Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2025 i Yachting Monthly

Boats, like birds, have evolved to suit their natural environment. The gannets swirling around the Firth of Forth’s Bass Rock (p62) are unmistakably deep sea fishermen, with long-distance wings and armour-plated faces for dive-bombing, and likewise, yachts immediately reveal their chosen waters by their appearance. Small yachts with complete but petite cabins and proportionally large cockpits are clearly inshore boats. Like this month’s used BayCruiser 23 (p78), the carbon mast and bowsprit suggest both sportiness and remarkable ruggedness (a friend has sailed one around the UK, over the course of a couple of summers), but it’s probably not a boat for serious offshore work, or heading across the Atlantic. James Kenning’s Regina 43 (p34) and Justin and Nicola Halewood’s Hallberg-Rassy 36 (p40), are both solid, serious boats for doing just…

An organised crime gang that planned to smuggle 600 kilos of cocaine aboard a yacht taking part in a transatlantic sailing race were jailed for a total of more than 100 years at Chelmsford Crown Court on 10 September. The gang, which also imported more than half a tonne of cannabis, was stopped by the Organised Crime Partnership – a joint National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police Service unit – after intercepting the encrypted messaging service EncroChat under Operation Venetic. Lee McClenaghan, 57, from Chelmsford, and 55-year-old Lea Talbot from Chadwell St Mary, had used EncroChat to discuss their drug operations under the handles ‘catwithninelives’ and ‘legitimateyak’ respectively. McClenaghan hatched the plot to sail a yacht in the transatlantic crossing, an annual event sailing from St Lucia to Lagos, Portugal,…

The new Umberto Felci-designed 54ft flagship for this La Rochelle-based yard introduces several new features that make life on board more comfortable and civilised. Of particular interest to owners are the two options for the forecabin of the three-cabin versions created by interior designer Luca Ardizio. The ‘master cabin’ layout has a peninsula bed forward, separate toilet and shower areas, plus a small dressing table, ample stowage and an unusually large floor area. The ‘master suite’ version uses this space in an innovative manner we’ve not seen before on a boat of this size. The broad hull shape forward allows an athwartships peninsula bed offset to starboard, with its head alongside the starboard bow and a great view out of the hull windows opposite. There’s also a small sofa opposite…

A new factor in this modern age of cruising is the relationship between the rolling news cycle and crews at sea. Ashore, news is now a relentless, inescapable 24/7 battering of the brain and sympathies: sometimes the torrent of wars, politics, disasters and scandals updated on smartphones and radio news gets overwhelming. So at sea the awful temptation is to glance down at the chart table phone every half-hour in order to be up with the very, very latest. It can sometimes make you nostalgic for the times when, after the morning newspaper and perhaps a bulletin, the only fresh shocks came from an old bloke in a muffler on a city street-corner shouting ‘Eeeevning Stannard!’ or ‘Echo, latest!’. But we go sailing with an expectation of getting away from…

The established ‘ARC formula’ remains intact with happy hours at bars, parties, kids programmes and seminars filling the week before departure. The ‘Yellow Shirts’ team however continue to ‘develop and adapt’ to make the experience for participants ever more streamlined. This year saw the introduction of the ‘ARC+ app’ as a much-welcomed means to disseminate information across the fleet beyond the morning VHF broadcast. It provides a one-stop shop for announcements, sailing instructions, local knowledge and race results. The use of Whatsapp chat groups also seamlessly linked crews to the rally committee and each other on land and at sea. For those with Starlink, this introduced a whole new level of cruising camaraderie with photos shared ‘as they were taken’, bragging rights claimed on fishing successes, and even recipes exchanged…

1 Record your progress on Imray Chart 100 ‘North Atlantic Ocean Passage Chart’ – it is good seamanship and makes a great memento of your journey. 2 Discover more about ARC+ on the WCC website at https://www.worldcruising.com/arc_plus/event.aspx 3 Learn how cruisers can collect data to support scientists in learning more about our oceans by visiting SeaLabs at https://ambienteeuropeo.org/sealabs/ 4 Understand that ocean sailing is hard on boats; accept that equipment will break, know your boat inside out, and have contingency funds for repairs. 5 When evaluating the cost of joining ARC+, factor in intangibles such as cutting through red tape, learning materials, confidence from safety checks, rally support at port and mid-ocean, and making cruising friends for life. 6 Consider joining associations such as the Cruising Association or Ocean Cruising…

Use marinas selectively. In many cases, marinas have quite rightly gained a reputation for blowing holes in cruiser’s budgets. But in others, they offer genuine value for money when compared to the alternative, and therefore shouldn’t be discounted entirely in our opinion. Examples include being quoted $200 per night for a berth in Nassau; this was however a close call as we needed to catch a flight to the US. In the end we elected to leave the boat at anchor. We paid an average of €15 per night for a full-service marina in the Spanish rias, and although many of the anchorages were perfectly nice, it was hard to justify the inconvenience of launching our tender and losing shore access at that price. When we arrived in West Palm…

