Yachts used to rot in harbour. Now they just sit there gathering expensive, esoteric gear. Noel Dilly looks at the packed berths, scratches his head and wonders why
Why do so many apparently well-kept yachts rarely leave their berths? Boats are expensive to keep. Owning a marina-berthed yacht demands affluence or sacrifice. They don’t sail, so what are they for?
Are they status symbols? Probably not, or else why would they all look so similar? Yachts are difficult to flaunt at land-dwelling friends and neighbours.
A sure indicator of the intended use of these boats is the trend for them to get bigger and bigger, larger than the average owner can handle alone. This is a great way to avoid leaving the marina.
These yachts have all the latest gear. The demand for this equipment is reflected in the change in boat shows, which used to be places for buying small, useful items. Now, an exhibitor must show gear beyond the pocket of most visitors. Once everyone knew what things were, now teams of delightful experts must demonstrate the kit and its exotic, esoteric functions. Boat shows are driven by market forces, so it must be boat owners driving this change.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von Yachting Monthly.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 2017-Ausgabe von Yachting Monthly.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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How to rig preventers and boom brakes
Rigging a preventer or using a boom brake is just good seamanship when sailing downwind, but doing so badly is asking for trouble, says Rachael Sprot
Don't let Thames sewage kill off this lovely boat
Samuel Pepys mentions oysters in his diaries 68 times, but that was when they were as common as winkles along the banks of the Thames and when they were a source of cheap protein for the masses.
I finally found the magic of the sea
I won’t be in theatres with a notebook as much as usual this month – time for some wider, wetter horizons – but may be musing, as I often do, on how rare it is for theatre to express a convincing reality about the oceans and the trade or pursuit of seafaring.
TECHNICAL GOLDEN OLDIES
Ken Endean looks back on the boats he has owned over 50 years and explains why the hull lines of older yachts continue to offer first-class handling
HOW IT WORKS MARKING
Many cruising yacht skippers mark very little on board their boats.
TECHNICAL INSTALLING A NEW ENGINE
When a mysterious loss of coolant jeopardised his sailing, Andy Du Port knew the time had tome to replace his yacht’s:veteran Volvo Penta
NEW GEAR
Dennis O’Neill rounds up the latest marine innovations, including developments in women’s sailing jackets
MARIE TABARLY HONOURING HER FATHER
Marie Tabarly took line honours in the Ocean Globe Race, surpassing her father’s record while racing aboard his famous 73ft ketch Pen Duick VI
HEATHER THOMAS SMASHING RECORDS
In leading her all-female crew to victory in the OGR, Heather Thomas has broken records and taken women's sailing into the stratosphere
MAIDEN MAKES HISTORY AGAIN
Being the first all-female crew to win a round-the-world race is seismic in itself, but the diverse nationalities of the crew are just as significant for the future of sailing