EuroSail News #5328 - 10 May
In This Issue
• GUYOT environnement - Team Europe dismasted
• FOR PEOPLE and Charal lead the Guyader Bermudes
• 10th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge
• RORC De Guingand Bowl Race
• Cup Spy : Spectacular AC75 nosedive caught on video
• Plymouth to host 2025 J/24 Worlds
• Royal Southern North Sails May Regatta
• Robein focused on reliability for his circumnavigation with his X37
• A Mere $500 Million
• Featured Charter: 28m Monty North S/Y FREE AT LAST
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Grand Soleil 40
• • IMOCA 60 'Merci'
• • Gunboat 68
• The Last Word: George Bernard Shaw
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
GUYOT environnement - Team Europe has dismasted, all onboard are safe
The GUYOT environnement - Team Europe crew is safe and working on a jury rig after dismasting in a fierce north Atlantic storm overnight Monday night on the closing stages of Leg 4 from Itajaí, Brazil to Newport, Rhode Island.
At 0243 UTC, while the team was racing in fourth place in gale force winds and big waves, the boat slammed off a wave and the mast crashed down. Despite worsening conditions the team was able to cut the wreckage of the broken mast away, to avoid further damage to the boat, while preserving as much equipment as possible. Co-skipper Robert Stanjek (GER) outlined the crew’s current situation and described the conditions overnight leading up to the mast break.
“At the moment we are about 600 miles away from Newport and there are still big waves and quite a bit of wind too. We broke the rig in the night at two o’clock UTC. I think it was not a super strong low pressure but I think we registered up to 50 to 52 knots of wind with an average of 40 to 45 knots.
“We thought we were managing well. We had only the main up with reefs and we were sailing at reduced speed but the waves were a little bit too big. There was a particularly big slam and the mast inverted and broke.”
Current ETA for 11th Hour Racing Team in Newport is on May 10th between 1800 and 2200 UTC (1400 and 1800 local time) followed by Team Malizia two hours later, with Paul Meilhat’s third placed Biotherm (FRA) expected to arrive around five hours afterwards.
Kevin Escoffier’s Swiss entry Team Holcim - PRB - which was dismasted earlier in Leg 4 off the Brazilian coast is on board a cargo ship en route to Newport where the crew plan to step a new mast in time for the start of Leg 5 to Aarhus, Denmark on May 21, which counts for double points.
theoceanrace.com/en/racing/tracker
FOR PEOPLE and Charal lead the Guyader Bermudes 1000 at Fastnet
The two-handed Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race is proving a fascinating opener as the 2023 IMOCA GLOBE SERIES gets underway in the northeast Atlantic, with some outstanding performances in the early stages.
The race began in light upwind conditions on Sunday off Brest and then featured a long beat to the first mark, set about 200 nautical miles to the southwest. From there the crews made a 180-degree turn to begin heading due north to the Fastnet Rock off the southwest corner of Ireland.
As the 13 IMOCAs made their way out into a misty Atlantic, it was British sailor Sam Goodchild sailing with Antoine Koch on FOR THE PLANET who set the pace in his first race in the Class, teasing excellent pace from a boat he has hardly had a chance to familiarise himself with.
Behind him Jérémie Beyou and Franck Cammas on Charal, and Goodchild’s TR Racing stablemate, Thomas Ruyant sailing with Morgan Lagravière on the brand new For People, were waiting to pounce and it was not long before they got their opportunity. -- Ed Gorman
Top five at 0500 French time:
1. Charal, Jeremie Beyou Franck Cammas, 580.5 nm to finish
2. FOR PEOPLE, Thomas Ruyant Morgan Lagraviere, + 5.3 nm to leader
3. FOR THE PLANET, Sam Goodchild Antoine Koch, + 22.2 nm
4. Paprec Arkea, Yoann Richomme Yann Elies, + 24.4 nm
5. Maître CoQ, Jean-Marie Dauris Julien Pulve, + 34.9 nm
guyaderbermudes1000race.com/en
50 boats & 23 nations already registered for 10th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge
Just weeks to go before the 10th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (5-8 July), largest meeting for alternative energy sources organised by Yacht Club de Monaco, and already 27 teams are confirmed in the Solar and Energy classes, mainly engineering students, and 15 professional boats showcasing their latest progress in the first YCM E-Boat Rally from Monaco to Cala del Forte in Italy. YCM has also set a zero-emission goal with its 100% electric press and safety boats, so a total of 50+ eco-powered boats on the sea.
