In This Issue
Champions prove Aarhus is no lottery
Lendy Cowes Week Competitor App now available for download
FAST40+ Class at Lendy Cowes Week
Tornado Boats International
Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race: An epic race course
Tight TP52s at Hamilton Island Race Week
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
Adopt a Roof BVI aims high
Letters to the Editor
Featured Brokerage
The Last Word: Dr. Evil
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine, 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
Champions prove Aarhus is no lottery
Only one race was possible for each of the two men's 470 fleets (the 130 sailors in 65 boats were split into two fleets), but the first was won comfortably in the end by the Swedish 2018 European Champions, Anton Dahlberg and Frederik Bergström and the second by the Greek bronze medallists in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Panagiotis Mantis and Pavlos Kagialis.
Behind the Swedes, the Australia's perennial favourites, Mat Belcher and William Ryan, came back from 14th to finish strongly in third. The silver medallists in Rio, gold medallist in London 2012, and winners of the last two World Championships, kept patient and chipped away on each beat and run.
The women's 470 (94 contenders in 47 boats and one fleet) started to follow the same pattern as racing continued late with Switzerland's Linda Fahrni and Maja Siegenthaler, winners of the Test Event in Aarhus this time last year, dominated from start to finish. But it was the French who had the best day. Camille Lecointre - the Rio bronze medallist - and her new crew, Aloise Retornaz, were a clear second in the first race and managed sixth in second race, where the Swiss finished thirteenth.
With so many changes in the women's fleet crews in the last couple of years the results were not such a surprise. Britain's gold medallist in Rio, Hannah Mills and her new crew, Eilidh McIntyre (GBR), had a tougher day, in this mammoth field, finishing 9th and 14th to lie 8th overall.
In the Finn, both fleets (90 sailors from 41 countries split into two fleets of 45) managed one race and the first was won by the 25-year-old Brazilian favourite, Jorge Zarif, who was fourth in Rio but has dominated 2018.
After waiting four hours for wind, Zarif moved through the fleet in a beautiful south-easterly of 8-10 knots. Zarif is the son of the late Jorge Zarif Neto, who finished eighth in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics
Brazil's most decorated sailors, Torben Grael and Robert Scheidt, here to support another strong Brazilian team, were in the boat park to offer him encouragement. -- Mathew Pryor
Top three results:
Finn (1 race)
1. Jorge Zarif, BRA
2. Josip Olujic, CRO
3. Guillaume Boisard, FRA
470 Men (1 race)
1. Panagiotis Mantis / Pavlos Kagialis, GRE
2. Anton Dahlberg / Fredrik Bergstrom, SWE
3. Giacomo Ferrari / Giulio Calabro, ITA
470 Women (2 races)
Q. Camille Lecointre / Aloise Retornaz
2. Ai Kondo Yoshida / Miho Yoshioka
3. Linda Fahrni / Maja Siegenthaler
aarhus2018.sailing.org/results
Lendy Cowes Week Competitor App now available for download
The new official Lendy Cowes Week Competitor App is now available for download from the App Store and Google Play. Every crewmember with an iPhone or Android device can download the App and view their own personal schedule of racing, course information for the day (including distance and bearing to each mark), race announcements, the official wind forecast that the course setters are working to, and the key social events taking place shoreside.
The App is designed to help the whole crew feel more involved in the regatta, and the inclusion of course and bearing data will definitely be welcomed by those currently struggling with a tiny reference chart in a wet day-boat!
The App also provides GPS tracking of each boat while on the water, to assist the race management team in tracking the progress of the classes and making more informed decisions about important aspects such as shortening course in light airs.
The App represents a big technical step forward for the event, and we're encouraging all crew members with a suitable device to download and use it.
FAST40+ Class at Lendy Cowes Week
The FAST40+ Class is back in action from August 4-7 for Round 4 of the FAST40+ Class Race Circuit, as part of Lendy Cowes Week. Eight races are scheduled over four days of racing with windward leeward and round the cans races in the mix.
Last year's Lendy Cowes Week Champion Girls on Film bids a welcome return to Peter Morton on the tiller. Morty is returning after a shoulder injury, which has kept him out of action for the the last three rounds of the FAST40+ Circuit. Girls on Film will be going for a hatrick of wins in the FAST40+ Class at the world famous regatta.
