Email Print

Ian Bruce

29 Mar 2016

Ian Bruce – he and Bruce Kriby designed the Laser dinghy…

LASER DESIGNER: Ian Bruce once said he stumbled into sailing, but he left an indelible mark on the sport as one of the inventors of the Laser – one of the world’s most popular sailboats.

The long time Dorval resident died last Monday in Hamilton, Ont., after a battle with cancer. He was 82.

“He changed the face of sailing in the world,” said Peter Bjorn, a longtime sailing partner, business partner and friend.

A 63 year member of the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club who lived just off the club’s grounds, Bruce was a passionate and accomplished sailor who won many regatta titles and represented Canada twice in the Olympics, in 1960 and 1972.

But he is best known for innovating a new class of small sailing dinghies, designed for the mass market but fast enough to interest the world’s top sailors.

The Laser was chosen as an Olympic class in 1993 and was first sailed in the 1996 Olympics.

In 1969, Bruce, an industrial designer at Alcan and co-owner of a small business manufacturing high end sailboats, came up with the idea of a single-handed dinghy that would be small and light enough to fit on a car’s roof rack.

In a 2013 interview with Sail World, Bruce Kirby, a former journalist at the Montreal Star and Olympic sailor who designed the Laser, said Bruce proposed the idea over the phone in October 1969.

“While we were talking on the phone, I was doing a sketch on a piece of yellow legal paper,” Kirby recalled. The sketch later became known as the “million-dollar doodle.”

Also involved in the project was the late sailmaker and former Olympic sailor Hans Fogh, along with others, including Bjorn.

A celebration of his life will be held May 7 from 4 to 7pm at the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club, 1350 Lakeshore Rd. in Dorval.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people make donations to a charity of their choice or encourage someone to learn to sail. Story by Jason Madger in the Montreal Gazette

via Boating Business | Ian Bruce.

Email Print

Ed Dubois

30 Mar 2016

Ed Dubois – one of the most talented designers in the world

OBITUARY: One of the world’s top yacht designers, Ed Dubois, principal of one of the leading boatbuilders Dubois Naval Architects, has died Thursday, March 24, 2016 at the age of 64.

His legacy is the many fine and technically advanced yachts he designed, which now sail the world.

Born in London to a non-sailing family in 1952, Ed began designing and building model yachts at an early age, sailing them on the pond in Kensington Gardens.

He recalled being on a rented boat on a pond in Regent’s Park, and as a child understood the feeling of what he called “being propelled by the wind across the water”. The family later moved to Surrey.

Ed trained as a naval architect at Southampton and went on to design several small yachts, making his mark with an offshore racer, Police Car, a 42ft craft that raced in the two-ton class, for Australian owner Peter Cantwell.

She debuted in the 1979 Admiral’s Cup as part of a winning Australian team.

After that, Ed was invited to design his first superyacht, the 37m sloop Aquel II, which was built in New Zealand. A long career in yacht design followed.

Ngoni

Before his death, Ed was working on a yacht due for launch in spring next year: the 190ft Royal Huisman Ngoni, whose nickname inside the Dutch shipyard was “The Beast” due to her towering 233ft rig.

He also designed the highly successful and seaworthy Clipper 68s, the tough boats used by Clipper Ventures to take hundreds of rookie sailors with seasoned skippers round the world for four ocean races from 2005-12.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, founder and chairman of Clipper Race, said: “All in the Clipper family will be sad to hear of the death of Ed Dubois, the internationally renowned yacht designer.

“He designed the very successful Clipper 68s and all those who sailed in the 68s know how seaworthy the boats were and are. We extend our sympathies to his family and his team at Ed Dubois design.”

As well as sailing yachts, the company was renowned for many sail and motor powered superyachts, such as the 152ft Feadship Kiss, launched last year.

Eddie Warden Owen, chief executive of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, said: “Police Car threw him into the yacht racing limelight which his upbringing and personality was more than equipped to enjoy and exploit so that throughout the 1980s he became one of the designers of choice for those who wanted to win the Admiral’s Cup.

