Innehållsförteckning för November 2021 från Sailing Today

Amateur sailor David Hivey (sail no GBR4817) had a stunning regatta at the Moth Worlds on Lake Garda, finishing top Corinthian among some of the biggest names in professional sailing. Hivey, 41, previously RS200 and RS400 National Champion and 2018 Moth European Champion, was 12th overall. He was only a few points behind Dylan Fletcher, who was 10th, also an impressive result just weeks after his gold medal at Tokyo 2020. The rest of the top 10 was largely a list of America’s Cup and SailGP sailors, including Brit Paul Goodison, who was third despite suffering a crash that took out his mast during the regatta. The overall title went for the second time running to Australian Tom Slingsby (see p22). Hivey was well ahead of the next Corinthian sailor…

Sir Chay Blyth was cheered as he led a flotilla up the Hamble River in August to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his victorious return on British Steel after what was billed as ‘the impossible voyage’. His 292-day solo, non-stop westabout circumnavigation in 1971 was the first against the prevailing winds and currents. A large crowd gathered at the Royal Southern Yacht Club to welcome Sir Chay, including Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Mike Golding, who was the first to break Sir Chay’s record 23 years later. Only five sailors have completed the ‘wrong way’ voyage in the 50 years since. Famously, Blyth’s windvane self-steering was smashed in a storm off Cape Horn, forcing him to steer his 59ft yacht by hand for the remaining 20,000 miles. Mike Golding said: “Sir…

Think of your standard flotilla and you’ll probably imagine eight to 12 boats crewed by two to four people each, an easy week’s sailing in the placid Med and an engineer, a hostie and a skipper to point you in the right direction and serve up a bowl of punch in an anchorage one night. This was a flotilla with a difference. Held to mark the 50th anniversary of The Moorings, it involved 27 boats, 130 people and seven stops in the British Virgin Islands. The Moorings allocated our journalists’ crew (two American sailors, one French, and me, a Brit) a Robertson and Caine 4500: a 45ft sailing catamaran with four double cabins, all en suite. Provisioning was the easiest it’s ever been – I filled in a form ticking…

GRAND SOLEIL 48 The Grand Soleil 48 works on a very similar basis to the Italia with a Performance and Race version available. The 14.98 is, however lighter with a bigger sail area. grandsoleil.net SOLARIS 47 Solaris is a company that has bet the farm on marketing Italian style and the 47 is no exception with its aggressive dreadnought bow and clean, uncluttered decks. Realistically this is much more a fast cruiser that can be raced. solarisyachts.com X YACHTS X4(6) X Yachts' XP range is somewhat diminished at present and there is no 47 footer. The X4(6) is therefore less extreme racing machine but an interesting fast cruising contrast to the 14.98 Beliisima. x-yachts.com…

Pwllheli is not a difficult harbour to enter thanks to moderate tides, good protection from the north and west and a lack of hazards. That said, much of Cardigan Bay lies within the danger area of the Aberporth military range, so the first precaution is to check firing times. Maps and schedules are available on the Qinetiq website at qinetiq.com/Aberporth or you can call range control on +44 1239 813 480. Assuming all is clear, shape into Tremadog Bay but beware the shoals around St Patrick’s Causeway, which stretches more than 10 nautical miles southwest from Mochras Point. The Causeway Bell cardinal marks its westernmost extent. Make for the safe water mark a few cables east of Pwllheli’s bending harbour entrance. The chart shows a single shallow patch of 1.7m…

As we sat and waited in Tokyo Bay for one typhoon after another to pass, we were reluctant to start working our way through our carefully acquired pile of paperbacks; the sail to Alaska would be a long one and we’d need all the reading material we had. So every evening we scanned the diminishing list of obscure movies that we had copied to our laptop over the past year. One night it was The Guardian. The opening sequence is exciting and seemed quite relevant. A terrific storm is raging at sea and a middle-aged couple abandon their foundering sailboat in the middle of the night. But then we hear the noise of a chopper. Bright lights appear in the black sky. The US Coastguard are coming to the rescue.…

