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Reliving the Voyage for Madmen

BY ADMIN • MARCH 1, 2018 • NEWS, OLDER, RACING • COMMENTS OFF • 102

Jean-Luc van den Heede (72) sailing his Rustler 36 MATMUT. The Frenchman has completed 5 circumnavigations already and is a favourite to win the 2018 Golden Globe Race.

This re-enactment of the first ever solo round the world race that took place in 1968/69 is scheduled to leave from Les Sables d’Olonne on the west coast of France on July 1 this year. A total of 23 boats from 14 countries are expected to be on the start line, all of them vying to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who won the first race, and legendary French sailor Bernard Moitessier. The latter was favourite to win, before deciding not to turn left at Cape Horn towards the finish, but to continue west to Tahiti instead.

Robin Knox-Johnston on board Suhali on his return to Falmouth in 1969

When the nine sailors left Falmouth between June 1 and October 31, 1968 it was not known whether it was actually possible for one person alone to sail around the globe without stopping. Two years earlier Sir Francis Chichester had completed a solo circumnavigation, but with a stop of almost two months in Sydney, during which he was able to refit the boat and replenish fresh provisions.

In 1969 Knox-Johnston was the only finisher, while the pressure of preparation and racing resulted in Donald Crowhurst losing his life at sea, as Peter Nichols detailed in his book A Voyage for Madmen. Crowhurst’s story is also the subject of a newly released film, The Mercy. With the race sponsored by the Sunday Times newspaper there was a huge prize fund of £5,000 – in those days enough to buy a house – which Knox-Johnston gave to Crowhurst’s widow.

The fleet will gather during a festival at Falmouth in early June, before then heading to Les Sables d’Olonne for the start on July 1.

Competitors in the Golden Globe re-enactment race are limited to use the same style of yachts and equipment that were available to competitors in that first race. It’s therefore restricted to long keel production boats between 32-36ft (9.75-10.97m) designed before to 1988. It also means sailing with no modern technology – even music must be on old-school cassette tape. The yachts will be tracked by satellite 24/7, but competitors will not be able to interrogate this information unless an emergency arises, when skippers can break open a sealed box containing a GPS and satellite phone.

The start is predicted to be a bigger event than the start of the Vendee Globe race that sees around a million people visit the French port in the two weeks leading up to the race.

In recognition of the Golden Globe’s history, and to mark the 50th anniversary of Knox Johnston’s departure at the start of the 1968/9 race, there will also be a week of celebrations in Falmouth from June 9-14. This will finish with a parade of sail, with Knox Johnston on board Suhaili, plus other classic globe girdling yachts, including Moitessier’s Joshua and Chichester’s Gipsy Moth IV, together with the entire fleet of 2018 Golden Globe Race yachts.

via Reliving the Voyage for Madmen | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

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Fatality prompts lifeline safety warning

BY ADMIN • MARCH 1, 2018 • NEWS, OLDER, YACHT MAINTENANCE • COMMENTS OFF • 379

An intact tether hook and one deformed after lateral loading. The boat was taking part in the Clipper Round the World Race when the incident occurred

The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has issued a safety bulletin relating to the safety harness tethers that are used by almost all cruising yachts. The warning follows the failure of a harness line in a fatal man overboard incident in the Clipper Round the World Race in November last year.

The bulletin highlights details on the background and events leading up to the accident and a critical safety lesson in respect of the failed harness tether. A detailed report, that will analyse all other contributing factors to the incident, will be published at a later date, probably during the summer of 2018.

The incident occurred in daylight while the 70ft yacht was on passage from Cape Town, South Africa, to Melbourne, Australia. A crewmember who was clipped onto the jackstay was washed overboard. The hook at the end of the tether deformed and released, resulting in him becoming separated from the yacht. The casualty was subsequently recovered but sadly could not be resuscitated.

