Issuu

BOAT TESTS CHATHAM MARINA Kent's hidden gem 9 7 7 1 3 6 7 5 8 6 1 4 8 1 0 SAIL GP PLYMOUTH World's fastest regatta SOLENT DAY OUT Plan your perfect day sail BOAT TESTS with OCTOBER 2022 £4.95 AD SDFHRE PLUS10THETOREASONSVISITSHOW EXCLUSIVE: SOUTHAMPTON INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW TICKET OFFER SAIL THE DREAM Hitch-hike around the world by boat Hanse pumps up the volume with new 460 THINK BIG WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? One man’s four yearGlobeGoldenRace WHICH WINCH? Expert advice on the latest kit HYÉRES WE GO Sailing paradise on the Côte d'Azur BOAT TEST

SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW

16-25 SEPTEMBER 2022

With over 45 years of experience on the water, our holidays are carefully crafted to deliver unrivalled performance and outstanding customer service every time.

16-25 SEPTEMBER 2022

SEE THE WORLD, DIFFERENTLY. Book with

With over 45 years of experience on the water, our holidays are carefully crafted to deliver unrivalled performance and outstanding customer service every time.

Sunsail will be attending the Southampton Boat Show where our expert Holiday Planners will be on hand to help you book the adventure of a lifetime. To pre-book an appointment with the team please visit our website. sunsail.co.uk

SEE THE WORLD, DIFFERENTLY. Book with

SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW

ENJOY A DIFFERENT KIND OF BEACH HOLIDAY IN OVER 20 DESTINATIONS WORLDWIDE

REGULARS 10 News 18 Paul Heiney 20 Andy Rice 40 Tom Cunli e The shocking demise of the paper chart 114 Jess Lloyd-Mostyn UNDER SAIL 22 Solent day out Clive Loughlin lines up a Solent based trip for September 24, 2022 26 Cowes Week review A look back on this iconic regatta 34 Golden Globe interview What took Mark Sinclair so long to finish? 44 Îles d’Hyères Sam Je erson goes hungry on a trip to Porquerolles on the Cote d’Azur 54 Baltic Sea Race A look back on an intriguing tactical battle 58 Ionian wine tour In search of the finest Greek wines 80 Gulls Eye Chatham Maritime Marina, Medway, Kent 92 Sail GP review Thrills and spills from the Plymouth event 96 Hitch hike under sail Regina Meyer on thumbing a lift on boats 109 Class charter best of six European charter options with instruction BOATS 16 New boat news The latest launches and projects 62 Tested: Hanse 460 A family cruiser turned spaceship 106 Three of the Best Three of the finest brokerage boats EXPERT’S FORUM 85 Expert’s Forum From race tactics to cruising conundrums GEAR 72 Southampton Boat Show Ten reasons to visit this year’s show 98 Buyer’s Guide Winches and blocks 104 Launched Our picks and reviews 442692 109 98

Did you know? GJ W Dire ct i nsure you b a se d on th e a greed valu e* of your ve ss e l, n o t j ust the m ar ket value . Get a quote today 0151 473 800 0 ww w.gj wdi rect .com GJW Direct is a trading name of Munich Re Specialty Insurance (UK) Limited, registered in England: 01262636, The Exchange, 3 New York Street, Manchester, M1 4HN. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 310539) and acting as a managing general agent on behalf of certain insurers. 0% Interest available *

Skipper’s View LIVE IN A WORLD THAT YEARNS FOR A PAST UTOPIA AND THE GOLDEN GLOBE THEREFORE CUNLIFFE is an TV and one of Britain's best-known cruising RICE is a and veteran has won at of

ANYONE WHO thought that the 2018 Golden Globe race would be a one o quirk must think again. As you can see from our preview piece on p34, it's very much alive and kicking. For the uninitiated, the event is a retro round the world singlehanded race paying homage to the original event in which a selection of eccentric men battled to become the ﬁrst person to sail solo singlehanded around the world. Given that the race concluded in 1969, the same year that man stepped foot on the moon, one has to conclude that the reason it took so long to achieve this feat is because it is not a lot of fun for most sane people. Yet nostalgia sells in the sailing world and the 2022 edition of the race sees a waiting list of people patiently hoping others will drop out so they can take their place. This is far from from inexplicable. You could argue that the mere act of getting aboard a boat and putting up the sails in order to get from A to B is, in many respects, anachronistic so any sailor, even with the most cutting edge boat is indulging in a sport that harks back to a di erent era. The Golden Globe perhaps just ratchets that up a bit. Yet perhaps the most arresting feature of the race is the fact that you have to navigate by sextant. This is the bit that made me sit up and think because I must confess to being absolutely beholden to the GPS. I recall doing my Yachtmaster prep back in 1999 and, as we approached a fairway buoy in fading light and a Force 7, a scared crew member sneakily handed me a new-fangled, handheld GPS device like it was contraband. I have been hooked ever since. I must confess to frequently navigating by phone alone. Yet, despite this, the news that the UKHO is planning to ditch paper charts from 2026 is shocking (see Tom Cunli e's column on p40 ). It's all very well using a mobile phone to navigate but nothing gives you an overview of where you are like a paper chart. It's the same with pilot books; having recently cruised the Îles d'Hyères, many happy hours were spent thumbing through Rod Heikell's guide to the area and this can never be replicated with a phone. Meantime, let us hope that the UKHO sees sense and changes its mind on a matter that goes beyond nostalgia into the realm of safety and practicality.

journalist

presenter,

both ends

author, journalist and

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

Welcome

dinghy racer who

sailors ANDY

championships

A TRUE RACE FOR OUR TIMES TOM

a ski SailingTodayMagtwitter.com/ sailingtoday.co.ukeditor@ EDITORIALEDITOR Sam Jefferson 020 3943 9261 sam.je erson@chelseamagazines.comGROUPEDITOR Rob Peake ART & PRODUCTION EDITOR Gareth Lloyd Jones WRITER AND SUB EDITOR Sue Pelling PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Martin Nott PUBLISHER Simon Temlett simon.temlett@chelseamagazines.comADVERTISINGADVERTISEMENTMANAGER Mark Harrington 020 7349 mark.harrington@chelseamagazines.com3734SENIORSALESEXECUTIVE Charlene Homewood 020 7349 charlene.homewood@chelseamagazines.com3779GROUPSALESDIRECTOR Catherine Chapman HEAD OF SALES OPERATIONS Jodie Green ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION Allpoints Media Ltd allpointsmedia.co.ukCHAIRMAN Paul Dobson CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Vicki Gavin MANAGING DIRECTOR James PublishedDobsonby: The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ Tel: 020 7349 3700 © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2020. All Rights Reserved. ISSN 1367-5869 (print) ISSN 2059-9285 (digital) No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission in writing. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information in Sailing Today, but no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice portrayed herein. The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd makes every e ort to ensure that the advertising contained in this magazine is delivered from responsible sources. We cannot, however, accept any responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers. For the Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd full set of terms and conditions please go to chelseamagazines.com/terms-and-conditions Also part of the Chelsea Marine Magazines family: Subscriptions and back issues Tel: +44 (0) 1858 438769 Annual subscription rates: UK £70 ROW £90 Email: sailingtoday@subscription.co.uk Online: Did you know you can manage your subscription online? Oversee your print and digital subscriptions online today simply by signing up at yourupsubscription.co.uk/chelsea/Solo/.https://www.Staytodatewiththelatestissues,updatepersonaldetails,andevenrenewyoursubscriptionwithjustaclickofabutton. Post: Sailing Today, Subscriptions Department, Chelsea Magazines, Tower House, Sovereign Park, Lathkill Street Market Harborough LE16 9EF chelseamagazines.com 5Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

SailingTodayfacebook.com/

The island of Spinalonga is an ex-leper colony o the northeast coast of Crete in a beautiful bay with crystal clear waters and wonderful sailing.The island has a long history as a Venetian, then an Ottoman fortress, and later became a leper colony until the 1950s. It’s a lovely area and Spinalonga is a fascinating place to walk, or sail, around.

Photo: Gareth Lloyd Jones

Spinalonga time coming

Luxury is in the Details

your

Boat Show 16 - 25 September 2022 We are pleased to announce that The Moorings

provide detailed destination tips

your

Southampton will be attending the Southampton Boat Show where experienced Planners will be at disposal to on how organise and enjoy the most out of precious holiday time on the an appointment to discuss next

our

your

water. To schedule

unforgettable escape please visit our website.Southamptonmoorings.co.ukBoat moorings.co.uk

Holiday

The UK Government has launched a new website on which sailors can report their UK arrival and departure.

Chart publisher Imray said they had no plans to withdraw paper charts:

The UKHO said its digital charts could be updated “in near real-time, greatly enhancing safety of life at sea (SOLAS)”.

10 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting ISTOCK

“Today’s world is unrecognisable to the one that existed in 1795, when our organisation was founded. Back then, mariners navigated by the stars using a magnetic compass and surveying with a leaded line marked in fathoms. They could fix where they had been, but not where they were,” the UKHO said. “Withdrawing from paper chart production will allow us to increase our focus on advanced digital services that meet the needs of today’s seafarers.”

See Tom Cunliffe’s column on page 40.

UKHO to withdraw paper charts

The website was in ‘beta’ (testing) mode as we went to press. For the time being the UK Border Force says sailors can use the new website or the old forms. Note that the e-C1331 email form has been renamed ‘Pleasure craft on non-UK voyages: leaving or arriving in the UK (pleasure craft report (sPCR) fallback template)’. Users are asked register their boat on the new website for ease of use.

Derek Lumb, President of the Cruising Association, said: “The Cruising Association has been liaising with UK Border Force for a number of years on this project with a view to ensuring that the new system fits the needs of the cruising community.

“Together with the RYA, British Marine and other marine organisations, CA representatives have attended and been active in discussions at the General Maritime Leisure Sector Liaison Meetings in order to influence a positive outcome for cruisers.

There has long been a requirement to notify UK Customs of your voyage plan to destinations outside the UK and arrivals into the UK, including travel to and from the EU since Brexit. This is now being “actively enforced”, the Government says.

“The change to a new online service delivers a far more accessible and user-friendly experience, making it easy to log new and alter existing passages.”

There was dismay from UK sailors as the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) announced it would be stopping paper chart production by 2026. The “sunsetting” process will begin this year, starting with larger scale charts.

The plans affect the UKHO’s portfolio of Admiralty Standard Nautical Charts (SNCs) and Thematic Charts “in response to more marine, naval and leisure users primarily using digital products and services for navigation”.

“Our focus is the leisure and small craft sector, which has different conditions and requirements to the UKHO’s primary commercial shipping market. There is still strong demand from leisure customers for paper charts.”

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

The RYA’s Richard Falk said: “It is important to highlight for those who wish to continue navigating using paper charts and more traditional navigational techniques, there are other providers of paper charts within the market. The RYA will continue to teach both traditional and electronic navigational techniques through its range of courses, although over time it is right to expect the weighting of emphasis to shift towards more digitally based techniques.”

News

How to report your UK arrival and departure

The new digital reporting service is being called ‘single Pleasure Craft Reporting (sPCR)’, which sailors are asked to use “as the preferred method when leaving or entering the UK on passage to EU countries, the Channel Islands or the rest of the world”.

The new online service – at spcr.homeoffice. gov.uk – will replace the old ‘Pleasure Craft Report Template’ e-C1331 email form and C1331 postal form.

Tall Ships will return to Falmouth

Falmouth Harbour has begun trials of a unique eco-mooring system, designed to protect the seabed from scouring by mooring chains. The MooringAdvancedSystem (AMS) in place off Flushing Beach has been designed by naval architect engineeringandfirm Morek, with Falmouth Harbour’s marine operations team, using floats along the length of the chain to lift it off the seabed.

The vessel founded while outward bound with a cargo of grinding wheels, plus two immaculate Gothic gravestones. The finds so far include a large cauldron for cooking soup and mugs covered in concretion. Tim Cousins, one of the Bournemouth University archaeologists working on the site said: “Very few 750-year-old ships remain for us to be able to see today and we are extremely lucky to have discovered an example as rare as this.”

Richard Gates, Falmouth Town Manager, said: “It’s a welcome return for the Tall Ships Races, after it was postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid restrictions. Our town’s history is intertwined with these magnificent vessels so you could say they are coming home. We’re really excited to be the venue for the start of the races. As always, we look forward to the truly awe-inspiring spectacle of the tall ships as they sail into the harbour.”

Falmouth eco-mooringstrials

The race itself starts on Friday 18 August 2023 and will be preceded by a stunning Parade of Sail and several days of shoreside events. The tall ships will race from Falmouth to A Coruna in Spain, then onward to Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, before finishing in Cadiz, Spain.

Manager Vicki Spooner said: “We’ve put the trial AMS within one of the scour patches left by a traditional chain mooring – one of 11 removed by us in 2021 to allow the seagrass bed below to recover. Ongoing monitoring of the scour patches by the University of Exeter shows the seagrass is regenerating itself, which is fantastic, and if the AMS functions as well as we hope with a yacht attached, we potentially foresee using them in environmentally sensitive areas, or on the fringes of these Falmouthareas.”Harbour, which sits within the Fal and Helford Special Area of Conservation, gained £3,000 backing for the trial from an EU-funded venture.

Britain’s oldest shipwreck, dubbed the ‘Mortar Wreck’ has been located on the edge of the Swash Channel in Poole Bay, Dorset, writesJohnGreeves. The wreck was first identified by divers from Bournemouth University who were investigating a known obstruction spotted by Trevor Small, of Rocket Charters. Trevor’s dive boat showed an unusual reading from the Dorset seabed but it wasn’t until several months later that the 54-year-old dive charter operator asked a colleague to take a look. Within minutes a medieval copper cauldron appeared at the surface and Trevor knew he had stumbled on “something special”. Historic England and an archaeological team from Bournemouth University were called in. Analysis of the hull planking soon indicated the ship’s rarity. The Irish oak tree timber had a fell date of 1242-1265, during the reign of King Henry III. The initial survey by Bournemouth University divers discovered many of the timbers were under threat from marine boring organisms, so exposed features were protected with sandbags and Terram (a robust geotextile).

The harbour is now monitoring how a yacht attached to the AMS sits in the water, in all weathers and tides, to gauge how safe and practical the system is for wider Environmentuse.

Britain’s oldest shipwreck

11Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 WILCOXRICHARD

Falmouth in Cornwall will host the start of the Tall Ships Race from 15-18 August next year. It will be the first time in nine years the race has visited the harbour and the sixth time Falmouth has hosted it since 1966.

Visitors will have the opportunity to board some of the historic tall ships as they will be sited within the A&P Falmouth Docks. Tickets to access these ships will go on sale nearer the time and will be priced at £5 for adults and £2.50 children.

British Marine’s latest Boating and Boat Ownership survey aims to provide its members with key market data, trends and insights on participation in watersports in the UK. Sponsored by Navigators & General, the survey focuses on a number of key areas including participation trends, training, charter and this latest report, for the period 2020-2021, investigates the impact of the pandemic on the sector. Boat sales are said to have increased by 9 per cent in 2020 and a further 2 per cent in 2021.

Cannes Yachting Festival, one of the world’s major boat shows, runs from 6-11 September, with everything from superyachts to wooden dinghies on show in the French Riviera town’s packed marina and old Aroundport.550 exhibitors are expected to be present with around 640 boats. The show’s focus on sustainability continues this year with a ‘Green Route’ o ering advice and an ‘Innovation Village’ for newer companies. Sylvie Ernoult, festival director, added: “Little by little, the nautical industry is improving its environmental footprint and we too are following suit by developing our own eco-responsible commitments within the framework of the exhibition.”

and it fits in your pocket! FREEAPP

CEO of British Marine Lesley Robinson said: “The results of the survey show there is a real appetite for people to get on the water in the UK, as an industry our job now is to look at ways we can continue to encourage people to take to the water in the UK and build on the momentum of the previous two years. However, the survey results are very encouraging with people now making the decision to invest in their own boats, indicating a potential commitment to getting out on the water more regularly.”

Meanwhile the survey shows that nearly a quarter (24%) of participants had their ﬁrst experience of boat ownership or simply getting aﬂoat in 2020. Most popular have been what the survey calls ‘gateway’ boating activities, such as paddleboarding and kayaking.

INOVPHOTO News

Sailing free

Twenty three percent of respondents to the survey said they were likely to purchase a ‘new boat or watersports craft’ within the next 12 months, with most interested in sailing yachts (32 per cent), motor cruisers (25 per cent) or trailerable powerboats (19 per cent).

The Vieux Port, one of the oldest on the Côte d’Azur, plays host each year to a glamourous line-up of yachts between ﬁve and 45m loa, of which 80 (less than 10m loa) will be exhibited on land. The organisers say: “The Palais des Festivals has a large area devoted to luxury yachting players: shipyards, architects and designers, internal layouts, ready-towear, accessories, tourism institutions and marinas, service companies, while the Tender and Toys areas presenting the latest innovations can be found outside. The Luxury Gallery, located in the heart of the Palais, is dedicated to luxury, craftsmanship and the art of living and each year brings together an exclusive selection of famous and more exclusive brands presenting their new products and expertise to visitors who appreciate beautiful objects.”

boom set to continueBORLENGHICARLO 12 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting 30 000 anchorages and marinas & 200 000 photos and comments... It's

The boom in boat ownership since the pandemic looks likely to continue, a survey by British Marine has conﬁrmed.

Cannes Yachting Festival

The cost of e-tickets for visitors start at €19. There are also VIP options, including a six-day package costing €1,166 for two people, with ‘exclusive services’ including a courtesy car service provided by Bentley. cannesyachtingfestival.com

Chasing

Shot over two years, the Olympic Channel documentary charts the team’s physical and mental preparations as they get ready to compete, set against the backdrop of uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

Appy for a place at athenapathway.com win the Women’s America’s Cup

Sir Ben Ainslie said: “Through the Athena Pathway, we hope to be able to offer significant experience and opportunities, at the highest level of our sport, to further achieve our ambition of bringing more diversity into the marine industry in this country.”

DWILKO

British sailors have been waiting patiently to win the America’s Cup since 1851, but a new initiative led by Ben Ainslie and Hannah Mills has raised the possibiilty of British teams also lifting the Women’s America’s Cup and Youth America’s Cup in the same year.

Mill added: “Throughout my career, I have been incredibly lucky to have travelled the world competing on a global stage in my sport. However, I have also witnessed how bad the pollution crisis has become and the severity of damage to marine life – entirely caused by us. Seeing this devastation ignited a passion within me to use my platform as an athlete to raise awareness and encourage greater scale change within sport and beyond sport. We are seeing more and more how powerful the voice of athletes can be in driving real change and it’s crucial we educate the athletes of the future how best they can use their voice.”

13Sailing Today

Among those featured are Eilidh McIntyre, Hannah Mills, Luke Patience, Stu Bithell, Chris Grube, Dylan Fletcher, Tom Squires and Emma Wilson. Watch it at olympics.com Tokyo film with Yachts Yachting

50th Fastnet next year Aiming to

The newly launched Athena Pathway Programme aims to “fast-track the development of female athletes into highperformance foiling sailing”. The ultimate goal is to compete in the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup events in Barcelona from September to October 2024 on 40ft AC40 foiling monohulls.

OCTOBER 2022

Mills said: “Sailing has made great strides forward in gender equality in recent decades, led by the Olympic side of the sport where gender equality has now been reached on the water, but the professional side, particularly in highperformance foiling sailing, is far behind where it needs to be. “We as a sport are uniquely placed to drive huge global change when it comes to gender equality. High-performance sailing has no major barriers to physical entry and through the Athena Pathway we will create a gender equal pathway for all, with sustainability at its heart. “I am incredibly excited to be teaming up with Ben on this project to change the landscape of professional sailing in the UK. Young girls are already coming up to me excited by the potential opportunities within the America’s Cup, SailGP and beyond as they get older, which is amazing to see. Equally, however, the knock-on effect this could have in terms of growth within our sport as more females see career opportunities within the marine industry could be huge”.

The team has purchased a 26ft ‘Easy to Fly’ foiling catamaran, training primarily on Portland harbour. Initial recruits include Hattie Rogers, the SailGP Inspire x WASZP champion, and Sophie Heritage on the shore side.

Setting sail from Cowes on Saturday 22 July 2023 will be the 50th edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Rolex Fastnet Race. For most of its life the Fastnet Race has been held biennially, however from the first race until 1931 it was held annually and three editions were lost due to World War II. It gained a special standing in the years when it was part of the Admiral’s Cup. The first race, then simply known as the ‘Ocean Race’ and held on a course from Ryde to Plymouth via the Fastnet Rock, took place in 1925 with seven starters. A dinner immediately after the finish, resulted in the Ocean Racing Club being established with Lt Cmdr EG Martin, owner of the first race’s winner, ‘Jolie Brise’, appointed commodore. The race was inspired by the Newport-Bermuda offshore race (first held in 1906) and US entries have remained strong. Notable US winners include yacht designer Rod Stephens Snr with ‘Dorade’ (1931 and 1933); Dick Nye with ‘Carina II’ (1955 and 1957); innovative designer Dick Carter with ‘Rabbit’ (1965) and ‘Red Rooster’ (1969); CNN founder Ted Turner’s ‘Tenacious’, which won the infamous 1979 race; and, most recently, David and Peter Askew on ‘Wizard’ (2019). The race has always attracted a powerful entry from the continent and especially France, with the great Eric Tabarly winning on board ‘Pen Duick III’ in 1967. France has also won four of the last 10 races.For a second consecutive occasion, the 2023 race will finish in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin with a 695-nautical mile course via the Fastnet Rock. Entry opens on 11 January 2023, with places expected to sell out in less than five minutes.

Celebrations for RORC continue in 2025 when the club will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

TOMLINSONRICK MASONCLIVE

The rollercoaster journey of the British Sailing Team and its Tokyo 2020 athletes has been laid bare in new behind-the-scenes film, Chasing Tokyo. The 90-minute documentary charts the highs and lows that Team GB’s athletes faced from the moment the pandemic derailed their plans in March 2020, to the aftermath of the most uncertain Olympics in history.

DIFFICULTY RATING: 1/5Not even the most capacious sailing bags will hide one

ﬁnally ﬁnish

Visit clipperroundtheworld.com to sign up to the next race.

Emotion as crews Clipper Race

14 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

The race overall was won by ‘Qingdao’, skippered by Chris Brooks and representing the Chinese city of the same name.

The Boy Scout comes prepared – really prepared. Not many sailors, it must be said, have the courage to take an umbrella on board. A spare rudder, needle and palm, batteries for the GPS – yes, these items and myriad more will make it into the experienced sailor’s o shore kit. But an umbrellla? It’s hard to disguise an umbrella. Not even the most capacious sailing bags will hide one. The sailor who foresees use for a brollie at sea must be open about his or her intentions. In this, the brollie-user should be advised against strolling on board with said parasol slung casually over shoulder. This attempt at foppish panache does not wash with the foredeck crew. Rather, establish the brollie as an essential piece of your o shore armoury. Pack it with the same earnest and meticulous care that you pack the generator spares, or the A2. lf snorts of derision are heard from neighbouring boats, then perhaps they’ll be quieter once the temperature heats up, the wind dies and they catch sight you well-protected at the helm, as demonstrated handsomely here by the crew of ‘Pen Duick VI’ in the Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race. No foppish attire here, just the rugged look of the seasoned o shore racer – and a brollie. A true Boy Scout.

Position: The Boy Scout Time to re-assess your kit bag... Quote and buy online at www.noblemarine.co.uk or call us on 01636 707606 Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

After racing 40,000 miles around the world, the Clipper Race fleet and 180 crew arrived back in London for a parade of sail along the River Thames and a welcome ceremony at the Royal Docks with a huge crowd of family, friends, partners and spectators creating an electric atmosphere. This edition of the race started in 2019 and was suspended in March 2020 as the pandemic struck, with crews flying home from Subic Bay in the Philippines. It restarted, after a week of crew re-training, in February this year, with the remaining legs from the Philippines across the north Pacific to Seattle, then down the west US coast to Panama, before transitting the Panama Canal and racing on to Bermuda, New York, Derry-Londonderry and the final sprint back to London.

Crew member Jody, from Michigan, USA, who completed the circumnavigation on board ‘Qingdao’ said: “It’s been an incredible lifetime achievement. An amazing thing to experience.”Jacqueline Kavanagh, from Ireland, who circumnavigated on the Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam yacht, said: “It feels so fantastic to be back in London. I’ve not seen my husband since February! My children are here, there are former crew members here and it’s a great atmosphere.“Withouta doubt, the best part for me was the camaraderie between the crew. You come up on watch and there will always be someone saying something ridiculous or funny. Yes, there has been amazing sailing and racing and we won some races, but the friends who are behind me now are what I will take away and cherish for the rest of my life.”

COMFORTPERFORMANCE20knts All our boats are available in 3 versions: Adventure - Yachting - Sport WINDELO 47 2023 WINDELO 50 WINDELO 54 Come and visit our eco-friendly catamarans at the Cannes Yachting Festival (France) from September 6 to 11, 2022 ECOLOGY www.windelo-catamaran.com - contact@windelo-catamaran.com - +33 4 11 30 01 43 DESIGN BY Barreau / NeumanWINDELO 54 YACHTING

A at the latest launches from around the globe

Slovenian boatbuilder Elan has enjoyed something of a split personality for many years now; on the one hand it turns out quite flashy cruiser/racers and on the other it produces solid, reliable cruising yachts as part of its Impression range.

LM 46

l elan-yachts.com

New boats

Aventura 44s

Aventura Catamarans is based in Tunisia and has a long history of producing small, relatively affordable cruising catamarans. The Aventura 44s is its latest and largest yacht and the company claims that it is the cheapest 44ft catamaran on the market. The lines were drawn up by the Lasta design studio and the result is a yacht that looks reasonably stylish while also offering a good amount of volume. The boat is definitely angled towards cruisers given that it features a stepped hull and stub keels as opposed to daggerboards, however, the manufacturers maintain that performance will be very good. The boat also features a flybridge and the standard interior configuration will be three double cabins with two shower rooms.

The LM 46 is an interesting new design from the drawing board of Kevin Dibley. Long term readers may recall that this Kiwi designer penned the lines for the Kraken 50, a very seaworthy blue water cruiser. The LM 46 is a somewhat different proposition, as it is cold moulded using Douglas fir and Cedar, which makes for a light, rigid boat. The boat looks suitably slippery, and she is definitely a looker with her relatively low freeboard, towering rig with square topped headsail and sympathetically curvaceous lines.

