yacht Haven, Red Jet Ferries, Wave 105, Hendy Hire and Everyone involved from the charities and schools we visited and of course Rotary Watches for supplying us with the eggs and providing us all with a fantastic challenge that gave us all such an enjoyable day.

I hope with the support of Rotary we’ll be coming in on time and in first place this season.

My attentions now turn to pre season Testing and the Jersey boat show at the end of April.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

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Southern Cross Yachts opens second office in Salcombe

Company

Focus

SOUTHERN Cross Yachts was originally started as a Premier Yacht Brokerage with a business model specifically designed to work in the recession and has been expanding ever since.

As a result, overheads have been kept to a minimum and new staff and premises taken on as and when needed, expanding to match demand.

The business has taken advantage

of opportunities that have arisen due to the current climate, dealing direct with well known brands such as Bavaria and Rodman.

Since Southern Cross Yachts became a dealer for Rodman and Bavaria it has added Legend and Azimut to its name and more recently launched a specialist rigid inflatable boat arm, selling Avon and Zodiac RIBs through its South West RIB Centre.

Due to an aggressive marketing strategy, Southern Cross Yachts and the RIB Centre have had much success and it seems the word is beginning to spread. With new offices and services now being offered not only to the South West it now deals directly with contacts in Sweden and Denmark as well as across the UK. Customer service is at the forefront of Southern Cross Yachts’ ethos, ensuring that we deliver efficient, friendly and reliable services. We have a great knowledge, understanding, and passion for boating and as our company focuses on customer service, customers continue to return and bring with them new customers who are also keen to experience what we offer.

Bavaria and Legend Yachts offer affordable sailing combined with the latest in Sailing Yacht technology and innovation but at the lowest prices on the market.

Rodman Boats are especially designed to handle the worst the seas can throw at you, whilst offering great comfort and refined

accommodation.

As Rodman Motor Boat agents for the South West we are bringing this popular fisher cruiser to the fast fisher and sports fishing market in Devon and Cornwall.

Bavaria Motor Boats offer cruising in luxury at an affordable price.

Firmly believing in affordable boating and offering the lowest brokerage rates, the lowest yard fees, and affordable maintenance services to all our customers, Southern Cross Yachts understand how important repeat business is and is already overwhelmed by the number of repeat customers that they have in such a short space of time.

Southern Cross Yachts is growing with the opening of a new office in Salcombe as well as the addition of the RIB Centre at its head quarters in Plymouth. The South West RIB Centre is based alongside Southern Cross HQ at Yacht Haven Quay in Plymouth which boasts the UKs largest Dry Stack Marina, allowing the RIB Centre a permanent 24-hour display of new and used RIB’s.

With very little competition and no other specialised RIB Centres in the South West the Salcombe office is well positioned in the village of Salcombe, popular with all boating enthusiasts. There are no other specialty Yacht brokers in Salcombe currently and with the Bavaria, Legend and Rodman brands along with the Avon RIB dealership, they bring a wealth of boating options and knowledge to the South Hams.

Southern Cross Yachts is in the enviable position of being able to offer everything needed within the marine industry. As well as new and brokerage boat sales, they are able to offer engine servicing, chandlery, international boat transport, sail valeting, surveys and valuation, assistance with vessel coding, rig checks and much more.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

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The doctor, the engineer . . . and a picture framer Sticky’s tips

By Sticky Stapylton

I HAD two erstwhile Yachtmasters Coastal candidates, one a doctor the second an underwater turbine engineer who, because of committed shift work were only able to manage a cross channel passage during the first week of March.

To join them, I recruited a picture framer from Cheltenham who had already become a Coastal Skipper.

It really does make a difference when you have someone, slightly longer in the tooth, and with plenty of experience, who just loves to get involved in everything.

Jim was not only an outstanding cook, who took real pleasure in doing things properly, but was also a convivial raconteur, a good sailor and teacher to boot. The other two crew members learnt a lot from him.

We planned our passage the night before departure and set off with NE f7 and f8 forecast the next morning. Taking departure from the Princessa buoy off the east end of the Isle of Wight, we bowled along on a broadish reach all the way to Cherbourg.

Unfortunately two of the crew were sea sick, though one recovered to do quite a bit of helming. I think that skippers may have to be a trifle draconian and insist that those who only sail once a year and who are unsure of their ability to resist “mal-de-mer�, take a pill the night before and one before setting off.

We did this for the second and third legs of our passage and there was no recurring sickness. It may well be that those who suffered on the first two days had, by then, achieved their sea-legs. I tried the trick of getting the worst sufferer to put the stugeron tablet under the tongue and just sucking the pill in the hope that saliva would take the effect to wherever it should go.

Doctors advise doing this, rather than someone who has been sick, swallowing the pill whole. In this case the attempt failed. I suspect that much depends on the metabolism of the person concerned and a host of other factors.

Cherbourg was pretty empty. I needed some distilled water for the service battery and tried several chandleries and two marine engineer shops. None had any distilled water.

So I resorted to the old trick which I learnt as a soldier 50 years ago. Pee into a bottle and use urine, it is the nearest thing to distilled water which is to hand on a boat and which is also free!

We set off for Guernsey the next day, making best use of the ebb tide down through the Alderney Race, then the Big Russel, round the south of Herm and into St Peter Port.

The wind was still in the north east so we had a comfortable and fast passage. By now it was dark and once down in the Big Russel, the two major lights were unlit. Noir Pute on Herm and Bec du Nez on Sark, both sectored lights, would have helped our pilotage considerably.

For some reason the GPS decided to go on the blink at this moment, so we resorted to feeling our way by following a depth contour which was

clear of all dangers. It is said that some of the GPS satellites may not be reliable because of cuts in funding by the USA, there could have been propagation problems, or it might even have been the set. I am just trying to make the point that electronic navigation is not always as reliable as it is made out to be.

We stayed two nights in St Peter Port which, like Cherbourg, was almost empty. Indeed we were the only boat moored on the pontoons in the outer harbour. The harbour staff gave us a berth which was, as near as they could manage, in the lee of the harbour buildings from the northerly wind blowing, now up to f8.

We went ashore for four hours and the effect on our bow spring is shown in the picture. I am a great believer in rigging springs and breast lines so that the angle through the cleat is as near as damn-it a straight line and not a near 360° turn. If rigging the spring as shown in the second picture, it is worth considering parceling or rigging a Scotchman.

Parcel is to cover a rope with canvas, plastic pipe or smaller rope to prevent chafe. (I use old my old Calvin’s) and a Scotchman is a crisscross of rope over a warp to prevent chafe.

It’s a matter of communication ALL AT SEA | FEBRUARY 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

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Anyone can enjoy sailing – so long as there’s a plan Sticky’s tips

By Sticky Stapylton

THERE are a number of sailors, and I include myself among them, who are getting a bit deaf, (my wife would query the word “getting�).

Last month, with a forecast of gales, I went out on a friend’s boat to try out heavy weather sailing tactics. The owner wanted practice in handling a boat under sail in strong winds.

The boat, a Contrast 36, is a wellfound Scandinavian built yacht and we had asked for volunteers to join us for the experience.

More than 30 volunteered and I phoned round to get the fi rst two available to come at the drop of a hat.

I had asked the volunteers to let me have one of my completed booking forms so that I would know if there were any medical or

dietary conditions I needed to take into consideration.

One of the crew said that he was a little deaf. When we all met it was quite clear that this man was not just “a little� deaf, but quite seriously so.

The skipper, was quickly aware of the problem and the deaf crewman had to be given specific tasks which more or less restricted him to the cockpit.

Sensibly, he also set up a system so that if we had to speak to the crewman we would fi rst tap him on the shoulder and then make sure that he was facing us as we enunciated every syllable.

Life was not made easy with the noise of the wind and the crewman had his cap ear flaps down to keep his hearing aid dry.

The point is that, given people who are hard of hearing, you must have a plan in place to ensure that they are safe and that you have an effective means of communicating.

