Greetings yachties,

The lawyers are knot done with yet as BMWOracle team spit the dumy about where Alinghi make their sails, Jessica sights land, chats with mum and dad – all good. Abby goes for a solo test sail on Wild Eyes. Cork crew get a hot meal and some sleep…..Timothy, an Australian lad who is an accomplished sailor and who now lives in The Netherlands has leukaemia and is fighting for his life, send your messages of support.

Timothy

Louis Vuitton Trophy

Race 2 – SP HighModulus Australian Championship

Abby Sunderland  – Test Sail

Alinghi – First sail in Valencia

Clipper – Storms and Cork crash update

Groupama 3 – Jules Verne Trophy

Warren Jones International Youth Regatta 2010

Jessica Watson – where is she now?

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit

RC44 – Terry Hutchinson joins up

La flota pone rumbo a Punta del Este

David Letterman

Enjoy

On a different note and related to Mike Perham, I know you and many hundreds of others posted comments on Mike’s site while he was doing his ’round. Many of us became ‘family’ from those days. One of Mike’s most ardent fans is a lad who is 7 days younger than Mike and is on a very rough voyage at the moment. He has leukemia and is fighting for his life. Some of us from Mike’s blog have been sending emails of encouragement to Timothy. He is an Australian lad who is an accomplished sailor and who now lives in The Netherlands. If you have a chance I can give you more info at your leisure. What I’m now trying to do is round up some of those original bloggers and let them know of Timothy’s situation.

I wonder if your site members would consider sending notes of encouragement etc to Timothy.

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Valencia Sailing

Dubai was today unveiled as the Middle East venue selected to host the Louis Vuitton Trophy, a two-week carnival of elite sailing which will put the global spotlight on the UAE.

Four spectacular 85-foot long America’s Cup Class yachts – sailed by world champions, Olympic medallists and round-the-world sailors – will be the focal point of the event which will firmly establish Dubai on the sport’s map.

The prestigious Louis Vuitton Trophy – a true test of the crews’ ability with teams racing identical yachts – is one of the most coveted events in sailing and Dubai joins established premier regatta venues, including Auckland, Sardinia and Hong Kong, as 2010 hosts.

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18ft Skiffs

SP HighModulus Australian Championship

Sunday, 17 January 2010

Sydney Harbour

Race 2 of the SP-HighModulus Australian 18ft Skiff Championship gave the defending champions Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Tom Clout their second win of the series when they brought Gotta Love It 7 home a narrow winner over Rag & Famish Hotel on Sydney Harbour today. Gotta Love It 7 had to withstand a strong finish by John Harris, Peter Harris and Scott Babbage in Rag & Famish Hotel to win by just 15s.

Third place went to NSW champions Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas, who finished a further 7s back in Thurlow Fisher Lawyers. Appliancesonline.com.au (John Winning Jr.) finished fourth ahead of Pure Blonde (James Francis) and Smeg (Hugh Stodart, replacing Nick Press). Gotta Love It 7 leads the series on 2 points, followed by Thurlow Fisher Lawyers on 6 points, Smeg on 8, Rag & Famish Hotel 11, Appliancesonline.com.au 12 and Yandoo (John Winning) 12.

With a 15-18knot South-East wind prevailing, the fleet again elected to use their smaller No. 2 rigs. John Winning Jr. won the start in Appliancesonline and quickly settled into a match race with Gotta Love It 7 as they raced to the windward mark in Rose Bay where appliancesonline led by just 5s. Michael Coxon decided to take Thurlow Fisher Lawyers to the western side of Shark Island but had to settle for fifth place.

