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string(33) "Cowes Week, Up Close and Personal"
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string(13397) "<div id=\"attachment_5553\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"width: 522px\"><a href=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Seafarers-Ale-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5553 \" src=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Seafarers-Ale-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Seafarers Ale, Habib's first ride of the week, was sponsored by a brewery that donates to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute). Photo credit Rick Tomlinson</p></div>
<p>Cowes Week is the longest running regatta in the world, dating back to 1826. It is held every summer in the Solent, usually in the first week of August. This year, in excess of 700 boats were negotiating the quirky double tides in The Solent, making it the biggest regatta series for 2010, bar none.</p>
<p>The stretch of water between the British mainland and the Isle of Wight is one of the most complex and busy sailing grounds anywhere. On a typical day at Cowes Week, there are about 35 different yacht races going on and along with spectator boats and other craft, there are often over a thousand boats in the narrow stretch of water—including commercial shipping, ferries and hydro-foils. The variety of sailing craft racing at Cowes Week is quite unmatched; historic dinghy designs such as X-boats and Darings, high performance Extreme 40 catamarans and modern America’s Cup yachts, match racing.</p>
<p>I decided it was high time to do some real sailing. Now don’t get me wrong, hooning around on the back of a carbon-fibre rocket ship is a common occurrence for me and I fully appreciate what a lucky son of a gun I am. But watching professionals sail awesome boats and taking part yourself are two different experiences. I decided to get on some boats and get stuck into the crew, into roles where I was a little out of my depth.</p>
<p>Jeff Blue originally comes from New Zealand but now lives in England and owns a fast, fun Farr 45, Expresso Martini. Designed by Bruce Farr and formerly known as the Corel 45, the class has proved extremely popular in The Solent. Often eight are out racing, year round. There is no restriction on professionals but the majority of the crew is not paid to race. However many of them work in the boat building industry so boat handling is first class. And many of the crew are up for a fair bit of R&R after racing.</p>
<p>Jeff’s boat was entered at Cowes week as Seafarers Ale, as the boat was sponsored by a brewery that donate to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute}. I thought that would be a good way to start! I knew most of the crew and although they had not raced too much as a team, there was no shortage of talent.</p>
<div id=\"attachment_5554\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"width: 330px\"><a href=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5554 \" src=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"320\" height=\"431\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chimera, Ian Loffhagen's Harrier 31, sailed with just four crew. Photo credit Rick Tomlinson</p></div>
<p>We timed our run to that start well but got pushed into tide by other boats. Tide in the Solent is a crucial factor, especially in the Western Solent where it can run at over four knots. The 33 strong fleet was cheating the tide and there was plenty of boat on boat action as we short-tacked up the mainland shore. The Western Solent is very scenic with unspoilt views of Lymington, Beaulieu and the New Forest but the beat against the tide was a long one. It was several hours before we rounded the top mark, off Yarmouth. We were sailing with twelve people, and upwind almost everybody is on the rail, so besides the charge across the boat during tacks, most of the crew are just hiking out.</p>
<p>Downwind is a different matter, with just about everybody getting involved. Communication and co-ordination become two key areas, especially in maneuvers. It’s a bit like formation dancing and when everybody is in tune, you get a great sense of satisfaction. Running back down towards Cowes gets a bit frantic; the closer you get to the centre of the Solent, the more traffic you get into and there were some pretty close encounters.</p>
<p>It was a long race, about 26 miles, I had not done a lot of big boat sailing for a while and I was pretty stiff by the time we got to the dock. After a good meal and a single beer, it wasn’t long before my head hit the pillow. But not before I thanked Jeff Blue for an excellent day on the water with great company. Jeff Blue’s crew are extremely good sailors who more often than not are stuck inside a boat building shed, not the best view of a marina. For them, Cowes Week is a chance to get out on the water and do what they love and have a few beers afterwards.</p>
<p>My next ride was a brand new experience for me. In my work as a reporter I had held onto the back of high performance multihulls, but I had never actually sailed as part of the crew.</p>
<p>Ian Loffhagen is the racing manager for the Royal Ocean Racing Club and he invited me on board his Farrier 31, Chimera, a cruising trimaran. Ian manages some very high profile races such as the Rolex Fastnet Race, but he loves to race Chimera whenever he can. Ian has had some big wins with Chimera, including the Round the Island Race and the Scottish Peaks Race.</p>
<p>“Chimera is a mythological three-headed beast, so it seemed an appropriate name for a trimaran,” laughed Ian as he showed me around and pointed out the different control lines and sails on board. “We don’t need an army of people or a lump of lead to keep us up right.”</p>
<p>Chimera had just four crew including Ian and myself. Helmsman was Graham Goff, a highly accomplished multi-hull sailor, and his daughter Lucy, who sails a Laser Radial and like me was new to multihulls. We got off to a cracking start and after a couple of clever moves, Chimera was extremely well-placed in the fleet. I found myself trimming the headsail, something I rarely get to do, Graham was calling some of the trim and I began to get absorbed into the role. Upwind was surprisingly quick but short tacking was a bit of a showstopper. Still we could literally go right up to the island shore, which did alarm a few fishermen on the beach!</p>
<div id=\"attachment_5561\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"width: 209px\"><a href=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5561\" src=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Racing with Ondeck on Mount Gay Rum day</p></div>
<p>Downwind was electric. As the masthead asymmetric filled we shot off like a scolded cat, leaving the monohulls around us in our wake. I spotted some friends in a keelboat; as we blasted past them at twice their speed, they looked impressed at how fast we were going. One of the most pleasant surprises was how comfortable a cruising catamaran is to race. There is no hiking out to strain your back or cut the circulation off to your feet. Standing on the windward hull doing 15 knots of boat speed with a kite sheet in your hand is a great way to spend an afternoon.</p>
<p>After sailing we had a couple of beers at the Sail for Gold Bar, on the waterfront next to the famous Royal Yacht Squadron. The live music was only blotted out by the sound of gunfire from the brass cannons on the Squadron line. One of our competitors joined us on the trip back to Port Hamble. (He had been to court charged with speeding on his motor-bike, quite apt for a multihull sailor!). As we sped back across the Solent we went straight across the Brambles Bank, leaving the keelboats to go around it. Keelboat sailing has learnt a lot from multihulls, especially with regards to foil shapes and asymmetric sails, but it does attract a different sort of competitor. You don’t see a lot of designer sunglasses and branded clothing on the multihull brigade, as they prefer a more low key approach in the quest for speed. And I wouldn’t mind betting a high proportion of them enjoy Star Trek movies, as they boldly go where no man has gone before.</p>
<p>Cowes Week goes on for eight days without a break, and I am pretty sure there is no other regatta in the world that does that. But I decided to have my own personal lay-day and enjoy the delights of the capital of the Isle of Wight. Cowes stretches along both sides of the Medina River and High Street is full of sailing-orientated stores and a lot of pubs and restaurants.</p>
<div id=\"attachment_5555\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"width: 410px\"><a href=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5555\" src=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">The High Street of Cowes</p></div>
<p>During Cowes Week, the Extreme 40 catamarans race off Egypt Point, just west of Cowes. There is a full on grandstand and bar for spectators to watch these awesome machines, flying at unbelievable speed around the race track. One of the great concepts for spectators is that they can scream right up inshore. However no one was quite expecting to get such a close view of Groupama smashing into the sea wall!</p>
<p>One of the most fascinating places in Cowes is relatively unknown, The Sir Max Aitken Museum. The magnificent 18th Century sail maker’s loft, where Britannia’s mainsail was made, was acquired and restored by Sir Max Aitken in 1947. Today, with its traditional splendour, the building boasts Sir Max Aitken’s personal collection of nautical artifacts. One of the many magnificent oil paintings in the loft dates back to 1820 and depicts the Battle of Trafalgar by the artist, Thomas Buttersworth. It dramatically depicts a large group of French battleships engaged with a single and smaller British ship of war. What fascinates me about the picture is that the British boat is smaller and has a sail configuration that allows it to be close-hauled. It is peppering the larger less maneuverable French ships with cannon shot. In essence, this is exactly what did happen but the picture has been deliberately over-stated, a piece of 19th century propaganda.</p>
<div id=\"attachment_5556\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"width: 261px\"><a href=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-5556\" src=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup-251x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"251\" height=\"300\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yachts and Yachting editor Gael Pawson, with the Auld Mug.</p></div>
<p>The museum is available for private hire and was the setting for a bunch of journalists to have our traditional Cowes Week get together. We also had a very famous guest, the 100 Pound Cup better known as The America’s Cup, which arrived during the first course and left shortly after dessert. The silver claret jug fitted perfectly into the surroundings.</p>
<p>My last day racing at Cowes Week was with Ondeck. The company is a one-stop shop for people and companies who want to experience life on the water and they operate all over the world, including Charleston, South Carolina. The fact that the day was sponsored by Mount Gay Rum was of course a mere coincidence.</p>
<p>Spirit of Diana is a Farr 65 crewed by a skipper, mate, deck hand and fourteen guests, most of whom had very little sailing knowledge. They made up for it with a heap of enthusiasm, and watching people come to grips with sails, control lines and winch handles for the first time was a great experience. Throughout the day you could see them improve and learn new skills. Although we all had a few bumps and bruises, a few shots of rum afterwards acted as an excellent remedy.</p>
<p>Cowes Week is not really one regatta but many regattas combined. In many different ways, the experience differs from one person to the next. There is a huge variety of sailing and enough entertainment ashore to suit just about everyone. Probably one of the main reasons that the regatta is so successful is that the primary objective of the organisers and the sailors is the same; to have some fun sailing in an historic and interesting place.</p>
<p><a href=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-5578 alignleft\" src=\"http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"50\" height=\"60\" /></a><strong>Editor’s Note: </strong>Louay Habib is a freelance journalist and broadcaster based in the UK who writes for some of the most prestigious magazines and clubs all over the world, including the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Volvo Ocean Race. With over thirty years of international yacht racing experience, Louay has been part of many winning teams and represented England in the Rolex Commodores Cup in 2004.</p>
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string(13285) "<div id="attachment_5553" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 522px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Seafarers-Ale-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5553 " src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Seafarers-Ale-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="384" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Seafarers Ale, Habib's first ride of the week, was sponsored by a brewery that donates to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute). Photo credit Rick Tomlinson</p></div>
<p>Cowes Week is the longest running regatta in the world, dating back to 1826. It is held every summer in the Solent, usually in the first week of August. This year, in excess of 700 boats were negotiating the quirky double tides in The Solent, making it the biggest regatta series for 2010, bar none.</p>
<p>The stretch of water between the British mainland and the Isle of Wight is one of the most complex and busy sailing grounds anywhere. On a typical day at Cowes Week, there are about 35 different yacht races going on and along with spectator boats and other craft, there are often over a thousand boats in the narrow stretch of water—including commercial shipping, ferries and hydro-foils. The variety of sailing craft racing at Cowes Week is quite unmatched; historic dinghy designs such as X-boats and Darings, high performance Extreme 40 catamarans and modern America’s Cup yachts, match racing.</p>
<p>I decided it was high time to do some real sailing. Now don’t get me wrong, hooning around on the back of a carbon-fibre rocket ship is a common occurrence for me and I fully appreciate what a lucky son of a gun I am. But watching professionals sail awesome boats and taking part yourself are two different experiences. I decided to get on some boats and get stuck into the crew, into roles where I was a little out of my depth.</p>
<p>Jeff Blue originally comes from New Zealand but now lives in England and owns a fast, fun Farr 45, Expresso Martini. Designed by Bruce Farr and formerly known as the Corel 45, the class has proved extremely popular in The Solent. Often eight are out racing, year round. There is no restriction on professionals but the majority of the crew is not paid to race. However many of them work in the boat building industry so boat handling is first class. And many of the crew are up for a fair bit of R&R after racing.</p>
<p>Jeff’s boat was entered at Cowes week as Seafarers Ale, as the boat was sponsored by a brewery that donate to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute}. I thought that would be a good way to start! I knew most of the crew and although they had not raced too much as a team, there was no shortage of talent.</p>
<div id="attachment_5554" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 330px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5554 " src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="431" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Chimera, Ian Loffhagen's Harrier 31, sailed with just four crew. Photo credit Rick Tomlinson</p></div>
<p>We timed our run to that start well but got pushed into tide by other boats. Tide in the Solent is a crucial factor, especially in the Western Solent where it can run at over four knots. The 33 strong fleet was cheating the tide and there was plenty of boat on boat action as we short-tacked up the mainland shore. The Western Solent is very scenic with unspoilt views of Lymington, Beaulieu and the New Forest but the beat against the tide was a long one. It was several hours before we rounded the top mark, off Yarmouth. We were sailing with twelve people, and upwind almost everybody is on the rail, so besides the charge across the boat during tacks, most of the crew are just hiking out.</p>
<p>Downwind is a different matter, with just about everybody getting involved. Communication and co-ordination become two key areas, especially in maneuvers. It’s a bit like formation dancing and when everybody is in tune, you get a great sense of satisfaction. Running back down towards Cowes gets a bit frantic; the closer you get to the centre of the Solent, the more traffic you get into and there were some pretty close encounters.</p>
<p>It was a long race, about 26 miles, I had not done a lot of big boat sailing for a while and I was pretty stiff by the time we got to the dock. After a good meal and a single beer, it wasn’t long before my head hit the pillow. But not before I thanked Jeff Blue for an excellent day on the water with great company. Jeff Blue’s crew are extremely good sailors who more often than not are stuck inside a boat building shed, not the best view of a marina. For them, Cowes Week is a chance to get out on the water and do what they love and have a few beers afterwards.</p>
<p>My next ride was a brand new experience for me. In my work as a reporter I had held onto the back of high performance multihulls, but I had never actually sailed as part of the crew.</p>
<p>Ian Loffhagen is the racing manager for the Royal Ocean Racing Club and he invited me on board his Farrier 31, Chimera, a cruising trimaran. Ian manages some very high profile races such as the Rolex Fastnet Race, but he loves to race Chimera whenever he can. Ian has had some big wins with Chimera, including the Round the Island Race and the Scottish Peaks Race.</p>
<p>“Chimera is a mythological three-headed beast, so it seemed an appropriate name for a trimaran,” laughed Ian as he showed me around and pointed out the different control lines and sails on board. “We don’t need an army of people or a lump of lead to keep us up right.”</p>
<p>Chimera had just four crew including Ian and myself. Helmsman was Graham Goff, a highly accomplished multi-hull sailor, and his daughter Lucy, who sails a Laser Radial and like me was new to multihulls. We got off to a cracking start and after a couple of clever moves, Chimera was extremely well-placed in the fleet. I found myself trimming the headsail, something I rarely get to do, Graham was calling some of the trim and I began to get absorbed into the role. Upwind was surprisingly quick but short tacking was a bit of a showstopper. Still we could literally go right up to the island shore, which did alarm a few fishermen on the beach!</p>
<div id="attachment_5561" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 209px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5561" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Racing with Ondeck on Mount Gay Rum day</p></div>
<p>Downwind was electric. As the masthead asymmetric filled we shot off like a scolded cat, leaving the monohulls around us in our wake. I spotted some friends in a keelboat; as we blasted past them at twice their speed, they looked impressed at how fast we were going. One of the most pleasant surprises was how comfortable a cruising catamaran is to race. There is no hiking out to strain your back or cut the circulation off to your feet. Standing on the windward hull doing 15 knots of boat speed with a kite sheet in your hand is a great way to spend an afternoon.</p>
<p>After sailing we had a couple of beers at the Sail for Gold Bar, on the waterfront next to the famous Royal Yacht Squadron. The live music was only blotted out by the sound of gunfire from the brass cannons on the Squadron line. One of our competitors joined us on the trip back to Port Hamble. (He had been to court charged with speeding on his motor-bike, quite apt for a multihull sailor!). As we sped back across the Solent we went straight across the Brambles Bank, leaving the keelboats to go around it. Keelboat sailing has learnt a lot from multihulls, especially with regards to foil shapes and asymmetric sails, but it does attract a different sort of competitor. You don’t see a lot of designer sunglasses and branded clothing on the multihull brigade, as they prefer a more low key approach in the quest for speed. And I wouldn’t mind betting a high proportion of them enjoy Star Trek movies, as they boldly go where no man has gone before.</p>
<p>Cowes Week goes on for eight days without a break, and I am pretty sure there is no other regatta in the world that does that. But I decided to have my own personal lay-day and enjoy the delights of the capital of the Isle of Wight. Cowes stretches along both sides of the Medina River and High Street is full of sailing-orientated stores and a lot of pubs and restaurants.</p>
<div id="attachment_5555" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5555" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The High Street of Cowes</p></div>
<p>During Cowes Week, the Extreme 40 catamarans race off Egypt Point, just west of Cowes. There is a full on grandstand and bar for spectators to watch these awesome machines, flying at unbelievable speed around the race track. One of the great concepts for spectators is that they can scream right up inshore. However no one was quite expecting to get such a close view of Groupama smashing into the sea wall!</p>
<p>One of the most fascinating places in Cowes is relatively unknown, The Sir Max Aitken Museum. The magnificent 18th Century sail maker’s loft, where Britannia’s mainsail was made, was acquired and restored by Sir Max Aitken in 1947. Today, with its traditional splendour, the building boasts Sir Max Aitken’s personal collection of nautical artifacts. One of the many magnificent oil paintings in the loft dates back to 1820 and depicts the Battle of Trafalgar by the artist, Thomas Buttersworth. It dramatically depicts a large group of French battleships engaged with a single and smaller British ship of war. What fascinates me about the picture is that the British boat is smaller and has a sail configuration that allows it to be close-hauled. It is peppering the larger less maneuverable French ships with cannon shot. In essence, this is exactly what did happen but the picture has been deliberately over-stated, a piece of 19th century propaganda.</p>
<div id="attachment_5556" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 261px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5556" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup-251x300.jpg" alt="" width="251" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Yachts and Yachting editor Gael Pawson, with the Auld Mug.</p></div>
<p>The museum is available for private hire and was the setting for a bunch of journalists to have our traditional Cowes Week get together. We also had a very famous guest, the 100 Pound Cup better known as The America’s Cup, which arrived during the first course and left shortly after dessert. The silver claret jug fitted perfectly into the surroundings.</p>
