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
Second Of Three Starts: The Largest Group On Its Way
Dilip Donde and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston on Grey Power. Photo by Daniel Forster / NYYC. Click on image for photo gallery.
The majority of the 37 boats competing in the Transatlantic Race 2015 launched off the starting line into a brisk southwesterly breeze just after 2 p.m. local time. A line of thunderstorms, which had initially been forecast to come through at mid-day, passed over Newport just as the crews of 20 entries were waking to begin final preparations for the second of three starts for the 2,800-mile race from Newport, R.I., to The Lizard off England's southwestern tip.
By the time the first cannon sounded at 1:50 p.m., the sun was shining and the breeze was blowing, and the competitors reveled in the ideal conditions. First off the starting line were the five Class 40s, purpose-designed ocean racing yachts that are sailing with between two and four crew onboard, less than half what any other boat in the race is carrying.
The second start was a fleet of 10 boats varying in size from 50 to 100 feet. Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy's Noonmark VI was first across the line, followed closely by Siren, which is being skippered by the father and son team of William Hubbard III and William Hubbard IV. Within 90 minutes of the start, it was the length and power of Clarke Murphy's chartered 100-foot Nomad IV that had taken over the lead of this group, sailing at 14.7 knots on a compass heading of 120 degrees.
The news was decidedly less positive for Colin Rath's Persevere, the crew of which includes his 14-year-old daughter Breana and the family cat. "Persevere has suspended racing at 15:01 at 41 degrees 59 north, 71 degrees 12.8 west returning for rig repairs without outside help," Colin Rath emailed from onboard. "Will keep RC updated." They plan to try to fix the problem and re-join the race.
One last start, for the monohulls Comanche and Rambler and the multihulls Phaedo 3 and Paradox, is scheduled for Sunday, July 5, at 2 p.m.
No Wind Today at the ORC World Championship
Barcelona, Spain: Strong high pressure conditions in Spain today created high heat and no wind in Day 3 of the ORC World Championship, hosted by the Real Club Nautico de Barcelona.
When it was clear that nothing would come, the fleet was released by the RCNB Race Committee to come ashore and wait until sunset in case some wind came to the course area.
However, with a forecast of conditions that would remain unsuitable for racing until tomorrow when the wind looks good for the coastal areas around Barcelona, the Committee then decided for an earlier start to the day's schedule. At 10:00 it intends a start to try again to complete at least one offshore race on this same course - it is necessary in any ORC championship regatta to have at least one offshore race to have a valid championship event.
The fleet standings therefore remain the same as at the end of yesterday: Class A is led by reigning Class A World Champion Alberto Rossi and his team from Italy on the TP 52 Enfant Terrible Minoan Lines
In Class B Giumat+2 from Italy, owned by Flavio Trusendi and skippered by Francesco Cruciani, remain the only team to have three victories, but still only has a two-point lead in their class over perennial Spanish offshore champion Pedro Campos racing his Swan 42 Movistar
Alberto Moro's X-37 Solventis, coming from the opposite corner of Spain in Bayona and skippered by Manuel "Malalo" Bermudez de Castro, has 20.5 points and leads Class C
www.barcelonaorcworlds2015.com
...And No Wind For The Dragons
Day two of the 2015 Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust Edinburgh Cup in Largs proved to be a long drawn out and extremely frustrating affair as the wind gods played cat and mouse with the fleet.
With conditions showing no sign of improvement and the afternoon wearing on the decision was made to send the fleet home for a much needed cold drink on the Largs Sailing Club balcony.
One question that has cropped up a number of times this week is why the "Edinburgh" Cup, is being raced for just outside Glasgow. To clear up any confusion we should explain that the Edinburgh Cup is so named because it was presented to the class by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, and not because of any geographic connection with the City of Edinburgh. The Duke presented the trophy to the class, which is awarded annually to the winner of the Dragon British Open Championship, after he had been given a Dragon in 1948 by the members of the Island Sailing Club.
This was also incidentally the first year in which the Dragon was an Olympic Class.
With up to six races remaining to be sailed before the regatta concludes on Friday, the Race Committee has published an amendment to the schedule to allow for up to three championship races to be sailed on Thursday and two races to be sailed on Friday.
