INEOS Britannia’s new race boat for the 37th America’s Cup has set sail for the very first time…
What is the history of beer can racing?
Since the start of the Beer Can Racing season is upon the yachting community, the question has been asked: When and where was the first beer can race held? While we profess to know a little about a lot, our archives are empty on this topic. If you know, send the details to editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com.
As for the history of the beer can itself, here is how it began:
Before Prohibition, the main vessels for consuming beer were bottles and glasses used to down draft suds. But Pabst and Anheuser-Busch knew there was a better way, so they attempted to engineer a functional beer can in the 1920s. Unfortunately, their plans fizzled in the wake of the 18th Amendment.
In the early 1930s, just before Prohibition was officially repealed, the American Can Company created a usable beer can prototype that New Jersey’s Gottfried Krueger Brewing Company tested with just 2000 cans of their Krueger’s Special Beer.
The 12-ounce cans offered the highest alcohol content possible at the time—3.2 percent—and received rave reviews from 91 percent of those dedicated drinkers who were invited to partake in the first batch, with the vast majority of them saying it tasted more like draft beer than its bottled counterpart (which was a good thing).
Given the production and shipping costs for heavy bottles, canned beer was financially smarter for breweries in the 1930s, too. Bottles were also returnable at the time, which not only added another shipping cost for breweries, but necessitated more man-power for inspection of whether or not a bottle was fit for reuse. Which is why the invention of the beer can was so revolutionary—and why it has an official holiday on the calendar (January 24). – Full report
down, not out?
Jérémie Beyou, one of the top hopes for the Transat CIC solo race from Lorient to New York is returning to Lorient after damage to his J2 forestay. The skipper of Charal made the decision to turn around after discussions with his technical team, to be able to make a repair as quickly as possible and carry out a complete check of the boat.
Beyou will leave again quickly with a reduced crew to deliver the IMOCA to New York. As determined as ever Beyou wants to make sure of starting the New York-Vendée race on May 29.
A Second Consecutive Congressional Cup Victory for Chris Poole
Long Beach Yacht Club kicked off this year’s World Match Racing Circuit with the past weekend’s 59th annual Congressional Cup. USA’s Chris Poole, and his Riptide Racing team, returned to win his second consecutive Congressional Cup and crimson blazer. Poole and his team — Joachim Aschenbrenner, Bernardo Freitas, Mal Parker, Luke Payne, and Harry West — defeated five-time Congressional Cup winner Ian Williams 3-1 in a tense final.
Showing dominance early, Poole claimed the first point of the event. With so much talent and experience in these boats, Williams and Poole pushed the match-racing rules and boats to their maximum.
Reflecting on the victory, Poole said, “It’s an incredible feeling. It would be impossible without my team. We didn’t start the week the way we wanted to, but once we started sailing like we did last year, we were pretty confident it was going to be ours to win.”
Experience and confidence paid off as the Riptide team held off Williams to stay on top for the win.
Complete results and information here.
The post A Second Consecutive Congressional Cup Victory for Chris Poole appeared first on Latitude38.
yeah, no
We’ve all been there, just not usually caught this blatantly on camera! This uh, timely shot, is thanks to Max Ranchi at the seemingly never-ending 52 Super Series, this time at Palma de Mallorca.
It is worth noting – to me at least – that this series now never sends us any info. Did we hurt your fee fees? Welcome to the club. – ed.
SailGP’s Racing on the Edge latest episode
The latest episode of SailGP’s Racing on the Edge docuseries, in partnership with Rolex, unfolds all of the drama and action from the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in March…
Cup Spy Apr 25-26: Three Sailings and a Reveal
Two teams sailed today – one in Auckland and the other in Cagliari. American Magic gave an unexpected reveal today, when the US Challenger opened the shed door and saw daylight for the first time…
Top four advance at Congressional Cup
Long Beach, CA (April 25, 2024) – The first stage of the 59th edition of the Congressional Cup concluded with the double round robin series and the top four teams – Ian Williams (GBR), Jeppe Borch (DEN), Dave Hood (USA), and Gavin Brady (USA) – advancing to the Quarter-final stage of the event.
The remaining eight teams will compete in a repechage stage tomorrow, where the top four finishers will also join the Quarter-finals.
