Yachts & Yachting magazine November 2021

IT'S THE TIME OF YEAR when thoughts turn to perhaps sneaking in one last autumn sail before laying up the boat for the long winter ahead. it time, in other words, for reflection on the season. I am fortunate in that I have a hand in putting together our nominees for the British Yachting Awards and this gives me a great opportunity to have a very serious look back at 2020. I'm sure i'd say any year that the breadth of nominations is extraordinary but this year does seem like a particularly special one: there is somerthing about the sheer joy of sport in this pandemic riddled moment in time that makes things all the sweeter and more exuberant. Turn to page 16 to have your say on who merits…

Sometimes it really is best to just say what you see . That’s clearly what occurred to whoever it was who named the Great Blue Hole, an extraordinary visual treat set in the midst of the Lighthouse Reef in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Belize. This huge sink hole was formed during an earlier ice age when water levels were much lower. This was initially a cave which later collapsed to create this extraordinary hole. The spot was made famous by the diver Jacques Cousteau who cited it in his top five scuba diving spots in the world. It has a depth of 125m. In 2018 a pair of submarines mapped the bottom which was found to be devoid of life. iStock…

The British Sailing Team opened the 52nd Southampton Boat Show in September and crowds flocked to the event, which this year offered the first new layout for years. The revamped show saw the addition of five new zones aimed at watersports, dinghies and classic boats, plus a Festival Green area with seats, food and live music. It was all accompanied by lots more ways for visitors to get afloat on craft ranging from an SUP, kayak, yacht or RIB, to Jolie Brise, the 1913 pilot cutter. All exhibitors were required to follow the show’s sustainability pledge, including new environmental requirements to follow on their stand. Single use plastic bottles and plastic straws had to be replaced with recyclable or reusable glasses, plates and cutlery on all stands, along with only sustainable and…

Amateur sailor David Hivey (sail no GBR4817) had a stunning regatta at the Moth Worlds on Lake Garda, finishing top Corinthian among some of the biggest names in professional sailing. Hivey, 41, previously RS200 and RS400 National Champion and 2018 Moth European Champion, was 12th overall. He was only a few points behind Dylan Fletcher, who was 10th, also an impressive result just weeks after his gold medal at Tokyo 2020. The rest of the top 10 was largely a list of America’s Cup and SailGP sailors, including Brit Paul Goodison, who was third despite suffering a crash that took out his mast during the regatta. The overall title went for the second time running to Australian Tom Slingsby (see p22). Hivey was well ahead of the next Corinthian sailor in…

Spirit Yachts features prominently in the new James Bond film, No Time to Die. The Ipswich builder of modern classic yachts has partnered for the second time with the 007 brand. In the forthcoming film, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica, where a Spirit 46 sailing yacht is featured. Spirit Yachts CEO and Head of Design Sean McMillan said: “The James Bond films are a mainstay of British culture and we are honoured to be continuing our partnership with such an iconic brand. “The Spirit 46 is one of the original Spirit Yachts designs and is an example of the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that goes into every Spirit yacht. I think the yacht suits the Bond character very well because of the combination…

Gosport Marine Festival Over 350 people took to the water in September as part of the Gosport Marine Festival, while many more visitors packed the waterfront at the free event aimed to inspire local families to connect with the sea. The event was opened by former First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band. Sir Ben at Beaulieu Sir Ben Ainslie made a guest appearance at a Buckler’s Hard 50th anniversary and redevelopment celebration regatta, in August. Sir Ben enjoyed a sail up the Beaulieu River in a Scow with the Hon Mary Montagu-Scott. The marina was marking the end the completion of a two-year, £2m redevelopment. Gipsy Moth IV to Guernsey Sir Francis Chichester’s Gipsy Moth IV takes-up residence in St Peter Port, Guernsey, after local businessmen, Peter Tom and…