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
Tied at the Top Vesper and Azzurra Share Lead
Photo by Max Ranchi, www.maxranchi.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
After two days of windward-leeward races off Capri, Italy the first Barclays 52 Super Series regatta of the season has fallen very much in line with predictions that this would be a very open event with no one boat able to dominate in the light winds. Four different winners from four starts endorse this view as Jim Swartz's American crew on Vesper and Alberto Rommers' Azzurra today added their names to the winners roster so far, both excelling in the challenging gentle airs.
The race committee did an excellent job in moving the course area and axis slightly further offshore into the channel, negating some of the advantage on the left side of the track which had prevailed on Day 1.
Thursday is scheduled to see coastal race for the fleet.
Standings after four races:
1. Vesper, USA, (Jim Swartz USA) (5,2,1,6) 14 points
2. Azzurra, ITA, (Alberto Roemmers ARG) (3,3,7,1) 14
3. Quantum Racing, USA, (Doug De Vos USA) (4,1,6,4) 15
4. Rán Racing, SWE, (Niklas Zennström SWE) (2,8,2,5) 17
5. Phoenix, BRA, (Eduardo de Souza Ramos BRA) (1,7,3,8) 19
6. Provezza 7, TUR, (Ergin Imre TUR) (6,4,8,2) 20
7. Gladiator, GBR, (Tony Langley GBR) (9,6,5,3) 23
8. Paprec, FRA, (Jean Luc Petithugenin FRA) (7,5,9,7) 28
9. B2, ITA, (Michele Galli ITA) (8,9,4,9) 30
Andrew Simpson Inquest
Bournemouth Coroners Court, 21st May 2014
The Deputy Coroner of the County of Dorset, Mr. Richard Middleton, made short work of the Inquest into the death of America's Cup sailor Andrew Simpson. He announced: "This is the final hearing" and spent sixteen minutes over his report to five family members and twice that number of journalists in a closed courtroom.
In what amounted to a résumé of the evidence of three SFPD officers and Adam May, a member of the Artemis Racing Team who was on board when the accident that led to the death of his teammate occurred. It mostly covered, in painful detail, the timescale and the position of the Swedish AC72 on that fateful day, May 9th last year.
From this, the Deputy Coroner, announced that the death of Andrew Simpson at 1341 PST on May 9th last year was due "directly as the result of an human act." He gave the cause of death as: "blunt trauma with drowning."
There was no attempt to apportion blame, nor was there any attempt to explain the cause of the accident beyond the fact that the Swedish AC72 was bearing away in 20 knots of breeze in choppy waters, apart from one hint, from Adam May's report that: "the port hull dug in and folded." No blame for this was apportioned. -- Bob Fisher.
Robertissima Claims Honours In Rolex Capri Sailing Week's Volcano Race
After a spate of arrivals this morning , Roberto Tomasini Grinover's JV72 Mini Maxi Robertissima has been declared the winner on corrected time (IRC) of Rolex Capri Sailing Week's Volcano Race.
Tricky conditions on the course yesterday, during the return journey from Stromboli back to Capri, caused this year's race to favour the frontrunners with line honours winner, Igor Simcic's 100ft (30.5m) Esimit Europa 2 finishing second with Jethou, Sir Peter Ogden's all-black sistership to Robertissima, third.
The majority of the competitors ended up spending a second night at sea, only reaching Capri's Marina Grande at breakfast time today. Stromboli was a mostly unpopular topic, particularly for the crew of the British Baltic 78, Lupa of London, who spent nine hours parked off the Italian volcano.
Tomorrow the Maxi fleet is scheduled to return to the inshore race course off Capri at 1200 in the same area as the 52 Super Series fleet with some windward-leeward racing or a coastal race to be decided according to the wind conditions.
www.internationalmaxiassociation.com
Marinepool Club And Crew Jacket Collection 2014 - A Sportive Look And Maritime Chic In Classic Style
2014 has seen the introduction of a new Club and Crew Jacket line that is the perfect outfit for get togethers in the clubhouse, an apres sail drink in the cockpit or for any trip both on water and land. Garments for all occasions and events that require a sportive look in a classic style.
There is hardly any other sport that is similarly demanding on clothing than sailing. Garments used on boats or for regattas require highest reliability in terms of waterproofness, breathability, abrasion resistance. Functional cuts, light weight and further intelligent design features are indispensable - and the ideal crew wear brings all these qualities together. Furthermore, sailing as a sport and lifestyle reaches beyond the action on board and on race courses. Maritime clothing has a wide appeal and has become a way of living for many. The functionality of the garments is a welcome add-on and asset. The new Club and Crew Jacket collection by Marinepool is designed for racing crews, club teams, the ambitious amateur and fashion conscious water sports enthusiast alike. The utilization of technical high-quality fabrics ensures crucial features in terms of function such as breathability, wind and waterproofness and highest wearing comfort.
