polar sailing yacht

• Yachting World
• Digital Edition

5 tips on developing your polar diagrams to improve your boat speed

• May 25, 2016

To help minimise your losses you need to sail your boat to its target boat speeds. Jonty Sherwill asked designer Mark Mills for his tips on polar diagrams

© ROLEX/Daniel Forster

Sails are fresh, the bottom is clean, there’s a good crew, but you’ve been losing out to similar boats on the downwind legs. The helmsman is sailing as close as possible to the target speeds displayed so why is it not doing the trick?

But who sets these target boat speeds and why do you sometimes fail to match them and at other times do so much better? Most of us are familiar with polar diagrams showing a boat’s potential speed on each point of sailing, but how do you put this information to good use?

For those who sail dayboats or small cruiser-racers without a log or wind instruments, judging speed and sailing angles is largely intuitive, as you observe the progress of other boats around you. An electronic compass and depth sounder may be as high-tech as it gets.

Although this ‘seat-of-the-pants’ ability remains an essential part of sailing larger yachts, the information made available by more advanced electronics provides a far better understanding of how the conditions are affecting performance.

Even if the boat has top-of-the-range instruments and came with a set of polars from the designer or an ORC rating certificate this will be just a starting point. Some budget electronics packages won’t provide target boat speeds from within the software, but this doesn’t prevent you developing your own data.

Either way it seems there’s no quick fix and if someone’s bragging how they always sail faster than their targets, good sailing may be part of it, but it’s just as likely to be that the instruments need calibrating and time should be spent developing the polars.

2. Calibration is king

There is no point in having targets if your boat speed is inaccurate. Good instrument calibration is vital, a daily task on top-level raceboats where crew are looking to get within +/– two per cent accuracy.

It’s unlikely many club level racers get consistently close to this target without regular calibration checks, yet what would people say to a designer claiming targets not even accurate to +/–2%?

The calculations that even the most basic system carries out rely on inputs from the log, compass and masthead wind sensor so the calibrations for each should be checked at least at the start of each season and probably more often.

2. Don’t believe the VPPs

Basic parametric VPPs (velocity prediction programs) often used to generate target boat speeds or ORC handicaps are not particularly accurate when compared with programs used for grand-prix boats using CFD (computational fluid dynamics) to simulate the flow of water around the hull. They may be under-predicting, so don’t be satisfied just because you are ‘sailing to targets’.

Also be very sceptical of comparing new models based solely on targets; you have no guarantee that they reflect the actual boat being considered.

3. Theory to reality

Even if very high-quality, a set of polars can only reflect the computer model they started with, and express it in a set of targets unique to that boat. A different displacement, sailplan, alloy or carbon rig, shallow or deep keel type, or crew weight, will lead to more or less different results.

If the targets weren’t created for your boat and configuration don’t expect too much from them, though they may be a good starting point. Output varies from program to program, and remember they aren’t set in stone, so amend your targets.

4. Good sailing

Even the best polars and instruments cannot substitute for natural sailing ability and, by getting to know your boat, you can build an invaluable guide for the helmsman and trimmers just from your own data.

Having good targets on a laminated sheet in the cockpit can put you in better shape than many more expensively equipped boats. However, eyes out on the racecourse and the competition is often more valuable than eyes down on the instruments.

5. Build your own polar diagram

Either start with targets for something similar or note your own performance expectations based on experience (eg, ‘7.2 upwind in 18kn is about right’) and then start paying attention and updating those numbers as you learn what works better – that’s what the pros are doing.

To establish a basic set of polars for your boat there are tablet apps (eg, iPolar) that can provide a starting point and, by noting actual performance from the log (boat speed, not GPS), a pretty accurate set of targets can be developed during the season for a range of wind conditions and sea state.

Mark Mills is a designer well known for winning designs such as Mariners Cove, Tiamat, Alegre, and production designs such as the King 40 and DK 46. Originally from California, Mills studied yacht design at the Southampton Institute, before launching his first design, Aztec, in 1996. Now based in Ireland, he was named 2009 Irish Sailor of the Year for ‘exceptional achievements’.

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Understanding Polar Diagrams: Sailing by The Number to Maximize Performance

Remember studying for that high school math test and wondering why you had to learn stuff that you would never use again?

Well, surprise! It turns out that math is at the very heart of the sailing experience. Indeed, your Leopard is essentially a massive collection of calculations and equations slicing through the water.

TSW, TWA and VPP

Perhaps the most helpful bit of seafaring math to understand is your Leopard’s polar diagram. A polar diagram shows how fast a sailboat could potentially travel at different wind speeds (TWS=True Wind Speed) and various angles to the wind (TWA=True Wind Angle). Every sailboat model has a unique polar diagram, which displays the results obtained using a  velocity prediction program (VPP) based on the craft’s weight, hull shape, rigging and sail setup.

You can find your Leopard’s polar diagram below: 

Link to Leopard 42 polar diagram

Link to Leopard 45 polar diagram

Link to Leopard 50 polar diagram

The calculations represented in your boat’s polar diagram are a powerful tool for charting a course, estimating passage times, and choosing your sail plan for maximum efficiency.

Choosing the right sail

"The polar is an excellent way to answer the question, should I still be sailing with a jib, or should I switch to a spinnaker or a reacher,” says yacht designer and naval architect Alexander Simonis. “Everybody knows that when you sail downwind, the jib is not that efficient. You go to a spinnaker, an asymmetric spinnaker, a gennaker, as a downwind sail. But when you want to know something more specific, such as, what sail is best on a reach in 25 knots of wind? Or should I switch now to another sail? That’s where the polar can help.”

Following the polar diagram correctly

While a polar diagram can look daunting at first glance, it’s actually pretty simple to follow. 

A polar consists of three data indicators — straight lines, circles and curves. The straight lines that radiate out from the center represent the True Wind Angle (TWA). The circles, which also spread from the center, represent boat speed through the water (STW).

The colored curves, overlaid on the grid created by the straight lines and circles, plot the boat’s predicted speed at various combinations of TWS and TWA. The colors represent different sail plans.

The diagrams are usually divided into upwind and downwind sections.

To read the Leopard 45 polar diagram shown here, start by looking at one of the colored curves — say the blue line, which tracks the mainsail and jib sail plan. As you trace that curve through different TWAs, you can see the predicted boat speed with that sail configuration. At 50 degrees TWA, for example, your Leopard 45 should be making 10 knots. At 120 degrees, the boat should travel at 12 knots.

If you’re not making those speeds, your sails may need to be trimmed.

Keep the data close

The velocity prediction data displayed on a polar diagram can also be presented in table form. One way to get maximum use from data is to laminate a copy of your VPP table and post it near the helm for quick and easy reference. 

According to Simonis, the popularity of using polar diagrams has only recently increased with recreational sailors. Why? Maybe it’s another example of how we’ve come to embrace the power of data in our lives. 

Or maybe math teachers are just doing a better job of selling their subject.

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How to read a polar plot for sailboats

Read the article How do Polar Plots Work for updated and additional explanations.

The polar plot is the navigator’s friend. Below is an example for one particular boat for one particular true wind speed. They are published by each manufacturer for each model of boat with their various sail plans. It shows the theoretical attainable speed for a specific sailboat at various wind speeds.

It’s easy to read – move your finger radially along any true wind angle. Stop when you reach the boat performance line associated with the true wind speed you are experiencing. Now, read back around the concentric boat speed circles to the vertical axis and read off the polar boat speed for that given true wind angle and that given true wind speed. This is the speed at which your boat should be sailing and is the polar boat speed to give your sail trimmers to try to achieve.

Observe the example animation of a polar plot for an example sailboat for true wind at 12 knots. Click on any TWA (true wind angle) on the right bar and watch:

a. the boat icon move to that position on the polar plot. Then read around the polar plot to find the boat speed b. the wind meter boat speed and TWA. They should match the polar plot if the sail trimmers are doing their job properly.

On a real polar plot, you would see other true wind speeds shown on the plot. Left off here so as not to clutter the image.

NauticEd sailing courses are jammed with information like this to make you a better sailor and give you a recognized sailing certification by yacht charter companies worldwide.

Start by taking the NauticEd Day Skipper Course or if your looking for Coastal Navigation information, take our NauticEd Coastal Navigation Sailing Course .

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If you don’t want to create your own polar file, download all polar files here >> .

For download: Right click on the file “Save file as”. For more polars, you can also visit  jieter.github.io/orc-data/site  where you can find polars for almost any boat.

