Innehållsförteckning för August 2024 från Sailing Today

Cruising – Ionian It was a hot day at the end of August, and we were looking for somewhere to anchor for lunch and a swim. Sailing down the east coast of Atokos, a deserted island five miles east of Ithaca, we spotted an idyllic beach, with white sand and turquoise water, and decided to have a closer look. We were taken aback by what we found. Lying on the beach was a family of four: a mum and dad, a teenager and a toddler (or so we assumed). They were lying together soaking up the midday sun, and occasionally one of them got up and waded in the water to cool down. Only the toddler was restless and constantly wriggling and demanding attention from its parents, who pretended not…

Cruising – Isles of Scilly If you recall, Sailing Today had been following our progress since 2017 around Norway and then down through France, Brittany, Galicia, Portugal and the Canary Islands. From there we intended to commit to the lifelong ambition of circumnavigating. However, in July 2020, several things mounted against us whilst stationed in the Canary Islands, ready for the Atlantic crossing. With the first covid lockdown over, new Brexit rules looming and trying for a baby, there were too many unknowns in our lives to commit to the circumnavigation. As such so we decided to sail our SeaStream 43, Shadowfax, back to the UK via the Azores. (See “Sailing Today November 2020 - Solo Sailing in an Atlantic Storm!). On New Years Day 2021 we then discovered Emmie…

Literally thousands of apps will give you a weather forecast, but just a few dozen are designed for sailors and few of them offer genuine routing. A basic routing algorithm is built into the main navigational chart brands, but this is only enough to avoid the land – not to optimise passage times or comfort. For a reliable ETA that can see ocean currents and understand efficiency at different points of sail you need something more powerful. There are two elements to a dedicated routing app. While still connected to high-speed internet ashore, you can use the weather routing software to advise on the best moment to set off, crunching detailed weather, wave and tidal data for days in advance. Then, once offshore, you’ll be relying on satellite data, which…

Duver Marina – part Bembridge harbour – which is privately owned and managed by Fiona and Malcolm Thorpe, and Bembridge Harbour team, is on the starboard side along the buoyed channel at the eastern corner of the Isle of Wight. This recently revamped marina in the heart of the harbour offers a well-equipped, safe haven not only for permanent berth holders, but also visitors. Given its location at the ‘gateway to the Solent’, Bembridge Harbour is a particularly popular choice for those seeking respite after a tough west-bound passage up the Channel. It is also a popular venue for rallies, with groups of yachts turning up en-mass to enjoy spectacular sailing on the Solent as well the fun social element in the friendly setting within the harbour. For permanent berth…

SWEDEN YACHTS 45 | SONGLINE From 2004, this Sweden Yachts 45 has been cherished through life, she is still in her original ownership. An extensive 2020/2021 refit delivered new teak decks, rod rigging, carbonfibre mast and boom repaint, new electric windlass, and stacks more. Songline has raced in the Solent, cruised in the Mediterranean, and has an Atlantic circuit beneath her keel. She has proved to be comfortable, easy to sail shorthanded, and highly capable in all weather conditions. In prime condition above and below deck, she is plug and play. Year: 2004 LOA: 14.15m (46’5”) Beam: 4.18m (13’9”) Draft: 2.3m (7’7”) Displacement: 12,400kg Hull Construction: Glassfibre Keel: Fin with bulb Engine: 1 x Volvo DH4 75hp Designer: Peter Norlin & Jens Ostmann Accommodation: 6 berths in 3 cabins Location:…

Wild ride for Round the Island Race as stormy conditions hit fleet Some years the annual Round the Island Race is a gentle stroll around the Isle of Wight in gentle summer sunshine. 2024 was anything but. This is the UK’s biggest mixed fleet race on the calendar but the race, held on 15 June, saw strong winds lash the south coast meaning that a number of smaller classes were withdrawn before the race started, and many retired. The most extreme conditions were experienced at the pinch point that is the Needles Channel. Gusts of 50kts were recorded and wind over tide conditions at times made for truly intimidating conditions. In the end, just 153 yachts completed the course with a remarkable 418 retiring. In such conditions it was no…

