News – YBW

NEW Marine Safety Gear for 2022

Fox Morgan — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 09:31:54 +0000

New sailing and boating gear for 2022 - we take a look at some of the latest upcoming marine safety gear launched during the METS trade show.

New marine safety devices, electronics and wearable safety gear

At this years METS trade show we picked out some of the best new marine safety gear to show you, available in 2022.

ACR Personal locator beacon (PLB) RLS (rescue link service)

This DAME award winning RLS Beacon is the first to have a digital text readout, giving a clear message on the display, letting you know that your signal has been received by the Mission Control Centre and ultimately informing you that your distress status and position has been passed to a Maritime rescue co-ordination centre or Coast Guard.

We’re looking forward to getting our hands on this unit for a proper look in the Spring.

RRP £459

Buy ACR RLS PLB from Global Telesat via Amazon.co.uk – programmed for UK

Buy ACR RLS PLB at Force4.co.uk

for more information about this PLB, go to www.acratex.com

For a buyers guide and information about personal locator beacons read more at YBW.com

McMurdo Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) RLS (rescue link service)

The FastLink was the first 406 MHZ PLB to include the Galileo powered Return Link Service (RLS) technology, a re-assurance signal that pings back to the beacon user in the form of a blue light. The RLS is a visible and audible confirmation that your call for help has been heard and location is known.

As a result of this alarm, it gives you reassurance of knowing that your signal has been received and your location known can make a huge difference in survival prospects if you find yourself in a catastrophic situation. We will be looking at this beacon and other PLB’s this coming Spring as part of our marine safety gear test.

RRP £423

Buy Mcmurdo FastFind returnlink PLB at Force4.co.uk

Buy McMurdo FastFind returnlink PLB from Global Telesat via Amazon.co.uk

for more information about this PLB, go to www.seasofsolutions.com

For a buyers guide and information about personal locator beacons read more at YBW.com

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Sea-Tags Pro

This new device acts as a central monitoring system for the existing Sea-Tags wristband. As it listens to all of the Sea-Tags on board it will trigger an alarm in case of a MOB. As Sea-tags Pro is NMEA 2000 integrated it can display the MOB on your chart plotter screen too. You can combine it with additional Bluetooth antennas and a new external active GNSS antenna. Additionally, you can find the wristbands, sold separately at the sea-tags website.

This new central monitoring system could be very handy if you have a bunch of people onboard who are hard to keep track of… especially young people have a habit of popping overboard for a swim when you least expect it.

Price TBC – launching Spring 2022

For more information about Sea Tags, go to www.sea-tags.com/

You can buy seatags bracelets at Sea-tags.com

Spinlock ALTO 75N waist belt floatation device

This waist worn style of inflatable buoyancy is a popular choice for those fair weather tender rides to the pub. Spinlock say they designed this for a wide array of small watercraft leisure use. Because it is lightweight, compact, and manually operated the Alto won’t hamper your paddling fun or be too obtrusive as you wander about shoreside. It’s reassuring to have if you do unexpectedly go for a swim and it turns out you need a bit of extra buoyancy. Upon manual activation, an inflatable tube is released from the waist pack in the form of that ubiquitous horse shoe shape. Certified 50N Buoyancy Aid. We hope to test out this product in our paddleboard test this coming Spring.

Price £55

Buy Spinlock Alto from wetsuitoutlet via Amazon.co.uk

www.spinlock.co.uk

Plastimo SLR lifejacket

The SLR dual chamber harness lifejacket is a new launch this Autumn from our French friends at Plastimo. It has dual chamber technology and 196N buoyancy to improve rollover speed and freeboard.

The lifejacket closure is a seat buckle style with safety release catches to avoid it being accidentally unclipped. Ultra-flexible when worn, this jacket should conform to the wearers body shape, making it form-fit winter foulies to summer skinnies.

It has neoprene at the back of the collar to avoid neck chafe and a host of other smaller ergonomic considerations for the wearer.

€199 (available spring 2022)

www.plastimo.com

NavAlert NMEA 2000 system

This universal monitoring and alert solution for boat systems is capable of monitoring any parameter on an NMEA 2000 network. The systems you choose to be monitored can include navigation data: GPS position, speed, depth, wind, AIS or status of other boat systems such as pumps and switches.

NavAlert creates it’s own Wifi signal, so you can access it with your smart phone, tablet or PC. Because alarms can also generate an SMS message, (which can be relayed through Digital Yacht’s 4GXtream) you get additional peace of mind when away from your anchored boat, such as when you’re ashore exploring the local hostelries.

There’s also a dedicated MOB (man over board) feature where a simple switch can activate a synthetic AIS MOB SART message on the network allowing connected devices to activate their MOB features. Quite a nifty bit of marine safety gear we think, well worth a look.

Price £240/€300/US$360

You can read more at www.digitalyacht.co.uk

OSCAR Sentry, collision avoidance

This latest award winning flagship model from OSCAR is intended for larger Motorboats or superyachts and other boats such as lifeboats and coastguard vessels. Using a thermal imaging camera plus a daylight camera, the Sentry unit has Collision Avoidance Mode, which has it scanning the ocean surface for floating objects (ships, boats, floating obstacles) indicating type of object, speed and distance. There’s a Perimeter Surveillance Mode, which gives continuous 360° surveillance or custom sector surveillance and it also has Object Tracking Mode, where it tracks a target by 360°

The Sentry plugs into the NMEA2000 system too. Now this isn’t really intended for the leisure sailor (they do smaller OSCAR models for racing yachts and blue water cruisers) , but if you have deep pockets and can afford a superyacht then the price tag on this won’t be the cause of you needing to sit down and have a biscuit.

Price €39,999

Oscar-navigation.com

you can read more about marine safety via our yachting titles:

Pip Hare shows us what she packs in her grab bag – Yachting World

For the best tech for leisure sailors to avoid collisions at sea read more at Yachting Monthly

For a guide to PLBs read more at YBW.com

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Head to Amazon’s dedicated boating page for more marine products.

The post NEW Marine Safety Gear for 2022 appeared first on YBW.

Decathlon Cyber Monday deals 2021: Our pick of the best boating gear

Toby Heppell — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 13:47:25 +0000

We've gone through the Decathlon Cyber Monday deals to pick out the best bits of kit for sailors and boaters in their range

In the world of boating kit and clothing, Decathlon is still considered something of a new kid on the block, but the French giant has been creating sailing clothing, chandlery and boating equipment for many years now and their range is still expanding. Now, they’ve released their Decathlon Cyber Monday deals and there are some great bits of kit on offer at some really impressive prices.

Broadly Decathlon’s sailing range is branded under the ‘Tribord’ label (tribord being the French for Starboard).

Here, we’ve picked up what we consider to be some of the best Decathlon Cyber Monday deals for sailing kit in the Tribord range.

Best Decathlon Cyber Monday deals for sailors

Unisex race sailing boating trainers

These unisex race boat shoes have a bargain basement price, but they don’t skimp on quality.

Decathlon’s technical shoes are lightweight, with a mesh upper that benefits from a plasma coating that reduces water absorption by 40 per cent.

The sole is made of non-marking rubber, with deep drainage channels and an effective non-slip pattern.

These boating shoes are reduced by a massive 55% in the Decathlon Cyber Monday sale, making them a mere £19.99 / $30. Bargain.

Buy it now on Decathlon (UK) for £19.99 (was £44.99)

Buy it now on Decathlon (US) for $30 (was $49.99)

Read our guide to the best sailing shoes on the market

Shop for more Cyber Monday boating deals with our essential guide

Beginner Inflatable 11ft stand up paddleboard

This board has been specifically designed for half-day trips for beginners above 80 kg. The large length and width speak to that design brief, which should combine to make this paddleboard very stable underfoot, meaning you wont end up in the water if your balance is not perfect.

As an inflatable paddleboard this should be easy-to-handle and store. The increased size, while making it ideal for beginners – and should mean you could reasonably take a child with you as a passenger – but, as with any beginners board, it will make it a handful in serious waves.

This Cyber Monday deal includes the paddleboard itself, a leash, fin, and carry bag. A 28% discount brings this down from £349.99 RRP to £249.99.

Buy it now from Decathlon (UK) for £249.99 (was £349.99)

Read Yachting World’s guide to the best stand up paddleboards on the market now.

Women’s offshore 900 waterproof overtrousers

Sailing trousers typically come in two styles, the traditional chest high, salopette style or (increasingly popular, particularly for women and coastal cruisers) a high waisted overtrouser. These Decathlon offshore 900 trousers are in the latter category.

Many still view a salopette style as the best for serious sailors, but this is not the case and largely it is more about personal preference. These trousers’ offshore qualities are clear in their construction with three-layer breathable fabric, impressive waterproofing and reinforcement in the seat and knees.

The adjustable high waist will provide plenty of protection from the elements when combined with a decent offshore jacket. With an impressive 41% off (down to £69.99) in the Decathlon Cyber Monday sale, you’ll struggle to find another sailing trouser on the market that can beat these at the price.

Buy it now from Decathlon (UK) for £69.99 (was £119.99)

US shoppers can get an even bigger discount of almost 53%.

Buy it now on Decathlon (US) for $80 (was $169.99)

Read our guide to the best women’s sailing trousers

Men’s sailing robust Bermuda shorts

For those of us planning on sailing in warmer weather a pair of technical shorts is always a good addition to the sailing kit bag. These shorts were designed alongside a range of sailors with a focus on inshore sailing.

These sailing Bermuda shorts (now just £14.99 / $10 for Cyber Monday) provide great ease of movement thanks to the addition of elastane into the material and are very practical with their 6 pockets, including 2 secure zipped pockets. Perfect for keeping you comfortable onboard while allowing you to keep plenty of kit to hand.

Buy it now from Decathlon (UK) for £14.99 (was £22.99)

Buy it now on Decathlon (US) for $10 (was $24.99)

Men’s Clipper leather boat shoes

These Clipper leather boat shoes are a classically-styled choice from Decathlon. They feature the traditional 3-eyelet lacing, which offers good hold around the foot. They also feature non-marking rubber sole with good grip, so you wont end up with ugly marks on your deck or slip over when that deck is wet.

The Clipper shoes feature a thick sole for comfort and genuine leather uppers, which for the reduced price of £34.99 / $30 (36% off their RRP of £54.99 / $46.90) is very impressive indeed.

If you are planning on serious offshore sailing then these are probably not right for you, but for a cruising shoe that works onboard and cuts a dash ashore too, you can’t go far wrong with these.

Buy it now from Decathlon (UK) for £34.99 (was £54.99)

Buy it now on Decathlon (US) for $30 (was $46.90)

Men’s sailing jacket Offshore Race 900

Writing for Yachting World in his full roundup of the best sailing jackets in the market, Rupert Holmes says:

This is the firm’s top-specification offshore jacket, made from a three-layer fabric with four times the waterproofing rating of typical inshore products.

It also has a high collar, adjustable hood with rigid visor, double sleeve seals and two hand warmer pockets. In addition there are two cargo pockets and a further secure and drier pocket under the storm flap.

This jacket is featured in the UK Decathlon Cyber Monday sale with 33% off RRP, making it a snip at £119.99.

Buy it now from Decathlon (UK) for £119.99 (was £179.99)

Sailing bag 60l

This waterproof 60l sailing bag features a fully watertight base, allowing it to be stood in a puddle of water. With 33% off for UK shoppers this Cyber Monday, the bag is now only £39.99.

Its has a wide opening, which lets you access your belongings easily. A 60l bag is the ideal size for taking kit on the water for racing or for a weekend.

Although it is not the sort of bag size that would see you taking all your offshore kit for a transatlantic it is still plenty big enough to fill with a lot of kit. As such it’s very handy this kit bag comes with a shoulder strap, carry handles, and backpack straps making it extremely easy to transport.

Buy it now from Decathlon (UK) for £39.99 (was £59.99)

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Head to Amazon’s dedicated boating page for more marine products.

The post Decathlon Cyber Monday deals 2021: Our pick of the best boating gear appeared first on YBW.

Black Friday Garmin watch deals: Save up to 55% off smartwatches and fitness trackers

Chris Jefferies — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 14:35:47 +0000

There are some great Black Friday Garmin watch deals on offer at the moment, covering everything from the top-of-the-range Quatix 6 to the more affordable Instinct.

You can get £90 / $200 off the Garmin Quatix 6 boating smartwatch in the Black Friday sales

Garmin is one of the big tech brands that you can rely on to get involved in Black Friday, and this year we’re seeing some great Black Friday Garmin watch deals.

Ideal for boating and indeed all sorts of outdoor activities, the Garmin smartwatch range includes some of the Black Friday watch deals available right now.

We’ve scoured the web to pick out the best Black Friday Garmin watch deals for you to take advantage of. Happy shopping!

Update: All of the deals below have been checked and are still live on Cyber Monday.

Best Black Friday Garmin watch deals available right now

Garmin Quatix 6 deals

Arguably the ultimate boating smartwatch, the Garmin Quatix 6 was designed to integrate with your boat’s on-board systems, so you can see speed, depth, heading and even local tide times at a glance.

In his review for Motor Boat & Yachting, Nick Burnham enthused: “I started off wondering whether the Quatix 6 was the ultimate boating watch – it might just be the ultimate watch full stop.”

