Innehållsförteckning för February 2022 från Sailing Today

British Olympic 470 gold medalists Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre were voted Rolex World Sailors of the Year in a virtual ceremony broadcast on 2 December. Australia’s Tom Slingsby won the male 2021 Rolex World Sailor of the Year in celebration of his achievements in three competitive classes over the past two years (Moth, SailGP and offshore in the Rolex Middle Sea Race). The World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award went to the Sail Africa Youth Development Foundation for increasing the participation of ethnically diverse and female sailors in Durban, South Africa. Shortly afterwards, Mills announced her retirement from Olympic sailing, along with other members of the Tokyo squad. She said: “I’ll be working on my sustainability campaign which I’m really passionate about while exploring some exciting opportunities in…

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting writer Jon Emmett has won his class at the ILCA Masters World Championships in Barcelona. Jon, who has multiple national titles to his name in the class, previously known as the Laser Radial, won the Worlds with a day to spare, having won every race bar two. He narrowly missed out on winning the final two races, which were photo finishes. After 12 races his score was an impressive 14 points. He said: “I had a good week and was really pleased to win it. I have to thank James Gray and all the girls in Weymouth for letting me join in their training, that really helped. I feel really happy and pretty tired. I don’t know what’s next but very much looking to…

‘They chose to test themselves not by crossing oceans but by sailing round Britain’ One night in December I wrapped myself in a newly pressed suit and headed off to a glittering ceremony - the British Yachting Awards, organised by this magazine. Like a newcomer at an Oscar ceremony, I spotted some well-known faces. It was a bit of a shock to see Pip Hare with her hair combed, having only ever seen her damp and bedraggled on her Youtube channel. And there was Sir Chay Blyth, getting a lifetime achievement award, reminding us in his speech that when he set off on his first circumnavigation he had little idea about navigation. But the boy done good and well deserved his award. But these celebrities were far less intriguing than…

I think I’m going to buy a boat!” My parents faces dropped, in the way that only parents whose now-adult offspring has just announced that they intend to do something stupid and dangerous can. The year was 2020, the coronavirus was raging, and I had just returned to the UK after several years of absence, fleeing back across the Irish Sea with my tail between my legs as the relationship to which I had dedicated the last three years of my life collapsed around me. Watching the sun sink into the sea behind me, a long side-lined dream began to resurface. I had learned to sail at a young age, mostly in Toppers, Wanderers, and other small dinghies, with the occasional memorable foray aboard larger craft. It was around this…

Most of us have been there, the sky is grey, waves are creaming over the boat and we are huddled in the cockpit praying for a let up in the weather. Yes praying, whether religious or not we are closer to the elemental forces when afloat than we ever are ashore. You will therefore be glad to know that it is now possible to combine the spiritual with sailing in a more tangible way. The Camino de Santiago, the long and wearisome trail, so long the reserve of the pedestrian and more recently the cyclist, has recently become available to the cruising pilgrim. And I don’t mean in a figurative sense, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela now recognises the Credencial del Peregrino, issued by certain yacht clubs, as equal…

Now in its eighth edition, the RORC Transatlantic Race has evolved from what was originally intended as a feeder race to the Caribbean season (in particular for the RORC Caribbean 600) into a high calibre showdown between some of the world’s most notable race yachts. Competing alongside them will be a number of Corinthian teams keen to test their ocean racing skills. With a record entry for 2022's event, the fleet will set off from Puerto Calero, Lanzarote on 8 January. 3000nm of Atlantic Ocean lies ahead, with the finish line lying off Grenada where a warm welcome awaits at Camper & Nicholson’s Port Louis Marina. Organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, in association with the International Maxi Association and, for the first time, the Yacht Club de France,…

This is an extraordinary boat. To produce a 50’ yacht with a displacement of under 8,000kg is incredible and has to be viewed as the boat's greatest asset. As an example, the all carbon ICE 52 RS weights 3,000kg more. That weight saved translates to raw speed and fun. The lift keel also provides versatility. Although the ORC handicap is not great, this could be worked on for the serious racer and you could certainly cut a dash in an offshore race such as the Fastnet. My gut feeling is that the boat is better set up for long offshore races than a ClubSwan 50. The interior wasn’t to my taste, too butch and not as classy as, say, a Solaris but this can be heavily customised to suit the…

With spring just around the corner now is the time to plan that much needed escape from the long, cold northern hemisphere winter with a sailing holiday in the sun just a relatively short hop away from the UK. The North Atlantic groups of islands off the coast of Africa and Portugal including the Azores, the Canary Islands and the Cape Verde offer good, year round sailing conditions in some of the world’s most unspoilt and interesting cruising grounds. Holidaying in this part of the world just four hours or so from the UK also makes sense for those who can’t face being cramped up on a plane for hours on end to places like the Caribbean, particularly in these uncertain times with covid 19 restrictions in place. Another plus…

