Innehållsförteckning för January 2025 från Practical Boat Owner

WITH THE EDITOR Interview with a giant Learning the ropes as a fresh-faced journalist in Cornwall, one of my early assignments was to interview James Wharram and Hanneke Boon. James’s book, Two Girls, Two Catamarans had been reprinted and they’d contacted the local newspaper, The West Briton, to see if we could do a feature. With my sailing background, and the fact Devoran – the home of Wharram Designs – was part of my ‘patch’, the assignment fell to me. I have to admit that at 22 years old, I was somewhat naive and ignorant. I’d never heard of James Wharram, Ruth Wharram or Hanneke Boon, nor knew just how significant they were in the world of boatbuilding and design. Ruth met me at the door and introduced me to…

An independent commission is to carry out the largest review of the water sector since privatisation. Supported by advisers, independent chairman Sir Jon Cunliffe will report findings back to the government in 2025. A public consultation will follow. RYA sustainability manager Phil Horton said: “Nothing short of complete reform and a total focus on clean water over profit will ensure a healthy water environment for people and nature.”…

Sirius Insight has signed a 10-year partnership with the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) to deliver operational funding and technological upgrades. A specialist in maritime situational awareness, combining Artificial Intelligence and state-of-the-art sensor equipment, Sirius will contribute to a rolling programme of sensor upgrades including camera, radar, and communication across the NCI’s 60 coastal stations in England and Wales. This will support NCI watchkeepers monitoring activities along the coast, with “immediate information such as live imaging”. The chief executive officer of Sirius Insight, Malcolm Glaister, said: “We have been working with the NCI and its team for over four years at stations around the coastline. This new collaboration and long-term commitment enable us to bring new sensors and world-class technologies that make the NCI’s work even more effective and valuable.” The…

SOUTH COAST & CHANNEL ISLANDS HVO power Falmouth Harbour’s new £1.6million state-of-the-art pilot boat Atlantic is now operational following an 18-month build by Holyhead Marine in North Wales. Her 46-year-old predecessor, LK Mitchell left the port in September, surrounded by a flotilla of well-wishers, bound for a gentler commercial role in Campbeltown, Scotland. The Falmouth fleet operates 24/7, 365 days a year with more than 1,000 boardings and landings per year. A Camarc design, the 16.6m Atlantic is one of the few Tier 3 compliant pilot vessels operating in the country. Once sea trials are finished, it will be powered by hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. Royal visit The Princess Royal, President of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), opened Warsash Sailing Club’s newly restored clubhouse. The occasion marked 30 years…

Cycling has certainly captured the imagination of sailors worldwide with the wall-to-wall coverage of the competition for the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, otherwise known as the America’s Cup. Just as in previous editions (remember Emirates Team New Zealand in 2017), it featured ‘cyclors’ pounding away at pedals below deck like Lycra-clad galley slaves on a Phoenician trireme. I suppose this is progress as it smashed the world pedalo water speed record previously held since 1968 by a pair of rather pink plucky Brits in Majorca who not only had forgotten their sun-block but were trying to outrun an orca and make it back ashore before they got grilled. Though we’ve never regained the America’s Cup since we lost the first one in 1851 this kind of stirring exploit makes…

This spacious J and J-designed 34-footer from 1999 immediately struck a chord with the boat-buying public, with the first year’s production selling out before the prototype left the factory. When I tested one of the first examples to reach the UK it was easy to see why. For a start, a huge investment in production engineering made this a surprisingly low-cost boat, especially as Sterling was much stronger then compared to European currencies today. At the same time, it offered excellent accommodation for a boat of this length, yet sailed well compared to many. When I visited the Bavaria factory in 2001 all plywood for bulkheads and other furniture was automatically cut and lacquered using CNC machines, before being assembled into modules that could be dropped straight into a hull.…

