sailing today june 2013

JUNE 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk £4.20

YACHTSYACHTING

CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S


YACHTSYACHTING



GO FURTHER I SAIL BETTER I BE INSPIRED

SAILIN

G TO

DAY

JUN

E 2013 – ISSUE N

o 194

NOW

BIGGERBRIGHTER

BETTER

BATTERY POWERWet cell, AGM and gel– on the test bench

DIESEL ELECTRICCould hybrid power be the answer for you?

BANE OR BOON?Paul & Rachel Chandler love new technology

GULL’S EYEPull-out guide to Pwllheli, in Snowdon’s shadow

AntarcticaExploring the last great wilderness in a GRP boat

Jeanneau’s nippy new 41DS is designed to be fun for two

Easy rider

Reef hopping

BOAT ON TEST

Get in among the rocks with our eyeball

navigation guide

The fastest sailor in the world on cold toes and pizza

RocketmanINTERVIEW

AN

TARC

TICA

• FIRST CRU

ISE • JEAN

NEAU

41DS • PW

LLHELI • BAT

TERIES

NEW LOOK, NEW CONTENT

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At the heart of Rustlerʼs philosophy is a firm commitment to developingtruly unique yachts that are distinctive in looks, design and performance.Rustler yachts stand out in a sea of clones. They are beautifully built.Built for real sailors and real situations.

Beautiful yachts, beautifully builtRustler 42

Principal Dimensions: LOA: 12.81m Beam: 4.06m Draft: 1.82m Disp:11791kg Ballast: 4671kg

Tel: 01326 310120 | www.rustleryachts.comRustler Yachts | Maritime Buildings | Falmouth | Cornwall | TR10 8AD

Rustler 44 | Rustler 42 | Rustler 36 | Rustler 33 | Rustler 24

NEW 7

Rustler Sailing Today Mar 2013 v2:Rustler 4/4/13 14:49 Page 1

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June 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 3

Welcome

COLD AND HOT, then cold again, then hot; wind – perhaps too much; and plenty of rain. Not the ideal start to the sailing season! Just look at our test of the new Sun Odyssey 41 on pp40-46 for evidence. In need of a boost, we went in search of some early season sailing action. The results are in our first cruise of the year feature on pp48-54, and include a potter, a daysail and a week’s trip. If your boat is still in the cradle, it might help renew your resolve!

In fact, my mind is far from the delights of hoisting the main and slipping the mooring into the stream. That’s because our Sadler 34 Summer Song is still high and dry on a sea of green grass, 30 miles from the coast. She’s been there since the autumn, when we decided to store her close to home, to work on her over the winter. The two

main jobs required were revarnishing the interior woodwork (not including those louvre-effect door panels – that would have taken a lifetime!) and polishing the hull. Both are temperature sensitive, so have languished in the depths of this very long winter.

The good news is that I’ve finally staggered to the end of the varnishing over a couple of fine weekends. There’s still the hull, and a plethora of little tasks to make her shipshape again. But I can at last see the light at the end of the polytunnel. Readers also frantically finishing winter jobs on board might find our battery test useful on pp58 to 62. The indefatigable Duncan Kent has personally put each of these batteries through its paces – so you don’t have to find out the hard way! We also look at the benefits of hybrid power (pp80-84), and whether it makes sense to upgrade your old donk.

After last month’s Bahamian rhapsody, we feature a stunningly-shot Antarctic odyssey from brothers Steve and Mike Powell. They had the comfort of a larger boat to help them, but their adventure is still awe-inspiring. I’ve always had an eye on the high latitudes for a cruise, and this story shows why!

Finally, there are a few new features this month. Gull’s Eye is now a splendid fold-out aerial shot (pp34-39). And thanks to your feedback from last month, we’ve invited back Colin Jarman and his Riding Light column. He appears on p79, opposite another ‘new’ piece featuring readers’ questions.

Sam Fortescue, managing editor

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CHRIS & LORRAINE MARCHANT left from

Lowestoft in 2008 and have cruised ever since

jAkE kAvANAgH lives in Southampton, and is

restoring a Corribee 21 and a ferro-cement Hartley 39

STEvE POWELL took Uhuru to Antarctica on a

three-year trip and is now bound for the Med

contributors

Skipper’s Viewthe long winter is drawing to a close and i’m thinking of

heading for the water again... once the boat jobs are done

ST194 Ed's LetterV3.indd 3 17/04/2013 16:00

P E A C E O F M I N D

ICOM-UKBlacksole House, Altira Park, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 6GZ. UK.Telephone: +44 (0)1227 741741 Fax: +44 (0)1227 741742 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.icomuk.co.uk

M A - 5 0 0 T R C L A S S B - A I S T R A N S P O N D E R

MA-500TR 2013 Sailing Today ad. 12/4/13 09:22 Page 1

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Strap book

may 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 05

Regulars8 newS First solo Asian; sun hits GPS; MCZs

12 new boAtSGunfleet 58, Italia Yachts 13.98, RM 1360, Gt35, Dragonfly 32, Allures 39.9

14 ReADeRS’ letteRSliferaft, new look, leD torch and more

16 whAt’S on19 bRoADSIDe68 bookS79 RIDInG lIGht102 DISPAtCheSChris & lorraine Marchant in thailand

Cruising20 AntARCtIC oR buSt Steve Powell dodges icebergs to explore the islands of Antarctica

30 InteRvIewthe world’s fastest sailor Paul larsen on 65 knots and following in Shackleton’s wake

32 SeCRet PlACeSkeyhaven River in the Solent

34 Gull’S eYe the gull returns, over Pwllheli, wales

48 tAleS oF the SPRInGon board for three very different first outings of the new sailing season

78 CRuISInG ClInIC

Boats40 Sun oDYSSeY 41DS testing Jeanneau’s nippy shorthander

56 CoPPeRbottoMeDRustler’s famous 36 is still in production

Gear58 bAtteRIeS on teSt wet cell, AGM and gel cells

64 new GeAR66 GeAR teSteDon board broadband; handheld vhF

Practical72 eYebAll nAvIGAtIon Caribbean expert Chris Doyle explains the art of pilotage by sight

80 hYbRID PoweRGo electric, cut down on diesel fumes

72

20

64-6740

Contents

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ST194 ContentsV4.indd 5 17/04/2013 15:59

“Not a river at all, but a 14-mile long tidal gate,” is the description given of New York’s East River on p23. A little like a winding, elongated Swinge, then – so doubly impressive to take this stretch of water under full sail and goosewinged at that! The boat is Uhuru on her way south for an Antarctic adventure – read about her exploits on pp20-29. Manhattan Bridge is in the foreground, Brooklyn Bridge behind that and you can just make out the verdigris of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

East River, USPhoto by Mike Powell

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sailingtoday.co.uk JUNE 2013 8

‘First Asian’ fight finishes

MCZ consultation closes

Guo Chuan, the Chinese sailor aiming to become the first Asian to sail around the world non-stop and without assistance has reached his goal, and set a new Class 40 record to boot.

Chuan finally arrived back in the Chinese port for which his boat is named, Qingdao, 138 days after setting out on 18 November 2012. He was

the first Chinese sailor ever to sail in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, the Volvo Ocean Race (as a media crew member) and the Mini Transat. He can now add ‘first Chinese sailor to circumnavigate the world non-stop and unassisted’.

With surprising echoes of the original Golden Globe Race – created in 1968 by The Sunday Times for the first non-stop solo circumnavigation after the paper discovered several men were planning an attempt

during a similar time period – Chuan was not alone in his solo circumnavigation attempt. A lieutenant in the Indian Navy,

Abhilash Tomy, crossed his own outbound track just 24hrs after Chuan completed his journey, making Tomy the first Indian to ever solo-circumnavigate the globe non-stop and unassisted. This means Tomy missed out on the ‘first Asian’ title by just one day.

India’s President Pranab Mukherjee was there to meet the naval lieutenant as he finally arrived in port in Mumbai, alongside a large crowd. Chuan received a similar hero’s welcome on his return to China.

Both men insisted they were not racing each other and that the timing of the two separate circumnavigations was simply a coincidence, again stirring parallels with the Golden Globe.

Clipper Skipper

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race has

announced the 12 skippers for the 2013 race. The list includes three skippers who are still in their 20s

EvEnts | gossip | nEws from thE sailing community

Ebb and flow

Public consultation on the first set of proposed Marine Conservation Zones has now concluded.

The process began in December 2012 and officially came to a close on 31 March. However, it is unclear exactly when decisions on the protected zones will be made. Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) says it will summarise responses, making them available on their website ‘within 12 weeks of consultation closing’.

Besides this timeframe for posting the responses, there is little idea when further announcements might be made on future rounds of consultation. “In a recent statement all that was said was that [Defra] would ‘alert the public at a later date,’” explained Alana Murphy, planning and environmental advisor at the RYA.

“Although the RYA has responded to all the proposed conservation zones, the one that is most likely to affect yachtsmen is in the Aln Estuary,” she added. A number of other sites are likely to be recommended for designation in future rounds of consultation, including Studland Bay and Bembridge, Isle of Wight.

It is unlikely that any decisions will be made on the final regulations for each conservation zone before 2014. In the same year, a new round of consultation is likely to take place on the next tranche of proposed zones.

First For two

Guo Chuan celebrates his circumnavigation in front of the press on his return to Qingdao

Chuan with the traditional flare in hand

ST194 NewsV4.indd 8 16/04/2013 15:50

JUNE 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 9

GoInG uP

GoInG DoWn

anti theft All owners who pay harbour dues on the River Hamble will be issued with a SmartWater forensic marking system. This is the first time an entire harbour has embarked on a crime prevention scheme such as this.

Great Lakes It looks like it is going to be another year of low water levels in the Great Lakes, USA. ST hears that many of the lakes are already several metres lower than usual.

so CLose Danish yachtsman Christian Libergreen had to call an end to his solo-circumnavigation of the globe after dismasting in the English Channel, a mere 600 miles from his finishing port.

neMo 2? Living fish have been washed up in Oregon, USA, aboard a deserted Japanese fishing boat that is thought to have been swept out to sea during the tsunami and earthquake in March 2010.

solar boat returns Back in April 2012 Turanor, an entirely solar powered motor yacht, completed a 19-month circumnavigation of the globe, with the aim of drawing attention to the possibilities of solar power. Following the circumnavigation it was unclear exactly what lay in store for the boat – turning it into a luxury motorboat was floated. Thankfully, the Swiss-flagged boat is to have a useful life carrying out experiments for the University of Geneva, in particular a unique campaign of physical and biological measurements along the Gulf Stream.

Blinded by the sun?the sun is due for the most active phase of its 11-year solar cycle this year and could affect navigation, scientists have warned.

Around May this year is the peak of the solar maximum – a time when solar activity intensifies making part of our upper atmosphere denser.

These changes in the ionosphere could have a disruptive impact on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) lasting into 2014. Increased electrical activity in the ionosphere may scatter GPS signals or knock them out of phase, confusing reception equipment.

The effect can be significant, and varies widely – it is much greater during the day than during the night and will vary with latitude, season and time of day.

The disruption can introduce measurement errors of over 10m and in severe conditions the receiver can lose lock entirely. These effects can last several hours. Users of dual and multiple frequency GNSS receivers may be less susceptible.

The RYA is strongly advising sailors to keep a running log while under way and maintain an estimated position in case of any outage.

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) will issue navigation warnings on the basis of information provided to them by the US Space Weather Prediction Centre. Keep an eye on www.ukho.gov.uk for more details.

The sun-powered world-girdler will put to sea once again

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Ebb and flow

Swan Cup goes Caribbean

Cruisers and racers alike enjoy the stunning weather and social activities in the Caribbean

the first ever Rolex Swan Cup to be held in the Caribbean has finished in Virgin Gorda, in the BVIs.

Serious or semi-serous racing boats and crews made up the majority in the regatta, hosted by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in mid-March. However, it was not just racers taking part, as Swan was keen to encourage their cruising sailors to join in the fun.

In forming the cruising division it was hoped that families, groups of friends or those not all that interested in racing would be able to attend and experience the scenery and the social activities on offer throughout. As such, the racing is relaxed and friendly.

Norbert Murray, skipper and owner of fourth-placed Swan 56 Tenacity, was pleased with the result – but mostly pleased with the week itself.

“We have been racing with friends and family this week and have enjoyed staying on board our Swan.

“We like the cruising division, as it saves the crystal aboard. We were being beaten by a turtle on one day for a while but we eventually caught him up!”

Like its more famous Sardinian counterpart, the next Caribbean Cup takes place in two years’ time.

For the FirSt time in 76 years, five J-Class yachts raced against each other. The historic racing was part of

the St Barth’s Bucket regatta.

five J-CLass yaChts a rare and impressive sight

raCinG was very close between the 120ft to 140ft (36-42m) yachts

froM nearest Velsheda, Ranger and Lionheart

hanuMan won the week with straight wins. The fifth boat was Rainbow

rally racingnew kid on the transat block,

sailing rallies, has introduced a racing division for its maiden

atlantic crossing. it leaves Marina rubicon, Lanzarote, on 16

December this year, and is set to finish at Jolly harbour, antigua.

the brand new ‘arC alternative’ has responded to participants’

calls by launching the irC racing division, under the royal

southampton yC. “since we launched the

Christmas Caribbean rally a few months ago we have been asked repeatedly if we will have a racing division in the rally,” says sailing

rallies founder John simpson. “We have been working hard with the

royal southampton yacht Club and are delighted to announce that

we will be able to run a full racing division for the 2013 event. the

rsyC has enormous experience in organising well-managed racing.”

the cost of entry will be exactly the same for the racing fleet as for

all other boats, though they will have a slightly different set of

safety requirements.

Ro

lEx

ST194 NewsV4.indd 10 16/04/2013 15:54

NORTHSHORE YACHTS LTD. Northshore Shipyard, Itchenor, Chichester,West Sussex PO20 7AY EnglandTel: +44 (0)1243 512611 email: [email protected] www.southerly.com

This true blue water cruiser can beeasily sailed by just two people.With ahigh ballast ratio, broad waterline andgood form stability, the Southerly 47carries an impressive sail plan, strikinga perfect balance between fastcruising performance and comfort.

The variable draft provides a deepdraft (10’3’’) for powerful upwindperformance, yet at the touch of abutton, the keel can be raised forsailing in shallow waters (3’3’’).

Semi balanced twin rudders giveinstantly responsive steering andprecise directional stability.

During extensive sea trials, Garry Fry,commissioning manager commented‘’She was great fun ! Her tall rigand deep keel provided acombination of power andefficiency with minimum leeway,allowing us to point at 300. Herself tacking jib and large mainsailmade sailing to windward a joy. ‘’

Built to order, every Southerly is craftedto individual specification. Please callour sales office to discuss yourpersonal requirements.

Raised saloon with panoramic views

Aft master cabinOpen galley

SOUTHERLY 675 . 57RS . 535 . 47 . 420 . 42RST . 38 . 32

DEEP DRAFT PERFORMANCE ... SHALLOW DRAFT FREEDOM

ST S47 JAN 13 4/4/13 14:12 Page 1

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sailingtoday.co.uk June 2013 12

RM Yachts 1360 c. £290,000 (from €339,800)

RM Yachts of La Rochelle is a family-owned boatyard specialising in a Marc Lombard-designed range of tough, fast, light displacement, bluewater cruising yachts.

As with the entire range, the new 47ft, 1360 is constructed in epoxy sheathed marine ply with GRP decks, to reduce weight and boost performance. Hard chines improve stiff ness and directional stability and she has a large aft cockpit, wide side decks and a cutter rig.

Below, she is open and comfortable with plenty of room for watermakers, generators etc.

Builder: RM Yachts, www.rm-yachts.com UK agent: CW Marine, Tel: +44 (0)1590 647422 www.charles-watson.com

Allures 39.9 from £260,000

This latest off ering from Cherbourg-based Allures Yachting has combined the strengths of an aluminium hull with the benefi ts of shoal draft and comfort below.

Design team Berret-Racoupeau, has drawn a beamy and powerful hull with maximum waterline length for good speed and an easily balanced sail plan for long distance cruising. She has twin helms for easy manoeuvring and a lifting keel for creek crawling.

Below there is excellent visibility from the saloon, bags of useful stowage and a dedicated technical room, as well as a separate shower stall and a dual chart table.

Builder: Allures Yachting, www.allures.fr UK agent: Williams & Smithells, Tel: +44 (0)1329 827 053 www.williamsandsmithells.co.uk

Gunfl eet 58 £1.5m

DESIGNS | LAUNCHES | PROJECTS

FLAGSHIPS

� e new Tony Castro-designed Gun� eet 58 combines an attractive pro� le with the promise of good performance and luxurious accommodation.

� is British-built 58-footer has a twin helm con� guration that o� ers two well protected helm positions and a proper walkthrough, as well as a cavernous full-beam lazarette.

Below she has stylish accommodation for eight in four cabins. � e full-beam master suite and the forward staterooms sport large hull windows that provide natural light and seascape views. � e saloon, too, is � ooded with light through its four large panoramic hull windows.

Her modern hull form with centreboard and twin rudders suggest speed and responsiveness under sail, while her 1.75m board-up draught will allow her to access shallow waters. Board-down, the Gun� eet 58 draws 3.6m for serious upwind potential.

Builder/sales: Gunfl eet Marine Tel: +44 (0)1206 755 070, www.gunfl eetmarine.com

New boats

ST194 New BoatsV2.indd 12 16/04/2013 11:51


GT35 from £214,550

GT Yachts was established in 2011 by commercial naval architect and cruising yachtsman, Conrad Cockburn. Designed by Stephen Jones and built in Norfolk by luxury yacht outfit Windboats, the 35 is the first yacht in the range to be built.

With her modern styling, she cuts a dash as a performance cruiser, including generous freeboard for high stability and good interior volume. Deep cockpit coamings, secure transom and running rigging led aft make this yacht safe yet simple to sail.

Other features include a large owner’s cabin forward, extensive stowage, secure U-shaped galley, decent sea berths, navigation station, wet locker and a large holding tank.

Builder/sales: GT Yachts Tel: +44 (0)1730 264548, www.gtyachts.com

Italia Yachts 13.98 c. £327,000 (from €385,000)

Although she has a distinctly racy look about her, Italia Yachts’ new 13.98 performance cruiser won the European Yacht of the Year Award 2013 in the luxury cruiser category. She’s exhibits as much Italian flair down below as she does sleekness above decks, thanks to designer Maurizio Cossutti and ex-America’s Cup sailor Marco Schiavuta.

Beamy and stiff, with twin helms and a tall rig, the 13.98 is a powerful performer. Below she is quite contemporary - even a little stark - but the exquisite quality of the finish and the beautiful teak joinery give her the feel of a modern luxury apartment.

Builder/sales: Italia Yachts, Tel: +39 011 311 4055, www.italiayachts.it

Dragonfly 32 c. £212,000 (from €249,480)

The 32 is not trailerable, but her large folding outriggers provide more buoyancy and speed than her larger sister.

She comes in a Touring version with a 14.6m high rig or the Supreme, with a 16.6m rig and high-tech sails. A 25hp outboard and tiller steering is standard, but a 20hp inboard diesel with wheel can be fitted.

She has six full-size berths, including a double aft cabin, with a saloon that can seat eight. Headroom is 1.95m in the saloon and 1.87m in the heads.

Builder: Quorning Boats, www.dragonfly.dk UK agent: Multihull Solutions Tel: +44 (0)1243 370707, www.multihullsolutions.co.uk

ST194 New BoatsV2.indd 13 16/04/2013 11:51


Letters | twitter | facebook | emaiL

comment of the month

A cross wordLoving the new updated look, layout, features etc. One criticism, where’s the nautical crossword gone? Always looked forward to it.John Quinn, Sussex, by email

Managing ed replies: It’s gone online! Still the same great crossword, though.

