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
One More Day To Victory At Quantum Key West 2016
Photos by Sara Proctor, sailfastphotography.com. Click on image for photo gallery.
It's coming down to the wire at Quantum Key West 2016 with several classes to be determined on the final day of racing. Organizers with the Storm Trysail Club held three more races on all three courses today in solid 10-14 knot winds that started out of the northeast and slowly clocked around to the east, all per prediction.
The 10 classes on Divisions 1, 2 and 3 have now completed nine races. Division 1 principal race officer Ken Legler and Division 3 PRO Wayne Bretsch intend to hold one start on Friday to finish a 10-race series. Division 2 PRO Dave Brennan has the option of running two races for the J/70, Melges 24 and C&C 30 classes.
No class is closer than IRC 1 where the TP52 entries Spookie and Quantum Racing are separated by just a half point. Skipper Doug DeVos (Ada, MI) steered Quantum to victory in all three races today and now has the low score of 16.5 points. Skipper Steve Benjamin (Norwalk, CT) and his crew on Spookie placed second in all three starts today and has 17 points.
The two designs are similar in being from Botin Partners and built to race in the TP52 class, but small differences men they have slightly differences in IRC rating. Quantum Racing owes Spookie about a minute over an hour-long race so match racing the rival is not an option.
Benjamin, who held the lead after winning all three races yesterday, said some poor decisions on sails deprived Spookie from having better results. "It will be important that we make the right sail choices tomorrow," he said.
Quantum Racing is a multi-time winner of the 52Super Series while Benjamin is a relative newcomer to the class, having just purchased the boat last summer.
The Melges 24 is another incredibly close class with skipper John Brown leading Blind Squirrel to a one-point lead over skipper Richard Thompson aboard Black Seal.
Black Seal, which earned the Mount Gay Rum Boat of the Day honors yesterday, has posted five bullets in the series. Thompson, who lives in London, was not happy that Blind Squirrel was match racing Black Seal in today's final race. Blind Squirrel finished seventh out of 12 entries, while Black Seal was eighth. Both boats threw out that result, but it could be more of the same one-on-one tactical combat on Friday. -- Dobbs Davis
Results: www.yachtscoring.com
Records Demolished At Mount Gay Round Barbados Race
Phaedo3 in the Barbados Race. Click on image for photo gallery.
Bridgetown, Barbados: Big winds, big speeds and the fastest ever times ever recorded made the 80th anniversary Mount Gay Round Barbados Race, one of the most spectacular in history with a total of five records broken, and each team winning their skipper's weight in rum.
Racing was over staggered starts commencing at 0700 with a good mix of yachts ranging from Classics including the stunning duo - The Blue Peter and Galatea - Ruth, the locally built 33m schooner, and a competitive group smaller boats including three J/24s. However, the stars of the show that set off last and raced 60nms round the island neck and neck were undoubtedly the two world-class MOD70s - MS Barbados Concise 10, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield, and Phaedo3 co skippered by Lloyd Thornburg and Brian Thompson. They promised to thrill, and indeed they did.
They jostled for dominance all the way round the course and ended their battle with MS Barbados Concise 10 claiming victory by just 12 seconds. They completed the course in a staggering 2 hours, 37 minutes, 38 seconds, shaving under two hours off the previous Multihull record.
Lloyd Thornburg co skipper of Phaedo3 added: "It was a great race but after sailing 60 miles flat out it was a tiring one. Well done MS Barbados Concise 10."
Another great record-breaking achievement came from local sailor, Trevor Hunte, who not only smashed the Windsurfer record he set in 2014 by an impressive 2 hour, 41 minute margin but also led the entire fleet all the way round the course to take line honours. He completed the course in 5 hours, 34 minutes, 16 seconds.
2016 records
Multihull - MS Barbados Concise 10 course time: 2 hours, 37 minutes, 38 seconds
Previous record: 4 hours, 42 minutes, 20 seconds
Windsurfer - Trevor Hunte course time: 5 hours, 34 minutes, 16 seconds
Previous record: 7 Hours, 59 minutes, 10 seconds
One-Design J/24 - Team College Funds course time: 8 hours, 37 minutes, 26 seconds
Previous record: 9 hours, 6 minutes, 38 seconds
60ft and Under - TP52 Conviction course time: 5 hours, 34 minutes, 16 seconds
Previous record: 6 hours, 7 minutes, 6 seconds
Singlehanded Monohull - J/24 Bunga-Bunga course time: 9 hours, 46 minutes, 42 seconds
Previous record: 9 hours, 49 minutes, 58 seconds.
mountgayrumroundbarbadosrace.com
Gill Showcases New Ranges At Boot 2016 DüSseldorf
Gill is out in force at Boot 2016 Düsseldorf - the 47th International Boat Show Düsseldorf - from 23rd to 31st January.