Right now you can pick up a Garmin Quatix 6 for just £539 via UK retailer Jura Watches, making a 14% saving off the RRP of £629.

Buy it now on Jura Watches

RRP: £629
Now: £539

Shoppers in the US can get an even better deal, with the Garmin Quatix 6 offered on Amazon for $799.99, making for a 20% discount on the RRP of $999.99.

Buy it now on Amazon

RRP: $999.99
Now: $799.99

Garmin Quatix 6X Solar deals

If you want to add solar charging capability, you can splash out on the Garmin Quatix 6X Solar, which is also on offer this Black Friday.

The best price we could find in the UK is with Jura Watches, where this premium timepiece is currently offered for £849, making a saving of 15% on the RRP of £999.

Buy it now on Jura Watches

RRP: £999
Now: £849

Meanwhile, US shoppers can bag an even better deal directly through Garmin.com, where the Quatix 6X Solar is offered for $899.99, shaving nearly 22% off the RRP of $1,149.99.

Buy it now on Garmin.com

RRP: $1,149.99
Now: $899.99

Read MBY’s Garmin Quatix 6 review

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Garmin Instinct Solar deals

A great option as an all-round active smartwatch, the Garmin Instinct received high praise from our reviewer Roger Hughes following his long-term test.

“The Garmin Instinct is a truly remarkable device that meets the needs of many different activities and sports, both indoors and outdoors,” he writes.

And this Black Friday, UK shoppers can get the solar-charging version of the Garmin Instinct for just £189 on Amazon, making a saving of more than 40%.

Buy it now on Amazon

RRP: £319
Now: £189

The best Garmin Instinct Solar price in the US can be had directly through Garmin.com, where this smartwatch is available for just $169, giving a saving of more than 43% against the RRP of $299.

Buy it now on Garmin.com

RRP: $299
Now: $169

Garmin Instinct deals

Alternatively, if you’re not bothered by the option of solar charging, UK shoppers can get the standard version of the Instinct from Amazon for £129.99, making for a saving of more than 55% off the RRP of £269.99.

Buy it now on Amazon

RRP: £269.99
Now: £119.99

The US deal is almost as good – 45% off the RRP of $299.99 for a discount price of $163.

Buy it now on Amazon

RRP: $299.99
Now: $163

Read our Garmin Instinct smartwatch review

Garmin Solar Sport Watch deals

There are also some great savings on Garmin sports watches at Millets Outdoor, where the Solar Sport Watch is reduced by 23% – saving around £80.

Buy the Garmin Solar sports tracker watch from Millets Outdoor

RRP: £350
Now: £269

Garmin MARQ Captain deals

Our top priced pick is the MARQ Captain, a premium sailing watch that comes packed with marine-relevant features, including the current weather and tides for your home port, a regatta timer which allows you to pinpoint starting times, tack assist to help keep you on the wind, and man overboard and GPS.

Writing in our round-up of the best sailing watches on the market right now, Phil Sampson adds: “The full extent of its capabilities is governed by the onboard technology to which it is connected, but possibilities include streaming boat data direct to your wrist wherever you are on the boat and controlling products from the Garmin-owned Fusion range of audio systems.”

Right now you can pick up the Garmin MARQ Captain with a 15% discount as part of Jura Watches’ Black Friday sale. Just click the link below and add the code MARQ15 at checkout.

Buy the Garmin MARQ Captain watch from Jura Watches

RRP: £1,699.99 / $1,850
Now: £1,444.99 / $1,572.50

Shop for more Cyber Monday boating deals with our essential guide.

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Head to Amazon’s dedicated Garmin homepage for more Black Friday deals.

The post Black Friday Garmin watch deals: Save up to 55% off smartwatches and fitness trackers appeared first on YBW.

Best West Marine Black Friday deals: Save up to 42% on top boating gear

Toby Heppell — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 15:52:42 +0000

West Marine Black Friday deals are now live and there's plenty of kit on sale for the boating world to get stuck into

The American chandlery giant has joined the many retailers offering deals in the final weeks of November. The West Marine Black Friday deals cover all sorts of different boating kit from safety and electronics through to clothing.

We’ve picked through all the deals on offer to bring you what we think are the best deals in the West Marine Black Friday sale.

These Black Friday deals from the chandlery are live now with the vast majority expiring on 1 December 2021, so you’ll need to be quick if you want to grab these Black Friday boating deals.

N.B. Delivery is to the US only.

Update: All of the deals below have been checked and are still live on Cyber Monday.

Best West Marine Black Friday deals

Voyager 10’10” Wood Blue Inflatable Stand-Up Paddleboard Package

This Voyager I-Sup is long and relatively wide, making it the perfect choice for the novice paddleboarder. In fact, it’s so big you could probably get a couple of people onboard at once.

As an inflatable paddleboard it’s just right for cruisers who will be able to deflate it and stow it away onboard when not using.

This Black Friday deal is for a full package, which comes with a paddle, pump, fin and back pack carry case so everything can fit into one easy to stow away package.

There’s a whopping 42% off in the West Marine Black Friday sale, so the whole thing comes in at $399, which is a bit of a bargain for a decent inflatable paddleboard with all the kit you need to get started.

Buy it now from West Marine (was $699.99, now $399.99)

Read Yachting World’s guide to buying the best paddleboards on the market

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

West Marine Offshore Automatic Inflatable Life Jacket with Harness

There are a number of West Marine’s own-brand lifejackets available in their Black Friday sale, but we think this automatic inflating lifejacket with integrated harness is the pick of the bunch, offered with 40% off the RRP.

This is a lifejacket targeting offshore sailors so offers 35lbs of positive buoyancy to keep you face up in rough water. The integrated sailing harness that includes stainless steel D-rings for attaching a safety tether is also something you will definitely want if you have plans to set off on any offshore passage.

But even with all the bells and whistles that this lifejacket has, it still looks to be low enough profile to be comfortable fit for weekend and coastal cruising.

Buy it now from West Marine (was $229.99, now $137.99)

Read our full guide to the best lifejackets on the market

West Marine RIB-310 Single Floor Rigid PVC Inflatable Boat

This fibreglass floored RIB measures in at 10ft 2in and is light enough to easily be lifted in and out of the water by two people.

The single-floor design weighs 30lbs less than a double-floor model so it should definitely be faster with the same power and easier to store on deck or on davits without compromising sailing.

This all adds up to make it a great tender. It is rated for engines up to a maximum of 15 hp and it currently available with a 23% Black Friday discount.

Buy it now from West Marine (was $2,099.99, now $1,599.99)

B&G Vulcan 9 FS Chartplotter with US C-MAP MAX-N Charts

B&G is well regarded as a manufacturer of some of the best navigation electrical kit in the marine market. This 9-inch multi-touch screen is packed with B&G’s unique sailing features including SailSteer and RacePanel and comes ready to integrate with all your onboard electronics via NMEA 2000.

From our experience using chartplotters in B&Gs Vulcan range the touchscreens work well in wet and dry conditions and, once you’re used to navigating the system, the functions are useful and intuitive.

B&G isn’t the cheapest brand on the market, but given the quality and functionality offered, the price tag represents good value for money, so an extra 10% off RRP is well worth having.

Buy it now from West Marine (was $999.99, now $899.99)

SPOT X Satellite Messenger with Bluetooth

The Spot X is neat two-way satellite messenger, with communication via SMS or email. The Spot X has a Qwerty keyboard, can be linked to Facebook and Twitter accounts, and has tracking and SOS functions.

It’s a very handy piece of kit for anyone planning on doing some proper offshore sailing and represents a relatively cheap way of remaining in contact with those ashore.

The 10% Black Friday discount might not be a huge amount of money off, but the Spot x messenger is a very good bit of kit that we rate highly, so getting it a little cheaper is definitely a positive.

Satellite coverage is via the Globalstar system.

Buy it now from West Marine (was $249.95, now $224.95)

Sperry Men’s Harbormaster Shoes

Sperry are a well-know sailing brand and have been making really good footwear for the marine environment for many years.

Available with a 37% Black Friday discount, these Harbourmaster shoes are quick to dry and grippy on wet or dry surfaces.

The soles have Sperry’s own patented Adaptive Wave-Siping technology, which features tiny, razor-cut wavy slits in combination with larger and deeper wavy grooves to disperse water away from the soles.

Leather and mesh uppers combined with mesh linings give the Harbormaster Shoes the ability to dry quickly so you won’t have to suffer through a day of soggy, clammy, heavy shoes.

In terms of comfort, full-length, compression-molded ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) insoles feature, which will mold to the shape of your feet over time to provide a cushioned fit.

Buy it now from West Marine (was $79.95, now $49.99)

Read our guide to the best boating shoes on the market

There are plenty more bargains to be had on the West Marine website, but remember – these deals must expire on December 1.

The post Best West Marine Black Friday deals: Save up to 42% on top boating gear appeared first on YBW.

Black Friday deals on waterproof marine binoculars: Our pick of the best discounts

Chris Jefferies — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 15:25:10 +0000

Why not pick up a new pair of marine binoculars this Black Friday? We round up the best deals on the top brands.

Photo: Volvo Ocean Race / Martin Keruzore

Whether you use them for navigation, sightseeing or bird spotting, a decent pair of waterproof marine binoculars can be a very useful tool to have on board, and there are plenty of options out there right now for picking up Black Friday boating deals on marine binoculars.

Amazon, West Marine and Currys are all getting in on the act with huge discounts to tempt you in this holiday season.

So without further ado, here’s our round-up of the best Black Friday deals on waterproof marine binoculars available right now.

Update: All of the deals below have been checked and are still live on Cyber Monday.

Best Black Friday deals on waterproof marine binoculars

Steiner Navigator Pro marine binoculars

A top-of-the-range option popular among discerning sailors, the Steiner Navigator Pro is favoured by Ben Meakins, expedition sailor Bruce Jacobs of Yachting World and our own Jayne Toyne (aka. Flashheart).

“The superb optics give a bright picture even in low light and the sports-auto focus system means everything from 10m to the horizon is perfectly in focus,” writes Jacobs.

“They’re very highly recommended,” adds Toyne. “I don’t like going to sea without them.”

You can grab these marine binoculars with Amazon for a Black Friday price of £354 / $405.88 (was £460 / $599). This makes a saving of 32% for US shoppers and 23% off for those in the UK.

Buy it now on Amazon

RRP: £460 / $599
Now: £354/ $405.88

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

West Marine Coastal 400C 7 x 50 Waterproof marine binoculars with compass

American retail giant West Marine has a huge range of Black Friday discounts, and its proprietary range of marine binoculars is a great example of this.

Available in sizes from 8 x 42 to 10 x 50, our pick of the bunch is the West Marine Coastal 400C 7 x 50 Waterproof marine binoculars, which come with a built-in compass.

Available as a Black Friday deal until Dec 1, US shoppers can save 40% when you buy these binoculars for $239.99 (was $399.99).

Buy it now on Westmarine.com

RRP: $399.99
Now: $239.99

Shop more West Marine Black Friday deals with our essential guide

Canon 18 x 50 IS AW waterproof binoculars

Although not marketed as marine binoculars, this pair from Canon is particularly attractive due to its image stabilisation feature.

Canon estimates that you can get 4 hours of stabilisation from two AA batteries, so if you’re planning a long passage, it’s worth taking some spares.

Right now, UK retailer Currys is offering these fogproof and waterproof binoculars for £1,279, making for a £100 saving on the previous price of £1,379.

Buy it now on Currys.co.uk

RRP: £1,379
Now: £1,279

Shop for more Cyber Monday boating deals with our essential guide.

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Head to Amazon’s dedicated boating page for more marine products.

The post Black Friday deals on waterproof marine binoculars: Our pick of the best discounts appeared first on YBW.

Best sailing tech for 2022: DAME award winners and special mentions

Fox Morgan — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 16:48:29 +0000

After METSTRADE returned to Amsterdam last week, we bring you the best sailing tech for 2022 from this year's show. First we'll take a look at the DAME award winners and some of the special mentions.

The DAME awards are an opportunity for the great and the good, alongside the small and emerging manufacturers, to showcase their latest offerings to the maritime world. There’s one overall winner, five category winners and lots of special mentions, all of which form a good list of the best sailing tech for 2022.

We take a look at these latest award winners and explain how this new tech can enhance and improve our boating or sailing enjoyment.

The overall DAME award winner of 2021

Volvo Penta Assisted Docking

Volvo Penta Assisted Docking – DAME award overall winner 2021

The 2021 overall winner of the DAME award is the Volvo Penta Assisted Docking. Whilst this might initially look like a purely motorboat focused device, it can be more and more relevant for the larger crop of twin ruddered plus 50 foot sailing yachts too.

The use of joystick control isn’t a new invention as it has been used for years on windfarm support vessels and on lots of the current production line of well known larger flybridge, sports and luxury cruisers.

But what is new with this latest offering from Volvo Penta is the smart computer control to auto compensate for the wind and tide using clever sensors and telemetry to auto adjust so that you really do dock with perfection every time, no sweat.

The good thing about docking confidently and accurately every time is the speed and efficiency it affords. If you’re poo-pooing the idea of assisted docking or joystick controls, come and join the discussion about what a game changer it can be on larger sailing yachts.

