Download PDF - Oyster Yachts

THE FASTEST DISHWASHER IN THE FLEET! by Richard Matthewsand run back or vice versa. In thecruising classes all races finish in timefor a swim and lunch at anchor, allvery civilised.There isn’t much to say about the 62ftOystercatcher’s race week except that,like most ‘serious’ competitors, weprobably spent more time partying thanracing. We had a great regatta and theboat just went faster day-by-dayrevelling in the trade-wind conditions.Cruising Class I Winner in 1999 - The Oyster 56, Oystercatcher XXII Photo: Tim Wrightproblem because the nice people atDickinson Bay. The beach party here isJolly Harbour Marina who repaintedone of the high spots of the week withtheboat had put it on so thick that the competitors and locals enjoying thetravel hoist slings carved large furrows white sand beach and the twinkle ofin the still soft paint which we tried,lights from over 200 yachts at anchor.with only limited success, to sand flatonce the boat was back in the water. Race two takes the fleet to JollyHarbour Marina in preparation for theAlthough only a year old,third race, a hefty beat back toOystercatcher, having taken us to the Falmouth Harbour. Wednesday isArctic last June, has already covered traditionally a lay day with time to relax15,000 miles so we did have two new on one of the island's 365 beaches orsails made by our friends at Dolphin, spend the afternoon enjoying the waterand some replacement halyards.sports at the yacht club in FalmouthHarbour. This is when the now worldThe week starts with a skipper'sfamous wet tee shirt competition takesbriefing, where the local chief of police place, with no shortage of spectators!tells everyone to behave themselvesbut have fun! The first race is mostly a Racing over the last two days is on andownwind slide with a short beat to'out and back’ format, with a beat outResults – oh yes - lest we shouldforget. As a constructor sailing his ownboat there is nowhere to hide on theracecourse. So….First to finish in every race and five firstson handicap. In fact, we were neverheaded by any competitor on any leg ofthe course in any race. Not bad for aboat loaded with amenities including awashing machine and a dishwasher!Frankly, having a good time is the mostimportant thing and in this respectAntigua Sailing Week is a fun event andwell worth a shot if you are inclined torace and would like to test your Oysteragainst the rest. You will be pleasantlysurprised how competitive these boatsbecome in a full breeze.For all the latest news about AntiguaSailing Week see www.sailingweek.comwww.oystermarine.com 5

6 www.oystermarine.com

Swapping Smiles in San BlasWe tuck Oystercatcher XXIV behind a low,deserted sand island, covered in windswept coconut trees. High in the palmfronds, the birds sing a shrill welcomechorus. Looking around us, it is clear thatby Claire Daviesthey have much to sing about.Our anchorage is in the Holandes Cays, the outer most group of the SanBlas Islands. Just 90 miles east of the Panama Canal, Holandes Cays isa frequent stopping off point for yachts sailing between the Caribbeanand the Pacific. This cluster of sixteen islands hides behind an immensefringing reef, offering us clear, protected waters in which to anchor.Everything about the San Blas Islands is beautiful: a myriad of colourfulreef fish; warm trade winds; palm fringed, white sand beaches; andsmiling, friendly people.The archipelago is inhabited by the Kuna Indians, a small indigenouspeople with round, open faces, - big, almond shaped eyes, - soft, coffeecoloured skin and surprisingly rosy cheeks. Behind their diminutivestature hides a competitive society, which has fought to retain its identityand traditions in a voracious, westernising world. Their reward isautonomous rule of these coconut-strewn islands off the Panamaniancoast. Here, they follow their own form of tribal government, respectingtheir traditions and a rigidly structured, matrilineal society.In Holandes Cays, the welfare of the region is in the hands of smallKuna families living on the larger islands. They are the ‘CoconutCaretakers’. Arriving yachts are issued with a list of rules, mostimportantly: ‘no pinching coconuts’, every tree represents someone’sincome and at 10c a coconut they need every nut they can harvest.Meeting the LocalsWithin an hour of anchoring, a traditional, wooden dugout canoepaddles slowly towards Oystercatcher XXIV. These canoes are the onlyform of transport, propelled by paddle, sail and the odd outboard; theirlong narrow bows are fast and efficient in the flat seas behind thereef. Manning a single paddle is an elderly lady, herlegs and arms bound in multicoloured strings ofwww.oystermarine.com 7

eads. Her traditional dress is a colourful blouse with intricately designed panels sewnon the front and back. This is our first indication of how these ladies make their living:by needle, thread and bartering with visiting yachts.We welcome the party with broken Spanish and are duly invited to the village to inspecttheir ‘molas’. As it turns out, these are not their teeth, but finely sewn squares of cotton,depicting abstract designs, animals and birds, that are now sold worldwide. Theincredible detail and rows of tiny hand stitches are the work of gifted fingers and manyhours of labour. In a world of tacky, bottom drawer souvenirs, these are like royalty.As we discuss a suitable time, we can’t help noticing that our bead-clad lady wassporting a gold tooth, golden rings in her nose and ears and an Omega watch. For alltheir Robinson Crusoe lifestyle, they clearly know the value of the dollar!Everything about theSan Blas Islands isbeautiful: a myriad ofcolourful reef fish; warmtrade winds; palmfringed, white sandbeaches; and smiling,friendly people.Island ShoppingThe following morning we make our way barefooted along well-trodden sand paths, tothe village on the windward side of the island. A group of ten bleached huts are builtfrom palm fronds and bamboo, taken from the inland hills. One hut, thatched in blacksooty fronds, is the smoke house. Here, the Kuna Indians smoke their fish to be soldin markets on the larger islands. Their beds are hammocks strung out of the reach ofants. Life is simple but disciplined.We sit in the shade of a thatched lean-to as the ladies lay out their molas. They knowwe can’t leave without buying ‘just a couple’ and soon we have no money left. Withthe business done, they pose for photographs their faces lit up with infectious smiles.Exchanging GiftsThat afternoon, a stream of quiet knocks on the hull herald a line of visitors bearinggifts. Suddenly we have more molars and beads than we can handle, in return wehand out limes, sugar, rice, a loaf of bread, two large jerry cans of fresh water andsome home made cookies. Clearly there are some drawbacks to living in a desertisland paradise.The following day, as we continue our journey westtowards the Panama Canal, we feel privileged to havemet such a tenacious community who have succeededin embracing the modern society, without losing theirtraditions, culture and identity. If our souvenirpurchases go towards financing another gold tooth, itcan’t be too bad in this modern world. In our opinion,the beautiful, smiling faces of Kuna Indians are theirgreatest assets.8 www.oystermarine.com

STRONGER TEAM FOR OYSTER USAIn a move that indicates how seriouslyOyster takes the US market, RobinCampbell, our UK Sales Director with overten years service, has relocated to takeover new yacht sales and generallystrengthen the Oyster USA team.Based at the Oyster office in Newport, Rhode Island,Robin, who will continue to serve as a Director ofOyster in the UK, is highly experienced in the sale andmarketing of Oyster yachts. He brings to the US officea high level of technical expertise and in-depthproduct knowledge that will help US buyers toappreciate what makes an Oyster yacht subtlydifferent from the rest.Bob Marston, also based in Newport, will concentrateon our brokerage business, and will support Robin. Inaddition to a growing number of US listings Bob willhave direct access to the listings of OysterBrokerage in the UK. This will enable a largeselection of Oyster yachts worldwide to be madeavailable with a spectrum of knowledge and historyon each yacht not available elsewhere.Robin CampbellThis year will see Oysters 21st consecutiveattendance at the Annapolis Sailboat Show, whichis another reason why Oyster yachts are wellknown throughout North America.Bob MarstonOyster recommends Pantaenius.It has always been Oyster’s aim to build the world’s best Pantaenius is one of Europe’s largest and most respectedblue water cruising yachts. With almost 1000 launchings specialist yacht insurance brokers. Many Oyster ownersin their wake, the company is established as a leader at are convinced of the superior service Pantaenius offers.the quality end of the market. And as the best yachts They recognise the quality of responsiveness and speed ofdeserve the best insurance it is no wonder that Oyster claims settlement being offered by people who understandrecommends Pantaenius.boats, and are passionate about them.Pantaenius has also the perfect solution for you. Just call us.GLS HamburgHamburg · Plymouth · Monaco · Skive · ViennaPantaenius UK Limited . Marine Building . Victoria Wharf . Plymouth . P4 0RF . Great Britain . Phone +44-1752-22 36 56 . Fax +44-1752-22 36 37Hamburg, Phone +49-40-37 09 10, Fax +49-40-37 09 11 09 · Monaco, Phone +377-97-98 43 43, Fax +377-97-98 43 40www.oystermarine.com 9Skive, Phone +45-97-51 33 88, Fax +45-97-51 33 89 · Vienna, Phone +43-1-71 09 22 2, Fax +43-1-71 09 22 21 3www.pantaenius.com · E-Mail: info@pantaenius.com

theFAREASTby Martin Mansfield,Oyster 45, Rainbow SpiritMartin and Julie Mansfieldwith daughters, Sam,Danie and Corrie-Annecompleted theircircumnavigation in theirOyster 45, RainbowSpirit, when they sailedback into Gibraltar lastyear. They set sail fromFox's Marina in May1996, crossing theAtlantic in the AtlanticRally for Cruisers andthen spent a year in theCaribbean before joiningThe Blue Water Rally inDecember 1998.Previous issues of OysterNews have reported ontheir adventures in theCaribbean, Pacific andAustralia.10 www.oystermarine.com

