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REGULARS
8 News
30 Paul Heiney
32 Andy Rice
46 Tom Cunliffe
98 Jess Lloyd-Mostyn THE
UNDER SAIL
BRITISH
YACHTING
16 British Yachting Awards AWARDS
Find out who won in this year’s Awards
34 Canal du Midi 2022
A trip from Bordeaux through to Sete via
the Fench canals
40 Ocean Race preview
A look at the exciting new IMOCA class 34
42 Planning a cruise
Barry Pickthall plans a summer long cruise
to Scotland and back
56 Interview: Joan Mulloy
An Irish racing sailor with a fascinating back
story
64 Charter - winter sun
A look at chartering spots where you can
top up your tan in the depths of winter
70 Gull’s Eye
Guide to Woolverstone Marina
80 RORC Transatlantic Race
All the runners and riders in the race across
the Atlantic
84 Tricks of the trades
Tradewind sailing tips from Rod Heikell and 60
Don Street

BOATS
14 New boat news 88
60 Tested: Jeanneau SO 380
A perfect poclket cruiser?
94 Three of the Best 40
Three of the finest brokerage boats

EXPERT’S FORUM
71 Expert’s Forum
From race tactics to cruising conundrums

GEAR
88 Launched
Our picks and reviews
90 Buyer’s Guide
Winter maintenance tips
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 Welcome

EDITORIAL
EDITOR
Sam Jefferson
020 3943 9261
sam.jefferson@chelseamagazines.com
Skipper’s View
GROUP EDITOR
Rob Peake
ART & PRODUCTION EDITOR
AS WINTER BITES, MANY OF US ARE REDUCED TO ARMCHAIR SAILORS
Gareth Lloyd Jones - YET THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS BENEFITS
WRITER AND SUB EDITOR
Sue Pelling
PUBLISHING CONSULTANT
Martin Nott
PUBLISHER WELCOME TO THE February edition of the magazine and, as we
Simon Temlett
simon.temlett@chelseamagazines.com plunge into the depths of winter here in Europe, many of us are reduced
ADVERTISING to the role of being armchair sailors. There are some consolations
ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER though and one treat to keep us diverted is the departure of the Ocean
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020 7349 3734 Race fleet - see our preview on p40. This event rarely fails to deliver
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and has been providing inspiration to sailors since those early contests
SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE
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charlene.homewood@chelseamagazines.com magnificent adventure. These days the race is a very different beast
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and the old concept of 'cracking on' and hoping nothing gave way by
HEAD OF SALES OPERATIONS relying on the judgement of the skipper has been replaced by more
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sophisticated techniques involving sensors, load cells and all sorts of
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fine art, I am always drawn back to the words of writer and sailor Joseph Conrad, who served as third mate
Paul Dobson under the great clipper captain William Stuart aboard the wool clipper Loch Etive on the Cape Horn run.
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James Dobson
Published by: anything away'. Yes, times have changed but the skill in pursuit of speed remains.
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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 5

 Chill out
Most sailors are deep into their enforced winter winter lay off by now , while
even those hardy souls who don’t mind scraping frost off the tiller in order to
go sailing start to question their sanity by January/February time. Things could
be worse though - or at least colder - as this snap taken looking towards Gig
Harbour in Washington State demonstrates
Photo: iStock
News

Ebb and flow

EVENTS | NEWS | TALES FROM THE SAILING COMMUNITY

Club of the Year

Voting closes at midnight on Monday, 23 January 2023, in the RYA and
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year competition,
supported by Gallagher.
Voting is already underway in the annual competition, which recognises
the outstanding achievement of sailing clubs across the UK. After whittling
down the entries, the RYA Awards’ panel selected 12 finalists this year:

l Ballyholme Yacht Club – Northern Ireland

PHOTO: PAUL WYETH

l Bassenthwaite Sailing Club – North West
l Blackwater Sailing Club – East
l County Antrim Yacht Club – Northern Ireland
l Gresford Sailing Club – Wales
l JOG Yacht Racing – South
l King George Sailing Club – London and SE Individual awards and the overall winner will be
l London Corinthian Sailing Club – London and SE announced during the RYA Dinghy & Watersports
l Lymington Town Sailing Club – South Show at Farnborough International Exhibition Centre on
l Otley Sailing Club – North East Saturday, 25 February 2023 (see below).
l Rudyard Lake Sailing Club – Midlands
Visit awards.yachtsandyachting.co.uk/rya to read
l Whitefriars Sailing Club – South West
more about each club and vote.

RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show

Exhibitors are being unveiled for the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show
presented by Suzuki, which is returning to Farnborough exhibition
centre over the weekend of 25-26 February, 2023.
Featuring dinghy sailing, wingsurfing and foiling, and
paddleboarding, the show now encompasses all watersports and has
plenty of things to see and do whatever your level and interests.
There is family fun with a model boat pool, a VR experience and the
popular dinghy trapeze feature, as well as the dinghy racing simulator;
there are many watersports displays and demos, as well as live
coaching sessions from some of the best coaches in the world, not to
mention hundreds of boats and the biggest names in marine retail all
under one roof. A Beginners Zone offers advice on starting out
including in sailing, foiling and wingfoiling. Advice is also on offer about
boat repair via various workshops.
Members of the British Sailing Team will be present and they will be
talking about their Olympic hopes, while more established legends
will be offering advice for different classes and disciplines across the
Win a safety boat
dinghy racing board. Dinghy cruising has become a key part of the The RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show and Suzuki Marine are offering RYA
show, with the RYA Dinghy Cruising routes remaining popular and Affiliated Clubs the chance to win a new Suzuki-powered Rigiflex safety boat
now growing post-pandemic. with Extreme trailer, worth £6,400. The Rigiflex Newmatic 360 boat will be
PHOTO: RYA LAURA EAVES

The full list of exhibitors includes RS Sailing, Hartley Boats, Devoti
Sailing, Barton Marine, Allen, Rooster and many others. There are
always show offers on boats and kit to be had.
RYA members can claim a free ticket this year. Get tickets at: rya.
org.uk/events/dinghy-show
powered by a Suzuki DF9.9B outboard. The competition runs until 10 February,
2023, and the winning club will be contacted by 17 February.
Club representatives will be invited to the show to collect the prize. Enter at
www.rya.org.uk/events/dinghy-show/win

8 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Dylan becomes Moth World Champ
Dylan Fletcher has become the Moth World Champion, adding one of the
great sailing titles to his CV after his Olympic gold medal at Tokyo.
Fletcher beat an international fleet at the event, hosted by Yacht Club
Argentino, in Buenos Aires.
He said: “I was stoked to win it. Having stopped Olympic sailing, this was
the next thing on my list. It was fanstatic week. I was out there in 2015 for the
49er worlds and I knew it is very challenging conditions. The River Plate water
is brown and it’s very hard to see the wind. With the wind-over-tide
conditions, it makes Moth sailing very difficult.”
“Completely different to Weymouth!” he said of his home waters.
In Buenos Aires local sailor Massimo Contessi was second and Fletcher
commented: “I said beforehand there’ll be someone who knows the
conditions who’ll do well and it was great to see some local guys at the front.
“The Moth fleet is always interesting – very high level and it attracts
people from different classes. We train in different parts of the world and
then we come together for the big championships, so when you do race,
Foiling Week and the Europeans. He believes he can go faster in his new
Moth, the Aerocet, made by Maguire Boats.
Fletcher said: “There’s still performance in the boat and we’re always
pushing for more. The Aerocet is very fast but what sets it apart is the
level of build quality and reliabilty and consistency that you get. That
comes from Maguire. If you have a problem, you just call them up and it’s
solved. The parts are exchangeable and the whole thing is made very
easy. They designed it so that speed is easier to achieve. They could have
made it faster, but harder to sail, but instead they made it easier to sail
with still great performance. Yes, Moths are not easy to sail, but owners
coming from the Excocet [also by Maguire] are at home very quickly.”
Fletcher makes no bones about his long-term goals, saying: “The last
nine Moth world titles have been won by Olympic gold medallists and a lot
of those guys are also America’s Cup sailors.
“I would love to get into the America’s Cup or get back into SailGP [he
helmed the Great Britain boat in SailGP’s season one, before Ben Ainslie

PHOTOS: MATIAS CAPIZZANO

often you’ve not seen the others for six months or a year.”
Fletcher has concentrated on the Moth since giving up an attempt to
defend his Olympic title in the 49er, which he won with Stuart Bithell.
He will, however, be defending his Moth title, with the next worlds
taking place at Weymouth and Portland and a fleet of well over 100
expected. Over the past year he’s been third in the UK nationals, won
took over] and this was one thing I could do to help that. Also it’s good to
keep winning, keep the habit.”
Fletcher finished the week with 17 points. Argentina’s Massimo
Contessi came second with 27 points and was also Junior World
Champion. Completing the podium was Italy’s Simone Salva, with 36
points. Helena Scutt was crowned Female World Champion.

Sailboats at BoatLife
GREAT BRITISH BOAT TRAILERS

The second SBS BoatLife show runs from 16-19 February, 2023, at NEC
Birmingham, with a range of talks, exhibitors and activities for sailors.
There will be an Activity Pool hosting watersports demonstrations plus
visitor sessions, while a dedicated angling village will showcase all-things
fishing, and the inland zone will have a range of narrowboats.
The organisers say: “The scope of exhibitors under one roof will span
multiple requirements, from design to tech, lifestyle to affordability, ensuring
there is something for everyone to experience.”
The BoatLife Stage will present talks and discussions, hosted by Olympic
sailor Mark Covell. Sailors can see exhibitors including Hartley Boats, Topper
Sailboats and RS Sailing, Drascombe Boats, and Viko Yachts among others.
Raymarine, Garmin and marine electronics SM Group, as well as Mustang
Survival, OceanR and Sailing Holidays. Vloggers Lauren and Chris from Sailing
Indiana will be at the show for the second year. Pre-bookable car parking is
available at a discounted rate. Children under 16 go free and a free ticket
arrangement is available for disabled visitors with accompanying carers. Bars
and restaurants are available on site for a range of refreshment options.
Full show details can be found on boatlifeevents.com
Tickets are on sale at boatlifetickets.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 9

News
Come and race!
Our new Charity of the Year, the Tall Ships Youth
Trust, is offering race weekends for groups in 2023.
The trust is inviting sailing clubs, schools, colleges
and other youth organisations to compete in its
Challenger Championships.
The trust says: “Sailing onboard an iconic 72ft
Challenger yacht, your group will take part in an exciting
and competitive race, with a ‘Le Mans’ style start. Out
on the ocean, the young people will become an integral
part of the crew and get involved in all aspects of
running the vessel. This includes ropework, sail handling
and even taking to the helm.”
For more information, contact Diana Bunescu at diana.
bunescu@tallships.org or call 02392 832055.
tallships.org.co.uk
Win a charter
every year for life
GlobeSailor is running an incredible competition to
win a yacht charter every year for life.
The charter company has launched the
competition to help celebrate its 15th anniversary.
The prize is equivalent to a GlobeSailor skippered
PHOTOS: DEREK TRASK / ALAMY
or bareboat charter holiday worth €3,000 per year
for 99 years. Air flights, transfers and other personal
expenses are not included.
The competition is open until January 26,
2023. You can enter via our website SailingToday.
co.uk and searching for ‘GlobeSailor’.
10 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
Q&A
RICHARD DOVE,
BOATLIFE
BoatLife’s inaugural year was more
power than sail. What can we expect in
2023?
We are pleased to announce that we
have a number of the brands from the
sailing sector including three of the top
dinghy brands. Topper, RS and Hartley
Boats have all confirmed and this
compliments the equipment and
apparel brands such as Rooster and
Raymarine already signed up.
What were your conclusions following
the first show?
We couldn’t have asked for more
positive feedback from the first show.
What people seemed to particularly like
was the relaxed atmosphere and the
range of smaller boats. The location is
absolutely perfect and there was huge
support for a show away from the south
coast and a quieter time of year. People
were really blown away by the number
of boats there.
  
Did you draw visitors from the midlands
and north of England?
Yes! We had a lot of visitors from
Scotland and the north which is great
for our exhibitors as they are reaching a
new audience. Our long-term goal is
that SBS BoatLife can bring new people
into boating.
 
What are the other attractions for
sailors (apart from yachts)?
We are pleased to have a pool this year,
sponsored by GJW – visitors can have a
go at paddleboarding and kayaking.
Our show ambassadors will also be
doing demonstrations and displays.
This will be a great attraction for
everyone especially families. For the
2023 show we will be providing a free
trailer test-drive feature, enabling
visitors to navigate and manoeuvre a
course to experience and practice
trailering boats. The stage was also
incredibly popular last year, with many
sell out talks. We have confirmed Tom
Cunliffe, Ellie Driver and the White
Brothers.
The closeness to the RYA Dinghy &
Watersports Show is potentially
awkward. How do you manage that?
February isn’t a time that many UK
boaters are on the water, so I think we
are lucky that people are looking to get
their boating fix at events. That said, our
events are quite different and we
recognise it can be challenge for some
exhibitors doing both, so we’d love to
change this in the future.
Is the economic outlook hampering
exhibitor bookings?
Our exhibitors have had a good couple
of years on the back of the pandemic
and while we all remain cautious, the
mood is very upbeat. Our sales are
stronger than the previous year, with
many rebookings and companies coming
for the first time.
Will ticket prices remain the same?
One of the criticisms we received was
the cost of parking, which we can’t
change. So, to compensate this we’ve
reduced the ticket price to £15 from £20.
You might find a few deals around too.
  
Have you managed to do any sailing
this year?
I did have a great experience learning to
fish with our show ambassador, the
Mckell Family – and even caught some
fish including bream, mackerel and a
small smooth-hound.
 
SBS BoatLife is giving back to the
industry, with its sponsorship of the
British Yachting Awards and other
partnerships. Where do you see the
brand in five years?
An exciting question to answer! Our plan
is to build BoatLife as a strong
community brand that brings together
boaters regularly, and plays a big part in
growing the number of people on the
water across the UK. We very much see
it as more than one event in the calendar
and an all-year resource for boaters to
engage with.
boatlifeevents.com
 I am just
searching
for the ONE
Briton Simon leads that will:
Golden Globe Race
keep my boat fouling free
British sailor Simon Curwen was leading the Golden Globe Race
fleet by 750 miles, as we went to press, after an assured passage
thus far, having reach waters west of Tasmania in around 100 days

save me from re-painting

from Les Sables d’Olonne.
Curwen (pictured above and below) dipped down to 45°S to find

every year
stronger westerlies, enabling him to sail 1,143 miles (6.8 knots
average) over the first seven days of December, including his best
24-hour distance of 175 nautical miles (7.3 knots average). His

save me money
yacht is a Biscay 36 named Clara.
Curwen is originally from Emsworth, Hampshire, and lives in
Morbihan, with his nautical base in Lorient. He reports all is well

save on fuel
onboard bar chafing issues with his halyards. Every few days he
must move the wear spot to prevent failure, but he ‘feels good
about everything’.

save the environment

Like many GGR competitors, Curwen was inspired by the
offshore pioneers of the 1960s. He started dinghy sailing at an
early age and moved to keelboats in the 1990s where he had
success in the BUSA regattas. He later was second in the 2001 Mini
Transat, the highest ever Mini finish for a British sailor.
The rest of the GGR fleet is stretched 5,000 miles across the
Southern Ocean, with nine sailors still bound for the finish in Les
Sables d’Olonne and no less than 23 out of the race.
The start was two months later than the previous edition of

Is it really
2018 and winds have been lighter. To ensure they remain in the
race, the sailors must pass through a Hobart gate before 31 January
and round Cape Horn before the end of March 2023.
The latest retirement is that of Frenchman Arnaud Gaist, who

too much
has been plagued by rigging issues and barnacles. GGR organisers
said: “It took a long, frustrating and depressing time to make the
decision but now that it’s done he feels relaxed. After three years
of planning and

to ask???
preparation it is a hard
decision to make. With
another 150 days of
food on board, he is
planning to head
eventually to the
Caribbean and then on
to Les Sables d’Olonne,
once his boat, Hermes
Phoning, is back in
shape.”

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 11

 Dream Yacht Worldwide plans for 2023
Dream Yacht Worldwide has announced charter
plans for 2023 following a rebranding of the
company formerly known as Dream Yacht Charter.
The company will launch 150 new boats in the
coming season of which 80 per cent will be
catamarans. The new fleet will include the Bali 4.4,
Lagoon 51, and Excess 14 cats, as well as the Bali
Catsmart.
“Our customers come from around the globe to travel the world – the name
change and rebranding was a shift to highlight that we are a worldwide company
making sailing accessible to travellers and sea-enthusiasts of all abilities,” said Dan
Lockyer, Vice President of Global Tourism, Dream Yacht Group. “Sailing vacations
continue to gain popularity as a different way of experiencing the world and
bringing people together – Dream Yacht Worldwide wants to make the
transformative experience of sailing as easy as possible for as many as possible
by offering customizable experiences using the knowledge and expertise of our
team of sea professionals.”
Founded in 2000, the company began as a six-yacht operation based in the
Seychelles. Today, the group employs more than 600 people in 31 countries.
dreamyachtcharter.com

Position: The Dive

Foiling is about sub-sea adventures, as well as airborne ones

S
ince our Position series was launched many
years ago in Yachts & Yachting, the ‘Position’
featured here – The Dive – has been featured so
many times we’ve lost count. To our recollection,
though, we’ve never been able to show it
performed by a man on his way to winning a world
championship. Dylan Fletcher, pictured on his way to
winning the Moth worlds on the muddy River Plate off
Buenos Aires in December, understands that foiling is not
just about flying. It’s about sub-sea adventures, as well. The
extreme aero and hydro-dynamic properties of Dylan’s boat
allow him to do both, at pace. It takes nerve to go into The
Dive at full pelt, but Dylan is a man on a mission – the steep
wind-over-tide conditions will either be sailed over or sailed
through. The execution is perfect – and the tactic worked. As
our story overleaf reports, Dylan is now Moth world
champion. So next time your bow digs in on a lumpy Sunday
PHOTO: MATIAS CAPIZZANO

morning club race and you realise a dunking is imminent,

remember, even world champions resort to nose-diving
tactics sometimes.

tactic worked: he is now world champion

Quote and buy online at www.noblemarine.co.uk

or call us on 01636 707606
Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
12 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
Pip speaks at Silic One
boot Düsseldorf
British Vendée Globe star Pip Hare will speak at Europe’s biggest
boat show, boot Düsseldorf, which runs from 21-29 January 2023.
is The ONE.
The massive event fills 17 exhibition halls or more, but the two
dedicated sailing halls will feature more than 100 manufacturers,
sailing associations and regatta organisers.
Hare will be speaking about her foiling IMOCA, Medallia, and plans
for the 2024 edition of the race. Another highlight will be a live
broadcast from Cape Verde, where Robert Stanjek will be in front of
the camera after finishing the first leg of The Ocean Race, from
Alicante to the Cape Verde Islands. Stanjek is sailing with a crew that
includes Briton Annie Lush.
Düsseldorf show director Petros Michelidakis said: “There is
almost every brand of yacht on board. By that I mean both the big
players in the industry and young, up-and-coming startups.”
Brands exhibiting include Amel, Arcona Najad, Bavaria, Bénéteau,
Contest, Dufour, Elan, Faurby, Grand Soleil, Hallberg-Rassy, Sirena,
Solaris and Sunbeam, Nautor’s Swan, CNB, Oyster, Bali, Excess,
Lagoon and Quorning. There is also a large charter section, as well as
entire halls dedicated to sailing and dinghy kit and clothing.
Tickets for boot Düsseldorf 2023 are available at boot.com. The
regular online admission price is €19.

Great sailing magazines for you!

Our parent company, Chelsea Magazines, has two great sailing
magazines for you over the winter – the Charter Guide and Yachting
Year.
The 132-page annual Yachting Year is on sale now and available to
buy online, taking a look at events on the water in 2022 and a look
ahead at what’s to come over the next 12 months in the worlds of
racing, cruising and classics.
Our editors, Sam Jefferson, Steffan Meyric Hughes and Rob Peake,
write exclusive articles about the sailing year ahead. Yachting Year
also features practical articles, looking at bluewater cruising kit,
10 years of boat owners’ trust!
foul-weather gear, yacht insurance and more.
You can buy Yachting Year for £9.99 via chelseamagazines.com.
Thank you.
Meanwhile, if you’re planning a charter holiday, our Charter Guide
comes out in the New Year, packed with practical advice.
We publish the guide every year, with the latest news from charter
operators and tips on when and where to go, plus the monohull/
multihull quandry and some secret spots to drop the anchor.
The guide is put together by the team behind
Sailing Today with

YACHTING
T H E U LT I M AT E S A I L I
NG SOUVENIR
Yachts & Yachting,
2023
published with our
YEAR March 2023 issue at
CRUISING | CLASSI
CS | RACING

132 PAGE
SAILOR’S ANNUAL
hempelyacht.com
BEST
YOUR YEAR ON THE WATER KIT £9.99

For you
Yachts, yarns & expert advice and
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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023

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 New boats
A look at the latest launches from around the globe

Bavaria C46
It has been a number of years since
German manufacturing giant Bavaria
launched its voluminous C-38 and C-
42 yachts but the Black Forest
behemoth has not been idle and has
announced its latest launch to coincide
with the Dusseldorf Boat Show. The
C46 picks up where its smaller sisters
left off, combining ample interior
volume with striking modern looks.
The boat features what the
Domani S32L manufacturer describes as ‘the
Bavaria V-bow’ which sounds like a far
Domani Yachts is a Dutch company that is a very clear rival to Saffier Yachts, of from radical departure in terms of hull
the same parish. As such, both turn out extremely stylish turbocharged form. Customers can choose from
weekend sailers designed – at least it always seems to me – expressly for various layouts ranging from three to
blasting around the Cote d’Azur or some similarly flash location. The sweet irony five cabins, including a four-cabin
is that they often end up being presented to the press in the incongruously layout with four in-suite heads or a
hostile and grim environs of the North Sea on some slate grey, sleet-ridden day. three-cabin layout with an additional
The S32L continues on the theme, being a slinky, stylish yacht with a modest separate room at the companionway.
interior. The boat is an elongated variation on the S30 with wheel steering.

l domaniyachts.com l bavariayachts.com

Outremer 52
French multihull manufacturer Outremer has built an impressive reputation for
producing fast blue water cruising multihulls that can transport you across
oceans and around the world in comfort but also rapidly. Its new 52 is the
successor to the Outremer 51. The builder is looking for performance that will
allow owners to plan cruising at an average of around 10-12kts of average speed.
Designer VPLP has worked with Franck Darnet and Patrick Le Quement to
produce a light (12,500kg) yacht that has improved sightlines compared with the
old 51.

l catamaran-outremer.com

14 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Saare 41.2
Some may not be familiar with Estonian
boatbuilder Saare but those who are, generally
have many positive things to say about it. The
company has built a solid reputation by
combining Scandinavian levels of quality of
build, carpentry and finish with less than
Scandinavian labour costs. The result is lovingly
built, quality cruisers at a significant discount.
Not only that, but the performance of these
boats is not to be sniffed at either. On the
downside – or possibly upside depending on Jeanneau Sunfast 30OD
your perspective, Saare is a very conservative
boatbuilder and, features such as a single The Jeanneau Sunfast 30OD is the smaller sister of the Sunfast 33OOD, which has made quite a splash
wheel pedestal are still considered acceptable. since its launch two years ago, with big fleets flourishing across Europe. The French manufacturer is
As such, the new 41.2CC (Centre Cockpit) is in obviously hoping for similar results with its 30OD and has teamed up with composite material
some ways a retro boat with classical styling. constructor Multiplast and designers VPLP to produce an exciting semi scow hull feturing full forward
Yet in others – such as performance – the sections, twin rudders and light displacement. One of the most exciting announcements is that the boat
boat is bang up to date. The boat has been will use Elium resin in its construction. This is a biodegradable variant of epoxy that means that when the
optimised for a couple sailing with many boat has reached the end of its racing life, the laminates can be separated and recycled. This obviously
touches to keep things as simple as possible. makes for a much more eco friendly boat.

l Saareyachts.com l Jeanneau.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 15

 Jxxxx

SAILING’S BEST
THE You voted in your thousands
BRITISH for the best boats, sailors
YACHTING and kit of the past year.
AWARDS Here are the winners
2022 Presented by

with

The British Yachting Awards
winners were announced at a
ceremony at the Royal Thames
Yacht Club, Knightsbridge, on 28
November, with the winners
including the best sailors, boats,
kit, marinas and events of 2022.
While our editorial team puts
together the shortlists, each
winner is decided by public vote
vote counts! The shortlists for each
category were published in our
November 2022 issue and
nominations included some of the
biggest brands and most famous
names in sailing, as well as
burgeoning marine companies,
along with amateur yachtsmen and
youth sailors. A roomful of sailing
VIPs gathered at the Royal Thames
took advantage of the opportunity
to pay for a ticket. Presenter and
host was SailGP and Athena
Pathway sailor Hannah Diamond.
The evening’s guest speaker was
Sara Sutcliffe, CEO of the RYA.
The event was generously
supported by sponsors BoatLife,
Dartmouth Gin, Davey & Co, Hyde
Sails and Pantaenius.
AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

and, after six weeks of voting, we
counted around 18,000 votes in all.
Thank you to everybody who
voted – categories can be decided
by a handful of votes, so every
YC for the ceremony – an audience
ranging from circumnavigators and
Olympians, to naval architects and
boat builders, to weekend sailors
and some of our subscribers who
The ceremony was live streamed
and remains available to watch on
Y&Y’s Facebook page and via our
dedicated website
britishyachtingawards.com

SPONSORED BY

GREAT BRITISH BOAT TRAILERS

16 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 Trophies
xxxxx handmade by
Davey & Co

AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

Sailing’s call to action
Guest speaker Sara Sutcliffe, CEO of the
RYA, put out a call to action for sailing as a
whole to “embrace change”.
Sara, who joined the organisation as CEO in
January 2022, announced that it will be
unveiling a new strategy early in 2023,
setting out a vision for a “connected,
inspired and inclusive
community on the water”.
She said that sailing must
not stand still following the
boost in new participants
over the pandemic, adding:
“Yes, we have the benefit of
being an island nation
surrounded by water and
with a rich maritime
heritage, but we know there
are challenges in making
boating accessible to all.
“We know that more people
are trying water-based
activity than ever before
and we know that those trying it are
increasingly diverse and representative of the
wider population.
“However we also know that of those trying
it, when it translates to how many come back
and develop a hobby or passion, we lose a lot
of the diversity. And why is that? We need to
answer that question.”
The challenge for the RYA, Sara said, was to
“preserve the past, manage the present and
work out how to set sail into the future”.
“Early in 2023, the RYA will launch its new
strategy, which sets out a vision of a
connected, inspired and
inclusive community on
the water. But the RYA
can’t do this on its own. So
my call to action to the
whole sector is to embrace
change and be honest
about the challenges we
all face to make boating
accessible, sustainable and
inclusive to all of society.
“The people in this room
tonight represent the
breadth of the sector. I’m
sure the gender split in the
room is better than it was
40 years ago. But let’s not wait another 40
years for this room to be even more reflective
of wider British society. We can do it and we
can all do it together. Everyone should be able
to access, be welcome and enjoy sailing and
water activities whatever their background.”
Each winner received a unique trophy
handmade by the team at Davey & Co,
the chandler founded in 1885 and still
making chandlery for classic and
modern yachts today.
Davey & Co owner John Buckley said:
“Our product range covers items that
have been in production throughout
most of the last century, and are still
produced in the same way, from the
same patterns, today. Largely made in
the Midlands of England, we offer
genuine cast bronze, brass and
galvanised fittings. Davey has
embraced the future with a range of
newly designed products handmade in
Britain with the same traditional flare
and quality the company is known for.”
In 1885 Davey & Co was based in
Leadenhall Street in London. As it
grew, the company moved to its
famous address at 88 West India Dock
Road, London E14. Davey trades
through its distributors in the UK,
Europe, USA, Australia and New
Zealand, as well being a supplier to
the MOD since its inception.
davey.co.uk

Dartmouth Gin
Each winner and all those who were Highly Commended received a bottle of Dartmouth Gin. Distiller
Lance Whitehead, a lifetime sailor, was at the awards ceremony to help present the prizes and said:
“We create Dartmouth English Gin with the finest botanicals we can source from around the world,
together with herbs, flowers and fruit from the Calancombe Estate in Devon. The crystal clear fresh
spring water, sourced at Calancombe, is an essential element
of the gin we produce. Dartmouth English Gin is smooth,
full bodied and refreshing. It can be enjoyed on its own, is
delightful with tonic and is the perfect foundation for a
wide range of cocktails, where the gin’s complexity and
balance provide the perfect serve. Our families’ past has
been woven into the fabric and history of Dartmouth and
the surrounding area for centuries – shipwrights, master
mariners, Brixham trawlermen. We have created a
contemporary, classic and also now an award-winning gin
that reflects our maritime heritage, bearing the name of one
of England’s most iconic harbours.”
dartmouth-gin.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 17

 THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS
2022 THE WINNERS

EVENT OF THE YEAR

WINNER: SEVENSTAR
ROUND BRITAIN &
IRELAND RACE
This never-say-die, chess-game-
on-water between mostly amateur
crews won your votes in the Event
category. As the fleet worked round
The Royal Ocean Racing
to Scotland in flat seas and then Club’s Steve Cole, left,
began a match-racing epic down the accepts the trophy for
Event of the Year, from
east coast, the sporting excitement presenter Hannah Diamond
was hard to beat. Superbly managed and Lance Whitehead,
of Dartmouth Gin
by the Royal Ocean Racing Club.

