Scuttlebutt Europe #2479 - 28 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 Tell us about your favourite Sailor's Bar for our annual Wight Vodka Best Yachting Bar contest. Williams Wins The Double
The double is a feat Williams first achieved in 2007 and is the second consecutive year a British sailor has won both the Monsoon Cup and the World Championship after Ben Ainslie in 2010. Berntsson's run to the final of the Monsoon Cup capped a strong late season Championship surge for the Swede after sitting near the bottom of the overall standings for the best part of the season. He now finishes in third place in the overall Championship just behind Francesco Bruni (ITA) Bruni Racing. The odds were heavily stacked against Berntsson who held only a 22% win rate against Williams this season going into the Monsoon Cup. Such was the preference for the right side of the course, the final became all about winning it. Earlier in the day, the last semi-final between Williams and Radich was wrapped up with a 3-1 win for the Brit, leaving a petit final between Jesper Radich (DEN) Adrian Lee & Partners and Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing. Gilmour would've snatched third place in the Championship with a win however Radich put in two consummate performances to prevail 2-0 leaving the Dane with sixth place and Gilmour with fifth place in the Championship. Final Monsoon Cup Standings Final World Championship Standings Team Telefonica Seal Leg 1 Triumph
The team now lead the Volvo Ocean Race with a total of 31 points -- 30 for victory in the first offshore leg and one point for coming last in the Iberdrola In-Port Race back in Alicante. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Team Sanya and PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG were all forced to retire from the leg and are facing a race against time to be ready for the Cape Town In-Port Race on December 10 and the start of Leg 2 to Abu Dhabi the following day. * CAMPER skipper Chris Nicholson (AUS) nursed his boat through heinous sea conditions overnight and into Table Bay to clinch second place at 10:48:04 UTC (12:48 local time) in Cape Town on Sunday after 21 days, 21 hours, 48 minutes and 4 seconds (21:21:48:04) at sea. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand, throttled back overnight in winds gusting 35 knots and mountainous seas, but once daylight broke, they were up to speed and screamed across the finish to take 25 points to add to their four points earned for a third-place finish in the Iberdrola In-Port Race in Alicante on October 29. They are now in second place overall on the Volvo Ocean Race leaderboard with 29 points - two behind Team Telefonica (Iker Martínez/ESP) who finished first on Saturday evening. Groupama sailing team are expected to finish on Tuesday, with third place set to take them up to third overall with 22 points. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (6 points), PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (5) and Team Sanya (3) were all forced to retire from Leg 1. The highlight for CAMPER was their run of 554.16 nautical miles in the 24-hour period up to 1755 UTC on November 24. That will almost certainly make them the winner of the IWC Speed Record Challenge for Leg 1. Groupama 4 will be the next boat to finish on Tuesday morning. She is currently 534 nm behind and was averaging 21 knots at the time of CAMPER's finish. * Ken Read, Skipper, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG" We have now been on Tristan da Cunha now for 24 hours. And, it is exactly what we thought it would be. A cloud seems to surround the island always. We still haven't seen the peak of the mountain, but the cliffs that make up the borders of the rock are breathtaking. Yesterday at daybreak we arrived to a police escort (one large inflatable boat) to the anchorage area that they suggested we use. Of course, we are the only anchored boat in about a 1,500 mile radius. After anchoring PUMA's Mar Mostro in about 20 meters of water, we all went in on the RIB to meet several of the town administrators eager to help. Today will be golf day. Played in a cow pasture with flags but no greens. For sure the cow patties will bring a new meaning to "lift, clean and place." Ought to be interesting. We have trips planned to nearby Nightingale Island, a hike up the mountain, and of course more boat chores than we know what to do with. For sure we will keep busy. In the meantime, we use the internet cafe to constantly check on communication from our families and look up the progress of the ship heading this way. The clock is ticking louder ever minute. 