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Used boat test: Fisher Cromarty 3652

April 2011 Issue 168

04 Sailing Today April 2011

10 Letters: A tasty tender treat?

58New boat test: S950

82 Gael force: Cruising the west coast of Scotland

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Just In! New gear22

146 Riding Light

Fancy a gas with Vass? Q&As p110

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April 2011 Sailing Today 05

This monthNews AND viewsSailing news 6

Readers’ letters 10

Riding light 146

View from the RYA 14

GeAR AND eQUiPMeNTBooks 20

Just in 22

Gear on test 28

Buyer’s guide: Anchors 36

Group test: Weather forecasting software 42

BOATsUsed boat test: Fisher Cromarty 36 52

New boat test: S-950 58

Your Boats: Westerly Centaur/Hartley 39 64

CRUisiNGMy MAriNA Whitehaven 68

Malay Girl’s last cruise 72

Boat bites 80

The west coast of Scotland 82

seAMANsHiPSea survival 90

Be prepared: Dealing with engine failure 98

PRACTiCALServicing your raw water pump 104

Q&As with Nick Vass 110

WIN! WIN! WIN!Old Pulteney 12-year old whisky 10

Farécla’s four step boat maintenance kit 12

Barden Air Breeze wind generator 96

sUBsCRiBe AND sAve! 50

www.sailingtoday.co.uk

98 Be prepared: Marina manoeuvring with a malfunctioning motor.

68

Missed a copy? Call 01778 392496 Time to subscribe? www.sailingtoday.co.uk/subscriptions

90 Sea survival: Ooh Ooh Ooh Ooh, stayin’ alive!

My Marina: Whitehaven

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Duncan Kent browses the boating market to bring you a heads up on the latest new kit, clothing and accessories that could be heading for a chandler near you.


Just In!

Musto three-layer protection for womenMusto has introduced a completely new, three-layer system for women. The system’s base layer incorporates Nilit Bodyfresh technology and the ABL FW uses a high wicking, low absorption fabric that transports moisture away from the body, while Silver Ion technology adds antimicrobial and anti-odour properties.

The middle layer, the Windstopper Dropseat Salopette FW features a micro-check fleece backer for heat retention and breathability, while the Gore Windstopper membrane provides wind protection and warmth. The salopettes feature an elastic back section for a snug fit and two side zips.

In addition to this, the Outer Layer, the MPX Dropseat Trousers FW and MPX Offshore Jacket FW, provide maximum protection for foul conditions. They benefit from a three-layer Gore-Tex Pro Shell for breathability, durability and waterproofing, while the lack of lining increases ease of donning and speed of drying. The jacket is designed for a female figure with the high-fit trousers covering the chest for additional protection. Available in Red/Dark Grey or Platinum/Dark Grey, in sizes between 8-18.

Alternatively, the base and middle layers can be topped with the less expensive Musto BR1 inshore range, including the BR1 Dropseat trousers and Channel Jacket.

Prices: ABL £43; Windstopper salopette £190; MPX Dropseat trousers £270, BR1 Jacket £190; BR1 trousers £120Contact: Musto Ltd Web: www.musto.com

Sea sickness solution?It’s now common scientific knowledge that motion sickness is caused by the balance signals from the inner ear not being correctly resolved by the orientation signals received to the brain from the eyes’ peripheral vision. This is why one of the tried and tested treatments for temporary relief from sea sickness is to simply shut one’s eyes.

The Boarding Ring Anti Motion Sickness glasses, use partially fluid filled peripheral rings to bring the wearer’s eyes and brain back into agreement with their inner ears, thus rapidly shutting down the confused signals and hence settling the stomach.

Not intended for continuous wear, the way they trick the wearer’s mind triggers a learning effect, according to the manufacturers. This means that they need to be worn less and less by sufferers, to the point that once the wearer is used to them, they can pop them on for a few minutes to obtain hours of relief. Sounds too good to be true? That’s why we’re not recommending them until ST’s Chief Chunderer has taken a pair on long term test. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, (and keeping it down afterwards).

Price: £49.95 Contact: Guy Cotten Ltd Tel: 01579 347115 Email: [email protected] for local dealers


GEAR new products

Muggi drinks holderAn accident-proof way of carrying four mugs of tea in a Force 7 – or a summer breeze. This incredibly simple one-handed tray caters for most mugs and fits regular galley sinks snugly. It sits on deck without slipping, provides insulation around the mugs to keep the hot drinks warmer for longer and is non-absorbent and washable.

Price: £14.95Contact: Muggi Tel: 07970 029346 Web: www.muggi.co.uk

Wavebrite grey water filter system Wave International is proud to announce that after several years of research and development, its Wavebrite grey water filter system has been launched. Suitable for a wide range of boats, Wavebrite is a unique filter unit that processes grey water produced from showers, washing machines and basins straight from the source to overboard. Clean water is discharged with no need for spacious and frequently very bulky grey water holding tanks.

Wavebrite features a separate pre-filter, intelligent flow manifold and pump, which are installed between a boat’s supply drains and the overboard skin fitting. It removes all grey water pollution such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, shaving cream, laundry detergents, hair, lint, body oils, dirt, grease, fats, chemicals (from soaps, shampoos, cosmetics). The only power required is for the pump, which keeps running for 45 seconds after flow at the manifold has stopped.

Price: £TBAContact: Wave International Tel: 01476 861817 Web: www.wavestream.co.uk

McMurdo personal AIS beaconMcMurdo has introduced an innovative new product to its range of Emergency Location Beacons. The pioneering Smartfind S10 AIS Beacon is a new generation, state-of-the-art distress locating device that is designed to be incorporated into the global AIS system.

The lightweight and compact Smartfind S10 is a manually activated, maritime signalling device, specifically intended as a personal search and rescue locating tool. It enables those with an AIS display to quickly and efficiently find and retrieve missing

persons at sea. Once activated, the beacon sends a unique

emergency alert on the AIS, signalling that help is required in a man overboard situation. It transmits target survivor information, including structured alert messages, GPS position information from its in-built, high precision GPS sensor, and a unique serialised identity number.

The Smartfind S10 also features a flashing LED and a self-test facility with battery use indication.

Price: £225Contact: McMurdo Ltd Tel: 023 9262 3900 Web: www.mcmurdo.co.uk

Fusion marine stereosMarine audio specialist, Fusion, recently launched the MS-RA200 AM, FM and Marine VHF receiver, which is compatible with its MS-DKIPUSB – an external, waterproof iPod dock that accepts and conceals an iPod Touch, Nano (Gen2-5) and Classic (Gen5-8), as well as the iPhone 3G and 3GS and enables full control and selection of songs. The dock’s two USB ports (one protected internal port and one on the rear of the dock) also enable users to play MP3 tracks stored on any USB drive.

The MS-RA200 is waterproof to the IPX5 standard when bulkhead mounted and has zone control for interior and/or cockpit speaker use.

For those on a tighter budget, Fusion produces a slightly less well featured alternative, the MS-CD80S, which is an FM/AM radio with CD, iPod (Cable), USB for MP3, removable front panel and splashproof cover.

Both radios are compatible with Fusion’s MS-WR600 wired remote control.

Prices: MS-CD80S £199; MS-RA200 £249; MS-WR600 £29Contact: Fusion Electronics Tel: 0845 299 7586 Web: www.fusionelectronics.com

36 Sailing Today March 2011

Cruising yachtsmen will usually carry several different anchors in addition to their vessel’s main (bower) anchor, to suit a variety of different seabeds and conditions. Duncan Kent looks at a large selection of the most common anchors available in the UK and Europe.

The popular plough anchor exhibits good holding power over a wide variety of seabeds. When dropped, the plough lands on its side, which allows it to be easily

pulled into the seabed and its shape enables it to reset fairly easily should the wind or a tide shift cause it to break out. Ploughs can have either a fixed or pivoting

shank and they are usually drop-forged or cast from galvanised, high tensile steel. You need to check the anchor’s dimensions if you want to stow it on the bow roller.

PLOUGH ANCHORS

PRIMARY (BOWER) ANCHORSThe subject of anchors and anchoring is hotly debated among cruising yachties and few agree with each other, or the scientists. In truth, there is no perfect anchor – only the right one for the job in the prevailing conditions.

Modern anchors have improved holding power and penetration speed, but even these can be fooled by certain types of seabed, so the only safe answer, and one followed by most bluewater cruisers, is to carry several

different style anchors and plenty of chain and stretchy rope rode.

We don’t have enough space here to discuss in depth the history and abilities of each of the anchors mentioned, but there are numerous websites and books on the subject, which are easily found with a little browsing.

Primary anchors can roughly be divided up into three distinct categories – Plough, Scoop and Claw. The Plough type is shaped in a convex fashion, similar to a traditional plough

blade, which means the anchor will bury itself to a certain degree before setting, but will plough a deep furrow along the seabed if pulled too hard. Scoop-type anchors have a concave vee-shaped ‘blade’, which tends to dig in very quickly and buries deep – going deeper and deeper as the pull is increased. The Claw anchor is more of a blunt-nosed scoop, which has phenomenal holding power once buried, but often has trouble digging into hard sand and weedy bottoms.

Get a grip

Buyer’s guideOur Buyer’s Guides complement our group and long term gear tests and provide essential background information about gear and equipment.


Sailing Today’s Buyer’s Guides strive to give you enough information for you to choose a particular product that is most likely to suit your needs. Unlike our gear tests, there is no element of testing involved in compiling these guides, so we are unable to give you a review of their performance unless they later become a subject of one of our extended Gear Tests, which many will in the long run.

March 2011 Sailing Today 37

Although they can demonstrate very high holding power once set, blunt edged claw anchors, such as the Bruce-style anchor and Lewmar’s Claw anchor, can have

difficulty in initially penetrating hard sand or weedy seabeds. This is not nearly so true of the new generation types – the Spade, Rocna, Manson Supreme, Sword and

Bugel anchor – all of which have sharp (and in some cases, weighted) points designed to dig in and self-bury virtually instantaneously.

SCOOP-TYPE ANCHORS

Anchors


CQR The original plough anchor, the drop-forged CQR has a weighted tip and hinged shank for easier stowage. Once the CQR was ubiquitous amongst cruising yachts, but recent developments with rigid shanks have overtaken this once common anchor. Once well set, however, the CQR has almost as good holding power as almost all of the new generation ploughs, but it can sometimes be difficult to dig it in, especially into hard sand. Its hinged shank allows it to be swivelled to a point, which stops it breaking out when the anchored boat yaws. Also available in stainless steel, but watch out for cheap cast imitations, which have been known to break under heavy side-loading.Boat sizes: 10-120ftPrices: From £261-£4531 (Galvanised); £1890-£10,800 (Stainless)Contact: www.lewmar.com

DeltaMade from high grade manganese steel, the one-piece Delta anchor can be stowed in a bow roller and will self-launch due to its weight distribution. It has a rigid shank and a specific plough style designed to

develop rapid setting, aided by its weighted tip, and superior holding performance. A tripping line can be attached and sizes up to 40kg are also available in stainless steel. Lifetime warranty.Boat sizes: 20-90ftPrices: From Galvanised £65-£1485; Stainless £560-£4148 Contact: www.lewmar.com

KobRaSimilar in style to the better known Delta, the Kobra comes in two formats. Kobra 1 is intended for boats up to 35ft LOA and has a folding shank that allows it to be stowed on the bow roller or in the chain

locker. The Kobra 2 features a bolted-on shank and is intended for larger vessels, but can still be broken down for easy stowage when not needed.Boat sizes: 15-82ftPrices: From £97-£135Contact: www.plastimo.com

SpaDe Designed by a yachtsman to be the ultimate performance anchor, this model has earned an excellent reputation among the long-term cruising fraternity. The key to its ability to dig in almost instantly is its weighted tip, in the form of a wedge-shaped ballast chamber, which not only ensures that the anchor adopts the correct position for rapid seabed penetration, but also positions a half of the anchor’s total weight over the tip. A hollow, triangular box section is used in the removable shank, to ensure high strength without compromising weight distribution and it is available in aluminium, galvanised or stainless steel. Boat sizes: 20-130ftPrices: From £215-£1775Contact: Blue Water Supplies 01534 739594 www.spade-anchor.co.uk

SwoRDA development of the Spade and Oceane, this self-stowing anchor sports a curved shank profile that is

positioned to put the bulk of the pull

onto the tip. Designed to adopt the right angle for penetration without the need for a roll bar, tests have apparently shown that the anchor penetrates leaving little or no wake in the seabed. It is easy to break out once the boat is above the anchor.Boat sizes: 20-52ftPrices: From £120-£385Contact: Blue Water Supplies Ltd 01534 739594 www.bluewatersupplies.com

RoCnaIndependently tested as one of the best, the Rocna self-launching anchor stands

out for its quick setting ability

and high holding power. The rollbar design, similar to the Bugel

and Manson, ensures the sharp-pointed chisel tip is

always in the correct position to quickly dig in, whichever way it falls,

and its performance in weed is far better than the blunter tipped devices.

Unlike the Spade and Delta, the Rocna’s

tip is not

Plough anchors offer high holding power once they are set properly.

>>


For those of you who might not be familiar with smartphones just yet, an ‘app’, short for application, is a small program designed specifically for use on a mobile phone or tablet PC. The largest number of available apps has been made for Apple’s mobile devices, mainly because these were the first to hit the market and are by far the most prolific. However, since then the market has been flooded with other smartphones and mobile online devices that use different operating systems (Android, Blackberry, Windows, Nokia for instance), which require differently programmed apps.

A good number of generic apps are

available for the most commonly

found system types, so that the program itself appears very similar regardless of the device you use to access it. However, each is actually written specifically for its own operating system, so you couldn’t install an iPhone app into an Android phone and expect it to work.

Some apps are very simple and just give you a very general summary of current conditions and those expected for a few days ahead. Others give you the whole gamut – animated satellite cloud cover images, predicted rainfall radar, even video forecasts from some of the dedicated TV weather channels. While these are indeed fantastically powerful programs and the graphic effects look absolutely stunning, they do have their drawbacks. Many are USA-based, so some of the best effects

won’t work in Europe, and most are large programs that require a lot of memory and need to be linked online the whole time, which can be expensive and will hog much of the available bandwidth that you might want for other applications.

Many of these apps are also free to download and use, and, contrary to the usual way capitalist market forces operate, the paid for apps aren’t necessarily the best. At the end of the day, as usual, it’s a compromise. The program you use will depend on what depth of detail you feel you need to help you make a safe and sensible judgement on the likely weather conditions for your passage at sea.

There are hundreds of mobile apps available for weather forecasting, so which ones can you rely on to give you the most accurate reports and forecasts? Duncan Kent downloaded a large selection of available apps, both free and paid for, and put them to the test. Here he reviews a selection of those he feels might be the most useful for UK-based boat owners.

group TeST

Weather22 mobile weather apps reviewed

accuweather • buoyweather • fizzweather • imap • met office • pocketweather • weatherbug • weatherhD • winDguru • myweather


pICS STeWArT WHeeLer

take the

With you


mobile weAther ApplicAtions

accuweather • buoyweather • fizzweather • imap • met office • pocketweather • weatherbug • weatherhD • winDguru • myweather

software

accuweather A free or paid for program. The former has a reasonably unobtrusive advert across the top (iPhone) or bottom (iPad), but the latest version for the iPhone has frequent and annoying (and expensive if you’re paying for data) video ads. The iPhone app is slightly different to that for the iPad, which doesn’t seem to have the video ads. The remaining features are very similar and the raw data is identical.

The app works really well on the iPhone and Touch, giving all the basic information needed, mainly in an easy to decipher, graphical format, but the ‘shake phone to change location’ is not very reliable.

The app is even better on the iPad (different format) where the locations are on a simple drop-down menu. The extra screen space brings out its best features and there were no video ads on the free version at the time of writing. The current weather is shown on the front page and then the forecast for the next 15 days can be selected from an icon below or simply scrolled through.

Touching the page icon at the bottom enables you to select between daily forecasts

(a neat clockface for hourly reports over the next 48 hours), forecast videos (currently only the USA), a satellite chart, a list of ‘lifestyle’ effects for the location (UV levels, arthritis risk, asthma risk etc), and hurricane or earthquake warnings on a world map.

Verdict: This is a really great, comprehensive app, which has pretty much everything a coastal yachtsman needs to make a safe judgement on the weather prospects. The video ads, however, make the free version for the iPhone and Touch virtually unusable, so we would advise you pay the extra 59p for the full version.

Buoyweather This app is for GPS-equipped iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch only and is much easier to initially set it up from a PC. Unlike most of the others we tested, it is a subscription service (£5.99/yr) with a 30-day free trial period. You can also request a daily forecast email of your the weather at your favourite location.

The standard version gives a two-day forecast, with the Premium service (extra £1) required for longer forecasts (up to 30 days), although a daily email is then included.

Verdict: I can’t see what you’re getting for the high cost that isn’t available elsewhere much cheaper, but at least there are no ads.

The app hasn’t been updated for a long while, which would make me nervous about relying on it.

fizz weatherPaid for app only, but easily worth £2.39. It works on the iPad, but is only high resolution at the size of the iPhone’s display. It has a vast amount of data collected by up to eight different reporting stations per location. On the home page is the current weather and soft keys for Now, 2-day, 5-day and 15-day forecasts, as well as 7-day charts. A Maps

button takes you to an animated rainfall chart or a Google map of your current location. Annoyingly, once you’ve selected Googlemaps, you can’t simply drop back into the app.

Swiping the home page scrolls through user pre-

set destinations and turning the phone on its side neatly puts the display into graphic mode, where there are a number of very useful charts available, accessed by simply tapping the screen to scroll through.

Verdict: I like the smooth operation and attractive graphics of this app and its great for general weather forecasting for coastal areas. The graphics displays are excellent and very comprehensive, although the radar feature only works for the USA and I’m not convinced by the Airport Delays mode.

iMapweatherFree for Android, but £2.39 for the iPad. Saying that, when I downloaded the free version onto my HTC moblie it gave me the current conditions from my nearest location, but tapping it for a 12-day forecast gave me the data for the previous month.

The iPad layout is similar to that offered by The Weather Channel and is much more useful, although there doesn’t seem a way

to change the units displayed and, fairly typically for US apps, the radar feature doesn’t work for the UK.

Four mini-screens at the bottom can be blown up over the map to show weather detail in current or daily/hourly forecast mode.

Verdict: The iPad version is actually quite good and the app is straightforward to use. I wouldn’t bother cluttering up your phone with the free version, though, unless they solve the problems.

RECOMMENDED

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HIGHLYRECOMMENDED

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UPDATE

Go out for a sail on any busy day in the summer and the chances are you’ll see many sailing yachts motoring along merrily even if the breeze is fair. The next step is to buy a motorsailer. Sam Jefferson takes a look at the Fisher Cromarty 36, a revamped classic.

There are many good reasons to buy a motor cruiser, but if you’re a sailor who actually enjoys the sensation of moving along effortlessly under the power of sail alone, selecting the right one can become a bit of a minefield. This is because many boats purporting to be motorsailers are, in reality just glorified powerboats with a mast and sail tacked on for aesthetic purposes. Not so the Fisher Cromarty.

Coming from the design house of Gordon Wyatt and David Freeman, which has a reputation for producing comfortable, seaworthy and seakindly vessels going back several decades, the Cromarty is easily recognisable with her ketch rig, high freeboard and large wheelhouse. A range of manufacturers has produced Fishers over the years, but at present Northshore Yachts produces the 37, 34 and 25, while the Cromarty 36 has had a rather truncated production run.

The original 36 was built in the late 80s

and early 90s by Blondecell, who built 24 between 1989 and 1994 before going out of business. There followed a long gap in production before it was taken on by Sri Lanka-based company Neil Marine, which capitalised on the cheap hardwoods and skilled craftsmen available and relaunched the boat as the MKII.

These boats are moulded and partially fitted out in Sri Lanka before being shipped to the UK where all deck hardware, masts, sails and electronics are then fitted.

Deep keeled, ketch rigged, well powered with a 55hp Volvo Penta D2 and very roomy, we thought it was time to see how a 2007 MKII version measured up.


USED boaT TEST

About the ownerRoger Barrow previously owned a MK1 Fisher Cromarty and purchased Kayleen as a retirement present to himself. He hasn’t been idle in retirement, however, and in addition to chartering out Kayleen, he has also translated his enthusiasm for the Cromarty into a sideline business producing boat names and graphics, and works as the importer and distributor for the Fisher Cromarty and smaller Fisher Yarmouth. His website is at www.world-marine.co.uk. A keen sailor and Yachtmaster skipper for the John Lewis Sailing Club for many years, he generally cruises Chichester Harbour and the South Coast, keeping his boat at the picturesque marina of Birdham Pool.

>>

Photos: Rod Lewis

FISHERMAN’S FRIEND


fisher cromArty 36


Not so very long ago the safety principle that applied when we went to sea was very simple: one survived, or not, purely by one’s own efforts. In short,

one was expected to ‘die like a gentleman’ and not put the lives of others in jeopardy.

Nowadays it is all very different. Rescue services work around the clock and communication with them has never been easier. Despite all the outside help now available, some basic precautions can have a profound effect on the outcome of a survival situation. Current offshore racing rules require that training in sea survival techniques be undertaken at least every five years and as my last experience in this field included the use of a cork filled lifejacket, a weekend spent on the ISAF approved sea survival course seemed a prudent idea.

Slightly sceptical in advance, the first few moments of the course proved that my time would not be wasted. The course started with a demonstration of the horrors of unserviced lifejackets, many having badly corroded gas cylinders and other nasty problems. We were then taken through a routine for checking our own lifejackets, this knowledge alone being worth the course fee. The full course is split into two days, the first day covering the syllabus of the basic RYA sea survival course and the second day, the additional ISAF requirements for the full Offshore Safety Course qualification, this latter part being aimed at those who venture well offshore and beyond the instant reach of rescue.

Angus, our instructor, created a relaxed atmosphere and showed commendable ability to impart his vast knowledge in a

manner that appeared as effortless as it was easy to listen to. The subjects covered included types and mounting positions of different liferafts, lifejackets and the up to date standards to which these are now made, as well as the equipment needed with both rafts and jackets. He stressed the need for lifejackets to include crotch straps and visors, points that were emphasised during the pool session later in the day. The course then covered the theoretical use of a liferaft and went on to cover the basics of survival such as protecting against hypothermia, the amount of food and water required for survival and how to maximise any available sources of these.

The RYA course also includes a pool session using a liferaft and lifejackets. We were all kitted out in full suits of oilies and given a 150N lifejacket to wear. The pool session lasted for two hours and although there was much hilarity, most found the time in the water tiring and not as easy as expected. The students on my course ranged from young and very fit to somewhat older and considerably less fit, at least one with a heart condition and one with a barely healed replacement hip.

All found the job of righting and entering the inflated liferaft less than easy and that was in the simplified arena of a calm and moderately warm swimming pool; how difficult it would be at sea in possibly gale conditions provided much material for the

“A sea survival course seemed a

prudent idea”

With an entry planned for the 2011 azores race Gordon Buchanan felt it Was time to attend an isaf sea survival course. he talks you through What this kind of course entails.

Gordon Buchanan is a freelance journalist and

avid sailor.

Survival Time

SeamanShip seA survivAl

CoST: This course ran over two full days and included all meals, overnight

accommodation and use of all the necessary equipment, plus use of the

foul weather gear in the pool. IT cosT £215.

Sportscotland National Centre Cumbrae can be contacted at:

www.nationalcentrecumbrae.org.uk01475 530757

N.B. There are many other equivalent teaching establishments around the country.

subsequent chat that lasted well into the evening once we all made it to the bar for a post pool session drink or two.

Invaluable experIenceDespite the pool’s limitations, everybody agreed that the experience gained would be invaluable if any had to take to a liferaft in earnest. In my case an added bonus was that the raft in use was of the same type as my own. Having completed the liferaft experience, all agreed that the old adage of only stepping up into a liferaft now bore very valid meaning. The lesson from the 1979 Fastnet race of liferafts being used, sometimes with tragic results, and the abandoned boat later being found still afloat was cause for serious thought.

The ISAF part of the course covered the use of flares, including a hands on demonstration. The methods required to cut rigging wire were explained, but when the students were allowed to put theory into practice with some scrap wire, the results were both hilarious and rather sobering, as none of the thicker rigging wire (8mm) was severed by a student.

This course also covered the use of heavy weather sails, problem scenarios, search patterns, fire fighting and types of extinguisher, and even methods of setting up a jury rig. Also discussed were tips on extra items that, although not specified in the ISAF regulations, might be rather useful, such as a few bulldog grips and some spare rigging wire, as well as some of the personal items like mini flare packs and MOB radio transmitters.

Despite my early doubts, I learned a lot and gained some very valuable experience from a well run course that I feel should be on everyone’s shopping list. After all, you wouldn’t buy a car without learning to drive, so learning how to use that liferaft and safety gear makes real sense.

A nice final touch was the fact that a copy of the RYA Sea Survival Handbook was included for each student and will no doubt serve as a very useful reminder for those with less than perfect memories.


RIGHT:The things an ST

writer has to do. The assembled class

watching the practice liferaft inflate –

eventually. Hopefully real situations would

not be subject to any delays.

ISA

F

■

RighTing a lifeRafTThe most common scenario for a liferaft being inverted is following inflation, in which case righting from the boat should be considered first. If the liferaft is inverted while floating free, it will be necessary to remove all occupants before righting. These swimmers can assist in orientating the raft to allow the wind to scoop underneath it, aiding righting.

1) Without letting go of the lines around the raft, move round until you reach a symbol or sign saying ‘Right here’. You will find that this is at the position where the gas bottle is located, which, due to the weight of the metal bottle, is the heaviest side of the raft.2) Reach up onto the raft at this position, pulling yourself up over the bottle using the righting line, sometimes a webbing ladder.3) Get your knees as high as possible, either in the join between the two layers of tubes or up on the raft either side of the bottle, then kneel up and back against the line.4) Pull the raft over on top of yourself, remaining on your back under the raft and leaving a fist up in the air to create a breathing pocket in the floor with one hand and continuing to hold the righting line with the other.5) Remaining on your back, use the righting line to pull yourself out from under the raft, but always keep a hold on the raft at all times, either with the righting line or its outside lifelines. An unoccupied raft can blow away faster than you can swim.

STTips

STFacts

STTips

YourTips

STAsks?

VideoST

3

1

4

5

RIGHT:Board

showing the components of a modern

lifejacket.

BELOW:Hands on

experience of setting off a flare was a very useful

first for most of the students on

the course.

2


SeamanShip

A motor boat with auxiliary sails?

1

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Art

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How many times have you seen a yacht leave her mooring with the sail covers on? With no access to any sails, if the engine dies there is no way one can sail out of trouble and one will need to stand by with some well positioned fenders.

Prepare the sailsWe really ought to make it part of the departure checklist that we have the sail covers off Pic 2, the main halyard attached to the head of the sail and ready to go Pic 3, a headsail hanked on or the furling headsail readied with furling line flaked to allow a snag free set Pic 4, sheets attached and rove through the blocks Pic 5, figure of eight stopper knots on the running end.

Ready the anchorIt may not be possible to raise sail in

time to save the situation and we may need to stop quickly, so we need the anchor to be ready. Our anchor is lashed to the bow roller with a reef knot, which comes undone very easily Pic 6. Whatever system you use – drop nose pin, wire or lashing – you need to be able to free it quickly. And

to ready the anchor for deployment we will need to be able to get the chain off the gipsy. With the chain hauled up and allowing a little slack Pic 7 – you

should never have the chain drum tight, because it puts a dreadful strain on your extremely expensive windlass – simply lift the chain off the gipsy by pulling some chain up from the locker and lifting it off Pic 8. If this is not possible, because the chain is too tight, you will need to get a windlass locking handle to release the gipsy Pic 9. Or prior to departure you can ease the chain and allow the anchor to rest on the deck Pic 10. To anchor, simply pay out a scope of about 1.5 x depth, that will be

In 1975 Eric Hiscock wrote: ‘People have stopped thinking of the boat as a sailing vessel with an auxiliary engine and started thinking of it as a motor boat with auxiliary sails.’ It’s true, we do rely heavily on our engines these days. Duncan Wells looks at what we can do to prepare ourselves in case the unthinkable happens and our engine cuts out.

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Be prepared

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It may be my mischievous nature, but I never cease to chuckle when I hear an argument on a boat, at a marina or in the pub about how something should be done on board. With great gusto one salty old sea dog will lecture another about how essential it is to always use locking turns on a mooring cleat, while the other will argue just as fervently about how dangerous the technique is.

The list of likely subjects is endless. Should a fender be secured to a lifeline, a stanchion or a toe rail? What if your dayboat has none of these? Should the fender be tied using a round turn and two half hitches, a clove hitch or, heaven forbid, a purpose built, plastic clip purchased from the chandler? I can entertain myself for hours listening as the battle rages to and fro, each combatant making ground only to be shot down in flames with another valid point from their bitter enemy.

The truth in sailing is the same as most walks of life – there is generally more than one way to get the job done.

There has been for many years a common misconception that there is an ‘RYA way’ of doing things on a boat. Nothing could be further from the truth. The simple fact is that as long as a method is safe, effective and gets the job done, it is generally perfectly acceptable.

As an RYA instructor, I have often been asked: ‘But how does the RYA say you should do it?’ There is just one answer to that – safely! In fact, one of the things that we emphasize during all of our instructor training is the need for instructors not only to think for themselves and to use their own judgement, but also to instil this in their students.

To argue that there is one right way for virtually any task on a boat is foolhardy in the extreme. In fact the more an instructor, skipper or owner emphasizes that there can only possibly be one technique acceptable for a task, the less credibility I would give to their experience.

An unwillingness to consider alternative methods on a boat is surely a sign of insecurity and often inexperience. I made myself a promise many years

ago that if I ever stepped onto a boat where the skipper told me he knew all there was to know about boats I would step straight off again – for safety’s sake.

Early on in my sailing I developed what I refer to as a ‘sailing competence indicator’. It goes something like this – the louder and more often a skipper shouts while on board the less competent and confident he/she will generally be. I challenge you to try it out. The widely held view is that there isn’t ever a need to raise your voice on board unless there is a potentially dangerous situation developing. I can’t count the number of people I have spoken to over the years who have tried sailing and hated it because they were yelled at by the skipper. What a waste of a good crew.

We now come to the question of judgement. Virtually every owner or skipper will have a view and a preference for the way they like things done on their own boat. This is valid and should always be respected. However,

it doesn’t necessarily mean that those preferences are right for every boat or even every crew.

I think the real key to all of this to ensure that you develop in yourself and your crew a broad enough array of experience to be able to make your own judgement as to what technique works best. That choice may vary from one boat to the next or even from one day to the next dependent upon variables such as wind or tide, or even the number and ability of crew on board.

So next time someone tries to show you a new technique for reefing, securing a fender, picking up a mooring buoy or any one of the many hundreds of jobs on board a boat, try to keep an open mind – you might just learn something. Similarly, if someone gets something wrong on your boat, a word of encouragement rather than a tirade of abuse might just be enough to encourage them to fall in love with the sport in the same way that we have.

Richard FalkRYA Training Manager and Chief Examiner


columniST

Richard Falk, ST’s man at the RYA, keeps us abreast of the ups and downs of the latest safety and education issues around sailing.

Dispelling the myth

There has been for many years a misconception that there is an ‘RYA way’ of doing things on a boat.

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