Australia’s Mark Bulka moves into the lead of the 50th Contender Worlds at the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club…
Monthly archives for January, 2023
Cabo Race: Big effort, Big fun
Tuesday
Jan 17
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 17
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Highlights of the California offshore circuit include two races to Mexico: San Diego to Puerto Vallarta in even years and the Newport Beach to Cabo San Lucas in odd years, with the later having staggered starts on March 10 and 11.
Hosted by Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Certified Race Officer Dwight Belden offers a preview:
What edition is the 2023 race? Have they all gone to Cabo?
The 800 nm course to Cabo is quite popular with all the races finishing there since the early 1970s. There was a decade break so not sure what edition we are on but we have a lot of boats set to go in March.
There is nice entry growth from 2021. Any secrets?
As our race is an ideal warm-up to the biennial Transpac Race which starts in June, we aggressively contacted teams that would likely be racing to Hawaii. Hopefully it also helped that the 2021 post-race party was a lot of fun along with excitement from the elapsed record set by Pyewacket 70 of 01:21:22:53.
With the two Mexican races, is this a good schedule?
There previously were more, so our focus now is to work with San Diego Yacht Club to compare calendars as appropriate so we don’t overlap and make sure not to overschedule.
What are some of the hurdles to overcome for entry?
Time and money. Also, the marina in Cabo is very full. However, it is hard to beat arriving at a resort city where we maximize the fun, and it is an easy flight back to reality.
Hosting an international distance race is a big undertaking.
It costs the club a lot of resources to put on ocean races, but we have many members competing with their boats or on other entrants. We enjoy the event as do the racers who are usually very happy when they hit the dock in Cabo.
What is the overall time record:
In 2015, H.L. Enloe’s ORMA 60 Mighty Merloe set the multihull and overall record of 01:16:14:14.
The Ocean Race – Day 3 Fleet leaders Team Holcim and WindWhisper Racing Team
Tuesday
Jan 17
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 17
2023
Posted by deleteme
Difficult conditions for The Ocean Race fleets as they make their way through the Strait of Gibraltar in Day 3 of racing…
Cup Spy Jan 16-17: Italians in test mode
Tuesday
Jan 17
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 17
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Two of the six teams entered in the 2024 America’s Cup took to the water in Cagliari and Auckland on Sunday and Tuesday (NZT). Luna Rossa was conducting testing on their starboard wingfoil, and carried a CFD engineer onboard…
The Ocean Race Leg 1 Day 3
Tuesday
Jan 17
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 17
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Day two of The Ocean Race had the fleet searching for calmer waters by heading towards the Spanish coastline to avoid the worst of the brutal offshore breeze and sea state before breaking through the Strait of Gibraltar and out into the Atlantic.
VIDEO: What’s wrong with you?
Monday
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Fly along with these high performance ice yachts as they race January 13 on Lake Kegonsa in Madison, Wisconsin. Logan Lein provides this footage from the 2023 International Skeeter Association and Renegade Championships.
Music: The Therapist by Foreign Air. Video uploaded on Jan 15, 2023.
Singapore Sail Grand Prix Video Highlights
Monday
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Relive all the action from the first ever SailGP racing in Southeast Asia, featuring tricky conditions, drama on the water, and Singaporean fans cheering from the beach…
2023 Contender Worlds at Perth day 1
Monday
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Plenty of swims and damage, almost unsailable amounts of breeze, so of course the Contenders went out…
The Ocean Race Leg 1 Day 2
Monday
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 16
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The opening 24 hours has been challenging, but not unexpected. After running into a quiet spell overnight, during which both fleets concertinaed, the forecast has played out its threat with strong winds and big seas…
Spectacular The Ocean Race start day in Alicante
Sunday
Jan 15
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 15
2023
Posted by XS Editor
As The Ocean Race celebrates its 50th jubilee anniversary, a fleet consisting of the best sailors in the world set off on what is widely considered to be the toughest test of a team in sport…
Victory for New Zealand at Singapore Sail Grand Prix
Sunday
Jan 15
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 15
2023
Posted by deleteme
Peter Burling and the New Zealand team battled back from a four point pre-event penalty to claim a clear victory at the Singapore Sail Grand Prix…
Spithill rebounds to claim race win in Singapore
Saturday
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The United States SailGP Team redeemed a lackluster start to the inaugural day of racing at the Singapore Sail Grand Prix, earning its second race win of the season and capturing crucial points to stay in the hunt for Sunday’s podium race…
Mark Bulka wins Contender Pre-worlds event at Royal Freshwater Bay YC
Saturday
Jan 14
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 14
2023
Posted by deleteme
The 2023 Australian Contender Championship was won by 3-time World Champion Mark Bulka…
Australian 16ft Skiff Nationals overall
Saturday
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
A broken rudder pin worth around $20 left one boat heart-broken and another ecstatic as the Australian 16ft Championships ended in the same dramatic way they started at Manly on Saturday…
Cup Spy Jan 13: Italians go into race mode
Saturday
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Three of the AC37 teams had very different sessions. American Magic’s was curtailed by strong winds. Luna Rossa got into race mode using marks in training for the first time by any team. Alinghi RBR flicked through 15 tacks/gybes with nine being dry…
New elapsed record in Transatlantic Race
Saturday
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 14
2023
Posted by XS Editor
St George’s, Grenada (January 13, 2023) – Today at 19:46:26 UTC, Giovanni Soldini’s Maserati Multi70 took Multihull Line Honors in the 2023 RORC Transatlantic Race. Maserati’s elapsed time sets a new Multihull Race Record for the RORC Transatlantic Race of 5 days 5 hours 46 mins 26 secs.
