Being poked in the cheek and asked ‘Is this annoying? Is this annoying? Is this annoying?’ by my bored 11-year-old daughter Isla was indeed annoying. But what made it even more irritating was the fact that, as she did so, I was watching Sobek – our Colvic 34 which happened to be sitting on a buoy in the midst of Storm Betty – edge ever closer to the geo-fence pictured on the screen inches from my aghast face.
Having dealt with one issue by informing Isla at considerable volume that, yes, it was rather annoying, I then used all of my vast (10 months’) sailing experience to deal with the other. By now the wind was gusting Force 9, and according to the screen we were shortly to end up on a nearby reef here in the Scillies, whereupon Sobek would begin to vigorously disassemble herself. So I did what I normally do in situations of sailing-related peril – I texted Justin, Sobek’s previous owner who was nearby in his own vessel, Thistledown. A man of vast experience and glacial calm, he informed me in clipped tones that the wind had simply veered a tad, I’d set the geo-fence too close to the mooring, and the same thing had just happened to him.
‘Reset it, nothing to worry about, and enjoy the evening,’ was his curt response. He didn’t sound resigned exactly, but if either of us had known how to put a ‘sigh’ emoji on the message (we’re both of a certain age, and indeed a grammatically correct inclination) then we would have done so. Fair enough, I’d been harassing him ever since I’d bought the boat, to the point that he was now accompanying me on this – the Generation Sea Change project – just to keep a close eye on proceedings.
Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av Yachting Monthly UK.
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
Denne historien er fra July 2024-utgaven av Yachting Monthly UK.
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
