HAVE YOUR SAY IN PRINT AND ONLINE
PHOTO OF THE MONTH Dennis Harrison took this evocative winter boating shot of his Jeanneau 895 leaving the Hamble river out into Southampton water. See our guide to safe winter boating on p92
PHOTO OF THE MONTH winner will receive a bottle of Mainbrace premium golden rum. Mainbrace rum embodies the courage, teamwork & friendship of those who love being on, in, or near the sea. Send your photos to mby@futurenet.com
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SPRING CHARTER
I’ve spent a lot of years boating in the UK – mostly in and around the Solent – on a whole variety of boats, big and small. But having sold my Sealine F42 when Covid hit (and reached an age when I’m no longer keen to own and run my own boat), I’m looking to set aside a week for a crewed yacht charter with my family in May. I’ve never really been boating outside of the UK at all, so I want a destination that gives me the best of everything – food, drinks, beaches, great weather and plenty of shoreside entertainment – without long passages between destinations. Should I just head for the French Riviera or do you have any better ideas?
There’s a lot to be said for the South of France but I’d also strongly recommend Mallorca and Corfu. I’ve chartered in both locations (although Corfu was a bareboat) and loved every minute of it. Mallorca is probably better for shoreside entertainment and the sheer number of boats, beaches and restaurants to choose from but Corfu is arguably prettier and more low-key. Try to go before the summer holiday crowds arrive though. Hugo
POCKET PARADISE
I’m looking to move up to my first proper cruiser but my needs are pretty demanding. I want something quite small (certainly under 28 feet) but it needs to be able to sleep two people in good comfort with space for the odd guest. A lower galley, a separate heads and a cabin with decent headroom would also be good. I don’t mind if it looks a bit tubby, but I do want it to be genuinely good fun to drive. And the best bit? I only have £40,000 to spend! Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You actually have more options than you might think. Bayliner’s 265 is a good bet for its space and practicality and there are plenty of similar offerings from the likes of Regal and Four Winns but my personal recommendation would be a Glastron GS 259. Despite its high volume interior, the 259 is a beautifully balanced boat and remarkably good in a rough sea. If you can find a good used example from 2010-2012, it should comfortably fall within your budget.
NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 2 MARCH
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