After an overcast start to the day, the clouds burned off and the breeze built for another spectacular day in Long Beach with an 8-10 knot southwesterly breeze which shifted consistently to the right throughout the afternoon.
Denmark’s Jeppe Borch and his Borch Racing were the first to confirm their spot for the Quarter-finals, losing only two races to finish the round-robin stage at 8.5 points, with a half-point deducted for damage. Great Britain’s Ian Williams and his Gladstone’s Long Beach team finished the stage with nine wins and two losses, winning the round-robin.
Going into the 13th flight late in the day, there was still much to play for to qualify for the Quarters. With Borch through, Williams, Brady, Berntsson, and Hood all had a strong chance to also get to the knock-out rounds. It began some of the closest racing of the day.
Hood and his DH3 Racing needed one more win to secure their position into Quarters, and fellow USA skipper Scotty Dickson’s Dickson Racing was not going to give it up easily. The two locals got up close and personal with each other, as well as a brush with the Race Committee boat. The action continued up the course, with contact at the windward mark, which cleared all penalties as they came down the final run bow to bow. Ultimately, Hood clinched the win…
Debut (sort of) for American Magic AC75
Barcelona, Spain (April 25, 2024) – New York Yacht Club American Magic, Challenger for the 37th America’s Cup, today slid its AC75 race boat, “B3,” outside of the shed as commissioning continues since its arrival on March 25.
Previously hidden, it had traveled 3,500 miles from its construction at the build facility in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, to its current home in Barcelona.
While the team did not release significant images, B3 made its public debut for structural and load testing at the American Magic base. This marked the first unveiling of the race boat after a two-and-a-half-year development and build process, totaling over 108,000 design hours and 65,000 construction hours.
A further phase of commissioning and testing completes the path for B3 before an official naming ceremony and inaugural sail.
“Our shore crew and engineers have been working methodically over the last 30 days to get us to this moment,” said Skipper and President of Sailing Operations, Terry Hutchinson. “We look forward to sea trialing and further development in the coming months.”
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 opened December 1, 2021 and runs until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup may be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the venue reveal, confirming it would be 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 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 more schedule details, click here.
Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.
Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Additional details: www.americascup.com/en/home
Source: ACE
America’s Cup: What Mother Nature sees
Sailing Hall of Famer Buddy Melges is famous for saying how “instruments are great, but you have to look at the water and present the boat to Mother Nature.” While it is computers that have created the latest batch of America’s Cup AC75s, Mother Nature will get the final vote on which team got it right. Here’s a glimpse of what she’ll be seeing:
With four teams revealing their box-fresh AC75s, it’s abundantly clear that different solutions have been found for very similar questions. The design teams have worked feverishly to deliver their best and latest thinking whilst the electronics and mechatronics engineers have been hard at it to produce the control and power-delivery systems that will define each team’s campaign. So what do we know so far?
With three teams sailing, what we are seeing is fast-flight being achieved by a combination of Barcelona-specific hull design and clever-thinking on controls. For Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, we are only seeing a fraction of their potential as they are with legacy foils and foil arms. That will change.
The performance, however, of Alinghi Red Bull Racing has everyone sitting up and taking notice with the team running full-span bespoke foils which clearly have an enormous effect on performance.
Hull differences and bustle treatment are more nuanced. Easy to say that Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli are from the same stable of progressive thinking, so too perhaps INEOS Britannia, but Alinghi Red Bull Racing has thrown a spanner in the works with their chine on the bow and full length, considerable, bustle leading to the stern.
All the teams have gone for T-section shapes at the stern run-off but it’s in the bow area where the differences are most marked. INEOS Britannia have real volume in their in-built immediately voluminous bustle, whereas the Italians and Kiwis have aggressively flared bow profiles back to the foil arm boxes.
The deck area is key. For anyone that has seen an overlaid flow diagram of an AC75, the biggest disturbance air passing over the yacht is at deck level and it’s here where designers and technicians have worked the hardest.
The Italians have a beautifully contoured naked carbon approach, moulding the side pods evenly into the deck and aft off the transom. Emirates Team New Zealand does the same with a raised ellipse stern that screams aero.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing has detail from bow to stern with what look like Venturi bumps on the bow to aid airflow into the jib and then an incredibly open cockpit that creates something of a tunnel with the raised pods having internal sidewalls rather than blended in an aggressive treatment of the flow.
