The Bay of Biscay may not command the romance of an Atlantic or Pacific crossing, but it is, nonetheless, a significant body of wild ocean that demands careful planning, meticulous preparation, and the utmost of respect.
My wife Jenny and I bought our 2008 Regina 43 Arkyla in 2018 with the intention of heading south to the sun. Even with significant cruising experience, we felt that support would be wise for a first crossing of Biscay and so signed ourselves up to the World Cruising Club (WCC) ARC Portugal Rally.
In olden, square-rigger days, the fear of becoming embayed in treacherous conditions made Biscay one of the most dreaded stretches of water in the world. Although advances in design and technology make it easier, a direct UK-Galicia offshore crossing, of 550-600 miles, will likely take a typical cruising boat four to five days, which is on the outer edge of reliable weather forecasts. With the steep continental shelf can come formidable sea states, not to mention the potential of significant winds around Finisterre. Crews are well advised to expect the unexpected.
Bu hikaye Yachting Monthly UK dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Yachting Monthly UK dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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