The call came through from my wife while I was packing up and getting ready to leave my Dublin hotel room after breakfast for a client meeting. She was in our London home. ‘Have you seen the weather in the Caribbean? Turn on your TV!’ I switched on the BBC news, and a weather map showed the symbol of a rotating hurricane where it just shouldn’t be, hugging the equator at 10° North, and heading for Grenada – where our Dufour 41 Alexa was laid up in Spice Island Marine Services. The weatherman suggested that the hurricane – named Ivan and category 4 heading to 5 – would probably veer northwest as it approached the eastern Caribbean, but I felt very worried. THE YARD IN GRENADA It was early September.…

Brest, Douarnenez and Vannes have already been mentioned as my favourites. More information on these here: Brest: www.marinasbrest.fr/en Dournenez: www.pass-ports.com/en/blog/748-ports-de-douarnenez Vannes: www.port-de-vannes.com Other options are (north to south): Morlaix (far from the sea, very sheltered and friendly, good train connections): www.plaisancehautfinistere.bzh/en/port-of-morlaix Port Launay, river Aulne (modest rates, attractive village, very sheltered, alongside public quay, trains from Chateaulin): www.menezhom-atlantique.bzh/en/decouvrir-menez-hom-atlantique/nos-17-communes/port-launay Lorient (Marinas Centre Ville and Kernevel, good overland train connections, good town): www.ports-paysdelorient.fr/en Le Crouesty as mentioned: www.golfedumorbihan.co.uk/fiche/capitainerie-du-port-du-crouesty-en La Roche Bernard (Nice village, good harbour, on river Vilaine): www.pass-ports.com/en/port-la-roche-bernard/323-la-roche-bernard Foleux (the cheapest option but quite far upriver on the Vilaine): www.pass-ports.com/en/port-folleux DETLEF JENS has been sailing since childhood and spent many years living and working in the UK. A journalist and author, he has written several sailing books. He currently owns a…

Heather.prentice@futurenet.com Brothers complete record-setting row Three Scottish brothers have set a new record for rowing across the Pacific. Since April, Jamie, Ewan and Lachlan Maclean have been rowing from South America to Australia in their 280kg custombuilt carbon-fibre vessel, Rose Emily. They faced the 9,000 miles journey without resupplies or a support vessel, taking turns rowing for two-hour shifts. They arrived in Cairns, Australia on 30 August just before midday local time. The record-making crossing took them a total of 139 days, 5 hours, and 52 minutes. The previous record, set by Fedor Konyukhov in 2014, was for 159 days, 16 hours, and 58 minutes. The brothers had previously crossed the Atlantic in 2020, setting a record for youngest and fastest trio to successfully complete the journey. During their Pacific…

British sailor Ella Hibbert, 28, has arrived in Alaska, becoming the first British woman to sail solo through the fabled Northwest Passage. Ella set out to attempt a pioneering solo circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle, aiming to highlight how rapidly sea ice is retreating and also to prove such a voyage could be completed in a single summer season, something historically impossible. While she successfully navigated the Northwest Passage alone in her 38ft steel Bruce Roberts ketch Yeva, Ella also discovered that climate change is not only melting the ice but creating new hazards: unpredictable storms, shifting pack ice, and thousands of broken fragments of sea ice, making navigation increasingly hazardous, particularly in poor visibility. ‘This has by far been the most challenging, exhilarating and eye-opening voyage I have ever…

The Cannes Yachting Festival has announced the winners of its first Innovation Route Awards which highlights technological and ecological advances in the nautical sector. The show aims to recognise those who are reinventing recreational boating by offering concrete solutions for more responsible, smarter and more inspiring navigation. A jury of experts evaluated the 40 submissions and selected four winners. Improved navigation experience: Watchkeeper (Sea.AI) The system integrates thermal imaging, machine vision and artificial intelligence to detect floating objects and assist in collision prevention. Sustainable and responsible technologies: MODX 70 (MODX Catamarans) This 100% electric 70ft catamaran uses Aeroforce inflatable wings, electric propulsion, hydrogeneration and 70m2 of solar panels to operate without emissions. Propulsion systems or alternative energies: M.10 (Millikan Boats) This electro-solar catamaran generates up to 35 kWh per day…

