Innehållsförteckning för September 2024 från Practical Boat Owner

Like many boat owners, Richard Rogers (page 56) fell in love with the lines of his Morgan Giles 30 with big plans to refit the yacht. He and his partner, Alice, wanted an expedition boat to sail to high latitudes. Of course, the work took longer than expected and the costs rose, but they persevered and now the boat – which initially cost them just £1,500 – is almost ready to launch. Lynn Roach (page 41) also underwent the highs and lows of preparing for offshore cruising, having bought a classic wooden yacht which naively, he thought would become ‘as popular’ as a classic car. Instead, he found all of the frames and deck beam ends were rotten and needed replacing. As he notes: “This was going to cost a…

One year after becoming the first person to sail solo around every island in England and Wales, Ken Fowler teamed up with a World Champion RS Aero sailor for a new ‘micro’ challenge. With 262 islands and 1,336 miles under his belt, Ken joined forces with Peter Barton for their own take on The Three Lakes Challenge, sailing the lengths of Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) in Wales, Windermere in England, and Loch Awe in Scotland. Ken, a retired air traffic controller who only learned to sail 15 years ago, added a non-stop time constraint as he was inspired by The National 3 Peaks Challenge, where participants climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales within a 24-hour window. He said: “We discovered the Three Lakes Challenge undertaken by…

A deadly hurricane left a trail of devastation and loss of life across several Caribbean nations and territories, including Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Hurricane Beryl, which became infamous for being the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the historical record for the Atlantic Basin, saw wind peaking at 165mph on 2 July. Carriacou Island was among the worst hit before Beryl continued its destructive path to Jamaica and Texas, USA. AIS tracking on MarineTraffic.com showed a mass exodus of yachts evacuating Grenada and the Windward Islands on 30 June ahead of Hurricane Beryl’s arrival. The Trinidad Cruisers Association Facebook Group provided updates for sailors regarding arrivals, safe anchorages and storm shelter locations. Customs fees were waived for arriving yachts. Cruisers also assisted fellow boats…

SOUTH COAST & CHANNEL ISLANDS Braye vision The States of Alderney’s long-term vision for the Braye Harbour Area is undergoing public consultation. States Member Bruce Woodhead said the decision to spend £60,000 on consultants came after “advance discussions” with a marina developer prompted many to wonder “if putting a marina in isolation in the bay was the right thing to do”. The resulting Braye Opportunity Area MasterPlan is a 10-15-year framework for transforming the harbour and western end of the Braye Bay area, in partnership with the commercial and business community, investors and developers. Mr Woodhead said: “The plan does indicate a marina potential at a later date.” ■ Find out more at: www.pbo.co.uk/alderney ■ pbo.co.uk/alderney-video Adventurer appeal The Royal Western Yacht Club’s new Worldstar event is for “sailors wishing…

Phrases such as “get the fenders out, we need to take on guacamole” are not what you expect to hear on passage unless your skipper is hallucinating or mad. To be fair we weren’t exactly offshore, but we were on the water, on the surreal world of Britain’s labyrinth of inland waterways. We were approaching the Tesco jetty in the centre of Maldon’s retail park on a boat belonging to my friend Trevor, who has a serious guacamole dependency problem. To be exact, we were on the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation on our way to Chelmsford, and in truth it had never occurred to me that it was possible to get there by boat. I don’t know whether it was the hallucinogenic effect of the guacamole but the whole episode…

One advantage of moving around the globe and changing jobs is that life is interesting. A disadvantage might be that it keeps you financially poor with little pension. But even this may be considered an advantage because it keeps you working by necessity and the old brain ticking over. So, at 75 I find myself still teaching and enjoying it and when talking to Steve, skipper and owner of the Thames sailing barge Greta and a much younger man than me, I found a kindred spirit. We need people like Steve to continually build their skills, pass them on and keep going to preserve our rich heritage of sailing craft. Steve is doing a grand job with his 1892-built vessel – while introducing people to the wonderful world of Thames…

