In This Issue
• Jason Carrington: "I'm A Big Fan of the IMOCA Boats"
• The future of UK Red Diesel: An update from the Cruising Association
• Oyster Design Manager
• The Race is on - Lockdown Cup Challengers revealed
• New Date for Dublin Bay-Cork Harbour Race
• Flexible - Musto
• 2020 Flying Fifteen European Championship has been cancelled
• Stay at home Finn reading
• Antique Engine Expos
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Charter: Sciomachen 56
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Warrior for Sale
• • Gunboat 62 'Tribe'
• • Aquarius Alfa - Swan 100S
• The Last Word: H.L. Mencken
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
Jason Carrington: "I'm A Big Fan of the IMOCA Boats"
World renowned boat builder Jason Carrington has had something of a dream order book since setting up Carrington Boats in November 2017 with the Carkeek designed Fast40 Rán. The new Imoca Hugo Boss for Alex Thomson Racing, INEOS' UK's Britannia as well as their nearing completion AC75 boat 2 are complemented by a part completed Ocean Race Imoca 60 which is currently on hold but which may become available. But with over 60 on the payroll at its recent peak, a big challenge is ahead of Carrington….Tip & Shaft spoke with Jason.
Jason, how are things right now given the current situation?
Slower than normal but its's better than nothing. We stopped for a couple of weeks after that first briefing from Boris. It just felt like the right thing to do so we shut the place down for a couple of weeks and everyone went home and then we came back, feeling that we all knew we were okay. We got some new security guard on our door that takes deliveries, we check everyone's temperature and we have put in two shifts so that we have less people. We have a shift that starts at half-six to half past three and then half-three through until two o'clock.
How many guys have you got working just now?
If we put everyone together including office staff, we have about fifty at the moment, but we have only really got two or three in the office, we have a couple working away who can. It certainly feels better. It feels like we can do this social distancing as we should, the only danger is people wanting to talk to each other to be honest. The actual factory feels quite spread out, with twenty people in it, to be honest.
How has it affected your deadlines?
It's always a challenge, the schedules are always really tight on these boats. Fortunately, we were in pretty good shape before all this kicked off so. We have run a night shift from the start of the project so we have managed to get a big chunk ahead of where we thought we would be. We have obviously eaten into that a bit, but we are still okay. The danger for us is if we were forced to stop. If we did stop for a certain amount of time, quite quickly it becomes just not feasible to even get the boat done in time, so we are pretty aware of that. At the moment we're on track.
The INEOS boat is the only one you are working on right now?
Yes, it is. We have got an Imoca boat here which is sort of half built but we're not really working on that at the moment. We're chatting to those guys today actually but at the moment we are full steam ahead.
What's the status of that Ocean Race boat?
The hull is complete, about a third of the structure is in it, and all of the structure is built. We haven't started the deck yet. The deck mould is here.
But this Ocean Race IMOCA is on hold is it?
Yes, it's on hold I guess is the best way to describe it.
As it stands it is not available to any other team or owner supposing they wanted it?
No, not yet but that is sort of where we are trying to get to really. We've got a very strong contract and so far, although the client has got different plans now, he has been fair to us. It's personal stuff but everything is paid up to date so far and it's more the fact that we are now missing a chunk of work that we thought we had. It's just trying to come to an agreement with him about that, that we are both happy with. So, obviously ending up with a boat and being able to sell it on could be a good option for him and us.
The future of UK Red Diesel: An update from the Cruising Association
The Cruising Association's Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS) has been in communication with HMRC and confirmed, as a result of the March Budget Statement, that it is their intention to legislate that red diesel in the United Kingdom can only be used in agricultural equipment, on the railways and for non-commercial heating from 1st April 2022.
Since the propulsion of waterborne craft does not fit into these categories, it is HMRC's intention that they will have to use white diesel for this purpose. The duty on white diesel for boats will be the same as the full rate paid on white road diesel in the UK. This means that the present so called '60/40' fuel duty split will disappear but commercial vessels, such as fishing boats, will still be able to claim a rebate on the full rate through their 'Marine Voyages Relief' scheme.
HMRC are exploring the issues involved in introducing a scheme that allows private pleasure craft to pay only the current lower rate for red diesel non-propulsion uses.
RATS welcomes the clarification on the use of white diesel which should make it more conveniently available throughout the United Kingdom from marinas and ports as they will have to supply all marine vessels with one colour of diesel. The bonus will be that sailors can continue to fulfil the SOLAS V regulations for sea voyages and no longer have the concern of the presence of red diesel in their tanks when visiting EU Maritime States.
