Little beauty!

Size is relative and dependant on the sailing activity and weather conditions

- Marsali Taylor

The late, great Uffa Fox once said: ‘The smaller the cruiser, the greater the pleasure derived from it.’’

He was talking of a doublehanded 20ft canoe with a tent, but I reckon the principle applies nicely here in Shetland, especially as the boats around me get bigger. From being average in the 1990s, my Offshore 8m Karima is now one of the smallest yachts in the Shetland fleet; nearly everyone else has upgraded to a minimum of 32ft. It makes sense, when any cruising out with Shetland involves the North Sea for at least a hundred miles – a bigger boat, a bristling of gadgetry, a cabin to yourself, a working oven and a hot shower would all be a comfort.

It’s funny now to think that when van de Stadt designed her, Karima was a big boat with the latest mod cons – a separate toilet, a hanging locker, 6ft headroom and a long cockpit. The