Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2023 i Sailing Today

Domani S32L Domani Yachts is a Dutch company that is a very clear rival to Saffier Yachts, of the same parish. As such, both turn out extremely stylish turbocharged weekend sailers designed – at least it always seems to me – expressly for blasting around the Cote d’Azur or some similarly flash location. The sweet irony is that they often end up being presented to the press in the incongruously hostile and grim environs of the North Sea on some slate grey, sleet-ridden day. The S32L continues on the theme, being a slinky, stylish yacht with a modest interior. The boat is an elongated variation on the S30 with wheel steering. ● domaniyachts.com Outremer 52 French multihull manufacturer Outremer has built an impressive reputation for producing fast blue water cruising…

Two Australians who both grew up in the back of beyond in the north of Victoria now hold two special speed records. Glenn Ashby, backed up by his America’s Cup mates at Emirates Team New Zealand have smashed the wind-powered land speed record. On 11 December 2022 Glenn piloted the radical land yacht Horonuku to 222.4kph in just 22kts of wind on Lake Gairdner in South Australia. Ashby has broken the long-standing record of 202.9km/h recorded by Britain’s Richard Jenkins back in March 2009. The other speed-seeking Aussie from the back of beyond in upstate Victoria is Paul Larsen, who has now held the all-out world sailing speed record for more than a decade. In November 2012, Paul launched Vestas SailRocket2 down the 500m course in Walvis Bay, Namibia. With…

PODCAST Catch up with Tom’s columns now and in the future at sailingtoday.co.uk Sometimes, when we’re tired or stressed, even the best of us make mistakes which we look at afterwards with the wisdom of hindsight and say to ourselves, ‘How in Heaven did I manage to do that?’ A number of years before I swotted up my homework and submitted to a direct entry Yachtmaster examination, I committed a howler that could well have cost me my ship and, quite probably, my life too. My wife Roz and I were on passage from the Hamble River to Salvador in Brazil long before GPS had been thought of. The trip from our last stopover in the Canaries was a few miles short of 3,000 and was a particular challenge in…

One thing that it is important to understand when it comes to talking about the design of cruising yachts is that many of the designers come from the world of racing. This means that they are often inclined to apply principles taken from racing boats and put them into cruising yachts. To this end, many 1980s cruisers looked liked they were somewhat illogically designed to conform to the International Offshore Rule. It’s a trend that continues although these days a bit more logic seems to be applied. Fairly recent examples would be chined hulls, twin rudders and broad aft sections – design factors seen perhaps most predominantly in the IMOCA class. Conveniently, features that provide good downwind power and grip in a Vendee racer also provide increased volume in a…

RORC Transatlantic The RORC Transatlantic Race is now in its ninth iteration and continues to flourish. Since its inception, the race has offered an ideal manner to traverse the pond at full pelt enroute to the Caribbean race season that kicks off in earnest in January. The event also contributes to overall points totals in the IRC Championships. The racecourse is an alluring one; nearly 3,000 nautical miles of open ocean served by the powerful NE trade winds and the only obstacles between the Canaries and the Caribbean being the fearsome acceleration zones that run between the Canary Islands as the competitors make their way out into the open ocean. After that, it’s downhill all the way; a thrilling sleigh ride with downwind sails dominating and surfing techniques very much…

Whenever we stay on land for an extended time, either visiting family or friends, or perhaps housesitting, I’m struck by how easily and quickly I fall out of my well-honed boat habits. The novelty of hot running water still gives me a shiver of excitement; I indulge in the luxury of ice cubes available at a whim; and I sleep differently, knowing that there is zero chance my bed could possibly drag in the night or need to be checked if a storm starts up. I also tend to forget the moon. It’s not that I fail to recall its existence of course, it’s simply that I lose track of which phase we’re in. And then, when next I glimpse it, I’m hit with an acute sense of guilt. The…

Club of the Year Voting closes at midnight on Monday, 23 January 2023, in the RYA and Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year competition, supported by Gallagher. Voting is already underway in the annual competition, which recognises the outstanding achievement of sailing clubs across the UK. After whittling down the entries, the RYA Awards’ panel selected 12 finalists this year: ● Ballyholme Yacht Club – Northern Ireland ● Bassenthwaite Sailing Club – North West ● Blackwater Sailing Club – East ● County Antrim Yacht Club – Northern Ireland ● Gresford Sailing Club – Wales ● JOG Yacht Racing – South ● King George Sailing Club – London and SE ● London Corinthian Sailing Club – London and SE ● Lymington Town Sailing Club – South ●…

The dream started 12 years ago when Martin and I purchased Cornish Piper (affectionately known as CP), our Halmatic 30, a John Sharp design built in Hampshire in 1981. About 30 years earlier, Martin had worked in Sete and dreamed of taking his own boat back there via the cross-country route across France from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. So even back then, the main stipulation in our boat selection was it could fit down the Canal du Midi with a maximum draft allowance of 1.4 m. Twelve years later and with a deadline of the end of May to reach the Med, we finally left our then home port of Marans, France, on 22 April 2022. We hadn’t sailed Cornish Piper since the previous August and we were nervous…