HMRC continue to say there will be a forthcoming consultation from them which will deal with the full range of issues involved. Unfortunately, there is no indication as to when this will be published due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A spokesperson for RATS points out that private pleasure craft should continue to legally use red diesel as they currently do, since it is still the only easily available diesel fuel throughout the UK. At the moment, it is far from clear if boat owners will be able to sail to EU State waters in the remainder of the 2020 season, but if they can do so, they might wish to continue to follow theCA's advice on using red diesel when visiting the EU which can be found on their publicly accessible page here: www.theca.org.uk/rats/red_diesel_use_in_EU
Oyster Design Manager
Activities are in two parts; maintaining a flow of design information to support production at our facilities in Southampton and Wroxham and working in conjunction with third party designers on the design and development of new models.
Oyster has a worldwide reputation as a leading builder of quality cruising yachts and the successful applicant is likely to be a qualified naval architect with relevant experience in yacht design, construction and management. Oyster yachts are created with modern design tools, efficient build systems and the skilled hands of some of the UK's finest craftsmen.
Our Oyster design manager will need an in-depth understanding of value engineering as it applies to yacht building and share our passion for creative design and quality.
This is a significant opportunity for the right candidate.
Applications in confidence to Paul Adamson, Oyster Yachts - CCO
The Race is on - Lockdown Cup Challengers revealed
Watch all the action LIVE at 16.00 on Wednesday 22 April
The line-up for the Lockdown Cup has now been revealed as five challengers take on some of the best amateur and full time racers on the British sailing scene.
Selected from hundreds of online entries the five challengers will race head to head against Olympic Champions, National Champions and eSailing experts on the virtual race course in a bid to claim the Lockdown Cup.
Our challengers are:
- Nick Cherry
- Alasdair Ireland
- Pete Chambers
- Donnie Gillies
- Max Tait
Our challengers will face the top five racers from Round One which took place last week, including:
- Adam McGovern
- Ben Saxton
- Luke Patience
- Dave Hivey
- Nick Craig
As well as the title of Lockdown Cup Champion the winner will receive a LPX Gor-Tex Jacket courtesy of Musto, official clothing supplier to the British Sailing Team.
The Lockdown Cup will stream LIVE at 16.00 on Wednesday 22 April on the YachtsandYachting.com YouTube channel.
Find out more about eSailing with Virtual Regatta at www.rya.org.uk/go/esailing
New Date for Dublin Bay-Cork Harbour Race
The postponed date of Friday, July 31st is being considered as a feasible time to think of starting the ISORA-organised 160-mile Dublin Bay to Cork Harbour Race, which was originally planned for July 9th to link this summer's celebration of the 150th Anniversary of Dun Laoghaire's National Yacht Club with the massive Tricentenary Celebrations of the Royal Cork Yacht Club.
A port-to-port offshore race by its very nature involves much less shoreside infrastructure than a major regatta, and Dun Laoghaire's Peter Ryan of the Irish Sea Offshore Racing Association, a key player in its renewed vitality in recent years, reckons ISORA can thus play a leading role in getting sailing going again, as the Association operates flexibly, and may even offer the slight possibility of a couple of shorter races earlier in July.
Talking to Sailing on Saturday late this week, while Peter Ryan emphasised that his thoughts were speculative and entirely his own, he reckoned that thinking in terms of starting what would have been ISORA's big one in 2020, the historic re-sailing of the path-finding 1860 offshore race from Dublin Bay to Cork, could be on the cards by Friday, July 31st.
It was June 23rd 1861 when a distinctive 95ft schooner with markedly raked masts slipped into Cork Harbour and came to anchor off Cobh. She'd the look of a vessel which had recently sailed many offshore miles, but her congenial ship's company were sailing under the burgee of the Royal Victoria Yacht of Ryde on the Isle of Wight, and they flew a well-used British ensign. So despite the absence of a properly-maintained ship's log, the officials of this naval port accepted the schooner's bona fides of being on an easygoing family cruise from the Solent to southwest Ireland, and accorded them the privileges which this conferred in terms of the waiving of harbour dues, while the Cobh-based Royal Cork Yacht and Royal Western of Ireland Yacht Clubs both made them welcome.
In July 1860 the Royal Cork Yacht Club, under the enthusiastic guidance of its 80-year-old Admiral Thomas G French, had led the way in the inspiration for the first proper offshore race in British and Irish waters. The Royal St George Yacht Club in Dublin Bay had organized a week of regattas in early July, and after they'd concluded, no less than 16 boats – of very varied size and type – had accepted Admiral French's challenge of racing the 160 miles to Cork, and it started on the 14th July.
