Nobody expects to have a problem at sea but it’s best to be prepared – who knows what a change in sailing conditions will bring. Here’s what happened when I had a repair job at sea to contend with recently.

Since we took delivery of Totemic, our Jeanneau 53 sailing yacht used for company staff training, I’ve tried to ensure we have a good selection of tools and spare parts on board in case we need to make emergency repairs at sea.

We’ve got a range of hand tools, a cordless drill, cordless dremel, screws, washers, nuts, bolts, tapes, glues, and more. Most of these have their obvious uses, however one that I didn’t expect to use was the sail repair kit.

During one of our training weeks we sailed from Cagliari in the South of Sardinia along the west coast to Alghero in the North West of the island. Our first night was spent on anchor just off Campulongu because our intended destination of Marina Capitana had no spare visitor berths for the night.

The following morning the wind was very fresh and seas were heading towards moderate. We set off with a reef in both the main and the jib. Once away from the protection of the land the winds increased and the sea state deteriorated. Totemic sailed beautifully and even our novice sailors felt safe and reassured.

But later in the day the wind became very unpredictable, suddenly dropping and minutes later blowing at 25 knots. We went through a cycle of putting reefs in, only to be shaking reefs out minutes later. Unfortunately all this activity stressed the leach tape on our Genoa and we could see it was damaged in three places. We furled the Genoa away for the day to save it from further damage.

Next day we decided to rig and use the storm jib instead. This was a useful exercise since it had never actually been used before but made the yacht very unbalanced needing large amounts of rudder to hold course.
The following morning I woke early to find there was no wind at all. I woke some of the crew and we took this opportunity to take off the Genoa. This involved unfurling the whole sail before it could be dropped to the deck. We laid the sail out as best as we could and removed the loose pieces of tape. We then used Gaffer Tape to repair the missing areas. The repair didn’t look perfect but luckily the winds were gentle so while our repairs gradually failed, we did manage to sail all day without further damage.

The next morning we were up early to remove the sail again. This time we were in a very nice marina with Astroturf on its pontoons! This meant we could lay out the sail fully and put two overlapping lengths of Gaffer Tape all the way along the leach of the sail and six stitches every meter to help strengthen the repair. We were very proud of our work, managing to get the sail back on just as the wind started to get up.

This repair lasted a whole two days, allowing us to sail some 90 miles and to reach our destination of Alghero. Eventually the tape became unstuck but none of our stitches gave way – what a piece of handiwork and what a success!

In Alghero we found a sail maker who took the sail to his loft and replaced the whole of the leach tape for the very reasonable price of €300.
Working as a team to solve problems at sea was a challenge enjoyed by everyone in the sailing group; our sail repair kit had proved its worth; and we had all learned how important it is to be able to undertake repairs at sea.

So the motto is – don’t panic, just be prepared for any sailing eventuality!

Happy sailing

Jonathan Green
Skipper, Totemic

I’ve heard it said that you should judge the safety of a sailor by their ability to use their VHF radio rather than their boat or sail handling. Whether that’s true or not is open to debate but certainly regular and confident use of your VHF radio is very important – it being the easiest way of getting help and advice while at sea.
We are now running sailing training groups on Totemic, the Cover My Boat Jeanneau 53 yacht, out in Sardinia. When groups join me I take them through a safety brief that includes emergency procedures as well as living on a boat.

Using the VHF is an important part of this initial safety brief. I explain to them that in an emergency where the vessel or lives are in danger we issue a Mayday. Incidentally, did you know Mayday actually comes from ‘m’aide’ which is French for ‘help me’.

We actually have the Mayday script stuck on the bulkhead above the radio set – in the case of an emergency we can simply read the script. If you pick up the radio and shout ‘help, help!’ someone will indeed help, but the script gives all required information in a logical order. This is important for listening vessels since on hearing ‘Mayday, Mayday, Mayday’, they should immediately pick up pen and paper to take down information.

The most important piece of information is the position of the stricken vessel. Knowing its position enables boats in the area to assess if they are able to offer assistance. As a relatively small sailing vessel it is unlikely we would be able to help and are best staying out of the way and not hindering the emergency services. However, if it was a medical emergency and we had a doctor on board it would be an ideal opportunity for us to offer assistance.
I always ask my groups – ‘if we leave the marina tomorrow and I collapse when we are just clear of the harbour – what are you going to do?’. The response often is: “Ahhhh, we would have to bring the yacht back into the marina and park it – it would be awful!!”.

