BLOG HAS MOVED TO http://www.sailblogs.com/member/yachtswagman/

Posted at 11:10 AM, Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Really sorry to be leaving the Yotblog site and we wish to thank Chris for the support he has provided for some years now to Swagmans blog.  It still astounds me that we've had close to 80,000 hits on the blog since we started - so we need to thank those readers also.

We regret the uncertainty over YotBlogs future, along with recent change of site name means we need to fix a new 'home' - we chosen to relocate to Sailblogs.

So thanks once more Chris - allowing our pals and family to remain updated via your site has meant a great deal to all of us.  We wish you and all Yotblog participants all the best for the future.

JOHN and SUE

Hi Keith and Pam

Posted at 8:36 AM, Sunday, April 25, 2010

This is what we like the look of. 

A couple of slow revving 100 hp engines, plods along at 7 knots, just right for creeks, river and the occassional channel crossing..................

Cheers

JOHN

BIG CHANGES of plans

Posted at 8:33 AM, Thursday, April 15, 2010

Hi All,

Really pleased to announce we will be grandparents to hopeful twins in October of this year.  We've known for some time this was a goal and we've tried to jam in as much 'away' cruising into our schedul-  knowing that once babes were on the way then time wandering the oceans might be curtailed for a few years.

Now it;s happened, and reviewing our ability to only spend months last year with Swagman, and not sure with this news if we really can spend any more next year - plus good old commercial sense with a strong euro making a UK boat good value right now - we've decided to sell Swagman to a new loving owner.

It is big step but one we've thought lots about over the past month and we really do believe the time is right. 

So if anyone knows anyone wishing for a very higly specced and much loved ocean cruising yacht - Swagman is a Hanse 461 launched 2005, and for only a fraction more than other under specified alternatives, then drop me and email at john(dot)allison(at)erauk(dot)net.

Here is the itinery I've just listed today.

Hanse 461

constructed 2004 and commissioned January 2005.

A Judel / Vrolijk offshore cruiser designed for swift short handed sailing. 

This is the yacht that won the 2005 European Innovation Yacht Award for Hanse GMBH and led them into the larger high tech performance cruiser market.  The 461 is noted for its quality build as well as stylish design and functional layout above and below deck.

Swagman was hull number 7 and built to a very high initial order specification. She was monitored right through the construction process in Germany.

Teak deck with Flag Blue Awlgrip paint to cream epoxy hull.  A 2.13 medium draft keel.  Red leather armchairs and white leather couch compliment the high gloss mahogany carpentry and light beech wood flooring.  

This boat has been outfitted for two handed offshore cruising and has proved herself on a maiden UK to Mediterranean cruise, then both a two year Mediterranean followed by an Atlantic circuit, mostly with just a husband and wife team. 

Three handed Swagman crossed with the ARC in only 16 days to win the 2007 Class A Cruiser Division ‘Prime Ministers’ Trophy.

Fitted with electric winches, bow thruster, fully battened mainsail, lazy jacks and stack pack, ball car tracks, furling headsails and other extras, she has proved as easy to manoeuvre as she is to sail swiftly.    

An oversized 75hp turbo engine with a three bladed prop will drive her at 8.5 knots if and when required.

Fully equipped with all the safety features you would expect of a yacht of this class, Swagman is UK part 1 registered and fully tax paid.

Lying Lagos, Portugal.  Recently polished, antifouled, new anodes - all ready to go.

225,000 euros    

2.15 Medium Draft keel

Epoxy hull with Awlgrip Flag Blue Paint

Sparcraft 22 metre mast and boom

Norths CC fully battened Dacron main (new 2009)

Harken A series mast track

North DC 120% Dacron Genoa (new 2007) on Harken furler

Crusader storm headsail

Quantum Mylar 200% Code 0 headsail on Facnor furler (new 2007)

Stainless removable bowsprit (new 2007)

Quantum cruising symmetrical spinnaker

Carbon fibre spinnaker pole with Harken A series spinnaker mast track

Harken deck gear to include 2 x 54 electric winches, 2 x 44 manual winches, clutches and blocks