A REST IN NONGSA POINTWe were all extremely tired when we finally reached Nongsa Point, but what a place torecover. The Marina included a four star hotel with a fantastic swimming pool and allthe amenities you would expect in a resort like this, but as is always the case in ajourney like ours you can never fully relax. One of our friends hit an uncharted rockcoming into the marina and another of our friends was unlucky enough to get a fishingnet wrapped around his prop when leaving the marina only a few hundred yardsbehind us. There is never a dull moment sailing the seas.SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIASHOPPING IN SINGAPOREIt was only a short hop over the Singapore Straits to the comforts of Sebana CoveMarina in Malaysia, albeit through one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Weleft Rainbow Spirit in the safety of the marina and took a ferry over to Singapore. Whata city! So clean and bright and the shops, well even I went on a shopping spree andbought a new digital camera and a new printer, but my favourite new toy was a 12 voltportable VCD player with a built-in screen. Perfect for the boat and with pirate copiesof all the latest blockbuster films available for a mere pound or two, many an eveninghas passed with us all watching the latest film only just released in the States.SEBANA - THE BEST MARINA YETMy mother and Sam’s best friend Laura were due to fly out in a couple of days andspend two weeks with us while we sailed up the Malaysian coast to the borders ofThailand. Mom and Laura had a lovely couple of days in Singapore before wewhisked them off to Sebana Cove Marina, quite definitely the nicest Marinawe have ever been in. The swimming pool was gorgeous and with theoriginal forest still intact around the resort, the setting was beautiful. Westayed three days here and it was the perfect place to adjust to thehumidity, heat and life onboard Rainbow Spirit.www.oystermarine.com 13

THAILAND A CRUISING PARADISEWhat a beautiful cruising ground Thailand turned out to be. Imagine soft white sandybeaches being caressed by warm, turquoise, gentle seas with the odd local bar orrestaurant being tucked away somewhere in the trees. All this with a backdrop ofmajestic mountains rising high above the seas and all you have to do is drop the hookin one of the many bays and it’s all yours.It all started with our arrival in Ao Chalong, our port of entry. Ao Chalong boasts a verywell known bar, known locally as the ‘Lighthouse Bar’. You know, the sort of place thatevery budding round-the-world sailor stops at only to say, "I’ll be leaving tomorrow".Of course tomorrow never comes and they’re still here, all sporting long, bushy, sailorlikebeards with more grey hair than they'd probably care to admit. All said and done,Thailand is a beautiful cruising ground so who can blame them. I’ll probably do thesame myself when we sail round again next time!THE SINKING OFRAINBOW SPIRIT’S DINGHYAu Chalong is a very large shallow anchorage and is known somewhat for its rollywaves that make a dinghy ride ashore somewhat akin to taking a log flume ride at awater park. We made several trips, each time getting a right soaking. The worst timewas when Sam and I were re-fuelling using jerry cans - we literally sank. With all theweight of the fuel and waves crashing over the sides, the dinghy soon filled, the motorbecame submerged and we were literally just about to start throwing the fuelcontainers overboard when we managed to grab a hold of Rainbow Spirit.CHRISTMAS IN PHI PHI DONPhi Phi Don is definitely the sort of place I’d go back to. It’s got just about everythingin just about the right quantities. The only annoying things were the longtail boats thattook tourists off to the outlying islands. They all use converted 2-stroke lawn mowerengines without a silencer on. The noise is horrific, as perhaps one or two hundred ofthese boats leave each morning and arrive back late in the afternoon.The small streets of Phi Phi Don are a pleasure to walk along. Little rustic eating placesadjoin the streets with colourful little shops dotted around offering the usual, butseemingly ‘better’ tourist bric-a-brac. With the streets being mostly made from sand thereis a definite air of quaintness around. The restaurants all display their catch of the dayand the large exotic fish on offer testify to the prolific amount of fish in the water. One daywe caught a longtail to Maya Bay on nearby Phi Phi Lay Island. This famous bay is wherethe film ‘The Beach’ with Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed. Another claim to fame ! Wespent over a week in Phi Phi Don, including Christmas, and enjoyed every minute of it.NEW YEARS EVE AND THE NIGHTLIFEOF PATONG, PHUKETWe spent the Millennium by Krabi, on mainland Thailand. It was nothingspecial, but having had so many spontaneous ’special’ nights on our travelsaround the world, it’s hard to plan an evening which would be even ’morespecial’. My 44th (Wow! I’m getting old) New Years day birthday wasspent onboard and we invited a few friends over.The Rainbow Spirit ‘crush’ as it was called,entertained 43 guests and a good time washad by all.www.oystermarine.com 15

Patong was our final port in Thailand and as you probably know, is famous for itsnightlife. The streets are full of girls plying their trade. To the unsuspecting travellerthese girls must seem tempting, but to the more streetwise amongst us, which I amsure you are, most of these ‘girls’ are young men dressed in the most revealing ofclothes and having a pair of breasts, courtesy of the latest hormone treatment, thatany girl would be proud of. Goodbye Thailand, We’ll be back.SRI LANKAIt was an 1100 mile ‘sail’ from Thailand to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and with the forecast 15-20 knot trade winds blowing in our direction we were expecting a fast and comfortablesail. It wasn’t, of course, and we went through days of calm mixed with nights ofheadwinds, sometimes reaching 30 knots. It’s strange how you always get the worstweather in the hours of darkness, but at least we were getting a favourable 1-2 knotcurrent which pushed us along at a fairly fast rate. We were instructed to anchor in theouter harbour as the inner harbour was closed to Yachts due to the ongoing war withthe Tamil Separatists and the threat of mines being planted on the naval warships.They took the war very seriously and nets were drawn across the innerharbour each night and security passes issued to us all.The first few days set a precedent for our whole stay in Sri Lanka as wewere forced to hand over 170 US dollars as an entry fee to the oneand only agent. He then charged us an absolutely extortionateprice for a large bag of laundry and double the amount for ourfuel so we ended up jerry-canning it from a local petrol garage.Some boats filled up with his expensive water and found outlater that it was infested with mosquito larvae, which flew outof the tank when opened. We found the people greedy,troublesome and only interested in talking if they thought theycould make some money out of you.With a population of some six million people, Sri Lanka is apopulous country. Its roads are packed and everyone drives as ifthey are in some kind of a race. Old battered Morris Minors, FordAnglias and Austin Cambridges are everywhere as are unusualLeyland trucks with pretty wooden backs. We hired a mini buscomplete with driver and guide for three days and went exploringinland. It was great fun but tiring, as we were bumping aroundfor 10 hours each day on the busy Sri Lanka roads.Buddhism is the main religion here and massive Buddhatemples adorn the country. We visited the famous ‘Temple16 www.oystermarine.com

of the Sacred Tooth’ in Kandy where Buddha’s tooth isreportedly held. The second day was spent travelling to thehighland area where the famous Ceylon Tea Plantationswere. It was fascinating seeing all the neatly pruned teabushes lying in terraces all over the mountains. Plantationworkers were picking the newly sprouted green leaves and itreminded me of the photo you get on most of the teapackets. You know, the one with the dark skinned village ladydressed in a sarong with a rattan basket on her back, pickingtea in the sun drenched hills. We visited a tea factory,watched the manufacturing process and later went teatasting with a view to buying some of the delightful stuff. Wedid, around 3 kilos, which will probably last us a year or so,but if was cheap and the quality was excellent.Our third day was spent in the Bundala National Park and after arriving there at 6am(still dark) we hired an old 4-wheel drive Land Rover and guide (compulsory for thepark) and went exploring. It was really a wetlands park but wild elephant, monkeysand cats existed here although not in large numbers. Our first surprise came when anOcelot cat ran across the track. The monkeys as always, were funny and cheeky andas we carried on bumping and sliding along the dirt track road we could hear somerustling in the distance. We stopped and I jumped out to take a photo, only to be toldto get back into the open backed Land Rover immediately. Just then a large bullelephant came out of the bush, saw us, made a hell of a noise and made a threateningcharge at us before returning to the bush. Our guide then told us that around a monthearlier the same elephant had attacked a lady when she got too close and startledhim. She died in the attack!About an hour later we were rewarded with a memorable sight when an elephantcrossed the track with her young baby following close behind. It hadn’t seen us and afew minutes later another mother crossed with her baby, which was so small it couldonly have been a few days or weeks old. None of us could believe it could be sosmall. The afternoon soon came and it was time for the long journey home. Westayed for another three days in the port of Galle but were pestered so much eachtime we ventured out that we decided to leave Sri Lanka and head for the Maldivessome 400 miles away, but that's another story.www.oystermarine.com 17

