Innehållsförteckning för September 2023 från Practical Boat Owner

Practice makes perfect Recovering a ‘real life’ man overboard (MOB) is something I’ve fortunately never had to do. The latest figures (page 7) from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have left me pondering about how successful I would be if it did happen. Of the 144 MOB incidents reported to the branch from recreational boats between 2015-2023, 69 resulted in tragedy; only the fishing industry had a higher fatality rate. These figures have generated much discussion, with many highlighting that there are far more MOBs with a happier outcome than the 144 reported to the MAIB. True, but for me, this misses the point; any fatal MOB is one too many. On average, you have under 11 minutes to rescue a MOB before they become unresponsive–and even less time…

An Isle of Wight sailor was lost at sea during the Junior Offshore Group (JOG) cross-Channel race from Cowes to Deauville in Normandy, France. JOG Yacht Racing confirmed that the man lost overboard from X332 Alexa, a 33ft yacht in the Cowes-Deauville race, is Robin Lilley, a retired company director from St Lawrence. Following a Mayday call to the French rescue services on 26 May at approximately 2130, air rescue and lifeboats, together with nearby vessels and a number of competing boats, assisted in a search for Robin, some 15 miles from the finish in the Seine Bay off the northern coast of France. A spokesperson said: “He was sadly not recovered despite an extensive air and sea search. The 33ft offshore yacht is based in Cowes and was sailing…

Floating wrecks I’ve been a regular Windermere user for over 30 years, with a boat kept on a swinging mooring for 14 years. Over the past five or so years there has been an increase in abandoned, floating, rotting wrecks. There must be dozens; there are at least six within 200m from my boat. Apart from detracting from the lake’s natural beauty, they pose a risk to responsible mooring holders when strops fail and a boat breaks free. My boat was damaged in such an incident. I contacted South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) and Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) one year ago to highlight this. Their pleasant replies told me nothing, with ‘data protection’ as their reason. One task both SLDC and LDNPA do in a timely manner is…

Someone somewhere recently said that compasses on boats are now a waste of space. We inhabit a universe, this person said, in which GPS reigns supreme. Anyone who wastes time looking at a wavering disc decorated with numbers is living in the past and should immediately clap on his top hat and direct his hansom cab to the nearest Home for the Functionally Bewildered. This point of view needs investigation. It is of course true that aids to navigation have improved over the past half century. This has been handy in the heat we had early this summer, as the navigator was spared the necessity of crouching over the chart table attempting to make pencil marks on a chart greasy with the sweat of the brow. Navigators have been able…

Right around the UK in a small boat is a long sail, close to 2,000 miles in fact if you include Ireland. Along the way you’ll likely encounter almost every kind of weather and sea state, so having the right boat is paramount. Over the past 100 years cruising boat design has changed beyond imagination, with the emphasis for modern yachts placed predominantly on brisk performance and spacious, bright and luxurious interiors. The primary element nowadays, for both sail and motor yachts, is commonly speed and comfort, whereas 50 years ago it was more about its ability to handle adverse conditions. A yacht had to look after its crew regardless of the weather and a keen performance was simply a bonus. Of course, there were plenty of racing yachts back…

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Firstly, if your boat was built before the inception of the Recreational Craft Directive (RCD), which came into force on 16 June 1998, then you won’t need to worry about the next few paragraphs from a compliance point of view. Those of you who own boats built after that date need to consider what a ‘major craft conversion’ is and why we need to comply. In 2006, the RCD was amended to include a major craft conversion clause, which covered any significant alterations to a boat’s design that may affect its essential safety. In a nutshell, it stated that any modifications, which clearly change the way the boat or its systems are operated, will mean the boat will require a reassessment of its RCD certificate. Since Brexit, the UK equivalent…

How many of us follow the full engine winterising schedule, especially if you keep your boat in the water? I’m probably one of many who have limited this to simply changing oil and filters and ignored flushing through the engine cooling system, especially when the engine intake skin fitting is difficult to get at. Well, we ignore these things at our peril! More often than not we check that the water is flowing out through the exhaust, and eyeball the system for any tell-tale signs of obvious leaks, then let sleeping dogs lie, not realising that an unseen build-up of salts can seriously restrict the amount of water running through the heat exchange manifold. I learned a hard lesson last spring after leaving my boat–and its inboard marine diesel–unused for…

Many new (and some not so new) yachts are not fitted with headboards to their bunks, probably to reduce manufacturing costs. My wife has a convenient bulkhead to lean her head against but on my side of the bunk, the mattress ends with a sheer drop to the floor. I’d been making do with a wedge of foam to stop my pillows falling off but it wasn’t very successful and it didn’t support my head when reading in bed. With little else to occupy my mind on a cold winter’s night, I had a lightbulb moment when I suddenly realised the benefits that could be gained from having a headboard at the end of my side of the bunk. I could find nothing online, so the only solution was to…

