In This Issue
• Bestaven Looking To Land Big Christmas Bonus
• Vendee Globe: Conrad Colman Expert Analysis On Week 6
• RORC recruiting for Chief Executive Officer
• Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup
• Cleaner, lighter... faster - Diverse Performance Systems
• New Sponsor, New Team For The 18 Footers
• Wight Vodka Best Sailors Bar
• Guest Editorial - Alistair Skinner
• Seahorse Sailor of the Month
• Featured Charter
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Spirit 46 ILHABELA II
• • Ker 40 - "Icebreaker"
• • Kinetic Catamarans - KC54
• Back on Monday... Merry Christmas!
• The Last Word: Dustin Hoffman

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

Bestaven Looking To Land Big Christmas Bonus
Leader Yannick Bestaven is being forced to play chicken with the Vendee Globe's ice zone limit in the South Pacific as he seeks to extricate his Maître Coq first from a frustrating anticyclone which is offering unusually light to moderate breezes even though they are racing at 55 degrees south.

Bestaven, who has seen his margin eroded to 84 miles by Figaro one design ace Charlie Dalin while Thomas Ruyant is also about 80 miles behind.

The problem all three leaders face is that the centre of the system is moving east at more or less the same speed as they are. But if Bestaven can wriggle clear and his pursuers remain snared then the leader could hit the jackpot, gaining an advance of many hundreds of miles. Bestaven took himself to within 3.4 nautical of the virtual line today before he gybed back north-eastwards, all the time trying to stay as far south as he could where the winds are strongest.

Charlie Dalin, in second, admitted that the stress of the scenario was keeping him awake during a phase he really needs to be maximising his rest. Speaking on the Vendee Globe English Live show today, in the dark during the Southern Pacific Ocean night, Dalin said, "I am under a high level of pressure because my 90 miles deficit to Maitre Coq could transform into 1000 miles if I cannot manage to outrace this high pressure. I am under a lot of stress, trying to sail as hard as I can to be able to stay east of this high pressure centre, which will travel towards us in the next couple of days. It is really stressful because I know that if I don't manage I could end up in a different system to Yannick and lose a lot of ground."

www.vendeeglobe.org

Vendee Globe: Conrad Colman Expert Analysis On Week 6
The Vendee Globe is defined by the fact that it is a solo adventure, a voyage into oneself as much as a voyage around the world. This is both exhilarating and exhausting and leaves you both full and completely drained in the same moment.

Given this, and the year of forced isolation that everyone has experienced, I took great joy at watching Louis Burton, Damien Seguin, Boris Herrmann, Jean Le Cam and Benjamin Dutreux come together for a friendly chat in the windless south this week.

It is unprecedented to find so many boats so close together and in conditions that allowed them to drop by for a social call. Boris and Damien got close enough to be able to simply talk with each other. In the last edition, I passed Kojiro in the South Atlantic close enough to wave but given the language barrier we had little to say to each other beyond Konichiwa and good luck!

The light conditions that permitted such socialising are not reserved for R&R however as all the sailors promptly picked up their tool kits and set to repairing sails, hydro-generators and electrical systems while their boats were more or less stable.

In the group photos we saw that Louis Burton was sailing in the calms with one reef in his mainsail, clear evidence that his mast track problems have stopped him exploiting the true potential of his boat. His solution for this is quite remarkable. 400 miles ahead is the deserted island of Macquarie and he will seek shelter behind its 300 metre high hills in order to climb the mast, replace a section of track and set up a new halyard system to replace his broken lock system.

In 2015 when I was racing the Barcelona World Race with Nandor Fa we had a similar problem in the same place on the racecourse. Our main was jammed on the track and we were unable to hoist or drop it. Squalls were on the horizon.

During a series of brutal mast climbs with the boat charging on the waves and the wind blowing more than 30 knots, Nandor lost his grip on the rigging and slammed his head against the mast. I was showered with blood while standing on the deck and later had to stitch his forehead up, without anaesthetic! All of which to say, I applaud Louis' plan to seek shelter before attempting repairs up the mast.

