Thursday 28 February 2013

Red Bull Youth America's Cup update, teams selected for September showdown

From the following ACEA article

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/4/events/12607/judgment-day-brings-elation-for-five-teams-selected-for-red-bull-youth-americas-cup

Five of the best youth sailing teams in the world have qualified for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup following a grueling two-week Selection Series in San Francisco. The 12 crews, from 11 countries, were pushed to the limit as they fought for the right to compete in September’s races.
National crews from Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland, made the cut to advance to the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup where they will meet five crews supported by current America’s Cup teams.

Double Olympic Gold medalists Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher, the Sports Directors for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, made the selections after closely monitoring the teams on and off the water during the two back-to-back selection weeks. With the high talent level and extreme motivation of the crews, there were hard choices to make.

read more here

America's Cup update, Artemis Team update on their AC72 development progress

A recent video update from Artemis shows some interesting onboard video and the team discuss what they have learned from sailing with Team Oracle on San Francisco Bay.  The Artemis AC72 catamaran is headed into the shed for another round of modifications to get it up to speed.

America's Cup Update, ETNZ the remodelled afterguard

Emirates Team New Zealand have put up a video update.

From ETNZ:

The all important afterguard has traditionally been made up of up to 5 people in the America's Cup on the IACC class of yacht. There is neither room nor time for such a luxury on the AC72's. Things happen so quickly that everything has changed.

Lexus Lincoln Race Week results

The Lincoln Race Week Regatta results on OMR:


Hosted By Port Lincoln Yacht Club

PROVISIONAL RESULTS

Updated: 21/02/2013 23:22:41

Series Results [OMR] for Division 4 up to Race 6 (Drops = 1)
PlaceTiesSail NoBoat NameSkipperFromTypeSers ScoreRace 6Race 5Race 4Race 3Race 2Race 1
1 GR297WILPARINA 11Robert RemiltonGRYC 6.02.0 2.0 [2.0] 1.0 1.0 ABN
2 YC666GOLDFINGERPeter BoydRSAYS 10.03.0 3.0 [4.0] 2.0 2.0 ABN
3 009HASTA LA VISTAGeoff KneeboneRSAYS 15.04.0 4.0 [5.0] 3.0 4.0 ABN
41.0SSA532CARBON CREDITPeter HawkerRSAYS 18.01.0 1.0 8.0 [10.0F]8.0 ABN
5 13THE TRIBEJohn HardyRSAYS 18.05.0 [6.0] 3.0 5.0 5.0 ABN
6 SA737ELDODavid EldridgeRSAYS 20.07.0 5.0 1.0 7.0 [7.0] ABN
7 V48PECCADILLOCharles MeredithMYCV 24.08.0 9.0 [9.0] 4.0 3.0 ABN
8 YC555MEDOSABrian SmithCYCSA 26.0[9.0] 8.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 ABN
9 SA432TimewarpGerald ValkRSAYS 28.06.0 7.0 7.0 8.0 [11.0C]ABN
10 125GNEISENAURoss McOmishGRYC 44.011.0C 11.0C 11.0C 11.0C [11.0C]ABN


(Ties: S=Score R=Race B= Bettered. Penalties: A=ARB B=BFD C=DNC D=DNE E=ESP F=DNF G=RDG L=Late Entrant M=DGM N=ENP O=OCS P=Protest Q=DSQ R=RAF S=DNS T=TLE U=DUT V=AVG X=EXC Z=ZFP Y=SCP #=NoData [x.y]=Discarded)

The Lincoln Race Week Regatta results on PHS:

