America's Cup update, Team Oracle and Team Artemis sail around the course together

A video recorded and narrated by John Nava's of Team Oracle and Team Artemis practicing together on San Francisco Bay.  Team Oracle generally looks faster but Artemis does not seem to far off the pace.

ISAF Sailing World Cup, Melbourne, Australia December 1st to 8th 2013

The Notice of Race has been published for the ISAF Sailing World Cup to be held at the Sandringham Yacht Club December 1st to 8th 2013.  The big news from a multihull perspective is the integration of the Nacra 17 racing catamaran as a class.

The NoR can be downloaded here

The Sail Melbourne website is here

Sail Racing Magazine, July 2013 edition available free online

The July edition of Sail Racing Magazine is available the high point for me was the excellent interviews with Paul Larsen of Sailrocket but the AC news and the interview with Mark Turner of the Extreme Sailing Series were also interesting.

The .pdf is available below

http://static.squarespace.com/static/518aa3eee4b04323d507b898/t/51e04bbae4b047ef864e9b43/1373653946000/SRM%20July%202013%20Issue.pdf

Western Region Regatta & South Australia vs Victoria (off the beach) Catamaran Challenge, Rivoli Bay South Australia

To be held on the Melbourne Cup weekend 2nd and 3rd of November 2013 in the beautiful Rivoli Bay, SA.  Open to all off the beach craft see brochure below for more details.

http://www.yachtingvictoria.com.au/site/yachting/vic/downloads/WRR%202013%20RBSC%20Brochure.pdf

More information and sailing instructions on the Rivoli Bay Sailing Clubs facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rivoli-Bay-Sailing-Club/168831696463019

Racing at Rivoli Bay, photo courtesy Rivoli Bay Sailing Club

America's Cup update, Jonathon MacBeth on his role as grinder for Team Oracle

As AC72 catamarans do not allow stored power for operation of onboard systems the grinders onboard are the engine room and responsible for generating the hydraulic and mechanical power working in conjunction with the wing trimmers to get the maximum out of the boat.  In this video from Team Oracle Jonathon Macbeth discusses his role as grinder.

Ted Warren Ultralight 20 trimaran, sailing on Buzzards Bay

Ted Warren of Warren Light craft has uploaded another video of the new Warren Ultralight 20 trimaran.  This very interesting minimalistic trimaran weighs 175lbs features carbon construction in the hulls as standard and is car toppable.   The "R" version features a larger rig and full carbon construction, float lifting foils and float rudders are optional.  These boats are custom built so you can choose from a range of options to personalize your boat to exactly what you want. 

Red Bull Youth America's Cup update, Australian youth team Objective Australia head to San Franciso to start training on AC45 catamaran

From the following article submitted to Sail-World by Simon Reffold:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Red-Bull-Youth-Americas-Cup---Objective-Australia-team-heads-off/112596

Red Bull Australia and NZ MD Jason Sargent joined Yachting Australia CEO Phil Jones today, in wishing Objective Australia Team members all the best in their preparations for the upcoming Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. Objective Australia is the team that will represent Australia in this upcoming inaugural series.

The event, an initiative of Red Bull, is the curtain raiser to the America’s Cup and will be sailed in the AC45 Class boats on San Francisco Bay from 1st to 4th September.

Three things mark this event as a standout; firstly the crews are all country of origin, returning to the original America’s Cup approach. The second is that the event is for youth teams 18-24 years of age. Finally, this is a fleet racing event, where the 10 country competitors will be head to head on the line in the exceptionally fast and exciting AC45 Catamarans that have been racing around the world for the past three years.

read more here

The teams facebook page is here

Extreme Sailing Series, Porto highlights video

America's Cup update, Emirates Team New Zealand elect to advance to final after winning 9 races straight in the Louis Vuitton Challenger series

From the following article on americascup.com

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/3/news/16928/emirates-team-new-zealand-elects-to-advance-to-louis-vuitton-cup-final

Emirates Team New Zealand today won its ninth consecutive race of the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America’s Cup Challenger Series, cementing its status as the top team in the challengers’ series.
Later in the day skipper Dean Barker announced his team would exercise its right to advance to the Louis Vuitton Cup Final, scheduled to begin Aug. 17. Emirates Team New Zealand earned that right by winning the round robin of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Emirates Team New Zealand will race either Artemis Racing or Luna Rossa Challenge. Those two teams will race the Louis Vuitton Cup Semifinal, scheduled Aug. 6-15.
Barker said the team considered racing the semifinals, but in the end opted to advance development program of Aotearoa, the team’s AC72.

read more here

Small Trimarans blog, update on the relaunch of the Cross 26' trimaran POCO LOCO

From the following entry on the excellent http://smalltrimarans.com blog

http://smalltrimarans.com/blog/?p=10082

Cross 26 Trimaran POCO LOCO Sailing Again

The Cross 26-foot trimaran named POCO LOCO is sailing once again. (We first featured this boat here).

Sailor-owner Brandon Walters worked hard (with lots of help along the way from others) to complete its restoration. And he is very pleased with the results.

Apart from the boat itself being a great, original design from Norm Cross, the foundation for this project’s success was the fact that the boat was at least structurally sound to begin with. That is key.
There has to be some point at which a prospective sailor says to himself or herself, “Hey, I’d rather build a new boat than restore this one.” But such decisions are subjective, aren’t they? Such is the nature of our individual desires and dreams.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, The Wave Muscat claim the victory in Act 5 Porto

From the following article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/a-relentless-the-wave-muscat-wins-act-5-in-porto#.UfVpn1OoV0o

- Down to the wire and the final double pointer between Alinghi and The Wave, Muscat with both teams now tied on points in the overall Series standing

- Realteam claim first ever podium finish

- Porto delivers the ultimate challenge in Stadium Racing

- Portugal’s most successful Olympic windsurfer João Rodrigues wins NeilPryde Windsurf Racing Series

- Watch how the final race played out here

Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series™ in Porto has delivered the ultimate challenge in Stadium Racing for the eight international teams competing this week, with a narrow river, high walls, strong tides, big rocks and gusty winds to contend with. After 30 races it came down to the wire between The Wave, Muscat and Alinghi in the final double pointer with just three points separating two of the most experienced teams on the circuit. Impeccable boat handling from McMillan and a win in the final race – their tenth of the Act - ultimately saw the Omani flagged team claim a deserved win who have been unflappable this week having led the charge since race eight.

read more here

America's Cup update, Glenn Ashby takes a turn at helming Emirates Team New Zealand AC72 catamaran while Dean Barker has a break

From the following article submitted to Sail-World by Bob Fisher:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Cheap-point-for-new-helmsman/112531

For the first time in the Louis Vuitton Cup races for six years, Dean Barker was absent from the wheel of Emirates Team New Zealand, and his place as helmsman was taken by Glenn Ashby, normally the wing trimmer.

