For Sale

Golden Globe and Jules Verne Trophy winner Sir Robin Knox-Johnston provides background to the all-new look recently given to a historic ocean race.

These are exciting times for the Velux 5 Oceans. In September 2007 the continuing partnership was confirmed between Velux and the 5 Oceans race, guaranteeing a bright future for what is one of the classic solo yacht races. The past 20 months have seen our experienced team working non-stop to put in place the ingredients to ensure we build on the success of the 2006-7 race, and continue to attract high-quality skippers, partners and media interest around the world in 2010-11.

The Velux 5 Oceans has a rich heritage, having been contested every four years since 1982, previously under the titles of the BOC Challenge and Around Alone. Over more than 25 years the event has created an influential sporting legacy of endeavour and achievement, including peaks of excitement, dramatic rescues and also, tragically, loss of life. The race has consistently attracted competitors from diverse countries who were often little known before this event, including Christophe Auguin, Philippe Jeantot and Isabelle Autissier of France, Bernard Stamm (Switzerland), Giovanni Soldini (Italy), Brad Van Liew (USA), Yukoh Tada and Kojiro Shiraishi (Japan), Emma Richards (UK), Bertie Reed and John Martin (South Africa) and Jose Ugarte of Spain.

As the oldest singlehanded round-the-world race, the Velux 5 Oceans inspired the birth of the Open 60 as we now know it, launched careers and spawned the Vendee Globe. In 2010-11 not only will we be embracing the elite professional sailors in our Open 60 Class, but we will premiere a new concept for short- handed sailing, the Eco 60 Class, which is designed to broaden the reach of solo offshore racing through economy and ecology. The Eco 60 class will encompass Open 60 yachts launched before 1 January 2003 and will feature additional regulations intended to limit costs and encourage positive environmental practices. We are optimistic that the Eco 60 will create a competitive sporting arena for a diverse group of skippers, ranging widely in nationalities, racing experience and motivations.

This new class will take advantage of the large number of third- generation Open 60s that are now for sale. As development takes the newest generation of Open 60 to new levels of performance, and ever increasing budgets, excellent previous-generation boats are sidelined. These tried and tested racing machines, proven in the world’s toughest oceans are lying unused; remarkable when you consider that six of the finishers in the latest Vendee Globe – including Sam Davies’ Roxy– qualify for the new Eco 60 class. Now the potential of all these fine boats can be harnessed once again.

The Eco 60 class deliberately provides the first stepping-stone, never an easy climb, for the aspiring sailor with a limited budget. It also allows those with an adventurous nature to achieve a life- long ambition and join a very special club, still with fewer than 200 members, who have sailed alone around the world.

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check this out

Le 14 février dernier, Pascal Bidégorry et ses hommes convoyaient le Maxi Banque Populaire V jusqu’à Cadix. Aujourd’hui, après de nombreuses et constructives sessions d’entraînements, l’équipage du plus grand trimaran de course océanique au monde est de retour à Lorient. La semaine dernière, une échappée au large de plusieurs jours a conforté le Team Banque Populaire sur la performance de sa monture et l’enthousiasme demeure plus que jamais la philosophie de l’équipe, même si un choc avec un OFNI est venu ternir cette belle navigation.

February 14th of this year, Pascal Bidégorry and the men escorted Maxi Banque Populaire V until Cadix. Today, afterwards of numerous and useful sessions of trainings, the crew of the biggest trimaran of oceanic running in the world is back in Lorient. Last week, a break off several days reinforced Popular Team Banque on the performance of its setting and enthusiasm remains more than ever the philosophy of the team, even if a shock with OFNI

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video here

There and Back Again

- 09 04 09

I departed from Tassie yesterday morning after clearing customs and after a bit of help from a motorboat, Totallymoney.com and I were on our way out of Storm Bay with 10knots of wind, which made for pretty graceful sailing. I felt great to be off after only a few days here in Hobart, and all was going to plan.

BUT…when I ducked my head into the aft compartment to have a check on the rudder bearing I was shocked to see loads of water sloshing about. I quickly bailed out the water and, after a closer inspection I could see water coming over the lower bearing and into the boat.

I phoned the marina, spun round and headed straight back. Psychologically, this was a pretty hard thing to do; I never thought I’d be sailing back up this river again.

Looking on the bright side, it was a lovely sail up the river in the early evening light and I arrived back at the marina just as it fell dark. I was given a warm welcome by Don, Margie along with a few others.

We removed the top cap over the bearing and it was immediately apparent that the bearing wasn’t correctly aligned anymore. By this time it was pretty late, so after canting the boat over slightly to starboard, we retired to our beds and arranged to remove it this morning.

