I wanted to share a solution for sailors who want to use bolt-rope sails for racing and sails with sail slugs for cruising.see video:
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Podium finish for Aldridge and Bainbridge at Fuerteventura KiteFoil World Series
Sunday
Nov 28
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 28
2021
Posted by deleteme
Great Britain’s Ellie Aldridge finished second and Connor Bainbridge third in the penultimate IKA KiteFoil World Series on Fuerteventura…
Transat Jacques Vabre – Sam Davies and Nico Lunven finish 5th
Sunday
Nov 28
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 28
2021
Posted by deleteme
Britain’s Sam Davies and co-skipper Nico Lunven on Initiatives Coeur finished fifth in the IMOCA class of the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre…
clocked in
Saturday
Nov 27
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 27
2021
Posted by deleteme
On a beautiful morning off Fort de France in Martinique, the blue and white Guillaume Verdier-designed IMOCA LinkedOut, sailed by Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière completed a comprehensive victory in the fifteenth Transat Jacques Vabre today. More here.
Inappropriate title inspiration stolen from and performed by Black Flag.
Langford and Outteridge in SailGP warm-up match race
Saturday
Nov 27
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 27
2021
Posted by deleteme
Defending SailGP champion Kyle Langford and Japan SailGP Team helm Nathan Outteridge surprised the Lake Macquarie community by visiting with the SailGP Championship trophy…
30 year Sentence for Official in Rio Olympic Bid Corruption Scheme
Saturday
Nov 27
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 27
2021
Posted by deleteme
Former head of Brazil’s Olympic committee, Carlos Nuzman (to the right), sentenced to 30+ years for bribery to buy votes for the Brazilian city’s successful bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games
America’s Cup – Dalton served legal letters claiming defamation
Friday
Nov 26
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 26
2021
Posted by deleteme
Emirates Team New Zealand have been served with legal letters directed at Grant Dalton in what is described by Team New Zealand as an attempted act of intimidation…
Fuerteventura IKA KiteFoil World Series – Brits Flying on Day 2
Friday
Nov 26
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 26
2021
Posted by deleteme
Singapore’s fifteen years old Max Maeder was fast out of the blocks at the 2021 KiteFoil World Series Fuerteventura with three back-to-back wins…
battle lines drawn
Wednesday
Nov 24
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 24
2021
Posted by deleteme
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has decided on the 9th of December to hold the ‘Special General Meeting’ to discuss with the membership the venue for America’s Cup 37. This is in response to (I understand) a petition from 33 RNZYS members for such a discussion.
Instead of commenting on the statement from the Squadron committee, I will quote it here: ” There needs to be a reality check in respect to a New Zealand-based AC37 Match. ETNZ needs to secure funding, with local and central Government support, to hold this event in Auckland. Unless this happens, we need to consider offshore venues. The consequences of not doing so are potentially dire – no cup defense at all, and giving the America’s Cup back having been unable to stage a defense and meet our obligations under the Deed of Gift.”
“This means the loss of the America’s Cup, the loss of our Team New Zealand, and the potential loss of future America’s Cup challenges from the RNZYS, and most likely New Zealand. So, while we understand and support the sentiment of the petition and their desire to “have the event in New Zealand”, the answer is not that simple.”
What the committee is saying is exactly what we commented on Sailing Anarchy weeks ago when the naysayers started to sound off about an ‘offshore’ defense.
It is no secret that Haas is not at the front of the grid in motor racing’s F1 because their budget is a fraction of Mercedes or Red Bull. To stand any chance of successfully defending ETNZ has to have a realistic R & D budget to be able to, just as an example, properly analyze any shared recon information they receive…
how we lost
Wednesday
Nov 24
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 24
2021
Posted by deleteme
We like this honest appraisal of the poor TJV performance of the effort onboard the Ocean 50 trimaran Arkema 4. They are in last place.
A few hours before arriving in Fort-de-France, I wanted to give you our initial assessment of this Transat Jacques Vabre 2021 race. The aim of these few notes is to clarify our thoughts, for Lalou and myself.
Inevitably we are frustrated with this under-performance.
In sporting terms, this is not what we came for. It is not what we wanted to offer our partner Arkema, Team Lalou Multi, and everyone else who has contributed to the project.
Clearly, it is not a result that lives up to the commitment that Lalou and I made on the ocean for 17 days, or the team as a whole over 2 years overall. We encountered minor technical hitches that cost us time and distance on the water…
America’s Cup – Cork pitches new AC37 Venue Bid
Wednesday
Nov 24
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 24
2021
Posted by deleteme
The Irish Examiner has reported that a new America’s Cup ‘set-up’ in Cork has been pitched to civil servants in a bid to keep the city’s hopes of hosting the 2024 yacht race afloat…
hacked wind
Tuesday
Nov 23
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 23
2021
Posted by deleteme
Offshore wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has become the latest victim of a cyberattack after its internal IT systems were targeted, shutting down part of its business operations.
