2009 SLAM U.S. Championship Series Detroit NOOD,

May 29-31 Accepting Early Entries Until May 11

The Detroit NOOD Regatta will be here before you know it. Taking place on May 29-31 and hosted by the Bayview Yacht Club, the Detroit NOOD is a high point for participation in the Midwest region. Currently twelve Melges 24s are schedules to compete — expectations place 25-30 on the starting line. Don’t waste another minute, sign-up today and make this the biggest NOOD ever for the Melges 24.

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Southern Star arrives at Dennis Conner’s North Cove

The first yacht of ……er, um…. well, it’s not quite spring, so instead, let’s just say the last yacht of winter arrived yesterday at Dennis Conner’s North Cove.

New Yorkers who woke up and walked, jogged or bicycled around North Cove this morning were greeted by Southern Star, a vision of things to come as winter gives way to spring and summer.

Southern Star is a 75 foot sloop rigged cutter designed by William Tripp.  She was built in 1965 at Stephens Marine and is an endurance cruiser.  She has already completed 8 Arctic expeditions.

Her skipper is Olivier Pitras and he is currently leading a group of sailors on a circumnavigation of North America.  Beginning in Europe, she sailed up and over the top of North America via the Northwest Passage.  Then she traveled down the Pacific Coast, through the Panama Canal and now up the East Coast.  In all, she will be traveling 12 months and complete 21 ports of call.

The purpose of the voyage is to better understand global warming.  At each port of call, the expedition interviews experts in various field.  The focus in New York City will be on local and international government responsiveness and responsibilities.  The expedition is sponsored by the French consulates in San Francisco, Vancouver, Miami and New York City.

You can find out more at the expedition website at www.69nord.com
Be sure to check the link for the “Daily Log Book.”  You can see some pictures of what it was like to sail in the ocean when temperatures were below freezing last week.  Great pictures of ice on the yacht.  You can also find a link for the onboard team.

Ambersail arrives at Dennis Conner’s North Cove

Ambersail is the first yacht of spring to arrive at Dennis Conner’s North Cove.  She arrived in the middle of night after sailing up from Miami.  The weather is still chilly today in Manhattan but tomorrow the sun is forecast to come out and temperatures will increase into the 70s by Friday!

Ambersail is a Volvo 60 sailboat (formerly known as Assa Abloy).  Now she is sailing around the world as part of the “Millennium Odyssey” project.  More information is at www.1000odiseja.lt.

Cherokee arrives at Dennis Conner’s North Cove

It’s a sure sign of spring when Cherokee arrives at North Cove.  She is a Swan 601 built in Finland and all carbon fiber.  Her 100 foot tall mast allows her to carry 1,340 square feet of mainsail power.

Cherokee has a sleek, modern layout with a beam of just 15 feet.  She is pure-bred for sailing enthusiasts.  What a beauty!  Great to look at.  Floating at the dock, she even looks fast!

Faiaoahe arrives at Dennis Conner’s North Cove

It is one of the best ways to arrive in Manhattan – by yacht!

As you sail up from the ocean, you pass under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.  Then the Statue of Liberty looms in the distance.  You sail by Lady Liberty for that once in a lifetime memory.  Then you turn to see the skyline of Manhattan, tall, powerful and beautiful.

Faiaoahe arrived at Dennis Conner’s North Cove yesterday after completing this experience.

She is a custom designed 66 foot yacht designed by French naval architect Guy Ribadeau-Dumas.  He is a classic yacht specialist and also chief architect on the Hermione, the recreation of Lafayette’s flagship which is expected to visit in a few years.

Dennis Conner’s North Cove

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Wednesday, April 29, 2009a change of circumstance……

Apologies for the radio silence,  We’ve had a bit on the last couple of days.   I think thw last report said how things weren’t looking too good to make a landing – and so they were not.  Having been approx 12nm off Big Moggy island and things were looking good for an approach iinto doughboy bay with a good E drift.  That would of course have been too easy. The weather did not favour us.  The promised N wind arrived and coupled with a strong S flowing tide/current we started flying S at about 2kts (bloody quick). Unfortunately the current didn’t slacken and the wind didn’t drop and we kept moving quickly S.  I had  been met by the  Fishing vessel Shangri La who were to  standby and they  had gone to shelter in the Islands.   After another 24hrs drifting South and seen the land fall away again we were about 30nm due south of the S cape of Stewart Island. At this stage I made the decision to pull the plug and set up the tow  with Shangri La.  The weather  looked bad for at least the next week, we would need about 3 days at least of steady S winds to reach back up to stewart I  and  then  as we got closer in our ability to navigate into one of the  few  safe coves would be largely down to lady luck and the caprice of the  wind  and currents.