Turning in a tight space is best broken down into a series of pre-planned steps. Even experienced skippers take a deep breath when presented with a very small space, especially if it’s windy. So, it’s best to practise when the conditions are not too challenging so that each step of the process becomes as smooth and controlled as possible. First, carefully assess the turning area. Work out where the prevailing wind and tide are coming from and which way you are going to turn (it’s always easier to turn towards those elements). Look for any craft that present an extra hazard by sticking out further than the rest and any empty spaces that might give you extra room. Remember the pivot points on your vessel–about a ⅓ from the bow…

Lively conditions challenged the 1,100-strong fleet of yachts of all shapes and sizes during the annual Round the Island Race around the Isle of Wight. The ever-popular sailing event, organised by the Island Sailing Club (ISC) on 1 July, saw shifting winds and a large swell on the south of the island during the 50-mile course. Several RNLI lifeboats from Yarmouth, Bembridge, Lymington Mudeford, Calshot, Portsmouth and Cowes saw one of the busiest Round the Island Races with multiple taskings made. Yarmouth crew, en route to attend a sailor with a leg injury, diverted course to help a casualty drifting in and out of consciousness on a 33ft yacht. When their condition deteriorated, they were airlifted to hospital by coastguard helicopter. Two multihulls were capsized, including the 66ft Gunboat Coco…

SOUTH COAST & CHANNEL ISLANDS ‘Sea-vomit’ found An invasive sea-squirt has been discovered at Jersey’s Elizabeth Marina. The Carpet Sea-Squirt (Didemnum vexillum), known as Sea-Vomit, was found in four small colonies under several pontoons in May during routine monitoring with an underwater camera, then spotted attached to boats in the marina. Samples sent to Marine Scotland experts confirmed its presence. Alastair Christie, senior scientific officer for invasive species in Jersey, said: “It’s a concern as it may have some impacts on aquaculture businesses in damaging stocks, marine leisure in increasing the fouling of boat hulls, and also upon our native marine ecology as a competitor with our existing marine species.” It is hoped that swift removal, followed by continued monitoring, will avoid a significant infestation. Wedged yacht Ryde Pier on…

Boats and photography don’t really mix. It’s different, of course, if you have a big fancy camera, with a zoom lens for seabirds and, most importantly, someone else to do the actual sailing so that you’re not simultaneously trying to zoom in on a diving tern and prevent an accidental gybe. This particular day was practically a flat calm, and my engine was still playing up a bit. My theory was that I was shutting the fuel off because it was dripping out from somewhere, but then when I started the engine the drip had created an airlock, making it stuttery when it first ran… so, I thought, I’d give it a good run to the end of the voe, then sail back under genoa, and leave the fuel switched…

Bente 28 Price: From €109,159/£93.507 ex VAT Contact: benteyachts.com Bente Yachts has new owners and is growing on its initial success with the Bente 24 by launching a new Bente 28. Designed by Judel and Vrolijk, the 28 is relatively beamy (2.99m/9.80ft) with generous space below. The transparent deckhouse allows plenty of light into the open plan living accommodation and also provides decent head height – but could make it hot below decks in places like the Med. There are two cabins, saloon, galley and heads with 1.98m/6.49ft of headroom. This offshore cruiser comes with a standard cast iron torpedo keel, with a performance lead keel being an option. With the standard keel the ballast ratio is 31% and this, coupled with the double Jefa rudder system (which has one…

My Trusty T23 was great for enjoying Chichester Harbour at 4-5 knots, but going any further was a bit of a strain. Every time you let go of the wheel she would quickly veer off course. If there’s more than one crewmember this isn’t such a problem, but I tend to cruise alone and make long voyages so help was going to be needed from an autopilot. Initially, I had to find the size of the steering cylinder to work out which autopilot kit I needed. At a pinch, the smallest one might have worked for my Trusty T23, but there was certainty with the next size up, so I ordered one. Autopilots are usually called ‘George’, probably after their inventor George DeBeeson, and can be a better helm in…

Following a two-year pause from cruising habits in our Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 349, Scoundrel, we were ready to set sail again. The hiatus was partly due to me being overseas in Malaysia and also because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We’d enjoyed a very successful cruise to the Scottish Western Isles and the Island of Harris in 2019 so in 2022, co-owner John McQuaid and I decided to head north again, but remain to the western edge of the North Channel. Tory Island was our goal. We had visited that most remote of our offshore islands in 2018 during our round Ireland voyage but because of impending bad weather reports, we stayed less than 24 hours. Eager to spend more time exploring Tory and also keen to investigate other interesting harbours…

