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SAILING TODAY ISSUE 184 AUGUST 2012

PRACTICAL: FEATHERING PROP OVERHAUL

SOUTH GEORGIA • MY MARINA BUCKLER’S HARD • USED ETAP 21i • NEW SALONA 44 • PRACTICAL KIWIPROP OVERHAUL • GROUP TEST HANDHELD VHFS • SEAMANSHIP ROUND THE ISLAND

AUGUST 2012 £4.10

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GARMIN £500 VOUCHER

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CRUISING

SOUTH GEORGIA

JEWEL OF THE FURIOUS FIFTIES

BOATS

NEW SALONA 44 USED ETAP 21i

BUILDING A BAVARIA

MY MARINA

BUCKLER’S HARD HAVEN IN THE FOREST

PUBLISHING

GROUP TEST

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11 HAND-HELD WATERPROOF VHF RADIOS

ROUND THE ISLAND: RACE WINNING TACTICS

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20/06/2012 09:03 09:58 18/06/2012

CONTENTS

Buyers’ Guide Sunglasses p34

90

Photo: Thierry Martinez

AUGUST 2012 ISSUE 184

ROUND THE ISLAND RACE A cruisers’ guide

40

54

USED BOAT TEST Etap 21i

GROUP TEST

Waterproof handheld vhfS

NORTH SEA

Delving into the Netherlands

60

04 SAILING TODAY AUGUST 2012

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WORTH OF

TY GEAR SAFE TO THE BEST BUYERS’ GUIDE

WIN!

AN INVERTER GENERATOR WORTH £595

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2012 ISSUE 181 MAY

2012 ISSUE 182 JUNE

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• GROUP TEST

K SUFFOL HARBOUR

MINI RIBS FROM WE TEST SIXMETRES 2.4 TO 3.1

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OF THE BENEFITS NEW BUYING NEARLY

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MY MARINA

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To buy a back issue call 01442 820580

This month

Buckler’s hard

NEWS AND VIEWS

SOUTH GEORGIA • MY MARINA BUCKLER’S HARD • USED ETAP 21i • NEW SALONA 44 • PRACTICAL KIWIPROP OVERHAUL • GROUP TEST HANDHELD VHFS • SEAMANSHIP ROUND THE ISLAND

MY MARINA

SAILING TODAY ISSUE 184 AUGUST 2012

82

PRACTICAL: FEATHERING PROP OVERHAUL

AUGUST 2012 £4.10

WIN!

GARMIN £500 VOUCHER

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CRUISING

SOUTH GEORGIA

BOATS

NEW SALONA 44 USED ETAP 21i

BUILDING A BAVARIA

JEWEL OF THE FURIOUS FIFTIES

MY MARINA

BUCKLER’S HARD HAVEN IN THE FOREST

PUBLISHING

GROUP TEST

WWW.SAILINGTODAY.CO.UK

11 HAND-HELD WATERPROOF VHF RADIOS

ROUND THE ISLAND: RACE WINNING TACTICS

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Sailing News

18/06/2012 09:03

6

Readers’ Letters

10

View From the RYA

14

Riding Light

130

GEAR AND EQUIPMENT Books

16

Just In

20

Gear on Test

24

Buyers’ Guide: Sunglasses

34

Group Test: Waterproof Handheld VHFs

40

BOATS New Boat Test: Salona 44

48

Used Boat Test: Etap 21i

54

CRUISING

48

NEW BOAT TEST salona 44

A North Sea Saunter

60

Cruising Cuisine

66

South Georgia

68

Your Cruising: Cherbourg shakedown

76

MY MARINA

Buckler’s Hard

82

SEAMANSHIP Round the Island Race: A Cruisers’ Guide

90

PRACTICAL Kiwiprop Overhaul

94

A Visit to the Bavaria Factory

98

Q&As with Nick Vass

102

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JUST IN

The latest kit

20

Old Pulteney 12-year Old whisky

10

Force 4 Chandlery voucher worth £50

12

Garmin Competition: Up to £500 Worth of Kit

38

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88

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AUGUST 2012 SAILING TODAY 05

18/06/2012 14:33

JUST IN Duncan Kent browses the boating market to bring you a heads up on the latest new kit.

