SVN solovelanet

38 SVN Solovelanet Global Is it really possible to have a mini maxi without a pro- fessional crew to operate her? Based on what we are starting to see in harbours, the answer is yes, but with a good many caveats. From a sailing point of view, if you have some experience and the suitable equipment, including some electric winches, sai- ling a 60/65-footer is not much harder than sailing a 50-footer. Even mooring is just a matter of habit because, after a while, there is no difference between mooring a 65-footer and a 50-footer. Managing the boat, however, is a different matter. Ac- cording to the professional skippers that we have con- tacted, boats over 60 feet require a different skill-set. On these yachts we find systems, installations and accessories that do not exist on smaller boats. Such equipment is highly complex and requires almost con- stant maintenance. Some professionals have told us that maintenance time for boats bigger than 60 feet is greatly increased. Additionally, there are some other variables which influence the ability of a skipper to manage a boat alone. There is, for example, a huge difference between sailing your own 60-footer for the weekend or two-week summer cruise, and spending one or two months at sea. The possibility of sailing your boat on your own also depends on the boat's age. It is one thing to have a new 60/65-footer desi- gned to allow the owner to manage the boat, and it is another thing to have a boat built back when this possibility was not even taken into consideration. The alternatives What discourages many owners from embarking a professional crew is the pleasure of enjoying the boat on their own, without strangers on board, a pleasure that many of them consider priceless. Nowadays it is possible to enjoy the boat in total privacy without completely doing without professional support. The- re are many service companies who will provide staff to maintain, clean and repair boats so that the owner can always be ready to embark on a solo cruise and enjoy the boat without the need to perform mainte- nance, apart from dealing with the small things that can crop up on a short sailing trip. Top: A stewardess serving at the table on a sailboat Above: The new Sola- ris 64RS Here aside: The Hanse 630, the first yacht bigger than 60 feet built in an industrial yard Giuliano Luzzato is one of the finest journalists in this field. For SVN he is in charge of articles about great regat- tas, VIPs and superyachts. He also acts as a press office for the CSYC The author

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