Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2018 i Sailing Today

Plymouth will once again come alive with colour on Saturday 23 June, as The Eddystone Charity Sailing Pursuit, takes to the water for the annual 26-mile offshore marathon. The racy sailing event has already raised nearly £700,000 for over 140 different charitable causes. Every yacht gets to nominate the charity they wish to support, and then competes to earn points for a share in the prize money at the finish line. Afterwards the crews return to the Eddystone Hall of Plymouth Aquarium for a supper, prize giving and storytelling. Entries are now open: eddystonepursuit.com BEWARE THE SEA NYMPH Abandoned vessel, Sea Nymph, has been spotted floating east of the Philippines, by Volvo Ocean Race yacht, Turn the Tide on Plastic. Many will remember the rescue of two women and a…

Afew years back a succession of unfortunate choices washed me up on the shores of Saint-Tropez penniless and with very little prospect of gainful employment. I was at something of a loss when, in desperation, I recalled a job offer as a charter skipper out in Croatia. I had previously rejected this, but suddenly it seemed like an offer almost too good to be true. I sent them a hurried email and received an almost immediate acceptance, stating that I was to report in Split a couple of weeks later. It was a suspiciously prompt response I felt, but I had few choices. Any reservations I may have had about the job were rather blown away by the trip to Split. Being essentially weird, I decided the best way to…

‘It always amazes me how much you can fix with a roll of duct tape…’ A boat is really a house combined with a car and put into an environment that constantly attacks it. Saltwater and sun destroy whatever they can without mercy. It’s a matter of constant maintenance as things will always break. Some items you can have back-up for, like an alternative GPS, a generator, or an extra ground tackle set up. But there is a limit to what we can carry and few boats boast a second dinghy, a back-up stove or a spare mast. The real trick is all about attitude and how well you roll with the punches. Things fail and no amount of money or care can change that especially if you actually use…

LUCIA 40 £243,000 The Lucia 40 comes from the vastly experienced Fountaine Pajot yard and has been around for a couple of years now. She features a similar deck plan to the Lagoon, although her mast is stepped further forward, and is similarly airy inside. catamarans- fountaine-pajot.com NAUTITECH N40 £241,000 Like Lagoon, Nautitech benefits from the financial muscle of Bavaria as its parent company. The N40 is lighter than the Lagoon and an agile performer. She’s a relatively new design and is similarly big on cruising comfort and is strong on performance. keyyachting.com BALI 4.0 £239,000 A yacht that has been a big hit on the charter market in particular. The Bali is not the easiest yacht on the eye but it is crammed with clever touches such as the…

These days there is no shortage of multihulls in the plus 40ft bracket. A quick glance at our Boat News on p14 confirms that there is a plethora of spanking new shiny yachts in this size bracket being launched with remarkable regularity. Yes, multihulls are booming; yet despite this, there is surprisingly little on offer when you move down the size spectrum a touch. Quorning’s Dragonfly Yachts has carved out a nice little niche for performance cruisers, but when it comes to out and out cruisers, there is a real dearth of options. Perhaps this explains Broadblue’s decision to revamp its successful 345, which has been given a makeover and is now the all-new 346. The 345 was launched all the way back in 2008 and was designed by Plymouth…

Split is located on the central west coast of Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. Unless you’re already cruising in the area, you’ll reach the Adriatic from the Ionian Sea, and sail northeast towards Dalmatia. The islands of Dalmatia make this part of the passage slightly complicated as they are home to busy shipping channels and rugged coastline. You’ll need to navigate your way though the islands to reach the marina. The water is deep enough for you to choose whichever route you’d prefer, however we’d recommend navigating between Drvenik Veli and Šolta, as the channel is wide but the ferries don’t use it. Once you’ve navigated through the islands, you can head directly for the port. When approaching the port the first landmark you’re likely to identify, on your bow,…

When sailing on a monohull, if there’s too much sail up for the conditions, the yacht will tell you. Normally, anything below decks that hasn’t been properly stowed will fly around. Also, your toerail will be in the water and a new angle is brought to your life that you can’t ignore. This doesn’t happen on a multihull. A common mistake made when trying out a multihull for the first time is to assume that, because hulls remain flat to the water, the yacht isn’t overpowered. This is risky, as it can result in stress and eventually fractures in the rigging. A top tip is to keep an eye on your leeward shroud. If that looks like a loose piece of spaghetti wobbling all over, then you are overpowered. There’s…

HOLYHEAD MARINA DEVASTATED Up to 80 boats were destroyed and pontoons washed away at Holyhead Marina as Storm Emma battered the British coastline. The RNLI said in a statement: "There is considerable damage and disruption at the marina. As ever, our crew of volunteers responded with their usual brilliance and dedication." Onlookers took to social media to describe the devastating scenes, with Dave Barham saying: “Such a sad, sad sight. The marina has been completely destroyed.” Another witness added: "The marina has been swept away with the wind. There’s five Holyhead towing turbine boats on the rocks costing more than £1m each, plus there’s loads of yachts on the break water." Paul Campbell, deputy head of maritime operations for HM Coastguard, warned locals to steer clear of the waters edge…

