Tabla de contenidos para May 2023 en Yachting Monthly

When it comes to boat shape, I am a traditionalist and someone who believes in the old saw that ‘if it looks right it is right’. Even today, it’s rare to find a model yacht being dipped into the Round Pond in London’s Kensington Gardens which is not deep-keeled, spoon-bowed and with a rudder affixed to the back of the keel or on a skeg. They look right and they are right – they must be, as with steering adjusted by the set of the boom, they heel away across the pond without a hand on the tiller. They are ‘models’ in every sense of that term. With this image in mind, I once made enquiries about an Ohlson 38, also known as a Tufglass 38, lying in Salcombe, Devon,…

SPECIFICATIONS MAKE Arcona MODEL 345 PRICE FROM £204,750 ex VAT DESIGNER Stefan Qviberg BUILDER Arcona Yachts WATCH THE VIDEO www.yachtingmonthly.com/arcona345 Bigger isn’t always better. Yes, the longer the boat the faster you go, theoretically, and the more space you get on board, but the bills go up exponentially, and the further you are away from the water and the beautiful feeling of wind and water balancing to create speed. In many ways, the best boat is the smallest boat you can get away with for the cruising you want to do. So I was excited to take the baby of the Arcona range out for a spin last summer not just once, but twice, including an overnight, giving us over 24 hours aboard, letting us properly put the boat through…

JAMES STEVENS, author of the Yachtmaster Handbook, spent 10 of his 23 years at the RYA as chief examiner Would you set off in fog? Q Ben is skipper of Leading Light, an 11-metre yacht currently moored in a marina in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. He has two crew. It is early morning in late August and Ben has prepared a passage to Saint Vaast-la-Hougue, a port on the east side of the Cherbourg peninsular about 85 miles away. His intention is to depart at 0800 to take the east-going tidal stream out of the eastern Solent, cross the Channel and pick up the next east-going tide off Barfleur which will be favourable down to St Vaast. It will be a flood tide at St Vaast so Leading…

Our nadir was approaching. Our home port of Fremantle, Australia would be 6,880 miles away – straight down. From Bermuda our yacht Zen Again would need to literally fly to move further from home. And wherever we sailed from there we’d be heading towards home! We were on our way in Zen Again to Europe to spend several years topping up the cruising kitty before resuming our circumnavigation. We had crossed the Southern Indian and the South Atlantic Oceans and had visited Cocos Keeling Islands, Rodrigues, Mauritius, Réunion, South Africa, St Helena and the eastern Caribbean. Zen Again is a 1980s fibreglass 34-foot cruiser-racer. She underwent a major refit in Phuket while cruising south-east Asia. We equipped her for bluewater cruising, including SSB radio and Iridium GO! satellite messaging, but…

FOLLOW THE SERIES HERE… www.yachtingmonthly.com/howitworks A diesel engine is normally stopped by cutting off the fuel at, or in, the fuel injection pump – not before it. This is achieved in two ways: either by movement of the fuel control rack to its cut-off position, for single and inline helix pumps; or by shutting off the supply of fuel, inside the pump, often by the use of a solenoid valve, which can be found in rotary fuel pumps. The fuel cut-off can be operated by one of two methods. Mechanically – usually via a cable and pull handle. Or electrically – using a solenoid operated by either the ignition key or a stop button. The lever, which is moved by either of the above methods, moves the fuel rack to…

THERMALLY MODIFIED MAPLE Thermally modified timber has been around for decades. We initially used a product called Cambia, sold in Europe as Marine Maple, but supply issues led us to a similar alternative sold through Robbins Timber as TMT Marine. Although thermally modified maple is extremely hard and durable, and weathers silver-grey like teak, there are important differences which need to be understood by the shipwright, as it doesn’t behave in the same way. For areas where we need to bend the wood, we first of all tried steaming, but this was not successful, so we now either laminate or cut from a single piece where a bend is required. Other tricks are keeping tools extremely sharp and using pan head screws to avoid chipping and splitting. CHERRY The most…

Email heather.prentice@futurenet.com Tel: 07751 746468 United Nations member countries have for the first time ever reached agreement on a unified legal treaty to protect marine biodiversity in the high seas, helping to protect almost half the planet’s surface that is beyond national maritime borders. The breakthrough agreement in March, after nearly two decades of talks, was welcomed by UN Secretary-General António Gutterres. ‘This action is a victory for multilateralism and for global efforts to counter the destructive trends facing ocean health, now and for generations to come,’ said the UN chief in a statement. The agreement reached by delegates of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) is the culmination of UN-facilitated talks that began in 2004. Already being referred to as the ‘High Seas…