Readers with long memories might recall the Delphia name in connection with a range of sailing yachts built in Poland and designed by the prolific Andrzej Skrzat. I tested a fair few of them going back to 2004. Much has changed with Delphia since then. The company is still based in Poland, but is now under the Beneteau umbrella and building motorboats: the Delphia 10, 11 and 12. The latter two are available in a choice of ‘Sedan’ or ‘Flylounge’ (conventional or flybridge) configurations, and all come with either conventional Yanmar diesel engines or Torqeedo shaft-driving electric motors. I went to meet the ‘Sedan’ version of the Delphia 11 at Tingdene’s Thames and Kennet Marina, just outside Reading, on what felt like one of the few warm and sunny days…

The best portable power stations help to keep us powered up no matter where our adventures take us. For sailors, they’re the best thing since sliced bread and can be used for more than just charging your phone. Recently I skippered a Beneteau 50 and one of the guests asked where they could plug their sleep apnoea breathing apparatus in for the night while we were at anchor. The Beneteau is equipped with a splendid built-in silenced generator on board but nobody wanted to have it humming all night. A truly silent option was wrestled from the cupboard. The power pack was a simple unit from Jackery and it lasted all night. During the day we charged it up as we were underway again. The guest slept safely and everyone…

The ability to soften that slamming motion of a fast boat at sea has been greatly helped with more advanced and compact designs of shock-absorbing seating, self-adjusting trim tabs and internal or external stabilisers. Costs are tumbling as equipment is being adapted from the burgeoning robotics, aerospace, and drone sectors, allowing boat owners to leave much of the ride control to fast-acting computers. Even when mitigated, a boat’s constant movement in a seaway still requires the crew to brace themselves as their body accelerates and decelerates with each wave. This bracing is very tiring, which is why the offshore industry is increasingly using foiling vessels to transfer crew to oil rigs and windfarms. The teams arrive fresh and alert, rather than tired and maybe a little seasick. The more the boat…

Part of the engine winterisation regime is changing the oil and filters and doing certain checks and adjustments. Filters on our boat’s diesel engine are the oil filter, the fuel filters and sometimes an air filter. Filters are used to stop foreign material entering the engine whether by air or fuel and to clean the circulating engine lube oil of carbon and other combustion products. In the early days of internal combustion engines they were simple devices, basically used more as a screen to take out large particles. Today, filters are more sophisticated, manufactured with modern high-tech ‘paper’ materials and are engineered to take out particles as small as 5 microns. It is worth noting that mainstream filters from non-OEM suppliers like Parts4engines are just as good as the branded ones…

Springing off describes using a combination of a warp and engine power to swing the bows or the stern away from a pontoon or quay wall. It is used when space is restricted, and you cannot simply drive out ahead. If you have to spring off a pontoon or a wall, then make sure that the springs are doubled and led back to cockpit where they can be cast off without you having to leave the helm. One end of the spring should be just long enough to reach you in the cockpit. When the time comes to slip, let go of this end and pull on the other to quickly retrieve the line and reduce the chance of wrapping a line round your prop. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alastair Buchan…

A group of Swedes set a new world record by driving a hydrofoiling boat across the Baltic Sea from Stockholm to the Finnish autonomous region of Åland. It marked the first time an electric boat has made the journey between the two countries. They returned the same day, on 5 September. The Candela C-8 consumed 213 kWh of electricity, at a cost of €40-50, during the 150-mile trip, some 95% less than the petrol-powered support boat of similar size that had to refuel for €750.…

Major works to install 230 new berths will double Dunkirk marina’s berthing capacity. There will also be improvements to the yard at Dunkerque Grand Large in northern France to allow all boats to be hoisted, regardless of the tides. The waterfront is to be developed, with new cafes and restaurants, and the canal to the north of the marina will be reinforced, landscaped and lined with new residential buildings. A terraced walkway will connect the marina to the beach. Initial works at the TransEurope Marina will begin shortly with the required dredging due to be carried out by November 2025. The boatyard project is scheduled to take place between January 2026 and April 2027. Marina manager Julien Boulanger said: “The Communauté urbaine de Dunkerque has embarked on an ambitious strategy to…