Lazy Jacks and Velcro closed beige mainsail cover

Katadyn 80E Watermaker

1 x 92 WD Solara walk on / removable Solar Panel

Simpson Laurence Lift Out Davits

Multi Plex folding carbon gangway and carbon rails

Bombard / Zodiac A500 / folding transom RIB with bow bag / anchor / swim ladder / 12v air pump

6 HP Yamaha Outboard with 2 x fuel tanks

Blue spray hood by Hanse with added sun covers

Full sized blue bimini by C&J marine

Deck cushions in beige by C&J marine

Salon berth lee cloth by C&J marine

Internal blinds to all hatches and windows by Oceanair

Side beige bimini covers in Sunbrella air cloth

1 x stainless steel / hardwood metal mesh lockable washboard

4 x weighted mosquito nets for deck hatches

Plastic mosquito nets for side opening hatches

75 HP Yanmar TD Engine with Flexofold 3 bladed prop onto Yanmar sail drive

80ah alternator with Stirling Smart System + new spare 55ah alternator + new spare starter motor

4 x 80ah Varta gel service batteries

4 x 80ah Varta gel winch / windlass batteries

1 x 120ah gel starter battery

Cross over battery bank connector cable

Stirling 50ah 110 / 220v / 12v charger

Phillipi digital tank and battery gauges

Foldaway Anchor Launcher in anchor locker

Sea water deck pump / hose in anchor locker

Overspecified Delta Anchor

Overspecified 60 metres 10mm chain

Electric Fog Horn

2nd Danforth style anchor with 14 mm weighted kedge line

Electric Windlass fitted with remote (+ spare remote) and manual operation appendage / lever

Maxpower Retractable Bow thruster

Stainless clock and barometer in saloon

Additional stainless hand holds in saloon

Raymarine 80E chart plotter on deck

Raymarine 240E DSC VHF and speaker on deck

2 x ST60 wind, 2 x ST60 logs, 2 x ST60 depth instruments, 1 x autopilot and 1 x Maxpower controls on deck

Raymarine E120 chart plotter at chart table with Gold Cards for Northern Europe, Western, Central and Eastern Mediterranean 

Raymarine 240 DSC VHF and speaker at chart table

Raymarine Radar overlaid to chart plotters

Raymarine Autopilot with hydraulic drive to stock

Raymarine Man Overboard locators (4 personal units)

WiFi amplifier with external antenna on radar pole (giving 3 mile WiFi range)

ICOM 802 DSC HF with ATU and Pactor 3 email modem and transom whip antennas for HF and DSC at chart table

ICS Nav 6 Navtex at chart table

Alpine CDA 50 watt CD Receiver with MP 3 / iPod connection at chart table and saloon and deck speaker

EPIRB

1^st 60 litre front opening refrigerator in galley

2^nd 40 litre top loading refrigerator adjacent galley in aft port cabin

Webasto diesel fired hot air heating

Cooling fans to all cabins

Additional 220v sockets to galley and saloon

LED lamps in tricolour, anchor lamp, and some saloon down lights

Plastimo Ocean Cruiser 6 man life raft in hard case (in service)

2 x white horseshoe life rings with Plastimo lamps / whistles / drogues

1 x Jonboy auto inflatable MOB marker

1 x throwing line

6 x inflatable life jackets

Bosun’s Chair

6 x blue socked fenders

Blue socked bow fender + large fender + fender step

Mooring Lines

Radar Reflector / Motoring Cone / Anchor Ball

Please note the following may be seen on Swagman but are not included in the inventory:

Personal items of clothing and toiletries, cutlery, plates, cooking pots and utensils; assorted books and paper charts; 220v lamps and appliances; misc bedding including blue cushions; folding Bicycles; a broken 290 WD Solara Panel; dive equipment, torches and binoculars; fishing rod and tackle; tools and cleaning kits; flags and inflatable fenders

A gentlemans power yacht with classic lines and eventually loaded with wooden sailing dinghies, fishing rods etc, is in my sights already to keep me occupied but closer to home - methinks an ideal vessel for a grandfather to share with his family when sliding around the creeks and rivers of England and France............:-)

JOHN 

Steadily Sorting Plans for 2010

Posted at 5:10 PM, Monday, January 25, 2010

Hi All,

Here in the south of the UK the snow has more or less gone.  Buds are beginning to spring up, and we're getting out most weekends to cycle some muddy forest tracks. 

