The Border Force vessels patrolling the Channel and the coastlines of the United Kingdom are part of every sailor’s reality in the post-Brexit environment with great emphasis on protecting our borders from illegal migrants and illegal imports from the EU. Our experience over one May weekend taught us a few lessons.
We had arranged a yacht for the weekend specifically to build miles in preparation for my Yachtmaster Offshore practical and for two friends preparing to take their RYA Day Skipper practical.
On the Thursday night we were informed the vessel was out of action. We had a late conference call and decided to charter a yacht: this pushed the price up and one of our crew dropped out, unable to justify several hundred pounds for a weekend’s sailing. The weather forecast was grim and we suspected we may be confined to the Solent, despite having made passage plans to Weymouth or Poole from Northney.
The next day, I negotiated the bareboat charter of Vantage of Lymington from Four Seasons Yacht Charter at a very reasonable price. Vantage is a Jeanneau 43 so our crew of five were rejoicing at the extra space – it would have been much cheaper if we had been able to recruit another five crew. We were effectively short-handed but there were no novices aboard so we went for it.
Vantage is based at Haslar Marina, which is known to me and two of the crew. Passage plans were revised giving us several options depending on how the weather panned out and how the crew felt beyond the Needles. On Friday night we did checks and a safety briefing on this unfamiliar vessel.
Denne historien er fra September 2021-utgaven av Yachting Monthly.
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Denne historien er fra September 2021-utgaven av Yachting Monthly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
I WAS THE ONLY SAILOR ON OUR FAMILY CHARTER AND IT HAD TO GO WELL
Crystal waters, cliff tombs and sunken outboards lain Willis wanted to ensure plain sailing for his family’s first charter around Turkey's Lycian Coast
HOW IT WORKS SEAWATER PUMP
The water and oil seals on a water pump shaft will eventually wear with time, leading to pump-shaft corrosion or loss of engine oil.
THOUSANDS OF MILES ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN
Floris and Ivar battled severe weather and cross swell to sail from Australia to South Africa, but there were beautiful islands on the way
The secret of yachts with enduring appeal
Fashions come and go, but J-Boats remain a safe choice for great sailing boats, whether you want to own it for ever or sell it
Tragic sinking of Bayesian; Italian prosecutors investigate
The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht in reportedly only 16 minutes and the tragic loss of seven lives has sent a shudder through the sailing community and beyond.
THE ADVENT OF MARINE AI TECHNOLOGY
Fonathon Savill reports on the revolutionary impact artificial intelligence is about to have on all areas of life at sea
IMPROVING SINGLE-LINE REEFING
Martin Watts explains how to reduce the friction on the reefing lines of newer yachts
The secrets of skippering a successful cruise
Setting off on a cruise is easy, but planning a route that keeps your options open and ensures the enjoyment of all on board is more of an art
CRUISING THE KINGDOM OF THE ISLES
Joanna Martin and her husband Mark sail across the Irish Sea to the legendary sea kingdom and to draw the wonderful wildlife there
MOODY DS48
Can a boat built for long-term, long-distance cruising and offering one-level living still deliver an enjoyable sailing experience? Theo Stocker sets sail across the English Channel to find out