The company’s new Impression 43 is definitely the latter and this Rob Humphreys design is big on volume and cruising comfort. Like its predecessors, the 43 features the distinctive curved coachroof, which Elan describes as a ‘semi deck saloon’. The boat features twin rudders and, to add to internal volume, the beam has been increased compared to previous models.

16 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

The boat is built in the US by Lyman Morse, a Maine-based boatbuilder and, as you’d expect from an American design, creature comforts down below abound.

Elan Impression 43

l aventura-catamarans.com

l lymanmorse.com

look

Bali Catamarans rank among the masters of building high volume, comfortable cruising catamarans that cater for both the charter market and private owners. The new Catsmart stays true to those principles but she is the companys smallest boat to date, measuring in at a little under 36ft. Given that this Xavier Fay design still has all those classic Bali attributes such as solid front deck and flip up ‘garage door ‘ style rear entrance, this is bound to be a hit but there are significant differences from her bigger sisters. Perhaps most notably, there is no fly bridge, with twin helms on the sponsons being used. The sail area is also the same as its bigger, heavier older sister, the Bali Catsmart, pointing to improved performance.

Hallberg Rassy 69 Swedish manufacturer Hallberg Rassy is synonymous with blue water cruisers with a reputation garnered on decades of turning out smart, solidly built boats. In the past, its yachts were generally in the 30-50ft range but recent years has seen a sea change and the company has experimented with bigger boats such as the 64 in addition to twin rudders and aft cockpits. The new 70 is, however, a real mould breaker just in terms of scale. The boat is designed by German Frers and features twin rudders, a powerful rig and, yes, a lot of internal volume. l hallberg-rassy.com

Bali Catsmart

17OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Standard layout features twin doubles with ensuites. l bali-catamarans.com

@sailingtodaymagfacebook.com/sailingtodaysailingtoday.co.uk

Paul Heiney

French competitors in that race who seem better schooled than us Brits in the art of sculling , waving just one oar from the stern, which I have tried, but never really mastered - too easy to end up going round in circles.

And now I must ask you to put down this magazine and turn to your online device, open YouTube and search ‘gunwale bobbing Cambridge’ because what you will see there is, frankly, beyond my powers of description. Off you go.

Welcome back. Remarkable, wasn’t it? Just by jumping up and down on the stern, as in a fit of rage (not uncommon on a boat) you make progress through the water entirely for free. That’s a slap in the face for the fossil fuel multinationals, ain’t it? In case you think it’s all a trick, delve further by going to the Trinity College, Cambridge website and search again for ‘gunwale bobbing’ where you find an amiable (and fit) looking professor who will explain to you how it works. Apparently it’s all to do with generating a ‘wave field’, and harnessing the energy in that to drive you forward - he explains it better. Don’t get too excited, but you might travel as much as a metre a second, though only in a canoe. But with enough heavy lads on your stern who knows how fast a yacht might go? I now see that the internet is littered with canoeists and paddle boarders who can do this peculiar dance to get themselves moving again. So why have they kept it a secret from the rest of us? There are problems, I admit. My mate, who has a hefty boat with a million pound price tag, is going to need an entire rugby team prancing away on his stern to get so much as a twitch out of his boat. Still, there’s always something about cruising that can occasionally make you angry enough to want to bounce up and down on the deck, so it might be worth keeping in mind if fuel prices continue to climb to ever more dizzying heights.

WOODCLAIREILLUSTRATION 18 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

And now I sat in the middle of the Irish Sea, becalmed, drifting backwards on the spring tide and wondered if I should start the engine. Oh, the costly pain of it. I used to be scornful of people who switched on their engine if they weren’t doing full hull speed, but these days I’m not quite so hard-hearted and admit that I have reached for the starter key when I could have hung on for a breeze. But I didn’t fire up this time because I had been doing a little calculation, the bottom line of which was that at the price I had paid for the diesel it was getting close to costing six quid an hour to propel this boat at a decent cruising speed. I’ve only got a 38HP engine, and many of you will be paying far more. So I waited a couple of hours, satisfyingly saved myself a tenner, and a nice breeze did eventually fill in and helped me on my way.

Having thought I’d exhausted all other methods of forward propulsion cheaper than diesel, a new one has just been brought to my attention. It comes free, needs nothing other than your body, but assumes a decent pair of working knees - which in my case is becoming an increasing problem, but hopefully not for you.

YOURHAVESAY When it comes to the whereenvironment,isthebalancetobefound?

The dizzying price of a litre of diesel these days has given Paul much pause for thought when it comes to firing up the engine when the wind dies In a quiet moment while becalmed in the Irish Sea an uncomfortable thought crossed my mind, not helped by a dull and nagging ache in my thigh. The pain was from my wallet which was still smarting having shelled out a large proportion of the National Debt for a tankful of diesel back in Falmouth. I watched the numbers on the diesel pump clicking round, every click a day’s wages when I was but a lad.

Since fuel prices don’t seem to recognise anything other than an upward curve, what are we going to do if we are to continue with the luxury of an internal engine? Electrical propulsion doesn’t seem to be taking any decent strides forward, other than in bespoke and substantial vessels, which are beyond the pocket of most of us anyway. I suppose that at the levels of alternative power that most of us can embrace, it’s back to the trusty pairs of oars. Don’t laugh, but I did design an arrangement for shipping sweeps from my bow, complete with seat from which I would do my feeble impression of Grace Darling facing mountainous sea in the famous rescue off the Longstone Light. In fact, it was only ever intended to get me through calms in a singlehanded ocean race, which the rules allowed. I never tried it - too idle. There were ‘I waited a couple of hours, satisfyingly saved myself a tenner, and a nice breeze did eventually fill in and helped me on my way’

BLUEWATER 50 THE SOUTHERLYGENERATIONNEW42 EXCLUSIVELY BUILT BY OCEAN SHIPYARD SOUTHERLYLIMITED 42 SOUTHERLY 48 MK3 42 +44sales@oceanshipyardlimited.comwww.oceanshipyardlimited.com(0)2380170545 Unit 5, Cracknore Industrial Park, Marchwood, Southampton, UK SO40 4AF LAUNCHING 2023 Southampton Boat Show - Ocean Hall - J177

20 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Rice

From the start of the Globe40 round the world race in Tangier, to the Youth World Championship in The Hague, to commentary at the Kitefoil World Series event in Calabria in the far south of Italy, to the British leg of SailGP in Plymouth. In amongst that there have been so many other regattas going on in this hottest of European summers, notably the RS Games in Weymouth, and Cowes Week, which enjoyed a glorious week of sun and wind on the Solent. The racing world really does feel like it has returned to normal, on this side of the planet at least. Much of Asia, and even Australasia for that matter, continues to be haunted by the threat of Covid. Whereas in the UK and most of Europe it has been relegated to the same level as an unpleasant bout of flu. The appetite for travel and competition really seems to be back at prepandemic levels, except that the cost of flights and accommodation are higher. As for moving boats from country to country however, this is a global problem that shows no signs of getting any better in the near to medium future. Containering of boats has always been a fraught process, and it’s now become at least five times more expensive than just a few years ago. I was told recently that sending a Flying 15 to Western Australia for the world championship early next year could cost as much as a good second-hand boat. The price of fuel is a worldwide problem, and the complications of Brexit are a nice cherry on the top for us Brits. I discussed the problem with Howie Hamlin when I bumped into the small boat legend in Plymouth, who was enjoying the SailGP spectacle before making his way over to Ireland for the 505 world championship. Howie is a wealthy Californian who has won world titles in the 505, International 14 and 18ft skiff, and a few years ago he decided to buy a second 505, which he now stores with Pinnell & Bax, the sailmaker and chandler based in Northampton. For him, the reduced hassle of avoiding the costs of international container shipping far outweighs the cost of owning a second boat that he only uses two or three regattas a year. It’s one way around the problem. Another is to use charter boats, although this only really works for strict one-design

“The racing world really does feel like it has returned to normal, on this side of the planet at least”

Yet the legacy of supply chain issues can impact when it comes to logistics

ABOVE Sail GP in Plymouth took place in glorious conditions

ANDY RICE As a sailing journalist and TV commentator Andy has scene,performanceknowledgeunparalleledoftheracingfromgrassrootstoelitelevel

Another example of a successful charter boat model is the 69F racing circuit on the Persico 69F monohull foilers. Developed in Italy, these boats and this racing circuit is drawing a loyal following both at senior level and at under-25 level in the Youth Foiling Gold Cup. While it’s possible to buy and own your own Persico 69F, the vast majority of participants are enjoying the charter option, as it’s a great way into the technically challenging world of high-speed foiling without having to commit huge amounts of money up front.

Regatta sailing in Europe is back in full swing and Covid seems like a bad memory.

Andy classes where you have a reasonable chance of being able to replicate the setup of your own boat back home. One of the best examples of charter boat racing is the youth sailing world championships where 450 sailors, aged under 19, from 69 countries competed in The Hague in provided equipment. With ILCA 6s provided by Ziegelmeyer and Ovington, 29ers by Ovington and 420s by Nautivela, it means all the sailors have to do is fly in with their wetsuits, buoyancy aids and tiller extensions. Everything else is use as supplied. Is this the way to go for other parts of the sailing world? Yes, if it’s viable. But it seems a long way off right now for most racing classes and that means that the quality of world championships will be diluted until the transportation issues are resolved.

Race director of the 69F circuit, Dede de Luca, sees growing interest from America’s Cup teams who now want to use the 69F as a training platform before they step on to the AC40s, the scaled-down training vessels for the full-scale AC75s.

I ’ve enjoyed a diverse month of reporting from the sailing scene.

The foiling part of the sport continues to capture the headlines, but meanwhile for most of us it’s finding the best competition that we can get in whatever form we can find it. With around 250 boats competing at the recent 29er world championship in Barcelona, and more than 200 boats entered for the RS200 national championship at Hayling Island on the south coast of England, more conventional forms of sailing seem to be more popular than they’ve been in the past few years. Maybe it’s just a post-Covid bounce, or maybe there’s more to it than that.

SAILGPPHOTO:

Stay online o shore

21Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

he revolutionary new Bivy Stick from ACR Electronics, now available in the UK from satellite communications reseller, Global Telesat Communications, transforms your smartphone into a fully-connected satellite communicator. When adventure or lone working takes you beyond the reach of cellular networks the Bivy Stick harnesses the power of the Iridium satellite network to achieve truly global connectivity.

Advertorial

Turn your smartphone into a satphone in one simple step thanks to the ACR Electronics all new Bivy Stick

Contact: gtc.co.uk, tel: 0800 112 3919, e mail: info@gtc.co.uk with ACR communicationElectronicsrevolution

Using the companion app, the system will work through your mobile phone’s data as well as WiFi, delivering a seamless approach to how you would communicate every day with your smartphone; you will be able to send two-way messages via its dedicated number, as well as SOS alerts. You will never lose your way and can always be found with the device’s built-in tracking abilities. Use the Check-In feature that announces your arrival to speci ed contacts so they know you have got there safely. And, with a feature not utilised by other devices on the market, chat with up to 12 other contacts at once thanks to the Bivy Stick’s coveted and unique Group-Track™ feature.

e device itself is about the same size as a smartphone and allows you to keep in touch from any location on earth, putting your safety rmly in the spotlight when it comes to land or sea-based excursions, adventures, or trips.

ays spent out on the water are precious and need to be nurtured with care if we are to make the most of them. In previous articles I have suggested itineraries for long weekends based on different states of tides between neaps and springs, but what if you only have a single day? For this series I suggest options for a specific Saturday a few weeks after the date of publication. Whereas the ‘weekends’ concentrated on passages and destinations, for these specific Saturdays I will concentrate on building skills and fun activities for all the crew to enjoy. The activities will be those that I would consider for a day of a sailing course and are pitched at Day Skipper candidates as well as aspiring Yachtmasters. With just a single day at your disposal there is simply no time for relocating the boat before the start of the adventure, and so I will suggest different options for those berthed in Lymington/Yarmouth, the River Hamble and Portsmouth.

PATERSON/COMMONSIANANDREW/FLICKRLOUGHLIN/ISTOCK/CLIVEPHOTOS

Clive Loughlin suggests three different itineraries for sailing in the Solent on Saturday 24 September 2022 Skills and Thrills

To get the best out of this article (and life in general) I strongly recommend having a copy of the Admiralty Small Craft Chart Folio ‘SC5600: The Solent and Approaches’ on board, together with a handbearing compass. I assume winds southwesterly Force 4-5 and I leave all the tidal height calculations, passage planning and pilotage to you. Times are in BST unless otherwise stated. For this first Saturday, the time of HW Portsmouth is 1040 UT and it is mid-way between neaps and springs.

Lymington andYarmouth Aim to be passing Hurst Point at 0900 and head west down the Needles

ABOVE LEFT Swanage Bay in Dorset makes a rightstopoverdelightfulintheconditions BELOW Yarmouth is a splendid port and a great stopping off point to wait for a fair tide through the Needles

Solent Saturday 22

- 24 September 2022 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

ABOVE (INSET) Swanage restorationfollowingreopenedpierin1998extensive BELOW Try picking up a mooring buoy from the shrouds so it stays in view from the helm

Channel. Initially the tidal stream will be about 1kn against you, but with the southwesterly the seas should be fairly flat in these ‘wind with tide’ conditions.

Swanage The tide will have turned and be heading southwest by the time you leave the ‘Bridge’ west cardinal to port. If you head roughly west on port tack, the tidal stream should take you pretty much directly to Swanage Bay (13nm).

Tacking practice

Mooring under sail Head to the north of the pier and pick up a mooring buoy under sail. The trick is to control speed and bring the buoy to the shrouds on the upwind side of the boat. I prefer to bring the buoy to the shrouds so the helmsman/woman has it in sight at all times. Have a bow line pre-rigged at the bow and taken back, outside everything, to just beyond the shrouds ready for passing through the thick loop in the mooring buoy line. The free end of the bow line can then be temporarily tied off to a midships cleat while the sails are put away, and then secured at the bow.

The Needles Channel is 0.3nm wide and has the menacing Shingles to the north and the rocky coastline of the Isle of Wight to the south. This makes it a perfect place to practice tacking. A crew that is putting in sloppy tacks at the start should be operating as a slick sailing machine by the time you leave the 4nm channel in your wake.

23Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

For trips ashore it is best to call the Swanage Water Taxi (07802 480139) rather than risk a beach landing. Be sure to visit the recently and magnificently restored Victorian pier, and to leave a donation for the Swanage Pier Trust. A generous skipper may also like to consider investing in a ‘Discover Scuba’, three to fourhour introductory course based on the pier (Divers Down, Tel: 01929 423565). After which the crew should be well qualified for rescuing the situation next time they let a line get wrapped around the prop. At 1700 the tide will begin to turn, ready for a cracking 20nm downwind, down stream passage back to Lymington or Yarmouth. Leave the engine switched off and manually back the jib as the mooring line is released (see ‘Expert’s Forum: Backing the jib’ in ST/Y&Y June 2022). Then set the sails for a run; and don’t forget to rig a preventer. Sail all the way back to your harbour entrance and leave the prop in neutral and free-to-rotate for maximum boat speed.

Solent Saturday - 24 September 2022

Navigation under sail Once outside the Beaulieu River, the next destination is Newtown River on the Isle of Wight (3.5nm) The navigator is banished below and only allowed access to the charts and tidal information together with trip-log and depth readings. Zero the trip-log at the Special Mark and make best course to windward on starboard tack. The navigator gets busy below and tells the helmsman/woman when to tack, based either on depth or when the trip-log reads a particular value. Zero the trip log when the tack is made and continue like this until the navigator declares that the boat should now be near the entrance to Newtown River – at which point they are allowed back on deck to judge the results of their efforts. This is a brief passage, and with the favourable tidal stream it should all be over in less than an hour. This makes it an excellent task for improving navigational skills, and will underline the benefits of preparation while at the same time requiring decisions to be made while underway.

When entering or leaving a harbour I like to have some of the headsail rolled away for improved forward visibility.

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting24

I once spent a very pleasant day with members of the Southampton University Diving Club recovering the anchor and chain from a previous visit when I had not taken the above precaution. The tide should still be flooding when it is time to leave, but with wind from the southwest you can try to recover the anchor under sail using a reefed headsail. Unroll enough to make progress against the flow, but not so much as to encumber the crew on the foredeck. Recover the trip-line float, and pull in the slack, before hauling in the anchor chain.

Hamble Set off early at about 0700 with the aim of having breakfast at anchor up the Beaulieu River by 0900 (8nm). This first exercise of the day is probably best done under engine as the tidal flow is against you, and you will need to head upwind in a busy shipping area. High water (3.6m) this morning is at 1106 (Beaulieu River website), so head upriver on the flooding tidal stream and anchor between the ‘20’ and ‘22’ port-hand marks.

For MOB recovery suggestions, please see ‘Expert’s Forum: MOBABOVE LEFT Moorings on the Beaulieu River BELOW The Portsmouth War Memorial makes a convenient target for a back bearing

MOB exercises care not a jot for the strength or direction of the tidal stream, which as it happens will be heading west until about 1600.

Trip-lines

Enter Newtown River under engine, and pick up a buoy or anchor. Pump up the dinghy to make sure everyone knows how, and then if not too windy, go for a paddle ashore, heading upwind and up-tide so that the return paddle is easier.

Man Overboard! If the crew is up for more challenges, head out as soon as you like into the western Solent and practice MOB recovery. This is a great area for such activities as commercial traffic is very low, apart from the very regular ferry service between Lymington and Yarmouth.

Although this is a designated anchoring zone, and the only area on the river where anchoring is permitted, it is a good idea to fit a trip-line and float to the crown of the anchor.

Portsmouth I often go to Portsmouth to practice mooring buoy pickup under power and sail, and as the tide is rising until HW at 1140 it is convenient to take advantage and stay within the harbour. There are lots of mooring buoys near the big ship buoys northeast of Burrow Island and many are unoccupied and with a bit of space around them for careful manoeuvring.

Time to head out

25Sailing

The main tidal stream starts to head west around 1000. I would aim to be heading out past Gunwharf Quays any time after that, although the tidal stream will still be heading into the harbour until about 1200. If you are based here you will be familiar with the regulations that the QHM (Queen’s Harbour Master, VHF Ch 11 ) strictly enforces – if not, consult the Almanac and ignore at your peril. Technology free day Set your chartplotter to record your track and then cover up the display and go ‘technology free’ for the rest of the day. Head out in the small boat channel under engine and when the War Memorial bares 049°T turn onto the reciprocal heading of 229°T. This is a great opportunity to practice steering using a back bearing on the War Memorial. The trick is to have a set of rules worked out in advance that tell the helmsman/ woman which heading to go on if the boat wanders off course. It is not sufficient to simply steer to the reciprocal bearing, as the tidal stream and wind will quickly push the boat off-track and onto the shallows on either side. Only a back bearing will keep you on track. Once beyond the shallows of Spit Sand head for the south side of the main channel and Osborne Bay (6nm). The life of ‘Y’ Your task, using only compass and depth sounder, is to drop your hook exactly on the centre of the ‘Y’ in the ‘Osborne BaY’ as shown on the chart (5600.9). At least one handbearing compass will be required. The trick is to approach the target ‘Y’ heading into the tidal stream and have at least two nearby visual targets to take cross bearings of. It is handy if one of these is directly ahead or behind so that you know the boat will pass over the ‘Y’, then the second will tell you when you get there. It is all about coming up with a clear and simple plan and making good use of your crew.

Then after 1600 when the tidal stream has turned, start to sail back to the Hamble being sure to pass the ‘Calshot Spit’ port hand mark and work out why it shows a white light at night.

ABOVE LEFT Newtown Creek, a haven of tranquility

& Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Osborne Bay is a favourite location for a swim and lunch at anchor with Osborne House providing a stately backdrop. The tidal stream starts heading east around 1600, so you can head back to Portsmouth then, or alternatively head for Cowes a bit earlier if you fancy a trip ashore.

ABOVE RIGHT Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Queen Victoria's preferred residence BELOW Calshot Spit port hand mark – shows white at night – why? Clive Loughlin teaches for First Class Sailing in the Solent area and is a regular Sailing Today contributor. Today with Yachts

don’t make things worse’ in this issue.

Have someone at the bow ready to press the ‘Mark’ button on a GPS when the crew announces the compass bearings are correct, and drop the hook. You can then work out just how close you got to the centre of the ‘Y’ as the kettle boils. My best crew managed to get to within 5m – but probably there was quite a bit of luck involved to be fair.

It's world-class racing for top pros, it's a family event where kids race with grandparents, it's more than 50 series going on at one time, it's party central, it's a proving ground...the UK's biggest regatta is a week no sailor ever forgets

Cowes Week 26 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

All photos: Paul Wyeth and Martin Allen, pwpictures.com

Main photo: a blast from the Royal Yacht Squadron gets the J/70s underway - the class was eventually won by Tim Ryan's 'Vamos' (with Robert Greenhalgh, Jess Grimes and Charlie Gundy) from Sydney, Austalia Above right: on the rail of Paul Newall's A31 'Arcus', which enjoyed a close battle with 'Elaine Again' in IRC 3 Below right: Peter and Alison Morton's Swan 36 'Scherzo of Cowes' won all but one race, discarding a second place, to win IRC 6 with a day to spare. It was a stunning performance that also saw the immaculately restored boat win Black Group and claim the title of Overall Cowes Week winner

27Sailing Today

& Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Big shifts, wind holes, tidal complexities, planing conditions, bright sunshine, groundings, shorttacking off the beach crowded with swimmers, plus the occasional cause to reef – the Solent was at its best for Cowes Week this year. Crews came in from around the British Isles and the world to enjoy exceptionally tight racing and a great atmosphere ashore. The Cape 31 fleet was notable this year, the fastest-growing fleet on the Solent. The newly created IRC Zero class was out in force, while at the other end of the spectrum the new classes for Club Cruisers proved popular. Visit Abu Dhabi came in as Presenting Sponsor earlier this year and plan a winter regatta in Abu Dhabi – details to come. Meanwhile over the next few pages we look back at the class winners and other moments to savour from a highly successful 2022 event. Next year's regatta will be 29 July to 4 August 2023. Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting is official media partner for Cowes Week. with Yachts

Owner Giovanni Belgrano fits Dacron sails to the highly original boat when racing in classic regattas.

Rupert Mander's Flying 15 'Men Behaving Badly' was the only boat at the regatta to post an unbroken run of race wins. Racing with old crewmate Gareth Edwards from almost three decades ago, he won the class and was crowned overall White Group winner.

A classic Cowes Week scene as the Darings race close inshore off the Royal Yacht Squadron. After swapping places at the top of the leaderboard, Graham Wilkinson and John Corby's 'Doublet' took overall victory by a point from last year's overall regatta winner 'Dauntless'.

The Squib 'Kestrel', sailed by Charlie, Tom and Harry White, won the Under 25 Trophy and also the Musto Young Skipper Trophy, beating crews from Radley College, Greig City Academy, the Royal Thames Yacht Club and many other young sailors in various classes.

A swimmer gets a grandstand view of the Laurent Giles-designed 'Whooper', built in 1939, which won Cowes Week overall in 2018 and this year won IRC 5 with a day to spare, after four wins and two seconds.

In IRC Zero, three boats went into the final day separated by only four points. A win for Ian Atkins' GP42 'Dark n Stormy' sealed his overall class title, having scored only podium results, including three race wins. Set against the Jubilee Sailing Trust's tall ship 'Tenacious', Francois Goubau's Beneteau First 47.7 'Moana' from Belgium (sail no BEL 4701) showed her pace IRC 1, which she eventually won with a day to spare. Skipper Mathieu Goubau won the Young Skipper trophy back in 2005.

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & YachtingCowes28 Week

315 348 388 418 458 new460 508 548 588 675 hanseyachts.com Inspiration Marine Group ScotlandEnglandhanse@inspirationmarine.co.ukLtd.andWales|02380457008andIreland|01475529975 THE NEW HANSE 460 DISCOVER NOW! MEET THE NEW HANSE 460 AT SOUTHAMPTON BOAT SHOW

A unique, performant and spacious sailing yacht | 32 | 37 | 390| 430 | 470 | 530 | 61 | www.dufour-yachts.com/en/DUFOURNew 37 New 2022©JMLiotOnStandM317

Roger Wickens' Sunbeam 'Danny', built in 1938, took victory in the class with a day to spare and started the last day second overall on the White Group leaderboard, until an altercation with Grantham Rocks forced a final race retirement.

At the start of the final XOD race, the top four boats were separated by only two points. Victory eventually went to Richard Faulkner's Swallow, with John Tremlett's Astralita second overall, ahead of Tortoise and Clair de Lune, after a highly competitive series, typical for the class.

David Thomas' Sonata design still has a loyal following and this year the class was won by Luke Goodall's 'Wasp', ahead of 'Dick Dastardly' (GBR 8504N) and third-placed 'Joey' (GBR 8426N).

Nick Hampton's Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 'Scandal' won the Cruising Association-sponsored Club Cruiser classes overall with an impressive performance - five firsts and two seconds. Second was 'Aqua (Ushaka)', a 1987 Dehler. Third was 'Panda of Hamble', a 1983 Westerly Fulmar. USA entry 'Flying Jenny', skippered by Sandra Askew, shows off her eye-catching spinnaker in the Cape 31 fleet of 18, the largest the class has seen anywhere in the world since the first boat was launched five years ago. Victory at Cowes went to 'Squirt', sailed by Russell Peters and family.

Sailing

2022 31

Laura Dillon on the Dutch entry 'Winsome' won the Ariel Trophy for best female on the helm, while the boat, a Sparkman & Stephens 41, marked its half-centenary afloat by coming second in IRC 5 after a week-long battle with 'Whooper'.

Cowes Week

Eventual overall winner 'Scherzo of Cowes', a Swan 36, to windward, was pressed hard all week by skipper Ian Handley and a family crew on the Mustang 30 'Banter', shown here to leeward, on her way to second place in IRC 6.

IRC 3 saw a week-long battle between Mike Bridges' JPK1010 'Elaine Again', shown here, and the A31 'Arcus', with the two tied on points going into the final race. 'Elaine Again' clinched it by two seconds. Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER

In the Sonar class, Simon Clarke's Jenny sailed a consistent series to win the class by a point ahead of Alistair Barter's Bertie. e Andrew Cassell Foundation's ACF Dolphin took third place with a disabled crew. Kevin Downer and Tim Eccles' 23 Jeanneau 'Ziggy' took ve straight wins in IRC Class 7 and was third in Black Group. ey bought the boat for £500 and re tted her using second-hand gear. e nal night party, with DJ Mark Covell (Olympic silver medallist in the Star class in 2000), has become a Cowes Week staple in only its second year! & Yachting

Charle's Esse's X4.3 'Baby X' won all but two races in the Performance Cruiser A class and also won the Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting trophy. Also pictured are second-placed 'EHO1', a charter crew through Global Yacht Racing, and the 1977 Swan 'Desperado', which was third.

