In This Issue
• Sailing Arabia - The Tour's close encounters of the Duqm kind
• SailGP launches next generation mobile app
• SailGP and Harken: At the Front at More Than 50 Knots
• French Canadian Team Take the Spoils in Kraken Cup
• Battle lines for the RORC Caribbean 600
• Safety Preparation for the RORC Caribbean 600
• Industry News
• Correction on yesterday's Brest Oceans article
• Featured Brokerage
• The Last Word: George Washington

Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News 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

Sailing Arabia - The Tour's close encounters of the Duqm kind
EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour returned to the cut and thrust of intensive Stadium racing in Duqm on Wednesday, with the impressive port's inner harbour the arena for five high-speed encounters between the international teams. A solid breeze of up to 24 knots powered the Diam 24 trimarans around the tight courses, with four different winners again highlighting the competitive nature of the world-class fleet.

At the end of play honours went to the distinctive yellow liveried Cheminees Poujoulat entry, with a supremely consistent performance that included a race win and three other podium places on a day that saw five teams black-flagged for early starts, each earning a heavy points penalty. Their result moves the Bernard Stamm managed team up to second overall, with thoughts now turning to the two-day finale in Salalah which will feature both a Raid and then a last burst of Stadium racing.

Second place on Duqm's final day went to the Golfe du Morbihan team, who bounced back after having to retire from Tuesday's coastal Raid. Two race wins around the harbour helped them stay in sixth place overall, but able to close the gap on the Mood team who are just ahead, and stretch their lead on EFG Bank.

The EFG Sailing Arabia - The Tour fleet now faces a 600 km relocation to Salalah on Thursday, and preparation for the all-important coastal race on Friday.

Overall standings after seven days of racing:

1. Beijaflore 21 points
2. Cheminees Poujoulat 26
3. Seaflotech 27.5
4. Oman Shipping Company 30.5
5. Mood 32.5
6. Golfe du Morbihan 41
7. EFG Bank 47.5
8. CER Geneva 49.5
9. Renaissance 64
10 DB Schenker 73

www.sailingarabiathetour.com

SailGP launches next generation mobile app
SailGP today released a next generation mobile application as advanced as the supercharged F50 boats taking flight this week on Sydney Harbour. Fans will be in full control of the way they consume the world's fastest on-water racing, with the ability to personalize the boats, camera angles and data that feature in their feeds.

With instant access to more than 1,200 data points from the fastest and most technologically advanced race boats and the world-class athletes who pilot them, fans will have unprecedented insight into the revolutionary new sailing league.

The SailGP APP allows fans to choose what to watch and which boat to follow, bringing them closer to the sport than ever before. They will be able to view live data and video (subject to regional restrictions), track performance, compare athletes, change viewing angles, zoom in on the action and watch replays. The unique split screen feature enables the viewer to compare two teams side by side, and delve into the detail of what makes the unique super boats fly.

Three customizable modes are designed to cater to all levels of knowledge of the sport, from emerging fans to sailing aficionados. The standard view is focused on visuals streaming in live from 11 feeds via helicopter, drone, and on-water and onboard cameras, displayed alongside key race statistics. Tips are offered to assist users in understanding the terminology and relevance of the data.

The SailGP APP is available on all Apple iOS devices via the App Store. An Android version will be available later in the season.

sailgp.com

SailGP and Harken: At the Front at More Than 50 Knots
Harken® will be front and center when the SailGP sailing league premieres Feb. 15-16 in Sydney. Teams from six countries will compete in supercharged F50 foiling catamarans, engineered for intense racing at speeds exceeding 50 knots (nearly 60 mph/100 kph).

Harken has supplied pedestals, Air 50 wing winches, custom hydraulic cylinders, V blocks, V sheaves, and CRX travelers for the six identical F50s, which are powered by a 24-meter wingsail. The F50s were derived from the AC50 used in the 36th America's Cup. The fleet has been extensively modified with new foils and board cases, new rudders and elevators, new hydraulics and electronics, a new cockpit layout for five crew members, a new steering system, and a new flight control system operated by a joy stick. Foil rake, cant, wing twist and jib sheet adjustments are powered electrically, and not subject to the need to ration pressure as much as the previous generation of hydraulics. Adjustments can be made by at least three crew members. The wing sheet adjustment will be powered by two grinders.

The racing takes place in Sydney, San Francisco, New York, and Cowes, culminating in a $1 million winner-takes-all match race in Marseille.

Watch a walk-through of the F50.

harken.com

French Canadian Team Take the Spoils in Kraken Cup
Kraken Cup winners. Click on image to enlarge.

This week on the 8th January saw Team Village Monde crossing the finish line as winners of the Kraken Cup (sponsored by Garmin) one of the World's most adventurous, yet basic, sailing races.

