Innholdsfortegnelse for Sep-2018 i Yachting World

Swimming ashore from a Pacific anchorage. This is Gunboat 48 Falcor on a passage from Tahiti to Hawaii made by a crew including photographer Amory Ross and snowboarder Travis Rice. The crew were in search for some of the best, most remote surf, and were also taking samples of ocean water to be tested for the presence of microplastics. They discovered that 73% of the samples collected contained microscopic particles of plastic. During the voyage, the crew also shot an independent short film, Lines to Hawaii, which you can watch on Vimeo.…

In a noteworthy feat of seamanship, a crew competing in the Newport Bermuda Race in June completed the final 100 miles of the race under a self-built jury rudder after the yacht’s carbon rudder post broke and the blade came away. Carol Tobian was at the helm of the Blue Jacket 40 Bailiwick late at night in 20-knot reaching conditions when she suddenly lost steerage. The boat was sailing at 8-9 knots with double-reefed mainsail and jib, and when the rudder post broke the yacht spun out of control. Skipper Roger Echols reports hearing a loud bang as it broke. He immediately went below to check and was relieved to see the boat was not taking water – though when he found the quadrant and steering cables intact he realised…

Might the Golden Globe turn out to be the world’s toughest yacht race? Just one month in to the nine-month epic ‘retro’ round the world solo race, the attrition rate looks set to be high. Of the 18 original entries five have retired to date and one, Francesco Cappelletti, decided not to start as his preparations weren’t finished. The first to retire was Ertan Beskardes, who withdrew from the race just a couple of weeks in after realising that he simply couldn’t be separated from his family. He was soon followed by Australian Kevin Farebrother, after he struggled to adapt to life at sea (see page 38) as well as suffering mast problems. Others were forced out through gear failure. Nabil Amra, a US/Palestinian sailor, announced his retirement, putting into…

email yachting.world@ti-media.com Letters may be edited as appropriate Making of legends How many of the Golden Globe racers will actually finish the round the world race? I hazard a guess that it will have no more finishers than the race in 1969. Several people have already pulled out – one admitted that solo sailing wasn’t for him and said he was putting his boat up for sale right there and then! There have been enough non-stop round the world races since the original Golden Globe for the idea to become a normal concept in sailing circles. What has really struck me about this race is that by turning back the clock in terms of technology, it really is as hard and long as it was back then. If on average…

Will Ellison, 30, from London is a dinghy and offshore sailor and keen skier. In April he travelled to Norway’s Lofoten Islands with Kraken Travel. “I love sailing and I love skiing, so why not do both together? Throw in the fact that the Lofoten Islands are north of the Arctic Circle in one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth, and I couldn’t say no. “Living on a boat doesn’t seem the practical way to go skiing. Two sets of kit to deal with, storing skis and boots, nine people on board so very little room (and you can’t just ‘pop’ out on deck for more space when it’s a sub-zero blizzard). So there are lots of challenges. “The reward is an epic adventure and the advantages…

A voyage for madmen, so was the original Sunday Times Golden Globe Race deemed. When the first non-stop race around the world began in 1968 few thought a man could sail around the world alone. The common opinion was that the limits of human endurance would be reached long before 30,000 miles around the planet could be completed. In some respects those early critics were tragically correct. Donald Crowhurst was famously driven beyond the edge of reason during the race, falsifying position reports before his presumed suicide. Bernard Moitessier felt the siren call of the sea so strongly he continued on alone, unable to return to western life or even his family. Six others failed, one – Nigel Tetley – after his yacht sank beneath him. But one man and…

When you look at aerial photos of the J Class, the TP52s or the Maxi 72s it’s impossible not to be struck by the aerofoil shapes of modern composite sails. Stiff, strong and efficient, modern bladed sails at the elite end of yacht racing have transformed pointing angles and speeds, and the technology has steadily spread to regatta sailors. Deck gear and rigging have undergone an even wider ranging evolution. Textile rigging, soft shackles and spliced attachments, plus new furling systems, have transformed how many of us rig and set our sails. We are now on the cusp of another step forward, looking at the prospect of super-strong all-round sails that can handle a wide range of wind angles and speeds, perhaps in future suitable to be trimmed by automated…