De Savary

“His design of Victory of Burnham for Peter de Savary, which was a team member in the British team that won the 1981 Admiral’s Cup, propelled Ed Dubois into the heady world of the America’s Cup, designing a 12-metre yacht for De Savary’s 1983 America’s Cup campaign.

“Not only was he a great designer but he was also a very competent sailor and enjoyed offshore racing. He oozed charisma and charm, which those whom he met could not fail to enjoy.

“I will miss him and I know that all RORC members who will have met him will have good memories of a man who had time for everyone especially sailors.”

His company said that following a period of illness last year he had been in better health and had been working as normal until he was admitted to hospital last week. He died on Thursday .

The company added that the business would continue. Peter Bolke, who is senior designer and has been with the group for 23 years, has become managing director with immediate effect.

The company said: “With one of the industry’s most innovative 58m yachts currently in build and a number of similarly ambitious projects in the design stage, Ed left the business at an exciting moment in its development.

“Peter and his team will be supported by Ed’s great friends, Richard Cunningham and Andrew Prynne QC, Ed’s friend for 50 years.”

A regatta named after him is also part of his legacy. The two-day Dubois Cup, established in 2007, sees classic designs from the studio compete every two years.

Dubois was awarded an honorary doctorate in design by Southampton Solent University in 2004 and was a fellow of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects and Royal Academy of Engineering.

A lover of music, art and travel, Dubois leaves a wife, Honor, and four children. Funeral arrangements are still pending.

via Boating Business | Ed Dubois.

BACK

PRESS RELEASE 31 MAR 2016, 11:03 UTC

SHARE

Mark Turner appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO

Download

Mark Turner/OC Sport

Download

Ainhoa Sanchez /Volvo Ocean Race

Download

Ainhoa Sanchez / Volvo Ocean Race

Mark Turner, one of the most respected figures in professional sailing, has been appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO, stepping down after 23 years at the helm of global sports marketing company OC Sport (full story below).

– Will take up new role from June

– Brings sailing, management and marketing expertise to role

– ‘Huge responsibility’ to follow Frostad, says Turner

– ‘I want to inspire and engage more fans, sailors and sponsors’

ALICANTE, Spain, March 31 – Mark Turner, one of the most respected figures in professional sailing, has been appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO, stepping down after 23 years at the helm of global sports marketing company OC Sport.

The Briton, who competed in offshore sailing’s leading international event as a Whitbread Round-the-World sailor in 1989, and masterminded the Dongfeng Race Team project in the 2014-15 edition, will take up his new position in succession to Knut Frostad from June 7 this year.

Turner, 48, said: “There probably isn’t any other post in sailing that could have attracted me today after taking OC Sport through so many different areas of the sport over the last two decades.

“It is a significant responsibility for me to take over the leadership from Knut, who has done such an excellent job of transforming the race in to the sport’s biggest and most commercially viable top-level event.

“As the race with the most significant global footprint in both media and business-to-business terms, and a fascinating history dating back to 1973, there is a huge responsibility not only to the numerous stakeholders, Volvo, and the other team and event partners, but also to the sport of sailing in general. It’s a platform that can really help shape the future of the sport.

“I certainly hope I can add some value and vision to the excellent work of the great team already in place in Alicante, and through that, help to inspire and engage more and more fans, sailors and sponsors, in the future.”

Henry Stenson, chairman of the Volvo Ocean Race board, said he was delighted with the appointment.

“It has been a long and thorough process, but I know that in Mark we have found the right person to take on this very challenging role,” he said.

“We need a man with the expertise, determination and vision to take the event to the next stage after all the great work done by Knut, and Mark has all these attributes in abundance. The future under his guidance looks very exciting indeed.”

