sailboat companionway hatch boards

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Companionway Design: Down the (Main) Hatch

• By Alvah Simon
• Updated: March 12, 2014

Companionway Design

While most elements of yacht design have evolved with contemporary fashion, main hatches and companionways, until recently, have inexplicably lagged behind. Since they constitute the largest holes in the boat, it seems like a strange oversight. The heavily trafficked companionway is a critical area of transition from topside to below. If it’s poorly designed, the potential for accidents is high.

Let’s start with the offset companionway, often seen in older, classic-plastic production boats. This was a design response to ketch rigs, in which the mizzenmast is often stepped in the center of the bridgedeck. To limit crawling around the spar and rigging, these hatches were offset to port or to starboard. The advantage below was a larger contiguous area for the galley, but the clear disadvantage above was a vulnerability to downflooding in a knockdown. Reliable furling gear has reduced the need to manage sail area via split rigs. And as the ketch configuration waned, so did the offset hatch.

| | The saloon-style washboards on this Bavaria Cruiser 50 are stout and transparent, and stow well against the side walls of the companionway entry. |

While it’s true that many modern cockpits with wide-open sterns are self-bailing, substantial amounts of water can be funneled forward with great force when a boat gets pooped, which can happen when it’s bow down on the face of a large wave. To prevent downflooding, a balance must be maintained among cockpit size, drainage capacity, bridgedeck height and companionway strength.

Thanks to their distance above the water and the open nature of their cockpits, multihulls were incrementally moving toward eliminating bridgedecks altogether, opting instead for a sliding-door runner between the level soles of the cockpit and saloon. But enter the latest catamaran trend — the forward recessed cockpit — and suddenly their design concerns have become more aligned with those of monohulls. Making a humble concession to the vagaries of the sea, the Leopard 48 boasts a 9-inch sill aft and a commendable 12-inch rise in the forward-cockpit entry.

In theory, the higher the bridgedeck, the better. But taken to extremes, they can become difficult to step over. The Dufour 36 addresses this with a simple flip-up acrylic panel that increases the bridgedeck from 9 inches to 13 inches.

| | The ventilation holes on the Dufour 36 washboard slant downward to keep water from dripping down below. |

When it comes to sealing the vertical area of our “big hole,” a few removable washboards may suit a budget trailer-sailer, but such boards are too often found on very expensive and otherwise sophisticated vessels. To ascend into the cockpit from below, one must lift out one or even two boards (a difficult proposition in any weather, but especially in a gale); climb out into the cockpit, possibly on a heavy heel, with hands full; then place the boards back into their slots in exactly the right order and rotation. To make this slightly less inconvenient, designers changed from parallel to tapered companionway sides, which meant you had to lift the board up only a couple of inches to push it in or out. Of course, the disadvantage here is that a boarding sea can also lift the boards an inch or two and implode them. If such boards are stout enough for bluewater use, then by nature they’re bulky and heavy and take up substantial stowage area when not in use.

| | Though increasingly rare, the offset hatch on this old Alden Malabar was employed to reduce the clutter and confusion caused by a mizzenmast stepped in the middle of the bridgedeck. |

Many designers have gone to saloon-style side-hinged boards. The boards remain in place, which is good. But unless they’re in a recessed passageway with sidewalls on which to fasten, it’s often difficult to leave them in an open position; they’re also prone to snagging sheets. And why some are louvered is a complete mystery.

To my thinking, the perfect system offers robust, fixed boards that swing out, fold down, or drop into a recess built into the bridgedeck. They may have ventilation holes, but these either are small or can be sealed off in extreme conditions. The boards are see-though and offer good visual communication between the cockpit and below.

The shape and height of the companionway entry impacts its safety. The most vulnerable time at sea is when sleepy crew rush from below to deal with confused and cacophonous situations, such as a pre-dawn squall line. Sailors then may be exposed to slapping sheets, bone-crushing booms, or the possibility of being pitched headlong into the sea before they can be properly tethered in. The new concept of a recessed companionway entry offers initial containment side to side and protection from above until one can get tethered and assess the wind and sea conditions. The loss of cockpit space that results from pushing the main bulkhead aft to make room for the recessed entry is a small price to pay for such a safety feature.

| | On the Beneteau Sense 46, the walk-through hatches are similar to regular household doors. |

Finally, we seal the horizontal area of our big hole with the sliding hatch. It needs to slide easily with little play on its rails to prevent water from floating it and gushing below. Ideally, it should be protected by a forward sea hood and, arguably, by an overhead dodger. Whereas the strength of traditional building materials sensibly limits the size of the sliding hatch, modern materials such as Lexan are often stronger than the supporting hull structures themselves. This allows designers to increase hatch size for ease of access and increased light below.

And as for the old barrel bolt that secures the sliding hatch from the inside, it must finally and forever disappear from our modern fleet. Yes, it’s important to secure the hatch so that a boarding sea can’t force it open and no one can accidentally lean on it and fall in, but the hatch should have a dual-access latch that can be operated from above and below so no one is ever locked into or out of the interior of the boat.

We owed the initial progress on many of these sound concepts to such French builders as Jeanneau, Beneteau and Dufour, which employed the innovative Goiot line of deck hardware. Many other manufacturers, including Bavaria, have since followed suit. Passport Yachts also earns high honors for the overall integration of many of these features into its boats. Passport’s fixed, clear hatchboards slide down to several determined heights before ultimately resting in a bridgedeck well, creating a sill low enough to step over easily and wide enough to sit on comfortably.

| | Aboard the Hallberg-Rassy 372, the traditional companionway treatment is compact and uses sliding hatchboards. Note the robust rails, which provide secure and welcome handholds. |

The Beneteau Sense series is pioneering new ground via a designed entry that’s more like a domestic doorway than a maritime hatch. On the Sense 55, this walk-though hatch is sealed with a horizontally hinged acrylic door that, with the touch of a button, rolls down under the cockpit sole, much like an escalator step. Only time will tell if the mechanism is reliable and if the unusually large hatch can resist the force of an angry ocean, which weighs 63 pounds per cubic foot.

The height, inclination and even shape of the companionway steps will determine if entry and exit will be safe at sea. The worst-case scenario is an almost vertical ladder of substantial height, with shallow steps, ineffective nonskid, no side containment for the feet and no ergonomically placed handholds. The best is a series of wide, scalloped steps possessing sufficient incline to walk up (as opposed to climb), enough depth to accept the whole foot on descent, and a short “hallway” enclosing the upper area of the steps. Stout handholds should be strategically placed on deck as well as below.

| | Everything about this Oyster 625, including the wide steps and sturdy handholds, is just right. The hatchboards drop into a generous storage well; latches can be operated from above or below. |

Where designers were once reluctant to decrease the vertical angle of the steps, so as to avoid intruding upon precious interior space, the trend toward increased interior volume, and steps that are incorporated into the engine’s access hatch, have mitigated this concern. But the length of the sliding hatch must match the interior depth of the stairwell in order to create standing headroom at the level of each step.

A small but unfortunate feature to consider is the locking system. A tempered external padlock may be strong, but the hasp that fastens it is often a flimsy affair attached with a couple of short sheet-metal screws. Although no guarantee against a determined thief, the integral key latch offers some deterrence.

In the old days of massive crews, it was said that only admirals and idiots sat in the companionway, which is why I’m always careful to address my wife as Admiral when I find her there. But with the little foot traffic that’s inherent to shorthanded sailing, the companionway’s top step is a warm and dry area from which to keep a good watch.

In the simplest terms, the core mission of the main hatch and companionway is to let the people in and keep the water out. Whether you’re considering a new vessel or upgrading an old one, pay meticulous attention to the location, design and strength of the hatch and companionway to determine how well it serves these basic purposes.

This article first appeared in the August 2013 issue of Cruising World. Click here to read more in our Design Trends series.

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• Companionway Washboard Hacks And Getting Out There

It was the spring of 1994, I had owned Morgan’s Cloud for three years, and had already made voyages each summer, the first to Nova Scotia, then Newfoundland, then Labrador, all this while still running my computer business in Bermuda. Life was busy…and a hell of a lot of fun.

1994’s project was the Newport Bermuda Race. I had arrived in Maine, where we winter-stored the boat in those days, with just four weeks to commission her, step the rig, get her measured (not trivial in those days of the IMS), tune the rig, and pass the required safety inspection before the start in Newport.

Fourteen-hour days passed in a blur of details and effort as I, pretty much single-handed, put the boat together. Two days before the safety inspection I read the requirements for probably the fiftieth time to see I was down to a few details, three to do with the companionway washboards, including a way to:

• secure the boards in position,
• keep them retained when removing them to access the cabin,
• secure the sliding hatch from either below or on deck while still being able to open it from the other side.

All requirements that any boat going offshore should meet.

The traditional way to comply with number one is barrel bolts on each door engaging with the fixed part mounted on the channels, but that would have required carpentry to build standoffs for the bolt on the door, or drilling a big hole in the teak channels for the bolt to engage in. Neither appealed because:

• The bolts would scar up the varnish any time the boards were stacked.
• The standing part on the channels would always be snagging stuff.
• The bolts I was probably going to find at the local hardware store would be ugly and probably corrode.
• And, most of all, I did not have time to be screwing with fiddley pieces of wood, or running to hardware stores.

But wait, requirement number two specified a lanyard to retain the boards from loss when removed, so I was also going to need to attach pad eyes to the boards for the lanyards. Great luck, I had the pad eyes in the box of miscellaneous parts every sailor has. I also had a bag of split pins.

Half an hour later, the job was done. The inspector was happy, and it has served us well for over 25 years.

So am I trying to claim that:

• This is some kind of genius-hack?
• The best way to do this?
• Simple washboards are the best way to close a companionway?

Nope, no, and nope. But there is a greater point here. We made the start of the Newport Bermuda Race and over the next 25 years we made voyages most every year, many of them challenging, with a functional, flexible, and easy-to-use solution.

Done Is Better Than Best

Oh, and if you are wondering how I complied with requirement three, when the inspector asked I reached in my pocket, pulled out the key, and inserted it into the lock. Done and dusted. I even managed to keep the smirk off my face.

Sure, over the years I have thought about changes to our companionway. Maybe a nice custom metal dutch door with a custom latch (see Further Reading), but it never got to the top of the priority list.

Instead we did many other storm survival related things, including installing a sea anchor using the Pardey Bridle system, and then changing over to, installing, and testing a Jordan Series Drogue…and then, when I found I had made a mistake on the chain plate installation, improving that.

And all that brings us to the second takeaway:

Think about that the next time that you hear the seductive siren call of induction cooking, electric drive, lithium batteries, or a cool fully-networked NMEA 2000 electronics system. All interesting projects, but the more of them we take on the less we will get out there.

That said, maybe having the coolest most technically advanced boat in the marina is your hobby. That’s fine, too.

My Priority

Mine? Always was, and still is, getting out there. And, no, that does not mean going to Greenland or some such. It’s just as real to me to coastal cruise in our immediate area, just as we will probably be doing in future years.

Enough philosophy, back to the mundane. One of the irritations of traditional washboards is what to do with them when not in use. Here’s our solution:

I’m sure many of you have better and cooler solutions than washboards, pins and string, but what I’m really interested in is what cool hacks you have come up with to actually get stuff done and get out there , and not necessarily anything to do with companionways. Please leave a comment and a photo if you have one.

Further Reading

• A nice system for locking a sliding hatch
• Safe cockpits and companionway closures (with lots of photos of good options in the comments).
• Much more on storm survival
• Much more on how to actually get out there
• Safety is a process, not a destination

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Storm Tactics Child Topics:

• Online Book: Heavy Weather Tactics

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• Retrieval Problems With Unsheathed Dyneema (Spectra) Series Drogues
• A Chat With Randall Reeves
• Susie Goodall’s Series Drogue Failure
• Large Sea Anchors, Not Recommended
• Earl Comes To Lunch
• Yet More On Series Drogue Retrieval
• A Professional Skipper’s Take On Heavy Weather

I saw this installed on a sail training boat, centre cockpit and copied it for my own centre cockpit, Rival 41C. A length of GRP electrical conduit pipe, 8″ OD, obtained from the workers installing the electrical supply into a new housing development. The pipe is mounted on the quarter of the push pit and has slot cut into it, facing aft, about 3″ wide, cut all the way through, this is my modification on the original idea. The GRP is stiff enough not to flex with this slot cut in it, as it is only 18″ long. The Dan Buoy sits in the pipe with the float resting on a home made clevis pin from 5mm stainless rod. The clevis pin passes all the way through the pipe, horizontally. The other end of the clevis pin is connected to a line that runs along my guard wires to the centre cockpit and terminates in a large toggle made from ply wood. If we have a persons overboard, the helm, or any one in the cockpit can pull on the toggle which removes the clevis pin from the pipe and allows the float to drop free and the pole of the dan buoy to pass through the slot as the boat moves forward. It works very well and basically was free as all the parts were made from stuff kicking about. It is possible to run the trip line all the way around the guard wire so that it can be accessed from anywhere on deck. The horseshoe life belt, with light and drogue, still has to be launched manually, hence the trip line just terminating at the cockpit. My horseshoes are easily accessible from the cockpit. Commercial Coding in the UK requires a dan buoy device, that must be easily launched. Very easy to make, quick and fast to install. Dedicated dan buoy mounting devices as sold in chandlers are usually not effective, expensive and require some custom mounting arrangement anyway.

