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Vuurschepenrace
The Hague/Netherlands: On the morning before the start of the 2013 Vuurschepenrace, part of the Delta Lloyd North Sea Regatta, the organization received a total of 52 pre-entries. Looking at the current weather forecasts this year's Vuurschepenrace is not likely to be a record breaker.

The north-northeasterly wind is expected to be light to medium in the early evening. During the night, the breeze will drop and it slowly changes direction to the Southwest. 'Here in the corridors of the Regatta Office it has already been asked whether it is allowed to anchor in the shipping lane,' said Race Officer Edwin Lodder. In the early morning, the fleet will almost come to a halt at a wind speed of 2 knots off the English coast, which then gradually increases to about 13 to 15 knots.

In 2012, skipper De Graaf and his crew took Line Honours and the overall win in the IRC with their Baraka GP Ker 40. This year, they are back to defend their titles, which won't be easy with among other the Pleomax Volvo Open 60 of Harm Prins as competitor.

The double-handed class shows a clear change from other years. Formerly, maybe two to three duos lined up for the start. Now there are eleven.

After a day of rest in Harwich the IRC and ORC classes will sail the R.O.R.C. North Sea Race back to Holland at Friday May 10th. In the Pentecost weekend from May 17th to 20th 2013, more than 400 teams will race just off the coast of Scheveningen. Different classes will attend: yachts, Olympic and former Olympic classes, one design classes, catamarans and dinghies.

www.dlnsr.nl

52 Super Series Heads For Barcelona
After two regattas in America 52 Super Series starts the Mediterranean stages of the six regatta 2013 season with Barcelona's renowned Conde de Godo (May 23-26) regatta which has attracted seven teams from five different nations including three from the USA.

Offering four days of racing, the popular spring time event usually offers a good mix of sailing conditions, often featuring a relatively reliable sea breeze, whilst the many attractions of the Catalan capital city ensure Barcelona remains one of the most popular venues.

Six of the 52's which raced the US Super Series in Key West and Miami in January and March are joined by Turkey's Provezza which is owned by Ergin Imre and steered by Britain's double Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers with Peter Lester (NZL) as tactician. Provezza (ex Cristabella/Desafio), which raced at the Royal Cup in Mallorca last year, has been updated since they put a toe in the water last season and is now expected to compete at all of the Mediterranean regattas.

From the USA Manouch Moshayedi and his crew of Rio (ex Synergy) and Austin and Gwen Fragomen's Interlodge both make their first foray into European waters.

Two different teams have won so far this season. Form in the USA suggests that any one of four or five crews have the potential to win a regatta.

Up to nine races will be sailed over the four days for the 52's at the Conde de Godo regatta. The seven boat fleet is likely to be even bigger in early July in Ibiza at the Royal Cup whilst up to ten boats are expected to compete at Palma's showcase regatta, the Copa del Rey.

www.52superseries.com

Henri Lloyd Launch Official J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round The Island Merchandise Range
For the third consecutive year Henri Lloyd is proud to be associated with Britain's favourite yacht race, and one of the largest and most popular annual sailing events in the world, the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.

To celebrate the race and Henri Lloyd official partnership, a commemorative official clothing range featuring the official race logo will be on sale exclusively on the Henri Lloyd stand within the Official race village, online at www.henrilloyd.com and at the Henri-Lloyd Cowes Store.

The range will include the Henri Lloyd Breaker jacket & gilet, Fast-Dri polo, Fast-Dri cap and a classic rugby shirt.

www.henrilloyd.com

Raising The Stakes
ISAF and ILCA seem intent on keeping the pressure on Bruce Kirby, announcing that they are to issue a New ISAF Plaque to terminated builder Laser Performance in North America and Europe. Kirby has responded by filing a First Amended Complaint adding claims related to the ILCA Rule Change, the ISAF Reversal, the apparent New ISAF Plaques and other matters, and adding as a party the owner of the Laser trademarks in Europe: Velum Limited ITM SA (Antigua and Barbuda).

The Kirby Torch website reports that New ISAF Plaque will eliminate any reference to Laser designer Bruce Kirby. So future Laser hulls will not include his name and Kirby cautions that the Kirby Torch Class will not accept Laser hulls bearing this New ISAF Plaque as class legal.

The New ISAF Plaque will only mean that fees have been paid to ILCA and ISAF. It will not mean that the Laser hull is Kirby Torch class legal. But, the Kirby Torch Class will accept as class legal any Laser hull bearing the original ISAF Plaque that includes "Bruce Kirby" even if no license fee has been paid to Kirby.

