In This Issue
• Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) finishes 11th
• Guest Editorial - John Heyes
• Club Secretary - Sea View Yacht Club
• 2021 ORC Rules Now Published
• Storm Trysail Club Holds Inaugural Offshore Sailing Leadership Symposium
• Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Is Postponed To October
• Scottish Series 2021 to move location
• RYA confirms new dates for 2021 Youth Nationals
• Ida Lewis Distance Race Returns with In Bay And Offshore Races
• Change in Certification for 2021 Marion to Bermuda Race
• Featured Charter: Sanssouci Star - Classic Motor Yacht
• Featured Brokerage:
• • CF 520 IRC Racing Yacht
• • C&C 66 Classic Cruiser / Racer - PHANTOM
• • Eleonora - Classic Gaff Schooner
• The Last Word: Richard Feynmann
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
Armel Tripon (L'Occitane en Provence) finishes 11th
Emerging from a Biscay storm which he later described as the worst winds he had had to deal with throughout his entire race, Armel Tripon crossed the finish line of the ninth edition of the Vendee Globe off Les Sables d'Olonne at 06:27:50hrs UTC this Monday 1dt February to take 11th place on the ninth edition of the Vendee Globe. His elapsed time is 84 days, 17 hours, 07 minutes and 50 seconds.
Considering that his progressive Sam Manuard designed scow-bowed L'Occitane en Provence was only first launched one year ago (yesterday) and the Nantes skipper started his first Vendee Globe with the highly fancied but untested boat not having completed a significant offshore race, Tripon's achievement display's a high level of physical and mental stamina and excellent seamanship.
Technical problems not long after the start of the race slowed him - he came close to stopping to repair - but he made a huge comeback from 32nd in the 33 boat fleet to finish 11th today
He had only sailed about 7000 miles before the start, abandoning on the Vendee-Arctique-Les Sables with structural issues in the bow area. But for all there might have sceptics who thought L'Occitaine en Provence too young and untested to complete the full course, Tripon has proven them wrong and along the way has proven that the design is fast and - in many conditions - more comfortable than the other latest generation IMOCAs.
Guest Editorial - John Heyes
The British Finn Association sends huge congratulations to INEOS Team UK on their racing master class in the Prada Cup Round Robins - in particular to British Finn sailors Ben Ainslie, Giles Scott, Chris Brittle and Ben Cornish. Part of the dramatic turnaround in the British boat's performance was clearly Finn sail inspired - controlling the lower mainsail depth via an adjustable in-haul to keep the boat powered up and foiling. In fact, Finn Olympians and world champions can be found in key roles in all the America's Cup teams presently in Auckland:
Emirates Team New Zealand:
Josh Junior, Rio 2016 Olympian and 2019 Gold Cup winner.
Andy Maloney - Europeans 2019 Silver Medallist & World Cup final winner.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team:
Philippe Presti, Atlanta 1996 Olympian, Gold Cup winner '93 & '96.
NYYC American Magic:
Dean Barker, Athens 2004 Olympian,
Caleb Paine, Rio 2016 Bronze Medallist,
James Lynne, Ex GBR Finn campaigner.
INEOS Team UK:
Ben Ainslie, 3 times Finn Olympic Gold medallist, 6 times Gold Cup Winner.
Giles Scott, Rio 2016 Finn Olympic Gold medallist, 4 times Gold Cup winner.
Ben Cornish, Finn Europeans Bronze Medallist 2017.
Chris Brittle, Finn Silver Cup winner 2002.
Whilst traditionally Finn sailors may have been seen as the brawn on the pedestals on America's Cup and even Ocean Race boats, they are today very much the 'brains trust' aboard INEOS Team UK. The team work and close communication between Ben and Giles as they called every shift and ounce of pressure was impressive to witness. So what is it that makes the International Finn such a strong breeding ground for world class sailors?
Despite being a small, relatively low cost dinghy, the Finn has proved to be the perfect mix of being readily accessible to all but with just enough technical challenges to teach the athlete the subtleties of rig tune, boat preparation and the benefits of complete physical fitness. As a singlehanded class, starting, tactics, technique and race management are all down to the individual sailor - there is nowhere to hide. As a result, the Finn builds self-reliance and confidence, creating all round sailors with an understanding of the aero dynamics of rigs and the importance of effective technique - all whilst honing their tactics and racing experience in a hugely competitive and tight international fleet, constantly pushing each other to greater performance.