Hi John and all, Nice hack. It is so gratifying when a problem is solved with a minimal amount of work and an added bonus when some elegance is thrown in. I wish to spin off your comment about “hobby” as I believe it to be very well taken. In another venue, I have been responding to those who spend a great deal of time designing/installing/perfecting their instrument/computer/repeater/wifi systems. My interest was in attempting to sort through what efforts actually contribute to boat safety and what efforts are more of a hobby (efforts that are fun and interesting, but fall short of contributing to safety or to the efficient running of the boat). I believe an awful lot of time and energy in boat preparation can be most accurately described as “hobby”. And I fully agree with you that hobbies are great and that people should pursue hobbies to the extent of their interest. But, I do have a problem when a hobby is portrayed as important to the running of the boat or to safety: especially when portrayed in this way to readers who are less experienced and looking for guidance. And also especially when it is a complicated system with all sorts of ways to go south on the skipper. And often these complicated systems may be fine for the knowledgeable designer, but not at all fine for a skipper trying to replicate the system from instructions found on the internet. Random thoughts, My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

So true, I particularly liked this sentence:

But, I do have a problem when a hobby is portrayed as important to the running of the boat or to safety: especially when portrayed in this way to readers who are less experienced and looking for guidance.

I wrote something very like it here: https://www.morganscloud.com/2016/01/08/marine-electronics-system-recommendations/

You and I are closely aligned on this because we are all about getting out there.

Hi Alastair, Dick and John, I love the danbuoy solution too. I think I’ll actually do it myself. About the getting out there issue, my method to avoid wasting time on the wrong tasks is fairly simple, but works well. I use Trello for task lists. Absolutely anything I think of goes in there. Considering changing to the more versatile Notion. I use similar systems to organise everything in my life…

I look at the departure date and what the trip is like. Then I put a colour on each task, inspired by traffic lights: Red = If it’s not done, we absolutely can’t leave. Yellow = Important, but can be postponed without critical consequences Green = I want it to be ready, but if not, the trip will not be significantly less enjoyable.

The coloured items get moved into three lists with the titles: In progress – First – Later Everything else is sorted to other lists.

For me it’s important that the departure date must be non negotiable, for example by others planning their holiday around it. I also set up earlier non negotiable deadlines for when some important items must be ready. Hard deadlines and clarity help me a lot, since I’m extremely easy to distract, as my comments here may have proven, and enjoy digging into fun new solutions. This system holds me accountable.

Sounds like a good system. We use something very like it, although a different App: https://www.morganscloud.com/2018/02/23/apps-we-use-to-manage-our-boat-and-cruises/

And I agree: picking a departure date and sticking to it is the only way to get out there, even if others are not relying on you, particularly for you and me who love to dive down rabbit holes.

Hi Alastair,

Nice one, and just the sort of simple but elegant solution I’m hoping this post will attract.

Great idea! I am using it! About to make new boards and was trying to figure out how to do just this. Simple, reliable, easy, and cheap! Thanks! Ralph

Hi John, The hack that saves us most effort (& time) to go sailing is an inverted U shaped-crane for our 8HP engine. Custom fabricated for $80 out of 25mm SS tube and “off-the-shelf” Bimini parts. The feet are hinged and bolted high on the transom of our aft cockpit B473. We have a small, lightweight alloy RIB that planes easily with our crew (in a high and dry mode). We can launch the RIB and attach the motor in 5 minutes using the main halyard and electric winch. Retrieval is the reverse process. The key is two small SS prongs on top of the crane to engage with main halyard shackle as the crane goes outwards (or inwards on retrieval), and then channels the halyard (to prevent it slipping off the crane) as the motor is lowered onto the dinghy transom (or raised for retrieval). A small line each side prevents the crane going below horizontal. At sea, the crane stows neatly against the pushpit with a bungie cord, the engine is stowed on a push-pit bracket directly under the crane. As it is quick, we stow the engine and dinghy properly when making even short passages, rather than towing the dinghy which is firstly slow, but can lead to issues we have all witnessed or experienced (dinghy loss / prop wrap / dinghy inversion / engine immersion). Offshore, the halyard is used to drop the engine into the large lazarette directly forward of the frame, for stowage. Note also, the starport on the top of the crane, for our emergency stern light. Hope I have explained things ok? Br. Rob

Another pic showing one of the prongs engaged with the shackle, to ensure the crane extends outwards or inwards under control. Rob

Another nice one, and neater when stowed than the outboard crane we have.

And I agree completely about how important it is too stow the dinghy aboard, rather than tow it.

One question: You say that you stow the outboard in the lazerette. I’m guessing that’s only for longer passages and that you carefully drain all the gas (petrol) first?

Hi Rob and all, It has been decades, but a friend, a surveyor, told me that one of the insurance companies will deny claims if there is any deviation from the terms of contract and that storing gasoline powered equipment in the interior of the boat met that definition. This was in response to my proudly showing him a slick way of storing my 3hp in a sail locker thereby keeping it out of the elements and, more importantly, from being stolen. He went on to say it did not matter if it was run dry and also included empty fuel containers, generators etc. BTW, he said he was obligated to report this even if it had absolutely nothing to do with the claim. He actually did not think it was a bad rule as he had seen too many gas fire/explosions and felt that it took very little fuel to make for serious problems. My outboard went back on the rail with a beefed-up lock. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Hi Dick, I’ve heard similar statements. However, if say the boat ran aground and was partly flooded, and the insurance won’t cover damages, based on an outboard in the lazarette, they’re just trying a scam. That’s a major cost saving tool for them. Denying coverage on incorrect reasons and hoping the customer just accepts it. I’ve had that several times, (not with boats), and they accept it immediately if you resist them. They would not stand a chance in a court case.

Still, gasoline certainly is a fire risk, so it’s perhaps smart to not store it inside. We have the outboard and tank in the forward bridge deck locker with the propane bottles and main diesel tanks. There is no connection with the boat interior. Both fluids and gases will easily drain out of the locker bottom, or top, if the gas is light.

Hi Stein, Agreed: they would be just trying a scam. This may easily not be fair, but my casual take is that insurance companies will go to great lengths to not pay-out and too often rely on difficulties they generate to discourage pursuit of reasonable pay-outs. And I would certainly do a lot to not go to court and, although I do it, I hate to even complain and take it up the decision chain. And, agree, with effort one usually prevails, but not always. Also agree at keeping gas/petrol out of the interior. And I suspect (but in no way know whether this is accurate), that an engine run dry really poses little or no damage if stored in the interior.   I wrote merely anecdotally and as a heads-up that some “hacks” can have unintended consequences. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Thanks John and co, Yes, we stowed for offshore passages only, or where there is a chance of experiencing breaking seas crashing against the engine and bending the push-pit (I don’t think the engine would come loose as the teak mounting bracket is substantial). We also like clearing the cockpit surround of clutter to improve 360 visibility. Since we have only done the one SW Pacific circuit so far (~ 6 months), this isn’t something we have done frequently. There is no integrated tank on our Yamaha 8Hp to drain, and I had always run an outboard dry for stowing from early seagull experiences (where leaking fuel was easier than starting it). But an engineer buddy observing this, told me it’s a great way to wear out a 2-stroke as when the motor is being starved of fuel, so is it being starved of lube-oil. So I have been running until the first sign of fuel starvation then stopping. The lazarette IS reasonably well ventilated, and gasoline vapour being lighter than air should vent off OK. The hatch is large and so opening it after a passage well and truly vents the space. But it doesn’t seem so smart now – or from the insurance angle. And there was me thinking I was being seaman-like…Rob (detail pic of the prongs attached)

Just so others are aware, gasoline vapours are significantly heavier than air and so can pool in the bilge just as propane can.

Thanks for the added pic, that makes it really clear.

One of my favorite useful hacks I came up with is to take a sheet of the large fuel spill pads, and cut them into quarters. Then take each quarter fold it in half then in half again – take a pair of scissors and cut off the folded corner. Open it up and you have a hole to put over your fuel fill giving you have a nice spill pad for drips and minor bit of overflow.

Hi Keith, Nice hack and particularly useful for those fills I do from jerry cans (with or without a funnel) where there is always the potential for a mess. My best, Dick

Hi Dick and Keith This is all well and good. But! Shortly after I bought my boat, I noted that the suction on the Racor fuel filter gauge reading rising. I changed the filter and that made no difference. I took the Racor bowl apart and found a mass of white filaments like a algae growth. So I had the fuel polished and the fuel tanks cleaned. A fuel pad was found in the starboard tank at the outflow to the diesel line to the engine!!!! Someone had wrapped a fuel pad around the nozzle and the flow had taken the whole pad into the tank! Best wishes, Charles Charles L Starke MD FACP s/v Dawnpiper

Hi Charles, Owch! That hurts. More unintended consequences. Along those lines, I even got the recommendation to never use Teflon tape on the pipes carrying fuel as those little strands, if they get loose, can snake their way past filters, etc. and can cause a lot of mischief. My best, Dick 

I took my kid on a guided fishing trip for his birthday, and they had a bunch of “sabiki rods” for mackerel, with trolling reels fitted with depth counters. The design of the rod hides all the hooks so they don’t cause issues when stowed below, and it makes a really good backup depth sounder when fitted as usual with a 3oz weight. So it functions as entertainment, food procurement, and depth.

Hi Michael,

That’s a fun one. We still carry a lead line for sounding round the boat when in tight places, so definitely useful.

Hi John and all, Speaking of lead lines (and this may not constitute a hack), I keep my lead line handy. When something goes overboard when anchored, it can be quite hard to find when the boat is moving about. I immediately throw the lead line overboard where the object fell with a long tether which allows the boat to keep waving in the breeze but still leads one close to the underwater object. Over the years, this ploy has facilitated quick recovery of tools, glasses, a watch and precious children’s objects where tears flowed until recovery. This is especially helpful when time is necessary to don a wet suit. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy 

Definitely a great hack, thanks.

I salvaged some lead window sash weights from a renovation for use as a lead line. Tallow plug at the bottom optional if you’ve remembered to trim the roast. https://www.historichouseparts.com/var/images/product/366.440/VWH061611-03.jpg

Not on my boat. An associate used a large 4 litre plastic milk container as a drip tray below the CAV Fuel Filters. The top was cut off and the front was cut out down to about 4″ from the bottom, leaving the sides in place, full length. This left a basin in the bottom of the container. It was fitted behind the CAV Fuel Filters such that the filters were inside the container, between the two sides, still allowing the filters to be unscrewed and dropped into the enclosed basin section. It worked a treat, a bit flimsy when touched but it did not need to be stiff and was out of site most of the time anyway and only had to do one job, stop fuel landing on the engine bay sole. I think it saved the day as well when the small o rings dropped out when fitting a new filter.

That sounds like another good one. It’s really hard to change that type of filter without slopping diesel everywhere.

It’s not a hack per se , but when I tired of the mess dealing with the typically “side-mounted” oil filters on our Beta 60, I purchased and installed a bulkhead mounted oil filter assembly that keeps the oil filter vertical and means I can unscrew it with a strap wrench and (carefully) spin it off with a strap wrench without even a drop of oil hitting the engine bay bottom. There is no appreciable loss of oil flow or pressure that I can determine as the filter mount is below the level of the oil galleries on the block.

On our previous boat, I had rebuilt an Atomic 4 gasoline inboard. Atomic 4s have a large oil pan that is essentially a one-piece sump for both the block and the transmission elements. A friend told me while I had the engine out to drill and tap a 1/4″ hole in the oil pan, and to put in a 90 degree brass elbow, allowing a rated hose to go to the front of the motor to a hand-operated pump. This allowed “white glove” oil changes directly into buckets or, if the oil was cool enough, leftover 4L jugs. As far as I can recall, the elbow never leaked and is still enjoyed by the new owner.

Hi John. Our solution to the same issue with stuff on hand. Our drop boards used to rattle while at anchor if the boat was at all in motion. The jamb cleats allowed us to shore them up to quiet them down a little. Knotted the ends of the restraining lines for retention when offshore.

Nice one, very neat. I guess in really heavy weather I might tie the two ends together below the cleats since I have found it is very easy to knock a line out of a cam cleat like those.

Nice and simple. I wonder if it could be made easier to reach from the cockpit to both attach and release? Would be an unbalanced stretch for us and we might not have anyone awake below to do it for us.

The left-handed bowline securing the top board is not so common.

Left handed? I always call them inside and outside bowlines. https://www.morganscloud.com/2015/10/14/a-cool-thing-i-just-learned/

That said, I can’t see it would make much difference in this application. Am I missing something?