The Danish company announced it is working round the clock to contain a cyber security incident that occurred on Friday, with efforts directed at assessing the situation and re-establishing its IT systems’ integrity.
“At this stage, the work and investigation are still ongoing,” said the company in a statement. The company added that there is no indication the incident has impacted third-party operations, including customer and supply chain operations.
The turbine maker’s manufacturing, construction, and service units remain in operation, although several operational IT systems have been shut down as a precaution. The company said it has already initiated a gradual and controlled reopening of all IT systems. Read on.
Dunkerbeck breaks windsurfer 100kph speed barrier
Tuesday
Nov 23
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 23
2021
Posted by deleteme
Legendary windsurfer Björn Dunkerbeck broke the 100kph speed barrier, hitting 103.67kph over a two-second time gap – and holding an average speed of 101kph over a 100m stretch of water…
11th Hour Breakdown in the TJV
Monday
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
11th Hour Racing’s Mālama kicked off the second week of the Transat Jaques Vabre with keel problems, forcing co-skippers Charlie Enright and Pascal Bidégorry to adjust for a more conservative approach to the race’s remaining 2000 miles.
“We’ve been dealing with a lot of breakages throughout the course of this race, such is the nature of a new boat on an action packed and competitive track like this one,” said Enright. “None of these ‘little incidents’ compares to what we went through yesterday. While reaching along in what I will refer to as a typical doldrums squall, we hit 28 knots of boat speed with the J2 and a full main. Shortly thereafter, the boat essentially tripped over itself and we were no longer able to achieve speed. Assuming we’d caught something, we proceeded to try and ‘broach’ it off the keel. When that didn’t work, we backed down … and then backed down again. I took a look in the endoscope and saw what I thought was a line.”
RC44 spoils go to Team Aleph and Team Aqua
Monday
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
Hugues Lepic’s Team Aleph finished as they started . . . Leading the 44Cup Calero Marinas in Lanzarote…
M32 Worlds – Convexity smash the competition for title win
Monday
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
The M32 World Championships came to an exciting close on Sunday as Convexity smashed the competition with three races to spare on the warm waters of Miami, Florida…
America’s Cup – RNZYS call for Reality Check on Offshore Venues
Monday
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has clarified its position on the Special General Meeting (SGM) requested by a member, Mr Jim Farmer, regards the defence of the America’s Cup in New Zealand…
orange peel
Monday
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
From our Fabulous Forums, brought to you by Marlow Ropes.
I want to set my J/111 (so 36 feet LOA with an 8 foot bowsprit) up for asym peels. I have only been sailing this boat since July and it’s my first asym boat, so I would appreciate some help deciding how to set this up and do it.
I think I need a second block on each quarter and a second set of sheets. The bowsprit end is set up with two low friction rings, and both sides of the cabin house have line guides and a clutch. I currently have one tackline on the starboard side. I think the fittings on the port side were for the headsail furler, but I’m getting rid of that…
Bow gurus please jump in the discussion!
Revisiting the EPIRB
Monday
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 22
2021
Posted by deleteme
There is a current thread discussing different communication systems, and how ongoing changes in technology makes some less functional or useful. EPIRB I am referring to the “old” type as defined by “Category I EPIRBs are automatically activated. The automatic activation is triggered when the EPIRB is released from its bracket. Category I EPIRBs are housed in a special bracket equipped with a hydrostatic release. This mechanism releases the EPIRB at a water depth of 3-10 feet. The buoyant…
Gilbert and McGrane take Draycote Dash
Sunday
Nov 21
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 21
2021
Posted by deleteme
Overall winners of the 2021 Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash at Draycote Water Sailing Club were Roger Gilbert and Ben McGrane sailing an International 505…
49er, 49erFX & Nacra17 Worlds – World Title for John Gimson and Anna Burnet
Sunday
Nov 21
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 21
2021
Posted by deleteme
Britain’s John Gimson and Anna Burnet confirmed the successful defence of their Nacra17 World title…
Do you sit to windward or leeward when at the helm?
Saturday
Nov 20
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 20
2021
Posted by deleteme
I tend to sit at the windward side and have always admired those who sit to leeward. When I do sit to leeward I find it very exciting being that much closer to the water. However, while the feel of the boat seems to be better and there is good a good view under the headsail, the lack of visibility on the windward side makes me nervous.
49er, 49erFX and Nacra17 Worlds – Gimson and Burnett poised for title
Friday
Nov 19
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 19
2021
Posted by deleteme
Britain’s John Gimson and Anna Burnet (3,7,6) remain steadfast in second place after 12 races in the Nacra17 World Championship…
First 44Cup win to Team Aleph
Friday
Nov 19
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 19
2021
Posted by deleteme
The 44Cup Calero Marinas Lanzarote, final and deciding event of the 2021 44Cup, got off to a difficult start Thursday…
these are the rules, sort of
Thursday
Nov 18
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 18
2021
Posted by deleteme
Well, the America’s Cup 37 Protocol is out in the open, some would say at last. And it is, um, interesting.