Best sailing tech 2022 winners

JOY self-tailing Cleat

JOY self tailing cleat – DAME Award Winner

Who would have thought we’d have an electro mechanical cleat? What a novel invention and quite possibly a very useful addition to heavier or larger vessels or for those who need a little assistance to sweat the boat alongside when the wind is blowing you off.

On luxury or larger yachts this can mean safer docking and less risk of crew injuries and on the smaller end of the market, this can be a game changer for those who want to continue sailing but lack pure brute strength required sometimes when holding a boat alongside.

Just step on the button to activate the winch and smile smugly as you moor with ease.

You can read more about this smart new cleat on the Bonominet website.

Garmin Surround camera System

Garmin Surround Camera System – DAME Award Winner

We have them on our cars, vans and motorhomes, so it seems quite reasonable to have this latest technology installed on our motorboats and sailing yachts.

Garmin has introduced the marine industry’ first fully integrated system of cameras to offer a bird’s-eye view for a full 360-degree observation.

The system utilises a six camera array for full situational awareness using augmented reality (graphic overlays) to offer the skipper or captain distance markers and a visual bumper which can be pre-set to assist with docking or to monitor external objects.

This could be useful on a crowded anchorage and certainly useful for squeezing into a tight marina or dock.

Read more about the Surround Camera System on the Garmin website.

Mastervolt MLI Ultra 1250 Lithium Battery

Mastervolt Lithium Battery – DAME Award Winner

I’m sure on many boaters minds this winter is the impending choice of boat battery. For those of us who have 6 or 7 year old batteries we probably don’t have lithium yet, but it will certainly be something to consider.

Weight savings up to 70%, high charge/discharge capacity, ability to charge in just one hour and a 3x extra lifespan compared to lead-acid batteries are all considerations to be borne in mind.

With the additional smart controls and ability to monitor your battery state from a standard mobile device, all of these positives might, just might, outweigh the initial high cost of investing in Lithium technology, making this battery a sure bet for many of us.

I wonder how many will be converting from AGM/Lead Acid to Lithium on that much dreaded/expensive consumable part of boat ownership?

Read more about this battery and the latest improvements Mastervolt have made to their already impressive lithium battery lineup.

Voyager TX series, Dometic Air Conditioning

Dometic marine air conditioning unit – DAME Award Winner

I’m not sure how many British boats have the need or desire for air conditioning onboard, but the moment you head South towards the Mediterranean or across to the Caribbean or US waters they become more of a necessity for anyone wanting to spend more than two weeks in 30 degree plus heat.

For those who want aircon but are worried about the constant drain on power or fuel, this award winner promises fuel savings without sacrificing performance, in part due to its titanium condenser coil and reduces starts to prolong the life of the unit.

For more information you can read about it on the Dometic website.

ACR ResQLink View RLS Personal Locator Beacon

ACR personal locator beacon with return link service – DAME Award Winner

Nothing says I love you quite like the gift of a PLB for birthday or Christmas.

Return Link Service (RLS) The big promise from the Galileo satellite array. Declared globally operational by Cospas Sarsat in March 2021, the Galileo Return Link Service is a unique feature of Galileo – Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System – it allows people in distress to receive an automatic acknowledgement that their signal has been received and their location is known. This is available to 18 European countries, including the United Kingdom. Whilst there are other beacons with the return link service that have the facility to flash a light to indicate the RLS has responded, the ACR is the first of its kind to offer a digital display with text informing the user of their current distress acknowledgement status.

The one thing that can keep a survivor going is the knowledge that help is on its way. This beacon will do just that, giving a clear message on the display which lets you know that your signal has been received by the Mission Control Centre and ultimately would mean that your distress status has been passed to a Maritime rescue co-ordination centre or Coast Guard.

ResQLink View PLB deals

Buy it now on Amazon

Buy it now on eBay

Read our round-up of the best PLBs and AIS beacons on YBW.com

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

The DAME award Special Mentions

Remigo Electric outboard

REMIGO Electric fully integrated outboard – DAME Special Mention

The Remigo fully integrated 1000w electric outboard motor is a first of its kind. Designed to be simple to use, mount and adapt to multiple small boats or tenders.

The mounting bracket moves on the body to allow up to 800mm of leg adjustment. Portable and stowable, it could easily slip into the lazarette or small cupboard.

They say that it can be charged with AC or DC, with a fast AC charge taking just 3 hours and a DC full charge taking around 12 hours.

In eco mode, travelling at 2 knots, you’ll get up to 30nm out of it. If you like to whizz about at 5 knots then you’ll get just under 5nm from one charge.

Weighing in at a little under 15kg or 33lbs it’s on a par with other small 2 or 3hp petrol outboards. These things are a compromise of performance objectives, they won’t suit all purposes.

For clean, quiet and fuss free shuttling between shore and boat, electric motors are hard to fault.

To read more about this, visit the Remigo website.

Read about PBOs test of the best electric outboards from June 2021

Raymarine Cyclone Radar

Raymarine Cyclone radar – DAME Special Mention

The new Raymarine Cyclone solid-state open-array radars bring additional functionality and colour coded target visibility to radar displays from fishing boats to luxury yachts.

A radar that can see birds can help fishers to identify where the fish are. The cyclone radar can accurately pick out objects, colour code them safe or warning and target track up to 50 at a time using doppler.

Entering and navigating a busy waterway will be that little bit more reassuring. They make this model in 3, 4 or 6 foot antenna options and have two high-power output options too.

Giving best-in-class-performance, this is surely worth a look if you’re in the market for a new radar.

You can read more about this latest advancement in radar tech on the Raymarine website.

Plastimo SLR life jacket

Plastimo SLR 196n lifejacket – DAME Special Mention

The SLR dual chamber harness lifejacket is a new launch this Autumn from our French friends at Plastimo. It has dual chamber technology and 196N buoyancy to improve rollover efficiency and freeboard.

It has neoprene at the back of the collar to avoid neck chafe and a host of other smaller ergonomic considerations for the wearer. I’ll be looking forward to testing this out in early 2022 to see how much of a difference the extra newtons of buoyancy make.

To read more about this life jacket, visit the Plastimo website.

When it is available to buy, it will be available from Aquafax as UK’s main distributor.

Icom IC-M94DE handheld VHF radio

Icom IC-M940 DSC AIS handheld VHF radio – DAME Special Mention

What’s better than a handheld radio with DSC? A handheld radio with DSC and AIS capability! How about adding Float’n Flash to that spec? Heck yes!

This is a cracker of a portable handheld VHF unit, with the added security of displaying the identity of the vessel you’re calling.

Those who navigate the magic roundabout TSS in the North Sea at night will attest, having the ability to call named shipping directly is an absolute boon.

Such a useful and some might say essential bit of kit for anyone using a smaller vessel in coastal waters. I can’t wait to get my hands on one for a full real world test.

Buy it now on Amazon

For more info, you can read about it on the Icom website.

Read MBY’s test of the Icom IC-M94DE.

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Black Friday magazine deals: More than 50% off your favourite boating titles

Chris Jefferies — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:00:16 +0000

There’s no better time to pick up a subscription to one of our top boating titles. Grab our Black Friday magazine deals before November 30 and save at least 50%.

The Black Friday shopping extravaganza seems to get bigger every year, and this year you can get even better Black Friday magazine deals with huge discounts on your favourite boating magazines.

From today until 09:59am on November 30, you can save more than 50% on subscriptions to Motor Boat & Yachting, Practical Boat Owner, Yachting Monthly and Yachting World.

With up to 64% off the cover price, this is our best discount of the year and covers both print and digital subscriptions in all locations.

Perfect as a Christmas gift for the boating enthusiast in your life (or just a treat for yourself), this is a present that will keep on delivering well into the New Year, with 6, 12 and 24-month options available.

To take advantage of this blockbuster offer, click on the relevant links below:

Subscribe to Motor Boat & Yachting on magazinesdirect.com

Subscribe to Practical Boat Owner on magazinesdirect.com

Subscribe to Yachting Monthly on magazinesdirect.com

Subscribe to Yachting World on magazinesdirect.com

Black Friday magazine deals T&Cs

Offer closes at 9.59am on Tuesday 30th November 2021. Offer is available to new print and digital subscribers only.

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Prime Day Helly Hansen deals: Our pick of the best boating gear bargains

Chris Jefferies — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 08:36:30 +0000

Amazon Prime Day is here and we have picked through hundreds of Prime Day Helly Hansen deals to bring you our edit of the best sailing gear that's available with big discounts

This Amazon Prime Day, Norwegian sailing apparel brand Helly Hansen has gone all-in with hundreds of items reduced by up to 69%, from waterproof sailing jackets and buoyancy aids to duffel bags and sailing shorts, so there are lots of Prime Day Helly Hansen deals deals to sift through.

But here at YBW we’ve done all the hard work for you, so you can refresh your sailing wardrobe and make some huge savings along the way. All prices quoted are dependant on size and availability.

Read on for our edit of the best Prime Day Helly Hansen deals to be had in the UK before midnight tonight.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

7 of the best Helly Hansen deals available on Prime Day 2021

The biggest savings to be had are on Helly Hansen’s sailing jackets, with 69% off the Helly Hansen Men’s Rigging Coat (RRP: £280, now £86.70). This best-selling classic design includes a 100% waterproof outer layer to keep you warm and dry even when the offshore conditions get rough.

If you’re looking for something that’s useful all year round, check out the Helly Hansen ‎HP Racing Midlayer (57% off, RRP: £160, now £68.91), which combines waterproof performance with breathability.

Summer sailing gear is always a useful addition to your wardrobe, so why not grab a Helly Hansen Crew Vest sailing gilet while you’re at it? (43% off, RRP: £100, now £57.01).

Help keep your crew safe in coastal waters with a new buoyancy aid – there are savings to be had on the Helly Hansen Sport II Buoyancy Aid range (30% off, RRP: £35, now £24.50).

Of course you’ll need a bag to carry all your spare kit in, and here you’re really spoilt for choice – choose from the Helly Hansen Loke backpack, (48% off, RRP: £65, now £33.56), ‎HH Scout Duffel XL (58% off, RRP: £100, now £42.28) or the HH Duffel Bag 2 50L (65% off, RRP: £80, now £28.01).

Article continues below…

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Best Helly Hansen Prime Day deals for women

Female sailors haven’t been forgotten either, with plenty of top-quality ladies’ apparel included in the Helly Hansen Prime Day sale.

You can get 68% off the Helly Hansen HP Fleece Jacket (RRP: £160, now £51.98), the Vanir Hybrid women’s sailing trousers are better than half price (56% off, RRP: £100, now £43.71), and the Helly Hansen Women’s Crew Hooded Midlayer can be had for as little as £59.38 (shaving 58% off the RRP of £140).

It’s not just Helly gear either, with plenty of other Prime Day boating deals to be had, including big savings on some top boat shoe brands. Remember, if you want to take advantage of these deals you’ll have to be an Amazon Prime member already or start a free trial of Amazon Prime (you can cancel at any point in the first 30 days).

There are plenty more Prime Day deals to be had over on the Helly Hansen section of Amazon.co.uk, but don’t hang around as these deals will expire tonight!

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Prime Day deals on boat shoes: Big savings on Sperry, Sebago and more

Chris Jefferies — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 11:21:26 +0000

Big savings on high-quality boat shoes are available this Amazon Prime Day from top brands like Sperry, Sebago and Helly Hansen. We pick out 6 of the best deals

If you ask us, you can never have too many pairs of boat shoes, and Amazon Prime Day is a perfect excuse to treat yourself to a brand new pair of deckies.

UK shoppers can bag huge savings on top brands like Sperry and Sebago, so you can be sure your new kecks will last much longer than these Prime Day boating deals, which must expire at midnight tomorrow.

N.B. All the prices quoted below are dependant on size and availability.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

6 of the best Prime Day deals on boat shoes

The best deal our experts could find was on the Sperry Top-Sider Men’s Boat Shoes, which are available for just £44.09, giving a 48% saving on the £85 RRP. These non-marking, rubber-soled boat shoes should offer excellent grip, even in wet conditions, due to their razor-cut wave siping.

Another classic moccasin design, the Sebago Spinnaker Men’s Boat Shoes are also included in Prime Day, with savings of up to 38% on the £129 RRP – now £80.50.

If you’re looking to add a splash of colour to your sailing wardrobe, then the Sebago Men’s Docksides Portland Suede Boat Shoes are a neat option (if not hugely practical at sea!) Available in military green, limoges blue, camel beige or a rather natty shade of red, these eye-catching boat shoes are offered for 29% off (RRP: £129, now £94.99) and are sure to turn heads in the yacht club bar.

Norwegian sailing apparel brand Helly Hansen is also getting in on the Prime Day deals – their Men’s Newport F-1 Deck Boating Shoes are 16% off (RRP: £120, now £100.65).

Article continues below…

Best US and UK Prime Day 2021 deals for sailors

Prime Day can be thought of as another Black Friday. It’s a 48-hour flash sale from Amazon, where, for two…

If you spend just as much time in the water as on it, check out these Mabove Water Shoes, which have garnered an encouraging majority of five-star reviews and are available in a wide variety of designs for just £18.39 (saving 20% off the RRP of £22.99).

Don’t forget your junior crewmates – these colourful Cressi kids water shoes are another tempting Prime Day boat shoes deal (save up to 20% on the RRP of £19.99).

