In This Issue
The Pensacola Yacht Club, and St. Thomas Yacht Club named the World's Favourite Yachting Bars | Vestas 11th Hour Racing leads fleet away from Melbourne | Team AkzoNobel returns to full competitive trim for Volvo Ocean Race Leg 4 | What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine | Just call him Sir Bruce | ACO 9th MUSTO Skiff World Championship | For the Record | 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

The Pensacola Yacht Club, and St. Thomas Yacht Club named the World's Favourite Yachting Bars
At right: Pensacola YC. Below: St Thomas staff. Click on images to enlarge.

London, England: The 2017 World's Favourite Yachting Bar competition was indeed special this year, with two categories - the Caribbean group was set up to honour the bars that were hard hit by the hurricanes Irma, Maria and Jose, and the 'Best Elsewhere' bars.

The crews at Wight Vodka and Scuttlebutt Europe, are proud to announce that The Pensacola Yacht Club Grill Room Bar and the St. Thomas Yacht Club were both crowned the World's Favourite Yachting Bar!

Talbot Wilson from the Pensacola YC commented: "We are so excited to join the honour role of Wight vodka Best Yachting Bars. Since our founding in 1908, Pensacola YC has been known for our hospitality and our frozen Bushwacker is a special treat. In addition to having the best yachting bar, we have many local, coastal events, international offshore races and national and international one design events." The Announcement was made at the club's NYE party and the bar manager and bartender got well deserved standing ovations!

Margo Lynch and Carol Bareuther at the St. Thomas Yacht Club were so happy to hear the news they won the Caribbean Best Bar Award. "This recognition is especially dear to us considering the devastation we experienced from the two Cat 5 hurricanes in September. The day after voting ended for this competition, the St. Thomas Yacht Club regained regular power for the first time since September 6! Lack of power didn't stop us from sailing. Our juniors especially where right back at practice just weeks after the storm. We are especially pleased to help benefit Sail Aid UK as part of this competition as many of our decades long friends and fellow sailors live in neighboring islands such as the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten, which were hard hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria and are benefited by this fund.'

Dan Hiza, co-owner of 50° North, the company behind Wight Vodka, said "The Best Yachting Bar completion is always the highlight of the year for us, and this year we decided to support SailAid UK their efforts to raise funds to help rebuild the sailing communities in the Caribbean. As always, competition was heated, with votes coming from all over the world. The shortlisted Caribbean bars that went to vote, were the ever-popular and loved Foxy's, Soggy Dollar Bar, St. Maarten YC, Willy T's and Windward Mark at the Bitter End YC. Best Elsewhere, Clarke Cooke House in Newport, USA, The King and Queen, in UK, Peter's Cafe Sport, Royal Bermuda YC, and Salty Mike's in Charleston, USA were in the running against the Pensacola YC."

Dan continued "We look forward to meeting the amazing crews at all these bars over time and wish the St. Thomas YC and the Pensacola YC Grill Room Bar warm congratulations! Keep those vodka drinks flowing!"

Previous Winners:
2009 - Peter Cafe Sport in the Azores
2010 - Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke in the BVI
2011 - IYAC in Newport, USA
2012 - Sint Maarten Yacht Club
2013 - One Bar Playa Blanca in Lanzarote, Spain
2014 - King & Queen Pub in Hamble, UK
2015 - Plas Heli in Wales, UK and Pier View in Cowes, UK
2016 - Pewaukee Yacht Club in Pewaukee, USA

scuttlebutteurope.com/sailors-bars

Vestas 11th Hour Racing leads fleet away from Melbourne
Overall Volvo Ocean Race leader MAPFRE was at the head of the fleet off the starting line as the boats raced up Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay immediately after the start for Leg 4 to Hong Kong.

But it was a very close run affair, and four hours after the start, as the fleet battled a heavy sea state to clear the narrow entrance to the Bay, it was Vestas 11th Hour Racing leading the charge, with the Spanish boat close behind in second place and Team Brunel a tight third.

Leg 4 is a 6,000 nautical mile race up the east coast of Australia, into the Coral Sea and up north to Hong Kong, marking the first time the Volvo Ocean Race has visited the historic port.

Shortly after the leg start, the wind increased from 10 to near 20 knots with MAPFRE leading Vestas 11th Hour Racing, Team Brunel, Turn the Tide on Plastic and Dongfeng Race Team out towards the right hand side.

Meanwhile, team AkzoNobel and SHK/Scallywag split hard from the others towards the left. Early indications showed a slight advantage to MAPFRE with skipper Xabi Fernández initially in a favourable position after tacking back towards the turning mark near Mornington.

But Scallywag, perhaps benefitting from the local knowledge of Australian skipper David Witt and new crew member Grant Wharington, and Vestas 11th Hour Racing had soon joined the battle for the lead.

The Scallywags fell back at the turning mark however, leaving Vestas 11 Hour Racing, MAPFRE and Team Brunel neck and neck at the front. Dongfeng, recovering well after completing a penalty turn on the start line, were in fourth place.

