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
Lucky Claims Top Honors In Transatlantic Race 2015
Bryon Ehrhart's Reichel/Pugh 63 Lucky has been confirmed as the winner of the Transatlantic Race 2015 by the event's four organizers: the Royal Yacht Squadron, the New York Yacht Club, the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Storm Trysail Club.
Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark's 100' maxi Comanche recorded the fastest monohull crossing in 7 days 11 hours and 35 minutes (outside of the course record of 6 days 22 hours 8 minutes and 2 seconds set by George David's Rambler 100 in 2011), and Lloyd Thornburg's MOD70 tr
Winning the unofficial doublehanded sub-division of the Class 40 was Michael Hennessy's Owen Clarke-designed Dragon, which arrived in 11 days 20 hours and 12 minutes, 1 day and 13 hours after the Class 40 winner Stella Nova.
While the German boat was being sailed by a crew of four, Dragon, along with the other two American Class 40s competing, was racing doublehanded.
Jack Madden's Swan 60 Lady B was the only boat to arrive in Cowes today, claiming second place in the Cruising Class, behind Earl St. Aldwyn's Shipman 50 Zephyr.
Podium Positions on Corrected Time:
IRC Overall:
1. Lucky, 13d 11h 7m 41s
2. Outsider, 13d 16h 51m 51s
3. Mariette of 1915, 14d 8h 39m 48s
IRC Class 1:
1. Rambler 88, 14d 11h 38m 10s
2. Comanche, 14d 18h 40m 59s
IRC Class 2:
1. Lucky, 13d 11h 7m 41s
2. Outsider, 13d 16h 51m 51s
3. Grey Power, 15d 17h 6m 29s
IRC Class 3:
1. Snow Lion, 14d 21h 44m 0s
2. Maximizer, 15d 12h 59m 30s
3. Prospector, 15d 16h 39m 4s
IRC Class 4:
1. Mariette of 1915, 14d 8h 39m 48s
2. Dorade, 14d 22h 12m 53s
3. Scarlet Oyster, 15d 2h 34m 18s
Class 40:
1. Stella Nova, 10d 7h 11m 44s
2. Visit Brussels, 11d 3h 9m 0s
3. Dragon, 11d 20h 12m 7s
Cruising:
1. Zephyr, 17d 10h 35m 51s
2. Lady B, 17d 16h 11m 35s
3. Charisma, (still to finish)
Classics:
1. Mariette of 1915, 14d 8h 39m 48s
2. Dorade, 14d 22h 12m 53s
Fastest multihull (elapsed time): Phaedo3 7d 2h 4m 5s
Fastest monohull (elapsed time): Comanche 7d 11h 35m 11s
facebook.com/TransatlanticRace
Tracking: yb.tl/transatlantic2015
Second Wave Also Off To Fast Start In 48th Transpac
San Pedro, California, USA: A second wave of 18 entries in Divisions 4, 5 and 6 are now on their way west towards the finish at Diamond Head, 2225 miles away in the 48th edition of the LA-Honolulu Transpac. This biennial ocean racing classic is organized by the Transpacific YC.
The group's start today was in picture-perfect sunny skies and a building 10-15-knot seabreeze that had everyone so excited that a large pack of starters crowded the start line on final approach, with Bill Durant's and Jeff Shew's Santa Cruz 52 Relentless called back after the obligatory 2 minute delay specified in the Sailing Instructions.
Other than this hiccup, the second wave looks good to have a fast and clean break from the coast, at least until nightfall, when the wind may start to go into a lighter trend for the next 24-48 hours.
Meanwhile the first wave of starters from Divisions 7 and 8 are still enjoying great conditions and are well on their way to Hawaii, with the leaders having completed nearly 25% of the course. Now averaging over 9 knots, Tracy Obert's 59-foot ketch Marjorie still leads in the standings both in Division 8 and overall, while Paul Stemler's J/44 Patriot is runner-up overall and leading Division 7.
The tracks of this lead group have ceased going south and are starting to converge northwestwards back towards the rhumbline, indicating the breeze is also starting to rotate right for this fleet. Reports this morning confirmed this: skies were overcast, winds from 320° to 355° from 14-20 knots
Daily race analyses videos made by Seahorse Magazine USA editor Dobbs Davis are viewable here: transpacyc.com/transpac-media/videos
Rivalries Heat Up
Rivalries are being stoked one week ahead of the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series which begins next week with a Parade of Sail in front of the Waterfront and Fanzone areas in Portsmouth on Thursday July 23.
The first competition of the 35th America's Cup will be marked by massive local support for the host team, Land Rover BAR, which is led by Ben Ainslie. This is the Olympic hero's first opportunity to lead his team into battle in America's Cup competition.