There are multitudes of knots but, thankfully perhaps, today’s boat owner only needs to learn a few. These are mostly, but not exhaustively, the knots we’ll show here. A single boater might tie many thousands of these a year. First off is a reminder that knots weaken rope. The 1951 Admiralty Manual of Seamanship grandly states: ‘All knots, bends, or hitches, reduce the strength of a rope in that ponent of it where the knot, bend, or hitch is made. This reduction varies from 40 to 60%.’ The gist of this is really that knots are still makeshift, and although powerful, are designed to be temporary linkages. Reef knot Top of my list for the most useful knot for joining two pieces of line with the same material and diameter…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH boatcare by boatfolk The heart that keeps everything running smoothly, from navigation lights to refrigerators, is a yacht’s electrical system. Electrical problems on a yacht, however, can be frustrating and, in some cases, dangerous. The good news is that by taking preventative measures and familiarising yourself with the warning signs, you can avoid many electrical issues and ensure a safe and enjoyable voyage. Preventing electrical problems ■ Marine-grade everything Unlike your home electrics a yacht’s system is exposed to a harsh marine environment. Always use marine-grade wires, cables, and electrical components. These are designed to withstand moisture, salt, and vibration, which are the leading causes of electrical problems on boats. ■ The right connections Loose or corroded connections are a major culprit behind electrical woes. Regularly inspect…

Sailing into our 70th decade, my wife, Marike, and I were beginning to feel that our much-loved Union 36 Absconder, a 36ft heavy displacement cutter, was getting a bit too much for us. Old bones needed more space and comfort, and the continuous maintenance was changing from a pleasure to a chore. In addition, sailing in the increasingly crowded waters of the Netherlands and long-keeled without a bow-thruster, she was sometimes frustratingly difficult to manoeuvre. We did some homework but instead of opting for a nice little cabin cruiser, we upsized to a 2006 Dufour 44 Performance cruiser/racer. She had lots of space and came with all mod-cons both above deck and below but the one thing she didn’t have was a bow-thruster. However, the vendor assured us that with…

■ Make regular visual checks and ensure split pins, etc. are in place. Keep the rig tight and tuned. See pbo.co.uk/rigchecks ■ Radio at the earliest sign of rig damage. Better to have boats/the coastguard on standby should the situation worsen and require fuel or an evacuation. The RYA SafeTrx app is also useful ■ Use halyards to secure a mast if shrouds, stays or any other standing rigging is damaged ■ If you have wire or an old stay on board, bulldog grips and a ratchet strap can be used to secure it to a broken or damaged shroud ■ Carry a good-quality battery grinder and thin cutting blades for rod rigging, as well as bolt cutters and a good quality hacksaw with bi-metal blades ■ Keep a spare…

The European Commission issued a recall warning in June regarding Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410, 440 and 490 yachts produced between 2020 and 2022, due to a glueing problem with the underwater bow thrusters. The safety alert was published one year after it was sent to the authorities and the recall process is now almost finalised. A spokesman for the French yacht manufacturer said: “Because the safety of Jeanneau boat owners is an absolute priority, Jeanneau decided, in April 2023, to launch a recall campaign aimed at reinforcing the glueing of the Sleipner-Sidepower retractable bow thruster modules in the hulls of Sun Odyssey 410, 440 and 490 equipped with this option and produced in 2020, 2021 and 2022. “A complete mechanic was deployed including a public and dedicated section of the…

There had been northerlies, hard and cold. There had been reefing, and a lot of hammering short head seas, and a certain amount of motoring among reflections in the roar of the diesel that Dahlia, while kept to the highest standards of fitout possible given the effect on varnishing of drizzle and midges, is at least 50 years old. But she is solid, solid. And now we were proceeding under full sail on a broad reach under a sky crusted with stars, Arran black and jagged against the sky to the south-west, the breeze, for a change, gentle and charming. All was quiet, except for the faint hiss of the sea. And then it wasn’t. There was a noise: a sort of clattering buzz, like an electric motor. It sent…

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH boatcare by boatfolk How do you keep two 11-year-olds occupied over a long weekend? When our grandson Cameron and his friend Flynn came to stay, we built this kayak together. You will need: ■ Two 8x4 sheets of 3mm softwood plywood. We used ordinary hardware store ply. (Editor’s note: it is advisable to use the more expensive marine ply). ■ Two 2,700mm x 19mm x 19mm lengths of timber for inwales. ■ Other scrounged offcuts of 19mm timber board. ■ 1,200mm long x 25mm dia paddle pole. ■ Bonsai wire and pliers. ■ Small galvanized nails (under 20mm). ■ Building or car repair polyester filler. ■ Polyurethane glue. Quicker drying than epoxy but you need to clamp it as it expands when setting (wear gloves, it turns…

How do you know when your propeller’s not working hard enough? A discernible drop in speed could be due to anything from the current to the wind and sea state. On the other hand, it may be that your prop is corroded or fouled by barnacles and weed. Or it may be you had the wrong type of prop to begin with and actually, if you replaced it with one of the right diameter and pitch, you could save a chunk of money on fuel and go faster. If there’s a discrepancy between the manufacturer’s rpm range and your actual rpm, a new prop could be the answer. David Sheppard is the sales manager at Bruntons Propellers, which designs and manufactures props for commercial and leisure boats. Over the last…

Several years ago I was given two Camper & Nicholson-made commercial lifebuoys that were originally used on board a ship. They’d become faded and lost their bright orange shine so were no longer fit for commercial use. However, they’d lost none of their buoyancy and were still in solid structural condition and ideal for our motor boat. For quite a few years they lived on deck lashed to the deck rails ready for use, but happily, the only time they were ever used was for swimming in high summer. Having some spare time thanks to our lousy summer I thought they’d make a pleasant project to refurbish. 1 The first job was to check the lifebuoys thoroughly to ensure they were actually worth saving! 2 The surface had become rough…

Aviation and boating share many common traits – both are safety-critical, both operate in a hostile environment and both involve working with a crew and external agencies. Over the years aviation has developed several concepts to make everyday operations easier and safer, something the industry has got quite good at – possibly because aviation accidents tend to be quite dramatic. Most people will have seen someone who has run aground on an ebb tide or another avoidable mishap, so perhaps applying these aviation practices to your boating will prevent something like that from happening to you. Threat and error management In aviation, we take a proactive approach to risk management by anticipating problems before they develop and preventing undesirable outcomes. One of the methodologies used is called Threat and Error…

CORROSION Corroded stainless steel rudder Q My yacht, a 24ft Danish Spaekhugger, has a stainless steel rudder that sits on a stainless steel bracket fixed to the bottom of the skeg just forward of the rudder. Power washing removed the six coats of Coppercoat that I’d diligently applied to a bright, shining assembly some two years ago, revealing corrosion along the top section of the rudder (immediately aft of a small three-blade propeller), and further investigation revealed corrosion affecting the bottom bracket as well. I removed the rudder assembly and had a very competent engineering company repair the blade and machine a new bracket. What should I do to protect it from suffering further corrosion? Epoxy or Hammerite spring to mind. Nigel Hodge Vyv Cox responds: I’ve not actually tried…

Being back aboard the Swan, Shetland’s own tall ship, it felt grand. She’s a restored Fifie fishing boat, 26m long, the largest ever built in Shetland, and spends her summers doing trips with schoolchildren both here and in Orkney and Aberdeen as well as heading for exciting places further away like Norway and the Faroes. Sometimes it takes an outsider’s eye to appreciate what you’ve got. We’ve had Swan since the mid-1990s, and though we’re always aware of what a struggle it is to fund her, we take what she does for granted. It was a tonic to hear Chris, who’d come up especially from Inverness to join the four days of crew training. He also, skipper Scott told us, held the record for the quickest return: he’d enjoyed his…