Thus another dissapointing decision was made.  Perhaps I could have stayed out there and waited for the  winds  to come good – maybe they would, maybe they wouldnt .  Anyway the decision  was made and I radioed Shangri La who steamed down about 25nm to my position. They found me rolling around in 40kts of wind and about a 4m swell so it was pretty sporting to transfer the tow line but some pretty driving and work with the lines by Rewi saw us hooked up and  barreling through the swells up towards Stewart Island at an unprecedented 8kts!   After about 8 hours and  only one broken tow line later we came into Pegasus Harbour on the SE side of Stewart Island.  We came in under darkness but the sheer rock islands could be made out in the Shangri La’s powerful lights.   The Carrot was brought alongside and beer was produced, I met George, Rewi, Salts and Ma, the crew on Sangri La as I stumbled onto her rather more solid deck.  Rewi pulled out an incredible tea of Roast lamb and veggies – best ever…  What an awesome arrival the shangri la more than lived up to her name.

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follow the Flying Carrot here

SNG in contempt of court…
New York, NY, April 28, 2009 – At Golden Gate Yacht Club’s request, the
Supreme Court of the State of New York today issued an order directing the
defender, Société Nautique de Genève, to show cause why it should not be held
in contempt of court. SNG has refused to comply with the Court’s April 7, 2009
Order and Judgment concerning the dates for the next America’s Cup match.
The court scheduled a hearing for May 14, 2009 at 0930.

In early April the New York State Court of Appeals, in a unanimous 6-0 ruling,
held that GGYC is the rightful challenger, and that the next match would be in ten
months, meaning early February 2010.

However, in a letter last week to GGYC, SNG unilaterally dictated that the match
would be in May 2010 in defiance of the Court’s April 7 Order and Judgment.
SNG and Alinghi officials also made the same statements widely in the media.

“By forcing litigation over our rightful challenge, they have already managed to
delay the match from July 2008 to February 2010,” said GGYC spokesman Tom
Ehman. “Now they seek another three-month delay, in defiance of the Court’s
clear mandate. Enough is enough.”

At a meeting with SNG representatives in Geneva last week, GGYC’s straightforward
proposal for a conventional, multi-challenger America’s Cup in monohulls
was categorically rejected by SNG.

more here

News

29.04.2009 (18:16 CET) – Geneva, Switzerland – Société Nautique de Genève
Statement from the Société Nautique de Genève
“BMW Oracle Racing (BOR) and its club Golden Gate (GGYC) have again chosen the New York law courts, instead of accepting an invitation to another meeting to discuss the terms of the 33rd America’s Cup. They have ignored both our proposal to open the competition to other challengers and our invitation to agree to mutual consent terms.

As Defender of the America’s Cup, Alinghi and the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) are duty bound to fulfill the Deed of Gift that governs the event. The document clearly states that May is the earliest possible date for a race in the Northern Hemisphere, where both clubs are located. The New York Supreme Court Order does not instruct us to breach our duties as trustee.

The Deed of Gift also states that the Challenger of Record should provide the Defender with a Custom-House Registry of the vessel ‘as soon as possible’. This they also ignore. The Deed of Gift is not a document to be cast aside at convenience: the wording is clear on the matter of the dates and cannot be dismissed because it does not suit GGYC and BMW Oracle Racing’s current wishes.

The Société Nautique de Genève is prepared to defend its position, which fully respects the Deed of Gift as the governing document of the America’s Cup, before the New York Supreme Court and will require BOR and the GGYC to do the same.”

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Rope removed by diver. SBSDIII shifted to fishing port wharf. First repairs begun. A spontaneous and welcome pledge of support.

