In This Issue
America's Cup Opening Day Postponed Until Saturday 27th May | The Storm Trysail Club - Key West Race Week 2018 | Rambler 88 joins 140 Yacht Fleet at RORC Myth of Malham Race | MetreFest | What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine | Ludde Ingvall's European Tour With CQS | The Duke of Edinburgh loans Overall Trophy for the new Triple Crown Series at Cowes Week | Industry News | Featured Brokerage

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

America's Cup Opening Day Postponed Until Saturday 27th May
The America's Cup Event Authority (ACEA), and America's Cup Race Management (ACRM), have announced that the strong winds in Bermuda have meant that day one of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup Qualifiers and the Official Opening Ceremony of the 35th America's Cup have had to be postponed.

Forecasts indicate that winds may gust over 30 knots during the afternoon and evening, so with the safety of the sailors and spectators as the key priority, ACEA and ACRM have decided to postpone Friday's events. Saturday 27th May and the days following are all forecast to have significantly improved weather conditions, so the four races scheduled to take place on Friday 26th May will now be added to the race schedules for the subsequent days.

The Official Opening Ceremony of the 35th America's Cup will now take place on Saturday 27th May, starting at 8.30pm, following the three time Grammy Award winning entertainer Wyclef Jean's performance on the Main Stage in the America's Cup Village which starts at 5.15pm. The America's Cup Village will close at 9.30pm. Gates open at 11.30am on Saturday 27th May, with racing due to take place between 2pm and 5pm.

Schedule:
www.americascup.com/en/ac35-schedule.html

The Storm Trysail Club - Key West Race Week 2018
Larchmont, N.Y.: After extensive discussion and deliberation the Storm Trysail Club has decided not to organize and hold Key West Race Week in January 2018. Many factors led to this difficult decision. The bottom line is that with declining participation, the event has become heavily dependent upon sponsorship making the event unsustainable in its current format. Our primary sponsors remain very supportive and the Storm Trysail Club is committed to exploring alternative formats for the future that address changing conditions in our sport. The club anticipates that this could lead to another edition as soon as 2019.

The Storm Trysail Club wishes to thank especially Quantum Sails (the title sponsor for the last six years) as well as the city and community of Key West for their gracious hospitality and help in underwriting this event, which has spanned the last 30 years. Many thanks as well to all our other sponsors, supporters and past participants for their support of the event and of the sport of sailing. Most importantly we wish to thank the countless volunteers, Storm Trysail Club members and others who made Key West Race Week possible and produced a world-class event.

Leonard Sitar
Commodore Storm Trysail Club

John Fisher
Quantum Key West Race Week Event Chairman - 2016 & 2017

keywestraceweek.com
stormtrysail.org

Rambler 88 joins 140 Yacht Fleet at RORC Myth of Malham Race
Saturday 26th May, 2017
Cowes - Eddystone - Solent (256 Miles)

Over one hundred and forty yachts, representing nine different countries, have entered the RORC Myth of Malham Race, the largest RORC fleet to race since the 2015 Rolex Fastnet Race. The Myth of Malham Race starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line, Cowes with the first mark at the Eddystone Lighthouse, off Plymouth. In essence the first 130 miles of the race mirrors the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race, with tactical and strategic decisions to be made along the tidal headlands of the south coast of England.

The RORC fleet is as diverse as it is sizeable with world record breaking offshore yachts, racing against Corinthian Two-Handed teams, production racer cruisers and just about everything in between. The race also carries a points factor of 1.2, increasing its value for teams looking to stack up points for the RORC Season's Points Championship. Rambler 88 project manager Mick Harvey confirms that George David's American Maxi, Rambler 88, will be taking part in a full RORC programme, leading up to the 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race.

The smallest yacht taking part in the Myth of Malham will be Stuart Greenfield's Ron Holland Half Tonner, Silver Shamrock, racing Two Handed with co-skipper Nathan Steffenoni. Last year Silver Shamrock won the Two Handed Class and IRC 4 in the Myth of Malham Race.

A clutch of well sailed Class40 will be taking part in the Myth of Malham, including Harvard Mabire Campagne de France racing with Miranda Merron and Ronan de Kersauzon.

Spectators will get a great view of the fleet from The Green at Cowes or vantage points at the Hurst Narrows. For full details of how to follow the race on-line, visit: www.rorc.org

MetreFest
Newport, RI: With just 3 weeks to go before the first start, sailors from Annapolis to Ottawa, Concord to Cambridge and Seattle to Sarasota are set to converge at Newport MetreFest 2017, an exciting new regatta for International Rule sailing yachts including 2.4mR, 6mR, 8mR and 12mRs.

