Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2017 i Yachting Monthly

A new wildlife guide for sailors has been launched by the environmental initiative The Green Blue. The guide aims to advise sailors on how to enjoy marine wildlife in its native environment while minimising impact on the wildlife and keeping participants safe. A new pamphlet tells sailors who find themselves close to marine wildlife to think about their speed and to be steady, predictable and quiet. It includes information on how and where to record sightings or strandings, and on protected species and relevant legislation. Coming across these animals at sea can often be the highlight of a cruise., but it is important to know how to avoid causing harm or disturbance, particularly to vulnerable species. The guide advises staying 100m away from animals in the water, or 50m from…

New guidelines, supported by the RYA, RNLI and the Coastguard, have been launched to help prevent accidents at sea. Emily’s Code is named after 14-yearold Emily Gardner, who died when the speedboat she was in capsized and her buoyancy aid caught on a cleat, trapping her under water. The code aims to raise awareness of key safety messages for owners and users of small boats, as well as those less familiar with going to sea. The code’s ten key messages are: wear a stuitable lifejacket or buoyancy aid, service your equipment, get trained, make a plan, know your limits, carry distress signals, use the kill cord, know your boat, have a radio, and check the weather. The code is based on the findings of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s findings.…

‘As we sank downward I had to take a flying leap with the rope’ Good to catch Maeve Bell’s reflections on the Caledonian Canal (page 42) but to be honest, only a third of Telford’s Great Glen watercourse is man-made, the rest relying on Lochs Dochfour, Ness, Oich and Lochy which were built by geology, or God, or possibly an overactive Nessie. It set me thinking, though, about the relationship between yachtsmen – brave free spirits who love to bend and heave under the open sea-winds – and canals. Some may refer to them rudely as ditches and others admit, with a vague surly embarrassment, ‘Well, of course I’d rather have taken WaveConquerer of Beaulieu to the good old Med the proper way. Biscay and Gib, y’know. But Petra put…

Ken Endean is a retired civil engineer and pilotage enthusiast who cruises a twin-keeled Sabre 27 from Southampton Water ‘The quayside berthing was quite alarming’ Safe in harbour’ is a comforting phrase but can be dangerously misleading. In 50 years of mooring and anchoring yachts in all kinds of places, the only times when I have been seriously worried about risk of damage have been while tethered to harbour walls or wellsecured pontoons. Those objects are harder and stronger than a typical hull, so in any impact from a boat, the boat is likely to come off worse. Also, wave action within harbours is often quite violent. Despite the best efforts of engineers and builders throughout the ages, there are many small ports where a vigorous sea state outside means…

Once inside a harbour, if the quayside moorings are affected by wave action there are several useful precautions, starting with really big fenders if you have space to carry them. A fender board is needed where ladders or other equipment project from a quay, and must be long enough to cope with the scend without hooking on the obstructions and lifting off its backing fenders. I like to moor with only single warps fore and aft, so that there are no long springs to snag the quay, but I usually bend a short midships spring to the forward warp, creating a bridle that works in the same way as a spring and prevents the warp from snatching the bow in towards the wall. This is also helpful in gusty winds,…

We had changed the engine in Sirona, our Dehler 38, after losing faith in the previous one. Getting on for 30 years old, it still ran, but its death rattle was getting louder, its smoke blacker and over the five years we’d owned the boat we’d spent almost enough on it to buy a new one. When the brand new engine refused to start, I dismissed it as a teething problem. The children were disappointed that we couldn’t go sailing but the weekend soon became a success. Bleeding an engine is a child-friendly job. There’s a lever that’s easy for small fingers to wiggle, there are bubbles to watch, and then the satisfaction of it purring into life. The magic was marred by the need to bleed it several more…

There are only a few harbours along the north coast of Cornwall that can accommodate yachts, with Padstow being one of the main ones. Crossing the Doom Bar at its entrance might be a bit daunting for some, but just round the corner is a magic little spot where you might find a secure anchorage. Port Quin is maybe the only place along this coast where you will not find a single facility on shore, so this could be your anchorage of choice if you want peace and quiet away from the hustle of holidaymakers. The entrance to Port Quin is hard to spot but Doyden Castle on the headland to the west of the entrance and the Cow and Calf Rocks just offshore give a clue. The entrance is…

‘Out to sea, the sun sparkled on the quiet Thames’ seasons has its dangers and issues need to be borne in mind. The main danger is cold. It seeps into your very centre if allowed. And if one went overboard, survival at 8°C is hugely less likely than on a balmy September with 18°C. Staying aboard and keeping dry is essential. So, during Christmas week, knowing I was itching to get out, Christobel asked, ‘Are we going?’ ‘Yes, let’s. The tide'll be up in a couple of hours’ I said, grinning. We’d just heard the forecast and it was good. ‘We’ll want bacon sandwiches then,’ she said, getting up. There was a rime of frost on the car outside. I shivered. We were soon on our way, thickly swaddled in…

What’s she like to sail? She sails well and is easily driven in light airs. She's responsive on the helm and even in five knots of breeze she was enjoyable to sail. The Jefa steering felt smooth, although not as free as I’ve come to expect. This was hull no2 and had just been launched, so it should free up over time or with a bit of adjustment. All of the control lines are ducted aft, so you can sail her singlehanded from the helm – and without the usual snakes' wedding of ropes around the wheel binnacle and underfoot; they're tamed and neatly stowed in bins under your seat. With the chart table and galley set forward of the saloon, her layout isn't ideal for navigating, or eating, in…

Red tape is everywhere, and sailing is no different – if we want to take our yachts overseas we have no choice but to register them. But as with everything there are choices and each has repercussions and costs. Which registration you choose is up to you, and if you never want to go overseas there is no need to get your yacht registered While there is no obligation for any boat under 24m in UK waters to be registered, should she leave home waters, she must be registered with the British Registry of Shipping & Seamen. Two registers are available to recreational yachtsmen, Part I and Part III (Part II is for fishing vessels). Which one you choose depends on whether the boat is privately owned or bought through…

WIN The confession of the month wins a floating Standard Horizon handheld VHF radio worth £140 PLUS month wins a floating an original Bill Caldwell cartoon POST Confessions, Yachting Monthly, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU EMAIL yachtingmonthly@timeinc.com Please send us your confessions in less than 200 words Pop goes the dinghy CONFESSION OF THE MONTH By Don Fitzroy Smith His inflatable dinghy was too small – two adults, a small outboard and guarenteed wet bottoms every time – so James sold it and bought a slightly larger one, almost new. With it proudly suspended on his yacht's davits, we went for a lovely sunny sail and picked up a mooring for lunch where we noted that the dinghy needed to be a little higher on the davits, but he…

If you have a news story to share, contact News Editor Theo Stocker EMAIL theo.stocker@timeinc.com TEL 01252 555164 British sailors will be impacted by the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, according to experts. It is expected that new rules governing the movement of people and boats into and around Europe are likely to lead to more paperwork, higher fees and more checks on sailors. The UK Parliament passed the Brexit Bill in March, enabling Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, which is expected by the end of March, initiating negotiations on Britain’s exit from the EU. There is much uncertainty around the Government’s intentions in those negotiations, but potential implications for the sailing community are becoming clearer. Free movement is key Former…

Beaulieu’s 40th boatjumble Beaulieu is holding its 40th Boatjumble on Sunday 23 April. The event is offering free entry for children under 12 this year. Deacons boatyard sold South coast marina operator Dean & Reddyhoff has bought Deacons Boatyard on the Hamble River. It adds the 130-berth marina and fullservice boatyard, to its existing five marinas and yards. Ian Walker Mbe Southampton sailor Ian Walker has been made an MBE for services to Olympic and international competitive sailing. He most recently won the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race. Turn to Starboard Two sailors from a charity in Cornwall have qualified as RYA Yachtmaster Instructors. Shaun Pascoe and Dan Fielding will use their qualifications to support Armed Forces personnel affected by military operations. Southampton parade of sail Southampton Sailing Week 2017 will…

Two Royal Navy sailors are eschewing ships in favour of the Navy’s smallest boats when they attempt to sail over 800 miles in an open dinghy this summer. Acting Petty Officer Phil Slade and MOD civilian Mark Belamarich MBE will sail a 14ft (4.3m) Bosun dinghy from Plymouth in Devon to Faslane on the west coast of Scotland this summer. Mark Belamarich, a sea survival instructor with 1 Assault Squadron Royal Marines, and Phil Slade, from the Sail Training Centre at Royal Marines Stonehouse, completed a 309-mile voyage from Plymouth to Portsmouth via Les Sept Iles in France in 2016. They aim to raise the profile of dinghy sailing and to raise funds for the Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity and Bowel Cancer UK. Mark Belamarich, who has survived…

‘The last time I tried to cross Biscay I ended up fighting for my life’ The last time I tried to cross Biscay I ended up fighting for my life, although I was too young to realise it then. It was the worst storm I’ve ever experienced. But for now, let me tell you about my second Biscay baptism. It was last July and this time there were no preparations for shipwreck, no Maydays, no lifeboat rescue. And yet, still, there were plenty of challenges. We were four strong: my second cousin David Smith, his co-owner Adrian Lower, former rear-commodore of RORC and the crew – John ‘Glum’ Green and myself. The boat was Snatch, a German Frers Swan 48 built in 1998. We took our departure from Lymington in…

EMAIL yachtingmonthly@timeinc.com POST Any Questions, Yachting Monthly, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU Please send us your questions in less than 200 words WIN CHILGROVE GIN The question of the month wins a bottle of Chilgrove Gin (UK residents only). This super-premium gin, handcrafted by keen sailors in the Sussex Downs, blends the finest botanicals with a neutral grape spirit. www.chilgrovespirits.com QUESTION OF THE MONTH Where can I buy a Tudor axe? Q I would be very interested in acquiring a Tudor Axe as illustrated in Norman Kean’s article on the problem of lobster pots (Practical Seamanship, YM, Feb 2017). I could see if I can search out a local manufacturer but I would be very grateful for details regarding Norman’s supplier, who would hopefully be able to provide one…

A better battery monitor I saw this stylish and easy-to-read display on the new Elan GT5 (see p70). SIMARINE’s Pico and Pico+ have a clear, full-colour, high-contrast 3½in LCD screen on a unit that measures 98mm x 83mm and is only 10mm thick. Thanks to a clever use of shunts and current sensors, they can separate the yacht’s services and show how much power your instruments, lighting and fridge are using, individually, or compare the charge coming from your solar panels and wind generator. Both devices have Wi-Fi, so you can look at the data on a phone or tablet. Pico+ also has a barometer. Both units can measure the charge of up to six battery banks via 20 current sensors and monitor up to 14 tanks, too. You’d need…

Follow us on Twitter twitter.com/yachtingmonthly Like us on Facebook facebook.com/yachtingmonthlymag A south coast sailor has come up with a novel solution to the problem of marine growth on yachts. The Biodock is claimed to completely remove the need to use toxic antifouling paint in most circumstances. The system, a large under-hull cover made of buoyant material, traps fresh water (from rain or hose) next to the hull, changing the salinity of the water around the boat to kill off the marine growth on the hull. The buoyant material then rubs against the hull, wiping the fouling off. Creator Adrian Hudd claims that he has not needed to scrub or antifoul his boat in three years as a result. He explained: ‘I had been unhappy with using toxic antifouling paints for…

EMAIL yachtingmonthly@timeinc.com POST The Editor, Yachting Monthly, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU Please send us your letters in less than 200 words Most letters are edited for brevity. You can read more correspondence, online, at www.yachtingmonthly.com/letters WIN A BOTTLE OF RUM The letter of the month wins a bottle of Pusser’s Rum, produced to Admiralty specification and served daily to every sailor in the Royal Navy for more than 300 years (UK residents only) www.pussers.com LETTER OF THE MONTH A salutary autopilot lesson If one of your winter jobs was to update the software of your instruments, you would do well to note my recent experience. Having navigated the myriad of menus within my instrument system and successfully updated the software via the Internet, I was a…

Making waves: A history of the Royal Yacht Squadron 1815-2015 By Alex Martin, published by Unicorn at £75 This exquisitely produced and illustrated 380-page book celebrates 200 years of the Royal Yacht Squadron, one of the five oldest yacht clubs in the world (the others are St Petersburg, Royal Cork, Royal Thames and the humble Starcross). It opens with the introduction of yacht racing to Britain in 1660, how it gradually caught on as a gentleman’s sport and a public spectacle. ‘The Yacht Club’ was founded at The Thatched House tavern on St James’s Street, London. Since then, ‘The Squadron’ has been central to the development of yacht racing and its rules, from dinghies off Cowes to the America’s Cup and solo round-the-world races. This minutely researched history will appeal to…

‘Zig-zag to take the waves diagonally and soften the plunging motion’ If a walled harbour faces on to open water, arrival or departure is likely to be daunting in strong onshore winds. Waves reflecting from outer walls often create a messy sea for some distance offshore and crests rebound obliquely from pier heads, so that an incoming boat will meet the wildest water when nearing the entrance. It makes sense to furl sails before closing the shore, while it can be done in a relaxed manner. On the other hand, some steadying canvas could be helpful; we often stow the mainsail with a mile or more to run but keep the jib set and drawing until almost into the harbour mouth, when it is rolled up quickly. Where a harbour…

In 2008 I got ill. Very ill. I did not know what was happening to me. After investigations for all sorts of physical problems, I eventually broke down and shortly afterwards was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I began receiving help and slowly, things started to improve. Over the course of time, a friend suggested that I got a boat. He said it was one of the best moves he’d ever made – drifting around with the sun on your face, mobile phone switched off, just watching the world go by. It made him feel just great. I took his advice and I bought a well-used Mirror dinghy in dire need of repair. Once restored and after a few trips out on the River Axe estuary it went back…