WE RACEFlirt on Builder’s Trials Photos: Beken of Cowesa non over-lapping fractional rig,utilising the advantage of a carbon spargiving both weight saving and rigidity.The rig offers plenty of power yet withsmaller non over-lapping headsails isrelatively easy to handle. Both rigs willstill maintain a relatively long leadingedge for good windward performance.The strength of the carbon spar meansthat masthead spinnakers can be flownwhen required.At the time of going to press it was tooearly to tell whether Flirt will out -perform her rivals. Early signs werecertainly encouraging, since Flirt's firstouting was the Round the Island Race,a 55 mile dash around the Isle ofLaunched in June 2002, Flirt isa 50 foot one off, designed forcompetition under IRC and CSA(Caribbean Sailing Association)handicap rules. Co-owned byDr J Alvarez whose Oyster 55,The Flying Scotsman, twicewon Antigua Sailing Week, Flirtprovides a valuable researchand development platform.Structural engineering was undertakenby SP Technologies and the hull anddeck are vacuum laminated and thenpost-cured using carbon fibre andepoxy resin, supplied by SP Systems.Our Customers Get the ResultsThe same team will be undertaking the Wight. This race attracts around 1,500structural engineering, and supplyingstarters making it one of the largestthe material for the new Oyster 69 using sporting events in the UK calendar. Onthe latest 'state of the art' SPRINT resin her first outing Flirt managed a fourthinfusion system. Oyster has built a new place in a hotly contested Class 1 andoven, large enough for a 75ft yacht hull a very creditable 8th in fleet.and capable of maintaining over eightydegrees Celsius. This will allow theThe design, build and sailing of Flirtsame high temperature post cure for thewill provide a fund of experience thatOyster 69 as currently used onwill help and continue to give OysterAmerica’s Cup yachts.cruising yachts an edge inperformance and handling. EvenThe new Oyster 69 will also sharecruising, fast is more fun than slow!another of Flirt's features, the choice of18 www.oystermarine.com

UBS is Main Partner of Alinghi,Swiss Challenge for the America’s Cup 2003.Some challenges are too big to go it alone, particularlyif there are choppy waters ahead. That’s when theadvice and investment understanding of a UBS PrivateBanking client adviser can be invaluable. As a leadingSometimes you can’tsail solo.global manager of private wealth, we believe inestablishing the closest of working relationships withour clients. Then, based on our in-depth knowledgeof each client’s requirements, we create individual,personalised wealth management solutions. And it’snever too soon to get us on board.For more information please contact:UBS AGPrivate Banking1 Curzon StreetLondon W1J 5UBSean Goodlet: +44 (0) 207 568 3758Vincent Parkin: +44 (0) 207 568 6416Private Bankingwww.oystermarine.com 19

TRANSITTING THE PStephen, Claire, Connor, Jane and Simon20 www.oystermarine.com

ANAMA CANALBy Claire Davies on board the Oyster 62 Oystercatcher XXIVSOUTH PACIFIC OYSTERSThe Panama Canal is an imposing gateway between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Topass through its gigantic locks, built nearly a century ago, is not only an incredibleexperience, but also a milestone for any cruising yacht. This year, four Pacific-boundOysters took on the Panama Canal. For Quest, Thunder, Restless Farewell andOystercatcher XXIV, the reward is a summer season cruising the remote islands of thePacific followed by the America's Cup, 2003 in New Zealand.PANAMA CANAL - GATEWAY TO THE PACIFICThe Atlantic Port of Colon is shrouded in a damp, early morning mist as we guideOystercatcher XXIV towards "The Flat", the Canal waiting area for yachts. The air isheavy with diesel, as enormous ships mill silently in every direction around us. In theambient glow of the town, we can see two yachts in the anchorage with a familiarshape. Immediately our spirits lift, we are among friends, two other Oysters, RestlessFarewell and Thunder, are waiting to transit the Panama Canal."To pass through itsgigantic locks, builtnearly a centuryago, is not only anincredibleexperience, but alsoa milestone for anycruising yacht"Before we left Antigua, we were warned that yachts were being delayed by up to twoweeks through sheer weight of cruising traffic. By the time we arrive in late May, thedelays have gone. Most of the cruising yachts are already well into the Pacific,including Oystercatcher XXIV's sistership, Quest. In effect, we are the stragglers.Colon is no place to spend one day more than you have to. Once a colourful gold rushtown, it is now a tired, untidy sprawl, with old, colonial houses rotting where theystand and stinking rubbish left abandoned in the streets. No drivers stop at trafficlights or zebra crossings, instead car doors are locked and guns are carried in gloveboxes. At night, tourists have a 100 per cent chance of being mugged. On the otherhand, the Panama Yacht Club is friendly and the beers are cheap so obviously if youhave to stay, the secret is to get legless!To streamline the complicated affair of booking our transit, we have signed up withTina McBride, Panama Canal transit agent. With Tina's experienced touch, we aremeasured, paid up, cleared with customs and immigration, and equipped with four125ft lines by lunchtime the following day. The final job is sourcing 24 old car tyresand wrapping them neatly in bin liners. This is not a great look for a luxury cruisingyacht, but it is crucial in protecting the hull and toe rail from damage in the locks.Before dawn, two days after our arrival in Colon, Jorge, our adviser, leapson board. Each yacht is allocated an adviser who is trained to show usthe ropes and help us through the complicated locking systems. Hisfirst job is to lead us through the dark to Gatun locks, the first ofthe six locks we will encounter today.There is something surreal about entering our first lock of thePanama Canal in the weak dawn light. We have reached thepoint of no return as we leave the Caribbean watersbehind us, by the end of the day we will be in the Pacific.Jorge calls for us to "nest". This means that we enter thelock with two smaller yachts tied either side of us. As thelarger yacht, we are in control. Jorge tells us that yachtaccidents are few, those that happen are generally due tocleats, fairleads and ropes giving way and yachts hittingthe walls. We are happy with Oystercatcher XXIV's solidwww.oystermarine.com 21

Since the canal opened for business in 1914, over 874,000 vessels have transited thewaterway, with currently 250-300 yachts a year. In 1999, after the Oyster 56Oystercatcher XXII transited, the running of the canal was handed over by theAmericans to the Panamanians. Despite rumours of the canal running out of water andtransit costs increasing, we have only seen improvements. In 1999, paying for thetransit meant a pocketful of cash and a rather worrying trip through filthy, crime-riddenstreets to a cashier on the outskirts of Colon. Happily, it can now all be done by creditcard at the nearest bank.Gatun Lake comes to an end and we enter Gaillard Cut. This Cut caused the biggestheadache in the building of the canal. As fast as the workforce carved a trenchthrough the rock and shale, repeated landslides filled it in again. For us, this is themiddle marker of our Panama passage. Behind us is the oppressive, stagnant, humidair of Colon, ahead of us is the fresh, salt air of the Pacific."We feel triumphant,relieved and excited.We have experiencedone of man's greatestengineeringachievements: thelinking of two mightyoceans through aterrestrial divide"At last we are going down again. Pedro Miguel is the first lock to drop us an initial 9.4meters, followed by Miraflores, the final set of two locks that lower us gently into thePacific. Miraflores is also the location of the Internet web cam and we wave on theforedeck as Oystercatcher's owners, Richard Matthews and James Flynn, log on towatch our progress. It seems unbelievable that family and friends all over the worldcan watch us live, racing around the deck, easing lines and moving fenders with thetowering back drop of a bulk container ship.Our adviser, Jorge, has called for a new locking format for Miraflores. We are nested toa yacht on one side and a tug on the other. This brings a whole new set of problems,such as the tug's huge, black rubber bumper, which wants to decorate our nice whitehull with nasty black marks. With a bit of careful tyre shifting, we escape unscathed.The lock gates open for the last time and we cast off the tug and our nesting yachtand motor out towards the Pacific. It is two o'clock as we cross under the Bridge ofthe Americas, the main artery between north and south America. We feel triumphant,relieved and excited. In the last nine hours, we have experienced one of man'sgreatest engineering achievements: the linking of two mighty oceans through aterrestrial divide. If it were not for those pioneering engineers and scientists, it wouldhave taken an 8,000 mile passage around Cape Horn to get us to where we are now.With the Pacific ahead of us, it is time to begin catching up with Quest. ForOystercatcher XXIV, Thunder and Restless Farewell, this begins with an 800-mile raceto the Galapagos Islands. Last one to see a Giant Tortoise is a wimp!FACT BOXPanama Canal Authorityemail: info@pancanal.comwww.pancanal.comTina McBride, transit agent,email: tinamc@sinfo.netCosts(excluding refundable deposit):Yachts under 50 ft/$500Yachts 50-80ft/$750Jorge Perezwww.oystermarine.com 23

The wind tore over the brown Thames Estuary, short, sharp,breaking seas and the instruments showing wind gusting to45 knots. Treacherous sandbanks all around. The first tripin Luskentyre, our new Oyster 56 on her voyage to Antibesin the Mediterranean. She revelled in the conditions, leavingme with a deep trust in her abilities and performance.Essential as Luskentyre is the launch pad for my family’ssailing adventures and those of our future charter guests.Unfortunately work prohibited me sailing her all the way toAntibes, but Matthew, her engaging and experiencedskipper, took over and after negotiating a force 9 in theChannel flew down to Gibraltar and then onwards to Antibesin a remarkable 11.5 days. Impressive performance.From conception Luskentyre has been spec’d and built toexceed even the most demanding charter guests“She revelled inthe conditions,leaving me witha deep trust inher abilities andperformance”MARINA & BOATYARDFox’s specialise in Oyster Refits, Repairs & Rigging• Workshops Refits • New Decks • Insurance Repairs • Heat Controlled• RiggingDinghies • Racing Yachts • Blue Water Cruising Yachts • Mast & Spars• Electronics Sales • Installations & Repairs • Communication & Computer Systems• Stainless• Sprayshop• Osmosis• ChandleryFabrications • Custom Fittings • Repairs • PolishingHeat & Dust ControlledAll the latest technology in hull dryingThe most comprehensively stocked chandlery on the East CoastFox’s Marina Ipswich Ltd Ipswich Suffolk IP2 8SATel +44 (0) 1473 689111 Fax +44 (0) 1473 601737 email foxs@oystermarine.com

