Monthly archives for August, 2023

As the Earth hurtles headfirst

Thursday
Aug 10
2023 Posted by XS Editor

To paraphrase John Masefield’s poem ‘Sea Fever’, having a star to steer by is helpful for a night passage, but as George Day reports in the Cruising Compass, we will want to sit still for this sky show:

Here we are again in the middle of August and, hopefully, you are getting Cruising Compass on your boat while anchored in a lovely quiet cove. And, with luck, you will have an unobstructed view of the night sky and very little ambient light from civilization ashore. That’s because the middle of August is when the Earth sails through the interplanetary debris field left by the huge comet Swift-Tuttle (click here); comets, apparently, are terrible litter bugs.

As the earth passes through the debris field, particles the size of large rocks enter the atmosphere at high speed and burn up creating shooting stars with long glowing tails. The best time to catch this summer’s shooting stars will be on August 12 and 13, just before the new moon when the sky is at its darkest. Between midnight and dawn, as the Earth hurtles headfirst into the debris, you can see as many a 100 shooting stars an hour.

It is known as the Perseid Meteor shower because the shooting stars seem to emit from the constellation Perseus. If you have never witnessed a meteor shower, it is a show of celestial fireworks worth staying up for. To read more on The Planetary Society’s website, click here.

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Cup Spy August 8: Full fleet sails in Barcelona

Wednesday
Aug 09
2023 Posted by XS Editor

Five teams sailed on Tuesday in another seabreeze but lighter than the previous day. Two teams sailed AC75’s, two in AC40 combinations, and one in a custom design 12metre long test boat…

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Bringing back the past to the present

Wednesday
Aug 09
2023 Posted by XS Editor

During the 37th America’s Cup Challenger Selection Series in 2024, up to 25 12 Metres are anticipated for racing on September 4-7 in Barcelona, Spain. The 17th Regata Puig Vela Clàssica will be run by the Real Club Nàutic de Barcelona with the yachts moored at the RCNB’s marina in the heart of the America’s Cup Village.

“We enjoyed hosting the fleet back in 2014, on the 7th edition of the regatta, and look forward to welcoming the 12 Metre family again in 2024 where the contrast between the displacement era and the new era of foiling vessels will be a stunning backdrop for the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona,” said Jordi Puig, President of the Real Club Nàutic de Barcelona.

The 12 Metre Class can trace its history back to the early 1900s when they were used in the 1908, 1912, and 1920 Olympic Games. The class was introduced to the America’s Cup in 1958 by the holders at the time, the New York Yacht Club, following the cessation of the competition during the period of World War II.

The ‘Golden Era’ of the enormous J-Class yachts that had last competed for the Cup in 1937 was over, as harsh post-war economic times precluded the building and campaigning of these vessels.

The New York Yacht Club recognized the desire for a smaller and more cost-effective class to re-start the competition and the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes agreed, sending the David Boyd designed Sceptre to face the Olin Stephens designed Columbia in 1958.

The Americans successfully defended eight times in the Match against challengers from Britain and Australia through to 1983 when finally, the longest winning streak in sports history was ended by the radical winged-keel yacht Australia II helmed by John Bertrand and designed by the genius of Ben Lexcen.

The Cup was taken to Fremantle Western Australia for what would be the final time that 12 Metres competed for the trophy in a memorable regatta with the big seas and winds of Gage Roads as the Australian Kookaburra III Task Force Syndicate lost to Dennis Conner’s Stars ‘n’ Stripes ‘87 after a thrilling series that catapulted the America’s Cup into the mainstream.

The 12 Metre fleet was eventually replaced by the IACC class after the Deed of Gift Match in 1988 but they were anything but forgotten and fleets have sprung up most notably in North America and in both North and Southern Europe ever since, with owners restoring and updating the beautiful yachts with modern technology.

“In many people’s minds, the era of the 12 Metre Class in the America’s Cup was what inspired their interest in the event,” noted Grant Dalton, CEO of America’s Cup Events.

“The 12 Metres will provide a lot of interest, and as always, their racing will be incredibly tight. We’re looking forward to seeing the boats and for the sailors to enjoy the unique atmosphere that is building in Barcelona.”

Source: ACE

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Kudos to US Sailing for this pivot

Tuesday
Aug 08
2023 Posted by XS Editor

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The problem with historic perpetual trophies is what to do when their events lose relevancy. That was the reality for US Sailing, as the growth of nationally organized age-based boats and class competition had thrown shade on some of the organization’s once iconic youth championships.

