Scuttlebutt Europe #1950

Brought to you by Boats.com Europe, Yachtworld.com Europe, 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

Thomas Ruyant Winner of the Transat 6.50 Second Leg
Photo by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com. Click on image for photo gallery.

Thomas Ruyant (Faber France) has just cut the line of the second leg of The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50. His journey between Funchal and Bahia was 18 days 20 hours and 16 minutes long at a speed of 6.92 knots on average.

He was 3h 00 min 35 sec behind Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre durablement) in Funchal. At the finish top in Salvador de Bahia, Thomas was 43 miles ahead of Bertrand Delesne. At this time, and before the arrival of his opponent, Thomas Ruyant might be the winner of The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 2009 as well.

His time over the two legs is 24 days 23 hours and 38 minutes at an average speed of 7.14 knots.

Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre Durablement) was the second Proto to cross. His journey between Funchal and Bahia iwas 19 days 00 hours 45 minutes and 23 secondes long at speed of 6.85 knots on average.

His cumulative time over the two legs is 25 days 01 hours and 06 minutes and 44 seconds at an average speed of 7.12 knots.

Henri-Paul Schipman (Maisons de l'Avenir Urbatys) was third, crossing the finish line at almost 6 pm. He was beaten on the line by Bertrand Delesne by just 27 seconds!

His journey between Funchal and Bahia was 19 days 00 hours 46 minutes and 10 seconds long at a speed of 6.85 knots on average.

He was 2 hours 18 min 52 sec behind Bertrand Delesne (Entreprendre Durablement) to Funchal.

His cumulative time over the two legs is 25 days 03 hours and 26 minutes at an average speed of 7.09 knots.

Rankings at 2300 UTC 22 October:

Series:
1. Charlie Dalin, charliedalin.com, 184 nm to finish
2. Ricardo Apolloni, maaVie pour MAPEI, 264
3. Francisco LObato, ROFF TMN, 289
4. Giancarlo Pedote, Prysmian, 304
5. Xavier Macaire, Masoco Bay, 306

Protos:
1. Thomas Ruyant, Faber France, Finished
2. Bertrand Delesne, Entreprendre Durablement, Finished
3. Henri Paul Schipman, Mainson de L'Avenir Urbatys, Finished
4. Stephane Lediraison, Cultisol - Marins Sans Frontieres, Finished
5. Francois Cuinet, PLAN Jardin, Finished

www.transat650.org

Solidaire Du Chocolat Nantes / Saint-Nazaire - Yucatan
A highly perturbed situation with a string of lows quite far south is kicking up violent winds in latitudes where at this time of year things are generally much more calm. As each day goes by, the crossing of the Atlantic over to Mexico gets a little tougher. The fleet went through a rough storm yet again last night and the Atlantic horizon is still not clear. On the agenda, head winds and nothing but for the leaders (Cheminees Poujoulat, Mistral Loisirs - Pole sante Elior, Initiatives-Novedia, Cargill MTTM and Telecom Italia). Others are trying to wangle their way out of this situation by heading south. Axa Atout Cœur pour Aides and Adriatech have set out in search of the sun and some downwind sailing.

The North Atlantic High is nowhere to be seen. Desperately seeking this downwind flow to push them onwards, the sailors of the Solidaire du Chocolat search in vain. It has clearly given way to a low pressure system which is generating a succession of fronts and conditions which are not abnormal but which are sufficiently exceptional to the standard approach and make sailing complex and difficult. In this weather set, most teams have resigned to heading north-west a long way from surfing conditions, fine weather and pleasant sailing.

In what are truly unpleasant conditions, at the mercy of fronts, the 18 teams are having to keep a low profile. Battling away head to wind, they are waiting for better days to come. Having made it through a second spot of very bad weather, the effects of the conditions are evident. At 14h, the leaders were closing in on one another. All set on similar tracks, Jourdren - Stamm (Cheminees Poujoulat) and Bouchard - Krauss (Mistral Loisirs-Pole Sante Elior) are giving it all they've got in an intense duel. Conditions are more manageable. They are just six miles apart. De Lamotte - Hardy (Initiatives-Novedia), slightly offset to the south, they are sailing fast, closing in the distance all the time, currently 15 miles from the leader. Also up in the top teams are Soldini and D'Ali. After having gone over far west at the height of the storm, the Italians are almost 60 miles further downfield and must not be overlooked. Fortissimo, Telecom Italia is already 4th.

