Yachts & Yachting magazine June 2020

WELCOMEto a combined issue of Sailing Today and Yachts & Yachting. Our two sister titles will join forces for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis, offering the best of their complementary sailing worlds. As someone who has worked for both Sailing Today and Yachts and Yachting, it's exciting to see the two together and hopefully you'll agree that the enhanced magazine works very well during these unprecedented times. Meanwhile both titles will continue to operate their individual websites, which are updated regularly with useful articles and the latest sailing news from around the world. The pages that follow will offer light relief and a healthy dose of escapism for those who feel besieged by the ubiquitous daily updates on Covid-19, but if you'll permit one mention, it strikes me that what…

The RNLI has advised people not to take part in any water-based activity on or in the sea, to reduce the risk to the charity’s volunteer crews and other emergency services. The RNLI lifeboat service is still available but the charity says that every time a lifeboat crew is called to an incident, it puts additional pressure on RNLI volunteers and other front line emergency services, as well as potentially exposing them to Covid-19. Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety at the RNLI, said: “We know people who live at the coast still want to exercise by the sea, but when you do this, please think of the potential impact of your actions on RNLI lifeboat volunteers and other emergency services. While you could be fully competent and never needed to be…

Blue water cruisers have been barred from entering some foreign ports amid Covid-19 restrictions. One sailor was met with a cocked rifle, while another described the situation as a ghastly game of musical chairs, with boats scrabbling to find a port where they could tie up and provision. At best new arrivals are being told to anchor in quarantine for 14 days before being allowed entry. From east Africa, British sailors Terry and Mike, who are on a world cruise, reported: “On trying to enter Djibouti the navy demanded we leave and go back to India [across the Indian Ocean]. We said we have insufficient supplies. They pulled out an AK47 and cocked it. Mike said ‘you may as well shoot me’. The official lowered his gun. “We cannot go ashore and cannot get…

Electric avenue Torqeedo and Spirit Yachts enjoyed a joint celebration after the 100,000th electric motor produced by Torqeedo was fitted into Spirit’s flagship 111. Virtual art show Marine photographer and berthing master at Portland Marina, Steve Belasco, has launched a virtual art show. https://theexhibit.io/exhibition/sailing-away-from-the-lockdown World Sailing As the financial impact of the Olympic postponement is gauged by the sport’s governing body World Sailing, it has placed almost all staff on furlough leave and has asked staff earning more than a certain amount take a 20% pay reduction until the end of the year. Topper Fusion Topper lnternational Ltd and Fusion Sailboats Ltd have joined forces. Part of the collaboration will see Fusion Sailboats’ Fusion and Maverick models integrated as part of the Topper Topaz range. Gold anchors A number of marinas have been celebrating after receiving the coveted five…

Cowes Week organisers are pressing ahead with plans for the 2020 regatta, which is due to take place from Saturday 8 August to Saturday 15 August. Despite the current restrictions, the small regatta team is continuing to organse the event from home. Regatta director Laurence Mead said: “We continue to move forward with plans for the event and remain hopeful that by the time we get to mid-August, still four months away, the necessity to socially distance ourselves will have reduced sufficiently so that we can run some great boat racing in Cowes. “We can react quickly to changes in the Government restrictions and guidance, switching on or off various components with the minimum of lead time, and allowing us significant leeway - perhaps until the beginning of July - before we need…

The British America’s Cup team led by Sir Ben Ainslie is manufacturing PPE face shields for key workers in its local Portsmouth area. Sailors, sail-makers, designers and other INEOS TEAM UK employees were rushed home from training in Sardinia (see page 50) amid Covid-19 restrictions, but they are now working round the clock to support the fight against the virus by using their manufacturing resources, which include 3D printers. The team has additional resource via its partnership with Mercedes-Benz Applied Science and will initially be producing more than 100 PPE face shields a day. The aim is to supply more than 5,000 face shields free of charge to its local Portsmouth hospital. Additional face shields will be distributed to local ‘red-zone’ surgeries. INEOS TEAM UK doctor Dr Mark Coombe will lead one of…