Yacht 'Almaz'

River Hamble at Lower Swanwick

Yacht 'Almaz' is a pretty, Laurent Giles designed Saro Scimitar class, hull number 81 of 100 or so originally built in Anglesey in the early '60s. It is believed that a small, local fleet was raced enthusiastically by local crews.

Acquired in 2017, this boat is being continuously refurbished and upgraded. Recent improvements have included new sails, (including a lovely spinnaker), uprated winches and the installation of an innovative,Torqueedo Cruise Pod electric drive as auxilliary power.

Early additions included NASA Clipper speed, depth and wind instruments, VHF radio, and navigation lights. In the winter of 2020 a very smart sprayhood was added, with a matching tent-style tonneau added a couple of years later.

The interior has been continuously upgraded with the forward under-deck area recently configured for sleeping. The addition of a fresh water system and a built in stove creates a small, but functional galley area. Almaz has been transformed into a compact, but quite liveable 'weekender'

'Almaz' Summer 2021 - sporting new sprayhood

On lift-out - Winter 2021, spray dodgers now replaced

Early Adventures

To date, excursions from the River Hamble have been confined to Southampton Water, not least because upgrading 'Almaz' to venture further afield has taken a while. However with much of this work now completed, the 2020 season was hoped to be more adventurous. Sadly, other projects demanded time and attention and the boat remained on her mooring for much of the season.

However, we did go sailing sometimes, and in this video clip the day is breezier than it looks with a steady 18 knots over the deck. With full main and genoa this was plenty of power for single-handed sailing, so discretion became the better part of valour.

2021 Updates and Adventures

Winter upgrades have been completed as planned, including the new sprayhood and reduced-height wave dodgers.

A good deal of work on the 'interior' includes a full-length sleeping space which also required completely re-designed electrics and switch panel, including the installation of VHF radio and navigation lights.

Most recently, a galley area with a slide-out stove and a proper fresh water installation with electric pump has been completed too.

Deck-side, new spinlocks for the main and genoa halyards have been sited on the mast and the boat has been rigged for downwind sailing with a lovely gold-coloured spinnaker, although to date, it has remained in its bag :-/

Sailing expeditions have still been modest - conditions have to be right for solo-sailing - with a trip further afield in The Solent to include a night aboard remains on the wish-list. Hopefully, next season.

Solo-sailing on an ideal, September morning

2025-26 New Adventures

Sailing in the UK has been abandonned - not least as the Hamble at weekends is a waterbourne 'M25', and conditions for single-handed sailing in this lively keelboat few and far between.

And so 2026 will be bringing a new home for 'Almaz' with a marina berth recently secured for a permanent mooring in the South of France at Port Saint-Cyprien on the Côte Vermeille.

So the River Hamble and the British weather will be left behind for hopefully, more predictable sailing in future. Despite the summer of 2025 being warm and sunny here in the UK, this frequently brought F5+ winds which are a too fresh for single-handed sailing in Almaz. So sadly, save for a couple of trips down river, she remained quietly on her mooring at Bursledon.

However, these hot, breezy days weren't wasted, with time aboard used productively to create more improvements. Not least these included the creation of a built-in coolbox, and a compact galley, both utilizing otherwise 'dead space' adjacent to the rearmost battery box.

Saint-Cyprien, on the Côte Vermeille - the Pyrénées in the background

New canopy - and since this photo, also a matching sailcover

Together with a purpose-made new cover/canopy and the previously completed sleeping area under the foredeck, Almaz is now a functioning 'liveaboard' - for the single-hander at least. So camping afloat in the South of France, here we come!

For the delivery trip, scheduled for early February, a brand new trailer has been purchased, together with a powerful 4x4 as the 'tractor'. Following the Brittany Ferries crossing from Portsmouth to Ouistreham, the 1000km route south will be taken at a steady pace with overnight stops planned at le Mans, and Brive-le-Gaillarde ahead of a final arrival at the Zone-Technique at Port Saint-Cyprien. With the mast to be re-stepped the following day, and the 'mise en l'eau' afterwards, Almaz will be taking her berth at K-055, conveniently very close to the Yacht Club! We'll be joining :-)

Ashore as Stone Pier Yard Warsash ahead of preparations for a 1000km road trip south