First 5 boats at 14 H (FR time)

1. Cheminees Poujoulat, Bruno Jourdren / Bernard Stamm, 4342.05 miles to finish
2. Mistral Loisirs - Pole Sante Elior, Thierry Bouchard / Oliver Krauss, 5.46 miles to leader
3. Initiatives - Novedia, Tanguy De Lamotte / Adrien Hardy, 14.73
4. Telecom Italia, Giovanni Soldini / Pietro D'Ali, 58.15
5. Cargill-MTTM, Damien Seguin / Armel Tripon, 65.92

www.lasolidaireduchocolat.com

Make Your Sails Last
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Contact a local loft and visit www.ullmansails.com

Rolex Osprey Cup
We have just finished racing on day two of the Rolex Osprey Cup in St. Pete, FL. We had eight races today and won them all. To add to our record from yesterday, we are now 15-0, and leading the event half way through the second round robin.

This morning we wrapped up the first round robin with two good races against Anne-Claire Le Berre from France and Karin Hagstrom from Sweden. Once we finished that round, we completed two more races before we came in for lunch. After lunch, we had a great race with Gulia Conti from Italy. We had a close first beat after being about even off the line. We were on the left and she was on the right. We were slightly ahead up the beat, managing to leebow her the whole way and lead her into the mark. On a close downwind leg, we managed to retain the lead. On the second upwind leg, we again had some close tacks, but extended our lead by another boat length to hold on for the win. It was our closest race of the day, and a great way to re-establish the flow after lunch.

The next three races were held in changing winds. The wind was increasing for some of the time and decreasing at other times, which made for challenging and choppy conditions. It was a fun day, that kept everyone on their toes. We also saw some sea life between races today, including a couple of hammerhead sharks.

Tomorrow we will finish the last three races of the second round robin before we advance on to the next round. Full results weren't available at time of press. -- Anna Tunnicliffe, www.annatunnicliffe.com

Final Call For Yachting Awards Nominations
Nominations for the prestigious yachting awards - the 2009 YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards - will close on Friday 6 November 2009.

To nominate a candidate/s who you feel should be recognised for their achievement/s during the 2009 season, simply go to www.yja.co.uk download and complete a nomination form, and return it to: YJA Secretary Rachel Nuding. 36 Church Lane, Lymington SO41 3RB.

Nominations can range from well-known figures in the yachting or power boating world, to commendable members of local yacht and sailing clubs who've notched up phenomenal wins or achievements, demonstrated sporting excellence, overcome adversity, or shown exceptional bravery and courage.

This year's YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year Award will be and presented at Trinity House on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The YJA Pantaenius Young Sailor of the Year Award will be presented at ExCel Boat Show on 9 January 2010.

For more details telephone Rachel Nuding on: +44 (0)1590 673894 or email: \n

Black Swan Racing Wins Bentley Geneva Match Race
Having reached the semi final stage of the competition ranked in 3rd place we raced French Veteran and Americas Cup sailor Bertrand Pace in the best of 5 semi-finals. As we sailed out onto Lake Geneva conditions seemed light however a steady 12-18 knot northeast breeze built in for the start of racing.

Going into the last race we had the momentum. We pulled off a great start, crossing Pace on the start line on port tack. From this position we worked the right side of the course to hold off the fast finishing French and take our place in the final.

Going into the best of 3 final against Steffan Lindberg of Finland we were very confident. Our first race featured a big collision between the two yachts as we hit Lindberg during the pre-start manoeuvring. Lindberg was given the penalty however our boat was taking on water. Luckily we started ahead and managed to nurse the boat around the course and take race 1. Because of the damage the umpires conducted a race hearing, they deducted Lindberg a full point for damage whilst we were given some blame for the incident and given a half point deduction. This meant we needed 1 more win from 2 races to take the title.

Again we started well leading off the line. Despite Lindberg's best efforts to get into the race we kept control and finished with a comfortable lead winning the 2009 Bentley Geneva Match Race. -- Black Swan Racing

Final Results

1. Keith Swinton (AUS)
2. Steffan Lindberg (FIN)
3. Bertrand Pace (FRA)
4. Jerome Clerc (SUI)
5. Alexis Littoz (FRA)
6. Eric Monnin (SUI)
7. Prezemeck Tarnacki (POL)
8. David Chapman (AUS)
9. John Sheedy (IRL)
10. Jure Orel (SLO)

www.blackswanracing.blogspot.com

Seahorse December 2009
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

Tools for the task... we sent Blue Robinson down to perform his role of serial inquisitor with the more often rather less forthcoming Greg Waters of Central Coast Hydraulics, to find out more about the contrasts between the best of the Volvo 70 keel canting systems used in the 2008/09 round the world race as well as some of the new maxi, maxi gear that Waters has in his rather luscious and exotic development pipeline...