The contrast in speed upwind between the Finn and a foiling AC 75 could not be more stark, yet the Prada Cup racing has shown that spotting the pressure and upcoming shifts are just as important on the AC race course. These skills are vital to success in the relatively ponderous Finn, where boat speed is closer across the fleet and gains have to be eked out from every minor shift and pressure increase.
Is this unique education not available in other Olympic classes? Well not really - strict One Design classes remove the need to learn how to develop rigs to suit individual body size or venue conditions and modern lightweight skiff classes place a premium on boat handling which can be to the detriment of expert wind strategy and tactics.
The fact that the world's best sailors have been developed in the Finn class for many years should not go unnoticed by World Sailing and the IOC when they select the Olympic Classes, if they are truly to represent the pinnacle of the sport and mirror the Olympic motto of 'Faster - Higher - Stronger'! -- John Heyes, British Finn Association
Club Secretary - Sea View Yacht Club
We are a Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight. While our 1,700 members include the first woman to captain a boat in the Whitbread around the world race and an Olympic multi-gold winner, the majority are sailing families.
We are looking for a senior executive to lead all business activities within the club including budget management, managing the team, operations management (including Food & Beverage), social and sailing activities.
We have a range activities including:
- A vibrant members’ summer season
- An extensive suite of members’ training courses as an RYA Accredited Sail Training Academy
- A quality racing program
- An exciting sailing program for Isle of Wight Schools
- A thriving chartering business
On the water we enjoy both racing and sailing our:
- Fleet of over 200 privately owned Sea View One Design dinghies (this class, founded in 1931, is the largest locally built one-design dinghy class anywhere in the world)
- Large fleet of Club owned sailing dinghies including Optimists, Teras, Picos, Toppers, Lasers, Fevas, Visions, Buzzes and Dart 16 Catamarans
- Fleet of Club owned, unique racing keel boats - the Seaview Mermaids
The Candidate will have:
- A strong leadership style: The ability to lead from the front, and work as part of a small full time team with our Director of Sailing and House Management
- Great communication skills: To communicate effectively with Members, Flag Officers, Charterers, staff, suppliers, and the local community
- A proven track record in operational management skills including:
- - Financial management from developing budgets to delivering results
- - Some food and beverage experience
- - HR awareness and people management experience
- - Understanding of and ability to deliver a modern and effective office environment including technology solutions and streamlined processes
- - Ensuring compliance with all current Health & Safety and environmental regulations
An enthusiasm for the sea is highly desirable, but individual sailing experience is not essential.
This is a permanent full-time position based in Seaview on the Isle of Wight. You will need to live on the Isle of Wight for this position.
To apply, please send a CV by email to Commodore John Edwards together with a short covering letter that explains why you are interested and why you believe you will stand out from other applicants. Please provide details of your current position and renumeration.
Applications to be made by 12 February 2021.
2021 ORC Rules Now Published
The 2021 version of the VPP and Rules are now published and ready for use. The rule books are uploaded and available for viewing and download at www.orc.org/rules and the VPP software has been delivered to ORC's national Rating Offices around the world for them to issue certificates when ready for their regions.
The specific changes to the Rules from 2020 are summarized on the ORC website at this link: www.orc.org/changes. The 2021 editions of the ORC VPP Documentation and the ORC Race Management Guidebook will be updated and available within the next several weeks.
There have been substantial improvements made to the main product of ORC: the ORC certificate. The new designs for ORC Club and ORC International certificates will now offer the information on a boat's measurements and rating options in a way that is both complete and easier to read.
There have been no changes made to 2021 ORC Superyacht certificate designs.
Another innovation for 2021 is the ability for rating officers to issue not only standard and Double Handed ORC Club and ORCi certificates to co-exist for the same boat at the same time, but the addition of the new Non-Spinnaker certificate as well. Since the Scoring page is now standard on all certificate types, the same scoring options are now available whether racing with a full crew, Double Handed or Non-Spinnaker. This gives even greater flexible use of ORC ratings and scoring to serve the needs of sailors without requiring the intervention of the rating office.
As new certificates get issued by rating offices, they will be uploaded to ORC's free web-based public-access portal, the ORC Sailor Services. Here copies of current and past certificates going back to 2009 are available for free, along with many 100's of measurement records from the earlier IMS era. Self-service test certificates may be run here, as well as Speed Guides of polar performance and upwind and downwind Target Speeds for windward/leeward racing.
Storm Trysail Club Holds Inaugural Offshore Sailing Leadership Symposium
On Saturday, November 14th, the Storm Trysail Club's Seamanship Committee virtually gathered 90 leaders from within - and outside - the sailing world for its Offshore Sailing Leadership Symposium. World-class sailors, military officers, mountaineers, Merchant Marine officers, public health experts, and business executives worked together to better understand and promote a culture of safety and leadership in offshore sailing, and to recommend improvements to Safety at Sea training and education Their achievements include America's Cup campaigns, summiting Mount Everest, commanding a US Navy nuclear submarine and aircraft carrier, solo and crewed circumnavigations, and combating Ebola and Covid-19.
The breakout groups and organizers will be compiling their recommendations over the coming months and the Storm Trysail Club will release a final report for the public in February.
Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia Is Postponed To October
The Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofía, a reference event among international sailing regattas, postpones its 51st edition to October. The Olympic Classes and offshore regatta will be held from 2nd to 9th October in the bay of Palma.
The Organising Committee has made this decision following the recommendations from the Balearic Islands Government and after the joint assessment of the evolution of the global pandemic caused by Covid-19.
The new Notice of Race is already available on the regatta's official website. The organisation has made the announcement to the around 300 sailors that had already made their application to participate in the edition to be held from 26th March to 3rd April.
The Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta, the training regatta prior to the Trofeo Princesa Sofía, will be held from 24th to 26th September 2021.
Scottish Series 2021 to move location
The organising authority of Scotland's premier regatta, Clyde Cruising Club, have announced plans to move the event location for 2021. Instead of its traditional racing grounds on Loch Fyne the event will move east and operate out of a number of locations throughout the Clyde estuary. The revised event will also see all shoreside and social activities cancelled to reduce the risk of the event not running for a second year.
Speaking on the decision Glenn Porter, chair of the organising committee said "In 2020 we saw the largest regatta north of the south coast cancelled, something we are keen to avoid again. Born out of a desire to race and socialise over the last bank holiday weekend in May we know that 2021 will need to be very different. By stripping out the high risk social aspects, which we know many love, and operating out of multiple bases we hope to support the many racers who look forward to this annual event."
Details on the 2021 race format will be released in late February on the event website at www.scottishseries.info
RYA confirms new dates for 2021 Youth Nationals
The postponed 2021 RYA Youth National Championships will take place from August 9 to 13 at Plymouth Youth Sailing Club in Devon, the RYA is pleased to announce.
The event, the country's most prestigious youth sailing competition, is traditionally held around Easter but earlier this month the decision was made to postpone it due to the Covid-19 situation.
Original host Plymouth Youth Sailing Club has agreed to hold the rescheduled Youth Nationals from its base at the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre on the shores of Plymouth Sound.
The event will feature the 420, Nacra 15, 29er and ILCA classes. It is the intention to hold a sprint series for the 29er fleet on Monday August 9 which will not count towards the overall series. The ILCA fleet will not race on Friday August 13 as they will need time to prepare for the ILCA National Championship which starts in Weymouth on August 14.
A Notice of Race will be published in due course, with entries opening in April.
Ida Lewis Distance Race Returns with In Bay And Offshore Races
The 17th edition of the Ida Lewis Distance Race starts Thursday, August 19, 2021 and will keep its expanded format from last year to give competitors more options while the country continues to deal with changes brought about by the COVID 19 Pandemic. The schedule consists of:
- Registration and Skippers Meeting conducted by host Ida Lewis Yacht Club on Thursday, August 19.
- Traditional Offshore Distance Races (Between 112 and 169 NM) for ORC, PHRF (Aloha and Coronet divisions), ORC Double-handed and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker classes starting on Friday, August 20.
- In Bay Distance Race (33 NM) for PHRF (Aloha and Coronet divisions), PHRF DoubleHanded and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker classes starting on Saturday, August 21.
The start for the Offshore Races will be in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay on Friday, August 20th with the first Warning Signal scheduled for 1100. The start for the IN BAY Race will be in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay on Saturday, August 21st with the first Warning Signal scheduled for 1000.
Race headquarters will be located at the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, Wellington Avenue, Newport, R.I., and manned throughout the time of the races.
Unique to the Ida Lewis Distance Race, the Race Committee considers weather forecasts to decide from among four courses that range from 112 to 169 nautical miles. The goal is to get all teams back to the dock within 18-24 hours. The courses - incorporating some of the most iconic cruising grounds in New England - are named "The Montauk", "The Block Island", "The Point Judith", and "The Buzzards Bay Tower".
Classes are for boats 28 feet or longer and include IRC, PHRF, One Design, Multihull, Double-Handed, and, new for this year, Mixed Double-Handed (to debut at the 2024 Olympics). The race also Includes Youth and Collegiate Challenge categories.
The Notice of Race has been published at bit.ly/3sz0ccb. For questions, contact Race Chairman Pat Kennedy,
Change in Certification for 2021 Marion to Bermuda Race
2020 was the year of adaptation, and as you might imagine the planning for the 2021 Marion Bermuda Race is no different.
The Organizing Authority is optimistic that the world we live in will be sufficiently safe to enjoy another Race to the Rock in 2021, but the planning has had to adapt based on specific opportunities to prepare. One the checkboxes we all have is the successful completion of a Safety at Sea course for captain and crew.
This year will be slightly different as the Marion Bermuda Race will not be offering their normal biennial two-day Safety at Sea Course nor will the CCA be offering the second day hands-on course prior to the race. Because of this, skippers and their crews will not have the ability to attend a US Sailing-Certified Safety at Sea course to qualify for the World Sailing Offshore Personal Survival Course certification that was required for 30% of the crew in 2019.
So...we adapt. Though certification for the crew is still required, the new requirement for those who aren't currently certified will be a partial rollback to the 2017 requirements. The race is giving all who need the Safety at Sea certification for 2021 a number of options to meet the 2021 requirements.
If you haven't successfully completed the World Sailing Offshore Personal Survival Course in the last five years, please see this PDF to understand what your options are for 2021. This change (adaptation) will only be valid for the 2021 race.
Hope to see you on the starting line on June 18, 2021.
Featured Charter
The SANSSOUCI STAR motor yacht is one of the few remaining truly traditional super yachts available on the market. Just as suited to coast-hopping as she is to long distance cruises, SANSSOUCI STAR is spacious enough to accommodate 12 passengers in 7 double cabins (convertible into 7 twin cabins).
See listing details in Seahorse Charters
Contact
Lisa Spiller
Charter Manager
Bernard-Gallay
Phone 1 : +33(0)6 33 42 45 09
Phone 2 : +33 (0)467 66 39 93
Mail :
See the the Seahorse charter collection
Featured Brokerage
FIBRE Mechanics and Carkeek Design announce a new 52ft IRC racing yacht for 2021. Full production tooling for the new boat, to be known as the CF-520 is now under construction at FIBRE Mechanics in Lymington UK. We plan to build a short series of CF-520s, with boat one already scheduled for launching in early March 2021. A second build slot is available for delivery in May 2021.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
FIBRE MECHANICS
18 Waterloo Road
Lymington, SO41 9DB, UK
+44 (0)1590 427007
www.fibremechanics.com/yachts/cf-520
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An absolute gem of a yacht. She offers sublime sailing performance and beautiful lines. C&C 66 Classic Cruiser / Racer that’s been constantly updated and absolutely ready for the next owner.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Ben Cooper
+44 (0) 1590 679222
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Steel hull with teak superstructure, ELEONORA is an exact replica of the schooner Westward which was designed in 1910 by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, also known as the ‘Wizard of Bristol’, the designer of the America’s Cup defenders which turned back all six challenges from 1893 to 1920. Westward was arguably one of the most famous racing schooners in the world
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled. -- Richard Feynmann
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