SEVEN DAYS ON BOARD WITH RUTH

Seven days with an elderly British couple (she 74, he 72) at the sea on a 33 feet sailing boat, and aware of the fact that this is going to be their first contact with the sailing boat in their lives- it was definitely a challenge.

The decision to spend their holidays in such an adventurous spirit, in harmony with the laws of nature, was brought a couple of months before the same departure; that's why our contacts were so frequent. They were bothered by many questions, starting from the clothes, weather, marinas, prices, safety of sailing and many more.

They haven't left anything to chance what has been to expect from the people with rich life experience. The day of departure has finally arrived.

DAY 1- THE DEPARTURE

Trogir is the city of great history and fantastic tourist offer. ACY marina with its____ posts, one of the most frequent Adriatic marinas, brings together nautical guests who rarely miss a chance to have a walk in the old part of the city.

The guests arrive on our 10 meter sailing boat with luggage and food, which we discussed over together through our many contacts and, after official acquaintance; we start with the organization of life on the boat. We discuss the possible risks and I prepare the crew for the sailing. I convince them that we're ready for sailing, that we can do it and that we will do it, but in the same time I'm aware of these great question marks hanging over their heads which we will deal with as we proceed.

Filled with food and drinks we are heading to Milna on the island of Brač, the weather forecast is satisfying. They get to know the helm, winches, ropes, knots; there are less and less questions. We would have come to Milna if the weather hadn't changed, unfortunately.

The sea in front of the Brač channel was literally boiling; wind 25-30 knots which in the channel blows from east, sea 3.

I'm cutting the route and we're sailing next to Šolta heading to the small village Stomorska. I'm calling Mladen, the most important person for moorings in a village which doesn't have too many of them, ca.10. The reservation is made- now we can breathe more easily.

The crew didn't expect such a mess on board the first day but they accepted it as a sort of baptism of fire and added that new experience to the old ones.

Stomorska primarily offers you peace and excellent gastronomy with very, I say, very reasonable prices. The young and everyone else feeling young can spend a great time at the amusement centre with good music, snooker, darts and football game.

Next to the grocery store and a cash machine there is also the post office and the new toilet for the boaters with the shower facilities. Apart from the ensured berths there are also the electricity supplies and the drinking water.

At stronger north wind the sea level can rise a little so the nights can sometimes be «wobbly».

DAY 2

Waking up, breakfast, short morning walk and Stomorska sightseeing. The weather wasn't promising, so we decided to sail the yesterday's route-Milna, on the island of Brač. It was a short route, welcomed by everyone. Milna is a small town, very popular among the boaters. That certainly guarantees bustling crowds-a complete opposite to Stomorska.

Two marinas, some ten waitresses, restaurants and pizzerias can satisfy even the most demanding guests. The prices are fairly reasonable.

We had lunch at the tavern «Two dolphins»-a nice little tavern with a warm and welcoming ambiance. The fish was on our menu. We took hors-d' oeuvre, soup, 1.5 kg grouper with potatoes and one bottle of good wine. It cost us 100 euros- satisfying.

The rain made us look for shelter so we came back to our boat and it turned out to be an excellent idea after such a plentiful lunch. After the afternoon rest we went for a walk. The map we got at the tourist office includes the sightseeing of the century- old churches, chapels and a cemetery. It was an unforgettable feeling.

DAY 3

Sunny morning, traditional English breakfast that lasted for almost half an hour. We do it more quickly. I ran from the boat to buy today's lunch that will also serve as a surprise to the guests.

I'm buying the anchovies from the fisherman called Ante (how else!?). Perfect.

We're heading for Palmižana at Pakleni otoci, my personal marina number one. The reason for that doesn't lie in the fact that there one can see the Croatian and world jet-set but the fact that such a beautiful nature, beaches, caves and natural purity one can rarely find along the Adriatic coast nowadays.

The only downside of this place is the numerous guests who come from the neighbouring island of Hvar.

I'm sending my guests to the beach announcing that I'll be the chef for today and that the whole thing will be a surprise.

Everything is set-anchovies, salt, tomatoes and vine. The guests have also arrived. They're not trying to hide their enthusiasm. They are paying me so many compliments; I don't know which way to look. Well, young and too shy.

This simple and genuine sailor's lunch stayed in their memory, I'll presume, for a long time.