“I am Sara, 34 years old and an electrical engineer working in Berlin. I started sailing around six years ago, mostly recreational sailing in the Mediterranean or the Baltic Sea. When I heard about the ARC in 2017, I immediately knew I wanted to participate someday. 2021 was the year and a more experienced friend of mine told me, that if I wanted to join the ARC I should do it in a racing yacht since I would learn so much in these more complex yachts in two weeks time. Volvo 70 Telefonica Black was the ideal option, when I found them via Kraken Travel I booked immediately and it was the best decision. From the very start, the professional crew started training us. We were supposed to do all…

Gone are the days when sheeting in meant half a dozen burly men rushing to the quarter and heaving on a rope. Handybillies and deadeyes equally belong to the pages of history, or at least the rigging of historical craft. Now all you really need is a few decent winches on the coachroof and the coaming. And although this is quite mature technology these days, there have been a welter of small improvements over the years which make the job easier or safer or better connected. If you never quite got far enough down your list of spring fettling jobs to reach winch maintenance, or you fancy a bit of electrical assistance, then you might be eyeing the new winch market with a degree of trepidation. As with all bits…

The Swiss team Alinghi is back in the America’s Cup, confirming one of the biggest rumours doing the rounds in Cup circles. Alinghi will partner with Red Bull – they are “friendly rivals” on the GC32 racing catamaran circuit – to form Alinghi Red Bull Racing, backed by the Société Nautique de Genève. The new team will be led by Alinghi’s GC32 co-skipper Arnaud Psarofaghis and mainsail trimmer Bryan Mettraux, who will begin training for the next America’s Cup over the winter with what is being labelled a “100% Swiss-made crew”. The Alinghi brand first became known to the wider sailing world when owner Ernesto Bertarelli challenged for and won the 2003 America’s Cup in Auckland, beating the Kiwis on their home waters with a crew made up largely of…

Boatbuilder Ashley Butler is selling Penpol Boatyard in Cornwall with an asking price of at least £2 million. The working yard, being sold through Savills, comes with a recently renovated four bedroom house and wooden boat workshop overlooking the Fal Estuary. The yard can accommodate 60 vessels with an additional six deep water moorings. Ashley, who has been on the site for six years, said: “There are not many freehold boatyards that are privately owned. It’s a very strong opportunity and we’re doing all we can to keep it an owner-operated boatyard. However, people don’t have to know boatyards – there’s enough expertise here to run that side of it – but you need the business sense to handle the finances. So it doesn’t have to be someone like myself…

De Cesari 475 De Cesari Yachts seem to be a bit of a pet project for the Italian Ceccarelli design house and feature classic lines above the water coupled with modern design and hull appendages below the waterline, with the net result being a fast, beautiful looking yacht. The recently launched De Cesari 33 demonstrated exactly what an alluring concept that was; now the new 475 promises to do all that but on a bigger scale altogether. The boat is constructed from laminated mahogany with a teak deck and features relatively narrow beam with deep T shaped lead bulbed keel and a single deep rudder. The lines are simple, clean and effortlessly stylish. Inside there are two cabins and a good deal more space than on the 33. ceccarelliyachtdesign.com Arcona…

‘DOES THAT MEAN FINN-SIZED SAILORS HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO? YES. WILL THEY BE COMPETITIVE? THAT DEPENDS’ Kitefoiling is one of the most breathtaking forms of sailing I’ve seen. If you can call it sailing, that is. The definition of sailing has been a contentious subject in recent years, with traditionalists lobbying against replacing the likes of the Finn dinghy with another ‘beach sport’. The Finn sailors were one of the friendliest, most affable groups of competitors in the Olympic boat park. One of their strongest arguments for being retained as an Olympic event was the question: ‘Where will athletes over 85kg go?’ It’s fair to say the other dinghy classes are for small to medium sized people. Now that I’ve seen kitefoiling up close, I see that there…

The 37th America’s Cup came a step closer recently as the Protocol was released, eight months to the day since Emirates Team New Zealand won the 36th America’s Cup on their home waters off Auckland. Setting out the foundations and rules of participation for the next challenge for sport’s oldest trophy, the 80 page document has been drawn up following close negotiations between the Defender - the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and Emirates Team New Zealand, and the Challenger of Record - Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd and their representative team INEOS Britannia. Emirates Team New Zealand’s CEO Grant Dalton described the Protocol as “progressive”, while INEOS Britannia’s CEO Sir Ben Ainslie said it was “bold”, and said the creative thinking it entailed was “what was required to take the…