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
RYA DINGHY &
WATERSPORTS SHOW
Boat shows don’t always enjoy
changing venue but the RYA

AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

managed the move perfectly and
your votes here gave the move a
clear thumbs-up.
Rob Clark of the RYA (right) with
Hannah Diamond and Lance Whitehead,
of event sponsor Dartmouth Gin
xxx

MARINA OF THE YEAR

WINNER:
BUCKLER’S
HARD YACHT
HARBOUR
Your votes came in for
this idyllic spot on the
Beaulieu River, upgraded
to mark its 50th birthday,
future-proofed with more
berths and cutting edge,
sustainable facilities. Tanya Ferguson and Becki Restall (left) of
BYA trophy-maker Davey & Co, present the
unique trophy to the Bucklers Hard team,
with harbourmaster Wendy Stowe, centre

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
BARNEVILLE-
CARTERET MARINA
This beautiful marina on the
Normandy coast is a destination
to be savoured.

The marina’s director Olivier Lemaignen and

harbourmaster Pierrick Ledard receive their
prize from Tanya Ferguson and Becki Restall
of event sponsor Davey & Co

18 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting yachtsandyachting.co.uk

EQUIPMENT INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
WINNER: CRUISING
ASSOCIATION
CAPTAIN’S MATE APP
The CA’s upgraded CAptain’s
Mate app won your votes in the
Equipment Innovation category,
for its database of more than
6,500 user reviews of
achorages, marinas and
cruising waters across the
world, as well as other useful The Cruising Association’s
information made up of Bob Garrett, Chair of
Council, and Lucy Hyslop,
20,000+ members. General Manager

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
GARMIN NAVIONICS+
CARTOGRAPHY
Ground-breaking and powerful
cartography, up to 5,000 updates daily
should give peace of mind, plus Garmin’s
own data is bolstered by contributions
from other sailors, bringing the reliability
of a large volume of users.

xxx

CLOTHING INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

WINNER: HELLY HIGHLY COMMENDED:
HANSEN SKAGEN MUSTO FLEXLITE
JACKET ALUMIN RANGE
Helly’s most innovative Three years in the making with
piece of clothing to date, development and testing by the
most of this offshore British Sailing Team. The 3mm
jacket is made from Alumin fabric is designed for
recycled material active sailing in northern
including repurposed European waters.
fishing buoys.
AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

Musto’s Nick Houchin accepts the

Helly Hansen’s Piers Barnes, bottle of Dartmouth Gin for the xxxxx
General Manager, UK and Ireland, xxxxx Musto Flexlite Alumin range
with the handsome winner’s
trophy made by Davey & Co

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 19

 THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS
2022 THE WINNERS

MULTIHULL OF THE YEAR

WINNER:
LAGOON 51
This easy to
handle cruising
cataraman won
the most votes
here – the boat’s
fast too, and
boasts class-
leading levels of Constance Brement of Groupe
internal volume. Beneteau, with Aude de Saint
Pol, Sales Manager of Lagoon,
and Graham Laver who leads
Ancasta’s Lagoon team

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
PRIVILEGE
SIGNATURE 580
Among other mini-superyacht
features, this is the first
catamaran in its size that allows
direct access to the owner’s

AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

cabin from the forward cockpit.

Hannah Diamond with

Adam Sutton of Inspiration
Marine, UK Privilege dealer
xxx

PERFORMANCE YACHT OF THE YEAR

WINNER:
BENETEAU
FIRST 36
The return of Beneteau’s
First range was welcomed
and this is the biggest
boat so far, a versatile
yacht that will plane in
medium winds and is easily
handled shorthanded. Another trophy for Constance
Brement of Groupe Beneteau!
You voted it the year’s
best performance yacht.

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
GRAND SOLEIL 40
PERFORMANCE
Building on the success of its
bigger sister, the 44, designer
Mateo Polli has made light
air performance a priority on
this sparkling cruiser racer. xxxxx
xxxxx Wayne Palmer and Hayley Quinn,
directors of Key Yachting, UK outlet
for the Italian Grand Soleil brand

20 yachtsandyachting.co.uk
If you are searching for
the ONE that will:

keep your boat fouling free

save you from re-painting
every year
save you money
save on fuel
save the environment

Silic One is The ONE.

The premium antifouling.

10 years of boat owners trust in Silic One!

Thank you.

hempelyacht.com
 THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS
2022 THE WINNERS

HYDE SAILS CRUISING YACHT OF THE YEAR

xxx
WINNER: SPONSORED BY
HANSE 460 A British brand, Hyde Sails is one of
Your votes gave the largest volume sailmakers
approval for this worldwide, delivering high quality
new direction in sails with a service to match. Backed
design for Hanse. up by 50 years of expertise, Hyde Sails has always
The boat boasts placed itself at the forefront of sail technology,
design and production, for everything from Optimists
more volume
to cruisers and ocean-racing yachts.
than its
predecessor, the  We make around 40,000 sails per year from our
455, plus great modern (and crucially, wholly owned) factory
ease of handling. in the far east. Our 270 staff are highly trained,
well paid and directed from the UK, where our
Left: Adam Sutton of Hanse dealer Inspiration Marine
Below: Charlie Bird, MD of category sponsor Hyde Sails, management, sales and R&D functions are based
Hannah Diamond and Beneteau’s Constance Brement in two offices, one at Hamble and one at Ipswich.
 We have a worldwide and increasing network
HIGHLY COMMENDED: of agents and distributors, whose details
BENETEAU OCEANIS YACHT 60 are on this site, enabling you to obtain
High standards of luxury on this latest addition to the personal service over much of the globe.
Oceanis Yacht range, with a sumptuous interior.  We make many sails for other sailmakers
and for large boat builders such as Laser
and RS but our core business is making
bespoke sails for individual customers.
 Our sails are made out of the best materials obtained
at the most competitive prices so that we are able to
offer quality sails with extraordinary craftsmanship
at prices that are keen but not unrealistically cheap.
With sailmaking you tend to get what you pay for
but there is no need to pay over the odds to get
quality sails – we do not promise the cheapest sails,
but we promise the best quality at the best price
with the best designs and the best materials.
hydesails.co.uk

BLUEWATER CRUISER OF THE YEAR

WINNER: JEANNEAU 65
Jeanneau’s ‘mini superyacht’ broke
the mould when it was launched
back in 2014, offering luxury at an
accessible price and providing big
boat performance in an easily
handled package. Now back and
fully revamped, the 65 picks up
where its predecessor left off. You
voted it your Bluewater Cruiser of
the Year. Constance Brement
of Groupe Beneteau,
which owns Jeanneau

Glynn Chambers,
HIGHLY COMMENDED: OYSTER 495 board member
Oyster has produced another winner with the 495. and company
director at
This is its ‘entry level’ yacht but it offers anything Oyster Yachts
but entry level performance and comfort. A Round
the Island Race class win showed off its pace, while
AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

a European publicity tour has made clear its

liveaboard credentials.

22 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 T W O M A J O R S H O W S A T T H E U LT I M A T E W A T E R S I D E V E N U E

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OUR BIGGER AND BETTER SHOW INCLUDES:
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 THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS
2022 THE WINNERS
PANTAENIUS SAILOR OF
THE YEAR
WINNER: ELLIE DRIVER
A few years ago she was in Oppies.
Now Ellie Driver, aged 20, has become
one of the youngest people to have
completed the gruelling Round Britain
& Ireland Race, finishing sixth with dad
Jim. The pair were third out of 99 crews
in IRC two-handed in the 2022 RORC
points series, and Ellie was also
involved in the UK Double Handed
Offshore Series.
HIGHLY COMMENDED:
RICHARD PALMER AND
RUPERT HOLMES
Richard’s JPK10.10 Jangada is
probably the most campaigned
non-professional yacht afloat,
often racing with Jeremy Waitt.
Jangada’s big race this summer
was the Sevenstar Round Britain &
Ireland Race, which Richard raced
double-handed with Sailing Today
with Y&Y writer Rupert Holmes,
winning in a nail-biting finish after
almost 2,000 miles of tense boat-
on-boat competition. Jangada has
recently been crowned 2022 RORC
Yacht of the Year and the Season’s
Points Championship winner.
24 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
SPONSORED BY
Pantaenius UK, part of the
Pantaenius Group, represented
in 11 countries globally has been
providing insurance solutions to
boat owners for over 30 years
and today has offices in
Plymouth and Southampton.
Our staff are sailors and boaters
that understand the needs of
our clients. Over 100,000 boat
and yacht owners place their
trust in the Pantaenius brand
and enjoy the peace of mind
that our unique and
comprehensive policies provide.
With 35,000 trusted partners
around the world, Pantaenius is
well placed to provide the best
support, offering 24-hour
emergency claims assistance,
365 days of the year. Whether
you opt to glide through the
waters on a sailing yacht or
power your way to your next
Above and left: destination, we are always by
Fiona McCracken of your side. Pantaenius UK also
category sponsor
Pantaenius, with offers insurance solutions for
winner Ellie Driver
AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH
private and professional
(above) and the
Highly Commended skippers who sail on borrowed
crew of Jangada, or chartered boats.
Richard Palmer and
Rupert Holmes pantaenius.com
THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS
2022 THE WINNERS

AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

Richard Dove, of category sponsor BoatLife (left),
with Squib demons Charlie, Harry and Tom White

BOATLIFE YOUTH SAILOR OF THE YEAR

SPONSORED BY
WINNER: CHARLIE, HARRY AND TOM WHITE
Charlie, Tom and Harry White are 22-year old triplets who were third overall in the highly competitive
Squib class at Cowes Week. The trio are veterans of Cowes Week, having first raced back in 2015 as
teenagers and this year also picked up the Musto Young Skipper Trophy. GREAT BRITISH BOAT TRAILERS

SBS BoatLife Live will take place

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
THE ROUND THE ISLAND
RACE CREW OF EMBLEY
Embley is a Stewart 37 skippered and
crewed by pupils from Embley School
in Romsey, Hampshire. A blistering
performance saw them finish first in
the ISC, the Island Sailing Club’s rating
system for the event, a class with
more than 500 entries including
professional crews.
16-19 February 2023 at the NEC, and
the show will fill three halls with a
mix of boats, watersports and
equipment while showcasing a
whole host of brands. This fantastic
event is for the entire boating
community to come together and
celebrate their love of life on the
water. It’s the perfect opportunity to
re-connect with colleagues and
friends, stay up-to-date, explore and
discover the boats and equipment
on show, including the latest and
innovative models. On the Live Stage
you can hear talks from boating
faces you know and love, while there
is also an Inland Zone and a Virtual
Reality feature – the show has been
curated to give the whole family a
day out and celebrate the boating
lifestyle. BoatLife Live made
memories at the inaugural show in
2022 with great visitor feedback,
strong sales and companies
promptly rebooking for 2023.
BoatLife is proud sponsor of the
Youth Sailor of the Year category at
the British Yachting Awards.
The Embley crew won the ISC class in the Round the Island Race boatlifeevents.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 25

 THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS
2022 THE WINNERS

xxxxxx

CHARITY OF THE YEAR

TALL SHIPS YOUTH TRUST
We are delighted to announce that the Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
Charity of the Year 2023 will be the Tall Ships Youth Trust. The trust’s
Challenge 72s are well-known sights around the Solent and around the entire
UK coast, having done several circumnavigations of Britain with crews of
young people – the latest was completed over the summer of 2022.
Formed in 1956, the Tall Ships Youth Trust is the UK’s oldest youth
development sail training charity, today running modern yachts, not tall ships,
but still true to the original aims of empowering young people and changing
their lives through sailing. We (left) Alastair Floyd of the Tall
Ships Youth Trust at the ceremony;
will be reporting on the trust’s (above and below) some of the
activities, including its round Britain participants and Tall
Ships Youth Trust beneficiaries
fundraising drive for a new
yacht, over 2023. Donate or
book a voyage at tallships.org

26 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS
2022 THE WINNERS

WINNER: SAILGP
Mid-way through season three of this
game-changing series, audience figures
are breaking records and SailGP’s wider
initiatives – for gender equality, for the
environment, for youth involvement and
for its host communities – remain strong.
Presenter Hannah Diamond, herself a
member of the Great Britain SailGP team,
added: “The racing is pretty exciting, too!” Sacha Kemp of SailGP, right, invited
like-minded organisations to link up with
SailGP to help drive the series’ goals

HIGHLY COMMENDED:
ROYAL OCEAN
RACING CLUB
The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s military
level of organisation is responsible for an
impressive roster of pro-am events
around the world. These are races and
regattas very much organised
by sailors for sailors, backed up
by a well-informed and
AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH; RORC SERIES PAUL WYETH/RORC

hard-working comms team

who are bringing in a new
audience on social media.

The Royal Ocean Racing

Club’s Steve Cole with
the club’s prize bottle

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 27

 THE
BRITISH
YACHTING
AWARDS THE WINNERS
2022

AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
JIM SALTONSTALL
There was a lengthy standing ovation as Jim Saltonstall was announced as
the recipient of the British Yachting Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jim learned to sail at the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club in Bridlington and
joined the Royal Navy as a teenager where he became part of the Royal
Navy sailing team for 12 years, and captain for two years in the mid
1970s. In a move that would prove to be crucial to the success of British
sailing over the subsequent 35 years, he then joined the RYA as the
National Yacht Racing Coach. His brief was simple: to raise the standards
of sail racing in the UK.
He was instrumental in running the first RYA youth training programme
and he started the national race training scheme in 1977.
In those early days, one of the young sailors he coached was a 10-year-
old called Ben Ainslie, then sailing Optimists. Iain Percy, Bart Simpson,
Shirley Robertson and Rob Wilson (pictured below) are just some of the
countless sailors that have benefited from his coaching and drive. The
programmes and pathways that he created were key to British success,
but just as important was his own inspirational character.
In 1996, he led the British coaching team at the Atlanta games, where
the sailors won two medals – Ben Ainslie, and Ian Walker with Johnny
Merricks – and that came in an Olympics when the whole of TeamGB
won four medals overall.
After the games he was awarded the MBE, for services to sports and
young people. But greater things were to come.
Four years later at Sydney 2000, the crowning glory of all the work he’d
Jim went on to thank many people involved in his career, starting
with the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club, saying: “If it wasn’t for them, I
wouldn’t be standing here this evening. They taught me a lot, in
Bridlington Bay, over my first 15 years on this planet. I really enjoyed
it. They were a fantastic club and they really couldn’t have done
much more for me.”
He talked about his time in the Royal Navy, where he learned about ‘the
most challenging sport in the world - yacht racing” and then at the RYA
he name-checked Bob Bond and Alistair Mitchell, who initiated the RYA
National Racing Scheme, along with John Reid, the RYA Racing Manager,
and Rod Carr, then Olympic team coach. “It was a privilege to work with
them and I enjoyed the success that we all had.”
Jim paid tribute to Admiral John Barker, chair of the RYA race training
committee, and Dr Frank Newton, “who made sure all the teams that
set sail from these shores were fit ferrets, ready to win medals for
Betty, the Queen, and Annie, the Princess Royal and RYA President.”
Jim also paid a tribute to his office secretaries, who he said deserved a
medal the size of a frying pan. Finally he thanked “the ferrets, who
hoovered all the medals.”
Above: Jim Saltonstall receives his Lifetime Achievement Award trophy from
presenter Hannah Diamond, who is one of many to have been coached by him.
In his speech, Jim thanked “the ferrets, who hoovered all the medals”
Below: Back in 1989, Jim en route to Japan with members of the British
Optimist worlds squad including Ben Ainslie (below right) and Rob
Wilson (below left) who is now the sailing coach of INEOS Britannia

put in since the 1970s, he watched as five of his athletes won medals
– three golds and two silvers.
Along the way he’s twice been voted Yachtsman of the Year, he’s
coached world class sailors in Etchells, Dragons, a TP52, he’s done
international seminars for the 420 class in Los Angeles, Japan, South
America and Australia. He’s been ISAF international youth coach.
Yet he’s always remained closely involved with grassroots sailing, as
president of the NSSA, for school children, and of BUSA, the universities
sailing organisation.
Jim told those present: “It is a great honour to receive this fantastic
THIS PHOTO: COPYRIGHT ROB WILSON/INEOS BRITANNNIA

award. It makes me feel as if the past 75 years have all been worth it!
“I’d like to accept this for those who have been involved with everything
I’ve been doing. First of all, my wife Christine and my son Jeremy, for
allowing me the time away from home. It’s great to have them here this
evening, so that they can carry me home later!”

28 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

13 1. The event takes place in the heart of Knightsbridge, London

2. The trophies are handmade by Davey & Co
3. A warm welcome from the Chelsea Magazines team
4. Presenter Hannah Diamond of SailGP and the Athena Pathway
Programme
5. Time to catch up with sailing friends
6. Ellie Driver with, father Jim, with whom she raced around Britain, mother
Lesley and sister Georgie
7. Left-right, Brandom from Greig City Academy, Tim Eccles, Kevin Downer
and Dylan Downer, all of Ziggy
8. Skipper Helen Webb, left, with sailing friends
9. Suzanne Blaustone, Chief Executive Officer at Barton Marine Equipment,
with Tony Hanna, the Vice-Commodore of the Royal Thames Yacht Club
AWARDS NIGHT PHOTOS: MARCUS HOLDSWORTH

10. One of Embley’s award-winning young sailors

11. Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting editor Sam Jefferson, second from
right, with the Cruising Association team
12. The White brothers chat with Round Britain winner Rupert Holmes 14
13. Hannah Le Prevost, Sales Director of Key Yachting, with Bob Penfold of
Royal Torbay YC
14. Offshore legend and The Green Blue Patron Mike Golding
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 14
 Paul Heiney
Paul ponders the demise of logs and diaries, and wonders if lifetime records from here on
will be lost forever

hat Samuel passing thing with a mobile phone?

Pepys made
famous, has the
chart plotter
finally killed
off? I’m talking
about dairies, or as we seafarers prefer
to call them, ‘logs’. Historians tell
us that the daily jottings that Pepys
maintained for 10 years starting in
1660, are an important source of
understanding, and open a window
onto a world which would otherwise
have remained shuttered. Diaries
are what give colour to an otherwise
black and white view of history; the
diaries churned out my everyone
from actors, to politicians, to Anne
Frank’s account of her wartime
persecution, take us into worlds
unknown by us, drawn by first
person accounts which always have a
magnetism about them. That’s what
makes diaries, and logs, special. ‘Diaries are what give colour to
There are two kinds of sailing
logs; there’s the regular noting of
an otherwise black and white
navigational information to provide view of history’
a mile by mile account of a passage,
and there’s skill to keeping that kind
of log, but there’s not much art – it’s a bit like drawing
up a set of accounts, with apologies to all artistically
inclined accountants everywhere. Then there’s the
narrative of a cruise, also known as a log, which offers
some kind of story and may wander into the world of
emotions, which the navigator’s log always shuns.
I’ve kept both kinds of log, but never with the skill or
dedication of some others I’ve seen. I sailed once with
a professional seaman who came off watch, drank his
tea, and before head hit pillow he scribbled a few lines
to act as an aide-memoir for when he was back home
and wrote up a full account. He never showed his logs
to anyone, and no one ever asked to see them, although
from a skipper’s point of view I would dearly have
loved to know what this master mariner was making
of my amateur talents as skipper. Sometimes, I caught
him in the cockpit, drawing sketches of a headland,
or a passing ship. I never asked him why he bothered,
but I can pretty much guess what his reply would be; a
Perhaps. But unlike the scribbled
log which can sit on a bookshelf
for a lifetime, snaps will probably
never be seen again, and anyway
they certainly don’t constitute a log.
The argument for keeping a
navigation log was always that if
you ever found yourself lost, as was
a common occurrence in my early
sailing days, you could always trace
your way back to a position of which
you were certain. This called for no
small amount of dedication for your
pencil always had to be sharp, the
page of the log book had to be dry
and – the hardest part – you had
to be disciplined enough to keep
at it every hour on the hour. I was
lousy at this but my wife had the
required dedication. I remember
her in the southern Irish Sea in our
storm-tossed Contessa 26, doing
tidal diamonds as I threw up in
the bucket. That we raised Mizen
head and not the Tuskar Rock was
the payback for her dedication.
No such application is required
when it comes to operating the
unblinking plotter, which not only shows you where
you are, but if you remembered to enable the function
it will show you exactly where you’ve been, the wavy
track possibly betraying a certain lack of concentration
in the wee, small hours perhaps, or a little hiatus when
you kicked over your tea. And although the wobble in
the track will be there for all to see, will anybody ever
bother to look at it, and would you even remember if you
didn’t jot it down? Plotters are no good at writing logs.
Logs are sailing literature, and if you don’t believe
me allow me to direct you to the home page of the
Royal Cruising Club where the logs of members going
back to 1881 are freely available for anyone to browse.
Read of provisioning a boat in the 1890s with butter
in jars with a thick seal of dry salt over it, sea biscuits
in soldered tins. Those logs, like those of Pepys are
HAVE glimpses into a disappeared world of yachting. It
YOUR SAY would be an arrogant sailor indeed who believed that
Do you still keep in a 100 years time, the way we sail now will not seem
ILLUSTRATION CLAIRE WOOD

cruise is an experience always worth recording, good a log book? antique. But who will know if we don’t write a log?
or bad, and to turn to pages when years have passed is facebook.com/ If you love your cruising, then cement
to have your entire sailing life flash before you in a way sailingtoday the affection by writing a log, a diary likes
our flawed memories cannot match. What’s the modern @sailingtodaymag Pepys’s. Memory is a fickle friend, but a few
equivalent to taking notes? Snapping away at every sailingtoday.co.uk notes on paper can remedy that.

30 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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 Andy Rice
Looking back at Paul Larsen’s record breaking SailRocket project 10 years on, it’s still
amazing how little publicity the team received for their extraordinary achievement...
wo Australians who both
grew up in the back of
beyond in the north of
Victoria now hold two
special speed records.
Glenn Ashby, backed up by his
America’s Cup mates at Emirates
Team New Zealand have smashed
the wind-powered land speed record.
On 11 December 2022 Glenn piloted
the radical land yacht Horonuku to
222.4kph in just 22kts of wind on Lake
Gairdner in South Australia. Ashby
has broken the long-standing record
of 202.9km/h recorded by Britain’s
Richard Jenkins back in March 2009.
The other speed-seeking Aussie
from the back of beyond in upstate
Victoria is Paul Larsen, who has now “Paul was breaking the
held the all-out world sailing speed national speed limit on a
record for more than a decade. In
November 2012, Paul launched Vestas British motorway”
SailRocket2 down the 500m course in Walvis Bay, Namibia.
With wind speed around 25kts, SailRocket2 ran the 500m
course at 65.45kts (121.21 km/h) with a 68.01kts (125.95
km/h) peak. Both records were ratified by the World Sailing
Speed Record Council (WSSRC) for the 500m and the mile
and no one has since come close to beating that achievement.
I interviewed Paul on the anniversary of his record, which
has never earned the level of recognition it deserved. It was a
very low-budget, shoestring project which didn’t even make it
on to the cover of any sailing magazine anywhere in the world.
While F50 catamarans are just squeaking past 50kts in SailGP
competitions and AC75s are capable of similar performance,
65.45kts remains a huge distance beyond anything regularly
sailing at the moment. When you think that 65.45kts equates
to 75.32mph, Paul was breaking the national speed limit on
a British motorway, and he wasn’t even wearing a seatbelt.
Paul is an out-of-the-box thinker, always challenging
accepted norms in the world of sailing. Which is perhaps why
the Australian sailor’s bookshelves are as full with books about
aerodynamics and flying as they are with hydrodynamics and
sailing. Paul lives with his Swedish partner, Helena Darvelid,
who as well as working hand in hand with Paul on SailRocket,
has broken world sailing records in her own right. They live
together in a small house just a stone’s throw away from the
causeway that connects the island of Portland to Weymouth.  as the source of power, so a very different approach to the
They had hoped to get SailRocket 2 out for an anniversary
spin for this year’s edition of Weymouth Speed Week, where
PHOTO: THIERRY SERAY
all-out speed records were first set back in the 70s and 80s.
Paul had hoped to steer SailRocket 2 down the same track that
made Crossbow famous in 1973 when Tim Colman drove his
60ft proa catamaran to a world record of 29.2kts.Unfortunately
32 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
the 10th anniversary sail didn’t
quite work out for SailRocket 2
but hopefully we might get to
see this incredible space ship
back in action at some point.
Back in November 2012, Paul,
Helena and the rest of the team
were really up against it if they were
to break the record before their
window of opportunity expired.
The sponsorship funding was
drying up and they had to make
that trip to Namibia count, as it
would probably be the last time
they’d be able to go to Walvis Bay
to take advantage of the strong
wind/flat water conditions. 
They hit the targets they
wanted, smashed the speed
record up to a new level, packed
up their kit and flew home
to the UK. And that was the
end of the SailRocket project, job done, but very little
celebration of such a mammoth achievement. 
I asked Paul what he would do if he had the resources and
inclination to revisit the 500m record. “I wouldn’t change the
boat. I’d go with this boat again. The boat was structured to
do 80kts, and it was designed to be good aerodynamically and
hydrodynamically, and with safety margins up to that speed.”
It’s the foils that would need reconfiguring for higher speeds. 
Paul Larsen and his designer, the late Malcolm Barnsley,
borrowed the concept of the boat from a 1963 book called ‘The
40-knot sailboat’, written by Bernard Smith. Paul describes the
canting rig and 40ft wide structure of SailRocket 2 as a ‘dynamic
stability’ concept that solves the fundamental problem with
almost every sailing boat. The stronger the wind, the more
righting moment you need to be able to stop the boat tipping
over, whether you’re talking dinghies, catamarans, keelboats
or anything else. With Bernard Smith’s ‘dynamic stability’
concept, the forces are all in balance no matter what the speed.
It will be interesting to see if the latest challengers to the
record can take it away from SailRocket’s benchmark. The
SP80 project in Switzerland and Moonshot #1 from France
look like the most credible projects. As its name SP80
implies, the aim of Benoit Gaudiot’s team is to take the
record past the 80kt barrier. Both projects are using kites
ANDY RICE
more windsurfer-inspired rig of SailRocket 2. With the leaps
As a sailing journalist in technology over the past decade, a well funded project
and TV commentator
Andy has unparalleled
should be able to set a new bar for wind-powered speed.
knowledge of the No one is more excited than Paul Larsen himself, to see if
performance racing
scene, from grassroots
his record can be broken, and he has offered his help and
to elite level advice to the SP80 team in their bid to steal his thunder.
Canal du Midi

Amanda Lambert with partner Martin had dreamt of traversing the Canal du
Midi for many years. The realisation of that dream included many ups and downs
he dream started 12
years ago when Martin
and I purchased Cornish
Piper (affectionately
known as CP), our
Halmatic 30, a John
Sharp design built in Hampshire in
1981. About 30 years earlier, Martin
had worked in Sete and dreamed
of taking his own boat back there
via the cross-country route across
France from the Atlantic to the
Mediterranean. So even back then,
the main stipulation in our boat
PHOTOS AMANDA LAMBERT/ISTOCK
Marans, France, on 22 April 2022.
We hadn’t sailed Cornish Piper
since the previous August and we
were nervous about the first part
of the trip up Le Gironde river. All
the pilot books and guidance on
entering the Gironde talked about
the overfalls and not entering in
certain states of weather and tide.
On leaving Ile de Oleron we took
advantage of a weather window and
legged it out at 9am, heading for
Royan. The overfalls and swell at St
Denis were a spectacle but nothing
ABOVE spilling it everywhere. The sea varied
The Canal du Midi at from slightly choppy to glasslike
Toulouse – A short
way past the mid on occasions. We followed the pilot
point of the journey book and avoided temptation to cut
betwen two seas and
where the Canal the corner on entry to La Gironde
Du Midi and Canal channel. We quickly saw why this
de Garonne meet
channel has a reputation; wrecks
strewn around. Our photos do not
portray the following swell up the
Channel, the massive breaking waves
on the banks right next to the channel
and the resulting corkscrewing from
Cornish Piper. Putting any worries
aside it has to be said the entry was

selection was it could fit down the
Canal du Midi with a maximum
draft allowance of 1.4 m. Twelve
years later and with a deadline of
the end of May to reach the Med,
we finally left our then home port of
compared to what was to come later.
Apart from some swell, much of the
trip was benign, any wind we had
was on the nose so we motored. The
biggest excitement was trying to top
up the fuel tank in the swell without
spectacular and we are proud of
ourselves and Cornish Piper for rising
to the challenge. We safely tied up
in Royan right on target just before
dark to enjoy a celebratory drink.

