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BlackCat expands its portfolio

09 Mar 2017

BlackCat 35 provides accommodation in six cabins

BlackCat Superyachts has added a new 35m luxury catamaran built completely from carbon fibre to its portfolio.

The vessel – that has a beam of 14m – is designed to perform under sail and also to be fuel efficient when under motor.

“After launching the BlackCat 50m model in 2016 it became apparent that the market appetite for a high-quality superyacht multihull is rapidly growing,” said Mitch Booth, BlackCat founder. “The BlackCat 35 offers the same characteristics of style and performance in this smaller model.”

BlackCat 35 provides accommodation in six cabins for up to eight guests and four crew, the main deck salon is on a single level and designed for entertainment.

The advantages of fast cruising on a multihull, capable of cruising at 20 knots and reaching a maximum speed of 32 knots, with a low heel angle and platform stability, make the BlackCat 35 an alternative for any owner considering a 40-45m monohull.

via Boating Business | BlackCat expands its portfolio.

Dinghy Show attracts thousands of visitors09 Mar 2017The RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show attracted thousands of visitorsThousands of dinghy sailing enthusiasts from across the UK visited the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace to see the latest boats and equipment on offer.“We were delighted to see more than 8,000 people joining us for a fantastic show this year including higher visitor numbers on the Sunday than we’ve seen in previous years,” said RYA director of sport development Alistair Dickson.“As always, there was a real buzz throughout the weekend as visitors browsed the halls, enjoyed talks from the sport’s biggest names and caught up with friends. The feedback we’ve received from the exhibitors, visitors and speakers has also been extremely positive.”Among the new boats on display was the foiling trimaran F101 that received its launch at the show.Foiling World, the marketing business behind the F101, is working with the designer Ron Price, boat builder White Formula, Selden Masts, Hyde Sails and Harken.Other new boats included the International 14 from Composite Craft and the new Solo from the Boat Yard at Beer. Both with full Allen fit-outs and custom fabrication.“Every aspect of the Solo was considered in the search for improvement. New foil moulds were CAD designed and 5-axis CNC machined to ensure trueness and consistency of build,” explained Kevin Driver of the Boat Yard at Beer.Also at the show, Ullswater Yacht Club was crowned RYA Club of the Year 2017 and the Flying 10 was named ‘boat of the show’ winning the Concours d’Elegance.The show was officially opened by Olympic medallists Mark Covell and Helena Lucas.

via Boating Business | Dinghy Show attracts thousands of visitors.

Ancasta FAST40+ partnership

13 Mar 2017

Ancasta International Boat Sales has confirmed its sponsorship of the FAST40+ Class and appointment as official brokerage partner of the FAST40+ circuit.

“We are hugely excited to have the opportunity of working with this new class. As we have seen over such a short period, there is a serious demand for boats of this nature,” said Sam Pearson of Ancasta Race Boats.

“This year’s season is looking like it will raise the profile of the class even further and with plenty of owners on the fringes, we are excited to see what the future will bring.”

via Boating Business | Ancasta FAST40+ partnership.

Fourth team confirmed and coming in March

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Giovanni Malgarini/Team Akzonobel

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Benoit Stichelbaut / Dongfeng Race Team

The fourth team for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 is now confirmed – and will be revealed later this month.

The fourth team for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 is now confirmed – and will be revealed later this month.

With over seven months to go before the beginning of the next edition in October, the new campaign joins Team AkzoNobel, Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE in early preparations for the 2017-18 start line in Alicante.

Volvo Ocean Race CEO Mark Turner said: “We’re delighted to confirm another exciting campaign for the next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.”

The teams will depart Alicante on 22 October 2017, and race more than 45,000 nautical miles around the planet, taking in Lisbon, Cape Town, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Auckland, Itajaí, Newport, Cardiff and Gothenburg before the big finish in The Hague at the end of June 2018.

With boats 7 and 8 likely to be undergoing the stringent re-fit process at the Boatyard in Lisbon until around May/June 2017, the full fleet is unlikely to be announced before the summer.

The one-design concept has reduced the need for teams to begin their campaigns as early as in previous editions. There is no reason why a campaign getting off the ground this summer can’t go on and win the trophy.

via Fourth team confirmed and coming in March| Volvo Ocean Race.

Team AkzoNobel to race brand new Volvo Ocean 65 in Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18

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Giovanni Malgarini/Team Akzonobel

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Giovanni Malgarini/Team Akzonobel

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Giovanni Malgarini/Team Akzonobel

ALICANTE, Spain, March 8 – Team AkzoNobel will compete in the 2017-18 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race in a brand new boat.

