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 editor@scuttlebutteurope.com
Heading Into Hyeres Finals Series Racing
Olympic silver medallists Luke Patience and Joe Glanfield recorded the perfect scoreline from their two 470 class races at the Hyeres World Cup on Tuesday (23 April) to head into the second phase of the regatta in pole position.
The new pairing, who competed together for the first time at the Palma World Cup earlier this month, comfortably won both of their races to top the leaderboard at the end of the qualifying series, and as such will take forward a score of zero points into finals series racing which starts on Wednesday.
In the new women's 49erFX class, three British boats are poised in the top ten going into the final series.
Racing at the ISAF Sailing World Cup, Hyeres, continues on Wednesday 24 April, with the final medal deciders on Saturday 27 April. -- RY
* Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) was the best Finn sailor on the second day at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Hyeres and moves into a 10 point lead at the top of the fleet from Giles Scott (GBR) and Pieter-Jan Postma (NED). Race wins went to Oliver Tweddell, Zbogar and Andrew Mills (GBR). Light winds dogged the regatta for the second day running. Though the bulk of the fleets were subject to an early postponement to wait for the wind the Finns started on time at 13.00 in about 6 knots that built slightly during the day, with a light chop and a few knots of current making things tight and tactical. Three races were scheduled to complete the opening qualification series.
The fleet is now split into gold and silver starts for the three-day, six race final series before the top 10 go into Saturday's two medal races. -- Robert Deaves
Full results: sof.ffvoile.net/results/finn.htm
ISAF Statement On International Laser Class
On 22 March the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) published a statement concerning the Laser Class dispute and proceedings filed by attorneys acting for Bruce Kirby.
Since then, Bruce Kirby Inc. published information regarding the launch of the "Kirby Torch" boat. The legal situation is on-going but ISAF can confirm that:
- ISAF has been named a co-defendant in the legal proceedings filed in the US District Court by attorneys acting for Bruce Kirby.
- ISAF strongly denies the allegations made against it in the proceedings.
- The International Laser Class Association (ILCA) is recognized by ISAF as responsible for the organization and administration of Laser dinghy activities worldwide.
- The Laser dinghy has been selected by ISAF as the equipment for the Men's and Women's One Person Dinghy events at the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition (with corresponding contractual arrangements in place).
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.
The requirements for new classes to obtain designation as an ISAF Class are defined in ISAF Regulation 10. ISAF Regulation 23 defines how an ISAF Class can be selected as equipment for the Olympic Sailing Competition.
ISAF remains committed to working with all the parties to the dispute in order to negotiate a settlement. Our primary concern is for the sailors around the world and we will continue to work towards a resolution.
C Class Cup Cancelled
Challenge France, French challenger for the next International C Class Catamaran Championship (ICCCC), is obliged to announce the cancellation of the C Class Cup 2013, due to a lack of entries. The C Class Cup was due to be held at the end of May in the beautiful Bay of Quiberon in partnership with the French National Sailing Centre (Ecole Nationale de Voile et des Sports Nautiques - ENVSN) and was intended to be the first ever French C Class Catamaran event.
The organization will be studying all the opportunities to reschedule the regatta as soon as the C Class increases its membership in Europe. Furthermore, during the implementation of the C Class Cup we received a lot of support and expressions of interest from potential sponsors, partners and institutions demonstrating then the full viability of the concept.
The next big event for the C Class remains the International C-Class Catamaran Championship (ICCCC) that will be held in Falmouth - England from the 21st to 28th of September 2013.
Valencia Sailing: www.vsail.info/2013/04/23/c-class-cup-cancelled/
Fife Regatta
Prestigious Classic Yachts will grace the waters of the Clyde this summer between 28th June to 5th July. This will be the fourth gathering of the much admired William Fife designed yachts. His work was acclaimed in his lifetime and continues to be so, celebrated this year by the The Fife Regatta 2013. During the golden age of the Victorian era through to 1938 when his yard at Fairlie, North Ayrshire built his last yacht Solway Maid, Wm. Fife was a master of his craft. Twenty of these Classic Yachts are set to return to the Clyde again.
The inaugural Fife Regatta was held in 1998, and thereafter in 2003 and 2008. Fife yachts continue to attract attention worldwide with exacting restoration projects and the sheer pleasure of sailing them.
Two boats, Kentra and Astor, celebrate their 90th birthdays this year. Kentra, a 100ft Gaff- Ketch has been in storage for nearly seven years, is being re-launched for the regatta. Astor, an 86ft Schooner, will be coming all the way from California for the occasion. Hatasoo, the 19ft Gaff sloop build in 1894 will be the oldest yacht. She will be the local Clyde entrant from McGruers yard, Clynder on the Gareloch. The larger yachts will include Moonbeam III (105ft), Aventuress (100ft) along with Kentra. Seabird and Oblio are more recent builds from William Fife drawings and confirm how these yachts have a place in modern times.
