Greetings yachties,

Lots of action around the world of yachting in my world, below a taste of what’s been happening.

Les McDonald Senior – passed away

Wellington Storm 12th March

Tasman Trespasser 11

Hobby sail – paddle – motor

Abby Sunderland

Medevac for Clipper skipper

Puma Moth Worlds

Jessica Watson – Where is she now?

AC34 – Where?

Jules Verne Trophy – update – Where is Groupama3 now?

33rd America’s Cup winning skipper, James Spithill spent 30 minutes on the Sail-World stand, with Sail-World’s America’s Cup Editor, Richard Gladwell.

more later

Les McDonald Senior (middle) passed away after a short illness in his 90th year. Les Snr was a really active member in the 60’s and 70’s and well known to many of our older members.

A family service was held at his request, and all went for a motor on the Aurora around the Tauranga harbour ,he saw the 50th anniversary for the Patikis and was the oldest still with the same boat.

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Windy Wellington

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Leaving Wellington

At approximately midday today New Zealand’s latest legend, Shaun Quincey, put his feet back on NZ soil after 54 days at sea!

After a campaign that was marred by setbacks, Shaun can finally claim to be the first man to row solo from Aussie to NZ after his father, Colin, completed the same feat in the opposite direction some 35 years ago! The final hurdle, the landing, was the most dangerous of the whole trip as 3m+ swells slammed into 90 mile beach forcing Shaun to ditch his boat in the surf break and swim the rest of the way in whilst TT2 surfed and rolled its way to shore!

Shaun and his support team would like to thank the sponsors and supporters who turned up to Ahipara early this morning to drive up and down 90mile beach as Shaun’s landing changed a few times. After talking to Shaun he was absolutely stoked to be on NZ sand and to see his family and friends once again.

Stay tuned to the site for more TT2 info over the next few weeks

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Where is Shaun now?

Today has been a tough day, some serious hard yards on the oars and some positive easterly gains.  At this rate hitting land shouldn’t be too much of an issue however tonight is the big worry!.

Winds are expected to reach max over night and seas will not be easing for a few days. If this determined kiwi mariner can continue his outstanding efforts of the day then we will be expecting his long awaited arrival Sunday morning!

Normally Shaun wouldn’t row in these conditions and certainly not at night not being able to see rogue waves or unpredictable seas. The grit of this man and his hardened approach to overcoming adversity along this journey means he is only more determined. He will be on the oars for as long as possible fighting for every inch east.

Ninety Mile Beach, Sunday, stay watching for updates on arrival times.

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Where is she now?

Just a quick blog tonight. I have made good progress today in great winds. I have 30 knots out of the N which is good for making progess SE. I have to dig out another propane tank and fix a new leak in the water ballast but I will get a longer blog out tomorrow.

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Medevac for skipper of Hull & Humber – 11 March 2010

Skipper of Hull & Humber, Piers Dudin, has sustained an open fracture to his right leg after a fall on the tenth day of Race 7 to San Francisco. The incident was immediately reported to Falmouth Coastguard and is now in the hands of the Japanese Coastguard who are co-ordinating the medevac.

Piers was on deck at the time of the incident which was reported to the race office at 0935 GMT. The crew reacted quickly and after seeking medical advice through Falmouth Coastguard they applied a leg splint to the injury and administered painkillers. Hull & Humber was situated 400 nautical miles east of Japan at the time of the incident.

The crew onboard Hull & Humber are experienced offshore racers having completed an intensive pre-race Clipper training programme; the round the world crew members onboard now have more than 18,000 miles of ocean racing experience.

As a precautionary measure, two of the Clipper 68s also competing in Clipper 09-10, Spirit of Australia and Cape Breton Island, were instructed to rendezvous with Hull & Humber in case they could be of assistance. Cape Breton Island has since resumed racing and Spirit of Australia is currently shadowing Hull & Humber as both boats make their way west towards Japan. Over the next 24 to 36 hours a decision will be made on whether the skipper will be evacuated by helicopter or boat, depending on conditions and range. Spirit of Australia, crew member Joan Clancy, an A&E consultant doctor, is standing by to provide medical advice if required.

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What happened next?

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Ella’s Pink Lady hasn’t been breaking any speed records lately but we are sailing along steadily. Yesterday was pretty slow but today’s been better. The sunshine and calm seas continue, so we’re not exactly doing it too hard.But when the speedo drops below 3 knots it becomes a bit of a test of my patience. It’s not that I’m in any terrible rush, because I’m having such a good time still, it’s just that it feels so much more purposeful to be going somewhere. The warm sunshine, amazing starry nights and lovely pink sunsets put in me in a great mood, but add speed as well and I’m one happy girl!

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City’s waterfront sites vetted to host America’s Cup

By: Katie Worth
Examiner Staff Writer

The City is narrowing down the list of waterfront sites that could host the America’s Cup yacht race and hopes to have a very short list by the end of the month, Mayor’s Office officials said.

It doesn’t appear that any site north of the Bay Bridge — including future cruise terminal Pier 27 and Fort Mason — is large enough to host the international race, said Michael Cohen, director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

But the 13-acre site at piers 30 and 32, in the shadow of the Bay Bridge, may have a jump on other southern waterfront sites. The southern sites are more likely to have longer unbroken stretches of flat area ideal for Cup support venues. The site was explored as a potential host by billionaire Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle Racing team four years ago, when it hoped to win the previous America’s Cup and bring the race to San Francisco, said Peter Dailey, maritime director of the Port of San Francisco.

In a meeting Tuesday, the Port Commission voted to do “everything possible” to bring the 34th America’s Cup race to San Francisco. The United States is slated to host the next event, after the BMW Oracle trimaran, sponsored by the Golden Gate Yacht Club, won this year’s event in Valencia, Spain.

Ellison’s team now has the privilege of deciding where the next event will be held. Ellison has said he hopes to bring the Cup to the Bay Area.

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This post is tagged Abby Sunderland, americas cup, Clipper Round the World yacht race, Jessica Watson, Jules Verne Trophy, Les McDonald, Puma Moth Worlds, Shaun Quincey, Tasman Trespasser 11, wellington storm