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
ISAF Youth Worlds Opening Race Day
Sunshine, steady breeze and great racing provided the perfect recipe for the opening day of competitive action at the 2014 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Tavira, Portugal.
After a slightly calm morning the breeze kicked in mid-afternoon allowing a full complement of races across the eight events.
The 367 sailors from 67 nations were spoilt by the Portuguese conditions with a breeze that varied between 12-15 knots coming in consistently from a south westerly direction.
Top three after one day of racing:
29er
1. Yann Thierry D'Argrenlieu / Nathan Bradley, HKG, 3 points
2. Brice Yrieix / Loic Fischer Guillou, FRA, 5
3. Markus Somerville / Isaac Mchardie, NZL, 5
420 Boys
1. Ibuki Koizumi / Kotaro Matsuo, JPN, 3
2. Mohammad Faizal Norizan / Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz, MAS, 7
3. Diogo Pereira / Manuel Macedo, POR, 9
420 Girls
1. Silvia Mas Depares / Marta Davila Mateu, ESP, 9
2. Theres Dahnke / Birte Winkel, GER, 10
3. Ewa Romaniuk / Katarzyna Goralska, POL, 11
RS:X Boys
1. Yael Paz, ISR, 3
2. Evgenii Aivazian, RUS, 3
3. Mattia Camboni, ITA, 5
RS:X Girls
1. Imogen Sills, GBR, 3
2. Stefaniya Elfutina, RUS, 5
3. Shi Hongmei, CHN, 6
SL16
1. Kim Vidal / Antonio Lopes, BRA, 2
2. Louis Flament / Charles Dorange, FRA, 3
3. Jordi Booth Ferrando / Ruben Booth Ferrando, ESP, 5
Laser Radial Boys
1. Seafra Guilfoyle, IRL, 6
2. Patrick Dieter Bech Dopping, 6
3. Marin Lowy, BRA, 10
Laser Radial Girls
1. Haddon Hughes, USA, 3
2. Maud Jayet, SUI, 8
3. Monika Mikkola, FIN, 9
Nations Trophy Top Three:
1. France, 60 points
2. Great Britain, 59
3. USA, 53
Racing resumes on 15 July at 13:00 local time.
Wet and Windy for Flying Dutchman Worlds
Photo by Alan Henderson, www.fotoboat.com. Click on image to enlarge.
The 2014 Flying Dutchman World Championships started at Largs, Scotland on Monday 14th July. Competitors withstood a tough introduction, in a war of attrition with the conditions. Southerly winds of up to 22 knots in gusts and heavy rain gave a stirring start, with many boats capsizing and suffering gear breakages.
Only half of the fleet of 42 boats were still standing and able to answer the call for the second of the two races sailed today. The first race was held over a long initial leg of two miles, but after visibility closed in, the second race was over a reduced course size of just one mile, but sailed over three rounds of the shorter course, rather than two large rounds.
But the change in course size made no difference to former World Champions Szabolcs Majthenyi and Andras Domokos, of Hungary, who opened the week with two emphatic race wins to establish an early lead in the Championship. They won both races by over two minutes to show their class in these fresh wind conditions.
Also scoring very well were current World Champions Enno Kramer and Ard Geelkerken from the Netherlands. They opened with a third place, then improved with a second place in the second race.
To complete a formidable trio of current or former World Champions at the top of a very competitive event, former World Champions the brothers Jorgen and Jacob Bojsen-Moller, from Denmark, lie in third overall.
"Championships are meant to be challenging; this was true Championship sailing", said Austria's Philipp Zingerle.
Racing among this international gathering from eleven countries worldwide will continue tomorrow with another two races.
Dubarry Crosshaven - Comfortably The Best Performer
Volvo Ocean Race teams have chosen Dubarry's Crosshaven in every edition of the race since the boot was developed with Green Dragon in the 2008 edition. There are several reasons for that.
First, the innovation that impressed the Green Dragon guys most: the integral gaiter. Made of lightweight, hard-wearing, water-resistant fabric and cinched up with a drawstring, this gaiter means you can kneel down and work on the foredeck without suffering the dreaded 'bootful of green' that kills comfort for the rest of the passage.
And when you're dodging icebergs in the Southern Ocean as winter's teeth snap at your vitals, you'll appreciate the 350g GORE-TEX® Duratherm membrane and thermally insulated footbed that will keep your feet, at least, toasty.
Then there's the award-winning grip of Crosshaven's non-slip and non-marking sole. If you're trying to stay vertical on deck, and several tonnes of water traveling at 30 knots is trying to persuade you that you might be more comfortable lying down, you need your feet to stay planted.
We can all benefit from experience, but it comes at a price. Lucky for you that Green Dragon footed the bill, and the benefit is all yours.
Dubarry Crosshaven - Born at sea
Monaco's Miani Wins Melges 20 2014 Audi-Tron Sailing Series
Photo by Max Ranchi, www.maxranchi.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
Riva Del Garda, Italy: The Audi Melges 20 fleet racing the 2014 Audi-Tron Sailing Series in Riva Del Garda completed three more races on Sunday, congratulating Monaco's Guido Miani aboard Out of Reach with tactician Gabriele Benussi and crew Massimo Gheraducci as champions. Miani headed into Sunday's competition in second overall, yet delivered a winning performance worthy of the top trophy.
Achille Onorato's Mascalzone Latino Jr. claimed second and Roberto Martinez aboard his Audi g-Tron Fratelli Giacomel Melges 20 finished out the podium positions in third.
With three more races added to the overall scoreboard, a single discard went into play throwing out each team's worst score.
Miani's twentieth place finish in the Race Four was his discard, and with bullets in Races Five and Six, he proved to be the top team in Riva this weekend. Pasquale Orofino's Raffica celebrated with a win in Race Four, ultimately helping him move up a spot to finish fifth overall, just behind American Russ Lucas on Shimmer in fourth.
Next up are three marquee class events - the U.S. National Championship in Newport, RI on August 21-23, the World Championship in Riva del Garda on 25-30 and the North Americans shortly thereafter in San Francisco, CA on October 3-5.
Top five final results after five races
1. Guido Miani/Gabriele Benussi, Out of Reach, 18 points
2. Achille Onorato/Malcolm Page, Mascalzone Latino Jr, 23
3. Roberto Martinez/Enrico Fonda, Audi g-Tron Fratelli Giacomel, 34
4. Russ Lucas/Harry Melges, III, Shimmer, 39
5. Pasquale Orofino/Branko Brcin, Raffica, 42
Audi tron Sailing Series: www.audisailingseries.com
Tour Voile: Last Race On The Atlantic Coast
After their bad day yesterday, the local team from Brittany won the 11 miles coastal race in the Bay of Morlaix today. It was the fleet's last day on the Atlantic coast of France and Team Bretagne Credit Mutuel Elite finishes the first half of the event on a high note.
The breeze being too light in the morning, the race comittee decided to cancel the inshore race. The fleet took the start of the coastal race at 1pm. Nicolas Troussel and his crew didn't have the best start, but their tactician Christopher Pratt did a perfect read of the race course despite the shifty breeze, and at the first mark, Bretagne Credit Mutuel was in the lead, in front of Courrier Dunkerque 3 and Team Oman Sail.
The wind was very unsettled and the race turned into a nerve wrecking fight. But in the end, Nicolas Troussel crossed the finish line in first far ahead of Courrier Dunkerque 3 and the Corinthian team Nantes - Saint Nazaire who had its best result so far in this year's edition, with a 3rd.
On the overall ranking, Courrier Dunkerque 3 increases the lead over Groupama 34. Franck Cammas and his team are now under pressure to get some good results in the Mediterranean and come back in the game.
Overall top five ranking :
1. Courrier Dunkerque 3, Daniel Souben, 574 points
2. Groupama 34, Franck Cammas, 555
3. Team OmanSail, skipper, Sidney Gavignet, 538
4. Bretagne - Credit Mutuel Elite, skipper Nicolas Troussel, 533
5. Ville de Genève - Carrefour Addictions, Nicolas Groux, 505
52 Super Series - An Explosive Recovery
The TP52s could be back into the mid-teens next year with at least six new boats as Rob Weiland discovers...