34 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting


Dropping the mast
We’d decided to leave de-masting
until Pauillac, slightly further up
the Gironde. We spent five days
there and it took us the best part of
two days to prepare for demasting,
taking down the wind generator,
loosening the shrouds, taking off
the sails and boom, disconnecting
the electrics, preparing a mast brace.
Despite the cumbersome size of our
mountain bikes, we were glad we
had brought them with us. Although
we had also brought along wood
and a saw for the mast brace, there
were still bits and pieces we needed,
so Martin headed off on his bike to
the local builders merchant. When
all was ready, the event itself only
took half an hour, undertaken by
the duty Capitainerie and his boss.
They tipped us to put the top of
the mast at the stern and helped us
tie the mast tightly with straps in
multiple places. Although unsightly
we wedged a bucket on the end of
the furler to protect it in the locks.
Cornish Piper prepped and
ready for the canals, we took a
day off for tourism, but being out
of season, the chance of rocking
up for a wine tasting at short
notice was not to be had. After a
wonderful cycle ride enjoying the
vineyards and Chateaux from a
RIGHT
Hitting some
distance, we were to leave Pauillac
impressive speeds five days later without a tasting.
with a bit of tide
under the keel
Current affairs
BELOW Before we left Pauillac, the
In the mud at Paulliac
during the early tidal Capitainerie helped us book entry to
stages of the voyage our first lock at Castets for
which we had a deadline
of 11am on Monday. He
also told us the earliest
we could get out of the
marina on Saturday was
16.30. We hadn’t got long.
Bypassing Bordeaux city
still seems like a crime,
but that’s exactly what we
did. To be honest, it didn’t
really appear that yacht
friendly as we yachties
know it. There is a locked basin which
doesn’t open every day and we’d been
told there was a problem with the
gates anyway; we didn’t want to get
trapped in the basin for unforeseen
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
FACTS & FIGURES
Distances:
Marans to Royan via St Denis
86.5 nm
Royan to Castets 157 km
Canal de Garonne (Castets to
Toulouse) 200 km, 53 locks
Toulouse to Sete 256 km, 64
locks (90 chambers)
Longest day in the locks – 7
May – Buzet to Valence – 54.5
km, 9 locks
Costs:
Demasting fees £75
VNF licence fee for a month £95
Marinas including showers and
laundry £345 (but excluding Cap
d’Agde)
Chandlery items including
boarding ladder £120
days. We decided on Begles just after
as a suitable stop over that evening.
The trip was just under 30 nm but
we stormed along, I noted 9.9 kts on
the iPad. After Bordeaux I couldn’t
find any tidal data and
anyway nothing made
sense compared to what
we witnessed in reality.
We tied up at Begles
at around 9pm to plot
our next move. The next
morning I got up to thick
fog. I made Martin a cup
of tea and told him to
stay in bed for the time
being as we weren’t going
anywhere fast. By 7am,
the fog had lifted only slightly, but
enough that we decided to push on.
We questioned this decision when
the fog came in again; steering into
the whiteness, it was hard to keep
35
Canal du Midi
concentration. We relied heavily on
our Navionics and an occasional
blast on the fog horn. Thankfully by
9, a long two hours, the fog started
to lift and we could see the banks of
the river where narrowing, green and
rural. Every kilometre there was a
numbered mark so we could be sure
of our location. By 10 we were near
Cadillac and, due to our belated start,
we weren’t sure if we had enough time
to get to Castets on this flood. We
possibly had another hour but that
wasn’t enough and the pilot books
suggested there weren’t many places
to stop after Cadillac. In fact, it wasn’t
encouraging about Cadillac either.
With the lack of any decent flow
data, I estimated that the Cadillac
tidal streams were probably two hours
after Bordeaux and worked with
that; it meant we should be able to
move again by mid afternoon. Being
behind another locked pontoon gate,
there was no point in going ashore so
we ate and slept. By mid afternoon
there was no sign of the flow turning
or slackening so we waited longer.
By 18.00 we were running out of
time and could not understand why
the current had not yet turned, we
decided we had to press on regardless.
In doing so, we had underestimated
the true strength of the flow and, even
with maximum engine revs, were
struggling to make headway of 1.5
kts over the ground. We were both
looking at each other thinking we
had made a bad decision and that the
engine would overheat. We thought
of going back to the pontoon but
could see ourselves being swept past
the pontoon and into the bridge, so
we ploughed on. After a tense half
hour we started making progress. It
was still a long way to Castets, but
we made it by 2100 as the sun set.
36 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
Into the canal
The locks on the Garonne are
numbered 1 to 53, number 1 being
at Toulouse. The next morning, as
we entered lock 53, we had our first
meeting with Cecile, the on duty
Eclusier (lock keeper) who we were
to meet again. She was friendly and
spoke some English. We had a minor
grounding incident after the lock
which worried us, but it was off the
centre line and we put it to the back
of our minds. Out of the lock and we
found ourselves in the surroundings
you dream of. Initially some house
boats and barges moored alongside,
some immaculate with pristine
potted gardens, others a little less
cared for. The journey up to lock
51 was tree lined and shady, there
were occasional cyclists along the
tow path; which has been converted
into a long distance cycle path. The
water was remarkably full of weed,
but dark and glossy, it was beautiful.
At Lock 48 we hit problems. There
was a lot of weed but we were in mid
ABOVE LEFT
The crew in action
channel. A few hundred yards before
and enroute the lock we ground to a halt, we
managed to budge CP in reverse, but
ABOVE RIGHT
Cornish Piper
every time we tried to edge forward
aground again and again in different parts of the Canal,
demonstrating our
bows in mooring
she would grind to a halt again. We
technique were about two metres from the bank
and 20 metres from the lock. There
BELOW
Random signage was no going anywhere. We tried to
at a random lock get to the bank to ponder our next
along the way
move, but couldn’t get close. We tried
to wave a long brush at the bank to
push us back out, but the brush wasn’t
long enough and we couldn’t get any
purchase. An elderly couple walked
along to see if they could help.
As if by magic, we saw Cecile
nearby strimming the banks. She
came over and arranged for water
to be released from the lock into the
Canal. It gushed through in torrents
and we felt sure we’d be moving
shortly, but five minutes went by
and then 10 and Cornish Piper didn’t
want to budge. With much revving
of the engine in reverse, finally she
moved but being long keeled she’s
easily affected by her bow and not
easy to direct in reverse. With the
flow now on her bow she pirouetted
180 degrees and faced in the wrong
direction. In the narrow shallow
channel it was impossible to turn
her and a loud warning alarm
made us jump; the engine was over
heating. We headed to the waiting
pontoon and told Cecile we’d stay
put for the night to lick our wounds
and ponder our engine alarm.
While the engine was cooling,
I headed off on the bike to buy
some fresh supplies. Cornish Piper
doesn’t have a fridge so we survive
with a small portable car fridge
requiring regular top ups with fresh
purchases. When I got back Martin
had identified a blockage in the water
cooling system. Despite having read
in blogs about weed problems in some
of the Canals, we were not prepared
for the size of weed going through
the propellor and sheer quantity of
debris it caused in our water filter.
Lock etiquette
The locks in the Canals have open
and closing times which vary during
the season. The next day they opened
at 9am and Cecile had promised to
be back with her boss Jean Christoph
who would check the channel depth
and guide us through the best spot.
When she arrived shortly after 9, she
found us firmly aground alongside
the waiting pontoon. Overnight the
waters had receded and we were
stuck on the mud. Cecile assured us
that Jean Christoph was a lovely man
and would bring his boat to help us
off. He did, but Cornish Piper didn’t
make it easy. After a battle of wits,
CP gave up her struggle and allowed
Jean Christoph to pull us round. We
followed him back to the lock only
to hit the putty again. This happened
a few times but in the end Jean
Christoph found us a way through
and we entered Ecluse 49 at Fontet.
We were so grateful to Cecile and
Jean Christoph for their help that we
gave them a small tip. They seemed
embarrassed. Then Cecile asked us to
wait for a minute as Jean Christoph
went into his house. He came back
with two bottles of wine, a Bordeaux
and a Sauternes. It was such a lovely
gift, I felt quite overcome and a heavy
heart to be leaving them behind.
Despite the help of our kind
Eclusiers, the whole experience had
left us worried and a bit shaken. The
minimum draft for the Canal du
Garonne is 1.6 m and Cornish Piper
only drew 1.4 m. What did that mean
ABOVE LEFT for us in the Canal du Midi where the
Weed in the water
filter – a persistent maximum draft allowed was 1.4 m?
problem We were getting stressed as our dream
ABOVE CENTRE seemed to be disappearing in the first
Entry to the 12km and four locks. We had another
Canal du Midi
116 locks to go and over 200km.
ABOVE RIGHT The next few days were fine and
The view from the
boat as we worked
warm, but there was still a lot of
our way through the weed and Cornish Piper felt sluggish
many locks on the as our poor feathering prop ground
Canal de Garonne
through it. We had a few minor
BELOW grounding incidents mid channel
Cornish Piper en
route – doubtless just especially where there was a lot of
about to go aground weed or around the lock gates where
the locks dump their sludge. But we
were learning to use our grounding
ability to our advantage. Wanting to
stop, we just gently headed Cornish
Piper towards the bank. She would
invariable slow and stop before she got
there. No need to secure warps, she
just sat happily while we ate lunch and
then we would reverse off afterwards.
It was now Saturday 7 May, we’d
been away over two weeks and
weren’t even half way through
the Garonne, let alone the Midi.
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
Due to other commitments, our
deadline to the Med and back
home was 31 May and this was now
approaching disconcertingly fast.
Feeling the pressure to head
on, we passed through Moissac
which is now a regret, but later in
Castelsarrasin met our first English
couple, regular canal motorboaters;
it was nice to talk through our
experiences and take some advice.
Our new friends suggested
Montech as our next stopover but
when we reached the Montech
waterslope (a chain of five locks), the
Eclusier casually mentioned that Lock
10 was closing tonight and would
not be reopening for four days due to
bridge works. This was time we could
not afford to lose, so we were forced
to press on past Montech until we
could go no further when the locks
closed at 7pm. We’d been warned
this part of the Garonne canal would
be dull and the last 23km certainly
was, the landscape gave us no reason
to want to stop. The final few km
through the suburbs of Toulouse were
not inviting, much being right next
to the main trunk road. It was hot,
windless and noisy. We were pleased
to turn the corner and commence
our journey into the Canal du Midi,
but with only a fisherman on the
corner to witness our entrance, it
felt like an injustice to be crossing
the start line without a fanfare.
Into the Canal du Midi
Although the next locks were
numbered one to five, there were only
three. All were deep with imposing
walls. Our Eclusier from the last
lock appeared from nowhere and
instructed us we were to stop after
this lock to allow a passenger boat
to pass, they had priority. We found
37
Canal du Midi
a waiting pontoon the other side
which we edged up to and moored.
The next lock was equally massive
and imposing but it was the third
and last lock of the day that was most
spectacular. Cornish Piper entered via
a small tunnel, almost like entering
an underground city carpark, her
bow bobbing, the handlebars of our
pushbikes (strapped to the mast) in
prime shot. As we emerged from
the underground gloom, we found
ourselves in another deep cavern
style lock, so deep that we couldn’t
see anything other than the clouds
above. We sorted our lines and the
lock process started. As we rose
up, it was like we were appearing
in the centre of Trafalgar Square.
We were in prime city real estate.
The magnificent Gare SNCF station
building was opposite and there
were backpacking tourists mingling
everywhere. It was tempting to stay
put and celebrate our surroundings.
Muddy great
Port Saint Saveur in Toulouse was
new, clean, tidy and full of Dutch
barges. We didn’t have a reservation,
but the Capitainerie found us a berth
for a couple of nights. The berth
was wide enough for two boats and
away from the wall, but as we headed
towards the wide space, Cornish
Piper groaned “it’s too shallow.” We
38 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
managed to get her bow to the one
side of the pontoon, enough for
me to jump off, then I led a long
line across to the opposite side and
physically dragged her into place.
I headed off to the Capitainerie
and using Google translate, I stated
“I’m worried we are aground.”
There was a bit of shoulder
shrugging and then a reply was
typed, “Don’t worry, it’s only
mud.” And that was that.
The next two days and three
nights were a whirlwind which
completely changed our experience
of the canals. The English speaking
community we met at Port Saint-
Saveur hailed from all corners of
the globe; they were sociable and
inclusive. Some were liveaboards,
others were regulars passing through,
but they took us under their wing
inviting us to drinks aboard their
barges and meals out. We were
hugely grateful to all of them.
Leaving Toulouse, we were relieved
to find plenty of water in the centre
line of the canal and were now
regularly achieving 20-30km per day.
We were surprised to find the first
two locks were automatic, as unlike
the Garonne, they are known to be
manned. Their oval shape and ancient
stonework gave them a certain je ne
sais quoi. We could see how the Midi
had earned its Unesco Heritage.
ABOVE LEFT By now we were going downstream
Our friend MicMac
and Cornish in the locks and this made handling
Piper alongside at easier, but we did start to notice
Castelnaudary
many Midi locks had multiple
ABOVE RIGHT chambers and this made the whole
A tree lined section of
the canal somewhere
process much longer. We were also
between Buzet noticing an increasing number of
and Valence
“plastic fantastic” hire boats and
BELOW LEFT were starting to have to share the
The spectacular lock space with other boats.
aqueduct at Agen
On Sunday 15th we were
BELOW RIGHT now 22 locks (of 65) locks into
The iconic walled
town of Carcassonne
the Midi and at Castelnaudary,
home of the cassoulet, took a rare
chance of a shower. We bumped
into Neil and Pol, who had been
kind to us in Toulouse, and they
invited us to supper aboard
their dutch barge MicMac.
Two long days later, we were at the
historic city of Carcassonne where
we planned a day off. The route there
was hot and in many places shadeless
where diseased trees had been
cleared and new saplings planted.
Arriving mid afternoon in
Carcassonne, we walked to the
historic walled city, also a Unesco
heritage site, and I wondered if
Disney may have modelled their
iconic towers on it. Inside the walls
we enjoyed a delicious coconut
and pistachio gelato, painstakingly
crafted into a flower, nearly as
magnificent as the city itself. We
planned on coming back the next
day for lunch which proved to be
our first and only cassoulet, rich and
steaming under a 35 degree sun.
We were finding it hot in the airless
Carcasonne and the end of May was
only 10 days away so we left to find
some breeze. Unusually we stopped
for a restaurant lunch at Homps and
wondered why we had not indulged
ourselves like this before. Then, on
exiting one of the last double locks
of the day, we met a queue of ten
or more hire boats waiting to pass
through, heading back to base for
their changeover. The eclusier had
told us that in high summer he had
known a four hour wait for the lock.
We were glad to be out of season!
After Lock 56 there is a stretch of
about 50 km with no locks, so we
took the opportunity to press on
beyond the normal 7pm lock closing
time. We reached Le Somail but
were disappointed to find no space
to moor so we pressed on to Port
la Robine squeezing in alongside
just before the Aqueduct. The next
morning while coffee was brewing,
we found a small path to the river
and breathed a sigh of relief to climb
into the cooling water and swim
against the current of La Cesse river.
On our way to Beziers we stopped
in Capestang long enough for a coffee
in the square and to purchase lamb
chops and new potatoes for supper.
The route was bare in many places
and hot. The landscape was changing,
becoming sandy and rocky. Between
Beziers and Agde the vibe was also
changing, we didn’t quite feel as safe.
We planned to overnight before the
round lock at Agde but we struggled
to reach the bank and our decision
was finalized when a car started
revving, spinning and kicking up
dust like the Dukes of Hazzard. We
were not comfortable, but we needed
time in Agde as Neil from Micmac
had suggested it might be a long
term mooring solution for us and
there were boat yards we could use.
We were just in time to get though
the last lock and the Eclusier told
us there should be enough depth at
the waiting pontoon the other side.
Feels Thau good
The next day we decided to forego
Agde and head on to Sete as we were
so close and that had been our ultimate
goal anyway. Before 10 am we were
officially leaving the Canal du Midi
and starting the three hour trip across
the Etang du Thau. It was strange
to be in navigable waters again.
Neither of us are good at using
the telephone and especially not in
French, but heading towards Sete,
we picked up the phone to book a
berth for at least a couple of months.
We’d had no problem acquiring last
ABOVE CENTRE minute berths in Cherbourg or
Cornish Piper
negotiating the Marans, but Sete was different. The
Beziers steps reply came back “we can give you a
ABOVE RIGHT
couple of days at the most.” Several
A view up the days, many calls and emails later, the
Beziers steps
only place offering berths was Cap
BELOW d’Agde and various complications
Malpas Tunnel with locks meant the best way to get
there was to exit the canal system
at Sete and motor the 15km or so
of open sea back towards Agde.
There are five lifting bridges to
navigate through Sete before reaching
the Med. With the mast still strapped
down, we were fearful of the danger
of it dislodging in any swell, so it was
a relief to find a millpond like sea
and a light breeze. We headed out
and cheered, our little Halmatic 30,
undesigned for the Canals, had made
it. Cornish Piper was in the Med!
Now pondering back on our
journey, there was so much more
we could have done and seen. With
unforeseen complications, five weeks
was definitely not long enough, it
seemed so rushed. Would we do it
again? Yes, maybe at a more leisurely
pace. Would we do it again on
Cornish Piper? No, probably not.
LESSONS LEARNED
l Give yourself time, five weeks was
not really long enough for us.
l Don’t sail to a deadline, even on the canals
l Pay attention to French holidays,
many services are closed.
l Don’t expect to buy chandlery
items readily along the way.
l For water, take a double male hosepipe
attachment with you.
l Find space to take bicycles.
l Save decorative maintenance jobs for after the canals
l Book port berths in advance, especially
long term berths at popular ports.
l Don’t expect showers at every port, take
the opportunity when you find one.
l Check the water filter before leaving
and every morning in the canals.
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 39
The Ocean Race
The Ocean Race
t’s known today as The Ocean
Race. Now, 50 years on from
the inaugural edition of the first
crewed round the world race –
known then as The Whitbread
– the latest edition is about to
depart Alicante, Spain on a seven-
leg, 32,000nm marathon that will
culminate six months later with
a Grand Finale in Genoa, Italy.
Although the race has started
from Alicante before, this is the first
time that it will have started and
finished in the Med. Another first is
a three-day ‘Pit-Stop’ at Cape Verde,
breaking the opening dash south
through the Atlantic into two legs
and bringing new strategies into play,
compounded by the later-than-usual
January start date. There will also
be the longest ever leg in the race’s
history – a gruelling 12,750nm from
Cape Town, South Africa to Itajaí,
PHOTOS THE OCEAN RACE
Brazil, skirting most of Antarctica
and rounding all three iconic Capes
40 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
(Good Hope, Leeuwin and Horn)
in one go – a true Southern Ocean
test and a nod to the race’s roots.
Overall though, it’s a shorter,
simpler route – keeping budgets,
logistics and environmental impact
to a minimum – to when the race
was last held in 2017-18, under the
title of the Volvo Ocean Race. Then,
seven teams competed in the one-
design VO65; after a nine month,
45,000nm battle, just four points
separated the top three, with Charles
Caudrelier’s Dongfeng winning by just
16 minutes. Since then, ownership
of the race has passed from Volvo
Cars to Richard Brisius and Johan
Salén, who have worked against
the backdrop of the pandemic (the
original schedule was for an October
2021 start) to deliver a race that
promises evolution in technology,
crew diversity and sustainability.
Foremost has been the introduction
of a new development class – the
ABOVE high-performance, high-tech foiling
On a wing and
a prayer – 11th IMOCA 60 – racing separately but
Hour Racing's alongside the VO65, which this time
Mālama foiling
around will feature up to five teams
BELOW with an option to compete for a
The route map
with stopovers new trophy within The Ocean Race
called The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint
Cup (see p88 for further details).
Yet it’s the newcomer, the IMOCA
60, that has grabbed the limelight
with five teams confirmed for
the start on 15 January 2023.
The class is most well-known
from the quadrennial solo non-

As the epic offshore race enters
technology aspect as these yachts
are pretty open on their design rule,
and the introduction of a foiling
class will mean more exciting racing
and moving in the direction of
professional yacht racing, which in
turn will attract the best sailors and
will increase the interest in fully
crewed races in the near future.”
2021’s prelude event, The Ocean
Race Europe – in which five
IMOCAs and seven VO65 raced
from Lorient to Genoa via Cascais
and Alicante – has already given
a taste of crewed IMOCA racing,
which Phil says was “invaluable” and
Teams, boats and tech
But the first – and so far, only – foiling
IMOCA purpose fully designed for
The Ocean Race is 11th Hour Racing
Team’s Mālama; it was also the
first to launch. Skippered by Volvo
Ocean Race veteran Charlie Enright,
the USA flagged team hasn’t ruled
out the next Vendée Globe, but the
current focus is firmly on a crewed
set-up, with the Verdier-designed
boat notable for its max beam
giving the biggest possible working
area within the enclosed cockpit.
Among Enright’s crew is British
sailor and five-time Volvo Ocean Race

a new era, Georgie Corlett- created a “strong appetite” to repeat

Pitt previews the upcoming
edition, focusing on the exciting
newcomer, the IMOCA 60…
stop circumnavigation, the Vendée
Globe, and has gathered momentum
in recent years with its successful
IMOCA Globe Series. Now, its
inclusion in The Ocean Race in
‘fully crewed’ configuration – with
four crew (at least one female) plus
an onboard reporter – has caused
the solo and crewed racing worlds
to collide with the foiling world,
with crews drawn from all these
backgrounds. Four out of the five
entries are targeting both pinnacle
races; as well as carrying huge
prestige in its own right, The Ocean
Race also offers an opportunity
to push boats much harder with
a crew than without, particularly
tempting to Vendée hopefuls.
The Ocean Race organisers have
worked closely with the IMOCA
class, and Race Director, Phil
Lawrence, anticipates a positive
impact: “Including the IMOCA
class opens up new horizons on the
similar spin-off events in future.
sailor (winner in 2014-15) Simon ‘Si
Fi’ Fisher for who the switch from
Although entries for 2023’s full
edition of The Ocean Race may not be
a one-design to development class
has added a new level: “Performance
as high as hoped, Phil says they have is something we are all chasing,
received positive indications from but now reliability is right up there
several existing IMOCA teams for the with it and we are testing that just
next, already planned for 2026-27. as much,” he says: “These boats
Meanwhile, the 2023 race build can be quite fragile because the
ABOVE RIGHT up has proven fascinating; four of development rule rewards a light boat,
Hair raising work
at high speed the five teams have launched brand so everybody is pushing the limits.
aboard Mālama new boats – in that respect the race
BELOW RIGHT has already begun. Although some
Designers are elements (such as the mast and keel)
favouring fuller
forward sections are one design, the IMOCA’s box
on the latest rule for hull and foil development
foiling IMOCAs
means that teams need to manage
design and testing time carefully
against budget – and ambition:
solo Vendée with a predominantly
downwind course, or crewed Ocean
Race with more varied sailing?
In any case, a new era of hull
designs has emerged, with volume
at the bow aimed at preventing the
boat from crashing off the foils and
burying into the wave ahead, and
enclosed cockpits giving a bullet-
like profile. There’s a consensus the
optimum foil design is still yet to be
found, meaning plenty of ongoing
development, despite new rules on
size narrowing the parameters.