Whilst most of us were nursing hangovers, New Year's Day in Zanzibar saw an international field of 22 teams (made up of 66 sailors), set sail in the Kraken Cup, which, in the modern age of fibreglass hulls and carbon fibre sails, strips things back to basics.

The Cup tests the seamanship of sailors to the max as it races in Ngalawas, traditional African fishing boats whose hulls are carved by hand from mango trees and outriggers lashed on. To add to the adventurous spirit of the race, the course, which is made up of a series of compulsory checkpoints, includes a of couple 'free-sailing' sections. Sailors not only have to contend with the challenges of sailing ngalawas but also find somewhere to sleep for the night - roughing it on uninhabited islets, camping on islands with inquisitive locals or staying in a traditional fishing village. Racers are encouraged to 'bring a hammock'.

The sixth edition of the Cup wound its way 500km around the coast of Tanzania, between the Zanzibar Archipelago and the stunning Lindi region. The route takes in some of best sailing in the Indian Ocean and, for the first three days of the race, it appeared some of the calmest sailing too, with little wind and still seas. Then things changed dramatically, with ferocious gusts and big swells rolling in.

The change in weather resulted in numerous capsizes and battered and broken boats and crew, and with one team diverting course to help rescue three local shipwrecked sailors, with only 13 teams remaining in the main race on the final day. It was Team Village Monde, made up of Canadians Charles and Bastien Mony, a father and son pairing from Quebec, and Gilles Lamire from Brittany in France, who managed to make the most of the treacherous conditions. Their ability to handle the primitive boats in rough waters resulted in them crossing the line as victors, ahead of Team Southern Exposure from the USA, who just pipped British team Krakin' Up for second place.

www.theadventurists.com

Battle lines for the RORC Caribbean 600
Seventy-eight yachts have entered the eleventh edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, where in excess of 700 sailors from six continents and yachts from over 20 nations will compete in the thrilling race around 11 Caribbean islands starting on Monday 18th February. Winners from the Olympic Games, America's Cup, Volvo Ocean Race and multiple world champions have gathered in Antigua and will be competing alongside passionate corinthian sailors, both young and old.

Ten multihulls will be racing, boasting phenomenal talent among the crews. Jason Carroll (USA) will be racing MOD70 Argo with Francois Gabart, winner of the 2012-13 Vendee Globe, and Jules Verne winner Brian Thompson (GBR). Giovanni Soldini's (ITA) Multi70 Maserati has been in fine form taking line honours in the Rolex Middle Sea Race and the RORC Transatlantic Race. The 2019 RORC Caribbean 600 is the first time that Maserati and Argo have lined up. If the conditions are right, both teams are capable of eclipsing the Multihull Race Record set by Lloyd Thornburg's Phaedo3 in 2016 (31 hours, 59 minutes, 04 seconds).

IRC Zero is the largest class competing this year with 15 teams. The quest for Monohull Line Honours is wide open. A trio of Maxi72s are likely contenders to be first home and to win the race overall. Hap Fauth, two-time winner of the RORC Caribbean 600 (2015 and 2017) is racing the brand new Bella Mente (USA) with a stellar crew including; Terry Hutchinson (USA) skipper for American Magic in the 36th America's Cup. The formidable afterguard includes two-time Volvo Ocean Race winning skipper, Mike Sanderson (NZL), three-time round the world winner Brad Jackson, and Adrian Stead (GBR) who has been on winning teams for the '600 more than any other sailor.

Peter Harrison's British Maxi 72 Sorcha will be lining up for the first time this season against the other Maxis and it will also be their first time in the race. The crew includes numerous past winners of the RORC Caribbean 600: Willy Beavis (GBR), Mo Gray (GBR), Steve Hayles (GBR), Andy Meiklejohn (NZL), Tim Powell (GBR), Freddy Shanks (GBR) and Niklas Zennstrom (SWE).

David and Peter Askew (USA) racing Volvo 70 Wizard will be skippered by Charlie Enright (USA) and three past winners of the Volvo Ocean Race: Simon Fisher (GBR), Phil Harmer (AUS) and Daryl Wislang (NZL).

The two largest yachts in the race; JV 115 Nikata and Will Apold's Canadian Southern Wind 96 Sorceress will be hoping for full-on conditions. Nikata and Sorceress are expected to have a magnificent superyacht battle around the 600-mile course. -- Louay Habib

caribbean600.rorc.org

Watch The Start On Facebook Live!
Live on Monday 18 February 10.50 local time (14.50 UTC)
Live coverage with commentary from Fort Charlotte, Antigua will be streamed from the official website and the Royal Ocean Racing Club Facebook Page.
www.facebook.com/RoyalOceanRacingClub/

Safety Preparation for the RORC Caribbean 600
The RORC Caribbean 600 is once again attracting the elite of the international ocean racing fleet for whom pushing to the limits is the name of the game. That's why safety, as always, is top of the list when it comes to preparation. Ocean Safety offers the full inventory of safety equipment required to meet the Cat 3 event which includes Cat 2 Liferaft, EPIRB, AIS Transponder and RORC Prescriptions.

