Yachting Year 2021

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CRUISING | CLASSICS | RACING

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YEAR 2021

FULL REPORT INSIDE

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HISTORIC YEAR Records set to fall

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PLOT YOUR NEXT CRUISE Inspiration and advice

Discover the World, Differently.

At Sunsail, we always put our customers first, which is why we have introduced our flexible booking policy and have updated our health and safety measures. You can have peace of mind knowing you are in control of your next adventure, and are able to explore your favourite cruising grounds with your loved ones whilst in a safe environment.

Let us take care of the details by arranging your flights, transfers and personal travel insurance, leaving more time for you to enjoy your valuable holiday time.

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ROB PEAKE EDITOR

Will INEOS TEAM UK make 2021 the biggest year in sailing since 1851?

WELCOME

A HISTORIC YEAR AHEAD

A

CHELSEA MAGAZINES Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place London SW3 3TQ EDITORIAL Editor Rob Peake +44 (0)20 7349 3755 rob.peake@chelseamagazines.com Senior Art Editor Peter Smith +44 (0)20 7349 3756 peter.smith@chelseamagazines.com ADVERTISING Head of marine market Jodie Green +44 (0)20 7349 3722 jodie.green@chelseamagazines.com Advertisement production Allpointsmedia +44 (0)1202 472781 allpointsmedia.co.uk Published by The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Commercial Director Vicki Gavin Publisher Simon Temlett

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s this edition of The Yachting Year goes to press, we can bring you the news that the desire to go out and get wet, cold, mad, invigorated, refreshed and sunburned on whatever kind of boat yours is, shows no signs of abating. It’s been a hell of a year and there are probably stormy waters yet to come, but sailing is still the greatest hobby known to mankind and in these tumultuous times there is even more reason to get out on the water, clear your head and have a great weekend.

In this issue of The Yachting Year, as well as reviewing 2020, we look forward to the coming 12 months – a year that could be momentous for British sailing.

First up we’ve got the Vendée Globe, which enters its second month at sea as we go to press. It’s been a brutal time for British followers of the race, as first the man many people hoped to win, Alex Thomson, was forced to retire in the south Atlantic with rudder damage, and then Sam Davies, who despite having an elderly boat stood a chance of making the podium, suffered serious damage after a collision with a ‘UFO’, or unidentified floating object. So this edition of the Vendée Globe may not produce the win we were hoping for, but there are still two Brits in the race as I write, Miranda Merron and Pip Hare, both giving us much to be inspired by as they skim around the planet at speeds that are still breathtaking.

On page 44, we talk to Pip, who recently put in a 400-mile day on her 20-year-old boat and is winning followers outside the coterie of armchair experts, with her blogs and video reports from the front line.

The Vendée fleet will still be at sea as the opening rounds of the America’s Cup get underway in January in Auckland. The four competing nations – the British, Italians, USA and New Zealanders – will be racing on the most extraordinary boats ever built. The AC75s, designed for this 36th edition of the Cup, fly at 50 knots on one foil and a rudder. The Brits are led by the sailing genius that is Sir Ben Ainslie and his INEOS TEAM UK is widely considered to have a better chance of ending our 170-year losing streak than any British crew has ever had.

“There is no second,” as Queen Victoria was famously told at the innaugural race back in 1851. Read our Cup preview on page 56.

The America’s Cup ends in March, giving us a respite of a few months, hopefully to do a bit of sailing ourselves, before the Olympic regatta kicks off on 23 July.

Sailed in the bay of Enoshima, an hour south of Tokyo, with giant waves rolling in off the Pacific, this should be a great fortnight of watching the best dinghy sailors in the world racing for the ultimate prize. Team GB has some big names, like Hannah Mills, who might become the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time if she wins gold, and Giles Scott, who is hoping to win his second gold and the last ever Olympic gold in the Finn class. Scott is also a key part of Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team. Can he win the America’s Cup and Olympics within four months? He talks about the “challenging” months ahead on page 116.

Amid the dreadful pandemic last summer, millions of people joined anti-racism protests worldwide, following the death of George Floyd in the US. Sailing, too, took a look at itself and there is work underway to make our sport more open to all communities.

Here’s to fairer winds in 2021 and beyond.

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 3

Contents

12

88

THE YEAR IN REVIEW We look back on 2020, on and off the water

GREEN AMBITIONS Jimmy Cornell’s round the world cat

28

THE YEAR AHEAD FOR

CRUISING SAILORS

by Sam Jefferson

44

PIP HARE’S DREAM

Getting to the Vendée Globe startline

20

THE YEAR AHEAD FOR RACING The America’s Cup, Olympics and more

50

MED CHARTER

GUIDE 2021 Advice for a fresh start

66

DREAM BOATS Best new boats for 2021

74

UK CHARTER GUIDE

The best of British holidays afloat

80

GENERAL PATTON’S

SCHOONER When and If sails on

36

THE YEAR AHEAD FOR CLASSIC SAILORS

106

110

114

116

BUYER’S GUIDE

By the editor of Classic Boat magazine

Propellers

BUYER’S GUIDE Which winch?

94

LATEST GEAR

FOR YOU AND YOUR BOAT

56

AMERICA’S CUP COUNTDOWN Ben Ainslie leads INEOS Team UK

4 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

118

BLUE WATER KIT BUYER’S GUIDE

GILES SCOTT Bids for Olympic

gold and America’s Cup

SASKIA TIDEY Olympian ready

for battle in Japan

catamaran-outremer.com Groupe Grand Large Yachting

PERFORMANCE SEREINE

FIVE GO ROUND THE ISLAND The Nutter family – Craig, Kate, Jack, Molly and their Harrison Butler cutter Sabrina – enjoy a day to remember in the Round the Island Race WORDS CRAIG NUTTER

6 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2018

WATERCOLOURS SUE PEAKE

50 degrees south PICTURE YASMIN STEEL Yasmin Steel, of Melbourne, Australia, was five days out of Tristan da Cunha on the tall ship Europa, when with hurricane-force winds battering the rig and waves roaring past the hull, she decided it was time to get her camera out. Her showstopping image, ‘50 degrees south’, was voted Photo of the Decade in the National Historic Ships photo competition. With some restraint, judges praised the image for its “sense of drama and level horizon under testing circumstances”.

For more stunning photography and stories from the classic boat world, have a look at our sister title Classic Boat or visit classicboat.co.uk

THE YACHTING YEAR 2018 | 7

Home comforts The azure waters may put you in mind of the Mediterranean, but think again; this is the port of Polperro on Cornwall’s south coast. With our cruising itineraries somewhat limited this summer, it’s good to know you don’t have to sail far to find yourself in a truly beautiful port. For the latest news from the cruising world, have a look at our sister title Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting, or visit sailingtoday.co.uk Photo: iStock/acceleratorhams

8 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2018

THE YACHTING YEAR 2018 | 9

Hazy Days PICTURE TIM WRIGHT/PHOTOACTION.COM Set against a glorious Caribbean sunset, the VO70 I Love Poland drifts through the Barbuda race mark on day 1 of the RORC Caribbean 600, back in February 2020. In normal times, the annual race sees a fleet of more than 70 boats, ranging from cutting edge multihulls to vintage classics, compete over four days on a course around Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla and Guadaloupe. I Love Poland eventually finished fifth in class.

The next RORC Caribbean 600 is due to start on Monday 22 February 2021. For the latest news from the performance racing world, have a look at our sister title Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting, or visit yachtsandyachting.co.uk

FIVE GO ROUND THE ISLAND The Nutter family – Craig, Kate, Jack, Molly and their Harrison Butler cutter Sabrina – enjoy a day to remember in the Round the Island Race WORDS CRAIG NUTTER

10 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2018

WATERCOLOURS SUE PEAKE

THE YACHTING YEAR 2018 | 11

K O O L A

K C A B 2020 AT

sadness e h t id m a t eryone, bu v e r o f n o s ster sea t moments a e r g y A rollercoa n a ere were m h t y t in a t r e and unc

INSET LEFT: The RNLI urged people not to use the sea for their allotted daily exercise in April 2020, to avoid volunteer crews being exposed to the virus. Call-outs continued daily

Ben Ainslie and his INEOS cohorts scorch to victory in their first SailGP event, back in February 2020.

W

hat a dreadful season – and what a magnificent summer. For many of us, when we could eventually get afloat, the weather was glorious, anchorages were empty and

an afternoon under sail was savoured more than ever before. After the weeks spent under peerless skies in

SailGP’s second

lockdown, the pleasure of being at sea again was great, but

season later had to

going sailing wasn’t straightforward, even after lockdown

be cancelled. The

measures had been eased.

2021 season includes

Boaters in Guernsey were the first back afloat, when a

a visit to Plymouth,

Notices to Mariners ruled that from Saturday 2 May,

Devon

recreational vessels could go to sea for two hours at a time.

Of course, that was subject to boat skippers being accompanied “only by persons permanently residing at the same address or, where the vessel is sufficiently large to maintain social distancing, with one other person from a different household”.

Even that exciting prospect was put on hold when boat owners on the island realised Covid-19 restrictions meant they could work on boats afloat, but not those on the hard, so they were unable to recommission their boats anyway.

It was the first of many bureaucratic anomalies – something else we learned to live with over 2020 – but this one was hastily fixed and England followed suit a few days later, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing on 10 May that people could take unlimited exercise. It seems like a lifetime ago now but his announcement was a major milestone. The RYA called for a “considered and cautious” return to the water. The organisation had been lobbying hard behind the scenes during lockdown for sailing to be included in the first raft of sports allowed to recommence.

Its actions paid off.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, different rules meant that the return to boating had to wait.

Meanwhile a new group had been formed by Simon Lovesey, the man behind the SailRacer app. Lovesey’s Restart Sailing website, blogs and webinars – some of them alongside top Laser sailor and coach Jon Emmett – quickly gained traction and suggested a list of practical measures that sailing clubs could take to get operational again and to run socially distanced events.

Sailing clubs had shut down during lockdown, a vital time of the year for some to attract new members, and it was sad but no surprise to hear that already some were struggling. People wanted rebates on their annual cost of membership; regattas that would have generated income had to be cancelled.

The RNLI had joined the calls for a safe return to the sea, but the charity’s chief executive Mark Dowie wrote an open

INSET CENTRE AND

letter that was published in several national newspapers

RIGHT: Peter

after the May and June Bank Holidays, saying the lifting of

Lukursky and

lockdown restrictions had put the RNLI in “an impossible

girlfriend Margarida

situation – to choose whether to put our lifeguards or the

are boarded by

public at risk”.

officials in the

Crowded beaches, hot weather and big waves meant

Caribbean – blue

lifeboat crews had a busy weekend and two people lost

water cruisers

their lives. Around the coast in June, RNLI crews were

worldwide found

launching daily to make rescues of swimmers and leisure

themselves barred

boaters.

from port during

Abroad, an extraordinary situation was developing, with

lockdown; Sanders

blue water cruisers finding themselves barred from port. At

Sails was part of a

best new arrivals were being told to anchor in quarantine for

huge marine industry

14 days before being allowed entry. From east Africa, British

initiative to make PPE

sailors Terry and Mike, who were on a world cruise, reported

for NHS workers

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 13

The Junior Offshore Group’s Great Escape Race in July 2020 was one of the first big post-lockdown events, the 80 boats rewarded with lively

ARAMOUCH

E TRUST

JOG RACE BY RICK TOMLINSON

conditions

NICK DEMP

SEY/RYA; SC

2

to us: “On trying to enter Djibouti the navy demanded we

ABOVE LEFT: Just

island hoping to be let ashore to reprovision, only to be

leave and go back to India [across the Indian Ocean]. We

months after being

barred entry. One crew had to sail the length of the

said we have insufficient supplies. They pulled out an AK47

selected, the sailors

Mediterranean, from Greece to Morocco, before they could

and cocked it. Mike said ‘you may as well shoot me’. The

of TeamGB were told

land, while another anchored off a Caribbean reef for weeks

official lowered his gun.

they wouldn’t be

on end, fishing for food and drinking rainwater.

“We cannot go ashore and cannot get supplies. We hope

competing in Tokyo

the French military will assist us today with supplies. Yachts

for another year, as

terms of social distancing, a week on a yacht seemed

are all helping each other, even more than normal.”

the Olympics was

tailor-made, and many charter companies in the Med, such

postponed

as those in the virus-free Greek islands, were crying out for

Jess Lloyd Mostyn, author of the Blue Note column in our monthly magazine Sailing Today with Yacht & Yachting, lives

The charter season was hotting up as Covid-19 struck. In

customers to fly over. Charter companies there and

aboard her yacht with her husband and young children.

ABOVE RIGHT:

elsewhere created a mass of new safety measures to keep

From the Komodo Islands in Indonesia, she wrote: “The

Sailors from the

customers and authorities happy. Many customers took the

timing of when this became real was pivotal as it was just at

Scaramouche Sailing

opportunity to make a staycaytion afloat, chartering in the

the moment that most boats start making the leap across

Trust do the Fastnet;

UK and enjoying some of the most stunning sailing waters in

the Pacific.

amid global

the world, all too often overlooked by charterers.

“Many left when this was just a distant murmur and then

anti-racism protests

Cruising yachtsmen who launched had a great time,

found themselves arriving in French Polynesia in the

in June, there were

enjoying superb weather and relatively empty waters, as

position of refugees.

calls for more BAME

well as a much-needed break after the previous few months.

“Someone in one of the sailing forums described the

officials in sailing

Back at home, the marine industry was doing stirling

position as that of a truly horrible game of musical chairs,

work, many companies having realised that they could

and so many boats were caught out scrambling for a place

contribute to the wartime-like effort to support the NHS.

when the music stopped.”

One voluntary initiative in the New Forest saw a group of

We continued to hear such stories over the rest of the summer, with crews across the world sailing from island to

14 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

marine companies become the main supplier of PPE gowns to Southampton General Hospital. They were supplying a

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Slowly, regattas got underway, but there were some high profile casualties. Cowes Week, the Round the Island Race and the America’s Cup World Series were three of the biggest losses to the season, a blow for competitors, spectators and local businesses.

Falmouth Sailing Week went ahead with an impressive 120 crews and led the way with a raft of measures that meant sailors and officials could socially distance.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s points series was called off for the first time, but the club put on some hotly contested races including one around the Isle of Wight.

Notable events as the season progressed under conditions that were partly normal, partly bizarre, were the Landsail Tyres J-Cup, the IRC nationals, the Laser nationals, eight different RS class championships, the Moth nationals and the Land Union September Regatta, one of many regattas put on by the Royal Southern Yacht Club.

Social distancing measures were forgotten in June as mass protests took place worldwide against the death of George Floyd in the US. Amid widespread calls for greater measures to combat racism in all areas of our lives, the RYA was one of the few marine organisations to make a public comment, with CEO Sarah Treseder saying: “We are acutely aware that people from BAME backgrounds are still under-represented in our sport, despite the strength of our commitment to inclusivity. Policies need to be brought to ABOVE: Maxi

life by the actions of everyone across our network – and we

trimaran Sodebo set

need to take even more proactive steps to ensure that the

out to break the

opportunities boating offers are available to everyone on a

Jules Verne speed

fair and equal basis.”

record around the

The RYA was the first UK national governing body of a

world of 40 days in

sport to achieve the ‘advanced level’ of the Equality

December

Standard for Sport, set up by the Government. Sarah

LEFT: Wooden

Treseder said: “The onus is on all of us to ensure that our

yawls race at the

sport, and especially our clubs and training centres where

125th anniversary

most people have their first taste of boating, are welcoming

of Salcombe Yacht

to all and offer an encouraging experience.

Club in August

“It is these actions, rather than words, that ultimately determine if our commitment to equality of opportunity is successful.”

staggering 5,000 gowns a week. Peter Sanders, MD of Sanders Sails in Lymington, which led the initiative, said: “At

A great performance

one stage Southampton General was going to run out of

from Briton Sam

these gowns within a week. It was a desperate situation.”

Davies saw her finish

Volunteers worked day and night over the weekend to

third in the Vendée-

find the right plastic material, simplify the pattern so it could

Arctique race in July,

be welded together with domestic irons instead of being

hot on the heels of

sewed, then distribute the plastic and pattern to marine

cutting-edge IMOCA

firms with the cutting ability, then have the pieces ironed

60s far quicker than

together by volunteer seamstresses and finally rush 250 of

her own; she was

the gowns to the hospital to “keep them going”.

one of three British

Peter Sanders said: “The community spirit we’re seeing is incredible. People are going to huge lengths to help.”

Sanders Sails was joined by fellow marine companies Fibre Mechanics, AC Marine and Composites, Typhoon International (part of Ocean Safety), Dolphin Sails, Dimension-Polyant, Trenchard Aviation, Flexicovers, Rain and Sun, and MDS Leisure, whose staff were cutting the gowns out by hand. The extraordinary voluntary effort to produce and supply the gowns was coordinated by Emma McEwen, former RS800 European champion with husband Luke.

Many other marine firms were joining the general effort, with INEOS TEAM UK, Moatt Sails and Barton Marine just some of those who volunteered to produce vital PPE.

16 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

female sailors in the Vendée Globe until her retirement

2

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The launch of the wooden Spirit 111 broke new ground in sustainable boat-building and was a milestone for the thriving Ipswich yard in its 27th year

The RYA’s Diversity and Inclusion Guidance Notes, available on its website, offers advice to sailing clubs.

Amid ongoing social distancing, boat-builders continued

INSET LEFT: The

winter, as the Vendée Globe is raced virtually, concurrent

Virtual Regatta app

with the real event, by hundreds of thousands of

became a second

able-bodied and disabled sailors worldwide.

to work where they could and there were positive stories

home for sailors

from all sectors, notably from the small boat market, where

worldwide during

the annual Cannes Yachting Festival and the Boats2020

sales soared.

lockdown

event in Southampton, a mini-Southampton Boat Show

The headline news was the launch of the Spirit 111, a

The season in Europe was building up to two big events,

organised by British Marine, the industry body in the UK.

ground-breaking vessel in many ways, not least that she is

INSET RIGHT: The

There was also a concurrent event around the corner in

the biggest single-masted wooden boat built in Britain since

last-minute

Southampton, the Ocean Village Boat Show, organised by

the J-Class Shamrock V in 1930.

cancellation of two

MDL Marinas.

The 34m Spirit is also remarkable in that it is designed be

boat shows in

The respective teams of organisers had willingly gone to

sailed short-handed, by the owner his amateur friends at

Southampton in

great lengths to tick all the necessary boxes to safeguard

most. In its green credentials, however, it really turned

September was a

public health and put on a show to support the industry.

heads, with Spirit having taken a global lead in how to build

blow for the industry

boats in an environmentally friendly way and run them in a

but many companies

amid a worsening health situation in France and a tightening

manner that leaves little footprint – something the Ipswich

had had a good

of French restrictions, the local authority unexpectedly

company has started to win awards for.

summer

pulled the plug.

In the West Country, another superyacht was launched,

The first blow came two weeks before Cannes, when

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tightened things up

the second Hoek-designed Truly Classic 128 to be built by

similarly in the UK with just days to go before the South-

Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth. Proof, if you want it, that

ampton events, but both were confident they could go

the UK is as powerful in this sector as it is in any other.

ahead with the measures they had put in place.

The 2020 season was bookended by virtual racing, firstly

It was not to be. Southampton City Council astonished all

at the RYA Dinghy Show in February, and then in September

with a last-minute decision on the eve of both events,

with the GBR eSailing National Championships, a virtual

imposing a directive that banned them from taking place. It

regatta that was entered by more than 9,000 people nation-

was a blow to those companies that were due to exhibit,

wide. After six months of online racing and then five races in

which lost out through the cost of setting up their stands as

the final, the congratulations went to Alasdair Ireland, sailing

well as the income the show would have generated – much

under the tag of Speedy_1, from the Royal Northern & Clyde

needed income as the leaner, winter months approached.

Yacht Club, representing Scotland.

It was a sad end to a tumultuous summer that affected

Scoffed at by some, e-sailing was already big back in

everybody, but there were positives – a pent-up desire to

March, when lockdown caused seemingly the entire sailing

get afloat led to a profitable time for many marine firms,

community to start racing on the Virtual Regatta app – our

and meanwhile the sun shone.

staff among them. It is a great platform that instructs as much as it entertains and will no doubt grow further this

18 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Despite the pandemic, and perhaps because of it, it was a glorious time to be afloat.

2

Inspired by life on and off the water

xvstripes

www.xvstripes.com BEDDING - CUSHIONS - THROWS - INTERIORS - GIFTS & ACCESSORIES

THE R A YE R O F D A E AH G N I RAC s in 2020, a t t a g e r d e ave curtail h y a m ic m ic years in r o t is h t s The pande o ne of the m o e hlights b ig ld h u t o a c s 1 k 2 o 0 but 2 orlett-Pitt lo C ie g r o e G g. e missed‌ b British sailin t o n n a c hat simply t r e t a w e h on t

2

VENDÉE GLOBE JANUARY

Mid-January should see a triumphant homecoming for the leaders of the 33-strong fleet of IMOCA 60s contesting the ninth edition of the Vendée Globe. Having left Les Sables d’Olonne, France, on 8 November, these elite sailors will have each fought singlehandedly for every inch of the 24,000nm circumnavigation.

Four British skippers were entered: favourite Alex Thomson, sailing his fifth Vendée on a new Hugo Boss; Sam Davies, another Vendée veteran, on board InitiativesCoeur, who was pushing for a top spot; Pip Hare, who’s entry was boosted thanks to title sponsor Medallia; and Miranda Merron, a top Class 40 soloist making her Vendée debut on Campagne de France.

Thomson was widely expected to be among the front runners, with his new Hugo Boss one of 10 new generation, purpose-built foilers in the fleet capable of skimming the oceans at a possible 30+ knots. Davies was on an older boat, upgraded with new foils. Both, however, were forced to retire from the race in Cape Town, after hitting floating objects.

Huge leaps forward have been made since the last race, when Armel Le Cléac’h set a new race record of 74 days, three hours and 35 minutes and Thomson notched up a new 24-hour solo sailing record with a distance of 536.81nm. The technology has certainly been proven in the four years since, with foil profiles extensively trialled and hull shapes specifically developed to maximise efficiency.

But the uncertainties of the weather and the fact it won’t be possible to foil the entire time mean the race is very much open. And for all the skippers, the hardest task this time will be in balancing the phenomenal capability of these foilers with their own stamina in sustaining full pace over months on end, alone at sea.

PRADA CUP

15 JANUARY TO 22 FEBRUARY The year begins in Auckland, New Zealand, with some highly anticipated AC75 racing between America’s Cup teams. A prelude to the 36th America’s Cup, the Prada Cup will determine which of the three Challengers goes forward to take on the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, on their home waters.

The Prada Cup Challenger Selection Series is organised by the Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, and consists of four round robins. The highest ranked Challenger at the end of the round robins will qualify for the PRADA Cup Final; the remaining two teams will then race in a seven-race semi-final to see who gets the remaining spot. The first-to-sevenpoints winner of the final then goes on to race for the America’s Cup, and will also receive the Prada Cup – a new strikingly handcrafted trophy.

The Prada Cup is scheduled hot on the heels of the sole America’s Cup World Series event, (after two events scheduled for earlier in 2020 were cancelled). The ACWS in Auckland (17-20 December) is eagerly awaited, as the very first chance for fans to see the four new AC75s line up against each other on the race course.

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 21

AMERICA’S CUP

OSTAR

Racing for sport’s oldest trophy gets underway in March,

The Royal Western Yacht Club first ran this singlehanded

when the winner of the Prada Cup will take on the

transatlantic race in 1960, supported by The Observer

Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand. It’s the 36th time

newspaper. In 2021, the historic race is due to run once

that the ‘Auld Mug’ has been battled for. There may only be

again - the 16th edition - in tandem with its sister event, the

three Challengers, but all are strong and well-funded teams;

TWOSTAR doublehanded race; both races rescheduled

whichever goes forward – whether it’s Ainslie’s INEOS Team

from 2020. Yachts will depart Plymouth on 9 May, destined

UK, New York YC’s American Magic, or Italy’s Luna Rossa

for Newport, RI.

6-21 MARCH

9 MAY

2

- the racing promises to be nothing short of spectacular.

Racing takes place in the revolutionary AC75s, foiling

This Corinthian event brings aspiring professionals, cruiser-racers, and family skippers together in a competi-

75ft monohulls, set to wow at speeds of 50+ knots. In a

tive celebration of singlehanded transoceanic sailing. The

design race where aerodynamics have become the priority,

last editions of these races in 2017

teams have each honed their cutting edge technology with

saw the fleets ravished by 60 knot

computer simulations, scale models, and test boats in a bid

winds and 15m seas, with only

to find the winning formula. Designers have pushed the

seven of 21 entries finishing. While

limits in development of the hulls, foil tips and control

fairer conditioners are hoped for

systems, while foil arms, cant systems, mast and rigging are

in 2021, nonetheless, the 3000mn

all one-design. The 11 crew on board each boat will be

race is not for the faint-hearted.

pushing for every advantage, as they pilot the fastest monohulls in the world into battle on Waitemata Bay. For those of us not course-side in Auckland, racing will be streamed live via the official Cup website. Viewers of BBC and Sky UK & Ireland can also watch the racing, scheduled to take place at 3-5am UK time. “Since we won the America’s Cup in Bermuda in 2017, we have always stated that our objective was to make this America’s Cup the most inclusive and accessible America’s Cup in its 170 year history. And a big part of this is making the broadcast of the events as widely available as possible,” explained Grant Dalton, CEO, Emirates Team New Zealand.

22 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

JOG STORY

OCEAN RACE EUROPE JUNE

In late spring, a new multi-leg crewed race linking Brittany to the Mediterranean is set to debut, open to fully crewed entries in the V065 and IMOCA60 class.

Brought about by the organisers of The Ocean Race

2013 DESTINATIONS

SAILGP EVENT IN PLYMOUTH JULY 17-18

Plymouth welcomes an exciting new event in July, when it plays host to SailGP’s Season 2 European debut. Inter-

circumnavigation, the European competition forms part of

nation racing will take place on Plymouth Sound, and it is

a strategic 10-year plan and has been created in response

anticipated that tens of thousands will be able to watch the

to the postponement of the 14th edition of the main race.

live spectacle, both from the water and from the shore,

This means the Ocean Race itself will now start from

with millions more following the broadcast.

Alicante, Spain, one year later than planned, in October

The UK event will be the third in the championship

2022, and finish in Genoa, Italy, in the summer of 2023,

series, following a season opener in San Francisco in April

coinciding with the 50th anniversary year of the race.

and New York SailGP in June. The series draws some of the

With gripping onboard media documenting all the action, fans will no doubt be riveted by this new race. We can’t wait!

ROUND THE ISLAND RACE 3 JULY

world’s best sailors competing in foiling F50 catamarans. In 2021, teams representing USA, Australia, Denmark and New Zealand are expected to compete, along with a British team headed by Sir Ben Ainslie.