Teams from as far afield as Peru, USA, Canada and India plus Turkey, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, etc., will be rat this event focused on R&D in open source. Alongside a full program of nautical trials on the sea are daily Tech Talks, industry pitches, a conference entitled Challenges, Engagement and Adoption (6th July) and the 4th Hydrogen Round Table (7th July) that brings governmental and institutional stakeholders together with hydrogen project developers. Note, the number of hydrogen-related prototypes taking part keeps going up, from two in 2019 to nine this year.
This “laboratory of innovation” putting new technologies through their paces in a range of contests on the sea is what sets the meeting apart. Among new features for 2023 is the first YCM E-Boat Rally in partnership with Aqua superPower for electric boats already on the market, their potential tested on a course between Monaco and Ventimiglia (16nm there and back). Supporting them the first E-Dock will be unveiled, an eco-design pontoon (bamboo) equipped with AC and DC chargers supplying fast reliable power to 20+ boats simultaneously. Even the PC team that manages races at YCM are energy autonomous, thanks to a portable mini solar power generator with USB, DC, AC and wireless outputs to power a range of devices.
Finally, a Job Forum, ‘Live Career Day’ and Corporate Mentoring Program put future talents in touch with the industry to power the future of yachting.
RORC De Guingand Bowl Race
Offshore racing with the Royal Ocean Racing Club continues on the 13th of May with the De Guingand Bowl Race, the fifth race of the RORC Season’s Points Championship, the world's largest offshore racing series. Close to 100 boats are expected, starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line in Cowes. A course of 110-160nm will be set close to the start with a target time of approximately 24-hours.
The De Guingand Bowl will be awarded to the boat with the best corrected time under the IRC Rating Rule. An impressive RORC fleet is expected with race crew from Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
Cowes resident Peter Morton is back racing offshore after decades of huge success inshore. In IRC Super Zero, Morton’s Mills 72 Notorious is the scratch boat for the De Guingand Bowl Race. ‘Morty’ intends to race Notorious in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race, twenty years after winning the Fastnet Challenge Cup on Charles Dunstone’s Enigma.
The silver De Guingand Bowl trophy was presented to the RORC in 1964 by E.P. de Guingand and his wife. Affectionally known as ‘Buster’, he raced in the 1960s and 70s and was known as an expert navigator. Vice Commodore of the RORC from 1957-59, Buster had great influence over the Club at the time. Having raced in America, he played a big part in the amalgamation of the CCA and the RORC rules, which formed the basis of the IOR in 1969. -- Louay Habib
De Guingand Bowl Race Entry List
Cup Spy : Spectacular AC75 nosedive caught on video
The Kiwi America's Cup program was suspended on April 28, for a week, while several members of the sailing team competed in the Season 3 Grand Final for Season 3 in San Francisco.
We understand that the plan is for the AC75 sailing to open up again for another week, before the AC75 is broken down and shipped to Barcelona, along with an AC40, ready to start sailing in July. ETNZ along with the other America's Cup teams, are permitted under the Protocol to only sail in Barcelona in the Period July 1, 2023 to October 31, 2023.
That final sailing week could be impacted by strong winds forecast for Auckland until the weekend, which will push the team up against shipping deadlines.
We will catch up with the Cup Spy coverage from the past week, with a priority on teams that are sailing AC75s, then LEQ12s, and then AC-40ODs.
Nosedives/capsizes and other spectacular drama are not uncommon on the AC75. Indeed Emirates Team NZ nosedived the same boat, on its final sail in New Zealand at a speed that was a tad under 50kts. Although the boat did not resume the training session, it was not a catastrophic incident.
The sight of an AC75 going down the mine at 40-50kts is rather compelling, and takes the America's Cup into F1 territory.
The cause of the latest incident looks to be a flight control issue. It is hard to believe as claimed elsewhere that it was triggered by the two different wingfoils fitted (legacy wing foils from American Magic and Emirates Team New Zealand.) It is usual for AC teams to sail with different wing oils for testing purposes, and the Swiss have used this set for most of the sixty sailing days in the AC75. -- Richard Gladwell
Plymouth to host 2025 J/24 Worlds
The Plymouth Yacht Club, Saltash Sailing Club and the UK J/24 Class Association will jointly run the event which will take place between September 6 and September 14 next year.
