Skipper Paul Meilhat and his Biotherm team had a long wait to get to the finish on Thursday morning in Newport, Rhode Island…
How the $1 Million Final was won
Thursday
May 11
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 11
2023
Posted by XS Editor
When the SailGP show rolled into town in San Francisco for the Season 3 Finale there was one key question being asked… Who was going to join the Australians and Kiwis in the million dollar final?
11th Hour wins The Ocean Race Leg 4
Wednesday
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Newport, RI (May 10, 2023) – 11th Hour Racing Team won leg 4 of The Ocean Race, leading the fleet into their hometown of Newport, Rhode Island on a spectacular spring afternoon in New England.
Skipper Charlie Enright was beaming as he stepped ashore, moments after his team held off Team Malizia to cross the finishing line for their first leg win of the event…
INEOS Britannia roll out new Banana Foil on T6 in Palma
Wednesday
May 10
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 10
2023
Posted by deleteme
INEOS Britannia rolled out ‘T6’, their LEQ12 prototype, after a week of upgrades and modifications in Palma, Mallorca…
Inside American Magic: Vlog #1
Wednesday
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
In this monthly video series, the USA America’s Cup challenger American Magic offers a behind the scene view of their journey toward the 37th edition in Barcelona, Spain.
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 will be held in September/October 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)
• K-Challenge Racing (FRA)
Noticeboard: https://ac37noticeboard.acofficials.org/
Additional details: www.americascup.com/en/home
The Ocean Race Leg 4 Day 18
Wednesday
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Wednesday has dawned with a beautiful morning in Newport, Rhode Island. It’s a cool, crisp, spring day, with bright sunshine and clear blue skies…
Investigation emerges from SailGP event
Wednesday
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The penultimate event of Season 3 for SailGP is under investigation due to the risk the foiling F50s posed to sea life at the racing venue of Lyttelton Harbour in Christchurch, New Zealand.
When news came out prior to the racing on March 18-19 for how race management sought to protect the Hector’s dolphins, which were well known residents of the marine mammal sanctuary, it appeared there was more to the story, and now that looks to be the case.
Reported by Kiwi media newsroom, what didn’t halt the race’s momentum – from a public relations perspective – was news of a Department of Conservation (DoC) investigation into the event, and questions are now being asked about whether there was an element of control about when details were released about the investigation…
Golden Globe Race 2022 Day 247
Wednesday
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 10
2023
Posted by XS Editor
With just under 200 miles to the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne and nearly 30,000 miles sailed over the past 247 days, this 44-year-old Austrian sailor Michael Gugg is completing an eight-year dream that has changed his life!
The Ocean Race: Final night for Leg 4
Tuesday
May 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
(May 9, 2023; Day 17) – The morning began with the news that GUYOT environnement – Team Europe lost their rig at 0243 UTC when in gale force winds and big waves, the boat slammed off a wave and the mast crashed down. It is the second dismasting after overall leader Holcim-PRB lost their mast on the fifth day of the leg.
Meanwhile, at the front of the fleet, 11th Hour Racing Team (USA) and Team Malizia (GER) were the first to emerge from what Amory Ross, the veteran onboard reporter on 11th Hour Racing Team called ‘terrifying’ conditions.
While the leading pair remain close, skipper Charlie Enright’s 11th Hour Racing Team may benefit from some local knowledge on the approach to the crew’s home port.
“We are doing everything we can to try not to break anything,” Enright reported from the boat. “The difference in the leg can be made here by not making any mistakes, keeping high [speed] averages, and keeping the boat moving towards the mark. No bear aways, no breakages and none of that stuff.”
Team Malizia skipper Will Harris said the crew of the German entry had also been focused on avoiding serious damage in the boat breaking conditions overnight but were gunning to chase down their American rival before the finish…
NEEL 43 Trimaran
Tuesday
May 09
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 09
2023
Posted by deleteme
Just when monohull purists have become accustomed to catamarans, there’s a cosmic shift to three hulls. Trimarans certainly aren’t new, but their popularity is growing, especially with cruiser-friendly versions like the NEEL 43. The newest of the French builder’s family, the 43 combines the familiarity of a monohull with the stability of a cat, and it can outsail both.
The NEEL 43 is the work of designer Marc Lombard. The central hull supports the Z-Spar fractional rig balanced by the 5-foot fixed keel. From the side, the NEEL 43 looks like a catamaran with a sleek coachroof and a large aft cockpit.