Former Royal Marine Chris (47), from Totnes in Devon, was introduced to sailing on the River Dart as a boy, and he spent his teenage summers sailing and rowing up and down the river with the Sea Scouts. He joined the Royal Marines after leaving school and served in various conflicts. He says, ‘My service is very dear to me but also rather a private thing. I lost six close friends in the Iraqi and Afghan wars. Other friends have come back damaged either physically or mentally. Either way, war is life-changing and there are many ex-service personnel like me in the UK.’ Chris re-trained in industrial rope access and runs his own company. He is married to Claire and they have two children, Daniel (17) and Anna (15). n…

As I looked across from Corfu, Albania was green, mountainous and surprisingly close. Memories of sailing in Greece 35 years ago rushed back: floodlights constantly patrolling the straits and reports of gunboats shooting anyone, Albanian or not, who dared sail their territotrial waters. Back then, my appetite whetted, I had asked the Foreign Office what they thought about sailing there. Amazingly, I was told they had no problem with that, but my crew did: ‘No way!’ they had told me then. Now at last we were coming back to Albania, as part of a voyage from Crete to Venice. ‘I don’t suppose we could go with you?’ asked Sonja and Jan Luc, a Czech sailing couple we met at Kassiopi. ‘We’re too frightened to go there alone.’ Kassiopi is the…

Many visiting yachts head for Chausey Sound, a tongue of relatively deep water with some visitors’ moorings that is adjacent to Grande Ile, the only inhabited island (see chart on p58). (Early-season sailors actually have no choice, because until 15 July almost everything to the east of the Sound is a nature reserve where human access is prohibited.) The Sound also offers the best shelter from the prevailing southwesterly winds and Atlantic swell, so a newcomer who makes this a first stop will have a chance to view the rest of the archipelago throughout the tidal cycle, before venturing into the wilder parts. The island has a small shop, with some basic provisions, and there is a fresh water tap by the SNSM lifeboat hut. Part of the mooring area…

Why do so many apparently well-kept yachts rarely leave their berths? Boats are expensive to keep. Owning a marina-berthed yacht demands affluence or sacrifice. They don’t sail, so what are they for? Are they status symbols? Probably not, or else why would they all look so similar? Yachts are difficult to flaunt at landdwelling friends and neighbours. A sure indicator of the intended use of these boats is the trend for them to get bigger and bigger, larger than the average owner can handle alone. This is a great way to avoid leaving the marina. These yachts have all the latest gear. The demand for this equipment is reflected in the change in boat shows, which used to be places for buying small, useful items. Now, an exhibitor must show…

There are many opportunities for envy in sailing. One I've always had, when it comes to rigging a storm jib, is for a cutter rig with an inner forestay. Our sloop-rigged 2012 Bénéteau Oceanis 37, despite her model name, was fitted out for coastal cruising. We were equipping her for Pacific Ocean passages and reefing was a concern. We solved the trysail problem by adding a deep third reef to the mainsail. We have a trysail, but to rig it we'd have to use the mainsail track, which means standing on the coachroof and wrestling with the mainsail in a gale. So far we've not had to do that, giving thanks for our deep third reef on many occasions. The problem of rigging a storm jib remained. With a sloop…

Weather sensors that plug into your mobile phone's earphone socket have been around for a while. Now there’s a wireless Bluetooth sensor. James Turner takes a look. Today there are umpteen different ways of receiving weather data, both actual and forecast, but the most important observations are our own. Knowing when there’s a sudden pressure and temperature change tells you the front is passing. Rate of pressure change over time can suggest what's coming, and increasing high humidity forewarns of fog. Many sailors bought the Windoo instruments, which attach to a smartphone’s earphone socket, but a number of new phones no longer have earphone sockets Also, you don’t necessarily want to be holding your phone in the wind all the time. Going Bluetooth means you can put the sensor on…

Gadget or pilotage tool? This new 2D sonar shows the depth up to 100m ahead. James Turner tests it around Portsmouth – and over the submarine barrier. Those of us who can’t be bothered to work out the height of tide precisely, except during our Yachtmaster exam, also tend to avoid getting too close to shallow things like mud, sandbanks and submarine barriers. We go the long way round, ‘just in case’. Although an inside passage might be possible, it’s not worth sailing into the unknown when chart data is old and sandbanks move. Garmin's PS51TH forward-looking transducer is supplied with a chunky 2in stainless steel skin fitting. It is longer than an ordinary depth sounder transducer, but the same size diameter as the standard Airmar transducers found in most…