Scuttlebutt Europe #2447 - 13 October
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Brought to you by Boats.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 La Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 Analysis of the second stage by Denis Hugues - Race Director: "The second stage takes the yachtsmen into the southern hemisphere. They'll head down towards the Canaries. There'll be a few opportunities to get ahead of the game between the islands of the archipelago, where the winds often pick up speed. But they'll have to watch out for the significant becalming effect caused by the mountainous terrain on some islands (Tenerife, whose highest point stands at 3700 metres, creates a becalming effect for up to 30 nautical miles). The competitors will then find themselves following the trade winds to Cape Verde, where the Minis' position as they sail through the archipelago will decide which direction they take to go through the famous Doldrums. The marker point is still between Maio, the easternmost island in the archipelago, and San Antao, the westernmost. This course mark will enable the fleet to group together for safety reasons. They'll then have to position themselves as well as possible to approach the Doldrums, the inter-tropical convergence zone where the winds from the northern hemisphere meet those of the southern hemisphere. It's a particularly tricky buffer zone where the boats can be without wind for hours and then suddenly get caught up in a 50-knot squall! You therefore need to be on your toes the whole time to make sure you get out of the area as fast as possible. 28 minutes between Sebastien Rogues and David Raison (747 - TeamWork Evolution) and 1 hour 32 minutes between Sebastien and Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de). They are 20 prototypes with a 12 hour time spread. In the Series fleet, Benoit is 51 minutes ahead of Clement Bouyssou (514 - Douet Distribution) and 1 hour 28 minutes ahead of Davy Beaudart (Innovea Environnement). There are 16 within 12 hours. Prototypes ranking - 1st leg La Rochelle/Funchal - 33 boats Series ranking - 1st leg La Rochelle/Funchal - 46 boats www.charentemaritime-bahia.transat650.net J/22 World Championship Competitors were postponed on shore due to a lack of wind, and the first gun was rescheduled for 11:55 a.m. CT out of Southern Yacht Club. During the day's races, breeze started at 5-8 knots but decreased throughout the afternoon, with sunny skies and temperatures around 80 degrees. Faget opened the regatta with a victory in Race 1, trailed by a fellow New Orleans boat skippered by Zak Fanberg in second and Barnash in third. Race 2 saw another local winner in Richard "Boo" Heausler, followed by Hunger and then Southern Yacht Club commodore J. Dwight LeBlanc, III. In the day's final, race, Faget took the victory again, with Brant Koepke (Texas) in second and Nick Turney (Ohio) in third. Racing continues through Saturday. Thirteen total races are scheduled under the guidance of PRO Hank Stuart. Tribute to a Bermuda Hero
The Jordy Walker Trophy recognizes 24 year-old Phil Robertson as the most improved young match race sailor who competes in World Match Racing Tour events or other events that automaticlly qualify a skipper for a Tour event. Phil accepted on behalf of his team saying it is a team sport. "It is an honor to receive the first Jordy Walker Trophy. We thank the Walker family for all they have done for Match Race sailing." The trophy will be on permanent display in the King Edward VII Gold Cup Trophy display case in the entrance foyer of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Jordy Walker, a man who gave his heart and soul to sailing and the sport of sailboat racing, used his time, money and talent to promote the sport he loved, to introduce the modern format of match racing to Bermuda. And, in fact, he brought match racing to the World in 1988 through the establishment of the WMRA and its match racing championship events he helped establish around the globe. Jordy built and rebuilt the International One Design boats that have sailed match races for the King Edward VII Gold Cup much of the 20th century and now into the 21st. Before racing for the cup was reorgaized to its current format, Jordy won it in 1977. He was active in fitted dinghy design and racing and as a member of the Fitted Dinghy Association, he introduced match racing to that class by establishing the Queen's Birthday Regatta. He was a past director of the Bermuda Maritime Museum and the Bermuda National Trust. "Jordy would be proud that the trophy given by the MRA in his name is going to young sailors on the rise," said his wife Mary. "Jordy helped format the Bermuda Gold Cup match race with the 24-team event to help encourage young sailors to come to the island to sail against the world's best.' Sail Management On The Go!
