In This Issue
• 2021 Transpac Now Open for Entries
• Business Grants and Rates Packages announced for Sailing Clubs
• What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
• Possibility of Holding the Melges 24 Worlds in Miami in Late 2020
• 51st edition of the Solitaire du Figaro
• OK Dinghy World Rankings
• We all rely on seafarers.
• Industry News
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Outremer 55 - New Boat
• • Cookson 50 - Endless Game
• • HH55 - New Boat
• The Last Word: Jimmy Buffett
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
2021 Transpac Now Open for Entries
The Transpacific Yacht Club is pleased to announce the next 2021 edition of the LA to Honolulu Transpac is now open for entry. This will be the 51st edition of this 2225-mile biennial ocean racing classic first raced in 1906, with the first of three starts scheduled for Tuesday, July 13, 2021 and the final awards ceremony to be held in Honolulu on Friday, July 30th, 2021.
"Amidst all the recent bad news about races being cancelled or postponed this season, we hope this early opening for entries will be good news for all ocean sailors interested in Transpac next year," said Jim Eddy, Commodore of the Transpacific YC. "In fact, we already have our first entry within minutes of opening the site!"
This first entry is John Sangmeister from Long Beach, and this is not a coincidence. Race fans from last year's Transpac 50 will remember that Sangmeister and his team suffered a broken rudder on his modified Santa Cruz 70 OEX, then sank 200 miles offshore in their second night of this race, prompting a successful rescue from Roy Disney's Andrews 68 Pyewacket. Both teams returned to the coast safely on board Pyewacket, earning Disney and team last year's prestigious US Sailing Arthur B Hanson Rescue Medal for their heroic efforts.
Last year's 50th anniversary race was also wildly popular: after an open for entries started in mid-April 2018 there were already 50 entries by September, and by mid-February 2019 a whopping 100 entries. Eventually 84 monohulls and 6 multihulls crossed the starting line, a record number in the long history of this race. These entries came from not only from the US west coast, but all over the planet.
More details on the 51st edition of Transpac can be found in the 2021 Notice of Race posted on the Race Information page on event website: www.transpacyc.com
Business Grants and Rates Packages announced for Sailing Clubs
Sailing clubs up and down the country are already beginning to benefit from the £22 billion grant and business rates package recently announced by the Chancellor.
Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure industry such as sailing clubs, will be eligible for a one-off grant payment dependant on the club's rateable value. Those with a rateable value of less than £15,000 will receive £10,000 and those clubs with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000 will be provided with a grant of £25,000.
Business rates have also been suspended from sailing clubs for the next 12 months.
The government has assured businesses that every local authority in England has now received the full amount of grant funding that they need to support their local businesses. The funding has been transferring to local authorities since the announcement at the weekend, ensuring that grants can be received by businesses as soon as possible.
The duty is now in the hands of the local authority to contact businesses regarding the grants and to formalise the transfer of funds. It has been reported that local authorities may be contacting businesses either via letter or by email this week. As the clubhouse is usually the registered business address for sailing clubs this may cause a delay in receiving notification due to the current travel restrictions omitting access to clubhouses.
The RYA suggests that sailing clubs should contact their local authority and ask for any communication to instead be via email, or for any essential letters to be temporarily re-directed to a more convenient address.
If you or your club require any further information relating to accessing a business grant, visit the UK government's dedicated business advice and support pages here.
Seahorse April 2020
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
New in every sense
It's not only the management that's changed at Bavaria Yachts. Race yacht designers Maurizio Cossutti and Alessandro Ganz are moving the boats steadily towards the speedier end of the performance spectrum
Opening eyes
In addition to their many high profile sponsorships, 11th Hour Racing is working quietly away giving opportunities to thousands of youngsters who would otherwise never experience the sea
Rod Davis - Hold the line
Make the plan, don't be phased, focus on the war
ORC - One for us
Building a boat for Newport but more important we're building a boat for us. Martin Billoch
TP52 - Windy start
And opening the TP52 Super Series in Cape Town has changed the game... Andi Robertson
Sailor of the Month
We're glad it's not us who has to choose
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Possibility of Holding the Melges 24 Worlds in Miami in Late 2020
After cancelling the 2020 Melges 24 World Championship, that was expected to be held in Charleston, SC, USA on May 1-9, the International Melges 24 Class Association has been working to find solution, that will have positive effects both for our association and sailors, such as finding the way still to have the Worlds in 2020.
