Damaging Hurricanes John and Helene Hitting the Coasts

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British AC40 Athena Pathway team secure UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Semi-Final spot

Monday
Sep 23
2024

Posted by deleteme

The British AC40 Athena Pathway team secured the final UniCredit Youth America’s Cup Semi-Final spot in a final race showdown in Barcelona…

Read more on Sail Web

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America’s Cup comeback for Australia?

Monday
Sep 23
2024

Posted by XS Editor

If there’s one big name missing among nations contesting the America’s Cup, it is Australia, but that could be changing. A wealthy businessman and top sailor, John Winning Jr., is trying to become the catalyst for the return of the nation which has played a big part in the Cup’s history.

It was the John Bertrand-skippered Australia II which, in 1983, beat Dennis Conner’s Liberty to end the 132-year hold which the New York Yacht Club had on the Cup. It was a giant-killing act which, combined with the next defense being held in Australia, opened the door for New Zealand’s entry into Cup history in 1987.

A celebratory Prime Minister Bob Hawke famously declared among the toasts at the Royal Perth Yacht Club: “Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum”. – Full report

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

Following the publication of the AC37 Protocol and AC75 Class Rule on November 17, 2021, the AC75 Class Rule and AC Technical Regulations were finalized on March 17, 2022. The entry period was from December 1, 2021 until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup could be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the reveal, finally confirming Barcelona on March 30, 2022. The 37th America’s Cup begins October 12, 2024.

Teams revealed to challenge defender Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL):
• INEOS Britannia (GBR)
• Alinghi Red Bull Racing (SUI)
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (ITA)
• NYYC American Magic (USA)
• Orient Express Racing Team (FRA)

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series*
August 29-September 9: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

*Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, but the results of their races were not included in the challenger leaderboard.

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-27: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the Youth America’s Cup and Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

Source: Stuff

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been there, done that

Saturday
Sep 21
2024

Posted by deleteme

We are told that the use of cyclers to deliver power to trim the sails on the America’s Cup boats is a breakthrough – the kind of cutting-edge technological development that only the extreme competitiveness and huge budgets of the Cup cycle can produce.

Baloney. Consider the illustration to the left (click to expand). It’s from the February 1974 edition of the British magazine Yachting World and clearly shows that the idea of onboard cycle-generated power was being explored half a century ago.

The accompanying explanatory text begins: “In the attempt to obtain more power for winching sheets you can be sure that the seaborne sailing bicycle is soon to be seen”.

The system was developed by Lewmar at the request of the French AC campaign. Those concerned about the legality of non-sailors pedaling below deck were assured that “The teamwork required is only an extension of current crewing techniques. As the load increases, the gear can be changed by the cyclists as if they were going uphill.”

An intriguing aspect of the proposal was how it dealt with the angle of heel problem. Simple! “The tandem frame is gimballed fore and aft, because it would be difficult to exert effective leg push at an angle to the vertical.”

But with typical British reserve, Yachting World felt compelled to ask its readers: “Now comes the question of whether this is absurd.” Fifty years later, that’s still a good question.

– anarchist David

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Fighting to the End

Friday
Sep 20
2024

Posted by XS Editor

NYYC American Magic’s America’s Cup campaign came to a close, showcasing their relentless determination and resilience. After years of tireless preparation and countless hours on the water, the team faced every challenge with heart and soul…

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Fireball Europeans at Maccagno overall

Friday
Sep 20
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Claude Mermod & Ruedi Moser have won the Fireball European Championship at Maccagno after three races on the final day of the event…

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oh boy

Friday
Sep 20
2024

Posted by deleteme

Awesome work, hack. Jump in the thread…

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a time to kill

Thursday
Sep 19
2024

Posted by deleteme

Today’s AC LV Series
AM v Prada

Do or die for American Magic. Lose and go home.

Lumpy with 8 knots. Once again AM wins the start, forces Prada to tack, Prada going better but AM crosses and tacks on Prada, Prada sails through their Lee and forces AM to tack, Prada first at the weather mark by 14 seconds.

Prada builds a 400m lead, AM jibes away, Prada rounds the leeward mark 20 seconds to the good. Huge split on the next beat, no real change, but AM creeping a bit closer, now within 80m.

Prada only 8 seconds ahead at the weather mark, but Prada sails into more breeze and builds a 250m lead, which AM promptly eats into, then AM blows their jibe, Prada boogies away to round 22 seconds ahead at the bottom mark.

Prada is going very well, sailing strong, and they have this guy named Jimmy Spithill, perhaps you’ve heard of him? They build a 500m lead to round the final weather mark by 51 seconds, build the lead to 700m and baring breaking their traveler, this one is over. And it is.

AM was good, if not a bit strange. They had moments, but then they had a lot of control issues and other moments of mediocrity. The boat didn’t seem like it wanted to turn very well, but in fairness, none of the boats did. However, in comparison, Prada did it much better, as could be said for their overall effort.

