Innehållsförteckning för February 2023 från Practical Boat Owner

Fulfilling a dream It’s not often that an interview makes me cry. When I was at school I rejected the idea of journalism. “Can you knock on someone’s door after their kid got hit by a bus?” my careers advisor asked. No, certainly not. I was 15 at the time, and gave up on the idea of becoming the next Kate Adie. But then, quite by chance, I fell into magazines. In my years at PBO, I’ve reported on everything from antifouling to sailmaking, and take great pride in our reader restorations and cruising stories. It’s all fun, practical content, so when I turned up at Roz Preston’s stunning yacht, Sweet Dreams, I didn’t realise I’d be reaching for a tissue! Roz’s story isn’t just about her seven-year homebuild (a…

HMS Diamond rescued four people from a 36ft yacht that was taking on water and at risk of sinking. On 10 November, at 2258, the Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer answered a Mayday call in the Channel near the Isle of Wight. The civilian yacht, sailing from Beaulieu River in the New Forest towards Honfleur in France, sent out a distress call after it started taking on a significant amount of water, 33 miles south of Newhaven. Four of the five crew were suffering from severe seasickness. Diamond was in the area. having left her home port that morning bound for operations in northern European waters. The rescue operation was co-ordinated and conducted by Diamond, working alongside Newhaven and Bembridge RNLI crews and a French Coastguard helicopter. The warship sent one…

Harry van Ham with his Hurley 22, Hurlie Up has won the Hurley Owners Association (HOA) 2022 photo competition. This shot was taken during Grevelingencup, a sailing competition in the Dutch Delta. After a cold January day with roughly 15 knots of wind, they finished in sixth place. The HOA was formed in 1998 with members around the world. With a Facebook group, mailing list and website, its members share practical tips, travels and experiences. They organise gatherings and have an annual photo competition, which was sponsored by PBO this year. Harry joined HOA in 2017, but his Hurley 22 history dates back further. “My parents bought this amazing boat when I was only three years old. I learnt sailing on this Hurley during the many weekends and summer holidays…

◼ boot Düsseldorf, 21-29 January, the leading water sports trade fair and boat show worldwide, boot.com ◼ Security Afloat 2023, 8 February, Poole Harbour Watch event, 1800 to 2100, North Lounge, Poole Ferry Passenger Terminal ◼ BoatLife Live, 16-19 February, NEC Birmingham, boatlifeevents.com ◼ RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, 25-26 February, Farnborough International Exhibition Centre, rya.org.uk/events/dinghy-show ◼ International Water Sports Expo, 4-5 March, Eikon exhibition centre, Lisburn, Ireland. Irelandonthewaterexpo.ie ◼ London Luxury Afloat Show, 18-22 April, St Katharine Docks, London, londonluxuryafloat.com ◼ Green Tech Boat Show and South Coast Boat Show, 21-23 April, Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, mdlmarinas.co.uk/boat-shows/ ◼ Palma International Boat Show, 27-30 April, palmainternationalboatshow.com ◼ Old Gaffers Association Round Britain Cruise (RBC60), 27 April-6 August, Ramsgate to Suffolk Yacht Harbour, sailing clockwise, with festivities at 12 ‘Party…

Email pbo@futurenet.com Photos are appreciated, letters may be edited. www.twitter.com/p_b_o www.facebook.com/practicalboatownermag ‘Unloved’ Hunters appeal Southampton Boat Show is a rightly celebrated promotion of boating in all its forms and at the last edition the Hunter Association presented a ‘Restoration Matters’ talk on the Foredeck Stage. It highlighted how small British cruising yachts are a particularly good choice for restoration and with the help of a thriving group of owners associations can make boating much more affordable and rewarding than buying new. There are many Hunter boats out there in an amazing condition, much loved by their owners. But in common with other older small yachts, some have fallen on hard times and have not been looked after. The good news is that Hunter boats were offered as home completion, as…

You can learn a lot from studying famous sailors and what they say. Take Uffa Fox, for example. As well as being a designer, confidant of Royalty and an intrepid sailor, Uffa was also a philosopher; albeit of the salty variety. Any sailor will enjoy his book Power and Sail. In the introduction to Part 1 – Cruising, Uffa says that ‘Cruising can be enjoyed in all sizes of craft, from the giant steamship Queen Mary downwards, but it may be said generally that the smaller the cruiser, the greater the pleasure derived from it: for when we cruise we are trying to escape the exactness of this mechanical age, and to enjoy the changing moods of nature, and these changes are seen and felt far more in the small…