This reminded me of the time

I had a crew member who was completely deaf and dumb on a Day Skipper course.

He was the most incredible person who had set himself up in business and been extremely successful, so much so that he wanted to buy a boat and sail with his family.

He had taught himself the basic crewing skills but sensibly wanted to be taught how to run, pilot and navigate a boat.

The principal of the school told me that the man could lip read and it would be quite simple for me to communicate with him.

This was not the case, so off I went to Woolies and bought some small notebooks. Everything I said I wrote down for him. I got through five of these 60-page booklets, and had writer’s cramp by the end of the week!

What was really worrying was that, besides being deaf, he was a little uncoordinated and while we were sailing on to pontoons towards the

end of the course, my deaf man was handling the bow line.

Our plan was to stem the tide, sail across the river on a reach and slow the boat down for the crew to step ashore with the lines. Unfortunately our man misjudged something and stepped off the boat with too wide a gap between the pontoon and the hull.

He fell into the water but managed to cling on to the toe rail.

I was helming and asked the other two crew to try to haul him on board.

But our deaf man was quite heavy, I suspect about 14 stone, and it was impossible.

So our plan was to come back to the pontoon under motor and get him to let go the toe rail when we were about a metre away.

How do you communicate all this to someone who is deaf and dumb?

Impossible without writing it down, so as best they could, with sign language to assist, the poor unfortunate’s fingers were prised off the toe rail

and he made his way to the pontoon.

Within ten minutes he was in the shower and half an hour later, back on the boat with a hot cup of coffee.

Damaged pride THIS is a photograph of the keel of a yacht which hit a drying rock SW of Alderney. The skipper was relying on his chart plotter but there was poor visibility.

The course to steer had not taken into account that the boat would be close to the rock.

Luckily the yacht had an encapsulated keel, so despite the hunk taken out of it, the most damage was done to the skipper’s pride . . . and his bank balance! www.sail-help.co.uk

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A COUPLE of months ago I wrote under a headline ‘Anyone can enjoy 2- - - &sailing – so long as you have a plan’ about problems that occurred with communications when I had a deaf crew member on board during a voyage in heavy weather.

Sadly, that upset Jan Harris of Southampton.

She wrote: “I am a profoundly deaf female, -01983-282615 with many, many sea miles to my credit, gained on a variety of sailing craft and in equal variety of weather conditions. “I am now a pensioner and have only very recently sold my boat, a Moody, which my husband and I sailed to the Med’ and back where we were liveaboards for a number of years. “Clearly I am unhappy with the idea that deaf people can sail if they are restricted to the """/ $# 2/ ( #:-01983-282615

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cockpit! “We habitually made night crossings that EVERYONE took part in, with admittedly some restrictions for deaf-blind sailors. “We utilised a mixture of mime, lip reading, sign language SSE and BSL and fingerspelling of the deaf and deaf-blind alphabets to ensure the best opportunities for communication for all. “The RYA has a number of sail training outlets for disabled people through the medium of SAILABILITY. “I have witnessed some horrendous cockups by people with NO disabilities or limited physical abilities, and it is very evident to me that one doesn’t need to be deaf to make mistakes!�

And Jan added: “Being deaf has a few atributes believe it or not! Deaf people rarely get seasick.

I have NEVER been seasick in my life. “Also, I can feel the vibrations of large engines on ships in the fog, long before my ‘hearing’ fellow crew.

Further I never ever get a disturbed night as nothing wakes me up, no creaks or tweaks etc.�

Well, as someone who is not only partially deaf but also blind in one eye, I am of course sorry that one of our readers was upset by my report. I am, in fact, full of admiration for the amazing achievements of many who sail with

physical handicaps. The point I was trying to make, is how important it is for a skipper to know in advance if any of his crew has a problem which needs to be taken into consideration when planning a passage. It really is about always having a plan before you go to sea and then communicating it to your crew and making sure they have understood it.

Along with the editor who wrote the headline I am sorry that we failed to communicate precisely what I meant.

I share the editor’s enthusiasm for encouraging people of all abilities to get on the water. After all, the paper is called All at Sea. Don’t miss our new columnist. Geoff Holt who became the first Quadraplegic to sail the Atlantic at the New Year joins All at Sea this month to bring his insight and inspiration on sailing and life in general. See page 14.

Weekend off ANYONE fancy a weekend on the Solent? I run budget weekends where the cost is kept to the minimum and we eat ashore, share food, fuel and mooring costs and get in as much sailing, navigating and pilotage as we can. Email me if interested. www.sail-help.co.uk

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

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Essential chore aids performance ONE of the least popular jobs amongst DIY boat owners is the removal and reapplication of antifouling. Tim Spicer explains how to get the job done safely.

FIRST, we strongly advise against dry sanding unless you have the correct breathing apparatus, as anti fouling paint is toxic and dry sanding sends clouds of dust in all directions, which is extremely dangerous. Therefore, I am running through the slightly more time consuming but far safer option of wet sanding.

With your boat ashore and on blocks or a trailer, you can start to work on the underside.

Using a pressure washer, clean as much of the slime, weed and barnacles off the hull as possible. You will probably have to use a scraper, a tough brush and a good amount of elbow grease to remove the shells. You now have to wait for the hull to dry, so this is a good time for a tea break.

Once clean and dry, check for hull damage such as blisters or dings. Make any repairs necessary before assessing the condition of the antifouling. If it is in good condition, having been applied in the correct fashion from new, all that needs to be done is an overcoat of a compatible antifouling. Most antifoul manufacturers will provide a compatibility chart.

If yours is a planing craft that needs a very smooth hull surface for performance, be sure that there is absolutely no flaking of the

previous coating. If there is any evidence of cracks or bubbles then it is advised to strip back to the hull and start from fresh.

Removing old antifouling is not a fun job. There are a couple of options but wet sand blasting is effective. This will require a specialist blaster, sometimes called a slurry blaster, or an attachment for a pressure blaster. When using this technique on GRP and wooden vessels, you need to be careful not to cut into the hull’s surface.

An alternative to wet sand blasting is to use a stripping solution such as ‘Dilunette Gel’. You can buy this in most chandlers and it is applied in one thick layer using a nylon bristle brush.

It needs to be left on the hull’s surface for a considerable amount of time for it to be effective.

Depending on the thickness of the antifouling, two to three days is recommended.

Once the antifouling has been softened, you can use a pressure washer to blast it off, followed by more scraping to fully remove the layers. Having removed the old antifouling to the best of your ability let your hull dry.

The final task, once dry, is to check the smoothness of your hull’s surface – if it is uneven then craters will appear when you apply

the new antifouling.

In most cases, the surface will still be uneven, so take a stiff brush and go at it until the surface is smooth and level with the rest.

GRP hulls should be totally degreased and have a matt finish before beginning antifoul

application. To do this, ensure you remove any evidence of mould release agents and sand with a 280-grade wet and dry paper.

Applying an anti-osmosis epoxy treatment to GRP hulls is also recommended prior to antifouling.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

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Protect your vessel and improve performance

By Andrew Pinnington YOUR boating experience need not be foul if a few precautions are taken to prevent biological build-up on your vessel.

Boats spend a substantial proportion of their life partially submerged in water and are thus prone to colonisation by microorganisms and algae that can damage their hulls.

However, fouling is fairly easy to prevent with the myriad anti-fouling coatings that are available to protect your boat.

Fouling is the build-up of microorganisms and algae on underwater materials; its presence can not only weaken the structural integrity of wooden boats, it can also leave your hull looking unsightly.

But the problems it brings your craft are not merely aesthetic- fouling can reduce fuel efficiency and manoeuvrability of your boat. Fouling does not just affect boats and is present in any situation where water is left in contact with another wet material, and thus many products have been developed to prevent this occurring.

Governments spend around £3.5billion per year in marine fouling prevention and control, but fortunately your outlay will only be a fraction of that amount.