The construction is a mix of approaches including a traditional foam/vinylester sandwich, carbon reinforcements in high-load areas, and a glass/flax cloth mix with a cork core in non-structural elements. That last part is a nod to the growing concept of greener boatbuilding, since flax and cork are actually recyclable.
The displacement is under 20,000 pounds, which is at least 2,000 pounds lighter than a comparable production catamaran. Between the lighter weight, the recyclable materials, and the single-engine propulsion, NEEL is at least trying to head in the direction of sustainability.
Another way the NEEL 43 offers more environmentally thoughtful sailing and cruising is the option to add an Integrel high-performance alternator that eliminates the need for a combustion-engine generator; a large bank of lithium-ion batteries for expanded energy storage; and a vast array of solar panels for passive regeneration. This new electrical system can keep owners autonomous at anchor for days at a time. It adds thousands to the price, but in the long term, it may be worth it for distance cruising.
Like a catamaran, the NEEL 43 does most of its living on the main deck and also has an elevated helm station on the bulkhead and twin trampolines at the bow. Walking forward is easy because the shrouds terminate into the coachroof and aren’t in the way, and the coachroof has a long, integrated channel that serves as a handhold.
The cockpit is the boat’s heart, since from here you can access either side deck, either transom, the helm, and the interior. It’s not clear why the designers chose to face the settee forward and toward the interior rather than aft toward the transom, but it works, and five can gather comfortably for meals. The tender is carried on a cradle on the swim platform of the central hull leaving two more mini platforms on the sides for additional water access.
Trimarans have never scored high on liveability, and that’s where the NEEL 43 took a new tack. The interior includes a generous salon with a central dinette to port and a compact galley in the forward starboard corner. The single head aft to starboard doubles as a wet locker. A nav station is forward to port; it cleverly shares a backrest with the dinette that is behind it…
LOA 43’0”
Beam 24’7”
Draft 5’0”
Displacement 19,850 lbs
Sail Area 1,096 sq ft
Power 50-hp Volvo Penta diesel
Designer Marc Lombard
Builder NEEL Trimarans/neel-trimarans.com
Price as tested $575,000
Another near-miss for Ainslie as Slingsby makes it $3,000,000 and counting
Tuesday
May 09
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 09
2023
Posted by deleteme
Ben Ainslie and the Emirates GBR SailGP team came away from San Francisco after a weekend that promised so much but failed to deliver . . . again
America’s Cup is swirling down the loo
Tuesday
May 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Jim FarmerA lawyer by profession, Jim Farmer (NZL) has history in the America’s Cup. He served as a director of Team New Zealand from 2004 to 2013, was a member of the Challenger Commissionfor the 2007 Cup and a member of the International Committee that investigated safety rules following the death of Andrew Simpson for the 2013 Cup.
In this commentary, Farmer follows a timeline that is arguably swirling down the loo:
We all remember the excitement when Sir Peter Blake led Team New Zealand to win the America’s Cup from the United States in 1995, with the whole country getting behind the “red socks” campaign to raise money to ensure that the team got to the finish line. Winning it from “Dirty Dennis” Connor, who was seen to be unsporting and who didn’t play fair, was the icing on the cake.
However, after Blake left, the Cup was lost to Alinghi but then won back again by Team NZ under Grant Dalton from Oracle in 2017 and then successfully defended in Auckland in 2021 with the aid of substantial New Zealand public money and other local support.
It has all been downhill since.
Dalton cajoled the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, which under the America’s Cup Deed of Gift is the true holder and trustee for the Cup, into agreeing to the next defense (in 2024) being hosted by Barcelona in Spain. As a softener to the disappointment and anger that was generated, he told a RNZYS members’ meeting that one of the preliminary regattas leading up to the Challenge Event would be held in Auckland. That promise will not be kept…
The Ocean Race Leg 4 Day 17
Tuesday
May 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 09
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The GUYOT environnement – Team Europe crew is safe and working on a jury rig after dismasting in a fierce north Atlantic storm overnight Monday night on the closing stages of Leg 4 from Itajaí, Brazil to Newport, Rhode Island.
Cup Spy – May 5: Spectacular AC75 nosedive
Monday
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
From a quick scan of the Recon File System, used as a repository by the Joint AC37 Recon Team, the most interesting of the last week, was the nosedive of Alinghi Red Bull Racing, while sailing their AC75 on last Friday (May 5).
One month from the Race to Alaska
Monday
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Somewhere between the harbor of Sydney, Australia (where one aspirant still hasn’t begun his solo ocean crossing to the start line), and a country lane just a stone’s throw south of Sherwood Forest (where last year’s Team Zen Dog has been licking his battered paws and planning for redemption), Race to Alaska 2023 has, in the hearts of the racers, already started.
All told, 112 humans, comprising 40 teams overall, are readying themselves for the seventh R2AK.
The rules still haven’t changed: get a boat (any boat). Take out the motor (if it had one in the first place). Get to Ketchikan before the race is over without any pre-planned support. Besides that, it’s all up to you.
The original idea behind this thing: We nail $10,000 to a tree in Alaska and say “Go get it.” The funny part? Most folks know even before they start that upon their arrival in Ketchikan, all they’ll find is what they brought, what they discovered along the way, and an empty nail hole and the lingering smell of money. Through six incarnations of the race, it’s become clear that the definition of “winning” might, in fact, be somewhat broader than who gets there first.
The R2AK course is a true wilderness and a place you’ve got to mean to be. That said, the race through it is built to bring that wildness and the stories the racers paint on it to anyone inclined to be inspired. The 24-hour tracker will be on for every minute, the media team will hunt down and capture each and every delicious story and bring it to your table through email, social media, and any other way they can find.
Race start: 5 AM, June 5, at the Northwest Maritime Center.
Race details – Entry list – Facebook
The 7th edition of the Race to Alaska in 2023 will follow the same general rules which launched this madness in 2015. No motor, no support, through wild frontier, navigating by sail or peddle/paddle (but at some point both) the 750 cold water miles from Port Townsend, Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska.
To save people from themselves, and possibly fulfill event insurance coverage requirements, the distance is divided into two stages. Anyone that completes the 40-mile crossing from Port Townsend to Victoria, BC can pass Go and proceed. Those that fail Stage 1 go to R2AK Jail. Their race is done. Here is the 2023 plan:
Stage 1 Race start: June 5 – Port Townsend, Washington
Stage 2 Race start: June 8 – Victoria, BC
While the Stage 1 course is simple enough, the route to Ketchikan is less so. Other than a waypoint at Bella Bella, there is no official course. Whereas previous races mandated an inside passage of Vancouver Island, the gloves came off in 2022. Previously, the course mandated the inshore passage but for teams that could prove their seaworthiness, they now had the option of the western route.
There is $10,000 if you finish first, a set of steak knives if you’re second. Cathartic elation if you can simply complete the course. R2AK is a self-supported race with no supply drops and no safety net. Any boat without an engine can enter.
There were no races in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. In 2022, there were 45 starters for Stage 1 and 34 finishers. Of those finishers, 32 took on Stage 2 of which 19 made it to Ketchikan.
Source: R2AK
April update for 37th America’s Cup
Monday
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
It has been a big month both on and off the water in this 37th America’s Cup cycle with all the teams stepping up their training and testing programs ahead of their move to their Barcelona bases, which are springing up fast around the Port Vell, for the summer sailing season…
Here’s the team round-up for April… click here.
SailGP Season 3: Grand Finals replays
Monday
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 08
2023
Posted by XS Editor
For those who were unable to catch the Live racing coverage from San Francisco of Season 3, the delayed coverage is now available…
Transat Paprec Day 8
Sunday
May 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
One week on from last Sunday’s start from Concarneau, Brittany most of the eleven duos competing on the mixed doubles have passed the La Palma waypoint and turned west for the passage across the Atlantic towards the finish line in Saint Barths…
The Ocean Race Leg 4 Day 15
Sunday
May 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
11th Hour Racing Team and Team Malizia continue their cat and mouse duel towards a Wednesday morning finish…
Australia Team dominate at SailGP Grand Final
Sunday
May 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 07
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The Aussies have shown their infamous aggression on the San Francisco race course, dominating the dramatic first day of racing at the Mubadala SailGP Season 3 Grand Final…
Cal 40: World’s coolest yachts
Saturday
May 06
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 06
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Yachting World has been asking top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times, and pro navigator Stan Honey nominated the Cal 40. Here’s the report:
The Cal 40 has iconic status in the United States and was a game-changer in the 1960s as a true racer/cruiser. Designed by Bill Lapworth, it has a radical flat-bottomed hull and separate rudder and keel, and was famed for its downwind surfing performance.