Turner has competed in many of the sport’s leading events including the Transat Jacques Vabre and the Mini Transat, but really made his name in the sport by masterminding Briton Ellen MacArthur’s successful Vendée Globe race in 2001 when she finished second.

He then oversaw her breaking the solo circumnavigation of the world record in 2005, taking the sport to a wider audience than ever before, both in their native United Kingdom, but also around the world.

Turner went on to launch the very successful Extreme Sailing Series with OC Sport as well as many other leading adventure sports events.

He added: “My personal chapter with OC Sport is now ending, but the spirit and achievements will continue, I’m sure, with the strong team I’m leaving behind.

“It has been an honour to work with so many motivated and talented people over the years, and to have been able to use the sporting platforms we’ve created to inspire people from all walks of life.

“OC Sport has enabled me to challenge the norm and innovate in many areas – something that I’m sure the company will continue to strive to do.”

Turner has stepped down fully from OC Sport as both board director and shareholder.

Turner, who is also a very keen cyclist, swimmer and skier, will now undertake a period of leave before taking up his new responsibilities with the race, ahead of the 13th edition in 2017-18 which starts in October next year.

Short biography

Born: Isle of Wight, England in July 1967

1985-90 – Lieutenant, Seaman Officer, Royal Navy

1989-90 – Competed in Whitbread Round the World Race on British Defender

1989-92 – Operations, Sales and Marketing Director, Winning Winches

1992-98 – Marketing Director, Spinlock

1993-2016 – Founder and Executive Chairman, OC Sport

June 2016 – CEO, Volvo Ocean Race

via Mark Turner appointed Volvo Ocean Race CEO| Volvo Ocean Race.

The rise and rise of superyacht regattas

BY ADMIN • FEBRUARY 1, 2016 • HOMEMOSAIC, RACING, REGATTAS • COMMENTS OFF • 198

Despite their size and complexity, these yachts are raced with great skill and determination, often within metres of each other, as seen here at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo. ©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

Not so long ago the boats raced at these events were predominately very much cruising yachts that simply wanted to enjoy some friendly competition during a season spent in the Mediterranean or Caribbean. To some extent that’s still the case, for instance some events have more than half a dozen 80+ foot Oysters on the entry list, albeit some of them with Olympic stars shipped on board for the racing.

Nevertheless, there’s now also a growing demand for enormous dual-purpose performance cruising yachts that can be converted to racing machines for these events. For a few years these yachts appeared to be becoming ever larger, with some of the latest launches more than 60m (200ft) in length and each successive generation pushing the boundaries of both technology and existing sailing skills.

Stunning locations – this is part of the Costa Smeralda near Porto Cervo – is a big part of the attraction. ©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

Approaching a mark rounding with a yacht of that size fully powered up is an awesome experience, but with plenty of potential for something to go badly wrong. The current trend, however, appears to be for a consensus towards a sweet spot at around 120ft, that still provides incredible power married to sumptuous accommodation, but is also small enough to give a more direct feel of the boat.

The growth in popularity of such regattas has undoubtedly changed the nature of superyachting for many owners, with these events providing a rich social scene in addition to the contest afloat. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, for a group of highly competitive people, as superyacht owners tend to be, the prizes are almost unbelievably modest. The clearest example of this is surely found in one of the earliest popular superyacht regattas, the Barth’s Bucket, the main prize for which is, as the name suggests, a beaten up old metal bucket.

The boats are always an awe-inspring sight when racing. ©Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

As well as events for genuine superyachts of more than 80ft length, there are also others organised by top brands of production yachts, including Oyster and Nautor’s Swan. In many ways these are just as prestigious, even if the boats are predominately smaller and more cruising oriented. For instance, Nautor runs events annually in two of the world’s premier destinations – Porto Cervo in Sardinia and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, both sponsored by Rolex.