Seldom do you get a chance to see a designer take the helm of one of his creations for the very first time. But when Swan 78 hull No1 went for her maiden sail in June, Germán Frers was among the first to take the wheel of the new design and press the boat gently upwind. The maestro smiled, saying little, but he looked pleased. And so he should. Frers has designed so many Swans since his first in 1979 – the Swan 51 – that he has lost count exactly (“over 40,” he tells me), and this one is a key part of a new chapter for the brand. Nautor is in the midst of a three-year plan to redefine its range and future development, and the Swan 78…

Light breeze takes the fleet racing at Panerai British Classic Week in July out of the eastern Solent, towards the forts. In the foreground, chasing the leaders, is the 7 Metre cruiser-racer Zaleda, built in 1965. Some 50 yachts took part in the regatta, based in Cowes, in perfect summer weather. The overall winner of the six-race series was Spirit 52 Flight of Ufford, helmed by her owner and builder, Sean McMillan, founder of Spirit Yachts. “Nowhere else in the world is racing more challenging. You have to negotiate strong tides, a busy shipping channel and conflicting currents. It’s exhilarating racing,” he says.…

There was no danger of any records tumbling on this year’s Round the Island Race, falling as it did in the middle of one of the hottest summers on UK records. A sea breeze refused to materialise for the 1,204 yachts taking part in the 87th edition of this annual event, making the 50-mile course something of an endurance test. First to cross the finish line was MOD70 Concise Fling, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield, but it took the crew over 8h 34m – more than six hours outside the multihull record. Many crews failed to get past the Needles before the tidal gate closed against them, and those who did faced a challenge negotiating successive transitions between local breezes. The overall winner of the Gold Roman Bowl was the…

These days many high-achievers push themselves just as hard in their leisure time as they do in business – from taking part in punishing Alpine cycle events to triathlons and ultra marathons. So it’s no wonder that given a sabbatical, well-earned retirement, or major birthday, today’s work-hard, play-hard 40-, 50-, or 60-year-olds are seeking ever more exciting and challenging adventures. Where once luxury holidays used to be aspirational, now it’s all about trips that offer unique experiences. Many companies offer amazing opportunities – everything from combining skiing and sailing in the Norwegian fjords, to kayaking in Patagonia from a luxury motoryacht. There is a now a huge choice of places to go and things to do – we’ve picked out some of the most exciting options to whet your appetite.…

SPIRIT YACHTS DH63 This stunning 63ft deckhouse yawl will be a star attraction at the Southampton Boat Show. It’s the result of a brief to create a yacht for cruising in both the UK and Caribbean, as well as occasional racing. The deckhouse offers a 360° view from the navigation station, as well as a settee and two sea berths, making it ideal for civilised passagemaking. As with other designs from this stable, the classic lines above the waterline are combined with a modern, low-centre-of-gravity fin keel and high aspect spade rudder, creating a boat with excellent performance and handling. Carbon spars, Nitronic rod rigging and a sailplan that includes an electric furling asymmetric spinnaker complete the picture. Sean McMillan, the company’s CEO and lead designer, says the decision to…

Long before anyone sailed for leisure, sailing was primarily a method of transporting goods. Right after exploration and alongside war, it was the reason ships were built. After landing at each new territory, everyone from the earliest explorers in dug-out canoes to the Ancient Egyptians, Vikings to colonial invaders, asked two questions: “Will the people in the new land fight us?” And, “Can we sell them anything?” Shipping is still the major method of transportation for 90% of goods. Medical supplies, cuddly toys, French beans, socks… almost everything has been shipped at some point, albeit these days in an 8x40ft metal box stacked on of a massive diesel-powered ship. But the modern container ship is a huge, lumbering investment, its profitability vulnerable to fuel prices and trade tariffs. There was…

‘THESE BOATS ARE INCREDIBLY FAST AND RIGHT IN THE SWEET SPOT’ MIKE SANDERSON NOMINATES THE MAXI 72 The Maxi 72 is the biggest boat where you feel you’re doing things properly. These boats don’t have a canting keel or daggerboards but they are incredibly fast, beautiful to sail – right in the sweet spot – and potent under IRC because they are so refined. I sail on [Hap Fauth’s] Bella Mente and sometimes I get to helm the boat. It’s an incredible privilege to sail one. You have 20 people on board and the ability to get guys grinding. It’s slick and efficient and highly developed. The Volvo boats, by comparison, make it frustratingly hard to do a good job. They are hard to showcase and make it look easy…

Sleek machine Classic-styled sports motorboats are getting a new lease of life as superyacht tenders – and you can see why. This sublime machine is the Titian Tender, 10.5m of craftsmanship in wood epoxy by Cornish company Cockwells – a muscle craft with twin 320hp engines. 50 years of Southampton Show From 14-23 September, TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show celebrates its golden anniversary with over 100 new yachts and products. For the first show in 1969 the army supplied the small pontoon, there were just a handful of boats and tickets cost three shillings (15p). Women making history While the Volvo Race created the bigger noise about creating opportunities for women in professional sailing, the Clipper Race has quietly been making history. As we went to press, Nikki Henderson (right) and…

An official report has been published by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) following its investigation into the grounding and loss of the Clipper yacht CV24 Greenings, at Cape Peninsula, South Africa, on 31 October 2017. It follows other high profile ocean race groundings including the Volvo 65 Vestas Wind, which became stranded on the Cargados Carajos Shoals, 240 miles northeast of Mauritius in November 2014, and the Clipper 68 yacht CV4 Cork, which ran aground on the Gosong Mampango reef in the Java Sea, Indonesia in January 2010. Avoidable errors The MAIB report found that too much pressure was placed on the skipper, the only qualified professional member of the 18-strong Clipper race yacht crew at the time, and it identified that some fundamental yet avoidable navigational errors…

“It has been an amazing experience – a rollercoaster. That sounds very clichéd, but it really has been.” Mike Miller, 49, from Windsor, was about to achieve his life’s dream of sailing round the world with the Clipper Race, which finished in July in Liverpool. For years he put his dream on hold, content to race his 24ft sportsboat while working as a finance director in telecoms, but at the London Boat Show he saw the Clipper stand and within a couple of weeks had signed up. He enjoyed the neck-and-neck racing in the one-design 70ft boats. “From Panama to New York our boat, Sanya Serenity Coast, was only about five miles apart from Unicef, which really keeps you on top of your game. We were fighting the whole way,…

We looked out at the expectant faces before us: kids with footballs in hand, an elderly woman yelling at the teenage boys to turn down their reggaetón music, and two dozen dogs ready for their first ever trip to the vet. As the storm clouds began rolling in over our makeshift clinic on a local islander’s porch, with our yacht anchored in the bay in front of us in just 1m of water, we couldn’t help but wonder what exactly we had got ourselves into. That feeling was typical of our new way of living. After buying our first boat in December 2016, only to poke a hole through the aluminium hull with a toothbrush (more on that later…), we were certainly learning that boat life is anything but boring.…

Styles come and go. To stand the test of time you need something else, something more than aesthetics, something that stays with you after that initial heady rush begins to wane. The Italians have always owned style and there has been something of a revolution in Italian-designed and/or -built boats in recent years. A number of new brands have joined what was an already crowded performance cruiser market – sexy-looking machines that excel in light-wind, warm weather sailing conditions. These offer the latest in desirable lines with unblemished decks, shallow cockpits and plenty of sunbathing space, tender garages, etc. Grand Soleil and Solaris are the best established in production yard terms, but have been joined by companies such as Italia Yachts, Mylius, and Eleva. Ice Yachts, with its ravishing new…

ANDY RICE talks to former Olympian, keelboat racer and champion race tactician ADRIAN STEAD There are few things quite so humiliating as being stopped dead in the water, moments away from causing thousands of pounds worth of damage as your competitors glide gracefully past. Veteran pro racer Adrian Stead has found himself in just this scenario more than enough times in his illustrious career but, as he explains, there are ways and means of making the best of a bad situation. 1 KEEP CLEAR OF THE FOILS Whenever your spinnaker drops into the water, rule one is to keep it away from the keel and rudder. If you’re on a boat with an asymmetric and the sail is in the water to leeward, your first priority is hold on to…