For some of their Owners and Crew this will be their first visit on the Clyde. For Mignon, it will be her fourth Fife Regatta and she will be the only yacht to have competed in all of these special events.
The yachts will begin in Largs and will have passage races to Rothesay, Tighnabruaich and Portavadie before returning to Largs.
Marinepool Perce Jacket and Trousers - Ultra Light Weight Technology
Perce jacket and trousers are the the latest Marinepool sailing clothing novelties. They combine highest functionality with outstanding design and comfort; indeed, both jacket and trousers are made of ultra light weight 3-layer fabrics that guarantee excellent freedom of movement. Of course the Perce's high quality rip stop fabric is fully waterproof, highly breathable and durable water repellent.
Special features of the Perce jackets are the 3D performance cut on elbows supporting ergonomics, top of the range materials, Marinepool´s remarkable 3-layer technology as well as welded water-resistant zippers with Polyurethane frame.
Perce Jacket is available in a male and female cut and in a selection of various colors. While the male style is offered in ocean blue, navy and black, the more waisted style for women is available in white, ocean blue and black.
Similar to the jacket, Perce Trousers are exceptionally functional and smartly designed. Fully taped seams, reflex prints at the lower leg and pre-shaped knees together with reinforcements on seat panel and knee make these trousers real all rounders. Moreover, adjustable stretch shoulder straps, elastic waist inserts as well as fully adjustable ankle fasteners allow a comfortable and uncompromising fit.
Learn more about Marinepool´s performance sailing clothing range on: www.marinepool.com
Irish Traditional Boat Leader Is Veteran Of Gaffer Global Circuit
Sandefjord departs Durban. Click on image for full article and photos
The season-long Golden Jubilee cruise of the Old Gaffers Association starts to roll this weekend, with vintage boats from the Thames Estuary setting out tomorrow to rendezvous in the Orwell estuary in Suffolk with character boats already on their way from Holland. And when the growing fleet reaches Dublin Bay for major events between May 31st and June 4th, they'll find the welcoming party is headed by a sailor who has been round the world under gaff rig.
The Old Gaffers Association was barely a year old when Tim Magennis, the current President of the Dublin Bay branch, set out on a global circumnavigation under traditional rig in an already famous classic ketch, a vessel whose status was to become almost legendary when this voyage was completed.
It was the morning of Sunday 21st February 1965 when the 47ft Sandefjord slipped her lines from a quayside packed with friends and well-wishers in Durban, South Africa, and headed seaward down the harbour with an accompanying fleet. Instantly into open ocean at the pierheads, she was soon heading west for Cape Town, reeling off the miles on a close reach as her goodwill flotilla peeled off one by one to head back to the shelter of the great port. Sandefjord was now alone on the high seas
But the friends and supporters were to be out there again in increased numbers two years later to greet her when she returned from the eastward, with 30,729 miles completed in a classic global circumnavigation which had gone on from Cape Town through the South Atlantic to the Caribbean, thence to the Panama Canal and on to the Galapagos, then on across the wide blue waters of the Pacific to Polynesia and eventually to Sydney in Australia. From there it was northwards, cruising through the Great Barrier Reef and on into the Indian Ocean, then southwestward on the final long transoceanic leg, back to a rapturous welcome in Durban. -- WM Nixon in Afloat magazine:
afloat.ie/blogs/sailing-saturday-with-wm-nixon
Seahorse May 2013
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
Handy tool!
What would our ancestors have said... all this in a regular-looking wrist watch
Update
Terry Hutchinson counts his chickens, Peter Holmberg enjoys another Caribbean 'winter', Dee Smith and some good opening moves for HPR. Plus cruising at 30kt... what happens when you ask Nigel Irens and Benoit Cabaret to design your ideal boat
Design - Total design
International 14 ace Paul Bieker with his latest typically innovative new offshore design
Seahorse build table - Pure performance
Two new mid-sized rockets... ripe for HPR
Editorial
Andrew Hurst
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Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club Nations' Cup
The Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's Nations' Cup has already attracted 73 entries from 23 nations - many of whom will spend the days leading up to the event deciding what costumes to wear and what national delicacy to bring to the 'after-party'.
Crews are formed along the lines of nation of origin or allegiance. While the Nationality Criteria states that "100% of crew members must be nationals of the country which is represented by the boat they are racing on", the same criteria then go on to offer a multitude of different ways that a 'wannabe' can qualify - all the way down to representing a Nation in the Miss Universe Pageant.