Real step forwardI received my copy of the new look Sailing Today this morning.It looks great – well done. I really enjoyed reading it and that was nothing to do with work! It’s a real step forward. John Simpson, MD Sailing Rallies,

Slightly thinner? The new magazine has a fresh look to it, slightly thinner, but the articles have a quality feel. I enjoyed the article on Rod Heikell. You have lots of iconic sailors you could interview in the future, from the old and bold (Robin Knox-Johnston) to the younger set (Ellen MacArthur).

I’m glad to see the Gull’s Eye back, it was one of the reasons I subscribed many years ago. But disappointed the crossword wasn’t in this issue. It acted like a reminder of things I’d forgotten.Russ Boyd, by email

Managing ed replies: Interesting feedback, Russ. We spent a lot of time

One ‘L’ of a caption Congratulations on the new look to Sailing Today. I feel that as an original subscriber I can fairly judge. I am glad to not see so much text over images or on coloured backgrounds. Thank you, some of us have less than perfect eyesight. Shame about the caption on the picture of the “foundering” of the Bounty! The Captain may well have been “floundering”!

Robin Friend, by emailManaging editor replies: Thanks for your message, Robin. You’re the very ‘sole’ of observation.

looking at what readers had most enjoyed in ST’s heyday before we redesigned the magazine – hence the return of features like Gull’s Eye and seamanship.

There’s still more product testing in ST than any other mag, and a strong practical section. You might also be interested to hear that there are no fewer words in a feature, because the physical page is wider; in fact, there are more!

Boat Show updateWith 21 weeks to go to the 2013 PSP Southampton Boat Show I wanted to update you on the work going into the

Word of mouth

Bahamian Rhapsody

may 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk £4.20

clothing guide Our picks of the top gear for this season

downwind tricks How to get the best from your spinnaker

rod & lu heikell The cruising legends on ‘real’ adventure at sea

cruise to the isles From Wales to Skye on the whisky trail

exciting new look!

now

BiggeRBRighteR

BetteR

Southerly’s new 47 can cross oceans and dry out

Bluewater, lifting keel

turkish sailing holiday for four

exclusive test

YACHTSYACHTING



YACHTSYACHTING



We reveal the best kept secret in the Caribbean

Your handy guide to the gateway to the West Country

Delightful Dartgull’s eye RetuRns

win!

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Your photographs

tOM DuRRAnt has been off sunning himself on the shores of Lake Garda, Italy while the rest of us have been shivering through the British ‘spring’

ALex weBB is already thinking about the Round the Island Race - this pic from a previous edition

KAROL ŻegLARz found a yacht for sale online with no info except a picture. He sent us the image and editor-at-large, Jake Frith quickly identified it as a Silhouette MkII (pictured)

PRize cOMMent Each month our star letter wins a bottle of Old Pulteney Whisky, the genuine maritime malt distilled in the fishing town of Wick. www.inverhouse.com

ST194 LettersV4.indd 14 16/04/2013 15:04


ReadeR’s tipHere’s an idea I had for thin lines that need pulling in hard on my boat, such as

the backstay and kicking strap. As I was always pulling these lines in the same place, I made a permanent puller. It was the work of five minutes to cut 20cm off an old windsurfer mast, drill a hole for the line then wrap it in canvas tape to stop it rattling about on deck.Lewis Connor, Lyme Regis

show. Over 400 exhibitors have confirmed their space, including Oyster Marine, Cornish Crabbers, Star Yachts, Fleming Yachts and Westaway Sails.

We are working with the industry to provide quality learning experiences for sailors and boaters at the show. Early talks are in progress with the Marine Leisure Association for a live boating classroom-style theatre and also with British Sailing regarding an at-show regatta. We are working with The Yacht Harbour Association and the RYA to bring the popular Active Marina Experience back for the second year running and On The Water hosts the free activities Get Afloat and Try-A-Boat.

America’s Cup racing will be fed into the show in prominent locations and the Global Ocean Race will have two feature boats out on the marina.emma York, BMF, by email

tOM McguiRe sent this picture from the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race training. That is the new Clipper 70 under all the snow

cALi PAxtOn shared this from her first day out this season. Apparently it was as cold as it looks

carrying a torchI read with interest your article in the March Issue (ST191) on LED torches. I sail in the RSYC Double Handed series and needed a torch that would allow checking sail trim, deck work and mark spotting at night. Ideally I wanted one with a low-power red light, to preserve night vision, and maximum intensity and reach. But I could only find expensive or cumbersome torches.

Then I found this: the cheap (£9) 400-lumen Cree Q5 with zoom. At the price I thought it worth any limitations. Now, after using it regularly last season, I would be heartbroken to part with it. At 25mm diameter, 92mm long and 63g, it’s smaller and lighter than those you tested and costs less than a third of the cheapest! The zoom feature means it is good on deck and for mark spotting. It has O-ring seals and although I have tested the “rainproof” claim, I haven’t yet immersed it. Steve counsell, by email

Liferaft luckI must mention the excellent customer service we received recently getting our Zodiac liferaft serviced by Nationwide Marine Hire.

John Strickland-Baker gave a full breakdown of the costs over the phone on a Friday and collected the raft the following Tuesday. On Thursday he sent photos of it inflated, and asked a few questions over the additional contents and had the service fully completed by Friday and returned to us the following week. All in all very happy customers. Fiona and Simon Hampton-Matthews, gloucestershire, by email

Just picked up a copy of the magazine, redesign looks fab!Melissa Heppell – new Look St

Bought it yesterday! It’s modern, bright, full-page articles as well as little snippets, great photos, invaluable!georgina Moon – new Look St

Better design & content improvements reflecting the best of then & now but pgs 18-27 on Bahamas & 40 pages of ads?Rosy Farday – new Look St

Liking the new look, but I can never find ST on the shelves! Where is it?Helen Kent – new Look St

in response to our photo of ST‘s Swanwick office being plunged into darkness thanks to

blown light bulbs (punchline suggestions welcome!)

Isn’t there a joke in there somewhere; about how many skippers does it take to change a light bulb?tops’l Yacht club

Jim let us know of his upcoming sailing plans. thankfully, the weather now looks better, so

put away those snow shoes Jim!

Launch day looms next Tuesday, the start of a new season and off through the Crinan Canal back to Ardfern for the summer; have packed snow shoes rather than deckshoes!Jim Hepburn

retweetA selection of readers’ responses regarding

the new look ST.

Get in touch


twitter.com/SailingTodayMag


Sailing today, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place,

London SW3 3TQ Tel: 020 7349 3700

Send your letters to: [email protected]

ST194 LettersV4.indd 15 16/04/2013 15:04


EVENTS | DIARY DATES | PLACES TO VISIT

What’s on

ROUND THE ISLAND RACE / 1 JUNE

SAIL AND ALE / 29 JUNE - 7 JULY

The Big One The race that everyone wants a part of, the JP Morgan Asset Management RTI race is always huge and spectacular

Boating and boozing Guest ales with a nautical theme at the Royal Northumberland YC in Blyth

Beautiful boats in a beautiful town An immensely popular event, the Yarmouth Old Ga� ers Regatta is well worth a visit for those with modern cruisers. Take in the classic boats and the picturesque wetlands around the west of Wight

YARMOUTH OLD GAFFERS / 31 MAY

Transatlantic weekend Planning a transat? Get along to Sailing Rallies’ forum at CA headquarters in Limehouse. 11-12 May

Folkestone Fish Fest Buy local � sh and let a chef cook it for you. Or explore the town’s history. 22-23 June

GB Row 2013 15 teams will set o� from Tower Bridge in a rowing race around Britain. Watch the start, 1 June

DON’T MISS OUR SISTER TITLES IN JUNE

Yachts & Yachting Fastnet Race: your ultimate guide to an iconic race Solo speed: dinghy champion Andy David on winning alone Know your rules

Classic Boat- 300th issue! Launch of the CB hall of fame - our top 300 boats Tuiga by Wm Fife III - our all-time favourite boat Replicas, rebuilds and modern classics

NEXT MONTH IN SAILING TODAYROUND BRITAIN Circumnavigator Michael Wright explains why he rates the unloved northeast coast of Britain

CHILEAN CHANNELS Part two of Uhuru’s adventures takes her to Patagonia

ST HELIER Gull’s Eye is over Jersey’s vibrant capital - just 70nM from Portland

SOFT SHACKLES Cut chandlery costs and save weight with this racer’s trick

HANDHELD GPS/PLOTTER We put the latest nav aids through their paces

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Broadsidethere may be a gizmo for every eventuality afloat, but pirate survivors paul & rachel chandler welcome new technology

Today’s cruising yachts bristle with electric winches, freezers and electronics. It’s easy to scorn these state-of-the-art wonders – apart from the cost, how does a practical

skipper maintain all that paraphernalia? We sail a 33-year old cruiser, but we add

quite a bit of new technology when it becomes affordable. Like most sailors – from dinghy racers to superyacht owners – we want the best equipment for our budget. When a new development promises to make our cruising more comfortable and safer we take a look. Practicality is always an issue. Do we have the room? Is it robust and easy to maintain? If the benefits look worthwhile then we take the plunge.

Surely no one would challenge the benefits of GPS and electronic charting these days? Not long ago, estimating one’s position by dead reckoning and making landfall after an extended passage was an uncertain process. Now we rely on GPS for our position, course and speed over the ground. Electronic charts are more practical on a small boat and on night passages, they come into their own, being easier to read in the dark. But we don’t take anything for granted – failure of electrical kit at sea is not a likelihood, but a certainty, so we still keep our plot on paper charts. And of course, blindly sailing tracks between waypoints is still asking for trouble. Nothing will ever replace the human skill needed to safely pilot a boat in coastal waters.

And where would we be without modern generation and lighting equipment? On passage our nav lights used to deplete our batteries overnight, so power for domestic use was always in short supply. Nowadays, solar panels and wind/water turbines are a practical addition for even the smallest cruising yachts. And the invention of LEDs has revolutionised lighting. We have them everywhere, including certificated ones for the nav lights, deck and cabin lights and even torches. These changes have massively increased our cruising enjoyment – we no longer worry about light and can power a lot more equipment, including fridge and desalinator, than before. At anchor it’s four days before we fire up the engine and on passage we are self-sufficient.

By modern standards, Lynn Rival’s freshwater tanks are small. Including jerry cans, our capacity is only about

170 litres, so our desalinator is another bit of modern equipment we’d not be without. Developed for the military, these units are compact, efficient and affordable. When at sea we run ours for an hour each day, to top up drinking water supplies.

Apart from running out of water, man overboard has to be one of the greatest dreads of bluewater cruisers. Technology has provided three valuable personal safety gizmos, unimaginable a generation ago. When alone on watch we wear a Lifetag, which sounds an alarm on board when submerged or away from the boat, and we carry an AIS beacon, which broadcasts its position to aid the search and recovery, as well as a Personal Locator Beacon. We hope never to use them, but when off-watch one can sleep more easily knowing the other is “tagged”.

Innovations that help watch-keeping are also of interest. We’ve never been sold on radar for short-handed cruising yachts, but favour a radar target enhancer which uses very

little power and increases the chances of us triggering ships’ ARPA systems, and a Class B AIS transceiver, also very frugal on power.

Not so long ago, sailors would wave goodbye and enter blissful isolation when they left the land. VHF, mobiles and Wi-Fi mean that coastal cruisers now need real willpower to get away from it all. For bluewater cruisers, there are satphones and SSB radio, but for us the revolution is broadband satellite. Surfing is still expensive, but we can send emails and get weather information, telephone a doctor, or just a friend – from anywhere in the world. Perhaps that’s still an extravagance, but it makes a big difference to cruising contentment, even if the big mushroom on a pole at the stern is a bit of an eyesore!

Is there room for more? Of course! But not all new gizmos are helpful. We still hanker after basic, affordable sailing instruments with no bells or whistles!

paul & rachel chandler were kidnapped by Somali pirates in 2009 and are now cruising Brazil. ST spoke to them in the Cape Verdes - read the interview next month!

‘VHF, mobiles and Wi-Fi mean that coastal cruisers now need extraordinary willpower

to get away from it all’

Your view

Share your thoughts about paul and

rachel’s column or any other sailing issue




ST194 Opinion_ChandlersV2.indd 19 16/04/2013 12:16

20

To Steve Powell, Antarctica was the last ‘real’ sailing adventure. He ventured into the ice in a GRP yacht. Photos by Mike Powell

INTO THE ICE WILDERNESS

Cruising

ST194 Cruising AntarticaV8.indd 20 16/04/2013 09:39

21


sailingtoday.co.uk june 2013 22

‘Antarctica... felt to me like one of the last true challenges available to a

sailor without massive sponsorship’

Previous spread: Gliding by crabeater seals as the crew use ice poles to push o� growlers

Left: A pod of curious Orcas trailed Uhuru down the Gerlache Strait to Port Lockroy

Right: Sailing in fi ne conditions courtesy of the ‘Uhuru High’


Antarctica

june 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 23

A few days a� er competing in Cowes Week in an RS Elite, I slipped quietly out of Lymington in my Oyster 62 Uhuru for

what was to become an adventure of a lifetime. � ree years and 35,000nM later I sailed back in escorted by friends and family in our own little � otilla. I felt like a hero, and all because of a blog.

Strange things, blogs. Initially the thought terri� ed me, but a� er sharing so many miles, thoughts and experiences with people all over the world. I came to realise that it was the blog that de� ned this trip, and made the experience for me totally unlike anything I had done before. I wasn’t sailing to Antarctica, we all were - it was just that some of us couldn’t physically be there.

� e � rst year saw us cross the Pond with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), cruise the Caribbean and ride

out the hurricane season at Newport, Rhode Island. But it wasn’t until we began our journey back down the east coast of the US in autumn 2009 that we started to pick up a following on the blog.

We sailed into Manhattan down the East River from Long Island Sound. � e pilot book describes this bit of river in the following fashion: ‘� e East River’s reputation as a tricky passage is well deserved. It’s not, and never will be, a popular spot for casual sailing. In fact the East River is not a river at all. It’s a 14-mile long tidal gate that’s narrow and twisty with eight bridges and a tide that runs at up to 6 knots. � e waters seem to boil at Hell Gate, where the river bends and the Harlem River joins from the northwest.’

Turning southWe had timed the East River perfectly, goosewinging the whole way. A� er gybing in Hell Gate and being spat out at 11 knots alongside the Wall Street tra� c jams, we sailed majestically under Manhattan Bridge and passed the Statue of Liberty. Now everywhere we went, as we sailed south through the Delaware and the Chesapeake, past Annapolis, Charleston, Savannah, Cape Canaveral, Fort Lauderdale and Key West, we gathered more blog fans as we were asked: “Where are you going?”

“South,” I’d say. “To the Caribbean?” came the reply. “No, ALL the way south; proper

south. We’re on our way to Antarctica.”

Boy, that’s the way to pick up fans. From that moment on we had a major blog following. Now I started to

feel as if we really were going in the right direction. Ever since deciding to buy an Oyster and have her built and modi� ed for high latitude sailing, I’d had this goal of Antarctica and the Chilean Channels. I’d read a great deal about the history of the area and other sailors’ stories abounded. It felt like one of the last true challenges available to a sailor without massive sponsorship, and teams of backup and support. � is simple goal was true adventure sailing.

We spent another season in the Caribbean, this time Cuba, Jamaica, Bonaire and the usual spots. Great fun; but in reality I was waiting, and learning. Waiting for my eldest daughter to � nish university in the hope that she could join me for the Antarctic leg. And learning as much as I could about Uhuru and what to expect when I got there. I had now identi� ed January 2011 as our target date and booked Richard Haworth from High Latitudes to join us as our ice guide.

Hurricane surfi ngOn 1 October 2010, we le� Grenada just as the island was shutting down for Hurricane Otto. Knowing we had

In the lee of a vast iceberg, Mike launched the RIB to photograph Uhuru

Below left: Uhuru at rest among fragments of ice in Orne Bay

Below right: A crabeater seal at rest on the ice

WILDLIFEChinstrap penguins, Pygoscelis antarcticusOnly found in a narrow band of the Southern Ocean, and considered the most aggressive species of penguin.

Wandering albatross, Diomedea exulansIts 2.5m to 3.5m wingspan is the largest in the world, but it is a vulnerable species, with only 8,000 breeding pairs left.

Crabeater seal, Lobodon carcinophagusFound only in Antarctica, these 2m seals mainly inhabit fl oating pack ice and are the world’s most abundant seal.



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Antarctica


about 400nM upwind, and against the prevailing current, to make our � rst stop in the mouth of the Essequibo River in British Guyana, we motored hard, straight towards Otto for 24 hours.

� ere was zero wind as the storm had sucked it all from its southwest quadrant. So the moment we felt wind coming from the northwest, we bore away and ran. We had the perfect start, bouncing o� a hurricane, which put us far enough east to allow a comfortable sail down south to Guyana.

River sailingOne of the many reasons for heading south from Grenada, which is de� nitely not the ‘proper’ way to do it, was because I wanted to go up a rainforest river and visit Devil’s Island. Other than ‘doing the Amazon’, which poses a lot of problems and is a fairly major expedition in itself, the Essequibo River o� ered everything I was looking

for: challenging waters, lots of local colour, rainforest and Bartica, an old mining town about 75 miles upstream.

When we arrived, all the local dignitaries insisted on coming out to the boat to ‘inspect’ her for contraband. But in reality it was to drink my gin and tonic and take pictures of themselves at the helm. Uhuru, we were assured, was the largest sailing boat ever to make it up to Bartica.

A� er our little excursion upriver, we had to put some serious miles in. � e next leg was 2000nM upwind and against the prevailing current to get us round South America’s right shoulder. � en the winds and currents split, and we would be back into normal sailing routes. We also had quite a tight schedule to get down to the Falklands before Christmas and � t in some ‘family’ cruising.

So apart from one short stop in Devil’s Island, of Papillon fame, we put in a long, hard leg, crossing the equator on 24 October and arriving in Salvador on 6 November. Family joined us and we had a wonderful couple of weeks cruising down the Brazilian coast before waving them off to fly back home in Rio. Now things would get serious, we were heading into the South Atlantic.

Pirate pursuitOther than being chased by pirates on our second day out from Rio, it all went pretty well. � e pirates could have been innocent � shermen trying to sell us some shrimp 75 miles o� the Brazilian coast, of course, but I doubt it. Fishermen don’t chase you for three miles directly out to sea. Fortunately, my engine was bigger than theirs! We arrived in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, on 20 December a� er being hit by three separate gales on the crossing from Uruguay. But we were in time for Christmas.

Christmas and New Year in Port Stanley was a joy, singing carols under the Whalebone Arch and many a lively evening in the Victory pub, just like home. Very friendly and helpful locals took a genuine interest in what we were

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LiLiLivivivingngston Ison Is.ANTARCTICA

UHURUOyster 62, 2008

LOA: 63ft 4in (19.3m)

LWL: 55ft (16.8m)

Beam: 17ft 8in (5.4m)

Draught: 8ft 11in (2.7m)

Displacement: 73,300lb (33,250kg)

Sail Area: 1,844sqft (171m²)

Fuel: 440gal (2,000lt)

Water: 285gal (1,300lt)

Berths: 8 (4 cabins)

Engine: 187hp Perkins Sabre M85C

Top mods: Extra fuel tank; higher cut foresails; heat exchanger on SeaFresh watermaker intake; high output inverter

Top gear: Forward looking depth sounder, remote control windlass; ice light; Spade 200 anchor


sailingtoday.co.uk june 2013 26

large chunks of ice, often weighing several tons, that have broken off an iceberg and are floating just on the surface where they’re very hard to see. Any one of these small bergs could easily rip the bottom out of Uhuru. Which is a rather sobering thought while you are on watch; tends to focus the mind.

