HYBRID DRIVES

Essential kit or
eco-rubbish?
Tips for handling
a heavy tender
MAINTENANCE PROJECTS GEAR REVIEWS SEAMANSHIP CRUISING
PLUS: How to plan an
uneventful Biscay
crossing
WIN!
Coating and fairing
with epoxy resin
Contessa 32
restoration:
How an Arctic
adventurer
returned to her
family roots
Restore a
teak deck
step by step
16- TO 19-FOOTERS
FROM JUST 500!
Peter Poland's pick of pocket cruisers
ELECTRIC v PROPANE
OUTBOARDS
PLUS: 6 non-slip paints
A year's Jotun NonStop antifouling
HOW TO FIT
A FURLER
Updating our 1960s project
boat for the 21st century
TESTED
BRITAINS BEST-SELLING YACHTING MAGAZINE
No. 579 OCTOBER 2014
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Welcome to the October 2014 issue
Contents
5 Waiting for the tide
The editors welcome to this months PBO
6 News
Solo sailors North Sea ordeal and rescue,
update on Croatian boat fees situation,
Southerly Yachts folds again... and more
14 Regional news
Terminally ill woman completes
fundraising voyage round UK, ship
collides with wind turbine... and more
16 Readers letters your views
18 Dave Selby
Circumnavigating Canvey Island
20 Sam Llewellyn
Emerald Isle
meanderings
22 Andrew Simpson
A bight on the backside
32 Ask the experts
Bonding metal skin ttings to external
sacricial anodes, assessing battery packs
and more reader queries answered
51 PBO products and services
Cover photo: Swift 18
by David Harding
PRACTICAL
REGULARS
GEAR
BOATS
CRUISING
TECHNOLOGY
SEAMANSHIP
24 How to fit a furler
Updating our project
boat for the 21st century
54 Coating and fairing
with epoxy resin
Basic techniques explained,
PLUS epoxy-coat a battery box
59 Tips for handling
a heavy tender
Making life easier when moving rigid
or semi-rigid tenders about on land
70 Make a cockpit booster seat
...and an improvised anchor light,
PLUS more projects and tips
72 Restore a teak deck
Step-by-step refurbishment advice
75 How to make a mitred
through dovetail joint
Dovetail strength with mitred edges
118 Keep your dinghy safe
Tips from the PBO Sketchbook
28 Help for a Kelt
PBOs Sail Clinic helps a Kelt 550
suffering from windward reluctance
80 Watch out for unlit buoys!
A reader recalls a hair-raising night passage
off the Frisian Islands, running with the tide
and trying not to crash into unlit buoys
95 How to plan an uneventful
Biscay crossing
A well-prepared boat and crew, and a close
weather watch, makes all the difference
13 New boats at the show
Previewing the new boats appearing at
Southampton Boat Show for the rst time
36 16- to 19-footers from just 500!
Peter Polands pick of pocket cruisers
82 Contessa 32 restoration
How an Arctic adventurer returned
to her family roots
90 Saffier boats tested
PBO assesses the
Sc 8M Cabin and Se 33
47 Electric v propane outboards
Can they provide a viable alternative to the
petrol motor? PBO compares a selection
62

New gear
A rst look at new products making their
debut at the Southampton Boat Show
87 6 non-slip paints
Which works best to help
maintain footing on a wet, pitching deck?
41 Milford Haven
A useful guide into and around this
expansive and scenic cruising ground
100 Amazing Albania
A stress-free cruise to Gjiri i Sarands
76 Hybrid drives
Essential kit or eco-rubbish?
41
Milford
Haven
SAVE
MONEY AND
SUBSCRIBE!
Great offers on
page 86
W
IN
!
A years Jotun
NonStop
antifouling
page 9
28
Help for
a Kelt
24
How to fit
a furler
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 3
HYBRIDDRIVES
Essential kit or
eco-rubbish?
Tips for handling
a heavy tender
MAINTENANCE PROJECTS GEAR REVIEWS SEAMANSHIP CRUISING
PLUS: Howto plan an
uneventful Biscay
crossing
WIN!
Coating and fairing
with epoxy resin
Contessa 32
restoration:
Howan Arctic
adventurer
returned to her
family roots
Restorea
teakdeck
stepbystep 16- TO19-FOOTERS
FROMJUST 500!
Peter Poland's pick of pocket cruisers
ELECTRIC v PROPANE
OUTBOARDS
PLUS: 6non-slip paints
Ayear's Jotun NonStop antifouling
HOW TO FIT
A FURLER
Updating our 1960s project
boat for the 21st century
TESTED
BRITAINS BEST-SELLINGYACHTINGMAGAZINE
No. 579 OCTOBER 2014
36
16- to 19-footers
from just 500
NAXNON FOM FCF NMNON MVESTNEMT
OK pren|ere cf t|e Var|anta S7 at ScUt|anptcn Ecat S|cv. See Us t|ere cn t|e Nar|na
Inspiration Marine Group Ltd.
Southampton +44-2380 455 741
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W|ndermere +44-1539 447 700
oontaot.us@deh|er.oo.uk www.|nsp|rat|onmar|ne.oo.uk

Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 5

Editorial
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H
aving a passage plan is,
without doubt, a good
thing. Its very tempting,
especially in familiar
waters, to have a quick
look at the tide, drop the
mooring and go sailing, but if your crew
have to take over, or even if you get caught
out by a stronger-than-expected tide, a
plan gives a useful starting point from
which to reassess the situation. And if the
worst does come to pass, the insurance
company will look much more favourably
on someone who can show that they were
properly prepared.
Anyone who has attended navigation
classes will know how emphatic the RYA
are about having a detailed passage plan.
Theyll also know that, hand-in-hand with
having a plan comes having a plan B.
Where experience
comes in is knowing
when to abandon plan
A for plan B, or even
to relinquish them both and start again.
I was brought face to face with this
situation just the other day, when my
brother and I joined my uncle Dick and
his boat in Guernsey to help make the
passage home to Poole. As we arrived in
St Peter Port a light north-westerly rippled
the harbour, forecast to build into a Force
4 and back to the west perfect for a sail
north. With barely a pause to boil the
kettle we left the marina and headed
towards Alderney. Our plan was simple:
take the afternoon tide up to Braye
harbour, which with the wind forecast to
continue to back overnight and moderate
should give us a quiet night and a daylight
crossing in light winds the following day.
The plan worked perfectly, giving us one
of those rare, intensely memorable
moments: the wind just right for full sail
and a smooth sea offering little resistance,
all gloriously garnished in declining
summer sunshine. The east coast of
Alderney glowed, the shadows picking out
the old fortications in mysterious detail.
As we turned the corner to head west
towards Braye, the mood changed utterly.
The going was heavy as the back eddy we
had planned to catch kicked up short seas
against the fresh westerly. We arrived in
the last shreds of dusk and picked up a
mooring, made dinner and turned in, only
to spend the night chasing elusive slumber
as the remnants of swell left by the
north-westerly crept around the
breakwater to leave us and the rest of the
harbour rolling our masts in unison.
The next day, we left at rst light in next
to no wind, motoring most of the Channel
until a light south-westerly allowed us to
hoist the spinnaker for a couple of hours
as we approached the Dorset coast.
Hindsight is a marvellous thing, and
with its benevolent advice we should have
carried on and sailed through the night.
As none of us slept
anyway a broken
night would have
been no privation, it
would have saved us a wind-over-tide slog
and we would have had a grand sailing
breeze for the rst part of the passage, at
least. Even worse, we all thought of it as
we turned west towards Alderney, but
none of us said a word. If just one of us
had suggested it, I suspect the decision
would have been taken, the plan revised
and a better passage made.
Im forced to conclude that although a
passage plan is indeed a lovesome thing
(God wot), one can be too rigid. The sea is
a capricious mistress, and at times its best
to simply do her bidding.
Theres plenty to read this month were
tting a furler as the rst of a series of
upgrades to the project boat, electrical guru
Nigel Calder explains when hybrid drives
work and when they dont, Peter Poland
shows how you can get sailing for just 500
and we follow the restoration of Willy Kers
legendary Contessa 32 Assent. All this and
more in PBO I hope you enjoy it.
Fair winds,
David Pugh
www.twitter.com/p_b_o
www.facebook.com/
practicalboatownermag
To receive the editors monthly email newsletter, sign up on our website: www.pbo.co.uk
PBO is also available on these digital platforms
At times, a passage
plan can be too rigid
Adaptability is a rite of passage
Waiting for
the tide
with the editor
ABOVE Ken Lievesleys Hurley 22 Gavina was battered, but survived
the storm. RIGHT Gavinas stemhead tting was torn out
News
6 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
News
News and current affairs from the world of boating
News
SEND US YOUR STORIES
Email news editor Laura Hodgetts at
newspbo@ipcmedia.com, tel: 01202 440825
Solo yachtsman
tells of North
Sea rescue
ordeal
came for him as he had told the
coastguard he didnt want a
helicopter but was in desperate
need of a tow.
I told him: Im stopping with
my boat. We argued for a bit
and he assured me the lifeboat
was on its way and would take
my boat in tow, and everything
would be ne.
Ken says he thought this poor
man has risked his life to come
down on your boat, so he
allowed himself to be airlifted. He
was treated for hypothermia at
Norwich Hospital, and his arrival
via the helipad saw doctors and
nurses lined up as though I was
royalty. A bit embarrassing, but
really good treatment.
Ken was discharged from
hospital the next day. He
contacted Hull Marina the
following day, only to discover
Gavina was still at sea. The lifeboat
had been stood down once there
was no longer a risk to life.
I was devastated, he said.
Ken hired a survey vessel and
spent 22 hours searching for his
boat. Just when he thought all
was lost, Ken received a call from
the Dutch coastguard. Gavina had
drifted into Dutch waters and had
been towed into Den Helder by
a naval ship. Her mast was
damaged and front rails smashed,
but the yacht was in one piece.
Kens mobile phone, passport
and wallet were on board.
Kens son, who lives in
Amsterdam, has since posted
Kens passport home to him so
he can make the trip back over to
the Netherlands. Its going to be
pretty expensive to get Gavina
repaired, she wasnt insured,
Ken said.
The night before I was airlifted
off, the wind must have been
Force 9. The boat was hove to,
the engine was out of action and
I was watching out for ships on
the AIS. One ship looked like it
was heading straight for me. I
struggled to get into the cockpit
as the movement of the boat
was so violent.
When I had got a good grip of
the rail I looked up and saw the
dreaded green and red lights
of a ship. I felt I was staring
death in the face. I
unlashed the tiller, sheeted
in what was left of the
foresail and Gavina tore
over the waves. I was soon
clear of the ship, so I put
Gavina back into hove-to
mode and went below again.
I knew of the Hurley 22s
seagoing reputation, but
what I now know far
exceeds anything Id
previously heard.
A Maritime and
Coastguard Agency
spokesperson said: After
the sailor was rescued, an
assessment was made of
weather and sea conditions to
determine whether his boat
could be safely recovered.
With winds gusting at almost
50mph and a heavy swell it was
deemed too risky to take the boat
under tow. As it was away from
shipping lanes, the decision was
taken to consider retrieval when
conditions were more favourable.
In cases such as this, the rescue
of the person on board is our rst
priority: however, we must
also consider the safety
of the crew on the
rescue craft and, as
there was no longer
any life at risk, the
lifeboats were stood
down.
The Hurley 22
was taking on
water, its sails
were in tatters
and the engine
had failed amid
46mph gusts of
wind and a 3.5m
raging sea
G
ale-force winds were
blowing when an RAF
rescue helicopter
winchman landed on Ken
Lievesleys stricken yacht in
the North Sea.
But the 78-year-old single-
handed sailor, who was showing
signs of hypothermia, initially
refused the airlift as he did not
want to abandon his beloved
Hurley 22 Gavina.
Ken was 28NM off the north
Norfolk coast when he made
the Mayday call to Humber
Coastguard at 4.45pm on 18
August. Gavina had withstood
ve days of gales during a
crossing from Holland but now
her storm jib had split, the engine
was ooded and Ken could not
turn on his navigation lights in
the approaching darkness.
The Yorkshireman was
surprised when the winchman
Ken Lievesley and
his boat Gavina
separately weathered
North Sea gales
News
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 7

O
ne of the biggest names
in British boatbuilding,
Southerly Yachts, has folded
again, writes Barry Pickthall.
This latest setback to the
Southerly name comes just
13 months after the brand had
been rescued from an earlier
receivership with debts of
1,972,520. The builder, which
once employed 165 people at
Itchenor Shipyard and its moulding
operation in Havant, went down
with the loss of 50 jobs.
A creditors meeting held at the
Gatwick Hilton Hotel on 22 August
was told that efforts to reoat the
building arm of the business had
failed and that once three yachts
currently under construction for
customers were completed,
production of the Southerly
brand would cease.
Chris Stephens from FRP
Advisory was once more
appointed receiver but, like last
year, when the assets available
to offset debts amounted to little
more than the ofce furniture and a
database of potential clients,
there are precious few pickings.
A spokesman for FRP Advisory
refused to divulge the list of
outstanding creditors for
Southerly Yachts Ltd or its level of
debt to boating businesses, stating
that this will eventually be published
by Companies House.
The land and buildings at
Itchenor are owned by Sunchalk
Ltd and the mouldings, intellectual
property rights to the Southerly,
Fisher and Vancouver yacht
brands together with equipment
and machinery, all remain outside
the grasp of the receiver.
Northshore Yachts was formed
in 1971 and purchased by Lester
Abbott from founder Bryan Moffatt
for a reputed 4.5m in 2003. Mr
Abbott invested heavily in
expanding the Southerly range,
constructing two new factory
buildings the latest of which was
opened by Princess Anne in 2010.
After the previous crash, Mr
Abbott faced criticism for leaving
key suppliers high and dry. Their
reluctance to supply the new
Southerly Yachts business with
vital parts forced Mr Abbott to pay
off past debts, and companies like
Irons Brothers which manufactured
Southerlys unique swing keels
and was owed 59,000, is said to
be owed just 38 this time.
Spokespersons from Tek Tanks,
Houdini Windows, Holman Rigging
and IPC Media, which all took
considerable hits in the 2013
bankruptcy, also reported that
debts had been cleared.
Southerly Yachts folds again
E
nthusiasm for sailing in
Croatia is shared by around
13,000 boat owners from all
around the EU, writes Stuart
Bradley, Past President of the
Cruising Association (CA).
The CAs Mediterranean Section
includes more than 600 members
who provide reports to keep
information on the CAs website
up to date. We have received
many reports from sailors whose
boats are out of the water and
wont be launched until theyve
paid r600 in cash to the marinas
agent. Because of this, one of the
largest Croatian marinas is known
to have lost 150 private berth-
holders this year.
Unfortunately, although the
EU has recognised that some
progress has been made in
dealing with corruption in Croatia,
a report published in June stated
that Croatian citizens trust in their
key institutions remains low.
However, sources in Croatias
marine industry report that, in
response to approaches by
several EU countries and
unfavourable international
publicity, a soft solution will be
found to the requirement to use
agents to establish free
circulation in the EU.
The British Ambassador in
Croatia, David Slinn, contacted
Croatian customs to query the
need to go through an agent
and the costs of doing so.
Customs are now insisting that
this is not an absolute requirement,
but this information seems not to
have percolated down to regional
ofces or individual Croatian
customs ofcers.
In addition, the Croatian
Ambassador in Britain has
forwarded a report of the
situation, including the PBO
article (August 2014 issue), to the
relevant bodies in Croatia and
requested a response which is
currently awaited.
It is important to stress that the
problem of over-charging only
applies to boats that were already
in Croatia and had contracts with
Croatian marinas on 1 July 2013.
Boats entering Croatia for
the rst time this season have
generally been welcomed with
few formalities. Anyone planning
a cruise in Croatia should obtain
a T2L form from HMRC a
straightforward procedure.
Update on Croatian
boat fees situation
The Southerly Yachts yard at Itchenor in West Sussex
Volunteers with the National
Coastwatch Institution keep
an eye on British coasts
B
a
r
r
y

P
i
c
k
t
h
a
l
l
/
P
P
L
T
he National Coastwatch
Institution (NCI) has been
allocated a national licence by
OFCOM for the use of VHF Ch65,
with strong support from the
Maritime and Coastguard
Agency (MCA).
The dedicated channel will allow
communications between NCI
lookouts run by volunteers
and seafarers on routine matters.
Stations will be able to respond
to requests from passing as well
as local sailing craft and shing
vessels for radio checks plus
actual weather and sea state
conditions. They will also be able
to provide information on facilities
including local moorings, charted
anchorages, water taxi contact
details and local hazards.
National Coastwatch stations will
go live on Ch65 on 1 October. In
the meantime, stations will be
equipped with a dedicated radio
for this purpose and the service
will replace the practice of some
stations currently holding a
temporary licence to operate
on marina Ch37.
National Coastwatch
gets its own VHF channel
8 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
vecta Marlne Tel: +44 (0)1672 564456 www.vectamarlne.com sales@vectamarlne.com
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Faster salllng powertul motorlng lnstant power astern
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All sizes L845 + VAY
T
hree Maritime Rescue
Co-ordination Centres
(MRCCs) at Solent, Portland,
and Brixham will close between
September this year and
December 2015.
Meanwhile, sites at Liverpool,
Swansea and Thames will become
Coastal Operations Bases and will
no longer have a search and
rescue coordination function. As
part of The Future Coastguard
programme, the remaining nine
MRCCs will be upgraded to
Coastguard Operations Centres
(CGOC) and, together with a desk
at the London Port Authority, will
be networked through the new
National Maritime Operations
Centre at Fareham to create a
national command and control
network. Stafng patterns will be
reorganised to mirror incident rates.
The MCA will give the volunteer
Coastguard Rescue Service (CRS)
better access to training and
support. From April 2015 the MCA
will take on additional search and
rescue helicopter responsibilities,
managing a single contract for
search and rescue helicopters
across the United Kingdom rather
than the current mixture of military
and civilian arrangements.
In 2015 new bases will open
at Inverness and Humberside,
Caernarfon and Manston, Cardiff
St Athan, and in 2016 at Prestwick
and Newquay. Coastguard
helicopter bases at Sumburgh,
Lee-on-Solent and Stornoway will
transfer to the new system in 2017.
A revamped IT infrastructure will
enable remote working, and the
MCA says that for employees who
remain in the service, there will be
greater responsibilities, training and
career progression, and better pay.
A
short cruise to Spain turned
into a 16-year, round-the
world adventure for sailing
couple Clive and Jane Green.
After testing the water to ensure
they could live together on their
10.7m (35ft) yacht, the Jane G, the
Greens visited 51 countries. During
their rst ocean trip, to Barbados,
they travelled so slowly in light
wind that Clive swam alongside
the yacht holding onto a rope
while Jane was at the helm.
Their adventures took them
around the Caribbean, up to
Bermuda, to Connecticut, around
New York during rush hour when
they were sailing past the cars in
trafc jams, to Newport, Rhode
Island, then mast-down through the
Erie and Welland canals to Lake
Ontario. They left Staten Island two
days before the 9/11 terrorism
attacks on New York.
They spent three-and-a-half years
in Australia and New Zealand.
In early August this year the
couple returned to Pembrokeshire,
having sailed 51,000 nautical miles
across the globe. Prior to leaving,
the Greens spent 10 months doing
up Jane G and rented out their
home to help nance the trip.
Clive, 62, said: I took early
retirement and Jane chucked her
job in because she didnt want to
be at home working, with me
sending her postcards.
They lived on 130 a week,
bartering their belongings for food
and other supplies, including one
of Janes bras on an island off Fiji.
They also made countless repairs
to their yacht and helped many a
fellow sailor along the way.
Sixteen-year
cruisers return to UK
Clive added: Ive never charged
another sailor to help and havent
been charged either. If we had a
problem with the boat we had to x
it ourselves. Jane is just as capable
as me, theres nothing on this boat
she cant do.
They survived up to 23 days at sea
by desalinating seawater, wrapping
potatoes individually in newspaper,
keeping cheese in cooking oil and
packing butter in salt. One of their
biggest scares was being followed
by a boat in waters inhabited by
Somali pirates, which turned out to
be skippered by an injured Eritrean
sherman seeking rst aid.
Since returning home, the Greens
have been amazed by the media
attention. Clive said: If it encourages
other people to follow their dreams,
thats great. We really have gone full
circle: all the way around the world
at an average speed of 4.5mph.
A
n employment specialist is
suing one of Britains most
famous yacht race companies,
the RollOnFriday.com legal news
website has revealed.
The annual Clipper Round The
World Yacht Race, run by Clipper
Ventures PLC, was founded by Sir
Robin Knox-Johnston, the rst
sailor to perform a single-handed
non-stop circumnavigation of
the globe. Ruth Harvey, an
employment lawyer who used to
be a partner at Hunton & Williams,
is suing Clipper Ventures. Harvey
signed up for the race, joined the
yacht Jamaica and appealed for
donations towards the 40,000
cost of entry. The eet left
Southampton last September and
arrived back in the UK in July, but
without Harvey on board. Like
Employment lawyer
sues Clipper Ventures
Coastguard shake-up under way
many participants, she had
dropped out of the race before
the nishing line.
Harvey is claiming that both
victimisation and harassment
were behind her failure to nish.
She claims that she was an
employee of the race organisers
despite her paying Clipper
Ventures PLC to take part. A
preliminary hearing was held in
the Southampton Employment
Tribunal on 18 July. In November,
the tribunal will rule on issues such
as jurisdiction and whether she
can be classed as a worker.
Harvey wouldnt elaborate on the
nature of the alleged harassment
or victimisation, and a spokesman
for Clipper Ventures said: It is not
our policy not to comment further
upon ongoing legal matters.
Ruth Harvey (right) is in a legal argument with Clipper Ventures
LEFT Jane G in her
element at sea
BELOW Globetrotting
Clive and Jane Green
News
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 9
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T
he 2014 Aberdeen Asset
Management Cowes Week
resulted in more members of
public than ever trying their
hand at sailing.
More than 450 people took to
the water for taster sessions on
Colgate 26 keelboats run by the
ofcial event charity, UKSA. Each
participant was asked to donate 5
towards the UKSAs scheme to
enable every Year 6 primary
schoolchild on the Isle of Wight
to experience
watersports some
1,600 pupils.
The historic
yachting event was
established in 1826
and has run every
August since
except for during
the two World Wars.
Big names
participating in this
years regatta
included Princess
Anne, Pippa
Middleton,
Olympian Heather
Fell, actor Warwick
Davis and British
Sailing Team
members. A special Victory Race
was held to mark the 80th
anniversary of the Victory Class.
The UKSAs Boss up a Mast
fundraiser saw 15 managing
directors and company chief
executives winched up a 30m
(100ft) mast with their mobile
phones and not allowed back
down until their contacts pledged
donations. At the time of going to
press, Cowes Week had raised
more than 33,000 for UKSA.
F
ollowing months of
controversy regarding
the new Greek circulation tax,
the Greek government has
introduced two changes which
cut harbour dues, the Cruising
Association has revealed.
Until August 1 harbour dues in
Greece were collected by the
Hellenic Coast Guard, colloquially
known as Port Police or PP. Fees
comprised an entry charge (paid
per visit) and a berthing charge,
payable from midnight to midnight
for each day the boat was in port.
They were charged per metre
LOA, plus VAT.
The new changes mean the
entry fees are no longer payable.
Secondly, berthing fees will now
be collected by the municipal or
local authority (Limeniko Tameo)
responsible for managing the
quay. Advance payments for
a month or more will earn
discounts. Marina fees, which
broadly seem to include any
privately-managed quays or
pontoons, will be collected as
before, by the marina operator.
Jim Baerselman from the CA
said: The old system of hunting
down a port police ofce hidden
in some tiny back street was very
unpopular. The net result was that
large numbers of cruising folk just
didnt pay, and there has been
very limited investment in
quayside facilities. Dropping the
entry fee is welcome. And if
collection agents now come to the
boat, far more people will happily
pay harbour dues. Genuine
agents will offer a tax receipt.
From now on, visits to the port
police will be only be required on
entering the country, or once a
year after that to have your DEKPA
or transit log (Greek cruising
papers) checked for the new
circulation tax (TPP) payments.
This is the controversial tax which
came into force in January, but
there is still no indication if or
when TPP collection will start.
The CA has compiled a detailed
schedule of the local authority
fees payable: nd it online at
www.cruising.org.uk/news/
greeceupdate
Some good news for
cruising yachts in Greece
Cowes Week round-up
HRH Princess Anne
was among the Cowes
Week participants
U
K
S
A
News
10 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
DIARY DATES
Get the latest boating news online
every day. Visit the PBO
website, www.pbo.co.uk
Breaking news
Southampton Boat Show,
12-21 September,
www.southamptonboatshow.com
Solent Boat Jumble,
5 October, Royal Victoria Country
Park, Netley, Southampton.
Kent Boat Jumble,
12 October, The Hop Farm,
Paddock Wood, Tonbridge, Kent.
East Hants Boat Jumble,
2 November, Havant Leisure Centre,
Civic Centre Road, Havant,
www.boat-jumbles.co.uk
Scotlands Boat Show,
10-12 October, Kip Marina,
www.scotlandsboatshow.co.uk
Mumbles Oyster and Seafood
Festival, 16-19 October, Southend
Gardens, Mumbles, Swansea,
www.mumblesoysterfestival.com
The 2015 Anstruther Harbour
Festival will be held 29 to 31 May.
2015 Beaulieu Boatjumble
26 April 2015
See more online at www.pbo.co.uk
A
Northamptonshire couple
who were diagnosed with
cancer have achieved their
dream of sailing around Britain
to raise money for charity.
Alan Sineld and his wife
Geraldine, from Polebrook near
Oundle, spent three months
completing the 2,000-mile
circumnavigation in their 10.4m
(34ft) Bavaria yacht Tante Helena.
They hope to raise 10,000 for
The Urology Foundation, the only
charity in the UK that covers all
urological conditions, including
prostate, bladder, testicular and
kidney cancer. It is a charity dear to
their hearts as Alan was diagnosed
with prostate cancer and testicular
cancer in 2013. Earlier this year
Geraldine was diagnosed with
bladder cancer. Their diagnoses
are all the more upsetting as Alan
lost his rst wife Wendy to cancer
in 2002, and Geraldines rst
husband Ian also died from the
disease four years later.
Tante Helena left Shotley Marina,
near Ipswich, in early June and
returned at the end of August.
Highlights have included seeing
hundreds of curious seals on the
Humber, howling seals at Holy
Island and 12 dolphins in
Inverness. Alan described the seas
off Ramsgate in their approach
back to home port as the worst of
the whole trip.
The 71-year-old said the adventure
had denitely lived up to
expectations. Everyone we have
spoken to has been interested in
our story, and some marinas waived
D
isabled sailing teen Natasha
Lambert successfully scaled
the 2,907ft Pen Y Fan in the
Brecon Beacons to complete her
Sea and Summit Challenge, then
modestly summed up her
achievement as: Not bad.
Almost a month after leaving her
hometown of Cowes, Isle of Wight,
the 17-year-old, who has athertoid
cerebral palsy, achieved her aim of
sailing 440 miles around Englands
south west coast to Wales before
climbing Pen Y Fan, the highest
peak in southern Britain.
Accompanied by a 17-strong
support team, including four
members of the Central Beacons
Mountain Rescue team and four
military personnel, plus parents
Gary and Amanda, eight-year-old
M
aritime communities are
being urged to help
combat threats from criminals
and terrorists as part of a
revamped coastwatch campaign.
Reporting channels for Project
KRAKEN a joint initiative now
being delivered by the National
Crime Agency (NCA), Border
Force and police forces have
been simplied to make it easier
to report suspicious water-based
activities, through the 101
non-emergency police number or
Crimestoppers anonymously on
0800 555 111.
Sir Charles Montgomery, director
general of Border Force, said:
Border Forces eet of cutters,
supported by its dedicated
surveillance aircraft, operates 24
hours, 365 days of the year and
can be deployed to shores across
the UK with 30 minutes notice.
NCA, Border Force and
Hampshire police ofcers carried
out a public outreach activity at
Cowes Week, meeting competitors
and visitors and sharing key
messages of the KRAKEN
campaign. Similar activity will be
carried out around the country.
mooring fees in place of donations.
Geraldine accompanied Alan for
most of the trip. At other times he
was joined by his friend Mike
Maconochie and the boats
previous owner James Hancox.
www.tantehelena.com
Survivors challenge
Miss Isle
conquers
Sea and
Summit
Challenge
sister Rachel and sailing coach
Phil Devereux, Natasha started the
ascent at 6.45am on 22 August
and reached the summit three-
and-a-half hours later, using a
special Hart Walker walking aid.
Through Sea and Summit,
Natasha has so far raised more than
11,000 of her 15,000 target for the
RNLI, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer
Trust and the RYA Foundation.
Dad Gary said: I am incredibly
proud: Ive always been proud of
her, I know what she can do and
this is just the icing on the cake.
Natasha sails her 6.4m (21ft) Mini
Transat boat, Miss Isle Too, by
breathing through a straw in a
specially-engineered bicycle
helmet designed by her dad.
Q www.missisle.com
Cancer sufferers Alan and
Geraldine Sineld have
sailed round Britain to raise
money for cancer charities
The Miss Isle team conquers Pen Y Fan
INSET RIGHT Natasha is queen
of the mountain
Maritime neighbourhood
watch keeps an eye out
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 13
New Boats
David Harding makes a second pick of the new
introductions at the Southampton Boat Show
F
ew boat shows pass
without a new model
or two from Beneteau,
Hanse or Bavaria. At
Southampton this year
you can see the latest offerings
from all three.
Bavaria will be introducing the
Easy 9.7. From the outside she
looks remarkably like the 33
Cruiser, and for good reason: shes
a basic version of the same boat,
stripped of a few trimmings such
as styling stripes, hull ports, some
galley facilities and the odd door
down below. This brings the price
down to 60,000 (all bar a ver),
ready to sail away, though theres
scope to put some of the missing
bits back on if you like.
Beneteau are following the
budget theme too. This time
theyre showing the Oceanis 35
which, like the Oceanis 38, is
offered in three guises: Daysailer,
Weekender and Cruiser.
Recognising that not everyone
buying boats of this size wants
a layout designed for staying
aboard for more than a few hours
at a time, Beneteau have made
the Daysailer totally open-plan
and given her minimal trim. With
the Weekender and Cruiser you
have separate cabins and a
choice of layouts.
Whichever version you choose,
theres plenty of volume in the
broad-sterned hull with its chines,
twin rudders and twin wheels.
Prices start at 86,737.
And so to Hanse, whose
455 replaces the 445. The extra
length the hull really is longer
allows generous helm seats abaft
the twin wheels that combine with
the hinge-down transom to create
a fully-enclosed cockpit. A
re-styled deck brings her
appearance more into line with
CONTACT DETAILS
Bavaria Easy 9.7
Berth M360
www.clippermarine.co.uk
Beneteau Oceanis 35
Berth M252
www.beneteau.com
Hanse 455
Berth M266
www.hanseyachts.co.uk
Nautitech 40
Berth M350
www.keyyachting.com
Tonou 8
Berth M354
www.keyyachting.com
Quickboat
Stand A14
www.nestawayboats.com
Seaward 25 E14
Berth M122
www.seawardboat.com
displacement hull designed to let
her keep going in any weather, she
boasts increased headroom and a
host of renements down below.
Prices start at around 113,000. that of her larger sisters but, for
her size, this isnt an expensive
boat at a spit under 200,000
commissioned and ready to go.
If two hulls of a cruisy-but-quick
nature tickle your fancy, have a
look at the Nautitech 40,
designed by Marc Lombard as the
French builders third-generation
offering of this size. Sporting
reverse rake to the stems,
generous freeboard and
rectangular ports in the topsides,
she looks every inch the modern
cruising cat. You can have one for
around 321,025.
The new Nautitech distributors,
Key Yachting, have also recently
taken over the Tonou range from
Charles Watson and will be
showing the Tonou 8 a
high-performance daysailer that
blends the modern and traditional
in a very eye-catching way. Now
that the daysailer concept is
beginning to gain some
momentum in northern
Europe, this n-keeled
yer (a centreboard
is available) with her
teak deck and sleek, beautifully
varnished coachroof is sure to
stop visitors in their tracks. She
might also encourage a few to
part with 108,000.
Moving down a few sizes we nd
something that might make the
perfect tender for your Nautitech,
Hanse, Beneteau or Bavaria:
the Quickboat. Distributed by
Nestaway, specialists in portable
boats of all descriptions, this one
comes from Australia, folds at into
two bags, has a hull weighing just
35kg (77lb), can be assembled in
a couple of minutes and will
apparently do 22 knots with a
10hp outboard (though not when
carrying four adults). Your 3,950
buys a specication that includes
epoxy-foam panels and Kevlar-
reinforced, heavy-duty hinges.
On the powerboat side, the
new-look Seaward 25 E14
will be worth a visit. With twin,
shaft-driven props and a semi-
Hanse 455
Beneteau Oceanis 35
Nautitech 40
Seaward 25 E14
Quickboat
Bavaria Easy 9.7
Tonou 8
14 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Send us your local news stories. Email PBO news
editor Laura Hodgetts at newspbo@ipcmedia.com,
tel: 01202 440825, or write to the address on page 5
News from your cruising area
Regional News
SOUTH
BOOM FATALITY
A man in his 30s died after being
struck by the boom of a yacht while
saiing off Gurnard Ledge in the Solent.
The incident occurred in near-gale-
force south-westerly winds on 11
August. Crew on the ketch radioed
Solent Coastguard, and the Cowes
Atlantic 85 lifeboat, a police launch
and the Lee-on-Solent-based rescue
helicopter raced to the scene. A
helicopter winchman was lowered to
the yacht, and after he had assessed
the casualty the yacht was escorted to
Trinity Landing at Cowes by the
lifeboat. The already deceased man
was then taken to St Marys Hospital.
AMERICAN QUEST
A Bulgarian man found suffering from
severe seasickness in a 4.3m (14ft)
dinghy off the Dorset coast told
rescuers he was trying to reach
America. The solo sailor was spotted
off Hengistbury Head on 16 August,
and the coastguard was alerted.
Mudeford RNLI lifeboat was launched,
and a crew member was transferred to
the dinghy to assess the situation.
The man was cold, wet and being
violently ill, but refused assistance. He
had bought the dinghy earlier that day,
packed a bag of food and a bag of
clothing and was trying to sail to the
USA. The dinghy, which had no safety
equipment on board, was taking on
water. The crew eventually transferred
the man to the lifeboat and kept him
warm while he was taken to Mudeford
Quay and an awaiting ambulance
crew, coastguard and police. The
lifeboat crew then retrieved his boat,
which was taken to the local slipway.
CHANNEL ISLANDS
ALL-FAITH SEA SERVICE
Despite adverse weather, more than
100 people attended the annual
all-faith Sea Service at Creux Harbour
on Sarks quayside on 17 August.
Guernseys Salvation Army Band was
taken to the island by the passenger
launch Brecqhou Lass. Both the RNLI
and St John Ambulance were
represented by Guernseys relief
lifeboat Daniel L Gibson and the
ambulance boat Flying Christine III.
LIFEBOAT RESTORATION
A dilapidated but complete 10.7m (35ft)
mystery boat that has languished in
the Guernsey bay of Grande Havre for
many years has been identied as the
Liverpool Class lifeboat JB Coupe,
which served in Scotland in 1949.
The boat was brought to Guernsey in
1974, then renamed Ltoile du Nord.
Used as a shing boat for some years,
the toile was eventually moored near
the LW mark in Grande Havre and
largely forgotten. It is hoped that the
boat will now be restored and kept
aoat in the same bay.
SOUTH-WEST
SCHOOL CLOSURE FEARS
A sailing school is facing closure,
unless it can raise 13,000 a year, after
losing Plymouth City Council funding.
Plymouth and Devon Schools Sailing
Association (PDSSA) is a not-for-prot
volunteer organisation which has been
operating since 1966. Peter Couch,
former elected committee member of
Tamar River Sailing Club, said: One
wonders why school sailing in
Plymouth does not move to the Tamar
River Sailing Club at Saltash Passage
in Plymouth, which sought and
accepted public money on the basis
that the club made its premises
available to the wider community.
www.pdssa.org
VOYAGE COMPLETED
A terminally ill mother from Devon has
nally completed her voyage around
the UK, just over a year after she was
forced to abandon the trip when her
appendix burst. Lori Murdock from
Topsham has an aggressive form of
skin cancer and was initially given only
months to live. The 59-year-old retired
solicitor and law lecturer decided to go
sailing and fundraise 10,000 for
cancer charities FORCE, Hospiscare
and Macmillan.
With her Patterdale terrier Betty, she
left Falmouth in May 2013 on board
Kasuje III, a 1953 Yeoman Classic
cruiser-racer. They sailed anti-
clockwise and had reached the west
coast of Scotland when Loris appendix
burst at Ardrishaig on the Crinan
Canal and she was rushed to Oban
Hospital for an emergency operation.
In May this year, Lori sailed from
Totnes via the Isles of Scilly to
Holyhead. In August, she completed
the nal 200 miles from Anglesey back
to Ardrishaig. She said: Im so
pleased to have done it, and so
blessed to still be alive to sail it.
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/
team/Lorimurdock
Around 100 residents gathered on
25 August to protest about the 17,000
tons of harbour silt dredged to create
the marina being dumped on a nearby
car park.
IRELAND
CAPSIZE TRAGEDY
A sailor drowned off the coast of
West Cork after the 5.8m (19ft) yacht
he was on capsized. The 66-year-old
man and two other crew members
were reported missing on the evening
of 13 August. The upturned
Drascombe Lugger, Zillah, was
discovered in Roaring Water Bay
around 1.5 miles from shore by the
coastguards inshore RIB and
all-weather lifeboat. Early the following
morning, rescue crews discovered two
of the missing crew, a man aged 76
and a woman aged 60, on Castle
Island. They were both suffering from
hypothermia. They were airlifted to
hospital. The rescued sailors told
emergency crews their friend had
drifted away from them as they swam
for shore. The man had been wearing
a lifejacket. His body was found by
lifeboat crews on 14 August.
STORM-STRUCK DINGHIES
More than 200 people and 87 sailing
dinghies were hit by stormy weather in
Strangford Lough. Belfast Coastguard
was alerted on 11 August that some of
the GP14 World Championship Race
participants boats had capsized, while
others were struggling to cope in the
strong winds and squally showers.
The Bangor and Portaferry Coastguard
rescue teams, the Portaferry and
Newcastle RNLI lifeboats, the Irish
Coast Guard helicopter and a
helicopter from RAF Valley attended,
along with police and ambulance
crews. Ten people were injured, with
some showing signs of hypothermia.
NORTH-WEST
WIND TURBINE COLLISION
A ship was damaged after hitting a
wind turbine pile at Walney Wind
Farm, off Barrow-in-Furness. The
Liverpool Maritime Rescue
Coordination Centre (MRCC) received
a call on 14 August reporting that the
Danish-registered standby safety
vessel, OMS Pollux, had collided with
a pile supporting a turbine. The vessel,
with a crew of around 18 on board,
stayed aoat and there were no
reported injuries, but the ship began
leaking marine diesel. OMS Pollux
moved under its own power, away
from environmentally sensitive areas,
escorted in relay by the Barrow,
WALES
VISITOR NUMBERS BOOST
Major dredging works and ne
summer weather have boosted visitor
numbers at Hafan Pwllheli Marina in
North Wales. In the last few months
the marina, situated on the south side
of the Lleyn Peninsula, has welcomed
nearly 1,000 boats from all over the UK
and Europe. Work to dredge the
marina basin and main channel was
completed in May, and there is now
access for most yachts at virtually all
states of the tide. More than 90,000m
3

