|
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 Rolex Miami OCR “It was way better than yesterday, and the Finns got the best of it because the wind was building all day,” said Zach Railey (Clearwater, Fla.), adding that his class started racing an hour earlier (12:30) than scheduled to add three races to yesterday’s single race. The leader going into today, Railey could do nothing wrong as he methodically picked off his competition—most notably Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif., USA) and Jonas Hogh Christensen (DEN)--to quadruple the victories in his score line today. In the 49er Class, Erik Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) and Trevor Moore (Naples, Fla.) are still holding on to first place. In the Women’s Match Racing today, Group B completed 11 flights, a full round robin, and though all of the teams were extremely close in scores, Mandy Mulder/Annemiek Bekkering/Merel Witteveen (NED) prevailed with 6 wins and 1 loss. Yesterday, Group A also completed 11 flights, and the leader was Silja Lehtinen/Siljan Kanerva/Mikaela Wulff (FIN) with 8 wins and 1 loss. For this discipline, medals will be determined by the “last women standing” in Saturday’s two-boat Finals and Petit Finals. Top-three Finishes Day 2 Sonar (11 boats) - 4 races Star (30 boats) - 4 races 49er (23 boats) - 6 races Skud-18 (6 boats) - 4 races 2.4mR (29 boats) - 4 races Laser Radial (60 boats) - 4 races 470 Men (23 boats) - 4 races 470 Women (16 boats) - 4 races Laser (74 boats) - 4 races Finn (27 boats) - 3 races RS: X Men (14 boats) - 4 races RS: X Women (12 boats) - 4 races Women’s Match Racing Group B (sailed today win-loss) Mandy Mulder / Merel Witteveen / Annemiek Bekkering (NED) 6-1 Adrian Kuttel Arrives in New Zealand for GOR Leg 3 In Leg 2, the GOR fleet encountered a series of brutal, fast moving fronts that combined with cross-seas and mid-ocean currents to deliver harsh conditions and Kuttel and Colman have already been studying the weather for the early stages of Leg 3 across the Pacific. “I’m very excited about it,” says Kuttel. “I think the weather patterns between New Zealand and Cape Horn will be a bit more stable than they were in the Indian Ocean with a bit more heavy-air, downwind sailing, which we’re really looking forward to.” There is also the issue of known ice fields in the high latitudes of the Pacific and the GOR Race Committee have installed a waypoint at 127.30W and 47S, 2,000 miles WNW of Cape Horn at the southern limit of the bluQube Scoring Gate. “Ice is always a concern,” Kuttel admits. “But the waypoint has been put there by the GOR for everyone to go round which confronts this issue and allows us to focus on sailing.” With a background in shipbuilding, mast and rope making, 40 year-old South African yachtsman, Adrian Kuttel’s input to the Cessna Citation campaign has been invaluable. The former charter skipper, racing skipper and watch captain helped Colman with preparation during the Cape Town stop over prior to Leg 2 and completed his GOR qualifier, but he has had to wait until the Leg 3 start in Wellington for a taste of offshore Class40 racing. -- Oliver Dewar A Century of Yacht Design on Show More than 140 sailing craft including state-of-the-art ocean racing yachts, harbour racing keelboats, classic yachts, many gaff-rigged, along with state-of-the-art modern 18-footers and replicas of the skiffs that raced on the harbour early last century, have entered the regatta with racing on the harbour and offshore. The 176th Australia Day Regatta is the oldest continuously-conducted sailing regatta in the world. First held in 1837 to celebrate the founding of the Colony of New South Wales, it has been held every year since, including through times of war, with Sydney Harbour today the centre of celebrations of Australia Day throughout the Commonwealth of Australia. Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron this year is celebrating 150 years of conducting yacht racing on Sydney Harbour, the Sydney Flying Squadron began running skiff races in 1891, while ‘The Amateurs”, as it is fondly known, has officially existed since 1872. The 2012 Regatta will comprise the traditional Sydney Harbour races, a short ocean race to Botany Bay and return, as well as keelboat and off-the-beach regattas on the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers, on Pittwater, Botany Bay, Lake Macquarie, and Lake Illawarra and at Port Hacking and Gosford, more than 600 boats are expected to take part in New South Wales. There is also a link with another traditional regatta, the Australia Day Sandy Bay Regatta on the Hobart’s River Derwent, first held in 1849. Australia Day Regatta medallions will be presented to dinghy class winners at the Sandy Bay Regatta. In a further connection to early sailing on the Derwent, among the entries in the Classic Yachts division of the 176th Australia Day Regatta is Weene, a Tasmanian One Design yacht launched in Hobart 101 years ago and still racing competitively. Weene is the oldest boat among the fleet of more than 30 yachts in the Classics division, among the line-up being the 1966 Sydney Hobart winner Fidelis and other former ocean racers Anitra IV and Mister Christian. The Classics also includes the gaff-rigged sloop Ranger whose octogenarian skipper Bill Gale has sailed in every Australia Day Regatta since he was a young lad. -- Peter Campbell Seahorse February 2012 Update World news Rod Davis - Legitimate disagreement If you haven't subscribed to Seahorse already we're keen to help you attend to that! - Please use the following promotional link and enjoy the hefty Scuttlebutt Europe discount... and it gets even better for 2 and 3 year subscriptions... “The Rag” Team’s Historical Connection The three members of the team are not only experienced 18ft Skiff sailors, but each has family members who are part of 18 Footers history. Skipper Jack Macartney was part of the 2007 Australian Championship-winning Macquarie Real Estate team and is presently having his second season as skipper in the class. His father Bill Macartney was the driving force behind Grand Prix Sailing in the 1990s and is the man responsible for the most spectacular 18ft Skiff videos ever seen. Sheet hand Mark Kennedy won the 2000 World 29er Championship and, since coming to Australia three years ago from New Zealand, has been skippering his own skiff before joining ‘The Rag’ team this season. Mark’s brother Scott has been a top New Zealand 18ft Skiff skipper for several seasons (although he is not sailing an 18 this season). His father Lindsay was also a top 18ft Skiff skipper in the late 1970s and represented New Zealand at Giltinan Championship regattas. Third member of the team is for’ard hand Peter Harris, who has crewed with top teams for nine seasons and won the NSW Championship in 2009. Peter’s brother is John Harris who has won Giltinan and Australian championships in the 18s and was 2008 World Moth champion. The combination came together only in October but have already won two of the eleven races sailed so far, and figured prominently to finish 6th in the NSW Championship. In the inaugural 3-Buoys Challenge Series, they finished 2nd behind the 2011 Giltinan Champion Gotta Love It 7 team - losing only to ‘7’ on a count back. Their 3-year-old Rag & Famish Hotel boat was brought up to current specification only six months ago when class builder Van Munster Boats added a new deck to the existing hull. They recently added a revolutionary new #1 rig, in conjunction with Bruce Hollis from Ullman Sails. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League www.18footers.com.au Women’s Offshore Worlds Preview The event has already generated a tremendous amount of interest among women sailors from France, Norway, Germany and the UK. More countries are expected to sign up. Sailed double handed in 33 foot Beneteau 'Figaro 2’s', the 3300 mile route takes in the Bay of Biscay then leaves the Azores to starboard, before heading out across the Atlantic to Antigua. The course is designed to test the sailing and navigational skills of the women crew as well as their stamina and endurance. One of the first teams to sign up was the British duo of Hannah Jenna and Sammie Evans, sailing under their 'Team Beau-dacious' banner. The race is being organised by Team Concise in association with Royal Western Yacht Club and Antigua Yacht Club. In addition Plymouth University will be working with WOW to ensure the event is a success. -- Sam Joseph in Sail-World.com www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=93202 National 12 Ranelagh Open Meeting With a strong tide behind them, the fleet were cautious not to be over at the start. Graham Camm & Zoe Ballantyne in the Very Hungry Caterpillar were neck and neck with Jon Ibbotson & Char Stewart in Blue Kangaroo until a nasty shift changed the balance giving the advantage to Blue Kangaroo. Mike & Alex Storey in Electric Prune took the outside line and the stronger tide in the middle of the river helped them take the lead momentarily but Blue Kangaroo fought back to round the windward mark first. The Very Hungry Caterpillar jostled with Blue Kangaroo on the reach and run with place changes going both ways. The Very Hungry Caterpillar snuck ahead at the leeward mark and extended their lead over the next few laps to win the race and the first meeting in the 2012 Thames Area series. Back in the rest of the fleet the gusty conditions caused many capsizes with 5 boats finishing. Whilst the race was on the Twelve fleet kids were enjoying their Thames Area series kids lunch. And after the race the sailors enjoyed their Thames Area series 2011 lunch and prize giving to make a very sociable afternoon. Overall results Spinnaker Tales Peter who will stand watch on the deck of the speed sailing Black Jack will have fond memories of his father who passed away aged 90 on July 24 2002 when Black Jack contests the start of the 2012 Qantas Link Brisbane to Gladstone Race on Good Friday April 6th. His father the famed ABC sport commentator was assigned to broadcast the start of the inaugural Brisbane to Gladstone Race from the Woody Point Pier on Good Friday morning 64 years ago. “I remember the occasion very well although I was a small boy enjoying a day out walking along the pier with my father”. Peter Harburg said recently. Now a little over six decades later Peter Harburg has formed his Black Jack racing team to carry on the strong family bond with Queensland’s premier blue water classic. Black Jack a super fast American designed and built 20.3m pocket-maxi named after personal friend and Formula One World champion Sir Jack Brabham OBE has already claimed a special place in Gladstone Race history winning the line honours trophy in 2009 and 2010 while finishing second last year to the larger Peter Millard skippered Lahana. The exciting Black Jack raced under principal helmsman Mark Bradford and the Mooloolaba yachts Audi Centre Sunshine Coast (Rod Jones) and the Bob Robertson skippered Lunchtime Legend head another impressive fleet. Audi Centre Sunshine Coast is the former 2006 line honours winner Heaven Can Wait which has been recently modified for the dual Audi Australian championship winning skipper Rod Jones to set a future Rolex Sydney Hobart challenge in their race diary. The high performance OceanBuro ocean racing team have focused their attention on contesting the 308 n/ml Brisbane to Gladstone race followed by the Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Race in early August as a lead in to entering the 628 n/ml Rolex Sydney Hobart in 2013. Meanwhile both skipper Rod Jones and his equally talented crew including World champion Etchells sailor Bucky Smith and Queensland Academy of Sport sailing coach Adrian Finglas will continue with the required learning curve to have the exciting Hugh Welbourn designed sloop on the pace for her serious ocean racing challenge. They will no doubt be hoping for a fast spinnaker sailing trade wind forecast to make sure that the revamped Heaven Can Wait has the speed to beat her 2006 line honours winning performance of 35 hours 16 minutes 32 seconds. Race veteran Bob Robertson a dual winner of the 64 year old Courier Mail Cup with Sellar’s Witchcraft 11 and Corroboree has been nominated among the corrected handicap favourites with his new Beneteau First 40 Lunchtime Legend. However he is not prepared to place the traditional bets of Bundaberg Rum on the result until the final entries which promise to include last year’s winner the 2012 Audi Australian champion Hooligan are declared by race director Herb Prendergast. -- Ian Grant Industry News Hosted jointly by Germany's Yacht magazine and BOOTE magazine, respectively sailing and powerboat titles, Spithill spoke of a subject close to his heart. “It is vital that we attract youngsters and a new audience so that our sport and our industry continue to grow.” Opening the envelope, Spithill announced the winners of the four sailing categories and shook the recipients’ hands as they came on stage to collect their trophies. European Yacht of the Year Winners Category: Family Cruiser Category: Luxury Cruiser Category: Performance Cruiser Category: Special Yachts --------------------------------------- The International 420 Class Association announces the launch of its brand new website to showcase the 420 Class around the world. Alongside all the usual information about the International 420 Class Association and the benefits and excitement of sailing a 420, the website boasts user tools which we hope will maximise the platform as the hub of worldwide 420 news and activities, and set a new standard in usability for class association websites. The website has been designed with a fresh new look and high-tech underpinnings. Information is linked, making it easy to find related content, such as events, national class associations, training, development, technical issues and provide introductions to other areas of content. The heart of the new site is our latest news which brings you 420 sailing updates from around the world. External media, such as video, social networks and photos are integrated into the site to give a cohesive experience for the user and avoids jumping between different web platforms. The International 420 Class has partnered with SailRacer.co.uk to deliver the class' web presence, which makes use of various SailRacer modules, including event management, results and calendar functions. --------------------------------------- Two giants in the telecommunications industry have announced a formidable partnership designed to benefit those who sail the world's remote watery places. Iridium Communications Inc. and KVH Industries, Inc., have announced an agreement to offer the first-ever, fully global, seamless broadband satellite communications service for the maritime market. Under the agreement, KVH will offer an integrated service package that combines its mini-VSAT BroadbandSM service and the Iridium OpenPort® broadband service. The combined offering will deliver the maritime industry the first seamless, truly global, broadband connectivity, helping mariners connect in ways never before thought possible. The integrated shipboard system will use common below-deck user interface equipment for voice and data connections, combining the Iridium OpenPort and KVH TracPhone® V3 or V7 terminals. KVH’s CommBox™ shipboard network management tool automatically selects the mini-VSAT Broadband service or the Iridium OpenPort service using intelligent least-cost routing software. If mini-VSAT Broadband service is ever unavailable, the system immediately switches over to the Iridium OpenPort service without operator intervention. The Iridium OpenPort connection can also serve as a means to access the mini-VSAT Broadband terminal remotely as well as other shipboard maintenance and calibration equipment. Featured Brokerage With a beautiful Grey hull, this Elan 37 Performance has been spared no expense by present owner to bring her up to present condition with all the 'go faster' kit, upgraded pulleys and a superb sail wardrobe for the owners cruising pleasure. Lightweight bulkheads, and an unending list of modifications complements this superbly equipped fast cruiser. With beautiful teak wood furnishings, complemented with blue upholstery, this Elan 37 is truly a must see boat. Opening Lewmar side windows give a light and airy feel to the saloon and with large bathroom with pressurised hot and cold water and shower. Also included on this Elan 37 are Electric bilge pump; teak gratings; Wet weather gear storage; Folding racing propeller; 3 batteries with split isolaters and charging 220v circuit; shore power and battery charger; Electric anchor winch 700 watt lofrans. Brokerage through Think Yachts: www.yachtworld.com/thinkyachts/ Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com The Last Word |
|
Use this box to send a copy of this issue of the Scuttlebutt Europe Newsletter to a friend: Or [FORWARD] for a page where you can send copies to up to a dozen friends. [USERTRACK]About Boats.com See the Boats Blog at Boats.com -- www.boats.com/blog/ To subscribe, unsubscribe, and select HTML or Text format visit scuttlebutteurope.com Editorial and letter submissions to Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/advertise.html |