INEOS Britannia, from early morning spy shots, appears to be somewhere in the middle of the Italians and Swiss with blended side pods streaming aft – we will know more when they officially launch in the coming days.
Bumps and both hull and deck dilets are evident on all designs but perhaps the biggest differences lie in the treatment of the bustles and skegs that run down the middle of the boat. What we see on the Swiss AC75 is almost an International Moth style of skeg whilst for the Kiwis and Italians, they have a more blended, considerate approach.
Emirates Team New Zealand’s bustle runs full length, kicking up in the final third to the transom allowing for the rudder to be hung beneath the bustle. Its angularity is marked, similar in fact to the sharpness of INEOS Britannia’s treatment although their bustle stops a few feet from the transom tip, meaning the rudder mechanics are mainly all above deck.
The Swiss have considerable volume at the stern in their bustle with the added benefit of getting those rudder controls low and hidden. Same too for Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli whose refined bustle goes full length and again has the rudder slung off the underbelly. All the boats so far have a keel chine running off the bow with varying degrees of depth.
Another similarity so far, appears to be in crew configuration with everyone so far going for the trimmer in the forward pod, followed by the helmsman and then the two cyclors in the aft. A screen on the forward pod of Alinghi Red Bull Racing confirms their aero intention whereas for the other trimmers, it’s just a very low position out of the wind that they maintain.
Same too for the cyclors, the power units of this Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup. They are arched into an almost time-trial position with their heads down in the ‘pain-locker’ pedaling for all they are worth – rarely do you see a cyclor look up when the boats are in motion.
In terms of sail control, we can see that all the teams have gone for trench configurations on both their jib track and mainsheet track but there’s a world of difference and new thinking going on here.
Emirates Team New Zealand have innovated once again and removed all of their control componentry below the aft deck to produce a very neat dual control system that auto-varies side to side and gives them ultimate control over both skins of the mainsail.
Jib systems all look to be sunken 3D controls mounted on self-tacking tracks and all the teams have been seen linking up mast rotation to the mainsheet system.
Pre-sets will become defined as the teams ramp up their time on the water, making these AC75s some of the most refined and setting-repeatable boats ever created, placing much emphasis on the data for given wind conditions.
One of the closely guarded areas of development is the foil design. Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli have both opted at launch to keep their designs secret and complete the commissioning of their boats on legacy foils.
Alinghi Red Bull Racing, however, did not have this option and what we saw at their launch was a first iteration of the long-span, low volume foils that are beautifully sculpted with almost invisible dual flaps and upturned wing tips. Designed for super-fast flight and early foiling, we’ve already seen the Swiss get airborne in just 6.5 to 7.5 knots of breeze which is an impressive performance upgrade on the first-generation boats.
INEOS Britannia revealed their boat but kept their new foils shrouded until launch, but what we can certainly see is the trend for back slung foils off a slender bulb – expect this to be the norm but whether will we see innovations here such as ‘Tubercles’ like the Swiss trialed on their LEQ12 moded AC40 or something different, is the big question that won’t be answered for some time yet.
Standing by for NYYC American Magic and Orient Express Racing to reveal their boats.
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 opened December 1, 2021 and runs until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup may be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the venue reveal, confirming it would be 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 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 more schedule details, click here.
Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.
Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Additional details: www.americascup.com/en/home
Source: ACE
A rite of passage for SoCal sailors
The 76th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race will commence on April 26, 2024. The 125nm course from Newport Beach, CA to Ensenada, Mexico has long been a rite of passage for Southern California sailors, with the more recent option of an 88 nm course to San Diego, CA
The entry list has 164 boats going the full distance with 20 teams staying north of the international border.
The 2023 race saw better-than-expected winds at the start, but dropped overnight, making for very close racing by morning’s light. For 2024, the Windy.com app is suggesting that westerly winds will carry the fleet all the way to the finish.
The inaugural race was held in 1948, with a record 675 boats entered in 1983 to earn N2E the title of “World’s Largest International Yacht Race.”
Tom Siebel’s Orion, a MOD70 has held the multihull elapsed time record since 2016 when it broke an 18-year-old record with a time of 5:17:26. A new monohull elapsed time record was set in 2022 when Manouch Moshayedi’s custom RIO 100 crossed the finish line before sunset with a time of 7:02:17.