Henri Lloyd Elite Offshore - The Collection - Micro Climate And Therm
The Henri Lloyd Elite Offshore shore collection includes jackets, smock, hi-fit trousers and salopette, as well as mid and base layers:
Elite H-Therm is a revolutionary mid layer, 100% waterproof shell with fully taped seams, "extreme breathability" and Primaloft® high loft wadding for warmth without weight. Can be used on its own in light spray conditions or with the Elite Offshore range for complete offshore protection
H-Therm Mid Layer jacket:
Articulated ergonomic fit, adjustable cuffs, fleece lined collar
H-Therm mid Layer Salopette:
Ergonomic fit adjustable waist, shoulders, leg cuffs
Therm base layer:
Crew tops and tights are high wicking, high stretch and extremely breathable, with a brushed inner face for insulation and to dissipate moisture away from the body
The Lightest, Most Breathable Offshore Gear Ever, Without Compromise: www.henrilloyd.com/elite/
Refurbishment Of Bermuda Dockyard Building Complete
In a case of the right time in the right place, the West End Development Corporation (WEDCO) has been able to restore one of Dockyard's historic buildings and find an America's Cup tenant to call it home.
Badly damaged by hurricanes, the refurbished Building #9 now houses the gym, sail loft and offices for ORACLE TEAM USA (OTUSA), thanks to the contributions of multiple local contractors over the last several months.
The renovations included roof and window repairs, fixing water damage and fitting the building with the necessary plumbing, electrical, flooring and fire safety systems.
However the original architecture and maritime features have been maintained in an effort to preserve the historical value of the building.
*|YOUTUBE:[$vid=tFv4iw83gz0#t=79, $max_width=500, $title=N, $border=N, $trim_border=N, $ratings=N, $views=N]|*
Distance Sailing Record
Robert Suhay has begun his attempt to set a new world distance sailing record in his 14-foot long Laser in the Atlantic Ocean.
He left in Beaufort, N.C., Tuesday and rounded Cape Hatteras. He plans to head north along the coast to the Chesapeake Bay and to finish in Annapolis, Md. The entire trip is about 320 nautical miles (about 370 miles).
As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Suhay was north of Avon, N.C.
Last year, Suhay, a designer for The Virginian-Pilot, sailed 283.5 nautical miles - 326.25 miles. He set the world record for a man's longest solo sailing journey in a dinghy.
His current attempt will be monitored by a GPS transponder, and you can follow the progress with updates every 15 minutes. Also, Robert and his wife, Lisa, will be keeping a blog at RobertSuhay.com.
* Editor: note this is a Guiness record not WSSRC
Portsmouth City Council Landed With &Pound;1.4m Bill Over Ben Ainslie Racing Project
Taxpyers have forked out more than £1m paving the way for Ben Ainslie Racing to move to Portsmouth.
The city council had to clear up the Camber last year so work could start on Olympic sailor Sir Ben's America's Cup headquarters ahead of this summer's World Series.
The authority was confident the government would pick up all costs. But The News revealed how no guarantee was given in writing by ministers, and invoices totalling £863,000 were landed with the council.
Now fresh figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act reveal the final cost to the council for bringing BAR in - which takes into account the need to rehome Johnson's fish market and Ken Brown Boats - was £1.4m.
Tory planning boss Luke Stubbs questioned the figure, and believes it is closer to the £1m mark. Cllr Stubbs said: 'Gerald Vernon-Jackson (former Lib Dem council leader) should have secured a better deal in the first place.
'We had taken steps to try and get some of this money back, which is why BAR will be paying rent from year 10, rather than year 25 of their lease as previously agreed.
He added: 'The economic impact of having BAR is positive, and there is no doubt it's that exposure which has made it possible to secure the sponsorship for the Spinnaker Tower.'
The government awarded BAR £7.5m to set up base in Portsmouth to mount its America's Cup challenge, but did not factor in money for the council as part of the deal.
Entries Open for the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Qingdao, China
Returning to the waters of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, entries are now open for the fifth and final stop of qualification to the centrepiece final in Abu Dhabi (UAE), 26-30 November.
The Qingdao regatta on the 14-20 September has open entry available which presents a great opportunity to make the starting line up in Abu Dhabi at the conclusion of the 2015 Sailing World Cup series.