Consequently, these products can be used for racing, day sailing and any other dynamic outdoor activities. Maritime colours and fashionable details such as the striped knitted sleeve cuffs, collar and hem of the "Storm Jacket", available for men, women and kids bring a casual touch to the functional jackets. In combination with jeans, chino trousers, shirts or polo shirts and with its stylish design, the "Cruising Jacket" is the perfect outer layer for casual looks or sportive elegant outfits.
The new Marinepool club and crew jacket collection.
Design. Technology. Passion.
Sunshine and Light Winds for the 2014 Glyn Charles Pursuit Race at HISC
Sunshine and light winds prevailed for the Glyn Charles Pursuit Race which took place at Hayling Island Sailing Club on Saturday 17th May 2014. 88 entries took to the water for the annual race which tries to take in as much of Chichester Harbour as possible to remember and celebrate the life of Glyn Charles, the talented sailor and Olympic helmsman, who was tragically killed at the age of 33 whilst competing in the Sydney to Hobart Race in 1998.
In a close finish, it was Chris Powles of HISC who took the gun, followed swiftly by James and Will Rusden from Lymington in an RS 200. A gaggle of HISC Solo sailors followed, with Rob Hack in 3rd followed by Nick Peters and Greg Lamb. Richard Lovering and Matt Alvarado were the first Flying Fifteen over the line in 6th. The Youth prize went to Elliott Wells and Jake Todd in a RS 200.
Many thanks are due to those who supported the event; Rooster, RS Sailing and Pinnell and Bax, and of course the competitors who not only enjoyed a great day on the water but also helped a most worthwhile cause. All proceeds from the race go to the John Merricks Sailing Trust.
Full results from the event can be found here: www.hisc.co.uk
No Rio Water Tests Until After Sailing Test Event
Sewage and pollution could be problems for sailors in Rio. (Getty Images) The International Sailing Federation will wait until after their test event in August to determine if water quality tests on Guanabara Bay are necessary, the federation tells Around the Rings.
"Obviously, we are discussing it. It's a high priority for ISAF. At this point, we don't have any intention to do testing before the test event," Tamsin Rand, ISAF Communications.
Seahorse June 2014
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
Creme de la creme
Rob Weiland watches as the wraps come off the first TP52 to be built to the new 2015 class rule
RORC news
Eddie Warden Owen
Seahorse build table - Sharpening up
When does a Farr 400 OD become a Farr 440?
Sailor of the Month
Two largely unsung heroes...
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Industry News
Germany's HanseYachts has announced that its workforce has reached 1,026 people working in production, development and administration roles at its Greifswald site.
Hanse says that its multi-brand strategy, combined with a "unique approach" to customer communication and a focus on strengthening brand positioning, is key to sustainable success.
"There is an increasing demand for larger yachts, such as for example the Hanse 575," says the company in a statement. "In addition to the existing products, the new models with bold, trendsetting concepts are also extremely popular among customers."
These include the Moody 54 DS and the new Dehler 38, which was recently named European Yacht of the Year in Dusseldorf.
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Henri Lloyd is proud to announce that it will be supporting the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre, in Weymouth & Portland.
Henri Lloyd will supply shore kit for the staff, coaches and ambassadors at the centre.
After attending the official opening ceremony, Paul Strzelecki, Join CEO of Henri Lloyd explained, "We are honoured to be part of this new initiative which has been set up to support and provide opportunities for the next generation of sailors, celebrating Andrew's life and encouraging youngsters into sailing".
The Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre, based at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, is a RYA accredited Centre and will deliver a range of sailing courses for young people, community organisations and adults; including programmes for schools, as well as club sailors.
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On The Water is an admission free event that will be held at Cowes Yacht Haven on Friday, 30th May 2014 between 10am and 4.30pm, a perfect half-term holiday experience that ranges from sailing sessions to high-speed RIB rides. It is part of National Watersports Month that runs throughout May and is supported by a number of leading organisations including the British Marine Federation (BMF), Royal Yachting Association and Go Canoeing. It aims to highlight the fantastic opportunities for getting afloat and discovering more about boating, for which the Isle of Wight is justly famous.
A highlight will be a display of boats built on the Isle of Wight that will include vessels from South Boats, Seaward, Cheetah Marine and Shearwater.
Visitors to Cowes Yacht Haven will be able to try out one of the UKSA's fleet of keelboats with each session lasting a full hour from 10am. Spaces will be limited for these sailing experiences.
A number of displays will also be on the landward side of the marina including the UKSA's windsurfing simulator. A great chance to try out this exhilarating sport without needing to get wet! There will also be a display on sea safety from the RNLI and Seasafe, and a blast from the past - a classic Island- built power boat "Prawn Cocktail' from 1969.
On The Water starts from 10am and runs through until 4.30pm when there will be a BBQ organised on the quayside. Although there's no charge for admission to Cowes Yacht Haven, some of the experiences will make a charge for the training sessions.