At this point I have to remind them that they wouldn’t actually do any of those things; instead, pick up the radio, issue a Mayday explaining we are a novice crew and we think our skipper has had a heart attack. The emergency services will send a skipper to look after the yacht and a medic to look after me, which is much more effective than a novice crew bringing a 53ft yacht into a marina. If I hadn’t had a heart attack that would surely bring one on!
There are plenty of one-day VHF operator courses around the UK and I would highly recommend seeking out a reputable one close to you. There are also plenty of excellent books covering VHF and emergency procedures, check them out on the RYA website.

On a final note, remember that VHF radios only have a maximum range of 50 miles so when sailing long distances away from land I always hire a satellite phone. I ensure I have the telephone numbers of the relevant coastguards and test the phone with a call to my wife. For seven days hire the cost is around £60 so I’d recommend you shop around for the best deal to suit your needs. This is definitely worth doing – it could prove to be a lifesaver.

Happy sailing
Jonathan Green
Skipper, Totemic

Read our next diary piece from skipper Jonathan Green. Jonathan skips Totemic, our company boat used for staff sailing academies and which we cover through our own Cover My Boat boat insurance.

June 2011.…..

I returned to Ibiza with a crew of five experienced friends to sail Totemic the 400 miles from Ibiza to Sardinia. We arrived at 5pm and spent the next three hours checking and moving equipment so that we were prepared should we hit heavy weather during the three-day voyage.

We headed into town for our last supper on dry land before leaving the marina at 11pm. The winds were bang on our nose and up to 25 knots which meant we had a noisy uncomfortable night bashing our way through the waves under engine. We operated a three-hour two-man watch through the night and four of our six succumbed to sea sickness, which was no shame at all in those short pitching waves.

During Saturday, the winds slackened and seas calmed. I checked the fuel levels and was alarmed to find that for the first 100 miles we had used 75% of our diesel. At this rate we would not get to Sardinia!

We decided to detour slightly and call in at Rajada. We put up full sail and Totemic did what she does best – sailed at up to 10 knots, arriving at the harbour at teatime.

Unfortunately the fuel pontoon was closed at weekends and our only option was to take our emergency fuel cans in a taxi to find diesel at the nearest garage. Two journeys later and our tanks were nearly full, giving us reassurance we now had ample fuel to reach Sardinia – even if we couldn’t use our sails at all.

As soon as we cleared the harbour we raised full sails and I took first watch with my friend Simon. The winds were coming from the east and we decided to head north, passing Menorca on its west coast, hoping that the winds would veer to the south. This worked perfectly, we sailed well all through the night, which included thunder and lightening during the early hours.
By morning we were making good progress on our straight course east towards Alghero in Sardinia. The sun was shining, the seas were slight and the wind had dropped so we were motoring steadily at 6 knots.

I though this would be an ideal time to try out our two new fishing rods. We had fitted rod holders and once the lures had been cast behind the boat, there is little to do but wait. I was sleepy, so laid down in the saloon and fell asleep, only to be woken by the cries of “We’ve caught a fish”!

We had indeed caught a fish – a fish that had taken most of the line off the reel and took 20 minutes to retrieve. There was definitely something on the line, but it felt more like a shopping trolley than a fish! But how wrong I was. Eventually we managed to reel in our catch – a beautiful yellow finned tuna. It weighed over 12kg and when landed, only just fitted into our freezer!

That night we returned to the three-hour two-man watch, and dawn soon came and with it the wind. We hoisted full sails and Totemic pushed on towards Sardinia. It was quite misty and we only started to see the outline of land when we were 10 miles away from it. We sailed right into the bay of Alghero, arriving at 10:30am. The Italian marinas have a lovely habit of watching for yacht masts and rushing out in their ribs to be the first to offer a marina berth.

We had at last arrived in Sardinia. We spent the next two days cleaning and repairing Totemic before flying home.

I’ll be back in 10 days time for the first of our Totemic training weeks. Here novice sailors get the chance for five-days training onboard Totemic, with me teaching the delights of big yacht sailing. I can’t wait – I hope they feel the same!

Happy sailing
Jonathan Green
Skipper, Totemic

Read our next diary piece from skipper Jonathan Green. Jonathan skips Totemic, our company boat used for staff sailing academies and which we cover through our own Cover My Boat boat insurance.