Tether hook trapped under deck cleat

A safety issue identified at an early stage of the investigation is that the hook on the end of tether had become caught under a deck cleat. This resulted in a sideways load loading that distorted the hook, causing it to open (see photo). The worrying point is that the tether and hook are of a conventional design and quality of build, certified under ISO12401, and of a type that is commonly used on yachts throughout the world.

Although these tethers can withstand loads of more than 1,000kg when loaded longitudinally, subsequent laboratory testing has shown they fail at a small fraction of that figure when loaded laterally.

“It is important that tether hooks remain clear of obstructions and are free to rotate to align the load longitudinally,” the report concludes. “To prevent the strength of a safety harness tether becoming compromised due to lateral loading on the tether hook, the method used to anchor the end of the tether to the vessel should be arranged to ensure that the tether hook cannot become entangled with deck fittings or other equipment.” It is understood that to achieve this the Clipper yachts have wrapped ropes around the horns of the foredeck mooring cleats.

via Fatality prompts lifeline safety warning | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

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Nordic yard launches 505 Next Generation

BY ADMIN • MARCH 26, 2018 • BREAKING NEWS, HOMEMOSAIC, YACHTS • COMMENTS (0) • 166

This model is a significant makeover of a quality Swedish serious cruiser from Najad that was first launched 10 years ago. While the well-proven hull remains the same, the deck and interior layouts have both been updated. Nevertheless, it retains the traditional values for which the Najad brand has been famous for decades.

As soon as you step on board it’s clear this is a very different proposition to a boat from one of the high-volume builders. It has a traditional centre cockpit arrangement with a single wheel – a set up that makes a lot of sense for long-distance sailing. It’s also bristling with sail controls, which makes it easy to keep the boat sailing efficiently in changing conditions – something that often becomes progressively harder as boats get larger.

This approach is also echoed in the twin headstays, one for a genoa and the other for a smaller non-overlapping jib. This arrangement makes for easy changes between light weather and reaching sails and an efficient smaller heavy weather jib. Unlike many newer designs the 505 retains a single rudder, a configuration that Najad likes as the foil is protected to a great degree behind the keel. The rudder shape has been updated to improve its efficiency.

Below decks two key factors are immediately obvious compared to the original design. Firstly, headroom has been increased throughout the boat by eight inches, without a corresponding raising of the coach roof. Secondly, the number of opening overhead hatches has been doubled from seven to fourteen, which significantly improves both the sense of natural light and ventilation. Care has also been taken to optimise stowage.

Accommodation layouts include a third Pullman style cabin, plus two double aft cabins in place of the standard large aft owner’s suite. The big forward cabin can be laid out as a twin, or with a large peninsula double berth. A large walk in closet/wardrobe can be specified in addition to the en suite heads/shower here. The galley is ideally positioned on the port side of the cockpit. It’s of an impressive size and very well appointed, with options including a dishwasher, induction cooker and larger fridge/freezer. This boat is also large enough for an impressive walk-in engine room and technical area that has been well laid out by Najad.

Length overall 15.30m

Length waterline 14.12m

Beam 4.61m

Draught (optional draught) 2.45m (2.10m)

Displacement 19,900kg

Ballast 6,500kg

Full battened mainsail 76sq m

Furling jib 60sq m

Code Zero 110sq m

Spinnaker 178sq m

Heavy staysail, jib 14sq m

Air draught 23.10 m

Fuel capacity 1,000 litres

Water capacity 850 litres

Holding tank 2 x 85 litres

via Nordic yard launches 505 Next Generation | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

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Record breaking Caribbean 600 win

BY ADMIN • MARCH 26, 2018 • BREAKING NEWS, HOMEMOSAIC, RACING • COMMENTS (0) • 60

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

This season has proven to be one of the windiest Caribbean winters for many years. The 10th edition of this now classic 600-mile race around a string of iconic islands therefore proved to be the toughest yet. Competitors had to contend with mean wind speeds of 25-30 knots with frequent squalls, some of which brought gusts of well of 40 knots, along with four to five metre seas.