Dancing-on-the podium alert! David Franks' J/112E 'Leon' (pictured le ), Adam Gosling's JPK1080 'Yes!' crew (centre) and Paul McNamara's First 40.7 'Incognito' (right) enjoyed a great battle in IRC2, with 'Yes!' taking ve rst places, coming second in Black Group.

We enjoyed a day out at Cowes Week courtesy of Hyde Sails, with MDL Marinas, Seaview Progress, Dubarry of Ireland, Mustang Survival and Crewsaver. e Dragon 'Dreki' enjoys a sun-drenched beat, but the class was won for a second time by 'Bluebottle', the Duke of Edinburgh's former boat that was restored for last year's regatta.

Hong Kong visitor Jamie McWilliam's 'Macho Grande' won the Dragon class on countback, tied on points with Nick Stagg's 'China Wight' (pictured le ). Former America's Cup sailor Andy Beadsworth was third, crewed by his sons.

Cowes Week 32 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts

Cowes Parade was buzzing - the regatta is as much a spectator event as it is for the competitors. All smiles on Robert Baker's J/97 'Jaywalker', which won IRC 4 with a day to spare a er four rst places – retaining the class title she won at Cowes Week last year.

e Mermaid Trophy for best female crew went to Louise Morton's Quarter-Tonner 'Bullet', which was second in class. Jack Banks & Olivia Finch's J/92 'Nightjar' is a well-known Solent yacht, normally raced by the Cowes RNLI lifeboat crew. On Cowes Week's Ladies Day the boat had an all-female crew.

1°31’45.971”W ZEUS™ 3S A INDIRECTIONNEWSAILING Designed exclusively for sailing, the Zeus™ 3S is the ultimate solution for any sailing system. The ultra-bright IPS touchscreen, combined with a rotary dial and keypad, makes Zeus 3S easy to use in any conditions. Superfast, this multi-function display provides all the sailing and navigation information you ever need, when you need it. Ideal for all large cruising and performance racing yachts, these displays integrate seamlessly with a full range of instruments and accessories, and come with all of B&G’s unique sailing features, for greater safety, performance, and enjoyment on the water. www.bandg.com ®Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off, and ™ common law marks. Visit www.navico.com/intellectual-property to review the global trademark rights for Navico Holding AS. AVAILABLE IN 7*, 9”, 12” & 16” *7” size available only as a Zeus3 model Marine Electronics for Sailing SPONSORSPROUD OF

34 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

t seems strangely fitting that when previewing the 2022 Golden Globe Race I should chat to a 2018 entrant who has only just completed the course… just in time to take part in the 2022 edition of the race. After all, the whole point of the Golden Globe is that you are looking backwards to go forward. This is a ‘race’ around the world that pays homage to the original iteration of this competition when, in 1968-69, Sir Robin KnoxJohnston, Bernard Moitessier and many others vied to be the first person to sail singlehanded, nonstop around the world. The race was already somewhat retro, given that in 1969 the Americans would put a man on the moon. Now, it is even more so. The rules pay further homage to the mythical nature of the sport and the rules are very simple: Like the original Sunday Times event, the 2022 Golden Globe Race is as follows: Depart from Les Sablesd’Olonne, France on 4 September, 2022 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables-d’Olonne. Entrants are limited to sailing similar yachts and equipment to what was available to Sir Robin in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or the benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

What took you so long?

As you can imagine, it is a race that attracts a fair amount of interesting characters. No more so than Australian sailor Mark Sinclair. Sinclair’s story is a colourful one. Having entered the 2018 edition of the race, he was doing reasonably well but had sufficient problems to stop off in Australia. Having made the stop, he decided to remain there for three years before continuing the race – with the aim of getting to Les Sables d’Olonne in time to take part in the 2022 edition. I caught up with Mark as he frantically prepared his boat for the start line with the simple question... what took you so long?

ABOVE Mark at the helm during the 2018 edition of the race

Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is back, and the award for the slowest passage goes to… Mark Sinclair. Sam Jefferson talks to him about what took him so long in 2018 and aspirations for 2022

ABOVE LEFT Coconut at the start of the 2022 prologue in Gijon ABOVE RIGHT Sailing through the Sargasso Sea BELOW Running in the Southern Ocean Yachts

“Then I spoke to Don McIntyre (the race organiser) and asked if it would be okay to continue and he said it was fine and they would organise a reception in Les Sables for me. Three years to the day after I stopped, I was back up and running and eventually made it to Les Sables in 174 days from Adelaide – not terribly quick but once I’d started, I wasn’t going to stop. The trip took 330 days in total – not counting the stop. I figured that Slocum took four years so what was the problem!” Why do it? the Golden Globe is an incredibly challenging and at times dangerous race. Yet the list of people (almost all of them men over 60) lining up to take part is staggering. Mark explained his route to the event: “I was actually born in Manchester and came over to Australia with my parents at a young age. I’m a 10 pound Pom in fact. I was brought up in Melbourne and we were always down by the beach and I learnt to sail in a Hartley TS 16 that my dad bought. “I joined the navy out of school and became a hydrographer. At the same time my dad bought a 39ft yacht and we sort of shared that between us until it was sold. Then my dad bought a trailersailer and when he died I inherited it and sailed all over the place.

35Sailing Today with

The 2018 race “In the 2018 race I was at the back end of the fleet but as attrition occurred I moved up the rankings until I was in seventh,” he explains: “unfortunately, by the time I was in the Indian Ocean I had water shortages and a problem with barnacles so I decided to pull into Port Adelaide and, to be honest, it was hard to leave!

“In the end it was a three-year break and I ended up thinking ‘well, if you’re going to break the trip, it doesn’t really matter how long that break is – might as well make it a long one!’”

& Yachting OCTOBER 2022

“All the time I was thinking, this boat is going to kill me at some point if I’m not careful, so I upgraded to a Sparkman & Stephens 41 and started cruising that when I had the time but it all felt a bit aimless and I kept wondering, well, what next? In the end I signed up for the Trans Tasman race but then I

2022 – Let’s goround again

“I think in most circumstances you can overcome a problem with seamanship so I don’t tend to panic. But there is one scenario I hate and that is if you have a breaking sea on the beam. I really hate that and it is at that moment that I feel vulnerable. I can’t say I like Force 10s – it’s not nice being beaten up – but if you can keep control of the boat, you feel okay.”

ABOVE Hauled out in Les Sables d'Olonne after a 174 day trip BELOW Assessing damagedrepairingpossibilitytheofaveryheadsail

Golden Globe Race heard about the Golden Globe and that was all I could think about.

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting36

“The question I keep asking myself is what I would be doing if I wasn’t doing this?” Sinclair muses: “Would it be more interesting? You’re a long time dead after all and I’m about to turn 64. I could be back at work I guess and I could do with the money but the most compelling thing for me at this present moment is getting the boat ready for the race, and I’m moving heaven and earth to do that. “I guess the last trip was my training run. I don’t think I’m going to win, in part because I’m a great collector of stuff and I find it hard to get rid of things to lighten the boat.”

How do you copewith solo sailing

Style'. That basically means I’ll do things at my own pace, get somewhere, it’ll be interesting and I’ll have fun along the way.” Were you ever scaredduring the 2018 race?

Why do it again?

“I’m okay with my own company. I’ve spent a lot of my life at sea and the being alone thing just seems to come naturally to me. I’m comfortable with my own company. I can live with the solitude. I’m also very risk averse so I’m not pushing it when I’m out there.

The rest is history. Yet the story of the second leg of Sinclair’s 2018 race is a tough one – the route from Adelaide to Les Sables via Cape Horn is an uncompromising one and Don had his fair share of dramas. “I got to Les Sables and the boat was trashed,” he explains: “I’d damaged the toerail, the twin forestays were a mess, and the engine was a wreck. I’m not keen on engines but it’s a piece of safety equipment and it needs to work. “At present (15 July) I’m therefore in the process of replacing the old one and have the engine half in, half out. I’ve been in Les Sables five weeks now moving heaven and earth to get the boat ready, racing around chasing my tail but I think things are just about under control. “I’m in the Corinthian Class, so no sponsors and therefore I’m doing all the grunt work myself. Will I be at the start line? You bet I will. I’ve sailed around the world to get here and I’m quite pleased with that. I am on a journey and it’s full of adventure.”

“I’ll do the whole thing 'Coconut

“As a kid I had read about KnoxJohnston and the Ostar and it had always appealed to me. So when I heard about the Golden Globe I just thought, 'well, that’s my race!' I just couldn’t get it out of my head. When that idea came a reality it really was a dream come true for me. “I found 'Coconut' (his Lello 34 yacht) here in Australia and discovered she was eligible so I had the boat shipped over for the 2018 event.”

EXPERTS IN WATERSPORTSTECHNICALKIT NEW AQUAFLEECE® ROBE: REMOVABLE LINING, WASHABLE, LONGER LIFE SEALION BOARDS PREMUIM ECO SUPS: HIGH QUALITY,FOCUSEDSUSTAINABLY STANDD011ATTHE SOUTHAMPTONBOATSHOW AQUAFLEECE®SPRAYTOPS, CASUALTECHNICALKIT , BUOYANCY AIDS UV RASH BASE HEADWEARGLOVESLAYERS,ANDFORALLSEASONS JUNIOR&WOMENMEN,TEAM&CASUALTECHNICALKITSHOREhello@roostersailing.com+44ROOSTERKIT.COM(0)1243389997

What’s it all about?

● An inshore Canary Island mark to starboard

The Rules: The race clock starts with the start gun on 4 September, 2022. If an entrant does not start within ﬁve days of the start, he or she is deemed to have withdrawn from the race.

The Route: The race course is an east-about circumnavigation starting and ﬁnishing in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France.

● Then to the Sables-d’Olonne ﬁnish line Nb, this is a rolling entry list. The maximum entants is 30 and there is a waiting list.

Therefore, if someone drops out, a new skipper is put on the provisional list

● Bounty Islands to starboard.

Pat Lawless (Rep of Ireland, 65)

Kirsten Neuschäfer (39, South Africa)

● Cape of Good Hope to port.

● Waypoint 46°S, 174°W to starboard.

Tapio Lehtinen (Finland, 64)

The entrants 38 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting Golden Globe Race

Entrants may seek shelter and anchor (using the engine if needed) to make repairs, but may not enter the port and no person may give any materiel assistance at any time during the race.

● Prince Edward Island to starboard.

Competitors will sail down the Atlantic from North to South leaving:

Michael Guggenberger (44, Austria) Yacht: Biscay 36 Originally entered the 2018 event but realised he needed more experience, which he has been gathering ever since

Buyer's Guide - Winches and blocks

● Trindade to port.

● Sail up the Atlantic from South to North.

● The Crozet Islands to starboard.

Yacht: Gaia 36 The 5th and last finisher of the 2018 GGR Mark Sinclair (Australia, 63) Yacht: Lello 34 See interview for full profile Ertan Beskardes (UK, 60) Yacht: Rustler 36 Retired just five days into the 2018 race, Beskardes is back for another crack Abilhash Tomy (India, 43) Yacht: Rustler 36 Tomy was subject to a dramatic rescue in the 2018 edition and is now back with a new boat

● Cape Leeuwin to port.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 – 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 that have a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts are heavily built, strong and sturdy, similar in concept to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s 32ft vessel 'Suhaili'.

Simon Curwen (UK, 62)

Yacht: Biscay Emsworth-born36 but based in Brittany, Curwen is an ex Mini Transat sailor

Golden Globe 2022

● Snares Islands to starboard.

● 45°S latitude to starboard

Yacht: Cape George Cutter Experienced sailor who works for Skip Novak’s Pelagic Expedition yacht Ian Herbert Jones (52, UK) Yacht: Tradewind 35 Ex-army o cer who took part in the Clipper Race in 2007-8 Guy Waites (54, UK) Yacht: Tradewind 35 Experiences solo sailor who has taken a Contessa 26 across the Atlantic and back Edward Walentynowicz (68, Canada)

Yacht: Saltram Saga 36 Retired cabinet maker from Limerick who turned his hand to ﬁshing – and solo sailing

● The Kerguelen Islands to starboard.

● To a Gate in Storm Bay Tasmania. Entrants sail over a line and must drop sails and drift, or anchor for 90 minutes.

● Cape Horn to port.

Yacht: Rustler 36 Hugely experienced sailor with over 67,000nm under his belt Damien Guillou (39, France) Yacht: Rustler 36 Experienced racer who has participated for many years in the Figaro Bénéteau Class with several stages ranked in the Top 10. Also sailed many Imoca boats with Bertrand de Broc, Bernard Stamm, Jean Le Cam and Kevin Esco er.

One boating community 5 boatcarecentres 1 Boat subscriptionfleet 11 nationwideMarinas 8 Boatofficessales For more information about our facilities, visit boatfolk.co.uk or call us on 01305 866190

40 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

ecently, the United Kingdom Hydrographic office announced(UKHO)that it was now policy to withdraw their official paper charts by 2026. It seems that NOAA in America and SHOM in France have made similar decisions. For the record, I am advised by Norcom (Meridian Chartware), that the Admiralty Raster Chart Service (ARCS) is also to be discontinued.

Tom Cunliffe

The rise of GPS has changed the way we navigate forever, but the news that the UKHO is discontinuing paper charrts gives pause for thought

Tom Cunliffe

As a man whose navigation pre-dates GPS by decades, I suppose my knee-jerk reaction to this was predictable. ‘Speechless’ was the quote my wife posted on her Facebook page. The response showed the benefits of social media when used responsibly and informed comment flooded in on both sides of the argument. We navigators float on what might be described as an ever-flowing river of time. At the source, we

have seen Ptolemy’s early efforts at a vector chart based on course steered and distance run, measured largely without instrumentation. As the stream swirled along Vikings operated a similar system augmented by a rough relative latitude without numbers. Next the mariner’s compass arrived to pin down where we might be headed, followed by distance logs of ever-increasing accuracy. Given a halfway decent paper chart, we were then equipped to plot a dead

LOVELLCUNLIFFE/JOHNTOMPHOTOSWOOD,CLAIREILLUSTRATION:

PODCAST Catch up with Tom’s columns now and in the future at sailingtoday.co.uk

“In terms of the river of history, GPS barely covers a single generation”

ABOVE Navigating the intricate rock strewn waters of the Baltic is when a paper chart really comes into its own in terms of giving you the bigger picture

reckoning position, work up a threepoint fix and generally carry on the business of staying out of trouble while directing our vessel towards her destination. Out on deep water, things also progressed through a series of innovations. Instruments for measuring the angles of sun, moon, stars and planets developed alongside published tables. Latitude was largely cracked by the time of Columbus, but longitude for the ordinary mariner had to wait for Harrison’s chronometer in the eighteenth century. By this time, navigation was based on paper charts and remained so until the modern era. In terms of the river of history, GPS barely covers a single generation. Much of its potential still lies in unknown waters, so we must wait to see where it goes. 21st century sailors can be forgiven for imagining that the likes of UKHO have been responsible for delivering authoritative paper charts since time immemorial. We’d be wrong. Their ascendancy is a temporal thing. The British Hydrographic Department only began printing charts in 1800 and it was not until 1821 that sales extended beyond the Navy to the general public. Before that, the only available charts were produced by independent cartographers. Ships’ captains would have a favourite supplier; in some areas, one chart would be better than another, and so on. Most of these firms have long since disappeared, but in the UK, Imray Laurie Norie and Wilson boast a history that predates the Admiralty and is going strong today. While moving with the times and producing their own digital products, Imrays are still supplying paper charts in numbers. A comment from my friend Lucy Wilson on the Facebook page led me to Imray’s website where I found the good news that Imrays have no plans to withdraw their excellent, MCAapproved paper charts. It seems also that paper charts from other sources will be available as printon-demand, and no doubt as the river flows unstoppably towards 2026 the details will become clear.

The UKHO’s announcement states that their decision is based on diminishing orders for paper charts. I’d liked to hope that they were delivering a service, not operating as a business driven by profit and loss priorities, but we leisure users are not in a strong position to turn back the clock. Fully electronic SOLAS ships operating what is called ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System) have not been obliged to carry paper for some years now. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of their operators consider paper to be a needless expense and have let it go. ECDIS, however, bears only fleeting comparison with yacht navigation. In order to qualify, a ship must have serious recognised backup arrangements. Ironically, one of these is paper charts. The other, generally preferred, is ‘an independent, fully compliant second ECDIS unit, connected to

41Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

ABOVE Captain theatofchartedwhichseminalEndeavourCook’sonhervoyagemeticulouslylargeareastheSouthSeasthebehestofAdmiralty

ship’s main and emergency power supply and connected to systems providing continuous position fixing capability’. The backup ‘box’ must be fully loaded with charts for a coming voyage and any passage plan duly recorded. The backup must come onstream within 45 seconds of a breakdown. Charts are to be continually updated and be built to the ECDIS standard which is a long way from those most of us use in our bulkhead and App-based plotters. What all this means is that the ships which choose to exempt themselves from paper charts are operating on a vastly different playing field to the likes of us. So, if ‘the professionals’ are abandoning paper, why was I speechless? After all, I suppose I’m a professional myself. My reaction stemmed from the unhappy fact that so many people are missing the main points about paper charts and how they relate to leisure chart plotters. A classic example of this misunderstanding came in a shocking article in the Daily Telegraph which quoted a ‘sailing instructor’ and a ‘yachtmaster and instructor’ (sic). Both these individuals would have us believe that the move to digital will ‘disadvantage older leisure sailors’ who ‘might find it a little more difficult’. As a recently retired Instructor Examiner whose qualification predates GPS and who has progressed seamlessly through the whole revolution, I find these remarks indefensible. How these instructors imagine that a sailor who could plot a position using

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

“My stemmedreactionfrom

42 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

passage planning is the paper chart. It’s big. I can see where I’m going and make sensible decisions regarding routeing. If I want detail it doesn’t deliver, I can resort to the plotter for specific areas, and when I’m executing the passage both are in use for the same reasons. Paper chart and plotter used together intelligently creates a marriage made in heaven. It gives us all any pilot has wanted since Noah ran ashore on Mouth Ararat. You’ll have noticed that so far I’ve restricted these remarks to best navigational practice and have side-stepped the elephant in the saloon – backup. It’s all very well boasting that we have multiple different GPS systems on our boats. I have the plotter, a PC, an ipad and, in extremis, the tiny screen on my smartphone. The likelihood of all going down at once is on a quantum scale of probability. What is somewhat more probable is that the GPS signal is interrupted, switched off for military reasons, or otherwise corrupted. Then we’re left with a screen with charts that are unusable because the makers haven’t come up with a plotting system independent of GPS. I’m working on that, but it’s another story. So, I’m going to beat a path to Imrays for some decent charts. I’ll keep my paper log book up to date too, so if the machines go dumb I can revert to my last known position, plot it and sail on into sunny seas, a free man once again. the stars of heaven and work up a useful EP after several hours beating to windward in fog and a turning tide, wouldn’t be able to manage pressing a button and watching a little boat trundle across a screen, is beyond me. Let’s consign any suggestions of ageism to the bin then, and get down to the nitty gritty. I’m writing this on my boat. Later this morning I plan to travel thirty miles in shifting winds through an area with more than its fair share of rocks and hazards. Routeing options are varied and choices must be made. Try managing that on a screen the size of a tablet with a vector chart system. It would be a time-consuming struggle and would involve a degree of risk because, as we all know, a sailing boat does not travel in a straight line. She moves off the track to accommodate the wind, so any idea that you can be safe by plotting a route then making sure there are no dangers along it is spurious. Panning out either side for as far as we may possibly divert is unrealistic. It becomes more so as passages increase in length. The world of litigation is full of sailors who hit rocks ‘not on the chart’. The bricks were there all right, but the casualty didn’t zoom in tightly enough for the layering arrangements to reveal them. The classic incident of the Volvo boat on an Indian Ocean reef is a case in point. There are many others. Therefore, my first call when the unhappy fact that so many people are missing the main points about paper charts and how they relate to leisure plotters”chart

29 34 38SQ46SQNEW4230 od THE NEW DEHLER 46SQ PASSION. PRECISION. PERFORMANCE. MEET THE NEW DEHLER 46SQ AT Inspiration Marine Group Ltd. ScotlandEnglanddehler@inspirationmarine.co.ukandWales|02380457008andIreland|01475529975

Îles d’Hyères

The Îles d’Hyères are beloved by the French and sailors training for the Olympics but are otherwise often overlooked. Sam Jefferson decided to explore

ABOVE Looking west from Porquerolles down onto the Baieanchorageexcellentatd’Alcastre

Are you telling me that we will have to swim to and from the boat for the whole trip?” My crew incredulously.demandedI shrugged. “It’s possible, yes.” Sailing trips are beset by minor challenges I find. It’s part of the charm I suppose. That said, I hadn’t anticipated that the problems would present themselves as early as they did on my recent trip to the Îles d’Hyères on the French Mediterranean coast. Just to kick off, I was only able to start the trip by swimming to the boat because my tender had been stolen. Me and my crew were therefore forced to decant all our belongings into waterproof bags and take the plunge into chilly waters before a sail had been raised in anger. But let's recap because I’m guilty of clapping on the sail before the anchor is out the ground. I had planned a leisurely cruise from my home port of Sète in France to the Îles d’Hyères (better known by French people merely as Porquerolles) over the summer months. It’s a journey of some 110 nm and, due to work commitments I had ended up leaving the boat at Port Miou, a beautiful calanque or carstic fjord just east of Marseille. It’s a spectacular stopover; a hidden port cut deep into the white limestone cliffs topped with fragrant pines that crackle and buzz to the hypnotic rhythm of the cicada through the summer months. To save money, I shoved my boat on one of the mooring buoys (17 Euros per night for a 28ft boat) and left it there for three weeks. This was not a problem but I also left my dinghy in the dinghy dock and now, returning all set for a week long sail to Porquerolles, it was most definitely absent. This was trying. I have long had a bad relationship with this dinghy. It replaced a superb Avon

Hyères we go

44 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

BELOW RIGHT The port of Cassis, which adjoins Port Miou; a great place to buy saucisson and bread

BELOW LEFT Port Miou is a stunning mooring. The author's boat, 'Black Joke' is in the centre replete with dinghy

45Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Our first stopover was the pleasant anchorage off the town of Bandol. I figured this was a good place to put some fuel in the boat and stock up. This was unremarkable save for the

dinghy that rowed like a dream and, unfortunately this coracle-like craft did nothing of the sort. I was therefore not broken hearted to see it go. On the other hand, I needed it. I’m allergic to marinas but was aware that a week swimming to and from shore might be a bit trying. My crew was similarly concerned. He was well versed in the shortcomings of the boat, having enjoyed a short cruise with me the summer before. A gloomy, waspish Brexit refugee from Croydon with limited sailing skills but a good deal of tolerance for the questionable comforts of my boat. He was pretty stoical about the prospect of a late evening swim and half an hour later we were onboard, Pastis in hand, all our possessions still dry. Things took a further turn for the better the following morning when, following a bracing swim to the harbourmaster’s office to settle up, he told me that my dinghy had merely been moved out the way as it was attracting too much interest from the local kids. We were all set for our adventure. Hot wine and saucisson

ABOVE Looking back from Porquerolles toward the hills of Provence BELOW Two different views of Porquerolles village and L’'église SainteAnne de Porquerolles

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting46

Îles d’Hyères fact that we got an early indication of just how intense the heat was going to be. It was July and France had already been in the grip of a pretty savage canicule. As we tied up at the fuel berth, surrounded by concrete, it became quite hard to think straight. Yet we needed to provision. It had been loosely agreed that my crew would cover most of our provisioning costs and I would cover mooring, fuel and sailing the boat, so he duly went off to get some provisions while I filled up with both fuel and water before catching up with him. It was clear that he was struggling as he returned with little more than a saucisson and a box of already hot wine. I thought this might make for a joyless trip so went back to the shop to top things up before we got as far away from this concrete hell as possible and passed a pleasantly cool night at anchor.

The next day there was no wind so we got up as early as possible and motored past Cap Sicie and Toulon in the cool of the dawn. I had sailed this route once before, approaching from the west as night fell and found it thoroughly confusing due to the Presq’ile de Giens (nearly island) that juts out from the French mainland, and is only attached by a low sand spit to the north. Approaching from the west, it’s therefore tempting to sail behind this ‘island’ and find yourself in a blind alley. I would have explored it more but figured it was best to get to the islands which would, perforce, be less busy as they are less accessible. We duly arrived off Porquerolles about midday just as things started to get hot. The islands are relatively hilly and verdant, the hillsides bedecked with fragrant pines and topped with crumbling forts, while the main island of Porquerolles also features many acres of vineyards. Yet the most dominant feature is the gin clear water that just begged you to jump in. It was calling to me as I dropped the anchor yet, before I could do that, my crew pointed out that it was probably best if I went to get some bread as we realised that, in our heat induced stupor of the day before, we had both failed to buy any. I was therefore sent ashore to deal with this situation. I had low expectations of the village itself as Heikell’s pilot guide suggested that it had largely been built by the military quite recently, and was a bit soulless. Heikell is nearly always right but on this occasion I disagreed as the town was a pleasant surprise. It felt surprisingly soulful and had a certain dégagé air that actually reminded me a lot of the Caribbean, particularly in the heat. The centre of the town was dominated by a huge dusty square fringed with eucalyptus which made everything feel even more exotic.

Be prepared with books from REEDS & ADLARD COLES Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive content and special offers www.adlardcoles.com

ABOVE LEFT The Rade Porquerollesde proved to be a slightly rolly anchorage

ABOVE RIGHT AND BELOW Sunset over the Baie d'Alcastre

48 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting Îles d’Hyères

Beer, bread and giant fish Exotic, maybe but the midday heat was insufferable. I found the bakers, however, and was delighted that he seemed to be showing off some sort of giant fish he had out back to a bewildered customer who had come in for a baguette. Anyway, he stowed the fish behind the counter and handed me a couple of baguettes. I couldn’t take the heat anymore though and collapsed on the shady veranda of a nearby bar where I was presented with the most refreshing beer I have ever had. Thus revived I returned to the boat and served up a meal that was not exclusively saucisson. The anchorage off the Rade de Porquerolles is a bit of a rolly one during the day due to traffic so I was hoping to move to a better spot. My crew, however, was keen to see the town once it got cooler, having been regaled with my tales of fish and heavenly beer. We therefore stayed and swam, read and slept – not the worst way to pass a day. As the shadows lengthened we sallied forth and took a long stroll around the island. Porquerolles has an interesting history that mostly involves fighting. The island has been inhabited since Roman times and has variously been in the hands of the Italians, French, Sicilians and even the English for a brief period. The most recent quirk was that it was bought by some Belgian chap called Francois Joseph Fournier, a self-made man who made most of his money digging things up in Mexico. He paid a cool £140m or so in today’s money for the island in 1912 as part of a wedding gift for his wife. Extravagant. Anyway, in 1971 the French government bought up most of the island to stop it being uglified and also outlawed vehicles coming to the island. This means that it is a maze of walking and cycling trails threading its 4.3 mile length.

