Are you prepared?

Collision with a submerged object such as a container, whale or drift net can cause a rudder to fail or break off.   Professional sailor Michael Keyworth suggests that the old idea of fashioning a spinnaker pole and a table-leaf really doesn't work, nor does sail trimming alone!   He trials several jury-rigs and recommends setting up a few key elements for an effective drogue steering system.

Read the full report here (PDF)

Electronics

A somewhat dry but useful overview of electronic aids to navigation:-

https://youtu.be/X3j5xKRwdzA

GCCC members are invited to Papercourt's Quiz Night on Saturday 4th April.

Latest Design?

Lyman-Morse claim to have reached a new level in the construction of motorboat hulls. Take a look at their innovative approach to a new ‘express-cruiser’ the Hood 57:-

https://www.lymanmorse.com/project/hood-57/

Straight to the Chase

Tom Cunliffe’s sixth edition of the Complete Day Skipper is now out in which he reflects that “When I was teaching sailing, my favourite course was Day Skipper... because it cut straight to the chase and delivered the basics of the job - .. from which students could move forward at their own pace and in their own way... ”

www.tomcunliffe.com

Ultimate Goal?

The 10th edition of this epic cruise started on 11th January from Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia with 33 yachts setting off on a 26,000nm worldwide circumnavigation for a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity.  

Progress can be followed via the Fleet Tracker on the WCC website www.worldcruising.com 

1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Queen's Harbour Master Portsmouth that Five Navigation Lights sited on Piles in the Fareham Lake Area in the upper region of Portsmouth Harbour are to be removed. Work will commence in early February.

2. The lights to be removed are sited on the following Piles:-

Pile 31  – Port Hand Light
Pile 34a - Port Hand Light 
Pile 38  - Starboard Hand Light
Pile 39  - Starboard Hand Light
Pile 42  - Starboard Hand Light 

3. Once the Navigation Lights are removed a Navigation Warning (NAVWARN) will be issued by QHM Portsmouth to inform water users of their removal and to ensure awareness. The navigation warnings remaining extant until corrective chart action has been undertaken by the UKHO.

4. Therefore, mariners are requested to navigate with extra caution if navigating north of Bedenham Pier during the hours of darkness and reduce speed as necessary.

5. QHM Harbour Control will be kept informed of work in progress. They can be contacted on VHF Ch 11 or by telephoning 02392 723689 for the latest information. 

Latest Update

The Cruising Association’s latest position is that “for VAT purposes, the relevant day moves to the end of the transition period as the UK will remain in the customs union during this time”.   

Hence Brexit Day, for VAT purposes, now extends to the end of the period for trade negotiations which Boris promises to be completed by the end of this year.

More details at https://www.theca.org.uk/news/brexit_preparations_brittany

The Way to Go?

The USA-based Coast Survey chartmaker, formed in 1807 to produce regular updated nautical charts, has started a 5-year process to stop paper chart production by allowing users to create their own charts from the latest NOAA ENC (Electronic Navigation Chart) data.

Users can define the scale & size of custom nautical charts centred on any position of their choosing, then download, view & print the output.

https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/01/04/obtaining-noaa-paper-nautical-charts

Guidance for pleasure craft 

This handy leaflet describes regulations affecting owners and users of small pleasure boats concerning:

• voyage planning
  
• radar reflectors
  
• life saving signals
  
• assistance to other craft
  
• misuse of distress signals
  

Details can be found at:-

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/437161/74531_Solas_V_MCA098_100714_Ver1.pdf