Innholdsfortegnelse for May-2018 i Yachting Monthly

The Beast from the East plunged the country into the depths of an Arctic winter. Green shoots of early daffodils naïvely preempting the first day of spring froze under a foot of snow. Sailors, in eager anticipation of the season, were caught blue lipped and icy handed attempting to ready their boats. It was in this state that I found myself shortly before the storm arrived, kneeling on a pontoon in chilly February, scrubbing a sail cover to remove the detritus of winter. Somehow, it wasn’t a hardship though. I was free of the office, under an expanse of sky and surrounded by the metallic percussion of halyards in a stiff breeze. I enjoyed it. Then it got really cold. Yachts waiting on the hard stood over harbours that gradually…

A major salvage and clean-up operation is underway at Holyhead Marina in north Wales after Storm Emma left 85 boats sunk or damaged. Polystyrene from the marina’s pontoons was washed up and booms were brought in to contain diesel and other debris. A significant amount of fuel was pumped out of some of the larger vessels aground. The Holyhead port authority Stena Line Ports deployed a tanker to remove the polystyrene pollution from the marina. It said it was working with all the relevant external agencies to ensure the clean-up ‘progresses as quickly and efficiently as possible.’ Volunteers from the community and Holyhead Sailing Club initially helped with the clean-up before being asked to stop by the Coastguard because of health and safety concerns. Jonathan Fox’s Fiskars Finnfire 33, Mikki…

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says he won’t appeal a decision by National Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK) to exclude Suhaili from the National Historic Ships register. Boats on the register have to be a minimum of 33ft overall. Suhaili is seven inches too short. Sir Robin said that he was ‘not particularly surprised’ his beloved Bermudian ketch didn’t meet the requirements. ‘They have their rules and Suhaili does not fit within those. That’s it,’ said Sir Robin, although he did highlight that the register’s earlier rules excluded boats built outside the UK but exceptions have been made for HMS Foudroyant and Sir Alec Rose’s 36ft Lively Lady, which were both built in India. ‘It’s not for me to decide whether there should be a change in the rules and I am not…

When is it appropriate to deploy a drogue? Q I refer to your article on page 55 of your February 2018 article ‘Our offshore cruise turned into an ocean survival epic.’ The skipper deploys a parachute drogue to cope with worsening sea state, from the bow, not the stern. I would like advice as to when it is appropriate to deploy either a bow or stern drogue. I’d presume the vessel is by now being pushed backwards by the wind, but there must be tremendous leverage on the bow to prevent yawing. I wish I understood the science of the manoeuvre better. It obviously worked though! Over, hopefully not out, to Yachting Monthly. Robert Miller Peter Bruce, Heavy Weather Sailing author, replies: A Having the bow face the wind and…

Not normally known for gushing praise, I found myself describing my day out with Saffier as ‘one of the most enjoyable sails I’ve had in a long time.’ She’s not big, she doesn’t cost half a million, she hasn’t even got a separate heads compartment, but I could imagine myself having wonderful sailing adventures in her; exploring the quiet reaches of the Fal, pottering around Poole Harbour, hiding away up the Kyles of Bute or exploring the creeks of the River Roach. Dutch brand Saffier might not be a familiar name in UK marinas but given our coastline, with its many harbours, inlets and estuaries, the builder has a lot to offer the cruising sailor. Family business Saffier make two distinct ranges: the Se range of long-cockpit, lounging-friendly dayboats and…

Many yachtsmen saw a major overhaul of HM Coastguard, announced at the height of government cutbacks, as a cost-cutting exercise in disguise. Since that announcement several years ago, little has been seen publicly of what has emerged from the project in terms of infrastructure improvements. In reality, prior to the reforms, the UK Search and Rescue operation was reliant on a combination of HM Coastguard and military infrastructure, linked by telephone and dependent on a steadily aging fleet of 1960s-designed aircraft. Seeing the need for a more joined-up approach, the MCA decided to reduce the number of Coastguard stations and develop new technology that would deliver more. But how does it work? And what does it change, if anything, for UK yachtsmen? Powerful transmissions over VHF radio from HM Coastguard…

