Brought to you by Boats.com Europe, Yachtworld.com Europe, 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

Virbac-Paprec 3 at Cape Leeuwin
As Virbrac Paprec 3 crossed the longitude of Cape Leeuwin this morning at around 1010hrs UTC, the leading French pair were moving at more modest speeds seeing their record lead ebbing again as the chasing trio catch up steady miles.

For Jean-Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron they are simply at the mercy of the more benign conditions as they transit the second Australian safety barrier, but the leading team have shed 100 miles to the pursuing trinity, MAPFRE, Estrella Damm and Groupe Bel since yesterday.

But 100 miles may be an unavoidable daily expenditure in these parts, when the pursuing trio are still in the strong low pressure system winds while the leaders are pressed north by the safety gate, forced to flirt with the vagaries of the high pressure system above them which will station itself in the Australian Bight.

Whether these losses will increase or decrease in the Tasman and across to New Zealand seems to be the big question of the moment. The weather situation changes almost daily as the different winds meet, the overheated air masses toasted by Australia's deserts, and the cold polar air which rushes up from the south at any small opportunity.

For the trio at the rear of the fleet the next few days will be their most challenging of the race yet, one offering big opportunities in a fast moving low pressure system which start by giving them some very difficult conditions, for many of them their first big south Indian Ocean blow:

We Are Water's Jaume Mumbru explained: "We have a monster behind which will reach us tonight. We expect 60 knots winds and eight metre waves. The wind will be polar, very cold, and the water like ice. We are preparing all out safety gear, harnesses, we hope to be ready to ride out the storm. We hope this powerful westerly wind will give us the chance to make some inroads and make some good runs. We have to be on high alert and monitor the changes all the time.."

Rankings at 1400hrs UTC Tuesday 08th Feburary

1. Virbac-Paprec 3, 13992.4 Miles To Finish
2. Mapfre, 670 Miles To Leader
3. Estrella Damm Sailing Team, 693.9 nm
4. Groupe Bel, 810.7
5. Renault Z.E, 1133.4
6. Mirabaud, 1565.8
7. Neutrogena, 1605.4
8. Gaes Centros Auditivos, 2305.4
9. Hugo Boss, 2354.4
10. Forum Maritim Catala, 3293.9
11. We Are Water, 3467.5
12. Central Lechera Asturiana, 3633.4
ABN Foncia
ABN President

www.barcelonaworldrace.org

Evan Walker Fights Back in Hardy Cup
Click on image for photo gallery.

Hardy Cup Australian match racing champion Evan Walker this afternoon fought back with four straight wins in the second round-robin of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's prestigious Hardy Cup ISAF grade 3, under 25 match racing regatta.

Walker, from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, is seeking his third Hardy Cup win in four years and came into this year's regatta 'hot to trot' after two impressive match race regatta wins in Perth.

After a rather ordinary start to the Hardy Cup yesterday, he and his crew of Jay Griffin and Henry Kernot clicked today with a total of seven wins in the last three flights of the round-robin 1 and the first four flights of round-robin 2.

RSYS skipper David Chapman and Jordan Reece also improved their standings in the final flights of round-robin 1 and then each winning their first matches in round-robin 2, to lift their totals to seven wins.

The experience of Tiller and his crew of Harry Thurston and Shaun Mason was clearly evident in their match racing tactics today.

"We have been sailing together for quite a while, including twice winning the Governor's Cup in California," Tiller said after today's racing.

RSYS race officials took advantage of a freshening south-east to easterly breeze to continue racing until near 7pm and completed the first six flights of round-robin 2. From a light 4-8 knot southerly, the wind backed to the south-east and east and freshened to 15 knots before easing off early this evening. -- Peter Campbell

Standings after day two of Hardy Cup, with round-robin 2 not completed:

Adrian Short (Team Short, Sandspit Yacht Club, NZL) 10 wins 5 losses
Will Tiller (Full Metal Jacket Racing, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, NZL) 10 wins 2 losses
Evan Walker (KA Match, CYCA, AUS) 9 wins 4 losses
David Chapman (True Blue Racing, RSYS, AUS) 7 wins 5 losses
Jordan Reece (True Blue Racing, RSYS, AUS) 7 wins 4 losses
David Gilmour (Team Gilmour, RFBYC, AUS) 7 wins 5 losses
Matthew Steven (Wellington Spirit, RPNYC, NZL) 5 wins 7 losses
Samantha Osborne (Silver Sails Racing, RNZYS, NZL) 5 wins 9 losses
Josh Porebski (Wellington Spirit, RPNYC, NZL) 1 win 12 losses
Will MacKenzie (CYCA, AUS) 1 win 12 losses

www.rsys.com.au/sailing/hardycuphomepage.php

New MPX RACE from Musto
Click on image to enlarge.