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 41

The Ocean Race
It’s certainly going to be interesting.”
Ultimately crews will be aiming
for consistent high averages (up to
23kts over 24 hours is so far possible)
rather than outright top speeds.
“Managing the boat will be a strategic
choice just as in deciding which
way to go for the weather,” says Si
Fi: “You can push these boats really
hard over a couple of hours, but
you couldn’t do it for days. We have
lots of sensors on board, loads cells,
monitors in the rigging, fibre optics
in the foils and mast; we will be
looking at that data to know if we are
pushing too hard. The actual feeling,
the slamming, is hard to quantify as
a number or as an alarm, but we have
to use our best judgement and make
smart decisions for the long run.”
With the crew spending most
of their time inside the enclosed
cockpit, sailing these boats will be a
new experience – de-sensitising as
well as uncomfortable. “You’re living
in a bubble,” says Si Fi. “It’s like you’re
in a capsule rocketing across the
ocean – that’s quite a big adjustment.
In some ways it’s nice because you’re
not getting a wave in your face every
few seconds, but it’s tough – when
it’s cold it’s cold, but when it’s hot
42 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
it gets very very hot as there’s not
much air flow going through.”
Crews will also rely on cameras to
see outside the cockpit – a welcome
aid with only two on watch; one
grinding, the other ‘trimming’ the
highly sensitive autopilot to ensure
max boat speed; there’s a whole
array of settings the crew need to
master to ensure max boat speed
and, despite initial debate, it’s proven
a crucial piece of equipment in
what’s essentially a shorthanded
set-up. “It’s just as much of a
challenge, even though it’s a slightly
different challenge,” says Si Fi.
“How you work together and
perform as a team is going to be
really important,” he says: “For
our team, we’ve had a decent
amount of time on the water to
understand, build, and sail the
boat. Others have had to contend
with solo racing (ed’s note - Enright
was the one Ocean Race skipper
notably absent from November’s solo
transatlantic Route du Rhum), so
hopefully that’s an advantage to us.”
“Certainly, early on in the race
we will be looking to capitalise on
the extra time we have had on the
water, but we are under no illusions
ABOVE LEFT that the other guys are going to pick
Holcim PRB's enclosed
cockpit is shown to it up pretty quickly, so I think overall
good advantage we’re going to have a close race.”
BELOW 11th Hour Racing go into this
The crew at work in having already proven themselves as
the enclosed cockpit
aboard Mālama
a crew to be reckoned with, second
place in The Ocean Race Europe
and a Défi Azimut win. Expectation
is high among supporters, and they
will be assured of a big welcome
when they reach their hometown
Newport, USA at the end of leg four.
For the others, the Route du Rhum
may have seemed a high stakes
race to take on just two months
before The Ocean Race start, but it
was also a perfect opportunity to
test boats in a race environment.
Making the most of it was
France’s Kevin Escoffier on
Holcim-PRB, finishing fourth – a
confidence boost after the 2020-
21 Vendée when his IMOCA hull
catastrophically broke apart and he
had to be rescued from a liferaft.
His sights on the next Vendée,
Escoffier has since acquired a semi-
completed Verdier designed hull
(originally for an American Ocean
Race campaign that was later parked)
and modified it for downwind
performance and simplified handling.
It now has an entirely new bow
section, revised deck layout and
low profile cockpit – aerodynamic
efficiencies coming at the cost of
being able to stand up inside it.
Escoffier announced his
additional goal of The Ocean Race
this summer (he already has two

Volvo Ocean Races in hand with
Dongfeng, winning in 2017-18) but
as skipper of his own campaign
is yet to reveal his crew line-up.
He has said he is excited for “the
opportunity to push the boat at 100
per cent” and it will be interesting
to see just how hard he pushes.
Two places behind Escoffier in
the Route du Rhum was fellow
Frenchman Paul Meilhat, sailing
Biotherm, current IMOCA class
champion and long time advocate for
an IMOCA-Ocean Race link up, who
describes the opportunity to do both
solo and crewed races as “a dream”.
His is another boat from the
drawing board of Verdier, express
built from the same moulds as
Thomas Ruyant’s LinkedOut, featuring
a distinctive reverse bow and hard
chine. He too has Vendée ambitions.
Launching at the end of August
meant that Meilhat had just 15 days of
sailing before the Route du Rhum; not
surprisingly he reported problems,
including water ingress, which
forced him to slow down. Despite
ABOVE LEFT this – and having retired from the
Holcim PRB is
skippered by the Défi Azimut before that with winch
experienced French issues – he has described his new
skipper Kevin Escoffier
boat as having “enormous potential”.
ABOVE RIGHT With Meilhat for The Ocean Race
Will Harris (left)
and Boris Herrmann
is a mixed crew; from America’s Cup
aboard Malizia sailor Giulio Bertelli, to Damien
BELOW
Seguin, double Paralympic gold
Malizia Seaexplorer medallist and seven-time Vendée
is skippered by the
mercurial Boris
veteran – but only one – Anthony
Herrmann, who burst Marchand – has Ocean Race
onto the scene in
the Vendée Globe
experience (Mapfre, 2014-15); the
rest, including Meilhat, are rookies.
Completing the line-up of new
builds is Malizia-Seaexplorer,
skippered by Germany’s Boris
Herrmann, who shot to fame after
his fifth placed debut in the most
recent Vendée Globe. He hopes to go
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
again in 2024, but his VPLP design
boat does have some concessions
towards crew ergonomics, together
with a pronounced scow shaped bow
and a rounded hull pointing to a fast
downwind ride. Herrmann’s overall
priority has been seaworthiness;
and, although an issue with the
foil bearings during the last few
days of the Route du Rhum saw
him limp home in 24th, unable
to foil, he insists his “position in
the race did not correspond to
the performance of the boat”.
Herrmann’s crew has mixed
experience and includes British
soloist, Will Harris. Harris may be
an Ocean Race newbie in terms
of sailing, but he was part of the
race management team for the
last edition. He predicts plentiful
changes on the leaderboard and
a steep learning curve, as teams
master not just their boats but crew
dynamics; it’s for that reason he
says that Team Malizia largely plans
to retain rather than rotate crew
members between legs – but not every
team will replicate that approach.
“Crew work is going to be a
defining part of who actually wins
the race,” he says. “You have boats
which are designed for solo, and
skippers who are more used to sailing
by themselves, and now you’ve got
crew on board – it will be interesting
to see how they can make the most
of having these extra people.”
Although he feels Malizia is
already a tight team, Harris’ take
away from the last race was that an
ethos of continuous improvement
will be crucial. “The overall team
dynamic is really important – not
just on the boat but on the shore as
well, in making sure that stopovers
were super productive for the team
to be as ready as possible for the next
leg.” Key to this will be data analysis,
43
The Ocean Race

The VO65 class

The Bruce Farr designed one-design
VO65 class was introduced for the
2014-15 edition of the race and was
the first time a one-design class was
used. It has been retained this time to
run alongside the more exotic IMOCA
60 class and the organisers confirmed
just before we went to press that
up to five VO65 teams will be on the
starting line in Alicante, Spain in January,
with an option to compete for a new
trophy within The Ocean Race called
The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup.
The new trophy has been specially
created for VO65 teams and will
be awarded to the team which
accumulates the best score across
three different legs of the race: Alicante, ABOVE
crews to push the limits harder yet Malizia-Seaexplorer,
Route du Rhum; the last Vendée saw
Spain to Cabo Verde; Aarhus, Denmark
ever more safely in these extremes. Guyot and 11th him finish ninth on an even older
to The Hague, the Netherlands; Hour Racing Team’s
Last but not least, the only non- Mālama during
boat; clearly coaxing speed is no issue
and The Hague to Genova, Italy.
new build IMOCA is GUYOT the Défi Azimut for him and he has promised a “no
VO65 teams participating for The
environement – Team Europe, compromise” approach to the race.
Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup will BELOW
skippered by Benjamin Dutreux of Guyot may well look
An impossible call
compete in the VO65 class in the
In-port races scheduled in those France, with German ex-Olympian familiar to some,
as this was Alex
cities as well as the three stages of Robert Stanjek and British Volvo Thomson's Hugo Predicting the winner of the 14th
offshore racing from point to point. Ocean Race veteran and ex-Olympian Boss in the 2016-17 edition of The Ocean Race is an
Vendee Globe
“This new trophy will enable a new Annie Lush among the crew. Having impossible call, with contrasting
generation of sailors, along with won 2021’s The Ocean Race Europe campaign approaches and myriad
some familiar faces, to gain some and finished second in the Défi possibilities. Hull design, reliability,
valuable experience in The Ocean Azimut, this team has valuable foil decisions, routing options, crew
Race,” said Phil Lawrence, Race crewed experience that others lack. combinations, tactics, team dynamics
Director of The Ocean Race. They will also be hoping to gain a and more are all factors, intrinsically
“This format provides an opportunity reliability advantage with an older yet linked, affecting everything from
to compete in The Ocean Race well-proven boat; originally launched moment by moment minutiae to
environment, with racing from as Hugo Boss, it finished second in the big picture outcomes. Doubtless,
host city to host city along with the 2016-17 Vendée Globe and has it will take everything these crews
In-port competitions..” since been used by 11th Hour Racing have to master all of these variables
The first racing for The Ocean in their extensive foil development and more while navigating harsh
Race VO65 Sprint Cup is the In- programme. Despite the older hull offshore environments and taxing
port race in Alicante, Spain on 8 shape and smaller cockpit, this boat coastal passages. Which team will best
January 2023, followed by the first
is a known quantity. Dutreux – who handle the challenge? That won’t be
offshore stage in the event from
also plans to sail it in the Vendée - known until the finish in Genoa in
Alicante to the Cape Verdes.
claimed eighth on it in the recent June, but we can’t wait to find out…

and with up to 200 sensors on board

Malizia (Harris believes the most How to follow
of any boat) both sailors and shore
team have plenty to inform them. the race
Of the mammoth Southern Ocean With On Board Reporters embedded
leg - that forms nearly 40 per cent on each boat and new state of
of the race and carries two points the art media systems, expect
scoring opportunities - Harris admits fascinating stories to follow along
to being apprehensive. “We really with thrilling foiling footage – albeit
don’t want to underestimate it. It’s the enclosed cockpits will mean
almost half a Vendée Globe, which fewer of the oh-so-dramatic
will be tiring for the crew. Thinking white-water camera dousings! A
groundbreaking partnership with
about how to sail that leg will be really
Warner Bros Discovery to create
important,” he says. He welcomes
and broadcast race content will see
tightened safety rules, enclosed
live and on-demand TV coverage
cockpits and the IMOCA’s use of
widely available via Eurosport
technology such as cameras, sensors and discovery+. Find out more via
and autopilots, which are enabling theoceanrace.com

44 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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Tom Cunliffe

Tom Cunliffe
How an elementary error can place even a well run yacht at risk – and how a
British naval legend still has the power to smooth clearing into Brazilian ports
ometimes, when we’re ship and, quite probably, my life Canaries until you find the northeast
tired or stressed, even too. My wife Roz and I were on trades. These, you hope, will have
the best of us make passage from the Hamble River to lots of north in them, but often, as in
ILLUSTRATION: CLAIRE WOOD, PHOTOS TOM CUNLIFFE

mistakes which we look
at afterwards with the
wisdom of hindsight
and say to ourselves, ‘How in Heaven
did I manage to do that?’
A number of years before I swotted
up my homework and submitted
to a direct entry Yachtmaster
examination, I committed a howler
that could well have cost me my
Salvador in Brazil long before GPS
had been thought of. The trip from
our last stopover in the Canaries
was a few miles short of 3,000 and
was a particular challenge in a small
gaffer, even a classy one like our
32ft Colin Archer-built pilot cutter.
Here’s how it goes: you start by
extracting yourself from the fluky
and sometimes strong winds of the
our case, they don’t. They blew with
particular ferocity and we took them
and the seas that went with them,
smack on the beam. The result was
that in order to make life halfway
tolerable we sagged further away to
PODCAST the west than the old ‘Ocean Passages
Catch up with Tom’s for the World’ book, thoughtfully
columns now and
in the future at
supplied by UKHO, recommends.
sailingtoday.co.uk We were lucky in the doldrums,

46 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting


DAVID COX
perhaps because we were so far west.
The wind hardly died at all and we
pressed on southwards through the
squalls, rain and general nastiness
until we found the southeast trades a
few degrees north of the Line, exactly
as predicted by the authorities for
the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Also predicted was that, rather than
blowing sweetly from the east, they
were more likely to start out a long
way south of east, and so it proved,
shoving us even further towards
Cabo San Roque, the northeast
corner of Brazil. Failing to weather
this cape, with the equatorial current
ripping to leeward, would be a
major problem, so we kept sailing
full and bye with three reefs in the
main, taking the hammering, until
the wind started to free just in time.
With huge relief we eased sheets in
sight of Fernando de Noronha and
the following day with the wind
backing further and further east,
we squared away for Salvador.
So far so good. We now enjoyed
days of idyllic ocean sailing with
the wind well abaft the beam and
an easy eight foot sea following
us along. Big pelagic fish snapped
at our lures in water so clear that
we could see them swimming
down the faces of the waves.
As we approached landfall off
Recife at around eight degrees south
late one afternoon, I scrabbled in
the depths of my nav table for the
brand-new coastal chart with more
detail of the shoreline than the ocean
one. Bringing this out was always
a big moment on a long trip in the
days when we navigated by the
stars and paper. All I had to do was
transfer my position, given in lat/
long, from my astro plotting sheet to
the new chart, then lay off a course
that would take us where we wanted
to go while avoiding the largely unlit
offshore reefs of Recife. I don’t recall
the exact position, but the longitude
“Overhead, the
Milky Way was
blazing and all
seemed well until I
looked where Roz
was pointing”
ABOVE must have been around 34˚ 20’
Saari, Tom’s 32ft Colin west. I duly plotted this and ruled
Archer built pilot
cutter, which took off a new course which allowed
him and Roz safely me to ease the cutter’s long boom
to Brazil. Here she is
seen in the Solent away even further after setting the
windvane to keep up its silent work.
BELOW
Saari at sea We had dinner and, as usual, Roz
took the first watch. This is because
my metabolism demands sleep
after I’ve eaten, so I can guarantee
a few hours kip. It suits Roz too,
because bed-time for her is around
10 o’clock. I was well away on the
dear old Noddyland Train when
she shook me awake. It was pitch
dark and the boat was surging along
steadily as usual. Roz hadn’t brought
me the watch-change mug of tea, so
clearly she’d called me for some sort
of issue. I followed her on deck.
We had no instruments to upset
our night vision on that boat. Our
compass light was kept unlit as,
unless the wind changed, which
wasn’t likely in the trades, we’d
maintain our course without
reference to it. A glance at the
heavens confirmed that we were
going in the right direction.
Overhead, the Milky Way was
blazing and all seemed well until
I looked where Roz was pointing.
Due west, towards the shore and the
reefs, was the unmistakable loom
of a big city. It could only be Recife
but, pricking it off on the chart, the
city was 70 miles away so it couldn’t
be right. Yet it had to be Recife. Ifwe
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 47
Tom Cunliffe

were seeing the loom, we were far

enough inshore to be too close to the
reefs for comfort, so I hove the boat
to in order to check my navigation.
First I re-ran the figures on my
last noon position. I had double-
checked my forenoon longitude
indication with an afternoon
sight and the cocked hat was very
small. An error here was therefore
improbable. I stared at the chart,
and suddenly my error jumped out,
full into my shame-filled face. When
I’d transferred my position I got my
latitude right. Who wouldn’t! But
I had pricked off the minutes of
longitude to the right of the meridian
instead of the left, so my plotted
position was almost 40 miles adrift.
As any navigator who is wide awake
will tell you, in west longitude, the
numbers rise from right to left not
the other way. A classic beginner’s
error. I set a new course that diverged
from the danger, adjusted the vane
gear, hove in a few feet of mainsheet
and went back to my bunk, grateful
that Roz had her wits about her.
Three days later we anchored
in front of the Mercado
Modelo in downtown Salvador
with our yellow flag flying. A
different world awaited us.
A motorboat swirled by after half
an hour, asking how many on board.
‘Just us two,’ I replied.
He disappeared and we sat tight.
Later, towards sundown, a natty
launch put out from the quay
carrying, under a fluttering Bimini
sunshade, what appeared to be a
high-ranking naval officer in whites
dressed up with gold braid. A minute
ABOVE or two later he was alongside. In
Saari leans into addition to a couple of marinheiros
the Atlantic swell
with the trades the launch also carried a young
on the beam woman, smartly turned out and
BELOW LEFT
looking what’s best described as ‘very
A local boat Brazilian’. She was carrying a huge
approaching the
Mercado Modelo
ceramic charger piled with canapés.
wharf 1975 The officer came over the rail
BELOW RIGHT
followed by the girl. He introduced
As well as the himself as the Captain of the Port
canapés, the Port
Captain also brought
and announced that we were, of
Roz a bouquet. course, cleared. He went on to advise
All Tom got was
a glass of rum
that on this day Brazilian sailors
celebrate the assistance given to
them by Lord Cochrane, an English
naval officer of the heroic era who
had fallen foul of the establishment
in London and come to South
America in search of adventure. This
character, straight from a Patrick
O’Brian novel, had shown the locals
how to fight a naval war and had
been instrumental in Brazil securing
its independence from Portugal.
The Captain now clicked his
fingers; one of his marinheiros
handed over a huge jug of iced
Cachaça and four sensibly sized
glasses. As the cocktails were poured,
the girl did the right thing with the
eats and for the next hour we four
partied merrily as the sun set over
the Bahia de Todos os Santos.
Later, Roz and I went ashore to
walk down to the ocean beach and
smell the city. We passed Capoeira
dancers giving their ritual hand-
to-hand fights on the sidewalk and
we stood silently behind Macumba
Voodoo men crouched by the water,
a candle in a jam jar in front of them,
silently watching the sea and the
sky. Back at the Mercado Modelo
as the night deepened, a samba
band was in full swing with dancing
people everywhere and the rhythm
going clean through us. Sometimes
I think it was all a dream, but then
I glance at my kitchen table and
see the huge plate carried aboard
by that beautiful girl and then left
behind as the drinks started to bite.

TOM CUNLIFFE
Tom has been mate on
a merchant ship, run
yachts for gentlemen,
operated charter boats,
delivered, raced and
taught. He writes the
pilot for the English
Channel, a complete
set of cruising text
books and runs his
own internet club for
sailors worldwide at
tomcunliffe.com

48 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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Planning a cruise

Planning a cruise
Barry Pickthall has spent several months planning and preparing his 27ft
yacht Sea Jay for a long-anticipated cruise from Chichester westwards around
Land’s End, and up Ireland’s east coast to spend May and June exploring the
wonders of Scotland’s Western Isles. This is what he has found
ince sailing around unprecedented numbers this year. extended cruises, or intend to split
ABOVE
Britain is mainly Covid, coupled with foreign travel Planning an extended their round-Britain excursions over
cruising within sight restraints over the past couple of years cruise: what’s needed two years and spend more time in one
on the navigation
of land, anyone with has led to buoyant boat sales and the front. Imray charts, area, often the west coast of Scotland,
an RYA Day Skipper desire to do something adventurous. nautical almanac, pilot Isles of Scilly or Southwest England.”
books, GPS plotter,
ticket has the ability The Scottish Western Isles remain Imray digital charts
to navigate competently. Many the most popular destination, but for tablet and mobile
phone, Icom VHF
Books and charts
make the voyage as a couple, there are just as many bent on sailing with DSC and MMSI, Demand has been such that Imray
though where an overnight voyage round Britain either in one go, or Imray Tide Planner now offer a complete folio of key
app, hand-bearing
is planned, I’m banking on having in stages over two years or more. compass, parallel rule, passage charts covering all areas
three onboard as a minimum so There has also been a marked pencil and protractors, around Britain’s coast at up to 30 per
and – for when all
that no-one gets too tired. We increase in demand for charts else fails – a fog horn cent discount. RYA Members are
are excited by the long days and and pilot books. “We’re seeing a eligible for a 25 per cent discount on
PHOTOS: BARRY PICKTHALL/ISTOCK

shorter nights the further north
we go, together with the abundant
wildlife we are bound to come
across in Irish and Scottish waters
We won’t be alone. Sailors will be
cruising around the British Isles in
significantly higher number of any charts.
customers staying within the UK These include new editions of Imray’s
rather than making trips abroad,” chart packs for the Firth of Clyde
confirms Lucy Wilson, Managing and Kintyre to Ardnamurchan
director of Imray Laurie Norie & areas, and the latest Clyde Cruising
Wilson, adding “Many are planning Club pilot books. The chart packs

50 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

come with free mobile downloads.
Another must-have includes Reed’s
Nautical Almanac which provides tide
tables for each region, distance tables
between ports taking into account
headlands, and a comprehensive guide
to ports and marinas around the UK.
I have also found Sam Steele’s book
UK & Ireland Circumnavigators
Guide published by Adlard Coles
a useful aid to have onboard.
Peter Naldrett’s Treasured Islands
provides a travellers’ guide to more
than 200 islands around Britain
with recommendations where to
eat. The large section of the Western
Isles is very comprehensive.
And then there is this wonderful
book Waypoints – Seascapes and
stories of Scotland’s West Coast
written by sailing gipsy Adam
Nicolson providing an historic
narrative to the Western Isles
The Cruising Association has just
launched its Captain’s Mate mobile
App providing comprehensive
information and cruising reports on
7,500 locations around the globe.
It’s good – reflected in the fact that
it won Sailing Today’s Equipment
Innovation of the Year’ category at
the 2022 British Yachting Awards.
It provides up to date, accurate and
trusted location data on anchorages,
marinas, ports, harbours, boatyards
and quays with a search facility to
look up the nearest fuel or water, view
by map or zoom out and search by
geographic area, switch to a satellite
view or enter a specific location
name query. Available free to CA
members in iOS and Android form,
the app works even when you have no
ABOVE internet connection or phone signal.
Barry's beloved
Sea Jay in action The information is so comprehensive
that it more than covers the cost
of membership (£143.50) in its
usefulness.
Useful contacts:
bloomsbury.com
imray.com
theca.org.uk
Radio and safety
Having suffered continual problems
with our fixed VHF set, all aerial
orientated, we’ve replaced it with the
new ICOM IC-M94DE all-singing
and dancing hand-held VHF, the first
with built-in GPS and AIS receiver – a
useful position backup. The screen
is too small to investigate vessels
around you, but the point of having
it onboard is to tell others where we
are. In addition, the unit has full DSC
functionality and with 6W of transmit ABOVE TOP TO BOTTOM
power and 1,500mW of audio output (top) The Imray Tides Planner is a free app giving
tidal data for that day for more than 8,000 locations
it should be powerful enough to match across the globe. An advanced version (£4.90)
the range of the dumped fixed VHF. provides tidal data throughout the year and tidal
stream charts.
DSC also dispenses with the need to
carry flares, though in our case, these (second down) The Imray advanced Tides Planner
provides tidal data throughout the year and real
are now relegated to the grab-bag, time tidal stream charts.
along with our old hand-held VHF. (third down, left) The RYA SafeTrx is a free app
which allows you to register your vessel, plan and
Useful apps and websites track your trip on your smart phone. Options
include planning and filing your trip or simply
Third party tracking. The RYA has a activating the tracking function.
very good app that allows friends and (third down, right) PredictWind is a useful
family to track your voyage (when app giving real time and forward forecasts for
there is a mobile signal). Safetrx is free wind, swell, rain, cloud air and sea temperatures
and the ability to display exact data for a
to download. You enter voyage details particular port or point on the chart.
directly via your smartphone and plan
(bottom) The Plus Windfinder, wind,
a trip knowing that should you not weather and waves app for 21,000 locations
arrive at the time given, a nominated worldwide and 10-day forecast, with live
screen showing wind speed and direction.
emergency contact will be alerted
and advised to initiate appropriate
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 51
Planning a cruise
The Caledonian and
Crinan canals
The Crinan canal, which offers a beautiful
day-long short cut from the Firth of
Clyde out to the Western Isles is open
seven days a week from 0830-1730
between April and 31 October.
Maximum length: 26.82m (88ft)
Beam: 6.09m (20ft)
Draft: 2.2m (7ft 2in)
Air Draft: 28.95m (95ft)
A licence costs £13.50 per metre
and is valid for four days
The 60-mile Caledonian Canal linking
east and west coasts passes through
Loch Dochfour, Loch Ness, Loch Oich
and Loch Lochy, and opens 27 March
Maximum length: 45.72 m (150ft)
Beam: 10.67m (35ft)
Draft: 4.1m (13.5ft)
Air Draft: unlimited
A licence costs £22.35 per metre
and is valid for seven days
Tip from Colin Stracy: “Let the charter yachts
enter the locks first – You will understand
why when their crews attempt to moor up!”
52 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
action. When the emergency contact
calls HM Coastguard about an
overdue trip, the Coastguard has
access to your location and SafeTrx
trip data. rya.org.uk/go/SafeTrx
Imray Tides Planner. The free app
provides tidal data for some 8,000
ports for that day, with paid-for
supplementaries covering tide
predictions, currents and tidal
streams for UK, Ireland, France,
Belgium, The Netherlands plus parts
of Germany, Denmark and the North
Sea for any date. imray.com/tides-
planner-app/
Weather Forecasting: There are
many apps available, but the two we
use are Windfinder and PredictWind.
The Windfinder base app provides
global wind charts based on NOAAs
GFS weather forecasts, together with
wave heights and tidal data updated
at six hour intervals. windfinder.com.
PredictWind gives real time and
forward forecasts for wind, swell, rain,
cloud air and sea temperatures and
the ability to display exact data for a
particular port or point on the chart.
Digital charts for tablets and
ABOVE
The Caledonian Canal
mobile phones. These are no
links the east and west substitute for paper charts or a
coasts of Scotland chart plotter, but offer a good
and allows you to cut
a sizeable corner backup when in range of a mobile
signal. Imray have just launched
BELOW LEFT
The Crinan Canal, a beta version of their new
which offers a electronic raster charts which are
beautiful day-long
short cut from the free to those who have bought
Firth of Clyde out to their paper charts. We will be
the Western Isles
testing these during our voyage
BELOW RIGHT to the Scottish Isles and back.
Sea Jay in action
imray.com/imray-navigator-app
Which way round?
This depends on the prevailing
winds. During April and May
the winds are more often from
the north or east, giving easy
reaching/running conditions
westwards along the south
coast and clockwise round
Britain. From June onwards
the quadrant changes to the
southeast giving those starting
out anywhere near the east coast
a clear run anti-clockwork up
the North Sea and an easy ride
back along the south coast. We
are sailing Sea Jay, our classic

Rhodes 6 Tonner to the Western
Isles via the Irish east coast, leaving
Chichester in April and returning in
September, so hope to make the best
of the prevailing winds both ways.
Local cruising guides
Scottish Western Isles anchorages,
between the Mull of Kintyre and
the Isles north of Ardnamurchan:
Local sailor Charles Warlow tells
you how to find the best anchorages.
scottishanchorages.co.uk
Firth of Clyde, Scottish East
Coast, Argyll & islands, Sky &
North West, Orkney & Shetland,
Scottish canals: sailscotland.co.uk
Caledonian and Crinan
canals: scottishcanals.co.uk
Isles of Scilly: sailingtoday.co.uk/
cruising/cruising-stories/isles-of-scilly
Channel Islands: sailingtoday.
co.uk/cruising/cruising-
stories/channel-islands
South West England: www.
sailingtoday.co.uk/cruising/cruising-
tips/hidden-south-west-harbours/
East coast: www.sailingtoday.
co.uk/cruising/cruising-
stories/exploring-east/
Key Infomation
Essential equipment in plastic cans
l Lifejackets l Silicon repair tape
l Liferaft – these can be rented l Gaffer tape
for approximately £300 l Tool kit
l Radar reflector l Strong magnet – for when
l Foghorn someone drops the car keys!
l Fender board for mooring up
ABOVE against harbour walls and piles Organise an account/contact with an
A stunning sunset
off Ardnamurchan l Fisherman’s anchor for on-line chandlery to get spare parts
in the Western Isles areas with kelp. shipped quickly to destination ports.
BELOW l Inflatable dinghy for getting Force 4: www.force4.co.uk/
The author aboard ashore in anchorages Marine Superstore: www.
Sea Jay with his wife
l 50m of anchor chain + marinesuperstore.com/
100m of anchor rope
l Long warps for tying up against Crew awareness
harbour walls and in locks It is important to hold a safety
l Throwing line briefing whenever a new
l Coastal First-Aid kit crewmember comes aboard. This
l Emergency navigation lights should include boat rules for wearing
lifejackets (always, above Force
Food 3, at night etc) the location and
l Have a comprehensive menu use of safety equipment, man-
plan for a week at a time overboard routine, and a practical on
l Pre-book supermarket food emergency use of the DSC radio.
deliveries at ports of call
l Carry plenty of tinned food Ports of call
and soups, which are easy to Make a habit of calling
cook and serve in a seaway ahead to confirm berthing
l Pre-prepared chilli, stews, arrangements and ETA
and curry dishes Have a stash of 20p and £1 coins for
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR l Rice toilets, washing machine and dryers
Barry Pickthall is l Fresh vegetables
the former Yachting
Correspondent to The l Long life milk Budgets
Times newspaper and l Bottled water What is it all likely to cost?
has written 30 books
on all aspects of sailing.
l Chocolate bars and a tin of Colin Stracy from Premier Sailing has
More information can be flapjacks to eat at night to had a stab at costing out his regular
found at pplmedia.com
keep sugar levels up round Britain voyages in the school’s
Sigma 38 with a crew of five-six:
Spare parts l Marina berths: £32.00 per night
l Fuel filter l Diesel fuel: £70.00 per week
l Belts l Gas: £20.00 per week
l Impeller l Food: £35.00
l Emergency fuel stowed per person per week
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 53
Advertorial