Download All Polar Files .ZIP (304kb)

Polar files for following boats included:

60ftmono.txt 60ftmulti_2.txt 60ftmulti_3.txt

a31.txt a35.txt a40rc.pol akilaria40_rc2.pol alberg35.pol Albin-express.txt Albin-nova.txt alden52.pol amel_54.pol amel_55.pol amel_64.pol amel_euros41.pol amel_kirk.pol amel_maramu.pol amel_sharki.pol amel_supermaramu2000.pol Arcona 340.txt arcona 36 110% + genn D7000 arcona 36 150% + spinn D7000 arcona-370 110% + genn D6200 arcona-370 150% + spinn D6200 Arcona-380 arcona-400 110% + genn D8000 arcona-400 150% + spinn D8000 arcona-400.txt arcona-410 arcona-430 jib+spinn arcona-430.txt arcona-460 150% + spinn Arcona-460.txt

Bavaria Cruiser 33 deep keel rough water.txt Bavaria-38-match.txt bavaria32.pol bavaria33.pol bavaria34.pol bavaria38.pol bavaria44.pol bavaria50.pol Beneteau-44.7.txt beneteau375.pol beneteau421.pol beowulf78.pol blockisland40.pol bountyii.pol breehorn37.pol

c_c34.pol c_c372.pol c_c402.pol c_c44.pol cal-40.txt cal2-46.pol cal239.pol cal36.pol cal40.pol catalina-22.txt catalina-36.txt catalina36.pol catamaran38.pol catamaran54.pol cheoy_lee44.pol class-40.txt class40v2.pol colombia43.pol colombia50.pol Comfortina-38.txt Comfortina-32.txt contessa33.pol crealock34.pol

deerfoot_74.pol deerfoot2_62.pol deerfoot62.pol deerfoot64k.pol Dehler-33.txt Dehler-35-2.00.txt dehler-36.txt dehler29.pol dehler32.pol Dehler34.txt dehler35.pol Dehler36.txt dehler38.pol dehler41.pol Dehler44.txt delphia47.txt Diva-35.txt Dragonfly28.txt dufour 405.txt dufour_sylphe.pol dufour-34.txt dufour-36.txt dufour24.pol dufour27.pol dufour34_1974.pol dufour34.pol dufour4800.pol dufour485.pol dynamic-3000.txt

elan-37.txt elan350.pol elan37.pol elan450.pol endeavor40.pol erickson29.pol etap32i.pol evasion32.pol evasion34.pol express27.pol express37.pol

facil-30.txt Fareast 28R.txt farr-1020.txt farr-36.txt farr-40-mh.txt Farr40.txt farr-52.txt farr36od.pol farr39cr.pol Figaro_1.txt Figaro2.txt finn flyer 36.txt finnflyer-42 club finngulf-33.txt first-10r.txt first-31.7.txt first-34.7.txt first-36.7.txt first-40.7.txt first-40.txt first-47.7.txt first21_7.pol first210.pol first24.pol first25_7.pol first26.pol first27_7.pol first29.pol First30JK.txt first31_7.pol first310s.pol first325gte.pol first32s5.pol first34_7.pol first36_7.pol first40_7.pol first45.pol firstclass10.pol freedom44cb.pol

gibsea442.pol gladiateur.pol grand-soleil-341.txt grand-soleil-37.txt grand-soleil-40.txt grandsoleil341.pol grandsoleil37.pol grandsoleil40.pol grandsoleil42.pol grandsoleil43.pol grandsoleil45.pol grandsoleil46.pol grandsurprise.pol gulfstar50.pol

hallberg-rassy310.pol hallberg-rassy342.pol hallberg-rassy372.pol hallberg-rassy40.pol hallberg-rassy412.pol hallberg-rassy43mklll.pol hallberg-rassy48mkll.pol hallberg-rassy55.pol hallberg-rassy64.pol hanse-400.txt hanse345.pol hanse400.pol hinckley50.pol hunter375.pol hylas54.pol

imocaopen60.pol imx-38.txt imx-40-enl-orc.txt imx-40.txt imx-45.txt irc-32.txt irwin40.pol irwin54.pol islander36.pol

j-111-enl-orc.txt j105.pol j105.txt j109.pol j109.txt j111.txt j120.pol j120.txt j122.pol j125.txt j130.pol j130.txt j133.pol j133.txt j160.txt j30.txt j34c.pol j40.pol j46.txt j70.txt J80-enl-orc.txt J80.txt j88.txt jeanneau41.pol jod35.pol jpk1010.pol jpk960.pol

lagoon380.pol landmark-43.txt landmark43.pol linjett 37.txt Linjett-33.txt linjett-35.txt linjett-40.txt little_hrb_48.pol little_hrb50.pol little_hrb63.pol

maxi_multi_2013.pol maxus21.pol melges-32.txt melges24.txt melody.pol mini_650.pol morgan41.pol multi50.pol mumm-30.txt Mumm-36.txt muscadet.pol

nacira650.pol najad440.pol navy44.pol newport41.pol nf norseman447.pol

oceanis31.pol oceanis34.pol oceanis351.pol oceanis37.pol OE36+.txt omega-10 main jib omega-34.txt

passport41.pol pearson33.pol peterson44.pol platu-25.txt pogo1050.pol pogo40_s2.pol pogo40.pol pogo650.pol pogo850.pol

ranger37.pol rm1200.pol

sabre362.pol sabre402.pol santa-cruz-50.txt santa-cruz-52.e.txt santacruz50.pol santana35.pol scanmar-33.txt Seacart30.txt sense46.pol shannon38.pol shock35.pol small_polar.pol sundeer64k.pol sunfast32.pol sunfast3200.pol sunfast32i.pol sunfast36.pol sunfast3600.pol sunfast39tq.pol sunfast40.pol sunkiss45.pol sunlegend41.pol sunmagic44.pol sunodyssey40.pol sunshine38.pol swan-37.txt swan-42-cs.txt swan-45.txt swan-62rs.txt swan-70.txt swan37.pol swan38.pol swan39.pol swan391.pol swan40.pol swan44.pol swan45.pol swan46.pol swan46cb.pol swan60.pol symphonie.pol

tartan10.pol tartan37.pol tartan40.pol tartan41.pol tayana37.pol tayana42.pol tayana52.pol the_race.pol thompson-30.txt tp52.txt

valiant40.pol valiant47.pol vandestadt_zeehond.pol volvo-60.txt volvoocean65.pol

x332.pol x332.txt x332sport.pol x34.pol X35.txt x35od.pol X362-Sport 2,05m.txt x37.pol x40.pol x402.pol x40carb.pol X41.txt x442.txt x99.pol xc42.pol xc45.pol xc50.pol xp33.pol XP38-DC.txt XP38.txt xp44-dc1.txt xp44-sa1.txt Xp44.pol Xp50-dc1.txt

Yankee38.txt Young-88.txt

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Take Your Polars Offshore

• By Stan Honey
• Updated: June 3, 2008

In the April ’08 issue we covered how to use your boat’s polar data and target boatspeeds to get to the next mark more efficiently. This month we’ll look at applying the same concepts to an offshore race, where the marks are farther down the course and there are a few more variables to contend with.

Let’s assume you’ve done your prep work and have your target cheat sheet posted in the cockpit and at the nav station. The trimmers and helmsmen are all on the same page. Everyone’s goal is to get to the finish as fast as possible. Your tactician or navigator will have already entered target waypoints into his routing software to best take advantage of projected and current weather conditions.

A common offshore strategy is to maximize your boatspeed to that next “mark.” We call this velocity made good to course (VMC). As it was for your buoy race, the polar curve you’ve gotten from your designer, or with US SAILING’s Performance Package, is a useful graphical tool. You can make a transparency of the polar plot, center it on the boat position on your chart, and align its vertical axis with the wind direction. If you then create a line perpendicular to the rhumb line to the next mark, shift the line until it is tangent to your polar curve. This will show you the wind angle that gives the greatest vector component in that direction. As shown in the diagram at right, this is easy to do with a pair of drafting triangles.

In our example, the rhumbline direction is 60 degrees. The solid black line is perpendicular to 60 and tangent to the polar curve at approximately 69 degrees. This is your heading to maximize VMC. You will not be heading directly to the mark, but somewhat further off the wind. The tactical expectation is that with all the wind shifts likely to occur over the course of this leg, opportunities will arise to compensate for not heading straight to your mark.

Calculation of optimum routes The most prevalent offshore use of polars is in conjunction with gridded binary weather data (GRIB files) to compute the optimum course for your boat. Software packages commonly used for this application include Deckman for Windows, Expedition, and Maxsea.

