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
Breezy Opening Day Of J/24 World Championship
Newport, RI, USA: Newport welcomed 70 teams from around the globe with wind and waves on the first of five days at the 2014 J/24 World Championship. The top of the fleet saw some familiar names but also some fresher faces. Mark Hillman's Sokokumaru (USA) and Vernon Robert's Gringa DC (Chile) are tied at five points, with Hillman having the first-place advantage thanks to a bullet. Will Welles's Cougar (USA) landed just two points behind in third place.
Teams battled blustery conditions on the ocean course, with five-leg races and 1.5 mile opening beats. Racing continues for the 70 teams from 13 nations (Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and the United States) through Friday.
Top five after two races:
1. Mark Hillman, USA, 5 points
2. Vernon Robert, CHI, 5
3. Will Welles, USA, 7
4. Mauricio Santa Cruz, BRA, 16
5. Pedro Garra, URU, 17
Full results: www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=982
Regates Royales De Cannes - Trophee Panerai
In less than 24 hours nearly 150 yachts will dock out the Vieux Port in Cannes for the opening day of the 36th edition of the Regates Royales de Cannes - Trophee Panerai. The forecast weather conditions with strong winds expected, should make for an even more action packed regatta.
Classics and Dragons will compete on a race area most of the sailors know well but that every year offers something new and unexpected. For the first racing day, crews will be faced with challenging conditions, the forecast already predicts breeze of 15 to 17 knots.
Most of the one design Dragon fleet is being put in the water and working on having their mast stepped and preparing for racing tomorrow. Always a numerous fleet, some 50 have entered this year and hope to win the title. Thirteen nations are represented in the class including entries from Australia, Russia, Estonia, Finland, France, Sweden, Great Britain...
With 16 centenary boats, the classic fleet is the perfect example of the Regates Royales' spirit of yachting. Two yachts, Moonbeam IV and Morwenna celebrate their 100th anniversary and join the centenarians' club.
Racing on the 36th edition of the Regates Royales - Trophee Panerai starts Tuesday 23rd of September.
Marinepool - Clothing Partner of the Extreme Sailing Series™
Marinepool is widely regarded as one of the leading sailing clothing and maritime lifestyle brands and is the "Official Clothing Partner" of the Extreme Sailing Series™.
We have built a reputation for outstanding quality, excellent service and quick and reliable deliveries. These are only a few of the reasons why no less than 4 of this year´s teams in the Extreme Sailing Series™, among them 2012 and 2013 Champions The Wave, Muscat, are racing in Marinepool kit.
Using only the best materials and state of the art production technologies, no detail is omitted to ensure every product is optimized before it reaches the market. More than 23 years of experience and design excellence, plus the invaluable input of the world class athletes proudly wearing Marinepool garments, guarantee the products are at the cutting edge of technology.
Uncompromising, highly functional and extremely light weight; Tested and approved by many of the world's finest sailors.
As a group of companies with German roots and head quarters, operating in 43 countries, with product lines ranging from performance sailing clothing and a test winning life jacket range to maritime fashion, Marinepool is uniquely qualified and the perfect match for the clothing requirements of YOUR sailing team or company.
Purchase the Extreme Sailing Series™ Collection by Marinepool directly from the official online store: http://www.extreme-sailing-series-store.com or contact us for your customized team wear on
Marinepool | Design. Technology. Passion.
EFG Sailing Arabia The Tour
After four successful years, EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour, has matured into an event that offers golden opportunities for teams looking for a unique challenge, maximum brand exposure and big returns during the European winter season, writes Sue Pelling.
On similar lines to the Tour de France a la Voile, this event naturally appeals to commercially driven teams seeking maximum brand exposure and big returns. However, the focus is also on club/corporate teams, or teams from the armed forces that may wish to not only exploit their sailing talent on the international circuit, but also to use SATT as a team building exercise, and as a platform in which to help build international relations.
Since its inception in 2011, EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour (SATT) has grown in popularity and prestige both locally and internationally and has become a media success story. In its first year, the event yielded US$3.8m of PR media return, in the following years that value doubled to more than US$9m and in 2014 it achieved more than US$13.5m of coverage.
Among those hoping to take part again in 2015 are Team Messe Frankfurt - the young student team from Plymouth - headed by Marcel Herrera who finished second overall to Sidney Gavignet and team on EFG Bank (Monaco), and Team Delft Challenge - TU Delft led by Kay Heemskerk who took third.