Read Welcome! below if you are seeing this daily posting for the first time.

Please let us know if you do not wish to receive these position reports, or if there is someone you would like for us to add. Kindly forward to others.

*********
Saito Around-the-World Update, Day 209 (April 29, 0700 JST)
Yokohama to Yokohama (26,400 nm)

Nicole BMW Shuten-dohji III  — Minoru Saito, Skipper

Position:
53 11 S, 70 55 W (approx.)

Today’s Report

We’re happy to report some progress being made after the rope blocking the rudder and wrapped around the propeller was removed by a dry-suited diver earlier this week. Including pictures taken for the insurance company the operation took 3 hours, with the removal of the well wrapped line (the main sheet) taking about an hour, Saito-san estimated. At least 4 persons were on hand to assist, with NBSDIII tied to a ship’s mooring on a day when calm weather had finally visited.

The difficulty of that attested to the impossibility of Saito-san doing the removal unassisted during a gale on the open seas below Cape Horn.

In his call this morning he said he had today moved the boat to the wharf of a fishing port where he will be able to begin arranging repairs, including for towing damage to the steel deck railing, anchor winch, deck bollard, and replacing the lost anchor. Repairs to the main sail must also be done. The radio antenna lost during the gale must also be replaced. An electrician has also been summoned to restore operation of the wind instruments and radar.

For persons not having seen these rather infrequent updates while we’ve awaited repairs in Chile, today is the 209th since the start of the circumnavigation. Saito-san remains in the Strait of Magellan at Punta Arenas, Chile, where he has been since NBSDIII was towed there April 15 on Day 195.

Saito-san  said it was getting colder, and that there was a dusting of snow on the boat today. Last week we sent him a DHL package of his medication and a supply of “hokaron” chemical heating packs.

Discussions with the insurance company over the tow and related costs are ongoing. Until then the voyage remains on hold. Our continued thanks for the numerous emails and phone calls offering encouragement to Saito-san.

And a huge and special thanks to “x” who has pledged to wire Saito Challenge 8 a monthly donation until Saito-san gets back. The first amount appeared yesterday in the Saito 8 account.

The donor called it “beer money” but faced with the mounting costs every bit helps!

Other Comments

We received these photos of the damage that occurred during the rescue and tow. The anchor winch can be seen at left after being ripped from its mounting. The heavy towing bollard was also broken off and can be seen in the bow layer held fast with green line that was used later to keep it aboard. The anchor is gone. There was no word on the anchor chain.

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Sailing Finally Has A Home
Sailing Fame gets a welcome in Annapolis, Md. From the “Jobson Report” in or May 2009 issue
20-Apr-2009
By Gary jobson

Courtesy of the National Sailing Hall of Fame
The National Sailing Hall of Fame, center, will reside in the heart of Annapolis’(Md.) waterfront. At right is the U.S. Naval Academy.

In 1998 I emceed a skipper’s forum on the Annapolis (Md.) City Dock, hosting the skippers of the Whitbread Round the World Race. Paul Cayard, skipper of the victorious EF Language syndicate, was on the panel, explaining to more than 1,000 people in the audience what it was like to sail in the Southern Ocean. Dennis Conner, whose Volvo 60 Toshiba sat nearby, was another panelist, and as he compared the Whitbread to the America’s Cup, the crowd hung on his every word. It was at this moment I realized the sport of sailing needed a Hall of Fame to celebrate the accomplishments of these great sailors and many others.

I had no idea then that in 10 years time the very place where the forum was taking place would soon be sailing’s permanent home. It’s long overdue.

Many of our sport’s greatest moments are chronicled on film, on plaques and trophies, and in logs, yearbooks, magazines, and websites. But sailing has never had its own unified “place,” a physical space bearing the history that reminds us what sailing, in its many forms, is about. Sailing needs a home that trumpets its achievements and inspires generations to excel on the water, and to serve the sport.

The desire for such a home was the easy part; finding the best place to hang a shingle, however, was a challenge. There are many cities and towns worthy of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, but Annapolis, Md., emerged for many reasons.