This has now been done and after taking it apart it all looked really good. We’re going to re-assemble it all now, put the rudder back on and then trial the boat tomorrow to have a good check of it. It’s good news and bad news that we can’t really find anything wrong…

I’m still continually bowled over by the kindness and support of everyone here in Hobart, a few examples being that almost everyone wants to help over Easter if needs be and even the chandlery said it would open especially if we needed something urgently. Don and Margie are continuing to be total stars and Martin the general manager and also Nick the sailing manager have all been such a great help, always popping by to lend a hand or run an errand for me. I’m hoping that between us all, we’ll sort this out quickly and I’ll be off very soon!

more here ©Sailmike2009

2009′s third yacht seized by Somalis

- four sailors and child held

‘Chloe Lemacon, held by pirates in Somalia’    .
Authorities in France have released details about a French yacht which has been seized by pirates in the last few days, 500 miles off the Somali coast. Five French nationals are being held including a three-year-old child. It is the third yacht hijacked so far in 2009, making this year already the worst on record.

The sailing yacht Tanit had two couples and a three-year-old boy on board when attacked. The boat had set out from Vannes on France’s Atlantic coast in July last year heading for the archipelago of Zanzibar before it was seized.

France’s Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said today that authorities now know where the hijacked yacht is being held.

Mr Kouchner told the press: ‘We know where they are. Even if I had details, I would not give them because this anti-piracy operation initiated by France now involves several countries.’

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AN OPEN LETTER

This is an open letter to the Société Nautique de Genève and the Golden Gate
Yacht Club from the commodores of the five yacht clubs that either set the
America’s Cup competition in motion: the Royal Yacht Squadron, or have been a
former trustee of the Cup: the New York Yacht Club, the Royal Perth Yacht Club,
the San Diego Yacht Club and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

We write to encourage you to negotiate together for a fair and equitable
multi-challenger competition for the thirty-third defense of the America’s Cup.
We believe that such an event, as opposed to a “Deed of Gift” defense, is in the
greater interest of the sport of sailing in general and of members of the broad
America’s Cup community, who have invested their time and resources to make the
event a true international competition of the highest order. We hope that the
current challenger and defender will work together to find a way through their
differences to bring about such an event for the good of yachting and the
America’s Cup.

The Lord Iliffe, Commodore Royal Yacht Squadron
David K. Elwell Jr., Commodore New York Yacht Club
Mark Fitzhardinge, Commodore Royal Perth Yacht Club
R. Andrew La Dow, Commodore San Diego Yacht Club
Scott Colebrook, Commodore Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

For further information contact communications@nyyc.org

another look at Cape Horn

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Easter Dash to Tauranga

From BooBoo

Seriously pretty narly at times, had over 40kts at times out of control with frac gennaker! Top speed 22.3kts. We were first under 50fter to channel with waka a boat length behind, both boats doing 20+kts, couldn’t make out who was 3rd but guessing it was overload.waka looked to do some serous damage to the rig in the squall tearing the masthead halyard (big gonads jonty!!!) down to the hounds Got some great vid footage.overload passed us on the 2 sail reach then we passed them up wind but they got us at the finish after doing nice work in the lightening breeze. Great race, our condolences to the catabatic crew and I hope no one was too badly hurt in the capsize. And also waka, they were having a great race. Onto rum bucket number 2….

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Provisional Progress Times For Auckland – Tauranga Race 2009