Lexus Lincoln Week - Multihull Racing

Hosted By Port Lincoln Yacht Club

PROVISIONAL RESULTS

Updated: 21/02/2013 23:22:40

Series Results [PHS] up to Race 6 (Drops = 1)
PlaceTiesSail NoBoat NameSkipperFromSers ScoreRace 6Race 5Race 4Race 3Race 2Race 1
11.0SYC666GOLDFINGERPeter BoydRSAYS15.0[7.0] 6.0 6.0 1.0 2.0 ABN
22.0SYC555MEDOSABrian SmithCYCSA15.0[9.0] 2.0 3.0 5.0 5.0 ABN
3 009HASTA LA VISTAGeoff KneeboneRSAYS15.04.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 [6.0] ABN
4 GR297WILPARINA 11Robert RemiltonGRYC15.5[8.0] 7.0 5.0 2.5 1.0 ABN
5 13THE TRIBEJohn HardyRSAYS17.05.0 4.0 2.0 6.0 [7.0] ABN
6 V48PECCADILLOCharles MeredithMYCV17.52.0 9.0 [9.0] 2.5 4.0 ABN
7 SA532CARBON CREDITPeter HawkerRSAYS18.01.0 1.0 7.0 [12.0F]9.0 ABN
8 SA737ELDODavid EldridgeRSAYS19.06.0 5.0 1.0 7.0 [8.0] ABN
9 SA432TIMEWARPGerald ValkRSAYS28.03.0 8.0 8.0 9.0 [12.0C]ABN
10 88TRAINER WHEELSGeoff SchrammPLYC35.012.0C 12.0C [12.0C]8.0 3.0 ABN
11 125GNEISENAURoss McOmishGRYC48.012.0C 12.0C 12.0C 12.0C [12.0C]ABN


(Ties: S=Score R=Race B= Bettered. Penalties: A=ARB B=BFD C=DNC D=DNE E=ESP F=DNF G=RDG L=Late Entrant M=DGM N=ENP O=OCS P=Protest Q=DSQ R=RAF S=DNS T=TLE U=DUT V=AVG X=EXC Z=ZFP Y=SCP #=NoData [x.y]=Discarded)


The Adelaide to Port Lincoln Passage Race results:

LEXUS Adelaide Port Lincoln Yacht Race

Hosted By Port Lincoln Yacht Club

Race 1 (15/02/2013) PROVISIONAL RESULTS

Updated: 17/02/2013 14:30:33

Multi results Start : 15:25
PlaceSail NoBoat NameFromElapsdAHCCor'd TBCHSkipperClassScoreFin TimTypeETOrdDidNotDesignDiv No
1009HASTA LA VISTARSAYS21:29:260.87218:44:230.872Geoff KneeboneD41.001:12:54:26 1 Crowther Hemlock4
2V48PECCADILLOMYCV01:01:36:350.83321:19:580.732Charles MeredithD42.001:17:01:35 2 Chris White 46 Mk Ii4
3YC666GOLDFINGERRSAYS01:02:17:550.82721:44:560.713Peter BoydD43.001:17:42:55 3 Farrier F9a4
DNFYC555MEDOSACYCSA 0.700 Brian SmithD45.0 DNFSchionning Wildernes4

Wednesday 27 February 2013

New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club, Club night 28th February 'The Luna Rossa Challenge Story'

From the New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club Noticeboard
 
 
NZ Multihull Club Night
The Luna Rossa Challenge Story
At the RNZYS Dinghy Locker
28th February 2013 1900hrs

“This time you didn’t win but you certainly didn’t lose. You only lose when you don’t have the courage to return. Not winning is part of the learning process which leads you to success.” Peter Blake.

One evening, on the 3rd February 1997 in an office near the Duomo of Milan, Patrizio Bertelli and yacht designer German Frers are discussing the construction of a cruising boat. Suddenly German Frers asks Bertelli "Why don't we do the America's Cup?" "Let's do the America's Cup!" In 15 days, from scratch, the core of the sports program is designed; the Luna Rossa Team is born.

In September 2011 curious about the performance of the AC 45 catamarans, Patrizio Bertelli goes to Plymouth to follow the second round of races in the America’s Cup World Series. It's a rainy, cold day, with 15 – 18 knots of wind; yachts fly, they tack like
single-hulls, they nearly overtake the chase boat! Patrizio Bertelli immediately starts to think about the possible involvement of Luna Rossa in the 2012 ACWS circuit.
Come and hear Thomas Gaveriaux tell the story and the latest updates of the Luna Rossa challenge. All members welcome.