“The Cal 40 revolutionized yacht design,” says Honey. “All ocean racers that came after had the fin keel and spade rudder that the Cal 40 proved in the mid-1960s, dominating the sport including the Transpac, Bermuda Race, SORC, etc. The Cal 40 remains competitive in racing and an easy-to-sail, well-mannered cruising boat, perfect for a couple.
“One aspect of owning a Cal 40 is that everywhere you go folks come by the boat and tell stories about how they used to race on a Cal 40 and that they love the boat. Cal 40s have friends and admirers everywhere. It’s like driving a 1965 Mustang, everybody has fond memories. The Cal 40 changed the design of offshore sailboats, like the ‘65 Mustang changed the design of cars, forever.”
Cal 40 stats rating
Top speed: 22 knots
LOA: 11.99m/39.3ft
Launched: 1963
Berths: 6
Price: $30,000-$80,000
Adrenalin factor: 70%
For Yachting World’s list of cool boats, click here.
The Ocean Race – 11th Hour Racing Team retakes the lead
Saturday
May 06
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 06
2023
Posted by deleteme
11th Hour Racing Team has now grabbed The Ocean Race lead back from Team Malizia as Charlie Enright’s squad squeezed ahead by about 5 miles on the leaderboard…
Another Singer/Sailor Crosses the Bar: Gordon Lightfoot 1938-2023
Friday
May 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
Just four months ago we heard the news that singer/sailor David Crosby had crossed the bar. He died at 81, leaving behind a legacy of music that spanned more than just his generation. When we learned this week that Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot had died on May 1, we were immediately thrown into humming his tune “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” The 1976 release was written about the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank during a storm on November 10, 1975, in Lake Superior. The song is surely known by most sailors (this writer recalls it coming to mind while experiencing her first storm at sea). But what may not be as well known is that Lightfoot himself was a sailor, and after the success of his ninth studio album — Sundown (1974), which hit Number One on the Canadian and US charts — he told reporters at the Detroit Free Press that he would now like to buy a sailboat.
“I would now like to spend more time with each album, each song, and I would also like to get a sailing yacht. Not for competitive sailing, I’m a cruiser. But that’s going to take a lot of time. I’ve got to study navigation and things like that,” the article quotes.
With that newfound knowledge, we set off to learn more about this musician, who, it now appears, was also a sailor. According to a piece we found on Lightfoot’s website, the singer had in his time owned more than one boat. “It was the summer of 1976 when Gordon Lightfoot decided it was time to have the halyards quieted down on his stock 39-footer. The cacaphony they raised when they whacked against the aluminum spar was a bit too much for the ears of this Canadian folksinger, who said he was tired of fiddling around with his old boat.” Understandable. What happened next led him to replace the fiberglass-hulled boat with a wood boat.
Lightfoot had engaged the talents of boat designer Victor Carpenter, who worked under the name Superior Sailboats, to solve his noise problem. In doing so the pair struck up a true sailors’ relationship — they raced each other aboard their current boats: Lightfoot’s 39-ft Sundown, and Carpenter’s 28-ft mahogany-hulled O-Race.
Lightfoot was impressed, and upon returning to shore he looked over Carpenter’s plans for a 45-ft model of the mahogany hull that he had designed some years ago, but never built. “You wouldn’t buy a fiberglass guitar, would you?” Carpenter reportedly shot at Lightfoot as the pair discussed fiberglass versus wood. By the time they were done, Lightfoot had ordered his new sailboat, built of wood, for an “undisclosed sum.” The boat would be called Golden Goose. A little ostentatious perhaps, but if one can, then, why not?
© 2023
Aside from owning and sailing his boat, Lightfoot drew upon the seafaring life for inspiration for other songs, each of which, in its own small or larger way, reflects some of the nuances of sailing. They include “The Sea of Tranquility,” “Christian Island (Georgian Bay),” “Ghosts of Cape Horn,” and “Ballad of Yarmouth Castle.” We recommend looking them up on YouTube, the Ballad of Yarmouth Castle in particular, as it has a lilting, sailorly vibe that wooden boat aficionados may enjoy.