<p>My last day racing at Cowes Week was with Ondeck. The company is a one-stop shop for people and companies who want to experience life on the water and they operate all over the world, including Charleston, South Carolina. The fact that the day was sponsored by Mount Gay Rum was of course a mere coincidence.</p>
<p>Spirit of Diana is a Farr 65 crewed by a skipper, mate, deck hand and fourteen guests, most of whom had very little sailing knowledge. They made up for it with a heap of enthusiasm, and watching people come to grips with sails, control lines and winch handles for the first time was a great experience. Throughout the day you could see them improve and learn new skills. Although we all had a few bumps and bruises, a few shots of rum afterwards acted as an excellent remedy.</p>
<p>Cowes Week is not really one regatta but many regattas combined. In many different ways, the experience differs from one person to the next. There is a huge variety of sailing and enough entertainment ashore to suit just about everyone. Probably one of the main reasons that the regatta is so successful is that the primary objective of the organisers and the sailors is the same; to have some fun sailing in an historic and interesting place.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5578 alignleft" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg" alt="" width="50" height="60" /></a><strong>Editor’s Note: </strong>Louay Habib is a freelance journalist and broadcaster based in the UK who writes for some of the most prestigious magazines and clubs all over the world, including the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Volvo Ocean Race. With over thirty years of international yacht racing experience, Louay has been part of many winning teams and represented England in the Rolex Commodores Cup in 2004.</p>
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<p>Cowes Week is the longest running regatta in the world, dating back to 1826. It is held every summer in the Solent, usually in the first week of August. This year, in excess of 700 boats were negotiating the quirky double tides in The Solent, making it the biggest regatta series for 2010, bar none.</p>
<p>The stretch of water between the British mainland and the Isle of Wight is one of the most complex and busy sailing grounds anywhere. On a typical day at Cowes Week, there are about 35 different yacht races going on and along with spectator boats and other craft, there are often over a thousand boats in the narrow stretch of water—including commercial shipping, ferries and hydro-foils. The variety of sailing craft racing at Cowes Week is quite unmatched; historic dinghy designs such as X-boats and Darings, high performance Extreme 40 catamarans and modern America’s Cup yachts, match racing.</p>
<p>I decided it was high time to do some real sailing. Now don’t get me wrong, hooning around on the back of a carbon-fibre rocket ship is a common occurrence for me and I fully appreciate what a lucky son of a gun I am. But watching professionals sail awesome boats and taking part yourself are two different experiences. I decided to get on some boats and get stuck into the crew, into roles where I was a little out of my depth.</p>
<p>Jeff Blue originally comes from New Zealand but now lives in England and owns a fast, fun Farr 45, Expresso Martini. Designed by Bruce Farr and formerly known as the Corel 45, the class has proved extremely popular in The Solent. Often eight are out racing, year round. There is no restriction on professionals but the majority of the crew is not paid to race. However many of them work in the boat building industry so boat handling is first class. And many of the crew are up for a fair bit of R&R after racing.</p>
<p>Jeff’s boat was entered at Cowes week as Seafarers Ale, as the boat was sponsored by a brewery that donate to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute}. I thought that would be a good way to start! I knew most of the crew and although they had not raced too much as a team, there was no shortage of talent.</p>
<div id="attachment_5554" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 330px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5554 " src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="431" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Chimera, Ian Loffhagen's Harrier 31, sailed with just four crew. Photo credit Rick Tomlinson</p></div>
<p>We timed our run to that start well but got pushed into tide by other boats. Tide in the Solent is a crucial factor, especially in the Western Solent where it can run at over four knots. The 33 strong fleet was cheating the tide and there was plenty of boat on boat action as we short-tacked up the mainland shore. The Western Solent is very scenic with unspoilt views of Lymington, Beaulieu and the New Forest but the beat against the tide was a long one. It was several hours before we rounded the top mark, off Yarmouth. We were sailing with twelve people, and upwind almost everybody is on the rail, so besides the charge across the boat during tacks, most of the crew are just hiking out.</p>
<p>Downwind is a different matter, with just about everybody getting involved. Communication and co-ordination become two key areas, especially in maneuvers. It’s a bit like formation dancing and when everybody is in tune, you get a great sense of satisfaction. Running back down towards Cowes gets a bit frantic; the closer you get to the centre of the Solent, the more traffic you get into and there were some pretty close encounters.</p>
<p>It was a long race, about 26 miles, I had not done a lot of big boat sailing for a while and I was pretty stiff by the time we got to the dock. After a good meal and a single beer, it wasn’t long before my head hit the pillow. But not before I thanked Jeff Blue for an excellent day on the water with great company. Jeff Blue’s crew are extremely good sailors who more often than not are stuck inside a boat building shed, not the best view of a marina. For them, Cowes Week is a chance to get out on the water and do what they love and have a few beers afterwards.</p>
<p>My next ride was a brand new experience for me. In my work as a reporter I had held onto the back of high performance multihulls, but I had never actually sailed as part of the crew.</p>
<p>Ian Loffhagen is the racing manager for the Royal Ocean Racing Club and he invited me on board his Farrier 31, Chimera, a cruising trimaran. Ian manages some very high profile races such as the Rolex Fastnet Race, but he loves to race Chimera whenever he can. Ian has had some big wins with Chimera, including the Round the Island Race and the Scottish Peaks Race.</p>
<p>“Chimera is a mythological three-headed beast, so it seemed an appropriate name for a trimaran,” laughed Ian as he showed me around and pointed out the different control lines and sails on board. “We don’t need an army of people or a lump of lead to keep us up right.”</p>
<p>Chimera had just four crew including Ian and myself. Helmsman was Graham Goff, a highly accomplished multi-hull sailor, and his daughter Lucy, who sails a Laser Radial and like me was new to multihulls. We got off to a cracking start and after a couple of clever moves, Chimera was extremely well-placed in the fleet. I found myself trimming the headsail, something I rarely get to do, Graham was calling some of the trim and I began to get absorbed into the role. Upwind was surprisingly quick but short tacking was a bit of a showstopper. Still we could literally go right up to the island shore, which did alarm a few fishermen on the beach!</p>
<div id="attachment_5561" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 209px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5561" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Racing with Ondeck on Mount Gay Rum day</p></div>
<p>Downwind was electric. As the masthead asymmetric filled we shot off like a scolded cat, leaving the monohulls around us in our wake. I spotted some friends in a keelboat; as we blasted past them at twice their speed, they looked impressed at how fast we were going. One of the most pleasant surprises was how comfortable a cruising catamaran is to race. There is no hiking out to strain your back or cut the circulation off to your feet. Standing on the windward hull doing 15 knots of boat speed with a kite sheet in your hand is a great way to spend an afternoon.</p>
<p>After sailing we had a couple of beers at the Sail for Gold Bar, on the waterfront next to the famous Royal Yacht Squadron. The live music was only blotted out by the sound of gunfire from the brass cannons on the Squadron line. One of our competitors joined us on the trip back to Port Hamble. (He had been to court charged with speeding on his motor-bike, quite apt for a multihull sailor!). As we sped back across the Solent we went straight across the Brambles Bank, leaving the keelboats to go around it. Keelboat sailing has learnt a lot from multihulls, especially with regards to foil shapes and asymmetric sails, but it does attract a different sort of competitor. You don’t see a lot of designer sunglasses and branded clothing on the multihull brigade, as they prefer a more low key approach in the quest for speed. And I wouldn’t mind betting a high proportion of them enjoy Star Trek movies, as they boldly go where no man has gone before.</p>
<p>Cowes Week goes on for eight days without a break, and I am pretty sure there is no other regatta in the world that does that. But I decided to have my own personal lay-day and enjoy the delights of the capital of the Isle of Wight. Cowes stretches along both sides of the Medina River and High Street is full of sailing-orientated stores and a lot of pubs and restaurants.</p>
<div id="attachment_5555" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5555" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The High Street of Cowes</p></div>
<p>During Cowes Week, the Extreme 40 catamarans race off Egypt Point, just west of Cowes. There is a full on grandstand and bar for spectators to watch these awesome machines, flying at unbelievable speed around the race track. One of the great concepts for spectators is that they can scream right up inshore. However no one was quite expecting to get such a close view of Groupama smashing into the sea wall!</p>
<p>One of the most fascinating places in Cowes is relatively unknown, The Sir Max Aitken Museum. The magnificent 18th Century sail maker’s loft, where Britannia’s mainsail was made, was acquired and restored by Sir Max Aitken in 1947. Today, with its traditional splendour, the building boasts Sir Max Aitken’s personal collection of nautical artifacts. One of the many magnificent oil paintings in the loft dates back to 1820 and depicts the Battle of Trafalgar by the artist, Thomas Buttersworth. It dramatically depicts a large group of French battleships engaged with a single and smaller British ship of war. What fascinates me about the picture is that the British boat is smaller and has a sail configuration that allows it to be close-hauled. It is peppering the larger less maneuverable French ships with cannon shot. In essence, this is exactly what did happen but the picture has been deliberately over-stated, a piece of 19th century propaganda.</p>
<div id="attachment_5556" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 261px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5556" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup-251x300.jpg" alt="" width="251" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Yachts and Yachting editor Gael Pawson, with the Auld Mug.</p></div>
<p>The museum is available for private hire and was the setting for a bunch of journalists to have our traditional Cowes Week get together. We also had a very famous guest, the 100 Pound Cup better known as The America’s Cup, which arrived during the first course and left shortly after dessert. The silver claret jug fitted perfectly into the surroundings.</p>
<p>My last day racing at Cowes Week was with Ondeck. The company is a one-stop shop for people and companies who want to experience life on the water and they operate all over the world, including Charleston, South Carolina. The fact that the day was sponsored by Mount Gay Rum was of course a mere coincidence.</p>
<p>Spirit of Diana is a Farr 65 crewed by a skipper, mate, deck hand and fourteen guests, most of whom had very little sailing knowledge. They made up for it with a heap of enthusiasm, and watching people come to grips with sails, control lines and winch handles for the first time was a great experience. Throughout the day you could see them improve and learn new skills. Although we all had a few bumps and bruises, a few shots of rum afterwards acted as an excellent remedy.</p>
<p>Cowes Week is not really one regatta but many regattas combined. In many different ways, the experience differs from one person to the next. There is a huge variety of sailing and enough entertainment ashore to suit just about everyone. Probably one of the main reasons that the regatta is so successful is that the primary objective of the organisers and the sailors is the same; to have some fun sailing in an historic and interesting place.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5578 alignleft" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg" alt="" width="50" height="60" /></a><strong>Editor’s Note: </strong>Louay Habib is a freelance journalist and broadcaster based in the UK who writes for some of the most prestigious magazines and clubs all over the world, including the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Volvo Ocean Race. With over thirty years of international yacht racing experience, Louay has been part of many winning teams and represented England in the Rolex Commodores Cup in 2004.</p>
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string(23273) "<div id="attachment_5326" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 327px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katharina1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5326" title="katharina1" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katharina1.jpg" alt="" width="317" height="259" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The sailing hotel Katharina has seven cabins.</p></div>
<p>Katharina is a beautiful dame, traditionally attired yet with a young spirit. She is a two-mast, seven-sail Phinisi, built in the traditions of the Bugis sailors, yet with all the comforts of home within her seven well-equipped cabins. Many of the Bugis sailors were feared pirates in these parts and it was for this reason that the Dutch chose to use the Phinisis of the Bugis people to transport their cargo around the Archipelago – by imitating the pirates they avoided conflict.</p>
<p><strong>Day 1: Amed to Gili Trawangan</strong><br />
Somewhat appropriately I found myself sailing with a predominately Dutch group and as I got to know my new friends we set sail from the delightful fishing village of Amed, on the east coast of Bali. With the audacious view of Gunung Agung, Bali’s grandest volcano, towering over the coastline behind us and blue seas ahead we embarked on our adventure that would take us from the centre to the far east of the largest archipelago in the world. Thirteen passengers were accompanied by twelve fantastically attentive crew members to navigate the seas and look after our every need; no doubt my companions were travelling in a style befitting to their colonial ancestors.</p>
<p>One of our crew informed me that the Phinisi takes its name from the Bugis word “phini”, meaning penis, and they added the “si” to make it sound more like a ship. It would seem that the shape of the ship was somewhat phallic for the Bugis boat builders!</p>
<p>We were sailing east across the Lombok Strait, one of the deepest trenches in the world, the sea was calm and as we neared our destination Gunung Rinjani, the mighty volcano found in the north of Lombok, monopolised the horizon. It was to the northwest of Lombok that we were headed; three small islands (or gilis) jut out like stepping stones from the mainland: Gili Air, Gili Meno and, the largest of the three, Gili Trawangan.</p>
<p>The islands are famous for the rich variety of sea life populating the surrounding coral reef and the laid back atmosphere on offer as holidaymakers mix in the beachside bars and restaurants. By swimming only a few metres off the white sand beach one can don a snorkel and see all manner of sealife drift past as the current takes one along. If you are lucky you can spot a giant turtle; for divers it’s almost a certainty to meet them along with rays and reef sharks. There is an interesting bio-rock programme in place here to rejuvenate the coral.</p>
<p>Leaving the three Gilis in our wake we headed eastwards along the north coast of Lombok as we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner aboard Katharina – our first of many.</p>
<p><strong>Day 2: Badas to Pulau Moyo</strong><br />
After sailing overnight we awoke early to find ourselves portside at Badas harbour in the northwest of Sumbawa where a minibus was waiting to whisk us to the market in the town of Sumbawa Besar, then along to the sultan’s palace which currently is only a skeleton of its former glory as it is being renovated. The adjacent museum proved interesting; the Sultan of Sumatra lost his power to Jakarta when Indonesia became independent, but despite this the Sultan’s family remains well respected throughout the region.</p>
<p>There was still time to visit Pamalung, a traditional Sumbawanese village where industry revolves around roof tile production and the weaving of traditional ikat sarongs, before returning to our contrastingly luxurious haven aboard Katharina for lunch as we set sail for Pulau Moyo.</p>
<p>“Gili” means “small island” and “Pulau” means a larger island. Pulau Moyo is found just off the north coast of Sumbawa and is approximately the size of Singapore. The only inhabitants, however, belong to a few small fishing villages, along with the exclusive Amanwana resort (featured in Villa & Yacht, Volume 2 – Issue 4). The island is mainly forest, surrounded by picture postcard beaches and crystal clear water. Indeed the perfect spot to set anchor and take the speedboat to the beach to enjoy a little sun, sand and snorkelling.</p>
<div id="attachment_5329" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balivolcano.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5329" title="balivolcano" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balivolcano-300x233.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="233" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Gunung Agung, Bali’s grandest volcano</p></div>
<p>Again heading east along the north coast of Sumbawa we navigated the evening swell, swaying to the calming sounds of the crew band. To everyone’s delight a couple of friendly dolphins joined us for a while, guiding us through the dark choppy sea.</p>
<p><strong>Day 3: Wera to Gili Banta</strong><br />
A little shaken, I stirred to find myself looking at a beach like no other. Facing the sea were four enormous wooden vessels under different stages of construction on the beachside. This is Wera on the north-east coast of Sumbawa, a small village rich in the traditions of boat building. As I went ashore to marvel at the construction site it struck me that bar a few modern tools the friendly boat builders were executing their craft in the same manner that their ancestors have been doing for generations. It was fascinating to watch them at work and learn about their lives.</p>
<p>The majority of the men from the village work on the construction of these large wooden vessels and it seemed that half the kids use them as an adventure playground. They take three to four years to build and are often not made to order. The wood is shipped in from Kalimantan which explains why some vessels are left almost completed. If the supply of wood runs out they could have to wait years for a new shipment. Most of their work becomes cargo ships, although some are bought by private owners and adapted to cater for luxury cruses such as ours aboard Katharina. I was informed that the ship we were touring had cost US$150,000 to build the skeleton; with the finishing additions we estimated it could be yours to sail home for approximately half a million dollars. But not before the whole village has spent four days pushing and stabilising the ship whilst it is pulled into the sea by two boats at a rate of 1.5 metres per day. Once in the water the people of Wera keep watch over their labour of love for two weeks – checking its floatability and completing the final touches – before it sails away.</p>
<p>As indeed we did from Wera, waving goodbye to the ever increasing crowd of children who followed as we walked around their village and who treated us to a spontaneous chorus of traditional songs. Sailing eastwards we enjoyed our lunch in the most beautiful of settings with views of the 1,800-metre volcano, Gunung Sangeang – interestingly the village of Wera used to be situated at the foot of the volcano, however the government insisted on moving the villagers to a safer location.</p>
<p>On the horizon we could see our destination Gili Banta, with Komodo Island towering behind. Even though it was early afternoon and there was bright sunshine, the moon was strongly visible above the barren mountain ranges. A closer inspection of Gili Banta showed no sign of life on land whatsoever; the fallen volcanic crater in the middle of the small island is said to be still active. Surrounding it is one of the most beautiful white sand beaches in Indonesia and from there it’s a joy to swim in the warm sea water. Snorkelling between the beach and Katharina I explored a splendid underwater wonderland, boasting numerous banks of unspoilt coral and a fabulous array of tropical fish. Visibility is excellent – perfect conditions for spear fishing – we enjoyed our impromptu barbecue on the beach before leaving this paradise with the sun setting over Gunung Sangeang as we sailed towards the Komodo National Park.</p>
<div id="attachment_5328" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balibeach.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5328 " title="balibeach" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balibeach-300x186.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="186" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A fisherman casts his net on a pristine beach in Lombok, Indonesia.</p></div>
<p><strong>Day 4: Rinca – Sebayur – Sebolan Kecil</strong><br />
I awoke at 6am to find we were cruising into the most stunning setting amongst the 130 islands of the Komodo National Park. The sunrise was an incredible spectacle as we entered the bay at Loh Buaya in the northwest of Rinca Island. We gave a wave to the sailors aboard the American yacht at anchor, the first non-Indonesian vessel we had encountered on our voyage, before dropping anchor ourselves and heading ashore to the greeting screeches of monkeys in mating season.</p>
<p>Rinca is home to an eclectic group of wildlife; keeping the monkeys company are wild buffalo, deer, goats, horses, boar and – the star attraction – the Komodo Dragon. The largest living reptile on the planet, the Komodo Dragon is only found here in the National Park and there are plenty to be seen on Rinca. Its snake-like tongue inspired the Chinese to name it “dragon”. A bite injects 53 types of bacteria (collected from the reptile’s past victims) so that if bitten it is essential you are hospitalised within 24 hours. Our guide, who kept the dragons at arm’s length with a long staff, informed me that in recent times ten people have been bitten – of which seven survived. The non-human inhabitants however have a zero survival rate: once a dragon bites a buffalo the dragon’s bacteria is injected into the blood stream and the buffalo slowly dies over a two-week period. The dragon stalks its prey until the buffalo is too weak to move then moves in for the kill. One buffalo is enough for a number of dragons to feast on for a few days. The scent of the kill attracts other dragons and they can often be seen fighting over their food as well as their women: there are four males to every female dragon – being carnivorous creatures it’s survival of the fittest and the males are larger.</p>