Maserati Multi70 Crew: Giovanni Soldini, Guido Broggi, Matteo Soldini, Oliver Herrera Perez, Francesco Pedol, Lucas Valenza-Troubat and Francesco Malingri.
For Maserati, the victory and new race record did not come easily in the RORC Transatlantic Race. Strong winds and a big sea state took its toll on the boat, but the crew battled through the troubles and strife to smash the previous record by 16 hrs 59mins 37 secs…
SailGP continues to break new ground
Friday
Jan 13
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 13
2023
Posted by XS Editor
As SailGP continues to enhance its reputation as a truly global championship with a regional debut this weekend, all nine drivers have been coming to terms with the unique waters off the coast of Singapore…
Oldest boat in The Ocean Race 2023
Friday
Jan 13
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 13
2023
Posted by XS Editor
With five IMOCAs racing round the world in the 14th edition of The Ocean Race, the oldest boat on the 7-leg course will have been launched in 2015… a lifetime ago in this fast moving development class.
But Robert Stanjek’s joint campaign with Benjamin Dutreux took a big step forward when the team won the IMOCA class in The Ocean Race Europe 2021. Racing a boat that was not only older, but significantly less advanced than others in the class, was a reminder that you don’t always need the latest and newest machine to win.
Certainly, their success was helped by the light conditions that favored the older style daggerboard configuration and a hull shape that was more suited to such weather.
Today, their campaign sees the team in a different boat, one that is the oldest in the five boat fleet. Nevertheless, few see this as anything other than another serious and competitive campaign. And when the German former Olympic sailor describes his thinking around a project that he freely admits is new to him, it’s easy to see why his competitors are taking GUYOT environnement – Team Europe seriously…
Cup Spy Jan 12: Key days for Brits and Swiss
Friday
Jan 13
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 13
2023
Posted by XS Editor
wo teams took to the water today in Barcelona and Mallorca. After the sessions, the relief was palpable, now that both teams could tick some of the basic boxes, ahead of a late starting testing regime….
irc legal?
Friday
Jan 13
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 13
2023
Posted by deleteme
We hear there are a bunch of whiney Aussie TP 52 owners filing protests about this configuration as we speak…
220-meter-long wind-assisted, LNG-fueled sailing ship unveiled
Thursday
Jan 12
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 12
2023
Posted by deleteme
Orient Express, part of Paris-based hotel conglomerate Accor, has unveiled the world’s largest wind-assisted sailing ship that will also run on liquified natural gas (LNG)…
J/105 Class suspends past champion
Thursday
Jan 12
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 12
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Each year, St. Francis Yacht Club rolls out the red carpet for sailors visiting to compete in the Rolex Big Boat Series, with the 2022 event held September 15-18 in San Francisco, CA. The J/105 Class had the largest fleet with 29 teams, but an incident during the event has had repercussions following the 7-race series.
As stated in the final report, “Randy Hecht’s Niuhi demonstrated their ability to negotiate crowded starting lines and manage a talented fleet to win this historic perpetual trophy and its accompanying Rolex. Ryan Simmons’ Blackhawk finished in second place, while Tim Russell’s Ne*Ne completed the top-of-class trifecta.”
However, the results were later adjusted, dropping Ne*Ne to last place, with event documents revealing how, on October 25, the Protest Committee conducted a rule 69 hearing to consider misconduct allegations against Ne*Ne owner Timothy Russell and his trimmer Arne Vandenbroucke.