The presentation this morning/evening depending on where on the marble you were, appeared to be scripted with Shirley Robertson constantly referring to her notes on her iPad to make sure she got the wording right to enable the participants to get their piece out in response.
I’m not saying this apparent role as a facilitator rather than an interviewer is wrong, just perhaps different than expected. Having said that, how do you get the salient points of an 80+ page document crammed into a 35-minute broadcast?
It is noticeable that comments and criticisms within a matter of hours were already flowing that this is not right or that is not right about a document that the (currently) two interested parties who, let’s face it, know the game pretty well, have spent months discussing or perhaps even arguing over through the likes of Zoom and e-mails to arrive at what was presented t the world today – on time this time too!
Cost and visible sustainability are clearly issues and without putting in place a rigid Formula 1 style spending cap which would be a nightmare to police the D/CoR have chipped away at the things that ARE very visible and impossible to hide…
blockade
Thursday
Nov 18
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 18
2021
Posted by deleteme
A group of protesters seeking to highlight their concerns that Australia is not doing enough to combat climate change is disrupting the coal operations in and around the Port of Newcastle, the world’s largest coal exporting facility. Calling their organization Blockade Australia, they are entering their second week of ongoing random demonstrations and actions disrupting the train lines and now one of the loading operations in the port.
The Port of Newcastle located on the southeast coast of Australia and coal mining are among the largest industries in Australia, both fueling domestic industry and providing a significant source of export income to the country. The coal trade is estimated to contribute more than A$26 billion (US$19 billion) annually to the economy. The port currently handles 4,400 ship movements and 164 million tons of cargo annually. Read on.
Grounded and Lost Hunter 44 on Mississippi River on Great Loop
Wednesday
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
What do people think will happen with this insurance claim? There was a 44 ft Hunter sailboat recently lost on the St Louis portion of the Mississippi River, of the Great Loop.The problem started back on Oct. 5, when Michael Weber, a retired businessman and former Marine, and his girlfriend missed the exit for the Chain of Rocks navigation channel about three miles above St. Louis and kept going down the river until they actually hit the rocks. The St. Louis Fire Department rescued both of…
Grounded and Lost Hunter 44 on Mississippi River on Great Loop
brave new world
Wednesday
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
Not content with just changing the world of racing instrumentation with the Atlas 2, the team at Vakaros has set out to change the way you race.
It’s big news, and it’s called RaceSense. RaceSense builds on the powerful hardware in the Atlas 2 to create a virtual racecourse and share it wirelessly with other nearby sailors. It runs the start, enforces penalties, boundaries, gates, and scores the finish. All you have to do is race. You can say goodbye to general recalls and black flag starts thanks to centimeter-accurate fully automatic OCS calls at the start line.
Optional boundaries and penalties help keep boats close, and scoring is built right in, so you’ll know how you did the moment you cross the finish line. Seems it took the brand new state-of-the-art hardware to pull this off, and that is what the Atlas 2 brings to the table. From the state-of-the-art sensors, LEDs and sound, to the long-range wireless mesh networking, no other device in the world is capable of pulling this off…
VIDEO: Protocol and Class Rules of the Next America’s Cup
Wednesday
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
The Defender, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and Challenger of the Record, INEOS Britannia, have announced the protocol and class rules for the 37th America’s Cup. According to team CEO Grant Dalton, “As the oldest trophy in international sport, the America’s Cup maintains its unique position of balancing the traditions of the Deed of Gift while continuing to push the boundaries of innovation, technology and design in the boats, the event, the broadcast and the commercial aspects of the event. Maintaining this balance is the ongoing challenge and responsibility of the Defender and Challenger of Record as we aim to progress into the 37th edition of the America’s Cup.”
INEOS Britannia, the Challenger of the Record, cites inclusivity and cost as two of their priorities when approaching the 37th edition. “The Protocol this time around will see reduced team operating costs without compromising any of the technical development which the Cup is so famous for,” says team principal Sir Ben Ainslie. “There is an opportunity for change, so for AC37 we will see the first Women’s America’s Cup Regatta and we also welcome back the Youth America’s Cup.”
