Scuttlebutt Europe #2471 - 16 November
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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 Hugo Boss Still in the Prowl in the Caribbean Making the dog leg sharp turn around the tiny Mona island limited the lee effect of the Dominican Republic to their starboard, Hugo Boss following Virbac-Paprec's line, arriving from a slightly more easterly track. Hugo Boss may have lost a few miles in the process, but they were still under 100 miles behind, sufficiently in contact with the duo which have lead the 4570 miles course for over eight days. Sounding tired but positive when he spoke to Transat Jacques Vabre Race HQ in Paris this afternoon, Thomson confirmed that he expects the trade winds which they have presently to expire over the final 200 miles of the course. That there will be opportunities to catch the long time pacemakers, Thomson remains optimistic, but he also pointed out that the inevitable compression which would occur might also expose them to attack from their rivals behind. In Class 40 the northern duo of 40 Degrees and Norway's Solo duo Ruune Aasberg and Simen Lovgren have made steady advances on Aquarelle.com, gaining more than 50 miles over the preceding 24 hours. Aquarelle.com had picked up speed again this afternoon and remained 118 miles ahead of ERDF Des Pieds et Des Mains, a small loss of 18 miles to the second placed duo of Damien Seguin and Yoanne Richomme since yesterday evening. Standings at 1700hrs CET on Tuesday, november 15th, 2011 IMOCA Multi50 Class40 Tradewind Sailing Tantalisingly Close The fleet has been experiencing a hint of what is to come as speeds had averaged over 10 knots. This evening however, the leading pair - - PUMA's Mar Mostro (Ken Read/USA) and Telefonica (Iker Martinez/ESP) -- have dropped to around seven knots, while CAMPER (Chris Nicholson/AUS) still has the pedal down and is averaging 15.9. Groupama 4 (Franck Cammas/FRA) is struggling at 9.8 knots average and 254.9 nm behind. It could be as early as tomorrow morning, Wednesday, that the fleet hooks into the much-awaited breeze and begins its drag race towards the Brazilian island of Fernando de Noronha, a non-scoring mark of the course which they must leave to port. But, although the Doldrums crossing looks set to be rapid, it has not been without pain, as the crews sweat it out onboard in the searing heat. Squalls and rain clouds bring some relief in temperature, but not in constant breeze, and the crews are working hard grappling with countless sail changes to keep the boat sailing fast. Although Franck Cammas' Groupama 4 crew are trailing, watch captain Damien Foxall says, "we are more than a little way behind, we're a long way behind, but we were mentally prepared for that. The gains at the moment are more down to fleet compression than boatspeed." According to Foxall, it is more important for his team to take the small gains and make sure the boat is at 100 per cent. At 1900 UTC tonight, PUMA's Mar Mostro's lead had expanded again as Telefonica dropped two nautical miles (nm) and both CAMPER and Groupama 4 had inched a little closer. Chief Sailing Officer Royal Thames Yacht Club The job is located at the Central London Clubhouse in Knightsbridge, with frequent requirements to travel in support of Club events. Further information about TheRoyal Thames Yacht Club and this role can be obtained via the website: www.royalthames.com Closing date for applications is Friday 16th December. To apply for this vacancy forward your CV to the Club's Recruitment Adviser: Jeff Adcock (020 8505 0544) e-mail: Nine Top Crews Battle in San Diego The racing promises to be close; for the sailors on the water the competition has narrowed up since the last regatta in Plymouth while for fans the race course will bring the cutting-edge AC45 wing-sailed catamarans within yards of the spectator viewing area on Broadway Pier. Wednesday is the opening day of the San Diego Match Racing Championship with three seeding fleet races scheduled, along with the AC500 Speed Trials. The fleet race results will be used to seed the teams into match racing pairs for qualifying and semi final matches on Thursday and Friday, ahead of Saturday's Finals. On Sunday, the teams compete in more speed trials, as well as the San Diego Fleet Racing Championship - one winner-takes-all fleet race. The America's Cup World Series - San Diego runs from Wednesday November 16 through Sunday November 20. Racing starts each afternoon with a warning signal at 1305 PST. Online, the America's Cup website, www.americascup.com has all the news, features, images and results from San Diego, including a webcam from the team bases. Starting with the championship races from November 16-20, the event YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/americascup will have live and on-demand streaming coverage of all racing. And for the first time, there will also be live streaming to iOS mobile devices through the America's Cup YouTube channel. Wessex Exempt Win The Irish National Team Racing Championships The only Youth team in the competition, inevitably representing Schull, finished 9th overall, out of a total entry of 20 teams. In the process they managed to beat some of the leading Irish University teams. This event was the largest National Championships for many years, with 6 teams