The polar file used with your routing software should reflect the boat’s actual average performance, including the fact that in light air offshore there is often a sloppy sea state, and in heavy air the boat is often sea-state limited and cannot be pushed above a seamanlike speed upwind in the typical sea-state associated with heavy air. Further, the boat’s average performance includes the full mix of helming skills, not just the performance of the best helmsman. So the polars you use for routing will end up being a separate file from your target polars. The routing polars need to be achievable. If you run a route on a GRIB file, and it turns out the first four days of the GRIB file forecast are accurate, in four days the boat actually needs to be exactly where the router calculated it would be. If your polars consistently overestimate your boat’s performance, and you don’t actually get to where the router calculates you will be at various times in the future, then the calculated route will not be relevant for your boat, and the routing software will be “playing” shifts you will never experience. There are, however, many pitfalls in computing optimum routes from polars. Lets look at them individually.

The weather forecasts (GRIB files) are not perfect. A typical GRIB file from the U.S. Global Forecast System (GFS) will contain forecast data extending out 15 days. The GFS data will be good for the first four days or so, but is less accurate further out in time. The routing algorithms don’t consider this decreasing certainty of the forecasts with extended forecast time. So, if you take a 15-day GFS GRIB file, and compute a transoceanic passage, you may find the router recommends an unconventional route based on the weather pattern that is forecast 10 to 15 days in the future. You know, but the router does not, that the 10- to 15-day forecast is much less certain than the forecast from 0 to 5 days. So the human navigator has to provide “genuine intelligence” (as opposed to the router’s artificial type). The human navigator has to consider the standard meteorological patterns and work out where you want the boat to be five days into the future based on standard climatology. The routing program can do a very nice job of optimizing how to play the near-term weather patterns to best get there.

Routing programs don’t adjust their computed routes for risk. For example, if there is a light-air area (e.g. high pressure) in your way, the routing program will skirt the area of calm very closely to minimize distance sailed. The routing program doesn’t consider that if the forecast is slightly wrong you could be becalmed, whereas sailing a few miles extra distance to position the boat slightly farther from the high could substantially reduce the likelihood of becoming becalmed due to an inaccuracy in the forecast. Some folks address these problems by editing the boat’s polars to artificially reduce performance in light and heavy air. That is one approach, but it has the disadvantage of causing the routing program to work less well in situations where you are forced to sail in light or heavy air. In such situations, if the polars do not reflect the boat’s actual performance, the router will not accurately estimate the boat’s future position and will calculate erroneous routes as a result.

So one of the most helpful uses of polars is the calculation of optimum routes, but the navigator must only use the router as a tool. It is still up to the navigator to consider the risks of the calculated route (very light air or very heavy air), and to consider the increasing uncertainty of the forecast with time. Often the best use of computer routing is for the navigator to calculate the route and then work with the router, trying different starting times, trying different sets of polars, putting in various artificial waypoints to force the route into a different area, and working out the estimated time en route (ETE) for various courses so that the navigator ends up with a clear intuitive understanding of what the weather is doing, what the best route is, why that is the best route, and how much better it is than the alternatives. The objective is for the navigator to completely understand the trade-offs and risks of the various routes in order to make a reasoned decision.

One technique to quickly understand the nature of the optimum route is to set up the routing software to display the forward and reverse isochrones. Take a look at the diagram above; the forward isochrones plot the locus of all the points, for each hour in the future, where the boat could be depending on the path it sails. So the forward isochrones are a family of curves surrounding the boat’s starting location. The reverse isochrones plot the locus of points for each hour prior to the boat’s expected arrival at the destination waypoint. When the forward and reverse isochrones are both plotted, the navigator can tell by inspection how important it is to sail the optimum route. If the forward and reverse isochrones run parallel to one another for a section of the course, for that region there is lots of flexibility in course selection that can be used to take advantage of local shifts or to cover competitors. If the forward and reverse isochrones just touch each other like the center of a figure eight, then according to the routing algorithm, it is important to take the optimum course. In this situation it is critical for the navigator to have a complete understanding of what weather characteristics are causing the optimum route to be so critical.

It is often useful to calculate the heading to sail to achieve the maximum instantaneous closing velocity to the next waypoint. If you know the wind will not change, you are better off pointing directly at the waypoint if on a reach, or sailing your VMG target angles and tacking or jibing if you are on a beat or run. If you are confident in the forecast, then you are better off calculating a route with your polars and the forecast GRIB file. If, however, you are sure that the wind will be shifty but you don’t know how and when, then it makes sense to sail whatever heading achieves maximum instantaneous closing velocity to the mark. This can be the case in light air when the wind is wildly shifty, or in locally turbulent conditions when no forecast makes any sense. You just shrug and do whatever you can to maximize your closing rate to the next mark. The logic is that all else being either equal or unknown, you might as well get as close to the mark as you can.

This calculation of the heading to achieve maximum VMC to the mark with the present wind direction and speed can be done from polar data by many instrument systems, by routing software packages, or can even easily be done graphically using the polar curves that come with the US SAILING Performance Packs. Instructions and examples are included with the Performance Packs.

Even on long offshore legs when you are sailing a computed route from GRIB files, it often makes sense to refer to the optimum VMC angle. If the boat’s heading is not between the direct course to the waypoint and the optimum VMC angle, it is important for the navigator to understand exactly why that is. Having said that, there are certainly reasons to sail courses that are outside the VMC angle; the first third of the Transpac nearly always requires such a course.

Performance assessment As described earlier in this article, when beating or running, the target table provides a good reference for the boat’s performance. If the boatspeed is not very close to the target values, that is a wake-up call to the crew to work out why. Maybe the boat isn’t trimmed correctly, maybe a sail change is necessary, maybe the boat has weed on the keel or rudder, or sometimes there is an unusual wind sheer or sea state causing the discrepancy. To assess performance on a reach you have to use the polar tables themselves. Many instrument systems can display on deck a reaching performance percentage number. This is simply the current boatspeed displayed as a percentage of the boatspeed predicted by the polars for the same conditions.

Just as with the target table when beating or running, this percentage performance number can provide the crew with a rapid indication that the boat is underperforming. If your crew is more able to quickly detect a trim, sail selection, or weed problem than your competitor, you will enjoy a significant advantage. This is particularly true when you are racing offshore or at night and cannot easily compare your performance to nearby similar boats.

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Polar Diagrams and Performance Instruments

October 21, 2022 • 3 min read

Understand your boat’s performance and sail better with Polar Diagrams and Polar Performance Instruments.

A Polar Diagram shows your boat’s performance at a given wind speed and angle. 

Polars tell you that if the wind speed is X, and you are sailing at an angle Y towards the wind, then your theoretical maximum boat speed is Z.

These diagrams are typically made by your boat manufacturer, or by rating organizations such as the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC). Polar Diagrams vary from boat to boat, and even for different rig configurations for similar hulls.

Polars help you sail better.

They tell when you should head up or fall off while close hauled. They tell you the ideal run angles when going downwind. Polars also help you understand if you can push your boat further, by letting you know what your target boat speed is for the current conditions.

Below is a polar diagram for the Figaro III, a foiling monohull sailboat made by Beneteau. 

The Figaro III has an extreme polar. The lightweight hull combined with the righting force of the foils produces extreme run angles of 135 degrees with 14 knots boat speed in 20-knot wind.

This polar diagram, and more than 7000 others, are now available in Orca with the 1.0.70 update. The Polars are based on the Offshore Racing Congress’ official Polar database. It means the Polars in Orca are accurate and quality-assured by the world’s leading offshore rating organization.

To set your Polar Diagram in Orca go to Settings > Vessel > Sailing Performance , and search for your boat model.

Search for your boat type, or even sail number if your vessel is in the ORC database to set up your polar diagram.

After you’ve set your Polar Diagram, you’ll be able to use the brand-new Polar Performance Instruments in the Instrument Panel and Instrument Overlay. These instruments are:

Polar Performance % – your current boat speed versus the target boat speed derived from the polar

Target Beat Angle – your optimal beat angle

Target Run Angle – your optimal run angle

Target Upwind VMG – your target velocity made good while going upwind

Target Downwind VMG – your target velocity made good while going downwind

These five instruments allow you to understand how your boat performs and if you are sailing effectively. The Polar Diagram will also be used to show upwind and downwind laylines in the chart, letting you know if you should head up or fall off for the current wind speed.

To the left: An instrument panel for reaching. Choppy seas with heavy waves make hitting polar targets hard. To the right: Downwind laylines indicate that we should be reaching closer.

In some circumstances, such as when cruising with family or friends – you’re not likely to sail close to your theoretical targets.

When sailing close-hauled, this challenge is particularly noticeable as your laylines can quite easily be 5-15 degrees off your targets. This makes planning tacks difficult as you can’t rely on your laylines in the chart unless you push hard for peak performance.

To compensate for this, you can enable Adaptive Learning via the Sailing Performance Settings. 

When you do so, Orca will adjust Target Beat Angle and upwind laylines based on your current sailing performance, giving you laylines that represent your current sailing performance, rather than a theoretical ideal. This makes planning your tacks easier as your laylines reflect your actual sailing performance.

