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Vanessa Dudley At The Vanguard Of New Order
Click on image to enlarge.

Vanessa Dudley is one of only eight women competing at the Laser Masters World Championships 2013 in Oman yet her performance in the Radial Grand Master fleet could create one of the biggest upsets of the regatta.

Dudley, a talented amateur sailor from Sydney Australia, is engaged in a fascinating duel with American Bruce Martinson. Before yesterday, she was lying two points behind him with the rest of the fleet some ten points adrift and waiting, like everyone else, to see who emerges as 2013 champion.

But over the course of two races yesterday, she overhauled the American beating him in both and went top of her fleet to lead by three points. She is without an outright win but her consistency in posting seven podium places in eight races looks set to reward her with a career best result.

Dudley has her work cut out to stay ahead of Martinson but a win would be regarded as a brilliant feather in the cap for women's sailing and a real inspiration for other women looking to participate, not just in the Laser Masters but at any level of competition.

"There is no reason why women shouldn't compete equally and I reckon we will see more women competing in the future," she said.

"When I first started sailing in Australia at the age of 9, there were hardly any women but now there are a lot, not just in the Olympic classes but in the bigger boats too. I will be doing my 17th Sydney Hobart race this year and there will be women on around 40% of all the boats."

The sun was even hotter today but after a lengthy postponement while the sailors waited for the sea breeze to fill in, race management were able to complete two races with the wind reaching 11 knots at one stage.

Dutchman Arnoud Hummel surrendered his lead in the Standard Masters to Canadian Al Clark who is acclimatizing to the light airs after a tricky start.

Australians Greg Adams and Mark Bethwaite continue to dominate their fleets with Adams now with a resounding 11 point lead in the Standard Grand Masters and Bethwaite nine points ahead of Robert Blakey of New Zealand in the Standard Great Grand Masters.

Racing continues on Friday at 12.00pm with two races scheduled.

omanlaserworlds2013.com/eng/index.php

Wight Vodka Favourite Yachting Bar: Let The Voting Begin!
Pictured: Last year's winner the Sint Maarten Yacht Club

The team at Scuttlebutt Europe and Wight Vodka certainly have some fun in helping determine the World's Favourite Yachting Bar, and 2013's contest was no exception to the rule.

Previous winners have set the bar very high:

2009: Peter Cafe Sport in the Azores
2010: The Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke in the BVI
2011: IYAC in Newport, Rhode Island USA
2012: Sint Maarten Yacht Club

Alas, it's a hard job for the team at Wight Vodka and Scuttlebutt Europe, but in the end, we have narrowed the list down to the Top Ten based on the sheer volume of submissions as well as the quality and passion of your entries. Without further adieu, (and shown in alpha order) here are your Favourite Yachting Bars for 2013!

Bitter End Yacht Club, Virgin Gorda
Boatyard Bar & Grill, Annapolis, Maryland
King & Queen, Hamble
Maddie's Sail Loft, Marblehead, Massachusetts
One Bar, Playa Blanca, Lanzarote
Pier 23, San Francisco, California
Royal Bermuda Yacht Club
Schooner Wharf Bar, Key West, Florida
The Oar, Block Island, Rhode Island
Yacht Club Micalvi, Chile

VOTE!!

www.scuttlebutteurope.com/sailors-bars.html

Big Finale To The 3-Buoys Challenge On Sunday
Click on image for photo gallery.

Sunday's finale of the 3-Buoys Challenge series will go right down to the wire with only seven points separating the top six teams when they line up on Sydney Harbour.

With each team allowed to discard their worst race score of the series, Brett Van Munster's Rabbitohs-Kenwood and Chris Nicholson's Mojo Wine share the lead on 23 points.

John Winning's Yandoo is just one point behind the leaders on 24 points, but has an 'average points' score from Race 1 which may complicate the final standing after Sunday's race.

Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon) is fourth on 25 points, followed by Smeg (Nick Press) on 29 and Fisher & Paykel (Grant Rollerson) on 30.

The handicapping system associated with the 3-buoys concept will also play an important part in Sunday's race on the harbour as Mojo Wine has to concede starts of up to 7mins to her main rivals.