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 GOR Start Reset for Tuesday Since arriving in Cape Town 20 days ago after 42 days of racing in GOR Leg 1, Nico Budel, joined by his son, Frans Budel for Leg 2, have been working on their three year-old, first generation Akilaria, Sec. Hayai. On Friday morning, Frans Budel checked the Class40's keel bolts and discovered that both of the keel-head bolts had failed completely - an unhappy development since the mandatory keel inspection earlier this year enforced by the GOR Race Committee. The start delay due to strong winds had bought the Dutch duo some extra time, but the pressure was now on 72 year-old Nico Budel and his 41 year-old son, Frans, to co-ordinate and complete the complex repair in record time. As word of the Sec. Hayai-problem filtered around the V&A Waterfront Marina, the offers of assistance were instantaneous: The V&A's Harbour Master, Steven Bentley; Craig Garrow of Pronto Clearing - the Cape Town co-ordinator of GOR logistics for GOR Race Partner, Peters & May - and Richard Svensson, managing the onshore logistics for the Volvo Ocean Race's impressive set-up at the V&A, joined forces to find an immediate solution. Early the following morning, the keel was removed, lowered on a fork lift truck and the failed keel head was removed and fresh bolts were welded in place by early Saturday afternoon. With the extraordinary progress made by the Budels and their team of local marine engineers and specialists, GOR Race Director, Josh Hall, was confident that Sec. Hayai would be ready to race and reset the GOR Leg 2 start time for 12:00 local (10:00 GMT) on Tuesday 29 November, with the noon-day gun at the peak of Signal Hill as the start signal. Britain's 40 Degrees Take Final Class40 Podium Place
It is an excellent result for the British-American partnership which was really only finally confirmed the night before they did the delivery sail to Le Havre. Naimark-Rowse, an experienced Class 40 and Open 50 sailor in his own right had been helping tune and prepare 40 Degrees and stepped in as co-skipper at short notice. Jenner was the first female skipper to complete the Clipper Round the World Race, finishing third in July 2008. She had planned to compete in the Class 40 Global Ocean Race around the world which is under way now, but she and her German co-skipper did not ultimately secure the required funding and Jenner took on the Transat Jacques Vabre with Naimark Rowse as an alternative, racing Peter Harding's Owen Clarke designed Jaz Mk II. Standings at 2000hrs CET on Friday, november 25th, 2011 Class40 IMOCA Multi50 Dubarry Storm - Style Over Fashion Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship
Following a Passage Race yesterday and three windward/leeward races offshore today, Hooligan, a TP52 came out on top in Division 1, beating overnight leader, Terra Firma, the Cookson 50 owned by Victorian Nicholas Bartels, by one point after winning the final two races. Hooligan, from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, has become 'the boat to beat'; her latest claims to fame include being named the Audi IRC Australian champion in Class A in August and winning the 2011 Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race. One of the regatta favourites, Stephen Ainsworth's Loki, was forced to retire from today's opening windward/leeward race, which was abandoned after Loki hit a mark that was being moved at an inopportune time, meaning the Division 1 yachts sailed three of the intended four race series. The Reichel/Pugh 63, with noted sailing master Gordon Maguire at the helm, was travelling at 20 knots plus and could do nothing to avoid the moving mark. Owner of the champion Reichel/Pugh 63, Stephen Ainsworth, said after retiring back to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, where he is a member: "Thankfully it's ok - a couple of heavy rope marks. We blew out our No. 4 spinnaker earlier today too, so we didn't want to risk further damage with other major races and the Hobart coming up." One of the main favourites to take out the Rolex Sydney Hobart overall win this year, Loki, which was leading the race on water at the time, was retired, her owner keen to assess the damage, advising race officials at the time, "It's prudent for us to retire." The best competition today came in the Division 2 yachts. Darryl Hodgkinson sailed his Beneteau 45, Victoire to a one point victory over MHYC entry, Rob Reynolds DK46, Exile and a further five points to third placed Paul Clitheroe's Balance. With three winners from the four races, and the finishes culminating in only seconds between the top boats, Hodgkinson, who is also an odds on favourite to win the Sydney-Hobart overall, said "I am surprised and amazed we won." -- Di Pearson Full results: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au Running The Rhumblines The two enthusiastic young skippers are among the 73 early entries including sailors from Australian, New Zealand and Hong Kong clubs. They will face a supreme challenge of their individual sailing skill however even to race at the National level will prove to be a valuable experience for the Brendan Hoffman helmed G-Wizz and Cedar White in Junior Wings. Racing in the championship represents the first major step for the junior Whitsunday Sailing Club skippers who are about to realise a huge difference between the racing in a small club fleet on Pioneer Bay to the challenge of protecting their sailing space when the sails are tensioned for the National championship points in an unfamiliar environment. However they will not be alone with a high number of equally young and inexperienced sailors also testing their skills at the National regatta level for the first time. Klaus Lorenz their resident club coach who achieved Queensland's best ever Australian championship result of third overall earlier this year has encouraged the Whitsunday Sailing Club team including his younger sister Eva to think smart and furthermore to enjoy the opportunity to gain the valuable experience of racing at the National level. The experience of racing in big fleets is a valuable asset and irrespective of their results both Brendan Hoffman and Cedar White will emerge with the skills to protect the opportunity to sail in clear wind and water. It took several major regattas for Klaus Lorenz to master this important Optimist class racing advantage which promises to prove invaluable when he and his teenage crew-mate Ollie Annear compete in their first Australian 420 Open and Youth championship on Deception Bay from the December 27th to January 2nd. They have temporally placed their school studies on hold with lengthy mid-week training sessions on Pioneer Bay in a bold bid to make sure they are physically and mentally prepared to contest a place in the front of the pack with Australia's best 420 dinghy crews. Both of the relatively self-taught teenage sailors who have refined the important boat handling skills in a varied range of wind and sea conditions on Pioneer Bay have the proven potential to make their presence count with an impressive maiden championship result. -- Ian Grant Superyacht Transatlantic Race It has been an eventful 48 hours for the crew on Grey Goose, with many hours sail repair and not much sleep for some of the crew, not least our sail maker Ed Hill from North Sails who's handiwork has been invaluable. By escaping off to race in the tropics, he wrongly thought he was going to dodge work for a few days! We have had our share of set backs in the form of breakages and sail damage, but nothing so serious to stop us from racing for more than a couple of hours, when the mainsail ripped and we had to sail east for a while to be able to repair it. Definitely not ideal! The passage through the cold front was challenging and we got stuck under two thunder storms, where we had violent wind changes, lightning, squalls and twice got becalmed and left to wallow in a three metre swell from the larger tropical storm system 300 miles to the north. The good news is that we are now well clear from the clutches of the cold front, aiming direct to the finish line and the 'foulies' are firmly stowed below. London Hedge Fund manager Christian Lorenzen has been hard at work on the sail stitching and has at last solved his insomnia after hardly sleeping a wink for the first three days. Whilst working on our torn A7, he used so much spray glue, it triggered the galley smoke alarm three times yesterday afternoon. One of the great things of racing in tropical latitudes is the celestial magnificence at night, away from suburban ambient light. Bowman Andy Hudson from Sydney tells us that a friend of his has never seen a shooting star, here we see several per watch and can even clearly track the satellites sweeping across the night sky. Clear of European air pollution, stars extend all the way down to the horizon and make a handy reference when on the helm. We are now approaching the half way mark and we are working up to a celebration. We have found four cans of Heineken onboard that Toby our boat Captain failed to clear out of the fridges before the start. It promises to be huge Saturday night out for all ten of us here on Grey Goose. -- Mike Broughton, Navigator Featured Brokerage In collaboration with Nauta Yachts Srl of Milano Italy, Reichel/Pugh Yachts are pleased to announce that the 79' Maxi Yacht Capricorno (formerly Morning Glory) is now for sale. A yacht with an impeccable pedigree that includes in its list of noteable results: - 1st Place and Breaking the Course Record in the 1996 Cape Town to Rio Race Capricorno was originally designed with a race oriented minimalist interior arrangement geared towards both inshore and offshore racing. In 2004/05 her owner converted her interiors into a cruising configuration. The original race aesthetics were maintained through the prevalent use of composites which gives the interiors a modern, yet elegant, look and atmosphere. Brokerage through Reichel/Pugh Yachts: www.yachtworld.com/reichelpugh/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at The Last Word |
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