Will has a lifetime’s experience of cruising and offshore racing yachts and has spent over 25 years in the marine industry with hands on, practical boat-building knowledge of both modern and traditional yachts up to 100’ LOA.  Will joins Fox’s Marina from the internationally renowned Oyster Yachts.

Growing up on the east coat of England within a sailing family, childhood experiences afloat soon developed into a lifetime passion.

After training at the IBTC and establishing himself as a boat builder, Will joined the Lloyds of London Yacht Club owned yacht Lutine, initially overseeing her refit at the famous Camper and Nicholsons’ Gosport yard. This was followed by further custom race boat building and sailing, both in the UK and Australia, including competing in Sydney Hobart races and notable victories in the Round Britain and Fastnet races with his own family projects.

Will’s career at Oyster Yachts included roles in the Commissioning, Aftersales and Customer Care operations, all of which helped develop a good sense of what worked and what didn’t in the marine environment. Armed with this experience and coupled with his technical background, Will developed Oyster’s central quality and technical department in a role that spanned over 15 years.

Will Taylor-Jones commented: “Fox’s Marina and Boatyard is the leading service yard on the east coast, with fantastic facilities and a skilled and flexible workforce capable of delivering quality work on all types of leisure and small commercial craft. Fox’s has tremendous potential to grow that business and, with continued investment and a renewed focus on quality and customer service, I am confident we will continue to develop a world-class refit yard at Fox’s Marina.”

Richard Matthews, Chairman of Fox’s Marina and Boatyard, said: “I have known Will for many years and I’m confident that with his experience and background of quality management we will attract refit and repair business, not just from the East Coast but from much further afield.”

To contact Will Taylor-Jones: will.taylor-jones@foxsmarina.com

Duet is owned by the Courtald family and loaned to the Cirdan Sailing Trust, which operates her to provide disadvantaged young people with the opportunity for self-development from the experience of living and working on large sailing yachts. She is believed to be Britain’s longest serving sail training vessel and has sailed over 250,000 miles with over 8000 young people on board.

MCA Marine Surveyor and Naval Architect, David Cannell, has chartered Duet to take part in the Fastnet Race, with the intention of raising the Cirdan Sailing Trust’s profile and supporting the Trust’s work with young people.  David has selected most of his crew for the event but may still be on the lookout for keen sailors to undertake the challenge with him.  For more information contact David Cannell on Tel: 01206 823337 or email: david@dmcmarine.com

The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s blue riband event, the biennial 608-nautical mile Fastnet Race, which starts on Sunday 11 August, will see a record entry of 380 boats take part from around the world and is considered one of the toughest challenges in offshore yacht racing. 

For more information about the Cirdan Sailing Trust see: http://www.cirdantrust.org/

 For more information about the RORC Rolex Fastnet Race see: http://fastnet.rorc.org/ 

Fox’s Stainless manufactures much of the stainless work on the new Gunfleet yachts range, including the pushpit, pulpit, stem head and handrails, whilst Fox’s Rigging supply and fit the standard running rigging across the Gunfleet range and, on Gunfleet 58-01, a full set of rigging and rigging services for the twin hydraulic headsail furling systems. Fox’s Electronics has supplied and installed the yacht’s Pelagic WiFi interface, Iridium Sailor Sat phone and Vasari ‘yacht’ computer systems.

The Gunfleet 58 is the second model in the company’s new range of modern cruising yachts, following on from the Gunfleet 43 launched last year. Fox’s is looking forward to seeing many more new Gunfleet yachts through the yard. For more information about Gunfleet yachts see: www.gunfleetmarine.com

Olly’s achievements in his quest to raise the awareness of Leukaemia are outstanding. His fight and recovery from Leukaemia is remarkable enough but to rebuild a boat and embark on his epic sea journey is even more remarkable.

Being one of Olly’s local marina’s Fox’s have lifted the Jolly Olly out of the water for routine maintenance since the project begun. Not only have we helped with advice we have also provided the materials needed for Olly to make those yearly repairs.

If you would like to read more about Olly’s story or donate please visit his website www.olivers-travels.co.uk

Bamar have lead the world with their patented Gennaker furler. The Roll–Gen adds to an already impressive range of products for yachts between 30 and 250 feet in length.

For further information and for a preview of the Roll-Gen EVO available in the Spring, please click here.

All the failed fittings origin from long distance cruising boats with inadequate rig tune and long periods of sailing using only the genoa.

Only masts exposed to forestay loads exceeding a critical limit are at risk and we have listed all of these boats, see below.

We kindly ask you for your cooperation and suggest the following action plan to be completed before the boat is sailed again:

1. Check, before further sailing is done, if your boat is on the list below. If so, please verify that your mast has a forestay fitting marked with the article number 517-914. The number is stamped in the stainless plate and is easy to check from the outside.
2. If that is the case, please fill out and send the digital form for contacting Seldén.
3. Seldén will immediately deliver a replacement fitting, art no 517-914-90 and decide when and where the replacement will be carried through – naturally in agreement with the owner of the boat.
4. When the exchange is completed it is important that the replaced fitting is being returned to us or to our nearest service centre for further carriage to us. All Seldén Service centres are listed on our website.
5. Please mark the fitting with your name and the ID number of your boat. The ID number is engraved in to the stern of the hull and has the format (example):

If the boat is no longer in your possession, we kindly ask you to inform us the name and contact details of the new owner.

If a professional rigger is hired to do the exchange, we will pay for the labour and other expences only if they are approved by Seldén on beforehand. We do not compensate lost usage or lost revenues from charter operations or any other costs relating to this re call.

We regret this unfortunate situation but would like to stress the importance of immediate action in order to guarantee safe and pleasant sailing.

Best regards,

Seldén Mast AB

Peter Rönnbäck

CEO

PLEASE NOTE! Forestay fittings marked with article number 517-924, used 2007 and onwards, are not affected by this re call.