In This Issue
• Cowes Week Ltd announces cancellation of 2020 regatta
• Green Dragon's Ian Walker on Sailing Post Lockdown
• Yacht Racing Forum 2020, Portsmouth, UK: Rebooting our sport following the pandemic
• Irish Sailing Issues "Return to Sailing Scheme" Phase 2
• Kiwis Team Racing take out third nationals
• DSS goes cable less - Infiniti Yachts
• Chris Hosking: "Grand Prix Sailing Still Seems To Be Quite Strong"
• Sailors recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours
• Blue water cruising advice
• The Passing Of A Sailing Legend: Wayne Schafer
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Reichel Pugh 60 - Wild Joe
• • Victory '83
• • 1929 Classic International 12m
• The Last Word: Thomas Paine
Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News 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] eurosailnews [DOT] com
Cowes Week Ltd announces cancellation of 2020 regatta
Cowes Week Limited (CWL), organiser of the UK's largest and best-known sailing event, has today announced the cancellation of the 2020 Cowes Week regatta.
The CWL team had hoped that it would be possible to hold the much-loved regatta this summer for the competitors, sponsors and spectators who come together to make it a success. However, despite the encouraging progress that is being made towards the UK's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, it's clear that running a large event in nine weeks' time, that will bring many thousands of visitors to the small town of Cowes, will not be possible while sufficiently protecting all those involved.
Laurence Mead, Regatta Director, said: "We know that this will be a huge disappointment to many, as indeed it is to the team at Cowes Week. We waited for as long as we realistically could to see how the situation might develop, on the basis that our competitors would want us to run the regatta if it were possible. We appreciate the patience that everybody has shown while we have worked through different scenarios and would like to thank the hundreds of volunteers who have been on stand-by, ready to jump into action if needed."
Competitors already entered will be contacted in the next few days and will be invited to roll over their 2020 entry to the 2021 regatta, when Cowes Week will be back as the highlight of the UK sailing season on its traditional dates of July 31 to August 7.
Green Dragon's Ian Walker on Sailing Post Lockdown
Ireland's Green Dragon skipper Ian Walker relives tragedy and triumph in the Olympics, America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race in the 10th edition of the RORC Time Over Distance Live Lockdown Series.
Since 2017 Ian has been the Director of Racing for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and in the interview, he shares his thoughts on the shape of sailing post-lockdown.
Walker has won Olympic silver for Great Britain as both helm and crew and in different boats, the 470 dinghy in 1996 and the Star keelboat in 2000.
He has competed in two America's Cup's, including skipper and helm of GBR Challenge. Three consecutive Volvo Ocean Race campaigns that began with Ireland's 2008/9 Green Dragon and concluded with him becoming the first British skipper to win the race with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing.
Louay Habib interviews Ian Walker for an hour-long Facebook Live show featuring pictures, videos and stories from a fascinating career.
Yacht Racing Forum 2020, Portsmouth, UK: Rebooting our sport following the pandemic
The world has changed dramatically since the last Yacht Racing Forum in Bilbao and no one would have imagined that we were heading into a blank year, with the greatest circuits cancelled, our passion and - for many - our source of profit dried up.
The next edition of the Forum, on November 23-24 in Portsmouth, UK, will give us the opportunity to get together, address the key issues of the moment and discuss how to get our sport back on track after a lost season and a complete disruption of the supply chain.
Legal, finance and insurance experts will help us understand how sailing events can be protected against cancellations for unforeseen reasons. The industry's leading personalities will share their recipes with us, and advise us on the best way to bounce back. Some of the best experts in marketing, sponsorship and communication will advise us on how best to come out stronger and united in 2021.
The sports' leading brands will share best practice and exhibit their latest innovations and products. The Design & Technology Symposium, provided by B&G, will focus on the latest developments and innovations within yacht racing. This includes technologies from the America's Cup, IMOCA or Mini classes, safety innovations, foils and flying boats, new sail technologies, materials and much more.
We look forward to welcoming you to Portsmouth, UK, on November 23-24, for a very special edition of the Yacht Racing Forum.
Detailed programme, speakers list and registration: www.yachtracingforum.com
Irish Sailing Issues "Return to Sailing Scheme" Phase 2
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has announced that plans to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions are being accelerated and the country will move to 'Phase 2 Plus' on Monday 8th June.
Irish Sailing, as the national governing body for the sport, has issued its "Phase 2 Return to Sailing Scheme" and it is available to download below.
The Phase 2 Scheme begins on Monday and outlines the measures to be put in place to ensure a safe return to the water, and also includes an updated Risk Assessment and FAQs document.
Kiwis Team Racing take out third nationals
The cast included world and Olympic champions, husbands and wives, Ocean Race sailors and some as young as nine and they combined to put on a spectacular weekend of teams racing in Kerikeri.
At the end of nearly 90 flights of competition, the Kiwis Team Racing team of Frankie Dair, Maeve White, Dylan Whichman, Emilie Jones, Reuben Corbett and Sean Herbert won their third consecutive New Zealand Open Teams Racing National Championships title, beating TBC (yes, that was their actual name) 2-1 in the final.