Polar Diagrams and Instruments are just the first step towards more advanced sailing functionality in Orca.

Custom Polar Diagrams are coming soon, along with more tools to help you sail better. 

If you are interested in discussing and shaping the future of Orca with other boaters, join the Orca Owner’s Club on Facebook . 

Sail Better with an Orca Core

To use Polar Instruments and the other great sailing features in Orca, you’ll need an Orca Core.

Orca Core powers advanced features in Orca.

The Core is a Smart Navigation Hub with a built-in high-accuracy GPS and compass that connects to your boat’s sensors. 

This Smart Navigation Hub broadcasts sensor data wirelessly to your Orca App and Orca Display, turning them into fully featured sailing and navigation displays. 

The Core is also a powerful sailing processor. 

It means wind data in Orca is motion-compensated thanks to the Core’s powerful Motion Processor, and true wind speed and angle are calculated at 10Hz, giving you accurate instrumentation for better sailing.

Excited to improve your sailing game?

Order your Orca Core now . It’s delivered with free express shipping and backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so you can try Polar Performance Instruments risk-free.

Which Orca is right for you?

Get a personal recommendation >

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The Polar Explorer – NanuQ

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The brand new ketch ‘NanuQ’ has been out stretching her legs on sea trials these last few weeks. This 24m expedition explorer designed by Dykstra Naval Architects and built by KM Yachtbuilders was developed to venture into the northernmost and southernmost waters of the world. The project was developed for a client who is a sailor with over ten years experience in arctic regions and will be largely be used for exploring the vast and most frigid areas of the globe.

The vessel has a striking rig package consisting of two (2) free standing, rotating wings masts. The wing masts with soft sail combination provides better lift/drag ratio than a conventional rig to enhance sailing performance with the limited sail area that can be managed single-handedly. Each wing mast is covered with twenty (20) solar panels per side, amounting to 40m2 of solar panels in total to generate electricity in arctic environments.

The rigs are free to rotate +/- 140° to enable sail handling and reefing when sailing deep courses. The absence of standing rigging reduces the risk of icing or rig damage due to drifting ice. The main sails are handled by closed-front OceanFurl booms with hydraulic furling motors and can be reefed at virtually any angle of sail. Results from the first sea trials are very promising!

This ground breaking rig package is detail engineered and produced by Hall Spars using full ply-by-ply in-house FEA calculations.

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Arctic Passage: Sailing the Edge of Alaska – Part I

by Alaska Sports Report | Nov 7, 2022 | Adventure , Cover Story , Sailing

The Polar Sun, a 47-foot cutter-rigged, bluewater sail boat

I got a call from my old friend Mark Synnott in late August. Mark was in the middle of sailing the Arctic Northwest Passage from Maine through to Nome.

Could I join him in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories in a week? He needed crew for the last leg of his voyage – from Northwest Territories to Nome. I hedged. Busy at work, I said. He persisted in a text: “It’s gonna be epic.”

I’ve lived in Alaska for awhile. But, the Northwest Territories? It’s the most-deserted part of a lonely region. And Tuktoyaktuk? Never even heard of it.

Mark Synnott

Mark is a sponsored North Face athlete with a deserved reputation for stellar mountaineering feats and well-executed expeditions all over the globe. He’s turned to the sea in recent years, and his Northwest Passage expedition proved a magnet for big sponsors.

He sailed from Portland, Maine in June. National Geographic, Disney, and his book publisher were all on board. The 47-foot Polar Sun – a cutter-rigged, bluewater sail boat – had been re-fit for the Arctic. Renan Ozturk, another famous climber and photographer joined. North Sails donated a custom suit of red sails. The boat was stuffed with sponsored clothing and food – everything from vitamins and energy drinks to free sweaters from a company in Norway. Mark’s reputation for success coupled with a combined on-board Instagram following in excess of 1 million proved persuasive.

A confirmed Instagram-addict, I’d followed the Polar Sun north to Greenland then west into the maze of island and ice which is the heart of the Northwest Passage. Posts from Mark and Renan were a panoply of ice, smiles, blue sky and sunshine coupled with wry tales of life aboard.

Ben Zartman, first mate

In mid-August, the mood changed.

At the crux of the Passage, the ice trapped the Polar Sun for 10 harrowing days in Pasley Bay. A 47-foot boat is a solid thing underfoot, but it’s a bath toy in the ice. They were pushed on shore, grounded, flexed between ice floes, lost (then recovered) an anchor, and very nearly wrecked. Mark was scheming to freeze the boat in place for the winter when the ice relaxed and they escaped, firing the engine through an open lead and dragging the keel across the bottom into deep water.

A few days later in Cambridge Bay, two crew abruptly left and flew south. Mark and Ben Zartman – his sole remaining crew – explored stopping then and there.

Dave Thoreson, Northwest Passage veteran

It could work – they could weld together a cradle out of scrap steel then haul the boat onto the beach with a front-end loader. Mark spent two days bolting around town trying to piece together a plan. No ramp. Not enough power. No one to look after the boat. Finally, a local offered to buy the boat for $25,000. Mark could just take the money and leave. No way, Mark said. Stymied, he and Ben plunged westward alone for Tuktoyaktuk.

After leaving Cambridge Bay, Mark canvassed his contacts for two fresh crew to join the boat. From the Northwest Territories to Nome is almost 1,500 miles of open ocean.

I don’t know how many calls Mark made, but first and foremost he needed experience. He found it in Dave Thoreson. Dave is a veteran of two Northwest Passage trips and thousands of miles of bluewater sailing. He also happens to be one of the world’s fine human beings – direct, sensible, cheerful, and fun. Over the next two weeks, he also proved his ocean experience.

Mark and Dave studying the weather

With Dave committed, Mark needed one more body, preferably a person he knew, and someone with at least some salt-water experience. Meeting the minimum criteria plus being in Alaska already, I got the call. “You can just get a direct flight from Anchorage to Tuk, right?” he asked.

The scale of the Arctic escapes even those who are there.

In a private jet, a trip from Anchorage to Tuktoyaktuk would be a straight shot. In reality, it involves seven flights and 36-hours of travel, capped by a bone-rattling, two-hour taxi ride across the tundra.

Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories

By the time Dave and I joined the boat on the dock in Tuktoyaktuk, Mark and Ben were almost 100 days into the voyage. They were all smiles at seeing some fresh faces. But, the fatigue and anxiety was apparent.

At times, a sense of foreboding pervades September in the Arctic – the sky, sea and land are all grey alike. It was late fall with the cold coming down and the pack ice behind.

Mark seemed worn down – by decisions, by the departure of his crew, the ice, the ocean, the increasing cold. There could be no better mate than Ben-Wah. Ben is a professional rigger with deep experience, cooking ability, quirky humor, incisive opinions, and bullet proof optimism. But it was apparent both were ready for some new blood and Polar Sun needed shot of enthusiasm.

The Beaufort Sea

SAILING SPECIAL : This is the first of a 4-part series written and photographed by Ben Spiess of Anchorage.

Sports categories, most recent news.

• Nordic Skiing: Novie McCabe wins again, and Scott Patterson bows out with a bronze medal in his final race as a national-team member March 27, 2024
• Wasilla’s Mylee Anderson and Nome’s Finn Gregg share Alaska Athlete of the Week honors after standout March Madness performances March 26, 2024
• Around The Rinks (NCAA D-I Men’s Edition): Anchorage’s David Carle has Denver in national title hunt again; RIT captain Caleb Moretz of Fairbanks and Cornell’s Sullivan Mack of Anchorage also chasing dream March 26, 2024
• College Hoops: Alissa Pili nets 35 in NCAA Tournament to break own state record, becomes first Alaskan with 700-point season March 26, 2024
• Around The Rinks: OK, now the streaking Anchorage Wolverines are just being ridiculous (plus, NAHL notes) March 25, 2024

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Boats & Polars

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Polars & Performance

Below is a collection of polar diagram from various sources.

Mostly in numerical format to easily plug into routing software. They’re published here just to play around with. For serious/real use you should get a real one for your specific boat. Also some links to tuning guides and other perfomance related info. Share and enjoy!