Trophies are awarded in more than 40 classes for the best in ultra-light and maxi-yachts and non-spinnaker and cruising classes.
Transat Ready: Solo Skippers Optimised For Success
With the Vendée Globe on the horizon, excitement is building as the IMOCA skippers hurtle towards the world’s premiere offshore challenge…
Clipper Race: Winning the China-USA leg
Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam has claimed its fourth win on the 2023-24 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, topping the fleet of eleven 70-foot yachts on the longest and toughest race on the circuit. The team finished the North Pacific Crossing from China to the USA in 25 days, 19 hours, 26 minutes and 11 seconds on April 22 with a 140-mile lead in Seattle, WA.
Led by Race Skipper Bob Beggs and AQP (Additional Qualified Person) Cameron McCracken, the team will double the eleven points scooped up for first place, having played its lucrative Joker on this race. The team also adds a further three points to its take home after a Scoring Gate win, meaning a certain shake up of the top spots on the overall Race Standings.
This victory on the 5580nm course comes as another in a stream of great results for the team as no other boat has won more than one race on this edition.
Sailing terms for landlubbers
In a humorous movie scene from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007), Jack Sparrow and his mutinous helmsman-turned-ally Hector Barbossa stomp down the deck of the Black Pearl barking orders at the crew. “Trim that sail!” one of them shouts. “Slack windward brace and sheet!” another roars. “Haul the pennant line!” they bellow in unison.
Although the scene ultimately revolves around the unsolved question of which one of them is Captain, much of the comedy derives from the fact that the film’s audience—largely comprised of 21st-century landlubbers with a limited understanding of sailing jargon—has absolutely no idea what the characters are talking about. – Full report
INEOS Britannia AC75 – Filling in the details of RB3 with hopes riding high
End of a long day for the INEOS Britannia team after their 05:15 dawn rollout…
king of the vangs?
Big Pimpin’
Allen has just unveiled its latest development in sailing hardware: the Vang King.
The Vang King is not just a gas strut; it’s a game-changer in vang control systems for keelboats up to 26ft. Designed to serve as a boom support system, the Vang King seamlessly integrates with a purchase system to deliver unmatched control of your mainsail vang settings.
In light winds, the Vang King will hold the boom up which will reduce the unwanted weight on the mainsail leech and thus result in a better sail shape and more speed. Whether you’re cruising or racing, the Vang King ensures optimal performance in every sailing condition.
Find out more here.
Race to Alaska Podcast
The Race to Alaska will hold its 8th edition in 2024, continuing with its 750-mile course from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK. And now there is a podcast series prior to the June 9 start. Featured in this episode are perhaps the two most different teams in pursuit of glory:
Team Stranger Danger
Yet another team only shaking hands for the first time just days before race start, meet Stranger Danger—riding high aboard their Schock 40 until the keel probably falls off. Oh, and Katy Stewart is back, if that means anything to anybody.
Team Barely Heumann
The internet got a collective brain freeze when a randomly posted photo of Jim Heumann’s Nauticraft Escapade was posted to the R2AK social media landscape. Why does Jim think this is a good idea? Hear the answer from him
America’s Cup Defender christened “Taihiro”
In a stirring ceremony, Iwi Ngati Whatua Orakei gifted and blessed the name ‘Taihiro’ on the boat that Emirates Team NZ will sail in their defence of the 37th America’s Cup. The launch event took place at the Team’s base in Auckland’s Wynyard Point…
76th N2E Yacht Race – One week to go
The 76th Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race will depart from its multi-line start. A multitude of racers and 145 boats that keep N2E a Southern California yacht racing favorite, will take to the 125mn course bound for the Hotel Coral and Marina…
Cup Spy April 16: Luna Rossa revealed
The first tow-run reached a boat speed of 20 knots before turning around and proceeding with the second one at 25 knots and finally increasing to 30 knots…
Cup Spy Apr 16: Radical Swiss AC75 revealed
Alinghi Red Bull Racing was revealed in daylight on Tuesday in Barcelona – showing some very unique design features – and looking to leapfrog the other design teams, and make a two generation advance in AC75 design…
Match Racing Tour begins in USA
The 2024 World Match Racing Tour gets underway with 17 teams and over 100 of the world’s top match racing sailors competing across back-to-back events in Long Beach, CA. Using Catalina 37s, the Grade 2 Ficker Cup (April 19-21) is followed by the Grade 1 Congressional Cup on April 24-28, with both events hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club, this year celebrating its 95th Anniversary.