Ashby’s credentials for the job are more than sufficient, having won 14 world championships in three multihull classes and ten Australian A-class catamaran championships.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, Realteam recruit multihull racing expert Pierre Pennec to fast track their sailing skills

Extreme 40 team Realteam have called on the skills of Extreme 40 expert Pierre Pennec to tutor the crew and speed their rise through the ranks of the fiercely competitive Extreme 40 circuit.

GF42 New 42' trimaran design intended for cruising and racing round the buoys and offshore

Greg Lynn has emailed me about his new trimaran a 42' design intended to strike a balance between some creature comforts and high performance.  The trimaran is under construction now and will be a great addition to the growing SoCal multihull scene.  The project is being carried out on as tight a budget as possible.  The tooling and molds will allow the construction of more boats to the same design as part of a limited production run if there is interest.

Greg writes: It is a custom trimaran for my use that I designed in collaboration with Fred Courouble (www.couroubledesign.com) for my own use in Southern California for day sailing with my family and friends as well as coastal and buoy racing.  All of the information on the design and build team as well as some of the specs are on the website and there are some photos on the facebook page:

Read more on this interesting project below:

www.glyacht.com

More updates available on the Greg Lynn facebook page below:

www.facebook.com/greglynnyacht

GF42 Sailplan, copyright Greg Lynn Yachts

GF42 deckplan, copyright Greg Lynn Yachts

The GF 42 trimaran design, construction team and material suppliers below:

DESIGN: Frederic Courouble & Greg Lynn, Venice, CA http://www.couroubledesign.com/ & http://www.glyacht.com/

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: HDS, Brest, France http://www.hds-design.com/
CFD: CFD Max (boat) & Dr. Benjamin Herry (foils) http://www.cfdmax.com/
RIG DESIGN: Torbjorn Linderson http://www.linderson.com/
BUILDER: Westerly Marine, Santa Ana, CA http://westerly-marine.com/
CNC FEMALE TOOLING: Kreysler & Associates, American Canyon, CA http://kreysler.com/
CARBON SUPPLIER: Metyx Composites, Istanbul, Turkey http://www.metyx.com/

Extreme Sailing Series update, Race report on day 3 of Act 5 Porto

From the following race report on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/podium-wide-open-ahead-of-porto-final-showdown#.UfQehlOoV0o

- Five races and four different race winners as Alinghi home in on The Wave, Muscat
- Realteam on course for their first podium finish – helm Pierre Pennec and skipper Jérome Clerc talk about the partnership here
- Local contingent ROFF Cascais Sailing Team up the ante securing a string of finishes in the top half of the fleet

- Watch the replay of today’s Stadium Racing here

The public descended on the banks of the river Douro today to watch the Extreme 40s in action where five races were completed with four different race winners in the most challenging conditions the fleet have faced this week. Patchy wind and strong currents made it hard for the teams to post consistent results, with the leaderboard becoming closer with every race and setting the scene for tomorrow’s final showdown which is set to go down to the wire.

read more here

Video replay of day three's racing below:

Russell Brown releases Ebook on wood/epoxy construction techniques

Russell Brown has released an Ebook on wood/epoxy construction techniques. It's affordable and a good reference for those undertaking wood/epoxy boatbuilding projects it covers the basic techniques in detail with some good tips as well.

http://ptwatercraft.com/ptwatercraft/E-Books.html

thanks to Joe Farinaccio over at the excellent http://smalltrimarans.com blog for the link

Great Cup update, GC32 catamaran's set to race as part of Cowes Week in the UK

The Great Cup organization have noted their intention to have three GC32 catamarans ready to race as part of Cowes Week in a recent press release (reproduced below).  It's a good chance to check out these impressive foiling one design catamarans if you are in the local area.  The Great Cup are putting in place a circuit to provide tight one design racing with the last event being held in Lake Traunsee in Austria.

State of the art GC32 catamarans to make their UK debut at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

 

While America’s Cup racing is taking place in San Francisco aboard the extraordinary 40+ knot AC72 catamarans, visitors to Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week will get a taste of state of the art catamaran racing as the Great Cup makes its UK debut during the world’s most famous sailboat regatta.
 
The Great Cup, a new circuit due to launch properly in 2014, is raced in latest generation GC32 one design catamarans. These have been designed by foil expert and fluid mechanics PhD Martin Fischer, designer of several World Championship winning F18 dinghy catamarans such as the Phantom, as well as the foils on Franck Cammas’ Volvo Ocean Race victor, Groupama.
 
These 10m long by 6m wide catamarans are built by Premier Composite Technologies in Dubai and feature reverse ‘Dreadnought’ bows, L-profile rudders and unique double S-shaped daggerboards, with control lines to alter their pitch.
 
To get technical momentarily - the daggerboards are not raised and lowered between tacks, but are always either fully or partially down. Fully lowered, the daggerboards provide maximum area to prevent leeway when sailing upwind. Uniquely, in this configuration the pitch of the windward board can be altered thereby pulling the weather hull down and creating extra righting moment (a feature banned on AC72s).  When off the wind the boards are raised slightly. This causes their surface area to be reduced and, thanks to their double-S shape, the boards to become angled in, providing vertical lift.
 
Three GC32s will be competing in the Multihull class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.
 
Spax Solutions is being campaigned by Frenchman Laurent Lenne, creator of the Great Cup and the GC32 catamaran. While he now runs his quality management company in Amsterdam, Lenne spent his formative years studying yacht design in Southampton.  “I am really exciting to bring this new class to Cowes Week,” he says. “It has been years since I last sailed on the Solent, but I have great memories of it and I am looking forward to some exciting sailing there.”
 