From the single-handed 2.4mRs at just over 13 feet long to the majestic 12mRs ranging from 64-70 feet in length raced by crews of 17 sailors - these former and present-day Olympic and America's Cup development classes will hold center stage at New York Yacht Club's 163rd Annual Regatta from June 9-11. MetreFest also has the distinction of being the first North American regatta of the International Twelve Metre Association's Road to the Worlds Waypoints Series, a three-year International 12mR competition culminating with the 2019 12mR World Championship in Newport, RI.

The historic gathering at MetreFest will include past and present champions from each of their respective classes. Four of the ten anticipated 12mR entries are America's Cup winners-- Weatherly, US-17 (1962), Intrepid, US-22 (1967 & 1970), Courageous, US-26 (1974, 1977) and Freedom US-30 (1980). Also competing are American Eagle US-21, made famous by Ted Turner as a winning ocean-racer, Ted Hood's innovative Nefertiti, US-19 and two of the three infamous Kiwi 'plastic fantastics', New Zealand, KZ-3 and Laura, KZ-5 round out the 12mR fleet. Additionally, much anticipation surrounds the return-to-racing debut of 2016 12mR North American Champion; Dennis Williams' newly restored Defender, US-33.

A very competitive 6mR fleet will be comprised primarily of classic designs including SYCE, US-14 (1922), Madcap, US-21 (1924), Clytie II, US-33 (1927), Lucie, US-55 (1931), Flapper, N-17 (1939) and Newport's own Cherokee US-53 (1930/2009). Discovery, USA-109 (1978) represents modern era Sixes.

MetreFest is also very proud to host fourteen of the Paralympics 2.4mR class boats racing on their own circle, supported by Ida Lewis Yacht Club

metrefest.com

Seahorse June 2017
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

Update
Luca Devoti does not wholly agree with Hutchinson worries the America's Cup is being turned into just another regatta and Jack Griffin tries (hard) to explain what is about to happen with the scoresheets in Bermuda!

(Taking it) in the right order
With the launch of the ClubSwan50, Nautor has rewritten the book on how to ensure the best possible one-design racing with a new offshore class

A bad mix - wolves and sheep
Which is why we must work hard to keep them apart. Rob Weiland

Flying fever
Mini sailing (flying) at 28 knots, anyone? Frederic Augendre jumped at the invitation...

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Ludde Ingvall's European Tour With CQS
London, U.K: Ludde Ingvall's distinctive super maxi CQS has arrived in European waters for a summer tour of races in places as divergent as Finland and Malta. The 98 foot boat, with which Ludde contested last year's Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race, will leave Gosport, England, in the next few days for a delivery trip to Helsinki.

While in the Finnish capital, where the skipper grew up, CQS will contest the Alandia Surrsaari Race, a 168 nautical mile dash around Surrsaari Island, starting 9th June, a race for which he hold the course record, and has presented the trophy for first monohull, in honour of his late father.

From there the boat will travel to Stockholm to take part in the Gotland Runt, a 350 nautical mile race around Gotland, one of the classics of the northern European summer, which starts 2nd July.

CQS will then return to England where she will again be based in Gosport, and will compete in three of England's premier sailing events, the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Channel Race, Cowes Week, and the Rolex Fastnet Race.

The Channel Race, which starts 22nd July is a short, 160 nautical mile, sprint around the English Channel, starting from Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

During the world famous Cowes Week regatta, CQS will join other maxi yachts in a three race "Triple Crown" series of races around the Solent.

The final event in the English part of the European Tour will be the Rolex Fastnet Race, the 605 nautical mile classic race from Cowes around the Fastnet Rock off the south west coast of Ireland, and back to finish in Plymouth. This is a race he was won in the past.

Ludde and the CQS team will finish their European Tour in the Mediterranean, taking part in Trieste's Barcolana Race, and Malta's Middle Seas Race. -- John Roberson

www.bigboatracing.com
www.facebook.com/cqsracing/

The Duke of Edinburgh loans Overall Trophy for the new Triple Crown Series at Cowes Week
Cowes Week Ltd, organisers of the world's best-known sailing regatta and highlight of the British Sporting Summer, is delighted to announce a new trophy for the new Sevenstar Triple Crown series at Cowes Week. The new trophy will be awarded to the overall winner of the Sevenstar Triple Crown. Loaned by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the trophy will be named the Duke of Edinburgh Triple Crown Trophy.

Cowes Week has few supporters as prestigious and as passionate about sailing as The Duke of Edinburgh, who famously owned a Dragon class boat named Bluebottle, given to him and the then Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present, which he once regularly raced at the regatta. He has also competed on his Flying Fifteen Coweslip and sailed on the yacht Yeoman. The Duke of Edinburgh was instrumental in setting up Cowes Combined Clubs, the body made up of 9 clubs responsible for coordinating the racing today.

The new Duke of Edinburgh Triple Crown Trophy has been kindly loaned from the Royal Collection, and will be awarded to the overall winner of the Sevenstar Triple Crown at a prizegiving ceremony at the Royal Yacht Squadron.

This trophy is the latest illustrious addition to the Sevenstar Triple Crown, which will also see the awarding of The Queen's Cup, The King George V International Cup and the Royal Yacht Squadron's King's Cup 1920, which will be awarded to the three winners of each of the Sevenstar Triple Crown classes.

The Sevenstar Triple Crown at Cowes Week is a new initiative for 2017. A regatta within a regatta, the series is open to large IRC rated racing boats up to 36m LOA. Three classes will compete: Maxi-Racer Class; Cruiser-Racer Class (both with a minimum TCC of 1.500) and an Ocean-Racer Class (minimum TCC of 1.400). The series will take place on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of Cowes Week, with the Wednesday race being designated an Around the Island Race

This year's regatta takes place 29th July-5th August. Entries for the Sevenstar Triple Crown are being taken online.

cowesweek.co.uk

Industry News
British manufacturer of world leading leisure marine rope and rigging, Marlow Ropes, is an official supplier to Land Rover BAR - the British Challenger for the prestigious America's Cup trophy.

Marlow's technical and R & D team has worked with the rigging department within Land Rover BAR to develop the bespoke and highly customised rigging needed to race the latest generation of foiling ACC (Americas Cup Class) boats in the world's oldest international sporting trophy - a race of the world's best sailors on the fastest boats.

Land Rover BAR is skippered by Sir Ben Ainslie, whose relationship with Marlow stretches back many years from its key partnerships with competitive British sailing and Sir Ben's Olympic successes - winning four Olympic Gold medals for Great Britain.

Marlow Ropes is focused on the technical development of leisure marine ropes from dinghies to super yachts and particularly service high-speed sailing with our MGP (Marlow Grand Prix) range. Now the brand will again be featured in the heart of the most spectacular sailing competition in the world.

Marlow's history in world class rope manufacture dates back over 200 years, and has earned its reputation as one of the world's premier manufacturers of performance yacht ropes.

www.marlowropes.com

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Volvo Penta will again be an official supplier to the Volvo Ocean Race in 2017-18 - the sixth edition that the round-the-world fleet has used Volvo Penta engines to provide vital communications and safety functions on board

Designed to withstand the toughest conditions on Earth, the Volvo Penta D2-75 with Saildrive engines completed their first lap of the planet in the 2014-15 edition as an essential part of the One Design Volvo Ocean 65 boat.

In the next edition, starting 22 October, Volvo Penta will provide hands-on technical expertise 24/7 to the race teams as the fleet prepares to race three times more Southern Ocean miles than in recent editions.

Although the use of engines as a primary propulsion source is prohibited during racing, the D2-75 engine is a key part of life onboard - powering the boat's total demand for electricity for computers, navigation equipment, lights and communications units.

Additionally, the engine onboard provides power to the batteries to run the water maker, supplies power to the hydraulic system for the canting keel and is a potentially lifesaving instrument in case of an emergency situation.

volvooceanrace.com

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Henri Lloyd has today announced their commitment to supporting this year's SB20 World Championships, being hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes this August as the Official Technical Clothing Partner.

The partnership will see competitors benefiting from an exclusive Henri Lloyd Privilege Club that will be available to all competing members. The organising team behind the World Championships will also benefit from the partnership through the provision of the latest in Henri Lloyd technical apparel.

As the official Technical Clothing Partner, Henri Lloyd will provide the opportunity for competing crews to purchase exclusive SB20 World Championship branded apparel at the Henri Lloyd store in Cowes over the course of the event.

www.henrilloyd.com

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The Hudson Yacht Group (HYG), builders of HH Catamarans, Jaguar Catamarans and Hudson Powercats, has announced that they are discontinuing the Jaguar Catamaran International brand.

"HYG is now using the international name Hudson Powercats for all future builds and this is to create consistent branding across global markets whilst maintaining their focus on excellence, delivering clients incredible performance, livability and safety at sea," the company said in a statement.

The brand renaming, HYG says, is part of Hudson Yacht Group's continuing evolution and expansion, having acquired Jaguar Catamarans in late October 2015, and bringing them into their growing yacht construction company.

"As to the HH55 catamaran, HH55-01 'Minnehaha' has been delivered to her US owner. HH55 #2 and #3 are currently in production and we are hoping to debut HH55-02 – building for a UK owner – at this year's Cannes boat show."

HH Catamarans announced back in January their newest design, the HH48. They are working closely with Morrelli & Melvin Design and Engineering Inc to finalise design with a view to beginning production very soon.

plus.ibinews.com

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