Table of contents for July 2023 in Sailing Today

Sailing in the South Pacific seems like one of those far off dreams where a barely recognised reality merges with some sort of hedonist’s utopia. The name prompts memories of the Mutiny on the Bounty and dusky maidens. Of exotic fruits plucked straight from the trees. Of coral atolls and turquoise water teeming with fish. Of Tahiti and Gauguin and those dusky beauties again. It’s Herman Melville and Robert Louis Stevenson mixed with a twist of lime in the gin and tonic in a far off tropical place. And you know, it really does feel a bit like that. The coconut milk run is that bit of the South Pacific where yachts coming from west coast USA and Central America and those coming from Panama via Galapagos meet up in…

Are you ever bored at sea? Personally, I can’t imagine such a thing, but Sailing Today recently described the poor souls stuck in those weird cabins on ‘The Ocean Race’ as having nothing to do off watch but decide which back number of ‘Friends’ to run. What a contrast from the thrilling videos of earlier races – people battling with the wheel, yachts surfing down improbable waves and life in the raw. I can’t imagine there’s much parallel with the off-watch in a cruising yacht, but it does seem they are losing an opportunity. One of the problems in the Western world these days is that most of us simply don’t have enough time for the sort of hobbies and general trivia that once enriched our lives. An ocean passage…

The US Coast Pilot, describing the southwestern approach to Prince William Sound, was not encouraging: “The wind among the Barren Islands is often twice as strong as it is a few miles away and the seas are often three times higher, attaining speeds of 100kts and heights of 30ft respectively.” We were 50 miles out of Kodiak Island, which had been our base for two years, and it was midnight off the Barrens. At 60 degrees north in early July the sun never sets: the jagged islands were bathed in an eerie golden glow. We were reaching in a chilly but manageable 15kts of wind, leaving a straight phosphorescent trail in the black ocean, and feeling cautiously confident. The favourable forecast was holding. Then there was a sudden hard roll…

49°19.75’N, 1°42.38’W There are quite a number of ports and harbours on the coast of the Cotentin Peninsula which are not well frequented by British visitors. Some by nature of their shallow draught and difficult access, like the many small ports between Barfleur and Cherbourg, or in the case of larger harbours such as Le Becquet or Regneville sur Mer, their distance from any towns with enticing shops and restaurants, renders them of little interest to visiting yachtsmen. Strange then, that on the west coast of the Cote des Iles, facing the Channel Island of Jersey there is a port town with an attractive commercial centre with numerous bars and restaurants, and a weekly market to rival any in the area. Stranger still that this well sheltered harbour is equipped…

MOODY 27 | SAMPHIRE The Moody 27 is a popular family cruiser that is easily handled and fun to sail, often compared favourably to the Sadler 29 or Westerly Griffon. Built to the usual excellent Moody standards, the 27 has a surprising amount of space below and a good size cockpit, making it an excellent buy as first proper cruising yacht. Samphire is a fin keel version presented in superb condition for her age, she has clearly been cherished and has been treated to some nice Andersen self-tailing sheet winches, recent standing rigging, shorepower, cooker, and many other upgrades. The Moody 27 is a firm favourite at this size as their design is ageing well, tend to be low maintenance, and owners can also benefit from joining the helpful Moody…

Newport welcomes 11th Hour victors A flotilla of spectator boats filled Newport Harbour in Rhode Island as home crew 11th Hour Racing Team sailed in victorious after leg four of The Ocean Race. The crew, led by skipper Charlie Enright with British navigator Simon Fisher, held off Team Malizia, skippered on this leg by Briton Will Harris. The crews battled brutal Gulf Stream conditions in the final 600 miles that saw GUYOT environnement - Team Europe dismasted in 50kts. A clearly overwhelmed Enright, surrounded by fans and camera crews on the dock in his home town of Newport, said: “That was absolutely wild! It was like it was scripted. What a beautiful day to arrive home to Rhode Island, with a smokin’ southwesterly seabreeze, and having so many people out…

Cruising – Thames Estuary After 46 years and 149,000+ miles of sailing, which has included both the Arctic and Antarctica, and round the world, I still have never sailed up the Thames. This seemed a serious omission as well as having an air of romance about it. All I knew was that the Dutch had sailed into there in 1667 and decimated the English fleet. We could not do much about that, but we could at least ‘go and have a look’ as climbers say. We duly set out from Dover. First black mark, the skipper got us up at 5am for a 5.30am start. We passed through the outer breakwater and second black mark, there was no wind. Now, Novara, a 60ft aluminium schooner with a powerful aero-rig, also…

A year or so ago I wrote about the up and up of the Cape 31 class and how it was taking the Solent racing scene by storm. A year later, and things are still looking good for this exciting 31ft sportsboat. It’s not just that it’s a great boat to sail, but the class managers Dave Swete and Dave Bartholomew made it their mission to look after the back end of the fleet. “Look after the bottom half of the fleet, and the front will look after itself,” is the old cliché that it’s sometimes too easy to forget. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about dinghies in the UK or superyachts in the Caribbean, the same rule applies. Peter Craig is the event director and race chairman of…

Cowes Week 2023 takes place 29 July to 4 August. This will be the 197th year of the renowned event, which once again promises seven days of world class regatta racing on the Solent complimented by a host of family activities and an unrivalled social scene onshore. At the close of the ‘early bird’ entry period, entries were already up 20 per cent year on last year’s – so it looks like a bumper event could be in store. With up to 500 boats expected and 40+ starts, organisers Cowes Week Ltd will once again be working hard to ensure there’s something for racers of all levels – from professional sailors to keen amateurs. New for this year is the Weekend Warriors Cup for the Club Cruiser Division, a miniseries…

