Innehållsförteckning för October 2018 från Sailing Today

MALDON TOWN REGATTA 22 SEPTEMBER – ESSEX For a chance to check out one of the biggest gatherings of local smacks bawleys, and classic yachts, head to Maldon for the Town Regatta. This fun-packed day of racing and festive activities includes a chance to view one of the many local Thames Barges that operate in the area. maldonregatta.co.uk GREAT YARMOUTH MARITIME FESTIVAL 8-9 SEPTEMBER – SOUTH QUAY, NORFOLK The festive spirit will be enhanced with a mix of traditional and modern maritime vessels including Kaskelot, a Danish three-masted barque that took a recent staring role in the Poldark television series. . great-yarmouth.co.uk/maritime-festival BURNHAM WEEK 25 AUGUST – 1 SEPTEMBER - ESSEX With racing is split into three events – first Bank Holiday weekend, week day racing, and the Town Cup…

The toughest part of sailing round Britain is deciding where to go, which might sound daft given you keep steering either left or right. But if you’re on a schedule – and who isn’t – you simply have to make hard decisions. Up the Thames or not is one of the most diverting, literally. The temptation to get across this mighty estuary quickly is immense for its passing is the start of a new chapter either up the east coast or along the south. To take on London will add a few days at best, and if you have just three months to sail around Britain, every day counts. But if it’s an option, go for it. This is in some ways the heart and soul of what the trip…

‘There is one acquaintance I must admit I am incredibly glad to see again – a washing machine’ We are back in the UK, enjoying the reunions with family and friends that our brief sojourns from our ‘proper’ life at sea allow us. And there is one acquaintance that I must admit I am incredibly glad to see again – a washing machine. Not a bucket, not a keen and earnest woman by a river with a washboard, nor a sad cold-water-only coin-operated affair at a marina, but a real washing machine in our own home which is mine to use any time and at any temperature. Pathetic though that sounds perhaps I should illuminate you further on what the past seven years has meant in terms of this very…

DUFOUR 46 GRAND LARGE Dufour is another brand with a very progressive ethos, its 460 is also strikingly modern and shares a similarly voluminous hull. Perhaps the most striking thing of all about the 460 however is that she boasts a wine cellar and shoe cuddies in her bilge. Dufour-yachts.com  £184,000 BENETEAU OCEANIS 46.1 Another smart offering from the masters of mass production. The Oceanis 46.1 is brand spanking new. The yacht boasts class leading amounts of space forward combined with dramatic styling and masses of comfort Beneteau.com  £200,000 JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 440 Jeanneau’s 440 is all new and is a striking yacht featuring a plethora of innovative new touches. She’s a tad smaller than the 458 but features innovative ‘champagne glass’ hull sections forward that vastly increase her internal…

Falmouth Haven provides the perfect platform on which to base a West Country cruise There can be few, more idyllic places to be based than Falmouth for that quintessential west country cruise. With easy, and generally line of sight, navigation in and out, the conveniently-located Falmouth Haven works well as an overnight stop off/safe haven in inclement weather, or as a starting point for an extended cruise cove-hopping the scenic Cornish coastline. Basing your boat at Falmouth Haven means there are plenty of cruising options on offer in the heart of Daphne du Maurier country. Those with a day to spare might consider a sail round to somewhere such as Helford to check out this delightful cruising area, which was made famous by Du Maurier’s classic book – Frenchman’s Creek.…

Of course, the real show stoppers for us sailors are the yachts themselves and this year there is a bumper crop of world debuts including the following sailing yachts: Spirit DH63 (stand M260) Hallberg-Rassy 57 (stand TBC) Swallow Yacht’s Coast 250 (stand MO15) Jeanneau’s Sun Odyssey 410 (stand TBC) BTC22 (stand A007) Hanse 458 (stand M333) That’s in addition to hundreds other sailing yachts that will be available to view either on the pontoons or on shore. There really is a major treat in store for any lover of all things nautical. The entertainment doesn’t stop there either; the Yachtmarket. co Southampton International Boat Show has always been a gracious host and laid on an impressive array of light entertainments; they kick things off in grand retro style with a…