Chatham Aegean The Aegean in navy blue is a “high-performance style specifically designed for sailing”, says Chatham, yet it follows a classic boat shoe aesthetic and is “based on barefoot design technology”. “Marine enthusiasts will need a pair for their adventures on shore or at sea,” says the British company. ● £110 ● chatham.co.uk Garmin Surround View We’re used to parking with a rear-view camera system, so why not on boats? Except, this one does better, by giving a 360-degree birds-eye view of your boat as well. Using six hull-mounted cameras, Garmin’s groundbreaking Surround View system is designed to minimise blind spots and make docking easier than ever, with augmented reality features such as Visual Bumper, Distance Markers and Object Detection. Compatible with Garmin Chartplotters or multi-function helm displays. The…

Simply put, seasickness is pure misery. Until you truly experience it, you can’t really say that you know what it feels like. You can say you’ve been queasy, or that you felt a bit dizzy. But make no mistake—when you truly experience seasickness, you’ll know it. If you’ve never been seasick, let me try to describe it for you. Imagine the worst hangover you’ve ever had, combined with the worst possible food poisoning. Then throw in a nasty case of Type A Flu complete with vomiting, chills, cold sweat, dry mouth, and a pounding, throbbing headache. Then, feeling all of this simultaneously, step inside a washing machine and turn it on the fast spin cycle. Then, just to get the full effect, hop onto the fastest, most swirly, most topsy-turvy…

Sometimes it really is best to just say what you see . That’s clearly what occurred to whoever it was who named the Great Blue Hole, an extraordinary visual treat set in the midst of the Lighthouse Reef in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Belize. This huge sink hole was formed during an earlier ice age when water levels were much lower. This was initially a cave which later collapsed to create this extraordinary hole. The spot was made famous by the diver Jacques Cousteau who cited it in his top five scuba diving spots in the world. It has a depth of 125m. In 2018 a pair of submarines mapped the bottom which was found to be devoid of life. iStock…

Spirit Yachts features prominently in the new James Bond film, No Time to Die. The Ipswich builder of modern classic yachts has partnered for the second time with the 007 brand. In the forthcoming film, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica, where a Spirit 46 sailing yacht is featured. Spirit Yachts CEO and Head of Design Sean McMillan said: “The James Bond films are a mainstay of British culture and we are honoured to be continuing our partnership with such an iconic brand. “The Spirit 46 is one of the original Spirit Yachts designs and is an example of the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into every Spirit yacht. I think the yacht suits the Bond character very well…

The 15th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre starts on 7 November from Le Havre, bound for its new finish in Martinique. The professional race for double-handers has four classes – Class 40s, IMOCA 60s, Ocean Fiftys (a multihull previously known as the Multi50) and the giant Ultim trimarans. This year the event has three courses. South of the Canaries, the fleet will part ways, with the Ocean Fiftys and IMOCAs sailing towards the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, covering 5,800 miles in all. They will cross the equator twice, with two passages through the doldrums, south toward Brazil and then north again. The Ocean Fiftys are expected to be first into Fort-de-France, Martinique, after 12 to 15 days at sea. Meantime, the Imocas could take 14 to 17…

You know how it is when you drive to the boat at the beginning of the season. If there’s room in the car for people it’s a miracle. What with sails, laundered bedding, cans of antifouling, spare filters, anodes, tool boxes, replacement impellers, perhaps even some still-boxed electronics you’ve had for Christmas, not to mention the foul-weather gear and a light but bulky pack of toilet rolls, the list goes on. I’m no exception, especially with a boat laid up in Denmark. There’s so much clobber that the only answer is four wheels, and I’ve enjoyed the drive until this year when governments started shutting their borders. The more I thought about flying there, the worse it sounded. Never mind the health issues, what about all the kit? There seemed…

I’ve got to admit that I’ve always been mildly envious of Jeremy Clarkson. Not because of his vast wealth as such but because a good chunk of his journalistic career has been carved out by making trite observations about nationality and then fleeing the scene – generally with a sackload of cash. You see, the reason Clarkson is successful with anodyne observations such as Germans being efficient and obsessed with order is because it chimes with us at some level. Love it or hate it even the most dyed in the wool snowflake just occasionally agrees with the curmudgeonly old git. Which brings me handily to the Italians. It is they who have designed and built the new Italia 14.98 and I have to say it sticks offensively, almost xenophobically,…

After the cancellation of last year’s regatta – the first peace time cancellation since its inception in 1826 – in some ways this year felt like the start of a new era. This was underscored by the almost total absence of the corporate entries that were a defining element for two decades of lavish mass corporate entertainment. Equally, with the requirement for overseas visitors to the UK to quarantine for 10 days still in place, all but a handful of the usual 100-plus European entries were missing. In a sense it felt more like the regatta of old – one for more committed sailors to enjoy testing racing on a variety of courses, and enjoy social time with friends old and new. Black Group overall winner Jo Richards, told me:…