On 23 April ISAF stated: ISAF regards the recent announcement of the Kirby Torch dinghy as a fundamental breach of contractual arrangements between the parties concerned with the Laser class. ISAF has therefore exercised its right to end those arrangements and will negotiate new arrangements directly with the ILCA.

On 23 April 2013 ISAF approved a proposed amendment to the Laser Class Rules which was approved by ILCA members in 2012. The amended rule permits ISAF and ILCA to approve builders of the Laser who have the right to use the Laser trademark.

Full article by Gerald New in SailWeb:
www.sailweb.co.uk

GBR IRC Advocates
The UK network of IRC Advocates is now set up, and a list of Advocates can be found on our website. We hope that clubs and owners will find this useful, particularly those new to IRC who may be struggling with their application or IRC Rules. If you know someone who could do with a helping hand then do direct them to the list of Advocates.

To read more about the Advocates' role and how they can help owners (especially those new to IRC) and clubs, please see our website via tinyurl.com/irc-advocates.

Last Chance To Apply In Onboard Reporter Campaign
After a campaign lasting four months and bringing in over 2,000 applications, [the Volvo Ocean Race] are about to put a freeze on the recruitment process for Onboard Reporters in the 2014-15 race. Now the hard work starts, says project manager Rick Deppe.

The window for applications in the Onboard Reporter recruitment process will close on May 17, bringing an end to a campaign that has already brought in an overwhelming number of high-quality applications.

Launched on January 11, the search for a world-class line-up of multimedia reporters for the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race brought in responses from around the world. These applications are now being reviewed by the organisation in Alicante, Spain.

"We knew this was the only way to hook in to all the talent out there," said Deppe. "The quality of these applications has blown us away.

"We want to make sure we get the right candidates working with the right teams, so this is going to take a little while."

volvooceanrace.com

Groupe Bel Wins The Grand Prix Guyader IMOCA Class
With three victories out of the four coastal courses contested and the top performance in the speed runs, Groupe Bel really made waves at the Grand Prix Guyader, securing a fine win in the IMOCA category. Throughout the weekend, monohull and multihull sailors and kitesurfers had a ball in Douarnenez's light airs and glorious sunshine.

Vying for supremacy with his rivals has given Kito the chance to get back on top again and recover the delights of competition and success: "It's been a very successful weekend, both in sporting and human terms! Even today, on the final coastal course, we sailed well despite the race being action-packed. We really enjoyed helming Groupe Bel, which is as good as new. She has never been as honed as she is now and we showed just what she was made of in some complicated conditions with little wind."

Groupe Bel will leave Douarnenez on Wednesday, on the back of the tomorrow's expected front, so as to benefit from some favourable sailing conditions to drop down towards Portugal, then Gibraltar and Port Camargue, her port of registry. Next up, as soon as they make landfall in Port Camargue, the skipper and his team will get the monohull into single-handed configuration, with a view to snapping up any opportunity that comes their way to try to improve Groupe Bel's Trans-Mediterranean record. (Marseille-Carthage). In June, the boat will participate in the Giraglia Rolex Cup between Saint Tropez and San Remo.

Ranking for the Grand Prix Guyader (60' IMOCA monohull):
1. Groupe Bel / Kito de Pavant
2. Maître CoQ / Jeremie Beyou
3. Mare / Jorg Riechers
4. Initiatives Coeur / Tanguy de Lamotte

Best IMOCA performance in the speed runs: Groupe Bel with 16.10 knots -- Julia Huve

Industry News
The Losange Group, owner of Facnor furling systems, RDM, Sparcraft Rigging and Charleston Sparcraft Inc, has been sold to the Wichard Group for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition was officially approved in a French court on Thursday, April 25.

Wichard is a leader in marine fittings and a major industrial group that supplies brands such as Beneteau, X-Yacht, Alubat, Uship, Bigship, Accastillage Diffusion and West Marine.

Deck Developpement, Wichard Group's parent company, owns the Wichard and Profurl brands, employing 120 people and generating turnover of around €18m.

According to a company statement, the takeover is part of Wichard's strategy to create, through internal development of its product portfolio and external acquisitions, a major international group dedicated to manufacturing marine equipment.

Founded by Jean-Michel Despres in 1981, the Losange Group, currently in receivership, manufactures roller-furlers, masts, booms and spars, running and standing rigging, and fittings. The group has a workforce of 70 and turnover of €13m.

IBI News: https://plus.ibinews.com

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The logistics company DB Schenker has signed on as new sponsors of Stena Match Cup Sweden. They join a long list of companies who have seen the event's potential as a unique meeting spot, and DB Schenker will also become a big asset for the logistics around the event.