We dined at «Toto» restaurant, heartily recommended. The personnel consist of the young, capable and pleasantly talkative people. The dinner was in a complete accordance with the today's lunch. Home cooking- squids, the speciality of the house. They were fresh, put on the hot oil for a minute or two, than braised for another 40 minutes with a variety of Mediterranean spices and with cooked potatoes or polenta (maize porridge) as a side-dish, and regardless the predominated black colour- it was delicious! A+!

Stuffed with all the food we had eaten, we all went towards the boat. The whole crew went to sleep while I ... well, I visited a fantastic little new café bar in marina situated near the sea and to the sounds of some relaxing instrumental music and a sorbet tried to help to my «suffering» stomach.

DAY 4

The weather forecast was not promising-strong wind NW. We're getting the boat and all our knowledge ready. We’re heading to Šolta but this time towards its western part- the village Maslenica. The sea has risen quite a lot but, now we are a much more experienced crew enjoying every wave.

Maslenica is a small fisherman's village very similar to Stomorska, but at the same time, very different.

This part of the island seems to be lover and gentler. There are around fifteen berths. At western winds the sea can really be rough so the staying is sometimes quite unpleasant. There are water and power supplies but without toilets, I'm afraid.

There are grocery store, tourist office (with the possibility of exchanging the money), three taverns, a café bar and Martinis Marchi, a very fancy restaurant, placed within a recently restored estate- a remarkable edifice which apart from the excellent gastronomy offers top- quality lodging.

They aim towards the so- called elitist tourism, so the prices are formed according to that orientation. The beaches are easily reachable by ten minutes walk. We had meat for dinner accompanied by the good home-made red vine which was a pleasant change.

DAY 5

The morning started with swimming. Our guests were brave, but it was too cold for me.

The weather forecast was finally promising-a real summer day, so we headed for Drvenik Veli to visit Dražen. He is the owner of a restaurant «Jere» and is considered to be the master of the octopus made in baking lid or «pod pekom». No one knows what he does or how he does it, but it's always delicious. We've known each other for so many years, but as far as the recipe is concerned, his lips are sealed.

He will talk... eventually! Everything comes to those who wait.

We are dropping anchorage, letting go almost 40 meters of chain. The sea is deep and covered with seaweed so the depth is actually welcoming.

We're mooring the boat in the port which doesn't offer water or power supplies. Dražen and his great cuisine and a homey atmosphere were just as I expected them to be. Our guests were more than pleased. The village itself has got a post, a grocery store and a car-ferry service with Vinjerac.

DAY 6

The morning began with the walk. Everyone was busy preparing for the last day of our cruise. On our way back we are stopping next to the tuna hatchery. They are feeding them well. The cage is about to explode. With the approval of the divers and the employees, one can dive and watch that big sea animals. This time, we aren't going to do that.

The wind is strong. Maybe a little bit too strong, but for this reason we are sailing fast towards Trogir, our starting point. On arrival to Trogir, we exchange our addresses, say goodbyes, ″hugs and kisses″ and we part. It’s usually like at the end of every cruise, fast and without any special emotions.

But when the thoughts, emotions and experiences settle down... now, that's another story. This time was the same.

Among all the words of thanks, the thing that means the most to me is that the next summer they will be joining me again with the rest of their family. Wonderful people!

Thanks again to YACHT-BASE for providing such a excellent service for both guests and skippers.

Bavaria 44

Presenting BAVARIA 44 a true sailing yacht.

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Like all of Bavaria's sailing range, the 44's lines are from the European company J & J Design. The hull is full-bodied, powerful and beamy, with a long, low-slung coachroof which looks good in profile and goes against the trend towards raised deck cruisers.

Construction is to Lloyds Register CE certification. The topsides and deck are constructed of fibreglass/closed cell foam sandwich, while the hull below the waterline is solid fibreglass incorporating Kevlar fabric for added strength around the forefoot and the keel flange. An outer layer of isophthalic resin in combination with a powder-bound layer of fibreglass matt provides protection against osmosis.

INTERIOR LAYOUT
Below decks the Bavaria feels very roomy. The forward cabin includes a very large and comfortable double island berth rather than a V-berth. The joinery includes five storage compartments along each side of the hull above the bunk; a system which is repeated throughout the interior. These compartments have doors which can be propped up and open on springs while you rummage inside for sunglasses or whatever.