travelling over from the UK. 7 rounds of a Swiss League were sailed. Sailing was delayed on Saturday morning by too little wind, and by too much wind on Sunday morning. Wessex Exempt won all their races, whilst George Knights were unfortunate to be lose against eventual 4th placed Royal Thames Vultures in the second round. This event signalled a welcome return of team racing to the Royal St. George Yacht Club. The prize-giving took place in the very bar were the concept of team racing in one-design dinghies was originally conceived after race between the "George" and West Kirby SC. Amazingly, the boat chosen for the first event was the Firefly dinghy, still the dinghy of choce for team racing. The links between the Royal St George and West Kirby S.C. Continue to this day One of the helms sailing for the victorious Wessex Exempt habitually sails for West Kirby, and one of the event's umpires is chief umpire for West Kirby's prestigious Wilson Trophy. Final results 1. Wessex Exempt 7 wins DAME Awards The Jury felt that the Revolving Portlight from S.C.M. delivered an outstanding and exceptional combination of inspired practicality, delightful aesthetics and first-class engineering. The window frame of the Revolving Portlight opens and closes along the same plane as its fixed frame, eliminating the major problem inherent in traditional portlight design - intrusion into the cabin space. A single rotation pin allows the window frame to be easily swung and safely secured at any position up to 110° to the left or right of its closing station. The Jury believes that this exceptional design-led innovation will offer new and welcome options for designers looking to maximise internal volume, most notably in the area of curtain positioning, as well as for boat owners who will undoubtedly enjoy the Revolving Portlight's good looks and highly flexible ventilation management. S.C.M. Stampaggio Costruzioni Meccaniche can be found during METS at stand no. 01.544. Chairman of the DAME Award's Jury, Bill Dixon, says he has been delighted with the quality of this year's entries. "The 2011 DAME Design Award entry list was one of the best we've seen in years and it was a real challenge trying to decide which nominated products should become the eventual winners. Each category had its fair share of diverse and well-executed ideas, and the judges' favourites ranged from simple gadgets to highly engineered machinery. Although manufacturers are clearly very conscious of their price points during these difficult economic times, it was great to see that the marine industry is still as inspired and creative as ever. List of all category winners: 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 Dates Announced for Warsash Spring Series 2012 The dates for the Warsash Spring Championship, with racing on Saturday and Sunday, are 21st/22nd April and 28th/29th April. Here selected Black Group boats (including the "Big Boat" classes, J/109s and Farr 45s) will enjoy a total of 12 races. On the same dates White Group sportsboats have 14 races. Spring Series Chairman Peter Bateson said: "The Spring Series and Spring Championship will follow the popular format but we are introducing some innovations, which will be announced later. Our aim as always is to provide a first class, well run event afloat, a friendly welcome ashore and good value for money to competitors." A free ferry service is on hand to bring all competitors to Warsash Sailing Club's premises near the entrance to the River Hamble after racing. Enquiries regarding the event can be made to Anyone interested can also sign up for email updates through the website www.warsashspringseries.org.uk Spinnaker Tales He has basically lived out of his 'sail bag' competing in major Olympic class regattas in Europe and England with the Australian team. However as all sailors in the Olympic Laser class understand there is no quick fix to the top of the International rankings presently dominated by multiple World champion New South Wales skipper Tom Slingsby. Tom Slingsby is a super fit aquatic athlete and a master tactician and remains as the first choice skipper to represent Australia at 2012 Olympic regatta in England. As expected Tom Slingsby has continued to mature with his career targeted towards racing in the Gold Medal round in England while his Australian team mates Ashley Brunning, Tom Burton and Ryan Palk remain in the chase as future Olympians. All four talented one-design dinghy racing skippers again reflected Australia's dominance at major International regattas with Tom Slingsby predicably claiming the ISAF World Cup Gold Medal in Melbourne earlier this month. Slingsby won five of the ten races and was placed in the top three in every race to win the series by a commanding 19 points over England's Nick Thompson while Ashley Brunning won the Bronze Medal. Tom Burton 5th and Ryan Palk 8th completed a convincing result for the Australian Team which attracted a 63 boat fleet representing 25 nations. The Australian Olympic Laser squad coached by Sydney 2000 Bronze medallist Michael Blackburn has remained in full training for the Perth World cup regatta from December 3-18. Then there will be little time for Ryan Palk to enjoy some time relaxing with friends and family before he is due back on the race course to contest the 2011-12 Australian championship on