We spent a lot of time pinching ourselves. We just could not believe this place - Antarctica was truly out of this world. How do you adequately describe the feeling of sailing along under a deep blue sky, with the wind whistling through the rigging, little penguins ‘hopping’ alongside, birds circling constantly, whales popping up every now and then, all with the “ever present danger of growlers”? It doesn’t matter who you are - every

planning. But mainly, we were there to make our final preparations for heading south.

� e team for the Antarctic leg arrived, consisting of me and Chris Durham, skipper and � rst mate, the only permanent crew. Also on board would be my brother Mike (photographer, climber and diver), Richard Haworth, (ice guide, climber and diver), and a good friend and racing partner Al ‘Buzz’ Keck, (sailor). Plus, of course, several thousand blog fans, who all seemed to be sending emails of good wishes.

Iceberg to starboardA� er a relatively easy trip across the Drake Passage, our arrival in Antarctica was astonishing, and from that moment on I struggled daily to come up with new superlatives to describe our experiences. � e sight of our � rst towering iceberg was breathtaking, so much so that we heaved-to and launched the tender for pictures.

We spent the � rst night at anchor in Deception Island, an anchorage inside a volcano that had erupted as

recently as 1976. We managed a few very important maintenance jobs in the morning then spent the a� ernoon on the beach with the penguins. Yes, there are beaches, albeit black lava sand, and the penguins love it because the hot spring water, seeping out of the still active volcano, gives a waterline of hot water for about 18in (46cm) out.

We set out very early the next morning in near perfect conditions: sunshine and wind. The moment we came out of Deception Island through Neptune’s Bellows, the aptly named gap in the crater wall, we were greeted by whales and more penguins. The rest of the day whales entertained us. And icebergs; there were hundreds of them, and nasty little ‘growlers’ –

‘I struggled daily to try to come up with new and interesting superlatives’

Top: Mike, Chris and Buzz set o to climb Spigots Peak to get pictures of penguins and Uhuru from above

Above: Entering the Lemaire Channel, aka Kodak Alley

Above right: Despite the settled conditions, extreme cold complicated simple tasks on deck


Untitled-22 1 16/04/2013 16:50

Antarctica

28 sailingtoday.co.uk june 2013

now and then that very deep and dark thought will creep up on you: ‘We are at the end of the world down here, and if anything goes wrong…’ Well, let’s not � nish that thought, but I am sure everyone who has ever come down here must have had it.

The Uhuru HighA� er visiting a number of other anchorages including Enterprise Island, where we had been ra� ed up against an old wrecked whaler. We set out at 5am one morning – Friday, 14 January 2011, to be precise. Words cannot possibly begin to describe that day. � e weather was perfect, with blue skies and little white � u� y clouds. A strong and stable high had settled over the Graham Land peninsular, which later became known as the “Uhuru High” by the local charter skippers.

We started o� with the usual escort of penguins and terns, and then we had a full display from a pod of humpback whales. As we eased our way into Orne Bay, a pair of crabeater seals obliged by posing on a berg right next to us. Mike, Buzz and Chris then went ashore to climb Spigot Peak to photograph the penguins and get a picture of Uhuru creeping through the ice below. As we le� , we came across a leopard seal basking in the sun having just � nished a snack, evidenced by the blood still on his chin. � en a large pod of orcas (killer whales) followed us for about 30 minutes as we gently cruised down the Gerlache Straits towards Port Lockroy. By this time, there was a very distinct holiday atmosphere on board as we were running around the boat snapping pictures here and there, like kids in

a sweet factory. For the next few days, we were based in Port Lockroy, an old British ice station that is now a penguin research station and ‘tourist stop’ for the large expedition boats that visit. We did a lot of diving, climbing and exploring from there. Mike and Rich successfully climbed Pico Luigi (see le� ), a 1530m peak behind the port.

Our journey continued south down through the Lemaire Channel and Port Charcot, 65° south, where the ice was now becoming a lot thicker and the going got slower. We had reached the safe limit – safe being a relative term - of our glass� bre boat and the weather was turning. We’d had a fantastic time, had climbed peaks, dived wrecks and whale graveyards, seen more wildlife than we could have hoped for, all in the most beautiful and remote setting in the world. It was time to head north around Cape Horn to Porto Williams, Chile.

Read part two of Uhuru’s tale in the next issue of ST. Follow her latest exploits at blog.mailasail.com/uhuru

Climbing Pico Luigi

by Mike Powell

Uhuru’s climbers. Rich and I were captivated by the bulk of Pico Luigi and his seven sisters. We’d braved excess baggage and irritable airline checkers to bring mountaineering ski gear, and we were determined to use it. We had a chance to do a peak that was just on the edge of unsure, in a place where most peaks rarely get climbed.

Skinning up. As we crested the fi rst ridge, we had a reminder why the route we would travel up was called Thunder Glacier. A huge avalanche broke free of Luigi’s face and swept right across our path. We skinned up the slope roped together and four hours later, we were up on the ridge swapping skis for crampons and ice axes. Anywhere else on Earth, this place would have been crawling with mountain enthusiasts.

Ice cream climbing. On the ridge, we got into some steep snow climbing - like getting lost in a billion gallons of ice cream. Up steep ridges, over crevasses, under giant waves of snow and ice. Every time we turned a corner, we found another reason to go on, despite dry mouths and wobbly legs. Finally, after sneaking under a perfectly formed 60ft Hawaiian wave, I climbed a few more metres and there was nowhere else to go but down in all directions. We had reached the summit.

Powder turns. On the way down, adrenaline kicked in and we skied the big glacial bowl putting perfect fi gure-of-eight turns down the face in silky spring snow, then a high speed straight line for miles across the Thunder Glacier till our thighs screamed for mercy. One last slog up the fi nal hill, then we could see Uhuru and call for a pick up and long dreamt-for food and beer. A great day in mountains that rarely give you the privilege.

Above left: Penguins in Thunder Bay

Above right: Diana Dors was among the pin-up paintings in the hut at Port Lockroy

Ice guide Richard Haworth (left) with author Steve Powell at the helm


Antarctica

june 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 29

‘A huge avalanche broke free of Luigi’s face and swept right across the

route we would take’

Clockwise from top: Richard Haworth uses crampons and ice axe to scale the last part of Pico Luigi; the day of the ascent couldn’t have been calmer; close to the summit, under a wave of ice; halfway up, the day’s second avalanche thundered downhill


Strap book


ST194 Interview_PaulLarsenV4 .indd 30 16/04/2013 11:42


Rocketmanpolymath or passionate sailor who likes a challenge? Toby Heppell speaks to record breaking speedster and adventurer, paul larsen

“I’m always scared when I take on these challenges – I was never the reckless or brave kid in school,” says Paul Larsen when I meet him in a Southampton hotel while rain lashes the windows. “I guess I like to break things down and see how the problems can be solved. That is

the kick for me and that is how it has always been.”Larsen is probably best known for hammering along at

65 knots in the World Speed Sailing Record-smashing Vestas Sailrocket. It came as something of a surprise, then, when we heard he was to follow this by taking part in the recreation of the infamous Ernest Shackleton rescue voyage, navigating a lifeboat at roughly 3 knots from Elephant Island to South Georgia.

He became inspired to build the speedster after reading The 40 knot sailboat, written by Bernard Smith in 1963. “When I first read it my immediate reaction was, ‘why has no-one done this?’ The more I started looking at all the other boats around me, I just started thinking ‘my god, they are all flawed’,” he explains, with an infectious smile.

This revelation was the start of a long journey for Larsen and his team. A significant frustration was that the revolutionary nature of the boat made it difficult for those looking on to comprehend his confidence. He was sure that her cutting-edge hydrofoils and aerodynamics would help propel her to 60 knots plus, but many in the speed-sailing world were less convinced.

The doubt was, in some eyes, vindicated during the work-up of Vestas Sailrocket Mk1, when the boat flipped (see www.sailingtoday.co.uk). However, Larsen maintains the Mk1 boat was impressive, particularly when you consider it was a first go; it would have been surprising had they gone out and broken the record.

Since smashing the record – the team eventually beat it by the greatest margin in history – the derision that had come from some quarters, particularly after the crash of the first boat and another big crash in the Mk2 boat, dried up. Companies came out of the woodwork offering money. “It’s great that they want to work with us, but there is a small sense now that we are done. I am also very wary of commercialising Sailrocket; it wouldn’t really do much for the world if it just becomes another toy for the human race to go and abuse.”

Larsen is known for being up-front about his projects – read his blog at www.Sailrocket.com to see more of the boat’s history in his own words. This outspoken nature

comes across when he voices concerns about commercial prospects for the boat, and it is clear the affable Aussie struggles with the moral maze of sponsorship. “As soon as someone comes along offering millions, you can start to prostitute yourself,” he explains. “You end up saying, ‘yeah we can bend it so that the petrol, cigarette and pizza markets can be covered, there is an obvious correlation’. It’s total rubbish, of course.”

Commercialism is an area that has, perhaps, the greatest correlation with the Shackleton story. “[Shackleton’s] version of events absolutely stands up 100 per cent and I don’t want to belittle what he did. However, there was a definite element of showmanship in the telling of it,” Larsen explains. Though the journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia is often referred to as the greatest navigational feat in history, Larsen says he found the experience easier than imagined – or than is made out in the recounting.

The Shackleton recreation was half funded by the Discovery Channel, so there was a sense that, although the navigation was easier than expected, they could not just finish the thing, shrug and say it was easy on film. In truth, they only managed a decent

noon-sight on the sextant four days into the journey, but Larsen thinks they could have made South Georgia on dead reckoning alone.

Despite the navigation being easier than expected, the hardships felt by the crew were very real, however. Much of the difficulty was self-imposed, as the team insisted on trying to recreate the voyage as closely as possible. This led to many complications from the cold and wet, such as trench foot. “After a few days you realise your feet are really cold,” Paul recalls. “It is cold I have never felt before and they won’t warm up. You feel the cold getting deeper, getting into the bones. If you can imagine your feet being lumps of dead meat from a supermarket, which you can sort of feel attached – that is what it was like.”

Aside from the challenge of navigation and cold, there was one more reason Larsen took to the freezing Southern Ocean in a lifeboat: to reflect and plan. “It was a chance to sit out there and watch wind and wave patterns. The next plan might well be to build an offshore speed record breaker and if we are going to do that then it is good to sit and watch those things,” he concludes tantalisingly.

Read more from the interview at www.sailingtoday.co.uk

‘Imagine your feet being lumps of dead meat from

a supermarket’

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ST194 Interview_PaulLarsenV4 .indd 31 16/04/2013 11:42


Sailing is, for many, all about the contrasts. And one of the greatest of contrasts we are blessed with in the UK is that of a grey, storm

lashed seascape followed shortly afterwards by a muddy creek and snug country pub. After a February Saturday thrash across Christchurch Bay with a novice crew who had been suffering in the cold, grey meadows of swell which were funneling their way in from the Atlantic, we hung a sharp left around Hurst Castle. We had set out from Poole in a newly purchased, but very secondhand 23-footer that afternoon with 40 knot gusts forecast ‘later’. The passage was a broad reach down to Milford where we would pick up the North Channel around Hurst and soon duck into the relative sanctuary of the Solent.

I had struggled to get crew for this short delivery, as most people I know are sailors and therefore knew exactly what February snow flurries and 40 knots of wind would be like in a small boat. Hitherto unmentioned family gatherings and other tenuous excuses had filled my inbox. In the end I had tricked a non-sailing work colleague into the trip with vague promises of a pub lunch at the end.

He had turned up in jeans and paper-thin golfing waterproofs, but he was young, strong and equipped with

a gung-ho attitude that we were both sure would stand him in good stead. While the trip’s end was planned to be my mooring on Southampton Water, my friend’s colour across the eastern end of Christchurch Bay, and the fact that the use of our hands had been lost to the cold several hours before, suggested that we break the trip and hightail it into Keyhaven and the Gun Inn.

There are several options when it comes to entering Keyhaven, none of them lending themselves to those with a busy schedule to meet. A drying harbour, tucked in to the north of Hurst Castle Spit, it’s a place where old bilge keelers go to die to the mournful soundtrack of curlews and oystercatchers. Getting up to the harbour wall itself is one for high water and smaller boats that will take the ground. It’s something I have only done twice in a decade of Solent

It’s not all about marinas and wall to wall Sunseekers

in the Solent. Jake Frith rediscovers the art of

swinging off the hook and pumping up the dinghy

Keyhaven Secret placeS

Above: Nestled snugly behind Hurst Castle Spit, Keyhaven is easilly missed

Above: Mount Lake branches off Keyhaven River inside the protective arm of the Shingle

ST194 Secret PlacesV2.indd 32 16/04/2013 12:42


Secret Places

cruising, as the quay only berths three or four small boats by prior arrangement with the river warden and there’s a fair chance of getting snugged in at the Gun and having to remain there for a whole tide.

There is useful holding ground, though, to the north of Hurst Castle where the spit recurves, providing shelter from wind with any west in it. Too cold to begin secondary port tidal calculations and calls to the harbourmaster, we dropped the hook here in 6m and proceeded to pump up the dinghy.

The trip up the channels into town was a great opportunity to rediscover our small channel pilotage skills; the putty was never far away. Key is to pass the moored boats as closely as possible on the bow side of them. It’s a long old putter up the channel to Keyhaven itself, but it has to be to keep the crowds out.

Keyhaven: 50º42’.84n 001º33’.26W

The Gun Inn Keyhaven’s only pub specialises in locally-caught crab and offers a cosy retreat from the wind whistling across the saltmarshes. The building has been a pub on and off since the 1700s and provides much welcomed warmth, hospitality and open fires in the winter. The Gun offers a staggering array of over 240 malt whiskies. It’s also a dog friendly pub.

Hurst CastleThese imposing battlements, here in one form or another since Henry VIII’s day, are open to the public and well worth a poke about. During the summer months boat trips run here from Keyhaven, or you can make the 1 ½ mile trek down the shingle of the spit or even take your own dinghy down there. Just don’t use the private jetties east and west of the lighthouse.

Pennington MarshesThe Solent Way walk around the old salt pans east to Lymington provides scenic Solent views and more rare seabirds than you can shake a pair of binoculars at. Lymington itself provides numerous eating establishments so it’s well worth the 1 ½ hour walk. There are also several circular walks which cross this watery wilderness.

Share your own secret place, your thoughts about Keyhaven or about any other sailing issues




ST194 Secret PlacesV2.indd 33 16/04/2013 14:11

GULL’S EYE Pwllheli


Exhibiting stunning backdrops and some of the � nest sailing waters in the UK, Pwllheli sits on the northwest corner of Cardigan Bay, roughly

10 miles from the famous Snowdonia National Park and overlooked by the mountains there. � e town itself is small and, though it had a large � shing industry in times gone by, is now mostly dedicated to tourism and some farming.

Speaking to local sailors on our visit it is clear they hold the safe and accessible sailing conditions in the

A quiet place of consistent winds and fi ne scenery, fi nds Toby Heppell

PWLLHELI

Local berth holderSteve Tudor – J109

Steve is clearly a man who loves Pwllheli, and is Commodore of the local sailing club.

Meeting him is something of a whirlwind experience:

barely are hands shaken than he is extolling the many virtues of the area.

An o� shore racer at heart, Steve spends much of his time dashing to or from Ireland, and is keen to point out this is an easy daysail away.

He waxes lyrical about the prevailing sou’westerlies and shelter o� ered by the harbour. The easy access to clean

winds, short waves and generally top notch racing waters also ranks highly for him. The surrounding area’s natural beauty is a big factor in his local pride. Not only is the bay overlooked by the Snowdonia National Park, but the town’s proximity to this outstandingly beautiful area make for a fi ne turn ashore between races.

CRUISING GROUNDS

NearbyCruising within the confi nes of northern Cardigan Bay is a breathtaking experience, with the backdrop of the Snowdonia National Park. However, anchorage and mooring options are limited. Abersoch lies roughly 10 miles further round the bay to the west and is a nice short trip. Barmouth sits much more centrally in the park, 15 miles to the southeast. There are other smaller spots, but beware drying moorings and exposed rocks.

Further afi eldThe real appeal of Pwllheli is the shelter it o� ers and its perfect position for easy access to the east coast of Ireland. With the Emerald Isle just 55-70 miles away – depending on intended landfall – it is no more than a long daysail. Pwllheli also serves as something of a safe haven on passage between the Isle of Man or Scotland and the south. Many choose to make the long passage across the bay in one hit, fi nishing up in Fishguard.

bay in very high regard – and rightly so. From the sheltered marina entrance, heading to sea seems easy and you are instantly within a beautiful, tide-light sailing area that is free of commercial shipping.

It is perhaps the biggest testament to the area that plans for a sailing academy have recently been � nalised – to the tune of £8.3m – this will make Pwllheli one of four academies in the UK, alongside Weymouth, Hayling Island and Largs. Although this establishment is dedicated to racing, it is a strong indication of the quality of the sailing on o� er here.

GULL’S EYE

Hafan Pwllheli is a large bowl hidden behind a substantial wall; the sort of harbour that calms the nerves

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New academyA new sailing academy is due to be built shortly. It will be accompanied by new, high load pontoons.

Hafan PwllheliThe marina o� ce is on the top fl oor of the building. The very impressive showers and laundry facilities are located on the ground fl oor.

PWLLHELI50° 21’ .4N 003° 34’.6W

GULL’S EYE



ST194 Gull's Eye_GateDigital.indd 36 18/04/2013 11:43


Dinghy events A signifi cant number of international dinghy events take place here and numbers will increase with the construction of the new sailing academy. Dinghies launch from the beach, so normally have little e� ect on cruisers.

FACTFILEHAFAN PWLLHELI

Contact: +44 (0)1758 701219 www.hafanpwllheli.co.uk

Berths: 400

Facilities: Wi-Fi, electricity, showers, 50t hoist, laundrette

Tides: Dover -0300

VHF: Channel 12

Maximum size: 80ft

Price: £2.40 per metre per day

EntranceThe entrance to Hafan Pwllheli is prone to silting and is very narrow, so care must be taken, particularly in the busier summer months.




Cardigan Bay o� ers few options for protection from the predominantly southwesterly winds – which also mean all

anchorages along the coast are o� en a lee shore. In addition, many harbours and anchorages in the bay have bars that can be hazardous to cross in the wrong conditions or at the wrong state of tide.

All these factors make the excellent protection o� ered by Hafan (marina in Welsh) Pwllheli, tucked away inside the Llyn Peninsular, attractive to the yachtsman. In fact, Pwllheli is the only sheltered harbour anywhere in the north of the bay.

If approaching from the northwest, a great deal of care needs to be taken on passage between the tip of the

Passage planning

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SAILING LMANAC

Llyn Peninsular and Bardsey Island, which lies to the west of the peninsular. Tide here will be a signi� cant factor in planning. Yachstmen will want to catch this at slack water or on the � ood, as the tide can � ow at up to 6 knots through the channel.

Once round the tip of the Llyn – itself a fair way from Pwllheli – there are a few dangers to watch for. To the south of Abersoch lies the Trwyn Cilan headland, where the shallow water and strong current can create occasional overfalls. We recommend leaving plenty of searoom to avoid this slight hazard. Shortly a� er the headland lie St Tudwal’s Islands, just to the southeast of Abersoch. Both are privately owned, the westernmost belonging to explorer Bear Grylls. � ere is a conspicuous conical rock, named Gimblet Rock, just before the entrance to Pwllheli, though it does not protrude far enough out to sea to cause any real disruption and is easily spotted.

