In This Issue
Swuzzlebubble wins third Half Ton Classics Cup with a day to spare | Towards an exiting 8 metre World Cup finale | Land Rover BAR , Welcomed home to Portsmouth | Nacra 17 - Everything takes longer than you think | 72 Hours Until the Start of the Clipper 2017-18 Race | Seconds count at the Landsail Tyres J-Cup | Industry News | Featured Brokerage
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
Swuzzlebubble wins third Half Ton Classics Cup with a day to spare
Swuzzlebubble. Photo by David Branigan, www.oceansport.ie 
With an enviable scoresheet of mostly first and second places for the series, Phil Plumtree's Swuzzlebubble won the Euro Car Parks Half Ton Classics Cup at Kinsale, Ireland with just Friday's eleventh race remaining. A breezy penultimate day ended with a short coastal course in which the British boat placed fifth but was still good enough to confirm the overall win.
Plumtree's ten race series saw him dominate the 21-strong fleet from the opening race on Monday in spite of an eighth place in race three. However, four races on Tuesday left little room for doubt with all first and second places for the day while the event discard took care of the high score from the opening day.
Another first and second place on Thursday saw Swuzzlebubble start the coastal course with a commanding nine-point advantage. However, the race around the scenic approaches to Kinsale and the finish off the historic Charles Fort carried a 1.5x multiplication factor and several wipe-outs in the heavy conditions at sea saw Plumtrees team place fifth.
The regatta now returns to what had been suspected all week given Swuzzlebubble's pre-event favourite status after two previous titles: that the series is a battle for second place.
As has been the case all week with one day lost to high-winds, the forecast for Friday morning is for near gales but with a possible weather window to allow for an earlier starting-time of 0955 for a one hour windward-leeward course.
Top six overall standings after Day 4 - ten races (21 entries)
1. Swuzzlebubble Phil Plumtree (UK)
2. Checkmate XV Dave Cullen (Ireland)
3. Checkmate XVIII Nigel Biggs (UK)
4. The Big Picture Michael & Richard Evans (Ireland)
5. General Tapioca Philippe Pilate (Belgium)
6. Harmony Jonny Swan (Ireland)
Full results: results.kyc.ie/2017/halfton17os.html
Towards an exiting 8 metre World Cup finale
After today's layday, sailors and organizers are rested and ready for the two final days off the 8 metre World Cup off Hanko in southeastern Norway. There have been excellent racing sofar in condition varying from light, 6-8 knots, to yesterdays 16-20 in building seas. The Hanko course is difficult to sail, even for the home teams, as the current coming from the river Glomma gives the left tackers a lee bow advantage, which tends to be countered by a veering wind on the right side.
After six good races it is evident that the 2014 built Faroux designed Miss U is on a steady course towards the 2017 World Cup, although she has been beaten twice so far in the series by aging beauties from the Sira Class (boats built prior to 1960). Therefore there real competition is in this class which provides exceptionally close racing between the top boats. The fight for glory in this class is between Pandora, ex Raven, Wernes Deuring, AUT, Lars Ingebergs Wanda, NOR King Haralds Sira and Bangalore steered by olympic medalist Terry McLaughlin, CAN. Whereas Bangalore seems to thrive in light airs and being less comfortable in the stronger breeze, the others seem to go well in all conditions.
Yesterday gave the home crowds something to cheer about, when in the last race the fight for the top position in the Sira class provided extremely close and exiting races between Wanda, Sira and the 1930 Bjarne Aas design If Tom Knutsen, NOR. They were all leading at one point, and at the finish, only seconds kept them apart. You will not find closer racing even in the strictest one design classes.
In the Neptune Class for boats qualifying in the Sira Class but are restricted to use dacron sails and non self tailing winches, the fight is between, Carron II, Angelo Mazzarello, SUI, Saskia, Allan Manuel, GBR and Falcon, Jan Willem, NED. Elfe II. Andi Lochbrunner GER is leading the gaff rigged First Rule boats.
Tomorrow is expected light SW 6-8 knots, which could provide some interesting changes to the results. -- Mikkel Thommessen
Land Rover BAR , Welcomed home to Portsmouth
Sevenstar Racing Yacht Logistics Bring the Team Home. In a combined effort of complex, time-sensitive logistics, Sevenstar Racing Yacht Logistics have safely delivered home the team's most precious cargo - after a fantastic challenge by the team at Land Rover BAR contesting the 35th America's Cup in Bermuda earlier this year.
Sevenstar Yacht Transport are once again delighted to assist with the direct charter shipping for the return of Land Rover BAR's temporary team base, 35th America's Cup race boat, test boat, all the support boats and containers and of course the team crew personal effects.