HARDWOOD FROM SOFTWOOD £-VARIOUS Kebony AS is a Norwegian company offering a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood and toxically treated wood.

Depletion of tropical hardwood resources has become unacceptable while chemical treatment of wood is also environmentally damaging, so Kebony has developed the process of ‘Kebonization’, sustainable wood species are turned into Kebony, which has comparable properties to tropical hardwood.

Kebonization is a patented process that enhances the properties of sustainable woods such as maple, pine and beech by impregnating them with a patented mixture based on furfural alcohol – a liquid produced from crop waste. The process strengthens and stabilises the wood, making it durable against decay.

CONTACT: KEBONY AS WEB: WWW.KEBONY.COM

NEXUS NX COMPASS £495 Nexus Marine has added the advantages of digital compass heading information to its successful NX line of marine instruments. The new transducer and display open up navigational features such as True Wind Direction and compatibility with autopilots The NX Compass Instrument enables users to view information from the NX Compass Transducer and, for the first time in the NX range’s history, output NMEA to peripheral devices. Information available for display includes Heading (digits or pictorial analogue), Steer Memory, Boat Speed, Velocity Made Good and True Wind Direction.

In true NX style the transducer and display are easy to use and simple to install, yet provide functions that have in the past been an exclusive realm of more complicated and expensive sailing systems. Working through the Nexus Network they can feed straight into any convenient point, even the Autopilot servo, to give faster update speeds.

The NX Compass is available as an addition or in complete sailing packs from Nexus dealerships worldwide.

CONTACT: NEXUS MARINE WEB: WWW.NEXUSMARINE.SE FOR DEALERS

MARINEPOOL SOFTSHELL COLLECTION FROM £175 Marinepool is introducing a new generation of softshell jackets for 2012.

Marlon, the style for men, is a casual jacket for an active lifestyle; great for watersports, offering protection from wind and weather influences.

The three layer fabric of this new softshell generation by Marinepool offers versatility and high elasticity resulting in a lightweight, water-resistant, windproof and breathable garment.

The first of the three layers offers robustness, protecting the membrane from outside damage. The second layer is the actual membrane that keeps water and dirt out, but ensures your body doesn’t overheat. It allows water molecules to escape, thus keeping the wearer’s body dry and comfortable, and makes sure it does not cool down too much in times of inactivity.

The third layer is protecting the membrane on the inside and is made from bonded Microfleece in the new Marinepool softshell jackets. Marla, the style for women, is offering the same innovative materials and features as the men’s style, only the cut is feminine and sportive.

Marla – sizes: XS-XXL; colours: bright white, ocean, black Marlon – sizes: S-XXXL; colours: light grey, ocean, black CONTACT: MARINEPOOL WEB: WWW.MARINEPOOL.DE FOR LOCAL OUTLETS

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THE LATEST GEAR

RAYMARINE SMARTPHONE/TABLET CONTROL £-FREE Raymarine has launched a new series of apps that enable users to control e- and c-Series multifunction displays (MFD) wirelessly from a smartphone or tablet PC. These new apps – RayRemote and RayControl – are available for Apple iOS, Android and the Kindle Fire.

RayControl transforms tablets and, once synchronised users can take control via the tablet – pulling up charts, operating the radar, cameras, etc.

RayControl also features a ‘pop-up’ keypad mirroring the MFD’s rotary controller and hard keys, enabling users of the tablet to operate all the available functions wirelessly RayRemote is for use on smartphones, switching their smaller screens between a full-screen MFD repeater display and virtual keypad The complete virtual keypad mimics that found on the MFD. Both RayControl and RayRemote work with all Raymarine’s new e and c-series MFDs and, the new e- and c-series wi-fi means a single MFD can support multiple wireless control devices.

Raymarine e- and c-series owners can connect their MFDs to Raymarine mobile apps by upgrading their MFD to v3.15 software, which is available as a free download at www.raymarine.com.

CONTACT: RAYMARINE TEL: 023 9271 4700 WEB: WWW.RAYMARINE.COM

REDBOX WIRELESS ROUTER £538 MailASail Satellite Communications has released the RedBox wireless router and sat phone optimiser.