of dredged material has been
removed from the harbour, and the
channel is back to its original design
depth of 0.6m at chart datum.
PORTHCAWL MARINA OPENS
Porthcawls long-awaited marina is
now open for visitors on the south
coast of Wales. All tide berths at
the pontoons hold around 2m of water
below chart datum, with some berths
saved for visitors. The 3.2m marina is
operational about three hours either
side of HW. Visitor fees are 1.80 per
metre per night, with electricity and
water supplied.
The annual all-faith Sea Service at Creux Harbour, Sark
Lori Murdock has completed her
fundraising voyage around the UK
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 15
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PRACTICAL
Making sails
How theyre made and how to
take accurate measurements
PLUS
Epoxy sheathing and laminating
Antifouling do we need it?
Real-world hybrid drive efciency
Laying synthetic teak
TESTED
Towed generators
What are the pros and cons of
towed electricity generators?
Dehumidiers
Whats best to keep your boat dry
adnd mould-free when its cold?
BOATS
Buying a mini cruiser
Peter Polands pick of
second-hand 20-23 footers
SEAMANSHIP
Batten down the hatches
How to prepare your boat on her
mooring ready for winter gales
Navigate Biscay
Navigation advice for crossing the
Bay of Biscay
Weighing anchor
How to break out the anchor
under sail
CRUISING
Scottish special
Kintyre to the Treshnish Isles
Troon to Shetland
Visiting Cherbourg
Pilotage guide and new facilities
at this cross-channel destination
NOVEMBER ISSUE ON SALE
THURSDAY 9 OCTOBER
liferaft. The lifeboat crews recovered
the liferaft, then stood by until the
burning yacht sank completely.
SEAL POPULATION GROWTH
Teesmouths harbour seal population
has grown again this year with the
birth of 18 pups, bringing the total
number in the River Tees to 100. The
populations growth over the past 30
years testies to the efforts of industry,
regulators, conservationists and The
Crown Estate working together to
clean up the river. Teesmouth is the
only known estuary in north-west
Europe where seals have re-colonised
an industrialised estuary as a direct
result of environmental improvements.
EAST
CLUB CELEBRATION
A formal opening ceremony at Walton
& Frinton Yacht Club on 22 August
celebrated the completion of its
redeveloped clubhouse. The new
facility boasts a high level of thermal
insulation, solar panels and a marine
source heat pump system. It has full
disabled access including a passenger
lift to the upper oor where there are
two large function rooms.
MARITIME FESTIVAL
Ipswich Haven Marina welcomed
more than 140 visiting yachts for the
culmination of the towns Maritime
Festival. These included a 40-strong
eet of Old Gaffers, a V39 wartime
steamboat, classic barges and the
oldest RNLI lifeboat, the James
Stevens No14. Spectators were treated
to a laser lightshow along the marina
on 16 August, while a rework display
rounded off the event on 17 August.
SOUTH-EAST
YACHT CLUB ARSON
Two teenage boys have been arrested
in connection with a re at a former
yacht club building at Southend.
Essex Police were called to assist the
re brigade with road closures and
crowd control after the re broke out
at the Alexandra Yacht Club building
on 23 August. Two boys aged 16 and
17, both from Westcliff, were arrested
on suspicion of arson after being
stopped by police. They have been
bailed until September 12 pending
further enquiries. The building had
been considered unsafe, and a
decision was taken last April for it to
be demolished.
RYE MOORINGS UPGRADE
Chain moorings in Rye are to be
replaced by pontoon moorings. Work
on the 228,000 project, jointly funded
by the Environment Agency and the
European Union, is scheduled for
completion by March 2015.
INLAND
3M CANAL IMPROVEMENTS
The Canal & River Trust (C&RT) has
announced a 3million package of
additional investment in the
waterways. Around 2million will fund
dredging projects on the Erewash
Canal, Trent and Mersey and sections
of the North Stratford Canal. Just over
1million will go towards vegetation
management, repairing waterway
walls and towpaths, improving
sanitary stations and mooring
locations and simplifying lock
operation. The projects will be
completed by April 2015.
Another 18 seal pups have been born in Teesmouths cleaned-up estuary
D
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M
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Lytham and Hoylake lifeboats. A
surface sheen, 5-10m wide and
around 0.7NM in length, was reported
to be trailing the vessel, but unlike
heavier forms of fuel, marine diesel
should evaporate or disperse naturally.
SCOTLAND
HARBOUR ORDER FURY
Boat owners have voiced their anger
at being ordered to move their boats
from Portgordon Harbour by the end
of September. The Crown Estate says
the move is necessary on safety
grounds after a 12m (40ft) section of
the harbours east pier collapsed in
storms last winter. Repairs will be
carried out towards the end of 2014,
but the Portgordon community harbour
group says the harbour is safe and
claims the order will jeopardise plans
to install 50 or 60 pontoon berths.
CANAL INVESTMENT
Boaters visiting the Crinan Canal can
now enjoy the comforts of home after
the opening of a new facilities building.
The environmentally-friendly block at
Crinan Basin features toilets, showers,
a laundry room and an outside
terrace, all with disabled access. The
360,000 new block has been
designed with a sedum living roof
system and Scottish larch panelling,
plus low- and zero-carbon technologies
such as LED lighting, heat recovery
systems and underoor heating.
NORTH-EAST
YACHT FIRE
A French sailor made a 999 call when
his 11m (36ft) yacht went up in smoke
15NM off Sunderland on 22 August.
The lone yachtsman told Humber
Coastguard there had been an
explosion on board, so he had
abandoned the blazing yacht and was
in his liferaft. Hartlepool RNLI all-
weather and inshore lifeboats launched
and reached the stricken yacht within
35 minutes, by which time an RAF
rescue helicopter from Boulmer was
already winching the sailor from his
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16 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Readers share their thoughts and opinions
Letters
Email pbo@ipcmedia.com
or write to us at the address on page 5.
Photos are appreciated, letters may be edited.
PUZZLE 181
Its dark and you are sailing due north
at 6 knots through the water when a
crewman falls overboard.
You struggle forward through the
companionway hatch to press the
MOB button on your chart plotter to
mark his position. It takes 30 seconds
to do this.
The tide is owing south at 1 knot.
It takes another two minutes to
bring the boat to a stop. For the
purposes of this exercise well
assume that the boat is travelling at 6
knots for the duration of this time.
You then spend a further two
minutes dropping and securing the
sails with the boat not moving
through the water.
How far away from the boat is the
casualty now?
Solution to No 180
H, G, E, C, A/F, B, D.
REFUELLING SOURCES FOR EAST COAST SAILORS
Full lling advice
Q Dennis Haggerty was
unfortunately misdirected in
Woodbridge (Letters, PBO
September), since from his
mention of a four-mile round trip
he was presumably directed up
to the A12. In fact, there is a
lling station only about a mile
from the Tidemill Yacht Harbour
on Melton Road, B1438 and
theres a Spar convenience
store there too.
When he went up the Orwell
Accident
prevention
Q I am a lifelong breeder and
trainer of working Labradors, and
I agree with David Lines (Letters,
PBO September) about the
problem of fouling by dogs.
For the last 27 years, when
sailing my Fisher with its enclosed
wheelhouse, one or two of our
Labradors have sailed with us. A
seagoing dog must have a run
ashore at least twice a day, early
morning and late evening: midday
as well, if feasible. I have no
problem with restricting the dogs
bodily functions aoat: the same
applies when they are in the
house. Some years ago, a sailing
magazine published supposedly
helpful advice from a reader who
let his dog ashore every third day:
one can only imagine the suffering
and potential renal damage
inicted upon the poor dog!
On the subject of fouling, blame
thoughtless, careless owners not
the dog. Dogs in a marina should
be on a short lead and watched
carefully to make sure they dont
foul the walkways or pee on
mooring lines: they should be
marched past any potential
Name
that
boat
Q I bought
this 4.1m
(13ft 6in)
glassbre hull
to restore or
make into a
useable boat.
Does any
PBO reader
recognise the type, model or
maker? Theres no plate or
marking on it, apart from the
shadow of a name, PIG II. It looks
like its from a production mould
rather than being a one-off. Any
information would be appreciated.
Geoff Tily
By email
Time for T
Q Re Ivan Dunns query about his
T31 (Letters, PBO September), I
own a T27 which was designed by
Guy Thompson, not Tucker. I am
aware of T24s, and I believe Guy
also produced a T31: Googling
Guy Thompson will produce a
good number of relevant sites.
Although 40 years old, my boat
White Wytch is still in remarkable
condition, with her original gelcoat
nish. I have replaced the original
petrol engine with a Yanmar
1GM10, and she has new sails.
She performs very well, although
she requires a decent breeze as
she weighs 4 tons.
Ian Smethurst
Congleton
This ones older
still, Ill warrant
Q I cant remember the opening
gambit in PBOs oldest yacht club
correspondence, but the Royal
Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club was
inaugurated on 16 April 1859, after
a previous meeting of boating
gentlemen at the Maids Head
Hotel in Norwich, to discuss the
formation of a club. The entrance
fee was two guineas and the
annual subscription one guinea.
The rst clubhouse in Lowestoft
was completed in 1886, on land
leased from the Great Eastern
Railway. The royal warrant was
granted in 1898 by King Edward
Vll. It is certainly one of the oldest
yacht clubs in Britain.
Robin Friend
By email
Cleats beat rings
Q Securing a yacht to cleats wins
hands down over rings for speed
and safety particularly if, like ours,
yours is a husband-and-wife crew.
As a slightly arthritic getting-on-
for-80-year-old, I nd getting down
and threading ropes through rings
an awkward, almost dangerous
process. From now on, I intend to
ask marina managers to provide
cleats where there are none and,
if my request is received
unsympathetically, to challenge
them to show me how to use rings
quickly and safely. Ill bet few can!
Mick Wigeld
Hythe, Hants
Securing a yacht to cleats is quicker
and safer than threading ropes
through rings, claims Mick Wigeld
piddling places until out of the
marina and a suitable spot is
found. If a genuine accident
happens, clean it up, hose the
area down if a hose is available
(some marinas no longer keep
them, unfortunately), and no one
will get upset.
Terry Bailey
by email
Can any readers identify
reader Geoff Tilys 4.1m
(13ft 6in) boat?
Foxs for fuel
Q If Mr Haggerty was to berth in
Foxs Marina, or take a buoy close
to the Orwell Yacht Club on the
River Orwell, there is a petrol station
200m from the Foxs entrance. On
the River Deben, I suggest talking
to the staff at Tidemill: some
assistance may be available
Monday to Friday when the yard
staff are around.
Peter Hinks, by email
Dennis Haggerty replies:
This local knowledge is really
helpful. I must say, my use of online
nearest petrol station location
he should have called in at Suffolk
Yacht Harbour, the only local
marina which sells petrol (I rang
them to verify that they still do),
where he could have got it on the
fuel berth instead of having a hike
when he got to Ipswich.
Terry Bailey
By email
searches led to my dismay at the
length of the hike required to get
fuel. Even a mile seems a long
way when toting a full outboard
petrol tank, which isnt exactly a
friendly shape to carry.
If PBO staffers take the Project
Boat Hantu Biru on anything
much longer than a weekend
sail, they too might need to get a
move on in light airs and start
realising that an auxiliary petrol
outboard can turn a sailing trip
into a hiking holiday!
Can you nd the man overboard?
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 17
Letters
PEYTONS PICK FROM THE PAST
SEADOG
OF THE

MONTH
Darren Robb and his partner
Sarah rescued Tobin from cruel
ownership when he was a pup.
He and Darren are inseparable,
and Tobin sails with Darren on
Lough Foyle and Lough Swilly.
Darren organised a sail
around Ireland to raise funds
for Macmillan Cancer Care and
left at the end of June: to date,
he has raised over 10,000.
I have only joined Darren in
Galway, but Tobin has done
the whole trip.
We are setting off at time of
writing to complete the nal few
legs back to Derry/Londonderry.
Unfortunately the cancer has
returned and Darren is
terminally ill now, but he is
determined to nish this journey.
Ken Curry
Send us your seadog photos for our
web gallery and your pet may be
lucky enough to become Seadog
of the Month and win you 30
Seadogs
galore!
Visit our seadog gallery at
www.pbo.co.uk/seadogs or scan
this QR code with your smartphone
Ins and outs
Q Re Techniques for cruising in
shallow waters by John Simpson
(PBO August), some errors need
to be corrected regarding Ashlett
Creek in Southampton Water.
The chartlet featured in the article
is about ve years out of date.
Changes in the creek entrance
have been caused by local
shermen who have been
dredging the shallows for shellsh:
this has attened the seabed and
lled in the old gutters.
For more than 50 years, Ashlett
Sailing Club has marked the creek
with the best route in and out. The
entrance has been slightly
adjusted this summer and is now
marked with two port-hand buoys
followed by a port-hand and
starboard-hand buoy on the
shallowest part of entry.
Visitors are welcome to visit the
creek and the facilities of Ashlett
Sailing Club and the Jolly Sailor
TAKING ANOTHER PEEK AT ASHLETT CREEK
Flour power
Q Regarding your articles on epoxy
glue (PBO August and September),
if like me you are boatbuilding in
wood, or making wooden boat
items, then the ideal thickener is
wood our. It makes for strong
joints with a teak/mahogany
colour depending on the wood it
comes from. The main supplier of
wood our is Fyne Boats of Kendal:
their prices are reasonable and
their service is excellent.
John Epton
Lincoln
To further clarify!
Q Re binoculars and It all becomes
clear now (Letters, PBO Sept), the
BaK4 designation seems to refer to
two denitions of glass type, barium
and phosphate crown glass. I
suspect the phosphate one might be
PhK4, perhaps? Great mag as usual.
Robin Friend
By email
Richard Biggs of Action Optics
replies: BaK4 only has one denition;
it refers to glass made by Schott AG
and it is barium crown. BAK4, as
used in many Chinese binoculars, is
the same as Schotts PSK3 which is
dense phosphate crown. It is
Lot of fun to be had with a boat like that.
Had one myself years ago.
Taken from Practical Boat Owner October 1986
cheaper to make and has a lower
refractive index, and permits twice
the bubble count of Schotts BaK4.
The Chinese have BAK6 which is
much closer to Schotts Bak4, but I
have yet to see it in a binocular. PhK4
is not known to me and does not
appear on any Abbe diagram that I
have seen. I hazard a guess that it
might not exist.
I originally wrote that phosphate
crown found in many Chinese
binoculars is BAK4, but it appeared
on the page as BaK4. It was this
confusion that I was trying to clear
up. BaK4 (small a) is the better
Schott glass, whereas BAK4 (big A)
is the cheaper glass used in many
Chinese models.
Brian Cornelius sketch shows changes to the
entrance of Ashlett Creek in Southampton Water
Sluice change
Q In Cornwall, a problem has arisen
for all small-boaters who live
aboard: how to empty the portable
toilet? Big boats may have holding
tanks or discharge their heads at
sea, and day-sailors may bucket
and chuck it: but spending a longer
time aboard requires emptying of
the toilet in a sluice.
There no longer appear to be any
facilities at Fowey. Falmouth Harbour
Commissioners have facilities at the
town quay, but Falmouth is a long
way to go just to empty a potty. Mylor
Yacht Harbour have adopted the
public toilets on the quay which were
previously closed by Carrick Council,
but sadly not including the sluice
which was formerly there. Our legs
are crossed, and were wondering
where to go?
David Roberts
Newport, South Wales
Mid-wharf midwife
Q I spotted this thought-provoking
sign in Greece...
Dave Hallam
Ringwood,
Hampshire
pub, but we
would not
recommend
vessels drawing
over 1m to
enter on Neaps
or tides of
less than 4m
(Southampton
ABP tide tables)
as the high
water stand is
unreliable and the
tide can drop one
hour after rst HW.
The other warning is that jumping
over the side to push a boat off the
mud when stuck in Ashlett Creek will
result in the crew member sinking
rapidly into soft mud with no hard
bottom, resulting in recovery of the
crew member being both difcult
and smelly!
Finding the gutter with a shing
rod or dipping pole is unlikely to
be successful due to the liquid state
of the Ashlett mud. If you do
run into this mud it has strong
adhesive qualities which make it
difcult to extract a boat. Using
the standard navigational
methods of port and starboard
buoys and stakes will bring
visitors into Ashlett Creek with
little or no trouble.
Brian Cornelius
Ashlett Sailing Club
18 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Dave Selby is the proud owner of a 5.48m (18ft)
Sailfish, which he keeps on a swinging mooring
on the picturesque Blackwater estuary in Essex
LISTEN ONLINE
Hear Dave Selbys
podcasts on the PBO
website www.pbo.co.uk
Dave Selby
Mad about the boat
A
s a veteran
of two solo
circumnavigations
Im generally up
for a spot of light
recreational
adventure. Neither am I
particularly risk-averse, although
Id draw the line at walking into
the Queens Head in Maldon
wearing a pair of red trousers
Im not that brave or stupid. I
know my limits.
So when Tony Smith phoned
me up and said Dave, Ive got
a plan, I knew from experience
the smart thing to do is say:
Id love to, Tony, but Im busy
that year.
Unfortunately, Tony has a way
of drawing you in: and
although you know youll likely
end up wet, cold, scabbed and
bruised, covered in mud and,
ultimately, traumatised by one
of those steak and kidney puds
he steams in his boat kettle, you
just cant say no.
Tony, aka Creek Sailor, has
taken sailing to new heights
and extremes, cruising Shoal
The advent of
sele-steering gear
The future is evidently still orange, but rst theres the small matter
of a circumnavigation of Canvey Island to get out of the way
Itll get really ugly if
they lose their mobile
phone signal...
Waters, the boat formerly
owned by legendary small-boat
adventurer Charlie Stock, up
creeks and anchoring in pools
no bigger than an osmosis
blister on a Westerly Renown.
He has since built a duck punt
in which hes sailed up the
main street in Tollesbury and
probed crevices no larger than a
gelcoat crack. (Read these
adventures in Winklers Tales, a
little pocket-book gem.)
So when Tony outlined his
plan for a circumnavigation, I
was hooked. After all, Captain
James Cook didnt even manage
to complete his third one, which
ended when he fell out with the
locals in Hawaii.
After Northey Island and Osea,
both on the River Blackwater, if I
could add a third by encircling
Canvey Id be making history
not so much three peaks, more
three troughs. Besides, as we had
no intention of stopping along
the way we hoped to avoid
Cooks fate.
When I asked Tony if hed
done a risk assessment, he said:
yeah Dave, its risky. That was
good enough for me. Tony had
borrowed a 22ft Drascombe
longboat from somewhere and
had conscripted a load of
cousins for our crew of eight.
The organisers at Beneet
Yacht Club, judging that
although our boat was the
largest and carried the most crew
we would likely be the slowest,
shrewdly set us off rst. In no
time we got into a rhythm.
Tonys cousins were all from
London so had never seen trees
before, and didnt know what
oars were for. Nevertheless,
they soon got the hang of it,
whacking each other on the
head, in the back and kidneys.
Mostly though they texted
seles to their pals and
girlfriends, telling them they
were on a yacht.
In the meantime, virtually
every other boat in the 20-strong
eet of skiffs, kayaks, canoes,
rowing gigs and sailing dinghies
overtook us. Wed had a go at
sailing, but this disagreed with
Tonys cousins as the sails
apped and created shade,
interfering with their attempts to
turn themselves evenly orange.
By then theyd also spotted our
substantial outboard motor,
which they reckoned would be
ideal for towing them behind in
inatable doughnuts like they
do in Ibeefa. When the cousins
discovered we didnt have any
doughnuts the whole mood of
the boat became darker, as we
passed the ominously-named
Deadmans Point on the south
side of Canvey in the Thames.
Id taken the helm, as other
than diving overboard it was the
only place to avoid being hit by
oars, and Tony was still rowing
wholeheartedly, while the
cousins vital organs began to
fail. Their thumbs had stopped
texting! Us sailor types were
more concerned that the ood
was running out, there was no
wind, and we were less than
halfway round the 14 miles.
In Holehaven Creek the tide
turned against us as we vainly
tried to tack uptide and row. We
were not getting anywhere, and
the water was disappearing as
glistening mud began to emerge.
There was more harmony on the
Bounty. Thinking about it, Bligh
was cast adrift with loyal crew,
but our boat was full of orange
mutineers in designer shades.
And we still faced the prospect
of lowering the mast on four
occasions to pass under tidal
barriers and bridges. Sir Robin
Knox-Johnston never faced
obstacles like these on
his circumnavigations.
Just when I thought it couldnt
get any worse, Tony started
singing sea shanties to raise
spirits, which depressed
everyone and made some
think of cannibalism.
Prudence prevailed, we lowered
the mast, started the outboard
and in no time the cousins
perked up and started texting
again. When I got back home,
battered, bruised, scarred,
scabbed and orange, I also texted
Tony and said: Thanks for a
great day out. Im busy next
year. And the one after that.
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Sam Llewellyn is editor of The Marine Quarterly,

www.marinequarterly.com, and author of nautical
thrillers. A year ago he bought a Corribee on eBay
Sam Llewellyn
Flotsam and jetsam
20 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
A
s the sailing
season wears
on, it sometimes
becomes
apparent that life
has been gritty
with salt for long enough, and
it is time for a drop of fresh
water. Some swear by the
Thames. Milford Haven sailors
like to drift away from the
open sea into the black
pools of the Eastern Cleddau,
sounding nervously with
an oar. The other day we
went river sailing in Ireland,
taking Lucille, the open
Drascombe Longboat,
equipped with a tent, a galley
box, a pair of oars and a y rod
inside a bit of plastic pipe with
a screw cap on either end.
The sea off the shores of the
Emerald Isle is a busy spot, full
of waves that have come most
of the way from America and
ventilated by winds with a
lot of Atlantic low in their
ancestry. We hung around
catching mackerel in the tide
off Ram Head for a while,
and drank a spot of Murphys
stout in the ancient town of
Youghal, where Sir Walter
Emerald Isle
meanderings
For a change of pace, a sojourn up a lazy river does the trick
Sail up the Blackwater to Dromana in the early
morning and you might just see sherman
Nick Grubb netting salmon. And because its
Ireland, you might also see some rain
Raleigh grew Europes rst
potato, maybe. Then, as the
weather looked like going
from inclement to apocalyptic,
we headed inland.
This is not difcult to do, as
Youghal lies at the mouth of
the mighty Blackwater River,
whose 16-mile estuary runs
north from the town. Get past
the coast road bridge (clearance
6.5m, so the Drascombe can
squeeze under it) and you are
in a new world. Its banks are
lined with huge Georgian
houses built on foundations
that were once castles, so it is
no accident that they tend to
be just out of cannon-shot of
each other.
There is very little water over
the ats above Ballynatray,
where even the Drascombe,
which draws about 9in board
up, can touch bottom if you
are not careful. You can absorb
Dutch courage for the rest
of the voyage at Clashmore,
a tiny village with at least
three pubs.
Sailing on rivers is odd. The
wind funnels straight up or
downstream, gusting violently,
and smells not of ozone but
of mud and a kind of at,
green stagnancy. The birds
are different too ducks
instead of gulls, and maybe
an osprey on passage, though
the cormorants have found
their way up here, reckoning
that salmon and sea trout
in shallowish water are an
easier mark than mackerel
in 60 metres.
There is an otter, champing
noisily at its breakfast eel, and
a deer wetting its whistle before
nipping off to wreck a eld of
barley. Progress is slow, but
the tide urges you on. It is
tempting to let go of the tiller
and lie on the side deck,
watching the clouds wheel
round your head as the boat
spins in the eddies, listening
to the clonk of the ripples, or
head down an alley made by
thatch-cutters in the reeds to
make like Humphrey Bogart
in The African Queen.
If you can tear yourself away
from such diversions there are
more castles, and more houses,
and at the top of the tide
you will probably have got to
Cappoquin. It is a good idea to
put up a tent on the boat and
spend the night in one of the
long, quiet pools below the
town. On the right evening,
sea trout will be jumping all
around you. A few casts with
the y rod may even persuade
one into the frying pan. The
next morning you can take the
tide back to Youghal, with the
salt washed off, once again
ready for sea.
Apparently the clever people at Nissan,
the car makers, have invented a paint
that repels water, grease, oil, dirt and
indeed almost everything except buyers.
Short-sighted motorists will see this
as a way of avoiding the timeless
suburban Sunday morning ritual of car
washing. Boat people will see bigger
possibilities. If the water runs straight
off, this means no friction. No friction
means no vortices. No vortices means
perfect laminar ow as the boat moves
through the water, so higher speed.
Furthermore, it sounds as if it will give
the barnacles something to think about.
I use an antifouling called Slippy
Bottom which does roughly the same
thing, with a pinch of biocides just
to make sure. But it has now gone
tragically extinct. So there are three
choices. One, a big antifouling
manufacturer could restart Slippy
Bottom production with an order of 500
litres. Two, groan and apply the
old-school eroding stuff. Or three, slap
on the Nissan and hope for the best.
Slip-slidin away
Farewell, Slippy Bottom:
we hardly knew ye
W
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22 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Yacht surveyor and designer Andrew Simpson cruises
with his wife Chele in his own-design 11.9m (39ft) yacht
Shindig. Read his blog at www.offshore-sailor.com
Andrew Simpson
Monthly musings
T
here are many
manoeuvres and
drills buried deep
in sailing lore that
one respects, even
venerates, and has
prepared for. Take heaving to,
for example. We all know it
involves lying aslant to wind
and waves, usually under a
deep-reefed main and a jib
aback but when did we last
do it? In my case, I really cant
remember certainly never in
the last score or so of years.
Then there are storm jibs and
trysails. These, I suppose, you
can regard in the same way
as re extinguishers, in that
they remain unused until
confronted by a corresponding
crisis that demands you use
them. However, unlike re
extinguishers most of which
become spent and irrevocably
useless once triggered storm
A bight on
the backside
Some 18mm-diameter octoplait is pressed
into service as a rope bight trailing behind
Shindig, and does a grand job
For directional stability in a cross-swell,
the old advice about trailing bights of
rope astern isnt such a bum steer
sails are without exception
reusable. Yet, in my days as a
yacht surveyor, I was amazed
at how many such sails I found
neatly stowed in their original
bags with the sailmakers
binding quaintly a strip of
sailcloth, cut
from a handy
offcut still tied
around them.
Clearly they had never been
spread, even to see which end
was up, let alone set to ensure
they tted. Neither were there
any signs of sheets.
I thought about this just a
couple of weeks ago. Shindig
had quit the Med and was a few
days into the Atlantic, heading
for Lanzarote in the Canaries.
The sailing was excellent: wind
Force 5-6 almost dead astern,
with a long ocean swell that
exhilarated. We had stowed the
main and were running under a
single headsail, mopping up the
miles at around 7 knots. The
Monitor windvane self-steering
gear was holding the course
well, allowing the watchkeeper
to concentrate on well
simply keeping watch.
It was late on day four that
things got uncomfortable. The
wind picked up a little, but the
main irritant was a persistent
cross-swell that now rolled in
onto our starboard quarter,
slewing the stern to port,
causing the headsail to gybe
denitely an annoyance we
could do without. A small
course change to put the
apparent wind more
emphatically on the quarter
had helped a bit, but night was
approaching and there was no
doubt that further taming
inuences would be useful.
When in the Med we very
often towed the inatable
astern, largely through laziness
but also to keep the decks clear.
And there was no doubt that
the drag aft added directional
stability to Shindigs nether
quarters. Down below was a
Galerider drogue that we had
bought and never used for its
intended purpose downwind
stuff of a rather hairier nature
but to deploy it in such
relatively modest conditions
seemed a disproportionate
palaver. By the time we had it
dug it out, rigged it and had it
properly adjusted (for maximum
efciency, the drogue should sit
behind the second wave back
from the transom), it would be
dark and well into our night-
time watch routine.
Then I remembered the
100m of 18mm-diameter
octoplait we kept, primarily
for the Galerider but also for
running long lines ashore
almost every inch of it on one
occasion in Menorca. Now, of
course, trailing bights of rope
was one of those ancient
practices employed by sailors
of yore when the broaching of
a tall ship was not to be
contemplated with any relish.
It was also one of those
practices familiar,
complacently acknowledged
but never seen working that
I mentioned at the start of
this article. And here was
something we could do
without major effort. After a
little thought, and a short
discussion with the ladies of
the crew, the decision was
made to put it to the test.
In fact, it took less than 20 or
so minutes to have the bight
streaming astern one end
of the rope secured to the
starboard mooring cleat and
the other to port. I must admit,
I found the immediate effects
rather disappointing. It was
only when I realised that the
Monitor wasnt
working as hard as
before and that the
headsail now held
its set without gybing that I
appreciated that very real gains
had been wrought. Now with
the sail drawing constantly,
we may also have picked up
a little speed.
So we sailed through the
night, with the wind and swell
gradually abating. Since I had
drawn the dawn watch, it fell
to me to retrieve our rope
bight I must say with a small
measure of pride that it had
worked rather well. Now, what
else can we practise?
It took less than 20 minutes or so to
have the bight streaming astern

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Padar
24 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
PRACTICAL
Fitting a furler
T
heres no doubt that
roller furlers have
made a huge difference
to cruising yachts.
They cut the cost of a
full sail wardrobe from up to ve
jibs of different sizes to just one
or two, and make short-handed
sailing signicantly easier.
As Hantu Birus sails were at
the end of their useful lives, we
decided to t a furler before
commissioning a new suit, in
order to modernise the boats sail
plan and keep things simple. We
called on Wareham-based Kemp
Sails, fairly local to the PBO ofce
in Poole, but rst we needed to t
the furler so that they could take
the correct measurements from
the new set-up before making the
rst cut in the sailcloth.
There are furlers of different
designs available from a number
of diverse manufacturers
Plastimo, SailSpar, Harken,
Barton, Schaefer Marine, Profurl,
Rotostay and Furlex being the
main players. We went with a
Furlex, for a few reasons. Cost-
wise, it comes in at the middle
of the market: but more than
that, the 50 S model that suited
Hantu Birus 23ft length is a neat,
high-quality system, which is
available in a kit that is designed
A tape measure is used to check
that the bottlescrews are in the
same position on both sides Rob Kemp sights up the mast to ensure it is correctly set up
The forestays bottlescrew position
is marked with tape to ensure
correct length measurement
Before commissioning a new suit of sails for the PBO Project Boat Hantu Biru,
a furler needed to be tted to modernise the sail plan. Ben Meakins reports
turned up to give us some expert
tting advice, joined by Rob
Kemp, boss of Kemp Sails, to
lend a hand and measure up for
our new sails once the roller furler
was tted.
Forestay wire length
First, Rob and Chris set to
work tuning the rig. For a full
explanation of this process, read
David Hardings guide to rig
tuning in PBO May 2012 or you
for DIY tting by boat owners as
well as professional riggers. It
also comes with a new forestay,
which keeps our existing stay free
should we wish to repurpose it as
an inner forestay in the future.
The tting kit duly arrived, and
we motored Hantu Biru from her
mooring to the nearby Poole
Yacht Club, whose members
had kindly loaned us their mast
crane for the day. Chris Evans
from Poole-based XP Rigging
can download it for free at www.
pbo.co.uk/rigtuning. To briey
summarise, they used a
tape measure to check
that the bottlescrews
were in the same
position on both sides,
then used a halyard
to conrm that the rig
was upright side-to-side
before checking the rake
by hanging a weight from
the main halyard.
A little aft rake was present, so
they then tightened up all three
sets of bottlescrews, sighting up
the mast to check the mast was
correctly set up and tweaking
each stay in turn to correct any
slight bend.
We found there was a little
sideways S bend above the
spreaders which could be
corrected by releasing the port
forward lower and pulling on the
starboard.
Finally, Chris marked the
forestays bottlescrew position
with tape to ensure the length
measurement would be correct.
With this done, it was time to
remove the forestay. You can
drop the mast to do this, but
as we planned to be sailing the
following day we did the job with
the mast stepped.
See the
PBO Project
Boat on berth
M465 at the
Southampton
Boat Show
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 25
Fitting a furler

STEP 1: Removing the forestay

1
First, we slackened the backstay and the aft lowers to allow the mast to come forward a
little. We took the genoa halyard, spinnaker halyard and pole uphaul forward, tying them off
to the jibs tack eyebolt not using the snap shackles and tensioned them onto their cleats.
With these taking the weight of the mast, Chris went aloft using Poole Yacht Clubs mast crane to
pull out the clevis pin and lower the old forestay. With the forestay released, we could readjust
the bottlescrew to its old setting, marked with tape.
Chris Evans of XP
Rigging went aloft using
Poole Yacht Clubs mast
crane to pull out the
clevis pin and lower the
old forestay
STEP 2: Assembly of
the luff extrusion
Furlex advise that assembly should be
carried out on a horizontal surface. The
extrusion consists of the headfoil, which
is joined with internal join sleeves and
secured by snap-links. Between the internal
sleeves are plastic packing pieces, known
as distance tubes. Chris connected the
extrusions to each other, starting with the
lower bearing assembly. A useful tip is to
mark the joining pieces halfway along their
length, so you can be sure that they are
correctly spaced and tted together.
2
Chris assembled the rest of the foil in
the same way, making sure everything
was snugged up together. The top extrusion
is the short one, which can be cut to the
correct length along with the distance tube,
as calculated in the table in the manual.
1
Chris tted the 80mm-long connecting
plate into the short (600mm) extrusion,
sliding the distance tube in rst, followed by
the join sleeve. He pushed the two pieces of
extrusion together so that the plate snapped
into place, located in the holes. Pushing back
on the distance tube then centralises the join
sleeve on the join, locking the plate in position.
2
Now Chris could measure the forestay length (FL) with just enough tension to keep it
straight. Furlex provide a useful calculation table, which takes you through measuring the
forestay and adjusting for toggles and bottlescrews, as well as the cutting length for wire and
extrusion alike.
With the new forestay length calculated, Chris marked the wire with a permanent marker,
but did not cut it at this stage. At the top of our rig is a toggle, with a fork at the lower end to
attach to the eyebolt on the stemhead tting. The relevant lengths to deduct are listed in the
helpful manual.
26 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
PRACTICAL
Chris untwisted the strands of the wire (clockwise, as viewed from the wires end) and
inserted the cone on to the central core. The strands of the wire should protrude approx
2mm from the cone. Chris re-twisted the outer strands of the wire evenly around the cone:
its important to make sure there is no strand of the wire in the slot of the cone.
The wire forming collar was dropped into the base of the terminal, before screwing the
base in place and tightening the tting carefully with adjustable spanners so that the wire
was forced into the socket and the outer strands were bent inwards by the cone and
collar. We then unscrewed the tting again and checked that the outer strands were evenly
spread around the cone. If one strand lay over another, we would bend it back in place.
Two or three drops of locking adhesive were applied on the thread and the terminal was
screwed together again and tightened securely so it was now permanently locked. Finally,
the tape holding the top eye was removed.
1
Chris stretched out the Furlex
wire by hand on a at surface.
He had already measured the wire
from the middle of the hole in the swaged
end, and accurately marked the cutting
length WL on the wire with a marker pen.
The wire has a burnt, conical cut which
simplies later assembly into the extrusion,
so we didnt cut the wire until it had been
fed through the extrusion.
2
The lower end of the
forestay would be
terminated in a Sta-Lok
tting (see PBO July 2014
for a detailed guide to
tting one of these
terminals, or download it
for free at www.pbo.co.
uk/rigtuning). Chris
unscrewed the eye,
wedge and former from
the terminal. We threaded
the wire through the luff
extrusion from the upper end until the
wire termination eye stopped against
the extrusion top guard. If the wire
jammed inside the extrusion, Chris
rotated it clockwise to move it past the
obstacle. With the wire through, one
person held the top eye correctly in
place, while another checked that the
distance between the cutting mark and
the bottom of the furler assembly was
correct about 40mm.
3
Chris cut the wire, de-burring
the end with a le.
Now we could t the Sta-Lok terminal...
STEP 3: Furlex wire assembly
6
The lower edge of the sail feeder was
hooked in the extrusion and pushed up
against the joint sleeve. The connecting piece
was pressed on from the front. Make sure the
top swivel is above the feeder before tting.
Assembly of the luff
extrusion continued
5
Now the top guard could be tted to the
top extrusion and xed with the pre-tted
screw. Chris tightened it until it ran out of
travel, taking care not to overtighten.
4
Chris pushed the lower bearing
assembly onto the extrusion and
tightened the screw so that the bearing
was clamped in place.
3
Now is a good time to slide the top
swivel onto the headfoil. Its worth
keeping at the bottom so that it doesnt
come shooting down as you hoist the
forestay up the mast!
Loading the drum
Fitting a furler
BEFORE
AFTER
STEP 6: Fitting a
halyard guide
The nal thing to do was to t a
halyard guide to the masthead. The
Furlex is designed for the jib halyard
to meet the top swivel at an angle
of 5-10. As it stood, our halyard ran
parallel to the forestay, which ran
the risk of catching in the furler and
becoming horribly wrapped. This
can even lead to failure of the rig
in extremis, so we tted the guide
supplied with the kit. Chris went
aloft for the nal time, using two
self-tapping screws to x the halyard
guide in the correct position.
NEXT MONTH
New sails versus old sails
The Furlex could now
be tted to the boat.
Its important not to
bend the extrusion
at this stage. Chris
was winched aloft
in the mast crane
once again, taking
a light line with him.
Rob lashed this around 1m below
the top of the extrusion with
two clove hitches, before Chris
pulled it upwards. The helpers on
the dock then carefully walked
forward, keeping the extrusion
straight, until Chris could push
the clevis pin home through the
ABOVE Its
important to
keep the
extrusion
straight
LEFT The
lower end is
attached to the
stemhead
tting
Roll up about 25 turns of the
furling line on the line drum by
turning the extrusion by hand.
If the sails UV protection is on
the starboard side, then the
line should run out on the port
side of the line drum. Turn
the extrusion clockwise. If the
UV protection is on the port
side, turn the extrusion
anticlockwise. The line will
run out on the starboard side.
3
Chris tted the supplied lead
block to a stanchion before
adjusting the alignment of the line
guide towards the lead block and
tightening the screw to secure it.
2
Next he could t the line
guard over the wire terminal
and position the locking block
from the opposite side. (There is
an UP mark on the locking block
to help.) The line guard can be
adjusted vertically so that it is
midway between the line drum
anges to avoid friction and chafe.
1
Chris fed the furling line
through the hole in the line
guide tting and then through the
hole in the line drums lower
ange, before undoing the self-
tapping screw. He placed the end
of the line in the recess on the
underside of the drum, then
tightened the screw through the
line and into the drum (the head
of the screw should be ush with
the drum).
STEP 5: Fitting the line
Two self-tapping screws were
used to x the halyard guide in
the correct position
Chris goes aloft once more
to t the halyard guide
STEP 4: Retting
the forestay
toggle and secure the upper
end. This done, he slid down
the rig and, with backstay
and aft lowers still slackened,
could attach the lower end to
the stemhead tting. Once this
was attached, he could t the
line to the furler.
Halyard
guide
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 27
L
ast summer I took a
trip to Norfolk to look
at John and Sheila
Taylors Kelt 550.
Their problem was that
the boat didnt like sailing upwind
and became unmanageable in a
breeze. Beating against the tide
was hard work, and other boats on
the river would go straight past.
This was unacceptable: action
was called for.
The issues we found and the
improvements we made at the time
were covered in PBO December
2013. We achieved a good deal
that day, but there were things
we couldnt do on the spot.
I left John with a list of further
improvements to carry out over
the winter.
With John doing the work, my
side of the bargain was to see the
effects of these further
modications, so this
summer I headed back to
Brundall on the River Yare
for another sail.
The story so far
The Kelt 550 is a light,
beamy and lively little
cruiser in the style of a big
dinghy, designed to the
Micro Cup rule. October
Dream has a centreplate,
but the design was also available
with a n keel or daggerboard.
The problems we identied
on the rst outing were:
FLAT CENTREPLATE AND
RUDDER Nothing can be done
about the centreplate it wouldnt
t in the case otherwise but the
rudder blade could be improved.
THE OUTBOARD WELL WAS
CREATING A LOT OF DRAG
I suggested John make a fairing
plug and put the outboard on a
transom bracket for river use.
UNDER-SIZED JIB It was about
3ft (1m) short in the hoist. A new jib
was needed.
MAST TOO
STRAIGHT AND
RAKED TOO FAR
AFT More pre-bend and
less rake would help.
RIGGING TOO
SLACK The design of the
chainplates meant we
had to go easy on the
tension, so John would
beef them up.
MAINSHEET SYSTEM
It was pulling the boom down too
hard. We rigged a temporary
alternative that John would
convert to a proper system.
Winter work
John set to work when the boat
was out of the water, and I returned
this time to nd a lot of changes.
HELP FOR A KELT
The boat we persuaded to go to windward
Following a second visit to a Kelt 550 suffering from upwind
reluctance, David Harding outlines the steps that transformed the
boats performance
Flat centreplate and rudder
PROBLEM The rudder presented two
challenges. One was that the aluminium
blade was at, except for a chamfer on the
leading and trailing edges, which meant
that it stalled readily. The other was that it
was unbalanced, with all its area abaft the
pivot point, and became unmanageably
heavy when the boat heeled.
ACTION John sheathed it in plywood,
creating a proled section and, at the
same time, extending the leading edge
by about half an inch (12mm).
RESULT A much improved shape
that helped to keep the boat on track
The easiest way to add
balance is to allow a
pivoting blade to swing
further forward
30 Practical Boat Owner 568 December 2013 www.pbo.co.uk
Seamanship
Practical Boat Owner 568 December 2013 www.pbo.co.uk 31
Upwind sail clinic
If your cruiser
wont beat down
the river against
the tide, what do
you do? Call the
PBO Sail Clinic,
thats what!
David Harding
came up with
some ideas to
help a Kelt 5.50