To take advantage of these deals, you must either already be a Prime member or take out a free trial of Amazon Prime (you can cancel at any point in the first 30 days). Happy shopping!

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Arthur Beale: Iconic London chandler closes shop

Toby Heppell — Wed, 12 May 2021 11:14:32 +0000

The much-loved chandlers based in London for hundreds of years, Arthur Beale, are closing their doors after the impact of Covid-19 has made their London location no longer viable.

Photo: Andrew Davidson

After 150 years at their Shaftesbury Avenue, London location much-loved chandlers, Arthur Beale will be closing their doors at the end of June 2021.

The shop has been around for more than 400 years and is renowned throughout the marine community as well as becoming something of a quirky landmark in London.

In a statement by the Arthur Beale team, they said: ‘The impact of Covid-19 means the company can no longer warrant paying the rents that a Central London shop demands so we have no choice but to leave and move on to pastures new. The landlord is now in the process of selling our building.

‘We were left in a very precarious financial state as a result of Covid-19 and were unsure if we were going to survive at all. Luckily for us, we have found two enthusiastic investors to inject some much needed capital and management expertise into the business. Hugh Taylor & James Keef have taken over the business – Alasdair Flint will continue to be a shareholder and a Director of the Company.

We have leased a new warehouse in Buckinghamshire and we will continue selling all of our products online. In addition to this, our clothing range will be expanding over the coming weeks.’

For those living in or near London, the shop will be holding a closing down sale for the next six weeks, so why not pop in and grab a bargain.

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Black Friday boating deals: Our pick of the best discounts available right now

Chris Jefferies — Mon, 23 Nov 2020 08:26:21 +0000

Black Friday deals seem to arrive earlier every year and this year Amazon has jumped the gun with discounts on everything from sailing jackets to polarised sunglasses

Clockwise from top-left: Helly Hansen Men's Pier 2 Boating Trousers - 41% off; Zillerate polarised sailing sunglasses - 36% off; Helly Hansen Men's HP Racing Windproof - 32% off; Helly Hansen 90l Duffel Bag - 47% off.

They say the early bird catches the worm and that adage certainly seems to be the case with Black Friday boating deals.

Many marine retailers have started their Black Friday sales earlier this year, and Amazon is leading the charge with a huge range of discounts on Helly Hansen boating gear.

Whether you’re looking for Christmas gifts for the sailor in your life or just want to replace your sailing gear for less, this Norwegian range is a great place to start.

Get up to 47% off Helly Hansen boating gear on Amazon (UK)

Highlights in this Black Friday sale include the Helly Hansen Men’s HP Sailing Jacket – a massive 32% discount on the £130 RRP.

You can also save on luggage with 47% off the Helly Hansen 90l Duffel Bag for £50.36 (was £95.00).

If you’re not sure about the sizing, remember you can get free returns on anything that doesn’t fit when you take out a free trial of Amazon Prime.

There are dozens of deals available on all sorts of boating gear from crew shirts to merino wool baselayers and from swimming trunks to salopettes, so head on over to Amazon and grab these Black Friday deals while stocks last.

Get up to 47% off Helly Hansen boating gear on Amazon (UK)

Elsewhere on Amazon, there are discounts on all sorts of boating gadgets and gear, from 36% off these Zillerate polarised sailing sunglasses to a 20% discount on this GizmoVine remote control boat.

All discounts subject to change. If you click a link then we may receive a small amount of money from the retailer when you purchase the item. This doesn’t affect the amount you pay.

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Southampton Boat Show 2019: Discount tickets for YBW readers

YBW.com — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 11:49:09 +0000

The UK’s biggest boat show returns to Mayflower Park in September and YBW readers can get a pair of any-day tickets for £27 with our discount code

This year's show will feature over 600 stands from Ancasta to Zodiac

The highlight of the British boat show season, the Southampton Boat Show 2019 powered by Borrow A Boat runs from 13-22 September.

More than 330 boats and 600 marine brands will be on show in the Mayflower Park’s purpose-built marina, with Princess expected to give a world debut three new models.

On top of that, there will be UK premieres for the latest boats from Elling, Beneteau, Botnia, Prestige, Marex and Sunseeker.

New names at this year’s show will include Harbour Hounds canine lifejackets and Marlow’s Blue Ocean Dockline ropes, which are made from 100% recycled waste plastic bottles – a first for the marine industry.

Tickets for the 2019 Southampton Boat Show are priced at £22 for adults and £13.50 for concessions, but YBW readers can get two adult tickets for just £27 with the discount code YBW27. Just enter the code at checkout to get your discount.

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YJA 2018 Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards won by female sailors

Stef Bottinelli — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 15:08:10 +0000

Tracy Edwards and Nikki Henderson have both been named Yachtsman of the Year 2018, whilst 15-year-old Emily Mueller has received the Young Sailor of the Year award

For the first ever time in over 60 years the YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the Young Sailor Awards, voted by the Yachting Journalists’ Association members, was a tie, with Tracy Edwards and Nikki Henderson announced as joint winners.
Also for the first time all the recipients of the prestigious awards were female, with the Young Sailor of the Year trophy going to 15-year-old Emily Mueller. Emily was awarded for her entry and win in the Volvo Gill Optimist British National Championship.

Emily said upon receiving her award: “It is just such an honour. I never really expected to go this far in sailing; I just did it for fun at first, but now I love the competitive element. It was all such a surprise because I didn’t even know I was nominated. Thank you all so much!”

Nikki Henderson, made history when at 24 she was the youngest ever skipper to compete in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 2018. She finished in second place to Australian Wendy Tuck, thus securing an all-female one-two. She commented about the first all female YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the Young Sailor Awards wins: “It is a step in the right direction. I think it is important to recognise that the Clipper Race aspect isn’t just about the female skippers winning, but also the fact that almost half the crews are women. It is a really good example that the sport should not be all male; it should – and can be – a 50:50 mixed sport. I think that is what we really need to push for.”

Tracy Edwards, who is the recipient of the award for the second time, made history when she skippered the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989. The crew went on to win two of the Whitbread legs and came second in class overall aboard the yacht Maiden.

Edwards went on to receive an MBE and became the first woman in its 34 year history to be awarded the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy.

Tracy’s yacht Maiden has been since restored and last autumn sailed off for a three year project to promote girls’ education around the world and raise money to fund projects to empower young women.

A feature length documentary on Tracy Edwards, called Maiden, opens in cinemas nationwide this Friday (8 March) on International Women’s Day.

Edwards said of her win: “It’s very surreal. The first time I won the trophy I didn’t know what it was as I wasn’t really part of the racing or sailing world! It was amazing, and I thought at the time that it was very forward-thinking, very visionary, of the Yachting Journalists’ Association to award it, considering the flak they had given us getting to the start line. To win it again is extraordinary, because amazing women like Nikki and other fantastic female sailors are out there, but I think Maiden did play a part in that, so we’ve come full circle. I think that what Nikki, Wendy [Tuck] and Dee [Caffari], and other girls like Emily here, are doing – it is the future, and it is really important so that means a lot to me.”

The award ceremony took place in London on Wednesday 6 March and was hosted by MS Amlin Yacht, following a breakfast reception to celebrate four times YJA Yachtsman of the Year winner Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s 80th birthday.

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Sunseeker International founder Robert Braithwaite passes away at the age of 75

Stef Bottinelli — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 13:33:38 +0000

Sunseeker CEO Christian Marti has announced the passing of luxury yacht manufacturer founder Robert Braithwaite

Sunseeker International founder Robert Braithwaite has passed away today (7 March) at the age of 75.

Sunseeker CEO Christian Marti announced the news on the company’s website, writing: “Sadly, in the early hours of this morning, Sunseeker’s founder Robert Braithwaite passed away. Robert was an inspiration to everyone at Sunseeker and to the wider marine industry, recognised as a boating pioneer, a true visionary and someone who changed the face of boating forever.Robert was not only the company’s founder but the father of the ‘Sunseeker family’ here in Dorset, and worldwide through our dealers and clients. He will always live on as the driving force behind our success. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his immediate family.”

Born in Yorkshire in 1943, Braithwaite left school at 14 with no qualification but later decided to follow his dreams and learn all about boats, doing an engineering course and an apprenticeship in Belgium at marine engine suppliers OMC.

He later joined Friar’s Cliff Marine where he sold small boats made by American yard Owens Cruisers.

In the late 60s with John Macklin, he bought Friar’s Cliff Marine, renaming it Poole Powerboats after borrowing £5,000 to build their first boat, a 17 ft vessel. Poole Powerboats become Sunseeker in 1985.

Sunseeker went on to become one of the biggest and most prestigious luxury yacht manufacturer.

In 2007 Robert Braithwaite was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

The following year the Sunseeker founder made a cameo in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace as the captain of the Sovereign 17. The yacht was the first produced by Poole Powerboats in 1971.

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UK pleasure vessels allowed to use red diesel in Belgium this year, says the Cruising Association

Stef Bottinelli — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 11:52:48 +0000

The red diesel purchased prior to departure from UK to Belgium (and any EU marinas and ports) must pay the full 100% duty

The Cruising Association (CA) Regulations and Technical Services Group (RATS) has released a statement saying that Belgian authorities will continue with the agreement for UK pleasure vessels visiting Belgium. The vessels will still have to use British red diesel in the engine fuel tanks for propulsion, at least for 2019.

The CA press release states: “The conditions are the same as before, in that all diesel purchased prior to departure from the UK to Belgium, or other EU maritime States’ marinas and ports, must pay the full 100% duty (and not any lower duty rate) on all the fuel and that it is recorded on the signed invoice for the purchase. This invoice must be on board the vessel (such as with the boats log) in the unlikely event any inspecting Customs official should wish to see it as proof of the duty payment.”

The Belgian authorities have said that if there are any changes to the agreement, which was also in place last year, they will notify the Regulations and Technical Services Group in good time so that the Cruising Association can inform CA members and the sailing community.

This agreement will be in place throughout the 2019 sailing season, the CA says, but advise boaters that if they have any concerns to contact the staff of the first marina they are stopping at to confirm they will have no problem with their visit.

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Team Athena Racing is named as the first recipient of the Ian Atkins Keelboat Award

Stef Bottinelli — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 16:41:32 +0000

Team Athena is a British all girls Match Racing team and the inaugural recipient of the Ian Atkins Keelboat Award

Team Athena Racing has been named as the first recipients of the Ian Atkins Keelboat Award

The John Merricks Sailing Trust (JMST), the charity set up in memory of 1996 Olympic Silver medallist John Merricks made the announcement.

Team Athena is a British all girls Match Racing team, aged 19-22, currently 14th in the Women’s world rankings. The team has . four members: Octavia Owen (Skipper), Hebe Hemming (Main Trimmer), Emma Wrixon (Jib Trimmer), Vicky Cowan (Bow). Their schedule planned for 2019 includes:

Nations Cup – 9-14^th April 2019 (San Francisco)
EUROSAF Women’s Match Racing – 20-23^rd June 2019 (Italy)
EUROSAF Youth Match Racing 2019 – 3-6^th July (Italy)
Governor’s Cup – 15^th– 20^th July 2019 (San Francisco)
Women’s Match Racing Worlds – 5-10^th August 2019 (Lysekil, Sweden)
Harken Youth International Match Racing Championships – 20-24^th November

Their major goals are to move into the top 8 in the rankings and finish in the top 3 in both the WIM series and the Women’s Match Racing World Championships.

Ian Walker, JMST Trustee and RYA Racing Director commented, “The panel were delighted to receive so many strong applications. In the end our decision was unanimous and we are delighted to support Team Athena with their exciting match racing programme. Good luck to Octavia and her team and we look forward to following their successes in years ahead.”

Octavia Owen, collecting the award with team members, Hebe Hemming and Emma Wrixon at the RYA Dinghy Show, said, “It is an honour to be the first recipients of this prestigious award, especially from such inspirational sailors. The bursary will go a long way in helping us work towards achieving our dreams. We would like to thank everyone at the John Merricks Sailing Trust for this amazing opportunity, Jack Fenwick, RYA Keelboat Development Manager for all his support and especially all the members at West Kirby Sailing Club without whom we would not be where we are today.”

Keen keelboat sailor Ian Atkins ran several marine businesses for many years (including boats.com and YachtWorld). Upon his retirement after over 40 years in the industry, the owners of the businesses he worked for decided to sponsor the Ian Atkins Keelboat Award to recognise his career.

The award is open to any sailor or sailors, under 25 years old, who require funding to help them transition from dinghies to keelboats. The award will be a bursary of up to £5000 to be awarded to the sailor(s) who most impress the awards panel consisting of Ian Atkins and the JMST Trustees.

This is the first of five separate bursaries to be awarded annually for the next five years. Applications each year will be judged on the track record, commitment, future potential and financial need of the applicants, as well as the scope and ambition of the project or programme.

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Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories to open its doors this March

Stef Bottinelli — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:02:41 +0000

The Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories will open on 23 of March in Bowness-on-Windermere and it will have over 40 boats on display

Located on the site of the former Windermere Steamboat Museum, which was founded in 1977 by steam boat enthusiast George Pattinson, the new Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories will open its doors on 23 March following a £20 million development by Lakeland Arts.

Principally funded by the National Lottery, the Lake District museum will display an import collection of boats that reflect themes of technical, social and business development in one of England’s most picturesque settings.