Ainslie said: “For us as a British team there is nothing better than racing in front of a home crowd and we are incredibly excited about the prospect. There is an element of nostalgia for me personally, having grown up and learned to sail in the West Country and now

Organisers of this iconic race, the Island Sailing Club, assure

all these years later coming back to race on the interna-

us it’s full steam ahead for the 90th anniversary event in

tional stage. Plymouth is a fantastic sailing venue with a

2021, after the disappointment of forced cancellation in

natural amphitheater for the fans to watch these amazing

2020. Beloved by serious competitors and cruiser-racers alike with a ‘#RaceForAll’ ethos, sailors just can’t wait to

F50s.”

Following the

tackle the 50nm course around the Isle of

UK leg, SailGP

Wight once again, and there are high hopes

plans to remain in

of a bumper entry to mark the special year.

Europe for grand

Putting an innovative twist on 2021’s

prix events in the

proceedings will be the inaugural Windeler

other team

Cup, a new Solent-centric race for smaller

markets:

boats – such as Etchells and XODs – that will

Denmark, Italy,

start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line after

France and

the main race and allow them to safely enjoy

Spain. It also

the excitement of the weekend. Another new

visits Bermuda

dimension will be the addition of a rowing race,

and further

with several top amateur ocean rowing teams

venues are to

vying to be the fastest around the island.

be announced.

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 23

OLYMPIC GAMES 27 JULY – 6 AUGUST

When the postponed 2020 Tokyo Games finally open, all eyes will be on Sagami Bay off Enoshima, Japan, where a wide variety of conditions are expected to challenge sailors.

With TeamGB represented in all 10 sailing classes, all 15 sailors initially selected for the 2020 Games were retained,

2

although there’s no doubt that the 12-month pause required a significant psychological adjustment for all. Nonetheless, Mark Robinson, RYA Olympic Performance Manager, told Y&Y that the team is in “great shape” heading into 2021.

“2020 was certainly a rollercoaster for the planet but we,

COWES WEEK

31 JULY – 7 AUGUST

The world famous regatta that brings professional and

the British Sailing Team, managed to fare better than many.

amateur crews together has promised to come back with a

The UK lockdown and some swift action from our Sport

bang for 2021, quite literally, when the Royal Yacht

Science team meant our team will start 2021 in the best

Squadron’s cannons fire for the first race on 31 July.

physical shape they have probably ever been. It’s some-

Organisers have promised to mix the pick the traditional

thing that Olympic class sailors usually struggle with - the

with a number of exciting new initiatives, including new

conundrum of whether to take 5-6 weeks off the water to

divisions for Performance Cruisers and Club Cruisers,

improve their fitness, or not.

racing for the Super Zero Class in the Triple Crown Series,

“Post lockdown, we were very fortunate to have our dedicated Weymouth training base, and, with depth in most of our class squads, on-the-water training was able to ramp

and a reduced crew format popular in America, known as ‘plus-one racing’.

For spectators as much as for sailors, there is plenty to

up very quickly. Some of our Tokyo-bound sailors are

look forward to, with more family-friendly entertainment

aligned to bigger foreign training groups and were able to

than ever before, planned with the help of Cowes Town

reunite with them as Europe reopened.

Council, and a new opening party to start the week off in

“The first major regatta at Kiel Week in September was a great start for our sailors that attended, with medals in the 49erFX, Nacra 17 and Laser classes. Giles (Scott) then departed to New Zealand for the America’s Cup where there is equipment available for him to use, and the Games delay will allow him sole focus on it once the Cup is over.

“Overall we are in great shape heading into Tokyo, however we must remain vigilant to the impacts Covid-19 will have and manage that risk in a performance focussed but sensible manner.”

With two golds and a bronze medal to beat from the 2016 Rio Games, TeamGB sailors will certainly be giving it their all when racing finally gets underway.

24 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

style.

ROLEX FASTNET RACE 8 AUGUST

In an exciting new era for RORC’s Rolex Fastnet Race, the City of Cherbourg will host the finish of 2021 edition for the

2

SINI

first time in its 95-year history. Yachts will set off from the

MARTINA OR

Solent on Sunday 8 August, rounding the rock and then heading across the Channel.

The new course is now some 90 miles longer with an increased proportion of downwind sailing and another significant tidal gate. The final stretch to Cherbourg adds an additional element of open water, including shipping separation zones – adding fresh challenges for navigators and crews.

The move across the Channel has not come without

DINGHIES ON TOUR SUMMER 2012

criticism, but RORC is adamant that it has secured the

Italy’s Lake Garda is always a mecca for dinghy champion-

future development of the biennial race, which has boomed

ships, and 2021 will be no different, with the RS Eurocup

in popularity over the last two decades; the 2019 edition

(26-30 July) and the Moth Worlds (6-12 September) both

attracted 388 entries, with some 150 more on the

taking place there. Meanwhile, Ireland will prove to be

waiting list. The facilities offered by

another focal point for the international dinghy racing

Cherbourg will allow many or all of

scene, with the 2021 International Topper Worlds at the

those boats to take part.

Royal Cork Yacht Club and the GP14 Worlds at Skerries SC

Entries open on 12 January: rolexfastnetrace.com

the same week (24-30 July), followed just after by the Mirror Worlds at Sligo YC (30 July to 8 August).

THE RYA VIRTUAL DINGHY SHOW

The RYA Dinghy Show is set to become a virtual event for 2021. The show was due to make its debut in a move to Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre. However, the RYA are now promising an exciting online experience with virtual exhibitors including clubs and classes, expert talks, coaching sessions and much more, over 27-28 February.

26 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Anne T. Converse PHOTOGRAPHY P.O. Box 209 | Marion, MA 02738 | USA 508 728 6210 anne@annetconverse.com www.annetconverse.com

MARINE

MARINE

TRAVEL

TRAVEL

EQUINE

EQUINE

PEOPLE

PEOPLE

R A E Y E TH R O F D A E AH G N I S I U CR chts & a Y h it w y a ailing Tod s Editor of S n, consider o s r e ff e J am Yachting, S g sailors in is u r c r o f ead the year ah

28 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

ITAIND R B D N U O R UN E TRIP ARO

021 ARITABL JOIN A CH UK UNDER SAIL IN 2 THE 2013 DESTINATIONS

T

here are plenty of reasons for cruising sailors to look forward to 2021. Our pursuit is by definition one that takes us away from the madding crowd and into a state of voluntary isolation. As restrictions are slowly lifted and borders reopened, the cruising sailor’s horizons should broaden considerably.

However, for UK-based sailors, there is something else looming – Brexit. This could have an effect on some aspects of cruising from now on. We’ll look at the possible ramifications in this article.

RALLYING ROUND

I’m always deeply reluctant to talk about the year ahead for cruising sailors as if there is some sort of rigid framework we must stick to. Deep in the DNA of cruising sailors is a mistrust of schedules, which has been garnered by many years of carefully planning a schedule for cruising, only to find it immediately sabotaged by the weather. Despite this, the seasons do provide a certain framework for our cruising activity and it’s fair to say that November marks the first big milestone this year as the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers is scheduled to depart from Las Palmas, heading over to St Lucia. This signals the migration of blue water cruisers across to the Caribbean for the winter and it is significant that the World Cruising Club has opted to run the 35th edition of event this year (with suitable social distancing in place on land of course).

The decision to run the event has not been without a fair amount of thought by the World Cruising Club, as it explained (in the early winter of 2020): “Since the global lockdowns began in March, we have been in regular contact with our partners in host countries Spain, Saint Lucia and Cape Verde. Restrictions on movement, social mixing and international travel have now been eased in Spain, whilst in the Caribbean, countries are putting protocols in place to allow tourists to return. The THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 29

ALLY R C I T N A L AT UISEGRBSIG FLEETS AS FOR CTRRA CTIN 2020 RTS IN STILL AT ITION STA D E H T 5 3 THE

AMERICAN’S CUP 6-21 MARCH

2

From here, the WCC has opted to continue with its usual round of events including ARC Europe and ARC Baltic 2021, plus ARC Portugal 2021. Keep an eye on the website of course but, at present, you can still dare to dream about making the great escape!

ROUND BRITAIN

momentum is towards normalisation, even if the detail of the restrictions likely to be in place in November are not yet known. World Cruising Club are now confident that Gran Canaria will be ready to welcome ARC sailors in November.”

Back in the summer of 2020, the WCC could not say for sure if Saint Lucia would be able to welcome the fleet as the destination island. However, as The Yachting Year goes to press in mid-November, the rally is heading to the Caribbean island as planned. Covid restrictions created a complicated situation for participants, many of whom had to leave it late to depart for the Canaries from mainland Europe, running into bad weather en route. But a healthy fleet assembled in Las Palmas for the rally.

30 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

“Imagine sailing round our wonderful coastline, while raising vital funds for charity” COLIN STACEY

Having regrettably mentioned the C-word rather too often thus far, I now move on to the B-word. Yes, that’s right, Britain and it’s new found status as a non-EU state. Now, this may possibly have some downsides for cruising sailors, who don’t like borders – I discuss that overleaf – but for now, looking on the positive side, 2021 might be the year when you discover the true majesty of our home waters. Because let’s face it, there are some truly stunning places to sail in the UK. One particularly tempting way to explore this world-beating coastline could arguably be to take part in Premier Sailing’s Round Britain Rally. This kicks off in early May 2021 and concludes late June. What’s more, it’s all in the name of charity. Premier Sailing’s Colin Stracey explains the concept: “Following the overwhelming success of our trips in 2018 and 2019, which raised over £9,000 for Macmillan and was enjoyed by many shipmates, we will once again in 2021 take to the seas around our coastline for the trip of a lifetime. Imagine sailing around our wonderful coastline, enjoying the

SAILGP EVENT IN PLYMOUTH JULY 17-18

MY WHAT JINMEXT DID ILL BE

EW AGED 80, HOOTSTEPS THE F SAILING IN OF MAGELLAN

ever-changing scenery and wildlife, experiencing the challenges of tidal currents, rocks and sandbanks, and entering our many historical ports from the sea. And imagine at the same time, being part of a fundraising venture for Macmillan Cancer Support.

“Most of us will come into contact with cancer at some time in our lives and Macmillan, as many of us know, are there to help and support both the patient and their family.

It is our personal experience of the superb care and support provided by Macmillan that has lead us to run this trip. Our yachts will visit many marinas and most, including Dean and Reddyhoff and Quay Marinas, will donate the mooring fees to Macmillan.”

Donate via justgiving.com/fundraising/premier-sailing

JIMMY CORNELL’S ADVENTURE

So that’s your own personal adventures perhaps dealt with, but I know what you’re thinking here: ‘Hit me with some crazy cruising tales from afar!’ What has Jeanne Socrates been up to? Please can we have a repeat of the madness that was the Golden Globe Race? Well, I’m not sure what Jeanne is up to these days – relaxing, I hope – and the next GGR is scheduled for 2022, but meanwhile I do have news from an elder statesman of the cruising scene and that is Jimmy Cornell, who has opted to head off into the unknown on another sailing adventure at the age of 80. He

“Ever since the 1970s I’ve been aware of the huge and negative impact humans are having upon our oceans” JIMMY CORNELL

will sail in the footsteps of Ferdinand Magellan, around the world via the treacherous Magellan Straits. I know what you’re thinking – Magellan didn’t make it round the world. Quite true; he was killed in the Philippines following an attempt to convert the locals to Christianity.

Fear not – Jimmy will have a different remit and from the Philippines he will continue in the wake of Magellan’s second in command, Juan Sebastien Elcano, who made it back home.

Admirably, Jimmy has decided to do the trip in a carbon-neutral fashion and his Outremer catamaran, Aventura Zero, will be powered only by the wind and renewable energy. Jimmy explains: “On the most basic level I wanted to do something to mark the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s achievement. In 1998 I ran a Vasco da Gama rally to mark the anniversary of that voyage and further back in 1992 I ran a rally across the Atlantic to mark Columbus’ achievement. But this time I just wanted to do something myself rather than organise a rally. I also wanted to highlight environmental issues.

“Ever since my first circumnavigation in the 1970s I’ve been aware of the huge and negative impact humans are having upon our oceans. What I want to do with the Elcano Challenge is show that it is possible to sail around the world in a purpose-built electric boat with no back ups – no back up generator, no recharging at marinas.”

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 31

We wish him well. Keep an eye on Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting for updates on Jimmy’s progress.

BOATBUILDING GOES GREEN

Sticking with the green theme, Jimmy’s challenge uses a new fully green Outremer catamaran. The launch of this catamaran, which doesn’t even feature a backup generator, is a sign of where the boatbuilding industry is heading. In addition to Outremer, you have innovative boatbuilders such as French multihull manufacturer Windelo, pioneering fast cruising multihulls with electric motors and more sustainable methods of construction. Most intriguingly, the Windelo uses volcanic basalt in the hull construction instead of traditional fibreglass matting.

Green Boats, meanwhile, uses flax laminates in the hull construction. All of this points to an exciting and innovative new approach to boatbuilding.

How has the boatbuilding industry fared over 2020? The big manufacturers who supply the charter market have suffered more than others, but the good news is that broadly speaking boatbuilding goes on. One of the biggest problems has been a lack of a ‘shop window’ for new launches, as Annick Conijn from Contest Yachts explained: “This year we have launched the Contest 55CS and the 59CS. Both are beautiful boats and we have had a lot of interest in them. Our biggest problem has been getting people to see the boats. If you are thinking about buying a £1m-plus cruising yacht, it’s normal that you want to view it before you buy.”

“If you are thinking of buying a £1m yacht, it’s normal that you want to view it before you buy” ANNICK CONIJN, CONTEST YACHTS

in late January and early February and we must hope that all proceeds there without a hitch, to provide a solid platform for the industry to move forward confidently into 2021. As this magazine goes to press in November 2020, the show’s representatives are confident that ‘boot’ can provide an excellent opportunity to re-boot as 2021 kicks off. Wolfram Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf explains: “Boot Düsseldorf is well aware of its responsibility to the industry as the world’s biggest platform for watersports.

We have organised a boot that looks a little different, but is no less exciting, across 17 trade fair halls and in accordance with the valid hygiene and infection protection regulations. [Previous show] Caravan Salon 2020 paved the way for this, proving beyond a doubt that trade fairs in Düsseldorf are successful and that exhibitors can produce impressive economic results, even under the new rules.

We’re delighted by this outcome, as it has demonstrated that trade fairs continue to be an essential marketing tool for the watersports sector, even in today’s climate.”

IT’S SHOWTIME!

All of this has made us appreciate the value of boat shows and after a flurry of cancellations, let’s hope the 2021 season re-opens that shop window once more. Things are meant to kick off with the massive ‘boot Düsseldorf ’ event

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32 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

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CRUISING POST-BREXIT

As I said at the start of this article, there is a serious issue on the horizon. The RYA and British Marine joined forces, as January 2021 and the end of the Brexit transition period came nearer, to pile pressure on the UK Government over its failure to help sailors who may be “stranded” after the UK leaves the EU. The two organisations warned that returning UK leisure boaters faced being hit with potentially thousands of pounds in extra costs after the end of the Brexit transition period.

HM Treasury granted a one-year extension to the controversial ruling over ‘Returned Goods Relief’ in October 2020, but the RYA and British Marine want three years.

The Cruising Association has also been lobbying Government on the issue and said: “One year is unlikely to be adequate for many boat owners to return their boats to the UK. For example, many averaged sized sailing yachts that are based in Greece would have real problems sailing back from Greece to the UK by the end of 2021, particularly as the Covid crisis is making international travel and sailing from country to country much more difficult.

“Does the updated HMRC position cover boats that have been outside the UK for many years? The Cruising Association has members that have kept their boats in Greece and other EU countries for over 10 years. Would they be entitled to bring them back to the UK without paying VAT again?”

A recent survey carried out by the RYA showed that 917,479 recreational boaters cruise in EU27 waters.

The ruling also applies to UK-owned boats that have never been in the UK, as HMRC officials have said that a vessel needs to have been in the UK in the three years prior to the date of import. The ‘date of export’ would be the date the 34 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

2

THE H BRITIS

YACHTINSG AWARD 2021 vessel last left the UK. Keep an eye on our news pages for the latest updates.

12/10/2020

The British Yachting

awards 2020

10:22

logo.indd 1

BRITISH YACHTING AWARDS

BRITISH YACHTING AWARDS

2021RDING

REWA OF THE BEST AR OF THE YE

Sailing Today with Yachts and Yachting’s magnificent British Yachting Awards goes ahead in December every year. The 2020 edition will be virtual and reading through the shortlists in 12 categories, one can’t help but feel they show a snapshot of a thriving industry and sailing world.

Simon Temlett, Publisher for Sailing Today and Yachts and Yachting, says: “The British Yachting Awards are all about recognition of the absolutely magnificent achievements within the marine world.

“The winners of these awards are voted for exclusively by the people and this gives them a real power and resonance.

“Every year, I get a little bit emotional when I look at some of the magnificent achievements that are recognised.

There is real passion in the marine world and some of the achievements are genuinely awe-inspiring.

“What they underline is that the sailing world is a powerful force to the good and that together we are stronger than our individual parts.

Whatever the setbacks, the sailing world comes back stronger. I’m proud that the British Yachting Awards is able to showcase what a world-beating hobby sailing is.”

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R A E Y E TH R O F D A E AH C I S S A L C S T A BO n Meyrica ff e t S r o it t ed Classic Boa launches, t a o b e h t t ks a Hughes loo e likely to r a t a h t s d tren people and t world a o b n e d o in the wo shape 2021

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THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 37

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I

f sailing was restricted over 2020, the silver lining is that boatyards, by and large, could remain open. It seems more than a few were able to steal a march on time by working on projects through a quiet summer, where those project boats might otherwise have been out on the water. The diversity of these projects is, simply, without parallel in the history of the modernday classic boat movement. A decade or two ago, we would have been looking at prestigious yachts like Fifes, Nicholsons and so on, some noble workboats generally scraping by on a caulking iron and a prayer, and a load of smaller yachts in restoration, usually by the owner, some excellent, some passable, some abandoned to the mud and the gulls.

Since then, some of the early ‘trends’ we have been spotting have become real scenes. Not all that long ago, we were amazed by the number of perfectly preserved S&S inboard yawls from the mid-20th century restored and sailing, all in the spiritual wake of the legendary Dorade, of course. This has got to the stage where replicas are now being built to that mould, alongside the restorations, and one story we’re looking forward to bringing you is that of Scarabee, the second new S&S yawl (this one at 56ft and to a 1935 design) by boatbuilder Pieter van der Aa. And the trends of the last few years continue: the inter-war British motor yacht restorations continue (we’ve got a 60ft Camper & Nicholson beauty called Mabrouka coming to the end of a rebuild in a traditional yard in Greece), and

38 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

the production of modern traditional motorboats is… cautiously… growing. We’ll be looking at a Petterssoninspired cabin launch that proves not everything is a Riva copy; and even a recreation of Hemingway’s Pilar that you can buy – not to mention the return of the Orca from the classic 1975 movie Jaws.

SERIOUS MONEY

People are continuing to spend serious money on smaller boats. These include, for our pages in 2021: a new, wooden Kim Holman-designed sloop of 43ft, the first new Holman yacht in wood since the heyday; a restored Nat Herreshoff Bar Harbor 31 for Prada boss Patrizio Bertelli; the amazing Dick Carter-designed Rabbit, 33ft of fighting spirit that won the Fastnet in 1965, now restored in Italy for a Lancia collector; and the Swedish yacht Bel Rose of 1894, a yacht of jaw-dropping beauty restored by the Swedish Ravanis

SCUD03 HERRESHOFF THIS 19 CK AS A WRE DESIGN W S AGO – TWO YEAR AT HER! K NOW LOO

SAILGP EVENT IN PLYMOUTH JULY 17-18

NEW CL

THE FIRST ASSIC KIM HOLM WOODEN A TO BE BUIL N DESIGN DESIGNER T SINCE THE ’S HEYDAY

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 39

brothers, boatbuilders of such authenticity, you wonder how they find time to work, such are the hours they spend orienteering their way through the forests of the frozen north in search of the perfect grown bend.

These are all small to medium sized yachts, but we’re not fooling ourselves. They are serious, ‘house money’ projects. Most of us will settle for far less, and I’m looking forward to bringing you more of Nic Compton’s wisdom on buying boats (top 11 trailer sailers are up next – he couldn’t get rid of one to make it 10!), more affordable classic cabin yachts from Peter Poland’s huge memory bank, the flourishing Deben Cherub fleet in Suffolk, and any other nice restorations that come up closer to home, like our recent prototype Atalanta and prototype Vertue.

IDEAS IN THE PIPELINE

Away from the water’s edge, we’ve got a few ideas in the pipeline: recreational rowing, a history of rope, a grand, illustrated timeline of the planked boat in England (now there’s an ambitiously broad subject for you, but it’s shaping up nicely), a visit to a motorboat museum in Italy, an interview with at least one Turkish yacht collector and a yard or two out there too. Italy and Turkey are two nations with very active classic yacht and traditional boat scenes, and it’s been a while since we’ve brought much to these pages from that part of the Mediterranean.

I heard on Radio 4, while driving through autumn rain in October, that a lot of people did exercise classes with someone called Joe Wicks on YouTube during lockdown.

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TLE DUN’SKHIORPK ING THE LIT IR HERE STAGE THE SHIPS CANIVERSARY 80TH ANNIN 2021 ‘RETURN’

Even as a YouTube fan, this passed me by, probably because I was busy watching the new generation of young restorers and boatbuilders doing their work instead. High priest among these is Leo Goolden (Sampson Boat Company) whose restoration of the 48ft, 1910 Albert Strange yacht Tally Ho has set the world on fire, and that’s hardly an exaggeration: some of the videos he’s putting on YouTube of his long rebuild in Washington State are attracting over half a million viewers. Then there are the two rock climbers in Massachusetts building a new 38ft William Atkin gaff ketch, Arabella, from trees they’ve felled on the family farm, to take them climbing the world’s peaks and sailing the world’s oceans. They’ve got over 150,000 subscribers and have made, so far, 162 videos. And we’re watching young Ash Faire-Ring’s restoration of Growler, his 1920s cut-size barge yacht restoration, due for launch in 2021. These three projects have much in common: they are by young boatbuilders (Ash is just 18), restoring or building classic yachts on a social media channel, which in turn generates crowdfunding from around the world. This, surely, is what the internet was built for!

RULEAND SAL -C UNIVOEUR LASS T FOR P OATS ULE B LOOK IVERSAL R N U R E H T O THE MED RACING IN

2021 Awards Classic Boat awards 2020 logos.indd 1

09/10/2020 15:46

BUSIER ON THE WATER

Things should be a lot busier on the water as well. The extravaganza of the tri-centennial celebration of the world’s oldest yacht club, Cork 300, should run this year, not to mention the America’s Cup and Tokyo Olympics.

One of the first things to kick off the year though, all being well, will be the deferred ceremonial return to Dunkirk by the surviving members of that legendary fleet of ‘little ships’. Probably more than ever were restored for the 2020 event, and they only happen every five years – or “quinquennially” for those who love a long word. The 42 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

CLASSIC BOAT S AWARD 2021 ING

REWARD OF THE BEST AR OF THE YE

details are far from clear yet, but the rest of the world’s regattas are keen and ready to bounce back, from Antibes and Monaco in the Med, to both coasts of the USA, most of Europe and the Antipodes. And what a year it’s going to be. The scene is maturing and growing fast. Spirit Yachts, the world’s biggest builder of wooden spirit-of-tradition yachts, has just announced that it is going to hold a regatta for its own vessels in 2021. And these days, at the regattas, we are seeing more and more discrete cadres: the 15-Ms, the schooners (now holding their own events as well), the S&S yawls and, most recently of all, the Universal Class yachts that have been coming onto the scene. These slim, pre-war American beauties recently staged a three-yacht head to head in Saint-Tropez.

And we will be running our Classic Boat Awards for the best boats and people of the year, as we do every year. We never got to toast the 2020 winners in our usual style at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, so we’re looking forward to doing that in 2021, whoever the winners may be.

2

Derigging RRS Discovery in Dundee for complete rig refurbishment. www.tnielsen.co.uk

Discover more at www.tnielsen.co.uk +44 (0)1452 301117

GREAT EXPECTATIONS Poole sailor Pip Hare’s Vendée Globe dream was in need of a lifeline, when an email arrived out of the blue from Silicon Valley WORDS ROB PEAKE

44 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

I

n the end it was a one-line email that changed everything.

“It said something like: ‘We’re interested in sponsoring if there are still opportunities available’,” recalls Pip Hare.

It came from Medallia, a Silicon Valley software giant headed by a down-to-earth Scotsman who loves sailing.

For Poole-based sailor Hare, it was the biggest and most elusive part of the puzzle she had been piecing together for the past decade. A title sponsor meant the realisation of a long-held dream, to pit herself against the best offshore sailors in the toughest race on earth, the Vendée Globe.

It would give Hare the necessary funds to get to the start line off Les Sables d’Olonne on 8 November – and from there sail the small matter of 28,000 miles around the world on her own.

The elite group of men and women who do the race contribute to an oft-quoted but still remarkable statistic – fewer than 100 people have sailed solo around the world.

It’s an accomplishment that remains rarer than going into space and one that is probably a lot more uncomfortable.

For Hare, Medallia’s support came not a moment too soon. With just five months to go before the Vendée Globe start and funds running dry, she was being forced to consider the unthinkable – that the ambition she had nurtured since her teens, to sail the famous race, might be thwarted.

PHOTOS RICHARD LANGDON

Out of the blue

When the Pip of Charles Dickens’ imagination gets his ‘Great Expectations moment’ – informed in brusque terms by the lawyer Mr Jaggers that he is the recipient of an unexpected fortune – he is sitting in candlelight and working as an apprentice.

Aboard her half-refitted boat in Poole during lockdown, another Pip’s life-changing moment came as she refreshed her email inbox, while coating the deck with non-slip paint. Hare had been keeping busy during lockdown, able to continue refitting her elderly 60ft IMOCA yacht in solitary confinement, while trying to keep on top of the mass of emails and the unending job list that comes with preparing a boat for a solo round the world race. Hare’s regular Facebook posts updated her followers on progress.

If your stereotypical solo sailor is at best inscrutable, Hare loves sharing ‘her story’ and consequently she has amassed a loyal following. Her online videos have been viewed millions of times and her refreshingly honest reportage of life at the coalface of a Vendée campaign makes fascinating viewing.

Hare grew up sailing a wooden Folkboat on the English east coast with her family. She was inspired by Sir Peter Blake, Isabelle Autissier and Ellen MacArthur. She worked as an instructor and became a skilled and successful race skipper, but it was only in her mid-thirties that she took the THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 45

ABOVE: Hannah and Saskia went on to win silver at London 2012 BELOW: Working hard to secure a podium finish

PHOTOS RICHARD LANGDON

leap into solo sailing, when she did the 2009 OSTAR. “I decided to pull my socks up and get going,” as Hare puts it.

“The BOC Challenge [which evolved into the Vendée Globe] had really caught my attention when I was in my teens,” she says. “It seemed like the most incredible sporting event. I was massively attracted to the fact that men and women could compete on equal terms. It was three months of solid competition. Physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. There wasn’t an event like it.

I wanted to do it from the moment I first read about it.”

Her boat in the OSTAR, a solo slog from Plymouth to Rhode Island, was the same boat she was living on at the time, a 10-year-old Oyster Lightwave 395.