HELP FOR
A KELT:
the boat that
wouldnt beat
I
ts always interesting to
hear fromreaders whose
boats seemreluctant to
sail as they should. Every
challenge is different even
if some of the same problems do
crop up pretty regularly and
when John Taylor got in touch
about his Kelt 550, it sounded
an interesting one.
John and his wife Sheila sail
fromBrundall in Norfolk, where the
River Yare is both tidal and narrow
enough to call for frequent tacking.
Johns suspicion that the boat
wasnt going properly was
conrmed on one occasion when
a couple of other yachts tacked
straight past himand left him
struggling to stemthe tide.
Something had to be done.
Talking to John before my visit,
it was clear that he was no novice:
he had sailed on competitive
quarter-tonners on the Blackwater
for several years, and had also
enlisted the help of another
experienced sailor to make sure he
hadnt missed anything obvious. I
headed for Norfolk hoping to nd
something, but with little idea what
to expect. I did, however, knowthat
October Dreamhad a at steel
centreplate and a at rudder
blade. This would inevitably
make her more challenging to
sail than the alternative versions
of the Kelt 550 that have a xed
n or a daggerboard, both
proled. It would call for a
different approach to sailing in
the conned waters of the Yare.
Wayward wind
Strong winds caused the most
obvious problems, John told me:
the helmwould become heavy,
the rudder would lose grip and the
boat would round up. It was then
difcult to get her going again, as it
was to pick up speed after a tack.
Finding plenty of breeze
hasnt been a problemin recent
summers. For my visit, ideally we
wanted a good wind fromthe
north-east or south-west to give
plenty of opportunity to beat
against the tide, but the isobars
seemed to go on holiday the week
we earmarked. All we could do was
to meet in Brundall on the most
promising day we could nd.
A quick check over the boat
conrmed, as I had suspected, that
The wind is dead astern, but
this is as far as the original 4:1
mainsheet would allow the sail
to go out...
... so we reduced the purchase
to 2:1, which allowed us to
ease the sail until it was
against the rigging
A DOGS BREAKFAST: This is not
how shackles should be used!
They need to be replaced with
an adjustable link tang
Rig problems
The lack of pre-bend in the mast
meant that the mainsail was
too full, with the draught too far
forward and the leech closed so
the top of the sail was stalling.
The jib wasnt perfect either,
being short in the luff so the head
was well short of the hounds.
That wasted sail area, and area
high up, is doubly critical in a
river where the wind sweeps over
the reed-beds and theres often
very little at deck level. On the
positive side, at least both sails
were relatively new.
There were things we could do
to improve matters in the rig and
sail department, but not a great
deal there and then. We took
some turns on the cap shrouds
and reduced the tension in the
lowers to try to induce some
pre-bend, but soon ran out of
thread on the bottlescrews.
Several shackles had been added
to the bottomof the forestay to
make it longer, which had the
effect of increasing the masts
rake and shortening the caps.
Excessive rake would have
contributed to the weather helm
in a breeze and, whats more,
shackles are not designed for
applications like this. A rigger
would have a t. If extra length is
needed, a steel link tang is a better
solution a pair of stainless steel
plates with adjustment holes, as
commonly seen in a dinghys rig.
A further complication was that
the chainplates simply channel
sections of stainless steel bolted
A straight mast leads to an overly-full sail and a closed leech
This is a lot of rake for an 18-footer its almost 60cm (24in)
A distorted chainplate on the
starboard side is forcing a
bend into the cap shrouds
bottlescrew. Adding toggles
would allow some articulation
through the ange of the
hull-to-deck joint were
distorted and, most notably on
the starboard side, forcing an
unhealthy bend into the cap
shrouds bottlescrew.
I left it with John to straighten
the chainplates and replace the
forestay shackles with a tang.
That would make the rig stronger
and allowthe rake to be reduced
and accurately adjusted.
the rig was set up better than
many, though the mast had
insufcient pre-bend and what
looked like too much rake.
As usual in these situations,
however, I wanted to sail the boat
as she was before making any
adjustments or, more precisely, I
wanted John and Sheila to sail and
I would observe. Then we would
start addressing the problems.
Downwind sailing
Fromwhere we started, it was a
matter of you have to run before
you can beat, so we set off down
the river with the wind astern.
Although downwind sailing had
presented John with no specic
concerns, we were wasting sail
area because the mainsheet
was too short and only letting the
boomout to about 45 fromthe
centreline. As a temporary
measure, we re-rove the 4:1
purchase to make it 2:1. In
relatively light downwind
conditions, 2:1 would still provide
adequate purchase while allowing
the boomto go out further. It would
also reduce friction for easier
trimming. We subsequently
changed the sheeting arrangement
completely, as well see later, but
the point here is that if the boom
isnt out as far as it can go on a
run, youre not presenting the
maximumsail area to the wind.
Youre also increasing the risk of
broaching when the breeze picks
up because the mainsails centre
of effort is further aft.
Upwind sailing
When we reached an open stretch
of river with relatively clear wind,
I hopped ashore and took some
photos as John and Sheila sailed
back and forth. In a pleasant 10-12
knots, everything was just ne: the
boat appeared to be going nicely
and showed no hint of
misbehaving. This was evidently
the wind-strength equivalent of the
Goldilocks Zone: enough to get
her going, but not so much as to
over-press her and induce any
wayward behaviour.
The wind soon dropped,
however. By the time I was back
aboard and we had headed a little
further downriver to a stretch that
gave us a dead beat back, it was
a variable 8 knots or less.
Thats when the problems
started. The boat was lethargic,
even allowing for the lack of wind.
She was slowto accelerate and, on
coming out of a tack, would spend
a lot of time going sideways with
the keel stalled. By the time she
eventually got moving, we would
have reached the opposite bank
and would need to tack again.
A number of factors were
contributing to this lacklustre
performance. The rig was one
of them, so lets start there.
The mast is too straight and excessively
raked, while the jib is short in the hoist
but these were not the only problems
WIND WIND
THE RUDDER
AS IT WAS: a
at plate with
chamfered
leading and
trailing edges
Pivot
point
Rudder
stock
Rudder
blade
An unbalanced
rudder blade, with
all the area abaft
the pivot point
28 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Seamanship

PROBLEM The outboard

well was essentially a hole in
the aft end of the cockpit sole.
Creating an enormous amount
of turbulence, it was probably
the single biggest performance-
sapping factor.
ACTION On our sail last year
we wedged a plastic picnic box
into the aperture as a temporary
x. That made a big difference.
The plan was for John to make
a removable fairing plug but,
after he started, he realised that
a much quicker way to ensure
a smooth hull was simply to
glass in a piece of plywood
ush with the bottom. It could
always be cut out again to
restore the well at a later date.
In the meantime, the outboard
lives on a transom bracket and
works perfectly in the at water
of the river. Its also a lot quieter
outside the boat.
RESULT Now the brakes are
off! The increase in boat-speed
is dramatic. It was like cutting
loose a bucket that had been
dragged from the stern.
FURTHER ACTION None
needed (unless John or a
future owner wants to use
the well again).
It wouldnt be so good out
at sea, but in the river the
outboard is ne on a
transom bracket
that can be covered to leave
a smooth cockpit sole
... it also made a handy locker
for the petrol tank
JOHNS SOLUTION: glassing
a piece of plywood into the
bottom has created a ush
nish to the hull...
LAST YEARS IMPROVISED
INSTANT IMPROVEMENT:
picnic box to the rescue
AS IT WAS: trouble in twell.
This hole must be lled!
THE RUDDER AS IT IS NOW: plywood bonded to the blade now gives it
a proper section and makes it less prone to losing grip
The outboard well was
creating a lot of drag
in some lively gusts during our
second sail. The blade gripped
much better and also improved
control in light airs, though the boat
was still prone to stalling on the exit
from a tack, especially in light and
shifty conditions, because of the
at centreplate.
FURTHER ACTION Despite its
improved grip, the rudder was still
heavy because its entire area was
abaft the pivot point. The simplest
solution would be to modify the
stock to allow the blade to swing
further forward. This would save
changing the blade itself.
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 29
Sail Clinic: sailing to windward
PROBLEM It was a case of
multiple, inter-related problems
with the rigging. To set enough
pre-bend into the mast to match
the luff-round in the mainsail, we
needed more tension in the cap
shrouds. We couldnt tension the
caps as far as necessary because
the forestay was too long as a
result of a mishmash of shackles
attaching it to the stemhead. That
in turn meant we had insufcient
thread left on the bottlescrews. We
were also concerned by the
poorly-aligned chainplates that
were bolted through the ange of
the hull-to-deck joint with the load
spread only by small washers.
Caution seemed prudent.
Now a link tang and bottlescrew
have replaced the shackles:
easier to adjust and stronger too
Originally the chainplates,
especially on the starboard side,
were misaligned, forcing a bend
into the bottlescrews
What a mess! A forestay should
never be attached to the
stemhead like this
Chainplates properly aligned
and toggles on the bottlescrews
to make sure theres no
unfair loading
Rig and rigging The forestay was too long and the rigging too slack
PROBLEM Originally the sheet
was a 4:1 purchase from the boom
to a strong-point on the cockpit sole.
This exerted too much downwards
pull and closed the leech of the sail
while not bringing the boom close
enough to the centreline.
ACTION During our outing last
year we rigged up a temporary
transom bridle. John has now
rened the bridle and led the sheet
along the boom to a ratchet block.
RESULT Our makeshift bridle got
the mainsail working much better
and created a clearer cockpit
even with just two people in the
cockpit, the centre sheet got in the
way. The new bridle, with proper
blocks and line rather than those I
happened to have in my sailing bag
AS IT WAS: the centre sheet
detracted from the sail shape
and cluttered up the cockpit
Our makeshift bridle last year
opened up the leech of the sail,
allowed the boom to be sheeted
closer to the centreline and
created space in the cockpit
AS IT IS NOW: the bridle in its latest form and with the
sheet led along the boom to a ratchet block
Mainsheet system It was exerting excessive vertical pull on the boom
at the time, works even better, while
the ratchet block reduces the load
transmitted to the hand yet still
allows instant adjustment.
FURTHER ACTION Other than
some very minor tweaking here
and there, the system is sorted. It
works beautifully.
ACTION Last year we wound
down what tension we could (and
dared) on the bottlescrews. Over
the winter, John realigned the
chainplates, spread the load with
a strip of stainless steel, tted
new bottlescrews complete with
toggles and replaced the forestays
shackles with a link tang for
strength and easier adjustment.
RESULT Greater integrity in the
rig allowed us to increase the cap
shrouds tension appreciably,
leading to extra forestay tension
for upwind performance in a
breeze (more speed and better
pointing combined with less heel
and weather helm). The extra
tension should also have
increased the pre-bend in the
mast, which was our principal
objective, but getting it to bend
enough despite the slender
section proved impossible, even
with the lowers slackened right off.
Before tensioning the caps further
we shortened the forestay by
moving the pin in the link tang
down a couple of holes, both to
make sure we would have enough
thread on the bottlescrews and to
reduce the excessive rake.
FURTHER ACTION We could
have taken the pin down a few
more holes to reduce the rake still
further. Reducing the rake also
moves the hounds forward in
relation to the chainplates,
increasing the effect the swept
spreaders have of pushing the
middle of the mast forward. This
should increase the bend to help
match the 55mm of luff curve that
Kemp built into the mainsail. A
problem was that one of the new
bottlescrews had seized, so we
had to replace it with an old one
that John had on board.
30 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Seamanship
FORESTAY
CHAINPLATES
PBO conclusion
U
ntil last summer,
October Dream was
lacking performance
all round, hopeless at short-
tacking and unmanageable
in anything more than about
14-15 knots: she would heel
over, round up into the breeze
and refuse to be tamed. On our
outing last year we had light
conditions but made changes
that helped her performance
both then and, as we hoped
they would, in a breeze too.
This time, although the wind
was up and down, we had a
spell when it was gusting to 16
or 17 knots. The boat was still
heavy on the helm because of
the unbalanced rudder, but
keeping her under control,
short-tacking up a narrow river
and sailing reasonably fast was
no problem. She was a different
boat from the one she had been
just over a year ago.
While theres still scope to
improve the mainsails shape by
inducing more pre-bend in the
mast, to reduce the rake, to
balance the rudder and, while
were at it, to make the kicking
strap more powerful and quicker
to adjust, its 85% job done.
Faced with as wayward
and temperamental a boat
as October Dream had been,
many owners would have
simply given up. Instead, John
took the initiative, contacted
PBO, noted in all the suggestions
and made the modications.
He now has a boat that he,
Sheila and, importantly, the
grandchildren, can enjoy and
sail with condence.
n If you would like help from
David Hardings PBO Sail Clinic
email pbo@ipcmedia.com
Short of making one change
at a time and measuring the
effects of each, it would be
impossible to say which made
the biggest difference. We
suspect the outboard well had
the greatest effect on straight-
line boat speed, particularly off
the wind. It was noticeable how
quickly the boat accelerated in
the gusts with the turbulence
now eliminated, helped by the
drive of the new jib.
During our tweaking we
happened upon a Yeoman (a
20ft/6m keelboat thats popular
and widely raced in East
Anglia). Unable to pass up the
opportunity to pace ourselves
against a well-sailed boat
even one thats longer and
almost certainly faster we
gave chase as we short-tacked up the river. Not surprisingly, the Yeoman
gradually pulled ahead but we hung in there pretty well and were happy
with the way we were going.
The under-sized jib
PROBLEM The jib we sailed with last year was way short in the hoist, the
head being about 3ft (1m) below the top of the forestay. This wasted
a lot of area and drive and probably contributed to the weather helm too.
ACTION Kemp Sails made a new, full-hoist jib that maximised the area.
RESULT Luff length is important with headsails and the new sail
undoubtedly made a big difference in pointing, speed and balance.
FURTHER ACTION As far as the jib is concerned, its job done. All
John realised he should have asked for is a window in the foot.
but has now
been replaced by
a new one thats
full-hoist
Increased mast rake reduces the
deection of the cap shrouds by
the spreaders and, therefore, the
extent to which the spreaders
push the middle of the mast
forward to induce pre-bend.
With the mast more upright,
the angle of deection is
increased so the spreaders
work more effectively
Cumulative effects
Originally the jib
was far too short
in the luff
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 31
Sail Clinic: sailing to windward
Too much rake: this was about
24in (60cm)
Less rake but still too much.
Its now about 18in (46cm),
so the forestay can be
shortened further
RAKE
32 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
The Volvo Penta MD
2040D engine tted to Nigel
Williams boat surges
rhythmically at low throttle
Q
I bought a used
Volvo Penta MD
2040D and ran it
for a couple of
years with
increasing oil
usage and
exhaust smoke
despite easy
starting. On
stripping the en gine,
glazed bores an d
sticking rings
conrmed the
diagnosis that th e
previous owner had
probably used it
often for battery
charging under
little load.
I had the bores
professionally s coured
and we tted new rings.
However, when r emoving the
engine we inadv ertently cracked
the timing gear casing so we had
to replace it, which meant
reinstalling the throttle linkage in
the new part. We also removed
the setting screw controlling
maximum fuel volume before
discovering that it had been
factory-set.
The engine now runs well
with clear exhaust, but surges
rhythmically at low throttle.
Weve tried everything: we
had the fuel and high-pressure
injector pumps professionally
tested, we checked injectors, we
tested fuel lines for air and fuel
leaks, tted new throttle linkage
balance springs and checked
Got a question? Email pbo@ipcmedia.com
Ask the experts
Heres just a selection of the latest questions from
PBO readers. Email or write to the address on
page 5 and our experts will answer your queries
THE PBO EXPERTS To ask a question email pbo@ipcmedia.com and include your address. Pictures are helpful
INSURANCE
Simon Tonks has
worked in marine
insurance for over
18 years as a broker
and insurer
SEA SAFETY
Will Stephens is
Staff Ofcer
Operations (Coastal
Safety) at the RNLI
CRUISING
Stuart Carruthers
is the RYA Cruising
Manager and has
sailed extensively
SAILS
Ian Brown of the
International
OneSails loft group
is an expert on sails
ELECTRICS
Paul Holland is
chairman of the BMEA
and MD of Energy
Solutions (UK)
MASTS & RIGS
Mike Coates worked
in the spar and
rigging business for
many years
ENGINES
Pat Manley is
a diesel engine
course instructor
and marine author
SURVEY AND
CORROSION
Colin Brown runs
a marine survey and
consultancy company,
CB Marine Services
Its not a
wind-up
Q
Over-zealous winding
of the lifting keel on my
Etap 23 Mystique has seen me
break the winding mechanisms
crown wheel.
Do you know where I can
buy spare parts?
Simon Tookey
Broadstone, Poole
COLIN HAINES REPLIES:
Etap is no longer in business,
so you wont be able to buy a
replacement from them although
the rm has been taken over by
another Belgian company, so new
Etaps may once again emerge.
In the meantime, there are still
several options open to you.
You havent said what sort of
material the broken gear is made
from, or the year that your boat was
built. At one point, Etap made the
crown wheels that turn the keels
jacking shaft from plastic, and
then changed to making them in
stainless steel: Im guessing that
yours is made from plastic because
stainless steel crown wheels are
too strong to be broken by over-
enthusiastic winding of the pinion
wheel that engages with them.
When any company goes out of
business, be it a car maker or
boatbuilder, this provides an
opportunity for somebody to start a
business supplying spare parts.
There was a German company
doing this a couple of years ago,
but I dont know if theyre still active.
Dealers who once sold boats
made by a defunct company are
ENGINES
Searching for a surging cure
TRAILER-SAILING
the centrifugal governor parts.
We also retted the saildrive
to run the engine under a bit of
load to see if that cures it but
all to no avail.
I have been in touch with
helpful technicians from two
main Volvo Penta agents on the
South Coast and from Perkins
UK, but none could conrm that
the setting screw was the culprit,
nor could they say how to set
it, but they did give advice
leading to the checks already
mentioned. Any other ideas?
Nigel Williams
By email
PAT MANLEY REPLIES: This
is a difcult one, especially as
youve already consulted a
powerful line-up of experts with
no obvious progress towards a
solution. You appear to have
done all the right things, but still
have the problem.
I have only two thoughts,
really. Firstly, the hunting may
disappear when the engine
is run in as the friction of the
reworked bore and rings is
reduced. Secondly, despite
the checks, it could still be due
to friction in the governor or play
in the linkage.
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 33
WILL STEPHENS REPLIES:
Youre not the rst person to think
about using an aircraft liferaft instead
of a maritime one. As you say, they
can be much lighter but this also
means theyre likely to be more
expensive and less hard-wearing.
Although heavier, the maritime
liferafts tend to be a lot more
durable than aircraft ones,
which may not include much
protection and leave you open
to the elements. Other
advantages of the maritime
raft include:
Q Double tubes for in-built
redundancy should one be
punctured (many aircraft rafts are
only made from a single tube).
Q Large ballast bags offer more
stability the ballast bags can
be small on aircraft rafts.

ELECTRONICS
SEA SAFETY
GAS FITTINGS
Peter Spreadborough,
of Southampton
Calor Gas Centre,
has 20 years in
the industry
PAINT AND
ANTIFOULING
Richard Jerram is
former UK technical
manager of
International Paint
TRAILER-
SAILING
Colin Haines is a
design engineer
who has trailer-
sailed for 25 years
ELECTRONICS
Chris Ellery of
Greenham-Regis
Electronics is a
former Merchant
Navy officer
TOILETS AND
PLUMBING
Gary Sutcliffe of Lee
Sanitation knows
about holding tanks,
toilets and plumbing
YACHT DESIGN
Andrew Blyth is a
naval architect with
interest in stability
and buoyancy
WOOD
Richard Hare is a
wood technologist
and long-time
wooden-boat owner
50 of the most frequently asked boating questions are answered by our experts on the PBO website. Visit www.pbo.co.uk
BOATBUILDING
Tony Davies has
been building and
repairing wooden,
GRP and steel boats
for 40 years
Q
I have a Westerly Fulmar
with a JRC 2kW radar dome
mounted on a Scanstrut pole on
the starboard side of the transom.
Id now like to mount a Rutland
wind generator on the port side
of the transom, but am not sure if
this would cause interference
with the radar or too large a blind
spot for it.
The height of each from deck
level would be similar, but they
would be almost a full transom
width apart.
also a natural place to turn to for
spares: the Woodrolfe boat sales
company near Maldon that was
once an active and helpful Etap
dealer may be able to help.
DIY spares
You can source a replacement part
yourself, which is not as difcult
as you may imagine. I am retired
after a career spent designing
machines that sometimes needed
gears that were not off-the-shelf
items. I would send out drawings
to local gear-cutting companies to
get quotes.
After describing a typical Etap
crown wheel to a rm in West
Yorkshire, I received a guesstimate
price of 200 for one wheel. Nearly
all this cost pays for setting up the
machines to make the wheel, and if
you asked for a second to be made
at the same time, it would cost
next-to-nothing to make a small
business opportunity, perhaps?
There are a number of gear
forms that look very similar, and
to be sure that the right shape
is generated by the cutting
machines, it would be prudent to
send both the broken crown wheel
and the good bronze pinion to the
gear cutting company.
Q
I can no longer easily
handle my inatable dinghy
and outboard, so Im selling
them. As the dinghy would have
been called into service as a
liferaft, getting rid of it leaves me
without a raft in an emergency.
I read with interest the test of
ve budget liferafts (PBO March
2014), but I was concerned that
the smallest was for four crew,
and the lightest one weighed a
not-inconsiderable 19.1kg. I
then looked online at light
aircraft liferafts for two crew
and found they weigh less than
a third of that.
I day-sail on the Clyde in
my Leisure 23, mostly single-
handed and occasionally with
my wife, but I am always within
a couple of miles of land and
carry a PLB and handheld radio
along with the usual safety gear.
Would it be worth buying one
of these lightweight liferafts?
Ross Robertson
By email
Q Survival equipment such as
ares aircraft rafts tend not to
have this.
For leisure liferafts for use in cold
water areas such as around the UK
coast, its worth looking for a raft
built to ISO 9650 Part 1/Type.
To minimise weight, you could go
for a valise rather than a canister,
but make sure it is stowed in an
easily accessible position that is
out of harms way.
One-man rafts similar to those
provided to ghter pilots are
available. Theyre small and light,
and may provide adequate
protection for what you want but
as the name suggests they will of
course only take one person.
Ultimately the choice is yours,
but any raft is better than no
liferaft at all.
I have considered making a full
stern gantry to mount the radar
centrally with the Rutland above
it to one side, but this would be
quite expensive and add rather
more above-deck weight than Id
like on a 32-footer.
Chris Stone
Tavistock, Devon
CHRIS ELLERY REPLIES: Id be
inclined to avoid mounting a wind
generator in the same horizontal
plane as a radar scanner. I cant
actually say that Ive seen the effect
this has, since most people avoid
installing in this way.
Any blind spot or area of reduced
sensitivity would be less the further
the two units are apart, but Id be
much more concerned with the
wind turbine reecting back radar
signals from varying angles and
causing a confused radar picture.
Better is to put one above the
other, either by a new gantry as
you suggest or, if you have plenty
of cable, moving the radar scanner
up the mast instead.
I do not have the weight gures
for a JRC 2kW scanner at hand as
this unit is no longer sold in the UK,
but a comparable 2.2kW Furuno
scanner weighs around 4.5kg, and
is quite often tted on the mast of
vessels around 32ft in length.
Mounting the scanner higher
would improve the radar picture
too, as mounted at a lower level
the JRC unit can struggle to
provide a decent radar picture
at longer ranges.
Wind turbine versus radar? It just doesnt scan
Lightweight
lifesaver
Ask the experts
Do lightweight aircraft liferafts constitute a viable alternative to maritime ones?
S
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Ask the experts
34 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
David Atkins wants to know
if an electric outboard or,
separately, a tube heater
and CD player can be run
from an 800A booster battery pack
INSURANCE
ELECTRICS
Q
I am increasingly
uneasy about taking
crew overseas. I have been
to and fro without incident
many times, but looking back
I am increasingly aware that
I might have been taking
undue nancial risk, for both
them and me.
One or two tales have
come to recent notice, like a
dismasting in France and a
holing off the Norwegian coast.
Should the yacht manned
by myself and any invited
crew members suffer such an
incident, and should the boat
be unable to get us back to UK,
am I insured to pay for their
unplanned return?
On one incident the boats
insurers would not pay for
repatriation of the crew, and
then each of the crews travel
insurers would not pay up
either for their accommodation
and ights because sailing was
deemed a hazardous sport.
Furthermore, after the boat
has been repaired, one must
then get skipper and crew back
overseas to sail the boat home.
Casual discussions with boat
insurers at a recent London
Boat Show revealed that
companies do not seem
to have a denite ruling
themselves, and to be caught
between the boat and travel
insurers each disclaiming
responsibility is unsatisfactory.
Any ideas?
Frank Pullen
Bosun of Forth
Q
I have a Ring 12V 800A
34Ah hour booster battery
pack, with a built-in 300W
inverter (and a 3-pin socket
for a plug).
Can I run a small electric
outboard off this battery?
Also, can I run a 60W tube
heater (obviously not at the
same time as the outboard)
and a CD player?
If I can, for approximately how
long can I expect the battery to
give power?
David Atkins
By email
PAUL HOLLAND REPLIES: A
small electric outboard will draw at
least 30A at full power. At that rate
of discharge I would expect you to
get about 20 minutes to half an
hour of use from this pack so it is
possible, but not for longer trips.
You can certainly run a tube
heater. My estimate is that you
may get four hours use from the
How do I look after
my crew overseas?
Does this battery pack much power?
battery for this.
The uncertainty
is down to
the way that
manufacturers
state battery
capacity. All lead
acid batteries will
release more
power if that
energy is taken
slowly. Logic
would tell you
that a 100Ah
battery would deliver
100A for 1 hour or 1A for 100
hours but in reality this is not the
case. Battery manufacturers will
normally state the capacity of the
battery based upon either a C10 or
C20 rating. This means the power
is taken evenly over a 10- or
20-hour period. All the examples
you have given are over a much
shorter period so the amount of
energy the battery delivers will
be signicantly reduced.
Q
As the owner of a mature
plastic cruiser I have always
found something of interest
in the series concerning the
refurbishment of the PBO
Project Boat Hantu Biru. In
the June issue the team were
retting skin ttings, but no
mention was made concerning
bonding the metal skin ttings to
an external sacricial anode. I
have always hard-wired my skin
ttings to the bolts holding the
anode. Is this still considered
good practice?
Colin Mark
By email
COLIN BROWN REPLIES: The
benets of bonding all of the
underwater ttings into one circuit
have been found to be limited, and
in some cases the bonding can
actually accelerate corrosion by
forming a route for stray currents.
For an anode to work it has to be
immersed in an electrolyte (the sea)
and be electrically connected to the
object it is supposed to protect. The
voltage differences that are involved
are very small so the circuit has to
have low resistance to work:
typically 1Ohm or less.
To achieve this you must have
SURVEY AND CORROSION
Thinking in isolation
heavy-gauge wires and clean
contacts. Furthermore, an anode
has to be able to see an object to
protect it, and its doubtful whether
the anode would ever see the
inside of a skin tting or a seacock.
Its easy to check whether
your anode is working: using a
multimeter, you should be able to
measure the resistance between an
anode and an object it protects.
A well-known and investigated
case of a brass skin tting failure
through dezincication was the
angling boat Random Harvest in
1999. The MAIBs report found
that wires bonding the underwater
ttings had probably carried stray
currents and accelerated the rate of
corrosion of brass skin ttings. They
recommended the use of higher-
quality ttings and leaving them
galvanically isolated.
This doesnt apply to most
propellers. Manganese bronze is
the most commonly used alloy for
propellers, and as it is a brass its
subject to dezincication and
requires galvanic protection for
a reasonable lifespan.
It seems likely that Hantu Biru will
not have an inboard diesel this year.
If that is the case then it would be
reasonable to t no anodes at all.
SIMON TONKS REPLIES
Whats important is that you
choose a policy that complements
your sailing and reassures you
that, should the scenario you
mentioned occur, then you and
your crew are looked after.
If sailing outside UK waters,
then alongside your own boat
insurance it is paramount that all
crew have a travel policy in place
and they have fully disclosed
sailing as an activity some travel
policies can exclude sailing.
Moving onto your own boat
insurance, I cant comment for
other insurers but Navigators &
General includes Get You Home
Cover which is added on to
Brest-Elbe cruising ranges and
gives cover up to a maximum of
1,000 to repatriate crew to the
UK and to get a delivery crew to
return the vessel to the home port.
This is if the vessel is damaged,
rendering her unseaworthy by
something covered by the policy;
if it puts it out of use for seven
days minimum; if someone on
board is injured or becomes ill,
preventing them from sailing for
seven days minimum and if it
leaves the boat without sufcient
experienced crew.
If your crew and/or guests suffer
nancial loss as a result of an
incident caused by your negligence
as the owner/skipper, they may
be able to claim back some or all
of their costs under the liability
section of your insurance policy.
The key is to fully understand the
policy you have purchased, and
then you can enjoy your boating.
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C
hoosing a boat can be a bit
of a lottery especially if it
is elderly. Even experienced
sailors scratch their heads.
If you are looking at a
brand new model you can
demand a trial sail, but this wont tell the
full story. If you test it on a sunny day
Peter K Poland hears from some satised owners
about a variety of affordable 4.9m (16ft) to 5.8m
(19ft) boats, all readily available second-hand
with light winds, what will she be like in
a blow, and vice versa? Reprints of test
reports can provide useful extra input and
help build up an overall picture, as can
the opinions of existing owners. By and
large, you have to tap into the experience
of as many people as possible to build up
a picture of any boats pluses and minuses.
When it comes to second-hand boats,
trial sails are the exception rather than the
rule. Even the best broker is unlikely to
drop everything and take you for a spin on
one of the many boats on his books. The
owner if it is a private sale and the boat is
aoat may offer a trial sail, but again this
cannot be guaranteed. Your surveyor might
also chuck in a general comment, such as
great little boats or I wouldnt own one of
these if you paid me. All in all, however,
you are on your own.
You should also put three key questions
to yourself, as we often encouraged Hunter
clients to do. These are: where are you
going to sail it, how often, and with
whom? It was amazing how often clients
went for something a bit smaller once they
had conducted this self-cross-examination.
And then there is the expectation of
what you want from a sailing boat. Some
owners relish top performance and a
design that will slice upwind in fair
weather and foul: others are less fussed
about speed or close-windedness and are
happy with a boat that will trundle along
satisfactorily and safely without setting
the world on re. Some are happy with
Prelude 19, available from
1,400 second-hand
16- to 19-footers
that are kind
to your pocket
The Rob Humphreys-designed Gem:
available second-hand from around 2,900
Bargain
boats from
500
36 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Boats
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peter K Poland crossed the
Atlantic in a 7.6m (25ft) Wind
Elf in 1968 and later spent
30 years as co-owner
of Hunter Boats. He
is now a freelance
journalist.
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Many sailors downsize to these small cruisers after
retiring, deciding to own little and charter large
adequate if spartan accommodation,
while others want maximum space and
comfort down below. The eld is wide
and sometimes confusing far more so
than when selecting a new motorcar
and some represent better value for
money than others. Buying a tired
example of an obscure model can mean
throwing good money after bad.
Starting at the small end of the scale,
where should you look if you want a
pocket cruiser in the 16ft to 19ft range?
Many sailors make their
rst purchase here, having
graduated from dinghies or
just decided that a small
boat would offer a lot of fun without
being a millstone. Indeed, many downsize
to these small cruisers after retiring and
deciding to own little and charter large.
Landing a Sailsh
How better to start in this search for
sensible 16- to 19-footers than by
consulting two stalwart PBO contributors
and champions of the smaller boat,
Dave Selby and Sam Llewellyn.
Dave owns a Sailsh 18. He paid
2,000, which included an excellent
trailer (worth half the total purchase price,
he says). This versatile small cruiser was
designed by Leonardo da Costa and built
by Maxim Marine in converted farm
sheds in Hampshire. Thanks to the clever
marketing policy of offering
it as a package complete
with outboard motor and
trailer, it sold like hot cakes.
It was launched in 1970 and
around 900 were built.
The Sailshs LOA of 18ft
6in, LWL of 15ft and beam
of 7ft 1in combined with
a huge cockpit and generous
topsides and coachroof
height meant it offered
good space for its size. Dave
says: You can sleep on a
king-sized airbed in its 6ft
cockpit. The original tent even has
windows, creating an extra room or
conservatory. The builders original
brochure claimed it slept six! He recalls
that some friends towed their Sailsh to
Disneyworld in Paris, put it in the caravan
park and lived in it, along with their two
children. An adjacent child exclaimed:
That caravan looks like a boat!
The Sailsh offers more, however, than
space. Its vertically-lifting keel, operated
by a worm drive, weighs 250lb (out of a
displacement of 1,000lb) and decreases
draught from 3ft to 1ft so the boat is easy
to trail, launch and retrieve. It also sails
well and is simple to handle. Dave says he
got caught in heavy winds off Felixstowe
on an early trip and found that the wide
companionway meant he could stand on
the keel box in the cabin and reef the sail,
and adds: I was surprised when friends
said later it was a Force 7.
However, Dave advises against using the
keel as an echo sounder: unlike a pivoting
plate, it does not ip up. He recommends
the Sailsh UK Class Association, which
offers advice galore on maintenance and
also sources spare parts should you
ignore his advice and crunch the keel.
Indeed, he believes that a good
association providing friendly support
and sociable rallies is an essential part of
any elderly boats inventory.
In similar vein are the Sandpiper 565
and Ockelbo OS19 da Costa designs, but
most were built overseas.
An ideal minimum boat
Sam Llewellyn has also graced PBOs pages
with many an article about his Cornish
Shrimper 19 (19ft 3in LOA), praising it
as an ideal minimum boat. I owned a
30ft ketch when
the family was
small, Sam
explains, which
was a slow but very good sea boat: then a
Drascombe Longboat when I got fed up
with paying mooring fees for the ketch.
Slow again, but also a very good sea boat.
Then I had a Cornish Crabber MkI until
I got fed up with not sailing too well
Then I bought a Cornish Shrimper
because it was solid and had a roof and
sailed quite well and, most importantly,
it was trailable.
Sam is keen on trailability, adding: I
like being able to sail in the Hebrides and
Scillies in the same year, without spending
weeks on passage. He now has a Corribee
21, summing up his philosophy of boat
ownership by saying: the smaller the
boat, the bigger the fun, within
reason. Friends have Discovery 55s
Sailsh 18:
projects from
500, otherwise
from around
1,600
Cape Cutter: available from
13,950 second-hand,
new from 21,995
Cornish Shrimper 19:
from 9,500 second-
hand, new from
24,750
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 37
Buying second-hand: 16- to 19-footers

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Westerly
Nimrod,
from 1,900
second-hand
Silhouette:
projects from
500, otherwise
from 1,500
Express Pirate: available from
550-1,200 second-hand
I cant stop grinning: I frequently outsail larger
yachts in our club, especially in light winds
and mighty Olin Stephens classics. The
haunted expression on their faces tells
its own story.
The Cornish Shrimper is one of the UKs
most successful small boats: more than
1,000 have been sold. It comes with a
variety of interior layouts and the choice
of an outboard in a well or an inboard
Yanmar diesel. It weighs 2,348lb and
draws 1ft 6in with the pivoting
centreplate up and 4ft with it down so its
trailable, albeit behind a beefy car.
I often suspect, however, that the
Shrimpers major appeal lies in its lovely
lines and elegantly proportioned gaff rig.
Its almost a cult boat, and an active
class association organises an extensive
programme of sailing and social events.
Its accommodation is not huge for its
length, but as on the Sailsh 18 a good
cockpit tent works wonders when at
anchor in wet or windy conditions. If you
like the idea of a versatile and attractive
day-sailer-cum-weekend-cruiser, the
Shrimper wont let you down: and if you
dont fancy a gaff rig with varnished spars,
the new Adventure
version has an alloy-
sparred Bermudan rig
with a semi-fathead
mainsail and no backstay. Both versions
will always be easy to resell should your
circumstances change.
Value for money
A similar but less known trailer-sailer-gaffer
is the Dudley Dix-designed and Honnor
Marine-built Cape Cutter 19. At 2,535lb
its slightly heavier than the Shrimper,
while its draught with centreplate up or
down is almost identical. Its slightly longer
waterline and wider beam combined
with a longer full-width coachroof mean
that it offers more space down below, and
its cutter rig is more adaptable than the
Shrimpers single genoa rig.
Charles Erb (www.travellingaurora.
wordpress.com) recommends the boats
class association website (www.
capecutter19association.org) and sums
up the boats appeal perfectly. After
considering a Hawk 21, a Drascombe
Longboat, a Shrimper and a small
Beneteau he went for the Cape Cutter,
saying: We chose it because it looks very
handsome, it can sleep all four of us I
didnt think this would be possible until I
saw inside one and handles really well.
It is also excellent value for money.
The main alternative was the Shrimper,
but its a lot more expensive and doesnt
do anything more or better. Trailer-sailing
was also an important factor, given that
Charles lives in the Midlands.
Dennis Ogle is grateful that he stumbled
across the Honnor Marine stand at a
Southampton Boat Show, saying: I have
sailed Mary Ann for six seasons and I
cannot stop grinning. It was one of the
best decisions Ive ever made. Its the
sailing performance that really does it for
me. I frequently outsail larger yachts in
our club, especially in light winds. When
its blowing I am often out enjoying it,
while the bigger boats are tied up at the
club marina.
I mainly sail single-handed, and the
Cape Cutter is ideal for this. The cutter rig
gives lots of options as the wind strength
varies, especially if you opt for a Yankee
rather than a genoa: my boat came with
both. The Cape Cutter carries a lot of sail
so it will reach hull speed in the lightest of
breezes. At the other end of the scale, its
not overpowered in a Force 6 with a single
reef in the mainsail and the staysail only.
As a result of living aboard with my wife
when on holiday on the Frisian waterways
I have modied the internal arrangements
to make life more comfortable for two.
My wife is a reluctant sailor, but shes
very happy with the domestic
arrangements on the Cape Cutter.
PBO was responsible for another owner
settling on a Cape Cutter. While waiting
to catch a plane to holiday in Greece,
Chris Wilks picked up a copy of PBO at
the airport and spent the ight reading
about the new Cape Cutter 19. Although
I have a fair sailing experience, I had
never owned anything bigger than a
Comet dinghy. Having read the Cape
Cutter article, I was captivated: this was
the boat I wanted to own one day.
To cut a long story short, he went on to
buy a small olive farm overlooking
Platanias and the Aegean Sea and a Cape
Cutter 19. Since then we have spent our
summers mainly day-sailing in the Aegean
and occasionally going further aeld to
Skopelos and Alonnisos. We nd our Cape
Cutter a fantastic boat, well made and
feeling very secure in a blow. With the
centreplate up we can approach and anchor
at any beach in a few inches of water.
Chris and his wife Kathryn let the
cottage on their farm and often sail
with guests. Search Olive Store Cottage
to nd them.
Perhaps the most
intrepid Cape Cutter
19 adventure, however,
was Mike Brookes 1,783-mile trip
around Britain. This took 86 days, and
he visited 60 ports. The voyage aimed to
raise 27,500 for a fast light scanner for
Moorelds Eye Hospital: Mikes godson
Theo was diagnosed as blind at the age of
six months, and this machine could help
him and thousands of other children with
the same condition. You can read about
the voyage on www.theosfuture.org or
buy Mikes excellent book from the same
website. The book proceeds go to the
charities Fight for Sight and the Cetacean
Research and Rescue Unit.
On a sportier level, Mike won the Small
Gaffers Class in the Round the Island Race
on three successive years. All in all, the
Cape Cutter is a versatile delight.
38 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Boats
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Above-average performance
Reverting to Bermudan rigs, one of the
most successful yet most overlooked
designers of small trailable cruisers was
Ian Proctor. Hes famous for his many
great dinghy designs Wayfarer,
Wanderer, Topper, Osprey et al but
his Nimrod, Prelude 19 and Pirate 17
are all excellent pocket cruisers with
above-average performance.
Westerly commissioned the 17ft 9in
Nimrod as a starter boat for families
graduating from dinghies. Most have a
pivoting lifting keel, weighing 260lb out
of an all-up 1,050lb. The draught goes
from 8in (up) to 4ft (down), and a
generous sail plan (giving a SA/
displacement ratio of 21.7) combined
with a slippery hull provides sporty
performance. The cabin is on the small
side, offering occasional overnight
accommodation, while the long cockpit
makes the Nimrod an ideal day-sailer. If
you want a trailer-sailer
that can live in your
drive then give hours of
fun aoat, this boat could
be on the list.
The Rydgeway Marine-built Pirate or
Express Pirate (17ft 3in LOA) is of
similar size but very different in character.
The drop-keel version has a draught of 2ft
(up) and 4ft 9in (down). Fin (3ft 9in) and
twin keels (2ft 3in) were also offered. The
Pirate was a top seller, and about 400 were
built. The n- and drop-keel versions are
obviously the quickest and offer sparkling
performance, as you would expect from
Proctor. The three-berth interior, complete
with compact galley, is surprisingly
spacious, although the cockpit becomes
a bit crowded with three or more crew.
The Pirates ability to go to sea was
dramatically illustrated by a cowman from
a farm near Cirencester. The 51-year-old
Phil Ashwin sailed his Pirate Laynee 1,732
miles single-handed around Britain to raise
money for Help the Heroes. Farmers Weekly
magazine quoted him as saying: There
were grown-up seas, wonderful wildlife
dolphins, seals and a whale and
tremendous scenery, but best of all there
were great people all around the UK who
couldnt have been kinder, more helpful
and more interested in the project. PBO
also featured Phils great adventure.
The 19ft 3in Prelude was another top
seller. Once again, Proctor offered a choice
of n-, twin- and swing-keel versions,
and all sail extremely well. The twin-
keel version was way ahead of its time,
featuring shapely, CG-lowering bulbs
on slender foils. Rydgeway Marine and
Pegasus Yachts built around 500 between
them. A busy owners association (www.
prelude-owners.info) provides valuable
back-up.
The Prelude offers good accommodation
with her excellent performance. There is a
double berth in the forepeak (with WC
under) and two berths in the saloon,
along with a galley unit and small dining
table. Extensive use of inner mouldings
means that the boats interior ages well,
and the well-styled coachroof gives ample
sitting headroom.
A while ago, a Prelude owner told the
owners association: Our Prelude, Pela,
has a xed n keel. Fifteen years ago
my wife and I lived aboard her for 14
months, sailing from Bristol to Greece and
back. For a couple of weeks in Majorca,
we even had four people living aboard.
The rst three days it didnt stop raining,
and the next three days it rained every
morning until 1pm! With all our
equipment, and the unnecessary items our
two guests brought out with them, it was
quite a character-building event. Still, that
was the last rain we saw for 17 weeks.
This just proves what a versatile little
yacht the Prelude is. I confess that in the
old days I used to dismiss it because it was
deadly competition to our Hunter 19
Europa, but now I am able to see it for
what it is: an outstanding boat from a
brilliant designer.
The evergreen Silhouette
If you are happy with a more sedate
pocket cruiser available at budget prices,
the evergreen Silhouette is worth a look.
Huge numbers of the 17ft 8in MkII
version (which is about 6in longer than
the original MkI) were built in plywood
before Hurley Marine introduced GRP
construction. The later MkIII version is
10in longer on the waterline, draws 5in
more, carries 165sq ft extra sail and has a
rounded rather than chined bilge. The
majority are bilge-keelers.
Enthusiastic owner Ed
Hughes sums up the
Silhouettes appeal and
a few of its drawbacks
and provides useful advice for small-
boat buyers.
I drew up a shortlist of three trailable
bilge-keelers under 18ft, Ed remembers,
the Hurley Silhouette Mks II and III,
Leisure 17 and 17SL and Rydgeway
Express Pirate. Although these three look
different, their statistics are similar.
Accommodation-wise, the Leisures and
the Pirate have much better arrangements
plus cabin headlinings compared to the
Silhouette, which has a very basic two
berths and nothing else.
After an extensive search I found
Misty, Ed continues, bought for 2,250
including many sails, trailer and outboard,
in good but untidy condition. Trailability
was a requirement but I had no
intention of trailer-sailing, the pursuit
Leisure 17: from 500
second-hand
Hurley 18:
second-hand
around 2,500
or project boats
from 500
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 39
Buying second-hand: 16- to 19-footers
39

