Yachting World June 2020

As we all sit here with the anchor down – and only too well dug in – the next best thing to going sailing is to sit back and enjoy the adventures of others and perhaps hatch a plan for when this whole thing blows over. So this month, do join us on a vicarious global dream cruise from the islands of British Columbia and a high tech wingsail catamaran sprint through the Bahamas (pictured above), via a scientific and wildlife expedition with Skip Novak to the remote archipelago of the South Sandwich islands. Size of boat is no obstacle to these voyages – Nicholas and Jenny Coghlan ventured to Tierra del Fuego in their 27-footer, as you’ll read on page 59. Age is no barrier either – read how…

As withdrawal symptoms have taken hold from being landlocked and unable to get on the water, virtual competition has seen a surge in popularity. eSailing is not a new phenomenon; Virtual Regatta, the leading eSailing platform, was launched back in 2010, and has become a part of most major sailing events with online versions of the Volvo Ocean Race and Vendée Globe attracting hundreds of thousands of entrants. But during lockdown there has been an explosion in growth, with Virtual Regatta reporting that 38,000 new players joined their inshore competitions during March 2020, and over 330,000 boats were racing in their virtual offshore races at the same time. One of the first lockdown-specific events to be organised was the Great Escape in late March. Almost 130,000 competitors signed up to…

Following the global spread of COVID-19, many marine companies have switched their manufacturing processes to create Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical staff and key workers. The problem-solving nature of the sailing industry, combined with readily available inhouse laser cutters, 3D printers and industrial sewing machines, means boatbuilders, sailmakers and race teams have been able to supply thousands of pieces of protective clothing to heath workers and care staff. Boatbuilders such as Princess and Sunseeker were able to donate existing stocks of PPE equipment to local hospitals. Others have adapted their processes to make equipment on large and small scales. Team INEOS UK, the British America’s Cup challenger, is manufacturing PPE face shields for key workers at the team base, using the team’s 3D printers and sailmakers. In partnership with…

Although most yards ceased production or were operating at a vastly reduced capacity during March and April, yacht manufacturing continued in some countries. Some European countries had less stringent measures in place, which meant yachts were still getting built and order books fulfilled. Yards in the Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia and Finland all reported positive news. All Hanse Yachts’ production sites, including its main facility in Greifswald in Germany, and those in Poland and France, remained in operation. The company says it has taken precautions to safeguard all staff, including isolating work areas, and it has carpentry stock to carry it through to the end of June. “But we can already foresee that we can no longer let today’s very high production speed continue as planned,” warns Hanse Yachts AG’s CEO…

If you’re pining for getting on board a yacht, join us for our walkthroughs, boat tests and sailing techniques series. Approximately one million people are watching our videos online each month, the equivalent of around 200,000 hours of viewing from January to March alone. Yachting World’s YouTube channel has 95,000 subscribers. Our most popular video is about sailing the J Class Endeavour, when we spent a memorable day aboard one of the world’s most iconic yachts. This has now had over a million views. Our walkthrough or first look videos of new launches are always popular, with over 1.3m views of new uploads this year. The most recent examples are the ClubSwan 36 and the Dragonfly 40, and the most popular the new Hallberg-Rassy 40C. Our popular content also includes…

While the world was preoccupied with the COVID-19 crisis in April, a string of islands in the South Pacific found themselves in the eye of another disaster as Cyclone Harold swept through the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga. The system intensified explosively and moved into Fijian waters on 3 April and became a category 5 cyclone producing winds up to 170mph as it hit the archipelago of Vanuatu on 6 April. Over a third of the island’s population was affected, as roads and communications were hit and flash flooding forced families to flee their homes. Many homes were destroyed by floods, debris and landslides. A storm surge caused severe flooding along the coastline and grounded ships at the largest island of the country, Espiritu Santo. The islands were mercifully…