Armenian Trip

Posts Tagged ‘boat’

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.

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.

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.