Innehållsförteckning för July 2019 från Sailing Today

The fifth-placed – and final – competitor to complete the Golden Globe race has landed at Les Sables d’Olonne after 322 days at sea, following a circumnavigation slowed considerably by the heavy growth of goose barnacles on his underside. However Finnish skipper Lehtinen was in good spirits as his Gaia 36 Asteria approached the line under spinnaker on 19 May, to meet a welcome party that included overall race winner Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, Bernard Moitessier’s famous yacht Joshua and a flottila of excited wellwishers. In spite of his extended voyage, Lehtinen hasn’t ruled out having another crack at the Golden Globe, telling media at his post-race press conference “I’m not enrolling yet, but I would absolutely do it again”.…

Speedlounger 8500 The Speedlounger 8500 fits into that bracket of stylish, fast daysailers that aren’t really designed to race. She’s a Dutch design built all in aluminium and features extremely distinctive looks. In fact, it’s as if the designer took a look at Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future, saw one of the spaceships in it and decided to create “one like that”. The looks are therefore distinctive and possibly not to everyone’s tastes but certainly dramatic and sporty. The combination of a light displacement and big sail area should make her suitably rapid and, although the interior is small, it is stylish. Beneteau First 53 Beneteau’s First range of sporty cruiser/racers has a rich pedigree but in recent years, it seemed like it was fizzling out. Prior…

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Home to Plymouth, self-styled “Ocean City” and the ideal starting point for exploring the West Country, South Devon is a cruising sailor’s paradise. It’s surely no coincidence the county was the birthplace of two of England’s most notorious seafarers: Drake and Raleigh. The young privateers would have had plenty of opportunity to learn their trade along the estuaries dotting this scenic stretch of coast. The South Hams are beloved of sailors for good reason. Yet aside from the better-known haunts of Dartmouth and the Salcombe estuary, there are several other treasures worth exploring just a short sail away. You can find relative solitude and untamed beauty away from the more popular spots. Between Plymouth to the West and Salcombe to the East – and easily reached from both – are…

Are Wiig: OE32 Olleanna Heavy storm some 600 miles south of the Cape of Good Hope, self steering broke so hand steered from 0500 with steep breaking waves and occasional cross seas. Tried putting out warps and an anchor but felt the boat was too sluggish, so thought it better to haul them in and hand steer. By afternoon the wind was easing and the seas were less aggressive so decided to try and repair his steering gear. While doing this, a wave came from the port side and capsized the boat. It remained upside down for a short while before righting itself but the mast had broken. Are then set up a jury rig which he had created and tested before and sailed his boat, without assistance,…

There can’t be many places in the world where you can relax on a jungle-fringed beach, topping up your tan, while surrounded by snow-capped mountains – yet, because of its varied geography, Santa Marta in northern Colombia can offer visiting cruising sailors this unique experience. Colombia is becoming a more popular destination for tourists who, following government intervention, are less worried about stories of guerrilla warfare than they used to be. Tourist numbers increased nearly tenfold in the decade to 2017 and the Ocean Cruising Club Suzie Too Rally for 60 boats visited the country last year. Santa Marta lies on the northern coast of Colombia, due south from Haiti, two to three days’ sail from the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and 350nm east of the entrance to…

As land dips below the horizon and you set off on a bluewater passage, the time for planning is past. You become almost totally self-sufficient, and if you didn’t bring it, you don’t have it. So preparation is key. By no means exhaustive, the list of other bluewater gear to think about includes windvane steering, power management and generation systems, watermakers, air-con, refrigeration, ventilation, a hard bottomed tender for beach landings, sailmaker’s sewing machine, barbecue, fishing kit. And plenty of spares to keep it all running! Each of these is a topic in its own right. Decide on what you really need to keep your cruise comfortable, and make sure that the power equation adds up, whether you choose solar panels, a wind generator, hydrogenerator, a good old fashioned diesel…

FREEDOM 45 | DREAM TRAVELLER Look at this boat and you might think for a moment that your eyes are playing tricks on you. There’s something unusual, but you can’t quite put your finger on it… Freedom by name, freedom by nature – it has a free-standing rig. Stay-less boats do have their advantages: clean looks, ease of getting about the boat, simpler gybing and raising and lowering of the sail. Fans say they go better than stayed rigs downwind, but the naysayers point out that they can’t point so close to the wind. Dream Traveller has carbon-fibre spars, a roller boom main furling and a furling headsail (both fitted 2010), wing keel, 75hp Yanmar, Max Prop with rope cutters, portable generator providing 1KVA and three air-conditioning units.…