Two new wheelchair-accessible powerboats are now operational on the inland waterways. A Coulam V20 Wheelyboat has been launched at Bisham Abbey, near Marlow, by charities Accessible Boating Thames, The Wheelyboat Trust and others. The vessel will enable those with mobility issues the freedom to board and operate the boat safely and independently, and enjoy outings on the River Thames. Meanwhile, a Coulam V17 Wheelyboat – named Liberty – is now being used for the first time on the Gorton Reservoirs near Manchester. The boat was launched by wheelchair basketball Paralympian, Laurie Williams.…

There is a 5hp Yamaha 2-stroke outboard in the shed. It was reliable until it wasn’t. There it sits, in bits, waiting for a winter afternoon when there is absolutely nothing else to do. Its only real use, besides offering diversion for the dedicated in-shed tinkerer, has been as a motivating force for the tender, and thus for Dahlia’s seven tons with the tender strapped alongside when all else fails. You may see it as a lump of rotting aluminium, I see it as a Project Portal. The first project we considered was to swap it for something electric. This is all very well, but we have not been able to find an electric outboard chargeable by an inverter using the weedy 12V power derived from our very small solar…

Designed by Rob Humphreys, the Elan Impression 344 won the European Yacht of the Year sub-10m category in 2006. It has a three-cabin layout with a forecabin that almost matches that of the Bavaria 34 but retains a more conventional saloon layout than the Sun Odyssey 34.2. However the Impression 344 was built in smaller numbers and fewer were sold in northern Europe and the UK, although there are plenty of examples in Croatia, where some are still in service in charter fleets. Beneteau’s First 36.7 is a direct contemporary of the Bavaria 34 and Oceanis 361, but with more of an emphasis on performance, a number of which were pushed hard as offshore race boats when new. Today, they are regarded as a moderate design that nonetheless combines speed…

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As a guide to what is available, we have alphabetically listed some of the main manufacturers and the type of products they can provide. Some makers have great videos on their websites to show exactly how the forces are mitigated, greatly improving your enjoyment, and endurance, at sea. Suspension Seating BENTLEY’S Based in the US, Bentley’s manufactures the Mariner range of suspension seats, with single shock absorbers for crew of up to 114kg (250lb), and double shocks for those above. Other products include a swivel base that locks every 90°. Contact: www.bentleysmfg.com SCANDINAVIAN SUSPENSION SEAT SYSTEMS (4S) Manufacturer of a wide range of base units, in a choice of sizes and finishes, to which the boat owner can attach their own marine seats. This company also produces complete saddle seats…

When a bilge pump operates it pushes into the marine environment all the water that has built up in the bilge of any vessel – and that can include oil, microplastics and detritus from on board. We all recognise that the ocean is critical for life on Earth. It regulates our climate and is home to an incredible array of marine life and plant species. But our seas are facing several threats, among them are oil spills and microplastics. Boaters are increasingly aware of personal impact. Just one drop of oil or fuel in the water will create a visible ‘blue-shine’ which can spread for up to 6m. If you can see oil in the water–in marinas or out at sea when dirty bilge water is automatically pumped overboard–this equates…

Where does it start? An impact against a moored heavy steel vessel? A bent shaft caused by the metal handle of a bucket getting caught round the prop during MOB drills? Loose engine-supporting nuts on the engine mounts? Or perhaps one of the occasional dings and scrapes suffered by my Jeanneau Voyagè 12.5 Cascadeur in use as a school boat? When I bought Cascadeur in 2011, it was for the express purpose of using her as a sail training vessel, initially with my own school, but later with a well-known Southampton-based sailing academy. Now, as a recently retired cruising instructor, I know that for students to learn they have to be allowed to make some mistakes. The instructor’s job is to see the adverse situation developing, and then to intercede…

ADDITIONAL READING In the heavily–illustrated Short-handed Sailing, Alastair Buchan passes on the lessons of his hard-won experience gained while short-and single-handed sailing in coastal, offshore and ocean waters. It will show you everything you need to know about handling a boat alone or short-handed, from choosing a suitable craft to passage planning, manoeuvring, sleep management and watchkeeping. Short-handed Sailing is published by Fernhurst Books (£16.99)…