<p>Trekking through the hilly terrain on Rinca is a fantastic experience. One can look out over the awesome backdrop of the Komodo National Park with its many islands; it was with a sense of pride that I looked down to see Katharina taking centre stage in the bay below. We walked for two and a half hours, during which time we encountered over ten Komodo Dragons along with wild boar and buffalo. One of the unfortunate buffalos we spotted had a bad wound on its back leg – a dragon bite – it would only be a matter of time before it met its fate.</p>
<p>On returning to our starting point we found two dragons lying side by side; they had just mated. It was the beginning of the season. Whilst moving through the interior we spotted two areas with many holes dug in the ground. The female dragon lays her eggs in one hole and digs the others to act as decoys as there are many dangers for a recently hatched Komodo Dragon. Eagles are a major threat along with older dragons. Somehow the hatchlings realise that they must climb trees to avoid capture by their carnivorous cousins – the older dragons are too heavy to follow. The survival rate is low, however, so the population of dragons remains stable.</p>
<p>The dragons aren’t the only attraction in the Komodo National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is considered one of the best diving playgrounds in the world. Exploring the warm, crystal clear and protected waters, one can find 385 species of coral, more than 1,000 species of fish, ten dolphin species, six whale species, giant sea turtles, dugongs, sharks and rays.</p>
<p>I enjoyed two spectacular dives in the park, the first at Sebayur reef, followed by a drift dive around the island of Sebolan Kecil. Our tour leader Ari (a great guy and competent dive master) joined with a local dive instructor and these two experienced divers escorted us around the reef. Perfect diving, great visibility, amazing coral, so many fish it was simply amazing – the highlight was a giant sea turtle swimming up with me as I exited the reef at Sebolan Kecil.</p>
<p>After a long day, feeling content and tired we dined on deck enjoying another spectacular sunset on the horizon as we made our way overnight towards central Flores.</p>
<p><strong>Day 5: Seventeen Islands of Riung</strong><br />
After a late start on this Sunday morning (8am) we took the two speedboats from Katharina to explore the Seventeen Islands of Riung, a small archipelago situated just off the north coast of Flores. None of the islands is populated by humans, although one of the larger islands is home to hundreds of giant fruit bats living in and feeding off the mango trees. As we approached by water we could see them hanging asleep at the tops of the trees. A bit of whooping from my Dutch friends and all of a sudden the sky was full of giant bats circling around not knowing what was happening – quite a spectacle!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balilizard.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5330" title="balilizard" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balilizard-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>We visited a fishing village on mainland Flores, enjoyed a game of baseball and some fresh coconuts with the ever-friendly villag¬ers. Then we landed on Rutong – a picture postcard paradise island where we relaxed playing beach volleyball with the Katharina crew (who are pretty good) working up an appetite for the stunning bar¬beque that followed complete with bonfire and dancing to music from the crew’s rocking live band – a perfect Sunday.<br />
<strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Day 6: Kelimutu</strong><br />
I awoke early. We had been sailing all night to reach Ropa on the north-east coast of Flores – such is the size of the island. From Ropa it is a three-hour drive through incredibly picturesque valleys that even humble the famous rice terraces of Bali. The road is winding but surprisingly good; there is lots and lots of space here.</p>
<p>Once in the Kelimutu National Park it is only a short trek to the three volcanic craters. The craters are adjacent to each other and, unusually, the liquid in each is a completely different colour and often changes without apparent reason.<br />
One Dutch photographer (not from my party) had apparently tried to take a photograph of all three craters in the one shot (impossible from the land) and had wandered from the beaten path never to return. A dive exploration team travelled from Holland to retrieve his body but the changeable liquid in the crater was at a temperature so hot they couldn’t enter it – not a place to take a fall.</p>
<p><strong>Day 7: Labuhanbajo</strong><br />
From Ropa we spun Katharina around 180° and for the first time sailed west to our next destination, the capital of Flores, Labuhanbajo. Providing the easiest gateway to the Komodo National Park, Labuhanbajo is a rapidly developing tourist destination, yet still with the quaint feeling of a fishing village.</p>
<p>For one family travelling aboard the Katharina this was not their first visit to Labuhanbajo. Ans de Wijn, a Dutch businesswoman, had made a similar expedition aboard Katharina in 2003. This was her third visit to the capital and in particular her third visit to SMK Negeri 1 – the tourism school we were headed to twenty minutes up a bumpy road from the harbour.</p>
<p>Ans had been so touched on her first visit to the school that she became inspired to establish a foundation to raise funds to provide the children with the tools they needed to succeed. Since her inaugural visit in 2003 her foundation has made sure a representative has returned every year so as not to lose the connection. We certainly received the royal welcome on arrival at the school; the children were traditionally dressed and led a procession onto the playing field where we were treated to a traditional dance by the girls to live music and a fighting game by the young male warriors – which many of our party tried their hand at with little success. Everyone was up dancing amongst a real carnival atmosphere, gifts were exchanged and Ans was presented with a live chicken!</p>
<p>I was totally amazed by the confidence of the children to approach us and show us around their school. Aged between twelve and sixteen they study computer science, English, German, Japanese, traditional dance, cooking, tree planting, tour office, hotel and restaurant training, along with laundry and cleaning practise. Not your typical GCS Esyllabus but it was certainly an eclectic range of skills to give them a great head start in life. To date the foundation has provided the school with an English lab, fresh water pump, a new girls’ dormitory with a boys’ on the way soon, plus funding for running costs and sponsorship for students – if you are interested to learn more or you would like to help please visit the<a href="http://www.educhild.nl" target="_blank"> foundation’s website.</a>.</p>
<p>The other thing that caught my eye here was that they, somewhat bizarrely, have a cricket pitch. It seems that under the guidance of an Australian expat, Flores is going cricket mad with eight local clubs. Indeed they have their own tournament, the Christie Cup.</p>
<div id="attachment_5331" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katherina2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5331" title="katherina2" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katherina2-300x186.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="186" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A view of Katharina from the shore</p></div>
<p><strong>Day 8: Komodo</strong><br />
Arriving in Kampung Komodo by sea is a unique experience. As soon as we dropped anchor, there were a number of local kids docking beside us in their hollowed out wooden kayaks. They were opportunist young entrepreneurs offering us wood carved Komodo Dragons and plastic pearl necklaces – for a minute I thought I was back in Bali.</p>
<p>In stark contrast to the villages we visited in Sumbawa and Flores, the only human settlement on Komodo is rife with hawkers. Selling souvenirs to visiting tourists is their only source of income besides fishing. With the bloodthirsty dragons roaming the terrain beyond the village there is no agriculture allowed on Komodo. The villagers live under constant threat from their famed neighbours and occasionally a dragon wanders into the kampong. The children are not allowed to venture far from the village, yet the natural curiosity of a child is hard to stifle and tragically, a year ago, a seven-year-old boy did wander – he was bitten and died within five hours.</p>
<p>Leaving the charismatic daredevil villagers behind, Katharina cruised around the island and set anchor off Red Beach. This is another paradise setting with superb snorkelling conditions and beautiful sands; laze away the afternoon in the sun or play with the tropical fish – the choice is yours.</p>
<p><strong>Day 9: Satonda</strong><br />
After sailing westwards through the night we arrived at Satonda, a small island off the north coast of Sumbawa. Satonda has a unique feature due to the 1815 eruption of Gunung Tambora on mainland Sumbawa. The eruption, the second biggest in Indonesia after Krakatoa, was so strong it sent a tidal wave towards Satonda, filling an empty crater with salt water.</p>
<p>The saltwater lake remains there today, a ten-minute walk from the beach. With no evidence of sealife, it’s like a giant swimming pool – perfect for floating on one’s back and imagining the folks back home hunched over their computers. Local fishermen hang rocks and dead coral from the trees at the edge of the lake for good luck.</p>
<p>There may not be any fish in the lake, but off the coast of Satonda I found an enchanting underwater garden with stingrays and octopuses cruising the reef.</p>
<p>John, a crew member from Timor, is an expert spear fisher; I marvelled as he quickly emerged with a couple of big fish and rustled up a fire on the beach for us to sample the catch – you can’t get fresher than that!</p>
<p>Satisfied with the day’s adventure I returned to my floating hotel for another five star meal in the restaurant with ever changing views.</p>
<p><strong>Day 10: Lombok to Bali</strong><br />
We arrived early morning in Lembar harbour, southwest Lombok. This is the main port into Lombok, with ferries sailing daily to and from Bali. It felt a little strange to be coming back into a busy harbour after the previous nine days at sea. Although Lembar is not exactly Rotterdam, it felt like the first step back home for me.</p>
<p>From Lembar we ventured into west Lombok, visiting a few Sasak villages where we were treated to traditional dancing before admiring the local arts of hand weaving and pottery. Although still primitive by western standards, the villages in Lombok seemed considerably more developed than their neighbouring islands to the east. With huge plans underway for a new airport, super-mosque and a number of new hotel and villa developments from investors in the Middle East, Lombok is gearing itself up to become one of South East Asia’s top tourist destinations in the not too distant future.</p>
<p>I boarded Katharina for the final time and waved goodbye to Lombok as we set sail for Benoa, Bali. As we approached the mainland the sun was setting behind Gunung Agung – a fitting finale to the dramatic sunsets we had enjoyed every day at sea. Saying our farewells to each other and the Katharina crew, we reminisced on our great sea adventure and commented on what a perfect way to travel and experience Indonesia this is. To visit so many places and experience so much without the hassle of packing and unpacking every day is a real luxury, as it is also to be aboard Katharina being pampered by her attentive and experienced crew, who all became our friends. In particular Sea Treks tour leader Ari had a wealth of knowledge to share on all the destinations we visited and Indonesian history and culture. There is so much to learn about this vast and diverse country, what I learnt is that the best way to see Indonesia is by sea with Katharina.</p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> This story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/magazine-archive/" target="_blank">November 2008</a> issue of Yachtworld.com Magazine. <a href="http://www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/" target="_blank">View current issue</a></p>
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string(6252) "<div id="attachment_29393" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 570px"><img class="size-large wp-image-29393" title="grady_white_1" src="http://features.boats.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/grady_white_1-560x331.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="331" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Today’s outboard boats are bigger than ever before – and one prime example is the Grady-White 330 Express.</p></div><br />
You want to take outboard power to its outer limits? Thanks to increased engine horsepower and decreased boat displacement, today’s outboard boats are bigger than ever before – and one prime example is the Grady-White 330 Express. Sitting at the docks, this boat is big enough to make a pair of 250-hp four-stroke motors look downright puny. Yet when you mash the throttles to the dash the boat jumps onto plane and roars up to an eye-opening 44-mph. You say you want even more speed? Drop a pair of Yamaha’s honkin’ big 350’s onto the transom, and you’ll break 50-mph.</p>
<p>How can a boat this big be so fleet on its feet? Grady-White departed from its standard wood-cored stringer system with the 330. Instead, this boat has foam-filled stringers. Otherwise construction is standard Grady (with highlights including a solid glass hull, foam-filled voids, and RTM hatches), but overall displacement is kept to a relatively trim 10,840 pounds. Match that weight up with a Ray Hunt designed variable-degree deep-V deadrise hull and those potent Yamaha four-strokes, and yester-year’s 30-something MPH top-end seems like a snail’s pace.</p>
<p><div id="attachment_29394" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><img class="size-medium wp-image-29394 " title="gradywhite_4" src="http://features.boats.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/gradywhite_4-300x347.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="347" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Outboard power plants create enough space under the deck to carve out a sizable mid-cabin. </p></div>
<p>Speed and power are important, but if you’re looking at express-style boats, chances are that comfort is important to you, too. In this regard, the Grady-White is going to blow you away. Thanks to the extroverted nature of the powerplants there’s no need for an engineroom—a must in inboard-powered expresses of this size—and this creates enough space under the deck to carve out a sizable mid-cabin. With six feet, eight inches of length, a couple of adults can stretch out comfortably in there. Truth be told, however, most of the time most boaters end up using a mid-cabin for bulk stowage. Fine—you’ll be able to pack away a week’s worth of gear into this space, without cluttering up the forward queen berth, the dinette (which folds into an additional berth), or the port-side galley, which has a microwave, refrigerator, sink, and electric cook-top. And that galley will remain fully-functional whether you’re at the dock or at the canyons, because a four kilowatt generator is included on the 330 as standard equipment.</p>
<div id="attachment_29395" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><img class="size-medium wp-image-29395" title="gradywhite_3" src="http://features.boats.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/gradywhite_3-300x402.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="402" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Although the 330 has a price that seems high at first, the number takes a real-world drop when you consider all the big-ticket items that are included as standard equipment.</p></div>
<p>Speaking of standards: make sure you match up the Grady’s list against that of the competitors when comparison shopping. Although the 330 has a price that seems high at first glance ($337,670 with the 250’s) the number takes a real-world drop when you match up apples to apples. Big-ticket items like that generator, a teak and holly sole, a 12,000 BTU air conditioning system, a 15” flat-screen TV and entertainment center with AM/FM stereo and speakers, a six-gallon hot water heater, a hard top with spreader lights and rocket launchers, hydraulic trim tabs, a 45-gallon livewell, and hydraulic-tilt steering are all included. With many competing boats, you’ll need to break out a calculator to figure in the cost of these items, and when all is said and done you might be surprised at how reasonable the Grady ends up looking.</p>
<p>Wait a sec – we’ve talked about speed, design, construction, and price, but isn’t the 330 a fishing boat, first and foremost? Sort of; Grady-White tells us that plenty of cruisers appreciate this boat’s attributes, while enjoying the 330’s wide-open cockpit. But when it comes to slinging rods and swinging gaffs this boat leaves nothing to be desired. That 45-gallon livewell we mentioned earlier has a full-column inlet (to maximize water flow and keep live baits as healthy as possible) and is even lighted, for night fishing. There’s a transom fishbox with 254 quarts of capacity and it can be optioned-out with a digitally-controlled freezer plate (no more buying ice!) which is laminated into the fiberglass. The gunwales house four rodholders, and under-gunwale racks can stow six rigs. Coaming bolsters and toe rails line the cockpit. There’s both a raw water washdown and a freshwater shower in the cockpit. And naturally, there’s a reinforcement plate laminated into the cockpit sole, in case you want to rig the 330 to chase big game. In fact, after spending a morning of trolling and an afternoon of grouper fishing on the 330, I could come up with only one complaint: the outboards are set far back on the transom, which makes it tough to work fish around them. You say that this is true of virtually every outboard-powered fishing boat in this class? Yup, you’re right. Of course, a decade ago this class of outboard-powered fishboat didn’t even exist and a few years ago the boats in this class were limited in speed and performance. But today, limits like these have been blown out of the water—thanks to boats like the Grady-White 330.</p>
<p><strong>Grady-White 330 Specifications</strong></p>
<p>Length – 33’6”<br />
Beam – 11’7”<br />
Max. Draft – 2’7”<br />
Deadrise – Variable; 21 degrees at the transom<br />
Weight – 10,840<br />
Fuel capacity – 350</p>
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<p>The Maltese archipelago consists of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino and lies virtually at the centre of the Mediterranean, with Malta 93km south of Sicily and 288km north of Africa. Malta is the largest island; the cultural, commercial and administrative centre, and throughout the ages has been at the centre of maritime activity in the Mediterranean. Gozo is the second largest island and is more rural, characterised by fishing, tourism, crafts and agriculture. Comino is largely uninhabited.</p>
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<p>Since gaining independence in 1964 Malta has continued to be at the forefront of maritime activity. The Freeport, yachting, cruise liners and ship registration are amongst the activities that have grown substantially in the past few decades. With the proposed development of additional marinas, a new cruise liner terminal and the expansion of the Freeport, the future of maritime Malta looks set to expand. It would not be unreasonable to say that this is a future built on an ancient and solid tradition. When the islands were taken over by the British, the latter found a population attuned to a life bound to the sea as well as an infrastructure that complemented the requirements for their powerful navy. Not only were seamen employed with the Royal navy but rope makers, carpenters and sail makers made their skills available to the naval establishment on the island. The British developed and expanded the maritime services and structures that had been started by the Order of St John as well as establishing new ones such as the dry-docks and the massive breakwater at the mouth of the harbour. However it was not just the British that took advantage of the island’s strategic position. The locals invested in ships and trade and were also quick to exploit opportunities when these presented themselves.</p>
<p>There is one company that has been a recent mainstay of the Maltese marine sector. Founded in 1976 by Roland Darmanin Kissaun, S&D Yachts has a company motto “to deliver a top quality service with key focus on reliability’ and has gained an international reputation for being Malta’s leading yacht agent, broker and charter management company. Visiting yachtsmen have come to rely on the unrivalled service delivered by the experienced and dedicated staff whose customer service is second to none.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltaship.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3404 alignleft" title="maltaship" src="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltaship-270x300.jpg" alt="" width="270" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>As the yachting sector worldwide has expanded, not only in the size of yachts being built today, but increasingly in the quantity and professional management, S&D Yachts has evolved in line with the industry, both on the island and with networks further afield. Organisational growth and restructuring as well as upgrading the operational facilities has ensured that S&D stays on top of the game and they now employ over 30 personnel in two centrally located premises in Malta to ensure delivery of an efficient service.</p>
<p>The company structure is divided into six distinct departments in order to service all aspects of a yachts requirements: Agency, Brokerage and Charter, Corporate Services, Yacht Repair Services, Chandlery and Product Distribution and Tunisia Yacht Services. Through these departments the company can offer a myriad of services making S&D Yachts a true one-stop shop for yachtsmen visiting Malta.</p>
<p>In order to extend the company services further, S&D Yachts networks with similar companies throughout the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.</p>