For Vestas 11th Hour Racing it makes for an ideal start for new skipper Mark Towill, who has stepped into the role as a replacement on Leg 4 for Charlie Enright, who returned home to tend to a family medical emergency. For Towill and crew, the winners of Leg 1, this is an opportunity to put some pressure on race leader MAPFRE.

Positions at 1800 UTC January 3:

1. Team AkzoNobel, 5213.1 nm to leg finish
2. Vestas 11th Hour Racing, 2.4 nm to leader
3. MAPFRE, 2.7
4. Dongfeng Race Team, 5.1
5. Team Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag, 5.2
6. Team Brunel, 8.8
7. Turn the Tide on Plastic, 9.2

volvooceanrace.com

Team AkzoNobel returns to full competitive trim for Volvo Ocean Race Leg 4
Team AkzoNobel will start the fourth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race around the world in full competitive trim after successfully repairing damage to the team's mast and mainsail during a scheduled pit stop in Melbourne, Australia.

The damage happened in stormy conditions in the Southern Ocean on the fourth day of the race's third leg from Cape Town. Team AkzoNobel's crew of seven men and two women were able to effect temporary repairs but lost touch with the main fleet and arrived in Melbourne in seventh place.

The team's late arrival meant time was tight to carry out a full repair to the mast which had to be un-stepped from the boat at a local shipyard by staff from the Volvo Ocean Race's Boatyard shared services team and worked on around the clock by technicians from fleet mast manufacturer Southern Spars.

Happily, the repair work has gone smoothly and the team expect to be able to re-step the mast over the weekend followed by a test sail ahead of the Leg 4 start on Tuesday, January 2.

Team AkzoNobel has announced three scheduled crew changes for the 11,000-kilometer fourth stage from Melbourne to Hong Kong.

Luke Molloy (AUS) and Peter van Niekerk (NED) return to the crew after being rested for Leg 3, while French Figaro solo sailor Cecile Laguette joins the team AkzoNobel crew for the first time.

Justin Ferris (NZL), Alex Pella (ESP) and Emily Nagel (BER/GBR) will all be rested for Leg 4.

Newcomer Laguette (31) was a reserve crewmember for the all-women Team SCA entry in the 2014-15 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race when she also worked as a technician at the Volvo Ocean Race Boatyard.

Since then Laguette - who holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Naval Architecture from England's Southampton University and a Master of Engineering degree in Composite Materials from New Zealand's University of Auckland - has twice skippered her own solo campaign in France's highly competitive Solitaire du Figaro regatta circuit.

Team AkzoNobel crew list for Leg 4:
Simeon Tienpont (NED) - skipper
Brad Farrand (NZL)
Martine Grael (BRA)
Cecile Laguette (FRA)
Luke Molloy (AUS)
Chris Nicholson (AUS)
Jules Salter (GBR)
Nicolai Sehested (DEN)
Peter van Niekerk (NED)

Seahorse January 2018
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

Paul Cayard - Turning the ship around
Go USA! The all-important 'first' Olympic medal. Plus Project Pipeline is paying dividends...

IRC - One size does not fit all
A mainstream view from a grand prix expert. James Dadd

Design - Opening some very big doors
From the outside the boat just looks beautiful, but Gurit senior engineer Simon Everest looks at the challenges that were hidden away out of view

RORC - A (very) tough act to follow
Eddie Warden-Owen

Seahorse build table - And it's now on to Mark V!
Shaun Carkeek

Sailor of the Month
Two of the biggest guys in the sport... mes amis!

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Just call him Sir Bruce
Ottawa, Canada: Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, today announced 125 new appointments to the Order of Canada. Recipients will be invited to accept their insignia at a ceremony to be held at a later date.Among the honorees was Bruce Kirby, C.M. Of Ottawa, Ontario and Rowayton, Connecticut. The announcement read "For his contributions to the world of sailing, notably for his internationally acclaimed sailboat designs."

Created in 1967, the Order of Canada, is the country's highest civilian honor,and recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and have taken to heart the motto of the Order: DESIDERANTES MELIOREM PATRIAM ("They desire a better country"). Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada.

ACO 9th MUSTO Skiff World Championship
The Australian MUSTO Skiff Association is pleased to announce the Victorian State Government have agreed to support the ACO 9th MUSTO Skiff World Championship at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron. The sporting grant has been made available through the Significant Sporting Events in Victoria.

The event will be contested by some of Australia's best dinghy sailors, competing against sailors from nations including Great Britain, Germany, Holland, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Logistically, there is quite a challenge to get boats from around the World to one location and the Musto Skiff class are very grateful to Peters & May for their support. Steve Franklyn said "Peters & May Racing have over 30 years' experience within the industry, and understand that a first class service is key. Trusted by individuals, teams, crew and event personnel in the global racing circuit, the team are dedicated to working with clients every step of the way to get yachts of all classes to events safely and on time."

The class was established in Australia in 2007.

The MUSTO Skiff World Championship is held annually, and has visited many prestigious sailing centres in Mainland Europe, Great Britain and Australia.