It was a regatta that very nearly didn't happen because of Covid-19 but the pandemic actually meant it attracted its strongest field since the event returned to the New Zealand sailing scene three years ago.
All seven selected to sail for New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics took part, along with other members of the NZL Sailing Team, various top youth sailors and Ocean Racer Brad Farrand. Typically, many of these individuals are competing overseas during this time of year but their plans, along with most top sailors around the world, have been chucked out the door.
www.yachtingnz.org.nz/news/kiwis-team-racing-take-out-third-nationals
DSS goes cable less - Infiniti Yachts
The creative talents of Infiniti Yachts and Doyle Sails - between them responsible for two of the biggest breakthroughs in modern performance yachting - have joined forces to produce something more than special
The Infiniti 52 is the first modern racing boat to be designed and engineered to take full advantage of Doyle Sails Cableless technology - built around a highly efficient, single transverse DSS foil, providing proven performance but without the cost of more complex class-driven foil solutions. The DSS foil provides significant righting moment which allows you to design the boat for a smaller crew, sometimes half the number of a comparable yacht.
According to Stu Bannatyne, four-time Volvo Ocean Race winner, though DSS has been around for a long time only recently has it started to gain mainstream traction: ‘I have raced and sailed on many foilassisted monohulls - including Rambler 88, Wild Oats XI, Charal (Imoca 60), Wild Joe and Maverick (Infiniti 46),’ he says. ‘All of which provided valuable input into the ideal foil arrangement and concept for the new Infiniti 52.’
Full article in the June issue of Seahorse
Chris Hosking: "Grand Prix Sailing Still Seems To Be Quite Strong"
Newport RI based Aussie Hosking has been project managing TP52 builds since 2004 and sails as mainsheet trimmer on Provezza on the 52 SUPER SERIES. Like many others at his level he also sails on the J Class circuit and the 44Cup circuit.
So Chris what has life been like these past few months?
Well in some respects it has been good to be at home, not travelling and living out of bags all the time, being with my wife and our dogs but we have not worked since March and don't really know for sure when we will start again. I don't think there's ever been a moment in our history quite like this it's just shut down work for so many people. I think there's 40 million people unemployed now in the United States. Obviously, I'm a part of that statistic and its wiped out our industry completely. We did the Antigua Superyacht Challenge on the J class and then I flew home. At that sort of time, I think it was around March 17 this virus was kicking off and there was a lot of indecision about whether or not regattas were even going to go ahead. But the minute St Barth's was cancelled our team manager said, 'Guys get home however you can'. And immediately after that the TP52 Worlds were cancelled in South Africa and that was it, nothing since then.
So even if this kind of happening is not really covered by contracts or sailor agreements, I understand most owners on the Grand Prix scene have been quite decent and supportive... as far as you know?
It was a sort of unwritten word. I guess you could say in the industry that if a regatta is cancelled for whatever reason, generally within a three week period, you get paid some sort of compensation for that regatta. In our situation with Svea was we were paid 100% for St Barth's.
But there are not many fixed contracts of employment or engagement in your business as a pro sailor?
Even before this some of us had contracts or crew member agreements. Some of the teams that I've worked with we've had a contract and some of the teams haven't. In my particular position now the 52 team I'm with don't have contracts so it really leaves you in the hands of the owner and his goodwill whether he wants to look out for you or not. It's been a bit of a mixed bag among the TP52 fleet I know of some teams that have been paid at least 50% for every regatta that has been cancelled so far. But there are other teams that have been paid absolutely nothing.
Sailors recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours
Three members of the sailing community have been recognised for services to sailing in the Queen's Birthday 2020 Honours.
Mr Glenn Bourke AM, Mr Patrick Bollen OAM and Mrs Jean Wilmot OAM all from New South Wales were among the list of notable Australians recognised on this year's list.
Olympian Bourke has dedicated his life to our sport, and has been recognised for his significant service to sailing at the elite level as a competitor, coach and administrator
On the water, he was one of Australia's premier sailors across the late 1980's and early 90's. He was selected to the 1980 Moscow Olympic Team but missed the opportunity to compete due to the boycott. He won three consecutive Laser Class World Championships from 1988-90 before switching to the Finn where he represented Australia at the Barcelona 1992 Games. He also won back-to-back Yachting Australia Yachtsman of the Year awards in 1989-90, sailed in three Admiral's Cup campaigns and in the 1987, 1992 and 1995 America's Cups.
After retiring from professional sailing he has forged a career in the sailing industry. He did a four-year term with the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games culminating in a role as competition manager for sailing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He then held CEO roles for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Germany's Illbruck Challenge team for the Volvo Ocean Race and was also CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race. In 2008 he commenced his current role as CEO of Hamilton Island, home to Hamilton Island Race Week.
In that time he has also contributed to the development of the sport. He was a Coach at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and has been a member of the Olympic Nominations Committee for Australian Sailing for the past three Games.
Patrick Bollen OAM has been recognised for his service to the community, and to sailing. A long-time member of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Bollen is one of the most credentialled sailing journalists and has done so much for the promotion of our sport.
Over the years he has covered sailing for the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian, 2UE, 2GB, News Corp, Fox Sports and the Macquarie Network. He has reported on the America's Cup, the Pan Am Clipper Series and the Sydney to Hobart every year since 1974.
Jean Wilmot OAM received her honour for service to sailing, and to dance education. Wilmot has dedicated her life to the sport and is a member of the well-known sailing family from Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Her time and dedication led to the successes of her son Bob (multiple Windsurfing World Championships), daughter Amanda (first female to win a World Championship in an open class at the Cherub World Championships in 1974), grandson Nathan (2008 Olympic Gold Medallist) and son James (multiple World Champion across classes) among others. She has been a long-time member of Middle Harbour Skiff Club and Middle Harbour Yacht Club. We thank her for her support of past, current and future sailing champions.
Blue water cruising advice
The Cruising Association is offering up to date information for all sailors outside UK waters, on the latest Covid-19 restrictions and how it affects sailors.
The association says: "Cruisers will be aware that Covid-19 presents an unprecedented challenge to cruising. The situation and the measures being taken by various governments are fast moving."
The website is www.theca.org.uk/public/covid_19_cruising_restrictions
Cruising sailors are asked to keep the Association up to date with any related news via covid-19 [AT] theca [DOT] org [DOT] uk
www.sailingtoday.co.uk/news/blue-water-cruising-advice/
The Passing Of A Sailing Legend: Wayne Schafer
Click on image to enlarge.
We have lost a true legend in the passing of beloved Hobie Cat Sailor and Icon Wayne Schafer. Wayne was one of Hobie Alter's biggest supporters and lifelong friends, and was an absolute evangelist of all things Hobie. Wayne was a true Ambassador to the sport of Hobie Cat sailing, and was invited to speak at Hobie Regattas around the world through the years because of his knowledge, his generous spirit, and his contagious passion for Hobie sailing.
Here at home, Wayne was every bit as much the rock star, and he was always available with his warm smile and generous spirit to welcome someone new to the sport, and to share tips on how to make their Cat fly!
Wayne lived his entire adult life on his cherished Poche Beach in Capistrano Beach, California. It was on this very beach that the Hobie 14 was conceived by Hobie, Wayne and Sandy Banks with a stick in the sand to draw out their vision of the perfect beach cat. Little did they know that their casual, carefree lifestyle would become a global phenomenon: 'The Hobie Way of Life'. It is only fitting that Wayne, at the tender age of 89 years young, was crew on a Hobie 16 in October of 2018, for Hobie Cat's 50th Anniversary Regatta held off of Doheny Beach in Dana Point, CA, an easy broad reach from his beachfront home on Poche Beach. Surf launching at 89 ... always inspiring. Our Hobie treasure.
Whether hosting his legendary 'Wednesday at Wayne's' all summer long at Poche, or nimbly racing his Hobie 14 in events around the globe, Wayne embodied all that we love about Hobie sailing, and The Hobie Way of Life: Casual. Adventurous. Welcoming. Gentlemanly. And first and foremost, Fun.
Wayners, you will live in our hearts and our memories with every flap of sails in the breeze, every beautiful sunset on the beach. Rest well, dear friend, we truly miss you already and will never forget you.
Featured Brokerage
2002/2018 Reichel Pugh 60 - Wild Joe. 590,000 EUR.
Wild Joe was originally built as Wild Oats IX with full carbon/nomex construction. As times move on so has Wild Joe which is now fitted with a new DSS foil system installed early 2018. That coupled with her new Doyle Sails package and upgrades across the board, the boat is bang up to date once again.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Race Boats
+447759 424900
+442380 016582
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1983 12 Metre Victory 83. 900,000 USD. Located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Victory'83 - 2 Time World Champion - completely updated, fully tuned up with an extensive sail inventory. A proven Winner - add crew, water and GO!. Complete program for sale with tender and container.
Victory'83 received a complete refit and update in 2008. The first twelve to be fully outfitted and laid out for the larger crew size permitted in the current 12M Rule. The original hull, keel and tab was retained. We added new cockpits and foredeck, rudder, winches, hardware, spars/rigging, electronics, hydraulics and of course, fairing and paint - in essence a new boat! She set a new standard for the Class and has earned an enviable race record. The Owner is retiring from Twelve Metre Racing and would like to pass her on to a new custodian!
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Victory83.com
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1929 Classic International 12m. 500000 EUR. Located in Barcelona.
The first Italian 12 metre built, LA SPINA is offered for sale refitted and ready to sail. Teak deck, spotless interiors, and up-to-date mechanical installations. A historic classic racer, with the most beautiful lines imaginable.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Lead Broker: Lucio Pellegrini - Grabau International (Spain)
Tel: +34 675 236 174
Email: lucio [AT] grabauinternational [DOT] com
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
These are the times that try men's souls. -- Thomas Paine
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