NAVIGATION Gone to pot Q When will something be done about pot markers? On a cruise west from Gosport this May, I estimated that around 1% of pot markers met legal requirements. Sailing round Portland Bill, with the usual confused wind and narrow inshore passage, I was obliged to use my motor and I found dodging the huge number of markers–none of which were large, colourful, labelled or flagged–a frightening experience. At Start Point, I was finally caught out by two small markers covered in weed with a line between them on the surface, neither of which I saw until the boat was lifted the next day to free the prop. As the ebb tide ran ever stronger against the building wind while I was securely anchored by the pot…

Where to moor and anchor Dubbed The Land of a Thousand Lakes, sailors can choose from lively marinas that can accommodate 300-plus boats to very small, family-run pontoons and countless possible creek anchorages–especially out of peak season. The biggest reservoirs of Śniardwy, Mamry, Niegocin, Dargin and many others are connected by canals. At 114km2 Śniardwy, known as the Masurian Sea, is 10 times bigger than Lake Windermere in Cumbria. Lake Mamry and its adjacent waters are 104 km2. It takes two to three days to sail from one side of the Masurian Lakes to the other. Spend a week or a fortnight exploring, travelling north to south from Węgorzewo to Mikołajki or further to Śniardwy, or vice versa. Beware of obstacles hidden under the water’s surface, which can be poorly…

Lake sailing in Poland is very different from coastal sailing. There are no tides to contend with and because you can find a marina or pontoon wherever you are, there’s no requirement to plan a day’s sailing. You can simply go where the wind takes you. But you need your wits about you too. Sailors have to be tuned in to sudden wind shifts and lulls, blasts between islands that fizzle into nothing, or vice versa. Some lakes are so big you can barely see the shore, connected by canals so shallow it’s easy to run aground. Masts, keels and rudders go up and down all day–and this is where boat design gets clever. The perfect choice For our adventure with Undiscovered Sailing, our hosts Wojtek and Patrycja Tomala chose…

Southampton International Boat Show (SIBS) will celebrate ‘Women in Marine Day’ by shining a light on many of the remarkable achievements and successes by women. The SIBS Foredeck Stage will feature talks and presentations by leading personalities and supporting this initiative, the Cruising Association and PBO have teamed up to host a conversation with world record-breaking sailor Jeanne Socrates. Join PBO editor Katy Stickland and Jeanne from 1530-1600 on Thursday 21 September. Jeanne’s epic list of accomplishments include being the oldest person to sail solo, nonstop and unassisted around the world via the Southern Ocean’s five Great Capes. She is also recognised as the first woman to sail solo, nonstop unassisted around the world from North America. The 80-year-old’s latest adventure got under way in mid-April when she set off…

A 195.4m (640ft) cargo ship lost power and grounded on Wolf Rock Lighthouse off the Isles of Scilly, for 30 minutes, before drifting off towards Mount’s Bay, Cornwall. HM Coastguard coordinated the response on 10 July which saw 28 volunteers from Sennen Cove, Penlee, The Lizard and Falmouth RNLI lifeboat stations spend nearly 15 hours at sea in challenging conditions. Sennen Cove’s coxswain, Ollie George said: “Thankfully the Mazarine was able to clear Wolf Rock, but unable to restart her engines she was drifting at a rate of two knots towards Mounts Bay.” A tug, tasked from Falmouth, towed the vessel with a lifeboat escort to sheltered waters east of the Lizard where inspections were carried out. The vessel was taken to Falmouth Harbour for repairs. Tom Mansell, RNLI lifesaving…

Naturally, one never really owns a boat such as Lady Osmosis of Romford, one is merely her custodian for one’s time on earth… You can substitute the boat name of your choice here, because anyone who has ever walked into a yacht club has heard the story countless times before. The first half dozen times you probably felt privileged to hear what an immense privilege it was to own such a boat. “It’s our duty to preserve her for posterity and pass her on to the next generation,” sighs the saviour of this priceless piece of maritime heritage as he lingeringly sucks the last of his beer and holds your gaze through the frothy porthole at the bottom of his glass, as the bar thins out. It’s humbling to hear…