‘During the past four years I have sailed through some of the major crossroads of the cruising world: Rhodes, Gibraltar, Antigua, Panama, Tahiti… and everywhere I was struck by the absence of the ideal bluewater cruising boats – the ones advertised in magazines and praised at boat shows. What, then, were the boats that real people cruise in? ‘In my search for the elusive ‘ideal’ cruising boat I decided to let the cruising skippers themselves draw the picture and so compiled a questionnaire, trying to interview all boats passing through Suva during September and October – when so many are on their way west to be clear before the hurricane season starts. I set down 36 questions, referring not just to the boat but also to related matters like dinghy,…

Wind generators provide an additional power source for keeping batteries topped-up, but they have the downside that the noise generated is annoying to all around. I recently discovered a darker-side to wind generators that clipped my wings and meant I’m unable to sail for around 12 weeks. Christine and I sail on Good as Gold, a Montevideo 43, a Solent-rigged ‘slutter’ designed and built in South Africa in 1989. The previous owners ensured Good as Gold is suitable for extended offshore trips having sailed her from Canada to Australia. To run the lights, autohelm, and sailing instruments, along with creature comforts (fridge, freezer, TV, stereo, water maker) the boat is equipped with four solar panels. We upgraded these to provide up to 1.2KW, which usually meets our requirements without the…

While most PBO readers are in the depths of winter, trying to stay warm with diesel heaters, on the other side of the globe we’re enjoying sunny evenings at anchor, with air-conditioning units blasting out a mini fog of diesel fumes. Regardless of whether we sail in a warm or cool climate, we’re likely to be burning fossil fuels in enclosed spaces, so it’s worth reminding ourselves of the dangers of carbon monoxide. What is carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas with no colour, odour or taste. All hydrocarbon fuels exhaust a mix of nasty gases that includes the deadly CO. To burn completely, fuels such as gas, LPG, coal, wood, paraffin, oil and petrol need an adequate supply of air. When carbon is burnt, it should be…

The aerial on my handheld radio had perished after several years’ use, and repairs with PVC tape were not very successful and unsightly. I was contemplating buying a new aerial when I thought of a repair using heat shrink tubing to encapsulate the cracked aerial. I had a box of various sizes of tubing bought for electrical repairs on the boat and car. It was a simple task to peel off the old PVC tape and select the most suitable size of heat shrink tube. This slides onto the aerial, is positioned correctly then shrunk using a hairdryer. For added strength I overlaid a second piece. The repair blends in with the original profile of the aerial and so ticks the cosmetic box. And since I had a box of…

Q I have a Hunter Boats Horizon 30. When built they used a gasket material sealing the Perspex windows called Inseal. I’m replacing the windows and want to source the same. It was self adhesive on one side and highly effective as it was resistant to high temperatures – the windows get very hot in summer. Any idea where I can get this gasket sealant? Nicholas Phillips SVEN PETERSEN AT THE HUNTER ASSOCIATION REPLIES: This is certainly something we deal with fairly regularly. The short answer is I would advise you to contact Hadlow Marine Services (hadlowmarine.com) who are marine window specialists. They have helped with replacing a number of windows on our members’ boats and will be able to advise on the right replacement seal for yours. The slightly…

SEND US YOUR STORIES Share your news and diary dates: email Laura Hodgetts at pbo@futurenet.com ARC+ crew’s superyacht rescue Whist some 89 ARC+ yachts are celebrating a successful transatlantic crossing in World Cruising Club’s two-stage rally from the Canary Islands to Grenada in the Caribbean, one was diverted to Antigua after a medical emergency. Alika, the largest yacht in the fleet, experienced sudden loss of steering on 21 November, which caused damage to the mainsail and an unexpected manoeuvre that threw two crew off balance; one suffered concussion and the other a serious compound ankle fracture. The Oyster 675, which was on the second leg of the ARC+ rally, from Cape Verde to Grenada, issued a Pan-Pan via VHF and ARC Rally Control alerted boats in the vicinity. Alexandra and…

Makers of the Pico dinghy, Ocean Play, are expanding by joining up with RS Sailing. The collaboration between RS and Jo Richards is now manufacturing Picos, Bugs, Bahias and Vagos, with delivery expected in late January 2023. The move, which is promised to “delight sailing schools and recreational boaters the world over”, follows successful litigation against Laser Performance. This enabled Jo Richards (designer of the four boats) to approach RS to take up the production challenge in August 2022. As well as manufacturing to Richards’ original design, Ocean Play will be offering global customer services for all four boats. Neil Coxon, head of Ocean Play, said: “These boats have enabled so many people around the world to discover their love of sailing.” Picos’ and Bugs’ mainsails now come with vertical…

Got a news story that would interest a fellow PBO reader? We want to hear from you! Email PBO news editor Laura Hodgetts at pbo@futurenet.com SOUTH COAST AND CHANNEL ISLANDS Market engagement Ports of Jersey has begun the process of market engagement for the redevelopment of Elizabeth Harbour, which is part of the St Helier Harbour Masterplan. A Prior Information Notice, which signals the upcoming work to external suppliers, has been published. The formal procurement process for Elizabeth Harbour will start early in 2023, when there will be wider engagement with potential companies in Jersey, the UK and mainland Europe. A public consultation sought islanders’ views on potential uses for the harbour area. This feedback will help to refine the final design before a planning application is submitted. ◼ ports.je/about-us/projects…