Racing with Lenne will be his right hand man in the Great Cup, Australian former Tornado sailor Andrew Macpherson, plus Swedish Volvo Ocean Race sailor Mikael Lundh and young New Zealand match racer and former China Team AC45 crewman James Williamson.
 
An all-British GC32 crew will be racing on Time on the Water, named after the company run by former Team GBR Olympic Tornado sailor and Extreme 40 helmsman Hugh Styles. On board with Styles, who is today coach of British Laser Radial ace Ali Young, will be other ex-Team GBR squad members, 470 sailor Richard Mason and 49er crew Rick Peacock, plus catamaran expert Adam Piggott.  
 
“It's great to bring such a cutting edge technology catamaran to the UK,” enthuses Styles. “I’m really looking forward to steaming down the Solent at 27 knots. Cowes will be a great venue to showcase the boat in conventional Solent course racing. Plus the GC32, like the X40, can race with a fifth man on board, so in the afternoon we can share experience with any guests who are lucky enough to have a go.”
 
Another strong contender will be Flavio Marazzi’s Marwin team. Marazzi is making his transition to catamarans having previously represented his native Switzerland in the Star class at both the Athens and Beijing Olympic Games. Also racing on board is Swiss 470 turned Nacra 17 Olympic catamaran sailor Matías Bühler, Diego Stefani from Uruguay and France’s Nicolas Heintz.
 
“I'm looking forward to my first Cowes Week and the first international appearance of the GC32 class in a traditional regatta on the open water,” says Marazzi. “We also feel ready to test the boat in windy and choppy conditions in the Solent. The regatta will show that catamaran sailing can be indeed a lot of fun for sailors, guests AND spectators.” 
 
The first ever regatta for the Great Cup was held during Allianz Traunsee Race Week on Lake Traunsee in Austria in May, and the boats have since competed in the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, the foremost event on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. As Marazzi states, Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week will be the first ever occasion the GC32s have raced on ‘the sea’. The crews are looking forward to racing them in some more lively conditions than they have seen to date. At full throttle the boats are capable of sailing in excess of 30 knots.
 
The GC32s will be competing in the Multihull class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week over the final four days - Wednesday until Saturday (7^th-10^th August). While they will sail the one race per day with the Multihull class, if conditions allow they may hold additional racing informally elsewhere on the Solent or sail around the Isle of Wight afterwards.

GC32 Catamarans racing, photo courtesy the Great Cup/Christopher Launay

America's Cup update, Tom Slingsby of Team Oracle talks about his path to the America's Cup

Extreme Sailing Series update, Day 2 of racing in Porto news and video

From the following article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/intensity-turns-up-a-level-for-extreme-40-fleet-within-confines-of-porto-st#.UfLTIVOoV0o

- Collision between Red Bull Sailing Team and Team Tilt leaves the Austrian double Olympic gold medallists with a night of repairs ahead

- Leigh McMillan sets the blueprint posting a string of consistent results and extending overall lead

- Alinghi on the charge winning four of todays eight races
- Team Tilt's skipper Lucien Cujean gives his thoughts on his first day of Stadium Racing. Watch the video here.
- Watch today’s stadium racing replay online here.

The Douro River provided the playground for the first day of Stadium Racing at Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series™ in Porto today, where some teams thrived and others suffered within the confines of the tight racecourse, which is just 70 metres wide at its narrowest point. In contrast to yesterdays open water racing, today in the stadium everything was magnified and decisions had to be made in split seconds and manoeuvres executed smoothly, which Leigh McMillan did with precision, slowly extending his lead over the fleet, explaining, “Our game plan was to try and start well, communicate well and it's all about decision making. Making the right decision at the right time and taking the opportunities when they're there. You have to be looking at the water as it's changing all the time along with the tide and the wind so the game plan in terms of strategy changes every race.“

read more here

America's Cup update, Luna Rossa suffer damage in latest race but go on to claim points

In the latest race Luna Rossa paused to do a spot of fishing before continuing on to claim a point towards their score in the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series.

From the following article on Sail-World submitted by Bob Fisher:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Luna-Rossa-hits-fish,-breaks-rudder,-takes-point/112440

Luna Rossa sailed alone around the five-leg course in her scheduled fourth Round Robin match with Artemis for ten minutes.

Then the Race Committee hoisted a black flag, indicating that Artemis had not crossed the start line within the allotted time and the race was awarded to the Italian team, who could add another point to its scoreline.

Maybe just as well, since the rest of the race was not all plain sailing for the Italian team. As skipper Max Sirena put it: 'we were foiling downwind close to top speed when the boat stopped dead in its tracks.' Luna Rossa had hit a big fish. 'It broke the rudder this far from the bottom,' he said, spreading his hands about 45 cms, 'and we took it slowly from there.'

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series, Act 5 Porto delivers best sailing conditions so far in series

From the following article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/opening-day-in-porto-delivers-best-racing-of-season-so-far#.UfF3ZFOoV0o

- Leigh McMillan stakes early claim with four race wins for The Wave, Muscat
- Realteam gunning for first ever podium result with Pierre Pennec at the helm
- New boys on the block Team Tilt and ROFF Cascais Sailing Team make Extreme Sailing Series™ debut
-   Series organisers OC Sport announce global partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation as ‘Environmental Partner’. Read more online.
- Watch tomorrow’s action on the live video stream from 1700 local time (1800 CEST) as the fleet move into Stadium Racing mode

An epic nine races were sailed in open sea on the opening day of the Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 5 in Porto, with plenty of hull flying, close mark roundings and even a man overboard for the local boys on ROFF Cascais Sailing Team to keep the on water umpire team busy. Despite hydraulics problems for The Wave, Muscat before racing had even started the defending champions were on fire, winning the opening race before going on to a further three race wins staking an early lead in Porto. Never letting them far from their sights however was Pierre Pennec who returns to the Series at the helm of Realteam, leading the Swiss entry to an impressive three race wins and showing everyone why he is one of the most formidable skippers in the fleet ahead of tomorrow’s Stadium Racing.

read more here

Racing in Porto, photo courtesy Extreme Sailing Series

The live streams are listed below and will become available when racing commences on each day:

America's Cup update, Artemis Racing AC72 update 14 flying

Corsair Marine, Cruze 970 Hull #3 complete and ready for transport

Corsair Marine have put up a new gallery of  photos of Cruze 970 hull #3.  Shows a bit more interior and exterior detail this example integrates an enclosed head.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.568917289816853.1073741832.126051344103452&type=1

America's Cup update, Artemis foil their new AC72 catamaran

Artemis Team have released a video of their newly launched AC72 flying on it's foils.