Racing will feature a pursuit race following a simple course, starting in Victoria Harbour at Kellett Island and taking the fleet eastwards, out through Lei Yue Mun Gap, to a turning mark which will be selected to suit the prevailing weather conditions. Once around, the boats will re-enter the Harbour and, with a bit of cooperation from the wind gods, race back to the finish line at Kellett Island.
Coveted prizes include the right of the winning nation to place their flag on conspicuous display behind the Club's Main Bar until the 2014 race and, of course, the bragging rights that go with proving themselves to be "Champion Sailing Nation of The Year".
The first boat home in the inaugural event in 2011 was England, followed by Ireland, Australia, Sweden, Scotland and Japan. The 2012 edition had to be abandoned due to lack of wind and miserable weather conditions, however the 'after party' more than made up for any disappointment.
Entries are still open for this popular event and interested parties should contact Lindsay Lyons in the RHKYC Sailing Office: Lindsay.Lyons@rhkyc.org.hk
www.rhkyc.org.hk/NationsCup.aspx
New Circuit Foiling Catamarans
With the Nacra 17 in the Olympic Games for Rio 2016 and the 34rd America's Cup being sailed this year in foiling AC72s, soaring interest in competing on two hulls has prompted a new circuit to be set up for the absolute state of the art in racing catamarans.
Created by cat sailors Laurent Lenne and Andrew Macpherson, the Great Cup makes its debut next month on Lake Traunsee, Austria, and will be sailed in brand new, purpose-built GC32 foiling catamarans.
Built in entirely in carbon fibre by Premier Composites in Dubai, the GC32 has been designed by Martin Fischer, best known for his groundbreaking Capricorn, Hobie Wild Cat and Phantom F18 catamarans and his work on Franck Cammas' Groupama trimarans.
The GC32 features the latest S-foil daggerboards and L-profile rudders. These generate enough vertical lift to elevate the GC32 out of the water when she is sailing at speed, in a similar fashion to the foiling AC72s. But unlike the solid wing used on America's Cup catamarans, the GC32 features a simpler and more conventional rotating wingmast rig, making its launch and retrieval an easier process.
Significantly, the Great Cup is aimed at accomplished amateur sailors looking to go racing aboard the fastest, most advanced boats for their size.
Three GC32 have been constructed and these will have their competitive first outing in Europe at Allianz Traunsee Week on Lake Traunsee, Austria over 8-12 May.
The boats are then scheduled to move on to Lake Geneva in June where they will compete in the Geneve-Rolle-Geneve and the Bol d'Or Mirabaud.
Industry News
The Northshore Yachts story, broken by Boating Business on Wednesday 17 April, has moved on with the announcement that a creditors' meeting will be held on 2 May.
Following the change of company name, the formal meeting of the creditors is for NSY (Southern) Limited (formerly North Shore Yachts Ltd).
The meeting is to be held on 2 May at 10.30am at the Hilton, London Gatwick Airport, South Terminal, Gatwick Airport, Gatwick RH6 0LL.
The creditors will be given the opportunity to question and seek clarification on any matters from the company's directors. BB wonders if anyone will turn up and ask questions. If they do, we'd love to hear what the directors had to say...
The meeting will also approve the appointment of the liquidators appointed by the shareholders. The proposed liquidators are Christopher David Stevens and Colin Ian Vickers of FRP Advisory LLP.
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LDC Sailing, the new builder and distributor of the popular 2000 Class, has launched a dedicated website www.2000sailing.com
The site contains information about the specification and features of the new 2000s, which will be in production very shortly. New moulds are nearing completion on the Isle of Wight with the first boats due to be completed within a few weeks.
The 2000 Class Association has also updated its web address to www.2000class.org with a range of information about the comprehensive range of Class racing and training activities, hints and tips, key people contacts, a forum and much more.
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The British Marine Federation (BMF) will be returning to Mercator Media's Seawork Exhibition this year to support its members and the industry.
BMF staff and BMF Commercial Marine committee members will be on hand at the exhibition to provide information about the companies involved in the association.
BMF Commercial Marine will also be holding its AGM and drinks reception on the afternoon of Tuesday 25 June 2013. Members, exhibitors and visitors are invited to join the BMF, where they will be able to network and chat with staff and members.
The association says it continues to grow and has welcomed a range of companies operating across the marine supply chain, many of whom will be exhibiting at Seawork.
Visit the BMF on stand B21 at the event, taking place at ABP's Port of Southampton from 25 to 27 June 2013.
Featured Brokerage
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Complete listing details and seller contact information at uk.yachtworld.com
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