We realize Lighfoot’s music may not appeal to all audiences, as evidenced by a letter to the editor in Latitude 38‘s January 2012 issue. But personal preferences aside, it’s been an interesting journey learning about Gordon Lightfoot, the singer, songwriter, and mariner. Fair winds, sailor.
The post Another Singer/Sailor Crosses the Bar: Gordon Lightfoot 1938-2023 appeared first on Latitude38.
Sir Russell Coutts, SailGP and the Razor’s Edge
Friday
May 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
SailGP’s foiling catamarans can sail at about three times the speed of the wind. Top speeds are now about 54 knots. New rudders currently in production might get them to 56 knots, and future foils might get them to 60 knots. At these speeds, each crossing is a close shave. Russell Coutts, the founder and CEO of SailGP, says that’s fast enough. Sir Russell Coutts spoke at the St. Francis Yacht Club Wednesday Yachting Luncheon to give members and guests a preview and insights into this coming weekend’s SailGP Final, to be held Saturday and Sunday on the Cityfront.
© 2023 John
SailGP league has come a long way since season one. The league has survived and thrived despite daunting hurdles. All outdoor events face weather problems, but stadium sailing on TV requires some consistent action despite the fickle nature of wind and weather and occasional crashes and calamities — like the hurricane-force winds at the Australia event that blew up much of the base.
The development of wings and foils has allowed the racing to stay on the water and maintain excitement across a broad spectrum of wind conditions. The traveling circus has learned to travel the globe with nine teams of foiling boats and assemble premier event sites at the water’s edge with increasing abilities and efficiency. And the crowds are growing. You can now view SailGP events in 200 territories.
The audience has grown into the millions and, according to Coutts, the data shows perhaps 80% of them have never stepped onto a sailboat. The average age of viewers is dropping, with an increasing number of 25- and 30-year-old viewers, plus it’s attracting an increasing number of female viewers. The event did garner some rare local attention for sailing in the general media with an article in the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Ocean Race Leg 4 Day 13
Friday
May 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Team Malizia and 11th Hour Racing Team remain locked in a battle that appears destined to last until the finish line off Newport, Rhode Island is in sight…
Transat Paprec Day 6
Friday
May 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 05
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The leading group on the Transat Paprec have today passed offshore of the Straits of Gibraltar, the entrance to the Mediterranean, and are preparing their strategies for the approach to the turning mark off La Palma…
Ainslie Team will be changing its racing strategy and ‘battling hard’
Friday
May 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 05
2023
Posted by deleteme
Ben Ainslie’s Emirates Team GBR will be going ‘all out’ to secure a place in the three-boat, winner-takes-all showdown…
they can’t live there
Thursday
May 04
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 04
2023
Posted by deleteme
And they didn’t, as the big white boat went on to beat the big blue boat. More here. Photo by Maria Muiña.
For all the dollars at SailGP San Francisco
Thursday
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The third season for SailGP will come to a close May 6-7 at the last stage in San Francisco, CA. While all nine teams will seek to win this event, once racing is complete, it will then be the top three in the season standings that qualify for the final, winner-takes-all $1 million race on San Francisco Bay.
Only two-time, defending champion Australia has already qualified for the three-boat finale, though New Zealand is currently looking comfortable in second place. While France holds the third position, Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team is just one point behind.
Despite not winning an event yet this season, consistent results from Ben Ainslie’s British team has kept them breathing down the necks of the French throughout recent events. The British crew now pose the biggest threat of replacing France in the top three, setting the stage for a fierce showdown between the two teams in the fight to reach the Grand Final.
For Jimmy Spithill and the rest of the home United States team, the Season 3 Championship may be out of grasp, but the team will be going all out in preparation for the start of Season 4, which is just around the corner in June.
Racing begins daily at 2:30 pm PDT.
SailGP information – San Francisco details – Season 3 scoreboard – YouTube – How to watch
Season Three Standings (after 10 of 11 events)
1. Australia (Tom Slingsby), 84 points
2. New Zealand (Peter Burling), 73 points
3. France (Quintin Delapierre), 69 points
4. Great Britain (Ben Ainslie), 68 points
5. Denmark (Nicolai Sehested), 60 points
6. Canada (Phil Robertson), 59 points
7. United States (Jimmy Spithill), 57 points
8. Switzerland (Sebastien Schneiter), 29 points
9. Spain (Jordi Xammar/Diego Botin), 29 points
PENALTIES
• Spain SailGP Team: Docked two points in Season Championship for four-point penalty at Plymouth
• Switzerland SailGP Team: Docked two points in Season Championship for four-point penalty at Saint-Tropez
• United Stated SailGP Team: Docked four points in Season Championship for eight-point penalty at Saint-Tropez
• New Zealand SailGP Team: Docked two points in Season Championship for four-point penalty at Dubai; Docked two points in Season Championship for four-point penalty at Singapore
2022-23 SailGP Season 3 Schedule
May 14-15, 2022 – Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess
June 18-19, 2022 – United States Sail Grand Prix | Chicago at Navy Pier
July 30-31, 2022 – Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Plymouth
August 19-20, 2022 – ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix | Copenhagen
September 10-11, 2022 – France Sail Grand Prix | Saint-Tropez
September 24-25, 2022 – Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – Cádiz
November 12-13, 2022 – Dubai Sail Grand Prix presented by P&O Marinas
January 14-15, 2023 – Singapore Sail Grand Prix
February 18-19, 2023 – Australia Sail Grand Prix | Sydney
March 18-19, 2023 – New Zealand Sail Grand Prix | Christchurch
May 6-7, 2023 – United States Sail Grand Prix | San Francisco (Season 3 Grand Final)
Format for 2022-23 SailGP events:
• Teams compete in identical F50 catamarans.
• Each event runs across two days.
• There are three qualifying races each day for all nine teams.*
• The top three teams from qualifying advance to a final race to be crowned event champion and earn the largest share of the $300,000 prize money to be split among the top three teams.
• The season ends with the Grand Final, which includes the Championship Final Race – a winner-takes-all match race for the $1m prize.
* Qualifying schedule increased from five to six races at France SailGP.
For competition documents, click here.
Established in 2018, SailGP seeks to be an annual, global sports league featuring fan-centric inshore racing in some of the iconic harbors around the globe. Rival national teams compete in identical F50 catamarans for event prize money as the season culminates with a $1 million winner-takes-all match race.
Source: Ortega Daily Times, SailGP
Hypocrisy? Maybe it’s Team New Zealand’s thing
Thursday
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
We are longtime fans of Dana Johannsen with New Zealand’s STUFF media group, and she offers up some pointed commentary on the America’s Cup defender:
For an event renowned for off-water scandal and intrigue, the current America’s Cup cycle has been decidedly lacking drama.
Over the past two decades stories of feuding billionaire owners, lengthy court challenges, defections, spying allegations, cheating scandals and fraud probes have kept the niche sailing event firmly in the headlines.
This time around, we’re only months away from the commencement of the on-water sparring with the first of the America’s Cup pre-regattas, and barely a motion for arbitration has been filed in anger.
But while lacking in the maniacal feuding of previous editions, what this cycle has been useful for is teasing out the moral boundaries of Team NZ.
The past week has been particularly instructive…
The coolest record breaking boats
Thursday
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
by Toby Heppell, Yachting World
While hyper-luxury superyachts are clearly cool to look at (and would be very cool to own), there’s no denying that speed is cool and this collection of record breaking boats selected by pro sailors and industry experts shows the diverse range of record breaking that can be done on the ocean.
Monohull, multihulls, and one-off asymmetric speedsters all feature here. Of course technology moves on, so what was once a super high-tech record breaker is often overtaken by the latest technology, that makes it all the more impressive that some of these boats have held their record for many years. – Full report
Video: Rapido 40
Thursday
May 04
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 04
2023
Posted by deleteme
For more multihull reviews and stories, subscribe for free to Multihull Power & Sail at sailmagazine.com/multihull
The new Rapido 40 trimaran is designed by Morrelli & Melvin, whose portfolio includes multihull rockets ranging from America’s Cup contenders to Steve Fossett’s Playstation, so no surprise that performance is in its DNA. But it’s also a cruising multihull that’s light, strong, easy to sail, and designed to fit into a standard slip, with retractable amas.
The smallest in the Vietnamese-built Rapido line, this tri combines bright above-waterline living with efficient sailing and easy singlehanding with a self-tacking jib. Multiple watertight bulkheads offer a measure of safety in case of collision, and the carbon/foam construction keeps the boat light and agile. At just under 12,000 pounds, it’s half the weight of a 40-foot catamaran, but with an equivalent sailplan that helps her slip along at wind speed even in light breezes.
