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Still here. Promise. Sail-WorldCruising.com Newsletter

21/03/2019


Still here. Promise.

Spinlock - Deckvest - 728x90

Grapefruit 2018 728x90

They say Western Australia has beautiful sunsets, I've experienced plenty but it doesn't get much better than this evening in Southern Tasmania, and the prolonged twilight in this part of the world greatly prolongs the pleasure. - photo © Tim Phillips


Dear Recipient Name

It's been a while. Sorry about that. It doesn't mean that we've had nothing to say. On the contrary actually, we have posting stories galore onto both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere websites. We especially loved Tim Phillips' recounting of his trip to Tasmania, the cacti with Barb Peck and Bjarne Hansen, Clean Up Before Bottoms Up, and Chilé with Laurence Roberts and Mary Anne Unrau. So we do hope you have been getting as much out of them as we have.

Some time ago, in The School Bus actually, I got inspired by one couple's tale to hit the high seas. He was keen on an alloy cat over a glass one, as he wanted that little bit of protection should they bump into anything. She was like, "Well don't bump into anything!" Anyway, the best part of this story is that they have not only purchased a Mumby 48 made form 5803, but have also had their first adventure aboard, and are set for another even longer soirée very soon. Nice work, and it was thrilling to see that the dream had become a reality for them. Cheers.

Mumby 48 - photo © Event Media
Mumby 48 - photo © Event Media

 
North Sails 2019 - Helix - 600x500   Mars Keel -  Manufactured Keel Systems 250
 

Moving on and it is hard to be anything but inspired and impressed by Jeanne Socrates. She's been such a star and writes in every now and then, so thanks Jeanne. Apart from all of that she is raising money for a great service: the RNLI. She's currently about halfway across the Indian Ocean, and unlike a lot of European adventurers, she took on Cape Horn as the first of the great capes. Solid. Much respect there...

It has been a tough journey to date, but she is still on track to be the oldest female, solo and unassisted circumnavigator. She's over half way now, and we wish her the very best for the remainder. She may behind her original timeframe, but the dogged determination remains paramount. Cape Leeuwin is next before being able to get into the Pacific, and then ultimately back up to Canada.

Jeanne Socrates - photo © S/V Nereida
Jeanne Socrates - photo © S/V Nereida

I loved how she wrote about where she is right now, "It's famine or feast down here - either too much wind or too little!" Well yes, the area is known for it and claimed many a sailor too. There have been some really big high pressure systems go through in the Southern Summer, and more than enough named storm activity higher up the latitudes, but so far, so good, and may that all continue. She is under trysail due to the damaged main, along with all the other setbacks she has overcome, including wind gear, solar panels, vang, and broken reef lines.

The change in profile by adding the new gunwale to the quarters of the Seawind 1260 has really freshened it up. - photo © John Curnow
The change in profile by adding the new gunwale to the quarters of the Seawind 1260 has really freshened it up. - photo © John Curnow

Multihull Central has had lots of news of late, including a move to inside the expansive facilities at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. There is a hardstand display of used craft, and RQ just got a brand new hydraulic trailer for easier hauling of multihulls up to 65 feet and 47 gross tonnes. That's more than enough to handle craft like Seawind's unique 1260, which you can see in our video here, and then Seawind's own video here.

The display area consists of up to a dozen large multihull spaces on a beautifully groomed area close to expert trades and shipwright services. It is also close to Brisbane airport (20 minutes), dining and other amenities, and also on-site accommodation. They have also recently formed the Multihull Cruising Yacht Club, and also offer the Catamaran Sailing School, as well as Charter Boat Central, and the Seabbatical Club to come on the back the highly successful book by Brent Vaughan.

Before we go, Andrew Bedwell came to us with a story. It involved a Mini Transat, which is not exactly an ideal cruising boat, but when he's already circumnavigated Britain in it, and wanted to have another attempt at going around Iceland and back, well, we got inspired. When he said it was for his daughter's school, well it ticked all the boxes then....

