In This Issue
• Alex Thomson back on the water
• 2020 Online Newport Bermuda Race open for entry
• What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
• Kiwi borders now open to foreign-flagged vessels
• Applications Open For New Scholarship In Advanced Ocean Technology
• Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Example is Inspiring in Cork Harbour’s 50 Years of Progress
• 12 Metre Yacht Club News
• Patrick Corrigan, AM: 30 Years of 18ft Skiff Sponsorship
• Restoring MINK, 1914 Buzzards Bay 25: Part 4 - A New Set of Old Style Sails
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Catana 65 Custom
• • Herreshoff 136 Ft Gaff Schooner - Eleonora
• • Marc Lombard 46
• The Last Word: Mario Savio
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
Alex Thomson back on the water with sights set on Vendee Globe 2020
Alex Thomson has returned to the water onboard HUGO BOSS, the boat which he hopes will lead him to victory in the 2020 Vendee Globe.
Thomson and his team - much like their competitors in the IMOCA class - were unable to train on the water for some 9 weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the easing of lockdown restrictions in England, however, the team have been able to return to the water to commission the yacht, before re-commencing their training.
The news comes as organisers of the Vendee Globe this week confirmed that the race - which takes place just every four years and is considered the pinnacle event in the offshore sailing calendar - will indeed go ahead as planned on 8th November from Les Sables-d’Olonne in Western France.
With less than five months to go until the start of the round-the-world endeavour, Thomson has made clear the team’s sole focus over this period will be maximising their time on the water and optimising the performance of the HUGO BOSS boat:
Over the coming weeks and months, Thomson and his crew will train offshore in a bid to further develop and enhance the performance of the HUGO BOSS boat, which launched in the summer of last year after more than two years in design and build. Thomson will also complete his solo 2,000 nautical mile passage, a final qualification requirement for the Vendee Globe.
“We feel in really good shape” he continued. “Of course, like all the teams, we’ve lost time on the water but that was out of our hands. The team has adapted well and we’ve really made the most of this period. Now it’s about putting the knowledge we’ve gained - and projects we’ve worked hard to develop - to the test. We’re now a few days into our training and I’m very pleased with the decisions that we’ve made so far. HUGO BOSS is performing very well indeed!”
2020 Online Newport Bermuda Race open for entry: Learn from "bonknhoot" - No. 2 in world rankings
Sailonline.org has opened the course for practice a week ahead of the race, which begins this Friday at 1300 EDT. There's still plenty of time if you haven't registered yet.
Step One: Register for race communications and prizes from Goslings at the Online Race Page.
Step Two: Create an account at Sailonline.org
Step Three: Enter the race and choose your boat:
Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 (Double-Handed)
Dehler 46 (St. David’s Lighthouse)
X-Yachts Xp-55 (Gibbs Hill Lighthouse)
Italia 14.98 (Finisterre)
Watch the video below to get set up at Sailonline.org and learn to sail your boat. Any difficulties? Write admin [AT] sailonline [DOT] org
Practice: A little practice goes a long way on the water and online. Go to Sailonline.org and enter a local time-trial event staged by our favorite public-access sailing program, Sail Newport. Join their sprint around Block Island and Fishers Island to learn the basics. The Sail Newport Timed Race won't take long, either - you'll be sailing a 100-foot maxi trimarans...
You can also join the Auckland to Fiji Race, which is just getting started and will be a good chance to sail through a couple of ocean weather systems.
Seahorse July 2020
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
What's next?
Both nationally and regionally there's cause to be optimistic. Beyond the borders it's down to what happens up there in the sky. Rob Weiland
Setting the record - and the genius of Mark Foy
It's now 127 years since the first race for what we now know as the Sydney Harbour 18ft skiff. One man set the ball rolling and as a result of his good judgement the results were almost instantaneous. Frank Quealey
Master of the dark arts - Part I
Has anyone else ever achieved so much in the sport of sailing on the back of a degree in botany? James Boyd talks with Jo Richards
Look back in anger
It all started so well when designer Alfred Mylne secured his dream posting with 'the master', GL Watson. But it did not last. Clare Mccomb revisits the yacht design row of the century
RORC news - Weird times
Eddie Warden-Owen
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Kiwi borders now open to foreign-flagged vessels
The New Zealand government has agreed to border exemptions for foreign-flagged vessels with maintenance and refit booked in NZ.
Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford and Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway today announced some key changes to border restrictions including NZ Marine’s request for commercial vessels and superyachts with maintenance and refit work to be allowed to enter NZ.
He added that NZ Marine were very appreciative of the many marine industry companies, organisations and government departments that assisted them in representing their case to Cabinet and gaining the above border exemptions.