Afterwards she became an associate member of the Artemis Academy, a well-organised apprenticeship for British professional offshore racers, which led to her doing the Mini Transat in 2011 and 2013, and then the Transat Jacques Vabre, in the Class 40 fleet, in 2015.

The notoriously tough Double-Handed Round Britain and Ireland Race followed, and also the 2017 Three Peaks Yacht Race, which she did double-handed with Charles Hill - an astonishing first for the event that showed her extreme fitness as well as sailing prowess, as she finished third over the line. She wants to go back in 2021 and win it.

At the start of last year, with the Vendée Globe less than two years away and an overwhelming feeling of ‘now or never’, she chartered her first IMOCA 60.

Previously known as Superbigou, Hare’s chartered ride was designed to win the Vendée Globe in 2000/01 with legendary sailor Bernard Stamm. It has since done four circumnavigations. “I’m really honoured to have the boat,” Hare says. “I do love it – it’s my gateway to this.”

But she admits: “If you compare this boat to the likes of Charal and the latest generation IMOCAs, it’s the same length but that’s about it. It’s not the same boat.”

To the layman, the main difference is a lack of foils, translating into an insuperable speed difference, but Superbigou also came with old sails, old deck hardware and old electronics that meant it was clunky to sail as well as slow. Or was it?

Hare’s first outing was the Rolex Fastnet Race of August 2019, where she sailed with Australian Paul Larsen, of Vestas Sailrocket fame, and confounded the

yacht racing world by leading the IMOCA fleet for the first 24 hours of the race. It was the equivalent of a Formula 1 car designed in 1999 leading Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in last year’s Monaco Grand Prix. After the race Hare was delighted.

Then in November she stepped up again, taking Superbigou to the Transat Jacques Vabre, sailing doublehanded with Ysbrand Endt, in the elite IMOCA fleet. “You can push the old girl quite hard,” she remarked with a laugh on the finish line in Brazil. She and Endt came in 24th. “It felt like a victory to be there,” Hare said.

Hare then turned the boat around and sailed back to the UK, more vital time aboard. The whole experience had confirmed what she had hoped: “The boat is not as fast as the ones at the front of the fleet, but it is built like a tank.

For me to finish the Vendée Globe, to be in that 50 per cent of people who complete the race, would be utterly incredible and I’ve got the right tool for that, for sure.”

Lockdown turnaround

So that was Pip Hare’s situation in May 2020, when with five months to go before the Vendée Globe start and no title sponsor on the horizon, lockdown put the world and her campaign in stays.

46 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

I was massively attracted to the fact that men and women could compete on equal terms

Hare’s support locally includes a small army of ‘business club’ sponsors, who donate a monthly sum to keep her campaign going. As people reassessed their lives and priorities amid the pandemic, all of Hare’s business club members stuck with her, maintaining their payments and enabling her to keep working on the boat.

But conversations with bigger potential sponsors dried up.“Everything was in stasis,” she says. “I was lucky that I lived close to the boat and the port was open and working, so I was able to make positive actions. It wasn’t so bad while France was in lockdown too, but when all the French IMOCA teams started getting back on the water, then it felt like I was way behind the curve. The last two months were really difficult.”

Little did Hare know, as she worked in solitary confinement on Superbigou over the late May bank holiday, that five thousand miles away in San Francisco, a Scotsman was casually perusing the internet, trying to find out if the Vendée Globe was going ahead amid the widespread cancellations caused by the pandemic.

Leslie Stretch grew up in Edinburgh, the son of a shipyard worker, and has worked in key positions for a number of big tech brands. These days he is CEO of software giant Medallia, and he’s also a Vendée Globe fanatic.

ABOVE: Hare’s boat is 20 years old and has an entirely open cockpit, unlike the enclosed areas on the latest IMOCAs

“I was actually looking at the Vendée Globe website, just thinking ‘please this must go ahead’,” Stretch says, “not from a point of view of being involved at all, when I noticed that her boat had nothing, no livery, nothing on the sails, and I just sent her an email, saying: ‘Look, are you still looking for support, because we love your story?’

“I like data and her track record is phenomenal; the fact that she led the Fastnet for 24 hours. I just couldn’t believe that no one had picked up the gauntlet here and become the title sponsor.

“So I said ‘let’s talk’.”

Initially a silver sponsorship was agreed verbally, but a few days later Medallia came back with an offer to be title sponsor and three weeks later, after meetings over Zoom, the deal was done.

“Isn’t it amazing? I am still not…it all seems a bit surreal at the moment,” said Hare when the news broke. She took time to pay tribute to her business club members, who had kept the project running. “They stayed with me, which is incredible, and they are responsible for me being in the position I am in now.”

Medallia arrived in timely fashion mid-refit. “They’ve invested enough to significantly change the way I’m doing things,” says Hare. “Their investment has allowed me to THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 47

From dream to reality

Hare’s campaign is still tiny compared to the biggest budget teams and the hunt for some additional funding continues, but she says: “What I really want to focus on

“I like data and her track record is phenomenal

PHOTOS RICHARD LANGDON

make all the upgrades I wanted to on the boat and it takes some of the pressure off me. It means I can concentrate on going sailing.

“The big thing that I am super-excited about is that I now have a pedestal [coffee-grinder winch]. I was the only boat without one. I feel like I’m a grown-up IMOCA skipper now!”

An NKE autopilot upgrade, new sails from OneSails, new computer hardware, Lithium batteries, outriggers, Karver furlers, new standing rigging, custom tiller bearings… the list goes on.

A reality check came from veteran IMOCA 60 preparateurs Joff Brown, of Lighthouse Yacht Services, and Michael Ferguson, who between them have worked on the Vendée campaigns of Dee Caffari, Mike Golding and Rich Wilson.

Hare said: “When they saw how we were sailing the boat, their response was: ‘You were doing it how?’

“I knew all of last year the boat was hard to sail. It was clunky. There were so many things to improve but you can only improve them when you have the budget. I’ve got so used to working with a squeaky old boat I think it’s going to be amazing after all these improvements.”

“They’re a really great company to be involved with,” said Hare of her new benefactors. “They’re forward thinking, imaginative, really excited about being involved with the Vendée Globe, and the race will be a great platform to showcase some of their products.

“I’m wildly excited and can’t believe this is happening.”

“For my money this is the most exciting sporting challenge on earth” LESLIE STRETCH, CEO OF MEDALLIA “For my money this is the most exciting sporting challenge on earth. That’s my view. It’s also the only sport where men and women are pitted head to head.

“I have always been interested in sailing personally.

I’m absolutely a gin and tonic recreational sailor. I sail with my two boys and three girls in the bay here in San Francisco. It’s all about fun. I have just bought a Beneteau 41.1. It works beautifully and is really the best boat we have sailed, a great all-rounder and we have found it to be quite quick too. I love it.

“At Medallia, we were looking at ways we could market in the pandemic, how we could do things that match up to our value system.

I’d read about Pip a number of times but I didn’t realise she was still looking for a title sponsor. I sent her an email and we went

48 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

from there. Really it’s a no

nology to Pip in the race. Medallia has a

brainer and we’re delighted

video solution, a crowd solution and a voice

that it’s a ‘go’.

solution that assesses an individual’s stress

“I can’t wait. I’m going to

levels, sentiment and emotion in video and

go to Les Sables d’Olonne

voice. We intend to showcase those prod-

and watch her start the

ucts from the boat. We’ll give that technol-

race. The whole company is

ogy to Pip and anyone else who is inter-

really excited and we did a

ested in using it. We also have a messaging

500-person Zoom call with

technology that we might showcase on the

Pip in July to introduce her

boat, as long as it doesn’t distract anyone

to everyone.

from the core mission of completing the race

“I think she’s going to prove what a great competitor she is and what great

and doing well.

“We are getting involved in this longterm. We want to be involved in the 2024

skills she has in this amazing race. But also

race. Importantly, we want to be involved in

she is going to show lots of different people

initiatives around bringing women, under-

from different backgrounds that sailing is a

represented minorities and youth into sailing

very accessible, super-exciting metaphor for

and really invigorating people around this

life and business. That was very important

sport. I feel it’s lost its edge a little bit in re-

for us. We see [African American sailor]

cent years and you can see that in corporate

Donald Lawson coming up in the US and a

sponsorship. Yet it is such an exciting and

broader representation of society showing

dramatic sport to participate in and watch.

up in sailing. It’s great for the sport.

It is much more open for participation than

“We intend to give some of our tech-

people are aware.”

now is getting out on the water and going sailing, trying to hit that line in the best shape possible. The boat is going to be great. Now I need to make sure I’m going to be great.”

The newly liveried Medallia raced and won line honours in the Lonely Rock Race in August. Hare had designs on the Defi Azimut in September, but opted to remain on the English south coast, where she was making final upgrades with Joff Brown’s Lighthouse Yacht Services team in Portsmouth and also with the assistance of Paul Larsen, who stayed on since that 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race.

As we went to press, Hare was hoping to have a month of sailing offshore, before returning to Poole to take stock and then set sail for France and the big departure from Les Sables d’Olonne on 8 November.

“It’s taken 10 years of hard graft, working my way up through the fleets to get to this point and I can’t quite believe I’m here,” she says. “It’s amazing and I feel I want to succeed too for the people who have supported me. I didn’t imagine it [the level of support]. It’s blown me away.

Every time I’ve posted a video or asked for help, the genuine responses and the things people say to me, it has really surprised me how people have an emotional engagement with this and want me to succeed.”

As the Pip of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations considers his changed circumstances, he says: “My wild fancy was surpassed by sober reality.”

For Hare, too, there has been a moment of realisation.

She is on her way to the Southern Ocean, alone, in probably the most demanding sporting event on the

ABOVE: Medallia’s support has allowed Hare to upgrade aged kit and sails ready for the 26,000 mile race RIGHT: Hare is renowned for her fitness, and her pre-Vendée gym routine is gruelling

planet. “I can sort of imagine it,” she says. “I’ve got 10 years of solo racing behind me and I do understand the challenges. But a race like the Vendée pushes and stretches every facet of what it means to be a human being.

“I’ve never been in the Southern Ocean. I think I’m going to be largely terrified for a whole month.”

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 49

Med time

Med charter companies are ready and waiting for us, with bolstered safety measures ashore and on board.

Sam Jefferson suggests some destinations and talks to charter businesses

50 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

MAIN PICTURE: Mallorca is known for excellent conditions, well into autumn LEFT: The domes of Santorini, Greece

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 51

T

here have been moments this last year where the idea of a leisurely cruise around the Med seemed as likely as Richard Branson taking you on a trip to the moon. Nice idea, but unlikely.

Yet things have changed and – at least as this magazine goes to press – it is once again possible to travel across Europe (even all the way to Greece!) in order to go sailing.

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed many things.

The charter industry has responded with a subtle shift in operational focus. As an example, Sunsail, aware that many were less inclined to fly, redistributed resources to areas that could be more readily accessed by car, train or ferry.

By the same token, Dream Yacht Charter’s announcement of a new base in La Spezia, in northern Italy, was also timely as it provided a more accessible base for sailors keen to explore the Med without having to take a flight.

As talk of a vaccine grows, there is a new air of optimism, but the mood was upbeat even after the first English lockdown finished.

Back then we spoke to Jake Bowerman, UK Marketing Manager at online charter company Click&Boat, who said: “Since the lockdown has been lifted we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of bookings and in

ABOVE: Italy’s romantic Amalfi coast

some countries are actually up on the last year. Our boat owners also now have the option to add an ‘Enhanced cleaning’ icon to their listings showing that the owner applies strict sanitary measures related to Covid-19.”

Of course, this is a developing story and quarantine measures have become a minefield, something that we may have to live with for a while.

Yet, across Europe, charter bases are ready for us. Izzy Drake works for Sail Ionian and is based in Lefkas, Greece: “On the whole, we all agree that Greece has handled the situation exceptionally well. We have had zero cases of Covid-19 on the island, which is amazing.

“Officially we were operational throughout June, but of course, no one could get to us. Our first guests arrived in mid-June (having travelled down from Corfu), and we now have had numerous Europeans, Greeks and Brits who have driven out.”

DESTINATIONS Croatia BELOW: Croatia is the nation of 1,000 islands

One of the jewels in the Med charter crown, Croatia - with its myriad islands, ancient towns and limpid waters - is a heady cocktail. As such, in recent summers it has been almost overwhelmed, with hotspots such as Dubrovnik heaving, especially in peak weeks. A quieter season overall might well mean that August is more tolerable, while September promises to be heavenly.

Shoulder season options: Croatia is sufficiently far north that a charter in October is a minor gamble. September, however, is generally balmy and peaceful.

Greece

Greece rightly remains the most popular yacht cruising ground in the world and there is a good reason for that; rich in history, friendly, scenic and with favourable sailing conditions, it’s hard to go wrong. With gentle weather and well spaced out islands, the Ionian is the focal point for chartering, while the Aegean tempts the adventurous with its stronger winds. Don’t be put off, though, this is still a charterer’s paradise.

52 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

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ABOVE: the Ionian is a charter hotspot

CONTACTS Alpine Elements alpineelements.co.uk Click & Boat clickandboat.com Dream Yacht Charter dreamyachtcharter.com GlobeSailor theglobesailor.com Helm helm.yt HDM Sailing hdmsailing.gr Kiriacoulis kiriacoulis.com Nautilus nautilusyachting.com

Shoulder season options: It generally stays warm out in Greece right through October so plenty of scope for off-peak offers.

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Balearics

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This is a popular destination with plenty of variation between islands. Sailing is the only real way to discover the true beauty of the area, with hundreds of small bays and anchorages to discover. This yachting paradise has always been a favourite holiday destination, and the bulk of Spanish charter companies are based there.

Shoulder season options: It can get stormy off the Balearics in October, but there are always plenty of places to seek shelter, and stunning weather often prevails.

Mediterranean France

The Côte d’Azur has plenty of culture on offer. St Tropez, Antibes and Monaco on the Rivièra all blend historic backdrops with contemporary glitz and glamour. With marinas promising to be a little less crowded, this might be a good moment to charter here.

Alternatively, Corsica is a perfect option because it not only offers peace, tranquillity together with exciting sailing but you can also be sure of a warm welcome ashore.

54 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Sail Ionian sailionian.com

Seafarer seafarersailing.co.uk Sunsail sunsail.co.uk The Moorings themoorings.co.uk

Shoulder season options: The south coast of France, including Corsica, is usually pleasantly mild in September, but October is more of a gamble with the risk of the Mistral taking charge.

Italy

Cruising in Italy is focussed firmly on the west coast, where you have the stunning Amalfi Coast, Sicily and the Aelion islands down south. Head north and you have the Tuscan islands of Elba, Capraia, Pianosa and Giglio.

Shoulder season options: The Tyrrhenian Sea is noted for being very calm in August, although things liven up offshore where the wind can pipe up anytime in the Bonifacio and Messina Straits.

Charter prep in a time of Covid-19 Sail Ionian, based in the Ionian, has worked hard to ensure that their yachts and base are as clean as possible. Here is how they are doing it: “We are making the best of a bad situation,” explains staff member Izzy Drake.

“Our base is equipped with hand santizers all over the place. Gates on every single boat mean that no-one can just walk straight on, they have to unclip the gate first. We have screens in the office between staff and clients, of which only one person is allowed in at a time.

“The general consensus from the taverna/bar/café owners is that they can’t wait for tourists to arrive – responsible tourists though… Those who will respect social distancing rules, and respect the rules put into place by government and businesses.

“After all, these are in place so that we (as small businesses) can make the most from what remains of the tourist season.

“Our sail safe policy on the website summarises everything we are doing to keep our staff and clients safe.” sailionian.com/covid-19-policy-sail-safe

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MAIN PICTURE: Britannia 1 at pace in the Solent LEFT: Defiant shows its pace for all of Auckland to see, but the boat has now been decommissioned in favour of Patriot, which is the boat the US will use in the Prada Cup in January and February

AMERICA’S CUP COUNTDOWN Over the first three months of 2021, all eyes will be on Auckland as the 36th America’s Cup gets underway. 170 years on, can the British finally win it?

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 57

A

fter cancelled World Series events (Cagliari, Sardinia, and Portsmouth, UK) denied the four America’s Cup teams the chance of any warm-up, boats and equipment were hastily re-routed and attention directed towards to New Zealand and 2021 instead. Not even the Kiwis were immune to pandemic disruptions, with their AC75 stuck on a needless voyage by ship to Italy and back. As The Yachting Year goes to press, the sole remaining World Series event lies at the end of 2020 and the Prada Cup (the knockout series that decides which nation will sail against the Defender for the America’s Cup) is due to begin shortly afterwards. We can certainly expect an exciting few weeks in store out on Waitemata Bay and the Hauraki Gulf.

Auckland action

The first boat to join the Defenders on their home waters in Auckland was American Magic’s first generation AC75. Having left the team’s training base in Pensacola, Florida on 28 May, Defiant arrived by ship at the end of June and the Americans wasted no time in getting afloat.

Naturally, they weren’t able to resist a couple of informal line-ups against the Kiwi Defenders, Emirates Team New Zealand’s Te Aihe, giving us a tantalising picture of the competition to come. However, these won’t be the actual boats used in competition. With each team permitted to build two AC75s, the Americans’ second boat, Patriot, was flown from their construction base in Rhode Island and was expected to launch in late-October.

INEOS Team UK and Challenger of Record Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli took a different approach. They 58 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

ABOVE: American Magic and Emirates Team New Zealand on the same stretch of water

arrived in Auckland later, having remained in Europe to maximise training time.

Their second generation AC75s both arrived by air in Auckland in early October. Both teams had already begun a phased relocation of equipment and team members, each of whom had to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Auckland. Both teams shipped their first generation AC75s to New Zealand as back-ups.

Meanwhile, the Defender said they wouldn’t have their second AC75 on the water until later in the year, prompting some observers to speculate the New Zealanders were waiting and watching what design choices the others had made. In reality, the big choices would already have been made and their second boat’s build will have been well underway.

What have we seen so far?

With the design emphasis on early transition from displacement to foiling mode, aerodynamic considerations have been at the fore. What have the first generation boats already revealed? Well, hull shape – where the rule allows for a lot of design freedom – has been perhaps the most obvious difference. While American Magic and INEOS Team UK opted for a smooth, flat hull, almost scow-like in shape, the Italian and Kiwi teams adopted a more vee’d shape with a ‘bustle’ toward the stern. The latter was an element the Brits then sought to add to their own design, hastily retrofitting a similar element to Britannia I. Teams will be looking to cherry-pick the positives for their second boats. NZ’s Te Aihe showed a capacity for early take-offs, particularly in lighter winds. The boat had been prone to splashdowns, but emerged from time in the

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ABOVE: American Magic’s grinders in action INSERT LEFT : Whoah! The New Zealanders (in their smaller test boat, left, and Italians have both experienced a ‘thrust up’ as the boats reach top speeds

shed in early August with much improved stability. In contrast, the smoother hull on the USA’s boat Defiant allowed it to skim relatively low to the water. Although slower on the take-off in the same conditions than the Kiwi boat - possibly due to more pronounced rocker Defiant seemed to sail well once airborne and maintain that through manoeuvres.

While masts, rigging, foil cant arms and their hydraulic controls are supplied one-design components, teams do have design freedom in the boom and double-skinned soft sail, as well as the foils – the trailing edges of which will, for the first time, include flaps to control ride height. With design here a closely guarded secret and teams able to develop several sets, it’s unlikely we can derive any real clues at this stage.

The first generation of boats helped the sailors to continue to refine manoeuvres, including foiling tacks and gybes. All the first boats have had twin cockpits; there was some debate as to whether it was more efficient to have the crew switch sides during manoeuvres, or whether to split the team into two tacks.

60 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

It will be fascinating to see how closely all these ideas align or diverge when the second generation of boats is unveiled and racing gets underway in anger.

Max Sirena, team director and skipper for Luna Rossa told us: “You can tell, at least for boat #1, that each team has built with a different philosophy and design, which is interesting to see. However, I am pretty sure that with boat #2 the teams will come close in terms of design and look.

Each one of us has followed and observed the opponents, so we have been able to study some of the characteristics of the others and easily understand what they have been doing in terms of boat handling, manoeuvres and measuring components.

“Clearly it is almost impossible to measure the performance of the boats and this could be a big question mark. I think now everyone is looking forward to starting racing and seeing where everyone is.”

Thrills and spills

With the boats capable of 50+ knots there have been a few hair-raising moments afloat. Capsizes have happened, as well as a dismasting for Luna Rossa which set them back a month with boat damage. At least two teams have experienced ‘thrust ups’ – whereby the boat dramatically projects, bow upwards, from the water as ventilation around the rudder causes the transom to drop suddenly at the same time as the angle of attack increases on the front foils, causing a massive vertical thrust. While designers and sailors will be doing their best to minimise this sort of thing, they will also be pushing hard as the Cup nears and the potential is there for drama.

– America’s Cup World Series (17-20 December) – Prada Cup (15 January – 22 February) – 36th America’s Cup (6-15 March)

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BEN AINSLIE ALL SET FOR AUCKLAND Every America’s Cup has its challenges, but AC36 brought more than its fair share even before the teams arrived in Auckland, as Sir Ben Ainslie tells Georgie Corlett-Pitt

62 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

A

fter beating a hasty retreat from their winter training base in Cagliari, Sardinia, in March 2020, Sir Ben Ainslie and the rest of INEOS Team UK found themselves in uncertain times.

With New Zealand appearing to quickly control the virus, the Cup seemed set to go ahead as planned, but the road map for getting there was suddenly thrown up in the air.

“Since returning to the UK from Cagliari, Sardinia, our focus has very much been on the development of our second boat, which will ultimately be our America’s Cup race boat, Britannia II,” says Ainslie. “As part of that development process, however, we have had a great summer of sailing in the Solent on Britannia I. It’s been a really productive period getting out on the water on a regular basis. The learning curve on these brand new AC75 boats is so steep that every time we get out sailing, we learn a huge deal.

“In terms of challenges, just the mechanics of sailing this boat took some getting used to. It’s a hard boat to sail, with only one foil and the rudder in the water making it difficult to get that stability you need. That’s why it’s been so valuable to us to get out sailing frequently on the Solent over this summer period and get more and more used to sailing these incredible boats.”

Next steps

Asked what’s next, Ainslie replies: “After we finish sailing Britannia I in the Solent, our second boat, Britannia II, will arrive at our base in Portsmouth from our builders, Carrington Boats. The team will then get to work on her, doing all the necessary work before she flies out to Auckland, including measurement and testing. In the meantime, Britannia I will be packed up and shipped to New Zealand.

“Within the sailing team, we will continue to both work on our fitness and continue sailing in the virtual environment, in our team simulator.”

Off Auckland, there are five possible race areas, depending on wind and current conditions. Of Waitemata Harbour, Ainslie says: “It’s a fantastic place to sail and a real challenge with the winds and the tides. We know there is a huge amount of support for the America’s Cup in New Zealand and it’s going to be brilliant racing in that environment.

“In terms of preparation, we have been sailing regularly in the event venues in the virtual environment in our simulator, with all conditions in Auckland replicated virtually.”

NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern imposed a second lockdown in Auckland after fresh outbreaks in August, but despite this the Defender has emphasised the event is on track. Ainslie shows equal poise about the situation: “The latest short lockdown in Auckland has not affected our relocation plans, as all our team members travelling will still go into a two-week quarantine when we arrive in New Zealand.

“Regarding any future lockdowns, we will be closely monitoring the situation and stay in close and constant communication with the local authorities. Once all the teams are in Auckland, any potential future lockdowns there will, of course, affect us all in the same way.”

Undeterred

But as 2020 showed, the impact of the pandemic could be as unpredictable as it was unprecedented. “The Covid-19 crisis has been a challenge for us, as it has been for everybody. As they say in the America’s Cup, the one thing you can’t buy is time, and as we were locked down we were

losing time on the water, which is always frustrating,” Ainslie admits.

“In some ways, however, I think we are almost better off as a team because of it, as it’s forced us to slow down and evaluate what we are doing, making sure our strategy is right.

Our work, of course, never stopped. The fact that so much of our design work is now done in the virtual environment meant that the design of our second race boat was negligibly impacted. The sailing team and I, meanwhile, were able to both work on our fitness and make great use of our simulator to continue sailing in the virtual environment.”

The clock is now seriously ticking. With the set-backs and unknowns already thrown up by 2020, Ainslie could easily be forgiven should his ambition be anything less than 100 per cent. But, true to character, the opposite is the case; despite the challenges, his confidence is high, as he asserts: “We’ve got a great team that started as an organisation for Bermuda 2017 and we have come a long way since then.

“It’s certainly going to be one of the toughest America’s Cups to win. To win the America’s Cup you need great designers, great sailors and significant funding and I am confident that for the first time, in a long time, we as a British team have those three elements right.”

There’s also excitement at the prospect of finally lining up against his competitors. All four campaigns in this cycle have serious funding and weight behind them, making all four teams viable contenders.

“All of the teams are really strong,” he acknowledges. “We obviously saw Luna Rossa up close during our winter training camp in Sardinia before the lockdown, so it will be great to get out on the water with the Americans and the Kiwis for the first time in Auckland too. That will be a great moment.”

The Brits have of course had a close eye on proceedings out on Cup waters. “We have been watching all three of the opposing teams closely and all the teams look very strong. Just to get through the Prada Cup is going to be a real challenge and then if you get through that, you are up against effectively the ‘All Blacks’ of the sailing world, in their home waters.

“It doesn’t get much tougher than that, but that’s what makes the America’s Cup so special and if we do manage to win it for the first time with Britain it would be the biggest moment in all our sporting careers.”

So with that tempting and hoped-for goal in mind, is there any one aspect that he feels will make all the difference? “The America’s Cup is such a significant challenge and team effort that there is no one element that will make all the difference.

Everything, from the sailing side to the design side, has to come together perfectly for us to get the job done.

“With the complexity of these new AC75 boats, however, and the learning curve that is associated with sailing a completely new class of boat, the most valuable resource in the America’s Cup, in this campaign more than ever, is time.

“In the end each team will simply run out of time to learn more about these brand new boats and for us as a team it’s all about how efficiently we operate as a team in the time we have. It will be a real team effort to get the boat working as reliably and efficiently as possible come race day,” he concludes.

“It’s certainly going to be one of the toughest America’s Cups to win. I am confident that for the first time, in a long time, we as a British team have the elements right”

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 63

PAUL GOODISON KEEPING IN TRIM Paul Goodison won Olympic gold for Britain and is now sailing with the Americans. Does he secretly wish he was sailing with INEOS?

64 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

P

aul Goodison was an early pick for the New York YC’s American Magic team on the strength of his successes since his 2008 Olympic gold. His reputation for embracing the technical boundaries was proven by three consecutive Moth World Championship wins – not to mention his supporting role with Artemis in the last America’s Cup. Goodison’s current role is described as mainsail trimmer, but on these extreme boats, crew set-up during manoeuvres means he also gets his hands on the wheel, an experience he describes as “awesome”. He explains: “In a straight line I’m dealing with the mainsail, making sure it is well set up and the boat is going fast. But during the manoeuvres, I cross over and take the opposing wheel to ride through, and then there’s a quick swap over back into trimming sail.”

