Yachting World November 2020

Surprise appearances by marine life are one of the great joys of sailing away from shore: a pod of porpoises playing in your bow wave is guaranteed to lift the mood of even the most jaded crew. It’s also humbling, a reminder that we are brief visitors to their world and always, always lucky to be there. A whale sighting, meanwhile, is humbling on another level. Peter Nielsen’s gripping account of how a casual encounter with a sperm whale led to a mid-ocean abandonment and ship-to-ship rescue is a cautionary tale of their power (see page 52). More extraordinary still are recent accounts of yachts apparently being attacked by a pod of orcas in the Bay of Biscay (page 12). Scientists are baffled as to why the whales are behaving in such…

Surprise appearances by marine life are one of the great joys of sailing away from shore: a pod of porpoises playing in your bow wave is guaranteed to lift the mood of even the most jaded crew. It’s also humbling, a reminder that we are brief visitors to their world and always, always lucky to be there. A whale sighting, meanwhile, is humbling on another level. Peter Nielsen’s gripping account of how a casual encounter with a sperm whale led to a mid-ocean abandonment and ship-to-ship rescue is a cautionary tale of their power (see page 52). More extraordinary still are recent accounts of yachts apparently being attacked by a pod of orcas in the Bay of Biscay (page 12). Scientists are baffled as to why the whales are behaving…

New Zealand and Australia have rejected pleas from cruisers seeking refuge from Pacific cyclones. In a formal reply to the Ocean Cruising Club in mid-September, both countries refused to lift a ban on foreign ships other than cargo or fishing vessels. Most of the yachts that were sailing across the Pacific when COVID-19 struck will now be trapped in areas where they may not be insured. New Zealand is, however, offering to exempt owners who commit to spending at least NZ$50,000 (€28,000) on refit and maintenance work. Meanwhile Australian officials said: ‘Travellers may wish to consider whether they may present as a significant economic activity for a State or Territory and seek their support.’ Around 700 yachts cross the Pacific each year, arriving from the US West Coast, Mexico and the Panama…

New Zealand and Australia have rejected pleas from cruisers seeking refuge from Pacific cyclones. In a formal reply to the Ocean Cruising Club in mid-September, both countries refused to lift a ban on foreign ships other than cargo or fishing vessels. Most of the yachts that were sailing across the Pacific when COVID-19 struck will now be trapped in areas where they may not be insured. New Zealand is, however, offering to exempt owners who commit to spending at least NZ$50,000 (€28,000) on refit and maintenance work. Meanwhile Australian officials said: ‘Travellers may wish to consider whether they may present as a significant economic activity for a State or Territory and seek their support.’ Around 700 yachts cross the Pacific each year, arriving from the US West Coast, Mexico and…

Youth America’s Cup cancelled Border restrictions on overseas visitors to New Zealand have been cited as the chief reason for the cancellation of the Youth America’s Cup. The event had 19 confirmed teams and was to have been raced by mixed gender crews in the new AC9F one-design foiling monohull. The regatta was promoted as a pathway to the Cup and estimated to generate revenues of NZ$10m. Drones to the rescue The MCA is confident that remotely piloted aircraft could drive the next generation of coastguard search and rescue, following a recent programme of test flights. The MCA has been carrying out trials using the Elbit Systems Hermes 900, a maritime patrol drone with a wingspan of 15m, designed to identify hazards at sea and monitor large areas of water. Square rigger’s UK cruises The…

Youth America’s Cup cancelled Border restrictions on overseas visitors to New Zealand have been cited as the chief reason for the cancellation of the Youth America’s Cup. The event had 19 confirmed teams and was to have been raced by mixed gender crews in the new AC9F one-design foiling monohull. The regatta was promoted as a pathway to the Cup and estimated to generate revenues of NZ$10m. Drones to the rescue The MCA is confident that remotely piloted aircraft could drive the next generation of coastguard search and rescue, following a recent programme of test flights. The MCA has been carrying out trials using the Elbit Systems Hermes 900, a maritime patrol drone with a wingspan of 15m, designed to identify hazards at sea and monitor large areas of water.…