RECENT POSTS

X-Yachts announces new high performance cruiser

A year of change on the World Match Racing Tour

The classically French Outremer 45

Seasonal maintenance: Propellers

Destination: A Coruna, Spain

Sail at Antigua without your own boat

Seasonal maintenance: Paint finishes

Garcia’s Exploration 52 oozes Gallic style

The rise and rise of superyacht regattas

Destination: Punta del Este

via The rise and rise of superyacht regattas | Yachting News Report | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

A year of change on the World Match Racing Tour

BY ADMIN • MARCH 10, 2016 • BREAKING NEWS, HOMEMOSAIC, RACING • COMMENTS OFF • 62

Williams celebrating his record breaking sixth world championship title. Photo: © Robert Hajduk – WMRT

Following the culmination of the 2015/16 match racing season that saw British sailor Ian Williams’ GAC Pindar team lift the world title for a record sixth time at the end of January, the WMRT has announced a new format for the top rank of international match racing.

Instead of a six to eight stop tour around the world, with each event counting for points towards the overall championship result, the earlier events on the calendar will simply buy qualification to a final end of season event, the outcome of which will decide the next world champion.

Next season the championship is moving to ultra-high performance M32 catamarans. Photo: © Robert Hajduk – WMRT

The first World Championship qualifier takes place this March in Fremantle, Australia, with subsequent events taking place in Long Beach, California; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Newport, Rhode Island, USA. In turn, each of these have two qualifying events, given new committed teams the potential to make it right through to competing in the world championship. The Tour describes this as, “…an unprecedented opportunity for young and ambitious sailors to make their mark on the professional racing world.”

Ian Williams’ team GAC Pindar (left) dominated the final of the Monsoon Cup. Photo: © Robert Hajduk – WMRT

A short 2016 season will culminate with 20 teams racing in Marstrand, Sweden in July. In addition to the world title, the winner of this event will also take home a significantly increased bonus prize of US$1 million, making it the largest cash prize in the sport of yacht racing by a margin that is nothing short of phenomenal.

This year will also see competition moving from a variety of different monohulls – historically each venue has provided a different class of boat – to the ultra-high performance M32 catamaran. The format of the racing will also change to reflect the developments in America’s Cup racing over the past few years. The World Match Racing Tour will therefore once again be positioned as a de facto feeder for America’s Cup talent, regaining a position it lost when the Cup changed from heavy monohull yachts to hi-tech giant foiling catamarans.

RECENT POSTS

X-Yachts announces new high performance cruiser

A year of change on the World Match Racing Tour

The classically French Outremer 45

Seasonal maintenance: Propellers

Destination: A Coruna, Spain

Sail at Antigua without your own boat

Seasonal maintenance: Paint finishes

Garcia’s Exploration 52 oozes Gallic style

The rise and rise of superyacht regattas

Destination: Punta del Este

via A year of change on the World Match Racing Tour | Yachting News Report | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

Marlow Ropes Award for Phipps and Boniface

Written by RYA | 11 March 2016

Nacra 17 sailors Phipps and Boniface awarded £2500 of Marlow rope

Falmouth’s Tom Phipps and Eastbourne’s Nicola Boniface are the latest members of the British Sailing Team’s Podium Potential squad to be awarded the Marlow Ropes Award following their tenth place finish at the Nacra 17 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida in February.

The Marlow Ropes Award was introduced in 2002 with the aim of rewarding Britain’s most promising young sailors for their determination, focus and talent. Phipps and Boniface will have £2500 to spend at Marlow Ropes over the next year.

This is the duo’s first top ten finish at a Nacra 17 World Championships, having finished 24th at the 2015 edition. Since teaming up last year the pair have gone from strength to strength including an 11th place at the European Championships in September.

Phipps was at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show to accept the award: “Thank you very much to Marlow Ropes for the award. This will directly go towards what Nikki and I are trying to do and will make a difference.

“For us on the Nacra we seem to go through rope like nothing else so to be able to have a great supply of rope from Marlow, which is top quality stuff, will help us hugely on the water.”

Phipps and Boniface are currently in Palma training for their next event, said Phipps: “The next regatta for us is the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma at the end of the month and we want to start using the ropes straight away.”

Their first purchase will be for Boniface explained Phipps: “Nikki is always asking for a new mainsheet so that is probably first on the list, but what is really important to us is minimal stretch, on ropes like the spinnaker halyard because we want that to be as firm and as solid as possible.”

Milly Stone, Marketing Executive, Marlow Ropes said: “The Marlow Ropes Award was designed to try and help the up and coming sailors, giving them all the equipment they need to move forward with their sailing career.

“In all the years that we have run the Marlow Ropes Award we have always received great feedback from the sailors and worked with them extensively on new products for each Olympic cycle which is invaluable. It is hugely important for us to work with the British Sailing Team, not only to help our British team but also because we find that working with them is vital as the feedback we receive is influential in developing and improving our products at Marlow.”

As well as supporting up-and-coming sailors, Marlow Ropes are also the official supplier to the British Sailing Team thanks to its industry-renowned reputation for producing products tried, tested and trusted in the world’s harshest environments.

via Marlow Ropes Award for Phipps and Boniface | Home | News | The British Sailing Team | RYA.

Five sailors added to Team GB for Rio 2016

Written by RYA | 08 March 2016

Windsurfer Nick Dempsey makes his fifth Olympics, with first-time call-ups for Saxton-Groves and Dobson-Ainsworth

With 150 days to go to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the British Olympic Association (BOA) can today announce five additional sailors from three classes selected to compete for Team GB this summer.

Nick Dempsey is set to become a five-time Olympian in Rio after the London 2012 silver medallist and Athens 2004 bronze medallist was selected for the RS:X Men’s windsurfing class. If the double World Champion wins gold in Rio, he will become the most successful men’s Olympic windsurfer in history.

Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth, who finished fifth at the 2015 World Championships, will make their Olympic debuts in the 49erFX – a new event for Rio – with 2015 European Champions Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves following suit in the Nacra 17 mixed multihull event, which also sees its first Olympic Games outing this year.

The five sailors join those initially selected in September. However, from those selected in September, the BOA, in conjunction with the Royal Yachting Association, has made the difficult decision to deselect the 470 Men’s pairing of Luke Patience and Elliot Willis. Due to Elliot’s ongoing treatment for bowel cancer, as a two person crew, they are unfortunately unable to follow the combined training programme required to maximise their chances of success in Rio.

Selection trials in the 470 Men’s event will therefore continue, with the trials in the 49er class also ongoing.

Team GB’s sailing squad for Rio 2016:

Giles Scott: Finn

Nick Thompson: Laser

Alison Young: Laser Radial

Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark: 470 Women

Charlotte Dobson and Sophie Ainsworth: 49erFX

Ben Saxton and Nicola Groves: Nacra 17

Bryony Shaw: RS:X Women

Nick Dempsey: RS:X Men

British sailors have established a proud tradition of excellence in Olympic competition, having won 55 medals – including 26 golds – since sailing made its debut at Paris 1900 with Team GB topping the overall Olympic sailing medal table.

Today’s selection takes Team GB total athlete delegation to 21 from three sports; sailing (11 athletes), shooting (six) and canoe slalom (four).

Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England said:

“It’s great to welcome five new athletes to Team GB and see our number of selected sailors grow further.

“Rio 2016 will be a special occasion for each of these sailors, with four experiencing an Olympic Games for the very first time while Nick Dempsey will be joining a select group of athletes who have achieved the accolade of competing for Team GB at five consecutive Olympic Games.

“While it’s a great day for them, it’s hugely disappointing for both Luke and Elliot, and everyone at the BOA wishes Elliot the very best in his recovery.”

Stephen Park OBE, RYA Olympic Manager and Team GB Sailing Team Leader said:

“It’s fantastic to be naming some new first time Olympians to be joining the team already selected, and fantastic that Nick Dempsey will have the opportunity to try and complete his medal set at his fifth Olympic Games.