Spring is approaching and with it the preparations for a new season of boating. It
is also the time of the year when most people change their batteries. The question
“lead or lithium” is frequently asked. “Lead and lithium” can now be the answer. A
solution that Howard from Australia has tested on his Bavaria 36, T&T.
part from new facing this exact situation. He ABOVE System from BOS AG. It is a
batteries, changing to was looking for some additional The Balance of Storage modular and scalable 28Ah
LE 300 in all its glory
lithium also requires capacity for his Bavaria 36 called lithium battery that can be
a different electric T&T. "My thinking was that my OPPOSITE PAGE installed in parallel to 12 V lead
(left) Australia's Gold
infrastructure. That existing lead system was still in Coast; (right) Howard
batteries (including AGM and
usually goes along reasonable condition, so I didn’t from Australia GEL). The principle: keep what
with a lot of effort – and money. want to incur the massive expense you have and add what you want.
Many owners just want more storage of upgrading to a lithium system," While it is not necessarily new
since the existing batteries are still He explained: "As I use the boat for to combine lead with lithium,
fully functioning. Nevertheless, it both cruising and racing here on the key difference of the LE300 is
is not recommended to just add the Gold Coast, I was also conscious that the two battery types work
new lead batteries to already used of not adding excess weight.” together as a hybrid, controlled
ones. The older batteries would by the internal BMS of the LE300.
shorten the lifespan of the new Lithium runs the daily cycles
ones. So, is removing the existing acid with lithium while the lead battery becomes a
system the best solution after all? While researching options, Howard back-up. Only when the lithium
Howard from Australia was came upon the LE300 Smart Battery is empty, or, when strong load

54 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

peaks hit, will the lead battery
discharge. “The load on the lead
battery and the charge/discharge rates
are significantly lowered hence the
lead batteries work less hard and last
longer and you don’t need as many
of them either”, explains Howard.
Ten years is the lifespan that lead
batteries can reach in the hybrid
system. This is also because LE300
will protect them from deep discharge
during long periods of standby, for
example in winter. It will wake itself
up from deep sleep every two minutes
and recharge whenever needed.
Simple as can be
Another difference between the
Smart Battery System and a self-made
lead-lithium installation is the ease
of it. Whilst the latter requires deep
technical knowledge and skills, the
LE300 installation is as simple as can
be. The included cabling is connected
to the positive and negative pole of
the lead battery. The hybrid then
immediately starts to function, using
the existing system electronics.*
The rule of thumb for system sizing:
Take regular discharge from lithium
and leave the lead as a low-cost
back-up. It is okay to start with fewer
modules since more can always be
added. The BOS AG recommends a
minimum of one module with 100
Ah of lead. Howard has installed
two LE300 with his 210 Ah AGM
system and 240W solar panels. “I
can now reliably run my fridge,
lighting, navigation lights and
chart plotters for days on end,
without having to be overly
conscious of the energy that is
being consumed,” he added.
* In some cases, it is
recommended to adapt the
charging voltages additionally.
Making better use
of solar power
The combination of a few LE300
modules with solar and lead-acid
batteries is in fact very cost-
effective. Lead batteries charge
very slowly at a state of charge of
about 80 percent. Unused solar
power gets lost. In combination
with LE300, the lead batteries
charge with priority, but when
they come to their limits in
charging speed, the lithium
stores all the surplus. Later, it
slowly passes it along to the
lead-acid battery. The efficiency
of the solar system rises, and
users get lithium performance
for a fraction of the price.
The small step modularity
of LE300 also makes it reliable.
If one module fails, all others
and the lead batteries will keep
working. This is especially
interesting for blue water
sailors who need electrical
installations that are easy to
repair anywhere in the world.
So yes, easily adding storage
capacity and value is possible.
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 55
Interview - Joan Malloy

Luck of the Irish

Joan Malloy – Helly Hansen ambassador – talks to Sue Pelling about her
ambitious plans to become the first Irish sailor to complete the Vendée Globe,
and how she hopes to juggle her professional sailing career with family life
rofessional sailing She studied at University of Galway ABOVE university a couple of years later, she
is a tough world to (NUI Galway) and obtained a degree A breezy day really embraced the dinghy racing
aboard the Figaro
get into but, as Joan in engineering, which has proved scene, competing regularly in team
Malloy discovered, an extremely useful asset as a solo racing and match racing events.
having endless sailor and something that Malloy “My first introduction to offshore
amounts of drive and highly recommends. “It’s certainly not sailing came soon after when I joined
determination with a bit of luck essential but what my engineering some uni friends who were putting
thrown in for good measure, is degree gave me was the confidence a team together for the Round
one of the best ways to succeed. to sit down and logically sort Ireland Race in 2012 in a Reflex 38.
As well as her ambitious nature, problems without getting in a flap.” We took ourselves very seriously,
it’s her happy, kind demeanour Malloy’s sailing career began at did loads of training and won our
that gives this 36-year-old native a young age at Mayo Sailing Club class sailing for NUI Galway.
from County Mayo her appeal competing in Lasers, Mirrors, and the “That race was a turning point
as an inspirational sailor. She has occasional national championship. in some ways. I learnt a lot from
worked hard both sailing and After she finished school, she took everybody on the boat, and I realised
academically, and it is clear that a bit of a break from sailing and that with my engineering ‘hat’ on,
nothing on her long journey to moved to Sheffield to concentrate offshore racing was a technical
PHOTOS: ED SMITH

reach the professional sailing scene on another sport close to her sport as well as an endurance sport,
has been taken for granted. heart – rock climbing. But back at something I was passionate about

56 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

from my mountaineering and
rock climbing days. I also loved
being outdoors and being self-
sufficient, so for me the appeal of
offshore sailing was like a collision
of all the things I really liked.”
With a craving for further
adventure, Malloy teamed up with
Andy Budgen’s VO70 Monster Project
campaign for the Round Ireland race
in 2014. “I couldn’t believe my luck
when, after the race, Andy asked
me to join the boat as a professional
crew. It was an amazing opportunity
because I really didn’t imagine I
was good enough. Anyway, I said
yes and did 12,000 miles on the
VO70, including the round Britain
and Ireland, the Caribbean circuit,
and the Transatlantic race. It was
such a good learning experience
because there were loads of good
sailors onboard. It was also my
opportunity to learn about, and how
to deal with, big, powerful boats.”
After a year on Monster Project,
Malloy made the decision to get a
job in engineering at Magma Global
Portsmouth. However, this was a very
short lived six month stint, which
Malloy believed was an important
exercise: “It actually highlighted that
sailing really was the career path I
wanted to take. My boss was very
understanding, and he and I both
knew I had to move on. I applied
to be part of the Artemis Offshore
Academy in Cowes, but they didn’t
have space in 2016, so instead I joined
them as a preparator – a boat captain
and stayed there for two years.”
She said it was the best thing she
could have done because it was
without doubt her apprenticeship
and she learnt so much. “I basically
helped look after three full time
and three part time Figaro 2s. It
was intense, and definitely a ‘fake
it ‘til you make it’ type of learning
but I got there in the end.
“I was so happy because I knew
all the time that my goal was to do it
myself. I absorbed all the information
and watched the skippers carefully.
Also, I speak French and lots of
the skippers couldn’t, so I would
go to their weather briefings with
them, for example, and help them
translate the weather briefings. I
also went to their training sessions,
which was hugely valuable.
ABOVE
Joan Malloy's dinghy “Because I had gathered so much
racing background experience, I started doing deliveries
has helped her
understand the with them; with the skipper from
importance of say Cowes to Lorient, or Lorient
concentration and
optimum boat trim to wherever. Then, after a while I
on the Figaro started doing the deliveries solo,
BELOW so they [the skippers] would do
Joan Malloy says her the race from A to B, and then I
Helly Hansen Aegir
Race Salopettes would bring the boat back to A.
work well with her Naturally, they were delighted.”
Aegir Ocean Dry
Top and midlayer/
thermals underneath Going solo
After two years, Malloy knew it was
time to move on because she was
keen to start her own professional
career. She said it was a tough time,
but she had a couple of lucky breaks
meeting the right people at the right
time including Enda O’coineen
(2016 Vendée Globe sailor). “We
met at a party on an island off the
west coast of Ireland in 2017 and I
ended up working for him part time
while he helped me find a sponsor.
“Enda was so valuable to me. He
was very good in that he held me to a
very strict agreement. He didn’t pay
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
for anything, he lent me some money
at the time, but I paid it all back in full
as soon as I got a sponsor, so that is
how it worked. He also helped gather
a syndicate, about four people, to
help me buy my first boat. Although
he didn’t give me any money, he gave
me ideas and the structure for how
to do it, how to run it, and how to
set it up. I didn’t put any money in
because I didn’t have any. He found
the right people, those who could
afford to put it in, and he managed
it all for me. He did so much for my
campaign and basically got me on
the road to the Vendée Globe.”
Coming from a mussel farming
family background, it was fitting
her first and main sponsor was the
Irish Seafood Development Agency.
“They really wanted to promote
the success of coastal community.
Also, one of my other sponsors
was Maui – a big salmon farming
company – who wanted to promote
how leisure and aquaculture could
co-exist. It was the perfect fit.”
In 2018 Malloy became the first
Irish women to do the Solitaire du
Figaro. She basically moved to Lorient
in France and trained there. She
then joined O’coineen on a delivery
trip bringing his new IMOCA 60
back from New Zealand. When they
arrived in France, she borrowed the
IMOCA and did some races. “That
was another big step. So, as well as
my first solo race in the Figaro, I set
off in the IMOCA about a month
later to Monaco to compete in the
Monaco Globe Series. I did that
race with French Vendée Globe
sailor – Thomas Ruyant – and we
came fourth. I then sailed it solo
from there to Ireland and actually
qualified for the Route du Rhum,
57
Interview - Joan Malloy
which I didn’t do because I had the
Solitaire du Figaro a month later.”
A delightful twist in the tale
occurred when she sailed the IMOCA
to the west coast of Ireland for a
sponsor’s photo shoot: “They basically
wanted photos of my boat in front of
the aquaculture farms, so I needed
a mooring to leave my boat there
for about a week . I contacted the
Young family who had a farm with a
mooring, and spoke to the son Shane;
the rest, as they say, is history, because
I later married him! Thankfully
Shane comes from a sailing family
with dad – Jamie Young – a big solo
sailor back in the days of the OSTAR,
so he has grown up with sailing,
which is why he totally understands
my dreams. We got engaged on the
Figaro 3 the year after, and we also
now have two young children.”
Although Malloy’s life has changed
significantly in the last few years, she
says her happy family life on the west
coast of Ireland on Killary Fjord makes
it possible to continue her dreams with
her ultimate ambition to complete the
Vendée Globe. “It has been a hectic
few years because in 2019 I also did
the Solitaire du Figaro once again,
that time in a Figaro 3, then in the
October of that year I did the Transat
Jacques Vabre race on an IMOCA 60
with French sailor Alexia Barrier.”
Commenting about how she intends
to juggle her future sailing career
with her young family, Malloy said
she needs to figure it out: “I spent 10
months away from home in the year
in 2019. Just two months at home
is not enough if your kids are tiny.
I feel like I am only just moving on
from the birth Oceane who is now
a year old. I am also involved in the
family business mussel farm at home,
and that is quite intense right now.
“My aim however, is the 2028
Vendée Globe and I plan to fit it in
around my family life, which is a
different way of looking at it, and
a way of making it possible. That
would mean we would have to look
at buying a boat after the end of
the 2024 Vendée Globe, so in 2025
sometime. Competing and learning
is my objective. Every Solitaire I
have done for example, I feel like
PHOTOS: ED SMITH
I am four or five times the sailor I
was from when I started to when I
58 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
finished. I would love to do this
race again one day, but I just know
the level of commitment required
is massive, so it won’t be this year.”
Top tips
With plenty of experience under her
belt, Malloy was keen to share some
advice for anyone contemplating
a similar career path. Something
she learnt along the way was to
maximise every opportunity
but without losing focus: “For
a while I just said yes to every
sailing opportunity. It was good,
but I would recommend toning
things down a bit without losing
focus because it’s impossible to do
everything. Give yourself a time
scale and be prepared to say: ‘I’ve
done enough of that, and I need
to step back now and move on’.
“The other thing is to remember
the importance of soft contacts.
They are worth so much when
looking for sponsors. It’s tempting
to email all the big guns like Rolex,
but cold emailing does not work.
Instead, write a list of the 10 richest
people you know, tell them what
you want to do, and ask them for
advice on how to find a sponsor.
If they are successful, they will see
the holes in your proposal straight
away, and they’ll help you make a
good proposal or introduce you to
potential sponsors. So, it is all about
your personal contacts because that
is the one common thread of every
successful sponsorship story.”
Helly Hansen kit
Malloy confesses she had another
stroke of good fortune in 2018
ABOVE when she launched her campaign.
Joan Malloy says
she is aiming for the With the need for some trustworthy
Vendée Globe 2028
kit she approached the Irish rep for
BELOW Helly Hansen to enquire about a
One of her passions potential discount on gear. “The rep
is endurance sports,
which fits nicely with thought we had a really cool plan
offshore racing and said he would see what he could
do. Imagine my surprise when he
told me Helly wanted to take me on
as a full ambassador? Having Helly
onboard is a massive help. Kit is
one of the most important aspects
because you have to trust it 100
per cent. With Helly Hansen gear I
don’t even think about the kit when
out sailing, I just throw it on, and I
know I will stay warm and dry.”
Commenting on her favourite items,
Malloy said it’s difficult to choose but
she believes her key bit of kit is her
Aegir Ocean Dry Top. “I always wear
my dry top and a hat, I kind of prefer
a hat to a hood because I find the
hood is more restrictive and, when I
am sailing, I like to have my ears and
hair out so I can feel what’s going on.
“The advantage of a dry top is
the fact I can put loads of layers
on underneath. I have Aegir Race
Salopettes too. I often wear these
combined with my midlayer all-
in-one. This is made of synthetic
insulation, like a synthetic down, and
they are class, I love them. Depending
on the conditions I may also wear
two thermal tops under the whole
lot, and add another insulated jacket.
Then I am kind of bomb proof!
“Finally, mention must be made of
my little waterproof duck hat with the
ear flaps. Maybe not the most stylish
bit of kit but it works wonders. As a
true testament of this fine hat, I was
wearing it when I got engaged and
even that didn’t even put him off!”
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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 59

Boat test - Jeanneau 380

Forward
thinking
Jeanneau’s all new 380
takes the high volume
scow bow hull form to
the next level and the
result is an amazingly
roomy 35 footer

60 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 61
 Boat test - Jeanneau 380
ne thing that it
is important to
understand when
it comes to talking
about the design of
cruising yachts is
that many of the designers come
from the world of racing. This means
that they are often inclined to apply
principles taken from racing boats
and put them into cruising yachts.
To this end, many 1980s cruisers
looked liked they were somewhat
illogically designed to conform to
the International Offshore Rule. It’s a
trend that continues although these
days a bit more logic seems to be
applied. Fairly recent examples would
be chined hulls, twin rudders and
broad aft sections – design factors
seen perhaps most predominantly
in the IMOCA class. Conveniently,
features that provide good downwind
power and grip in a Vendee racer
also provide increased volume in
a cruising yacht. That is fine – just
don’t let anyone kid you that all this
is done to improve performance.
62 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
Anyway, the latest trend to be taken
from the racing world is the scow
bow, which came to prominence in
the Mini Transat fleet when David
Raison’s bathtub-shaped racer swept
all before it, before slightly refined
versions started to dominate the Fast
40 circuit among others, with Sam
Manuard leading the charge of blunt
bow section yachts. Of course, this is
not a new concept at all. American
designers such as Nat Herreschoff
were pushing this ‘skimming dish’
hull form well over a century ago
with the America’s Cup yacht
Reliance being the most striking
and extreme example of a yacht that
has relatively fine waterlines and an
upper body that ballooned out to
very full sections above. In a racer,
the result is power when the breeze
is on with light air performance
unimpeded. Switch that to a cruising
yacht design and what do you have?
Increased volume. Hallelujah.
All of which brings me to the
new Jeanneau 380 designed by
Marc Lombard. This is a pure
ABOVE LEFT cruising yacht that has borrowed
The looks are dramatic
even when the boat a fair amount from the racing
is at rest – note the scene including, yes, very full bow
forefoot which is
emmersed in light airs sections for increased volume. It’s
not the first of the Sun Odyssey
ABOVE RIGHT range to adopt this design – most
This aerial shot
gives a hint at how boats across the Jeanneau and sister
the bow flares out company Beneteau range now boast
above the waterline
full forward sections – but Lombard,
BELOW LEFT who also designed the Sun Odyssey
AND RIGHT 410, seems to have been willing to
The aft sections are
broad but not extreme go the extra yard to make his boats
look extreme. Perhaps the most
striking feature being the immersed
forefoot which sits a few centimetres
clear of the water when the boat is
at rest and only becomes immersed
when there is a bit of pressure on the
sails. This is all very clever as it keeps
wetted surface area low in light airs
and boosts it as the wind pipes up.

The result is a voluminous and
thoroughly modern looking yacht
that promises a lot. The boat looks
dramatic with its dreadnought bow,
long fixed sprit for the Code 0/
anchor roller and angular styling.
This may be an out and out cruising
boat but it certainly looks sporty,
with a chine that runs from the stern
almost right to the bow. Freeboard
is reasonable but is offset by a chine
running just below the toe rail
which takes the eye away from the
overall height. The coachroof is
high, rounded and stretches a long
way forward. There are several keel
options with a deep swing keel being
of particular interest for cruisers
in tidal waters. The standard keel
is a 2m deep L shaped cast iron job
which is coupled with twin rudders.
The rig is a backstayless with twin aft
raked spreaders. This provides the
option of a square-headed mainsail
for the sportier sailor, without
the grief of adjustable backstays.
The result is a boat that, despite a
length on deck of 35ft, promises to
provide masses of volume combined
with sprightly performance.
On deck
Step aboard and the first thing
you’re confronted with is the rather
clever deck arrangement which
slopes downwards as you head aft
making for a raised toerail that
protects from spray and provides a
good sense of security. The cockpit
feels very large for a 35ft yacht (yes
I know that the integrated bowsprit
makes it a 38 footer but for practical
purposes, this is a 35 footer). The
transom features a full width bathing
platform that partially encloses the
transom when raised. The bathing
platform is lifted and lowered
using a pulley system and there is
a liferaft tucked behind this and
ABOVE perfectly located if the worst came
Plenty of breeze and to the worst. In addition, there is a
the bow is forced
down, immersing the nice big chunky stainless bathing
fuller hulls sections ladder set into the bathing platform.
and giving the boat
extra power There are also aft lazarettes with
access to the rudder quadrants
BELOW LEFT which also offer a good amount of
A decently
dimensioned cockpit storage combined with more modest
storage under the cockpit seats.
BELOW RIGHT There are twin helms and the sail
The integrated sprit
and anchor roller controls feature two winches on the
boosts the length of coachroof for raising and lowering
the boat to 38ft loa
sails plus two winches led back
along the cockpit coamings. Things
are kept simple but clever with the
mainsheet traveller being nothing
more than a Dyneema bridle on the
coachroof, and thimbles are used
for the jib sheets to provide a really
good sheeting angle. There was no
self tacker on the test boat but this
is an option. All in all, the cockpit
was a convivial space and felt larger
than on some 40 footers. If I could
find fault it was the throttle control
which is well sited for the helmsman
but is outboard of the starboard
side wheel binnacle meaning
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 63
 Boat test - Jeanneau 380
that it could easily be knocked
by someone hurrying forward.
Stepping on to the side decks,
the coachroof feels high but there
is plenty of space to walk and good
handholds. The lower shrouds rather
cut across as you walk forward
but it’s not the end of the world. If
the cockpit feels like it belongs to
a 40 foot yacht, the bow belongs
to a 30 footer. It feels small and
this is no bad thing given that, by
and large, this is dead space and it
underlines how cleverly Lombard
has used the space available.
Down below
Double doors as opposed to
washboards open up to beckon
you down below. The steps down
are nicely angled and there is
lots of natural light thanks to
huge portlights combined with
big coachroof windows. There
is also good headroom and
overall a real sense of space. To
port is an L-shaped galley with
a modest amount of space and a
big fridge. The main saloon is well
proportioned with heads/shower
unit to starboard and chart table
and settee berth forward of that.
Aft are two doubles, the port side
one of which features a neat sliding
and folding door that gives good
access without impeding on the
galley space. Up forward is a really
generous double berth offset to
starboard making it easy to get in
and out of, and full width all the way
to the bow. This is a really impressive
and a nice space that underlines just
how useful those fuller bow sections
are. Double doors into this forward
berth add to a feeling of space and
light. There are USB ports fitted in
all the cabins, which is a thoughtful
64 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
detail that is still often overlooked on
yachts a touch lower down ranges.
As you’d expect, there is a choice
of layouts; you can have an ensuite
in the forward cabin and only one
double berth aft to port which allows
for a separate shower room and
storage to starboard aft which can
be accessed from the cockpit locker.
Under sail
The day of the test sail offered a very
docile 8kt breeze which was galling
given that the boat had been zipping
about the previous day in 30kts
of breeze. This had led to further
problems as the in mast furling – an
option on the test boat – was broken
and this largely nixed our test sail.
I am going to hand over to a fellow
journalist who tested the boat in 30kts
of breeze to give you an assessment
of the performance but can at least
give you my impressions of the boats
ABOVE LEFT
A light, spacious performance under genoa. This was
saloon with the actually altogether more impressive
heads/shower to the
right of the shot than it merited and paid tribute to
Lombard’s low wetted surface area
ABOVE RIGHT
Plenty of room in
mantra as the boat tickled along
the fore cabin quite nicely despite the handicap
of no mainsail. The steering was
BELOW
There is a standard nice and light and, from what I
rig as pictured or a saw of the boat careering around
larger performance
rig with a square in 30kts the previous day, also
headed mainsail had more than adequate grip. But
anyway, I will hand over to Silke
Springer, who works for a German
magazine and kindly shared her
conclusions from her test sail: “The
boat was extremely well balanced
despite the wild conditions; at
times I let go of the wheel, chatted
with the crew and forgot that I was
in charge of keeping the boat on
course. The boat steered itself .
“During the course of my test
sail, the wind dropped a touch but
was still hitting Force 4-5 to three
force levels after the photo session,
which was still fresh at 4-5 and the
boat was occasionally hitting her
top speed of over seven knots.
“On average though, we run
between 5 and 6.5 kts close-hauled
or on a beam reach. For an 11 metre
yacht designed purely for cruising, the
manufacturers can be very satisfied
with these values, especially when
you consider that she is equipped
with the smallest wardrobe that is
offered – some 4sq/m smaller than
the maximum rig size for this boat.
“Performance in heavy breezes
was superb but If you want more
power in light airs, you should
order the performance large sail
with a square top. For my taste, the
SO 380 should be equipped with
this variant, because the increased
sail area would look good and, of
course, increase her performance.”

