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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 Change Of Course For the past few hours, the competitors have been enjoying some downwind sailing. A more manageable point of sail, despite the strong wind, which is finally giving them a chance to rest and eat. Tuskar Rock lays ahead of their bows. Late this evening the leaders were set to pass the Irish course mark, before setting a course for the Fastnet lighthouse. However, that was before taking into consideration a depression heading straight towards the fleet. This Tuesday morning, at 0900 GMT, Michel Kleinjans and Marc Lepesqueux called race management to announce their retirement. Following a collision with a pipe being towed by a tug, the new Kiwi 40FC Marie Toit - Caen la Mer suffered damage which has forced the skippers to turn back. Michel Kleinjans tells of their misadventure: "A tug was making headway on a course virtually parallel to our own. As such we weren't paying any more attention than that. I was up forward when I spotted a black pipe. I ran to the helm but it was too late. The pipe slipped between the rudders and ended up getting stuck there. The stock of one of the rudders is twisted, the sail is likely to be damaged and maybe the hull too." The crew of Marie Toit - Caen la Mer is making towards Cherbourg and is set to take the boat as far as Belgium to begin repairs. The Franco-Belgian duo had sailed a great race until just after they'd moved up into the lead. Ranking at Tuesday 24 May 1400 GMT: 1. Port De Caen Ouistreham, Fabien Delahaye/Bruno Jourdren, distance to finish 602,2 nm Windy Start to the Delta Lloyd Regatta
The strong North-Easterly provided for excellent racing and thrill in all classes. The Croatian teams have mastered the gruelling conditions taking top spot in the 470 men, the Laser and the Finn. Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (CRO) opened the score in the 470 races with a victory and a third and take the lead in the 470 fleet. The breeze lovers claimed the day in the Laser. Milan Vujasinovic (CRO) took both bullets in his group and the lead over the 120 Lasers. World #1, Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) and World Champion Ed Wright (GBR) are sharing top places in the Finn fleet. They are on equal points at the front of the rankings, with third place going to 20 years old from Canada, Greg Douglas. The competition is fierce in the Laser Radial, with most of the top ten racing in the Delta Lloyd Regatta. Defending champion Marit Bouwmeester (NED) is taking the lead after a first and a second places, in front of Annalise Murphy (IRL) and Evi van Acker (BEL), second in Palma. In the absence of most class favourites, 36 women are participating in the RS:X. From the nine Chinese windsurfers on the starting line, five entered the top ten after the first two races, claimed by Li Ling. Yuki Sunaga (JAP) is in second position overall and Mayaan Davidovich (ISR) third. The men division is also missing most of the top actors, training in Weymouth before Sail For Gold, however, there are 14 different countries in the top 15. JP Tobin (NZL) and Dorian van Rijsselberge (NED) shared the victories in first and second position overall. In the women 470, Beijing Bronze medallists from Brazil are duelling at the top of the rankings. Isabel Swan now crewing with Martine Grael and the new pair of Fernanda Oliveira and Ana Luiza Barbachan, are first and second in the 27 boats fleet. Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen (AUS) are making a great comeback to the competition after winning two out of three races sailed in the 49er. The Women match racing has completed half of the qualification stages. In Group A, team Echegoyen (ESP) is undefeated with four wins. In the group B, team Skudina (RUS) wins their four matches. With over 30 knots registered on their racing area, the Star were postponed until 5PM to allow for the wind to settle. It was still around 20 knots when the Star fleet started their first race after 6PM. -- Corinne Mackenzie Skip Novak Latest Volvo Ocean Race Legends Ambassador "I admit to becoming an 'addict' back in the early Whitbread era when, for the best part of 15 years, my life by and large revolved around four circumnavigations between the second instalment of the Whitbread until after the 1989-90 race," says Novak. "Very few people back then made a living out of the Whitbread race, rather a living was made in between the races with a view to be in a position to do the next one. This meant full time employment with commitment was an anathema, and the possibility of not getting a berth was an emotional crisis. "My genre of deep water sailor men, and I do mean 'men' as this was before women joined in earnest with Maiden in 1989, were generally characters of the first degree. Vagabonds, misfits, rebels without cause and pub test pilots manned the sheets. They were not the top racing technicians of the day (who looked upon the likes of us as having a screw loose), but instead were generally good seamen offshore looking for an adventure and a bit of fun onshore and the Whitbread race provided all of that and more. "Alas, there is no room in today's fleet for the likes of that lot and certainly not their hijinks, some of which still cannot be printed nor repeated in mixed company! Fare thee well shipmates, you were a fine bunch. Now who is still around from the early days? Crew Fuel - Leading Nutrition For Sailors
If you don't have enough of the right energy and keep hydrated throughout the day then your performance will suffer. Think before, during and after sailing of what you eat and drink. You need to build up energy supplies in days and hours prior to events, get the right energy and hydration during the racing, then replace energy, nutrients and fix muscle tissue after racing. Crew Fuel products have been designed for sailors to solve energy and hydration needs with easy to mix, nutritional and great tasting products. Whether you are dinghy racing for a day or heading offshore for days or weeks, Crew Fuel has the right energy solution for you. Make nutrition a priority. Restoration of Buckminster Fuller's Iconic Fly's Eye Dome at Goetz
The restored dome will be unveiled to the public at Goetz Composites in Bristol, RI Wednesday May 25th. Patented in 1965, Fuller created two prototypes of this structure; a 24 foot and 50 foot dome. Fuller writes in his seminal book, Critical Path that "the Fly's Eye domes are designed as part of a 'livingry' service. The basic hardware components will produce a beautiful, fully equipped air-deliverable house that weighs and costs about as much as a good automobile. Not only will it be highly efficient in its use of energy and materials, it also will be capable of harvesting incoming light and wind energies." The 24 foot dome has undergone extensive restorations in an effort to return the dome to its original condition by the renowned Goetz Composites in Bristol Rhode Island. "This process has been totally amazing", said Elizabeth Thompson, Executive Director of The Buckminster Fuller Institute. "Eric and his team' working with Daniel J. Reiser and John Warren who fabricated the original structure with Bucky, have gone to extraordinary lengths to engage this process with the same meticulous detail as a world-class fine art restorer. The 24 foot Fly's Eye dome is a convergence of Fuller's most advanced thinking with regard to synergetic geometry, advanced structural systems, and the very contemporary notion of a dwelling machine." The 24 foot Fly's Eye dome has been restored in preparation for installation during Art Basel I Miami Beach and Design Miami in December and for inclusion in the contemporary art and design collection of Craig Robins, CEO and President of Dacra, Miami. For images of the restoration process see bfi.org/node/2173 Live Coverage of Qualifying Set to Start at Match Race Germany Conditions for the Qualifying Sessions are forecast to be light and shifty which will present the teams with a considerable test on board the Bavaria 40S boats. The first Qualifying Session will be the first opportunity to see Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team and Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Berntsson Sailing Team in action, with the two going head-to-head in Flight 3. Alongside the recognised faces of the Tour Card Holders stand William Tiller (NZL) Full Metal Jacket Racing, Eric Monin (SUI) Team Ocalys Corum, Eugeniy Neugodnikov (RUS) Team Synergy and Stefan Meister, a skipper that Bjorn Hansen (DEN) Mekonomen Sailing Team believes has the potential to cause a few upsets here: The first Qualifying Session kicks off with an interview with Mathieu Richard on the 'WMRT Morning Show' from 09.30 CET* on Wednesday followed by live coverage of all the action between 13.00 and 15.00 CET*. The 'WMRT Today Show' from 19.30 CET* will review all the day's events from Lake Constance. Visit: www.wmrt.com/multimedia/video-gallery.html A live blog will run on www.wmrt.com throughout the day to give flight by flight updates. Also follow the action on the WMRT Facebook page www.facebook.com/worldmatchracingtour and Twitter page twitter.com/worldmrt . Are You Building or Rebuilding a Big Yacht? These 3 speed primary Genoa winches have been rebuilt to new condition. All gears and moving parts have been renovated, renewed or replaced; drums have been skimmed and polished and the winches come with a full warranty. We understand that the new cost for 122 winches is in the region of £30,000 each but all sensible offers will be entertained. Please contact us for the full technical specification, for more details, or to make offers. See more: www.yacht-management.co.uk/index.html Industry News Julian brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from over 25 years in the marine industry working across new and used boat sales, brokerage and finance. He is a well known figure in the boating world and has worked closely with the Chairmen and CEO's of significant marine industry businesses, including Sunseeker, Premier Marinas Ltd and the marine division of the Autotrader Group. Julian has also held senior volunteer positions as chairman of the British Marine Federation, Vice-President of National Boat Shows and with the Boat Retailers and Brokers Association. ----------------------------------------------------- Greece plans to sell off several marinas and ports in an attempt to prevent debt default The Greek government is to sell off vast areas of state-owned land, including several marinas and ports, in an attempt to avoid defaulting on its debt repayments. The country is hoping to raise around €50bn over the next four years by selling off state assets such as marinas as well as casinos and former Olympic venues. It is not yet known which marinas will be offered for sale, but investors are already being identified. Most of the country's state-owned marinas will require significant upgrade and development. "Starting in 2011, private investors interested in equipping marinas in Greece with modern tourist infrastructure will be identified and appropriate investment structures set up," says Greece's Ministry of Finance. IBI News: plus.ibinews.com ----------------------------------------------------- The world's largest rental provider of satellite-based tracking devices, Yellowbrick, has announced their support for Project Rough Seas, which will see a group of young care leavers embarking on a once in a lifetime tall ship expedition. Yellowbrick's tracking devices will enable supporters and media to track the progress of the 36 young adventurers, as they journey by both land and sea across Sweden and Norway from 29th July to 19th August. The tracking devices donated by Yellowbrick to Project Rough Seas are designed to be easily carried by adventure expeditions: weighing just 400 grams they are pocket-sized, lightweight, waterproof and built to withstand extreme environments. The Rough Seas project is being run jointly by Catch22, the local young people's charity with a national reach, and the British Schools Exploring Society, a youth development charity that organises challenging scientific expeditions. For more information about Project Rough Seas, visit www.catch22.org.uk or www.bses.org.uk Further information regarding Yellowbrick can be found at www.yellowbrick-tracking.com ----------------------------------------------------- Two Solent-based independent lifeguard and lifeboat charities are set to benefit from equipment donated by UK marine electronics manufacturer, Raymarine. The Portsmouth & Southsea Voluntary Lifeguards and Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue will each be given a number of Ray101E Handheld VHF Radios. The radios will be used to assist in rescue activities undertaken by the two charities. Both organisations are 'declared facilities' for the Coastguard, and are regularly called upon to effect emergency rescues of water users, including powerboaters, swimmers, sailors, surfers, jet-skiers, kite-surfers and windsurfers. The Ray101E Handheld VHF boasts a number of features that will ensure effective communications in the inshore rescue situations undertaken by the two organisations. Portsmouth & Southsea Voluntary Lifeguards is the oldest lifesaving club in the country; in 2010 they assisted over 200 people. The Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue service, which is based in Stokes Bay, Gosport, responds to an average of 110 calls per year. Both organisations operate as charities and are entirely volunteer run. Further information can be found at www.portsmouthlifeguards.org and www.gafirs.org.uk ----------------------------------------------------- Estonian Yachting Union in cooperation with Vopak E.O.S. introduced a fleet of 18 RS Feva sailboats to Estonia, creating a completely new opportunity for children and youth to take up double handed sailing on a two person dinghy. According to Ott Kallas, Secretary General of Estonian Yachting Union (EYU), introducing the RS Feva is amongst the most important achievements throughout the EYU history. „This double handed dinghy significantly broadens sailing opportunities for our youth. There are always sailors who are more suited for a two person dinghy compared to a one person dinghy by their personality or physical characteristics, and some sailors find sailing as part of a team more exciting," Kallas said. In the RS Feva introduction project, EYU partnered with Vopak E.O.S., the largest and only independent oil products terminal operator in the Baltic region. Arnout D. Lugtmeijer, Vopak E.O.S. Chairman of Board, noted that Estonians as a sea nation seem to feel the call of the sea. "Sailing is important here both as a lifestyle and as a sport. To keep the traditions alive, it is necessary to work with the youth continuously. Vopak E.O.S. is very glad to be part of a project which introduces the RS Feva class to young Estonian sailors. Being a sailor myself, I know very well the excitement and challenge that sailing has to offer. It is great that young talented sailors can now feel the same on board of RS Feva boats. Vopak E.O.S. constantly supports the healthy and balanced lifestyle of young Estonians," Lugtmeijer said. Letters To The Editor - * From Paul Larsen: Today VESTAS Sailrocket 2 strolled over 40 knots to become the second '40-knot sailboat' based on the concepts of Bernard Smith. It really was effortless. We made some changes to the pitch of the main foil in order to help lift the rear float clear of the water and it all worked a treat. The steering was great and it all just felt smooth. To be honest I was surprised that we hit 40 knots. It turns out the average was 37 knots over 500 meters. The wind wasn't that strong. Maybe 20 knots. To continue reading click here: www.sailrocket.com/node/357 Featured Brokerage ANASAZI GIRL was completely renewed and updated 2005-2008. Today the only original components are the hull, deck and keel. Ship's systems have been re-engineered, replaced, improved, and upgraded without regard to cost. Only the best technicians in each discipline were utilized. Their guidance provided state-of-art systems of the highest quality. With a comprehensive inventory and faultless development program, this literally is a step-aboard program. Also included are her own shipping container, shipping cradle and spares for nearly every system onboard. Available for someone who wants the one of the fastest, strongest, safest, proven 40ft racing yachts at a fraction of the cost of replacement. An inspection is worthy of your time and will not disappoint. Brokerage through Ensign Ship Brokers: www.yachtworld.com/ensignbrokers/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
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