Longobarda

Barbados, Antigua, Azores, Portugal - April to June 2010

A Project Management and Skippering appointment.

I joined 'Longobarda' in Port St Charles in Barbados in April 2010. She was too large to be in the marina itself but was berthed on one of three berths for superyachts on the approach to the marina.

 Longobarda is longer than the channel is wide and she draws 4.2metres.

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Ocean Lady Sweden

   Outremer 55ft Catamaran  

I joined the owner and some of his family in Palma Nova on Mallorca on their luxury Outremer 55ft Catamaran and we spent a week cruising the Balearics and to Faro and Villamoura on the Algarve while the owner decided whether I was worthy of looking after his new baby.

I must have passed the test because they left the boat in Villamoura and my crew joined for the delivery to Kiel. As we entered the Atlantic we were met by a strong northerly gale with confused sea. We had to sail almost 600nm out in the Atlantic before we had a change of direction, turned north and eventually sailed 600 miles back east to UK. By then the owner decided that he would prefer to winter her in UK where he could have work done cheaper than in Sweden over the winter and in more benign conditions, so she stayed in Lowestoft where there is now a thriving marine industry fed by offshore wind and gas industries.

 'Chantana'

   Oyster 56 - Cutter  

Classic Swan 42 - 'Antares'

Delivered Azores to UK June 2010

This is probably the best yacht I have sailed.

The owner sailed her from east coast of USA to the Azores and we took her from there to Shotley Point marina where he took over and sailed her to the Baltic.

She was good downwind and beating. We had about a week of gales, sometimes straight down wind and we sailed a lot of the way with just a genoa, often reefed.

She was a pleasure to sail and a tribute to her designer. A lot of the woodwork was removable, especially around the engine so if you needed access to any side of the engine, it was available.

The galley was a narrow passage between the main saloon and the master cabin aft and therefore excellent for cooking in rough weather.

Whenever the weather was rough, she felt safe. There were no sharp edges and there seemed to be a grab rail to hand wherever you were.

Longobarda

   Classic Farr 80 - Maxi   

A Project Management and Skippering appointment.

There is insufficient space to be able to motor off the berth before turning to starboard to join the channel to sea. concrete pier.

To leave the berth, it was necessary to motor forward into the wind until the keel (the pivot point) had just cleared the pier, use the engine to stop the boat and at the same time turn the bow through the wind until it fell on the port side and wait patiently while the boat rotated about the keel but not so long that she was blown back onto the concrete pier. A potential skippper's nightmare.

The crew of 4 spent almost a month, servicing all the equipment on the boat and I oversaw the various contractors who came to overcome problems with the electronics and other gear. I also located somebody to repair damage to the carbon fibre structure in the transom. This work was undertaken from the dinghy to a very high standard. This was nnecessary as there was no practical way to lift her ashore on the island and the work needed to be done before she could put to sea.

Because we intended sailing to Portugal with total crew of 4 we 'slowed' the boat by tying in two reefs and enabling the third reef.

We sailed to Antigua as a 'shakedown' and whilst there we had the liferafts serviced before sailing to Horta on the Azorean island of Faial and then on to Portimao in the Portuguese Algarve.

Now in summer 2011, I am overseeing a partial refit in Portimao, negotiating with contractors, agreeing the details of the work to be done, finding quotations for the owners agreement and flying to Portimao when necessary to oversee the work and accept it or otherwise on the owner's behalf.

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Ocean Lady Sweden

Mallorca to UK - July to August 2010

In July 2010, I joined the owner and family of an Oyster 56 in Denia for 10/11 days of cruising in the Balaeric Islands. My presence allowed the Owner to extend his cruising range while I help sail the boat and suggested alternative methods of handling various tasks on board.

We were able to discuss the onboard equipment in depth and perhaps found methods and practices that will make the boat easier to handle.

This trip was also intended to be a mutual 'get to know each other' in preparation for a longer ocean voyage in the future.

Watch this space!!

'Chantana'

Cruising the Balaerics June 2010

Classic Swan 42 - 'Antares'

Delivered Azores to UK June 2010