Also with Goodison in Defiant’s afterguard are veteran America’s Cup helm Dean Barker and ex-Laser Olympian Andrew Campbell, along with skipper Terry Hutchinson.

They have spent an intensive 15 months training together in Pensacola, Florida to become a closely knit team.

Speaking to our writer Andi Robertson as he had a behind the scenes tour of the US base in 2020, Goodison said: “We have done a lot of sailing in certain conditions in Pensacola and I guess in the 12 to 15 or 16 knot range, we are pretty confident that we can get around the course without falling of the foils.

“We have done a lot of sailing in the lighter winds. It’s obviously very tricky knowing whether you are going to go code zero or jib and the sacrifices each one makes. We probably have a lot to learn on some of the crossovers there.

“We have not done much sailing in over 20 knots. It gets pretty full-on but I think these boats are potentially easier to sail than the [AC50 ]catamarans up range if they’re working properly,” he explained.

Auckland adjustments

Since landing in New Zealand, the team wasted no time in getting Defiant afloat. But where at the start of the year Goodison had described the main challenge as being a constant balance between equipment development and testing, versus time spent refining race manoeuvres, the unforeseen set-backs brought about by Covid-19 have forced a reassessment.

“My focus hasn’t really changed much but the process is evolving daily,” he said, speaking from Auckland. “The big change is the loss of five months on the water in testing and development, reducing the opportunities to validate and feed the design for new equipment. From here on we will be refining rather than making major iteration changes.”

Asked how the enforced time off the water affected him personally, Goodison admits: “To be honest it was really frustrating. If I hadn’t been able to get out Moth sailing I may have gone mad… It was made harder knowing the other AC75s were on the water while we were restricted and moving south. The good news is we are gaining that time back now in the venue, even if it is winter… It was a good time to step back and spend more time looking at what we have developed, what the next step should look like, giving the designers more time to refine without any distractions.

“It’s been so good to get back out on the water and sailing again,” he adds. “We have been working through the test list to feed final design decisions. With the ever uncertain times and not knowing if the on-the-water time will be restricted again, the focus also moved more towards the racing.

Simulated pre-starts and race laps give you real clarity on where you can gain more ground on the racetrack than equipment choices.

“It’s nice to be here early and get settled. Auckland is a very different race area to the near-perfect testing conditions in Pensacola; it gives you a better idea of what will be needed to go the whole way. Having another AC75 on the same water is a real bonus, helping to evaluate where you are at and check in with the competition in real life, rather than from recon videos. It’s exciting times as racing gets ever closer.

“There are always challenges but Covid has thrown some serious swerve balls, the uncertainty and losing control of your timeline is the hardest part to deal with. It was quite a challenge being in quarantine in a hotel room for two weeks with a 14-month-old [son, OJ], that had just learned to walk, but this seemed like a really small price to pay to be back out in the real world, sailing again and enjoying a normal life.”

Asked what impact the new restrictions had had on the team, he answered: “We were still in control of our time and able to sail, which is a big relief. Other than wearing a mask and limited numbers in meetings, operations were close to normal here. The mask on the water for me was actually quite nice when it’s cold with 50 knots apparent over the deck. Not sure the grinders feel the same way!”

Culmination

Even before the global health crisis arrived and accelerated the race against time, Goodison described the learning curve in this Cup cycle as “so steep”, saying, “From the foiling to the rig, there are so many new areas to throw yourself into and learn. There are so many opportunities and things to try that it’s all about managing them.”

The American Magic campaign has clearly enabled him to indulge his self-confessed ‘geekiness’ - something he kept supressed while in the one-design Laser and only unleashed when he began Moth sailing. It’s a side we saw of him when he became involved with Artemis for the 35th Cup in Bermuda in 2017. Have there been many crossover learnings? While the AC50s of the last campaign were similarly big, powerful, foiling boats, Goodison says that the difference comes in the amount in which you can play the cant variation of the foils, as well as a difference in the ride height controls.

He also says: “The biggest challenge is the wing.

The wing was very, very, efficient and quite easy to manipulate with the control system you had; these boats and now having these sails - it’s a lot more complicated.

“The beauty of having the [AC50] wings is that you don’t have to carry around 8 or 9 tonnes of mainsheet load while you are trying to manipulate the top. Now you are trying to manipulate the top of this sail and you are fighting all this mainsheet load and it’s obviously not as efficient as a well-designed wing with a slot in the middle.”

Goodison is guaranteed a spot on the US race boat, but does he wish he had had the chance to sail with INEOS? “I wanted to win an Olympic medal, and to win a medal for my country was the biggest thing,” he replies.

“After that you want to win the America’s Cup and there are certain opportunities that come, and some you choose to jump at and grab.

“Whichever flag that is for at the end of the day, from a personal side I want to win the America’s Cup, so I’ll choose whatever gives me the best opportunity to do that.”

“From here on we will be refining rather than making major iteration changes”

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 65

32 BOATS OF

NOTE

From blue water cruisers to wooden dinghies, 2021 promises a bumper crop of exciting boats. We take a look at recent launches and what is to come SELECTED BY THE EDITOR OF SAILING TODAY WITH YACHTS & YACHTING

ENDEAVOUR A27

Arcona 345

In the UK it’s all to easy to associate this yacht with a rather congested section of road between Sussex and Hampshire, but German manufacturers A-Yachts have produced a yacht that is quite possibly the opposite of that painful experience.

The A27 is a boat that promises high performance courtesy of slippery lines, a big rig with fat-headed mainsail and a lightweight carbon hull. Styling is Italian, another bonus. a-yachts.info

Fitted with a powerful fractional rig, the Arcona 345 sports a tapered, twin spreader, keel-stepped mast. For strength and stability, the bulb keel is made of antimony hardened lead. The transom is open with an integral bathing platform and a decent – although not extreme – amount of beam aft means that twin wheels are an option. Another excellent feature, given that this is a 40’ yacht, is the heads feature an entirely separate shower stall. arconayachts.se

66 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Balance 442

Bavaria C38

Balance is a US brand that builds its hulls in South Africa to

The initial renderings suggest that this is a boat with plenty of

keep costs down. The company is aiming to provide perfor-

internal volume and a reasonably generous (80sq/m) sail area.

mance catamarans with a good level of comfort. As such, the

The company’s press department was deeply preoccupied with

44ft long 442 features daggerboards, and a relatively modest

the V-Shaped bow, a fairly normal feature on yachts since about

displacement of 11,000kg. Nevertheless, there’s no question that

1800. Nevertheless, Bavaria’s Pascal Kuhn explains the benefit

this is a yacht which aims to provide a high level of comfort,

of this and the chined aft sections thus: The V-shaped bow pro-

boasting reasonably high freeboard which boosts volume.

vides us with more space in the bow cabin below decks too.

ENDEAVOUR balancecatamarans.com

bavariayachts.com

Beneteau Oceanis 40.1

Boreal 44.2/47.2

Beneteau’s latest addition to their Oceanis cruising range fol-

Brittany based manufacturer Boreal has specialised in putting

lows on the heels of the 50.1 and 46.1 and features the same

together rugged, swing keel aluminium ‘go anywhere’ expedi-

revolutionary hull shape as her older sisters. To this end, this

tion yachts with some success. Their 44 and 47 have both prov-

Marc Lombard design features a chine that is carried all the way

en to be big hits and replacing them is a headache. Yet founder

forward to the bow and a distinctive ‘step’ outwards. This pro-

Jean Francois Delvoye has done just that. The new 44.2 and 47.2

vides very clear ‘champagne glass’ hull sections forward. It gives

stick to the original blueprint, boasting rugged good looks and a

a lot of extra volume forward.

design that would give you the confidence to sail anywhere.

beneteau.com

boreal-yachts.com

Contest 55 CS

Dazcat 1895

Dutch boatbuilder Contest Yachts has a strong reputation for building top notch cruising yachts. Recently they seemed to have been moving into a different sphere altogether with the launch of their 67CS followed by the whopping 85. The good news is that they have moved back down a size bracket with their all new 55. This Judel/Vrolijk design is definitely a fast cruiser and potential clients can customise the boat to meet their needs. contestyachts.com

Dazcat’s latest design has been built in collaboration with Ben Rogerson Yacht Design and the premise was to develop a new 60’ class racer-cruiser with the perfect pedigree for the Caribbean circuit, RORC offshore and performance world cruising.

The boat is therefore configured to perform both short handed and fully crewed. Racing credentials are evident everywhere from the lightweight construction through to the carbon rig. The interior is smart and comfortable. multihullcentre.com

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 67

Dehler 38SQ

DinghyGo

Dehler Yachts launched a range of really rather splendid cruiser/

Sold by Nestaway in the UK, the DinghyGo is a three in one

racers recently and here they have made the wise decision to

inflatable sailboat, row boat or outboard-powered tender. The

offer more of the same. SQ stands for ‘speed and quality’. The

boat is ready to go in 20 minutes, say the manufacturers, and is

38 is more about tweaks than radical changes and, as such,

stowed in two 40in and 46in-long bags. There is a range of boat

there is an upgraded bathing platform, tweaks to the rig with

sizes and spec, taking up to six people and boasting a close-to-

the option of a square headed mainsail, plus more light down

the-wind performance with daggerboard.

ENDEAVOUR Inspirationmarine.co.uk

below thanks to enlarged cabin windows.

nestawayboats.com

Domani S30 Daysailer

Dufour 470

The Domani S30 daysailer is the latest addition to a growing

The 470 is a “modernized, contemporary design, yet which

fleet of stylish weekenders which offer a modicum of speed,

maintains the iconic elegance, features, performance and DNA

lashings of style and modest accommodation for the odd over-

you expect to find with a Dufour”. The new look includes a

nighter. The S30 is a little different as it comes in two versions

reverse chamfer curve on the topsides below the sheer line, sub-

with the Club version being much more stripped out inside,

tle changes to the window recesses, larger forward hull volumes

thereby reducing weight and improving performance.

and a smooth fore and aft chine. Like the Dufour 530, the 470 is

domaniyachts.com

offered in three versions, for a variety of uses. universalyachting.com

Dufour 530

Eagle 53

The latest addition to the Dufour range lays out a slightly new

An intriguing new multihull from Fastforward Composites. This

vision for the marque going forward. One boat with three dis-

is a fully foiling ‘cruising’ multihull. It is a powerful boat. The hull

tinctly different deck layouts. These will be the ‘Easy’, ‘Ocean’

is designed by Paul Bieker, who is a bit of a specialist in foiling,

‘Performance’. Aside from that, this is your classic Felci de-

the 53 features C foil daggerboards and T-foil rudders, all in

signed Dufour, with acres of space and a good turn of speed.

carbon.

dufouryachtsuk.com

Fastforwardcomposites.com

68 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Elan GT6

Excess 11

This is a stylish sporty cruiser that borrows the hull from the

The Excess 11 is the first in the range that is purpose built as an

sporty Rob Humphreys designed Elan E6 and adds a redesigned

Excess and therefore totally different from the Lagoon range.

deck and coachroof that increases interior volume and light. The

As such, the 11 has been designed with fewer of the compro-

rig has also been moderately reduced to make this a more man-

mises that were inevitable in the larger yachts in the range. The

ageable yacht – albeit one that provides a handy turn of speed.

new boat is small at 37’ which makes her notable in a crowded

Down below, the boat is a revelation with tons of space.

market. Nevertheless, there is ample space inside and there is an

Elan-yachts.com

option of three or four cabins.

ENDEAVOUR

excess-catamarans.com

Grand Soleil 44 Performance

Greenboats Flax 27

The new boat will be available in two distinct formats with one

The Flax 27 is an elegant Judel/Vrolijk-designed weekender with

aimed at the racing market and the other more of a fast cruiser.

the sort of modern classic lines that will have any aesthete smil-

One of the distinctive features is the positioning of the mast,

ing. The boat is built using normal vacuum infusion lamination

further back than on previous models. The aim is to increase the

methods, but the difference is that the laminates are made using

size of the foretriangle and light airs performance in the Mediter-

biodegradable linen, while the epoxy used to glue the laminates

ranean, where many Grand Soleils are, but it’ll be equally useful

together is made using linseed oil instead of petrochemical oil. It

off your local headland when you’re inching home in time for tea.

all adds up to a hull that is said to be fully biodegradable.

keyyachting.com

green-boats.de

Hallberg-Rassy 50

Jeanneau 60

Hallberg-Rassy continues the revamp of its range with a new

The new boat will replace the Jeanneau 57 and sits between the

centre cockpit 50-footer that sticks to the template drawn up

64 and 54 in their luxury Jeanneau Yachts range. It is designed

by the Hallberg-Rassy 57. As such, this is a German Frers design

by Philippe Briand and is offered as a semi custom yacht which

with a lot of beam aft, compared with the older generation

suggests the French brand is moving upmarket and arguably

of Hallbergs. To compensate, there are twin rudders and twin

treading on the toes of sister company CNB Yachts. Styling is

wheels. In common with the 57, this is a modern-looking boat

aggressive, with a dreadnought bow, while the interior, designed

that still manages to remain harmonious. Down below, there is a

by Andrew Winch, promises to be luxurious.res twin aft cabins

huge stateroom aft and a generous double forward.

and a private forward head with sail locker.

hallberg-rassy.com

jeanneau.com

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 69

Melges 15

MMW 33

Designed by Reichel/Pugh and built by Melges, the new

The MMW 33 is built by Spanish firm Mestral Marine Works and,

double-handed boat “prioritizes stability, comfort, ease of use,

although this is definitely a yacht at the sportier end of the

and performance”, says the Wisconsin manufacturer. With the

spectrum, this is a boat that offers a high level of customisation,

main design goals focused on stability and performance in a

meaning that the rather Spartan accommodation can be more

variety of conditions, the boat features a narrow overall beam

lavishly furnished for those who favour a spot of fast cruising.

and a flat cross-section shape for stability, righting moment,

Nevertheless, first and foremost this is a racing yacht that offers

ENDEAVOUR melges.com and ease of planing.

competition for Jeanneau’s Sunfast 3300 and Dehler’s 3O OD. mestralmarineworks.com

Neel 43

Nemesis One

The Neel 43 boasts the marque’s usual mix of roomy accommodation combined with performance. Neel maintains that the aim is for their yachts to be achieving podium places in ocean races. Despite this, comfort remains a priority and the 43 boasts Neel’s trademarked and somewhat unfortunately named ‘Cockloon’ whereby the cockpit and Saloon are merged to create a vast living space.

Nemesis Yachts in Dubai is aiming to build a 302’ long

Neel-trimarans.com

nemesisyachts.com

Outremer 55

Salona 380

The new 55 plugs a gap in their range between the 51 and the

Croatian boatbuilder Salona Yachts came to prominence with a

5X. The 55 provides the company’s customary blend of

selection of fast and rather stylish cruising yachts that weren’t

performance and comfort and, in common with her sisters in the

aimed at the charter market. Despite this, the manufacturer’s

range, is easy on the eye. Outremer claim that the 55 can match

proximity to one of the biggest chartering grounds in the world

windspeed up to 12kn of breeze. There is the option of tiller or

meant many of these racy yachts were pressed into action dur-

wheel steering and the usual Outremer provisions for short-

ing peak season. Perhaps this influenced the thinking behind the

handed sailing and blue water cruising. As you’d expect, the

new Cossutti-designed 380 which, although a racy yacht, has

interior is well appointed and comfortable.

decent accommodation with three sizeable cabins.

catamaran-outremer.com

Salonayachts.com

70 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

superyacht catamaran that will foil at 50kn plus. They have built in a beam of 101’, foils and a wingsail designed by VPLP. Nemesis One will be equipped with the latest generation of smart LiDar (laser radar) sensors. The sea state, especially wave height, shape and frequency, will be live monitored and translated into commands for the automated hydrofoils and rudders.

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Sarch S8

Swan 98

The S8 is a Spanish-designed 33’ yacht that can be trailered

As ever, Swan turned to German Frers to pen the lines and gave

but is also rated Class A (ie, is designed to be able to sail across

him the brief to produce a fast ocean passage maker, something

oceans). What’s more, this is a very dramatic looking boat with

Frers is well used to working on. The 98 will be a semi-custom

a generous sail area and aggressive lines. Beam is moderate for

yacht, so no two boats will be the same. However, all will share

trailerability purposes and this adds to the look of the yacht.

the easily driven hull which features twin rudders and beam

There is the option of swing or lifting keels. All of this comes in

carried well aft. Down below, Swan has deployed the skills of

ENDEAVOUR sarch.eu at astonishing value.

Misa Poggi who has provided a suitably classy interior. nautorsswan.com

The Foiling Dinghy

Trintella 45 and 50

Designed and built in Potsdam, near Berlin, The Foiling Dinghy

“For the good old Trintella a new era has dawned,” says Dutch

enables anyone with basic dinghy skills to foil at an afford-

builder Doomernik of the new Trintella 45 and Trintella 50, reviv-

able price, say the manufacturers, with self-adjusting foils and

ing the marque that ceased production in 2003. Both are Ger-

a self-tacking rig. A wider waterline makes launching easier

man Frers-designed. Doomernik says: “Exclusive yachts with a

and means you can sail with greater stability than some foilers

classic touch and a style that blends high quality craftsmanship,

in very light conditions. The boat won the Dinghy of the Year

timeless elegancy and great eye for detail.” Both have vacuum-

category in our British Yachting Awards.

infused glass/epoxy sandwich construction with a carbon rig.

foilingdinghy.com

Trintellayachts.com

Windelo 50

X2 by Farr

Windelo is a relatively new boatbuilder based in the south of

Bruce Farr has worked with former Mini 650 sailor Brett Perry to

France. The 50 is available with an electric hybrid engine as

put together this lightweight flier that promises turbocharged

standard and it nudges closer to the performance end of the

performance for the thriving short- and double-handed mar-

cruising market currently occupied by Outremer and Catana. A

ket. This is quite an extreme vessel, with weight kept down to

max speed of 20kn is projected and the 50 is available with

2,500kg, yet the sail area has been retained, meaning that Farr

daggerboards as standard. The interior is comfortable, practical and set up well for long-distance cruising.

Windelo-catamaran.com

72 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

has gambled that any loss in rating will be paid back in outright speed. The results are compelling.

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HOME COMFORTS A holiday away from the crowds, easily accessible by car – and that’s not to mention the world-class cruising grounds you’ll find. A UK charter may suit our times well, suggests Sam Jefferson

A

s our horizons have shrunk, so our appreciation of what lies on our doorsteps has grown. The lure of a blue water anchorage and warm trade wind sailing will always be there, but the opportunity to inspect our own coastline afresh is no bad thing. It’s fair to say that when UK-based yachtsmen think about chartering options across the world, they often overlook the fabulous cruising grounds at home. The UK provides one of the richest and most varied cruising grounds in the world. Whether you’re threading your way up some tranquil creek and discovering the magic of the east coast swatchways, exploring

74 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

the varied ports and rugged headlands of the West Country or seeing with enchanted eyes the purple hills and wine dark seas of Scotland, there is something special to discover much closer to home for all of us.

Offers and opportunities Charter companies are desperate to help you get back on the water and there are good deals to be struck, with many offering significant discounts and flexibility on changing dates with no penalty.

Meanwhile charter companies have bent over backwards in the name of sanitation, with deep cleaning between charters and more.

THE SOUTH COAST

The Solent was arguably the original cruising mecca, having been the playground of yachtsmen since the early 19th century. It’s easy to see why, as this is a well protected stretch of water with countless anchorages and ports of call whether you’re day sailing or weekending. The western end of the Solent also has some wonderfully tranquil spots, while Cowes is rightly lauded for its charm and is so steeped in yachting history that it simply shouldn’t be missed. Further afield, Chichester Harbour offers great beauty in addition to a selection of charming villages to visit, while once you have threaded the Needles Channel to the west, Poole Harbour and Studland Bay beckon.

blue waters of

FIVE RECOMMENDED ANCHORAGES

Loch Leven,

Newtown Creek, Isle of Wight

LEFT: The

perfectly still

Scotland ABOVE:

Studland Bay, Dorset, often seen as the gateway to the West Country

Lying just to the west of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, Newtown Creek offers tranquility. Don’t go here if you’re looking for a rowdy night; simply drop the hook and enjoy the silence.

Pilsey Island, Chichester

This is a lovely secluded anchorage which is more peaceful than the iconic East Head anchorage. It’s a twitcher’s delight and offers dinghy access to a pretty, sandy beach on Thorney Island.

Osborne Bay, Isle of Wight

Situated just to the east of Cowes, you’re in a sheltered spot, not far from Queen Victoria’s favourite residence.

Keyhaven

Another stunning spot to drop the hook at the western end of the Solent. Close to the iconic Hurst Castle, Keyhaven also has a couple of excellent pubs.

ISTOCKPHOTO

Studland Bay

Studland is often seen as the gateway to the West Country. Tucked behind the iconic white chalk of Old Harry Rocks, Studland Bay offers superb shelter and golden sands. Joe’s Café is also well worth a visit.

CHARTER OPTIONS

 Andrew Simpson Centres andrewsimpsoncentres.org  Broadreach Sailing broadreachsailing.co.uk  Click&Boat clickandboat.com/uk  Commodore Yachting commodore-yachting.com  Dream Yacht Charter dreamyachtcharter.co.uk  Elite Sailing elitesailing.co.uk  Fairview Sailing fairviewsailing.co.uk  First Class Sailing firstclasssailing.com  GlobeSailor theglobesailor.com  Hamble Point Yacht Charters yacht-charter.co.uk  Plain Sailing plainsailing.com  Rubicon3 rubicon3adventure.com  Sunsail sunsail.co.uk  UKSA uksa.org  Universal Yachting universalyachting.com  Venture Sailing venturesailing.co.uk

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 75

FIVE RECOMMENDED ANCHORAGES Cadgwith Cove

Tucked in behind the Lizard, this pretty little cove backs on to an idyllic looking fisherman’s village.

Dandy Hole, River Lynher

ISTOCKPHOTO

Within a stone’s throw of Plymouth, but tranquillity soon descends up this winding tributary of the Tamar. Dandy Hole is a usefully deep anchorage.

THE WEST COUNTRY As the gateway to the Atlantic, the Cornish and Devonshire coastline is dotted with picture-postcard villages which tumble down to its shores. The tranquil estuaries of the Tamar and the Fal offer a completely different diversion and make great starting points for a cruise to the Scillies.

ABOVE: Looking

down at Cadgwith Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall

CHARTER OPTIONS

 Click&Boat clickandboat.com/uk  Cornish Cruising cornishcruising.com  Liberty Yachts libertyyachts.co.uk  Salcombe Sailing Holidays salcombesailingdays.co.uk

River Fal

An abundance of shelter and plenty of tiny corners to explore.

Try St Just Pool, just to the north of St Mawes. Here, you can tie up to a mooring buoy and enjoy a quiet pint at the Smugglers.

Stoke Gabriel, River Dart

Situated some miles up the River Dart, this bucolic anchorage offers peace and quiet after the bustle of Dartmouth.

Hallwell Cove, Salcombe

A nice all-weather anchorage in this beautiful estuary that is rightly one of the ‘must visit’ spots in this area.

FIVE RECOMMENDED ANCHORAGES Pin Mill, River Orwell

Once a bustling port alive with barges, this pretty village continues to thrive and its sheltered anchorage is an excellent stopover. The popular Butt and Oyster pub is a short row away

ISTOCKPHOTO

Harty Ferry, The Swale

THE EAST COAST

Sail the east coast, and you truly get back to the essence of yacht cruising; all lonely marshes, enticing swatchways and quaint villages –most of it within two hours of London. Stretching from Ramsgate in the south to Lowestoft in the North, this area has enchanted the likes of Griffiths and Ransome.

76 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

ABOVE: Pin Mill

on the River Orwell, Suffolk

CHARTER OPTIONS  Britannia Sailing britanniasailingschool.co.uk  Click&Boat clickandboat.com/uk  Hunter’s Yard huntersyard.co.uk  Premier Sailing premiersailing.co.uk

This isolated anchorage is a timeless sanctuary situated about a mile northeast of Faversham Osea Island, The Blackwater

For a true taste of the east coast, head up the Blackwater to this secluded spot Iken Cliff, The Alde

You can lie afloat here and take the dinghy the final mile to the Golden Key pub at the Maltings.

Surlingham Broad, Norfolk Broads

Situated on the River Yare in the heart of the Broads, this quiet anchorage is a great place to watch the world go by.

ISTOCKPHOTO

FIVE RECOMMENDED ANCHORAGES Filean Dubh

Very small well protected inlet on the mainland where you can do a great walk to the village of Tighnabruaich.

Tarbert

CHARTER OPTIONS

WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND Rightly described as among the best in the world, this area features a selection of flawless anchorages, pristine beaches and all the solitude a yachtsman could wish for. If it weren’t for the Scots’ obsession with whisky, this truly would be champagne sailing. A useful resource for those looking to charter is the Association of Scottish yacht Charterers, at asyc.co.uk

ABOVE: Sailing

the waters between the islands of Islay and Jura, Scotland.

 ABC Leisure (canal boating inland, including Scotland and Wales) abcboathire.com  Click&Boat clickandboat.com/uk  Flamingo Yacht Charters flamingoyachts.com  GlobeSailor theglobesailor.com  Isle of Skye Yachts skyeyachts.co.uk  Plain Sailing plainsailing.com  Rubicon3 rubicon3adventure.com  Scottish Yacht Charters scottishyachtcharters.co.uk

A lovely small fishing village on the mainland with both a pontoon and anchoring potential. Lots to do here.

Lochranza

A deep inlet on the north of the Isle of Arran. The setting is superb with a ruined castle. Take the time to visit the Springbank Distillery and walk to the northeast corner of the Island, passing the Cock of Arran.

Inchmarnock

There is a fair weather anchorage on the east side of this gem of an island.

Kilchattan Bay

On the southern tip of Bute there is a good anchorage with one pub. We particularly enjoyed the circular coastal walk.

DINGHY SAILING BREAKS Dinghy sailing holidays in the UK require a higher level of home comfort than if you were going to, say, Greece, where you can be guaranteed warm water and plentiful sun. Perhaps the best method is to book a cottage or even luxury hotel near your chosen watersports centre and take it from there. It’s also worth noting that some sailing schools – particularly in beautiful locations like the Lake District – offer excellent accommodation.

Arguably one of the best known sailing schools, Rockley on the picturesque Dorset coastline, has a range of courses on offer, plus for those who simply want to get out on the water and have a go at a new and exciting sport, Rockley has introduced Adult and Ladies Only Sailing Days. Youngsters too can enjoy either a week long residential holiday, or take part in holiday camps or taster sessions at Rockley’s Poole Park and Birmingham locations.