With the centreplate up we can approach and

anchor at any beach in a few inches of water
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Missed any of Peter K Polands boat
features? You can buy them online from
www.pbo.co.uk by clicking Find PBO
articles. Or call the Copy Service on tel:
01202 440830
COPY SERVICE
Swift 18: available from around 4,000
Hunter 19 Europa: from
1,900 second-hand
Beneteau First 18:
from 3,500
second-hand
of which is only for the dedicated. To rig
and launch Misty would be a major team
effort, taking over an hour and requiring
complete immersion of the trailer in salt
water. Worth it if youre going to sail from
a venue for a week and have somewhere
to park the car and trailer, but not for my
turn up and sail away solo routine.
Many owners do trailer-sail these and
similar small cruisers, though.
Although the Silhouette and her
contemporaries were marketed as small
family cruisers, their accommodation
made them realistically only suitable for
overnighting alongside or in a sheltered
spot. Their cockpits suffered from the
addition of the cabin, and Id be hard-
pushed to get four in Mistys small cockpit.
The next stage up, ie the Alacrity and
similar at almost 19ft, were a much better
option for a sailing family. That said, for
one or two persons prepared
to rough it, these small
yachts are more than capable
of coastal cruising by marina
hopping or using sheltered anchorages.
Ed concludes: I would have no qualms
about crossing the Channel. Misty has
given me a great deal of pleasure: she is
slow in light airs, but great fun when
reefed in a Force 5. She was solidly built
with an honest no frills interior and is
easy to sail alone, but sadly is now worth
very little. My annual berthing fees and
running costs are more than I could
realise for her in todays market.
The Silhouette Owners Association
(www.soia.org.uk) offers assistance, advice
and rallies. This is a very sociable class. For
example, the 2014 Solent Cruise and AGM/
dinner packs a busy schedule into seven
days of pottering around Solent watering
holes, starting on September 7. Sounds
like a lot of fun without busting a gut.
Leisure time
The Leisure 17 and 17SL are similar to
the Silhouette in many ways, but designer
Arthur Howard succeeded in endowing
this popular twin-keeler with above-
average performance for its type. Its a
successful little club racer as well as a
versatile cruiser, and it has Atlantic
crossings and an epic solo dash from
Turkey to Plymouth to its name. With
a ballast ratio of 45% on an all-up
weight of 1,477lb it can take a blow,
and its pretty little bubble of a coachroof
covers excellent accommodation for
its size. An active owners association
(www.leisureowners.org) is full of advice
and runs annual class events. All in all,
it should be on any list for a budget
pocket cruiser.
Of similar length but very different
character, the Hurley 18 is another
winner. This Ian Anderson design is
a proper little yacht with a long keel
(draught 3ft 3in), a 42% ballast ratio (out
of 2,350lb displacement), a spade rudder
and a surprisingly spacious interior. Its
looks and sailing ability, however, are its
trump cards. One YBW forum contributor
writes: I dont know of another 18-footer
that I would go offshore in with the same
level of condence in her seakeeping.
Many would agree. For more information,
see www.hurleyownersassociation.co.uk.
The 5.5m Micro Ton Cup class is a happy
hunting ground if you prefer sportier
18-footers, most of which have pivoting or
lifting keels. One of the top-selling British
examples is the Swift 18.
John Charnleys wife Caroline says:
The Swift 18 came about when John sold
Sunsail. The Swift 18 seemed the perfect
antidote to big-boat sailing, a trailer-sailer
that could be towed behind a modest car
and great for spending a night or two
aboard. It all started when John met Colin
Silvester. His design conformed to French
Micro Cup rules, but he needed a
builder. John and Colin modied and
developed the design to produce the
Swift 18.
The result was a pretty little hard chine
hull with a 7ft 11in beam and a draught
of 3ft 6in (keel down) and 9in (up). She
weighs 1,520lb and has four berths, a
concealed chemical WC and a mini galley
unit down below. Several hundred
were built, and a class association
(www.swift18.org) provides help and
information. Its a great little boat.
PBO summed it up in 1982 with these
words: In a nasty Force 6/7 and with two
reefs in the main she stayed light on the
helm, was well balanced and galloped
along like a racehorse.
If you like the Micro Ton recipe, the
Humphreys-designed Gem and Finot-
designed First 18 are also worth a look.
Both sold well and perform excellently.
And if a sporty single- or triple-keel
cruiser-racer with transatlantic pedigree,
reasonable four-berth accommodation
and lovely lines appeals, the Lee-designed
Hunter 19 Europa takes
some beating. The nippy
little lifting-keel Hunter
490 is another great sailer
albeit with minimal accommodation.
There are also other popular twin-keel
pocket-cruisers with adequate if
undramatic performance. The Newbridge
Navigator 19, Seawych 18, Mirror
Offshore, Foxcub 18, Alacrity 19, Caprice
et al have their followers. It depends on
what sort of sailing you prefer. But either
way sporty or sedate, dated or modern
theres a host of 16- to 19-footers out there.
So set your priorities, choose carefully,
Google class associations, avoid near-
wrecks and have some small-boat fun!
NEXT MONTH
Spotlight on 20- to 23-footers
Sporty or sedate, dated or modern, theres
a host of 16- to 19-footers out there
40 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Boats Buying second-hand: 16- to 19-footers
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 41
Destination Guide
M
ilford Haven is a
large commercial
port that is busy
with tanker trafc
handling 29% of
Britains seaborne trade in oil
and gas. Once inside the haven
entrance, however, the great
expanse of unspoilt sheltered
tidal waters of the Pembrokeshire
Coast National Park provide
ample and scenic cruising
grounds for visiting yachtsmen.
Natural hazards are few, but
mariners need to familiarise
themselves with the nearby
Castlemartin Range Sea Danger
Area and the MOD Aberporth
Range situated in Cardigan Bay,
north of the Milford Haven Waterway
beyond Strumble Head. Web links
providing details of live ring can be
found on the Port of Milford Haven
website www.mhpa.co.uk by
MILFORD HAVEN

clicking on Marine Leisure Services.

As with any commercial port, there
are rules to follow. All small craft
must keep a minimum distance of
100m away from all ships, terminals
and ships at anchor. All ships on the
move should be considered as
having a moving exclusion zone
around them and bear in mind that
a ships forward line of sight may be
greater than 100m. Continuous
watch must be maintained with the
Port Authority on VHF Ch12. Patrol
vessels are deployed throughout the
summer and peak periods to assist
leisure users.
Facilities
The Pembrokeshire Coast National
Park consists of approximately 23
miles of sheltered inland tidal
waterways. There are many
tributaries that are home to an
abundance of breeding habitats for
Milford Haven
At rst glance, the commercial port of Milford Haven appears to offer little to the
visiting yachtsman, but a closer look reveals the haven aspect of this expansive
and scenic cruising ground. Cameron Snell guides us in and around
a variety of birds and other wildlife.
The local authority provides
seasonal pontoons where small
boats can moor to explore villages
offering waterside restaurants and
family pubs. A designated Water
Ranger undertakes regular patrols,
providing information, advice and
assistance to all waterway users.
The Water Ranger can be
contacted using VHF Ch16 or
Ch12 and can be approached for
advice on and off the water.
The excellent Milford Haven
Waterway Leisure User Guide is
produced annually and can be
downloaded or free from
www.mhpa.co.uk/uploads/
PoMH_LUG_2014.pdf.
With almost 200NM of coastline
its difcult to cover everything in
one article, so well concentrate on
Milford Haven Marina, Neyland
Yacht Haven and Dale.
Dale Yacht Clubs Moorings
restaurant has a rooftop terrace
and great views
Cleddau Bridge
Pembroke Dock
Valero renery
pontoon
Neyland Yacht Haven
Milford Haven Marina
42 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Destination guide
Getting in to Milford
Haven and the marina
Milford Haven Marina
1
The seaward entrance to Milford Haven is divided into two
shipping lanes to the east and west of Chapel Rocks. It is
advisable to keep clear of these channels as there is sufcient space
and depth to approach outside of them. Larger ships will always use
the west channel: all other craft are advised to use the east channel.
My approach was from the south, crossing the Bristol Channel
from Cornwall, and a southerly Force 8 began to blow as I arrived.
This image shows the confused seas at the approach to Studdock
Point and the rock of Sheep Island on the eastern side. In calmer
conditions it is safe to pass outside of the buoyage.
2
The plateau of Thorn Island Fort is easily distinguished from
seaward. This approach is from the eastern side. East Chapel
port-hand buoy can be seen in the foreground. Conspicuous
chimneys on the mainland of Great Castle Head can be seen
between the red buoy and Thorn Island.
Thorn Island Fort
Sheep Island
Studdock Point
3
Shipping will pass to the west of Thorn Rock West Cardinal.
With careful consideration to the chart a safe route can be
found between this cardinal mark and Thorn Island. The white
building on the mainland accommodates the light of Great Castle
Head. A white sector light illuminates from here at night.
Thorn Rock West Cardinal
New lock gates will mean even better access to Milford Haven Marina
Milford Haven Marina has 328
berths, diesel fuel, a great range of
shops, restaurants and cafes as
well as other standard marina
services. To obtain a berth call the
friendly Marina Control on VHF
Ch37 or tel: 01646 696312.
www.milfordmarina.com
Access to the marina dock basin
is via the entrance lock. Times are
available by calling marina on the
number above or online at
www.milfordmarina.com.
A freeow period operates two
hours before high water, until high
water. All trafc using the lock is
controlled by the pier head staff
and it is essential that they are
contacted via VHF Ch14 before
leaving a berth or entering the
dock basin. Milford Docks Pier
Head can be contacted on VHF
Ch14, call sign Pier Head, or
tel: 01646 696310.
The Port of Milford Haven is
currently working on a 6million
project to develop new lock gates
that will allow more frequent
access and secure Milford Havens
future as a top sailing destination.
The gates are be constructed
inside the existing lock.
Delightful Dale
Just to the west of the entrance to Milford Haven is Dale, an unspoilt
village in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The
area has an abundance of wildlife including birds, seals, dolphins and
porpoise. Dale Bay lies in a sheltered valley: anchoring is safe in all
but an easterly. Peace and tranquillity are foremost here, and dead
slow speed restrictions apply. Anchor outside of local moorings.
Dale is a local centre for sailing. Windsurng is taught in Dale Bay,
along with sailing and boat handling courses. Dale is also often the
location of sailing galas. Seasonal pontoons for visitors (ideal for
trailer-sailors), stretch out into the bay. Fresh water is piped to the
inner of these pontoons. One delightful pub and a friendly yacht club
with restaurant complete this heavenly village.
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Dale is found just to the west of Milford Haven entrance
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 43
Milford Haven
10
7
Angle
Angle Bay
East
Angle
Neyland
Hazelbeach
N
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N
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Pembroke Dock
Cosheston Pt
Yacht Haven
Cleddau
Bridge
S
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P
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Stack Rock
Valero
refinery
pontoons
Fort
Watwick Pt
Sheep Is
St
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Head
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Benton Castle
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Castles
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Chapel
Rks
Pembroke
Milford Haven
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Milford Docks
& Marina
Port
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Little
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Fl.WR
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Fl.R
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Fl.R
Pennar Carr Spit
Beacon
Triangle
Wear
Spit
Fl.R
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No3
No4
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F.WRG
F.Y
Milford Haven Marina
Hakin
Small Boat
Moorings
Fl.R.2.5s
Milford
Shelf
ELF
Marine
Terminal
Pembrokeshire YC
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Cunjic
Q.R
F.Y.2.5s
Fl(2+1)R
Q.R
Fl.G.5s
Fl.R.5s
Hakin
Pt
Milford
Shelf
Lock
Waiting
Pontoon 2F.R
F.Bu
Swinging Area
F.Bu
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3
4
8
$
CG
Moorings
2.FR
MHPA
Jetty
Hubberstone
Pt
Radar
Fl(2)5s
Wards
Pier
(ru)
Small
Boat
Passage
FS
Tr
Chartlets not
to be used for
navigation
4
Once around Thorn Island and heading east, the rst green
main channel marker will appear. This image shows the Chapel
Buoy viewed from the main channel. There is sufcient depth to pass
this buoy outside of the channel, in order to safely avoid the shipping.
Chapel Buoy
5
A line of three green buoys leading up to the Al Khor north
cardinal mark indicates the starboard extremity of the South Hook
turning area between Thorn Island and Popton Point. Pass between the
Al Khor north cardinal and the RNLI Angle Lifeboat Station. The
chimneys of the Valero Oil Renery are distinctive by day and night. It
is recommended to stay close to the buoys, just outside the channel.
6
In the distance on your port side youll see the Qatar RW
Fairway buoy and Stack Rock Fort. Yachtsmen shouldnt be as
close as this photo youd be in the centre of the main channel.
Valero renery
pontoon
7
When you reach the next green buoy named East Angle you will
need to consider crossing the main channel if you wish to head
over to Milford Haven Marina. If you are proceeding further upstream
then it is essential that you maintain a 90m clearance from the Valero
(formerly Chevron-Texaco) renery pontoon to starboard. A leading
line marked on the chart will direct you toward two large white
leading markers on the hill above Newton Noyes.
8
Milford Haven Marina is located on the northern side of the
channel. Entrance is via Milford Lock. A row of buoys, beginning
with a preferred channel marker RGR, displays a clearly dened line
to the lock entrance. A waiting pontoon is located on the starboard
side of the lock.
Waiting pontoon
Turn the page to see
how to get into
Neyland Yacht Haven
Green buoys

44 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk

Destination guide Milford Haven
Neyland Yacht Haven
Approaches to Neyland Yacht Haven
2
As you come around Carr Spit, a distinct display of buoyage
and beacons appears. The large Cleddau Bridge spanning the
channel in the background is located just beyond the entrance to
Neyland Marina. Follow the buoyed channel toward Cleddau Bridge,
passing the last red buoy off Neyland Point. Continue toward the
bridge, heading for the xed vertical lights on the columns, until you
can look north-north-west into the marina. This will ensure you clear
the drying shores off Neyland Point.
3
The entrance to Neyland Yacht Haven is clearly dened with red
and green buoys. A red brick building with two distinct
chimneys should be directly astern of you as you make your
approach toward the buoys.
Red brick building
Pennar
Large white triangle
Neyland Yacht Haven
Tel: 01646 601601
VHF Ch80
Neyland Yacht Haven has 420
berths, all fully serviced with water,
electricity and free WiFi, and offers
full marina facilities. The Brunel
Cafe, the Bar Restaurant, a
chandlery and a laundry are on
site. Diesel and petrol are operated
by Dale Sailing.
Neyland Yacht Haven is divided
into two basins: the lower basin is
accessible at all states of the tide,
while a sill retains the water in the
upper basin. Tide gauges indicate
the height over the sill.
The upper basin at Neyland Yacht Haven is reached over a sill
LOOKING ASTERN
Carr Spit
Neyland Point
Wear Spit
Upper basin
Lower basin
1
Proceeding east along Pembroke Reach is relatively
straightforward in clear weather. The channel is wide
with little buoyage. A leading transit comprising a large white
triangle on the foreshore at Pennar Flats and another on a
tall post at the datum line will guide you around Wear Spit
before the river curves to the north-east. Tall masts sit
beyond and above the transit. Follow the river north-east
toward Pembroke Reach between Wear Spit and Pennar until
you can see the tall Carr Spit green beacon.
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Neyland
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Moorings
Bn
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 47
Gear

W
ith a few
exceptions, the
petrol outboard
has a monopoly
on propelling
our tenders and small boats.
These engines are cheap,
easily repairable, easy to refuel
and dependable enough to
get us where we need to go
in any weather.
Here at PBO weve been using a
4hp 2-stroke outboard on the
back of our project boat Hantu
Biru to get us around when theres
no wind. But its smelly, noisy,
heavy and requires us to carry a
can of fuel on board. Is there
another way?
We assembled a selection
of alternatives to the petrol
outboard powered by either
propane gas or electricity and
took them for a spin, rst on the
back of Hantu Biru and then on a
2.6m Zodiac inatable tender.
The Lehr outboards range,
imported from the US by
Lymington-based Hypro Marine,
runs on propane, either from a
small canister that sits in the
engine cowling or from a remote,
larger patio gas type cylinder.
We also tested electric
outboards, some of which
have been seen in the pages
of PBO before.
Most electric outboards are
trolling motors, designed for
American lake shing when the
large outboard is switched off and
the sherman wants a slow, silent
means of propulsion. However,
there are now some more options.
The rst on the scene and the
market leader in electric
outboards with performance
was Torqeedo. They make a
range of electric outboards,
developed in Germany, which
are claimed to offer performance
comparable to petrol engines, and
have been developed to be light
and powerful.
We also tried some cheaper
alternatives, made in China and
sold in the UK by Marathon
Leisure, which offer improved
performance to the traditional
trolling motor at a low cost.
How effective are electric
(left) and propane (right)
outboards when
compared with the
humble petrol equivalent?
Electric v propane
outboards
Are electric or propane outboards a
viable alternative to the ubiquitous petrol motor?
Ben Meakins and the PBO team test a selection to nd out
48
Gear test
Electric engines
O
n the face of it, an electric outboard seems the ultimate
solution for a boat lightweight, quiet, and it doesnt pollute
the water. Theres a catch, of course, and its a big one:
battery power.
Battery technology is moving on in leaps and bounds, and theres
a chance that in time a lightweight battery that doesnt cost the earth
and gives a long run-time and quick recharging will be developed.
But for now, batteries are the stumbling block theyre heavy,
and/or they have a short run time.
Torqeedo Travel 1003s
PRICE: 1,449
Contact: www.torqeedo.com
TECH SPEC
Shaft length: 62.5cm (short), 75cm (long)
Weight: 13.4kg
Maximum yacht speed: 4.5 knots
Acceleration to 4 knots: 26 seconds
Acceleration to 5 knots: not applicable
Bollard pull: 32kg
Tender maximum speed: 3.6 knots
W
e based our tests at
MDLs Cobbs Quay
Marina, where we
installed each engine on the
outboard bracket attached
to Hantu Birus transom.
We looked at the top hull
speed achieved at full throttle,
heading up and downwind to
establish an average. We then
slowed the boat to a stop and
selected full power to compare
acceleration, timing how long
it took for the boat to get to
4 knots and also noting the
time it took to get to 5 knots if
they could manage it.
This done, we transferred the engines to the inatable to carry
out a bollard pull test using a spring balance. Finally we took the
engines for a trip in the tender with two passengers aboard to
measure top speed, and also to make an assessment of how
useful theyd be in general use.
How we tested them
Benchmark engine
The rst motors performance we measured was Hantu Birus
usual outboard, a 4hp 2-stroke Mariner SailMate. This is
pretty much the optimum petrol engine for the boat relatively
lightweight, with a ne-pitch propeller, charging coil and an
exhaust that exits through the propeller hub to reduce noise. It can
be refuelled easily with readily available petrol. On the downside,
its thirsty, smoky and can be polluting if fuel is spilled.
Mariner SailMate 4hp
PRICE (SECOND-HAND)
FROM AROUND 400
TECH SPEC
Shaft length: 50.8cm
Weight: 25kg
Maximum yacht speed: 6 knots
Acceleration to 4 knots: 18 seconds
Acceleration to 5 knots: 21 seconds
Bollard pull: 45kg
Tender maximum speed: 5 knots
Measuring top speed two-up in an inatable tender
The compact Travel
1003s is extremely quiet,
especially at low revs
This compact engine comes with
its own padded carry bag. Its
lightweight and, best of all, has an
integral Lithium manganese
battery which slots into the top of
the engine. Two models are
available the 503 (1,249), which
has a stated equivalent of 1.5hp,
and the 1003, which we tested and
which sells for 1,449, rated at 3hp.
In use, the Travel 1003s delivered
almost instant power via its
twist-grip tiller a bit of a shock
until wed got used to it. The twist
grip also facilitates switching
between forward and reverse.
It was so quiet, especially at low
revs, that manoeuvring was eerily
calm and silent. Its bollard pull was
third-highest of all the engines on
test. There is an LCD screen on top
of the motor which displays GPS
speed as well as battery capacity
and the estimated range remaining
at the current throttle position.
In the tender it was ideal, being
small and compact, and pushed
us along at a useful speed.
The charging issue is still the
main drawback. It can be
recharged via mains power, which
means you can charge it on board
via an inverter or using shorepower
at a marina, which would take
around 15 hours for a full charge.
A fast charger is available for just
under 80, which reduces the
charging time to around 7-8
hours. A Torqeedo solar panel is
also available for a trickle charge,
and it can be connected directly to
the battery.
At full throttle it gave us a run
time of 40 minutes.
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 49
Alternative outboards
Haswing Proturar 2hp
PRICE: 449.99
Contact: www.marathonleisure.co.uk
TECH SPEC
Shaft length: 90cm (adjustable)
Weight: 14.3kg (motor), around 60kg (batteries)
Maximum yacht speed: 4.3 knots
Acceleration to 4 knots: 29 seconds
Acceleration to 5 knots: not applicable
Bollard pull: 34kg
Tender maximum speed 3.9 knots
This motor offers improved performance to the usual trolling motors.
For one thing, its rated at 2hp rather than the 55lb thrust seen on most
electric engines, which is a sure sign that it has been designed to
compete with petrol engines.
It requires 24V (2x12V batteries wired in series).
In use, after a momentary confusion that forward and reverse were
incorrectly labelled, it performed well not as well as the Torqeedo,
but at less than 500 it is considerably cheaper. The difference in
speed between full throttle and anything under a quick drop-off
was noticeable, but was ne once we were used to it.
It was impractical in the tender due to the two heavy batteries
needed, but on board the yacht it was impressive, providing
appreciable power for a low cost. It has a simple battery condition
indicator, and the shaft length can be easily adjusted. A wireless remote
and joystick can be used if required.
Haswing Comax
This 55lb trolling motor looked promising, but the unit that arrived
for test had been abused by a previous tester and was dead on
arrival. We hope to try another soon, and will report in the New Gear
pages at a later date on how it compares.
Torqeedo Cruise 2.0TS
PRICE: 2,499 SEPARATE LI-ION
BATTERY 2,099
Contact: www.torqeedo.com
TECH SPEC
Shaft length: 62.5cm (short), 75.5cm (long)
Weight: 17.5kg (motor), 24kg (battery)
Maximum yacht speed: 5.9 knots
Acceleration to 4 knots: 15 seconds
Acceleration to 5 knots 20 seconds
Bollard pull: 55kg
Tender maximum speed: 4.6 knots
The Cruise 2.0TS gave instant
power and the second best
acceleration on test
On the boat, the Haswing
Proturar provided
appreciable power for a
low cost

The Cruise 2.0TS is a bit of a

beast. Sold as equivalent to a 5hp
petrol engine, it was much more
suitable for our 23ft yacht than to
the small tender. Its a 24V motor,
which came with a Torqeedo
lithium manganese sealed and
waterproof battery. This cost
2,099. The alternative is to use
two 12V deep cycle batteries
wired in series, which works out
much cheaper our two Rolls
batteries cost 222.40 each, but
you could use a cheaper battery
still. These will weigh much more
than the Torqeedo batterys 24kg
though our two came in at 60kg.
In use, it gave us instant power
and the second best acceleration
on test. It felt like a proper, well-
sized engine for the boat. Its
long tiller/throttle made it simple
to use and placed the engine
controls to hand.
On a yacht the batteries could
be mounted for best weight
distribution, but in the tender they
felt vulnerable.
The motor is well made and well
thought out. A pin can be
installed to lock the motor in a
fore-and-aft position. An LCD
display, as on the Travel models,
gives battery state, GPS
information and useful range
remaining at the current speed.
At full throttle it gave us a run
time of 1 hour 10 minutes.
50 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Gear test
Propane engines
W
e tried a pair of
propane outboards
from Lehr Marine.
These were developed as an
alternative to petrol after
all, most forklift trucks in
warehouses run on LPG to
avoid petrol spillages, so why
shouldnt outboard engines?
On the face of it, there are many
advantages to using propane.
Unlike petrol, a fuel spillage wont
pollute the water. As long as you
have the canisters with you,
changing to a full tank is easy. A
threaded connector screws onto
the propane canister (with a
reverse thread, as usual for
propane). These small canisters
cost 9 from camping shops and
should last for around one hour at
full throttle for a 2.5hp engine. We
also used a MacGas Gas Light
lightweight composite cylinder as
a remote tank, which was a
revelation lightweight and made
from plastic, so is not likely to
damage to the boat.
The propane motors are much
simpler than equivalent petrol
outboards, with no choke or fuel
tap you simply set about
1
3 throttle and pull the cord.
As with a 4-stroke petrol engine,
though, you still need to lay it
down the correct (tiller-side down)
way to avoid engine oil leaking
into the cylinder.
Lehr 5.0hp
PRICE: 1,150
Contact: www.lehruk.com

TECH SPEC
Shaft length: 38cm (short), 50.8cm (long)
Weight: 23kg
Maximum yacht speed: 6 knots
Acceleration to 4 knots: 14 seconds
Acceleration to 5 knots: 19 seconds
Bollard pull: 45kg
Tender maximum speed: 5 knots
Lehr 2.5hp
PRICE: 729
Contact: www.lehruk.com
TECH SPEC
Shaft length: 38cm
Weight: 17.5kg
Maximum yacht speed: 5.0 knots
Acceleration to 4 knots: 26 seconds
Bollard pull: 25kg
Tender maximum speed: 4.3 knots
The 2.5hp outboard was too small for Hantu Biru, but nonetheless
pushed her along nicely at 4.9 knots. It can accept a remote tank, like its
larger siblings. It took only a few pulls to start from cold and propane
engines have the advantage that you cant ood the carburettor. It was
as noisy as a petrol engine. It has forward and neutral gears. On the
back of the tender it was much better suited, being a good compromise
between size, weight and power. A remote tank would give you 11 hours
at full throttle, while a canister should last an hour at that speed.
The Lehr 2.5, noisy as a
petrol engine, only took a
few pulls to start from cold
The 5.0 gave good
acceleration and enabled
a strong bollard pull
INSET A remote gas bottle
allows for greater range
This engine was a good size for
the project boat. Its 5hp pushed
us along at an equivalent speed
to our petrol outboard, with good
acceleration and a strong bollard
pull. To start it needed
1
3 throttle,
and roared into life at the third
pull. Its idle speed was higher
than a petrol engine a feature of
propane engines and it was
noisier than our 2-stroke Mariner
with its underwater exhaust. Its
Reverse-Neutral-Forward gear
selector worked well for
close-quarters manoeuvring, and
acceleration was good, even
when cold useful when coming
alongside or leaving the pontoon.
The remote tank a MacGas
Gas Light composite tank sat
unobtrusively in the cockpit.
Youd need a self-draining locker
for a safe permanent installation,
but youd be storing only one
type of fuel for both your motor
and galley stove.
Range is limited by the size of
tank you use. The small 395g
canisters should last around 30
minutes at full revs or more at
lower revs (the company quotes
1.4 hours at 3,000rpm). The larger
composite tank should give you
ve hours at full throttle. We intend
to t one to the project boat for
some extended trips later in the
year to fully evaluate its range
and performance over time.
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 51
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PBO verdict
A
ll of these motors have
their advantages and
disadvantages. The
propane outboards are neat,
compact, simple and non-
polluting, but the availability
and cost of the small gas
canisters could be an issue. If
youre using a remote tank, it
will need to be in a gas-tight
locker that drains overboard.
Their performance was
equivalent to a petrol engine.
The electric outboards are
near-silent and are lightweight,
Thanks to Barden Batteries, who kindly lent us a pair of Rolls 95Ah
batteries for the test. Barden sell batteries, chargers and solar and
wind systems online and from their base in Fareham, Hampshire.
www.barden-uk.com
We tested seven 5hp long-shaft petrol outboards in the Summer
2012 issue of PBO. You can buy a copy online from www.pbo.co.uk
and click on Find PBO articles. Or call the Copy Service on
01202 440832
COPY SERVICE
The electric outboards are lightweight and near-silent, but size,
charging and battery capacity all have to be taken into consideration
but battery capacity, size and
charging are all issues.
The Torqeedo Travel is a great
solution if you use your tender
for short journeys and have
sufcient charging capability. Its
larger sister, the Cruise 2.0T, was
a feasible solution for larger craft
like Hantu Biru, delivering plenty
of power and enough speed to
get you out of trouble. The only
problem is the batteries, which
are either very expensive if
you go for the Li-manganese
option, or very heavy and bulky
if you wire up two 12V deep
cycle batteries in series.
The Proturar 2hp was
surprisingly effective. The
build quality wasnt up to that
of the Torqeedo and neither
was the performance, but for
a fraction of the price it was
worth considering if you can
work out what to do with the
large and heavy batteries.
The propane outboards
come close to petrol
outboards when it comes
to choosing one for use on
board. Its down to your own
views on storing gas on board
and on the availability of the
small canisters, but theres
no doubt that the propane
engines are less polluting to
the water than a petrol engine,
and the motors are much
less smoky than 2-stroke
petrol engines.
Ultimately, neither electric
nor propane outboards rival
the exibility that a petrol
engine gives you, but each
have their advantages which
might t perfectly with your
location and type of sailing.
54 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
PRACTICAL
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In the third part of this series on epoxy resin, David Parker describes the
basic techniques when using it as a fairing and coating material
David Parker
is a marine
journalist
who has built
and restored
various
boats. He owns a Seaward 23
motor cruiser he moors on the
River Hamble.
F
airing is the process of
giving a surface a smooth,
even nish. It can involve
anything from lling in holes
used for xings to building
up hollows which may have
been caused by distortions or
irregularities when building the
skin of the hull.
On commercial builds, such as
racing yachts, whole hulls are
faired with epoxy compounds:
epoxy llers shrink less and are
superior to compounds which
use polyester resin.
While the practice is often
carried out on a large scale on
professional new builds, with
home projects too youll need
to ensure you have a fair hull,
whether you plan to sheath, coat,
or go straight to painting or
varnishing your boat. Fairing is also
a key part of both minor and major
repairs after boat damage.
When it comes to fairing there
are specialist epoxy resins, but
the same standard resin/hardener
mix used for bonding and lleting
(see PBO August and September
issues) is perfectly adequate. What
you change is the ller you add to
the mix.
Epoxy is tough stuff, but fairing
compounds by their very nature
need to be as easy to sand back
as possible when cured. A fairing
compound needs to be workable
before and after it sets hard.
To make up a fairing compound
you use what is known as low-
density ller. The manufacturers
literature will specify the relevant
product names: for example, they
Fairing and coating
may be called phenolic
microballoons and glass bubbles
or microlight llers.
The powder used in these llers
typically consists of hollow spheres
or microspheres. These spheres
have a hard shell and therefore
dont actually absorb the resin.
Instead, they give the resin mix
bulk by displacing themselves in
it unlike microbres which do
absorb the resin and therefore
cure to a much harder and
stronger compound.
Proper preparation
Whatever the level of work being
undertaken, the basic rules of
working with epoxy resin still apply.
As well as ensuring epoxies are
mixed accurately, surface
preparation and working
temperatures are very important.
Its tempting to rush things,
particularly if you are facing a
larger-scale project such as fairing
or coating a hull. You might be
working late on dark winter
evenings in a cramped, cluttered
space so sit back and plan. On a
small build, for example, its always
easier when fairing, coating and
sheathing to have the hull inverted
Prime the surface with epoxy resin before applying fairing compound
On rough surfaces use a notched
spreader. This produces ridges
in the ller which will be easier
to sand
When the ller has cured, the
ridges can be sanded at
When fairing, lightweight, low-density llers are added to the epoxy resin
mix. When cured these are much easier to sand. Coloured powders to
blend in with wood are also available, as shown here
Epoxy for beginners
Fairing technique
so dont rush to remove it off the
stocks once the planking is done.
Conditions for the amateur
boatbuilder are rarely ideal, so you
have to be even more organised.
I once built a boat outdoors and
spent forever covering and
uncovering it between rain
showers not to be recommended.
When fairing, after ensuring that
the surface is clean and dry,
prepare the area rst by abrading
with a 60-80 grit sandpaper, and
at this stage remove any bumps or
I
l
l
u
s
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
s
:

A
m
y

P
a
r
k
e
r

ridges. Remove the dust with a

vacuum cleaner or solvent.
Surfaces should then be wetted
out with a resin/hardener mix before
applying the fairing compound. You
can let this epoxy primer coat dry,
but if you do it must be sanded
down again before applying
fairing compound on top of it.
If working overhead its best to
let the priming coat gel before
applying the fairing compound,
otherwise the compound may
sag or slide.
For very small indentations such
as screw holes you dont need to
pre-coat rst.
Controlling the mix
To make the fairing compound, mix
the resin and hardener thoroughly
rst in a plastic mixing vessel or
something else big enough so that
the ller powder is contained when
mixing and doesnt become an
airborne cloud. Remember to use
a mask.
Use approximately up to 2
times by volume the amount of
llers to the resin/hardener mix.
In addition to microballoon/
low-density llers, a small amount
of colloidal silica can be added
if necessary to give additional
non-sag characteristics to the mix
for vertical or sloping surfaces.
Add the llers until you have a
workable peanut butter consistency:
but you can vary the consistency of
the mix depending on the job. The
thicker you make the mix the easier
it will be to sand when cured.
However, if you add too much the
paste becomes unworkable and
too dry. On small areas, or when
working overhead, it is easier to use
a stiffer mix. Electric stirrers are
available but you wont need
them on small-scale projects.
In the previous articles weve
talked about how mixing epoxy
resin and hardener produces an
exothermic reaction it generates
heat. Once you have your fairing
mix you can transfer it to a board
and spread it out to help dissipate
heat and give you more working
time. A plasterers hawk is ideal if
you have a large area to fair.
Applying the ller
Apply your fairing compound with
a spreader to the epoxy-primed
surface and work it to shape.
Its best to build up thin layers to
avoid air pockets. An average
thickness of 2mm is ideal, and try
not to go deeper than 3-4mm at a
time. Let each layer partially cure
before adding the next.
Leave the fairing compound
proud of the surface, but remove
any excess thickened epoxy
before it cures.
To keep the prole of the hull when
fairing, exible battens are useful.
When curved over a surface theyll
show up high spots or hollows. The
batten could be a piece of exible
them into practice, so start with less
rather than more because you can
always build up the layers. For large
areas use a slow hardener.
On really rough surfaces a
notched applicator can be handy
because it leaves a furrowed
surface on the ller. When the ller
is cured you only have the high
points to sand down. This
technique means less ller is used
and sanding time is reduced. Then
you can spread a thinner topcoat
to ll the hollows.
Sanding down
Remember to wear a mask when
sanding, and dont get the dust on
your skin if the epoxy is not fully
cured. For heavy sanding move
up through the grades, starting
with coarse say 50 grit and
moving upwards.
If its really hard you can use
a surform to get the worst off,
followed by a random-orbit sander
or fairing board. Fairing boards
are useful because you can apply
plenty of pressure but still follow
the shape of the hull.
Aluminium oxide paper is better
for coarse sanding, followed by
120-280-grade wet and dry to nish
it off. When youve sanded back
youll probably see more voids
which you need to ll.
When the surface is at last fair
you then apply a couple of coats of
resin/hardener mix and allow this to
cure before a nal sanding. Finish
off with conventional coatings to
protect the epoxy from damaging
UV sunlight.
Use a smooth spreader to apply
the fairing mix in thin layers to
build up the hollows and smooth
to shape
When cured, abrade the fairing compound to
the prole you require
Fairing and coating with epoxy
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 55
BELOW For large
areas a fairing board
can be used. This
3M Hookit board
measures 30in long
by 4in wide (760 x
100mm) and takes
114mm x 762mm
Hookit abrasive
sheets. These boards
are also very handy
for quickly sanding
down large sheets of
plywood when they
have been epoxy-
coated in preparation
for a project such as
building a dinghy or
making a bulkhead
If youve used a notched spreader,
a small amount of fairing compound
will ll the furrows
Epoxy ller can be faired quickly with a random-orbit sander
Epoxy ller was used to repair crazed gelcoat on the PBO Project Boat
softwood timber or PVC piping.
How much fairing compound is
required will obviously depend on
the job, but as a rough guide one
litre of ller spread evenly over an
area of a square metre will produce
an average of about 1mm
thickness. Written-down gures are
hard to guesstimate when putting
56 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Coating
with
epoxy
B
efore moving on to the
subject of epoxy coating,
a few words of caution
are in order. When considering
epoxy resin as a coating, the
rst thing which might spring to
mind is the use of it as a barrier
coating for osmosis repair in
GRP craft.
However, if signicant gelcoat
blistering has taken place consult
an expert before considering
using epoxy as a DIY remedy.
You can do the job yourself (see
how one reader tackled it in DIY
osmosis repair, PBO December
2012) but osmosis treatment is
a specialist subject beyond the
scope of this beginners guide.
You might also think of epoxy
coating as a bit of a cure all to
revitalise or restore old wooden
boats, but there are some horror
stories resulting from when,
literally, the rot has set in as a
consequence of these materials
not being used properly.
Epoxy should only be used to
coat timber if that timber has been
properly prepared, is completely
dry and if you are able to
encapsulate every bit of it. You cant
coat the outside of a wooden boat
and leave the inside, or any parts,
untreated because the untreated
timber will continue to absorb
moisture and shrink and expand.
On an old boat the only way to
do this would be to take the boat
apart and then rebuild it again it
has been done, but requires
enormous commitment.
Epoxy should also not be used
to coat boats where movement
between planks is expected:
epoxy is a rigid thermoplastic not
designed to shrink and expand.
The coating will fail and the
moisture trapped as a result will
inevitably cause rot. Only exible
coatings should be used over
traditionally-built boats.
Accentuate
the positive
Now weve looked at what not
to do, let me say that an epoxy
coating will give you an excellent,
durable, abrasion-resistant
waterproof surface for many varied
projects provided an appropriate
UV nish is also used.
Before coating an entire boat
such as a new home-built
dinghy, for example, its worth
considering whether a traditional
paint nish would be just as
adequate, cheaper, lighter and
less time-consuming.
If you do decide to go for coating
then epoxy is ideal when used on
new, dry timber and for boats
designed to be coated and
sheathed when they are built.
Well look at sheathing in the
next article. There are many strip-
planked, plywood, cold-moulded
or glued clinker boats where
using epoxy is integral to their
construction, and these
designs have revitalised
amateur boatbuilding.
Coating not only applies to hulls
and decks but also component
parts like rudders or centreboards. I
would recommend, though, that
with coating as with bonding,
demonstrated in the last issue it is
best to start on a small-scale project
rst: see the battery box project on
page 58.
Solvent or not?
For coating, as with fairing,
standard solvent-free epoxies are
normally used, but there are
solvent-based epoxies available for
high-specication projects.
The standard solvent-free epoxies
give better waterproong and
abrasion resistance and have
stronger adhesive properties so
they increase panel stiffness. They
PRACTICAL
also have better gap-lling
properties and only a few coats are
required to give good protection.
However, they do have a shorter
pot life than solvent-based epoxies
which offer a longer working time
over a big area. Solvent-based
systems also offer better light
stability and clarity, while another
advantage is that they behave more
like a two-part paint or varnish
Make your own foam-roller brush
A
n excellent way to smooth an epoxy coating after its applied by roller or brush is to
make yourself a dragging tool from a cut-up foam roller. Get several of these ready
before you start because a new foam head will be required to smooth each coating.
1
Take a 75mm (3in) thin
urethane foam roller and slice
it in half using a ne-tooth saw (a
hacksaw will do). Alternatively you
can use longer 175mm (7in)
rollers, cut them into two or three
shorter tubes and then slice these
in half lengthwise.
2
Prepare a short wooden
handle about 150mm (6in)
long and around 1in (25mm)
square. Make an angled saw cut
in one end approximately 6mm
(
1
4in) deep. A standard tenon saw
gives a good width of cut.
3
You can now slot the foam
heads into the handle as
required. Make sure the internal
plastic sleeve in the roller is a
snug t in the slot so it doesnt
fall out as you use it.
A new-build dinghy is an ideal candidate for epoxy coating
Use a
temperature
and humidity
meter to
ensure the
environment
is suitable
for epoxy
work
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 57
Fairing and coating with epoxy
requiring less skill to apply well
and achieving a atter nish with
each coat.
Low-build solvent-based epoxy
systems give a very smooth nish
and could be considered for
interior use of tting out where
fewer coats would be required.
However, they go on thinner
and you will need to double
the amount of coats applied
and consequently extend
drying times. They have
a longer pot life and
are more tolerant of
lower temperatures,
but they can shrink on
curing by at least 50% and dont
hide imperfections as well. The
chances of a coating blistering
through solvent entrapment are
increased and can lead to a
semi-cured coating.
Solvent-based epoxies cannot
be used as glues.
And then of course there are the
fumes that make them unpleasant
to use so here well just
concentrate on standard epoxies.
The right environment
Before starting to coat it all comes
down to preparation. We want
clean, dry timber (wood is
strongest and stiffest when dry)
and previous coatings have to
come off.
Temperature is critical and the
working environment needs to be
warm and dry so that the epoxy
ows nicely as you apply it. You
can get away with local heating on
an area if youre bonding but if
youre coating a hull, the air
temperature in the workshop
should ideally be between 15C
and 25C. (Note that unvented
propane heaters can inhibit epoxy
cure if unburned hydrocarbons are
present in the atmosphere.)
At low temperatures the
handling and cure characteristics
of the epoxy will prove a problem
and the viscosity of the resin
becomes thicker when its cold.
Humidity should not be more
than 85% and you should avoid
subjecting materials to sudden
extremes of temperature.
Give cold timber plenty of time to
warm up. If you decide to take the
boat outside on a sunny day to
coat it then warm expanding air
from the timber will form bubbles in
the freshly-applied coating surface.
In hotter weather also remember
to use a slow hardener.
After temperature the next
consideration is the moisture
content and with timber this
shouldnt be above 12%. There are
various types of moisture meter
available. There is a sensor which
has two probes that go into the
timber to give surface readings, the
other is a capacitance meter which
can record moisture levels up to
8-10mm deep. Thicker timber may
have moisture inside it.
Simple sanding down can give
you a good idea of timber moisture
content because if the paper
clogs the wood is too damp. If the
workshop is very damp, consider
a dehumidier because amine
blush (a wax-like by-product on
curing) is more pronounced in a
cold, damp environment.
Applying a coat
For coating use the standard mix
ratios of the resin and hardener as
given for bonding. When coating,
llers or additives arent required,
but you can use a small amount of
colloidal silica to prevent sag in
awkward overhead areas.
When the resin is thoroughly
mixed it can be applied by brush
for small or awkward areas, or a
roller for large areas.
Spraying is not an option as
epoxy is difcult to atomise and
airborne particles of epoxy are a
health hazard.
Brushes usually coat thicker
than rollers: normally when epoxy
coating youd apply two coats with
a brush or three coats with a roller.
On a at surface, a good tip is to
use a squeegee to spread out the
resin to dissipate heat and cover a
large area quickly, then smooth it
with a brush or roller.
High-density disposable rollers
are ideal for coating and allow
you to lay down a controlled lm
thickness of epoxy. These rollers
consist of a thin layer of foam on a
stiff bre backing. If you use a
normal soft low-density foam roller
you can put air into the coating.
For component parts, like a
centreboard case, you can coat
items in batches but remember
that youll have to nd space to
leave things to dry. A large
structure like a hull should be
coated when fully assembled.
Dont spread the epoxy on too
thickly as this will leave craters. Roll
or brush lengthwise and crosswise
to ensure a nice even coat. Then
smooth the coating using a
dragging tool this also removes
air bubbles left by a roller (see
Make your own foam-roller brush,
opposite page).
Make sure the initial coating
encapsulates all the wood and go
over areas that look like theyre
drying too quickly.
How much resin is absorbed will
depend on the type of timber and
its grain, but as with coating youll
nd the end grain will absorb a lot
more resin.
Coverage rates vary, but West
System quote about 35 sq ft per
pound of mixed resin for coating
(around 3.25 sq m per half kilo).
Depending on how much time
you have, you can let the coats
cure and then sand down between
applications. When sanding
between coats, abrade the surface
lightly by hand or use a pad sander.
Ultimately quicker and easier,
and with good results, is to apply
epoxy wet on wet: when a coat of
resin becomes tacky and starts to
cure, you immediately roll on
another coat. This eliminates the
need for messy sanding and
cleaning up between coats.
Blemishes and blush
You may come across sh eyes
in the nished coating. If you see
them while the resin is curing they
can be brushed out.
These can occur because you
havent sanded down properly
during preparation, or they can
be caused by the wrong mix
ratios, direct heat from the sun or
surface contaminants.
In cooler temperatures, and if the
surface still feels tacky after its
coated, this is due to the surface
by-product of amine blush which
needs to be removed. Wet sanding
is the best way to deal with this it
not only gets rid of the blush but
prepares the surface nicely for the
next coat or painting or varnishing.
Ultimate protection
Epoxy will break down under long
exposure to sunlight, so all epoxy-
coated surfaces that will be
exposed to UV light must
themselves be protected.
Traditional marine paints or
varnishes can be used, but
two-pack systems are the ideal.
Although two-packs are expensive
youll save money because the
epoxy coating will itself already
have produced a high build and
protection so youll need fewer
coats of two-pack, and the epoxy
keeps the moisture content in the
wood under control, leading to a
longer life for the coating.
Paint manufacturers will tell you
that if there are any failures in paint
systems over epoxy coatings its
pretty well always due to applicator
error. The big paint companies
have technical helplines so use
them if youre in any doubt about
what paints or primers are suitable
for protecting your epoxy coating.

Cheap,
disposable
brushes
usually cost
less than the
solvent youd
need to clean
them for re-use
If brushes shed bristles,
try pinching the metal
collar tighter
Rollers, plastic spreaders and a paint tray essential tools for
epoxy coating and fairing
58 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
PRACTICAL
NEXT MONTH Sheathing and
laminating. Missed parts one and two?
Call the Copy Service on 01202 440832
The completed epoxy
coating provides a durable, waterproof nish.
Once it is fully cured, paint or varnish should be
applied after rst lightly abrading the surface
Epoxy-coating
a battery box
A
n epoxy coating will give a
durable, waterproof surface
to this plywood battery box (I
showed how to make it in PBO last
month). Im using new timber here
but remember that any surface must
be free of contaminants such as oil
or grease before applying epoxy.
When coating components, plan in
advance how you can treat all the
surfaces but still leave it to dry without
affecting the coating too much.
For example, when coating rudders or
daggerboards I have put temporary
xings in one edge to literally hang them
out to dry. Here I placed some wooden
battens on the bench to raise the edges
of the pieces off the workbench slightly
and prevent the coated edges sticking
to the work surface as the epoxy cures.
Plastic parcel tape stuck on the battens
would make them even more non-stick.
1
Ensure the working area is well prepared,
with everything to hand so you can work
systematically. Make sure you have plenty of
light to work in.
2
Mix the resin and hardener accurately and
then decant it into a larger vessel such as
a paint tray to give you the extended working
time required for coating.
3
Use a brush in awkward areas and ensure
the whole surface is coated well. Pay
particular attention to internal angles which are
easily missed.
4
A high-density thin foam roller is used on
larger areas and will quickly produce a
thin, even coat.
5
After the roller, tip off the coating with the
home-made foam brush dragging tool to
smooth the surface and remove air bubbles.
6
Pay particular attention to vertical surfaces
where runs might occur and use the foam
brush to remove them.
7
When the previous coat feels tacky the
next coat can be applied so it goes on
wet on wet. If its left to dry then it must be
abraded before the next coat. Two or three
coats form an effective barrier.
8
When applying each coat, work the roller
both horizontally and vertically with an
overlapping motion.
9
Tip off each coat and use a new head in
the foam brush for each new coat.
DIY PROJECT
STEP
BY
STEP
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 59
I
m a great fan of rigid
tenders. They row
and motor better, last
longer outdoors and
are often considerably
cheaper than their inatable
alternatives. While an
inatable is invaluable to
have aboard on cruises, a
good little rigid dinghy can
be much more convenient to
leave on the hard for regular
use such as getting in and
out to and from a mooring.
But while the weight and
lack of portability of a rigid
dinghy can be seen as a
positive advantage when it
comes to deterring thieves,
it can be downright awkward
when you do need to move
it about on dry land.
My regular tender is
Mahogany Bob, a 4.3m (14ft)
LH Walker Tideway dinghy that
will turn 50 years old next year.
She gets admiring glances
everywhere she goes, but the
price we pay for that is the
maintenance. She has to come
home at least once a year for
rubbing down and varnishing,
which involves turning her over
as well as swapping between
road trailer and launching
trolley. While there seem to be
plenty of takers for a trip upriver
with picnic baskets on a June
day, when its November and
she needs hauling onto her
road trailer in the drizzle, for
some reason I often seem to be
doing that bit on my own. She
weighs well over 100kg and is
almost 1.8m (6ft) wide, so I
have collected a few heaving
tips that are transferable to
any small boat.
For boat owners, a rigid or semi-rigid tender is
often the heaviest and most awkward-shaped
object we have to move about on land, especially
if we end up having to do it on our own. Jake Frith
has some tips and tricks to make life a little easier
Shove
me tender
Never underestimate the value of a front
dolly wheel on the launching trolley of
anything much bigger than a Topper.
My boat has almost no nose weight as
she is perfectly balanced on her trolley.
However, that trivial weight makes a
tremendous difference when you are trying
to pull her up a slipway as well as lift her bow
off the ground. With a nose wheel I can get
back to the transom and heave her along
with my full body weight behind her.
After some years with a swivelling nose
wheel on the trolley, Ive settled on a xed
one now. The swivelling ones seemed to
point the wrong way at inopportune
moments, and the hard pushing part (up a
slippery slipway) is all in a straight line
anyway. Its actually miles better as it stays
dead straight when I need it to, then when
Im parking the boat on the at surface of
the dinghy park I can just push down
slightly on the transom to lift the front wheel
to steer the boat. Towsure currently sell
these for 16.95 for a xed one and 17.95
for a swivel one: search www.towsure.com
for Trailer Castor Wheel. Just budget a few
pounds extra for a solid rubber-tyred wheel
to replace the standard pneumatic one,
which has a cheap Chinese tyre that will
fail after six months sunlight.
A third wheel
Moving a rigid tender

Getting a rigid tender

or rowing boat into
and out of the water by
yourself can be easier
with a few tricks up
your sleeve
Pushing is easier if your trolley has a xed
rather than castored nose wheel
This really is an absolute last-ditch
technique for when you cannot get
a heavy boat up the slipway on
your own and the place is deserted
of anybody likely to help.
In fact, one of the most effective
features of this method is that it
looks so absurdly hard and
long-winded that anyone who does
pass by will more than likely take
pity and offer you a push.
Heres a quick little tool I
knocked up in about an hour to
help make steep slips a doddle.
Portable winches have been
available for years: however, they
are expensive, heavy, corrosion-
prone and designed for winching
cars and the like, so theyre
massively over-engineered for
whats required here. They also
dont have the real benet of a
yacht winch, which does not
PRACTICAL
Using a DIY portable boat ramp winch
have a captive line, so any line can
immediately be positioned on it at
any point on that line. This makes it
quicker and easier to set up and
start winching, especially if your
boat already has a long bow line.
My device is simply a Barton
plastic yacht winch I had spare, a
winch handle and a cheap plastic
cleat, all bolted to a bit of scaffold
plank. The only real tip I would give
is to ensure you bolt the winch base
on an angled wedge, as I have
done. Because the trolleys towing
point will be higher than the winch,
mounting it without a wedge to
angle it would result in an immediate
riding turn on the winch. An old
halyard or similar low-stretch line
makes for a perfect winching rope.
My winch on a plank has a hole
at the back of the plank for tying it
to any handy stationary object (tree,
car etc) somewhere behind, but as
That said, it does work and has
got me out of trouble a few times,
so its always worth remembering
for when the chips are down.
You chock the wheels in turn and
then pull the nose of the boat round
the chocked wheel to about 45
from the intended direction of travel.
You then move the other chock up
under the uphill wheel then repeat
but Ive moved a ton of
trailer-sailer and trailer up a
hill using this method.
If you have no chocks with
you, blocks of wood or even a
couple of wedge-shaped stones
off the beach can work ne.
A swivel dolly wheel helps,
especially if your boat has a lot
of nose weight on her trolley.
Chocking wheels up a steep slip
my local slip has a sharp edge at
the top Ive also bolted on some
short steel legs at the back to
grip over this edge. Because I
also kneel on the plank to keep it
in place, I stapled a bit of carpet
on top for comfort. Ironically,
these staples have
uncomfortably worked their way
out of the carpet and into my
knee on several occasions.
It works extraordinarily well,
but would be massively
improved by a self-tailing winch.
Mind you, if I had a spare
self-tailer Id be bolting it to my
boat rather than an old plank.
As an alternative take on the
same theme, If you are using a
road trailer with a boat winch on
it, you can sometimes exit the
winch strap or wire forwards out
of the winch to a xed point on
the slip and pull the boat up
with its own trailer winch.
the other side, and so on.
Providing your boat is longer
than it is wide (I hope it is), the
turning leverage you can exert
on the trolley along its length will
move even a very heavy boat up
a steep hill. Each pull of the trolley
nose across the slip pulls the boat
up about 18in in the desired
direction so it takes a while,
Place chock behind wheel, then haul trailer sideways before chocking the other wheel. Repeat. Many times.
Swing the boat from side to side,
chocking alternate wheels
MAIN A portable winch makes
light work of hauling the boat
up a slope
INSET LEFT Winch close-up
60 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Chock
positions
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 61
Whether we need to turn over a
wooden boat to varnish her, or
were turning a GRP boat upside
down for the winter to keep her
free of rainwater and jetsam, its
worth thinking about how were
going to manage before we
launch into it. For many years I
lifted the boat to the balance point
then gingerly crept round to the
other side, rushing underneath
at the last minute to lower her
down. This resulted in dropping
a few boats, usually with no
harm done other than the odd
detached thwart, but it looked
pretty unprofessional.
A far better method is to use a
prop. Ensuring shes adequately
padded wherever she will touch
if on a hard surface, lift her up,
being careful at the start to bend
This isnt the simple reverse of
sliding her off the trolley. We
begin by parking the trolley
in front with the bows of the
boat centralised and right up
against the vee of the trolley.
As there will be an element of
sliding involved, some soapy
water on the trolley pads will
help the boat slip much more
easily. Were going to be lifting
the bows of the boat, so once
again something comfortable
to get hold of will help greatly.
In my case its the previously
mentioned webbing strap
through the bow eyebolt, but
there are many options.
You want to create a grab point
low down on the boat so you
can lift her with your legs, using
Moving a rigid tender
Lifting the boat onto a trolley or trailer
Turning
her over
Assuming you have a reasonably
balanced trolley or trailer, this is one
of the easiest operations here. If
you are on a hard surface
remember to pad the parts of the
boat that will touch, especially the
heel of the transom which will hit
the ground rst. Removable rubber
oor mats and boot liners from the
car make for excellent temporary
ground pads.
Its usually best to make no
attempt at pushing the boat
backwards on its trolley or trailer
rst. Simply lift the handle of the
trolley or nose of the trailer until the
heel of the transom hits the ground,
then pull the trolley or trailer out
while still lifting it so the rear of the
boat stays put on the ground. As
as straight an arm as possible.
Usually the bow tting at gunwale
level is too high, meaning you will
need to bend your arms a lot to lift
the boat high enough, which can
be uncomfortable or impossible.
A wide, grippy strap
If your boat has a deep, sharp
forefoot, then you can often use a
wide, grippy strap just placed under
the bow itself. A webbing strap
placed inside a length of bicycle
inner tube can grip very well.
Lift standing in front of the trolley
axle, so that once the boat is high
enough you can use one foot to
push the trailer under the boat,
enough so that the boat will stay
temporarily with the bows on the
trailer. It is usually far easier to
from your legs, not your back. As
she nears the balance point she
will lighten appreciably. Grab a
suitable prop: something
between 3ft and 5ft long will be
best, depending on the boat. I
ensure the prop is at my feet
when commencing the lift so its
easy to reach down and grab it
while still holding the boat up
with the other hand. You can
then prop her up somewhere
close to the middle where you
were lifting and walk leisurely
round to the other side. Its then
easy to pull her over past the
balance point and lower her
down onto the new side. The
prop will fall onto or into the
boat, so if you are worried about
damage use a light prop that is
well padded along its length.
Getting the boat off
a trolley or trailer
you reach the front of the boat, the
point where the curve of the bow
means she is about to drop off the
back of the trolley, you have two
choices. On grass with a light,
strong boat, you can just keep
going: the front of the boat will drop
to the ground with no risk of harm.
With a heavier or more fragile
tender its not worth the risk, so
move to the back of the trolley and
lift the bow down from the trolley
while kicking the trolley away with
a spare foot. I tie a temporary
webbing loop through the bow
eyebolt as its at the right height to
provide a useful, comfortable
handle for lowering the boat in a
controlled manner.
push the trolley or trailer under the
boat than to drag the boat forwards
onto the trolley while also lifting it. If
your trolley wont scoot under due
to having no dolly wheel at the
nose you can place the nose of the
trailer on a skid of some sort such
as a plank, or put it on a temporary
log roll of fenders.
Once the bow is on the trolley,
chock the wheels so the trolley
cannot move forwards. You should
then be able to lift and shove the
boat onto the trolley from her
transom. If the trolley pads are
still sticky, a bit of sawing her from
side to side will help get her on.
If your trolley handle
is below the bow of the boat it
can be difcult to see if you are
pushing in line. In that case, a
Lift the boat, then shove
the trailer underneath
INSET ABOVE
Rubber car mat
protects the stern
from the ground
LEFT Lowering the
bow from the trailer
... to then gently lay her down
on the ground
Use a prop to hold
the boat up while
you amble round
the other side...
garden cane pushed into the
ground at the nose of the trolley
or taped to the trolley handle
upright can give you a visual
aiming point.
Webbing loop
through eyebolt
62 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
New Gear
Jefa wheel disengagement
system
Aztec Marine will
be demonstrating
the new Jefa wheel
disengagement
steering unit at
stand G144 in the
Ocean Hall at the
Southampton Boat
Show. The innovative
unit, nominated for a
2013 DAME design
award, can be used
in all Jefa WP700-WP900 cable steering pedestals.
On yachts equipped with twin wheel steering, the
helmsman experiences the inertia of the unused wheel, and
when sailing on autopilot both wheels have to be powered
up and down continuously, causing high power
consumption and wear.
Jefas integral disengagement steering unit enables the
helmsman to easily disengage the unused wheel from the
mechanical steering system.
Disengagement units in steering wheel hubs already
exist, but are expensive: the steering wheel hub is
invariably bulky and really only usable on big, stainless
steel double-spoked wheels. The Jefa unit is integrated into
the steering pedestal, and is easily operated by rotating a
brake knob on the steering wheel boss.
The invention aims to boost safety due to the non-rotating
wheel(s) under autopilot, and means there is no
unnecessary energy loss and steering system wear.
It is retrottable to all Jefa cable steering pedestals, and
costs 236 (n295) for a new system or 560 (n699) for a
retrot unit.
www.jefa.com www.aztecmarine.co.uk
Hypro Marine
offerings
Hypro Marine makes its debut
appearance at Southampton Boat
Show with a number of new items on
its stand, D064 in the Windward Hall.
Among them will be LEHR propane
outboards ranging from 2.5hp to 15hp. These run on standard propane such as the
popular 465g (16.4oz) camping bottles (2.5hp and 5hp) or the larger portable gas bottles
as a remote fuel option for all models. (PBO tested two of these outboards: see page 47)
Takacat inatables will also be exhibited. These new roll-up inatable boats are inspired
by catamaran design for better stability, speed and safety. Sizes range from 2.2m to 3.4m
for the inatables with air-decks and 3.4m to 4.6m for the rigid inatables.
Lectrotab electro-mechanical trim tabs will also be on show: patented designs in the
actuator prevent any water ingress so they come with a lifetime guarantee. Trim tabs are in
marine-grade 6005-T5 aluminium alloy or 12-gauge stainless steel, and are available in
any size with single or dual actuators.
www.hypromarine.com www.lehruk.com
Sail-Gen water-
driven turbine
Eclectic Energys range of renewable
energy generators, including the
DuoGen and the D400, aim to provide
energy security while reducing reliance
on fossil fuels. The compact Sail-Gen
water generator comprises a rigid welded
aluminium frame with carbon bre
driveshaft and cast alloy impeller. At passage speeds of 5-6 knots the Sail-Gen is
claimed to be capable of matching a yachts typical power consumption, negating the
need to run the engine to charge batteries. Available in 12V and 24V models, the
Sail-Gen retails at 1,990.
Find Sail-Gen at the Eclectic Energy stand G028 in Ocean Hall.
www.sail-gen.com
Laura Hodgetts reports on new products
being launched at the Southampton Boat
Show, 12-21 September 2014
BoatBox car roof
box/dinghy
It takes an enthusiast to look at a
car roof box and see a boat, but
thats exactly what entrepreneur
Mark Tilley did three years ago.
Mark has now teamed up with
house, garden and leisure retailer
In-Excess to produce a version
of his BoatBox which can be
assembled at home. We tried
this latest model, the LeisureTour
(priced at 999-1,049), in Pooles
Holes Bay, near the PBO ofce.
As a roof box, BoatBox has one of
the largest capacities on the market
at 650lt 20lt more than the largest
offering from the best-known
competitor. This is partly because
BoatBox is 11cm deeper, gaining
buoyancy but inevitably increasing
air drag. The base ts easily to
your roof bars with U-clamps, and
cleverly retains the paddles and
thwart in the moulding. When its
time to go aoat you unclip the top
(the clips on one side can operate
as clips or hinges, enabling you to
open the box on the car roof), turn
it over, t the thwart and trundle it
down the slip on the integral
launching wheel.
On the water, a big roof box
becomes a very small dinghy.
Under engine (an electric outboard
is optional, and the battery stows
neatly under the thwart) the box
shifts along quite zippily, but under
oars the paddles are a bit short, and
if you catch a crab the boat rocks
alarmingly. With two adults on board
its too cosy, but for one adult (or
perhaps two children) it works well.
Theres enough integral buoyancy
that it not only wont sink but will
also allow you to climb back in:
and although such a small craft
inevitably feels slightly unstable, the
chines support the boat just when
youre sure youre going swimming.
www.boatboxint.com
Verdict
Its not as good as a dedicated
dinghy, but its a practical roof
box and could give you that
on-water x if youre dragged
away from your boat to go
camping, or it could keep the
kids out of mischief for an hour
or two. Mark is planning an
even bigger box, perhaps with
a sailing rig watch this space.
David Pugh
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 63
New gear
Habitent Sirocco cockpit enclosure
Habitent will be exhibiting a prototype of their Sirocco unit at Southampton Boat Show. The
Sirocco is a ready-made cockpit enclosure, smaller than the standard Habitent, which offers
an awning solution for most boats with or without a side deck. The Sirocco has an overall
length of 3.25m and is suitable for boats with a stern spanning between 1-1.6m, so the
Habitent range with its universal t design will have something for most boats with sterns
between 1-2.4m. The Sirocco particularly suits boats such as Swallow, Drascombe, Impala,
Cobra, Crabber, Shrimper etc. See the Habitent prototype on stand B016 in the Holiday Inn
area. Sirocco price to be conrmed: the current Habitent sells at 360.
www.habitent.com
Windvane self-steering often simply
called vane gears can relieve
skippers almost entirely of the effort
of long periods at the helm and
provide a silent alternative to an
electric automatic pilot.
According to www.jesterinfo.org,
windvane steering was rst
developed as a practical device for
model yacht races in the early 1930s.
It was not until 1955 that effective
vane gears appeared on full-size
yachts Ian Majors Buttercup and
Michael Hendersons Mick the Miller.
When Blondie Hasler originated
the Observer Single-handed
Transatlantic Races, it gave a great
boost to vane gear development.
Blondie started developing vane
gears in 1953. The Trim Tab
system was the rst to be perfected,
incorporating a differential linkage to
eliminate the over-steering tendency
of earlier gears.
Haslers invention of the Pendulum
Servo system in 1961 enabled yachts
with counter sterns to be steered
effectively in all conditions without
needing complicated modications
to the rudder and rudder stock.
Subsequently, the 57ft ketch Sir
Thomas Lipton, winner of the 1968
single-handed Transatlantic Race,
used a BP1 Hasler Gear and was
only steered manually for 12 hours
during her record-breaking passage
between Plymouth in the UK and
Newport, Rhode Island.
The rst commercially-
produced Hasler
Pendulum Servo Gear
was sold in May 1962
and the rst Trim Tab
gear in March 1963.
By December 1970,
more than 600 gears
had been supplied to
yachts all over the world.
Henri Lloyd Fast-dri Silver range
Next-to-skin technology has seen rapid advances in recent years. The new Henri Lloyd
Fast-dri Silver range is promised to deliver improved comfort and performance levels with
great looks. The lightweight, breathable and easy-care Fast-dri fabric is designed to wick
perspiration away from the skin, ensuring comfort over prolonged periods. All Fast-dri Silver
products offer UV protection in the range of 30-50 (50 being the maximum) a plain white
cotton T-shirt only offers UV protection of 5 when wet.
An anti-microbial treatment utilises silver ion technology
which repels bacteria and helps to reduce body odour
when the garments are used for prolonged periods of
activity. The range features polo shirts, long- and short-
sleeved Ts in mens and womens styles, in various sizes
and the colours of red, optical white, marine and black.
Prices range from 25 for T-shirts to 38 for polo shirts.
Henri Lloyds technical marine range will be exhibited at
Southampton Boat Show via marine retailers Force 4 (Stands
B017/ D092), Marine Superstore (F006), Andark Diving (F001),
Marine Store (E066), P&B (J054) and Cruising Association
(J102), with Henri Lloyd staff on hand to offer advice.
www.henrilloyd.com
Celebrate YOUR Classic Kit!
What has served you well?
Email pbo@ipcmedia.com CLASSIC KIT
Hasler Self Steering wind vane
Elliot
Brown
watches
Here at PBO, a brimming biscuit
tin notwithstanding, few things
excite us more than quality
engineering, elegantly functional
design and a homespun success story.
Cue Elliot Brown, based two miles from the PBO ofce
in Poole. The company was formed when Animal
co-founder Ian Elliot and horologist Alex Brown
pledged to design a collection of watches offering
unprecedented integrity, durability and value within the
325-600 price range. Accordingly, their Canford and
Bloxworth watches, available in a variety of styles and
case nishes, combine discreetly attractive looks with
a stoical toughness unmatched outside of the Bourne
lm franchise. So condent are the makers of their
products unyielding construction that each watch
is essentially tortured before it can pass muster:
pressure-tested twice to 20 atmospheres and smartly
biffed by a 3kg hammer on a pendulum, for starters.
Even the straps are subjected to merciless scrutiny: a
YouTube video shows Ian Elliot cheerfully hanging off
a crane by a Bloxworth watchstrap.
www.elliotbrownwatches.com
Verdict
At 325, my test watch, the Canford 202-003, is at the
cheapest end of the range. Nevertheless, its a thing of
subtle, rugged beauty: I often found myself lovingly
staring at it like a slack-jawed ruminant, willing people
to ask me the time so I could brandish it with a quite
unnecessary ourish. I inadvertently bashed it several
times with a drumstick during band rehearsals, so the
shock-absorbing steel cage within the case evidently
works well. As regards its waterproong, I pulled out
the triple-sealed crowns while messily scrubbing the
PBO Project Boats sails then did so again in a scalding
bath thereafter, but no water penetrated the case.
Sufce to say, Im rather smitten. Marco Rossi
seateach.com
Info@seateach.com
j
D1B43 375 774
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Find us at 5outhampton Boat 5how - Ocean Hall 5tand GD1D
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70 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Great ideas and tips from PBO readers
Practical projects
Email your projects and tips to pbo@ipcmedia.com
or write to us at the address at the top of page 5.
We pay at least 30 for each one published
W
hen checking out the
boats at Southampton
Boat Show sitting in
the cockpits and studying the
interior layouts I look for
inspiration for improvements
to my Four 21 yacht Opal Spray.
On one yacht of a similar size
I found a very attractive cockpit
where the seating was angled so
that when the boat was sailing
and heeling, the seating position
was nearly horizontal.
A
nyone who sails knows the problem of
making drinks under way. Gimbals are ne
for stoves, but impractical for supporting a
tray that can be moved around the boat.
To overcome the problem I made a slanting tray
using UPVC foam board and some spare nylon
blocks which I had lying around. It could just as
easily be made using offcuts of wood.
The cut-outs are designed to hold tankard-type
mugs which have a wide, stable base, and they
stand on the central layer. The large hole holds a
plate steady.
If youre so inclined
Mike Rossiter makes a
well-heeled drinks tray
Looking for a more comfortable sailing
experience, James Brooking builds
booster seats for his cockpit
COST
60
emergency. I contemplated inserting
grab handles but this would
complicate things, so I decided that
a strap could be tted afterwards.
The sheet was cut to form a base
and the offcut shaped to provide
the contour I required. The foam is
easy to cut with a sharp, thin-bladed
knife and can be smoothed with a
Surform plane or a sanding disc, but
protection from the dust is needed.
The foam is strong enough to sit
on so tests can be carried out to
see if the cut shape is comfortable.
For durability and appearance I
wanted to encapsulate the foam in
a GRP layup: I made a trial sample
to ensure the foam would not be
melted by the resin. The result was
satisfactory: there was a little
The template for the seat prole
This drinks tray was made
from UPVC and nylon blocks
The cockpit of Opal Spray with the booster seats in situ
erosion, but not enough to distort
the shape. I used a combined mat: a
woven mat with chopped strand on
one side. This would give enough
strength and only need one layup.
Without using a mould I felt it
would be hard to get a nish to
match the cockpit colour, but a
gelcoat owcoat
was the answer. I
ordered it
pre-coloured.
I laid up the
top, front and
back rst, let it
harden then
turned the seat
over and
nished off the base and ends.
When this was set the edges were
smoothed and a strip of 50mm tape
applied to seal the joints. The nish
depends on careful sanding and
removing all dust: tack-free wipes
were used as a nal wipe-over.
The topcoat can be applied like a
thick paint: I applied it in stages so
the seats didnt have to be handled.
Some undulations could still be
seen after the topcoat had set, so
the surface was sanded to remove
high spots before a second
application of topcoat.
I spent around 120, but only
used half the materials. The rest can
be saved for another job.
Opal Spray has at seating that
gets uncomfortable after long
periods at the helm. To overcome
this Id made two 4in-thick foam
cushions, but when sitting my view
ahead was obscured for some
distance by the cabin roof. This was
not a problem out at sea, but made
life tricky coming onto moorings.
During the winter lay-up I looked
at ways of raising the seat and also
changing its prole. After
determining that an increase of
2-4in in height would be suitable, I
made a rudimentary seat from
wood offcuts to see if I was on the
right track, and then bought a child
booster cushion made of
polystyrene. Having a bigger
posterior than a child I reshaped it
to something more comfortable,
then had a prole I could replicate.
Still looking for a suitable material
from which to make the seats, I saw
some 120 x 50 x 6cm blocks of roof
insulation foam in a builders
merchants. The foam is light but
strong and does not give easily to
nger pressure. I realised that if I
made seats from this material theyd
make good buoyancy aids in an
The foam core was covered with a GRP layup
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 71
Spice pot lids
are the perfect
size to cover
the transom
shower
ttings
Practical projects
Readers Tips
H
aving upgraded from a
Hurley 22 to a Westerly
Griffon we now have a cockpit
locker that can easily swallow
whatever we throw into it.
The problem is, everything
seems to gravitate to the bottom
or drift into the great big void
astern of the water tank.
A previous owner had xed a
few hooks inside: however, these
are too small to take thick lines
and, as theyre made from mild
steel, are slowly rusting away.
BOTTLE THAT
IDEA!
I
needed to
anchor
overnight in the
outer harbour
at Ilfracombe in
order to catch
the morning
tide, and it is a
requirement that an
anchor light is displayed.
I normally hang a hurricane
lamp from the rigging but on
this occasion I didnt have it
with me, so I improvised a light
from a Maglite torch, a plastic
bottle, kitchen foil oating in
a few inches of water, and
insulating tape.
The foil in the bottle reected
the light with the movement of the
boat (but Im sure white paper
would have worked as well).
It was necessary to cut the lid
off the bottle so that the torch just
tted and judicious placement of
the tape allowed the light to be
KITCHEN RAIL LOCKER TIDY
IS A GREAT IKEA IDEA
COST
3.50
A visit to IKEA yielded the
answer in the form of a Grundtal
stainless steel kitchen utensil
rail, available in 40cm, 59cm
or 80cm lengths. We selected
the 59cm version and screwed
this to a block of wood just inside
the locker.
Now we can secure the ends of
fender lines, bucket lanyards etc
with a simple hitch round the rail,
keeping everything in control and
easy to extract in a hurry.
Jerry Armitage
Putting a lid on it
Ivan Barnetson puts spice pot lids to a new
use as transom shower tting covers
COST
ABOUT
4
H
aving made polished
stainless steel bezels
for my Nimbus 280C
motorboats cockpit lights from
the bottom sections of two Indian
spice pots (PBO March 2014), I
next found a use for the lids.
The soft hinge tabs of the rubber
caps for my yachts transom
shower and cold water tap had
broken: the caps were barely held
in place and at risk of falling out.
The exteriors of the plastic ttings
were also showing their age, but as
the shower head, piping and cold
water tap were still in very good
condition and worked perfectly,
replacement was not warranted.
The pot lids proved to be the
perfect diameter to cover the plastic
ttings, but rst I needed to nd a
means of swinging them out of the
way when the shower was in use.
I tried to locate a pair of suitably
small stainless steel hinges on
the internet and at boat jumbles but
without success, eventually settling
on two chrome-plated cranked
brass hinges instead.
I carefully bent the ends of the
cranked arms of each hinge to
follow the contour of the lids, then
used masking tape to x the hinges
and lids together on a at piece of
wood so that I could mark each
lid with the exact positions of the
holes. I had some small stainless
steel screws and nuts which Id
saved from other scrapped pieces
of equipment. I covered the
stainless lids with masking tape
to protect the polished surfaces
from swarf scratches, carefully
drilled them to take the screws
and led off the burrs before
attaching the hinges.
I taped the lids and hinges in their
exact positions over the transom
shower ttings and, having marked
the hull, drilled it to take the
stainless steel screws. It was then
merely a case of using mastic
under the hinges and screwing
them to the hull. Limited space and
the curve of the transom meant it
was necessary to locate the hinge
for the shower head cover at an
angle. The tap cover was hinged
vertically to the side. The covers are
in a sheltered position and remain
rmly shut without any locking
device whatever the weather.
Lanyards and fender lines are secured with a hitch round the rail
switched on and off.
The small current drawn by
the Maglite meant that it stayed
lit all night, and indeed I am
still using the torch on the
same batteries.
Bob Hitchings
ABOVE Bob Hitchings effective,
improvised anchor light...
INSET ...makes use of a plastic
bottle, a torch, foil and tape
ABOVE The lids
open via chrome-
plated cranked
brass hinges
72 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
PRACTICAL
Teak-laid decks look great on virtually any boat, but sooner or later
theyll need maintenance requiring more than just a scrubbing brush
and a bucket of water, as Richard Johnstone-Bryden explains
B
y virtue of their
role, laid decks are
subjected to a lot
of wear and tear.
This inevitably
causes problems that will
have to be dealt with either
as emergency repairs or
as part of a longer-term
maintenance plan to
preserve watertight integrity.
From time to time it may be
necessary to replace one or more
teak planks within a laid deck,
either because of rot, impact
damage or because theres a hole
left by the removal of a redundant
deck tting.
Youll need to inspect the sub-
deck fairly easy if theres a tting
to remove, otherwise youll have
to cut away rotten or damaged
planks with a chisel or router to
see what state the sub-deck is in.
This will determine the overall
scale of the job. If the sub-deck
(usually marine plywood on
wooden boats) is damaged you
may have to either t a small patch
or replace an entire sheet or
sheets of plywood. On a modern
production boat you may have to
carry out some glassbre repairs
to the GRP sub-deck.
Once you have established what
(if any) repairs have to be carried
out on the sub-deck you can work
out how much of the teak planking
needs to be removed. This will be
inuenced in part by the position
of the nearest joints from both a
practical and aesthetic point of
view its always better to remove
an entire plank and cut a new one
to t the existing joints.
Practical demonstrations are
carried out here by Peter Graham,
senior instructor at the Suffolk-
based International Boatbuilding
Training College,
www.ibtc.co.uk.
Refurbishing a teak deck
STEP
BY
STEP
1
The rst job is to remove the surrounding
caulking sealant. Run a sharp craft knife
very carefully along each side of the old caulking.
This should be done carefully to ensure you only
remove the old sealant and not the wood on any
of the adjacent undamaged planks.
2
Now use a narrow chisel to cut the
bottom seal and help in pulling the
sealant from the seam.
3
Next turn your attention to any fastenings.
Begin by using a mallet and chisel to
carefully cut and prise off the wooden plug
above the fastening.
MAIN
Teak
planks
within a
laid deck
might need
replacing...
ABOVE ...if, for
example, they are holed by
now-redundant deck ttings
How to remove and replace a teak plank
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 73
Teak deck repairs
4
Clean out the
screw slot with
a sharpened bradawl
or similar, then with
luck the fastening will
be in good enough
condition to be
unscrewed. Ideally,
use a screwdriver
which ts the slot
exactly. For hard-to-
shift screws give the screwdriver a rm knock with
a hammer, or try tightening them a fraction before
unscrewing: that might be just enough to break
them free and wont mash the screw slot.
5
A router provides the most effective
means of removing a damaged plank.
Secure a batten to act as a guide for the
router to run along.
6
By nailing or screwing the batten through
one of the caulking seams youll avoid
leaving any lasting marks in the deck. On
wooden decks its worth xing above a deck
beam you dont want screws or nails going
right through the deckhead into the cabin below.
7
Now set the depth of cut on the router. If
the plank is more than 8mm thick, dont try
to chop it all out in one pass of the machine. If
the plank is 12mm thick, for example, its worth
making two passes at a depth of 6mm each time.
This will reduce the chances of the router jarring
and removing more wood than youd planned.
8
Once the batten is in place and the depth
of the router has been set, simply start
from one end of the section to be removed and
work your way steadily along the length of the
plank with the router.
9
Swivel the base of the router to cut into
wood further way from the batten. To avoid
having to adjust the position of the batten for
each plank simply attach an additional wooden
block of an appropriate width to the base of the
router so it stands further away from the batten.
15
The plank is now ready to be secured in
position. To improve the strength of the
bond, the plank is rst wiped with acetone to
remove the teaks natural oils from the lower
surface, then its laid on a bedding compound
which has been applied to the sub-deck. While
the bedding compound cures, the plank is held
in position with a series of wooden blocks
screwed along the seam or it may be screwed
down with countersunk screws which are later
plugged to match the existing planks.
13
Use the router again
to cut out the bulk of
the rebate, cutting slightly
to the waste side of your
marked lines
12
Sweep and vacuum
away the mess, then
you can determine the
required dimensions of your
replacement plank it can be
bought pre-cut to the right
size from your local timber
merchant or, if you have the
tools, you can machine a
suitably-sized piece of teak
yourself. Lay your planks in
place, then mark them up
appropriately so you can cut
rebates to match the existing
gaps of the other planks.
11
After
you
have made
several
passes
with the
router, the
damaged
plank will
gradually
be cut
away.
10
Take care when approaching plank end
joints that you dont let the router chomp
further than you want.