Vinaigre and Dr Crotte

The island has a population of about 200 residents yet receives an eye watering 10,000 tourists a day in the middle of summer. Most of these tourists rent a bike and then proceed to cycle blindly at you on dusty trails. However, once the last ferry of the day goes, peace largely reigns and we were able to fully explore the hills in relative solitude until night fell and we descended on the town. We opted not to buy dinner in town as it was a touch on the pricey side so we retired to the boat and I prepared a platter of bread and saucisson.

The following day the wind was forecast to fill in during the afternoon so I suggested we move round to a less uncomfortable anchorage and chill until the breeze arrived. We therefore headed round to the stunning Baie d’Alcastre and dropped the hook once more. This was a heavenly spot; a broad sweep of a bay facing north towards the mainland, fringed with white sand and overlooked by a fort. The water is about the clearest I have known – and I have spent long periods in both Croatia and the Caribbean. There was plentiful room the day we arrived. We swam here before dining on saucisson and bread and heading onwards towards the island of Port Cros as the land breeze started to kick in. Sadly, this breeze proved to be a desultory affair and we were soon motoring once more. This wasn’t a huge trauma as we only had 6nm to travel. Port Cros is the second island in the chain of three and is the tallest and most rugged with Mount Vinaigre. It’s also not particularly big, being only 2.6 miles long. Like Porquerolles its history is mostly one of invasion and attacks from pirates. The British seem to have taken a special interest in the island as they attacked it three times in the 1700s. This island is even more secluded and there is only one small port –Port Cros – which has a handful of restaurants and a few chambres d’hotes. The rest of the island is given over to walking trails, ruined forts and general verdure. I was most intrigued by the story of one Dr Crotte who inherited the island after he saved the life of the daughter of the incumbent owner the Marquis Costa de Beauregard. Anyway, Crotte (whose name translates as poo in French) set about trying to encourage mass tourism on the isle. He seems to have failed in this aim

Time for Yourself and With Family and Friends Carefree Cruising Designed by the best in the industry for ease of sailing, safety and ultimate comfort, built to perfection by engineers and artisans with generational craftsmanship skills. New hull and sail plan for the best ratio of comfort, safety, and performance for cruising. Styled for aesthetics and convenient life aboard. Read elan-impression-43yacht-lines/impression-line/https://www.elan-yachts.com/en/more: BoatPoint | hamble@boatpoint.co.uk | +44(0)2382 120 000 | Deacons Marina, Bridge Rd, Bursledon, Southampton SO31 8AZ, UK | boatpoint.co.uk

50 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Îles d’Hyères thankfully and the island then ended up in the hands of the Henry family after the death of Dr Crotte in 1919. This occurred because his daughter Blanche Crotte (White Poo) gave the island to them, then realised this might not have been wise, contested the case, and lost. Merde alors. Anyway, the Henry family did not seem to like mass tourism and the island remained pleasingly wild, while a selection of artistic and literary types such as Andre Gide and Paul Valery spent a lot of time here seeking inspiration. It has retained this wildness to the present day. We opted to anchor just off Port Cros as the wind was forecast to pick up and there was good protection to be had behind the small uninhabited islet of Bagaud. I was rather glad to see that there were mooring buoys laid on and these turned out to be free until 6pm, after which you paid 15 Euros for the night – not too bad all in all. You can reserve these buoys online (portcros-parcnational.fr) but the website seemed to date from the days when people talked about ‘surfing the web’. A horrible mix of fonts and colours that defeated my phone. In the end, we gave up, swam ashore and then took a look around the small hamlet of Port Cros, very charming in the cool of the evening; just a horseshoe of houses situated around a stone pier with a handful of cafes, one churning out some bang average rock standards that made me glad our mooring buoy was just around the corner. We had a beer but opted to dine on the boat and feasted on saucisson and stale bread before laying up and enjoying the cool of the night bathing beneath the stars and discussing the merits of early 90's grunge music. Drought, nudists andmore saucisson In the morning the bonhomie of the night before deteriorated somewhat as my crew took a shower and used up all the water. It wasn’t entirely his fault; though it was a decent effort given we had filled up at Bandol four days previous. Ultimately my fault for not explaining the finite nature of water aboard. It did put a bit of a different slant on our trip though as all the islands were on drought alert and therefore refilling was an impossibility unless we went to the mainland. We could, however, buy bottled water at Port Cros which would tide us over. Not ideal but the other option was cutting the trip short, which neither of us wanted. Anyway, we went ashore and, in the cool of the morning took a long walk to the peak of Mount Vinaigre and enjoyed the magnificent views. Descending back into town, I settled up at the capitanerie while my crew bought provisions; saucisson and a baguette. I decided that I didn’t want to die of scurvy so went back to the shop and topped up with some cheese, vegetables and general nibbles. In an act of extreme spite I also bought a cake for myself, which I ate without telling my crew. Yes, I can be a vindictive swine when the mood takes me. Given the parlous water situation, I decided we should head back to the Presq’Ile, as Hyères Plage had a marina – doubtless a concrete inferno - that could refill our tank. In the meantime, I bought enough bottled water to last the day and we headed off – not without regret – as it was a lovely island. This about turn also meant we would miss the Île du Levant. This was a shame but I must admit that I had been slightly put off by the fact that the island is part military base, part nudist colony. My limited experience of nudist colonies suggests that they are almost exclusively peopled by elderly men with bellies so enormous that they, blessedly, cover most of their genitals. As to what remained visible…. well, I’d already seen enough saucisson for one trip. It turned out to be the best sailing day and the wind rapidly filled in to a good 15kn and we enjoyed a thrash up the coast, beating all the way. We swiftly passed Hyères and I proposed we push on to Toulon to fill up with water. Several tacks later and the wind increased again and turned bang on the nose. As we cleared the protection of Ile de Grand Ribaud I could see that things would be heavy so I suggested we instead sail across to Porquerolles once more and anchor off Petit Langoustier on the western tip of the island. This gave us an extra night in the islands, the only problem being the lack of water. I said I would walk back into the village to get some more bottles and possibly eat a meal that was not mainly composed of saucisson. My crew agreed this would be a pleasant evening so we dropped anchor in another beautiful bay which had a wild feel on this breezy day but still offered superb protection. The walk back into Porquerolles

ABOVE Two views of Port Cros BELOW Muchos saucisson

/mustangsurvival mustangsurvival.com MUSTANG SURVIVAL We believe life is best lived beyond land. Based in British Columbia, Canada, we engineer and manufacture marine apparel and safety products for those who believe the same. #livebeyondland Available at mustangsurvival.com YOUBOAT Premier Marina, Bridge Road Swanwick, Hampshire, SO31 1ZH youboatmarine.com

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting52 Îles d’Hyères was relatively long but well worth it. This end of the island seemed very calm and peaceful in the beautiful evening light. I was delighted to be back in town too and celebrated with a wood fired pizza – my crew selecting the diavolo – topped with something that looked suspiciously like saucisson. This saucisson fetish baffled me as he said he and his wife followed a vegan diet but, hell, I guess this was a holiday and saucisson ruled. Back on the boat the night was particularly beautiful; no moon, a fresh breeze ruffling the black water, dark silhouettes of jagged rocks all around, the roar of the sea and the stars piercingly bright up above. I was minded of the Ford Madox Ford quote; ‘overhead the great black flood of wind polishes the bright stars’. Beautiful. The trip was all but over and I retired to bed early as I knew the following day would be an epic one. I wanted to get at least to Marseille which was a fair trek. Starvation sets in Getting up at 6am the next day, I pulled up the anchor, slipped out the bay and pointed the bow west. The day panned out well with a fair following breeze, which took us right through the calanques and into the Baie de Marseille. My initial plan had been to stop at one of the ports just to the east of Marseille but we had such a good slant it seemed a

48 BLUEWATER 50 sales@oceanshipyardlimited.com SOUTHERLY 42SOUTHERLYwww.oceanshipyardlimited.com48+44(0)2380170545 Unit 5, Cracknore Industrial Park, Marchwood, Southampton, UK SO40 4AF MK3 SOUTHERLY 48SOUTHERLY 48 SAIL WITHOUT LIMITS

ABOVE LEFT Dawn Treader under way in flukey conditions BELOW LEFT Helsinki was one of a number of picturesque stopovers BELOW RIGHT The TreaderDawnteam

Baltic Sea Race

Georgie Corlett-Pitt talks to Ed Bell owner of the JPK 1180 'Dawn Treader' Baltic Sea Race

This summer saw the inaugural Roschier Baltic Sea Race take place, organised by RORC together with the Ocean Racing Alliance. The 630nm course started and finished in the historic capital of Helsinki, tracing the picturesque Finnish coastline before rounding the Swedish island of Gotland and returning north-eastwards. It drew nearly 30 teams from across the region and from as far afield as USA. Among them was the sole British entry, 'Dawn Treader', a JPK 1180 owned by keen offshore racer, Ed Bell. More usually based on the UK’s south coast, Ed had his sights set on a fresh challenge this summer, and the Roschier Baltic Sea Race provided exactly that. It took a crew of two just seven days to deliver 'Dawn Treader' to the region, sailing via the Kiel Canal. Having travelled there extensively on business in the past, Ed was excited by the prospect of spending time afloat so far north. He explains: “We did a lot of races in the UK last year in the build-up to the Fastnet and we knew that we had another Fastnet campaign lined up for next year. I was looking at doing something a bit different and also wanting to build our experience on longer races, and so this ticked a lot of boxes.

“It’s also pretty special up there in the summer months; there’s a lovely holiday atmosphere. I have often heard the locals talk in raving terms about how wonderful it is in midsummer, how the breeze is warm and the countryside is beautiful, and the archipelagos were a must-visit.”

As a prelude to the RORC race, Ed and his team entered the Gotland Runt, an intense 350nm sprint organised by the Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS) from Stockholm through the Swedish Archipelago, rounding Gotland to starboard and finishing in Sandhamn. Sailing a flawless race in strong breezes, the team claimed overall victory in a 300-strong fleet – an impressive achievement in the region’s major offshore event. Unfamiliar waters But just two weeks later, and RORC’s newest race proved to be an altogether different test – and testament to the Baltic Sea’s reputation for extremely changeable conditions. While Ed describes both boat speed and teamwork on board 'Dawn Treader' as “top notch”, when it came to strategy, racing in now-

54 SPURDZINSJANISKORTENIEMI;PEPEPHOTOS: OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Despite this, Ed and his team (Mark Spearman, Calum Healey, Ed Myers, Christopher Daniel, Hugh Ward, Nick Robins) were among the pre-race favourites for the overall win on IRC, and true to that, they started well, leading IRC 1 from early in the race. As they tackled the tricky leg southwest toward the Swedish coastline and the island of Gotland, they were battling neck and neck with fellow contenders 'Wetjob', a Swedish Farr 400 skippered by Niclas Heurlin, and 'Xtra Staerk', Arto Linnervuo’s Finnish Xp 44.

As the trio entered the Gulf of Finland for the closing stages of the race, the wind shut down, a roll of the dice saw 'Dawn Treader' at an agonising standstill while her closest competitors found just enough of a zephyr to put them ahead. The sudden hole meant 'Dawn Treader' was knocked back to third in IRC 1, with 'Wetjob' surging forward to win. 'Xtra Staerk' had done enough to seal second; the big welcome as they finished just off Helsinki’s shoreline was some consolation at least for Finn Arto Linnervuo, who intends to race in future RORC races with his new foil-driven Infiniti 52 'Tulikettu' –the boat he had originally entered this race in but which was lost on a delivery trip earlier this year; although the boat was later recovered it had suffered significant damage.

fickle breezes in unfamiliar waters made for a unique challenge.

ABOVE Xtra Staerk, Arto FinnishLinnervuo’sXp44

On board 'Dawn Treader', Ed knew the importance of keeping a close eye on his competitors, particularly as they neared the critical turning point around the southwesterly tip of Gotland. He describes the race to that point: “On the first leg, sailing across the Gulf of Bothnia towards Sweden, 'Wetjob' had gone a long way off track in search for the wind and it looked like they had taken a big risk - but the wind did fill in first closer to the shore where they were. They then got a bit more of that on the next leg down to Gotland.

BELOW I Love Poland, a VO70 which took line honours in the inaugural event

While 'Dawn Treader' completed the course in 4 days, 3 hours, 3 minutes, the inaugural course record was set by IRC 0 frontrunner 'I Love Poland', a VO70 owned by the Polish National Foundation and skippered by Grzegorz Baranowski, which fended off some exciting competition to finish in 3d, 0h, 27m. Crossing just 16 minutes

“Talking to the guys who have done the Gotland Runt many times, there’s a pretty reliable southwesterly flow around the bottom of Gotland, which is quite often a recurring feature, but then it can also disappear, and you get a lot of local effects off the archipelago. We had the Finnish boat on one side and the Swedish boat on the other, and were guessing as to which one was getting it right. In the end it turned out that the Swedish boat seemed to have a better understanding on the day.”

“As this was the first ever time the race has been run, there isn’t that history of teams who have sailed the race,” explains Ed. “It is not like the Caribbean 600, the Middle Sea Race or the Fastnet, say, where there is a lot of accumulated knowledge within the community around headlands, convergence zones and other features like that. Usually you can slightly ‘piggyback’ on previous experiences. This was essentially a clean slate, and we didn’t have the history or the understanding of the different places in the Baltic like some of the local teams have.”

55Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

SPURDZINSJANISKORTENIEMI;PEPEPHOTOS: OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting56

Another unfamiliar dimension the British team encountered was the almost continuous daylight that defines the Nordic mid-summer, meaning they were able to push themselves and the boat much harder than usual – something that the competitive team welcomed.

ABOVE LEFT The TP 52 'Outsider' ABOVE RIGHT

Asked if he is likely to return for the next edition of the Baltic Sea Race in 2024, it’s a firm “yes” from Ed. He expects entry numbers to grow among those looking for a competitive 600-miler with a difference. Next time though he plans to swot up on local weather patterns in even greater detail! In the meantime, Ed will be heading to Malta for October’s Middle Sea Race – which 'Dawn Treader' had to sit out last year after losing her mast just hours into the Fastnet Race. There’s also unfinished business on that race too, and so for summer 2023 'Dawn Treader' will be back campaigning on the south coast, aiming to complete yet another iconic 600-miler in what will be the 50th edition of the Fastnet.

The Finnish crew of 'Silver Moon II' celebrate after taking overall IRC honours in their 9.9m H-323 yacht BELOW 'Dawn Treader' put in a strong showing but was ultimately denied line honours on a tense final run to the finish line

“We found that the weather models for the Baltic Sea Race we were looking at were less reliable than the ones we’d seen a few weeks before. We went with the Finnish model, which I think most locals thought was going to be the right one, but it didn’t turn out to be that accurate during the race. We were talking to the Swedish team on 'Wetjob' afterwards and they had found the Swedish model more reliable, and certainly they did better job of avoiding the holes than we did.

And while on shore the local hosts gave visiting teams a superb welcome, on the water the local sailors put up some feisty competition, notably 'Wetjob' and 'Xtra Straerk', who, Ed says, “kept us guessing the whole away round”. Ultimately, their weather insights gave the Scandi opposition an advantage that was hard to overcome. Ed explains: “If I am honest, we were probably lulled into a false sense of security by the Gotland Runt; for us, the tactics were relatively simple in that race because the wind came in very strongly from the south, which suited us very well. But the Baltic Sea has a pretty complex and technical weather picture, which we probably need to do a bit more work on next time!

Baltic Sea Race behind was Tilmar Hansen’s German TP52 'Outsider', with VO70 GP 'Bullhound' and VO65 'Ambersail' also finishing within an hour of the line honours victor. Meanwhile, the overall IRC win was settled at the other end of the fleet. Described as a “fairy tale victory”, it eventually went to the smallest boat in the race, H-323 'Silver Moon II' - a 9.9m sloop raced by a Finnish family team with Salla Kaven as skipper - the second to last boat to finish. Highs and lows For the 'Dawn Treader' crew, having had victory within their grasp for a major part of the race, the final outcome was understandably frustrating. Yet Ed is ungrudging. “That’s offshore racing isn’t it?!” he says. “You get shut-downs and then you get amazing runs, a good blow and you’re reaching downwind... It can be frustrating but overall, it’s great fun, it’s why we do it.”

“The weather is undoubtedly the main challenge in this race; because of variations in sea temperatures, there are always going to be holes in the wind, added to some local low pressures and a lot of effects caused by the shorelines. 'Wetjob' did a good job of picking those up; we’re still early in the learning process as far as those local effects are concerned.”

“Then when it came to racing, the light meant we could push so much harder. It helps in terms of fatigue; you don’t feel as tired in that you don’t just stare at the numbers as much, rather you can actually see the sails and see to trim; it all feels more do-able.”

“It’s wonderful racing up there at night,” describes Ed. “We did the RORC Caribbean 600 earlier in the year and while the Caribbean is beautiful, there’s a lot of dark. By contrast, in the Baltic, you literally get an hour or so at most of darkness, and even then, you can still see, particularly if it’s a bright clear night. You come on watch at 2am and it’ll be bright sunlight. On the way over from the Gotland Runt, it was 3am, we were motoring through the archipelago and it was bright sunlight; there was no one around, it was totally empty, and just beautiful.

www.moodyboats.com ONE-level living. TOP-level sailing. Moody Deck Saloon 54. Inspiration Marine Group Ltd. ScotlandEnglandmoody@inspirationmarine.co.ukandWales|02380457008andIreland|01475529975 DS 45NEW DS 41AC 41 DS 54

So, brave sailor, your first Herculean task of finding a wine list is achieved. Your next challenge is to choose a bottle. Hopefully, the list has been translated into English. If not, you will just have to ask the poor waiter to choose for you, or resort to drinking the salad dressing. But even in English, you will be reading through a lot of names you’re not familiar with.

Greek Wine

At least, I think this was just a misunderstanding. The taverna owner, being a local island bloke, believed that the tourist just wanted a cheap drink. Besides, the wine was made by his uncle and it was good to keep the family in business. And the tourist was never told there was a choice, so they just accepted that drinking 'vinegar' was the way of things in Greece. It was only the wise Athenians who knew the score, and sent the taverna owner running to the shop for something a civilised palette could quaff. However, over the past decade, things have changed. The Greek wine industry, driven by a few venerable old vineyards and a surge of young, keen, innovative winemakers, has remembered its heritage and become rather good. It hasn’t quite filtered all the way down to the small village tavernas yet though, so you’ll still have to hold your nose there. But step through the doors of any of a dozen decent

restaurants in Nydri alone and, while you might have to ask for it, a wine list will be provided for your perusal.

ABOVE Vineyards abound in the Ionian and - contrary to myth - can produce excellent wines

SKAFARSIMONISTOCKPHOTOS:

58 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

The Ionian isn't just about the azure water and beautiful scenery: Tom Fletcher’s vineyard route provides an alternative slant to the popular sailing area

Unmythablewinetours

reek wine is tavernamanyrestauranteurs.Bothmisunderstood.terriblybysailors andForyears,everyownerwould only serve cheap local village wine in jugs and any tourist would, knowing the price of a jug, cheerfully hold their nose and postulate “It’ll taste better after the first glass”! That wine would come in at least two, and sometimes three, varieties. Red, white and pink. And, if you were really unlucky, the ‘pink’ was actually just a mix of red and white. The hangovers in those days were legendary. Many a charterer would cut short the next day’s sailing.

That is because Greek wines are typically made from native grape varieties which are not grown elsewhere. So, in addition to many bottle labels being in Greek, the wine tourist also has to contend with unknown varieties too. This combination of confusing factors is like a double-tap to the head for Greek wine. But, dear oenophile, do not let

59Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

In order to give yourself at least half a chance of picking something you may like, try to remember the four most popular Greek varieties. Very roughly, these are the local equivalent of Cab Sav, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, in that order: Xinomavro: which produces dry, tannic reds and is grown mainly in Northern Greece. Agiorgitiko: which produces softer, merlot-like reds and is grown mainly in Nemea, the Peloponnese. Assyrtico: a white-wine grape native to Santorini and grown in several places around Greece. As a general rule, it produces minerally, dry wines. Moschofilero: an aromatic white wine grape, is also grown mainly in the Unfortunately,Peloponnese. it’snotassimple as that though. Many of the islands in Greece have their own native varieties which aren’t grown anywhere else. So, when you look for quality local wines, in Lefkada for example, you will find mainly Vardea (white) and Vertzami (red). Some of these varieties are of such high quality they have become available all over Greece. Assyrtico, from Santorini, being the perfect example. To a lesser extent though, the Robola grape from Kefalonia and Corfu has also made it to the big time, so watch out for that one when cruising in the Ionian. If you’re looking at trying some fine wines in Greece then it also pays to know about OPAP –Appellation of Origin Wines. This is the equivalent of what the French call AOP, Protected Appellation of Origin. There are eight such areas in Greece, but the ones you’ll come across most often are: l Naoussa (for Xinomavro) in Macedonia. l Nemea (for Agiorgitiko wines) in the Peloponnese. l Santorini (for Assyrtico). l Mandineia (for wines from the Moschofilero grape), in the Peloponnese. All this epicurean delight is, of course, best appreciated from the deck of a gorgeous charter yacht. So where can the Ionian sailor enjoy all the rich soils of the area have to offer? The following five vineyards are broken down by island, with recommended mooring locations. Most of the island vineyards are small, and family run, so don’t expect a long tour. However, they are all situated in beautiful locations, with views to die for, and allow a glimpse into Greek island life that most sailors never see. Most vineyards will offer a short lecture, a tour and then a tasting with some mezze. Just make sure you moor up securely, as moving a yacht after an afternoon tasting in the sun is not something we recommend at Sail Ionian!

this daunt you. Instead, rejoice. For you have just discovered an entire country full of new flavours to explore while you sail around the islands. Or, just be brave and point at something in the middle of the list.

ABOVE Wine barrels at Theotoky Wine Estate, Corfu BELOW Sail Ionian yachts moored off a taverna in Sivota, Lefkas. This is the classic setting to be served a bottle of cheap, vinegary wine - unless you are in the know!

ABOUT AUTHORTHE Tom Fletcher has worked for Sail Ionian for the past 11 years. He has sailed extensively in the detailssailionian.combeatenamoreandthecircumnavigatingsailingadventurearea, skipperingweeksPeloponnese,likesnothingthan takingyachtothetrack. Gotoforfullonchartering.

Le ada: Le as Earth Winery (le aditikigi.gr): Located in the hills above Sivota, just a few kilometres from Sail Ionian’s base, on the south coast of Le ada. is charming, young vineyard is one of the largest on Le ada. Moor in Sivota, which has excellent facilities for yachts with several pontoons with lazy lines. Exclusively grown on Le ada, the grape varieties of Vardea (white) and Vertzami (red) make a selection of seven di erent wines to try. e ‘Skin Contact’ dry white is the star of the show, on a hot summer a ernoon. Si ogo Winery (si ogole ada.gr – tours by phone appointment only): One for the grassroots fanatics, this is a tiny vineyard is in the village of Platistoma, perched in the hills 500m above Nydri. Stunning views out over Skorpios, Meganisi and the other Princes Islands reward your e ort. Si ogo is one family’s passion, they cultivate Vartzami, Vardea and Chlori grapes, as well as some almost forgotten ancient varieties (Mavropatrino, iako, white Vartzamo, Kokkinostafylo & Le as Muscat). Moor in Nydri for the night, and on your return pop into De Blancks wine shop, run by a very knowledgeable Danish (www.deblanckgreekwines.com). couple Corfu: eotoky (theotoky.com): Estate One of the oldest vineyards in Corfu, if not the whole of Greece. eotoky Aspro (white in Greek) was famously requested by non-other than James Bond in 1981’s 'For Your Eyes Only'. e estate is located in the Ropa Valley around 17km from Corfu Town, which is probably the best place to moor for this visit. Pre-book a spot in the small, but beautiful, Mandraki Marina beneath the citadel’s massive old walls. eotoky produces whites from the Robola variety, reds from Cabernet Sauvignon, and a rose from Syrah. e Estate is a beautiful, old, peaceful place to visit, and has a restaurant and accommodation on site. Zakynthos: Ktima (ktimagrampsa.gr):Grampsas Established in 2011 by two brothers keen to breathe life back into Zakynthian wine making, Grampsas is in the hills above Laganas. Zante Town is the easiest place to moor though. e vineyard is run to a very high standard, the tour is the best of all the vineyards here, and the on-site restaurant is wonderful. Producing 11 wines from local varieties such as Goustolidi and Avgoustiatis, this vineyard is a classy example of modern Greek wine making.

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting60

Located on the far south of Kefalonia, you could moor in either Argostoli, Poros or possibly Sami. Petrakopoulos Wines has a very short tour, and a simple tasting area. ey are, however, an excellent producer of the classic Kefalonian Robola whites, which are the reason you’re here. Reds come from the local Mavrodaphne variety, and are also worth sampling. I nd it very refreshing to set o on a yacht charter with a purposeful plan for a di erent week’s activities. Exploring the vineyards also takes you up into the hills and mountains of the Ionian islands. e views are spectacular and it’s interesting to see mountain ways of life continue much as they have here for centuries. So, nally, while everyone knows “yia mas” (cheers), maybe you could be a bit more adventurous and toast a cheeky “aspro pato”. Literally ‘white bottom’ or “bottoms up”!

ABOVE LEFT Grampsas Winery on Zakynthos ABOVE RIGHT eotoky Estate, Corfu BELOW LEFT Si ogo Winery cellar on the island of Le as BELOW RIGHT e vineyard Petrakopoulosaton the island of Kefalonia

Kefalonia: Petrakopoulos petrakopouloswines.gr): (www.