WM Nixon's full article in Afloat magazine
Flexible - Musto
Less is more with Musto's new LPX Gore-Tex range being launched for spring and summer this year. The company's ambassadors, its core of professional sailors who are out competing or training on the water most days of the year, emphasised the need for breathable, waterproof and lightweight design in their inshore racing gear. Ergonomic is the watchword, so that's what Musto's designers have aimed to deliver for this latest edition of the brand's popular LPX Gore-Tex range, as Musto's head of product Chris Holliman explains. 'We're seeing a trend towards one-design, technically advanced boats that are lighter and faster than previous generations,' he says.
'Those trends are demanding more physicality from the sailors, with a higher emphasis on agility and ease of movement around the boat. The changes to the LPX range have been made with that in mind, using lightweight, breathable, durable waterproof fabrics and carefully designed seaming to enhance a sailor's freedom of movement.' Holliman identifies J/70s and Fast 40s as two examples of the modern kind of inshore racer around which the LPX range has been designed, although it should appeal equally to crew of older and still popular classes such as the greatly revived Quarter Tonner fleet.
Full article in the May issue of Seahorse
2020 Flying Fifteen European Championship has been cancelled
Grand Prix de L'Ecole Navale has advised that the 2020 European Championship and Championship of France due to be sailed in May, have been cancelled due to the Corona Virus (Covid-19).
As previously reported, Flying Fifteen International (FFI) plans to advise the status of the 2021 Flying Fifteen Worlds in August. The FFI Worlds are due to take place in Fremantle, Australia in February 2021.
FFI advise:
"We will now review the timing of all future events in August when we will hopefully have a better handle on the spread of the virus and its impact on the community" -- Michael Clark, FFI Secretary
Stay at home Finn reading
Even though most Finn sailors cannot go Finn sailing at the moment and are being encouraged to stay at home, there are a lot of Finn books and magazines that can entertain you while we are all waiting for racing to restart.
We have put together sets of back issues of FINNFARE dating back to the late 1990s. In total there are about 60 editions available, totalling more than 1500 pages.
Issues have been split into two sets of roughly 30 copies each and for those that don't have copies, they can now be ordered as individual sets or both together.
Back issue sets of the Finn Masters Magazine are also available.
More information and ordering details can be found here
Antique Engine Expos
The Herreshoff brothers were really known for their steam engines and boilers in the early days of the company's operation. What do steam engines look and sound like in operation? We don't often get to see them in action today, so we thought you might enjoy getting a sense for steam from these videos of two annual antique engine expos that happen not so far from HMCo.'s original site in Bristol. The first is a video from the New England Steam and Wireless Museum's Yankee Steam-Up that happens every fall, and the second is from the Mystic Seaport Museum's summer Antique Marine Engine Expo.
Yankee Steam Up:
Mystic's Engine Expo:
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 Gordon Davies: (click on image to enlarge)
This is a classic image of Norman Long - in the white helmet, sailing a fully rigged ship!
The helm is Theo Harris - they were founding fathers of the Irish Mirror Association
* From Jim Champ, Epsom
I am quite sure that my tax money - or more likely your descendants' tax money - is going to many even less worthy causes than World Sailing's junior employees. Because its not really World Sailing we are bailing out, its the junior staff. Not a penny goes directly to World sailing, and I bet that otherwise they would all be out of the door with statutory minimum redundancy payments - which would almost certainly still be cheaper for WS than topping up the last 20% of their salaries, as I bet a substantial percentage of them have only been working for WS since that foolish move to London.
Featured Charter
Available for Mediterranean, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands crossings. Berthed in Alicante.
See listing details in Seahorse Charters
Contact
Skipper: Jorge
E-mail:
Mobile: +34 693756352
http://www.barquitos.es
Featured Brokerage
WARRIOR ( ex CAMPER) is seriously for sale and open to offers.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
William Jenkins
410 353 7862
410 267 9419
-----------------------------------------
TRIBE is the original Gunboat- the trailblazing, iconic Gunboat, a timeless beauty with rock-solid construction and enviable performance, ready for her next owners’ adventures!
For full details go to... Gunboat Brokerage
-----------------------------------------
Aquarius Alfa is a sleek looking semi raised Swan 100 S which was designed by German Frers. She is the first SWAN 100S to feature the ‘Semi-Raised Saloon’ configuration incorporating a low-level coach roof. The yacht has four en-suite guest cabins sleeping up to nine people. This yacht is beautifully appointed and in excellent overall condition. Viewing is highly recommended - she is VAT paid. Aquarius Alfa is Malta registered.
See listing details at Carswood Yachts
Contact
Alastair for further details +44747 6888639
www.carrswoodyachts.com
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots. -- H.L. Mencken
Editorial and letter submissions to
Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.eurosailnews.com/advertise.html