For more on the America’s Cup and protocol for the 37th edition, visit americascup.com
baby blue
Wednesday
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 17
2021
Posted by deleteme
There are few restorations as nice as this sweet little ride. Owned by Ballard Sails’ Alex Simanis, the boat is a custom “Pt Bonita 27” designed and built by a guy named Dave Sutter. He built the boat in the mid, late 80’s…
Transat Jacques Vabre – Cammas and Caudrelier 300 miles ahead
Tuesday
Nov 16
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 16
2021
Posted by deleteme
After nine days of racing Maxi Edmond de Rothschild keeps getting faster at the front of the Ultimes whilst the Ocean Fifty class may well be shuffled as they enter the Doldrums…
The Protocol for the 37th America’s Cup has been agreed
Tuesday
Nov 16
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 16
2021
Posted by deleteme
The America’s Cup Defender Emirates Team New Zealand and The Challenger of Record INEOS Britannia have agreed the Protocol for the 37th America’s Cup…
six and a half years
Tuesday
Nov 16
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 16
2021
Posted by deleteme
Erwan Le Lann, Marion Courtois and the whole Maewan association have just completed a long journey of six and a half years around the planet. Last Saturday, November 13 at 11 a.m., the association’s sailboat made its big comeback at Aber Wrac’h with on board Erwan Le Lann, Marion Courtois, Jeanne Grégoire and the collective Lost in the Swell (Ronan Gladu , Ewen Le Goff, Aurélien Jacob and Benjamin Bertrel).
As a reminder, the sailboat, led by Erwan Le Lann, left the Breton port on February 5, 2015 with Jeanne Grégoire, Lionel Daudet, Aymeric Clouet and Guillaume Vallot as crew. More here.
Remembering Frank Butler
Monday
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
A couple of weeks ago we received a letter from Dave Butler, son of legendary boat builder, Frank Butler. Today, November 15, is the first anniversary of Frank Butler’s passing, and Dave wrote to share some memories of his dad, the founder of Catalina Yachts.
“Over the past year my mom, sisters, brothers and myself have read so many articles written in your publications and online. Our family has appreciated all the great stories and would like to say thank you to all those people and everyone that supported dad.”
Dave and his mother and siblings got together to write down some of their memories of the West Coast boat-building icon. As you can imagine, a man like Frank would have amassed many achievements and therefore leave many tales for his children to share. We don’t have room for all of them, so here are some highlights from what the family wrote.
Frank Butler grew up in Glendale, California. He was a hard working gunsmith and a machinist. In 1962 Frank decided to buy a 21’ Victory sail boat to spend more time with his family. After placing a deposit and ordering his new boat, he found out that the boat-builder was having financial difficulty and was not planning on building his boat. So, one day after work Frank stopped by the shop, where they were to build his boat, and explained to some of the employees who he was. He pointed to one of the boats and told them that would be his boat. They said no it was not his boat, but some doctor’s boat. Frank explained that his boat was in production and he was going to help them build it. Frank would not take no for an answer and so he jumped right in and started working on his new boat.
Every day after work, he stopped by and continued working on his new boat with the employees. The employees told the owner about this guy “Frank” and what was going on. The owner stopped by to talk to Frank. He explained his financial problems and shared that he would soon be closing his business. He asked Frank if he would like to buy his business. Frank went home and talked to his wife, Jean, about this offer.
Frank began building boats, and with changes in design and production his business began to flourish. He began to design and build new boats of many different sizes. The yachting industry took note, and in 2013 Frank was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame…
Musks Starlink Maritime by mid-2022!!!
Monday
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
In what will be the biggest game-changer ever in maritime communications (thus safety) Elon Musk’s Starlink will connect all oceans by next year.And the imperative?? His parents circumnavigation on a boat and they want it NOW. (I doubt they’re on a Beneteau 39 footer, but ya never know.
good night
Monday
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
Great shot from Arkema in the TJV. While not doing very well, we like the photo! Photo Copyright : Quentin Vlamynck / Arkema Sport. Track here.
Star South American Championship – Scheidt v Zarif in final day face-off
Monday
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
A tense battle for the Star South American Championship is set for the last day of racing on Monday, in Ilhabela, Brazil…
Fractional Rig vs. Mast Head Rig
Monday
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 15
2021
Posted by deleteme
Currently have a 26′ day sailer. I am pondering a future purchase of a bigger sailboat for coastal cruising. I am looking at boats in the low to mid 30′ range. Mostly I would be sailing solo so that is a factor. I see some boats in this range have fractional rigs while others have mast head rigs. Looking for some background data on what the real difference is…Thanks,
Jim
Jim
Hand feeding a whale
Sunday
Nov 14
2021
Posted by deleteme
Nov 14
2021
Posted by deleteme
It was off the north coast of Iceland in 1991. I had talked to fishermen in Reykjavik and they said that the best fishing was just offshore where the depth drops off steeply at 150 feet, down to the depths. I lowered a line to 160 feet, jigged it a few times and hooked a cod. They were not fighters, but the reel up to the surface probably took 10 minutes or more. I caught 6 in rapid time, and was informed that the freezer was full. The gulls would swoop in and grab the scraps in the air as I…Hand feeding a whale
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