<p>One of the mainstay activities of S&D Yachts is the brokerage and sales of new and used craft. Whether a sailing or a motor yacht, fibreglass, steel or wood, their comprehensive database of new and second-hand yachts includes a few interesting proposals worth considering, and working with a network of cooperating brokers they are able to find the ideal craft anywhere in the world to suit customer needs. S&D Yachts are also distributors for Dufour Yachts and Cranchi Yachts.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltacrew.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3403 alignright" title="maltacrew" src="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltacrew-300x142.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="142" /></a>And if you would like to sail around the Maltese islands S&D Yachts also offers a full range of crewed luxury yachts for charter in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations. The company also provide a wide range of professional services. For instance, prospective boat owners could benefit from advantageous rates of EU VAT paid through Malta Yacht Leasing system, typically ranging from 6 per cent to 9 per cent effective tax rate. This facility is available for both new and used craft purchase. In addition Registration of Yachts under the Malta Flag is a simple and straightforward operation, and S&D Yachts can guide you through the process.</p>
<p>If you are visiting Malta, whatever your yachting requirements may be, feel free to drop into the offices of S&D. If you would like some more information prior to arrival, visit the <a href="http://www.sdyachts.com" target="_blank">S&D website</a>.</p>
<p>For more information and charter listings, visit the <a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/destinations/mediterranean/" target="_blank">Yachtworldcharters.com Mediterranean page.</a></p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> This story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/magazine-archive/" target="_blank">October 2008</a> issue of Yachtworld.com Magazine. <a href="http://www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/" target="_blank">View current issue</a></p>
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<p>When you lay eyes upon the stone inlays just inside the doors from Katya’s aft deck, you know you’re in for something special. There, beneath your feet, is the yacht’s name, carved from marble in the same lettering as her nameboard. It also appears within a swath of white stone that mimics a banner. It’s exceptional work, rivaled only by the names of the onyx and marble used here and elsewhere—names like Opera Fantastico, Rosso Damasco, Rainforest Green, and Galaxy Black.</p>
<p>Expertly crafted stonework is among many fine details aboard this 151-footer, built by Delta Marine. Indeed, Katya has beauty in abundance, and not just where her décor is concerned.</p>
<div id="attachment_5186" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-marble-sole-name.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5186 " title="Katya-marble-sole-name" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-marble-sole-name-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Just inside the cabin, elegant stonework in the sole matches the transom name board.</p></div>
<p>The owners, a couple from the Midwest, wanted the yacht to be an elegant home at sea. The liberal use of deep-tone woods like khaya, cinamora burls, and crotch mahogany certainly help in that regard. But it’s also evident in the way that the rooms are laid out. In the master suite, forward on the main deck, there are additional closets, intended for use when Katya charters. The thinking was, why should the owners force themselves to pack everything up and take it with them when they’re not cruising? They can simply lock their closets instead. They even requested the inclusion of a washer and dryer in their suite, so that they wouldn’t have to solely rely on the crew to do their laundry.</p>
<p>With four guest staterooms below decks, the owners can invite a handful of family and friends aboard. One of the staterooms, decorated in pretty pinks and greens, is well suited to the small set, whether the yacht is on private cruises or charters. It contains a single berth with a Pullman above it, plus a double berth opposite it. On private trips, the owner’s young daughter and her nanny will stay here. Surely they, as well as charter guests, have admired the stone details in the head: a rare pink onyx, along with a floral mosaic on the sole and shower walls.</p>
<div id="attachment_5187" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-master-SR.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5187 " title="Katya-master-SR" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-master-SR-300x176.jpg" alt="Katya's master suite" width="300" height="176" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Katya's master suite</p></div>
<p>All of the attention paid to guest areas does not mean that technical areas are lackluster. Hydraulics and other mechanical systems don’t usually come to mind when you think of literal beauty, but there is a brilliance—a sagacity—to which Delta executed things. The fiberglass hull, for example, is the fifth one based on the builder’s full-displacement design. In combination with twin 1,000-hp Caterpillar 3508 diesels, this permits Katya a 15½-knot top speed. There’s also a climate-controlled engineer’s office and control room just outside the engine room. As for that room, the bilges are all lit, to encourage upkeep. (Think about it: Dark spaces are easily overlooked, whether accidentally or on purpose.)</p>
<div id="attachment_5188" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-saloon-dining.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5188" title="Katya-saloon-dining" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-saloon-dining-300x189.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="189" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elegant saloon dining</p></div>
<p>Perhaps the most notable technical detail aboard Katya is the proprietary tender-launching system, designed in-house by the Delta Design Group. It came about because the owners wanted to stow the main tender in a garage and for it to be of a pretty good size. The Delta Design Group team did research various overhead crane systems that other builders have installed. They decided that while practical, these systems require a good deal of space and therefore necessitate a smaller tender. The solution was a hydraulic articulating trailer system. A winch lets out line attached to the bow of the 19-foot Nautica Jet RIB, which is mounted on a cradle. As the line is released, the tender and the cradle gradually slide aft along a set of rollers, then out the mechanically operated transom door. From start to finish, it’s all said to take just a few minutes.</p>
<p>The owners have spent more than a few minutes onboard Katya so far. The yacht has traveled to Mexico and St. Barts, among other places. Greece, Turkey, and the western Med are in her charter plans for the rest of the season.</p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note: </strong> Photo credits – Kristina Strobel</p>
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string(15553) "<div id="attachment_5016" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 650px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Gibmarina.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5016 " title="Gibmarina" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Gibmarina.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="360" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A mix of nautical history and modern architecture add unique flavour to Gibraltar’s marinas.</p></div>
<p>The Rock of Gibraltar is a 1400 ft high giant slab of jagged Jurassic limestone formed around 200 million years ago, and dominates a unique geographical position connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Gibraltar itself is a land mass of some three miles in length, and one mile wide, overlooking the twenty-mile stretch of water known as the Straits which divides the two continents of Europe and Africa. The separating line between Gibraltar and Spain is a half-mile wide isthmus, which doubles as an international airport runway, along with the local traffic and pedestrians. It must be one of the few places, if not the only place, in the world where you get off the plane and walk across the runway you have just landed on to get to your destination.</p>
<p>Gibraltar is a thriving business centre, with its own stable government and tax advantages; the local currency is Gibraltar Government sterling notes, and British sterling is welcome. There is a full range of inter¬national and UK banks, and it is a highly competitive finance centre employing over 5,000 people.</p>
<p><strong>Natural history</strong><br />
For centuries this commanding strategic location was mainly ignored with its barren inhospitable rock face, and forest-covered slopes; it was of no real interest to the Phoenicians, Romans or the Greeks, although the latter did weave it into their mythology along with Jebel Musa (a mountain at Ceuta) to comprise the fabled “Pillars of Hercules”. Gibraltar remained uninhabited for centuries although it is thought that Neanderthal man lived in the caves, and shared the Rock with the abundant wildlife attracted by the plentiful water supply from the porous limestone, which maintained a lush green environment in contrast to the surrounding land in the Iberian Peninsula.</p>
<div id="attachment_5018" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 209px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibmonkey.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5018" title="gibmonkey" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibmonkey-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The Barbary ape has become a symbol of Great Britain’s occupation of Gibraltar.</p></div>
<p>The Rock would have been home to wild boar, wolves and red deer, but these have long since disappeared and a colony of semi-wild tailless Barbary apes now inhabit the upper reaches, having made their home amongst the eucalyptus, carob and wild olive trees. Nobody quite knows where the apes came from, although it is believed that they were first introduced by the British during the eighteenth century, possibly as pets, or even game. Another tale is that they made their way through a subterranean passage linking Africa to Gibraltar, although not surprisingly such a passage has never been found. These Macaque monkeys form an integral part of the history of the Rock and it is said that when the apes go, so will the British. In the Second World War when Winston Churchill found out that there were only seven apes remaining, he immediately sent instructions to bring in another few families to replenish the numbers ensure their continued existence. There are now around 230 thriving apes in the colony, and they are monitored closely, named, microchipped and take part in an annual census.</p>
<p>Over 200 species of birds have been recorded and, as the Straits of Gibraltar are the narrowest crossing point for migration to and from Europe to Africa, the number and species of birds has remained relatively unchanged over time. Thousands of black kites and honey buzzards make the journey; eagles, hawks and falcons, and smaller migrants such as swallows, finches and martins can be seen on passage. The vegetation on the Rock is unique and provides a temporary home for these occasional visitors and, with the necessity to gain large deposits of fat before embarking on their long journeys north or south, the Rock provides all they need. Griffon vultures and storks have colonies nearby, while the Barbary Partridge, native to North Africa, has taken up permanent residency on the Rock.</p>
<p>The sea, too, provides a rich and varied population and the Straits are home to three species of dolphin: common, striped and bottlenose. By far the most prolific is the Common Dolphin, and if you are sailing through you will almost be guaranteed a welcome. Sperm, Pilot, Orca and Fin whales can also be sighted while using the route to migrate to and from the Med and the Atlantic. The Straits also provide a good fishing ground with over fourteen species of bream.</p>
<p><strong>Through the centuries</strong><br />
Apart from the Greeks, Phoenicians, Visigoths and Romans all passed this way. The Muslim invasion of Europe started across the Straits of Gibraltar when the Berber chief Tarik Ibn Zeyad invaded Tarifa. He later moved on to take Mons Calpe (Gibraltar’s original name) which he promptly renamed Jebel Tarik – the rock of Tarik. It is from Jebel Tarik that Gibraltar gets its name.<br />
Gibraltar remained under Moorish domination for seven centuries. It did not come under Spanish rule until the early fourteenth century and then for just 24 years. Then in 1462 the Spaniards finally recaptured the Rock and held it until the beginning of the eighteenth century, when it fell to a combined Anglo-Dutch force. The treaty of Utrecht ceded the Rock into the “Crown of Great Britain” in perpetuity, but Gibraltar has continued to be in conflict with Spain about this land to this day.</p>
<p>In 1782 work began on the famous siege tunnels – primarily excavated as a defence to allow the mounting of a prototype gun, which was the first to be able to fire downwards. A further labyrinth of passageways was tunnelled from one side of the rock to the other, and this massive excavation continued into the Second World War; the network now measures around 48 kilometres, and has been open to the public since 2005.</p>
<p><strong>A centre of maritime excellence</strong><br />
Unsurprisingly Gibraltar has developed a strong marine connection, attracting sailors for centuries, with ancient mariners arriving as early as the eighth century BC. According to legend they left gifts to the gods before embarking into the unknown – the Greeks believed that anyone passing out of the Mediterranean, beyond Hercules’ comforting markers, did so at his peril, and would undoubtedly fall off the end of the Earth. The Phoenicians named the Rock “Calpe” translated as “ship” or vessel. The Battle of Trafalgar was fought off the Cádiz coast in 1805. It was into Gibraltar’s harbour that HMS Victory sailed with the body of Admiral Nelson stored in a barrel of rum. Those who survived the battle but who later died of their wounds, were buried in the Trafalgar Cemetery in Gibraltar.</p>
<p>During the nineteenth century Gibraltar enjoyed its heyday as a port and was a staging point on the vital route to India. In addition the strategic location of Gibraltar explains why, for centuries, the Rock has been used as a naval fortress and why so many battles have been fought over this tiny peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. Today, this same quirk of geography has allowed Gibraltar to become a maritime centre of excellence. Located at a crossroads of Mediterranean and Atlantic shipping lanes, Gibraltar is ideally placed to provide a wide range of services to vessels of all sizes and types.</p>
<p>The development of Gibraltar as a naval port was prompted in part by Lord Nelson whose Victory was one of several warships repaired at the naval dockyard. The construction of dry docks took place between 1891 and 1906 and the naval dockyard continued to be operated by the British Government until 1985 when it became a private concern.</p>
<div id="attachment_5019" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 650px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibraltarview.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5019 " title="gibraltarview" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibraltarview.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The view from the Rock: the airport runway crosses the isthmus between Spain and Gibraltar and protrudes dramatically into the harbour. Marivbvna Bay can be seen alongside.</p></div>
<p>Gibraltar is a bustling commercial centre. With over 90,000 vessels transiting the Strait of Gibraltar each year, and being ideally located close to the main shipping lanes, it offers minimum deviation for commercial vessels and anchoring in the bay can mean that ships do not even have to leave the sanctuary of international waters to carry out necessary routine services. It has an ideal year round climate for shipyard work, and large capacity dry docks including a covered area for superyachts. The Rock has become a major bunkering station – the largest in the Mediterranean – and offers a wide range of other shipping services. The local airport is just a few minutes from the harbour, from where there are several daily flights to London Gatwick, Luton and Madrid, and experienced agents are on hand to obtain spare parts, supply provisions and effect crew changes. Safety and environmental concerns are given top priority by the Government, which applies strict regulations.</p>
<p>Not only does Gibraltar have a full service for the commercial shipping industry but it has dedicated services for the pleasure boat owner, whether a superyacht captain or cruising yachtsman. It is a convenient stopoff point for all servicing and support requirements with a range of services being offered such as dry docking, engineering and ship repairs, waste oil and garbage removal, servicing and repair of navigational equipment, freight forwarding, Customs and Immigration clearance.</p>
<p><strong>Yacht Registration</strong><br />
The Gibraltar Ship Register is the ideal choice for the prudent ship owner who wants the reassurance of belonging to a British Register and flying the Red Ensign without incurring high costs. The Gibraltar Maritime Administration runs it, and its straightforward simple procedure applies to four categories of registration: full, bareboat, provisional or vessel under construction. In recent years Gibraltar has extended the range of persons or companies allowed to register a vessel, full details of which can be obtained from the Gibraltar Maritime Administration. Private pleasure vessels under 24 metres in length may also be registered with the Gibraltar Ship Register, whether used commercially or not, and for those over 24 metres and with non-commercial use.</p>
<p>Gibraltar’s unique British style and perfect location have made Gibraltar a popular haven for yachts and leisure craft. As a natural stopoff point between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, it serves as a provisioning stop for yachts embarking on an Atlantic crossing – an added attraction being its duty free status for liquor and fuel, excellent selection and availability of quality dry goods and those familiar items essential for transatlantic passages. In addition to visiting yachts it has attracted many permanent berth holders with two main marinas situated within major waterfront developments.</p>
<p><strong>Marinas</strong><br />
Marina Bay is the closest marina to the airport and, in a well-sheltered location to the west side of the rock, it offers a private development with over 200 berths, with a maximum length of 75 metres and full pontoon facilities. It is currently undergoing a complete refit, which is being supported by the surrounding development. It was acquired by Ocean Village Investments Ltd in 2006, which has embarked on a major improvement project.<br />
On the residential side, Taylor Woodrow has recently completed Phase One of their latest high quality luxury development Tradewinds in Ocean Village Marina which comprises 81 apartments, with five retail units on the marina front walkway. This futuristic three-tower development designed by London-based architects MSMR has transformed the Marina. Phase Two is well on the way to completion, expected by the end of the summer, together with the communal swimming pool.</p>
<div id="attachment_5026" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 210px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibcannon.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5026" title="gibcannon" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibcannon.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="356" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The new development at Queensway Quay Marina</p></div>
<p>Nearby, Sheppard’s (part of the nautical establishment in Gibraltar) has provided reliable chandlery and yacht repair services for nearly fifty years, and is in the process of developing new facilities close to the recently opened Queensway Quay Marina, including a haul-out facility for craft of up to seventeen metres. It offers a range of services including anti-foul removal, slurry blasting, anode replacement and osmosis treatment.</p>
<p>Queensway Quay Marina is to the south of the Rock, and a new solid breakwater was constructed in 2005, known as The Island. The development is also the site for nineteen luxury houses with 20m berths attached. The Island gives total protection for all yachts, removing any swell from the marina. The entrance is situated at the north-west corner, and gives access to 200 fully serviced berths that can accommodate up to twelve 30m and two 40m boats, and one 75m berth dependent on draft. The marina development has an interesting mix of nautical history and modern architecture – canons strategically placed on the dock, next to the archetypal British lamp posts are a reminder of where you are. Knowledgeable and helpful staff man the marina office and smart and inviting restaurants are an impressive backdrop, providing all that is necessary while drifting ashore without having to go into the hustle and bustle of Main Street. Not only does the marina provide for the arrivals and departures of transatlantic yachts, it also offers a long-term berthing option. It is publicised as one of the perfectly safe places to leave your yacht for long periods without any worries, unlike harbours along the south coast of Spain which are often the hub of nightlife during the high season.</p>
<p>For more information on Gibraltar go to the <a href="http://www.visitgibralter.gi" target="_blank">Visit Gibraltar website.</a> For information about charters in the area, visit <a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/destinations/mediterranean/gibraltar-yacht-charter/" target="_blank">Yachtworldcharters.com’s Gibraltar page.</a></p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> This story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/magazine-archive/" target="_blank">June 2008</a> issue of Yachtworld.com Magazine. <a href="http://www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/" target="_blank">View current issue</a></p>
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<p>It was all smiles on the Mini-Maxi yachts at Capri Sailing Week this year, fully powered up and sailing as fast as the wind. The powerful boats seem to glide effortlessly through the water.</p>
<p>Peter Ogden’s Judel Vrolik 60, Jethou was extremely well sailed, crew work and boat handling were both impeccable. Jethou had a great tussle with Brian Benjamin’s Maxi Dolphin 65, Aegir. Although the two yachts were far apart on the water, on corrected time there were many tight finishes. Aegir had a world class crew and have great plans for the future; a new Aegir is under construction by a new facility in Newport RI. Carbon Ocean Yachts will launch the Rogers 82 in September.</p>
<p>In the Mini-Maxi Class, the Mills 68 Alegre was unstoppable, taking a clean sweep of all six races.</p>
<p>‘The pressure was always on,’ explained Alegre’s navigator, Will Best. ‘One mistake in this class and you are unlikely to recover. Capri is a complex place to sail and it is easy to get caught in the wrong spot and in this fleet; they will take full advantage. Leading from the front, you are always looking over your shoulder, you always have to be on your toes.’</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 454px"><img class="flag-singlepic flag-left " src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/wp-content/flagallery/capri-sailing-week/capri-rig.jpg" alt="Capri-rig Alegre" width="444" height="260" align="left" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Mark Bartlett, Alegre's bowman gets a birds eye-view. Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi</p></div>
<p>Andres Soriano, owner and driver of Alegre, was understandably delighted.</p>
<p>‘Our success at Rolex Capri Sailing Week is a combination of thought and co-ordination that has improved the performance of the boat. We knew what she was good at from the previous year and a half, and we also knew where the weak points where. We worked closely with Mark Mills, the designer, and we put together a wish list of suggestions to make the boat go better. The keel has been lengthened to improve stability and we have stiffened the mast, but in all we have only added about 150 kg. After the changes, our first event was Palma Vela, then Portofino and now here in Capri, we have got the full measure of the changes that have come into play.</p>
<p>“However, one always needs to improve, we have the Giraglia Rolex Cup coming up which will be very competitive. You can never spend enough time on the water, learning the boat. There is always fine-tuning to be done. This regatta has been fantastic, especially having Francesco de Angelis who is a gentleman and a superb sailor, and most importantly having his generosity. He has helped us with little things that have raised our game, giving Alegre insights that were explained in a humble and practical fashion.’</p>
<p>The Mini-maxi class is delivering some of the hottest racing on the Mediterranean circuit and the designs and equipment used are very much cutting edge. Jethou and Alegre were both sporting new revolutionary headsails. 3Di is a new solid carbon sail from North Sails fabricated in Nevada. Jethou is the smallest mini-maxi at 60 feet but the sight of Jethou’s sleek black hull under spinnaker, surfing faster than the wind is quite magnificent; a real head-turner.</p>
<p>At the prize giving all the winners were awarded with a Rolex timepiece. And the organizers announced the inauguration of the Rolex Volcanoes’ Maxi Race, which will form part of next year’s Rolex Capri Sailing Week. This new offshore race will be organized by the International Maxi Association (IMA), in conjunction with the Yacht Club Gaeta and the Yacht Club Capri, with Rolex as title sponsor.</p>
<p>The 400 nautical mile race will start from Gaeta, just to the north of Naples, and will take the fleet around two magnificent archipelagos in the central and southern Tyrrhenian Sea – the Pontinian Islands and the Aeolian Islands, including the active volcano of Stromboli – before returning to the finish off Capri. Whilst the Maxi fleet is racing offshore, there will be inshore races for other classes.</p>
<p>The Rolex Capri Sailing Week 2011 is scheduled for May 24th to 28th 2011.</p>
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<p>Jersey is the most southerly of the Channel Islands, with its own laws and currency; it is an island of traditional agriculture and modern finance and has one of the best sunshine records in the British Isles. Only about 100 miles from the south coast of England and 14 miles from the French coast, it is a wonderful yet demanding place to sail and, with the close proximity of its sister islands, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm, sailing is varied too. Sailing to Jersey is not for the novice, as it has some of the largest tidal ranges in the world – twice daily ebbs and flows in excess of 40 ft (12m). Be well equipped and have up-to-date tide and current information before you set off – don’t be scared, just be prepared.</p>
<div id="attachment_1253" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://uk.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/nightview.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1253" title="nightview" src="http://uk.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/nightview.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="125" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">St Helier Marina, on the south coast, is the main marina for visitors and is conveniently situated only few minutes walk from the town centre. It has berthing for up to 200 visiting yachts and access three hours either side of high water.</p></div>
<p><strong>Why choose Jersey as a Port of Registry?</strong><br />
Having had an active Ships Registry since 1803, Jersey has the benefit of some 200 years of experience. Its registry is monitored by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency which takes stringent measures to maintain the respect of its clients, thereby retaining the integrity and reputation already established. With a well-regulated offshore finance centre, Jersey has also the associated maritime legal, company formation and banking expertise to assist potential owners to register at the Island Port.</p>
<p><strong>Why register?</strong><br />
International Law requires registration on a national Register for any vessel going overseas. A vessel must identify its nationality by flying the flag of the country in which it is registered.</p>
<p><strong>Which register?</strong><br />
The Port of Jersey provides full registration under Part 3 of the Shipping (Jersey) Law 2002, as well as Small Ships Registration (SSR) under Shipping (Local Small Ships Registration) (Jersey) Regulations 2004.</p>
<p><strong>What is full registration?</strong><br />
Full registration provides documentary evidence of title/ownership and nationality of a vessel. A mortgage may be entered on the Register, securing the lender’s interest in the vessel until such mortgage has been discharged. When an owner decides to sell his vessel he benefits from having his vessel on full registration as he is able to prove his ownership and also the new owner can establish that there are no outstanding mortgages against the vessel. This is a high comfort factor for both parties involved. Who qualifies for full registration?<br />
Individuals who are: Jersey residents; British citizens; Commonwealth citizens; British nationals overseas; European Community citizens. Also Bodies Corporate incorporated in one of these areas. In some cases, other nationalities may be registered as minority shareholders.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<div id="attachment_1256" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 410px"><strong><strong><a href="http://uk.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Maritime27_300.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1256" title="Maritime27_300" src="http://uk.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Maritime27_300.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="313" /></a></strong></strong><p class="wp-caption-text">St Helier Marina is close to the centre of town. </p></div>
<p><strong>How long will my registration last?</strong><br />
Registration is valid for ten years, after which time a reminder will be sent inviting the owner to renew the registration for a further ten years upon payment of a small fee.</p>
<p><strong>How much does it cost?</strong><br />
There is a one-off charge upon initial registration, and there is no annual charge. The only other expense is the cost of the tonnage survey (required for all vessels applying for full registration). This fee is paid directly to the surveyor. A full list of current fees (including those for subsequent transactions) is available from the Registrar.</p>
<p><strong>Can I choose my vessel’s name?</strong><br />
The Port of Jersey has the freedom to approve or refuse an owner’s chosen name. Being a select register there is a wide range of names available, and once chosen the name is unique to the owner. Names may also be changed at any stage. Names can be reserved in advance of registration for periods of twelve months at a time.</p>
<p><strong>What size of vessel can be registered?</strong><br />
Pleasure vessels up to 400 gross tons<br />
and commercial vessels up to 150 tons.</p>
<p><strong>How long does it take to register?</strong><br />
Registration can be completed inside two weeks, and sometimes earlier if all of the documentation is in order.</p>
<p><strong>Can I transfer port of registry to/from Jersey?</strong><br />
Transfers may be made within any of the Red Ensign Group Registries: Jersey; Guernsey; UK; Isle of Man; Gibraltar; Cayman Islands; British Virgin Islands; Bermuda; Anguilla; St Helena; Montserrat; Falkland Islands; Turks and Caicos.</p>
<p><strong>Does a representative person have to be appointed?</strong><br />
If the registered owner does not have a Jersey address, a Representative Person has to be appointed with whom the Registry can correspond if the vessel has to be forcefully removed from the Register. The Registrar will correspond with the owner directly under normal circumstances.</p>
<p>For more information visit the <a href="http://www.jersey-harbours.com" target="_blank">Jersey Harbours website</a>.</p>
<div id="attachment_1258" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://uk.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Maritime10_300.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1258" title="Maritime10_300" src="http://uk.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Maritime10_300.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="258" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Fuelling point in St Helier Harbour</p></div>
<p>SSR is a less expensive and simple alternative of providing documentary evidence of the yacht’s nationality, and registration under this scheme or under ‘full registration’ is imperative when visiting abroad with your vessel.<br />
This certificate is valid for 5 years, and must be renewed when any changes take place otherwise it will be rendered invalid. A small ship is classified as one under 24 metres (79 feet) in overall length, cannot be owned by a company or organisation such as clubs and associations, and must not be a fishing or submersible vessel. A yacht may be registered if it is owned by one or more of the following persons who are ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK:<br />
British citizens<br />
Persons who are nationals of a European Union or European Economic Area country other than the United Kingdom and are established in the UK<br />
British Dependant Territories citizens<br />
British Overseas citizens<br />
persons who under the British Nationality Act 1991 are British subjects<br />
persons who under the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order are British Nationals Overseas<br />
A Small Ships Registration Certificate may not be accepted in some foreign ports if you are using your ship for ‘commercial purposes’ e.g. diving or chartering.</p>
<p>For full information and on-line SSR registration visit the <a href="http://www.mcga.gov.uk" target="_blank">MCA website.</a></p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> This story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/magazine-archive/" target="_blank">June 2008</a> issue of Yachtworld.com Magazine. <a href="http://www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/" target="_blank">View current issue</a></p>
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string(11427) "<div id="attachment_4864" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 650px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_overhead.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-4864 " title="58_overhead" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_overhead.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="433" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The Krogen 58 from Kadey-Krogen Yachts is a classic trawler and an offshore-capable yacht.</p></div>
<p>The term “trawler” in recreational boating is somewhat vague, but often refers to two key elements of a particular boat – its speed and overall appearance. A yacht that is a “trawler” typically has a full-displacement hull, which usually limits speed to single or low double-digits, depending on length; and it usually has the high bow and pronounced shear of a classic fishing boat used to pull nets (“trawls”) through the oceans. The Krogen 58’, from Kadey-Krogen Yachts, is a classic in both regards, with her proud bow and graceful shear sweeping down from stem to stern, and her 8.5 knot optimum cruising speed.</p>
<div id="attachment_4865" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_flybridge.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4865" title="58_flybridge" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_flybridge-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The view from the flybridge</p></div>
<p>She’s a classic for other reasons, too. Her design optimizes not only seaworthiness, but onboard “live-ability.” A recent offshore delivery from Florida to North Carolina demonstrated both of these qualities to me in the exact environment for which this boat was designed.</p>
<p>Departure from the Fort Pierce inlet, with a strong ebb tide and near gale-force opposing winds, was a good test of the yacht’s ability to handle challenging sea conditions. As is typical of a narrow inlet with these conditions, the waves were steep and stacked close together. Our Krogen 58’ was stabilized with the standard big, 9-square-foot fins from ABT Trac, so we experienced almost no roll. The pitching was significant but the full-displacement hull and the reasonable flare in the bow kept us steady and safe. Among other things, it’s the ability to handle significant sea states that makes for a true bluewater boat, and the Krogen 58’ handles them well.</p>
<div id="attachment_4866" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 210px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_pilothouse_port_side.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-4866 " title="58_pilothouse_port_side" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_pilothouse_port_side.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="134" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The reverse rake of the forward pilothouse windows eliminates glare and reflections from the interior </p></div>
<p><strong>Pilothouse</strong></p>
<p>The pilothouse is roomy and bright, with the helm right on centerline, and a big settee behind it with a beautiful cherry high-low table that converts the settee to a watch berth. There are sturdy Dutch-style doors on either side of the pilothouse. Underway, the pilothouse is nearly silent. Soft conversations are easy and unforced here and it’s a great place to just watch the ocean go by. The reverse rake of the forward windows eliminates glare and reflections from the interior so visibility at night is never compromised. Our delivery boat had the optional helm chair that makes long hours at the helm supremely comfortable.</p>
<p>Down the portside steps from the pilothouse you arrive on the main salon level, with the full, gourmet galley to starboard. In addition to standard touches like granite countertops, fridge, range and stainless appliances, the chef has his own Dutch-style door to the starboard side deck. While I was waiting for coffee to brew, I opened the top half and just hung out in the fantastic sea breeze. It’s more than just a convenience for starboard-side line handling.</p>
<div id="attachment_4873" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_saloon_3.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4873 " title="58_saloon_3" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_saloon_3-300x208.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="208" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The main salon is wider than normal because there is no portside deck walkway.</p></div>
<p><strong>Salon</strong></p>
<p>The rest of the main level is the wide salon. It’s wider than normal because the Krogen 58’, like a number of modern “widebody” designs, eliminates the port-side side deck walkway. Yes, it would make port-side tie ups a little less convenient, but the rest of the time you’ll enjoy the extra interior room. The salon has an L-shape settee to starboard and typically two single chairs to port. Most buyers will choose to install a flat-screen TV on the salon-side of the galley counter, although it could go behind the settee on an elevator. As is typical of well-designed ocean-going boats, the salon has a handy overhead grab rail for security.</p>
<p>There are double doors that lead to the aft cockpit, which is sheltered by the overhang from the boat deck above. There is room for a table and chairs in the cockpit, which also features a third control station (the second is up on the flybridge) to simplify docking. There is a teak-covered hatch in the cockpit sole leading to the lazarette. You can also reach this space through a watertight hatch at the aft end of the engine room.</p>
<div id="attachment_4869" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_John_Deere_engines.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4869 " title="58_John_Deere_engines" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_John_Deere_engines-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The well-lit, clean engine room has lots of room to work.</p></div>
<p><strong>Engine Room</strong></p>
<p>If you step down into the lazarette, you’ll notice lots of storage space – bikes, rafts, picnic gear, supplies – as well as access to the steering gear. The headroom on this lower level is somewhat limited; it’s not standing room for a 6-footer; but it’s not uncomfortable to work in. And as you move forward into the engine room from the lazarette, you will see there is plenty of room to work with the generators, which are aft-most on either side; the bigger one has a power take-off for the hydraulics (which power the thrusters, anchor winch and stabilizers). The center aisle has a stable, diamond-pattern sole and the key filters and belts are all reachable from that center position. The twin diesels are surrounded by beefy, protective stainless grab rails. Forward of the engines are the fuel tanks with their easy-to-read sight gauges. There’s also a small worktable right here to keep your tools and spares handy while you work.</p>
<p>On my delivery trip, we checked the engine room every two hours, which is a standard practice on longer offshore passages. Whatever time increment you settle on, the goal is to catch a small problem – a leak, drip, noisy fan belt – before it becomes a big problem. These checks were totally painless because we had a well-lit, clean engine room with lots of room to work. And the Krogen’s displacement hull means that you’re down low near the center of mass so the motion is extremely limited.</p>
<div id="attachment_4874" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_office.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-4874" title="58_office" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_office-300x218.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="218" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">All the comforts of home</p></div>
<p><strong>Lifestyle</strong></p>
<p>In fact, one of the reasons many people enjoy the trawler lifestyle is that they get most of the comforts of home while being able to cruise nearly anywhere they want. While on my delivery, I spent some time in the galley, I relaxed in one of the recliners in the salon with a good book and also spent quite a bit of time just relaxing on the flybridge. After you’ve been at sea for awhile, you begin to notice lots of small things – the infinitely changing hues of the water as you skip in and out of Gulf Stream eddies; the varying scent of the air with each wind change; the remarkable shape and length of the wings on the shearwaters that periodically inspect your boat, and how the flying fish sometimes erupt from the water in large squadrons that move as one entity. I guess if I was bored, or if we were anchored somewhere overnight, I could have sat in front of a movie on the big-screen TV, or checked on the Red Sox via satellite TV, but I rarely feel those compulsions while I’m at sea.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_saloon_1.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4870" title="58_saloon_1" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/58_saloon_1-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /></a>Getting back to the tour, it’s a couple of short steps up through another soundproof, watertight hatch to the main passageway, where you have access to the guest stateroom with twins to starboard (or a queen if you choose) and a head that opens to that stateroom and the passageway. The convertible space to port is normally set up as an office or as a stateroom/den. The master stateroom is forward with its own head. The large master bed lifts easily on pneumatic struts so the ample storage below is actually useable. The passageway also has a laundry closet with stacked washer and dryer. It’s open and airy below decks, with plenty of sturdy, opening port lights so you don’t feel you’re in a cave.</p>
<p>Turn back aft and a couple of steps take you up to the salon again. If you want to go up to the flybridge, you go up the steps to the pilothouse and out the starboard door and aft to the steps leading up. There’s no interior access to the flybridge, but in this size-class of yacht it would take too much room out of the pilothouse, so that’s just as well.</p>
<p>Some things to keep in mind about the Krogen 58: It’s a serious, bluewater yacht, built to be able to cross oceans. It has the kind of beefy, redundant systems needed for that mission. It has an efficient, full-displacement hull with a low center of gravity and keels that protect both shafts and propellers. It also has the room to carry deluxe, full-size appliances. A gourmet chef will be completely at home in the galley. And yet for all its size and capability, a couple will easily be able to handle this yacht themselves. They can plan to cruise at a speed of 8.5 knots, burning barely 6 gallons per hour of fuel and have a range of more than 2,000 nautical miles. Slow down 1 knot and the range is more than 3,000 miles. The base price for a new Krogen 58’ is $1.795 million. Like all boats of this class, you’ll need to add your choice of davit and dinghy, electronics and entertainment systems, and any special decor or customization.</p>
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<p>Cowes Week is the longest running regatta in the world, dating back to 1826. It is held every summer in the Solent, usually in the first week of August. This year, in excess of 700 boats were negotiating the quirky double tides in The Solent, making it the biggest regatta series for 2010, bar none.</p>
<p>The stretch of water between the British mainland and the Isle of Wight is one of the most complex and busy sailing grounds anywhere. On a typical day at Cowes Week, there are about 35 different yacht races going on and along with spectator boats and other craft, there are often over a thousand boats in the narrow stretch of water—including commercial shipping, ferries and hydro-foils. The variety of sailing craft racing at Cowes Week is quite unmatched; historic dinghy designs such as X-boats and Darings, high performance Extreme 40 catamarans and modern America’s Cup yachts, match racing.</p>
<p>I decided it was high time to do some real sailing. Now don’t get me wrong, hooning around on the back of a carbon-fibre rocket ship is a common occurrence for me and I fully appreciate what a lucky son of a gun I am. But watching professionals sail awesome boats and taking part yourself are two different experiences. I decided to get on some boats and get stuck into the crew, into roles where I was a little out of my depth.</p>