Will Micky Beckett be able to beat Matt Wearn when it matters the most? Australia’s Wearn is looking to become the first ever sailor to win back-to-back gold medals at the Olympics in the men’s Laser class, these days known as the ILCA 7. Great Britain’s Beckett has taken the fight to Wearn on a number of occasions when they have found themselves so far ahead of the rest of the pack that they’re locked in a match race for gold and silver. Generally Beckett has come off second best to Wearn in these head-to-head battles at various important regattas, including last year’s Worlds and Olympic Test Regatta. But the Welsh Wizard keeps on getting better and better and is a serious threat for the Olympic gold. Their rivalry calls…

Interview – Heather Thomas When Maiden crossed the finish line off the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, accompanied by a flotilla of well wishers, it was hard not to reminisce over her finish of the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race – a race which catapulted her and her then-skipper, Tracy Edwards MBE, into the history books. Fast forward some 35 years to 16 April 2024, and this was another moment for the history books and a not dissimilar race: the Ocean Globe Race, brainchild of Don McIntyre, conceived as ‘a fully crewed retro race for ordinary sailors in normal yachts’ – with no modern tech allowed. Far from being ‘ordinary’, Maiden and her multinational all-female crew have proven themselves quite extraordinary, sailing 27,000nm via Cape Town, Auckland and Punta del…

Orca Attacks In the April issue of Sailing Today, we told you about the recommendations from orcas. pt on how to make a safe passage through the area where Iberian orcas are attacking yachts. Besides lessons learned from the experiences of other sailors, there have been many hours of research behind these recommendations. This month I went to Tarifa, in Southern Spain, and visited Renaud de Stephanis from CIRCE (https://circe.info/), who collaborates with orcas.pt. We joined his team on research vessel Sea Observer for a day of work in the Strait of Gibraltar to find out about their operations: How did you meet and team up with Rui Alves from orcas.pt? Rui started the group on WhatsApp (now moved to Telegram, a similar app, without restriction for the number of…

There is surprisingly little on pleasure boating in the huge pantheon of Greek literature. You would have thought some of them could have taken some time off from working out the of modern fiction, putting together competing philosophical schools we still dwell on today, working out the circumference of the earth and establishing the history of the known world, as well as laying down the rudiments of science and mathematics, to describe the simple pleasures of sailing for the fun of it. But ‘NO’. There is little written down or depicted to go on. So, we are left with Homer and The Odyssey, a gift that has influenced many to up-sticks and sail away. If there is one thing we can be sure of it is that The Odyssey has…

If you are looking to extend your cruising season to the absolute maximum, Turkey is one of the best places to go because you can expect eight or nine hours of sunshine a day and temperatures even in April and October in the low to mid-20s. In fact, Tommy Tognarelli, CEO of Plain Sailing charter says the season seems to extend further and further each year: “We’ve got bookings in Turkey right through to early November and, to be honest, the sailing conditions are particularly good there in the late season, when the temperatures aren’t stifling, and there are fewer boats on the water.” Nautilus Yachting’s clients also say they enjoy Turkey’s extended season. Leanne Kifford – Nautilus’ Business Development Manager said: “Our clients love the warm weather in Turkey…

Linjett 36 Linjett Yachts is a Swedish manufacturer that is surprisingly little known in the UK but much loved in Scandinavia where it has forged a reputation for superb craftsmanship and fast, seaworthy boats. The new 36 is doubtless no exception and its advertising slogan is ‘polite and comfortable’ which says a lot. This is a roomy cruiser with good performance and slightly more traditional lines than some contemporaries. ● linjett.se Solaris 55 Solaris Yachts seems to have spent decades perfecting the concept of the stylish Italian Med cruiser that can be raced a bit, and its new 55 is basically a refinement of the old 55 that was launched back in 2017. This is a totally new boat, however, not a Mk2, and designer Soto Acebal has gone for…