Eight teams from five countries will compete at the Ficker Cup with the top three finishers advancing to the expanded 12-team field for the the 59th edition of the Congressional Cup.
The oldest continuously-held sailing match race regatta in the world, the 2024 Congressional Cup roster has defending champion Chris Poole, USA (Riptide Racing), five-time Congressional Cup winner Ian Williams (GBR, Team Gladstone’s Long Beach), 2009 Congressional Cup winner Johnie Berntsson (SWE, Berntsson Sailing Team), Eric Monnin (SUI, Capvis Swiss Match Racing), Jeppe Borch (DEN, Borch Racing), Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL, Knots Racing), Rocco Attili (ITA, RBYS) and Dave Hood (USA,DH3 Racing).
Returning to the event after 12-years is also four-time Congressional Cup winner Gavin Brady, USA (True Blue Racing). While back on the World Match Racing Tour last year, Brady narrowly missed out on the 2023 Match Racing World Championship title in Shenzhen, China after being defeated by GBR’s Ian Williams in the final.
“It will be a very special week for me being back at the Long Beach Yacht Club and racing in the Congressional Cup,” said Brady. “My match racing started in 1996 at the Ficker Cup and Congressional Cup, I won my first Congressional Cup before one of my crew was even born!”
A-Class Cat North American Championships overall
The A-Class Catamaran Admiral’s Cup and North American Championship wrapped up on Saturday, April 13 with a total of seven races raced in the North Americans, allowing one throw-out…
2024 UK Wingfoil Tour in Portland Harbour
The arrival of the 2024 UK Wingfoil Tour brought the biggest numbers to date within the national wing foil fleet, and with good wind all weekend at Portland Harbour, this first event kicked the season off with some spectacular wing foil course-racing…
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli AC75 has the style, does it have the pace?
As expected the latest Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli AC75 has already claimed plaudits as the best-looking boat of this cycle…
2024 Star Western Hemisphere Champs
Thirty-three teams competed in the 2024 Star Western Hemisphere Championship, won by Tomas Hornos and Mauricio Bueno on April 12-14 in Miami, FL. After posting a 15 in the first race, Hornos/ Bueno had top four scores in six of the remaining seven races, climbing past the consistency of Piet Eckert/ Frederico Melo in second and Augie Diaz/ Bruno Prada in third. – Details
Cup Spy Apr 14: Kiwis up close
Emirates Team New Zealand sailed a three hour plus session on Sunday. It was the first chance to see the America’s Cup Defender sailing in daylight, and with a close up of the new mainsheet and traveller system…
America’s Cup: International views on new AC75s
Two international sailing commentators Matt Shehan and Tom Morris, have posted their views and insights into the latest AC75s from the Emirates Team NZ designers and Alinghi Red Bull Racing.
Nick Craig returns to top OK Dinghy World Rankings after 14 years
Only two GBR sailors feature in the top 20 of the latest OK Dinghy World Rankings, but they dominate with two in the top three…
LUNA ROSSA AC75 – Launch Live and replay from Cagliari
The wait is over. Follow live from Cagliari the launch of Luna Rossa AC75 to experience the excitement of this moment with the team. Live streaming Saturday, 13 April 2024.
ETNZ AC75 First Sail, First Impressions
Emirates Team New Zealand took advantage of a weather window to quietly launch the AC75 raceboat that will defend the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona in October. The hopes of this sailing-mad nation rest on a progressive and heavily refined design, a (big) step-on from their America’s Cup winning boat ‘Te Rehutai’ of…
Pen Duick VI takes Line Honours in McIntyre Ocean Globe Race
The French legend Pen Duick VI, skippered by Marie Tabarly, has taken provisional line honours in the final leg of the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race.