Lego Galleon A new approach to an old favourite A quick straw poll on the Sailing Today desk of Chelsea Magazines, concluded that all had happily played with / eruditely constructed, Lego masterpieces, well into adulthood. The brightly coloured bricks are a favourite for all ages, and so we were excited to see the launch of the ‘Ship in a Bottle’ this month. The highly detailed ship, complete with captain’s quarters, cannons, masts, crow’s nest and printed sails, was created by Jake Sadovich, a fan of boats and, of course, Lego. The bottle sits on a brick-built and equally detailed, display stand, exhibiting the ship’s ‘Leviathan’ nameplate, so you can show-off your work to all. • £70 • lego.com Tied up in knots Shark infested waters Novelty ties are decidedly,…

‘A falling wind was whipping off the mountains as we worked our way through a frozen obstacle course’ To cut a rather long story short enough to read, a few years ago I ended up in an obscure but safe anchorage called Hekla Haven. Not many people go there because it’s 100 miles up Scoresby Sound, a monster fjord in northeast Greenland. Until the climate in the north took a turn for the better, the whole inlet was largely unapproachable because the pack ice rarely cleared out. The great Bill Tilman took a pass at it without success in his Bristol Channel pilot cutter. So did many others, following in the wake of the Danish expedition ship Hekla which somehow made it all the way and spent the winter…

Langoustine. Smoked brie. Calamari. Wild boar. Where would you expect to find these mouthwatering delicacies: Brittany? Knightsbridge? Monaco? But if you add fresh venison, grouse, scallops and smoked salmon to this culinary list then northwest Scotland becomes a contender. To further explore the best of Scottish gastronomy from the comfort of a cruising yacht, four of us spent a week afloat indulging in some of the delights the Highlands have to offer. As well as being an enviable cruising ground, we have found that the Highlands and Islands are also a centre for gastronomic excellence and fine dining. THE PLAN In October, under the guiding expertise of Gordon Drysdale and his wife Iona, our group of four boarded Torridon Yacht Charter’s Hanse 385, Sula, at their charter base at Shieldaig…

Most sailors dream of owning their own boats one day. But as yachts have grown in sophistication and size, prices have risen too, making would-be owners turn to charter holidays on rented boats instead. Ironically, this growth in the charter market has created an opportunity to own a boat for less than its full price. So-called charter ownership offers a way for sailors to buy boats at a discount, enjoy plenty of time on board and avoid the expensive running costs that come with outright ownership. HOW BIG? Some charter companies are reluctant to disclose what sized yachts are the most in demand among their customers. That may make sense competitively, but it’s a pretty key question for a would-be charter owner. Of course, other factors will determine what sized…

‘Phil shrugged with a smile: “That’s Japan for you. Just strangers making you welcome”’ Everybody had warned us that the Japanese love paperwork. So as Bosun Bird, our Vancouver 27, worked her way northwards through the islands of the western Pacific, every so often we’d crank up the Iridium satphone to find out what we needed to do before entering the country. By the time we reached Guam, the American territory and military base that was to be our jumping-off point for the 1,400-mile crossing to Kyushu, we were getting desperate. We finally got hold of a seemingly helpful young lady: “You are very welcome. Please send now fax with exact arrival time and place. Thank you.” “OK. Can we send an email instead?” (Repeat this exchange several times, until…

Split is ideally located for daysails along the coast of Croatia, or over to the off-lying islands, which make up Dalmatia. Dalmatia is one of the most famous and popular cruising grounds in the world, but don’t despair that you’ll never find a quiet place to drop anchor without being swiftly followed by dozens of other yachts, there are still plenty of secluded coves and quiet coastline if you’re patient and willing to look a little longer. The Croatian mainland coastline does tend to be busier so we’d recommend you set your course straight for beautiful and noticeably quieter islands, where you can nearly always find somewhere quiet to drop the hook. To the north, the islands of the Kornati National Park are more rugged and the sailing can be…

When: 18-22 April 2018 Where: La Grande Motte, France Day pass: 9 Euros Five-day pass: 20 Euros Under 16s / students: FREE ST ticket giveaway: details opposite As multihulls continue to grow in popularity amongst cruising sailors, so too do the boatshows which celebrate them. La Grande Motte in the south of France is a perfect example of this. The five-day event, dedicated entirely to multihulls, was founded in Brittany in 2009 and has achieved international recognition over the past decade, growing and flourishing year on year. With boatbuilders from across the globe descending on the sunny southern French port town, it’s sure to once again be a huge success. PREMIERES The show will be teeming with new boats, with a whopping nine World premieres, including the hotly anticipated Bali…

Broadblue346 £129,950 UK based Broadblue’s 346 is a brand new design from the drawing board of Plymouth based Dazcats. She has been designed to replace their 345 S2 which was launched in 2008. The new model is a genuine family cruiser with an appealing price tag. Turn to p54 for a full test. multihullworld.com Dragonfly 28 Performance £145,000 Danish multihull boatbuilder, Quorning has carved itself a niche with its high performance cruising trimarans with sponsons that pivot inwards to keep them compact in marinas. The 28 Performance is a reconfiguration of their 28 and features high levels of both comfort and speed. multihullsolutions.co.uk PrivilegeSerie5 £888,000 Ok, the Serie 5 has actually been around for a couple of years now but the significance of this particular model making its debut at…

William Morris may be best remembered these days for his rather floral duvets that blight great swathes of Kensington, but he was a man who could pen a punchy quote once in a while. Back in the day he observed that: “There can be no true beauty without purpose.” The first time I clapped eyes on a cruising multihull my thoughts turned to William. I don’t care how you dress ’em up, they rarely look anything other than lumpen and angular. Yet while they are not going to win many beauty contests, they are also fiendishly popular and there has to be a reason for this. That reason becomes eminently clear to anyone who has worked for any length of time in the charter industry – particularly in the Caribbean.…

Security for your investment: Guaranteed Income yachts have the deed title transferred at time of closing. With Option to Purchase yachts you can secure your cash investment with a lien filled by Sunsail on your behalf. Maintenance: 100% covered by Sunsail and parts are standardised across the fleet. If we need to make certain repairs, these can be effected quickly and efficiently making certain your yacht is ready when you are. End of contract options: Trade - At the end of the contract, having realised that you love the lifestyle, you could decide to trade in your yacht with us for a credit to apply to a new yacht and term in the programme. Sell - You can sell the yacht through our extensive brokerage network (or privately). Sail Away…

BUSTLING CITY Split is hugely popular with tourists, owing to its rich culture, stunning architecture and great food DRY STORAGE There is capacity for dry storage, however it’s limited and fills up fast BUSY MARINA Split is a busy marina so be sure to plan ahead and book early LANDMARK The white rocks of Sustipan Peninsula help to identify the marina on approach ACI Marina Split lies along the busy and hugely popular Adriatic, on the southwest coast of Croatia. It benefits from the natural protection of islands; Čiovo, Drvenik Veli, Šolta and Brač, which together form part of the famous region of Dalmatia. With over 1,000 miles of dramatic and breathtakingly beautiful coastline, striking scenery, and a rich history dating back thousands of years, Croatia is a firm favourite…

It’s easy to put off buying decent clothing when there are so many other items on the spring fit-out list, but after the first soggy, cold weekend of the season when you’re stuck out on the helm battling back home through the driving rain and spray, you will undoubtedly regret not doing so! Modern oilies are not only waterproof, they also keep the wind out, stop drips running down your neck or gushing greenies forcing their way in via gaping cuffs or uncovered zips. Breathability is now a common word when describing the desirable features of quality wet weather gear. Spend all day in old non-breathable kit and you’ll end up as wet inside as you would do wearing no coat at all. Then there are the extremities. Don’t overlook…

SCOTTISH SERIES 25-28 MAY - ARGYLL & THE ISLES Attracting sailors from across the UK, the Scottish Series offers racing at all ability levels over four days. The thrilling racing through these stunning waters is a particular highlight in the Scottish sailing calendar. visitscotland.com LYME REGIS FOSSIL FESTIVAL 2018 4-6 MAY - DORSET Dig into Dorset’s Jurassic history at this family festival. Aimed at exciting young and old about history, science and the wonderful world in which we live, there will be walks, talks, theatre, music and comedy. visit-dorset.com PADSTOW MAY DAY 1 MAY - CORNWALL Some say the celebration has its roots in pagan ritual, others that it’s a rainmaker, a fertility symbol, or a welcome to summer. Whatever the reason, it sees the town festooned with flags, flowers…

As we approached Ascension Island, at dawn, I saw a mass of huge rock portside… Towering ominous walls of grey and black standing guard over the ocean. Hundreds of birds swooped backwards and forwards from their nests on Bird Rock, out the sea, and back again. It was a constant stream of tiny silhouettes across the blue sky. We waited for the sun to rise and when it did, the water around us came alive. I could see perfectly the many fish rising up to check out what had invaded their territory. Everyone was pulling on their scuba equipment and jumping into the water. I took a breath and fell into the blue. Fish surrounded me as I swam, and ahead, in the flickering light and shadows of the deep,…