The technical clothing brand will have an enormous retail presence in Hall 12 / A52.
Gill will be launching the all-new KB1 Keel Boat Racer - the ultimate performance racing range. It uses an extremely tough 4Dot™, 3-layer waterproof and breathable fabric. It's 5% lighter and 50% more durable than its predecessor.
Alongside these premier new products, the vast Gill retail area will feature the full range of clothing and accessories for 2016. As well as a new Marina Jacket, this includes technical kit for ocean adventures, coastal cruising and dinghy racing.
All of these products will be available in Hall 12 / A52.
Newport Bermuda Applications Pass 100 In Five Days
Newport RI, USA: By mid-morning Tuesday, only one week after the entry system opened for the 50th running of the Bermuda Race,107 yachts have started the entry process online to qualify for a place on the starting line at Newport on June 17, 2016. "We didn't get 100 entries in 2014 until the fourth week into the process," exclaimed Bermuda Race Organizing Committee Chairman A. J. Evans.
"Activity this year has been so heavy that our Bermuda Race email server was swamped and we had to upgrade capacity. It was a good problem to have, although we regret the delays a few users experienced. Our new SailGate entry system, which ably handles the Fastnet Race entries, did not have any problem."
Race officials have reached out to anyone who tried to enter while the email server was down. Yachts that have registered their application for entry are posted on the website.
Widely known as "The Thrash to the Onion Patch" in recognition of the frequent rough weather in the 635-mile sprint across the Gulf Stream, this Bermuda Race is the 50th since it was introduced in 1906. Sailed in even-numbered years, the race had its largest fleet of 265 boats in the centennial race in 2006. Since then, the fleet has averaged 177 entries.
Applications for Entry in the 2016 Newport Bermuda Race will remain open until April 1 through the race website, BermudaRace.com. The registration and race schedules are posted on the Official Notice Board on the home page along with other important information. -- Talbot Wilson
One Ton Cup Revival 2016
Just over 50 years, after the first One Ton Cup was sailed at le Havre, France in 1965 and just 20 years after the last One Ton Cup Marseille 2014, the event is back in Europe. A group of enthusiastic One Tonner owners decided to organize the event ONE TON CUP revival 2016 at Breskens, the Netherlands from 25 - 28 of August.
The event will be open for all types of One Tonners and their sisterships, like Oyster 41, Oyster 37, Standfast 36, X-1Ton, X-402, J-41, Huisman 37, Contessa 35, Sprinter, Optimist A + B, Swan 36, Ranger 37, Tina, Norlin 37, First Class 12, Swan 37, High Tension 36, Baltic 37, Swan 371...
At this moment over 20 One Tonners are pre-registered. Yachts from France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. There are rumours that Chris Bouzaid will try to get Rainbow II over to Breskens. Rainbow II was the OTC winner in 1969 and the winner on the One Ton Cup revisited 2015, Auckland NZ.
Over the years there have been three One Tonner classes: 22 ft. RORC; 27.5 ft. IOR; and 30.5 ft. IOR. During the years yachts were more and more built dedicated for the One Ton Cup and evolved from cruisers to cruiser/racers to flat out racers.
The ONE TON CUP revival 2016, will be sailed under IRC rules and IRC rating system, in the three above mentioned classes.
The ONE TON CUP revival 2016 is a part of the Breskens Sailing Weekend 2016, the Dutch Open IRC Championships. In a few weeks' time the website www.breskenssailing.org and www.onetoncuprevival.org will be launched to fully inform you and to welcome your registration. In the meantime please contact Vincent de Vries at info@onetoncuprevival.org
Royal Lymington Yacht Club To Host 2016 J/80 National Championships
The J/80 UK Class Association is delighted that their 2016 Nationals will be hosted by the Royal Lymington Yacht Club. The racing will take place in Christchurch Bay which is a great open water venue with minimal tidal influence. Courses will be laid by the highly experienced race team in the Bay with the option to race in the more sheltered Western Solent in the event of inclement weather.
Racing will take place from Saturday 27th August to Bank Holiday Monday 29th August, with a total of 10 races planned for the Championship.
Registration will be available from Friday afternoon. A discounted three-night berthing package has been arranged with Berthon Marina in the centre of picturesque Lymington and adjacent to RLymYC, and which is only a short sail to Christchurch Bay.
Lymington and the surrounding New Forest are popular tourist destinations, so early booking of accommodation for crews, supporters and families is recommended.
Dubarry Crosshaven - Comfortably The Best Performer
Round the world racing teams have chosen Dubarry's Crosshaven in every edition of the race since the boot was developed with Green Dragon in 2008. 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 freezing winds 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
Premiere Keelboat Team Race Looks To Broaden Horizons
The goal is simple to define, but exponentially more challenging to achieve. "We want the Morgan Cup to become the premiere team racing event in the world," says Peter Levesque, a former team race world champion and the co-chair of the New York Yacht Club Team Racing Subcommittee.
Fortunately, the New York Yacht Club is starting from a position of strength in this regard. The New York Yacht Club Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Morgan Cup, which was first sailed in 2003 and will next be sailed August 5 to 7, is already one of the most competitive events in the United States for post-collegiate team racers. It annually attracts teams from some of the country's top yacht clubs, and the roster of sailors includes America's Cup veterans, former Olympians and countless collegiate All-Americans.
But team racing isn't just an American passion. "From traveling to team racing events outside the United States, we know first-hand the quality of the top teams from England and the rest of Europe," says Levesque. "Getting top foreign teams to compete each year in the Morgan Cup will raise the bar and make winning the regatta that much more of an accomplishment."
Levesque also notes that while the regatta has traditionally featured teams representing yacht clubs there is nothing prohibiting a group of sailors not affiliated with one particular club from joining forces and submitting an application.
Applications for the 2016 Morgan Cup must be submitted by March 1. -- Stuart Streuli / NYYC
For more on the event, and the rest of the Club's team racing schedule, see nyyc.org/yachting/teamracing/2016-morgan-cup
Very Rare Lighthouse Optic Set For Display In Titanic Quarter
Commissioners of Irish Lights and Titanic Foundation have been awarded a first-round pass from the Heritage Lottery Fund for saving, restoring and displaying the old optic from Mew Island Lighthouse, a very rare hyper radial Fresnel lens, in Belfast's Titanic Quarter.
Mew Island lighthouse, on the outermost of the Copeland Islands, is one of the tallest lighthouses in Ireland. It is an important Aid to Navigation at the southern entrance to Belfast Lough, built at a time when Belfast was the world-centre of linen, ship-building and rope-making, and one of the most important ports in the World.
The optic is the internal apparatus which gave Mew Island Lighthouse its traditional revolving light. Made in Paris in 1887, it is possibly the largest ever constructed, at a staggering 7 metres high, 2.6 metres wide and weighing up to 10 tonnes. The optic is one of 29 of the largest optics ever made, with only 18 still in existence across the world. It's one of only 3 similar optics in Ireland, none of which are now operational.
The optic, which was recently replaced by a modern solar-powered, flashing LED in March 2015, has already been transferred from Mew Island to the Irish Lights' offices in Dun Laoghaire where they are carrying out initial restoration works.
Where To Find As ISAF Course In France?
ISAF sea survival course and first aid course (PSMer).
Find here the addresses of centers approved by French Sailing Federation, their dates of courses, their prices (Excel file)
2016 Melges 20 Worlds To Be Held In Tuscany
Scarlino, Italy, best known as one of the top racing venues in the Mediterranean has been selected by the International Melges 20 Class Association (IM20CA) as the next location of the Melges 20 World Championship. Serving as the main event of the 2016 season, Club Nautico Scarlino (CNS) will host the event on 25-28 August.
More than fifty teams are expected to be on the starting line at Marina di Scarlino, one of Europe's very best host facilities situated near what is already a proven race course. This venue is no stranger to the Melges class of keelboats. In past seasons, Scarlino demonstrated itself to be a benchmark location in terms of racing conditions and first-class hospitality.
www.marinadiscarlino.it/club-nautico
www.melges20.com
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 David Evans: As we know the 2016 Youth World Championships to be held in Oman in December 2016 and the World Cup final to take place in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in October 2016.
As these are both Muslim countries, has World Sailing/ISAF received guarantees that ALL member nations will be allowed to send competitors and that they will ALL(in particular Israel) be permitted to compete identically, in particular in such as national branding, logos etc. Has World Sailing/ISAF obtained formal guarantees from Oman and the UAE that all competitors and their support teams will be given visas.
We do not want a repeat of the 2015 World Youth Championships, when Malaysia disgracefully refused to permit the Israeli competitors to compete on the same terms as every other nationality.
There is ample time to relocate these championships to a country that will abide by World Sailing/ISAF rules if Oman and the UAE will not provide guarantees.
Pressure needs to be applied to World Sailing/ISAF to implement its own rules, otherwise there is no point World Sailing/ISAF existing.
World Sailing/ISAF needs to stand up and be counted on this matter or forever be branded as corrupt.
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