Nine TP52s are a good start to the 2014 Barclays 52 Super Series, Capri is a good start, Azzurra winning is good and a welldeserved finish for the team that never gives up but that did not seem capable of matching Quantum Racing in Key West and Miami.
With one US team already having indicated they will join the full 2015 series as well, I am optimistic and up my prognosis for the coming year. Traditionally the decision on where and what to race is made between August and November; if you include Phoenix, with six new boats and two 2011/12 boats committing to the 2015 Super Series, it is already possible that we'll see as many as 10 new boats and starts with between 12-15 boats in 2015!
Some words to the many people who ask how it is possible that the TP52s got back on their feet... look no further than the many TP52 owners who have through the years supported the class and with often surprising confidence supported the many changes that were required to upgrade the TP52 Rule to produce the new boat, of which Phoenix is the first taste.
Full article in Seahorse:
www.seahorsemagazine.com
Industry News
Cowes Harbour Commissioners (CHC) invite you to the "Home of Dry Sailing and the Etchells Class in Cowes" to attend the official commissioning of Shepards Wharf Marina's new £150k hydraulic dry sailing crane in the presence of the 20 race teams competing in the International Etchells Invitational Cup.
Shepards' new dry sailing crane is one of the largest of its type in the country, enabling Shepards Wharf Marina to lift any single point yacht, motor boat or rib, quickly and quietly and will future-proof the marina's dry sailing operation against lifting requirements in the years to come.
Cowes Harbour Commission has provided subsidised moorings for the International Etchells Invitational Cup and is keen to demonstrate that more new significant events of this type could be attracted to come to Shepards Wharf Marina and Cowes as a whole.
Date: Monday, 28th July 2014
Time: 1530 for 1600
Venue: Shepards Wharf Marina, Medina Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight PO31 7HT
www.cowesharbourcommission.co.uk
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Organisers of the International Sailing Summit (ISS) say this year's is set to be "revolutionary for the industry".
Now in its 13th year, the event will focus on the need for global market companies to diversify and innovate. British Sailing, which is organising the ISS, announced the theme as Waking up the sailing industry - how sailing needs to modernise, diversify and develop to attract and retain participants.
The worldwide forum will bring the industry together and aims to drive change and promote sailing worldwide. It will be broken down into three sessions: diversification, participation and innovation. Speakers will identify future target audiences, look at how and why modernisation and creativity is central to future prosperity.
The ISS will take place on 17 November 2014 at METS in Amsterdam.
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The National Squib Owners Association (NSOA) have announced that Rondar Race Boats have been chosen to be the next builder of the National Squib, subject to final ratification by the RYA.
Bas Edmonds, RYA Technical and Racing Services Manager said: "The RYA is really pleased that the National Squib Owners Association are in a position to move forward given the turbulent six months that the class has endured.
Last year, events led to the RYA having to withdraw the Squib boat builder licence which was issued to BP Sailboats since 2009. (See IBI Plus https://plus.ibinews.com for the details)
Steve Warren-Smith, Chairman of the NSOA said: "After an exhaustive and thorough tender process, Rondars' longstanding reputation and experience in building One Design racing boats and their international reach in these markets made them a very strong contender.
As an RYA National Class, the National Squib Owners Association (NOSA) are a traditionally strong association with a healthy membership and one of the highest participation numbers in their national championships.
www.squibs.co.uk
www.rondarboats.com
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Amsterdam RAI announced the details of this year's Symposium on Yacht Design and Yacht Construction.
Held every other year during the annual Marine Equipment Trade Show, the 2014 symposium is being organized by the HISWA Holland Marine industry for Nov. 17 and 18.
Organizers said the length of the event was extended because of the exceptional content of the presentations, making the symposium a must-attend event for yacht builders, engineers, designers, naval architects and R&D personnel.
The program highlights the latest findings in the specialized field.
