Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2019 i Cruising World

Wintry mix forecasted. Now that’s a chilling reminder that once again I waited too long to get the winter cover on the boat. For those who haven’t tried it, shrink wrapping (the verb) is a lot like facing a dentist appointment for a filling. Though you know you’ll be better off for going, you can think of all sorts of reasons to perhaps postpone. And like the inevitable toothache that results from too many delays, there’s a price to pay, because one morning you’ll awaken and step out into a cockpit full of slippery snow. At the marina where our boat spends the winter up here in Newport, Rhode Island, do-it-yourself shrink wrapping has taken on the traits of a popular fall sporting event. Players choose sides (I’ll help with…

Immediately after completing a 38-day passage from Cape Town, South Africa, to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I raced on a lovely yawl named Osprey. And I was honored when Larry Best, a highly competitive Virgin Islands racing skipper, allowed me to helm her on the downwind run with the massive chute up. There is a certain irony here. Larry probably figured my helming skills would be pretty good after such a long downhill South Atlantic passage. I knew, however, that Larry had already steered his vessel, that very day, more than I had hand-steered my cruising sailboat in the past year or two. The fact is that offshore sailors almost never steer their boats, and with good reason. Steering is fatiguing. If a cruising couple steers their…

There were times, in the immensity of the Indian Ocean, when David Pollitt would look out from his boat and see around him a great symphony. Alone again before a powerful force, he swayed between risk and control in that space, known to circumnavigators and conductors, that lies between catastrophe and rapture. “It’s a moment you work so long to get to,” said Pollitt. “You have a hugely powerful instrument in front of you. You are amid 2,500 people, or in the middle of an ocean, on a small platform. There’s adrenaline, motion. You are in danger the whole time. You cannot make a mistake, you must get it right, to bring the composers, these great men, right to your side, to take you to places that are so difficult…

It’s always good to see the marine industry introduce solid boats in the 35-foot range, an excellent size for a cruising couple to sail, manage and maintain efficiently, and one that sometimes gets short shrift in any given calendar year from builders focused on larger vessels with more lucrative profit margins. For 2019, four entries (the Dufour Grand Large 360, Hanse 348, Island Packet 349 and Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319) vied for the title of Best Midsize Cruiser Under 38 Feet. “I think we have three boats that are natural competitors to each other, and then a fourth boat that’s a little bit apple versus oranges, comparatively speaking,” said Tim Murphy. “The Dufour, Hanse and Jeanneau all cost under $200,000, and are very close on their displacement/length ratios, right around…

When we bought our used Sabre 34, Jackalope, some years ago, I didn’t pay much attention to the roller furler, except to note that it had one. Our previous boat, a vintage Ericson, had come with hank-on headsails, and while they worked well, I had no desire to go back to the days of dropping, flaking and bagging a big genoa every time we used the boat. In fact, eventually, after a few good dousings on the foredeck while switching to a smaller working sail, we invested in a Schaefer furler, which I installed on the Ericson one spring day, just before launching, with the help of a few friends. Most sailboats these days have a roller furler made by one of a handful of manufacturers that include Facnor, Furlex,…

Seated comfortably in the cockpit on my second watch of the night, I set my book down on the cushion next to me to check the spinnaker and mainsail, and scan the horizon. All good. A steady southerly drew us forward toward Kodiak Island, which was still a couple hundred miles to the west. Along with the swell, I could see the breeze on the water, illuminated by the moon. Over my shoulder and just above the southern horizon, it was full and glowing bright, sending a shaft of light across the water that seemed to extend all the way to us. Fine on the port bow and above the mast, Jupiter twinkled like a sparkling, icy jewel. To starboard, the sun had set just over two hours prior, but…

When sailors get together, they like to talk. And one of the topics closest to most cruisers’ hearts — the one that seems to get most worn out in discussion, whether in person under a shady beach palapa or remotely on internet forums — revolves around ground tackle. “Which anchor is best?” takes center stage, while the ancillary issues of weight, whether chain or nylon rode, or both, and how to snub it all fill in whatever gaps there might be in the conversation. I’ve learned, with time, to leave those discussions alone. They often get inexplicably heated, and can even degenerate to name-calling. What I really want to talk about is what the bottom is like. After anchoring in hundreds of different harbors, on all sorts of bottoms, I…

In terms of length overall, the four boats in the Midsize Cruiser Over 38 Feet class were tightly compressed, with one coming in at just under 40 feet (Tartan 395), another measuring in just shy of 43 feet (Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42), and the remaining pair almost identical at 40 feet 6 inches (Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410) and 40 feet 8 inches (Hanse 418). But from there, those contenders split tacks in several directions, and gave the judges plenty to consider before coming to their ultimate conclusion. Alvah Simon was mightily impressed by the fold-out transom on the Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 42, one of the fleet’s two raised-deck entries in 2019. Wauquiez is far from the only builder to accentuate this feature, but with an integrated swim platform, shower, boarding…

There was certainly no lack of fine catamarans launched in 2019 that will soon be introduced to charter fleets around the globe and, in the years ahead, will shepherd many a happy crew on countless memorable vacations. French builders have seemingly made a cottage industry of placing roomy, well-appointed, comfortable cats into the charter trade, and this year they upped their usual ante with a host of new offerings from Bali, Lagoon and Fountaine Pajot. But when our judges were asked to decide which cat they’d choose among them all if they were off on a charter trip, their pick as the year’s Best Charter Boat was the Leopard 50, aka the Moorings 5000. The renowned South African builder Robertson and Caine has been supplying cats exclusively to The Moorings…

SEAMANSHIP When the rail is submerged and the angle of heel exceeds the crew’s inclination for comfort, you’re either in a race or you’re well past the time to take a reef. Most cruisers prefer to savor their passagemaking rather than shave a few seconds off each mile. So, when it comes to reefing, it makes sense to get an early start. The goal is to have the reef tucked in before the anemometer announces that you’ve missed the sweet spot — a narrow boundary that separates “way too early” from “way too late.” There are three significantly different approaches to reducing mainsail area: slab reefing, in-mast roller reefing and in-boom roller reefing. Each approach delivers a reduction in sail area and repositions the mainsail’s center of effort. In addition,…

Ladies! Let’s go Sailing! The Sailing Convention for Women is heading back to the Corinthian Yacht Club in Newport Beach, California, on February 2, 2019. This fun day includes both land-and water-based workshops covering a wide range of topics. All skill levels are welcome. The registration fee of $225 covers all workshop sessions, three meals and a souvenir gift. Sign up at sailing conventionfor women.com Mustique Blues On the hunt for some great live music while cruising through the Caribbean this winter? Check out the Mustique Blues Festival, January 23 through February 6, 2019. Basil’s Bar is hosting the event, featuring world-class blues musicians. Mustique is a small island within the popular cruising ground of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For more info, visit basilsbar.com. Need a Vacation? If you’re…

The Bahamas’ Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park stretches for 22 miles, from Wax Cay Cut at the north end to Conch Cut in the south. Established in 1959, the park is a marine protected area, and as such, is a no-take zone, both on land and under the water. It’s a special place and a favorite among cruising sailors, with many returning year after year. New for the 2018-2019 winter season, cruisers visiting the park will encounter modest anchorage fees, which will help support the park’s renewed commitment to marine conservation and educational outreach (see “If You Go”). Protecting the flora and fauna of the 176-square-mile park while also educating visitors and nearby communities about the importance of the park’s mission is a big job. Brent Burrows started his…

Sometimes a boat comes along that does so many things well, and is such a downright joy to sail and maneuver, that its excellence simply cannot be denied. In 2019, one such yacht — a blend of innovation, intelligence and execution — rose to the top over a slew of worthy competitors. In a year when production boats ruled the roost, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 — designed, conceived and built in France — took on and surpassed all the others, and in doing so, has been named 2019’s Import Boat of the Year. That the 490 took the overall prize without winning an individual category is noteworthy. But the Philippe Briand design sealed its trip to the winner’s circle in a devastating display of sailing prowess during Chesapeake Bay…

As with so many classes in this year’s Boat of the Year competition, the judges faced a real quandary in determining Best Full-Size Cruiser Under 48 Feet. All three nominees — the Beneteau 46.1, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 and Hylas 48 — came in within 2 feet in length of one another. The Beneteau and Jeanneau were incredibly similar, with identical price tags ($520,000) and almost exact displacements (hovering around 24,000 pounds). By comparison, the Hylas was considerably heavier (34,000 pounds) and more expensive ($830,000). “The Beneteau 46.1 and the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 are straight-up production boats,” said Tim Murphy. “This Beneteau is very much in keeping with what we expect from that builder; it’s a fine boat. But that Jeanneau is an exemplary expression of what high-production yards…

In the quest to determine the Best Cruising Multihull Over 50 Feet, it soon became apparent that the contenders were nicely split between two sets of quite similar vessels. On one hand, you had two evenly matched 50-footers: the Lagoon 50 and the Leopard 50. On the other was a pair of 50-foot-plus vessels, each of which crested the million-dollar price tag: the Catana 53 and the fleet’s lone trimaran, the Neel 51. The two “Ls” are produced by a couple of the world’s biggest catamaran builders, France’s Lagoon and South Africa’s Robertson and Caine. Both produce hundreds of cats each year, many of them bound for the world’s largest charter fleets (the Leopard is also available in a dedicated charter version that’s marketed as the Moorings 5000, while Lagoon…

PROJECTS The 30 hp Yanmar 3HM30 diesel engine had given good service since my C&C 40 cruiser/racer, Peregrine, was built 36 years ago, and though it still fired up the instant the starter button was pressed, keeping it running had become a constant chore. Every time my wife and I went for a cruise, I had to waste precious time fixing the engine. I was craving a nice, low-maintenance alternative — especially given our plans to sail to the Caribbean one winter soon. After spending one more sunny summer afternoon while moored in Vineyard Haven, Martha’s Vineyard, attempting to fix the engine, I finally gave up and placed a call to Mike Muessel, owner of Oldport Marine in Newport, Rhode Island. I told him I was ready for that new…

MONTHLY MAINTENANCE Sticking my head through the chain-locker hatch, I craned my neck to look up toward the underside of the deck. As my flashlight passed over the windlass backing block I saw a shadow, which upon closer inspection turned out to be a crack. Hold that thought. Backing blocks (or plates) are the unsung heroes of so much of the bolt-on gear — everything from windlasses and pad eyes to cleats and seacocks — on which the average cruising vessel relies for day-to-day operation. And yet in many cases, they are either incorrectly sized or installed, or missing altogether. The primary purpose of a backing block is to distribute load over a wide area, wider than the fastener’s own nut or washer, thereby avoiding point loading. In order for…

Down a few steps, just past the entryway to the New York Yacht Club’s main clubhouse on Manhattan’s West 44th Street, there’s a circular room with the model of a three-masted schooner called Guinevere prominently displayed in a glass case. It’s pretty enough, but somewhat lacking when you know that for well over a century — 132 years to be exact — the former centerpiece of the odd little room was a gaudy silver bauble that titans of industry and the sea spent fortunes and lifetimes chasing and defending. That’s where, until a talented and opportunistic mob of Aussies liberated it in 1983, the America’s Cup lived. Meanwhile, last November, in the waters of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, an international team of sailors aboard an extremely radical 38-foot foiling yacht…