14
then
use a
small bull-nose
plane to trim
the remaining
excess.
74 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
PRACTICAL teak deck repairs
Recaulking
1
The amount of recaulking required after
the replacement of a plank or two will be
determined by the overall condition of the rest of
the decks caulking. In this example, much of it
was suspect so the whole lot has been removed
from the foredeck ready for replacement.
2
The weathered planks are rst sanded with a belt
sander: this not only improves the appearance,
but helps to level imperfections where some areas have
worn over years of use. In these circumstances it may
also be necessary to increase the depth of the seams
with a router to accommodate the new sealant but
this will only be possible if the planks are still thick
enough to take a deeper seam.
5
Check that the ends of the planks are all
even, marking up any imperfections that
were missed when the planks were rst laid.
6
Now trim back to your scribed mark with a
chisel. Vacuum away dust and debris from
all the seams before the next step.
7
Primer is now applied along the seams.
For hardwoods black shows how well
youve covered the seam, but on softwoods it
can bleed into the end grain so its better to use
a clear primer. Ensure the primer is compatible
with the rest of the sealant system.
8
A breaker tape is next applied along the
bottom of each seam to prevent the
caulking sealant from sticking fast to the bottom
of the rebate: this way the caulking can expand
and contract between the rebated seam walls
without actually coming unstuck from them.
9
A scrap of thin ply can be used to press
the breaker tape rmly into the bottom
of the rebate.
10
Use a narrow chisel to cut the breaker tape
at the end of a run. Ensure the bottom of all
rebates are taped, with no gaps.
11
Next is the process of injecting caulking
into the seam. Work slowly to avoid air
bubbles which could later undermine the seams
watertight integrity. Ensure the sealant stands a
little proud of the seam so that when it settles it
doesnt drop below the level of adjacent planks.
12
Follow the manufacturers instructions for
sealant curing time and how long before
the deck can be walked on. When its ready, run
a wide chisel over the seams to remove the
excess sealant before using a belt sander to
nish off.
3
Having
cut and
raked out old
caulking its
almost
inevitable
therell be
some minor
damage to the
rebates. Tidy
these up now
with a chisel,
squaring off
edges and
making sure
gaps are
nicely aligned.
4
Localised
areas of
rebate that need
deepening can be
cut with a chisel.
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 75
Practical demonstration of techniques by Ian Cook, joinery instructor at the Suffolk based International Boatbuilding Training College (IBTC). www.ibtc.co.uk
mitred through
dovetail joint
This joint has
the strength of
dovetails allied
with neat mitred
edges, Richard
Johnstone-
Bryden writes
1
Mark out the dovetails and
the 45 mitre on the end of
one of the pieces of wood to be
joined. Leave the dovetails
over-long for trimming later.
2
Cut the sloping sides of the
dovetails with a ne-toothed
dovetail saw and along the bottom
edge with a coping saw
3
then trim everything up
true with a sharp chisel.
4
Clamp the other piece of
wood, known as the pin
member, on top of the one with the
dovetails, known as the dovetail
member, to use as a straight edge
to chisel the shoulder line.
5
Proles from the nished pins
and sockets are now scribed
onto the second piece of wood
from the rst chalk helps to see an
accurate line. Repeat the previous
steps to cut new sockets and pins.
6
The bulk of the waste wood
has been removed. The pair
of end (uncut) pins will next be
turned into a mitre.
7
With the wood in a vice, saw
the two end pins down to the
mitre mark. Dont saw too far. Now
make the second cut (inset).
8
Now its the turn of
the dovetails: simply
cut across the ends to the
mitred line.
9
Time for a test t. Dont force the
joint or it may split, but a gentle tap
with a mallet may help. Some of the joints
here look like theyre binding a little too
tightly as they slide together...
11
With the
dovetails and
sockets a good t,
attention is now turned
to the mitre joint at
the edges. To ensure
everything remains
square, the joint is
held against a square
block as a dovetail
saw is run through
the mitred end.
12
Theres still a
saw-blades-
width gap between
the dovetail and
the sockets bottom
edge, so repeat
the procedure of
running the saw
down the mitred
edges. This does
the job of allowing
the joint to snug up
even tighter.
13
And heres the result a
perfect, tight-tting joint.
S
K
IL
L
S
W
O
O
DW
O
R
KIN
G
How to make a
PRACTICAL
STEP
BY
STEP
10
so some ne
adjustment with
a chisel is necessary.
14
All that
remains is to
saw off the bulk of
the protruding ends
of the dovetails and
pins before tidying
them up with a
smoothing plane.
76 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nigel Calder is author of the
best-selling Boatowners
Mechanical and Electrical
Manual. He and his wife
Terrie cruise aboard their
Mal 46 Nada which they used to test
various hybrid drives.
Using both diesel and electricity to drive a
boat sounds a great way to save fuel and the
environment, but hybrid technology is far from
straightforward, as Nigel Calder explains
Hybrid drive
F
or the past ve years I have been
involved in research to determine
if hybrid technology represents a
viable alternative to conventional
marine propulsion systems. Ive
come to the conclusion that the
answer is a somewhat qualied Yes but
not necessarily for the efciency reasons
cited by most proponents.
In this issue of PBO I will dene a framework
for gauging the efciency issues. Next time
well see how this plays out in the context of
hybrid propulsion systems, and then broaden
the discussion to look at other reasons for
installing hybrids.
First, we need a way of assessing efciency. I
am going to use Specic Fuel Consumption
(SFC). This is a measure of how much fuel it
takes to create each unit of energy delivered by
an engine. It is typically expressed in terms of
grams per kilowatt-hour (g/kWh). Its a bit like
what you see on your electricity bill, except that
instead of the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of
energy you have used we are measuring the
fuel consumed in producing each kWh.
The SFC of an engine over its full speed and
power range can be expressed in the form of
a fuel map.
Technology
Could it work for your boat?
ABOVE RIGHT
One of the
electric motors
used for serial
hybrid evaluation,
wired up with test
equipment and
ready to go
MAIN Another
electric motor
being installed
for evaluation
Nigel Calders
Mal 46 Nada
has been a
test bed for
hybrid drives
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 77
Hybrid propulsion

Propeller loads
When an engine is used to turn a propeller we can
plot the power required to spin the propeller as a
curve on the engine fuel map. From this we can
derive the SFC at any point on the propeller curve.
The manner in which a propeller absorbs
energy is such that these curves are almost
always concave and never mimic the full load
curve for an engine.
As a result, the engine full load curve and
propeller curve can only be made to come
together at one point. Typically, a propeller is
sized such that this concurrence occurs at, or
close to, full engine speed and load (the
matched propeller in Figure 1, above).
If the propeller is undersized, the
engine will reach its full speed
before the propeller fully loads it
the engine will never be loaded
to its full rated power. If the
propeller is oversized, it will fully
load the engine before the
engine reaches its full rated
speed ie the propeller curve
will cross the engines full power
curve before the engine reaches
full speed, in which case the engine
(and transmission) will be overloaded.
What is apparent is that at no point on
any of the propeller curves is the engine
operating at its peak efciency of 230g/kWh.
It is this failure to load the engine to peak
efciency that denes the primary window of
opportunity for a hybrid system.
Note that at any engine speed or power
level, the matched propeller is operating in
a more efcient part of the fuel map than
the undersized propeller, and the oversized
propeller is operating in a more efcient part
Creating a fuel map
To measure specic fuel consumption (SFC)
an engine is operated from idle speed to full
speed, and from no load to the full load it will
support at any given speed.
The fuel consumption is measured at all
times, and divided by the load to derive the
SFC. This can be displayed in the form of a
fuel map, with contours that look like depth
contours on a chart, except that the contours
with lower numbers represent more efcient
regions of engine operation (ie less fuel is
burned per kWh of energy output) and those
with higher numbers represent less efcient
regions of operation. Typically these fuel maps
have torque or power on one axis of a graph
and engine speed on the other.
Much of our testing was done using a Volvo
Penta D2-75 engine the fuel map is shown
on the right. Peak efciency of 230g/kWh
occurs at around 1,800rpm and 28kW of load
(as measured at the ywheel). Total fuel
consumption at any point on the fuel map
equals the load at that point (eg 28kW) times
the SFC (eg 230g/kWh): 28 x 230 = 6,440g
per hour. The standard weight of diesel is
840g per litre, in which case this converts to a
burn rate of 6,440/840 = 7.67 litres per hour. Figure 1: Fuel map for the Volvo-Penta D2-75 test engine
of the fuel map than the matched propeller.
This suggests that we should always use
an oversized propeller but of course the
overloading may damage the engine and in
any case will prevent the engine from reaching
its full rated power. There are circumstances
in which the efciency gains of an oversized
propeller can be realised without the negative
consequences: Ill explore these in a
future issue of PBO.
Down the hatch: installing a 22kW diesel generator for serial hybrid testing
Adding test equipment to
the conventional engine
LEFT Modifying
a generator for
serial testing
Engine rpm
Undersized propeller
Matched propeller
Oversized propeller
E
n
g
i
n
e

p
o
w
e
r

(
k
W
)
Technology
78 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Dening the window
of opportunity
During the course of our project we ran a series
of tests with multiple propellers on a 14.6m
(48ft), 18-ton yacht. We recorded SFC versus
boat speed (Figure 2, right). As expected, in
general the lowest SFC for a given boat speed
(ie most efcient engine operation) occurred
with the oversized propellers tested, the highest
SFC for a given boat speed with the undersized
propellers. The matched propeller curves were
in the middle of the pack. All of the propellers
came the closest to loading the engine to peak
efciency at higher boat speeds (ie higher
loads), but none loaded the engine to its peak
efciency of 230g/kWh.
If we assume a hybrid system can be designed
such that the engine always runs at peak
efciency, the theoretical fuel efciency gains are
represented by the region of the graph that is
beneath the propeller curves down to a line
drawn at peak engine efciency (in this case,
230g/kWh). This denes the principal window
of opportunity for a hybrid propulsion system.
The real-world window of opportunity will
be less than this. So long as the power for
the hybrid system is derived from running an
engine (we will look at situations in which this is
not the case another time), even if the engine in
the hybrid system is run at peak efciency, there are additional losses in the hybrid system
that must be taken into account.
In both serial and parallel systems (for an
explanation of the two, see the top panel,
right) the engine drives a generator which
provides power to an electric motor, either
directly or indirectly via the batteries. There are
losses in both the generator and electric motor.
If the energy is stored in batteries before use,
there are additional losses during the charge
and discharge cycles.
The cross-over speed
Taking these losses into account, we discover
that regardless of the propeller used, the hybrid
systems are always more efcient at low boat
speeds, but at some point the conventional
system becomes more efcient.
We dened this point as the cross-over speed
(Figure 3, bottom right). The more efciently a
propeller loads the engine in the conventional
system, the lower the speed at which the
cross-over occurs, and conversely the less
efciently a propeller loads the engine in the
conventional system, the higher the speed at
which the cross-over occurs.
If the energy in a serial system comes
primarily from the generator, and thus from the
engine driving the generator, the only way the
system will be more efcient than a conventional
installation is if the boat is operated for most of
the time below the cross-over speed.
A parallel system is different in as much as the
engine is still connected to the propeller shaft.
Given a sufcient knowledge of the operating
characteristics of the system, and a sufciently
sophisticated control mechanism, the system
can be designed such that electric power is
only used at those times when this mode of
operation is more efcient than conventional
operation. In this case, the system will never be
less efcient than a conventional installation.
The bottom line here is that in almost any
system there will be a cross-over speed, in
which case determining whether or not a hybrid
system will be more efcient than a conventional
system becomes a somewhat complex
calculation based on the operating prole of the
vessel (in particular, how much of the propulsion
energy is expended below the cross-over
speed, where the hybrid is more efcient, versus
how much above the cross-over speed, where
the hybrid is less efcient).
This calculation then has to be modied to
take account of other energy sources, such as
shorepower, solar and wind. In PBO next month
well see how these things play out, and explore
some other issues likely to play an important
role in the decision-making process of whether
or not a hybrid system makes sense for our
kind of boating.
Figure 2: Fuel consumption rates with different-sized propellers
Polishing
a prop for
maximum
efciency
Undersized,
oversized and
matched propellers
were trialled on the
same boat
An electric
motor for serial
hybrid testing
is lowered into
the boat
Undersized propeller
Matched propeller
Oversized propeller
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 79
Hybrid propulsion
There are two basic types of marine hybrid
propulsion systems. One is known as a serial
system, the other a parallel system.
At the present time, both include an internal
combustion engine. The difference lies in the
relationship between the engine and the
propeller moving the boat.
In the serial system, the engine drives a
generator which powers an electric motor
connected to the driveshaft: there is no
mechanical connection between the engine
and the driveshaft.
In the parallel system there is a direct
mechanical connection between the engine
and the driveshaft (as in a conventional
installation) with an additional electric motor
also operating on the same driveshaft the
two propulsion systems operate in parallel
on the same shaft. The electric motor in the
parallel system can also be driven by the
engine as a generator.
The primary goal in both serial and parallel
systems is to never run the engine at
anything other than peak efciency, and
to use stored electrical energy (which, in
practical terms, means batteries until we
get effective fuel cells) at all other times.
The batteries perform another critical
function, which is to act as an energy
balancer. If, for some reason, the engine has
to be run at a sub-optimal load, the batteries
are charged at a rate that applies whatever
additional load is necessary to maintain the
engine at an optimal load.
For example, if a serial system is running in
For a number of reasons we theorised that
our engine in hybrid use would, in practice,
deviate from peak efciency at times, but
that we would be able to hold it to within
5% of peak efciency. This raises the SFC
for the peak efciency in our test system to
230/0.95 = 242 g/kWh.
We surmised that we could build a
generator with an electrical efciency of
90% over the necessary power range for
the system. This raises the SFC to
242/0.90 = 269g/kWh.
We similarly surmised that we could build
an electric motor with an electrical efciency
of 90% over the necessary power range for
the system. This raises the SFC to 269/0.90
= 299g/kWh. This now represents system
operation in diesel-electric mode.
We used EnerSys thin plate pure lead
batteries (TPPL, a variant of AGM batteries
capable of supporting higher charge and
discharge rates than conventional AGMs) in
our project, for which we surmised combined
in and out (charge and discharge) losses of
15%. This raises the SFC when in battery-
powered mode to 299/0.85 = 352g/kWh.
These losses are represented in Figure 3.
Whats the difference between
serial and parallel hybrids?
Figure 3: The impact on fuel efciency of cumulative energy losses in a hybrid system
propulsion motor and eliminating the energy
losses inherent in using battery power, when
under electric power the parallel system
must always use the batteries and pay the
associated efciency penalty.
Because the engine in the serial system
is not connected to the propeller shaft, the
generator and electric motor have to be
powerful enough to deal with the highest
anticipated propulsion loads. This requires
powerful, and expensive, generators and
electric motors. In the parallel system the
engine is still connected to the propeller shaft
and as such can handle high propulsion
loads with the electric motor downsized to
handle light propulsion loads.
The batteries in both serial and parallel
systems are used to store energy from other
sources (shore power, solar, wind, etc) and to
absorb regenerative energy if available (the
energy created by a freewheeling propeller
on a yacht under sail, for instance).
diesel-electric mode with a propulsion load that
is not high enough to load the generator to peak
efciency, then the batteries are charged at a
rate that loads the engine to peak efciency.
When the batteries are fully charged and can no
longer absorb this level of charging current, the
generator is shut down and the batteries are
used for power until such time as their charge
acceptance rate is high enough to once again
enable the generator to be run at peak efciency.
In a parallel system, if the engine is being
used for light propulsion loads, just as in the
serial system the batteries are simultaneously
charged at a rate that maintains the engine at
peak efciency. If the batteries cannot accept
this level of charging current, the engine is shut
down and the boat is run under electric power.
Note that whereas the serial system can
sometimes be run in diesel-electric mode, with
the generator directly powering the electric
A large solar array on a catamaran
The author testing the battery pack
Installing electrical
test equipment
The mathematics of efciency losses
80 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Learning from experience
A retired chemist,
Rene de Nijs started
sailing in his late 20s
and now cruises to
France, the British Isles
and the Baltic aboard
his Dick Koopmans-
designed Victoire 1044.
He sails from his home port Middelburg
in the south-west of Holland.
Rene de Nijs has a hair-raising night passage off the East Frisian Island of
Norderney, running with the tide and trying to avoid crashing into unlit buoys
Separating the men
from the buoys
there wasnt much wind but the sun was
shining, and we left promptly to take
advantage of the tide, heading west out of
the River Elbe into the German Bight. We
didnt anticipate any problems as I had
done my homework in the preceding days:
furthermore, I had sailed boats for more
than 30 years, while my friend was a
retired river pilot and an experienced
sailor himself. However, circumstances
can still surprise you, as will become clear.
A few months previously, we had
sailed to the Baltic in one go from
F
ollowing a two-month summer
cruise in Danish and Swedish
waters on our 10.4m (33ft)
Dick Koopmans-designed
Victoire 1044, my wife and I
were returning to our home
port in the south-west of Holland. We
sailed through the Kiel Canal and stopped
off at Cuxhaven, where my wife
disembarked and a friend joined the boat
for the trip home.
My friend arrived around noon on that
August day. The weather was pleasant:
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 81
Avoiding unlit buoys at night
*Send us your boating experience story and if its published youll receive the original Dick Everitt-signed watercolour which is printed with the article. Youll nd PBOs contact details on page 5.
LESSONS LEARNED
0 15 30
NM
Cuxhaven

Brunsbttel

Wilhelmshaven

Bremerhaven
Schiermonnikoog

Norderney
EAST FRISIAN ISLANDS
Dovetief
Kiel Canal
Schluchter
River
Elbe
River
Jade
GERMAN
BIGHT
GERMANY
NETHERLANDS
1
Never assume that your trip will be
a piece of cake because of a good
weather forecast. It was stupid of us to
go through the unlit Dovetief channel at
night and it was even more stupid not to
know that the Dovetief was mostly unlit.
2
Having your plotter at the chart table
may keep it away from salt and wet
conditions, but in an emergency you
need your plotter in the cockpit. At close
quarters the helmsman needs a clear
view of the situation instead of receiving
orders from below to steer to port or
starboard. A repeater function via WiFi
from the plotter below to a tablet in the
cockpit would be an option.
3
We had a searchlight on board but
didnt use it because the channel was
so narrow, and navigation from the chart
Schiermonnikoog to Brunsbttel: a Force
4-5 north-easterly had been blowing, and
we made the 125-mile trip in 24 hours.
However, with a temperature of 5C
during the night and only a single pair
of gloves between us, we had to take turns
at the helm of not more than one hour
in the dark: it was just too cold to stay
any longer in the cockpit.
With these memories fresh in our minds
we decided against a straight trip home
and opted to break the journey with a stop
at the island of Norderney, a 70-mile sail
from Cuxhaven. This would add a few
miles to the passage, but that would be
offset north of Norderney by a convenient
channel coming from the east, the
We had to stay in the buoyed channel
because of our boats relatively deep 1.90m
draught, and as we got closer to Norderney
the light interference from the island
became more intense.
I handed over the tiller to my friend
and went downstairs to the chart plotter
in the companionway. The electronic
charts had been updated before we left:
I hoped that the German harbour
authority had not changed the position
of the buoys in the interim, and I also
hoped the plotter was sufciently
accurate to keep us away from them.
I shouted instructions to my friend in
the cockpit to keep us in the middle of the
channel. We were on a kind of Russian
roulette rollercoaster: the tide was going
with us and increasing our speed over
ground. The buoys were less than half
a mile from each other, and with our
speed that only took ve minutes.
Sometimes I shouted courses to
my friend that he refused to act
upon as he thought he would hit the
beach and run aground: this didnt
improve the situation.
I tried not to think about what could
have happened if the boat had hit a buoy.
Would it have sprung a leak?
I didnt know, but just to get the rudder
stuck in the chain of a buoy was a
frightening enough prospect. We still
hadnt seen any unlit buoys, but according
to the plotter we must have passed 20 or
so, some only around 15m away. (Coming
back through this area in daylight, I easily
spotted all the buoys in the Dovetief!)
We made it to the harbour just after
0200 without hitting anything. Our
time of arrival was more or less as
anticipated, although we had much
more adrenaline in our blood than we
had bargained for. It was late, but we
treated ourselves to a beer and discussed
what we could and should have done to
avoid the situation.
table to the tiller was so chaotic, that
we had no time to get organised.
4
We also had radar, but again didnt
use it. It is a very valuable tool at
sea, especially in fog, but I doubted
it would have given the required
information in our situation.
5
The best decision when we realised
there were unlit buoys would have
been to go back to sea and wait until
daylight. We could also have continued
west instead of putting into Norderney.
6
Our planning was poor. It would
have made far more sense to leave
Cuxhaven on the following tide in the
middle of the night, so we would then
have approached Norderney in the
afternoon, during daylight hours.
Dovetief, and a
similarly benecial
channel to the west,
the Schluchter.
The tide had gone
against us sooner
than we expected and
we started to use the
engine around 1500,
anticipating that we would arrive in
Norderney Harbour around 0200. We
crossed the River Jade at 1800,
encountering a great deal of trafc going
to either Bremen or Wilhelmshaven. In
the evening there was still hardly any
wind, so we kept going using the engine.
It was close to midnight and already
completely dark when we saw the ash of
the rst buoy in the Dovetief.
Coming from the east, this buoy can be
detected easily as its light is distinct from
Norderneys many lights. However, we
suddenly realised that there are numerous
unlit buoys in the Dovetief, and started to
worry that we might hit one of them.
Send us
your real-life
experience
and w
in a
painting of
your boat!*
82 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Boats
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jessie Rogers is
daughter-in-law to
renowned Lymington
boatbuilder and restorer
of the Contessa series,
Jeremy Rogers. She and
her husband Kit, Jeremys
son, work in the family business.
I
t was winter, and we werent in the
market for a boat, but Kit came
home one day and announced
that the Contessa 32 Assent was
for sale. Stories of Willy Kers
high-latitude adventures in Assent
were legendary in Contessa circles, and
Id seen pictures of her in the most
awe-inspiring locations, dwarfed by
great glaciers and battling epic seas.
Willy had mapped much of Greenland,
Iceland and the Faroes in this boat: he
wrote the Royal Cruising Club cruising
guide for these waters, nosing into
previously uncharted areas with his
forward-facing sonar, meticulously noting
the lie of the underwater landscape of
these treacherous shores. He had taken
her as far north as any sailing boat had
ever been at that time to Grise Fiord,
retreating just in time before the sea ice
closed in around him. Willy had also
ventured to Antarctica and Patagonia,
often single-handed or sometimes with
Refurbishing
a legend
Willy Kers well-travelled
Contessa 32 Assent a
1979 Fastnet survivor
accrued legendary
status over the years,
but had latterly fallen
into disrepair. Jessie
Rogers describes the
process of restoring
this plucky vessel and
adapting it for slightly
gentler family cruising
one or two crew. He returned home from
the southern latitudes via the Chilean
archipelago, the Pacic and Hawaii, before
heading to Vancouver then trucking the
trusty Assent across Canada, putting in
again at the Great Lakes and heading
back across the Atlantic.
After one nal trip to Greenland,
single-handed and at the age of 85,
Willy Ker had nally called it a day:
and now here was the renowned Assent,
languishing in a sorry state in a tiny
boatyard near Plymouth.
Kit wasted no time in heading down to
see her, stopping off to meet Willy (now
87) and Alan Ker at their farm en route. It
was Willys son Alan who helmed Assent
in the tragic 1979 Fastnet Race. He and
his crew were the only boat to nish in
Class 5 when so many others foundered
and many lives were lost. It was almost
certainly this one event that established
the Contessa 32s reputation for stability
and seaworthiness, leading to a whole
Assent under restoration in the
Rogers boatshed at Lymington
Willy Ker took
Assent to the icy
extremities of the
world: here she is at
Anvers Island in the
Palmer Archipelago
of Antarctica
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 83

generation of sailors choosing the CO32

for short-handed, extreme adventures. For
the last 35 years, Willy Ker in Assent has
led the way.
To their great credit, both Willy and
Alan Ker tried to put us off buying Assent.
She was in a shocking state, having been
put through just about the most rigorous
sea trial a boat could be expected to
endure and still be aoat. Her bottom
showed signs of numerous groundings
and her bulkheads had been reinforced
in a less than elegant way over the years,
after storms and goodness knows what
other trials and tribulations she had been
through. However, despite their efforts to
put us off, the romance of the legend of
this little ship was too great to pass up,
and for a few thousand pounds Assent
on paper at least was ours.
Not t for sea
At rst we intended to sail her home, but
Willy suggested she wasnt t for the sea.
It seemed prudent to heed his advice, so
we trucked her up to the Jeremy Rogers
yard in Lymington. Assent was crammed
with a lifetime of equipment and each
item told a different tale. An excess of
chain and warp, various dinghies with
sails, and numerous oars: Willy had never
had an outboard engine as he liked to rely
on his wit to get himself out of trouble.
Assents medical kit was a further example
of this self-reliance, meticulously labelled
and extremely comprehensive. Out it all
came, leaving us with Assents bare bones.
Alan and Willy had been right she was a
pretty sorry sight.
Im sure Kit realised what a monumental
task we had in front of us, but he didnt
let it show. At rst he tried to convince
me that it wouldnt be that big a job it
was then Easter, and he stated that wed
be launched by late summer for sure. We
didnt need a fancy boat, we told each
other, just a functional one, so wed do
the bare minimum and then wed be out
on the water.
The problem with boats and old
houses, and all sorts of other projects
is that one thing can end up leading to
another. And while we were at it
In restoring her, we felt it was important
to try to keep her essence which is
harder than it sounds when a boat needs
the sort of refurbishment that Assent did.
Inside, she was like a colander where
Willy had happily drilled holes to let in
cables and attach various items to the
headliner or the deck. The washboards
looked as though they had been used for
target practice, and Kit and I marvelled at
how Willy must have spent a large part of
his life not only freezing cold but soaking
wet as well.
The oorboards down below were rotten
and soaked with grime and diesel, and
a greasy line around the inside of the
saloon lockers left a tell-tale sign that the
boat had probably sat ooded for a time.
On deck and in the cockpit much of the
wood was splitting and needed replacing,
as did the pulpit and pushpit. The hull
was showing signs of osmosis and the
moisture readings were high enough to be
of concern. Then there was the evidence
of the considerable bashing Assent had
endured: we later learned that this was the
result of having to duck into an uncharted
inlet in Greenland when the forestay
came adrift. On closer inspection the
rudder stock was damaged, which meant
a new rudder was also on the to do list.
Beginning the refurbishment
And so the refurbishment began. The rst
job was peeling the hull. Off came the top
two layers of glassbre as water trapped
underneath for decades oozed out,
stinking. The hull was then sandblasted
and left to dry for about a year, as it
turned out!
The bottom was also peppered with
transducers and seacocks. Some, like
the forward-facing sonar, we knew we
wouldnt realistically use, so these were
removed and lled. The Greenland ding
was bandaged like a broken leg, and the
entire hull was then relaminated with
two layers of glassbre and resin, lled
and faired before nally being sheathed
in an epoxy coating.
With jobs like the hull it was clear what
had to be done, but the harder decisions
were those which werent absolutely
necessary. Installing a water tank would
mean ripping up the saloon oor, but on
Contessa 32 refurbishment
Strip plank facings on the cockpit seats and
locker lids will look attractive when nished
Plenty of holes, nicks and dings to repair
cardboard and blue masking tape protects
new woodwork in the meantime
Boats Boats
the basis that this was already rotting we
decided to bite the bullet. Although Willy
had always carried his water in jerry cans
lashed on deck, we felt that with six of us
to cater for, having clean, fresh water in
a proper tank was probably a sensible
option. Ripping up the oorboards also
gave us the opportunity to explore right
into the corners of all the bilges and to
reinforce the bulkheads with layers of
glass and resin prior to the stainless steel
tank being tted. The tank itself also
offers an added degree of stiffness and
strength to this area of the boat.
Rather than replace the oor with
a traditional teak and holly we used
Kebony, a sustainable teak alternative
made from treated maple which we had
used on our previous boat Calypso (see
PBO October 2010 and November 2011).
This had the dual advantage of staying
true to the look of Assent down below as
well as reducing the use of teak around
the boat. (As Kebony is extremely hard we
have reverted to teak for the toerails and
the chart table, where the need for ex
and bend in the wood still makes teak
the rst choice for these jobs.)
Once we had started ripping into Assents
deepest recesses, the tone was set for the
sort of refurbishment we would end up
undertaking. We recognised that as the
boat was in the yard, dried out and
stripped out, it was probably now or never.
Engine management
We spent a number of months
deliberating over what to do about the
engine. Willy had obviously managed ne
with his 10hp Bukh: surely we, who were
planning much more modest cruising,
could also manage? It was true that
Willy had survived the most extreme
conditions, but when I asked him how his
10hp engine had got him out of trouble,
he looked at me aghast. I wouldnt use
the engine to get me out of a situation
you just have to make sure you dont
get into the situation, he exclaimed.
So, with some regrets mostly about not
being as tough, fearless and resourceful
as Willy the Bukh went on eBay and
a shiny new Beta 25 was put in her
place, along with a new shaft and prop.
At every turn, Willys skill and
seamanship took our breath away: to
contemplate the journeys he had made,
single-handed and in his 80s, while
having to go to the mast to hoist, drop
and reef is quite jaw-dropping. We have
tted Spinlock clutches and organisers,
which bring all the halyards back to the
cockpit and allow reeng from there. We
also decided to replace the winches with
self-tailing Harkens.
The obvious time to put in a calorier
for hot water would have been before
retting the engine, but this would mean
having pumped water, and we decided
that pumps have a habit of breaking. Also,
there were too many occasions on Calypso
whereby the entire family were woken up
by the water pump kicking in as someone
reached for a glass of water in the middle
of the night. As for hot water, that seemed
like a luxury too far for Assent. The galley
does boast a new fridge but I think Willy
will approve as, in the absence of glacial
meltwater, there needs to be somewhere
to cool the beers.
Another feature of Assents galley is the
kerosene stove, which both Willy and
Alan warned us about. Alan delighted
in telling me how the whole boat was
engulfed in black smoke on several
occasions as the temperamental appliance
refused to light. On closer inspection
there were telltale signs of soot smudged
around the galley headliner, and I live
in trepidation of having to cook on the
thing when we nally set sail. We are
hoping theres just a bit of a knack to
it and that we will learn to love it, but
Additions, alterations and modications over
many years meant some rationalisation was
in order for Assents saloon...
... and after years at sea, much of the kit
on board had seen better days
The forepeak on Assent had been dedicated
to storing a huge amount of chain...
Kit Rogers contemplates how the bilge will
become home to a new stainless steel water tank
... but once cleaned out was looking much
tidier for a new coat of paint
84 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 85
watch this space: a gas installation may
be on next years to-do list.
With Willy being a single- or short-
handed sailor and expeditioning over
large distances, this meant that some of
Assents features didnt really suit a family
of six. Something else we spent a long
time deliberating over was whether or
not to keep her iconic ghter-pilot-style
cockpit canopy. Our rst instinct was yes:
but the reality is that while it was perfect
for sheltering one, it wouldnt do the job
for sheltering a family. Therefore, the
cockpit canopy went into storage, and a
new sprayhood as well as a suit of sails
went onto the list of jobs for Peter
Sanders from Sanders Sails.
Making connections
Over the last year we learnt that Willy had
a long-standing connection with many
Lymington companies from when he
rst bought the boat back in 1976.
Peter Sanders made special sails for Willy
after seeing conventional ones come back
in tatters from his expeditions: he then
built him the heaviest sails he has ever
made for a Contessa 32, which seemed
to do the trick. On hearing that we had
taken on Assent, the owner of the local
electronics company Greenham Regis,
who had sold and serviced Willys
forward-facing sonar, SSB and Navtex,
came into the yard with a stack of
postcards Willy had sent him from
around the world. Although he was
certainly no self-publicist, the stories of
his extraordinary exploits had ltered
through the sailing community.
The Aries windvane, essential for
single-handed passage making, has been
replaced with a swim ladder, and a solar
panel on deck will take the place of the
more industrial Duogen wind and towed
generator. For now, these things are in
storage: and who knows, maybe they will
come out again in the future, when we
have fewer willing crew.
Launch day approaches
The question of what to do about a liferaft
has been another ongoing discussion in
our household. The tragedy of Cheeki
Raki brought this into sharp focus earlier
this year, and highlighted the fact that
even if you do make it to the raft you
havent got long in the cold water,
whether you are in the channel or the
middle of the Atlantic. In the end we
decided that a liferaft mounted on deck
and tted with a hydrostatic release is the
best option: but of course, the better
option by far is to stay on the boat.
The encapsulated keel of the Contessa
32 and her ilk is obviously the biggest
thing in her favour, but we wanted
to consider what else we could do to
reinforce her further. Having relaminated
and therefore strengthened the bottom
we looked at what we could do to stiffen
her up from the inside. The early Contessa
32s had fewer stringers in the focsle
and, although Assent had clearly taken a
hammering second to none and lived to
tell the tale, Kit and Jeremy agreed that
some additional stringers up forward
would be belt and braces. The focsle,
which had previously been dedicated to
miles of chain and warp and numerous
anchors, would now have to
accommodate two of our four boys and
so, as part of the reconguration of this
area, more stringers were added to the list.
As launch day nally approached we
needed to make a decision about the
antifouling. On our previous boat
Calypso we had applied a foul release
manufactured by Hempel and used on
huge container ships and military and
commercial vessels. Although we were
really pleased with it the application had
been quite an undertaking, requiring
specialist licensed people and taking three
days to apply. Recently however, Hempel
have rened the product for use on yachts
for application by owners, so we were
keen to give this new incarnation a trial
run. In theory the weed and barnacles
slough off once the boat reaches a speed
of 6-8 knots, but in any case a light brush
over is enough to dislodge anything
growing on the bottom.
The launch nally happened nearly
a year later than we had originally
planned a familiar tale, Im sure!
Contessa 32 refurbishment
Locker doors removed from the boat for a
sanding down and fresh coats of varnish
A long-ago argument with Arctic rocks meant
the keels leading edge needed repair
Jeremy Rogers marks out a template for
some new joinery
To cure osmosis, the hulls gelcoat was peeled
and then the hull was allowed to dry out
Rebuild complete, Assent is
lowered back into the water

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3I
%
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 87
6
non-slip
deck paints
Non-slip paint is essential to maintain footing on a wet, pitching deck. But which
is best, and are DIY solutions as good as proprietary paints? David Pugh reports