May 2011…..

Totemic sails out of Alicante for the last time, bound for Moraira, some 40 miles up the Spanish coast. At last her winter repairs are complete, though there were some anxious moments, and she is now ready to embark on the first leg of the passage to Sardinia.

On board are the owner, one of his friends, myself, and our wives. We are a group of friends all excited to be back on Totemic and sailing!

Our passage to Moraira was not a comfortable one, the swell being from behind was made even worse by a lack of wind to fill our sails. But it’s a bright and sunny afternoon when we eventually arrive in Moraira and this lifts our spirits.

If you haven’t docked in Moraira it is well worth calling in.  It is a beautiful, unspoilt resort with a lovely sprinkling of bars and restaurants along the sea front. We choose one to sample but it’s early to bed as we need to set sail at 7 the next morning for the next leg of our journey – San Antonio in Ibiza.

As soon as we leave Moraira the wind freshens and we hoist sails. What an adventure to be sailng the 60 miles from mainland Spain to Ibiza. It is quite cold at sea and haze hides the island until  we are only a few miles away from it.

Nine hours after leaving Moraira we arrive in San Antonio – the wild party town on the west coast of Ibiza. The marina is being refurbished, and will soon be a very classy port of call. We were amazed to be only charged €30 for the night which is very competitive.

San Antonio is only just waking up from its winter hibernation, but the streets of clubs and pubs already have the customary music blaring out in an attempt to attract partygoers. I have to say, we did feel a little out of place – the clubs wouldn’t entertain anyone over the age of 30 – that counted us all out!

The next day was dull and cloudy but gave us our best sailing conditions so far. We sailed from San Antonio south between the Island of Formentera before turning North towards the marina of Santa Eulalia. It was a hard day with much tacking and working Totemic but there is nothing better than the satisfaction of sailing into the marina at the end of a long and exhausting day.

Unbeknown to us, one of the hatches had been left open and the master cabin’s bedding was very soggy. The owner decided he and his wife had earned a night in a hotel!

In the morning it was all hands on deck to clean and tidy Totemic so we could leave her in the marina until I return with another crew to move her from Ibiza to Sardinia. As we fly out of Ibiza all of us look down on Santa Eulalia and the marina, saying a fond farewell to Totemic – until the next time.

Happy sailing

Jonathan Green
Skipper, Totemic

If you’re considering chartering a boat for the first time, this advice will be invaluable and even if you’ve tried it before, here’s a gentle reminder of what to look out for and what to avoid…..

Do:

- Ask what safety equipment is provided – many boats have no Man Overboard Equipment, smoke detectors or adequate life jackets (they provide the huge orange foam ones that no one is going to wear), and check fire extinguishers are included.

- Buy the pilot guide for the sailing area before you travel. This will tell you local weather and marina costs. It will also enable you to read and learn at your leisure and plan your trip properly. First time I chartered a yacht I never got around to reading the on board guide until we had an afternoon from hell in a small yacht. If I had read the guide it warned of local winds building in the afternoons. After that we set off early and got into our marina berth by 2.30pm.

- Take a basic first aid kit with you – just in case. Also, pack a basic tool kit – charter yachts rarely have one at all.

- Have a notebook with you when you take over the boat from the agent and write down important information as they take you around the boat. This will be invaluable and a good reference point – you’ll never be able to remember everything they tell you otherwise.

- Consider deposit waiver insurance. This means if there is any damage to the boat your deposit is insured. It is very easy to put an expensive scratch on an unfamiliar boat and also possible for agents to blame you for damage that you didn’t notice at handover.

Don’t:

- Sail on the day you arrive. You are tired from travelling and so are your crew. Much better to stock your boat with provisions, sample the local hostelry (you are on holiday after all) and get an early night. We sailed out of Lavrion in the Greek Cyclades at 6am on our day of arrival. We battled for three hours to get to the Island of Kea in force 7’s, several were seasick and we arrived in a strange harbour at dusk. Mediterranean moorings can be testing at the best of times but when you’re tired and hungry they are even more difficult. Two of our group didn’t sail again with us that week. It was a good lesson to learn.

- Feel under pressure to sail every day if you are not comfortable with the conditions, even if this means not returning the boat on time. Better to feel confident and in control at all times.

