Armenian Trip

Archive for the ‘Sailing’ Category

Most developments in marine hardware design and manufacture are driven by the needs of racing yachts, so the optimum performance hardware design for winches, for example, is one which will never compromise the strength of the winches to save weight. Advanced materials and traditional materials are all used, bronze winches, and aluminium winches. Chromed bronze or stainless steel winches will outlast aluminium, but for most sailors, with cleaning and greasing, the aluminium winches will last a lifetime.

Sailboat blocks, sail hardware and rigging hardware

Sailboat hardware like sailboat blocks, sail hardware and rigging hardware are also manufactured for strength-to-weight ratio, using materials technology to replace virtually all metal components with high-tech polymers, the goal being to reduce friction, increase ratchet holding power and ratchet engagement versatility. The partnership with the sailing rope seeks to minimise rope wear. Ball bearing blocks, for example, meet the high performance demands of running sheet applications. Acetal ball bearings ensure minimum friction.

Fitting Marine deck hardware

PREPARING A CORED DECK for new deck hardware

As good as marine sealants are, sealants alone will not keep water out of a deck or hull. Anytime a hole is drilled in the deck, seal the exposed core with epoxy before mounting any deck hardware. If you are rebedding boat fittings for the first time, be certain that the core has been sealed.

The most secure way of filling a cavity with epoxy is a two step process. First treat the cavity with unthickened epoxy. Then thicken the epoxy to fill each cavity level with the deck and allow the epoxy to cure fully. Redrill mounting holes through the cured epoxy. Sand and clean the area that will be under the fitting. Now you are ready to bed the new deck hardware.

Owners of superyachts know the problem: at night you’re sitting comfortably on the flybridge, when an even bigger boat arrives to moor on your left – and something of the good taste of the champagne is lost. On the southwest coast of Mallorca, this scenario might soon occur more often. Within a few weeks, Mallorca’s new superyacht harbour Port Adriano will be officially opened – the island’s only one with space for more than 80 sailing and motoryachts over 25 metres in length behind its 15-metre quay wall. They are lying so conveniently here – like Playboy Bunnies at the pool of Hugh Hefner.

The prefix ‘super’ of Port Adriano is not only a synonym for the pearl-white shimmering million-euro-fleet. The conversion of the hitherto rather inconspicuous small marina is also the work of a true high-flyer on the international design scene. French star architect Philippe Starck has designed the futuristic port project. Its core is a 4,000-square-foot commercial area, running parallel to the docks. It will house an underground car park and more than 40 fashion boutiques, chill-out bars, shops and restaurants. Ocibar, a company specialising in construction and management of marinas in the Balearics, has invested almost 90 million euros in the transformation of “maritime Cinderella” Port Adriano into a glamorous hotspot for the Mediterranean superyacht scene. The company received financial backing from the four largest banks in Spain: Grupo Santander, BBVA, Banca March and Banca Popular.

So far, so good. I, as a staunch non-millionaire and proud owner of a 26-year-old surfboard, ask myself two questions – under the circumstances of a persistent economic slump. Do the investors in this superyacht harbour project actually overlook the business section of daily newspapers, or are they simply mad? No, they are not. The numbers prove them to be right. Last year in June, already half of the superyacht berths for the bargain price of an average 2.2 million euros were sold, according to Isabel Teruel – the smart, charming, and very striking 38-year-old business leader of Port Adriano.

If you are a person that loves adventure, sunshine and the endless waves of the sea, then you may want to continue reading this article for useful tips on purchasing sailing supplies. This may be an expensive and luxurious hobby, which could put certain people off at first, but if you have ever sailed in your life then you fully understand the wonder and joy you experience and will realize the value of those expensive supplies you may need. Sailing can be one of the most surreal, peaceful and soul freeing journeys a person could ever take, and investing in the proper equipment to ensure your safety during sailing is a definite must.

First of all, you want to make sure you are dressed appropriately and are completely prepared for any weather changes that may occur. You will of course judge what you are going to wear initially by the weather in your sailing location, but remember to bring warmer/cooler options depending on where you are. You will want to invest in a pair of non scuffing tennis shoes or sandals that are comfortable and slip resistant, and a pair of sailing gloves which will be light weight and fingerless. Beyond the typical clothing including shorts, light weight pants, sweat shirts and cooler summer tops you will also want a set of water proof pants and a jacket. This is always good to bring with you, even on the warmest days, because you never know what they weather will do and it is always best to be prepared! Also, do not forget to bring the obvious items such as sunglasses, hats, swim suits and beach towels!

