In This Issue
Winner Simon: King Of Biscay
First Discard Tightens The Standings At 2018 Orc European Championship
Harken Tech Team on Duty at 2018 52 Super Series Valencia Sailing Week
Team Storck Weathers Challenging Day 1 of Resolute Cup
Allan Terhune's Thunder Chicken Preserves Advantage at J/22 World Championship
Formula Foil Ocean Racing Championships
Industry News
Letters to the Editor
Featured Brokerage
The Last Word: Ron White
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 [AT] scuttlebutteurope [DOT] com
Winner Simon: King Of Biscay
Winning the third stage of the 49th La Solitaire URGO, between Muros Noia in Galicia and the pretty Vendee port of Saint Gilles Croix de Vie - his second stage win in a row - Sebastien Simon (Bretagne CMB Performance) puts his mark on the overall title with just the final 165 nautical miles stage, scheduled to start tomorrow still to sail. The Vendee skipper, who grew up 30kms down the coast in Les Sables d'Olonne, will start Stage 4 tomorrow with 43 minutes in hand over second placed Xavier Macaire (Groupe SNEF).
His three La Solitaire stage wins have all been earned on the Bay of Biscay between northwest Spain and northwest France. In 2015 he won the second stage between La Coruna and Concarneau and can rightly lay claim to the title King of Biscay.
When he won Stage 2 of this 49th edition, between Saint Brieuc and Muros Noia it was with a precise, bold decision to gybe away from the pack at 200 miles from Cape Finisterre a choice which was bolstered by superio downwind pace in the south of Biscay's winds of 30-35kts.
On this return stage he has built his brilliant victory bit-by-bit, also with good speed and concetration in the light, fickle conditions, clear, witth concise thinking, patience and good personal management.
"I have felt good over the four nights at sea, but it was starting to be a bit painful. I saw whales and dolphins, it was nice. Two wins from three legs and three from five in my five years on the Figaro, I don't think many have done that." Simon stated, recounting his successes as matters of fact rather than any boasting,
* Tom Dolan has won the 'rookie' division on Stage 3 of the ultra-competitive Solitaire du Figaro race after a closely fought contest all the way across the Bay of Biscay.
The Irish solo sailor crossed the finish line in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie early on Wednesday morning (September 12) after more than three and a half-days of intense boat-on-boat racing to claim 11th place overall in the 36-strong single-handed fleet and the coveted Solitaire first-timer leg trophy.
Dolan- nicknamed L'Irlandais Volant, The Flying Irishman, by the French media- had been as highly placed as fourth during the demanding 440-mile stage from Ria de Muros-Noia in northern Spain, with predominantly light winds producing dramatic gains and losses across the fleet at almost every turn.
With a Stage 3 time of three days, 16 hours, 12 minutes and 10 seconds, Dolan was just two minutes from securing a top-10 finish and less than 15 minutes behind stage winner and overall leader Sebastien Simon, who was racing in his fifth Solitaire du Figaro event.
With the finsihes of Nathalie Criou (Richmond Yacht Club Foundation) and Amaiur Alfaro (Evi-Nautika.com/EOL.eus) in the early afternoon, the fleet of 36 Figaros 2 is complete. The last two competitors to finish did not have long to wait at sea after their passage of line at 15 h 30, they had enough water under their keels to make it up the channel. Despite their late arrival, they will still have more than 24 hours of rest before the start of the fourth and final stage "The 24 hours of the Vendee Massif Marine". The start will be tomorrow at 18 h 30. The course of this circuit is unchanged: 160 miles around the islands of Re and Yeu
First Discard Tightens The Standings At 2018 Orc European Championship
Limassol Marina, Cyprus: After another afternoon start to two inshore races, Day Three at the 2018 ORC European Championship featured similar light but raceable conditions and an interesting set of results. The two Estonian teams that have each dominated Class AB and Class C, respectively, are being more closely challenged now in the third day of racing, with races decided by some very close corrected time margins as teams new to ORC championship-level sailing get closer and closer in performance to the seasoned veterans that still hold the lead. This is the halfway point in the regatta, with two days and four races left to decide the two new ORC European champions.
For example, in the second race today Next finished 3rd place in corrected time, 20 seconds ahead in elapsed time but only 9 seconds behind in corrected time behind Mati Sepp and his Estonian team on Technonicol, and only 25 seconds behind in corrected time behind race winner St Anna, Mikhail Kadetov's Skif 42 from Russia. A large 30-degree wind shift in this race was accounted for in the scoring model to keep the ratings fair and a course adjustment made in the final lap.
And in the first race today Technonicol fell into second place behind another competitor, the Czech-based team led by Tomas Dolezal and Radim Parizek on their Swan 42 Daring Sisters, who walloped the fleet in both elapsed and corrected time by an enormous 3:22 margin to earn their first race win.