Stena Match Cup Sweden is one of Sweden's largest public sports events and continues to grow in both sporting and media terms. It is one of several races in the match racing world cup, Alpari World Match Racing Tour and many of sailing's biggest names have participated since the start in 1994. This summer, the world elite will once again return to Marstrand to compete in the Women's Class and the Open Class of the regatta.

DB Schenker is one of the biggest logistics companies in Sweden with 4000 employees in the country.

www.stenamatchcupsweden.com
wmrt.com

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Golden Horn Boat Fest is the newest and third boat show to be held in Istanbul, Turkey. The show is scheduled to run from May 9-12, 2013 at the Halic Congress Center by NTSR, organiser of the Istanbul Boat Show in Marinturk Istanbul City Port.

Golden Horn Boat Fest will be held on water, with 140 boats including megayacts on display and a separate area for yacht equipment, accessories and water sports.

NTSR International Fair & Congress Organization was established in 1980 and organises international fairs for the agriculture, transportation, yacht and watersports, and professional maritime sectors, among others.

IBI News: https://plus.ibinews.com

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Suppliers to the failed NYS (Southern) Ltd - formerly Northshore Yachts - left a meeting of creditors held at Gatwick Airport yesterday, shrugging their shoulders.

They had just learned liquidator Chris Stephens from FRP Advisory had little more than the furniture at Northshore's prestigious waterside boatyard at Itchenor, Chichester to set against £1,972,520 of debts.

The Company's statement of accounts show 21 creditors in the marine trade are owed five figure sums. The worst hit is Selden Masts losing £71,000, with Wycombe Panels Ltd owed £66,560, Irons Brothers - which manufactures Southerly's unique swing keels - is owed £59,000, Lewmar is owed £33,600 and IPC Media £29,500.

The taxpayer is also faced with £685,853 in redundancy payments for the 130 former employees.

A new trading company has been formed from the ashes of NYS and will continue to produce the Southerly range of swing keel yachts, including the new Dubois designed Southerly 535 due to be premiered at this year's PSP Southampton Boat Show. -- Barry Pickthall in Boating Business

www.boatingbusiness.com

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Oceanair has been awarded the 2013 Observer & Gazette Large Business of the year award.

Selected from many well established businesses from across the Chichester, Bognor Regis, Midhurst and Petworth (UK) region, the judging panel recognised Oceanair for its "'excellent reputation, record of innovative measures in enhancing employee relations, commitment to never fail in delivering on promises, and first and foremost, an ability to meet - and exceed - customer expectations."

www.boatingbusiness.com

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Around 37,000 people flocked to Moll Vell last week for the 30th Palma International Boat Show. The strong turnout was largely attributed to the 1st Superyacht Brokerage & Charter Show, which ran concurrently with the event from May 1-5.

"This was a completely different show from 2011," says Chema Sans, director of the Palma show. "Most notably, it has grown a lot, the number of exhibitors was up 25 per cent and the sea-based exhibition area up 76 per cent, largely due to the crucial addition of a Superyacht Brokerage & Charter Show - a venture that makes a good deal of sense for the Balearics.

"Last year Monaco reported a record attendance of 33,000," he adds. "We know for sure that we have beaten this figure and certainly had many more sailing superyachts on display. In total 47 superyachts over 24m lined the quayside of Moll Vell marina and, based on this year's runaway success, I envisage this expanding to 65 or more for 2014."

Last year's Palma International Boat Show was cancelled on account of poor exhibitor interest.

IBI News: plus.ibinews.com

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Key Yachting Ltd, the UK agent for J Boats, Grand Soleil, Nautitech Catamarans and Princess Motor Yachts in Scotland, opened their new head office in Hamble Point Marina on Saturday 27th April, to coincide with the annual Hamble Point Boat Show.

The new, larger premises is situated next to the display facility that the company acquired last year; a purpose built walkway designed to showcase over twenty new and pre-owned yachts.

The new office was officially opened by Carol Taylor of National Boat Shows on Saturday afternoon, during a champagne reception.

The show attracted over 1,500 visitors during the two day event, an increase on last year's numbers. The marina tenants formed the majority of exhibitors at the show, and companies from all sectors of the marine industry were invited to exhibit in the busy marina.

Featured Brokerage
2009 Grand Soleil 43. 545,000 GBP. Located in Hamble, United Kingdom.

This stunning Grand Soleil 54 from the drawing board of Luca Brenta was delivered to her owner in Italy in 2009. Since then she has had a continous programme of professional maintainance and is presented absolutely ready to go. The boat is a wonderful blend of style and performance and is beautifully equipped for both short-handed cruising and extended passage making and now has cabin heating for chilly spring night comfort.

Brokerage through Key Yachting Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/keyyachting/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com

The Last Word
Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. and, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing i know about physics: you are all stardust. -- Lawrence M. Krauss

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