Sarah Rickarby, Sevenstar Racing Yacht Logistics says "it has been our pleasure to work with the team at Land Rover BAR to safely deliver all their cargo to Bermuda and to also make sure it has come home safely to Portsmouth. Over the 3 outbound charter shipments and the return charter ship we have safely transported over 4000m3 of cargo for the team."
Sevenstar Racing Yacht Logistics
Meridians House, 7 Ocean Way
SO14 3TJ Southampton
Contact: Sarah Rickerby/Wouter Verbraak
Phone: +44 2380821030
www.sevenstar-yacht-transport.com
Nacra 17 - Everything takes longer than you think
When the Tornado multihull first appeared in the 1976 Olympics it was a proven nine-year-old design.
By contrast when the foiling version of the Nacra 17 was chosen for the 2020 Olympics, it seems some elements of the new design foils were pretty much thought bubbles.
Many observers believed at the time that component designers, Nacra management, the Class and World Sailing were underestimating the challenges of bringing foil development from screen to water, not as a working prototype that could be modified by a spare little or no expense 24x7 crew, but ready for Olympic level One Design production.
So it was that a year into this Olympic quadrennium, the first 2020 campaigners (one per nation) received their boats in late July 2017. Immediately quality problems in manufacturing problems emerged then came the design issues.
Sailing was suspended at the Aarhus Olympic test event last weekend, ahead of the Medal Race because of a design fault which affected all 47 of the boats so far delivered.
Unable to use their boats until they receive new daggar board lower bearing cassettes, many of the crews sailing at Grand Motte Worlds just over two weeks away, will have had their boats for three weeks and that is certainly a big hill to climb for everyone involved.
The Class is obviously the meat in the sandwich, Ben Remocker the Class Manager is doing his best to communicate and you can feel the pain as you read the latest update... but the real message is 'Everything takes longer than you think'
72 Hours Until the Start of the Clipper 2017-18 Race
With less than 72 hours before the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet line up on the River Mersey to start the 2017-18 edition of the 40,000 nautical mile race around the globe, anticipation is building in Albert Dock with crowds gathering to wish the fleet well.
The Liverpool 2018 Clipper Race yacht naming ceremony kicked off the action for the day, with the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, joining Clipper Race Founder and Chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, and Skipper of Liverpool 2018, Lance Shepherd on the bow of the yacht for a Champagne moment.
The Clipper Race fleet was also open to the public once again today. Two of the twelve Clipper70 race yachts, UNICEF and Garmin, opened their hatches to members of the public who had the chance to get on board and have a little taste of life on a racing yacht.
The Clipper Race starts on Sunday at 1230 (BST), with events at Albert Dock, Liverpool, starting from 0800 (BST). It will be streamed LIVE on the Clipper Race website: www.clipperroundtheworld.com/livestream and the Clipper Race YouTube Channel.
Seconds count at the Landsail Tyres J-Cup
Thrilling close racing is in the DNA of J Boats. With no less than four National Championships, the competition was incredibly close, for the first day of the 2017 Landsail Tyres J-Cup.
Spotting the shifts, and extra breeze, were keys to winning performances, with 15-20 knots of solid pressure coming off the land, the planing, asymmetric J Boats were romping around Tor Bay. The Royal Torbay Yacht Club, set two excellent windward leeward courses, with three races completed by all classes.
For the J/88 UK National Championship, the competition was intense, the biggest winning margin was 21 seconds, with four teams within a point of pole position after three races. Paul Ward's Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat, is tied on points at the top, with David & Kirsty Apthorp's J-Dream. Reigning J/88 UK National Champion, Gavin Howe's Tigris, won the last race of the day, to claim third, tied on points with Tim Tolcher's Raging Bull.
The reigning J/97 UK National Champions, Andy & Annie Howe's Blackjack II, opened their defense in style, winning two races. However, Bob Baker's Jaywalker is just a point behind, having won the last race of the day. Royal Torbay Yacht Club's George Rock-Evans, skipper of J/97 Juno, scored three podium places to finish the first day, third in class.
For the J/109 UK National Championship, three teams are tied at the top for first place, but only one of them actually won a race today. Robert Stiles' team racing Diamond Jem won the last race of the day, to secure pole position on countback from Simon Perry's Jiraffe, and David Richards' Jumping Jellyfish. Race winners in the J/109 Class included, Steve Berry's Blue Jay, and Stuart Hills' Jenesis. Mike Yates' Jago, and David McGough's Just So, also made the podium.
For the J/111 UK National Championship, Tony Mack's McFly, continued their impressive form exhibited at Cowes Week, to lead the class after three races. However, Marco Van Driel's Dutch J/111 Sweeney, showed championship winning from pushing McFly in every race. Paul Griffiths' Jagerbomb scored two podium finishes to claim third.