Hi John, I’m sure it makes no difference for this application. However, the controversy rages in the knot world: http://knots3d.com/knots/en_us/96/cowboy-bowline http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?/topic/170539-left-handed-bowlines/ You can probably tell I need to get out more.

I have just never been able to get that worked up about this stuff: https://www.morganscloud.com/2015/03/05/the-only-five-knots-you-need-to-know/

I have also never had bowline fail on me, even though I tied them the “wrong” way for most of 60 years and over 100,000 offshore miles.

Hi John, Agreed, inside or outside, left or righthand: they just work and are both beautiful for their looks and especially for their functionality. I will note that the 2 photos of knots show a nice healthy amount of tail. I suppose it is possible to have too much tail, but I know that knots fail as there is to little when they come under load. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Good point about having enough tail. The other thing you see is the knot not pulled tight properly, particularly a problem in stiff rope. It’s interesting that the knot-police will often spend endless time worrying about inside or outside and completely miss those two much more important points.

At least here (Mid Europe) it makes a big difference, to some people… We have been taught the “outside” version, noting that “inside” is wrong, as it “somehow” doesn’t hold, or the tail might chafe (both rubbish). In UK I learnt the “inside” version, and been told that “outside” is wrong, as it “somehow” doesn’t hold, or the tail might catch something … I’d say for some the bowline is a religion.

So true, and did you know that they hold midnight bowline tying rituals at Stonehenge…naked.

You are referring to the dreaded bowline superspreader events 😉 At least one can stay reassured that regardless how you’re tying it, you are always right – or wrong. Might depend on current latitude.

When offshore I secure my companion way washboards with nylon straps. The straps are attached to the washboard on one side, and the boat on the other, and there is a release clip inside and out. If the strap is loosened at the clip it can be lifted up and out of the companion way slots (due to the taper) and stowed below, all while remaining attached to the boat. Here’s an image of one of the two boards strapped in place while underway (apologies for the mess!) https://photos.app.goo.gl/psy5aerz3qyNaC8dA After a lot of boarding water almost lifted the unsecured board off the boat due to a severe broach during a squall, I am very careful to keep at least the one board tightly strapped in place.

A trick I haven’t seen on other boats that use a wind vane to steer is to attach the control lines to a car on a track mounted to the tiller. You can see the car and track in the above image, with jam cleats on each side of the car for the control lines. Moving the car up and down the tiller track reduces and increases the feedback gain of the steering system and makes it pretty easy to minimize errors such as the swerving back and forth (due to underdamping) that is common with wind vane steering, especially when wind/swell conditions or the course setting change.

Another hack, a truly tacky one, that has served well is plumbing a one-gallon plastic candy jar in series with my fuel tank vent just under a lazarette hatch. If I prop the lazarette hatch open while fueling, I can see fuel splatter into the jar and stop before any fuel escapes out the hull vent into the water. The vent lines in and out are plumbed into the jar top, so if a substantial amount of fuel gets into the jar, I can easily unscrew the bottom to dispose of it properly. The most I’ve trapped during a refueling is about a cup – which would’ve been a real problem if it had made it into the water! When I installed the vent trap ~20 years ago, it was meant to be temporary….

Great hacks! I particularly like the track on the tiller idea.

That tiller car track is an excellent idea, and as we have a wind vane, I love the idea that just sliding along a pin track will “tune” the steering.

I replaced 12″ of the fuel vent (before the loop) with clear tubing visible through a port in a cockpit storage compartment. I can view this when fueling up to get a precise fill and in the winter I know when the tank is completely topped up ( minimum air exposure).

That’s an interesting one. Do you need to replace the hose often? I wonder if the fuel attacks clear hose?

it’s been a couple of years and so far ok and I am aware of this possibility. This is diesel fuel and a failure would not be catastrophic. Most of the time the fuel is below this point in the vent and is only above when I’m doing a carefully monitored top up.

I thought of this thread when using moldable plastic this morning playing with mini foil board prototypes. I bet having a jar of it could come in very handy on a voyage. It can be sanded, drilled, tapped etc.

https://www.instamorph.com/

Hi Michael, Yes, agree, this is good stuff, and would be excellent for a number of projects on a boat, especially if your 3D printer is on the fritz. Consider it also for “minor” medical needs: a thumb of mine is prone to tendon/ligament pain: a simple covering of this stuff; form fitted mid thumb to over the thumb/hand joint provides protection from bumps and support for use and is held in place with a little Velcro. It was easy to fabricate. My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Yes! I splinted my broken pinky with it once, and the doc thought it worked enough that he didn’t replace it.

What cool stuff! Gave me all kinds of fun ideas. Thanks

No problem! I forgot to mention you can also splash a mold on an existing part and thus make a new composite part! If you also brought mold release.

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PCS 34 Companionway Drop board guides

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The teak drop board guides our boat were split when I purchased her. A few weeks ago I grabbed the sliding hatch cover to regain my balance and split the starboard guide past the top mounting screw. To replace them I: Unscrewed and pried off the old guides using putty knives. Even with care some of the fiberglass came up with the old guide. Noted that there were two sets of screw holes so this was at least the third repair/replacement of the guides. The old guides were slightly less than 3/4 of an inch thick. I started with 1 inch rough teak. After finishing, the stock was just over 7/8 inch. Used the old parts as a rough guide for shape, the length and profile were the same but the new parts were 1/2 inch wider. The inset cut was just 1/16 wider than the table saw blade with a 3° bevel to match the back of the coach roof. Using the same holes the new guides were bedded in fast set 4200. I used a heavy weather drop board, which is a shade thicker than the regular boards, to ensure spacing while the 4200 set. After sanding the plugs off yesterday I noted that the sliding hatch did not meet both sides of the guides. I may shave the top of the starboard side down some so that the hatch meets them evenly. Or since the replacements are very robust I may just let be. Cost of the teak was 35$, bedding compound, screws and bungs about 20$. All in all I am satisfied with the fit and finish. It was an easy job to complete. regards charlie  

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Looks great. Thanks for sharing. That's an interesting companionway hatch board. Seems like it might be difficult to find a convenient place to stow it.  

We have two single piece hatch boards like that. One is teak trimmed clear plastic, and it goes between the companionway ladder and the the interior cover for the engine. I made it fit there by moving the handle on the cover up a little bit. A few felt cushions on the hatch board keep it from scratching the engine cover. The other is the vertical mosquito screen for the companionway. It, the horizontal screen for the companionway, and the screens for the two larger overhead hatches are all held to the overhead near the foot of the vee berth by a pair of bungee cords arranged in an "X". Bill Murdoch 1988 PSC 34 Irish Eyes  

Great ideas Bill!! Thanks for the suggestions.  

Thanks for the idea of a storage place for the one piece board. It was part of the PO's gear left aboard when we purchased the boat. It has been stored in our shed at home. It is definitely a sturdy well fit piece of gear worthy of keeping around. regards charlie  

My boat came with four not-very-tall hatch boards. I didn't want to handle four of them every time I was opening or closing the boat. I purchased four marine-grade hinges and now have two hatch boards that fold in the middle for easy storage.  

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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14 Great Pocket Cruisers in 2023

• By Victor Tan
• Updated: July 20, 2023

Pocket cruisers and mini yachts are generally vessels under 50 feet in length overall, and can include express cruiser designs, flybridge yachts as well as either monohull or catamaran hull forms. They are cruising boats easily handled by a small, or even shorthanded, crew. Pocket cruisers generally have wave-taming hull designs and have the ability to take on sporty seas, offer comfortable accommodations belowdecks with one or two staterooms for extended voyages, “homelike amenities,” and the ability to cruise as slowly or as quickly as an owner desires with inboard- and outboard-power options. These pocket-cruising boats have the range for longer voyages , can pull up in skinny water at the sandbar thanks to shallow drafts, and head over the horizon where cruising adventure awaits. Pocket cruisers are true multitasking yachts. When it comes to family and couples cruising, it’s hard to beat a well-built and well-equipped and pocket cruiser.

Best Cruising Boats Under 50-Feet

The following 14 pocket cruisers and mini yachts are all vessels we’ve seen, been aboard, and tested. They are listed in no particular order.

• Hood 35 LM: high-tech, family-friendly pocket cruiser
• Galeon Yachts 375 GTO: mid-size boat with plenty of below-deck space
• Aquila 42: sleek power catamaran ready to entertain
• Azimut Verve 42 : small, yet mighty yacht ready for open water
• Hinckley Yachts 35: luxury picnic cruiser with range
• Beneteau Gran Turismo 45: sleek cruising yacht with all the amenities
• Solaris Power 48 Open: eye-catching power yacht with 360-degree views
• Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS: luxury cruiser yacht with powerful outboard options
• Back Cove 34O: modern outboard power combined with classic Downeast styling
• Picnic Boat 40: speedy and fuel-efficient vessel with great looks
• Aquila 36: comfortably seat up to 20 guests for fun on the salt
• Boston Whaler 350 Realm: multitasker built for fishing and entertaining
• MJM 35z: sporty, aesthetically pleasing, cruising-conscious features and elegant lines
• Greenline 39: sturdy-looking lines and environmentally-friendly power

When Android co-founder, Rich Miner, wanted a new family-friendly pocket cruiser , he turned to a custom-penned C.W. Hood design and a Lyman-Morse-built 35-footer, which has a timeless Down East profile matched to seriously modern technology under the hood.

This yacht looks like a traditional, cold-molded Down East dayboat, but actually, it has everything, from Hamilton HJX Series water-jet drives to a planned Sea Machines autonomous command-and-control system . Top speed: 40-plus knots.

Quick Specifications

Galeon yachts 375 gto.

Even the remnants of Hurricane Ian, couldn’t dissuade the Galeon Yacht 375 GTO from its cruising mission. The small yacht’s wave-splitting hull form is paired to torque-filled 600 hp Mercury Verado outboards , giving this fun-in-the-sun boat a 47-knot top hop.

The 375 GTO is a speedster, to be sure, but it’s also so much more. Just about every aspect of the main deck seating is transformable and multifunction, from the aft seating to the alfresco dining abaft the helm, and beyond. It also has a family-size and eminently cruise-worthy belowdecks space for four guests, all while providing a foredeck entertaining lounge too.

The Galeon Yachts 375 GTO ticks all the boxes for an easy-to-handle and sporty cruiser.

Aquila 42 Yacht Power Catamaran

Following the success of its 44-, 54- and 70-foot power catamaran models, Aquila has launched the stable-as-a-table, owner-operator-ready Aquila 42 Yacht Power Catamaran .

The Aquila 42 is the entry point into the builder’s yacht line and is noteworthy for its ability to accommodate anywhere from a two- to four-stateroom layout, depending on the owner’s cruising requirements. There are alfresco spaces to manage the sunset cruise with friends and family, including a foredeck lounge area that can be accessed via centerline steps from the flybridge. The Aquila 42 is available with several Volvo Penta diesel-engine options .

Azimut Verve 42

Want to cruise from Florida to Bimini in about an hour? The Azimut Yachts Verve 42 can do that thanks, in part, to triple 450 hp Mercury Racing outboards and a hull designed to dice-and-slice a seaway. Top hop: 45 knots. The Verve 42 also has style for miles with a fine entry, raked hardtop, and a razorlike sheerline accented by sweeping hull glass from bow to stern. It’s striking.

With accommodation for a family of four, the Verve 42 is also solid under the hull tokeep everyone safe on those passages. The Verve 42’s hull is built of fiberglass and uses vinylester resins for blister protection. The yacht’s deck and hardtop are comprised of carbon fiber for strength without added weight. This all means that the Azimut Verve 42 is built to CE Classification Type A , making it suitable for sea voyages where winds can exceed 45 mph and seas to 13 feet.

Hinckley Yachts 35

The Hinckley Yachts 35 takes everything that yachtsmen like about this pedigreed-brand’s classic profile and infuses today’s modern outboard power to create 40 knots of sheer fun wrapped in sheer luxury.

This 35-foot Hinckley is built on a Michael-Peters-penned hull form with a fine entry, wider-than-average chines and a moderate deadrise. While the boat is built to sprint when desired, it’s also a relatively economical cruiser. For instance, a comfortable 24-knot cruise the Hinckley Yachts 35 has a 276-nautical-mile range.

It also has a tech-build thanks to vacuum-infused carbon-fiber composites and epoxy resin. An integrated interior structure is infused with the hull adding rigidity. The hull is then post-cured in an 80-foot oven, further strengthening the structure.

Beneteau Gran Turismo 45

The Beneteau Gran Turismo is the flagship of the builder’s four-model GT series, which also includes 32-, 36- and 41-foot models.

The Gran Turismo 45 ’s cruise-centric layout includes two staterooms and two heads belowdecks, as well as a galley down. There is also a dinette for meals and a settee for rainy-day lounging. Entertaining guests and enjoying the sun is the primary mission of the main deck.

Solaris Power 48 Open

The Solaris Power 48 Open was the first powerboat from this longtime builder known for its sailing yachts, ranging from 40 to 110 feet length overall. The Solaris Power 48 Open is notable for its wave-slicing plumb-bow design, high freeboard forward and 32-knot-plus speed. Power is twin 480 hp Volvo Penta IPS650 diesels.