Roughly 5 cables southeast of the marina entrance is the Fairway Buoy, at 52° 53’ N, 04° 23’ W. From here, a course of 294° will bring you into the entrance of the marina itself. Quick-� ashing red and green beacons (QR and QG) mark the entrance, with further beacons

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS

Stepping AshoreWhile Pwllheli itself is a working town, it has good transport links and provides an excellent base for exploration, whether it’s nearby Criccieth Castle or Sir Clough Williams-Ellis’s Italianate village at Portmerion that takes your fancy. There is a large supermarket in town, but unfortunately this is just on the side of too far away to make for an easy victualling trip on foot. Firmhelm, Lynn Marine, Rowlands and Boatshed are all boatyards within the marina complex, with Firmhelm also incorporating a large chandlery.

The Mariner restaurant seems to be the most popular eatery with people waxing lyrical about their steaks – and there was us expecting lamb to be the main feature of menus in this part of the world.

For those not wishing to venture too far, there is a big market every Wednesday, or you could choose to head to Pwllheli on one of the many big event weekends they hold. Wakestock – a wakeboarding

exhibition weekend and music festival – draws huge crowds, but beware, it tends to be exactly the sort of young, boisterous folks you would expect at this sort of event!

With the railway station close by, access even to Snowdonia National Park is easy. Once in rural Wales the scenery is truly breathtaking.

PWLLHELI: 52° 53’ N, 04° 23’ WFairway Buoy at the entrance of the harbour

The marina is well sheltered and backed with beautiful, mountainous views

‘St Patrick’s Causeway…extends a good 14 miles

into the bay’


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leading into the harbour. � e channel itself is narrow, so take care with navigation. It is also prone to silting, due to the sandy beaches nearby. � e channel is dredged every � ve years – it will be done this October (2013) – and maximum depth drops to around 2.5m by the end on a dredging cycle. � e channel is dredged to 0.5m above chart datum, to bring it to the same depth as the waters immediately outside the harbour entrance.

From the southApproaching from the south, the main issues are in the various banks of volcanic rock stretching out into Cardigan Bay. � e biggest of these is Sarn Badrig (St Patrick’s Causeway), which starts at Mochras Point on Shell Island – roughly halfway between Barmouth and Pwllheli – and extends a good 14 miles into the bay. However, this should be of no

Costs

BERTHING CHARGES: For vessels up to 100ft (30.5m)

Duration Per metre LOA

Overnight to depart by mid-day

£2.40 (min 7m)

Nearby stopsN: Caernarfon, Port Dinorwic, HolyheadS: Aberystwyth, FishguardOverseas: Dun Laoghaire (Dublin)

concern to yachtsmen out for a sail from Pwllheli, nor to those crossing Cardigan Bay; only those wishing to port hop up the bay need to be watchful.

Finally, much of the southern portion of the Bay is covered by the MoD Aberporth Sea and Danger Area, and is used as a military test range. � is needs to be heeded if any true passsage making is to be attempted. Operating hours are 0900hrs to 1700hrs, Monday to

Reader offerSAVE 10% on IMRAY charts and pilots

Friday, but can be subject to change. For a map detailing the area and for a weekly � ring programme, check online at www.aberporth.qinetiq.com. � e MoD announces all planned � rings over VHF Ch16 and 12.

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On test

ST194 Boat Test_SO41DSV2.indd 40 17/04/2013 14:51


Space maker

Jeanneau’s roomy Deck Saloon range has recently been expanded

with the launch of its new 41DS. Duncan Kent reports

The most recent launch in Jeanneau’s renowned Sun Odyssey DS (Deck Saloon) range of ocean cruising yachts, the 41DS supersedes the

older 42DS and is little sister to the 44DS, 50DS and 54DS.

Creating an attractive looking yacht with a deck saloon at just over 40ft (12.2m) is no easy task, but Jeanneau’s stylist, Franck Darnet has done well with the 41DS. Although she’s one of the most streamlined cruising yachts of her size, I felt her gradually sloping ‘eyebrow’ superstructure didn’t quite suit this length of boat and would be more at home on a 50ft plus (15.2m) yacht.

The 41DS uses the same Philippe Briand-designed hull as the recently launched S/O 409, and as such she’s equally quick and agile. Thoroughly

up to date in all aspects – flush hatches, twin wheels, walk-through transom and much more – she also sports several desirable options such as Jeanneau’s much-vaunted 360 Docking system, incorporating a 360-degree rotating sail drive leg and bow thruster, which is purported to make parking up idiot-proof.

Flexible designWith 50 years of boatbuilding behind it, the Jeanneau yard (now part of Group Beneteau) has bags of experience when it comes to the creation of offshore and ocean-going bluewater yachts. In addition to highly-skilled design teams and the use of clever CAD design software, the yard also says it listens carefully to its owners and does its best to incorporate any useful suggestions into its next boat.

As well as high-tech computer aids for the drawing stages, Jeanneau uses a very contemporary composite build process, which it calls Prisma. In short this is a vacuum-bagging, resin injection system not uncommon in boatbuilding these days. But married to rigorous material inspection and analysis, the process ensures uniformity throughout the moulding

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Easy to handleThe s/O 41Ds has been specifically designed to be sailed by a couple on their own, with all control lines leading aft to helm-side winches


Jeanneau sun Odyssey 41Ds


Chines are backThis subtle chine in her quarter helps increase her stability and stiffness when she is heeled over

stage and a top quality finish to the end product. Its efficiency and lack of waste products also enables prices to be kept reasonable and does less harm to the environment and its employees by reducing airborne VOCs to a minimum.

Short-handedLike many modern cruising yachts the 41DS sports a bow thruster option (+£5K) for help when manoeuvring into tightly-packed berths. If you’re really concerned about parking, Jeanneau can install its optional 360 Docking system (+£24K incl bow thruster), in which the sail drive leg rotates as well.

As she comes (furling main, 106 per cent genoa) her sail plan is relatively conservative, so I would definitely add an asymmetric to the sail wardrobe for downwind sailing in light airs. Unfortunately, you can’t easily hoist a larger furling genoa as the sheet is led under the coachroof top very close to the clew, so it would involve fitting a second track on deck and finding a way to lead the sheet to the primary winch. Better to fly a gennaker or cruising chute sheeted through a deck block. If you do go for this, then you may as well add the convenience of the self-tacking jib for beating up small channels, as you’ll have all the extra power needed for long reaches.

While I see the point in leading the sheets aft, it can sometimes complicate matters more. Now that almost every cruising yacht has twin helms, the German mainsheet system (where a one-piece mainsheet has each end leading to the opposite primary winch) seems to be being universally adopted. While being able to trim it either side may seem convenient, in reality the extra friction means you need a winch handle or electric winch to trim. Also, if you favour one side more than the other, eventually you’ll run out of sheet on one side and will need to rebalance the system.

More importantly, though, the way the 41DS is set up, you only have one winch to serve the mainsheet and headsail sheet. So, when you want to tack you need to jam off the mainsheet, take it off the winch and wind the jib sheet on instead. While this gets easier as you become accustomed to it, it slows the tacking procedure down considerably.

Need to be nimbleOn deck it’s easy to move around thanks to clear side decks and good handrails, but the urge to hide as many lines as possible means the headsail furling line runs awkwardly

Contemporary styleThis ‘eyebrow’ styling probably suits the larger models more than this 41-footer

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across the foredeck, creating an inevitable trip hazard.

Her cockpit is spacious and well protected by tall coamings – although you’ll have to step over the lines across the top to get onto the side deck, and the midway step




Winch jugglingThe primary winches serve both the mainsheet and jib/genoa, which involves jamming off one sheet to trim the other

Sail choicesJeanneau offers a choice of headsails – a self-tacking jib or this standard 106 per cent furling genoa

Twin rollersTwin bow rollers are very useful when anchoring in open, windy areas

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day with Force 3 winds and calm seas, so we weren’t able to push her that hard. But it was enough to feel how quickly she gets into her groove and I could easily leave the helm for two or three minutes at a time without her drifting off course.

Tacking her small genoa is dead easy – most times we didn’t need to winch the sheet even. Tacking angles of 80° were easily achieved, although I believe they would be improved further with the performance sails option pack.

In around 12 knots true wind we made 5.8-6.2 knots close-hauled (34° to the apparent wind), increasing to 6.4kn at 45° and 6.8-7.0 knots when close reaching at 60°. Her hull lines work very well in light airs, with the quarter chine biting in for extra stiffness when heeled in the gusts.

Downwind she slowed to a more conservative 4 knots-odd, with the genny tending to flap when the wind came from beyond 150° off our heading. With her sleek underwater lines, however, I’m convinced an asymmetric would have added a further 2 knots plus to that figure.

To Jeanneau, deck saloon obviously means big windows. Because, apart from the large aft cabin, that’s the only real difference between this and the standard 409. Headroom is still only just over 6ft (1.85m) and the seating isn’t raised. Now, to me the original and true meaning of ‘deck saloon’ is where either the cabin sole is at deck level, or the seating is raised to offer panoramic views. The 41DS has

outboard is very narrow. The helm area is roomy enough and there are small rope bins each side – the top of which make useful seats for the helmsman. A twin bottle gas locker is under the starboard quarter, a deep lazarette to port.

In contrast to most modern production designs, Jeanneau has stayed with the step-down transom for the DS range, as opposed to the large drop-down platforms fitted to its standard cruiser series. Although it looks slightly better, a larger boarding platform is rapidly becoming popular for charter and bluewater use, and saves money when moored in a marina.

At the aft end of the cockpit sole is a raised lip – probably to stop things rolling out when dropped, but it is so high (6in/15cm) that I think it could cause more accidents than it prevents. There’s also no dedicated or obvious place for stowing a liferaft.

Good performerNow for some positives! She’s balanced, light on the helm and keeps her course with the minimum of effort. We had a very benign test

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www.fi rmhelm-marine.co.uk

Chandlery& MarineLeisurewear

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ST_194_040.indd 44 18/04/2013 10:19



1

(10cm) step down is necessary, which initially caught us unawares.

The folding saloon table can be lowered to form a double berth with two 2in (5cm)-thick infill cushions. Opposite is a short settee, which also serves as a chart table seat. I’m sure it could be easily modified to provide a further sea berth. The chart table is oddly proportioned, although fine for chartwork standing up. There’s plenty of chart stowage and the bosun’s stores below can be fitted with an additional fridge.

The switch panel is reasonable, with a multi-function level gauge, but there is not much room for instruments on the console.

2

Luxurious aft cabinOne of the most desirable features of a cruising yacht is a comfortable owner’s cabin. a space of these proportions is quite rare in an aft-cockpit design, but you’d struggle to notice the difference between this well-lit, spacious cabin and one you’d expect to find in a centre-cockpit boat

Deck saloonalthough Jeanneau calls this a deck saloon yacht – and it does indeed have very large windows – there’s no raised seating to give panoramic views outside. Hull lights help keep it bright, but do little to improve the view when seated

Chart tableThis is a good size if you prefer standing at the chart table. The locker below can either be a bottle store or a drinks fridge

1

She has a fine galley to starboard, with moulded sink and drainer, good size top-loading fridge, built-in microwave, two-ring cooker/oven and integral rubbish bin. Although it is bright below, airflow relies on two mushroom vents and four small hatches above. There are no opening side portlights.

Engine access is good all round, with the main steps lifted and side and rear panels open.

Emil

y H

ar

ris

Emil

y H

ar

ris

Emil

y H

ar

ris

neither, although that’s not to say it isn’t spacious, bright and comfortable.

There is only one layout available – two cabins and two heads. The aft cabin is full-width with good headroom, plenty of handy stowage and a roomy 6ft 5in by 6ft 2in (1.98m x 1.90m) double berth. The heads has a shower stall with acrylic door panels and can be accessed from the aft cabin or saloon. Natural lighting and ventilation is provided by several opening portlights, one of which is in the riser of the transom step. Our boat had a water tank and five large batteries beneath the berth.

Other accommodationHer forecabin is also spacious and has an ensuite heads/shower, only smaller. The V-berth measures 6ft 9in by 6ft 6in, narrowing to 2ft 3in (2.05m x 2.0m>0.68m). Stowage is good in a tall hanging/shelved locker, but the bowthruster and two batteries take up much of the space beneath the berth. Headroom is perfectly acceptable at 6ft 1in (1.85m), but to achieve it a 4in

2



Duncan’s verDict

Just about every boatbuilder today says its yachts are an ideal compromise between luxury accommodation and top sailing performance. The 41Ds does a good job at marrying the two, although it didn’t put across the wow-factor when i went below.

The sleeping accommodation is comfortable and the designers have done an excellent job of fitting a large aft cabin into an aft-cockpit boat. The ample space has been used wisely, although for bluewater work she needs a little more thought towards sleeping options at sea.

With the 409’s slippery hull, she’s a great performer under sail and should see off many of the heavier displacement cruisers with ease.

so to sum up, though not the boat for a circumnavigation, she makes an excellent coastal and offshore waters cruiser.

SailiNG ability: H H H H H

COmFOrt: H H H H H

bluewater: H H H H H

PriCe FrOm £197,754

lOa: 40ft 5in (12.3m)

lwl: 36ft 1in (11.0m)

beam: 13ft 1in (4.0m)

Draught (Standard/shoal): 6ft 10in/5ft 1in (2.1m/1.6m)

Displacement: 7,650kg (16,865 lb)

angle vanishing stability*: 1260

Sail area (main/genoa): 363/348sqft (33.8/32.4m²)

Fuel: 200lt (44gal)

water: 530lt (116gal)

berths: 4/6

engine: 40hp yanmar diesel

transmission: saildrive, 3-blade fixed prop

Designer (ex/int): Philipe Briand/Franck Darnet

uK supplier: sea Ventures, Tel: +44 (0)23 8045 5333, www.sea-ventures.co.uk

the spec

If The Sun odySSey 41dS ISn’T rIghT for you.. .

Dufour 410 from £151,000The new Dufour 410 has twin wheels, drop-

down transom platform, dedicated liferaft and inflatable stowage, a wider cockpit and larger, more comfortable cabins aft. All hatches are

now flush and there’s an option to convert the cockpit seats into sunbeds.

See www.dufour-yachts.com for uK dealers

oceanis 41 from £177,400The new Oceanis 41 is beamier than ever before, which gives her further improved

stability and added stiffness under sail. The extra width also makes room for a generous, light and airy interior that has been designed

specifically for luxurious family cruising.See www.beneteau.com for uK dealers

Hanse 415 from £151,654A quick performer under sail, the beamy

Hanse 415 has a lot to offer. She has a wide choice of comfortable accommodation layouts as well as a roomy, twin-wheeled cockpit and

drop-down transom platform.inspiration marine +44 (0)23 8045 7008

www.inspirationmarine.co.uk


*See www.sailingtoday.co.uk for definition



ST_194_043.indd 47 18/04/2013 11:17


Brush the last snow from the decks with three favourite new season sails – in muddy Essex, the Swedish Skerries and the Kintyre peninsular

tales of spring

after a dismal winter and the frenzy of fitting out, getting out on the water could be an anti-climax but never is – the magic

always returns. I had a mooring in Bradwell Creek on the Blackwater for many years, and the first real sail of the season was always down to the Colne, anchoring in Pyefleet Creek overnight and usually single-handed.

Even trundling the dinghy down the hard and rowing out to the mooring on the last of the flood was a great feeling, just to be out on the water again. Early

in the year the wind is often easterly, so the first few miles down to the Colne entrance are a beat; time to see if see if the sails set any better than last year; does the new staysail fairlead position make any difference? No! Never mind – it’s great just to hear the water chuckling past the hull, feel the keen breeze breathing life into the boat.

Bernard Patrick

From: Bradwell Marina, EssexTo: Pyefleet Creek, EssexDistance: 8nMBoat name: Molly CobblerType: GRP gaff cutterDesigner: Paul Fisher Built: 2000 LOA: 18ft 4in (5.6m)Beam: 6ft 11in (2.1m)Draught: 2ft 1in/4ft 7in (0.6m/1.4m)Displacement: 2,300lb (1,043kg)

‘The centreplate grumbling along the bottom reminds me

I’m too close in’

1

ST194 Cruising_FirstCruiseV4.indd 48 17/04/2013 14:53


spindly post with cone and cormorant on top eventually springs into view, and I’m relieved I can actually free off a bit in the chop that always builds up here.

Although I’m now punching the ebb pouring out of the Colne, there’s usually no problem making against it, hugging the west side of the channel. But be careful: it’s steep-to here, and the centreplate grumbling along the bottom reminds me I’m too close. In no time we’re closing East Mersea Stone, taking advantage of the north-going eddy to help us round. Now it’s time to decide whether to run up Pyefleet and anchor under sail – always a dodgy manoeuvre singlehanded when it’s wind against tide – or down sail in

the open water of the river and rely on Yamaha-san to buzz me up to my favourite anchorage, way beyond the moorings. The older I get, the more timid I become, so I compromise by getting the main off and running up under staysail and a whiff of power.

Sunset tranquillityThere are some lovely anchorages on the East Coast, but most are very muddy – good for holding but bad for the state of your foredeck – so I try to find the shingle patch just off Pewit Island. This stretch is usually deserted during the week, early in the season and is a magic spot; the only sounds are seabirds or a church bell carried on the wind and the only movement sheep grazing the seawall.

Time to think of supper – in fact it’s been on my mind since St Peter’s, and this also is part of the first sail ritual. Nothing fancy: a handful of pasta - boil for three minutes, switch off and stand for seven; perfect! Then a tin of mince and onion and a slice of homemade apple pie to finish, all washed down with a glass or two of rioja – we know how to live!

By now the light is fading, the tide has turned and Molly has pivoted gently on the rumbling anchor chain, so that the golds and reds of the

After a leg across towards the colourful Mersea waterfront, it’s time to come about and head towards St Peter’s Chapel, just visible on the drab Dengie, then a long tack back into the Colne. There’s time on this leg to brew up a coffee – the new cleat for a tiller line works a treat – and while Molly Cobbler steers herself, following every little windshift better than her skipper ever could, I look out for the Cocum Hills beacon which, for me, marks the Colne entrance and must be left to port, especially on a falling tide. It seems to move every season, but the

BradwellMarina

Pewet Is.

River Blackwater

Gt Cob Is. The Nass

Mersea Quarters

WestMersea

Sales PtKnoll

Colne Bar

BenchHead

Lee-over-Sands

Colne Pt

Mersea Flat

Sandy Pt

St Osyth

Brightlingsea

EastMersea

Pyefleet Channel

Mersea Island

Pewit I.

River Colne

Main: Looking east down Pyefleet Creek in Essex to Brightlingsea

Above right: Molly Cobbler pointing well to windward up the River Blackwater

Joh

n A

Sh

wo

Rth


First cruise


Right: Anchoring in Scandinavia is often done from the stern, with a heavy webbing tape for a rode

Below: Roger and wife Kristin during a stretch in more open water

roger SaunderS

From: nyköping, SwedenTo: trosa, SwedenDistance: 28nMBoat name: BadgerType: Bermudan sloop Make: tyler Seacracker LOA: 32ft 10in (10m)LWL: 24ft (7.3m)Beam: 9ft 2in (2.8m)Draught: 4ft 8in (1.4m)Displacement: 6 tons

our first day’s cruise took us through one of the most beautiful parts of the Swedish skaergarden (skerries) in Badger, a 33ft Tyler

Seacracker designed by Van Der Stadt. Once afloat again at Nyköping marina, we set up a route on the plotter to take us to Trosa – 28 nM and 65 waypoints distant. Hoisting our large jib (28m2), we set off eastwards with a following breeze.

