Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i Cruising Helmsman

AIS FOR TRACKING FISH NETS/CRAY LINES Technology often gallops ahead. Recent posts on social media by folk in Asian waters have voiced their annoyance of their AIS going off frequently caused by fish nets in the water fitted with transponders. Fishing nets are a substantial investment by the fishing fraternity and the cost of the transponders are probably a small investment. As to the nuisance factor? What better: to wrap your prop around a very expensive net in the middle of the ocean or to get early warning? Perhaps the answer is to influence the authorities to designate a unique group for fishing apparatus, the same as AIS currently split ships into sub groups, e.g. passenger, commercial, sailing, pleasure etc. Now the interesting discussion bit. Is there a place for…

PRIOR to the devastating Cyclone Debbie hitting in 2017 Mackay Marina was a perfect stopover point for those heading further north for the Whitsundays or even into south east Asia. The marina is located on the best known stretch of coastline in Australia, often referred to as the ‘100 magic miles’. Mackay Marina is a convenient base for exploration of the world-famous Great Barrier Reef and the myriad unspoilt tropical islands that form the Southern Whitsundays. The reef and islands off the Mackay coast are unspoilt and pristine unlike the heavily touristed areas further north. The precinct features extensive public access and walkways throughout. The incorporation of parkland areas is an integral part of the development. Without a treacherous bar to cross and coupled with the Clarion Hotel next door,…

IT is the scariest things that provide the most interesting reading I reckon. Things beyond our control, our worst nightmares coming true. I am no hero. At sea, at night, in the dark, alone: I have many nightmares. But the nightmares are not even the worst, it is the awake-time fears. The worst case scenarios, those thoughts continously going through your head, those ‘what if’s’: “what if the forestay snapped? Like, right now? What would I do? What if the rudder broke?” The boat was pounding into massive ocean waves, sailing due south into cold water towards New Zealand. Every day bigger waves crashed over the entire boat. One week of continous storm conditions, got me 700 miles south of Fiji. I am alone, Sylvia has flown ahead, pregnant with…

IN December 2018, we took the momentous decision to buy a new, to us, catamaran: a 52ft Crowther called Anui. It took us a year to find a successor to our beloved Take It Easy. It was not a quick nor easy process. We were not unhappy with what we had, but having lived onboard for a year and a half and contemplating many years of life afloat, we wanted more. When we reflect on the path we followed to find the boat of our dream, there are a few learnings that other people might find useful. So here are our thoughts on ‘the hull truth’ about buying a boat. 1 DEFINE WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR We are not shipwrights or boatbuilders, nor have we got the inclination to…

Beneteau Asia Pacific growth DURING the Singapore Yacht Show, Groupe Beneteau announced its global and local development strategies for the Asia Pacific region. Groupe Beneteau CEO Hervé Gastinel recalled that in the 2018-19 season, the brands of the group launched 32 new sailboat and motorboat models. Since 2017, Groupe Beneteau has also launched major product innovations such as Ship Control, a digital solution that interconnects all of a yacht’s onboard systems, such as navigation, safety, comfort. It is now standard on various Beneteau models. Gastinel also noted the development of other initiatives: the Beneteau Boat Club and Jeanneau Freedom Boat Club; Leasyboat, a complete care leasing offer; shared ownership solution in partnership with Sailtime; plus the online boating platform: bandofboats.com As to Groupe Beneteau’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region, it…

WHILE working aboard a tourist boat in Airlie last year I saw an ad for a 50 foot steel expedition cutter for sale down in Sydney for a ridiculously good price. I just could not resist flying down to take a look. When I arrived in Double Bay the sight of Finesse of Tasman swinging on her mooring made my heart beat like a drum and caused that all too familiar feeling of anticipation for adventure to well up inside me. There was a well-established northerly swell in the bay and every other yacht was rolling side to side to the swell. Finesse seemed anchored to the wind, always looking it straight in the eye and her mast straight and steady enough to balance an egg on. When I went…

The great object of life is sensation – to feel that we exist, even though in pain. It is this ‘craving void’ which drives us to gaming – battle – to travel – to intemperate, but keenly felt pursuits of any description, whose principal attraction is the agitation inseparable from their accomplishment. - Byron. It was early May in the Mediterranean and summer was on its way. The line of the bay’s headland was drawn against the dancing shimmer of the face of Hellos, reflecting from the light-dappled waters; the open sea lay beckoning beyond the shelter of the bay. The anchor cable was slack, the barometer was high and steady and soon the morning breeze, the sun breeze, tussled with the surface of those sheltered waters and gave notice…

PEARL Bay, nestled between Island Head and Port Clinton is our pick of an anchorage between the three. It is ‘one of the most beautiful anchorages up the Queensland coast’, according to Alan Lucas. This hidden, magical anchorage is surrounded by steep, densely wooded hills and sandy beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see. Rocky Islands also encompass the anchorage. These steep rocky jagged islands with pine trees huddled together make an awesome picture when you are tucked in this superb anchorage. A pirates paradise har har! We were returning from a successful trip to Dunk Island on our catamaran Free Spirit, a Seawind 1000. After a week at Mackay hiding from a blow, we headed for Curlew Island then the Duke Islands. Another south east wind…

SO you have invited some non-sailor friends to come and stay on your boat? How do you ensure that you are all still friends at the end of the holiday? It all comes down to some careful management of expectations, so here I have put together this guide a yacht owner may like to pass on to their friends before they arrive: WELCOME So you have been invited to go on a sailing holiday with your yacht-owning friend? Fantastic! The next best thing to having a boat of your own is having friends with boats. It is much cheaper and just about as much fun. To increase your chances of having a great time, plus being invited to come back again, here are some tips on how to be a…

LOFRANS INTRODUCES VERTICAL WINDLASSES Lofrans announced an expansion of its range of vertical windlasses the SX series, which provides anchoring solutions for both sail and motorboats up to 30 metres. The SX series consists of the models: SX 1, SX 2, SX 3, SX 3.5, SX 4 and SX 5, which are characterised by its round base design offering a more compact structure. Stainless steel is used to withstand marine corrosion in order to reach best mechanical performance. Featuring a heavy duty electric motor ensuring a high level of reliability and safety is achieved, making the anchoring experience a pleasure. The SX series has a gypsy designed to manage both rope and chain while the independent drum rotation operates for warping. By launching the SX series, Lofrans makes all windlasses…

MORE GALLEY SPACE I would love to have an oven on my boat. However, my otherwise excellent galley lacked convenient storage for regularly used food items. This suggested that the space required for an oven would be more useful as shelving. On my previous boat I blocked the area in with a plywood front and hinged doors, leaving room on top for a non-gimballed, two burner stove with griller. This was excellent but the contents of the shelves tended to slide around unless securely chocked. On my nine metre cat yawl Beluga Too, the space was much deeper. Accessing the back would have required kneeling or bending down to see the contents. Although this is not a problem, I decided to make life a bit easier as I am now…