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Tour Voile: Kites, Current and Capes
After much talk and weather analysis, all 12 boats left Deauville at 11.15am in 10 knots of north wind and strong current. Brest is waiting for them 245 miles farther west.

Competitors sailed upwind for a while to find more pressure on the right side of the racecourse/

Normandie led that tactical move with match-race star Bertrand Pace at the helm. Then they had a reaching tack to Barfleur in 17 knots of wind, a wet and tough ride ending at the Basse Renier mark with fractional kites and, soon, the big ones too.

"We had a solid start and a solid but wet reaching," said Leigh McMillan onboard Team OmanSail. "We had a frustrating time with our fractional kite though. Now we just have to get back and lead again."

The wind dropped after the mark and the M34 sailed with the current towards Blanchard.

Average speeds are likely to pick up after La Hague Cape on a long downwind tack across the Channel Islands. 15 to 20 knots from the NE are forecast, reaching 25 knots in Ouessant.

The night will be windy and tactical and the sunset on the most western part of France will tell it all.

Estimated time of arrival in Brest, Brittany is around 11.30am Wednesday.

www.tourvoile.fr

Formula 18 Worlds
Click on image for photo gallery.

Formula 18 Worlds Three heats were competed today in the Formula 18 Worlds which run at Marina di Grosseto, the home waters of the Compagnia della Vela, until Friday, July 12th 2013. The star of the day was British sailor Hugh Styles who leap-frogged to the top of the standings ahead of French sailors Francois Gabart and Gurvan Bontemps who are within two points of each other. Tomorrow brings the final two qualifying heats before the finals which the Committee is hoping to get started by afternoon

After yesterday's rain forced the committee to halt the action after just one start, today a 9 to 15-knot westerly and a calm sea served up the perfect conditions for the 161 teams entered to showcase their talents. The race committee successfully started all three races planned for today for each of the two groups into which the large fleet of Formula 18 catamarans is divided, delivering both public and crews a truly unique day's sailing.

After a second position garnered yesterday, the British team today proved they are capable of delivering superbly consistent results, securing their reputation as one of the two favourites to take overall victory.

Now lying second in the overall standings, on 6 points, are Francois Gabart and Matthieu Vandame (FRA 301), courtesy of one win and one third-place finish from today (the BDF in race 2 was cancelled out by the discard). This means that the French team now lies ahead of their fellow countrymen Bontemps-Amiot (FRA 004) who are currently on 7 points and thus take the third step on the podium ahead of a third French duo, Besson-Lagarrigue (FRA 1796).

Mitch and Jordi Booth (ESP 1910), however, slipped down to seventh position on 15 points as, after yesterday's win, they could only manage an 8th, a 6th and an 11th (discard) today.

Wednesday, July 10th 2013, brings the final two qualifying heats at 12:00 with the gold and silver finals series beginning in the afternoon.

2013.f18worlds.com

Another Hard Fought Race
Emirates Team New Zealand today scored its second point of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America's Cup Challenger Series, in an unopposed race on San Francisco Bay.

Skipper Dean Barker and crew were scheduled to race Artemis Racing, but the Swedish team is still assembling its second AC72 wing sail catamaran and won't be ready to sail for another two weeks.

Once again, the New Zealanders looked slick on their AC72, Aotearoa. They completed the 16.16-nautical-mile course in 45 minutes, 28 seconds (about one minute quicker than Sunday's race) and achieved a top speed of 43.26 knots, 49.7 mph. The wind was slightly stronger today, peaking at 20 knots as opposed to 16 knots on Sunday.

The Kiwis were the first team to launch an AC72 and have spent more time training on it than any other team. They were the first team to start hydrofoiling, and have put all of that practice on display in the first two races of the Louis Vuitton Cup, despite the lack of competition.

The speed Emirates Team New Zealand has displayed the past few days has left some of the most veteran America's Cup personalities in awe.

"I come from 3,000 to 4,000 hours of sailing a 12-Meter off Fremantle," said Regatta Director Iain Murray, hearkening back to the 1987 America's Cup off Western Australia. "The time we spent trying to tack a boat and minimize our speed loss from 8.25 knots down to 6.5 in a tack. I look at these boats go from 21-22 knots and touch on maybe 10 as the bottom speed in a tack, maybe 25 knots as the bottom in a jibe, these are speeds we've never seen before in sailing."