Other centres that run a variety of courses (not specifically holidays) to suit all abilities include Andrew Simpson Sailing, The Watersports Academy, Action Watersports, Bray Lake Watersports, Docklands Sailing and Watersports Centre, Liverpool Watersports Centre, Lagoon Watersports, and Rye Watersports that runs courses as well as a two-day kids’ camp. Dover Sea Sports Centre is also keen to promote its school

ABOVE: A

convoy of small

holiday activities. Finally, don’t forget the Broads and Lake District!

yachts on the River Bure in the Norfolk Broads

CHARTER OPTIONS

 Andrew Simpson Centres andrewsimpsoncentres.org  Rockley Watersports rockley.org  UKSA uksa.org

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 77

down Cup count

Classic Boat

four teams kland as the l be on Auc le in the Cup venue all eyes wil assemb t few weeks, – finally – Over the nexAmerica’s Cup will h for the 36t

with

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ON THE WINDS OF WAR

General Patton’s plan to sail When and If around the world was never realised, but current owner Seth Salzmann intends to fulfil the boat’s destiny WORDS JAN HEIN SAILING PHOTOS SUNBRELLA

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 81

T

he story of When and If began in a time of great uncertainty. It was 1937, war was imminent, and American George S Patton, a US Army Colonel at the time, was recuperating in hospital. His injuries were the result of an accident aboard the 67ft (20.4m) schooner Arcturus while en route to San Diego. In an effort to boost her husband’s downcast spirits, Beatrice Patton called in naval architect John Alden to design the couple a new yacht.

Alden, renowned for schooners built for speed and grace, designed the couple a vessel that would also prove sturdy, comfortable and safe for long-distance voyaging.

In January 1939, papers were signed authorizing FF Pendleton of Wiscasset, Maine, to build the 63ft 5in (19.3m), 43-tonne vessel. According to current owner Seth Salzmann: “Nothing was spared. She’s built with all the best materials. There wasn’t one bit of penny-saving.

She’s double-planked on black locust frames; Alaskan yellow cedar inner planking, outer planking is mahogany. She’s bronze-strapped and bronze-fastened.”

The final mark of finesse, placed upon the boat when christened When and If, sailed the schooner into history.

The story told is that Patton proclaimed: “When the war is over, and if I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world.”

As Patton rose to the rank of General, When and If awaited his return in her Massachusetts home port of Manchester-by-the-Sea. Their infrequent time together is documented in home movies and photos, which show a proud owner at the helm, surrounded by family. The dream of circumnavigation grew as the war closed. The ‘When’ finally arrived on September 2 1945, but ‘If ’ capsized when the stalwart General died that December following a car accident in Germany.

The schooner’s destiny was spelled out in Patton’s will which stated: “When I die, I want one of three things to happen to the boat. I either want it to stay in the family, or two, get donated for educational purposes, or three, be scuttled.” Fortunately, there was plenty of family to keep her sailing. Bea’s brother, Frederick Ayer, was next in command, succeeded by his son, Frederick Ayer Jr. In 1972, again honouring the General’s wishes, the schooner was donated to the Landmark School in Massachusetts, where she served as the centrepiece of a sail training programme. When and If was both classroom and teacher, building skills and confidence for youth with language based learning disabilities.

82 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

ABOVE: Naval architect John Alden

Below L-R: mainsheet deck detail; a bottle of Hazlitt 1852 Vineyard ‘schooner white’ depicting When and If in earlier days with a white hull; bronze and wooden wheel

Co-owners Jim and Gina Mairs helped ease the financial burden of maintaining an ageing vessel.

In 1990, a gale in blew in, the mooring line parted and the storied schooner hit the rocks. With a gaping hole on the port side, broken frames, a twisted cabin sole, demolished interior, destroyed rudder and smashed keel, When and If was declared a wreck. Despite extensive damage, the structural integrity held, and her brave owners committed to a rebuild. Transported in pieces on a barge to Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, the vessel was placed in the hands of renowned shipwrights Gannon and Benjamin. For three years their team worked tirelessly to make her new again.

On the day of the launch, journalist Walter Cronkite presided before a large crowd, recounting his tie to the schooner. “I had the privilege of knowing General Patton as a correspondent during World War II. Everything had to be perfection with Patton. That is what made him the great general that he was.” Surely that precision included his boat.

For a time, Gannon and Benjamin shared ownership of the vessel, sailing their accomplishment between Maine and the Vineyard before handing the helm to new owners.

When and If travelled on, to the Caribbean, up and down the east coast and to classic regattas along the way. For the crew, sailing on history led to chance encounters with friends and family of the General’s, many regaling sea stories dredged from her past. Every harbour entrance was noted by mariners, spectators and by one sailor in particular, who is now determined to fulfil Patton’s plan.

Seth Salzmann began schooner sailing at the age of 12 and hasn’t stopped since. In less than a quarter of a century he’s worked aboard a Who’s Who list of wooden beauties. At 19, with a USCG captain’s licence in hand, he took his first command of the Conch Republic flagship – 74ft (22.6m) schooner Wolf. A dozen more vessels followed including the 95ft (30m) Fife schooner Adventuress and his current charge, the 141ft (43m) Gloucester schooner replica Columbia. For five years he ran the Alden 60ft (18.3m) schooner Malabar X, until owner Doug Hazlitt decided to sell. Once sold, Hazlitt yearned for a replacement, contemplating the purchase of one boat after another. Surveying each, Salzmann counselled his friend: “It’s not the When and If.” Finally, in 2013, it was.

Salzmann joined Hazlitt on Patton’s pride for a season of racing until rot raised it’s ugly head. It was the horn

C/O JIM NEWTON

INSETS: With deckhand George Molucha sailing from Havana to Key West in the Conch Republic Cup, setting a course record in 2016

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 83

timber, a repair that would launch a serious restoration. To do the work, When and If locked through the CayugaSenaca Canal to reach Cayuga Lake, an unlikely place, chosen because of it’s upstate New York talent. Salzmann, given the role of project manager, was captain aboard Adventuress during the tear-down. “Doug thought I’d never come back,” he joked.

Early in the project, Jim Mairs donated the original printed plans. “That’s when we discovered that the boat was missing six inches,” said Salzmann. The shrinkage was traced to a 1970s repair. “It was a typical fix then, to shorten the boat if needed.” The repair was weighed out, history against ease and finances. Ultimately, Patton’s perfection won out, with the decision to return to spec.

“What that meant, we had to put in 56 new planks from the main shroud back. We used double-planked Alaskan yellow cedar inside and Sapele mahogany outside, in order to make up for the missing six inches.” All single planking

84 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

ABOVE, L to R: cockpit; “classic, simple galley” and the saloon looking forward BELOW: When and If’s sail plan

was refastened from the garboard up – about four to five planks. “The double planking looked fine.”

The new horn timber, a work of art, was laminated with black locust alternating with Angelique. The transom frame was fashioned using the same materials. Master shipwrights from Penn Yan were called in. “They built a lot of wood motor launches there,” Salzmann explained. “Old timers worked on When and If – it was a dream job for them.”

It was time for the teak deck to come off. A new one of Burmese teak was milled and installed, sprung in place with clamps and wedges. Salzmann, tasked with speeding up the project, said: “It was my first go at being a shipwright. I did a large portion of the deck with muchneeded guidance from the local craftsmen.”

The push to launch intensified, to escape before the Senaca-Cayuga canal locks closed for the winter. In late October 2014, the temporary building was peeled away revealing the gleaming legend, born again. In keeping with a theme of agelessness, a 1950s travel lift pulled by a Mack tow-truck crawled towards the water. Hazlitt, Salzmann and crew nervously stood by until their labour of love returned to the sea. That winter, dockside in Watkins Glen, NY, work continued. Wiring was replaced, cockpit staving and coaming was finished, along with a complete restoration of the original masts and spars.

Upon her return to New England, When and If was race ready, but Hazlitt was not. Salzmann was offered a lease, accepted post-haste and quickly got her certified by the US Coast Guard. Eighteen months later, money and title changed hands and she became Salzmann’s prize. The octogenarian is now a working girl, sailing into the sunset with day charter guests and away on private getaways. Like all snowbirds, the schooner chases the seasons – north to Salem, MA, south to Key West, FL. Earnings are stockpiled for ‘when’ the time comes and ‘if ’ there’s enough to fulfil Patton’s dream.

Owning an old wooden boat carries the weight of the past; a sense of duty to sail it forward. Like many owners, Seth and Jennifer Salzmann have become the keepers of When and If stories, as well as curators to the many artefacts that have found their way home. “I recently spoke

ABOVE: Medallia’s support has allowed Hare to upgrade aged kit and sails ready for the 26,000 mile race and RIGHT: Hare is renowned for her fitness, and her pre-Vendée gym

Clockwise from top left: sunrise from the cockpit; Seth’s wife Jennifer; the foredeck; Seth Salzmann

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 85

C/O THE OWNER C/O THE OWNER

ALEX SOLLA C/O THE OWNER

with Randolph Ayer Jr,” Seth said. “He has the original windlass, compass, yard arm, cockpit table and a notentire sextant. They will be refurbished and placed aboard with care.”

Joanne Patton, daughter-in-law of the General, paid the vessel a visit. “She told us a story that happened in the summer of 1955,” Salzmann recounted. “She was being flirted by Major General George Patten Jr. He was in West Point at the time and invited her to join the family on a cruise. Anchored outside Gloucester Harbor, he convinced everyone to retire early so he could court Joanne. The next morning he told his mother he’d found the woman he wanted to marry but it wasn’t news to her – they’d heard every word.” The boat and many vintage family photos have been reunited. “We just watched a film with the General narrating. The boat had a square sail set – might have been the only time it was used.” That image and some gear have raised questions. “We have a vintage Japanese sextant onboard,” said Salzmann. “I wonder what Patton would think of that?”

When and If might be old, but she hasn’t yet lost her speed on the racecourse. Details of past conquests have surfaced, including nearly 20 performances at Nantucket’s Opera House Cup Regatta. Under Salzmann’s command, the boat has sailed off the beaten path to take part in races few classics lay claim to. Beginning in 2015, she took part in the Conch Republic Cup, an offshore test with a course from Key West to Veradero, Cuba, on to Havana then returning to Key West. “We were first overall and captured the course record of 8 hours, 36 minutes from Havana to Key West.” That same year they won the series trophy in the Wreckers Race, a contest re-enacting the days of ship wreck salvage in the Florida Keys. In three of four races, 86 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: new planking on the starboard quarter; new deck and transom unfinished; When and If revealed; Cody the ‘wizard’ Cook at work

WHEN AND IF LOA

80ft (24.4m) BEAM

15ft (4.6m) DRAUGHT

8ft 6in (2.6m) DISP

43 tonnes SAIL AREA

1,770sq ft (164m2)

When and If beat 105ft (32m) schooner America 2.0, previously undefeated.

In 2016 she won several legs of the Tall Ships America Great Lakes Challenge, a series sending boats to all points of the Great Lakes. The following year, When and If was invited to take part in Sail Training International and Rendezvous 250, racing from Charleston, SC to Bermuda.

They crossed the line on corrected time with only 109ft (33.2m) Pride of Baltimore ahead of them.

The 2018 racing schedule was limited but significant. At the Marblehead Panerai Corinthian Classic, When and If placed first, captained by Dylan Salzmann, while close on her heels was big brother Seth driving Columbia. At the Gloucester Schooner Race, the General’s girl took a close second to rival schooner Brilliant, 62ft (18.9m).

The backstory of this legendary vessel is nothing short of spectacular, but chances are, it pales compared with what lies ahead. When and If was invited back to Cuba to serve as flagship for Havana’s 500th Anniversary in November last year. She was no doubt awarded the honour after her flamboyant first visit ,when she led the parade of sail into Havana Harbour and navigated a tight canal to reach the Hemingway Yacht Club.

Salzmann talks about the future with enthusiasm. “It’s a big mission, a major endeavour. We want to fulfil the mission of the boat. We want to raise enough money to sail around the world. That’s why we’re chartering. We’re hoping to start that in the fall of 2020.”

For a vessel that blew in on the winds of war, now in the hands of a true-born schooner man, When and If ’s sequel is about to begin.

To learn more visit sailwhenandif.com

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88 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Jimmy Cornell’s challenge of sailing around the world on a boat powered solely by wind and sun has given birth to a new Outremer, the 4Zero. We took it for a test sail WORDS SAM JEFFERSON

R

eaders of our sister title Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting will be familiar with the challenge that the adventurous octogenarian Jimmy Cornell is undertaking. For the uninitiated, he has opted at the age of 81 to attempt a round the world trip following in the footsteps of Ferdinand Magellan. Jimmy won’t be the first man to circumnavigate the globe via the Magellan Straits, but what makes this challenge a little different is that he selected a boat, Elcano Zero, which was entirely powered by electricity (and of course the wind); no back-up diesel generator and nothing of that sort. I was fortunate enough to go out sailing with Jimmy and, as such, run the rule over Elcano Zero. This is handy, because the boat is the prototype of a new yacht in the Outremer range, the Outremer 4E. It looked sturdy, but was it up to a round the world epic in far flung waters?

ABOVE: Jimmy Cornell (left) and his team all set for their latest adventure

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 89

Before we get started, it’s probably best to clear up a few things. The 4E is a pioneering new model but the hull and basic layout is taken from the Outremer 45, originally launched in 2018. What makes this boat different is the set up of the motors and power generation system which are obviously radically different from the standard twin Volvo 30hp diesels. But to start with the absolute basics; this is a 48’ catamaran designed by the Barreau Neumnann team.

Displacemnt has been kept modest and, as with all the current models in the Outremer range, this is a yacht designed for fast cruising. As such, she carries daggerboards and her twin hulls are relatively skinny and clearly designed with speed in mind as opposed to simply providing high volume.

Outremer’s record on strong, safe construction is excellent and there is no question that this is one of the things that attracted Cornell to the French boatbuilder in the first place. The hulls and deck are built in vinylester with a divinycell core but beneath the waterline the manufacturers have switched to solid fibreglass to increase strength – particularly in the case of grounding. Carbon is used in the high load areas and there are reinforced ‘crash bulwarks’ in the bows to ensure that the boat remains afloat in the event of a head on collision.

So you might think this was one of the big reasons Jimmy Cornell selected the Outremer for his round the world trip. In one sense you’d be right, but there was much more to it than that, as he explains: “I needed a boat that could move fast enough to provide significant power from hydrogeneration (using the propellers to generate power while under sail), the Outremer ticked that box. It was also

important that this was a boat that could present a high surface area to the sun for recharging purposes and a multihull was therefore the obvious option. Outremer’s also have a pedigree so I could approach the project with confidence.”

On deck

Step aboard and you wouldn’t recognise the boat as being overly different from a standard 45; there’s a roomy cockpit with the helm station set to port and ample seating as you’d expect from a catamaran with an L-shaped seating arrangement to starboard and decent sized dining table.

There are davits for the dinghy aft and above this the space is used to mount 1300W worth of solar panels which provide a significant chunk of the electricity generation for the boat. The side decks are nice and wide and access is substantially easier than on some other models that I have sailed on, with the relatively low coachroof meaning that it’s just three steps up to the helm station which still feels nice and involved with the main cockpit. The helm station is very well thought out with two electric winches to hand plus push button control at your feet – which frees things up even more. Elcano Zero had the optional extra of a pair of outboard tillers complete with a bucket seat. This means that, if you wish, sailing really can take on a truly thrilling ‘dinghy’ feel that is rather frequently missing in cruising multihulls.

Out on the side decks, there was a real feeling of space and there were plenty of decent handholds to help you on your way. The running rigging is straight from the 45, featuring the twin electric winches at the helm station which control the mainsheet and headsail. The

ELECTRIC POWER This is a boat powered exclusively by sun and wind –

On top of that, the ample square metreage of solar

there is no back-up generator. This, therefore, is the key

panels which are capable of generating 1,300W worth of

to what makes the boat so special.

solar power and you have a system that Jimmy believes

Jimmy explained to me before departure: “There are four essential factors in an electric sailing boat, and they are all

generates enough electricity to do without a backup generator.

dictated by the need to be able to generate electricity not just by passive means (solar panels, wind and hydrogenerator) but

Emergency backup

also active sources: the movement of the boat under sail.”

Jimmy has opted for a tried and tested B&G Zeus package of instruments. This time he has made certain

Hydrogeneration

modifications as he explains: “B&G has agreed to

It was with this in mind that Jimmy approached

my suggestion to use the new boat as a test bed

Finnish company Oceanvolt, which has been working

for possible solutions in such common emergency

on electricity regeneration for the last 20 years and has produced an ingenious system based on its ServoProp variable pitch propeller.

The ServoProp’s unique feature is the possibility to turn the propeller blades more than 180°. The software-controlled variable pitch saildrive adjusts the pitch of the propeller blades automatically so the power generation and power output are optimal.

Combined with uniquely designed blades this delivers optimal efficiency in forward, reverse and hydrogeneration. With

situations as lightning strike, autopilot failure or power blackout. This was one of the main concerns expressed by cruising sailors who took part in a recent survey among short-handed crews. This was a perfect opportunity to test the feasibility of such an arrangement.

“As I am setting off on a 32,000-miles voyage I want to be confident that we shall be able to deal with any emergency. An essential part of such self-sufficiency is having a separate emergency

the blades set to the neutral sailing position, the propeller creates

electrical circuit not connected to any of the boat’s networks, and thus

extremely low drag similar to the drag of a feathering propeller. The

protected from possible lightning strikes. It consists of an independent

ServoProp is capable of generating an estimated 1 kW at 6 to 8 knots.

autopilot processor, with its own compass, Triton display unit, and wire-

Given that the Outremer is capable of sailing at around 4kn in 5kn of

less wind sensor. An emergency 1200 Ah battery, charged by a Sail-Gen

wind and you have a boat that can generate electricity in all but the

hydro-generator, would supply electricity not only to this emergency

lightest breezes.

arrangement, but also to the service circuit.”

90 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

The boat has the optional extra of outboard tillers with a bucket seat...giving a thrilling ‘dinghy’ feel

mainsheet traveller runs the width of the aft end of the seating area. The only other lines to complicate things are the two control lines for the daggerboards which are run aft into the cockpit area. There is substantial storage forward too, both in the fore part of the nacelle where the water tanks are located and also in the fore part of the hulls, where there was ample space for an electric outboard, extra stores etc.

The rig differs from the standard Outremer 45 and takes the concept of a rotating rig seen on the larger Outremer 4x and scales it down for the 4E. This is basically to maximise upwind performance which may prove vital on the tough beat through the Magellan Strait. The mast and boom are also in carbon as a further weight saving measure. In terms of the sail plan, the standard version has a self tacking headsail but this is augmented on Elcano Zero by a Code Zero and also a Parasailor which Jimmy explained to me he had always found to be a hugely practical sail on his previous yachts but, so far, had not proven very popular on multihulls. He hopes to change that.

ABOVE: The light, well thought-out interior RIGHT FROM TOP: A well-equipped saloon; the 4E incorporates a rotating rig which optimises upwind performance; cabins are very comfortable

Down below

Down below Elcano Zero is 100% an Outremer 45. This means it is a thoughtfully laid out boat with a decent mount of space but perhaps not quite as much as you’d enjoy on a Lagoon or something of that ilk. This is the three cabin version with the entire starboard hull being used by the owner, who enjoys an ensuite. To port there THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 91

SAM’S VERDICT

THE SPEC

Outremer produce, fast, well balanced cruising

LWL: 44’ (13.41m)

catamarans, end of story. The 4E is no different

Beam: 23’ (7.01 m)

in that respect. It’s also strikingly good looking

Draft: 2’ (0.61m) daggerboards up, 7’2” (2.19 m) daggerboards down

for a multihull and performed admirably during the test sail. The interior is well fitted out and, although relatively moderate compared to cats in the charter market, is still roomy

Displacement: 11,000 lb

and comfortable. Ultimately, this is a great all rounder. The electric power is a more expensive

Sail Area: 1,141 sq/ft (106sq/m)

but alluring option. Will it work? Well, someone is about to find out for us!

Price: TBC Contact: catamaran-outremer.com

PERFORMANCE: LOOKS: COMFORT:

breathing space. However, these were negotiated in silence thanks to the electric motors and the high levels of torque and responsiveness were a definite boon.

Getting the sails up was simple and the decision was wisely taken that conditions were too marginal for the Code Zero. This meant we were down to the self tacking jib and full main. We were soon blasting along at speeds in the high nines with very little effort at all. The helm was well balanced and you could let go of it altogether without any worries without using the autopilot. It’s never going to be as responsive as a J/24 or something like that, but by multihull standards, it was exceptional and the addition of the twin tillers is an inspired touch. She was also noticeably closer winded than other multihulls (admittedly aimed squarely at the charter market) that I have tested earlier this summer. In light airs, I was assured she performs beautifully too. As it stood, we never fell below 9kn once we got the sails up.

Is this the sort of boat you could take around the world?

Definitely. Via the straits of Magellan? Well, let’s wait and see…

are two rather more modest double cabins for guests who share a centrally positioned heads/shower room. The forward berth had an extra fold down berth.

The saloon features an L-shaped galley to starboard and opposite this forward is the nav station with the dinette to port. The quality throughout is very good and there is a nice feeling of space plus the distinct feeling that the space – certainly in the saloon has been used much more efficiently than on some other models.

Under Sail

I carried out a test sail on Aventura Zero at La Grande Motte, France, where Outremer has its headquarters. The boat was not fully laden at the time of testing, but Jimmy and the crew were getting there so it was a good indicative test. The breeze was a good solid 18-20kn with a few extra gusts for good measure. The breeze was offshore and this made for very flat water. Leaving the berth was a pretty tight operation thanks to the extraordinarily tricky mooring post system and almost total lack of any

ECO-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES

WINDELO 50

SPIRIT 44E

VAAN R4

The Windelo 50 probably comes closest to

A different concept in some respects

Still more in the prototype stage, the Vaan

matching the Outremer. This is a high quality

but ultimately this is a 44’ cruising

R4 is a 42’ catamaran that is electrically

fast cruising catamaran. The hull features

yacht that is fully electric with no

powered. The hull is made out of 50%

basalt laminates which reduces the carbon

generator. Two large solar panels are

recycled aluminium and extensive use

footprint while hybrid power gives the boat

integrated into the back deck and

is made of circular materials, including

impressive range. Hull number one due for

hydrogeneration further increases the

recycled aluminium, cork, and plant-based

completion in November.

boat’s range under power.

alternatives for leather.

92 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Travel outboards

Ultra silent direct-drives The whisper-quiet, direct-drive technology of the best-selling Travel 1103 is now available in a lighter, more affordable package: the brand-new Travel 603.

Lightest outboards in their power class, from 15.5 to 17.3 kg complete Highest overall efficiency Quietest electric outboard Most dynamic motor response Onboard computer with GPS, remaining range, charge status and additional functions Easy handling, fast battery swaps, simple to transport

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B&G Zeus³S The fastest and most responsive B&G sailing system yet, a SolarMAX HD IPS Screen, offering claimed best in class visibility from all angles, with or without polarised glasses, and the full suite of B&G sailing features, in a package designed especially for sailors.

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ESSENTIAL

STUFF

39 WISHLIST ITEMS Zhik Apex

This range of jacket, high-waisted trousers and shorts recognise that many sailors, especially cruisers, do not need full salopettes and offshore protection for simply sitting in the cockpit, or driving the club safety boat.

The trousers are tapered cut with side pockets and a Velcro wasit adjustment. £299.95 for jacket £199.95 for trousers £80.50 for shorts zhik.com

94 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Vintage-style sextant “Navigation has changed a lot over the years,” the Austalian company behind this vintage-look sextant tells us. “The maps on your phone might be convenient, but they sure do take some of the fun out of it.” This handmade brass/alloy sextant is apparently “fully functional” and comes with a heavy, felt-lined wooden case.

Price $129.99 (approx £72) YellowOctopus.com.au

Kids lifejackets It’s hard enough to get them to wear socks, let alone lifejackets, but this new range of designs by Cowes company Seasafe might help, featuring everything from superheroes to monsters and unicorns. They can also design their own.

From £72 Seasafe.co.uk

Nordic Sweater

Stylish and rugged wear ashore or aboard, this 100% pure wool Norwegianstyle jersey is made in Scotland.

The marketing blurb assures us it is “extremely warm, trendy and always favoured by the sailing community”.

Price £85 thenauticalcompany.com

INEOS kit

As Sir Ben and team do us proud in New Zealand, there is no better time to show your allegiance with INEOS TEAM UK-branded clothing and sailing kit. The range includes key on and off-shore items that team wear during their day to day America’s Cup duties, from caps and T-shirts to chinos and jackets. £40 (cap) to £350 (jacket) henrilloyd.com

OLAS Guardian Wireless Engine Kill Switch

A wireless engine kill switch that acts within two seconds of a person falling overboard. In its dual function of an instant MOB alarm, it can be connected with up to 15 tags carried by crew members in their pockets. £299 exposureolas.com THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 95

Sailmon MAX

Technology and algorithms originally developed by Sailmon for racing yachts and superyachts, now available to dinghy and sportsboat sailors who want to improve their performance using data. A built-in GPS and advanced 9-axis compass generate precise data such as heading, speed, wind and COG. MAX also has a ping function, countdown clock and distance and time from the start line.

All data can be viewed live or later via an app. £POA sailmon.com

Christopher Ward Super Compressor The British watch manufacturer has delighted diving enthusiasts by reviving the Super Compressor case, which for nearly 50 years have only existed in the second-hand market. “The maker of these complex structures was a victim of the Quartz Crisis, which nearly killed off the mechanical wristwatch,” says Ward. Now, inspired by a customer request, Ward has reverse engineered the design from an original.

The Super Compressor was a radical design which became even more water-tight the more the diver descended. £895 christopherward.com

Fisherman’s smock

Not the kind of hoodie that attracts headlines, but instead a hooded fisherman’s smock in distressed navy blue, “quality cotton canvas”.

Price £79 thenauticalcompany.com

Teak cleaning Cleantogleam has launched new cleaning products for teak, the Teak Cleaner and Teak Shield. Sold individually or in a duo-pack, the new products have been developed to clean and guard teak and other hardwood from spillages and weathering without harming fibreglass or painted surfaces. The Cleaner is said to help restore teak to its natural colour and contains non-hazardous brightening ingredients. It is easily applied using a soft cloth, then worked in using a brush or scrubbing pad.

From £18 cleantogleam.com/shop

Rooster 50N bouyancy aid It’s hard to make an impact in the dinghy market with a buoyancy aid, but the new Rooster was a huge hit with sailors for its super-slim profile, particularly on the back, good for ducking under the boom, yet stretchy enough to hold it close to your body and go over all your sailing other kit. £100 roostersailing.com 96 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Classic scene

This image by the Detroit Photographic Company shows the gaff schooner Emerald from 1894. It is part of a series of four similar images offered by Mind the Gap, printed on lithographic paper and come framed. £198 mindtheg.com

Anchor swim shorts

Depending on your whereabouts, these may or may not be suitable right now, but hopefully 2021 will bring the right kind of conditions for a pair of anchor-decorated swimming shorts to be all you need.

Price £74 Randycow.com

All at Sea clothing

A new marine-inspired brand of clothing, with designs inspired by the founders’ experiences while serving at sea.

All products are made on the Isle of Wight from natural materials, using renewable energy, and everything “is designed from the start to be sent back when it is worn out”.

The company hopes to raise awareness of the challenges of working at sea, with a percentage of all profits going to seafaring charities.