MPX RACE from Musto MPX RACE has been designed specifically for racing sailors who demand high performance without weight and bulk.

With five jackets and a high-fit salopette to choose from, each has been ergonomically redesigned to allow you to race the boat and feature stretch GORE-TEX® panelling to maximise freedom of movement.

MPX RACE garments are engineered from the most rugged, tear and abrasion resistant fabrics and employ a 3-layer high performance GORE-TEX® Pro Shell membrane to allow unbeatable breathability.

Stretch GORE-TEX® is a specially developed 3-layer bonded fabric constructed to stretch up to 33% in warp direction and is employed in strategic panels to allow a greater range of movement as is required during high intensity sport activity.

www.musto.com

Guest Editorial
The successful prosecution of two 'Recognised' RYA Sail Training centres by the MCA for operating inadequately coded vessels with inadequately qualified skippers, and their consequent 'derecognition' by the RYA is a timely warning to all commercial yachtsmen and women. But it also raises a number of questions that will not be resolved simply by prosecutions.

Firstly, the two sailing schools concerned will have been rigorously checked, and their yachts inspected by the RYA, before being granted recognition. Whilst it would be unfair to expect the RYA to monitor every aspect of every sailing school, these two failures highlight a weakness in the RYA accreditation system. It is possible, under the present system, for a school to be granted 'Recognition' as an accredited RYA Sail Training Centre with a yacht coded for category 1 or 2 voyages - those no more than 60 or 150 miles from a safe haven - and then to use their yachts (albeit illegally) for category 0 voyages, as appears to have happened in these two cases.

Combined with concerns raised over a number of years about the practice of running 'novice to Yachtmaster Ocean' courses with the barest minimum of experience for the students, it may well be time for the RYA to consider granting Sailing Schools 'restricted recognition', say, for passages of up to 60 or 150 miles from a safe haven, or 'unrestricted recognition' for passages over 150 miles from a safe haven. That way, clients would be able to check whether their sailing school and its yachts are operating within the limits of its licence, and the RYA could provide much needed increased monitoring of those sailing schools offering 'Zero to Hero' courses.

Secondly, the level of pay for a qualified skipper working for a 'Recognised' Sail Training establishment is often barely above the minimum wage. Many are paid no more than £140 a day, and given that the skipper is legally responsible for the safety of the vessel and all on board 24 hours a day, whether he or she is on board or not, this works out at a little under £5.84 an hour. Most commercial yacht skippers are freelance, and there is no trade organisation that fights for better remuneration or working conditioins, and so the temptation for commercial yacht skippers to earn extra money by 'stretching' the boundaries of their qualifications is considerable. The RYA has consistently and publicly refused to intervene on matters of pay and conditions, saying that this is a matter for sailing schools themselves.

Thirdly, even when properly qualified and sailing appropriately coded yachts, freelance skippers working for Sailing Schools are often pressed to take students sailing when prudence would suggest staying in harbour. A group of students, unknown to each other or the instructor, can arrive at a Sailing School yacht late on a Friday evening, tired after a week's work, and with no knowledge of the yacht apart from a short safety briefing. The School expects the instructor to take them sailing immediately 'because they have paid', when any sensible person would let them have at least one night alongside to rest, get to know the yacht and each other, and for the instructor to assess their capabilities before setting off. Again, the RYA has said that this is a matter for the sailing schools.

The RYA and MCA deserve our gratitude for improving safety at sea over many years, but if neither of them are prepared to intervene on behalf of the freelance skippers on which they and their Sailing Schools rely, then there may need to be some independent organisation formed that will tackle these issues without having to pull its punches for fear of upsetting the interests of the 'Recognised' Sailing Schools. -- Richard Thomas, Editor of Sailers.co.uk

www.sailers.co.uk

Calypso: A Family Affair & The First Entry Into The 80th Anniversary Race
Click on image to enlarge.

RTIR The first entry processed for this year's J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race was from the legendary boat builder and sailor, Mr Jeremy Rogers in the family's new "greener" Contessa 32, Calypso.

Launched last year in partnership with the RYA/BMF "The Green Blue" for the PSP Southampton Boat Show, Calypso showcases a wide range of green products and technology from a hybrid engine to a real wood teak alternative called Kebony. Jeremy Rogers' son and one of Calypso's co-owners, Kit Rogers, explains: "We wanted to build a Contessa 32, which is a classic, top quality boat with the least possible impact on the environment, and this was a perfect opportunity to show that you can do both without compromising."

As well as being the 80th Anniversary of the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, 2011 also marks the 40th Anniversary of the much-loved Contessa 32, still in production from Jeremy Rogers' yard in Lymington, Hampshire.