When the time comes to replace or upgrade your current anemometer, don’t just replace like with like – have a look at some of the extra functionality that is available out there. Broadly speaking there are two ways of getting wind data onto your boat’s instruments. The first is via a dedicated wind instrument, which receives an analogue signal from the transducer at the top of the mast. Whether it is wired or wireless, only the instrument can make sense of the data before passing it on to any other units in your network. A more flexible alternative used by some manufacturers is to have the transducer passing its analogue data to a ‘black box’ below, which translates the data into NMEA 0183 or 2000 format for any compatible display…

Sunglasses are fiendishly important when out sailing and Bolle has always specialized in outdoor sunglasses. Their Slate shades strike a good balance between fashion and practicality. What I mean by that is that they look good and certainly aren’t too goggle like – but they are also practical. To that end they fit very snugly thanks to a nicely fashioned anti slip nose piece while the frame seemed to be nicely curved to grip my head without feeling tight and there is anti skid material on the arms. Given that I have managed to lose innumerable pairs of sunglasses by inadvertently committing them to the deep, I feel that this is a very good feature and I’m hopeful that this pair will stick around longer than previous ones. Other practical…

Haslar Marina Located on the west side of Portsmouth Harbour entrance, Haslar Marina is perfectly located for historic ships, modern shops, open water and the Isle of Wight. Within minutes you’ll be on the open sea with cruising options of turning to port for Chichester, starboard for the Solent, or straight ahead to France. Enjoy a sundowner aboard our big green lightship, Mary Mouse, overlooking the harbour and old Portsmouth. Portland Marina Portland is an isle of rugged beauty, smugglers’ coves and lighthouses, joined to Dorset by the awe-inspiring Chesil Beach. The stunning Jurassic coastline is the perfect backdrop for sailing – whatever the weather and time of year. Sailing from Portland Marina offers fantastic cruising grounds and you’ll be well placed for Channel hops or exploring east or west.…

More than 20 years since British sailor and entrepreneur Tony Bullimore cheated death during the Vendée Globe Race, the yachtsman has finally made his last voyage. Bullimore, 79, hit the headlines in 1997 after his yacht, Exide Challenger capsized in the Southern Ocean after losing her keel. Bullimore survived for four days in an air pocket within his stricken yacht. He subsisted on Mars Bars in freezing conditions until he was finally rescued by the Australian Coastguard. A keen racing sailor who competed extensively in multihulls in the 1980s – most notably picking up honours with his trimaran, Spirit of Apricot. His monohull record was somewhat less successful and his misadventures on Exide Challenger were his most memorable exploits. Despite this, he remained a keen racer crossing the Atlantic at…

Australian skipper Wendy Tuck is celebrating after she became the first female skipper to win a round the world yacht race. The 53-year-old professional sailor prevailed in this edition of the Clipper Round the World Race but played down the gender aspect of this impressive victory. "I hate banging on about women. I just do what I do but I am very proud." The victory completed an impressive female one-two in this iteration of the race, as second place went to 25-year-old Nikki Henderson. The victory comes some 30 years after Tracy Edwards' Maiden and her all-female crew blazed a trail in the Whitbread Round the World Race.…

Float your boat The only time it's alright to fill your boat with water Can there be anything more indulgent than enjoying a long soak in a signed, limited-edition hand-built wood Bath Boat Tub? This absolutely stunning piece is designed by the award-winning Studio Wieki Somers and produced by Galerie Kreo, Paris,. and is handcrafted using Oak and red cedar. It has an overall LOA of 1.95m, 1m beam and depth, and comes complete with stylish bow taps and a cradle to ensure it stays put when the going gets rough • £53,000 • wiekisomers.com Shaken but not stirred… A beacon of light for any cocktail party There is nothing quite like that first sundowner to aid the relaxation process after a hard day of cruising. Imagine then how exotic…

It is September once again and that means the Southampton Boat Show. Every year I look forward to this showcase of yachting. There are real boats on actual water, often under blue skies, exhibited by beautiful people in open-necked shirts and sunshine outfits. Occasionally the event supplies an unwelcome slice of life in the form of a southeast gale blowing straight onto the pontoons from a fetch all the way to Le Havre. Grey waves break over the woodwork, gleaming yachts snub at their lines, unfrapped halyards rattle as visitors cling to one another for support, lurching defiantly onwards towards the craft of their dreams while sales people grope discreetly for the Stugeron. Whatever the weather, however, I always manage the time for a toddle round the pontoons to check…