The spinnaker run from Rose Bay to Robertson Point was very tight and made more difficult when a coincided with a Manly Ferry run. Gotta Love It 7’s crew won the day and led appliancesonline by 10s at the bottom mark. Thurlwo Fisher Lawyers moved up to third, ahead of Smeg and Pure Blonde. A change came over the lead on the work back to the Clarke Island mark. Appliancesonline tacked shortly after rounding the Robertson Point buoy and was again in the lead when she met with Gotta Love It 7. Rag & Famish Hotel and Smeg had sailed further to the right and benefitted from a good angle as they approached Clarke Island.

Appliancesonline was the leader but Rag & Famish had moved into second place just ahead of Gotta Love It 7, Smeg and Thurlow Fisher Lawyers. Gotta Love It 7 was displaying good boat speed to regain the lead on the run to Chowder Bay, and despite a strong finish by  Rag & Famish Hotel and Thurlow Fisher Lawyers, was never in real danger of defeat.

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Hello All,

Abby is out for the night testing sytems on Wild Eyes but we wanted to update everyone as to potential departure dates. It appears that the autopilots are working fine, the charging systems checked out and the dodger was installed today. She is ready to leave Monday but the forecast is for several cold fronts to blow in from the south (which would be directly on the nose). The high winds and building seas would make it pointless to head out and bash for 4-5 days though we are on the lookout for any change to today’s forecast and if a window appears – we will let you know!

Thank you for all of your comments and emails.

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Last Day at Home

I left Tuesday afternoon with the rigger, electrician, and camera man on board. It was really a great day out, except for there being hardly any wind. We calibrated the autopilots, I went up the mast and got some good work done.

After about an hour of working on the rig and some of the electrical stuff, everybody hopped off of Wild Eyes, and I was off for a good sea trial alone! It was so nice to finally get out there alone! I was headed down to Malibu going a good 5-6 knots in the light wind. There was supposed to be a bit of a blow coming in around 3 in the morning, so I was really looking forward to that. The wind was picking up nicely, so after a few hours, when it was starting to get dark I tacked out towards Santa Barbara Island.

The wind picked up to about 12 knots so I put the first reef in the main, so I wouldn’t have to once it was completely dark thinking that if the wind didn’t pick up I could always shake it out. The night went smoothly. The boat was so loud with both of the wind generators going! It is the kind of noise that you’re happy to hear though because it will be what keeps the batteries up enough to run the radar and autopilot during the night.

After I had set up the alarms and made sure that everything was working I was planning on getting a little sleep, but with all the excitement, I wasn’t able to! Anyway, there was so much I could do and why waste time sleeping? I would have plenty of time for that later.

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Alinghi 5 sails in Valencia.

Photo credit: Luca Butto’/ Alinghi

“We are ready for the Match!” declared Bertarelli to the media present. “The team is here, I am here and we are prepared for the America’s Cup Match on the 8 February,” he said. “All the pieces are in place for the event to begin, we have an agreement with the City of Valencia to run the shore based side of the 33rd America’s Cup, and we are just waiting for the blessing of the central government in Madrid.”

As the vast sails were lifted on to the catamaran with a crane, the latest lawsuit – BMW Oracle’s ninth – was discussed; Ernesto Bertarelli was firm on the subject: “Our sails are rooted in Swiss technology and they have been constructed in Villeneuve, Switzerland. This Swiss technology has been used by both defenders and challengers in the America’s Cup since 1995 and we have been through years of development in Switzerland to construct them. Should the American justice system outlaw their use, it would be like asking Roger Federer to defend his title without using his tennis racket. BMW Oracle would win the America’s Cup in court as, without our sails, we cannot race.”

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Valencia Sailing

Alinghi 5 sails for the first time in Valencia, venue of the 33rd America’s Cup. Valencia, 15 January 2010.

Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / Valencia Sailing

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Valencia Sailing

January 15, 2010

Dear Commodore Firmenich

The 33rd America’s Cup

I am formally asking your yacht club to retract immediately the comments made by representatives of your America’s Cup defender Alinghi.

My yacht club, BMW ORACLE Racing and our partners are owed an unreserved apology for the falsehoods set out by Brad Butterworth about the attempts to negotiate a mutual agreement in Singapore.