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

The record fleet of 84 yachts set off from Antigua on February 19, but casualties started to mount within the first 12 hours. High profile retirements included Ludde Ingvall’s 100ft supermaxi CQS, which suffered a technical breakdown. More seriously, Greg Slyngstad’s Bieker 53 catamaran, Fujin, capsized off Saba Rock. Fortunately, all eight crew were able to clamber onto the up-turned hull and two nearby competitors, Stephen Cucchiaro’s Gunboat 60 Flow and Jens Kellinhusen’s Ker 56 Varuna, stood by until rescue agencies were able to recover the crew safely.

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

Less than half the fleet was able to complete the race, although two of the smallest boats were successful – Shaun Carroll’s diminutive semi-foiling modified Sea Cart 30 trimaran Morticia, and Conor Fogerty’s Sun Fast 3600 Bam. The latter is no stranger to heavy weather, having won the stormy 2017 OSTAR single-handed trans-Atlantic race on corrected time. He returned to Antigua at the end of the Caribbean 600 victorious in IRC Class 3 and in second place in CSA Class 2.

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

George David’s giant Rambler 88 screeched round the course in just 37 hours 41 minutes and 45 seconds, at an average speed of almost 16 knots. It was a stunning performance that earned him a hat trick of trophies – monohull line honours, first in IRC Class 0, and the best corrected time under the IRC rating rule. He also broke the race record, which he set himself six years earlier in his previous boat, Rambler 100.

“We sailed a good race and didn’t leave much out there,” David said. “Nobody got hurt and we didn’t break anything. I think it might come down to evolution in design. Six years ago, the conditions were similar, yet we are two and a half hours ahead of a 100ft boat. We made some modifications over the winter to Rambler 88. We draw 7 metres now and… it’s lighter and livelier and gets up and goes quicker; boats just go faster.”

via Record breaking Caribbean 600 win | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

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X boats recent launch of X4⁹

BY ADMIN • MARCH 26, 2018 • BREAKING NEWS, HOMEMOSAIC, YACHTS • COMMENTS (0) • 67

Only a couple of years since this Danish boat builder launched the first models, a 43 and 65- footer, in this range of fast cruisers that sits between the company’s Xp line of performance racer/cruisers and the Xc range of serious long-distance cruising yachts. The new format is designed to appeal to experienced and knowledgeable owners who demand comfort and luxury, but also want a yacht with impeccable sailing characteristics and the deck gear and sail handling equipment to match.

“When designing the new X4⁹ I wanted to combine the sleek, low profile lines of the new X range with luxurious high spec interiors to create a modern performance cruiser that will sail beautifully as well as be a joy to live aboard,” says lead designer Niels Jeppesen. The general formula has already proved to be very successful formula, especially in the 40-50ft sector. The new X4⁹ was launched at the Dusseldorf boat show in January 2018 and a 46ft model will also be on the water later this year.

The X4⁹ has minor on-deck styling changes compared to the earlier models, particularly around the companionway and the spray hood stowage. These give a flat superyacht style teak decked coach roof that’s notable for the absence of clutter. There’s also an optional electric mainsheet traveller recessed into the cockpit floor. Two keel options are offered – as standard it’s a 2.4m draught L-shape bulb keel, with a deep 2.71m torpedo bulb option.

The boat has significantly more interior space than the smaller model, which makes for supremely spacious sleeping cabins. Layouts are fairly fixed, but include three double cabins, with one of the aft ones optionally configurable as either a double or twin. There’s also a large owner’s suite forward.

The saloon, galley and navigation station are also well proportioned, with plenty of natural light and ventilation. These areas feel spacious, but the designers have been careful to avoid an excess of wide-open spaces that are difficult to negotiate safely when at sea in challenging weather.