A word about Spithill: he is, by far, the best skipper out there. His leadership skills are superb, his positive, cheerful and calm demeanor onboard is inspirational. His experience, knowledge, and skills are going to be very hard to beat going forward.

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America’s Cup, then and now

Thursday
Sep 19
2024

Posted by XS Editor

There are a few places in the world where America’s Cup history remains alive on the water, with Roger Marshall offering this observation from Newport, RI:

I was sitting on my front deck the other evening watching the wooden hulled 12-meter Heritage sailing past Castle Hill. The boat was followed by Columbia or was it Gleam? It was too far away to read the number, but these boats still have a life going on 50 years beyond their conception as America’s Cup contenders.

Yes, they are taking tourists out for a quick cruise around the entrance to Narragansett Bay, but it’s a life. As I watch Heritage and the other twelve tack – slowly in the dying southerly – their ‘crews’ shifting from low to high side, I think of all the innovations that trickled down to the regular sailor from the America’s Cup.

Steel, aluminum, then carbon fiber masts; Dacron, and later, carbon sails; big and bigger winches, C-foil headstay (the first single headstay carefully delivered to Newport on an 18-wheeler because they were afraid to bend it and possibly kink it), and later twin foil headstays. The twelves were, and still are, stately reminders of what the America’s Cup once was.

As for today’s America’s Cup, I suspect the composite foilers are now destined for the scrap heap after one or two regattas. Is there trickle down? Maybe in foil design for small boats and boards, but I don’t see mum and dad putting on their helmets, strapping the kids in chairs with cyclor pedals, and foiling off to Block Island or Nantucket for the weekend.

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Cup Spy: And then there were two

Thursday
Sep 19
2024

Posted by XS Editor

After the drama of yesterday’s racing when the New York YC’s team American Magic clawed their way back from being 4-1 down to 4-3, their fate was decided in just 23 minutes racing in a breeze of 9-11kts with 20° shifts…

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Sounding smart on the radio

Tuesday
Sep 17
2024

Posted by XS Editor

by Vincent Pica, WindCheck magazine
There is a natural tendency to shy away from the unfamiliar, especially when you can’t get the words back. Remember the first time you were faced with a phone message machine: “Leave your answer after the beep” – BEEP! Now what? Even today, that beep can strike fear into the hearts of some. Now, how about multiplying that a hundred-fold to everyone tuned to VHF channel 16…?

Some Basics
Unless you know the cell phone number of every boater in your vicinity, your only source of help is your radio. You don’t have one, you say? Stop reading and check yourself in someplace, because that is simply nutty. Your radio is likely to be your only source of help and you go to sea without one? To save a couple hundred dollars? And West Marine, for one, will give you a three-year warranty in the price. Come on, Bunky, where else can we skimp with such potentially disastrous results? – Full report

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Youth America’s Cup: USA and Italy lead – Day 1

Tuesday
Sep 17
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The US and Italian teams are tied on the top of the points table after two races in the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup sailed off Barcelona. The initial six boat fleet was tested by rough seas and 18kts winds…

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first blood yanks

Tuesday
Sep 17
2024

Posted by deleteme

Great start of the Sandberg Estates J/70 Worlds. The event organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) and the J/70 class International Association has opened the scores with the dispute of the first two races programmed. With a first and a seventh, Douglas Newhouse and Jeremy Wilmot`s, USA, “Yonder” is the first leader of an overall that today has been marked by the irregularity of the fleet.

With about nine knots of wind from the northeast, the race committee blew the first starting horn just fifteen minutes late, at 11:45 am. After nearly an hour and a half of intense competition, it was Newhouse and Wilmot’s “Yonder”, from the New York Yacht Club, who took the win ahead of Douglas Rastrello’s “Good to go”, also racing under the U.S. flag representing Newport Harbor YC. Third place in this first race of the World Championship went to a Spanish team, Luis Albert’s “Patakin” from the Real Club Náutico de Palma. Results.

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Morgan Connor wins 2024 Sonar Worlds

Tuesday
Sep 17
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The International Sonar Class Association held its 2024 World Championship at Noroton Yacht Club, Darien, CT, on the Long Island Sound. Thirty-one boats competed from across the USA, Canada, and Ireland…

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America’s Cup: Challenger series update

Tuesday
Sep 17
2024

Posted by XS Editor

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The Louis Vuitton Cup will select the challenger to face the defender in the 37th America’s Cup, and each of the four remaining teams has two goals during the series: improve and advance.

When the British team earned the right to select their semi-final opponent, they decided that advancing was more important, and selected the Swiss team which had been most vulnerable in the qualifying round robin stage. But would the Brits be pushed hard enough to improve?

The British had little trouble beating the Swiss on Day One and Day Two, scoring four wins in the best of 9 semi-final match. Needing one more win, the light winds of Barcelona returned for Day Three, and when the Brits fell off the foils in the only race of the day, the Swiss scored a win to stay alive.