Our side did not withdraw the offer to settle. The opposite was true.

The final document was signed by Tom Ehman and Richard Slater on behalf of GGYC /BMW ORACLE Racing. The other signature belongs to David Kellett of the International Sailing Federation, acting as witness.

Not withstanding the false statements made by Alinghi to the press, GGYC remains committed to resuming talks so that all the outstanding issues are cleared up before racing starts for the 33rd Match starts.

As Trustee of the America’s Cup I am sure your club understands its responsibilities in this regard ;

Yours sincerely,

GOLDEN GATE YACHT CLUB

Marcus Young
Commodore

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L’équipage du Maxi Banque Populaire V

: Zoom sur Pascal Bidégorry, le skipper

vendredi 15 janvier 2010 – 15h48

Depuis 9 semaines, le maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V est en stand-by pour le Trophée Jules Verne. Le bateau est prêt, les hommes sont prêts, seule la météo ne semble vouloir laisser s’élancer le Team autour du monde. L’équipage soudé profite de cette attente pour enchaîner les séances d’entraînements physiques : vtt, footing, squash, le sport en équipe est à l’honneur.

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This is the tail end of the monsoon season in south east Asia and the reports from the Clipper 09-10 fleet this morning paint a vivid picture of the dramatic and often violently changing conditions the teams are facing in the race to Singapore – one of the most challenging and technical stages of the entire 35,000-mile race around the world.

Jamaica Lightning Bolt’s skipper, Peter Stirling, says, “Our worst squall to date hit us in pitch darkness at 4am this morning (local time). The wind rose rapidly from 20 knots up to 50 knots with very heavy rain. As we struggled to put the second reef in the mainsail three of the luff sliders (holding the sail to the mast) ripped off and we had no choice but to drop the whole sail. We then hove to and dropped the Yankee 3 to ride out the storm under staysail only.

“Typically rain squalls don’t last very long and this one was no exception. After half an hour it all passed through and we were left wallowing in lumpy seas and no wind. With no wind we took the opportunity to repair the broken luff slides before rehoisting the full mainsail. As I write we are beating upwind towards the next mark making more than nine knots boat speed. We are however keeping a wary eye out for the next incoming squall.”

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Credit: Clipper Ventures PLC

Cork lies abandoned on its side after a catastrophic rock strike in the Java Sea, around 200nm northeast of Jakarta. All 16 crew were safely evacuated to the island and subsequently to two sister yachts, Team Finland and California.

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Work continues today to plan the next steps for Cork. Clipper Race Director, Joff Bailey, has been meeting with the appointed marine surveyor in Singapore to discuss options for Cork’s recovery.

Team Finland, Qingdao and Edinburgh Inspiring Capital are still standing by and today are attempting to remove personal belongings of the crew. Eight of Cork’s crew are on board Team Finland and morale remains high.

Eight of Cork’s crew who transferred to California have been settling in to their new surroundings. Skipper, Pete Rollason, says, “The last 24 hours on board California has been one of reflection, integration and general camaraderie. The reflection has been on what might have been and brought the reality of ocean racing flooding into the minds of all on board. The positive side is that seafarers the world over always look after their own, as was proved in this situation. I would like to pass on my grateful thanks to Team Finland who very professionally acted as on scene coordinator during the rescue operation.

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Following Cork’s collision with a reef two nights ago, the team at Clipper Ventures has been working closely with marine salvage experts and insurance assessors to understand if the racing yacht is recoverable. After reviewing extensive material which includes video and digital images of the damage, reading reports sent from a number of qualified sources, getting hourly updates from the other Clipper yachts at the scene and discussing the options with a broad range of companies, there is clearly only one option open to the race organisers.