So it was in March 2023 when US Sailing revealed the revamp, but through all the event changes, the oldest of them all remained in place. Dating back to 1921, the Sears Cup for triplehanded competition was more important today than ever as it exposed kids to life beyond the doublehanded dinghies they’d soon age out of…

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Eight Bells: Donald J. Matthews

Tuesday
Aug 08
2023 Posted by XS Editor

Donald J. Matthews

Donald J. Matthews, a remarkable man of integrity, generosity, and unwavering faith, died peacefully on June 5th, at the age of 89, in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Don was born in 1933, the son of Captain John N. Matthews and Dorothy Webb Matthews, and brother to John, Robert, Richard, Jane, and Lucille. He grew up on Centre Island, Oyster Bay, NY where he developed his passion for sailing at Seawanhaka Yacht Club.

He graduated from Georgetown Prep in 1951 and the University of Notre Dame in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree in business where he also captained the sailing team. In 1956, Don married Cynthia Hackney and together they raised four children in Rye, NY.

Don was an accomplished sailor who co-skippered two America’s Cup yachts – Vim, the family-owned 12 Metre, which narrowly lost out in races to select the New York Yacht Club’s defender in 1958, and Weatherly, which won the America’s Cup in 1962. He was one of the longest standing members of the New York Yacht Club having joined in 1956…

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12 Metre Worlds – Challenge XII and Columbia are 2023 World Champions

Tuesday
Aug 08
2023 Posted by deleteme

Challenge XII and Columbia Become Two-Time World Champions at the 12 Metre 2023 World Championship…

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what is second?

Tuesday
Aug 08
2023 Posted by deleteme

A second-place finish, four hours and 40 minutes on corrected time in the 2022 Chicago Mac double-handed section, didn’t sit well with Ted Lockwood and Justin Ackler. Winter preparations put them on the right path.

“We took care of the critical components with electronics,” said Justin Ackler. “We ran different routes and paid attention to how the software works and predicting wind routing.” Lockwood, who completed his first Mac in 1970, recalled Ned Lockwood’s words: “My Dad would say, ‘Teddy, it’s not the first two or three things, it’s the 95 things you do prior to going out and preparing the boat that makes you win.”

Moving ahead of their four-boat section was the difference as their J88, McQueen, set the pace pulling into Mackinac Harbor at 2:39:44 Monday, July 25, 2023. Their elapsed time was 2:03:39:44 just ahead of Exile 2:03:45:36. The corrected time was 2:03:36:56. Exile, sailed by Andy Graff and Scott Eisenhardt, was 2:04:02:22. 10-16 miles an hour southeast winds, propelled McQueen towards the shoreline near the Wisconsin border. Around 5 p.m., winds and waves shifted from the northwest.

From midnight to 5 a.m., it blew 20 knots. “We put our kite up,” said Lockwood, a resident of Traverse City, MI. “You couldn’t see the waves in the dark, but we were surfing three-six-foot waves and burying the bow doing 11-13 knots…”

Read more on Sailing Anarchy

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nothing’s easy

Tuesday
Aug 08
2023 Posted by deleteme

In this second day of racing at the 2023 ORC World Championship, the persistent low-pressure center in southern Scandinavia continued to drive strong westerly winds in the Kieler Bucht. Accordingly, race managers from Kieler Yacht Club set a coastal course for Classes B and C with early leaders emerging in these classes after two races.

An unfortunate secondary effect of these strong westerly winds was to drive water in the Kieler Bucht to the east, thus lowering water levels in the west, and causing the deep draft entries in Class A to remain at their slips at the venue in Schilksee Harbor due to a lack of depth to allow them to leave the marina.

Nonetheless, at wind speeds of 20-30 knots today’s conditions were brisk but quite raceable from start in the inner Kiel fiord out to the same mark as yesterday at the mouth of the Eckernfiord, and return to the finish in front of Schilksee.