For the giant multihulls, a transatlantic challenge such as this is hard to resist. Three MOD70 trimarans will set off from Lanzarote, hoping to beat the race record of 5 days 22 hours 46 minutes, set in 2015 by Lloyd Thornburg’s MOD70 Phaedo 3, then skippered by Britain’s Brian Thompson. Brian is once again racing, this time on board Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo (USA). He goes up against 2018 race winner Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati Multi70 (ITA) and the boat that tailed her second over the line after a gripping trans-ocean match race, Peter Cunningham’s PowerPlay (ex Concise-10). With three boats, all capable of foiling about 40 knots, Brian predicts an enthralling race. “The boat that is behind will always be trying to break away from the leaders and the front…

Sitting on the shore of the Menai Straits in north Wales, Port Dinorwic Sailing Club/ Clwb Hwylio Y Felinheli draws its 300-strong membership largely from within its small village surrounds. So when the Club was not only recognised for its role at the ‘Heart of the Community’ but also voted as the overall winner of the 2021 RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Award, both the club and the community were ecstatic. The Award recognises the outstanding achievement of clubs across the UK and PDSC saw off stiff competition, ultimately being selected by the Award Panel as one of 10 national finalists, then emerging top in the public vote. Current commodore Cathy Goodwin says: “We were delighted! We were really surprised that such a small club could…

If you watched the live coverage of the Finn Olympic medal race in Japan this summer, you may have heard Giles Scott vocally encouraging the wind to shift left as he progressed up the first beat. “Tidal shift, lifting lefties, come on!” This was not a surprise: after returning to re-start when the X flag was displayed, Giles took an uncharacteristically large split to the left of the fleet. And it appeared to pay off: the leader came from the left, and Giles rounded the mark having put himself back in the race. The snap (below) from the harbour wall of the race area before the start gives a clue as to why the tuned-in sailors might have been able to predict a left shift. There is a distinct difference…

Rigging has come a long way since the days of the clipper ship when a vessel like the Cutty Sark carried about eight miles worth of standing and running rigging on her three masts. These days, thank the lord, things are significantly less complicated even on the largest of vessels yet windage and weight aloft can still make a significant difference to performance. Meanwhile, selecting the wrong rope for a task may significantly compromise performance. At the most basic level, sheets and halyards need to have minmal stretch. The last thing you want is your sails losing shape in a sharp puff of wind. By contrast, dock lines most definitely should have a bit of give in them to prevent excessive snatching. If that’s a very simple rule of thumb,…

A number of companies charter out places on both cruising and racing yachts taking part. Kraken Travel is one such company and provide a decent benchmark of costs: Beneteau First 40.7: £3550 per person Volvo 70 Telefonica Black: £4250 per person Included in price: Professional Skipper plus professional crew Branded team kits Food, fuel, race entry and mooring fees Not included: Accommodation when in port Travel to or from the boats Sea boots Kraken state that some sailing experience is required plus a good level of fitness. Contact kraken.travel for more information…

Garmin boat stereo The Fusion RA60 is a compact, marine stereo featuring “modern aesthetics” and an anti-fogging display and protection against salt, UV, dust and more. The Fusion MS-RA60 features wireless control via Bluetooth and ANT technology (Garmin watches, ARX remote) – including control via Fusion-Link. • £219 • garmin.com Boat cleaning products CleanToGleam’s range encompasses the full boat cleaning and polishing process, including their Hull Cleaner, their Stainless Steel Cleaner and Rust Remover, and a Stainless Steel Brightener. No scrubbing or rubbing is needed for any of these concentrated products. The stainless steel cleaners are “developed for guard rails and wires, stanchions, davits, cleats and other stainless steel fixtures and fittings” without damage to other surfaces and furniture. “Used by professionals!” says the company. • Stainless Steel Cleaner and…

Plymouth, Devon, will host a second successive SailGP event, it has been confirmed, as the global racing series announces its season three venues. Plymouth was a hugely successful venue for SailGP in July 2021, the city council getting behind the event and thousands of people watching ashore on the Hoe and afloat on their own boats or official spectator boats. The natural amphitheatre of Plymouth Sound made for a spectacular venue, with the race course easily viewable. Meanwhile SailGP’s wider initiatives benefited the local community including a donation of £20k for local youth sailors. SailGP Plymouth 2021 was voted runner-up in our British Yachting Awards in November, in the Event of the Year category (see page 19). SailGP announced its season three venues on 7 December, with season two meanwhile…

