Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2017 i Sailing Today

WE WERE SHOCKED this month to hear the sad news about the German couple who had been attacked by pirates in the remote southern Philippines. Jürgen Kantner and his partner Sabine were reportedly held at gunpoint by a Jihadist group in Tawi-tawi – part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Sabine was shot and killed in the fracas. The truly astonishing part of this sad story is that the couple had been the subject of a pirate hijack in 2008 in the Gulf of Aden. They were captured, ransomed and survived the ordeal, vowing to keep on sailing. The couple even returned to Somalia afterwards to reclaim their yacht, reportedly entering the country illegally and against the advice of the German government. Their indomitable spirit is hugely to be…

We first saw Porto degli Argonauti when it was being built, about eight years ago. We have a holiday home 10 miles inland. We have kept our boat there, an X-Yacht X-402, PhoeniX, for two years; before that we had a motor boat called Walshy. We sailed from Malta initially, and have enjoyed several trips to Capo di Spulico in Calabria, Taranto, and Gallipoli and we plan to cruise to Corfu and Sicily next summer. I would recommend visitors go to Taranto, a fascinating ancient naval town with a strong fishing community; Gallipoli, a charming tourist town with fabulous seafood; and, inland near Porto degli Argonauti, Matera, Pisticci and Bernalda.…

Access to the marina from the sea is assisted by a control tower that guides vessels to their berths on VHF Ch 74 (call sign Porto degli Argonauti). The coastline on either side of the marina entrance is largely flat and featureless but the marina entrance can be identified by two short curved breakwaters that protect the channel. Approaching from the south and southeast, aim for the gap between the two breakwaters, which is lit at night by matching red and green lights (Fl R 4s and Fl G 4s). Depth in the channel is 3.5m. A couple of hundred metres on is a mole, again lit at night (Fl R) and the channel in is between this mole and the original starboard breakwater. The marina basins are half a…

The marine wind generator remains one of the most effective methods of charging your batteries while you’re away from the grid. Continuous refinement over the past couple of decades has improved them no end, particularly the introduction of permanent magnet, brushless alternators, CAD-designed aerodynamic rotor blades and smart, multi-stage charge controllers, all of which help to make the latest devices more powerful, quieter and much more efficient. Three-bladed rotors have become increasingly popular. Although early models were quite noisy, smart CAD-designed blades have considerably reduced the thrumming and whistling sounds by removing the turbulence around the blade tips. Furthermore, the use of more efficient, low-cogging (less initial friction) permanent-magnet alternators has also allowed blade speeds to be reduced, further limiting ambient noise levels. CHARGE CONTROL It’s all well and good…

Black and White Seas voyage Sailing Through Russia by John Vallentine and Maxine Maters, looks, from its cover, like a pilot guide. And it can be used as such, for anyone else planning a 2,300nm inland waterways passage along the Volga and Don rivers from the Arctic White Sea to the Black Sea. But, based on the blog that won the Cruising Association’s 2014 Lacey Trophy, this book is also the story of John and Max’s journey. John is a retired doctor and sailor of 50 years’ experience and Max is former publisher of the Moscow Times and they met online. The book alternates between log/diary entries from the two of them. They took Tainui, a Peterson 46, along the route in 2013, a year after the Russian Federation decided…

AR Blue Clean AR112 The AR Blue Clean AR112 ‘power washer’ is light, weighing in at 8.6kg, making it a good portable unit that also features a quick connect hose. It has a good level of power too, generating a generous 1,600psi. • £80 • arblueclean.com B&Q 1400W pressure washer A cheap and cheerful electric pressure washer that still packs sufficient punch to remove general slime from the hull of your boat. It delivers 1,450psi of pressure and weighs a very modest 5.6kg. Comes with a 3m hose and one-year guarantee. • £40 • diy.com Wolf 200bar Power Washer The Wolf is a beast of a pressure washer. Its 6.5hp petrol engine generates a mighty 3,000psi, which should be more than a match for any stubborn…

London Boat Show returns this year to east London’s ExCeL with hundreds of brands and yachts all under one roof. Jeanneau, Beneteau and Hanse are among the first yacht names to confirm their appearance at the show. More than 300 exhibitors across deck equipment, rigging, electrical and electronics, chandlery, clothing, engines, RIBs, charter and holiday operators and sailing schools, publishers, marinas, logistics and boat transport firms and services like insurance and finance, will be there. International Paint will debut its new Toplac colour range to the UK market at the show, while there will be inspiration for charter trips, with Nautilus Yachting launching a new one-week flotilla in Croatia and Sailing Holidays showcasing a range of new routes for 2017, including Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Ithaka. This year there will be…

We found ourselves beating south from Tobago for four days against adverse currents and unpredictable wind. During that time we cursed our decision to sign up for the annual Nereids Yacht Rally to Guyana and French Guiana. We finally arrived at the mouth of mighty Essequibo river and had to anchor overnight as the tide would not allow us over the entrance bar. It was surreal to spend the night on the hook in the Atlantic Ocean in just 8m. Navigating the river the next morning was challenging. A huge storm at the entrance delayed us a while and once under way, our chartplotter would occasionally show us going over land. The river was just magical, and memories of the passage down soon faded. Our rendezvous was 45nm from the…

AFTER FINDING A COFFIN STASHED WITH JEWELLERY, HE HAD THE GRAVEYARD DUG UP AS WELL… We closed the loop on our South America voyage when we anchored at Hog Island in Grenada, the southernmost of the Leeward Islands. Last time we were here in 1995, it was a sleepy place and very laid back. Now there are more boats, marinas, restaurants and moorings everywhere. With so many bays and sheltered anchorages, it did not take long to find peace and quiet. Our plans did not allow us to linger too long but we spent an enjoyable few days relaxing in the southern anchorages while we watched the weather. The northeast wind in the southern Caribbean makes it a beat to windward for those heading north along the chain of islands,…