A pioneering project to design a prototype electric passenger ferry that is charged by a powered mooring buoy is a step closer to becoming a reality after the government announced support through the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC). The £4.2m MorVoRen (Cornish for mermaid) Project at Falmouth Harbour is a partnership between industry and academia to build a fully electric demonstrator ferry and powered buoy for the busy Falmouth to St Mawes crossing in the Fal estuary, which sees more than a million passengers a year. The Department for Transport has announced MorVoRen as one of the successful projects for Round 3 of the CMDC which could unlock funding for more than 70% of the scheme – with the partnership needing to find the remaining 30%. The partnership is led…

Family owned marina Fambridge Yacht Haven on the River Crouch in Essex is protecting the environment by installing two state-of-the-art interceptor tanks, designed to ensure oils, paint fragments and other materials are prevented from entering the river when boats are lifted ashore. The new Morclean Reclaim System is housed in an Environmental Wash Centre alongside the slipway and collects and cleans the water used when washing boats, making it available for further use. ‘As custodians, we’re responsible for maintaining and preserving our marinas, ensuring our coastal areas are future-proofed for generations to come,’ said marina manager Danyal Adams. ‘We’ve listened to what our customers and the marine industry are saying about making marina operations more sustainable, so we’re delighted to become the first marina on the East Coast to utilise…

I have been struggling to get an answer to the question I have regarding VAT. I have spoken to HMRC and they are passing me from one place to another. I have googled it and Yachting Monthly popped up with some info but I was hoping you could clarify. I am looking to buy a boat which is currently in Ireland (Cork) where it is registered. She was built in 1976 and has been based in Ireland for about 30 years. The owner said that if I plan to bring her back to England I might have to pay the UK VAT on import (Brexit). He also mentioned, as the boat is pre 1985, I might not have to pay VAT. Can you advise of any financial implications of this…

Eight years ago, Dan and Kika sold everything they didn’t need and bought their first sailing boat, a 1972 Pearson 36, for $3,000 in cash. The architecture students had just graduated and were keen not to ‘buy a couch’ and settle into the predictable evolution of life. Since that day in 2014, they have sailed more than 28,000 miles, visited 28 countries and never motored for more than 30 minutes at a time. They make a living documenting their trips and promoting sustainability at sea, notably the ground-breaking use of electric engines. Their story is one of adventure and true pioneering spirit. It is also inspirational, as witnessed by the 101,000 Instagram followers and 411,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel Sailing Uma. ‘Our boat is called Uma. Her name was…

Centenary of the Yachting Monthly Cup The Model Yachting Association, the authority for racing radio-controlled and free-sailing model yachts, celebrates the centenary of the Yachting Monthly Cup in August. For the first event in 1923, Malden Heck-stall-Smith, then editor, donated the trophy and devised a rating rule for moderate displacement model yachts that was intended to develop designs for full-size yachts using the same formula. Heckstall-Smith’s ‘A-class’ rule saw the design and development of beautiful yachts over 6-feet long and helped to generate international model yacht competitions between England, Europe, North America and South Africa in the 1920s and 1930s-on. The A-class yachts also helped develop innovations such as vane steering and hull balance. Francis Chichester reportedly used their vane gear ideas on his 1966-67 solo circumnavigation record. There will…

www.yachtingmonthly.com/books Never have I seen such chaos. There was a very nasty surf running in by now and the lorry jetty was a very tricky thing to get boats to and from without damage. The unfortunate soldiers were the most awkward ham-handed stiffs I have ever seen near a boat, poor things. I was so sorry for them. They were so tired and so pathetically helpless with the sea, with all their equipment, but here and now I will take my hat off to their discipline. Not once, but time and again, I had the greatest difficulty in getting the men out along to the end of the jetty and into the boats because they said that it was not their unit that was embarking at the moment. As the…

If you want to tell us why you love your boat, get in touch by email yachtingmonthly@futurenet.com or by post Future PLC, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, London, W2 6JR DAVID HARDING has been testing boats for more than 25 years. He is also a marine photographer and runs his agency Sailing Scenes. OWNERS Jimmy Warington-Smyth is a lifelong sailor from a boatbuilding family. His wife, Emma, had a dinghy-racing career and was on the Olympic Development Squad. They moved up to the Scanmar from their Contessa 32 in 2016. All too often it’s easy to think of today’s mainstream production cruisers as being designed for mass appeal and built to a strict (or sometimes restrictive) budget. While such commercial necessities might lead to compromises that some purists don’t approve of, they…

Virginia McVea takes office in April as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), joining as the government agency seeks to decarbonise the maritime sector and encourage the transition to green technologies. McVea joins the MCA following a role as Chief Electoral Officer in Northern Ireland. Her predecessor Brian Johnson has retired. The MCA is responsible for British and international maritime law and safety policy. It works hard to prevent tragedies at sea, responding to tens of thousands of incidents at sea every year. The agency also supports the UK’s transition to zero emission shipping by 2050. ‘I would like to welcome Virginia,’ said Maritime Minister Baroness Vere. ‘She joins at a pivotal time for the agency and I look forward to working with her…

