Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Motor Boat & Yachting

I can’t remember the last time we ran a cruising article that caused as much of a stir as Ian Furby’s ‘Big Trip, Small Boat’ series. For those of you who are late to the party, Ian is mid-way through a five-part series about circumnavigating the UK in less than 12 days in a bog standard 18ft speedboat. This month’s instalment sees him sprinting up the east coast of Ireland trying to outrun a storm, running aground on a sandbank, getting caught in ferocious overfalls and coming face to face with a whale while crossing the Irish Sea to Scotland – all in the space of two days. It’s a breath taking read, made all the better by his wonderfully straight-talking Yorkshire prose. As one reader puts it in this…

Leave the boat in through the winter”, they said. “We get some fantastic winter boating days”, they said. Well it was pretty fantastic when we left for a short run to blow the metaphorical cobwebs away. But the weather can change very quickly in winter, which is why you find your hero this month motoring swiftly back into the River Dart in heavy rain, long-suffering friend Steve at the helm, yours truly battling to erect the canopy in a desperate bid to avoid a soaking. We made it back to the berth without getting too drenched, I dried out the cockpit with a towel (fortunately most of the cockpit upholstery was in the cabin in any case) and we splashed on home to warm up and dry out. However, a…

FUEL FURORE You asked people to get in touch regarding possible fuel contamination issues along the south coast. Never before have I seen so much sludge in my fuel filters as I have in the last five months since they were changed. I have a Broom 42CL with twin Yanmar 360s. In that period I have refuelled in Cowes, Portland and Brixham, the latter being the only place in which I’ve not refuelled before. The bowls have been completely clear on the daily inspections I’ve carried out, so the filters are doing their job. As far as my engineer is concerned, it’s not diesel bug. But whatever it is, it’s horrible stuff and I will certainly be checking my filters more often from now on. Stephen Izatt Hmm, the plot…

When I heard that the Tall Ships would be heading to Falmouth for a week last August, it gave me the perfect excuse to combine my passion for big sailing ships with my love of power boating. I decided to tow our RIB there to see these majestic craft in action before they set off on the Magellan-Elcano race to Spain. One of the joys of keeping our BRIG Navigator 610 on a trailer is that we can tow it wherever we want to go and rent a property nearby. So I booked one of the rental apartments at Mylor Harbour, a short hop up the estuary from Falmouth, and a berth in the neighbouring marina for our boat. The plan was for my wife and I to spend a…

Daniel Brocklebank, a distant ancestor of mine, received a letter of marque in 1779 from George III, appointing him as a royally licensed pirate as well as a shipbuilder. He duly spent some months harrying newly independent American ships before returning to England to his shipyard in Whitehaven. Following expansion to Liverpool, he and his sons, Thomas and John Brocklebank, built ships that began to trade across the world in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and I’m proud to say that salt spray remained in the Brocklebank blood. My father shared this passion and was fascinated by lighthouses and so, for many years, I’ve wanted to voyage around the UK to visit those lights in the wildest parts of our coastline. These lonely but majestic sentinels stand in some…

This solid, seaworthy, round-bilged vessel is built to take rough conditions in its stride. With the largest engine option of twin Yanmar 440hp diesels, it can make up to 25 knots but is most comfortable cruising at 18-22 knots, for a safe and rapid passage. Nelson hulls can be wet but their real virtue is their ability to press on through heavy seas. Points to note when considering buying: ■ Isophthalic resins and heavy lay-up should provide good long-term durability. With low-volume builders, however, resin mixes and ratios may not be as precisely controlled as with computerised volume producers, so ensure a thorough underwater inspection for osmosis or wicking. Treatment could prove costly. ■ Carefully check blue gel-coated topsides for bloom or fade. Test to see whether it could be…

Like all things truly cool, there’s far more to the Hinckley 36 Picnic Boat than initial impressions might suggest. This old-school gentleman’s launch was created on the basis that “the first duty of a boat is to be beautiful” – and in truth, it is about as lovely as a boat could possibly be. But as you can see from the behaviour of this 1997 original in the wild Atlantic waters of Maine, it can handle a serious sea state too. While its picnic-ready interior is a far cry from the “every inch counts” philosophy of most modern boats, it was never designed to pack too much in. Being low and narrow with a beam of less than 10ft, it was designed to be a stable and soft-riding platform for…