• 1D35 ( North , UK , Quantum )
• 606 ( Gransegel , Hamel , North )
• 806 ( trimguide )
• Albin Express ( Sten Bergqvist , Edman , North , Ottosson , UK Syversen )
• Albin Nova ( Blur )
• Beneteau 25 ( North )
• Capri 22 ( Ullman )
• Catalina 22
• Catalina 36
• Dehler 38/Pacer 376
• Drake ( Høj Jensen , North Tuning Guide )
• Etchells ( Doyle , North , Quantum )
• Farr 36 ( Farr Performance Prediction )
• Farr 40 ( Doyle , Farr PP , North , Quantum )
• Farr 395 ( Doyle , North )
• Fenix ( trimguide )
• Finn Flyer 36 Club
• First 34.7 ( Farr PP )
• First 36.7 ( Doyle , Farr PP , North , Quantum / pdf , UK / pdf )
• First 40.7 polar1 polar2 ( Farr PP )
• First 44.7 polar1 polar2
• First Class 8 ( North )
• H-båt ( Edman , Henrik Lundberg . Høj Jensen , North )
• IF ( Edman , North )
• IMX-40 ( X-yachts )
• IMX-45 jib only
• J/22 ( Haarstick , North , Quantum )
• J/24 ( Doyle , Haarstick , Jardine , North , Quantum , Shore , UK , Ullman )
• J/27 ( Ullman )
• J/35 ( Quantum )
• J/80 ( North , Shore , Quantum , UK , Ullman )
• J/105 ( Doyle , North , Quantum , Ullman )
• J/109 vpp-od / vpp-genua ( Doyle , North , North England , Quantum )
• J/120 ( North , Quantum )
• J/122 ( polar + pleliminary IRC cert )
• J/133 ( vpp )
• Landmark 43

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• Melges 24 ( North , Quantum , Ullman )
• Melges 32 ( North , Quantum )
• Mumm 30/Farr 30 polar1 polar2 ( Doyle , Farr PP , North , Quantum + Cookbook
• Nelson-Marek 43
• Olson 25 ( Scot Tempesta )
• Prima 38 ( Quantum Tuning Guide )
• Santana 20 ( Ullman )
• Soling ( Doyle , North , UK )
• Sun Fast 3200
• Sydney 36CR
• Sydney 38 ( North )
• Swan 42 “ClubSwan” ( North , Quantum )
• Swan 45 ( B&G , Hall . North , Quantum )
• Tartan 10 ( Doyle , North , Sobstad )
• Ultimate 20 ( Ullman )
• X-35 polar1 , polar2 ( B&G , North )
• X-99 ( North , X-yachts )
• X-332 ( trimguide )
• X-332 Sport
• Yngling ( Doyle , Høj Jensen , North , Ullman )

Various sources for IMS ratings with VPP-data:

Just for reference I collected a bunch if IMS certificates here .

I also collected lots of IRC numbers, just for reference. Sorted by boat type and sorted by Time Corrector (TCC) .

Pelle Lindell did some excellent comparisons between LYS, IRC, IMS, ORC Club and PHRF: “ Käpp eller rullator, handikapp för seglare – En jämförelse av olika handikappsystem ” + spreadsheet .

Various sources on trim/tuning (Swedish):

• Bodings lilla röda
• Hamel trimtips

Various polars from Sailinline.org .

• Albin Express
• Bavaria 38 Match
• Comfortina 38
• Dynamic 3000
• Finngulf 33
• Grand Soleil 341
• Grand Soleil 37
• Grand Soleil 40
• X-41 ( assy for pole )

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49 Comments

blur » Blog Archive » Polardiagram Dec 18, 2006 @ 12:17

[…] Jag har sammmanställt en del polardiagram för olika båtar här. Kan vara intressant att labba med om man skall byta båt (eller bara på kul). […]

blur » Blog Archive » Wrap Up 2006 - bloggen Dec 28, 2006 @ 22:18

[…] Sökt på Google: vad är det folk har sökt på när de kommer till blur.se? I fallande ordning ‘Maria Cattiva’ (>500 klick), ‘polardiagram’, ‘Tjörn Runt’, ‘Blur’, ‘x-35′, ‘Albin Nova’, ‘Bengt Falkenberg’, ‘Hermanö Runt’, ‘Gotland Runt’ och över 2.000 andra sökord. […]

Trimguider « Aiming First Apr 23, 2007 @ 22:06

[…] Jump to Comments Her er en liste over trimguider på nett. Les og kos […]

Hi, I went to your Web page looking for polar diagram or data for Tartan 10. I found the tuning guides but not the performance prediction. If anyone has one please let me know.

Thanks, Ron

I also am looking for T-10 polars; are any available?

Hi guys, given that there’s a lot of people from Scandinavia here I figured I’d ask the question; Has anyone come accross the polars for the dJUICE VO60 or any of the other last generation VO60’s. Please let me know,

Hi Euro, I have ORC polar data for VO 60 but only in paper format, so I have to rewrite them and then send it to you.

Please, let me your e-mail.

Peter, Det finnes et ferskt IMS-målebrev for IW 31 FIN 6313: http://www.avomeripurjehtijat.fi/certlist/?boat=L-6313&content=pdf

Jeg har plottet polardiagrammet her: http://iw31.blogspot.com/2007/10/s-fort-br-vi-seile-polardiagram-for.html

Anyone with polars for :

Benateau One Ton ?

Would appreciate it.

[email protected]

I’m looking for polars for an Etap 30. I’m hoping someone across the Atlantic that races an Etap 30 might be able to help me.

Thanks! Carl

Please, is it possible the polars for X-40 with genoa 135% or genoa 105%.

Thanks Lakis

Do you know where I can get a polar diagram for Capri 22?

Noen som kan hjelpe med å tyde polardiagrammet for First Class 8?

I am looking for catalina 38 polar diagrams? Or suggestion how to calculate them ?

any one have a polar or tuning guide for a Delher 22/Dehlya 22? thanks

Any polars/performance for the new First 45 with Carbon Rig and deep keel?

Here are some Dehlya 22 polars from IMS VPP (with oversized 36 m2 spinnaker). Displacement and RM are not accurate, but I found the target speeds to be OK.

The boat is very fast for it’s size and age when the wind is 10 kn or less. In stronger winds it’s speed is limited by the short waterline and the hull form that is very difficult to get out of displacement mode.

TWS, BSP, TWA, BSP, TWA 6, 3.79, 43.9, 3.67, 148 8, 4.63, 43.4, 4.61, 150 10, 4.77, 40.5, 4.81, 165 12, 4.85, 39.4, 5.17, 170 14, 4.91, 38.8, 5.52, 172 16, 4.95, 38.6, 5.80, 173 20, 4.98, 39.2, 6.35, 172

Joakim. Thanks for these figures! As a new owner of a Dehlya 22, I’m interested in the target speeds of my boat. But how can I transfer these numbers into a polar diagram? Do I need specific software for this? Do I read it right as TWS = True Wind Speed, BSP = Boat Speed, TWA = True Wind Angle? As I understand the angles, they represent the wind angle producing the maximum boat speed when tacking, and reaching. But what about the other wind angles?

Eric, you can use a spreadsheet like Excel to present these figures in graphical format. You would of course need the “other” angles too, they are found in the boats ORCc/i certificate – maybe Joakim can help you to find one?

Here are all the data for Dehlya 22. Note that TWA includes leeway. Hope you can read it. I don’t see any use of making the polar diagram. Just pick some values from the table and compare.

Wind Velocity 6 kt 8 kt 10 kt 12 kt 14 kt 16 kt 20 kt Beat Angles 44,0° 43,5° 40,3° 39,1° 38,5° 38,2° 38,5° Beat VMG 2,65 3,28 3,58 3,72 3,81 3,87 3,89 52° 4,15 4,89 5,19 5,38 5,48 5,54 5,59 60° 4,57 5,06 5,37 5,58 5,69 5,75 5,81 75° 4,80 5,35 5,64 5,76 5,95 6,07 6,17 90° 5,00 5,49 5,81 6,00 6,10 6,19 6,46 110° 4,91 5,40 5,76 6,07 6,35 6,55 6,77 120° 4,75 5,28 5,67 5,98 6,30 6,59 7,04 135° 4,15 5,00 5,43 5,77 6,07 6,37 7,01 150° 3,52 4,54 5,10 5,49 5,80 6,09 6,67 Run VMG 3,05 3,93 4,59 5,04 5,40 5,69 6,22 Gybe Angles 147,6° 149,5° 164,6° 169,7° 171,5° 172,9° 172,3°

Polar diagram might come handy, if you are intrested in optimising VMC, on longer offshore legs perhaps…

Otherwise, it’s just as Joakim says, pick your target and compare. You will however have to calculate your target speed: TBS=VMG/cos(TWA). And note also, that in the range 0…10 kn the TBS changes quite rapidly, so the wind (TWS) should also be measured accurately.

Thanks a lot! Now I can compare my performance, and check the best course! As you say, the graph is not necessary, It’s the data I need.. It will help me to improve my sailing :-) Eric

Looking at the data, I’m not sure I understand it all :-( TWA 90° means: wind 30°; course my GPS 120° for example? And: if the wind blows 6 kt, and I sail 90° wind angle, I should be able to do 5 kt? I was comparing the data to the Dutch ORC-data I have for Dehler Sprinta ( http://www.watersportverbond.nl/data/8F2_Sailspeed.xls ), and it is suggested that the Dehlya is faster, allthough smaller??? Thanks again for explaining, and helping me! Eric, Senior; but Junior Racer…….