<p>Jeff Blue originally comes from New Zealand but now lives in England and owns a fast, fun Farr 45, Expresso Martini. Designed by Bruce Farr and formerly known as the Corel 45, the class has proved extremely popular in The Solent. Often eight are out racing, year round. There is no restriction on professionals but the majority of the crew is not paid to race. However many of them work in the boat building industry so boat handling is first class. And many of the crew are up for a fair bit of R&R after racing.</p>
<p>Jeff’s boat was entered at Cowes week as Seafarers Ale, as the boat was sponsored by a brewery that donate to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institute}. I thought that would be a good way to start! I knew most of the crew and although they had not raced too much as a team, there was no shortage of talent.</p>
<div id="attachment_5554" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 330px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5554 " src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Chimera-credit-Rick-Tomlinson.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="431" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Chimera, Ian Loffhagen's Harrier 31, sailed with just four crew. Photo credit Rick Tomlinson</p></div>
<p>We timed our run to that start well but got pushed into tide by other boats. Tide in the Solent is a crucial factor, especially in the Western Solent where it can run at over four knots. The 33 strong fleet was cheating the tide and there was plenty of boat on boat action as we short-tacked up the mainland shore. The Western Solent is very scenic with unspoilt views of Lymington, Beaulieu and the New Forest but the beat against the tide was a long one. It was several hours before we rounded the top mark, off Yarmouth. We were sailing with twelve people, and upwind almost everybody is on the rail, so besides the charge across the boat during tacks, most of the crew are just hiking out.</p>
<p>Downwind is a different matter, with just about everybody getting involved. Communication and co-ordination become two key areas, especially in maneuvers. It’s a bit like formation dancing and when everybody is in tune, you get a great sense of satisfaction. Running back down towards Cowes gets a bit frantic; the closer you get to the centre of the Solent, the more traffic you get into and there were some pretty close encounters.</p>
<p>It was a long race, about 26 miles, I had not done a lot of big boat sailing for a while and I was pretty stiff by the time we got to the dock. After a good meal and a single beer, it wasn’t long before my head hit the pillow. But not before I thanked Jeff Blue for an excellent day on the water with great company. Jeff Blue’s crew are extremely good sailors who more often than not are stuck inside a boat building shed, not the best view of a marina. For them, Cowes Week is a chance to get out on the water and do what they love and have a few beers afterwards.</p>
<p>My next ride was a brand new experience for me. In my work as a reporter I had held onto the back of high performance multihulls, but I had never actually sailed as part of the crew.</p>
<p>Ian Loffhagen is the racing manager for the Royal Ocean Racing Club and he invited me on board his Farrier 31, Chimera, a cruising trimaran. Ian manages some very high profile races such as the Rolex Fastnet Race, but he loves to race Chimera whenever he can. Ian has had some big wins with Chimera, including the Round the Island Race and the Scottish Peaks Race.</p>
<p>“Chimera is a mythological three-headed beast, so it seemed an appropriate name for a trimaran,” laughed Ian as he showed me around and pointed out the different control lines and sails on board. “We don’t need an army of people or a lump of lead to keep us up right.”</p>
<p>Chimera had just four crew including Ian and myself. Helmsman was Graham Goff, a highly accomplished multi-hull sailor, and his daughter Lucy, who sails a Laser Radial and like me was new to multihulls. We got off to a cracking start and after a couple of clever moves, Chimera was extremely well-placed in the fleet. I found myself trimming the headsail, something I rarely get to do, Graham was calling some of the trim and I began to get absorbed into the role. Upwind was surprisingly quick but short tacking was a bit of a showstopper. Still we could literally go right up to the island shore, which did alarm a few fishermen on the beach!</p>
<div id="attachment_5561" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 209px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5561" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/PLUGPHOTOGRAPHY-MT-GAY-amp-ONDECK-53-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Racing with Ondeck on Mount Gay Rum day</p></div>
<p>Downwind was electric. As the masthead asymmetric filled we shot off like a scolded cat, leaving the monohulls around us in our wake. I spotted some friends in a keelboat; as we blasted past them at twice their speed, they looked impressed at how fast we were going. One of the most pleasant surprises was how comfortable a cruising catamaran is to race. There is no hiking out to strain your back or cut the circulation off to your feet. Standing on the windward hull doing 15 knots of boat speed with a kite sheet in your hand is a great way to spend an afternoon.</p>
<p>After sailing we had a couple of beers at the Sail for Gold Bar, on the waterfront next to the famous Royal Yacht Squadron. The live music was only blotted out by the sound of gunfire from the brass cannons on the Squadron line. One of our competitors joined us on the trip back to Port Hamble. (He had been to court charged with speeding on his motor-bike, quite apt for a multihull sailor!). As we sped back across the Solent we went straight across the Brambles Bank, leaving the keelboats to go around it. Keelboat sailing has learnt a lot from multihulls, especially with regards to foil shapes and asymmetric sails, but it does attract a different sort of competitor. You don’t see a lot of designer sunglasses and branded clothing on the multihull brigade, as they prefer a more low key approach in the quest for speed. And I wouldn’t mind betting a high proportion of them enjoy Star Trek movies, as they boldly go where no man has gone before.</p>
<p>Cowes Week goes on for eight days without a break, and I am pretty sure there is no other regatta in the world that does that. But I decided to have my own personal lay-day and enjoy the delights of the capital of the Isle of Wight. Cowes stretches along both sides of the Medina River and High Street is full of sailing-orientated stores and a lot of pubs and restaurants.</p>
<div id="attachment_5555" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5555" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Cowes-HighStreet.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The High Street of Cowes</p></div>
<p>During Cowes Week, the Extreme 40 catamarans race off Egypt Point, just west of Cowes. There is a full on grandstand and bar for spectators to watch these awesome machines, flying at unbelievable speed around the race track. One of the great concepts for spectators is that they can scream right up inshore. However no one was quite expecting to get such a close view of Groupama smashing into the sea wall!</p>
<p>One of the most fascinating places in Cowes is relatively unknown, The Sir Max Aitken Museum. The magnificent 18th Century sail maker’s loft, where Britannia’s mainsail was made, was acquired and restored by Sir Max Aitken in 1947. Today, with its traditional splendour, the building boasts Sir Max Aitken’s personal collection of nautical artifacts. One of the many magnificent oil paintings in the loft dates back to 1820 and depicts the Battle of Trafalgar by the artist, Thomas Buttersworth. It dramatically depicts a large group of French battleships engaged with a single and smaller British ship of war. What fascinates me about the picture is that the British boat is smaller and has a sail configuration that allows it to be close-hauled. It is peppering the larger less maneuverable French ships with cannon shot. In essence, this is exactly what did happen but the picture has been deliberately over-stated, a piece of 19th century propaganda.</p>
<div id="attachment_5556" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 261px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5556" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/Americas-Cup-251x300.jpg" alt="" width="251" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Yachts and Yachting editor Gael Pawson, with the Auld Mug.</p></div>
<p>The museum is available for private hire and was the setting for a bunch of journalists to have our traditional Cowes Week get together. We also had a very famous guest, the 100 Pound Cup better known as The America’s Cup, which arrived during the first course and left shortly after dessert. The silver claret jug fitted perfectly into the surroundings.</p>
<p>My last day racing at Cowes Week was with Ondeck. The company is a one-stop shop for people and companies who want to experience life on the water and they operate all over the world, including Charleston, South Carolina. The fact that the day was sponsored by Mount Gay Rum was of course a mere coincidence.</p>
<p>Spirit of Diana is a Farr 65 crewed by a skipper, mate, deck hand and fourteen guests, most of whom had very little sailing knowledge. They made up for it with a heap of enthusiasm, and watching people come to grips with sails, control lines and winch handles for the first time was a great experience. Throughout the day you could see them improve and learn new skills. Although we all had a few bumps and bruises, a few shots of rum afterwards acted as an excellent remedy.</p>
<p>Cowes Week is not really one regatta but many regattas combined. In many different ways, the experience differs from one person to the next. There is a huge variety of sailing and enough entertainment ashore to suit just about everyone. Probably one of the main reasons that the regatta is so successful is that the primary objective of the organisers and the sailors is the same; to have some fun sailing in an historic and interesting place.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5578 alignleft" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/09/louayheadshot.jpg" alt="" width="50" height="60" /></a><strong>Editor’s Note: </strong>Louay Habib is a freelance journalist and broadcaster based in the UK who writes for some of the most prestigious magazines and clubs all over the world, including the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Volvo Ocean Race. With over thirty years of international yacht racing experience, Louay has been part of many winning teams and represented England in the Rolex Commodores Cup in 2004.</p>
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string(23273) "<div id="attachment_5326" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 327px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katharina1.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5326" title="katharina1" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katharina1.jpg" alt="" width="317" height="259" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The sailing hotel Katharina has seven cabins.</p></div>
<p>Katharina is a beautiful dame, traditionally attired yet with a young spirit. She is a two-mast, seven-sail Phinisi, built in the traditions of the Bugis sailors, yet with all the comforts of home within her seven well-equipped cabins. Many of the Bugis sailors were feared pirates in these parts and it was for this reason that the Dutch chose to use the Phinisis of the Bugis people to transport their cargo around the Archipelago – by imitating the pirates they avoided conflict.</p>
<p><strong>Day 1: Amed to Gili Trawangan</strong><br />
Somewhat appropriately I found myself sailing with a predominately Dutch group and as I got to know my new friends we set sail from the delightful fishing village of Amed, on the east coast of Bali. With the audacious view of Gunung Agung, Bali’s grandest volcano, towering over the coastline behind us and blue seas ahead we embarked on our adventure that would take us from the centre to the far east of the largest archipelago in the world. Thirteen passengers were accompanied by twelve fantastically attentive crew members to navigate the seas and look after our every need; no doubt my companions were travelling in a style befitting to their colonial ancestors.</p>
<p>One of our crew informed me that the Phinisi takes its name from the Bugis word “phini”, meaning penis, and they added the “si” to make it sound more like a ship. It would seem that the shape of the ship was somewhat phallic for the Bugis boat builders!</p>
<p>We were sailing east across the Lombok Strait, one of the deepest trenches in the world, the sea was calm and as we neared our destination Gunung Rinjani, the mighty volcano found in the north of Lombok, monopolised the horizon. It was to the northwest of Lombok that we were headed; three small islands (or gilis) jut out like stepping stones from the mainland: Gili Air, Gili Meno and, the largest of the three, Gili Trawangan.</p>
<p>The islands are famous for the rich variety of sea life populating the surrounding coral reef and the laid back atmosphere on offer as holidaymakers mix in the beachside bars and restaurants. By swimming only a few metres off the white sand beach one can don a snorkel and see all manner of sealife drift past as the current takes one along. If you are lucky you can spot a giant turtle; for divers it’s almost a certainty to meet them along with rays and reef sharks. There is an interesting bio-rock programme in place here to rejuvenate the coral.</p>
<p>Leaving the three Gilis in our wake we headed eastwards along the north coast of Lombok as we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner aboard Katharina – our first of many.</p>
<p><strong>Day 2: Badas to Pulau Moyo</strong><br />
After sailing overnight we awoke early to find ourselves portside at Badas harbour in the northwest of Sumbawa where a minibus was waiting to whisk us to the market in the town of Sumbawa Besar, then along to the sultan’s palace which currently is only a skeleton of its former glory as it is being renovated. The adjacent museum proved interesting; the Sultan of Sumatra lost his power to Jakarta when Indonesia became independent, but despite this the Sultan’s family remains well respected throughout the region.</p>
<p>There was still time to visit Pamalung, a traditional Sumbawanese village where industry revolves around roof tile production and the weaving of traditional ikat sarongs, before returning to our contrastingly luxurious haven aboard Katharina for lunch as we set sail for Pulau Moyo.</p>
<p>“Gili” means “small island” and “Pulau” means a larger island. Pulau Moyo is found just off the north coast of Sumbawa and is approximately the size of Singapore. The only inhabitants, however, belong to a few small fishing villages, along with the exclusive Amanwana resort (featured in Villa & Yacht, Volume 2 – Issue 4). The island is mainly forest, surrounded by picture postcard beaches and crystal clear water. Indeed the perfect spot to set anchor and take the speedboat to the beach to enjoy a little sun, sand and snorkelling.</p>
<div id="attachment_5329" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balivolcano.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5329" title="balivolcano" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balivolcano-300x233.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="233" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Gunung Agung, Bali’s grandest volcano</p></div>
<p>Again heading east along the north coast of Sumbawa we navigated the evening swell, swaying to the calming sounds of the crew band. To everyone’s delight a couple of friendly dolphins joined us for a while, guiding us through the dark choppy sea.</p>
<p><strong>Day 3: Wera to Gili Banta</strong><br />
A little shaken, I stirred to find myself looking at a beach like no other. Facing the sea were four enormous wooden vessels under different stages of construction on the beachside. This is Wera on the north-east coast of Sumbawa, a small village rich in the traditions of boat building. As I went ashore to marvel at the construction site it struck me that bar a few modern tools the friendly boat builders were executing their craft in the same manner that their ancestors have been doing for generations. It was fascinating to watch them at work and learn about their lives.</p>
<p>The majority of the men from the village work on the construction of these large wooden vessels and it seemed that half the kids use them as an adventure playground. They take three to four years to build and are often not made to order. The wood is shipped in from Kalimantan which explains why some vessels are left almost completed. If the supply of wood runs out they could have to wait years for a new shipment. Most of their work becomes cargo ships, although some are bought by private owners and adapted to cater for luxury cruses such as ours aboard Katharina. I was informed that the ship we were touring had cost US$150,000 to build the skeleton; with the finishing additions we estimated it could be yours to sail home for approximately half a million dollars. But not before the whole village has spent four days pushing and stabilising the ship whilst it is pulled into the sea by two boats at a rate of 1.5 metres per day. Once in the water the people of Wera keep watch over their labour of love for two weeks – checking its floatability and completing the final touches – before it sails away.</p>
<p>As indeed we did from Wera, waving goodbye to the ever increasing crowd of children who followed as we walked around their village and who treated us to a spontaneous chorus of traditional songs. Sailing eastwards we enjoyed our lunch in the most beautiful of settings with views of the 1,800-metre volcano, Gunung Sangeang – interestingly the village of Wera used to be situated at the foot of the volcano, however the government insisted on moving the villagers to a safer location.</p>
<p>On the horizon we could see our destination Gili Banta, with Komodo Island towering behind. Even though it was early afternoon and there was bright sunshine, the moon was strongly visible above the barren mountain ranges. A closer inspection of Gili Banta showed no sign of life on land whatsoever; the fallen volcanic crater in the middle of the small island is said to be still active. Surrounding it is one of the most beautiful white sand beaches in Indonesia and from there it’s a joy to swim in the warm sea water. Snorkelling between the beach and Katharina I explored a splendid underwater wonderland, boasting numerous banks of unspoilt coral and a fabulous array of tropical fish. Visibility is excellent – perfect conditions for spear fishing – we enjoyed our impromptu barbecue on the beach before leaving this paradise with the sun setting over Gunung Sangeang as we sailed towards the Komodo National Park.</p>
<div id="attachment_5328" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balibeach.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5328 " title="balibeach" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balibeach-300x186.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="186" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A fisherman casts his net on a pristine beach in Lombok, Indonesia.</p></div>
<p><strong>Day 4: Rinca – Sebayur – Sebolan Kecil</strong><br />
I awoke at 6am to find we were cruising into the most stunning setting amongst the 130 islands of the Komodo National Park. The sunrise was an incredible spectacle as we entered the bay at Loh Buaya in the northwest of Rinca Island. We gave a wave to the sailors aboard the American yacht at anchor, the first non-Indonesian vessel we had encountered on our voyage, before dropping anchor ourselves and heading ashore to the greeting screeches of monkeys in mating season.</p>
<p>Rinca is home to an eclectic group of wildlife; keeping the monkeys company are wild buffalo, deer, goats, horses, boar and – the star attraction – the Komodo Dragon. The largest living reptile on the planet, the Komodo Dragon is only found here in the National Park and there are plenty to be seen on Rinca. Its snake-like tongue inspired the Chinese to name it “dragon”. A bite injects 53 types of bacteria (collected from the reptile’s past victims) so that if bitten it is essential you are hospitalised within 24 hours. Our guide, who kept the dragons at arm’s length with a long staff, informed me that in recent times ten people have been bitten – of which seven survived. The non-human inhabitants however have a zero survival rate: once a dragon bites a buffalo the dragon’s bacteria is injected into the blood stream and the buffalo slowly dies over a two-week period. The dragon stalks its prey until the buffalo is too weak to move then moves in for the kill. One buffalo is enough for a number of dragons to feast on for a few days. The scent of the kill attracts other dragons and they can often be seen fighting over their food as well as their women: there are four males to every female dragon – being carnivorous creatures it’s survival of the fittest and the males are larger.</p>
<p>Trekking through the hilly terrain on Rinca is a fantastic experience. One can look out over the awesome backdrop of the Komodo National Park with its many islands; it was with a sense of pride that I looked down to see Katharina taking centre stage in the bay below. We walked for two and a half hours, during which time we encountered over ten Komodo Dragons along with wild boar and buffalo. One of the unfortunate buffalos we spotted had a bad wound on its back leg – a dragon bite – it would only be a matter of time before it met its fate.</p>
<p>On returning to our starting point we found two dragons lying side by side; they had just mated. It was the beginning of the season. Whilst moving through the interior we spotted two areas with many holes dug in the ground. The female dragon lays her eggs in one hole and digs the others to act as decoys as there are many dangers for a recently hatched Komodo Dragon. Eagles are a major threat along with older dragons. Somehow the hatchlings realise that they must climb trees to avoid capture by their carnivorous cousins – the older dragons are too heavy to follow. The survival rate is low, however, so the population of dragons remains stable.</p>
<p>The dragons aren’t the only attraction in the Komodo National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is considered one of the best diving playgrounds in the world. Exploring the warm, crystal clear and protected waters, one can find 385 species of coral, more than 1,000 species of fish, ten dolphin species, six whale species, giant sea turtles, dugongs, sharks and rays.</p>
<p>I enjoyed two spectacular dives in the park, the first at Sebayur reef, followed by a drift dive around the island of Sebolan Kecil. Our tour leader Ari (a great guy and competent dive master) joined with a local dive instructor and these two experienced divers escorted us around the reef. Perfect diving, great visibility, amazing coral, so many fish it was simply amazing – the highlight was a giant sea turtle swimming up with me as I exited the reef at Sebolan Kecil.</p>
<p>After a long day, feeling content and tired we dined on deck enjoying another spectacular sunset on the horizon as we made our way overnight towards central Flores.</p>
<p><strong>Day 5: Seventeen Islands of Riung</strong><br />