Features include: Automatic detection and installation of your existing satellite phone Integrated mail and web acceleration via teleport-it 10x faster mail and web Automatic dial and hangup Zero computer configuration Compatible with most major satellite phones, FleetBroadband and VSat A wireless NMEA Repeater and Multiplexer will connect NMEA and AIS instruments, repeat data wirelessly to your iPad/PC, offer unlimited 4,800/38,400 baud inputs and share data wirelessly with an unlimited number of computers.

CONTACT: MAILASAIL TEL: 0207 043 2832 WEB: WWW.MAILASAIL.COM

TRIPLE CHAMBER EXHAUST LOCK £259 Vetus introduces a new exhaust waterlock, offering maximum noise reduction with optimal performance.

Reducing noise is one of the main functions of a waterlock in the exhaust system so, considering that maximum noise reduction was not achieved with a dual chamber waterlock, Vetus developed a triple chamber version, which achieves a 10dB improvement on noise reduction – while keeping engine back-pressure within acceptable limits.

The waterlock is available with rotating connections for 40, 45 or 50mm diameter exhaust hose.

CONTACT: VETUS TEL: 023 8045 4507 WEB: WWW.VETUS.CO.UK

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BUYERS’ GUIDE PHOTO: ROD LEWIS

Our Buyers’ Guides complement our group reviews and long term gear tests, providing essential background information about the latest marine gear and equipment available.

SUNGLASSES AT SEA SUNGLASSES ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ITEMS IN A SAILOR’S INVENTORY. THEY NOT ONLY MAKE LIFE A GOOD DEAL MORE COMFORTABLE ON BOARD, BUT ALSO PROVIDE A LEVEL OF EYE PROTECTION ESSENTIAL TO THOSE WHO REGULARLY EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO THE GLARE FROM THE SEA. TOP QUALITY LENSES ARE WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD. PROTECTION FROM HARMFUL UV LIGHT IS A FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT, AS IS POLARISATION TO CUT GLARE. OTHER VERY DESIRABLE FEATURES FOR THE SERIOUS YACHTSMAN ARE LOW WEIGHT, SCRATCH PROOFING, GOOD SIDE GLARE PROTECTION, FLEXIBILITY AND THE ABILITY TO REPEL WATER AND OILS.

HENRI LLOYD Henri Lloyd has entered into the performance eyewear market with a highly developed range of lightweight sunglasses using Hydrophobic technology, designed to give excellent vision even in wet, rough conditions.

QUANTUM £90 Quantum frames are handmade from highstrength acetate to ensure durability, while the hydrophobic coating on their polarised lenses means that moisture build-up on the lens including droplets of sweat, rain and sunscreen will be a thing of the past. The lenses have been engineered to eliminate static electrical charge, so even dirt and

dust will be repelled to maintain the highest level of clarity.

The polarised lenses offer sharp, clear vision making it easier to detect contour differences. They also reduce glare at the same time as providing full protection against the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and UVC radiation.

The close-fit, wrap-around style not only ensures a snug fit, but also offers complete coverage to keep sun and spray from eyes

in extreme conditions.

COLOUR: CARBON

VISTA £70 The acetate frames for Henri Lloyd’s Vista sunglasses are constructed by hand for increased durability, while the polarised lenses offer a sharper and clearer contrast, making it easier to detect contour differences. They also reduce glare, and protect against UVA, UVB and UVC rays.

COLOUR: CARBON, NAVY, TORTOISE

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SUNGLASSES

SUNWISE GREENWICH GS £59.99 Sunwise’s Greenwich GS White sunglasses boast a unique, polarised polycarbonate lens system that filters out potentially damaging UVA and UVB light and provides a protective shield with full, unimpaired vision. The GS technology also enables fog-free vision and the ability to clear water drops from the lens surface, making them ideal for water sports of all kinds, while the

HARKEN HARKEN £99.95 Harken sunglasses are designed to provide the highest level of protection against sun damage, with their polarised lenses blocking 100-percent of UV light and 99.9-percent of reflected glare. Their tapered lenses eliminate distortion, reduce eye fatigue and boost detail and depth perception, so you can spot marks or just enjoy that perfect view with crystalline clarity. The hydrophobic lens coating also repels water, resists water spots and eases cleaning.

