Banque Populaire VII renamed Lending Club for a Summer season of record breaking

It's no secret that Francis Joyon is going to take over Banque Populaire VII as the new IDEC trimaran but in the interim the maxi trimaran is on charter to Lending Club sailing to embark on a program of record breaking over the Summer.  Renaud Leplanche and Ryan Breymaier are refitting the original large rig and have an ambitious program of records to attempt to improve.

From the following article by the editor, Sailing Scuttlebutt:

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2015/03/01/new-record-breaking-program-launched/

(March 1, 2015) – Renaud Laplanche (FRA) and Ryan Breymaier (USA) team up for a brand new ocean racing and record breaking program starting in 2015 with the VPLP-designed 105ft maxi trimaran LENDING CLUB 2.

Renaud and Ryan met for the first time racing on John Sangmeister’s 77ft trimaran ‘Tritium Racing’, renamed “Lending Club” for the 2013 Transpac race to Hawaii where they won the race but missed the course record by just two hours.

On discovering a common vision of sailing and ocean racing, discussions ensued between the two and before departing Hawaii, they both knew they would be back together for the long term.

Throughout 2014 they worked on putting together a program that would make 2015 a record-breaking year.

Ryan was tasked with sourcing a boat and with Renaud’s support and advice they negotiated the charter of 105ft Banque Populaire VII (launched in 2006 as Groupama 3) from its new owner for the 2015 summer season.

read more here

You can also follow the teams progress on their facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/LendingClubSailing

Solo sailor Florence Arthaud killed in tragic helicopter accident

Florence Arthaud has been killed in a helicopter accident during the filming of a TV show.  Perhaps most famous for her solo victory in the 1990 Route du Rhum on the ORMA60 trimaran "Pierre 1er" she continued her career in sailing well after that point also taking a Transpac win along with Bruno Peyron on the 86' catamaran "Explorer".  A true inspiration to solo sailors worldwide we extend our sincere condolences to her family and friends.  Fair winds and following seas Florence.

Florence Arthaud arriving in Guadaloupe onboard Pierre 1er
photo (c) Thierry Martinez Sea&Co

Phaedo3 sets new record for the Around St.Marteen anti clockwise course of 2 hours, 7 minutes and 24 seconds

From the news feed of the St.Marteen Heineken Regatta

http://heinekenregatta.com/press_releases.php

Phaedo3 Blasts Around St.Maarten

Lloyd Thornburg's ballistic MOD 70 trimaran, Phaedo3 set a record for the new around St.Maarten anti-clockwise course, which included Tintamarre and Blowing Rock. Blasting around St.Maarten in 2 hours 7 minutes and 24 seconds, Phaedo3 averaged 20.7 knots on the 35-mile course, hitting an incredible top speed of 36 knots. At Tintamarre Phaedo3 was smashing through the waves, leaping like a marlin - an incredible sight!

“For sure we can go quicker, fast is fun!” commented Phaedo3 navigator, Miles Seddon, taking a break from his role as performance analyst for Team SCA in the Volvo Ocean Race. “There were a lot of yachts coming to take a look at 'the beast' at the start and there was a lot of traffic to get through, especially in Simpson Bay, with the bareboat fleet all around us. Once we had come around to the windward side of St.Maarten, we were on our own, pounding into the big sea state at 20 knots. It was a big bare away at Tintamarre, we touched 30 knots and trimmer Pete Cumming, was down to leeward easing the head sail, literally underwater getting fire-hosed. Pete was in full wet weather gear but we joked that he really needed a snorkel!”

“We blew out a clew fitting after the big gybe but slick crew work had us back in the groove and the reach across to Basse Terre produced our top boat speed of 36 knots. It sounds crazy but at 30 knots of boat speed, things are calm on board, but at 36 knots, the noises coming from the boat become a little more alarming, the winches, the sails and the rig are literally screaming under the loads.”

- read more here

A gallery of photos by Jesus Renedo is here:

Sailing review of the Corsair Pulse 600 trimaran by Richard Ward CEO of Corsair Marine International

From the following update on the Corsair Marine website:

 

http://sail.corsairmarine.com/sailing-review-on-the-pulse-600#

 

Nha Trang, Vietnam has been rightly claimed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and a wonderful sailing playground. Especially so in February, when there is almost a guarantee for no rain and reliable NE winds. It was the perfect location to hand over our latest launched Seawind 1160 Lite to an Australian customer and to test sail the incredibly exciting new model for Corsair, the Pulse 600.

Awaiting us as we arrived to Nha Trang, the just launched Pulse 600 - looking amazing on the water - was crying out to us to be sailed. In the late afternoon on the first day, we had perfect sunshine and the winds still at 16 to 20 knots and gusting higher occasionally. Zam (the Production Manager for Corsair Marine), Kerry (my partner), and myself took it out for a short test spin before our photo shoot the following day.