After a late start on this Sunday morning (8am) we took the two speedboats from Katharina to explore the Seventeen Islands of Riung, a small archipelago situated just off the north coast of Flores. None of the islands is populated by humans, although one of the larger islands is home to hundreds of giant fruit bats living in and feeding off the mango trees. As we approached by water we could see them hanging asleep at the tops of the trees. A bit of whooping from my Dutch friends and all of a sudden the sky was full of giant bats circling around not knowing what was happening – quite a spectacle!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balilizard.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-5330" title="balilizard" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/balilizard-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>We visited a fishing village on mainland Flores, enjoyed a game of baseball and some fresh coconuts with the ever-friendly villag¬ers. Then we landed on Rutong – a picture postcard paradise island where we relaxed playing beach volleyball with the Katharina crew (who are pretty good) working up an appetite for the stunning bar¬beque that followed complete with bonfire and dancing to music from the crew’s rocking live band – a perfect Sunday.<br />
<strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Day 6: Kelimutu</strong><br />
I awoke early. We had been sailing all night to reach Ropa on the north-east coast of Flores – such is the size of the island. From Ropa it is a three-hour drive through incredibly picturesque valleys that even humble the famous rice terraces of Bali. The road is winding but surprisingly good; there is lots and lots of space here.</p>
<p>Once in the Kelimutu National Park it is only a short trek to the three volcanic craters. The craters are adjacent to each other and, unusually, the liquid in each is a completely different colour and often changes without apparent reason.<br />
One Dutch photographer (not from my party) had apparently tried to take a photograph of all three craters in the one shot (impossible from the land) and had wandered from the beaten path never to return. A dive exploration team travelled from Holland to retrieve his body but the changeable liquid in the crater was at a temperature so hot they couldn’t enter it – not a place to take a fall.</p>
<p><strong>Day 7: Labuhanbajo</strong><br />
From Ropa we spun Katharina around 180° and for the first time sailed west to our next destination, the capital of Flores, Labuhanbajo. Providing the easiest gateway to the Komodo National Park, Labuhanbajo is a rapidly developing tourist destination, yet still with the quaint feeling of a fishing village.</p>
<p>For one family travelling aboard the Katharina this was not their first visit to Labuhanbajo. Ans de Wijn, a Dutch businesswoman, had made a similar expedition aboard Katharina in 2003. This was her third visit to the capital and in particular her third visit to SMK Negeri 1 – the tourism school we were headed to twenty minutes up a bumpy road from the harbour.</p>
<p>Ans had been so touched on her first visit to the school that she became inspired to establish a foundation to raise funds to provide the children with the tools they needed to succeed. Since her inaugural visit in 2003 her foundation has made sure a representative has returned every year so as not to lose the connection. We certainly received the royal welcome on arrival at the school; the children were traditionally dressed and led a procession onto the playing field where we were treated to a traditional dance by the girls to live music and a fighting game by the young male warriors – which many of our party tried their hand at with little success. Everyone was up dancing amongst a real carnival atmosphere, gifts were exchanged and Ans was presented with a live chicken!</p>
<p>I was totally amazed by the confidence of the children to approach us and show us around their school. Aged between twelve and sixteen they study computer science, English, German, Japanese, traditional dance, cooking, tree planting, tour office, hotel and restaurant training, along with laundry and cleaning practise. Not your typical GCS Esyllabus but it was certainly an eclectic range of skills to give them a great head start in life. To date the foundation has provided the school with an English lab, fresh water pump, a new girls’ dormitory with a boys’ on the way soon, plus funding for running costs and sponsorship for students – if you are interested to learn more or you would like to help please visit the<a href="http://www.educhild.nl" target="_blank"> foundation’s website.</a>.</p>
<p>The other thing that caught my eye here was that they, somewhat bizarrely, have a cricket pitch. It seems that under the guidance of an Australian expat, Flores is going cricket mad with eight local clubs. Indeed they have their own tournament, the Christie Cup.</p>
<div id="attachment_5331" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katherina2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5331" title="katherina2" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/katherina2-300x186.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="186" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A view of Katharina from the shore</p></div>
<p><strong>Day 8: Komodo</strong><br />
Arriving in Kampung Komodo by sea is a unique experience. As soon as we dropped anchor, there were a number of local kids docking beside us in their hollowed out wooden kayaks. They were opportunist young entrepreneurs offering us wood carved Komodo Dragons and plastic pearl necklaces – for a minute I thought I was back in Bali.</p>
<p>In stark contrast to the villages we visited in Sumbawa and Flores, the only human settlement on Komodo is rife with hawkers. Selling souvenirs to visiting tourists is their only source of income besides fishing. With the bloodthirsty dragons roaming the terrain beyond the village there is no agriculture allowed on Komodo. The villagers live under constant threat from their famed neighbours and occasionally a dragon wanders into the kampong. The children are not allowed to venture far from the village, yet the natural curiosity of a child is hard to stifle and tragically, a year ago, a seven-year-old boy did wander – he was bitten and died within five hours.</p>
<p>Leaving the charismatic daredevil villagers behind, Katharina cruised around the island and set anchor off Red Beach. This is another paradise setting with superb snorkelling conditions and beautiful sands; laze away the afternoon in the sun or play with the tropical fish – the choice is yours.</p>
<p><strong>Day 9: Satonda</strong><br />
After sailing westwards through the night we arrived at Satonda, a small island off the north coast of Sumbawa. Satonda has a unique feature due to the 1815 eruption of Gunung Tambora on mainland Sumbawa. The eruption, the second biggest in Indonesia after Krakatoa, was so strong it sent a tidal wave towards Satonda, filling an empty crater with salt water.</p>
<p>The saltwater lake remains there today, a ten-minute walk from the beach. With no evidence of sealife, it’s like a giant swimming pool – perfect for floating on one’s back and imagining the folks back home hunched over their computers. Local fishermen hang rocks and dead coral from the trees at the edge of the lake for good luck.</p>
<p>There may not be any fish in the lake, but off the coast of Satonda I found an enchanting underwater garden with stingrays and octopuses cruising the reef.</p>
<p>John, a crew member from Timor, is an expert spear fisher; I marvelled as he quickly emerged with a couple of big fish and rustled up a fire on the beach for us to sample the catch – you can’t get fresher than that!</p>
<p>Satisfied with the day’s adventure I returned to my floating hotel for another five star meal in the restaurant with ever changing views.</p>
<p><strong>Day 10: Lombok to Bali</strong><br />
We arrived early morning in Lembar harbour, southwest Lombok. This is the main port into Lombok, with ferries sailing daily to and from Bali. It felt a little strange to be coming back into a busy harbour after the previous nine days at sea. Although Lembar is not exactly Rotterdam, it felt like the first step back home for me.</p>
<p>From Lembar we ventured into west Lombok, visiting a few Sasak villages where we were treated to traditional dancing before admiring the local arts of hand weaving and pottery. Although still primitive by western standards, the villages in Lombok seemed considerably more developed than their neighbouring islands to the east. With huge plans underway for a new airport, super-mosque and a number of new hotel and villa developments from investors in the Middle East, Lombok is gearing itself up to become one of South East Asia’s top tourist destinations in the not too distant future.</p>
<p>I boarded Katharina for the final time and waved goodbye to Lombok as we set sail for Benoa, Bali. As we approached the mainland the sun was setting behind Gunung Agung – a fitting finale to the dramatic sunsets we had enjoyed every day at sea. Saying our farewells to each other and the Katharina crew, we reminisced on our great sea adventure and commented on what a perfect way to travel and experience Indonesia this is. To visit so many places and experience so much without the hassle of packing and unpacking every day is a real luxury, as it is also to be aboard Katharina being pampered by her attentive and experienced crew, who all became our friends. In particular Sea Treks tour leader Ari had a wealth of knowledge to share on all the destinations we visited and Indonesian history and culture. There is so much to learn about this vast and diverse country, what I learnt is that the best way to see Indonesia is by sea with Katharina.</p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> This story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/magazine-archive/" target="_blank">November 2008</a> issue of Yachtworld.com Magazine. <a href="http://www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/" target="_blank">View current issue</a></p>
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string(6252) "<div id="attachment_29393" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 570px"><img class="size-large wp-image-29393" title="grady_white_1" src="http://features.boats.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/grady_white_1-560x331.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="331" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Today’s outboard boats are bigger than ever before – and one prime example is the Grady-White 330 Express.</p></div><br />
You want to take outboard power to its outer limits? Thanks to increased engine horsepower and decreased boat displacement, today’s outboard boats are bigger than ever before – and one prime example is the Grady-White 330 Express. Sitting at the docks, this boat is big enough to make a pair of 250-hp four-stroke motors look downright puny. Yet when you mash the throttles to the dash the boat jumps onto plane and roars up to an eye-opening 44-mph. You say you want even more speed? Drop a pair of Yamaha’s honkin’ big 350’s onto the transom, and you’ll break 50-mph.</p>
<p>How can a boat this big be so fleet on its feet? Grady-White departed from its standard wood-cored stringer system with the 330. Instead, this boat has foam-filled stringers. Otherwise construction is standard Grady (with highlights including a solid glass hull, foam-filled voids, and RTM hatches), but overall displacement is kept to a relatively trim 10,840 pounds. Match that weight up with a Ray Hunt designed variable-degree deep-V deadrise hull and those potent Yamaha four-strokes, and yester-year’s 30-something MPH top-end seems like a snail’s pace.</p>
<p><div id="attachment_29394" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><img class="size-medium wp-image-29394 " title="gradywhite_4" src="http://features.boats.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/gradywhite_4-300x347.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="347" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Outboard power plants create enough space under the deck to carve out a sizable mid-cabin. </p></div>
<p>Speed and power are important, but if you’re looking at express-style boats, chances are that comfort is important to you, too. In this regard, the Grady-White is going to blow you away. Thanks to the extroverted nature of the powerplants there’s no need for an engineroom—a must in inboard-powered expresses of this size—and this creates enough space under the deck to carve out a sizable mid-cabin. With six feet, eight inches of length, a couple of adults can stretch out comfortably in there. Truth be told, however, most of the time most boaters end up using a mid-cabin for bulk stowage. Fine—you’ll be able to pack away a week’s worth of gear into this space, without cluttering up the forward queen berth, the dinette (which folds into an additional berth), or the port-side galley, which has a microwave, refrigerator, sink, and electric cook-top. And that galley will remain fully-functional whether you’re at the dock or at the canyons, because a four kilowatt generator is included on the 330 as standard equipment.</p>
<div id="attachment_29395" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><img class="size-medium wp-image-29395" title="gradywhite_3" src="http://features.boats.com/boat-content/files/2010/08/gradywhite_3-300x402.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="402" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Although the 330 has a price that seems high at first, the number takes a real-world drop when you consider all the big-ticket items that are included as standard equipment.</p></div>
<p>Speaking of standards: make sure you match up the Grady’s list against that of the competitors when comparison shopping. Although the 330 has a price that seems high at first glance ($337,670 with the 250’s) the number takes a real-world drop when you match up apples to apples. Big-ticket items like that generator, a teak and holly sole, a 12,000 BTU air conditioning system, a 15” flat-screen TV and entertainment center with AM/FM stereo and speakers, a six-gallon hot water heater, a hard top with spreader lights and rocket launchers, hydraulic trim tabs, a 45-gallon livewell, and hydraulic-tilt steering are all included. With many competing boats, you’ll need to break out a calculator to figure in the cost of these items, and when all is said and done you might be surprised at how reasonable the Grady ends up looking.</p>
<p>Wait a sec – we’ve talked about speed, design, construction, and price, but isn’t the 330 a fishing boat, first and foremost? Sort of; Grady-White tells us that plenty of cruisers appreciate this boat’s attributes, while enjoying the 330’s wide-open cockpit. But when it comes to slinging rods and swinging gaffs this boat leaves nothing to be desired. That 45-gallon livewell we mentioned earlier has a full-column inlet (to maximize water flow and keep live baits as healthy as possible) and is even lighted, for night fishing. There’s a transom fishbox with 254 quarts of capacity and it can be optioned-out with a digitally-controlled freezer plate (no more buying ice!) which is laminated into the fiberglass. The gunwales house four rodholders, and under-gunwale racks can stow six rigs. Coaming bolsters and toe rails line the cockpit. There’s both a raw water washdown and a freshwater shower in the cockpit. And naturally, there’s a reinforcement plate laminated into the cockpit sole, in case you want to rig the 330 to chase big game. In fact, after spending a morning of trolling and an afternoon of grouper fishing on the 330, I could come up with only one complaint: the outboards are set far back on the transom, which makes it tough to work fish around them. You say that this is true of virtually every outboard-powered fishing boat in this class? Yup, you’re right. Of course, a decade ago this class of outboard-powered fishboat didn’t even exist and a few years ago the boats in this class were limited in speed and performance. But today, limits like these have been blown out of the water—thanks to boats like the Grady-White 330.</p>
<p><strong>Grady-White 330 Specifications</strong></p>
<p>Length – 33’6”<br />
Beam – 11’7”<br />
Max. Draft – 2’7”<br />
Deadrise – Variable; 21 degrees at the transom<br />
Weight – 10,840<br />
Fuel capacity – 350</p>
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<p>The Maltese archipelago consists of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino and lies virtually at the centre of the Mediterranean, with Malta 93km south of Sicily and 288km north of Africa. Malta is the largest island; the cultural, commercial and administrative centre, and throughout the ages has been at the centre of maritime activity in the Mediterranean. Gozo is the second largest island and is more rural, characterised by fishing, tourism, crafts and agriculture. Comino is largely uninhabited.</p>
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<p>Since gaining independence in 1964 Malta has continued to be at the forefront of maritime activity. The Freeport, yachting, cruise liners and ship registration are amongst the activities that have grown substantially in the past few decades. With the proposed development of additional marinas, a new cruise liner terminal and the expansion of the Freeport, the future of maritime Malta looks set to expand. It would not be unreasonable to say that this is a future built on an ancient and solid tradition. When the islands were taken over by the British, the latter found a population attuned to a life bound to the sea as well as an infrastructure that complemented the requirements for their powerful navy. Not only were seamen employed with the Royal navy but rope makers, carpenters and sail makers made their skills available to the naval establishment on the island. The British developed and expanded the maritime services and structures that had been started by the Order of St John as well as establishing new ones such as the dry-docks and the massive breakwater at the mouth of the harbour. However it was not just the British that took advantage of the island’s strategic position. The locals invested in ships and trade and were also quick to exploit opportunities when these presented themselves.</p>
<p>There is one company that has been a recent mainstay of the Maltese marine sector. Founded in 1976 by Roland Darmanin Kissaun, S&D Yachts has a company motto “to deliver a top quality service with key focus on reliability’ and has gained an international reputation for being Malta’s leading yacht agent, broker and charter management company. Visiting yachtsmen have come to rely on the unrivalled service delivered by the experienced and dedicated staff whose customer service is second to none.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltaship.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3404 alignleft" title="maltaship" src="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltaship-270x300.jpg" alt="" width="270" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>As the yachting sector worldwide has expanded, not only in the size of yachts being built today, but increasingly in the quantity and professional management, S&D Yachts has evolved in line with the industry, both on the island and with networks further afield. Organisational growth and restructuring as well as upgrading the operational facilities has ensured that S&D stays on top of the game and they now employ over 30 personnel in two centrally located premises in Malta to ensure delivery of an efficient service.</p>
<p>The company structure is divided into six distinct departments in order to service all aspects of a yachts requirements: Agency, Brokerage and Charter, Corporate Services, Yacht Repair Services, Chandlery and Product Distribution and Tunisia Yacht Services. Through these departments the company can offer a myriad of services making S&D Yachts a true one-stop shop for yachtsmen visiting Malta.</p>
<p>In order to extend the company services further, S&D Yachts networks with similar companies throughout the Mediterranean and across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.</p>
<p>One of the mainstay activities of S&D Yachts is the brokerage and sales of new and used craft. Whether a sailing or a motor yacht, fibreglass, steel or wood, their comprehensive database of new and second-hand yachts includes a few interesting proposals worth considering, and working with a network of cooperating brokers they are able to find the ideal craft anywhere in the world to suit customer needs. S&D Yachts are also distributors for Dufour Yachts and Cranchi Yachts.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltacrew.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-3403 alignright" title="maltacrew" src="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/files/maltacrew-300x142.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="142" /></a>And if you would like to sail around the Maltese islands S&D Yachts also offers a full range of crewed luxury yachts for charter in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations. The company also provide a wide range of professional services. For instance, prospective boat owners could benefit from advantageous rates of EU VAT paid through Malta Yacht Leasing system, typically ranging from 6 per cent to 9 per cent effective tax rate. This facility is available for both new and used craft purchase. In addition Registration of Yachts under the Malta Flag is a simple and straightforward operation, and S&D Yachts can guide you through the process.</p>
<p>If you are visiting Malta, whatever your yachting requirements may be, feel free to drop into the offices of S&D. If you would like some more information prior to arrival, visit the <a href="http://www.sdyachts.com" target="_blank">S&D website</a>.</p>
<p>For more information and charter listings, visit the <a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/destinations/mediterranean/" target="_blank">Yachtworldcharters.com Mediterranean page.</a></p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> This story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/magazine-archive/" target="_blank">October 2008</a> issue of Yachtworld.com Magazine. <a href="http://www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/" target="_blank">View current issue</a></p>
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<p>When you lay eyes upon the stone inlays just inside the doors from Katya’s aft deck, you know you’re in for something special. There, beneath your feet, is the yacht’s name, carved from marble in the same lettering as her nameboard. It also appears within a swath of white stone that mimics a banner. It’s exceptional work, rivaled only by the names of the onyx and marble used here and elsewhere—names like Opera Fantastico, Rosso Damasco, Rainforest Green, and Galaxy Black.</p>
<p>Expertly crafted stonework is among many fine details aboard this 151-footer, built by Delta Marine. Indeed, Katya has beauty in abundance, and not just where her décor is concerned.</p>
<div id="attachment_5186" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-marble-sole-name.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5186 " title="Katya-marble-sole-name" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-marble-sole-name-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Just inside the cabin, elegant stonework in the sole matches the transom name board.</p></div>