In the nearly four years I have writing Channel Hopping, I’ve frequently mentioned the most popular channels in passing, but I prefer to save most of my viewing time and column inches for lesser known channels which I find particularly interesting or engaging. However, I’ve recently spent some time catching up with what Sailing La Vagabond have been up to, and reminding myself just why they’ve managed to maintain their seemingly unassailable position at the top of the sailing vlog pyramid, well on their way to having 2 million subscribers. As I mentioned last month, their 2017 Outremer 45 is about to enter the charter market under the banner of Vagabond Adventures based out of the Bahamas, under the command of various skippers including their friend and erstwhile first mate…

Following last month’s test of the Viko S21 and learning that Paul Simmonds, the 21’s owner, is upgrading to the 30, we took the opportunity to have a peep at the latter model during the Southampton International Boat Show The first thing we noticed about the S30, especially this one which happened to be berthed next to an S21 for reference, was the fact that they are so clearly peas from the same pod. Both Sergio Lupoli designs, they share a distinct family resemblance from their open transoms to their plumb stems. The 30’s freeboard is not far off that of the 21 though, so it’s a more lithe and elegant looking affair than the cute 21. But where the 21 boasts class leading interior volume for a 21-footer, the…

When music executive John Preston died suddenly in 2017 his wife, Roz, thought she’d never sail again. But now she’s about to cross the Atlantic in their yacht Sweet Dreams, named after the Eurythmics hit by the band he worked with. “John’s death was very sudden and unexpected,” says Roz Preston, a former special advisor to Tony Blair. “The first time someone asked me what I’d do with the boat, I couldn’t even think about it, I just fell apart.” Roz and John had left Sweet Dreams in La Rochelle, intending to cruise around the Spanish rias, when John suffered a cerebral haemorrhage. They’d sailed her across the North Sea and spent three seasons in the Baltic before deciding to head south to the Med. The idea of continuing the…

Despite having never had aspirations to be a yacht delivery skipper, I was coerced into delivering a Moody 426 from the Algarve to the UK in 2006. It all started when I met an acquaintance, Malcolm, in the Kings Arms, Salcombe. After the first pint had mollified my apprehensions about Malcolm uncharacteristically buying me a beer, he bought the next round. As I wet my lips on the second pint, Malcolm wondered aloud if I would be prepared to collect his late father’s yacht from its mooring in Vilamoura and sail her back to Salcombe. I’d recently retired so the chance to sail a yacht from Portugal to the UK, all expenses paid, was an attractive proposition. My wife and I had owned three yachts since 1989 sailing extensively to…

Boats keep water out by design, but unfortunately that makes them very good at keeping moisture in. On our boat Ti-Gitu in cooler weather when we have a heater on, the windows run with water, the lockers become damp and in the corners of lockers, black mould will appear. This often happens aboard boats stored ashore for the winter but is especially true in a boat that is being lived aboard for extended periods of time. The average human loses approximately 800ml of water through breathing and the skin each day. Working or exercising hard an average person sheds between 0.8lt to 1.4lt per hour. Evaporation from cooking and places such as the bilges, or cleaning work surfaces, washing and showering all adds to the moisture in the atmosphere. Obviously…

We pay for your cruising stories and harbour updates – email pbo@futurenet.com. For more adventures, visit www.pbo.co.uk/cruising Before us lies the Swedish bay of Haparanda. We couldn’t sail between the coast and the islands because the bridge to Seskarö blocks the passage of yachts – it is too low. But that doesn’t matter: the way around the island is longer, but beautiful, as is the landscape up here. The archipelago coast that has accompanied us since the south of Sweden, since Oskarshamn, is seemingly endless. The weather is great, there is a pleasant Force 4 wind blowing from the east and the sun is shining warmly. First, the words ‘Haparanda Hamn’ slide into the chartplotter screen on the bulkhead of our Vindö 32, Svanen. Then we see the harbour ‘live’,…

Sewage spills legal action The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is taking legal action against the UK Government for failing to address the ‘sewage pollution scandal’ facing English shores. MCS research shows there are 1,651 storm overflows within 1km of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in England, spilling sewage into the sea for a shocking 263,654 hours in 2021. The legal case seeks to compel the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to rewrite its Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan 2022, impose tighter deadlines on water companies and redevelop the plan to apply to all coastal waters. Find the full details at mcsuk.org/news Bluewater opportunity Adventure firm 59° North Sailing is offering crew apprenticeships for 2023 and beyond aboard its Farr 65 Falken. Applications are open to all, with…