Anti-fouling techniques have progressed somewhat since the Royal Navy sheathed all their hulls in copper in the 18th and 19th centuries. Nonetheless, this technique was so successful in preventing fouling that the term “copper bottomed” entered the vernacular at around the same time.

Anti-fouling paint is thus often copperbased. The harmful effects of the first generation of anti-fouling coatings were well documented but robust regulation now exists to prevent damage to other marine life; all organotin-based compounds (TBTs) have been prohibited for use on hull paint since 2007.

The wide variety of modern anti-fouling products available reflects the massive variance in water craft; these are also often dependent on hull types and other variables such as salinity and amount of sunlight.

There are three main types of anti-fouling that cover nearly every craft. Eroding antifouling, sometimes called ablative antifouling, is a copper-based paint comprised of many layers that gradually wear away, revealing a new layer of copper biocide. This method is 100 per cent effective in preventing

fouling but relies upon a sufficient number of coats being applied in the first place – three on average, which, considering the price of ablative paints, can prove expensive.

Despite the expense, this is the most popular anti-fouling technique. Boats that move faster across the water will also need more coats, reflecting the increased wear.

There is a cheaper alternative to ablative paints; sloughing paints operate on the same principle but the copper sloughs off in layers.

Whilst this is a cheaper anti-fouling method, it is also ineffectual if exposed to air.

Both of these techniques can provide multiseason coverage but require an annual checkup and jet wash.

The second type of anti-fouling is vinyl or hard antifouling that gives the boat a hard, smooth finish that can be burnished with wet and dry paper. Whilst this makes the paints particularly suitable for racing boats or vessels that reach up to 70 knots, they also have a general appeal.

They are resistant to abrasion but require an annual repaint and also lose their efficiency out of the water.

Whilst ablative paints expose layers of biocide which are poisonous to fouling organisms, there is a final option.

Non-biocidal, foul release paints work by creating a non-adherent surface for fouling organisms rather than actively killing them.

Whilst this may not be the most effective form of antifouling, it is the cheapest and prevents water resistance, resulting in higher fuel efficiency and manoeuvrability.

Any fouling that does adhere to the “ultra slippy” surface can simply be sponged off with ease. These foul release coatings also last for three seasons, meaning fewer repaints and more time spent out on the water.

Seajet, one of the best known manufacturers of anti-fouling products, have a very helpful guide on their website (www.seajetpaint. com) if you are still unsure as to which paint you should use. Their range is comprehensive and affordable, and for the environmentally aware they also offer environmentally friendly, non-toxic paints.

Fouling is easy to prevent. It may appear expensive to coat your boat in the latest high performance anti-fouling paint but that cost pales into insignificance when compared to the cost of structural damage to your vessel.

Similarly, it is not a particularly exciting process but is an essential part of boating.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

Success of Seajet in the UK SEAJET products were first seen in the UK ten years ago with the arrival of a range of advanced self-polishing anti-foul coatings and boat care products, formulated by Japanese parent company, Chugoku Marine Paints.

CMP is one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of coatings to the world’s commercial shipping markets and other industries where there is a need to protect against the harmful effects of water borne fouling, such as water cooling tunnels for power stations.

Within leisure markets word of the performance of Seajet products in high fouling areas spread quickly partly a result of positive independent tests results in boating magazines and by recommendations from satisfied owners.

‘Love your boat’ and ‘seeing is believing’ appeared to sum-up how most users felt when they hauled out and inspecting their boats at the end of a season or two of immersion in heavily infested waters.

In essence, there were no ten-year ‘lifetime’ gimmicks, no sonic signals or moving parts,

just technically advanced roll-on, spray-on or brush-on coatings, in various colours, that repel fouling of all kinds without exception.

Behind products such as 033 Shogun, 034 Emperor and 039 Platinum, Seajet rely on ‘hydrolysis’, a method of biocide release in which a chemical reaction takes place as soon as a freshly coated hull goes into the water.

This means the release of biocide and copper oxide is a more controlled process, giving more consistent and reliable protection over longer periods. Secondly, effectiveness is improved because the coating does not have to work its way through the accumulation of its own hydrolyzed layer, also called the leached layer or skeleton layer, often left behind by anti-fouls that use an alternative method of release frequently termed ‘hydration’.

Seajet can be found at most chandlers and marine retailers. Contact, Marine & Industrial LLP (01692) 406 822 or email sales@ marineindustrial.co.uk for nearest stockist. www.seajetpaint.com

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ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

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Small change – big difference

By Jane Swan Project Manager, The Green Blue DINGHY sailing has to be the most environmentally friendly form of sailing there is, close to the water working with wind and tide – no fuel, no anti-foul, no oily bilges, no anchoring or pump out – so what’s left for us to talk about?

Well quite a bit it would seem based on the buzz at this year’s RYA Volvo Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace last month.

Dinghy sailors are seriously passionate about their sport, fanatical about the latest designs and materials, and equally committed to doing the right thing when it comes to their interaction with the environment.

And The Green Blue has to look no further than to the RS Class to lead the pack in embracing best practice when it comes to raising awareness amongst its racers and promoting sustainable events.

With the RS Feva Nationals 2010 scheduled for 29 – 31 May at Hayling Island Sailing Club, we’ll have the chance to ‘green’ what’s happening both on and off the water; checking there are enough waste and recycling bins for the influx of competitors, making sure nothing ends up in the

Photo: Paul Wyeth

water that shouldn’t – either from a sudden gust of wind or a capsize, watching water and energy usage – switching off taps and lights (and saving money to boot), and washing down dinghies and trailers before setting off home to avoid the spread

of non-native invasive species.

Such simple steps that can easily be replicated at every event throughout the season – and with a packed calendar for 2010 for the RS class alone, it’s pretty easy to work out what a difference these small changes

could make. Check out RS Feva’s progress towards sustainable events on the blog at www.rsfeva.org Also at this year’s RYA Volvo Dinghy Show we had the chance to meet two Volvo RYA Champion Clubs and present them with grants from

the Volvo Eco Challenge scheme.

Staunton Harold Sailing Club will be creating a bed of wild flowers to stop erosion along the banks of their reservoir and Burton Sailing Club will be turning scrap fibreglass boats into new habitats for local wildlife, as well as tackling recycling and water efficiency.

It is brilliant that the inspiration for both projects came from the clubs’ youngsters – Hannah Jones and Alex Hall. This generation more than any other will go through their sailing lives with the environment very much second nature – drummed into them at home and school, they have an appetite for and an acceptance of all things sustainable.

The great news is that we can continue to harness their inspiration and transform it into real physical projects with the Volvo Eco Challenge scheme set to continue in 2010.

So if you know a club with a great ‘green’ idea, keep an eye on www. thegreenblue.org.uk for details on how to win a cash grant and bring it to life.

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

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ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

KIT

OVERBOARD DRY BAG OVERBOARD is famous for making waterproof gear that also looks stylish. It knocks out everything from small mobile phone cases to large sports bags and here in the form of the excellent Overboard Backpack, it might just be having its finest hour. The Premium Waterproof Backpack comes in either 20 or 25-litre capacity. You get heat-welded seams, a two-way roll-top closure system and plenty of adjustable padded straps to keep you well supported and comfortable. There is useful back venting to help keep sweat at bay and an attention to the small details you rarely find on a dry bag.

As a means of keeping your gear free of water, dust and sand, it’s as good as we have seen.

Price: from £29.99 www.over-board.com

GILL UPGRADED THE distinctive yellow Gill Pro glove has been around for a long time and now it’s been subtly updated for 2010, with the addition of Dura-Grip fabric on the lower part of the palm. That makes it grippy, flexible and tough, with lots of protection and lots of comfort from that traditional pre-moulded finger curve. The construction is seamless, with stretch fabric over the back of the hand and a wrist enclosure on the underside of the wrist to prevent it interfering with your watch. On the short-finger glove (pictured), you get tabs on the top of each finger, making it easy to pull them off, even when you’re wet and cold. There are seven styles in the range, including Long Finger, Short Finger, Ladies and Full Weather protection. Despite the update, they are much the same as they always were and that can only be a good thing.

Price: £27.50 / 01159 460844 www.gillmarine.com

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LASER BAILER IMPROVEMENT A DORSET engineer and Great-grandmaster Laser sailor has devised stainless steel springs as a simple and effective improvement for the Orings in Laser 1 bailers, which frequently break.

The springs are easy to fit without changes to the bailer, and enthusiastic customers have supported a change in the class rules to legalise them for 2010 onwards. They have real benefits for competitive sailors who fair in the bailer with silicone rubber, since they can be confident of never having to do it again. The springs also restore full function to bailers with a broken chute pivot, which would otherwise mean an expensive new bailer. The website gives full technical details, with links to a video showing the fitting and function, and to customer endorsements. Springs cost £4.20 a pair, plus £1 p&p for any quantity. www.LaserSmartParts.com

NEW LUXURY YACHT AWNING MAKEFAST, a leading manufacturer of manual and electric sliding sun roofs for the luxury yacht industry has added a range of stainless steel awnings to its product portfolio.

Fabricated in marine grade 316 stainless steel, and dimensions up to seven metres wide, the awning, driven by a discrete electrically controlled gearbox, is deployed through hinged extension arms which enable it to comfortably extend up to 2.2 metres deep. The option of manual operation is also available. The system, on opening, automatically tensions the Stamoid fabric; enhanced by the highly polished stainless steel; to provide an improved protection against the harsh environment as well as a luxurious high quality finish. The awning can retract into a self contained compact unit and thus may be installed as part of a new build or a retro fit.

Graham Williams, sales manager at Makefast Ltd, said: “Previously, shop awnings were used to fulfil the function, which whilst satisfactory in the short term, in the medium to long term often suffer from corrosion and reliability issues.

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ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

SWITCHED ON • YOUR GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS

Switched on Buying the right VHF IF you’re in the market for some new comms, it is unlikely that talking from boat to boat over hundreds of miles is what you’re interested in.

Using the amateur radio and marine radio High Frequency bands is a common hobby with liveaboard cruisers but the examinations are not easy and the practical applications are of limited value to the recreational boater.

For now, we shall concentrate on fixed or installed VHF equipment.

Naturally, you will want to go about this in a legal way and that involves both the equipment whatever you buy and the operator - you. Be aware from the start that both need to be licensed.

The hardware If you buy your VHF equipment from recognised marine agents and chandlers, you will not have a problem because in Europe, it is illegal to sell radio sets that are not type-approved.

This means that any new gear must have passed tests for being in the legal frequency band and will be frequency stable. In other words, they will not interfere with nearby channels or produce harmful harmonics.

Radios sold in the UK are both International and Europe compliant, which means that equipment built for America, for instance, might not be legal here in the UK. So ignore the braggart at the club bar who talks about getting his electronics from America and look through this newspaper for reputable suppliers instead.

Importing hazards Much US radio gear is not typeapproved for Europe and, in some instances, the channel numbering is different, so the rig will not even communicate with indigenous equipment.

Your monthy guide to marine electronics Colin Jones delves into his cavernous bag of know-how to bring you the low down on buying a VHF radio . . .

Such equipment does not qualify for UK warranty. The dealer will identify an import by its serial number and refuse to work on it.

The radio will have to be sent back to the US supplier.

Technically, with a few exceptions, all imports are also liable for duty. Some US suppliers try to dodge this by marking ‘Gift’ on the package, but Customs and Revenue men get very shirty if they open a packet and find a receipt.

Internet hazards Buying from the internet also needs special care. We recently came across an expensive radio transceiver, which was billed as coming from the UK. The quoted addresses were a Plymouth PO Box and bank but the business was conducted entirely by email.

It transpired that the Devonshire couple were taking the money, and then ordering from a US supplier, who drop-shipped the (useless) radio to the payee’s address.

The technicalities Before you part with your cash, it pays to look at what you get for your money. We have researched the best at four price levels, and earmarked equipment which we have either owned or tested at sea. This should serve as a reference point when you examine other model specifications within the same price range.

Marine VHF radio is a very fair market. All the rigs quoted work well but by paying more, you get extra facilities and functions, generally a better warranty and back-up services and almost certainly a better quality of engineering.

Good luck with your hunt . . .

Rules for using radio Once you have bought the equipment, it needs to be licensed - a task which is very simple and only needs to be done once. The easiest way is at www.radiolicencecentre.co.uk, for a one-off £20 fee.

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SWITCHED ON • YOUR GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS

Among other things, this gives you a call sign and a Marine Mobile Service Identification [MMSI] which is needed to operate the Digital Selective Calling [DSC] system used in Search And Rescue. This allows your friends to dial the number for direct boat-to-boat communications, without the publicity of using one of the VHF calling channels.

The VHF operator’s licence - now called the Short Range Certificate - is obligatory and is granted after a simple examination covering basic radio operation, plus how the DSC emergency system works.

The RYA holds a list of course dates and venues but many powerboat and yacht clubs organise courses.

Three friends and I took a different route by getting an RYA instructor/examiner to come to us one Saturday morning, during which we managed to fit in enough instruction to take the test.

The bill was £99 plus a tenner for his petrol and a few quid for a celebratory pub lunch.

The real purpose of the exam is to ensure that you do not clutter up the airwaves and endanger or inconvenience others.

Because both licences are required by law, there are many regulations. Policing is hardly thorough but there have been a couple of prosecutions for using non-type-approved equipment, bad language and channel abuse.

The penalties are quite Draconian but rightly so.

Think about fines of up to £5,000 and/or six months in prison plus confiscation of all equipment, including your boat unless you decide to go to court.

Then, the maximum fine is unlimited and the custodial sentence goes up to two years. You have been comprehensively warned!

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

GARMIN VHF200i £300 SPECIAL FEATURES Waterproof to IPX7; NMEA 0183/2000 compliant; you can add a second station; 20-watt loud hailer; soft keys for easy menu access.

PERSONAL REASONS Garmin is actually an engineering company, so its gear is very reliable (and it matches other units on my RIB). www.garmin.com

ICOM IC-M505 £307 SPECIAL FEATURES Waterproof IPX8 (1m/30 min); intercom, hailer, fog signal; NMEA in/out for GPS; very hi-resolution, wide angle display.

PERSONAL REASONS ICOM is a genuine radio specialist, making very reliable gear; rigs are compact with plenty of accessories; ideal for a dive RIB. www.icomuk.co.uk

STANDARD HORIZON GX2100 £339 SPECIAL FEATURES Waterproof to IPX7; advanced dual channel AIS and VHF rolled into one, so no messy cables and connections; simple remote microphone with big up/down buttons, making it ideal for one-handed operation on a lively boat; soft keys for easy-to-access ‘Favourites Menus’.

PERSONAL REASONS It’s a Standard Horizon and that means Yaesu (and that means near military spec); the price is very fair for this quality; surprisingly different. www.yaesu.co.uk

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | www.allatsea.co.uk

MTECH 631-MT500 £140 SPECIAL FEATURES Inbuilt Ch 70 watch and ATIS for inland waterways; 32 MMSI address store; mike with keyboard; facility to send/request GPS position to chart plotter.

PERSONAL REASONS The price is great; suitable for a runabout or as a home receiver; no quarrels with quality despite the entry-level cost.

SWITCHED ON • YOUR GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS

Using your VHF

III

Cocking up your radio protocol is hideously embarrassing and potentially dangerous.

Colin Jones shows you how to get it right . . .

www.smgeurope.com

RAYMARINE RAY218E £446 SPECIAL FEATURES Waterproof to IPX7; extra large display; 30-watt loud hailer; easy chart plotter connection; second station possible; remote control handset.

PERSONAL REASONS It will match the gear already installed on many boats and it enjoys a vast international dealer and service network. www.raymarine.com

SIMRAD RD68WF £350 SPECIAL FEATURES Waterproof to IPX7; simple fist mike; large keys on fascia; very clear display.