	Boat Name	Sail No.	Channel Island	Hole in Wall	Slipper Island	Karewa Island	Finish	Line Place	Notes
	Andar	9750	13:36	16:55	18:55	23.33	0.41.36	7
	Apparition	5283	15:31	20:34	23:34
	Arethusa	3591	14:17	19:46	22:39	3.48	04.55.22	25	Assisted Catabatic from 1423 to 1459hrs. Taking patients via Whitianga
	Attitude	7593	12:55	15:00	XXXX	XXXX	20.16.10	1
	Ballistic	8405	14:04	18:40	21:25	3.14	04.49.39	24
	Bee Bad	5484	13:56	18:17	21:10	2.20	03.06.13	16
	Boogie Flash	8295	XXXX	XXXX	XXXX				1256hrs, withdrawn, damaged mast, all ok, heading for WHM.Closed WHM
	Bushido II	8624	14:04	18:54	21:14	2.10	02.53.24	15
	Catabatic	7603	14:04	XXXX	XXXX	XXXX	XXXX	x	Upturned. Info contact CNR. People Collected by Whitianga Coastguard
	Chain Reaction	8036	14:08	19:03	XXXX	4.20	05.33.10	29
	Cheetah II	5795	15:48	21:56
	Choice Transport	5560	15:51	21:37
	Cool Change	8359	14:30	19:15	22:23	5.59
	Cutting Edge	8060	14:46	20:11	23:05	6.40
	Danaide	8058	14:52	19:58	22:47	4.55	06.21.38	32
	Elly	3356	15:30	22:12	02:23
	Fast Lane	6240	14:35	19:42	22:38	4.27	06.53.04	33
	First By Farr	9347	15:14	20:39	23:50	5.05
	Flyer	9777	14:46	18:38	21:28	2.40	03.22.05	19
	Force Eleven	NZL156	13:53	17:45	20:34	1.37	02.37.20	14
	Frenzy	8303	14:03	18:59	21:18	2.20	03.21.50	18
	Fully Charged	8415	13:20	17:15	18:53	23.28	01.28.22	8	not hearing us on radio, times are call time, locations are guesses
	Fulmar	4360	14:48	19:41	22:41	6.43
	Fun ‘n’ Games	8760	14:35	19:33	22:16	4.19	05.25.24	26
	General Jackson	4919	14:41	19:21	22:02	3.12	04.38.42	21
	Higher Ground	6883	16:47	XXXX	XXXX	XXXX	01.32.21	11	1 mile off finish
	Hot Property	6821	14:29	19:45	22:33	4.27	05.37.53	28	Has lost lifebouy in Colville Channel, has name on it.
	Hysteria	6476	15:08	20:12	23:06	6.50
	Ilex	934	15:07	20:20	01:10	6.46
	Isa	9096	XXXX	XXXX	XXXX				1106hrs, withrawn, gear failure, all ok.
	Jive Talkin’	8800	13:46	17:37	20:04	1.15	02.16.45	13
	Kaimai Flyer	5911	14:06	18:58	21:28	2.50	03.42.36	20
	Kiwi	6002	13:44	17:46	20:17	1.08	02.06.16	12
	Lion NZ	3900	13:54	17:38	19:58	1.07	01.35.34	10
	Lynx	1443	14:59	20:10	23:07
	Mako II	6912	15:12	20:29	23:20	6.02
	Nosaka	8560	14:34	19:06	21:43	3.38	04.43.09	22
	Open Country	5457	14:59	20:05	22:59	6.36
	Overload	9131	13:48	17:10	19:26	0.38	01.29.53	9
	Physical Favours	8976	15:00	19:23	22:44	4.01	05.46.42	30
	Pussycat	7560	13:38	17:59	20:46	2.08	03.16.55	17
	Pussy Galore	10007	13:39	16:38	18:30	21.59	22.33.17	6
	Rigmarole	5250	15:45	21:17	00:44	6.07
	River Rebel	5533	15:00	19:56	22:46	XXXX	06.53.06	34
	Sabian	6974	14:28	19:47	22:20	4.19	05.28.13	27
	Slip Stream	4901	15:46	21:51	02:11
	Sniper	8019	14:06	19:42	22:17	3.47	04.48.50	23	Assisted Catabatic from 1423 to 1459hrs.
	Sundreamer	7300	13:09	17:15	18:27	21.32	22.10.59	3
	Sunstone	2183	16:01	21:38	01:23
	The V Team	5671	15:15	20:55	00:20
	Travell’n Man	5820	15:42	21:14	01:06
	Tres Chic	9056	15:36	20:45	00:42
	Truxton	6563	14:34	XXXX	XXXX				Retired, 1434hrs, heading for Port Charles.
	V5	55555	12:56	15:18	18:09	21.36	22.11.10	4
	Vela Veloce	CAN84248	13:01	16:17	17:50	21.25	21.57.06	2
	Venus	264	15:49	21:35
	Waka	8907	13:32	XXXX	XXXX				withdrawing 1409 heading port charles
	Windarra	3393	16:15	22:11	02:07
	Wired	10303	13:02	16:41	18:20	21.51	22.21.18	5
	Wright One	6657	15:00	21:18	00:47
	Zen	10003	14:23	19:40	22:29	4.35	06.08.03	31

more here

making-waves-8-april-2009

The latest Making Waves Newsletter from

Changing times for sailing photographers

Since the onset of digital photography in the late 90’s, the number of ‘newcomer’ yacht racing photographers has increased dramatically, causing a major shift in the way images are distributed and paid for by the media and other clients.

The distribution of copyright free pictures also affects the sustainability of their business model, and puts their profession at risk.

We ask veteran yachting photographers Thierry Martinez (FRA), Gilles Martin-Raget (FRA), Kos (UK) and Carlo Borlenghi (ITA) how the market has changed and how they are responding to the increasingly cluttered marketplace.

Read the full interviews

WYRF: What are some of the key issues yacht racing photographers are facing at the moment?

Gilles Martin-Raget / (c) martin-raget.com
Gilles Martin-Raget: “Digital imagery and the development of internet have changed everything in photography. There are more images instantly available from more sources. On top of this, professionals now even “compete” with people who can shoot with their mobile phone and transmit to agencies specialized in distributing anybody’s pictures at a ridiculous rate.
So basically, the press has become a display and doesn’t offer much of a return; pictures published on the web are usually free; books publishers sell fewer quantities. The only sector that still brings some value to the photographers is through advertising, sponsorship or classic advertisements.”