Here's the message of Laura Grondin, the Chair of the International Melges 24 Class Association.
Dear Melges 24 sailors,
The International Melges 24 Class Association is hoping that we will be able to host a World Championship in Miami, Florida in late 2020.
Obviously, our ability to make that happen is contingent upon how the worldwide COVID-19 crisis evolves. At this point, we simply want to convey our aspiration. We plan to be back in touch in about a month with more details so that teams can begin to plan.
Every single Melges 24 sailor has been impacted by the global pandemic; some circumstances are much more extreme and severe than others.
I hope that our next shared experience will be planing through the warm waters under bright sunshine off the coast of Miami.
My best wishes for the safety and health of you, your family and your friends.
Laura Grondin
Chair, International Melges 24 Class Association
1830 demanding and tactical miles for the 51st edition of the Solitaire du Figaro
It looks like being a fascinating programme with four legs to be raced, three of which are 500 miles long and more, which is the sort of racing the sailors love. They will then face a final 24-hour run to complete this three-week long marathon. Among the highlights, the Fastnet and Wolf Rock stand out in this race course with several Channel crossings, the need to deal with the shipping lanes and sandbanks all the way to Dunkirk, then the rocks and tidal currents all the way down to Loire-Atlantique.
ir own strategy. This looks like being a classic edition with an exciting finish in prospect at the mouth of the Loire… With some keen newcomers aiming to discover the delights of the Figaro Beneteau circuit (Robin Follin, Erwan le Draoulec, Elodie Bonafous, Estelle Greck...), some who are used to the event (Xavier Macaire, Anthony Marchand, Alexis Loison...) and some previous winners, including the winner of the last Vendwe Globe, Armel le Cleac’h, more than thirty competitors are expected to line up in Saint-Quay-Portrieux on 25th August. Aboard their Figaro Bénéteau 3 foilers, the skippers are going to have to remain determined and focused to try to win the Holy Grail of sailing in Loire-Atlantique at the finish of the third and final leg. This year, the Solitaire du Figaro will be returning to the Pays de la Loire region, which proved so popular during the fiftieth edition in 2019 with the start in Nantes.
Leg 1: a 642 mile voyage to the Fastnet and back
Leg 2: 497 miles to Dunkirk via the English coast
Leg 3: a 504 mile coastal leg from Dunkirk to Saint-Nazaire
Leg 4: a 24 hour and 183 mile sprint between the islands for the Grand Finale
Thomas Hansson-Mild stays on top of OK Dinghy World Rankings
Thomas Hansson-Mild, from Sweden, stays at the top of the first OK Dinghy World Ranking list of the year, the third list in a row that the 2009 World Champion tops the list, after reaching the number one spot in July 2019 for the first time ever. Fredrik Loof, also from Sweden, is second with Tomasz Gaj, from Poland in third.
This release includes the four southern hemisphere events over the past four months. The top seven boats all stay the same with the only climber into the top 10 being Luke O’Connell, moving up from 11th to eighth.
In December 2019, Shane Smith won Sail Brisbane in his brand new Damien Widdy wooden built boat, from Glenn Williams and Kelvin Holtd. Next up was the Australian Nationals in Adelaide, in January, which was cut short by two days because of extreme weather at both ends of the wind range. Rob McMillan dominated the championship to win from Mark Jackson and Tim Davies.
The focus then moved to New Zealand with the National Championship being won by Andrew Phillips, taking a close series and his first national title ever, at Worser Bay in Wellington, from Steve McDowell and Luke O’Connell. At the infamous Turangi International in March, Eric Rone won three out of four races to take the title from McDowell and Rod Davis.
