Cost of Rescue
by Oliver Dewar
In late December and the first week of January, the single-handed skippers of three round the world race boats took the drastic decision to abandon their yachts in the Southern Ocean: the seriously injured Yann Eliès on the French, IMOCA Open 60, Generali, racing through the Indian Ocean in the Vendée Globe, requested assistance 800 miles from the south-western tip of Australia on 18th December; Dutch solo sailor, Nico Budel, competing in the Portimão Global Ocean Race, issued a MAYDAY on board Hayai eight days later, 240 miles NNE of the Crozet Islands after sustaining severe keel damage, and, on 6th January, a second Vendée Globe competitor, Jean Le Cam on VM Matériaux, requested assistance after the yacht’s keel bulb detached and the boat inverted 200 miles west of Cape Horn.
Happily, all three rescues were successful due to the expertise shown by the global network of Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC), the skill of the sailors involved, the support of fellow competitors or fellow mariners and the immaculate seamanship of rescue services local to the incident. While the relief that no lives were lost is immense, little is spoken of the individual responsibilities of a skipper when considering abandonment or the financial implications and moral responsibilities of stepping off a yacht at sea. There is also growing concern triggered by the astonishing attrition rate in the Vendée Globe (30 boats starting the race and a maximum of 11 now likely to reach the finish line) and the recent carnage sustained by the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) fleet on Leg 4 between Singapore and Qingdao, that Grand Prix racing yachts risk becoming uninsurable, although some of these dramas may not result in claims against the respective insurers. Furthermore, many believe that the current framework of yacht insurance – a trade littered with archaic phraseology that would be familiar to an Elizabethan deckhand – is unsuited to Formula One offshore racing.
The maxi trimaran Groupama 3 relaunched.
Just a year ago, Franck Cammas and his nine crew capsized 80 miles off New Zealand following the breakage of Groupama 3s port float. 24 hours ahead of the reference time set by the current Jules Verne Trophy record holder when the incident occurred, the crew was airlifted to safety by helicopter before heading back to the zone to rescue Groupama 3.
Remaining true to its commitment for over 10 years alongside Franck Cammas and his team, Groupama Management renewed its trust in the project by taking the decision to set off again on the assault of the Jules Verne Trophy as soon as possible.
“The adventure we’ve been involved in with Franck Cammas since 1997 has comprised some really great moments as well as some difficult periods at times… This capsize doesn’t call into question the harmonious collaboration and the trust we have in Franck” stated Frédérique Granado at the time, Director of External Communication.
The true extent of their commitment and solidarity, the mainstays of the principles of action developed by the Group from the start, really became evident in this new challenge…
This resourcefulness enabled the trimaran to be returned to France in record time since less than 2 months after the painful episode, Groupama 3 was back in the yard in which it was created in Vannes, Brittany.
Ten months in the yard and 50,000 hours of work later, Groupama 3 is returning to its natural element for a 2009 campaign of record attempts, which will take her into the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean and finally around the World in November for the Jules Verne Trophy.
more here
and little sister
Feature Brokerage
Davidson 28 Windswept, a former class champ, only $39,990NZ
Alinghi threatens walkout
Alinghi continued its “devil’s advocate” role on Thursday in sailing’s Louis Vuitton Pacific Series.
After winning through to the final against Team New Zealand, they are protesting the use of the same boats for each team throughout the best of seven races.
Safran carries on with no keel
February 09. 2009 at 18:52
© MARC GUILLEMOT / SAFRAN / Vendée Globe
Marc Guillemot’s Vendée Globe has been the most laden with very unexpected challenges and widest spectrum of emotions of any skipper left in the race. Now the skipper from La Trinité has a massive final test, completing the final 976 miles of his race on Safran without a keel.
Guillemot’s team reported early this morning that trouble with his keel which had been bothering him since the Azores had got worse. Since yesterday the keel had been moving in the fore and aft plane and giving the skipper cause for concern. Early this morning it had slipped several centimeters down into the keel box and he was forced to try to make a fix by securing it with ropes to the mast and a winch, but early this afternoon he realized suddenly that the ropes were slack. He no longer had a keel.
In fact, Guillemot, reported on a call late this afternoon, he was prepared for this eventuality and was almost relieved that the keel had gone since it was no longer threatening to damage his hull, and he at least now knows the magnitude of his problem. Guillemot suffered keel ram trouble in the 2007 Transat B to B race and had to block his keel in place to stop it moving.
Discussions have been ongoing with with Guillaume Verdier, one of Safran’s designers, and Guillemot this afternoon reported that he is making 9-11 knots with a triple reefed main and staysail and is determined to end his incredible race. In fact he lead this Vendée Globe early on the first evening of the race but went on to slide badly into the pack when he got stuck in the wind shadow of the Canaries.
Similar to the situation with Roland Jourdain, who had to halt his race for the same reason in the Azores, which are 300 miles or so to the SW of Safran, Guillemot now believes that his keel loss is a delayed consequence of a collision he had with a sea mammal on the evening of December 17th near the Kerguelen Islands.
At the time his rudder became detached from the boat and Safran broached violently, and he reported damage to his daggerboard which he changed two days later.
Then on 16th December he sustained damage to his mast track which has forced him to sail under reduced mainsail area since then, and which required him to make stops first at Auckland Island on 27th December to try and affect a repair to the track, and then again in the Falklands after further damage sustained on the 29th December.
Prior to his Falklands pitstop he climbed the mast on 6th January, in calmer weather to try and improve the fix and then after Cape Horn, on the 14th January he stopped for five and a half hours in the bay at Port Stanley. Since then he has only been able to sail with two reefs.