Ainslie has been clear in stating his goal is to bring the Cup back to Britain.
"The America's Cup started here in 1851," Ainslie said. "We've had a few shots over the past 164 years but we've never come that close to winning. It's important to us to get that job done now."
But to do that, he'll have to beat the defending champions, Jimmy Spithill and ORACLE TEAM USA - a team he helped to victory in 2013.
"Ben is a really good guy. You meet him on the shore and he's very courteous, well mannered," Spithill says. "On the water though, you flick a switch. He becomes very, very aggressive and he gets the results."
Racing starts at the Louis Vuitton America's Cup in Portsmouth with practice racing on Friday, July 24.
The competition consists of four fleet races - two each on Saturday and Sunday.
Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Portsmouth, Powered By North Sails
There's only one week to go until the AC45s will be racing in British waters in front of what organisers predict to be huge crowds both on site and watching at home. North Sails will be powering the exciting 45 foot flying catamarans as they battle for ranking points in the lead up to the America's Cup 2017. North Sails, the world leading sail technology and production company, will be at the heart of the action with their experts and experienced professionals on the ground in Portsmouth working hand-in-hand with the teams from around the world to deliver speed and performance on the water. North Sails President and former AC skipper Ken Read will also be in Portsmouth commentating and offering his unique insight into the racing action.
After practice racing on Friday July 24th, be sure to follow the weekend racing on TV or live from the Great Waterfront Festival Site, which offers entertainment and family fun, or from the dedicated Fanzone grandstand.
Get involved at acws-portsmouth.americascup.com/en/home.html
#northsails
Dziwnow Match Race
It has been a while since Team Gilmour has been out on the water match racing, but we are excited to be in West Poland this weekend for the Dziwnow Match Race. David has been super busy with his 49er campaign and has brought Rhys (his 49er sailing partner) along this week to join TG. We also welcome aboard Jakob Wilson from Sweden as our tactician who has been doing some match racing with his own Team Rost and some M32 sailing. Pete Nicholas the lynch pin of this team has been busy sailing with the RC44 events and Stena Match Cup Sweden but is still up on the bow doing his thing.
We will be sailing the Tom 28 class this week which we are familiar with from sailing in events at the Chicago Match Race Centre. The venue will be interesting, with the current plan to sail on the river/estuary to the South of Dziwnow town. A tight space with a number of obstruction will make the racing close and exciting.
The event is an ISAF Grade 2 event and also a qualifier for the WMRT, Sopot Match Race. The format is a single round robin, quarter finals, semi finals and finals. The top team from the round robin progresses straight to the semi finals, while 2nd to 7th have to battle for their spot in the semi final. Every race counts! -- Team Gilmour
Teams competing this weekend (ISAF Ranking)
David Gilmour AUS 8
Sam Gilmour AUS 14
Olli-Pekka Lumijarvi FIN 20
Przemysław Tarnacki POL 26
Philip Bendon IRL 30
Marek Stanczyk POL 31
Patryk Zbroja POL 55
Markus Ronnberg FIN 62
Connor Miller GBR 76
Lukasz Wosinski POL 86
Raimondas Siugzdinis LTU 450
Piotr Harasimowicz POL 867
www.polishmatch.pl/en
https://www.facebook.com/PolishMatchTour
Azzurra Wins the Coastal Race and Consolidates Her Leadership
Azzurra's lead in the 52 World Championship is further consolidated with her consistent strong placements today. She is now leading the second placed boat by 14 points.
With a win in the coastal race and a second place in the windward/leeward race that came before it, Azzurra finished a long day on the water in the best of ways consolidating her leadership in the 52 World Championship with 14 points on the second placed boat in the provisional rankings: Bronenosec.
Racing with commentary in English can be followed live via Virtual Eye on the website www.azzurra.it
Racing continues through Saturday.
52 World Championship Puerto Portals after 6 races
1. Azzurra, Pablo/Alberto Roemmers, ARG, 17 points
2. Bronenosec, Vladimir Liubomirov, RUS, 31
3. Alegre, Andres Soriano USA, 33
4. Quantum Racing, Doug DeVos, USA, 33
5. Platoon, Harm Müller-Spreer, GER, 35
6. Provezza, Ergin Imre TUR, 36
7. Phoenix, Eduardo de Souza Ramos, BRA, 40
8. Sled, Takashi Okura JPN, 41
9. Ran Racing, Niklas Zennstrom SWE, 41
10. Paprec, Jean-Luc Petithuguenin FRA, 52
11. Gladiator, Tony Langley GBR, 54
12. Xio/Hurakan, Marco Serafini ITA, 56
Formula 18 Worlds: Flying Dutchmen Larsen/Van West Impress On Day 2
On Wednesday the Formula 18 fleet had a good day on the water. Four races could be sailed and they only have to do one more to complete qualifications. Defending 2014 World Champions Gunnar Larsen and Ferdinand van West impressed with the lowest overall score of all 167 boats and are leading the pack. In second position Mitch and Ruben Booth, Jorden Veenman and Frank de Waard are third.