Hot on the heels of a successful inaugural show in 2022, SBS BoatLife 2023 is celebrating ‘an extremely high rebook rate’ from exhibitors. Organisers say the Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) and motorboat sectors will be well represented with models from Cobra, Gala, Honda, Ranieri, Neptune, Bayliner, Fairline, Axopar, Grandezza, Cobalt Boats and Atlantic Marine to name a few. A new Angling Village feature is planned for this year’s BoatLife, which will be held at Birmingham NEC 16-19 February 2023. There will also be the new Activity Pool sponsored by GJW Direct and watersports demonstrations from Rockley, talks on the stage hosted by Mark Cavell, and an inland waterways exhibition with 10-plus narrowboats on display. ■ boatlifeevents.com…

Increasing numbers of boat owners are seeing the merits of dinghy cruising and day sailing, if the continued growth in membership of the Dinghy Cruising Association (DCA) is anything to go by. The same is happening in Normandy and Brittany with the beautifully designed François Vivier sail and oar boats leading the charge. In fact the sail and oar movement is growing all across Europe and across the pond in the USA too. Cruising dinghies offer certain advantages over heavier boats. They can be towed to different coastal and inland waters, they can be kept in good condition at home avoiding marina charges, they may not need a motor and with the clever use of boat tents they can offer cosy accommodation for a night or two. Perhaps more importantly…

Designed for taking parties of anglers out for fishing trips, Mitch, our Mitchell 31 MkII Sea Angler is in essence a very simple boat. There is a large open cockpit with the engine box at its centre, a wheelhouse, and a small forward cabin. We’d bought Mitch in 1999, and spent many happy days taking our children, their friends, cousins and beach toys around Poole Harbour, occasionally venturing to the Solent. The children grew up, and Mitch became a depressing sight in the garden. In 2017, my wife Sally and I were thinking of buying a sailing boat, with the idea of an Atlantic circuit. We looked at several yachts, but decided that we couldn’t buy another boat while Mitch was so shamefully neglected, with vegetation sprouting in the bilges.…

Ocean Signal RescueME PLB3 AIS personal locator beacon A key element of the Metstrade marine show in Amsterdam is the DAME Design Awards, which recognise some of the most outstanding new pieces of marine equipment, tools or products each year. This year British companies took home many of the prizes, including the overall winner. The advent of personal locator beacons that send a distress signal via satellite communications using the same channels as EPRIBs, plus personal AIS beacons that can show the casualty’s exact position on a boat’s chartplotter, have transformed the chances of a person that has been washed overboard. The two devices serve different purposes, but all too often you don’t wear both at the same time, limiting the chances of quick rescue. OceanSignal’s existing MOB1 personal AIS…

With less than a week to go before our summer cruise on the PBO Project Boat Maximus, I drove through hail and thunderstorms to Cobb’s Quay Marina in Poole. Our sails were already en-route, in the boot of sailmaker Tim Scarisbrick’s car. Daryl Morgan, who supplied the cloth on behalf of Bainbridge, would be there any minute, and boat tester David Harding was out in a RIB somewhere in Poole Harbour. Shortly we’d be doing a Maxi 84 boat test… while also rigging brand new sails. “Am I ready for this?” I asked myself, as I stopped at Force 4 chandlery to buy some shackles; a twisted one for the backstay tensioner, and a straight one for the furler swivel. I’d sailed Maximus for all of 10 minutes. Perhaps I…

During this year’s Golden Globe Race prologue, from the Spanish port of Gijon to Les Sables d’Olonne in western France, Abhilash Tomy’s Rustler 36 Bayanat was involved in a collision with a cargo vessel. Fortunately, his boat didn’t appear to be seriously threatened, beyond damage to the forestay chainplate. However, as is often the case, the full extent of the damage was not obvious at sea. After he docked in Les Sables d’Olonne, the scale of the repair needed became clear. More than 18in of the bow section of the hull – and a larger portion of the deck – was severely delaminated and had to be cut away in a drastic, but necessary, first step. After the incident Tomy’s first satellite phone call – even before his wife or…

Got a question? Email pbo@futurenet.com Here’s just a selection of the latest questions from PBO readers. For more expert advice, visit pbo.co.uk/expert-advice/expert-answers Q I have a question due to my limited knowledge of electrics. My boat has a Yanmar 2GM20 engine with the alternator charging two batteries, The faster the alternator revolves more power is generated which then charges the batteries. How is the ratio of the driving pulley to alternator pulley determined? At tickover the alternator is not generating a large amount of power so why don’t manufacturers ‘gear-up’ the alternator to increase the rpm and thereby increase the charging rate. Obviously at max revs the increased charge rate would then be even greater. Please explain. Paul Farr STU DAVIES REPLIES: OK, a bit of history first: batteries used…