But the most stressful period for Guillemot was when he was diverted to help the injured Yann Eliès on 18th December, standing by him until the Generali skipper was evacuated on 20th December.
Guillemot, sounding tired and stressed this evening, says he is determined to complete this race whatever place he ends up in. He now has full windward ballast tanks and says he is taking it as easily as possible. Conditions are choppy but he has around 12-13 knots of wind. He has less than 980 miles to sail.
His nearest rival for third place Sam Davies has been making good speed in brisk conditions and had caught to within seven miles of the compromised Safran. Guillemot’s primary desire is simply to finish, but he still has over two days worth of redress to his credit.
The duel between Brian Thompson, GBR (Bahrain Team Pindar) and Dee Caffari, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) looks like it may go the wire, or at least be settled in light winds in the Bay of Biscay as they approach the finish. She has closed to within 47 miles now although neither are moving at pace this afternoon. Caffari, at 7.8 knots, is still closing down her compatriot who should emerge first from the new high pressure system, but is making 4.1 knots this afternoon and averaged less than three knots between 0930hrs and 1430hrs.
Mark Guillemot, (Safran): “ It’s an old story. You may remember near the Kerguelens I collided with a large sea mammal and went from 20-22 knots to zero. I talked to the designers a few hours later as I thought it was strange that it was a bit loose. As I passed the Azores it must have moved to the next stage. After that it was much looser and yesterday it was much worse. Based on the advice I got from Guillaume Verdier I secured it in place during the night. I managed to raise it up. It was exposed to some huge forces with 40-50 knots of wind and high seas. I could hear the keel moving from one side to the other. At 2 or 3 in the morning I was fairly pleased with the job. I had it rigged up to the winch and the keel was practically blocked from moving forwards and backwards. I wanted to give it one more turn to raise it that bit further and it was odd… I looked in the keel box and could see it had gone down as I could see the sea. Strange as it may seem, I breathed a sigh of relief! Having that weight swinging around under the hull, you feel powerless to do anything. There is the risk of the boat being damaged. I prepared the ballast tanks and I’m back in control. I hope we don’t get any strong gales like last night.”
“ It was extremely stressful. The noise and creaking were just horrendous. This is the first time I’ve ever experienced this and it was dreadful. I have the ballast full in the bow and am under small jib with three reefs in the mainsail. So I’m sailing 10-11 knots. The sea is still quite rough, but it has eased off and I can deal with the conditions. I don’t mean to say I could cross the Atlantic like that, but I haven’t any choice there. If it gets worse I could head for Spain. I really want to finish in Les Sables d’Olonne. I’m more determined than ever. Samantha is quickly going to get ahead, but I just want to finish the race. I’m feeling exhausted as I worked all night and then again this morning. I’ve got another hour of work ahead of me tidying up the boat.
“Topping the list of winners for Sailing World’s 25th annual Boat of the Year contest was the King 40 by Summit Yachts.
The King 40, the overall winner, and four other boats won awards from an independent panel of experts who inspected and tested 17 nominated entries during the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis earlier this year. Selections were based on extensive inspections and sea trials of all the boats. All five 2009 Boat of the Year winners will be featured in the January/February issue of Sailing World.”
Read more here
Onetangi Beach Races
Images provided by
The weather outlook for the weekend looks interesting…wet.
at least the farmers will get a bit of rain 
Marc Guillemot’s advantage over Sam Davies has been cut by 17 miles last night after a consistent, but hard night for both skippers in third and fourth places respectively.
Davies has been slightly quicker overnight, as she passed through the middle of the Azores archipelago. Around midnight the Roxy skipper was traversing the island cluster, seeing ‘civilization’ for the first time since she left Les Sables d’Olonne on November 9th.
Guillemot’s Safran has slowed slightly but he seems set to stay with the low pressure system which they have been riding, while Davies may feel the effects of a new high pressure system later today, but they will reach a new, much bigger low from about midday tomorrow.
The Roxy skipper reported some testing conditions, gusts to over 40 knots as a front went through yesterday, and breaking seas at times.
Straight line distance Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) is about 500 miles behind Davies, and has about 370 miles to sail to the Azores this morning. He now has Dee Caffari, GBR, (Aviva) on a parallel course, some 200 miles to his south. Thompson may be just touching the first effects of the new Azores anticyclone which he will have to cross as is passes over him, while Caffari – being that bit further south – is still making 10.2 knots this morning while Bahrain Team Pindar is slightly slowed.
Caffari is in the better wind pressure, appearing to be upwind in about 15 knots but may get the lighter winds this afternoon.
They face a slow finish into Les Sables d’Olonne as the high pressure looks set to spread north and protect the Bay of Biscay, but not before this leading group encounter one pretty big Atlantic depression.
Arnaud Boissières on Akena Vérandas is being caught by a little high pressure system ahead of him and is currently about 600 miles behind Caffari with some 1100 miles yet to sail to the Azores.
Steve White’s speeds on Toe in the Water have remained as consistent as are to be expected in the upwind, trade winds conditions he has, whilst Rich Wilson, USA is now some 300 miles off the Brasilian coast, between Rio de Janeiro and Salvador de Bahia, sailing upwind in modest NE’ly breezes.
Later this afternoon Raphael Dinelli and Norbert Sedlacek should pass out of the low pressure system they have been in for three days, which is giving them 30-35 knots of breeze, with bigger gusts.