The high freeboard keeps the deck dry and help creates sizable volume belowdecks with an average 6-foot-6-inch headroom. This enables real estate for either one or two staterooms. With the single-stateroom setup, there is a forepeak master stateroom while an L-shaped settee converts to sleeping accommodations for family or occasional guests. Interior wood options are oak or walnut.

Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS

Outboard-power cruising aficionados will appreciate the triple-engine options for the Cruisers Yachts 42 GLS . The 42 GLS we got aboard had the triple 400 hp Mercury Verados , which produced a top hop of 45 knots, but triple 450 hp Verados are available. Triple 350 hp Mercury Verados are the standard engine option. No matter the power arrangement, this express cruiser can easily be used for wakeboarding and tube towing. The 42 GLS is designed to handle the rough stuff too, with a fine entry and 21-degree transom deadrise.

For cruising enthusiasts, the 42 GLS has a master stateroom with an athwartships and a nearly queen-size berth, and the lower salon’s U-shaped dinette converts to a queen-size berth for the kids.

Back Cove 34O

Combining modern outboard power with classic Downeast styling, the Back Cove 34O touts award-winning standards with cruising in mind. The 34O is equipped with twin 300 hp Yamaha outboards, engines that allow the Newport International Boat Show’s 2018 Best Powerboat Under 35 Feet winner to travel up to 214 nautical miles at 24 knots on a 250-gallon fuel tank.

Belowdecks, the 34O has an island double berth and a split-head arrangement with the toilet to port and a separate shower stall to starboard. On the main deck, a U-shape dinette to port accommodates four or more guests on the Back Cove Yachts vessel. The 34O’s galley is equipped with a Cuisinart microwave, a two-burner Kenyon electric cooktop and a Vitrifrigo fridge and freezer.

Picnic Boat 40

Hinckley Yachts unveiled its first Picnic Boat more than two decades ago. Now, after two previous, sub-40-foot models, the Maine-based boatbuilder has developed its largest and most advanced model to date: the Picnic Boat 40.

Twin 480 hp Cummins diesel engines paired to twin Hamilton 322 jet drives propel the yacht to a 30-knot cruising speed and 34 knots on the pins. With optional twin 550 hp Cummins diesels, cruise and top-end speeds jump to 35 and 38 knots, respectively.

There is an L-shaped settee with a table and a wet bar on the main deck to port. The helm station is forward and to starboard with a benchseat for two. There is also a companion seat across from the helm. Belowdecks, there is 6-foot-2-inch headroom, and the dinette table drops to form a California-king berth for overnights and weekending.

Aquila Power Catamarans started its line with 44- and 48-footers, and now the builder’s Aquila 36 takes the line into the midsize market.

The 36 features a single, main-living area from bow to stern, helped in part by the vessel’s 14-foot, 7-inch beam. The boat can comfortably seat up to 20 guests for fun on the salt. Several Mercury Verado engine options are available for the Aquila 36, including twin 250-, 300- and 350-hp four-strokes. With the 350s, the Aquila has a top-end speed of 37 knots.

Other notable features include a fiberglass hardtop, a dinette, a cooktop, a fridge, a sink and a smokeless grill. Belowdecks, there are two staterooms with nearly queen-size berths, en suite heads and 6-foot-6-inch headroom in each.

Boston Whaler 350 Realm

From fishing and entertaining guests to diving and overnight cruising, Boston Whaler ‘s 350 Realm is a multitasker. And it’s fast, too. It’s powered with either triple 300 hp or triple 350 hp Mercury Verados. The 350 Realm can reach a top speed of 46 knots.

At the helm, two Raymarine displays provide vital navigation data. The captain can take in the displays’ view from a doublewide helm seat. There’s a flip-down platform for standing when needed and a footrest when desired.

There is a V-shaped berth that converts into a double berth with a filler cushion. The separated head has a VacuFlush MSD and a hot-and-cold shower. Owners also have the option to add a microwave and a flat-screen TV.

The MJM 35z can reach a top speed of 44 knots and a cruising speed of 33 knots on its optional 350 hp Mercury Verado outboards; twin 300 hp outboards are standard on this MJM Yachts vessel. Additionally, the 35z can travel up to 304 nautical miles on its 250-gallon fuel tank.

The 35z has a flush-deck layout and to port is space for an electric grill, a baitwell, a sink, an ice maker and a fridge. There are two Stidd helm seats—one for the helmsman and the other for a copilot—that rotate to face the rest of the seating aft. In the cabin is V-shaped seating forward that can be converted to a berth.

Owners also have the option of adding a Seakeeper 3 gyrostabilizer and a full-length Bimini top to shade the cockpit.

Greenline 39

Greenline Yachts ‘ vessels are aptly named for their environmentally friendly means of moving about; the Greenline 39 is no different. The Slovenian yacht manufacturer produces two types of this model: hybrid and solar.

If owners opt for the latter, the 39’s four solar panels atop the salon power all of the vessel’s systems for three hours. With the power of the sun, the 39 can achieve a max speed of 6.5 knots and a cruising speed of 4 knots. The hybrid type uses those same panels to help power a 220 hp Volvo Penta D3 with a Mahle electric-drive system. Owners have the option of replacing the standard engine with a 370 hp Yanmar 8LV diesel.

Belowdecks, scissor berths provide accommodations for long weekends.

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Types of Yachts: Your Quick Guide to Luxury Sailing

Drew Redding

Yachting is a popular luxury and pastime activity for many people, who enjoy the thrill and relaxation of sailing on open waters. A yacht is defined as a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing, with most featuring a cabin designed for overnight use.

There are several types of yachts available, each offering unique features and experiences for their users. Some are crafted for speed and performance, while others prioritize comfort and space to accommodate larger groups of people. From sleek and streamlined vessels to lavish floating homes, the diverse yacht options cater to the varied preferences and needs of sailing enthusiasts.

In this article, we will explore more about these different types of yachts, their designs, and functionalities, as well as the ideal situations for each type. So whether you’re new to yachting or an experienced sailor, you’re sure to discover some fascinating insights about these exceptional watercraft.

Yacht Sizes

Small yachts typically range from 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 meters) in length. They are perfect for day trips and weekend getaways with a smaller group of people. The interiors usually have limited amenities but still provide a cozy and enjoyable experience while cruising through the water.

Medium Yachts

At 40 to 70 feet (12 to 21 meters) in length, medium yachts offer more space and additional features compared to small yachts. They often include:

• Multiple sleeping cabins
• Full-service galley
• Outdoor lounging and dining areas

These yachts allow for extended cruises and accommodate larger groups, making them perfect for entertaining friends and family.

Large Yachts

Large yachts range from 70 to 120 feet (21 to 36 meters) in length and provide a luxurious experience. Key features include:

• Spacious saloons
• Multiple decks
• State-of-the-art technology

These yachts are ideal for those who prioritize comfort, offering extended living spaces and stunning interior designs for a truly memorable adventure at sea.

Superyachts

Measuring over 120 feet (36 meters) in length, superyachts are the pinnacle of luxury. Some impressive amenities commonly found in superyachts are:

• Swimming pools

With their incredible size and versatility, superyachts are perfect for lavish events or long, indulgent trips around the world. You can learn more about these remarkable vessels in this list of motor yachts by length .

Yacht Categories

Sailing yachts.

Sailing yachts are powered by the wind, using sails to catch it. They offer a more traditional experience and are popular among enthusiasts. Some of these yachts have on-board motors as well for additional maneuverability, like the ones in this list of sailing boat types .

Motor Yachts

Motor yachts rely on engines for propulsion, offering a faster and more stable experience. They often come with luxurious amenities and are perfect for leisure cruises or entertaining guests. Some motor yachts also have sails to supplement their engines, providing additional flexibility.

Multihull yachts include catamarans and trimarans, characterized by their two or three hulls. They are known for their stability, speed, and spacious interiors. Multihulls are suitable for different purposes, such as racing or cruising, as demonstrated by this catamaran rescue story .

Yacht Material and Construction

Fiberglass is a popular material for yacht construction due to its lightweight and strong properties. It is made by combining glass fibers with resin, creating a low-maintenance and durable material . Many modern yachts are made from fiberglass because it is easy to mold into different shapes and has excellent resistance to water damage.

Aluminum is another common material used in yacht construction. It is lightweight, strong, and resistant to corrosion, making it ideal for building hulls . Despite its higher cost compared to fiberglass, aluminum offers advantages such as a longer lifespan and easier repairs.

Steel is known for its strength and durability, making it an excellent choice for yacht construction, especially for larger vessels. It comes in various grades, with high-tensile and special-treatment types being the most widely used for hull structures. However, steel requires more maintenance than other materials, such as regular painting and rust prevention.

Traditional wooden yachts have a timeless charm and appeal. Wood is a natural and renewable resource, making it an eco-friendly option for yacht building. However, wooden boats require more maintenance compared to their counterparts made from modern materials like fiberglass. This includes regular inspections, varnishing, and repairs to keep the wood in top condition.

Yacht Functions

Racing yachts.

Racing yachts are designed for speed and performance, featuring lightweight construction and advanced sail plans. They often participate in exciting regattas and competitions around the world. These boats are typically maneuvered by skilled crews who work together to optimize their yacht’s speed and agility.

Cruising Yachts

Cruising yachts, the choice of many sailing enthusiasts, prioritize comfort and ease of handling. They are intended for extended voyages, with spacious cabins, well-equipped galleys, and ample storage for provisions. Upgrades like autopilots and integrated navigation systems help make long-distance sailing more accessible to a wider range of sailors.

Charter Yachts

Available for rental, charter yachts offer a luxurious experience for guests seeking a vacation on the water. Ranging from small skippered boats to large crewed vessels, these yachts provide all the amenities needed for a blissful and memorable getaway. Many charters include experienced crews, taking care of navigation, catering, and guest services.

Expedition Yachts

Expedition yachts cater to adventurous souls looking to explore remote destinations. Built with robust materials and designed for long-range cruising, these vessels can withstand harsh conditions and navigate challenging environments. They often feature advanced communication systems, strong engines, and enhanced safety features to support the journeys of their intrepid owners.

Yacht Interior and Layout

When it comes to yacht interiors and layouts, the options can be vast and tailored to the yacht owner’s preferences. This section will dive into the crucial aspects of yacht interior designs like cabin arrangements, deck layouts, and amenities.

Cabin Arrangements

Yacht cabins come in a variety of styles and sizes to accommodate different needs. A typical layout may include a master suite, guest cabins, and crew quarters. In some luxury yachts , you can find VIP guest suites, children’s rooms, and even offices. Customization options are almost limitless, so owners can choose the perfect combination of materials, fabrics, and color schemes for their floating home.

Deck Layout

The deck layout on a yacht is crucial for both aesthetic and functional reasons. The arrangement often includes various entertainment areas like dining spaces, sunbathing spots , and lounges. Some yachts also feature a beach club, where guests can enjoy direct access to the water for swimming or water sports. Navigating the seas demands superior functionality, so ease of movement and safety considerations are essential in designing deck layouts.

When it comes to amenities, the sky is the limit for what can be included on a luxury yacht. Ranging from onboard cinemas and wine cellars to gyms and spas, these floating palaces cater to the most discerning tastes. Cutting-edge technology adds to the yacht’s comfort, allowing seamless integration of entertainment systems, lighting, and climate control. The choice of amenities will depend on the owner’s preferences, ensuring that their yacht is a perfect reflection of their lifestyle.

Yacht Maintenance and Ownership

When owning a yacht, it’s crucial to have marine insurance . This will protect you against damage to your yacht, and potential liabilities with other boats or property. Research options and choose a policy that fits your needs.

Crew Requirements

Depending on your yacht’s size, you might need professional crew members. This could include a captain, crew, and possible staff for cooking, cleaning, and maintenance. Balance your budget with expected service level when hiring.

Moorage and Storage

Yachts require a place to be moored, and the fees for this vary depending on location. Look for marinas that can accommodate your yacht’s size and offer needed amenities. Additionally, consider the possibility of dry storage when not in use for extended periods.

Yacht Types and Sizes

Which yacht types and sizes exist in the world.

Are you curious which yacht types and sizes exist in the world? Spoiler: there are plenty!

In this article, we explore different types of yachts, such as motor yachts, sailing yachts, catamarans and trimarans.

We talk about their unique features, advantages and disadvantages.

We also cover the difference between serial, semi-custom and custom yachts and see which one is right for you. 

Finally, we learn about how yacht size is measured and how it affects overall yacht volume and operations.

Let’s get started! 

YACHT TYPES

If you consider buying a yacht, you need to decide on its type.

Which yacht type do you prefer: motor yachts, sailing yachts or catamarans?

These three categories are the most popular types of yachts, although there are also other ones.

Let’s look at each of them separately.

Yacht Types: Motor Yachts

Motor yacht is the most common type of a superyacht. Around 80% of world’s yachts are motor yachts.

These luxury boats are powered by strong engines, do not have sails and over time have become symbol of a classy and laid-back lifestyle.  