Aft of the island berth on the port side is a padded seat where you can sit and relax before or after a siesta. Aft of that is a reasonably sized hanging locker.

On the starboard side is an ensuite bathroom with blue synthetic bench tops on the vanity unit and plenty of storage space, a big mirror and a Jabsco manual toilet. There is a fibreglass cover which can be pulled down over the toilet and used as a seat when you have a shower. The pressurised hot and cold water nozzle doubles for the sink and shower.

Moving aft into the saloon, the galley runs along the port side of the hull and is brightened by the use of the same blue synthetic surfacing on the benchtops as seen in the ensuite. At the forward end is a fairly shallow double sink, with a mixer tap for the pressurised hot and cold water supply next to a top-loading ice box, and then the two-burner stove and oven. Aft of that is a very big top-loading icebox with a 12V cooling compressor.

Cutouts and fold-away covers allow all of the benchtops to be used for food preparation if required. There is storage space under the sink, as well as above the galley in more of the timber cupboards repeated on the opposite side of the saloon and elsewhere. The curved galley front is something to lean against when moving around the saloon in bumpy water, and although there are no handholds to reach for up above, there is a good handhold on the back of the two-person benchseat next to the galley.

There is ample seating for up to eight or nine people on this benchseat. Opposite is a U-shaped lounge which curves around the large saloon table, and has storage compartments built into its base. At the forward end is a timber support base for the deck-stepped mast, adjacent to the bulkhead-mounted bottle rack, while the tie-rods linking the shrouds to the hull/keel structural grid can be seen to either side of the hull.

There's a big opening hatch above the saloon table, a dorade vent slightly further forward and additional light from the series of portlights along the side of the coachhouse, and the long, sliding companionway hatch which is clear perspex.

Glossed mahogany veneers and solid joinery throughout provide a traditional look which may be a little dark to some tastes. Bavaria's use of brown flowcoat on some of the internal mouldings (eg, under the nav station and the bunk bases) is certainly not to my taste, which would be for a lighter tone, but this is a minor quibble.

The sombre browns are lifted by the use of cream-coloured vinyl wall and head liners, floorboards with a teak and holly look and fabric for the saloon seating with a white suede look. This upholstery looks great while flying in the face of practicality; keeping the settees clean may provide quite a challenge. Covers will probably be made for use during club racing.

Aft of the dinette on the starboard side is a fairly large and traditional navigation station with a comfy benchseat and a large chart table. This area is set up with the electrics switchboard, which includes a voltmeter, 12V and 230V sockets for shore power and facility for battery charger, a Blaupunkt CD player, Raymarine RC320 chartplotter and an ICOM ICM45 VHF marine radio, all included in the standard issue electronics package.

Opposite is the main bathroom, which duplicates the facilities of the forward ensuite. The one thing missing from the Bavaria 44's interior configuration, compared to some other new cruising-orientated production yachts in this size range, is a separate shower stall.

In the conventional position under the companionway is the Volvo MD22L marine diesel saildrive, a 55hp model which should certainly not be under-specified for this application.

To either side in the aft quarters are two big double cabins, each with hanging lockers, wall-mounted storage compartments and open shelving, plus a benchseat for taking your boots off before hitting the rack. Light and ventilation are catered for with the inclusion of opening hatches outboard, inboard (to the cockpit) and overhead.

A four cabin version is available, the only differences being in the forward cabin. The double bunk is reduced in size and moved forward while the ensuite is shifted to the port side, to make way for a small fourth cabin with twin bunk beds to starboard.

ON DECK
First impressions on deck are of a big boat with ocean-going capabilities, due at least in part to the solid teak gunwales and bulwarks which rise towards the bow.

Up the front is a split pulpit, teak bowseat and large anchorlocker housing a plough anchor and 50m of chain. The forestay is set up with a Selden roller furler for the No 2 genoa which is included in the standard equipment.

The Selden aluminium rig is set up with two sets of swept-back spreaders, sidestays, lowers and intermediates, plus a backstay which is tensioned via a wormdrive unit, using a standard winch handle.

The standard mainsail is a fully battened set-up with Selden RCB Sliding System batten cars and lazy jacks which pull forward out of the way when not in use, as well as Selden's single-line reefing system. The boom is supported by a solid Selden boom vang.