After six years of working on the concept, the National Sailing Hall of Fame board, of which I am a member, received the gift it needed from then Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, who offered a prime waterfront location in Historic Annapolis. The nearly 5,000-square-foot parcel is sandwiched between the sprawling U.S. Naval Academy and Annapolis’ centrally located and heavily trafficked (by tourists and locals) City Dock. It’s about as publicly accessible—and visible—as a Sailing Hall of Fame can get. Surely it will draw in committed and casual sailors alike through its doors.

more here

by Cory E. Friedman/Scuttlebutt

Part 36 – The camaraderie and “sportsmanship” should be overwhelming
“[Ugarte (Peter Lorre):] You despise me, don’t you? [Rick (Humphrey Bogart):] If I gave you any thought I probably would.” Warner Bros. Pictures, 1942.

(April 28, 2009) In what should be a surprise only to ‘Buttheads who have spent the last two years on Mars, Société Nautique De Genève (SNG) and Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) are back in the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York with a hearing set for May 14, 2009 to determine when the 33rd America’s Cup DoG match will be sailed.

Full disclosure. I will be Oracle’s guest at the America’s Cup Hall of Fame Dinner at NYYC on April 30. I was concerned that accepting Oracle’s offer would have the appearance of impropriety, so I checked with the Columbia University School of Journalism and was referred to the Society of Professional Journalists, which opined that full disclosure would cure any question of conflict of interest, which is why I am bringing this out. By the way, I informed Alinghi that, had it offered, I would have accepted its offer – or offers from both teams. In any event, if, after all that I have written any ‘Butthead thinks I can be bought, make me an offer and I will consider it.

Justice Cahn’s May 12, 2008 Order, which was entered as a Judgment on April 7, 2009 after the case came back down from the Court of Appeals on April 2, 2009, is pretty clear that the DoG match has to be 10 months after April 7, 2009 (February 2010) in Valencia or anywhere else (in whatever hemisphere) Alinghi wants on 6 months’ notice. Taking the position that GGYC mentioned the Northern Hemisphere when setting the July 2007 date (which is long past) in its Challenge and the fact that both clubs are Northern Hemisphere clubs, SNG announced the DoG match would be in May 2010 — period.

The next step was for GGYC to ask Justice Kornreich, who now has the case, as Justice Cahn reached mandatory retirement age at the end of 2008, to sign an order that SNG show cause on May 14 why it should not be held in contempt of the Judgment. Of course the monetary penalty for a contempt is meaningless with these folks, so the real object is to get an order reinforcing the February 2010 dates. GGYC hints that if SNG keeps it up, GGYC will ask for an order forfeiting the Cup.

Not only does GGYC have the better of the argument, but it makes a pretty convincing argument that SNG has already made all of its arguments to Justice Cahn, lost, did not appeal on that point and cannot have another bite of the apple. GGYC seems prepared to sail in Valencia in February on consent or in the southern hemisphere in February at Alinghi’s election. Based upon its April 23, 2009 letter to GGYC, it appears that SNG, despite its whupping in the Court of Appeals, intends to take a hard line on this and just about every other potential issue, so expect to see plenty more litigation before the boats dial up — and probably long after as well.

If this continues, the only solution may be for the Court to appoint a Referee (like a Federal Master [or adult supervision]) to deal with the parties on a day to day expedited basis, to sort out what promises to be a fractious ongoing process. As just one example, as GGYC just became the Challenger of Record, it may decide to build more boats – with its custom house certificate to abide its decision regarding which one to sail. Expect to hear a lot more about custom house certificates and a lot of other issues. Ultimately, we are likely to see stronger language than requests for orders holding parties in contempt. So much for “sportsmanship” and settling the matter on the water.

As an overlay to the legal gamesmanship, the ever gullible sailing press seems intent on serving as a megaphone for every possible head fake. Although Alinghi has yet to show anything that floats, everyone has by now heard of the 115 foot two masted multihull that shoots laser beams and thunderbolts from its stem and fire balls from its stern. The sailing journalists will almost certainly soon report that this vessel’s only teething issue is dealing with the sonic boom it creates when it breaks the sound barrier in anything more than 3 knots of true wind. Of course, it must all be true — someone whispered it into someone’s ear.