PERSONAL REASONS Simrad is professional equipment, only slightly de-tuned for small boat use and that makes it very tough and reliable. www.simrad.com

MARINE radio is no different from any other activity. If you are going to do it, you may as well do it properly. It means avoiding the embarrassment involved in getting roasted by professionals for bad radio procedure. It involves avoiding the scorn of the dozens of skippers, who ‘earwig’ transmissions because they know they will hear laughable nonsense.

Unfortunately marine radio is managed by bureaucrats who love acronyms so, to help iron out the difficulties, what follows is a plain English explanation of their ugly convolutions...

Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) is an international convention spelling out agreed measures to make seagoing safer and to speed up how to deal with problems.

Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is an inter-nation co-ordination scheme, designed to use the same equipment and Search And Rescue techniques, with a single shore station co-ordinating all actions, but having access to other countries’ facilities.

These shore-based Rescue Coordination Centres receive distress calls automatically generated by the vessel in distress (the red button on your radio) and contain enough data to allow the RCC to request aid from other vessels in the area, or to launch lifeboats and helicopters. The systems communications are

satellite controlled.

Digital Selective Calling (DSC) works much like the telephone system. If you know the target vessel’s Marine Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) and it is programmed in your VHF memory, a single button push will alert your correspondent that you are calling.

An added benefit is that the DSC call can also carry such other data as your identity, position, the nature of the call and the channel you wish to use for communication.

All this takes place on CH 70, which is reserved for DSC and must NEVER be used for any other purpose.

There are a number of other channels to be avoided. Channel 16 is the international calling and distress frequency but you often find people forgetting this and using it for a chat.

Make contact, nominate an alternative and get off it – fast.

Channels 11-12-14 are exclusively reserved for harbour authorities and CH 09 is used by harbour pilots. Near naval bases, CH 13 is used by their shore control, who get very shirty if you stray onto it. CH 10 is sometimes used by pollution control but, by requesting it from the local Coastguard, it can be ‘borrowed’ on specific dates for race control. The two channels on either side of 16 (15-17) are labelled as

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SWITCHED ON • YOUR GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS

‘guards’ to prevent badly tuned radios causing cross-channel interference but, nowadays, are used on very low power, to communicate from one end of a super tanker to the other.

Marinas have their own frequency (CH 80) and 157.85 MHz or CH 37 can be used by UK yacht clubs. In spite of club smart arses calling the Coastguard direct on CH 67 to show off how good they are, calls to HM Coastguard should always be done on CH 16, even though they will normally transfer you to CH 67. This is because that frequency is also their reserve working channel so, if they are running two emergencies simultaneously, you will not interfere (by calling direct on 67) and risk blocking out a very important message from somebody in trouble.

There are many seemingly unused channels, especially since the frequency-greedy radio telephone service has disappeared and many of us have our ‘private’ slots where we think that we will not be monitored. It does, however, pay to be prudent because there are hundreds of short wave hobbyists (who only listen) and their sophisticated scanners will not miss you.

As a rule of thumb, you would do best to stick to the channels reserved for inter-ship traffic.

They are 01-08-72-77. There are also a number of channels reserved for ‘private’ use, but these need modifications to your radio and can be expensive, so they are usually only permitted to such corporate bodies as ferry companies or the military.

There is always some confusion about ‘private frequencies’ and whether it is illegal to listen to them.

The simplistic answer is no, largely because nobody can really know that you are doing it, but it is almost a hanging offence to ‘use’ any info you overhear. I have been unable to locate any case precedent on this, apart from a legal opinion that if you were to discuss what

you overheard, that would constitute ‘use’ and qualify for prosecution.

People are always interesting and the invisible users of VHF are no different. You can tell a lot about a person just by how he uses his radio.

Good (and more anonymous) practice is worth acquiring.

Most of us pick up the mike and call before we have listened. There may not be anybody immediately apparent because one of the two on-air stations might be beyond your range, but his correspondent might be close and you would swamp his reception. You should wait 30 seconds even before politely asking “Is this frequency in use?�

The worst VHF people are the ‘gabblers’.

They hold the microphone too close to their mouth, which creates hissing feedback, speak too quickly and give far too much information.

Radio-speak really does need each word to be carefully separated from others and clearly enunciated to give all possible help to the guy who is trying to decipher it from a small loud speaker, competing with the electrical interference from several sources, the screaming of an outboard engine and even the barking noise when a planing boat is skipping from wave to wave. Before you speak, compose what you want to say and think of the person struggling at the other end.

Here, let me confess that I have frequently been teased because I prefer radio formality to politeness. It makes you sound very military but it cuts out all ambiguity. I much prefer “Affirmative� or “Roger� to “That’s OK, Old Boy. I agree entirely. Let’s do just that�.

I also like “negative� and the unambiguous certainty of somebody who says “Out� which is the proper pro-word to signify that you do not expect a reply to your present transmission.

In some ways, I prefer the French protocols â€œĂ vous, which means “back to you: your turn

Of all the things you’re looking at here, only one of them requires a licence . . .

to speakâ€? and “terminĂŠâ€?, which means “endedâ€?.

I’m out of here.

I also love talking to people like pilots and tug boat skippers, most of whom, (in seamanship

terms) are much more senior than me but who will often courteously say “Good morning, Sir, I am fine on your starboard bow. Can we pass green to green?�

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SWITCHED ON • YOUR GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS

Plot your purchase There is an array of mesmerising chart plotters to tempt you from your cash.

Colin Jones gets you clued up on what to look out for.

BUYING a chart plotter is a refreshingly simple exercise because it is a very fair market, in which the more you pay, the more you get.

More cash means more navigation power and efficiency. In general terms, you also get more pixels per pound, allied to bigger displays, which are usually worth the extra outlay, especially for the pilotage of fast, open boats.

The complexity in your chart plotter purchase stems largely from the fact that there is a choice of cartography (usually CMap, Garmin or Navionics) and the fact that different plotters have different functions and their own variations on how to activate them.

For the newcomer, that often means that you don’t know which functions will be the most useful to you, until you have had the CP on your boat for a few weeks.

However, no matter what sort of boat you drive and where you plan to go, there are several criteria common to us all.

Firstly, you must really like the CP you buy, because that in itself will encourage you to learn its more advanced features.

Also, there is a world of difference between a salesman whizzing around a catalogue of buttons at a boat show and you using the same equipment on a bouncing boat, when your

hands are cold and wet or wrapped in glove fabric.

The CP’s most important surface elements, therefore, are the keys and the display. The keys should be far enough apart to make incorrect pushing less likely and the display must be clear enough to read at a glance in sunlight while moving when your head is at least an arm’s length from the unit.

Screen quality is obviously a major factor in the price you pay. You need one which is very clear even in bright light, with the sun shining directly onto the glass and it needs to be stable enough not to burn out in heat.

Some have a much wider viewing angle than others so if you plan to mount the CP in front of the navigator, you need to make sure that you can get an instant mental picture of the channel ahead when glancing sideways at an angle to the screen.

A fixed CP is generally better than a handheld model in most respects. But a fixed plotter should not be permanently fixed. It must be easy to take off the boat so it can be removed when you pop across the quay for a coffee or go to get the car and trailer.

If you have a 12v power supply at home or even an old car battery it also means you can

Garmin new touchscreen GPSMap 620

enjoy planning journeys and trying out routes at home.

It is a good idea, and a useful tool in becoming accustomed to your CP functions, to record marks of all the local hazards and to mark a safe turning point to enter any harbour you use.

If your club deploys fixed racing marks, they can also be permanently plotted. The same goes for your favourite spots for diving, fishing, anchoring or beaching, so you can drive straight to them when you get a day out on the water.

At sea, some of the most frustrating moments are when you know that a CP will perform a

certain function, but you cannot recall how to do it.

Sometimes, the CP will behave like a computer and seem to lock up. This is rarely the fault of the machine itself and is likely caused by operator error. There is always a way out explained in the user manual but needing to read this mid-channel, or during the Cowes to Torquay Race, is not recommended. The more you use the CP at home, the more effective you will be at sea.