SAM’S VERDICT
Marc Lombard has taken a
radical concept somewhat further
along the line towards its natural
conclusion with the 380 and, in
doing so, has produced a yacht
that feels much bigger than its
waterline length. The forward
cabin is a particular triumph in
terms of space and comfort. All
in all this is a yacht that marries
THE SPEC
Hull length: 10.77m (35’4”)
Beam: 3.76m (12’3”)
Draught: Fixed keel: 1.56m or
2m (5’3” or 6’6”) Swing keel:
1.29m-2.7m (4’2” – 8’10”)
Displacement: 6,896kg (15,203lbs)
Engine: Yanmar 29hp
length of 10.4m, this Judel/Vrolijk design was
practicality with fun. Perhaps the
radical looks won’t be to everyone’s
taste but they certainly attract
attention and the overall level
of innovation is impressive.
LOOKS: HHHHH
BLUE WATER ABILITY: HH
PERFORMANCE: HHH HH
Contact: Jeanneau.com
Base price: €206,280
As tested: €295,492
in that it is built by Jeanneau’s sister company
heavier but has a significantly larger sail area.
ALTERNATIVE
BOATS
HANSE 348
A touch smaller than the 380 with an overall
strikingly modern when it was launched but
now looks quite conservative. Good internal
volume is combined with ease of handling.
inspirationmarine.co.uk
BAVARIA C38
A touch bigger (22cm to be precise) than the
Jeanneau but working on very similar radical
concepts and with similarly eye-opening
styling. Internal volume is impressive and this
is a boat that shares much with the 380.
bavariayachts.com
BENETEAU OCEANIS 34.1
A very direct competitor to the Jeanneau
Beneteau and is also designed by Marc
Lombard. In fact, the hulls are the same
in form with styling differing more than
anything else. The Jeanneau is over 1,000kg
beneteau.com
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 65
 G PONTOON

F PONTOON

E PONTOON

MARINA OFFICE

TOILETS, SHOWERS AND

LAUNDERETTE

WOOLVERSTONE
MARINA
W N

E
S
52°00’24.84”N 001°11’31.99”E
This MDL marina on the picturesque River Orwell near Pin Mill in Suffolk, is
an east coast favourite base for berth holders and visitors not least
because of its easy access to the North Sea writes Sue Pelling
 235 FULLY SERVICED
PONTOON BERTHS PLUS 45
SWINGING MOORINGS
There are seven pontoons (A, B, C, D, E, F, G)

D PONTOON

C PONTOON

B PONTOON

FUEL BERTH

A PONTOON
 Gull’s Eye - Woolverstone, Ipswich
DL’s Woolverstone
Marina is unusual
in that it’s an
open river marina
in the sheltered
River Orwell,
on the south bank, just below
Orwell Bridge, which dominates
the skyline. Its convenient river
location means there is no locking
in or out at Woolverstone Marina,
and therefore it is accessible 24/7.
Given that is it is just a few miles
from the mouth of the river, it is
a particularly popular spot for
visitors from further afield such as
Belgium, Holland and Scandinavia.
The marina has a total of
235 pontoon berths for yachts
up to 24m, plus 45 swinging
moorings with a water taxi
service. Visitors will be directed
to vacant berths at time of stay.
Set in 22 acres of glorious
parkland, it is also home to the
Marina’s Lodge Park. This luxury
lodge development is nestled in
tranquil woodland beside the
River Orwell and, for those keen
to take a break on terra firma
after a long passage across the
North Sea for example, these
lodges are available to rent.
As well as all the usual high
end facilities expected at an
MDL marina such as a bar and
68 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
ABOVE restaurant, Woolverstone also
The Butt & Oyster pub has a sailing school on site plus
at Pin Mill is well
worth a visit Suffolk Yacht Services available
for boat repair/maintenance. For
ABOVE LEFT
Cruising under the those berthing yachts for longer
Orwell Bridge, which
opened for traffic over
term, there are facilities for boat/
40 years ago trailer and tender storage, plus
secure storage facilities for boat
BELOW
Woolverstone Marina gear onsite. There is a slipway for
office easy access to and from the water.
The marina is also conveniently
close to the highly respected Royal
Harwich Yacht Club. This active
club, which was completely rebuilt
to an ultra-modern design in 2013,
offers regular racing among it dinghy,
keelboat and cruiser fleets and is
home to the Ajax – the local one-
design. Another interesting building
on site, nestled in among the woods
just up from the marina, is the fabled
smugglers’ cottage – the Cathouse –
which dates back to the late 1700s.
This Gothic-style cottage reputedly
gets its name from the stuffed cat
of a former owner, that was placed
in the window to guide smugglers;
to indicate the coast was clear.
52°00’24.84”N Woolverstone is also just a stone’s
001°11’31.99”E throw from the iconic Suffolk hamlet
of Pin Mill, which is not only famous
for its 17th century waterside pub/
restaurant – The Butt & Oyster –
once a regular haunt for bargemen
on working Thames barges, but
is also the setting depicted in the
all-time classic children’s book
We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea, the
seventh book in Arthur Ransome’s
Swallows and Amazons series.
Passage planning
Given its location on the River
Orwell, just down from the bustling
commercial port of Ipswich, it pays to
be aware of the shipping movements
because the deep water channel in that
area is relatively close to the shore. A
good way to track the movements of
shipping on the approach and before
you set sail, is marinetraffic.com.
Navigating to the marina from the
mouth of the river is straightforward
enough past Shotley Point to Fagbury
green buoy, as long as you stick to the
channel by following the navigation
marks. It is recommended to keep
to starboard of the buoyed channel,
clear of commercial traffic as much
as possible, and be careful not to
exceed the speed limit (6kts).
Keep a sharp eye out for
shipping however, (ahead and
astern) and remember not to veer
off course because the edges of
the channel shelve steeply and
sudden drop in depth, particularly
at low water springs, could be
problematic. Also bear in mind
there’ll be a certain amount of
heavy wash from passing ships.
Woolverstone Marina is on the
south bank, approximately one mile
above the moorings at Pin Mill. A
good landmark to look out on the
approach at Pin Mill on the south
bank is the Butt & Oyster pub, which
still occasionally has a Thames Barge
or two moored up on the hard.
Once past Pin Mill you need to
look out for No 7 mark to starboard
and you’ll see Woolverstone
Marina opposite that buoy.
In the height of the season, it is
essential for visitors to contact the
marina beforehand to ensure there
is berthing space. For this, and
to obtain berthing instructions,
visitors should call up VHF Ch80.
The marina berths are marked A-G
and fuel (diesel only) is available
from the outer pontoon on Berth
A (located furthest downriver).
Cruising grounds
The Orwell, which extends for
approximately nine miles, is one of
the most convenient locations in
which to use as a base for an east
coast cruise. One of the closest
places to visit further upstream,
particularly if you want to stock up
on provisions, is the commercial
port of Ipswich. For a real taste of
the east coast, however, there are
plenty options just ‘around the
corner’ with the River Stour, to the
south, and the picturesque River
ABOVE Deben, River Ore, River Alde,
The iconic Tide Mill at and places like Southwold up
Woodbridge
the River Blyth, further north.
ABOVE RIGHT The River Deben is a delightful
Sunset on the River
Orwell place to cruise to, and the mouth
BELOW
of the river (Woodbridge Haven)
A friendly welcome at is just six nautical miles from the
Woolverstone Marina mouth of the Orwell. The river is
only about nine miles long but is
pretty and is free from commercial
traffic. The shingle bar at the
entrance shifts around, and can
be intimidating, so it’s important
to obtain the latest navigation
information before arrival. To
ensure a safe passage, the best idea
is to call up Odd Times on VHF
Ch 08, and speak to the harbour
master John Barber (07780
735604), who’ll guide you through.
Once in the river, head for places
like Ramsholt, Waldringfield,
and finally the historic town
of Woodbridge, with its iconic
landmark – the tall, white-clad
Tide Mill on the west bank. There
are plenty of mooring options
with Tide Mill Yacht Harbour
one of the most convenient
for access to the town.
The River Ore, which turns
into the River Alde, is also
worth a visit with places like
Aldeburgh, and Snape at the top
of navigable reach, home to the
world famous Snape Maltings
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
concert hall. Here it is possible to
moor up alongside the quay, although
beware it dries out at low tide.
FACTFILE
WOOLVERSTONE, IPSWICH,
SUFFOLK IP9 1AS
Tel: +44 (0)1473) 780206
Open: 24/7
Harbour office: VHF Ch 80
Call sign: Woolverstone Marina
Prices:
Short stay berth (up to four hours)
Up to 15m £10.75
Over 15m £15.85
Daily
Berth: £3.70 per metre
Swinging mooring: £13.90 per night
Monthy
Berth: £67.20 per metre
Swinging mooring: £23.55 per metre
per month
Annual
Berth: POA
(All berth prices exclude electricity)
Otium rewards
Berth holders and visitors can enjoy
the benefits MDL’s Otium membership
scheme. This rewards-based loyalty
scheme is free to join with points
generated for every MDL service
purchase including fuel, berthing fees
and boatyard services. Points (each
point is equal to £1) can then be
redeemed using MDL services, and
the services of MDL’s specially
selected partners. For information go
to mdlmarinas.co.uk/otium
Local services and attractions
Restaurant/bars
Loch & Quay bar on site:
Tel: +44 (0)1473 780909
Butt & Oyster:
Tel: +44 (0)1473 780764
Royal Harwich Yacht Club:
Tel: +44 (0)1473 780319
Nearest chandlery: Foxs Chandlery
Tel: +44 (0)1473 688431
Nearest grocery shop: Co-op
Tel: +44 (0)1473 328214
69
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70 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 EXPERTS' FORUM
Don't miss... How to improve
- Rushall's Christmas quiz results
- Shorthanded sailing advice
your boat handling
- Tips on radar use Jonny McGovern is the
- Swim off the side safely British Sailing Team Coach.
Here’s his advice for
keeping your boat handling
Going for gold skills fresh this winter…

Perfect starts
Olympic gold medallist crew Eilidh McIntyre
talks us through her pre-start routine and
explains how to get your race off to a flying
What are your pre-start routines?
Like most of us we always spend a bit of
time upwind figuring out the best set-up
and finding our compass numbers. While
the helm is concentrating on numbers, I
get my head out of the boat to look for
information to identify the day.
Doing a proper (race mode) bear away
we head back to the start line. While we
head downwind we work on technique to
get in sync and discuss the fast gybe
(where the waves line-up the best) and
the trickier gybe to help with downwind
decisions. Then we begin our start line
procedures: get a transit, check line bias,
do a couple of practise triggers, and spend
whatever time we have left formulating a
plan with the information we have.
How much do you talk in the pre-start?
PHOTO: SAILING ENERGY
For example, in our boat “cut” means let
the jib flap. Time-and-distance is critical
and having the presence to say “lost
transit” is as important as knowing
where it is.
There should be a lot of information
flying around on the start line, so tone is
just as important as the words you say;
make sure your tone makes your
information heard. I can’t tell you the
amount of times we have listened to
video and haven’t heard the information
the other person said, and it was all due
to the tone.
What manoeuvres do you recommend
honing to help you position on a busy line?
Important manoeuvres to master that
can help you in the pre-start are a quick
double tack, a scoop and a quick
With the UK’s weather, the winter months can be
challenging to keep up your sailing skills, which is
why it’s vital to have a plan - “deliberate practice” as
I like to call it! With limited hours and low
temperatures, it’s vital that you utilise every minute
you’re out on the water. Doing a review and
highlighting what you need to improve with your
boat handling will help you to design some activities
to effectively train a particular area.
Breaking your manoeuvres down into each
component stage and then scoring yourself on a
0-10 scale or Red/Amber/Green scoring method
should soon give you a pattern to identify the area
you need to focus on. Once you have reviewed and
planned your activities it’s then time to do the fun
part - go sailing.
Here are some examples of a few activities and
exercises you can do as ‘self-training’ which can help
improve boat handling:
Power Hour – Set yourself a target time of one hour,
then challenge yourself to complete all of the following:
l Reps of 10 tacks then 10 gybes
l Five step challenge (spinnaker boats) - bear away
hoist, gybe, drop, head up, tack - repeat several times
l Hover by a buoy or similar, holding station for as long
as possible
l Transition from hovering to triggering to test

Communication is more important than
anything else to achieve a good start.
You need short, sharp meaningful
language that gets the job done quickly.
defensive bear away back into a high
mode, all without moving forward too
quickly. Let’s also not forget the ability to
stop quickly and reverse if needed.
What exercises do you recommend for
building pre-start confidence?
Never underestimate the power of doing
transit and communication practice; if
you can’t sit on an empty start line and
nail time-and-distance and
communication you have no hope in a
tight race! Spend time on an empty line
with a rolling clock practising using
transits and the communication. If you
can record this, that will really help.
Follow Eilidh McIntyre’s campaign for
Paris 2024 via Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram @mcintyreeilidh
acceleration
Diamond Tacks and Gybes - Use timing to increase
then decrease the pressure on your manoeuvre to
see if and when they break down so you can identify
ways to improve. Start a timer and tack every 30
seconds, subtracting five seconds each tack until
you’re down to five seconds; once down to five
seconds then add five seconds back on until you’re
back up to 30 seconds between tacks. Then do the
same for gybing.
Tethered Sailing - If your focus is on improving heel
control, try putting a thick bungee over your rudder
stock (ones with the hooks on are quick and easy)
and try to sail and manoeuvre your boat without
holding the rudder. Just use heel and sail trim to
control the boat.
Hopefully these are some useful tips and ideas to
keep your sailing moving forward over the winter
months… Happy sailing!

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 71

 EXPERTS' FORUM

Coach boat view

The great debate

How many lively discussions were caused by last month’s
Christmas Quiz? Given that there is often more than one
solution in these situations, we are going to guess there were a
few debates! Here’s the answers complete with explanations…
1 Tide for the change Answer
It’s a light wind race with a beat to the B: Starting at the pin end gives an
first mark, and there is a strong tide immediate advantage
running from right to left (looking Though the line is laid square to the
upwind) in the starting area. You have ground wind, that’s only relevant if you
checked the line bias against the wind on are attached to the ground! If you check
the flags on the committee boat and can the line bias by sailing head to wind, you’ll
see that the RO has laid the square to the see that the sailing wind is skewed to the
wind he’s measured. Which point on the left by the action of the tide. A boat
start line would give an immediate starting at the pin on port tack will cross
advantage at start time? ahead of a boat that starts on starboard
A: Starting by the committee boat at tack at the committee boat.
the up-tide end gives an immediate
advantage 2 Committee boat shuffle
B: Starting at the pin end gives an The start line is strongly biased to the
immediate advantage committee boat (starboard) end of the
PHOTO: PAUL WYETH
hauled. Yellow tries to do the same but is
trapped between the committee boat
and Blue, and hits both. What rules have
been broken by whom?
A: Yellow has broken rule 11 (windward/
leeward)
B: Blue has broken rule 16 (changing
course)
C: Blue has broken rule 14 (avoiding
collisions)
D: Yellow has broken the anti-
barging rule
E: Blue has broken rule 18 (mark room)
Answer: A, B, and C
The right of way rule that applies is rule

C: As the line is square, starting in a space line. Blue and Yellow are lined up parallel 11: as windward boat, Yellow has broken
in clear wind is the only consideration to each other with wind abeam and sails this, as well as rule 31 by hitting the
D: Starting in the middle of the line gives flapping. Fifteen seconds before the start committee boat. There is no specific
an immediate advantage signal, Blue sheets on and luffs to close “anti-barging” rule.

72 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 However, when Blue altered course,
rule 16 required them to give Yellow
room to keep clear. As Yellow was
already inextricably overlapped below
the committee boat there was no way
for her to luff and keep clear. Therefore,
Blue broke rule 16, and , as there was a
collision, rule 14.
Under rule 43.1(b), Yellow is
exonerated from breaking rules 11 and 31
(touching a mark) because it was a
consequence of Blue breaking rule 11.
3 Child in time
The wind is shifting steadily and regularly
to around 10 degrees either side of the
direction of the windward mark. The
shortest course is sailed by the boat that
tacks each time they
A: are sailing their lowest heading for
that tack (most headed)
B: are sailing their highest heading for
that tack (most lifted)
C: have just been headed to their mean
heading for that tack
D: have just been lifted to their mean
heading for that tack
E: it makes no difference: it will all even
out by the windward mark
Answer: C
If there are no other strategic influences,
tacking when headed to the mean
heading means they will be sailing the
lifted tack all the time, and therefore the
shortest distance.
4 Clouds to the right of you
Before the start, you can see a distinct
black cloud that looks likely to pass to
the right of the windward mark, looking
upwind. What should your wind
strategy be?
A: Stay dry by holding on starboard tack
off the start
B: Tack onto port tack as soon as
possible and tack back when right under
the middle of the cloud
C: Sail toward the cloud side but keep it
to your right at all times
D: Tack onto port tack as soon as
possible, aim to sail below the cloud on
port tack and back across above it on
the starboard layline
Answer: C
Think of the downdraft from the cloud
radiating out as it approaches sea level
and the effect this will have on the
existing wind. In front of the cloud, there
will be an increase in wind speed. Behind
the cloud, there will be a lull. To the
left, looking upwind, there will be a
right shifted increase, to the right, a
left shifted increase. And if it’s raining
you will probably be getting wet and
going no-where under the cloud!
Sailing towards the cloud but keeping
it on your right will give you a nice
favourable wind bend and an increase
in wind speed.
5 Sea to the left of you
We are racing in underpowered
conditions, with winds driven by a
low-pressure system to our right,
looking upwind. The wind is blowing
almost parallel with but slightly
toward the cliffs to the right of our
racecourse. What are the most
likely strategic considerations
upwind and downwind?
A: Divergence due to friction over the
land will mean there is more wind
offshore sail to the left of the course
B: Compression down the cliff line will
mean that there is more wind
towards the cliffs on the right
C: Shifts will be the most
important factor
D: The cliffs will twist the wind
anticlockwise, creating a wind bend
that favours the left looking upwind
Answer: B:
Compression down the cliff line will
mean that there is more wind
towards the cliffs on the right.
Though many of the text books
suggest that there will be less wind
on the right (northern hemisphere)
due to divergence, it is pretty unlikely
that you’ll experience this in an
unstable, low pressure condition.
However, if the wind is slightly
onshore it will probably compress a
little against the cliff, causing more
wind to the right. I’d always check this
out first before committing to an
extreme strategy though.
6 Stuck in the middle with you
Near the port tack layline to the
windward mark, Yellow and Blue on
port tack are approaching Green on
starboard tack. Yellow is crossing
Green and wants to continue on port
tack. Blue is not crossing Green and
hails Yellow for room to tack. What
are Yellow’s options?
A: Yellow has no need to take any
action. Green is not an obstruction to
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
Yellow: Blue can take a small duck and
cross behind Green
B: Yellow can tack as soon as possible:
Blue must then tack as soon as possible
C: Yellow can call “You tack”, then give
Blue room to tack and avoid Green
D: Yellow can continue on her course but
must then protest Blue because their
hail broke rule 20.1
Answer: B or C
It is not relevant that Green can clear
Yellow: as Green is an obstruction, and
Blue will need to make a substantial
course change to avoid it safely, Blue’s
hail complies with rule 20.1, and Yellow
is required to respond by hailing “you
tack” immediately, or tacking as soon
as possible.
If Blue did not comply with rule 20.1,
Yellow would still be required to
respond. Yellow’s only recourse would
be to protest.
7 I get around
You are on starboard tack, approaching
the windward mark, which is to be
rounded to starboard. There is a port
tack boat approaching on the lay line.
The port tack boat bears away slightly
to pass behind. You tack inside, but
your crew is slow to pull the jib in after
the tack and you are sailing very
slowly. With your jib still flapping, the
port tack boat has to luff to avoid a
collision and hails protest. Which of the
following is correct?
A: You tacked inside the three hull length
zone so you had no rights
B: You have broken no rule if you were
on your close-hauled course on port
tack before the port tack boat needed to
change course
C: You have broken rule 13 (tacking) if
the port tack boat had to change
course before you were on your
close-hauled course
D: As inside boat, you were entitled to
mark room so have broken no rule
E: As the port tack boat had already
started to keep clear you should have
held your course on starboard tack
Answer: B and C
Rule 18, the mark rounding rule does not
apply while the boats are on opposite
tacks on a beat to windward. Rule 18.3
(passing head to wind in the zone) only
applies at a port hand rounding mark.
You are keep-clear boat from the time
you pass head to wind until the time you
73
 EXPERTS' FORUM
are on a close-hauled course (Rule 13,
tacking). Once on that course, the port
tack boat becomes keep clear boat.
(Clear astern or overlapped to
windward). So long as they are able to
keep clear by changing course after
that, you’ve broken no rule.
There is no rule that requires a right
of way boat to steer a straight course,
though it is considered polite. If a right
of way boat does change course, they
must give the other boat room to
keep clear.
8: Another one bites the dust
Three boats are approaching the
leeward mark. Which of these
statements are true?
A: Green is overlapped inside Blue but
not Red
B: Green is overlapped inside Blue
and Red
C: Red must give mark room to Blue
but does not need to give mark room
to Green
D: Red must give mark room to Blue
and Green, Blue must give mark room
to Green
E: Blue can force Red wide to enable a
tight racing rounding on the mark
F: Until they gybe, Green can force
Blue wide to enable a tight rounding
on the mark
Answer: B, D, and F
Boats overlap if when a boat between
them overlaps both. As they were
PHOTO: PAUL WYETH
overlapped when the first reached the
zone, statement D applies.
Blue, as windward boat, must keep
74 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
clear of Red. Red’s mark room
entitlement is limited to room to sail
to the mark and then to round it: Red
can’t force Blue wide to make a
tactical rounding.
Green, on starboard tack, is right of
way boat. While on starboard, Green can
push the others wide to make a cleaner
rounding, but must not sail further than
their proper course (rule 18.4).
9 Tide is high
The tide is still flowing from right to left,
looking upwind. As it gets closer to high
tide, the speed of flow is reducing
quickly. What effects should I plan for as
the beat progresses?
A: I may have to power up the rig as the
wind will drop slightly
B: The wind will shift to the right and
favour the right hand side of the beat
C: I will spend relatively more time on
starboard tack than previous beats
D: It will be easier to get to the right at
the end of the beat, favouring the left
hand side
E: The wind will not change but I will get
less of a leebow on port tack
Answer: A, B and C
No quiz is complete without a leebow
question. Because “leebow” means
different things to different people, I
prefer to think of the tidal effect on my
race in two ways:
How will the tide affect the sailing
wind, and therefore my course through
the water?
What effect will the tide have on my
course over the ground?
As in question 1, the tide causes
the sailing wind to be left shifted
compared with the ground wind. As
the tide strength decreases, so does
the left shift: the sailing wind
decreases and shifts right.
Additionally, the tide will set me less
to the left, so I will spend more time
on starboard tack.
10 Seconds
We’re sailing our asymmetric boat
in a close handicap race where
seconds are critical. We finish at the
end of the run, on the same long
line as the start. At start time, the
line was evenly biased: as we
approach the finish we are
significantly headed on port gybe.
We are inside the layline to each
end of the line. Should we:
A: Continue on port gybe until we
can lay the starboard end of the line
on starboard tack
B: Continue on port gybe until we
can lay the port end of the line on
starboard tack
C: Aim to cross the line on
starboard gybe
D: Aim to cross the line on port
gybe: turn downwind if on port or
gybe on the final approach so the
pole is at right angles to the line as
it crosses
Answer: B (looking downwind) and D
The port end is now the upwind and
therefore favoured end. Crossing
perpendicular to the line might gain
that crucial second!
Cruising skills
Radar – use it or lose it
New innovations have reduced the use of radar but it
remains a very useful tool, as Clive Loughlin reveals…
A totally non-scientific survey of boats in a
marina indicates that about 50 per cent of
them have radar – but I wonder how many
sailors know how to use it?
GPS chartplotters are brilliant; they tell
us precisely where we are and are very
easy to use. AIS is similarly
straightforward, and can be seamlessly
superimposed on the chartplotter display,
and clever software works out if we are on
a collision course.
The thing about chartplotters and AIS is
that the ‘picture’ they present is very easy
to understand and is a modern extension of
the OS maps and road atlases with which
we are familiar from an early age. They
present a bird’s eye view of everything
around us.
Radar is not like this
Radar changed naval warfare when
introduced in the early 1900s and has been
a huge asset. When we had nothing else,
we became skilled in its application and
interpretation – but what about now?
I don’t want to elaborate on oft-quoted
statements such as ‘not all boats carry AIS’,
or ‘what if GPS goes down?’. Instead I want
to highlight the limitations of radar, or more
accurately, our ability to operate it and
interpret what the screen is showing us.
Radar emits a narrow horizontal beam
that scans around through 360°. It picks up
reflections of the beam and can tell how far
away the detected objects are, and their
bearing within the 360° arc.
The emitted beam is not like a laser
pointer. Instead it is more like a focused
torch, and will highlight any objects that
get ‘illuminated’.
Fancy software allows the sensitivity of
the reflected beam to be adjusted so that
weak reflections are eliminated and do not
clutter up the image.
Here are some problems:
1) Set the threshold too high, and perfectly
valid targets that you really want to know
about, get hidden from view.
2) Set the threshold too low, and the screen
becomes a mess of reflections from waves
and other ‘noise’ in the system.
3) Approach gently shelving land and you
may be surprised to run aground while
being a long way off the apparent shore.
4) Nearby objects don’t show up! While
trying to learn radar I switched it on while
moored up in East Cowes and was alarmed
to find that nearby boats (and there were a
lot of them) did not show up at all (see
screen shot below). The radar beam was
simply going above them and did not even
detect their stealth-like masts.
Similarly I was once in the Needles
Channel heading west in an early morning
fog. I was understandably glued to the
chartplotter with AIS and radar overlays,
when a previously unseen yacht heading
the other way, passed us just 40m to port.
Perhaps I did not have the radar
adjusted perfectly, but this underlines the
point that radar is not the ‘switch on and
go’ solution that we have come to expect
of GPS based technology.
We are used to bird’s-eye-view
representations of where we are, and what
is around us. Radar is simply not like that,
and this is where I for one have struggled
with its interpretation. The only solution is
to spend time practicing using radar in
non-stressful situations. Attending a
course is essential; but is not enough in
itself. Radar is useful – but only if you
practice using it.
Th is radar image (purple) is overlaid on a chartplotter
display with boats with active AIS showing up as
green arrows. Look at what doesn’t show up.
To swim or
not to swim?
Susan Koning has
several years of
experience living on
board and exploring
exotic destinations.
As such, she knows
that the most
valuable thing a blue water sailor can
have is experience. Here she offers
some vital tips to increase confidence
and comfort of living aboard. This
month, storms…
It’s been a long hot day sailing and you finally
anchored securely in a beautiful, secluded
anchorage. The water looks inviting, but before you
jump in, do consider the visibility of the water; you
don’t want to splash into murky water without
knowing what lies beneath. Be conscious of the
currents before you take the plunge; throw a piece
of lettuce into the water and see how fast it is swept
away, or lower yourself into the water hanging onto
a line or ladder to test the currents, otherwise your
crew might be picking you up down island. Be sure to
tell someone on board that you are going for a swim
and if you have plans to swim away from the boat.
Remember, dawn and dusk are the most active
feeding time for any predators that may inhabit the
part of the world you’re sailing in, and you don’t want
to become part of the food chain! Always think first
before you dive in.
Follow Susan’s adventures via sailingshenemere.com
75
 EXPERTS' FORUM
Skills boost
10 tips for shorthanded sailing
Practical advice from professional charter skipper Tom Fletcher
“It’s our first time sailing as a couple without:
an instructor / the family / our more
experienced friends” (delete as appropriate)…
Sound familiar? Everyone is nervous sailing
shorthanded for the first time. Whether you
have just passed your Day Skipper, or always
been part of a larger group, there will come a
time when you have to head to sea without
the crew you usually rely on. As a charter
skipper at Sail Ionian, I am asked if I have
advice about shorthanded sailing all the time.
So, here are my top 10 practical
considerations to make life easy for yourself
on a shorthanded holiday charter…
1. Preparation – Ensuring you are well prepared
is the most important thing you can do. Always
take things slowly, talk through whatever you
are doing, and get the boat ready in advance.
From raising a sail to mooring, if you have
everything neatly prepared you will cut out a
lot of stress.
2. Yacht choice - If possible, choose a type of yacht
you have sailed on before. At the very least make
sure it has a GPS on deck, and an autopilot, and that
you know how to use them before you leave the
quay. In-mast furling for the mainsail will also make
life easier. Some yachts in Sail Ionian's charter fleet
are specifically rigged for shorthanded sailing, with
all running rigging led back to winches, which are
PHOTOS: SAIL IONIAN
accessible from the helm.
3. Familiarity with the area - If this is your first
shorthanded charter, pick an area you have
been to before and are familiar with.
76 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
4. Take advantage of your charter company
- Don’t be afraid to get some help, and book a
skipper for your first day or two. At Sail Ionian our
Assisted Programme offers support to anyone
who needs it, whether it’s stern-to mooring or
shorthanded sailing. Take full advantage of the
Route Plan and Boat Brief too. Asking for route
suggestions that avoid the busier harbours will
save you a lot of stress. Our route plans can also
suggest harbours where we can arrange
assistance or bays where you can anchor easily
rather than having to long-line.
5. Be early - Plan to get into harbours a little early
for the first few days. You’ll beat the rush (and the
afternoon winds), and that makes mooring much
easier. Balance it out by getting up earlier so you
can still enjoy a full day on the water.
6. Sailing - Keep one reef in the mainsail on your
first day or two - there’s nothing like an
overpowered yacht to scare a shorthanded crew!
Use only the genoa when going downwind; it’s so
much easier and cuts the risk of a crash gybe.
Practice heaving-to, so you know you can both
stop the boat if you need to. When rounding
headlands, wind direction and strength can change
quickly, keeping an eye on the yachts sailing ahead
of you gives you some advance warning of the
conditions you will soon encounter.
7. Mooring - Choose your spot in the harbour
carefully, look for sheltered areas, or where the
wind is on the bow or stern, to make reversing
easier. Are there people nearby to help catch a
line? Preparation is key with mooring; set the boat
up well outside the harbour. Don’t underestimate
the importance of a well flaked line if you are going
to have to helm and hurl a line to shore. There are
various techniques that a day with a skipper on our
Assisted Programme can teach too, such as using a
fender and bucket to position your long lines in the
water (this enables both people to be back on the
yacht while reversing and dropping the anchor).
8. Knowledge - As shorthanded sailors it’s very
important that the sole crew has some
knowledge of sailing, at least to Competent Crew
standard. If they don’t, make time to do the
course before the charter.
9. Communication - Talk through manoeuvres
before you do them. Make sure you both
understand the process and the order of things. It’s
also a very good idea to talk through your passage
plan before you set off, and to make sure both
people know roughly where the yacht is at all
times, just in case of an emergency. When
stern-to mooring, a simple system of hand signals
cuts the need to shout at each other.
10. Finally, be safe - With only two people on
board, don’t take any risks. Take it easy and go
slow. You’ll enjoy the holiday and the charter
much more without stress, even if that does
mean sailing a bit slower!
Tom Fletcher has been a charter skipper for Sail
Ionian the past 12 years. He has sailed
extensively in the area and likes nothing more
than taking a yacht off the beaten track. Read
more at sailionian.com/blog
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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 77