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French multihull builders Cantana Group (formerly Poncin Yachts) has reported a turnover of €14.2m for the first half of its 2013-14 financial year ending February 28, 2014, slightly down on the €14.9m reported for the same period last year. Operating income was up to €0.4m, while net results continue to improve, the losses reduced to €0.5m compared to €0.8m in 2013. The report also shows that self-financing capacity is positive at €0.35m.
In the core multihull sector, representing 35% of the sailing market, Catana Group credits the good half yearly results to the success of the Catana 59 as well as healthy sales of pre-owned boats. The boatyard is expecting excellent results from the current marketing of the Catana 70.
The Group is also upbeat about the development of its new Bali brand, which it is hoping will carve itself a niche in the 20ft-50ft cat sector, which according to Catana represents 75% of the multihull market.
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Discovery Yachts announce the appointment of Nigel Scarfe as Managing Director.
Nigel Scarfe is already familiar with Discovery Yachts having spent several months working with the bespoke bluewater yacht builder as a business advisor under the government backed 'Growth Accelerator' scheme. Nigel brings to Discovery a wealth of experience in business and marketing together with sound management skills and a background of running large businesses. Nigel is a passionate sailor and part owns a yacht which he sails in the Solent.
John Charnley, Founder and Chairman of Discovery Yachts will, in the short-term, become more involved in the business, particularly on the development and technical side. The company is constantly evolving its range of bespoke bluewater yachts and has two new models in development; the Discovery 55 Mk II which is being launched at Southampton Boat Show and the Discovery 58 due for launch early in 2015.
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The United States Sailboat Show announced that in addition to new and premiering sailboats, previously owned sailboats will be available for immediate sale this October in Annapolis, Maryland, USA
New this year, the Annapolis sailboat show will expand its impressive selection of new and premiering sailboats to include previously owned sailboats in a floating marina in St. Mary's Cove.
The United States Sailboat Show opens October 9-13, 2014, will feature Brokerage Cove, a show within a show, overflowing with previously owned sailboats presented by regional boat brokers and available for immediate sale. The brand new Annapolis venue is just inside the Spa Creek Bridge and one block from the main show.
Brokerage Cove is an easy walk from the hundreds of brand new and premiering boats on display in downtown Annapolis.
Letters To The Editor - editor@scuttlebutteurope.com
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* From Donald Street: A Proper Goodby To A Departed Sailor
I dislike the announcement Eight Bells, that denotes the end of the watch, the end of the sailor.
Rather I always say" Joe Kelleher(or whoever the sailor is) has crossed the bar for the final time, he is off to sea never to return."
Then I say good bye the way the Venezuelan sailors say good bye to a fellow sailor, they pour the favourite drink of the departed sailor, and go to the end of the pier, they drink half of the drink, then pour the other half into the sea for the departed sailor.
Patience Wales, the long time editor of Sail, had a remembrance gathering of old friends of her departed partner Freeman Pittman and wanted all to toast Knowles and pour half their drink into Ipswich harbour.
But it was mid winter, the party was at her house, there was no way she would be able to talk the assembled group to walk thru the frozen streets to the harborside.
Patience is a resourceful gal and solved the problem. She found a good old fashioned iron wash tub, filled it with Ipswich harbour water, then during the remembrance party, everyone gathered around the tub, hoisted a glass to the departed Freeman, drank half and poured the other half into the tub or Ipswich harbour water!!!!!
Freeman had crossed the bar for the last time.
Featured Brokerage
2008 Mills Custom. USD 240,000. Located in Hong Kong
Ambush was built by MacConaghy in 2008 and has since been successfully campaigned through Asia both on and offshore. She has been professionally maintained throughout and continues to win.
She is currently configured with a pole and a rating of 1.157 which has proven a very potent set up inshore against the newer breed of lighter 40 footers.
Ambush's design was developed by Mark Mills as a progression from the original Tiamat and the king 40 with input from Dave Ullman and the owners who have considerable offshore experience.
Lying Hong Kong so ideally placed to campaign the Asian circuit starting October.
Contact:
Drew Taylor
ambushdrew@gmail.com
+852 9303 2428
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
Between incomprehensible and incoherent sits the madhouse. I am not in the madhouse. -- Jack Kerouac to Carl Solomon
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