Where and what to buy are always the big questions. We all love a bargain and you will find a great spread of opinions at the club bar about

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SWITCHED ON • YOUR GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS

Buying tips • Buy the biggest, most vibrant screen you can afford.

• Search for large, well-spaced buttons that you can press in gloves.

Standard Horizon CP500 with AIS

Simrad CX44 advanced plotter and radar combo

The very popular Raymarine E series

where to get the best plotters at fantastically low prices. But these places are often the centre of many financial and morale tragedies.

Buying a CP is firstly a task of choosing your cartography. The three major suppliers are all good and are somewhat similar in appearance.

The main difference is in their coverage so if your boating regularly occurs in one area, be certain that it is covered by just one cartridge.

Electronic cartography is not cheap, so it would be daft to opt for a marque which has a chart dividing line in the centre of your ‘playground,’ effectively forcing you into a three figure bill instead on one below £100.

Some suppliers who are concessionaires of the big three will customise a cartridge to suit your needs. Others offer a rewrite service generally at 50 per cent of the original price which simply overwrites your existing cartridge.

Electronic chart suppliers have the marketing problem that once you have bought the ‘map’ (or maps) of your area, there is no need to buy anything more, especially if you do your own chart corrections.

This is not good for their cash flow, so they

are constantly striving to tempt us with add-ons.

These need to be looked at with a jaundiced eye. Some of the supposed 3-D functions are so convoluted that I find them next to useless.

They are rapidly getting better, but if you are not a diver or a sea angler, it is quite possible that a stand-up graphic of the seabed will be surplus to requirements. A great many of them remain quite crude too so make sure you need and enjoy it before you take the plunge.

Having aerial or satellite photographs of your harbour or estuary is very clever and very tempting but I find that once I have got over the novelty of having them, I rarely bother to look at them and, during my planning, can get just as good a bird’s eye view from Google Earth.

Again, I would be reluctant to part with extra cash just to add photographs to my existing charts but if you have the money and you are a committed fan of gimmickry you may feel different.

There are several ways to buy hardware but the one to be approached with most caution is the internet.

I recently traced a line of supply claiming to come from Plymouth but not having an 01752 phone number. It proved to be a couple dropshipping CPs from America.

Unfortunately, some of their models were incompatible with UK cartography and others (from reputable makes) would not qualify for any warranty work in UK, nor for any back-up.

Even worse, the packages were labelled ‘gift’, which makes them non-liable for import duty.

Most of them got through, but Customs opened one package, costing the buyer £135 in dues.

He could have bought it cheaper in any UK chandlery and could certainly better the price by examining local adverts and catalogues.

The moral is plain. Go to a proper, reputable UK supplier, who will offer the right kit for the UK plus the warranty and back-up you need.

One of the best of these is published by Plymouth’s SM Group. It is a big compendium of electronics equipment, beautifully illustrated and listing all prices including VAT. To get this publication, which is good read even if you are not immediately planning to buy, email sales@ smgeurope.com or call 01752 241000.

• Make sure the unit is easy to remove for safety and home operation.

• Think carefully about 3D facilities and picture libraries - do you really need them?

• Make sure the screen can be viewed from an acute angle to enable more mounting options.

• Make sure the required cartography is incorporated into one cartridge without overlap.

• Shop only at reputable UK dealers to ensure the right gear and the right back-up.

• Buy a unit you are excited about and then work through the manual at home.

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SWITCHED ON • YOUR GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS

Joys of plotting Colin Jones explains how you can join in the fun.

‘My chart plotter has given me more hours of pleasure than any other boat toy I have ever owned.’

A CHART plotter (CP) is a great tool for reducing the frequency of those anxious moments on the water, when you are not sure of your exact position and life becomes a bit hairy.

On several occasions, my own unit has prevented me from running into trouble, or else got me out of trouble swiftly and without fuss. But it’s the pleasure that you can get from using it right that really does it for me. The most common CP task is the insertion of Waypoints.

You can, of course, laboriously key them in as figures and so build up a list but a better way is either to use the CP’s info box that displays the lat/long of the cursor’s position and then store this in the machine’s memory or simply move the cursor to your desired point and ask the CP to ‘Insert WP at cursor’.

The software will assign each WP a sequential number, which you need to record on a written list, with a short description. My own method is to create a file for each route or trip. This can be given a cryptic name like BXMPLE = Brixham to Poole and the points such names as EXFW Y = Exe Fairway Buoy, or as a distance into your route - eg BXMPLE30, indicating 30 nautical miles along the way. On the return leg, these will act as a countdown of the mileage

Numbered WPs assist greatly when navigation is tight

remaining to your home destination.

During the first stage of planning a major expedition, the CP compares poorly with a paper passage chart, because you cannot get a helicopter view of the whole route at a scale of practical use. The danger is that one of your legs will pass over a shoal area, which

does not show at the small scale on the small screen.

You can then find yourself ploughing through a fish farm - not ideal.

The solution is to use the cursor to draw in an approximate route and then zoom in to fine tune each WP by moving it a bit closer to a cardinal mark, or giving it a bit more clearance at a headland. If you require checks every five miles, some of them might be 4.7 or 5.2 on your first draft, so they can be made more exact by using the CP’s A to B distance measuring function. At the same time, you can verify that none of your lines is going to run you into trouble or cross a prohibited area.

All the major cartography suppliers now have a gizmo which allows you to use your CP cartridge on a standard computer, so you can do all your planning at home. You can then take the time to plan ‘safe marks’ for the entrance to any harbour that may be suitable as a bolt hole if the weather turns nasty or you run into problems.

A pleasurable problem on a good CP is its versatility. Deep inside the menu structure there is often a function to change the colour (sometimes also the format) of the route line.

Over a season, the CP memory might have several embedded routes, so it is useful to have

Geonav GPS is a good handheld plotter

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them in different tints. This also distinguishes them from the continuous (or ‘pecked’) track history line. This can be even more useful if you use the ‘Reverse Route’ facility to trace your return leg.

The Track History (TH) is a marvellous CP feature, but you must set it up properly. It works by recording a position mark at time intervals decided by the user. On a passage of 200 miles or more in a slow cruising yacht, you might only need a mark every 15 minutes, over several days. If you have a fast RIB or you want a record of your laps for post-race analysis, have them

A to B lines can be as useful as they are simple

at the highest setting, which should record a position every few seconds. You can also set it up to record according to distance rather than time - every 10, 20 or 100 metres, again in a choice of colours.

The TH is worth learning well, because it gives an instant picture of where you are in relation to your planned line. This recently got us out of trouble during a diving expedition to the Glenan Isles, which are heavily fished by French trawlers. In pretty dense fog, I had to

turn so many times to give way to them, that I was totally disorientated. No matter, the CP had recorded and tracked every new direction, so I was able to plonk the cursor where I wished to rejoin my planned route and the display immediately gave me course and distance to get there.

A much under-appreciated CP function is variously known as the Ship’s Head Marker or, in some makes, the Time Line. It is usually a line of dashes, which flashes on and off and stretches from the boat’s bow directly in the direction of travel. Its flashing can be irritating to the newcomer and I used to turn mine off but not now. There is often a big difference between where the ‘ship’s head’ is pointing and her Course Over Ground, as wind, tide and waves radically split the two.

One year, in the exceptionally fast tides of The Morbihan, I was quite convinced that we were heading straight up the channel but the Time Line showed that we were, in fact, ferry gliding sideways towards some nasty looking rocks, only just awash.

On the same trip, we needed to round an island and then head for a green buoy. As we made the run, we could see half a dozen green marks. No problem. We slowly altered course until the flashing line coincided with our route line between turn and buoy. At this point, a particular green marker was aligned with the boat’s bow and that was the one we needed to go for.

‘Declutter’ is another under-used CP feature.

In an area like The Morbihan or Poole Harbour, the chart will have much more information than is required for any particular outing.