Original Hoody for women £40

Raymarine Axiom+ Building on the success of the Axiom range launched a few years ago, Axiom+ features a new screen that gives wider viewing angles, better touch-screen performance in all conditions, as well as four built-in sonar channels and a next-generation, ultra-sensitive GPS/GNSS receiver giving for more accurate navigation. £POA raymarine.com

We Clean your Sails and Covers to find out more visit www.tiptopsails.co.uk THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 97

Musto LPX upgrade

Musto relaunched its LPX Gore-Tex foulies to cater for the modern inshore sailing scene and the demands put on the sailor as speeds increase. Along with a three-layer Gore-Tex laminate, features to be found include a Neoprene hem on the smock, adjustable PU cuffs and collar, elasticated neck and cuff tabs, tilted neck tab for an ergonomic fit, side pockets with internal pocket bags, articulated sleeves for greater freedom of movement, extended elastic shoulder panel on the sallopetes. £325 for smock Musto.com

Nautical art

Participants at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez in September and October will enjoy this watercolour by Patricia Edith Mary Thompson, whose work includes a range of sailing scenes, some painted in atmospheric style over nautical charts, and also classic yachts.

1create.co.uk/patricia-thompson-fine-art Purchase direct from the artist via patriciathompson550@gmail.com Saint-Tropez £78

Weatherproof bag

Ronstan’s new range of weatherproof bags, now available through IMP, is designed with the sailor in mind using the latest thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coated, which the manufacturers say is “lighter than the red PVC predecessors, yet still extremely durable”. The four bags in the range, up to 55 litres, have welded leak-proof construction and Roll-Top closure. improducts.co.uk

Easy berthing A new joystick manoeuvring system for easy-docking on sail and motorboats. The company says it will be suitable for any boats over 30ft. NaviWheel is being marketed by G-Boats, a Finnish company that is entering the market now, after a successful pilot phase of the system, which enables you to keep the boat in one place or move it into a tight berth with just the adjustment of the joystick. The system consists of the joystick, a silent electrical jet system underwater, as well as clever algorithms and sensors that are all connected via the NaviWheel cloud, enabling continuous maintenance and updates. There is also a NaviWheel App, which makes your phone a second helm. naviwheel.fi 98 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Cyclops Marine smarttune

Cyclops Marine’s new load sensor, smarttune, brings America’s Cup tech to ordinary sailors. Simple to install, it measures stay tension in real time, transmitting rig loads wirelessly to smartphone or boat instruments. Sailors can measure and repeat their fastest settings, control forestay sag and headsail shape, also mast bend to manage your mainsail shape. The load sensor can be swapped in for your existing turn-screw in minutes and shows the live rig load on your smartphone almost immediately. cyclopsmarine.com

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Gill’s new collection Part of a new collection from Gill, this appealing jacket is developed from the popular Navigator jacket, the new unisex Kenton Jacket is a breathable, waterproof full-length zip-up made from a 2-layer soft handle fabric. Boasting fully taped seams, a durable water repellent finish and thermal insulation in the sleeves and torso, it is non-absorbent, quick-drying and warm. Added extras include a rollaway hood with 2-way volume adjustment, adjustable cuffs for wet weather protection, an inner storm guard and an internal security pocket. The Kenton jacket is available in XS-XXL in Steel Grey or Ocean From £165 gb.gillmarine.com

How to win A must-have book for all racing sailors, this is the third edition of RYA Tactics, now available in print and eBook format. Written by Olympic coach Mark Rushall, who writes the practical sailing features for our sister title Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting, the book contains advice for sailors of all abilities. £17.99 rya.org.uk/shop

Vivier plans French naval architect François Vivier offers plans for his Beniguet dayboat/pocket cruiser, clinker built in plywood-epoxy, 5.85m overall with a 5.25m waterline, and a draught of just 0.43m with her steel centreboard up. A weight of 880kgs means she’s trailerable. There are two adult quarter-berths and a child’s berth.

Plans from €24 vivierboats.com

Chargemetrix battery monitor

Bio-based Dyneema Eco-rope manufacturer Marlow Ropes has announced it is now using bio-based Dyneema. Dyneema is not a “classic” material by any means, but is used by many yachts, wooden and otherwise, for practical purposes. Marlow produced the first rope made of plastic bottles two years ago. This new innovation, Marlow says, reduces Dyneema’s reliance on fossil fuels and helps Marlow achieve its sustainability and carbon footprint reduction targets. It says that Bio-based Dyneema® has identical technical characteristics and performance as conventional Dyneema but uses waste from the pulp and timber industry as its primary raw-material. marlowropes.com 100 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

You don’t have to lose track of your boat battery charge levels, thanks to this new monitor and app set-up. The hardware takes less than 20 minutes to set up, they say, and will send live battery-level data to your smartphone wherever you – or the boat – may be. The device can also be triggered if your boat moves. £49.99 plus £3.99 per month chargemetrix.com

Luxury wood notebooks Yacht fittings Luxury stationery company Bark & Rock aims to

Boatbuilding partners Tim Loftus and Dan offer “some of the most luxurious journals, Johnson have been turning out some fine notebooks, and photo albums on the market”. boat hardware, which they call “an Each handmade journal takes four days to engaging offshoot from the main create and use woods from around the world, business”, based in Ullapool in Scotland. some from as far afield as India and Sri Tim says: “We’ve noticed a trend Lanka, while some woods are sourced from towards more period authenticity in the company’s native Surrey. There is also a fittings. Historically, many boatyards personalisation and inlay process offerd by would have had a forge and foundry. the family company. The paper is refillable, so Ours came about when we were given a the cover will last a lifetime. large quantity of scrap iron and old diesel Price from £190 Barkandrock.com

Yachts & Yachting May 14.pdf

1

24/03/2014

12:55

Traction Made Beautiful...

The high performance non-skid deck coating.

CLEAR PENETRATING EPOXY SEALER THE WORLD’S FINEST WOOD PRIMER Makes varnish or paint last Glues the top coat to the wood Glues wood fibres back together Waterproof but breathable Made largely of wood resins Penetrates deeply Stops tannin bleed

Made In New Zealand

Christian Carleton used Epifanes varnish over CPES on Taurus (pictured right) in 1991. He writes: “You are welcome to use my name, my experience, and any photos of the boat in your testimonials. I am a true believer in your CPES product. I have been using it since 1991 on every piece of wood I put into a boat.”

Unit E4 Fort Wallington, Fareham, PO16 8TT. Tel 01329 232360 sales@vitessemarine.co.uk www.vitessemarine.co.uk/kiwigrip

www.makewoodgood.com www.makewoodgood.co.uk

Support and advice on: +44 (0)1732 824 700 ADVERTORIAL

Rope Fender Not a fender cover, but a complete product that comes with an air-filled fender inside and an attached rope exterior, knotted with polyester fibres, which the manufacturers say keep their colour and softness. You can choose black, navy or ‘authentic’ manila. Dan Fenders are used as a base for the product.

Coming with a three year guarantee, the rope fenders are hand-made in the Netherlands “in collaboration with social initiatives”.

Cleaning of the rope exterior can be done with a hose or a high pressure washer.

From €89 nautiqo.com

Frigomar BLDC Inverter Drive Air Conditioning Voted 2019 British Marine Product of the Year and marketed in the UK by Advance Yacht Systems, this low-energy unit has no start load, ie no high demand for electricity to start the aircon compressor rotating, therefore no large wasted capacity sitting there waiting to be used. Consequently it takes up less space and adds less weight than a traditional start/ stop air con system. The compressor can vary its operating speed – lower if less cooling required, higher if more, which significantly reduces the energy drawn and also reduces noise.

Advance Yacht Systems say the product runs silently, so you can run it all night with no noise and no generator needed.

From £2,560

advanceyacht.co.uk/air-conditioning-units

Marine telescope This antique example is a mid19th century three-draw marine telescope made by JP Cutts and offered by Scientific Collectables. It measures 8in (20cm) closed, extending to 23in (58cm), and has a 40mm objective lens with 15x magnification. Described as in excellent condition with original baleen cover, sharp optics and a smooth but firm draw. Price £240

scientificcollectables.com

Cotswold malt The Cotswolds Distillery’s award-winning whiskey is produced from locally grown barley and matured in first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and reconditioned red wine casks.

This Single Malt won gold at both the World Whiskies Awards 2019 and the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2019. You can pick it up at Waitrose and Majestic outlets.

From £44.95

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Wipee

Forward WIP, together with the French women’s Olympic sailing team, developed this female urination device for sailors called the Wipee. £10 forward-sailing.co.uk

102 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Harken grip tape

Harken Marine Grip is a thin, durable, nonabrasive grip tape that is claimed to be more effective than adhesive alternatives and waxes. Harken says the tape, designed to stop you slipping on deck, does not get hot in sunlight or oxidize, it doesn’t come off in pieces when it’s removed and it doesn’t abrade skin or clothing. The grip tape was developed by a surfer in Hawaii to mimic the performance of surf wax. It is sold in 60ft rolls, strips of multiple sizes and hexagon-shaped pieces that can be assembled to create larger customized areas. The colors available are black, grey or translucent white. £25.92 for a pack of 10 pieces £1,848 for a 60ft x 32in roll (sold by the foot) harken.co.uk

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Lamborghini on water Not your average inclusion on these pages but we couldn’t resist sharing this new superboat, to be launched this year, inspired by the revolutionary Lamborghini Sián FKP 37. With twin V12 engines giving 2,000hp each, the 63-footer will do a cool 60 knots. The Y-shaped bow lights are an homage to the Lamborghini concept car Terzo Millennio and the Sián FKP 37.

Lamborghini’s hexagon shapes and carbon build are apparently key to the design, which is orderable in custom colours.

lamborghini.com

Davey light Recently sold to John Buckley of Harbour Marine Services, Davey and Co was founded by Arthur Christopher Davey in 1885, which was a long time before anyone considered wiring a boat up for mains electricity. Many still wouldn’t consider doing any such thing, but most people would be glad of this 110/220v option of the firm’s classic mast light.

It’s meant for larger boats with mains power, or smaller ones with a shorepower hook-up.

From £146 davey.co.uk

Eco wine Eco-conscious wine brand Sea Change has launched its first ‘premium’ wine, a crisp and light Provence Rosé from awarding winning Chateau Pigoudet in southern France. “With each sip of this delightful rosé you will be transported to warm summer nights in the beautiful Provence region,” they assure us. With each bottle of Sea Change Provence Rosé sold a donation will be made to marine conservation charities fighting plastic pollution. As with all Sea Change wines, packaging has been minimised and it even carries an environmentally friendly label material made of plant cellulose.

Provence Rosé at £15.99 or £13.99 for a mix of six or you can buy the Provence Pack comprising three bottles for £42.97 seachangewine.com

Epoxy table tints Nautical bags One of a range of bags made of old sails, prouduced by manufacturer 360 degrees.

The company’s collection features an orange colour scheme inspired by a storm jib. “We loved the charismatic neon orange, the colour of all maritime life-saving appliances,” they say.

“Sustainable canvas combined with the bright neon orange puts you in the right light on all shore excursions and underlines the sporty character of our collection.”

Deern Mini, 24 x 30 x 14 cm, price €129,90 taschen-aus-segeltuch.de.

104 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

These wood and epoxy tables are created using the latest products from Entropy Resins, part of West Systems. Entropy Resins has a range of new products including a line of liquid colours “to add bold and beautiful tints to epoxy”. A pearl effect is shown on this table and meanwhile colours include Lavender Hills, Flamingo Pink, Caribbean Blue, Turquoise, Snowy Peaks and Fresh Apricot. In keeping with Entropy Resins’ ethos of being environmentally friendly, the tints are all water-based.

Pack of six complementary tones £19.99 entropyresins.com

ELECTRIC OUTBOARDS

Quiet | Convenient | Clean

“Using a well‑engineered electric outboard has been a revelation. The stress, mess and worry of oil, petrol, starting issues and sheer weight have melted like snow in April... the vital question is “how far will it go?”... the answer is “further than you think... certainly miles beyond anything I’ve asked of it in four years’ cruising...’’

TOM CUNLIFFE, writing in Classic Boat, Nov 2019

TIME FOR AN ELECTRIC OUTBOARD? The Quiet, Convenient, Reliable, and Easy-to-Use Alternative to Petrol

FROM £1600 Epropulsion Spirit PLUS: ‐ 1276Wh battery ‐ Faster to charge ‐ Battery loats if dropped ‐ Foldable tiller means only one cable to connect ‐ Three shaft length options ‐ Direct drive (no gearbox)

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. The Many Advantages of Electric Outboards include: ‑ Ease of Use. Switch on, twist the tiller handle, go. Almost anybody can do it; no experience, strength or mechanical knowledge is needed. ‑ Ease of Handling. The batteries are remov‐ able, and the “pass up and down” weight (the shaft/motor assembly) is then 10kg or less.

‑ 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. ‑ Quietness & Smoothness. A delight to use.

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

‑ RANGE. There are many variables, but ‐ with Epropulsion’s 1276Wh, or Torqeedo’s 916Wh batteries ‐ most users achieve at least 9 to 10 nautical miles per charge, at a speed of 4 to 5 knots (2.5m in latable dinghy). Much more if you slow down a little.

FROM £1675 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)

‑ 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 (the most common cause of petrol motor issues) there’s no carburettor to “gum up”.

It’s not all perfect: they are 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.

‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ NESTAWAY BOATS is the only UK dealer to stock both main brands in this market, ie Torqeedo AND Epropulsion. There’s much more information 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).

www.nestawayboats.com mail@nestawayboats.com Tel: 0800 999 2535

BLADE RUNNERS WORDS SAM FORTESCUE

106 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

PETER SMITH

Fixed, folding or feathering? What are the options and do you need an an upgrade on your existing prop?

E

ven today, with so much evidence on the table, production sailing yachts are routinely fitted with fixed-blade propellers. And yet it has been demonstrated repeatedly that a feathering or a folding prop is capable of delivering up to 95 per cent less drag than a fixed unit. On the average 40-footer, this amounts to perhaps 30kg less drag at 5 knots, adding upwards of half a knot to your sailing. And yet, these modern propellers are usually considered an ‘extra’ on new boats, while most secondhand boats still have their original fixed propeller.

If you are repowering your boat, it is a golden opportunity to upgrade a propeller that will probably need to be changed in any case. But it’s also a no-brainer for any serious sailors, whether you’re a club racer (think what an extra 0.5 knots would do to your performance) or a bluewater cruiser, where the prospect of 10 per cent faster passage times could save days on an ocean crossing.

OPPOSITE: the old school, a newly installed fixed prop on a wooden 8-ton Gauntlet, supplied

by T. Norris

be much less efficient in reverse – in part because they are trying to close themselves, and partly because they present the trailing edge. Some brands have geared the blades so they open in unison, and installed rubber on plastic ‘bumpers’ to reduce the noise.

Feathering propellers generally appeal more to cruisers, because they offer much better performance astern (thanks to swivelling blades) and in close quarters, albeit for marginally greater drag. That said, feathering units usually feature flat blades, which are less efficient drivers of the boat than the curved blades of a fixed or folding propeller.

Most feathering propellers can be persuaded to rotate backwards under sail power, making them usable in hybrid systems that generate power from the prop. Because of its unique design, the Gori can also be used in this way too, even though it is a folding prop.

Every propeller mentioned here is available in shaft or saildrive variants, but expect to pay a little more for the saildrive version.

What you want in a prop

Gori

A good propeller should always be designed as part of the broader drivetrain of a boat. To supply the right propeller, the manufacturer will need to know the power of the engine and its rpm, the reduction ratio of the gearbox, direction of rotation and the space available under the boat for the prop.

If you change the engine, you’ll almost always need to change the propeller too. Too small and the prop won’t get the boat up to hull speed; too large and it may start to cavitate at high speed, and put excessive wear on the transmission, stopping the engine from reaching optimum power.

Racers will often prefer a two-blade prop, for minimum resistance. But if you have a heavy displacement yacht and a large engine, you may need a propeller with four blades, where the greater surface area can transmit the extra thrust.

The diameter of your prop is loosely determined by the power of the engine – broadly speaking, the bigger it is, the more efficient it is. Pitch, which is the distance forward that the prop would travel if its screw gripped the water perfectly, is usually around two-thirds of the diameter. You can over-pitch a propeller to compensate for a restricted diameter, but it quickly becomes inefficient and wearing on the engine. Excessive pitch can also exaggerate prop walk astern.

Launched in 1994 to international acclaim, the Gori is a unique folding prop that claims to have the thrust of a fixed prop. Engineered in Denmark from nickel aluminium bronze, the blades are geared so that they cannot open or close independently. They pivot through 180 degrees to give the same pitch in forward and reverse, which means optimum speeds in both directions. Uniquely, Goris have an ‘overdrive’ function for motorsailing which deepens the pitch of the prop to give the same power from lower engine rpm. “This can be compared to the fifth gear on a car,” says sales manager Lars Østergaard.

With the lowest drag of any folding prop, according to some German tests, Gori’s special two-bladed race variant is used by the Ocean Race boats, Maxis and club racers alike. The blade geometry is such that the propeller fully closes, leaving no gaps to create turbulence and resistance.

Blades: 2, 3 or 4 Diameter: 11.5in to 30in Engines: 10hp to 300hp Gori-propeller.com sillette.co.uk

Autoprop

Feathering vs folding Racers will almost always prefer a folding propeller, whose blades shut like a clamshell.

That’s because they have the lowest drag of all – less than a kilogram according to some tests. This is particularly the case when they are tucked behind the leg of a saildrive. On the other hand, they can be noisier when deployed, opening with a loud clunk as the blades spin out and hit their stops. And they tend to

A folding prop may deliver up to 95% less drag than a fixed one

Bruntons’ feathering propeller is another engineering marvel with either two or three blades that rotate perpendicular to the prop shaft. Because each blade’s weight is offset, they will rotate through 180 degrees between forward and astern, giving them the same optimum pitch in both directions.

Exceptionally for a feathering prop, the blades have some hydrodynamic curve to them.

Free to rotate on their axis, the blades will adopt varying pitches, according to the needs of the THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 107

boat. So, when you are motorsailing, they pitch up to account for the driving force of the sails, reducing fuel consumption and engine rpm. This feature should also reduce prop walk astern. With the prop shaft locked in sail mode, they balance in between, presenting a fine profile to the water.

Bruntons also manufacturers the Eco*star, especially for hybrid or electrically powered boats.

Based closely on the Autoprop, it has all the same features, but slightly different blade geometry that is optimised for spinning backwards in sail mode and generating electricity to recharge the batteries.

All are manufactured in Essex, where MD David Sheppard has been using the quieter time imposed by the pandemic for further R&D. Watch this space.

Blades: 2 or 3 Diameter: 13in-35in Engines: up to 350hp bruntonspropellers.com

The Kiwiprop blades are made out of a nylon glass composite

when the boat is in the water, but it is always possible to send off for a differently pitched cassette from Darglow and install it via a 10-minute operation when the boat is hauled. If you send the old cassette back, this is cost-free.

The blades are completely flat for frictionless sailing, and rotate through 180 degrees for optimum power ahead and astern.

Blades: 3, 4 or 5 Diameter: 12-20in darglow.co.uk

Maxprop Engineered in Italy since 1975 by Maximilian Bianchi, Maxprop owns its own foundry as well. The blades are flat and pivot through 180 degrees, so that the leading edge is presented in both forward and reverse – making for excellent thrust either way.

Pitch can be changed in 2-degree increments at the turn of a screw, which can even be done in the water with the Easy and the Whisper models. It is not quite the variable pitch that the manufacturer claims, but it does offer some flexibility. The blades are linked by gears so they open and close at the same time. And the Boomerang variant for larger boats with hydraulic transmission has patented spring-loaded blades that return to the feathered position without any need for a shaft brake. Maxprop says its products are particularly good for catamarans.

Blades: 2, 3, 4 or 5 Diameter: 12in to 44in maxprop.it seaviewprogress.com

Varifold Also manufactured by Bruntons in Essex using high quality nickel aluminium bronze, the Varifold is designed to appeal to racers and fast cruisers. As a folder, it offers less resistance in sail mode than its Autoprop sister.

The company claims a unique design for the blades of the prop that cuts noise and vibration. A helical pitch, including reduced pitch towards the blades’ tips, reduces pressure and noisy pulses against the yacht’s hull.

Blades: 2, 3 or 4 Diameter: 12in to 45in Engines: up to 1000hp Bruntonspropellers.com

Featherstream

Kiwi Prop

This UK-built propeller is manufactured and designed

by Darglow, near Poole, using aluminium bronze for the hub and stainless for the blades. There is no standard spec for their props, according to head engineer Chris Hares, because Darglow prefers to talk through a client’s requirements in detail first.

The pitch on a Featherstream is determined by the pitch cassette installed with it. This can’t be altered

Uniquely in the propeller world, the blades of the Kiwi Prop are a special nylon-glass composite called Zytel. Glass may seem an odd choice for a propeller, but the material is incredibly tough, lighter than metal and corrosion free. It is also much cheaper than bronze, a fact reflected in the lower retail prices.

The manufacturer also points out that the blades are sacrificial in the event of a collision, and much cheaper to replace than potential repairs to the stern gear.

The blades are fatter than some but symmetrical, free to rotate around their axis for excellent feathering. Unlike most other feathering units, the Kiwi’s blade assembly rotates just 100 degrees, offering adjustable pitch ahead and maximum pitch astern for more power at low speeds, but without fully reversing the blade to offer the leading edge astern.

Kiwi is also in the final throes of developing a twoblade folding propeller for race boats. Using the same lightweight Zytel composite as the feathering unit, it will be available in diameters up to 17in, roughly suitable for a 40hp engine.

Blades: 3 and 4 Diameter: 14.5in to 21in vectamarine.com

108 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

BELOW: the interior workings of Darglow’s Featherstream

Flexofold Also designed and manufactured in Denmark, the Flexofold uses high quality nickel aluminium bronze in its construction. Being water lubricated, its gears on its folding blades need no grease. Its simplicity and competitive price have made it the go-to prop for boatbuilders including Beneteau, Hanse, Dehler, X-Yachts and more.

It has large shock absorbers for quiet opening and in tests, it performs well both ahead and astern, although its blades don’t swivel to offer the leading edge. Pitch changes require a new set of blades which can be fitted to the existing hub.

Flexofold is also available in an award-winning race variant with a composite boss that saves 2.8kg of weight. Only available for saildrives, the use of composite makes the hub immune to electrolysis.

Blades: 2, 3 or 4 Diameter: 13in to 27in Flexofold.com seaviewprogress.com

Variprop GP

Autostream This feathering prop is manufactured in Australia by Seahawk, but sold in the UK by Steel Developments in London. It is entirely made of 2507 duplex stainless steel for exceptional strength and resistance to corrosion, and features narrow blades that swing through 180 degrees in reverse. “Reverse acceleration is faster leading to less ‘prop walk’ and giving you full control over which direction you head,” says Julie Hale at Steel Developments.

Pitch is independently set for ahead and astern, and can be easily adjusted - as can direction of rotation, in case a change of engine necessitates it.

Blades: 3 Diameter: 15in to 20in Engines: up to 75hp Seahawk.com.au

ABOVE: rugged engineering inside EWOL’s stainless steel folding prop

Variprofile Similar to its Variprop, Variprofile is SPW’s cheaper, small-boat feathering prop. It is mass-produced for modern serial yachts with engines up to 140hp, but otherwise has many of the same features as its custom-built sister, including micro adjustment for the forward and aft pitch and Gawn-profile blades.

Blades: 2 or 3 Diameter: 12in to 18in Engines: up to 140hp spw-gmbh.de

Slipstream The folding prop from Seahawk is also in stainless steel – but this time low carbon 316 for long life. “This being the same metal as most prop shafts and saildrive internal parts, it is less likely to promote electrolysis, the most common killer of props,” says Julie Hale of Steel Developments.

The blades are geared, so they are synchronised, and the bushes can be replaced easily when worn. Polyurethane bump stops prevent the prop from clunking when it swings open, and the same plastic forms side plates to stop metal-on-metal wear. Seahawk provides a five-year warranty.

Blades: 2 or 3 Diameter: 14.5in to 18.5in Engines: up to 75hp Steeldevelopments.net

Manufactured in Germany, near the North Sea coast, the Variprop is one of two offerings from SPW. It is a robust prop, built to order in ice-class nickel aluminium bronze for extreme long life. The blades are now designed with a Gawn profile, which SPW says make them 10 per cent more efficient than the old design. Like most feathering props, the blades are flat and thin, and they rotate 180 degrees in reverse to offer the leading edge in both ahead and astern. A simple turn of a screw is enough to change the pitch, which can be independently set in both directions.

Blades: 2, 3 or 4 Diameter: 12 to 32in Engines: up to 750hp Spw-gmbh.de

EWOL

The Slipstream prop is made in low carbon 316 stainless steel

Built in stainless steel by an Italian company of 23 years’ standing, the E3 and E4 propellers are things of beauty.

Ewol claims they are easy to fit underwater, while an external pitch adjuster allows for fine tuning. Parts that wear over time can be easily replaced and there is even a titanium bladed option.

Blades: 3-4 Engines: 30-120hp ewoltech.com THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 109

WHICH WINCHES? What is the latest tech in deck hardware and how can it benefit racing and cruising sailors?

WORDS RUPERT HOLMES

110 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

I

t’s well over a decade since new racing yacht designs moved away from the superficially neat systems of deck organisers and clutches for lines led aft that used to characterise both racers and cruisers alike.

In part this change in thinking was possible thanks to developments in materials technology – particularly the use of carbon and other composites in blocks and the advent of low friction rings. As a result, many individual lines are now led on a direct route to exactly the position at which they need to be trimmed. Granted, some are still led aft in the same manner – this is invariably the best option for halyards, for example. Even then attention must be paid to minimising friction, along with the angle through which lines are deflected by deck organisers – the greater this angle, the more loads are increased.

Even the most sedate of cruisers should consider whether any controls would benefit from being rerouted in this manner. A heavy cruiser may not demand the effortlessly easy control that racers seek, but there’s nothing to be gained though needlessly difficult sail handling in a rising breeze and awkward sea.

ABOVE: racing tech is often adapted for the cruising world

Winches

Purchase systems Many of the lines that would once have been taken to a winch next to the companionway can now be operated using a purchase system and cam cleat. There’s therefore no longer any need to laboriously load each line onto a winch and then wind it – you simply flick the line upwards to release, and pull in hand-over-hand to tension.

This type of arrangement is often seen on kicking straps, where racers who are pushing hard with a spinnaker will want the option of instantly dumping the vang to depower the mainsail to avoid a broach. That’s impossible to do within a useful time frame if it’s ten-

sioned on a winch, but easy if the end of the purchase is held by a cam cleat.

For cruisers such an arrangement facilitates freeing the kicking strap when reefing the mainsail. That in turn translates into a quicker and easier operation, reducing the amount of time the sail flogs and thus minimising wear and tear.

Another common application for purchase systems is adjustable backstays. Typically, these will have 32 or 48:1 purchases, although 16 or 24:1 may be adequate for many smaller boats. They are generally arranged in a cascade arrangement, where each additional block or low-friction ring doubles the purchase. A powerful arrangement can therefore be easily set up, replacing the hydraulic systems that might have been fitted a decade or more ago.