Conditions have been testing in the races held so far with strong winds dominating. They were so bad that the Australian 18 Footers League had to abandon Race 4 of the series, even after delaying the start by more than one hour to try and get a race.

While the series has produced five different winners from the six races, ironically, the only two race-winner Lumix (Jonathan Whitty) is only in seventh place on 36 points.

Whitty and his crew have been in good form throughout but unfortunately they have had to pay the price for two DNF results.

Video coverage of Sunday's race can be seen on www.18footerstv.com -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League

www.18footers.com.au

Sailing Legends - The Story of the World's Greatest Ocean Race
A special numbered limited edition signed by the authors to make the perfect Christmas gift

The Whitbread Round the World Race - now the Volvo Ocean Race - spans 40 years, ten races and more than 300,000 miles across the most inhospitable seas. From gentlemanly competition in yachts designed more for graceful living than screaming around Cape Horn, the race has progressed to purpose built craft with few creature comforts, crewed by fanatical, professionals.

Millions have been spent, legends created and six men have died. No one takes the race lightly and no one tells the story better than journalists, Bob Fisher and Barry Pickthall who have been there for every race from the first in 1973. They mark the anecdotes, highlight all the major stories, and provide biographies of sailing's greatest names from the first handicap and line honour winners, Ramon Carlin and Sir Chay Blyth, to double winner Conny van Rietschoten, French legend Eric Tabarly, those great New Zealand rivals Sir Peter Blake and Grant Dalton, through to the latter day Volvo race winners. They also detail the awesome advances in design and construction that make today's yachts formidably tough, surfing greyhounds capable of hitting 40knots + and sustaining 600 mile daily runs. The book also lists every crewmember to have taken part.

176 pages. 128 colour pictures and illustrations.

By Bob Fisher and Barry Pickthall - Endeavour Books
£40 + postage and packing

Order online: www.southatlanticpublishing.com/sl_intro.htm

New Fastest ARC Crossing Time From Gran Canaria To Saint Lucia
Max Klink's Knierim 65 Caro finishes the ARC in 10 days, 21 hours, 25 minutes and 10 seconds

Crossing the finish line in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia this morning at 10:10:10 UTC (06:10:10 Local time) Max Klink's Knierim 65 Caro has earned a place in the history books, smashing the ARC course record by 08 hours 07 minutes and 20 seconds.

Sailing across the Atlantic from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia in 10 days, 21 hours, 25 minutes and 10 seconds, the eight man crew were delighted to have beaten the ARC record which previously stood at 11 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes and 30 seconds, set by Italian Maxi Capricorno in 2006. Opting for a longer route north of the rhumb line, Caro covered approximately 2985NM, but benefitted from stronger winds produced by a mid-Atlantic low pressure system, to drive them south. Their average speed 11.45kts, with a top speed of around 25kts.

Opting for the northern route, the crew were planning that the light-weight carbon-fibre "racer-cruiser", launched this year, would be able to sail over the top of a developing mid-Atlantic low. This was a risky strategy, as the low could have moved north faster than predicted and could have deepened into a sub-tropical storm. Despite a frustrating first few days early on, sailing north in light winds, the gamble paid off, as Caro was able to reach south, hitting speeds of over 20 knots at times.

Celebrations are likely to continue for much of the day around Rodney Bay. Caro's nearest ARC rivals, Volvo 70 Monster Project, are still some way off reaching their berth in the Marina, and are currently expected to arrive around 15:00 local time on Friday 6th December. In the ARC Multihull division, Gunboat 62 Zenyatta has consistently led the fleet and is expected to arrive on the 8th December if conditions hold, whilst boats in the Cruising Division will enjoy life at sea for a while longer with the current first arrival, Oyster 665 Archeron, due to arrive on the 10th December.

www.worldcruising.com/arc

NACRA 17 Battles
The mixed crew Nacra 17 is one of the new Olympic classes that have been selected for the 2016 Olympic Games. This week they are racing for the first time as a part of the ISAF World Sailing Cup Melbourne and the boat park at Sandringham Yacht Club abounds with luminaries of the multihull world, each looking to make or assist those trying to make their mark on the new Olympic class.