Cracked pivot plate for the canting keel of a Mini Transat - photo © Andrew Bedwell
Cracked pivot plate for the canting keel of a Mini Transat - photo © Andrew Bedwell

 
Spinlock - Ceramic Clutches - 300x250   B&G November 2018 300x250
 

He's intending to start from Whitehaven on May 11, and stated, "I like a challenge. I completed a solo round UK the year before last. Last year's failed attempt of sailing around Iceland was thwarted, very luckily as it turns out, by locating the issue from a slight knocking from the canting keel pivot of my yacht. This turned out to be a complete fracture all around the pivot mounting plate. At any rate, I have decided to try again."

"I will be raising money for my daughters school, St Cuthberts, in Halsall, Lancashire. The school are very much behind this, and we've prepared an assembly with all the children, where we will be showing some of my video footage from our round UK trip, as well as how we sleep, eat, go to the toilet (the kids love that bit!), what I wear, and we have a life raft to set off to show how it works if the worst happens. This has been loaned to us by Norwest Marine."

Whales in Iceland - photo © Andrew Bedwell
Whales in Iceland - photo © Andrew Bedwell

"The school will be tracking my progress, from my SPOT and AIS, and my shore crew will be updating the children and parents with position, expected weather conditions I will be encountering, and overall progress. As well as this, the school will be using my trip to highlight that if you set your mind to something, you can do it, even if you have a failure."

"Depending on the school year group, they will be explaining the midnight sun, how weather changes and develops, all about whales (where they go, whaling from yesteryear), sea life in general, and why we need to keep the sea free of plastic etc. We also look at how we use the wind to make boats move, and in fact, every time I go into school, a teacher talks about how they are going to use the trip to teach the children," said Bedwell. We have more from Andy to talk about soon, but for now you can look at his Facebook page.

 
Selden CX & GX Furling Systems 600x500   Zhik 2018 Kollition 300x250
 

Before we go, if you're looking for a job on Sydney's Northern Beaches, then Pantaenius Sail and Motor Yacht Insurance could be seeking you! There are two types of roles available. The first requires boating and sales experience for a senior position within the company. The second set of requirements is around administration, bookkeeping, claims and sales support. These latter roles not need to have boating experience, but it will obviously help. These ones may even suit the correct candidates who might be looking to be a part-timer at their fun and friendly Warriewood offices.

There is always a lot to do, and much to learn, so a good work ethic is essential. Pantaenius is a family business headquartered in Hamburg, so there is plenty of opportunity to grow in an international sense. Incidentally, the Australian arm has been doing just that for nigh on seven years now. As Pantaenius themselves say, 'whilst insurance may sound like a boring industry to work within, we can assure you that yacht insurance is quite different!' Having worked with them for six years now, I can attest to that personally.

The oil spill from the MV Solomon Trader along the coastline of Rennell Island. - photo © AFP
The oil spill from the MV Solomon Trader along the coastline of Rennell Island. - photo © AFP

OK. Today you will find that we have information for you about the Great Barrier Reef, the Galapagos, the new Corsair 880 trimaran, oil spill in the Solomon Islands, pirates, blocks from Harken, whales, Japan, Fountaine Pajot, Jeanneau, Tahiti, Susanne Huber-Curphy arrives in Tasmania after one and a half laps, it was good to see that Cyclone Oma did not hit Australia, but Trevor did up the top of Cape York, and Pola missed Fiji and Tonga, Perini Navi's new 42m alloy gem arrives for fitout, Greece and the cruising tax, the Eagle 53, Rod Morris gives us more on the Caribbean Winter, mooring in the BVIs, as well as much more.

So you see, there are stories, lessons, inspirations and history to regale yourself with. Please do savour... We're really enjoying bringing you the best stories from all over the globe. If you want to add to that, then please make contact with us via email.

Remember too, if you want to see what is happening in the other Hemisphere, go to the top of the Sail-WorldCruising home page and the drag down menu on the right, select the other half of the globe and, voila, it's all there for you.

In the meantime, do you love being on the ocean? Well remember to love them back too. They need our help. Now more than ever! Until next time...