ALICANTE, Spain, March 8 – Team AkzoNobel will compete in the 2017-18 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race in a brand new boat.

Team AkzoNobel, led by Dutch skipper Simeon Tienpont, will tackle sailing’s toughest team test in the new Volvo Ocean 65 currently being constructed at Persico Marine in Bergamo, Italy.

The boat, scheduled for completion in May, is identical to the current one-design fleet of seven Volvo Ocean 65s which competed in the 2014-15 edition.

Tienpont, who made the team’s milestone announcement on Wednesday at the HISWA Amsterdam Boatshow, said: “Team AkzoNobel is a brand-new team being built from the ground up – so a brand-new boat feels right.

“Every new boat is exciting, but this one is something special. It doesn’t seem very long since I started planning out this campaign on my kitchen table at home, so it’s a great feeling to now see our boat coming to fruition.”

Explaining the motivation behind the decision to commission the build of the new boat, he said: “Our goal is to be the best prepared team on the start line in Alicante, so, our first choice was always to have a new boat built.

“If you have that option, it’s a no-brainer decision to make when you are racing around the world.”

And Tienpont, a double-America’s Cup winner who has twice raced the Volvo Ocean Race before, onboard ABN Amro Two in 2005-06 and Team Vestas Wind in 2014-15, admitted to having butterflies in his stomach when he first laid eyes on the new boat.

“My wife thinks it’s crazy but I always have a special bond with the boats that I race,” he confessed. “Just like some people bond with the horse that they ride or their pet dog, I relate emotionally to the boat that I race.”

The existing fleet is currently undergoing a one-million-euros-per-boat re-fit procedure at The Boatyard in Lisbon, Portugal.

The new boat, which has been constructed using the same materials and moulds as the rest of the fleet, will shortly be transported to Lisbon, where it will undergo rigorous testing to ensure it adheres to the strict one-design criteria.

“We have a christening ceremony planned in the Netherlands for the summer,” Tienpont said. “Bringing our boat home for the first time will be an exciting moment and an opportunity for our Dutch supporters to see it.

“The Volvo Ocean Race is hugely popular in the Netherlands. In the same way that the French public loves the Vendée Globe, the Dutch are crazy about the Volvo Ocean Race. As a Dutchman, I’m immensely proud to be skippering a Dutch Volvo Ocean Race campaign.”

Nick Bice, Chief Technical Development Officer at the Volvo Ocean Race, has overseen the re-fit process of the existing Volvo Ocean 65s, and is delighted to see an extra boat joining the fleet.

“It’s hugely exciting to expand the fleet ahead of the next edition,” he said. “Team AkzoNobel signed up early in the cycle, so they had time to build a new boat, and it will be a great benefit to them in terms of their brand fit.”

He added: “The new boat will be identical to the existing fleet in every regard. All of the Volvo Ocean 65s were built to race in at least two editions, and the seven that finished the 2014-15 edition are in fantastic condition.

“You won’t be able to tell the difference between the brand new boat, and one of the old ones,” he added. “And there is no reason why an existing boat, sailed properly, cannot win the next Volvo Ocean Race.”

The Volvo Ocean Race starts from Alicante on 22 October 2017 and finishes in The Hague in the summer of 2018. The teams will complete a course of around 45,000 nautical miles, visiting a total of 12 Host Cities around the world.

via Team AkzoNobel to race brand new Volvo Ocean 65 in Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18| Volvo Ocean Race.

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Dubois Naval Architects assets sold

06 Mar 2017

Dubois Naval Architects designed a string of distinctive yachts

The assets of Dubois Naval Architects have been sold at auction for an undisclosed sum.

Insolvency and restructuring firm CVR Global were called into the company earlier this year after it hit financial trouble following the death of founder Ed Dubois in March 2016.

CVR Global instructed auctioneers Marriott & Co to hold an online auction of Dubois Naval Architects’ assets, which included the iconic company’s name and its intellectual property rights, drawings and designs.

The auction attracted world-wide interest and resulted in all lots being sold exceeding the reserve prices.

“The death of Mr Dubois had a dramatic impact on the fortunes of Dubois Naval Architects and the financial constraints the company experienced in a difficult market resulted in our appointment,” said Terry Evans from CVR Global’s Southampton office.

“Following an assessment of the company’s affairs it was clear the business could not continue to trade and we subsequently instructed Marriott & Co to hold an auction of the company’s business assets.

“We are in the process of completing the procedure and early indications are that the outcome will result in the secured creditor being paid in full. If the work in progress is completed satisfactorily, the end result may provide a dividend to the remaining creditors.”