Under the stern gaze of the peaks of Snowdonia, the Welsh seaside town of Pwllheli has a beautiful setting nestled into the southern flank of the Lleyn Peninsula. The marina sits astride the enlarged estuary of the rivers Erch, Penrhos and Rhydhir, where they flow out to sea at Gimblet Rock. There has been a settlement here as far as records go back, with reference to fishing and boatbuilding here in the 13th Century. Pwllheli grew as a port and fishing town serving the Lleyn Peninsula, and there are still boatbuilders here today. Insatiable demand for granite setts to pave the roads of English and Welsh towns saw Gimblet Rock heavily mined in the 19th Century. More recently, Pwllheli was the birthplace of the Welsh independence movement Plaid Cymru, and…

Pwllheli itself is a bustling seaside town where you can spend happy hours exploring and relaxing. There are lots of pubs, cafes and restaurants and a busy market in the town square on Wednesdays and summer Sundays. Beaches are what this town is really about, however, with thousands of visitors flocking here every year. Glan y Mor is the closest to the marina – sandy and sheltered. But there are other shingly beaches all with the Blue Flag for water quality. As the gateway to the Lleyn Peninsula, Pwllheli makes a good base from which to explore the 91-mile coastal path that winds along the cliffs of this predominantly Welsh-speaking region. To the east lie the mountain ranges of Snowdon, which offer some of the finest walking and climbing in…

Modern sails don’t simply rip, unless you’ve given them a real pounding. But there are other tell-tale signs that they’re growing long in the tooth. “Generally a woven sail needs replacing once the sail has become baggy or misshaped as the performance will suffer and this means that the draft in the sail has moved aft making the sail much deeper and harder to trim,” explains Norfolk sailmaker Chris Jeckells. He suggests taking a photo up the sail every year and drawing a line between the luff and the leech to identify the draft. “Also, if you need a lot of helm to go in a straight line this is a good indication that your sails are baggy,” he adds. Main and headsail A good sail loft will already have…

Rain & Sun Dinghy covers Rain and Sun manufacture dinghy and catamaran covers. All covers are made in the UK from UV treated materials. The covers are easy to fit and take off using clip buckles and straps and shock cord draw strings. All materials used are selected for their durability and strength. • rainandsun.co.uk • 023 80230444 Exe Sails Exe Sails is a highly respected company which provides a selection of dinghy covers plus biminis, stack packs, sail covers, sail bags nd dodgers – plus, of course, actual sails. • exesails.com • 01392 874 449 Pinnell and Bax All P&B covers are made in-house in the well established UK sail loft ensuring quality control and fast lead times. Whether you’re looking for a new Trailing, Flat or Overboom cover…

The British Sailing Team opened the 52nd Southampton Boat Show in September and crowds flocked to the event, which this year offered the first new layout for years. The revamped show saw the addition of five new zones aimed at watersports, dinghies and classic boats, plus a Festival Green area with seats, food and live music. It was all accompanied by lots more ways for visitors to get afloat on craft ranging from an SUP, kayak, yacht or RIB, to Jolie Brise, the 1913 pilot cutter. All exhibitors were required to follow the show’s sustainability pledge, including new environmental requirements to follow on their stand. Single use plastic bottles and plastic straws had to be replaced with recyclable or reusable glasses, plates and cutlery on all stands, along with only…

Gosport Marine Festival Over 350 people took to the water in September as part of the Gosport Marine Festival, while many more visitors packed the waterfront at the free event aimed to inspire local families to connect with the sea. The event was opened by former First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band. Sir Ben at Beaulieu Sir Ben Ainslie made a guest appearance at a Buckler’s Hard 50th anniversary and redevelopment celebration regatta, in August. Sir Ben enjoyed a sail up the Beaulieu River in a Scow with the Hon Mary Montagu-Scott. The marina was marking the end the completion of a two-year, £2m redevelopment. Gipsy Moth IV to Guernsey Sir Francis Chichester’s Gipsy Moth IV takes-up residence in St Peter Port, Guernsey, after…