The new £1.45m Oyster 565 has been revealed to the world at a launch event in London, with an eye-catching photo opportunity as the yacht sailed under Tower Bridge. Based on feedback from Oyster owners, the latest range has better storage, larger berths and more headroom than ever before. The new generation has moulded-in bowsprits for easier flying of downwind and reaching sails; twin rudders for better handling under sail and less drag; and flush decks. We’re told they also offer better stability, thanks to a 10 per cent deeper keel and lighter hull weight. Sneaking in below the psychologically important 60ft (18.2m) LOA mark, the two 565 is designed to appeal to sailing families with bluewater plans. Configuration options include a novelty for Oyster: the master cabin up in…

Ocean Village Marina hosted the inaugural South Coast Boat Show over 17-19 May, with the brand new event drawing praise from exhibitors and visitors alike. The show was launched partly as a response to the demise of the London Boat Show, and was instigated by South Coast yacht brokers and distributors who wanted a more ‘sales focused’ event that contrasts with the razzamatazz of the Southampton Boat Show. Entry to the show was free, but visitors were required to register online for tickets, or attend at the invitation of one or other of the exhibitors. There were several thousand advance registrations, and a wide range of boats on display from significant brands. Sailing yachts lined the pontoons from Arcona, Bavaria, Beneteau, Dehler, Fountaine Pajot, Hallberg Rassy, Hanse, J Boats, Jeanneau,…

29 JUNE ISLE OF WIGHT Take part or watch the spectacle as 1,400 boats and around 15,000 sailors compete in one of the world’s biggest yacht races. roundtheisland.org.uk SUFFOLK YACHT HARBOUR CLASSIC REGATTA 22-23 JUNE LEVINGTON, SUFFOLK A popular and welcoming annual regatta attracting a fleet of local and visiting classics crewed by everyone from keen racers to social sailors. syharbour.co.uk TIME FOR A CAREER CHANGE? 28 JUNE KINGSWEAR, DEVON South Devon Marine Academy is holding free taster sessions for its Marine Technologies and Yacht Operations Foundation Degree courses. southdevon.ac.uk SUFFOLK BOAT JUMBLE. 16 June Ipswich, Suffolk Indoor/outdoor event. Open 10am. Trinity Park Events Centre, Admission £5, children and car park free. rotaevents.co.uk PROUT CATAMARAN RALLY. 22-23 June Dartmouth, Devon An annual Prout enthusiast get-together, including a group dinner. Email…

“And what’s your “occupation?” The man at Heathrow Airport looks away from his screen and enquiringly into my face as I hesitate over my answer. For a moment my mind is blank, and I turn to look at my husband and family. It is, of course, a simple question. It’s just that my answer may not be quite the response he’s after: “We’re adventurers”. Back in 2010, I had never even set foot on a sailboat. I was working for an architectural practice in London, living with my boyfriend and enjoying the pleasures of a city-paced existence. Things were good and we were happy so it’s strange to think that all it took was a trip down to Cornwall to change our lives forever. Yet it was during a wander…

While most of us would love to sail away to a world of permanent blue water, the best many can realistically hope for is a couple of weeks chartering every so often. I’ve done my time with the long-term ocean wallopers, but it’s a while back now, so when I found myself in the Caribbean a couple of years ago, hacking to windward from Grenada, it was as a “helper” aboard a modern 50-footer trying to make the best of a period of typically strong trade winds. We’d squandered our weather gauge downwind in the Grenadines and were now under the cosh to get north to St Lucia for catching our flights. Despite the attractions of flying fish, intermittent blue skies and the occasional palm tree waving in the distance,…

Personally, I was never a huge fan of Prince. At the age of nine I was made to watch Purple Rain and I recall even at that tender age thinking he seemed a bit of a tool. Anyway, that’s not important – some years later I warmed to him when he switched from being Prince to The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, then The Artist, then to just an unpronounceable symbol. Anyway, this is an unwieldy method of introducing the Beneteau First 27 or – as I like to refer to it – the yacht formerly known as the Seascape 27. Because that is exactly what it is. Does anyone remember the Seascape 27? You jolly well should because it was only launched in 2012 and it always struck me…

Robin Knox-Johnston: Eric 32 Suhaili 1968/9 Golden Globe Race. No warp or drogue when knocked down. No damage to rig. After warps deployed, no further serious knockdowns. Shane Freeman: Tradewind 35 Mushka West of Cape Horn during delivery voyage from Australia to start. No warps or drogue when knocked down. Dismasted. Boat abandoned Susie Goodall: Rustler 36 DHL Starlight Drogue deployed but its hawser parted, causing yacht to pitchpole. Possibly precipitated by the ‘slingshot’ action of the hawser suddenly parting. Dismasted. Boat abandoned Uku Randmaa: Rustler 36 One and All Four knockdowns. Ropes trailed for first two but nothing for the second two. Completed the voyage. Are Wiig: OE32 Olleanna No warps or drogue set when knocked down.…