Should we sail somewhere warm? This was the question my wife posed to me in 2018 after we’d spent three years sailing our Najad 420 around England, Ireland, Denmark and the Channel Islands. “Somewhere warm where the kids can swim in the sea without freezing?” And so began our six-year adventure to the Mediterranean. Cruising somewhere warm and sunny sounds like a great idea, but with children and a full-time job, our extended Med voyage was not the full-time sailing that we associate with the lucky ones in retirement or on a restricted to school holidays and whenever work allowed us. We would utilise three or four of the six main school holidays each year, which incidentally worked well with the 90-day European visa rule for UK sailors. Time restrictions…

An investigation into the deaths of two Wheelyboat passengers, who drowned after the vessel capsized on Roadford Lake, Devon, has found the boat was leaking and poorly maintained. Alison Tilsley and Alex Wood, residents from a local care home, were on a trip around the lake when the Mk III Wheelyboat 123 capsized on 8 June 2022. They “were strapped into their motorised wheelchairs and rapidly sank to the bottom of the lake when they were thrown into the water during the capsize and could not be rescued.” Investigators from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found the vessel “had not been correctly maintained, allowing water to leak into the boat and making it unstable, which led to its capsize. The bow ramp seals were not subjected to regular inspection…

A veritable Who’s Who list of global circumnavigators gathered in western France to honour new members of the Cape Horn Hall of Fame. First to be honoured was French circumnavigator, Loïck Peyron, a former Jules Verne Challenge record holder, followed by two fellow French sailors, racing veteran Jean Le Cam and the current Jules Verne record holder Francis Joyon. Ten-time Australian circumnavigator Andrew Cape also joined this select group. Since the awards started four years ago, 40 round-the-world sailors have been inducted; their names adorn the Cape Horn Honours Board housed in a clubhouse in Les Sables d’Olonne. The sixth inductee at the latest ceremony was Britain’s Mike Golding, who joined via video link. He was calling from the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean where he and his family…

After 10 years at the Shrimper Owners Association (SOA) helm, Trevor Heritage has hung up his sea boots. Trevor has been a Shrimper owner and active SOA member since 1990, initially in the Solent and Poole areas, where he was regional SOA secretary; before becoming involved with the association at national and international level since 2014. The SOA has 600-plus members across 10 regions in the UK, plus France and the Netherlands. The Shrimper 19 is a one-design class for racing, and Trevor has played a part in developing and maintaining the rules for Shrimper racing. The mantle of national honorary secretary now passes to former membership secretary Martin Blake from the Plymouth region. Martin presented Trevor with a framed photograph of the Falmouth Shrimper fleet at a recent meeting…

Control hack I’m glad to read that Marsali Taylor is recovering well after her bad accident. I can imagine there are still challenges with regards to performing fast dashes between the cockpit and the mast. The sailor’s never-ending dilemma is to be in two places at the same time. She recently appeared to ponder clever ways of leading the halyard back to the cockpit (PBO, June 2024). I suggest a simpler way to control the tiller from the mast position: ▪ Tie an old or cheap block to the guardrail (or cockpit coaming) on each side of the tiller. ▪ Bring out an 8mm line, then pass it through the starboard block. Go forward and pass it around the mast and then finally lead it back through the block on…

When it’s freezing outside, it’s good to look at holiday photos of a sun-drenched boat trip. Philip and I had a week in Brittany in mid-September, at the medieval town of Quimper. It was lovely to stroll around the cobbled streets and half-timbered houses, with the twin-spired cathedral in its centre. The river Odet ran through it like a canal crossed by flower-hung bridges. it might be well inland, but there were reminders of the sea everywhere, for it was once a busy port with barges bringing in clay for making the city’s famous faience pottery, and taking the finished bowls and plates out round the world. The river was tidal, going from a foot and a half of water with great white-mouthed fish nosing round the bottom up to…