The Protest Committee determined they each committed misconduct during the event, and rescored Ne*Ne to receive DNE in all seven races. More so, the Protest Committee referred their decision to US Sailing and the J/105 Class Association for their consideration/action.
The J/105 Class Executive Committee (EC) met on January 9, 2023 and voted to suspend the Class membership of Timothy Russell for the 2023 calendar year. The incident involved how Russell and Vandenbroucke boarded a competing boat, the J/105 Maverick, at 8:57 pm on September 17 and tampered with the boat’s lifelines.
Video from cameras on the StFYC docks and front door was provided as evidence.
Russell’s Ne*Ne dominated the 2021 J/105 North American Championship held in Annapolis, MD. His San Francisco-based team posted all top-5 scores in the 7-race series to win by 24 points. Ne*Ne finished third in the 2022 North Americans which was held after the Big Boat Series on San Francisco Bay.
Dive, Dive, Dive
Thursday
Jan 12
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 12
2023
Posted by deleteme
An unfortunate incident at the MGM Macau Regatta this weekend. Looks like the mainsheet guy should have been a bit smarter dumping the main….
VIDEO: Inside an IMOCA 60
Tuesday
Jan 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The Ocean Race (formerly Volvo Ocean Race and Whitbread Round the World Race) will have the high-performance, foiling, IMOCA 60 class when the 14th edition begins January 15, 2023. Matt Sheahan tours a newly launched boat, noting how the fully crewed IMOCA 60s are new territory.
“While some of the five teams have had the luxury of testing, training and generally getting their heads around how things work with five aboard a boat originally designed for one, most haven’t,” noted Sheahan.
“One of the latest generation of IMOCA60s is Boris Herrmann’s Malizia, and shortly after the boat had been launched, crew member Will Harris gave me the full tour. It was fascinating and highlighted just how different the new boats are to sail…
Sponsorship struggles for SailGP leader
Tuesday
Jan 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
When the SailGP global sports league got launched, it was a fully funded concept to create spectator-friendly racing in identical wing-powered, foiling F50 catamarans. But the support from billionaire Larry Ellison, and management from Russell Coutts, had conditions.
The prominent condition was that from the first season in 2019, the teams needed to be commercially sustainable by the end of the fifth year. While it is not clear if the pandemic has stretched this deadline beyond 2023, the reality remains that about half the teams have made that threshold.
As league promotion highlights its roster of the world’s best sailors, the league is finding that sheer talent does not translate to economic security. This hit home when the Season 2 runner-up Japan was removed from Season 3 when an entry for a new fully-funded team was accepted, and a new boat could not be built in time.
Also feeling the heat is Tom Slingsby, Driver and CEO of the Australia SailGP Team, who has failed to secure any major sponsorship deals which could put the two-time defending champion on the chopping block.
SailGP has “progressed a lot quicker than we expected,” he said, resulting in a glut of perspective, commercially independent teams approaching the league. “SailGP can’t build boats fast enough…
INEOS Britannia LEQ12 returns to Bay of Palma
Tuesday
Jan 10
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 10
2023
Posted by deleteme
The INEOS Britannia LEQ12 (T6) returned to the Bay of Palma for the ongoing commissioning process…
sail wars
Tuesday
Jan 10
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 10
2023
Posted by deleteme
The U.S. Navy and its partners in the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) continue to test out drone sailing vessels for use in patrol and surveillance work in the Persian Gulf, where maritime domain awareness is critical for ensuring security at sea.
During the IMSC’s most recent exercise, the crew of the destroyer USS Delbert D. Black worked with the IMSC’s Combined Task Force Sentinel command center in Bahrain to operate two Saildrones while on patrol. Using sensors on the drones and advanced AI systems, the crew was able to find and identify targets and relay video feed back to watchstanders on board.
“Saildrones transmitted information on contacts of interest and our watch officers coordinated with the destroyer for further monitoring,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Brian Granger, CTF Sentinel’s deputy commander. Read on.
Clean start for RORC Transatlantic Race
Monday
Jan 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Lanzarote, Canary Islands (January 9, 2023) – The start of the 2023 RORC Transatlantic Race had ideal conditions to allow the fleet to get away for a clean downwind start. After passing under the volcanic mountains of the Los Ajaches National Park, the fleet raced through the narrow Strait of Bocaina which divides Lanzarote from Fuerteventura.