The Northwest Passage is legendary amongst seafarers, but global warming is happening so rapidly experts are predicting a transpolar route across the North Pole will open up within 30 years. Experts consider it likely the polar ice-cap will melt in summertime by the middle of the century, the Chinese government’s latest Arctic Policy document reveals. “Over the past three decades, temperature has been rising continuously in the Arctic, resulting in diminishing sea ice in summer,” it says. “Scientists predict that by the middle of this century or even earlier, there may be no ice in the Arctic Ocean for part of the year. With the ice melted, conditions for the development of the Arctic may be gradually changed, offering opportunities for the commercial use of sea routes and development of…

Bathing beauty Wooden tubs for nautical scrubs Former wooden boatbuilder turned sculptor/artist Nathie Katzoff is the man behind this fabulous tub, although the Seattle-based woodworker admits there’s not much boatbuilding technology in his spectacular and luxurious handiwork – for a start his sculptural wooden tubs are described as maintenance free… Panerai Luna Rossa An America’s Cup celebration on your wrist Panerai is one of the official backers of the Luna Rossa America’s Cup team, and it has launched this little timepiece to mark the occasion. The Panerai Luna Rossa Submersible has an automatic mechanical movement and is waterproof to 300m. In a nod to the high-tech construction of Luna Rossa’s AC boat, the case is made from carbon-fibre composite. Royal Dart House Handy for local transport…

• A good fitting lifejacket and/or harness for everyone on board, appropriate to your kind of sailing, is essential. It helps if you allow your little ones to be involved in choosing them. • A playpen or baby pod can be useful to keep your baby safe down below when both parents are needed on deck. A baby sling or soft-structured carrier are great for times when they have to be on deck with you but you need to keep your hands free. • Invest in the highest quality lifeline netting available, with knots at every junction rather than glue as this can degrade in the sun. Give cloth nappies a go; they’re much better for the environment and mean you always have a fresh supply on board. • A…

Don Street should be furious. As far as I was concerned, prior to 2013 there was only one “The Don” and only one Don who spoke of himself in the third person and that was Don Street – a legend in his own lifetime. The emergence of The Donald is an unwelcome distraction but I’m confident Mr Street will see him off. Street has been a fixture of the yacht cruising scene since the 1950s. He has had countless books published and his Imray/Iolaire charts are still the industry standard in much of the Caribbean. Indeed, Street’s name is synonymous with the Caribbean and his claim to have made bareboat cruising possible out there is only half said in jest. Back when he started cruising the Caribbean, it was a…

Before I start this review, I should declare that I am an avowed fan of the swing keel. A few years back I owned a fairly peculiar boat in Poole Harbour that had this arrangement and I vividly remember the great joy of sailing at speed through Blood Alley, a narrow channel, while a selection of sailors watched in disbelief from their anchored yachts gesturing wildly for me to make an about turn. It’s a great feeling and, certainly in the tidal waters of the UK, it opens up whole new vistas to explore – stretches of water that you would never dare to go near if you had a fixed-keel yacht. Anyway, that dewy eyed narrative brings me seamlessly to the new Southerly 435 which, with her swing keel,…

Blue water cruising in high latitudes is not for the faint hearted. The recent travails of sailors competing in the 2018 Golden Globe Race illustrated how vulnerable even a well found long-keeled cruising yacht can be in such conditions. Although the 2018 GGR was nominally a “race”, its ethos was more akin to extreme cruising. Contestants lined up in long-keeled cruising yachts with lengths between 32ft and 36ft and headed down into the Roaring Forties and Screaming Fifties. The yachts were not necessarily pushed excessively hard, but there were five dismastings in the extreme conditions. Drawing on his own experience and that of other sailors, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston decided to look into the causes of the knockdowns and what effects preventative measures such as drogues played. These are the findings…

Sailing broad off or dead downwind in the trades is a joy, but there is always the danger of an inadvertent gybe. I know this from bitter experience; when I bought my most famous yacht, the 46ft engineless cutter Iolaire, built 1905, I realized that her heavy 24ft-long 5in-diameter boom was a real widow maker. It took a few years to solve the problem. By the early 1960s I had worked out a fool-proof easily rigged, easily un-rigged main boom preventer. Preventer set up It is so organised that to rig it or take it down, no one has to go forward of the mast or fight to attach anything to the end of the main boom. To a bail on the end of the boom, I attached a big…