Unless you have a ten or 12-inch display, an important item might get lost in the mass of onscreen symbols. If you are following a channel, you can temporarily erase all spot depths above your minimum and do away with many place

ALL AT SEA | APRIL 2010 | news@allatsea.co.uk

names and such data as undersea cables, pilot stations and buildings ashore. Some advanced plotters even let you shift the depth contours to a level of your choice, but this is often quite deeply buried within the menu structure.

Navigation is the science of knowing where you are now and exactly where you will be at any given future moment. The good navigator is a person who has a catalogue of ways of verifying the former and several ways of calculating the latter. Furthermore, he has these things at his fingertips, so he can immediately answer the driver’s questions about them. In this sense, the CP is an excellent navigator.

A properly set up menu can immediately draw a line from your position to the location of the cursor. When you are not in need of this data, placing the cursor near the current position

‘blinker’, means that the line is not intrusive.

When you want to identify a mark diagonally ahead, you simply put the cursor on it to get an info box of data. If you reverse the process (ie - you can see a mark at 195 degrees from you) swing the cursor to that compass figure and your line will pass through the mark in question.

This is just one more way of linking up your eyeball navigation with what is on the screen and both are essential elements of safe navigation, especially at speed. The good navigator also works in approximations. In his head, a course of 178 degrees does not exist. It is “about 180” and “about half a mile”. He can now immediately tell the driver (or himself) where to point the boat’s head and then use CP info to fine tune these instructions.

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Just for kids Just for kids Quiz

Crossword

2 1

1) How many rows of teeth does a Whale shark have?

A) About 60 B) About 1000 C) About 100 D) About 400

6 8

Sophie and Sam

10 11 12

Across

Down

1. Platform of a boat 3. Type of fishing boat 6. Forward end of boat 7. Underwater blades to make a boat move through the water 9. Steep rock near seashore 10. Connection between two or more ropes 11. Small sailing vessel with lugsails 12. Structure built out into the sea

2.

4.

5.

8.

Answers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no cheating!

Where the electronics might be mounted on a boat Out of sight of land To overturn a boat Compartment on board

Quiz 1) About 400 2) Sea sponges are animals. 3) It can expel its intestines at them 4) 10 5) 360

A) 10 B) 25 C) 250 D) 360

9

Crossword: Across 1. Deck 3. Dory 6. Bow 7. Propeller 9. Cliff 10. Knot 11. Lugger 12. Pier Down 2. Console 4. Offshore 5. Capsize 8. Locker

5) How many degrees are there on a compass?

7

Word search: canoe, kayak, paddle, oar, lake, river, raft, whitewater, slipway, trailer, rowing

4) How many legs does a crab have?

A) 6 B) 10 C) 4 D) 16

3

5

2) What are sea sponges?

A) Animals B) Vegetables C) Fish 3) How does the sea cucumber protect itself against predators?

A) It can swim away and hide B) It can expel its intestines at them C) It can camouflage itself

4

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Out of school and on to the water

Colour me in

PE: It’s a good excuse to get out of the classroom and out on to the playing fields and generally it’s quite good fun. But the fact is that you are still in school. What you need to do is persuade your teacher to take you far enough away so you can’t even see it.

One place you are unlikely to be able to see your school from is out on the water in a boat and this brings me on to the whole point of this article: You need to have a chat to your teacher and get them to sign up your class for a sailing lesson.

Word search R R A F T D A R K G

K E O N A C E E A E

A T D W N L O V T O

Y A W P I L S I L A

A W O A W N E R I K

K E R D K K G T K O

E T F D A E K E K K

A I A L E H A K G T

Spot the difference

L H E E D T A A L A

See if you can find 5 differences

A W L I I A R E E S

April fools

These are run by the RYA OnBoard which has been especially set up to make it easy for teachers to get you guys out sailing and windsurfing.

Q: What washes up on small beaches?

A: Microwaves

What happens?

Teacher: What family does the octopus belong to?

Pupil: Nobody I know Q: Why are frogs so happy?

A: They eat whatever bugs them Q: How did the Vikings send secret messages?

A: By norse code Q: What do sea monsters eat?

A: Fish and ships

Generally you’ll sail a small boat all on your own or with a friend and you usually chase the rest of your classmates around a course.

Fun! There will be an instructor close by, but don’t worry, they won’t be like a normal teacher. They’ll probably have a pair of sunglasses on their head, be wearing flip flops and use the term ‘guys’ a lot. If you’re really lucky they’ll call you ‘dude’.

They will teach you how to sail, but you can also have a bit of a laugh with them. Or at them. Trust me, it’s not school.

Will I get wet?

With any luck, yes! That’s part of the fun of it particularly if you’re on a windsurfer. Don’t worry, the instructors will make sure you have enough warm clothes and waterproofs so it’s not a problem.

What you’ve got to hope for is a nice windy day so you can get up some real speed. It’s so much fun that you’ll soon find yourself hooked.

How do I persuade my teacher to get us involved?

Persistence is the key here: Just keep asking them to do it. Eventually they’ll crack.

It’s also worth pointing out that the RYA OnBoard makes it very easy for teachers to organise.

Tell them to contact the OnBoard organisers direct by calling 02380 604195, or find out more by going on the web at www.ruob. co.uk. This is going to be an amazing way of getting out of the playground and on to the water this summer, so make sure you don’t miss out!

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BOOKS IN BRIEF Surveying Yachts and Small Craft

Sunk Without Trace

A Hands-on Insider’s Guide to Surveying Second-Hand Boats

Dramatic Accounts of Yachts Lost at Sea

Adlard Coles Nautical • £24.99 THIS is the only book linked to a practical surveying course. Highly practical in nature, and packed with detailed close-up photography, step-by-step procedures, and helpful checklists, this definitive handbook will prove a godsend to small craft owners who want to check out defects on their own boats or on boats they are planning to buy, as well as practicing surveyors and surveying students.

Featuring surveying bodies, equipment required, assessing defects including moisture-related defects, and the use of moisture meters and their severity, the book guides the reader through conducting a thorough inspection, from keel to topsides, coach roof, stern gear, rigging and much more.

The highly practical approach of this book will be invaluable to students of surveying, qualified surveyors and yacht and boat owners everywhere.

Paul Stevens has been a yacht and small craft surveyor for many years. He is a member of the YDSA, and his course is the only practical surveying course endorsed by them. It attracts delegates worldwide.

Skipper’s Outboard Motor Guide Adlard Coles Nautical • £10.99

Adlard Coles Nautical • £8.99 BY the same author as the bestselling Total Loss, this is a new collection of terrifying and compelling accounts of yachts lost at sea.

The seven deadly causes of loss continue to take their toll, and Paul Gelder has compiled first-hand accounts of shipwreck and sinking caused by Collision, Gear Failure, Stress of Weather, Faulty Navigation, Fire, Crew Failure and Exhaustion.

The moving, emotionally charged descriptions of shipwrecked sailors abandoning their yachts at sea will have you on the edge of your seat. But these accounts are more than just gripping tales of disaster — they carry valuable lessons, which the survivors have been able to pass on to all who go to sea for pleasure.

Paul Gelder is editor of Yachting Monthly magazine, and is the author of several books, including The Loneliest Race, and has edited others, such as the bestselling Total Loss.

He has sailed a wide variety of yachts, from ocean racers to family cruising yachts to the famous Gypsy Moth IV; he currently sails a Telstar trimaran.

IN the same handy splash-proof format as the highly successful Skipper’s Cockpit Guide and Skipper’s Onboard Emergency Guide, the Skipper’s Outboard Motor Guide is a convenient lie-flat water and oil proof reference to all types of outboard engine.

There is advice on how the engine works, how each part interacts, dos and don’ts, fault-finding and troubleshooting tests, all illustrated with detailed exploded diagrams to show how to fix problems.

There is advice on: • Oil systems • Cooling • Gears • Plugs and points • Circuits • Electrics All in all, the Skipper’s Outboard Motor Guide will be a godsend to anyone with an outboard motor on their boat or tender.