“Thousands of marine industry tradespeople refitting and maintaining visiting vessels, particularly in regions of Far North, Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Nelson, Marlborough and Lyttelton, can now be assured that business will be coming their way over the next few months,” says Busfield.
Refit and servicing vessels contributes 25% of the NZ$2bn marine industry and we now look forward to growing this important sector.
A new maritime exception will allow entry to those arriving at the maritime border, where there is a compelling need for the vessel to travel to New Zealand. Compelling needs include vessels to be delivered for refit and repair, responding to emergency and humanitarian situations, crew changes, discharge of catch or resupply.
Most maritime journeys to New Zealand take more than 14 days, so crew and others will self-isolate en-route, and won’t impact New Zealand’s quarantine capacity. All arriving vessels will still be monitored and public health measures may still be required - for example, if the journey was shorter or there is illness on board. This exception will not apply to cruise ships, which remain prohibited from entering New Zealand territory, or people travelling for leisure. -- Barry Thompson
Applications Open For New Scholarship In Advanced Ocean Technology
The Marine Institute, in collaboration with PLOCAN (Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands) in Spain, is pleased to announce a call for proposals from academic institutions for a structured four-year PhD scholarship in advanced ocean technology development and/or ocean observing stems.
The Eoin Sweeney Scholarship Programme aims to provide research training opportunities for scientists in oceanography, marine engineering and related marine science disciplines.
It will also establish collaboration between Ireland and Spain though research undertaken using the test-bed and demonstration facilities in both countries.
The award is named in honour of Eoin Sweeney (1947-2017) who was a key figure in establishing Ireland’s nascent ocean energy sector, including the development of crucial test-bed sites off the Irish coast opening opportunities for researchers and technology developers.
Proposals are invited from suitable research supervisors at higher education institutions in the Republic of Ireland with the necessary competence to host and supervise the PhD scholar.
The scholarship also provides an invaluable opportunity for the scholar to spend two or three months per annum utilising the state-of-the art facilities in PLOCAN, Spain. Maximum funding of €120,000 over four years is available.
Summary details of the scholarship can be found in the proposal outline, and the application procedure and all terms and conditions can be found HERE.
Royal Cork Yacht Club’s Example is Inspiring in Cork Harbour’s 50 Years of Progress
The 1895-designed Cork Harbour OD Imp making full speed seawards in the 1950s. Photo by Tom Barker. Click on image to enlarge.
Despite the Troubles in Ireland between 1969 and 1998, the general mood since the end of World War II in 1945 has been one of peace and progress, however deceptive that may become under close analysis. The effect of all this - allied to markedly increased longevity until too many people started getting obese in recent years - is that fifty years no longer seems such a very long time.
We see it in Irish sailing in particular by noting the number of people around us who can remember participating in the Quarter Millennial Celebrations of the Royal Cork Yacht Club in 1969-1970, and were looking forward to being involved in the RCYC’s Tricentenary this year.
Back in 1970 - which after all was only 25 years after the end of World War II - fifty years still seemed a very considerable length of time, making the Royal Cork’s 250 year of existence all the more remarkable. That was something which was underlined ten years later, when much fanfare accompanied the Irish Cruising Club’s Golden Jubilee Cruise-in-Company in 1979, with a large international fleet sailing westward from Crosshaven to the incomparable cruising grounds of southwest Ireland, made popular over the years by the key ICC founder, Harry Donegan of Cork.
But nowadays, fifty years is something we just take in our stride. And perhaps it is this modern compression of the half-century which has helped us to cope with the unbelievable reality that the visionary and meticulous plans for the Tricentenary of the RCYC have been up-ended by a worldwide pandemic
WM Nixon's full editorial in Afloat
12 Metre Yacht Club News
Over the past 10 months, we have been working behind the scenes to combine the Americas 12mR fleet, formerly managed by Peter Gerard and the 12 Metre Yacht Club, Newport Station, a 501(c3) organization stewarded since 2013 by Commodore Emeritus, James Gubelmann.
Today, we are ready to reveal some of the progress that we have made, most of which may be viewed on our renewed website at 12MYC.org.
As is the case with all sailing organizations, our 2020 racing schedule continues to evolve, but you will always be able to find the most up to date information in the RACING section of our website. Under the SUPPORT US tab you will find the opportunity to join or renew your 12 MYC Membership online.
Also today, we are launching 4 new 12 MYC social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linked-In to join our pre-existing YouTube channel. Going forward we will be posting great content and news throughout and ask that you please "like", "follow" and "share" our posts to help us grow our 12 Metre Yacht Club, Newport Station community.
Our goal is to get as many 12mRs racing on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound as possible while making 12mR sailing opportunities known to everyone. Sailing a 12mR at Newport is a truly iconic experience, one that we will be proudly promoting in partnership with our outstanding 12mR charter companies.
With your support we will continue the momentum started at the spectacular 2019 World Championship to keep 12mR racing active and vibrant at Newport. Please "tune-in" to all of our online channels for exciting announcements about new boat owners, programs and activities in the near future. -- Jack LeFort, Commodore, 12MYC Newport, ITMA Vice President, Americas 12mR Fleet
Patrick Corrigan, AM: 30 Years of 18ft Skiff Sponsorship
Southern Cross, joint champion in 1988. Click on image for photo gallery.
Mr. Patrick Corrigan, AM is an Australian businessman, focused mainly in the freight industry, an art collector, jazz enthusiast and philanthropist, who was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia medal in the 2000 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.
Fortunately, Patrick’s love of our sport also benefited Sydney 18ft Skiff Racing for many years.
His first involvement came in 1969 when he sponsored Vic Robinson, in Corrigans Express, at the 1969 JJ Giltinan world Championship. It was a time when fleet numbers and development to maintain the high standards in the 18s, was heavily dependent on the sponsorship dollars from corporations and individuals.
It had been just four years since TraveLodge Hotels and became the first big sponsorship in the class.
Patrick’s support continued with another skiff for Vic Robinson in the early 1970s. He then added Express Livestock (for a young up-and-coming team) to a two-boat sponsorship program.
His wonderful support of 18ft Skiff Racing continued throughout the 1970s with a series of Mitchell Cotts Freight skiffs for a variety of skippers, before the next stage of his sponsorship history came in the 1980s when he sponsored John (Woody) Winning in the Mitchell Cotts skiff.
As costs rose dramatically during the early part of the 1980s, Patrick was obviously pressed to continue his sponsorship at a high level but showed his business skill when he came up with a multi-sponsor combination of individual corporations in his quest to win a JJ Giltinan world Championship.
His boat raced as Southern Cross with the logos of all individual sponsors featured on the mainsails and spinnakers. Robert Brown was the skipper and the boat contested the 1988 Giltinan regatta on Sydney Harbour.
He continued to sponsor people like US champion Howie Hamlin, Emery Worldwide, into the early 2000s.
So why did Patrick continue to sponsor 18ft Skiffs for more than 30 years? His simple answer, “It’s a three letter word - FUN.”
“I sponsor a number of different things in sport as well as the arts. The reason I do it is simple, I like to have fun.”
“I’ve always had fun sponsoring the 18s and enjoyed watching the skiffs. It was also a good way to give the company’s staff an interest outside the day-to-day workplace.”
Sponsorship has always been a great way for corporations and smaller companies to show their colours on Sydney Harbour, entertain business associates and boost staff morale as Patrick did for more than 30 years. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.
Restoring MINK, 1914 Buzzards Bay 25: Part 4 - A New Set of Old Style Sails
Many restorations include modern updates in the interest of performance, strength, or ease of use - but not MINK, one of five original Buzzards Bay 25s; the owners wanted every detail recreated exactly as she would have left the ways in 1914.
You can CLICK HERE to sit down with MINK's sailmaker in Part 4 of Off Center Harbor's video series. Mark Butler of England's James Lawrence Sailmakers used the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company's exact methods and materials of 1914, right down to the uncommon manila boltrope and mild steel.
Letters To The Editor - editor [AT] eurosailnews [DOT] 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: Keith Jamieson
I have to take slight issue with your Issue – In Ingrid Abery’s excellent piece on Cowes week – “IACC fleet sharing a race course with the 505 class” that is clearly a Flying Fifteen! A stalwart of Cowes week since the class’ inception in 1947. I know there is a lot of focus on big boats but the little people matter too
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See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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Lead broker: Matias Renlund – Grabau international (Scandinavia)
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2000 Herreshoff 136 Ft Gaff Schooner - Eleonora. 6900000 EUR. Located in Spain
More than a century after the launch of WESTWARD, this re-creation brings all of the splendid majesty and grandeur of the golden era of yachting. ELEONORA is in all respects an awesome all-rounder and a true classic with the advantages of being a modern yacht.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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22 Market Street
Poole, Dorset
BH15 1NF
United Kingdom
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2016 Marc Lombard 46 - "Pata Negra". 400000 GBP. Located in Tortola.
A go-anywhere, IRC optimized all-rounder that never fails to deliver on the race track, or when blue water cruising. Exceptional form stability and forward volume allows this boat to be pushed and with a cockpit designed for shorter-handed sailing, you don't need an army to extract max performance.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious—makes you so sick at heart—that you can't take part. You can't even passively take part. And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. -- Mario Savio
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