BENETEAU OCEANIS 47 & 52 Beneteau launches the eighth generation of its Oceanis range, one of the world’s most popular cruising yachts, with the unveiling of new 47 and 52 models this autumn. Granted, they share close resemblances to the previous 46.1 and 51.1, but remember those were very successful models – particularly the 46.1, which was a clear European Yacht of the Year winner in 2019. That Finot Conq hull shape on the 46.1, with its full-length chine that helped create a balance of space and speed, has been tweaked rather than redrawn, by the looks of the renders. The L-shaped cockpit has increased in size and is offered in open or closed formats. Multiple layout options are available for the 47 – from three cabins and two heads…

A hot weekday morning heralded the arrival of Betty II alongside the floating pontoon at Rowhedge, near Colchester. A sign warned that mooring was limited to two hours – a shame as I intended going up to Fingringhoe Mill the following day and this was the nearest berth. A burly man with a bushy beard was mortaring in a window on a quayside house. ‘You’ll be all right there for the night,’ he said, wiping sweat from his brow, ‘boats only come up to use the pontoon to visit the pub at weekends.’ My new friend said he would introduce me to the harbourmaster – his next-door neighbour. The ‘harbourmaster,’ turned out to be a water bailiff whose beautiful Georgian home with dominant flagpole and lawn running down to the…

Departure day has a real carnival atmosphere. Boats slip their lines and head out of harbour cheered on by crowds on the breakwater dancing to a rousing medley of tunes from the local brass band. A staggered start sees the multihulls depart 15 minutes ahead of the main fleet. Some take the ‘racing’ element a little too seriously and there was at least one instance of collision on the line, but most look to steer clear of trouble knowing that there are 900 miles to make up for any ‘less than perfect’ start! Adrenalin released, an initial beat into the wind soon turns into a frustrating flat calm, however, and most boats make the decision to motor for a few hours to clear the light airs off Gran Canaria’s east…

1 PAY TO STAY SAFE Don’t be tempted to do Hurricane season lay-up north of Trinidad or south of Chesapeake Bay! It may be cheaper and more convenient, but… 2 USE A CRADLE If you have to, make sure the boat is stored in a cradle, with tie-downs and maybe the keel in a trench. And get the mast off! 3 PROPER INSURANCE Make sure you go with an effective insurer. And one that has a good relationship with a yacht recovery company. This article gives a clue. 4 CHECK THE WORK If your yacht is wrecked and it is being recovered, pay visits and check the work is being done to an acceptable standard. Maybe instruct a reputable local surveyor to do a thorough inspection before accepting sign-off on…

1 MARINAS AND CREW CHANGES There are major transport hubs with airports at both Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Trains run between Dundee and Stirling, at the head of the Forth, via Perth, also along the coast north and south from Edinburgh, with useful stations at Stonehaven, Arbroath, Dundee, Dunbar and Berwick-upon-Tweed. Buses connect smaller harbours along the coast. There is pontoon visitor berthing available at Arbroath, Burntisland, Port Edgar, Granton, Eyemouth and Berwick-upon-Tweed. The big commercial harbours should be avoided by leisure craft, but a few others are more welcoming, with a variety of pontoon or quayside moorings on offer. Smaller harbours may provide wall berths, often shoal draught or drying, ideal for smaller boats that can take the ground. https://welcomeanchorages.co.uk is a downloadable guide to shore facilities. Fife Council own…

The stage was set for Allcard’s historic postwar voyages which made him the first to sail the Atlantic in both directions single-handed. Given this success it is worth recalling that his initial attempt ended in failure. Departing Penzance in November 1947 in a 20-ton cutter, Content, he ‘waltzed into a series of biting gales’ in which critical pieces of gear broke, including the metal tiller jaws. For two days he had no means of steering and by the time he had effected a repair, the loose rudder had worked open a seam in the transom through which water was pouring. Struggling back to the Cornish shore after eight days at sea, he gave up on Content as unsuitable for single-handed voyaging. In Dartmouth a few weeks later he came across…

ROMILLY Legendary multihull designer Nigel Irens caused a storm back in 1994 when he designed a small lug-rigged yacht for himself. The 29ft 6in Roxane was about as far as you could get from the large modern racing multihulls Irens was famous for (including Ellen McArthur’s record-breaking B&Q). But of course nothing was quite what it seemed. The boat’s spars were made of carbon fibre, the lug sails were much more high-peaked than usual, and the hull boasted a 45 per cent ballast to displacement ratio. This was an entirely new concept: a lug-rigged boat for the modern age. Two years later, Irens designed the 22ft Romilly, a smaller, trailable version of the same concept. Like Roxane, the boat was long, lean and narrow, with relatively little accommodation for her…

The Arctic is warming faster than almost anywhere else on Earth, with the Barents Sea experiencing the most dramatic loss of seasonal sea ice, the latest research from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory shows. As the ice retreats and the Polar Front shifts northwards, ecosystems are already being reshaped. The Polar Front is the boundary between the cold, dense air of the polar regions and the warmer, moist air of the Ferrell Cell in the mid-latitudes. The research shows for the first time that these changes could alter benthic–pelagic exchange – the flow of carbon and nutrients between the seafloor and open ocean waters vital for marine life and carbon cycling. Climate-driven reduction in seasonal sea ice cover is faster and more extreme in the Barents Sea than in any other…

A former Plymouth RNLI lifeboat volunteer has returned from a nineyear, 30,000-mile circumnavigation on his 36ft yacht. When Barry Perrins, 68, left Devon in June 2016 to fulfil a childhood dream aboard his steelhulled Van de Stadt yacht, White Shadow of Poole, he did not tell his family he planned to go ‘all the way around’ as he wasn’t sure himself. His motto was: ‘I’ll keep going and see where I end up’. After a stop in Portugal, he crossed the North Atlantic for the Caribbean and the Panama Canal. He was declared missing for 71 days in the Pacific, until a French Air Sea Rescue aircraft spotted him and reported back to Falmouth coastguard. He reappeared on the island of Hiva Oa, French Polynesia. He spent a year and…

This first model of the ninth generation of Sun Odyssey has a tough task in replacing the highly popular Sun Odyssey 410, but trusting that to the proven design house duo of Marc Lombard and Jean-Marc Piaton gives Jeanneau an optimum chance of success. Many of the features that worked and were seen before are repeated in a similar-style yacht, including the reverse stem with a bow knuckle that floats above the water, and the walkaround sidedecks that allow step-free access on deck from the cockpit via a sloping walkway around behind the wheels. The 415 is offered with four sailplans and three keel options, including (distinctively for this kind of yacht) a lift keel so that she can access shallow anchorages and even take the ground. The interior looks…

Award-winning charity, Challenge Wales, inspires people to broaden their horizons and achieve their potential through learning at sea, using a 72ft ex-round-the-world Challenge yacht. Combining innovative outdoor learning for 12-25-year-olds (and also as an adult-only fundraising sailing programme) the predominantly volunteer-run sail training charity based in Cardiff Bay has been integrating ocean literacy and life-skills development over the last 16 years. It has changed the lives of young people with amazing results. As one youth work leader said, ‘The impact of sailing on Challenge Wales has been amazing. It has been instrumental in supporting our programme to help young people lead independent and fulfilling lives.’ Setting foot onto a boat can be daunting for many, but participants soon become integral members of the crew by tackling sail-training activities as part…

The summer of 2025 may have been gloriously warm and dry (though less fun for farmers and the planet in general) but the average British summer can normally be counted upon to be mixed at best. Cruise for more than a week and at some point you’ll run into rain, drizzle, thunder, fog, hail or other tempest. Sitting out such weather in harbour aboard a boat in which you are cooped up in its arc-like bowels for days on end, before sending out a dove to see if there is any dry land left, is a sometimes less than a pleasant experience. How much more pleasant to have your morning coffee at a lustrously varnished table in the comfort of a saloon with views all round your fine vessel, taking…

This was the one shopping trip that I’ll never forget. Indeed, I’ll probably have fond memories of that particular day in Brittany for the rest of my life. I had sailed into the Rade de Brest where I was to meet friends with their boat and one fine summer day we hooked up in a small, rural town on the banks of the River Aulne that flows into the Rade de Brest and which is navigable for yachts up to the market town of Chateaulin. A low bridge over the river is the barrier for any sailing boat with her mast up, but smaller motorboats can from here connect into the canals and waterways of inland Brittany. While we enjoyed our reunion in Port Launay, we decided to provision our…

The race starts in Oban with a short hill run, then a sail to Salen on the island of Mull, run over Ben More, sail to Craighouse on the isle of Jura, run the Paps, sail to the island of Arran, run Goat Fell, then sail to Troon. The race takes two to four days and caters for multihulls, racers, and cruisers. There are six classes: Class 1 multihulls, with three sailors and two runners in each team; Class 2, fast monohulls; Class 3, slower monohulls, again with three sailors and two runners; and another class for the Armed Services. The All Rounders class is for the real toughies — all five of the team sail and run. And finally, a Youth Class with shorter running routes. www.scottishislandspeaksrace.com CHARLES WARLOW…

WATER BALLAST VERSATILITY It started with a burp. Well, in a manner of speaking. There was a strange moment soon after the start of my test of the BayCruiser 23 when owner Mark Darley furled the genoa, eased the main and stopped the boat. As I watched from the camera boat, he walked forward and stood in the bow for several minutes, before returning to the cockpit and setting the sails again. It turned out the wind was too strong and he had decided to fill the water ballast tanks to give the boat more stability. Having someone stand in the bow helps to ‘burp’ the forward tank and ensure the system is completely full, to prevent the water slopping around. A few seconds later, Mark messaged me: ‘OK, fully…