Since sailing around Britain is mainly cruising within sight of land, anyone with an RYA Day Skipper ticket has the ability to navigate competently. Many make the voyage as a couple, though where an overnight voyage is planned, I’m banking on having three onboard as a minimum so that no-one gets too tired. We are excited by the long days and shorter nights the further north we go, together with the abundant wildlife we are bound to come across in Irish and Scottish waters We won’t be alone. Sailors will be cruising around the British Isles in unprecedented numbers this year. Covid, coupled with foreign travel restraints over the past couple of years has led to buoyant boat sales and the desire to do something adventurous. The Scottish Western Isles…

MDL’s Woolverstone Marina is unusual in that it’s an open river marina in the sheltered River Orwell, on the south bank, just below Orwell Bridge, which dominates the skyline. Its convenient river location means there is no locking in or out at Woolverstone Marina, and therefore it is accessible 24/7. Given that is it is just a few miles from the mouth of the river, it is a particularly popular spot for visitors from further afield such as Belgium, Holland and Scandinavia. The marina has a total of 235 pontoon berths for yachts up to 24m, plus 45 swinging moorings with a water taxi service. Visitors will be directed to vacant berths at time of stay. Set in 22 acres of glorious parkland, it is also home to the Marina’s…

Coach boat view 1 Tide for the change It’s a light wind race with a beat to the first mark, and there is a strong tide running from right to left (looking upwind) in the starting area. You have checked the line bias against the wind on the flags on the committee boat and can see that the RO has laid the square to the wind he’s measured. Which point on the start line would give an immediate advantage at start time? A: Starting by the committee boat at the up-tide end gives an immediate advantage B: Starting at the pin end gives an immediate advantage C: As the line is square, starting in a space in clear wind is the only consideration D: Starting in the middle of the…

Atlantic Rally for Cruisers During the era of the great China clipper races one captain came to prominence. This was Captain Richard Robinson who, while in command of the clipper ships Fiery Cross and Sir Lancelot, came to dominate the field between 1861 and 1869, winning the 16,000 mile race five times in eight years. His secret, aside from relentless hard driving and unparalleled seamanship, was a congenital hatred of jamming his ship hard into the wind. He was willing to go many miles out of his way on the proviso that he could keep the ship going full and by. To a man like this, the tradewind belts, with their reliable breezes booming across great empty swathes of the ocean were Manna from heaven. It was just a question…

It’s known today as The Ocean Race. Now, 50 years on from the inaugural edition of the first crewed round the world race – known then as The Whitbread – the latest edition is about to depart Alicante, Spain on a seven-leg, 32,000nm marathon that will culminate six months later with a Grand Finale in Genoa, Italy. Although the race has started from Alicante before, this is the first time that it will have started and finished in the Med. Another first is a three-day ‘Pit-Stop’ at Cape Verde, breaking the opening dash south through the Atlantic into two legs and bringing new strategies into play, compounded by the later-than-usual January start date. There will also be the longest ever leg in the race’s history – a gruelling 12,750nm from…

Professional sailing is a tough world to get into but, as Joan Malloy discovered, having endless amounts of drive and determination with a bit of luck thrown in for good measure, is one of the best ways to succeed. As well as her ambitious nature, it’s her happy, kind demeanour that gives this 36-year-old native from County Mayo her appeal as an inspirational sailor. She has worked hard both sailing and academically, and it is clear that nothing on her long journey to reach the professional sailing scene has been taken for granted. She studied at University of Galway (NUI Galway) and obtained a degree in engineering, which has proved an extremely useful asset as a solo sailor and something that Malloy highly recommends. “It’s certainly not essential but what…

Charter The North Atlantic groups of islands off the coast of Africa and Portugal including the Azores, the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde islands not only offer year round sun, but they are located just four or so hours south of the UK. This means it is possible to enjoy a fantastic holiday in a perfect climate any time of the year. Also, because they are the same time zone as the UK, it’s feasible to arrive and set sail on the same day, without suffering the perils of jet lag. As well as fantastic cruising grounds, these islands are known as a gateway for transatlantic crossings to places like the Caribbean, with events such as World Cruising Club’s Atlantic Rally for Cruisers departing from Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)…

HALLBERG RASSY 42F | BEAU SOLEIL Beau Soleil is a fine example of the refined design and build quality you would expect from the renowned Swedish boat builders Hallberg-Rassy. With her conservative hull shape, strength of build and deep safe centre cockpit, she is a yacht that will take you over horizons with confidence. Her interior finish and comfort below make her a joy for short term cruising with friends in the UK, or longer term live aboard blue water adventures. She has sleeping potential for six across two cabins and the main saloon. Her interior is fitted out in high quality mahogany throughout with teak and holly flooring sole boards. This is complemented with custom upholstery in the main saloon and fitted carpeting in all areas except the galley.…