John Curnow
Editor, Sail-WorldCruising.com

 
Allen ROA 300x250   TMS 2019 Drainman 600x500
 


Darwin to Southeast Asia: Leaving Oz with regret
David headed for McDonald's, Heather checked out the spa and I initiated serious boat tasks. Exploring social and cultural offerings of the City was very much on the agenda, as we caught up with good friends whom we had met down south.

TMS present the Smallest Furler Karver have ever designed... the KF0.9
Faithful to their rebellious spirit, Karver now introduce the smallest furler they have ever designed, dedicated to the smallest sailboats and sailors of all abilities. Allow us to introduce you to the KF0.9.

S/V Nereida sails around the world - Day 167: Rainy, grey day with Front passing
Tuesday midday - What a change from yesterday afternoon's lovely sunshine and clear sky! It's grey, chilly and raining quite hard at times. I saw 5kt for a short time, as the present rain came in, but we're down to 3.4kt now.

 
Vaikobi 2019 - MPU 2   THL - Sunsail Yacht Ownership 300x250
 
2019-20 World ARC - Galapagos Islands to Hiva Oa - One of the longest legs
The World ARC fleet has now passed the halfway mark of this journey of the Rally from the Galapagos Islands to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas. This leg is also the longest one from the entire circumnavigation with 2980NM.

Greece: New Cruising Tax - 19 days and counting...
In the absence of any instructions from the Greek Authorities, the Cruising Association are speculating that at least initially, skippers will be required to register and pay the tax (the TEPAH) manually using a paper form.

MS Amlin Yacht Release First Episode of "80 Seconds with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston" on 17th March
To celebrate the actual date of their Brand Ambassador, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's 80th birthday, MS Amlin Yacht, the boat insurance specialists, launched Episode One of the "80 Seconds with Sir Robin Knox-Johnston" video series on the 17th March.

 
Pantaenius EU 300x250   Grapefruit Coatings 2018 300x250
 
Ego can be earned - a visit to Cabo San Lucas
Overnight, we bucked winds and seas. It was one of those passages during which no one sleeps. There was sail up, despite it being even a bit much with the main reefed. At 3 am the decision was made to drop the main.

2020 Viking Explorers Rally - Registration now open
Mike Westin and Oliver Solanas Heinrichs wrote the 'Cruising Guide to the Canary Islands' together and now arrange the Viking Explorers friendly rally across the Atlantic.

Oyster restoration and water quality provide important benefits to the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem
Oysters are filter feeders, so they help clean the water as they "eat," improving water quality. And the reefs in which they grow provide habitat for fish, crabs, and a host of other Bay species.

2019 Periplus to Northwest Passage - 6th edition
Victor Wejer adds important up-to-date information about additional anchorages and recent conditions in the North West Passage in his Yacht Routing Guide for 2018.

BoatUS Spring Commissioning Checklist
Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) has a Spring Commissioning Checklist to help boaters start the season right.

West Coast waters grow more productive with shift toward cooler conditions
The ocean off the West Coast is shifting from several years of unusually warm conditions marked by the marine heat wave known as the "warm blob," toward a cooler and more productive regime that may boost salmon returns

Eagle Class 53, fitted out and beginning to fly
The completed Eagle Class 53 has now sailed in various conditions off St John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Finishing touches are completed and she is beginning to sail in her true form.

Ronstan Core Block Range at upffront.com
Ronstan invested significant time and effort in developing this functional and stylish range, for keelboat sailors.

National Vessel Registry Center introduces online registration forms with optimum security
The National Vessel Registry Center, an online portal for Canadian vessel documentation, recently enhanced the security of the forms on their website.

Solar hot water tubes – A cool item for hot showers
We've improved upon the ordinary solar shower, and have been enjoying hot showers for the past 3 years. They are still dispensed from the solar shower bag, but some water is preheated and added to the rest of the bag's contents just before the shower.