 

read more here

 

 

 

Phaedo3 MOD70 trimaran victorious in Caribbean 600 sets new course and race record

Phaedo³, RORC Caribbean 600 2015 finish from Ocean Images on Vimeo.

Phaedo3 at the start of the Caribbean 600

Caribbean 600, Big trimarans attempt to better race record

The multihull record for the Caribbean 600 was set in 2009 by the ORMA 60 trimaran Region Guadaloupe.  It narrowly escaped being bettered in 2013 by the flying cruiser/racer trimaran Paradox who fell short by about 11 minutes.  This year the MOD70 Phaedo3 (Ex Foncia) will be having a crack at the record and the now turboed Paradox sporting foil assist and an increased sail area with a new extended bowsprit will compete to attempt to claim the crown.

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2015/02/20/rorc-caribbean-600-multihull-record-risk/

the race tracker:

http://caribbean600.rorc.org/Race-Information/Tracking/

Weather forecast indicates a reach for a fair bit of the course but lower wind velocity than would be ideal for these big tri's. 

https://www.windyty.com/spot/location/17.089/-61.789/name/Antigua?surface,wind,now,17.217,-60.043,8

Corsair Marine update, Pulse 600 trimaran prototype out for first sail

From the following update on the Corsair Marine website:

http://sail.corsairmarine.com/first-look-photos-of-the-pulse-600

all photos courtesy of Corsair Marine

Searail 19 trimaran updates on present production status

Thanks to the excellent smalltrimarans.com

http://smalltrimarans.com/blog/?p=12824

The SeaRail-19 program had an excellent 2014 with 10 boats now delivered and 5 scheduled to arrive in the Midwest this Spring. We are totally committed to building the most affordable, high quality, and high performing, One~Design Trimaran fleet on the market. With a team compiled of some of the highest-regarded individuals in the multihull industry and over 2 ½ years of on the water, development the SR-19 has evolved into a very dynamitic watercraft.

Offering an unmatched power-to-weight ratio with a fully laden weight of only 700 pounds, upwind sails of 258 sf and a 278 sf spinnaker totaling an impressive 536 sf of sail. The 19 is the total package – whether it’s day sailing, camping, or racing, the 19 is like no other.

read more here

Extreme Sailing Series, Roman Hagara and the Red Bull team win first event of the 2015 season

From the following press release on the Extreme Sailing Series website:

http://www.extremesailingseries.com/news/view/rivalries-dominate-the-start-of-the-season-as-red-bull-sailing-narrowly-den

- Down to the wire battle sees Roman Hagara snatch Red Bull Sailing Team’s first ever Act victory from the hands of the Danish SAP Extreme Sailing Team in the final metres of the final race. Replay the final races here.
- Thousands get up close and personal over four days as the 2015 Extreme Sailing Series™ kicks off on one of the most iconic city centre stadium racecourses on the global tour. Watch the highlights here.
- Land Rover recognises youth sailing talent, awarding the Above and Beyond Award to Red Bull Sailing Team protégé, Jason Waterhouse for a stunning debut performance.
- Next stop – Muscat, Oman. 11-14 March
Double Olympic gold medallists Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher and their team on Red Bull Sailing Team have won the opening Act of the 2015 Extreme Sailing Series™, soaking up the pressure of expectation in front of the crowds in Singapore to become kings of Marina Bay after 32 hard fought races. The team from Austria had the points advantage heading into the final day and held their nerve, despite the onslaught from SAP Extreme Sailing Team in a cut and thrust battle that went down to the last few metres of the final race that eventually denied SAP Extreme Sailing Team the Singapore trophy by just five points. With The Wave, Muscat rounding out the podium positions, the 2015 Extreme Sailing Series is well and truly up and running!

read more here

Corsair Marine, Pulse 600 trimaran production update #10

Corsair Marine in their most recent update show some of the folding system components and the carbon rear traveler/beam assembly.  All photos courtesy Corsair Marine:

read more here:

http://sail.corsairmarine.com/development-update-10-on-the-pulse-600

Extreme Sailing Series, video of day 4 of racing in Singapore

Extreme Sailing Series, video of day 3 of racing in Singapore

Extreme Sailing Series, video of day 2 of racing in Singapore the first event of the 2015 season

Banuls designed N53 trimaran constructed by McConaghy launched

The Banuls designed N53 trimaran has been launched a performance oriented cruiser with comfortable accomodations.  More details on the Banuls design website:

http://banulsdesign.com/_bd-cms/index.php?page=n53-trimaran

Photos by Clint Clemens: