In This Issue
• New Class40 Distance Record
• WMRT Season Kicks Off In Long Beach
• Harken At The Front: The Foredeck Issue
• Sailing World on Water
• En avant! - Orient Express RacingTea
• Kiwis work out the AC75 wrinkles
• The Italian Silver Dream Racer
• 100th Bayview Mackinac Race
• Industry News
• Featured Charter: Swan 82 - Stella
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Sun Fast 3300 - "Sea Bear"
• • J/112E - "Nola"
• • 2017 J/V Pac52 “Warrior Won”
• • Pegasus 50
• • Nautor Swan 44
• The Last Word: Robert Frost
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News 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
Acrobatica (A. Riva) sets a new record for distance covered in 24 hours! - Class40
Alberto Riva, Jean Marre and Benjamin Schwartz are definitely impressive on this Niji 40.
The trio of Class40 Acrobatica (#201), at the head of the Belle-Ile Marie-Galante transatlantic race since April 11, broke the record for distance covered in 24 hours on a Class40.
Acrobatica sailed 433.53 nautical miles between Sunday April 14, 10 pm (UT) and Monday April 15 (10 pm) at an average speed of 18.06 knots.
This record was previously held by Alberto Bona and Pablo Santurde del Arco on IBSA. They had covered 430.47 miles at an average of 17.93 knots during the Les Sables-Horta 2023 race, which they won. Before them, Ian Lipinski and Ambrogio Beccaria, aboard Credit Mutuel, had already increased it to 428.82 miles.
The Musa 40 is designed by Gianluca Guelfi.
WMRT Season Kicks Off In Long Beach
The 2024 World Match Racing Tour kicks off this week in Long Beach, California with 17 teams and over 100 of the world's top match racing sailors competing across back-to-back events The Ficker Cup Regatta (18-21 April) followed by the 59th edition of The Congressional Cup. Both events are hosted by the prestigious Long Beach Yacht Club, this year celebrating its 95th Anniversary.
Starting Friday 19 April, eight teams from five countries will compete at the 3-day Ficker Cup Regatta finishing Sunday 21 April. The Ficker Cup line-up includes three female skippers, Nicole Breault (USA, Vela Racing), Megan Thomson (NZL, 2.0 Racing) and Celia Willison (NZL, Edge Women's Match). Joining the entries is also Australia's Cole Tapper representing the CYCA Youth Sailing Academy from Sydney. Tapper finished second at the 2023 Youth Match Racing World Championship, hosted by his club in Sydney.
The top three placed teams from the Ficker Cup, a World Tour level event of the World Match Racing, will qualify to compete in The 59th Congressional Cup from 24-28 April.
The oldest continuously-held sailing match race regatta in the world, The Congressional Cup is a founding world championship level event of the World Match Racing Tour which features some of sailing's most esteemed names as past champions and recipients of the famous Crimson Blazer including Dennis Conner (USA), Ted Turner (USA), Harold Cudmore (GBR), Peter Gilmour (AUS), Chris Dickson (NZL), Terry Hutchinson (USA), Chris Law (GBR), Gavin Brady (NZL), Dean Barker (NZL), Peter Holmberg (ISV), Ken Read (USA), Ed Baird (USA).
We add prodders to them. We tack ever more head sails to them. We stand on them making wild hand signals in the prestart. It's here. Harken At The Front: The Foredeck Issue.
Harken works hard developing the most innovative marine hardware on earth. To fuel new products, we listen to sailors all over the world - and the collaboration begins. On the docks, we pick up insights and share in our social media and on HarkenBlockheads.com.
Once a quarter or so, we combine the highlights with video and often brand-new stuff in the next issue of our "At The Front" digital digest. We email it to about 10,000 who have subscribed. And sometimes, friendly media people pick it up so more sailors see it. Our latest issue features developments on the bow. In "At The Front... of the Pointy End" we asked a curated group of some very experienced bow men... bow women... bow sapiens to help us understand how things are different up front than in the back and indeed how things are different up there than... ever. We cover matching leach profiles in the triple headsail rig - including a bit on outriggers. We cover bow person techniques unique to match racing - including steering from the bow (it's a thing.) You should check it out. There will be no titanium ball-bearing spam from Harken - we promise. Simple, if you like what you see
Sailing World on Water
This is finals day, day 5 of the 53 Trofeo Princess Sofia Miyoka, by Ibro Star, at the World Cup Series event in Palma. And there was another day of light breezes on the Bay of Palma. In the men's Formula Kite, winner, 17-year-old Max Mater of Singapore, closed out his second Sofia title triumph in succession.The Ilka 7 men's dinghy title had already been won with a day to spare by Team GB's Miki Beckett, and the Nachras 17 mixed multi-holes was won by Italy's Olympic champions Rugo Rotida and Catarina Barnati.
This is your weekly global sailing highlights show
The dockside chatter is ablaze at the moment in buzzing Barcelona.The reveal of the Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75 kicked it off, followed quickly by the arrival of the INEOS Britannia and Orient Express racing boats by low loaders over the weekend, fueling the intrigue further. See our report on the arrival of the AC75s on our World on Water YouTube channel. We're here in Barcelona with Harry Melges, Hellsman for American Magic Team.Harry, morning sailing session. -- Geoff Waller
En avant! - Orient Express Racing Team
We of course know that the summit still lies ahead, but Orient Express Racing Team can take some satisfaction in successfully racing the AC40, transitioning to the LEQ12, confirming our three race squads, securing more backing and setting up base in Barcelona - and so hitting all of our milestones to date.
France's challenge for the 37th America's Cup will kick off with the Louis Vuitton Cup round-robins at the end of August, a deadline that's being faced head-on in a positive spirit by the team that was the last to throw their hat into the ring. Looking back, it's still pretty amazing that the Orient Express Racing Team's AC40 only took to the water at the end of August last year, a significant moment for the project... and that we only announced our participation in the pinnacle of yacht racing representing the Societe Nautique de Saint-Tropez in January 2023.
Full article in the May issue of Seahorse
Kiwis work out the AC75 wrinkles
Emirates Team New Zealand sailed a three hour plus session today, Monday.
It was their third day of sailing, the first was the same day as the AC75 was launched, and the Kiwis appear to be on a tight schedule.
The word around the waterfront, is that they will be sailing for just two weeks, before packing up and heading for Barcelona where the serious workup will begin.
Currently the as yet unnamed AC75 - that will be remedied on Thursday afternoon - is sailing with legacy foil arms and wingfoils (ex Te Rehutai). That might take the edge off the sailing, for fans, however for the design teams this test/sailing block is useful to benchmark Boat 3 against Te Rehutai. The variables at this point are the new hull design and the new sails, and new systems.
The striking impression watching the new AC75 is the depth of the skeg, compared to Te Rehutai, and the flatness of the aft underbody. The hull and skeg almost has wineglass appearance. The new Class rules permit a greater foil arm depth, and the loger arms will be fitted in Barcelona.
Richard Gladwell in Sail-World.com
The Italian Silver Dream Racer
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli was the third new AC75 to be unveiled at the Italians' base in Cagliari. And as the shrouds fell away to reveal the silver hull with its distinctive Prada red decals there was no mistaking which team we were looking at.
There is an old adage in design that says, 'if it looks right it probably is' and it's tempting to say this about the latest Luna Rossa. Yet, the trouble is that the AC concept is still so new that we still don't really know what constitutes 'right' when it comes to a 75ft, 50+knot flying machine.
So, while time will tell on that score, as the Italians lowered their latest silver dream racer into the water, their renowned talent for style has given us a benchmark when it comes to a good looking boat... .at least for now.
Matt Sheahan takes a look at the key features and compares her to the two other launches so far from Alinghi Red Bull Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand.
planetsail.co.uk
Matt Sheahan's blog
Record number of entries for the 100th Bayview Mackinac Race presented by National Fleet Services
As of today there are 100 days left to Saturday July 20, 2024, the start date of the 100th Bayview Mackinac Race presented by National Fleet Services. This annual blue water classic held on Lake Huron and the Straits of Mackinac is the oldest continuously run freshwater race in the world. Already 313 monohull and 13 multihull boats ranging in length from 27 to 104 feet are entered, with teams hailing from 16 states throughout the US and 2 Canadian provinces.