At MDL, we offer more than a secure home for your boat. With 18 stunning marinas across the UK and almost 50 years at the helm, we pride ourselves on delivering an unrivalled marina experience. EXPERIENCE a warm welcome by our expert teams on hand around the clock Ready to experience more? Enquire about a berth today MDLMARINAS.CO.UK/QUOTE *Awarded in Otium Rewards loyalty points. T&Cs apply. EXPLORE the best cruising grounds in the UK, France, Spain & Portugal ENJOY Otium Rewards with great savings on berthing, fuel and boatyard services UP BERTHINGBACK5%TO*ONANNUAL WITH MDL EXPLREENJOYEXPERIENCEMARINAS,MORE,

Boat test - Hanse 460 We live in unusual times and the fact that over 150 Hanse 460s were sold before anyone was able to look at one, makes it a hit. Is it any good though? Sam Jefferson finds out Hanse Up 62 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

63Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

veryJeanneauaisteamboatbreakThelongoneaself-tackingonofcompetitiveandTheyrivals;inexplicablyandthemandroundedhadperformedlineJudel/VrolijktheformanufacturerGermanworkedmanyyearswithdesignteamofandtheresultwasaofyachtsthatalllookedandprettysimilarly.Theyallstrikinglineswithaplumbbow,transom,decentfreeboardalowcoachroofthatmadelookrathermodern,sleekstylish.Thesteeringwasalwaysbetterthanalmostallfingerlightandsensitive.wereallclearlybuilttocostthiswasreflectedbothinaverypriceandthequalitythefitout.Youcouldalsocountthemtohaveabigmainwithajib.Endofstory.Itwassuccessfulformulaand,tobefair,thatHansestuckwithforagoodtime.Upuntilnowinfact.newHanse460isadefinitivewiththisformulaasthenewisdesignedbytheFrenchofBerret/Racoupeau.ThisadesignhousethathasworkedgreatdealwithFrenchrivalsandBeneteauandhasadistinctivestyleallofitsown.ThisismostdefinitelyreflectedinthenewHanse460,whichisaverydifferentboatfromitspredecessor,theHanse458.Thenewboatisslightlylongerat13.87comparedto13.85forthe458,andheavier(12,560–11.700kg).TheboathasabitmorefreeboardbutretainsasinglerudderandanL-Shapedkeel.Yetthereallyhugechangecomesinthebeamdepartmentwherethe460isafull41cmwiderthantheold458.Andthisiswherewegettothenubofthings;inrecentyearsBerret/RacoupeauhasbeenattheheartofaminordesignrevolutionthatreallykickedoffinearnestwiththeBeneteauOceanis51.1.Theideawastohavechinesforeandafttoallowthehulltoflareoutsignificantlyabovethewaterline.Thismeantthatyoucouldkeepwettedsurfacearearelativelylowinlightairsandgivetheboatmorepowerwhenheeled.Theotherobviousbenefitwasthatthisallowsforevenmoreinternalvolume.Youonlyhavetolookatthehullshapeofthenew 64 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting Boat test - Hanse 460

Testing a Hanse boat was always relatively simple. The

ABOVE The 460 has a versatile rig with the selftacking jib augmented by a big reaching sail BELOW The looks are striking and a steep change from its designedJudel/Vrolijkpredecessors 460 compared to the 458 to see the dramatic difference this makes. At deck level, the entrance lines are relatively blunt compared to the 458, while the beam, already larger, is now carried right aft. All this points to more volume. Styling wise, the boats look quite different too with the new boat featuring a inverted dreadnought bow, longer, thinner, portlights and a slightly less wedge like coachroof. The sail area has been upped somewhat to offset that extra weight presumably. The logic is fair enough, the design has advanced and the forward chine concept was worth adopting to keep up with the competition even though it means losing Hanse’s easily recognisable styling.

POOLE A SEA OF DISCOVERY AWAITS MARINAOFTHEYEAR 2016 - 2017 - 2019 - 2020 THE COAST’SSOUTHPREMIERMARINA Poole Town Quay, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HJ t: 01202 649488 | poolequayboathaven.co.uk VISITOR MARINA 125 visitor berths all year for vessels up to 75m in length and up to 4.8m draft On the Port estate we can accommodate vessels up to 210m in length with a maximum draft of 9m. SWINGING MOORINGS Relax with a glass of wine, on a sunny afternoon, on your own swinging mooring in Poole Harbour overlooking Brownsea Island. Away from the madding crowd, these offer you ultimate privacy, peace & tranquillity. VHF Channel 80 call sign “Poole Quay Boat Haven” HOME OF

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting66 The UK’s leading yacht refit and repair facility The complete service for all cruising and racing yachts under one roof Yacht repairs & joinery Sprayshop & hull finishing Marine engineering & electronics Spars, rigging, ropes & splicing GRP repair & modifications Stainless repair & fabrication Cruising & race preparation & support Fox’s Marina & Boatyard, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 8SA +44 (0) 1473 689111 foxs@foxsmarina.com foxsmarina.com Talk to us about our WINTER LAY-UP OFFER Discounts off Fox’s standard rates for haul/scrub/storage/launch* T&C’sto*Subject Fox's Sailing Today ad - Spet22 .indd 1 05/08/2022 09:04 THE CREW JOIN Want Want Want to to to Race? Race? Race? Faroe Islands Explorer Atlantic Voyager Grand Banker www.spartanoceanracing.com Breathtaking views from both sea and land, embrace this unique adventure with a camera ready! August 2022 Stavanger-Faroe Islands-Reykjavik 1100 NM Addalittlebitofbodytext Beautiful Atlantic Offshore Training Event heading to one of the East Coast's favorite ports. September 2022 Reykjavik-St. John's 1650 NM Visit three very distinct historical seaports filled with history and scenery all in 7 days! October 2022 St. John's - St.Pierre - Lunenburg 600NM

ABOVE Clean, uncluttered decks and a simple running rigging set-up make for a boat that is easily to sail singlehandedly BELOW LEFT A well-lit, roomy saloon BELOW RIGHT

6767Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

The main absolutelyforwardstateroomowner'sisupandispalatial for added power in light winds. This Solent rig makes the boat incredibly versatile particularly when married to the smaller self-tacking inner jib which is ideal for upwind work. The track for the genoa cars for this outer headsail is on the toerail, which keeps things simple and unobtrusive. Down below You descend via sympathetically angled companionway steps, into a clean, well lighted place. The light comes from a plethora of portlights and skylights, including an immense square metreage of skylights in the main saloon. The boat has the usual light, modern ‘loft style’ feel that characterised older Hanses but the overall quality of fit out has stepped up a notch or two. The saloon features a longitudinal galley running down the starboard side with a decent sized chart table aft of this. The galley offers really good levels of space for cooking and is very practical. On an ocean passage in a big swell it might be more of a caution although there is a decent bracing point just behind where the chef would stand. These days, chart tables seem to be very on Hanses for a long time now and it works very well. The mainsheet does not have a traveller and is a bridle system anchored on the coachroof with the German mainsheet system meaning it leads back to the helm and can be adjusted from either side. You do end up with an awful lot of string aft, which is stowed in rope bins just forward of the helm. You do need a degree of organisation to make sure you don’t get tangled but the benefits are total control within arms reach of the helm. If you’re using the self-tacker then things really do get very simple indeed. The helm pedestals are well laid out with comfortable perches for the skipper, while aft you have a range of choices from an open transom to barbecue and sink arrangements depending on your taste. There is a dedicated liferaft space in the starboard lazarette and further storage to port. Up forward the foredeck feels substantially less massive but those fat forward sections mean that there is space for a very generous bow locker with ample storage for fenders and sails. The bow has the option of a second stay on the sprit with a big outer reaching headsail

On deck Step aboard and it’s impossible to ignore just how huge the cockpit is. The boat comes with twin cockpit tables with a corridor running between the two. There is the option of having tables that lower down telescopically to provide even more lounging space. The seating is very comfortable and Hanse has long been the master of separating the lounging area forward from the ‘working’ area of the cockpit aft. To this end all the sheets are led in channels under the coamings and emerge via banks of jammers just in front of the two helms, where they are dealt with by two pairs of optionally powered winches. This is a tried and tested method employed

going for a more quality feel to its boats, which explained the high quality fit out. While this is true it also seemed at odds with going for a design quite similar to French rivals, and also maximising volume and thereby making the boat ideal for the charter market. I guess the flip side is that the boat is slightly cheaper than its rivals while offering the same amount of volume.

ABOVE The broad aft sections make for a huge cockpit BELOW Under sail, the boat proved to be a powerful and performerimpressiveina range of conditions

69Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

much an optional extra and indeed, this one can be replaced to make an even bigger cooking area or there is also the option of using the space to create a bunk room. To port is the main seating area, which is very comfortable, and the the seating pod in the centre of the boat doubles as a brace for the chef in the galley. There is also a tv screen discreetly tucked within. Aft of the seating area is the day heads and separate shower stall. Aft of this are two decent sized aft cabins with above average levels of light and space. Both have ensuites with the port side heads being somewhat larger. The forward cabin is really big and is entered by very large double doors which give a good feeling of light and space – not sure what effect this has on the integrity of the bulkhead but I’m sure Hanse have that under control. The cabin itself boasts a double bed you can walk to either side of in order to get in. There is a big wardrobe to starboard and a really spacious ensuite heads to port with separate shower. If you were thinking of putting the boat into the charter market, then this palatial front cabin can be split in two to provide two much more modest doubles but the classic layout will be a big forward cabin with two doubles aft. Under sail Ok so it has got a lot of space and it’s well finished. I was keen to know how it sailed however. I was very fond of the old 458 so I was interested to know if that extra weight and beam would have a negative effect on performance. Conditions could not have been better as the Solent dished up a most peculiar day commencing with sluggish 5kn winds, which were forecast to persist only to be replaced by 20-25kn of breeze, towering cumulus clods, sunshine, torrential showers and a wicked short Solent chop. Setting off into a non-existent breeze, we unfurled the big reaching genoa, hoisted the full mian and steeled ourselves for a light air drift.

The boat performed commendably in these conditions, with boatspeed largely matching windspeed. Then everything changed. I noted in midSolent a yacht seemingly achieving the impossible and heeling at a wild angle. This was a strong indicator that there was just a lot of wind about to come our way. As with everyone else, we were somewhat caught out by this and initially were testing the integrity of the rig to its maximum load capacity. It was also a good test of the boat’s ability to handle things while overpressed and I have to say the boat passed this test with flying colours. For starters the boat’s steering remains as precise, light and enjoyable as it had on the previous Judel/Vrolijk models, which made even these heavy conditions a pleasure. In addition, the boat had a remarkable amount of grip considering that this is a big, broad boat with a single rudder. Yet depite definitely being overpressed, the boat had a real sense of power that was reassuring and impressive. After a short while of this pell-mell beam reach, we furled the big reacher, put a reef in the main and switched to the self-tacking headsail. This made for more fun sailing as there was absolutely nothing that was required to be done as we fired through the tacks. The boat was fast and in the conditions, felt rather too large for the Solent – like a racehorse obliged to bound around a rather restricted paddock. We were logging speeds from the mid eights to mind nines and it all felt thoroughly exhilarating. I had wondered if the boat would feel sluggish compared to the lighter, narrower 458 but I can’t say that this was the case. It felt more powerful perhaps. I guess in bigger waves perhaps those fatter sections above the waterline could create more drag but in flattish water, it certainly didn’t feel like there was much holding this boat back.

SAM’S VERDICT Hanse had a very distinct winning formula for its yachts and I wondered if a change of designer might jinx this but, although the 460 is a di erent boat altogether compared to its predecessors, the basic tenets of easy handling and good internal volume remain, while I was delighted to note that the steering remains as excellent as ever. e quality of the interior t-out feels a touch higher than previous models and, while perhaps visually it is a bit more similar to French rivals than before, that doesn’t stop it from being a good, versatile yacht.

JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 490

Designed by Phillipe Briand, the 490 is actually very much in the same size bracket as the 460 being slightly longer on the waterline but with less beam and less displacement. e boat has been around for a few years now but has proven to be a popular yacht. sea-ventures.co.uk

46.1

PERFORMANCE: ★★★ ★★ BLUE WATER ABILITY: ★★★★★ LOOKS: ★★★★★

THE SPEC LOA: 14.60m (47’11”) LWL: 13.05m (42’10”) Beam: 4.79m (15’9”) Draught: (std) 2.25m (7’5”) Displacement: 12,600kg (27,778lb) Price: ex VAT €270,900 Contact: inspirationmarine.co.uk conventional www.hanseyachts.com 460 Sail Plan OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting70 Hanse 460 Proud ma ma roam-freeroam-free WiFi internet Proud ma ma roam-freeroam-free WiFi internet WiFi

BENETEAU OCEANIS Designed by Pascal Conq, the Oceanis 46.1 is considerably lighter than the Hanse and also has less beam. e boat has been around for a couple of years now but boasts similar design features such as the forward chines to boost volume. ancasta.co.uk DUFOUR 470 New to the market last year, the Dufour 470 boasts similar beam to the Hanse and is actually heavier. e boat comes in three di erent versions; Performance, Ocean and the base mode, Easy. universalyachting.com

ALTERNATIVEBOATS

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 71 www.theglobesailor.com/ST +44 2036 956438 OnboardServiceConcierge Over 15 000 boats worldwide 1 000 professional renters rated by our clients A personal advisor for your sailing holiday SAILING HOLIDAYS Choose your playground Get your special Sailing Today readers discount for your next charter. Make an inquiry by visiting www.theglobesailor.com/ST or call us at + 44 (0)203 695 6438 and ask for Charlie! GS_Sailing_Today_Half_H_202x129_2021.indd 1 07/02/2021 22:50 roam-free mail asail roam-free communications WiFi mail asail roam-free communications WiFi 4G Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and the MailASail Azores and Back Yacht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and acht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and the MailASail Azores and Back Yacht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G Satellite ma roam-free mail asail roam-free communications WiFi mail asail roam-free communications WiFi 4G Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and the MailASail Azores and Back Yacht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and acht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and the MailASail Azores and Back Yacht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G Satellite mail asail roam-free communications mail asail roam-free communications WiFi mail asail roam-free communications WiFi 4G Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and the MailASail Azores and Back Yacht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and acht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G See us on stand J374: Satellite internet solutions Proud sponsors of the MailASail OSTAR/TWOSTAR 2022 and the MailASail Azores and Back Yacht Race 2023 t: +44 (0)2070 432 832 e: w:sales@mailasail.comwww.mailasail.commailasail mail asail roam-free communications roam-free communications WiFi 4G Satellite WORKSWOTWIFI, • Stop buying lots of expensive boxes and struggling to connect them • Red Box PRO - one single box, built to last with featureconfigurationauto-andupgrades See our website for the full range of Red Box PRO routers BOATWIFIINTERNALON SHORE/LONG RANGE WIFI 4G/LTEFAST SIMSMULTIPLE See us at SIBS, stand J374

72 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

The 53rd Southampton International Boat Show, which runs from 16-25 September, is back with its successful, expanded layout and greater range of exhibits. There is plenty lined up, whatever kind of sailing you do. Chelsea Magazines, our parent company, is the event’s official media partner. Here’s 10 reasons why a visit should be in your diary

10 reasons to visit the Southampton International Boat Show 1 It’s bigger, again! The show was given fresh impetus last year and won a universally warm reception from visitors and exhibitors. An impressive 98 per cent of exhibitor space was filled around six weeks prior to the event, even with a bigger footprint this year both on land and on the water. Covering 70,000+ square metres, there’ll be around 550 exhibiting brands, and 650 craft. The bigger layout stretches from the purposebuilt show marina (the largest in Europe!) across Mayflower Park and into the heart of the city, with zones for every kind of boating and watersport. British Marine has again agreed the use of land stretching inland towards the Westquay shopping centre, offering a central main entrance and bringing visitors into the show – and into the world of boats – who might not have considered getting afloat before. With an eye on the younger demographic, British Marine again have ensured the first Zone encountered will be for paddleboarders, kite surfers, kayakers and windsurfers, showcasing the watersports lifestyle and simplicity of getting afloat. The dedicated Dinghy Zone returns, for all dinghy sailors from high-performance racing, to club members and dinghy cruisers. This will flow into the popular Classic Boat & Day Boat Zone, celebrating vintage and modern wooden boats (more about this below). The show then moves into Mayflower Park and the marina that prior visitors will know. There will be more on-the-water experiences and the natural arena between the pontoons and shore will be

Southampton Boat Show

New yachtsand chandlery At its heart, the event is still a boat show and very much a place where dreamers and serious buyers can see multiple yachts in one place. To strengthen the event’s reputation as a place for buyers and sellers, the dates have been moved back by a week this year, avoiding an awkward crossover with the Cannes boat show, which caused headaches for some exhibitors keen to be at both.

All VIP guests will also have the opportunity to take a tour of the show and will have access to a dedicated coat and bag drop-off area.

73Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

utilised further to create a safe and constantly active water park. There will be opportunities to demonstrate, compete and entertain, all with live commentary. This proved one of the most popular features of last year’s event, with many thousands of people taking to the water in one kind of craft or another, ranging from motorboats to classic boats to SUPs. Throughout the show there will be other new features, including stages, live music, entertainment and guest speakers, all aiming to showcase the boating lifestyle and create a buzzing show atmosphere.

Serious boat buyers are advised to request an appointment with their preferred manufacturer(s) or dealer when booking a ticket.

Visitors to this year’s Southampton International Boat Show can add a touch of luxury to their visit at the new Quayside Club. There is a choice of three exclusive VIP packages –White Sea, Coral Sea and Black Sea.

In Southampton all the major international brands will be showing their latest sailing yachts and smaller craft on the water. Exhibitors this year include Dufour, Prestige Yachts, Oyster, Fjord, Jeanneau, Beneteau, Spirit Yachts, Hanse, Dehler, Moody – and more!

There are also many newcomers at the show this year including Solaris Yachts from Italy, raceready Corby Yachts from Cowes, plus dinghies to suit every size and ability from Hartley Boats.

Visitors will not only enjoy all the show has to offer and the best of the UK leisure marine industry, but they will also be able to enhance their show experience with access to luxury VIP extras and hospitality of the highest level.

BELOW Let the champagne flow as the show gets underway

2 VIP visitor’s package

Venus Seychelles Beachwear will

For those visitors looking for the ultimate opulent boat show experience, the Black Sea VIP package covers all your needs. Inclusive of all White and Coral Sea options, with the Black Sea package guests will also enjoy VIP parking, right at the heart of the show and access to the ‘On the Water’ stage private enclosure where you can watch amazing demonstrations including Flyboarder and Jet ski shows and the eco-tech display with fliteboard, Manta5 and Seabod. Black Sea ticket holders can also sign up to an exclusive on the water boat experience and enjoy an amazing trip on one of four unique craft, including the F8 Landing Craft, Motor Gun Boat 81, a high-speed thrill ride, or even a twilight cruise with ‘bubbles’ on board the majestic tall ship ‘Morgenster’.

The all-new Quayside Club White Sea VIP package includes an official meet and greet on arrival at the show, entry into the show itself, a tour of the deluxe Waterfront Lounge, plus complimentary drinks and snacks for the duration of your visit. Upgrade to the Coral Sea package and you will enjoy all the White Sea elements plus you can sit back and relax with a delicious premium served gourmet buffet lunch overlooking the marina, in some of the best seats in the show.

ABOVE All the big bemanufacturersyachtwillattheshow

The show will see a number of world debuts, including the ultramodern Archipelago 47 catamaran.

Covid concerns may have put the stoppers on much chandlery being exhibited in 2021, but this year the popular chandlers are back in force, with plenty of gear and clothing to go home with. Force 4 Chandlery, Jimmy Green Marine and Bainbridge Marine are among those exhibiting.

Southampton Boat Show be offering exclusive beachwear, while nautical artwork will be on show with the Pankhurst Gallery. It’s not all about shopping.

Finally, there is also the chance to go cruising. The show’s very own mini cruise ship, the locally based ‘Ocean Scene’, will be departing from the marina twice an hour, taking visitors for a mini cruise around Southampton International Boat Show.

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting74

FlexiSail’s modern and extensive range of craft – from 40ft sailing yachts to classic, traditional inshore cruisers, powerboats, RIBs and access-friendly craft – provides visitors with the opportunity to try, free of charge, a wide range of different boats.

“And if you’re really hooked, most of the craft used by Rockley will be available to purchase from retailer stands at the show.”

Rockley’s MD Pip Woods said: “We’re really excited to have the opportunity to get people onto the water at the show.

Amongst the myriad stands selling everything from SUPs to fleeces, ropes to fenders, visitors can also enjoy displays and talks, with opportunities to ask the experts, chat with like-minded enthusiasts, or just to sit, relax and enjoy the vibe at the many hospitality areas serving a range of hot and cold drinks and street food.

sailing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding – alone or on a mega-sup – under the watchful eyes of experienced instructors making sure everyone is perfectly safe. All equipment including wetsuits and buoyancy aids are provided, with on-the-water instructors giving helpful hints for firsttimers, or top tips to sharpen up existing watersports skills for more experienced visitors.

4 You can getafloat yourself From standing on a SUP, tacking and gybing in a dinghy, experiencing the high-speed, high-octane thrill of a powerboat, to the majestic charm of a classic sailing yacht, or cruising around the Solent, the show’s ‘On the Water’ zone offers action-packed fun for all the family.

FlexiSail, one of the UK’s leading boat membership companies, is partnering with show organisers, British Marine, to run this year’s Try-a-Boat attraction.

Looking for some training advice then head over the RYA stand, the national body for sailing, where the team will be on hand to offer advice for newcomers to sailing about training and the many different ways you can get involved.

“Just bring a towel and find the booking area located between the Watersports and Dinghy Zone areas on arrival at the show to book your one-hour Get-A-Float session.

ABOVE AND BELOW Plentiful opportunity to get out on the water

FlexiSail’s Nikki Walker said: “Many people don’t know if they would prefer sailing to motorboating, so this is the ideal opportunity to try it all,” For those who want an even more memorable experience, Trya-Boat+ provides visitors with the opportunity to stay out on the water longer and experience life aboard some of the most adventurous and historically unique boats at the show.

Looking for the real splashfactor? Then Get-Afloat in partnership with Rockley Watersports is the place to go. Whether you’re over eight or over 80, Rockley offers dinghy

The Dinghy Zone The Dinghy Zone will be the place to go for all competitive, and cruising dinghy lovers. You can see sports and sailing dinghies, trailer-boats, boat builders, high-performance equipment, sailing clubs, class associations, holiday providers and sea schools all in one place. Whether you have your own dinghy or rent when it suits you, exhibitors will happily explain and show you the different types of dinghies, as well as the equipment that matches your needs and budget – which can be surprisingly low for novice cruisers. Kickstart your next outing afloat.

There are more exhibitor announcements to come – see our website for the latest details.

These ship ‘Morgenster’;include tallthe 1932 HighSpeed Launch 102, which is the last surviving high-speed air/sea rescue craft and was inspired by T E Shaw (better known as Lawrence of Arabia); an F8 landing craft and the stunning Motor Gun Boat 81, which took part in the Normandy landings. Prices start from £20 for Try-a-Boat+ experiences.

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 75 INFLATABLE TEXTILE FENDER NEW LOW WEIGHT HANDLINGEASY SPACE OF STORAGE SIMON WOOD : +44 7393 simon.wood@seaviewprogress.co.uk556751 SOLE UK DISTRIBUTOR Cleaners www.aquamarineint.comProtectors& At your SouthamptonchandlerylocalandtheBoatShowStandF002 AQM_SailingToday_HalfPage_Advert.indd 1 25/07/2022 12:05

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting76 Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under registration number 585660. For an instant quote visit our website today www.visicover.com Get a quote and buy online Tailor make your policy to your needs Update cover online whenever you want Interest free instalments Agreed value or market value options Discounts for experience, boat security etc Are you paying too much for boat insurance? SKYDOCK • Easy to lift and use • Hassle-free installation • All fittings included in the kit • Max lift load - 80kg / 175lbs 41200 - 3:1 ratio 41201 - 4:1 ratio DISCOVER HIDDEN STORAGE SPACE FIND OUT MORE Ocean Hall J316

Cornish Crabber’s Shrimper 21 and Pilot Cutter 30 are perennial show favourites, while the show Algae will destroy fabric. wide network of trade

77Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Southampton Boat Show

7 e Classic & Day boat zone e wooden boat sector in previous shows has always been a fascinating place for all visitors, but particularly so for the readers of our sister title Classic Boat! Last year’s Classic & Day Boat Zone rightly corralled the timber cra into one area, with a clinker boat being built on site. is area returns, with a variety of cra on show, including day boats, wooden canoes, punts and more. e Wooden Boat Builders Trade Association will be present, with cra smen showing o timber boats they’ve built themselves over the past year.

We’ve got everything from standup paddleboards, sur oards, wakeboards and water-skis, kitesurfs, windsurfs, canoes, and kayaks, to group activities on the water – something for easy riders and adrenaline junkies alike. Get tips from the pros, learn about the latest equipment or grab a bargain with special SIBS o ers from our exhibitors. A full list of products will be coming soon! Get wet, if you want Action is our priority: Experience the thrill of getting out on the water using our signature Trya-Boat and Get A oat features. Whether you like the high-speed intensity of riding in a RIB or prefer to take things a little slower on a cruiser, there’s plenty of fun to be had in our On e Water Zone. If you’d prefer to stick to dry land, grab a chair and a drink in our waterfront bar and restaurant, the Borrow a Boat Quarterdeck Bar & Restaurant, and enjoy the action.

WE CLEAN AND DRY YOUR SAILS AND COVERS to find out more visit www.tiptopsails.co.uk Salt crystals – are abrasive to stitching and attract damp and mildew. Green

ABOVE All action in the watersports zone BELOW Gleaming varnish galore in the classic and day boat zone

partners.

inking green Out on the water, we appreciate nature’s beauty and the challenges we face. Environmental changes mean that we have to act now to protect our environment for future generations. It’s why each zone has a dedicated sustainability commitment.

your

British Marine says: “this zone celebrates the boats and cra smanship that stand the test of time….Classic boat enthusiasts and seasoned boaters will be able to nd all the equipment they need to keep their treasures gliding across the water.” Meanwhile walking around the show visitors will nd numerous newly built wooden boats and vintage cra . Among them will be the tall ship ‘Morgenster’, built 103 years ago in Holland and now a busy sail training ship with countless miles in her wake. Take a tour or sign up for a sail.

Brands & Bargains

6 e WatersportsZone Elsewhere in the show there will be everything from standup paddleboards, sur oards, wakeboards and water-skis, kitesurfs, windsurfs, canoes, and kayaks, to group activities on the water – as British Marine say, there’ll be “something for easy riders and adrenaline junkies alike”. You can also get tips from professionals and grab a show-only bargain with special o ers from exhibitors. Whether you’ve been seeking the perfect wave for a while, exploring new frontiers along the waterways or just want to dip your toe in the water to learn something new that keeps you t, you’ll get to know exactly what’s hot right now in and,theUnlimitedthe Watersports Zone.boardsportsaction,latestequipment,newtrendsofcourse,lotsoffun.

Use our UK

While, over on the Foredeck stage in May ower Park you’ll hear tales from adventure cruisers, or hear racing tips from some of dinghy sailing’s biggest names. If, a er all that, you’re ready to give the real thing a try, head to the On e Water Zone, with instructors on hand, along with boats for novices and experienced sailors.

9 Accessibility

10 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting Come and say hello! We always have a stand at the show and this year we’ll be on stand J178, in Ocean Hall. Editor Sam Jefferson will be there on some days, with group editor Rob Peake, publisher Simon Temlett, as well as our advertising staff and other members of the Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting team. We always want to hear your thoughts about the magazine and hearing your cruising and racing tales. Have you got a good sailing yarn up your sleeve, for publication in Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting? Meanwhile you can take advantage of a special show subscription offer, which this year comes with a bottle of Dartmouth Gin. This awardwinning gin is distilled in the town by a long-standing Dartmouth sailing family. See you on stand J178. Readers of Sailing Today with Yachts & Yacthing can use the code CB22 to claim two tickets for £39.99. hive of activity on the pontoons

There was great work done last year to make the event more sustainable and environmentally friendly than in any time in its 53 year history. That continues this year – and is bolstered with a new Environmental Innovation Showcase. Exhibitors were encouraged to submit entries for this to clinch a spot in the inaugural showcase at the show. A panel of judges was to select those products and services to exhibit in the showcase, which will be in Ocean Hall, shining a spotlight on the best of the marine industry’s new environmental services and products.

8 Sustainability

British Marine has stated its intention to make the event as accessible as possible. There is a reduced admission price for visitors who are registered disabled. Wheelchairs will be available for hire and can be booked in advance. Alternatively, you can hire a wheelchair on the day from the show entrance subject to availability (manual wheelchairs only). Dogs are permitted access into the show, however access onto the marina will be restricted at busy times. No other animals will be admitted to the show.

ABOVE AND BELOW A

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting78

Southampton Boat Show marks the world debut of Spirit 44 from Spirit Yachts, staff will be on hand to discuss the brand’s industryleading measures to make boatbuilding and boating sustainable.

Not wooden, but with a lovely classic aesthetic, is the Nicholson 31, launched 50 years ago. At this year’s show will be the Nicholson 31 Association, marking its 18th year, and visitors will get a chance to board a handsome example of the classic bluewater cruiser, of which 119 were built.

Exhibitors can enter the Southampton International Boat Show’s Exhibitor Environmental Award, which will be presented by The Green Blue’s ambassador Mike Golding. sustainability-awards/southamptonboatshow.com/https://www.

The overall aim to highlight to consumers how the marine industry is becoming greener and cleaner and what they can do to become a more environmentally conscious boater. As before, all exhibitors must pledge that any promotional items or giveaways at the show will be sustainable and recyclable. They must also sign up to a pledge which includes no single use plastic water bottles on stands, outlets, or hosted events; to nominate a sustainability champion on their stand to oversee waste management and recycling at the show; to offer only sustainable and recyclable promotional goodies; and to only use compostable, recyclable or reusable cups, plates and cutlery.

A wristband given at the show entrance upon arrival allows people to move from zone to zone without having to cross bridges. Visit the Box Office when you arrive to obtain your wristband. On the water, the Disabled Sailors Association will be taking out wheelchair-users and others on its specially-designed catamaran, ‘Spirit of Scott Bader’. You can book a place aboard at the show’s Try-a-Boat stand. The show has some bridges between zones, but there are also ground-level walkways and accessible gates, which you can use by getting a wristband when you enter the show at the box office. There are disabled toilets on site. Disabled parking is available at the Westquay multi storey car-park.

Plastic straws are banned and exhibitors and visitors are encouraged to use e-tickets and QR codes, only using recycled paper if print materials are required. According to British Marine, exhibitors actions like these have diverted close to 20 tons of waste from landfill.

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 79 IMP UK Distributor for Seaview Blinds IMP, RO24, Units 3-4 Jarman Way, Royston, Herts, SG8 5FE Telephone : 01763 241300 E-mail : sales@improducts.co.uk www.improducts.co.uk Contact IMP for further details, catalogues and general information Choose from an extensive portfolio of pleated, roller, roman or venetian blinds for any hatch, portlight or window 202x129_Seaview_advert_ver2.indd 1 13/05/2021 16:39 See us at stand J392 Distributed in the UK & Ireland by Navimaps Ltd 01752 258726 sales@navimaps.co.uk www.navionics.com orOceanVisitusattheShowHall-J423askyourdealerSAVE10%SOUTHAMPTONSHOWOFFER ON ALL NEW CHARTS AND UPDATES

A-N PONTOONS Can betweenyachtsaccommodateofvaryingsizes6m&18m WEN S LIFTING BRIDGE EVENTS PONTOON GULL’S EYE CHATHAMMARINAMARITIME 51°24.17’N 0°31.55’E

The historic town of Chatham in Kent and its vibrant MDL marina complex in the heart of a multi-million-pound leisure and retail development, is fastbecoming a popular east coast base

ABLUTIONS BLOCK BROKERAGE BERTHS AND OFFICE SHIP AND TRADES PUB FUEL BERTH MARINA BRIDGEHEAD

ISTOCKPHOTOS: Gull’s Eye - Chatham Maritime Marina

T are few places that have as much to o er the cruising sailor as Chatham when it comes to historical interest and onshore activities. MDL’s Chatham Maritime Marina lies in the heart of Chatham, adjacent to Chatham’s Historic Dockyard, and a multimillion-pound leisure and retail development. Although the marina is now home to this super-smart 412-berth marina, it was originally part of the old Naval Dockyard (No 1 Basin), which was used to repair ships and test equipment. is highly desirable destination, 10 nautical miles from the mouth of the River on the ames Estuary, may take a bit of passage planning but those who make the journey are generally keen to return for further exploration.

Chatham Maritime Marina’s location on the south shore of the upper reaches of the River Medway is not only an ideal place for a short break while cruising the east coast, but also a popular permanent berthing location, not least because of its easy fast train links from Rochester to London. With its strong Naval background and the hugely popular Historic Dockyard right on its ‘doorstep’, Chatham Maritime Marina o ers endless natural key attractions. For 400 years the dockyard and Naval base at Chatham played a crucial role in supporting the Royal Navy in the defence of Britain and the development of the Empire and Commonwealth. It is also amazing to re ect that one of the most famous ships to be built and launched from the dockyard at Chatham was ‘HMS Victory’, Nelson’s agship in the Battle of Trafalgar. e Historic Dockyard is also home to the long, purpose-built Victorian ropery building, which is well worth a visit to learn all about the manufacture of rope for sailing ships. As well as enjoying all the local activities, berth holders and visitors can not only make the most of the marina’s excellent facilities but can also enjoy the bene ts MDL’s Otium membership scheme. is rewardsbased loyalty scheme is free to join with points generated for every MDL service purchase including fuel, berthing fees and boatyard services. Points (£1 spend is equal to one point) can then be redeemed using MDL services, and the services of MDL’s specially selected partners. e marina also o ers facilities for boat repairs and maintenance work, with a professional MDL boat li ing team on hand at the marina. ere is a dedicated DIY area, plus storage ashore for over 100 boats, a 16.5-ton crane, a hydraulic boat mover, and yacht cradles. A purposebuilt li ing dock is accessible at all states of tide, and a fuel station o ers both petrol and diesel. Passage planning Access the River Medway from the ames Estuary but on the approach to the mouth of the River be aware of the hazardous wreck of the ‘SS Richard Montgomery’ – a World War II cargo ship. is lies on the Nore sandbank directly north of the approach channel and is clearly marked with an exclusion zone. Her three masts are also still visible at all states of the tide. It pays to be vigilant too on the lower reaches of the River Medway, with the Isle of Grain to starboard and Sheerness to port, because of commercial tra c movement. e passage up the River Medway towards Chatham Maritime Marina is straightforward enough but as a rule of thumb in tidal areas, it generally pays to follow the well-lit,

ABOVE Tranquil, protected and secure marina BELOW e harbour o ce and locking in system at the marina entrance operates 24/7 51°24.17’N0°31.55’E

here

ABOVE The marina was originally part of the old Naval Dockyard (No 1 Basin)

Sailing

To secure a spot in the 412-berth marina however, contact the lock office beforehand. On the final approach watch out for No 32 buoy then call up ‘Chatham Marina’ on VHF Ch 80 for locking in/berthing arrangements.

CHATHAM MARITIME MARINA Open: 24/7 VHF: Ch 80, call sign Chatham Marina Lock Office: +44 (0) (01634) 899 Email:200 chatham@mdlmarinas.co.uk

ABOVE RIGHT The well-lit marina offers easy access to the laundryshower/wc/block BELOW Rochester Castle further up river

The marina office is well positioned on the starboard side at the lock gate entrance. Berthing facilities such as showers, toilets and launderette are positioned in the middle of the main pontoon. Fresh drinking water is available from multiple spots along each pontoon.

FACTFILE

OCTOBER

The River Medway is a pretty river to explore with plenty of historic places of interest along the way further upstream. However, with bridges, tunnels and locks to endure, and Allington Lock marking the start of the Environment Agency non-tidal section, the river is only navigable for sailing yachts as far as Rochester. Further downstream, almost at the mouth on the east shore, is The Swale, a popular cruising area for Thames Barges, and an inside passage between the Medway and the north Kent shore off Whitstable. Chatham is also the ideal base as starting point for City break cruise to London. It may be approximately 40nm to Tower Bridge from Sea Reach No 1 buoy in the Thames Estuary, but set off at the last of the ebb, just as the flood begins to set in, and you’ll make it in one stint.

Prices: Daily: £4.15 per metre (includes Annualelectricity)berthing: POA Chandlers: Pirate’s Cave, Rochester. Can deliver to Chatham Maritime Contact:Marina. +44 (0)1634 295233 Gillingham Marina Chandlery, Contact:Gillingham.+44 (0)1634 283008 Places to eat: Ship & Trade. This contemporary Shepherd Neame bar, restaurant and hotel, which overlooks the marina, is accessed via the retail park shopping centre. There are also plenty of other restaurants nearby but this one has the best outlook. 83Today with Yachts & Yachting 2022 deep channel marks. Before setting off, it also makes sense to obtain navigation updates through the local harbour office (peelports.com) and highlight any hazards on the chart. The winding course up river makes for an interesting passage, leaving Hoo Island to starboard and Gillingham Marina to port on the Gillingham Reach. The river then bends round to port at St Mary’s Island. Other points of interest on the final approaches to Chatham Maritime Marina include Medway YC on the north bank at Upnor, and Upnor Castle, positioned almost directly opposite the entrance to the Marina. The entrance to the marina is via a 25m lock, which has a traffic light system in place. Access is at all states of the tide, which means it is possible to pitch up at any time of the day/night.

Cruising grounds

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting84 Batteries and beyond. Ecobat Battery, 5 Little Park Farm Road, Segensworth West, Fareham, Hampshire, PO15 5SJ, UK +44 (0)1489 570770 | is.info@ecobat.com VISIT US AT ECOBATBATTERY.COM Experts in batteries, solar panels, chargers, inverters and accessories. We stock leading brands, including: SunPower, Rolls, Varta, Victron Energy, Solara, Solbian, Blue Sea Systems and CTEK. SEE US AT THE SHOW, STAND J337

Anchoring masterclass

Susan Koning has over two decades of experience living on board and exploring exotic destinations. As such, she knows that the most valuable thing a bluewater sailor can have is experience. Here she offers some vital tips to increase your confidence and enjoyment of living aboard…

EXPERTS' FORUM

Don't live on the kedge... get a grip

WYETHRORC/PAULC/OPHOTO

- How to get ahead at the windward mark - Taking the stress out of a man

There is nothing funny about a man overboard situation, as Clive thehave,charterInunderlinesLoughlinonp90.mytimeasaskipperIhowever,seenquirkysideof this awful scenario. I used to work out in Croatia and one of my fellow skippers descrbed an exasperating situation aboard his yacht whereby every time he went below when the boat was under way, one of his his guests (a high spirited group of Australian lads) would jump overboard to get him back to work pronto. He was only a young skipper and, no matter what he did, he wasn't able to stamp his authority on his unruly crew until about the fifth time it happened, at which point he understandably totally lost his temper. Reflecting on the somewhat tiresome trip, he said that what unnerved him most was that, even though the boat was motoring in calm weather and flat water, it took next to no time before a single head bobbing in the wake was almost impossible to see thanks to the glare of the sun. He was clearly shaken by the situation and it underlined how, what was viewed as a light hearted joke by his guests could very easily have turned into an incredibly fraught situation for all aboard. Wisdom to share? Email jefferson@chelseamagazines.comsam.

overboard situation

85Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Advice this month includes... - Perfecting your anchoring techniques

JEFFERSONSAMPHOTO

Keelboat masterclass Solo sailing - marina challenges

Anchoring, mooring and docking your boat are skills that require practice. Docking a boat in tight quarters has many variables; wind, currents, tides and your boats manoeuvrability never mind an audience so get a coach, practice, and have many helping hands as you learn. Picking up a mooring buoy isn’t usually too difficult; the most common mistake with moorings is how you tie your lines to them. Many a boat ends up adrift when only one line is tied or improperly protected against chafing of the line. Anchoring however is probably the most important part of cruising. You will get plenty of practice as you sail from bay to bay exploring. I am no expert at anchoring, I still get acute stress when we anchor but have found these basic steps helpful: find the right depth for you boat, avoid any reefs, boats or obstructions and point the boat into the wind. Dropping the anchor in good holding like sand or mud is optimum. Let out enough chain: recommended 5:1 ratio at the very least. Example 5ft of anchor chain for every foot of depth you are anchoring in. Too many new sailors don’t put enough chain out; I personally feel good at 7:1. At this point it is recommended you let the anchor settle. Tidy up, have a cup of coffee or a cold beer and let the anchor dig in. Take a bearing on land as to your position to a tree, house, or other landmark to make sure you aren’t moving. At this point you should consider putting the engine in reverse very slowly to about 1200-1300 RPMs and look for the GPS to come to zero, as in you are not moving This is a good rule of thumb because should the wind pick up, you’ll be more confident that the anchor will hopefully hold fast. You might consider diving on the anchor to get a visual on how it is holding. Finally, set an anchor alarm on your GPS or anyone of several anchor alarm apps available on you smartphone. Don’t be that person that drops the anchor and jumps in the dinghy to race ashore without double checking the weather forecast. Too many stories of the wind picking up and their boat ends up dragging through the anchorage while they are ashore having dinner. Be sure to communicate with your crew at the helm where you want to anchor; if you’re at the bow of the boat you can simply point, make a fist to stop or thumb up to reverse…whatever you decide on, it doesn’t need to involve screaming orders in a crowded anchorage.

Anchoring, mooring and docking your boat are skills that require practice. Docking a boat in tight quarters has many variables; wind, currents, tides and your boats maneuverability never mind an audience so, get a coach, practice and have many helping hands as you learn. Getting a mooring ball isn’t usually too difficult; the most common mistake with moorings is how you tie your lines to the mooring. Many a boat adrift when only one line is tied or improperly protected against chaffing of the line. Anchoring however is probably the most important part of cruising. You will get plenty of practice as you sail from bay to bay exploring. I am no expert at anchoring, I still get acute stress when we anchor but have found these basic steps helpful: find the right depth for you boat, avoid any reefs, boats or obstructions and point the boat into the wind. Dropping the anchor in good holding like sand or mud is optimum. Let out enough chain: recommended 5:1 ratio at the very least. Example 5 foot of anchor chain for every foot of depth you are anchoring in. Too many new sailors don’t put enough chain out; I personally feel good at 7:1. At this point it is recommended you let the anchor settle. Tidy up, have a cup of coffee or a cold beer and let the anchor dig in. Take a bearing on land as to your position to a tree or house etc. to make sure you aren’t moving. At this point you should consider putting the engine in reverse very slowly to about 1200-1300 RPMs and look for the GPS to come to zero, as in you are not moving This is a good rule of thumb should the wind pick-up you’ll be more confident that the anchor will hopefully hold fast. You might consider diving on the anchor to get a visual on how it is holding. Finally, set an anchor alarm on your GPS or anyone of several anchor alarm apps available on you smartphone. Don’t be that person that drops the anchor and jumps in the dingy to race ashore without double checking the weather forecast. Too many stories of the wind picking up and their boat ends up dragging through the anchorage while they are ashore having

Hot drinks the order of the day Your first instinct if you are freezing cold might be to get yourself under a hot shower but, as Clive Loughlin explains on p90 this is an absolute cardinal error in cases where people are suffering from extreme exposure, such as your typical man overboard situation. In this scenario, the best method of getting heat back into the body is to give them a hot drink. A hot shower is far too brutal, while a reviving cup of tea is a much more gentle treatment. Good to know This month

The boats round the mark overlapped, but Blue gets that important gybe in first and sails away for the win. When the fleet is spread out, and the strategic gains either small, or obvious to all, positioning at the ‘pinch points’: the edges and corners of the racetrack, becomes the most critical decisionmaking factor in boat on boat tactics. In this feature we’ll look at the options each boat had as they approached the windward mark, and some tactical tricks they might have used to improve the Coach boat view

and continue to the starboard layline. It’s a long layline call with some wind-blown current making the judgement tricky: Yellow opts for a comfortable layline: they really don’t want another two tacks. Once Yellow tacks, Blue has a good look at Yellow’s line and can see that they are comfortably laying the mark. Blue tacks into a 'safe leeward' position and picks up a transit to the windward mark early, to make sure they are laying (if the land is holding position, or moving to the right behind the mark, Blue is laying the mark).

Full Marks at the Windward Mark

EXPERTS' FORUM BORLENGHSTUDIO-RACINGCLUBSWANPHOTOS: 86 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Approaching the final windward mark of a short training race, the two leading yachts have a comfortable gap behind.

Yellow tacks and ducks Blue, (see Fig 1, p89), to avoid being pinned out to the layline: Blue then tacks safely to windward. The wind heads: that’s a gain to Yellow, who opts to minimise tacks

It is a one-sided run to the final port hand rounding mark: it is clear that the first boat round the mark with the option of an early gybe will control the race.

Resident racing expert Mark Rushall explains how to get the advantage at the windward mark

& Yachting OCTOBER 2022

87Sailing Today with

parallel Yellow, or continue to the layline?Ifthere is lots of time to the port layline, a left shift is expected, or there is more pressure to the left, a reasonable option for Blue is to continue towards the layline. If there is more wind right, or they’re expecting a right shift, increasing separation to the left is the risky choice: Blue wisely keeps the risk down by tacking in a lane on Yellow’s hip. The race is still open. The wind heads: Blue can now see Yellow easing forward in front of their jib. Should they tack? If there is still plenty of sailing time to the port tack layline, and Blue is confident that the wind will shift back, a tack might put Blue back in the driving seat. But if Blue tacks and the wind continues to shift right, Yellow will be clear at the nextAscross.thegain from the shift is only a ‘paper gain’ (it will be negated if the wind lifts again) while they stay on the same tack, Blue continues on port tack. Sailing in high mode at this point will keep their wind clear and put pressure on Yellow to make an accurate layline call, as Yellow will get to the layline first. Should Yellow tack on the shift? Again, it depends! Tacking and crossing Blue will put the gain ‘in the bank’. If Yellow tacks at P4, the chance of winning. As Yellow approaches the port layline, Blue is in control, marginally ahead of the gain line, with all options open. Yellow’s goal is to keep the race open as long as possible, giving maximum passing opportunities. It is key for Yellow to avoid a long port tack leg with Blue in their leebow, or ahead and to windward. If Yellow leaves the tack too late, their only clear route into the mark will be to wait for Blue to tack first. If Blue then takes the defensive option and sails to the port layline, there is then no nice solution for Yellow. Yellow tacks early, taking Blue by surprise. Blue’s most aggressive defensive move at this point is to shadow Yellow’s tack, leaving Yellow needing two more tacks for clear wind. To execute this, Blue needed to see the situation developing and have the response prepared in advance. Blue misses this option and watches Yellow sail free. Should they tack and pressure will be on Blue to make a good starboard layline call. The further away from the layline they are, and the shiftier the conditions, the more a tack at P4 will help Yellow. In that case, Blue’s counter would be to tack too, preventing the cross: if the wind returns to its original direction, they’ll be back to the relative positions of P1, but closer to the mark. Yellow opts not to tack, and the wind gently lifts: that returns the advantage to Blue, who now has two options. Option 1: put the bow down, take the gain from the shift, and position to prevent Yellow tacking: the ‘pin’. This tactic is most likely to succeed if the layline is close, and there is no threat from other boats. Once in control, Blue sails to a comfortable layline, and leads around the mark. If Yellow sees Blue setting up for the pin, their only option is to tack before Blue gets into position. In that case, Yellow needs to be clear Yachts

Subscribe online www.chelseamagazines.com/CSTO1022 or call +44 (0) 1858 438 442 (quoting code CSTO1022) Prices and discounts based on the regular subscription price of £70. If for any reason you’re not happy with your subscription, you may cancel within 14 days of placing your order. Order your subscription today GREAT SAVINGS WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE with JANUARY2022 £4.95 THE GREEN ISSUE: LATEST ECO KIT AND BOATS MOMENTOFCHANGE BOAT TEST THISCHARTERWINTER Wheretogo,what'snew TRANSAT'GREEN' 15/11/2021 And theyperform OFCHANGE TRANSAT starsVendéebackinaction WINTERBLASTER! BOAT TEST YACHT INSURANCE needWhatwealltoknowMARCH2022 £4.95 with 18/01/2022 15:08 MAY 2022 £4.95 with NEW SAILING SKILLS SECTION SHOAL WATER DRIFTERS One foot under the keel 9 7 7 3 6 5 6 1 8 0 5 OFSUMMERYOURSAILING HI-TECH FOULIES New sailing kit for 2022 47 regattas and seasonPloteventsyourhere! SOLENT SPRING TIDE Perfect weekend guide TOM CUNLIFFE Channel crossing: best lesson I learned TIME FOR CHANGE Hannah Mills on creating pathways for female sailors CHICHESTER MARINA What visitors need to know CLUB OF THE YEAR Who got your votes MULTIHULLSPECIALLATESTCATSANDTRIS Coverv4 May.indd 1 15/03/2022 14:56 SAVE OVER £25 OFF THE FULL PRICE BLASTER! Thegreatestneverheardof ROCKUPANDRACE ThekeelboatcrazesweepingtheUKwith WIN A DREAM YACHT CHARTER “IWASONBOARD”Re-livinghorrorSailGPsmash 9 6 BOAT TEST NORTHERNNOSTALGIAHebrideanmeanderings INNOVATION&SPEED WesailthecruiserwithanAmerica'sCupkeel ANTIFOULING Whichtinisbest SOLO FROM THE FALKLANDSAtlanticsouthtonorth CLUB RACING Boostyourskills SAIL GREENER Sustainabilityashoreandafloat BETTER CREWING EilidhMcIntyre'stoptips DISABLEDSAILINGHowtoget everyoneafloat Cover Cruisev3.indd 15/02/2022 08:12 1 YEAR (12 ISSUES) SUBSCRIPTION TO £44.95 (USUALLY £70) Europe €79.95 | USA $99.95 Australia $149.95 | Rest of World £74.95 A showcase of the very best of the cruising and racing availablephotographywritingfiincludingworlds,thenestsailingand Expert advice Full of racersyachtsmencruisingforandpracticalessentialadviceinformation,hands-onand By sailors, for sailors Each dynamicincludesissueamix of boat, gear reviewsequipmentand£25Saveover

of their rules obligations. Before tacking, Yellow is right of way boat: either clear ahead or overlapped to leeward. Once past head to wind, Yellow must keep clear of Blue until they are on the new close hauled course. (Rule 13, tacking). Once close hauled on starboard tack, Yellow is right of way boat, but must initially give Blue room to keep clear: Blue must be able to either tack or duck in a seamanlike way (Rule 15). Blue does not need to anticipate Yellow’s tack but must look out for it and must act promptly as soon as Yellow is close hauled on starboard tack.

Option 2: if the layline is further away, as in P4, Blue may not be able to maintain a controlling position in a “leebowed” state. Instead, Blue sails in high mode, building the pressure on Yellow to judge the perfect layline. The gap Blue has created gives them plenty of time to assess the situation when Yellow tacks. If Yellow has tacked on or above the layline, it is an easy response to tack below, squeeze up to the mark, and lead around the mark. (Unless they are tacking close to the mark: see column 3). In the diagram, Yellow concedes the advantage by tacking on the line they would choose with no boats around. Yellow’s attacking move would have been to tack slightly below the layline, aiming to make Blues’s tacking decision as tricky as possible. Yellow could then make it even harder by exiting the tack pointing well below the mark, encouraging Blue to continue past in order to be certain to lay the mark. If Yellow can lay the mark, and Blue tacks above the layline, Yellow will lead around the mark and be free to gybe. If Yellow judges their early tack well, and Blue opts to tack to leeward, Blue will not lay the mark: they will have to bail out and follow around. If neither can lay the mark, the game is still open: we are back to P1 again, but closer to the mark: the game continues! What if the last tack is close to the mark? If Yellow enters the three hull-length zone fetching the mark on starboard tack, and Blue approaches on port tack, tacking inside is a risky option for Blue. If Blue causes Yellow to sail above close hauled at any stage, Blue has broken rule 18.3. To have any chance of a clear rounding inside, as well as complying with rule 13 and rule 15 (see above), Blue needs to be absolutely certain that Yellow is approaching from above the starboard layline. If Yellow makes a late dip down to the layline on the approach, Blue is very vulnerable. Never let boat on boat tactics take over from the big picture: if there are lots of boats around and plenty of strategic gains available, its easy to win a battle with one boat but lose the war against the ﬂeet. But there is nothing more satisfying than picking up a place near the end of the race simply through outsmarting your competitor. If behind, work to keep the race away from the laylines and the passing opportunities open. If in control, try to get the other boat to the layline as soon as possible: once there the passing options are limited. Try to stay at least one step ahead: if you rehearse your response to a move in advance, the chance of executing it will always be higher.

EXPERTS' FORUM 89Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 Fig 1

EXPERTS' FORUM

Man overboard recovery is a perennial subject and everyone has their preferred methods and can accomplish them with varying degrees of success. There are however two fundamentals that I think few will argue with:

2) Don’t ram them with the boat. So the first priority is to stay close. The worse the conditions, the closer you need to stay. By all means assign a ‘pointer’ –but don’t give them an impossible task.

If sailing: heave-to, send a DSC Mayday, throw in a danbuoy, engine on, drop sails.

Under engine: aim is to get the boat stationary, beam-on to the wind and just upwind of the mob.

An alternative to heaving to which works very well, especially if only one person is on board, is to immediately put the helm hard over to put in a tack, haul in the mainsheet when head to wind to stop the boom slamming around, and keep the helm hard over. The boat will roll around a bit doing a succession of tacks and gybes, but basically it will pirouette in the vicinity of the mob, and will keep doing so

Doindefinitely.afewpirouettes while making sure you are not going to hit the mob, and then lash the Thehelm.crew are then free to send a Mayday and throw life rings etc. If you haven’t yet tried pirouetting I suggest you do. Wait for the cavalry If Coastguard help can be reasonably expected to arrive within about 30 minutes then I would concentrate on staying close rather than actual recovery. If lost from sight their chances of survival are seriously reduced. However, if you can get close enough to throw a lifesling or get some other line to them, then this is a big step forward and a huge boost to the MoB’s morale. Whether the final approach is under engine or under sail don’t aim to bring the boat right alongside the mob, as this risks ramming them with the boat, and they are having a bad enough day already. Instead keep them easily in sight all the times and DON’T get closer than 3m. Getting them onboard If conditions are mild then a stern bathing ladder is probably the easiest bet. Otherwise drag them close to the now stationary boat, join two safety lines together to make one long one, and pass one end to the MoB for them to clip to their harness. If they are not wearing a harness then they can put it around themselves under their arms and clip it to itself to make a tight loop. Detach the main halyard and clip it to the free end of the safety line and then hoist them on deck at the shrouds. There are other gadgets for recovering a MoB such as Ocean Safety's Pick Up sail pictured below. Once on board remove wet clothing and warm up from the inside with hot drinks and snacks- DON’T put them in a hot shower.

Cruising clinic Resident cruising expert Clive Loughlin looks at the dreaded man overboard scenario and the steps you can take to mimimise the drama and carry out a safe recovery

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting90 91_STYY_0922_.indd

1) Don’t lose sight of them.

Pirouette

MOB – don’t make things worse

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 91 BAREBOAT CHARTERSKIPPERED CHARTER RYA SAILING COURSES DON’T MISS OUT on 2022 Boats are booking fast GREECE SMART SAFE YACHT OWNERSHIP SAILIONIAN.COM Time to order your yacht for 2024 PARTNERSHIPYACHTcatamarans mono hullsFLOTILLA +44info@sailionian.com(0)8003213800 91_STYY_0922_.indd 91 10/08/2022 17:53

Sail GP

Royal victory at SailGP Plymouth It was a second spectacular visit to Plymouth in Devon for SailGP, with the world’s top sailors doing high speed battle on Plymouth Sound while 1000s of spectactors enjoyed the action under blue skies.

A controversial penalty scuppered the Great Britain team hopes, but the Duchess of Cambridge gave the home crowd something to cheer for

Sir Ben Ainslie’s Great Britain SailGP team didn’t quite manage to “bring it home”, as he had suggested before the event, but they grabbed the headlines as the Duchess of Cambridge came on board, helming for a one-off ‘Commonwealth race’ against the New Zealand team. The Duchess took the victory. In the series itself, Ainslie’s normal starting prowess deserted him, showing just how competitive the fleet has become, with every mistake punished. On day two a close cross with Australia ended with Ainslie and crew being given a controversial penalty, but which knocked them out the final race-off. They finished the regatta in fourth overall, leaving their overall championship standings in good shape, second so far in season three, with three events done.

ABOVE

92 SAILGPFORALL–BUCKLEDIEMER;JONFELIXPINTO;RICARDOGRAY;DAVIDMARTIN;BOBPHOTOS: OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

“I obviously don’t agree with the decision but it’s not the first time AND BELOW The Duchess of Cambridge aboard and with Ben Ainslie post race

Ainslie called the penalty decision “a bad call” and said: “We sailed well and we got through the fleet [after some poor starts] but I’m obviously really frustrated and that last cross [resulting in a penalty] was very tight. We just came out of a gybe and as we came together, we obviously turned our boat down as we were building speed. In the umpire’s mind they then have a ‘ghost boat’ which is three boat lengths ahead of the actual boat, and I’m sure it was closer then, but when you saw the boats come together for the actual cross there was quite a bit of distance between us.

The Duchess of Cambridge gets to grips with racing on the edge

93Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

BELOW RIGHT

The Grand Prix was ultimately won by Pete Burling’s New Zealand SailGP Team who performed consistently well throughout the weekend. Twice America’s Cup winner Burling, who was the master of the F50 boat used in SailGP back in the 2016 America’s Cup in Bermuda, said: “I think a lot of people would have expected this of us by now and it’s great to have put together a good weekend and put in such a dominant performance. We have been working really hard to improve and I think we truly proved that today, we are just so much more comfortable with the boat now than we have been.”

I’ve disagreed with [umpire] Craig Mitchell and it won’t be the last. It’s high stakes and there’s a lot on the line and the umpires are naturally defensive of their position but it needs to be clear that we infringed and in my view it was at worst 50/50.

BELOW RIGHT

“We’d have loved to put on a better show and get in that final race for our home fans so ultimately we’re a bit disappointed but that said we’re happy with how we were sailing and it’s been great sailing back on home waters in front of our brilliant fans.”

RIGHT

The Denmark SailGP Team warmed up in the best possible way for its home event later in August with an impressive day two performance, delivering two second place finishes

ABOVE Ben Ainslie’s starting prowess deserted him in this third round regatta

The Canadian team get some air time Pete Burling’s New Zealand team took overall victory in the Plymouth event

SAILGP SEASON 3 (afterSTANDINGSCHAMPIONSHIPthreeevents) 1 Australia 29 points 2 Great Britain 24 points 3 New Zealand 22 points 4 Canada 22 points 5 Denmark 20 points 6 France 15 points 7 United States 13 points 8 Spain 8 points 9 Switzerland 7 points

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting94

The European leg of the SailGP championship continued in Copenhagen with the ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix on 19-20 August. Go to yachtsandyachting. co.uk for regular updates on results.

ABOVE A strong turnout was on hand to cheer the competitors on BELOW LEFT Tom rudderpodioumknockedteamdominantSlingsby’sAustralianwerefinallyoffthefollowingdamage BELOW RIGHT Champagne flows as the winners celebrate

For the first time in a while it wasn’t Tom Slingsby and his Australian team on the winner’s podium, with a broken rudder – which was fixed in record time by the SailGP Technical Team – nearly prematurely ending their afternoon in race five. Slingsby said: “We are not disappointed at all actually, we are ecstatic about coming second in this event, it was just a really tough day for us. It looked like we wouldn’t be in the final with a gear breakage but it was an incredible effort by our team to get us into that final. And to come away with second place. Wow, we are really happy.” Councillor Richard Bingley, Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “What an absolutely fantastic weekend in Britain’s Ocean City! We were honored to host the Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in the UK’s first National Marine Park for the second year running. With SailGP comes a raft of benefits for Plymouth, including attracting thousands of visitors to our waterfront, providing a welcome boost to the local economy and raising the city’s profile on a global stage.”

Sail GP to secure a place in the three-boat podium final for the first time ever.

Skipper Nicolai Sehested, a twotime veteran of The Ocean Race, said: “It’s been a long time coming for us, and it’s really pleasing to have made the final but if I’m honest it feels a bit sour. We felt like with the wind shift we didn’t have much luck in the final and it destroyed our chances of winning but that’s racing.”

Your needs . . . Seagoing Saildrives Inland Waterways Marine Generating Sets Spares & Support . . . our tailored solutions delivering reliability and peace of mind Tel:www.betamarine.co.uk+44(0)1452723492Email: sales@betamarine.co.uk • 35 years of customer centred focus, listening to needs & delivering long term value solutions. • Specialists in customer advice & support at all points of a products voyage. • Superb after-sales service via our approved national & international re-engine centres and authorised dealer network. • Extensive range of 10 to 98 HP heat exchange propulsion engines with mechanical or hydraulic gearboxes. • Optional secondary domestic 12V alternator or 3.5/5.0 kVA travel power. • A range of 14 to 56 HP heat exchange propulsion engines with 2 saildrive solution options. • Heat exchange Generating Sets 4 to 58 kVA with or without super silent acoustic housings. • 5 year self-service warranty* . *Recreational use, terms & conditions apply.

To this day, I have never felt quite as alive as I do at sea.

Change of Course

With my sights set firmly on the high seas, I signed up with the local sailing school and took part in an RYA accredited introductory course to keelboat sailing. During quiet periods, I mentioned my plans to crew on yachts overseas to our instructor. A complete novice on liveaboard life, I took the opportunity to grill him about the differences between ocean passages and coastal cruising, the crewing ‘dos and don’ts’, what to pack and expect from a cruising lifestyle and… what happens if things take a turn for the worse? I was lucky he was a patient fellow. Passionate about yachting, he let himself be infused with some of my overflowing enthusiasm. After reading Southern Ocean sailing books, we didn’t just stop at the sailing basics, which included how to hoist and trim sails, or get a tack or gybe down pat. My instructor went far beyond the fundamentals of sailing. He unearthed the sea anchor from a well-hidden locker, and I learned when and how to correctly deploy this contraption. During a particularly gruff sail, we ate our lunch with the yacht comfortably hove-to and, to my astonishment, I noticed the boat settle, despite angry waves rolling beneath our hull. I was thrilled and this only intensified my yearning to explore the ocean world. From the comfort of my computer at home I looked up prospective crewing opportunities and eventually committed and converted my dream to reality. But before I set off for my first seabound adventure, my sailing instructor gave me a few tips on how to become an appreciated crew member. Firstly, be courteous. This was common sense – no one wishes for a demanding

The hitch hiker’s guide to crossing oceans

Learning the ropes

You don’t need to own a yacht to go blue water cruising. Regina Petra Meyer describes how she thumbed a lift to cruising paradise

ABOVE Regina chilling out on the pulpit

My love affair with sailing began during a short stint in South Australia. One date with the ocean and I was hooked. I loved the feeling of the wind relentlessly pushing our boat through the choppy seas. It was breathtaking to witness the waves breaking on the bow, washing all the way back to the cockpit, then smashing into our faces and drenching us entirely.

96 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting e hitch

By and large, with a bit of tolerance and curiosity on everyone’s behalf, sharing a cruising experience or an ocean passage with strangers can be a wonderfully enriching and stimulating experience. I have been able to journey far and wide and my travels have instilled in me a great faith in humanity. With all this in mind, I count myself lucky to have connected and travelled with capable and kind yachties that broadened my horizons, quite literally.

OCTOBER 2022

ABOVE Up the runningrigging;repairs on passage are par for the course and if you are handy around the boat, you'll be popular with the skipper BELOW Regina at the helm ABOUT AUTHORTHE Regina Petra Meyer is the author of Change of Course: Sailing into Love & Adversity on Caribbean Shores. Follow more of her adventures at reginapetrameyer.com Today with Yachts Yachting

Caribbean bound My rst crewing experience began in 2007. I harnessed my courage and chose a 46 cruiser-racer, built in the early 1970s, located in the Caribbean as my rst oating home. e plan was to sail the yacht from Antigua back to Australia with the skipper and four crew. Once onboard a new yacht, each journey starts o with heartfelt smiles and a warmly extended “Welcome aboard!”. As an extrovert and a naturally curious person, I adore meeting new people, but setting foot on a new yacht when you know it’s going to be your home for the foreseeable future, is always a little nerve-wracking. In such a tight space with no option to step o once at sea, creating an enjoyable and harmonious time together, was my main objective. For those non-sailors out there, picture inviting someone into your home, then shutting the front door and coexisting with your guests without ever leaving your home for the next month. (I think these days we’d call it ‘lockdown’!)

First date at sea

ere’s no doubt living and sailing with people we don’t know can be challenging, but it’s also a valuable practice in acceptance and not taking oneself too seriously. In moments when things get a bit tense, a little time out on the bow of the yacht will allow for those ery frustrations to be carried away with the breeze…

“Every skipper runs their boat di erently”, he said, “there are o en variations in how a captain likes their tacks and gybes sequenced. Some boat owners are very speci c in how they want their ropes coiled and stowed or how to use the head (toilet) on board.” Now I understood. A valued recommendation and it is one I still live by today. By sitting quietly and observing from the sidelines we can learn a lot about the skipper and the boat’s rhythm. A er all, being allowed to play with someone else’s toy (and home) – sailing and exploring on their yacht is an honour and a privilege.

Over time I’ve found unpacking my personal belongings helps me to settle those early nerves. Stowing and seeing my familiar items in my cabin or bunk feels grounding and the allocated lockers, however small, become my little space.

97Sailing

or disrespectful guest. Got it. e second tip – never ‘assume’ on a new boat. At rst, I was puzzled.

A er that, it’s time for the future sailors to get acquainted. In my experience these rst interactions are not unlike a rst date. O en a little awkward, a bit exciting and, usually, a cautious and ‘on bestbehaviour’ a air. Sailing experiences feature highly in those rst conversations, especially any exciting or scary stories that contribute to the thrill of the moment.

You raise me I

On smaller cruising boats where you want to stick with a manual winch, you can often find a good deal by turning to the second-hand market. People sell their perfectly functional manual winches when they upgrade to electric. Ebay, Gumtree and online forums for your brand of boat are the best hunting grounds. Boat jumbles and specialist ‘breakers’ like boatjunkyard. co.uk are also worth exploring.

Winches and blocks are among the most important and durable components of most yachts. Sam Fortescue looks at the latest on offer

f you’re leafing pensively through the pages of a winch manufacturer’s catalogue, you’re likely to fall into one of two camps. Either you are looking to switch from manual to electric, for the sake of convenience, comfort and safety. Or your old winch is beginning to perform erratically, making it time for a change.

up!

In either case, the simplest and cheapest solution is to replace like with like. By sticking to the same winch size and brand, the deck footprint remains the same and, unless your existing unit is very elderly, the all-important fixings are identical. Just be aware that some prices have increased by 20 per cent year-on-year.

98 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Buyer's Guide - Winches and blocks

Going electric First of all, check whether your existing winch model has a corresponding conversion kit available from the manufacturer. This can slash the costs of upgrading by 30-50 per cent in comparison to a completely new system. Lewmar offers conversion kits for all winches over size 40, while Harken has a kit for any post-1999 winch; Andersen also offers conversion packs. Next, you or the boatyard should check that there is space available beneath the winch to house the electric motor and its gearbox. Most brands align the motor at right angles to the axis of the winch itself, meaning you need to find width rather than height. The exceptions are Andersen and Antal, which also offer vertically aligned motors. Selden’s innovative new E40i houses all the mechanics inside the winch drum, requiring no space at all below. You will need some extra grunt in the battery department. Andersen recommends having more than 100Ah of spare battery capacity for its size 40 winch, and Harken takes a similar view. You’ll need cables from the battery able to supply 100A or more. And though most units have built in protection from overheating or excess current, always install a circuit breaker.

99Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Winch controls are the other point to consider. Brands like Harken, Antal and Lewmar o er a limited range of switches – basically dual-function nger and foot toggles. Lewmar electric winches are single speed below a mammoth size 65, while Harken does a twospeed digital switch. Andersen and particularly Selden have developed much sleeker controls that sit well on the helm console.

Lewmar e long-standing Ocean winch from Lewmar is a staple still on cruising boats, and is pretty much bombproof, with two speeds (from manual size 30) and a self-tailer. It is available in two nishes – aluminium or chrome. Alternatively, the lighter Evo include the feedback obtained from years of selling the Ocean winch, and it looks a bit sharper too. Its aluminium feeder/stripper arm serving the self-tailing device can be adjusted to any angle to deliver rope smoothly into the cockpit. It is available in chrome, black or grey alloy, and you can also spec a carbon- bre inlay on the top for racier looks. A manual Evo 40ST costs around £1,292, while an Ocean 40ST is £1,368 New this season are a series of 48V winches using Lewmar’s established Evo and Ocean design. e higher voltage means a smaller motor unit below the deck, while the wiring and footprint remains unchanged. Higher voltage means lower current, requiring lighter cables and a smaller circuit breaker. Whether 12V, 24V or 48V, electric winch kits give you the choice of a simple thermal trip, which switches the winch o when the motor overheats, and a more complex load-sensing controller, which caps the power available to protect the motor. An electric kit for a size 40 starts at a little under £3,000. lewmar.com Harken Development work with the US America’s Cup team has rubbed o on Harken’s entire line of recognisable black-and-red winches.

Particular features of the Radial include slanting ribs along the drum for gripping the line under load and driving it down the drum when easing the lines. e bearings are composite, which Harken says makes for lower friction under load.

Dual speed winches start from size 35, which is also the cut-in for electric units. Harken’s motors connect directly to the central drive sha , which it claims to be much more e cient than competitors’ o set systems. A Radial 40 costs from £1002.84 with the cheaper black nish. e electric version is £3,036.46. harken.co.uk Antal A sharp range of one- and two-speed self-tailers for cruising and racing. ere’s quite a di erence between the two variants. Cruisers can choose between a black anodised or a chromed nish, while racers get the black nish, plus lighter roller bearings and a drum and gears further engineered for lightness. Both feature vertical knurls cut into the drum to o er grip and help the rope slide up and down. Keenly priced on the manual side, starting at £839 for a size 40ST. On the electric side, most of the winches are two-speed with the choice between a vertically or horizontally aligned motor. Besides the standard switch box, Antal also o ers a smart load controller, called the WBC. is starts the winch in its fast gear, then steps ABOVE (L-R) Lewmar's Evo range BELOW LEFT Harken's dual speed winches BELOW RIGHT A look inside an Antal winch

Even the cruiser’s Radial model is light, thanks to its aluminium drum, and the race-oriented Performa line is even more so. Heavier chrome and bronze nishes are also available.

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting100 Sillette THE BEST YOUR BOAT CAN GET Sillette.co.uk +44(0)1202 621631 JimmyGreen.com Email: Tel:sales@jimmygreen.co.uk+44(0)129720744 Reliable, Continuous Service since 1981 Online Custom Build Splicing, Rigging and Sewing Service Produced to Order ~ Professional Finish Delivery Worldwide Long MarlecCruiseDistancewithandExperiencetheFreedomofFullyChargedBatteries Renewable Energy Specialists Since 1978 www.marlec.co.uk sales@marlec.co.uk Wind Power - Solar Power - Controllers - Inverters - Batteries - Mounting Kits

Brand: Distributor:andersenwinches.comimproducts.co.uk

Brand: Distributor:antal.itmarineware.com

Pricing is high for a manual, starting at £2,419, but compares favourably against the electric winch to which it provides a real alternative. karver-systems.com Selden Aiming high, Selden is proving disruptive with its recent foray into electric winch-making. Its E40i is a technical marvel, housing the motor and gears inside the drum of the winch itself. e winch has a very slick pro le, and just the wires protrude underneath. If there is a drawback, it is that some of the necessary components have to be sited elsewhere in the boat. You’ll need a CAN bus, control unit and power supply unit to transform 12/24V boat current up to the required 42V. is higher voltage is the secret to tting the motor and gears inside the drum. If you have Selden furlers on board, you probably already have the network in place. And a recent upgrade means that now the winch can be synchronised with a Selden furling mast so that a single button controls the outhaul and the furler. It is available in black anodised aluminium priced at £4,298.40 (including the power pack), or in tougher but more costly stainless-steel. Seldenmast.com

ABOVE RIGHT How an electric unit is tted to an Andersen winch BELOW LEFT Karver's Pontos range of winches BELOW RIGHT Push winchingbuttonisde nitely becoming the norm on many boats down to the more powerful slower speed as it nears its maximum current. For a size 40, pricing is around the £3,300 mark. is year, Antal also introduced a large new 76XT winch in cruiser and racer variants.

Buyer's Guide - Winches and blocks

ABOVE LEFT An winchAnderseninaction

Karver Clever engineering in Karver’s manual Pontos range gives you four gears to optimise line handling. You shi up a gear every time you change the direction of turn of the winch handle. e winches break down into three types – a compact two-speed roughly equivalent to a size 45, a range geared for speed (KSW) and another one geared for power (KPW). e KSW and KPW winches come in three sizes roughly tting into the footprint of a size 40, 46 or 52 winch, but packing four speeds that triple the usual performance of a winch. In the case of the size 40, it has the power of a superyacht-size 110.

101Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Andersen Familiar in their mirror nish stainless steel, Andersen winches are high quality and slightly lighter than a Lewmar Ocean, thanks to aluminium bronze components. ere are large-diameter roller bearings to absorb drum loads and stainless-steel bearings on the bigger winches from size 52 upwards. e drum features Andersen’s so-called Power Ribs, which grip well without abrasion. On the electric side, Andersen’s answer to the under-deck space problem is its Compact Motor option, which protrudes just 180mm below the base of the winch, staying within the footprint of the drum. It also comes in an above deck format, where the motor is housed in a skirt that raises the winch 85mm o the deck. Otherwise, it’s the E1 singlespeed electric winch that runs from size 28 up to a huge 72. e controller e ectively manages very fast line recovery at low load, and high power at a slower speed. Other nishes are possible, including matt, bronze and black. An Andersen 40ST costs £1,334, while the same size E1 costs some £3,297.

“Using a well-engineered electric outboard has been a revelation.’’ TOM CUNLIFFE Classic Boat › 1276Wh battery › Faster to charge › Battery floats if dropped › Foldable tiller means only one cable to connect › Three shaft length options › Direct drive (no gearbox) Torqeedo 1103 › 916Wh battery › GPS data on tiller gives speed & range indication › Removable tiller (more compact for storage) › Near‐silent direct drive › Much more robust than the previous model (Torqeedo 1003) Epropulsion Spirit PLUS Quiet, Convenient, Reliable and Easy-to-Use

› Ease of Use Switch on, twist the tiller handles, go. Almost anybody can do it; no experience, strength or mechanical knowledge is needed.

› Ease of Storage These electric motors divide into components, don’t leak oil or petrol, and don’t mind which way up they’re stored.

Of course, it’s not all perfect. The range may still not be enough for some users.

› Quietness & Smoothness Electric motors are a delight to use.

› Range There are many variables, but most users achieve at least 9 to 10 nautical miles per charge, at 4 to 5 knots (2.5m inflatable dinghy). Much more if you slow down a little.

› Reliability Many outboard motors don’t get used very often, and small petrol motors hate this. Electric outboards have fewer parts in general, and in particular there’s no carburettor to “gum up”.

› Power Forget slow speed “trolling motors”, these 1kW electrics have huge torque (more like a 3hp petrol).

And they’re undeniably More Expensive than petrol outboards, mostly because lithium batteries are expensive. But that extra upfront cost is largely offset by their Lower Lifetime Running Costs, including (almost) No Servicing one retailer for both Torqeedo You can find out more on our website, and we are always happy to discuss further – and offer advice – by email or phone. If you’d like to see them before making a purchase, we are based in Christchurch, Dorset (UK).

› Ease of Handling

The batteries are removable, and the “pass up and down” weight (the shaft/motor assembly) is then 10kg or less.

In the popular 2-4hp category, the latest electric outboards – with their integral and rechargeable lithium batteries – have transformed the market, rendering petrol motors all-but obsolete. Advantages include:

. Outboard?anConsideringElectric NESTAWAYTelmail@nestawayboats.comwww.nestawayboats.com08009992535BOATSistheUK’snumber

AND Epropulsion.

Blocks

Blocks are mature technology now, but there is a range of di erent designs specially adapted to di erent tasks on board. And of course, manufacturers are constantly redesigning with novel materials to reduce weight, cost or friction. Choose a plain bearing block for static applications with high loads, like a halyard, vang, preventer or guy. e block’s pin is in direct contact with the inner surface of the sheave, which works ne as long as there is not frequent, rapid movement.

For mid-weight loads that need constant adjustment, ball bearing blocks are a good compromise and, for high dynamic loads, roller bearing blocks are better at spreading the load and reducing friction. Here are the latest innovations.

Selden Ratchet block R60 Selden has also been busy redesigning its existing range of ratchet blocks for dinghies and keelboats. is second generation features better grip and switch, to turn the ratchet on and o . Available with a composite or an aluminium sheave – the latter giving better grip, especially for ner hi-tech lines. From £71.98.

103Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Barton SkyLock Proudly wearing its badge as a manufacturer of reliable products at keen prices, Barton is always busy launching new products. It recently unveiled its SkyDock system, using marine hardware to li and hold canoes, boats and other roo op paraphernalia attached to the car. e key innovation here was the Skylock block, which gives a nearly frictionfree run of the line, but includes aluminium cams that grip the line if you let it go. Barton’s Christian Brewer demonstrated the system amply at the METS show with a case of breaky Champagne. Price is £70 and the safe working load is 80kg. Antal Sectoring With its grey and yellow livery, Antal’s high quality deck gear is easily recognisable. e Italian company pioneered the low friction ring nearly 15 years ago, and has now re ned the design with a rotating version suited to high loads and small movements. Ranges from an 8mm unit weighing 50g (SWL 1

Buyer's Guide - Winches and blocks

Harken Fly block Manufacturing one of the broadest range of blocks and deck hardware on the market, Harken recently launched its new lightweight Fly blocks. ey are aimed at dinghies and sportsboats, and are designed speci cally for handling hi-tech lines, such as Dyneema. Available in 18mm (from £25.01) or 29mm variants (a 40mm is coming soon), they can handle 125kg and 350kg maximum working load respectively.

tonne) up to a 14mm ring that weighs 265g and can handle nearly 4 tonnes. A Dyneema snap loop is the standard xing, but it can also be customised to suit. Costs start around £35.

“ e use of hi-tech line with the current braid and cover technology allows Harken to design blocks with smaller sheaves,” said project leader Matt Schmidt. “Harken Fly blocks o er the same strength and e ciency as larger blocks, but come in a much smaller, low-aero package.”

Selden So block Nothing wildly revolutionary about this – so blocks are now well proven on the performance side. Selden says it has found a clever way of xing on the Dyneema strop, and o ers two variants. e basic option is an acetal sheave with stainlesssteel ball bearings, or upgrade to an aluminium sheave on Torlon bearings for higher loads. Sheaves with 20mm, 30mm and 40mm diameters are available. From £14.40.

ABOVE (L-R) Barton, Harken and Antal blocks BELOW Two examples of Selden's range of blocks

LAUNCHED

 waveinternational.co.uk

A+T Wind Sensors 213 Lymington company A+T Instruments is now shipping the ﬁrst Short Mast Unit and Vertical Mast Units. These are compatible with the many thousands of 213 type units in use worldwide and also with the instruments to which they are connected. The new Wind Sensors combine all of the advantages of digital microprocessor sensing and calibration with the resolution and response of analogue output. this means it is compatible with all existing systems. The A+T Wind Sensors o er a much higher angular accuracy and repeatability. The vane is fully carbon, o ering a much faster response design and the bearings are ceramic, providing better performance at low wind speeds and are corrosion resistant, helping to give much longer life. All of the Wind Sensor parts are compatible and interchangeable with existing 213 units and are held in stock for immediate delivery. The Wind Sensors are designed and manufactured in Lymington, UK. AandTinstruments.com

 £26.95  zhik.com

SUPs for all the family Newly formed Prometheus Watersports has launched a range of ultra-high quality and robust YellowV inﬂatable paddle boards and kayaks into the UK. YellowV is the SUP and kayak brand developed by Dutch company Vetus. There are di erent boards and kayaks for di erent purposes, from kids messing around to adults going touring.

Musto kit for youth sailors Musto has launched four brand-new Junior products in its Championship and Flexlite Alumin dinghy collections to coincide with the 2022 Allianz Youth World Sailing Championships. An all-new Long John, Long Sleeve Top, Smock and Aqua Top have been added to the four piece collection, ideal for competitive youth athletes. The kit comes with articulated and ergonomic panelling, a thermal quick-dry grid backer at chest and back plus breathable neoprene (ventiprene) in the underarm panels for enhanced ventilation.

 From £80  musto.com

This photo might resemble your on-board WC; it might not. The point is that the water coming out of those very smart taps is going to be gloriously pure and tasty, because the boat owner in question has fitted Wave International filters. Wave’s filters are popular with high spec charter operators. The range includes Flostream for drinking water, the Flostream Dock Filter for pre-cleaning of water when filling tanks, and Prostream, which filters water prior to going through a watermaker, protecting the reverse osmosis membrane. The filters are said to remove “all types of contaminants found in water such as harmful bacteria, heavy metals and minerals such as calcium and limescale” according to Wave International’s MD Paul Gullett.

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting104

 yellowv.co.uk

Zhik pinnies

Wave ﬁlters



If you happen to be race leader, you’ll need one of these spandex numbers in yellow. They come in other colours, useful for designating di erent ﬂeets in one event. The Event Pinnie has everything top ﬂight performance gear could o er, including body-mapped contouring, 4-way stretch, UPF 50+ Protection and more.

New kit for you and your boat

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 105 Unit E4 Fort Wallington, Fareham, PO16 8TT. Tel 01329 232360 sales@vitessemarine.co.uk www.vitessemarine.co.uk/kiwigrip Traction Made Beautiful... The high performance non-skid deck coating. Made In New Zealand Yachts & Yachting May 14.pdf 1 24/03/2014 12:55 T:sales@leesan.com01295770000 Toilets, Tanks, Hoses, Clips, Gauges, Deck Fittings, Vent Filters and everything you need plus Advice & specialiseOnlyServiceSparesWorldwideSupportedGuidancebyourDeliveryLeeSantrulyintoiletsStayingaheadofthegameon-board...

navigation

Accommodation:

This Judel/Vrolijk-designed carbon-fibre performance cruiser from Baltic Yachts in Finland is stunning in every respect. She has a modern single cockpit arrangement with three double cabins, plus crew quarters in the forepeak. Launched in 2006, ‘Calasjan’ is a beautifully presented and highly capable 61ft carbon-fibre/epoxy performance cruising sloop, which the brokers say is engineered with a level of craftsmanship unmatched within the yachting industry. Although her supersleek hull lines are optimised for light airs performance, she relishes the heavier airs and, her easily managed sail-handling systems allow her to perform to her full potential with minimal crew. With a modern single cockpit external arrangement and versatile three cabin, three heads interior layout, the Baltic 61 is ideal for those looking to cruise with or without crew. Under her current ownership (since 2016), ‘Calasjan’ has been continually updated with recent expenditure including a 10-year service of her EC6 rigging, plus a new generator, new lithium-ion service batteries, new air-condition system, and full hydraulics revision.

Marine Group – UK Hanse dealership. Year:

in 3 cabins Location:

Contact: grabauinternational.com craftinsure quote: £POA 106 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

The Hanse 455 has become one of the most sought-after models in the awardwinning It is a solidly built, fast, and easy to sail cruising yacht with great looks. ‘Equity’ is one of the last examples built and is in really great condition with plenty of upgrades. She has bow and stern thrusters, electric winches, furling gennaker, full suite and much more. She was delivered and serviced from launch in 2018 by Inspiration 2017

Hanse range.

Designer:

Engine:

Displacement:

Year: 2006 Length: 18.45m (60’) Beam: 4.7m (15’) Draft: 4.7m (15’) 16250kg Yanmar 4JH3 DTE 125hp Judel/Vrolijk 8 berths Barcelona, Spain

BROKERAGE | BOATS FOR SALE Three of the best Tax£279,990paid £678,000Taxpaid

BALTIC YACHTS 61 | CALASJAN

Length: 14.04m (46’6”) Beam: 4.38m (14’37”) Draft: 2.25m (7’38ft”) Displacement: 11,600kg Engine: Yanmar (57hp) Designer: Judel/Vrolijk Accommodation: 6 berths in 3 cabins Location: Swanwick, Hampshire Contact: michaelschmidt.co.uk craftinsure quote: £878.05 HANSE 455 | EQUITY

€565,000+VAT Insure your yacht with Craftinsure - boat insurance at the touch of a button. Get a quote online or call today: craftinsure.com; 0345 2607 888 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 107 SOLARIS 44 | TRILOGY Splashed in 2021, ‘Trilogy’ is a barely unwrapped Solaris 44 available now, whilst new deliveries stretch into 2024. Drawn by Javier Soto Acebal, she comes with effortless performance and is easily handled shorthanded, thanks to Solaris’ thoroughly well thought out sail plan. With a light, spacious interior in oak, funky grey upholstery and all the creature comforts. Fully togged for Med sailing and distance cruising. With electronic wizardry from B&G, sail wardrobe by One Sails, just add blue water. Year: 2021 Length: 3.35m (43’10”) Beam: 4.18m (13’9”) Draft: 2.4m (7’10”) Displacement: 10,500kg (23,149lb) Engines: 1 x Volvo Penta 60hp Designer: Javier Soto Acebal/Solaris Design Team Accommodation: 6 berths in 3 cabins Builder: Solaris Yachts Location: Sardinia, Italy Contact: berthoninternational.com craftinsure quote: £POA

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting108 GREECE CROATIA TURKEY THAILAND FRANCE CARIBBEAN Call us: 01634 890512 elitesailing.co.uk Join the Elite Sailing Club Follow-on sailing, discounts & events RYA Sailing & Motor Cruising Courses Competent Crew • Day Skipper Coastal Skipper • Yachtmaster • Helmsman Shorebased Courses Day Skipper • Yachtmaster • On-line courses with on-line video classes Plus Around Britain Adventure Sailing Milebuilders • Fast-track Yachtmaster Own Boat Tuition • ICC Chatham Marina on River Medway 45 mins from London RYA Sail and Motor Cruising Training Centre Beautiful Georgian Town New Forest Activities Fantastic Dining Experiences Things To See & Do Only a step away... Find out more: info@lymingtonharbour.co.ukwww.lymingtonharbour.co.uk01590672014 “We spent a few very pleasant days moored at the Town Quay which has an excellent ambiance... we like the new berthing arrangements; with finger berths, power and water all close to the Town Centre it makes Lymington a very nice place to visit.” Let’s get CharmingsocialHarbour with First Class Mooring Facilities NEW JUNEIN‘22refurbished shower &facilitieswashroomatTownQuay

Seafarer’s base is also in Lefkas, Greece at its longest established

PEARCE;STUARTISTOCK;PHOTOS: 109Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022

Why not learn to sail while on holiday in Europe? Sue Pelling takes a look at six of the best tuition-based charter holidays to choose from Charter Class charter

There is still time to bag a late season holiday and learn to sail at one of the many tuitionbased charter holiday companies in Europe. A late summer sailing holiday is, in many respects, an ideal time to learn the basics of how to handle a charter yacht not least because it’s generally less busy in the marinas and ports, and temperatures are not quite so intense. You’ll also find some companies offer special late season deals, particularly out of school holiday season, so it is possible to sign up for a good package. Whether you are travelling with friends, family or solo, there are plenty of options available with most companies happy to accommodate your needs, often with bespoke packages. For those who are less keen on long haul flights, a European charter holiday is ideal because most destinations such as Greece, Croatia or South of France, are just a relatively short flight from the UK. Tuition-based charter is the ideal option not only for total beginners

ABOVE Kefalonia, Greece is an ideal destinationcruising BELOW Learning to sail with the family on a Sunsail holiday can be fun who may have never have even stepped foot on a yacht before, but also for those who need to brush up their skills with a qualification before going alone and chartering their own yacht in the future.

The ‘Flotilla Starter’ course or ‘Flotilla Hero’ course Sunsail offers, provides an opportunity to gain the RYA Start Yachting or RYA Day Skipper certificate. On the Flotilla Hero course, up to two can earn an RYA Day Skipper certification or up to three crew members can gain their RYA Competent Crew qualification. A similar option is on offer with Sunsail in Croatia at its Agana base, which runs until November. Here you can learn to sail while experiencing the cruising grounds of the Dalmatian Coast with its lush islands, pristine beaches, and quiet, ancient towns to explore.

Seafarer Seafarer offers one of the most extensive ranges of tuition with its specific Yacht Training options in Greece and Croatia. There is something for everyone within its RYA training scheme but also, the company offers non-RYA courses for those who are not looking for certification but who are keen to improve specific skills.

Sunsail Sunsail’s Lefkas, Greece and Agana, Croatia bases offer tuition for all levels. Lefkas is in the heart of the Ionian and its RYA-accredited sailing schools are the perfect place to gain a qualification from the RYA Yacht Starting course through to RYA Day Skipper, RYA Competent Crew certification and beyond.

Charter training centre. This sheltered part of the Mediterranean is a popular location for a relaxing family-friendly holiday.

Although this company it is not an affiliated sailing exam centre, clients enjoy the relaxed holiday atmosphere and each yacht’s skipper helps sailing newbies, and those with previous experience to get to grips with yacht sailing.

Sailing Holidays Sailing Holidays has been offering Mediterranean charter and flotillas for over 40 years covering the areas Greece, Croatia, Italy, Spain and Turkey. From its bases in Greece on mainland Plataria, and on Corfu Island, this company offers comprehensive RYAbased tuition packages to suit all requirement including Competent Crew or Day Skipper courses.

Trek Adventures Sea-Trek – the sailing section of Trek Adventures – specialise in sailing holidays for beginners and offers ‘Introduction To Yacht Sailing’ holidays from the Ionian Island of Kefalonia, Greece. The base is in the quaint, traditional town of Lixouri and offers easy access to secluded bays/ anchorages and beaches, and some of the best tavernas on the island.

For those looking to qualify in super-fast time, Sailing Holiday’s fast-track package offers Competent Crew and Day Skipper practical courses over a two-week holiday period.

ABOVE Kefalonia, Greece offers plenty of picturesque bays in which to drop anchor BELOW Sailing Holidays has been running charter holidays for over 40 years, and offers 3:1 instructorstudent/ratiotuition

HOLIDAYSSAILINGANDRONOS;CHARALAMBOSISTOCKPHOTOS:

Nautilus Yachting

Useful contacts sunsail.co.ukseafarersailing.co.uktrek-adventures.co.uknautilusyachting.comsailionian.comsailingholidays.com

OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting110

Sail Ionian Sail Ionian’s RYA Sea School is based in Lefkas, the popular charter location. The southern Ionian with its predictable weather patterns and sheltered sailing area is ideal for novices under RYA tuition. This company has plenty of options for training, including a full range of RYA courses, and practical courses for the internationallyrecognised ICC (International Certificate of Competence). Choose from private tuition where you charter a yacht and have your own dedicated instructor, or join just three other trainees on a joint course, which is generally the most popular option.

Tuition is on a Bénéteau 393 and the student instructor ratio is 3:1.

For something different, why not consider a holiday in Gibraltar and learn to sail too with Nautilus Yachting’s learn to sail holiday package? This independent yacht charter company based in the UK, has been operating successfully for 30 years and has holiday bases throughout the world. It offers a whole range of different holiday options but is one of the few companies with a base in Gibraltar. It offers year-round sailing at the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, and exciting opportunities to cruise the Spanish Costa del Sol and visit Morocco. This RYA-recognised training centre offers a full range of RYA practical, live aboard courses from Marina Bay Complex, which is conveniently located just five minutes from the airport.

The company’s training centre in Croatia is at Zaton, near Sibenik, and offers more varied conditions, including stronger local winds. The season runs from early May to late October, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for Seafarers last minute special offers on its comprehensive website.

Pass your Yachtmaster and Day Skipper with www.adlardcoles.comconfidence

Classified To advertise call +44 (0)207 349 3787 or email mark.harrington@chelseamagazines.com DINGHYINSURANCECOVERS www.sailingtoday.co.uk | www.yachtsandyachting.co.uk BOATS FOR SALE BOATS FOR CLOTHINGSALE RS800. Well maintained boat. New mast 2018. 1 set racing sails, black square top main and jib in photo plus kite. 1 suit training sails and kite. Recent new trolley. Foils with bags. Lots new ropes/ continuous control lines. Top cover. Carbon tiller. Trailer road base/ u cover optional extras. £2250 Tel 07853 971336 / (EMSWORTH ) LASER 1 XD RACE. Ice Blue, Purchased January 2019. Composite Upper Mast. Full rig and hull in near new condition –26 hours of usage. Radial rig brand new and unused. Combi trolley/trailer. Top Cover, under cover and foil bag. £5250 Tel 07720 829 815 / (SOUTHAMPTON) J24 4270 JOLLY ROGER. Built 2005 J Boats Italy; Prepared by UK Champions for the 2005 Worlds; 5th in the Worlds; Hull faired by David Heritage on the IOW; Always dry sailed; Trailer refurbished and full length sail storage boxes. £14500 Tel +4479 74576252 / (POOLE) MUSTO HPX GORETEX OCEAN TROUSERS SIZE M BRIGHT YELLOW. MUSTO HPX Goretex Ocean trousers size M in bright yellow. Unmarked. worn only twice. massive saving on new price. £175 Tel 07754 337398 / (CHICHESTER) MUSTO LARGE HPX OCEAN GORETEX JACKET. Musto Large size HPX Goretex Ocean Jacket colour Bright Yellow. As New (Worn Twice) Unmarked. massive saving on new price. £375 Tel 07754 337398 / (CHICHESTER) GP14 MAINSAIL AND JIB. Sails 25 years old but barely used. Battens included. Jib in very good condition mainsail needs small repair on edge and is slightly discoloured in places. Buyer collects. £100 Tel 07883 040548 / (BEXLEY) ALBACORE 8212. Excellent lightly-sailed FRP Ovington with ‘Oxford’ blue hull, Superspars boom, M2 mast and flyaway pole, fully adjustable rig, P&B sails with less than 20 hours use, Milanes foils, padded rudder bag, top cover, cocoon trailing cover, trolley, minimum weight with correctors, measurement certificate - ready to win. £7500 Tel 01993 772966 / (OXFORD) 24 FT CRUISER QUARTER TONNER. Fully Restored and going fast. 4 berth, fin-keel, open-plan cruiser. Good family boat, self draining cockpit. Re-masted, re-rigged, re-keeled, new rudder. Laminate sails little used. 3.5hp outboard. Full recent survey - yard trolley available. Must be seen. £6300 Tel 07765 900259 / (CARDIFF) SEAFARER 18FT WITH 6HP JOHNSON OUTBOARD AND 8FT DINGHY. 23ft mast. Sails and bag. Replacement bow winch cable. Roller & foresail reefing. Outboard with 2gal tank and connections. Boarding ladder. New mahogany rubbing strakes. New marine ply washboards. Enclosed cabin with cushions & storage shelves. Mahogany combings & seat slats. Road trailer with 3 new tyres. New bilge pump. £1675 Tel 01432 277281 / (HEREFORD) J24 RACE READY. One Design Legal Alien Hull number: JRSP-2-87 4215, Sail number GBR 4064 1987 Rogers boat in excellent condition and race ready. Up to date Marine surveyor report. Current ECHO & ICR certs. Offers considered. £11000 Tel 00353 862340359 / (IRELAND) OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting112 Tel:.co.ukrainandsun02380348854www.rainandsun.co.ukCallPhilipBullon023 8034 8854 Dinghy covers Calls maybe recorded. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Get a quote in 20 seconds On cover in 2 minutes Low on-line Authorised03452craftinsure.compremiums607888andregulatedbytheFinancialConduct Authority Boat Insurance made easy Get the App - craftinsure.com/app

ClassifiedTo advertise call +44 (0)207 349 3787 or email mark.harrington@chelseamagazines.com KNIVES LEATHER STEERING WHEELS www.sailingtoday.co.uk | www.yachtsandyachting.co.uk SAILSFITTING OUT BOATS FOR SALE YACHT DELIVERIES OTHER EQUIPMENT OTHER EQUIPMENT SAILING TUITION EXPERIENCED YACHTSMAN WANTED CHARTERTOADDEDBOATSNEWTHEFLEET NEW QUICK WINDLASS ULTRA GENIUS 1000 D 800W. Quick Ultra Genius D on deck Model 1000 Windlass 12v 6mm 800w, with rope drum. Brand new in box. Includes solenoids unit and handle. Purchased a few years ago, but never used, and has been stored since then in its box in a centrally heated workshop. £490 Tel 07714 259616 / (OBAN) To advertise please call Mark on 020 7349 3787 HYDRAHOIST BOAT LIFTER - REDUCED PRICE. Currently set up for a J24, but can be adapted to suit most boats. Lifts up to 1500kg. Approx 6200mm long by 3200mm wide. Located in Poole Yacht Club. £3500 Tel 07808 177659 / (POOLE ) PAR OR ANDERSON SUPERMAX BAILERS Please phone for details. £77.68 Tel 01642 655982 / 07879 627224 (STOCKTON ON TEES) SQUIB 755, Barker Brewer boat, maximum correctors: Milanes rudder: original gelcoat, never painted: shaped keel, no antifoul electric pumps: recent Superspars mast: main: Batt 8/10 and 3 x Batt club: jib: Batt 8/10 and 2 x Batt club: spinnaker: Batt 9/10, Hyde 8/10 and 2 x Batt club: floor and bearers replaced, full epoxy coating: Robbins lightweight ply: Brian Mather trailer: £5000 Tel 07881 780267 / 01248 716821 (ANGLESEY) GULL 2883 BUILT BY HARTLEY BOATS Very little use. Combi trailer. Located Hoylake, Wirral. £5000 Tel 07882 498688 / (LIVERPOOL) Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting OCTOBER 2022 113 LEATHER COVERINGWHEELKITS • For all wheel sizes and sprayhood grab rails • Leather Spinnaker pole covers • Handy Pull Tags to open Shackles • Suppliers of Marine Leathers to Sailmakers & Riggers Clyde Marine www.clydemarineleather.comLeatherT.01418814981 Clyde_RYA_Win_16.indd 1 01/11/2016 09:55 T: (01929) 554308 The Sail Loft, 16 BH20Wareham,LaneSandfordIndEst,Dorset,4DY www.kempsails.com LOOKING FOR CROSS YACHTSMANATLANTIC Two surfski paddlers from South Africa are looking for a yacht/yachtsman to support them on a surfski paddle world record attempt paddling across the Atlantic from Cape Verde Islands to Brazil. This exercise is planned to kick off around the end of November and is estimated to last between 20 to 30 days. “Far and fast”(lol). Quinton Rutherford (Double Guinness record holder – single and double surfski one day distance record) and Gerhard Moolman (Guinness record holder – long distance surfski) will be attempting this record in a double surfski together. Paddling will happen approximately for 15hrs per day and the yacht will have to lie in irons at night. We are looking for somebody that is keen to do a cross Atlantic trip, keen for adventure and could perhaps do with some financial support. Please contact Gerhard +27 73 525 6034 | gerhard@altsa.co.za www.sealsdirect.co.ukRubbersealsand trims for the marine industry 01425 617722 FREE, fully illustrated catalogue Please visit our website or call Seals+Direct Ltd, Unit 6, Milton Business Centre, Wick Drive, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6RH Email: sales@sealsplusdirect.co.uk NEWINDUSTRIALMARINEINDUSTRIALCARAVANAUTOMOTIVEFREE,fullyPleasevisitourwebsiteorcallWickDrive,NewMilton,HampshireBH256RHINDUSTRIALSOLVEYOURSEALINGPROBLEMSCARAVANAUTOMOTIVECATALOGUE Enter coupon ‘ST2022’ on checkout for a free Myerchin Light Pen MYERCHIN KNIVES instagram.com /myerchinuk twitter.com /MyerchinUK

Other leaks are clearly just from lacklustre workmanship. The hatch acrylic that doesn’t quite seal perfectly; the sprayhood that was clearly made for only fair-weather; the dorade ventilation funnel that was put on incorrectly, or even a simple deck fitting D-ring that was only screwed in place rather than sealed with 5200. And you don’t find these flaws, or trace the origin of the leak for years sometimes. Or else it’s a fix that you just never seem to get round to and slap some duct tape over it instead. And there are hidden mystery leaks that still don’t make perfect sense to us.

‘The down side to sailing in the tropics is that when thunderstorms and rain hit, they do so with astonishing force’

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

At least these are all freshwater ones. We’re far more vigilant about any sign of a salt-water leak of course. We constantly monitor the tightness of our stern packing gland on the prop shaft, and check the hose clips on the foot pumps we have at each sink, as a sudden seawater influx would be a dangerous and scary prospect.

So much so that we alerted neighbours of ours when we noticed their automatic bilge pump going like the clappers when they weren’t even on board, which indicated to us they could have a serious leak. However, being a far fancier boat than ours, they simply reassured us that they had remotely turned the airconditioning on and it was just the bilge pumping out due to condensation. Ah, how the other half live!

ASTLEHOLLYILLUSTRATION

It also has a knack for finding just the most awkward and annoying places to get into your boat. I remember checking in on a friend’s boat only to find a leak directly above their chart table and nav station. Fortunately, it was recent, just from a freak storm the night before, but it was also near impossible to trace just where the water had been gushing in from. Especially now that it had stopped. Our only option was to clear up the mess and try to layer protective tarps both inside and above deck to prevent further damage until they could get to the bottom of the issue.

Old boat or new boat, power or sail, glassfibre or wooden we all have to deal with the dreaded leaks. And I’m not referring to a poorly maintained vessel with structural issues, springing a leak below the waterline. Not at all. I’m talking about all of us who have boats that we use regularly and take good care of, ones where we pride ourselves on dry bilges, and install rain awnings or cockpit enclosures. Yet all it seems to take is one rainstorm hitting from a slightly different angle, or with unusual intensity and suddenly you notice a brand-new leak you’ve never seen before. The down side to sailing in the tropics is that when thunderstorms and rain hit, they do so with astonishing force. It’s a lot like being in a carwash, except without the big furry rollers cleaning down your boat at the same time. When rain comes, with an audible roar, it tracks down and along certain things on deck, instantly creating rivers and streams of water. This sometimes causes a new-found leak trickling in from a point that had always proved bone-dry before. Often the culprit for us will be a rope. Rainwater loves streaming along ropes and lines and if you have one dangling in just the wrong place sure enough the drips will start dribbling in. For years we had a shoddy spot of glassfibre in one of our cockpit lockers and when the downpour hit from a certain direction this allowed the water to seep in. The trouble was that underneath were layers of marine ply, ceilings and headlining of a cabin below so we never knew where the leak would come flowing out from. Water is tricky that way.

Jess Lloyd-Mostyn

Having a minor leak aboard a yacht is pretty much a fact of life. Yet that is little consolation as you turn your cabin upside down to find the source of the latest drip, drip...

Some leaks come about as a result of a regular maintenance interval clocking around again. Re-bedding the chain plate deck fittings on our standing rigging is one such job. It works like an absolute dream… until it doesn’t. And the only way to see if there is too much flex in it or if the sealant has deteriorated is by watching the little trickles of water slowly coming in through our cabinetry. Checking your chainplates should be on every sailor’s regular watch list but alas some previous owner of our boat thought it was far better to build extensive holly and maple joinery all around these vital rigging components so that they were impossible to access. It meant that we were only wise to any leaks from the deck plate after years and years of historic water damage began to show in the woodwork.

114 OCTOBER 2022 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

gatewayAMADEBOATINGSIMPLEmembershipwithFreedomBoatClubisthetomakingthemostoftheboatinglife We take care of everything –maintenance, cleaning, repairs and storage – so that all you have to do is book your boat, relax and revel in time spent with family and friends. We’ll provide these fantastic benefits: • Unlimited access to any boat in our home fleet • Reciprocal access to a variety of boats in over 350 clubs across the UK, France, Spain, USA and Canada • Liability, hull and mechanical insurance • Maintenance, cleaning, repair and storage • Full Royal Yachting Association accredited training • Member social events We look forward to showing you the ropes! @fbc.uk Email: Info@freedomboatclub.co.ukfreedomboatclub.co.uk UK Locations: Hythe Marina Village, Portsmouth, Torquay, Windermere  Discover Boating Made Simple Visit us on stand E019 at InternationalSouthampton Boat Show

www.clickandboat.com Rating: 4.7 / 5 Based on 141985 reviews DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A PROFIT FROM YOUR BOAT? COME JOIN US! BOATOURDISCOVERVARIOUSMODELS! +40,000 BOATS +600 DESTINATIONS clickandboat.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting October 2022

Articles inside

Class charter best of six

Hitch hike under sail

Sail GP review

Launched

Buyer’s Guide

Expert’s Forum

Southampton Boat Show

Tested: Hanse 460

Ionian wine tour

Solent day out

Golden Globe interview

Tom Cunli e

Cowes Week review

Baltic Sea Race

Paul Heiney

New boat news

Îles d’Hyères