First Impressions from Oyster 56 owner Mark Blytheexpectations (and of course my wife’s!). I was particularly keen to make her availableto prospective Oyster owners as I would have loved to have had a similar opportunityto experience and test out my ideas. She has everything, taller carbon mast, hydraulicfurling throughout resulting in virtual rope free decks, air con, flat panel home cinemain saloon and owners cabin and much, much more.Since her arrival in the Mediterranean she has been continually on the move.Contacting me through our website, our first guests have an Oyster on order and wereeager to experience an Oyster first hand for a full week. A weeks cruise started innorthern Italy and took in Isles of Capraia, stunning Elba, northern Corsica and thenonwards to Antibes. Cleaned, revictualled, Matthew and his next guests are now on atwo week cruise around Corsica and northern Sardinia – made the more memorableby a full blown Mistral on day 2!Read more about Luskentyre’s mediterranean’s adventures in the next edition ofOyster News, alternatively visit our website or call Mark Blythe on +44 (0) 1865 858383to experience her first hand and to request a brochure. She is available for Septemberand part of October in the Med and then in the New Year in the Caribbean where shewill be based in St Lucia. www.oysteradventure.comLuskentyre at anchor, far from the madding crowdSEPTEMBER 200 £3.50FREECD ROMAnimated 3D America’sCup action with VirtualSpectatorPLUS interactive racewinning tactics and rulesYachting World brings you a unique packageThe America’s CupLive action and considered commentarywww.yachting–world.comBetween October 2002 and March 2003 theeyes of the sailing world will be on Auckland,New Zealand where the greatest sailingcompetition on earth will be taking place. In theLouis Vuitton and America’s Cup some of theworld’s richest men joust with their boats on thewater and their egos ashore.New SeriesChasing your cruising dreamHere’s what it’s really likeGoing to Southampton?New boats and Show guideWIN a day sailingEllen’s KingfisherFollow the racing live onyachting-world.com andread considered, intelligentcommentary in YachtingWorld each month.There’s no better way - apart from actually being there - thanfollowing it with Yachting World and yachting-world.comFREE with the September issue• Virtual Spectator CD-ROM with animated 3DAmericas’ Cup action.• plus interactive race winning tactics and rules.FREE with the October issue• the UBS Yachting World America’s Cup Race Guide.To subscribe call: +44 (0)1622 778778 or log on to yachting-world.com

GalapagosThe land that time forgotOystercatcher XXIV off Bartolome Island26 www.oystermarine.comGalapagos Heron

Daniel Silva, Ricardo & Yvonne ArenasBlue footed boobyRichard Matthews on Oystercatcher XXIV’s cruise of the islandsI had the opportunity to cruise the Galapagos in 1999on my Oyster 56 and with the 62ft Oystercatcherheading across the Pacific, bound for Auckland, thechance of a second visit was too good to miss.The Galapagos, part of Ecuador, comprises a group of Pacific islands about 900 milesto seaward of Panama. We joined the boat in University Bay, Puerto Ayora on theisland of Santa Cruz, which is the main population centre of Galapagos and home ofthe Darwin Centre. Charles Darwin visited the islands in "Beagle" and based some ofhis theories on evolution on his observations of the birds and animals of the Galapagos.Frigate birdIt’s the remarkable variety of animals, birds and fish that frequent the islands andtheir complete lack of fear toward humans that make the Galapagos a totally uniqueplace to visit.To visit in a private yacht a cruising permit is required which is both difficult to obtainand expensive. A registered Galapagos guide must be carried and an itinerary agreedin advance. Using lessons from my previous visit we used a local agent, RicardoArenas, to deal with the permit and local formalities. In addition Ricardo can arrangewww.oystermarine.com27Hooded booby

fuel, provisions, andeven the hire of a localcellphone. By specialrequest our guide wasYvonne, Ricardo’s wife.There were a fewyachts inPelicansAcademy Bay,including theOyster 70 "Thunder" which didn’t cruise but was using the portas a stopover en route across the Pacific. Mostly the harbour is usedby tourist boats, which vary in size and quality, but the better oneswould certainly make a reasonable alternative to a yacht. We didn’t seeany other yachts during our cruise.WavedalbatrossDay one was spent visiting the Darwin Centre to see the gianttortoise and generally adjusting to the seven-hour timedifference with British Summer Time. The crews of early whalingships took tortoise in large numbers as a gruesome way of having freshmeat on their long voyages. Sadly the tortoise population was further decimatedby the use of their oil as lamp fuel.Our departure from Academy Bay was delayed by snagging our anchor withanother CQR and chain. There was no doubt the other guy got there first; hisground tackle looked like an exhibit from the Mary Rose. After somestemhead gymnastics by Stephen, our skipper, we were free and under powerfor the forty mile hop to Rabida Island. We had barely cleared the harbourwhen several sea turtles, swimming lazily in the glassy calm, passed us.Rabida has a red sand beach and we went ashore to see if there were anyflamingos in the salt pond beyond the beach. We were lucky to get reallyclose to one bird, an amazing combination of white and pink. Back on thebeach we were treated to the unusual sight of a sea lion suckling her calf, thepair of them lying on the edge of the beach in front of Oystercatcher whiledaddy sea lion patrolled a few yards further out.Then it was time for snorkelling the edge of the bay. Six hundredfeet from where we anchored our dinghya white tip shark of about eight or ninefeet swam close by. Time to confrontour fear, our guide promised us thatsharks don’t eat people in the Galapagos.We met another even larger shark alittle further ahead.28 www.oystermarine.comGalapagos penguin

We saw sea turtles and a moving wall of a million fish covering the seabed like a thickcarpet. Galapagos penguins watched us from the rocks above.Our second landing of the day was at San Salvador where we met fur seals. At duskmarine iguanas walked across the lava rock looking like something out of JurassicPark – what a day!Pitch black at 4 a.m. next morning and our flashlight showed a sea lion six feet awaylying on his back looking at us looking at him. That’s how it is in the Galapagos. Ourearly start on passage for the island of Genovesa was rewarded with an incrediblesunrise coinciding with Oystercatcher crossing the equator.On our approach to the island we were almost literally mobbed by seabirds, mostlyboobies, and sighted one whale but could not get close. The anchorage is the insideof a volcanic crater with a lip that shelves to a depth of four metres and drops off toover three hundred metres within a couple of boat lengths. Last time I crossed thisridge there were several hammerhead sharks basking in the shallow water but this daywe had the cut to ourselves.Our first shore landing was up some makeshift steps cut into a near vertical cliff faceof about a hundred feet. Once on top we were greeted by a large number of nestingboobies and frigate birds. Male frigates have a bright red sack they inflate in the matingseason to attract a partner. They sit in thickets or low scrub and when a female passesthey stretch their wings, red sack inflated and say, "Hey, look what I’ve got".We saw storm petrels, constantly on the wing, feeding on insects while weaving andswooping like bats at dusk. Chicks, boobies and frigates, peered out from undertheir mothers.Returning to the boat we found the younger element of the local booby populationhad decided to enter a 'bow pulpit cramming competition' with eight or ten quite largebirds fighting for their place on the rail, the losers flopping off onto the foredeck.Later in the day, ashore again, we were entertained by yet more frigates andboobies but also by beautiful swallow tail gulls whose plumage of white and greywith a red eye ring made them the smartest birds on the island. We also saw apair of lava gulls, unique to this area where only four hundred pairs survive. Sealions escorted us off the beach and back to Oystercatcher where we had to edittoday’s two hundred digital pictures down to ten.Oyster 70, Thunder, Academy BayAt first we thought the range lights on Genovesa were inoperativebut at 4 am, having been alone on the island the day before,a very large tourist ship appeared, a blaze of light andanchored very close. With so much to do and so littletime this was our signal for an early departure, sailingfor the island of Bartolome 56 miles distant.Bartolome is a dramatic very stark volcanic islandwith numerous lava and rock formations. On thelanding steps we were greeted by a pair of sealions sunbathing on the hot rocks above, who,as we drew close, decided on a bold bid forfreedom. Getting ashore was put on holdas we were treated to a ‘left and right’pass by a pair of two-hundred poundsea lions that any circus ringmasterwould have been proud of.There is a boarded walkway tothe summit of Bartolome wherethe reward is a dramatic view ofneighbouring islands andFlamingowww.oystermarine.com 29

