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Sailing Today April 2013
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WWW.SAILINGTODAY.CO.UK £4.20
APRIL 2013 ISSUE192
SAILORS’ CHECKLIST: TOP TIPS TO READY YOUR BOAT FOR THE NEW SEASON
Sailing the Atlantic ADVENTURE
GROUP TEST: SIX YACHT TRACKERS USED BOAT TEST: SCANMAR 33
Yarmouth HarbourJewel of the Western Solent
MY MARINA
NEW BOAT TEST
YACHTSYACHTING
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
YACHTSYACHTING
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
Family flyerPowered up in Bavaria’s 33C
SAILIN
G TODAYCRUISING TRANSATLANTIC •
MY M
ARINA: YARMOUTH HARBOUR •
NEW: BAVARIA 33C •
USED: SCANMAR 33 •
6 SECURITY TRACKERS TESTED W
WW
.SAILINGTODAY.CO.UK
192
APRIL 2013
NEW YACHTS
FOR 2013SPECIAL
REPORT AND PHOTOS
Could you take on the ARC?
ST192 Cover_Final.indd 1 18/02/2013 12:55Untitled-1 1 20/02/2013 10:17
06 April 2013
Sailing newS from around the uK
news & views
The crew of the Alexandra Shackleton have completed their daunting re-creation of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s rescue mission of 1916.
The team of six British and Australian adventurers finally concluded their remarkable 800 nautical mile voyage across the Southern Ocean, from Elephant Island to South Georgia in a 22ft replica of the James Caird. Three members of the team then went on to cross the rugged peaks of South Georgia.
Perhaps more impressive than the distance and time was the endurance shown by the crew as they battled the elements in traditional 1916 clothing on the exact replica boat. Along the way, they have witnessed 50kn storms in the southern ocean, struggled with sleep deprivation as all six
men attempted to sleep in the same tiny boat and problems with trench foot from the endless damp and cold.
“These early explorers were iron men in wooden boats and while modern man mostly travels around in iron vessels, I hope we’ve been able to emulate some of what they achieved,” commented expedition leader, Tim Jarvis on completion of the epic. “There’s no doubt in my mind that everyone has a Shackleton double in them and I hope we’ve inspired a few people to find theirs.”
The epic was manned by: Expedition Leader – Tim Jarvis, Skipper – Nick Bubb, Mountain Leader – Barry Gray, Sailor and Navigator – Paul Larsen, Expedition Bosun – Seb Coulthard and Expedition Cameraman – Ed Wardle.
Five crew are dead after a routine Lifeboat drill went wrong aboard a Thomson operated cruise ship, in the Canary Islands on 10 February.
The five crew were aboard a lifeboat as it was lowered over the side of the ship into the water. On raising the boat, one of the cables snapped plunging it upside down into the sea. Four of the staff on the lifeboat were pronounced dead at the scene and a fifth was pronounced dead later.
ShackletonRe-created
TRagic loSS
ST192 News_TH.indd 6 19/02/2013 17:02
April 2013 07
Dinghies on showThe rYA Dinghy Show is fast approaching; set to take place over the weekend of 2-3 March. Over 200 exhibitors from sailing clubs, classes and associations to commercial businesses will fi ll the exhibition halls at the Alexandra palace.
There are a number of special events taking
place over the weekend. in particular, the Jack Holt designed Mirror Dinghy class are celebrating their 50th anniversary and will have a number of Mirrors through the ages on display.
There are also set to be many competitions and prizes up for grabs.
Fire Fire!Sunseeker got away with limited damage when their poole factory caught fi re,
forcing workers to evacuate as the fi re brigade was called in to quench the fl ames.
This incident follows one in 2011 when a £9 million Sunseeker went up in fl ames days before it was due for transport to its new owner. Similar concerns were raised this time as the shed contained the brand new £18 million boat currently under construction for F1 legend Eddie Jordan. The boat is said to be undamaged, however and workers were back in the following day.
show shiftDates for the london Boat Show 2014 have been confirmed following the success of the 2013 edition.
The new-for-2013 format where the whole show took place in the South Hall of the Excel centre is set to remain. Feedback from industry figures and visitors alike suggested this to be a popular decision, making for a more condensed and therefore exciting show.
The london Boat Show will now take place one week earlier in order to avoid any overlapping with the Dusseldorf Boat Show. The new revised dates for the london Boat Show in 2014 are 4-12 January. More information can be found at www.londonboatshow.com
Gypsy Moth IV, the boat in which Sir Francis Chichester circumnavigated the globe in 1967, has announced its 2013 summer programme.
After taking part in the Round the Island Race on 1 June, she will be at the Panerai British Classic Week. The plan then involves a return visit to Plymouth from 19 July, coinciding at the end of the week with the Plymouth Classic Regatta. She will return to Falmouth for a week from 23 August. Passage making opportunities will be available between ports of call.
The Trust will also be making the yacht available for private and corporate bookings.
Moth’s Months
Send Your StorieS to newS@SailingtodaY.Co.uK
in aPRil’S YacHTS & YacHTing� The closest Vendée Globe ever - exclusive interviews with the top boats who made it round the world in less than 80 days� Switching from crewing to helming - Olympic medal-winning crew Stu Bithell tells us how he went on to win the Merlin nationals� Key stories - three winning tales from a glorious Key West Race Week� Plus new boats, including a focus on the Ker 40, the latest events, news and comment
in aPRil’S claSSic BoaT� AWARDS Results. Our readers have voted… now to fi nd out who won.� James Cagney’s boat, the American schooner Martha, has been restored to sail (with no dirty rats aboard).� Owning a Peter Duck ketch: Ransome hated the design when it was created for him but it’s a lot of boat in 28 foot� Crossing the Channel in a 14ft clinker dinghy – hairy stuff � Electronics update – and a proposal of marriage from the Mid-Atlantic using a Yellow Brick
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Expert tips on how to go faster
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£4.30ISSUE N°1660APRIL 2013
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Magic of a
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Ransome was wRong! Love a (Peter) Duck
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ST192 News_TH.indd 7 19/02/2013 17:02
New boat test
April 2013 13
Phot
os: R
icK
Buet
tneR
ST192 New Bavaria33c_DK_TH_JF latest.indd 13 19/02/2013 17:13
12 April 2013
Bavaria 33c
Bavaria33CChanges to the styling of Bavaria’s new 33ft cruising yacht have improved her looks no end, but do the improvements result in a more user-friendly yacht? Duncan Kent took her out on a blustery February day to find out.
ST192 New Bavaria33c_DK_TH_JF latest.indd 12 19/02/2013 17:12
Sailing across the Atlantic: Columbus first did it in 1492 and in recent times an ever increasing procession of yachts has followed his lead. Why? Sam Jefferson joined the hordes on the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers to find out.
26 April 2013
the Arc
A voyage of self discovery
ST192 ARC_JF_TH_CJ.indd 26 19/02/2013 12:12
It was on our second day out from Las Palmas, less than 200 miles into our 3,000 mile journey that I was overcome with nausea. It wasn’t that I felt seasick – I am thankfully not troubled by that ailment – it was simply that I suddenly
became aware of the enormity of the Atlantic. We were alone, six people trapped on a very small boat for the foreseeable future and all we were going to see was this vast unfathomable stretch of water. I began to tremble, my knees buckled and I headed for my berth in order to get a grip on things.
Prior to this, there had been little time for serious musing on what I was undertaking. My girlfriend, Ivory, and I had decided to take part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers with little more reason than we didn’t want to shell out on an air fare. We had signed up on Coral IV, a Norwegian Hanse 462 via the World Cruising Club’s ARC forum, and spent the past few days helping to prepare the vessel. The pontoons of Las Palmas marina had been a circus as the 200 plus fleet prepared for departure. In between the seminars, drinks parties and endless chats with yachting bores, it was very tricky to get a handle on what we were actually doing.
A rough stArtEven at the start things didn’t really sink in; the main emotion was relief at finally leaving the grimy fug of Las Palmas behind. The start had been postponed by two days which hadn’t helped, and now we were racing across the line with hundreds of other yachts, trying desperately not to hit anyone in the melee. That first night there was little room for repose. The fleet had been fired out into open ocean into the tail end of a low pressure system; winds were
gusting up to 35kn and there was a 3m swell running. Conditions weren’t dangerous, but they were challenging. I was rather fascinated as hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of hardware were put under more strain than their manufacturers would have liked. The modern yacht is rarely more than an auxiliary motor vessel, a floating caravan with all the same luxuries. Now suddenly 200 or so of these creations were undertaking what was ostensibly their primary role: to sail. I can only compare it to organising a caravanning convention at the top of some alpine mountain and then urging the entrants to race their unwieldy vehicles to the bottom via a steep off road track.
The result was fascinating and threw the absurdity of modern cruising into sharp relief. You are so cosseted down below, that it is easy to forget you are actually in a tiny, insignificant craft afloat on an unimaginable ocean. Thus it was that first night; down below on many yachts, the off watch grumbled as their USB cable for their electric tin opener was malfunctioning or their built in TV and DVD player skipped occasionally in the heavy swell,
it soon became clear that cultural and temperamental differences might well tear this crew apart.
Setting up twin foresails was a stress free set-up for dead
downwind sailing.
We set off straight into the tail-end of a huge low pressure.
April 2013 27
ST192 ARC_JF_TH_CJ.indd 27 19/02/2013 12:12
48 April 2013
Yarmouth is awash with history, first being mentioned way back in 991AD. The town became prominent much later thanks to the castle built there by Henry VIII – an
attempt to protect the then often-invaded Solent and south coast of England.
In years gone by Yarmouth had a strong fishing industry but today it seems the town gains most of its business from tourism, with the harbour featuring heavily on this front. There is still a working fishing fleet but this appears to be increasingly giving way to jaunts around the bay or mackerel fishing trips.
Yarmouth itself gives off the air of sleepy, traditional Britain, replete with – we are told – pancake races, festivities on the green and a rubber duck race down the river Yar. In fact, a handful of minutes spent here gives you the distinct impression it could have been the set for the Vicar of Dibley or some such nostalgic TV show harking back to a bygone age.
toby heppell gets the low-down on the isle of Wight’s Yarmouth Harbour, an idyllic little stop-over in the West Solent.
Solent serenity
the Old Gaffers Festival
attracts some beautiful boats.
Indeed, we quickly became aware of how tight-knit the community is when we started asking locals for their opinions of the best places to shop. Usually interviewees are quick to select a favourite but in Yarmouth people would say the name of a place before adding ‘that’s not to say Kevin’s isn’t any good though, oh and if we are mentioning Kevin we need to talk about Tracy’s fish and chips…’ This made
discovering the best spots to have a bite to eat tricky and in other circumstances might have been outright frustrating if it hadn’t been so heartwarming. Besides, it is all but impossible to get wound up here and the slow pace of life and smiles seem to infect visitors shortly after disembarking the ferry.
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ST192 MyMarina_Yarmouth_TH_JF.indd 48 19/02/2013 17:27
April 2013 49
Arriving at Yarmouth Harbour and chatting with David, it is initially unclear which has been here the longest, the harbour or the man. I jest of course but Dave – as he prefers to be known – has been involved here in various ways since his early teens – he is somewhat older now.
Dave is the proud owner of a 33ft motor launch, which he has had for the last ten years. Previously he has been Coxswain of the Yarmouth Lifeboat (25 years in total), has had a number of jobs and businesses in the local area and lives in a house overlooking the harbour. In short, he appears to be the authority on all things in and around Yarmouth.
Principally, what David enjoys about the area is the sense of community not just in the harbour itself but in the town as a whole. This sense of local community is partly enforced with permanent berths –
loCal bErth holDEr DAVID KENNETT – 33FT MOTOR LAUNCH
FACilitieS: Calor Gas & Camping GazCrane up to 5 tondisabled FacilitieselectricityFuellaunderetteShowers – prepaid tokens onlySlipwaysWaste disposalWater & iceWi-Fi
hArBOUr dUeSPrices based on a 35ft boat from April 2013 for friday, Saturday and public holidays, cheaper rates apply at both different times and sizes of boat, see the Yarmouth Harbour website (www.yarmouth-harbour.co.uk) or contact the harbour on +44 (0)1983 760321 for more details.
Walk Ashore moorings – £34Walk Ashore Finger Pontoon – £37 moorings (except walk ashore) – £20.50Short Stay moorings – £9.50Anchorage (outer harbour) – £5.00
bErthING aND FaCIlItIEs
Have any Yarmouth Yarns? let us know on twitter @Sailingtodaymag
around 250 in all – only being available for those living within a 7 mile radius of the Yarmouth church spire – though their 250 visitor berths are obviously not limited.
In a similar vein, another big draw is what can only be described as the continuous community events and regattas that take place, particularly in the summer months. Perhaps the biggest of these is the Yarmouth Old Gaffers Festival in May. Another event Dave is particularly fond of is the Needles Relief, which started life as a supply trip to those working in the Needles lighthouse. However, it has since become something more like a small celebration and cruise as the lighthouse is now fully automated, needing no supplies.
Yarmouth harbour
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ST192 MyMarina_Yarmouth_TH_JF.indd 49 19/02/2013 17:27
54 APRIL 2013
PHOT
O: G
UY
FOA
N
vinyl wrapping...represents a cheaper alternative to spruce your boat up
SPRING CLEANING
ST192 SpringPrep_JF_TH.indd 54 18/02/2013 10:42
APRIL 2013 55
A few short weeks ago – or so it always seems – I was putting my pride and joy to bed, with whispered promises of winter make-overs. Now Christmas is long gone, ditto the January diet, the
days are getting longer and it is with a light cursing I realise the season is upon me once more. All the jobs I promised would be completed are, at best half done but it is now time to abandon them and look to the list of vital tasks before launching for what we all hope will be a long, hot summer.
Some of the advice here may have been undertaken as part of your over-wintering preparation and there may be boat specific jobs required not listed, so this is by no means exhaustive. It does, however represent the minimum I might check, repair and or otherwise replace before I was happy launching my boat.
SAFETYAdvice given to me some years ago that I have since heeded is to keep a running log of all the service/replacement dates of all safety kit onboard. It is then very easy to check the top of the list for what needs doing before the end of the coming season and get it all done before launch – do remember to add the dates of any new or serviced kit.
Obviously flares require checking over for any damage, ensuring they are within date and replacing if not. It is also worth taking time to consider the container within which the flares are stored. On many occasions I have seen them located in inaccessible spots, or containers so large the flares can rattle around and get damaged. The main thing here though is that the case is watertight.
Liferafts require servicing at regular intervals so check this before launching. If in need of a service this will require a professional safety company to complete. The ‘due date’ for this service will be written on the side of the raft.
Lifejackets should be checked for a service date if needed. I like to manually inflate mine and leave
them blown up for a few hours to check for leaks. Use a hand pump as saliva does them no good.Check jackstay webbing and the point at which it connects to the decks – usually a shackle – for signs of wear and replace if necessary. Jackstays do suffer from UV degradation, so note when you buy them and replace on a regular basis. There are those who might say you can hand repair webbing or the stitching. I am inclined to think that, although there are many areas in sailing we can save money, jackstays are one area I am happy to spend it.
Check stanchions and lifelines for signs of wear. When it comes to lifelines I will usually run a light felt cloth or ball of wool along the length of the wires, which gives an easy indication of any slight breaks in the threads. This is a process I also tend to use when checking shrouds and stays (see the sails/rigging section). All that is really required for stanchions is a firm tug to ensure they remain well-seated and a quick visual check for any signs of hairline cracking etc.
Finally we need to check gas hoses and connectors for kinks and signs of wear and replace where necessary. Gas piping these days has a ‘use until’ date, if yours does not I recommend you change it for new piping.
SAILS/RIGGINGHopefully, sails will have been hosed down, inspected and repaired ahead of the winter; the sails should have then been dried with battens removed and put away in a dry storage space. If not, they will want checking over for mould, tears or patches of wear and weakness. Batten pockets should be given particular attention, as should all reefing points and cringles.
Sticking with sails, now is a good time to thoroughly clean and lubricate either sail slugs or boltrope and ensure you have done the same to the track in the mast and on the forestay for said slugs or boltrope.
When it comes to rigging I would recommend checking all halyards and lines for wear/chaffing
It is surprising how quickly pins can work themselves free.
Sail repairs and are often required pre-season.
Safety kit needs regular servicing.
Toby Heppell runs over some of the vital checks and spruce up hints needed before launching for the new season.
WRAPPING UP?If hull stains are deeply ingrained it is unlikely they can be fully polished out. Options after that are fairly limited and have traditionally involved re-gelcoating. Today, boat owners have another option in the form of vinyl wrapping. This represents a cheaper alternative to spruce your boat up but will need replacing after about a decade. The Sweden Yachts 54 on p52 recently had her topsides transformed bywildgroupinternational.com
ST192 SpringPrep_JF_TH.indd 55 18/02/2013 10:42
SAILING TODAY, the magazine for adventurous sailors, is getting bigger, better and brighter.
SUBSCRIBE FROM ONLY £8.99
Always renowned for our top-notch cruising stories and rigorous product testing, we continue to inspire and enhance the sailing lifestyle with great coverage of the best places, boats, people, new gear and practical ideas.
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� Exquisitely crafted tales of adventure near and far� Return of the much-loved Gull’s Eye marina guide� Interviews with leading sailors� Entertaining new columnists� Cruising Clinic, where experts answer your questions� All-new sailing skills section
sailingtoday.co.uk MAY 2013 23
MAY 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 23
First ever Oyster rally sets sail
Chipping Norton YC
opens for business
Private navy assembled
to fight pirates
AFTER OVER 3,300 nautical
miles the Class 40 yacht Vaquita
has taken line honours in the
ARC 2012, having sailed from
Gran Canaria in just over 12 days.
Vaquita blasted across the
finish line at 14kn with the crew
pushing the boat hard in front of
the local and international
media in Rodney Bay, Saint
Lucia, on 7 December. The
Austrian crew of six crossed the
line at 10:22 local (14:22UTC)
on 7 December 2012, giving
them an elapsed time of 12 days,
1:37 hours. Once across the finish line
the crew dived into the warm
Caribbean water to both cool
down and celebrate their
success, to the delight of those
cheering from the spectator
boats alongside.Skippered by Christof Petter,
Vaquita, had a crew of leading
Austrian sailors aboard,
including Andreas Hanakamp,
former Team Russia Volvo Ocean
Race skipper and two time
Olympic star. The yacht sailed an
extreme northerly route from
Gran Canaria, clocking speeds of
up to 25kn during the crossing.
This is the team’s third
consecutive year racing in the
ARC, each time favouring the
northerly passage, and each time
the route has paid off.
Marc Guillemot, skipper of
the French racing yacht Safran,
has been fined £9,381 and
ordered to pay costs of £4,125
for traveling the wrong way in
the Dover Strait Traffic
Separation Scheme (TSS).
As reported back in the
August edition of Sailing Today
(ST184) Guillemot left Lizard
Point in Cornwall on 6 June
2012, to undertake a record
attempt for the fastest sail
around the United Kingdom
and Ireland. At 11.43pm that night the
Frenchman was seen by Dover
Coastguard, traveling in a North
Easterly direction, in the South
West lane of the TSS. On the 7
June at 4am, the yacht failed to
proceed in the appropriate
traffic lane in the Sunk traffic
separation scheme. During its
passage, several merchant ships
altered course to avoid a
HEADINGHERE XXXX
BIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup Offictat omnis debit modis
et lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate
BIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup Offictat omnis debit modis
et lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate
BIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup Offictat omnis debit modis
et lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate
BIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup OffExpe offici sus qui
dissequi se dissum aut velique net et
odignim odisitis quatibusant.x xxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx
ALL ARE DELIGHTED
Her Majesty The Queen has
announced that the volunteer
Coastguard Rescue
Service has been awarded The
Queen’s Diamond
Jubilee Volunteering
EVENTS / GOSSIP / NEWS FROM THE SAILING COMMUNITYEbb and flow
Safety experts, Ocean Safety are
inviting yacht owners to familiarise
themselves with essential safety
equipment when the company throws
its doors open to customers at its
offices in Southampton on 16/17
February and Plymouth.
Sailors are invited to bring along
liferafts, lifejackets, and other
serviceable safety equipment to be
checked by Ocean Safety’s expert
team. Everyone is welcome to turn up
to watch general demonstrations -
held throughout the day - but if you
want to see your own liferaft inflated
or equipment opened and checked
Developers of an offshore wind park
have announced significant reductions
to their plans for the an area just off
the Isle of Wight’s coastline.
The company behind the wind farm,
Navitus Bay Development Ltd, have
revised plans and stated that the
change was a direct result of
consultation feedback received.
The changes include moving the
development further out to sea and
making it smaller in scale. These
changes are designed to reduce the
visual impact on three main areas -
Durlston Head, The Needles and
ATLANTIC RALLY
Tonnerres de Brest celebrates 20 years in style
The Old Gaffers association will be celebrating a significant milestone
throughout the course of 2013 as they reach 50 years old. The association
has a plethora of events planned to commemorate their very own jubilee.
Perhaps the biggest of which will be the OGA Jubilee Festival in Cowes
from 15-18 August. Included in this event will be music, games, food,
40ft success for Vaquita
AFTER OVER 3,300 nautical
miles the Class 40 yacht Vaquita
has taken line honours in the
ARC 2012, having sailed from
Gran Canaria in just over 12
days.Vaquita blasted across the
finish line at 14kn with the crew
pushing the boat hard in front of
the local and international
media in Rodney Bay, Saint
Lucia, on 7 December. The
Austrian crew of six crossed the
line at 10:22 local (14:22UTC)
on 7 December 2012, giving
them an elapsed time of 12 days,
1:37 hours. Once across the finish line
the crew dived into the warm
Caribbean water to both cool
down and celebrate their
success, to the delight of those
cheering from the spectator
boats alongside.Skippered by Christof
Petter, Vaquita, had a crew of
leading Austrian sailors
aboard, including Andreas
Hanakamp, former Team Russia
Volvo Ocean Race skipper and
two time Olympic star. The
yacht sailed an extreme
northerly route from Gran
Canaria, clocking speeds of up
to 25kn during the crossing.
This is the team’s third
consecutive year racing in the
ARC, each time favouring the
northerly passage, and each
time the route has paid off.
Et magnis am nem vellendaEt
hitate nimusam voluptasit
arumquam il mincium simus
peri oditeces doluptatur
simFaccatempori dio. Itas as
rem labo. Ita cuptatisit alit que
nonsequide omnietur, odis
autTiumque eiciur, unte est,
quam sam ea consere
perumluptatur simFaccatempori
Once across the finish line
the crew dived into the
warm Caribbean water to
both cool down and relax
A whole host of rallies
have been planned in
various location around
the United Kingdom
BIGGER BETTER BRIGHTER!
sailingtoday.co.uk April 2013 23
April 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 23
electricWindlass
Few weeks ago I mentioned
that the windlass was
severely corroded and that I
was planning to repair or
replace it. When I removed
it from the boat and got a
look at the underside of it, the
corrosion was pretty severe. The screws
that hold the gypsy assembly to the cast
aluminum housing were completely
frozen and no amount of PB Blaster
could loosen them, and the corrosion
around the mounting studs was severe
enough to give me doubt about the
entire base of the casting. One thing you
don’t want in your ground tackle is doubt, so last weekend
I replaced the entire
unit, and while I was
at it I built a spacer out of StarBoard to
raise the windlass up
so that whenever there
is water standing on its shelf in the
anchor locker, it will not be sitting in it.
It would have been a simple matter
for Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took the opportunity to
back all the screws for the gypsy and
back cover out and give them a liberal
coat of Tef-Gel before re-tightening
them, and did the same to the
mounting studs before installing them.
As far as I know, nothing beats Tef-Gel
for preventing seizing of mating parts,
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter
for Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took
the opportunity to back all the screws for
the gypsy and back
cover out and give them a liberal coat of
Tef-Gel before re-tightening them,
and did the same to
the mounting studs
before installing them.
As far as I know, nothing beats Tef-Gel
for preventing seizing of mating parts,
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter for
Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took the opportunity to
back all the screws for the gypsy and
back cover out and give them a liberal
coat of Tef-Gel before re-tightening
them, and did the same to the
mounting studs before installing them.
As far as I know, nothing beats Tef-Gel
for preventing seizing of mating parts,
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter for
Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took the opportunity to
back all the screws for the gypsy and
back cover out and give them a liberal
‘One thing you don’t want in your ground
tackle setup is doubt’ 5 Chain gypsy
es quia debis vellupt
asperum aut eos
nobit eos eostrup
taspicium, offictat
omnis debit modis et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiat.
Id maximaxima quis del
2 Chain gypsyes quia debis vellupt
asperum aut eos
nobit eos eostrup
taspicium, offictat
omnis debit modis et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiat.
Id maximaxima quis del
ipsant ullupti volupta
1 Left or right?es quia debis vellupt
asperum aut eos
nobit eos eostrup
taspicium, offictat
omnis debit modis et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiat.
Id maximaxima quis del
4 Vertical axises quia debis vellupt asperum aut
eos nobit eos eostrup taspicium,
offictat omnis debit modis et lant,
cus, sinctet fugiat.Id maximaxima
quis del ipsant ullupti volupta tinist
3 Rope attachmentes quia debis vellupt asperum aut
eos nobit eos eostrup taspicium,
offictat omnis debit modis et lant,
cus, sinctet fugiat.Id maximaxima
quis del ipsant ullupti volupta tinist
Muir Chainmonkey 230C
integrationNam, es destis ditas
ea veritatur, suntiumquis ea
dellaut reprorerum quiaecto
dolor sit moluptam, esed quo
blandande si invendebis
idignimus.
Xerum rectoribus, aliqui omnia
nonessi dundanis volori am
facest et ius aut pliquodi tetur
antium eatemod erum aut
doloratumet untiusam untia
pedi dolescidem res culpa que
dem quam, quodios eum, simodi
il enditatumqui tet re di doluptat
vit que ea nos ut qui des cum
eatempo ruptatenis as dit a
Contact: Lowrance,
www.lowrance.com
Price: From £1,099
Lowrance Precision X
integrationNam, es destis ditas
ea veritatur, suntiumquis ea
dellaut reprorerum quiaecto
dolor sit moluptam, esed quo
blandande si invendebis
idignimus.
Xerum rectoribus, aliqui omnia
nonessi dundanis volori am
facest et ius aut pliquodi tetur
antium eatemod erum aut
doloratumet untiusam untia
pedi dolescidem res culpa que
dem quam, quodios eum, simodi
il enditatumqui tet re di doluptat
vit que ea nos ut qui des cum
eatempo ruptatenis as dit a
Contact: Lowrance,
www.lowrance.com
Price: From £1,099
1
2
3
5
4
On test
our anchoring expert chris edwards
explains how to pick the best
windlass for the job and compares
what the market has to offer
We compared...
ToP FoR PeRFoRManCe
MAY 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 23
HEADINGHERE XXXX
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eos eostrup Offictat omnis debit modis
et lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate
BIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup Offictat omnis debit modis
et lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate
BIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup Offictat omnis debit modis
et lant, cus, sinctet fugiatBoreptate
BIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup Offictat omnis debit modis
BIS VELLUPTBIS VELLUPT asperum aut eos nobit asperum aut eos nobit
eos eostrup OffExpe offici sus qui eos eostrup OffExpe offici sus qui
dissequi se dissum aut velique net et
odignim odisitis quatibusant.x xxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx
Tonnerres de Brest celebrates 20 years in style
The Old Gaffers association will be celebrating a significant milestone
throughout the course of 2013 as they reach 50 years old. The association
throughout the course of 2013 as they reach 50 years old. The association
has a plethora of events planned to commemorate their very own jubilee.
has a plethora of events planned to commemorate their very own jubilee.
Perhaps the biggest of which will be the OGA Jubilee Festival in Cowes
from 15-18 August. Included in this event will be music, games, food,
40ft success for Vaquitamedia in Rodney Bay, Saint
Lucia, on 7 December. The
Austrian crew of six crossed the
line at 10:22 local (14:22UTC)
on 7 December 2012, giving
them an elapsed time of 12 days,
1:37 hours. Once across the finish line
the crew dived into the warm
Caribbean water to both cool
down and celebrate their
success, to the delight of those
cheering from the spectator
boats alongside.Skippered by Christof
Petter, Vaquita, had a crew of Petter, Vaquita, had a crew of
leading Austrian sailors
aboard, including Andreas
Hanakamp, former Team Russia Hanakamp, former Team Russia
Volvo Ocean Race skipper and Volvo Ocean Race skipper and
two time Olympic star. The
yacht sailed an extreme
northerly route from Gran
Canaria, clocking speeds of up
to 25kn during the crossing.
This is the team’s third
consecutive year racing in the
ARC, each time favouring the
northerly passage, and each
time the route has paid off.
Et magnis am nem vellendaEt
hitate nimusam voluptasit
arumquam il mincium simus
peri oditeces doluptatur
simFaccatempori dio. Itas as
rem labo. Ita cuptatisit alit que
nonsequide omnietur, odis
autTiumque eiciur, unte est,
quam sam ea consere
perumluptatur simFaccatempori
A whole host of rallies
have been planned in
various location around
the United Kingdom
South to the sun
Southerly’s new 47 takes you anywhere in comfort
bluewater luxury
Your guide to the best newclothing for serious sailors
look good stay dry
may 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk £4.20
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new gear Fast plotter, shoes and LED nav lights
12v windlaSS How to take the toil out of anchoring
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inner hebrideS the very best of scottish sailing?
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ST192 ST_Subspage.indd 60 18/02/2013 10:47
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sailingtoday.co.uk April 2013 23
April 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk 23
electricWindlass
Few weeks ago I mentioned
that the windlass was
severely corroded and that I
was planning to repair or
replace it. When I removed
it from the boat and got a
look at the underside of it, the
corrosion was pretty severe. The screws
that hold the gypsy assembly to the cast
aluminum housing were completely
frozen and no amount of PB Blaster
could loosen them, and the corrosion
around the mounting studs was severe
enough to give me doubt about the
entire base of the casting. One thing you
don’t want in your ground tackle is doubt, so last weekend
I replaced the entire
unit, and while I was
at it I built a spacer out of StarBoard to
raise the windlass up
so that whenever there
is water standing on its shelf in the
anchor locker, it will not be sitting in it.
It would have been a simple matter
for Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took the opportunity to
back all the screws for the gypsy and
back cover out and give them a liberal
coat of Tef-Gel before re-tightening
them, and did the same to the
mounting studs before installing them.
As far as I know, nothing beats Tef-Gel
for preventing seizing of mating parts,
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter
for Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took
the opportunity to back all the screws for
the gypsy and back
cover out and give them a liberal coat of
Tef-Gel before re-tightening them,
and did the same to
the mounting studs
before installing them.
As far as I know, nothing beats Tef-Gel
for preventing seizing of mating parts,
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter for
Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took the opportunity to
back all the screws for the gypsy and
back cover out and give them a liberal
coat of Tef-Gel before re-tightening
them, and did the same to the
mounting studs before installing them.
As far as I know, nothing beats Tef-Gel
for preventing seizing of mating parts,
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter for
Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took the opportunity to
back all the screws for the gypsy and
back cover out and give them a liberal
‘One thing you don’t want in your ground
tackle setup is doubt’ 5 Chain gypsy
es quia debis vellupt
asperum aut eos
nobit eos eostrup
taspicium, offictat
omnis debit modis et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiat.
Id maximaxima quis del
2 Chain gypsyes quia debis vellupt
asperum aut eos
nobit eos eostrup
taspicium, offictat
omnis debit modis et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiat.
Id maximaxima quis del
ipsant ullupti volupta
1 Left or right?es quia debis vellupt
asperum aut eos
nobit eos eostrup
taspicium, offictat
omnis debit modis et
lant, cus, sinctet fugiat.
Id maximaxima quis del
4 Vertical axises quia debis vellupt asperum aut
eos nobit eos eostrup taspicium,
offictat omnis debit modis et lant,
cus, sinctet fugiat.Id maximaxima
quis del ipsant ullupti volupta tinist
3 Rope attachmentes quia debis vellupt asperum aut
eos nobit eos eostrup taspicium,
offictat omnis debit modis et lant,
cus, sinctet fugiat.Id maximaxima
quis del ipsant ullupti volupta tinist
Muir Chainmonkey 230C
integrationNam, es destis ditas
ea veritatur, suntiumquis ea
dellaut reprorerum quiaecto
dolor sit moluptam, esed quo
blandande si invendebis
idignimus.
Xerum rectoribus, aliqui omnia
nonessi dundanis volori am
facest et ius aut pliquodi tetur
antium eatemod erum aut
doloratumet untiusam untia
pedi dolescidem res culpa que
dem quam, quodios eum, simodi
il enditatumqui tet re di doluptat
vit que ea nos ut qui des cum
eatempo ruptatenis as dit a
Contact: Lowrance,
www.lowrance.com
Price: From £1,099
Lowrance Precision X
integrationNam, es destis ditas
ea veritatur, suntiumquis ea
dellaut reprorerum quiaecto
dolor sit moluptam, esed quo
blandande si invendebis
idignimus.
Xerum rectoribus, aliqui omnia
nonessi dundanis volori am
facest et ius aut pliquodi tetur
antium eatemod erum aut
doloratumet untiusam untia
pedi dolescidem res culpa que
dem quam, quodios eum, simodi
il enditatumqui tet re di doluptat
vit que ea nos ut qui des cum
eatempo ruptatenis as dit a
Contact: Lowrance,
www.lowrance.com
Price: From £1,099
1
2
3
5
4
On test
our anchoring expert chris edwards
explains how to pick the best
windlass for the job and compares
what the market has to offer
We compared...
ToP FoR PeRFoRManCe
SAVE
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter
for Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took
the opportunity to back all the screws for
the gypsy and back
cover out and give them a liberal coat of
Tef-Gel before re-tightening them,
and did the same to
the mounting studs
before installing them.
As far as I know, nothing beats Tef-Gel
for preventing seizing of mating parts,
including dissimilar metals.
The unit comes with a rubber gasket
that is about 2 mm thick, which isn’t
enough raise the unit up clear of any
water on the shelf. On the old windlass,
water had seeped between the gasket
and the aluminum housing and worked
It would have been a simple matter for
Beneteau to mold a riser into the
windlass shelf, or perhaps make the
shelf slanted enough that water would
run off, which might have made this
project unnecessary. Anyway, once the
plate was made I check-fitted it on the
windlass. I also took the opportunity to
2 Chain gypsyChain gypsy
Bahamas
Bahamas
sailingtoday.co.uk may 2013
may 2013 sailingtoday.co.uk
28
29
town, and we used it as a base camp, but it still boasts an astonishingly beautiful beach. For exploring by boat, many of the old rules restricting access to bays and ports have been lifted, but the waters are often shallow and poorly charted.Cuba is well within the hurricane belt, and we wanted to be heading north before the end of May. With three weeks to spare, we hitched a ride towards the Bahamas on the Gulf Stream. At about the latitude of Miami, we turned east across the Great Bahamas Bank. For two mirror-calm nights in a row, we simply dropped the hook on the shallow bank for a motionless night, out of sight of land. It was a totally unique anchorage, utterly outside any of my previous sailing experience.
In fact, the Bahamas were an unexpectedly pleasure all round. I had imagined US-style development, but even Nassau had a sleepy Caribbean feel to it. Thirty miles away over the
coral-strewn Yellow Bank, the Exumas provided a dreamy 10 days of exploring. The reputation for difficult pilotage was overblown. On the other hand, there were empty coves and beaches, astonishing turquoise water and plentiful fish. It was with slightly heavy hearts that we set sail on a 900-mile voyage to the Chesapeake Bay in late May, leavened only by the last minute recruitment of our old shipmate Graham for the passage.The Chesapeake is a huge and varied cruising ground, but it was now June, and we zigzagged quickly up the 120-mile long bay towards the C&D Canal, an inland shortcut on the passage to New York. The highlight was anchoring in the centre of beautiful Annapolis.
New York sky lineLater, Manhattan’s fabled skyline took our breath away as we swooped by the Statue of Liberty, close past the skyscrapers of Wall Street and under the Brooklyn Bridge. After a ticklish passage up the East River, we motored to nearby Port Washington, where visiting yachts can spend two free nights on the town moorings.With time running short, we made for Cape Cod and sailed through fog to Martha’s Vineyard, where presidents take their summer holidays. At the skipper’s insistence, we pressed on through the fog to the legendary whaling community of Nantucket, before backtracking to the yachting mecca of Newport.
Homewards via the AzoresPreparations for our return crossing were much quicker than they had been in Gran Canaria. The boat was in good shape and we had a clearer idea of the
demands of an ocean passage. With extra crew, Chris and Elise, it took just two days to provision, refuel and make everything shipshape for the off. We spent our last night alongside in the expensive but lovely Newport Shipyard, then set sail into 18 knots from the southwest.We soon settled into the 24-hour rhythm of a long passage and followed the 39th parallel, to stay clear of ice and shipping. Conditions remained benign despite some strong winds and towering swell.
After just 15 days and one whale, we reached Flores, the westernmost of the Azores group, and an island festooned with blue hydrangeas. It is often said that Caribbean cruisers find the Azores one of their most pleasant stops, and so it was with us.But at this late stage of the trip, the urge to finish passage making and hang up our wet weather gear was strong. I was also anxious about passing into the band of depressions that march across the North Atlantic, so we were glad to slip our berth on 8 August. We made landfall at the Lizard by dusk on the eleventh day after nothing more worrying than a calamitous drop in temperature and some heavy rain. As we rounded Anvil Point and bore away towards Old Harry, the Needles gleamed to the east and we were transfixed by the beauty of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
We slid in past the Sandbanks chain ferry on the last of the flood and made our way through a busy Poole Harbour to the Town Quay. The rain could not dampen the joy at seeing my family again, dripping on the quay, and we soon moved to the pub for a long dreamed-of pint of ale. It would be a stern constitution
‘The islands have a vibrant musical tradition, best expressed in the harmonies of the steel drums’
Left: This mahi-mahi stood no chance against the battery of trolling lures and fish exciters Summer Song deployedRight: I had imagined much more US-style development, but even Nassau had a sleepy Caribbean feel to it.
Many of the old rules restricting access to bays and ports have been lifted, but the waters are often
With slightly heavy hearts that we set sail on a 900-mile voyage to the Chesapeake Bay
Muir Chainmonkey 230C
integrationNam, es destis ditas
ea veritatur, suntiumquis ea
town, and we used it as a base camp, but it still boasts an astonishingly beautiful beach. For exploring by boat, many of the old rules restricting access
visiting yachts can spend two free nights on the town moorings.With time running short, we made for Cape Cod and sailed through fog to Martha’s Vineyard, where presidents take their summer holidays. At the skipper’s insistence, we pressed on through the fog to the legendary
landfall at the Lizard by dusk on the eleventh day after nothing more worrying than a calamitous drop in temperature and some heavy rain. As we rounded Anvil Point and bore away towards Old Harry, the Needles gleamed to the east and we were transfixed by the beauty of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
Many of the old rules restricting access to bays and ports have been lifted, but the waters are often
BRAND NEW LOOK ON SALE MARCH 28
YACHTSYACHTING
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
YACHTSYACHTING
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
CHELSEAMAR INE M A G A Z I N E S
ST192 ST_Subspage.indd 61 18/02/2013 10:47
62 April 2013
Lost your boat? Duncan Kent get to grips with a selection of the latest GSM/GPS boat tracking devices.
Do you ever sit at home worrying whether your boat has parted from her mooring and is headed for the beach, or she’s been stolen and is on her way abroad? Or
maybe you fancy dropping the hook and slipping ashore for a meal, but don’t fancy losing sight of her? A tracker could be just the thing for your peace of mind.
GPS trackers provide an excellent way for you or worried family to keep an eye out for your boat at all times. Briefly, it’s a small black box containing a GPS receiver and a GSM/GPRS (cell phone) transceiver. The GPS then keeps an up-to-the-minute electronic position log, which can either be interrogated via mobile phone or online. Most can also be set up to transmit alert messages via SMS or email to authorised contacts set up by the end user.
There are many different types of tracker, some of which have more functions than others. If you simply want to keep an eye out for your boat on an occasional basis, then the most basic will do. If, you’d like extra features such as bilge, battery or security alarm notification, then expect to pay a little extra. More sophisticated devices are also available that enable the remote control of some functions onboard – such as turning on your heating etc., but in this article we concentrate mainly on their tracking and alert functions.
SubScribe or not?Most of the lower cost trackers are designed to be self-monitored. Either you or the supplier provide a SIM card (PAYG or contract; roaming for abroad), enabling it to send text messages – either directly to your phone or to a monitoring centre that either feeds them into a web tracking package or forwards them to a chosen email inbox.
The only costs involved with the simple units that send messages via SMS is the initial outlay on equipment, plus the SIM costs. Obviously, if you choose to have it monitored by a control centre it’s going to cost you more – usually an annual subscription of between £75-£200 on top.
ProgramS and aPPSEach device has its own method of handling things, so in addition to choosing the equipment to suit your needs it’s equally important to select the system that’s right for you.
The majority of suppliers allow you to download either a smartphone application or a web software package to help you access the tracking data in the most convenient way. Clearly you’re not going to want to receive a text message every minute telling you that your boat is right where you left her, so all the devices have certain user-defined detection parameters that can be set. These usually come under the following headings:
gear & equiPment
group test
geofence boundary – this is a user-defined, electronic virtual boundary, beyond which your boat should not move of its own accord. Obviously, if you’re on a swinging mooring or at anchor you would need to allow for her swinging with the tide, so you wouldn’t enter a geofence radius of 10m!
movement detection – a feature primarily designed for land use – a boat or dinghy on a trailer, for instance. On detection of continued movement over a timed period, the unit transmits an early warning alert that someone might be tampering with your boat. This feature is usually in addition to a geofence alert.
ST192 GroupTrackers_dk_JF_TH.indd 62 19/02/2013 15:10
April 2013 63
proDuCts testeD...
GARMIN GU10 – £149.99 The smallest tested, but still with built-in GpS/GSM antennae and a li-ion battery for up to four weeks use.
The device utilises a web-based tracking service provided by Garmin that enables you to receive location alerts via email or text, and you can also pinpoint its location on a map via a web browser, compatible smartphone and even some Garmin Nuvi satnavs.
One year’s Standard service is included, allowing unlimited emails, 25 texts per month and web interrogation. The Deluxe service offers continuous tracking, daily reports and 50 texts.
Set up: The unit is charged and activated by connecting it to your pC’s USB port. You must create a ‘myGarmin’ account online, after which you can view the location of the tracker via the online map or interrogate its position on a smartphone, provided you have downloaded the (free) Garmin Tracker app (Apple or Android).
The system enables 10 named
gSm/gPS tracKing SyStemS
GARMIN GU10 – £149.99 Geofences to be set and up to five email recipients can be entered, along with the frequency of position updating required (more frequent updates = higher battery consumption).
in the box: USB cable, carrying case, adhesive strip, karabiner, manual.
accessories: 12Vdc power cable
costs Standard: £45pa after the first year.Deluxe: £4 per month extra.
verdict � � �
Easy to charge from any USB port, but it needs permanent power if you want to monitor it continuously.
Annoyingly, to change the settings you have to turn the tracker off and back on – not ideal if the unit’s onboard and you’re at home!
Otherwise it’s a neat little device that is versatile, simple to set up and, being so portable, is very convenient to use. The initial cost is reasonable, considering the technology involved, and the standard annual tracking fee of £3.75 per month after the first year isn’t a lot more than you’d pay for a pAYG SiM card anyway.
Note that this device is not set up for roaming, so will only work in UK and Ni coastal waters within GSM/GprS range.
contact Garmin (Europe) 023 8052 4000 www.garmin.com/uk
ignition detection – some of the devices we tested also allow the detection of engine ignition into their parameter calculation, which can help you to define the problem more selectively.
Units that have these are then able to let you know in the alert if the boat has moved with or without the ignition being turned on. This will tell you if your boat has simply slipped its mooring accidentally, or whether someone has driven it away.
Some units even allow you to turn the ignition or fuel supply off remotely. Personally I think that might lead to further problems and even more chance of your boat being damaged! Better to use the control relay to set off a loud alarm.
ST192 GroupTrackers_dk_JF_TH.indd 63 19/02/2013 15:10
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Speak to a yacht sales representative today. Call 023 9222 2225 email yachtsales@sunsail.com
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Untitled-24 1 18/02/2013 11:57
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