Thomas Gaveriaux
Design Coorindator, Luna Rossa
French, he acquired a wide experience in the design and building of multi-hulls, including the maxi trimaran “Sodebo”. He obtained numerous wins, both as a sailor and as a designer. They include winning the 2010 America’s Cup with BMW Oracle Racing, where he was design co-ordinator and structural engineering manager, and the Fastnet 2011 in the 40 class.

Farrier F-22 trimaran production update

The F-22 trimaran has taken another step towards full production and the Farrier production team are now infusing the deck and hull of F-22 hull no.2, they have also tested the initial carbon mast to destruction which has apparently yielded lots of useful information. 

read the whole factory production blog here

http://www.f-boat.com/pages/News4/FM-Factory2013.html


America's Cup update, news from Team Artemis

From the following Sail-World article submitted by America's Cup Media:

America's Cup: Artemis Racing suspends sailing program to modify AC72

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-Artemis-Racing-suspends-sailing-program-to-modify-AC72/106957

Following a couple of training sessions on San Francisco Bay earlier this month, when Oracle Team USA and Artemis Racing lined up with their two AC72s for the first time, as of February 22, 2013 the Swedish team has decided to suspend their sailing program in favor of boat modifications.

'In some ways it was tough,' admitted sailing director Iain Percy, when asked about the results of the two-boat training. 'We’ve learned we needed to make some changes to the boat and hence she’s come into the shed.'

Lining up against the opposition is an important reality check on progress, especially when testing a new class like the AC72. 'It’s amazing to be out there with another boat,' Percy said. 'You can learn heaps. Now, we have to look at a few things. We enjoyed being out there with them. We all know what one boat sailing is like, you go out and think you’re making improvements and then suddenly there’s another boat there and it’s huge (what you learn).'

read more here


Artemis and Oracle AC72's lining up on San Francisco Bay
From the following Sail-World article:

America's Cup: Paul Cayard confirms second AC72 build in Sweden

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Americas-Cup:-Paul-Cayard-confirms-second-AC72-build-in-Sweden/106972

Artemis Racing's CEO, Paul Cayard has confirmed that the team has a second AC72 under construction, in Sweden, and that they expect to be sailing the new boat in early May, two months ahead of the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Writing in his blog, Cayard doesn't reveal whether the team will opt for a fully foiling AC72, or if the Swedish America's Cup Challenger will stay in partial foiling mode, where the leeward foil produces some lift, sufficient to reduce the displacement and drag of the leeward hull, but not sufficient for full flight as the other three teams have been able to demonstrate.

He writes: I am currently fully immersed in my role as CEO of Artemis Racing. This is the team’s first America’s Cup Challenge and it happens to be the most complex of the seven Cups I have experienced.

read more here

And a video of the Artemis crew practicing their skills on some off the beach catamarans





Red Bull Youth America's Cup update, Aussies to compete in September

From the following Sail-World article submitted by Almira Rapisarda

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Youth-Americas-Cup-2013---Aussies-to-compete-in-September/106952

Red Bull Youth America's Cup 2013. Objective Australia has been selected to compete for the inaugural sailing event in September. Objective Australia was chosen after successfully competing in a rigorous selection series in San Francisco against 11 other international youth sailing teams.

Tony Walls, Team Principal, Objective Australia said, 'We are thrilled to be selected as the first Australian team to compete for America’s Cup success in over a decade. The Objective Australia team worked very hard in the lead up to, and during, the Selection Series held earlier this month.

Our selection confirms that Australia has some of the most talented young sailors in the world. We want all young Australians to know that dreams do come true and there is a reward for hard work. The chance to compete for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup is the opportunity of a lifetime.'

read more here


GC32 catamaran update, new video

A new video has been posted by the GC32 catamaran racing circuit.  It shows the boat nearly flying on its lifting foils.



