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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1173 - 2 MARCH 2007 Brought to you by boats.com Europe ( http://www.boats.com ) with the support of OC Events ( http://www.ocevents.org ), Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to //editor [Email address: //editor #AT# scuttlebutteurope.com/ - replace #AT# with @ ] GP 42 CLASS JUST KEEPS GROWING After a break-through year in 2006, the popularity of the exciting new GP 42 Class looks set to spread even further. The Class already has strong footholds in Spain and Italy, and now orders reflect growing interest in Holland, Norway, Portugal and Croatia. Right now, the European GP 42 fleet is almost 20-strong, including first generation boats and those designs currently in build. An incredible five of those are under construction in King Marine's Buenos Aires shipyard. Each of the boats, all based on a single Botin&Carkeek design, are semi-customised by a team including representatives from Grand Soleil, Botin&Carkeek's design team, King Marine and several European boatbuilders. The team met up recently in Buenos Aires to see the boats take shape. Here's what they thought: Jan Santana: (ESP) - Team Zurich boatbuilder - Why is the GP 42 Class so attractive? There are several reasons, but the main one is real-time racing. Sponsors want visible results, they want to know who's won straight away. That's why they like the GP 42 Class: the boat that crosses the line first is the winner. It's that simple. Because it's so simple, sponsors can release the news, interviews, footage and photography to the media straight away. That maximizes event coverage so sponsors get more for their money. The second reason is that the GP 42 Class outlaws any changes to the box rule for several years. That means owners get better value too. They build top quality boats, build good crews, train hard, build experience and stay competitive for years without worrying about rule changes. Personally, as a boatbuilder, it doesn't feel good to build a boat that's obsolete a year later. -Does the Class have a future? It's very likely to keep growing. Box rules are solid and well liked. That's the secret. A box rule means strong competition, which attracts designers, constructors, equipment manufacturers. This, in turn, helps the Class evolve. Obviously they're great fun to sail too � fast, responsive and very similar in many respects. A good design, well built and sailed by an excellent crew has every chance of winning. - Can it work alongside IMS? IMS is still an effective way of comparing boats with different characteristics. So no, I don't think GP 42 replaces it. They're different things. GP 42 has a really promising future, but there's space for other rules. Delivery schedule of GP42 boats: 1- Team Movistar (Pedro Campos - ESP) - 15 March 2- Team Zurich (Jan Santana - ESP) - 15 March 3- AL CAP ONE (Peer Moberg - NOR) - 15 April 4- Team Quebramar (POR) - 15 May 5- Team QUUM (ESP) - 15 June Full article, photos and enough stuff to take up your entire lunch hour (you'd never be reading this during normal business hours of course...): http://valenciasailing.blogspot.com ALL CHANGE FOR THE BACKMARKERS WHILE STAMM BATTLES SOME GREMLINS There was a reshuffle at the back of the VELUX 5 OCEANS fleet at 19:56 UTC last night. Kiwi skipper, Graham Dalton, in fifth place had been holding the western station of the two backmarkers, A Southern Man - AGD and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's Open 60, SAGA Insurance, until the two boats swapped positions: Knox-Johnston headed north-west towards South America and Dalton struck away from land, north-east into the Atlantic. Early last night, A Southern Man - AGD took fourth place and held an 8 mile lead over SAGA Insurance while this morning's 05:32 UTC poll reveals this deficit has increased to 58 miles. The pair are 360 miles off the broad mouth of the River Plate, the 90 mile wide break in the coast of South America forming part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay. Dalton and Knox-Johnston are currently in a band of headwinds from the north or north-north-west with Dalton continuing to head away from the coast and Knox-Johnston maintaining a heading towards land. A Southern Man - AGD and SAGA Insurance are still at the latitude of Cape Town at the tip of South Africa and the remaining 4,500 miles of racing through the South and North Atlantic oceans will be a monumental competition. In second place, Kojiro Shiraishi is thundering along the coast of Brazil maintaining the highest average speeds in the fleet at 13 knots over the past 6 hours. "I am covered in sweat. I can't be outside because the waves are washing violently over