In any event, I am looking forward to the April 30 dinner – the camaraderie and “sportsmanship” should be overwhelming. Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck has agreed to supply me with body armor to wear under my tux in case the cross fire and ricochets get out of hand.

Part 35 – Court of Appeals straightens it all out
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” Abraham Lincoln.

(April 2, 2009) There is a famous photograph of Joe DiMaggio’s swing in which the Yankee Clipper demonstrates seemingly effortless power. Today, the New York Court of Appeals demonstrated the same effortless power as it made crushing Société Nautique De Genève (SNG) look as easy as DiMaggio or Ruth crushing one deep into the stands. Just another day’s work applying the KISS principle on Eagle Street.

Indeed, the unanimous decision, which only cites a single case other than Mercury Bay and no statutes, is so straightforward and accessible that there is little to explain. Having means having, not going to have, wanting to have, thinking about having, or day dreaming about having. Annual means you have done it at least once and plan to do it every year thereafter. In other words, the Deed means what it says and what it says is what everyone has to live with. All that remains is sweeping up SNG’s flaming wreckage.

The interesting issues are where we go from here and some of the subtle things the court wrote to dissuade a SNG reappearance in court. (Irony challenged ‘Buttheads on a jihad against lawyers, the legal system, and traditional notions of fair play should jump ship here, before I cause them to hit the send button.) The court reversed the Appellate Division and reinstated now retired Justice Cahn’s “orders” – all of them. A nice belated Valentine for Justice Cahn.

Thus, we are exactly where we were on May 12, 2008, when Justice Cahn ruled that the match be ten months later in Valencia or any other venue chosen by SNG upon six months prior notice to Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC). The only logical result is that the 10 month period re-commenced today. Unless the parties can reach agreement, that puts a DoG match in the Southern Hemisphere – or back in court, where SNG should not want to go. If they do go back, the case is now assigned to Justice Shirley Werner Kornreich, a recent addition to the Commercial Division bench.

The court’s Do Not Come Back notice to SNG is subtle, but unmistakable. Although GGYC failed to cross-appeal and it was unnecessary to the decision, the court noted that Justice Cahn had dismissed GGYC’s breach of fiduciary duty claim in a way that implicitly questioned whether that claim should have been dismissed. The court further quoted the provision of the Deed, not stressed by either party, that requires that the trustee/defender “covenants and agrees . . . that it will faithfully and fully see” that the Deed is complied with. The obvious implication is that the court doubts that SNG has fulfilled its duty as trustee.

In addition, the court used unusually blunt language like “wrong” and “illogical” in rejecting SNG’s arguments. If none of that registered on SNG, the final coda (hat tip to John Rousmaniere for reminding me about codas) beating SNG over the head with its own repeated argument that the Cup should be decided on the water, not in court, makes the message unmistakable. Do not let the door hit you in the butt as you leave. Do not come back.

Where do we go from here? One opinion floated a while back in the yachty press is that a GGYC victory would mean nothing because GGYC is obligated to accept the majority decisions of the Mutual Consent Challengers who have signed on to SNG’s protocol. That is utter nonsense. At this point, GGYC has no duty to the Mutual Consent Challengers at all (most of whom acted cravenly), unless it voluntarily chooses to act on their behalf. GGYC is free to disregard them. If GGYC has learned anything from its serially unsuccessful efforts to be loved by all, it should – if negotiation is possible – negotiate the most advantageous match protocol it can in the most advantageous boat. Naturally, the parties can negotiate for scaled up TP 52 virtual one designs (Club 420’s on steroids), but it is hard to see how that adds luster to what should be a challenger/designer driven event. Cheap may have transitory appeal, but it is not the America’s Cup.

If it wishes to, it can try to negotiate a provision allowing a Substitute Challenger of Record, if it chooses to organize a challenger selection series. Unless GGYC wants to get dry gulched, the match protocol should not include any semblance of arbitration. Arbitration has the same root as arbitrary. It is only useful for disputes you do not care about. All sailing decisions should be made by an International Jury and all decisions regarding the Deed should go back to court.