Oystercatcher at anchor looking very small 1,000 feet below.Afternoon snorkelling with penguins then a halfmilehop to the adjacent Sullivan Bay and awalk across its black lava field. Moremoonscape than the real thing the surfacewas covered with ripples and broken intobits like the top of a giant piecrust.We anchored off Black Turtle Cove overnight for an earlymorning RIB trip of about a mile and a half into the covewhose banks were entirely covered in mangroves. Splitinto two trips we motored around rocks and through aseries of narrow cuts to reach the shallow pools wherewe hoped to see white tipped sharks, rays and sea turtles.Despite a stiff 20 knot breeze offshore the pools were sheltered enough to be glassycalm. The frenzied leaping of small fish in the sunlight was like a firework display.Engine off we paddled our way across and saw turtles nibbling the mangroves and abrightly coloured eagle ray that obligingly swam right past us just beneath the surface.The grand finale was a pair of large turtles, one of who surfaced less than two feetfrom our dinghy.In the afternoon we went ashore at North Seymour where blue-footed boobies, manyof whom were sitting on eggs, some still mating, immediately greeted us. There waslife everywhere, sea lions surfing in the breaking waves along the shoreline, marineiguanas, boobies, frigates, lava gulls, swallow tail gulls and even a heron.En route to our overnight anchorage off South and North Plaza, crewman MikeSlocombe spotted a whale spouting about a mile to seaward. We altered course andwere treated to some close up action of two small bryde whales. We hove-to and, asluck would have it, one of these magnificent creatures surfaced less than fifty yardsfrom Oystercatcher. Another memory book day.The landing stage on South Plaza Island is like a sea lion training school with twentyor thirty young ones playing tag amongst the rocks. The finest collection of iguanas,some estimated to be up to eighty years old, are well scattered around the island.Some of the rocks shine in the sun after thousands of years of being well polished bybasking sea lions. A great anchorage and a fine Sunday morning stroll amongst therocks and cactus. We spent the afternoon motoring towards Espanola Island; thewind as usual was right on the nose.The landing at Espanola Island is one or the most memorable in the Galapagos.Surf breaks offshore and scooting round rocks in the RIB we found a calm oasiscrammed with life.We found several large marine iguanas swimming across the lagoon.A sea lion locked onto one of these and gave theunfortunate iguana maximum harassment for a fullfive minutes. Like a nautical game of cat andmouse, several times the sea lion got hold ofthe iguana's tail anddragged himbeneaththe30 www.oystermarine.comWaved albatrossSealion and marine iguana

surface. Eventually the iguana made it to the rocks, humiliated perhaps, exhaustedcertainly, but alive. Survival is really the only thing that counts out here.Ashore we walked along a craggy cliff line past a large number of courting blue-footedboobies. These birds are incredibly tame and so super colourful they could well havebeen sponsored by Kodak.The high spot of this walk was to find a pair of courting waved albatross only threefeet from our path. These huge birds only come ashore to mate and then only onEspanola. Their strange courtship consists of the usual ‘let me show you what I’ve got’moves then on to a mock swordfight with their ten-inch beaks.The waved albatross is a super graceful flier but needs the bird life equivalent ofHeathrow runway one to take off and land. They take these manoeuvres seriouslylanding at a relatively high air speed and running flat out until they can get theirtwelve-foot wingspan folded.The final day of our cruise was spent on the island of Floreana watching flamingoswading through a shallow brine pond just inside the beach. These birds are filterfeeders, in the same way as some whales feed on krill. They swoosh their heads fromside to side like an underwater vacuum cleaner.Then to Post Office Bay so named because whaling ships used to deposit mail in abarrel ashore for other vessels to take on, assuming they were heading in the rightdirection. Now you can post a letter, no stamp, and almost certainly it will find itsdestination – but when?So the final thirty five miles back to Academy Bay with our heads full of the incredibleshow the fish, birds, creatures and landscapes of the Galapagos had put on for us.We consider ourselves privileged to have visited this place and I would recommendthe Galapagos as a ‘must do’ part of any Pacific cruise.FACT FILERicardo Arenas is pleased to provide a service to yachts visiting the Galapagos andcan be contacted at: Tel 00593 5 526186 Fax 00593 5 526041email pelican@gpsinter.net www.sailingalapagos.com• There are only around 15 cruisingpermits issued each year• You should contact Ricardo atleast two months ahead of yourvisit to obtain a permitMale frigate birdwww.oystermarine.com31

Our thanks toDaphne & TomCorcoran, owners ofthe Oyster 55 SnowDance, whoresponded to anegative letter aboutthe merits of theDeck Saloonconfiguration in arecent edition of theUK MagazineYachting World.HOT INDIGNATION"A letter by P A Spurr in the February issue criticised the deck saloon design for cruisingsailboats in warm climates. As the owners of a deck saloon Oyster 55 which has spentthe last three summers in the Med and is now in the Caribbean, we take exception to hisnegative comments on the design, which we think are just plain wrong.First, it’s absurd to state that the airflow into and through the yacht is less in a decksaloon than a flush deck design. We have owned two flush deck, aft cockpit boats andthe raised centre cockpit of the deck saloon design permits a greater, not lesser, airflowthrough the cockpit area.PA Spurr worries about the safety of forward opening ports typically found in a decksaloon design but overlooks their major benefits. Those forward opening ports areespecially appreciated in warmer climates, where they allow a direct airflow into andthrough the interior of the boat.There is a reason why the deck saloon has become so popular among cruising boatbuilders. It works – and particularly well in hot weather".As the people who brought Deck Saloon to the nautical vocabulary well overtwenty years ago – we agree!32 www.oystermarine.com

Toba Inlet, VancouverThis eye-catching picture was taken by three times Oyster OwnerDoug Scheumann from Seattle.In the letter he sent us with the picture Doug described getting inunder the waterfall as the ‘ultimate freshwater wash down’.Our first encounter with Doug was at the Annapolis Sailboat Show. He later made thetrip to the UK to give us a closer look. At about the same time John Munns, who runsFox’s Marina, was skippering the Oyster 80 "Free Spirit" and was passing through theSeattle area. "That’s an Oyster isn’t it?" asks Doug.John, who before his spell as a yacht captain was Oyster's commissioning manager,did his best to tell the Oyster story. Doug sounded interested and promised to returnnext day and ‘show them around’.Next afternoon a seaplane, with Doug’s personal pilot in charge, passed close to"Free Spirit" and soon afterwards John and his first mate Ira were airborne havingthe aerial tour of a lifetime amongst glaciers and snow-capped mountains.Doug bought his first Oyster, a 485, which was trucked coast to coast beforearriving in Seattle, her homeport. A year or so later Doug decided to upgrade toan Oyster 70 for a series of family cruises in the Mediterranean and Caribbean.To avoid the delay of waiting for a new build, Doug chose the Oyster 70"Infatuation" which had just completed a circumnavigation.Mission completed, after two years of extensive cruising it was time to returnto an owner-operated yacht for local cruising out of Seattle. Doug chose theOyster 53 as a yacht offering the ideal combination of performance andcomfort. Equipped with a slow running oversize auxiliary engine and alayout that will take grown-ups, children and grandchildren "Eclipse" hasproved her credentials as an ideal family yacht.Doug is the first American owner to have chosen three of our yachtsand we thank him for this picture, a happy reminder of a good friendto the company.Being in controlnever goesout of style.H ats and hairstyles mayblow with the wind, but thefeeling of being in completecontrol will always have aplace on board. AtLewmar, we’ve basedour company onproducts and systemsthat give you this senseof confidence. LewmarSteering Systems, AnchoringSystems, Winches, Hardware,Hatches, Portlights, and BowThrusters are demandedby top boat builders,America’s Cup sailors,and are known aroundthe world for quality.But what matters most,at the end of the day,is that cool, satisfiedsmile on your face.www.lewmar.comUK (+44) 23 92 471841 • US (+1) 203 458 6200 • Holland (+31) 38 427 34 90France (+33) 5 46 50 50 46 • Spain (+34) 93 221 94 37 • Italy (+39) 5 43 84 691Sweden (+46) 31 769 7700 • Finland (+358) 9 5489 5110Pacific Rim, Asia & Middle East (+61) 7 380 00285

angel falls venezuby Dennis KnightWe arrived in Puerto La Cruzfrom Archipelago LosRoques in company withRichard and Lisa on the Oyster 56Yantina to meet with Gary and Louiseof the Oyster 61 Lulu and also Mel andJackie of the Trintella 50 Fiesty. Wehad been invited to join them on a tripto Angel Falls, which drop over 3000ftin Venezuela.Louise had arranged everything,including our marina berths. We reallydid not have much information; ourinstructions were to travel light, takeinsect repellent, long sleeved sleepingclothes, a supply of toilet paper andone bottle of wine each! We knew wehad a coach journey, a night in a hotel,a flight in a light aircraft followed by aboat trip and two nights in a rivercamp. It all seemed wonderfully vaguebut if it was OK for Louise and Gary itshould be fine for us!Our coach trip to Ciudad Bolivar on thebanks of the Orinoco River took over 5hours, and then taking taxis to ourhotel was an experience in itself. Allseemed to be 20-year-old Americancars, very dented and rotting but fittedwith large shiny alloy wheels andoversize tyres. The doors were about todrop off and through holes in the flooryou could see the road between yourfeet! Over a beer, Manuel our guideoutlined the trip, he persuaded us totake an extra day to visit Kavac anIndian village, Lisa persuaded him weneeded a discount.34 www.oystermarine.com