The fleet must leave Tenerife to port, before heading into the wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The next mark of the course is 3,000 miles away across the Atlantic at Glover Island, just a few miles from the finish outside Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada…
Eight Bell: Charles Morgan
Monday
Jan 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Charles Morgan, (November 17, 1929-January 7, 2023), an icon in the world of sailing from the late 1940s, passed away at 93 years on January 6, 2023. His passing came just hours after his beloved wife Maurine had died.
Charley was born in Chicago in 1929 but grew up in Tampa, FL. He was a boy when his uncle took him sailing on Lake Conway near a sleepy town called Orlando. At 10 he built his first sailboat out of discarded orange crates and sack cloth…
The last race around Cape Horn steered by humans?
Monday
Jan 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The world of extreme ocean yacht racing is a mix of speed, costly technology and talented sailors/pilots fingering touchscreens with satellite interfaced routing programs…
When the Baja-Bash Is the ‘Baja Barely-a-Bash’
Monday
Jan 09
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 09
2023
Posted by deleteme
We expect everyone has heard stories from sailors who, after having enjoyed beautiful sailing in Mexico, make their way back up the West Coast in the conditions that lead to the northbound trip’s being rightly dubbed the Baja Bash. In the January issue we share the story of one crew’s unexpectedly calm return from Mexico.
Vanadium, a 2019 Beneteau 41.1 sloop, had just completed the 2022 Baja Ha-Ha, captained by owner Mike Brost and crewed by his wife Kitti Brown, friend Steve Cauffman, and Crew Lister Jim Immer. The journey was a test for Mike and Kitti to see if they’d enjoy an extended voyage before investing in a cruising catamaran.
© 2023 Jim Immer
The southward Ha-Ha trip was a resounding success, with lots of fleet camaraderie and daily natural spectacles including sublime sunsets and performances by whales, dolphins and rays. But after three nights in Cabo San Lucas, it was time to return Vanadium to her responsibilities with the Sailtime fleet in Newport Beach. Steve had already flown home to his microwave physicist job, so the return crew would consist only of Mike, Kitti and Jim.
The northward Baja Bash has a notorious reputation for testing boats and crew morale, especially during the typical May/June time frame, when insurers coax cruisers clear of potential hurricanes. However, Captain Jim Elfer’s Baja Bash II book includes the surprising revelation that November and July northward deliveries can be an easier experience, as long as weather systems are avoided.
We had refilled the water and diesel tanks upon arrival in Cabo. A Walmart provisioning run provided all the goods needed to continue our gourmet cruise, facilitated by a freestanding 80-quart AC/DC Bodega freezer strapped into the aft cockpit to augment Vanadium‘s built-in refrigerator.
On the morning of Sunday, November 13, Vanadium raised anchor, exiting the pleasantly noisy Cabo beachside anchorage just as the massive Disney Wonder loomed into view.
Vanadium (named for the 23rd element in the periodic table and a key catalyst for the evolution of oceanic life) motored in flat seas with almost no wind around the oft-feared headland of Cabo Falso. It was a cakewalk in shorts and tank tops rather than foulies. We had easy motoring until evening, when the wind filled in at 10 knots on the beam for some fine, warm sailing. With three crew, we rotated through two three-hour watch cycles at night and morning, and then used a two-hour evening watch, which gave everyone plenty of sleep and a social time at dinner.
© 2023 Jim Immer
We bypassed the Ha-Ha stop at Bahia Santa Maria on the way north, since we were anxious to spend the Thanksgiving holiday week with our families. Though the common salutation is “fair winds and following seas,” we were instead blessed with fair seas and following winds due to glassy seas and often light wind, good for fast motoring. Though itching to sail, we were happy to be spared the typical headwinds and swells that make the Bash infamous.
Read the rest of the story in the January issue of Latitude 38.
The post When the Baja-Bash Is the ‘Baja Barely-a-Bash’ appeared first on Latitude38.
Cup Spy Jan 06: INEOS has first sail for 2023
Saturday
Jan 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
INEOS Britannia became the second America’s Cup team to sail in 2023. The British LEQ12 was soon up and foiling much more steadily than we have observed previously…
How to follow The Ocean Race
Saturday
Jan 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
No other sporting event gets its fans as close to the action as The Ocean Race and there are multiple ways you can follow the competition throughout the six month event…
RORC Transatlantic Race looking for high-speed 3,000-mile Atlantic dash
Friday
Jan 06
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 06
2023
Posted by deleteme
A Record Breaking forecast for the RORC Transatlantic Race set to depart Marina Lanzarote on Sunday 8 January…
Cup Spy Jan 05: American Magic shifts focus
Friday
Jan 06
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 06
2023
Posted by XS Editor
There seems to have been a shift in focus in the American Magic game plan starting in 2023, and expect to see the New York Yacht Club team do most of its sailing on the open ocean. Today they sailed in a modest 2-3ft sea-state without issues…
Caribbean Multihull Challenge Anticipates Impressive Turnout
Thursday
Jan 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
Photo by Laurens Morel, Salty Colours, Inc.