the deck," he reported this morning, "the temperature is nearly 40 degrees C inside the cabin. I would like to get through to the Northern Hemisphere as soon as possible." Spirit of Yukoh is 120 miles offshore, south-east of Recife and if Kojiro can maintain the current speed averages he will cross into the North Atlantic in approximately two days. The race leader, Bernard Stamm, has slowed dramatically 910 miles from the finish line in Norfolk, Virginia. His Open 60, Cheminees Poujoulat, is in 7-8 knot headwinds from a high-pressure system centred over Virginia, reducing his speed average to just 3.6 knots over the past 6 hours. Within three or four days of crossing the finish line, Cheminees Poujoulat is showing signs of the pressure placed on her by the speed-hungry Swiss skipper: "My electronic instruments gave each other the word to worry me all at the same time," he said before lisiting the gremlins onboard: "Firstly, it was impossible to connect with the Fleet, for the weather. I do not know what got into it, but it recovered itself after a few hours. The Standard C satellite receiver does not function again any more. Then the pilot puts a message to me like there is a problem of communication between all its systems." http://velux5oceans.com ULLMAN SAILS TOP J120 CLASS AT SCYA MIDWINTERS Congratulations to John Laun and his crew on "Caper", winning the J120 Class at the Southern California Midwinter Regatta held at San Diego YC on February 17-18. "Caper" finished with 3 bullets and a 3rd, followed by 2 other Ullman customers in the top five. It is clear that top competitors select Ullman Sails to deliver the speed and reliability to outperform their competition. If you and your team are ready for the "Fastest Sails on the Planet", contact your nearest Ullman Sails loft and visit http://www.ullmansails.com ICHI BAN CHALLENGES GLADSTONE RACE RECORD Sydney ocean racing helmsman Matt Allen has officially lodged race entry documents with the Queensland Cruising Yacht Club to challenge the Brisbane - Gladstone race record when the 59th Blue Water classic starts off Sandgate at 11am on Good Friday April 6th. Allen, owner skipper of the Don Jones designed Volvo 70 class ocean racer Ichi Ban, will need to set a cracking pace over the 308 nautical mile course to beat the current 20 hour 24 minute 50 second record set by the Grant Wharington skippered super-maxi Skandia in 2004. Skandia sail-surfed before squally south east trade winds to log the remarkable average speed of 15.09 knots, however Ichi Ban has the speed potential to take this performance into another time zone. Ichi Ban is capable of reaching hull speeds in the high 20 knot range and will guarantee a new race record if the Monsoon trough continues to provide a moderate to fresh south east wind flow over the coastal passage race course from 11am on Good Friday to 7-24-50 am on Easter Saturday. Skipper Allen and his experienced sailing master Michael Spies produced an outstanding result in the recent Rolex Sydney Hobart race logging and average speed of 10.3 knots to finish second behind the Mark Richards helmed Wild Oats, while the damaged Skandia finished third. Spies, a veteran of 29 Sydney Hobart races, was the co skipper of the former Volvo Globe race challenger Nokia when she broke the 628 nautical mile race record with a 14.34 knot average in 1999. This fast sailing result gives Ichi Ban the chance of winning the 2007 Brisbane to Gladstone race line honours in record breaking time, but her crew will need spinnaker sailing winds in excess of 20 knots to blow over her deck for at least 20 hours, to blow Skandia's 2004 time away. -- Ian Grant, http://www.sail-world.com/index_n.cfm?nid=31471 OFFICIAL AMERICA'S CUP DVD On this day in 2003, the America's Cup was won by a European challenger for the first time and the 32nd cycle of international sport's oldest competition commenced. At the official 32nd America's Cup webstore you can relive this moment and many more which have occurred throughout the Cup's illustrious 156-year history. "The House of the America's Cup - The Official Films" is a DVD which, in four entertaining and informative vignettes, tells the story of the America's Cup from its origins to the present day. An invaluable resource for any Cup aficionado. http://www.americascupstore.com/cart/add_to_cart.asp?id=AMCDVD.1 FRENCH-SOUTH AFRICAN 'GAMES' Valencia - They are one of the most popular teams of the 32. America's Cup: now AREVA Challenge and Team Shosholoza are going to deepen their relationship ashore. The Teams will get closer in a one day Match Race play-and-fun-event in Gandia on the 10th of March. As a prelude to the first French-South African 'Games', there will be an ACC Yacht training regatta