Niklas Zennstrom's Rán VII currently leads the series, and is back competing at the famous regatta for the first time in many years. Bas de Voogd's Hitchhiker and Filip Engelbert's Elvis will hope to build on their best performances to date, coming second and third respectively, in last month's HYS FAST40+ National Championship. Pace returns to action in the FAST40+ Class under the guidance of Volvo Round Ireland winner, Niall Dowling.
Action for the FAST40+ Class at Lendy Cowes Week is due to start at 1100 on Saturday 4th August. The first start of each day will be from the Black Group Start Line with one windward leeward race followed by a second daily race, which is likely to be a round the cans race with a Squadron Line finish.
Tornado Boats International
Tornado Boats International are launching a new 6m coach boat at the Hempel Sailing World Championships Aarhus from the 31st of July - 12th of august 2018.
Tornado Boats International have a long tradition for designing and manufacturing customized coach boats to Yacht Clubs all over the world. But in recent years, there has been demands for a longer coach boat, explains Lars Hjorth, owner of Tornado Boats International:
“We have got numerous requests from sailing coaches worldwide demanding a longer coach boat that still maintains the steadiness, agility and seakeeping qualities of a Tornado RIB.”
The most optimized Coach Boat on the Market
The result is the Tornado 6m coach boat. It has the maximum measurements allowed by the Olympic Committee and has been optimized from specifications from renowned international sailing coaches.
Reduced Planing Threshold
The primary quality of the Tornado 6m coach boat is a very soft ride against the waves due to a reduced planing threshold. This optimizes the boat’s medium speed and its stability of direction and makes it very controllable during long training sessions in harsh weather conditions.
If you’re in Aarhus at the Hempel Sailing World Championships and would like to try the new coach boat for a day or two, please contact us at lsh@tornadoboats.com or at +45 20 97 70 70.
Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race: An epic race course
The 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is set to start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line at noon on Sunday 12th August, directly after Lendy Cowes Week. The 1,805 nautical mile race around Britain and Ireland is organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club every four years and is considered to be one of the toughest challenges in the sport of yacht racing.
For the 2018 race, 31 teams with close to 200 professional and corinthian sailors will be competing. For the past two editions, the weather has been so rough that the RORC has reversed the route to protect the fleet from a potential battering.
After a momentous start at the Royal Yacht Squadron line, the fleet will race through the Solent then past the famous headlands of the South West of England. The epic adventure continues into the Celtic Sea, past the Fastnet Rock and Mizen Head onto the wild west coast of Ireland. The Atlantic racing continues past St Kilda, up to the most northerly point of the course, Muckle Flugga on the 61st parallel. Then, turning south through the infamous North Sea, the fleet will have turned their bows for home. The English Channel and Solent form the final stages of the marathon race. -- Louay Habib
Solent to Land's End: Approx. 180 nm
Land's End to Mizen Head: Approx. 210 nm
Mizen Head to Black Rock: Approx. 170 nm
Black Rock to Muckle Flugga: Approx. 530 nm
Muckle Flugga to Ramsgate: Approx. 580 nm
Ramsgate to Finish: Approx. 130 nm
Armchair sailors can play the official 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race Virtual Regatta Game and track the fleet during the race. There will also be LIVE coverage of the start on Facebook.
roundbritainandireland.rorc.org
Tight TP52s at Hamilton Island Race Week
Hamilton Island Race Week held this year from 18-25th August is Australia's biggest offshore keelboat regatta, racing across fifteen divisions which include maxis, multihulls, trailable yachts and everything in between - all having a blast in the tropical Whitsundays. One of the key battles this year will be between the top TP52's, Hooligan owned by Marcus Blackmore and Matt Allen's Ichi Ban. Key member of Ichi Ban's afterguard Gordon Maguire spoke with Seahorse Magazine's Blue Robinson about the upcoming contest in paradise, beginning with how focussed the teams Queensland based navigator Will Oxley will be in this current and tide rich environment.