- Sail to other countries – the paperwork can take hours ! We chartered a yacht in Rhodes and sailed without much thought into Bodrum – Turkey. Any port will welcome you, unfortunately not all are so keen to let you go. We spent three hours and €150 to get us in and out of Turkey, all for one night. Not only that, when we returned to Greece we had to go through a similar procedure!

- Be intimidated by locals when mooring. Unless you understand exactly what they are saying, it’s better to ignore well meaning advice and take responsibility yourself. If something goes wrong the young lad who was shouting advice in Italian or Greek to you will very quickly disappear, leaving you to explain why…

And finally, DO have a wonderful time; boat charter is a great experience and gives you an amazing sense of freedom – just remember the do’s and don’t’s along the way.

Jonathan Green
Skipper, Totemic

We all know how important our vhf radios are, they can potentially save our lives. I have to say I was very grateful of our radio and knowing how to use it properly on a recent sailing trip onboard our boat Totemic which Cover My Boat provides boat insurance for.

Our steering failed at 2am while sailing from La Coruna in North West Spain to Villamoura in the Algarve. While we set up our emergency tiller it was extremely re-assuring to hear our radio operator talking to the coastguard. His calm and concise use of the radio enabled the coastguard to quickly assess our problem and respond by sending the lifeboat to tow us into a marina.

Knowledge leads to confidence when under pressure and I would recommend all sailors sign up for a training course. I used the RYA radio course. It covered all types of radio communication, ship to ship, ship to coastguard and emergency procedures.

My training kicked in again when our engine failed just as we were approaching harbour – my instinct was to immediately put up the Jib sail and sail away from danger, giving us time and space to be able to deal with our engine problem. In this instance the problem was a simple one – running out of fuel in one tank, and simply swapping to tank two to solve it.

Another essential skill is Man Over Board (MOB) training. When we have a new crew out on one of our staff sailing academies the first thing we do while out on the water is go through a MOB routine.

We will throw a fender and bucket overboard and then come back to retrieve it. We use the engine because our novices will not have experienced using sails, but it shows them how difficult this procedure can be and how difficult it would be to pull an actual person aboard, particularly if they were unconscious.

This always reminds me how important it is to avoid MOB situations, wear life jackets and life lines early, carry life rings, throwing ropes and dan buoys and practise using them. Ensure that life jackets are properly maintained and that they have lights on them if you are sailing at night.

Many years ago when sat at the end of a raft of yachts in Poole enjoying a drink with the crew, a beautiful brand new 45 ft yacht came into the harbour looking for a mooring. If you’re not familiar with it, the quay in Poole Harbour is actually in the mouth of a river and has a very strong current. The skipper of the approaching yacht was not aware that to maintain control he needed to be heading into the current. We quickly realised he was coming with the current and had effectively no control of his vessel. We jumped up and ran to fend him off as best as we could while at the same time catching his mooring lines. All ended well with no damage to his yacht or crew.

There are plenty of day skipper courses available that teach boat handling and mooring so the danger of smashing into a mooring – and the very red face which goes with that – can be avoided!

It’s so easy to make light of these incidents but all are serious and potentially life-threatening situations, not least, they could impact on your boat cover. I know if I hadn’t had the right training I wouldn’t feel safe or confident out on the water.

If you haven’t already, I would recommend you search for a local sailing training session for some basic essentials or to refresh yourself before setting sail this season. There are plenty of qualified instructors out there, perhaps look for the most reputable one closest to you, check out their website, see what the reviews say, and get yourself booked up – you won’t regret it and you can face the season ahead with extra confidence.

Catch up with my latest diary account on Totemic’s pre-season preparations in Alicante

Jonathan Green
Skipper, Totemic

April 2011 ( continue from Totemic Sailing Academy. Part One)

I bought lots of kit to take out to the yacht because it is much cheaper here in the UK. The only problem is getting it out to our boat Totemic, currently moored in Alicante.

I ordered ten bright red fenders which we took as hold baggage. Unfortunately, customs took an interest in our unusual packages and we got stopped at East Midlands Airport and had to open up every single one!

We arrived at Alicante Marina .  It is beautiful in the spring and bustling with Spanish day trippers. The marina is coming back to life with many boats being prepared for the forthcoming season.

On arrival, our first job was to inflate Totemic’s brand new bright red fenders and replace the dirty white ones – they look stunning.