The Moorings has announced the return of its charter operations to the Abacos, Bahamas, for the upcoming charter season.Two years after the devastation of Hurricane Dorian, the islands and cays of the Abacos have recovered and charter holidays will resume, departing in December 2021, based at the Abaco Beach Resort in Marsh Harbour. The fleet comprises three and four-cabin power catamarans, including the flagship 534PC, as well as three and four-cabin sailing catamarans, such as the Moorings 5000. To book call +44 (0) 330 332 1524 or visit moorings. .…

Mylius 50 Unbelievably, the already extremely crowded market of stylish and swift Italian cruiser/racers has yet another addition to its ranks. The Mylius 50 comes from an Italian yard more frequently known for giant yachts verging toward the superyacht bracket. This is an all carbon yacht which replaces the existing Mylius 50 and is slightly longer (1’ to be precise), slightly wider and also lighter at 9,500kg compared to 9,900 for the previous model. Factor in to that sail area has also been increased and you have a rocket ship on your hands, albeit one with a very comfortable and stylish interior. mylius.it Aspect 45 Swedish boatbuilders seem to be doing all they can to throw off the pipe and slippers image that has long accompanied yachts from this corner…

‘There was only one solution. It was time to rip the boat open and have a bow thruster fitted’ I’ve just come through major surgery and the outcome is as yet uncertain. The chap who performed it looked no more than a lad but he swore he’d done the procedure many times before and always with success. He warned me there would be scarring but I resigned myself to the inevitability of that. Nevertheless, you don’t go into these things lightly. Which is why, for a few years now, I have put off the moment. But the symptoms have been getting worse; broken nights, cold sweats, anxiety outbreaks. They were making life a misery. There was only one solution. It was time to rip the boat open and have a…

When you cast off your lines with the idea that you will be gone for, oh say, seven or eight years, having a plan becomes a bit moot. No one can make a cruising plan that will survive eight years. So we didn’t. Our plan was simple; 'We have no plan and by golly, we are going to stick to it!' What we did know was that we wanted to start our journey by crossing the North Sea to Scotland. Scotland, we’d been told was simply superb. Having been up and down the English Channel a couple of times, that particular stretch of water held no attraction. Neither did the standing mast route in the Netherlands since we had lived there for seven years. Scotland, on the other hand, holds…

Nobody goes sailing to jog along at four knots nor do many of us wish for a wilfully ugly boat. The Italia makes sure neither of those things is a possibility. This yacht is a joy which in Belissima form will ensure you arrive first in any anchorage in comfort and have the best looking yacht there. In race form you have a boat that is a genuine contender in the ORC so the boat is a winner on many fronts. One cliché the boat does not conform to is quality, which was excellent. The payoff is price, although this is competitive with X Yachts, it's a chunk more than, say, a Solaris. The reward is a lighter, quicker boat though. PERFORMANCE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ BLUE WATER ABILITY:…

The Trust had five boats competing all week, ranging from a trio of 22-footers to the 45ft Scaramouche, with the latter racing with an all-girl crew that was joined by Vendée Globe veteran Pip Hare on Tuesday. The trust is currently supported by a lottery grant, but needs to raise an additional £50,000 every year to continue its activities. Competitors can help the Trust continue its work in 2022 by donating to this campaign www.justgiving.com/campaign/scaramouche2022…

Hosted by Plymouth Youth Sailing (PYS) in association with the Mount Batten Watersports and Activity, with racing in the natural amphitheatre of Plymouth Sound ideal for both sailors and spectators against the iconic background of the city with its lighthouse on The Hoe, the scene was set for a memorable week of sailing and socials, writes Paula Irish. The annual National Youth Regatta is the highlight of the National School Sailing Association's calendar and following the postponement of last year’s event, the 2021 edition proved memorable for all involved. Open to young people from across the UK aged 19 and under, ranging from rookies to top level racers, unlike other regattas everyone has to enter as part of a team. This year’s regatta attracted 17 teams – including five new…

BENETEAU FIRST 38S5 | MINNIE The Beneteau First range from this era was noted for its blend of fine performance and good levels of comfort and practicality which saw the boat do well both on the racecourse and also serve a number of owners as a blue water cruiser. The First 38s5 was introduced in 1989 and continued in production until 1994. The design resulted from the collaboration of designers Jean Berret, who was responsible for the hull and rig, and Philippe Starck, who designed the interior. Minnie is a fine example, having been well maintained and loved by her current owner. Aside from good performance, the First range of this era was noted for its practicality, with minimal use of wood and maximum use of aluminum mouldings…