The next race in the Louis Vuitton Cup is scheduled for Thursday.

americascup.com

Seahorse Sailor Of The Month
Last month's winner:

Andrew Mills (GBR)
A big vote this month. ‘My outside bet for Finn gold in Rio, plus he’s a fellow ginger and we need all the help we can get!’ - Dan Wilkinson; ‘A serious force in the toughest of the dinghy classes’ - Bob Fisher; ‘A giant of a man and none too shabby in a Finn’ - Craig Bowie; ‘And then he broke the Round the Island record with Sir Ben!’ - Amy Cada; ‘It was always a matter of when not if Andrew would start collecting the major titles’ - Nigel Milligan; ‘He works bl**dy hard and he supports others’ - Craig Whitby.

This month's nominees:

Matt Belcher (AUS)
It is almost impossible to grasp this in a class that is as competitive as the Men’s 470, but London 2012 gold medal helmsman Matt Belcher has now won his last 16 major regattas on the trot. Even a switch of crews from Malcolm Page to current partner Will Ryan made not the smallest dent in Belcher’s dominance, confirming his own prediction that he had a ‘bit of pace left in the tank’ after London 2012

Francis Joyon (FRA)
He flew into New York just 48 hours before setting off, did all the boat preparation and diving himself, bought a stack of inexpensive supplies from a nearby Russian deli then borrowed a RIB to help him get Idec 2 off the dock. Then Francis Joyon set out to sea, and after a difficult and relatively slow opening 48 hours put the hammer down and obliterated his friend Thomas Coville’s singlehanded transatlantic record...

Seahorse Sailor of the Month is sponsored by Harken McLube, Dubarry & Musto. Who needs silverware, our prizes are usable!

Cast your vote, submit comments, even suggest a candidate for next month at
seahorsemagazine.com/sailor-of-the-month

Sail First ISAF Youth Worlds
Carrie Smith and Ella Clark (AUS) sailing at the 2012 ISAF Youth Worlds. Photo by David Branigan / ISAF Youth Worlds. Click on image to enlarge.

Sail First ISAF Youth Worlds One hundred and twenty 420 sailors will make up the 32-boat Boys and the 28-boat Girls fleet at the Sail First ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Limassol, Cyprus.

The 420 Girls fleet features two notable returnees, 2012 winners Ilaria Paternoster and Benedetta Di Salle (ITA) and 2012 silver medallists Carrie Smith and Ella Clark (AUS). One point separated the Australians and Italian winners heading into the final race in Dublin but a fourth from Paternoster and Di Salle was enough to seal gold as Smith and Clark came through in tenth.

Smith and Clark will be competing in their third ISAF Youth Worlds.

The 2013 Sail First ISAF Youth Worlds will be the last appearance of the Australian girls and their partnership both on and off the water has flourished over the years, "I have been so lucky to be a part of such an amazing team with Carrie and we had worked hard to qualify for Youth Worlds for the first time at the age of 15 in 2011.

Of the 420 Boys medallists at the 2012 ISAF Youth Worlds only Lars van Stekelenborg of the Netherlands returns to the 2013 Sail First ISAF Youth Worlds.

Stekelenborg sailed as crew with Pieter Goedhart and took bronze in a tight fight the medals that saw the Spanish prevail followed by the French in Dublin Bay, Ireland.

Spanish crews have dominated the 420 Boys in recent years as Jordi Xammar and Joan Herp won gold in 2010, Xammar returned in 2011 with Alex Claville to defend his title and twins David and Alex Charles kept the run going in 2012.

Racing at the 2013 Sail First ISAF Youth Worlds commences on 15 July through to 19 July in eight events.

www.isafyouthworlds.com

Rambler First To Finish Marblehead To Halifax Race
Rambler the 90 footer from the New York Yacht Club was the first boat to cross the finish line 14 nautical miles ahead of Donnybrook. Rambler finished MHOR with a elapsed time of 42 hours, 44mins, 32 seconds. Followed by Donnybrook who crossed the finish line with an elapsed time of 45hours, 4min, 6sec and Privateer a few hours later (49hours, 50min, 24sec).

Based on a handicapping formula that considers hull design, sail area and other factors. Privateer finished first in the IRC-1 class. Snow Line and Temptation are expected to cross the line before mid-night this evening.