Pros of Motor Yachts: 

• Powerful and fast 
• Greater technological advances 
• Greater deck space, more living volume 
• Easier to find suitable crew members 
• Easier to operate than a sailing yacht 
• Easier to host guests of all personalities 

Contras of Motor Yachts:

• Less sustainable, higher fuel consumption 
• Less adventurous feel (if you are looking for it) 
• Shorter range (can only be powered by motor) 
• Engine noise 

Motor yacht is probably the first thing which comes to your mind when you think superyachts.

Classy and sleek design, plenty of deck space, comfortable staterooms and lots of entertainment options – all this you can find aboard a motor yacht.

Motor yachts come in different types and sizes and with different purposes. The latest trend is explorer motor yachts, which are explicitly equipped for cruising in cold polar regions.  

Yacht Types: Sailing Yachts

Sailing yachts are the second most popular yacht type. If you love the wind and want that classy sporty feel while aboard, then a sailing yacht is the right yacht type for you.

Another advantage is that when not powered by motor, sailing yachts are very quiet. It is only the sound of waves and wind (and an occasional seagull) around you.   

Pros of Sailing Yachts: 

• Unique feel of adventure 
• Can combine peaceful cruise with racing  
• Very quiet when powered by sail  
• Lower fuel consumption 
• Lower maintenance cost 
• Can sail in shallower waters  

Contras of Sailing Yachts: 

• Tend to be slower that motor yachts (in case you like speed) 
• Less stabilization  
• Smaller cabin space 
• Might have less lifestyle equipment available (Jacuzzi, gym, cinema) … 

There are only two types of people out there: sailing yacht fans and motor yacht fans. Rivalry between fans of the two yacht types has become legendary.

Probably, you already know which group you belong to. Nevertheless, we still recommend you charter both sailing and motor yachts to be sure you are making the right choice. If you are still unsure, read about the third yacht type below. 

Yacht Types: Catamarans  

Catamaran is defined as a vessel with two parallel hulls which are joined together. Due to its form, catamaran is the most stable of all yacht types.

If you are looking for stability and comfort, or have family members who easily get seasick, buying a catamaran is a valid option to consider. 

Pros of Catamarans: 

• More fuel efficient & sustainable 
• More stability  
• Can be used in shallow waters 

Contras of Catamarans: 

• Less volume for staterooms 
• Higher dockage rates than for a monohull 
• Different sailing feeling compared to a sailing boat 

Catamarans offer a great opportunity for taking family vacations, which will leave every family member happy. Since they are more difficult to sink, they are also considered the safest boats.

If you are looking for extra stability, comfort and space, but also do not want to compromise on adventures and possibility to explore shallow waters, catamaran is right yacht type for you. 

Yacht Types: Trimarans 

Big brother of a catamaran, a trimaran, has even three hulls – one main hull in the center, and two smaller hulls on each side.

You will not see them as often, but there are certainly also big fans of trimarans out there. Trimarans are designed for racing or leisure but are also widely used for military and shipping purposes. 

YACHT PRODUCTION TYPES: SERIAL, SEMI -CUSTOM, CUSTOM YACHTS

Now that we’ve covered yacht types, let’s investigate which production options are out there. Unlike the automotive industry where most of the car models come from production lines, the yachting world offers future owners more possibilities.  

SERIALS YACHTS 

This is the most common and less expensive way to get to your new dream boat. Serial or production yachts are yacht models which are produced by shipyards in various quantities based on model and size.

Serial does not mean that you cannot tune it to your taste though. Manufacturers offer different sets of modifications with certain yacht models. You will likely get to choose between several layout models and different equipment options.

Obviously, if you order a newly build yacht, you are likely to get more space for your improvements, than if you decide to refit an already existing yacht. 

SEMI-CUSTOM YACHTS  

A good way for owners who wish more character and comfort to their boats but at the same time do not want to order a fully customized vessel, is to order a semi-custom yacht.

Semi-custom yachts stand between serial and fully customized boats. You save a lot of time and effort by picking an existing engineered platform from which to start planning.

Then, together with experienced naval architects and designers, you enhance it up to your expectations by customizing layout (possibly including superstructure) and interiors.

Ordering a semi-custom yacht gives you more freedom to decide how your yacht will look like. Construction time is also much shorter in comparison with a fully customized yacht, since many parts are already designed, engineered and possibly even pre-built.

By ordering a semi-custom yacht, you can shorten construction time from two – three years up to several months!

Shipyards are also less likely to fall behind the delivery schedule, since they have produced similar yachts before and know which time is needed for delivery.

Most semi-custom yachts are designed to suite majority of potential future owners, which means that layout, size, engineering etc will be well thought-through in advance.

Due to extensive previous testing & refining of semi-custom hulls by the shipyard, it is possible that your new yacht will turn out more reliable and problem-free than a fully customized yacht. 

CUSTOM YACHTS 

If you wish to be unlike anybody else and want to take your dream a step further, a fully custom-built yacht is exactly what you need.

Almost anything is possible and achievable in today’s superyacht building industry. The only considerations are your budget and international safety and security standards, more on which you can read in our article on Safety and Security Onboard Superyachts. 

With a custom-made yacht, you can be sure you will get exactly the boat you want, tailored just for your preferences, no other yacht in the world being similar.

Consider longer delivery time and substantially higher cost, since R&D expenses are not shared between yachts of the same series.

Many owners buy a smaller replacement yacht, while they are waiting for their customized dream boat to leave the docks. 

A fully customized superyacht is surely the most exclusive type of a yacht one can own.

Now let’s look at different yacht sizes. But first, let’s find out what yacht size actually is.

How is yacht size measured?

Length Overall (LOA) is the most widely used metrics of yacht length. It is measured from the aftmost tip of the hull to the furthermost point of the stem, measured parallel to the waterline. It is probably the only yacht length definition you need to know as an owner.  

*For yachting geeks out there, here are other yacht size definitions used in the industry:

Length of Deck (LOD) : deck length excluding bow sprits and other projections. Makes particular sense for sailing boats, since their Length Overall can considerably vary from their Length of Deck.

Length of Hull (LH or LOH): Length of hull including fixed fendering but excluding any bow sprits. It can be shorter than LOA.

Length of Waterline (LWL): length of a boat at the level where the boat sits in the water.

Interesting fact: Did you know that with each additional 1 meter of length, the internal volume of a yacht increases by 6-7 cubic meters? A 40-meter yacht is not just twice longer than its 20-meter companion. According to Cube Law, it is also 6-7 times larger in volume!  

Motor yacht sizes by group

Let’s look at different sizes of motor yachts. To make things easier, we divided them into 4 groups.  

Please note that the following crew and guest numbers per yacht size are only approximate.  

Factual crew numbers will depend on specific yacht length, cruising style, owner preferences and whether the yacht charters or not.

Factual guest numbers will depend on yacht registration type, especially with larger yachts.

22 – 40 meter motor yachts

Motor yachts in of this size are most likely serial production yachts. This means that you can buy a specific yacht model which has been designed before, and choose your own details, such as finishings and furniture.

Yachts of this size will need 4-6 crew members: yacht captain, one or two deckhands, one or two stewardesses, a yacht chef, and presumably an engineer.

22-40 meter long motor yachts normally can host up to 8 guests.

40-60 meter motor yachts

Motor boats of 40 meters length and larger are considered superyachts also within circles of superyacht industry professionals.  

This is where operations and crew requirements become considerably more sophisticated. There are also more semi-custom and custom boats in this size segment.

A 40-50 meter motor boat will require a crew of approximately 9-13 crew members, depending on specific owner requirements and cruising / charter preferences.  

A possible crew setup would be: yacht captain, first officer, bosun, two engineers, three or two stewardesses, two deckhands, one or two chefs (often a guest and a crew chef).

Crew of a 60 meter motor yacht will count around 20 members.

40-60 meter long motor yachts normally can host up to 12 guests.

60 – 80 meter motor yachts

Here the yachts grow much larger, and so do the costs of maintenance.

A yacht of 60 meters length will have a crew of 20-23 members. A yacht of 80 meters length can have a crew of up to 80 members.

The maximum number of guests will depend on yacht registration type. Many owners choose to keep maximum of 12 guests, since it allows for a simpler regulation regime.

80 – 180 meter motor yachts

A 100 meter motor yacht will require 80-100 members crew. Its tonnage will exceed 500 GT, which means that the yacht will fall under more regulations: STCW, SOLAS, ISSC, ISM and others.

A 170 meter motor yacht can have up to 100 crew members.

The largest yacht worldwide at the time of writing is Azzam, at 180 meters built by Lürssen. Azzam can host 36 guests and a least 80 crew.

Maximum guest number on a yacht of this size can still be only 12 guests. But if the yacht is registered as a passage vessel, it can be significantly more.

How does yacht size affect my yachting experience?

Size does matter after all.

Let’s look at factors that change with the growing size of a yacht.

While thinking of upgrading to a bigger vessel, do not forget that as the yacht size grows, following factors also increase: 

• Yacht price 
• Availability and price of marina dockage 
• Fuel consumption 
• Number of full-time crew members 
• Time you can spend away from ports 
• Quantity of water and other supplies the yacht can carry 
• Functionality and entertainment options 
• Complexity of repairs  
• Applicability of laws & regulations 
• Time needed to sell the yacht  

Budget is the main factor which determines how big your boat can be. To learn more about the cost of yacht ownership, read this article.

During the past decade, superyachts increased in size dramatically, and this trend continues. According  to an article  by Boat International, there has been around 10.000 yachts over 24-meter LOA in the world. Around 80% of them were motor yachts.

Most of the owners start small and upgrade their boats over years. Once you owned a smaller yacht for some time, you will understand exactly what you love about it.

Also, you will know what you want to improve. So why not initiate a new-build of a new more exciting and possibly larger boat? You can still have the older yacht at your disposal, while waiting for the new delivery.  

SUMMARY: YACHT TYPES AND SIZES

In this article, we classified all yachts into 3 main types: motor yachts, sailing yachts & catamarans. We also discussed their pros & contras.

We explained the difference between serial production, semi-custom and custom yachts.

Finally, we learned how yacht size is measured and how it affects various aspects of yacht operations. We looked at crew and guest numbers for each yacht size.

Another important factor to consider is whether you want to commission a new-built yacht or buy a second hand one . More on this in our next article .   

Drop us an email if you need help with choosing a yacht or booking a yacht charter. We will define your needs and find the best solution together.

Are you a motor yacht, sailing yacht, or catamaran fan?  

Comment below! 

Article by Olympiada Wohlin-Elkovsky from Yachtowner.co

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12 of the best small ship cruises to the Mediterranean

Published 22nd February 2024 in Cruise Advice By Alex Loizou /cruise-news/cruise-advice/best-small-ship-cruises-mediterranean

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The Mediterranean has a timeless appeal, with its winning combination of historical treasures, charming port towns, balmy summer weather and fantastic food and drink. Here are 12 of the best small ship cruises to the Mediterranean.

It's an incredibly diverse region, and here in the UK we're lucky enough to have the Med right on our doorstep, so it's no surprise that it remains the most popular destination for British cruisers year after year. Every major cruise line sends its ships to the Mediterranean during our summer months, though the experience on offer can vary dramatically.

There are certain ports that appear on every cruise line's Mediterranean itineraries, and rightly so: the likes of Venice, Barcelona and Dubrovnik are popular for a reason. But a small ship cruise opens up a whole different side to the Mediterranean, allowing you to visit the smaller ports and secluded bays that a bigger ship just can't reach.

At Mundy Cruising we specialise in ships that carry guests in the hundreds, rather than the thousands, which makes for a very different atmosphere on board: more intimate, more spacious, with a level of personalised service that has more in common with a boutique hotel than a mainstream cruise ship carrying 5,000 passengers. Even within the small ship category you have a fantastic breadth of choice in the Mediterranean, from resort-style ships offering dining choices and entertainment venues aplenty, to tiny 100-guest vessels that are more like travelling on your own private yacht.

Peak season in the Med naturally coincides with the hottest summer months, though we prefer to visit in May or September, when the crowds are thinner and temperatures are more comfortable. Certain itineraries, such as those visiting the Greek Islands, tend to get booked up early, so it pays to plan ahead. Having said that, there are often bargains to be had in the Med if you're not too fussed about where you go, particularly earlier or later in the season.

To assist you in choosing the right ship, here is our guide to the best small ship cruise lines visiting the Mediterranean.

1. Windstar Cruises

Windstar's fleet of six small ships - three with sails, three without - are a lovely size, ranging from the 148-guest Wind Star to the 342-guest Wind Surf . The atmosphere on board is laid-back and friendly, with no dressing up for dinner, and entertainment is low key.

Windstar have a great selection of Mediterranean itineraries focusing on specific areas, including the Greek islands, the Amalfi Coast and Croatia. Fares offer great value, though they are not fully inclusive - drinks and gratuities are extra.