Gavin Marriott, director of Marriott & Co, added: “We are pleased to say that the best bids for all the lots at the auction exceeded the reserve prices and that we are in the process of completing the sales accordingly.

“There has been world-wide interest in the Dubois assets and we believe that the auction result was excellent.”

Mr Dubois’ first yacht design, Borsalino Trois, won the British Trials for the Three Quarter Ton Cup, the RORC Class IV overall prize and the Solent Points Championship.

He founded Dubois Naval Architects in 1977 and went on to design a string of boats that won events throughout the world in the 1980s and 90s.

Commissions for production boats followed racing success with the company known for pushing technology.

via Boating Business | Dubois Naval Architects assets sold.

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Performance data is collected by racegeek

07 Mar 2017

racegeek’s new d10 collects and shares performance data

From the fitness and wellness market to programming our heating from the other side of the coast, the fascination and in some cases obsession with data continues.

Now racegeek has launched a tactical racing tool that uses the latest technology with what the company calls design simplicity to collect and provide performance race data with the ability to upload the metrics to the cloud.

The d10 has been designed for boats from 20ft to 35ft with key features including a 60 and 40mm digit backlit waterproof LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass protective cover, inbuilt compass, GPS and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The d10 is also race legal in several classes including IRC, ORC and PHRF.

A race mode has three separate functions – prestart, performance and navigation with countdown and distance to line, boat speed and wind angles, waypoint angles and distance.

“Combining core functionality of multiple instruments into one device, as well as large digit backlit LCD waterproof display, inbuilt compass, GPS and Wi-Fi connectivity, the d10 takes the ‘Apple’ approach of hardware and platform development,” explained company co-founder, Ric Morris.

Co-founder JC Durbin added: “Data collection has evolved in other industries. To be successful the collected data has to be a by-product of a device not just its core purpose, it has to be easy to get the data off the device and the data collected has to be meaningful results that people can act upon.

“We think that we have cracked this for the inshore racing market by creating the d10, a new tactical racing tool.”

Sailors wanting additional technical functionality can connect device or software packages that support NMEA via Wi-Fi or cable and stream data to or from the d10 and customise data displays.

via Boating Business | Performance data is collected by racegeek.

Vendée Globe star Jérémie Beyou takes on Volvo Ocean Race challenge as Dongfeng Race Team name world class trio

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Benoit Stichelbaut / Dongfeng Race Team

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Martin Keruzoré/Volvo Ocean race

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Yann Riou/Volvo Ocean Race

Dongfeng skipper Charles Caudrelier names France’s Jérémie Beyou and New Zealanders Stu Bannatyne and Daryl Wislang for Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 campaign

Jérémie Beyou, fresh from his third place in the Vendée Globe, will swap solo sailing for the sport’s toughest team challenge, after the Frenchman was announced as part of a trio of world-class sailors joining Dongfeng Race team for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

Beyou joins two other vastly experienced offshore sailors in New Zealand’s Stu Bannatyne and Daryl Wislang to complete the first batch of crew to join the Chinese campaign following months of trials and intense testing by skipper Charles Caudrelier.

Bannatyne, a seven-time Volvo Ocean Race veteran with three wins under his belt, and Wislang, who has competed three times and lifted the trophy with Abu Dhabi in 2014-15, know all too well just what it takes to be competitive in sailing’s leading offshore challenge.

But Beyou, a 40-year-old, three-time Solitaire du Figaro winner from Larmor-Plage in Brittany, who is used to racing around the world alone on his Open 60, Maître Coq, recognises that life onboard will be a very different experience for him.

“I will have to get used to being one of a team of sailors on board,” he said. “It’s a really exciting challenge. We have high expectations for a result in this race and we have exactly what we need to do well.

“Dongfeng is an interesting team because we have people of different ages, nationalities and backgrounds – people from single-handed racing, from dinghy racing and veterans of the Volvo. There is a great spirit on board and everyone is helping each other – it’s a great feeling.”

Caudrelier, who skippered Dongfeng Race Team to a podium finish in 2014-15, believes that the depth of experience held by Beyou, Wislang and Bannatyne across multiple offshore sailing disciplines will combine well with his Chinese and international squad to form a powerful racing team.

“You could not ask for more in terms of experience and miles under the keel,” said Caudrelier. “In Stu and Daryl we have two of New Zealand’s very best offshore racers who know the Volvo Ocean Race inside out. Jérémie may be new to the race, but we are delighted to give him this opportunity and I have huge respect for what he has achieved. In a one-design fleet of Volvo Ocean 65s, having specialist Figaro sailors like him on board is invaluable.”