The rituals of pre-season preparation are loathed by some and laced with anticipation by others. Getting it right can not only set you up for worry-free sailing, but can save you a lot of money as well. Tom Wright and Tom Cload from the Berthon Boat Company in Lymington are responsible for getting more than 250 yachts off the hard and into the water on time every year. As Yachting Monthly found out, it’s a job that demands a methodical approach that actually starts when you haul out. Here, Tom and Tom share how they go about their job, along with some top tips for a stress-free transition on to the water. PLANNING ‘The phone calls tend to come in around the Easter weekend from people that have just remembered…

This is one of the few places you can go and explore the jungle right from the anchorage Like many islands in the Lesser Antilles, sailing along Guadeloupe’s western coast is a frustrating mix of calms and strong gusts. Despite this, Deshaies is a popular stop as it’s the perfect jumping-off point for Antigua and Montserrat. It is also the ideal anchorage for other reasons. The small village of Deshaies, is nevertheless full of colourful cafés and boutiques crammed with pretty things and a magnificent boulangerie opposite the dinghy dock. To get to your morning croissant, you’ll first have to tear yourself away from watching the resident pelicans. This anchorage is full of these incredible birds and you’ll frequently find them fishing from your dinghy (or evidence that they have…

MCA urges EPIRB registration despite delays Sailors are still being encouraged to register their emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) and personal locator beacons (PLBs) despite warnings of delays. The UK Coastguard recently urged sailors to register their EPIRBs after highlighting how the activation of an unregistered EPIRB on a yacht in Woodbridge, Suffolk, resulted in ‘a significant amount of Coastguard resource’ being deployed, including a helicopter crew, which could have been avoided. Both the vessel and the owner were eventually found safe and well. However, new customers are being told by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) UK Distress & Security Beacon Registry that it will take up to 10 weeks or longer to complete registration. Priority is given to merchant and fishing vessels, and sailors undertaking solo or…

Douglas Innes (pictured), former director of Stormforce Coaching Limited, has denied four counts of manslaughter by gross negligence at Winchester Crown Court. Stormforce operated the Beneteau 40.7 Cheeki Rafiki when she capsized and lost her keel in the Atlantic in May 2014 while returning from Antigua Sailing Week. Skipper Andrew Bridge, 22, from Surrey, James Male, 22, from Hampshire, Steve Warren, 52 and Paul Goslin, 56, both from Somerset, died. Their bodies were never found. Innes was found guilty of failing to ensure the safety of the boat in 2017.…

LETTER OF THE MONTH The perfect multitool I read with interest your multitools group gear test (YM, March 2018). I have both a Leatherman Wave and an earlier version of the Wichard Offshore, which has a marlinspike. Personally, it is so much easier to open or close a shackle pin by using the key on the Wichard rather than having to use pliers. I believe the Wichard may also be slightly photoluminescent. The Leatherman Wave has many blades, many of which I hardly ever use. I mainly use the pair of pliers and one blade, as one does have a comprehensive tool kit on board. However, the one knife I find really useful is the Victorinox Skipper (mine is one step below the one featured in your group test as…

ROBIN DAVIE ‘The race is about the effort the person on board makes and their psychology, rather than the dollars spent on getting to the start line,’ reflects Robin Davie, who for the last eight months has been rebuilding his Rustler 36 in a shed in Falmouth. The BOC Challenge Around Alone Race veteran believes ‘preparation, preparation, preparation’ is key to the race and says he is looking forward to ‘sailing the trade winds, the calm of the doldrums and the storms of the Southern Ocean.’ ‘I will be treating every problem as if it has a solution to be found. Things can go wrong no matter how many sea miles you have under your belt. The key is mindset. Don’t have great expectations and build yourself up so things…

For 21 years, Hans Clemmensen has sailed to the Louisiade Archipelago every winter, equipping villages with solar panels. We had been contemplating cruising there when we came into contact with him. A Danish-Australian who lives in Cairns, he told us that the clinic on Nimowa Island, which serves many surrounding islands, was out of medication and equipment. The Louisiade Archipelago is part of Papua New Guinea, stretching over more than 160km to the south-east between the Solomon Sea to the north and the Coral Sea to the south. There is a strong tradition of yachties helping out, especially after their frequent natural disasters. We would need to sail all of the donations there in our Oceanis 37, Essex Girl. This would be the Louisiade sailing aid project. We sailed from…

