Cover Story: Croatia charter

Chartering: Grenada and the Grenadines

Profiles: Flotilla holidays

Destinations: The great islands of the Mediterranean - Sardinia

Med Red Rally: Meet the Neighbours

Cruising: The Red Sea

Letter from a yacht deliverer

Property: December 2005

Products: December 2005

News: December 2005

The locals call it the ‘war’. From late March to April, the dry season gives way to the wet, and the prevailing winds change from north-easterly to south-westerly. During this period the winds fight each other, often causing sudden changes between the two, until the south-east monsoon finally becomes established in late April to May.
(more…)

Cover Story Malaysian Take Away
Corinne Julius reports from the Indian Ocean.

Corsica The Great islands of the Mediterranean
The first of three articles about the Med’s largest islands.

Profile The swordfisherman of Scylla and Charybdis
With a bow sprit longer than a hull, we profile the swordfishing boats of the Straights of Messina.

Profile Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson
A well-known company that celebrates a centenary, but with history that goes back 250 years.

Property Go West

Malaysian Cruising A Base in the East

Compiling a pilot book Working Afloat
Compiling a cruising guide in communist Yugoslavia.

Property Beds, berths and balconies
New developments in Malaysia, France and the South Coast.

Profile Czech Yacht Club
A club that has survived Emperors and Commissars.

Sue Grant, head of sales at Berthon, offers a view from the sharp end

It was blowing 40 knots, and the forecast was dire; but the owner was adamant that a sea trial was no problem, so I clambered aboard, trying to look positive. Two-and-a-half hours later we docked – genoa irretrievably ripped, four stanchions sheered, guardwires broken, and impact damage port and starboard. Amazingly the purchasers were very happy, and agreed to survey what remained. The owner, however, left white-faced and shaking, telling me he was “off” yachting. I couldn’t resist replying: “Really? I thought it all went rather well.”
(more…)

High speeds, impressive manoeuvres and two very happy winners are guaranteed by the 2005 Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, which is being sponsored by Avon Inflatables for the fourth successive year. Each of the two categories – 8-12 year old and 13-16 year old – is competing for the prize of an Avon Adventure 4.5m RIB, complete with a 40-hp Honda 4-stroke engine. Anything to encourage skilled handling of such powerful craft by young people must be applauded.
(more…)

Amphibious boats always seem to have a place in our imaginations, and this new RIB has already broken Richard Branson’s cross channel record for amphibious vehicles.
(more…)

A boat’s lighting system can often consume far more power than is generally realised. In a search for economy halogen lighting was introduced to replace tungsten, but now LEDs seem the way forward. They not only consume a fraction of the power of halogen lights, but can last up to 160,000 hours. Calibra is now offering compact units, con- taining 3 LEDs, which they say is the equiva- lent of a 30 watt light, but consumes less than half an amp. They are also available in red, which is ideal for night-time illumina- tion. Because they run virtually cold, they can be installed in even the tightest areas. Calibra also has under development LED navigation lights, as well as LEDs to be used as an alternative to halogen bulbs. Calibra Marine International can be contacted on 0870 2400 358
www.calibramarine.com

Dufour, based near La Rochelle in western France, has sailed pretty close to the rocks over the past few years, but they finally seem to have returned to clear waters with a range that represents their original values: good value yachts for the middle market. The Performance range is represented by the 34, 40 and 44 models, while the Grand Large cruising range will be completed by the launch at Southampton of two new models, the 325 and 455, both designed by Umberto Felci.
(more…)

It’s good to see a British company making a long-term investment in British boatbuilding. The old-established Northshore company of Itchenor has recently opened new factory premises which, along with its moulding shop in nearby Havant, brings the total employment at the two sites to over 100 people. Their confidence in the future is demonstrated by their workbased apprenticeship scheme, which enables young people to learn the traditional skills of boat building, bringing back a tradition that used to be common in Chichester Harbour.
(more…)

On Raymarine’s stand at Southampton will be the first public showing of its new satellite television antenna. This extends the company’s reach into the leisure boating market by providing access to hundreds of digital entertainment channels, with uninterrupted access to subscription and satellite channels while at sea. The 45STV is fully automated, and housed in a compact dome that can quickly locate signals from all DVB-compatible service providers. The pictures can not only be seen on standard on-board TV screens, but also on any of Raymarine’s E-series displays.
(more…)