Caudrelier revealed that Wislang will be a watch captain on Dongfeng.

Both Beyou and Bannatyne will sail during the race, with Bannatyne likely to be on board for the main Southern Ocean legs.

“Daryl is a proven offshore warrior,” said the skipper. “Stu has so much experience to share – especially with our younger sailors – and Jérémie is eager to learn about, what for him, is a new challenge.”

Bannatyne first sailed it in 1993-94 onboard New Zealand Endeavour and his love for Southern Ocean is as strong as ever.

“The big thing with the Volvo Ocean Race for me is the fast downwind sailing, having no bottom mark to worry about going around, and then of course the camaraderie of the team,” he said. “And I love being offshore and trying to get the best out of the boat.

Wislang is eager to continue his “love affair” with the race – and is particularly looking forward to sailing with Caudrelier.

“I’ve always had a lot of time for Charles and I know what he did with Dongfeng last time and how good a skipper and team leader he is,” said Wislang.

The team is currently settling into its permanent base at Lorient in Brittany after delivering its newly-refitted Volvo Ocean 65 there from Lisbon last week. Further crew announcements will be made in the next few weeks.

Stuart Bannatyne  (New Zealand)

Born April 20, 1971

Lives in Auckland, NZ

Seven Volvo Ocean Races and three wins with New Zealand Endeavour, Illbruck Challenge, Ericsson 4.

Broken the 24-hour monohull world speed record on five occasions

New Zealand Yachtsman of the Year in 2009

Eight Fastnet races, three Transpacs and 11 Sydney Hobarts

Daryl Wislang (New Zealand)

Born May 20, 1981

Lives in Wellington, NZ

Four previous Volvo Ocean Races and winner in 2014 with Abu Dhabi

On board Comanche as it set the world 24-hour distance record in the Translatic Race in 2015 and later won the Sydney to Hobart

Jérémie Beyou (France)

Born 26 June 1976 in Landivisiau (Finistère)

Lives in Larmor-Plage, France

Third place in Vendée Globe 2016 (IMOCA Maître CoQ)

Winner of the New York – Vendée (Les Sables d’Olonne)

Three times winner of Solitaire du Figaro

2nd in the 2014 Route du Rhum (IMOCA Maître CoQ)

Winner of Transat Jacques Verbe with Jean-Pierre Dick in 2011

FTP Link: https://volvooceanrace.brickftp.com/f/2b7c4bb87

via Vendée Globe star Jérémie Beyou takes on Volvo Ocean Race challenge as Dongfeng Race Team name world class trio| Volvo Ocean Race.

Southern Spars step up as Volvo Ocean Race official rig package supplier

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Amalia Infante / Volvo Ocean Race

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Amalia Infante/Volvo Ocean Race

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Matt Knighton/Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race

Southern Spars, the world’s leading carbon fibre spar manufacturer, will be the official supplier of the full rig package for the One Design Volvo Ocean 65 fleet for a second consecutive race (full story below).

Southern Spars, the world’s leading carbon fibre spar manufacturer, will be the official supplier of the full rig package for the One Design Volvo Ocean 65 fleet for a second consecutive race, a move that strengthens the Auckland-based company’s historic ties with sailing’s toughest team challenge.

Southern Spars have been supplying spars to Volvo Ocean Race podium finishers since 1989-90 when Sir Peter Blake secured a commanding victory on Steinlager 2.

They will again supply the high modulus masts, high modulus racing box boom and a full EC6 bundled carbon fibre rod rigging package with deflected backstays for the Volvo Ocean 65 fleet.

The Volvo Ocean 65 masts measure 30.30m (99.4 ft) – about the same height as a 10-storey building. The mast is one of the most dynamic and complex components on a Volvo Ocean 65 as it transfers all of the power generated by the wind and sails to the boat.

Within one-design rules, all 10 rigs (for the eight Volvo Ocean 65s, plus two spares) must be identical in terms of dimensions, weight and stiffness. Southern Spars’ robust production processes guarantee this.

Nick Bice, Chief Technical Development Officer at the Volvo Ocean Race said: “We can 100% rely on Southern Spars for their delivery of the One Design masts and combined with their service support as the teams race around the planet, we are in the best hands possible.”

Southern Spars have made rigs for 38 Volvo Ocean Race teams over the years and there’s a good reason why they are the leaders in their field today.