Mariners Rescued From Uninhabited Island After Writing “HELP” With Palm Fronds
We’ve seen it movies — mariners stranded on an uninhabited island signaling their plight and being rescued. This week the scenario was real when three mariners were rescued from a tiny, uninhabited island in Micronesia after laying out palm fronds on the beach to spell “HELP.” On April 6, a relative notified the USCG that her three uncles had failed to return home after departing Poluwat Atoll on March 31 aboard a 20-ft outboard-powered open skiff.
The experienced mariners, all in their 40s, had been heading for Pikelot Atoll, approximately 100 miles northwest of Poluwat. They were in familiar waters but had sustained damage to their skiff and outboard, becoming stranded on the small island covering less than 2000 square feet. On April 7, a US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft identified the stranded men and confirmed their presence and condition. The aircraft crew successfully dropped survival packages to sustain the mariners until further assistance could arrive.
On April 8, a US Coast Guard Hercules aircraft from Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii, flew over the area and dropped a radio to establish communication. The mariners confirmed they were in good health, had access to food and water, and had recovered their damaged skiff. The next morning, they were picked up by the USCG’s 154-ft Fast Response Cutter Oliver Henry. The men and their equipment were taken aboard and returned to their home port, Poluwat Atoll.
The rescue operation was a coordination of US Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam and the US Navy. USCG Lt. Chelsea Garcia, the search and rescue mission coordinator on the day the mariners were located, said spelling out “HELP” on the beach with the palm fronds was a crucial factor in their discovery. “This act of ingenuity was pivotal in guiding rescue efforts directly to their location,” Lt. Garcia said. “This successful operation underscores the effective coordination and partnership between the US Coast Guard, the US Navy, and regional partners. We extend our gratitude to everyone involved.”
The USCG concluded their report with the recommendation that “all mariners equip their vessels with an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) to enhance safety on the water. A growing number of maritime communities offer loaner programs for these devices, making it easier for everyone to access this critical safety tool.”
We wrote about a similar rescue in 2020 when mariners were rescued from an uninhabited beach in Micronesia after writing SOS on the beach. You can read that story here: SOS
The post Mariners Rescued From Uninhabited Island After Writing “HELP” With Palm Fronds appeared first on Latitude38.
Kiwis reveal their America’s Cup AC75
It’s spring season for the America’s Cup as the boats to compete in the 37th edition come out of the sheds and into the daylight. So far it has been Great Britain, Switzerland, and USA, but the biggest splash is now defender New Zealand.
After an intensive 10 month building program, Emirates Team New Zealand’s brand new AC75 had been transported under the cover of darkness from the team’s North Shore build facility to their Wynyard Point base, and then emerged on April 11 in preparation for its launch and commissioning phase in Auckland.
“It is always a pretty significant moment for any team. The first time their race boat emerges from the shed and sees the light of day,” said Emirates Team New Zealand COO Kevin Shoebridge. “So much of any America’s Cup campaign goes on behind closed doors and with the utmost secrecy protecting designs and plans, but there always comes a time when you need to show some of your cards.”
While the full naming ceremony and blessing is not scheduled until later this month, the Kiwis wasted little time to get on the water. With the weather clearing in Auckland, they quietly launch the raceboat a day later, not only for tow-testing but the sailors also managed to launch sails and be the first boat of the new AC75 cycle to actually sail.
“Awesome day to get the raceboat out of the shed, get everything calibrated, get through all our checks and then get a short sail in at the end of the day just before we lost the light,” reports skipper Peter Burling. “It was absolutely amazing and incredible effort by everyone involved in the team to get that done.
“It was pretty incredible to be able to sheet on and get a few foiling tacks straight off the bat but the boat felt really good, it felt quite like we predicted it to which was nice as well, and now we’re looking forward to going back and having a good look at the data and trying to make good plan going forward.”
“We’ve definitely been pretty aggressive with the design, so we’re really happy with what we’ve produced. This is the most exciting time when you get to see what everyone’s been up to for the last two years, so to wheel it out of the shed and finally have it out in the open and be testing and developing on it was incredible.”
From the recon report:
• The mast is noticeably more aft of the foil arms than on the previous generation.
• The initial hull underbelly has a slenderer bustle/skeg running all the way aft having begun at a micro-chine on the bow, with a more pinched and acute stern housing a rudder off the back of the skinny bustle taper.