Full article in Seahorse: www.seahorsemagazine.com
Howth's Maritime & Sailing History Is Brought Centre Stage
Aura and Deilginis off the Royal Yacht Squadron Castle at Cowes in July 2013 during the Classic One Designs Regatta. It is thought to be the first time the Howth 17s were in the Solent. Photo by Mel Massey. Click on image to enlarge.
The world's most historically interesting and best-preserved one design keelboat class is hidden in plain sight just 14 kilometres from the heart of Dublin. And at the entrance to the harbour where these very significant boats have their secret summer existence, there stands the most perfect little classic lighthouse you ever saw. It too is hidden in full view.
Or at least, it all seems virtually invisible for many of the folk who live in Howth, who have simply become so accustomed to the presence of the 1817-built lighthouse and the 1898-founded Howth Seventeen Class that they scarcely appear to notice them any more. They seem to take them for granted, as is the case many of the other special features of what is a remarkably successful fishing and sailing port.
Well, maybe they do take a little bit of notice. Certainly if some environment-altering project gets under way which doesn't meet with quiet general approval, you'd be surprised by the level of opposition which can be aroused, and with effect too. But it's part of Howth's reserved way of doing and seeing things not to make a song and dance about local features of importance and attraction when they are as they should be. -- WM Nixon in Afloat:
afloat.ie/blogs/sailing-saturday-with-wm-nixon
Cheminees Poujoulat Launches
Bernard Stamm and Jean Le Cam. Photo by Rivacom. Click on image to enlarge.
After completing her refit on Tuesday 16 September and then having her keel stepped on Wednesday, the 60-foot monohull Cheminees Poujoulat with which Bernard Stamm and Jean Le Cam will take the start of the Barcelona World Race on 31 December 2014, was launched on the morning of Thursday 18 September in Brest.
The former 'Mare' of Jorg Riechers is a Farr design launched in 2007 with which Michel Desjoyeaux won the Vendee Globe 2008-2009. It then took second in the Barcelona World Race 2010-2011 with Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez, then lined up at the start of the Vendee Globe 2012-2013 with Jeremie Beyou.
South Coast Excitement Builds For Farr 280
With the first UK boat about to arrive, Activate, the UK Sales agent, is ready for a busy programme of boat testing and demonstrations.
The inaugural viewing of this exciting Grand Prix racer will be at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Knightsbridge, on the 25th September. This will be the first chance for prospective owners to see the quality and craftsmanship of this Premier Composite Technologies, built race boat. With more than 100 guests attending, spaces are however, short and further enquiries should be directed to John Taylor in the Activate office, to confirm attendance at this reception ().
Group test sailing weekends
For groups of people keen to test the boat and develop their local fleets, the Farr 280 will be sailing regularly on the South Coast and in the Solent, as follows:
Poole: 4th and 5th October
Lymingtom: 11th October
Hamble: 18th October
Cowes: 25th and 26th October
Andrew Palfrey, multiple world champion to sail the Farr 280
Activate is delighted to announce that it has brought multiple world champion, AC Coach and former Olympic sailor Andrew Palfrey on-board, to help with the demo days. Andrew, who specialises in one-design tuning and coaching, is excited about this boat and he will also be available to help owners develop and sail their own boats to maximum effect. "Having looked at the polars for this boat, I am excited about the prospect of tuning and sailing it," comments Andrew. "From what I have seen, the boat should perform very well in UK conditions, with upwind speeds touching 7 knots and downwind well in excess of 20. Irrespective of the type of racing undertaken; one design or IRC, I will expect to see everyone getting off the water with a big smile and I look forward to seeing the class grow rapidly in the UK."
To book to attend the Royal Thames Reception or to discuss a test sail, please contact Activate on +44 1983 200901.
Vulcain Trophy
On Friday and Saturday, the D35 fleet battled it out on Lake Leman for one last time this season at the Grand Prix SAP. Despite the summer temperatures, the wind was unstable and continually changing. Neck and neck with Realstone throughout the weekend, the championship podium was decided only in the last race of the Grand Prix. Thanks to four podium finishes this season, including victory at the Bol d'Or Mirabaud, the black and gold catamaran thus finishes on the 2014 Vulcain Trophy podium, in third position. For Spindrift racing, as well as its Swiss partners (Mirabaud, Genes-x and Zenith), it is a very positive result.
Dona Bertarelli took the helm of Ladycat for this final event of the season, accompanied by tactician Yann Guichard and the ever-reliable crew of Xavier Revil, Jacques Guichard, Christophe Espagnon and Francois Morvan.
The team's focus will now turn to the ocean, with the 10th edition of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe due to commence in Saint-Malo on November 2nd. Yann Guichard is racing single-handed aboard the maxi-trimaran Spindrift 2.