2. Silversea

Silversea are a natural choice for a Mediterranean small ship cruise, with their Italian roots and their 'classic' fleet ranging in size from the 274-guest Silver Wind to the new 728-guest Silver Nova and Silver Ray. Silversea pioneered the luxury all-inclusive concept, with all your meals, alcoholic drinks and even butler service included in the fare, and Silversea's extensive Mediterranean programme includes lots of tiny ports that other lines rarely visit.

3. Seabourn

Seabourn are a great option if you're looking for a longer voyage, offering a great choice of extended itineraries that showcase the amazing diversity of the Mediterranean. Their ships are spacious and contemporary, and you can choose between the 458-guest 'triplets' - Odyssey, Quest and Sojourn - or the newer, and slightly larger, Encore and Ovation , both carrying a maximum of 604 guests. Fares are all-inclusive, and there are often great savings to be had if you're flexible on your dates and itinerary.

4. Crystal Cruises

Crystal's newly-enhanced sister ships Symphony and Serenity are at the larger end of what we would consider small, carrying 606 guests and 740 guests respectively since their refurbishment, but this means that you'll enjoy a greater choice of dining and entertainment venues on board, including the fantastic Nobu , as well as a packed programme of daily activities.

Their Mediterranean itineraries are perhaps less adventurous than some, but Crystal's onboard hospitality is unparalleled, and these ships are perfect if you're looking for more of a resort style on board.

5. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent are one of the most inclusive of all the all-inclusive lines; as well as your meals, drinks, gratuities and taxes, even laundry, your fare also includes your flights, overseas transfers and a selection of shore excursions in every port.

These included excursions are a particular boon if you're visiting archaeological sites, museums or galleries where you need a guide to really understand what you're seeing, and they're great if you're visiting a port where the points of interest are some distance away, such as Livorno (for Florence and Pisa). Regent also offer excursions themed around food and drink, wellness and off-the-beaten track 'Go Local' experiences. Ships range in size from 490 to 750 guests, and the accommodation is particularly spacious.

6. SeaDream Yacht Club

The SeaDream experience is everything we love about small ship cruising, with a laid-back, al fresco style on board and some fantastic Mediterranean itineraries visiting charming little ports, exclusive yacht harbours, sleepy islands and idyllic beaches.

Their twin yachts each accommodate just 112 lucky guests, with all meals, drinks and gratuities included in the fare. There is also a watersports marina at the back of the ship, with toys including kayaks, paddle boards, jetskis and Laser sailboats.

French cruise line Ponant have recently undergone significant expansion, with the recent addition of six 184-guest 'Explorer class' yachts. This is in addition to their existing fleet of four 264-guest ships and the petite 64-guest sailing ship Le Ponant, so you have a huge choice of itineraries. On board you can expect chic, contemporary design and the best of French hospitality, plus a marina at the back of the ship for watersports and zodiac excursions.

As you might expect, Ponant's Mediterranean programme includes some appealing voyages to Corsica and the south of France, along with cruises focusing on Croatia, the Greek islands and Italy.

8. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Hapag-Lloyd cater principally to the German-speaking market, but their stunning 500-guest MS Europa 2 operates bilingual cruises in German and English, and has been consistently rated the best cruise ship in the world by the Berlitz Guide. The ship's Nordic-inspired interiors are flooded with natural light, there are seven different restaurants to choose from and there is a real emphasis on wellness, with a huge spa.

Fares can be high, and do not include alcoholic drinks or gratuities, but a shipboard credit helps to offset your bill. Options in the Mediterranean include cruises that start or end in Mallorca, an unusual routing that allows you to tack some beach time onto your cruise, and Hapag also have some lovely voyages down to the Canary Islands.

9. Oceania Cruises

Oceania's port-intensive Mediterranean itineraries are perfect for those who really like to make the most of their time ashore and spend plenty of time exploring, with lots of overnight calls and late evening departures. The style on board is relaxed and unfussy, and Oceania are particularly noted for the quality of their food.

The smaller 'R-class' ships, carrying 684 guests, are a lovely size, while the larger 'O-class' and newest 'Allura class' ships can accommodate 1,250 and 1200 guests respectively, ideal those looking for more facilities on board. Standard fares do not include alcoholic drinks or gratuities, but these are often included in their regular promotions.

Scenic's discovery yachts, Scenic Eclipse I and Scenic Eclipse II, cater to just 228 guests and usually operate expedition voyages in some of the most remote locations on the planet, but these super sleek vessels are just as at home in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, when they visit briefly early or late in the season, as they are in the freezing polar oceans.

Offering an outstanding level of luxury with all-balcony accommodation and a vast choice of dining venues for such a small ship their all-inclusive pricing also includes shore excursions. Although if you want to try out one of the ships' twin helicopters a supplement will apply!

11. Emerald Cruises

Having followed a similar path as sister brand Scenic, Emerald have expanded from their popular river cruise and touring programme and introduced a small ship cruise experience. Their 100-guest yachts, Emerald Azzurra and Sakara , look fantastic and offer a laidback and informal atmosphere on board.

A single main restaurant (plus pool café) and smaller step out style balconies for the majority of balcony grade stateroom differentiate it from the Scenic ships as this is targeted at the premium market. Fares are not fully inclusive, with drinks outside of mealtimes being extra, but your flights, transfers, meals, wine and beer with meals, WiFi, gratuities and even excursions in key ports are included. An excess of Mediterranean itineraries offer focused country and region-specific sailing as well as voyages that enjoy a collection of the area's best highlights.

12. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

For a voyage akin to being on board your own private yacht, Ritz Carlton offers stylish luxury on board their first yacht Evrima , which launched in 2022 and marked the hotel giant's first foray into cruising. Their second yacht, Ilma , launches this year and will be slightly larger than Evrima but with the same intimate resort style, perfect for sailing the laid-back rivieras of the Mediterranean in style.

With itineraries focused on Europe and the Caribbean, their voyages showcase the best of these regions, from iconic routes to hidden harbours. In the Mediterranean , enjoy shorter 5-night itineraries for a perfect taste of sunshine, or longer 11- or 12-night sailings offering port intensive routes in the Greek Isles, French and Spanish Rivieras, and Adriatic coastline.

Alex is Director of Sales & Marketing at Mundy Cruising, having worked with the company for 10 years and in travel for over 18 years. Most recently he's cruised on Regent Seven Seas and has also sailed with Seabourn, Crystal, SeaDream, Tauck and Ponant. His favourite destination is South America however he's also enjoyed cruises in the Western Mediterranean, Middle East, East Africa & Indian Ocean, India, Myanmar, South East Asia and Antarctica. When he’s not travelling he loves walking holidays; a favourite included a trek to Everest Base Camp.

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The Best New Small-Ship Cruises to Book in 2024

A uthentic. It was Merriam Webster's top searched word for 2023 and one that has dominated the travel vernacular in recent years. And while many would not necessarily associate the word with ocean cruising , the growth in popularity of small-ship cruises-particularly sailings with 500 guests or fewer-indicates that in the cruising world, passengers are seeking a more intimate, less crowded, and yes, arguably more authentic sailing experience.

Take expedition cruising , for example. As the number of adventure-focused ships and yachts has exploded in recent years, these cruises are no longer just about extreme voyages in polar regions. They are also about offering a deeper look into the culture, food, history, and environmental fragility of remote wonders of the world.

Although there isn't a huge number of new small ships being introduced, there are a few notable vessels that have either recently launched or are launching this year with a focus on the idea that smaller is not just better, but more sustainable, too. These new small-ship cruises bring with them some exciting and more immersive new itineraries to destinations both warm and wintry that have us ready to pack our bags and sail away.

Sea Cloud Cruises' "Sea Cloud Spirit"

• Suggested itinerary: Reset your mind and body on an eight-night sailing through Spain's Canary Islands and on to Morocco on a special cruise featuring experts in restorative health. Pricing starts at $4,895 per person.

What's more authentic-and sustainable-than setting sail on a tall ship where the sails are hoisted up each day by hand? Although not technically new (it was launched in 2021), the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit and its two sister ships, Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II , are upping their game in a push to introduce Sea Cloud Cruises' unique product to North American travelers. The German company has traditionally catered to German and British passengers. As part of its effort to expand its reach and appeal, Sea Cloud is adding wellness programs with daily onboard yoga and guest fitness gurus, in addition to special food- and wine-focused sailings with well-known chefs making appearances. Sea Cloud Spirit , the largest of the three-ship fleet with 69 cabins, was meticulously designed to pay homage to the original Sea Cloud , which was the world's largest private sailing yacht when Wall Street broker Edward Francis Hutton had it built in 1931 for his wife, Marjorie Merriweather Post.

The Sea Cloud Spirit combines the experience of decades of traditional seamanship with the modern-day luxuries of a private yacht. Cabins range from 172-square-foot single cabins to 300-square-foot balcony suites with soaking tubs. There's a large fitness center and spa, which has a steam room, sauna, and thermal area for two; indoor and outdoor lounges; and a main dining area, plus a more casual bistro. The action, however, is out on deck, where passengers can stargaze at night or simply gaze in awe at the impressive sails blowing in the wind.

Atlas Ocean Voyages' "World Navigator"

• Suggested itinerary: Go searching for Arctic wildlife on a 12-night cruise from Reykjavík, which sails along the eastern coast of Greenland and to Longyearbyen in the Svalbard archipelago, one of the world's northernmost inhabited areas and home to polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, and other Nordic wildlife. Pricing starts at $6,499 per person.

World Navigator , which sailed its maiden voyage in Antarctica this past November, is the third vessel to join the fleet of one of the newest players in small-ship expedition cruising, Atlas Ocean Voyages. The company's 100-cabin expedition yachts are almost identical and provide a hybrid of sorts between traditional expedition and luxury cruising. Cabins are spacious, almost all with balconies, desks, and seating areas. The bathrooms have glass-mosaic tiled showers with rain showerheads, wall jets, and even benches.

Everything on the ship-including the sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows-is designed to provide maximum views. The ships also have spacious pool decks with two hot tubs, a fitness center overlooking the sea, a spa, and water toys like kayaks and paddleboards. There's even extreme camping gear for those willing to brave an overnight under the stars in Antarctica. During North American winters, all three of Atlas's expedition yachts sail in Antarctica. With the addition of World Navigator , the company is launching more Arctic Circle cruises during the North American summers while also adding a host of new epicurean and cultural expeditions in South America, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and northern Europe this year.

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's "Ilma"

• Suggested itinerary: Spend a little extra time in port on a 10-day sailing from Barcelona to Lisbon, which has three overnight stays, in Palma de Mallorca and Malaga in Spain, and in Lisbon, Portugal, one of Europe's oldest cities. Pricing starts at $10,600 per person.

Another newcomer to luxury small-ship cruising is the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which debuts its second ship, the Ilma , this year. With 224 suites, the ship is larger than the original Ritz-Carlton yacht, the 149-suite Evrima , which launched in October 2022. On the Ilma , all the suites will have private terraces, including a two-story suite with soaking tub; the coveted, 1,000-square-foot owner's suite has a private outdoor whirlpool. Even the smallest suites are not all that small, at 300 square feet, and come with a personal concierge and 24-hour room service. The yacht boasts what Ritz-Carlton says is the highest ratio of space per guest at sea.

And you can expect to find the same meticulous service standards that you would find at Ritz-Carlton resorts throughout the world as the line aims to impress hotel guests seeking a luxury hotel experience at sea. Onboard are five dining venues, including S.E.A., a European tasting experience designed by chef Sven Elverfeld of Aqua, the three Michelin-starred restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton in Wolfsburg, Germany; Talaat Nam, featuring Southeast Asian cuisine and a sushi bar; and Mistral, a casual come-as-you-are alfresco grill with a Mediterranean-inspired menu. Light bites are served at the marina at the aft of the ship, where you can also hop on a borrowed paddleboard. Oh, and did we mention there are two outdoor pools, too?

Introduction To Different Types Of Yachts

We have discussed the differences between cruise ships and their older counterparts, ocean liners in one of our previous articles. We have also learned about the various types of cruise ships.

In this article, we shall discuss the types of yachts.

To begin with, what are yachts? Yachts are those small to average-sized vessels used for pleasure, vacation, or sports activities like racing. The most distinct feature that distinguishes yachts from any other boat or vessel is their aesthetics.

Yachts are attractive and sleek in appearance, have narrow and streamlined beams, and are often pleasing to the eye. However, size is also another important parameter taken into consideration.

As per classification rules, a vessel dedicated for the aforesaid purposes is deemed to be a yacht only when it is over a certain length of at least 10 meters or 33 feet.

Though sizes of yachts can be as large as more than 70-80 meters, they are rarely 100 meters or more. Larger vessels of such extents come under the purview of cruisers or passenger ferries as discussed before. A handful of exceptions exist.

The private megayacht Azzam, having a length of 180 meters, is the longest existing motor vessel in the world to be classified as a yacht.