Hans Donat is a mechanical engineer who has worked as a freelance journalist for over 40 years. He is the author of more than 25 books on seamanship and marine engines, including Skipper’s Onboard Diesel Guide, also published by Adlard Coles Nautical.

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Locally caught fish and Devonbrewed Otter ale In the drink

By Paul Antrobus

THE historic Torbay town of Brixham is still one of England’s busiest fishing ports and a popular stopping-off place on West Country cruises.

The marina is on the site of the old Uphams shipyard where many trawlers and ocean-going yachts and a replica of the Mayflower were built, and requisitioned by the Admiralty in World War II. Now the marina is home to several traditional sailing gaffers, as well as local yachts and generous visitor berth facilities.

Walk from the marina around the picturesque inner harbour, past the statue of William of Orange, who became King William III, which proclaims he first landed in England near this spot in November 1688, past the commercial fish dock and up the hill to find Brixham Yacht Club.

It has a lovely bar with panoramic views over the whole outer harbour to the extensive breakwater. It is friendly to visiting yachtsmen, has fresh local fish and two good beers on draught – Sharps Doombar from Rock, Cornwall, and the more local Dartmoor Brewery’s bitter.

But venture into town and there are interesting pubs and restaurants serving nicely done local catch of the day, not just battered fish and chips!

On the upper road between marina and harbour, King Street, make your way to the Ernie Lister pub, named after a famous local character who was war-time decorated and returned to become a local character on the quayside ready for any sort of engineering works.

The reward for seeking it out is a pint of a fine Devonian bitter – Otter Ale. The Otter Brewery

was founded in 1990 by David and Mary-Ann McCaig at the village of Luppitt, four miles or so north of Honiton off the A30. The founders had years of experience brewing for other companies but found the will and the skill to set up their own family-run brewery.

A focus on product quality and flavour has driven their growth, and real ale awards. They brew a small range but the Otter Ale is their original: 4.6 per cent abv, mahogany brown, bright malty with a touch of fruit. The Otter uses water from the brewery’s own springs and the ale is soft on the tongue. A lovely bitter, well worth a cruise to Brixham.

Another great Hungarian – ‘N’ for Nagyrede THIS one is from the Nagyrede Estate in the Matra region, north east of Budapest.

The Sauvignon Blanc is excellent, crisp, refreshing with gooseberry undertones.

My tasting panel tried it with fresh dressed Brixham crab on what was probably the first sunny day of spring.

The crab was superb and the Nagyrede was judged perfect for the food and the weather.

It is a quite well distributed brand in local supermarkets. My local Budgens has it at £5.19 a bottle, a good buy though for a good wine. There is also a Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir and a rosé.

The other one? See All At Sea Oct ’09 – the ‘Riverview’ range at about £4 a bottle.

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Weston volunteers head to seasick mariners

News in brief Children saved TWO children were grateful to see Criccieth’s lifeboat come into view when they were stranded on a rapidly-disappearing sandbank.

The RNLI’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat was launched by Criccieth volunteers at 6.05pm on 28 March to two 11-year-olds. The children were cold and disorientated and, arriving at the scene, the lifeboat crew wrapped them in survival blankets. Clive Wright, RNLI volunteer Helmsman at Criccieth, said: ‘When we found the youngsters, the water was almost around their feet. By the time we had picked them up, the sandbank had disappeared.

The timing of this rescue was essential in saving the lives of these children, as seconds later the scenario could have been a lot worse.’

Rocky rescue

Photo: RNLI

WESTON-super-Mare lifeboat volunteers were called into action last month when a yacht crew of three reported they were too seasick to control their boat.

Swansea Coastguard contacted Weston-super-Mare lifeboat station at 2pm, reporting that a 33-foot sailing yacht was in difficulties off Clevedon.

Both Weston’s inshore lifeboats were launched by the volunteer crew members and they headed to the

Photo: RNLI

scene.

The lifeboat crews found the yacht drifting in the strong Bristol Channel tides. A lifeboat crew member climbed aboard the yacht to assess

TIME ZONE UT(GMT)

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6.4 1.3 6.1 1.3

0214 0949 TH 1436 2159

6.9 0.6 6.4 1.0

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OCTOBER 2009

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28

Just what is the RYA?

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25

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Or email allatsea@webscribe.co.uk

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17

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YEAR 2010

APRIL 1.1 6.3 1.1 6.5

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7.2 0.3 6.8 0.6

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6.5 1.1 6.3 1.1

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0624 1111 TU 1844 O 2328

31

Variations on hw dover

DOVER TIDE TABLES

MARCH

7.1 0.4 6.9 0.5

1.0 6.7 1.0 6.8

0608 1100 F 1838 2327

LONG 1q19cE

TIMES AND HEIGHTS OF HIGH AND LOW WATERS

FEBRUARY m Time

all three casualties recovered completely.

Weston helmsman, Paul Giles said: “They were certainly unable to handle their yacht and did the right thing in calling for help before they drifted into a more dangerous situation.”

Tidal predictions

ENGLAND — DOVER AAS1004 LAT 51q07cN

the trio, and found they were too ill to control their yacht.

They were taken back to the lifeboat station, and were given first aid on the way. Two of them were treated by paramedics when they reached the lifeboat station, while the third – whose condition wasn’t as severe – was landed ashore after the yacht had been moored.

After they had warmed up and received some medical attention,

0708 1149 W 1923

1.5 6.0 1.4 6.3

0251 0955 M 1518 2213

0452 1151 W 1726

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0201 0752 F 1432 2006

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13

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0433 1134 TH 1721 0024 0617 F 1310 1846

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1.9 5.5 2.0 5.6 1.7 5.7 1.7 5.9 1.4 6.0 1.4 6.3 1.0 6.3 1.1 6.6 0.8 6.5 0.9 6.8 0.6 6.6 0.8 6.9 0.6 6.7 0.7 6.8 0.7 6.7 0.8

ALL TIMES UTC (GMT). REPRODUCED BY KIND PERMISSION OF THE HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICE AND THE CONTROLLER OF HER MAJESTY’S STATIONARY OFFICE. CROWN COPYRIGHT RESERVED

SCARBOROUGH’S RNLI allweather lifeboat launched on 30 March at 3.45 am to assist the five-man crew of a scallop trawler. The 24m trawler had lost its propeller and was in danger of running aground. A tow prevented the vessel from drifting towards the rocky shore and the trawler was taken to into Scarborough Harbour.

FALMOUTH

HW

-6hrs

PLYMOUTH

HW

-5hrs 30mins

DARTMOUTH

HW

-5hrs 15mins

WEYMOUTH

HW

-4hrs 45mins

POOLE

LW

+5hrs 45mins

COWES (IOW)

HW

+30mins

SOUTHAMPTON

HW

+30mins

PORTSMOUTH

HW

+15mins

SHOREHAM

HW

+15mins

BRIGHTON

DOVER

WALTON BLACKWATER

HW

+15mins

LOWESTOFT

HW

-1hr 45mins

ABERDEEN

HW

+2hrs 30mins

NAIRN/INVERNESS

HW

+1hr 10mins

WICK

HW

+30mins

STORNOWAY

HW

-4hrs 30mins

ULLAPOOL

HW

-4hrs 30mins

OBAN

HW

-5hrs 30mins

LARGS

HW

+1hrs

DOUGLAS (IOM)

HW

+15mins

LIVERPOOL

HW

+15mins

HOLYHEAD

HW

-45mins

MILFORD HAVEN

HW

-5hrs 15mins

CARDIFF

HW

-4hrs 45mins

BRISTOL

HW

-4hrs 15mins

CORK/CROSSHAVEN

HW

-5hrs 45mins

BELFAST LOUGH

HW

DOVER (S), +1hr (N)

DUN LAOGHAIRE

HW

+45mins

NEW MOON: 14/04/2010 FULL MOON: 28/04/2010

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