Something different... a new commission for successful offshore racer and skiff and dinghy designer Phil Morrison? Presumably it's driven by sail and will be clever and fast... Like the curate's egg, right in parts. Actually, Phil's latest ocean racing design will only feature any sail area in the direst of emergencies... but it should still move pretty quickly if Admiral's Cup sailor turned hopeful transatlantic oarsman Charlie Pitcher eats his greens as he's been told to.

PLUS: Terry Hutchinson diary, Mini Maxi analysis, GP42 and TP52 world championships, Southern Spars profile, Volvo Ocean Race communications, Bermuda Gold Cup and Voiles de St Tropez reports, interviews... and imagery!

If you haven't subscribed to Seahorse already we're keen to help you attend to that! - Please use the following promotional link and enjoy the hefty Scuttlebutt Europe discount... and it gets even better for 2 and 3 year subscriptions...

www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/

Australia's Tall Ships Meet off the Coast of Perth
Click on image to enlarge.

There were lots of sails showing off the West Australian coastline this week when the sail training ship the Young Endeavour and the Leeuwin II put on a great display for residents of Perth and Fremantle. They raced together over a sixteen nautical mile course.

The ships sailed north along the coast before heading out to sea, then turning and racing to the finish line outside Fremantle Harbour.

The Sydney-based Young Endeavour is visiting Western Australia for the first time since 2001 as part of a circumnavigation of Australia. The ship arrived at Fremantle on Wednesday crewed by 24 young Australians from around the country.

During their eleven day voyage these young Australians have learned the skills to successfully sail a squarerigged ship, taking command of Young Endeavour and sailing her along the Western Australian coast. They have participated in sail handling, working aloft and ship watch keeping, as well as helm and navigation activities, maintaining lookout, and assisting the chef.

Since 1988 the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme, in partnership with the Royal Australian Navy, has provided challenging training voyages for over 11,000 young Australians in the tall ship Young Endeavour.

www.youngendeavour.gov.au

From Sail-World.com: www.sail-world.com

Baltic Sprint Cup 2010 and the Future
SAIL & RACE offers an excellent opportunity to join the Baltic Sprint Cup, an established world-class sailing event as a major or principal or title-partner.

With five years' experience SAIL & RACE and the Baltic Sprint Cup have written a remarkable success story in bringing the event to ports and cities around the Baltic Sea, fulfilling the objectives to encourage and develop sporting and cultural links between the Baltic countries building on the traditions of trade and commerce in a spirit of fair play.

Exactly one year ago the main partner was forced without warning by the banking crisis to leave the event. But SAIL & RACE was convinced of the value of the event and with the encouragement and support of several smaller companies, yacht owners and others, delivered the successful 5th event in July 2009. Their optimism was shared by enthusiastic local sponsorship and support at each stopover port. SAIL & RACE is now ready to welcome a new main partner.

"The event has constantly been developing. New ideas tried, and every year a new course created, whilst the core values have remained the same", said Event Director Henning Rocholl. "Since the second event an improved schedule was followed which fits into two weeks starting at the beginning of the North German school holidays from where 85%of our present clients, the yacht owners, come. We look forward to bringing in more owners from other countries. Always open-minded, we made a trial in 2006 with a course from as far north as Stavanger but post-event analysis showed that the real attraction is the inclusion of the new EU-countries and the Baltic States, unreachable for so long because of the political divide".

Race Director Alan Green continued. "We are proud to have built first-class relations with the authorities and local sailing interests in every port we have visited - now numbering 21. Our reputation has led to other ports applying to host the fleet in the future ‑ also by tourism reasons. To be eligible, a port must satisfy practical considerations including the ability to host a fleet of 50-60 yachts of 30 to 86 feet LOA and up to 4 mtr. draft with 400-450 crew members".

"In the case of a positive decision for 2010 the event will start around mid-July at a time convenient for yachts which participate in the annual Gotland Runt Race and in an easily reachable distance from Sandhamn", said Rocholl.

How can you become an event partner?

"Please contact the management group of SAIL & RACE, either in London (Alan Green, \n  ) or in Hamburg (Henning Rocholl, \n  ).

About the history of the Baltic Sprint Cup: www.balticsprintcup.com/830.0.html
About SAIL & RACE: www.sailrace.org/93.0.html

Letters To The Editor - \n 
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 Piet van Oossanen: re: Ben Lexcen / Winglets, etc...

We which to draw your attention to new documents uploaded to www.oossanen.nl/a2

* From Rees Martin: After a very successful Six Metre World Championships in Newport R.I. it is clear that Classics Sixes are still being found and restored . Several were converted for cruising in the 1920s; some raced in the Solent as Q Class yachts. I suspect there are examples where the owner may not even know they are 6 Metres. Uffa Fox wrote enthusiastically about several - at least two of which have disappeared.

Could I ask your readers if they own or know of any Sixes sitting under wraps, being cruised or lying derelict in a yard? The Class has extensive records of all the Sixes built and most have been identified however there are several important examples still to be found and bought back to race again!

Editor: Write to Rees at \n

* From Gordon Davies: The Devoti One is the boat "that changes everything". However, the class proposes to modify the Racing Rules to ensure " Limited intervention by judges and umpires (they can only act on the protest of another competitor. If a competitor initiates a protest and loses, he is disqualified".

This statement raises more question than it answers. What problem is this initiative intended to fix? Does this mean that neither the Race Committee or the Jury can protest a boat that does not sail the required course? If umpires are not on the water rule 42 is unlikely to be policed and the Devoti 1 will become the platform for the first World Seated Air-Rowing Championships! At present the intervention of judges and umpires is clearly defined in the rules and in guidelines published in the ISAF Judges Manuel. Protests are usually initiated by the competitors. Most race officials are extremely reluctant to initiate a protest, but will do so in exceptional circumstances. Furthermore, many sailors appear to enjoy events were umpires on the water give immediate judgements

If there are good reasons to remove or further limit the right of race officials to initiate a protest it would be of general interest to present them to Scuttlebutt readers.

As for the second suggestion I believe that a competitor with a genuine grievance should not be penalised for submitting the incident to a protest committee, even if the result is not a penalty on one or other boat. If there is doubt as to the application of the rules the proper place to deal with the question is within the protest procedure. It may well be that many incidents can be resolved by less ponderous procedures than a full hearing, which is why arbitration is increasingly popular.

Protest procedures are intended to ensure that justice is done, and seen to be done. Ultimately, the rules, protests, judges and umpires are there to ensure fair sailing and protect competitors. Placing unnecessary obstacles in the path of due process would only reduce the level of protection offered. Do we really want to go back to the days when it was necessary to hit another boat in order to "win" a protest?

In addition, if a competitor initiates a vexatious protest, and especially if this is repeated, a protest committee already has means to address the problem. Rule 2 "Fair Sailing", and in extreme cases Rule 69 "Gross Misconduct" provide ample scope for dealing with this.

* From David Pelly: Correct me if I am wrong but I am under the impression that Bergstrom & Ridder designed the swept-back spreader rig that is practically universal on racing boats these days. I am aware that some Kiwis think it was developed down there but I think it was B & R up there in Sweden! Their stroke of genius was to see the mast/spreader combination as a beam, rather than a pole held up by wires. I no longer have a full library of Yachting World but I seem to recall that we published the design of a yacht built in Plymouth (before the Sigmas) in the mid-1970s that had this rig. Clever guys if they also designed winglets for keels and aircraft. I wonder if Boeing and Airbus pay their estates a royalty!

* From Hal Andrews, Greenwich Yacht Club: Regarding Stuart Roys plans for the celebration of the race between the Prince of Wales and his brother the Duke of York, I would like to mention that the Greenwich Yacht Club (not a royal club) has an annual Duke of York Cup race to Gravesend and back which commemorates this event. It is an open event, sailed by boats from the various Thames clubs. But by all means have a pro event with all the razzmatazz, if that is more appropriate? Don't forget the "sumptuous" lunch stop at Gravesend, and if the Prince of Wales is on board he should surely be allowed to win!

* From: re: Royal Race to celebrate 350 years of yacht racing... A great idea, but I doubt the press would let it work. Can you imagine the howls of glee and contempt that would ensue if (say) Prince Andrew were to collide with a spectator boat or run aground. My own club has a 'royal' prefix and it is perceived as a major disincentive to new members. Surely it is too posh, snobby or whatever? - and we can't get grants for anything for the same reason. Actually it is not posh, or particularly snobby but such is the inverted snobbery that pervades much of public life that we are constantly on the wrong end of village gossip and innuendo.

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The Last Word
The client is not always right. -- Enzo Ferrari

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Scuttlebutt Europe #1950 - 23 October