A number of familiar landmarks came and went – a group of ghostly

white trees, killed by the cormorants that roost there; two headlands with houses on them; a meadow being cropped by a flock of Canada geese. Sailing in the direction of buoyage, which generally runs northwards up the coast, we turned into a channel. Granite islands covered in pine trees loomed up on either side, giving an enclosed lake-sailing feel – like the Norfolk Broads, only bigger and with cliffs. Two miles further on, we reached the small island of Broken, home of the hospitable Nyköping Sailing Club.

Passing carefully through the narrow entrance, we turned into the club harbour and moored bow-to the wooden walkway with our stern anchor out, in the Scandinavian manner. This requires a certain judgement: drop the anchor too far out and the warp will probably be fouled by a boat arriving later; too close and it won’t hold.

2sunset come flooding into the cabin. It’s nice to end the day watching the sun go down, drinking a coffee with a drop or two of Jim Beam and reflecting on the pleasure that is sailing. Then it’s time for a last look on deck, put a rope stopper on the chain to keep it quiet and hang up the riding light.

Next morning, I’m woken by the tapping of halyards, which I had forgotten to tie back. It means that the wind has gone round a bit – but only to the north and not the dreaded southwest. Time for a lie-in, again, part of the first sail ritual. If we leave too early there’s not enough water to get into the creek, so we catch the tailend of the ebb down the Colne back to Cocum Hills and then we can carry the flood right up to Bradwell.

So it’s a soldier’s wind all the way home and soon we’re moored up and rowing back to the slip – but against the tide this time, and suddenly, I’m beginning to feel a lot older than I did last season. Heave the dinghy up the slip, collapse into the car and drive home with a big, big smile. The magic of the first sail has done its work again.


First Cruise


‘Th e channel gave an enclosed lake-sailing feel – like the Norfolk Broads, only bigger’

Broken itself is no more than 500m long with rough terrain, and has been owned by the club for nearly 100 years. Th ere is a large clubhouse with good facilities. During a short walk we found signs of elk, which must either walk over the ice or swim to get here.

Rock soup Aft er lunch, we sailed on in a broader channel, not only marked but lit by inconspicuous lighthouses. Th is was part of King Valdemar’s sheltered route to Tallinn in the 13th Century, twisting and turning northeast through closely spaced skerries. Beautiful surroundings competed with the pilotage for attention as a curved channel narrowed towards the notorious “Stendörren” (stone door). Th is tight rock-bound pass must have been very worrying in previous centuries, where a dogleg in a 50m wide passage between underwater rocks makes for anxiety even today.

On between two islands decorated with a gnarled Scots pine to a large circular lake, then the next passage led us through the sound called Sävsundet. It has a pilot station and a reputedly good restaurant, but passing traffi c that rarely keeps to the speed limit might aff ect your appetite as you watched your boat bumping against the jetty.

Further on, the water is less crowded, but a mark on the chart indicates a magnetic anomaly. Another such anomaly close to the Åland Islands once gave us a 60° compass deviation. Our track now turned north for a few miles before plunging into the very complex passage through “rock soup” at Bokosund. It is well marked with spar buoys, but alarming when seen for the fi rst time. Finally, we curved to the northwest for the pretty and pastoral approach to Trosa. Here we moored bow-to against the quay with the stern lying to a buoy.

Once moored, the fi rst call was to a nearby smokery in a summer mall for hot-smoked sik, a delicious white-fl eshed fi sh found only in the Baltic with no English name. Th en we walked upriver into the town to fi nd fresh bread, salad, beer and some excellent mayonnaise to fi nish the day with a very good supper.

Trosa

B A LT I C S E A

Nykoping

Oxelosund

Studsvik

Broken Island

Stendorren

Savsundet

Bokosund

FRANCE

UK

NorthSea

SWEDEN

Stockholm


First cruise


Above: The beautiful Kyles of Bute - The Narrows with the East Kyle beyond

Below: Tantina II making good progress

gordon BucHanan

From: RothesayTo: CampbeltownDistance: 95nMBoat: tantina IILOA: 31ft 6in (9.6m)LWL: 24ft (7.3m)Beam: 8ft 3in (2.5m)Displacement: 6.5 tonsengine: Beta 20hp, BD722 Built: 1961, RA newmanDesigner: J Francis Jones

for those of us north of the border, the fi rst sail of each year is oft en somewhat later than those lucky enough to keep their boats in warmer climes, thus my

fi rst sail did not take place until mid-May in what was to be a pretty poor season. Fortunately, I did not know about the weather to come. As we set off , we had warm sun, pleasant Force 3 breezes and smooth seas: absolute heaven afl oat and the best reason to keep coming back for more. Th e plan was to attend a traditional boat event at Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsular.

One aspect of early season trips is that invariably, at least for me, there seem to be a few teething problems or essential items forgotten aft er the winter lay-up. As this fi rst weekend unfolded, the only items on that list were a cockpit cushion and corkscrew.

Setting off from Rothesay harbour aft er lunch meant a gentle motor through the stunning Kyles of Bute on our way to an evening anchorage at Lochranza at the north end of Arran (see ST193). We hoisted sails once we had reached the West Kyle, and the season really began. What a pleasure to turn the engine off and enjoy the day! Even the fact of the wind being well

forward of the beam could not spoil the occasion; beating in these calm seas and gentle breeze meant no spray in the teeth, and no hanging on as the boat tried to turn cartwheels.

All too soon, Lochranza opened before us, but although there are several visitors’ moorings, all were occupied. For once the anchor held at the fi rst attempt – an unusual event in the slippery mud that covers the seabed here. Th en it was time for a glass of wine before dinner, at which point we discovered the corkscrew was

3

‘Beating in these calm seas meant no spray in the teeth and no hanging on’

Mull of Kintyre

Ailsa CraigGirvan

Ayr

Lamlash

Campbeltown

Soun

d of

Jura

Loch Fyne

West LochTarbert

Carradale Bay

Loch Ranza

Arran

Bute

Ardrossan

Firthof

Clyde

Largs

Rhu

RothesayTarbert

Inverkip

Ardrishaig

Kyles of Bute



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ST_194_049.indd 53 18/04/2013 10:28

First cruise


Above: Plockton on the mainland provided excellent hospitality and a useful rallying point for the Malts Cruise

missing. A little ingenuity in the form of a 2in screw, a screwdriver and a pair of pliers, soon had us enjoying our wine, only to be interrupted by the couple from another boat that was also heading for Campbeltown. They came aboard and the four of us were soon engaged in the post-sail chat that is such a pleasant part of sailing. Later on, another two boats arrived, also heading for the event at Campbeltown. So began a really convivial evening.

The following morning dawned somewhat misty, so after a hearty breakfast we eased out way out of the anchorage using radar. We must have given the impression that we knew where we were going, as a small convoy followed in our wake. But it was not long before the mist burned off, leaving us to bask in another glorious day as we headed south. An early afternoon arrival at Campbeltown saw most of our fleet safely alongside, and then old friends were greeted and new friends made. Suffice to say that despite much talk about tactics for the following day’s race around the loch, there were several sore heads the next morning.

The course was set to avoid any embarrassing, just-too-shallow shortcuts being attempted, and the fleet crossed the line at about the right time, in typical trad sail event style. Having managed to take an early lead over the whole fleet, I must admit that my erroneous mark recognition meant we sailed round the wrong course and so disqualified ourselves. The insults I received from the crew as a result seemed, to me at least, a little harsh.

At the clubhouse that evening there was much hilarity, with just about every boat receiving a prize, some for their display of skill, some for their lack of it. Music, friends and a few drams made for a memorable time, all with the promise of more fabulous weather for the return to home ports.

The good conditions prompted an overnight stop at one of my favourite anchorages in Carradale Bay. The still waters and wonderful silence that accompanied the heat haze as night fell is a memory that I will cherish for a long time to come. A truly memorable first sail of the season.

Right: Alongside at Campbeltown, before racing began

Below: Sunset over Carradale Bay, on the Kintyre peninsular

geT in TOuch What is your favourite first cruise of the season?

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ST_194_051.indd 55 18/04/2013 10:30

Rustler 36


Seal of approvalWhenever a list of world touring boats is published, there’s usually a Rustler 36 somewhere on it. Jake Frith looks at why L

ike many yacht designs that have stood the test of time, the Rustler 36 can trace her lineage back to a well respected woody. Kim Holman’s 1959

clinker-built Stella grew into the Twister, built first in wood, then composite wood and GRP, then the full GRP model developed by partner Don Pye, which saw the design right through to the 1980s.

The full-keeled Twister, although only 28ft (8.5m) long, had built up a serious reputation as a long legged passage-maker, so when the market demanded a larger yacht with the same credentials, Holman simply scaled up the successful Twister to 31ft and called it the Rustler 31. Later on, she was stretched once again into the Rustler 36.

LOA: 35ft 4in (10.8m)

LWL: 26ft 11in (8.1m)



Displacement: 7,623kg (16,806lb)

Windward sail area 693sqft (64.4m²)

Ballast: 3,456kg (7,619lb)

Current builder: Rustler Yachts

The spec

Above: Transom hung rudder and long keel keep her steady on the helm

Above right: Her narrow beam lends itself to a traditional layout

Nic

k D

aY

ST194 Used boat_RustlerV5.indd 56 17/04/2013 14:55

Rustler 36


Even in the ‘80s, relatively narrow beamed, deep-V sectioned yachts with long keels and generous ballast ratios were becoming thin on the ground, but the sea is an unchanging commodity and the ability for a yacht to plug to windward with tired crew in difficult seas or claw its way off a remote lee shore has remained a worthwhile attribute. From the start, the Rustler 36 proved its mettle cruising at high latitudes and bagging circumnavigations at the rate other yachts collect club racing trophies.

The status of the 36 received a fillip in 1992 when HRH Princess Royal bought one, christened her Blue Doublet, and cruised her extensively from Ardfern at the head of Loch Craignish. The Princess recently traded up to a Rustler 44.

All Rustlers have been semi-custom built yachts, with many variants of interior fitout on offer. Some early models were even DIY fitouts, but those finished by Rustler itself have been widely praised for the quality of carpentry and attention to detail. The majority of 36s have tiller steering with only 40 or so of the 120-odd boats having wheel steering; both formats seem equally desirable. While internal layouts might differ slightly, all 36s tend to display seamanlike features below, such as decent leecloths and pillar handholds between galley and saloon.

The designerKim Holman 1925- 2006

‘All Rustlers have been semi-custom

built yachts’

The Surveyor

The broker

Nick Vass, Omega Yacht Services

Ross Farncombe, Sunbird Yachts

She was firstly built by Tucker Brown Ltd, then by Maltings Boats and later by Orion Marine, now known as Rustler Yachts Ltd. Expect early boats to have been re-engined as they would have had either a 30hp Watermota or 34hp Thorneycroft diesel, both a little underpowered for today’s tastes.

Expect wear on teak laid decks on older examples and equally, expect to replace electronic instruments, stern gland, seacocks and rigging. although well built, they are not immune to osmosis and leaking windows.

Contact: www.omega-yachtservices.co.uk

Christopher Rushbroke (Kim) Holman designed over 40 production yachts, as well as a number of one off sailing boats from the 20ft (6.1m) inshore racer Phialle in 1955 to the Oyster 42 in 1997.

although Holman’s output was considerable and varied, almost all of his designs prioritised good seakeeping over the growing demand for interior space which became a driving force for many of his competitors, increasingly so towards the end of his career. in 1964 Holman joined forces with Don Pye, forming the celebrated Holman & Pye design syndicate, and drawing the Rustler 36 in 1980.

When rating rules began to distort boats in the 1970s and 80s, Holman remained largely true to his conservative theories on what made a sensible seagoing hull. a great number of his boats, including the Rustler 36, could therefore be described as ‘traditional’; displaying the tried and tested features of full length keels, a deep-V forward and a full depth, transom hung rudder aft.

With a reputation for excellent build quality and sea-keeping, healthy prices can be expected on the secondhand market.

a broad range of finishes can also be expected though, especially with earlier models. With home fitted examples at one end of the spectrum through to custom-built factory craft at the other, prices fall between two broad goalposts. Sales for the last year show that nine boats were sold; three mid 2000’s at around £170,000, the rest from 1988 to 1998 averaging out at around £83,500.

Contact: www.sunbirdyachts.eu

The lack of a double aft cabin means the 36 was never a fantastic proposition for entertaining guests, but her enduring ability to take a

family to remote parts of the world in comfort and safety will ensure she continues to attract buyers.

Rustler still makes the 36 to

order at their Falmouth factory – the most recent went out in December last year. According to Rustler’s MD, Adrian Jones, “current pricing reflects the hand-built, semi-custom nature of all Rustler Yachts.” A new Rustler 36 is currently £189,000 ex-VAT.

Nic

k D

aY

ST194 Used boat_RustlerV5.indd 57 17/04/2013 14:55


On test

ST194 GroupTest_BatteriesV5.indd 58 17/04/2013 14:56


POWER ON DEMAND

At this time of year, � tting out thoughts o� en turn to the state of the batteries. If it’s time for a change you’ll have to grapple with an

array of technology, so our group test also o� ers some detailed advice on what might make one type of battery better for your boat than another.

� ere are three broad categories of marine battery – well two actually, the third (dual-purpose, aka ‘leisure’) is more of a hybrid. A starter, or cranking battery, is designed to provide high amperage for short bursts to turn the engine over, whereas a deep-cycle domestic or service battery gives slow, steady discharge to run lights, fridges and nav systems.

� ey all rely on the same build principle – lead plates surrounded by acid, forming a cell. � e more thin plates you put into one cell the more surface area is exposed and therefore the greater its cranking capacity. Using thicker plates reduces cranking capacity, but increases the ability to provide continuous power over a long period.

Wet cells� e � rst choice is between a pure deep-cycle service battery and a hybrid ‘leisure’ device. � en you have to look at di� erent battery types to determine what will work best with your set-up on board.

At the simple end of the spectrum is the heavy-duty, open celled, thick-plated ‘traction’ battery – the sort o� en found in forkli� trucks. Don’t dismiss these out of hand and presume the latest fancy technology is always best. Some are extremely

good and, apart from the danger of gassing and acid leaks, they can provide excellent value for money.

One step up is the valve regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery – similar to open, � ooded types, only they are sealed, bar an emergency relief valve. � ey are known as ‘recombinant’ models, which means the gases

produced internally during charging (oxygen and hydrogen) are turned back into water, keeping the moisture level in the battery constant. � ey can’t spill and never need to be topped up with water, but they are more sensitive to overcharging than open cells. A voltage-controlled charger is necessary because they are unable to vent gases as an open, � ooded cell can.

Cost per Ah produced, this type of marine deep-cycle service battery is very reasonable when compared with more sophisticated types.

‘AGMs are far more tolerant to overcharging than � ooded

lead-acid or gel type batteries’

TIME TO REPLACE YOUR OLD SERVICE BATTERY BANK? DUNCAN KENT TESTS A SELECTION OF THE LATEST FLOODED-CELL, AGM AND GEL BATTERIES TO SEE HOW THEY COMPARE

AGM batteriesInstead of containing the liquid electrolyte of the common-or-garden � ooded cell lead-acid battery, absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries have glass� bre matting between the plates that contains the required � uid in ‘moisture’ form rather than liquid form. � is creates a very safe, e� cient and robust marine battery that is far more tolerant to certain mistreatment such as overcharging, than gel batteries.

� ey can also deliver a much greater current if required (such as for emergency engine starting). In addition to being a totally sealed device, AGMs have a much lower electrical resistance than � ooded lead-acid cells, so the battery can be recharged faster.

Being e� ectively sealed lead-acid cells (a type of VRLA), AGMs can be charged using the same type of constant-voltage charger as that used for ordinary sealed batteries – preferably a device with a two, or even a three-stage process. � e usual default recommended charge voltages are 14.4-14.8V for the bulk stage and 13.2-13.4V for the � oat stage. However, as the construction and plate thickness of each model varies, the recommendations are o� en printed on the battery itself and can sometimes be slightly higher.

As with standard � ooded-cell batteries, AGMs should ideally not be discharged deeper than 50 per cent of their capacity (at which point their voltage drops to 12.2V) if you want them to last their allotted lifespan. In fact, only discharging 20 per cent will extend their life considerably. For the same depth of discharge, an AGM battery could

Left: Modern boats, like this Morris Yachts M36, need plenty of battery powerRight: Only one battery; the Victron AGM, fell victim to ST’s test schedule, betrayed by this suspicious bulge in the casing



HOW WE TESTED THEM

equipment usedMerlin Smartgauge battery capacity/

voltmeterAdverc BM MkIII battery current/

voltage monitorSterling 20A ProCharge ultra battery

chargerSterling 1800W ProPower Q inverter

120W spotlamp

All the batteries were charged up to 100 per cent capacity then discharged with a 12A current drain for one hour by connecting up an inverter running a 220V/120W spotlamp. The fi nal capacity was noted from the Smartgauge and checked against the fi nal open-circuit voltage at rest.

The Sterling charger we used has two programmable output levels for each diff erent type of battery, as well as two fully customisable outputs, so we could be sure they were charged at the correct voltage.

It’s worth noting that the temperature in the workshop during the test was just 8ºC, dropping close to freezing overnight, so you would expect our capacity results (always quoted at 20ºC) to be lower than stated by the manufacturer.

ST TIPS

1. When searching the web for low-cost batteries bear in mind that many cheap AGM and gel batteries are intended for standby (stationary) use for telecomms equipment and are not necessarily designed for deep-cycle applications or harsh environments. 2. Whichever battery type you choose, they all need to be installed in a ventilated compartment. even though sealed batteries are designed not to ‘gas’ when being charged, any battery can emit explosive gases if subjected to an accidental overcharge, possibly due to equipment malfunction.

give twice the number of charge cycles of a standard � ooded cell battery of the same capacity.

Gel batteriesA gel cell has its electrolyte mixed with silica particles to form, as its name suggests, a sti� gel.

Gel batteries are designed for deep cycling and, as such, are extremely good performers. However, they are fussier when it comes to charging, which in the past has put many people o� using them; well, that and the bigger price tag! Gels need to be charged at no more than 14.2V – lower than AGMs and wet-cell batteries. Nowadays, though, pretty much all new chargers are intelligent digital devices with pre-set or user-programmable outputs that can be set to produce exactly the right charge for each battery type.

Gel cells are undoubtedly the best performers (excluding lithium-ion) for large domestic battery banks, but they are heavy, so some thought needs to be put into where you intend to install them. Installers will o� en recommend using a number of 6V, or even 2V cells, which are commonly taller, but with a smaller footprint, allowing them to be squeezed into tight spaces. � ey can be run in parallel to provide 12V or 24V, according to the boat’s system.

Lithium-ionLithium-ion batteries are a third of the size and weight of lead-acid batteries, but they haven’t yet really taken o� in the marine domestic power market. � is is partly due to cost and partly to do with several incidents where Li-ion batteries caught � re when treated incorrectly.

Now we are beginning to see some of the larger companies producing large lithium batteries with advanced control technology built-in to avoid these worrying scenarios.

One of the leaders in this business is undoubtedly the Dutch company, Mastervolt, which has recently launched its Ultra range of 12V and 24V batteries. � e technology is expensive, though – expect to pay around £3,000 for a 180Ah battery system. Due to its totally di� erent characteristics, we have not tested a lithium battery here.