We've been lucky and enjoyed one week away skiing in Austria in Januanry, and have another planned for France in March.  Business is still frantic - but as you'll read I am trying real hard to get away sailing later this year. 

Our past plan for 2010 was to join the Route de Iles de Soleil, a French Rally running starting in October and running from Madeira in the Atlantic, then heading south to Morocco and Senegal before heading off over the Atlantic to Brazil and a 500 round trip up and back the Amazon River.  All the stuff of dreams -  until the costs arrived.

After studying the entry pack sent to us, and seeing the cost of entry alone is EU8,500, and knowing it will take us a full six months and leave us with the boat in French Guiana - and then having only the opportunity to park her up or race north to cross the Carib to avoid hurricane season or ship her back to Europe - we've decided not to commit to this event.  Hope we do not live to regret that - but there are lots of other options that maybe make better use of Swagman and the budget!

Looking back at where we've sailed Swagman since she hit the water in 2005 it has been interesting for us to review the places we've gone to and - and it has also allowed us to remember the special places we said we'd revisit if we had the time.  Maybe now IS that time, eh?

 2005 saw us join Rally Portugal and party our way down to Lagos in Portugal - where we moved on up into the Med and one favourite place - the Balearics - where we circulated all the islands more than a few times as pals came and joined with us.  A tiring but thoroughly enjoyable summer - leaving Swagman parked in Palma de Mallorca for 2005/6 winter visits.  The blog for that sarted here - 2005 Yot Blog

2006 saw us add some goodies to Swagman, and with a couple of pals helping to sail her flat out throught the storms of the early spring, we streaked across the Med towards Ayvalik in Turkey.  There we took time to journey overland to Istanbul and later joined in with the east Med Rally - and completed that two month exercise in style and only two up.

A fabulous experience from N Turket to Egypt and all points in between.  Great parties, super sailing, great places and people plus made some lifelong pals - and just got out of Lebanon before they bombed the place!

Our blog for this starts here:2006 Yot Blog

2007 saw us spend a month in several Mediterreanean countries, I guess sampling each.  We spent a month saying goodbye to Turkey, and another saying hello to the Greek Islands.  We slid past Albania at night to spend a month in Croatia, and then raced back to again spend a month around the Balearics.  If there was a competition for each place - Croatia won. 

From there ended up riding the tail of a storm right down the E Spanish coast to make Portugal in one hit before summers end.  Two months ashore prepping Swagman and October saw us heading fro the Canary Islands, where we were joined by pal Gerry to helped us sail Swagman to the Caribbean as part of the 2007/8 ARC.

Our blog for this starts here: 2007 Yot Blog

After a quick two handed cruise up and down famed leeward islands enjoying parties over the festive season with other expat sailors, we were joined in April by the kids to take part in Antigua Race Week.  Only thing we did well was destroy our livers - and then it was all over. 

Our longest passage yet from Tureky to Antigua was complete - taking around a year of our time out sailing the seas.  Just great - but business beckoned and we could not stay away any longer.

Swagman was sailed back to the UK by delivery skipper Matt, and in truth she did not go far even locally as the weather in the UK that summer was so bad. 

2009 saw Swagman getting some TLC so we could head south once more for a lazy two months exploring the creeks and bays of N and S Brittany before heading out and over Biscay to N Spain, and once more slide down the Portugese West Coast to Lagos.

The blog for this starts here:2009 Yot Blog  

 So - 2010???

Where now? 

We are still scratching our heads and trying to exit responsibilities in the UK, but it looks likely we'll drop down in April or May to kit Swagman out for another cruise this summer.  

Our current favourite is the idea of a quick sprint over to Croatia and a couple of months vacation there simply topping up the tan and inviting lots of plas over to enjoy what we found last time.  It will give us the chance to sail our own boat into Venice - one of our personal 'got to be done before we die' listings - and should place us well for sliding onward to Kos (Greek Island) where we may well park Swagman for winter 2010/11.

The money we save on not doing the French Rally could then be applied maybe to a flight to S America next winter?  Maybe trekking the Andes?? 

What about getting down to Pategonia for a mini cruise boat to visit Cape Horn??? 

It all sounds good to me - but got to get away first and the glue is still very sticky......................

But rest assured we'll not stop trying - and of course I'll keep you posted on what we achieve.