Meanwhile in Class C the other Estonian team, Aivar Tuulberg's Katariina II, continues to dominate the results with solid, mistake-free sailing, and in the first race today they too crushed their rivals like Daring Sisters did in the other class by an even greater margin: 4:51. And while their nearest rival - Rudolf Vrestal's Czech team on his Italia 9.98 Giulia - is only two points back, after the discard of worst scores the podium race has tightened with the modified Farr 30 Tamumm from Greece tied in points for third place in the standings with Uri Zaks's X-35 X-President from Israel.
Except for the start time of 13:00, tomorrow things will likely not be the same as today due to higher forecast winds of 12-15 knots. This change in conditions may make the racing even tighter as more boats will see the same conditions throughout the course area. In this penultimate day the results will become even more important as teams prepare to make their final run for the podium on Friday, which is also now forecast to have these stronger winds.
Harken Tech Team on Duty at 2018 52 Super Series Valencia Sailing Week
The Harken Tech Team will keep the fleets race-ready and flying during the final 2018 edition of the TP52 Super Series Sailing Week in Valencia, Spain. Harken is proud to have supported the 52 Super Series all season long and looks forward to the final race of the series.
Service will be available on site from Monday, September 17 through Saturday morning, September 22. Call on the Harken Tech Team for regatta assistance and emergency spare parts. You will find the Tech Team's contact number at the regatta office.
The Harken Tech Team is a group of technicians who come together from Harken facilities throughout the world to support grand prix racing events.
Team Storck Weathers Challenging Day 1 of Resolute Cup
Newport, RI: Good sailors start a regatta fast. The best sailors, however, are the ones that finish a regatta sailing faster than they began it. This is particularly true of the Resolute Cup, where no one begins the regatta perfectly comfortable with the provided boats and sails, and adjustments must be made on the fly as teams try to assimilate as quickly as possible to the regatta's unique format.
In reviewing a very strong start to the regatta for the Storm Trysail Club, skipper Erik Storck talked about what his team did well and what they can improve in the coming days. And about the relief of surviving a challenging Day 1 that featured a long delay in the morning followed by three races in persistent rain and inconsistent breeze.
After the ninth in Race 1, the Storm Trysail team was leading much of Race 2 before finishing third. In the day's final race, with the breeze at its mercurial worst, they held on for the win. While two teams, Coral Reef Yacht Club (Coconut Grove, Fla.) and Eastern Yacht Club (Marblehead, Mass.) have a lower overall points total, each sat out one of the days races. Storm Trysail will start tomorrow on the rotation boat watching everyone else add to their overall totals in Race 4.
Coral Reef Yacht Club has sailed in two previous Resolute Cups, but this is the first time for skipper Augie Diaz, a three-time Pan Am Games medalists in the Snipe class. But he didn't let his lack of familiarity with the regatta hold him back, winning the pin end of the first start and taking advantage of a timely windshift on the first beat to take a lead his team would hold to the finish line. However, like the Storm Trysail Team, Diaz was more pleased with their worse race.
For many other teams, Day 1 wasn't anything to write home about. But with the wind slated to improve over the next few days, there is ample time to crawl back into contention after a few tough races. The regatta will finish Saturday, with a double-points medal round of up to three races for the top 14 boats.
Allan Terhune's Thunder Chicken Preserves Advantage at J/22 World Championship
Annapolis, MD, USA: Allan Terhune's Thunder Chicken has been putting his local knowledge to good use at the J/22 World Championship hosted by Annapolis Yacht Club in Maryland. While many teams have struggled with the strong current and light air, Terhune strengthened his first-place advantage during Wednesday's two races. With the benefit of a discard upon the sixth race, Thunder Chicken is able to toss an 18, leaving them with net scores of 4,6,1,2,2 for 15 points. That's nine points better than fellow local Zeke Horowitz's Uncle Fluffy, who moved up a spot to second with a 5,6 today for 24 net points. Michael Marshall's Bad News placed 35th in race five, and even with this being their throw-out, dropped to third place with 35 points.
Sunshine returned to the Chesapeake Bay, but the breeze stayed calm at about 6 knots. The day's opening match saw some new names at the top: Chris Wientjes' Us, Cory Sertl's Lucy and Kevin Doyle's Mo' Money. Kevin's son Jake Doyle on Zesty Enterprise took the next contest, shadowed by Terhune and David Waiting's Solstice.
Racing concludes Thursday, expedited one day due to Hurricane Florence. Sixty-four teams are representing Canada, The Netherlands, South Africa and the USA. Photos are available on the J/22 Class Facebook page, and complete event details may be found at www.annapolisyc.com/racing/2018j22worlds
Formula Foil Ocean Racing Championships
A new race format named Formula Foil Ocean Racing Championships (FFORC) with a minimum of 10 teams, sailing 10 races, over 10,000nm offering a total prize fund of £80,000 for the winners has been announced for 2020.