Main: The testing apparatus ensured all the batteries received exactly the same charge and drain regimes

eLeCTRICAL CAPACITYA battery’s electrical performance is rated in terms of its discharge capabilities. The most commonly used rating for marine batteries is what’s known as the 20-hour rate (C-20). This is the number of amps that can be withdrawn at a constant rate for 20 hours at 26.7°C (80°F) before the voltage drops below 10.5V. Another common rating is the cold cranking amps (CCA), which indicates how large an engine it can turn over. The fi rst fi gure is the most important when comparing deep cycle domestic batteries; the second if the battery is to be used regularly for starting.



On test

AGM batteriesVictronWhile the battery performed well as a ‘value’ AGM, towards the end of our recharge cycle it developed a worrying bulge in the case near the negative terminal. We double-checked the output of the charger (14.6V), which was exactly as stated on it own digital voltmeter and within the manufacturer’s recommended charge band of 14.4-14.7V. We stopped the test immediately and sent the battery back for a thorough investigation.

www.victronenergy.com Price: £273.60

RollsManufactured by renowned battery maker, Surette, these are sold as premium deep-cycle traction batteries. These batteries have thick plates with high-density active material, allowing energy to be released slowly as in most typical marine domestic supply requirements.

They’re certainly well made – at the end of the test when packing them into the back of my car I dropped it onto the concrete driveway from 1m or so. The resulting ding right on its corner and other scratches on its super-thick casing altered nothing about its performance when we retested it just to make sure. If that had been an open flooded, or cheaper design VRSLR battery the result would have been markedly different I fear. Of course I would have to drop one of the most expensive samples – but hey, that’s testing for you!

In all, this battery performed as promised.

www.rolls-battery.com Price: £291.43

FullriverThe Chinese-made Fullriver AGM deep cycle batteries are said to be similar to the better-known Lifeline batteries in terms of performance. They have a special chemistry for the active paste material and a stronger acid, giving them a high cycle count of above 650 (at 75 per cent discharge) and low self discharge.

They also look pretty tough – in fact not unlike the Rolls batteries with regard to their weight and casing. However, the performance of our test battery was pretty average.

www.fullriver.com Price: £206.28

OdysseySome AGM batteries supply cranking power while others concentrate on deep cycle reserve power. The Enersys Odyssey battery claims both.Although this makes them a useful dual-purpose marine battery and an excellent starter, we found its ability to provide power for a long, slow drain only just above average.

www.odysseybattery.com Price: £255.36

Fullriver HGL120-12A tough-looking, heavy deep-cycle battery with screw terminals. Although it just outperformed the PowerMax in the test, we were expecting better as the extra weight usually means greater reserve energy. Also, having bolt-type terminals isn’t ideal, as you often have several bulky cables, which are much easier to assemble on stud-type connectors.

www.fullriver.com Price: £258.59

PowerMax 110 SLAAt under £100 for a 110Ah sealed, dual terminal, thick plated lead-acid battery, these

are good value. The performance of our test battery, however, didn’t seem to be as good as the identical capacity open cell PowerMax for some reason. Also, being sealed they take slightly longer to recharge at the lower charge voltage. But at the price, not a bad all-round bet.

www.barden-uk.com Price: £98.29

Rolls FLAThis Rolls deep-cycle open lead-acid battery is typical of any good quality flooded cell model. It has thick plates for high slow-discharge capacity and dual terminal for easy compatibility.

Surprisingly, it was not as good as the considerably cheaper PowerMax open cell.

www.rolls-battery.com Price: £198.54

PowerMaxA surprisingly good performer, the PowerMax traditional flooded cell battery seems to cope well with high power demands. In fact, I had a pair these on my own boat for a few years and was always impressed with their ability to recover after some considerable mistreatment – including running them almost dead flat.

Good, no-nonsense batteries at a sensible price, providing you don’t mind having to top them up occasionally. Also has a useful charge state indicator window.

www.barden-uk.com Price: £94.06

Sealed cell flooded batteries

Open cell flooded batteries

TOP FOR VALue



On test

TYPe SIZe (MM) WeIGHT CAP (AH)

CYCLeSTO 50%

TRue COSTP PeR AH

1HR CAP TeSTeD

1HR VOLT TeSTeD

TeRMINALS

ROLLS S12-128 AGM 330x172x215 33.0kg 115 1,200 0.42p 80% 12.45V Post/M8 stud

VICTRON 12-110

AGM 330x171x220 32.0kg 110 400 1.24p 66% 12.35V M8 bolts

FuLLRIVeR DC85-12


ODYSSeY 34M-PC1500


FuLLRIVeR HGL120-12

SLA 331x175x214 32.0kg 120 300 1.44p 72% 12.45V M8 bolts

POWeRMAX 110 SLA

SLA 330x173x240 28.5kg 110 120 1.49p 71% 12.35V Studs/nuts

SONNeNSCHeIN GF1276V

GEL 330x171x238 30.0kg 86 1,100 0.48p 86% 12.50V Tapered post

ROLLS 12-FS-125 OLA 343x171x241 33.0kg 125 1,000 0.32p 70% 12.35V Post/M8 stud

POWeRMAX 110FLA

OLA 348x173x228 27.0kg 110 120 1.43p 80% 12.45V Tapered post

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SonnenscheinThese dry cell batteries have earned an excellent reputation over the years for being tough if looked after correctly.

Certainly our test sample appeared to withstand constant current drain better than any we tested, despite having one of the lowest capacities to start with. It did take longer to recharge than the AGMs but it seemed more

resilient to the low temperatures of our test.

www.sonneschein.com Price: £229

OUR VERDICT

If there was just one single, simple, rule of thumb criterion for judging how good a marine service battery is, it would be weight. A very heavy battery usually indicates two things – more plate material and a stronger case. The former indicates that the battery has plenty of ‘reserves’ – it is likely to have a greater cycle lifespan due to less wear on the plates. A hefty case helps protect the cells inside and reduce shock vibration, which can adversely aff ect output.

We were surprised at how much the reserve capacity of the batteries was reduced due to the low ambient temperature (about 5ºC) during the tests. This also made them more diffi cult to charge, which therefore took longer. If you have a good quality smart charger, we recommend you connect up the battery temperature sensor, which will allow it to adjust its output accordingly.

Gel batteries

AGM Absorbed glass mat SLA Sealed cell lead-acid OLA Open cell lead-acid 1HR CAP Capacity remaining after discharging at 12A for 1 hour 1HR VOLT Open circuit voltage @ 15 mins after a 1hr discharge at 12A

TOP FOR PeRFORMANCe



E C Smith & Sons offer an extensive range of products of high quality at competitive prices made fromthe finest quality materials. ECS products are sourced from the most distinguished manufacturers from

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Please visit www.ecsmith.comto view our comprehensive rangeof marine products

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ST_194_059.indd 63 18/04/2013 10:31


NEW GEARTHE ST TEAM BROWSES THE BOATING

MARKET FOR THE LATEST GOODS

Stackable wine glasses

There has been something of an explosion in the tough polycarbonate ‘glass’ market recently. Virtually Glass has gone to town, with options running from four di� erent sizes of wine glass to jugs, pint glasses and more. The glasses are all stackable, providing a space saving solution for boaters.

Contact: www.virtually-glass.com Price: from £15 (six wine glasses)

MarineCommander Icom’s marine navigation system integrates a number of active modules into one multifunction display, though two can be connected to a main processor for separate dual display operation.

Each display can be split into four windows and has ports for USB drives and SD cards.

Contact: Icom UK Ltd Tel: 01227 741741 , www.icomuk.co.uk Price: £3,200

Crocs boat shoe

It’s not hard to see why the hardwearing rubber shoes with drainage holes manufactured by Crocs should be useful for the sailing set. As if to reinforce the possibility, we now have Crocs boat shoes. The shoe manages to replicate the look of a traditional deckie but in a bright, modern way.

Contact: www.crocs.co.uk, tel: +31 23 741 1703 Price: £50

ST194 New GearV4.indd 64 17/04/2013 14:58

Wemar Tandem anchor system

The Wemar Tandem anchor has been designed to signifi cantly reduce the e ort involved in duel anchoring on boats from 25ft to 80ft (8-24m). One galvanised anchor deploys through the shank of the second, so the system takes up the same deck-space as a regular anchor. The e ect of both anchors should provide greater peace of mind when sleeping ‘at the end of a hook’.

Contact: shop.wemar.com Price: from c£247

Maui Jim Nakalele sunglasses

They may be expensive, but these have to be some of the fi nest cruising sunnies out there. Lightweight, hingeless titanium arms and no frame makes them seriously comfortable, while the high quality polarised lenses cut out 99.9% of the glare. All you need is sun!

Contact: www.mauijim.com, tel: 0800 980 1770 Price: £254

DinghyGo

A sail and daggerboard should ensure this infl atable tender makes going ashore more fun.The 9ft (2.7m) boat can be infl ated by handpump and put together in minutes. It comes in its own bag for easy stowage.

Contact: www.dinghygo.nl Tel: +31 (0)61 050 9473 Price: c£2,120

Supergain antennae

A new group of mid-range, high-performance antennae developed for all types of boat. The new range includes, omnidirectional TV antennae and VHF antennae.

Contact: Marathon Leisure Tel: 02392 311150, www.marathonleisure.com Price: from c£30

Fusion marine stereo

The MS-RA205 delivers AM and FM radio as well as VHF and, when devices are connected to Fusion’s external docking unit, it supports audio and video from a range of Apple devices. FusionLINK – a system that uses ethernet, NMEA 2000 and Wi-Fi to connect to a multifunction display – allows full control of the entertainment system.

Enquiries: Tel: +31 (0)76 572 3632 www.fusionelectronics.com Price: £200


ST194 New GearV4.indd 65 17/04/2013 14:58


Baltic Winner 165 lifejacket £104

While there are numerous ways of staying connected aboard – USB dongles, tethering to a smartphone, Wi-Fi hotspots – many of these are primarily designed for terrestrial and city use. I’ve always found marina Wi-Fi to be uneconomical when compared with other methods of getting online and usually resort to turning my Android phone into a 3G Wi-Fi hotspot instead. This often works well, until the tide drops and my boat disappears behind the big steel marina wall.

This router is available in two versions – the Hubba and HubbaX for internal and external use respectively. The Hubba, not being waterproof, needs to be kept below, thus pretty much negating what little advantage the multi-directional antennae might have over a USB dongle or tethered smartphone. The HubbaX is waterproof (IP66) and can be rail-mounted externally, but you lose the

gear testedJake frith And Duncan kent look In more

deTAIl AT THe lATeST mArIne WIdGeTS

lAn ports. We were supplied with the former for testing, but we put it outside, up on the coachroof anyway to simulate the ‘X’ version.

The Hubba is a simple white cylinder around 180mm tall and 130mm diameter. It has a SIm card slot on the top and seven leds. Three of them are status indicators

for power, Wi-Fi and 3G reception, the other four show which of the antennae is in use.

Being a so-called plug and play device I tried, but to no avail. eventually, after playing with passcodes, I got it working on laptop, iPad and phone.

our test Hubba had a ‘3’ SIm card and despite advertised typical download speeds of ‘up to’ 21mbps, at home in the deepest depths of rural Somerset, the best attainable

download speed wasn’t that impressive (1.7mbps) – around half that of my relatively poor terrestrial broadband connection (3.9mbps) and just a little

more than my Android smartphone. on board on the Hamble river, however, it obviously found a slightly more powerful 3G signal within its stated 9-mile catchment area and gave me a download speed a fraction over 3mbps. nowhere near the claimed 21mbps, however!

I struggle to see why it is worth £400 for the standard Hubba over a cheaper 3G USB broadband dongle.

verdict: H H H H H

www.buzznetworks.co.uk

clockWise from aBove: the hubba has its SiM slot on top, LeDs indicate signal strength and direction, the hubbaX is the outdoor waterproof version without the SiM slot

from left: the jacket comes in three colour combinations; the chunky buckle works well with cold fingers; fleece insert at neck will help keep chafe at bay

Baltic offers a full selection of lifesaving wear, from buoyancy aids for dogs and toddlers through to industrial models for offshore workers. The Winner 165 is part of the racing and cruising range, offering 165 newtons of buoyancy. The jacket was comfortable and unobtrusive aboard, and we particularly liked the fleece insert at the back of the collar. We’ve seen other jackets with this feature before, but it is a proven trick to crank the comfort levels up and make you more likely to wear the jacket in t-shirt weather when other designs would chafe a bare neck. The jacket also reflects the modern approach of attaching the vertical backstrap in such

a way that it pulls the neck piece down. This is a feature that makes it easier for racing crews to pop their heads inboard and outboard of the guardwires, but we found it is of equal use for popping your head into a locker. overall this is a sensibly designed, stylish jacket built to a high standard. We forgot we were wearing it for some hours.

verdict: H H H H H

www.baltic.se

Hubba Wi-fi broadband router £402 HubbaX £ 714

see more info and eXtra pHotos at sailingtoday.co.uk

ST194 GearTestV3.indd 66 17/04/2013 15:02


on Test

Prolific marine VHF producer, Standard Horizon, recently introduced its latest compact handheld VHF, the 5W/1W HX300e. While its 280e and 290e models are still available, the HX300e’s main difference is that it has the new 3.7V battery technology and can therefore be charged using any USB power source. It is also lighter (240g) as a result of the smaller, lithium-ion battery pack, but has no less duration thanks to its 1,560mAh capacity.

The radio comes with a mains/USB charger and lead, but an optional pack for alkaline batteries is also available for emergency use. In addition it is fully submersible, floats and has a water-activated light to help trace it at night should it go overboard.

With the body measuring just 125mm by 62mm by 35mm, it fits neatly into your palm and has the usual bendy antenna. The transmit button falls easily to your thumb or forefinger, depending on which hand you hold it in, and the large, backlit lCd is easy to read – even without glasses.

The lCd shows the current channel in large digits, along with the volume and squelch levels, which are adjusted via the keypad rather than rotating knobs. There is also a permanent, 5-stage battery charge level indicator. Unlike the 290e, it doesn’t have a remote microphone socket.

This radio is simple to use, with many of the most frequently used functions, such as scan, dual watch, high/low power, keypad lock and channel preset having their own dedicated keys. Up/down arrow keys are used for rapid channel change, menu selection and level settings.

Being able to preset up to 10 channels is a really useful function when you only have up/down keys to scroll through to the one you want. I preset channels 80, 67, 23, 13 and 12 so that, along with the dedicated Ch16 button, I had all I needed for the Solent area. You could of course add the regular ship-to-ship channels as well.

There is also a Ch16/09 key, which is for quick selection between Ch16 and a second calling channel (Ch09 is reserved for calling in the US). In default it does indeed alternate between Ch16 and Ch09, but once you

In comparison to the commonly seen airbed-type 12V inflators,

this rule variant appears somewhat steep at £66, but it packs a much larger motor and

professes to pump up a four-man dinghy in one to two minutes. It

also pumps it up to usable pressure (as lower pressure

airbed pumps often need the operation to be finished with a

footpump). It also sucks air out, helping with the wrestling match

of getting the dinghy small enough to go back into its bag.

This was one of the products we have come across that exceeded expectations. It

pumped up all three compartments of a three man

dinghy from flat to drum tight in one minute and one second. It

sucked it flatter than a dead welly (below) in a similar time. For any boat where stowage space is an

issue, the reduced bulk of this device over a manual pump and

the ability to suck all, and we mean All, the air out is a boon.

We’d like to have seen some of the external bolts in stainless steel

so they won’t tarnish in a damp locker. The device is not claimed

to be waterproof, so it would need to be carefully stored aboard.

verdict: H H H H H

www.xylemflowcontrol.com

set a dual-watch (dW) channel, it changes to toggle between that and Ch16, perhaps Ch80 for marina calling, or the local coastguard – Ch67 for us.

The HX300e has unlimited memory scan channels, which can be organised into a priority list if preferred. once set, priority scan functions by scanning Ch16, followed by dW, scan memory and preset channels. note that, unlike the memory scanning function, which simply scans every available channel in sequence, a priority scan returns to Ch16 between every other channel.

Standing in the cockpit in Chichester Harbour I had a very clear conversation with the Solent Coastguard (approx 7nm away) and could clearly hear Portland Coastguard making traffic announcements. I also called the marina from the chart table to see if being below would make a difference, but at 2nm it was still as clear as a bell.

one very useful function is the transmit time-out feature, which cuts off transmission should the PTT switch be held in for longer than five minutes in a row. It can only be reset manually. As handheld VHFs are frequently thrown carelessly into bags, lockers etc, this is a useful ‘peace of mind’ feature.

in the box: radio, flexible antenna, li-ion battery, mains charger, usB cable, belt clip and handbook.

options: dry cell battery case, wall-mount charger.

verdict: H H H H H

www.standardhorizon.co.uk

standard Horizon HX300e £140

rule high speed inflator/ deflator

£66

from top: Submersible and floating to iPX8; 3.7V battery allows uSB charging

ST194 GearTestV3.indd 67 17/04/2013 15:02

Books


Your fi rst Channel crossingWhile sidestepping the clichés, like the English Channel being the ‘UK weekend sailor’s Cape Horn’, there’s no denying that a safe transit of La Manche requires a useful package of both sailing and navigation skills. Several books have been released on the same subject. This one tackles the task in the time-honoured fashion, with chapters on planning, the trip itself, dealing with emergencies etc. I don’t think I’m alone in checking the red tape section fi rst in any matter involving travel to Europe. Turning to this section, I would have liked to have seen a little more. Insurance, for example, receives only four lines, with the implication that it’s compulsory in all countries likely to be visited. While insurance is clearly highly recommended for most destinations, it is not yet compulsory in the UK, under whose fl ag most of us sail and is a complicated subject warranting a little more detail.

Our favourite bit: “A steady supply of sandwiches, soup, chocolates and other goodies does wonders for the spirits.”

Verdict: Rather than repeating the same full page picture of a line cleated in a self tailing winch at the start of every chapter, I would have liked to have seen a bit more nitty-gritty detail, especially on the regs for France and the Channel Islands.

Publisher: Adlard Coles Nautical Author: Andy Du Port Price: £17

IN SHOAL WATERS

Charles Stock, the stalwart east coast sailor, was an occasional contributor to this magazine who sailed over 75,000 miles, mostly singlehanded and latterly in Shoal Waters, his 16ft, engineless wooden ga� er. Charles passed away last year, but leaves us this posthumously produced autobiography that stirs the part of us wanting to throw away our engine for good, head upriver and moor up for a quiet brew.

Our favourite bit: “Anyone, you might say, foolish enough to sail at Easter deserves to freeze to death.”

Verdict: While some of the book comes across as a minutiae absorbed log, other parts captivate with moments of beautiful description delivered with the mesmerising cadence of a small wooden ga� er snubbing at her bower.

Publisher: www.lodestarbooks.com Author: AC Stock Price: £10

TIME OUTOUR PICKS OF THE BEST NEW BUNKSIDE READING, FILM AND SMARTPHONE APPS

The Thames: a Photographic Journey from Source to Sea

An enthralling book, displaying the Thames in all her beauty. However, we did have one small quibble, concluding the book at Gravesend seems a little ill-advised given the title.

Publisher: Bloomsbury Author: Derek Pratt Price: £20

ST194 BooksV1.indd 68 17/04/2013 15:03

most major credit & debit cards accepted

Delivery from only £2.95Delivery from only £2.95

Seamark Nunn are leading suppliers of sailing equipment & accessories since 1961

Prices shown include VAT at 20% where applicable.All prices correct at time of going to press and subject to availability.

Please check our website for latest prices. E. & O. E.