Overall standings in 2014 Vulcain Trophy:
1. Alinghi, 24 points
2. Realstone, 26
3. Ladycat powered by Spindrift racing, 28
4. Mobimo, 36
5. Zen Too, 36
6. Team Tilt, 42
7. Veltigroup, 51
8. Okalys, 59
9. Racing Djamgo, 69
10. Oryx, 72
11. Ylliam, Comptoir immobilier, 85
spindrift-racing.com
vulcaintrophy.com/en/
Industry News
Southerly Yachts accrued debts of more than £800,000 when it went into liquidation at the end of last month.
The boat builder based in Chichester, West Sussex, got into trouble after only 15 months of trading.
The company had only £200 in cash as assets on the books when it folded.
Southerly Yachts, formerly known as SY Yachts Southern Ltd, also had to be rescued from receivership in May 2013 with debts totaling almost £2m.
A list of Southerly's latest creditors has now been published by Companies House, stating the boat builder owed £809,940 to more than 50 claimants.
Fifty employees have lost their jobs as a result of the companies closure, which sees the end of more than 300 years of boat building in the area.
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This year's Genoa International Boat Show is renewed and more dynamic, adapting to the needs of an industry in trouble, say the organisers.
Compared to last year, they say membership is growing. The most active sectors involve sailing boats and small to medium sized motorboats.
There is a new layout, plus enhanced services and infrastructure. This year, visiting the show will be easier and a more engaging experience, they say.
Moreover, the two essential goals set from the outset for the 54th Genoa Boat Show have been fully achieved: strong internationalisation and promotion of all Italian excellence, as showcased by our boat industry.
The show has a surface area of 180,000 square metres, 100,000 of which is in water; 760 exhibitors, 1,000 vessels presented and over 100 new features. The show has also been extended by one day over last year.
But the sector is - apparently - recovering. The sailing sector has registered a 22% increase in the number of boats displayed, some being world premiered. The number of exhibitors of sailing accessories has grown by 50%, and the figures recorded by the multihulls sector are also excellent.
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The 2014 PSP Southampton Boat Show drew to a close on Sunday with visitor figures on a par with last year and many exhibitors reporting equalling last year's total sales by mid-show.
The improving economy and good weather throughout the 10 days resulted in 112,000 visitors and strong sales reported throughout the duration of the show, with the very first sale of a boat being made by 10.30am on the opening day.
Thoughts are now turning to the new look London Boat Show which will take place early in 2015. Exhibitors are quickly signing up to take space including Beneteau, which will be back at the show exhibiting after a three-year absence.
Beneteau will join other big names such as Princess, Sunseeker, Fairline, Jeanneau (sail & power), Bavaria, Kelvin Hughes, Volvo, Raymarine, Garmin, Fischer Panda, Aquafax, Andark, IPC and many more.
The 2015 London Boat Show takes place from 9 to 18 January at ExCeL London.
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In conjunction with the final Danish Sailing League event sailed recently in Aarhus, the Danish Sailing Association (Dansk Sejlunion) has announced that their future one-design keelboat for its associated clubs will be the International J/70.
The decision by the Danish Sailing Association has been a lengthy process. In fact, the input from club sailors participating in the Danish J/70 Sailing League was critical to the decision. After three league events- Rungsted, Sønderborg and Hellerup- the J/70 was tested thoroughly in all sailing conditions (light air, flat water to heavy air and rough, steep seas).
Helping the local Danish sailing clubs on the purchase and finance of their J/70s is "DS Club Finance". The sailor and entrepreneur Ib Kunoe, Chairman of Consolidated Holding, launched with the Danish Sailing Association a financing solution for clubs through the establishment of DS Club Finance.
Letters To The Editor -
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* From Mike Butterfield GBR IRO IU IJ: Displaying Flags "Over"
I have always worked with the rule book to display N over A or H or AP over A or H, or a numeral.
Similarly I have displayed signals over a class flag to designate the signal applies to that fleet only in multi fleet regattas.
I now am having some difficulty with this I find:
1. On yachts the fly is not long enough not display many flags, especially so they can be seen.
2. When using poles, as is very common now, there is no real height for many flags and they are hard, in an emergency, (when they are often needed) to fit to the poles. Most flags are not made for this.
I note that in RRS 33 when changing the next leg of the course, we just have to display Charlie and the red, green or course board. If there is no confusion here why can we not do this for the other flags.
These signals are used when there is little else displayed so little chance of confusion. It solves the problem of the short fly and the fixing of two or more flags to a pole. I would love to hear from anyone with any comments on this, because the rules to permit it could be promoted to ISAF for the next rule book.
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