As I said this data was with an oversized spinnaker, which is actually 38 m2 with the ORC formula compared to 33 m2 of Sprinta Sport, which should do 5,0X kn at 6 kn 90 (checked two boats).

Even with a more typical spinnaker of 28 m2 the Dehlya 22 should do 4,89 kn at 6 kn 90. As I said it is a very fast boat for its size and age in light winds. Size doesn’t count that much in light winds and you should be able to sail faster than many bigger boats at 6kn.

Any polars for a mumm 36?

4 or 5 at http://www.ssf.se/tk/pdf/cert2008.asp

Hej! Nu finns det polardiagram för Beneteau First 32s5 här http://www.sailstarck.com/Forum/tabid/53/mid/369/threadid/7/scope/posts/Default.aspx#43

Noone has any polars or tune details for the Beneteau First 45 with carbon rig and deep keel ?

I’m looking for polars for X 40 (1985) with 120% genoa. Who can help me? 11 Lakis: have ever had an answer? Thanks, Frank

I’m sorry, I mean 130% genoa (N° 29)

Thanks for the Dehler 22 info the boat is very quick in light air

Does anyone have polars for Scampi Mark IV.? Help.

Any polars for First Class 10????

Good Morning,

Any polars for a Bavaria 34, long keel, year 2000 manufacture?

Bernard Bodin

Joakim you state that a Delher 22 is difficult to get out of displacement mode could you give an explanation and ideas on optimizing for this condition. thanks

What kind of optimiazation are you talking about? The hull form is not designed for semiplanning speeds, thus it needs big waves to get over 7 kn and still the average speed will be below 7 kn. At least I was newer able to sail faster than 7 kn for more than a couple of minutes or so and that was in ~15 m/s wind with the big spinnaker.

I have not had the opportunity to sail my boat in strong down wind condition but other than a rather fine entry and the stub keel it would appear that it should be quite easy to sail fast down wind. I calculate a D/L of under 150. I was wondering if it is worth raising the keel or using a masthead chute. As this is a rare boat here in the states there is not much in English to go on. I rate in PHRF 234 which is very generous when looking at how fast the boat is in light conditions but not sure if it’s worth the penalty for a larger chute. My boat is rather bare below so no excess weight . Thanks for you response my blog for the boat is http://mysorellina.wordpress.com/ I also race on a Kirby 25

I think the D/L-ratio is close to 200. The waterline is about 5.5 m and the displacement in sailing condition (without crew) likely around 1,2-1,3 tn. I did never put my Dehlya on a scale, but I did quite a lot of queries from the German owners and ended up estimating my Dehlya to 1,3 tn. The official value is 950 kg (or even 900 kg), but it is not clearly stated whether it contains the 200 kg of water ballast. But then using the official WL of 5.2 m with 950 kg ends up close to 200 as well. Thus it is not a light boat! Or have you better knowledge of the displacement?

I don’t know much about PHRF and the fleet is very different here, but picking up some familiar boats 234 sounds very easy to sail to: http://www.ussailing.org/phrf/Tool_%20HI_LO_AVG%20Report.pdf I had a LYS of 1.02, which meant I needed to be 2% faster than Albin Vega, 1% faster than Avance 245 and equal to Beneteau First 24. With that rating I did well under 5 m/s and lousy over 6 m/s.

Sure it might help to lift the keel, but it takes quite long and also reduces stability quite much, thus not very safe when it blows. The mast has quite a long unsupported part and putting masthead chute to that needs some care. The boat does not carry well a big chute when it blows.

Instrument & routing på 5 kvällar | BLUR Jul 25, 2009 @ 22:51

[…] svensk segling och kappsegling Skip to content HomeBoats & PolarsAlbin NovaJ/109Gallery 2007Gallery 2008RacesFærderseilasenGotland RuntSkagerrak TwoStarTjörn […]

Yacht polars | Purepassionbyk Jun 12, 2012 @ 23:02

[…] Boats & Polars | BLURPolars & Performance Below is a collection of polar diagram from various sources. … For serious/real use you should get a real one for your specific boat. […]

Polar Files | RudderNut Jun 25, 2012 @ 16:40

[…] files for various boats can be found on the internet. Here is an example file Catalina 36 from the http://www.blur.se site. The file is text, and though this example has a “.txt” extension Tack Pad […]

Polar Tables - SailNet Community Nov 20, 2012 @ 01:40

[…] Polar Tables Not much help to the OP, but here's a site with quite a list: Boats & Polars | BLUR __________________ ".. there is much you could do at sea with common sense.. and very […]

Understanding the Polar Diagram - Page 2 - SailNet Community Nov 10, 2013 @ 17:53

[…] image while searching Polar speeds, look at manufacturers boat catalogs, on site like this one> Boats & Polars | BLUR On a ORC certificate you will not get a polar but something similar to what Bob Perry posted about […]

Appar sjöväder och prognoser - tips för seglare Mar 17, 2016 @ 09:33

[…] Vilken är högsta farten på alla bogar i alla vindar? Två bra källor till polärdiagram är: http://www.blur.se/boats/ och http://www.orc.org/index.asp?id=1 (där man behöver logga in och ibland betala för […]

I’m looking for Polars for a Cal 35 MK1

Hey Matt, any luck to find them? Im looking for the same Polars

Hi. I´m Fernando from Argentina. I have a J/24 I am looking for the J / 24 polar chart.

Here in Argentina we sail with jib 0% and a maximum crew of 340kg. So, the polars that I need would be with jib and not genoa. Do you have the information? Thank you very much.

Fernando & Crew.

Any information for Sprinta Sport? An E.G. Van derStat one design built by Dehler. Thanks.

Hi just wondering if anyone has come across the polars for Sun Odyssey 389 standard keel

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Explore the archipelago of the Lofoten and Vesteralen, Ski remote mountains in the Lyngen Alps, search for polar bears in Svalbard or sail around the icebergs in Greenland, Bylgia will bring you there and be your floating basecamp.

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The Best New Small-Ship Cruises to Book in 2024

A uthentic. It was Merriam Webster's top searched word for 2023 and one that has dominated the travel vernacular in recent years. And while many would not necessarily associate the word with ocean cruising , the growth in popularity of small-ship cruises-particularly sailings with 500 guests or fewer-indicates that in the cruising world, passengers are seeking a more intimate, less crowded, and yes, arguably more authentic sailing experience.

Take expedition cruising , for example. As the number of adventure-focused ships and yachts has exploded in recent years, these cruises are no longer just about extreme voyages in polar regions. They are also about offering a deeper look into the culture, food, history, and environmental fragility of remote wonders of the world.

Although there isn't a huge number of new small ships being introduced, there are a few notable vessels that have either recently launched or are launching this year with a focus on the idea that smaller is not just better, but more sustainable, too. These new small-ship cruises bring with them some exciting and more immersive new itineraries to destinations both warm and wintry that have us ready to pack our bags and sail away.

Sea Cloud Cruises' "Sea Cloud Spirit"

• Suggested itinerary: Reset your mind and body on an eight-night sailing through Spain's Canary Islands and on to Morocco on a special cruise featuring experts in restorative health. Pricing starts at $4,895 per person.

What's more authentic-and sustainable-than setting sail on a tall ship where the sails are hoisted up each day by hand? Although not technically new (it was launched in 2021), the 136-passenger Sea Cloud Spirit and its two sister ships, Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II , are upping their game in a push to introduce Sea Cloud Cruises' unique product to North American travelers. The German company has traditionally catered to German and British passengers. As part of its effort to expand its reach and appeal, Sea Cloud is adding wellness programs with daily onboard yoga and guest fitness gurus, in addition to special food- and wine-focused sailings with well-known chefs making appearances. Sea Cloud Spirit , the largest of the three-ship fleet with 69 cabins, was meticulously designed to pay homage to the original Sea Cloud , which was the world's largest private sailing yacht when Wall Street broker Edward Francis Hutton had it built in 1931 for his wife, Marjorie Merriweather Post.

The Sea Cloud Spirit combines the experience of decades of traditional seamanship with the modern-day luxuries of a private yacht. Cabins range from 172-square-foot single cabins to 300-square-foot balcony suites with soaking tubs. There's a large fitness center and spa, which has a steam room, sauna, and thermal area for two; indoor and outdoor lounges; and a main dining area, plus a more casual bistro. The action, however, is out on deck, where passengers can stargaze at night or simply gaze in awe at the impressive sails blowing in the wind.

Atlas Ocean Voyages' "World Navigator"

• Suggested itinerary: Go searching for Arctic wildlife on a 12-night cruise from Reykjavík, which sails along the eastern coast of Greenland and to Longyearbyen in the Svalbard archipelago, one of the world's northernmost inhabited areas and home to polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, and other Nordic wildlife. Pricing starts at $6,499 per person.

World Navigator , which sailed its maiden voyage in Antarctica this past November, is the third vessel to join the fleet of one of the newest players in small-ship expedition cruising, Atlas Ocean Voyages. The company's 100-cabin expedition yachts are almost identical and provide a hybrid of sorts between traditional expedition and luxury cruising. Cabins are spacious, almost all with balconies, desks, and seating areas. The bathrooms have glass-mosaic tiled showers with rain showerheads, wall jets, and even benches.

Everything on the ship-including the sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows-is designed to provide maximum views. The ships also have spacious pool decks with two hot tubs, a fitness center overlooking the sea, a spa, and water toys like kayaks and paddleboards. There's even extreme camping gear for those willing to brave an overnight under the stars in Antarctica. During North American winters, all three of Atlas's expedition yachts sail in Antarctica. With the addition of World Navigator , the company is launching more Arctic Circle cruises during the North American summers while also adding a host of new epicurean and cultural expeditions in South America, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and northern Europe this year.

Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection's "Ilma"

• Suggested itinerary: Spend a little extra time in port on a 10-day sailing from Barcelona to Lisbon, which has three overnight stays, in Palma de Mallorca and Malaga in Spain, and in Lisbon, Portugal, one of Europe's oldest cities. Pricing starts at $10,600 per person.

Another newcomer to luxury small-ship cruising is the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, which debuts its second ship, the Ilma , this year. With 224 suites, the ship is larger than the original Ritz-Carlton yacht, the 149-suite Evrima , which launched in October 2022. On the Ilma , all the suites will have private terraces, including a two-story suite with soaking tub; the coveted, 1,000-square-foot owner's suite has a private outdoor whirlpool. Even the smallest suites are not all that small, at 300 square feet, and come with a personal concierge and 24-hour room service. The yacht boasts what Ritz-Carlton says is the highest ratio of space per guest at sea.

And you can expect to find the same meticulous service standards that you would find at Ritz-Carlton resorts throughout the world as the line aims to impress hotel guests seeking a luxury hotel experience at sea. Onboard are five dining venues, including S.E.A., a European tasting experience designed by chef Sven Elverfeld of Aqua, the three Michelin-starred restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton in Wolfsburg, Germany; Talaat Nam, featuring Southeast Asian cuisine and a sushi bar; and Mistral, a casual come-as-you-are alfresco grill with a Mediterranean-inspired menu. Light bites are served at the marina at the aft of the ship, where you can also hop on a borrowed paddleboard. Oh, and did we mention there are two outdoor pools, too?

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Luxury rules at the moscow yacht show.

by Maria Sapozhnikova

The windy Russian autumn weather might be a little bit tricky for sailing, but it doesn’t stop brave yachtsmen from all over the world from flocking to Russian capital in the beginning of September when the Moscow Yacht Show commences. The main Russian Yacht exhibition gathers professional and amateur yacht lovers together under the wing of The Royal Yacht Club.

This year it took place for a fourth time already. The exhibition is considered the principal event on the sporting and social calendar. The Moscow Yacht Show 2010 united in one area three of the largest Russian yachts distributors: Ultramarine, Nordmarine and Premium Yachts.

A wide range of yachts were on display for a week. An exhibition showcased yachts both from Russian manufacturers and world famous brands: Azimut, Princess, Ferretti, Pershing, Riviera, Doral, Linssen, etc.

It was a real feast for seafarers as visitors of the show had a unique chance not only to take a look at the newest superyachts before they hit the market, but also to evaluate their driving advantages during the test drive. The show provided an excellent opportunity for yacht enthusiasts to choose and buy a new boat for the next season.

The event started with the grandiose gala evening. It included grand dinner, the concert and professional awards ceremony for achievements in Russian yachting industry. The guests also enjoyed the annual regatta.

Special guest Paolo Vitelli, Azimut Benetti Group president, opened the evening.

Next year organizers assured guests they would bring more yachts, the scale of which will even make oligarch Roman Abramovich envious. Sounds very promising indeed.

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DISCOVER THE BEST KEPT SECRETS IN YOUR CITY

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Moscow Boat Tour

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Description

See all the gems of historical and cultural center of the capital in short time and without traffic jams or tiresome walking.

Depending on the itinerary and duration of the Moscow River boat trip, the tour can be 3 or 5 hours.

Highlights of the tour

• St Basil’s Cathedral;
• Stalin skyscraper on Kotelnicheskaya (Tinkers) embankment;
• The Kremlin;
• “House on the Embankment” Stalin skyscraper;
• Monument to Peter I;
• The Central House of Artists;
• Christ the Savior Cathedral;
• Gorky Park;
• Moscow State University;
• Russian Academy of Sciences;
• Luzhniki stadium;
• Novodevichy Monastery;
• Kiev railway station;
• Europe Square;
• Moscow City Hall;
• Government House;
• Expocentre Exhibition Complex;
• and other famous sights.

You will learn about the different epochs of the city from the foundation in 1147 till Soviet times of 20 th  century.

Moscow River

Moskva river has the form of a snake and is the main waterway of Moscow, consisting of a cascade of reservoirs. Within the city, Moskva river is 80 km long, 120 m - 200 m wide and up to 14 m deep. The narrowest part of the river is the Kremlin area in the city center, and the most extensive is around the Luzhniki Stadium in the south. 

Bridges in Moscow

Undoubtedly, bridges and embankments are among the most scenic spots and main attractions of Moscow. Plus, they are so romantic.

• Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge –  Great Stone Bridge –  is the main bridge of Moscow . The first stone bridge was constructed here in the 17th century.
• Patriarshy Bridge  is one of the youngest pedestrian bridges, built in 2004. The bridge connects the iconic Christ the Saviour Cathedral with funky Bersenevskaya embankment, extremely popular place among locals for its trendy art galleries, cafes and panoramic views. Patriarshy Bridge used to be a shooting location for ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's New Year speech to the nation.
• Borodinsky Bridge,  erected in honor of the 100th anniversary of the glorious victory in the Battle of Borodino (which every Russian kid knows about), a fierce legendary battle during the Russo-French war of 1812.
• Bagration Bridge  one of the  pedestrian bridges with most picturesque views of the Moskva River with its numerous upper-level observation platforms. The bridge was erected to celebrate the 850th anniversary of Moscow city in 1997.
• Krymsky Bridge  used to be in Top 5 Europe’s longest bridges some 100 years ago. The bridge got its name after the ancient Krymsky ford which Crimean Tartars used to invade Moscow in the 16 th  century.

Embankments of Moscow

Moscow river boats 37 embankments, the most popular being Kremlevskaya, Sofiyskaya, Pushkinskaya, Vorobyovskaya and Kolomenskaya.

You can get the most spectacular views of the Kremlin from  Kremlevskaya and Sofiyskaya embankments.

• Pushkinkaya embankment  is the most romantic in Moscow. It meanders along Gorky Park and Neskuchnyi garden and is rich for all kinds of entertainment as well as cozy nooks, including Olivkovy beach, the famous Zeleny theater as well as a pier for river cruisers.
• Vorobyevskaya embankment  is part of Sparrow Hills nature reserve. This place opens a beautiful panorama of the river and city from the observation deck and is considered to be the place for taking serious decisions in life.
• Embankment in Kolomenskoye  Museum-Reserve has a special charm due to its peculiar geographical relief. The boat trip around Kolomenskoye would be the most peaceful in your life.
• Taras Shevchenko embankment  is popular among photographers for its modern Moscow City skyscrapers. Highly recommended for your night boat trip.
• Embankments of Moscow are the pride of the capital. A distinctive feature of each of the promenades is its architecture and beautiful views. In addition, almost all the embankments of Moscow have a rich history and a lot of notable buildings.

Different epochs

Taking a walk along the Moskva River by boat, you will witness the architecture of Moscow from different eras and styles. Archaeological studies indicate that already in the XI century there stood a fortified settlement on Borovitsky hill, which is now called the Kremlin. Little fortress could not accommodate all the residents of the rapidly growing city, and the Grand Duke ordered the construction of a new Kremlin, larger than the former.

Boat trip around Kolomenskoe Park

Moscow river boat trip starts from the pier Klenovy (Maple) Boulevard and provides reat views of Nicholas Perervinsky monastery.

Nicholas Perervinsky monastery was founded at the time of the Battle of Kulikov (1380). The monastery, got its name from the surrounding area – “Pererva”, which can be translated like “tear off” and because of the location –  here it abruptly changed its course, turning to Kolomna, standing on the opposite bank.