“The circumstances surrounding the deselection of Luke and Elliot are obviously disappointing for everyone. However, as a team we knew we would be set a number of challenges in this journey to Rio 2016 and this is just one we have to deal with along the road. Hopefully this doesn’t mark the end of Elliot’s Olympic journey and we look forward to seeing him back in the boat soon.”

Nick Dempsey, 35, from Norwich and now lives in Weymouth said:

“It’s pretty special. I have been doing this for a long time and I just feel incredibly proud and very lucky to represent my country again at my fifth Olympic Games. I never thought I would make it this far and so am very honoured. It feels like quite an achievement, not a lot does but this does.

“I do this because I want to win an Olympic gold medal for myself and I want to achieve what I know I can achieve and that is to win so I’m going to give it a go, stick at it and hopefully do what I know I can do.”

Charlotte Dobson, 29, born in Glasgow and now lives in Weymouth said:

“It’s absolutely incredible, it has been a long time coming. I have done two cycles as the bridesmaid in a boat on my own, and this time it’s so amazing to be the bride eventually. It’s just really cool to have done it with Soph in a team, it almost makes it feel a little bit more special being able to share it with somebody.

“You see how once people are selected they slightly change almost and I think when I woke up this morning it didn’t feel so much of a personal challenge any more. It’s a personal ambition to win a gold medal but it is more of an honour, a lot of people are behind you in the British Team and it’s for Queen and country. It feels like a lot of responsibility, for all the people that haven’t been selected and people have got selected in the past, to make them proud.”

via Five sailors added to Team GB for Rio 2016 | Home | News | The British Sailing Team | RYA.

A race to The Hague DownloadVictor Fraile / Volvo Ocean Race Download DownloadRicardo Pinto / Volvo Ocean RaceThe Hague, scene of an enormously successful pit-stop last year, has been chosen to host the finale of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 (full story below).- Dutch port chosen to host climax to 13th edition- Gothenburg will set up crucial last leg- ‘My crowning moment’ says Dutchman TouberTHE HAGUE, Netherlands, March 23 – The Hague, scene of an enormously successful pit-stop last year, has been chosen to host the finale of the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.The Dutch stopover will be preceded by a midsummer stopover in Volvo’s home city of Gothenburg, setting up the crucial last leg to the Netherlands in June 2018.The race’s outgoing Dutch COO, Tom Touber, announced the climax to the 13th edition in Scheveningen harbour at a press conference in The Hague on Wednesday.“Today is a great day for sailing in general, but even more so for the Netherlands. It’s wonderful that the finale of the 2017-18 race will be staged in a city so close to my heart, with such a rich heritage of ocean racing,” he said.“The Hague has certainly earned this honour: the pit-stop in the previous race last June was one of the highlights of the entire event, with huge numbers of fans attending, plus great media and a long list of VIP guests.“I am bowing out shortly to pursue some exciting new challenges after nearly five and a half years, but this feels like the crowning moment of my time working for the Volvo Ocean Race organisation. I can’t wait for a truly great spectacle in Scheveningen. It will be the party of a lifetime.”Touber headed the winning ABN AMRO (2005-06) campaign and also Delta Lloyd (2008-09), which were both launched from the Netherlands.During the last edition of the ocean race in 2015, The Hague was a host port for the first time. This was celebrated with a three-day festival. Around 150,000 people came to see the boats and the stage performances of many well-known artists.The city’s Deputy Mayor and Alderman for Economic Affairs and Harbours, Karsten Klein, added: “Scheveningen harbour is an ideal spot for sailing professionals from all over the world. Something we were able to clearly demonstrate with last year’s pit-stop.“We also have a great deal of experience of organising major events, such as the Hockey World Cup and the Beach Volleyball World Cup, But the finish of the Volvo Ocean Race really is a major accolade for our city. It is the biggest sports event that we have ever organised in The Hague.”Gothenburg city officials were equally delighted with their key spot in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 schedule, with the stopover likely to be several days longer than in June 2015 depending on arrival times.City Mayor, Ann-Sofie Hermansson, said: “In Gothenburg, we are proud to be the sailing capital of the Nordic countries and to be Volvo’s home town. Therefore it is very exciting to welcome the yachts in the Volvo Ocean Race back. All visitors to the Free Port will see an area that is evolving and changing very much.”CEO of Göteborg &CO, Camilla Nyman, added: “By being a stop, it becomes a more spectacular sailing event with both an arrival and a departure this time to excite local fans.”Gothenburg will be hosting the race for the fourth time, from June 14–24, 2018, having staged stopovers in 2002, 2006 and 2015.“Gothenburg, Volvo’s home town, is one of the most important ports in the event’s history and a highly regarded member of the Volvo Ocean Race family,” said Antonio Lopez Bolanos, acting CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race.“The city did a fantastic job in 2015 to host the finale of the 12th edition when hundreds of thousands of fans visited Gothenburg Race Village. We are really looking forward to arriving back in Sweden in June 2018 for the final exciting chapter of our competition.”The 13th edition of the world’s toughest offshore race will begin in Autumn 2017. Alicante, Spain, the race’s headquarters since 2010, will be the departure port.Further port confirmations will be made in the forthcoming months with Newport, Rhode Island and Cardiff already announced.

