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
Five Sailors Added To Team GB For Rio 2016... Patience And Willis Deselected
With 150 days to go to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the British Olympic Association (BOA) can today announce five additional sailors from three classes selected to compete for Team GB this summer.
Nick Dempsey is set to become a five-time Olympian in Rio after the London 2012 silver medallist and Athens 2004 bronze medallist was selected for the RS:X Men's windsurfing class. If the double World Champion wins gold in Rio, he will become the most successful men's Olympic windsurfer in history.
Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth, who finished fifth at the 2015 World Championships, will make their Olympic debuts in the 49erFX - a new event for Rio - with 2015 European Champions Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves following suit in the Nacra 17 mixed multihull event, which also sees its first Olympic Games outing this year.
The five sailors join those initially selected in September. However, from those selected in September, the BOA, in conjunction with the Royal Yachting Association, has made the difficult decision to deselect the 470 Men's pairing of Luke Patience and Elliot Willis. Due to Elliot's ongoing treatment for bowel cancer, as a two person crew, they are unfortunately unable to follow the combined training programme required to maximise their chances of success in Rio.
Selection trials in the 470 Men's event will therefore continue, with the trials in the 49er class also ongoing.
Team GB's sailing squad for Rio 2016:
Giles Scott: Finn
Nick Thompson: Laser
Alison Young: Laser Radial
Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark: 470 Women
Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth: 49erFX
Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves: Nacra 17
Bryony Shaw: RS:X Women
Nick Dempsey: RS:X Men
Front Moves Over The Clipper Fleet A front is moving over the fleet, with north-easterly wind between 30 to 40 knots and a swell of three to four metres as the teams beat upwind in the final 400 nautical miles to China.
With shifty conditions over the last 24 hours meaning lots of sail changes including between various spinnakers before the wind backed, the fleet took time to prepare for the incoming storm.
With the final denouement approaching, final positions will depend on who best weathers the storm, and whether the inshore or offshore route will pay off.
LMAX Exchange is now in the lead, 7.35 nautical miles ahead of second-placed Derry~Londonderry~Doire, with former race leader Garmin 10 nautical miles behind the Northern Irish entry in third place.
Due to Chinese immigration policy and an extravagant arrival ceremony which is put on for all teams, arrivals into Qingdao are scheduled between 0900 and 1700. The first boats will enter the marina on Thursday March 10.
To see the ETAs into Qingdao
clipperroundtheworld.com
No Ordinary Job: World-Class Skippers Wanted
The world's longest ocean race is seeking 12 extraordinary Skippers to lead its crews around the globe in the next edition of the Clipper 2017-18 Round the World Yacht Race. Are you good enough to take on the job?
Founded by legendary sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the Clipper Race gives Skippers the opportunity to tick off the ultimate sailing bucket list - circumnavigation.
Clipper Race skippers are extremely special individuals, able to withstand huge physical and mental challenges to successfully lead their team through Mother Nature's toughest environments.
To apply you'll need to hold an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean certificate [commercially endorsed] and have at least 30,000 miles offshore experience on big boats, but also the skills needed go well beyond the professional requisites or normal job requirements.
As well as outstanding sailing skills, successful Skippers will need excellent people management and leadership skills.
Clipper Race founder and chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston warns skippers must be prepared to be truly exhausted, physically battered and mentally fatigued.
Clipper 2013-14 Race podium Skipper Olly Cotterell also explained the professionalism, excellence and complete commitment needed to succeed:
"Tactically you need to keep the yacht on the edge of its ability all the time, a bit like a Formula 1 car turning a corner at 100 mph. However if you push too hard you could face disaster. In bad conditions, everyday life is a challenge."
Clipper 2017-18 Skipper interviews are taking place right now. Click here for the full list of qualifications and skills and how to apply.
Ichi Ban And Nine Dragons Clean Sweep Sydney Harbour Regatta
Matt Allen's Ichi Ban and Bob Cox's Nine Dragons clean swept Division 1 and 2 respectively at Middle Harbour Yacht Club's 2016 Sydney Harbour Regatta, which ended this afternoon, while Phil Dash did what he is best at, coming from behind to claim Division 3 honours.
Allen and his crew, including sailing master Gordon Maguire, kept up the momentum in conditions they described as tricky to take the series with six straight wins from 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart winner Balance (Paul Clitheroe) which finished second in every race, and TP52 newcomers Andy Kearnan/Peter Wrigley with Koa, third in every race.