Nowadays Kolomenskoye is State Art, Historical, Architectural and Natural Landscape Museum-Reserve, which doors are open to everyone who wants to get in touch with the ancient history of Russia.

Take a break from the big city hustle in the shady parks and gardens of the Kolomenskoe Museum-Reserve. Don’t miss a wonderful Church of the Ascension and Tsar Alexey’s Palace in Kolomenskoye!

Monasteries and temples

• Novospassky Monastery
• Founded in the 13th century on the site where now is located the Danilovsky monastery. After a few decades, in 1330, Ivan Kalita moved the monastery onto the Borovitskii hill of the Kremlin. However, in the 15th century, Spassky Monastery again moved, this time to a more spacious place on Krasnoholmskaya waterfront.
• Church of St. Nicholas in Zayaitskom
• Erected in the middle of the XVIII century in baroque style. The building survived after the 1812 fire, but the utensils were destoyed. Parishioners collected donations and restored the temple on their own. In Soviet times, it was closed and re-opened only in 1992.
• Cathedral of Christ the Savior
• The church was originally erected in honor of the victory over Napoleon and was being under construction for long 44 years. Notoriously demolished in 1937 to be a giant swimming pool under open sky. The current building was constructed in 1990s. It is the tallest and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world.
• The temple was built in 1679-82, during the reign of Tsar Fedor Alekseevich, in late Muscovite Baroque style and can be characterized as bonfire temple. Each gable is a symbol of a heavenly fire.
• Novodevichy Convent
• The most famous concent and monastery in Moscow, presumably founded in 1524. Novodevichy’s status has always been high among other monasteries, it was in this monastery where the women of the royal blood, the wives of Tsars and local rulers of Moscow were kept in prison as nuns.
• St. Andrew’s church  (male acts as Compound Patriarch of Moscow)
• St. Andrew’s church stands right on the slopes of the Sparrow Hills, on the way down to the Moskva River, on the territory of the Nature Reserve “Sparrow Hills”. The monastery is small in size but is very cozy. It’s situated in a quiet courtyard surrounded by temples, fruit trees and flowers.

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow river cruise.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Norilsk: The city built by gulag prisoners where Russia guards its Arctic secrets

Environmental activists are frustrated by how authorities handled a diesel spill which poured into two Arctic rivers in late May.

International correspondent @DiMagnaySky

Friday 3 July 2020 23:41, UK

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The drive from Norilsk airport to the city takes you past mile after mile of crumbling, Soviet-era factories.

It looks like an endless, rusting scrapyard - a jumble of pipes, industrial junk and frost-bitten brickwork. If you were looking for an industrial apocalypse film setting, this would be your place - but you're unlikely to get the permissions.

Norilsk was built in Stalin's times by gulag prisoners. This gritty industrial city is a testament to their endurance both of the cruelty of Stalin's regime and of the harsh polar climate. There were no thoughts then on how to build to protect the environment, just to survive it.

Vasily Ryabinin doesn't think much has changed, at least in ecological terms. He used to work for the local branch of the federal environmental watchdog, Rosprirodnadzor, but quit in June after exposing what he says was a failure to investigate properly the environmental impact of the gigantic diesel spill which poured into two Arctic rivers in late May.

At 21,000 tonnes, it was the largest industrial spill in the polar Arctic .

Despite the Kremlin declaring a federal emergency and sending a host of different agencies to participate in the clean-up, just last week Mr Ryabinin and activists from Greenpeace Russia found another area where technical water used in industrial processes was being pumped directly into the tundra from a nearby tailing pond. Russia's investigative committee has promised to investigate.

"The ecological situation here is so bad," Mr Ryabinin says.

"The latest constructions such as the tailing pond at the Talnack ore-processing plant were built exclusively by Nornickel chief executive Vladimir Potanin's team and supposedly in accordance with ecological standards, but on satellite images you can see that all the lakes in the vicinity have unnatural colours and obviously something has got into them."

Mining company Nornickel would disagree. It has admitted flagrant violations at the tailing pond and suspended staff it deems responsible at both the Talnack plant and at Norilsk Heat and Power plant no 3 where the diesel spill originated from.

On Thursday it appointed Andrey Bougrov, from its senior management board, to the newly-created role of senior vice president for environmental protection. It has a clear environmental strategy, provides regular updates on the status of the spill, and its Twitter feed is filled with climate-related alerts.

But what investors read is very different to the picture on the ground.

Norilsk used to be a closed city - one of dozens across the Soviet Union shut off to protect industrial secrets. Foreigners need special permissions approved by the Federal Security Service (FSB) to enter the region. It would take an invitation from Nornickel to make that happen and, for the past month since the spill, that has not been forthcoming.

Unlike in Soviet times, Russian citizens are now free to come and go. That's why our Sky News Moscow team were able to fly in and travel around the city, even if getting to the spill site was blocked. What they were able to film provides a snapshot of the immense challenge Russia faces in upgrading its Soviet-era industrial infrastructure, particularly at a time when climate change is melting the permafrost on which much of it was built.

Just downwind from one of the rusting factories on the city outskirts is a huge expanse of dead land. The skeletal remains of trees stand forlorn against the howling Arctic winds. Sulphur dioxide poisoning has snuffed the life out of all that lived here. Norilsk is the world's worst emitter of sulphur dioxide by a substantial margin.

"For 80km south of here everything is dead," Mr Ryabinin says, "and for at least 10km in that direction too. Everything here depends on the wind."

Immediately after the spill, Mr Ryabinin filmed and took samples from the Daldykan river just a few kilometres from the fuel tank which had leaked. By that point the river was a churning mix of diesel and red sludge dredged up from the riverbed by the force of the leak. Norilsk's rivers have turned red before and the chemical residues have sunk to the bottom, killing all life there. Nothing has lived in those rivers for decades.

In his capacity as deputy head of the local environmental watchdog, Mr Ryabinin says he insisted that he be allowed to fly further north to check the levels of contamination in Lake Pyasino and beyond.

Nornickel at the time claimed the lake was untouched by the spill. Mr Ryabinin says his boss encouraged him to let things be.

"I can't be sure I would have found anything, but this sort of confrontation - making sure I didn't go there with a camera, let alone with bottles for taking samples, it was all very clear to me. It was the final straw."

Rosprirodnadzor refused to comment to Sky News on Mr Ryabinin's allegations or suggestions that the agency was working hand in hand with Nornickel.

Georgy Kavanosyan is an environmental blogger with a healthy 37,000 following on YouTube. Shortly after the spill, he set out for Lake Pyasino and to the Pyasina River beyond to see how far the diesel had spread.

"We set out at night so that the Norilsk Nickel security wouldn't detect us. I say at night, but they've got polar nights there now, north of the Arctic Circle. So it's still light but it's quieter and we managed to go past all the cordons."

He is one of the few to have provided evidence that the diesel has in fact travelled far beyond where the company admits. Not just the 1,200km (745m) length of Lake Pyasino but into the river beyond.

He says his measurements indicated a volume of hydrocarbons dissolved in the water of between two and three times normal levels. He thinks after he published his findings on YouTube, the authorities' vigilance increased.

Greenpeace Russia have spent the last two weeks trying to obtain samples from Lake Pyasino and the surrounding area. They have faced difficulties getting around and flying their samples out for independent analysis.

They are now waiting for results from a laboratory in St Petersburg but say the samples remain valid technically for just four days after collection and that they weren't able to make that deadline due to the authorities' actively obstructing their work.

Elena Sakirko from Greenpeace Russia specialises in oil spills and says this has happened to her before. This time, a police helicopter flew to the hunter's hut where they were staying and confiscated the fuel for the boat they were using. Then a deputy for the Moscow city parliament tasked with bringing the samples back from Norilsk was forced to go back empty-handed.

"We were told at the airport we needed permission from the security department of Nornickel," Ms Sakirko says. "We asked them to show us some law or statement to prove that this was legal or what the basis for this was, but they haven't showed us anything and we still don't understand it."

Nornickel announced this week that the critical stage of the diesel spill is over. The company is now finalising dates for a press tour for foreign media and for other international environmentalists.

Mr Ryabinin thinks this should have happened weeks ago.

"If we don't let scientists come to the Arctic region to evaluate the impact of the accident, then in the future if anything similar happens, we won't know what to do."

A spokesperson for Nornickel said the company "is actively cooperating with the scientific community and will meticulously assess both the causes and effects of the accident."

Nornickel considers permafrost thawing to be the primary cause of the accident, but is waiting for the end of investigation before making a final statement, the spokesperson said.

They added that the company "accepts full responsibility for the incidents on its sites these past two months and holds itself accountable for any infrastructural deficits or poor decisions by personnel.

"The imperative is to do everything to clean up our sites, instil a stronger culture of transparency and safety in our workforce, and ensure that such situations do not occur in the future."