Posted by XS Editor
The cold grey waters that greeted the youth sailors in Act 1 of the Youth Foiling Gold Cup feel like they were from another world as the world’s top foiling youth sailors take the wraps off their Persico 69F boats form Act 2 in Limone sul Garda this week…
Posted by deleteme
Sunrise, a JPK 1180 owned by Thomas Kneen has just won the Fastnet Race IRC Overall. Impressive!
Posted by deleteme
The philosophy and delivery of the DSS Infiniti 52 was always going to ask a lot of the builders and engineers involved in this dramatic new build. And some of the solutions which they identified are genuinely fascinating
When setting out with the Infiniti 52 to redefine a marketplace that has been dominated for so long by one class, albeit with a very different design brief (windward-leeward in defined wind strengths versus offshore rocket to take on all conditions, all over the world at all angles and strengths of wind, day and night under three rating systems) it is important to not only have design DNA but also the highest level of technical strength, not just in composites, but in systems and fit-out…
Posted by deleteme
As we arrive at the 3-day mark of this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race the handicap leaderboard is completely changed.
Gone from the top handful are the two Polish boats (now 12th & 22nd ) as many of the smaller and slower boats round The Rock and start heading downwind, or as they transit the Western Approaches, on a reach-in decent breeze their VMG naturally climbs as they head towards the final turning point of the Bishop’s Rock – that part of the course being unaltered from the traditional one.
Skorpios has also disappeared and doubly so. She rockets down from 1st overall earlier in the race to (currently) 29th oops – grabbed a bite to eat – now 32nd – (a few hours ago she was 18th). And is currently mid-Channel heading back towards the Solent. (Perhaps they dropped the owner off for the prizegiving?)
High water, Cherbourg is about now and, according to the tracker, the Channel ebb tide is showing as really flowing westward which will slow the approach towards the French Coast of many of the boats over the next few hours…
Posted by XS Editor
Marine retailer West Marine released a statement naming Eric Kufel to succeed Ken Seipel as Chief Executive Officer. Kufel has over two decades of executive leadership experience with a proven track record of delivering category-leading growth across a wide range of brands, business models, and industries. As part of the transition, Seipel, who took the helm as CEO in late 2018, will become Lead Independent Director of the West Marine Board of Directors, effective August 23. – Details
Posted by XS Editor
Cleveland, OH (August 10, 2021) – Qualifying began today for the 60 teams competing in the 2021 Lightning North American Championship. Dominating the day was David Starck with crew Tom Starck and Jenna Probst, posting a 1-2 to sit in first ahead of Jimmy Barnash in second and John Newell in third. Qualifying continues tomorrow before the top teams advance to vie for the North American title. Racing concludes August 14. – Details
Posted by XS Editor
An exceptional example of an extraordinary boat paired up with a hugely talented crew has been the combination of Apivia with doublehanders Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat competing in this 49th Rolex Fastnet Race…
Posted by XS Editor
Frenchman Philippe Delamare from Le Mans considers sailing as a discipline which has taught him that at sea there is no procrastination, there are no lies…
Posted by deleteme
Interesting take on the BBC viewing figures for Tokyo 2020 – Many and varied media viewing figures are thrown around for sport, with careful choice of facts and figures achieving the result required…
Posted by XS Editor
The Swiss company has entrusted the Italian shipyard Persico Marine, who will apply a different approach to what is usually done in the maritime industry: building a boat with TPT® carbon kits…
Posted by deleteme
Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios took line honors in the Rolex Fastnet Race this evening, after crossing the finish line in Cherbourg at 2015 BST. Their total elapsed time for completing the 695 nautical mile course from Cowes to Cherbourg was 2 days, 8 hours, 35 minutes and 5 seconds…
Posted by deleteme
To enter, simply reply to this thread with your response to the following question:
How would you spend a $100 Amazon gift card?
To be entered in the drawing you need to include links to the actual products you would choose. Give us your shopping list!
On August 20th we will do a random drawing to select the winner. The winner will…
Posted by XS Editor
Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios took line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race this evening, after crossing the finish line in Cherbourg at 2015 BST…
Posted by XS Editor
Ironic after Sunday’s brutal start, less than 48 hours in and across the Rolex Fastnet Race fleet competitors have been struggling in light winds, especially around the Traffic Separation Scheme between Land’s End and the Scilly Isles…
Posted by deleteme
This is one confusing story, but if the boat captain did run it aground to keep it from sinking, that’s a good thing, right?
Posted by deleteme
An interesting look at the origins of Topanga Yacht Club, such as it was…
In 1924, the Los Angeles Athletic Club bought Topanga Beach with the intention of building a yacht harbor. To promote the cause, British actor Captain Vesey O’Davoren (1888-1989) founded the Topanga Yacht Club in 1928.
He proudly claimed descent from two English Prime Ministers, William Pitt (1708-1778) and “Iron Duke” Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852), as well as a family of medieval Irish scholars. His title, Captain, came from serving in the British Royal Air Force during World War I, where he was injured several times, including by a mustard gas attack that left him voiceless.
He did not live at Topanga Beach. Hardly any of the club’s members did.
Topanga was simply a preferred shelter for small boat owners before the bay had marinas or breakwaters. Read on, thanks to The Malibu Times.
Bizarre title inspiration thanks to Dr. Demento.
Posted by deleteme
The influence of the current climate resulted in a smaller than usual fleet of Unicorns to attend Stone Week for their National Championship held during the first week of August at Stone SC…
Posted by XS Editor
It was decided to run a one-off Euro Series to cover the major European events during 2021 to provide some focus and publicity for the class and the sailors and to basically have some fun…
Posted by XS Editor
This year’s I14 National Championship saw a long-awaited fleet return to Tynemouth Sailing Club, the spiritual home of the northern fleet…
Posted by deleteme
Posted by deleteme
The extraordinary 32m long Ultime Maxi Edmond de Rothschild crossed the finish of the Rolex Fastnet Race this evening (Monday 9 August) at 20:24:54 BST, setting a new record…
Posted by XS Editor
After 24 months of research, development, and construction, 11th Hour Racing Team has unveiled its new IMOCA 60, the first of a new era of boats designed to compete in fully crewed, short-handed and solo offshore sailboat races.
With the U.S. sponsored program focused on The Ocean Race 2022-23, the team sees this as a new era for the 60-foot class which previously had been designed specifically for shorthanded sailing.
A product of Guillaume Verdier’s design studio and built at CDK Technologies in the home of offshore yacht racing in Brittany, France, the new IMOCA 60 blends sporting performance with sustainable construction practices, and state-of-the-art boat building technology.
Where IMOCA 60s are traditionally designed for the typical downwind course of the solo Vendée Globe, the 11th Hour Racing Team boat has been optimized for the broader range of conditions expected in The Ocean Race which will cross the equator four times.
The first impression is of a hull with a super-slick aero treatment with a scow-type profile to its bow, a pronounced chine, and with a large and almost completely enclosed cockpit with minimal side decks…
Posted by XS Editor
Almost 10 hours after the lead Ultime trimaran, Russian Dmitry Rybolovlev’s brand new ClubSwan 125 Skorpios became the first monohull to round southwest Ireland’s most famous rock…
Posted by deleteme
We kid, we know t’s not fun! But it is part of the game. This is the S&S 63 Reganut on the first day of the Fastnet. This incredible pic thanks to Kurt Arrigo…
Posted by XS Editor
Video from Cherbourg as Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, co-skippered by Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, took multihull line honours in the 49th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race…
Posted by deleteme
Posted by XS Editor
Cowes, UK (August 8, 2021) – The Rolex Fastnet Race has a reputation for the severe weather that it can throw at its competitors. Still strongly remembered is the 1979 race that cost 19 lives, the 49th edition of the 96-year-old offshore racing classic lived up to its fame today as the seven starts got underway.
Over the last three days strong southwesterly winds have been blowing up the Channel and competitors today were treated to these same headwinds gusting into the 30s and, as the tide turned off the Needles and in the western Solent, a building wind-against-tide sea state developed in the early stage of the 695 nm course…
Posted by XS Editor
Once the winningest nation in Sailing, the USA has been a spectator as Great Britain climbed up the rank. Before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Team GB already was the clear leader in gold medals, 28 to the USA’s 19, but the Brits now hold the most medals by total too – 64 to the USA’s 60.
The U.S. Sailing Team was not considered a medal threat in Tokyo, but the team arguably underperformed by posting its worst effort in history with an average finish of 14.2 place (14.1 in 2012, GBR averaged 4.8) and no medals. While none of that is good, the sailing program exists within a country that does do well at the Olympics.
Overall, the U.S. Olympic Team finished atop the gold-medal standings at the Tokyo Olympics with 9, surpassing the totals it managed at five of the previous eight Summer Games…
Posted by deleteme
Images from the Rolex Fastnet Race start off Cowes, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club…
Posted by XS Editor
British offshore sailor Alex Thomson and Swiss co-skipper Ollie Heer have today started the 49th Rolex Fastnet Race, the double-handed 695mile race which started from Cowes, Isle of Wight…
Posted by XS Editor
The award for top boat overall at Mallorca’s showcase 39 Copa del Rey MAPFRE goes to the durable Spanish partnership of owner Javier Banderas and skipper Daniel Cuevas…
Posted by deleteme
The 2021 Cadet Open World Championships were held at Fragla Vela Riva, Lake Garda, Italy…
Posted by XS Editor
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has announced that sailor Mat Belcher will be Flag Bearer at the Closing Ceremony at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games tomorrow night…
Posted by XS Editor
British yachtsman Sir Chay Blyth returned to the Hamble on Friday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his victorious return to the UK at the end of a pioneering 292-day solo non-stop west-about circumnavigation against the prevailing winds and currents…
Posted by XS Editor
Yes, it is indeed on the British side of the Channel that the traditional canons of the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes will release the competitors onto the Rolex Fastnet Race course…
Posted by deleteme
Posted by deleteme
The Arch, competing on the Pro Sailing Tour’s Final Rush, the offshore race between Toulon and Brest, dismasted this morning at 01:23 while leading the race alongside Leyton…
Posted by XS Editor
This weekend’s skiff racing was a case of being comfortable with the rig you’ve put in and accepting that at some points, it might have felt like the wrong call!
Posted by XS Editor
Taking place August 13-15 in Lake St. Moritz, Switzerland, this will be the first Open GWA Wingfoil Race European Championship of the GWA Wingfoil Race Class…
Follow Us!