Yesterday in Division 3, The Philosopher's Club (Peter Sorensen) had the upper hand over last year's Division 2 winner, Phil Dash's JustADash, but the two were on equal points. As Dash has done before, he came up with the goods when it mattered, to win.
Four teams contested the inaugural IRC Inter Club Challenge - two from the host club and two from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
The Middle Harbour Yacht Club team of Nine Dragons, Khaleesi and JustADash were too good and claimed the spoils with 47 points, a winning margin of 27 points over the second placed RPAYC team of Bushranger, Magic and Conspiracy. -- Di Pearson
Over 170 boats took part in this year's Sydney Harbour Regatta.
WMRT / Congressional Cup
Long Beach, California: World-class match racing comes to Southern California in April 6 to 10, with the 52nd Congressional Cup regatta, founded and hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club (LBYC).
This year's Congressional Cup line-up includes defending champion Taylor Canfield (ISV) battling challengers Sam Gilmour (AUS), Bjorn Hansen (SWE), Eric Monnin (SUI), Phil Robertson (NZL), Nicolai Sehested (DEN), Chris Steele (NZL), Keith Swinton (AUS), and reigning World Match Racing Tour Champion Ian Williams (GBR); plus the WMRT's first female card holder, Sally Barkow (USA). Two final entrants will be determined April 1 to 3 in the Ficker Cup regatta.
Meanwhile, the final line-up for the Ficker Cup Presented by Porsche is one step closer, with the addition of Scott Dickson, who was victorious in the LBYC Club Sail-off. In the ongoing California Dreamin' Series, Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club's Steve Natvig and crew have won two of those three events: the final and determining contest will take place March 12 to 13 at St Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco.
Seahorse April 2016
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
Unique is just a word
(Brilliant) Russian designer-buildersailor Viktor Yazykov and the editor go back a long way together. But he still remains in thrall!
Of devils and details - Part 2
Raceboat systems engineer Jon Williams talks live transmission
Rollin'
A lot is expected of the M32 cats this year... and a lot of it is already being delivered. Andy Rice
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Team SCA In 100,000 Pieces? That's Childplay
Click on image to enlarge.
Alicante, Spain: A model boat of Team SCA, made entirely of 100,000 LEGO® pieces, will be exhibited in the Volvo Ocean Race museum from today.
The launch of the Volvo Ocean 65 replica boat, which safely delivered the all-female crew of Team SCA around the world in the 2014-15 race, coincides with International Women's Day.
The model was donated by SCA, the Swedish global hygiene company, which sponsored skipper Sam Davies's crew in the nine-month marathon race.
It was displayed at each of the 11 ports that hosted the 12th edition before being transported to its new permanent home in the Alicante-based Volvo Ocean Race museum.
"The boat is in the best place possible. After a long journey around the world, it has returned home," said Anders Gaasedal, one of the men who constructed it.
The Dane, who works for LEGO®, embarked in 2013 on the challenge of making the Volvo Ocean 65 replica together with his Swedish friend Johan Sahlstrom, an engineer for Volvo Trucks. They achieved their target after 1,200 hours of work.
Dismasted Sigma 38 Sails 530 Miles For A New Mast
A dismasted yacht has been successfully sailed from northern Spain to Cowes, Isle of Wight under jury rig - for a new mast.
Last October, Sigma 38 Errislannan, owned by ocean yacht master Agnieszka Schramm-Newth - known as Agi, was dismasted off La Coruna.
Once Errislannan was safely back in port one of Agi's first calls was to the Sigma 38 Class Association to find a replacement mast.
The class association is the only source of the one design masts, available only to class members through a special relationship with Allspars, the suppliers.
Agi runs Errislannan as a RYA training school and never one to back away from a challenge rather than having the mast delivered to La Coruna she opted to sail under jury rig to the mast in Cowes.
The jury rig was built from the boom and the spinnaker pole using existing lines and blocks and they hoisted laser sails.
Errislannan is now safely in Cowes Yacht Haven awaiting her mast.
Launchings
Click on images to enlarge.
Following development of a completely new interior design, the new Rondar trial boat is now on the water and sailing. The hull form is unchanged, but the new interior offers self draining and a more ergonomic layout. The new Squib will be on the water and on trials with the class during the winter months.
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Concubine, the first of the latest PCT 45 IRC racing design from Premier Composite Technologies in Dubai was launched in Adelaide. She is planning an extensive season of racing both inshore and offshore, which suits the designs strengths.
"The PCT 45 is intended to be a very flexible platform" stated designer Mark Mills "to allow moding for the requirements of different clients, or between two different condition sets a boat may compete in".
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British company Vantage Catamarans - comprised of the Nigel Irens Design and Christophe Chedal Anglay teams - has recently revealed their latest unique catamaran design. Measuring 27.91 metres, she has been designed for a British owner who intends to use the vessel to reach some of the world's most remote locations, where he will use a motorbike to explore new areas.
To ensure this dream is realised, she will host an expansive toy locker specifically commissioned for her owner. The locker is capable of housing two motorbikes, and can also be utilised for toys and tenders. Furthermore, an alternative function for the space as an additional cabin is also offered.
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Infiniti Performance Yachts has entered into agreement with McConaghy Boats to build its Dynamic Stability System (DSS)-equipped Infiniti 46 and Infiniti 53 semi-custom racing yachts.
Both the Infiniti 46 and 53 are fitted with patented DSS lateral foils. When deployed to leeward, a DSS foil provides vertical lift, dramatically increasing the boat's righting moment and power. This 'turbo charger' is dynamic - the stronger the wind, the faster the yacht (and its DSS foil) travel through the water, and as a result, the more lift and stability the foil generates. This is what gives a DSS-equipped yacht such impressive performance. It also reduces heel and pitching, making for a smoother and subsequently more efficient ride.
In lighter winds the DSS foil is simply retracted into the hull, leaving a slender, easily-driven hull form.
Fitted with the very latest DSS foils, the Quant 23 'flying' scow, was recently voted European Yacht of the Year 2016.
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The Perini Navi Group announced the mast stepping and launch of hull C.2130, sister ship to the award-winning P2 launched in 2008.
The mast itself is a 51.4m carbon fibre design, which will combine with a 14m furling boom and composite standing rigging for a sail plan surface area that exceeds 1,870sqm. The yacht will be christened S/Y Dahlak.
With exterior styling by Philippe Briand and the build carried out entirely at the Perini Navi Group's Picchiotti shipyard in La Spezia, the sloop is designed to be effortlessly fast and takes her name from the Red Sea archipelago where her owner sailed as a boy.
Dahlak and P2 share the same rig configuration and basic naval architecture, including a near-vertical bow and a high-aspect ratio sail plan for fast upwind sailing. The key differences lie in construction. Where P2 had a composite superstructure, Dahlak has an all-sealium aluminium alloy build. This lightweight build and the use of composite components will deliver a displacement of 162tonnes, slightly up on P2's stated 151tonnes.
Featured Brokerage
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2004 McConaghy Custom Racer. 1,500,000 USD. Located in Annapolis, MD United States.
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.
In late 2011, her present owner bought her and shipped her to Asia where she has had a complete refit with her transom extended, her forward rudder removed and new dagger boards installed. Along with all new sails in 2014, she has dominated the races she has competed in, being first to finish and breaking several long standing race records through out Asia.
Contact Please contact William Jenkins at 410-267-9419
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2008 Swan Club 42. 349,000 USD. Located in FL, United States.
VITESSE is now for sale and our latest central listing. She is hull # 40, of the iconic Swan 42 class and she is with out a doubt, one of the very best. Since her launching, she has only competed in select regattas and with that, has much less time on her gear than any of her 50 plus sister ships.
In between her one or two regattas a year that she sailed, the boat has always been stored indoors and has always had a full time Captain. The word impeccable comes to mind when one inspects her. Full suit of Quantum sails, with many having very limited time, full electronics, and her bottom and foils have been faired and painted perfectly. No expense has been spared and she is ready for new horizons either in the class or under IRC here in the States or join her other sisterships in dominating under ORC in Europe.
Contact
Please contact William Jenkins at 410-267-9419
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1996 Eric Goetz Maxi 80. 395000 EUR. Located in Kiel, Germany.
One of the original Iconic Maxi yachts is now available.
She was originally built as the world famous 'Boomerang' under an IMS rating rule. Then converted to life in the Maxi fleet where she achieved first class honours for many years on the circuit.
Still maintained to the highest of quality, this is a really attractive all round proposition and offers a truly huge amount of bang for your buck!!
Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Port Hamble
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
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