What this season brings has yet to be seen, but we hope the first OK Dinghy World Ranking List of the year is also not the last. With all events in the first half of the European season already cancelled due to COVID-19, results from 2018, with half points, and results from 2019, with full points, will stand until 2021 when hopefully these events will take place again.
Top 20 from 538 entries
1. Thomas Hansson-Mild, SWE
2. Fredrik Loof, SWE
3. Tomasz Gaj, POL
4. Greg Wilcox, NZL
5. Luke Gower, NZL
6. Jan Kurfeld, GER
7. Ask Askholm, DEN
8. Chris Turner, GBR
9. Bo Petersen, DEN
10. Steve McDowell, NZL
11. Luke O'Connell, NZL
12. Jesper Hojer, DEN
13. Mark Jackson, AUS
14. Ralf Tietje, GER
15. Rod Davis, NZL
16. Henrik Kofoed Larsen, DEN
17. Gunter Arndt, GER
18. Ben Morrison, NZL
19. Andrew Phillips, NZL
20. Brent Williams, AUS
Download the full ranking list (XLS)
We all rely on seafarers. Now, more than ever, they rely on us.
International maritime welfare charity Sailors' Society has launched a suite of practical resources including advice, contacts and podcasts to help seafarers during the coronavirus crisis.
The organisation, which has stood beside seafarers through many dark times during its 202-year history, including two world wars, has also set up an appeal to fund urgent support for our key workers of the sea.
In the past few days, seafarers from all over the world have joined a special Facebook group set up by the charity to share news, tips and words of encouragement.
Shipping companies have also contacted Sailors' Society, known globally for its award-winning wellness at sea programme, asking for help in supporting crews through the pandemic.
Sandra Welch, the charity's COO and director of programme, said: "We may not be able to greet seafarers in port right now, but we are here for them and their families as we always have been. Seafarers are deeply worried like everyone else and far from home and loved ones; many do not now know when or how they will get home again. While the rest of us struggle with suddenly only being able to see our family and friends on a video call, this is the reality for seafarers every day. And images of empty supermarket shelves are a stark reminder of how vital these men and women are to our supply chains, bringing almost everything we need by sea.
"Now they need support from us. Please share our resources with crews, partner with us to support seafarers through these turbulent months or give to our appeal enabling us to divert the full resources of the charity to help seafarers who are under immense mental and emotional strain, sick or, with many ports on lockdown, unsure when they will next work.
"We all rely on seafarers. Now, more than ever, they rely on us."
Two weeks ago, the charity announced it has rolled out virtual chaplaincy to seafarers, with chaplains available to seafarers over the phone or on social media, after it had to suspend port activity in response to the virus.
To access our resources visit www.sailors-society.org/coronavirus or to donate to our appeal visit www.sailors-society.org/coronavirusgive
Industry News
Cowes Spring Classics, the regatta for wooden classics are delighted to announce Henri-Lloyd as the Official Race Clothing Partner for the coming year.
Henri-Lloyd is one of just a handful of true British heritage brands. Through relentless innovation the brand became famous in supplying protective clothing to the early pioneers of global circumnavigation and is seen as one of the premier brands for yachtsmen and sailors around the world.
As part of its sponsorship of Cowes Spring Classics, there will be a Henri-Lloyd Regatta Collection for competitors and supporters. They will also be providing each entry with a gift plus donating a hi-tec sailing jacket for the winner of the Henri-Lloyd Spirit of the Regatta Trophy.
Details of the Regatta Clothing Collection can be found on the event website www.cowesspringclassics.com
Please note: In light of the current situation, Cowes Spring Classics has been rescheduled from its May date to 4th - 6th September.
Entry for the regatta is now open and more details on how to enter can be found online www.cowesspringclassics.com or contact Mary Scott-Jackson on 01983 245100 or
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Wally and Mills Design won 1st Prize at the premiere edition of the MDO Montecarlo prize for the wallycento Tango. Wally and Mills were honoured at the awards ceremony held at the Yacht Club de Monaco with first place in the competition, which celebrates international excellence in innovation, technology, design and sustainability.