THE THREE CROWNS PLYMOUTH Two friends of ours keep their boat in Plymouth. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but given they live in deepest Hertfordshire we’ve often T wondered why they opt for a five-hour marathon drive in preference to a relatively short hop to the Solent. We decided to find out for ourselves on a trip out west to Devon’s most lauded nautical destination. With more than a dozen marinas in and around Plymouth, visitors have numerous berthing options. We headed to Sutton Harbour where our chums keep their Merry Fisher 895 – and suddenly, all became clear; what a beautiful location this is. To be specific, we’re talking about the Barbican area of Plymouth, the city’s old port which has been redeveloped into a lively, upbeat and…

Having seen how much Beneteau can do with 26 feet, our expectations for this 42-footer are seriously lofty While the world’s new boat prices have reached unprecedented heights over the last five years, the Beneteau Group has been working hard to build boats that still provide authentic value for money. The Flyer, Gran Turismo and Swift Trawler lines all look well priced in their respective sectors but in terms of reward for your investment, it’s the catch-all versatility of Beneteau’s Antares line that really hits the mark. Here, in a fleet that comprises six hull lengths from six to 13m, the emphasis is squarely upon how much your boat can do for you – and the approach it takes to that is consistent throughout the line. It’s about outboard-powered platforms…

None of the boat’s stylistic flourishes come at the expense of cruising practicalities Walk around any big Mediterranean marina and the chances are you’ll see at least half a dozen Azimuts lining the pontoons. Thanks to a range of craft that encompasses everything from a 42ft outboard-powered day boat (Verve 42) to a 125ft superyacht (Grande Trideck) via all the usual sportscruisers, flybridges and even the Magellano range of trawler yachts, this Italian boat building giant has penetrated every corner of the European market. And yet for some reason the UK market remains stubbornly resistant to its charms. You see the occasional one or two propping up South Coast pontoons but nothing like the number you’d expect from a company of its size and stature. Some of that can be…

Of all the toys found aboard boats large and small, the humble inflatable paddle board remains one of the absolute favourites. Inexpensive to buy, compact when deflated, lightweight, maintenance-free, quiet and above all, fun to use, there’s a good reason why you see so many of these things being gently paddled around coves and anchorages. And one of the leading players in the paddleboard arena is Red Paddle, a UK company based in Devon that has just launched a whole slew of new products for 2024. The 12ft 6in Sport+ is a 30-inch wide cruiser designed for progressive paddlers and longer routes and is made from new superlight, ultra-stiff MSL®800 double-drop-stitch material. Just 4.7in thick, it sits low to the water for maximum balance and minimum windage. A sleek planshape…

They say there are no certainties in life except death and taxes. If you own an old motor boat for long enough then I’d like to add a third: diesel bug. At some point it’s going to get you, either because you take on bad fuel or you develop your own homegrown infestation in the tank. I’m pretty sure ours was the latter. When you own a classic wooden boat like ours, it’s better for the hull to stay in the water all year round, rather than risk the planks drying out over winter and leaking like a sieve when you relaunch it in the spring. The downside of this is that Isabel spends a long, cold winter safely tucked up in Salterns marina but sitting largely unused for five…

The 40ft flybridge sector is always exciting because it has so much appeal for so many boaters. Check out any UK marina and the sheer quantity of them is proof enough of that. But given how strong the big UK builders were in this sector for many years, it seems all the more peculiar that, for the most part, they appear to have focused their attentions elsewhere. It makes sense then that this month’s offerings all come from abroad. There’s great value from French builder, Jeanneau; there’s a stylish Italian offering in the form of the Sessa Fly 40; and there’s a pair of Spanish boats too – the rock-solid Rodman 41 and the cool looking Astondoa 39. Ages, styles and prices might vary, but they all offer great family…

1 SMALLER INFYNITO Ferretti is launching a scaled down version of its spacious Infynito 90 tri-deck. The new Infynito 80 is a whisker under 78ft (23.7m) long but, with a beam of almost 21ft (6.36m), it is considerably wider than most of the competition. Rather than being a true tri-deck with a fully enclosed helm and sky lounge on the top deck, it is a raised pilothouse design with an open flybridge and either a conventional hardtop shade over the dining area and upper helm or a glazed one that remains open at the back end. The new 80 was designed by Filippo Salvetti and like its big sister sports a bluff bow, forward raked bridge windows, fashion plates-cum-buttresses and the Infynito’s signature feature – a covered bow lounge known…

FAIRLINE TARGA 40 LOA: 39ft 3in (11.99m) BEAM: 13ft 0in (3.97m) ENGINES: Twin Volvo Penta D6 340-380hp TOP SPEED: 32-36 knots PRICE: From £550,000 inc VAT CONTACT: www.fairline.com After more than a decade, the Princess V40 has been knocked off its throne, and the all-new Fairline Targa 40 didn’t just steal its crown at Düsseldorf, it tore it off, swung it around and blew a raspberry in Plymouth’s general direction before planting it firmly on its own head. The key to its appeal is a design that looks modern and sporty without scaring the horses or compromising on space. Quite the opposite, thanks to the extra height and beam of the hull, it packs in way more space than its svelte exterior suggests. That starts at the stern with a neat…

How would you feel if you were offered a fun, stable and spacious 14-man day boat for £100,000? Chances are you would feel suspicious. After all, it’s not uncommon to see optional extras that cost more than that. But here, making its UK debut with all the grace and modesty of a gregarious Yank in a dayglo stetson, is a boat that stands a very good chance of reconfiguring your perspective. The Regency 250 LE3 Sport is – drumroll please – a pontoon boat! Now just in case you don’t know, a pontoon boat is basically a big, taper-free rectangular deck perched on top of a pair (or in this case, a trio) of aluminium cylinders and propelled most commonly by an outboard engine. They’re big business in America as…

DAY 6: 15 JUNE MILFORD HAVEN TO DÚN LAOGHAIRE, 125NM The alarm was set for 3.30am but I didn’t need it as I was awake and watching the stars grow dim as night slowly turned to day. I put on full yachty wet gear. It was a little chilly and I had the Irish Sea to conquer. Teeth brushed, bunk stowed, engine started, navigation lights on and lines slipped, I backed out of my berth and made my way to the lock. By 4.45am I was steaming back up Milford Haven. The water was like glass. I passed St Ann’s Head and turned north west towards Skomer Island, 10nm away. That was the point when I had to decide if I was heading across to Ireland or sticking to the…

Turkish swift trawler builder Sirena Marine is developing what is likely to be the world’s first production motor yacht to use a series hybrid drivetrain. Until now all the diesel electric craft we’ve seen from the likes of Greenline, Mochi and Hardy have used parallel hybrid drives. This means that both the diesel engine(s) and electric motor(s) can propel the craft directly, either independently or in tandem. Sirena’s new series hybrid system relies purely on electric motors to propel the boat. The two diesel engines have no physical connection to the gearbox or shaft. Instead they are used solely to supply electricity to the motors and battery packs. This should give the craft many of the advantages of an electric boat, such as quieter running and lower emissions, without the…

Knowing the depth of water around your boat is critical, especially in shallow areas. Depth sounders have made this a lot easier in recent years but you need to understand what they are actually telling you. When the transducer is installed (the device that sends and receives the sound waves), it doesn’t arrive ready calibrated to your boat, so the depth being displayed is from wherever the transducer is fitted down to the sea bed – I call this the ‘out of the box value’. That’s all well and good but it is NOT the true depth of water (from the surface to the seabed), nor is it the depth of water under your boat (the distance between the lowest part of your boat and the seabed). Most sounders have…

The difference between leisure boaters and the operators of T commercial craft is akin to the difference between amateurs and professionals. That statement is not intended to be disrespectful to leisure boaters in any way. The point is simply that while professionals work in all weathers to prescribed deadlines and timescales, no such pressure is imposed upon amateur mariners, who have the freedom to look at the conditions and to either go out or stay at home. It follows then that the development of the most rugged and robust craft tends to be driven by professionals – by those whose livelihoods depend on taking to sea in all kinds of exposed and unfavourable weather. But among the amateur fraternity is a group of battle-hardened boaters whose aspirations match those of…

Why is the Hinckley Picnic Boat here? Well, just look at it, it’s gorgeous! It’s called a Picnic Boat because, unlike many modern boats that try to cram as much accommodation in as possible, Hinckley went its own way, citing that “the first duty of a boat is to be beautiful” and creating a proper gentleman’s motorboat of the old school that was ideally suited to a nice day out on the water with a picnic lunch. Hinckley built its first boat 90 years ago, an elegant 36ft Fisherman. Based in Maine, USA, the company has been turning out a range of always-elegant sailing and motor boats ever since. The Picnic Boat concept dates back almost 30 years to 1995; the original was a 36-footer, although they have been building…