Buyer's Guide – Clothing Most dinghy sailors are going to want some kind of wetsuit, and the core brands here haven’t changed much over the years – Gul, Typhoon and Gill are staples. Depending on what time of year you’ll be sailing, you’ll choose a lighter or a heavier neoprene and decide whether you want a full-length steamer or a less cumbersome shorty. That is not to say that there hasn’t been innovation, however. Manufacturers are developing new finishes to improve comfort, resist wear and boost flexibility for fast-paced planing and foiling sport. There’s Gill’s FireCell top (£170) and skiffsuit (£245), which combines 3.5mm neoprene with plush lining for cold weather sailing. Musto is another great example, with its Flexlite and Championship Alumin lines (£110-£220), launched last year with input…

While traditional heavy displacement long keeled yachts are perfectly set up to ride out a storm by heaving-to (lying passively across the seas with the headsail backed – thereby stalling the boat) modern fin keeled yachts often do not have enough grip to use this method. It may therefore be necessary to take positive as opposed to passive measures if you, your crew and your boat are to survive a blow unscathed. If the boat is constitutionally unable to look after herself all passive techniques must be discounted, but even when a vessel is well suited to passive methods, circumstances may dictate a preference for some active effort by her crew. Once again, we’ll look at the recognised techniques and place each in the context of how suitable it may…

Summer is just round the corner and with it comes warmer weather and thoughts of playing outside. For us, life onboard in the tropics is in some ways an endless summer, at least in terms of climate. And although I won’t pretend it’s a non-stop holiday, there are certain times when enjoying your boat to the fullest means getting in the water and having a good old play. Boat toys come in many different forms; from the lo-fi snorkels, paddleboards, kayaks and surfboards, to the more hi-tech gear available like diving equipment, electric surfboards and underwater scooters. Not to mention the curse of all peaceful anchorages… the jetski. Over the years and all over the world we’ve enjoyed several ways of getting out and frolicking off the boat. We’ve used…

C-Cat 56 Comar Yachts may be best known for its Comet range of monohulls but in recent years the company has branched out into the multihull market – achieving success with the C-Cat 37 and 48. It is now upping the ante with its new 56. The boat is designed by Enrico Contreas and Marco Amadio and the manufacturer views it as the ideal size to comfortably travel around the Mediterranean with family or friends. C-Cat’s previous boats have been quite strongly performance oriented – sitting towards the fast cruiser end of the multihull spectrum, and the 56 looks set to follow in their wake, with weight savings and easily driven hulls. All the same, this promises to be a well appointed and comfortable cruising yacht. ● c-catamarans.com Dufour 41…

Round the Island Race After more than 90 years, Island Sailing Club’s 50-mile classic remains a hugely popular event for family crews and professional sailors alike. Part of the magic around the race is that all have different goals – for some it’s simply the adventure of sailing so far on a varied course in a single day. For others the rare chance to spend uninterrupted time with family and friends is a huge highlight. Yet, at the same time, the top teams still regard winning the big prizes as a high point of their racing careers. 1 Study the weather, tides and charts Conditions are different every year, so even old hands who know the course benefit from refreshing details of the course and the weather/tide combinations that are…

Buyer's Guide – Bluewater Going bluewater is the dream of many a sailor, but finding the boat to do it in is only half the story. Even a freshly minted Oyster is likely to need some kitting up, not least because so many of the gear decisions are personal ones. From safety equipment to watermakers, it’s a question of capacity, cruising plans and budget. One of the most important issues to grapple with is that of energy autonomy. Heading offshore, most people want to add some renewable energy in the mix. And if you do choose to stick with fossil fuels, you’ll need to do some careful calculations about generator size and consumption. Wind power D400 British-built machine with a top output of more than 600W, but good low-wind performance…

As the demand for charter holidays in far-flung places increases, more and more charter companies are now operating further afield with places like Thailand, the Seychelles, Australia, Tahiti, and even Zanzibar, becoming popular winter escapes. It may seem a bit early to start planning that winter getaway when the UK summer is only just beginning, but signing up now guarantees you the ultimate treat of a week or two of pure indulgence sailing to look forward during those bleak winter months. As well as Sunsail, Dream Yacht Worldwide, The Globe Sailor and Nautilus that all operate in exotic locations, there are plenty of other companies to choose from. Tenrag Yacht Charter, and Seafarer have a huge choice of charter holidays in places like Thailand, the Maldives, Tahiti, and the Seychelles,…

B&G supporting the Round the Island Race B&G is the Round the Island Race Marine Electronics Partner and has several initiatives running over the next few weeks until the race on 1 July. You can win £1,000 in B&G vouchers in the race competition (see race website for details) and B&G is also launching a fortnightly ‘Get Race Day Ready’ blog series, with B&G experts sharing tips on how best to prepare for the race. The blog articles will include advice on data logging with Triton Edge, route planning with your chartplotter, and tides; as well as planning with the B&G App and viewing exclusion zones on your B&G chartplotter. ⬤ bandg.com / roundtheisland.org.uk Helly Hansen Round the Island Race collection Helly Hansen, the Round the Island Race Official Clothing…