Devonport Yacht Club Picnic
Sunday 22nd February 2009
1100 hrs
Venue is weather dependent and to be decided on the morning and advised over the Club answer phone after 0730hrs and VHFchannel 62 at 0800 and 0900hrs
Venue to be chosen from Sandy Bay, Home Bay, Islington Bay all on Motutapu Calypso Bay, Motuihi, or Browns Island
Events will include:
Sandcastle competitions, Rowing races, Running races,
Sack races, Egg tossing, Tug of war,
Lolly scramble and ice creams
Everyone is invited to join in the fun
People without boats will be found a berth…more here
Greetings from the Manhattan Sailing Club in New York City
Our club is hosting the Third Dennis Conner International Yacht Club Challenge from August 19-22, 2009.
This is a gathering of yacht clubs from around the world. The purpose of the regatta is to promote international goodwill through friendly competition. It is an event for amatuer club sailors as well as their family and friends. The competition will be held on J/24 sailboats supplied by our club.
Each country can be represented by one club. We are trying to find suitable clubs to invite from your country.
Can you please help by suggesting the name of a yacht club and possibly give us their website or contact information. The Commodore of our sailing club will then extend a formal invitation.
Thank you very much for your assistance and best wishes.
Brian England
Assistant to the Commodore
Manhattan Sailing Club
Tel: (212) 786 3323
Fax: (212) 786 1743
more here
Invitation from Dennis Conner,
I am inviting yacht clubs from around the world to participate in the Third Dennis Conner International Yacht Club Challenge.
This regatta promotes international goodwill through friendly competition.
Racing will be held in New York Harbor on J/24 sailboats from the Manhattan Sailing Club (www.myc.org).
This club is located at “Dennis Conner’s North Cove” in Lower Manhattan (www.TheNorthCove.com).
The International Yacht Club Challenge was created for amateur club sailors. If you have dreamed of visiting New York City, this is your opportunity.
Racing will be competitive and enjoyable. And after racing, there will be plenty of social events. In addition to your racing team, I encourage you to bring a “social team” of club members, friends and family.
I look forward to meeting you in Manhattan as we work to build international goodwill through friendly competition.
Early Bird registration for the Jollyboat Nationals is open and the
NOR was posted on the website last week.
All are welcome, the national titles are up for grabs for both the
single handed and double handed, as well as the team and handicap
prizes. So plenty of opportunity for all sailors of all ability. We
extend the welcome especially to new members of the class to come and
meet Jollyboat sailors from other clubs and take part in the racing
and social events.
With your entry fee you get :
2 superb days of racing, with YNZ’s Kim Ardmore officiating
A chance to learn more about the Manukau’s infamous tides
A complimentary ticket to the Pirate Paella Party on Saturday night
with live entertainment and bar
A complimentary ticket to the Jolly Big Breakfast at La Vinci Cafe
Sunday morning in sunny Titirangi Village
2 x FBYC emergency beer tickets
Lunch on both days
An event t-shirt
A goody bag full of loot
Make sure to get your Early Bird Entries in by the end of this month
and make space in your diaries to be on the water on 14/15th March.
(entry form is on the NOR).
The pink rocket back in orbit
February 08. 2009 at 18:25
The pink rocket back in orbit
© JEAN MARIE LIOT / DPPI / Vendée Globe
After her losses yesterday, a time when, seeking to stay at optimum power, she worked through her sail inventory and her reserves of stamina Sam Davies is back pacing Marc Guillemot for the meantime, accelerator pedal pressed hard on the ‘pink rocket’ as she referred to Roxy, the double Vendée Globe winning former PRB.
Davies should pass through the Azores tonight and has a 107 miles deficit on Guillemot, who admitted that the stress and tiredness is taking a toll on him at the moment and he is just trying to sail sensibly and safely, not pushing too hard.
While Guillemot is being pushed onwards in strong SW’ly winds, with big seas, up to seven to eight metres as a big low pressure sweeps across in front of him in the North Atlantic, he is at least assured of a speedy, if demanding few days to the finish, riding the depression. Davies said this morning that she is making the most of the adrenalin sailing while she can, for she be caught by the formation of another high pressure system. Friday is her considered finishing day, but she certainly wants to be home for Valentine’s Day.
Davies is making 15.3 knots this afternoon compared with the 16.3 of Guillemot who is reckoned to have 10 knots more wind.
The British skipper admitted this morning she would love to take part in this summer’s 40th jubilee Figaro solo, alongside the two skippers who have already finished, Desjoyeaux and Le Cléac’h.
If Guillemot finishes third the podium will effectively comprise two Farr sister-ships, the Finot Conq designed Brit Air and the VPLP-Verdier designed Safran. Prize money is Euros 150,000 for first, 90,000 for second and 60,000 each for the two third places.
In fifth Brian Thompson sees a further two ‘parking lots’, anticyclones, where he and Dee Caffari could be forced closer together before they finish in Les Sables d’Olonne.
Having settled with a new solution to his problems with his over-stressed keel ram hydraulics and no longer in the bone jarring, crashing upwind on the tradewinds, fifth placed Thompson has the Juan K designed more powered up again and has been gaining miles again on Caffari. The yellow Owen-Clarke design is now measured to be 81 miles behind Bahrain Team Pindar while Caffari is now moving quicker since she was making around six knots earlier today.
Back in the northern hemisphere Steve White has moved almost seamlessly into the NE’ly trades on Toe in the Water and is making 11 knots. His Doldrums crossing has been almost pain free, save a short spell under a big cloud yesterday:
“ Cor, crikey, I had the world’s biggest clouds yesterday and sailed round and round in circles for about half, three-quarters of an hour, and then eventually it disappeared…..” he told the radio broadcast this morning.