Types of Yachts 

Based on length and size, yachts can be classified into the following categories:

Megayachts: These are the largest of their kind. Most yachts under this category have lengths of over 50 meters. They are used for leisure or recreational purposes and are suitable for large families or groups. Most of such yachts are owned and operated by organizations similar to cruise lines but private ownership also exists. These vessels have dedicated crew to cater for the services of passengers. In terms of facilities and amenities, they are very much close to luxury cruisers and are often replete with everything from swimming pools to pubs, cafeterias to movie halls, gyms to restaurants, suite rooms to conference banquets. Of course, provisions of all these depend on the size of the vessel.

Superyachts: These are lesser in size than the former. Their average length ranges from 30-50 meters. They also have appealing features like Jacuzzis, sky lounges, dining rooms, and bars. Superyachts can be both motor-driven or have sails (shall discuss more on this later). They also are often served by professional crew members. Both superyachts and megayachts are also called offshore yachts for their ability to tread deeper waters.

Medium-sized luxury yachts: With lengths ranging from 20-30 meters, they are suitable for large families or tourist groups. They may have a small number of dedicated crew members. Though not having many amenities like their larger counterparts, they offer a significant degree of comfort and luxury. They operate near the shore or in rivers.

Smaller Yachts: These vessels range between 10 meters to 18 or 20 meters. Most of such vessels are privately owned and are used for purposes such as leisure or water sports. They can be both motor or sail-driven or a combination of both. They have the main deck and living quarters comprising of at most 2 or 3 rooms below it. These yachts may have a small promenade deck or a flybridge. These yachts are compact, streamlined, and aesthetically attractive. Such yachts have limitations for venturing beyond a certain limit of the sea or river.

By propulsion

Sailboats: Like most other ships, yachts have evolved from having prominent sails for plying in the waters by the virtue of wind forces to having motorized propulsions. Unlike cruisers and ferries which became popular at a much later date during the 17th or 18th centuries, yachts or the concept of pleasure boats saw their advent as early as the Pharaonic Egyptian era.

For several centuries, these pleasure boats were characterized by different forms and sizes of sails. The areas of the sails depended on the size of the vessel, of course, and were primarily composed of natural materials such as flax or cotton fibers.

However, with the introduction of synthetics, sails made of polyester or nylon became increasingly popular and have continued to be used to date. Sail yachts are of numerous types, most of their designs derived from traditional variants of monohull sailboats like sloop, catboats, cutter, ketch, or schooner.

These vessels can be single sail-single mast (like catboats), double sail-single mast (sloop), or other versions of multiple sails-multiple masts (like ketches or schooners). Though almost all modern yachts employ mechanized propulsion, many still feature sails simply for aesthetics (see gullet yachts below).

Motor Yachts: After the Industrial revolution, yachts, in tandem with other vessels, incorporated engines for their propulsion. Coal-fired steam engines used both fire-tube and water-tube boilers. Over the years, steam engines became superseded by modern fuel-powered combustion engines. Yachts feature both four-stroke gasoline engines, especially for smaller and high-speed designs, as well as two-stroke diesel engines, for larger designs. Yachts may use single or twin-screw propellers of 3-blade, 4-blade, 5-blade, or even 6-blade propellers based on the requirements.

Gulet Yachts: They are a hybrid of the above types and employ both sails and engines for propulsion. As mentioned above, often the sails, even when no longer required, are kept for aesthetic appearance.

Based on Hull Design

Monohull: Commonly, yachts are of monohull configuration. Such hulls can be either of displacement or planing type. For displacement-type hulls, the buoyancy is created by the displacement and such vessels have average speeds not exceeding a certain limit.

Planing hulls, as we know, are meant for high-speed crafts where a substantial portion of the hull weights at high speeds are supported by the component of hydrodynamic lift as opposed to the hydrostatic lift from buoyancy. These vessels have very low wetted surface area during high speeds (and thus less frictional resistance) and the forward portion of the hull mainly stays above the waterline.

During rest or low speeds, once again, they are supported by buoyant forces. Yachts with planing-type hulls are quite small in size and are primarily meant for pleasure or water sports activities. Some designs combine both the elements of planing and displacement characteristics forming semi-displacement hulls.

Multihull: Yachts can also be multi-hull configurations, i.e., catamaran (two hulls) or trimaran (three hulls) types. Catamaran designs are chiefly characterized by two slender hull structures joined by the extension of the bridge deck or a large crossbeam. These vessels are highly stable and seaworthy.

Trimarans have a central hull and are further connected to a pair of hulls on either side by beams, superstructures, or decks. Multihull yachts mainly rely on their inherent stability and are not very fast like planning crafts. As expected, they are very expensive in construction. They are mainly composed of fibreglass and other composites.

Based on Purpose

Cruiser Yachts: They are conventional yachts of varying sizes meant for passenger pleasure and vacationing. These vessels are permitted for long-distance travel up to moderate depths of the ocean. They are mainly of displacement type. Luxury yachts often come under this category.

Fishing Yachts: These yachts are chiefly built for fishing purposes as a recreational activity. These yachts have space for ample fishing equipment and gear and are characterized by open decks favourable for fishing as well as hauling up the catch. These vessels are permitted to venture into areas having the best chances of fishing but are barred from deeper depths of the seas.

Trawler Yachts: Their purpose is similar to a conventional fishing vessel designated for mass-scale commercial fishing. However, unlike the bland design of trawlers, these vessels imbibe some degree of aesthetics familiar to a yacht.

Sports Cruisers: These cruisers are meant for recreational or sports activities and short fast trips. Such vessels are mostly characterized by either planning or semi-displacement hulls. They are relatively smaller in size and thus accommodation spaces are limited. Such vessels have a stylish and sleek-appearing flybridge and an open deck for a better experience. Such vessels reach speeds from 30 knots to 50 knots. Sports yachts are also often deployed for racing purposes. They are sometimes also known as open yachts. For those willing to indulge in a bout of adrenaline rush like in sports cars, these yachts are the apt choice!

Sport Fishers: These vessels combine both the purposes of luxury as well as fishing. Like fishing yachts, they are equipped with fishing gear as well as have features for ample passenger comfort and amenities. They often have semi-displacement or planing configurations. During fishing activities, they are idle or operate at low speeds and during pleasure, they may be operated at high speeds. Though generally not very big in size, larger vessels with sizes around 30 meters exist.

Expedition Yachts: For those having an appetite for some real adventure or exploration, these yachts are just the right ones. They are designed for longer voyages and often receive permits for long-distance trips, often to uncharted and remote locations. Since adventure or exploration groups involve quite a number of people and unpredictable sea states, these vessels are significantly large in size. They are strict of displacement hulls, often strengthened to suit various types of conditions likely to be encountered. For those vessels venturing into icy waters, the hulls are designed and constructed based on Ice-Class regulations. From coral reefs to the wilds of the Pacific, such vessels are capable of literally traversing anywhere! Modern competent designs incorporate all elements of passenger comfort, luxury, amenities, power, endurance, strength.

Classic Yachts: Some still have a taste for vintage times. Classic yachts are the older restored and retrofitted vessels or newly built ones designed in a way similar to yachts built in the yesteryears. The hull is as per the older variants and often has sails. They are strictly for shallow water and near-shore leisure for those seeking a touch of royalty and the glorious past. These are mainly owned by vintage collectors or connoisseurs.

You might also like to read:

• Top 10 Biggest RoRo Ships In The World
• Top 10 Biggest Ice Breaker Ships in the World in 2022
• Top 10 Largest Cruise Ships in 2022
• Top 10 Biggest LPG Carriers
• Top 10 Biggest LNG Ships of 2022

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendations on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

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Subhodeep is a Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering graduate. Interested in the intricacies of marine structures and goal-based design aspects, he is dedicated to sharing and propagation of common technical knowledge within this sector, which, at this very moment, requires a turnabout to flourish back to its old glory.

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The superyacht world is speculating that Mark Zuckerberg just bought this 118-meter boat

• The 118-meter superyacht Launchpad made her maiden voyage last week.
• The yacht world is speculating that her owner is Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
• Here's what we know about the luxury vessel.

In the world of superyachts , privacy is the most valuable asset. It can be next to impossible to discern the details of a superyacht transaction — and that's particularly true if the vessel in question is worth nine figures.

Yet some in the boat blogging world are speculating that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the new owner of Launchpad, a megayacht currently moored in Fort Lauderdale, Florida after she made her maiden voyage from Gibraltar to St Maarten last week. Launchpad clocks in at 118 meters long, about nine meters shorter than Jeff Bezos' superyacht Koru .

The transaction could not be confirmed, with yacht world insiders declining to share what they know and representatives for Zuckerberg not responding to a request for comment from Business Insider. In the past, reports about Zuckerberg owning superyacht Ulysses have proven false.

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"It is Feadship's standard policy to never divulge any information about our yachts with reference to ownership, costs, or delivery, etc," Feadship, the ship's builder, wrote to BI. "Whether it is an 18-meter Feadship from the 1960s or a 118-meter Feadship from the 21st century, we do not share private information."

But Zuckerberg's name has been connected to Launchpad for a few months now, beginning in December when reports swirled that he visited Feadship's shipyard in the Netherlands.

Then, earlier in March, yachting bloggers like eSysman SuperYachts and Autoevolution started speculating that he officially snagged the boat, originally built for a sanctioned Russian businessman, at a $300 million price tag. (While that's a seemingly huge amount, it's still less than 0.2% of Zuckerberg's $177 billion net worth.)

Another clue that might point to US ownership is that the yacht bears the flag of the Marshall Islands, a US territory and commonplace for American buyers to register their ships, according to public marine tracking.

If Zuckerberg were to have bought Launchpad, he would join a cohort of superyacht-owning tech billionaires . Along with Bezos, the likes of Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison and Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have purchased impressive boats with even more impressive amenities.

SuperYacht Times , an industry publication and intelligence platform, has some of the best images of the yacht. Photos show a swimming pool on her main deck and a large helipad.

While less is known of the interior, a vessel of her size can likely sleep dozens of guests and crew and may have amenities like an expansive gym where Zuckerberg could practice his jiu-jitsu or a spa with a massage area. We suspect there's also space for plenty of toys — which could include his viral hydrofoil foil .

Do you have any details about Launchpad or any other superyachts? Email reporter Madeline Berg at [email protected] .

Watch: Walmart heiress' superyacht vandalized by activists in Ibiza

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Want to win your March Madness bracket? These strategies and tips can help

Selection Sunday has come and gone, and the 68-team field is set as the First Four kicks off the beginning of the NCAA Tournament Tuesday night in Dayton, Ohio. It’s time to win your bracket office pool and get bragging rights. This time of year brings out college basketball fans (or maybe non-fans, too) of all ages, as it seems just about everyone wants to fill out a bracket so they have something to pay attention to while pretending to work Thursday and Friday. It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of the sport and watch a handful of games a week or if you haven’t watched a second of college basketball this season and are just looking for a little action during March Madness. Either way, there are some simple steps to maximize your chances of winning your bracket pool.

My bracket strategy tends to follow my college basketball model, which simulates the entire tournament 1,000,000 times (yes, a projection for every game will be made) but going off which team has the highest win probability in each game isn’t necessarily the best strategy, especially if the pool is quite large (more than 50 people). In my opinion, the size pool you’re entering is the most important thing when determining your bracket strategy. You’ll want to take fewer risks if you are in a smaller pool. You’ll want to increase risk if you’re in a larger pool. Medium-sized pool? Somewhere in the middle.

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Remember, the goal isn’t to win these pools while splitting or chopping winnings with many other winners who all picked the 1-seeds to make the Final Four. Instead, you want a unique bracket that gives you the best chance to be the sole winner.

Every pool has its own unique set of rules. Some value upsets more than others, and you need to know that going in when looking at your strategy.

• Follow live coverage of the 2024 men’s NCAA Tournament second round

Bracket strategy for large pools (50+ people)

• This is the bracket where you’ll want to have the most upsets. Every year, there seems to be a 1-seed that suffers an early-round upset or a double-digit seed that makes its way to the Elite Eight. This is where you will be able to maximize your expected value. If a 1-seed falls in the second round, most pools will probably have them going further. But if you have them losing in the Sweet 16, you won’t lose as many points as others.
• You’ll want to check public bracket metrics from various sites to see which teams on each seed line are the most popular. These are what I consider possible “fade” teams. For example, if UConn is the most picked No. 1 seed to make the Final Four, you’ll probably want to target the Huskies for an early-round departure. You’ll have the most success finding teams that are least picked, as this maximizes your potential points.
• You’ll also want to check public bracket metrics to see how often a certain 4-seed is picked and compare that to my model’s projection for the game or the betting market. The betting market is the best measure of a true win probability projection for a specific game. If that 4-seed is being picked to move on in 90 percent of brackets but the betting market only gives them a 75 percent chance of winning, that would be a 13-seed worth picking as an upset.
• Lastly, you’ll want to combine the “fade” teams with lower projected odds to make it through each round. So if UConn is the most picked 1-seed but it is by far the favorite to make the Final Four, maybe you’ll want to go to the second most picked 1-seed. There is a little “art” to this process, but for most seed lines, the most picked team won’t be a team you want to be on in large pools.