Action from Day One of the 2017 Landsail Tyres J-Cup. (Key Yachting/Louay Habib) Racing at the 2017 Landsail Tyres J-Cup continues tomorrow, Friday 18th August 2017, with three races scheduled for all six classes. -- Louay Habib
www.facebook.com/TheJCup
www.j-cup.co.uk
Industry News
US Watercraft, which builds the Alerion Yachts, C&C Yachts, True North Yachts and North Rip Boats brands, has been placed in receivership. The Rhode Island builder is also licensed to build several JBoat models.
Vincent Indeglia was named as temporary receiver by the Rhode Island Superior Court. The court met last week to assess and secure all of the company's assets. Its creditors are restricted from filing any legal motions against the builder.
US Watercraft's facilities are located in Warren, Rhode Island.
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The Greek Coast Guard is going after both domestic and foreign-registered vessels that carry out excursions in Greek waters
The Greek Coast Guard and a new government agency that is tasked with finding illegal revenue sources has stepped up a campaign against illegal yacht charters in Greece. Naftemporiki.gr reported that authorities are going after both domestic and foreign-registered vessels that carry out excursions in Greek waters.
The website said that a number of yacht charter vessels in Santorini were fined for under-reporting a charter in Greek waters. Five other charter boats were also inspected and fined. The businesses were shuttered by Greek authorities for 48 hours.
The Coast Guard also reported that two foreign-flagged yachts were fined for conducting charters that began and ended in Greek waters while the charters were packaged and paid for outside of Greece.
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Michael Schmidt Yachtbau in Germany has announced a new partnership with Bill Tripp for the design of a 70-foot sailing yacht.
This new model is part of a plan to develop a series of smaller semi-custom Carbon Sailing yachts.
Michael Schmidt Yachtbau (MSY) is increasingly becoming a more dominant player in the construction of fast, light displacement sailing yachts built in carbon. Currently the yard is working on a new 70-foot model to be launched in 2018, with Bill Tripp the chosen designer.
Bill Tripp an avid racer, started Tripp Design Naval Architecture in 1984. Today Tripp and his team, design and engineer state-of-the-art yachts, ranking from race boats to the largest sailing superyachts with offices in both Connecticut and Amsterdam.
The first information on the new project is expected to be revealed at the Cannes Boat Show in September this year. The first boat will be launched in summer 2018.
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Navico - the world's largest manufacturer of marine electronics and parent company to the Lowrance, Simrad and B&G brands - announced today the finalization of an agreement to acquire Naviop, a global leader in marine monitoring and control systems. Providing the integration framework to capture data from all boating systems, Naviop creates a digital ecosystem on boats outfitted with Simrad, Lowrance and B&G marine electronics, with the multifunction display serving as the hub for complete system control and information - all designed to enhance boater awareness and enjoyment.
Navico has approximately 1,500 employees globally and distribution in more than 100 countries worldwide.
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The tenth edition of the Yacht Racing Forum, in Aarhus, Denmark (November 27-28) will once again reassemble the sport's key personalities and actors, including a strong delegation of World Sailing representatives.
Kim Andersen, World Sailing's President since November 2016, will present a keynote address whilst other members will contribute to conferences on sustainability, gender equity, racing formats and more. " Those subjects are at the heart of our work", says World Sailing CEO Andy Hunt. "The Yacht Racing Forum gives us the opportunity to explain our actions and discuss them with some of the sports' leading influencers."
Now in its 10th year, the Yacht Racing Forum 2017 will take place eight months prior to the 2018 Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, where 1,600 sailors from 100 nations will race for medals.
Featured Brokerage
2002 Swan 45-009 'Luna'. 335,000 EUR. Located in Piombino, Italy.
Luna features two guest cabins and two heads, perfectly set up for two couples or a family of four to enjoy fast and comfortable cruising.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Nautor's Swan Brokerage - Giorgio Passarella giorgio.passarella@nautorswan.com brokerage@nautorswan.com
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2006 Marine Composite Racer-Cruiser. 260000 EUR. Located in Imperia, Italy.
SEAWONDER is an immaculate, race-winning MC46, launched by Marine Composite in late 2003. She is built entirely from pre-preg carbon over Corecell. She has been professionally maintained and has a comprehensive inventory of sails and equipment. A new bow and IRC/ORC keel were fitted in 2009.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
info@bernard-gallay.com
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2005 Comet 45 - ILVITELLO. 200,000 EUR. Located in Flensburg, Germany.
Composite rocket ship from Comar Yachts. 2005 build and comprehensively optimised in 2008 with new keel, rudder, carbon rig and a funky suit of Banks D4 sails.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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+44 (0) 1590 679222
ben.cooper@berthon.co.uk
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
Death gives meaning to our lives. It gives importance and value to time. Time would become meaningless if there were too much of it. -- Ray Kurzweil
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