Having no bank balance is not all bad for a young sailor. It keeps him out of the pubs and it gives him a sense of priorities. My first serious cruiser was acquired half a century ago. Finances were in a dire state. The boat was a 32ft Colin Archer pilot cutter built in 1903. Today, advertisements on the internet assure would-be buyers that any old double-ender or even canoe-sterned yacht is the work of the great man, but informed readers know better. Archer’s boats were noted for extreme beam. This is an easy enough thing for a designer to work with on a modern flat-floored hull, but try your luck with a deep-keeled classic and you run into problems. The result is that most of these so-called ‘Colin Archers’…

Boat test – Jeanneau Sun Fast 30 OD Jeanneau Yachts has a proud history of racing going back to 1976 when a Jeanneau Melody battled against the Atlantic greybeards to complete the OSTAR. Since then the company has been one of the leading forces in making racing more accessible by producing genuinely rapid mass produced racing yachts. Models such as the Rush Royale, Selection 37 and the JOD 35 when they came out in the ’80s and ’90s, while the latest iterations of the Sun Fast range have been at the forefront of the offshore racing scene. It was therefore welcome news when the French manufacturer announced that it was going to bolster its Sun Fast range – already represented by the excellent and successful Sun Fast 3300 – with…

Round the Island Race The days leading up to the 87th edition of the Round the Island Race saw the forecasted winds build – and, too, the debate for skippers: to race or not race? The iconic 50nm circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight, organised by the Island Sailing Club (ISC), is an annual highlight for many, a true ‘race for all’; with nearly 1000 boats entered and several thousand crew members due to compete on June 15, it was not a choice anyone was taking lightly. By the Friday afternoon, the race committee – in consultation with weather and safety experts - prudently shouldered some of the decision-making when they announced the cancellation of eight of the smaller classes and issued direct safety guidance to the remaining entrants. Race…

Cruising – Mythical Anchorages The Iliad and the Odyssey are two of the great epics of Greek mythology and in many respects the Odyssey – which relates the journey home – set the stage for modern day chartering in Greece. Think about it; Odysseus’ little jaunt back from Troy has all the ingredients of a classic charter. The trip begins as a high spirited affair that soon gets derailed in part due to unforeseen consequences as a result of an impromptu barbecue. Meanwhile a visit to the hedonistic lotus eaters leads to heavy hangovers and a reluctance to continue at all. All the while, unfavourable breezes mean that Odysseus’ intended destination of Ithaca remains tantalisingly out of reach. Despite these trials, Odysseus eventually returns home content. Anyone who has chartered…

EXPERTS' FORUM As summers in Greece and around the world get hotter with climate change, the need for environmentally friendly air conditioning has never been greater. Large yachts running generators all night are a common feature of busy Ionian harbours, and the noise and exhaust can be polluting and problematic. Traditionally, marine air conditioning has demanded high power inputs from either a generator or shore power supply. Combined with the size of the air conditioning unit itself, this has typically meant that only larger yachts had air conditioning installed. The options for guests chartering smaller yachts have been severely limited. When I started as a charter skipper 15 years ago you regularly saw small battery fans with bulldog clips attached to wardrobe doors in desperate attempts to cool stuffy cabins!…

The sailing world is no different. In a community where many of the newer members get their introduction to cruising by lusting after the highly edited YouTube or Instagram versions of the life afloat it’s perhaps unsurprising that many are left with a feverish apatite to replicate the lifestyle that they have seen. We’ve come across several who are so steadfastly intent upon their future boating plans and goals that they, alas, seem almost oblivious to the rich sailing wonders of where they already are. We met an Australian family in Malaysia where the father was very headstrong and certain that it would do his family the utmost good to put to sea and plough across the Indian Ocean. He was so focussed on reaching the wonders of Europe that…