Every few years my wife, Brenda, and I hire a boat on the Norfolk Broads for a rest and some good walks. Over the years we’ve hired many types of boats from traditional Broads sailing cruisers to modern, comfortable motor cruisers but our favourite for the last four occasions has been the Silver Jubilee class, large wooden traditional cruisers built in the late 1960s to early 1970s by Martham Boats. These fine vessels are 43ft long with an 11ft beam and are constructed of mahogany onto oak frames. With an amidships bridge there is accommodation forward and aft with two heads and a shower. The Silver Jubilee 1 model has nine berths and is very comfortable for just the two of us. We have one end of the boat each…

It’s the middle of the night, you need the loo and the marina toilet block is just too far away. Or maybe you’re canal-boating, camping in a boatyard or star-gazing from your trailer-sailer. Aside from doing the business overboard (a big no-no inshore), your standard bucket is, of course, your emergency option. But there are many sophisticated portable toilets on the market these days for all bottoms and budgets: they’re inexpensive, lightweight and quick and easy to set-up. The only downside is that you need to empty them by hand, and with flush loos you need to replace the chemicals after 10 days or so. Or alternatively, if you already have a boat toilet, but no holding tank, a simple option is to fit a bag to catch your waste.…

Whenever making changes to any boat, it’s a good idea to write down as much as possible about the idea. Sometimes this is called a mission statement. Let’s take a typical situation and use it as an example of how to achieve a change in the cabin. The yacht is a 40ft/12.5m cruiser with a couple living on board. Plenty of time is spent in harbour and as these two are competent, they do not need friends on board to help when at sea. In harbour, they sleep on the two forward berths which are made into a double by a triangular plywood insert at the aft end of the berths. At sea, one person is on watch at night and the other sleeps in the quarter berth where it…

Signal wire connectors make a permanent joint between two or three small diameter signal wires. Use ‘Eton 23’ or ‘Scotchlok’ type connectors that are gel-filled and seal automatically when the joint is made. Signal wire connectors are readily attainable from specialist suppliers online. They have the advantage that they’re designed especially for small-diameter signal wire, such as that used for instrument connections, and are light enough not to need direct support. They are also very easy to fit but not removable. INSULATING CONNECTIONS Heat shrinking As we have shown previously, using heat-shrinking tubing is an effective way of insulating a connection. Some heat-shrink tubing is coated internally with adhesive, which melts when heated. This makes a very corrosion-proof joint. Insulating awkward joints Where it’s difficult to apply conventional insulation, such…

Plywood boatbuilding has been popular for years – it’s cheaper, quicker and more accessible than traditional building methods – but in the past you’d need to loft the plans onto the plywood or use large, full-size paper plans to transfer to the panels. Enter Computerised Numerical Control (CNC) machines which allow the designer to transfer all the panels into a computer-aided design (CAD) program that then allows the CNC machine to cut out the panels with great precision and speed. The builder then gets started straight away with the fun part–assembling the boat with minimum risk of misshapen panels or human error. Epoxy allowed plywood boatbuilding to become faster and easier. Using a stitch and glue method–where panels are held together with wire or cable ties (stitched!) to get the…

When cruising, tides and current are important. But how accurate is the tidal information available, and how can you best use routing apps and software to navigate in tidal waters? Wherever we have current (tidal or other) this will always influence the sailing wind and the boat’s course over the ground. At anchor, we can accurately measure the wind speed and direction, which we call the ground wind. However, if we are just drifting the effect of the current will alter the wind speed and direction that we are measuring. This is what is usually called the sailing wind or apparent wind. This relationship between the ground wind and sailing wind is not just important for racing around the cans but also when venturing offshore. We can look at the…

How do you get from one lake to another? My brother Jack, a ferry captain, wanted to know this when I said I was off to sail a cruising yacht on the Masurian Lake District. “And, where is it?” The vast network of more than 2,000 lakes is in the north-eastern part of Poland, formerly part of East Prussia, with Olsztyn being the closest airport. You explore by motorboat–or yacht if you’re willing to drop your mast–passing under bridges and through canals and forest-lined rivers. A lifting keel helps negotiate the shallower points and is also handy for tucking into creeks for a night at anchor. “I never knew Poland had a lake district”, said my travelling companion, PBO’s Ali Wood, “and I’ve been a yachting journalist for 20 years.”…

1 When coming in from the sea in the UK and Europe there are red can buoys to port (left) and green conical buoys to starboard (right). Remember they should be on the same side as the boat’s nav lights, or remember ‘the skipper left his red port wine behind’. In the Americas, Japan, Korea and the Philippines they use the same shape buoys but swap the colours over – remember ‘right red returning’. 2 Chart symbols unfortunately give no indication of the buoy’s size. 3 Cardinal marks are the same the world over and are based on points of the compass. The North buoy has two top marks pointing up (north) and the South has two top mark pointing downwards (south). West and East are trickier ones. I remember…