Round Britain boats
As a regular subscriber to PBO I was interested in your article on the choice of boat to circumnavigate the British mainland. In 2009 I completed a solo circumnavigation anticlockwise from Ramsgate via Orkney, Northern Ireland and across from Eire to Milford Haven, before rounding Land’s End.
After studying long and hard, I decided a double ended, or at least wave deflecting, rounded stern would be the way to go and a must was some shelter from the elements. There were many long solo passages, of above 80NM and the ability to stay warm and dry was a godsend. With that length of passage the other decision was to go for something that would motor as well as sail. Long solo ocean passages are one thing, where it is possible to catch some sleep. But coastal round Britain, risks of collision and running over pot markers, meant staying alert for up to 21 hours between safe harbours.
In the end I decided on an LM30 Danish motorsailer with a Bukh 36hp 3-cylinder diesel to get me out of trouble and into a safe haven before total exhaustion set in if the wind failed. I also fitted in-mast mainsail reefing led back to the cockpit.
In my mind was the thought of leaving Orkney committed to rounding Cape Wrath with not much in the way of safe ports and facing the Atlantic. If you have crew then the options certainly open up – with a watch system you have the opportunity to go below and rest in the dry and warm. But on your own? I’d recommend a motor sailer at least ought to be high on your list. Mel Webb Rugby