Full story in YachtRacing.life

A world leader in offshore racing and race management, organiser of the Rolex Fastnet Race and the Caribbean 600, joint owner of the IRC rating rule and thriving members club.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club

Is recruiting for the role of Chief Executive Officer for 2021.

The club's present, successful and well known CEO stands down next year and the recruitment process for the successor is underway. The is a high profile role with significant leadership and management responsibility.

Please contact the club for more information

Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup
Milan, Hong Kong: 69F Sailing and Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club officially organize the Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup, an event dedicated to mixed Under-25 crews from all over the world: the first edition will be held in three stages over 12 months, with the first two scheduled in Italy and the third in Hong Kong.

The event was born as an international synergy between 69F Sailing, the company that designed and produced the Persico 69F, the first class of foil crew boats in the world, and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. The first stage of the Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup takes place in Gaeta, in partnership with the Yacht Club Gaeta from February 24 to March 12, 2021. Preceded by two days of training, the event includes the Open Ceremony on February 26: the calendar includes a warmup regatta, the qualification series (3 - 8 March) and the final (10 - 12 March).

In July, Lake Garda will host the second act, while in January 2022 the final event of the first edition of the Liberty Bitcoin Youth Foiling World Cup will take place in Hong Kong.

At the moment, there are nine members registered, coming from eight countries and four continents: from the start, the challenge involves the whole world. Registration for the event is open and will close at the end of 2020. Clubs can participate in a single stage or throughout the circuit. Those who participate in the previous stage get priority to register for the next one. To get information, clubs can write to and visit www.69fsailing.com

Cleaner, lighter... faster - Diverse Performance Systems
There may have been limited time on the water this summer but the smart folk ain't been sitting around!

The fairways and marinas of the Hamble River have been quiet this year but in the light-industrial units set back from the river, innovation continues apace. The real lifeblood of the Hamble has always been its ecosystem of specialist companies, run by sailors for sailors, where a lot of next-generation yacht racing technologies are created and refined. In one of those sheds, Diverse Performance Systems produced load cells and pins for most of the Vendee Globe fleet and three of the four AC75 teams, but that's only a small part of what they do. The clue's in the name.

Diverse also designed and built the foil control system for the latest Hugo Boss; installed hydraulic sail control systems on Velsheda and Galateia that give both yachts a competitive advantage in manoeuvres; worked on DSS foil bearing designs for Canova and Wild Oats; invented game-changing technology for TP52 and Fast 40+ teams; developed new deck hardware for the ClubSwan 125...

Full article in the January issue of Seahorse

New Sponsor, New Team For The 18 Footers
Lazarus Capital Partners, the latest sponsor to join the strong Australian 18 Footers League's fleet has linked up with one of the new, young teams setting out on their challenge to become one of the best on Sydney Harbour.

The new team, the youngest in the fleet, is 20-year-old Lachlan Steel (skipper), 22-year-old Jerome Watts, on the sheet, and 20-year-old Matt Doyle in the bow.

Their journey together began in November, during the Spring Championship, when the three crew first carried the company logo on the skiff's sails.

Wind conditions have tested the fleet on many race days this season, making it more difficult for the newer crews as they try to improve their team work while competing against the more experienced crews.

Despite the testing start to the campaign, Lachlan describes himself as an ambitious sailor who prides himself on his level of commitment to any sailing challenges before him. The team's determination to improve has already been seen with a few good results and an attitude of never giving up when things aren't going your way.

It's this determination which will see the team improve over the championship end of the season, which resumes on January 10.

According to Australian 18 Footers League President John Winning. "We appreciate having such a company as Lazarus Capital Partners prepared to support one of our new teams. It fits perfectly with the club's youth policy to ensure the future of our 128-year-old sport on Sydney Harbour." -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.

www.18footers.com.au

Wight Vodka Best Sailors Bar
A regular reader and JBoats fellow sent us this note about two of his favorites...

Favorite sailors bar- Clarke Cooke House- Sky Bar/ Bistro (also known as the "Candy Store") with bartender Ricky (a.k.a. "five-oh").