Durable Grilamid frames provide a close wrap-around fit to protect against wind, water and debris.

MODEL/COLOUR: SPORT/BLACK; GRINDER/RAZOR RED OR SKIPPY BLUE; TYPHOON/SPINDRIFT GREY; GALE/STORM GREY

polarising system also provides colour stability, so your lenses won’t lose their colour.

Greenwich GS lenses are impactresistant, as well as tolerant to extremes of temperatures, while the lightweight and durable frames have rubber components for comfort and secure fitting all without compromising on style.

COLOUR: WHITE, RED, GREY

BLOC BRONX XW2 £40 The new Bronx is engineered to be a performance leader with harder edged sculpturing and a streamlined frame. The soft temples hug the contours of the head and the moulded, non-slip nose pads further enhance comfort and performance.

Bloc sports sunglasses utilise tough and compliant hand-finished TR90 frames – the fit of which is exceptional. Sports hinges are added for total strength, flexibility and longevity.

The Bloc Karbon 8 lenses are optical class 1, providing exceptional clarity with 100-percent UV protection.

COLOUR: WHITE/RED TIPS

SHADOW MULTI LENS £50 The ultra modern and lightweight Shadow is a vital part of any kit bag providing demanding athletes the ultimate in performance and protection.

The Shadow has moulded nose pads and a comfortable, lightweight, flexible frame for high-speed pursuits. Ideally suited to sailing, the Shadow offers the wearer maximum peripheral vision with three interchangeable, Karbon 8 lenses supplied to let you adapt to all weather conditions.

COLOUR: SHINY WHITE

DADDY 2 £48 When it comes to advanced sunglasses technology this really is the ‘daddy’ – designed for unbeatable performance in any environment.

Incorporating Bloc’s tough, hand-finished TR90 sports frames for an exceptional fit and polarised lens to provide the wearer with exceptional clarity in conditions where

there is bright light and 100-percent UV protection is required.

COLOUR: FRAME – BLACK; LENS – SMOKE

PLUTO £45 The Pluto is described as the ultimate sports metal A-style frame that feels at home anywhere. Anatomically designed metal frames ensure a perfect fit, while rubber-coated arm tips relieve cranial pressure for maximum comfort.

Hypoallergenic, non-slip, adjustable nose pads are also resistant to most cosmetic ingredients and natural perspiration.

The Bloc polarised lens provides exceptional clarity and 100-percent UV protection.

COLOUR: FRAME – GUN METAL; LENS – SMOKE

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GROUP TEST

TESTED 11 HAND-HELD VHF RADIOS A HAND-HELD VHF RADIO IS A MUST FOR SMALL BOAT USERS AND CRUISING YACHT OWNERS ALIKE SO WITH TECHNOLOGY ADVANCING RAPIDLY, WE DECIDED TO TRY OUT A SELECTION OF 11 OF THE LATEST FULLY WATERPROOF MODELS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO UK SAILORS FOR UNDER £150. DUNCAN KENT REPORTS.

A

lthough not compulsory for leisure craft, having a VHF radio on board and knowing how to use it is an essential component of the vessel’s safety equipment. While most cruising yachts over 20ft LOA will likely have a fixed, ship’s VHF radio, many smaller vessels will probably just carry a hand-held VHF. A hand-held radio can also be very useful on board a cruising boat – when someone goes off in the tender and wants to keep in touch with the mother vessel, for instance.

HAND-HELD VERSUS FIXED VHF The main downside of just having a hand-held VHF is its lower maximum power

output (usually 5W or 6W, as opposed to 25W for a fixed radio), which consequently reduces its range and clarity by a factor of three or more. The radio’s range is further diminished by the lack of antenna height above sea level. A healthy, fixed VHF set will have a range of around 20nm from masthead to masthead antennae, and 25nm or more from masthead to a coastguard mast, which is much taller. These figures are reduced to around 4-8nm and 10-12nm respectively, when using a hand-held radio.

The lower output of the hand-held is primarily due to its lack of battery power, even though nowadays most hand-held sets now have high-capacity, rechargeable Lithium-Ion cells that are considerably

better at holding their charge for long periods than earlier Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cad) or Nickel-Metal-Hydride (NiMH) batteries.

DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC) All new, fixed marine VHF radios have to be equipped with DSC to comply with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety Scheme (GMDSS). Until recently there were no hand-held radios with DSC, but a few have now been launched that offer most of the DSC features found on a fixed radio – including the ‘red button’ Distress Alert mechanism.

In this feature, however, we limited the

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HAND-HELD VHF RADIOS

unfortunately excluded the few DSC sets available, which were all £200+.

Briefly, for those not yet fully familiar with DSC, it provides automated direct-dial access to coast stations and ships using a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) – rather like dialling a landline or mobile telephone number – and also allows you to:

A hand-held VHF is extremely useful both on and off your boat.

Below: Large buttons with clearly defined functions help the user to operate it in all conditions.

PHOTO: GUY FOAN

• Transmit distress alerts by a single key press.

• Receive detailed distress alerts automatically.

• Transmit and receive distress alert acknowledgments.

• Relay distress alerts.

• Announce Urgency and Safety calls.

• Initiate routine calls via working channels for subsequent communications.

SUBMERSIBILITY Radios that are in the IPX7 and IPX8 categories can actually be submerged in seawater – down to 1m depth for 30 minutes (IPX7), or to 5m for 60 minutes (IPX8). Being submersible does not necessarily mean they will float, however.

FLOATABILITY Radios that float when you drop them overboard are fully waterproof and often have a wateractivated flashing LED or brightly coloured casing to help you find them in the dark. Floating portable radios are made from plastic, so as to be lighter than the more ruggedly built, metal framed models. As such, they are slightly more vulnerable to physical damage.

ATIS

CHARGERS AND CRADLES

The Automatic Transmitter Identification System (ATIS) is now in force on most of the inland waterway systems of mainland Europe. Rather like the MMSI, an ATIS code (currently available from the UK radio licensing authority, Ofcom) has to be programmed into your VHF. Your radio will then include a code every time you make a transmission, so that the relevant authorities can monitor the movements of your vessel.

ATIS must be disabled, however, when operating the radio within 14nm of the UK coastline. Ofcom has a comprehensive description of ATIS on its website (www. ofcom.org.uk) that explains exactly what ATIS is and how it works.

In our trials all except the Nexus 1000 came with a mains charger, while only some include a 12V charge lead as well. Many also come with a charging cradle that will accept either the complete radio, including battery, or the battery alone (handy for a spare). While they provide a useful receptacle for storing the radio while charging, most cradles connect via open contacts on the rear of the radio’s casing, which are prone to corrosion – even when they’re gold-plated.

Radios whose charger lead plugs directly into a socket, which is protected by a rubber plug, don’t have this problem, but do rely on the plug being in place to prevent damage from water ingress.

INTERNATIONAL MARINE VHF CHANNELS

number of sets on test by setting two parameters – they must be fully waterproof and obtainable somewhere in the UK or Internet for under £150 incl VAT. This

COMMON FUNCTIONS

If you decide to buy a marine VHF radio from an unofficial source such as the Internet or a boat jumble, make sure the set has the full spread of standard International marine channels applicable to the UK and Europe.

If it was originally designed for use outside of mainland Europe, it might well have the wrong set of channels (USA for instance), or be missing some that might be required for full UK or European operation.

UK marine VHF radios normally offer access to Ch01-28, Ch37A (aka M1), Ch60-69, Ch71-88 and M2. Channels M1 and M2 are for club or marina use, although nowadays most marinas seem to use Ch80 as a calling channel.

BATTERIES Only one of the radios tested didn’t have a rechargeable battery as standard and all bar the Cobra 325 were Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) of varying capacities. Li-ion cells are lighter and better at holding their charge than Ni-Cad or Ni-MH cells, which tend to suffer a ‘memory effect’, resulting in their inability to accept a full charge.

Some offer the option to swap the rechargeable pack for alkaline dry cell batteries, usually in a different pack, which some supplied as standard while others offered as an optional extra. Dry cells will provide a longer power cycle and can be bought almost anywhere in any country.

HEADSET, SPEAKERS AND MICROPHONES All the radios feature a jack socket or similar for headphone use and many offer a remote spkr/ mic as well – either built into a headset or as a lapel-style unit with its own PTT button. Some headsets contain vox-controlled voice activation for transmitting hands-free, but often in a noisy environment this is actually unusable as excessive background noise keeps the microphone open.