via A race to The Hague| Volvo Ocean Race.

Gipsy Moth IV at Jersey Boat Show

11 Mar 2016

Visitors will experience what life was like for sailors half a century ago

JERSEY BOAT SHOW: The yacht in which Sir Francis Chichester sailed around the global in 1966 will make an appearance at the 2016 Barclays Jersey Boat Show.

Restored by the UK Sailing Academy in 2015, Gipsy Moth IV is now privately owned and run by a charitable trust.

“We are proud to welcome Gipsy Moth IV to our island waters during its special anniversary year and delighted that her visit has been arranged to coincide with this year’s boat show,” said Myra Shacklady on behalf of Ports of Jersey, organisers of the show.

She added: “By allowing visitors to step on board I have no doubt she will be one of our star attractions.”

This year is the 50th anniversary of Sir Francis Chichester’s journey which holds the record for the fastest round the world voyage by a small vessel, the longest single-handed passage and the longest non-stop passage by a small vessel.

Gipsy Moth IV will appear at a number of maritime events throughout Europe this year to commemorate its anniversary.

At the Jersey Boat Show, visitors will have the opportunity to go on board and experience what life was like for sailors 50-years ago.

The vessel will be available for private charter and there will also be crewing opportunities.

Taking place in and around St Helier Marina and Weighbridge Place, the Barclays Jersey Boat Show is from Saturday 30 April to Monday 2 May.

via Boating Business | Gipsy Moth IV at Jersey Boat Show.

Email Print

ORACLE TEAM USA in capsize drama

14 Mar 2016

ORACLE TEAM USA

KEEL OVER: ORACLE TEAM USA has become the first America’s Cup team to capsize during training in Bermuda. The incident happened on March 2 following a crew rotation.

Helmsman Tom Slingsby explained how, despite this being a best-case scenario with no injuries, it was still a traumatic experience.

“The boys had been sailing for a while, probably about 18-20 knots of breeze,” he said.

“We’d just done the crew swap, I’d just jumped on the boat. We went into a bear-away, all good, we went through a full foiling gybe. But as I was crossing, I saw we were getting too much heel on the boat,” continued Slingsby.

“When you capsize, it’s all on the skipper. The first thing I thought when I got washed off the boat was to get back on the boat because I need to be running the show for the recovery and to make sure everyone is safe,” he added.

In this case, the full crew was quickly accounted for, the boat was righted in less than five minutes, and was able to sail back to base under its own power.

via Boating Business | ORACLE TEAM USA in capsize drama.