Extreme Sailing Series Act 5 Porto, details on media coverage and race village

The Extreme Sailing Series Act 5 Porto gets underway tomorrow. 

From the following article on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/extreme-sailing-series-act-5-porto-how-to-follow-the-racing#.Ue_crFOoV0o

- Act 5 Porto starts tomorrow – follow online on the official event website and watch the live video stream from 1700-1800 BST (GMT + 1) / 1800-1900 CEST daily from the 26 – 28 July.

- Pierre Pennec returns to Extreme Sailing Series™ at the helm of the Swiss-flagged Realteam.

- Win Extreme Sailing Series™ kit from official clothing partners Marinepool! Click here for more info.

- Watch the preview video here.

With less then 24 hours before the start of Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series™ in Porto, the teams have spent today making final preparations to their Extreme 40s in the technical area at Douro Marina and putting in some last minute training time on the water before proceedings get underway tomorrow (Thursday 25th July).

There is plenty of anticipation and excitement dockside with official Extreme Sailing Series weather partners WetterWelt predicting 8-12 knots of breeze with gusts up to 15 knots for the first two days racing.

read more here

2013 Corsair Nationals, video of the racing at Alameda

The 2013 Corsair Nationals held at Alameda, San Francisco bay saw some windy conditions and challenging racing.


2013 Corsair Nationals from Rafi Yahalom on Vimeo.

Corsair trimarans, Cruse 970 trimaran passage from Brisbane to Thursday Island upload of a gallery of photos

From the following gallery of photos.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.568334616541787.1073741830.126051344103452&type=3

And a note published with the gallery of photos

The New Cruze and crew arrives safe an sound . From Brisbane to Thursday Island, a 1200 nautical mile voyage. All reports, no problem, reaching 18knt with just Jib downwind, Well done.

Cruze 970 at Thursday Island, photo courtesy Corsair Marine

America's Cup update, Emirates Team New Zealand score another run away victory against Luna Rossa in the Louis Vuitton Challenger series

From the following article submitted to Sail-World by Richard Gladwell:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Emirates-Team-NZ-score-runaway-win-over-Luna-Rossa/112340

Emirates Team New Zealand ran away to their biggest win of the Louis Vuitton Cup regatta with a 7m 19 second margin at the finish of Round Robin 4, Race 1 and has emerged as the winner of the Round Robin phase.

After apparently hitting the bottom of the harbour just after launching, the Italian boat was re-hoisted and had her rudders checked. She looked uncomfortable at times during the race, manifested in a slow start when she started well after Emirates Team New Zealand crossing the line 21.4 kts, compared to the New Zealanders 30.5kts, and rounded the first mark a massive 21 seconds behind.

read more here

There is also an article on Sail racing magazine on the race:

http://www.sailracingmagazine.com/editors-blog/lrhf8mao2tioq0r3hflwz03nhpuh67



and here is the previous race between ETNZ and Luna Rossa.

Darwin to Dili yacht race article from ntnews.com.au

An article on the recent Darwin to Dili Race the multihull race record was smashed this year by the monohull "Australian Maid" so the multi's have a new record to chase.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2013/07/15/322835_ntsport.html

AUSTRALIAN Maid has taken 24 hours off the record for the Darwin to Dili yacht race and won line honours.

Dr John Wardill's 17m wooden weapon sailed into Dili Harbour at 2.08pm Northern Territory time, 52 hours and eight minutes after the start of the 780km race on Fannie Bay at 10am on Saturday.
Dr Wardill and his crew beat the standing record of 76.9 hours, set by Mojo 3 last year, by 24 hours and 42 minutes.

read more here

Yvan Bougnon, some photos of his new catamaran project intended for circumnavigation

Yvan Bourgnon has been involved in some incredible multihull adventures over the years including racing solo the ORMA60 trimaran Brossard and sailing a modified Nacra beach cat around cape horn.  He has just uploaded some photos of his current catamaran project which is under construction. 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.640238485995545.1073741833.117142148305184&type=1

SMA 1er, intended for the circumnavigation, render Yvan Bourgnon

You can read about the upcoming attempt on http://yvan-bourgnon.fr/ 

 

And a rough bing translate on the objectives of the attempt:

 

Carry out the first World Tour with a non-habitable sailboat on a category of sport of 6.3 meters long. This would lead on another first: the World Tour on a boat less than 6.5 meters.

 

• Demonstrate to the public that we can achieve human-sized challenges without being obliged to spend vast sums, deliver adventure at the centre of the debates.

 

• Departure: 5 October 2013 of Sables D'olonne for an adventure of 11 months with stopovers and 50,000 kms to the counter!

 

• No assistance, no gps (navigation to the sextant): return to simple values of navigation

 

• Selected crew: Vincent Beauvarlet, former champion of the young world of windsurfing

Follow us also on the site: www.defisma.com

Download the press kit: Dpdefisma

 

Round the world plan, photo courtesy of Yvan Bourgnon

 

 

 

Hamiton Island Race Week 2013, More on the reintroduction of multihulls

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Audi-Hamilton-Island-Race-Week---Multihulls-to-be-a-permanent-feature/112139

At Australia’s premier big-boat regatta, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week,Multihulls are to become a permanent feature starting with the 30th staging of the award-winning event next month.

The series will be sailed from August 17 to 24.

Hamilton Island’s CEO, Olympic and world champion sailor, Glenn Bourke, said the decision to open the regatta to multihulls had come as a consequence of the completion recently of a new 40-berth marina arm in the island’s harbour, a structure that is ideal for accommodating catamarans and trimarans.

‘Having multihulls as part of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week has been on our agenda for some time,’ Bourke said. ‘However, it has not been until now, with the new marina arm completed, that we’ve had the opportunity to offer the right facilities for them within Hamilton Island’s harbour.

read more here

Lorient Grand Large regatta results, victory to Alan Gautier on Sensation Ocean ORMA60

Sensation Ocean (the former ORMA60 Foncia) with Alan Gautier at the helm has put in a great performance to win the latest edition of the Lorient Regatta. 

From the following article on lorientgrandlarge.org

http://www.lorientgrandlarge.org/?titre=grand-large-les-resultats&mode=actualites&id=1137

and the rough bing translation below:

Grand Large results

By Lorient Grand Large July 16, 2013

© JM Liot - GrandLarge2013

Who can dethrone Alain Gautier - Sensation Ocean on the "high seas"? The question remains at the end of this magnificent fourth edition of the Lorient regatta contested this Sunday, July 14, 2013.

Competitors yet sharp, Sidney Gavignet - MOD 70 Oman Air Musandam and Yves le Blevec Team Actual no will could do anything; Alain Gautier is definitely the strongest on this land...

Dazzling sunlight, extreme heat and lack of wind will have therefore had no effect on the concentration of Alain Gautier. On his ORMA 60 Sensation Ocean trimaran, he won the Grand Large thanks to a splendid option to the coast under the island of Groix which will have allowed it to take to never again be caught up...

 

4 other categories were rewarded:

Mini series victory of Match BOX of Sylvain LeBoeuf

Mini Proto victory of Jeremy Palmer on the black sheep

J80 victory of I requires - Damien Fortini

Osiris habitable victory of Borabord by Erwan Six

 

Finally, 6 Classic yacht kindly very nicely decorate our water plan; It's "Marguerite" of Nicolas Le Corre who prevails before Arvele, Lorna M and Pen Duick...

 

Many thanks to 60 crews present on the Grand Large that helped send more than €600 donation to the NGO PLAN France and do a little better know this association's fight.

 

A huge thank you to our partners without which of course the race would not occur and which offer competitors an avalanche of gifts...

 

Ocean sensation

Uship

Voiles et Voiliers

JB Matelotages

Marinepool

727 Sailbags

 

Institutional partners

Department of Morbihan - CG 56

Lorient urban area

The SELLOR - management of marinas

City of Lorient

 

 

Thanks finally to the Centre Nautique de Lorient who masterfully manages the boating organization!

 

Go to all the weekend of July 14, 2014, for a new edition of the Grand Large

The full results are here

 

Team Tritium/Lending club sailing at speed

Farrier F-22 trimaran production update 23/7/2013

Ian Farrier of Farrier Marine has updated his F-22 production blog,  Further progress towards completion of hull #1 and some very interesting photos of the new trailer that is being developed for the boat.  Frame rails are of anodized aluminium with a molded composite cradle for the boat itself.  Innovative and looks like a step forward for multihull trailers.

Read more at the link below.

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

Farrier Marine preparing for F-22 production, photo courtesy Farrier Marine

America's Cup update, Artemis launch new AC72 catamaran

From the following article on Americascup.com

 

http://artemis-racing.americascup.com/news/4608

 

Before a crowd of almost 300 members of Artemis Racing, including family and friends, the team officially launched the Blue Boat this morning during a christening ceremony.

 

“This is a great day for many reasons” said Torbjörn Törnqvist, owner of Artemis Racing, who spoke before the crowd. “It is the culmination of a heroic effort to put together this beautiful boat…. The shore team has put so much into this, and now for our sailing team to get out there and give her justice. I am proud to share with you this great moment.”

 

read more here

 

Artemis Racing's new AC72 catamaran, photo courtesy Sander van der Borch 

 

 

Airlie Beach Race Week 2013, there is still time to race in paradise!

Peter Hackett has put up this excellent article on last years Airlie Beach Race Week.  You too could be involved in this super friendly and well run event.  All you need is a sailing multihull or know someone with one to jump on as crew.  If your vacillating now is the time to enter and get yourself ready to sail asap.

http://www.multihull.com.au/site/www/pdf/pdfs/121racing.pdf

The Airlie Beach Race week website is below:

http://airlieraceweek.com/

Prince de Bretagne maxi hauled out and in shed receiving modifications for canting rig

Lionel Lemonchois and the Prince de Bretagne team are implementing the canting rig as quickly as possible in order to provide shake down and training time prior to the RORC Fastnet Race.

From the following article on the Prince de Bretagne website:

http://www.princedebretagne-mer.com/actualites/300-derniere-semaine-de-chantier

Here is the rough bing translate

Entering the shelter on the return from the Route des Princes, and the shadow of the hangar at the base of Lorient at the beginning of the month of July, the Maxi80 Prince of Brittany knows his last days of summer starts. True to his habit, Lionel Lemonchois is working with a small team to optimize its oceanic courier with the objective of quickly to find water. As soon as next Thursday, the trimaran red and grey will be rearmed, remâté, and equipped with a tilting rig, pledge of immediate performance gain.

 

The Princes Highway proved to be instructive, and Lionel Lemonchois was quick to take advantage to engage a major project in record time. Indeed, many saltwater sank under the floats of the maxi-multihull since the first navigation in Lorient bay at the beginning of the month of January. After the first races of spring, and in in wake of the 2 500 miles covered along the coasts in Princes road, the development time has come for team Prince of Brittany, who is currently working for the courier ocean of a pole whose inclination can be adjusted depending on the degree of heel.

"This is a small feature, which will allow him to gain a few precious knots resembling closely." Being able to toggle the mast, this allows to take advantage of the surface of sails when the vessel begins to exit the central hull of the water. Lionel may, in crew as in solitaire, adjust the mast towards the optimum heel", explains Quentin Lucet, a naval architect with VPLP (Lauriot Prévost - Van Peteghem).

"If during its design, this"tilting mast option"was not accepted, it is that we wanted to focus the length in accordance with the specifications of weight", pursues one that is currently working closely with Lionel Jacques Roudot, the head of construction, and Bambino, responsible for the rigging of the boat. "ll was important to validate the design of the boat, and to see with regard to its first sporting confrontations what changes could be made to it. This tilting mast, it is in the logic of things, this is an option that had been considered very early in terms of optimization. It is a true guarantee of performance, especially in the light airs, and the priority objective of this summer yard."

Featuring a well optimized rig, and after a great first overhaul, Prince de Bretagne out of the shipyard Thursday, July 25. Lionel Lemonchois and his team will then conduct navigations of training for the next Fastnet Race, the start will be given on August 11, next to the coast of Cowes.