The fifth annual Caribbean Multihull Challenge will begin in just over a month with a record number of boats on the start line. “From a high of 18 boats in 2022, we hope to come closer to the high 20s for this coming event,” says Stephen Burzon, the event’s volunteer director of marketing.
The three-leg racecourse combines a 60-mile sprint around St. Barth, a 52-mile dash around Saba, and a 27-mile circumnavigation of the island. “The combined winner of all three [will receive] a gorgeous and practical Oris Aquis Diving Watch provided by longtime sponsor Oris.” says CMC Steering Committee Chair Petro Jonker.
The event will also be adding a rally component for the first time to give less competitive sailors a chance to join the fun. The rally, officially titled the Caribbean Multihull Challenge Rally, is a three-day cruising event beginning and ending in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, with overnights at Anse Marcel and Sandy Ground in Road Bay, Anguilla.
This year’s increase in participation is also thanks in part to a partnership with Balance Catamarans, which is celebrating its 10th birthday this year. According to Phillip Berman, president and founder of Balance Catamarans, the rally is a perfect way to cap off the festivities, as “joining up with the CMC rally as a way to wind up our celebration fits in perfectly with our plans.”
For more information about the event, visit CaribbeanMultihullChallenge.com. To enter the race or the rally, go to YachtScoring.com.
welcome (back) to the jungle
Thursday
Jan 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
K-Challenge is back in The America’s Cup after more than a few years.
Headed up by Stefan Kandler and Bruno Dubois, it has just been announced that after quite a hiatus the team that last appeared in Valencia in America’s Cup 32 is returning to the fray.
It has been in the offing for quite some time and K-Challenge, challenging under the burgee of the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez joins the existing challengers from Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy & the United States.
Perhaps the move of the Cup from New Zealand to Spain was an influence but no matter, the French are in…
Record breaking RORC Transatlantic Race forecast
Thursday
Jan 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Near perfect, record conditions are forecast for the start of the RORC Transatlantic Race, supported by Calero Marinas, the International Maxi Association and the Yacht Club de France…
Cup Spy Jan 04: American Magic first to sail
Thursday
Jan 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jan 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Patriot sailed inshore on Pensacola on Wednesday (local time) and were the first of now six teams to start sailing in 2023. There was a break down in the Foil Cant System which took about an hour to resolve…
Best Boats 2023
Wednesday
Jan 04
2023
Posted by deleteme
Jan 04
2023
Posted by deleteme
Every year, sailboat manufacturers around the world launch their latest models, and every year, SAIL magazine’s experienced boat reviewers spend days and weeks learning what’s new, talking with boatbuilders, examining the boats top to bottom dockside, and finally taking them sailing. This culminates at the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, where our review team gets together and makes its final assessments on which boats earn top honors. Results are announced in our January/February issue, and full reviews of the winning boats will be published throughout the year.
For almost 20 years, we’ve called this awards program SAIL Best Boats, but this year, we’re refining and renaming this program to better and more fairly represent the boats we’ve selected. Restricting boats to categories and labels—such as Best Cruising Monohull 30-40 feet and Best Performance Monohull 40-50 feet—doesn’t bring our readers the full picture. Too often, defining these boats by categories results in unfairly comparing apples to oranges, sorting boats with very different purposes and design briefs into the same bracket just because of their LOA, and inevitably kicking out some really terrific boats. So, starting this year, we’re honoring the Top 10 boats, period. By eliminating the artificial straitjacket of size categories and focusing on what are simply the Top 10, SAIL will present readers a more complete and equitable assessment.
So, without further ado, here’s the SAIL Top 10 Best Boats for 2023. After exploring a mix of bluewater boats, racer/cruisers, speedsters, dinghies, and multihulls, we’ve settled on the very best the industry has to offer. We were excited to see that designers and builders are steadily pushing the envelope in propulsion, electrical generation, and more sustainable options for getting out on the water. And as always, we admire the ever-evolving innovations and tenacity of the sailboat industry that makes what we do possible…
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