HALLBERG-RASSY 44 PRICE: FROM £390,000 The natural rival to the Najad 450 and a yacht that rather surprisingly features a plumb bow and twin rudders. Hull number one has just been launched this summer, so she’s spanking new with a full premiere at the Dusseldorf boat show. hallberg-rassy.com C-YACHT 1250i PRICE: FROM £326,000 A touch smaller than the 450 measuring in at 42ft, this Dutch yacht shares the centre cockpit and bluewater cruising credentials of the Najad. The range’s flagship 1250i picks up where the old 1250 left off, providing a well-balanced, moderate hull which promises extreme seaworthiness combined with a well-appointed interior. c-yacht.com CONTEST 45 CS PRICE: £488,000 Another Dutch brand, Contest specialises in high quality semi-custom yachts and the 45 is no exception. In common with the Najad,…

+39 (0)835 470218 info@portodegliargonauti.it portodegliargonauti.it VHF Ch74 Weather (in Italian and English) VHF Ch68 Wifi (free basic; premium €10/12 hours) Fuel (diesel, petrol): 0800-2000 Toilets and showers, black water pump-out, oil and battery collection, divers, car hire, minimarket Market Forza Tre Eating C’è di Buono, La Battigia, Caffè del Porto, Pizzeria Luv Cooking gas, cleaning, linen and excursions arranged through the marina office D’Addario Yacht Services daddarioyacht.it +39 (0)99 475 2892 Yacht services: Travel lift (75t); boat storage; hull, wood, mechanical, textile, motor and metal repairs and metal construction; launching and hauling; nautical equipment Sailing charters and sail training Oceanmed oceanmedsailing.com Whale-watching and fishing day trips Magna Magna Grecia magnamagnagrecia.it Apartments, Argonauti Yacht Club, Agave Club +39 (0)835 470216 VISITOR BERTHING CHARGES…

•Inland Waterways of Germany by Sheffield, Best and Thomas Revised first edition of the only comprehensive guide available in English. Further corrections, new plans and photos. £29.50 imray.com or save £4.43 at sailingtoday.co.uk/shop sailingtoday.co.uk/shop •Norway by RCCPF/ Judy Lomax Complete revision, with new plans, photos and texts and information on anchorages not included in earlier editions. Third edition. £47.50 or save £7.13 at sailingtoday.co.uk/shopimray.com •Pacific Crossing Guide by Kitty van Hagen Third edition; completely restructured, with part one covering preparations and part two Pacific weather patterns, major routes and landfall ports. £50 hardback/£45 eBook bloomsbury.com •To Ithaca by JC Graeme Thriller set on a S&S41 on a mission through the Greek islands, interweaving politics and social history. £6.75 paperback/£2.85 eBook amazon.co.uk…

‘I SPOUTED ABOUT THE TRADITIONS OF THE SEA AND MY FRIEND’S EYES GLAZED OVER’ I had a friend many years ago who really liked the idea of sailing but the language put him off, and not the ripe language which all boats tend to inspire. It was simply the strange words we use to describe things. He wanted to know why the galley wasn’t a kitchen, and didn’t we go to bed, not ‘to bunk’ for the night? “Why don’t you go to the lavatory which is at the back end of the boat on the right hand side, instead of all that heads, stern and starboard stuff?” I started to spout on about ‘the traditions of the sea’, by which time my friend’s eyes had rightly glazed over. I…

Opened in 2009, Porto degli Argonauti is a luxury marina and residential development in a very sheltered spot on the Taranto Gulf. Awarded the highest five gold anchors by the Yacht Harbour Association scheme, it has 450 berths for vessels up to 90ft (27.4m) LOA and 11ft 5in (3.5m) maximum draught. Berthing is arranged in two basins and yachts moor Med-style, stern-to, with lazy lines tailed to the piers, and are grouped according to length. There are 207 berths for boats of 10m-18m (33ft-60ft), with water and electricity to all. The full-service boatyard operates year-round. The fuel station between the two basins is open for 12 hours each day. There are also places to eat and shop on site, including a chandlery and mini-market. The marina is a good place…

Port Davey lies on the southwest corner of Tasmania. This 10-mile deep multi-fingered inlet is surrounded by a wilderness of mountains that are scree- and heather-covered. It is some 70 miles from the nearest 4x4 track. Something that nowhere on mainland Australia is. Annette and I sailed there from Hobart aboard our Swan 47 Nordlys well armed with local knowledge. “Let your anchor and its chain out slowly with the engine in neutral. Have a beer. Think about life then have another beer. Then slowly put the engine in reverse and dig the anchor in.” This was the advice we had been given. We did this and the anchor held against almost full power reverse. Our Australian friend’s advice had worked. The reason for the above is that the bottom…

Torqeedo Cruise FP Long synonymous with silent, muscular-looking electric outboards, Torqeedo is carving out a niche for a new range of electric pod drives for cruising yachts. Currently available in three sizes equivalent to 5, 8 or 20hp (10kW). Maintenance-free and relatively easily retrofitted. This was overall winner of the DAME Awards 2016. • from £2,400 to £4,900 for the pod • torqeedo.com Musto Snug gilet First launched by Musto in 1986, the Snug jacket has been redesigned and relaunched as a warmer, lighter range using cutting edge fabrics. Modestly waterproof, breathable and very warm, this gilet is also made out of recycled materials. Available as a gilet or a jacket, for men and for women. • £125 • musto.com Cockpit tidy bag Handy in the…