We clean and polish the decks and hull, put the sails back on (they have been repaired and stored in cabins during the winter). We put the new red ensign up which looks very classy and extremely patriotic. The dinghy is taken out of storage and put onto the davits. All the life rings and safety equipment are checked and put in their places on the transom.

There are still outstanding maintenance jobs that we discuss with our agent who promises everything will be ready for her first voyage. We take Totemic out of the harbour to do some sea trials to check that everything still works properly.

That means checking the windlass, the bow thrusters, the navigation equipment, the radar, the radio, and the navtex. All thankfully work just as they had when we last sailed.

Totemic has in boom furling that caused some problems last year. To improve the furling we have had the rigging changed. We test the new system and are delighted with the results. We also had new powerful cockpit speakers fitted. When at sea we turn up the volume and are amazed how good they sound.

It is fantastic to be back at sea, sailing Totemic once again, but we only have time for a short sail before returning her back to her mooring, what a tease!

The next day we finish off the cleaning and polishing and fit new equipment including a fire extinguisher under the master’s bunk which houses an air conditioning unit surrounded by plywood.

We deflate and pack the old fenders into our suitcases to take them home either to gather dust in my garage or maybe even find their way to a boat jumble .

Alicante has a new airport terminal and is now a pleasure to fly in and out of. It’s off home again to the UK – but not for long – in less than two weeks I’ll be back to sail Totemic to her next destination – Palma, Majorca.
Read all about it in my next blog.

Happy sailing

Jonathan Green

Skipper,Totemic

This is the beginning of the story of the adventures of ‘Totemic’, our Jeanneau 53 sailing yacht, her skipper, owners and crew. I hope you find it interesting, informative and at times amusing. In many ways it is bound to be a soap opera at sea, being a mixture of the mundane with the occasional high drama.

I am Jonathan Green, aged 52, and skipper of Totemic.  I have been sailing yachts for over nine years and have covered some 7500 miles in that time. I have followed the RYA training schemes to Yachtmaster Offshore and love introducing newcomers to sailing and teaching them the ropes. Each year I have groups who come to learn to sail but also use the time to learn leadership and team building.

Totemic left Plymouth on 22 May 2010 with only 40 miles of sea trials in her log, bound for the Algarve in Portugal.  She spent seven weeks cruising along the Algarve and Spanish coasts before making the passage through the straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean. Her destination was Alicante as her base for another eight weeks of sailing along the Costa Brava and Balearics. In her first season she covered 4000 miles and had 86 different people sail on her as crew.

Alicante is a wonderful city and an excellent port for wintering a yacht. The marina is reasonably priced and has the benefit of being very well protected from the sea and is very secure, being manned 24 hrs. Even in the middle of winter the city is bright and lively, many of the restaurants and bars remain open all year round. Flights from the UK are plentiful and cheap, and the marina is only a 15-minute taxi ride from the airport.

Jonathan
Skipper

Cover My Boat

continue

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10th Liverpool Comedy show set to join with new Boat Show launch

Dates of the 2011 Liverpool Comedy Festival have been changed to coincide with the new Liverpool Boat Show, set to start on 29th April 2011.

The Liverpool Boat Show will be staged in the very heart of Liverpool in the magnificent surroundings of the Albert Dock. The show has already secured major funding from the European Union and the support of 80 key industry exhibitors.

The 2011 Liverpool Comedy Festival will now run from 28th April to 8th May and is expected to attract upwards of 30,000 additional visitors to the Show launch.

The previous Comedy Festivals have boasted big named line-ups including Jimmy Carr, Lee Mack, Peter Kay and Paul Merton.

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For competitive boat insurance, contact Cover My Boat today for a quote.

Manchester’s 39th ‘Two Cities Boat Race’ annual rowing regatta announced

It was announced this week that the 39th Two Cities Boat Race will take place on Saturday 8th May 2010.

The Two Cities Boat Race is considered a key event in the region’s sporting and social calendar, with Dragon Boat racing in the morning, followed by the annual student rowing regatta between the Manchester and Salford Universities.

The event is renowned for providing a great day out for all involved with quayside entertainment and a variety of food and drink available throughout the day at Salford Quays.

All money raised for the event will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Admission is free and for more information about the Race, visit the website.

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For a competitive boat insurance quote, contact Cover My Boat today.