Cheers

JOHN

10th and 11th August – Cascais to Sines - then finally Lagos

Posted at 2:22 PM, Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Well we've completed this years sailing adventures having arrived off the river / harbour / marina entrance at Lagos Marina at 5 pm on Tuesday 11^th August.  We've only managed to sail 405 miles of the total 1520 covered from Lymington in the UK to get down here to the Portugese Algave. 

We could have almost been a motor boat this year with the light winds, but we weren’t.  Those legs of the trip we did get good winds were just great and locked away in the memory banks.

Below is a shot of the river / harbour entrance with us following another yacht and a tourist dinghy in, and one of the local flower power painted tourist boats charging out.

Immediately on the port side of this recontructed entrance, there is the 13th century castle that orginally protected the small tidal harbour and town that once nestled behind it on the sandy shore.  Today the oppoosite side of the river has been reclaimed from the sea to help create some super beaches and sand dunes, and in those they then dredged to build a fishing boat harbour and further in, the marina. 

Todays town and its long promenade run up the dead straight river entrance to the marina - you can see the palms on the hand bank and town behind.  We've been here lots of times before - notably keeping our old Grand Soleil here for the winter of 2003 - and it is invariably full of holidaymakers. Nice point is there areusually more Portuguese than foreigners, allowing the place to retain a style and charm that is hard to beat (in my view) around the Med. 

Lots of narrow streets and a great location just over the water from N Africa - and a reach will see you in Madiera in 2 days, Canary Islands in 3.  For local night life (which we always appreciate) a goodly mix of restuarants, bars, boutiques and buskers.  And the street music we love.

The modern glass plated reception for Marina de Lagos is accessed from a pontoon about half a mile up from the river entrance, just past the entry to the fishing boat harbour and Sopromar Ship Yard on the right hand side.  The river ducks under a footbridge and then shallows dramatically once past the marina, as it then winds away across some plains towards the foothills.

The foot traffic gets to the town via that narrow lifting walk bridge which they open and close from reception to either let yachts pass through - or allow pedestrian traffic over.  The staff all go home at 2200 so if you arrive too late with a yacht, it's a night on the reception pontoon for you! 

Saving grace is it does has 220v power and water.  Oh, fuel pontoon also alongside.

We always found Marina de Lagos to be well run - but it is not cheap.  The reception (and the showers etc) are all shiny glass and polished tarrantino stone.  Its surrounded by bars, has a luxury swimming pool which yacht owners can use, and good washing / drying facilities.  It is a favoured spot for many exiting N Europe and heading for the Med or away over the Atlantic - and lots reach here at the end of the EU summer and either stop on for the winter - or sotp here for good.  They have a organised expat 'Navigators Club' that organises winter get togethers.

We've arrived during high summer, when there are lots of boats big and small running from the town  and it's adjacent fishing boat harbour.  The mraina is equally packed - and charging its highest yearly rates.  Ouch.

The tourist boats take people out to view the grottos and caves formed by the wind and waves in the cliffs off this headland or alternatively the faster big RIBS go five miles off where one is almost guaranteed to see dophins. 

We love these big mammals.  We've luckily had multiple dolphin experiences on these last few days heading south, sometimes eight or nine at a time of the larger species as opposed to the smaller zippier versions who visited further north.

We find they never fail to entertain, ducking and diving alongside our cockpit or playing under our bow. For us it's a real feel good thing and despite the repetion, not something we'll ever get bored with.

With the dolphines one can kid oneself they are probably coming to say hello and we feel to have them with us is lucky.  I know in my heart of hearts that is a bit far fetched, but having a pod arrive to swim alongside just as we were about to go in this river entrance made this last leg somewhat special - kind of approving our choice of location for the winter.

Ah well.

The previous day sail down from Cascais to Sines (on the 10^th) saw zip wind, hence motorsailed the whole way.  The seas were calm with a gentle swell and the weather was getting warmer every mile we pushed further south.  Even the fishing boats seemed to find it hard to press through the warm air and flat oily seas offshore.

.

Sines is just a small fishing, tourist and regional loading town with a huge harbour, but the town has a fabulous atmosphere and locals who seem to know how to enjoy themsleves.  No where close to being as posh as Cascais or Lagos but we always like stopping there.  This year a friendly marinaro lured us into the small marina (as opposed to us anchoring off in the harbour itself) and then helped us tie up to their still rickety old pontoons.

