Yachting Monthly – May 2018

SAFFIER SC 8M help remote islands’‘How sailors can

READY FOR THE

SEASON (^10) FOR YOUR YACHT ESSENTIALCHECKS
The creeks, coves and taverns FALMOUTHwaiting to be explored
MAY 2018
SOUTHERN BRITTANYCENTRECOCKPIT A beautiful base for continental cruisingAdventure in comfortCRUISERS
TESTED!
SAFFIER SC 8M
READY FOR THE SEASON
10
FALMOUTH
A NEW
SEASON

T

he Beast from the East plunged

the country into the depths of

an Arctic winter. Green shoots of

early daffodils naïvely preempting

the fi rst day of spring froze under

a foot of snow. Sailors, in eager

anticipation of the season, were

caught blue lipped and icy handed

attempting to ready their boats.

It was in this state that I found myself shortly

before the storm arrived, kneeling on a pontoon

in chilly February, scrubbing a sail cover to remove

the detritus of winter. Somehow, it wasn’t a hardship

though. I was free of the offi ce, under an expanse

of sky and surrounded by the metallic percussion

of halyards in a stiff breeze. I enjoyed it.

Then it got really cold. Yachts waiting on the hard

stood over harbours that gradually froze over. Sheet

ice covered the creeks of Maldon and Bembridge

• for the fi rst time in living memory – and when
  I took a bracing walk along the sea wall, there were
  chunks of frozen sea foam in Chichester Harbour.
  In north Wales, hurricane-strength winds
  combined with high spring tides to wreak havoc in
  Holyhead Marina. While it was fortunate that no
  one was seriously injured in the horrifi c conditions,
  yachts are now sitting on the bottom of a harbour
  that is now covered in polystyrene pollution, and the
  loss adjusters are totting up the damage. Questions
  will undoubtedly be asked about how this could
  happen and hopefully, bereft boat owners will be
  afl oat again soon. It was truly a nasty barb in the
  tail of the Siberian monster.
  Now, however, like waking beehives, boatyards
  are beginning to buzz with activity. The daffodils
  are in bloom and the air has lost its sharp edge.
  Spring is reasserting itself, fi nally victorious.

Yachting Monthly Editor

Follow @Yachtingmonthly Like Yachting Monthly

Follow YACHTING MONTHLY online

YACHTING 24/

EXCLUSIVE

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

SEE PAGE 56

SAVE

MONEY ON

VIEW FROM THE HELM