We gathered together six nishes,

some proprietary and some
home-grown. Where the non-slip
nish was created by adding
another component to a standard
marine gloss paint we used
International Toplac as the base
a single-pack paint we had used
to good effect on the PBO Project
Boat and of which we had some
remaining. One of the paints,
Kiwigrip, could be applied in two
different ways to give different
levels of grip, so we ultimately
had seven nishes to test.
We began this test just before
Beaulieu Boatjumble in April this
year, which gave us a unique
opportunity to get a lot of feet to
walk across the paint in a short
time: we applied the paints in
horizontal strips up the viewing
ramp we built to
allow visitors to look
inside our project
boat, Hantu Biru.
With more than
7,000 visitors to the
boatjumble, many of
whom climbed our
ramp, PBO readers
feet must have
caused more trafc in a day
than many boat decks would
experience in a year or more.
Since Beaulieu, the test board
has been outside the PBO ofces
in Poole, experiencing summer
sunshine, torrential rain and the
combined wear of the feet of the
PBO and Amateur Gardening
magazine staff including some
tyre marks where someone
accidentally drove over it.
W
ith most paint
nishes on
boats we spend
hours striving
for a blemish-
free, mirror-like surface that
reects the (hopefully) sunlit
water with perfect clarity until,
that is, we need to stand on it.
Ive been on some boats, both
new and old, where the builders
have omitted to add a non-slip
surface to some parts of the
deck and those areas have
been lethal when wet.
Thats where deck paint steps in.
Most paint manufacturers make it,
or alternatively there are several
home-grown recipes or domestic
paints whose proponents swear
are the best solutions to the
problem. A common feature is that
they are all single-pack paints,
which keeps the cost down
compared with two-pack nishes
and makes them easier to patch,
overpaint or renew.
Each paint tested had
two coats applied, with the
underlying substrate being
18mm WBP plywood primed
with Sandtex High Performance
Primer Undercoat. At the end of
the test there was no sign of any
of the paints losing adhesion. We
tested this by scrubbing each
paint rmly using a scrubbing
brush and detergent, also noting
how easy they were to clean.
What we tested, and how
Non-slip paint was
applied to the deck
and sole boards of
the PBO Project
Boat Hantu Biru
88 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Gear test
We applied two test panels of Kiwigrip, one using a mohair roller, and
the second by pouring on the paint, spreading it with a brush and
wielding the loopy-goopy roller. We also tried a third, separate panel
(not tested) and rolled the paint when tacky, but failed to achieve the
aggressive non-slip surfaces suggested by the application videos I
suspect that our depth of paint was inadequate. A notched spreader
might be a better option to achieve sufcient paint build if if you require
this nish. A second application made little improvement.
The rougher surface offered good non-slip characteristics both in the
wet and the dry, and neither panel showed signs of wear at the end of
the test. Of the two surfaces we tried the rougher one was the one Id
choose for a deck as the smoother nish was too smooth; however, as
the grip can be varied it would make sense to try a few test panels rst to
achieve the nish you need.
Kiwigrip proved easy to clean, with a bright white nish when scrubbed.
Hempel Non-Slip
Deck Coating
PRICE: 26/litre
Contact: www.hempel.co.uk
One of the variations
on the theme of paint
with a non-slip
additive, Hempels
product is similar to the
International Interdeck
we tested, with
perhaps a slightly ner
nish. Its easy to apply
with either a roller or a
brush, and we found
that two coats were
benecial to build the
non-slip surface.
The non-slip was on
a par with Interdeck,
and never lost grip in
the wet or the dry.
It did not noticeably wear over the season,
and should be easy to refresh by recoating as
the paint is a simple, single-pack product.
Hempel also sell the non-slip granules as an additive if you prefer to
use a different base paint.
The paint proved easy to clean, returning to a reasonably white nish.
Off-the-shelf deck paints
As the name suggests, Kiwigrip
originates in New Zealand, where its
inventor Barry Whalley sold it for about
15 years as No-Slip. It gained worldwide sales
when the founder of US-based marine distributor
Pachena LLC tried it on his own boat and introduced
the rebranded Kiwigrip across the US, Canada,
Europe and parts of Asia.
The manufacturers suggest a range of application
techniques, varying according to how aggressive a
surface you require. A ne texture can be achieved
with a conventional mohair roller, but for more grip
they recommend you start by applying a single coat
approximately 2mm thick, using either a brush or a notched spreader.
The paint itself is the consistency of yoghurt and seems resistant to runs.
Texture is then added using Kiwigrips loopy-goopy roller, a roller sleeve
a bit like a Brillo pad. Used on wet paint it can produce a textured surface
in proportion to how hard you use the roller, or an even rougher surface
can be produced by rolling the paint again once it has become tacky.
International Interdeck
PRICE: 28.60/litre
Contact: www.yachtpaint.com
We were familiar with
this paint as its the
same stuff we used on
the PBO Project Boat
decks. Both on the test
and on the boat it has
so far proved durable
and retained the same
level of grippiness.
Interdeck is easy to
apply with a roller. It
goes on fairly thinly so
youll need more than
one coat, but this can
prove benecial for
long-term maintenance
as its easy to add
another coat to refresh
the surface.
The grip is provided by a ne grit mixed in with the
paint. We found this distributes evenly through the paint on
stirring and hence forms a uniform surface when applied. Its not an
aggressive surface more like ne sandpaper but nonetheless
performs well in wet and dry conditions. Cleaning it is straightforward,
although the paint retained some staining. The non-slip component is
available separately if you prefer a different base paint.
Kiwigrip
PRICE: 40/litre
Contact: www.vitessemarine.com
KIWIGRIP ROUGH KIWIGRIP SMOOTH
ABOVE Interdeck
after scrubbing
RIGHT Unscrubbed
sample was dirty,
but cleaned up
fairly well
ABOVE A smooth-
textured Kiwigrip
when scrubbed
RIGHT The
unscrubbed
smooth sample
You need a
special
loopy-goopy
roller to apply
Kiwigrip and
get an
appropriately
textured
surface
ABOVE Hempel
Non-Slip Deck
Coating after
scrubbing
RIGHT Before
cleaning
ABOVE A rough-
textured Kiwigrip
after scrubbing
RIGHT The
unscrubbed sample
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 89
Non-slip deck paint test
This is the only
home-brew non-slip
which bears any relation
to the Kiwigrip, in that
the grip comes from the
nished texture of the
paint itself rather than
from an additive.
We made the surface
by applying a generous
coat of Toplac, then
immediately covering it
to a depth of about
2mm with sugar. Once
the paint had dried we
dissolved away the
sugar with boiling water,
leaving the texture
behind. We then applied another coat, but it
shouldnt be necessary, as the paint tends to ll the
texture left by the rst coat.
The non-slip surface is very good, with plenty of grip in all conditions,
and despite the fact that Toplac is not designed for this application, it
does not seem to have worn over the course of the season.
The problem is the aesthetics the nely hollowed surface seems
to trap dirt. We found it impossible to get clean, and hence would not
recommend it. However, as a means of adding texture to varnish it
could work well.
PBO verdict
T
he good news is that they
all worked. The best
non-slip surface was
actually the DIY sand, with
sugar running a close second.
I wouldnt choose them
personally as they retained the
dirt and would make your boat
look scruffy very quickly, but
that might change if with a
different base paint or colour.
Next best for non-slip was the
Kiwigrip rough nish which,
combined with easy cleaning,
wins it our best buy award.
However, Sandtex is a close
second on non-slip characteristics
and is a fraction of the price,
so if youre prepared to forgo
aesthetics or choose a darker
colour, its a good option.
The Hempel and International
deck paints were on a par, with
similar non-slip characteristics
and returning to a similar level
of cleanliness. They have the
advantage of easy application,
and occupy a middle ground
on the price.
Boat enamel and sugar
PRICE: 30/litre
Contact: Chandlers for paint, supermarkets for granulated sugar
Boat enamel and sand
PRICE: 30/litre
Contact: Chandlers for paint, builders merchants for sand
Mixing in an additive is
the easiest way to
achieve a non-slip
which matches the
surrounding paintwork,
as you can use the
same paint.
We used standard
builders sand, which
we spread out and dried
in the sun to remove
any moisture a bag of
kiln-dried sand might
save that bother.
Instead of mixing the
sand with the paint,
which would have given
us similar issues with
achieving an even coverage as experienced
with Sandtex, we applied a generous coat of
Toplac with a brush before sieving the sand over the top. When the paint
was dry we brushed off the excess sand and overcoated with another
coat of Toplac.
The resulting surface is very grippy better than the Sandtex owing to
the higher sand concentration and has so far proved durable. It
performs well both in the wet and the dry but suffers from the same
problem as the Sandtex in that it stains, so it cannot easily be restored
to the original colour.
Alternative deck paints
This stuff is designed to
be applied to brickwork,
render and all sorts of
inhospitable surfaces,
so it stands a pretty
good chance of sticking
to your deck. The
texture comes from
sand thats mixed in
with the paint, helping it
to ll gaps in cement
or offer a grippy surface
for deck shoes.
Theres no mystery
to applying it just
slap it on to whatever
thickness you like using
a brush or roller. The
tricky bit, we found, was to get the sand to
distribute evenly across the nish. However much
you stir the paint, the sand tends to clump not a problem on brickwork,
but less good on your deck. However, with careful brushwork an
acceptable nish can be achieved.
Sandtex proved durable throughout the test, with no signs of losing
the non-slip surface. It was grippy and effective both in wet and dry
conditions. However, it proved difcult to clean, retaining the staining left
by muddy, grassy feet at Beaulieu and from subsequent foot trafc.
ABOVE Sugar-
coated Toplac
remained dirty
despite scrubbing
RIGHT The
unscrubbed sample
ABOVE Sand added
to Toplac provided
good grip but didnt
scrub up well
RIGHT The sample
before scrubbing
ABOVE Sandtex
retained some dirt
after scrubbing
RIGHT Unscrubbed
sample was
particularly grubby
Sandtex Fine Textured
Masonry Paint
PRICE: 7.20/litre
Contact: Hardware stores nationwide
90 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Boats
E
arlier this year I was
walking around the
Dsseldorf boat
show as one does of
a January afternoon
when I stumbled across a rather
attractive little yacht in the corner
of Hall 18.
With her spoon bow, pleasing
sheerline, counter stern, teak
rubbing strake, small cabin and
long cockpit she looked like a
detuned H Boat or a modern and
sportier interpretation of a Folkboat.
There was something instantly
appealing about her, so I moved in
for a closer look.
As I stood looking on approvingly,
a voice from behind me said PBO
should be testing this boat. The
voice belonged to Dennis
Hennevanger, co-owner and
director with his brother, Dean, of
Safer Yachts in Holland. Dennis
told me that the boat we were
looking at, the Safer Sc 8M Cabin,
was a recently introduced cabin
version of the Safer Se 26 on the
other side of the stand.
He went on to explain that Sc
stands for Safer Classic, while the
Se (Safer Elegance) models make
up the other half of the six-boat
range that starts at 6.7m (22ft). A
near life-size photograph of the
newest addition, the 33 Se
a slim-hulled, sporty-looking
weekender with a plumb bow,
xed bowsprit and carbon rig
was suspended overhead.
A name to know
Safer is a name that will be
recognised by some in the UK,
because a handful of British
owners some well-known names
among them have realised that
this Dutch yard builds exactly the
sort of boats theyre looking for.
All models were conceived for
daysailing or weekending. Theyre
also designed to sail well and to
look good. In short, theyre the
antithesis of the archetypal,
high-volume modern cruising
yacht. Even the Safer 10m, with a
relatively shorter cockpit than the
Dennis and Dean Hennevanger at the Safer yard in IJmuiden
Going Dutch for
the weekend
Given the number of cruisers that are used only for
daysailing and weekending, shouldnt more boats be
designed with this in mind? One Dutch builder believes
they should be, as David Harding reports
Safer Sc 8M
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 91
Safer boats tested

rest of the range, has narrow beam,

low freeboard and generous
overhangs. She looks simply
gorgeous and is an obvious
competitor for the Rustler 33
(tested in PBO Summer 2012).
To introduce Dsseldorf
show-goers to the company, Safer
were playing a video on a screen
in front of the stand. Along with
footage of the boats and the yard,
it showed clips from Denniss and
Deans childhood, eight years of
which were spent sailing around
the world with their parents. Their
father, Richard, ran a shipyard in
Australia, where the boys were
born. He then commissioned a
65-footer from Bob Miller (otherwise
known as Ben Lexcen, designer of
Australia II and a name that will
need no introduction to racing
sailors). Richard built the boat
and took his family on their
extended cruise before eventually
settling in his native Holland and
starting a small yard building
commercial workboats.
Dennis embarked on a career
skippering superyachts but, in the
mid-1990s, was back in Holland on
holiday and saw an opportunity to
get involved in the yard. By this time
his father had designed and started
building a 6.5m (21ft) open-decked
keelboat, which Dennis thought
had potential and needed to be
promoted. Taking it to the HISWA
boat show proved his point: he
N
E
W
B
O
A
T
T
E
ST
Looking out from within. On the right is the 33 we sailed; on the left is an Se 26, on which the Sc 8M is based
came home with 15 orders, The
6.5, which he describes as a bit like
a northern European version of the
Tonou 7, is still in the range.
A few years later Dennis and
Dean bought the yard, chose the
name Safer and started building
the brand into what it is today.
Following the 6.5 came the 8m,
with a small cabin, and then the 32,
a full-on cruiser that the brothers
soon realised wasnt the sort of
boat they wanted to build (the
customers were more interested
in the colour of their curtains).
The decision was made to
specialise in weekenders.
Evolving lines
With Dean doing the design work,
combining a background in the
technical side of shipbuilding with
an ability to draw fast, attractive
sailing yachts, Safer has become
well established in Holland and
currently builds about 30 boats
a year. Recognition further aeld
has been helped by two European
Yacht of the Year awards, for the
26 and then the 10M.
If the ambitious, hands-on,
design-build-and-sail Hennevanger
brothers continue as they have
been, Safer is a name that we will
soon be hearing much more about
in the UK.
Safer Se 33
92 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Boats
G
iven that most Safers to
leave the yard are trucked
straight off to their
owners, timing a visit to coincide
with the availability of a couple
of models to sail was never
going to be easy. Like most
overseas assignments, it
certainly couldnt be arranged
according to the weather
forecast, though as the date
drew near it became apparent
that shortage of wind would not
be a problem.
Barely two hours after boarding
the plane in Southampton I was in
the marina in IJmuiden, dressed in
full waterproofs and tightening the
chin-strap on my hat. The forecast
was for even more wind on the
way, accompanied by rain, so we
decided to sail the 8M straight
away and then hop across to the
33 before the weather closed in.
Dennis tucked a couple of reefs
into the mainsail as we motored
out into the harbour, powered by
the twin-cylinder Yanmar 2YM. The
folding prop on our test boat is
an extra but,
thankfully, one that
most owners are
persuaded to
have. The other
important part of
the underwater
conguration was
the deeper of the two bulbed lead
keels, giving us a draught of 1.30m
(4ft 3in) instead of 1.03m (3ft 6in)
with the shallower option. Few
boats in this size and price range
have lead keels, but then the
Safers are designed to perform.
And perform is exactly what this
little boat did.
Initially Dennis set up the rig so
as to make life easy for the boat
and the helmsman, but soon
wound on the power and we
changed up a couple of gears.
With a sizeable sea running in the
harbour and the wind gusting to
about 27 knots, we charged
upwind with the GPS reading up to
6.5 knots. That was pretty good
going for a non-racy 26-footer
sailed two-handed, and was put
into context by our tacking angle
of a consistent 38-40. I was
struggling to get my head around
the way this little boat was making
allow it, I would expect a little bite
to the helm.
It was easier to keep an eye on
our speed downwind. We went
straight into surng mode and
played every likely-looking wave
we could nd, frequently clocking
double gures and peaking at 11.1
knots. It was fun and, for a boat of
this nature that was also heavily
reefed and being cruised around a
harbour, more than I had expected.
Dennis makes the point that, for
all her easy performance, the Sc
8M is no race boat. Owners who
choose a downwind sail usually
plump for a gennaker; only one
has a proper spinnaker with a
pole. People buy her because she
looks good, handles well and is
easy to sail. On many boats the
Harken 20 self-tailer on the port
side of the coachroof is electric,
for push-button hoisting of the
mainsail and trimming of the
self-tacking jib on its under-deck
furling drum.
Hardware is well specied. A
second Harken 20 to starboard on
the coachroof handles the rest of
the lines led aft, while an additional
pair can be bolted to the moulded
plinths outboard of the cockpit
coamings for downwind sails or
the optional overlapping headsail.
No traveller comes as standard:
the mainsheet is taken from a
strong-point immediately abaft the
tiller, along the boom and down to
a swivel cam on a raised plinth on
the cockpit sole. It works much
better than a centre-sheeting
arrangement with no traveller.
Unlike many builders of small
boats, Safer havent gone the
backstayless route. Theyve tted
one with a decent purchase thats
easy to adjust from the helm. The
theme throughout is simple and
non-racy, but efcient.
As one would hope and expect
on a boat of this nature, theres no
fence (guardwire). It can be tted if
you insist. Its absence allows a
comfortable perch for helm and
light of the conditions and
chomping along in such impressive
style, but Dennis seemed
unsurprised by the numbers.
Thats about right, he said.
Lest anyone should wonder,
theres no tide to speak of inside
the harbour in IJmuiden, so either
the GPS was telling porkies or
the Safer Sc 8M Cabin is a
remarkably speedy little ship. Even
allowing for the fact that she
was straight out of the
factory with virgin sails, a
totally smooth bottom,
near-empty tanks and no kit
aboard, it was some going.
Easy does it
It would perhaps be
stretching things a little to
describe sailing a 26-footer
in these conditions as
entirely relaxing, but the
Safer presented no
challenges. Probably
because of the reduced mainsail
she carried practically no helm,
making me doubt
that we were
getting the best
pointing out of
her. At times our
speed increased
to 7 knots when
I was glancing
at the GPS and letting her fall off
a few degrees rather than
concentrating on keeping her on
the wind. With the full main or just
one slab in conditions that would
Safer Sc 8M
A fast, classically-styled 26-footer with four
berths, a large cockpit and an inboard engine
Unusually, the twin-cylinder Yanmar diesel is mounted abaft the cockpit to
avoid a raised sole or companionway. Access is good, and from aft too
SAFFIER SC 8M CABIN
PRICE FROM 57,695
LOA 8.00m (26ft 3in)
Beam 2.45m (8ft 0in)
Draught deep n 1.30m (4ft 3in)
shallow n 1.03m (3ft 6in)
Displacement 1,800kg (3,968lb)
Ballast deep n 720kg (1,587lb)
shallow n 800kg (1,763lb)
Sail area 18.35sq m (197sq ft)
RCD category B
Engine Yanmar 2YM 15hp saildrive
Designer & builder: Safer Maritiem, IJmuiden,
Holland. Tel: +31 (0)255 512860
www.saferyachts.com
We surfed every
wave we could
nd, peaking at
11.1 knots
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 93
Safer boats tested

A
fter the photo shoot with
the Sc 8M, I focused the
lens on the Se 33. With
the wind peaking, fresh water
descending from above to mix
with the salt and the 33 skimming
over the waves at an even more
brisk pace, it was a lively time.
One crest loomed over the
horizon and, rather rudely, broke
right into our photo boat to give
my cameras a salty soaking.
Thankfully the driver Ryan,
uncle of the two brothers was
a lifeboat coxswain for several
years and knows how to handle
small boats in big seas.
With the rain becoming heavier,
cameras were put away and we
all swapped boats. Dennis and I
hopped aboard the 33 while Dean
took the 8M back to the yard (just
along the quay) so she could be
prepared for delivery to her owner
in Hamburg the next day.
The 33 had been dropped into
the water the evening before I
arrived and she too was out again
immediately after our sail, having
her 2.1m (6ft 11in) steel-shafted
keel with its lead bulb changed for
the owners choice of the 1.7m (5ft
6in) alternative. Other options are
an all-lead L-n (again 1.7m/ 5ft 6in)
or another T-bulb giving a much
reduced draught of 1.4m (4ft 7in).
Boats are in and out of the water
and the yard at Safer before you
can blink. When theyre aoat,
theyre tweaked up and ready to
go. The approach here is in marked
contrast to that of yards that have
presented me with weedy-
bottomed test models whose
rigging is so slack they cant hope
to sail. When the people who
design and build the boats also sail
them, launch and commission them
and generally get their hands dirty,
things seem to work a lot better.
Made for the Med?
Developing the 33 was a major step
for the yard. The new boat was
intended to broaden their market
beyond northern Europe and the
lakes of Germany, Austria and
Switzerland to new territories
including the Mediterranean. They
needed a agship for the Se range
that was bigger, faster and more
modern in style but still a Safer.
The result does indeed have a
Mediterranean air: shes sleek,
with a near-ush deck, clean,
Comfortable sitting headroom below decks and everything you need for a
weekend. BELOW A fridge uses the space beneath the companionway
Safer Se 33
This retro-modern yer is fast but still
designed for comfort and easy handling
crew on the weather deck or, if you
prefer, in the long cockpit (with
space for at least ve people)
where theres a comfortable leg-
bracing width between the seats.
Synthetic teak decks add a
touch of extra class to a boat thats
already very nicely nished. Its
rare to see an 8M without them.
Real teak is used for the toerail
and the optional rubbing strake
with its stainless steel capping.
British owners would need an
anchor roller, which can be tted.
Theres already an anchor locker
in the bow.
With the rig coming from Seldn,
Dyform used for the standing
rigging, main and headsail
halyards in Dyneema, hardware
principally from Harken and
Spinlock and sails from Quantum,
theres nothing to complain about
in terms of xtures and ttings
above deck. Safer can customise
if you want anything non-standard.
Abaft the rudder stock is an aft
deck with a hatch giving access
to stowage (theres another locker
to port in the cockpit) and the aft
end of the engine. The engine is
mounted back here because, in
a relatively shallow-hulled boat
of this size, theres no room for
it further forward without creating
a raised companionway or too
shallow a cockpit.
Having the engine so far aft
means that the keel has to be well
forward to balance the boat. The
correspondingly long distance
between keel and rudder leads to
excellent manoeuvrability.
Accommodation
Below decks you nd
comfortable sitting headroom,
two saloon berths that run aft
under the cockpit seats, and a
V-berth in the bow. The galley
is amidships, and the heads
a sea-toilet that pumps into a
holding tank beneath the
forward berth. A fridge ts
under the companionway.
The interior is formed by a
moulding thats laminated not
just glued inside the hull.
Detailing is good: end-grain is
sealed, sole-boards dont rattle,
bunk cushions lift individually for
easy access to stowage and the
teak joinery is neatly nished.
Although production of a boat this
size has to be reasonably slick for
commercial reasons, corners
clearly havent been cut. For
example, deck ttings are tapped
into plates of stainless steel not
aluminium bonded into the
deck moulding. The ange on
the keel is recessed into the hull
moulding to combine strength
with a ush nish. All that might
worry me is that the fuel tank is
tted for life, beneath the cockpit
sole, though the connections can
be reached.
PBOs verdict
Designed and built by people
who know exactly what theyre
doing, the Safer Sc 8M is a joy
to sail and to look at and would
be just the job for daysailing,
weekending or coastal cruising.
Shes also an impressive
sea-boat and one that could
make a great little club racer for
a small crew.
94 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Boats Safer boats on test
uncluttered lines and a large
recessed sun-lounging area abaft
the long cockpit. She also has twin
wheels. Some people like me
would prefer a tiller but, given that
most owners of the 26 choose
wheel steering, there was never any
question. Originally the idea was to
have a single large wheel recessed
into a cut-out in the cockpit sole.
That didnt work ergonomically,
so twin wheels it was.
This and other renements
were made during the tooling-up
process. The deck plug would be
lifted up and canted over to 30 so
Dennis and Dean could see how
things worked at an angle. The
quest for style was never allowed
to detract from the practicalities.
A privacy blind to separate the forward berth or when the heads is in use.
Alternative arrangements offer a separate heads compartment
Light, airy, modern and open is the theme below decks This is one of three layout options
A neat fold-up backrest for relaxing
and stretching out in the saloon
You can buy boat tests online
from www.pbo.co.uk by
clicking on Find PBO articles
and entering the type of boat
youre looking for in the search
area, or by calling the Copy
Service on tel: 01202 440830
COPY SERVICE
interior moulding is
cut to a minimum
to save weight.
Bonded into the
hull, it adds rigidity
to the structure as
well. Theres no
dead weight in this
boat: she weighs
just 2,800kg
(6,172lb), and
1,100kg (2,425lb) of
that is in the keel.
We were grateful
for this healthy
ballast ratio as we set off into a near
gale and out into the North Sea (as
we had with the 8M, we poked our
nose beyond the breakwater to see
what it was like). As well-designed,
light and sporty boats with slim
hulls can, the 33 took it all calmly
in her stride. With two slabs in
the main she sliced her way to
windward, rarely slamming even
when falling off the larger waves
and keeping us remarkably dry into
the bargain, though it was hard by
that stage to tell how much of the
general wetness was fresh and how
much was salt.
This boat had no instruments and
my hand-held GPS kept losing its
signal, so we had no accurate
performance gures. I would
guess that we were averaging over
7 knots on the wind and clocking
double gures downwind much
of the time especially after our
pit-stop to collect Dean and the
Code 0. The wind had dropped a
few knots and the temptation to try
a bit of downwind ying was just
too much.
A Code 0 is not the sail to get
the best from a boat in these
conditions we needed something
for deeper angles but even so
we all independently reckoned we
were hitting between 16 and 18
knots down some of the waves,
and none of us is a stranger to
those sort of speeds. The wheel
remained beautifully light and the
direct linkage told me exactly what
the rudder was doing. The blade
had a tenacious grip, only allowing
me to slide into one minor broach
when exploring the limits. Youre
allowed to do it once.
Sailing for fun
Its surprising how much fun you
can have on the water when its
blowing old boots and tipping it
down with rain. This boat is a blast
to sail and a doddle to handle. The
cockpit and recessed sun-lounger
between them are big enough to
accommodate a fair-sized party but,
with all sail controls led to the helm,
the idea is that only one person
needs to do any work.
Our test boat sported the optional
carbon rig an extra 15,000 or so
and well worth having for the gains
in comfort, let alone performance.
We also had an electric Harken 40
to port for the self-tacking jib. The
German-style mainsheet occupied
the starboard winch, so you have to
move across the boat to trim one
sail or the other. I would be tempted
by a straightforward purchase from
the end of the boom to the traveller
instead of the German system.
Sailing the 33 proved
emphatically that a boat that would
look quite at home in St Tropez or
Porto Cervo can also cope with the
North Sea in a pretty vile mood.
Shes conceived as a daysailer or
weekender but, like the 8M, has the
speed and seakeeping qualities to
take you pretty well anywhere. All
daysailer means in this context is
big cockpit, small cabin and no
guardwires (as standard). If I were
in a gale in the middle of Biscay I
would rather be on this boat (or the
8M, for that matter) than on a good
many of the so-called offshore
cruisers Ive tested.
Accommodation
In keeping with her external
appearance, the styling below
decks on the Se 33 is much more
modern than on the 8M. The nish
is simple to save weight hull sides
are ow-coated, for example and
light colours create an airy feel.
Future boats will have ports in the
topsides to let in more light.
Various layouts are offered, our
test boat having what will probably
be the most popular with a V-berth
in the bow (heads underneath),
galley amidships and settee berths
in the saloon. Finish is good and
detailing given plenty of thought.
PBOs verdict
The whole idea of the big daysailer/
weekender has yet to take off in the
UK, but to my mind it makes a lot
of sense. So many fully-edged
cruisers are used mostly for
weekending anyway.
Instead of calculating a boats value
by a formula that uses length, price,
headroom and number of berths,
maybe its time to consider factors
such as fun and what am I really
going to use the boat for? If you do
that, you might nd you end up with
something like the Safer Se 33.
SAFFIER Se 33
PRICE FROM 94,410
LOA 9.60m (31ft 6in)
Beam 2.72m (8ft 11in)
Draught options from 1.40m (4ft 7in) to
2.10m (6ft 11in)
Displacement 2,800kg (6,172lb)
Ballast 1,100kg (2,425lb)
Sail area 45sq m (484sq ft)
RCD category B
Engine Yanmar 2YM 15hp saildrive
While she most certainly looks the
business and more modern than
the 8M the lines of the 33 are also
slightly retro. As Dean put it, Do we
go modern, or stick with what we
believe? He was referring to the
shape of the stern as an example.
Going the retrouss route would
have been a major departure for
Safer. A more traditional shape, on
the other hand, is in keeping with
what the yard is known for and, with
the transom hinging down to form a
boarding step or bathing platform,
its more practical too.
The theme of modernity tempered
by tradition continues throughout.
Unlike the 8M, the 33 is built with a
cored laminate in the topsides. The
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 95

S
ome view a crossing of the Bay
of Biscay with trepidation,
having heard stories of how
formidable the weather can be.
Ive crossed the bay 13 times
now, and have motored the
whole way across on ve of those trips,
such has been the lack of wind and
drama. During my latest crossing, in the
latter part of April and the beginning of
May this year, we motored nearly half the
distance across between Portland and
Baiona in north-west Spain.
The bays reputation could well be a
throwback to the time when sailing
vessels, with their relatively inefcient
square rigs, were unable to shape a good
course to windward. Having been forced
into the shallow water by the prevailing
winds from the west, vessels were trapped
in the dangers of a lee shore due to the
Atlantic swell, which can build quickly
with a rapid deterioration in the weather
near land.
With more efcient rigs and sail plans,
more reliable engines and intelligent use
of easily accessible weather forecasts from
a variety of sources, modern yachts are
less likely to get into trouble.
There have nevertheless been occasions
in the last few years where yachts have
been caught in really bad weather,
sometimes with loss of life. One wonders
how detailed the weather assessments
were, and how much of a time imperative
was the driving force in setting sail. I
know of one delivery skipper who,
pressured by the owner to get the yacht
back to Britain by a particular date, set off
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sticky Stapylton has a
Yachtmaster Ocean ticket,
runs Arrow Yacht Enterprises
and is an RYA Yachtmaster
Instructor. During his long career he has
sailed most seas and oceans of the world.
Seamanship Crossing Biscay
The Bay of Biscay has a daunting reputation,
but Sticky Stapylton explains how meticulous
preparation of boat and crew, and a close
watch on the weather, will restore perspective
with a forecast Force 9. This trip ended up
with loss of life, and of the yacht. The
forecast was correct: it was the skippers
decision to sail that was wrong.
Geography
The Bay of Biscay is located between the
northern coast of Spain and the western
coast of France. The average depth of
the bay is 1,745m and the maximum
is more than 4,000m: parts of the
continental shelf extend into the
Crossing the
Bay of Biscay
O Brest
O Brest
Bay of Biscay
Cherbourg
O
FRANCE
O
St Malo
O Morlaix
Saint-Nazaire
O
O La Rochelle
O
San Sebastian
SPAIN
O
Bilbao
O
Bilbao
O
Santander
Iroise
Rochebonne
Yeu
Cantabrico Finisterre
Pazenn
WEATHER FORECAST
AREAS FOR BISCAY
O
La Corua
O
La Corua
E
u
r
o
p
e
a
n

M
a
r
i
n
e

O
b
s
e
r
v
a
t
i
o
n

a
n
d

D
a
t
a

N
e
t
w
o
r
k
Chartlet not
to be used for
navigation
SPAIN
C
o
n
t
in
e
n
t
a
l s
h
e
lf
FRANCE
UK
Topographic image of the Biscay seabed
96 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
bay, meaning there is relatively shallow
water in places. In the area approximately
47 00.00N 005 00.00W, the seabed
shelves from 2,100m to 120m over a
distance of 20 miles or so. This is almost
on a direct line between the Chenal du
Four on the west coast of Brittany and La
Corua, often chosen as the arrival port
after crossing the bay.
All these factors should lead the prudent
skipper to monitor carefully several
sources of weather forecasts at least ve
days ahead of the planned departure date.
Get hold of synoptic charts online, learn
how to decipher the diagrams, and see
how the weather out in the Atlantic is
likely to develop.
Boat preparation
Before setting sail its worth thinking
about your boats heavy weather gear,
where it is stowed and also all those items
that will help to make the onset of heavy
weather less of a drama.
Ensure you have a good stock of
anti-seasickness pills: these should be
issued to any crew members who doubt
their ability to avoid mal-de-mer. A
number of skippers I have sailed with
ignore this advice.
Of course there are some tablets which
produce an adverse reaction, but having
some crew unable to take part in the
sailing of the boat can put a great strain on
the remainder. During one of my crossings
of the Irish Sea, all four of the crew
suffered from severe seasickness and I had
to helm the boat for 36 hours. This would
be all right for a youngster, but some
pensioners might nd it a bit of a strain!
Do you have a trysail and storm jib, and
have you rigged them in calm conditions?
If you have a trysail, your mainsail may
have to be removed and stowed below: and
depending on how your trysail is rigged, you
may need to secure your boom to the deck.
Your storm jib may need a separate
forestay set up before the sail is hoisted.
Youll need to think through at what stage
you rig these sails, especially if you are
not receiving weather forecasts and the
weather is clearly deteriorating. You dont
want to be going forward onto a pitching
foredeck when the sea has become too
rough. If for some reason I have left it too
the bow, there is a good chance theyll
not strike the foot of the storm jib and
increase the chance of a knockdown
under the weight of water.
The storm jib in the main photo (above)
is attached to a sleeve which is run up
around the furled headsail. When I tried
one of these out, I was surprised how easy
it was to haul up the sleeve, though there
is the added complication of having to
remove the furled headsail sheets and
securing the sail with a sail tie.
Another problem is that the clew of the
furled headsail can be so high that your
tallest crew member has to stand on the
pulpit to secure it. This is not something
to be done in a rising gale and steep seas,
or you could well end up with a sail
looking like the one in the photo (left).
Can you remove your dodgers easily, and
can your sprayhood be either folded or
removed? The dodgers on this yacht look
quite a permanent xture.
Batten down the hatches
As a matter of course, your boats
portlights and scuttles should be closed
while youre at sea. I emphasise during my
Seamanship
late, I position the boat on a broad reach
while the sails are made on and then, if
needs be and the sail arrangement allows,
the sails are hoisted when everyone is
back in the cockpit.
Sometimes a straight out of the bag
storm jib will be made on quite low to the
bow. In a really heavy sea and if beating, it
may be wiser to have a strop attached to
the tack so that if waves are breaking over
PBO tested seven storm jibs in the January 2010 issue
A well-set storm jib is a more efcient
and controllable shape than a reefed
genoa during heavy weather
Too much sail in too much wind
and the sails can be torn to shreds
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 97
Crossing Biscay
crew brieng that no windows or hatches
should be opened without my permission.
I once had a crew member open the
forehatch during a cross-Channel night
passage after hed been sick down below.
He moved into the saloon, the sea got up,
and when I went below half an hour later
to nd out how he was doing, I found the
whole of the forepeak awash.
Does your boat have dorades, and do y ou
have covers for them? Merely turning y our
dorades downwind will not necessarily
mean you wont ship water in a heavy sea.
Slowing down
If you are going to be a serious passage
maker, you need to prepare some form of
drag device. For my rst long-distance tri p
to North Africa, I made up a sea anchor
which was rst put to the test off Tangier s
during a really strong levanter blowing
through the Straits of Gibraltar. It was made
from a strong canvas bucket supported b y
a cross frame: we lay to this for 36 hours
until the gale blew out, and lost only 60
miles to leeward over the time it was rigged.
Nowadays I have a series drogue, which
takes up rather a lot of space in a small
boat. Getting this out and readying it may
take up just a bit too much room in the
cockpit, so if you have such a device it is
worth working out how to have it fully
prepared and not too much in the way. I
keep mine aked into a large plastic utility
tub, but so far I have never have had to
use it in anger.
Secure everything
Before setting sail the wise skipper will
have a plan to ensure that nothing is
going to shift around if the weather
worsens. The security of all gear below
must be checked, particularly heavy items
such as tool kits and batteries. Are you
satised that the cabin sole boards will
stay in place if the boat broaches badly?
You might want to tape up all lockers
without positive locking arrangements.
Tidiness is all-important at all times at
sea: the photo above right was taken
during a bit of boat tuition in the Solent.
Do you have a grab bag? When was it
last checked, and are the ares in it up to
date? Brief your crew on the grab bags
stowage place, and show them its contents
and how and when it is brought on deck.
On long passages, I always offer crew
heavy-duty plastic bags in which to place
their wallets and valuables: these are
sealed up and placed in the grab bag.
A ships knife should be kept in a
prominent position where it can be found
easily when needed quickly although a
good crewman will always have a knife in
his pocket too. An even better crewman will
also have a marlinspike and a pair of pliers.
I have a cheap multi-tool which looks
very smart, but is in fact rubbish: any
attempt to loosen a stiff nut with the
pliers, and the grippers just twist out of
shape. Some of the other functions are
more useful (see PBOs December 2013 test
of 11 multi-tools), but one advantage of
mine is that it can be easily picked up if
dropped overboard in shallow water and
you have a magnet on a string to hand!
Pumping out
On my rst boat, the heads would siphon
in water on starboard tack if the inlet
seacock had been left open. The simple
answer was to turn the seacocks off after
nishing in the heads, but sometimes this
was forgotten.
On this boat we had a really deep sump,
so my rule was that the bilge was pumped
every hour while at sea: as soon as we had
more than a couple of pumps of wet I
knew that either a seacock had been left
open or we had a leak.
Despite its frequency of use (or perhaps
because of it) I only had to change the
bilge pump diaphragm once in 15 years,
and this was probably brought on by my
drill that after pumping the bilge pump
dry, an extra 20 empty pumps should be
given to get rid of any gas if we had had a
leak. This was before the invention of gas
alarms which, to be honest, I do not
overly trust even now.
I recommend that boat owners have the
handles of all pumps, especially those in
the cockpit, attached close to the pump
by a lanyard.
The main hatch must be secured in
heavy weather, but washboards are
difcult to handle at the best of times.
Each entry/exit to/from the boat down
below by a crew member necessitates
a dismantling and reassembly of the
For more on
drogues and their
effectiveness, see
the test in PBOs
Summer 2014
issue
Dorades can ship
water in really heavy
weather. A way of
closing or blanking
them off is sensible
Ben Meakins and David Pugh deploy a series drogue
during the PBO Summer 2014 issue test of drogues
Tidiness is important at all times at sea, even if
its just a jaunt in sheltered waters
A powerful magnet on a line can retrieve
metallic items lost overboard

98 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk

Seamanship
washboards: this typically involves
replacing two to three washboards in the
correct sequence and orientation to t
correctly. If a boat is pitchpoled or has
been rolled, the washboards are very likely
to be lost overboard, and thus the safety
of the boat is more at risk in a survival
situation. Washboards which have to be
lifted out should be tted with a lanyard
to hold them rmly in place should there
be a knockdown.
With boats which have a large cockpit
but insufcient hook-on points, it is worth
either rigging a rope lattice within the
cockpit or having lifejacket strops on all
available hook-on points. The picture
below left shows our set-up on a Dufour
45 I was delivering to Malta a few years
back. It meant that, in a heavy sea, a
member of the crew wanting to come on
to secure them.
On the subject of bolt croppers, have you
tried yours and are they man enough for
the job? Imagine cutting through your
rigging in a really choppy sea with the
boat rolling and pitching. Some swear by a
high-quality hacksaw: it is easier to stow
and in some ways also easier to handle,
but bear in mind the increased motion
there will be if your mast comes down.
Prior to leaving on a long passage, it is
essential that the linkage on wheel
steering is checked. On my latest delivery,
the owner made a point of removing
partitions and getting into the stern to
make a really thorough inspection, even
though the boat was only ve years old.
Crew selection
If you are relying on crew with whom you
have never sailed, it is a good idea to invite
them for a weekends sail prior to your
trip. Give each of them a turn helming the
boat and spend some time practising man
overboard drills. Ensure all are familiar
with the boat: you should be able to work
out their strengths and weaknesses, and
you can then choose the least experienced
to be on your watch.
I like to run a few what if situations past
the more experienced crew without
trying to put the others off! We discuss all
those subjects which should be covered
during the RYA courses, and with crew
who are new to a particular boat we cover
what should be done in the event of a
re on board, on holing, the drill for
deploying the liferaft, lookout drills,
keeping the log, engine maintenance
and a host of other topics.
If you can manage it, try to organise the
crew so there are at least two with some
experience. I endeavour to have ve crew
on board: this means two on watch, two
resting and one as a standby.
Be careful of taking on crew who have
limited time: this can often be worse than
having too few crew, as you dont want to
be pressured into setting sail with a bad
weather forecast and the risk that entails.
Choosing your weather
Despite all the 21st century technology in
weather forecasting, youll be lucky to get
a really accurate forecast for more than
about ve days ahead. I tend to rely on a
three-day forecast and carefully monitor
the fourth and fth days, as long as I have
the ability, once at sea. Be aware that your
crossing may not always turn out as
planned, and nding that weather
window can sometimes be elusive.
Weather in the Bay of Biscay is the
most vital factor to be considered when
crossing. Some of the ercest weather
conditions of the Atlantic Ocean occur
here, the area being home to large storms
during the winter months.
Navtex is an excellent system to have on
board, although it can be temperamental.
On our latest trip we lost signal a number
of times and missed weather forecasts. I
have never had such a problem before, but
deck could be hooked on before
climbing out of the companionway
and could get himself settled before
unhooking and moving to the place
he was aiming for.
Regular checks by members of the
watch are essential in rough weather.
In my brief to watch leaders, I would
be asking that the cockpit drains are
checked clear and free, and if
blocked the dinghy foot pump is an
excellent way of clearing small
debris. Deck gear should be checked
for security: the spinnaker pole,
liferaft, winch handles, man
overboard marking gear and their
oating lights.
In strong winds, all sheets and
halyards should be checked that
they are not being worn or even
chafed. Any spare halyards should
be frapped, the jackstays should also
be inspected and the fore and aft
securing points tested for security.
This pad eye, below, on a new
boat gives an idea of how corners
are cut with what is an important
safety device. I tested this on getting
aboard: it came away
with a weak yank!
Anchors on
most modern
boats are
permanently set in
the bow fairlead. On
one boat I delivered
there was no anchor
pin to secure the anchor.
We found it was virtually
impossible to take the anchor off the roller
and put it in the chain locker, so we
devised a system using a lanyard to tie
down the anchor on the roller.
Depending upon where your gas locker
is, you may consider changing a near-
empty gas cylinder before a blow comes
in. Changing the cylinder on my rst boat
in the lazarette was a nightmare, and I
much preferred to do this when at anchor
or in port. By the same token, a check of
all torch batteries is sensible, as is knowing
the location of rigging cutters and
ensuring there is a lanyard with which
Check the security of cockpit pad eyes, and t
strops so you can always be clipped on when
moving around
Are your bolt croppers man enough for the job
for which theyre intended?
Secure washboards with
lanyards to help hold
them in place in the
event of a knockdown
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 99
Crossing Biscay
it is important to
realise that in
conditions
adverse to radio
propagation you
may not receive a signal.
Late spring and early summer in the Biscay
area are cool and cloudy, but large fog banks
ll the south-western part of the bay.
My rst crossing, in the late spring of
1988, was in pre-GPS days, so I was basing
my navigation on dead reckoning. We had
sailed most of the way across and were
about a days sail away from La Corua. I
had planned to pick up the lights of three
lighthouses at their maximum range for a
x just before dawn so that I could then
shape a course for our destination, and was
awoken by the on-duty watch to be told
that the lights had been identied. So I
took the bearings, plotted a reasonable x
and worked out our course. This was ne
until we approached the Spanish coast,
where the fog rolled in and we had to slow
down, post lookouts and go into restricted
visibility mode. I guessed we could not see
much more than 100m.
So it was down with the sails, engine
on, one man on the bow, listening out for
the sound of any other vessels engines or
fog signals. We had a second man by the
starboard shroud, a third by the port
shroud and I was by the helm with my
aerosol foghorn. We were travelling at
a pretty slow 2 knots: the dinghy was
inated and towed behind us, while the
liferaft was on a cockpit seat and our grab
bag was to hand in case we had a problem.
The lookouts were moved round every 10
minutes or so to keep them alert to the
different dangers in this situation.
I was keeping a beady eye on the
echo sounder and noting that we were
approaching shallower waters, but in
70m of water the man on the bow yelled
rocks! and pointed his arm almost straight
above his head: or at least, that was how it
appeared to me! In retrospect the angle of
his pointing was more like two oclock
rather than noon, but it jolted me into
grabbing the gear and throttle lever and,
after a short pause in neutral, going hard
astern. We must have approached an area
of the coast where the cliffs descended
straight into the sea, and luckily we were
going sufciently slowly to be able to
extricate ourselves without danger.
So now we went back on a reciprocal of
our heading, and soon heard the foghorn
of a vessel under way one long blast.
Visibility was now clearing, and we were
lucky to see the shape of a cargo vessel
crossing our bow at about 200m.
We headed for his wake and turned to
see that it must have been heading for
La Corua. Luckily for us the fog lifted
shortly after: the vessel was indeed heading
for La Corua, so we made port without
further trouble.
Timing
As winter begins, the weather turns harsh
and severe. Depressions are formed and
enter the bay from the west. These
eventually dry out and are born again as
thunderstorms. They also bring in constant
rain to the region, often bringing storms that
are almost hurricane-like. Some will recall
Hurricane Klaus of January 2009, when the
trajectory of a tropical revolving storm
crossed the bay, causing mayhem in France.
The systems central pressure dropped
from 1,000mb to 967mb over a period of
some 7 hours (nearly 5mb an hour). This
brings home the essential need to have a
barometer on board, and having an idea of
what a rise or fall in pressure means in the
way the weather changes.
The Atlantic swells often form near
the coasts and often make many ports
inaccessible. In these circumstances it is
better to stay well out to sea, clear of land
and shallow dangers.
Some will argue that crossing the bay
at the equinoxes is taking too great a risk,
while statisticians may tell you that
equinoctial gales are a myth. I do not have
the statistics, but the key must be to watch
the forecasts and wait for a favourable one.
If a weather system comes in as you
approach north-west Spain, you will need
to weigh up whether you are going to seek
shelter. It is essential that you avoid a lee
shore and are aware that during some of
the summer months an easterly Force 8
can blow off Cape Finisterre. On one of my
crossings going south, having been warned
that the weather might deteriorate, we
sailed down the 10W westing line and
closed land when we were abeam of
Lisbon. It was an uneventful crossing.
So the time to avoid Biscay is during
the winter: my advice to those intent on
sailing during this period is to allow plenty
of time for a decent forecast and never be
held to a time imperative. It is far better to
get a boat to its destination intact and with
all your crew rather than risk both for the
sake of a timetable.
If you nd a forecast window of settled
weather, give it a go. Check out Frank
Singletons The Weather Window website,
www.weather.mailasail.com there is a lot
of very helpful advice there.
In summary
Biscay has a reputation which is not always
justied. Do your homework, and analyse
more than one weather forecast: the bay is
not a nemesis. However you, your crew
and your boat must be properly prepared.
The prudent skipper will adopt this
approach for all sailing. Avoid mavericks
among your crew, and if you are not sure
about the weather, think about going well
to the west before going south.
A Force 10 in
Biscay not a
very pleasant
place to be
Hurricane
Klaus cut right
across Biscay
when it blew in
to Europe in
January 2009
Pressure tendency and resultant wind speed
Pressure tendency Resulting wind speed
(Beaufort Scale number)
Over sea Over land
1 mb/hour 6 4-5
2 mb/hour 7-8 5-7
3 mb/hour or more Above 8 Above 6
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NEXT MONTH
Navigation for crossing Biscay
Sundowner moored bows-to in
Kassiopi, Corfu. Albania, in the far
background, is a mere six-and-a-
half miles away
100 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
Readers cruising destinations, near and far
Cruising Notes
We pay for your published cruising stories and
harbour updates. Email pbo@ipcmedia.com or
write to the address at the top of page 5
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
W
ith a reef in the genoa,
a ne south-east wind
took us north-east from
the Greek island of Corfu to the
Albanian coast, a six-and-a-half
mile trip across borders, in the
amount of time it takes to play
a football game.
At 1030 on an overcast morning
in April we left the small but
beautiful harbour of Kassiopi and in
one tack arrived outside the large
bay of Gjiri i Sarands in the spring
sunshine at 1100 local time,
Albania being UTC+1.
Without much chart information
Amazing Albania
Sandra and
Dennis White
have lived
aboard
Sundowner, a
Heavenly Twins 27 catamaran,
since 1999. They have enjoyed
winters in Italy, Malta, Turkey
and Greece and summers
travelling in between, often
ying back to the UK and
Brittany to nd work to top up
the limited cruising fund.
we lined up central to the port and
starboard buoys, then radioed the
Sarand Port Authorities on Ch11
for permission to approach the
harbour. We were answered by the
pleasant voice of Jelja (pronounced
Lela), the assistant of Agim the
agent who we had phoned prior
to our departure.
Jelja told us to prepare our
starboard side to go alongside up
in the pocket of the harbour. After
passing through the wide buoyed
area we guessed the harbour to be
somewhere up and to portside of
the bay, the rest being beachfront.
A large docking area came into
view and at the end, through the
binoculars, we could see the lone
female gure of Jelja waiting for us
at the dockside.
We headed over and to starboard
of the berthed hydrofoil ferry and
found she had now been joined
by our agent Agim, waving and
gesturing where we were to come
alongside. With welcoming smiles
they took and returned our ropes,
and Sundowner was secure. After a
greeting chat, uniformed customs
ofcials arrived, welcomed us,
enquired as to whether we
possessed anything illegal, to which
Dennis and Sandra White enjoy a stress-free cruise to Gjiri i Sarands
we replied no, they then smiled
and left, not bothering us again all
very relaxed and informal.
Jelja then took our paperwork
and passports to be processed. We
had a further chat with Agim before
tidying Sundowner and enjoying
home-made pasties for lunch. Jelja
returned after the promised 40
minutes with our paperwork and
stamped passports, together with a
complimentary courtesy ag. We
were now signed into Albania, all
very stress-free.
As well as being the independent
port agent Agim is also area
representative of the Cruising
Association, an ex-mariner and ex
harbour master. His experience and
knowledge ensured a hassle-free
visit. Jelja has a good teacher as
she learns the ropes and gains
knowledge to go with her pleasant
and cheery personality. Their ofce
is just a short walk outside of the
harbour security gate, and also
conveniently sited next to the ATM
to withdraw the local currency, the
Albanian lek.
Zero currency
It took us two attempts to get
money from the ATM
as we had not
reckoned for the
number of zeros
wed need to
add to the end
of a gure in
order to
withdraw a
sensible
amount of
cash. We then
proceeded to hand
over seemingly huge gures to
purchase everyday items from
stalls at the large vegetable market
just down the road. Were not very
good at bartering, but it was an
interesting experience and
were sure we supplied plenty
of entertainment to the locals.
Jelja provided us with a town map
with all the relevant provisioning
places and points of interest
marked. Not on the map but
destined to be added to it is the
superb bakery we found on the last
day of our three-day visit, up a ight
of steps and onto the street above
which runs parallel with the
harbourside road.
O
Kassiopi
O Sarands
CORFU
ALBANIA
ALBANIA
IT
A
L
Y
GREECE
0 5 10
NM
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 101
Cruising Notes
Free parking!
Lochranza, Firth of Clyde
Do you have a favourite free anchorage? Send it in! Email pbo@ipcmedia.com
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There we also found numerous
other friendly local stores including
some selling fresh vegetables,
which we bought without the
slightly intimidating pressure wed
found at the big market on our rst
outing. We did buy our cheap beer
and vacuum-packed olives from
the supermarket on the lower road,
the weight to carry necessitating
being closer to the boat.
Even closer was the family-run
pie shop with its distinct orange
frontage and delicious cheese,
spinach or onion lo pastry pies for
just a few lek.
Agim invited us out for drinks in
the early evening and a pleasant
couple of hours were spent
chatting to his wife Rajmonda, who
wanted to practise her English
speaking, while we learnt a few
words in Albanian.
The original plan was to stay for a
few days, possibly sailing north to
the bay of Palermos overlooked by
Ali Pashas castle, then south to
L
och Ranza is a popular
anchorage on the
north-western corner of
the Isle of Arran in the Firth of
Clyde, Scotland although the
idyllic bay is subject to violent
squalls in offshore winds.
Clyde Cruising Clubs Sailing
Directions and Anchorages,
published by Imray, also warns
sailors entering Loch Ranza from
the north to beware of drying and
submerged rocks extending
south of Newton Point.
The loch dries for about one
and a half cables from the head,
including the area sheltered by
the spit on which the castle
stands. The most popular
anchorage is to the north of the
castle ruin in 4-6m, but it is rather
shoal in this area and not good
holding ground in strong winds. In
strong southerly winds it is better
to anchor in 10m, well out from
the south shore.
There are 12 visitor moorings in
the centre of the loch and a pontoon
for dinghies and short-term berthing
200m east of the pier.
Local services include shops, a
telephone, the Lochranza Hotel, a
restaurant, a craft shop, a distillery
with shop and caf, a golf course, and
Calor gas and petrol at Pirnmill. Water
is available from the pontoon.
maybe anchor off and visit the
World Heritage Site of Butrint, an
ancient Greek and then Roman city.
Agim offered to drive us down
to Butrint to see the ruins, but the
next day a north-west howler had
arrived, setting some swell around
and up into the bay. This made us
move further into the pocket of the
harbour and anchor stern-to the
quay with a buoyed trip line that
inexpensive and excellent
cappuccinos and later just as cheap
and good quality local beer while
checking our emails on the free WiFi.
Waking up in the still of the
following morning we decided to
celebrate Sandras 50th birthday
with a sail, even though the wind
had stopped for now. It couldnt be
as strong as yesterday, could it?
While Jelja signed us out
we walked up the steps to the
previously-mentioned bakery
and, rather than exchange the last
of our lek, decided to spend it in
some kind of bakery supermarket
dash. With a nal smile and a
farewell, in her perfect English,
Jelja handed back our passports
and exit papers, and we cast off
with a promise to return.
Sandras birthday gift turned out
to be helming a small catamaran
through large seas and strong
winds the weather had got up
again but in a very short time
we were back in the shelter of
Kassiopi in Corfu.
proved useful later in retrieving
the anchor from the good holding
of mud and rocks. The surge
necessitated being well off the
quay, and the use of the dinghy
to go ashore.
After taking Dennis to the garage
to ll the jerry can with diesel, Agim
drove us to the old Lekursi Castle,
high up on the hill above Sarand,
where we enjoyed spectacular
views of the inland plains and
mountains to the east, Corfu
dominating the west and the island
of Ereikoussa to the north.
We could just make out our lone
catamaran bright in the sunshine,
sheltered in the harbour, and the
whitecaps sweeping down the
channel in the distance beyond.
There were some beautiful
long-haired mountain goats being
chaperoned by a shepherd.
In the afternoon we watched
Sundowner bobbing back and forth
from the panoramic window of one
of the numerous smart bars
overlooking the quay, drinking
Sundowner stern-to
the quay in Sarands
ABOVE A view of the inland plains
INSET LEFT A goat in the grounds of Lekursi Castle
Loch
Ranza
Newton
Lochranza
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 103
CRAFT FOR SALE
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QUALIFIED | EXPERIENCED | PROFESSIONALS
Yacht Broking & Conveyancing | Surveying & Designing

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FOR 5ALE A 2006 I5LAND PACKEY 440
A unlque opportunlty to buy
one ot tbe most sougbt atter
long olstance crulslng yacbt.Tbls
2006 |P bas just been completely
tteo out to sall tbe meo ano
turtber.Tbe work bas just been
completeo but oue to a cbange ln
clrcumstances, we bave to let ber
go.Wasblng macblne, sat pbone,
copperbot, ssb 2.8 rlb, 8kw
generator, solar panels, wlno
generator, A|S, leo llgbtlng, ano
mucb more. L295,000
Call 07802989700
owerdavidqme.com
Cornish 5hrimper
Mucb loveo Sbrlmper Classlc (Sall num-
ber 624), owneo trom new ln 1994, kept
ln St [ust ln Poselano, Cornwall slnce 1999
ano malntalneo protesslonally by Pasco's
boatyaro. New malnsall ano boom cover
tbls year.Yamaba 5HP outboaro. Navy blue
bull, reo antltoullng, ott wblte oeck ano tan
salls. L13,500
01326 270681
christownsend624@gmail.com
Hunter Legend 37.5
S/Y Carlb. 8ullt
1993. Lengtb 11.4m,
beam 4.0m, oratt
1.7m.Wlng keel.
New mast, rlgglng,
maln ano genoa
2008, blmlnl ano
spraybooo 2010.
Yanmar 37bp
englne appro
2,500brs. Lotrans
cbart plotter,
Garmln GPS,
Paymarlne
lnstruments anoAutobelm.Wlnolass, 60m SS cbaln
CQP ancbor,Tbree cablns sleeps 7.Tollet ano
sbower compartment, bololng tank ano macerator.
2.6m rlb wltb 5bp o/b. Manutacturers brocbure
avallable. Locatlon: Fetla,Turkey
L20,000 evAT ono.
Contact: Gerry 8lake 0044 1249 782791
emall: gerry.blake@btlnternet.com
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104 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
BOATS UNDER 10,000
BOATS UNDER 10,000
CRAFT FOR SALE
Prout Snowgoose EIite
37
Launched 2005. Well-equipped for
cruising. Twin 20hp Yanmar diesels.
Working abroad forces sale as boat is
hardly used. Valued at 95k but accept
82.5k ONO for quick sale.
Lying River Crouch - ready to go!
CaII +44(0)7939 226417
Norfolk Gypsy - Hull No.90 {Built 1996}
Green bull wltb yellow strlp. Harowooo 3-plece wasbboaros.
Space beater tor storage perloos. Overall cockplt cover (green).
Harowooo slatteo cockplt seatlng. Harowooo seat battens tteo
on att oeck. 8oom gallows ano cbocks tteo on att oeck. Lnglne
souno proong. Copper protectlon on mast tor gatt jaws. Haro-
wooo sole ln cabln ln lleu ot stanoaro marlne carpetlng. Compass
tteo ln cabln. Nav. llgbts at mast beao wlreo tbrougb. Sborellne
Compact vHF raolo tteo wltb aerlal on mast top ano watertlgbt
oeck plug ano socket. Autobelm selt-steerlng ST1000 + equlp-
ment tteo. Auto belm bl-oata unlt tteo (speeo/log/oeptb). |gloo
12v electrlc coolbo ln port cockplt locker. Flre etlngulsber.
Salls, (turllng jlb). 8oat complete wltb 8ramber Gypsy traller. 8oat
ls asbore ln Devon ano slttlng on ber traller - L20,000 ono.
For further information - 01647 277336
e.mail - margaretatrudge@yahoo.co.uk
Drascombe Lugger 1993
New malnsall wltb wlnoow. Full wlotb
traveller, new. Mercury o/b 4bp 4s, 4 yrs
olo.New bllge pump. Pe-conoltloneo trall-
er. Crulslng sbute. Poller jlb. Spray booo.
Day ano wlnter covers. 8owsprlt. 8oom.
On lano at Tborney |slano. L4,500
01730 893774.
jlawrie71@btinternet.com
Caledonia Yawl
Nellle D' ls a beautltul CaleoonlaYawl oe-
slgneo by |an Ougbtreao bullt to very blgb
stanoaros ano olleo lnsloe ano out. Sbe
comes wltb a 24 volt electrlc outboaro
motor ano a ot 12 volt batterles run ln
serles. Complete wltb roao traller, cover
etc. L9,000 ono
07850 090244
cowessailability@gmail.com
jeanneau 5un 2500
2007 Llttlng Keel 4 8ertb Outboaro Ln-
glne. Llgbtly useo ano always storeo asbore
Complete wltb roao/launcb traller.
Well equlppeo - cbart plotter, osc raolo,
autobelm, raolo.co player, marlne beaos
ano bollolng tank, trl oata lnstrument
Lylng - Pwllbell, Nortb Wales L21,995
Yel: 01352 770476
richardtresidder@supanet.com
X-342 1992 Racer Cruiser
Lylng Slngapore. Ltenslve ret 2012 ano bas
been useo tor Aslan Pegattas ano crulslng. Larger
boat now torces sale ot tbls lovely boat. New
Lnglne, mast, Nortb salls ano rlgglng plus A/C
means sbe ls gooo to go anywbere. |oeal tor any-
one looklng to start ber on ber net aoventure.
Sleeps sl.
For more pics/info 47,000 pounds ono
Mlutter@mac.com
Colvic Atlanta 26ft 1980
Dark blue bull, tan salls, tully batteneo
maln ln packaway system, lazy jacks, slngle
llne reeng, jlb turllng, spray booo, ooogers,
boarolng laooer, manual, ancbor wlnolass,
bruce ancbor, 90 teet ot cbaln, 20bp beta
olesel. L8,950 Warebam
john Lattimer
Phone 01929 553226
GK BaIfour ex Fyfes Honeybee
Wo o d e n Ya c h t 1 9 6 3
L 28ft x B 8.0ft x d 5.0ft Mahogany on oak
frames. 4 Berths. Varnished and in very
good condition. All the following new : Teak
nterior and Beta 20hp engine 70hrs,
Propeller and shaft, Sikta spruce Mast and
rigging, Lewmar electric windlass with 60m
12mm chain. Sails by Leach of Tarbet,
Rotostay roller reefng jib, Keel bolts, Tiller.
2x25ltr fuel tanks, 2 burner gas stove with
grill. Lying Millport, sle of Cumbrae,
Scotland. 07791254833
Vindo 32
1976 mooern classls etenslvely retteo
by present owner ano eceptlonally well
malntalneo & equlppeo.
New englne & tololng prop, unoer oeck
Octopus/Paymarlne Auto-belm, salls, rlg,
trloge, sbore power, GPS etc.
A comtortable sea klnoly crulser.
Lylng Lymlngton L29,950 07768 000
310 - steve@draycotts.co.uk
Yanita Built 1961
Yanlta bullt 1961 Freo Parker oeslgn 25tt
3 bertb.Yanmar 1GM10vHF GPS Lcbo
sounoer Autopllot Llttle useo tbls year.
Lylng Pln Mlll |pswlcb. L3,995
01223 263544
graham_frances@tiscali.co.uk
Ragtime for 5ale
8avarla 36. 11.4m, 2003. 610 brs volvo penta 29bp. 1
owner, 2 cablns.Wlll sleep 6.Tbe yacbt bas been maln-
talneo to a very blgb stanoaro. | want to sell complete
wltb all tbe contents. Peaoy to sall tomorrow.Wlll
only remove clotbes. Antltouleo ano new anooes tteo
last week. Salls are pertect, ln mast reeng ano turl g-
ure tore sall.Tbe yacbt ls palo untll eno ot September
ano bas many etras, eg. Panavlslon Frencb, |tallan ano
Sky.Tbe moorlng ls tbe best ln S.France ano avallable.
Cost ot moorlng per year t8,300 palo montbly. For
moorlng post 130 Capterrac St [ean, Nlce. t75,000
{0}44 7711062094 please ring for further
details jeff Wragg jeffwragg@hotmail.co.uk
Mirage 28 MkII bilge keels
Sbe was bullt by THAMLS MAP|NL 1981. One owner
trom new ano useo ber as a tamlly crulser malnly on
tbe Last Coast. 8ertbeo at Woolverstone Marlna, always
Wlntereo asbore. Lnglne ls aYANMAP 2 CYL 18/20
HP new 1994. Salls are roller reeng genoa. 8eblno tbe
mast roller reeng malnsall new 2002. Salls lncluoe a
crulslng cbute ano a storm jlb.Tbe tenoer ls an AvON
PLDCPLST. 2.5 HP MAP|NLP new 2003. PLAST|MO
galley cooker wltb Name tallure, 2 burners, grlll, tber-
mostatlcally controlleo oven.Tbe lnstruments lncluoe
eovHF wltb DSC reo button, bano belovHF new
2005, Furuno GPS, Garmln cbart plotter new 2009, Lcbo
oeptb sounoer. Sl bertbs lncluoe tbe optlon ot 2 oouble
bertbs. Heaoroom ln saloon ls over 6 teet. L10,950.
Alun Roberts 01494-872809
alunandmavis@waitrose.com
5eamaster 23
1973, same owner slnce 1990, lltt keel, large
cockplt, stanolng beao room, 5 bertbs, 4 seater
olnette, galley, sea tollet, 8eta 14 (2005) lnboaro
olesel, roller reeng beao sall, lazy jacks maln,
spray booo, oeptb gauge, lnNatable,Yamaba 2
outboaro. L3,485 Lylng Lymlngton
Contact 01590 670677
Classic 20 5qm Yacht
8ullt 1949, same
ownersblp 23
years. Petur-
blsbeo 2004,
lnc. new rlgglng.
Gooo conoltlon,
reaoy to sall, lnc.
salls ano outboaro.
On sbore ln Plymoutb. L6,500 ono
Call 01752 872196 or email
penny.hardy@btinternet.com
Van de Stadt
Jupiter 30
Built 1979 commissioned 1980 this exceptionally
spaclous n keel 30 toot crulser/racer otters 5
bertbs, beaos, gooo slzeo galley to starboaro ano
a suprlslng amount ot storage.
Full sulte salls. Tbousanos spent last tew years.
New 2008 upgraoes lncluoe 20bp beta englne,
stanolng rlgglng, cooker & maln.
Lylng Dale, Pembrokesblre L11,950
tel 0781 333 6956
for more pics info
www.tygwyncottage.co.uk
Malo 34 built 1994
Malo 34 built 1994. 40 HP Volvo engine
Electric anchor windlass. Bow Thruster.
New 2014 Raymarine chart plotter. New
2014 Sea brake. Autohelm. DSC Radio.
Cruising chute. Liferaft. Quality inventory.
Out of water survey done 2013. VAT paid.
Good all round condition.
Lying Sharpness, Gloucester : 67,500.00.
Telephone 01453 451105
Email: priscilla.jordan@sky.com
MARINE DIRECTORY
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Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 105
BOATS & EQUIPMENT UNDER 10,000 BEDDING
CHARTS
INSURANCE
CRADLES
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ANTI-FOULING
YACHT CHARTER
LIFE RAFTS
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Lstablished in l935, Haylingacht Co is a family-owned business located in a perfect
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new luxury washrooms, with private shower and toilet cubicles, bought a new 38 tonne hoist
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Por winter storage, but with a security in mind, then
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One of the benets of the new secure storage
compound is the layout. we can now offer short
turnaround deals - for those who want to do that
winter work quick, and be back in the water fast...
From39.00
per metre
From4.15 per
metre/week
Quay Lane Boatyard
in Historic Portsmouth Harbour
Bookings being taken
for Winter Ashore
Tidal Pontoon Berths & Swing
Moorings Also Available
Power & Water in Yard & on
Pontoons
See Website for full details
www.quaylaneboatyard.co.uk
02392 324214
Hurley 30
|an Anoerson oeslgneo Hurley 30 bullt by
Hurley Marlne 1974 '8enlsslmo'. ANoat,
Fowey, Cornwall Lncapsulateo leao keel
ano skeg LOA 30'00 (9.2m) Lnglne
2YM15 new 2012 Lcellent sea boat.
L8,000
07920 745329
pandcseaman@aol.com
Brigg 400s
4 metre rlb wltb 25 lltre tank, tonneua
cover on an easy llne traller. Complete
wltb mavman gps ano sbnoer. 8ay trame
wltb nav llgbts ano gps Antenor. L6,499.
07957 856 123
Westerly Warwick
21 tt. bllge keel. 10
bp nannl olesel, 140
brs., prop repltcbeo
to sult. roller reeng
jlb, 2 burner bob,
sea tollet, crulslng
cbute, autobelm, vbt raolo, oeptb sounoer,
30 m. ancbor cbaln, returblsbeo roao
traller. mooreo ullswater cumbrla. gooo
eample ot tbls popular 4 bertber. L3,750
Yel. 01768341529.
Westerly Centure
5 8ertb A layout, Furle roller beaosall recent
salls ln gooo conoltlon. 8oat bas been epoleo.
New englne 2005 8eta20, Paymarlne ST60 Wlno,
NASA Deptb gauge ano navte, Furuno GPS,
|com421vbt, SlmraoTP20 autobelm,splnnaker
ano Crulslng Cbute. Lylng |pswlcb L9,500 ONO.
Contact: 01473 780286
WISBECHYACHT HARBOUR
Prime East coast location with inland
waterway access. Winter discounts.
Town centre pontoon moorings
- diesel, electricity, water, showers,
toilets, CCTV. 75 tonne travel hoist
with 3 tonne crane for mast, rig/de
-rig. Secure hard standing. 120 tonne
slipway facilities. Yacht club.
Telephone for brochure
01945588059.
Email: cdorrington@fenland.gov.uk
THE JACOBS YACHTand boat
cradle LTD. All sizes and types of
craft catered for. Probably the best
designed and versatile cradle made.
Tel: 01394 448253. Fax: 01394
448408. Email
Forgejacobs@tinyworld.co.uk
www.jacobsboatcradles.com.
Alternatively send for a brochure. E.
Jacobs & Sons, The Forge, Kirton, Nr
pswich, Suffolk P10 0NU
HOO NESSYACHT CLUB
Friendly self-help club on the
Medway
Full sailing & social programme
Trot & swinging moorings, slipways
scrubbing docks, 10T travel hoist
large lay-up area, tender parks
New members weIcome
www.hooness.org.uk
07880 548804 Hon. Mem. Sec.
ANTIFOUL REMOVAL, LOW
pressure system, no damage to gel
coat/epoxy. Grit blasting of keels
available, gel peeling, osmosis
treatments/repairs etc.
www.symblast.com
Tel: 01202387289 or 07957 655978
BOATS FOR SALE. Buy in Greece
with confdence. British owner
operated brokerage. Quality Service.
Also bareboat yacht charter. Details
at www.pinnacleyachtsales.com or
tel: 0030 6947 040767
SAILING EAST COAST this
summer? Stop off at Eyemouth
Harbour - Great facilities at great
prices!
www.eyemouth-harbour.co.uk
Tel: 018907 50223
MARINE DIRECTORY Tel: 020 3148 2001 Fax: 020 3148 8316 email: tradeboats_ads@ipcmedia.com
106 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
Supp|iers of qua|ity waterproof fabric. C|ear 0.35mm PVC p|astic sheeting,
Strong outdoor PU breathab|e po|yester, heavy duty po|yester canvas,
PVC reinforced extreme|y strong UV stabi|ised fabric, |ight duty po|yester.
Made 2 Measure Boat Bags and Covers
Contact us for a FREE QUOTE
15% off your frst order
use discount code BOAT15
TeI: 01924 565230 Web: www.bagsandcoversdirect.co.uk
EmaiI: saIes@bagsandcoversdirect.co.uk
Devon
Saturday
27th September
Newton Abbot
Racecourse
TQ12 3AF
Humberside
Sunday
21st September
Carlton Towers,
Snaith Nr Goole
DN14 8LZ
8outh Wales
Sunday
19th October
Margam Country
Park, Port Talbot
SA13 2TJ
1/5th share in Gib'5ea 372
8aseo ln tbe |onlan, Greece.
A comtortable boat wblcb salls tast ano
banoles well, manageo by a trlenoly synolcate:
mucb ot tbe mecbanlcal ano salllng equlpment
bas been reneweo ln tbe last tew years. An
autumn meetlng agrees booklngs tor tbe net
year: scbool bolloay oates avallable lt requlreo.
Cbangeovers usually ln Preveza or Nlorl, by
agreement. Wlnters Asbore.
Prlce L6000.
Ring Mike 01832 273168 for more
details.
1/3 share in 25ft Colvic Motor 5ailer
Lylng 8eaulleu rlver. 8osun servlce avallable. Prlce
lncluoes moorlng, malntenance ano lnsurance to
Marcb 2015. Well malntalneo. Price: 1,950
E: maurice@mecbird.co.uk
Y:07860 646024
1 / 5 S h a r e i n S a d I e r 3 2
New Flotilla Yacht 1979. n private syndicate since
1991. Condition sound, wear and tear refects age
and use. Original GRP. New Genoa 2014, roller
furling. Roller reef main, electric bow anchor wind-
lass, Autohelm. Maintained in Lefkas by established
yard. Share gives 4 weeks sailing a year. Selling
after 11 years fun sailing in onian. Price 4,000 ono.
TeI. 01963 350276 for more detaiIs.
1/5 SHARE JEANNEAU 36 South
Aegean Available, 6 weeks a year (2
to 4 weeks remaining this year).
Sails, engine, outboard all replace
within last 5years. 8,000 VAT paid.
Telephone : 07432153516
SLC MARINE UPHOLSTERY are
specialists in loose cushion
upholstery and furnishings for marine
leisure craft. www.slcupholstery.co.uk
Tel:01255 431738
Email:sales@slcupholstery.co.uk
BUSINESS FOR SALE CHARTER & HIRE
UPHOLSTERY
BOAT SHARES
BEDDING
BOAT NAMES
BEDDING
BOAT JUMBLES
SOLENT BOAT JUMBLE
Sunday 5th October
Royal Victoria Country Park, Netley, Southampton, SO31 5DR
(Jct. 8/M27)
KENT BOAT JUMBLE
Sunday 12th October
The Hop Farm, Maidstone Rd.
Paddock wood, Kent, TN12 6PY (Jct. 4/M20; Jct. 5/M25)
NEW & USED
BOATS/ENGINES/CHANDLERY
FISHING TACKLE
Entry 10am, Adults 4.Stalls 40, Car Boots 25.
Save 5 pre-pay online.
Chaddock & Fox Promotions
Ph: 07771 962 495; 07887 771451
boat-jumbles.co.uk
MARINE DIRECTORY
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 107
BOAT YARDS
FITTING OUT LIFE JACKETS
MARINE ELECTRONICS
TILLERS & RUDDERS
BOAT SCREENS & WINDOWS
PAINTS & VARNISHES
2014/2015
Lay-up charges 67,// heId at rates
for packages invoiced and paid
by 30.11.2014
FREE
Tidal Mooring
Offer
Low cost Iow power
LED RepIacement
Navigation and
Anchor Light
BuIbs
From
10.50
Low Cost
Low Power
LED Cabin Lighting
From 3.00
www.searoIf.com TeI. 01283 542718
S
e
a
r
o
I
f
L
E
D
From 3.00
www.searoIf.com TeI. 01283 542718
TONYMACKILLICAN.CO.UK
RUDDERS & Tillers made to your
requirements Tel:01785 284949
MARINE DIRECTORY Tel: 020 3148 2001 Fax: 020 3148 8316 email: tradeboats_ads@ipcmedia.com
108 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
COURSES & TUITION
GLASSFIBRE & SHEATHING
MASTS SELF STEERING
OSMOSIS
SURVEYORS - SOUTH EAST
SURVEYORS - SOUTH WEST & WALES
MARINE ENGINE PROPELLERS
ROPES & RIGGING
-2+-0 .0 r B.Eng(Hons)
MRNA MABSE. Surveyor for
Pre-purchase, insurance, damage
surveys and BSS etc. throughout
southern England, the UK and EU.
Tel: 01323 898 782
Mob: 07931 565 798 Email:
rupert@rupertsmithsurveys.co.uk
Web: www.rupertsmithsurveys.co.uk
SPARS AND RIGGING
CRUSADERSAILS.COM
Tel: +44 (0) 1202 670580
E-mail: info@crusadersails.com
SALES & SERVICE WORLDWIDE
MARINE DIRECTORY
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 109
SAILING SCHOOLS YACHT & BOAT DELIVERY
YACHT CHARTER
Solent Based Sailing School
Competent Crew Day Skipper Yachtmaster Boat
Handling Milebuilding Own Boat Tuition Online Theory
www.commodore-yachting.com
Tel: 02392 504443 info@commodore-yachting.com
RYATheory and Practical courses Solent Charter
See us
at
Southampton
Boat Show
J065
Vessel management, Deliveries &
commissioning, Maintenance & coding,
RYAtuition, Racing
20 years experience, fully insured.
Based on the South Coast at Salcombe
MOB: 07867 987575
Ofhce: 01548 580210
Email info@frontrow-marine.com
www.frontrow-marine.com
MARINE DIRECTORY Tel: 020 3148 2001 Fax: 020 3148 8316 email: tradeboats_ads@ipcmedia.com
110 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
CREW WANTED
HOLIDAYS & TRAVEL
TRAILERS & TROLLEYS
MARINE ENGINES I/O
PERSONAL
SURVEYORS INTERNATIONAL
SANITATION
TRANSPORT
MARINE ENG & ANCILLIARY EQUIP
Sanimarin SN31
Comfort
T: +44 (0)1295 770000
www.Ieesan.com
Southampton Boat Show
Windward HaII, Stand D007
Special
Offer
Come & find us
Frcn:n :.n.| c:|.||t...
Luxury 8o.t Qu.||ty Scrv|:c
Scc u on t.nJ j00+

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'$7,1* 6,7(
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MORBIHAN YACHT
SURVEY
EngIish surveyor Brittany based
IIMS registered and quaIihed
TeI: +44(0)7408842287
TeI +33(0)652840396
www.morbihanyachtsurvey.com
SHUT YOUR TRAP
Catch lobsters, crabs, prawns etc in
our folding traps & creels. see
range at www.interextrading.com or
www.yachtypots.com or email
info@interexint.co.uk
Tel: 01254 703 516
OUTBOARDS-DIRECT of Brighton
SUMMER SALE, save up to 34% on new
2011/12/13 Yamaha, Evinrude, Mariner
outboards. Spare parts for most makes.
Zodiac tenders. We ship wor|dwide.
01273 603322
www.outboards-direct.co.uk
SEALAND BOAT DELIVERIES LTD
Nationwide, Continental, Worldwide
for 40 years. No weight limit. 24hr
Lancashire Ops room. Tel: 01254
705225. ros@poptel.org
www.btx.co.uk
BOATTRANSPORT LTD UK,
France, Spain & Scandinavia. Tel:
07831 486710 (Mon-Sat). Boats 15' -
50' long. www.boattransport.co.uk
MARINE DIRECTORY
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 111
MARINE DIRECTORY Tel: 020 3148 2001 Fax: 020 3148 8316 email: tradeboats_ads@ipcmedia.com
112 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
MARINE ENGINES INBOARD
MARINE ENGINES INBOARD MARINAS
SAILS
Visit us at PSP Southampton Boat Show (F023) and
view the iange of Engines, Windlasses & Bow Tiusteis
TeI: 01603 714077
www.peachment.co.uk
UK Distributors for
Nanni DieseI, Lofrans'
and Max Power
NARINA BERTBS
W
: : / /

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KENPS Q0AY
^ 8 .
YEA
CUI5INC 5AIL
CUAANTEE
T. +44(0)1603 782223 |. salls@jeckells.co.uk \. jeckells.co.uk
MANY5AIL5
IN5TDCk
FDNEXTDAY
DELIVEY
CALL0160J
78222J
3|Y BRlTl5H, 3|Y QUALlTY,
3|Y

S/||S
8AL8 WANTED
spinnakers ,cruising chutes and snuffers
Free co||ection and top prices paid
www.exchangesaiIs.co.uk
01752895004
MARINE DIRECTORY
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 113
T I P O P T
et.1986
Clean your sails
thi winter...
28 YLARS 0F SA|L LAUN0RY T0 THL SA|LNAK|N0 TRA0L.
CLLAN|N0 HUN0RL0S AN0 TH0USAN0S 0F SA|LS, C0VLRS AN0 CAN0P|LS.
S
ea
l
&
f
a
b
i
l
Seaview
windowpolish
tiptop
Find your nearest
trade partner...
South
Arun Sails Ltd
sailmakers.com
Arthurs Chandlery
arthurschandlery.co.uk
Banks Sails
banks.co.uk
Batt Sails
battsails.com
Bond Sails
bondsails.co.uk
C&J Marine Ltd
cjmarine.co.uk
Coastal Covers
coastalcovers.co.uk
Comfort Afoat
comfortafoat.co.uk
Covercare Ltd
covercareltd.co.uk
Cover2cover
cover2cover.co.uk
Crystal Covers
crystalcovers.com
Dell Quay Covers
dellquaycovers.co.uk
Doyle Sails Ltd
doylesails.co.uk
Elvstrom Sails UK
elvstromsails.com
Flew Sails
fewsails.co.uk
GP Sails
gpsails.com
GR Proclean
grpro-clean.co.uk
Chandlers Ltd
harbour-chandlers.com
Hyde Sails Service
fewsails.co.uk
Kemp Sails
kempsails.com
Lucas Sails
lucas-sails.com
Mastercovers Ltd
mastercoversltd.co.uk
Nickys Canvasworks
nickyscanvasworks.com
North Sails
northsails.com
OneSails South
onesails.com
Quay Sails
quaysails.com
Sailcare Co Ltd
sailcare.co.uk
Sail Style
sailstyle.co.uk
SO31
so31lof.com
Sussex Yachts
sussexyachts.co.uk
Tec Sew
tecsew.com
Ultimate Sails
ultimatesails.co.uk

Eat
Jeckells the Sailmakers
jeckells.co.uk
Lonton & Gray
lontonandgray.com
OneSails East
onesails.com

Northrop Sails
northropsails.com
Sufolk Sails
sufolksails.net
Wilkinson Sails
wilkinsonsails.co.uk


Wet
Armada Sails
armadasails.com
Dart Sails
dartsailsandcovers.co.uk
John McKillop Sails
classicsails.co.uk
Penrose Sailmakers
penrosesails.co.uk
Sailtech
sailtech.co.uk
Solo
solosails.com
Ullman Sails
ullmansails.co.uk


North
Douthwaite Sails
douthwaitesails.com
Ecossails
ecossails.co.uk
Storrar Marine Ltd
storrarmarine.co.uk
Trident UK
tridentuk.com
Ireland
Downer International
downerint.com
North Sails Ireland
ie.northsails.com
Olimpic Sails
olisails.ie
UK McWilliams
uksailmakers.com/
ireland.html
Quantum Sails
www.quantumsails.ie
US|N0 THL 8LST CLLAN|N0 AN0 C0AT|N0 PR00UCTS|
m5... our new Ant|fungac|da| process, th|s |nvo|ves c|ean|ng and coat|ng of your sa||.
|f your sa||s suer from b|ack dot m||dew or green a|gea growth spec|fy th|s serv|ce, |t w||| prevent growth for up to 9 months.
Seal & glide... |f your sp|nnakers are soft and t|red or you fur||ng genoa or ma|n needs to stay dryer and fur| t|ghter
spec|fy th|s treatment and see the amat|ng resu|ts.
Seaview... ALL our covers that are c|eaned |eave the workshop ,w|th a|| w|ndows po||shed ,w|th our own deve|oped w|ndow
coat|ng. watch the ra|n just run o as standard at no extra cost.
S
ea
l
&&
ll
&
Sea Se Se view
window
a
polish
www.tiptopsails.co.uk
NLw wL8S|TL.
J08 VACANCY.
Wale
The Boatshed
theboatshedwales.
co.uk
JKA Sailmakers
Ltd
jkasailmakers.co.uk

Very hardworking,
conscientious person with
sailing experience. Working in
our team cleaning sails and covers this winter October April.
C.Vs to tiptopsails2@gmail.com to apply.
jk
Nicholsons Hughes
Sails Ltd
nhsails.co.uk
Saturn Sails
saturnsails.co.uk
Scotland
MARINE DIRECTORY Tel: 020 3148 2001 Fax: 020 3148 8316 email: tradeboats_ads@ipcmedia.com
114 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
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Fancy iegulaily sailing a
433 Dufoui Giande Laige:
Shaie the costs, the fun and the
sailing with Fleet Ciuising Club.
Mooied in Plymouth in the
summei and who knows wheie
in the wintei.
RingRogei on 07947 307333 oi
visit www.eetcruisingclub.co.uk
MARINE ENGINES OUTBOARD
INSURANCE
INSURANCE
RECRUITMENT
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 115
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
INSURANCE
W1ndsor:
13.15
Mon
13
May
Wea1her:
0vecasf/beezy
oa1:
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of
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he11
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Toether we've ot it covered
Ca|| now on C/3Z ZZ3 bbC or v|s|t
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An Am||n Grcup Ccmpany
5PEC!AL!5T BDAT !N5UPANCE

5EE U5 AT P5P 5DUTHAMPTDN BDAT 5HDW

l2 - 2l 5EPTEMBEP DN 5TAND F022
or caII 0345 607888
YACHT CHARTER AND SAILING HOLIDAYS
116 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
Come ond see usI
Southompton 8oot Show
12th - 21st Sept 2014
Stond No. J11
5HOD[HG IORWLOOD VDLOLQJ KROLGD\V LQ WKH VXQQ\ *UHHN ,VODQGV
TBJMJOHIPMJEBZTDPN

020 845 8787

)8// ),1$1&,$/ 3527(&7,21
Stand J062
MARINE SERVICES YACHT CHARTER
YACHT CHARTER
YACHT CHARTER AND SAILING HOLIDAYS
To advertise call the credit card hotline: FREEPHONE 0800 783 9683
Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk 117
YACHT CHARTER
Bareboat
The Ionian Sailing Specialists
Flotillas
Skippered
We give
you every
night
away from
base!
www.nisosyachtcharter.com 01600 890606
Stand J063
Southampton
Boat Show!
Original Boat Owners Sketchbook volumes 1 to 5 are now available to download from www.pbo.co.uk/sketchbook priced at 4.95
each. A limited number of printed volumes 3, 4 and 5 of the original Sketchbook series are still available from the PBO Editorial office
priced at 3.75 each, or all three for 10. Order yours by calling tel: 01202 440830 or email: pbo@ipcmedia.com
by Dick Everitt
118 Practical Boat Owner 579 October 2014 www.pbo.co.uk
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A. Rowing a hard tender rather than motoring an inflatable means we dont need to
carry stealable items like a pump, repair kit, tools, motor and fuel tank. A name in
large letters and an odd colour scheme helps to deter thieves, but avoid T/T
(tender to) in the name, as it shows the mother ship is unoccupied.
B. An inflatable with an ugly cover over the tubes and the outboard keeps the
tropical sun off and makes it look less desirable.
C. Gear can be locked together with a thin wire strop.
D. Unsecured rowlocks get borrowed captive ones dont!
E. Closed rowlocks with buttons can be locked to the boat.
F. You can also make a bracket to fix them to the thwart.
Button
G. A slide-in lockable box will trap the
oars and protect all of the other items.
H. An inflatable is very vulnerable, so
this locked box is bolted to the transom.
I. Outboard locks help, and a metal-topped
transom is harder to saw through,
deterring outboard thieves.
J. This secure long box lets the oars slide
in, and creates a forward rowing position.
K. A bag conceals stuff from prying eyes
and this one is encased in a steel mesh
wire cage, that backpackers use.
L. A simple fabric seat holdall will at least
keep all the bits and pieces out of sight.
M. If nothing else, hide stuff under the
dinghy and make a show of strength by
securing it. OR, in some places, pay a small
fee to local boat boys to keep an eye on her.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
J
H
I
K
L
M
Keep your dinghy and belongings safe while ashore
&586$'(5 6$,/6 The SoiI Loff Hofch Pond Pood PooIe Uk 8HI7 0JZ
TeI: +44 (0) IZ0Z o70b80 E-moiI: infocrusodersoiIs.com
3529(1 5(/,$%,/,7<
$1' 3(5)250$1&(

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