Length overall 15.08m

Hull length 14.50M

Waterline length 13.58m

Beam 4.49m

Draught (standard keel) 2.40 m

Draught (deep keel) 2.71 m

Engine diesel 58hp

Fuel tanks 300 litres

Water tanks 325 litres

via X boats recent launch of X4⁹ | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

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Mystery of abandoned Sea Nymph

BY ADMIN • MARCH 26, 2018 • BREAKING NEWS, FEATURES, HOMEMOSAIC • COMMENTS (0) • 91

Screen grab of the Sea Nymph, four months after being abandoned. Credit: Turn the Tide on Plastic/Volvo Ocean Race

Many will remember the media attention given to Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiava when they were rescued in October 2017 from their 50ft yacht Sea Nymph after nearly six months at sea.

The pair claimed their boat was sinking as the reason for their need to be rescued. Yet the boat was found by one of the teams in the Volvo Ocean Race, Dee Caffari’s Turn the Tide on Plastic, more than four months later, having been drifting around 1,000 miles south-east of Japan.

While the circumstances around Appel and Fuiava’s situation may have been unusual, theirs is by no means the only occasion on which a frightened crew has abandoned a boat that subsequently turned out to be viable. There have even been cases of yachts abandoned during an Atlantic crossing that have then made their own way slowly across to the Caribbean, many of them sadly being driven ashore on beaches that they then litter, instead of being salvaged and subsequently repaired.

While it’s natural that a scared crew, in challenging conditions and faced with equipment breakages may wish to escape, abandoning the boat in deep ocean waters is often not a guaranteed route to safety. In particular, any transfer between a yacht and a ship is fraught with danger – with the two vessels moving several meters up and down relative to each other the risk of being squashed between the two vessels, or simply falling off the pilot ladder is very real.

When a yacht is rolling in a heavy sea it doesn’t take a huge amount of water sloshing around inside the vessel for it to lap over the bunk tops – a scary prospect. However, unless the ingress is fast and sustained over a long period the boat may be far from sinking at this stage and pumping/bailing out may not be as futile as it might first appear.

However, potential sinking is not the most common reason for abandoning a boat at sea – it’s far more likely to be a result of equipment failure. A broken rudder may seem like an unmitigated disaster. Yet it’s not all that long ago that many ocean voyagers didn’t have today’s sophisticated communication systems and EPRIBs and so would have to contend with such eventualities without outside assistance.

Given that most ocean passages are predominately downwind it’s not hard to make slow progress in very roughly the right direction – a speed of two and a half knots will give you 60 miles a day, sufficient to cover half the distance from the Cape Verde islands to the Caribbean in 20 days. All you need then is enough food and water – the latter can often be caught in rain squalls – plus a tow into port at the end of the voyage.

It’s much better than littering the ocean with many tonnes of used plastic yacht. And if you genuinely have to abandon ship, open the seacocks to allow it to sink before leaving – that way it won’t be a collision risk for others.

Sadly, Caffari’s team were unable to undertake salvage, but they were able to use a drone to confirm the identity of the yacht, and that the crew had therefore already been taken off. In reporting its position, it also leaves open the possibility of a salvage team recovering the vessel.

via Mystery of abandoned Sea Nymph | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

FORMER OYSTER PERSONNEL SET UP SUPPORT BUSINESS

HOME NEWSINDUSTRY NEWS FORMER OYSTER PERSONNEL SET UP SUPPORT BUSINESS

22 Mar 2018

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Sarah Harmer will head Fox’s Yacht Service

INDUSTRY DATABASE

FOX’S MARINA IPSWICH LTD

Three former Oyster personnel have set up a new business providing after sales support to owners of Oyster yachts.

Fox’s Yacht Service, based at Fox’s Marina & Boatyard, Ipswich, will be managed by Sarah Harmer who is the former after sales manager at Oyster.

Joining her are Will Taylor-Jones, former quality manager at Oyster and Richard Matthews Oyster founder.