ISAF will again be offering sailors the chance to get their hands on a share of the €150,000 prize pot that will be split between all classes that make the minimum participation requirements.
Entries are filled on a first come first served basis with a maximum of 40 boats per class, and ISAF is also making available containers to ship your boat for a highly subsidised rate to Qingdao from various stops within Europe.
The Qingdao regatta organizers are also making available a number of 470 and Laser boats that can be accessed free of charge, but again on a first come first served basis.
To enter, a helm shall request an invitation for the ISAF Sailing World Cup Qingdao. Please click here to make the request.
Swiss Catamaran Safram Heads To Lake Balaton For Blue Ribbon Regatta
The Ventilo M1 Safram heads to Hungary on Thursday 2 July for the 47th edition of the Blue Ribbon regatta on Lake Balaton organised by the Hungarian Sailing Federation. This will be the third stop on the Safram summer sailing calendar that has for mission to promote Swiss sailing and the Bol d'Or Mirabaud at some of the biggest Lake regattas in Europe.
Balatonfured, Hungary: The Ventilo M1 Safram led by Rodolphe Gautier will compete in the Blue Ribbon (Kekszalag), Hungary's answer to Switzerland's Bol d'Or Mirabaud, this Thursday against a fleet of 620 boats.
The 170 kilometre race from one side of Lake Balaton, Central Europe's largest lake, to the other was created in 1934 and is almost a third longer than the famous Bol d'Or. Up until 2001, the event was run every two years, the fleet now races every year and it has been open to multihulls since 2010.
The Safram crew, fresh from winning Switzerland's Geneva-Rolle-Geneva and coming 10th at the Bol d'Or Mirabaud, just eight minutes adrift of the leader, are feeling ambitious.
The crew will include: Christophe Peclard, helmsman; Fabien Froesch, Fabian Racloz, Yves Guntern and Rodolphe Gautier, plus Attila Penzes who has won the Blue Ribbon once before.
www.kekszalag.hu/en/
https://www.facebook.com/SaframSailing
Dubarry Ultima - Quality Always Lasts
It's amazing to think how sailing has changed since Dubarry started making boots in 1937. The first marina arrived in the 1930s but there were no plastic boats to park in it before the 1940s. There was no yacht radar before the 1950s, nor auxiliary diesel engines before the 1960s, also when polyester sailcloth ousted linen and cotton. The 1970s brought instrumentation and the 1980s saw Decca come and go as GPS stole the show. Oiled canvas gave way to PVC, which yielded to GORE-TEX. Much indeed has changed, yet one thing has stayed the same: nothing signifies a confident, experienced, discerning yachtie like a pair of Dubarry boots.
Developed as a more luxurious, classical and traditional interpretation of the legendary Shamrock, on which the company's reputation was built, the Ultima is Dubarry's flagship boot. Its sole delivers award-winning, sure-footed grip. Its GORE-TEX liner is waterproof and breathable to keep you warm, dry and comfortable. Its Dry-Fast-Dry-Soft water-resistant leather weathers with grace and distinction, recording every nautical mile of your experience in the gentle, tanned folds of its sumptuous hide. It's clearer than ever that, though times may change, quality always lasts.
Dubarry Ultima - Where will you go in yours?
Sailing Charities Come Together To Provide An Inspirational Sailing Project In Portsmouth
The official charity of the America's Cup World Series Portsmouth, The 1851 Trust is to partner with The Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation to deliver inspiring sailing taster sessions to school children in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas throughout the summer holidays.
The Portsmouth Sailing Project is funded by Travis Perkins plc and will be hosted by Portsmouth Sailing Club from Monday 27 July until Sunday 30 August 2015. The project has a target of providing sailing taster sessions for up to 1000 young people aged 9-14 years during the 5 weeks of operation.
Through using specially adapted boats this project will also allow both disabled and able bodied young people to sail together during the 3 hour sailing session.
Based at The Camber, Old Portsmouth, next to the home of Ben Ainslie Racing, the temporary sailing centre will be officially opened at the America's Cup World Series event in July 2015 and provide an opportunity to grow grassroots participation in sailing.
Industry News
The world governing body for sailing, International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has appointed former Managing Director of Business Process Outsourcing and Sales for Accenture as the new Chief Executive Officer effective immediately.
With a history of developing brands, services, sales and organisational capabilities, Sowrey will continue to progress ISAF in all aspects and move the organisation forward into a new era of commerce, programs and infrastructure. As well as global business experience, Sowrey has also given advisory support to the 5 West team and Alex Thomson Racing.
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The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has announced the appointment of Malcolm Page as Head of Marketing and Media.
Page, who has previously been a Communications Consultant at the Australian telecommunications company Telstra, the Chef de Mission for the Australian Team at the Pacific Games as well as an Olympic athlete, brings a host of corporate and competitive knowledge to the position at ISAF, the governing body for the sport of sailing.
Page will report to the new CEO and takes the post with immediate effect at the ISAF Secretariat in Southampton, Great Britain. Page has responsibility for the Marketing and Media strategy, with the aim of driving the commercial and sponsorship arm of events and helping to promote the positive aspects of sailing from around the globe through all media outlets.
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Crewsaver has announced that it has been selected by Artemis Racing to become its Official Safety Supplier for the 35th America's Cup.
Crewsaver, a Survitec company, and one of the world's leading personal floatation equipment manufacturer, is excited to announce its exclusive safety equipment partnership with Artemis Racing; Crewsaver will be working with the Artemis Racing team to develop the most advanced, cutting edge performance technology available to date.
Two radical new buoyancy aids, including one designed to meet the sailors' unique needs aboard the foiling AC Class boat for the 2017 America's Cup itself, give the team light weight, breathable solutions that provide total freedom of movement and temperature control.
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Harken today announces a reorganization of its marketing team to increase engagement with customers and best support the needs of its business units.
Cathy Schnitzler has been named Marketing Accounts Manager. She will collaborate closely with Harken's business units to develop marketing strategies and budgeting priorities to assure optimal results. She will work with creative leadership to tee-up creative projects and lead the work-flow process - all the while dispensing historical context and internal 'street smarts' from her 25 years in the marketing department, most recently as Global Marketing and Communications Manager.
Bill Faude joins Harken as its Marketing Strategy and Creative Director. Bill is an avid sailor, serving on the Executive Committee of the International Lightning Class Association for more than 20 years. He represented the United States in the 2007 Pan American Games, earning a silver medal.
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City of Miami workers illegally removed mangroves from 300 feet of shoreline for the relocation of the Miami International Boat Show, giving ammunition to critics of the move to an area they say is too environmentally sensitive for the event.
A Miami-Dade County environmental regulator discovered the removal of the mangroves when checking out a pile of tree debris just west of the Miami Marine Stadium, according to the Miami Herald.
Federal officials estimate that northern Biscayne Bay has lost 82 percent of its mangroves. Cutting a mangrove in Miami-Dade County has required a county permit since 1996.
More than 300 feet of shoreline had been stripped of trees, including red and black mangroves, which provide protection from erosion and shelter for fish and nesting birds. A city manager told environmental regulator that the work was being done to ready the site for the boat show.
A city of Miami project manager said the city had obtained a city tree permit, but those permits only cover upland trees. The county is drafting plans to restore the mangroves and mitigate for the destruction of 2,000 square feet of canopy, said county spokeswoman Tere Florin. It's not yet clear whether the city will face any fines.
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 Dermot Bremner: I am sure I will not be the first to point out that the Water Wags of Dublin bay were conceived in 1886 and racing formalised in 1887 thus becoming the the oldest one dinghy racing class in the world. This precedes the Thames A Raters by one year (1888). Further some would argue that the Chesapeake log canoes were racing in the Oxford River, Maryland a lot earlier than that.
So the Thames A raters whilst old are certainly not the oldest.
* From David Brunskill: The Water Wag is the oldest one design dinghy in existence, having been devised in 1886 and formalized as a one design class in Ireland in 1887. The design ...
Design: Open timber punt
Mast height: 13 feet
Designer: Thomas B. Middleton
Great sailing at the Royal Colombo Yacht Club in the 1980's and team raced with the Royal Madras Yacht Club from 1924, the latest waterwag was launched at the Royal Irish Yacht Club on 29th June.
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The Last Word
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