elaNext morning Manuel collected ourbags plus five cases of beer to takewith supplies to the airport. The sixseaterCessnas were so laden that, aswe boarded, a man had to hold thetailplane off the ground. With rainclouds closing in, we were more than alittle apprehensive as we started ourflight to Parque Nacional Caniama. Weflew over a large lake and many rivers,ahead we could see the Tepuis risingfrom the jungle, and the scenery wasspectacular. Coming into land we hadour first sight of Laguna de Caniama, alarge lake at the foot of Saltos Hacha, awide waterfall, above these would bethe starting point for the river trip toAngel falls.While Manuel off-loaded, we admiredthe spectacular Salto Falls that dropabout 100 ft and are about half a milewide, then walked through the Indianvillage to where the bongos (boats)were loading. These bongos areconstructed from hollowed out logsabout 40ft long and at the widestpoint 4ft, all seem to be powered by48hp Yamaha outboards. The bongowas heavily laden with supplies, fueland baggage; we were handedbuoyancy aids.We assumed there would be two bongos, imagine our surprise when we weretold to get in as well, eight passengers, one guide and two crew, which left onlyabout 6 inches of freeboard showing.We set off along the Rio Carrao at about 20 knots with a large spray of waterfrom the bow, rocking from side to side as Lewis steered the boat. We soonlearnt to balance the craft, which was much more stable than it looked, or attimes felt. Passing through the Savannah the river here was very wide, afterabout 20 minutes travel we approached the first set of rapids, these rose about20 ft in over 1 mile, we could see no way through. Lewis just aimed the boat atwhat appeared to be the most turbulent part and up we went, dodging betweensubmerged rocks. The bowman helped to steer with a huge paddle; the spraydrenched us as the bongo heeled on the turns, the engine roared as Lewis liftedit up. The bongo bumped on rocks, sometimes coming to a complete standstillbut up we went reaching calmer water again. This was boating of a different kind.Awesome! The journey continued from one set of rapids to another. Lewis theboat driver and Cornelio the bowman certainly knew what they were doing,Manuel informed us they train as a bowman for at least 3 years before beingallowed to become a driver.For lunch we stopped at Happiness Falls and all swam in the pool at the foot ofthe waterfall, refreshing you might say! We turned into Rio Churun a smaller riverleading to Angel Falls; the rapids became more frequent, after one set Lewisremoved the good propeller and fitted one that barely looked serviceable. Theriver became narrower and shallower; again the propeller was exchanged foranother in a worse state, how the beat up ones actually propelled the boat I donot know. At one set of more dangerous rapids passing between very large rockswe clambered ashore whilst the crew manoeuvred the bongo through, it wasfascinating to watch. By now what we had imagined was going to be a two-hourboat ride was in fact to take over 5 hours covering 96 kilometres with a rise overthe distance of 150 meters. We had no idea of this when we set off.The scenery was magnificent; the river winding its way up the valleys betweenthe Tepuis, the views changing with every turn. Huge sandstone bluffs at timesshrouded in cloud; waterfalls cascaded into the jungle valleys. Looking at thestone bluffs you could imagine heads or animals carved out by the weather. Godslived here! Overhead, osprey fished for their supper, small birds chased flies;kingfishers patrolled the riverbank while brightly coloured butterflies flittedthrough the trees.Arriving at the designated camp at dusk we found it fully occupied, Manuel ourguide was unperturbed, so we continued in the dark up another set of rapids towww.oystermarine.com 35

find an alternative camp. Climbing ashore feeling cold and wet we helped unloadthe bongo, carrying everything up to a large hut, the only light was from ourtorches, in the trees fireflies twinkled. The camp consisted of a large open sidedbuilding with metal roof decking, a stone built kitchen area, a long table withbench seats either side. Outside a smelly toilet block, this had to be flushed withlarge buckets of rainwater obtained from a nearby tub. Back to basics anddefinitely not the Hilton Hotel.Manuel lit a hurricane lamp and pressure paraffin stove for cooking; the boatmensoon set up camp slinging our hammocks from the ceiling rafters. We dressedourselves in our protective night attire by flashlight, a right motley crew. Manuelsoon produced an excellent hot meal, which, washed down with a few beers andsome wine put us in the right frame of mind to climb into our hammocks to thenoises of the jungle and of the night.Next morning following a cooked breakfast of empanadas we set off on a twohourwalk to Angel Falls. We crossed two small rivers before reaching the jungletrack that climbed steadily. The route, a tangle of tree roots and rocks, at timesthe path so steep handrails had been placed. There was a noted absence of wildlife in the forest, Manuel explained for about eight months of the year manypeople walked this trail, also the natives had hunted close to the rivers. We sawlots of large ants, beautifully coloured butterflies, a few small birds and high inthe sky vultures soared on the thermals. Eventually we arrived at a large rock atthe top of Devils Canyon, to take photographs of the Falls rising above us.Manuel informed us that in the rainy season these rocks were unsafe, the pathwe were about to descend inaccessible due to the clouds of spray. Arriving quitehot, the bubbling water cascading into the pool looked so inviting we all wentswimming. Was it cold or just invigorating? Who cared, you had to do it.From here we were taken by pickuptruck to the airstrip where we saidgoodbye to Manuel.There are no roads that link this part ofthe country, everything is flown in, fromJeeps, earth moving equipment, petrol,propane, food and building materials,it’s a busy little airstrip. We took off inthe same small planes; this time thespare seats and luggage space full ofsupplies for Kavac, our pilots followingthe river we had just come down togive us a view of Angel Falls from theair. Keeping below the clouds wefollowed the edge of Auyantepui justclearing the ridge, then flew over jungleuntil Kavac, situated where theSavannah started, came in sight.Angel Falls has an uninterrupted drop of 807 metres, named in 1937 when anAmerican gold prospector, Jimmy Angel, landed his light aircraft on the top ofAuyantepui, "Mountain of the God of Evil", the largest tepui which covers an areaof 700 square kilometres. The ground being rather boggy would not allow him totake off again. His only way back to civilisation was to follow the watercoursefrom the foot of the Falls, but first he had to find a way down.Our walk down to the camp was much easier, arriving to find Lewis and Corneliohad chickens spit roasting on a campfire; they tasted wonderful served with apotato salad. We lazed around by the river drinking beers watching the sun godown as fireflies appeared in the dark. After such a late lunch we could not eat acooked supper so enjoyed chocolate cake and coffee before retiring to ourhammocks. Being the dry season, Lewis and Manuel were concerned about thewater level in the river, but like a tap the rain fell most of the night.We awoke to the sound of the paraffin stove boiling water for tea and coffee; nocooked breakfast today. Striking camp we were under way by 06.45 am, the tripdownstream more hairy, going down the rapids much faster with the sun low, therocks more difficult to see. The boat lurched and bumped, while we took it inturns to bail, at any moment one expected a hole to appear. Twice we clamberedout, on one occasion the men walked the boat backward down some rapids,keeping control with a long ropeKavac is a collection of churuatas,native style dwellings with woventimber walls plastered in dry mud withpalm-thatched roofs. We were shownto two churuatas with four hammocksalready suspended from the roof;changing into swimwear below ourother clothes we set off towards Cuevade Kavac.Once again we scrambled amongsttree roots and rocks down the edge ofa gorge, eventually arriving on a rockyshelf above a small river. Suddenly itstarted to rain heavily; our nativeguide produced a large plasticbag for our clothes.Arriving back at Canaima we disembarked above Salto Falls, eventuallyarriving at a path that descended to the lower river basin. Climbing ashort distance we were able to cross behind part of the Falls where aroped pathway prevented you from being washed off. Soaked throughwe climbed back to our boat which waited to return us to the dock.36 www.oystermarine.com

Standing high above the river he divedin; we all took a more cautiousapproach, and then swam against thecurrent to the base of a small waterfallbehind which was a small cave. Jackiewatched a small snake appear from acrevice in the rock and swim offdownstream. Clambering ashore wefollowed our guide further up thegorge, a trickle of water from highabove suddenly burst out cascadinginto our small river, which was nowturning into a torrent.Re-entering the now swollen andmuddy river and understanding wemust hurry, we followed our guide,wondering where we were going. Wefought our way further upstreamfinding a series of ropes tied to rocks,along which we hauled ourselves. Thiswould have been impossible againstthis raging water without the aid of therope. We arrived at the foot of a highwaterfall cascading into what, innormal conditions, must be an idyllicbathing pool. Today it was ratherdifferent, a more exciting experience.Our guide would not let us stay long asthe river was still rising, so keepinghold of the rope we were sweptdownstreamto where wehad left our clothes.Returning along the path wecame to what had been adry riverbed, nowswollen by thecloudburst.Another Indianwas waiting witha long rope toassist us safelyacross. By thetime we reachedthe village, the sunwas shining again.The return flight over the Savannahand jungle was as spectacular asbefore, our pilot dodging the weathersystems that surround the Tepuis, atone time climbing to 8000ft to avoidbad weather.This had been a real pinch yourselfarewe really here trip!Dennis KnightOyster 435 Shilling of Hamblewww.oystermarine.com37