Sailing in the sub-tropical climate of the West Indies conjures blissful visions of blue seas and soft breezes but the 600 mile course which winds around eleven Caribbean islands north and south of Antigua can be anything but. Crews relish the strong winds and big seas which frequently characterise the event whose multiple manoeuvres are a constant challenge amidst the backdrop of spectacular scenery. So it's a good thing that staying safe by keeping a lifejacket on for long periods isn't a problem.

Ocean Safety's uniquely sculpted high performance lifejacket, the Kru Sport is the choice for optimal comfort and movement due to its minimalist scoop back neck design and slim line construction. The choice of liferafts has gone through a revolution too. Developed for the Volvo Ocean Race, the Ocean Safety's compact Ultralite liferaft, certified to international SOLAS standards, is housed in a space saving carbon composite canister, reducing weight by more than 20%, a real boost in the search for speed.

www.oceansafety.com

Industry News
Japan's Yamaha Motor Co. released year-end and 4th quarter results showing a 6% rise in marine sales reaching ¥344.7 billion (US$ 3.13bn) for 2018, representing 20.6% of total company sales. The Marine division includes outboard motors, personal watercraft (PWCs), boats, FRP pools, fishing boats and utility boats.

According to Yamaha Motor, unit sales of outboard motors, personal watercraft and sports boats increased year-on-year, together with revenue gains. The outboard engine business grew 5.6% to ¥185.1 billion ($1.68bn) for the year and account for 54% of sales in the Marine division. PWC, boats and other marine products grew 7.5% to ¥159.6 billion ($1.45bn) and account for 46% of segment sales.

North America makes up 60% of Yamaha's total Marine sales, followed by Europe with 15% of sales. Europe yielded the stongest growth for the marine division - up 15% - in 2018, but the company said sales and profits were enhanced by product mix of large model outboard motors in North America.

www.ibinews.com

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The RYA Dinghy Show 2019 is less than a month away.

Highlights from the stages

Be inspired by Team UK Invictus Games sailors; Andrew 'Pav' Taylor and Sadie Melling as they share their life-changing Invictus experience (Main Stage, Saturday 11:45).

Roger Barnes the Dinghy Cruising expert - with over 150,000 followers on YouTube find out what it is that is captivating so many people (Main Stage,11:15).

British Sailing Team Meteorologist, Simon Rowell shares his wisdom on how to get a good forecast and how to apply it (Main Stage, Saturday 13:30, Sunday 14:30).

Can anyone really foil? Dinghy foiling coach, Paul Outram; and instructor, Phoebe Twigg; talk about first time foiling and how getting airborne might be easier than you think (Main Stage, Saturday 14:15, Sunday 12:45).

Dinghy historian, David Henshall will be looking back and exploring 90 years of continuous innovation - 'The Story of the International Moth' on Sunday (Main Stage, 13:45).

In the Knowledge Zone, Olympians Saskia Clark, Paul Brotherton and Simon Hiscocks will all be sharing their expertise and British Sailing Team, Laser sailor, Sam Whaley will be demonstrating how to get the most out of your Laser.

Tickets
Beat the queues and take advantage of RYA member and club discounts, saving up to 35%, by purchasing your tickets in advance.

To buy your tickets visit www.rya.org.uk/go/dstickets or call the ticket hotline on 0844 858 9069

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Nautor's Swan is delighted to confirm the appointment of Vortec Marine as their Brokerage partner for used Swan Yachts in the UK and Ireland.

South Coast based Vortec Marine has been Nautor's Swan Approved Service partner for Swan yachts since 2015. The business has three bases on the UK South Coast - Swanwick Marina (Hamble), Port Solent (Portsmouth) and Endeavour Quay (Gosport). With immediate effect Vortec Marine will now handle Nautor's Swan Brokerage sales where their expertise and access to Nautor's production database and client list will enable them to effectively represent existing Swan owners looking to sell and buyers alike.

www.nautorswan.com
www.vortecmarine.com

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Bainbridge has officially opened its trade shop.

The shop, located at Bainbridge's Hedge End distribution centre, was opened by MD Andrew Smith.

"Bainbridge International has always prided itself on offering great logistics and delivery and is now complimenting this service by adding the flexibility of a shop," said marketing manager Hermionie Barfield. "Customers will be able to walk in, order and collect any stocked line with minimum waiting times."

Andrew added: "Our trade shop further enhances our offering to the marine industry and shows our on-going commitment and dedication to customer services. This service particularly gives our local customers the ultimate flexibility, if they've forgotten a crucial item in an order, they now have the opportunity to come and collect it and not have to wait for the next delivery."

www.boatingbusiness.com

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Groupe Beneteau has presented its full-year outlook for 2018-19.

A statement issued by the group states that the global recreational boat market shows a slowdown and it expects to see growth of +2% compared with +3 to +4% in 2018.

This is affected by the inboard motorboat segment's slowdown - down 3.2% - across all hull lengths.

For the financial year 2018 -2019, the order book as of January 31, 2019 is up +4.1%, compared with the same period the previous year, helped by its sailing segment order book up by +12.3%.

The group is being hit by EU and Canadian trade tariffs on motorboats produced in the US which are having a negative impact on international sales and leading to increased competition in the United States' domestic market.

For the 2018-19 season, the group's 11 brands will launch 32 new models aligned with demand from growing market segments - monohull and multihull sailing yachts and outboard motorboats.

The group currently offers more than 200 recreational boat models.

www.boatingbusiness.com

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The South Coast Boat Show is being held at Ocean Village Marina, 17-19 May 2019. This brand-new event will feature the marine industry's most exciting and innovative global power and sail brands. There will be over fifty new boats on display for serious buyers to explore. The show is timed perfectly for those wishing to get afloat this season in a stunning 20-60 foot sail or power boat.

Over twenty top brands are already confirmed as exhibiting with more to come.

Exhibitors include: Arcona Yachts, Axopar London Group, Bavaria, Beneteau power and sail, Dehler, Dragonfly, Dufour Yachts, Elan, Fjord, Fleming, Fountaine Pajot, Galeon, Hallberg-Rassy, Hanse, J-Boats, Jeanneau power and sail, Lagoon catamarans, Marlin, Najad Yachts, Nautitech, Ocqueteau, Rhea, Sasga Yachts, Sargo and X-Yachts.

The South Coast Boat Show has been set-up to facilitate serious boat buyers who want to experience a high-quality range of product in stunning surroundings. With an extensive selection of leading global power and sail brands on show, it will appeal to those who are looking to purchase a brand-new vessel immediately, or within the next 6-18 months.

For more information about The South Coast Boat Show keep an eye on: southcoastboatshow.com or contact

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Danish deck hardware and rigging manufacturer BSI A/S has acquired Hundested Propeller A/S, a Danish supplier of controllable pitch propellers and gearboxes, and tunnel and retractable swing thrusters. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

BSI's product range consists of BSI rod and wire rigging, the Moonlight, Easy & Skylight range of hatches and portlights for the yachting and wind power industries, as well as Gori propellers, Jefa steering systems, and now Hundested propellers.

Hundested Propeller will operate as a separate business unit of BSI and remain at its existing location in Hundested, Denmark. Former owner Mogens Christensen is now a minority owner and will continue in his role as general manager of the company for a few years, reporting to Madsen.

www.ibinews.com

Correction on yesterday's Brest Oceans article
Since publishing this article the organiser of Brest Oceans, Brest Ultim Sailing has announced that it has postponed the start of their non-stop singlehanded round the world race for the Ultime class. This follows consultation between the various teams, sponsors and stakeholders after the carnage sustained by the giant trimarans in November's Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe.

This will not affect the continued calendar of racing for the Ultimes. In 2019 this will culminate in the two handed Transat Jacques Vabre.

Sodebo's Co-President, Patricia Brochard, also President of the Ultim Class stated: "The Ultim Class is going through an obviously complex period following all the damage in the last Route du Rhum. Periods of major technological evolution regularly result in these phases. They are painful but make it possible to learn and to improve reliability. There is much discussion talking place at the moment and it is essential we take into account all the technical, economic and personal factors."

Featured Brokerage
2011 MOD 70. 1200000 EUR. Located in Lorient, Bretagne, France.

The MOD 70 class is born in 2009 with the experience gained in the Orma 60 trimaran class, from an association between 3 passionate entrepreneurs & sailors: Marco Simeoni, Steve Ravussin and Franck David.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
BERNARD GALLAY Yacht Brokerage

www.bernard-gallay.com
Tel +33 (0) 467 66 39 93

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2005 Frers 57 Day Sailer - SASKIA TOO. Located in South Coast, France.

Drop dead gorgeous day sailor, a mini Wally in every sense.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Ben Cooper
+44 (0) 1590 679 222

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2013 IMERYS Class 40. 320,000 EUR. Located in Lorient, France.

Winner of the 2018 and 2017 Class 40 Championship, Imerys is fresh back from a podium in the Route du Rhum in great condition for immediate sale.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Phil Sharp:
+44 7973 378997

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

The Last Word
Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action. -- George Washington

Editorial and letter submissions to

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.eurosailnews.com/advertise.html