Designed by UK-based architects, Carmody Groarke as part of a cluster of seven structures, Windermere Jetty is a modern building overlooking the lake. A series of new jetties on the lake allow visitors to sail on Osprey (1902), one of the museum’s fully-restored Edwardian steam launches and enables the regular lake cruise boats to dock and bring visitors to the museum.

Through its collection, the museum tells the story of 200-years of boats, boating and boat building in the Lake District, with a collection of over 40 vessels on display, ranging from Victorian steam launches to record-breaking speedboats from the 1980s. This includes SL Dolly, thought to be the oldest mechanically powered boat in the world, Beatrix Potter’s tarn boat which she used to sketch in, and the 50-foot luxuriously-designed Victorian steam launch Branksome (1896).

A boathouse sits at the heart of the composition where boats can be experienced on the water.

The Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories museum features open access to the conservation workshop where visitors will be able to witness the team of conservation boat builders conserve and restore vessels. The team use traditional boat building, engineering and boat finishing skills and extend the skills and opportunities through training, apprentice and volunteer programmes.

The museum will open with five themed displays: Just Visiting, Life of Luxury, War & Innovation, Spirit of Adventure and Speed.

Key highlights of the museum’s collection include:

– 11 vessels listed by National Historic Ships as nationally important

– Four vessels that are part of the National Historic Fleet

– 10 classic Windermere steam launches (1890s / 1900s)

– A rare early yacht, Margaret (1780)

– SL Dolly (1850), thought to be the oldest mechanically powered boat in the world

– Beatrix Potter’s tarn boat, which she used to sketch in on Moss Eccles Tarn

– Pioneering motor, speedboats and hydroplanes used on the lake from 1898 – 1980

– Canfly (1922), powered by a seven-litre Rolls Royce aero engine

– Two fully-restored boats on the lake, one of which visitors will be able to sail on when the museum opens*

Tickets for the museums cost £9 for adults and £7 for children. Group discounts are available. For more information visit the museum website here.

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MiniCat GUPPY: The easy to carry inflatable catamaran

Stef Bottinelli — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 16:39:54 +0000

Developed with Laura Dekker, MiniCat GUPPY is an inflatable catamaran that weighs only 26kg and can be carried in cars, planes, on boats and even on foot

MiniCat GUPPY is a 3 metres-long sailing inflatable catamaran that’s easy to carry and can be carried in a car or taken on a plane.

The new Minicat GUPPY is the latest model in the portable catamaran brand’s range, which currently consists of the three cats: Minicat 460, Minicat 420 and Minicat 310. Like its predecessors, the GUPPY was developed in collaboration with famous sailor Laura Dekker and offers a new construction concept.

The trampoline of the GUPPY model is for the first time firmly connected to the two hulls and also remains attached when folded. This reduces the assembly time for the ready to sail Minicat GUPPY to just 10 minutes compared to the other models. The inflatable catamaran weighs only 26kg, making it very easy to transport – even on foot – in its stowage bag ((165x30x30cm).

The catamaran, which is suitable for two persons, is easy to assemble by rolling out the hulls and trampoline, inserting the two 0.50 metre long keel fins, inflating both hulls, inserting the centre tube and rudder, putting the three-part mast together and finally pulling it into the sail and placing it on the water.

The Minicat GUPPY glides and reaches speeds of up to 15 knots. Thanks to its lightness, GUPPY can sail well even in weak winds and its low draught keel fins make it stable, easy to control and usable in shallow and inland waters.

At a glance…

Length: 3000 mm
Width: 1500 mm
Height of the mast: 3950 mm
Weight: 26 kg
Diameter of floats: 330 mm
Sail: 3,9 m²
Trampoline: 1600×1450 mm
Stowage bag dimensions: 1650x300x300 mm
Carrying capacity: 235 kg
Number of persons: 2
Time of assembly / dismantling: max. 10 min.
Price: €2.595 including VAT.
Contact: MiniCat

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Fleetwood RNLI celebrates 160 years since first lifeboat arrived at the station

Stef Bottinelli — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 11:39:01 +0000

Fleetwood RNLI will mark 160 years since receiving their first lifeboat during their annual Lifeboat Day on 28 July 2019

The crew with ‘Child Of Hale’, which served from 1887 -1892

Captain Edward Wasey asked the RNLI for a lifeboat in Fleetwood in February 1859. Since then, the town’s RNLI volunteers have saved nearly 700 lives.

The first lifeboat, a 30 foot, six oared ‘Peake’ class arrived in Fleetwood at its new boathouse, built on the beach opposite the North Euston Hotel, and cost £140. The boat was unnamed and kept on a special launching carriage. John Cox, Chief Boatman to the local Coastguard, was appointed Coxswain.

Fleetwood RNLI’s latest Shannon class lifeboat, Kenneth James Pierpoint, the 12^th to serve at Fleetwood, in contrast, cost £2.2 million. The craft rests in the seventh lifeboat station to be built near the Euston Gardens. Alongside the all-weather lifeboats, Fleetwood RNLI has also had ‘D’ class lifeboats serving at the lifeboat station since 1966.

Fleetwood RNLI will celebrate the 160th anniversary of receiving their first lifeboat during their annual Lifeboat Day on 28 July 2019.

Current Coxswain, Tony Cowell comments: “It’s a tremendous feeling to be part of this town’s history. The lifeboat has been part of the community for 160 years and saved many lives. But it has also been an important service to Fleetwood, operating alongside its historical fishing industry. However, without the local support we’ve received over the years, it would have been impossible to continue. On our Lifeboat Day, we would like to say a massive thank you to them, not only for the past 160 years, but for the next”.

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New High Speed Passenger Vessel (HSPV) Voluntary Code is launched

Stef Bottinelli — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 14:20:35 +0000

The new non mandatory code covers safety requirements for operators and passengers of high speed charters, sightseeing vessels and leisure boat trips

The new High Speed Passenger Vessel (HSPV) Voluntary Code of Practice is launched. The new code delivers an updated and simple guide to best practice of high-speed charters, passenger sightseeing and adventure trips to ensure safe on water guidelines whilst having fun on boats.

This new Code of Practice is an industry-wide review of the original guidance, recommended by the Marine Investigation Accident Branch. It promotes common safe working practices for the industry by making improvements on the previous guidance and legislation.

British Marine worked with members from its association, the Passenger Boat Association (PBA), and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), as well as key stakeholders including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Port of London Authority to make sure the new code is based upon the feedback and experience of operators and crews.

The new code covers all practical aspects of passenger safety and comfort during high speed experience rides, including crew qualification requirements, crew to passenger ratio, weather limitation, passenger safety briefing, hazard perception and fleet operations. For the first time, the Code of Practice also identifies the potential environmental impact of operations, raising awareness of the risks to the wildlife, passengers and craft.

Originally two documents, the RYA’s Passenger Safety on Small Commercial High Speed Craft and the PBA’s Voluntary Code of Practice for the Operation of Small Commercial High Speed Craft, the new code is aimed at owners, operators, managers, skippers and crew of small commercial high speed craft. It does not replace the statutory requirements contained in the MCA’s Small Commercial Vessel Code of Practice but aims to support operators within the specialist area of high speed passenger craft.

Though it is a non-mandatory industry best practice guide, the previous industry Voluntary Code of Practice for the Operation of Small Commercial High Speed Craft was used as a licensing requirement by the Port of London Authority (PLA) for any tidal Thames operators, and they are currently reviewing this new code prior to possible implementation. British Marine and its industry partners, are urging all members engaged in small commercial high speed craft to follow the guidance and to regularly assess their operations in conjunction with it.

Lesley Robinson, CEO of British Marine, comments: “British Marine represents numerous operators of high speed craft passenger rides and experiences working across the UK. I am delighted we can draw on their expertise and invaluable experience to create this greatly improved Code of Practice to assist all our operating members in delivering amazing on-water experiences while ensuring the appropriate high level of safety.”

Matthew Beckwith, Chair of the PBA and Director of City Cruises, adds: “With the guidance and input from the British Marine, it is extremely positive that the Passenger Boat Association is now in a position to launch this new Code to further improve the standards for its members and the industry as a whole.

“This marks a step forward towards achieving our objective to raise passenger service delivery demonstrating the unity of the Association, the strength of its members and that true collaborative working among many and varied operators can deliver vast improvements to our industry. I look forward to seeing the Code put into action.”

The new HSPV Voluntary Code guidelines can be viewed here.

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Tracy Edwards documentary ‘Maiden’ to be released nationwide on International Women’s Day

Stef Bottinelli — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 11:45:27 +0000

Director Alex Holmes' documentary 'Maiden' tells the story of Tracy Edwards and her all-women sailing crew racing in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989. Watch the trailer here

Maiden, a feature length documentary on Tracy Edwards, directed by Bafta award-winning director Alex Holmes, will be released nationwide on 8 March, International Women’s Day.

The film tells the story of 24 year-old Edwards, a cook on charter boats, who became the skipper of the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.

Tracy Edwards had her first Whitbread Round the World Race experience as a cook on the boat Atlantic Privateer. She enjoyed the experience so much that she decided to take part as a skipper and three years later she bought the 58ft yacht Maiden. Edwards put together an all – and first – female crew and entered the race. The crew went on to win two of the Whitbread legs and came second in class overall.

The crew of Maiden included: Sally Creaser from Scotland, Angella Farrell from Ireland, Jo Gooding from Wales, Nancy Hill and Claire Russell from England, Michelle Paret from France, Dawn Riley from the USA, Tanja Visser from Holland, Mikaela von Koskull from Finland and Mandi Swan from New Zealand.

Edwards went on to receive an MBE and became the first woman in its 34 year history to be awarded the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy.

Tracy retired from sailing in 2005 and worked for CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) as Project Manager for their International Youth Advisory Conference. During 2009 – 2012 she studied at Roehampton University and graduated with a 2:1 Degree in Psychology.

Her yacht Maiden went through a full restoration which culminated in a ceremony in June 2018. Last autumn Maiden set off for a three year project to promote girls’ education around the world and raise money to fund projects to empower young women. The project is backed by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, who also helped restore the famous yacht.

Director Alex Holmes comments: “Maiden is an inspirational story of guts and determination that deserves to be heard by the widest possible audience, so its great to know that (international film sales company) Dogwoof are on board to make that happen. Their passion for this project has been unstinting and New Black Films is excited to be deepening its relationship with such an inspiring group of professionals.”

Maiden premiered at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival and will be released nationwide on 8 March. The date marks the annual International Women’s Day.
Nationwide previews and live Q+A with Tracy Edwards MBE will take place on 7th March. For more information visit the Maiden Film website here.

Tracy Edwards’ documentary Maiden premieres at the Toronto Film Festival

A feature length documentary recounting the story of Tracy Edwards and the first ever all-female crew taking part in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989 is being screened at the Toronto Film Festival, taking place in the Canadian city 6 – 16 September.

‘Maiden”, named after Edwards’ yacht, is directed by Alex Holmes, whose previous work include Paula, starring Victoria‘s Tom Hughes, Le Mans: Racing is Everything, and House of Saddam.

Tracy Edwards’ story is certainly inspiring and fascinating, so it’s not surprising Holmes decided to film a documentary about it.
After leaving school at 15 with no qualifications, Edwards started working on charter yachts in Greece.

Her first experience of the Whitbread Round the World Race was as a cook on the boat Atlantic Privateer. She was so inspired by the experience, albeit behind the scenes, that three years later she bought the 58ft yacht Maiden, put together an all – and first – female crew and entered the race. The crew went on to win two of the Whitbread legs and came second in class overall.

The sailor received an MBE and became the first woman in its 34 year history to be awarded the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy.

Her yacht Maiden went through a full restoration which culminated in a ceremony last June. The vessel will now set off for a three year project to promote girls’ education around the world and raise money to fund projects to empower young women. The project is backed by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, who also helped restore the famous yacht.

Yesterday, Wednesday 5 September, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall joined Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan and Tracy Edwards at St Katharine Docks in London to visit the newly restored Maiden. The date also coincided with Tracy’s 56th birthday. The delighted sailor tweeted:

Today Edwards took to Twitter again to express her joy at the ‘Maiden‘ premiere in Toronto, posting a picture of herself en route to the Canadian city.

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British Marine Expo in 2019: Tickets go on sale

Stef Bottinelli — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:00:19 +0000

Tickets for the first edition of British Marine's B2B British Marine Expo are now on sale. The event takes place 26 - 27 March in Southampton

Tickets for the British Marine Expo are now on sale through British Marine’s website here.
The event takes place at St. Mary’s Football Stadium in Southampton, 26-27 March 2019.

The Expo’s programme includes a Supply Chain Conference, ‘Meet the Buyer’ where companies and potential buyers from around the world can meet and discuss opportunities, the Superyacht UK Technical Seminar, Marine Showcase, where companies and distributors showcase their products and services, Association Meetings and Events and the British Marine Trades Association Awards Annual Dinner.