The Sailing World Championship will be based on the Mount Batten peninsula, supported by Yacht Havens Group and the Port of Plymouth Sailing Association, with five days of racing planned south of Plymouth Sound.
Event co-director Sam Marshall said
“We are absolutely delighted to have been given the privilege and honour of hosting the 2025 World Championship. J sailors across the country were gutted to not have the opportunity to race in the 2020 Worlds in Poole due to Covid, so to be able to host boats from around the world in the UK will be fantastic.
“The Port of Plymouth has had an active J/24 fleet for at least 30 years, and we are expecting some strong competition in the lead up to the event over the next three years.
Royal Southern North Sails May Regatta
A record number of 84 teams competed in the first regatta of the Royal Southern Yacht Club’s Summer Series. The North Sails May Regatta was held Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday to avoid clashing with King Charles III's coronation. A Light to moderate gradient breeze provided calm conditions, but the competition was as fierce as ever. A southerly breeze gusting over the Isle of Wight made reading the changes in speed and direction the keys to a winning performance. Ashore, the Royal Southern’s Clubhouse on the banks of the Hamble River was regatta central with well over 300 sailors enjoying the hospitality of the famous club.
Three race areas were set in The Solent for the North Sails May Regatta: Black Group for three IRC Classes, J/111 One Designs, and the HP30 Class. White Group for J/70 and SB20 One Designs, and Red Group for Cape31 One Designs. North Sails experts were not only racing but also out on the water observing and recording the action for an after-racing debrief, including drone footage.
The Royal Southern Summer Series continues with the Champagne Charlie June Regatta to be held 3-4 June. -- Louay Habib
Full results on Yachtscoring.com
Robein focused on reliability for his circumnavigation with his X37
Click on image to enlarge.
The Global Solo Challenge is a great human adventure that unites sailors from all over the world. Each of them has a unique story and background. The choice of the boat they sail with tells us a lot about them; it is a personal decision based on their experiences at sea and on land. Often, it is a case of love at first sight, as if the sailor and the boat knew they were destined to experience great adventures together. During a round-the-world voyage, as many sailors who have already embarked on this endeavour can attest, the boat becomes one with the sailor. The boat is a travel companion, a mean to fulfil a dream, a home, and the material link that binds us to the land from which we depart and return.
Louis Robein, with his numerous participations in the Solitaire du Figaro, is a complete, competitive, and meticulous sailor. He chose to participate in the GSC with the boat he has owned since 2010, focusing on reliability and embracing the reuse and recycling philosophy promoted by the race organisation. A resident of Lyon, Louis’s boat is based in the Gulf of Saint Tropez, at the Cogolin marina.
The choice of his boat was a coincidence.
A Mere $500 Million
Click on image to enlarge.
Exactly a month after the $500 million Koru megayacht was delivered to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the stunning luxury vessel was spotted for the very first time with its sails unfurled - it’s a sight to behold. The record-breaking megayacht left for her maiden voyage to Gibraltar on April 6 and is currently undergoing sailing sea trials off the coast of Palma de Mallorca, as confirmed by its AIS data. Reportedly, Koru has been joined by its shadow vessel named Abeona. Built by Damen Yachting, the 75-meter superyacht has been designed to function as a support vessel for Koru. Named after the Roman goddess of voyages and departures, the vessel will carry all the toys and tenders that aren’t carried on board the mothership along with accommodating the additional crew. It also features a helipad and hangar for a D14-type helicopter.
Previously known as Y721, Koru was commissioned by Bezos in 2018 after he fell in love with Oceanco’s Black Pearl. Measuring 127 meters in length, it’s the world’s second-largest sailing yacht, with Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko’s Sailing Yacht A currently holding the record. Nevertheless, Bezos’ majestic sailing yacht is the largest vessel built in the Netherlands.
Furthermore, it is the tallest sailing yacht in the world with three towering masts that measure more than 70 meters high. It’s also one of the best-looking megayachts thanks to its timeless design highlighted by its classic black steel hull and white superstructure. However, the three-masted schooner’s beauty is greatly amplified with its sails unfurled. -- Sayan Chakravarty
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2005 Imoca 60 MERCI. 390,000 EUR. Located in Toulon, France.
Built and launched by Artech do Brasil in June 2005, GALILEO, as she was known, was built for South American Walter Antunes.
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Gunboat 68. POA EUR.
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The Last Word
The longer I live, the more convinced am I that this planet is used by other planets as a lunatic asylum. -- George Bernard Shaw
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