Scuttlebutt Europe #2310 - 23 March
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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 Mascalzone Latino Wins Act One
The fleet of twenty-two Melges 32s enjoyed yet another busy day dominated by strong winds from the northeast. A big 18-20 knots greeted the fleet for the first race, and for the final two, diminished to a solid 12-15 knots. "To see this fleet on the water is always a unique spectacle and a great representation of high performance, competitive sailing," said Carlo Alberini, president of the European Melges 32 Fleet. "The technical level of the European fleet is really quite strong as there are also some very strong American teams as well. Naples has provided us a wonderful event. Special thanks to all the organizers, and especially the club as the last three days have been wonderful." Mascalzone Latino was blessed with consistency on Saturday, and it was certainly the key to their success on the final day of competition. Sunday's races provided second place finisher and series leader, John Kilroy, with tactician Nathan Wilmot, on Samba Pa Ti a 3-2-5 score line. In third overall is Luca Lalli and Lorenzo Bressani on tactics sailing B-Lin Sailing. --Joy Dunigan Top Ten Results Full Results scuttlebutteurope.com/pdf/audi32finals.pdf No Springtime for Thomas Coville Since crossing the equator last Sunday, the sailor has been focusing on his speed rather than his heading, in a bid to snatch up an opportunity to hook onto a depression rolling in to the North. The trimaran has managed to retain a good average speed and was still making around 19 knots this morning, however the wind will gradually ease as it enters the ridge of high pressure associated with this immense Azores High, which is sprawling across an area from the Canaries to less than 1,000 miles to the East of the West Indies. Thomas won't hit the desired westerly wind under the depression until he's out of this transition zone. As such, though he's positioned just 2,800 miles from Brest, level with the Cape Verde archipelago, the solo skipper can see his chances of beating Francis Joyon's record (57d 13h 34') slipping from his grasp. "When you look at the cartography you must be wondering where on earth I'm going!" he says to camera. "To the West Indies? To New York? No, I fully intend to return to Brest but the weather has decided not to let me take the most direct route." Thomas knows that after the calms at the end of the South Atlantic, the current weather configuration cannot give him the optimum route for traversing the North Atlantic. Right now, it's an enormous zone of high pressure which is preventing us from hooking onto the disturbed circuit of W and SW'ly wind, the same system that is supposed to carry us back towards Europe. That means that I'll have to make a massive detour to the West so I can hunt down the appropriate breeze a long way ahead of this disturbance." -- translated by Kate Jennings Dubarry Storm - Sailing Style In On The Street Dubarry Storm - the calm within the Storm. MAPFRE "At Two Hundred Per Cent" With a slightly weaker breeze than the race leaders, "MAPFRE" has watched "Virbac Paprec 3" cut away windward over recent hours, and whilst not always at great speeds, at a steady pace. "It's surprising us how fast they are managing to go", said Iker at midday today in a telephone call with his team. "Yes, it's a latest generation model, and all of that, and they have more breeze, but even so, they are really eating miles very quickly. Let's see if we can turn things around!" "We still have a few cards up our sleeves and the first will be the passage through the Canary Islands," continued Iker Martinez. "It will be a crucial step in the game, and if it plays out well for us, there will be a new battle, and if it doesn't, the French really will get away." Hugo Boss is back on track. For co-skippers Wouter Verbraak (NED) and Andy Meiklejohn (NZL) this Barcelona World Race may have conclusively proved from the outset that the best laid plans can indeed go awry, but they have once again adapted to their changing circumstances and are today powering north-east, having resumed sailing at 1814hrs (UTC) yesterday evening. However, any hopes of a gentle reintroduction to the race course will be short-lived, with a deep low pressure cell forming rapidly off the South American coast which looks set to bring gale force winds for both Hugo Boss and nearest rivals Forum Maritim Catala building in from this evening. "We're anticipating way too much wind!" explained Wouter Verbraak, "The forecast is for gale force winds, 35-40 knots, luckily it's downwind but you should never underestimate any system like this, especially here the models tend to underestimate the wind. So judging by what the guys ahead of us had a week ago, we could be in for some rough weather sailing for another 36 hours. Strong conditions are always the same, there's not much to gain and there's a lot to lose, so we'll just keep doing like we've been doing from the beginning of the race. Which is to nurse the boat through it and make sure we're a little bit more on the safe side rather than the fast side when we have a chance." Standings at 1400hrs Tuesday 22nd March, 2011 Palma De Mallorca Gears Up For 2011 Superyacht Cup With New Entries
Returning to defend their 2010 title is the 29m Tony Castro designed Jongert 'Scorpione dei Mar'. Other past Cup competitors coming back to Palma in June include Ganesha (39m Dubois), Saudade (45m Tripp), Tenaz (39m Dubois), Drumfire (24m Hoek) and Gliss (35m Phillipe Briand). Gliss won the 2009 Palma Superyacht Cup and returns this year under new ownership. This year also sees the biggest number of first-time entries to the event. Joining the fleet are two stunning modern classics, the 55m Adela built in 1995 by Pendennis Shipyard, and Marie, a 55m Hoek design launched last year by Vitters Shipyard in Holland. Other newcomers are Genevieve (37m Dubois), Nilaya (34m Reichel Pugh/Baltic Yachts), Nefertiti (27m, Nautor), and Heartbeat (35m Hoek). Teen Solo Sailors To Sail Round The Island Race Jessica has recently announced that she is to skipper a boat with the youngest ever crew to enter the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race on Boxing Day, a crew that includes Mike Perham. The Race organisers at the Island Sailing Club are looking forward to welcoming them to Cowes and to watching their progress on Race day. Entered as a Classic Racing Yacht racing under ISCRS is Camellia of Rhu, also competing in her first Round the Island Race. She's an 8 metre McGruers International cruiser racer, owned and skippered by Bryan Robinson from Rye in East Sussex. She was built in 1959. Popping across the county to West Sussex we welcome another first timer, Peter Evans entering Muritai, a Vancouver V27. French skipper Marc Lepesqueux has entered Les Conquerants de Normandie, a Class 40 Jumbo 40 Evolution that finished 12th out of 45 in the last solo transatlantic Route du Rhum, La Banque Postale 2010. He has a lot of racing experience under his belt having raced in the La Solitaire du Figaro seven times and finished 2nd in the Mini Transat 650. I'm sure Marc will be as delighted as we are to welcome Lionel Lemonchois, a former winner of the Route du Rhum in 2006 and 2010, to the start line. He is racing in this year's J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race on the 50ft Trimaran Prince de Bretagne. Another of Lionel's claims to racing fame is as part of the Groupama 3 team that won the 2010 Jules Verne Trophy with Franck Cammas at the helm, racing around the globe in 48 days 7 hours 44 minutes 52 seconds. Last year's Gold Roman Bowl winner, the Nordic Folkboat Nordic Bear that is owned and skippered by Brian Appleyard, is back to defend her title. We're also delighted to see Ed Donald back racing his Nordic Folkboat Madelaine. He first entered 30 years ago and has won the GRB twice, in 1999 and 2007. Standard entries close on 28th May. -- Peta Stuart-Hunt Twelve Metre Sailing: Common Threads of 100 Years
Luigi Lang and Jan were the prime motivators in producing this epic history of a sailboat-racing class that is unlike any other. Not only has the class survived - and revived - more than once over its 100-plus years, but 12s have also been a racing class in the Olympics, a key part of the solution to early ineffective rating rules, and the pivotal player in the reshaping of the modern America's Cup. Somebody has to be a driver to pull off a book project that has exhaustive and yet never-quite-complete detail. I can appreciate what the Luigi, Jan, and co-author Dyer Jones have produced: these books are pretty special if you're any kind of a student of sailing's past. -- John Burnham's full review at Non-Solent Classes Join the Metre & Classic Keelboat Regatta This year's celebrations include the Centenary of the X One Design Class and the 50th Anniversary of the Daring class, so plenty to celebrate. The XODs will race for the Royal Victoria Cup (pictured at right) which is awarded by the Royal London Yacht Club to any class with a significant anniversary to celebrate Also new for 2011 will be a menagerie fleet - not all classes can always attend in force and some boats are one-offs, so this provides the means for any classic keelboat to race. The 4th Metre & Classic Keelboat Regatta will be held 25-29 July 2011 in Cowes Full details at www.cowesclassicsweek.org/home.html Patchy Winds Produce Mixed Results at SAP 2011 505 Pre-Worlds
Standing world champion skipper, Wolfgang Hunger, gave rein to his appetite with world champion crew Julien Kleiner. The pair came out with all guns blazing to lead around the course and claim the first win of the day from 2010 Worlds bronze medallist and 2008 world champion, Ian Pinnell, with his latest crew Charles Dwyer (GBR). They were followed shortly after by Mike Martin and Jeff Nelson (USA), the 2009 World's title holders. Pinnell/Dwyer took some time on the Germans on the last work. "We had to cover Mike Martin and he went the wrong way, left, so Ian picked up, because he went right," Hunger explained. The German skipper was pleased their handiwork in the first race, but not so in Race 2. "When you are in the lead, there are always possibilities to get away from everyone else, but when you start late, like we did in the second race, and then it gets shifty, then you end up at the tail end," Hunger said. The big names might have controlled Race 1, but the Aussies fought back in Race 2, with one of the title favourites and reigning Australian champions Michael Qurk/Sam Heritage taking out the race, while the Race 1 champs were nowhere to be seen, caught out in the erratic pressure and shifts that played games with the fleet on Catseye Bay this afternoon. The most consistent Australians were Nick Davis/Michael Duffield. Winners of multiple state championships in Western Australia, the two produced fifth and fourth placings in the two races completed. Racing continues tomorrow with officials hoping to get three races in starting from 1.00pm. Once the Worlds get underway on Saturday, fans will be able to follow the boats via live tracker with SAP analysis, video (view the promo now) and more on the official site. -- Di Pearson www.505sapworldchampionship2011.com The Demi-Cle 6.50 Sold Out On 23th of April, the "minis" will start from the harbor of Locmiquelic to 150 double handed nautical miles before joining the harbor of Pornichet. Not too long not too short, the race is an ideal format to start the season. First race mini for some, last missing qualifying nautical miles to join the 2011 Transat for others, recovery after the winter break, motivations are numerous. Course: Program See the list of registered sailors: A Southern Expedition Claims 'New Found Land' in Needles Channel
Thanks to a rare natural occurrence, the Shingles bank forms the Western edge of the Needles Channel and has been synonymous with navigational blunders over the years. Yesterday three RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) set out from Hamble in search of new lands, thanks to the lowest tide of the year and an ever-changing shingle bank. Low tide revealed a truly impressive sight, rising out of the sea. Upon landing at 16:12, a pennant was planted upon the highest point, in lunar-landing style. One small step for man, one giant leap for yachtsmen. A veritable feast was prepared ashore and a glass raised on what was a truly memorable evening. The explorers departed at 1810 under the last rays of the sun. Plans are being put in place to make this an annual event, conditions allowing. The Royal Southern has a history of unusual antics at low tide including hosting the annual Brambles Bank Cricket Match with the Island Sailing Club in the middle of the Solent. -- Peta Stuart-Hunt The Yngling Class Submits to ISAF to Keep Keelboats in the Olympics Keelboat sailing represents a large part of all sailing. Many of the major sailing events that attracts the superstars of sailing use keelboats. Keelboat sailing allows for a wide range of weight. It is in keelboats that sailing talents stays and grows into stars. Keelboat sailing has a long tradition of mixed sailing but it is our belief that the fastest way of promote and generate women sailing worldwide is by having totally gender equal events. Five plus five. Sailing is an equipment sport and there are many types of equipment. Development is fast, but for now the four distinct types of sailing are; Boards, dinghies, multihulls and keelboats. To represent sailing worldwide all these should be included in the Olympics. Skiffs, foilers and so called high performance are all dinghies and boards also include those propelled by kites. These types of sailing can and should be allow to develop and change over time. Proper trials and evaluation of equipment on the water is an outstanding way of presenting new technology and compare it to existing under real conditions. More factors than performance are important for the Olympics but real tests by real athletes should be a more important factor than a paper presentations. The 10 Events for the 2016 Olympics suggested by the Yngling Class are: -Board, men and women -1-person dinghy, men and women -2-person dinghy, men and women -Multihull, men and women -Keelboat, men and women The Yngling is one of the most affordable keelboats that offers true International (intercontinental) racing. A strong class association and five licensed builders on three continents provides a well developed infrastructure . It has proven suitable for high level fleetracing and matchracing and is also established as a large open and youth class. Letters To The Editor - * From Christopher Neil Brown: Based on the figures provided by Jim Champ presumably the RS Feva (and other RS boats?) should be in the selection sights !!? * From Peter Cook: With reference to the current debate concerning the selection of Olympic classes... When will people realise that those of the same sex are not the same - some are heavier than others, some are stronger than others. Featured Brokerage The J/109 features the popular carbon fiber retractable bowsprit and asymmetric spinnaker system and a versatile 2-cabin interior layout with standing headroom. She is designed with a very low VCG, long waterline, and generous sailplan with the horsepower for competitive racing and stability for relaxed cruising when the racing crew is not aboard. Brokerage through BJ Marine: www.bjmarine.net/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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Year-on-year this regatta has welcomed more classes and more boats to sail at Cowes. Last year the Yarmouth One Designs and Dragons attended for the first time. This year, in another milestone, two classes that are not Solent based will attend - the Mylne One Designs from the Royal Mersey Yacht Club and Loch Longs from Aldeburgh and Cove. The fact that boats now want to travel across the country to attend is a testament to the appeal of an event that brings together sailors with a shared passion for these boats. In the past, almost every major yacht club would have had their own one-design fleet and these boats live on and are celebrated through this community.
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