The pontoons must be years old but this year the town sports a brand new marina complex on what was previously waste ground alongside the pontoons.  Very swish building and whilst the downside was  the young guy doing the paperwork proved very very slow - the welocme he gave was just as good as in previous years.  Refreshing to see him give the entry code for the showers to others who were simply anchored off - not many marinas givesuch access to those not paying for it.  Just went to reinforce our feelings about the place.

That evening Sue and I hit the small town and ended up having a super fish / steak meal (at Neuvo La Loto at the other end of beachfront) and ended up enjoying a cleansing ale and even dancing with the locals at a open air festival on the beachfront - way up to and beyond midnight.

The location was right opposite the marina and a pretty improptu affair - but packed with localsof all ages.  Seems they have a big well publicised and formal international music event each July and thw words got around that the council leave the stage and refreshment kiosks standing afterwards. The locals then take over.  Admittedly half those small kiosks selling food and drink were closed this night,  but others were open and doing very good trade.  Amatueurs - and cheap.

This night we all enjoyed listening to a very talented local duet singing and playing some great music on the huge stage.  

Local music.  Local people.  Local lovely.

We got up early again and as dawn broke with the sun rising behind us over the mainland we chugged off to complete the 75 mile leg down and then around the bottom of Portugal towards Lagos. 

Passage Weather said there would be very light from the north, and we especially wanted to arrive up the canal at Lagos daylight hours - not to avoid any pots, but simply to enjoy arriving.  It was motor on max economic revs and away we went under autopilot. 

The forecast was right.  Still under engine as we arroached the corner at Cabo San Vincent, where we toasted Henry the Navigator with hot port around mid afternoon, then turned east towards Lagos.

It was from Henry the Navigators Academy at Sagres (only five miles from this cape) that so many early explorers first learnt and then set forth to discover the new worlds we now all enjoy.   Seems odd to think Vasco da Gama might have one day stood at looked over the same waters we are sailing on.

But as a result of the work Henry did, it is now a yotties expectation to salute and toast him when passing this cape.  With home grown port if you have it. 

We did.

If we thought the sun was hot before the cape, it felt like we'd opened the door to a furnace once we'd rounded under and slid alongside the high imposing cliff faces of the Algave.  These cliffs effectively prevented even the whisper of cooler air we were getting before the corner  from reaching us.

We put up the bimini to try and avoid the worst of the rays, but I still got burnt in the 25 miles from St Vincent to Lagos.  Ouch.

Cutting close into the cliffs when we got to Lagos one can clearly see the grottos and caves that dot that headland.  It took us right back to the first time we came here on the old Swagman in 2003.  It seemed so wonderful and exciting then.  Is it not a shame that try as one might, you can't usually replicate that excitement when you go back for seconds or thirds?

But this is undoubtable a lovely place and it is easy to see why so many people leave the UK, cover some miles to get here, and go no further.

The mraina being half a mile inland is tucked away and safe from the worst any winter storm could deliver - and there is no sea surge.  The staff a super efficient and keen to help with almost anything.  The location in the city centre is very conveniently just a walk away - and even the local Pingo Dolche supermarket is a stroll for morning croissants.  Bless - they even have a drop off point for shopping trollies in the marina gate!  All very civilised.

Some magnificent golden dunes and the beach are only a minute on the bike the other way.  Great wlaks along deserted strecthes to Alvor - the next town to our east.  The sea booms in with good surf making swimming in the ocean fun - and the sun shines down more days than it does not.

So we're pleased this is to be Swagman’s temporary home whilst we go back to the UK to sort the new house and work our way through the fall and into the winter and then finally spring 2010, when our thoughts will turn towards exploring the seas once more. 

So that’s it folks.  Our summer cruise to the sun.   It's been shall we say - an interesting trip. 

Weather before Portugal?  Sorry but crap. 

Sailing?  We did more under engine than with it off. 

New pals and places?  Definately.  Lovely people we sailed with and got to know well.  Lovely places deserving of more time. 

A lovely break - and hey it sure beat two months in the office!

Thanks for reading the blog.  You all take care and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Cheers

Sue and John

xx