Racing in identical Beneteau Figaro 3 yachts FFORC has been launched by a new business created by Stuart Greenfield. The championship will run from Spring 2020 until February 2021, and then yearly, the winner will be declared in Antigua.The championship is open to any Beneteau Figaro 3 with a minimum crew of 4 and maximum crew weight limit of 500kg. The yachts will be hand steered and be strictly one design.
The concept will begin with 10 identical yachts being made available to the first 10 teams entering on a fully managed basis. The yachts will run by the new company from a single base on the Isle of Wight and offered to teams on a fully 'step-on and race' basis for £75,000(+ VAT) * for the championship. This includes full use of a race prepared Beneteau Figaro 3 yacht and a set number of training and leisure days plus all maintenance and race entries. Teams may be amateur, sponsored, or fully professional. Amateur teams, if needed, will be provided with training and relevant first aid, sea survival and radio VHF courses to achieve the necessary qualifications to meet the Category 1 standard to which the races will comply. All races will count towards the results with no discards.
*price for teams signing up before 1st January 2019
The race program will provide a range of offshore races in the English Channel before venturing on longer races to Ireland, Lanzarote, and finally a transatlantic race. The race program will ensure that all crews build up their experience in longer more challenging races over the 10-month championship. There will also be a small inshore element to include races such as Round the Island.
The Yacht
The Figaro Beneteau 3 is the first production foiling one-design monohull ever to be designed. A distillation of technology and innovation. It results from a collaboration between Group Beneteau's best experts and the Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prevost (VPLP) office, the architects of the two last boats to win the Vendee Globe
www.beneteau.com/en/figaro-beneteau-3
For more information please contact:
Stuart GreenfieldStuart [AT] greenfield [DOT] co [DOT] uk
Industry News
Spinlock has acquired exclusive global rights to manufacture, market and sell wireless data systems following an investment in the technology start-up SmartSail Systems.
SmartSail was founded by Rachael Tapp and Dan Primrose to help sailors become smarter about their sail inventory.
"Spinlock has a global reputation and we are excited to be introducing new products across all their channels and sectors," said Dan.
Smart Sail fits onto a sail and delivers performance data to a mobile or tablet, recording the number of hours a sail has been in use, how much flogging it has had and also the amount of UV exposure it has been subjected to.
Spinlock will now work with SmartSail to further develop a range of data-driven solutions.
The products will join Spinlock's existing Sense range of data and analysis tools with the first partnership product, Sail-Sense, to be launched at METSTRADE.
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Despite its location almost as far away from the sea as you can get in the UK, Draycote View, the commercial arm of Draycote Water Sailing Club, is now offering corporate sailing in its two SB20 keelboats, giving the option of sailing-based team building / away days without going to the coast.
The central location (less than 15 miles from the M1, M40, M45, M6 and M69) means that it is easy to get to from most parts of the UK, making it ideal for both Midlands' based companies and those with a scattered workforce.
The sailing sessions are flexible from 1 to 3 hours and are tailored to suit the needs of the group. They cater for groups with experienced sailors and those with no experience, providing a qualified skipper in each boat to teach newcomers the ropes to allow them to enjoy and benefit from the experience as much as (or even more than) seasoned sailors.
For more information and for your bespoke quote, contact Rebecca on 01788 811153 or draycoteview [AT] draycotewater [DOT] co [DOT] uk
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The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is seeking an enthusiastic and forward thinking non-executive director to join its Board. We are looking for experienced individuals with strong critical thinking skills who are capable of applying independent judgment to work effectively with other executive and non-executive directors.
Following a skills evaluation, the Board is keen to balance its composition and skills and seeks to receive applications from candidates with business experience relating to any of the following fields: marketing and communications, sports administration, or legal.
A recognised qualification in public relations, marketing or law is desirable plus wider knowledge and experience or a meaningful period of involvement in the management of related activities in complex organisations.
The RYA Chair, Chief Executive and Finance Director sit on the Board with a further seven non-executive directors appointed on the basis of personal competencies. You will serve a four year term with effect from this year's AGM. Those elected will have the opportunity to stand for a further term.
If you would like to join the Board and feel you have the relevant skills and experience, please download and complete an Assessment Form. Assessment forms must be emailed to Dave Strain, Finance Director board18 [AT] rya [DOT] org [DOT] uk by 5pm on Friday, 14 September 2018. Please also include a covering letter, Equality Monitoring Form and CV/Career summary.
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The eleventh edition of the Yacht Racing Forum will reassemble the sports key players in Lorient, France, on October 22-23, to network, make business and discuss the present and future of our sport. It's the last moment to seize the commercial opportunities available.
The Yacht Racing Forum is the leading yacht racing industry conference. This year's event will include a number of new, exciting features and a world class speaker line-up. The conference and exhibition will address the major challenges in the yacht racing world and reassemble the key players from yacht racing event organisers, sponsors, teams, venues, yacht clubs, agencies and sailors.
Discover our commercial opportunities :
Become a partner. Benefit from a unique visibility to profile your brand. Find out about our packages.
Exhibit and use the opportunity to showcase your products to a targeted audience.
Advertise in the event brochure.
For more information : contact [AT] maxcomm [DOT] ch / +41 22 735 55 30
For more information and registration: www.yachtracingforum.com
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The RNLI has been chosen as the official show charity for this year's TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show.
The organisation will show one of its all-weather lifeboats in the show's purpose-built marina from Friday 14 to Tuesday 18 September. It will be replaced by one of the institution's inshore lifeboats from Wednesday 19 to Sunday 23 September, showing two different aspects of the RNLI's work.
"Leisure activities on the water are great fun but can also carry risks," said Gareth Morrison, head of community engagement at the RNLI. "There were 65 yacht sailing and motor boating deaths in the UK between 2011 and 2015 and anything we can do to reduce that figure and help save lives is time very well spent."
On land, the RNLI stand will be bigger and more interactive than previously.
Visitors will be able to get water safety advice and friendly tips on staying safe at sea plus see a wide range of water safety products and try on a variety of lifejackets.
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Ancasta International Boat Sales has expanded its overseas presence with the opening of a new office in Barcelona to create a base that will allow the company to service the whole of this popular area, including Barcelona and the regions either side. As well as access to a vast portfolio of brokerage boats, the hugely experienced multilingual team will assist with new boat sales. Ancasta is the UK's largest dealer for Beneteau and Prestige, as well as the exclusive UK dealer for Lagoon Catamarans and a new boat dealer for CNB and McConaghy.
Ancasta Barcelona is headed up by Tristan Abery, and the Barcelona team will be present at the Barcelona Boat Show (10th-14th October 2018), which takes place on its doorstep in Port Vell. Furthermore, Tristan will also be present at the Cannes Yachting Festival (11th-16th September) and the TheYachtMarket.com Southampton Boat Show (17th-23rd September) and would be delighted to meet prospective clients at either show. Contact Tristan Abery, +44 (0)7766 130909 or E: tristanabery [AT] ancasta [DOT] com.
Featured Brokerage
1998 Nautor Swan 56 - KING DADDY. 625,000 USD. Located in Newport, RI - USA.
Quite obviously adored Swan 56 from 1998. Continuously maintained and polished to the enth. She has an excellent sail package/electronics and of course, the carbon rig, all a huge plus for this Swan.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Ben Cooper
+44 (0) 1590 679 222
ben [DOT] cooper [AT] berthon [DOT] co [DOT] uk
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2012 PRINCE DE BRETAGNE Trimaran Ultim Maxi 80. 1,200,000 EUR. Located in Brittany, France.
PRINCE DE BRETAGNE II is an Ultim Maxi 80 trimaran born from an extrapolation of the Orma 60 trimaran Sodebo skipped by Thomas Coville. PRINCE DE BRETAGNE II is a 24 m long trimaran with the weight of a 18 m long trimaran. Therefore, she is much more seaworthy specially for single handed races.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
BERNARD GALLAY Yacht Brokerage
info [AT] bernard-gallay [DOT] com
www.bernard-gallay.com
Tel +33 (0) 467 66 39 93
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1994 WAI-HAU Orma 60 Trimaran. 700,000 EUR. Located in Portugal.
Using the FUJI COLOUR trimaran moulds for her construction, Francis JOYON built this fast trimaran and won the 2000 OSTAR EUROPE 1 Race. After her race life, she received a lot of improvements to make her to handle as a fast cruising trimaran but without losing her fantastic potential.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
BERNARD GALLAY Yacht Brokerage
info [AT] bernard-gallay [DOT] com
www.bernard-gallay.com
Tel +33 (0) 467 66 39 93
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
No Friday Issue, see you on Monday
While not directly on the center of the projected path for Hurricane Florence, your humble narrator and members of his immediate family are close enough that we'll have plenty of other things to take care of at the end of this week. And we're likely to be on generator power. For those to my south in the Carolinas, stay safe, evacuate if ordered. Don't tough this out. Please heed the Last Word lest it be your last...
The Last Word
Okay, uh, let's get something straight. It's not THAT the wind is blowing, it's WHAT the wind is blowing. If you get hit by a Volvo, it doesn't matter how many sit-ups you did that morning. -- Ron White
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