As the skippers continue to make their way back to the French coast after the early conclusion of the Vendée Arctique, Antoine Mermod, the president of the IMOCA Class, has expressed his enthusiasm for a race that he believes is here to stay. Read on.

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Not really, it’s the recreation of the San Salvador, the first European vessel to reach San Diego in 1542. While grabbing line honors, there is no word on how she did on corrected time… Photo thanks to my girlfriend…

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Excess 14

The latest addition to the Excess catamaran line, which now includes four models with LOAs from 37ft to 48ft, the Excess 14 carries on the tradition of cruising comfort with a dash of performance and a unique, new aesthetic. As is the case with the rest of the boats in the fleet, the Excess 14 boasts twin helms set well aft, a reverse sheer, a low-slung cabintrunk also set aft and the option of a standard rig or a higher performance “pulse” rig, which is taller with increased sail area. An A-sail can be flown from a surprisingly long fixed sprit (at least for a cruising cat) and in the three-cabin layout, the entire starboard hull is dedicated to a truly sumptuous owner’s cabin for a boat with this kind of LOA. If it’s anything like the Excess 11, in particular, expect some great performance out of this sharp new design. As is the case with the rest Excess line, the saloon windows are specifically figured to accommodate a clear view forward from the helms. And how about those sharp-looking bows!

LOA 45ft 9in BEAM 25ft 9in DRAFT 4ft 10in DISPLACEMENT 25,794lb (light ship) SAIL AREA 1,270ft² Excess Catamarans, excess-catamarans.com

Fountaine Pajot Aura 51

In its new 51-footer, Fountaine Pajot has sought to combine comfort with “sustainable cruising” in a sharp-looking catamaran with the company’s now trademark reverse sheer, sharp lines and tumbehome bows. As part of the “comfort” package, the Fountaine Pajot 51 has a wide-open transition between the aft cockpit and the saloon, facilitating freedom of movement between the galley and spacious cockpit that will be just the thing when at anchor, especially. With an eye torward sustainability, the boat includes sufficient surface area to mount a battery of solar panels providing an impressive 2,000 watts of “green” energy. Four different layouts are available, including a six-cabin version with a bathroom in every cabin. The boat also includes a forward lounging area and an elevated lounging area aft of the helm station. A fixed sprit forward can be used to fly an A-sail off the wind, complementing the power of the boat’s genoa and fully battened main.

LOA 51ft BEAM 26ft 6in DRAFT 4ft 3in DISPLACEMENT 39,900lb SAIL AREA 1,650ft² Fountaine Pajot, fountaine-pajot.com

More boats to see!

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No one ever said the Race to Alaska was gonna be easy…

First, most important: everyone is ok. Us, you, 100% of this year’s racers, and the brave men and women of the US Coast Guard and R2AK support vessels that affected four rescues in the Race’s first four hours. Everyone is ok.

Bruised egos, dashed dreams, but body and souls intact. Breathe in, exhale slowly. Everyone is ok…

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Part of the remodeling of the chart table area on my 45ft schooner Britannia involved making a new section of floorboarding or, to use its proper nautical term, cabin sole. The floor beneath was just rough plywood, unlike the remainder of the boat, which was beautiful teak with white-wood strips. It was perhaps just as well, because in order to reposition the electrical distribution board I had to cut this floor out completely to re-route the wires underneath.

I naturally wanted any new floor to match the boat’s existing sole and scoured the web and any sources of teak flooring with whitewood strips to match the existing floor pattern. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate the exact pattern anywhere. Britannia’s strips are 3/8in wide, and the nearest I could find were 1/4in wide and also spaced differently. I thought using a different pattern would look like a “botched job” and chose not to settle…

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At the end of last week, China deployed its largest floating wind turbine as part of a project designed to advance the technology and demonstrate the capabilities of floating wind power generation. According to the reports from CSSC and state media, the giant construction was uniquely designed for deep-sea and challenging conditions, including the ability to withstand a once in a 100-years typhoon.

Known as Fuyao, the floating platform was towed from Maoming in southern China into a position more than seven miles offshore in the South China Sea. The location was chosen for the demonstration because of a complex seabed and water depths that range between 170 feet and 225 feet. In that location, it will also be subjected to strong currents and the area is prone to typhoons.  Read on.

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This June, after over 25 years of research, planning and work, the completed replica of the Virginia will be launched from the Bath Freight Shed in Bath, Maine. This former railway station has been converted into a maritime hidden gem, featuring a small visitor center and educational programs in addition to being the site where countless volunteers have spent two decades hand-building the 51ft Virginia.

The original Virginia was a 17th-century pinnace built by a group of colonists who’d settled the Popham Colony, a contemporary of the famous Jamestown colony in Virginia, at the mouth of the Kennebec River. Though short-lived, the Popham Colony did produce the first ocean-going vessel built in the Americas. Although little is known about the original vessel, in light of the historical significance of both the ship and the colony, a group of dedicated volunteers set out to discover what the original ship would have looked like and build a ship to a similar design that could be used to teach visitors to the community about the local history. A location was found, money was raised and timbers were cut…

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We grabbed this from Regatta.com, and though the boat is from last year, we thought it perfectly odd enough to feature…

Launched in 2021, SVR Lazartigue created a surprise by unveiling highly developed shapes and aerodynamics. The deck of the giant trimaran is completely streamlined, and only the two helm stations protrude, which are themselves protected by canopies whose shapes recall the cockpits of a fighter plane. Arranged on either side of the boom, they offer a clear view of the bow and the sail plan…

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In the 11 years since Spindrift Racing made its debut, the pro sailing team has made a big splash, and the upcoming season is expected to be no different. Spindrift co-owners Dona Bertarelli and Yann Guichard recently unveiled their plans for 2022, which included the appointment of a new executive director, Sébastien Duclos, and the team’s return to the TF35 circuit. The team will also attempt a number of offshore records—including the Jules Verne trophy and 24-hour record—aboard the maxi-trimaran Sails of Change (formerly Spindrift 2 and before that Banque Populaire V).

Established in 2011, Spindrift is based in Brittany, in northwestern France, with Sails of Change as its flagship and its T-Foiler 35—TF35 for short—being the most recent addition to its racing stable.

The TF35 is a foiling catamaran that has a six-person crew and features an automated flight control system, meant to make the boat more speed-efficient while foiling. After an inaugural season racing on the TF35 circuit in 2021, the Spindrift team is taking a second shot at the six-event circuit this year, starting in Switzerland on April 30. They will compete against seven other teams, including the Alinghi Red Bull Racing crew…

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