The surveyors and salvage experts advise that the boat is now so weakened by the pounding she has taken on the reef, the collective view is that she would not survive being dragged off the shelf, made buoyant and then complete the 450 mile tow to Singapore. Even if this were possible, the extent of the damage means that she would be beyond economic repair.

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Groupama 3 to go for Jules Verne Trophy again

French yachtsman Thomas Coville has an ambitious programme of sailing with his maxi trimaran Sodeb’O set up for 2010, in addition to being on stand-by with the crew of Groupama 3 for another attempt at the crewed round-the-world record.

The skipper of Sodeb’O certainly won’t be at home very much in 2010. Indeed Thomas Coville is announcing an ambitious and dense sailing programme, which is set to include two circumnavigations and four transatlantic crossings on three hulls. That amounts to over 67,000 miles.

You have to finish what you set out to do so 2010 will begin with another stand-by for Groupama 3, the trimaran skippered by Franck Cammas. On board Thomas will take up the role of helmsman once again, in a fresh attempt at the crewed round-the-world record for the Jules Verne Trophy. Whilst awaiting the boat’s return to Brest, France and a favourable weather window, Thomas has been able to make the most of his time by immersing himself in the refit of the maxi trimaran Sodeb’O.

“In fact we’ve been able to make the most of a fairly tame 2009 in sporting terms to look in depth at how the boat is evolving, with particular emphasis on installing foils, which is something that has been interesting me since her launch in June 2007. To put it ‘simply’, by adding foils, this has repercussions throughout the rest of the boat as it greatly affects how the boat handles and how she’s balanced. This ultimately means that I’ll have to modify the way I sail her. As such we have to anticipate how the automatic pilots react and rethink the sail plan.”

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Maritime New Zealand

7 January 2010

Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) confirms it is investigating an incident involving the New Zealand registered whaling protest vessel the Ady Gil and Japanese vessel the Shonan Maru no.2, following a collision in the Southern Ocean yesterday.

It is unknown at this stage how long the investigation may take.

MNZ will make no further comment on details of the investigation while it is underway. However, it expects that any relevant safety findings will be made public at the conclusion of its investigation.

A formal complaint made by the Japanese whaling fleet prior to yesterday’s incident regarding the Ady Gil is also under investigation by MNZ.

For further information contact:
RCCNZ Media Line
Phone 04 499 7318

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more Sea Shepherd videos here

Sea Shepherd website here

Strong International Line Up For Warren Jones Regatta

Warren Jones International Youth Regatta 2010

Perth, Australia

Competitors from five nations could give the 2010 Warren Jones International Youth Regatta its most diverse and international field in this its eighth year, with competitors from Japan, Denmark, Great Britain, New Zealand and of course Australia expected to line up for the event in the first week of February.

New Zealand are, as ever, sending a strong contingent, including last year’s winner Phil Robertson, who will hope to become the third skipper to win the event twice, following in the footsteps of fellow Kiwi Simon Minoprio and world #2 skipper Torvar Mirsky of Australia.

Robertson and his Waka Racing Team came to the 2009 event ranked #51 in the world, and in the past year have risen as high as #24 on the ladder, before slipping back to #25 in the latest ranking list.

“We’re stoked to be coming back, we love Perth, so we always jump at the chance to get over there,” said the enthusiastic young skipper. “We’ve had a great season since last year, we did better than we expected, really successful, and we’re just trying to plan where to go from here.”

The Warren Jones Regatta is considered to be a bridge from the youth circuit to the senior circuit, and has become a launch-pad for match racing stars, with the top two on the current World Rankings, reigning ISAF Match Racing World Champion Adam Minoprio (NZL) and Australia’s Mirsky, both past winners.

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The Daily Telegraph

“YOU look so small on that huge ocean.”

Those were the first words Julie Watson said to her daughter Jessica as she waved and smiled from a twin-engine plane circling her teenager’s yacht in the middle of a vast, grey Southern Ocean yesterday.