It was March and suddenly a rare consistent easterly had appeared on the forecast. We had to grab the chance to make it across the Irish Sea and onwards to Scotland while we could. However, the boat was still on the hard and it was days before our planned departure. We managed to get her lifted and in the water and whisk through a thousand tasks in the excitement of imminent adventure. On board was myself and my partner in life and crime, Emmie. I’ve been sailing for most of my 36 years on this planet but Emmie had done almost no sailing at all. It didn’t matter, as you know when someone is up to a challenge. She was enormously capable in everything else in life so I wasn’t…

A couple of years back I tested a Hanse 455 in the Solent in virtually nil wind. It was a frustrating experience but I recall that the boat seemed to tick all the boxes required of it and was also extremely good value. Later that same summer I was fortunate to spend a week working as a charter skipper on a 455 out in Croatia and was glad that my initial feeling was correct. Even with eight guests, the yacht was comfortable and on the final day when a savage Bora kicked in, she also performed very pleasingly under sail. So when I was told that the 455 was to be superseded by the new 458 after just two years in production I was surprised. How do you improve on…

Falmouth Harbour with its deepwater facilities has always been regarded as a prime location for shipping and boat building and is therefore steeped in maritime history, which dates back to the 1600s and beyond. Falmouth marks the gateway to the Western Approaches close to the world’s busiest shipping lanes and, because this large, natural harbour is the last major port of call for vessels transiting the Atlantic and relatively close to destinations such as Spain and Portugal, it continues to play an important role commercially, particularly as bunker for ships. Its interesting labyrinth of rivers and creeks, together with its strong historic maritime influence also makes Falmouth a popular playground for leisure sailors and those setting sail or returning from ocean voyages. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Dame Ellen MacArthur are…

“Here lies the body of Johnny O’Day Who died preserving his right of way. He was right, dead right, as he sailed along But he’s just as dead as if he’d been wrong”Eric Hiscock in Cruising Under Sail Think of the English Channel and what comes to mind? Perhaps Vera Lynn singing about bluebirds, ferry trips to France, endurance swims and, of course, the white cliffs of Dover. It has a special place in the national imagination, but that short stretch of water separating us from continental Europe is chock full of hazardous shipping traffic. So, if you are thinking about hopping across, here’s what you need to know to get there and back safely TSS – what TSS? For those crossing to France from the south coast the only…

For every sailor, venturing out onto the ocean waves is a gamble. The weather and currents can become unpredictable and very quickly they can find themselves at the mercy of the elements. The movie Adrift, which hit UK cinema screens on 29 June, told the true story of how Tami Oldham Ashcraft (played by Shailene Woodley) survived hurricane Raymond and 31 days lost at sea as she and her fiancé Richard Sharp (played by Sam Claflin) endeavoured to cross the Pacific. They undertook the ill fated journey on a friend’s Trintella 44, Hazana, leaving Sharp’s yacht, Mayluga, moored in Tahiti. “I’d been across the ocean once already, which took 30 days,” says Tami Oldham Ashcraft, “the movie has it that we met each other in Tahiti but I actually met…

Read almost any new boat review these days and the words ‘bright and airy’ are likely to feature. Modern cruising boats have more hatches, windows and portlights than they did 10 or 20 years ago, all to great effect when you’re down below. They also employ a range of lighting techniques that weren’t even on the horizon when my Sadler 34 was built in the late-80s. Like many boats of a certain age, my boat Summer Song was equipped with a few brass reading lamps, and slightly random scattering of those ubiquitous dome lights that you switch on by twisting the lens. Back when Sadlers were winning races, incandescent bulbs made lighting on boats a power-hungry luxury. Today’s LED technology has changed all that for good. With power consumption of…

The renovation of Swanwick Marina in Hampshire looks set to continue after owners Premier Marinas unveiled plans for an £8.5m investment in the site. The marina, which for many years was the home of Sailing Today's offices, is now in phase two of a redevelopment programme. The first phase was completed in 2014 following a £5.8m investment. Phase two is now about to commence. A new floating marina will create 333 berths (6m-40m); this provides an overall increase of 59 on the current capacity.…