Several of the radios feature a speaker clearing function in which a loud ‘burp’ vibrates the speaker excessively when you first switch it on.

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neW boat teSt

Croatian boatyard, aD Yachts, has been producing high-performance salona cruising yachts since 2002. the salona 44 is typical of this forward-thinking company and she has already made a big impression since her launch last year. Duncan Kent reports‌

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salona 44

“THOUGH QUICK OFF THE MARK, SHE IS EASILY HANDLED AND

pHotoS: rick buettner

SALONA RANGER

EXHIBITS NO WORRYING TRENDS WHEN PUSHED HARD”

The Salona marque started with the Salona 45, which was enthusiastically received by those looking for a well built, performance cruising yacht that could be successfully campaigned as well as keeping the family safe and comfortable on an extended cruise.

By 2008 the yard had expanded its portfolio with 34ft, 37ft, 40ft and 42ft models as well and the brand had firmly established itself in the yacht market.

The Salona shipyard in Solin enhances traditional Croatian craftsmanship and design flair with the application of modern technology, contemporary manufacturing procedures and the most recent developments in boatbuilding materials.

They are all laid up by hand using epoxy-based resins, but the process is complemented by using advanced vacuum infusion methods to ensure precise accuracy with the inclusion of a 20mm thick highdensity foam sandwich above the waterline, to minimise the vessel’s overall weight.

Furthermore, the hull is laminated around a stainless steel framework for strength, safety and even load distribution where the rig and keel stresses are all transferred to its steel ‘chassis’. Bulkheads are also bonded to both hull and decks for maximum integrity.

From the board of renowned design team, J & J, plus a major input from British racing yacht designer, Jason Ker, the Salona 44 has been launched to supersede the original 45.

The new 44 not only looks sleeker and more powerful when viewed from the water, but her stunning good looks do little to disguise a performance akin to many of the outright racing class yachts that regularly hog the podium at many of the most popular regattas.

Her subtle sheer and streamlined, lowprofile coachroof give her a lithe and agile look – like a Cheetah readying itself to run down its prey.

She has a more generous sail plan than her predecessor and modern hull lines that include a plumb stem, deep forefoot and shallow body aft. Her ample beam gives her considerable form stability, which is further reinforced by a choice of keels.

Our boat had the shallow, cast-iron keel, which seemed to be more than adequate to keep her stiff during the gusts, but for the racers a deep, T-bulb option with lead ballast is also available.

Her cockpit is laid out for a short- or multihanded crew and her small twin wheels offer excellent access to the water for cruisers.

Thanks to flush hatches, line covers and rope bins, her decks are clear, uncluttered and safe to negotiate in all conditions.

august 2012 SailinG today 49

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cruiSing

Years of dreaming about the adventures of shackleton and other pioneers culminated in a fascinating cruise around the wild and desolate island of south georgia for adventurer pete smith phoToS: peTe SmiTh

68 Sailing Today August 2012

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south georgiA

cHilled cruisinG in tHe Furious FiFties

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My MARINA

Looking down the Beaulieu River at high water.

BUCKLER’S HARD

BeaUlieU, haMPshiRe

WE VIsIt CRuIsINg sAILORs At tHEIR HOME PORt tO gEt tHE INsIDE LINE ON WHAt MAKEs tHEM BERtH tHEIR BOAt tHERE. FROM LOCAL AttRACtIONs tO NEARBY CRuIsINg gROuNDs, WE gEt tHEIR PERsONAL RECOMMENDAtIONs.

M

eandering up the Beaulieu River on the north eastern shores of the Solent is a trip of some five or so miles. Although the distance is short, you are transported not only slightly inland, but also to a place that almost seems like another dimension after the bustle of the Solent. The beautiful meandering river, surrounded by salt marshes near its entrance and in its upper reaches by dense oak woodland has a wonderfully timeless feel to it. It’s hard to imagine that only a few miles away, the toxic refineries of Marchwood belch out fumes, while a couple of miles beyond, the city of Southampton sits gridlocked and feculent.