Read more on Sailing Anarchy

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Cup Spy August 4-5: Seabreeze sailing

Sunday
Aug 06
2023 Posted by XS Editor

The five teams based in Barcelona have enjoyed seabreeze sailing, and are learning how to foil with “off-axis” swells. Sailing conditions have followed a pattern, but various issues have stopped some teams from gaining the full benefit…

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Capsize of the racing yacht Nexba

Sunday
Aug 06
2023 Posted by XS Editor

It was over a year ago when Farr X2 hull #1, which was the newest project by Farr Yacht Design to serve the short-handed market, capsized offshore when its keel attachment failed off southeastern Australia. After 14 hours of clinging to the upturned hull of Nexba, the two crew were safely rescued.

Keel failures had become a disturbing trend, so much so that World Sailing had enacted new regulations requiring inspections. Following the incident, the yacht’s home club – Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club – formed a Review Working Party to investigate and provide an account of the circumstances relating to the capsize of the yacht and the sailors’ survival.

“There are findings in this report that will have an impact on safety in sailing and may indeed save a life one day,” said Australian Sailing President, Alistair Murray AM.

The 33-page report is now publicly available, and while it did not investigate the potential cause(s) of the keel loss, it does detail how a seemingly well-prepared boat with an experienced crew can incur a life-threatening accident. To read the report, click here.

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British Moth Nationals at Hollowell

Saturday
Aug 05
2023 Posted by XS Editor

The British Moth Nationals were held at a new venue for them on the 2nd to 4th August 2023. Hollowell Sailing Club were exceptionally welcoming hosts & opened the club the afternoon before the championship started to allow drop off and camping…

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Firefly Nationals 2023 Runners and Riders

Saturday
Aug 05
2023 Posted by XS Editor

There’s just under a week to go until the Firefly Nationals at Felixstowe Ferry (12-18th August 2023) the first semi accurate forecasts are in and the local breweries are putting in double shifts to stock up in time for the impending Firefly invasion…

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Historic Thunderbird Sailboats #1 and #2

Saturday
Aug 05
2023 Posted by XS Editor

Thunderbird #1, launched in November of 1958 and known as Number 1 or Thunderbird, and Thunderbird #2, named Pirouette and launched in August of 1959…

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Cup Spy August 3: Super seastate hits Barcelona

Friday
Aug 04
2023 Posted by XS Editor

Two teams had an interesting work out in the worst sea state since the teams began assembling on July 1, for a four month period, which coincides with the period in which the 2024 America’s Cup will be sailed in 12 months starting on August 12, 2024…

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12 Metre World Championship: At the Halfway Mark, Challenger XII and Columbia lead

Friday
Aug 04
2023 Posted by deleteme

With six races under their sailing belts, the 12 Metre sailors in Newport, Rhode Island for the 12 Metre World Championship are more than halfway through their nine-race series…

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looking forward

Friday
Aug 04
2023 Posted by deleteme

Big Pimpin’

A new semi-custom racer from Judel/Vrolijk and Oceantec takes the Class40 concept back to its roots… with an extensively optimized IRC rating and a super-lightweight interior.

Class40 has moved on from its initial concept. What started as a class offering shorthanded offshore racing for top-tier amateur sailors on moderate budgets has morphed into a very successful class of completely stripped-out racing machines, campaigned with serious money, whose primary function is to provide a stepping stone for professional solo sailors en route to rock star status in Imoca 60s.

So where do you go if you want a boat that truly reflects the original spirit of Class40, with the same level of performance as the top boats in that fleet, but also a competitive IRC rating plus the bare minimum of accommodation for weekend cruising with family and friends?

Two experienced Class40 racers couldn’t find anything quite like that so they asked Judel/Vrolijk to design it for them. Read on.

Read more on Sailing Anarchy

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29er World Championships – Anton and Johann Sach take lead into final day

Thursday
Aug 03
2023 Posted by deleteme

The 29er World Championships at the WPNSA was back in action Thursday with the first racing for the Final Series…

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Bet on the Tortoise over the Hare

Wednesday
Aug 02
2023 Posted by XS Editor

The problem with really fast boats is when they hit something, it can be game over, which is what occurred when the 121-foot trimaran Sails of Change tried to set a new transatlantic record from New York to Great Britain.

A collision with an unidentified floating object on the first night broke their port rudder, which made for naught all the preparation and cost for what is the largest ocean-racing trimaran which, by the way, had previously set the record this new effort was trying to break.

There are a lot of obstacles in that first day off the coast of the USA, but perhaps a separate effort by Jay Thompson to break the same record will have more luck as his boat of choice is the Mini 6.50 and he is merely seeking to establish a new small boat Atlantic crossing record. – Full report

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