Can we sail ourselves out of trouble? Q Chris, Pete and Steve have set out from Cowes on their annual cross-Channel trip. They are on board Compass Point, a 32ft fin-keeled Najad 320 owned and maintained by Chris. Chris holds a Yachtmaster Offshore certificate and the rest of the crew are experienced sailors. There is a 10-knot westerly wind and because they left a bit late, they decide to motor against the wind to take advantage of the last of the favourable ebb tide westward to the Needles before turning south. Soon after engaging the prop, there is a clunk and the engine stops. Chris looks over the side. The end of some polypropylene line is floating near the transom. The rest is presumably round the prop. Without an engine,…

The light coming through my companionway hatch woke me. There was no sound, no wind, just a gentle thud from the tiller. I drew back the hatch and stepped into the cockpit. Looking over the sprayhood, I could see the white painted houses of Malpas, at the junction of the Truro and Tresillian rivers. The kettle’s whistle broke the stillness; it was a good morning to be alive. I’d had a lovely sail the evening before. The day had been spent looking around the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, a short walk from the boat on a visitor’s berth at Falmouth Haven just off Custom House Quay, the closest marina to the town. Returning to the boat, I had to walk past the recently refurbished Chain Locker pub – it would…

Spirit Yachts has rolled over the hull of its flagship Spirit 111’. The 34m superyacht is one of the largest single-masted wooden yachts to be built in the UK since the first J Class, Shamrock V, launched in 1930. Multiple cranes were used to remove Spirit 111’s wood epoxy composite and stainless-steel frame from its strongback and move it outside at Spirit’s Ipswich yard where it was rolled over. Work will now begin on the vessel’s interior. Spirit 111’ has been designed to be sailed in race mode with a crew of 14, or shorthanded with four people. The deck design incorporates a fully automated in-boom furling sail, backwinding primary winches and push-button traveller and mainsheet sails. The yacht is also eco friendly, with a 160kW Torqeedo electric propulsion motor…

DOMANI S30 Looking more like an Italian sportscar than a Belgian weekend/daysailer, the sleek Domani S30 is a real head turner. Her low coachroof with the narrow slit window fools you into thinking she’ll be dark inside, but the centreline of the coachroof has two overhead hatches for light and ventilation. Down below, there’s a vee berth forward and two long berths that make the saloon seating before they disappear aft under the cockpit – great for stowage or tall companions. A narrow saloon table opens to reveal handy stowage for knickknacks. There’s also a chemical toilet under the aft end of the forward berth and an optional small galley unit with a sink and single induction hob. The saloon table can be raised out of the way or lowered…

The Irish Sea is in a fury: however many assaults it makes on the shoreline, Anglesey refuses to budge. Wave after wave of white horses charge into Trearddur Bay, exploding on black rocks and vapourising into a fog of spindrift which peppers the windows of the clifftop home before being wiped clean by driving rain until the next stampede. Behind the weeping panes sits Dr Roger Chisholm, smartly dressed in a blue and white checked shirt, well-pressed denims and polished leather deck shoes, his open, intelligent face beaming with a reflective smile as he recounts yarns of derring-do. This could be any retired sailor looking back on a lifetime of adventure but in Roger’s case, his repose is catered for not by an armchair, but a wheelchair, and his room…

Reclining on a warm sunny deck, sipping a cool glass of Sauvignon blanc before dinner in a Breton riverside restaurant… it had long been an ambition of mine to realise this dream and move my boat to southern Brittany. After 20 years of Solent cruising, latterly based in Chichester Marina, my wife Carol and I decided to do a recce of La Roche-Bernard on the River Vilaine, where the Azores High and French culture beckon. With this in mind, and prior to my retirement four years ago, we flew to Nantes, hired a car and stayed at the sumptuous Château de la Bretesche for a few days. The hotel itself cemented our love of Breton hospitality, but despite the many attractions of Brittany as a cruising destination, it was a…

Romance in the rain Peter Solly CONFESSION OF THE MONTH I admit it. I was trying to impress her. She was my girlfriend visiting for the weekend, and clearly the best thing to do was to take her out on the very old 24ft plywood catamaran I’d just bought. It was December, raining, and for some reason I’d left the dinghy outboard on the boat. But no matter; I’d row us in my other recent purchase – a rectangular glassfibre dinghy, which was probably older than I was. What could possibly go wrong? The tide runs fast on the River Exe and the catamaran was about 100 yards offshore, on a mooring in the middle of the stream. By the time we arrived, the wind and tide were pushing strongly…