America's Cup update, Artemis Team final preparations for lauch of AC72 catamaran #2

The Artemis team are nearly ready to launch their AC72 catamaran.

The Gougeon's trimaran Adagio to race in this years Port Huron to Mackinac race

The Gougeon's trimaran Adagio is set to compete in the upcoming Port Huron to Mackinac race.  Originator's of the West System of epoxy sealants and adhesives Meade Gougeon and the late Jan Gougeon have designed and been involved in the building of a number of notable multihulls including the famous Dick Newick trimaran for ocean racer Phil Weld, "Rogue Wave".

From the following article by All Michigan

http://www.mlive.com/sports/bay-city/index.ssf/2013/07/adagio_sets_sail_this_weekend.html#incart_river_default

The 35-foot multihull boat owned by Meade Gougeon is in its 44th year of competition. This weekend Gougeon, and his crew, will have one of the oldest vessels on the water in the Bayview Yacht Club's annual Port Huron to Mackinac race.

Of the 230 boats registered Friday night, only six of them were built prior to 1970.
"The boat has held up pretty well," Gougeon said, laughing. "When it launched, it was actually the first all epoxy wood-sealed boat. All these years later, and we are still competitive.

read more here

The race is still running at the moment you can follow Adagio on the tracker here they are doing the Cove Island course about 66nm to go at the moment.

http://www.bellsbeer.com/bycmack2013/index.php

America's Cup update, Louis Vuitton Challenger series - round robin 3 - RACE 3, 21 July 2013

Emirates Team New Zealand have once again walked away with the points soundly beating Luna Rossa in their latest race as part of the Louis Vuitton Challenger series:



Also an article on the race submitted to Sail-World by Richard Gladwell

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Drama-as-Emirates-Team-NZ-score-decisive-win/112230

There was drama on the America's Cup course for the final race of Round 3 of the Louis Vuitton Cup, when Emirates Team NZ blew up her jib, and had to race without a headsail for much of the seven leg course.

read more here

America's Cup update, Emirates Team New Zealand on preparing their AC72 for racing

And a day of training on San Francisco Bay:

Tranpac update, Team Tritium/Lending club arrive in Honolulu just outside the record time

From the following article on Sailing Scuttlebutt:

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2013/07/19/lending-club-first-boat-to-finish-in-2013-transpac/

Honolulu, Hawaii ­(July 18, 2013) – After a long trip that included a wide range of conditions and a chance at a course record, John Sangmeister’s Lending Club is the first boat in the fleet to cross the finish line of the 47th Transpac at Diamond Head tonight at 21:52:33 local time, for an elapsed time of 5 days 11 hours 52 minutes 33 seconds over the 2225-mile course.

The modified ORMA 73 trimaran was sailed by a crew of nine and was just a few hours from breaking the fully-crewed multihull course record of 5 days 9 hours 18 minutes 26 seconds set in 1997 by the 86-foot catamaran Explorer, due in part to damage sustained from two separate impact incidents that damaged the carbon fiber centerboard on the boat.

read more here

Transpac update, Team Tritium/Lending club arrive in Honolulu

Team Tritium/Lending Club have arrived in Honolulu after completing the Transpac race.  They ended up being outside the record time with the boat having suffered considerable damage from impacts with debris along the route.  Congratulations guys well done and maybe next year you'll smash the record.

Here they are ! In 5 days, 11 h 52 min 38 s...great performance regarding the collisions the boat has had to suffer. Well done guys !

America's Cup update, Team New Zealand racking up Louis Vuitton Challenger series points

From the following article submitted to Sail-World from the ETNZ.blog

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Louis-Vuitton-Cup:-Five-points-and-new-speed-record-for-Emirates-TNZ/112132

Emirates Team New Zealand collected another round robin point at San Francisco today.

Five points from five starts – four races not being contested – and Emirates Team New Zealand - is at the top of leaderboard with five points, with Luna Rossa on two and Artemis zero.

Richard Meacham sailed on the bow today, replacing Adam Beashel who was trimming the wing. Glenn Ashby who usually trims the wing watched proceedings from a chase boat.

The forecast was for the fog to clear and the breeze to get into the upper wind range. With an ebb tide against the breeze, teams expected more of a sea state than that experienced in recent days.

read more here

Spindrift 2 Maxi trimaran out for it's first sail with the Spindrift Racing team

From the following article on the Spindrift Racing website:

http://www.spindrift-racing.com/2013/07/francais-premieres-navigations-a-bord-de-spindrift-2/

The biggest racing multihull in the world, the maxi trimaran Spindrift 2, has benefited all week from ideal weather conditions allowing the two skippers; Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard, to perform the first sailing tests.

Supported by all the sailing team and technical team, Guichard and Bertarelli have not rushed through any stage, taking advantage of the ten knots of wind sweeping the waters of Morbihan, to work meticulously through all the items on their list for developing this giant and sophisticated machine.

 The first impressions are that sailing the boat has been an absolute joy. Spindrift 2, despite its size, is a well-conceived trimaran, well-developed, incredibly reactive, and reveals itself quietly to those who seek intelligently and professionally. This is the whole purpose of this first week of learning set by the duo Bertarelli-Guichard, before a steady increase in intensity, which will culminate on August 11 with the first official outing in the maxi trimaran competition of the Rolex Fastnet Race.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series update, next venue Porto (Portugal)

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

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Extreme-Sailing-Series-fleet-returns-to-Porto-for-Act-5-+-Video/112121

The Extreme Sailing Series reaches the halfway mark in just one week when eight Extreme 40 catamarans will go full throttle in one of the most compact and challenging Stadium Racecourses the Extreme 40s have ever raced on in Porto, Portugal.

Current Series leaders Alinghi (SUI) are out to defend their position at the top of the leaderboard at the venue which in 2012 attracted the biggest crowds the Series has ever witnessed, and that temporary helm Morgan Larson described as 'one of the best events for both the crews on the water and also from a spectator point of view'. The fleet will be joined by wildcard entries Team Tilt (SUI) and ROFF Cascais Sailing Team (POR) ready for the first day of racing on Thursday 25 July. Follow all the action as it happens via the live video stream on the website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (exss).

read more here

New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club meeting, 6th August 2013

From the New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club noticeboard:

 

http://www.multihull.org.nz/noticeboard/

 

6 August at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

To be held in the Dinghy Locker at 7.30pm. A short film on a AC45 will follow.

Our Guest Speaker this month is Nina Heatley; she has a huge amount of experience in composite design and boat building.

Nina has been asked to talk about what it takes to make a multihull safe for offshore sailing and discuss a number of recent failures of cruising boats that illustrate common deficiencies found in current designs.  These fundamentals are equally important to high performance racing Multis.

read more here

Airlie Beach Race week 2013, coming up soon

Airlie Beach Race Week 2013 is coming up soon a favourite for multihull racers in Australia sailed in the sublime setting of the Whitsundays and this year based at Abell Point Marina.  For all the details check out their website here:

http://airlieraceweek.com/

Hamilton Island Race Week, now open to multihulls

Hamilton Island Race week are now including Multihulls. There is an amendment to the NoR on their website. 

http://www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Notice%20of%20Race/Amendment%20to%20NoR%20HI%20RACE%20WEEK%202013%20re%20Multis.pdf

Transpac update, Team Tritium/Lending Club approaching the finish line

Team Tritium/Lending Club have now overhauled the whole Transpac fleet and are approaching Honolulu.  They are still making good progress despite a daggerboard which has been reduced to carbon splinters by multiple debris impacts.  A snapshot from the tracker shows them with a little over 200nm to go.  There is a 6 hour delay on the tracker so they are probably closer than that now.  They have AIS onboard so if it's switched on as they approach Honolulu it may be possible to follow them on http://www.marinetraffic.com

Transpac update, Team Tritium/Lending club video

America's Cup update, Artemis team finish structural testing and their compliance with AC72 rudder measurement rules

Another update from Artemis that goes into a little more detail particularly about their compliance with the AC72 rudder measurement rules.

http://www.americascup.com/en/news/3/news/16617/artemis-racing-nears-launch-date-as-regatta-director-requests-playbook-from-teams#.UeczQ-AElLc.facebook

Artemis Racing this week completed the structural testing on its second AC72. The team turned the platform upside down, placed it on dollies and then used heavy weights and hydraulic rams to torque it (see video below).

“The guys have been working just about around the clock to get it done,” said Stu Bettany (second picture above), Artemis Racing pit man. “They’ve tested pitch-pole loads if the boat goes over, side loads, daggerboards, daggerboard cases… the boat’s been strapped down to some pretty substantial weights and had hydraulic rams pulling and tweaking it in lots of different directions over the loads we should see on the water. It’s all gone very, very well.”

The current timetable has Artemis Racing hitting the water early next week. If conditions permit, the team could be racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America’s Cup Challenger Series, the following week.

read more here

Golden Oldies Trophy 2013, article on Proafile by Fred Monsonnec

Article by Fred Monsonnec on Proafile in regards to the recent Golden Oldies multihull event held in Sete:

http://proafile.com/magazine/article/golden-oldies-trophy-2013

 

Every year since 2005, many French sailors passionate about “old multihulls”, but also Spanish, English… meet in the Mediterranean around their boats. These “fans” are members of the association “Golden Oldies Multihulls” (you can find an English page and many pictures and video on the Golden Oldies Multihulls website).

This association has a mission: to preserve these “glories of the past”. A “Golden Oldies Multihull” (GOM), is a multihull of at least 25 years of age, designed or modified for offshore racing, speed records or raids. But exceptional boats outside this definition may obtain an approbation, in this case, a “Silver” class has been created.

read more here

Golden Oldies Trophy 2013, photo courtesy Fred Monsonnec

French Weta Nationals 2013, Photo's by Laurent Lanos

Laurent has posted up a gallery of photos of the 2013 French Weta Nationals.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/98783622@N02/sets/72157634618035553/

French Weta Nationals 2013, photo courtesy Laurent Lanos

Transpac update, Team Tritium/Lending Club still in with a chance of improving multihull race record

From the following article on Latitude38

http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2013-07-16#.UecbC8hAp8S

Latitude just got off the phone with multihull designer/sailor Gino Morrelli of Newport Beach. He had just come off the helm of the 72-ft trimaran Tritium  Lending Club, which is about halfway from Long Beach to Hawaii in hopes of setting an elapsed time record in the 47th TransPac. Here's the gist of our conversation:

38: Are you guys still on a record pace?
Gino: Right now we're about one hour off of it. We don't need too much wind, but we're hoping for a little more. We have about 12 to 14 knots of true wind right now at 135 degrees true, and we're able to do 15 to 18 knots. We're trying to sail as deep as possible. What we really need is about 14 to 18 knots of wind.

38: What's the forecast for the rest of the way?
Gino: A little on the light side.

38: What's the top speed so far?
Gino: I think Howie Hamlin hit over 30 knots the first night out.

read more here

Also an article posted on Sailing Anarchy news page

http://sailinganarchy.com/2013/07/17/what-its-like/

Transpac Yacht Race, Team Tritium/Lending Club tv spot on KITV

John Sangmeister and crew on Team Tritium/Lending Club still have a chance of taking the longstanding Transpac record set by Bruno Peyron on Commodore Explorer.  TV spot on KITV and interview with John.

http://www.kitv.com/news/hawaii/Former-Hawaii-resident-attempting-to-break-prestigious-record/-/8905354/21010756/-/g7kq3yz/-/index.html

America's Cup update, Artemis Team video update 11

Artemis Team have completed their load testing of AC72 catamaran #2

Tranpac Race, Tritium/Lending Club still in with a chance on record despite multiple impacts on daggerboard

With the unfortunate dismasting of the Gunboat Phaedo, Tritium/Lending Club are the only multi left in the race.  The water is full of debris most likely from the Japanese tsunami and they have suffered several serious daggerboard impacts which have damaged the board but not the case (good crashbox design there).

From a Facebook posting by Ryan onboard Tritium/Lending Club

https://www.facebook.com/TritiumRacing?hc_location=stream

Last message from Ryan onboard Tritium Lending Club :

IT WAS A BIG AFTERNOON ON LENDING CLUB.

We have been vmg running since around midday, with the gennaker and J2 as a staysail, averaging around 20 knots. The record is within reach still, although a couple more knots of wind would be nice.
...
We had some problems with old trees today, logs in the water that we have run into. Guess we should have picked up a Garmin sonar to go with all the other instruments!!

Unfortunately one of the impacts was quite severe on the daggerboard, and instead of breaking the log in half as we did a couple times, we destroyed the daggerboard. WE had another slow down this afternoon and put the board in upside down, keeping us sailing properly, but creating terrible vibration throughout the boat.

Here's hopiong the next couple days are uneventful, we have all had enough of the slowdowns and repair work.

Everyone is eating well, and the stars are out in force tonight, along with a beautiful breeze in the mid teens.

Ryan

and a video recap of the race so far:

Spindrift Racing, Training starts onboard maxi trimaran Spindrift 2

From the following article by Spindrift Racing:

http://www.spindrift-racing.com/2013/07/training-starts-onboard-spindrift-2/

Boatyard, review, launch, into the water…today Spindrift 2 is ready for a return to sailing and the whole team are getting into the deep end. In accordance with the published sports program, the first training session will start tomorrow. Under the new colors of gold, black and white, the maxi will be on show throughout the week in Lorient Bay led by the skippers, Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard.

read more here

Spindrift2 in Lorient, Photo courtesy John Cadwallader

America's Cup update, Artemis Team approaching launch of their AC72 catamaran

From the following article on americascup.com

http://artemis-racing.americascup.com/news/4594/team-update-moving-forward

Over the weekend the Artemis Racing Team completed comprehensive structural testing of its second AC72.  This significant milestone represents the culmination of around the clock work of two months by our designers, engineers and shore team.  This week will be all about completing the assembly and getting the yacht in the water.  The mood in the shed is one of excitement in anticipation of being able to go sailing in a matter of days. Artemis Racing is eagerly looking forward to getting back out on the water and joining the competition.

Transpac update, Lending Club/Team Tritium ahead of record pace and Team Phaedo dismasts

Update from Lending Club on Sailing Anarchy.  Ahead of record pace but suffered some float leakage problems which they have now fixed.

http://sailinganarchy.com/2013/07/15/99-problems/

Update from the Gunboat Team Phaedo unfortunately after a fantastic race so far and setting a record 24hour run they have dismasted.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Phaedo/190043577700851?hc_location=stream

Phaedo dismasted on day 3 of Transpac

Official report from boat:
At 1830 UTC (1130 PST) Phaedo dismasted in location 28 58.247N 130 09.576W.

Everyone onboard is fine, we have secured the boat, cutting away the mast and section of the boom, and are now heading towards the LA area under engine.

At the time of the dismasting we were sailing under A4 at around 16kts.

Phaedo dismasting from Richard Langdon on Vimeo.

Tritium Racing depart on their Transpac Race record attempt

Team Tritium have departed on their Transpac Race record attempt. You can follow them on Facebook here:

https://www.facebook.com/TritiumRacing

The Race Tracker is here Team Tritium are running under the name "Lending Club":

http://yb.tl/transpac2013 

The Transpac website is here

http://www.transpacyc.com/

America's Cup update, Emirates Team New Zealand vs Luna Rossa

Emirates Team New Zealand easily eclipsed Luna Rossa in their first race meeting in the Louis Vuitton Challenger series and took an easy victory. 

ac

The full race is here:

Cowes-Dinard St Malo race, Maitre Jacques attempts to break course record but unfavourable conditions intervene

The Maitre Jacques team were hoping to break the record in the RORC Cowes-Dinard St Malo race but a lack of suitable conditions prevented that from happening.

From the following entry on the Maitre Jacques FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/Trimaran.Maitre.Jacques?hc_location=stream
The rough bing translate below.

No wind, no record

Loïc Féquet and his team cut the line of the Cowes-Dinard a little before 7: 00 this morning after about 17 hours of travel from the Isle of Wight. Weather conditions have not allowed the team Maître Jacques win new record time on this 165-mile course but this technical navigation has, as always, proved instructive.

The breeze was not the venue of this edition of the Cowes-Dinard. The team of Maître Jacques took these very technical conditions to work on the settings of the boat and maneuvers. By 5-10 knots of wind and a powerful current, the team has chained the gybes in the Solent before negotiating the crossing of the English channel.

Loïc Féquet, skipper master Jacques: "it's been a super workout. We had not had conditions like that still race this year. It made the mile to work, it's perfect! The go to Raz Blanchard was 8 knots of current, it was an incredible pot, which raised a very rough seas: a beautiful experience... And after, it was 24 - 28 knots all the time, too, it is always interesting to do same out of the race! »

The team master Jacques will be again in the starting blocks in 15 days for the Trophée du Port de Fécamp in Saint Quay Portrieux.


Crew master Jacques for the Cowes-Dinard: Loïc Féquet, Benoit Champanhac, Julien Deniel, Yves Sallé and Gilles Buekenhout.

And a Sail-World article on the race is here:

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Cowes-Dinard-St-Malo-Race---170+-ready-to-set-sail/111807

update from the RORC facebook page Maitre Jacques came in first followed closely by the 100' maxi ICAP leopard

https://www.facebook.com/RoyalOceanRacingClub?hc_location=stream

Cowes-Dinard St Malo Race Update: Multi 50, Maitre Jacques is the first boat to finish the race at 05:41:55, narrowly ahead of ICAP Leopard who finished at 05:50:04. The majority of the fleet now seem to be moving again after a frustrating night stuck south of Portland. Tonnerre de Breskens, Pleomax and Monster Project are now heading south past the Channel Light Vessel.

Team Australia to compete in 2014 Auckland to Bluff yacht race

Team Australia to compete in the Auckland to Bluff Race next year.

From the following article submitted to Sail-World by Dean Wilson

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/2014-A2B-Ocean-Race---Team-Australia-set-for-Kiwi-challenge/111816

Team Australia will be on the start line of the A2B Ocean Race with a crew of 8 sailors, one more than the crew that set the world record for the Sydney to Hobart distance. That crew consisted of Sean Langman, his 19 year old son Peter, and five sailing mates.

Sean Langman is looking forward to taking part in the NZ event next year, saying that he – 'sees the A2B race as a new oceanic challenge that could rival the Sydney to Hobart'

Langman is wary of the challenges that the race presents, saying – 'the southern Ocean always presents a challenge and shouldn’t be taken lightly, especially in an ORMA 60 high performance Trimaran.'

read more here