Yachting News 29th October 2011
Greetings yachties,
Very busy on my island sorting sailing programmes and other top priority upcoming events – more on that later. In the mean time a glimpse at what’s happening around the world and around the corner.
Getting ready to start the 2011 Coastal Classic Yacht race to the Bay of Islands. Our story and more images below.
In this issue:
Laura Dekker – latest news here,
Grant Beck – Kiwi sailor of the year 2011,
AC45′s, arrive in dago,
Volvo 2011/12 update,
Field’s First,
Gold Coast Australia, stretches lead and prepares for Stealth Mode,
RAYC – latest news here,
IBI Marine News – latest issue here,
Sail-World NZ – latest issue here,
Scuttlebutt USA – latest issue here,
UK’s first fully intact Viking boat,
Crac-A-Jac Coastal Classic 2011 Story,
18footer TV – latest programme here,
BYM Sailing & Sports News here,
Enjoy
Introducing a new link on yachtyakka – a new online store – where you can buy online all you need to go sailing – check it out.
Un prologue aérien by TransatJacquesVabre
Start of Transat Jacques Vabre postponed due to violent storm forecast
The teams will sail a short course today “for the show”, before crossing the start line for real on Wednesday or Thursday.
Le Havre, Sunday 30 October 2011 – The violent storm forecast on Tuesday has led the Transat Jacques Vabre organisers to postpone the start to Wednesday or Thursday. Called “a bomb” by the weather specialists from Meteo France, the weather system is going to generate winds of up to 60 knots and waves of up to 10 meters.
Dominique Wavre and Michèle Paret, co-skippers of Mirabaud, say their boat could have sailed through this storm. “They are built to sail around the world! But we accept the decision. There are some smaller boats and it would have been difficult for them. We abide by the collective decision.”
CEO and Partner of Mirabaud, Antonio Palma confirms that “the collective decision has to be respected. We never get involve in such matters anyway, they are Dominique’s entire responsibility. However it is a good thing that the priority is given to safety.”
The Organising Committee will make a new announcement tomorrow. The objective is to start the race on Wednesday or Thursday.
Photo by IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race
CAMPER came home first in the final practice race, as the six teams were given one last chance to hone their short-course technique ahead of tomorrow’s Iberdrola In-Port Race in Alicante, when the first points will be at stake.
After a short delay to enable an 8-10 knot breeze to develop across the racecourse, the practice race — purely a test race, with no points to be won — got underway at 1450 local time.
Soon after the start there was an immediate difference of opinion between the teams on which might be the fastest route to the first turning mark, with PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand and Team Sanya all choosing the right hand side of the course, while Groupama sailing team, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing and Team Telefónica opted to head left towards the watching crowds on Postiguet Beach.
When the fleet converged on the approach to the first mark, Chris Nicholson at the helm of CAMPER and Franck Cammas on Groupama 4 were bow-to-bow at the front of the fleet.
CAMPER had timed their approach to perfection, however, and in the final metres to the mark they rolled over the French boat to round in first place. Ian Walker at the helm of Abu Dhabi rounded close behind Groupama, in third place.
Abu Dhabi made the best of the second leg to ease into second place by mark number two, rounding 40 seconds behind CAMPER, with PUMA skippered by Ken Read also sailing a good leg to move up to third.
LIVESTREAM AND VOLVO OCEAN RACE PARTNER TO INNOVATE LIVE RACING COVERAGE ONLINE
Volvo Ocean Race features as the exclusive launch partner of the New Livestream platform
ALICANTE, SPAIN — Livestream and Volvo Ocean Race will partner to bring new and innovative coverage of this live racing event to sailing fans worldwide. Volvo Ocean Race is the first content partner on the New Livestream service (new.livestream.com), a new streaming platform, launched today—building on the strength of the original Livestream—the leading live video destination.
Volvo Ocean Race, the world’s premier offshore sailing competition and one of the most demanding team sporting events in the world, challenges crews to sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the world’s most treacherous seas ending in July 2012 in Galway, Ireland. For all the background information on the race, go to www.volvooceanrace.com.
Beginning on Saturday, October 29, 2011 in Alicante, Spain (0800 local-time Spain) with high definition live coverage of all starts and in-port races, the New Livestream service (new.livestream.com) will allow sailing fans worldwide to experience coverage of this race, in real-time, for the first time ever.
The Fields and BSL take first place in GOR Leg 1
At 05:13:25 GMT on Friday 28 October, Ross and Campbell Field took first place in Leg 1 of the double-handed, Class40 Global Ocean Race (GOR) crossing the finish line in Cape Town after 32 days 17 hours 13 minutes and 25 seconds and 7,300 miles of racing from Palma, Mallorca, on their Verdier-design Class40 BSL averaging 9.3 knots and finishing 89 miles ahead of Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron on Campagne de France.