Companies taking part in the British Marine Expo are:

Marine distributors and suppliers
Aquafax Ltd
ASAP Supplies Ltd
Berthon Power Ltd
BHG Marine Ltd
Celsus Group
Fendacentre
Golden Arrow Marine
Landau UK Ltd
Mactra Marine
Rota Marine
The Pontoon and Dock Company

Marine manufacturers
Dockmate
Elite Marine Solutions Ltd
Interform Manufacturing Ltd
Malvaux Marine
Maricer CPES
Marlec Engineering Company Ltd
Marlow Ropes Ltd
Rolec Services
Scanstrut Ltd
Solar Technology International Ltd
Tufcot Engineering Ltd
Vetus Ltd

Marine service providers
A-Plan Insurance
Datatag
Everard Insurance Brokers Ltd
Mailasail
Marine Resources Recruitment Ltd
Quick UK
RoamingExpert.com
The Knot Agency Ltd

Those wishing to attend can visit the British Marine Expo website here.

British Marine to launch British Marine Expo in 2019

Following requests from members, British Marine has announced that it will be organising an Expo in March of 2019.

Expo 2019, sponsored by British Marine Trades Association, will take place in the Solent area and will provide a B2B forum for companies in the leisure and small commercial sectors. British Marine intends to take future editions of the Expo to different regions of the UK.

The programme is still being planned but British Marine says attendees can expect it to include:

Supply Chain Conference – one day of informative and focused presentations
Meet The Buyer – with UK and international buyers
Marine Trade Showcase – 30 booths within Expo floor for companies to display their products and services
British Marine Trades Awards Dinner – the popular annual networking event
Meeting and training opportunities for associations

Paul Martin, the chair of the British Marine Trades Association, says: “We are passionate about showcasing and connecting all sectors of the marine industry. Our committee is strongly backing British Marine’s efforts to make the Expo a brilliant new addition to the calendar. We are convinced it will offer many opportunities for British Marine associations and companies and urge everyone to get involved.”

More information about Expo 2019 will be available from the British Marine website. Those interested in this event can contact Blue Davies at British Marine at adavies@britishmarine.co.uk.

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Yachting Monthly sponsors the Chichester Marina Boat Show and Watersports Festival

Stef Bottinelli — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 15:00:25 +0000

The Chichester Marina Boat Show and Watersports Festival takes place 27 -28 April and will have a yacht display, a Flares Disposal Service and a 'Meet The Experts' tent

Premier Marinas has announced that Yachting Monthly is the official sponsors of the 2019 Chichester Marina Boat Show & Watersports Festival.

The Chichester Marina Boat Show & Watersports Festival takes place on 27 and 28 April.

The event, which is free to attend, will have a dedicated Watersports area as well as a display of boats, cars and marine products and services.

The festival will have a dedicated ‘Meet The Experts’ tent where visitors will be able to meet marine industry professional and attend talks.

On Sunday 28 there will also be a Flares Disposal Service. The Service will be free to Premier Marinas berth holders and £2 per flare disposal for visitors.

Ancasta International Boat Sales, main brand dealers for Beneteau Sail and Power, Lagoon Catamarans and Prestige Motor Yachts, will display a selection of new and used models whilst Blackrock Yachting, main dealers for Jeanneau Sail and Power, and BRIG Ribs will showcase new boats. Working in partnership with Network Yacht Brokers they will also have a selection of pre-owned boats for buyers to step aboard.

Boat Shop will be exhibiting their Parker and Oki models and displaying canvas covers and upholstery exhibits along with offering a same day repair service on canvas hardware. American brand Hinckley Yachts will also be displaying a luxury Runabout 34.

There will also be products and services on display, including luxury cars from Tesla, sailing and lifestyle clothing from Coastal and Outdoor Living, paddleboards from The Sup Company and marine electronics from Roger Upham Marine Electronics (represented by Raymarine). Other local businesses attending the show include Chichester Yacht Club, Chichester Marine Training and Hinckley Yachts.

RYA Training Centre Chichester & Portsmouth Marine Training will be on hand to offer advice to boat owners on their practical and shorebased training needs and Chichester Yacht Club will have its 2019 cruising, racing and social programme available – inviting members and visitors to enjoy a spot of coffee and cake in the Clubhouse, as well as a BBQ in the club’s waterfront gardens on Saturday.

The event will also have a children’s zone with nautical themed entertainment, and a dedicated food and drink area playing host to Brilliant Gin, an artisan gin brand who will be serving up gin and tonics and will also be running gin masterclasses from their bar.

Premier Marine Insurance, in partnership with GJW Direct, will also be on hand to provide visitors with a quote and advice over the weekend.

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Oceanco launches 90m superyacht Y716 DreAMBoat

Stef Bottinelli — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 12:35:18 +0000

Oceanco's 90m superyacht DreAMBoat is currently being commissioned for sea trials and will be delivered in the summer

Oceanco has launched its 33d yacht in 33 years on the market, the 90m DreAMBoat (Y716).

A first-time design collaboration between Espen Øino International and Terence Disdale Design, the superyacht boasts large windows to flood the interior with daylight and let the outside world in. Outside spaces feature a large swimming pool on the main aft deck, a spacious partially enclosed sundeck with Jacuzzi and options for seating and entertaining. There is also an owner’s deck with a private Jacuzzi.

The interior, created by Terence Disdale, features bespoke surfaces, natural wood, limestone floors, semi-precious stone vanities, parchment, leather and mother of pearl. Nearly everything onboard from furniture to lighting is custom made.

DreAMBoat has been kitted out with state-of-the-art technology, including a complex IP ship’s computer operating system as well as full carbon canopy mast house and mast which forms an integral part of the overall design.

Down below the superyacht sleeps up to 23 guests and 33 crew members.

“It has been an intense project, but with some clear direction from the Owner, excellent collaboration between Espen Øino, Terence Disdale Design and Oceanco, we have achieved a great deal and are poised to deliver a stunning yacht,” says Dan Jackson, the Owner’s representative.

Roderick Gort, Project Director at Oceanco, adds, “Launching DreAMBoat is an important milestone in the construction process of delivering ‘the Owners Perfect Yacht’. We are looking forward to delivering DreAMBoat after her sea trials this spring, and welcoming her to the Oceanco family”

DreAMBoat is currently being commissioned for impending sea trials and will be delivered before the summer.

At a glance…

Type: Steel Hull and Aluminium Superstructure
Length: 90m / 295ft
Beam: 14.2m / 47ft
Engine type: 2 x MTU 4,828hp / 3,600kW MTU 20V 4000 M73L
Exterior Designer: Espen Øino
Interior Designer: Terence Disdale

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London Yacht Show: Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess Yachts announced as exhibitors

Stef Bottinelli — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 15:15:58 +0000

Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess Yachts are just some of the exhibitors at the London Yacht Show, which will take place 8 - 12 May 2019 at St Katharine Docks

Credit: London On-Water

British Marine and Informa have announced that Sunseeker, Fairline and Princess Yachts will be exhibiting at the new London Yacht Show this coming May.

The three British luxury brands will join Hallberg Rassy, Sealine, Azimut; Bayliner, Bavaria Power & Sail, Chris Craft Boats, Discovery Yachts, Greenline and Sunsail Yacht Ownership at St Katharine Docks.

There will be just over 60 boats on show at the event – around three per brand – and tickets, which go on sale in mid-February – range from £30 to £180 for a VIP Elite for preview day. VIP Elite ticket holders will have access to the floating champagne bar, VIP Lounge and Concierge service. Guests attending preview day will have the opportunity to preview the 60+ yachts on display at the event.

For tickets and information click here.

London On Water Boat Show is renamed London Yacht Show

The London On Water Boat Show has been renamed, rebranded and relaunched as London Yacht Show and will take place on-water at St Katharine Docks 8 – 12 May 2019.

The show will have a primary focus on luxury lifestyle, and will showcase over 60 yachts.

St Katharine Docks will host two floating villages with full size event marquees including a Platinum Pavilion, featuring luxury yachting and lifestyle products and a Monument Marquee, featuring boating accessories and toys.

Luxury cars, bikes, trailer boats will be on display at the Docks’ Marble Quay where VIP ticket holders will be able to enjoy the floating champagne bar, VIP Lounge and Concierge service.

Andrew Williams, President, Maritime, Informa Global Exhibitions, said: “Since we acquired this event at the end of 2018, we have worked to understand the needs of the event’s exhibitors and have consequently taken the decision that we needed to relaunch this event with a brand new focus on luxury lifestyle yachting and boating, complemented by luxury brands.”

Williams added: “St Katharine Docks is perfect for such an event and we will continue to work with this iconic setting which is steeped in heritage and truly unique.

“In addition, we are delighted that our new partnership with British Marine, the UK’s trade association for the leisure, superyacht and small commercial marine industry and organisers of Southampton Boat Show, is firmly cemented and they support the relaunch of this new event.”

Commenting on the partnership, Lesley Robinson, CEO, British Marine, said: “This alliance will deepen the show’s ties to the UK yachting and boating industry and enable key partners, from yacht builders and brokers to luxury goods manufacturers, to participate in shaping the development and growth of London Yacht Show in the future.”

The London Yacht Show will be open from the Wednesday for an exclusive VIP Elite function and press afternoon where guests will be able to preview the boats on display.

Tickets will be available for visitors to purchase at the beginning of February through the show’s website.

The London Yacht Show will open: Wednesday 8: 2pm – 9pm (VIP Elite & Press Only) – this is the pre-show viewing for VIP Elite pass holders only.

Visitors can purchase tickets to attend: Thursday 9: 11am – 8pm; Friday 10: 11am – 8pm; Saturday 11: 10am – 6pm and Sunday 12: 10am – 5pm.

British Marine and Informa Exhibitions partner up to bring to the capital the London-On-Water Boat Show this May

British Marine and Informa Exhibitions, the new organisers of the London On-Water Boat Show, have formed a partnership which they are hoping will ‘deepen the show’s ties to the UK yachting and boating industry and enable key partners, from yacht builders and brokers to equipment and service providers, to participate in shaping the development and growth of LOWBS in the future’.

British Marine CEO, Lesley Robinson said “We are delighted to confirm our partnership with The London On-Water Boat Show and are very excited to be working with them to deliver a world class luxury event in this historic location at the heart of the capital.”

British Marine announced last May that they were cancelling the London Boat Show due to poor sales and attendance.

Paul Tetlow, Marina General Manager at St. Katharine Docks comments, “We are so pleased to welcome back such a favoured boat show to St. Katharine Docks, which especially in the month of May is a wonderfully busy London destination. The London On-Water Boat Show allows us the opportunity to showcase what St. Katharine Docks offers to a very relevant and international boating market including suppliers and marine industry professionals. Each year the event gets better and better and with the extra support from Informa and the British Marine we are confident that visitors and exhibitors to the show will have great success too. The redesign of the Docks layout by Camper & Nicholsons Marinas took into account the hosting of future marina-based events throughout the year such as the Clipper Races and Classic Boat Festival and now the established London On-Water Show, all of which we encourage our annual berth holders and visitors to be actively involved in. It is always a pleasure to see the Docks so active and busy.”

Informa Exhibitions is the organiser of several maritime events including the Monaco Yacht Show and Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and it has now added the London On-Water Boat Show to its portfolio.

The first London On-Water under Informa’s ownership will take place from Thursday 9 to Sunday 12 May 2019 at St Katharine Docks, which has recently been refurbished and is managed by Camper & Nicholsons Marinas.

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New shipyard Cetera Yachts reveal renderings of ‘Multispace Yacht’ concept Cetera 60

Stef Bottinelli — Tue, 12 Feb 2019 13:30:03 +0000

Cetera Yachts have released renderings of their new 'Multispace Yacht' Cetera 60, which debuted at the Dusseldorf Boat Show in January

Cetera Yachts have unveiled images of their first 60 feet model, which was launched at the Düsseldorf Boat Show in January.

The craft, called a ‘multispace’ yacht, is based on a redistribution of the interior and exterior spaces through a process of vertical repositioning which gives the yacht a unique layout designed to enhance onboard liveability and create more space.

The main saloon and galley and three en-suite cabins on Cetera 60 are located on main deck, further away from the engines and generators.

The “full upper deck” is accessible by an interior staircase and offers a roomy living and dining space for up to 8 guests with large open-plan galley. Side and aft windows and openable overhead skylights allow for plenty of natural light to come in. The saloon/dinette is placed forward and benefits from 180° sea views on three sides, letting the outside world in.

The wheelhouse also benefits from excellent visibility and boasts a double pilot seats and a day sofa.
A central corridor connects the entire length of the yacht from bow to stern for safe and easy access.

On the lower deck there’s a crew cabin sleeping two with a separate shower/laundry room. The forward crew accommodation, accessible from the forward cockpit, is placed away from the engine room, also on the lower deck.

“The Multispace Yacht offers ‘stretching on board liveability’ providing approximately 30 square metres more living space on the Cetera 60 than other yachts in her size category with traditional layouts,” says yacht designer and naval architect Francesco Guida. “Moreover, the clear division between the technical and living areas means the yacht can be built more quickly and efficiently, which is a cost saving that is meant to be passed on to the client.”

“The main characteristics of the yacht may be summed up in the adjective ‘easy’: easy to live on board, easy to maintain, and also easy to build“, says Ernesto de Bartolomeis, General Manager of Fiart Mare, where the first CETERA 60 is currently under construction.
“When I first set eyes on the design, I immediately realised it was very different from what we typically produce at Fiart Mare, so we decided to set up a dedicated company to develop the product line. We really believe it represents something completely new for the market with features that will appeal to a wide range of international clients.”