Steve Wilson, Senior Designer at Southern Spars, explains: “Some of the materials we use here, like Thin Ply Technology (TPT), is exclusive to Southern Spars and that allowed us a lot of flexibility in the design, to strengthen the masts where they need to be stronger, lower the stresses and basically just make a safer product for the guys on the water.”

The rigs: a fact file

Within one-design rules, all rigs must be identical in terms of dimensions, weight and stiffness. The first 11 rigs to be bend-tested for the 2014-15 race showed a discrepancy of just 1.4mm across the board. The weight of the masts, as they were delivered to the boats, varied by just 1.35kg from heaviest to lightest – that’s a difference of 0.32%. The centre of gravities of the masts varied by just 0.2%.

The deck-stepped mast has a tube length of 28.4m and is built from High Modulus Carbon Fibre. It was designed in-house by Southern Spars using the DesMan and RigCalc software packages, integrated with the North Sails design software.The two companies have a long history of collaborating on masts and sails to achieve the ultimate above the deck package and this process produces the most integrated rig package possible, with the mast and sails performing in concert to produce the optimum shape and drive at all times.

Structurally, there are 202 pieces of Carbon Fibre pre-preg in each mast tube, with an additional 52 patches of structural reinforcement. Southern Spars’ manufacture process, which includes the use of accurately placed ultra-thin layers of carbon, allows designers to be extremely precise with the placement and orientation of fibre, leading to the lightest yet most structurally sound masts available.

The Volvo Ocean 65 sports a 7.68m racing box boom again built from high modulus carbon and weighing 68kgs. Its deep section provides maximum stiffness to weight efficiency and provides extra downwind sail area. With internal locks at the outboard end of the boom, reefing is made efficient for the crew to manage in strong winds.

The rigging consists of nine separate stays and is constructed from intermediate modulus carbon fibre, with main stays that have a 26-ton minimum break load. The ECsix carbon rigging is four times lighter than comparative nitronic steel rigging.

It has a multistrand construction based on a bundle of small rods for safety, durability, longevity and flexibility in the toughest conditions. ECsix cables are the most resilient rigging product on the planet. Their patented construction makes them immune to compression failures, crack propagation and highly resistant to impact and abrasion.

It has a multistrand construction based on a bundle of small rods for safety, durability, longevity and flexibility in the toughest conditions. ECsix cables are the most resilient rigging product on the planet. Their patented construction makes them immune to compression failures, crack propagation and highly resistant to impact and abrasion.

VIDEO PACKAGE:

FTP: https://volvooceanrace.brickftp.com/f/d68d5a3a4

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvglAkJKwlo

via Southern Spars step up as Volvo Ocean Race official rig package supplier| Volvo Ocean Race.

MAPFRE sign up Ñeti as their onboard ‘MacGyver’

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María Muiña/ MAPFRE

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María Muiña/ MAPFRE

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María Muiña/ MAPFRE

Ñeti, the 35-year-old from Santander in the north of Spain, will be taking part in the race for the fourth successive edition. He made his debut on Telefónica Black in 2008-09 and returned with Telefónica in 2011-12 and MAPFRE in 2014-15

‘Ñetifans’ around the world can start working on new banners after MAPFRE announced Antonio “Ñeti” Cuervas-Mons as the third member of their team for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18.

Ñeti, the 35-year-old from Santander in the north of Spain, will be taking part in the race for the fourth successive edition. He made his debut on Telefónica Black in 2008-09 and returned with Telefónica in 2011-12 and MAPFRE in 2014-15.

In each of those races, he’s sailed alongside Xabi Fernández and the skipper for 2017-18 is delighted to have him back as both bowman and boat captain.

So impressed is Xabi with his countryman’s resourcefulness that he refers to him as a ‘MacGyver’, in reference to the cult TV character who always seemed to find an ingenious fix for any problem.

“Ñeti is a very good and multi-skilled sailor,” said Xabi. “This will be our fourth edition on the same team and I look forward to working with him again.”

Ñeti is also famous in Spain for the group of ‘Ñetifans’ who follow him around the world cheering their support.

“I am really pleased to be involved in the Volvo Ocean Race again,” said Nēti. “Our main focus now is to start preparing the boat, choose a good crew and make sure the team is in the best possible position come October.

“The objective is to always be on the podium because we know perfectly well, because we went through it, that you can pay a high price for a problem on even a single leg.”

MAPFRE was the second fully re-fitted Volvo Ocean 65 in the water this week in Lisbon and the team – which also includes the previously announced Pablo Arrarte – are due to start training shortly.

via MAPFRE sign up Ñeti as their onboard ‘MacGyver’| Volvo Ocean Race.