US Trimaran Nationals April 25-28th in Pensacola, Florida

This event run by the Pensacola Beach Yacht Club is open to all sorts of multihulls (Farrier, Corsair, Weta, Windrider, and open multihulls (PHRF) with the main focus seemingly on trailerables.  They have put up a Notice of Race here:

http://www.pensacolabeach-yc.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=t54w1EegdtE%3d&tabid=71



Extreme Sailing Series update, 2013 season starts on 5th March in Oman

The Extreme Sailing Series 2013 kicks off in Oman on the 5th of March.

From the following Sail-World article submitted by the Extreme Sailing Series:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Extreme-Sailing-Series---Fresh-talent-set-for-Act-1-battle-+-Video/106973

Act 1 of the 2013 Extreme Sailing Series is set to take place in Muscat, Oman from fifth-8th March where three new skippers and two completely new teams will bring a wealth of fresh talent to the Extreme 40 fleet in 2013, along with a set of credentials that will make predicting, not only, the outcome of the opening Act but the entire Series a near impossibility.

Eight teams, 10 nationalities, 40 of some of the worlds’ best sailors will be centre stage in Oman as the Extreme Sailing Series 2013 commences on the 5th March at The Wave, Muscat. The original high-performance, stadium-style global racing circuit, designed for spectators, is set to come alight with the rash of new talent in its seventh season. The new and existing sailors have an impressive combined CV - 18 Olympic campaigns, 30 America’s Cup campaigns, 33 World Championship wins and six Olympic medals. In one week they will come together in Muscat, Oman, for the opening Act and, once again, sports fans around the world can follow the action online.

Two Oman Sail teams will be on the start line in Muscat and defending champion, Leigh McMillan will bring his 2012 winning experience to the crew of The Wave, Muscat, with the addition of new crew member Musab Al Hadi, a national F18 sailor. The second Omani team, making it eight Extreme 40s on the start line, will be announced on the 4th March.


read more here





Motive 25r trimaran new video

A new video of the impressive Motive 25r trimaran in action but once again only short so cant take too much away from it except that so far it's all looking positive. The boat is still in development and they mention they have changed the location of the waterstays to a higher point and switched from lashings to turnbuckles on the waterstays with beneficial results. They mention that new rudders are also in development. They have also decreased the overall beam of the boat perhaps to get the main hull flying sooner.

http://vimeo.com/60300499#

The Motive Trimarans website is here


Back from Port Lincoln to Melbourne delivery

   I'm back from Port Lincoln after a very pleasant trip.  It started on the 21st when I loaded my kit onto first a 737 at Melbourne Airport and then we transferred to a Dash 8 aircraft for the final leg to Port Lincoln.  The taxi's in Port Lincoln are excellent, very reasonably priced and there is also a bus service to the marina from the city centre.

   I enjoyed the visit to Lincoln it's a town steeped in maritime and fishing history and at one stage sailing ships used to load cargo's of wheat in the harbour for transfer to Europe these days the wheat infrastructure consists of massive silos that are used to load wheat into bulk carriers for transfer to destinations around the world.  There is also quite a large commercial fishing fleet based in Port Lincoln.

   Boston Bay itself is a very protected spot and the marina seems to offer plenty of berthing for even quite large multihulls I can imagine cruising the area being very enjoyable.  The great thing also about this area is the quite consistent winds which is of course great for sailing.  Also on my agenda in Port Lincoln was to have a quick look at the Lock Crowther Hemlock design trimaran 'Hasta la Vista'.  My delivery ride back is the 48' Chris White designed catamaran 'Peccadillo' you can see her in the background of the pic of 'Hasta'.


We had a few last minute repairs to carry out before leaving during the Lincoln Race Week the port running backstay became unloaded and struck the wind generator smashing off one of the carbon fibre blades.  The blades have to be changed as a set as they are balanced if you just change one blade it is liable to go out of balance and become noisy, load up the bearings and reduce output.

