Sailor
I doubt there is one, but if you’re the sort of yachtie who likes to use his engine to get out of the marina, immediately set his sails, and only use the engine to get into a harbour, then you’ll be disappointed. There’s a lot of motoring in the Med.
The wind tends to blow along the Spanish coast, either east or west along the Costa del Sol, and then just when you think you’ll get the wind on the beam as you turn the corner, you get it on the nose again. Actually, that’s not quite correct, because for 10-20 miles north of the south-east corner, the wind continues to blow east-west. Even when the wind blows, it doesn’t usually start before 12 noon, and sometimes not till later.
So the thing to do is hurry up across to the Balearics, because we found that the winds around the islands are good sailing winds. You often get good winds round Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, and there are plenty of good anchorages and marinas to stay in. It is a great cruising ground, particularly the north-east of Majorca, and most of Menorca.
Most people think of the Med as being either calm, or with just a breeze, but it can blow as strongly down there as around Devon and Cornwall. The difference is that the wind can come from nowhere and get up to a force 7-8 in half an hour. And neither the sky nor the barometer give you much clue.
Caught Out in an inland sea Read the rest of this entry »
May
5
Sailor
There’s no better way to get the feel from a boat you’re not used to than to sail with only the mainsail. It minimizes the touch points you need to pay attention to and keeps your speed at a manageable level. Your mainsail is important in the dynamics of the boat’s forward drive and sailing with it alone will help you isolate nuances of its effect. Different boat designs have an impact on what part the mainsail plays in the handling of the boat. For instance, fractional rigs rely more heavily on the mainsail than the headsail and its sailing characteristics are considerably different.
It’s important to understand that without a headsail, the boat will not “point” or sail well into the wind. So keep this in mind when choosing your course and area of sail. Don’t get into trouble in shallow water or areas where you need to head higher into the wind because the boat probably won’t help you out of that jam. You will notice however that the boat sails downwind well. With the sheet eased well out the yacht will move considerably well. Again, reaching and closed hauled sailing will be slow and you may experience considerable weather helm. Read the rest of this entry »
Mar
3
Sailor
Sailing Turkey's Turquoise Coast
If you like sunshine, the smell of the sea air, water sports, Mediterranean cuisine, and a chance to visit important historical sites, then you should set your sites on Turkey. It is here where you can explore one of civilization’s great crossroads, choosing from a variety of sailing options.
You don’t have to be a sailor to enjoy a sea holiday in Turkey. One of the popular choices of tourists in Turkey is to hire a crewed yacht. On a crewed yacht, a professional crew takes care of the boating and you can turn your attention to snorkeling, soaking in the sun, visiting quaint villages, historical sites and enjoying the dishes prepared by the onboard chef.
If you fancy travelling on a vessel that is reminiscent of a romantic galleon or old pirate ship, then a cruise on a Gulet (or Gullet) is in order. Gulets are traditional wooden and handmade Turkish boats, usually equipped with a crew of three comprising of the captain, the cook, and a sailor. The boats have a motor as well as sails. The route can be fixed , or arranged to the preferences of the group, and the group shares the expenses. Read the rest of this entry »
May
5