If that is accomplished – a major and unlikely if – it should call Bruno Trouble and work out a revived Louis Vuitton Cup for challengers only. The winner becomes the substitute Challenger of Record. As Maureen Mahoney realized, the challenger selection series is not part of the Cup at all and should be kept separate and for the benefit (competitive and financial) of the challengers. The Defender has enough built in advantages. Of course, everyone is free to hold Acts or Act Outs or whatever, with or without the Defender, as they chose.

Of course, it is just as likely that the parties wind up right back in court fighting about the date and venue, looking forward to an absurd DoG match in the Southern Ocean, or some other equally bone headed assault on the Cup’s legacy.

What did SNG get out of this? Other than nothing, it did manage to delay the Cup close to two years, thereby preventing sponsorship deals from being firmed up well before the world financial meltdown and insuring that there will be far less funding for everyone, including SNG. It managed to create vast collateral damage in the sailing industry. Of course, there will be some who blame GGYC as well. After all it did sue to vindicate its rights under the Deed and the law, rather than agreeing to be screwed over. Worse yet, it won.

In the end, New York’s courts acquitted themselves well. Justice Cahn was dead on the mark. The Appellate Division, First Department screwed up big time. The Court of Appeals straightened it all out. Had the parties been more anxious to move the case along, it could have been completed in half the time. GGYC’s lawyers ultimately brought home the bacon – they won cleanly and convincingly. A real walk off home run. Barry Ostrager had a great run for SNG, including putting one over on the Appellate Division and giving GGYC a significant scare, before crashing and burning. He had no chance, as the case was lost the minute Club Nautico Español de Vela (CNEV), which could never pass the smell test, was concocted. His mistake was in flying too high and close to the Court of Appeals sun. SNG should have settled after its Appellate Division win.

It is possible that this series will end short of three dozen reports – but I am not giving away the laptop quite yet.
more reports here

see all Cory’s 33 reports here

knot enough pictures eh Logan!

Rick Tomlinson / Volvo Ocean Race

Tuesday 28 April 2009 21:00 GMT

“We are actually pretty happy,” said Johnny Smullen, the Green Dragon shore manager. It was a line chorused by all his shore-side rivals after the 4,900-nautical mile leg from Rio de Janeiro to Boston.

The seven yachts have now all been hoisted from the water and work is underway to ready the fleet for the May 9 in-port race.

It’s a considerably lighter schedule than most have had to keep in previous stopovers and the consensus is that four boats will go back on the water on Monday, with Ericsson 3 and the Telefonica twins following on Tuesday.

In between, there will be much “routine maintenance and servicing”, but there is a notable absence of stress and extra staff called in to deal with the workload.

Telefonica Black, on visual inspection, appear to have the most on. They endured one torrid night where they hit a whale and suffered repeated failures from their jib halyard lock. The collision has left superficial cracks around the keel, while a sizeable hole was found in the crash bow.

Shore boss Campbell Field said: “We are having a good check around the keel area and at first glance it looks alright. There are a few cracks around the bulb and that had to be caused by the collision, but on early inspection there does not appear to be any damage inside the boat. Hopefully it’s as superficial as it looks.”

He believes the damage to the bow originated in a collision that left them without a rudder on the way to Cape Town in leg two. They suffered a small “ding” at the time of that earlier collision, but a repair rather than a replacement was made to the bow.

“I suspect that the damage might be an extension of the collision,” he said. “We didn’t replace the whole crash bow, we just repaired the area and I suspect there was more damage away from the initial repair. It seemed sound at the time but obviously it wasn’t.

“As for the jib halyard lock, that’s under investigation. They broke the lock bullet, which we are investigating because it shouldn’t have broken. It was well within its design limits.”

He explained Blue also have a long list of small items, including a coat of paint to the keel fin, which again peeled to leave a rough surface. “That’s been a running battle for us,” Field added.

Ericsson shore manager Herve Le Quillec is happy with the condition of his two boats. Ericsson 4 finished first and Ericsson 3 second and, as such, were in good shape. “When the boat wins, it means they are healthy,” he said. “We do have maintenance, and that takes five or six days. But nothing really broke on the boats.”

more here

photos: Dave Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race

71 Ports Want the Volvo Ocean Race to Visit Next Time.

April 28, 2009 by admin
Filed under Business, Volvo 70

Volvo Event Management UK (VEMUK), event organiser of the Volvo Ocean Race, has announced that 71 cities from 37 different countries have made formal expressions of interest to host one of 8 “Stopovers” in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.