Gordon Maguire: Well I think its not just Will Oxley, but all of us collectively at the back of the boat including Rob Greenhalgh fresh from his VOR who will be working hard on the navigational challenges every day. Robbie will be a great asset, he is very current, motivated and new to the team - nothing like a bit of new blood just to remind us we are only as good as your last race. Wherever you race in the world, you really have to do your homework and execute to your plan and so it doesn't matter if you are a local or not. Hamilton Island really is a most unique race track, where we are doing a series of different types of races - coastal races, some of which are quite complex, plus a day of windward leeward racing also on a complicated racetrack, meaning there are so many variables - more than almost any other racetrack in the world, so it really is a fantastic problem to try to solve!
BR: Would you liken it to the challenges of the Solent - where once you commit to a decision, you don't get too many opportunities to get a second chance?
GM: The only comparison with the Solent would be exactly that - once you make a decision you really have to act it out, because there are often several solutions to the same problem, and when you are committed to that solution you find you have to go left or right - if you go up the middle you really are toast... Any other other comparison to the Solent would be completely wrong, the two could not be more diametrically opposed and I can tell you everyone is looking forward to warm water racing in the tropics. I know it has been a glorious summer in the UK, but my cold and wet Solent memories run deep...
BR: Because there aren't too many second chances in the options you will have to take, has there been much work on communication?
GM: Really no more than normal. All of our crew have raced at Hamilton Island Race Week and they know that every day is a high risk-reward scenario, and they know they have to execute manoeuvres well - they know we can't gybe and then gybe back, it has to be right at that moment, and with other fifty and sixty footers in the fleet looking to claim the same bit of water you don't have too many opportunities, and so when these do pop up you really seize them. All of this means we have to keep the focus and work hard.
BR: How tight will this battle be and what will make the difference - execution?
GM: Execution is always the issue and I think it is highlighted by the challenges and complexity of the race track at Hamilton Island. I really can't stress enough that if you don't tack or gybe exactly where your want to, this racetrack will penalise you, which is why its such a rewarding place to race at any level. Ichi Ban and Hooligan are slightly different; yes they are both TP52's, but they are different in quite a lot of ways, and so depending on the weather we will see these variances coming out. On Ichi Ban we are campaigning an offshore version of a TP52. We weigh 300kgs more than Hooligan, our mast is 400 mm taller and we have 150mm more draft - the boats are quite different, and how they are set up and sailed is quite intriguing, because whilst the differences are small, the hull shapes are virtually identical.
Ichi Ban is a year newer, but Hooligan is a very refined inshore package, and we consider ours as a highly refined offshore package; we have a galley with bunks, so we have internals - they have zero, an empty shell. This means we will pay heavily for that displacement downwind in medium airs, in that 12-14 knots of breeze where we don't quite get up on the step and they do, then they will be up and off, but once we are both up and planing, we will see less of a difference in displacement. In light airs Hooligan will have less wetted surface area that us, but there will be lots of pluses and minuses to add here. Hooligan is tweaked in a different way - similar mainsail size but ours is taller and thinner, a slightly different higher aspect with a taller P measurement, spinnaker areas are almost identical - again ours are taller and thinner, which makes them slightly more efficient in certain conditions. We also rate a little bit lower on IRC - not a lot, perhaps 20 seconds an inshore race, which is not enough to rely on - all of this means it will be a fascinating and close battle at Hamilton Island Race Week, and we have to beat them on the water! -- Blue Robinson
www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au
Seahorse August 2018
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
An extraordinary vintage
The Yale Class of 76 was exactly that and Steve Benjamin was far from being the only sailor that summer to go on to much bigger things. Dobbs Davis
Oxymoron
Even a double Olympic medallist, Volvo Ocean Race winner and the current RYA Director of Racing is struggling a little with the ongoing Olympic classes selection process. Ian Walker
It was that close
But it was Phil Sharp who did it once again
Delivery - Part II
Preparing for the Bermuda Race... albeit in 1926. Clare Mccomb
Buckle up - Club Swan 36
The ClubSwan 50 is already a great success: fast, even in performance and super-modern at the dock. Now there is the ClubSwan 36 - less a baby sister than a (very) cheeky agent provocateur
Happy customers
Then again who wouldn’t want to be blasting round the warm waters of Oman on a fast and twitchy Diam 24 tri at an ultra-simple turn-up and race regatta attracting a highly competitive field?
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Adopt a Roof BVI aims high
Sail Aid UK (SAUK) was set up in the immediate aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and José that swept through the Leeward Islands leaving entire island communities devastated in September last year. The six Trustees organised and hosted a high-profile gala fundraising evening for the UK sailing community which raised £50,000.
The Charity is keen to hear from any organisation needing help with funding regeneration and repair projects, ideally relating to sailing or the sailing community in the Islands.
SAUK Trustee Peta Stuart-Hunt is keen to maintain the magnificent momentum started last year, commenting:
"We are relying on everyone's help to continue spreading the word about Sail Aid UK and to encourage those Island-based sailing clubs and organisations looking for additional funding for sailing community-related or boating-specific projects as a direct result of hurricane damage, to get in touch with us as soon as possible.
"The Grant Application form and Grant Policy documents are downloadable direct from our website footer." https://www.sailaiduk.com/page/how-to-help
There are now 21 homes AAR has either already supported or is looking to support. So far One Love BVI has raised over $86,000 in support of this programme and the AAR team have raised thousands more through other channels.
You can still donate to the Sail Aid UK Action Stations Fund directly through their website:
www.sailaiduk.com/page/how-to-help
Letters To The Editor - editor@scuttlebutteurope.com
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.
* From Andrew McIrvine, Admiral RORC, Secretary General IMA
re: Bow Stickers
I am delighted that more are taking up this campaign which I have been pushing for some months.
We have all seen torn and dangling bow stickers and for large scale events there is the potential to dump many square metres of plastic into the ocean.
I have had helpful replies from Lendy Cowes Week - who allow competitors to opt out and use a flag instead. Rolex are looking at alternatives for the numerous events currently 'stickered'.
Deathly silence from the Island SC whose R-the-Island Race, with well over 1000 competitors most of whom are not pro sticker appliers, is one of the worst offenders.
This has got to stop!
* From Your Humble Narrator:
Pictured here is half a set of bow stickers from a famous boat at a famous regatta... but which did not, as planned, participate. I nicked them (with tacit permission) from the event tent. They now grace my office wall.
The winner will be the first person who provides:
1. The name of the boat
2. Name of the boat owner
3. The event
4. The name of the measurer whose re-rating caused an international incident.
5. The part of the boat that was the subject of the re-rating.
Prize ... the winner's choice of one of a dozen books in my library that I have multiple copies of. TBD.
Featured Brokerage
2016 Swan 54-001 SorayAnnis. Located in London, UK
SorayAnnis is a very highly specified Swan 54 designed for the easiest of short-handed sailing.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Jeremy Peek
brokerage@nautorswan.com
Tel. +377 97 97 95 07
http://nautorswanbrokerage.com
-----------------------------------------
2993 Swan 70-003 Blue Pearl. 1,500,000 EUR. Located in La Spezia, Italy.
Blue Pearl is the third Swan 70 and was delivered in 2003. Until 2006, the boat was stored ashore and unused while her original owners built a larger Swan yacht. Sold to her current owner in mid 2006, she was set up for a mutli-purpose program of competitive racing and comfortable cruising.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Jeremy Peek
brokerage@nautorswan.com
Tel. +377 97 97 95 07
nautorswanbrokerage.com
-----------------------------------------
1998 Elliot 1850 Schooner - ZINDABAR. 545,000 GBP. Located in Bay of Islands, NZ.
Greg Elliot is a legend in the Southern Hemisphere where his fast, lean and utilitarian yachts are perfect for making fast passages through the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean. They are superb seaboats and there design and execution is simple and robust. ZINDABAR is a good example of his craft and has been substantially updated in this ownership. A big refit in 2009 has been followed by a number of smaller upgrades to ensure that she remains ocean ready.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Ben Cooper
+44 (0) 1590 679 222
ben.cooper@berthon.co.uk
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
Dr. Evil: You know, I have one simple request. And that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads! Now evidently my cycloptic colleague informs me that that cannot be done. Ah, would you remind me what I pay you people for, honestly? Throw me a bone here! What do we have?
Number Two: Sea Bass.
Dr. Evil: [pause] Right.
Number Two: They're mutated sea bass.
Dr. Evil: Are they ill tempered?
Number Two: Absolutely.
Dr. Evil: Oh well, that's a start.
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