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1000 9 June 2013 ST 300x230 2pp.indd 1 12/04/2013 15:49

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1000 7 May 2013 ST 300x230 2pp.indd 2 28/02/2013 16:28MSS_JUEN.indd 2 15/04/2013 11:35

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1000 9 June 2013 ST 300x230 2pp.indd 1 12/04/2013 15:49

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1000 7 May 2013 ST 300x230 2pp.indd 2 28/02/2013 16:28MSS_JUEN.indd 3 15/04/2013 11:35


EyEball NavigatioN

The arT of reading The waTer for hazards and depTh among The rocks has served sailors well from The scillies To The souTh pacific, as caribbean experT chris doyle explains

Seamanship

On my first trip to the Tobago Cays in the Grenadines, I was using the chart, had totally miscalculated my distance from the

northern tip of an island and ran aground on the outer reef. I was paying too much attention to the chart and not enough to what I could see around me.

Looking at the water colours and being able to interpret what they mean is the art of eyeball navigation. It is not always easy. When sunlight hits the water only some of it passes the surface to light up the depths; the rest gets reflected. But the higher the sun, the more light penetrates the water and the more you can see. To really make sense of the underwater, you need the sun to be behind, or to one side, or nearly overhead. If the sun is ahead of you, the reflected light overwhelms everything and you cannot see beneath the surface at all.

The next thing you quickly learn is that the higher up you are, the farther you can see ahead and the better you can see underwater, which is one reason that historic sailing vessels had crow’s nests. Don Street, perhaps the Caribbean’s best known navigator, was always urging people to “send a man to the spreaders” and not to approach new shores after 4pm, when the low sun makes eyeball navigation very hard.

I have spent most of my life sailing in the tropical waters of the Caribbean,

writing cruising guides. Exploring poorly charted areas is part of the job and I have all the modern navigational tools, including a GPS chartplotter. GPS has been the most dramatic leap in navigation since the invention of the chronometer, which it has made obsolete.

Low tech science But my most reliable navigational aid among reefs is polarised sunglasses; I feel lost without them. When the sun hits the water, much of the reflected light is polarised. The sunglasses block this, allowing you to see what is underneath. They also have the unfortunate attribute of blocking the light from my chartplotter, which is also polarised, so I have to do neck stretches to see the screen. Polarised lenses come in a vast array of colours (see new gear, pp64-65); I find brown to be the best as it brings out, rather than blocks, the browns and yellows that are going to help identify a reef.

I do most of my eyeball navigation from deck level, an elevation that is usually adequate. But extra height helps, and when Jeff Fisher and I were working in poorly charted areas off Venezuela, I built ratlines so we could easily climb 6ft (1.8m) off the

deck. Even this relatively small boost in height dramatically improved our ability to see underwater.

Reading depth The essence of eyeball navigation is observing any change in water colour. In a shelving sea over perfectly white sand, the colours vary with the depth. From black or indigo to a lustrous, dark blue in the depths, the colour lightens to a much brighter blue as you get into water around 40ft or 50ft (12-15m) deep. When the water is only 12ft to 15ft (3.7-4.6m) deep, it

20-30ft dark blueAs water deepens, its shade of blue darkens. Not to be confused with black or dark brown reef

3ft shallowsThe very light ‘pinot grigio’ colour of the water here indicates less than a metre over sand

1

2

1

‘My most reliable navigational aid among reefs is polarised sunglasses;

I feel lost without them’

ST194 Seamanship_EyeballNavV5.indd 72 17/04/2013 16:01

tHE SKiPPER’S talE

Treasure Bay on Martinique’s wild east coast doesn’t even feature in some pilot guides, deemed too well protected by reefs. But after a week of rock-hopping, we decided to give it a try, approaching from the south at midday, with the sun at our backs.

We were already inside the outer reef, so there were no breaking seas to betray the shallows. But with a man perched on the pulpit and the helmsman glancing at the plotter, we felt our way safely in around a sharp dogleg in the 15m channel.

In the bay, we motored gently over towards a good-looking cove to anchor, the plotter assuring us there was no further reef to contend with. Imagine my horror, then, to see a line of brown through the water, approaching the bows, and seconds later a fi rm crunch that brought us to a standstill. We’d aced the entrance and fl unked the easy part. SF

Water depth The water colour will change steadily from deep indigo through turquoise and on to a sandy colour on an evenly shelving shore, provided the sun is out and not directly in front of you


WW

W.W

YAT

TSA

ILIN

G.C

OM

becomes a more brilliant turquoise and, as it gets shallower, it lightens until it is the colour of sand (and you have run aground!).

Years ago there was a tiny bay of brilliant white sand in the Tobago Cays covered with 8ft (2.4m) of water. Every charter yacht owner anchored his boat there, climbed the rocks nearby, and took a photo for his brochure, because it looked as if the yacht were fl oating in the air over sand with a distinct shadow, while behind the deeper water was a brilliant blue.

It would be nice to make an identikit of colours and assign each colour to a certain depth. To some extent we do this in our minds, but in practice, light is ever-changing, and water that looks a brilliant light turquoise with the sun in one direction will look a much darker blue-green from another angle.

Spotting a reefAt its easiest, eyeball navigation is fi nding your way in shallow, protected water between reefs that almost touch the surface over

10-15ftThis ketch is anchored in turquoise water - 10ft to 15ft over sand

Sea grass/weedOn a sandy bottom, weed will stand out as a dark green, except in very shallow water, as here

Coral headBeware! The dark brown to black smudge is a dead giveaway: here be reef

3

5

4

4

2

3

5

light-coloured sand. When a reef is close to the surface, you can usually make out its brown colour. It does not take much time to be confi dent enough to beat along it, sailing straight for the reef, then tacking at the last minute.

Th is is fi ne as long as the bottom is sand and reef, but what happens when there is weed? Th is is much harder, because weed looks blackish under water – much like rock. In good light you will be able to tell the diff erence between weed and a surface reef, but if the reef is about 6ft (1.8m) deep, you can no longer distinguish its colours so well. In Venezuela we found a large area marked as shallow reef on the charts to be navigable water, about 8ft to 10ft (2.4-3m) deep over weed, which made us wonder whether they had used aerial or satellite photography.

Another useful sign of a reef, rock, or shallow water is breaking water. If it occurs in a long line it is oft en a clear indication of a reef. In more isolated spots it can indicate a rock or shallow patch. At sea, in rough


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Seamanship


Above: from the air, Tobago Cays in the Grenadines shows water colours at their easiest to interpret: gradations of blue and turquoise to pale sand for depth and clear brown reefs. The weed patches are hard to distinguish from reef at this range

Below: St Martin’s in the Scillies has an evenly shoaling sandy bottom

Below right: This weed is on sand 7ft (2.1m) deep. It would be hard to tell when it shoaled to 5ft (1.5m), so keelboats should stay clear

conditions you have whitecaps everywhere, but it does not take long to start identifying when the water is repeatedly breaking in one spot – it is telling you to watch out.

Poor conditionsOft en, conditions are not ideal. Th e seabed may be a darker coloured sand or mud, in which case the changes you look for to identify reefs become much more subtle – a hint of brown, or indigo; a light spot, or a diff erent green. Even in a small swell, very fi ne sand can be suspended in the water, and although it looks a sparkling green, in reality it is somewhat murky. You may be able to see surface reefs, but could miss deeper ones.

Now let’s throw in another wildcard: clouds. Light is everything in eyeball navigation and you really need unobstructed sun. Clouds that just cut the sun a little (cloudy bright) are not too bad. Heavier clouds cast shadows on the water, which are hard to tell from weed or reef. Meanwhile, when the sun goes behind a cloud it severely restricts your ability to read the water. Many times I have found myself muttering, “come on sun!” Luckily, the sun is usually listening in the Caribbean.

If exploring an uncharted area, patience and good conditions are almost essential, because all your information has to come from what you see and your depth measurements. Much of the Caribbean has been well surveyed and in this case, eyeball navigation allows you to place yourself accurately on the chart and keep out of trouble, which is much easier.

For instance, the approach from the east to Spanish Point in Barbuda is through a narrow entrance between two reefs. One is shallow and closer to land; the other is deeper and to the south. As long as you can trust your chart, all you need to do is identify the shallower reef (easy, because the outer part of it will cause the waves to break), then follow it fairly closely, thus staying in the channel.

I sometimes leave through this anchorage pretty early in the morning. At fi rst it seems impossible, because the sun is slightly south of east and directly ahead, and low, so

visibility is marginal. But, because I know the water close to the south of the shallow reef is deep, I don’t need to be able to see straight ahead. As long as I can see the shallow reef to the north and stay close to it, I’m safe. By 0800hrs, the angle of the sun will be suffi cient for me to see the reef and I will have no problem.

LimitationsEyeball navigation does have its limitations. In Venezuela a yacht called Coralie lost part of her keel on an uncharted rock 6ft (1.8m) below the surface in the Golfo de Santa Fe; the captain emailed me a GPS

Reef depth is hard, but not impossible to determine: the darker the deeper

Weed on sand can often look like underwater rocks



Seamanship

position aft er the incident. During my next visit, I had plenty of sharp-eyed crew aboard, and went to look for this reef. Th e water was over 60ft deep and dark. We went to the GPS position and motored in a search pattern; nothing. Luckily, we saw a boatload of kids fi shing and asked them where it was. We followed their pointed fi ngers to a patch of sea looking just a little lighter than the surrounding water. But nothing was visible till we were almost over it; not nearly enough warning to avoid a keel crunch.

Eyeball navigation is a primary tool in reef-strewn areas and oft en the best method for fi nding your way into a harbour, but it has limitations. Th e shallower your draught the safer it is, but it is not always easy, and changes in the seabed and clouds can confuse almost anybody. Luckily, the more you practice, the better you will get. And, the occasional grounding aside, practising amid warm tropical waters is almost always fun.

3ft2-4ft6ft

20-30ft

+50ft

SandWeed patches

SandReef

Waves breakOcean swell

Reef

Shelving

Flat water

Below: This reef is in water with a mud bottom, which does not show the shallows well, even in bright sunlight

Bottom: When the sun is fi ltered by clouds, you would have to be an experienced eyeball navigator to spot the reef

Right: How the weed then two patches of reef in the drawing above looks from the deck of a boat

ANATOMY OF A REEF READING

As long as the water is clear and the sun high, eyeball navigation should provide solid information on the depth and nature of the bottom

GET IN TOUCH Have you had a close encounter with the seabed?



sailingtoday.co.uk

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GET IN TOUCH

Anchoring on the DartI’m planning a West Country cruise and wondered if there are any free anchorages on the River Dart? Susan Wager, by email

In brief, no! The Dart Harbour Navigation Authority charges for anchoring anywhere on the navigable part of the river, from the drying areas at Totnes to a line between Coombe Point and Inner Froward Point. Dues are £0.75/m per day.

If you choose not to anchor, additional fees are charged for using a swinging or fore-and-aft visitor’s mooring, or any of the pontoons. So, beautiful though it undoubtedly is, cheap it isn’t.Mike Eastman

Filling fuel cells overseasIt was interesting to read about the Efoy 140 fuel cell (ST192), but how easy is it to fi nd fuel overseas? Stephen Fox, by email

Fuel cell methanol is now available in thousands of outlets worldwide. One tip, when evaluating availability, is to check camping and motorhome type suppliers as well as marine.

There is a useful map of global availability at www.fuelcellsystems.co.uk. Don’t be tempted to use cheaper but less pure methanol. The unit’s stack can be damaged in a very short space of time by any impurities.Jake Kavanagh

Why are we always told not to go up the mast on a wire halyard?Richard Haynes, by email

The fi rst rule of mast climbing is never to trust a shackle or a splice - both of which feature on wire halyards. Shackles can fail and unscrew themselves, while snap shackles can open if the ring on the locking mechanism gets caught. At some point the wire will be spliced into a rope tail and this is a weak point, even if it looks good. Instead, use an all-rope halyard. Tie the ends together, run it through and inspect for damage. Tie it to your chair and have a good bounce on the rope. If it makes a crackling sound, try another halyard. Use a safety line. Jerry Henwood

Below: Katie Miller (left) made her name following in the footsteps of Dame Ellen MacArthur by circling Britain in a 21ft (6.4m) Corribee




In researching my book, UK and Ireland Circumnavigator’s Guide, I looked at prevailing wind and currents and also the experience of 57 other yachts to see which way round resulted in the least motorsailing. On average, the boats motored 54 per cent of the time, but it made little di� erence which way they went because there are so many variables.

You need to make the decision based on the factors that are important to you. It might be as simple as where you start from: leaving from the east coast, most people go anticlockwise; but on the south and west coasts, people go the other way to reach Scotland in June when the weather is likely to be better. Sam Steele

Sailing Today, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place,

London SW3 3TQ

Round Britain

Clockwise or anticlockwise?

Jim Begg, by email

Let our experts answer your cruising questions: [email protected]

Cruising clinic

MIKE EASTMAN Cruising Association Lyme

Bay Section Secretary

SAM STEELEAuthor of the UK and Ireland

Circumnavigator’s Guide

JERRY HENWOODWidely known to ARC sailors and others as Jerry the Rigger

JAKE KAVANAGH Co-author of The Boat

Improvement Bible

OUR EXPERT PANEL THIS MONTH

USE AN ALL-ROPE HALYARD

ST194 Cruising ClinicV2.indd 78 17/04/2013 15:09


Riding light

Sharp lookoutThere are no hard statistics available (that I can find), but I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that thousands of containers are lost overboard from ships every year. Most of these, I guess, flood and sink, but many do not, either floating high in the water or very low.

In gales it’s not unheard of for timber cargoes also to be lost into the sea – and timber certainly floats.

All of these, and much else in the way of flotsam, or even jetsam, occasionally represent a hazard to passagemaking yachts, particularly at night. It seems that avoiding pot markers is not enough of a challenge to the watchkeeper these days. In addition he has to keep a very serious lookout for dangerous floating items, particularly in the region of busy container terminals and/or following gales offshore. In fog, too, you wouldn’t stand much of a chance of taking avoiding action.

Don’t think you can rely on your radar to pick these objects up; it’s all down to a human with very sharp eyes or a good pair of binoculars, but definitely with a great deal of luck. I think that on any cross-Channel, cross-North Sea or cross-Irish Sea passage, I would now require watchkeepers to make a careful scan of the water with binoculars every quarter of an hour and remind each to watch the water close ahead all the time.

It takes alarmingly little to damage a hull and not a lot more to puncture it. Glug, glug!

Bigfoot can’t have been a sailorIt’s a long time since I last saw a reported sighting of Bigfoot. You remember? Giant-sized ape living in western Canadian woods? Bit like a Yeti on holiday? Anyway, if he is (or they are?) still around, he’s obviously got big feet. But surely, a size 12 would be far too small for him?

That wasn’t the impression given by the chandler when my friend tried to buy himself a new pair of sailing shoes. It seemed that either size 12 was the most popular and had therefore sold out in all styles, or it was far too large for anyone to tramp – sorry,

leap nimbly – around a deck in and was therefore not made. It felt a bit like trying to get a boat salesman to admit that an open transom can be a bit of a headache if you have toddlers aboard.

Still, my friend got his shoes in the end. Not the ones he wanted, of course, but we’ll see if they work as he trips daintily across the foredeck.

Ice on the brainI can think of many things I would have said in the circumstances, but “Oh, bother!” isn’t amongst them.

The wind was a-howling from the east, as it had been for a week or more, bringing with it bouts of snow and sleet. Yes, it was early fitting out time when only those with a launch deadline were to be seen wrapped in winter thermals, holding the thermometer upside down to try to get the mercury further along the scale and persuade themselves that

paint would go off successfully at -5°C.A friend of mine had taken his halyards home for a

clean up and decided now was the time to re-reeve them – I know, but his brain was freezing and not working clearly. Still, the first one went in fine; it was the second that spoilt the day. He attached the end to the mousing line and hauled away vigorously, but just as the join approached the sheave box, a particularly vicious gust came through. Suddenly everything stopped moving and as the snow was wiped from his glasses he could see the trouble. The wind had blown the thin mouse across the aperture and it had become jammed between the sheave and the side of the box.

Tug and heave as he might, it wasn’t going anywhere, up or down. There was no doubt that his first job after launching would be to go up the mast. “Oh, bother!” is not what I would have said, but then I was always uncouth.

ColIn Jarman helped launch Sailing Today in 1997 and lives and sails on the East Coast

Stack ’em high is fine in port, but how secure are

they at sea?

Your view

Share your thoughts on containers, shoe

sizes, cold weather or any other sailing issue




Just as you thought it was safe to turn the pages of ST once more – colin Jarman is back! we’ve listened to your comments and, like the best laid passage plans when the

wind shifts, changed our plans for a smoother ride.

ST194 Riding LightV1.indd 79 17/04/2013 15:11


THE HYBRID REVOLUTION

EVEN THE SMALLEST CRUISER CAN BENEFIT FROM AMPLE DOMESTIC POWER AND SILENT, DEPENDABLE PROPULSION BY FITTING A DIESEL-ELECTRIC HYBRID. JAKE KAVANAGH REPORTS

Technical

Thanks to the development of the hybrid car, we’re all pretty familiar with the concept of a diesel-electric hybrid for boats.

We know that quiet and fume-free electric propulsion is possible for several hours on fully charged batteries, topped up by running the engine (or from shore power, or on board renewables), but there are other advantages too.

If you spend a lot of time making short trips, a hybrid can save you around 30 per cent in fuel, and even more on long hauls. � e cold running of a diesel in con� ned marinas can be avoided, and if the yacht is equipped with all-electric cookers and tender outboard, then it only needs one fuel – diesel. � e more volatile butane gas (o� en tricky to obtain the right bottles overseas), petrol or para� n can be dispensed with altogether.

But perhaps the biggest advantage, and the reason hybrids are now attracting the attention of sailors from weekend potterers to bluewater voyagers, is the cheap and plentiful electrical power on tap for domestic loads. � e large battery bank still needs topping up from renewables or via the engine when the boat’s at anchor, which is the majority of the time, especially if high draw items such as fans or freezers are running. And speed-oriented cruisers may baulk at the extra weight – just 1kg of diesel has the same energy potential as 200kg of lead acid batteries.

However, the large amount of stored amperage tapped via inverters

allows items like air-bottle compressors and even arc welding gear to be used ‘o� grid.’ For the long-range yacht, this power makes self-reliant cruising far more � exible. Indeed, one UK boatbuilder considers a hybrid engine so useful it is now o� ering the installation as standard.

Types of hybridHybrid systems fall into two main categories: serial and parallel. � e serial system utilises a generator separated from the yacht’s drivetrain. � is means it can be conveniently located almost anywhere on board. Power cables link the generator to the battery bank, which also doubles as ballast, and from there, the current is fed to an electric motor attached to the prop sha� .

Along the way, complex electronics manage the � ow of power to maximise e� ciency and prevent battery damage. � is is the type of

system used by large cruise liners, as it allows the diesel generators to run at their optimal output, and so save valuable fuel. � e electric motors themselves can be mounted on swivelling pods to give the boat a very high degree of manoeuvrability, a system since adopted by Beneteau.

� e parallel hybrid is most familiar to us from the old diesel-electric submarines. A high-performance electric motor is mounted in the drive train, either above the sha� and connected by a belt, or � tted between the engine and the gearbox. When a typical 10kW (13hp) electric motor is spun by the diesel, it generates up to

CompactHybrids can be fi tted to relatively small engines. This is the Beta 25 parallel hybrid that will be standard on all new Wylo 35s

1

Below: A conventional marine diesel can be converted to a hybrid with the addition of a pancake-style 10kW electric motor, as shown on this new Beta 75

ST194 Technical_HybridDriveV4.indd 80 17/04/2013 16:02


5kW – around 100a at 48v. � is is used to top up the batteries and supply mains power on board if required.