By far the best sailor's bar in the world. It combines great food, amazing historical atmosphere, and a laid-back, entertaining bartender in the form of Ricky... whom I have known since he first worked at CCH in 1979! Owner David Ray is an avid sailor, owns a classic 65 foot Hinckley yawl parked in front of Bannister's Wharf, and was creator of the "Candy Store Cup." The atmosphere is very cool since the walls are festooned with yacht club burgees, dozens of framed photos of famous offshore racing yachts and America's Cup contenders as well as half-models of such famous yachts donated lovingly by their owners to David Ray. Upstairs dining includes the "America's Cup" room with half and full models of many famous America's Cup defenders and challengers...it is really a sailing museum for Newport that includes an awesome bar and great food!

The only other bar in the world that comes close to it is St. Francis Yacht Club's bar that is located literally right on the water, overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the western entrance to the famous San Francisco Bay... sailboat racing on evening beer can races is literally "stadium sailing" right in front of the vast expanse of floor to ceiling glass windows on the north facing bar/ restaurant....truly an amazing place to sit for lunch or dinner and watch the sunset as sailboats and foiling kiters fly by all the time.. very entertaining!

Here's a lovely drink to make on a cold night...

Apple Cider Hot Toddy
Heat apple cider and water with grated ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg until very hot.
Strain into a mug, add Wight vodka, lemon juice, a little honey.
Accesorize with a cinnamon stick and a slice of lemon.

Then... take pen to paper, fingers to keyboard, and send us a message about YOUR favorite bar:

eurosailnews.com/sailors-bars

Guest Editorial - Alistair Skinner
A boat that looks different and at times was the fastest but at other times just wouldn't do what the skipper and his crew would want it to do and could be beaten on the water by similar boats of the same design rule. A frustrated skipper with one of the richest men in his country bank rolling the project and no doubt expecting more bang for his buck than he was getting. A team that had been together for years and the best the marine industry of the country could provide.

Of course I am speaking about INEOS, the boat and Ben Ainslie, the skipper.

Actually, I'm not!

When Alan Bond launched his final attempt at the Auld Mug he called on John Bertrand to be his skipper. It was to be a no holds barred final throw of the dice and he in turn looked to Ben Lexcen, known as Ben Bob to design him something radical, and boy, he didn't disappoint.

Like the current crop of America's Cup boats the result was radical – like Red Bull, she had wings on her 'upside down' keel. Totally different from anything before her, just as the current AC boats are a first. So radical was she they even kept the keel 'skirted' throughout the whole or The Cup.

She wasn't always fast and had a tendency to 'wobble' when the waves didn't quite suit her making her initially difficult to steer and in early trials found her stalking horse, Challenge 12 was more than just a Challenge.

She caused doubts and caustic comments like "it maybe looks good in a test tank but the only waters that matter are on the race course off Newport". She also had more than her fair share of breakdowns at key moments with steering letting go or her mainsail headboard deciding to detach from the rest of the sail

Of course Australia 2, the 'Little White Pointer' went on to re-write history in 1983 and beat Liberty of the mighty New York Yacht Club and Big Bad Dennis on those waters off Newport, Rhode Island.

If she hadn't, Patriot might be the Defender instead of a Challenger, the curtailing of a 132 year winning streak might never have happened, and who knows, without the drama of A2 Vs Liberty in 83, there would have been no material for Connor's book 'Comeback' and no New Zealand entry into The Cup with KZ7 and, and, and!

The Cup may even have withered on the vine without the drama of those two cup editions.

So back to INEOS!

To describe her on her current performance as 'a dog' might appear completely accurate but the action in the recent regatta is, in America's Cup terms, just practice racing and is the time to discover faults with the boat and how she is sailed.

If, after the Prada Cup, she is still overall way behind the rest then perhaps calling her a barker could prove to be correct but the fat lady hasn't even cleared her throat yet.

Sir Ben and his team are clearly behind the eight ball with the boat in its current configuration and the way she is sailed but with the amount of data streamed off these boats it would be a pretty fair guess that they now know where the problems lie and will be moving heaven and earth to close the gap between themselves and the other three protagonists.

Time will tell. I could be wrong – it has been known before but I do think it is a little bit early to be writing off the GBP120m spend of the British Challenge.

Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
This month's nominees:

Damien Seguin (FRA)
Seguin is well known to many readers as a double Paralympic gold medallist in the 2.4mR one-design, but the 41-year-old is currently putting up a mighty performance in the Vendee Globe… No 'easy' race for anyone, Seguin however was born without the use of his left hand, in spite of which before taking on the VG he had already competed successfully in the Figaro and Class40. We encourage readers to follow Seguin who as we write is lying a magnificent 7th overall

Natasha Lambert (GBR)
Currently mid-Atlantic with four other crew in her quest to become the first sailor to cross the pond using only breath and tongue to control her big 46ft cat. The 23-year-old suffers with athetoid cerebral palsy and has no use of her arms and legs. Lambert has already crossed the English Channel as well as a dauntingly impressive singlehanded lap of the Isle of Wight. In her free time… she is busy fundraising for her own sailing school as well as the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust

Last Month's winner:
Jean Le Cam (FRA)
Pictured: finally resting after saving his friend. 'I feel sorry for anyone coming up against Jean in this vote. Bravo, Jean!' - Campbell Field; 'Hero' - Jimmy Hellberg; 'Le Cam, le legende' - Simon Scammell; 'Still the master of the seas' - Patrick Lindqvist; 'Jean, as if kicking ass in an old boat wasn't enough, he ups the ante by rescuing Escoffier' - Dave Russell; 'Sailor of the year… of the decade?' - Antoine de Kerviler; 'This Vendee now has its hero' - Phillip Scherer.

View past winners of Sailor of the Month

Seahorse Sailor of the Month is sponsored by Musto, Harken McLube & Dubarry. Who needs silverware, our prizes are usable!

Cast your vote, submit comments, even suggest a candidate for next month at seahorsemagazine.com/sailor-of-the-month/vote-for-sailor-of-the-month

Featured Charter
SW105 Wolfhound. 75000 p/w plus expenses and applicable taxes EUR. Located in France.

Fast, Elegant, Comfortable. Experience the ultimate in performance superyacht sailing aboard the Southern Wind 105' Wolfhound.

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Pegaso Srl a Socio Unico
Salita Dinegro 7/1 16123 Genova Italy
Ph +39 010 570 4035
Fax + 39 010 570 4065
https://www.pegasoyd.com

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
2005 Spirit 46 ILHABELA II. 330000 EUR. Located in Frejus, France.

ILHABELA II has been totally refitted in 2018 by the original yard with a new teak deck, a completely new paint and varnishes (and a lot more!) to be presented at Dusseldorf Boat Show and has not been used since. The boat is in perfect condition.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
BERNARD GALLAY Yacht Brokerage

+33 (0)467 66 39 93

-----------------------------------------

2011 Ker 40 - "Icebreaker" 170000 GBP. Located in Auckland.

One of NZ's most successful 40'fters in the last 8 years,Icebreaker has really been the benchmark boat. Foam glass hull with twin carbon wheels and carbon mast, ensure a lightweight and powerful arrangement, but with plenty of durability. New Keel and pedestal have kept the performance push goin

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Race Boats

+442380 016582
+447759 424900

-----------------------------------------

Kinetic Catamarans - KC54. POA USD.

A performance catamaran that can be comfortably sailed by a cruising couple.

The KC54 maximizes living space with panoramic 360-degree views from inside its large main salon. The coach roof-mounted mast and traveler facilitate a large forward cockpit for both sailing and leisure and an aft cockpit free of sail controls. It is built for fast coastal and offshore cruising in comfort. It can also be configured as a competitive racer.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact

Kinetic Catamarans
USA Tel: +1 954 732 2836

Kinetic Catamarans
SA. Tel:+27 44 382 0439

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

Back on Monday
A few days off for your humble narrator, particularly as the Rolex Sydney Hobart is off and Boxing Day is considerably less nautical. I shall replace viewing the start of that storied event with a few drams of whisky and a nap. And pie for breakfast.

A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

The Last Word
God bless us all, goddamnit -- Attributed to a very young Dustin Hoffman in his High School Christmas play.

Editorial and letter submissions to

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