Indian Ocean & Southern Red Sea: High Risk Area to be reduced
As of 1 May 2019, the coordinates of the High Risk Area in the Indian Ocean will be changed. The long-standing group of international shipping associations plus the OCIMF have determined that the geographic boundaries of the ‘High Risk Area' for piracy

VI Mid-Island Club Night - Why leave home? Pacific Adventures!
Please join Dina Aloi who will share stories, pictures and videos of her decision to purchase a cruising boat, her husband's acceptance of the idea, and their adventures on Good As Gold as they sailed from Vancouver to Mexico.

The ultimate insider's Med guide with Sunsail
To most, the Med is a melting pot of culture, from the storied ruins of the Nikopolis near Lefkas, to Dubrovnik's glittering citadel coastline.

Ocean Safety acquires service station certification for Plastimo
Ocean Safety, specialists in the worldwide supply, distribution, service and hire of marine safety equipment, has gained certification to service, repair and re-equip Plastimo and XM Yachting liferafts and lifejackets.

Postcards from a Caribbean Winter - Part 5: An Azorean Summer
It was late in the afternoon on July 23 and there was only a few hours of sunlight left. Ahead, rising steeply out of the sea was the first land seen in 13 days.

Faces of whale conservation in the Pacific Islands
NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the stewardship of the nation's ocean resources, and this includes various species of cetaceans, which are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, as well as, for some species, the Endangered Species Act.

Making a traditional wooden flagpole with West System Epoxy
If you were to see a fire engine drive past with a flagpole strapped to the roof you would be forgiven for being confused. Although an unusual choice for a company vehicle, the decommissioned appliance from the Carlisle Fire Service is ideal.

VI South Club Night: The “Wild West Coast” of Vancouver Island
Join the very experienced Peter and Carla Vassilopoulos as they take us with them to some of their favourite anchorages and recommended passages, waterways and places of interest on the west coast of our Island.

Las Palmas to the Carribean
Just a note from the team, David and I plus English sailing friends, James Tomlinson RYA. OCC and James Robinson RYA Commodore OSC. Sailing Instructor and lots more sailing talent between these two!

Registrations Open for 2020 Mediterranean Escapade
The event is run by Mariner Boating and Multihull Solutions and is expected to draw a strong contingent of participants who can either participate on their own boat, charter a Fountaine Pajot catamaran, or just book a berth or cabin for the rally.

Visiting Chiloé Island
We were lucky to visit Chiloé Island, a prominent Island off the west coast of Chile, in 2007 and again in 2017. We didn't know much about Chiloé, except that it was between Valdivia and Patagonia.

Tom Dodson returns to North Sails
Following a long career in sailing spanning two Olympic Games, numerous America's Cup cycles and everything in between, native Kiwi Tom Dodson has rejoined North Sails as a Sales Expert with a particular focus on the vibrant superyacht segment.

East Asia - Japan
Since the relaxation of Japan's closed-port permit system in May of last year and with no clearance fees, it is now so much easier to cruise this enchanting country.

Ocean Safety's new liferaft Deck Cradle
Ocean Safety has produced a new Deck Cradle which is specifically designed to mount the Ocean Safety Compact and ISO canister liferafts.

Attention to detail: The Allspars Story
We recently spoke to Andy Postle, the founder and co-owner of Allspars in Plymouth, about his own sailing, how he started out in the marine industry, starting Allspars and how the company has expanded since then.

Make 2019 count - Buy less; buy smarter
The first step in minimising our impact on the planet is to reduce our consumption. Even if what we buy is fully recyclable, energy needs to be used to reuse it, and so one of the biggest differences we can make is simply to buy less.

A Seadek installation from start to finish
The Seadek is cut on a CNC machine, which uses a CAD design to map the pattern so the cutting head knows exactly where to cut or machine the material. We use a Mylar to make the initial templates, cut into rough shapes, and then the outline is drawn on.

Think global. Act local.
In last week's editorial, ‘The reality, and some good solutions', we were on a subject that does seem to be widely appreciated. Firstly, that is really, really good news.

Zhik 2018 Dongfeng 728x90 BOTTOM

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