Cetera 60 will have a top speed of 23 knots, cruising speed of 20 and will be powered by twin Volvo Penta IPS 600 units for manoeuvrability and power control, the Cetera 60 will have a top speed of 23 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots. The first Cetera 60 will make its international debut in the spring/summer of 2019.

New shipyard Cetera Yachts to launch new ‘Multispace Yacht’ concept at boot Dusseldorf

Cetera Yachts’ new Multispace Yacht’s unique features are based on what the brand calls ‘Stretched Liveability’, a new distribution of interior and exterior spaces to maximise onboard liveability and deliver more available space.

‘Stretched Liveability’ is described as a ‘process of vertical repositioning’, where the living areas are arranged on a single deck level instead of two or more levels. The salon and guest cabins are located on the main deck rather than the lower deck. Large windows throughout enhance the airy ambience and interaction between interior and exterior spaces, which is a standard feature of land-based architecture.

The company says that fact that the cabins, for instance, are not shaped to the hull lines makes the outfitting process much simpler. While still relying on high-end raw materials, the result is lower production costs and shorter delivery times – advantages that are fully passed onto the client. Moreover, the main machinery and equipment – from engines and generator to pumps, boiler, air conditioning and hydraulic systems – have been installed to enhance comfort on board and arranged to make access for maintenance as easy as possible.

Other unique features include:

• The lower deck is dedicated to services and machinery spaces. The innovative widespread equipment placement guarantees an easy and accessible inspection. Unlike other yachts in her class that typically offer a choice between crew cabins or laundry or tender garage on the lower deck, Cetera offers all three.

• The main deck forward serves as a full-size panoramic lounge. Protected by high bulwarks and windscreen for perfect privacy even when moored in the marina, this chill-out zone on the foredeck is accessible directly from the main salon and a single-level, central walkway leading all the way to the open aft deck, or via the exterior companionways, which represents a unique feature in the yachting up to 80ft segment scenario.

• All the guest accommodation is located amidships on the main deck. Various layout solutions are available, with the standard arrangement offering a master suite and an ensuite twin cabin. Cetera says that this type of layout provides higher interior volume than other yachts in the same size category with lower deck accommodation, while the fact that the cabins are further away from the engines mean less noise and superior onboard comfort.

• The upper deck, which can be open or enclosed, features a sliding roof and a dinette that can comfortably seat 8 guests to enjoy the full al fresco yachting experience, as well as the galley and helm station.

Cetera Yachts say that ‘the innovative concept of Stretched Liveability offers multiple advantages. Not only does it make the yachting experience easier and more pleasurable, it also leads to more streamlined and cost-efficient construction.’

Yacht designer and naval architect Francesco Guida derived inspiration from ‘a one-story villa’ with many different private spaces, which he has applied to a yacht in order to maximise the use of available space from bow to stern.

The new Cetera range of motor yachts begins with a model of 18.9m in length and a beam of 5.5m. The first model in the range is said to combine the advantages of a traditional navetta, a long-range trawler and a flybridge cruiser.
The range will also feature various hybrid propulsion solutions for comfortable navigation, as well as economic and eco-friendly operation.
This type of yacht is targeted at young families, boat-loving singles and superyacht owners looking to downsize.

The first Cetera yacht is in build and will make her international debut in the spring/summer of 2019.

Cetera Yachts is the brainchild of a team of experienced yachting professionals and well known names in the industry. The all-Italian Cetera team comprises:

• Salvatore Serio – president JJL, previously majority shareholder of the Dufour Yachts group

• Fiart Mare – leading builder of fibreglass boats since 1960

• Paolo Francia – owner of CorseT specialising in the production of prototypes and moulds for the marine industry

• Francesco Guida – yacht designer and naval architect

The name Cetera Yachts derives from an ancient Roman fleet’s vessel, based in Baia, where the Fiart Mare yard is located and where the boats will be assembled. The mission of the project is to enhance the “Easy Boating” experience on board while simplifying the production process.

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The post New shipyard Cetera Yachts reveal renderings of ‘Multispace Yacht’ concept Cetera 60 appeared first on YBW.

Düsseldorf Boat Show 2019: Princess sells 21 yachts at the event

Stef Bottinelli — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 15:15:58 +0000

Princess Yachts have announced that they sold a 21 boats - worth in excess of £38m - during Düsseldorf Boat Show 2019

Princess Yachts have revealed that they have sold 21 yachts at the 50th Düsseldorf Boat Show 2019. The orders are worth over £38m.

The luxury yacht brand showcased 11 yachts on its stand the show, including three global debuts for the Y85, V78 and F45. Princess’s iconic Project 31, a heritage vessel built in 1968, and the new R35 performance sports yacht, launched at the Cannes Boat Show, were also on display at the Düsseldorf Boat Show.

Antony Sheriff, Executive Chairman, Princess Yachts said: “Princess Yachts was proud to celebrate 50 years of boot Düsseldorf with what I believe was our most impressive and inspiring show stand ever. We have a rich history with boot Düsseldorf, having exhibited for the past 40 years, which makes 2019 all the more special as it delivered outstanding sales figures.
“Our own business has accelerated in recent years, combining our traditional values with innovations from leaders in design and technology, so it was only natural to bring those partnerships to the show. I believe many of our visitors, customers and guests appreciated the technology and design philosophy presented by BAR Technologies, Pininfarina and Princess.”

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Spirit Yachts unveils the interior design of their eco-friendly superyacht Spirit 111′

Stef Bottinelli — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 15:00:13 +0000

Spirit Yachts have revealed the interior design of Spirit 111'. The superyacht will be launched in summer 2019

Spirit Yachts, have debuted the final designs for its 34m sailing yacht, the Spirit 111’. The sloop-rigged yacht is set to be the longest build from Spirit Yachts to date. Spirit Yachts worked closely with the overseas buyer, who requested the boat be designed to be one of the most environmentally friendly sailing superyachts ever created.

The initial concepts for the interior of the Spirit 111’ were created in partnership with Rhoades Young. Spirit Yachts’ design team then worked closely with the owner to develop the drawings into final renderings. The designs showcase a unique, curved interior with sleek contours bringing together the walls, bulkheads and furniture, into one flowing design.

Spirit Yachts head designer Sean McMillan commented: “The Spirit 111 has been completely customised throughout and as a result her interior is totally unique. The design is a never-ending swirl of organic shapes, which encompass the practicalities necessary in a yacht but in a highly imaginative way. I am very much looking forward to unveiling the finished interior as it is truly remarkable.”

The interior of Spirit 111 is all seamless, fluid and curved lines. Walls and bulkheads flow in an ‘S’ shape, storage space is, whilst doors are discreet with concealed handles. To open a door, one places one’s hand inside a hidden recess, in which sensors detect the movement and release the catch to open the door. The bespoke curved furniture is made with American walnut timber and it creates an illusion that it’s part of the structure of the yacht, creating a seamless appearance throughout.

Steps lead down to the central saloon and open plan galley to port. The middle of the saloon boasts a circular, two-piece seating area around a dining table, with an additional curved sofa on the starboard side. The seating took over 2,000 man-hours to build and is handmade using strips of American walnut timber.

The owner’s cabin and VIP guest cabin – both with ensuite bathroom – are placed forward of the saloon and galley and accessed via a curved corridor. In both cabins, a C-shaped arrangement will house a double bed, with an additional curved sofa in the master suite. Aft of the saloon are two ensuite guest cabins, both with C-shaped cocoon arrangements around double beds. Keen to sail the boat himself, the owner of the Spirit 111 has asked for no crew accommodation.

The lighting system onboard will complement the seamless approach to the interior layout. Spirit Yachts managing director Nigel Stuart explained: “The interior lighting is controlled by sun sensors so the brightness is adjusted to ensure there is no difference between outside and inside, there will be no pockets of shade and light as you would normally have.

“The interior will have no light switches; motion sensors will turn lights on and off during the day and during the night, sensors under the beds will detect if someone is up and light the way to the nearest ensuite. If a guest starts to go elsewhere within the interior, the system will deduce which way they are going and light the relevant areas in a very soft yellow light.”

Spirit Yachts has collaborated with marine and automotive suppliers to fulfil the owner’s eco wishes. A Torqeedo electric propulsion system using a 100kW motor will propel the yacht silently for up to 40nm at eight knots from battery power alone. Whilst sailing, the propulsion system will regenerate the four BMWi lithium battery banks by rotating the propeller shaft whilst the yacht is under sail. All power-consuming components have been carefully selected to be highly efficient and will use minimal energy without impacting performance or comfort.

The Spirit 111’ is the largest single-masted wooden yacht to be built in the UK since Shamrock V in the 1930s. Once completed, this eco-friendly superyacht will also be one of few capable of cruising without professional crew. Energy efficient Lewmar hydraulic deck hardware and OneSails GBR (East) 4T Forte sails made from recyclable materials will be fitted to a Hall Spar carbon fibre mast and in-boom furling to facilitate short-handed sailing.

The hull rollover of Spirit Yachts’ Spirit 111′ has taken place at the luxury brand’s Ipswich yard

The hull rollover of the much awaited Spirit Yachts’ 34m sailing yacht Spirit 111’ took place in Ipswich on Tuesday (20 February).

With a beam of 6.4m, Spirit 111’ is one of the largest single-masted wooden yachts to be built since Camper & Nicholson’s Shamrock V in the 1930s.

Before the rollover, Spirit 111’ was moved outside before been lifted into the air using multiple cranes to rotate the hull in preparation for its next stage, the internal fit out.

Set to be completed in 2019, the new vessel is all about clean lines, elegance and style. It boasts unprecedented eco credentials, and will be one of a few superyachts capable of sailing without a professional crew due to its innovative deck arrangement.

These credentials will enable the owner to spend sustainable periods of time onboard using minimal fuel.
Innovative eco features include an electric drive system, supported by four lithium battery banks, which will power the yacht for modest distances or when manoeuvring. Under sail, the system will automatically regenerate the batteries, and with careful consumption the yacht will operate solely under battery power. There is also the option of two back-up generators for longer distance propulsion.

The air conditioning, galley equipment, generators and water heaters have all been selected to consume the lowest amount of power possible and to produce the minimum levels of emissions when in operation.

Its strength to weight ratio, along with carbon rig and energy efficient hydraulic deck hardware, is set to offer exceptional sailing performance.

The construction of the Spirit 111’s 34m hull began with construction of laminated wooden ring frames along with a duplex stainless-steel central reinforcement cage. This was placed upside down onto a timber strongback before the centreline structure and beam shelves were fitted. The fore and aft planking was then bonded to the ringframes followed by quadruple-diagonal veneers, which were epoxy-bonded at 45° under vacuum before the hull was finally covered with an epoxy glass sheath.

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Below deck, the bespoke furniture is moulded to create the illusion that it is part of the structure, creating a seamless appearance throughout.

Walls and bulkheads are curved and a stunning ‘cocoon’ arrangement created from steamed timber will encase the bed in the owner’s cabin and forward guest cabin.

Spirit 111′ will sleep up to eight people.

Spirit CEO and head designer Sean McMillan comments: “As we head into our landmark 25^th year in business, the rollover of our largest yacht to date was a moment in history for Spirit Yachts, and a spectacular sight at our yard on the edge of the River Orwell.

“Our world-class team of boatbuilders has been meticulously bringing to life the beauty and style of the 111’s classic lines. Now with the hull settled the right way, work will begin crafting the complex interior.”

08 August

Work is progressing well on the new 34-metre superyacht – the Spirit 111.

Spirit Yachts has released new photos of the sloop being built at the British boat builder’s yard in Ipswich.

Under construction

Spirit is collaborating with the interior yacht design agency, Rhoades Young, on the build.

The pictures released of the Spirit 111 build shows the ring frames being positioned on the strongback.

The 111 will be Spirit’s largest build and is believed to be the largest single-masted wooden sailing yacht built in the UK since 1930.

It has already been sold to an overseas buyer and is scheduled to be launched in the summer of 2019.

30 March

British modern classic yacht company, Spirit Yachts has received a new order for a 34-metre sailing superyacht, the Spirit 111, from an overseas buyer.

The sloop-rigged superyacht is set to be the largest build from Spirit Yachts to date, and sees the Suffolk-based yard’s first partnership with yacht design agency, Rhoades Young.

Render of the new Spirit 111′

The Spirit 111 is designed by Spirit Yachts CEO and head designer Sean McMillan, whilst Rhoades Young has created the interior design concept.

The owner has appointed renowned superyacht project manager Jens Cornelsen, of Cornelsen & Partner, to liaise with Spirit Yachts throughout the project.

Commenting on the announcement McMillan said: “We are delighted to be working with Rhoades Young on Spirit Yachts’ first collaboration with an external design agency.”

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“By maximising our combined expertise, we have created an aesthetically beautiful, lightweight yacht that will be easy to handle with minimal crew,” he continued.

“The end result will be one of the largest, single-masted modern classic wooden yachts ever built in the UK,” added the designer.

Planned to launch in summer 2019, the Spirit 111 will begin construction next month at Spirit Yachts’ waterside headquarters in Suffolk.

Rhoades Young director Jonathan Rhoades said it is exciting to be working on such a significant project.