Yet the Beaulieu River has remained relatively untouched; a beautiful haven that is owned almost exclusively by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu - he of the National Motor Museum fame. In fact, Beaulieu River is particularly unusual because the river bed is also owned by Lord Montagu as opposed to the Crown Estates. This means that if you think you can get away with anchoring for free, think again.

The River has a rich nautical history and the great oak woods were used to build the wooden walls of Nelson’s navy, including one of his commands, Agamemnon which was built at Buckler’s Hard, only a few hundred metres from where the marina

now stands today. Buckers Hard Yacht Harbour was built in 1971 to provide a slightly more sophisticated alternative to the plethora of mooring buoys in the river. The marina is small and unobtrusive, boasting 110 fully serviced berths in a very picturesque setting. There is also lift out and a workshop with extensive repair facilities on site.

Visitors are welcome, there is a maintained depth of 2m and yachts up to 60ft in length can be comfortably accommodated. The whole marina has an extremely relaxed and friendly feel and it would be hard to imagine a more picturesque place to keep a boat.

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BUCKLER’S HARD HAMPsHIRE

sTePhen gOUld and Jane eWeR – BLUE DIAMOND FOR CRuIsINg COuPLE stEPHEN AND JANE, KEEPINg tHEIR BOAt ON A BERtH ON tHE BEAuLIEu RIVER WAs sIMPLY ANOtHER CHAPtER IN tHEIR LONg LOVE AFFAIR WItH tHIs PREttY CORNER OF HAMPsHIRE. For Salisbury based Stephen and Jane, the choice of Beaulieu as a base for their yacht was an entirely natural one, although there was a certain degree of fortuitousness behind the decision, as Stephen explains: “Even before we got into sailing, we always loved the New Forest and in particular Beaulieu, so when we decided to get a yacht, it was always on our mind to keep it here if we could.

“Fortunately, when we bought our first yacht, a Hunter Horizon 273 in 2000, we managed to attach the caveat of a berth at Buckler’s Hard into the terms of our purchasing it.

“This resulted in a few strings being pulled and the rest is history.” The couple have now upgraded to a Hunter Channel 31, and predominantly go for weekend sails around the Solent. They find Beaulieu an ideal starting point.

“It’s just a superb location and we feel extremely lucky to be here” Jane said: “When you think about how hectic the Solent can get and how developed much of the area is these days, then Beaulieu

and the New Forest really is an extremely tranquil haven.

“The marina staff here are also absolutely second to none; they’re friendly, always keen for a chat, helpful and really down to earth. It’s a million miles from some of the more corporate marinas.”

The pair are based in Salisbury, a 45 minute drive away from the marina, but there are many berth holders who travel from far further away to enjoy the delights of Buckler’s Hard.

“I can’t think of a nicer location for a marina until you get down to Devon” said Stephen, contemplating a view down the river from his yacht, taking in the beautiful oak woodland and the picturesque village of Buckler’s Hard: “It has a truly timeless feel to it and means that even if the weekend is a bit grotty and we don’t really fancy going sailing, we can still make a weekend of it and return to Salisbury feeling refreshed and like we have had a little holiday.

“Hand on heart, I can think of few nicer places to keep a boat in the UK.”

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CHarTS and piloTS

Blue Diamond at a favoured anchorage.

BeRThing and FaCiliTies CONTACT: Mike Nicholls, harbourmaster.

Tel 01590 616200 Email mike.nicholls@beaulieu.co.uk www.beaulieuriver.co.uk.

FACILITIES: Buckler’s Hard Marina has all the luxuries you would expect of a modern marina, including fuel, showers and toilets, electrical hook up, water and a fully

equipped launderette. There is also a scrubbing grid and lift out service.

CAR PARKING: Is free to berth holders and guests alike.

Fuel: There is a fuel berth within the marina.

ADMIRALTY AC5600, 2036, 2021 IMRAY C3, C15, C2200.

Repairs: There is a huge range of workshops and craftsmen on site.

Lift out: £17.70p/m.

Annual berthing charges: The annual rate for a berth is £275p/m.

Daily: £2.12p/m.

Weekly: £10.60p/m.

August 2012 Sailing Today 83

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HAMBLE I PLYMOUTH

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