This all-new design by the Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group has 15cm more beam than the Sun Odyssey 349 it replaces and wider forward sections. This gives additional interior volume, as well as space for what has become Jeanneau’s trademark walk-around side decks. Form stability is also improved. Don’t be fooled by the boat’s name – hull length is 9.99m – so it’s less than 33ft. Yet it offers as much space and speed as many older 38-footers. Light airs performance For my first day on board, we had light airs, with a maximum true wind speed of only 6.6 knots. However, we were still able to sail, reaching a boat speed of around 4.5 knots using the Code 0 at true wind angles of around 60-90°. Bearing away to…

You know how it goes. Someone posts with enthusiasm on social media that they’ve got themselves a free boat, something utterly derelict, and plan to fix it up. There are two flavours of response: 1. Best of luck mate, you’ll enjoy the work, and 2. Sorry buddy, big mistake, the most expensive boat is a free one. Those are two very different answers, so what’s the truth here? And if you’re thinking of saying ‘yes’ to that free boat, how do you decide whether to proceed or not? To investigate, Iet’s look at Aurora, our Morgan Giles 30, the rebuild of which is nearly complete. Initial costs Alice and I paid £1,500 for Aurora, so she’s not quite a free boat, but the joke goes that the Aries 2 self-steering…

“About a minute was all we had before the mast came down,” recalls skipper Henrik Linder. “During that time, everything was in the balance. We only had time to furl in the genoa before I heard a slow murmuring sound followed by a crash on deck.” Swedish yacht Hilma, a Wauquiez 47PS, was taking part in the ARC+ rally last December when the port shroud broke free 540 miles west of Cape Verde. The rig had been replaced just six months earlier, and though the seas were confused, with swells of around 2-3m, the wind was a moderate 15 knots. Fortunately, the mast fell onto the glassfibre arch, avoiding any injury to the four crew in the cockpit, including Henrik’s wife, Lotta. “I cried out! I knew exactly what was…

Normally we’d be mid-Atlantic in November on our Bowman 57 Emily Morgan, but this winter we decided to stay in the UK. After 12 years of running a successful charter yacht we needed a change in direction, mainly to be at home more with our family, so we are now using the skills and knowledge gained over the years for bluewater consultancy, to help other sailors safely do what we’ve enjoyed. However, missing the winter sun, we headed off to Las Palmas to catch up with friends and to see the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) start on 19 November. While in Las Palmas we were invited to crew a 49ft Hallberg-Rassy to the Cape Verde Islands. We arrived after a lovely five-day passage, looking forward to exploring the islands…

There we were, one cold December night in 2019, asking ‘Could we actually make an idea become reality?’ A two-year extended cruise into the Mediterranean, living aboard our 40ft Jeanneau Sun Odyssey. We’re both in our 50s, working and with a mortgage to pay and not in a position to retire just yet, but what if we kept waiting? It may never happen. So we worked out that by selling our current home and downsizing to something small we could become mortgage free. By renting that and a small business unit we owned we reckoned we could clear £1,200 per month which was tight but doable. We had a slush fund of around £5,000, strictly for emergencies. The house sold straight away which brought reality sharply into focus but the…

https://www.pbo.co.uk/reviews/boats/pointer-22-the-refreshingly-simple-trailer-sailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5I4g89tBKw&t=127s Pointer 22: the refreshingly simple trailer-sailer www.pbo.co.uk/more https://www.bit.ly/pbofeed https://www.pbo.co.uk/expert-advice/how-to-service-your-two-speed-winch-step-by-step-87510 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuKIZUxKttI&t=8s How to service your two-speed winch, step by step 22 practical tips to make your boat easier to sail when single-handing https://www.pbo.co.uk/expert-advice/22-practical-tips-for-a-single-handed-sailor-to-make-your-boat-easier-to-sail-87573 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6m7o7H7Zs&t=345s Heaving to: a question of balance https://www.pbo.co.uk/seamanship/heaving-to-a-question-of-balance-87553 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9qPZ8LxkYY&t=33s…