<p>The owners, a couple from the Midwest, wanted the yacht to be an elegant home at sea. The liberal use of deep-tone woods like khaya, cinamora burls, and crotch mahogany certainly help in that regard. But it’s also evident in the way that the rooms are laid out. In the master suite, forward on the main deck, there are additional closets, intended for use when Katya charters. The thinking was, why should the owners force themselves to pack everything up and take it with them when they’re not cruising? They can simply lock their closets instead. They even requested the inclusion of a washer and dryer in their suite, so that they wouldn’t have to solely rely on the crew to do their laundry.</p>
<p>With four guest staterooms below decks, the owners can invite a handful of family and friends aboard. One of the staterooms, decorated in pretty pinks and greens, is well suited to the small set, whether the yacht is on private cruises or charters. It contains a single berth with a Pullman above it, plus a double berth opposite it. On private trips, the owner’s young daughter and her nanny will stay here. Surely they, as well as charter guests, have admired the stone details in the head: a rare pink onyx, along with a floral mosaic on the sole and shower walls.</p>
<div id="attachment_5187" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-master-SR.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5187 " title="Katya-master-SR" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-master-SR-300x176.jpg" alt="Katya's master suite" width="300" height="176" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Katya's master suite</p></div>
<p>All of the attention paid to guest areas does not mean that technical areas are lackluster. Hydraulics and other mechanical systems don’t usually come to mind when you think of literal beauty, but there is a brilliance—a sagacity—to which Delta executed things. The fiberglass hull, for example, is the fifth one based on the builder’s full-displacement design. In combination with twin 1,000-hp Caterpillar 3508 diesels, this permits Katya a 15½-knot top speed. There’s also a climate-controlled engineer’s office and control room just outside the engine room. As for that room, the bilges are all lit, to encourage upkeep. (Think about it: Dark spaces are easily overlooked, whether accidentally or on purpose.)</p>
<div id="attachment_5188" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-saloon-dining.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5188" title="Katya-saloon-dining" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Katya-saloon-dining-300x189.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="189" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elegant saloon dining</p></div>
<p>Perhaps the most notable technical detail aboard Katya is the proprietary tender-launching system, designed in-house by the Delta Design Group. It came about because the owners wanted to stow the main tender in a garage and for it to be of a pretty good size. The Delta Design Group team did research various overhead crane systems that other builders have installed. They decided that while practical, these systems require a good deal of space and therefore necessitate a smaller tender. The solution was a hydraulic articulating trailer system. A winch lets out line attached to the bow of the 19-foot Nautica Jet RIB, which is mounted on a cradle. As the line is released, the tender and the cradle gradually slide aft along a set of rollers, then out the mechanically operated transom door. From start to finish, it’s all said to take just a few minutes.</p>
<p>The owners have spent more than a few minutes onboard Katya so far. The yacht has traveled to Mexico and St. Barts, among other places. Greece, Turkey, and the western Med are in her charter plans for the rest of the season.</p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note: </strong> Photo credits – Kristina Strobel</p>
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string(15553) "<div id="attachment_5016" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 650px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Gibmarina.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5016 " title="Gibmarina" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/Gibmarina.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="360" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A mix of nautical history and modern architecture add unique flavour to Gibraltar’s marinas.</p></div>
<p>The Rock of Gibraltar is a 1400 ft high giant slab of jagged Jurassic limestone formed around 200 million years ago, and dominates a unique geographical position connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Gibraltar itself is a land mass of some three miles in length, and one mile wide, overlooking the twenty-mile stretch of water known as the Straits which divides the two continents of Europe and Africa. The separating line between Gibraltar and Spain is a half-mile wide isthmus, which doubles as an international airport runway, along with the local traffic and pedestrians. It must be one of the few places, if not the only place, in the world where you get off the plane and walk across the runway you have just landed on to get to your destination.</p>
<p>Gibraltar is a thriving business centre, with its own stable government and tax advantages; the local currency is Gibraltar Government sterling notes, and British sterling is welcome. There is a full range of inter¬national and UK banks, and it is a highly competitive finance centre employing over 5,000 people.</p>
<p><strong>Natural history</strong><br />
For centuries this commanding strategic location was mainly ignored with its barren inhospitable rock face, and forest-covered slopes; it was of no real interest to the Phoenicians, Romans or the Greeks, although the latter did weave it into their mythology along with Jebel Musa (a mountain at Ceuta) to comprise the fabled “Pillars of Hercules”. Gibraltar remained uninhabited for centuries although it is thought that Neanderthal man lived in the caves, and shared the Rock with the abundant wildlife attracted by the plentiful water supply from the porous limestone, which maintained a lush green environment in contrast to the surrounding land in the Iberian Peninsula.</p>
<div id="attachment_5018" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 209px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibmonkey.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-5018" title="gibmonkey" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibmonkey-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The Barbary ape has become a symbol of Great Britain’s occupation of Gibraltar.</p></div>
<p>The Rock would have been home to wild boar, wolves and red deer, but these have long since disappeared and a colony of semi-wild tailless Barbary apes now inhabit the upper reaches, having made their home amongst the eucalyptus, carob and wild olive trees. Nobody quite knows where the apes came from, although it is believed that they were first introduced by the British during the eighteenth century, possibly as pets, or even game. Another tale is that they made their way through a subterranean passage linking Africa to Gibraltar, although not surprisingly such a passage has never been found. These Macaque monkeys form an integral part of the history of the Rock and it is said that when the apes go, so will the British. In the Second World War when Winston Churchill found out that there were only seven apes remaining, he immediately sent instructions to bring in another few families to replenish the numbers ensure their continued existence. There are now around 230 thriving apes in the colony, and they are monitored closely, named, microchipped and take part in an annual census.</p>
<p>Over 200 species of birds have been recorded and, as the Straits of Gibraltar are the narrowest crossing point for migration to and from Europe to Africa, the number and species of birds has remained relatively unchanged over time. Thousands of black kites and honey buzzards make the journey; eagles, hawks and falcons, and smaller migrants such as swallows, finches and martins can be seen on passage. The vegetation on the Rock is unique and provides a temporary home for these occasional visitors and, with the necessity to gain large deposits of fat before embarking on their long journeys north or south, the Rock provides all they need. Griffon vultures and storks have colonies nearby, while the Barbary Partridge, native to North Africa, has taken up permanent residency on the Rock.</p>
<p>The sea, too, provides a rich and varied population and the Straits are home to three species of dolphin: common, striped and bottlenose. By far the most prolific is the Common Dolphin, and if you are sailing through you will almost be guaranteed a welcome. Sperm, Pilot, Orca and Fin whales can also be sighted while using the route to migrate to and from the Med and the Atlantic. The Straits also provide a good fishing ground with over fourteen species of bream.</p>
<p><strong>Through the centuries</strong><br />
Apart from the Greeks, Phoenicians, Visigoths and Romans all passed this way. The Muslim invasion of Europe started across the Straits of Gibraltar when the Berber chief Tarik Ibn Zeyad invaded Tarifa. He later moved on to take Mons Calpe (Gibraltar’s original name) which he promptly renamed Jebel Tarik – the rock of Tarik. It is from Jebel Tarik that Gibraltar gets its name.<br />
Gibraltar remained under Moorish domination for seven centuries. It did not come under Spanish rule until the early fourteenth century and then for just 24 years. Then in 1462 the Spaniards finally recaptured the Rock and held it until the beginning of the eighteenth century, when it fell to a combined Anglo-Dutch force. The treaty of Utrecht ceded the Rock into the “Crown of Great Britain” in perpetuity, but Gibraltar has continued to be in conflict with Spain about this land to this day.</p>
<p>In 1782 work began on the famous siege tunnels – primarily excavated as a defence to allow the mounting of a prototype gun, which was the first to be able to fire downwards. A further labyrinth of passageways was tunnelled from one side of the rock to the other, and this massive excavation continued into the Second World War; the network now measures around 48 kilometres, and has been open to the public since 2005.</p>
<p><strong>A centre of maritime excellence</strong><br />
Unsurprisingly Gibraltar has developed a strong marine connection, attracting sailors for centuries, with ancient mariners arriving as early as the eighth century BC. According to legend they left gifts to the gods before embarking into the unknown – the Greeks believed that anyone passing out of the Mediterranean, beyond Hercules’ comforting markers, did so at his peril, and would undoubtedly fall off the end of the Earth. The Phoenicians named the Rock “Calpe” translated as “ship” or vessel. The Battle of Trafalgar was fought off the Cádiz coast in 1805. It was into Gibraltar’s harbour that HMS Victory sailed with the body of Admiral Nelson stored in a barrel of rum. Those who survived the battle but who later died of their wounds, were buried in the Trafalgar Cemetery in Gibraltar.</p>
<p>During the nineteenth century Gibraltar enjoyed its heyday as a port and was a staging point on the vital route to India. In addition the strategic location of Gibraltar explains why, for centuries, the Rock has been used as a naval fortress and why so many battles have been fought over this tiny peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. Today, this same quirk of geography has allowed Gibraltar to become a maritime centre of excellence. Located at a crossroads of Mediterranean and Atlantic shipping lanes, Gibraltar is ideally placed to provide a wide range of services to vessels of all sizes and types.</p>
<p>The development of Gibraltar as a naval port was prompted in part by Lord Nelson whose Victory was one of several warships repaired at the naval dockyard. The construction of dry docks took place between 1891 and 1906 and the naval dockyard continued to be operated by the British Government until 1985 when it became a private concern.</p>
<div id="attachment_5019" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 650px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibraltarview.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5019 " title="gibraltarview" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibraltarview.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The view from the Rock: the airport runway crosses the isthmus between Spain and Gibraltar and protrudes dramatically into the harbour. Marivbvna Bay can be seen alongside.</p></div>
<p>Gibraltar is a bustling commercial centre. With over 90,000 vessels transiting the Strait of Gibraltar each year, and being ideally located close to the main shipping lanes, it offers minimum deviation for commercial vessels and anchoring in the bay can mean that ships do not even have to leave the sanctuary of international waters to carry out necessary routine services. It has an ideal year round climate for shipyard work, and large capacity dry docks including a covered area for superyachts. The Rock has become a major bunkering station – the largest in the Mediterranean – and offers a wide range of other shipping services. The local airport is just a few minutes from the harbour, from where there are several daily flights to London Gatwick, Luton and Madrid, and experienced agents are on hand to obtain spare parts, supply provisions and effect crew changes. Safety and environmental concerns are given top priority by the Government, which applies strict regulations.</p>
<p>Not only does Gibraltar have a full service for the commercial shipping industry but it has dedicated services for the pleasure boat owner, whether a superyacht captain or cruising yachtsman. It is a convenient stopoff point for all servicing and support requirements with a range of services being offered such as dry docking, engineering and ship repairs, waste oil and garbage removal, servicing and repair of navigational equipment, freight forwarding, Customs and Immigration clearance.</p>
<p><strong>Yacht Registration</strong><br />
The Gibraltar Ship Register is the ideal choice for the prudent ship owner who wants the reassurance of belonging to a British Register and flying the Red Ensign without incurring high costs. The Gibraltar Maritime Administration runs it, and its straightforward simple procedure applies to four categories of registration: full, bareboat, provisional or vessel under construction. In recent years Gibraltar has extended the range of persons or companies allowed to register a vessel, full details of which can be obtained from the Gibraltar Maritime Administration. Private pleasure vessels under 24 metres in length may also be registered with the Gibraltar Ship Register, whether used commercially or not, and for those over 24 metres and with non-commercial use.</p>
<p>Gibraltar’s unique British style and perfect location have made Gibraltar a popular haven for yachts and leisure craft. As a natural stopoff point between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, it serves as a provisioning stop for yachts embarking on an Atlantic crossing – an added attraction being its duty free status for liquor and fuel, excellent selection and availability of quality dry goods and those familiar items essential for transatlantic passages. In addition to visiting yachts it has attracted many permanent berth holders with two main marinas situated within major waterfront developments.</p>
<p><strong>Marinas</strong><br />
Marina Bay is the closest marina to the airport and, in a well-sheltered location to the west side of the rock, it offers a private development with over 200 berths, with a maximum length of 75 metres and full pontoon facilities. It is currently undergoing a complete refit, which is being supported by the surrounding development. It was acquired by Ocean Village Investments Ltd in 2006, which has embarked on a major improvement project.<br />
On the residential side, Taylor Woodrow has recently completed Phase One of their latest high quality luxury development Tradewinds in Ocean Village Marina which comprises 81 apartments, with five retail units on the marina front walkway. This futuristic three-tower development designed by London-based architects MSMR has transformed the Marina. Phase Two is well on the way to completion, expected by the end of the summer, together with the communal swimming pool.</p>
<div id="attachment_5026" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 210px"><a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibcannon.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-5026" title="gibcannon" src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/files/2010/07/gibcannon.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="356" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The new development at Queensway Quay Marina</p></div>
<p>Nearby, Sheppard’s (part of the nautical establishment in Gibraltar) has provided reliable chandlery and yacht repair services for nearly fifty years, and is in the process of developing new facilities close to the recently opened Queensway Quay Marina, including a haul-out facility for craft of up to seventeen metres. It offers a range of services including anti-foul removal, slurry blasting, anode replacement and osmosis treatment.</p>
<p>Queensway Quay Marina is to the south of the Rock, and a new solid breakwater was constructed in 2005, known as The Island. The development is also the site for nineteen luxury houses with 20m berths attached. The Island gives total protection for all yachts, removing any swell from the marina. The entrance is situated at the north-west corner, and gives access to 200 fully serviced berths that can accommodate up to twelve 30m and two 40m boats, and one 75m berth dependent on draft. The marina development has an interesting mix of nautical history and modern architecture – canons strategically placed on the dock, next to the archetypal British lamp posts are a reminder of where you are. Knowledgeable and helpful staff man the marina office and smart and inviting restaurants are an impressive backdrop, providing all that is necessary while drifting ashore without having to go into the hustle and bustle of Main Street. Not only does the marina provide for the arrivals and departures of transatlantic yachts, it also offers a long-term berthing option. It is publicised as one of the perfectly safe places to leave your yacht for long periods without any worries, unlike harbours along the south coast of Spain which are often the hub of nightlife during the high season.</p>
<p>For more information on Gibraltar go to the <a href="http://www.visitgibralter.gi" target="_blank">Visit Gibraltar website.</a> For information about charters in the area, visit <a href="http://www.yachtworldcharters.com/destinations/mediterranean/gibraltar-yacht-charter/" target="_blank">Yachtworldcharters.com’s Gibraltar page.</a></p>
<p><strong>Editor’s Note:</strong> This story originally appeared in the <a href="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/magazine-archive/" target="_blank">June 2008</a> issue of Yachtworld.com Magazine. <a href="http://www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/" target="_blank">View current issue</a></p>
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<p>It was all smiles on the Mini-Maxi yachts at Capri Sailing Week this year, fully powered up and sailing as fast as the wind. The powerful boats seem to glide effortlessly through the water.</p>
<p>Peter Ogden’s Judel Vrolik 60, Jethou was extremely well sailed, crew work and boat handling were both impeccable. Jethou had a great tussle with Brian Benjamin’s Maxi Dolphin 65, Aegir. Although the two yachts were far apart on the water, on corrected time there were many tight finishes. Aegir had a world class crew and have great plans for the future; a new Aegir is under construction by a new facility in Newport RI. Carbon Ocean Yachts will launch the Rogers 82 in September.</p>
<p>In the Mini-Maxi Class, the Mills 68 Alegre was unstoppable, taking a clean sweep of all six races.</p>
<p>‘The pressure was always on,’ explained Alegre’s navigator, Will Best. ‘One mistake in this class and you are unlikely to recover. Capri is a complex place to sail and it is easy to get caught in the wrong spot and in this fleet; they will take full advantage. Leading from the front, you are always looking over your shoulder, you always have to be on your toes.’</p>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 454px"><img class="flag-singlepic flag-left " src="http://www.yachtworld.com/boat-content/wp-content/flagallery/capri-sailing-week/capri-rig.jpg" alt="Capri-rig Alegre" width="444" height="260" align="left" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Mark Bartlett, Alegre's bowman gets a birds eye-view. Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi</p></div>
<p>Andres Soriano, owner and driver of Alegre, was understandably delighted.</p>
<p>‘Our success at Rolex Capri Sailing Week is a combination of thought and co-ordination that has improved the performance of the boat. We knew what she was good at from the previous year and a half, and we also knew where the weak points where. We worked closely with Mark Mills, the designer, and we put together a wish list of suggestions to make the boat go better. The keel has been lengthened to improve stability and we have stiffened the mast, but in all we have only added about 150 kg. After the changes, our first event was Palma Vela, then Portofino and now here in Capri, we have got the full measure of the changes that have come into play.</p>
<p>“However, one always needs to improve, we have the Giraglia Rolex Cup coming up which will be very competitive. You can never spend enough time on the water, learning the boat. There is always fine-tuning to be done. This regatta has been fantastic, especially having Francesco de Angelis who is a gentleman and a superb sailor, and most importantly having his generosity. He has helped us with little things that have raised our game, giving Alegre insights that were explained in a humble and practical fashion.’</p>
<p>The Mini-maxi class is delivering some of the hottest racing on the Mediterranean circuit and the designs and equipment used are very much cutting edge. Jethou and Alegre were both sporting new revolutionary headsails. 3Di is a new solid carbon sail from North Sails fabricated in Nevada. Jethou is the smallest mini-maxi at 60 feet but the sight of Jethou’s sleek black hull under spinnaker, surfing faster than the wind is quite magnificent; a real head-turner.</p>
<p>At the prize giving all the winners were awarded with a Rolex timepiece. And the organizers announced the inauguration of the Rolex Volcanoes’ Maxi Race, which will form part of next year’s Rolex Capri Sailing Week. This new offshore race will be organized by the International Maxi Association (IMA), in conjunction with the Yacht Club Gaeta and the Yacht Club Capri, with Rolex as title sponsor.</p>
<p>The 400 nautical mile race will start from Gaeta, just to the north of Naples, and will take the fleet around two magnificent archipelagos in the central and southern Tyrrhenian Sea – the Pontinian Islands and the Aeolian Islands, including the active volcano of Stromboli – before returning to the finish off Capri. Whilst the Maxi fleet is racing offshore, there will be inshore races for other classes.</p>
<p>The Rolex Capri Sailing Week 2011 is scheduled for May 24th to 28th 2011.</p>
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