One of those is five-time America's Cup winner, the last two in bleeding edge multihulls, kiwi Murray Jones. Jones is in Melbourne supporting his daughter Gemma who has teamed up with Jason Saunders, a 2012 Olympic representative in the 470 class, to make a bid for Rio in 2016.

At the mid point of the regatta, the pair are leading the Nacra 17's on count back, having scored a pair of wins and unlucky not to score a third on a challenging third day of racing on Tuesday. They have locked horns and are tied on points with the Australian pairing of Darren Bundock and Nina Curtis.

The world's leading Olympic sailing coach, Victor Kovalenko likes what he sees from the Australian contingent in the new Olympic Nacra 17's.

"I would say this is on Olympic class in which Australia can medal. We have very long list of achievements in catamarans - Olympic level, World, European, World Cup, and US championship level.

Of special interest is the performance of two of Australia's Olympic Silver Medallists in the new Mixed Multihull class. Kovalenko is following their progress with real interest. "This is a combination of top multihull experience with a young Olympic crew, and it is a really interesting combination of people."

Just two points separate the top four crews in this regatta, who have it all to sail for in the remaining days of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne.

sailmelbourne.com.au

Royal Ocean Cup 2014: National Team Racing In The Baltic
Inaugural event to be in Tuborg Harbor, Copenhagen August 2014

The Royal Danish Yacht Club (KDY) is pleased to announce the dates, the location, and a revised Notice of Race have now been decided for the Royal Ocean Cup 2014. This offshore event featuring national teams will take place from 27-30 August 2014 and will be sailed on the waters outside Tuborg Harbor, a short distance to the north of the city of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Racing will be between three-boat teams, with the teams divided into two groups - one representing national teams and one representing teams that are formed by boats from different countries. Each team will consist of one boat in Class 1 (<590 sec/mi GPH), one boat in Class 2 (575,0 to 609,0 sec/mi GPH) and one boat in Class 3 (600 to 699,9 sec/mi GPH). Handicaps will be using the ORCi rating system, and the race format will be a combination of windward-leeward races and an offshore race.

The winner of the Royal Ocean Cup will be the national team with the lowest combined score, while the mixed national teams will race for the Copenhagen Trophy.

The new Notice of Race and preliminary team entry form are posted on the event website at www.royaloceancup.dk

Questions can be emailed to or contact Lars Ive directly on +45 40137007.

New Ichi Ban Launches
Premier Composite Technologies have recently completed delivery of the new Carkeek 60, Ichi Ban, for Matt Allen in Sydney. Designed, built and delivered in under seven months for this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart race, Ichi Ban is a powerful contender for both Class and Overall winner.

At the launch ceremony, Matt Allen commented " I have never worked with such a gifted team of boatbuilders and yard in my life. We put a schedule together in February and every single milestone has been met on schedule."

Also currently in build at Premier Composite Technologies are the Carkeek 40's | 47's and the latest Premier 45 fast cruiser.

For further information email or visit www.pct.ae

One Ton Cup Revisited
On 27 November, Chris Bouzaid and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron announced that they were seeking an indication of potential interest in a proposed "One Ton Cup Revisited" regatta, in Auckland, New Zealand, in February/March 2015.

The initial thinking was to cater for RORC and IOR One Tonners that were eligible for Cup competition between (and including) the years 1965 to 1983 inclusive. The immediate response was 10 serious intentions, including former winners Rainbow II and Wai-Aniwa.

That response, however, was accompanied by an even larger number of potentials from outside of the original year constraints. We have checked with several of the world's leading offshore racing designers who have advised that, should we open up the proposed event, the IRC Rule, under normal circumstances, would do a more-than-satisfactory job of rating the performances of what, after all, would be a fairly narrow range of race boats.

We have, therefore, decided to re-launch the initiative and seek expressions of intended entry from the full range of "modern" One Tonners (1965 to 1994* inclusive).

The time frame and venue for the proposed regatta remain the same - February/March 2015, in Auckland, New Zealand.

Could those interested in the above please communicate, by email, that interest, with detail (name, owner, design, LOA, year built, builder and construction) of the One Tonner that might/would be involved) to: Alan Sefton:

NB: * 1994 was the year of the last One Ton Cup regatta that we have been able to identify. In 2001, the Cup was presented to the winner of a Farr IC45 regatta in Pwllheli (North Wales) but we have not seen this event recognised as a One Ton Cup regatta and nor is the Farr IC45 considered an appropriate contender for the proposed "Revisited" regatta in Auckland.

For The Record
The WSSR Council announces the establishment of a new World Record

Record: Cadiz to San Salvador
Yacht: Spindrift 2. 131 ft Maxi Tri
Name: Dona Bertarelli SWI and Yann Guichard FRA, and 12 crew
Dates:. 30th October to the 6th November 2013
Start time: 15;19;34 on 30/10/13
Finish time: 05;48;55 on 06/11/13
Elapsed time: 6 days 14 hours 29 minutes and 21 seconds
Distance: 3884 nm
Average speed: 24.50 kts
Comments: Previous record: Groupama 3. Franck Cammas FRA. May 2007 7d 10h 58m 53s

John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Gordon Davies: With the greatest respect for David Evans it may be possible that his criticism of recent rule changes and race management practices are the result of some slight but significant misinterpretations of the rules.

Windward mark?

There is no need to decide whether a mark is a windward mark. It is what the boats are doing as they approach the mark, not the designation of the mark that decides whether rule 18 applies. Most importantly the rule applies when boats are required to leave the mark on the same side unless:

- both boats are beating towards the mark and are on opposite tacks (no change from the old IYRU rule 42.1c);

The boats may have started the leg on a run, the leg may be designated a run by the Sis, but if boats approach the mark beating on opposite tacks then rule 18 does not apply

- when the boats are on opposite tacks and one of them at least is not beating to the mark, and one boat has to tack to round the mark and the other does not.

So at a port hand mark with a port tack boat approaching close-hauled and a starboard tack boat on a broad reach to the mark, the port tack boat must tack to round, the starboard tack boat only has to bear away, therefore rule 18 does not apply and the port tack boat must keep clear (under the old IYRU rules, as far as I can see, the port tack boat would have been entitled to water at the mark)

Rule 18 does not change right of way. When rounding a mark on a downwind course a starboard tack boat remains right of way boat, but if she is outside a port tack boat she has a certain number of obligations that limit her right of way. The inside port tack boat must keep clear, but is protected if she sails within the mark-room to which she is entitled.

I agree that sorting out the rights and obligations of every boat at a crowded rounding may be complex, however the old rules were no simpler.

The zone

A boat required to give mark-room must do so immediately the first boat enters the zone. In the conditions you describe: a crowded mark; boats moving fast and a fast-running tide, this requires the boat giving mark-room to anticipate that she will be required to do so. She must already be on, or very near, a course that gives the other boat mark-room as soon as the first boat enters the zone. Unfortunately for the boat giving mark-room she must carry out these anticipatory manoeuvres without breaking a rule of Part 2, Sections A and B! The boat that believes she will be entitled to mark-room may hail before reaching the zone. This is no more than a useful warning to the other boat. Rule 18.2(e) sets limits on boats establishing or breaking overlaps at the very last second.

In fine, the current rules change little, they merely reformulate the old rules.

Gates

The use of gates is not imposed by the rules. The rules regulate a race management tool that has found favour with many race officers and competitors to avoid congestion at the leeward mark.

I sometimes wax nostalgic about the old days, with rafts of boats piled up on the leeward mark. Strangely, I only remember those magic days when we overtook most of the fleet by either sailing round the raft, or by waiting patiently for the raft to drift downwind leaving a gap at the mark. I appear to have forgotten those days when we were stuck in the middle of the raft watching the tail-enders sail by!

The other advantage of a gate is that boats can choose which mark to round having regard to which side of the beat they want to take. Most of us would agree that this is preferable to being in a line of boats beating on port but wanting to go left on the beat. Boats were usually unable to tack and keep clear of the following boats until the last boat in the group decided to tack.

Having tacked the boat was then required to keep clear of all the boats running into the mark on starboard.

Ah! Those were the days. I am sure boat builders everywhere regret the repair business that those crowded mark roundings inevitably provided.

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The Last Word
We tried not to age, but time had its rage. -- Pete Townshend

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