Hallberg Rassy 57 It wasn’t so long ago that the idea of a Hallberg Rassy having twin rudders would be about as likely as David Davis becoming EU High Commissioner. Yet times have changed and there are plenty of indicators that the Swedish kings of blue water cruisers are moving with the times. The 57 sports a plumb bow, a short sprit for a gennaker and anchor roller plus twin rudders. She features a centre cockpit but the departure here is twin wheels inside that – another novel move. Hallberg-rassy.com C£1.4m Spirit DH 63 Spirit Yachts specialise in yachts which fairly emit an aura of Timeless Elegance. Their latest addition is the DH 63 which will be making her debut at the Southampton Boat Show and is as alluring as…

Norway has strict rules on the amount of alcohol you can bring into the country. We adhered to these rules but every other boat we came across laughed at us when we said we ran out of wine in the first 3 weeks. Apparently the likelihood of being searched on a pleasure vessel is tiny. Make of that what you will. We also learned that, being British, we did not need to make contact with customs or the police upon entry and most other British yachts we met also did not stamp into the country. Provisions are expensive like anything in Norway apart from water and harbour fees. However, if you like fish then you’re in luck. We caught 5kg cod on demand like they were mackerel and one would…

“We arrived in Falmouth six years ago intending to go further south. When we got here, we loved the place so much we just couldn’t leave. “We enjoy using Falmouth Haven Marina as a base, since having our annual marina berth here right in the centre of Falmouth, we have made lots of friends. Falmouth has everything we could possibly want, shops, busy town; the Haven has excellent facilities, and lovely people. Everyone here seems to be so pleasant. “We have travelled extensively, however, we keep coming back. For us, this is as good as it gets.”…

Entering Falmouth Harbour from Falmouth Bay, and the approach into Inner Harbour to Falmouth Haven, to the south-west, is simple. But because it is a busy port it pays to be vigilant. Enter Falmouth Bay between Rosemullion Head, the east entrance point, and Pendennis Point. The coast is fringed with rock and cliffs but the main hazard is Black Rock. Although it is in the middle of the estuary’s mouth it is well marked, but do keep an eye on traffic and at night use the East Channel. Before arriving at this point you can check shipping movements at falmouthhaven.co.uk/seachecker. Also make contact with Falmouth Haven marina staff before you arrive to ensure there is a berth free, and to find out its location. Once beyond Black Rock use the…

The Yachtmarket.com Southampton International Boat Show is one of those great markers in the yachting calendar that help to ensure a sailor knows he is on course and the breeze is set fair as they pilot their way up a narrowing channel toward the end of the sailing season. Truly it is one of the great stalwarts of the yachting calendar. The fantastic news is that this year promises to be an absolute extravaganza with organisers British Marine reporting a massive upsurge in bookings for the show. Indeed, there will be a remarkable 80 new brands exhibiting among the 500 plus exhibitors. It’s all change this year as the layout has been slightly reconfigured to optimise the use of space, while the marina has been extended to accommodate more on…

About 20 years ago I met one of the very few people who have sailed out from England to explore the Western Australian coastline. He made a profound comment that has stuck with me: “I view West Australian yachtsmen with a mixture of admiration and concern; admiration for their skills and concern for their sanity”. He was right – what would possess a sailor to cruise thousands of miles of lee shore in winds typically near gale force, with fewer than a dozen harbours of refuge? The answer is surprisingly simple: breathtaking scenery, persistent sunshine combined with abundant wildlife and seafood, accessible only by adventurous sailing. Geography Western Australia has about 2.5 million inhabitants, most of whom live in Perth. It occupies twice the size of the United Kingdom, France…

ARCONA 430 | Requiem Requiem has for the past few years, been one of the most admired cruising boats on the West Coast of Scotland. With one careful owner from new, she has been professionally maintained to an exceptionally high standard and been stored ashore for six months of the year at Ardfern Yacht Centre. She is being sold with great reluctance by her owner who said: ‘ I have owned many boats over the years, from 20 feet to 63 feet and I have no doubt that Requiem is by far the best of them. ‘With her power winches and all lines led back to the cockpit, she has been a joy to sail and very easy to manage even when shorthanded, in all conditions.’ He also added that…