Yachting Monthly’s marine environmental journalism award is being launched, with two cash prizes now up for grabs. The Brian Black Memorial Award was established in 2021 to commemorate Brian and Lesley Black who were trailblazing sailors, daring small-boat explorers and passionate storytellers. A film-maker and broadcaster, Brian used his boat to capture first-hand footage of melting glaciers to tell the story of global warming decades before it was in the public awareness. The award aims to encourage other sailors to use their boats to share the stories of the places and wildlife they encounter on their voyages with the wider world. This year, the award is focusing on coastal biodiversity, its beauty and wonder, and the crisis it is facing. Marine electronics company, B&G, is sponsoring the award for a…

One of my pleasures in life is to wander round marinas nosing at what’s afloat and I’ve started to notice in-mast furling systems are becoming a lot more common. Now I know that everything has its place and I am sure there are many delighted owners who take great pleasure in being able to watch their sail swallowed up at the touch of a button. A complex job nailed as distracted parents keep an eye on their kids. Or perhaps an elderly couple saving their knees from clambering onto the foredeck with faltering balance. No flaking or wrestling with a boom cover has to be the icing on the cake, but these benefits aside, I have to say that they make my blood run cold. In theory modern communications, better…

SPECIFICATIONS LOA 7.5m/24ft 7in HULL LENGTH 7.5m/24ft 7in LWL 6.74m/22ft 1in BEAM 2.49m/8ft 2in DRAUGHT 1.60m/5ft 3in Shoal 1.10m/3ft 7in Lifting 0.75m/2ft 6in – 1.80m/5ft 11in SAIL AREA 35m²/377 sq ft BALLAST 585kg / 1,290 lb DISPLACEMENT 1,850kg/4,079 lb PRICE Base €60,750 ex VAT. CONTACT www.mfh-emden.de TIDE 25 The Tide 25, built by MFH in north Germany, began its life as an SQ Yachts 25 at the ex-Dehler works after Dehler joined Hanse Group. Plumb bows and stern with a long hull chine, bevelled deck edge and twin rudders put her on trend, and maximise performance under sail and accommodation on board. On deck, she has a large cockpit with benches forward and four decent lockers. Under the cockpit sole there’s access to what would be engine space for a…

Q I have been sailing for years and have always dutifully filled out my logbook. What I am not sure about, however, is the Log and Distance columns. I have always filled these in as boat speed, and distance through the water, as I like to think those are the speeds and distances I have actually sailed. Claiming a maximum GPS speed that is by tidal stream seems like a bit of a cheat. Am I right though? I have a nagging doubt that recorded speed and distance over the ground is a navigationally more useful number. While I do enjoy navigating from a paper chart, I haven’t had to resort to fully analogue navigation sans GPS in a long time. So which are the right numbers to record? Paul…

Now the days are getting longer and the weather warmer, it is clear, a new season is just round the corner. Don’t be tempted, however, to scrimp on a sensible set of checks for your boat before you sail off. This month, we’re looking at reliability – visit: www.yachtingmonthly.com/maintenance for a full set of checklists. If you’ve had time over the winter, hopefully you will have tackled a number of jobs to get ready for the new season, most of which are relatively simple and straightforward, though some will have needed a little more planning, time, and possibly professional assistance. 1 Tackling what is under the water has to be a priority as it can’t be done once you’re back in. Anodes should be near the top of the list.…

The Bay of Biscay may not command the romance of an Atlantic or Pacific crossing, but it is, nonetheless, a significant body of wild ocean that demands careful planning, meticulous preparation, and the utmost of respect. My wife Jenny and I bought our 2008 Regina 43 Arkyla in 2018 with the intention of heading south to the sun. Even with significant cruising experience, we felt that support would be wise for a first crossing of Biscay and so signed ourselves up to the World Cruising Club (WCC) ARC Portugal Rally. In olden, square-rigger days, the fear of becoming embayed in treacherous conditions made Biscay one of the most dreaded stretches of water in the world. Although advances in design and technology make it easier, a direct UK-Galicia offshore crossing, of…

The annual volume of composite waste generated by the marine industry each year is a staggering 55,000 tonnes – and it’s predicted to increase by 10% every year in the near future as more and more leisure yachts reach their end of life (EOL). Glass reinforced plastic (GRP), commonly known as fibreglass, is the wonder material that created the modern leisure marine industry back in the 1960s, transforming what was once an artisanal, predominantly wood-based industry, into the high volume mass production model now pumping out an estimated 10,000 new boats in the UK alone each year. However, GRP, and the successful lightweight, rigid structures it produces were never designed with an EOL solution in mind, leaving today’s boatbuilding industry scratching its head for a solution to what is becoming…