With North Sails Sail Scan app you get a 'lite' version of Sailscan, which is the powerful program North uses internally. The app, available for both iPhone and iPad, makes it easy to take photos of your sails during racing or training, for later analysis. You can quickly compare different trim, and also see how the shape changes over time. And it's easy to email all the data to the crew or your contact at North Sails who can compare it to the original design. "The app helps our customers to be more scientific about their sails", says Lars Ive at North Sails. "It's fast, easy and fun to collect data and it makes it much easier for us to engage in discussions about sail shapes." "I love when I get these kind of tools from my sailmaker", says Peter Gustafsson, racing J/109 Blur. "It makes my life so much easier by keeping it all in one place. I even shot my sail measurements to keep them in the app. I wonder what's next? Real time trim advice over video?" In the app it's easy to manage both different boats and sail inventories. All scans are attached to the correct sail. On each photo you trace the trim bands and get draft, camber and twist. Then make quick note about the weather, rigtune and anything else you want to remember. And then, by just pushing a button, everything gets emailed to your contact at North. The North Sails Scan App is available in your local iTunes App Store or at North Sails Scan. itunes.apple.com/de/app/north-sails-scan/ RYA Eric Twiname Youth and Junior Team Racing Championships A maximum of 24 teams consisting of six sailors in both the Junior and Youth fleets will take to the waters of Farmoor Reservoir. For some of the young sailors this will be their first experience of competitive team racing while for others this will be a fierce encounter as they seek event victory and the all-important Championship title. With entries open in the two age groups, under 16 (Junior) and under 19 (Youth), to teams of six sailors, the line-up of young aspiring sailors spans a vast variety of abilities. In the Youth fleet (under 19) which is raced in Fireflies, West Kirby Sailing Club were crowned champions for the third year running at the 2010 Championships and will be eager to defend their title for an incredible consecutive fourth year. However, with this in mind rival teams will be determined to throw them off course and put an end to their dominance by claiming overall event victory this weekend. 'Bluefin' were crowned 2010 Junior Team Racing champions for the first time as they competed in Feva's. Will the under 16 sailors from Burghfield, Cardiff Bay and Penarth be able to retain the title for a second year running or will there be a new champion in the making? For further information regarding the RYA Eric Twiname Youth and Junior Team Racing Championships 2011 please visit www.ryaracingevents.org.uk Subsidised RS Teras for the Eric Twiname Trust Clubs can apply to buy as many as three RS Tera Sports for £895 each + VAT, to include a top cover, which represents a discount of nearly 45% of RS Sailing's normal list price. Trolleys are available at an additional cost of £100 + VAT. Interested clubs should apply as quickly as they can because this second scheme is again limited to 25 boats although it is possible that the scheme will be extended further in 2012 following the anticipated success of this further incentive. As a registered charity with a mandate to support competitive sailing for youth, we think this scheme is an ideal way to help a large number of youngsters on to the water. The Trust is most grateful to LDC Sailing and RS Sailing, Selden Masts, Allen Brothers, Hyde Sails and Kingfisher Ropes for their support on this repeat project and in so doing, their commitment to the development of youth sailing. Clubs should apply online at www.rssailing.com/ET for their chance to benefit from this unique opportunity. The application period will run from 4th October to 31st December 2011, with successful applicants being informed on or around 12th January 2012 and boats ready for collection from 23rd January 2012 onwards. The Fabulous 40s'
The Farr 40 One-design Class is unique within the world of offshore yacht racing, having been a pathfinder during a period of great change within the sport. While major events around the world like the Admiral's Cup in the UK and Kenwood Cup in Hawaii were in terminal decline, this 40ft Bruce Farr® designed yacht has shone like a beacon on a distant shore. The lavish, limited edition The Fabulous 40s book produced with the support of long-time Farr 40 Class sponsor Rolex, tells the story behind this remarkable Class. 152 of these boats are now spread across 19 countries, making it the most successful internationally recognized offshore racing class in the world. Key to this success lies only partially with the enduring beauty and sleek lines of its design. What really made this Class so successful is the fact that the yachts are owner-driven, quite literally. It was the idea, unique at the time, that owners - all amateur helmsmen - should be alone in having their hands on the helm during Class racing. Previously, owners had, by and large, become hostage to their crews, forced to hire the best 'guns' in the sport to gain any success, while they rode the stern as passengers, their only active role, to write the cheques. Lavishly illustrated with more than 350 pictures, many of them double page spreads taken by some of the best photographers in the world, including Carlo Borlenghi, Daniel Forster and Kurt Arrigo, this 240 page book captures the close racing and comradeship between crews competing in many of the best locations in the world. This is a book for all yacht race enthusiasts and lists the results of all the Rolex world champioships from 1998-2011 as well as owners and their yachts. 'The Fabulous 40s' RRP - £60 + P&P (approx €70, $100US) To preview the book and place an order, visit www.Southatlanticpublishing.com Garmin Hamble Winter Series