Hosting a Volvo Ocean Race stopover has been described by Deloitte as amongst “the sports world’s highest impact short duration major sports events” with Stopover’s ranking alongside the UEFA Cup Final and Open Golf Championship in terms of economic impact.

All ports submitting an Expression of Interest will progress to Phase 1 of the bidding process following which a shortlist of a maximum of 32 Candidate Ports will be announced on 22 June 2009 to go through to the final bidding stage.

Commenting on the bidding process, VEMUK CEO, Knut Frostad said:

“It is hugely satisfying to see such strong support from potential Host Ports for the Volvo Ocean Race as we build on the success of the current edition of the race.

Whilst the route in yet to be confirmed, I can say that the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 will start and finish in Europe, should have two or three fewer stopovers compared to the current race, and the total time for the race should be about one month shorter.”

Angus Buchanan, Director of The Sports Consultancy, added:

“I think this level of interest from potential host ports is a real endorsement for the continuing improvements being made to the Volvo Ocean Race and its growing appeal. When planning the new route it is essential that we balance the heritage of ocean racing and this great event whilst ensuring we visit new territories in order to bring sailing to a new audience. On the basis of the quality and regional spread of host cities submitting Expressions of Interest, I am very confident we will be putting together a great event for 2011-12.”

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Mark – Room; For how long?

A guest Post by Mike Butterfield;

In the old Rule 18 applied “until both boats have passed the mark”.

This has been removed from the current rule so what is the effect?

Clearly the new rule ends the right to mark room sooner, but how much sooner?

Mark Room is “Room for a boat to sail to the mark, and then room to sail her proper course while at the mark.”

Here then we can say that once the boat entitled to mark room has passed the mark, and therefore is not at it, the right no longer applies. As the old rule was governed by the second boat we have the right to Mark Room ending at least a length sooner.
The rule also switches itself of as stated in the rule itself. This is when one boat passes head to wind or if the boat entitled to mark room leaves the zone. Pretty clear!
What then if a boat sails slowly deliberately when entitled to room, or deviates, or indeed takes a tactical rounding when she is not ROW?
I believe her entitlement to mark room ceases here and the rules of part 2 apply. Mark room can be an entitlement to either a ROW or a give way boat, but mark room has two effects;

1. It limits a ROW boat that has to give Mark Room and allows a Give way boat “room to sail to the mark and then room to sail her proper course while at the mark.”
2. It provides exoneration to (give way and ROW boats) in rule 18.5 but only while a boat a boat is taking the mark room to which she is entitled.

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Bénéteau reports net loss of €20m

By IBI Magazine

French boatbuilding group Bénéteau has reported €30.9m in negative operating income for the first half of 2008/2009 and a net loss of €20.3m, compared to last year’s net profit of €29.8m.

Operating income on the boat business came to -€35m for the first half of the year compared to €28.4m for the same period the year before.

The group puts the losses down to the fall in sales and the seasonal nature of its business.

Boat sales were down 46.4 per cent to €173.4m on last year for the first half of 2008/2009. Sales for the whole group were down 46.7 per cent for the semester, or 42.6 per cent like-for-like, excluding sections of the business sold off in 2008.

Bénéteau’s reported earnings and its current order books are in line with the group’s annual forecast. The company confirms its annual forecast for boat sales to be down 45 per cent and a current operating loss of €18m.

The group’s leisure home business is set to fare better. Bénéteau predicts sales to be down by 15 per cent with a €14m operating income for the year.

At the beginning of April Bénéteau announced that 600 jobs at the group are at risk, following an assessment that found the company to be overstaffed by over 1,500 positions in light of the current crisis on the marine market.

The Bénéteau Group is the world’s largest sailboat builder and one of Europe’s leading motorboat manufacturers. The group also builds leisure homes and is developing its business in the residential market.

At the end of August 2008, Bénéteau employed 6,000 people at more than 20 production sites. Sales for 2007/2008 totalled €1.055bn for the group, 81 per cent of which was generated by the boat business.

(29 April 2009)

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