between AREVA Challenge and Team Shosholoza in Valencia on Friday, the 9th of March. Then, on Saturday 10th of March, the location and the boats change to Gandia. "Gandia has invited us and Shosholoza for a fun day back in our 'first home' to wish us luck and have us enjoy their hospitality one last time before the racing begins", says Dawn Riley, AREVA Challenge General Manager. The French-South African Games start early the second morning on the 10th of March in Gandia. The races take place in the harbour, sailing is on SM (Swedish Match) 40s with scoring best out of 5. Stephan Kandler, CEO of AREVA Challenge: "More racing and training are always good opportunities for both teams, and we are glad to show to the World that sailing the America's Cup is also sharing universal values." http://areva-challenge.com and http://www.teamshosholoza.com AT THE DINGHY SHOW The RYA's Dinghy Sailing Show is this Saturday and Sunday, 3rd/4th March at the Alexandra Palace in London. * The 12 foot skiffs will be there in force this year with one of the larger class stands. With new video footage, new merchandising and a whole calendar of events where you can watch these machines take off, this shows how far the class has come in just 12 months. This is you're chance to get up close and personal with the most extreme of the skiff classes. Lighter, shorter, yet more sail than any other class (other than an 18ft skiff), the 12 foot skiff is for real adrenaline junkies only. Power for weight this is by far the ultimate in performance and those seeking the thrill must have the sheer guts and nerve to hang on for the ride. Come and see us on stand C31 in the Great Hall and hear about all the latest news. TV coverage, sponsorship, funding, events, new boats, there's lots to hear about. http://www.12footskiff.com * Unique opportunity to win a 49er, boat number 1000 Tickets for this fantastic prize are on sale at the RYA Dinghy Sailing Show on the Ovington stand C34, being held at Alexandra Palace from 3 - 4 March. They will also available to buy online until 12 July 2007 when the final draw will take place at the ISAF World Championships in Portugal. Tickets cost 5 pounds and you have to answer a question. For more information see http://www.49er.org or contact Ovington Boats at //niners [Email address: //niners #AT# ovingtonboats.co.uk/ - replace #AT# with @ ] * After being paralysed from the chest down aged just 18, Geoff Holt thought his sailing days were over, but 22 years later Geoff is hoping to become the first disabled sailor to sail around Britain single handed. Geoff will be raising funds for Sailability and will be unveiling his boat for the first time on their stand at the RYA Dinghy Sailing Show 2007 prior to the royal launch with HRH the Princess Royal on 21st March. Affectionately named his 'Personal Everest', Geoff plans to sail the 1,600 miles around the coast of the UK in the May 2007. Already the only physically disabled sailor ever to sail solo the 70 miles around the Isle of Wight, once in 1992 and again in 1997, Geoff will once again sail his Challenger trimaran dinghy into the record books for this epic journey. Accompanied by a support RIB, a "mothership" yacht and shore crew, the attempt will begin off the Royal Yacht Squadron in May 2007 heading in a westerly direction. * Ever wondered what it takes to become the Great Britain's most successful Olympic sport? Now you can find out, with the launch this weekend of Skandia Team GBR's new 'Sail for Gold' title at the RYA Dinghy Sailing Show at Alexandra Palace (3-4 March). Published annually and carrying features and the inside track on the world's top Olympic sailing nation, the 96-page bookazine will be the essential guide to the British sailing team in training for the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games. Whether you have an active interest in sailing or marine sports, or you simply want to find out more about the team, 'Sail for Gold' has something for everyone. In this first edition, double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson spills the beans on Beijing, boats and babies, plus there is an in-depth look at the Olympic class boats and the hottest Skandia Team GBR talents who sail in them. 