The British Yachting Awards took place at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Knightsbridge, on 30 November, with the winners announced in 13 categories, the results of six weeks of voting – and almost 20,000 votes cast – by the readers of Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting. Thankyou to everybody who voted. The shortlists for each category were published in our November 2021 issue and nominations included some of the biggest names in sailing, alongside amateur yachtsmen and youth sailors. A roomful of sailing VIPs gathered at the Royal Thames YC for the ceremony – an audience ranging from Olympians and solo circumnavigators, to naval architects and boat builders, to weekend sailors and some of our subscribers who took advantage of the opportunity to pay for a ticket. Presenter was…

‘IT WILL BE THE PINNACLE EVENT FOR SHIRLEY ROBERTSON AND DEE CAFFARI WHO WILL BE CAMPAIGNING A NEW SUNFAST 3300 TOGETHER’ From what I understand to have been a club which was not exactly prospering three or four years ago it is great to see the historic Royal Western YC in Plymouth bouncing back with a strong programme of offshore and oceanic events. That is where the club really made its name: from the 1960s onwards with the OSTAR and the Two-Handed Round Britain & Ireland race, which was first started in 1966, followed by the TWOSTAR – the two-handed Transatlantic Race – which was first raced in 1981. Considerable thought and proper market research have gone before the decision to change the course for this year’s two-handed Round Britain…

Time was when ocean sailors cast off the shorelines knowing there would be no communication with the outside world until they fetched up on another continent and toddled off to the poste restante. With luck, news from home would be waiting and letters written on passage could be mailed which might, or might not, arrive before they returned. That’s all history now, life has have changed and I have to chuckle when I read of ocean warriors south of Cape Horn calling their local chandler for advice on a leaking valve or asking the weatherman when they should tack. It’s even started to happen to me. One of the fun things about running my internet club (www.tomcunliffe.com) is the emails from members in unexpected circumstances. I had a note yesterday…

Having been obsessed with yachts from an early age, many early notebooks of mine are filled with sketches of dream boats. Being a child and unfettered by the constraints of practicality and common sense, these drawings were often pretty alarming to look at; towering masts raked at wild angles and supporting clouds of sail. Hulls that looked like they were designed for re-entry from outer space. Observing them with the wisdom of age, they look kind of fun but also are quite clearly impractical. Imagine therefore my surprise to be confronted with one of my boyhood sketches sitting at the end of a pontoon in the Stockholm archipelago. I blinked, rubbed my eyes yet there it was, the Shogun 50; a boat every bit as wild as any childhood daydreams…

Coaches often measure tide flow very simply by dropping a tide stick, which sits vertically in the water with just enough exposed above the water to be able to locate it. We drop the tide stick next to a fixed point (or a GPS waypoint) and measure how fast and in what direction the stick travels. Try a thought experiment. Imagine that there is a burgee fixed to the top of a floating tide stick, with 2 knots of uniform north-bound tidal flow, in a complete flat calm, in the middle of the Atlantic. The burgee will display wind in the opposite direction to the flow (from the north), and flap just as it would in 2 knots of ‘real’ wind. We could happily sail around perfectly normally in this…

Truly the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) is an event for our times: a phenomena. For the very few who are uninitiated, it’s essentially a mass migration of yachts that leaves Las Palmas every November in order to escape a life of routine and to go in search of a life less ordinary. These are the refugees of Generation X; the flotsam of a generation who have earned a retirement gift of more time and money than they know what to do with. The result of this charming dilemma is a giant cruise in company across the Atlantic. Rookie skippers are ushered to the start line with the aid of the World Cruising Club, which provides patient support, safety guidance and checks plus a berth and a liberal smattering of…

Georgie Corlett-Pitt put Gill’s Pursuit Trainers through their paces at the recent TP52 Worlds in Palma Often when sailing in the ‘guest’ spot, you are never quite where you are meant to be, and so it’s important to be able to hop nimbly about the boat when needed. In this case, I was also jumping between the sleek decks of the race boat and the slippery wet sponson of the chase boat in a fairly significant swell. These trainers did not let me down. The non-slip grip did its job in both wet and dry conditions, while the air-cell insole brilliantly absorbed impact and the moulded toe protection gave me confidence that the front of my foot was well-protected and supported. A drainage system ensures any water is quickly expelled.…

NICHOLSON 35 | COWRIE The Nicholson 35 is a very solid, fast and seaworthy cruiser. About 230 were built in total, with minor alterations over the years resulting in Mk I to Mk VI versions. In their early years, these boats were capable and competitive ocean racers, though nowadays they are more often thought of as serious but fairly fast cruisers. Cowrie is a very fine example of a Mk VI edition and is lovingly maintained by her fastidious owner. Ideal for offshore and coastal cruising alike, the Nicholson 35 will keep you safe and sound. The cockpit is deep and secure with high seat backs and shielded well by the sprayhood. The deck is secured with stainless steel pulpit, solid wrap round pushpit and stanchion posts with…