I met the crew with whom I would be carrying out the delivery I know Charles the owner of Peccadillo through the Multihull Yacht Club of Victoria of which he is the current Commodore.  Our crew consisted of Rex (ex Helly Hansen employee currently working at Hamilton Island sailing for a living (some people have it all :)),  Rusty (retired plumber and meticulous boatbuilder constructing a 40' Tony Grainger designed cruising cat and veteran sail tweaker and helmsman) and Rick (veteran of Three Peaks Race, yachtsman and all round good bloke).  I was the greenhorn/newbie I've sailed quite a bit over the years on small multihulls but big boat sailing on passage is very new to me thanks to the experienced and patient crew I have a more of an idea now offshore but still much to learn.

Peccadillo is a Chris White 48' Atlantic mkII catamaran it was constructed beautifully by a very careful home builder the hulls are of strip cedar construction with glass over the beams are strip cedar lattice type construction with carbon in the high load areas. The decks are durakore and the remaining areas of the pilot house are of marine plywood it's a very stiff structure and has no visible racking when being pushed.  It also has a front cockpit which I found to be very practical and made sailing the boat easy as all of the lines are in close proximity and comfortable seating is on both sides making it a very pleasant place to be.  It's also generally fairly dry in most conditions and has good drains allowing any water that enters to drain quickly and easily.  There is an outside helm that is mounted on a console and an inside helm in the pilot house.  When you select one helm the other automatically disconnects.  We mostly left steering to the very capable autopilot which we nicknamed "Sylvester" for the vaguely cat like noises it makes while actively steering the boat.

Peccadillo's forward cockpit showing console, binnacle, winches and instruments
 The pilot house contains an L shaped settee and table with seating for about six people it also contains (on the starboard side) a navigation console with wheel, plotter and instruments an AIS module has been added to the suite of equipment which is handy for spotting commercial shipping at long distance and establishing whether there is any risk of collision the incoming ships are visible on the chart plotter along with their speed and current heading.  the port side of the saloon contains a nav station and chart table with barometer and log.  Red lighting is provided in addition to white to prevent loss of night vision when it's dark or low visibility.  Down below there is the usual cantilever double berths amidships and a front v berth which could be considered a very snug double there are suction type manual pump heads on both sides of the boat just aft of the vee berth with hand basins and vanity units.  In the aft of the port hull there is a workshop forward of the hull entry from the pilot house and a shower behind the hull entry.  On the starboard side there is a galley down.  Auxillary power is provided by two yanmar 30 hp diesels one diesel is capable of propelling the boat at about 6 knots on cruise throttle settings with both engines on full you would see about 8 knots of speed.

 We departed from the marina and into Porter Bay and then into Boston Bay around lunchtime on the 22nd of February the maneuverability provided by the twin yanmars allowed us to undock with ease and you are able to turn the boat in a little bit more than it's own length.  The marina in Port Lincoln (Lincoln Cove) is somewhat of a boaties paradise with easy access through it's entrance in all conditions and plenty of moorage for commercial craft, powerboats and visiting yachts.

Lincoln Cove courtesy of satellite image from Google Maps
Exiting Lincoln Cove into Porter Bay
After exiting Porter Bay we  navigated out into Spencer Gulf, South past Kangaroo Island through Spencer Gulf and South for about 150 nm into the Southern Ocean luckily we had useful winds for this first part of the trip and due to a lucky and steady wind shift we could gradually curve our course around to the East without the need for a gybe.  Strangely enough on this trip we generally had a useful breeze spring up about midday and carry through the night normally dropping with the dawn.  There are a few options for stopping along the coast of South Australia if you want to seek shelter or have a rest but our intention weather permitting was to travel through direct to Melbourne and as it worked out the weather was very favourable. 

cruising along under motor into a nearly still morning
Over the first couple of days I was quite seasick not as bad as I've seen some poor sods suffer from it but it rendered me quite useless on the first day.  I think it was the confused sloppy type of seas we found ourselves in initially that made me queasy.  I used 'kwells' and followed their usage instructions but found they were not adequate to get the seasickness fully under control.  Charles had some stronger medication in the medicine chest which helped me get the motion sickness under control and by the second day out I was able to become a useful crewmember again and stand watches with the other crew.  I still struggled to sleep in the port forward v berth and spent most evenings sleeping on the pilot house berth.  Rick a man of much stronger constitution managed to tough it out in the often antigravity environment of the starboard side forward v berth.