In the other semi final match, the racing was closer between Italy and USA, but in the four races held on Day One and Day Two, the Italians found a way to win when USA couldn’t. However, similar to the Brits on Day Three, Italy made a mess of the only race to give USA their first win.

With all four teams getting a day off before the series resumes on September 18, can the teams sitting at 1-4 win four straight races to advance? The Swiss have appeared out of their element too often, and the USA admits their AC75 has handling problems. Can it all be fixed in a day? Standing by.

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series*
August 29-September 9: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

*Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, but the results of their races were not included in the challenger leaderboard.

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-27: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

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La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec Leg 3 Day 3

Tuesday
Sep 10
2024

Posted by XS Editor

After a relatively straightforward climb up the Brittany coast the solo racers on the final stage of the 55th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec are getting into the most difficult part of the monster 710 nautical miles stage from Royan to La Turballe…

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Britannia have proven doubters wrong

Tuesday
Sep 10
2024

Posted by XS Editor

INEOS Britannia topped the first stage of the challenger selection series, earning the right to choose among Italy, Switzerland, and USA to be there opponent in the best of 9 Semi Finals match on September 14-19. British skipper Ben Ainslie provides this report on The Telegraph:

Obviously, it is great to have finished top of the round-robin stage of the Louis Vuitton challenger selection series. But I can assure you no one is getting carried away at Ineos Britannia. We have only just got going. Yes, we made some encouraging gains during the first stage of the challenger series, but if we are going to go all the way and win this America’s Cup — which is something I truly believe we can do — we are going to have to find the same again, and then some.

That said, I am happy with where we are at the moment. The manner in which we improved through the round robins was very encouraging. It felt as if we made some really good gains; with the set-up of a boat, with how we’re sailing it. We have got some real momentum now and that is so key in sport. You can sense it when you walk through the base. Everyone can see and feel the progress we are making and the positivity rubs off on you. When you are working as hard as our guys are, both here in Spain and back in the UK in Brackley, you need that. – Full report

Viewing details – Race information – Results – Weather forecast

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series
August 29-September 8: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

Team New Zealand competes in the round robin stage only, and the results of their races are not included in the challenger leaderboard. Races start at 14:00 CET (08:00 ET) and run until 16:30 or 17:00, depending on the schedule.

2023-24 Preliminary Regattas
September 14-17, 2023 (AC40): Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain
November 30-December 2 (AC40): Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
August 22-25, 2024 (AC75): Barcelona, Spain

2024 Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Selection Series
August 29-September 8: Double Round Robin
September 14-19: Semi Finals (Best of 9)
September 26-October 7: Finals (Best of 13)

2024 America’s Cup
October 12-21: 37th Match (Best of 13)

For competition details, click here.

Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.

Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Event details: www.americascup.com/en/home

Source: ACE

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too windy?

Tuesday
Sep 10
2024

Posted by deleteme

Moët & Chandon may be the official champagne of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, but its G.H. Mumm champagne that is literally sailing. Paving the way for low-carbon shipping, Mumm bottles reached New-York’s harbor on September 3rd on a sailing cargo ship from Le Havre, France.

Recognizing the promise and potential of the young company – TransOceanic Wind Transport (TOWT) – from Brittany, now based in its home port of Le Havre, Mumm signed a commitment letter in 2021, enabling TOWT to begin construction of its first sailing cargo ship in Concarneau.

The TOWT is the largest vessel of its kind ever built in modern history, measuring 81 meters long and boasting six cargo holds with a combined capacity of over 1,000 tons, making it the most powerful in its class. – Full story

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breaking bad

Wednesday
Sep 04
2024

Posted by deleteme

Just when I was looking forward to getting up early and watching the AC “racing”, the threat of 50-knot gusts and possibly even more lightning than yesterday canceled today’s sailing. Apparently, tomorrow’s forecast looks more promising.

And we didn’t know it at the time, but Luna Rosa’s impressive win over TNZ yesterday was all for naught, as the race was officially abandoned when lightning appeared. Bad break for LR, and a lucky break for TNZ.

Clearly, the most anticipated race will be a rematch of those two…

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Tom Dolan of Ireland leads Stage 2 of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec

Tuesday
Sep 03
2024

Posted by deleteme

According to the latest routings by Race Direction the La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec leaders should cross the finish line around 16:00hrs Wednesday afternoon…

Read more on Sail Web

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before the devil knows you’re dead

Tuesday
Sep 03
2024

Posted by deleteme

Anarchist Layne sent us this…

Friday
Aug 30
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The World Sailing Show delivers 30-minute episodes which feature news, profiles, and racing highlights from across the world of sailing. The August 2024 episode goes behind the scenes in Marseille to catch up with the winners and headline makers from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Athletes in 10 events – one of which was making its Olympic debut – battled the elements and each other in fierce competition befitting the grandest stage…