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HUGO BOSS Watches announced their sponsorship of the IMOCA 60 Class Ocean Masters Manhattan Charity Race scheduled to take place May 29, 2014 in New York Harbor. This race begins the exciting build-up to the IMOCA Ocean Masters New York to Barcelona Race, starting from New York on June 1, 2014.
With guests and media onboard the five IMOCA 60 racing boats, their ten skippers will start the race at 12:00 noon EST from North Cove Marina, sailing around Governors Island, past the Statue of Liberty and back to the finish line. Each team will be racing for their charity of choice, to be declared at the morning's welcome reception. HUGO BOSS Watches will make a $10,000 donation to the winning team's selected charity, to be awarded that afternoon during the post-race awards ceremony.
HUGO BOSS has been involved with the IMOCA class for more than 12 years through their sponsorship of British skipper Alex Thomson. While team HUGO BOSS will again depart New York Harbor for the transatlantic race on June 1st, it will be under the guidance of Spanish sailor Pepe Ribes and his American co-skipper Ryan Breymaier. Because Alex Thomson's wife is expecting their second child during the race, he will be unable to participate this year.
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As the first Pontos winches are being delivered in France, the Saint Malo based company envisions a rapid development on the international market. France only represents 20% of the estimated market, and Pontos, created in 2009 by Frenchman Michel Chenon and Brit Darry Spurling sees Europe, the Mediterraneean, the Far East and the US as the bulk of its near future growth. A network of representatives and dealers is being laid all over Northern Europe, with the emphasis put on the British market. Pontos sale force had a chance to show the speed of its winches last month at the Universal Marina boat gathering on the Hamble river.
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Elvstrom Sails UK are supporting the 2014 Sigma 38 National Championship to be held at the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club on the Bank Holiday weekend. A generous package has been designed to create prizes for the overall prize winners and rewards across the fleet.
The Sigma 38, which celebrated it's own Silver Jubilee last year, was designed by David Thomas to be a class able to 'stand up to tough offshore conditions'.
Jeremy White, manager of Elvstrom's UK loft said "Elvstrom Sails are celebrating their 60th anniversary making quality sails for racing and cruising yachts across the globe. We have worked with the Sigma 38 class for many years and, as part of those celebrations, we are delighted to be involved with the Nationals. And I am personally thrilled to be joining the racing myself on board 'Light'.
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It is not without risks to sail in the high latitudes, but the rewards are far greater – given you prepare our self, the crew and the boat in the best possible way. This is what this book is about, says Jon Amtrup, author of the book "High Latitude Sailing - How to sail in the cold waters of the world".
Jon Amtrup has circumnavigated Svalbard, crossed the Atlantic twice and the North Sea ten times, and cruised extensively in the high latitudes along the Norwegian coast summer and winter. He is the author of Sail to Svalbard, Harbour Guide Bergen-Kirkenes and the authorized sailing biography of HMK Harald V of Norway. Amtrup is a member of The Explorers Club and Royal Geographical Society.
The Polar Circumnavigators Trond Aasvoll and Elena Solovyeva hava also contributed with insight on the North West Passage and the North East Passage respectively.
The book is now launched as Kindle edition on Amazon: www.amazon.com
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With 25 years' experience in the design industry, the last 16 as senior yacht designer for renowned Dixon Yacht Design, Guy Newton has chosen to branch out and launch Guy Newton Design.
Previous projects Guy has been involved with include designing the interior of the 30-‐metre sailing yacht That's Y, the design of a wide range of sailing and power vessels including Moody 45'DS, Royal Denship Open 82' and soon to be launched 45-‐metre sailing yacht Heureka.
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 Adrian Morgan: As a former sailing correspondent I receive all sorts of press releases. Of which 99% seem to be exercises in public relations, for which I mean press releases sent out by public relations executives in order to exercise their keyboard skills, as very seldom do they contain anything of interest to the media. I have been told various things over the years including the breaking news that a round the world yachtswoman had just washed her hair. A few days ago I had no less than three press releases (all identical) from the Volvo Race press office about the involvement of one of the sponsors, I forget which and frankly could care less. I suspect that these people are paid by the number of emails they spew out, rather than the value of the content. Keeping the client happy is more important than informing the journalist, which is one of the reasons why we are so cynical these days. All the news is filtered through third parties. Nothing is from the horse's mouth. There was a time when you could approach the skipper of an America's Cup yacht as he stepped onto the dock. Times change and it was always better in the old days, whether looking back from 2014, or 1914. It does however seem as though our simple sport has been hijacked by those who wish to brand us, cover us with logos and sell us stuff we do not need. And send us so-called news that is not.
Postscript: quote from the Volvo Race site: "It's not always about the racing, the technology or the plaudits. Sometimes it's about the feeling of being driven by the wind, the sting of the spray, the hull carving through the water - the simple act of sailing."
You don't say...
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