Jeremy (73), a one-time Admiral's Cup winner and a former Yachtsman of the Year, is as renowned as his boats and he will be steering Calypso round a course he knows only too well. In 2002/2003 and 2006 he sailed his way to victory in the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race in his Contessa 26, Rosina of Beaulieu, making him the only person to have won the coveted Gold Roman Bowl three times in the same boat.

Although this race always attracts a large entry in the Contessa 32 class, Calypso will be entered under IRC rules, the only class eligible to race for the Gold Roman Bowl. -- Peta Stuart-Hunt

www.roundtheisland.org.uk

Extreme Sailing Series Full Team Line-Ups Unveiled
World Champions and ocean racing record holders, will be squaring up against Olympians and America's Cup hotshots, in the impressive roll call for the Extreme Sailing Series™ this year. The full crew line-ups are unveiled today ahead of the first Extreme Sailing Series™ Act to be hosted in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman in February (20th-24th, stadium days 22nd-24th).

With a wealth of new teams and crew representing 15 nationalities, the 2011 Extreme Sailing Series season promises to be the most competitive yet with 11 boats manned with talent from every corner of competitive yacht racing - and the stats are impressive:

29 Olympians
12 Records set/broken
97 World Championships contended
11 Round the World navigations
69 America's Cup sailed
4 Olympic Gold Medals
2 Olympic Silver Medals
2 Olympic Bronze Medals

You can find the full crew line-ups in the TEAM section of the website and the 2011 EXTREME magazine is now available to browse online.

Read the full Form Guide by DailySail editor James Boyd.
www.extremesailingseries.com

Find out more about the skippers and crews, read entertaining and insightful features by BBC Sport's Rob Hodgetts, DailySail editor, James Boyd and YachtSponsorship.com guru, David Fuller in the 2011 Extreme Magazine. Packed with stunning photography and vital stats for the season ahead. To request a copy, please email

Join The 2011 Dyneema&Reg; Experience Team and Win a Complete Re-Rig For Your Boat
Dyneema Experience Team DSM Dyneema, producer of Dyneema®, the world's strongest fiber™, is recruiting the globe with its partners for 40 'skippers'. They can test running-rigging made with Dyneema® fiber and share their experiences through social media.

If you are selected as part of the 2011 Dyneema® Experience Team, we'll re-rig your boat completely free of charge with ropes made with Dyneema®®. All we ask of you is that you test and experience rigging with Dyneema® and share this with us, your friends, family and other sailors worldwide, through social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

The most active 'skipper' of the 2011 'Dyneema® Experience Team' will experience a masterclass with a friend on one of the Volvo Ocean Race Yachts in Alicante.

Dyneema® has proven to be highly versatile for a wide range of products in the yachting industry. The combination of high performance and durability makes it the ideal material, for running rigging for performance cruisers and professional sailors.

The closing date for applications is March 4, 2011. The 2011 Dyneema® Experience Team ends on September 23rd 2011.

Join the team www.dyneemaexperience.com

ISA Sailing Achievement of the Year Nominations
The nominations for the ISA (Irish Sailing Association) Sailing Achievement of the Year 2010 Award have been announced. Amongst the 5 nominees are Anthony O'Leary and his two sons, Peter O'Leary and Nicholas O'Leary who will be competing against each other for the title.

Anthony led the Irish team, which also included Peter and Nicholas, to victory in the 2010 Rolex Commodore's Cup in Cowes. Peter O'Leary, a 2012 Olympic campaigner, won the 2010 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta in while in 2010 his brother Nicholas became the first competitor in the history of the ISA All Ireland Sailing Championships to win 3 consecutive championship titles. Also nominated for the award are Mark Pollack and Michael Liddy for their extraordinary performance in the 2010 Round Ireland Yacht Race and windsurfer Oisin Van Gelderen who is the Irish Speed Sailing Champion.

The award will be presented to the overall winner at the ISA 5th Annual Awards Ball in March to recognise the outstanding achievement in a sailing craft by an Irish person or in Ireland during 2010. The Awards Ball will be taking place on the 5th of March in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin and is the biggest social event of the year for the sailing, motorboating and windsurfing community. It provides a platform for the ISA to officially acknowledge and commend some of the outstanding contributors to the sports throughout 2010.

For more information on the ISA 5th Annual Awards Ball please see
www.sailing.ie/conference/

Short Tacks
The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame is now streaming on its home page, Facebook page and YouTube channel a short film clip from the "Passion for the Sea" Series, sponsored by SPERRY TOP-SIDER and narrated by Gary Jobson.

The series includes sailing stories and profiles of sailors.

The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame will be highlighting a new short film from the series on its home page every Thursday for the next several weeks, and will archive previously featured films in the website's Film Library.

Streaming now is the story of Olin Stephens' America's Cup Design.