Some 360 miles to the east of Rio de Janeiro, Rich Wilson, USA, on Great American III has light, disorganized easterlies at the moment and is making 6-10 knots, but he has another day’s sailing to get more ordered, stronger trade winds.
In their third day of strong winds and big seas produced by a deep low in the South Atlantic, it is tough for Norbert Sedlacek and Raphael Dinelli. With gusts to 55 knots, the saving grace for them is that they are making decent speeds north, fast reaching in the SE’lies. The Austrian skipper has reported some minor damage over past day: his autopilot display is a not working, a halyard clutch broken, a block broken and generator base broken. And he got hit by boom twice and according to his report appears to be none the worse for it.
Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar): “It is a busy Sunday morning and I have just been through a cold front and so I am just tidying up afterwards, stacking everything, packing spinnakers, doing a little bit of work to my alternator, and so another busy Sunday.
Yesterday I did a big change to my keel arrangement. Before I was just using both sides of the port ram, and the outboard side was starting to leak through the sensor, which was the problem with the starboard ram. And so I have swapped them around and now I am working with just the inside ones and the outboard ones are just full of air. So I am basically using one ram at a time. On part tack I am just using the starboard ram to pull the keel over, and touch wood, that seems OK because the connections are much clearer and so I only have to six connection to worry about leaking.”
“ When it was bumping and slamming all the time I had to limit the cant to about ten degrees or something like that, so now I am definitely able to use more now.”
“I have not got a lot of weather at the moment, just what I have through the Iridium phone, Dee lost a lot in the Doldrums and now she has come back evened things up because I was not that fast on that reach. Hopefully now I will extend away again but then I will be going through the next Azores high, which will be closer to the Azores, and then there will be another low pushing us through towards the Bay of Biscay and then there is a high there which will stop us. So we have been through one, reach to another and another in the Bay of Biscay, there are plenty of parking spots for Dee and I.
Marc is going to get straight through with this low that he is on and will be quite quick. Sam maybe will or might get stopped by one of the highs, for sure Dee and I will have a good race in to the finish. It makes things more interesting and challenging, if it weren’t challenging enough already.”
Steve White, GBR (Toe in the Water): “It is good to be back. Nearly home. Well that is how feels, anyway. Cor, crikey, I had the world’s biggest clouds yesterday and sailed round and round in circles for about half, three-quarters of an hour, and then eventually it disappeared and here we are – north east trades – and an hour later, cross the Equator and….done.
The wheels did kind of fall off after dark, it had been nice and steady before that. The gusts were useful, predictable and quite nice, but then it started to go weird and down to five knots and things like that. We had two days of Doldrums but it was comparatively, well extremely painless really. And so half past three I was all done and dusted, boat settled down, in bed, equator crossed and everything. I video-ed the GPS changing from south to north, only because on the way down I tried and the blooming video camera would not work. It said ‘eject the battery’ ‘eject the tape’ and all that and by the time I had it working it was too late, so I have taped it this time even through it was dark.
I had to toast Neptune. I have these little aircraft bottles of wine, and so gave some over the side to Neptune, some over the boat and some down me.”
Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas): I have had a tricky few days with some strong gusts in squalls, with confused seas, but things are starting to improve. Until yesterday evening, I was under ORC jib with 3 reefs in the mainsail, as there were crossed seas with the seas and wind hitting us on the beam. So to carry out manoeuvres and change the headsails, I put on the dry suit. Even if it’s not very cold, it’s nicer to stay dry… I’m a bit tired, as I had a lot of manoeuvres in the night and over the past few days. The boat was being shaken around and me too. Fortunately, the wind eased off quite suddenly and the seas have started to calm.”
Sam Davies, GBR, Roxy: “There’s 35 knots of wind and Roxy is sailing just above 20 knots. Conditions are great and the sea isn’t too difficult. I have stacked everything in the stern, rather like in southern ocean mode. The seas are really nice with some white horses and 30 knots of wind. Today and tomorrow are going to be the final days of high speeds and adrenalin, so I’m trying to take advantage while I can, but I don’t want to get carried away either. I try telling myself that even if Roxy sails quickly, she’s a bit tired and I must avoid pushing her too hard. Yesterday I went through all the sails except the storm jib. I went from light airs mode with the weight in the bow to downwind mode. So there was a lot of work to do inside as well as out on deck. I’m looking forward to finishing and sailing into the harbour in Les Sables, but I’m not certain about my ETA. I thinks some of the estimates from Météo France are optimistic. I’d tend to go for Friday. The high will be catching up with me after Cape Finisterre, so it will depend on how things go: Thursday evening or Friday morning, but the most important thing is to finish before St. Valentine’s Day! If I could do the Figaro this summer, I’d be very happy. It’s a dream, but it will depend on Roxy. We can’t do everything and nothing has yet been decided.”
Marc Guillemot, Safran: “I’m still half asleep as the phone just woke me up. I haven’t been able to get much sleep recently. There’s all the stress and tiredness at the moment. The wind is up to 34 knots and the seas are quite rough. Last night, I was just a mile and a half from the island of Corvo in the Azores. The wind has been building since then. I no longer have any mast track left at second reef. I was sailing under reduced sail as the wind has been getting up. The sail came down without any problem, but I noticed that the repair I carried out off Auckland Island had broken again. It’s not a real problem as I’ve been under reduced sail anyway for the past couple of nights. I’m proceeding with caution, because what counts now is finishing in Les Sables d’Olonne. The waves are in the right direction, but it is likely to be a bit rougher when the wind veers NW’ly. I’ll just go a little more slowly. In fact, it may not be a bad thing, as tomorrow looks very stormy in the Bay of Biscay. I’m a bit behind where I thought I might be. I’m pleased to be avoiding the worst of the storm that’s coming up.”
YachtyakkaTV coming soon
Butterworth has labelled Barker a ‘sook‘.
Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth insists his team’s decision to forfeit its Louis Vuitton Pacific Series race against Team New Zealand is nothing personal and says Team New Zealand has over-reacted to their decision.
or
BMWoracle owner insists his team’s decision to challenge for the next AC in 90ft yachts is nothing personal and says Alinghi should use the same format as the last Cup and get the show back on the water.
Alinghi decided to skip Saturday’s highly anticipated race as there were no points up for grabs for beating Team New Zealand in round robin two – but a team can lose points if penalised.
Butterworth said his relationship with Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton had nothing to do with the teams decision.
He said he doesn’t have a problem racing anyone – but he needs to put his team first.
Butterworth says the whole issue is a storm in a teacup.
He says the Kiwis can try to make a big deal of it but it isn’t
Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker believes Alinghi’s decision was disgraceful and in response Butterworth has labelled Barker a ’sook’.
Alinghi have just beaten BMWOracle
2nd
Breton race rookie Armel Le Cléac’h crossed the finishing line of the Vendée Globe this morning (Saturday 7th February) at 08H41’35”GMT, after a net race time of 89 days 9 hours and 39 minutes 35 seconds of racing, taking into account the 11 hours redress given by the International Jury for his participation in the rescue of Jean Le Cam.
Brit Air completed the famous non stop solo round the world without assistance race in a 17-22-knot breeze cheered home by a spectator fleet out on the water enjoying the winter sunshine and braving the chill of the early morning.
Le Cléac’h is due to return into the famous canal to a big celebration around midday just as soon as the tide allows. At the age of 31, a newcomer to the Vendée Globe, he takes second place in this 6th edition 5 days 6 hours and 30 minutes behind the winner, Michel Desjoyeaux. His theoretical speed was 11.57 knots. Having sailed 27,233 miles, his real average speed was12.69 knots. His second place in the rankings will not be confirmed until 71 hours have passed to take into account the difference between his 11 hours of redress for going to the help of Jean le Cam and the 82 hours granted to Marc Guillemot for his involvement in the rescue of Yann Eliès.
Armel Le Cléac’h clinched his second with tenacity, patience and prudence, a maturity shown which belies this being his first solo round the world race. Before this race the Breton round the world rookie had never spent more than twenty days in a row at sea, but today not only did he complete his race but took a highly valued clear second place behind the invincible Desjoyeaux. Just 31 when he rounded the Horn for the first time, the sailor from Morlaix finished second in last year’s Transat race when three favourites retired with damage – Riou, Josse and Desjoyeaux – and had also won the Figaro solo event in 2003 and the 2004 Transat AG2R in the past.
From the start of this Vendée Globe on 9th November, Armel had been up with the leaders: among the ten fast and furious on the way down the Atlantic, within 100 miles of the leader. During this stretch of the race and again later in the Pacific, Brit Air would be sailing in the company of 2004 Vendee Globe race winner Vincent Riou PRB and could regularly be found in fourth or fifth place. Off the coast of Brazil, as he rounded the St. Helena high, he even made it into the top three for a few days when the race was led by Loïck Peyron, Sébastien Josse and Yann Eliès.
In the southern ocean, as soon as he reached the Forties and entered the Indian Ocean, Armel intentionally eased back to find his own pace, while continuing to remain in contact with the frontrunners. Striving to look after his boat and gear, he also needed to get used to the new experience of the southern latitudes. But his sheer competitive drive would ensure that he remained within reach of the leaders. As a result he was to remain in the top ten. Gradually, just as Michel Desjoyeaux was taking the lead, Armel would start to find his way back.
Fifth at Christmas
As if he was being pulled along by the Foncia express train in the Pacific, he spent Christmas in fifth place and for the New Year grabbed fourth place, still alongside Vincent Riou. Together in the top five, remained together until the worrying and stressful incident separated them: VM Matériaux’s capsize on 6th January 2009, 200 miles from Cape Horn. Following Jean le Cam, then in third place, Vincent Riou and Armel Le Cléac’h were diverted to go to the help of the skipper trapped inside his overturned boat.
Armel Le Cléach reached the spot at 15h30, an hour or so after Vincent. The two skippers then took it in turns to offer their support to Jean Le Cam for three hours, before he was taken safely aboard PRB at 18h15…. with all that ensued.
Third at Cape Horn
Armel Le Cléac’h gradually got back on track for the Horn, full of contradictory emotions. He rounded the Horn on 7th January… one of the great moments in this race. He was then in third place behind Roland Jourdain and Michel Desjoyeaux. He would keep this place until Veolia Environnement lost her keel and was forced to retire on 2nd February in the Azores.
Alinghi spit the dumby…again!
Alinghi have shocked organisers and fans at the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series by controversially pulling out of their much-anticipated clash with Team New Zealand on Saturday afternoon.
On the day that Alinghi’s boss Ernesto Bertarelli arrived in Auckland, it was announced that Alinghi had decided not to sail for tactical reasons.
The structure of the event means that teams racing against Emirates Team New Zealand do not gain points in the round robin.
With Alinghi safe on two points it is believed they did not want to risk incurring penalty points as BMW Oracle and TeamOrigin did in their race on Friday.
The reasoning that it was not beneficial for them to race will be of little comfort to the many fans out on the water and dotted around Auckland’s shore line for a good view.
The two teams haven’t met since the 2007 America’s Cup where Alinghi defeated Team New Zealand 5-2 in the finals series.
