Yachting News 31st January 2012
Riptides can carry hapless swimmers out into the ocean very quickly – by the time a lifeguard is able swim out to rescue them, it may be too late. Using a Jet Ski to reach struggling swimmers is one option, although such watercraft can be expensive, problematic to store on-site, and difficult to launch for one person. Now, seaside municipalities can get something cheaper and easier for reaching those swimmers-in-distress: an electric remote-control motorized rescue buoy called EMILY.
Greetings yachties,
In this issue:
Sail-World Australia – latest issue here,
RC44,
North Sails Global,
GOR – leaving Wellinton
Volvo Ocean Race – leaving Singapore, arriving Sanya,
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.
Video: Apparent collision during live call – Team Sanya
Team Telefónica became the first team to win the first three legs of a Volvo Ocean Race in 22 years as they swept to glory in Leg 3 from Abu Dhabi to Sanya.
Not since Sir Peter Blake’s Steinlager 2 made a clean sweep of all four legs of the 1989-90 edition of the Whitbread Round the World Race has the event seen such success.
Cheers went up from the Telefónica crew, led by Spanish Olympian, as they blasted across the finish line of Leg 3 Stage 2 in Sanya, China, at 0358 UTC to claim 24 points.
Coupled with the three points they scored for the first part of the leg, a 100 nautical mile dash from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, the win hands Telefónica overall glory in Leg 3 and propels them to 95 points.
“That was a toughie!” said navigator Andrew Cape, moments after crossing the line. “I certainly won’t get used to it to winning, it won’t last forever. We’re taking it one leg at a time. It’s a good win, we’re very happy.
“Right from the top of Sumatra it’s been really difficult. There were so many hazards and you can’t take your eye off the ball for one second because that’s when bad things happen.
“It was a very taxing leg, a lot harder than I expected. Everyone is ecstatic – we’re all happy to be here and very relieved.”
There has been intense drama in Leg 3 of the double-handed Global Ocean Race (GOR) as two of the Class40s, Buckley Systems and Campagne de France, have turned west and are currently heading for Auckland, New Zealand, while the three remaining boats, Cessna Citation, Financial Crisis and Phesheya-Racing continue into strong, Pacific Ocean headwinds in the Roaring Forties.
On Thursday evening at 48S, Ross and Campbell Field – leading the fleet on Buckley Systems – and Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron on the Franco-British entry, Campagne de France in second place, trailing the Fields by 20 miles, abruptly turned north. Initially this was thought to be a move to avoid 40-50-knot headwinds, but injury and gear damage on Buckley Systems had forced the Fields to head for port with Mabire and Merron making the same call.
Meanwhile, Conrad Colman and Adrian Kuttel have taken over pole position with Cessna Citation; Marco Nannini and Hugo Ramon are up to second place with Financial Crisis and the South African duo of Nick Leggatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire are now in third with Phesheya-Racing.
For the Fields who are currently leading the GOR overall on points, the decision to turn Buckley Systems towards New Zealand was indescribably hard: “A tough way to have a year of blood, sweat and tears collapse in front of you,” reports Campbell Field.
Hand to hand combat for Abu Dhabi and CAMPER
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing this afternoon looked to have got the better of CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand in the hand-to-hand combat the pair have been engaged in all day.
In his latest report from the boat Abu Dhabi Media Crew Member (MCM) Nick Dana described how Abu Dhabi had finally got the upper hand after nipping at CAMPER’s heels since first light this morning:
“The battle has raged all day,” he said. “At dawn we were behind them with the breeze slowly fading. This was a bit worrying, as we believe them to be one of the fastest boats in light air. Nevertheless we kept pushing and as the day crept on the sea breeze did too.
“Up and down on our line CAMPER continued to swerve, gaining here and losing there. Finally we decided we would start to sail our course as if they were not next to us. A difficult task when you are stuck in a nail biter in light air and calm seas.
“Eventually we caught a small shift and edged ahead. Even now we are locked in a gybe dual through the fields of anchored ships.”
Dana said the day had been a scorcher in more ways than one with blistering heat and stifling humidity adding to the intensity of the boat-on-boat action.