“Spirit Yachts is renowned for its build quality and elegant design, and we are looking forward to working alongside Sean and his team on what is set to be a ground-breaking new project,” he stated.

Commissioned for an experienced yachtsman, who plans to attend the superyacht regattas in the Mediterranean, the Spirit 111 will be set up for both cruising and racing with carbon spars, hydraulic winches and an extensive sail wardrobe.

The impressive new superyacht is set to be as eco-friendly as possible to enable the owner to spend sustainable periods of time onboard using minimal fuel.

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Innovative features include an electric drive system, supported by four lithium battery banks, which will power the yacht for modest distances or when manoeuvring.

Under sail, the system will automatically regenerate the batteries, and with careful consumption the yacht will operate solely under battery power. For longer distance propulsion, the owner has the option of two back-up generators.

Green credentials have been considered throughout the yacht’s systems; the air conditioning, galley equipment, generators and water heaters will be set up to consume the lowest amount of power possible.

All equipment has been carefully selected to produce the minimum levels of emissions when in operation and during any future maintenance.

Spirit 111 Specifications:

Designer: Sean McMillan
Interior design: Rhoades Young
Build: Spirit Yachts Ltd, Ipswich, U.K
Client project manager: Jens Cornelsen, Cornelsen & Partner
Construction: wood epoxy composite on stainless steel space frame
LOA: 33.9m
LWL: 24.0m
Beam: 6.4m
Draft: 4.05m
Displacement: (light) 58 tonnes, 65 tonnes fully laden
Ballast Ratio: 45%
Sail Area: 450 sqm (working)
Rig type: Fractional Bermudan sloop
Engine: Electric drive system powered by four lithium battery 30.3Kw units. 2 x 25kW generators.
Keel: SG Iron blade with lead bulb, ‘T’ configuration
Rudder: Carbon composite spade type
Rig: Fully custom carbon, keel stepped

Report by Katy Stickland

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Three Seabins installed at St. Katharine Docks in London

Stef Bottinelli — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 13:06:46 +0000

A floating rubbing bin called the Seabin has been installed at St. Katharine Docks to tackle water pollution and prevent rubbish to flow back into the River Thames and ultimately the oceans

After recently undergoing refurbishment, St. Katharine Docks, has installed three floating rubbish bins, the Seabins, in a bid to tackle water pollution.
The move is part of a larger commitment by the Docks to invest in greater sustainability and eco-friendly projects to reduce the amount of waste that is found in both the River Thames and the ocean, and follows its efforts to be a ‘greener marina’ over the past few years, supporting projects such as The Whale Company and #ForFishsSake.

The Seabins at St. Katharine Docks are located in the West Dock and Central Basin. They are checked on a regular basis and emptied as required, with the recyclable waste disposed of by the Marina Team. St. Katharine Docks estimates that the three Seabins could catch around 1,500kgs of rubbish per year, therefore playing an important role in preventing it from flowing back into the River Thames and more widely into the oceans. 300 tonnes of rubbish is cleared from the River Thames each year, which is equivalent to over 20 large refuse collection trucks.

Paul Tetlow, Marina Manager at St. Katharine Docks, commented: “We have been following the success of the Seabin project for quite some time and are delighted to have three Seabins at St. Katharine Docks as part of our continuous effort to maintain a sustainable marina. We are committed to providing a safe and clean environment for our berth holders, office workers, residents and visitors and are always looking at ways in which we can support sustainability initiatives and help to fight plastic pollution in the oceans.”

A Seabin is a floating rubbish bin designed to be placed at marinas, docks and commercial ports as a partial solution to the water littering problem. Water is syphoned in from the surface and passes through a catch bag inside the Seabin. Clean water is then pumped back into the dock area leaving litter, debris and harmful plastics to be disposed of properly. It also has the potential to collect oils and pollutants floating on the water surface. Each bin can collect up to half a tonne of floating debris per year, including microplastics as small as 2mm.

The Seabin Project was started by two surfers, Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski, who decided to create a product that would collect rubbish, oil, fuel and detergents with the ultimate goal to have pollution free oceans.

Including the three at St Katharine Docks, there are currently four Seabins in London. The first was installed in the docklands in August 2018 and is maintained by The Good Hotel London.

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The post Three Seabins installed at St. Katharine Docks in London appeared first on YBW.

Lewis Bennett’s trial: New pictures reveal damage to the catamaran was inflicted from inside the boat

Stef Bottinelli — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 12:25:11 +0000

Images of holes made from inside the Surf into Summer catamaran show that the damage was inflicted from inside the vessel. Brit Lewis Bennett is currently on trial for the murder of his wife Isabella Hellmann

Undated US Coast Guard handout file photo of the catamaran Surf into Summer which Lewis Bennett and wife Isabella Hellmann were sailing on before her disappearance. The British husband of an estate agent who went missing as they sailed his catamaran at sea has been accused of killing the woman by her sister, according to police records.

New pictures of the catamaran that show holes inflicted from the inside and hatches in the hull open to let in water, have been filed by prosecutors in the Lewis Bennett trial.

Bennett, from Poole, is accused of deliberately sinking his boat whilst on his honeymoon to kill his wife, Isabella Hellmann.

Lewis Bennett entered a involuntary manslaughter plea last November, but prosecutors are seeking maximum sentence for the murder of estate agent Hellmann.

The pictures by the US Coast Guard show the damage to the 37ft Surf into Summer catamaran. The prosecutors have alleged that the holes in the hull of the vessel were inflicted from the inside. Hatches in the hull were also opened from inside the boat.

Lewis Bennett left the sinking boat using a life raft, which was loaded with his belongings and provisions.

Prosecutor Kurt Lunkenheimer filed a list of reasons why Bennett should be sentenced to more than 8 years – the maximum sentence for manslaughter – alleging that the Brit sunk the catamaran to kill Hellmann. He also added: “the fact that [Bennett] would pack all of these items into a life raft, but not actively and diligently look for his wife”.

Lewis Bennett and Isabella Hellmann were married for three months, when they went on their honeymoon, sailing from Cuba to Florida. Their 37ft catamaran, Surf Into Summer, capsized on 15 May 2017.

According to Bennett, the night of the accident he’d gone to sleep below deck just after 8pm, leaving his 41-year-old wife above deck. He stated that she was wearing a life jacket at the time. Bennett claimed he woke up in the middle of the night when his catamaran started taking on water but there was no sign of Hellmann. Her body has never been found.

7 November 2018

Briton Lewis Bennett entered the plea of involuntary manslaughter of his wife Isabella Hellmann during a court hearing in Miami, Florida, on Monday (5 November).

The 41-year-old man from Poole will be sentenced on 10 January 2019 and faces a maximum term of 8 years in jail. He is already serving a 7-month sentence for pleading guilty to smuggling $38,480 (£29,450) of rare coins, which he stole from a former employer.

Lewis Bennett and Isabella Hellmann, his wife of three months, were on their honeymoon sailing from Cuba to Florida when their 37ft catamaran, Surf Into Summer, capsized on 15 May 2017.

Investigators examining the couple’s catamaran found that the boat had been scuttled.

18 September

Lewis Bennett, who is currently serving a 7-month jail term for admitting smuggling $38,480 (£29,450) of rare coins, has been accused of killing his wife Isabella Hellmann by sinking their catamaran whilst on honeymoon, to inherit her estate.

Isabella Hellmann’s family bugged the couple apartment in Delray Beach, Florida to record Bennett’s conversation, whom they suspected was involved in Hellmann’s disappearance. Her body was never recovered when their catamaran capsized on 15 May 2017.

Prosecutor Benjamin Greenberg asked a Florida judge that conversations in which former estate agent Hellmann discussed her marital problems with her husband be used in evidence. According to the recordings, Hellmann and Bennett were having financial problems and were disagreeing on how to raise their daughter and on a potential move to Australia.

The Guardian reports Greenberg saying: “Hellmann’s murder would remove the marital strife from the defendant’s life, allow the defendant to live his life as he pleased, and would enable him to inherit money from Hellmann’s estate, all of which provide strong circumstantial proof that the defendant had a strong motive to murder Hellmann” .

Bennett asked that his wife be declared dead, in which case he’d stand to inherit her apartment and content of her bank account.

Prosecutors have also alleged that Hellmann may have found out her husband had smuggled the rare coins, which he’d stolen from a former employer, the owner of St Maarten-based Kitty R, a ship Bennett was working on as first officer.

The 41-year-old man from Poole is accused of second degree murder and will go on trial in December.

21 February

Lewis Bennett, whose wife Isabella Hellman went missing when their catamaran mysteriously capsized on 15 May 2017 as they were sailing from Cuba to Florida, has been arrested by the FBI on suspicion of murder.

Bennet, from Poole, was in Miami waiting to be sentenced for stealing £77,000 worth of rare coins from a former employer.

The Guardian reports that FBI special agent James Kelley said in a court document that the bureau believed Bennett “knowingly and unlawfully killed” Hellmann.

Lewis Bennett and Isabella Hellmann, his wife of three months, were on their honeymoon when their boat capsized on 15 May.

1 December

Lewis Bennett, 40, the British man who was accused of stealing 617 coins from St Maarten-based Kitty R, a ship he was working on as first officer, has pleaded guilty to the charges.

He had originally claimed that the coins had been stolen from the Kitty R but some of the coins worth over £3,000 were found on Bennett’s life raft when his catamaran capsized near the Bahamas in May 2016, court documents state.

More coins, for the value of £20,000, were found in shoes in Lewis Bennett’s apartment in Florida during an FBI raid in June.

Bennett was remanded in custody in Miami and now faces up to ten years in jail after changing his plea to guilty.

The British man had been on a honeymoon sailing holiday with Isabella Hellmann, his wife of three months and mother to his baby daughter, when their boat, Surf in the Sun, mysteriously capsized on 15 May as they were sailing from Cuba to Florida.

Isabella Helmann went missing during the accident. The FBI is continuing to investigate her disappearance.

30 August

Lewis Bennett was arrested by the FBI yesterday (29 August) for the alleged theft of rare coins worth £77,000.

The British man, 38 is accused of stealing 617 coins from St Maarten-based Kitty R, a ship he was working on as first officer.

According to the federal complaint, the owner of Kitty R had purchased the rare coins in September 2015.

The silver and gold coins were stashed inside plastic tubes on the vessel but were stolen between May 5 and 6. The owner did not report the theft at the time because the goods were not listed on his insurance policy, My Palm Beach Post reports.

However Bennett filed a police report in St. Maarten on 8 May. He claimed that neither he nor the owner of Kitty R were on the vessel at the time of the alleged theft.

Some of the coins worth over £3,000 were however found on Bennett’s life raft when his catamaran capsized near the Bahamas, court documents state.

More coins, for the value of £20,000, were found in shoes in Lewis Bennett’s apartment in Florida during an FBI raid in June.

Lewis Bennett was on honeymoon with Isabella Hellmann, his wife of three months, when their boat called Surf in the Sun capsized in mysterious circumstances on 15 May as they were sailing from Cuba to Florida.

Lewis Bennett is due to appear in court today in Florida on coin theft charges.

6 June

The US Coast Guard has lost track of a catamaran – the last place where Isabella Hellmann was seen before she disappeared three weeks ago.

The mother-of-one was on board the catamaran, Surf in Summer, with her British husband, Lewis Bennett, when the boat began sinking off the Bahamas Banks.

Hellmann’s husband told the Coast Guard that he woke up on 15 May after the catamaran “struck something” about 30 miles off Cay Sal.

He said he went on deck to find the catamaran taking on water and no sign of his wife.

A four day search failed to find any trace of 41-year-old Isabella Hellmann, who is from Delray Beach, Palm Beach, Florida.

A missing person investigation has now been launched by the FBI and the US Coast Guard.

Hellmann and Bennett were sailing from Cuba to Florida on a belated honeymoon when the incident happened.

The couple have only been married three months, and have a baby daughter who was not on board at the time.

Isabella Hellmann’s family have set up a ‘Find Isabella’ Facebook group

Now, the US Coast Guard has admitted losing track of the 37-foot Surf into Summer catamaran.

The Palm Beach Post reported yesterday (5 June) that the US Coast Guard lost track of the boat after the onboard electronic beacon stopped working on 26 May.

It said this was confirmed yesterday by US Coast Guard spokesman, Jonathan Lally, who said that “we haven’t had track of it or seen the boat since.”

Previously, the Coast Guard said that the retrieval of Surf into Summer was the responsibility of Hellmann’s husband, Lewis Bennett. It added the wreck had been marked and a navigation hazard advisory sent out.

It also stated that it had inspected the boat “the best they could from the surface”, and that the “hulls had neither visible holes nor obvious places where water could have filled them, just deep scrapes at the back ends of each”.

It was too dangerous for divers to explore the inside of the vessel, but the US Coast Guard stated that rescuers had “banged on the side” of the hulls and there was no answer.

A spokesman for the US Coast Guard also added that Hellmann’s body was not thought to be inside the catamaran.

Report by Stef Bottinelli and Katy Stickland

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New book aims to shed light on the double murder of British couple Christopher Farmer and Peta Frampton

Christopher's sister Penny Farmer's book 'Dead in the Water will be published on 9 August. 76-year-old US sailor Silas Duane…

The post Lewis Bennett’s trial: New pictures reveal damage to the catamaran was inflicted from inside the boat appeared first on YBW.