Often the cascade element is made of an uncovered Dyneema, which lends itself to the task as it’s quick and easy to splice to length. The slippery surface is also ideal when used with low friction rings, rather than blocks. This can make improving existing systems a quick and low-cost exercise.

LEFT: Andersen has winches for all kinds of boat

It’s easy to think of winches as generic items that have changed little over the years. However, they continue to undergo continuous refinement, again with many of the developments realised first on the racecourse. Much of this originates at the very highest end of the sport, including racing for superyachts.

When the J-Class changed to high-tech sails and running rigging, plus fibre standing rigging, loads spiked by around 60 per cent. Even allowing for a 3:1 purchase, running backstay winches therefore had to deal with 12 tonnes of load, rather than the previous maximum of 7.5 tonnes. The knowledge gained from re-engineering these massive winches has since been THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 111

KEY PRODUCTS Ino-Blocks range This Breton company has a range of excellent lightweight blocks that run on a Dyneema axle, including snatch blocks, models with a becket and the Ino-Ending, designed for use with backstays. All are long-lasting, easily inspected for damage, simple to repair and are very lightweight. Ten sizes are offered, for boats from dinghies to IMOCA 60s. The smallest model weighs just 8 grams. Even the largest, the Poulie Ino-Block 18, is only 410 grams, yet is rated for working loads of up to six tonnes. ino-rope.com

Ropeye range

TOP TIP Rope attachment

The articulation of blocks is more important than is often realised. If they are not perfectly aligned with the load, both friction and chafe are increased, potentially significantly. This is part of the reason behind the on-going trend of utilising rope attachment instead of metal shackles, using either a spliced loop, or a soft shackle.

The strength and reliability of this has now been proven by the most high-tech, long distance racing boats, which effectively have now returned to the old methods once used on gaff-rigged working boats.

incorporated into products for much more modest sailing yachts. This has helped to reduce the physical size of winches, minimising weight and eliminating as much friction as possible. As a result, in the past 10 years or so the weight of some models has dropped by 30-50 per cent. The reduction in physical size also means that a more powerful winch can often be fitted within the footprint of an existing unit.

Today’s ultra-strong low stretch lines can present a challenge for winches, even on smaller boats. The lack of stretch means peak loads in the system are higher, yet a rope of only 8mm may be used in an application that would once have required a 14mm line. As a result the surface area of the rope on the winch is much reduced, so it inevitably has less grip.

A lot of time has therefore also been spent on optimising the surface finish of winch drums so that the rope grips well, without creating an unacceptable amount of wear on the line. There are two conflicting requirements here – a rough surface provides excellent grip, but is very harsh on ropes, especially when they need to be eased quickly under load. Product designers have therefore also looked to other solutions.

Harken’s Radial range, for instance, has a series of diagonal grooves that both improve grip and help to prevent riding turns, without increasing wear. The smoothed vertical ridges in Andersen’s superbly engineered winch range are excellent in providing grip without wear – the drum is otherwise polished stainless steel – but this benefit comes at the cost of significantly increased weight compared with either aluminium or composite materials. Designed in Denmark, this range is available in the UK via IMP Marine.

112 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

ABOVE: Snatch block from Ino-Rope

BELOW: Ronstan’s RF35109 featuring a rope attachment; RIGHT: Barton’s Endurance range

This young Estonian company also produces a range of blocks that rotate on a textile axle and have a rope attachment. The growing product range caters for boats as small as a Moth, to IMOCA 60s and larger.

At the bigger end of the spectrum Ropeye has an impressive list of clients including Hugo Boss, Groupama Team France, Infiniti and Royal Huisman. ropeye.com

Harken Power 3 ratchet blocks and SnubbAir winch Decent ratchet blocks significantly reduce the load in a line and can therefore replace winches in many smaller boats. Harken’s Power3 ratchet blocks have three holding power options, so users can choose the best for each specific application. Harken developed its SnubbAir winch as an ultra-low profile model for use on boats like J/70s in breezy conditions, when a ratchet block may not quite be up to the job for spinnaker sheets. Most of the time a single turn of the sheet round the drum is all that’s required, but if necessary a second turn can be added. An optional adaptor allows a winch handle to be used in big breeze. harken.co.uk

Ronstan high-load blocks Ronstan produces a wide range of high-tech blocks for a number of different applications covering all types of racing and cruising yachts. The RF35109HL is a small lightweight lashing block for high load applications in skiff, multihull and foiling classes where low friction is imperative. Typical uses include vangs on Moths and Lasers, or halyards, outhaul, cunningham and backstay

TOP TIP Minimise friction

In many cases poor deck layouts mean a winch that appears to be underpowered is simply being put under unnecessary strain.

Alternatively it may be overdue a service. To keep them spinning freely, professional race teams frequently service winches after every regatta. If yours are hard work to operate but haven’t been given any attention for a couple of seasons, a quick service can make a big difference.

It’s also worth looking to see whether loads can be reduced through minimising the angles through which lines have to turn. In addition to increasing friction, each deflection of a line increases the load it must carry – the bigger the deflection, the greater the increase in load. On many boats it’s possible to reposition deck organisers to reduce the angle through which a line has to turn.

purchase systems on 16-18ft Skiffs. Safe working load is 550kg, yet the block weighs barely more than 40 grams. sailtek.org.uk

Barton Marine’s Endurance range Barton Marine’s Endurance range of blocks was redesigned in late 2018 and is now stronger, yet also lighter and smaller than the previous models. It’s available in eight sizes, with sheave diameter of 3989mm, to suit lines from only 1mm up to 14mm. Both plain bearing and roller bearing versions are available.

Side plates are made of a strong nylon loaded plastic which encases a stainless steel strap. A wide variety of fixing styles is offered. bartonmarine.com

Karver Winchless automatic purchase This innovative device combines both fine tune and coarse controls in a single element, making for easy trimming when hiking in a small keelboat. Start by pulling on the main line; when this comes under load it’s cleated automatically and you heave on the tail of the purchase system instead.

Karver also produces a range of winches, some of which were previously sold under the Pontus brand, which represent a step change in development. The four-speed models are available in two versions. One has a super-high gear for easy winching, the other a super-fast gear for operations that require rapid line speeds.

There’s also a very compact number 40 two-speed model. karver-systems.com

Lewmar Evo Speed Ring winches These winches provide another route to faster line speeds and are a good option for larger performance cruisers and raceboats. These have two drum diameters, allowing max power on the narrow upper drum to be used for fine tuning highly loaded lines, while the wider lower drum provides extra-fast line speeds for spinnaker trimming and the like. lewmar.com

ABOVE: High loads in the Moth class have driven block development

Seldén E40i Most electric winches are adaptations of manually powered models, with the electric motor and gearbox located under the deck. Sensible, and gives the option of inserting a manual winch handle as a back-up in the event of power failure.

But Seldén’s three-speed E40i model instead places the electric motor within the drum above the deck. It is therefore only marginally larger than a manual winch of similar power, and the motor doesn’t impinge space below deck. The one downside? There’s no manual back-up. seldenmast.com

Seldén Reversing Winch This is a neat, yet little known product. If a line such as a headsail sheet, halyard or spinnaker guy needs to be eased a little, instead of unloading it from the self-tailer and re-loading afterwards, you simply press a button on the winch handle to change the direction the drum rotates. seldenmast.com THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 113

DOUBLE AMBITION Giles Scott’s goal to win the Olympics and America’s Cup in the same year remains on track, despite a blip at the Finn Europeans…

114 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

F

ollowers of performance sailing almost fell off their chairs in September 2020 when Giles Scott didn’t win a regatta. Having dominated the Finn class for most of the past decade, the 33-year-old returned home to Portsmouth after the Finn Europeans in Poland with a rare silver.

“There is room for improvement there,” was Scott’s take on the matter, having had the flight home to reflect. “I am obviously disappointed at not having won the week but I’m not surprised at how competitive the racing was.

“It’s all fuel for the next year and looking forward it is a little bit challenging, what with the schedule having been reworked, but we just have to deal with it.”

By this point in the year Scott was hoping to have bagged his second Olympic gold in the Finn, after winning at Rio four years ago, and thought he’d be concentrating full-time on the other thing he’s got going on – with Ben Ainslie and INEOS TEAM UK, he is aiming to win the America’s Cup in Auckland in March.

The postponement of the Olympics until next summer was tough for all the competitors, but for Scott it means he’ll be going into the Games without anything like the Finn training he would have had normally.

“It is going to be challenging. I’m taking a couple of Finns out to Auckland with the thought that I’ll jump in and do any training as and when we get time.

“Notoriously the final period of an America’s Cup campaign is incredibly intense. You tend to use seven days of every week. We have to be realistic with the amount of training that I can get done, while making sure that I can get back into hard training straight away and not be rusty.”

Scott’s long-time coach Matt Howard will probably not join him in Auckland, but Scott hopes to be able to sail with his former Finn training partner Ben Cornish, also a member of INEOS TEAM UK, and possibly with Finn sailors from other America’s Cup teams.

Scott’s training partner in the UK is Henry Wetherell, with whom he’s been doing boat-on-boat racing post-lockdown in Weymouth, fitting it in between INEOS duties on the weekends.

“Without INEOS I would have had an extra day and a half a week,” he says. “We’ve done the training in smaller chunks rather than block out a two-week period. It’s worked well and we were pleased with the build-up we had to the Europeans.”

Scott, in fact, relishes the change between the Finn and the foiling AC75: “One sails around at 4.9 knots and the other one, well, a lot faster! It’s very easy to fill a week and not feel like you’re completely

fried. You’re at different ends of a spectrum. The Cup boats are amazing. At the core it is still a race boat and the same fundamentals apply. There is a lot of crossover both ways.

“With my Cup hat on, I’m really glad I got some [Finn] racing in a very tricky venue like Poland. It serves as a solid refresher as to how tricky racing like that can be, which could be a factor on the America’s Cup racecourse, in some wind directions under North Head [off Auckland].”

Given his extraordinary dominance in the Finn and his current high-profile dual campaigns, Scott is one of the most celebrated sailors in the world, yet he remains a private and modest character, admitting that the famous photo of his Rio win was a one-off: “I’m not the type to celebrate, if you know what I mean. I’ve always had grief from photographers through my failure to give them a good shot. The reason why is because it’s always been about one thing and that’s the Olympic Games. I saved it all up for then!”

And what did he feel in that moment?

“I think it was just relief,” he says after a pause. “It was the focal point of missing out on London, then putting together a solid few years of racing where I’d rarely been beaten, and keeping myself together at the Olympics, my first one, and coming away with the win – it was all those emotions coming out in a split second.”

Tokyo will be the Finn’s Olympic swansong, the class not having been selected for Paris 2024. Scott says: “The thing that’s sad is it will lose the appeal to that younger generation who want to sail professionally. But the fleet will go on and remain loved by many. A Finn Masters worlds in mainland Europe gets more than 300 boats. It has a strong following and participation rate outside the Olympic world.”

The Europeans in Poland had 70 boats from 27 countries, an achievement for the organisers given the Covid-related travel complications. The athletes changed by their boats, kept strict social distancing and wore masks on the podium. Because of lockdown, Scott hadn’t raced since December and reflects: “On the last day I got the wrong side of the first upwind and the Hungarian guy, who I was close on points with at the time, got the right side of it and that was enough.

“If I’d been more consistent earlier in the week that wouldn’t have been an issue. There is room for improvement there but that said I was pretty pleased with the way I was sailing.

“A few of us, guys like the Hungarian, a couple of Kiwi lads, we have ended up being very close at the top of the regattas for a while. It is super-competitive and you’ve got to stay honest and keep trying to push the game on.”

PHOTOS FROM LEFT: NICK DEMPSEY/RYA; GREGORY/INEOS

There is room for improvement there, but that said I was pretty pleased with the way I was sailing

ABOVE: Training with INEOS Team UK; winning gold at the Rio Olympics THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 115

FLYING THE FLAG Her rise has been meteoric and her helm Charlotte Dobson calls her ‘an absolute weapon’. Meet Sakia Tidey, selected for the 49erFX at the Tokyo Olympics WORDS ROB PEAKE

S

askia Tidey was 23 when she faced a decision that she admits was “the hardest and probably one of the most controversial things I’ll ever do in my life”.

Tidey, born and raised in Dun Laoghaire by an Irish mother and English father, had represented Ireland in the 49erFX at the Rio Olympics, finishing 12th. Following the Games, however, she found herself in a quandary. Her helm, Andrea Brewster, had decided to become a coach, and the Irish sailing team held nobody else suitable for Tidey to partner with.

“For such a small country, Ireland is impressive in most sporting disciplines and I had a fantastic foundation with the Irish Sailing Association,” she says. “We just struggle with numbers coming through the system, especially female helms. There really wasn’t an opportunity for me going forward in Ireland where I felt I could reach the level of performance I needed to medal.”

Tidey decided her sailing future lay across the Irish Sea, where her Sussex-born father meant she was eligible. There was no suggestion that the British Sailing Team had made an approach and the Irish Sailing Association called her decision ‘regrettable’, while Tidey expressed her personal dilemna in the press at the time. Four years on, having been selected with helm Charlotte Dobson to represent Great Britain at the Tokyo Games, she says that for her career “it was the best thing I could have done”.

“The way I see it, my mum is Irish and I feel like I’ve represented her side of the family, and then I had the opportunity to represent my father’s side of the family,” she says. “I think that’s a pretty unique thing to be able to do – to say you can fly the flag for both sides of the family.”

Growing up as “a sporty girl” in a sporty family, Tidey was representing Ireland at netball aged 13 and didn’t consider sailing until it caught her eye while watching the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Her brother-in-law took her out on a Laser, but it was a meeting with one of the Irish Finn sailors, after the Beijing Games, that truly inspired her. “He was the first professsional athlete I’d met and he just seemed like such an impressive person, so encouraging and so human, that I thought: ‘Well, if I work hard enough I can do this’.”

Deciding that they want to go to the Olympics and “bring home a medal one day” is not a decision every 13-year-old makes with conviction, but Tidey, hugely modest and approachable in person, clearly has ambition in spades, as well as a rare ability to assess her own strengths. “From the start I’ve had to be quite smart about what

path I go down, what class I sail in. I’m 6ft 2in, so physically I was perfect for crewing and that also gave me a position to learn in and be with someone more experienced.”

Just eight years after taking up sailing, she was on the startline at Rio. “It’s been been quick and intense and it’s been great!”

Tidey’s height and athletic build are perfect for the rolling conditions and higher winds of Enoshima, where maximum leverage will be key. Charlotte Dobson, helm of their 49erFX partnership, calls Tidey “an absolute weapon”.

The pair competed against each other in Rio but didn’t meet properly until they partnered three years ago. Tidey says: “Charlotte is someone who I grew up reading about as being one of GB’s greats and to be sailing with her has been incredible. Now, it’s amazing, she’s one of the most important people in my life and it’s been a really special journey.

“What we do is so intimate. Being in a sailing partnership, you take on a lot more than you’d ever imagine, especially in comparison to a desk job where you have a set amount of hours and you can close the door on each other and go home. Charlotte and I live in each other’s pockets. Of course there’s times when it’s hard because you’re both trying everything you can to be better for each other.

“Charlotte comes with so much experience from her own sailing and she’s had to take on the first two years of helping me find my way and be part of the team.

Now we’re at a point in my sailing where we can happily split the roles 50/50 and trust each other.

“There’s no one else I can ever imagine going into battle with in Japan other than Charlotte and I think that’s a really unique place to be. It’s cool.”

Tidey and Dobson have been among the front runners in the 49erFX fleet since 2017. At the Worlds in February 2020 year, while vying with the Spanish for gold in the medal race, an unlucky capsize during a spinnaker hoist put them back to silver, but their form was clear. They and the Spanish were well ahead of the rest of the fleet. The 2020 world championship final turned out to be the last race they will have sailed until racing resumes in 2021, just a few months before the Olympics gets underway in July in Tokyo.

The postponement has not dimmed Tidey’s ambition one jot: “I remember going to the ISAF Youth Worlds in Brazil in 2009 [a year after taking up the sport]. That was my first ever goal in competitive sailing and after that I knew I wanted to be back there for the Rio Games. For me, it was just trying to make the that dream come alive.

Now, everything’s in for Japan.”

There’s no one else I can ever imagine going into battle with in Japan

LEFT: Tidey and Dobson, once rivals, now “live in each other’s pockets”

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 117

Blue water kit The choice of potential kit when cruising long-term can be overwhelming. We offer some clarity on what you need and what is on the market WORDS SAM FORTESCUE

P

ut three bluewater sailors together to discuss gearing up for long offshore passages, and you’re likely to get three very different kit lists.

Nonetheless, that’s just what we did. The case studies below reflect three different cruising stories and three different routes to readying the boat for an ocean crossing. In between, we’ve curated lists of the best equipment in each category, from watermakers and windvanes to EPIRBs and liferafts.

ABOVE: Aussiemade portable system from Rainman BELOW: the D400 wind generator from Eclectic-energy

Spectra Spectra’s range runs from a frugal 6lt/hr to 150lt/hr on DC, or even higher as an AC unit. Mid-range Ventura 150 produces 24 litres per hour using 108 Watts. spectrawatermakers.com Osmosea Italian-designed DC and AC unitsfrom 25 lt/hr to 150lt/ hr. From £4,434 sailfishmarine.co.uk

WATERMAKERS

WIND GENERATORS

Advances in technology mean that watermakers are now quieter, cheaper and more efficient than they were even 10 years ago. They provide a key insurance policy for long crossings, or vital comfort on larger boats. Look for a unit that covers reasonable water consumption for the least current draw. All small boat systems now include some form of energy recovery.

Dessalator DC units from 30-100 litres per hour or AC units from 60-200 litres/hr, with automatic rinsing and remotecontrol panel.

From €6,635 ex-VAT dessalator.fr Rainman Aussie-made portable system that is described as being ‘like a genset’. Pick a motor unit and a membrane unit for a modular set-up with no invasive installation. DC version only in 34 litres/hour format; AC version from 70-140 lt/hr. Also petrol-powered versions.

From c£3,500 (AU$6,789) sailfishmarine.co.uk Schenker Range of DC and AC units from 30 to 150 lt/hr, including the award-winning quiet Zen line with fewer moving parts for greater efficiency. The Zen 30 produces 30 litres per hour using 110 Watts. £4,542 mactramarine.co.uk

This equipment fills the gap between sunny days and days underway, when regeneration can be used to power the boat. Now much cleverer than the early cruising units, look for stepped battery charging, automatic braking in windy conditions and remote on/ off switch.

Eclectic-energy D400, slower rotation makes for quieter, vibration-free operation up to 420W output.

Separate charge controller costs £330.31. From £1,672 eclectic-energy.co.uk Leadingedge powe LE-300, a good-value unit with lower output. Step charging is with an external controller that includes a charge diverter (£197.95). £739.95 leadingedgepower.com Rutland 1200 is Marlec’s new generation turbine producing up to 500W, paired with a dedicated wind/ solar charge controller. £1,666 marlec.co.uk Superwind 350 is a well-engineered German-built turbine with stepped charging courtesy of its £462 charge controller and dump resistors. £2,012 mactramarine.co.uk AIR Breeze from Primus is rated at 160W but has a low start-up speed. An integrated controller allows direct connection to the battery bank, but there is no stepped charging. £1,452 ecopowershop.com THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 119

WINDVANE STEERING Aries, the classic servo-pendulum vane gear, with fittings for both tiller and wheel steering. From €3,750 ariesvanegear.com Monitor, US-built servo-pendulum unit on a hinge, for access to the bathing ladder. From c£3,450 scanmarinternational.com Hydrovane is well-engineered, well-regarded and entirely independent of your rudder. From c£4,769 Hydrovane.com

SOLAR PANELS

ABOVE FROM LEFT: Plastimo’s six man valise; the Krusport lightweight lifejacket; the Ergofit lifejacket

HYDROGENERATION The latest word in bluewater power generation is socalled hydrogeneration, where you drag a propeller behind you to produce electricity.

BELOW: Watt&Sea

120 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

LIFEJACKET At once the most basic and the most critical piece of safety equipment on board, a bluewater lifejacket should have a sprayhood, light and crotch strap as a minimum. To that you can add AIS beacons, PLBs, flashing lights and more.

A 150N model is the starting point (a category which in fact runs to 220N of buoyancy), but if you are in colder climates and likely to be wearing lots of heavy clothes, boots or tools, consider a more buoyant 275N unit. Note that this rating has nothing to do with your size or weight

Sunware, 24-100W semi-flexible panels for deck mounting. German built. From £249.95 marlec.co.uk Solbian SP, 52-144W super-efficient (24%) semiflexible panels designed in Italy. From £345 barden-uk.com Solara M Series, 12-110W semi-flexible panels from Germany. From £238 barden-uk.com Sunpower, 50-110W exceedingly flexible US-designed panels reach about 23% efficiency. Not for walking on.

From £129.95 ecopowershop.com

Watt&Sea The best known brand offers 300W and 600W units to lower from the transom. Developed for French offshore racers, there is a good cruising line for slower boats. £3,504 foxschandlery.com Duogen Eclectic Energy’s neatly engineered unit can produce over 240W, and quickly converts into a wind turbine too. £3,644 (inc charge controller) eclectic-energy.com Swi-tec Capable of producing more than 500W, or 120W at 5 knots, with a simple transom mount. €3,360 swi-tec.fr

Seatronic S600 Producing 175W at 6 knots, with a carbon propeller and MPPT for optimum charging. €2,780 seatronic.fr Aquagen Lightweight French unit. Combine with 6TB regulator (€349) €1,399 orange-marine.com

offer hydrogenerators for racing and cruising yachts

Ergofit+ 190N and 290N Crewsaver’s latest lifejackets have newly modelled sprayhood and a pocket designed for Exposure Marine’s OLAS man overboard tag. £225 survitecgroup.com Deckvest 6D Spinlock was one of the first to market with its ergonomic Deckvest. Its latest offshore standard 6D is still a market leader.

From £230. spinlock.co.uk Seago 3 Dynamic Newly remodelled and reconfigured, the 3 Dynamic is available in 190N and 300N variants.

From £159 seagoyachting.co.uk Servicing kits A key part of owning a lifejacket is servicing it and renewing the automatic inflation device. UML is the main suppliers of these kits which can be ordered online uml.co.uk

have the largest worldwide support network. We have the Axiom Pro MFD and Quantum 2 Doppler radar, which is an excellent bit of kit, particularly for tracking squalls at night. Anything heading toward you shows up red, going away is green and running parallel shows white. It also overlays AIS targets.

The VHF is Raymarine Ray 63 and is a vast improvement over the older Furuno unit, although I still have it connected as a back-up.

The autopilot is a Raymarine evolution EV1 with ACU 400 control unit, but I’ve still got the old Furuno Nav pilot running autonomously as a fall-back option.

We had a Watt & Sea Cruising 600 hydrogenerator fitted, and we also have a Fischer Panda AGT 5000 genset, which is an excellent unit. It’s actually a bit “overkill” for our general charging needs, but we have a Bauer 220V dive compressor onboard, which is why we

CASE STUDY Russ and Harriet Whitehouse

need a seriously meaty generator. We run the genset for about an hour first thing in the morning if we are going to run the watermaker, otherwise we let the 550 Watts of solar panel earn their keep.

Allures 45 Catweazle LOA: 48ft 5in (14.75m) Beam: 14ft 6in (4.43m) Displacement: 12.6t

We also run the genny if we need to use the washing machine, but this is rare as the wash cycles last between one and two hours and it uses masses of fresh water.

The boat is cutter rigged and we simply replaced sheets, halyards

The watermaker is a

etc, as the old rigging was about seven years old when we

French-made Dessalator D100,

purchased the boat. It was all fine for Med pootling, but an ocean is

which produces 80-100 litres

a different ball game altogether.

per hour, plenty for our needs.

We also replaced the old sails with Tri Radial Hydranet bluewater

We have a Johnson charcoal

sails. They are much heavier duty and, although they don’t perform

filter on the dedicated drinking

quite as well in light winds, it is a minimal difference and a small

water tap, which is another

price to pay. We also bought a Tradewind sail from

must-have, particularly having

North, which furls on a roller. It looks just like sailing

aluminium water tanks, as it

with twin headsails, but is one sail, and I can’t speak highly

removes the unpleasant

enough of it. It enabled us to touch 10 knots at times,

metallic taste and gives

which for a 45ft cruising monohull is none too shabby.

completely untainted, delicious

The original electronics were all Furuno as installed

drinking water. The shame

at the time of build by the yard – very good quality

is that the filters are so

but dated. The new stuff is all Raymarine, as they

MOST VALUED ITEMS 1 Autopilot plus back-up.

2 Watermaker Can’t see an argument for not having one if you can.

3 Refrigeration and freezer capacity, the more the merrier.

3 Enough power to provide the above, so really the Watt & Sea, genset and solars are all wrapped up in the package as well.

expensive.

LIFERAFT

MOB RECOVERY

Don’t skimp on a liferaft if you’re going offshore – make sure it’s a fully certified ISO-9650 Part 1 model. Not only will it have useful stability features like water pockets underneath and greater freeboard, but also an insulated floor and a pack of basic supplies.

Make sure that you buy the version that comes with a 24hr+ pack (typically c£100 extra), otherwise you’ll find no water and very little food inside.

That said, you should always have a grab bag including extra water supplies standing ready.

Once you’ve actually located the casualty in the water, you need a way to get them back on board. There are many different approaches to this challenge, and we present just a small selection of alternatives here.

Crewsaver 6-man valise, £1,475 survitecgroup.com Ocean Safety 6-man valise, £2,388.20 oceansafety.com Plastimo 6-man valise, £1,792.96 plastimo.com Seago Sea Master 6-man valise, £1,600 seagoyachting.co.uk Lalizas liferafts come with a 12-year guarantee lalizas.com Viking RescYou™ Ocean liferaft, 4-8 persons viking-life.com

LifeSavers £21.90 – also available as a kit with Harken recovery tackle. moblifesavers.com Jonbuoy. Danbuoy, float and recovery module all in one, now featuring a revolutionary new reflective coating for easier spotting at night. From £699.95 oceansafety.com Jason’s Cradle is a ladder and roll mat From £1,160, jasonscradle.co.uk Australia’s SOS Marine produces a well-designed reboarding ladder that doubles as a platform for lifting unconscious MOBs. c£90 (AU$169) sosmarine.com

EPIRB/PLB ABOVE: The Jason’s cradle and the ACR GlobalFix

An EPIRB is a vital part of your bluewater safety kit.