Peccadillo cruising along under sail at about 10 knots
We set ourselves up on a four hour watch rotation that allowed one crewmember to "float" each day and relax or attend to other jobs on the boat that might need doing.  A new experience for me was the sailing offshore at night it was quite an experience to have the boat on autopilot and watch the miles slip past with the sails well set and only reefing down for comfort when necessary and watching the moonlight in the boats streaming wake.  This design is an effortless consumer of miles and when sailing we easily logged 200+ mile days when the wind was there.  We had not motored much prior to Cape Otway at most times at worst motor sailing much of the time but the wind dropped out as we approached the Cape and died fully after we had just rounded it.  We motored most of the next day but a useful breeze once again arrived in the afternoon and we could once again appreciate the silence and those special sailing boat noises as the boat powered under sail through the night.  Surprisingly the Southern Ocean dished up pretty warm conditions with mid twenties for most evenings in the pilot house and our heavy duty wet weather gear didnt come out of it's bag with light spray jackets being the order of the day.  For safety we wore our lifejactkets at night but there was no need to use our tethers when operating the boat from the cockpit.
Cruising along under sail at about 10 knots
We saw plenty of wildlife on this trip including dolphins, soaring albatross, gannets and seals lazing about sleeping on their backs.  No great white shark sightings this trip we could only guess that the Port Lincoln shark tour boat was attracting their full attention with the standing joke being that there seemed to be less guests onboard for the inwards trip than the outwards from Port Lincoln.

Once again we experienced a windless morning the next day with the wind dropping out before dawn and springing up to a useful level as we approached Torquay for the approach to the famous Port Phillip bay entrance "the rip" we arrived nearly exactly on the slack water and had an easy passage through the heads and headed into the Western Channel of Port Phillip Bay.  There was quite a bit of active commercial shipping around so we watched the AIS carefully as we headed up the bay towards 'Pecca's' berth on the Yarra river at the Pier 34 Marina.  The wind had really kicked in and first Rusty and then Charles had fun surfing the waves and powering up the boat in the 25 knots breeze our top speed for the day was 18.6 knots set by Rusty with Charles not far behind on the speed stakes it was hands on sheets with the main and jib sheets being held and ready to be released at a moments notice should the boat become overpowered.  As it turned out there was not a moment of anxiety and she handled the conditions beautifully just depressing the leeward bow initially and then lifting as dynamic lift from the hull took over pulling the apparent wind forward. We carried out several gybes as we headed down the Bay finally pulling up in the lee of the warship that is being fitted out at Point Gellibrand to drop our jib and mainsail before cruising up the river backing Peccadillo into her berth and tying off.  Overall on the trip we motored for around 30 hours some of that time the wind was up enough to usefully motorsail.  We did not have to take any reefs in the main but wound the jib in once on it's furler to make the motion more comfortable for the crew.  No need to worry about Charles as he is nearly immune to seasickness which is a handy gift to have.

Thanks to Charles for the opportunity to come along on the trip it was brilliant and to my fellow crew members Rick, Rusty and Rex for being patient with me when I was sick and helping me learn a bit more about sailing offshore on Peccadillo.

And a video of Peccadillo cranking along with Charles at the helm on our way through Port Phillip Bay to the berth at Pier 34:



Tuesday 26 February 2013

Sean Langman and Team Australia ORMA 60 smash Sydney to Hobart passage record

From the following Sail-World article:

http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=106860

Team Australia has set a new record for the 630 nautical mile passage from Sydney to Hobart. She crossed the finishing line off Constitution Dock at 16 51 20 this afternoon, to deliver a new elapsed time of 29 hours 52 minutes and 23 second, an amazing 12 hours 30 minutes and 49 seconds inside Wild Oats XI's 2012 record time.