Conditions on the water were spectaculair and sailors often did double trapeze.
Unfortunately also a big crash occurred where three boats were involved. Simon Flack, one of the victoms: "Shortly after the start of race 3 of the series Neil and I sailed a port lane out and sailed past a French boat stuck 'in irons'. As we passed, the boats powered up behind and upwind of us. This was just at the moment that we were crossing behind a German boat. The French bore down on us at great speed hitting our boat and knocking myself off the back. Result: our boat screwing hard into wind and into the passing German boat. We hit his shroud causing his mast to fall down and cutting a huge slice out of mine!"
On Thursday conditions are very light. Races are scheduled at 10:00 and hopefully qualifications can be completed.
Industry News
The Endeavour Community Sailing Program has announced the selection of the O'Pen BIC dinghy for the new community effort to inspire Bermuda youths for sailing. The O'Pen BICs will also be used in their STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).
"We're very fortunate to have BIC Sport support the Endeavour program for youth sailing," said Tom Herbert-Evans, who manages the program. "The O'pen BIC is a very fun boat to sail. It's light, it's fast, it's exciting and that makes it an ideal platform to get kids hooked on the sport. If we can make their first experience on the water a thrill, they'll keep coming back."
Russell Coutts, a five-time winner of the America's Cup, and the CEO of the America's Cup Event Authority agrees, calling the O'Pen BIC "a great junior boat."
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Marlow Ropes Ltd has added Technical Marine Supplies Ltd. (TMS) as an accredited distributor to its global network.
Plymouth based TMS provides technical support, supply and distribution to the UK leisure marine industry.
The company already handles product ranges from leading marine deck hardware manufacturers, making them ideal partners for Marlow Ropes Ltd and its range of products.
TMS is able to offer complete stocking solutions from Marlow Ropes Ltd. for both chandleries and riggers. The new partnership means Marlow Ropes Ltd. continues to develop their availability to customers.
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Garmin, the global GPS technology company, will be a second-time Team Sponsor in the Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race following the brand's successful sponsorship in the last edition of the ocean adventure.
The Garmin team will be led by British Skipper Ashley Skett. Ashley (31) and his crew will represent the world's leading manufacturer of navigation and electronics products in the automotive, aviation, marine, outdoor and fitness markets.
The race's crew and Skippers will use and test Garmin products such as its marine navigation equipment, VIRB action cameras and fitness trackers during the 40,000 mile circumnavigation.
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BMW will be on board the 35th America's Cup as Global Partner of the America's Cup Event Authority (ACEA), the event organizer.
BMW will also support ORACLE TEAM USA as Technology Partner. The team's mission is to win the America's Cup for the third consecutive time.
As Technology Partner, BMW will provide its engineering competence to ORACLE TEAM USA in fields including aerodynamics. "BMW was an important technology partner for us when we won the America's Cup in Valencia in 2010," said Jimmy Spithill, the winning skipper of the last two editions of the competition.
For BMW, this commitment to the America's Cup is the manufacturer's fourth involvement in the prestigious competition. BMW was the first premium automobile manufacturer to participate in the event with the ORACLE BMW Racing team at the 31st America's Cup 2002/03 in Auckland (New Zealand). A further two campaigns followed with the BMW ORACLE Racing Team, which defeated the defending champions from Switzerland, Alinghi, to win the 33rd America's Cup in Valencia in 2010.
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The financial struggles of the company funding two new builds at Moonen Shipyards have in turn caused monetary problems for the yacht builder. It has filed for what's termed suspension of payment, which involves restructuring.
In The Netherlands, a business can ask a court to grant suspension of payment to avoid bankruptcy. Suspension of payment can last as long as 18 months. A court-appointed administrator assists the company during this period in its negotiations with creditors and all other financial matters.
Moonen's problems stem from those of Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA), the largest integrated steel plant in Mexico. It's a major shareholder, further financing two of the Caribbean Series megayachts in build. Due to a sharp drop in steel prices this year, partly blamed on an increase in steel imports from China at dumping (quite low) prices, AHMSA has laid off thousands of workers in recent weeks.
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The Last Word
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