It was a response to her daughter’s greeting over the plane’s radio: “Hi Mum, how are you? How do I look from up there?”

It was a mum and daughter conversation under the most extraordinary of circumstances – the result of a demanding logistical exercise in which The Daily Telegraph arranged to fly Julie and Jessica’s father Roger over their daughter’s yacht in the notoriously dangerous ocean. Jessica, 16, is almost halfway through her bid to become the youngest person to sail single-handed non-stop around the world.

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Boating New Zealand

The Auckland International Boat Show, just over a month away, will be the centre of New Zealand’s biggest boating event since the America’s Cup when it opens in the Viaduct Harbour from 11 to 14 March.

Boat show organiser, the Marine Industry Association, expects a sell-out of exhibitor space on land, and a packed display of new boats on the water. The floating exhibition will sport a new layout to accommodate the America’s Cup class yachts competing in the Louis Vuitton regatta and their entourage – an active, bonus display in the Viaduct Harbour, from 9 – 21 March.

In a buy one, get one free deal, all boat show ticket holders will include a free ticket to Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum’s newly opened exhibit, Blue Water Black Magic – A Tribute to Sir Peter Blake with any other ticket to the Museum purchased.

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Terry Hutchinson joins the RC 44 Championship Tour

Friday, January 15, 2010

The American sailor Terry Hutchinson joins Torbjorn Tornqvist’s team Artemis as tactician and match race helmsman; a function he will share with the team’s owner.

“The RC 44 should be very cool”, he recently commented in Seahorse. “There is a combination of amateurs and professionals. I am aware that it is not the pros who make the difference but the amateurs. We will only be as good as the weakest part of the team so attention to detail is paramount.”

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Buenos Aires, ARG, Punta del Este, URU
January 16 – 23, 2010

Photos credit: Rolex /  Matias Capizzano

La flota pone rumbo a Punta del Este

January 16, 2010

La lluvia ha querido reclamar su porción de protagonismo en la jornada inaugural del Circuito Atlántico Sur Rolex Cup 2010. Las 73 tripulaciones ultimaron sus preparativos en los muelles del Yacht Club Argentino bajo un intenso aguacero, pero el cielo les concedía una tregua hacia el mediodía, hora prevista para la salida de la regata Buenos Aires/Olivos-Punta del Este, primera prueba puntuable del Circuito 2010.

La presencia de la lluvia hizo que calmara el viento de hasta 15 nudos con los que amanecía en Buenos Aires, y el Comité tuvo que izar la bandera de aplazamiento en una ocasión antes de poder dar la primera de las tres largadas previstas: Series C, Series B, y Series A y S40, por este orden. A las 12:15 horas -hora local de Buenos Aires – se iniciaba la competencia en el entorno del kilómetro 12 del Canal de acceso al Puerto de Buenos Aires, en el Río de la Plata, con viento de ocho nudos del sureste, con importante corriente en bajante lo que hizo que competidores de la serie B y uno en la A (Loyal Red Nose, Bachajo, Victorinox – Furtivo, MSC Tango, Shangai Baby y Orson) largaran prematuramente.

En los primeros compases de la regata, toda la flota se concentró cerca del canal a medida que el viento caía ligeramente antes de remontar de nuevo hasta el entorno de los ocho nudos, ahora de componente Sur. Desde la altura del kilómetro 19 del Canal de acceso hasta el momento de redactar esta información, el S52 Lola de Alberto Roemmers lideraba la flota en su camino hacia Montevideo.

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This post is tagged 33rd Americas Cup, Abby Sunderland, Ady Gil, alinghi, clipper, Cork crash update, David Letterman, First sail in Valencia, groupama 3, Jessica Watson, Jules Verne Trophy, La flota pone rumbo a Punta del Este, Louis Vuitton Trophy, Maritime New Zealand, Rolex, Sea Shepherd, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit RC44, terry hutchinson, Warren Jones International Youth Regatta 2010