The prizes were accepted by Mark Mills of Mills Design, and Stefano de Vivo, managing director of Wally, representing a design group including Pininfarina, Persico Marine, and Pure Engineering. Once again, an international award recognises our work in yacht design and innovation, this time on the wider basis of architectural and product design on a global scale. The nominees were judged by a panel of prominent authorities on design - including renowned architects Mario Botta, Richard England and Jean-Michel Wilmotte- based on their stylistic, dimensional, functional and economic traits and features.
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Lymington Harbour is delighted to announce that its scheme to upgrade and regenerate Lymington Quay is completed and now offers new visitor berth facilities that rival other leading destinations across the south coast. Steeped in sailing history, Lymington River and its harbour offers a haven for yachtsmen and provides a crucial gateway to the wider New Forest.
The investment provides 46 dedicated walk ashore pontoon berths (including 26 finger berths) for visiting craft, all with power and water. The new finger berths will be available for advance booking, initially through the harbour office, and in the coming weeks, online also.
The scheme also provides 32 sheltered fore and aft moorings for visitors, just a short row from the tender park and with lockers to stow lifejackets whilst you go ashore. The new facilities offer the closest visitor berths to the vibrant Town Quay and Lymington High Street giving easy access to the plethora of outstanding restaurants, bars, cafes and shops.
The ambitious project will increase the walk ashore berth capacity that modern boaters expect and is estimated to boost the local tourist economy by over £1.1m over the next ten years. Seen as the ‘gateway’ to the Solent, Lymington is both steeped in yachting history and with its proximity to the New Forest, is an attractive destination to visiting boats from Britain and Europe.
As well as improving the visitor facilities, the scheme also enlarges the commercial landing which will allow larger boats and more frequent visits from pleasure cruise craft that bring day trip tourists from destinations such as Yarmouth and Cowes.
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All three of MDL’s Hamble River marinas have retained their Five Gold Anchor status following recent three-yearly inspections by The Yacht Harbour Association.
Port Hamble Marina, Hamble Point Marina and Mercury Yacht Harbour are just three of the fifteen MDL’s marinas which hold this prestigious award.
Strong environmental awareness across the marinas was highlighted, with all three marinas scoring 100% in Environment Management and Practices. The marinas also did particularly well in the On-Shore facilities sections with Port Hamble Marina earning 93%, Hamble Point achieving 97% and Mercury Yacht Harbour 94%, showing the importance of MDL’s continual investment in its amenities.
The marinas were praised for their atmosphere and the quality of services with the assessor noting “excellent customer feedback on customer service and staff attitudes”. The marinas were rated highly by customers across all survey questions.
Globally recognised, the Gold Anchor scheme has been developed by the marina industry to raise standards and assist marinas to position and differentiate themselves. From a consumer perspective, the Gold Anchor accreditation helps them to select a marina that is right for them.
For more information on the Gold Anchor Award scheme visit www.which-marina.com
Letters To The Editor -
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 Benjamin Heslop:
It was interesting to note the thoughts of another of your subscribers relating to parliamentary scrutiny. While I suspect he may have a valid point in general the particular sentiment is significantly misguided.
The legislation was clearly drafted to include individuals such as himself as has copied those of other nations for the same reason. The whole purpose is to keep virus hotspots as just that. I know he states he is unlikely to interact with others, but the more you move, the higher the chances.
At some stage he will need fuel for his car - petrol pumps in Italy having been identified as one of the best places for transfer of the virus - he will then risk carrying it to both areas of his activity and transferring to doors/gates/handles. His car might break down so someone has to recover him. He might have an accident so our overburdened health service will have to care for him.
If others choose to do the same as him, the slipway becomes gathering and a sneeze will transfer droplets 8m.
The law was right; it is aimed at us all. Stay home, Protect the NHS, Save lives..... it's quite a simple instruction.
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The Last Word
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