Next Thursday... Classic Yachts. See www.nshof.org

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

After a year on hold, the Grade 1 match race Lysekil Women's Match will again take place from 1 to 6 August in Lysekil, Sweden. The world elite of female match racers are expected to tackle the waters of the west coast of Sweden.

"The support from both sailors and public has been massive and we are very happy to have our main sponosor Preem back for a world class come back in Lysekil this summer," said Anna Holmdahl, founder and organiser of the event.

Lysekil Women's Match 2011 will invite 12 of the world's foremost female match racers to compete at the prestigeous event .

For more information on Lysekil Women's Match please contact: Organizer Anna Holmdahl White, e-mail , +46 (0)730 68 42 92

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

Bob Fisher on the new AC45, the first of a series of video interviews in Sail-World.com:

www.sail-world.com

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

In 2011, the Farr30 International One Design Class will crown their European Champion for the first time during Kieler Woche. From 23 to 26 June their championship will be the highlight of the second part of the world largest regatta in Kiel.

Prior to that, competitors are already welcome for tune up and boat testing while the Pre-Europeans will take place from June 20-22 on the same race course.

In addition to that, the international class association offers a two-day-training at the days ahead with a Farr30 sailor from France.

For real early birds the class association offers a special deal and sponsors 50% of the Early Entry Fee for entries received by March 31. After that date the Early Entry Fee is 450 € (Pre-Europeans 250 €) until June 1.

Therefore save money and enter now!

Please find further information here: www.farr30.org/racing/2011-racing/230-2011-keiler-woche-.html

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

With so many changes sweeping through the boating and publishing industries this past decade, Boating Writers International (BWI) has assembled a roundtable of senior publishing executives to discuss what the future holds for the boating media and for journalists - working on and offline - during the Miami International Boat Show.

BWI will present, "The Future of Marine Journalism," during its annual meeting from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 18, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, Room A 204 - 205. Featured speakers include John Burnham, Editorial Director at YachtWorld.com/boats.com, Tim Cole, Executive V.P. at Belvoir Media Group, Duncan McIntosh, Group Publisher of Editor and Publisher as well as a number of boating titles, David Ritchie, Editorial Director at Bonnier Marine Group and Bill Sisson, Editor-in-Chief, Soundings Publications.

The panel will explore changes that have been wrought by the Great Recession, the shift away from print and developments they expect to see at their publications over the next 18 months, including their expectations on hiring freelance and full-time staff writers in the foreseeable future. In just the past few years, the percentage of BWI members now calling themselves "freelance" has mushroomed from 42% in 2005 to 65% in 2009.

Featured Brokerage
Featured Brokerage Boat 2004 Beneteau Figaro II. 98,000 GBP. Located in Gosport, United Kingdom.

This Beneteau Figaro II "Hot Socks" has acquitted herself well in events such as the Solitaire du Figaro, the bluQuble Solo 1000, OSTAR 2009 Fastnet 2009 and Shetland Round Britain and Ireland 2010. Ideally suited to fast offshore short handed sailing, her owner is now moving on to new projects and so "Hot Socks" needs a new jockey.

Brokerage through Sea Ventures (UK) Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/seaventures/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com

The Last Word
Newman's first law: It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down. -- Paul Newman

Bookmark and Share

Use this box to send a copy of this issue of the Scuttlebutt Europe Newsletter to a friend:
[FORWARDFORM]

Or [FORWARD] for a page where you can send copies to up to a dozen friends.

[USERTRACK]

About YachtWorld.com
Formed in 1995, YachtWorld.com is the premier online sales channel for yacht brokers around the world. The site lists more than 110,000 boats for sale in 115 countries by some 2,500 brokers in 60 countries. The total value of boats listed is over $40 billion. Headquartered in Seattle, YachtWorld.com has its European headquarters in the United Kingdom, with sales offices in Germany, Italy and Russia and sales representation in Dubai, Australia and China.

About Boats.com
Boats.com provides marketing and Web services to boat builders, dealers, brokers and service companies throughout the global recreational marine industry. The Boats.com Website provides consumer access to information, boat listings and financial and insurance products. With more than 143,000 new and used boat listings from more than 5,500 brokers, dealers and manufacturers, Boats.com is the largest concentration of recreational marine industry marketing in the world.

Yachtworld.com on line magazine is available free of charge and delivered digitally every month. Click here to receive your copy: www.yachtworldmagazine.com/ywm/latest/

See the Boats Blog at Boats.com -- www.boats.com/blog/

To subscribe, unsubscribe, and select HTML or Text format visit scuttlebutteurope.com

Editorial and letter submissions to

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

Search the Archives

SEARCH SEARCH

Our Partners

Seahorse Magazine

YachtScoring.com

Wight Vodka

Robline Ropes

Harken

Marlow

Navico

Translate