Brisbane's Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron courses from December 27th to January 4th. More importantly the super fit 23 year old will have the chance to train with some familiar friends including Noosaville's Klade Hauschildt and Maroochydore Sailing Club brother and sister Mitchell and Madison Kennedy. Klade Hauschildt is particularly interested in testing his personal endurance and boat speed against Ryan Palk when the two friendly rivals tension the sails for the National championship points on Waterloo Bay. They are great mates having spent endless hours in training together however while that respect remains the racing involves a more personal perspective. Both have won Australian intermediate rig championships on Waterloo Bay however the slightly older Ryan Palk could be forced to protect his sailing space when the two long term training mates press their individual challenge for National Olympic Laser class medal honours later this year. -- Ian Grant
You'd have to go around the world to find a better boot than Dubarry's Ultima or Shamrock - so they did. Green Dragon's raced round the world in Dubarry boots and their Southern Ocean feedback helped to create the world's best offshore boot. Top of the Dragons' list was a waterproof built-in gaiter with top draw-cord to make sure your foredeck forays don't result in a bootful of briney. They're warmer too, lined with GORE-TEX® Duratherm waterproof insulation, heel and toe reinforcement and a new super-supportive footbed inspired by Formula 1 technology. Dubarry Crosshaven - boots born in the Southern Ocean. Zoke Around The Island Race 220 boats are expected to converge on Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour on Sunday 20 November for Hong Kong's biggest annual celebration of sail and paddle, with a record 18 outrigger canoes and six coastal rowing boats on the entry list. On Race Day, from 0830hrs, the race will feature two start lines and a total of 20 starts for sailboats at RHKYC's Kellett Island clubhouse, while the paddling and rowing entrants will start and finish in the calmer surroundings of RHKYC's Middle Island sailing and rowing centre. The Around The Island Race became an annual event in 1983, however its origins go back to 1864 when six boats raced around Hong Kong Island to Starboard (clockwise) and Hong Kong's sailors have regarded this route as a challenge ever since. Today's course features a 26nm circumnavigation of Hong Kong Island to starboard, which has been sanctioned by Hong Kong Marine Department since 2003. If the breeze is sufficient, boats will finish back where they started, at Kellett Island, however if winds are light, the fleet may be finished at Green Island, Cyberport or Stanley. Entries range from one-person dinghies to 50 foot cruising yachts and the outright winner of the race will be the fastest boat around, once ATI handicaps are applied. Mr Lui Rui Jin, Chairman of Zoke, will be racing for the first time on Avant Garde and will present the winning team with the La Cigale Trophy at the prizegiving scheduled for Monday 21 November. Letters To The Editor - * From Ian Brown: In Reply to Euan Ross, Alresford - It's only a game, Scuttlebut Europe 2470. Once again, the subject of 'professional' sailors being allowed to compete in everyday yacht racing rears its ugly head. The real issue as I see it is in defining professional. My problem you see is that I work for a sailmaker and as such am classified by ISAF as a 'professional' which in turn prevents me from taking part in many events that I would otherwise compete in, regardless of how good I am, regardless of my ability to influence the performance of the boat, and despite the fact that I don't get paid to be out there on the water. I go out there and do it because I like sailing. Why should I along with countless others be denied the right to go out sailing with my mates, customers or anybody else just because of the industry that I choose to work in? I think it is perfectly reasonable for me (along with who knows how many others) not to want to be castigated, pigeonholed, labelled, call it what you will just because of who I work for. There is a big difference between 'industry professionals' like me (who may or may not be good sailors) who to all intents and purposes do a normal everyday job and the paid professionals that so many sailors seem to find disagreeable. The growing voice of 'anti-professionals' need to understand that difference. Until ISAF come to their senses and realise this please don't tar us all with the same brush. I too want to go out there and have fun with my friends and family and enjoy the 'traditional' regattas just like everyone else. With my cynical hat on I can see a point in the future where I won't be able to race at all; I'm not good enough to join the paid ranks and I won't be able to compete in regional regattas because they don't want 'professionals' turning up. Featured Brokerage 59' incl bowsprit. Exquisite gaff racing boat. She beats anything up to 60 foot . Highly recommended. Rigging/training by present owner in European waters. Must be the most sensational gaff raceboat around. Brokerage through Baum & Koenig GmbH.: www.yachtworld.com/classic-yachts/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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