 Charter
Atlantic adventures
The Azores, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde have plenty to offer for an
alternative, easy reach charter holiday in the sun says Sue Pelling
he North Atlantic
groups of islands off
the coast of Africa and
Portugal including the
Azores, the Canary
Islands and the Cape
Verde islands not only offer year
round sun, but they are located just
four or so hours south of the UK.
This means it is possible to enjoy a
fantastic holiday in a perfect climate
any time of the year. Also, because
they are the same time zone as
the UK, it’s feasible to arrive and
set sail on the same day, without
suffering the perils of jet lag.
As well as fantastic cruising
grounds, these islands are known as
a gateway for transatlantic crossings
to places like the Caribbean, with
events such as World Cruising Club’s
Atlantic Rally for Cruisers departing
from Gran Canaria (Canary
Islands) to St Lucia every year.
PHOTOS: ARCHIPELAGO CHOICE; ISTOCK; DREAM YACHT CHARTER
Their very nature of location
means these Atlantic group of
islands are generally considered
challenging in terms of charter
holiday destinations. However, those
with a bit of experience and who are
perhaps looking for an introduction
to trade wind sailing, this is a perfect
option. It is also a good choice for
those looking for a convenient place
to learn to sail while holidaying
because there are several companies
78 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
offering tuition including Endeavour
Sailing (Lanzarote), Canary Sail
(La Gomera and San Miguel) and
Sail the Canaries (Fuerteventura).
Bareboat charter continues to be
a popular choice with companies
too with Sailogy, and Sailica, Sailing
Europe, Boataround, and Yachtico
offering a good range of yachts to
choose from in all areas. Although
some charter companies cover
specific groups of islands, you’ll
find some, such as Classic Sailing,
and Nautilus cover all areas, so it
really is worth checking company
websites for specific destinations.
The Azores
The Azores volcanic archipelago is
remote in that it lies 930 miles from
Lisbon, Portugal, and stretches 370
miles from Santa Maria to Corvo.
It is divided into three geographical
groups – the Eastern Group (or
Oriental) is Santa Maria and São
ABOVE Miguel, the Central Group Terceira,
The stunning volcanic Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico, and Faial,
backdrop of Gran
Canaria. This is the while Corvo and Flores are known as
third-largest island the Western Group (or Occidental).
of the Canary Islands
and an interesting There is a total of nine unique
place for cruising islands, with volcanoes, caves,
BELOW waterfalls, striking green valleys
Sailing in the Azores and UNESCO World Heritage sites
with Archipelago
Choice to explore, such as the Historical
Centre of Angra do Heroismo on
the island of Terceira. In terms of
wildlife, the Azores is one of the
most interesting Atlantic group of
islands to visit not least because of its
abundance of dolphins and turtles.
It is also home to one of the largest
whale sanctuaries in the world.
Because the weather in the
Azores is largely dictated by the
position of the Azores High with
the Azores anticyclone positioned
further south in winter, it can
be wet and stormy in the winter
months. The season, therefore,
generally runs during the summer
months, although it is possible to
charter a bareboat offseason.
In general, this beautiful rugged
and natural sailing area is more
suited to experienced sailors
because it gives plenty of option
for long distance sailing in good
winds that average Force 3-6.
Sail Zen is a local company that
offers by the berth or cabin, and
private trips covering all three groups

of Islands in the Azores aboard its
aluminium expedition yacht. Offshore
Yacht Charter is especially suitable for
couples and individuals/solo travellers
because there is no single surcharge.
The company also offers charter
holidays with skipper, on the same
16m yacht Cherokee, with the Azores
one of its preferred destinations.
Nautilus has three bases located in
the Azores at Horta, Ponta Delgada,
and Velas, and offers a suggested
week-long itinerary, carefully
designed to take in the highlights of
these interesting islands. Discover
the enchanting towns of Velas and
Calheta, and cross the thin \s(8km)
but steep island (300m) to visit some
of the fabulous fajas (low tongues of
lava at the bottom of steep volcanic
cliffs) such as Cubres, Ouvidor and
especially Santo Cristo, a unique
natural ring-shaped lagoon, which is
now becoming a surfing sanctuary.
Nautilus’ itinerary also ensures a
good mix of shore-based culture and
sailing, with two full days of sailing.
Ian Coates – Destination Specialist
at Azores Choice – recommends
its week long Faial island hopping
holiday, which covers three islands
(Faial, Pico and São Jorge) and
offers great sailing and exploration
opportunities. “The islands are ideally
suited to people who are looking for
an active holiday experience. We also
offer long weekend skippered sailing
between the islands of Sao Miguel and
Santa Maria. These are very popular.”
Canary Islands
The rugged, volcanic Spanish Canary
Islands, which lie approximately
70 miles off the coast of West
Africa, offer a year round mild
climate with an average of 19º C in
winter and 23º C in summer. The
north-east trade wind also makes
ABOVE sailing exciting, which mean the
Dream Yacht Charter
has a base on Tenerife
islands are particularly popular
for those with more experience.
BELOW The Wind Acceleration Zones
Lagoa do Fogo and
green valley on San (WAZ) is something to be particularly
Miguel island, Azores
aware of when sailing in this area.
The WAZ is where wind funnels
between the mountainous islands
and can increase in strength
dramatically, sometimes 12-30kts,
within minutes. For anyone wishing
to gain experience for future blue
water sailing therefore, a charter
in the Canary Islands is a good
introduction to trade wind cruising.
Given the conditions, it is not
surprising the Canary Islands have
become a hot spot for cruising
sailors opting to leave their own
yachts for winter sun sailing during
the winter months in the UK. For
charter holidays it couldn’t be more
convenient either because the
islands are well served with flights
from the UK all year round.
Dream Yacht Worldwide (formerly
Dream Yacht Charter) is among
many companies serving the islands,
with Tenerife their base. With
bareboat and skippered charter
among its options, and five boats
to choose from, this is a good base
in which to start your research.
Sailing Holidays is another option
to consider for a fun-packed charter
holiday. Based in Arrecife, Lanzarote,
Sailing Holiday will ensure you
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
have everything you need for an
enjoyable two-week cruise, including
an extensive itinerary guide.
Cape Verde Islands
The Portuguese Cape Verde Islands
are located approximately 350
miles off the western coast of the
African continent, near Senegal,
and offer ideal sailing conditions
for experienced and adventurous
crews. The sailing area is vast with
a total of 15 islands to explore and
is an excellent choice for those
looking to escape hordes of tourists.
For something different sign
up for a berth aboard a tall ship
with Classic Sailing, or Venture
Sail. These companies specialise
in adventure holidays and have a
good selection of holidays on offer
for the forthcoming season.
Enjoy a seven-day skippered
charter aboard a Dehler Varianta
44 with Go West Sailing from
its base in Lanzarote or sign up
for an RYA course. Cape Verde
Sailing offers skippered charter
on a fully equipped Jeanneau Sun
Odyssey or a Dazcat 1190 for day
sailing/weeklong holidays from
its bases at Sal and Sao Vicente.
Booking
Although we have provided a sample
of what’s on offer, there are many
more companies specialising in
yacht charter in this area, so it is
worth looking around for the best
deals. Also, when booking check
what’s included in the holiday
package and be aware that some
companies don’t include flights,
provisions, or airport transfers.
Useful Contacts
endeavour-sailing.co.uk
canarysail.com
sailthecanaries.com
classic-sailing.com
nautilusyachting.com
sailzen.net
offshore-yacht-
charter.com
azoreschoice.com
dreamyachtworldwide.com
sailingholidays.com
venturesailholidays.com
gowestsailing.com
cvsailing.com
79
RORC Transatlantic
he RORC Transatlantic
Race is now in its ninth
iteration and continues
to flourish. Since its
inception, the race
has offered an ideal
manner to traverse the pond at full
pelt enroute to the Caribbean race
season that kicks off in earnest in
January. The event also contributes
to overall points totals in the IRC
Championships. The racecourse
is an alluring one; nearly 3,000
nautical miles of open ocean served
by the powerful NE trade winds
and the only obstacles between
the Canaries and the Caribbean
being the fearsome acceleration
PHOTOS RORC/JAMES MITCHELL
zones that run between the Canary
Islands as the competitors make
their way out into the open ocean.
80 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
Transatlantic
expressway
The 2023 RORC transatlantic race is
about to kick off. Sam Jefferson takes
a look at the runners and riders
After that, it’s downhill all the way; a ABOVE
Departure from
The entrants
thrilling sleigh ride with downwind Lanzarote At the time of going to press, the full
sails dominating and surfing line up was not confirmed, but here
BELOW
techniques very much to the fore. Peurto Calero in are a few standouts already signed up:
Racing under IRC and MOCRA Lanzarote provides
a fine starting point
Racing Rules, the RORC Transatlantic for the race The biggest:
Race is open to Monohulls, MOCRA The largest yacht currently
Multihulls and Classic yachts ranging entered in the 2023 edition is the
in size from 30ft (9.15m) LOA. magnificent French Wally 107 Spirit
Two-Handed entries are also eligible. Of Malouen X, sailed by Stephane
The race is also part of the RORC
Caribbean Series where the IRC
rated boat with the best combined
score in both the 2023 Transatlantic
Race and 2023 RORC Caribbean
600 claims the series trophy. Last
year saw the biggest fleet yet, with
30 entrants battling it out across a
range of classes. The 2022 event also
enjoyed one of the most exciting
finishes on record (see box out).
 ABOVE team. Indeed, that record dates back
The big ketch Pen
Duick VI is well on
to 2015 when Phaedo III picked up
the way to being line honours with a scintillating
a bona fide classic run across. It is therefore safe to say
and is skippered
by Marie Tabarly, that there will be no loss of focus
daughter of Eric or complacency as this mighty tri
BELOW heads back into battle. Maserati will
L'Esprit d'Équipe be kept on her toes by Snowflake (ex
during the 1985-86
Whitbread Round Phaedo III – holder of the multihull
the World Race and overall course record). This boat
has been thoroughly revamped and
boasts a bigger rig and new lifting
T-Foils, which should considerably
boost her already impressive speed.
Legends return
Those with very long memories
may be able to recall that the 58ft
monohull L'Esprit d'Équipe holds a
special place in sailing history. This
Philippe Briand design took part in
Neve, probably best known for the 1981-2, 85-86 89-90 Whitbread
campaigning the TP52 Paprec. Round the World Races. In the 85-
86 editons, the boat was the overall
The fastest? winner on corrected time, while in
Giovanni Soldini’s mighty Multi 70 the 1989-90 under the name Esprit
trimaran Maserati may have picked de Liberté and skippered by Patrick
up line honours last year but there is Tabarly, the vessel was a fierce rival to
still a feeling that there is unfinished
business for this turbocharged tri.
The race record still eludes Soldini’s
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
FACTFILE
DATE: Sunday 8 January 2023
COURSE: Lanzarote - Grenada
DISTANCE (nm): 2,995
The course:
The race runs from Puerto Calero
in the Canaries across to Port Louis
Marina in Grenada. The 2,995nm
course is not complicated and
will be dominated by the benign
NE trade winds, which make for
an almost exclusively downwind
course. It has been noted that these
trades seem to blow somewhat
more briskly in January, giving
some credence to the assertion
in the Caribbean that there are
‘Christmas winds’ which blow more
strongly at this time of year. The
main navigational challenges will
come in the early stages of the
race, as the competitors thread
their way down through the
Canary Islands and the various
acceleration zones associated with
the channels between the islands,
which can provide competitors with
a considerable boost if they pick
the conditions correctly. Once clear
of the Canaries, the main question
is whether to follow the rhumb
line across or dive further south in
search of stronger winds.
Course records
Monohull:
2022: Comanche IV
7 days 22 hours 1 minute 4 seconds
– beating the previous record by
over two days
Multihull:
2015: Phaedo 3
5 days 22 hrs 46 mins 3 seconds
81
RORC Transatlantic

the all female team of Maiden, led
by Tracy Edwards. The pair enjoyed
many ding dong battles, with
Maiden generally proving the faster
in downwind legs. L’Esprit is now
fully restored to her racing glory and
will be skippered for the crossing
by Lionel Regnier, veteran of 13
previous transatlantic campaigns.
Speaking of Tabarly – and the
Whitbread – another welcome
return is the famous 73ft ketch.
Pen Duick VI was built for Eric
Tabarly’s 1973 Whitbread Round
the World Race campaign and has
been lovingly restored. For the
RORC Transatlantic Race, Marie
Tabarly will skipper the boat.
Tulikettu: Back from
Davey Jones’ locker
In the 50ft class there are a number
of interesting entrants and there
promises to be an intriguing match
up between Teasing Machine, Black
Pearl, Tulikettu and Rafale, all
yachts that could take the win on
IRC corrected time. Each yacht has
it’s own story – Erik de Turkheim’s
Teasing Machine took the win in
this race in 2017, for example. Yet
perhaps the most fascinating story
is that of the Finnish owned Infiniti
52 Tulikettu. This radical yacht,
which was newly launched this
year, boasts DSS foils and a very
light displacement. The yacht was
abandoned and presumed lost
in April 2022 while on delivery
between Portugal and the UK.
The boat sprang an uncontrollable
leak and the decision was taken
to trigger the EPRB and abandon.
10 hours of fighting the leak
later, temporary repairs had been
effected but, with an oil tanker at
hand prepared to take the crew
off, the decision was taken to
abandon. A search for the derelict
was also abandoned on 30 April.
However, on 23 May, the boat was
sighted by a passing yacht and a
salvage operation was launched. Six
and a half weeks after ‘losing’ his
yacht, Arto Linnervuo, skipper and
owner of Tulikettu Racing Team
was reunited with his boat and his
quest for line honours continues.
Scarlet Oyster – A
wily campaigner
One yacht that always seems to
be there or thereabouts on the
Transatlantic racecourse is Ross
ABOVE LEFT Appleby’s Scarlet Oyster IV. This
The Infiniti 52
Tulikettu being fitted Oyster Lightwave 48 is neither the
out prior to a range most modern – she was built in
of adventures and
misadventures 1987 – nor most extreme boat on
the circuit, yet her record is beyond
ABOVE RIGHT reproach. Much of that has to go
Ross Appleby's
Scarlet Oyster IV down to the shrewdness of skipper
off Lanzarote at the Appleby, a wily old fox who knows
start of the 2022
edition of the race every trick in the book when it
comes to racing the Atlantic, and
BELOW
Giovanni Soldini’s who is unafraid to push his boat to
mighty Multi 70 breaking point in order to eke out
trimaran Maserati
a couple of miles to his advantage.
Appleby won IRC Class One and
only missed out on overall victory
on corrected time by an agonising
115 seconds from the Botin 52
Tala. Appleby will be hoping to go
one better this time around and
will be using all of his nous to keep
himself at the head of the pack.

2022 Race - a photo finish

The 2022 race featured an intense three way battle in the MOCRA class, with
Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati, Peter Cunningham’s MOD70 PowerPlay and
Jason Carroll’s MOD70 Argo in constant contact throughout the race. The final
500nm proved to be thrilling as the three rivals reeled off speeds of over 30kts
as they roared towards the finish line. The three racers frequently exchanged
the lead, with Argo initially holding the edge before handing over the baton to
PowerPlay. However, on the last lap, with the finish within sight, Maserati, which
had damaged her port rudder and was therefore unable to foil on starboard
tack, made a charge for the finish line and her two rivals were unable to find the
straight line speed to rival her. In the end, Maserati took line honours with under
an hour to spare from Powerplay, with Argo just a little further back in her wake.

82 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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stephanie@endeavour-sailing.co.uk

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 83

 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers

Downhill all
the way

The departure of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers fleet in November is the starting
gun for a general exodus across the Atlantic. Sam Jefferson takes a look at best
practice for tradewind sailing
uring the era of the
great China clipper
races one captain
came to prominence.
This was Captain
Richard Robinson
who, while in command of the
clipper ships Fiery Cross and Sir
Lancelot, came to dominate the field
between 1861 and 1869, winning
the 16,000 mile race five times
in eight years. His secret, aside
from relentless hard driving and
unparalleled seamanship, was a
congenital hatred of jamming his
ship hard into the wind. He was
willing to go many miles out of his
way on the proviso that he could
PHOTOS: WORLD CRUISING CLUB/ROD HEIKELL/DON STREET
winds shaped trade routes and even
the geopolitical map of the world.
Spool forward a couple of hundred
years and the trade winds continue
to dominate for cruising sailors. In
the Atlantic, the North East trades
are a conveyor belt from the western
ports of Europe or the Canary Islands
across to the balmy climes of the
Caribbean. It’s generally in November
that sailors first start to think about
making the leap across the pond.
Why November? Well, the late
ABOVE summer and early autumn months are
The start line of
the 2022 ARC dominated by the hurricane season
in this part of the world and that can
BELOW
A map showing throw up some seriously ugly and
the trade winds very non-tradewind like conditions.
of the world
By November things begin to settle
down and the winds settle back into
their groove; with steady (15-20kt)
winds blowing day after day from
abaft the beam, your boat propelled
forward by majestic, billowing
Atlantic rollers. No wonder the east
to west transatlantic run is often

keep the ship going full and by. To

a man like this, the tradewind belts,
with their reliable breezes booming
across great empty swathes of the
ocean were Manna from heaven.
It was just a question of picking
your season, lining up your boat
and then piling on the canvas. He
wasn’t alone; the trades have been
the friend of sailors since time
immemorial. Indeed, the trade

84 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 BELOW Made Good by running higher under A January ARC?
Reefed down at the
start of the ARC
an asymmetric and perhaps gybing One of the many side effects of the
as the acceleration across a couple of times on passage Covid pandemic was that it created a
zones promise a
wild first day
as opposed to running deep. This huge backlog of yachts wishing to take
could affect everything from sail set part in the ARC. Combine that with a
up to passage planning. Bear in mind population that has been in a ‘carpe
that if you do have a fast boat and diem’ frame of mind since the pandemic
the asymmetric looks like a good eased and you had a perfect storm for
known as ‘the downhill run’. It’s option, this may involve sailing at the organisers of the ARC. The event
generally much less challenging angles that mean the swell passes had already expanded a couple of years
making the final hop across under your quarter and can lead back with the ARC+ (leaving in early
from the Canaries than getting to an uncomfortable motion that November and stopping in Cape Verdes
to the Canaries from Europe. becomes tiring on a long passage. en route) but now it was necessary to
Why publish tips on downwind For the most of us though, our further expand the event. Therefore in
sailing just after the ARC is yachts will run best running deep 2021 a new departure was announced
gone I hear you ask? Because before the wind. Years of transatlantic for early January. This has proven to
traditionally ships leave a bit surveys have revealed that, for the be such a success that it has been
later than the ARC – which is most part, cruising yachts benefit continued for 2022 with a fleet leaving
understandably keen to get across from sailing deep downwind. This Las Palmas for St Lucia on January
in time for Christmas. These days means that it’s either a spinnaker or 15. The January departure can expect
slightly different conditions with WCC
however, unprecedented demand twin headsails. Years of surveys on
weather guru Chris Tibbs having noted
means there is a THIRD wave these voyages has revealed that, for
that traditionally the post Christmas
of boats that head off in January. cruising sailors at least, the best option
trade winds are a touch stronger.
Yet for lone rangers December is the twin poled-out headsails. A
and January are good months to spinnaker may be marginally quicker More information: worldcruising.com
cross. So here are a few tips on
getting the most out of tradewind
sailing on the downhill route.

Sail selection
and set up
Sail selection will depend greatly
on your boat. What works for
a Discovery 55 will be wildly
different from what works on a
Pogo 44 for example. Depending
on the model, you can contact
the manufacturer who might
have some tips on getting the
maximum out of your boat
off the wind in the expected
conditions. Certain very fast
boats achieve maximum Velocity

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 85

Atlantic Rally for Cruisers
Rod Heikell’s tradewind sailing tips
Most of our passages in the trades
have been with main and poled-out
genny. I’ve tried twin headsails but
this arrangement seemed to cause
the boat to roll more on the crossing.
Downwind rigs
While some crews will go for a twin
headsail set-up, most opt for a
combination of main and poled-out
headsail. Yachts with swept back
spreaders have more of a problem on
tradewind routes as you can’t really
run dead downwind without damaging
the main. The usual answer is to run
with the wind on the quarter and gybe
downwind at 120°-130° off the wind.
Not only does this add miles to the
passage, but also means speeds need
to be greater to keep up with a boat
waddling dead downwind. If you are
contemplating a new boat for tradewind
passages take a look at the rig and note
how swept back the spreaders are.
Most boats will have a roller reefing
headsail and on a tradewind passage
we look at where the wind is likely to
be coming from and rig the pole on
the leeward side before the start of
the passage. On a westabout Atlantic
crossing, the wind is normally E-ENE
so rig the pole on the starboard side.
In the Pacific the trades are E-ESE so
the pole is rigged on the port side. It can
stay rigged when you gybe over when
you want to get back to the rhumb line
as it won’t overly complicate things
– the IMOCAS all leave their poles
permanently rigged on both sides. As
long as you have forward and after guys
on the pole it’s easy to roll a bit of genny
in or out depending
on the wind strength.
If it looks like a squall
cloud is coming your
way then you can
roll a good chunk of
the headsail away
until it passes.
86 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
Gybe preventers
Gybe preventers of the drum or
Wichard type, and boom brakes should
be treated as gybe softeners rather
than the old school preventer. Even ABOVE
with a gybe softener, use a simple Rod's Warwick
but, given that tradewind sailing is
line from the middle to the end of Cardinal 46 Skylax often carried out in the 20-25kt wind
in classic tradewind
the boom running to a block forward conditions
bracket, you’re looking at being right
and back to the cockpit. On Skylax on the cusp of what is comfortable
the line runs from two thirds back on (for most of us at least) under
the boom to a block on an amidships spinnaker. Throw in the inevitable
mooring cleat and back to a cleat aft. mid-Atlantic squalls plus the fact that
Between the mainsheet and gybe most of us will drop the spinnaker
preventer and softener, the main can at night for peace of mind, and you
be eased over for a controlled gybe. can see why the twin headsail option
is such a hit. This set up, with one
Topping lift sail poled out, dispenses altogether
With rigid kickers, many boats do not with the mainsail meaning that the
need a topping lift. We always have the preventer and the risk of the boom
topping lift on as in the event of the taking charge off the wind is taken
main halyard going, the topping lift can out of the equation with minimal loss
be used as a replacement main halyard
of performance. Reefing is also a lot
until you get to somewhere where
less complicated and the set up makes
the main halyard can be retrieved.
for a very balanced boat meaning less
demands are put on the autopilot.
Gear
There are bits of the boat you
may overlook that do a lot of Twin headsail set up
work on an ocean crossing. Some boats – particularly the bigger
1: Rudders work a lot more with the cruising yachts such as Oyster and
continued pressure of wave trains Discovery for example – will have
catching you up and exerting hydrostatic the ‘slutter’ or ‘Solent’ rig set up,
pressure on the rudder. Spade rudders which means that you have two
are more susceptible as they only
have support in the hull and a top
bearing in the cockpit. Skeg hung
rudders are supported by the skeg as
well the hull and cockpit bearings.
2: Goosenecks and the mainsheet
attachment to the boom and traveller
also get a workout on passage.
Always check they are
substantial enough and
not worn in any way.
3: Carry a spare autopilot
drive unit. It may become
your best friend if
the existing autopilot
drive packs up.

headsails set close together on
separate forestays – purpose made
for the job essentially. If you’re extra
lucky, you’ll also have twin spinnaker
poles so you are all set. Ultimately
though, only one spinnaker pole
is strictly necessary although two
make for a very stable set up.
For those of us less lucky, then
it’s highly likely that your headsail
furler track has a spare groove that
can be used to rig a second headsail.
All you need is a spare sail a touch
shorter than the track. Bear in mind
that while it might be easy enough
(or not) to set up a system like this
in the flat calm of a marina, it will be
considerably more difficult in great
rolling Atlantic swells. It is therefore
well worth giving the whole thing
a trial run in benign conditions.
Bear in mind that the second groove
of the genoa track has probably
enjoyed precious little use in many
boats and may well be thoroughly
gummed up. With the track greased
and ready to go, then rigging things
up out at sea should be a lot easier.
A third option is setting up a baby
stay on the foredeck. Many boats
already have this option or at least the
padeye required. This will allow for
a second – albeit smaller – headsail
to be set. Whatever set up you go
for, be aware that chafe is a constant
menace on long passages and that
any contact between the two sails
should be avoided if possible. Also
bear in mind that you need to be
sure that your set up is easy to reef
down – getting into a tangle with two
headsails in the middle of an Atlantic
squall is not to be sniffed at essentially.
Don Street’s top five tradewind tips:
1: Buy an Imray Iolaire transatlantic
passage chart 100. This is a genomic
projection where a straight line is a
great circle course. Note, there are
three routes shown with distances,
northern, middle, southern. There
are advantages and disadvantages
for all routes. The best routes for
ARC departure from the Canaries in
November are totally different from
the best course I recommend for the
January departure.
2: The trades start moving
north in November
but do not really reach
the Canaries but come
January there is a very
good chance that the
trades will be solidly in. If
so the great circle route,
the straight line on the
chart is the course to
take. If the wind gurus
say the trades have
not quite moved in or
have been temporarily
blocked by something
coming out of Africa, head southwest
to find the trades. Once trades are
found, plot your position. From your
position draw a straight line to St
Lucia. Every day plot your position
and alter course as necessary so you
are on the great circle, the shortest
course to St Lucia.
3: You are heading for the tropics,
sunburn and cancer-inducing
conditions – so cover-up. Buy a broad
brimmed Tilley hat. If like myself you
do not like chinstrap to hold hat on
your head, tie the end of the adjusting
line to the buttonhole in your shirt. If
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023
the hat blows off it is still attached to
you and you can retrieve it.
4: Rig for a tradewind passage. Many
boats have double grooves in their
headsail foil, hoist two genoas, on the
foil, largest one in the port groove,
sheeted through a block on the end
of the main boom thence to the
deck through a block to the winch.
Starboard one sheeted through the
end of the spinnaker pole. With the
wind on the quarter, the port genoa
will still fill. If the wind
goes so far aft that
the port genoa will not
fill, drop the main.
5: Loss of steering, or
loss of rudder, should
not be considered a
complete disaster,
boat and voyage
abandoned. Rather,
loss of steering or
loss of rudder should
be regarded as a
difficulty that can
be surmounted and the voyage
continued to its planned destination.
6: Proper garbage disposal is vital on
a long passage: a boat should arrive
with one or two medium-size bags
packed with non-biodegradable
plastic garbage. Everything else
should properly disposed of over the
side. Go to my website for details
as to how this operation should be
done.
Full details and these tips and
many more can be found by
going to: street-iolaire.com
87
 Electric Code 0 furling from Seldén
The CXe45 from Seldén Mast is a two-speed electric Code 0 furler controlled with the push of a button. It’s
designed for yachts in the 45-55ft range and can be integrated into a bow or bowsprit with a through-deck
installation. Attached to a pad-eye, it can be used as an on-deck unit. “The furling Code 0 was originally developed
for long distance racing but is now a given addition to a cruising sailor’s headsail wardrobe,” says Mats-Uno
Fredrikson, Seldén’s Director of Marketing. “Combine it with a furling jib and you have the ultimate set up from
broad reaching to beating upwind, all without leaving the cockpit. Now, with the use of push button control instead
of a furling line it becomes even easier and safer.” Like other electric products from Seldén, including the Furlex
Electric and E40i electric winch, CXe45 runs on SEL-Bus and a Power Supply Unit,converting 12V or 24V to 42V. It
should be available from April 2023.