First-round picks to target in large pools:

• Morehead State
• Mississippi State

Teams to advance to the Sweet 16 in large pools:

• Saint Mary’s

Teams to advance to Final Four in large pools:

Championship teams to target in large pools:

Bracket strategy for small pools (<15 people)

• This is the exact opposite of the large pool strategy. In this pool format, you must be cautious and ensure plenty of good teams/high seeds moving deeper into the tournament. Because of the pool size, you don’t need as much variance to come out on top. So picking a 13-seed to make it to the Elite Eight isn’t a sound strategy as it’s unlikely to happen, and you’ll likely be losing out on points because other members of the pool won’t have that team going as far.
• Check the public bracket metrics from various sites, but for a different reason than the large pool strategy. You’ll want to pick the least picked top teams in the tournament. If Arizona is the least picked 2-seed to make the Final Four, they’ll be a team you want to pick going all the way or close to it.

First-round picks to target in small pools:

Teams to advance to the Sweet 16 in small pools:

Teams to advance to Final Four in small pools:

Championship teams to target in small pools:

Bracket strategy for medium pools (16-49 people)

• This strategy is somewhere in between the two mentioned above, and how far you sway to one strategy should depend on whether your pool is closer to 15 or 50-plus. Simply put, you’ll need to be more aggressive in a 40-person pool than a 20-person pool.
• Quality over quantity. The upsets you want to target should maximize your chance of winning and not simply hope for variance. Yes, you’ll still need some luck on your side with upsets, but you don’t need as much because you aren’t battling as many participants in the pool.
• Still, check the public bracket metrics from various sites. This is where you’ll find the best-upset candidates when comparing their projected winning percentage by my model or the betting market to how often people select them in their pools.

First-round picks to target in medium pools:

Teams to advance to the Sweet 16 in medium pools:

Teams to advance to Final Four in medium pools:

Championship teams to target in medium pools:

(Photo of Oumar Bello: David Becker / Getty Images)

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Austin Mock uses advanced statistical models and simulations to predict outcomes and rate performances in the NFL, college football, MLB and other sports. Follow Austin on Twitter @ amock419

Video appears to show French police using aggressive tactics against small boats carrying migrants across Channel

The manoeuvres have been compared to the controversial "pushbacks" the Greek authorities have been accused of using.

Sunday 24 March 2024 14:45, UK

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Footage appears to show the French authorities using aggressive tactics to intercept small boats carrying migrants across the Channel.

Two video clips obtained in an investigation by Lighthouse Reports and the Observer reportedly show maritime police trying to physically force the vessels to turn around in an attempt to prevent them from making the crossing to the UK.

In footage filmed in October 2023, a Police Nationale patrol vessel is seen circling a dinghy holding around 25 people wearing lifejackets.

The police boat makes sharp turns, which create a wake and waves that flood the dinghy, as those on board try to bail the water out.

According to the Observer , the police vessel that made the manoeuvre in Dunkirk Harbour was bought with funding provided by the UK government in a 2018 deal , which saw the government pledge £45m for extra security measures at Channel ports at a bilateral summit at Sandhurst military academy.

The newspaper quoted an unnamed search and rescue expert who called it a "textbook pushback" - a controversial tactic the Greek authorities have been accused of using to turn back migrant boats at sea.

"That one manoeuvre alone could cause a mass casualty event," they said. "The water is deep enough to drown in. I've seen this in the central Mediterranean many times, but this is the first time I've ever seen anything like this happening in the Channel."

'It may be an effort to save lives'

Kevin Saunders, the former chief immigration officer for UK Border Force, said the French authorities have made clear they won't interfere with any boats already at sea.

But he said he believes police were trying to stop the boat from crossing the breakwater from the harbour to the "incredibly dangerous" stretch of water in the Channel.

"It would appear that the French are trying to force the boat back because if they didn't there's probably better than a 50/50 chance that it would sink," he told Sky News.

"While this looks not very good, in fact it may actually be an effort to save lives."

A second video reportedly shows members of the French gendarmerie threatening to use a large tank of pepper spray against migrants as the police boat pulls alongside the dinghy before ramming into it.

Rishi Sunak, who has promised to "stop the boats", signed a £480m three-year deal with French president Emmanuel Macron last year to tackle Channel crossings.

During a visit to Samos in November last year, the then home secretary Suella Braverman said the government could "learn" from Greek deterrence methods on immigration but insisted pushbacks were not the UK approach.

More than 500 migrants arrived in the country by small boat on Wednesday - the busiest day of the year so far - while a further 263 people made the journey the following day, taking the total for 2024 to 4,306, while there were 3,793 recorded in the first quarter of last year.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Government still hopeful on Rwanda plan

The government's plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda was dealt another blow last week when the Lords rejected the latest version of the draft law.

Mr Sunak has said he wants the one-way flights to Kigali to start taking off in the spring and the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill will next go back to the Commons on 15 April, with more time set aside two days later if peers demand further changes.

The bill and a treaty with Rwanda are intended to prevent further legal challenges to the stalled asylum scheme after the Supreme Court ruled the plan was unlawful.

Jeremy Hunt defended the cost of the stalled scheme after a National Audit Office report that estimated it could soar to £500m .

Asked why the government was "throwing good money after bad", Mr Hunt told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips : "We're not."

He added: "If I may say very gently, what you haven't shown is the overall picture, which is that crossings are down this year by more than a third compared to last year."

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A Home Office spokesperson said: "An unacceptable number of people are crossing the Channel, and we will do whatever is necessary to end these perilous and fatal journeys.

"We remain committed to building on the successes that saw arrivals drop by more than a third last year.

"Not only have we introduced tougher legislation and agreements with international partners, but we continue to work closely with our French counterparts who are working tirelessly to save lives and stop the boats."

Related Topics

• Migrant Crisis
• Migrant crossings
• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Revealed: UK-funded French forces putting migrants’ lives at risk with small-boat tactics

Exclusive: newly obtained footage and leaked documents show how a ‘mass casualty event’ could arise from aggressive tactics employed by border forces

French police funded by the UK government have endangered the lives of vulnerable migrants by intercepting small boats in the Channel, using tactics that search and rescue experts say could cause a “mass casualty event”.

Shocking new evidence obtained by the Observer , Lighthouse Reports, Le Monde and Der Spiegel reveals for the first time that the French maritime police have tried physically to force small boats to turn around – manoeuvres known as “pullbacks” – in an attempt to prevent them reaching British shores.

Newly obtained footage, leaked documents and witness testimonies show that the French authorities have used aggressive tactics including circling a migrant boat, causing waves to flood the dinghy; ramming into a small boat while threatening passengers with a large tank of pepper spray; and puncturing boats when they are already at sea, forcing migrants to swim back to shore.

The French authorities have previously refused the UK’s requests for them to carry out interceptions at sea, stating that they contravened international maritime law. But evidence indicates there has been an escalation in the use of these tactics since last summer.

Rishi Sunak has pledged to “stop the boats” crossing the Channel and has promised hundreds of millions of pounds to France to pay for more surveillance and border guards to prevent people making the journey. Last Wednesday the government’s safety of Rwanda (asylum and immigration) bill suffered several defeats in the House of Lords, delaying the prime minister’s plan to see flights for Kigali take off until after Easter.

Ministers claim that the bill will act as a deterrent to all those crossing the Channel from northern France to the UK. In the first video obtained and verified for this investigation, a police boat in Dunkirk harbour circles close to a dinghy holding about 25 people, creating a wake that floods the boat.

The police vessel is seen advancing towards the dinghy at speed, before turning sharply to create waves, circling and coming back again. Migrants are seen wearing foam-packed lifejackets and attempting to bale water out using their shoes.

Sources confirmed that the police patrol vessel used to carry out the manoeuvre seen in the video was bought by the French authorities with funding provided by the UK government under the “Sandhurst treaty” , a bilateral border security deal signed at the royal military academy in 2018.

“This is a textbook pushback – exactly the same as we see in Greece,” said one search and rescue expert who was shown the footage. “That one manoeuvre alone could cause a mass casualty event. The water is deep enough to drown in. I’ve seen this in the central Mediterranean many times, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like this happening in the Channel.”

Previous evidence has shown how the Greek coastguard has forced boats carrying migrants back into Turkish waters in the Aegean Sea, in some cases by manoeuvring around them at high speed to create waves.

Two senior UK Border Force sources confirmed that the tactic could lead to multiple deaths and injuries. “If the blades [of the French boat] make contact with the vessel, it will slash right through it,” said one operational Border Force official.

“The other thing is a collision. The weight and the force of that vessel could ride straight over the top of the rib. It would knock the passengers out, knock them unconscious and into the water. It could potentially lead to death. I can’t believe any mariner could condone that.”

Maritime experts added that they would be “very surprised” if Border Force and HM Coastguard were not aware of these tactics being used, with one adding: “One hundred per cent, someone high up will definitely be aware of this.”

In a second video, members of the French gendarmerie drive alongside a dinghy in a speedboat about 12 miles from the French coast, threatening to use a large tank of pepper spray against a boat carrying migrants. They then proceed to ram their vessel into the dinghy. “They don’t even know who’s on board – whether there’s someone asthmatic that you’re using pepper spray against, or pregnant women,” said a Border Force official. “That could really harm people.”

In evidence of a third attempted pullback, a complaint filed by a member of the French customs coastguard to the public prosecutor in Boulogne-sur-Mer alleges that on 11 August 2023 police officers ordered a National Society of Sea Rescues (SNSM) crew to puncture a small boat that had already set sail. In an email seen by this investigation, the complainant, Rémi Vandeplanque, states that the SNSM crew “obviously refused” to do this, adding that the risk of drowning if they had done so was “obvious and imminent”.

Testimony from several sources who boarded small boats bound for the UK supports the claims that French police have used such tactics. “There were four of them [French gendarmes] on the boat,” said one man, who was from India. “They went round the boat in a circle and then they stabbed the boat and left. We had to swim for about 10 minutes … We nearly died.” On 9 February 2024, the man lodged a complaint with the French human rights ombudsman. The incident is under investigation.

Sources within France’s interior ministry have described the UK government’s “enormous pressure on a daily basis” for the French maritime police to prevent small boat departures, with one French civil servant describing the pressure as “intense” and “nonstop”.

Another senior civil servant, who was in post until the end of 2020, added: “As far as the British were concerned, the boats had to be caught at sea. They sometimes insisted on it.”

In September last year, then immigration minister Robert Jenrick said in the House of Commons that “there is clearly more that we need the French to do for us”, pointing to a recent trip to Belgium, where he said the authorities had “been willing to intercept in the water small boats leaving its shores”. He added: “That has proven decisive. Small boats from Belgian waters are now extremely rare, so that is an approach that we encourage the French to follow.”

In August 2021, during a visit to the Greek island of Samos , then home secretary Priti Patel went out on patrol with the Greek coastguard, which is known for its use of aggressive pushbacks in the Aegean.

“She came back invigorated,” said a Home Office source with knowledge of the trip. “They were very aggressive, had a good success rate of detection and were swift in how they processed them [asylum seekers]. She liked their posturing of ‘protecting borders’ and working with the military, though there was recognition that a lot of this wouldn’t be lawful in the UK.”

Britain has allocated more than £700m to France to prevent irregular migration since 2014.

At a summit in March 2023, Sunak announced that Britain would give France £500m over three years to fund additional border guards and a new detention facility, as well as video surveillance cameras, drones and night-vision binoculars, among other equipment.

The package was, according to several sources at the French interior ministry, a turning point. “This has really put the relationship between the two countries on a contractual footing,” said one senior official.

Last month the UK signed a working agreement with the European border agency Frontex to bolster intelligence sharing and deploy UK Border Force officials to coordinate the Channel response.

When contacted by this investigation, the prefecture for the north of France confirmed that a police boat had circled a dinghy and that the aim of the intervention was to “dissuade passengers” from approaching the open sea, adding: “It’s the only time we’ve been able to intercept a small boat using this manoeuvre and it was a deterrent. All the migrants were recovered and the smugglers arrested.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “An unacceptable number of people are crossing the Channel and we will do whatever is necessary to end these perilous and fatal journeys. We remain committed to building on the successes that saw arrivals drop by more than a third last year.

“Not only have we introduced tougher legislation and agreements with international partners, but we continue to work closely with our French counterparts, who are working tirelessly to save lives and stop the boats.”

• Immigration and asylum
• The Observer
• Home Office
• Rishi Sunak

More on this story

Home Office attempt to deport UK-born man was illegal, judge says

Home Office immigration database errors hit more than 76,000 people

‘Their system is broken’: the people caught up in Home Office IT chaos

Call for refugees in UK to have twice as long to find homes after hotel evictions

What’s it like to be a refugee in the uk without internet access mostly impossible – and often unbearable.

Civil servants threaten ministers with legal action over Rwanda bill

Palestinian citizen of Israel granted UK asylum in case said to be unprecedented

Rape and sexual harassment reported by foreign care workers across UK

Ibrahima Bah was sentenced to nine years for steering a ‘death trap’ dinghy across the Channel. Was he really to blame?

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