The idea of sailing the Caribbean conjures up a thousand images of spending long, leisurely days in a tropical paradise, soaking up the sun, exploring coral reefs and caves, swimming with dolphins and visiting the many islands with their white sandy beaches. For some the thought of Caribbean sailing insights dreams of dining on delicious fruits, coconuts and seafood dishes or enjoying exotic cocktails, dancing into the night under glorious sunsets, or sleeping under the stars.

Well… it’s all true! When you sail the Caribbean you sail in style, no matter how you go about it.

It is wise to plan your first trip with a good yacht charter company who are well organized and experienced in Caribbean sailing. They provide a personal service, helping you to work out your itinerary and make the most of your stay. You may want to deal directly with boat owners, and there are many to choose from, or stay on land for some of the time, whatever your preferences there is something for everyone.

If you want to sail the Caribbean on a non-crewed charter there are options available for various levels of sailing experience. You may only need to have a hired skipper for some of the time or you can hire a fully crewed charter with skipper and chef who will look after everything and leave you to enjoy the time of your lives. Sourcing food and provisions may be difficult in the more remote areas so it is advantageous to use the services provided by your charter company.

Setting the sails

The starting point of any day’s sail is the proper rigging and setting-up of the mainsail and jib on to the spars. Care taken at this stage will prevent snags arising later, such as battens flying out when the sail is flapping.

The first consideration is the weather, especially when you are short-handed. Light winds in the early morning may freshen during the day, requiring a change of headsail, so if short-handed it is advisable to choose the foresail best suited to the maximum wind speed forecast for the day.

The tack of the jib is fastened to the bow fitting with either a pin, a hook or, for good visibility below the sail, a short tack pennant (length of wire). The tuff of the foresail is either hooked to the forestay or fed into a forestay-mounted luff groove, which eliminates the turbulence created by hanks.

Once the sails are bent on, the sheets and halyards attached and the boat facing into the wind, the mainsail is hoisted first. If, however, the tide is flowing against the wind use the jib to get under way.

Having hoisted the sails, check the tension. Some cruising boats never seem to have the jib adequately tensioned. If it is slack, horizontal creases will run off the tuff and a scallop will form between each hank so that the boat sails badly to windward. Wind on enough halyard to eliminate this. Don’t worry, so long as everything is in good order, nothing will break! It is always easier to pay out an over-tensioned halyard than to tighten one; the harder the wind, the tighter the halyard should be. If the wind drops, ease off the halyard until the crease just disappears; if it increases tighten the halyard progressively. The tuff on the mainsail works in the same manner.

The name derives from the number of islands – 12, and it would translate to “The 12 Islands”, referring to their number as the Dodecanese are exactly 12 large ones and an additional 150 smaller ones, all of them located in the southwestern coast of Turkey. Out of the whole archipelago, only 26 islands are inhabited.

The ones that are inhabited, like the island of Rhodes, count among the oldest places on Earth to have cities on them, which is why the islands and the homonymous town are considered sought after yacht charter destinations. Also in this category fall cities like Astipalea, Halki, Kalymnos, Kassos, Karpathos, Kos, Leros, Lipsi, Nisyros, Patmos, Symi and Tilos.

From a sailing point of view, it’s interesting to mention that the whole archipelago of the Dodecanese is made up of a rocky relief which is very intricate, with a lot of islets, underwater rock formations, coves and crevices which can become hazards for skippers and which make the Dodecanese a somewhat challenging destination for beginner sailors.

Due to their eastern position, the climate of the islands is considered to be ranging towards dry tropical, but it has the same mild and wet winters and the hot and dry summers like the Mediterranean climate does. What that means for yacht charter groups is that there are extended periods of time with lots of sunshine and no rain or significant winds, so perfectly suited for those who arrive here in a boat.

When you get on the islands you’ll notice vegetation which consists mainlt of pine, cypress, olive and cedar, but with a lot with aromatic plants like oregano, thyme and lavender. This type of vegetation and the geographic positioning of the islands mean that the Dodecanese are a bird watcher’s paradise with hundreds of migratory species.