Complete results: www.marbleheadtohalifax.com/page/the_race/results

www.marbleheadtohalifax.com

Mini Transat 2013
The Trophy Marie-Agnes Peron and the Mini Fastnet have delivered their verdict. In rather mild weather conditions, almost all the entered competitors successfully finished the races and many of them were able to validate their qualification for the Mini Transat. In addition several new competitors were able to get their passport to the great crossing.

The finish of the two great races in June and payment of the last installment of the registration fee have somewhat changed the final list of those registered for the Mini Transat. The misfortune of one became the happiness of others as many competitors who had achieved their qualifying miles were forced to throw in the towel in the absence of a reasonable budget to make the starting line. Today, the list of competitors entered is now 90% confirmed. There are still a few places to be allocated in the Prototypes and perhaps one or two last minute movements due to unforeseen cancellations.

In the Prototype, there was no waiting list, given that the quotas for the race are half Prototypes and half Series boats. The last few races have enabled Arthur Leopold-Leger, Gilles Avril, Annabelle Boudinot, Fanch Guiffant, Nolwen de Carlan and Robin Marais to join the list of contenders. In Series, there are five who benefit from the withdrawals, Erwan Pellen, Raphaël Marchand, Pierre-François Dargnies, Rafaëla Le Gouvello and Andrea Lacopini.

Others qualifying as foreign competitors, who could not make their qualifying run on time because of their geographical remoteness, include François Lamy of Guadeloupe. Also in the same situation are Stan Maslard and American Jeffrey Mac Farlane. Stan has only to complete the Transgascogne to achieve the number of miles required, while Jeffrey sees the last place for foreign competitors escaping his grip. But he can still hope to qualify for the quota because the full number of Prototypes on the start line may not be achieved.

The course 2013: returns to its origins
Leg 1 - Douarnenez to Arrecife (Lanzarote): 1200 miles.
Leg 2 - Arrecife to Pointe a Pitre: 2800 miles.

Dates
Prologue October 6, 2013.
Start from Douarnenez October 13, 2013 at 13h.
Arrival in the Canary Islands between 23 and 26 October 2013.
Start from Canary Islands November 9, 2013.
Arrival in Guadeloupe between 23 and 30 November 2013.

www.minitransat.fr

Plymouth Gets Set For Rolex Fastnet
Plymouth is gearing up to welcome thousands of sailors from all corners of the globe in the Royal Ocean Racing Club's celebrated Rolex Fastnet Race. Now in its 45th year, the biennial race, which started in 1925, features on every seasoned sailor's 'must do' list as well as newcomers seeking a tough personal challenge. Drawn by the history and sporting lure of Europe's oldest and greatest offshore contest, it is legendary within the world of ocean racing.

The 2013 race has already set new records before it's even started: up to 380 boats from over 20 countries, from as far afield as Australia, Russia, America and Lithuania, will converge on the historic maritime City of Plymouth for the finish of the 608 nautical mile race which sets off from Cowes, Isle of Wight on Sunday 11th August.

The race which sees the mammoth fleet round the iconic Fastnet Rock before heading to the finish, showcases the most diverse range of yachts imaginable; from 30ft to 130ft and attracts aspiring sailors to professional crews who race all over the world. Accommodating the largest ever Fastnet fleet and around 3,500 competitors has been made possible by the move to Mount Batten's Plymouth Yacht Haven.

"Plymouth Yacht Haven, Mount Batten has the capacity to supply the extra berthing that is needed in this record breaking year. With so much demand, we had to find a solution and moving the event to Plymouth Yacht Haven and working with Queen Anne's Battery, Sutton Harbour and Mayflower marinas will give us the capacity we need to berth a fleet of this size and provide the facilities expected by the sailors," says Royal Ocean Racing Club's CEO, Eddie Warden Owen.

Also new for 2013 will be the Acoustic Circus in the Race Village, providing top entertainment each afternoon from Tuesday 13th through to Friday 16th August and luckily for those competing, the finish of the race coincides with the British Fireworks Championships, so it is set to be a spectacular week for both visitors, locals and the yachtsmen alike.

fastnet.rorc.org

Staying Safe Without Losing Speed
Rupert Holmes looks at some of the key hazards to avoid while sailing at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week...

While Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week has an enviable safety record, there are a number of hazards that may be encountered during the event. Perhaps the biggest of these is commercial shipping in the Solent and in the approaches to Cowes harbour and the river Medina.

The sooner you identify a ship that may be on a collision course - even if that's on the next leg of your course - the more options you have to keep clear of it with minimal loss of time. In doing this you can therefore often gain ground on competitors that allow themselves to be forced into making big course changes at the last minute. As with any other aspect of racing, it's the crews that keep looking around to stay in touch with changes to the big picture of what's happening around them - both in terms of other boats in their fleet and other Solent traffic - that get the best results.

Another possibility - though a surprisingly unusual one - is becoming unexpectedly becalmed in front of a big ship. However, this is one of the rare occasions that you can use the engine during the racing, providing it's declared at the end of the race.

Take a look at the safety film produced in 2011 here: www.aamcowesweek.co.uk

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* Dave Hollom.: Paul Cayard is wrong in saying that the AC72 rule allows elevators and that all AC72's have them. An elevator is an essentially horizontal control surface whose lift coefficient (Cl), either positive or negative, can be adjusted to alter and maintain the angle of incidence and hence the Cl of the main plane. This can be achieved by either an all moving surface or a surface that incorporates a moveable flap. Either way, it either all moves or has an element that moves which the AC72 rule specifically disallows. Any AC72 sailing with an elevator is therefore illegal.

Nevertheless, to foil successfully you must have some method of adjusting the incidence angle (Cl) of the main plane. The problem is that lift squares with velocity and yet the boat remains (excluding any aerodynamic effects) the same weight at 20kts as it is at 40kts. As the lift, for the same angle of attack, increases fourfold between 20 and 40kts, the incidence angle of the main foil must reduce to a quarter in order that the lift force remains constant, which it must to produce a constant ride height. If, because of the rules, you cannot adjust the Cl of the mainplane by altering the angle of an elevator you must alter the angle of the mainplane directly by altering the rake of the daggerboard to which it is attached or, alternatively, by using free surface effects to automatically reduce the lift, progressively, as the foil nears the water surface, or a combination of both. In either case, longitudinal stability is more easily achieved with a horizontal surface, well separated from the main plane, on the rudders. This, under the rule must be fixed and is thus a horizontal stabiliser not an elevator. It does what it says on the tin. It ensures that the back follows the front and that, whatever incidence the main plane is set at, it is approximately maintained.

Altering the angle of the stabiliser before the start merely adjusts the starting point for trimming the main plane. Its relationship to the angle of the mainplane will remain the same at any given speed and weight. However, the trim angle at which the boat naturally wants to run will alter. It will be either more bow up or bow down which I guess is the reason for allowing the angle to be changed before the start. But, as others have observed, how do you ensure that it is not then subsequently continuously altered during the race and thus becomes an illegal elevator. Also, if some means could be found of ensuring that the stabiliser is not subsequently moved, weather is very fickle. If running bow up is safer, and that is not necessarily so, how can it be safe to set the boat up at a more bow down attitude in lighter airs when, during the course of the race, things could freshen up?

The easiest, safest, and perhaps fastest, solution to the problem is to use a rudder mounted stabiliser that is moveable at all times, i.e. an elevator. But that is illegal. Having mastered the legal, more difficult and perhaps slower solution you can understand why Emirates and Prada are a little less than chuffed when Oracle, who seem to have been unable to master the more difficult but legal approach are offered the easier, but under the original rule, illegal solution in the name of safety.

The purpose of the safety rules may well be to bring safety to the whole fleet and to the event but when they unfairly favour one team to the disadvantage of others then they are wrong. If any team can produce a safe boat under the original rules, then any team that cannot and realises that their boat is not safe and are unable to fix the problem under the existing rules, should withdraw. This brings us to another of Paul's points. Paul seems to think that Emirates and Prada would like to see Artemis out of the event and that this is the reason for their objections. I say this in the nicest possible way. Are Artemis, at the moment, in any position to offer a threat such that it is worth trying to prevent them from sailing? I think not.

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Brokerage through WhiteCap Associates Ltd.: www.yachtworld.com/whitecapltd/

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

The Last Word
No matter how cynical you get, it is impossible to keep up. -- Lily Tomlin

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