The owner of this yacht has opted for a decent set of club racing sails from the Sydney Quantum loft, including a triple-reefed mainsail, plus non-furling No 1 and No 3 headsails and a symmetrical spinnaker.

There are substantial handholds along the coachroof which I tripped over the first time I moved around the deck, one of those traps you hopefully fall into once only.

The main traveller is positioned on the coachhouse in front of the companionway, with the mainsheet, halyards and control lines leading back to self-tailing winches either side of the companionway. When extra grunt is required, you can lead any of these lines back to the primaries, which are electric-powered Harken 48 two-speed self-tailers mounted on the broad cockpit coamings. The electric winch power is optional rather than standard issue, and it's great, especially when you're sailing short-handed. It's probably another one of those things that you don't miss until you've had it, and then find it hard to live without.

The deck hardware, such as blocks, jammers for the roller furling, and the mainsheet traveller, is mostly Rutgerson brand.

There is no doubt that the twin wheel arrangement opens up the aft end of the cockpit for easy access, while also allowing the steerer to perch comfortably to windward or leeward, as preferred. The stern can be opened right up to the generous boarding platform through the removal of a central fibreglass transom moulding.

The broad cockpit coamings are quite stylish and the teak-laid cockpit seats have big, deep lockers which can house all sorts of gear. Separate storage for LP gas bottles is provided under the transom seating, where the emergency tiller position can also be found.

A neat little fibreglass hatch on the boarding platform lifts up to reveal the telescopic stainless steel boarding ladder, and there is a cockpit shower with hot and cold water.

UNDERWAY
A fresh southerly wind gusting from 15-30kt gave us excellent boat testing conditions in Sydney's Pittwater. We began the day optimistically with the big No 1 genoa, which when goosewinged downwind dragged us northwards past Scotland Island at speeds of around 7kt at the lower end of the wind range.

The boat was manageable upwind under this headsail, powering along in the high 6kt range, but as the wind built there was going to be no reward or thanks in flogging the big overlapping sail, and we changed down to the high-clewed No 3.

Under this sail and the full main, the Bavaria 44 was happy and no problems to handle right up into the strongest gusts. Reaching at 100o apparent wind angle, it easily sat on 8kt plus, and the Whitlock steering was not heavy in spite of the chain attachment of a Raymarine ST6000+ autopilot (I wouldn't have noticed its existence if not for being told it was there).

Sailing upwind under this rig we sat on 7-7.5kt speeds at 30-35o degrees apparent wind angle or better in 22-23kt of breeze, holding pace but pointing higher in the stronger gusts.

The boat seemed stiff, we didn't have any round-ups at all, and it was comfy to steer from a seated position on the windward rail, or standing behind either wheel. When the boat heeled through some of the strongest gusts, I thought a strategically-positioned foot brace on the cockpit sole could have contributed a sense of security. But there we were slipping into race mode rather than more relaxed cruising mode, which after all is more in keeping with the spirit of this boat.

It was very easy to move around the cockpit, with the large centre table providing no hindrance to working and something to hang onto at times. Some rope bags near the companionway were badly needed to deal with the miles of rope we seemed to accumulate in the cockpit.

I wasn't crazy about the positioning of the Raymarine ST60 Tridata, wind and autopilot units on the aft face of the cockpit table, which seemed well out of the steerer's line of vision when positioned anywhere except sitting on the transom, but at least the big Plastimo binnacle compasses were well-located on the steering pedestals.

Under motor the Volvo proved very quiet (more than once I had a quick look over the gunwale at the water-cooled exhaust to verify that the engine was actually running), and it pushed us along at an effortless 8kt plus at less than 2500 revs, which could be very reassuring on some grim occasion involving a lee shore.

Highs
There's a lot of boat here for the price tag, with true sailaway specification.
Handling characteristics under sail or power are reliable and sure.
The extra interior space gained by moving into the 42ft+ size range has been very well utilised in the three cabin layout.

Lows
Dark-toned interior timberwork and brown fibreglass mouldings may not suit all tastes.
One or two rough edges down below mean the finish isn't to superyacht standard, but neither is the price.

Bavaria 44 ready to charter

source: www.boatpoint.com.au