Following a final sail change off Lion’s Head, swapping from spinnaker to jib, BSL beat on port tack passed Signal Hill and across the finish line off Cape Town shortly after sunrise. GOR Race Organisation officials boarded the Class40 to congratulate the duo and check that the engine seals installed pre-start were in place before the Fields dropped their sails and motored into Victoria Basin, through Alfred Basin and into the GOR Race Base at North Wharf in the V&A Waterfront Marina.
CLIPPER 11-12
RACE 4: CAPE TOWN TO GERALDTON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
DAY 24
* Gold Coast Australia stretches lead and prepares for Stealth Mode
* City of Greater Geraldton all set to welcome teams
* High pressure frustrates chasing teams
The Clipper Race management team has arrived in Geraldton, crew who will be joining the race are standing by to greet their team mates and all that’s missing now are the ten 68-foot ocean racing yachts which are rapidly closing in on the Western Australia coast.
Gold Coast Australia’s bold move to sail much further than the other teams in order to run around the high pressure system that has dominated proceedings for much of the last week seems to have paid off
“We have successfully escaped the grasps of the massive high pressure system that is currently playing havoc with the rest of the fleet,” reports skipper, Richard Hewson. “Yesterday we set ourselves a goal to try to be in a certain position away from the light winds of the high, and we managed to reach it before the high pressure system caught up with us. This is a massive relief as now it looks like we will have good winds all the way to Geraldton.
Archaeologists have uncovered the UK’s first fully intact Viking boat burial site in the west Highlands. It’s believed the site at Ardnamurchan is over 1,000 years old.
Judging by the artefacts buried alongside the Viking in his boat, archaeologists say it’s likely he was a high-ranking warrior.
He was found buried with an axe, a sword with a decorated hilt, a spear, a shield boss and a bronze ring, the BBC reports, along with 200 or so metal rivets from the disintegrated ship.
“This is a very exciting find,” said Dr Hannah Cobb, co-director of the project and archaeology teaching fellow at the University of Manchester. “Though we have excavated many important artefacts over the years, I think it’s fair to say that this year the archaeology has really exceeded our expectations.”
more images of the start for the 2011 Coastal Classic Yacht race from Auckland to Russell here
Broken Records: Broken Rigs: Broken Sails
This is the Crac-A-Jac Story
The 2011 Coastal Classic Devonport to Russell Labour weekend dash will be remembered for vodafones blistering 100 mile sprint to Cape Brett in 3 1/2 hours. Crac-A-Jac would also record her fastest time of 20 hours 41minutes for the 120mile race.
The forecast was for a sunny 15-20 south westerly slowly softening during the night and if we were lucky no parking lots.
Vodafone had recently returned from a tour of the east coast of Australia and was ready for another crack at the race record, currently held by the 100ft Alfa.
Crac-A-Jac was ready for her 4th coastal, her recent birthday had been focused below the water line and with a traditional south westerly we were ready for a fast trip north.
Motoring out to start with all the other race boats is always a great occasion, with the wind direction this promised to provide the colourful spinnakers a quick burst out and around North Head and north to the bay.
A boat end start is the call as we make our way into the starting area, ready with the kite at T – 17 seconds we hoist. We have good clear air and are able to reach down over the fleet for an inside berth, ready for a tight reach out to Rangi Light. An hour later just past the light we still have over half the fleet behind us, as our little sails crank us along at 8knots. With the occasional burst to 10knots sliding down some nice waves. These waves help us hang onto our position well into the Tiri passage and out the other side towards Kawau and Flat Rock – our first radio check in.
Passing by Kawau Island the breeze is bending forward and we are needing to reduce sail, small jib and a tuck in the main is the gear we need and Crac-A-Jac is soon planning again laying course to Sail Rock. No point sending it out to sea, this little yacht is better sticking to the rumb line.
By the time we make Sail Rock, the seas are a great size for sliding down pushing us along at good bursts of 11-12knots. However the breeze is heading for a sleep and we now need more horse power, up with the big gear and reach off to the east for some offshore gage on Cape Brett, some 40 miles NW. Settling into our watch system we pump and grind our way to 02:00 when Coast Guard radio is called to confirm our position at the Brett.
Still with the big gear up, we tack our way past Whale Rock, Red Head and finally rounding the last corner into the bay where the finish boat is on station. At 07:01 we cross for Crac-A-Jac’s fastest trip north. No broken, sails, masts, booms, ropes or split tea. Just a great ride. Later we would learn that not only had the record been broken but Laury had flipped, Exodus was dis-masted, Spearhead had had Boatslut mopping up bilges and Outrageous Fortune was behind the 1050′s at the Brett – others had clearly had a shocker.
A big shout out and thanks to Mike from Sea Safe for helping us with the tracker and personal EPIRB’s, Westpark Marina for helping with a new bottom paintjob, Grunta for helping out installing new keel bolts and long hours sanding. Salt for a clean just before the race, also all of you who like to stay under the radar donating what you can, your contributions are greatly appreciated…………. AND the Crac-A-Jac Shore Crew – making food, collecting supplies and all that fetch and carry work. Another great team effort.
We finished 3rd on PHRF for the 2 handed division and the smallest boat to finish the 2011 Coastal Classic Yacht Race
