RYA WINTER 2020
Astern Because strange things happen at sea 74 A licence to floato o OCEAN ODDITIES
Inspired to write in after reading our feature about building your own boat (RYA Magazine, Autumn 2020), Nigel Vaughan has shared his experiences of constructing his own
unique craft. Flotus is a faithful replica of James Bond’s submersible Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me, built from a damaged Lotus Esprit body shell. After removing all mechanical and metal parts from the body shell, Nigel filled the wheel arches and holes, added a small bow at the front, incorporated buoyancy tanks, and fitted a 3.5hp engine. Four small launching trolley wheels underneath enabled it to be pushed on the beach. For Nigel, it’s ‘a boyhood dream come true’
. Although he does add, ‘It did get
stuck in soft sand once and I got a bad back. This never happened to Roger Moore!’
8,143m
The deepest a living fish, nicknamed the GHOST FISH, has been recorded.
DOUBLE VISION OUBLE VISIO Most boats and clubs have a
trusty pair of binoculars to hand. The first adjustable binoculars were invented in 1894.
DID YOU KNOW? WHISTLING is considered BAD LUCK on a boat as it’s thought
to bring about strong winds. The only person allowed to whistle on board is the SHIP’SCOOK – it means they’re not eating the food.
RYA YACHTMASTER QUIZ ANSWERS
1 A secondary, usually lighter, anchor than the primary. 2 It cannot come undone while under load but can be undone relatively easily when the load is released. 3 Greater antenna height will provide increased radio range.4 The approach of a frontal system. 5 The sailing vessel is the ‘give way’ vessel as it is overtaking. 6 The other vessel is motor sailing and therefore is classified as a power-driven vessel. Your obligation is to stand on while the other vessel must give way. 7 Heat, fuel and oxygen. 8 Towing astern will allow both vessels to remain clear of one another in the event of rough weather or wash from passing vessels. An alongside tow should be used as you near a berth or anchorage and are in more sheltered waters. 9 Angle of Vanishing Stability – point angle of heel beyond which a vessel can no longer self right and will instead continue to heel and ultimately capsize. 10 Two key reasons are 1) to record your last known position in the event that your plotter or GPS fails or you need to radio for assistance in an emergency, and 2) to allow you to monitor and record the weather to assist in identifying any approaching frontal systems or depressions. There are, of course, many other reasons.
A 40ft metal pod containing MICROSOFT SERVERS,
submerged 117ft off the Scottish Islands, has proved more efficient than land-based data centres.
The KUROSHIO
CURRENT off the shores of Japan is the largest current. It can travel up to 121km in a day –
faster than the Gulf Stream – and
extends to over 1,000m deep.
Photos: Wiki Commons / Nigel Vaughan / Stocktrek Images / Izusek / Getty Images
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