Every now and then my friend Maurice disappears into his shed or garage and builds a boat. No one knows why he does this when it is much easier to just buy a new or used boat, but I guess he likes to get exactly what he wants and he obviously enjoys the process. After all, there aren’t many Dobles or sprit sail dinghies on the market. He simply says to those around that he feels a boat coming on and off he goes into his shed again. If he’s not building a new boat, he will find an old one that he can modify. His preference is for working boats with traditional rigs such as the double-ended Medway Doble which is a derivative of the Peter Boat. The Doble…

Anyone who has wended their way through a commercial anchorage cannot fail to have seen the cataracts of water expunged from openings high up on the flanks of tankers and bulk carriers. This is, of course, ballast water. It is primarily used to balance a hull against the varied weight of cargo, to keep a massive ship appropriately heavy and low in the water. It’s also been used in small fishing boats. A box amidships–open at the bottom–balances the boat and also holds the day’s catch in a seawater well. It’s perhaps because of this association with slower, working vessels that the ballast water idea is not popular in larger yachts, where speed is almost always a consideration. It is to be found in the trailer-sailer market; Swallow Yachts being…

The small amount of wind we had died away as the sun sank toward the horizon. Of the 15 hours of the passage so far, only three had been under sail, and even then, we’d not achieved a passage-making speed. We were on the delivery trip back from Poole, where I’d purchased Mirage, a beautiful and spacious 2002 Bavaria 40, to the River Medway. This was my first meaningful passage in the new boat, so the chances of any sleep off watch that night were slim. As I went below, I noted with the engine humming back into life, the faint smell of exhaust, which concerned me, but I reassured myself as the inky black of night descended over Dover, it was likely just a hot engine smell. The rest…

This American Reinell V-204 built in 1978 was in a pretty sad state as you can see. One area I particularly like to make a fuss of is the helm position and instrument panel, as that’s where a lot of time is spent when under way. Let’s begin with a look at the sports cruiser when I got her back to the shed. The boat came with standard trim. Overall she wasn’t very pretty even when she came out of the factory all those years ago, although I found the shape quite appealing and she had avoided the era of the extended ‘beak’ on the bow. The helm area was particularly outdated and was going to need extensive reworking to bring it up to an acceptable modern standard.3 STEP BY…

The filter from Monty Halls’ boat was sent to a specialised microplastics laboratory for analysis and photographs were taken under 20x magnification. The findings showed a multitude of paint particles and fibres. In particular, red, white, blue and black fibres which were hypothesised by the researchers to come from clothing and other fabrics on board such as seat covers and bedding. Paint and resin particles are released from general wear and tear of using a boat, as well as when maintenance occurs. The analysis also identified dark coloured organic matter such as sludge and slime. Monty Hall said that without having a filter in place, “a large amount of microscopic paint particles, microplastics as well as microfibres, would have been emitted overboard into the marine environment.”…

How can the storage of a 10lt water butt and a few coincidences lead to a Mayday? Read on. Last year’s Easter bank holiday weekend was earlier than usual, at the end of March. Checking the weather the week before, there was an awful forecast of strong winds, rain and low temperatures. It looked like another weekend at home. After a five-year ground-up refit, our Westerly Fulmar Cathy C had been launched exactly a year ago, and due to family commitments, we’d only managed nine individual day-sails. Therefore we were semi-desperate to sail more in 2024, and more than a little keen to make a start at Easter. As the weekend approached, the forecast indicated a weather window on Easter Sunday, with more bad weather predicted for Monday, 1 April…

OUTBOARD MOTORS Matching a motor to a boat Q Can any of your experts recommend the best electric outboard and battery combination for our tender? I have an aluminium-hulled RIB, an AB Lammina 10L, which is 3.2m long and weighs 60kg. I’m replacing a 9.9hp petrol outboard weighing 38kg and don’t want the combination to weigh more as this is the limit me and my yacht’s swim deck RIB launch system will take. Not wishing to run a cable to it, I ideally need to be able to lift a battery out of the RIB to charge it up. All of the available integrated battery and motor systems seem to be lacking power and range. The best of these, the 1.6kW Torqeedo Travel XP, has nearly enough power but the…