'Sail for Gold' also takes a look at the British success story in the 'sexy but scary' 49er class, and investigates how preparations for two very different Olympic sailing venues in 2008 and 2012 are taking shape. Readers also have the chance to win a superb holiday for two to Sunsail Club, Club Perili in Turkey, as well as subscriptions to Dinghy Sailing Magazine. Olympic medallists Joe Glanfield, Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks, and world number ones Paul Goodison and Saskia Clark will be on hand during the Dinghy Sailing Show this weekend to launch 'Sail for Gold' and to sign copies. Officially on sale from Saturday 3 March, you can order your copy of 'Sail for Gold' through the RYA webshop now at http://www.rya.org.uk/Shop/Cultures/en-GB/g64.htm * This year's Dinghy Show also marks the 30 anniversary of the flexible joint, now used on almost every sailing dinghy. Designed and introduced by Sea Sure it has proved to be a major step forward in sailing technology, replacing complicated and heavy stainless steel units that would lock up and break regularly - with obvious consequences. The flexible joint is now a standard sailing item and proves that the use of leading edge materials along with simple, innovative design offers real cost and performance benefits to the dinghy sailor. Sea Sure is at West Hall -E3, http://www.sea-sure.com 30 Years press release & pictures: http://www.strawberrymarketing.com For ticket information, directions, show schedules and events see: http://www.dinghysailingshow.org.uk FEATURED BROKERAGE TP52 "ORLANDA" 2005 Latini/Green Marine builder, material Carbon prepreg nomex High modulus Aerospace, 3 set 3DL North Sails carbon, electronic B&G WTP Processor, keel with bulb, Weldox 1100 numeric control machinery, mast/boom Hall Spars carbon Super High Modulus, custom mold designed S.Ferguson, winches carbon Harken custom AC with 1/1 gear and overdrive. Now for sale Euro 800.000; all offers are encouraged. Contact+39.335.5642163 http://www.tp52orlanda.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - //editor [Email address: //editor #AT# scuttlebutteurope.com/ - replace #AT# with @ ] Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission. * From Vincent Delany: As far as I can work out from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Haven%2C_Maine North_Haven_Dinghy , the first boat was built in 1885 as a yacht's tender that eventually, unsuccessfully, challenged other broadly similar boats to races. After alterations winter 1885/ 1886, she beat all-comers during 1886. Two copies were made winter 1886/87, with four more launched in 1888. So it would seem that the first "class" racing was in 1887. A process of evolution rather than revolution. The evolution part of the Water Wag story takes us to Shankhill, Co. Dublin, and as far back as the 1870's: the foundation of Shankhill Corinthian Sailing Club to race small ballasted dinghies capable of being hauled up the beach when not in use, and their evolution into centreboard boats. Enter T.B. Middleton, one of the leading lights of that evolution. In September 1886 he proposed a one-design class of 13ft centreboard dinghies for racing in Dublin Bay. By December the first boat was delivered, and 5 boats came to the line for the first race on April 12th 1887. By the end of that first season 13 boats had been built, with many more to follow in subsequent years. So the Water Wag was the first premeditated one design... dinghy. If the three North Haven Dinghies existing in 1887 came to the start line of their first race understanding that they were "North Haven Dinghies" and is was before April 12th, they might be able to claim something or other... The first one design of course was Scottish: the Clyde Canoe Club's 19ft G.L. Watson designed keelboat lugsail class - "Red", "White" and "Blue" of 1886, specifically designed to offer club members even racing without handicap. The fact that the Water Wag ideal and club continues to this day but in different boats - the transom sterned 14 footer replaced the double ended 13 footer in 1900 - probably allows the North Haven Dinghy to claim the greatest longetivity of a one design class, if the hull design is unchanged. THE LAST WORD Those who flee temptation generally leave a forwarding address. -- Lane Olinghouse ======================================= The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt Europe do not necessarily reflect those of its editors, boats.com or OC Events OC Events, http://ocevents.org , organisers of two major IMOCA 60 oceanic events, the new double-handed Barcelona World Race 2007, and the original solo transocean race, The Transat 2008 (ex-OSTAR) plus the Extreme 40 Sailing Series for The iShares Cup. Over 90,000 boats for sale at http://www.boats.com To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, go to http://www.scuttlebutteurope.com Letters and submissions to: //editor [Email address: //editor #AT# scuttlebutteurope.com/ - replace #AT# with @ ] For advertising rates and information: Graeme Beeson //gb [Email address: //gb #AT# beesonstone.com/ - replace #AT# with @ ] -- Powered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com --
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