Team New Zealand went out and correctly completed their pre-start on their own and then were able to abandon the race once Alinghi did not cross the start line.
Emirates Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker says he is disgusted by the decision of Alinghi to pull out of their race on Saturday afternoon.
Alinghi decided not to race late in the day, leaving Team New Zealand out on the course for hours waiting for the start of their gold fleet race that they eventually started solo to formally complete it.
Barker told ONE Sport’s Martin Tasker ” I’m pi**ed off, I’m really disappointed, disgusted…we are here for a good sporting event and I just don’t buy their reasoning.”
Alinghi made the decision not to race because they would not have gained a point even if they beat the home team.
As the host, Team New Zealand are racing in the round robins before going straight through to the final but other teams do not gain a point by beating them.
Other teams can lose points through penalties though and both TeamOrigin and BMW Oracle were jointly penalised for a collision on Friday.
Barker’s response to this – the reasoning that Alinghi have nothing to gain by sailing but a lot to potentially lose – was strongly refuted.
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“They need to look at the spirit of this event…it’s about trying to do what is right for yacht racing through turbulent times” Barker said.
The Kiwi helmsman also suggested the decision was an insult to the spectators who had turnd out in large numbers to watch the supposed feature race of the day.
“(Alinghi’s) decision not to race is an insult…it’s disappointing to the New Zealand public…it’s completely disrespectul to us as a team and I’m really pissed off about it” Barker said.
He then told ONE Sport that he would not be discussing it with Alinghi as he had nothing he wanted to say to them.
Damiani Italia has ended Team New Zealand’s winning streak with an excellent race in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series on Thursday..
In the second race for the gold fleet boats the Kiwis forced the Italians to tack away and around the committe boat in the pre-start but it worked to the Italians advantage as they got back in time to grab the right hand side as the Kiwis seemed to make a late decision to go left.
Emirates Team New Zealand started on the left, Damiani came over the line very close to Kiwis but immediately tacked right and that favoured side worked again.
Damiani went slightly ahead, tacked across New Zealand and took control of the race.
Both teams tacked in a tight zigzag pattern through the first leg but Damiani held a one boat length lead.
They extended it to 40m lead by halfway down the first beat and tacked around the weather mark cleanly with an 11 second lead as Team New Zealand fought hard to stay close.
Downwind the tide was turning but Damiani held their nerve and extended the lead to 70 metres and then up to 110.
The Italians sailed a smart race throughout and did a good job of always protecting their lead.
At the second mark Vasco Vascotto had his boat 20 seconds ahead and gradually increased it to a 24 second lead by the top weather mark.
Team New Zealand lurked close at all times and tried a variety of distracting tactics but the Italians just sat and protected their lead safely throughout.
At the line Damiani Italia won by 15 seconds and Team New Zealand, like TeamOrigin earlier in the day, lost their first races of this regatta.
Team Shosholoza’s upset victory over Alinghi means the highly favoured Swiss team are only second equal in their pool at the end of the first round robin.
Most commentators were expecting that Alinghi would be the top team in pool B but TeamOrigin are two points ahead so far.
All races have been completed for the first round and the teams will now split into the Gold and Silver Fleets for the second round robin.
Luna Rossa and China Team had byes on the fifth day so the standings at the end of the first round robin are;
Standings – Pool A
Emirates Team New Zealand 4
BMW Oracle 3
Damiani Italia 2
Pataugas K-Challenge 1
China Team 0
Standings – Pool B
TeamOrigin 4
Luna Rossa 2
Alinghi 2
Team Shosholoza 1
Greek Challenge 0
The event structure means the Gold Fleet will have the top three finishers from each pool which will be:
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Emirates Team New Zealand, BMW Oracle, Damiani Italia, TeamOrigin, Luna Rossa and Alinghi.
The Silver Fleet will be the remaining four boats (K-Challenge, China Team, Team Shosholoza and the Greek Challenge).
The lay day is on Wednesday and racing resumes on Thursday, February 5, with the second round robin of 24 races split over five days.
There is then a series of sail-offs to decide the Challenger to meet Team New Zealand in the final.
TVNZ will resume live streaming and Sport Extra broadcast coverage of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series on Thursday, February 5 at 10.30am (weather permitting).
Yesterday (3/02/09 ) we finished off the round robin,ending up with 9 wins and 2 losses. This Qualified us 2nd for the super 6 today. We had our first race today against Walker again,after throwing away the pre start after controlling the whole thing we were already to far behind to find any chance of passing. We won the next two races and then lost again to Niki Souter. We coped a penalty in the pre start and then had the lead for the whole race. After trying to get rid of it on the last downwind, we ended up getting another and then losing it, causing a huge mess and we finished right behind her. A little gutted we didn’t win the race but knew it was only a small penalty that lost it for us. We then won the last race which put us into the semi final.
With Evan top Qualifier the other 2 opponents are Nikki Souter and Adrian Short our fellow RNZYS member. We know we haven’t peaked yet and are looking to really lift our game tomorrow and try and knock this one off.
Thanks for all your support and we will post the final placing tomorrow. Special thanks to the RNZYS and Setafan Goldwater of Widex for all their assistance.
Today ( 31/01/09 ) we won the Warren Jones winning the semis 3-0 and the finals 2-1. This qualifies us for the Danish Open (World Match Racing Tour Event) and the Open de Espana (Grade 1 event). Full report to come. This is a big result for the team.
Big thanks must go out to Stefan Goldwater from WIDEX and the RNZYS for helping us attend this regatta.
cheers,
PJR.
An American company believes they have found the remains of one of the
greatest British sailing ships ever lost at sea. HMS Victory, the forerunner
of Admiral Nelson’s flagship of the same name, went down in a storm near the
Channel Islands between France and Britain in 1744 with her 1,150 crew.
Florida-based Odyssey Marine Exploration claim to have discovered the wreck,
but it remains the property of the British government and the company would
need permission to raise artifacts. The Victory is prized by salvagers because
it was carrying 100 brass cannons, thought to be engraved with dolphins and
the monogram of King George II. – Full story:
A month after owner Eric Goetz delivered the grim news to 75 employees that
Goetz Custom Boats was going into receivership and all were being laid off,
Goetz Boats returned to business last week. The 34-year-old Bristol firm is
still in receivership, and future ownership of the firm is yet to be
determined, but all employees have been recalled to work, and they expect to
be operating at full capacity this week. — Full story:
The end of Round Robin One saw Team Origin and Emirates Team New Zealand progress to the next phase of the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series undefeated.
Having beaten Alinghi on their second day of racing, the British team, skippered by Ben Ainslie went on to defeat Shosholoza and the Greek Challenge. Neither matches were pushovers, particularly the match against the least experienced Cup team, the Greek Challenge, who managed to keep the action tight for all of the first half of the race.
Also un defeated in its matches, Emirates Team New Zealand also progressed to the Gold Fleet in Round Robin 2, seeing off their opponents, China Team and Pataugas K-Challenge with ease.
But the real surprise of the day was to see Alinghi beaten, no, slaughtered by the South African Team Shosholoza.
The match started with one of the longest dial ups seen in Cup racing, both boats stationary and head to wind for all but the beginning and end of the pre-start period. Entering the box from the starboard side with the advantage, the South African team pinned Ed Baird and the Swiss to the left, holding them in a headlock until just a few seconds before the start.
A perfectly timed run back to the line, followed by a smooth round up onto the breeze that saw Team Shosholoza hit the line on time and at speed, left the current America’s Cup holders trailing in their wake. As the two boats headed up the first beat, Shosholoza extended its lead, cranking into a lift and climbing further away from Alinghi.
A tidy rounding at the weather mark and a smart slide downhill saw the South Africans, led by Paulo Cian at the helm, consolidate their lead.
At the leeward mark a handling error during the kite drop aboard Alinghi provided an uncharacteristically chaotic Kiwi drop and saw the experts losing even more distance half way around the two lap course. From there onwards the news only got worse with Alinghi trailing by more than a kilometre at the finish.
One can only imagine that the lure of inspecting their arch rival’s boat at close hand proved to be more distracting than they had bargained for.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) is a lay day. Racing resumes on Thursday with the fleet spit into gold and silver fleets. Gold will sail three races per day for five days, silver will race two races per day for three days.11:25 p.m. 4/02/2009
After taking on second place yesterday Armel Le Cléac’h is now expected to finish in Les Sables d’Olonne between 1800hrs Thursday and 0600hrs Saturday morning but the Brit Air skipper has one big hurdle to negotiate before he can consider the prospects of his place on the second step of the podium after Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia).
Le Cléac’h is expecting winds of over 45 knots, gusting to 60 knots with a big, awkward cross seas to contend with, as he counts down the final 1000 miles to the finish line.
Le Cléach said today:
“I am not thinking about the place at the moment, I will think about it when I get across the line. Just now I need to get through these big winds.”
He was making over 16 knots this afternoon and is over 1100 miles ahead of Sam Davies, GBR, (Roxy).
Arriving yesterday in the commercial port of Porto Delgado, Sao Miguel in the Azores, Roland Jourdain’s keel inspection revealed virtually nothing. That is, there is virtually nothing left: only a short twisted stump of keel blade remaining. Having sailed more than 700 miles with no keel, his decision to abandon handed his second place to Le Cléac’h. Jourdain explained today that his personal belief is that the keel fractured in two stages.
“ In my opinion, I think the breakage happened in two stages, otherwise I would have capsized the first time. The bang I heard, I thought it was the bulb and in fact I think that when the keel broke, it twisted and a piece stayed attached to the hull, which stopped me from capsizing. Then at a later moment, when I was taking in a reef, I heard a cracking sound coming from the hull and that must have been the piece breaking off.”
Some 1100 miles behind Le Cléac’h Sam Davies and Marc Guillemot are intent on playing out their different strategies at the Azores High. They were separated by more than 250 miles laterally this morning. Although Guillemot is in the possession of 50 hours of redress, he stated again today is that he is determined to beat the English skipper who has a home in Brittany, on the water. Davies leads him by 165 miles and had gained 14 miles since this morning in terms of Distance to Finish, although the French skipper has been consistently faster on his route round the west of the high pressure system, similar to that taken by Michel Desjoyeaux routing to Cape Finisterre.
America skipper Rich Wilson was recovering today and had Great American III back under control after a long night during which his autopilot linkage failed. A bolt in the main self steering linkage failed when the American skipper was in the midst of an unexpected episode of 35-45 knot winds and big seas. He had to hove to – backing the staysail and countering its turning moment with the helm hard over – as he climbed into an inaccessible aft compartment ‘which even Olga Korbutt the gymnast would have struggled to get into’ to make his repair. When he managed to re-boot both his autpilots he had just returned to ‘situation normal’ on Great American – upwind, getting another pasting.