Thierry Martinez: The communications budgets are going down, so sponsorship and advertising are also going down. There are therefore less teams and projects, and less advertisements in the press. As a consequence, media try to get ‘copyright free’ photos. It has become impossible for photographers to work as freelancers, because the fact of publishing photos in the press does not cover the big costs we have before we have even started taking the photos: material, travel, hotels, helicopters… We will make a profit only if we earn more than the addition of those costs.

more here

I’m building a thread about this guy.

If anybody has any information they would like to share, please let me know.

steve@yachtyakka.co.nz

Thanks

VELUX 5 OCEANS proposes an interesting way of allocating sponsorship fees
Clipper Ventures PLC, organisers of the VELUX 5 OCEANS round the word race have announced that a total of €1.8 million will be offered to teams entering the event scheduled to start in October next year from La Rochelle.

The financial support will be offered as a minimum to the first 12 teams who officially enter the event:

* €3,500 per stopover to defray accommodation costs at host ports (total of €21,000)
* €10,000 contribution towards communications during the race
* €5,000 offered towards logistics costs around the world
This represents an investment of €36,000 per skipper, which will be further supported by a total prizefund of €500,000 as well as supplementary value in kind across all services up to the total investment of €1.8 million for skippers.

The move is designed to attract skippers to sign up early for the race, but the direct financial contribution to teams is both welcoming and a unique offering in the sport.

As Clipper Ventures Chairman Sir Robin Knox Johnson commented, “Although we know our event offers un-paralleled media exposure and a unique hospitality platform on the Open 60 racing calendar, VELUX and Clipper Ventures realised that we need to go further in our support of our competitors in order to make the race an attractive proposition for sponsors and skippers alike. Whilst our media budget of €2.6 million is designed to deliver a significant return on investment, we hope that our direct investment in accommodation, logistics and communications will take the race to new heights and change the mould of ocean racing.”

Run every 4 years since 1982, the VELUX 5 OCEANS is a series of high-pressure sprints within a marathon circumnavigation. In the course of the 30,000 mile race, the skippers cross five oceans with stopovers during the race.

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Where they went

The Around North America Expedition will have a maximum visibility, in Europe and North America, in order to sensitize the largest audience with the global warming major issues.

The team includes senior mass media communication professionals in Europe as in North America. Noëlie Pansiot is in charge of the communication with the medias for the Expedition and more contacts with the medias are made on a daily basis.

The permanent members of the Expedition will work as correspondents for the whole of the interested medias and 3 of the participants will be professionals of audio-visual support and the press

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We regret to announce, that the PKRA has declared not to accept the International Sailing Federations (ISAF) mediation result after more than one month of intense negotiations.

This has forced ISAF Secretary General, Mr. Jerome Pels, to issue this formal statement to PKRA president Mauricio Toscano:

“Dear Mr Toscano,

It is with regret that I understand the PKRA has decided to decline any further
involvement in the mediation process to reach agreement with our recognized
member, the International Kiteboarding Association (IKA). ISAF have invested
a lot of time and effort in this process and your reasoning does not seem
consistent with the negotiations that have taken place. If there is anything
further that ISAF can do to restart this process and come to agreement then
we would urge you to reconsider.

If you proceed, as indicated in the email from Mr Paul Caswell dated 29 March
2009, then the ramifications of this decision are as follows:

*
ISAF will not recognize the PKRA “World” Tour and as such ISAF will
make this fact clear to our Member National Authorities.
*
According to ISAF regulation 19.4.1(c) the PKRA tour is a prohibited event
if it continues to use the word “world”, either in the title of the event or
otherwise.
*
Sailors who participate in the PKRA Tour may have difficulty entering and
competing in the ISAF recognized IKA World Tour or other National events
as they may have their ISAF eligibility suspended according to ISAF
regulation 19.4.

Yours sincerely
Jerome Pels
Secretary General“

It is expected, that the latest PKRA announcement to be recognised by a surfing association now, will only be a short intermezzo, as ISAF has already taken all necessary action to protect its rights against illegimite use.

Note: Regarding the first PKRA event starting on the 11th of April in Leucate, France, due to the short notice there will be no action taken against competiting riders.

The International Kiteboarding Association is officially sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) as governing body for kiteboarding.

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This post is tagged banque, blake, cape horn, expeddition, gilles, globe, golden, isaf, jules, knox-johnston, martin-raget, maxi, mike pullman, mirabaud, oceans, peter, pirate, populaire, puma, robin, sir, tauranga, toscano, trophy, velux, velux 5, verne