Activated either manually or automatically, depending on the type, it sends your location to your home Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (Fareham for the UK) via a network of low and medium orbit satellites THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 121

I bought her as close to basic as I could, because I knew I could do many of the extras cheaper myself, and then refitted her over three ARCs. Here are the key improvements: 1 Second forestay on a Highfield lever for a hanked-on genoa 2 Upgraded the hook for the pole to a track 3 Bought a storm trysail 4 Installed a permanent boom preventer 5 Added two extra winches on the cockpit coaming 6 Carabiner on the third reef to lower friction 7 Improved cars on mainsail battens for easier downwind reefing 9 Installed an Icom 701 SSB and a satphone for emails 10 Simrad 7in plotter at the helm – I think the chart table is obsolete now 11 High quality Simrad gyro compass to improve autohelm 12 Simrad AIS transceiver with its own display 13 Simrad broadband radar 14 Added extra cooling to the fridge compressor unit 15 Installed a second Yanmar 80A alternator 16 Duogen hydrogenator/wind turbine (covered house needs in 12-18 hours at 6 knots) 17 Offshore liferaft

CASE STUDY Simon Ridley

Hanse 370 Gertha IV LOA: 37ft 3in (11.35m) Beam: 12ft 4in (3.75m) Displacement: 7.2t

that cover every point on the planet. Make sure you register it before setting sail, so the SAR team knows who and what you are. Some EPRIBs even include AIS for close tracking, and they vary considerably in size.

The smallest is currently Ocean Signal’s automatic SafeSea EPRIB 1.Personal locator beacons are smaller and have shorter battery life of 24 hours. They are always manually deployed, but otherwise work like an EPRIB with a distress signal on 406MHz, and a 121.5MHz tracking signal for pinpointing.

The next generation units from ACR and McMurdo will soon include a ‘return link’ function that tells you when your distress alert has been picked up, but this has not been launched yet.

AIS BEACON AIS tags are a newer development, and rely on the principle that the best person to help you if you fall overboard will be fellow crew on your own boat. These tags contain a GPS receiver and broadcast your precise position via VHF direct to nearby AIS units.

ABOVE: The ACR ResQLink

EPRIBs

MOB TAGS

RescueME EPRIB 1, £445 oceansignal.com SafeSea EPRIB 1, £510 oceansignal.com ACR GlobalFix Pro 406, £449 acrartex.com McMurdo Smartfind G8 AIS, £732 oroliamaritime.com Kannad SafePro AIS, £738 oroliamaritime.com

A cheaper alternative is a MOB tag, which is linked to a mobile phone or receiver unit on board. When someone falls overboard the link to the tag is quickly lost by the base station, which triggers an alert and notes the GPS coordinates. It relies on your phone being charged and does not provide a real-time position for the casualty.

Exposure OLAS tag, £59 alertandfind.com Crew Watcher, £169 (2 beacons), arthurbeale.co.uk Sea-tags, €89 sea-tags.com

PLBs Ocean Signal PLB1, £289 oceansignal.com McMurdo FastFind Return, £313 mcmurdogroup.com Kannad Safelink Solo, £249 kannadmarine.com ACR ResQLink View, £330 acrartex.com Sea Angel SA16+ is the first AIS-enabled PLB, c£500 seaangel.at

Drogues

ABOVE: ACR Artex AISLink

122 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Kannad Marine R10, £272 oroliamaritime.com McMurdo Smartfind S20, £270 oroliamaritime.com ACR Artex AISLink, £268 acrartex.com Ocean Signal MOB 1, £275 oceansignal.com

Para-anchor (FPA-9 for up to 35ft and 9.1t): c£415 Sea-brake GP-30: £300, oceanchandlery.com Ocean Brake (107 cones for 6.7t boat): £603, oceanbrake.com Jordan Series Drogue, £tbc jordanseriesdrogue.com

CASE STUDY Jim and Anne Macdonald

one person can generally do it.

We had a 4.5kW Westerbeke

Moody 419 Summerwinds LOA: 41ft 9in (12.73m) Beam: 13ft 2in (4.01m) Displacement: 9.3t

generator – which was unbelievably

We bought Summerwinds in 2014 and spent a couple

the deck) which produce 3-4 Amps

of years kitting her out for bluewater sailing. We

and a roving 80W panel sewn into

left the UK in 2017 and the boat spent a winter in

the bimini giving an additional 4A.

useful. We’ve got two 35W solar panels on mini davits on the guardrail (we didn’t want to put a hole in

La Coruna, then two winters in the Azores before

We also have a Superwind turbine,

heading down to Las Palmas. While in the Azores we shipped out

which is great at anchor but doesn’t work so well downwind. With

various items such as a new liferaft, solar panels, sails etc and fitted

60-90 minutes of generator each day we could top up batteries and

them while en route.

use the microwave.

I put on a new mainsail from Kemp which we had a fourth reef

I put in a watermaker and an SSB radio. It’s an Icom 706 for

point put into – something we also did with our old boat. We had a

amateur use, opened for marine frequencies. I like messing about

new 115% headsail made and used this with our existing headsail in

with it and was a network controller for the radio net during the

both luff grooves on the furler track. I made a second spinnaker pole,

ARC. I used the KISS SSB ground plane system, to avoid the need to

remembering to put a new car on the mast track for the second pole.

drill a hole in the bottom of the boat.

We rigged lazy sheets on the head sails so we could flip them over,

Then on safety equipment, we got a new ISO-9652 liferaft from

one on top of the other and bear away very quickly. When you see

Seago and Ocean Signal PLBs. We already had an EPIRB, a Jonbuoy

a squall coming, you ease the sheet and crank in the drum rope. It’s

danbuoy and a man overboard mat. I also bought some hydraulic rig

like opening and closing a set of curtains and is really so easy that

Medical kit

Digital Yacht AIT1500N2K transponder, £540 digitalyacht.co.uk Ocean Signal ATB1 transponder, £773.80 Oceansignal.com Vesper Watchmate 850 AIS transponder, £800 vespermarine.com Echomax Active-XS, £840 echomax.co.uk

For offshore sailing, a comprehensive medical kit is an absolute must. Of course, the more familiar you are with what’s inside, the better.

Oceanmedix Marine 3000 is a colour-coded pack designed for crews up to 11, for up to four weeks. c£615 ($795) oceanmedix.com Ocean Safety’s Soft Pack Cat C kit is a commercial-grade first aid kit. The more elaborate Cat B and A kits require a crewmember to have a recent Medical Care at Sea course by the MCA. £67.80 - £3,187 oceansafety.com Medical Support Offshore has a range of medical packs, and offers support over the phone. £tbc msos.org.uk Seadoc from Germany offers Sailing II Ocean bag for €704, intended for trained non-medics. seadoc.de Sea Medic produces a modular medical kit in stackable hard-shell cases. Medicines have to be bought separately, but there are lists and requisition forms, and a convenient package designed for ARC participants.

From £309. bluewatersupplies.com

Collision avoidance Radar is of course useful, but few will keep it running across an ocean, so AIS is still the most common kit here.

It uses the same aerial as your VHF, and a transceiver can be programmed to broadcast your position, as well as warning you of others nearby. Leisure yachts need a Class B unit, but the best employ SOTDMA technology, such as Ocean Signal’s new ATB1. Echomax’s solution is slightly different: its radar target enhancer uses miniscule amounts of power until it detects a radar sweep, when it amplifies the echo back to the sender.

cutters on eBay, which are my pride and joy.

Communications

BELOW: Ocean Signal’s AIS unit; the ICOM M802 RIGHT: Satellite phone from inmarsat

Long-range communications kit is a key safety tool, and to that end many bluewater cruisers install either a satellite phone or single-sideband radio.

There are advantages and drawbacks to each, but with the world turning increasingly digital, satellite comms have the advantage of keeping you in touch with email and social media as well as offering mid-ocean telephony. SSB offers a limited email capability via a special 10kbps Pactor 4 modem.

Satellite comms are priced both by the amount of data you send or receive, and the speed at which you do it.

Better-than-broadband speeds are possible, but cost $10,000s per month, while slower L-band services like Inmarsat’s Fleet One can be had for a few $100s per month.

Satellite phones IsatPhone 2: £652.37 Fleet One: £4,000+ inmarsat.com Iridium Extreme: £1,354 Iridium Go: £779 iridium.com SSB IC-M802 £2,160 Icomuk.co.uk

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 123

When 15-year-old Timothy Long decided to sail around Britain solo, he was looking for an adventure. He got a lot more besides WORDS ROB PEAKE

M

idnight in the middle of the Bristol Channel, a stretch of water renowned for sandbanks, shipping and big tides. Tonight, to make matters worse, thick fog has descended.

Skipper Timothy Long, navigating a yacht solo across the channel north to south, can’t see his hand in front of his face. It’s a situation to test the nerve of any yachtsman, however experienced, but Timothy is just 15 years old.

He is making the crossing from Milford Haven to Padstow as part of a solo sail around Britain, a personal challenge that somewhat to his surprise, later in the summer, will see him make headlines around the world.

Timothy doesn’t know that yet and he certainly doesn’t want to make any headlines now – he is focussed on the shipping movements he can see on his AIS. “It was not fun and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get scared,” says Timothy today of the crossing. “You do get scared at sea and that wasn’t the first time. It was so disorienting. I literally couldn’t see my hand in my front of my face. It was that bad. When you’re put in that situation you have to get on with it. You don’t have a choice.”

In the wake of Ellen

Timothy Long first sailed a boat aged nine, when he did his RYA Levels 1 and 2 on an Optimist at Bowmoor SC near Lechlade. “It was freezing cold all week, but I just completely loved it. As soon as I got on the boat and felt the freedom of sailing, it just hooked me. My dad is the one who got me into it all.”

Dad Nick grew up sailing Redwings and a wooden family yacht on the Fal estuary, then years later was part of a group that chartered a Farr 65 to do the Fastnet and finished as the first amateur crew.

When Timothy’s mother Sue landed a job in Italy, the family decamped and it was there that they bought a Beneteau Oceanis 34. The yacht gave a young Timothy the chance to hone his big boat skills, helming and navigating in family holidays, as well as helping with the maintenance. Fast forward a few years and the family was back in the UK, with a now sailing-mad Timothy the 124 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 125

A big confidence boost was getting the spinnaker out on Loch Ness

proud owner of a Hunter 19, Isabella, which he started sailing solo on Rutland Water.

He began looking around for a bigger sailing adventure – and kept coming back to one idea. Timothy had read Ellen MacArthur’s Taking on the World, featuring her solo sail around Britain in a Coribee in 1995 at the age of 19. He also found out about the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and was keen to write to Ellen to tell her about his sailing ambitions and ask if he could volunteer with the trust. After overcoming initial hesitation, telling his parents “I can’t write to her…she’s a Dame!”, he sent an email and was surprised when two weeks later he received a letter with advice about how to get into sailing, together with a copy of Ellen’s second book, Full Circle, and a baseball cap, both signed by Ellen with the words ‘Go for it!’.

Tidal waters

With those words of encouragement ringing in his ears, Timothy’s idea to follow in Ellen’s wake and do the round Britain trip himself crystalized into a firm plan for the summer of 2020.

In 2019, he embarked on a summer of solo and double-handed trips, covering 750 miles in all. Having moved Isabella to the Solent, a highlight of the season was competing in the Round the Island Race as the youngest skipper in one of the smallest boats.

His experience that summer, in the tidal waters of the Solent, made him realise that before setting off around Britain, something had to change. “The Hunter 19 was a great to sail on short trips, but I got very wet! I realised I would need a more substantial boat, to reduce fatigue,” he says. “I found that fatigue takes a huge toll when you are solo sailing – if you are tired, you don’t perform well and can make the wrong decisions. Alone, you have to rely completely on your own judgement.”

After much searching, he traded up to Alchemy, a Hunter Impala 28, and with his big decision made, Timothy began telling people what he was aiming to do.

He launched a crowd-funding exercise and sent off emails asking for support. A Marshall Award was given by the Royal Cruising Club, as well as awards from the Hunter Association and Hythe Sailing Club, and sponsorship from kit manufacturers.

126 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

ABOVE: spinnaker run through Loch Ness BELOW: a break in the weather off Wales

Boat shows were visited to research the best gear, pilot guides were pored over and a winter of planning took up every moment outside school time. Having completed an RYA Sea Survival course, as soon as spring 2020 arrived, Timothy intended to be on the water, on his new boat, training in earnest for the biggest challenge of his life.

Then the pandemic struck.

Time to go

When Timothy set off from Hamble at the start of his round Britain voyage, he had sailed the 28ft Hunter only once solo – the previous day. Lockdown had scuppered all his planned training, although it had given him the chance to do an online Day Skipper theory course. Once Alchemy was finally put into the water in mid-June, the pressure was on to get the boat fitted out with all the necessary safety and navigation equipment. This included two EPIRBs, an AIS transceiver, a new Raymarine Axiom Pro chartplotter, in addition to a Garmin plotter that was already on the boat as a back-up, as well as Navionics charts on an iPad and traditional paper charts for every section of the coast. He then had to sail from Ipswich, where Alchemy had been purchased, around to Cowes to get specialist Giga wind turbines fitted, before finally setting off from Hamble Point on 16 July, one month later than originally planned.

Taking a yacht out to sea on his own was not new for the 15-year-old and the first stages of the trip, from the south coast round Sussex and Kent, were parts of the coast that at least he had already sailed.

To be on his way was a thrill. After consulting many experienced sailors about the trip and amassing advice on every aspect of the weeks ahead, now he was alone and happy to rely on his own wits. “When I was sailing, I had a rule that no one could call me unless in an emergency,” he says. “I don’t like to have my parents call me when I’m sailing and I didn’t call them. A lot of the time you can’t anyway, when you’re in the moment, deciding what to do.”

For the longest and most testing passages – such as

those across the Thames estuary, the Humber estuary and the Irish Sea – he would file a passage plan with the Coastguard and report back to them upon arrival.

Back at home, mum and dad followed him on a tracker and met up with him in port when they could. As he sailed anticlockwise around the coast, a full night sail through the shallows and shipping of the Thames estuary would prove his first big test, but there were less obvious challenges, such as waiting days in Lowestoft for the right conditions to make the 24-hour passage to Grimsby, that showed he was far beyond his years in seamanlike decision-making.

As he headed north, his online following grew and he was met in Scarborough by members of the town’s yacht club, who invited him to a hot meal at the club.

In Hartlepool a couple greeted him on the dock with a homemade cake. Timothy posted eloquent thanks on his Facebook page. In North Shields he was visited by none other than veteran circumnavigator and high latitudes explorer David Scott Cowper.

ABOVE LEF: the Hunter Impala was an upgrade on Timothy’s previous, smaller boat ABOVE RIGHT: Timothy had paper charts as well as various electronic options

Turning point in confidence

Speaking of the trip now, Timothy looks back on several key legs that he says were “turning points in my confidence”.

“After the Lowestoft to Grimsby leg, 100 miles, I felt a lot more confident in handling fatigue and managing myself.

“After Eyemouth to Stonehaven, where we had very light airs, I felt better about handling the boat in those conditions and getting it to move along in two knots of breeze.

“A big confidence boost was getting the spinnaker out on Loch Ness. It was quite a handful, but I felt chuffed to get it up. With Loch Ness, the further I got down the loch the windier it became, so a gentle eight knots became a Force 5 and we were ploughing along at seven knots.

“The west coast was tough. We had two named storms and were stuck in port for 25 days overall. From Troon to Loch Ryan we had more wind than was forecast and it

TRIP IN NUMBERS

34

kts strongest wind

343

hours’ sailing

1,740 miles

39

days at sea

14

nights at sea

68

snack bars consumed

ended up a Force 7. It was rough, short chop and I ended up hand-steering for seven hours straight on a lee shore.”

Reflecting on the leg at the time on his Facebook page, he called it the “hardest thing I have ever done”.

Nevertheless, the next day he was off again, across the Irish Sea to Bangor, another long and testing passage.

He was glad he had upgraded the boat: “Alchemy was the boat to do the trip in, a great sailing boat and a great sea boat. Just having that extra waterline length, not so much the weight, as she is still quite light at 2.5 tons, but to not be pushed around as much in a choppy sea state, like we had in the Irish Sea, was good.”

Held up again for five days in Bangor, he was “spoilt rotten” by staff at the Boatfolk marina and others who invited him for meals, took him paddle boarding, showed him around the RNLI station and Royal Ulster Yacht Club and even arranged for him to meet the mayor. Yet by now it was early September, the school term had begun, and he was keen to get to the English south coast in hope of better weather.

Then he found himself waiting for the fog to clear in Milford Haven.

“It was at the end of what had been quite a tiring three days, making the most of the weather window and trying to get from Pwllheli to Padstow before the weather closed off again,” Timothy recalls. “Although I thought the fog was going to lift when I set off from Milford Haven at midnight, I was quickly found myself in the estuary with no visibility at all.

Keeping track on AIS

“We had a ferry that was entering and even though I couldn’t see it, I could hear it and it’s quite daunting when you can hear its foghorn going and it’s slowly getting closer and closer. Thankfully, Port Control in Milford Haven was helpful and kept tracking us on AIS and giving me the exact ETA for when we’d pass each other.

“As it turned out, the fog continued all the way across the Bristol Channel. It is just so horrible because you THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 127

The story from mum and dad’s perspective Timothy’s father Nick says:

“Looking back, I think

it’s more worrying now than it was at the time, thinking about the enormity of the passages he was undertaking.

Seventeen hours in thick fog is not something anyone would want to do.

“He certainly had nothing like as much sailing with his boat as he was hoping to have before setting off.

“He and I sailed the boat together from Ipswich to the Solent before he set off, and on that trip I was a silent partner. The only time Timothy had actually sailed her alone was the day before he left, about a mile from Hythe to Hamble Point.

“So he set off on a vertical learning curve in terms of getting to know the boat and in terms of what he was undertaking.

“The first bit he’d done before, but the Thames estuary is always challenging and when we met him in Shotley he was exhausted, because the concentration is absolute on that one.

“We are proud of him. Hugely.

is dealing with, and in any case there is nothing you can do. After the Thames estuary leg, I’ve never seen him so tired. He said he was glued to the charts the whole time, double-checking that he was where he thought he was.

“Later he said some of the passages down the west coast – Troon to Stranraer, the Irish Sea, Bristol Channel, Land’s End – if those had been in the first few weeks, he would have struggled, but by then his experience had come on so far that he understood what he and the boat were capable of.

“The record was incidental and it wasn’t the main driver for him. He was inspired by Ellen’s book and eventually he wrote to her and asked if he could volunteer for

There were quite a few sleepless nights. On the tracker we could see where he was

Anyone who sails must realise the enormity of what he’s achieved at 15. It’s been an incredibly maturing experience for him, both in terms of his sailing skills and what he has learnt about himself. The

the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, saying: ‘I’ll scrub the decks, clean the heads, I’ll do anything!’

“He was too young at the time, but from that he started following the whole sailing world and began to think what he could do as an adventure.

“He came up with the idea of the round Britain trip himself. It

was only when he started researching it that he found the name of [previous record-holder] Tom Webb and then realised that he’d be the youngest to do it. In fact, when

changes are marked.”

Timothy put up his Round Britain JustGiving page, Tom

Timothy’s mother Sue says: “His most important

touch and give a donation. He said he hoped it would be

piece of safety equipment was his own level head and common sense. We wouldn’t have agreed to it had we not been confident in his abilities and judgement.

“Of course, your heart is in your mouth, especially for me as a non-sailor, but it was very clear in the first few days that he was making good decisions, and he sought a lot of advice from people as well.

“There were quite a few sleepless nights. On the tracker we could see where he was, but we could only tell if he was going in the right direction. It is lightly reassuring, but tells you nothing about the actual conditions that he

128 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

Webb’s dad Gareth was one of the first people to get in as life-changing an experience for Timothy as it had been for Tom…and it certainly has been.

“It’s about having that spirit for adventure and passion for sailing. As Robin Knox-Johnston said in his message, it’s about encouraging young people to get out there, not necessarily to try to break a record, but to find out what they are capable of.

“Lots of people have commented that it’s great to see a young person doing something like this, and Timothy himself wants to inspire others to follow their dreams and – in Ellen’s words to him – ‘Go for it!’”

ABOVE: home for 11 weeks BELOW: Timothy’s first command, an Optimist dinghy

completely lose your senses. You can’t pick up any navigational lights. It really wasn’t fun.”

“We just got through it I guess”, referring, like so many solo sailors, to himself and the boat as fellow adventurers. “A lot of my training kicked in, especially having to pick up navigational lights – you only see them 30 seconds before going past them – then matching that with your pilotage plan, so you can pinpoint in your head exactly where you are.

“I was hand steering because you couldn’t leave the autopilot on for long, in case something came out of the dark.

“What made it better for me was that I knew I was going out into open water, where you’d have more time to act on things. Getting through the night was a big milestone in my head. The visibility improved a bit and I knew I was in open water. In the end the land is your enemy.”

“Coming into Padstow was a huge relief,” Timothy says of his arrival after the 17-hour slog. “I’ve never moored up and gone to sleep so quickly.”

In his online blog, he broke down the three previous days into numbers: “175 nautical miles covered; 37.5 hours on the water; 21 hours of fog; 12 hours total sleep (2 in the last 40 hours).”

ABOVE: fog in the Bristol Channel BELOW RIGHT: with Dame Ellen MacArthur as he stopped in Cowes

“I didn’t feel I was on the home straight. That doesn’t start until Hurst Narrows.”

As he made his way east towards the Hamble River, Timothy was able to reflect on the key influence in his sailing life. “I’ve learned almost everything I know from my dad with sailing. There are some other friends who took me out on their boats and showed me, for example, how they made their passage plans. But really, it’s my dad.

When we were training, he was on the boat, but he would sit there and watch what I was doing, what my sail plan was, then sometimes he’d just say: ‘Are you sure about that?’, which had a big influence in building my confidence in making key decisions.”

The penultimate leg took him to Cowes, where another big influence, a local resident, came to meet him. Dame Ellen MacArthur wanted to say congratulations – and also thanks, as Timothy’s sponsorship thus far stood at more than £10,000 for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.

“It is an incredible achievement for anyone to sail single-handed around Britain,” says MacArthur, “but to do it at 15 really is something else. While Timothy will always have the personal satisfaction of that achievement, the legacy of what he’s done will be even more far-reaching in terms of helping to change the lives of young people in recovery from cancer.”

The fundraising money came at a crucial time for the Trust, which has lost out during the pandemic and whose young beneficiaries, recovering from cancer treatment, have been more vulnerable than ever.

It was a poignant finale, but the trip had one more surprise in store. When Timothy pulled up to the pontoon in Hamble, greeted by his parents and a television crew, he was shown recorded messages of congratulations from Alex Thomson and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

“It was amazing,” he says. “I couldn’t believe it! It was quite weird finishing because you don’t want the adventure to end. Equally, I had done it. it was strange coming back into Hamble, thinking I had left there 11 weeks before. I ended up missing a few weeks of school, so it was straight back there a few days later, which was quite a shock. I’m in my GCSE year, so you just have to get on with it!”

You can find Timothy’s fundraising page, for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, at justgiving.com/fundraising/ roundbritain2020

Home stretch

The toughest legs were surely behind him – or were they?

Land’s End is hardly a walk in the park, then there is the Lizard, Portland Bill… There is no mystery as to why the most experienced sailors call the round Britain trip one of the most challenging you can do.

“I managed to get the tides a bit wrong on Land’s End,” says Timothy. “That wasn’t a lot of fun. Then I came in too close at the Lizard. I should have been further off.

“There are so many really tough headlands that are so easy to get wrong.

THE YACHTING YEAR 2021 | 129

by Adrian Morgan

CHARLOTTE WATTERS

SAILING AT A SOCIAL DISTANCE

I

Adrian Morgan writes for Classic Boat

s there an activity as complex or costly as ours for the time spent doing or worrying about it? Is the game worth the candle, in other words? Clearly it is, or we wouldn’t do it, although when the yard bill arrives and the injectors need cleaning (again), and the loo is blocked, you have to wonder. Then there’s the weather...

Enforced boatlessness, during the lockdowns of 2020, may have given us space to consider what is important in the scheme of things... evaluate our chosen game.

Ultimately, when all the usual justifications are exhausted (fresh air, adventure, challenge, exhilaration etc) and we conclude that boating makes absolutely no sense, what we need is a philosopher, and on cue, up pops a Frenchman, Michel Foucault: “In civilizations without boats, dreams dry up, espionage takes the place of adventure and the police take the place of pirates.” That seems a pretty apt statement for these dire days.

We rubbed our eyes every morning and woke to the reality that our dreams had temporarily died, and we would not be going boating for a good while, but when we

130 | THE YACHTING YEAR 2021

did, would it be unalloyed joy? That leaky pipe would not have sealed itself and, in my case, the swallows will have made an awful mess of Sally’s bunk cushions.

Much as I love seeing the mighty yachts of yesteryear pimped and pristine, once again wowing the shoreside throng, I make no bones about loving simple little ships, a world of Harrison Butler Z 4-tonners holed up in Essex creeks, paraffin lamps, warm mahogany and wisps of wood smoke from stove pipes. Old-fashioned simplicity.

Alas, those days are gone for most of us (although still very much alive in Essex, they tell me). For the rest of us, it really is all about marinas and moorings, teak-faced plywood and dodgy Chinese diesel heaters.

There is of course a thin line between accessing some of the pleasures, guilty or otherwise, of the modern world and going overboard entirely. There is something satisfying – having thumbed through Heavy Weather Sailing, Moby Dick and the Channel Pilot, thus exhausting your reading material – about watching a 12-part Scandinavian murder mystery, while outside the curlews are calling, and the suck and gurgle of the estuary can be heard chuckling around your forefoot. A Vodafone dongle on a laptop to stream Netflix is vital, whether it’s a Z-4 or a new Dehler.

The trick is to retain just enough rough and ready hardship to make believe it’s 1920 and you are the paid hand on a crack six-tonner, relaxing in the fo’c’s’le, while your owner smokes his pipe in the saloon. I say fo’c’s’le as that’s the size of most little ships’ saloons, certainly Sally’s.

If Francis Chichester could have downloaded the latest Agatha Christie while rounding the Horn, he would.

It is a question therefore of deciding which gadgets and creature comforts give you more joy than hassle. I don’t know about you, but if something doesn’t work on my boat, it bugs me, so think what it’s like for the owner of that big cruising yacht at anchor far beyond the reed beds who is right now on the phone to the maker of his wind instruments to find out why it is giving him 26 degrees on port, not 24. His generator has developed a squeak, the AIS is on the blink, the radar screen looks like a snowstorm, oh and the port side heads is blocked (again).

Our little ship skipper, deep into part three of his crime series, hasn’t a care in the world. His burgee, and a wet finger, serve him well enough; the Baby Blake has been going strong since it was fitted in 1937; and all is peaceful now that the galley tap has stopped dripping.

It’s not a new idea, this seeking for simplicity. Henry David Thoreau sought it beside Walden Pond, although he didn’t last long, I believe. Now, if he’d had an internet connection, he could have written the book in his little ship, or rather shack. Delving even further back, we can leave you with Pompey the Great: “To sail is necessary; to live is not.” But then, he never had a recalcitrant diesel heater in his galley.

The Windelo 50 Adventure is a real joy to sail and live aboard. Seaworthy and a high performer under sail, clocking up miles will never have felt so good. She also has everything you need for a great time at anchor, with an open view of the surroundings from her spacious user-friendly nacelle and open plan deck.

20knts

ECO-RESPONSIBILITY

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DESIGN BY Barreau / Neuman

WINDELO 50 Adventure WINDELO 47 2021 / 2022

WINDELO 50

Launching in December 2020

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Launching in Summer 2021

WINDELO 57 2021 / 2022

All boats are available in 3 versions: Adventure - Yachting - Sport

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