Marc Guillemot (Safran): “ I’m making good speed towards the high. The trajectory isn’t the best in relation to the finish, but I think it’s worth it in terms of speed. In 36 hours, I think I’ll be past the high. Over the past two days, I’ve been on a route further north-westwards than the direct route. The idea is to get around the high via the west and then at the top, I should reach the front. This is the fast track home. I think it will pay off, even if it means a lot of manoeuvres. If I’d stayed close to Samantha sailing upwind, it would have been unlikely that I would have caught her. As for my ETA, I’d say the 12th February. I’m getting a bit low on bread and biscuits, as I hadn’t planned on spending so much time out here. I have enough to eat though, except I’m really missing fresh fruit and vegetables. My real favourite is oysters and I know my oyster farmer friend will be waiting for me at the finish.”
Sam Davies (Roxy): “ I’ve had the same conditions for 5 days, even if the waves have calmed slightly and we’re not slamming as much. I’m currently doing around ten knots and trying to see whether I have made the right choice. I’m happy with my position. The high is a long way west. I think I should get through without too many hold-ups. I’m wondering what I would do if there weren’t other boats around me. I’m not really taking a short cut, as I’m staying on the edge, so the route is a bit longer. Roxy is doing fine, but must be tired after three months on the water and sometimes I haven’t been kind to her, but touch wood, everything is fine. As for me, I’m looking forward to finishing and I can feel that I’m really tired now. When I arrive I think I’ll just collapse. I’ve got plenty of food left. Too much in fact, so I’ve been throwing stuff to the fish after taking off the wrappers. But I don’t really like doing that when people like Cali don’t have enough. I wish I could leave him a big package.”
Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air): “ Time to put the crash helmet on! For the next few hours, we’re going to be facing some difficult conditions. Some heavy seas and very strong winds. Right up to the finish, the weather will not have been on my side. But that’s something you just have to deal with. We’ll ride out the storm and if all goes well in 24 hours, it should start to ease off. The sea is already starting to get rough and it’s slightly on the beam, so we can’t go too fast and we’re really slamming. There’s about 35 knots of wind and it’s going to strengthen during the afternoon to reach 45 knots this evening. We’re going to have to be careful as they have forecast 8-10 metre high waves…
In virtual terms I’ve always been ahead of Samantha, because she would need to be 500 miles in front because of my redress, but I’m determined to battle it out without taking that into account. We’ll see in 40 hours or so where we are, with me in the north and Samantha in the high.
The Day the Poms beat ( thrashed ) the Swiss
AC, a local on the crew forums was out spying and cheering the POMs until….
follow me
keep clear
ooops he has a hook
bugger… this is going bad
running out of room guys
up ya go Brad
… we are over…
this way guys
streaching out
but then… along came bikini girls
yacht racing is boaring when….
next
Hope lost for round-the-world sailor
A geriatric round-the-world sailor who set off from Tauranga to sail around the world 14 months ago is presumed dead after his nine-metre yacht, Lunatic, was found abandoned off West Australia.
There was no sign of Jure Sterk, 72, of Slovenia, on board and amateur radio operators have been unable to contact him since January, the Slovenia Times reported.
Mr Sterk, started the voyage – to be his second trip around the world – in Tauranga, on October 25, 2007.
He had an eye on two world records: the oldest man to sail non-stop around the world, and to do it in the smallest boat without an engine.
He had previously sailed around the world over three years from 1991, stopping off in many countries along the way and writing four books about his adventures.
He resumed sailing in 2004, but a Slovenian website later noted: “He always experienced problems. Mainly the problem is the boat and equipment.”
After Mr Sterk left Tauranga, his boat’s water maker failed after about 350 nautical miles and he turned back, into a storm, sparking a Coastguard search.
Early last year he was reported to have survived a big storm rounding Cape Horn, at the southern tip of South America.
But after getting past the Cape of Good Hope, at the tip of South Africa, something went wrong as he headed back towards New Zealand.
On January 3, an Australian ham radio operator told the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that Mr Sterk had ceased communication, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
On Boxing Day, he had notified another Australian radio enthusiast that he had encountered bad weather, but was not in a distress situation, AMSA spokeswoman Tracey Jiggins said.
At the time he was 1900km from the Western Australian coast, and heading towards Albany, she said.
But after communication ceased in early January, AMSA sent out a broadcast to all shipping to be on the lookout for the nine-metre yacht.
“On January 26 we had contact from a merchant vessel the Aida saying that they had come across the Lunatic and it appeared to be abandoned and had bad storm damage,” Ms Jiggins said.
“They believe that the vessel had been abandoned. The vessel also was supposed to have a small emergency vessel on the back of it, and it was gone as well.
“We’re not sure what has happened.”
With the abandoned vessel so far from the coast a search-and-rescue operation was impossible, Ms Jiggins said.
Slovenian authorities had been notified of Mr Sterk’s disappearance and presumed death.
- NZPA
This post is tagged alinghi, Arnaud Boissieres, Bahrain Team Pindar, Bikini Girls, bmw oracle, brad butterworth, China Team, Damiani Italia, dean barker, Dee Caffari, dennis conner, Devonport Yacht Club, Emirates Team New Zealand, ernesto bertarelli, franck cammas, Gilles Martin-Raget, Greek Challenge, groupama 3, hms victory, imoca 60, Jollyboat, jure sterk, Lake Taupo Yacht Club, Le Cleach, Louis Vuitton Pacific series, Luna Rossa, lunatic, Manhattan sailing Club, Mark Guillemot, Moonshadow, oliver dewar, Onetangi Beach Races, Panama Jack, Pataugas K-Challenge, portimao, roxy, Safran, sailing anarchy, Sam Davies, Summit Yachts, team origin, Team Shosholoza, tvnz, vendeeglobe, Waiheke Radio, Yachting World, yachtyakka, YachtYakkaTV
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