Saturday was the first day of the new-format Autumn Championships, with racing for SB3, J80, J109 and Quarter Ton classes on two courses. Winds of 12-18 knots provided ideal, if gusty racing conditions, and race officers Ian Sumner and Jamie Wilkinson got 4 races in for all classes without incident, although an over-eager start by the J80s saw them pushed to the back of the queue in the first race after a general recall. Sunday's forecast was for more wind, and the weather gods certainly delivered with gusts of 25 knots at times. 3 races,were sailed - with no general recalls this time. But the day wasn't short of drama, with one SB3 losing her rig and a J80 shredding her kite close to a lee shore. There were also a few retirements in the Quarter Ton class by the end of the day. In the SB3s, Geoff Carveth and his crew had a near-perfect score of firsts, spoiled only by a second place in race 3 when Tich Summers in Chill Pill snuck ahead to take the bullet. After a shaky start in the J80 class, Rob Larke in J2X found his form and won four races in a row, and is sitting in first place overall, ahead of J.A.T, sailed by Phil Taylor. In the Quarter Tonners, Ian Southworth and Liz Rushall's Whiskers is in the lead with 5 bullets, ahead of Mike Webb in Flashheart and Howard Sellers in Bullet. Stephen Tapper's Stalker currently leads the J109 class, equal on points with Richard and Valerie Griffith's OutraJeous. Next weekend sees the prestigious Big Boat Series run over both days, with 12 races for IRC 0 (minimum rating 1.075) and Farr 45's. Entries are currently running at an impressive 18 boats in IRC 0, which should make for some close and exciting racing among these top racing machines. Of course, there's also the second winter series weekend for all Black Fleet classes, with 2 races scheduled. The Race Day sponsor is the Bugle. See you then! Overall Results: www.garminhamblewinterseries.co.uk Etchells 2011 European Championships Held over 3 days in Holland at the picturesque port of Hoorn the Etchells class sailed their 2011 European championship, Shaun and his crew were determined to fight for a podium position so much so that a strict diet and exercise regime over 6 weeks not only enable them to lose in excess of 20KGs collectively, but also made them fitter for the challenging 7 race series that was held in winds ranging from 14k to 30kts but rarely below 20 kts, but they were pushed all the way by Alex lacy on Conjurer NED 954 and after 5races and 2 days of racing they were tied on 11 points each. Their new fitness levels also helped when on Exabyte, David Bedford had to be hoisted to the hounds of the mast to release a jammed halyard in between races. There are now estimated to be 10 Etchells in Holland of which 5 race raced at the Europeans, and as the Dutch fleet are building and developing their fleet they hope that more boats will join them in the fleet and they look forward to organising more local and open events in the future. Contact Leendert Faber if you wish to join the Dutch fleet, have a trial sail or become a crew member in Holland. Final top five: 1. S. Frolich / D. Trustwell / D. Bedford, GBR, 8 points Fisher & Paykel Joins Legends Fleet There was no greater rivalry than the one between Fisher & Paykel skipper Grant Dalton and Steinlager 2's Peter Blake, and their historic round the world battle is now part of sailing legend. The two Farr-designed maxi-ketches first lined up against each other during the 1989 Fastnet Race, just before the Southampton start of the fifth Whitbread Round the World Race. The two boats led the fleet home to Plymouth just 350 metres apart, with first blood going to Steinlager 2 by three minutes and 20 seconds after 68 hours of racing. In their book, Sailing Legends, a history of the Whitbread and Volvo Ocean Races to be launched during the Legends event, sailing journalists Bob Fisher and Barry Pickthall describe the round the world scrap between the two New Zealand skippers like this: "The loss of their mizzen mast didn't help Dalton and his crew on leg one, but going south early on the next leg did. Fisher and Paykel led for 26 days, until light weather took its toll and Steinlager 2 was first into Fremantle, Western Australia. "On the leg to Auckland, the two boats were seriously close all the way, then some admirable boat handling by Blake's crew saw her triumph. "It was neck and neck across the Southern Ocean to Cape Horn, where the big red boat was in front and held her lead by 20 minutes to Punta del Este in Uruguay. On the next leg to Fort Lauderdale, USA, Fisher & Paykel was the leading ketch, while the advantage went to Steinlager 2, which dodged the light air patches best and won by 34 minutes. "The two boats' courses on the final leg to Southampton converged as they approached Land's End and, in the light air there, Steinlager 2 went ahead to win by 38 minutes." After the finish, Dalton said, "You never give up trying. You never can. And it's not just coming second. It is practice for winning. Just watch us next time." Dalton went on to secure the Heineken Trophy for the Whitbread Round the World Race in the maxi division with New Zealand Endeavour in 1993-94. He competed in the race six times and is now CEO of CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, who will be competing in the 2011-12 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. Kino Quiroga, the current owner of the refitted Fisher & Paykel, previously sailed against her on board the Spanish entry Fortuna Extra Lights in 1989-90. For the Legends Regatta he has put together a crew of Spanish sailors who competed on Licor 43 (1981-82), Fortuna (1985-86), Galicia 93 Pescanova (1993-94) and movistar (2005-06). The Legends Regatta which will run from November 1 to 5 and in particular the opportunity to witness these two historic yachts facing off against each other once again. Featured Brokerage USA 87 and USA 98, two complete boats from the AC Valencia 2007, ready to go wilth all equipment which is necessary to get them ready for racing. Professional support for rigging and sailing can be organized. Please ask for a complete Inventory List. Brokerage through Moosbrugger Yachts: www.yachtworld.com/moosbrugger-yachts/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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