“Our mission is to establish Fox’s Yacht Service as the one-stop first choice for owners and crew looking for reliable service and support at reasonable prices,” explained Sarah.

“Most Oysters were commissioned and rigged by Fox’s whose knowledge of these yachts is unsurpassed and who continue to offer a comprehensive range of services for these and other quality yachts.”

via Boating Business | Former Oyster personnel set up support business.

23 Mar 2018

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MARLOW ROPES LTD

Tom Keegan is Marlow’s new leisure marine van sales representative meeting and assisting Marlow’s existing customer base as well developing new growth areas.

He has spent the last four years working on sailing yachts in Greece, Turkey and the Caribbean and is a keen Laser sailor.

Bruno Guerin has also joined Marlow as sales sanager for France working across Marlow’s leisure marine and commercial divisions.

As a French engineer, with experience of industrial sales, Bruno will continue to develop Marlow’s expanding business in France.

In addition, Graham O’Connor has been promoted to European sales manager. Graham joined Marlow in 2011 and will be responsible for the continued growth of the business across Europe.

“Tom and Bruno are joining Marlow Ropes at an exciting time in the company’s history,” said leisure marine sales director, Paul Honess.

“With significant global growth across all areas of the business in 2017, Marlow is looking to continue this success by recruiting and promoting keen, talented professionals.”

via Boating Business | Marlow expands its leisure marine team.

RORC APPOINTS NEW ASSISTANT RACING MANAGER

HOME NEWSPEOPLE RORC APPOINTS NEW ASSISTANT RACING MANAGER

23 Mar 2018

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Tim Thubron is the new assistant racing manager at RORC

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ROYAL OCEAN RACING CLUB

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has appointed Tim Thubron to the post of assistant racing manager.

Tim is a former professional skipper managing racing and charter yachts, he has also previously worked at the Royal Southern Yacht Club delivering an extensive sailing programme of regattas and other events.

He was also responsible for managing the club’s Prince Philip Yacht Haven along with RIB berths, dry sailing berths, dinghies and river pontoons.

“Tim brings with him in-depth knowledge and experience that will be valuable to the management and development of the extensive RORC race programme,” said RORC chief executive Eddie Warden Owen. “He is very much a team player and is looking forward to being part of our young race management team.”

via Boating Business | RORC appoints new assistant racing manager.

£4M FACILITIES OPENED AT BUCKLER’S HARD YACHT HARBOUR

HOME NEWSMARINAS £4M FACILITIES OPENED AT BUCKLER’S HARD YACHT HARBOUR

26 Mar 2018

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From left to right: Mike Golding, Mary Montagu-Scott and Lord Montagu

New £4m facilities have been opened at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour by yachtsman Mike Golding OBE.

The upgraded showers and facilities building features heavy oak doors, portholes bearing the Beaulieu River emblem, underfloor heating and luxury fittings. A cosy seating area uses artwork from entrants to the annual Beaulieu River photographic competition.

High Sheriff of Hampshire, keen sailor and interior designer the Hon Mary Montagu-Scott, who oversaw the project alongside her brother Lord Montagu, explained: “This is part of a programme of investments in the Beaulieu River, with a new approach for modern times.

“We have been delighted to open the new facilities for moorings holders and visitors.”

Locally inspired

Inspiration for the décor of the 11 large, luxury rooms was taken from their New Forest surroundings. The building, the latest in a series of investments in the five Gold Anchors-winning harbour, also includes a laundrette and facilities for families and disabled visitors.

Lord Montagu and Ms Montagu-Scott, who is also commodore of the Beaulieu River Sailing Club, joined world champion and global record breaker Mr Golding to welcome mooring holders for the opening.

Mr Golding said: “When we were training round the world race crews, we stopped at all of the marinas in the Solent area and always judged the venue by the quality of the facilities – and these at the Beaulieu River are outstanding.”

via Boating Business | £4m facilities opened at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour.