Yachts & Yachting magazine December 2020

BOAT TESTING IS A VERY esoteric occupation I must admit. In a matter of hours you are required to form an opinion on a boat that could have a serious impact on the future wellbeing of the company - not to mention prospective owners. It's tough, and it's made tougher because manufacturers simply do not build bad boats any more. Yet, before you reach for the world's smallest violin, I should add that this is also a positive. Yes, the sailing is generally a joyous affair, yet the other aspect of the tests is the human element. You are generally stuck on a yacht with one or perhaps two complete strangers for anything between a couple of hours and a day. As you can imagine, that can be anything from…

The crew of American Magic’s second AC75 Patriot expected a fairly modest sail as they headed out onto Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour on the boat’s maiden trip. They got more than they bargained for as the breeze suddenly picked up to 20 knots and, as it did so, their new boat proved itself to be rather a handful. It’s believed the boat’s bucking bronco antics were caused by issues with the foil control system. Shortly after this dramatic take off, the boat attempted to mimic a submarine and was only saved from further fiasco by its fuller bow sections.…

The RYA and British Marine have joined forces to pile pressure on the UK Government over its failure to help sailors who may be “stranded” after the UK leaves the EU. The two organisations warn that returning UK leisure boaters face being hit with potentially thousands of pounds in extra costs after the end of the Brexit transition period, unless the Government acts. HM Treasury granted a one-year extension to the controversial ruling over ‘Returned Goods Relief’ in October, but sailing authorities are demanding that the government goes further. The RYA’s Director of External Affairs, Howard Pridding, said: “We are pleased that the Treasury has listened to our concerns, however a one year extension remains wholly short of the three-year transitional arrangement that is needed, and fulfilling the other conditions of RGR is…

Sailors of BAME backgrounds gathered for the first RYA Ethnicity in Boating Focus Group in October. The focus group had already been set up when anti-racism protests took place across the world earlier this year, and calls were made for there to be more BAME sailing officials. At the time of the protests, Chris Grant, one of the most senior administrators in British sport, wrote to UK Sport and Sport England, urging them to establish a forum where people could talk frankly about historical and present-day issues without criticism or prejudice. The RYA invited feedback and input from the BAME community about experiences of boating and asked for views on where improvements could be made. The first focus group session was chaired by Kevin Hylton, who is Emeritus Professor of Equality and Diversity in…

All eyes were on Auckland harbour in late October as the British, USA and Italian teams launched their second AC75s – the boats they will race in the America’s Cup early next year. INEOS Team UK’s boat drew gasps from onlookers as it was unveiled and christened in a ceremony broadcast live from Auckland waterfront. The design is a significant departure from its original boat and compared to other teams’ boats, featuring a large skeg and complex underbody. INEOS Team UK chief designer Nick Holroyd said: “This boat is on time, perfectly on weight and the detail of the fit out and systems is immaculate. That is a real credit to each team member involved. “Since developing the first boat, the race area and the condition limits have been clarified, and we have…

15-year-old Timothy Long from Aylesbury has become the youngest person to sail solo around Britain. He was welcomed by his parents Nick and Sue as he finished in Hamble on 1 October after sailing 1,600 miles anti-clockwise, having set out on 16 July. As he stepped ashore, he was shown video messages of congratulations by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Alex Thomson and Dame Ellen MacArthur, whose own voyage around Britain inspired him. He has so far raised more than £10,000 in sponsorship for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. The previous record was set by Tom Webb, who sailed around Britain aged 17 in 2011 and who offered Timothy advice before the trip. Timothy’s mother Sue said: “It was about the adventure and the challenge more than a record. There were some sleepless nights but…