Round the Island Race 2002COWESNo Man'sLand FortRydeSandsRydeBembridge LedgeTheNeedlesYarmouthNewportISLE of WIGHTSandownBembridgeSaint CatherinesPoint"Counter Girl" is apilothouse versionof the Oyster Heritage37, owned byMalcolm and GillBishop, and took partin this year’s Roundthe Island Race.As we are now based in Cowes, we asked our two sons, Anthony and David, together withAnthony’s wife Sîan, if they would do the Race with us. All keen sailors – only one answer!We were in the Island Sailing Club Handicap Yachts Class F. This was the ‘White’ flagfleet starting at 0950. Starts for other fleets are at ten-minute intervals from 08.30 to10.00. Most of the yachts should have been away well before us but the ‘Pink’ fleethad a recall and started at 10.10.We left our mooring on the Medina late enough to arrive on the line at the ten-minutegun. There were 256 boats in the ‘White’ fleet with the faster recalled ‘Pink’ boatseverywhere. We reached along the line away from the Royal Yacht Squadron lights outof trouble and had an excellent start. The wind SW F5-6 excellent for our boat and wehad an exciting beat to the Needles. With the ‘Pink’ fleet coming through us, we hadseveral close encounters with much faster, larger boats. We saw "Kingfisher" and"Creightons Nab" close too.At 12.10, we cleared the Needles and then a close reach to St Catherine’s doing 7 1/2knots F4-5. We didn’t put the spinnaker up on this leg and were overtaken by severalboats. 14.10 St Catherine’s and we hoisted the spinnaker. Running by the lee with apreventer firmly on this was something else. The boys were in charge now, using theboat like a big dinghy, doing 9 knots in the surges. We overtook all the boats we hadlost out to before. The yacht next door to us had a false gybe in one of the rolls andman overboard with boats behind, spinnakers up, bearing down on him. There wasnothing we could do to help! RNLI on the scene very quickly.We had the spinnaker down before we got to Bembridge Ledge buoy but managed totrawl it! One turn on a winch to hold the halyard was not enough and David had to letit go and it streamed out behind us – no damage,just very wet. We gybed and reached into themark. Now closehauled again andheading forNo MansLand Fort.38 www.oystermarine.com

At the Fort, we overtook at least 50 boats by holding our course and not tacking in thewind shadow. Lots of boats with big problems here. The weight of our boat kept usgoing until the wind filled in again. Now tacking against the tide past Ryde Sands, wesaw three yachts aground inside the beacons. So many boats around us on the tacks,we met the same ones again and again. It paid to go in to get out of the tide but as wecame upright on one tack, we were aground but only for 10 seconds, wind F4-5 still.Then at last we could lay the finish line off Cowes on port tack. Our finish was theSouth Line. We freed off a bit to go above the line and came back in on starboard tocross the line causing several boats on port to tack again to finish. On the declarationform they ask for the sail numbers of the boat in front and behind – there were somany, we chose the nearest ones.Our elapsed time was 09.04.56 and corrected time 08.51.19. We finished 10th out ofthe 60 in Class F and 36th in the ‘White’ fleet. Overall we were 134th out of 1641yachts, so we were very pleased.Our only concession to racing was that we took off the main anchor and chain,keeping a kedge for emergency. Our sons, who are keen sports boat racers, found it avery exciting day and decided that our comfortable cruising yacht could actuallyperform very well. In their words, our 2000sq.ft spinnaker was "awesome", one songoing home with a blistered hand to prove it!Counter Girl Photo: Hugh RedmanMalcolm and Gill Bishop Oyster Heritage 37 - Counter GirlChartering International LimitedClinch’s House,Lord Street,Douglas,Isle of Man IM99 1RZ2 Babmaes StreetLondonSW1Y 6NTTel: +44 (0) 1624 683293+44 (0) 2079 509800Fax: +44 (0) 1624 677090+44 (0) 2074 940393Ownership StructuresYacht LeasingE-mail:dos@ciluk.netWeb Site:www.ciluk.netContact Declan O’ SullivanVat and TaxVessel RegistrationCrew RecruitmentA Tailored Yacht Management ServiceA member of the Intertrust Group

the definitive brokersfor pre-owned Oyster yachtsOyster Brokerage Used BoatShow at Saxon WharfSouthampton13th - 22nd SeptemberSee a varied selection of used Oysteryachts from 37 feet upwardsAlso at the Southampton Boat Showin Ocean Hall (Stand G18)www.oysterbrokerage.comOyster Brokerage Ltd, Fox’s Marina, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 8SATel: +44 (0)1473 602263 Fax: +44 (0)1473 603192email: brokerage@oystermarine.comALSO AT5 Marina Plaza, Goat Island, Newport, USA RI 02840

Atlantic Rally for CruisersARC200221 Oysters line up to make Atlantic crossingThe largest Trans Oceanic sailing eventin the world, the Atlantic Rally forCruisers, has now become the mostpopular way to cross the Atlantic, withentries for this year's event reachingthe capacity number of 225 yachtsearlier than ever.Conceived as a friendly race forcruising yachts, the 2700 nautical milepassage on the NE trade winds route,from Las Palmas in the Canary Islandsto Rodney Bay in St Lucia, takes onaverage between 12 and 24 days.Eighteen Oysters have already signedup, with a further three owners on thewaiting list, making the 2002 event oneof the largest Oyster fleets on recordand Oyster the most prolificconstructor in the event' s 17 yearhistory. Many of the Oysters taking partwill go on to join next year's Oysterregatta in Antigua.Oyster will have a full service team inLas Palmas to give every Oyster takingpart, irrespective of their age and size,a full pre-ARC health check and, asusual, owners and crews will enjoy apre-start party and there will be Oysterprizes for the fastest crossing andhandicap results.Entries for the 2003 ARC open inSeptember 2002 and, if you areconsidering taking part in the 2003event, you are advised to make anearly application.Full details about the ARC can be foundon the World Cruising Club website at:www.worldcruising.com or contactJeremy Wyatt at World Cruising Clubon Tel: +44 (0) 1983 296060www.oystermarine.com41

• IJMUIDEN • SOUTHAMPTON • GIBRALTAR • MALLORCA • FORT LAUDERDALE • CARIBBEAN • WORLDWIDE •Caribbeanor worldwideSevenstar Yacht Transport is a "travelagency" for yachts, specialising in fast andefficient international yacht transport.With 80 ocean-going carriers at our disposal,Sevenstar offers a unique logistical concept:the chance to have your yacht available atthe holiday destination of your choice or at thestart of every international race, and have itbrought back home once the fun is over. Withexperienced loading masters and crews, plusspecially designed cradles, Sevenstar has safelycarried thousands of yachts to the places to befor yacht owners. For more information kindlycontact our agent in Monaco.LOCAL AGENTSPLIETHOFF MARITIMEMonaco • Tel. +377 9770 7535 • E-mail: monaco@spliethoff.com • www.sevenstar.nl42 www.oystermarine.com

OYSTER SKI GROUP NEWSThe 2002 Oyster Ski Group meeting took place at Park City andDeer Valley in Utah during the first week in March.Accommodated by Deer Valley Lodging Co in superbapartments, just yards from the Park City Town Lift, we skied thePark City area and thanks to the supply of a free Jeep GrandCherokee we also skied the Deer Valley and Canyons areas.The three closely linked areas of Park City, Deer Valley and theCanyons had hosted the Winter Olympics two weeks before ourvisit and most of the group took the opportunity to ski theOlympic Slalom Course in front of the grandstand at Deer Valleyand to purchase Olympic memorabilia, which was availableeverywhere.We were very pleased to welcome owners of the new Oyster 56,Chinook, Brian and Doreen Long from Canada to the group, butdue to a family bereavement Mike and Shirley Ritter were unableto join us as planned.Membership of the group is currently biased towards NorthAmerica in the ratio of 2:1, but following substantial enquiriesfrom potential members during the Oyster Regatta in Antigua inApril it seems this might even out at our next meeting and welook forward to welcoming those new owners in 2003.The Ski Group has been running informally for the past five or sixyears with trips to Colorado,Utah and the Alps. The general consensus was for the nextmeeting to be in Europe and our contacts are busy seeking gooddeals in Klosters or Davos for February/ March 2003.If you have expressed interest in the Oyster Ski Group you willget invitations and information about specific dates and venueby email within the next two months. If you have not yetregistered and would like information about the group pleaseemail David Blacklaws at david@blacklaw.keme.co.ukTHE OYSTER SKI GROUP 2002David and Mabel BlacklawsBernie and May Larsen Oyster 485 Rhumb RunnerBrian and Doreen Long Oyster 56 ChinookJack and Marion Sullivan Oyster 46 Flying EagleRodney and Irene Garside Oyster 49 TangaTommy and Daphne Corcoran Oyster 55 Snow Dance

JUST LAUNCHEDA SELECTION OF RECENT OYSTER LAUNCHINGSOYSTER 53 - SAILDANCESAILDANCE was blessed by theReverend Nicholas Todd at a serviceheld in Fox's Marina to celebrate herlaunching. Owners Peter and VirginiaDimsey invited family and friends fromDavid and Linda HughesOYSTER 66 - MISS MOLLY IVMISS MOLLY IV is David and LindaHughes' third Oyster and has a lot tolive up to! David and Linda completeda circumnavigation in their Oyster 55,Miss Molly of Wroxham in June 1997after setting off with the Trade WindRally in October 1995. Miss Molly IV isdestined for world cruising and we lookforward to hearing about her adventuresin future editions of Oyster News.OYSTER 66 – WISHANGER IIOwned by Brian Bonniwell, WISHANGERII has a custom-designed sternextension, giving a huge aft deck andtwo large lazarettes. Wishanger II isbased in Guernsey with plans to cruisethe Mediterranean and Caribbean.OYSTER 66 - HAKUNA MATATAOwned by Anthony Galley and basedout of the Hamble, HAKUNA MATATAis available for day charter, Shefeatures an extremely complex stateof-the-artServowatch computersystem that monitors everything fromhull ports and hatches to engine andgenerator temperature. For detailsabout chartering HAKUNA MATATAcontact Skipper Alex Drummondon 07720 418955 oralex.drummond@digitalfuture.bizSaildancearound the world and staff from Oysterand Windboats to join the celebrations.SAILDANCE will initially be based inPalma, Mallorca and will be joining theUBS Oyster Regatta in October.OYSTER 485 - RHAPSODYGood friend and German sailinglegend, Wolfgang Quix, joined ownerFritz Ecker for RHAPSODY'Sshakedown sail from Ipswich toSantander and back to Fox's Marina inMay. Wolfgang has decades of oceansailing experience, having sailed withmany of the world's greatest sailors aswell as competing in his own Open 50,Wolfies Toy. Just the man to really putRHAPSODY to the test and we arepleased to report she came throughwith flying colours.Fritz EckerOYSTER 47ESCAPADE OF LONDONOwned by Lars and Anna Lindegren,ESCAPADE OF LONDON is theirsecond Oyster, replacing their Oyster42, which they took delivery of in 1999.Having recently taken a step backfrom the international corporate frontline, Lars and Anna are lookingforward to spending the next fewmonths with friends and familyexploring the Mediterranean and welook forward to seeing them andESCAPADE at the inaugural UBSOyster Regatta in Palma in October.44 www.oystermarine.comAnthony Galley

SOUTHAMPTON YACHT SERVICESYACHT BUILDERSENGINEERINGDESIGNRESTORATIONREFIT AND REPAIRJOINERY & SAWMILLWishanger II on builder’s trials on the River OrwellTom and Barbara CherryRoger HardingOYSTER 47ANGEL OF LONDONOwners Tom and Barbara Cherryspent a lot of time researchingtheir perfect yacht, whichresulted in their choice of anew Oyster 47, ANGEL OFLONDON. They tell us thattheir decision to purchasean Oyster was based on "purequality, beauty andseamanship". ANGEL OFLONDON will be based onthe south coast beforeeventually heading off insearch of the sun. Withtwo 'Skippers' on boardwe hope they willeventually agree on whichway to go!OYSTER 56OYSTER ROSE IIOYSTER ROSE II isowned by Roger Harding,who previously owned an Oyster 485.Cruising plans include a Mediterraneancruise and we look forward to OYSTERROSE II joiningthe UBS Oyster Regatta in Palmalater this year.Lars LindegrenTheSYSteam;comprehensiveexpertiseinstructures,mechanicalengineering,electricalsystemsandhydrodynamicswithaprovenrecordofdesignandinstallation.•Planningandconstructionmanagementandnavalarchitecturalservices•EngineeringandelectricalsystemsdesignanddevelopmentusingCADtechnology.•Projectconsultancyforrefitandrestoration,modificationsandoverhauls.•Marinaberthingforvesselsupto50m•200tontraveliftSouthampton Yacht Services LtdSaxon Wharf, Lower York Street, Northam,Southampton SO14 5QF EnglandTelephone +44 (0)23 8033 5266Fax. +44 (0)23 8063 4275www.southamptonyachtservices.co.ukWHERE TRADITION AND CRAFTSMANSHIPMEET TECHNOLOGY

NEWS ROUNDUPBUSMAN'S HOLIDAY?New Oyster owners, Michael andCarolyn Derrick, whose Oyster 49,VERITY was launched recentlycame up with a very original way ofsaying thank you to the team at Windboats who built their yacht –they took them all sailing. A great days sail, followed by lunch, wasenjoyed by all and was a great opportunity for the Windboat'scraftsmen to see their yacht doing what they had spent monthsbuilding her to do.THE WORLD'S THEIR OYSTERCongratulations to Erick and Heather Reickert who completed acircumnavigation in their Oyster 55 ESCAPADE when they sailed intoAntalya, Turkey in April. Oyster will be presenting Erick and Heatherwith a special award to mark their achievement at the owners dinner atthe Royal Thames Yacht Club in January. Oyster News readers willhave followed ESCAPADE'S adventures in previous issues and Erickhas promised a further article about their world trip for our Decemberissue. In the meantime we look forward to Erick and Heather joiningus at the UBS Oyster Regatta in Palma.STAKE THEIR CLAIMOyster have reached an agreementwith Pantaenius, the InternationalInsurance Broker, under whichPantaenius will be the officialrecommended provider ofinsurance for Oyster yachts.More than 100 Oysters alreadyinsure with Pantaenius, chosenbecause of their comprehensiveknowledge of the needs of cruisingowners in different parts ofthe world.Oyster Chairman Richard Matthewscommenting, on the new deal said,"Pantaenius might not be thecheapest, but when it comes tomaking a claim Pantaenius have agreat reputation for dealing fairlyand quickly. I know from personalexperience this is not always so."Pantaenius were a day sponsor ofthe UBS Oyster Regatta in Antiguaand will also be supporting theupcoming UBS Oyster Med eventin Palma this October.For further information aboutPantaenius Insurance contactMike Hulbert on:Tel: +44 (0) 1752 22 36 56Email: mikeh@pantaenius.co.ukMark UnderwoodBarry Ashmore46 www.oystermarine.com

PARTIESPARTIESPARTIES…DIARY DATES FOROYSTER OWNERSNAME THIS BOAT?Our thanks to Nada Dickinson from Australia who, after reading the last issue ofOyster News, got in touch to tell us that the UFO 34 pictured in the last issue ofOyster News is called SPIDER and is currently racing in the Cruising Club ofAustralia's 2002 winter series in Sydney Harbour. SPIDER is owned by the Austinfamily and is sailed out of Rushcutters Bay, Sydney. Built in Perth in 1979 underlicence to Oyster, SPIDER'S racing career includes four Sydney Hobart races,including the infamous 1984 race, and numerous East Australia races where she iswell known on the racing scene. The Austin family have owned SPIDER for the last tenyears and Mick Austin tells us they have no intention of replacing her.Oyster Team ExpandsRobin Campbell’s move to the US, featured elsewhere in this edition, has created anopportunity for additional members of our sales team and we are pleased to welcomeBarry Ashmore as a New Yacht Sales Negotiator. Barry has sailed since childhood,racing dinghies at International level and cruising. Barry also speaks fluent French.We also welcome Will Crossley as a New Yacht Sales Assistant. Will hasworked aboard large yachts as a professional crew and is also anaccomplished racing sailor at National and International level. Willmissed being selected to sail for Britain in the ’96 Olympics in theTornado class by just .75 of one point!Oyster financial management will be strengthened by the addition ofMark Underwood, who joins us as Company Accountant under GroupFD Arthur Ramm. Mark is a keen cruising yachtsman and shares ayacht with his father.Will CrossleyOWNERS DINNERTHE ROYAL SOUTHERN YACHTCLUB, HAMBLEFriday 13 SeptemberANNAPOLIS 21STANNIVERSARY PARTYOYSTER HOUSE, ANNAPOLIS, USASaturday 12 OctoberUBS OYSTER REGATTAPALMA DE MALLORCAWednesday 23 to Sunday 27 OctoberIf you have not already received yourentry form and would like to join theregatta please contact Liz WhitmanOYSTER ARC PARTYSANTA CATALINA HOTEL,LAS PALMASThursday 21 NovemberNEW DATEOWNERS DINNERTHE ROYAL THAMESYACHT CLUB, LONDONSaturday 4 JanuaryOYSTER REGATTA – ANTIGUA 2003Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 April 2003For more details about any of theseevents please contact Liz Whitmanliz.whitman@oystermarine.comwww.oystermarine.com 47

The World's Your Oyster42 Aft CockpitDeck Saloon485 Deck Saloon 53 Deck Saloon 62 Deck Saloon 66 High Level 72 Deck Saloon 100 High Level45 Deck Saloon 49 Deck Saloon 56 Deck Saloon 63 Aft CockpitPilot SaloonDeck SaloonNewNewNewNew69 Fast Track 82 High LevelDeck SaloonDeck SaloonOYSTERDouble Queen’s Award Yacht BuildersOYSTER MARINE LTD FOX’S MARINAIPSWICH SUFFOLK IP2 8SA ENGLANDTEL: +44 (0) 1473 688888 FAX: +44 (0) 1473 686861EMAIL: yachts@oystermarine.comwww.oystermarine.comOYSTER MARINE USA 5 MARINA PLAZAGOAT ISLAND NEWPORT RI 02840TEL: +401 846 7400 FAX: +401 846 7483EMAIL: info@oysteryachts.com