The Ocean Race Leg 4 Day 12
Thursday
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The German-flagged Team Malizia has moved into the lead on leg 4 of The Ocean Race as skipper Will Harris and his crew charge north, marching nearly in lockstep with the previous leader, 11th Hour Racing Team…
Win the Adventure of a Lifetime with Henri-Lloyd!
Thursday
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 04
2023
Posted by XS Editor
Exploring some of the remote areas of the planet is a dream for most, and chances to do so are few and far between. Henri-Lloyd are offering a place for a once in a lifetime experience aboard Ocean Warrior along the west coast of Greenland…
The World Sailing Show
Wednesday
May 03
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 03
2023
Posted by XS Editor
The World Sailing Show delivers 30-minute episodes which feature news, profiles, and racing highlights from across the world of sailing.
The latest episode catches up with the first event of this year’s World Cup, with in-depth coverage of the Princess Sofía Regatta in Mallorca, Spain. This is the first stop in a busy 16-month period which also includes the Sailing World Championships and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games…
The Ocean Race returns to the north
Wednesday
May 03
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 03
2023
Posted by XS Editor
(May 2, 2023; Day 10) – Last night (UTC), Team Malizia led 11th Hour Racing Team across the equator, as The Ocean Race returned to the northern hemisphere.
But the margin was slim – just over two minutes separated the leading pair.
“Hopefully we’re going to cross in first… by about 200 metres I would say,” said Will Harris from on board Malizia. “It’s going to be a dogfight the whole way up (to Newport) I think.
“We’ve sailed down the Atlantic, all the way around and back up. That’s a big part of ‘around the world’ done now.”
For video, see 11th Hour Racing Team and Team Malizia.
Race details – Route – Tracker – Teams – Content from the boats – YouTube
Starlink – Yikes! Huge price changes! Investigating
Wednesday
May 03
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 03
2023
Posted by deleteme
At 7pm USA ET last night someone hit the Email send button and destroyed the night of every cruising boat leaving them perplexed and worried their pockets will be emptied or they’ll have to give up Starlink altogether.Basically, Starlink is now going to charge boats on the “Ocean” the full fee of:
Mobile APROX $150 + US$2.50 per Gigabyte in Non-Coverage Countries – Excludes at sea!
Mobile APROX $150 + US$2.50 per Gigabyte in Non-Coverage Countries – Excludes at sea!
Or
Global Mobile $200 + $2.50 per gig in Non-Coverage Countries – Excludes at sea!
OR
US$250 per month…
gee, that sounds like fun
Wednesday
May 03
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 03
2023
Posted by deleteme
It does if you’re into indentured servitude. Here’s the opening paragraph for a crew wanted job:
From May / June through early September I will be spending most of my time cruising and sailing around the Salish Sea on a 44ft catamaran with a combination of family and friends. I am looking for a deckhand who is flexible to be wherever we are going, whenever we go there. Room and board included, though what room is available will depend on how many guests we have.
There are 3 cabins on the boat and a couch of sorts that becomes a bed; guests will take priority in terms of cabins. This is a mid-sized boat, so while it’s comfortable it is not a super yacht so requires a willingness to share small spaces with others. Start is May (somewhat flexible) through mid-September.
Toppling a match racing giant
Wednesday
May 03
2023
Posted by XS Editor
May 03
2023
Posted by XS Editor
While the spotlight at the Congressional Cup (April 18-22) was intently focused on the final match between eventual winner Chris Poole (USA) and Jeppe Borch (DEN), the fight for third also had significance in Long Beach, CA.
It is not often that, for the opening event of the 2023 World Match Racing Tour, the Petit Final would have the reigning Match Racing World Champion – Nick Egnot-Johnson (NZL) – competing against the most successful skipper in the history of the World Match Racing Tour – Ian Williams (GBR).
The 24-year-old Kiwi and his Knots Racing team shut out the Brit 2-0 to claim third place, defeating someone Ehnot-Johnson had looked up to while cutting his match-racing teeth – and who he had lost to in his two previous Congressional Cup appearances…
The Ocean Race – Tropical squalls keep teams on their toes
Wednesday
May 03
2023
Posted by deleteme
May 03
2023
Posted by deleteme
On the race course on Wednesday, the top three teams are clustered together within 50 miles on the leaderboard…
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