Every 4 years the MUSTO Skiff World Championship is held in Australia, attracting competitors from around the World to compete.

www.bys.asn.au

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

Record: Singlehanded Around the World
Yacht: "MACIF" 30 metre Trimaran
Name: Francois Gabart. FRA
Dates:. 4th November to the 17th December 2017.
Start time: 09;05;00 on 04/11/17
Finish time: 01;45;35 on 17/12/17
Elapsed time: 42 days 16 hours 40 minutes and 35 seconds.
Distance: 21600 NM
Average speed: 21.08 kts

Comments: Previous record: Sodebo4. Thomas Coville FRA. Dec 16. 49d 3h 4m 28s

John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council

sailspeedrecords.com

Industry News
The London Boat Show takes place at the ExCel in London from Wednesday, 10 January 2018 until Sunday, 14 January 2018.

The Show will also host two other shows within the event: Bespoke London and the Boating and Watersports Holiday Show.

With YBW's exclusive code, you can buy 2 for1 tickets to the show which allows two tickets from £15 to use any one day between 10 - 14 January 2018. (Normal price £20 per person for advance Preview Day tickets and £15 per person for advance Standard Day tickets.).

To take advantage of this great offer, simply click here and enter code EPTOG8GMKP.

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One of the main partnerships for The Danish Sailing Team has just been announced. For the next four years Zhik will provide sailing apparel and technical equipment for the Danish international sailors. As part of the agreement, the Danish sailors will be directly involved with Zhik's R&D team, giving feedback and ideas regarding fabrics and technical details to meet the ever changing requirements of Olympic level sailing.

Zhik has been partner of The Danish Sailing Team since 2013, though at a smaller scale supplying technical equipment. The new agreement includes the whole range of apparel and becomes one of Zhik's main dinghy sailing sponsorships, alongside current agreements with prominent sailing nations of Australia and New Zealand.

Zhik are also official partners with World Sailing, the Extreme Sailing Series, plus the Dongfeng Race Team and team AkzoNobel which are currently racing in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017/18.

www.zhik.com

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Seldén Mast has unveiled its latest investment - a 41m enclosed paint booth which could possibly be the longest in the UK.

The Olympian 1000 Series from British company Todd Engineering represents a £200,000 investment by Seldén Mast to increase its efficiency and capacity when painting yacht and keelboat masts.

The new paint booth is 20m longer than any other booth that Todd engineering has built.

It is split into four individual booths of different lengths linked by a series of three leaf concertina doors allowing a mast of up to 100ft to be painted or smaller masts in different configurations to be painted at the same time.

To complete the mast painting process the booth has a cook cycle using recycled air, heating the booth to the correct temperature for the paint, up to a maximum of 86°C, increasing efficiency and reducing lead times.

www.boatingbusiness.com

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Ocean Safety to demonstrate safety equipment at February Open Day

Ocean Safety will be inviting yacht owners to familiarise themselves with their essential onboard safety equipment when the company opens its doors to customers at its Southampton depot on 3rd and 4th February 2018.

Ocean Safety Glasgow and Plymouth will run a similar event on Saturday 3rd February.

Hopefully you've never had to launch your liferaft or seen your lifejackets inflated, or even let off a fire extinguisher or flare. We all hope for drama-free boating, but it's worth being prepared, ready for coming spring.

You are invited to bring along your liferafts, lifejackets, and other serviceable onboard safety equipment to be checked by Ocean Safety's expert team. Everyone is welcome to turn up to watch general demonstrations which will be held throughout the day but if you want to see your own liferaft inflated or equipment opened and checked, you will need to make an appointment. This equipment can then be left for servicing and can be collected at a later date. During the day there will be plenty to see and do and the experts will be on hand to answer questions

Visitors to the Southampton Open Day will also see and take part in flare demonstrations and personal AIS recovery systems demonstrations. A full programme is now available on Ocean Safety's website.

Visitors will need to book a time slot for their liferaft inspection and demonstration by calling Emily at Ocean Safety on 02380 720800 or emailing . The open day runs from 10am- 4pm. For details of how to get there visit www.oceansafety.com

Featured Brokerage
Outremer 5X - NEW BOAT

At just under 60ft the flagship of this successful and well-established multihull supplier also offers a step-up in performance with naval architecture by VPLP

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Outremer Yachting
+33.467 560 263

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Club Swan 50-003 'Cuordileone. 1,100,000 EUR.

ClubSwan50: A yacht that is a small revolution in performance and pure sailing pleasure.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Lorenzo Bortolotti

Tel. +377 97 97 95 07
nautorswanbrokerage.com

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1998 Swan 48-123 'E2'. 395,000 EUR. Located in Valdivia, Chile.

Swan 48-123 E2 is a beautifully presented yacht and currently moored in Chile. Sold to her current owner in 2014, she underwent a refit and maintenance period in Italy before starting her voyage to South America.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Lorenzo Bortolotti

Tel. +377 97 97 95 07
nautorswanbrokerage.com

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
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