˜ RRP is estimated at £5,300 excluding UK VAT (around £6,360 with UK VAT). The price includes SEL-Bus
and a Power Supply Unit
˜ seldenmast.com

LAUNCHED New kit for you and your boat

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A peak inside Moth world champion
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changer and must-have item!”
The Aqua Parka is intentionally
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Paul Wyeth calendar
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The 35th edition of the Rick Tomlinson calendar features the best of Rick’s and son
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88 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 89
Buyer's Guide - Winter Maintenance

The winter months can be trying for sailors but the

enforced break does afford time to repair long neglected
problems as Sam Fortescue discovers

90 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 ailing may be off the
menu for most of us
during the winter
months, but boats are
demanding playthings
and there is plenty
to keep you busy in the yard. I
find myself jotting down tasks
to accomplish from launch day
onwards, so by the time it gets round
to the cold months, I have a long
list that I can’t put off any longer.
And broadly speaking, these break
down into two categories: routine
maintenance and upgrade work.
Routine maintenance
By the new year, the boat should
have been squared away for the
winter. You’ll have washed down
the hull with a high-pressure
sprayer to remove determined
sealife and washed down the deck,
topsides and deck gear with fresh
water to remove salt crystals.
If you’re the careful type, you’ll
have rigged a cover for the boat to
keep out the elements and reduce
the need for maintenance. It doesn’t
have to be a fancy tailor-made thing
– a few lengths of garden-centre
tarpaulin will do the job if you lash
them down well. Just makes sure that
there is chafe protection where the
knots and the eyelets of the cover
touch the hull, or you’ll be adding
cosmetic work for the spring.
The engine should also have had
its autumn check-up. If you skimped
on this step, it’s never too late. Top
up the freshwater cooling system
with antifreeze, run the engine
for a minute or two (in neutral,
naturally, with the boat on its stand!)
to warm up the oil in the sump,
then pump out the old oil and refill
with new. The acidic by-products of
combustion which collect in old oil
will eat away at the engine during the
winter, slightly reducing its lifespan.
Top up the diesel tanks if you haven’t
done so already and treat with Fuel
Set (£27.96/500ml) or similar to
limit the growth of diesel bug, and
change the fuel and oil filters.
Lead-acid batteries need to be kept
topped up during the winter, to avoid
permanent damage from sulphation.
Pop down to the yard a couple of
times during the winter months
to get the charger on for a spell, or
install a trickle charging solar panel
or mini wind turbine like the Rutland
504 (£424.96 from marlec.co.uk).
You’ll have taken the sails off
and stowed them at the end of the
season, but consider packing them
off for valeting by the sailmaker.
A light clean with detergent will
lengthen their service life, and the
loft should pick up any problems
before they endanger the sail. It is
also good practice to soak those lines
which can be easily removed in fresh
water and even a little detergent,
before rinsing and hanging them
somewhere under cover to dry.
Propeller care
With your boat out the water, check
the condition of your stern gear.
Check for play in the rudder bearings
and get them replaced if necessary.
Do the same for the cutless bearing
around the prop shaft and use the
opportunity for a bit of routine
propeller care. Some feathering and
folding props appreciate an annual
squirt of grease, and a scrape-down
to remove fouling. If you’re using
a fouling release coating such as
PropSpeed, then plan ahead to buy
in the cleaning agent and a new tin
in advance, although the job itself is
best done in the warmer spring – just
like regular antifouling. Depleted
anodes should also be replaced.
Seacocks
Traditional bronze seacocks require
a squirt of lube during the winter.
With the boat out of the water,
loosen the bolts that hold the
rotating plug of the valve in place
and remove it completely. Squeeze
some boat grease around the body
of the seacock before replacing the
plug and rotating it back and forth
a few times to distribute the grease.
Do not overtighten the bolts – the
seacock is finely machined and
doesn’t require a lot of pressure to
ensure it remains watertight. More
recent Blakes seacocks include a
grease nipple for quicker operation.
Dinghy and outboard
It’s a good idea to have the outboard
serviced every year, the more so
if you don’t use it much during
ABOVE LEFT the season. It should cost less than
Propeller and shaft
should be carefully
£80 for a small engine – plus any
inspected if the boat spares. The dinghy, too, needs a
is out the water bit of TLC to pre-empt problems.
If it is an inflatable type, check
the seams for any lift and apply
a suitable adhesive as required.
Check the valves are still tight and
replace any that leak – it’s easy to
do yourself. Specific damage from
a vigorous beaching might require
professional attention or a patch.
Brightwork
Most boats are stuffed with joinery
to give a woody finish to the interior,
and this needs maintenance. My
usual strategy is to wait until the
varnish coating fails and then set
about trying to rectify the problem
with heavy sanding back and lots
of fresh coats. However, most
experts will tell you that it is easier
and cheaper in the long run to use
preventative maintenance, whereby
you add a coat to all surfaces
every year or so – before they fail.
This approach is less messy than
mine, although you’ll still need to
lightly abrade the existing coating
before reapplying. There are many
sorts of varnish out there, so
check first on the existing product
before cracking open a new tin.
Always use a good quality brush
and observe the instructions on
temperatures for application.
Winch and windlass
Although my old Lewmar Ocean
winches soldier on year after year
(they turned 37 this year), I know it
is wise to service them as regularly
as possible. Once a year is a good
target for all brands, and the process
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 91
Buyer's Guide - Winter Maintenance
PHOTOS: MARC TURNER; CARL LAMB – AMBIENTLIGHT
92
is pretty simple. You’ll need a
degreasing agent, light oil, a few
dabs of grease and plenty of rags or
kitchen roll. It’s mostly a question
of cleaning out salt, debris and
congealed grease. Worn pawls need
to be replaced, so have a spares kit
standing by. Count on half an hour
to strip down, clean and reassemble
both winches and windlasses.
Hull repair
With the best handling in the
world, your boat’s topsides still take
the odd impact during the sailing
season. Dropping a winch handle
can take a flake out of the gelcoat
in the cockpit, while pontoons can
leave scratches on the hull. Minor
blemishes can be polished over, but
bigger ones might need more tlc. Fill
hairline cracks using a product like
MagicEzy, available for around £22
through Force4. Bigger repairs must
be taped out and carefully prepared
by brushing and keying. Though the
repair itself is fairly straightforward,
colour matching the hull is not for
the faint of heart. If the damage is
in a very visible position, consider
whether a professional should be
called in. Don’t attempt repairs
until the temperature is around 18
degrees, as the gelcoat won’t harden.
Cleaning!
It’s a dull job, but it’s worth the effort
when you climb aboard a sparkling
boat in the spring. Try and clean out
the engine compartment from time
to time, as this makes it easier to spot
problems such as water or oil leaks.
Use a specialist bilge cleaner, and
prefer one of the increasing number
of bio-based products, such as that
from ecoworks (£24), which is pH
FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
neutral, phosphate free and bottled
in recycled plastic. You’ll still need
to go to the bilge pump-out station,
however – there’s no shortcut to
breaking down synthetic oils.
Gas system
It’s worth having a gas safe engineer
look at your gas system from time
to time to ensure there are no leaks,
and replace any aging hoses that have
passed their use-by date. If you don’t
already have one, consider getting
a bubble gauge fitted in the gas
locker, so you can see whether gas
is escaping. Hamilton Gas Products
charges less than £60 for this piece
of kit and installation shouldn’t cost
much more than that. You could
also fit a gas/carbon monoxide (CO)
alarm below as sensible protection.
A single LPG alarm from Pilot costs
around £105 from asap-supplies.
co.uk, or £300 for a unit that
combines CO detection as well.
ABOVE LEFT Winter upgrades
Jet-washing the hull Chartplotter
prior to antifouling
It’s a rare sailor that doesn’t
ABOVE RIGHT secretly hanker after a new
AND BELOW
piece of gear aboard the boat.
Cleaning and
polishing the hull are Navigation instruments are one
not the most exciting of the commonest upgrades,
jobs but the results
can be rewarding particularly the chartplotter.
Modern multifunction displays, as
manufacturers like to call them, do
a great deal more than just showing
digital charts. Radar and AIS
overlays can be invaluable and, if
you hook it all up to a mobile router,
you could even receive internet AIS,
showing images and detailed info
of every large vessel on the high
seas. New apps are being embedded
all the time, creating possibilities
from switching on the generator to
watching Netflix on the screen.
A new plotter costs from
around £760, which buys you a
7in Raymarine Axiom Plus at
force4.co.uk, up to £6,990 for a
large 16in B&G Zeus 3S. Garmin’s
GPSMap range runs from 7in to
a whopping 24in, with pricing
from £900 to north of £13k.
Instruments
Another popular electronics upgrade
is to add or update an instrument.
Wind sensors are a common one,
and there are options to suit all
budgets and requirements. For
the easiest installation, look at a
wireless ultrasonic unit, whose lack
of moving parts promises a long
life. Calypso is a leader here and
offers a solar-powered Bluetooth
unit for €724. France’s LCJ Capteurs
does a similar product for €822.
At the other end of the scale, A&T
Instruments of Lymington have
developed a suite of incredibly
accurate wired anemometers
that are compatible with B&G
instruments, and which cost from
£1,182. In the middle of the market,
Raymarine’s i60 wind pack costs
around £900 from force4.co.uk.
Remote monitoring
Remote monitoring is appearing
on new boats as standard, and it is
a common retrofit as well. There
are dozens of products out there,
with capabilities that range from
simple geo-fencing and bilge pump
warnings to remote switching and
even diagnostics. Some use wireless
sensors that require no drilling or
cable running, while others are more
challenging to fit. But what they all
have in common is a black box that
sits between the systems on board
and the Internet, allowing you to
connect from a distance. Prices range
from around €400 for a bundle of the
simple c-Pod system up to £1000s
by the time you’ve added numerous
sensors to a more capable unit such
as the BRNKL or Yacht Sentinel.
Getting online
You can also put in a marine router
which allows you to connect your
phone, tablet or plotter to the web
WE CLEAN AND DRY YOUR
SAILS AND COVERS
Salt crystals – are abrasive to stitching and
attract damp and mildew. Green Algae will destroy your fabric.
Use our UK wide network of trade partners.
to find out more visit www.tiptopsails.co.uk
via a shop-bought Sim card. It’s
exceedingly easy to install – really
just a question of wiring in the box
to your 12V battery system. Experts
say that the antennas supplied
with these units are remarkably
effective at picking up a signal, even
from below deck, but for optimum
range of 10nm or more, you’ll need
two small external antenna. Rail
mounting works perfectly well and
usually makes for a simpler install.
Digital Yacht produces a very
capable unit called the 4G Connect
Pro that comes with two external
antennas – price £774. The
4GXtream costs £1,260 but comes
with four times the bandwidth and
a NMEA2000 connection. Hubba’s
ABOVE LEFT Wave and Neptulink 4G are in
Raymarine's i60 the same price and performance
chartplotter
range. Cheaper options come
ABOVE RIGHT from wifionboard.co.uk.
The BRNKL remote
monitor system
Water filtration
BELOW LEFT Tainted drinking water is a
the Acuva water
purifier
common complaint on cruising
yachts, with some resorting to
BELOW RIGHT wasteful bottled water. There are
Digital yacht's 4G
Connect system lots of better options, however.
Active carbon filters are capable
of removing impurities, bacteria
and cysts, all while sitting in-line.
General Ecology’s NaturePure
is a great example, with a
system costing just £260 and
replacement filter cartridges at
c£132 from asap-supplies.com.
Alternatively, an electronic
UV filter cleans the water by
destroying bacteria and viruses,
making water from almost any
source safe to drink. They are
typically more expensive, but only
require a 12V power connection
and allow much faster flow rates.
Most people position them below
the sink. Acuva’s smallest unit
costs around £400 and processes
1.0lt per minute. The Aegina Pure
starts at a 3lt/min throughput
at a price of around £1,975.
Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 93
 paid
not
Tax
, 000
750
Three of the best €

BROKERAGE | BOATS FOR SALE

£1
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HALLBERG RASSY 42F | BEAU SOLEIL

Beau Soleil is a fine example of the refined design and build quality you would expect ALUBAT CIGALE 18 | ELEONORA 2
from the renowned Swedish boat builders Hallberg-Rassy. With her conservative
hull shape, strength of build and deep safe centre cockpit, she is a yacht that will take Eleonora 2 is a super-rugged and hugely-capable 60ft aluminium
you over horizons with confidence. Her interior finish and comfort below make her water-ballasted cruising yacht from Alubat and Groupe Finot with
a joy for short term cruising with friends in the UK, or longer term live aboard blue full bluewater specification and versatile four-cabin, four-heads
water adventures. She has sleeping potential for six across two cabins and the main interior layout. According to the broker, this type of semi-custom
saloon. Her interior is fitted out in high quality mahogany throughout with teak and blue water cruising yacht is extremely rare to the market. She
holly flooring sole boards. This is complemented with custom upholstery in the main has a slippery chined aluminium hull with broad transom, heavily
saloon and fitted carpeting in all areas except the galley. roached mainsail, and a cutter rig, free of back-stays, and
supported by three sets of swept back spreaders. The inclusion
Year: 2001 of water ballast tanks aft allows for a manageable fixed draft of
LOA: 13.22m (43’37”) 2.90m (removing the complication of lifting keels). Eleonora was
Beam: 3.95m (13’) the last of three Cigale 18s built and was delivered to her current
and only owner in 2008. She is fitted out with a comprehensive
Max Draft: 2m (6’56”)
bluewater specification and a customised interior layout designed
Displacement: 12,500kg to provide enormous versatility with or without crew. She took line
Hull construction: Glassfibre honours in the 2014 ARC+ with a crossing time from the Mindelo to
Engine: Volvo Penta 76HP Saint Lucia of just 12 days, and is therefore an ideal yacht for those
planning a circumnavigation or high-latitude adventure.
Designer: Germán Frers
Accommodation: 6 berths in 2 cabins Year: 2008
Location: Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland LOA: 18.28m (59’)
Contact: michaelschmidt.co.uk Beam: 5.2m (17’)
Draft: 2.9m (9’)
Displacement: 16,000kg
Hull construction: Aluminium
Engine: Yanmar 4JH3-HTE 92HP
Designer: Groupe Finot
Accommodation: 7 berths in 4 cabins
Location: Viareggio, Italy
Contact: grabauinternational.com

94 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

 £4
25
,00
0T
ax
pa
id

OYSTER 56 | GIGI OF LONDON

Number 27 of the sisterhood, Gigi of London is perfect for mile
munching. Automated rig with stacks of electric winches and
well sorted deck layout makes short-handed sailing a doddle.
Below decks, her American white oak interior is beautifully
preserved and, as with her sisters, she has that great four-
cabin layout. New decks and fully overhauled and painted spar
reduce the spend for her new owner significantly. According
to the brokers, she has “full blue water specification, owners’
project complete, she must be sold”.

Year: 2002
LOA: 17.47m (57’4”)
LWL: 14.48m (47’6”)
Beam: 4.93m (16’2”)
Draft: 2.39m (7’10”)
Displacement: 26,000kg
Hull Material: Glassfibre
Engines: 1 x Yanmar 4LH-TE 110hp
Designer: Rob Humphreys
Accommodation: 7 berths in 4 cabins
Builder: Oyster Marine Ltd.
Location: Mataro, Spain
Contact: berthoninternational.com

Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 95

Classified To advertise call +44 (0)207 349 3787 or email mark.harrington@chelseamagazines.com

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BOATS FOR SALE

MUSTO SKIFF 601. Complete & ready to

sail. Brand new sails plus Bluewave lower
shrouds, launch trolley, top/ bottom
cover & foil bag. TRADE. £9000 Tel 0191
2576011 / (TYNEMOUTH)

Boat Insurance made easy OVINGTON BUILT ILCA #220455.

February 2022. Carbon top mast and
tiller. New spars, new foils and new sail -
your choice of rig. TRADE. £5800 Tel 01912
Get a quote in 20 seconds 576011 / (TYNEMOUTH)

On cover in 2 minutes
Low on-line premiums
HUNTER 707. Year: built 1996, fully
refurbished by Ian Porter, Emsworth in
2016. Length: 7.07m, beam 2.49m, draft
Get the App - craftinsure.com/app 1.5m Outboard engine: Mercury 2.5hp
Located: Nereus boat yard, Rhodes,
Greece Hull material: fiberglass Hull
no: GB-HUNHCO54D696 Displacement:
24 FT CRUISER QUARTER TONNER. 1080kg Registration: Irish short form.
REDUCED - must GO to pay for heating
craftinsure.com
£9000 Tel +353 85 8611007 / (RHODES,
bills!!! Fully Restored (thousands spent) GREECE)
and going fast. 4 berth, fin-keel, open-
03452 607888 plan cruiser. Good family boat, self
draining cockpit. Re-masted, re-rigged,
COMET DINGHY C416. Lake sailed comet
peacock blue hull with sail centreboard
re-keeled, new rudder. Laminate sails rudder mast, boom halyards wind indicator
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
little used. 3.5hp outboard. Full recent and launching trolley kept under cover, log
survey - yard trolley available. Must be book included. £600 Tel 01726 832525 / (ST
seen. £5750 Tel 07765 900259 / (CARDIFF) AUSTELL )

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96 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

To advertise call +44 (0)207 349 3787 or email mark.harrington@chelseamagazines.com
BOATS FOR SALE
WANDERER DINGHY. Wanderer sailing
dinghy. 1979. In excellent condition for
year. Complete with road trailer,launching
trolley, outboard bracket and boom-up
cover. An almost new Suzuki 2.5 four-
stroke outboard is available via separate
arrangement. £1950 Tel 07596 235901 /
01326 617621 (FALMOUTH)
TOPPER TOPAZ UNO. Topper Topaz
Uno Race X s/n 4413 Main sail, Jib Sail,
Spinnaker, Training sail. £1000 Tel 07967
813579 / 01749 671456 (CHEDDAR)
POOLE AB 36. Varnished mahogany finish
in good condition. Dry stored for last 20
years. Reluctant sale as lady owner ageing.
Fast boat with many club wins. Elvstrom
self-bailer, oars, 2 suits sails. Original
Measurement Cert signed By Harry Poole.
Launching trolley. Inspection welcome.
£200 Tel 07752 623550 / 01292 610919 (AYR)
SCORPION DINGHY, WHOLE OR FOR
PARTS, INCLUDES LAUNCHING TROLLEY,
Everything for sale. Glass fibre hull has
small hole that could be repaired - 2 suits
of sails, canvas cover only 3 years old,
would wash well. Launching trolley with
removable jockey wheel. Would prefer to
sell the whole as a lot. Everything in fair
condition. £100 Tel 01969 368371 / 07815
643408 (LEYBURN)
MIRROR 14 (MARAUDER). 14 foot racing
dinghy with spinnaker & trapeze. With
launching trolley and boom-up cover. £100
Tel 07913 604 574 / (STAINES)
SANDHOPPER 19FT KEELBOAT. Bilge keels
with c3ft draft and set of iconic blue sails,
distinctive spinnaker. Regularly raced for
many years through 2022. Needs minor tlc
but ready to sail with roller-furling genoa
gear, depth sounder, anchor & nearly
new Honda BF 2.3 air-cooled 4-stroke
outboard. Storm jib & reefable mainsail.
Launching trolley. £999 Tel 07974 851417 /
(MAYLANDSEA)
BARBARY KETCH. Captain Nancy is a
ketch motor sailor 9.91 m length. Accom
6 in 3 cabins. 1973. Eberspacher heating.
Electric windlass. Recon Merc 42hp.
Long encapsulated keel. Scotland Bute
Rothesay Marina plus mooring site. survey
and photos on request via whatsapp.
£21000 Tel 07917 832254 / 01539 433156
(PORT BANNOTYNE)
DEHLER 41DS RIGID WINDSCREEN - NEW.
Brand new acrylic windscreen for Dehler
41DS. £690 Tel 07714 259616 / (OBAN)
2014 FOUNTAINE PAJOT MAHÉ 36
EVOLUTION CATAMARAN. With Volvo Penta
engine. £80000 Tel 07448 321901 / (DOVER)
LEATHER STEERING WHEELS
LEATHER WHEEL
COVERING KITS
• For all wheel sizes and
sprayhood grab rails
• Leather Spinnaker pole covers
• Handy Pull Tags to open
Shackles
• Suppliers of Marine Leathers
to Sailmakers & Riggers
Clyde Marine Leather
www.clydemarineleather.com
T. 0141 881 4981
Classified
KNIVES
SQUIB 755. Barker Brewer boat, maximum
correctors: Milanes rudder: original
gelcoat, never painted: shaped keel, no
antifoul electric pumps: recent Superspars
mast: main: Batt 8/10 and 3 x Batt club:
jib: Batt 8/10 and 2 x Batt club: spinnaker:
Batt 9/10, Hyde 8/10 and 2 x Batt club: floor
and bearers replaced, full epoxy coating:
Robbins lightweight ply: Brian Mather
trailer: £5000 Tel 07881 780267 / 01248 716821
(ANGLESEY)
CLOTHING
MUSTO HPX GORETEX OCEAN TROUSERS
SIZE M BRIGHT YELLOW. MUSTO HPX
Goretex Ocean trousers size M in bright
yellow. Unmarked. worn only twice. massive
saving on new price. £175 Tel 07754 337398
/ (CHICHESTER)
MUSTO LARGE HPX OCEAN GORETEX
JACKET. Musto Large size HPX Goretex
Ocean Jacket colour BrightYellow. As New
(Worn Twice) Unmarked. massive saving
on new price. £375 Tel 07754 337398 /
(CHICHESTER)
OTHER EQUIPMENT
SEALY WIREM ROPE AND SPRING CUTTERS.
Please phone for details. £49 Tel 01642
655982 / 078 796 27224 (STOCKTON ON TEES)
BOAT LIFTER FOR DRY BERTHING. Dry
berthing boat lifter suitable for RIB/Boston/
J24 or Keelboat. Fully adjustable up to
1500Kg. Moor your boat on its berth then
lift the boat clear of the water Approx
25 feet length. £3950 Tel 07795 966305 /
(WIMBORNE)
Don’t miss our SAILS
sister title
T: (01929) 554308
HYDROHOIST BOAT LIFTER - REDUCED
PRICE. Currently set up for a J24, but The Sail Loft,
can be adapted to suit most boats, j70, 16 Sandford
j80 ribs etc. Lifts up to 1500kg. Approx Lane Ind Est,
6200mm long by 3200mm wide. Located Wareham, Dorset,
in Poole Yacht Club. £2200 Tel 07808 BH20 4DY
177659 / (POOLE ) chelseamagazines.com www.kempsails.com
SAILING TUITION YACHT DELIVERIES
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Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting FEBRUARY 2023 97
 Jess Lloyd-Mostyn
Ocean sailors often feel closer to the the heavens than landlubbers,
and the moon is a pivotal part of this symbiotic relationship
henever
we stay on
land for an
extended
time, either
visiting
family or friends, or perhaps
housesitting, I’m struck by how
easily and quickly I fall out of
my well-honed boat habits. The
novelty of hot running water still
gives me a shiver of excitement; I
indulge in the luxury of ice cubes
available at a whim; and I sleep
differently, knowing that there is
zero chance my bed could possibly
drag in the night or need to be
checked if a storm starts up.
I also tend to forget the moon.
It’s not that I fail to recall its ‘When you sail at night, it’s
existence of course, it’s simply
that I lose track of which phase possible to feel a real sense of
we’re in. And then, when next companionship from having the
I glimpse it, I’m hit with an
acute sense of guilt. The feeling moon there, hanging above you’
is similar to suddenly thinking
about a friend you meant to contact and have neglected.
Such is the power and importance of the moon
in our sailing life. Moored for months in one spot
Singapore, our daily rhythms and trips ashore would
all be coloured by the state and height of the tide.
From scrambling up an unusually steep jetty ladder, to
timing when a beach trip would expose the most sea
glass for collecting, the water level played a massive
role in all our activities. Or hopping between different
anchorages each day in New Zealand’s bay of islands
or the Hauraki Gulf, tide awareness was as crucial a
factor as any other part of sailing preparation, timing
each passage and calculating for each drop of the
hook just how much scope was needed when.
Our next big sailing move, which is on to Darwin in
northern Australia, and then back into the Pacific at
last, will see us paying particular deference to our lunar
escort. There the tides can range to a maximum of 7.5
metres and our entry to the country will be through a
method of skilfully timed moves through a system of
locks in order to even start the clearance process – let
alone the dominating strong tides awaiting us at that
ultimate geographical pinch-point of the Torres Strait.
And on passage, crossing oceans or travelling between
island groups, the moon is a significant marker point
of the time of day or night. Witnessing it rise and set
98 FEBRUARY 2023 Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting
quickly becomes yet another layer
in the tempo of the progression
of the voyage, a note in the log, a
comment at change of the watch.
It’s amazing, when you sail at night,
that it’s possible to feel a real sense
of companionship from having the
moon there, hanging above you.
It’s often spectacularly beautiful as
well, reflected on the rolling swell
of ocean waves, it’s light spilling
out over the passing clouds, the
soft glow falling onto the deck and
the sails. In contrast a moonless
night sail feels far more sinister
without its presence for comfort.
Perhaps this ever-changing
nature makes our relationship
to the moon more personal
somehow, as if it is a wild animal
accompanying us on our sailing
passages. And this animalistic
unpredictability was ever-
present throughout our sailing in
Indonesia, where the tides can be
diurnal, semi-diurnal or mixed
depending on where you are sailing. When you spend
time on the UK coast and get used to the prompt shift of
tide from low to high on a six hour schedule, changing
to a more chaotic pattern and fickle tide is hugely
confusing. We found that the only way to cope was to
overcompensate for tidal heights whenever possible and
be led by whether the tides were at neaps or springs. The
old adage that anchor rode does no good simply sat in
the locker rings true, and we countered our uncertainty
by allowing a lot of depth and additional chain.
Very occasionally we’ve even seen a clear halo
visible around the moon, usually an indicator of either
rain or a storm on the way. The perfect line of light
encircling the moon is caused by ice crystals in the
high cirrus clouds and looks particularly dramatic
out at sea, without the light pollution of any towns.
And at other times the moon seems to get bored of
its luminous silvery white clothes altogether and you
catch it rising a shocking blood red or neon tangerine
JESS LLOYD- colour; a state that is so fleeting that it almost seems
MOSTYN
Jess and James left the
to fluctuate and change hue before your eyes.
ILLUSTRATION HOLLY ASTLE
UK in 2011 in their Perhaps my old friend the moon is no different
Crossbow 42 and have
sailed halfway round
from other people in our lives, and that in order
the world, growing to be a good friend to it we should accept its
their crew en route.
Follow their journey
changing nature, the shifts in appearance and
at water-log.com yet still always try to listen to its guidance.
 0%
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