• The foil arm junction has a volume-reducing indent for the ‘crew-area’ of the hull. The foil arms and foils appear to be either legacy or very much base models, indicating a desire to not yet reveal those designs.
• Compared to the Alinghi Red Bull Racing reveal, the hull is aggressively flared off the bustle to produce an almost flat flaring that runs aft whilst the crew pod area tapers smoothly as opposed to the harsh cut-out that was on display by the Swiss.
• The bow and foredeck profile is conservative, eschewing the ‘Venturi’ bumps or tunnel profile as seen on the Swiss reveal, although the hull/deck join is certainly a nod to aero simulation and modelling.
• The bow itself is sharp and thin, coming to the minimum volume quickly after a fine entry – certainly a consideration for the expected waveforms in Barcelona – and from bow-on the hull flairing is very evident.
• Up forward, just ahead of the trim station, the jib tracks and the 3D trim mechanism are sunk into small pods either side. From dead astern, the form is virtually elliptical, tapering smoothly to the transom.
• The crew configuration has four crew on each side with the cyclors aft, the helm position immediately after the cyclors, and the trimmer in the forward position – a set-up that they previously used.
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 opened December 1, 2021 and runs until July 31, 2022, but late entries for the 37th America’s Cup may be accepted until May 31, 2023. The Defender was to announce the Match Venue on September 17, 2021 but postponed the venue reveal, confirming it would be 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 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 more schedule details, click here.
Additionally, 12 teams will compete in the 2024 Youth & Women’s America’s Cup.
Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Additional details: www.americascup.com/en/home
Source: ACE
America’s Cup: Antonov Airlines deliver AC75
Antonov Airlines have announced they have completed the transportation of the “flying” yachts AC75 for the American Magic team and accompanying cargo from Providence, Rhode Island, USA to Barcelona…
Global Solo: the battle continues
With Andrea Mura completing the 2023/2024 Global Solo Challenge podium, certainly the focus of many of those following the event has drifted away towards other ongoing events and others about to start. However, four skippers are still at sea and for them there is no option to just scroll away from their long adventures.
Riccardo Tosetto and Francois Gouin are both preparing for their final dash to the finish, with the Italian skipper less than 1500 miles to A Coruna and the French captain lagging just 240 miles behind in terms of distance to the finish. However, whilst Riccardo is already north of the area influenced by the Azores high pressure system and can set his eyes on the final destination, Francois needs to keep sailing north before he can make a turn towards the Iberian peninsula.
Riccardo is currently expected to arrive about March 30, which would require him to sail around 200 miles a day, which is plausible in the strong following winds that are forecast. Francois on the other hand has 2 more days to sail north, and then may be affected by the center of the Azores high pressure itself, which will be slowly moving south and towards him.
The patch of light winds should keep displacing south so that Francois should find the northwesterly winds even if initially he were to get stuck in light airs. He should be sailing in favorable winds starting from the 26th when he will be around 1100 miles to the finish and could potentially finish between the 1st morning and the 2nd, although he may be slowed by having to permanently sail with 3 reefs due to his problems with the mainsail track.
David Linger is 1000 miles south of the equator and 4200 miles to the finish. After the storms in late February the skipper of Koloa Maoli has recently had to battle with the fickle and light winds in the area west of Rio and Salvador where the trade winds curl from SE to NW requiring patience to make progress to the north.
David, however, should be just one tack away from being able to clear the westernmost part of Brazil on his way north towards the equator and then the Azores high, before he can set his eyes on the final goal of A Coruna. He may have to spend another month at sea before closing the circle where he started from at the end of October last year.
PlanetSail Episode 30: The Incredible Race
Before the six skippers had even started the solo race around the world in their 32m giant trimarans it was clear that the Arkea Ultim Challenge – Brest was a very special race.
18ft Skiff 2024 JJ Giltinan – Title to Yandoo team of Micah Lane, Fang Warren and Lewis Brake
Yandoo team of Micah Lane, Fang Warren and Lewis Brake are the Winnings 2024 JJ Giltinan world 18ft skiff champions on Sydney Harbour…
Cup Spy March 8: Big seas return to Barcelona
American Magic was the only team to sail off Barcelona, today, with the forecast of fresh winds and swells of over 1metre keeping some teams ashore. They sailed impressively – captured on video.
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