Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to

Melges 20 Miami Winter Regatta
Miami, FL - An overnight weather system packing 20-30 knots of westerly winds arrived onto Biscayne Bay providing the Melges 20 fleet at the Miami Winter Series (MWS), Event No. 2 regatta with one final, full-on race that ultimately shaking up the standings and determining the final podium line-up.

The breeze was testing the upper limits of the class wind speed guidelines, but PRO Blake Middleton and his legion of volunteers from Coconut Grove Sailing Club set a square course and the tightly packed fleet of Melges 20s charged upwind on the 1.2 mile beat.

As is the case with most wind directions in Biscayne Bay, the left side typically pays and it paid big for Jim Wilson sailing with his daughters Hope and Molly on Oleander winning the pin to own the left corner. With a healthy lead around the first lap, Wilson was eventually ground down by overall event winner Liam Kilroy on Wildman. He and his team that included Steve Hunt, Stephanie Roble and Erik Shampain, snagged an early left shift out of the leeward gates and stayed in phase to take the bullet, securing the event win.

With two of the three MWS events complete, the overall Series has taken shape with Liam Kilroy holding the overall lead, followed closely by John Kilroy, and Jim Wilson in third, a pack of Class veterans aim to round out the top five. In just over four weeks, the third and final MWS event concludes at the Melges Rocks Regatta on March 4-6.

Top Ten Results (Final - After Six Races)
1. Liam Kilroy, Wildman, 9
2. John Kilroy, Samba Pa Ti, 14
3. James Wilson, Oleander, 28
4. Daniel Thielman, Kuai, 30
5. Drew Freides, Pacific Yankee, 31
6. Rob Wilber, Cinghiale, 32
7. Wes Whitmyer Jr.; Slingshot, 35
8. Paul Reilly, Red Sky Sailing Team, 35
9. Julian Plante, Character 2.0, 42
10. Matteo Marenghi Vaselli, Raya, 44

Full Results
www.yachtscoring.com

18ft Skiffs: President's Trophy
Photo by Frank Quealey. Click on image for photo gallery.

18 Footer Sunday's Australian 18 Footer League's President's Trophy race was the final hit out for all teams prior to the start next Saturday of the 2016 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour and it also solved a problem for the Lumix team which was in need of a skipper for the regatta.

With Lumix's regular skipper sidelined for the season with injury, there have been a number of replacements used as fill ins but getting the right man for the job wasn't going to be easy, but they have solved the problem after Daniel Phillips led the team to victory in a come-from-behind performance.

Lumix (Dan Phillips, Aron Everett, Greg Dixon) came from a long way back early in the race to score a 42s win over Gotta Love It 7 (Seve Jarvin, John Winning Jr., Nick Catley), with Asko Appliances (Marcus Ashley-Jones, James Dorron, Charles Dorron) another 25s back in third place. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League

Race dates for the 2016 JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship, sponsored by appliancesonline.com.au, are:

Race 1 - Saturday - 13 February
Race 2 - Sunday - 14 February
Race 3 - Tuesday - 16 February
Race 4 - Wednesday - 17 February
Race 5 - Thursday - 18 February
Race 6 - Saturday - 20 February
Race 7 - Sunday - 21 February

www.18footers.com

Job Description - Experienced Sail Designer Quantum Sails Is Seeking
Quantum Sails An experienced, organized, detail-oriented Sail Designer to focus on production products for racing and cruising clients. Responsibilities include designing sails and preparing production details as well as providing support to local loft production and sales and service teams. This position will be required to coordinate details with members of the Global Sales Team to ensure finished products meet client needs and with the Production Department to ensure accurate and efficient construction. Sail Designers report to the VP of Design & Engineering.

Job Requirements

The ideal candidate will be proficient in AutoCad and/or AutoSketch, have strong sailing skills, excellent internal and external customer service skills, and hands-on sailmaking experience. Minimum experience of five years in a similar role is required. Must be eligible to work in the United States. This person will train in Annapolis and will then work out of our loft in San Francisco.

Send resumes/CVs to

OAM For Yachtie Who Helped Create First 'Wingsail'
Veteran international yachtsman John Houston Buzaglo is known around the world as "Buz" although some of his mates have taken to calling him Sir Buz after he was awarded an OAM on Australia Day.

Now in his 92nd year, the Mornington resident was given a gong for "services to sailing as a yachtsman and [sailing] instructor".

Buzaglo is best known for co-founding a syndicate that built the world's first solid-sail racing yacht - it looks like an airplane wing atop a catamaran.

Sponsored by Melbourne-based Nylex Corporation, the C Class catamaran Miss Nylex was built in 1971 and defended the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (more popularly known as the Little America's Cup) against New Zealand in 1974. It set the Australian speed record for a sailboat of 21 knots in 1972, beat the best 18-footers in Sydney Harbour, and inspired a revolution in racing yacht design.

mpnews.com.au

Melges 24 European Championship
The Notice of Race has been published for the Melges 24 European Championship 2016 and Melges 24 sailors are invited to make their entries for the most prestigious event of the year in Europe that takes place from 2nd to 9th September 2016 in Hyères, France.

The 2016 Melges 24 European Championship will be hosted by the Cercle d'Organisation du Yachting de Competition Hyerois (COYCH), in co-operation with the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA) and the French Melges 24 Class. The online entry, the Notice of Race and other information about the venue are available at melges24.com/europeans2016

The fleet is returning to Hyères after 2006 Melges 24 World Championship won by Nicola Celon's Bete Bossini, and 2009 Melges 24 European Championship, won by the three times Melges 24 World Champion, Lorenzo Santini's Uka Uka, with Lorenzo Bressani helming. In 2016 the competitors will sail for the title of the European Champion, now in the hands of Franco Rossini's Blu Moon and Corinthian European Champion, the title which holds Tonu Toniste's Lenny.

melges24.com

Franco De Denaro 1926-2016
Franco de Denaro The news of the death of Franco de Denaro leaves a great void in the world of Sailing. Born in Zara in 1926, with his strong and proud personality, he lived as a great helmsman and dedicated at least 70 years to the Star Class, the great love of his life and the most demanding form of Olympic racing.

As early as 1947 he was at the helm of "Fiammetta", during the Naples Italian Championship, in team with Pietro Straulino, brother of another sailing legend, Tino.

His passion for racing, which he could pursue in the spare time from his intense career, at first in the Merchant Navy around the world, and then as harbor pilot in Venice, led him to take part in several Italian, European and World Championships, competing against some of the greatest helmsmen in the world.

With his return to Trieste in the mid-90s the local fleet came back to life, reaching under his command the remarkable size of 15 hulls, among which his former boat, "Basilisco", current Italian champion.

He has been and will be forever an example of unequalled sportsmanship and of the most romantic dedication to a life of sailing - of the kind that no longer exists.

www.starclass.org

Industry News
A letter to the editor in the Miami Herald is lauding the Miami International Boat Show as a potential catalyst that will bring attention to and could eventually lead to the restoration of Miami Marine Stadium, which was shut after Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992.

"Thousands will have the opportunity to view the iconic stadium during the boat show, scheduled for Feb. 11-15, for the first time since it was shuttered," wrote Don Worth, co-founder of Restore Marine Stadium.

Attendees who remember the stadium from past years will think back to concerts they saw there, from Ray Charles to Jimmy Buffett, Worth wrote. (Locals often reminisce about having watched concerts from the basin on boats.)

"What is particularly exciting is that attendees will have the opportunity to see a rarely seen view of the stadium — the spectacular view from the water side," he wrote. "While boating enthusiasts will enjoy the new home of the 75-year-old boat show, they should also know that they are kick-starting revitalization of the iconic Marine Stadium and helping to ensure its preservation for future enthusiasts.

www.tradeonlytoday.com

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Slovenia's Elan Yachts will be making its North American debut next week at the New England Boat Show, which runs from February 13-21 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Centre. The company will be displaying an Elan E4 and Impression 45 through its new US distributor, Springline Yacht Sales.

The Elan brand is already well known in North America for its downhill snow skis. The company, which has been building boats since 1949, also builds Elan high-performance racer/cruisers from 21ft-45ft and Impression deck saloon-style cruising yachts from 35ft-50ft. Both ranges are designed by Humphreys Yacht Design in the UK.

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Glenn Ashby, world class sailor and multiple multihull world champion, has teamed up with North Sails to develop and market the Glenn Ashby Signature Line of multihull sails including the A-Class, Taipan and Tornado.

The skipper of Emirates Team New Zealand will be bringing his design history and expertise to develop the signature line of sails that will be based on the current Ashby Sails models. He will be working on product and tuning development alongside the North Sails One Design team worldwide.

Ashby will continue to be active in the international A-Class regatta circuit within the bounds of his current America's Cup commitments.

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The Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE), a UK-registered charity dedicated to tackling the acute problem of over-fishing in the world's oceans, is today announced as the official race charity of The Transat, 2016.

The charity was set up in 2010 by some of the team behind the award-winning film "The End of The Line" that dramatically set out the crisis facing the world's oceans.

BLUE's goal is to achieve protected status for at least 10% of the world's oceans by 2020, with an ultimate goal of 30%, by establishing marine reserves and practical models of sustainable fishing.

BLUE's relationship with The Transat builds on its wider partnership with race organisers OC Sport. The company, which owns and organises a portfolio of professional sailing and amateur running and cycling events, has entered into a partnership with BLUE across all its events.

www.bluemarinefoundation.com

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Bremont Watch Company is delighted to announce adventurer, broadcaster and sailor Hannah White as the latest Bremont Ambassador. Hannah White is well known for taking on extreme challenges like the gruelling Haute Route Cycle Race and sailing the Atlantic solo three times. Currently Hannah has her sights set on being the world's fastest woman on water with Project Speedbird.

A very British endeavour, Project Speedbird is run by Hannah herself alongside Engineer and Project Speedbird's Technical Director Dave Chisholm. The project started with Hannah becoming the fastest person to cross the English Channel in June 2015 and will reach a climax this year as Hannah attempts the women's two speed records over both 500 metres and one mile at Grafham Water Centre in Cambridgeshire.

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Boot Dusseldorf: Another successful year at the German water sports festival has been recorded, with visitor numbers up by 2.8% from 2015.

A showcase of 1,800 boats and yachts, together with opportunities to try out a myriad of water sports, pulled crowds of nearly 250,000 from 52 countries. The event lasted nine days spanning an impressive 17 exhibition halls.

Managing director, Werner Matthias Dornscheidt said: "boot 2016 was a professional party that whetted everyone's appetite for water activities in gloomy January".

Sailing and sailing boats are traditionally the most popular feature, followed by motor boats. Luxury yachts are also a draw, with this year's 'Cruise Pavilion', a wide range of cruise options that can be booked directly, proving very popular with visitors.

Next year's boot Dusseldorf, the event's 48th, will be held on 21-29 January 2017.

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Vitters Shipyard and the management of Claasen Shipyards have completed the purchase of Claasen Shipyards, with the former acquiring a majority share. Together they will form the ownership and management structure of the new-look Claasen Shipyards.

Both brands will retain their individual identities, but both will also seek to benefit from the cross-fertilisation of information and resources. At management level, Claasen and Vitters will make and share agreements with each other in regular meetings and there will be close ties in project management with the two yards sharing suppliers and contractors, establishing a stronger maritime infrastructure. -- Rory Jackson, Superyacht News

www.superyachtnews.com

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Spinlock, located at stand B80, will be launching its innovative Rig-Sense rig tuning tool at this year's RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show, taking place at Alexandra Palace, London, from 05-06 March 2016.

Spinlock are one of more than 150 exhibitors attending the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show, covering everything from boat retailers to sail specialists, insurance companies, class associations, Recognised Training Centres and sailing clubs.

Spinlock's Rig-Sense is a new rig tuning tool developed for consistent and repeatable measurement of loads on wire and fibre.

www.rya.org.uk

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Petticrows Ltd - builders of world class one-design racing yachts and Olympic Finn dinghies - has developed a conversion kit to comply with a rule change implemented at the International Dragon Association (IDA) Annual General Meeting in November 2015.

The rule change (rule 6.103), to restrict movement in the mast at deck level, means that owners of all Dragons (boats certified before 1 March, 2015) and that are used for racing, need to comply when the rule comes into force on 1 March, 2016, by fitting a permanent mast chock. The only boats that are already compliant are those built after 1 March, 2015.

To make the change process as quick and fuss-free as possible, British Dragon builder - Petticrows - has come up with a streamlined, simple-to-fit conversion kit. The Petticrows mast chock system is a permanent fixture designed to allow the mast to be stepped and unstepped without having to remove the chocks.

The kit, available to order now from Petticrows' East coast, Burnham-on-Crouch base, is suitable for retro fitting to any Petticrows Dragon with an 'I' or 'M' section mast, and contains all the parts, fixings and comprehensive instructions needed to carry out the simple process.

Featured Brokerage

Raceboats Only Raceboats Only Raceboats Only

2004 90' McConaghy Custom Racer. 1,500,000 USD. Annapolis, Maryland, USA.

RAGAMUFFIN 90 is now on the market and our latest central listing. Built as GENUINE RISK in 2004, and competing world wide from Sardinia to Hawaii, GR always was at the front of the fleet. Under her second owner, she won both the 2010 Newport to Bermuda race, and the overall prize for the 2011 811 mile Fort Lauderdale to Montego Bay race, and the overall win at Antigua sailing week both under Csa and IRC leaving no question that she was still one of the fastest maxi boats sailing .

Details

Contact
Please contact William Jenkins at 410-267-9419

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2993 Hugh Welbourn DK Yachts 46. 285,000 EUR. Located in Gaeta, Italy

Welbourn 46ft Racing Yacht, built in 2002 and extensively refitted in 2010/11, composite carbon/epoxy construction. The deck layout of this DK46 racing yacht was also modified in 2011 for short handed cruising in addition to fully crewed racing. Winner of many races including the Rolex Middle Sea in 2012.

Details

Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Port Hamble

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1996 Mumm 30. 28,000 EUR. Located in Turkey.

Completely new painted in 2013, also mast and boom. She was always drysailed.

Details

Contact

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have. -- Franz Kafka

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