Total number of entries before the registration deadline of June 1, 2024 are expected to top 350 - the previous record number of entries was 316 in 1985.
Unlike many editions of this race held in the past few decades, this year there is only one course that all entries in this massive fleet will sail: the 204-mile 1925 Original Course.
From its traditional start in southern Lake Huron, the entire fleet will head north along the Michigan shoreline before heading west, passing south of Bois Blanc Island, and finishing west to east at the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island, the site of the finish venue.
The original starting line in 1925 was three nautical miles south of the current one, located off Lake Side Park at Gratiot Beach. As the race grew in popularity, this starting line was eventually moved to its current location north of Port Huron so that there was sufficient length to the starting line and sufficient depth to accommodate large fleets of starters.
Industry News
British Marine, the trade association for the UK's leisure, superyacht, and small commercial marine industry, today released its latest annual economic report for 2022/23.
Building upon its annual KPI reports from previous years, 'The Economic Benefits of the Leisure, Superyacht & Small Commercial Marine Industry, 2022-23' offers an insightful overview of the industry's contribution to the UK economy, providing detailed analysis and statistics on industry turnover, Gross Value Added (GVA), employment figures, and the balance of trade concerning imports and exports.
Despite the current global economic challenges, statistics for 2022/23 within the report illustrate how the marine industry has demonstrated its adaptability and resilience. The report highlights a 12.5% growth in industry revenue, reaching an estimated £4.41bn for the 2022-23 period. This growth has been partly fuelled by inflation, with prices rising approximately 4.7% above the average inflation levels. Moreover, the industry's direct Gross Value Added (GVA) contribution to the UK's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) saw a 6.7% increase to £1.68bn.
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Sail Newport announces that global marine gear brand Gill has been named their official apparel supplier for the 2024 season. The Sail Newport staff will wear the Gill-branded gear for adult and youth instructional and racing programs, regattas, rental programs, sailing center operations, and special events.
In addition to foul weather gear, Gill will provide casual apparel for the sailing staff and on-the-water volunteers.
Gill will also sponsor Sail Newport regattas and clinics, including The Annual Youth Challenge (June 8-9) and The Brooke. E. Gonzalez Advanced Racing Clinic (June 14-16), The new C420 Invitational Clinic (June 20-21), the 40th Anniversary Newport Regatta (July 13-14), the USODA New England Championships (August 13-15), Sail for Hope (Sept. 28), and the Halloween Howl (Oct. 26-27).
Sail Newport's adult Learn-to-Sail Program and a youth sailing essay contest will also be sponsored by Gill.
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Three superyacht builders participate in Milan Design Week
Over the past few years it has been a growing practice of a number of Italian superyacht builders or Italian-owned yacht builders to participate in various art and design events around the world. The current one is Milan Design Week, which is underway this week, and Azimut-Benetti, Sanlorenzo and Nautor Swan (owned by the Ferragamo group) are all participating.
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The Classic Boat Show, the exhibition-market dedicated to traditional boating and vintage boats, returns to Genoa. The second edition will take place from 17 to 19 May 2024 in Marina Genova, the tourist port in Sestri Ponente next to the International Airport.
Free access and parking for visitors and exhibitors, who will be able to park their classic boats for free at mooring or on the dock on a road trailer and make them available for visits for sale and rental.
Among the boats present are the Tirrenia II (at right click to enlarge), which will celebrate its 110th anniversary since its launch, and the schooner Pandora, built in 1994. Artists, model makers and marine craftsmen will be able to exhibit their works in the dedicated areas. The event, which is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors, will take place at the same time as Yacht & Garden, the exhibition-market dedicated to the Mediterranean garden.
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With the 1st Nautic en Seine scheduled for 1-6 April 2025, and the International Multihull Show scheduled for about the same time, the Federations des Industries Nautiques (FIN) will have a busy time in spring 2025 coping with both events.
The 1st Nautic en Seine was originally planned for 15-20 October 2024. The new time slot will see it happening at the start of the European summer season.
The new 2024 dates were confirmed to IBI during a meeting with Jean-Paul Chapeleau, the president of FIN, at the 2024 International Multihull Show (IMS) last week.
The 16th edition of IMS to be held next year will be the first which FIN will fully organise, as the 2024 edition was a joint action of FIN and the M2 organisation which has previously organised IMS, a event dedicated exclusively to multihull yachts and boats.
The 15th edition of IMS at La Grande Motte marina had around 70 boats afloat and on land and a total of around 150 exhibitors. FIN acquired IMS last September when the two key organisers decided to stop organising the event. FIN stepped in and bought it so that the expanding multihull market, especially for power craft, would continue to have its own bespoke show.
As to the Cannes Yachting Festival, FIN's leading event, Chapeleau told IBI: "The Cannes Yachting Festival will experience three years of disruption while the port is being redeveloped. To manage this we will move the small boats between 8m (26ft) and 12m (29ft) to Port Canto. The superyachts will stay where they usually are with some reorganisation but the exhibitors are happy with the new arrangements."
Featured Charter
Swan 82 - Stella. Located in the Mediterranean.
Stella, A Swan 82FD was designed by German Frers and is recognised around the world as one of the greatest performance cruising yachts ever conceived. She is an iconic yacht that offers exhilarating sailing whilst not compromising on comfort and luxury
See listing details in Seahorse Charters
Contact
Lucy Jackson - LV Yachting
Call: +44 (0) 20 3920 6261
Email:
lvyachting.com
See the the Seahorse charter collection
Featured Brokerage
Sun Fast 3300 - "Sea Bear". 189950 GBP. Located in Hamble, UK.
The Sun Fast 3300 is a short-handed offshore IRC optimized racer with truly exciting performance.
"Sea Bear" is fully equipped with a full inventory of North 3Di sails, B&G electronics, carbon rig, water ballast and much much more. This is an excellent opportunity to join the active Sun Fast 3300 fleet and to get on the podium.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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Nick Bonner
Sea Ventures Race Yachts
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J/112E - "NOLA". 295000 EUR. Located in Tallin, Estonia.
"NOLA" is a brilliant example of the J/112e design, which has achieved an awful lot across many aspects of the yacht racing scene.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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Sam Pearson - Ancasta Race Boats
+447759 424900
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2017 J/V Pac52 "Warrior Won". POA USD.
2017 J/V Pac52 "Warrior Won", one of the worlds most potent offshore racing yachts is for sale.
Fully ORC/IRC/ORR offshore optimized. Turn key platform ready to win at any level with a superb inventory.
1st 2024 RORC Transatlantic Race
1st 2021 Transpacific
1st 2022 C600
1st 2022 Newport-Bermuda
4th 2022 Sydney/Hobart
3rd 2023 Fastnet
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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Collin Leon
+1.516.361.9156
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Pegasus 50. POA EUR.
Blue water cruiser for freedom at sea
Comfort, safety, quality and speed, the cardinals of the Pegasus yachts team. The Pegasus 50 offers an exclusive modern layout boasting an open flow from deck to interior for maximum comfort. Attention to details throughout this gorgeous and innovative yacht delivers the ultimate in quality and safety... for a short getaway or an ocean crossing adventure, with multiple crew or single-handed! With remarkable performance and agility, she will take you the distance and deliver superb sensations. The Pegasus 50 delivers the perfect harmony for your sailing adventures.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Miha Breskvar
E-mail:
Skype: miha.breskvar
Mobile: +386 41 686 096
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1973 Nautor Swan 44. 179,000 EUR. Located in Rome, Italy.
Classic Sparkman & Stephens designed Swan from 1975 in fantastic condition and fresh from a comprehensive 2022/23 refit/restoration. Hull No.67 of 76.
One of the most iconic S&S Swan designs of all the time with 76 hulls built between 1972 and 1975. A fibreglass IOR Sloop by Sparkman & Stephens, the Swan 44 S&S was first introduced by Nautor’s Swan at the 1972 fall boat shows, at the London Boat show she was awarded the “Boat of the Yacht Show”, the first in history of a non-British built boat won.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Michele Antonini - Grabau International (Italia)
Tel: +39 333 74 89 281
Email:
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
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