Earlier we reported

Team Australia has been in 25kts North north easter steaming across Storm Bay with an ETA of 5pm at the finish in Hobart, 'boat is good, boys tired and very wet' says Josh Alexander , who also had this to say 'new top speed for this run 39.6 kts, we are coming home HOT!! At this stage the boat is set to go under 30 hours for the 630 nautical mile passage.


read more here

There is also a video from ABC News Australia here:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-02-23/new-sailing-record-for-sydney-hobart-passage/4535982?&section=news

Team Australia Sydney Hobart passage record attempt 2013 - Josh Alexander

RORC Fastnet Race update, more entries allowed in the Fastnet Race

The RORC have opened up more spaces for entry into the RORC Fastnet Race, a great opportunity to get your multihull entered if you have a craft capable of competing in the race.

From the following article on the RORC Fastnet Race minisite:

http://fastnet.rorc.org/news-2013/press-releases-2013/rorc-increases-entries-to-rolex-fastnet-race.html

With the entry limit of 300 filled within 24 hours, over 100 boats on the waiting list and entries from multihulls, IMOCA 60s and Class 40s still coming in, demand for places in this year's Rolex Fastnet Race have been greater than ever. To answer this unprecedented demand the RORC has decided to increase the number of places available for IRC rated boats by an extra 40 places, to 340. The addition of multihulls, IMOCAs, Class 40s and Mini Transats could easily bring the total fleet to 380 boats and to cope with this the club has decided to move the event to Plymouth Yacht Haven which has the capacity to supply the extra berthing that is needed.

read more here

MOD70 update: New team Orion Racing join the class

From the following article by Multionedesign

http://www.multionedesign.com/en/news/859/orion-racing-join-mod70-class.html

Orion Racing join MOD70 Class
 
Multi One Design (MOD) announced today that US-based Orion Racing has purchased MOD nr.02. “MOD is delighted to welcome an American boat-owner as it increases the number of nationalities in the circuit”, said Marco Simeoni, President of Multi One Design. “Orion will bring a new dynamic to the development of the circuit and promote the MOD70 series in the American Market.”
 
read more here
 
 

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Sailing Port Lincoln to Melbourne

I'm crewing on "Peccadillo" an Atlantic 46 catamaran owned by MYCV Commodore Charles Meredith to help deliver it back to Melbourne from Port Lincoln where it is currently competing in the Lincoln Race Week.  So I wont update for a few days.  Good sailing to you all and I'll be back on the air soon with a report on "bringing the boat back". 

And a quote from my good friend and fellow trimaran afficionado John Cadwallader with apologies to John Lennon:

"You might say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one"
"I hope one day you'll join us sailing on more hulls than one"

Peccadillo racing in the Three Peaks Race

Red Bull Youth America's Cup update, Weather forces Red Bull Youth's off the water

From the following article on americascup.com

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/4/events/12374/weather-forces-red-bull-youths-off-water

A cold front with winds gusting above 20 knots swept through San Francisco today and forced the six teams taking part in the second selection series for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup off the water.
As an alternative, the approximately 40 sailors met with ORACLE TEAM USA sailors such as Ben Ainslie, who talked to them about what’s required to succeed on an AC45.

read more here


Lincoln Race Week update

From the following Sail-World article submitted by Harry Fisher:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/2013-Lexus-Lincoln-Regatta-Week---Taylors-Island-Race/106741

After an abandoned race on the first day of competition, the 2013 Lexus Lincoln Regatta had finally achieved an official result after the Taylors Island Long Race that took place today. The majority of the fleet competed in the race except for the Sydney 38's who had three windward return races back-to-back in the bay.

A strong south to south-easterly breeze blew all afternoon and at times provided some action as the gusts increased to an exciting strength.

The racing, cruising, trailerable and multi-hull fleets all participated in the Taylors Island Race, which is a 44 nautical mile race around Taylors Island and back in to Port Lincoln and overall IRC and PHS (Overall Handicap) honours were closely fought for.


read more here:

Wilparina II, photo Harry Fisher

RORC Caribbean 600 update, trimaran Paradox finishes race just outside multihull record time

Paradox has just missed out on breaking the multihull record for the RORC Caribbean 600 which was set in 2009 by the ORMA trimaran Region Guadaloupe by 11 minutes. 

From the RORC race updates page

https://www.facebook.com/#!/RoyalOceanRacingClub 

#rc600

Paradox finishes at 03:22:52, the first boat to complete the 2013 RORC Caribbean 600 in a phenomenally quick time, just outside the record time set in 2009. Great sail guys!

And a more detailed recent press release:

Peter Aschenbrenner's American 63ft trimaran, Paradox from California completed the RORC Caribbean 600 in Antigua on 20 Feb 03:22:52, in an elapsed time of 40:22:52, just missing out on the Multihull Course Record of 40:11:05 set by ORMA 60, Region Guadeloupe in the 2009 race.
Paradox was just 11 minutes and 47 seconds outside the course record, which has stood since the very first edition of the race. However, Peter Aschenbrenner was still up-beat dockside:
"Fantastic conditions, really amenable to Paradox, that was a dream ride," smiled Peter. "We're really surprised that we were so close to the record. That time was set by a race boat and we are just a cruising trimaran with three year old sails. So to get that close was really astonishing and testament to what a great boat Paradox is."

In the Multihull Class, Lloyd Thornburg's Gunboat 66, Phaedo needs to finish by 12:52:30 to beat Paradox. At 05:35 Phaedo was 81.2 miles from the finish.

Trimaran Paradox



RBYAC update: Changing fortunes for second Red Bull Youth America’s Cup selection series

From the Americascup.com website:

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/4/events/12322/changing-fortunes-for-second-red-bull-youth-americas-cup-selection-series

The second Red Bull Youth America’s Cup selection series commenced today with teams from Argentina, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland in San Francisco with the hope of being selected for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup final in September.

Similar to the first selection series last week, the youth sailors, aged 19-24, went through an orientation process today where they were introduced to some of the sailors/coaches they’ll work with this week as well as the AC45 catamarans they’ll sail.

“We’re very happy to be here,” said Bernardo Freitas, skipper of the ROFF/Cascais Sailing Team from Portugal. “We have big expectations this week. We’ve done some practicing at home and expect a good result this week.”

read more here

Team Australia on standby to attempt to set new passage record for the Sydney to Hobart Route

Team Australia is Banque Populaire IV a much travelled ORMA 60 now setting new records "Down Under".

From the following Sail-World article submitted by Lisa Ratcliff

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Team-Australia-aims-to-shatter-long-standing-Sydney-Hobart-record/106719

The fastest yacht in the southern hemisphere, Sean Langman’s imposing 60-foot trimaran Team Australia and its six adrenaline-fuelled crewmembers are gearing up to try and break the first of a number of South Pacific course and race records. World-renowned marine forecaster Roger ‘Clouds’ Badham says conditions this coming Friday, February 22, could create the perfect weather window to break Mari Cha III’s 1999 course record from Sydney to Hobart.

Forecast fresh easterlies, little seaway and beating the start of the whale migration north from Antarctica are the necessary ingredients for the attempt. Based on current models all these elements are set to align later this week.

Langman and his crew are planning to leave Sydney Harbour from a set of bearings between North and South Head on Friday morning. They will use the famous Sydney Hobart yacht race finish line off Battery Point in Hobart to mark the end point of their record attempt.

A recording box will be installed tomorrow on Team Australia by World Sailing Speed Record Council representative John Brookes and the information verified at the finish, should the 14 year-old fastest course time be bettered.
read more here

and a video of Team Australia in action in the Sail Paradise regatta: