Scuttlebutt Europe #2532 - 20 February
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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 Volvo Ocean Race
Telefonica went into the race under some pressure after a last minute change of rigging and with two poor performances in the three previous in-port races. But a smart decision to drive hard right off the start line took them clear of the fleet and despite the relentless challenge of PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG they went on to seal another valuable win. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing took the third podium place. It was the second victory in four in-port races for Iker Martinez's men, who have also won all three offshore legs. * Volvo Ocean Race organisers decided to split Leg 4 into two stages and hold the six boats in Sanya after Sunday's leg start to allow enough time for dangerous conditions to clear, with fears that waves of up to eight metres could wreak havoc with the fleet. Race director Jack Lloyd informed the teams on Saturday that Leg 4 to Auckland would be split for reasons of safety after forecasts of unsailable conditions in the South China Sea. The first stage will start as scheduled at 1400 local time (0600 GMT/UTC) and will see the boats complete an inshore course in Sanya Bay before sailing past the famous Guanyin Buddha of South China Sea statue and finishing at Sanya Bay lighthouse which marks the entrance to Sanya Marina. The fleet will then wait until conditions are deemed safe enough for them to sail. The delay will not be for more than 24 hours. The re-start will be staggered, with the boats leaving in the order they finish Stage 1. Forecasts of winds gusting above 40 knots and waves of eight metres prompted the decision, according to Race CEO Knut Frostad. "We will re-start the race some time on Monday and it could be in darkness," Frostad said. "Our delay will not be more than 24 hours. "We are doing this because of the weather advice issued by experts both from our own Race HQ in Alicante and the teams' experts. "They all believe we have conditions which will be dangerous up to 12-18 hours after the Leg start, with waves that can break boats if you sail into them." * Team Telefonica led the fleet out of Sanya and into the most challenging stretch of the race so far after giving themselves a slim advantage to take into Leg 4 Stage 2 on Monday. Leg 4 Stage 2, which will take the fleet over 5,220 nautical miles to Auckland in New Zealand, got underway at 0700 local time on Monday (2300 GMT/UTC on Sunday) and was staggered according to finishing times in Stage 1 along the Chinese coast. That gave Telefonica a two minute 32 second head start over Groupama sailing team, who placed second in the 43.2 nautical miles sprint, and an even bigger advantage over the rest of the fleet. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing started third, followed by Team Sanya, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand and finally PUMA who set off 39 minutes and 17 seconds after Telefonica. The fourth leg's second stage is likely to prove the most tactically challenging of the race so far. Up to three weeks of testing sailing lie ahead of the six crews as they navigate their way through the South China Sea, out into the Philippine Sea, through the Doldrums and into the Tasman Sea. The current ETA for the arrival of the six teams in Auckland March 8. Injured Crew Members Evacuated from Clipper Yacht The high winds and heavy seas with waves of up to four metres made it impossible for the search and rescue helicopter and Taiwanese Coast Guard vessel dispatched to the scene to transfer the casualty from the yacht. Round the world crew member, Tim Burgess, 31, from Petersham, NSW, Australia, was on the foredeck changing a headsail when broke his left leg above the knee. Dutch entry, De Lage Landen, which was just eight miles from Gold Coast Australia when the incident happened, diverted to assist as they have two doctors among their international crew. The Race Office asked them to stay with the Australian yacht while plans for the medevac were put in place but they have now been released to resume racing. As a precaution, Gold Coast Australia's skipper, Richard Hewson, decided to evacuate a second round the world crew member, Nick Woodward, 55, from Birmingham, UK, after he sustained a head injury when he was thrown across the crew accommodation in the rough seas. Both are now on their way to hospital, Tim and Nick's families have been informed and the rest of the crew are safe. The Race Director would like to thank the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in Falmouth, UK, and Taiwan for their assistance. "Dorade" Tuning Up in the Caribbean
Expense was not spared as Dorade's owner, Matt Brooks, pulled together a team of craftsmen sharing his values to do the best job after purchasing her in 2010. "Make her as near to perfect as you can!" was the brief given to Joe Loughborough, who oversaw the refit in Newport, Rhode Island throughout the best part of 2011. Work was carried out on virtually every part and detail of Dorade from hull frames to engine, spars, rudder, electronics, sails, rigging, custom winches, headstay tang and the whole interior - full-size mock-ups being made of certain areas. The specialists involved in preparing Dorade for ocean races "unlike any she has sailed in the past 50 years" are listed on Dorade's web site at http://www.dorade.org The Heineken Regatta in St Maarten is followed by Les Voiles de St Barths and the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. Dorade will also be present at the St Barths Bucket superyacht event. Designed by the late Olin Stephens, Dorade was originally launched in 1930 and influenced nearly all developments in yacht design for the next three decades. She was a hugely successful racer, winning the 1931 Transatlantic race - both line honours and overall - and winning the 1931 (and 1933) Fastnet race overall. The Bermuda race was one of Dorade's first ocean races and she came second in class in 1930 (and first in class in 1932). On 15 June 2012, with a crew that will have tested their chemistry and skills in the Caribbean, Dorade aims to beat that and win. Dorade's owner and team-leader, Matt Brooks, whose home waters are the Bay of San Francisco, is a world-renowned mountain guide and has racked up first ascents in the Sierra and French Alps. He also flew solo aged 13 and set a record time for circumnavigating the globe (westward) in a jet plane. He is the reigning 6-metre class, vintage division, world champion. -- Nick Jeffery Henri Lloyd Atmosphere 3 Base Layer Available in long sleeved T's and tights. Colour: Carbon George Kenefick is Irish Sailor of the Year When the international sailing season started, the focus was on Keneficks's campaigns with his family's little Quarter Tonner Tiger. But by the time he became "Sailor of the Month" in October, it was in honour of achievements as diverse as helming the 2012 Half Ton World Champion, and winning the Helmsman's Championship. It might be over-stating it to assert that his 2011 record with Tiger ranked among the least of his year's achievements. After all, he did win the class in the ICRA Nationals 2011 at Crosshaven in June with six firsts and one second. But at the Sovereigns Cup in Kinsale which was staged a few days later, he seemed to have lost his mojo - Tiger was off the pace, even if they did finish in the top three. While he was at the Quarter Ton Worlds in the Solent, he was recruited to helm a boat for an English owner in the Half Ton Worlds, due at the same venue in late August. It was a case of being dropped in at the deep end with a crew initially of strangers, and a huge fleet. But Kenefick kept his cool and there was no need to avail of any Corinthian clause - he won overall, first time an Irish helm has done so since Harold Cudmore in 1976. 18ft Skiffs Giltinan Championship
Gotta Love It 7 was more than two minutes behind the leader Mojo Wine (Archie Massey, Dan Wilsdon and Mike McKensey) midway through the race but excelled in the light South-East breeze to defeat Mojo Wine by 1m9s, with Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney, Peter Harris and Mark Kennedy) a further 37s back in third place. Appliancesonline.com.au (Micah Lane) finished fourth ahead of De'Longhi-Rabbitohs (Simon Nearn) and Pure Blonde (Tom Clout). US champion Howie Hamlin (CST Composites) was first of the internationals with a seventh placing. Defending champion Gotta Love It 7 team of Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Scott Babbage totally dominated Race 2 of the 2012 Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship to score an easy all-the-way win over Thurlow Fisher Lawyers on Sydney Harbour today. After leading by nearly two minutes at the final windward mark, Gotta Love It 7 cruised home to defeat Thurlow Fisher Lawyers (Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas) by 1m19s. Appliancesonline.com.au (Micah Lane, Paul Montague and Tom Anderson) was a further 2m3s back in third place. Top international boat today was C-Tech (Alex Vallings) which came home fourth, ahead of Mojo Wine (Archie Massey) and Rag & Famish Hotel (Jack Macartney). Gotta Love It 7 heads the points table on 2 points, followed by Mojo Wine and Appliancesonline.com.au on 7, Rag & Famish Hotel on 9, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers on 11 and Smeg (Nick Press) on 15. All teams carried their big rigs in the 10-15 knot North East breeze. John Winning's horror start to the regatta in Yandoo continued today when the Yandoo team were forced to retire after a collision with another competitor. Today's incident is subject to protest and follows a pre race centerboard problem which saw Yandoo miss her start by three minutes yesterday. Ironically, both incident occurred less than 100 metres apart. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League www.18footers.com.au Video coverage of the race can also be seen on www.18footerstv.com Running the Rhumblines During last winter the friendly sailor who enjoys the relaxing time spent at the helm of Tulip headed away from the cold climate of Sydney to the tropical wonderland of the Whitsunday Islands to contest the Whitsunday Sailing Club's Airlie Beach Race Week. Both he and his crew including the Sydney Hobart race veteran David Lawson have been regular visitors to Airlie Beach at Race Week time claiming there is no better place to race and enjoy the regatta atmosphere when the Sydney temperature plunges into the uncomfortable creature comfort zone. Skipper Bernie van't Hoff while electing to spend the warm summer months racing Tulip in the short point score races on Pioneer Bay has made no decision to set sail for Sydney. Meanwhile Tulip long regarded among Australia's more comfortable cruising yachts has continued to log impressive results in her line honours duels with the Pioneer Bay 'pace setters' Questionable Logic (Terry Archer), Re-Ignition (Charles Wallace) and the Spike Verdon skippered First Flight. Tulip added another important entry to log book when she encountered a mixed range of trade winds, sea conditions and swift flowing current to ward off the challenge from Take Flight and Questionable Logic to secure the line honours in the recent Island Passage race. The slight waterline length advantage of Tulip combined with the skill of the crew allowed skipper Van't Hoff to dictate the pace when the gusty 20-25 knot breeze tested the sail changing skills of the crew during the testing leg of the course from Roma Point to Langford Reef. They continued to sail smart in the dark to eventually claim the line honours while Take Flight and Questionable Logic staged an intense match race for the minor places. However while the Tulip crew mastered the challenge to sail fast in the dark their course time of a little over 6 hours was not fast enough to beat the lower handicap rating of the Spike Verdon skippered Take Flight. Take Flight a production Beneteau First 40 class sloop completed an impressive debut to record an impressive corrected handicap win over Tulip and Questionable Logic in her first long distance Island Passage race. This was an encouraging result for skipper Spike Verdon who has listed Take Flight to contest the Airlie Beach Race Week Grand Prix IRC division later this year. -- Ian Grant Glenn Bourke Returns to Hobart After 35 Year Break
Hobart and the river did not provide Bourke and other mainland competitors for a great day for their practice sailing, a cool 17 degrees and rain, but at least they had a good breeze. The Australian championship starts tomorrow with up to 12 races over the three days of the series. The event has attracted a strong fleet of 21 SB3s, with 11 crews coming Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria to join the nine boats sailing out of the host club, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania. Sailing Club Marine Hamilton Island with Bourke is Australian SB3 association president Rod Jones and Greg McAllanswmith, the Queensland crew fresh from a convincing victory in the Victorian State championships in late January. Bourke is now CEO of Hamilton Island, having held major management roles at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and with the Volvo Round-the-World Race since retiring from dinghy racing at an international and Olympic level. His skill as a helmsman has clearly not diminished in sailing the SB3s which he describes as 'between a dinghy and a small keelboat'. Bourke said the expansion of the SB3 class, a three crew keelboat designed by noted naval architect Tony Castro (he designed the Hobart yacht Intrigue that last weekend won the 89 nautical mile Bruny Island circumnavigation race), had been extraordinary. "From 12 boats in Europe the first year (2003), there 50 the next and 100 boats by the following year. In Europe championships were attracting fleets of 50 to 100 boats," Bourke added. "They are an outstanding one-design class, a high performance small keelboat, inexpensive to buy and maintain, and great fun to sail," he enthused. Australian president Rod Jones said he was confident of 80 boats for the Worlds at Hamilton Island in December, including 40 from European nations, Singapore and Hong Kong. Australia currently had 51 registered SB3s and another six could be expected before the worlds, Four races are scheduled for tomorrow on the river Derwent, starting from 12 noon. -- Peter Campbell Work Progressing In Naples
The main project is the extension of breakwaters in front of the city center which will allow the teams to safely launch and hoist the AC45 catamarans from flat water behind the protective barrier. Construction work started over the past week. "The city has really thrown its weight behind the preparations that need to be done. The big project is to extend the breakwater and that has started now," said Peter Ansell, Director of On-shore operations for ACRM. "It's quite a big project to complete in a short time period, so it's very encouraging to see the work starting on schedule and progressing well." The city has embraced the America's Cup World Series with enthusiasm and is looking forward to April, says the Mayor. "The city is getting ready to host the event in the best possible way. There is much enthusiasm and the desire to participate is palpable. I am sure that this event there is not going to be only a sporting event, but it will also be a flywheel for real development, from tourism to employment. The AC World Series will provide great visibility to the already exceptional setting of the waterfront of via Caracciolo. This event will allows us all to fully enjoy the beauty of the sea, of the beach and of the landscape (of our city)..." Download a map of the event site here 2012 Adelaide-Lincoln Finish She crossed the finish line at 0417, 19 seconds ahead of her very similar-design Reichel/Pugh 51 Secret Menis Business from the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia. Third to finish is expected to be Kym Clarkeis Sydney 47 Fresh, from Port Lincoln Yacht Club. The reaching and running conditions in a moderate to fresh soui-easter, which prevailed for most of the 150n mile course, suited Scarlett Runner. Secret Menis Business 3.5 from the better start led Scarlet Runner at the first rounding mark Marion Reef after the yachts were hard on the wind from the start off Outer Harbour. But from there Scarlet Runner unleashed her downwind edge on the reach across the bottom of Yorke Peninsula and the square run across Spencer Gulf into Port Lincoln with the wind strength easing off in the early morning. Steve Kemp, SMB3.5 navigator, calculates that Scarlet Runner will beat her on IRC corrected time by about four minutes. -- Bob Ross / Port Lincoln Yacht Club Team Muscat 2012 Sails to Victory in Abu Dhabi Racing
In strong breeze, it was Omani skipper Moshin Al Busaidi and his all-Oman crew sailing Team Muscat 2012 that turned the tables on the professional French crews to win today's inshore race sailed off the Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club. In a drama-filled start, the first boat to the top mark, Team Bahrain, broached spectacularly and fell away allowing Moshin's crew to tack across the wind and sail into clear wind and take the lead, a position they maintained until the finish. The racing was very close and tight with few passing opportunities. Team BAE Systems came home in second place ahead of the professional French entry Team Courrier Dunkirque who finished third. The all-women crew onboard Team Al Thuraya BankMuscat were a very close fourth behind Team Commercialbank, a great result according to team skipper Dee Caffari given that the girls did not fly a spinnaker. After Ras Al Khaimah, the fleet will head into Omani waters for the final three stops - Musandam, Mussanah and the final port in Oman's capital, Muscat, before the tour concludes on the 27th February. Letters To The Editor -
Worldwide, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. The St. Baldrick's Foundation partners with organizations around the world to fund childhood cancer research. We must all do everything we can to give kids a better chance for a cure. Please support Ellis on behalf of these very special kids. To make an online donation, click the link below. Thank you for your support! www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/525772/2012 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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George Kenefick of Cork is the new Afloat.ie/Irish Independent "Sailor of the Year" after an exceptionally diverse and successful season in which the 23-year-old Crosshaven skipper logged major successes at a wide variety of venues in an almost bewildering array of boat types.
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