For silent running, the diesel is switched o� and declutched from the sha� . � e electric motor takes over, usually capable of achieving 70 per cent of hull speed in calm conditions for between two and four hours. If you want a quiet night at anchor, the battery bank is big enough to handle the domestic loads via an inverter, so you don’t have to use the hybrid motor as a diesel-powered generator.

Of the two systems, the all-electric serial hybrid system gives much more � exibility in designing a yacht’s

Matching the propeller to the engine is already a science, but hybrids require a pitch that is equally

eff ective in all modes – not easy with fi xed blades. All prop types, including feathering versions, can be

used for drive and regeneration, but specialists Brunton’s have developed a self-pitching prop called

the Ecostar. This converts into a very eff ective turbine under sail by pitching the blades forward.

layout. Although 48v electric motors in the 9hp to 13hp range are commonly used, there are, in fact some very powerful systems available for purely electric drives, some delivering as much as 100hp. � ese require voltages of up to 500v from highly e� cient, quiet running generator sets made by the likes of Fischer Panda and Whisper Power.

‘Items like dive bottle compressors and even arc

welders can be used o� -grid’

Green powerWhen the motor is spun by the diesel, or by the freewheeling prop, it becomes a generator, topping up the battery bank. Fixed or variable trim propellers are usually used, which can be locked to minimise drag in light airs

Silent runningThe powerful deep-earth magnet electric motor provides around 12hp of almost silent propulsion. Thrust is immediate, and incremental, allowing for very precise control when manoeuvring, and without any smoke, or clunking gearboxes.

3

2

The right prop

Both hybrid systems, serial and parallel, have a great deal to o� er, each providing ample reserves of electrical power for domestic loads as well as storing energy for propulsion. � e � nal decision will depend on which is be the most cost e� ective in the long term for your particular boat, with the parallel hybrid o� ering the extra reassurance of two independent drive methods using the same sha� .

Storing the powerKey to any successful hybrid system is the ability to physically store the power generated in a battery bank. A great advantage of a hybrid system is that the batteries can be topped up from a wide range of sources, making it possible for a well-con� gured yacht to be virtually self-refuelling, especially on passage. Solar panels, wind generators, towed generators and the freewheeling propeller can all recharge the batteries underway.

� e design of the lead-acid battery hasn’t changed much since it was invented, and still relies on lead plates surrounded by an electrolyte. However, the demand for hybrid cars and portable electronics has led to the rapid development of lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries,



Parker & Kay Sailmakers (East)Suffolk Yacht HarbourIpswich IP10 0LNTel: 01473 659 878Email: [email protected]

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ST_194_078.indd 82 18/04/2013 10:32


Technical

We asked Hybrid Marine for a ballpark fi gure for hybridising a diesel engine in the 20hp to 55hp diesel range. All prices quoted are ex-VAT.

Basic hybrid components, including motor/ generator, main control box: £4,400 Four Odyssey PC1800 AGM batteries: £1,600 Bracketry for engine: £400-£1000 (depending on engine) Cabling: £200-£400 Labour/project management: +/- £1,500 TOTAL: c£8,900

‘Each installation has its own challenges, which will aff ect the cost, so the best approach to hybridisation is to include it from the very start,’ says Graeme Hawksley at Hybrid Marine.

‘In a typical boat this may add 5 per cent to the purchase price. However, if compared to other high power options (eg a separate generator) or the ability to replace multiple engines with a single unit (catamarans) then there is the potential to save overall.’

THE COST OF CONVERSION

which are one third the weight, one third the size, and have three times the longevity of their lead-acid equivalents, albeit at more than three times the cost (more details on pp58-62 in our group battery test).

In addition, they can surrender 80 per cent of their rated capacity, repeatedly, and without damage. Pricing of li-ion remains high, but this is partly o� set by the long working life, and costs are gradually coming down anyway, so these batteries are now being more widely used a� oat. � e new Volvo 65 � eet, for example, is � tting Mastervolt’s second-generation 24v li-ion cells as part of a lightweight, deep-cycle system designed for extreme sailing.

� e battery recommended by Isle of Wight-based Hybrid Marine for mainstream o� shore installations is the thin plate pure lead (TPPL) design, as represented by Odyssey. Capable of repeated deep-cycling, these rugged gel-� lled sealed batteries are very safe for marine use, and can be mounted where the

weight will be advantageous. Other battery manufacturers o� er slim AGM cells that can be mounted horizontally if required.

A typical hybrid system on a 35� (11m) cruising yacht would have a bank of four 160aH sealed AGM batteries providing 6kWh of useable energy – enough for about two hours motoring at 5 to 6 knots, and longer at lower speeds. Attached to this

bank would be a suitable inverter to provide ample mains power for the domestic loads, with sensors that would manage the renewable input, and automatically kick in the diesel charging system when the capacity falls too low.

Optimising the setup� e big challenge with any hybrid system is optimising e� ciency. A great deal of research has been done recently in the EU-funded HYMAR project, which had the objective of developing a viable marine hybrid system for displacement pleasure vessels of up to 24m (78� ). � e � rst test-bed was a Malo 46, with the lessons learnt put into a Hallberg-Rassy 42. � roughout the project, e� ciency was the buzzword.

“A diesel engine converts fossil fuel to propeller sha� torque with an e� ciency of 35 per cent,” explained the project’s manager, Ken Wittamore. “With propeller e� ciency of around 60 per cent, then the maximum theoretical e� ciency of the system is roughly 21 per cent, but this is rarely achieved. Diesels

Above: Mastervolt’s second generation of lithium-Ion batteries o� er superior power to weight ratios, and can withstand a punishing deep-cycle regime, although costs remain high

Right: The Wylo Island Swift will be o� ered with a parallel hybrid as standard for long term bluewater voyaging

VO

YAG

ING

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CH

TS L

TD



Technical

GET IN TOUCH Would you consider taking the plunge and going hybrid on your boat?



sailingtoday.co.uk

operate best over a relatively small range of torque and revs, and e� ciency drops away alarmingly when past the optimum point.

“When running at 6 knots, e� ciency is down to 15 per cent, and when manoeuvring in a marina, it’s just 2 per cent. A hybrid system, however, runs at a fairly consistent 15 per cent e� ciency, so for economy, the ideal situation is to run the electric motor up to 6 knots, and the diesel beyond that.”

Also key to any propulsion system is the propeller. � e beauty of an electric motor is that it provides a great deal of torque at low speed, and the revs can be brought in gradually, unlike the clunk-in, clunk-out of a diesel at tick-over.

A hybrid propeller has to be able to take advantage of this low speed torque, and also act as a generator turbine, so when the yacht is sailing it can spin the motor as a generator. HYMAR combined mathematical modelling with practical testing by UK-based Bruntons to develop a new, self-pitching propeller for hybrid use. � e result is a � atter torque curve, and the ability to reverse the blades when under sail for more e� cient regeneration.

AvailabilityWith the technology proven, several manufacturers have successfully brought diesel-electric hybrids to the mainstream marine market. A key player has been Dutch company Mastervolt, which was closely involved with HYMAR. When it acquired electrical

specialist Bellman, it added pod drives and saildrive motors to its range and is currently developing the new GPX-E serial hybrid

system. � is is a compact and ‘intelligent’ generator set that includes a built-in inverter and battery charger con� gured to handle the

demands of propulsion and varying electrical loads under way.

Meanwhile, in the parallel-hybrid sector, manufacturers such as Nanni, ZF and Steyr have all developed

systems where the electric motor is sandwiched between the diesel’s output sha� and the gearbox – ideal for converting existing marine diesels. � is not only provides a built-in generator, it also allows the engine to be started and ‘boosted’ by the motor. � e Steyr system is now widely used by marine authorities who like being able to sneak up on people.

Other parallel systems are available from Beta Marine in conjunction with Hybrid Marine. � ey can provide fully integrated hybrid systems or complete packages to ‘hybridise’ your boat. � e electric motor/generator is mounted externally and a pulley/belt drive allows ratio adjustments to tune each set up. Beta can also customise the engine feet and bracket. Mastervolt has also developed a range of retro� t parallel motors, with a lot of emphasis on monitoring and control systems.

HYBRID MARINE +44 (0)1983 403236 www.hybrid-marine.co.uk

BETA MARINE +44 (0)1452 723492 www.betamarine.co.uk

STEYR DIESELS +43 7252 2220 www.steyr-motors.com

MASTERVOLT (UK) +44 (0)20 7660 0042 www.mastervolt.com

NANNI DIESELS +33 (0)5 56 22 30 60 www.nannidiesel.com

OUR VERDICT

CONTACTS

Fitting a hybrid could make a big diff erence to your long-distance cruising. The installation costs remain comparatively high, and can’t really be justifi ed simply in terms of fuel saved, or even the enjoyment of gliding silently along under electric power, but they do come into their own in terms of functionality. Heavy draw equipment can be run off -grid, and with the yacht able to replace its energy consumption from renewables, it may be possible to cruise for months on end without using a drop of diesel. Certainly, the new Wylo 35 is being built around this concept, and as demand for hybrid power rises, prices may fall. For skippers who appreciate the advantages of the ‘single fuel’ boat with a big generating capacity and reserve propulsion, hybrid is able to make a big contribution to cost eff ective, independent and comfortable cruising.

Left: The readout on Hybrid Marine’s display gives clear fi gures for battery drain and recharge input, with a sliding scale for capacity along the bottom

‘A hybrid system runs at a fairly consistent 15%

e� ciency’



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Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 54DS – 20073 cabins, master’s forward, navy hull, Luxury

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electronics pack, trailer, good inventory. Plymouth.£9,500

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Jeanneau Cap Cam 7.5 DC – 2011 Yamaha 250hp, comfortable cabin, separate heads, covers, very lightly used. Immaculate example of latest model. Plymouth. £44,950

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DUFOUR 38 Classic – 2002Lovingly cared for, teak decks, two heads

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electronics inventory Inmast furl and bow thruster for easy handling Devon. £ 169,000

JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 32.2 – 2001Wheel steering,single line, easy to sail, heads /shower, heating. Ready to go great inventory ,

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JEANNEAU MERRY FISHER 925 – 2006Very well equipped, 5 berths, electronic suite,

galley/fridge Spacious accom. Very well maintained.Plymouth £69,950.

JEANNEAU SUN 2500 – 2009Lift keel, twin rudders. Hardly used, immaculate. Maxprop feathering , tiller steer, 4 bths, heads, heating, fridge, cooker Plymouth. £37,000

DUFOUR 40E Performance – 2011Vessel used for demos and is in immaculate & superbly maintained condition. 3 dble. Cabs. 2 heads, heating, TV, radar, full nav suite. Performance sails, lazybag-set up for easy handling. huge inventory lots factory fitted

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Dufour 525 Grand Large2007 model year 6 berth sail cruiser with 75 hp diesel engine. Inventory includes E80 plotter, bowthruster, autopilot, radar and in mast furling. Lying Eastbourne £239,000

Beneteau First 302011 model year, Cruiser/Racer, 6 Berths, Fin Keel, Sloop Rig, Yanmar Diesel Engine, Raymarine A70 GPS Chart Plotter, Tacktic Instruments, Icom VHF Radio, Ultimate Carbon Aramid Sails & Spinnakers. Lying Eastbourne £84,950

Beneteau Oceanis 462008 Year model, 3 Cabin Version, Blue Hull, Teak Decks, Deep Fin Keel, Twin Wheels, In Mast Furling, Yanmar 4JH4TE 75 hp Diesel Engine, Bow Thruster, E80 Chart Plotter, VHF, Auto Pilot. Lying Eastbourne.

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Beneteau First Class 7.52005 model year Beneteau First Class 7.5 racing yacht. inventory includes outboard engine two mainsails, two roller genoas and an assymetric spinnaker. Lying Brighton. £16,000

Hunter legend 37.51992 model year 7 berth sail cruiser with Yanmar 30hp engine. Inventory includes, liferaft, 2x E80 plotters, radar, autopilot, and spinnaker gear. 1999 Osmosis treatment applied. Lying Eastbourne.

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Beneteau First 281981 year model, Fin keel, Tiller steering, Yanmar Diesel 2YM 15hp engine (New 2006), 6 Berths in 2 cabins, galley, separate heads, Navico Tiller Pilot, Garmin GPS, Icom VHF Radio, Navtex, Hull epoxy treated 2004. Lying Eastbourne

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Oyster 26 1980 model year, Bermuda Sloop Cruiser/Racer, 5 Berths, Fin keel, Tiller Steering, Volvo Penta Sail Drive, Autohelm Auto Pilot, Magellan GPS & VHF Radio. Lying Eastbourne £14,500

Beneteau Oceanis 432008 Year Model, 2 Cabin Owner’s Elegance Version, Blue Hull, Teak Decks, Yanmar 54hp Diesel Engine, Deep Fin Keel, Twin Wheels, Main Sail With Slab Reefing, Bow Thruster, E80 Chart Plotter, Radar, Auto Pilot, Eberspacher Heating, Copper Coat & Much More. Lying Eastbourne

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Contessa 351976 Year Model, Fin & Skeg Keel, Tiller Steering, Nanni (2006) 37hp Diesel Engine, Raymarine S2 Auto Pilot, Garmin 128 GPS, Icom DSC VHF, AIS Transponder & Hammer Head Tablet PC. Lying Eastbourne

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Beneteau Oceanis 3112000 year model, Shallow keel, wheel steering, Volvo Penta 18 hp Engine, 6 Berths in 3 Cabins, Navman Tracker GPS, Icom DSC VHF Radio, Auto Pilot, Tri Data Instruments and Copper Coat Anti-Fouling. Lying Eastbourne £44,950

Sadler Starlight 351992 year model, 6 Berths, Volvo Penta 29hp Diesel Engine, Electric Windlass, Lowrance GPS Chart Plotter, Furuno Radar, Tac Tik Wind Instrument, Autohelm, DSC VHF Radio, Navtex, Mukuni Cabin Heating, EPIRB, Life raft, Avon Dinghy. Preveza - Greece

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Hunter Legend 426 DS2003 model year, Shallow Fin Keel, Wheel Steering, Yanmar 56 hp Diesel Engine, 2 State Room Cabins, 2 Heads, Cavernous Accommodation, Raymarine Chart Plotter/Radar, Raymarine Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments, Autopilot, Simrad VHF & Fisher Panda Generator. Eastbourne

£124,950

Northwind Mistral 36985 Year Model, Fin Keel, Wheel Steering, 7 Berths, Mercedes 42hp Diesel Engine, Stowe Echosounder, Wind Speed & Direction Instruments, Auto Helm Autopilot, Navco VHF Radio. Ideal Live Aboard - Requires updating – Offers Considered. Chocked Ashore Newhaven

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Wyliecat 30 2001 Year Model, 4/5 Berths, Fin Keel, Tiller Steering, Cat Rigged, Carbon Fibre Mast, Yanmar 9hp Diesel Engine, Ideal For Short Hand Sailing.

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SOUTHERLY 46RS

SOUTHERLY 46RS 2006 Lying East Coast £368,000SOUTHERLY 38 2009 Lying Northshore £295,000SOUTHERLY 38 2009 Lying Southampton £285,000SOUTHERLY 32 2011 Lying Northshore £185,000SOUTHERLY 32 2009 Lying Northshore £155,000SOUTHERLY 110 2010 Lying Chichester £190,000SOUTHERLY 110 2006 Lying Southampton £155,000SOUTHERLY 115 1998 Lying Southampton £98,000SOUTHERLY 100 1997 Lying Chichester £37,500VANCOUVER 34P 2008 Lying Chichester £169,500VANCOUVER 34P 2001 Lying Fowey £98,500VANCOUVER 34 Classic 2004 Lying Northshore £125,000

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BROK AD ST MAY 13.pdf 12/4/13 16:16 Page 1

Retreat BoatyardRETREAT DRIVE, TOPSHAM, EXETER EX3 0LS

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Leisure 27, 1979, twin keel, bags of extras, new sails 04, diesel, Here £15,950

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Boast For Sale

Boats for sale

AtlAnticA 375 Dutch built 1988.Based Levkas Greece7 berth, fully equipped, professionally maintained5 share syndicate bargain

Price: £6000 share

Tel for full details 07941331690

1997 huntER PilOt 27Very well maintained. Excellent condition. One owner. Topsides professionally Awlgripped 2004. Many extras including tender and new outboard. Lying south coast. Price: £28,000. Tel: 01923 283203

1997 RED FOx 200EDavid Thomas designed 20’ trailer/sailer with twin lifting bilge boards. Sleeps 4. Galley, separate heads compartment. Roller headsail. Main single line reefing, lazyjacks and packaway sail cover.

Price: £10,750

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1986 MOODy 34 Centre Cockpit, Bilge keels, new rigging 2007. Copperbotted, built-in Autohelm 5000,Thorneycroft 35hp diesel engine, hot water via engine calorfier, Mikuni heater, mains wired.

Price: £44,500

Contact: 01252 852564

tRADing uP/DOwn? Cobra 850(1980) B/K Cruiser ready for season Sound Hull(Epoxied)/Excellent Bukh Twin/ Furling Main and Genoa(Sails New)/Sprayhood/Dodgers. Depth/Wind /Waterspeed VHF

Price: £11,250

Contact: 01600 713805

cOMAnchE 32 cAtAMARAnamily cruiser sister to the Iroquois. 6 to 8 berths, in 4 cabins plus saloon, twin 9.9 Yamaha outboards. Built 1984, but very tidy, well looked after & well equipped. 2010 survey.

Price: £36,000

Contact: 0784 0956 478

AlAn PAPE 19’ AuxiliARy KEtchBuilt by Bambers of Cornwall in 1982 of chine construction with marine ply and mahogany, extensive refit in 2010/11, VGC. Yanmar 1GM engine.2011 Survey and pictures available.

Price: £3,000

Contact: 0774 7767 884

wEstERly FulMAR 1981Twin keel, excellent condition, Volvo 2030, new chartplotter, spinnaker, keel cooled fridge, s/s fuel tank, liferaft, email [email protected] full inventory.

Price: £24,000

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Malaysia | Gryphon ii

Dispatches

Stunning southeast Asia with its temples, mosques and markets needs a

reliable engine, as sailing breezes are sparse - except in Thailand where there

are frequently wonderful winds

With its delightful people, Indonesia provides sensational cruising grounds among islands set in crystal waters. There’s wonderful snorkelling, deserted, white, palm-fringed beaches

and unique wildlife, like Komodo dragons and wild water buffalo. Eating out costs next to nothing and shopping is an exploration through traditional villages and colourful towns.

Exploring West Malaysia is a mix of muddy waters and helpful harbours, and a vibrant mix of traditional and ultra-modern.

The produce is excellent from roadside stalls and restaurants. Thailand’s dramatic limestone landscape is staggering after Malaysian waters. Peaks tower straight from the sea, caves are everywhere and lead deep inside the islands where they become ‘hongs’ open to the sky often with unique flora. The beaches, lush hillsides and fabulous rock formations making

swimming a delight. Chris and Lorraine Marchant blog.mailasail.com/gryphon

Gryphon IIBeneteau 423, 2004

LOA: 43ft 2in (13.1m)

LWL: 38ft 6in (11.8m)



Displacement: 19,400lb (8,800kg)

feATure here Send us your dispatches - from Dundee to Dunedin!

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ST194 Dispatches_V3.indd 102 17/04/2013 15:11

Helly Hansen catwalk

Scandinavian Design is the cornerstone in all Helly Hansen gear. The optimal combination of purposeful design, protection and style. This is why professional sailors, mountain guides and discerning enthusiasts choose Helly Hansen.

cOnFIDent wHen It MatteRs

thomas covilleProfessional sailor and Ocean adventurer

Phot

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rist

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lau

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©

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E F

Awards 2012

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sailing today june 2013

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