Porto Cervo, Italy. 3rd September 2008.

Photos Kurt Arrigo/Rolex. Alfa Romeo.

Overall leaders in their respective divisions after two days racing in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup are Ernesto Bertarelli’s Numbers (USA) for the Mini Maxi Division, George David’s Rambler (USA) in the Racing division, Magic Carpet 2 (GBR) in the Wally division and Ranger (USA) among the maxis of the Cruising division.

The YCCS Race Committee waited 2 hours for a thermal breeze to fill in to approximately 5 knots from the east before giving the first starting signal just before 1.30 p.m. A 25 mile course was set for the Racing and Wally divisions which took them west to the Secca Tre Monti before turning north and then heading back past Porto Cervo to round the tiny island of Mortoriotto and finishing off Porto Cervo. The Cruising and Mini Maxi divisions were set a 17 mile course which took them on the same route but finished off Porto Cervo without heading south to Mortoriotto.

In the racing division Alfa Romeo took line honours once again but fell behind Rambler on corrected time by just 18 seconds. Both now sit on three points overall with Rambler in first place thanks to today’s victory.

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

Porto Cervo, Italy.
2nd September 2008.

After the first days racing in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo the leaders of the forty-strong fleet, divided into four divisions, are Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo (NZL) for the Racing division; Ernesto Bertarelli’s Numbers (USA) for the Mini Maxi division; John Williams’ Ranger (CAY.ISL) for the Cruising Division and Magic Carpet2 (FRA), owned by Lindsay Owen Jones, for the Wally division. With four more days of racing to go, however, and competition fierce on the waters off Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, all is yet to play for.

Conditions at the start of race one were practically perfect with 12 to fifteen knots of stable 290° wind combining with blue skies and searing sunshine to provide a spectacular show on the start line for the many press and spectator boats looking on. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s Race Committee set a course of 30 nautical miles for the Cruising division which took them from the start just off Porto Cervo through the strait at Capo D’Orso and northwards to round the Barretinelli di Fuori islands before a long south-westerly stretch around the outside of the islands of the La Maddalena archipelago and back past Porto Cervo to the finish. The Racing, Mini Maxi and Cruising divisions followed a similar course which was lengthened to 39 nautical miles by heading further north to round the Ecueil de Lavezzi just off Corsica before turning back towards Porto Cervo.

The Racing division provided few surprises with Alfa Romeo 2 leading Rambler (USA) around the course with a 20 minute gap between the two at the finish. Crichton’s canting-keel supermaxi, which boasts pluri-Olympic medallist Ben Ainslie as strategist, managed to hold her lead by just over one minute on corrected time.

Alfa Romeo 3 (NZL), launched last month and competing in her first ever regatta, also excelled in the Mini-Maxi Division taking real time victory just 14 seconds ahead of Numbers with Andy Soriano’s Alegre in third. On corrected time Alfa Romeo3, with Torben Grael at the helm, moved back to fifth while Numbers took first ahead of the two competing STP65s: Jim Swartz’s Moneypenny, with America’s Cup and Whitbread winner Paul Cayard aboard and Rosebud/Team DYT, owned by Roger Sturgeon and division winner of the Sydney Hobart Race 2007.

In the Cruising Division Arnie Glimcher’s Ghost (USA) crossed the line first ahead of Salperton but corrected back to eighth on handicap while Ranger moved up to first ahead of Salperton with the J Class Velsheda in third.

Claus Peter Offen’s Y3K(GER), with led the Wally fleet in real time ahead of Magic Carpet2 but suffered on handicap to finish fifth overall. Magic Carpet took first place ahead of Irvine Laidlaw’s Highland Fling X (GBR) and Genie (MON) with Prince Carlo di Borbone at the helm.

Tomorrow’s forecast predicts south-easterly winds of approximately 11 to 14 knots. Racing is scheduled to start at 11.30 am.

Results

Racing
1) Alfa Romeo, NZL, 1 – 1.00
2) Rambler, USA, 2 – 2.00

Cruising
1) Ranger, CAY.ISL, 1 – 1.00
2) Salperton, CAY.ISL, 2 – 2.00
3) Velsheda, GBR, 3 – 3.00

Mini Maxi
1) Numbers, USA, 1 – 1.00
2) Moneypenny, USA, 2 – 2.00
3) Rosebud/Team DYT, USA, 3 – 3.00

Wally
1) Magic Carpet2, GBR, 1– 1.00
2) Highland Fling X, GBR 2 – 2.00
3) Genie, MON, 3 – 3.00

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

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Original post by johnsee and software by Elliott Back

Link >>

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Original post by johnsee and software by Elliott Back

This one has been doing the email rounds at the moment…

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Original post by johnsee and software by Elliott Back

The ship carrying the American Reichel Pugh 66 to be renamed from Stark Raving Mad to Black Jack is due to arrive at Fisherman’s Wharf in Brisbane River on Wednesday evening. The crew based in Brisbane will be on hand to prepare the canting keeled yacht for its maiden Australian race the from Sydney to Southport in late July.

Black Jack’s home club Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, based on the waters of Waterloo Bay is unable to accommodate the 66 footer due to its 4.5m draft. Instead Black Jack will be based from Rivergate Marina under the Gateway Bridge on the Brisbane River.

Black Jack will also race in the 2nd Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race starting on the 2nd of August before making her way to Hamilton Island for Race Week.

“We plan on racing in all major events on the east coast of Australia,” said skipper and former American’s Cup sailor Mark Bradford. “There is lots to do to prepare her for racing but with the talented sailors on board it’s sure to make that preparation easier,” continued Bradford.

The crew will hit the water as soon as possible once the yacht is ready to race for a few training sessions before she heads south to Sydney. Eager to get on the water, the crew are aware of the huge learning curve that lies ahead of them.

“It’s an exciting campaign. We are just eager to get Black Jack to Brisbane and start racing,” said Bradford.

Website coming soon: www.blackjackyachting.com

Register for media updates: media@blackjackyachting.com

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

I’m a spectator.

I’m on the beach.

I’m on the rock wall.

I’m not on the water.

I’m taking photos.

There are photos of the beach.

There are photos of surfing.

There are photos of fisherman.

And there are photos of Etchells.

Ok, so maybe they are not the kind of photos I’m used to taking of Etchells, but with the current restrictions on LSD and not being able to take any of racing, these will just have to do. (It’s a whole Musto v. SLAM thing…)

But if you want to see better photos than these, the check out Peter Duncan’s photos on his website Quest Photos – www.questphoto.net

Peter is sure to get some awesome photos from today’s racing as it’s currently blowing at least 25 knots where the fleet is sailing off the coast of Mooloolaba. The racing has been close, but it looks as though Graeme Taylor from Melbourne, together with his crew Grant Warrington and Simon Gorman are going to take the title.

Check out the results here >>

Check out Peter Duncan’s photos here >>

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

Sekonda 2008 RS Feva National Championships at HISC

Laser builder Performance Sailcraft Australia is licensed to build and distribute ther successful RS Sailboat range from Britain in the Asia Pacific region.

Chris Caldecoat, PSA’s Operations Manager says the one-design RS Feva (ISAF International Class), fills a gap for an international junior class leading in to the 29er and 49er classes. The Feva has been selected to be used at the Australian Schools Teams Racing Championships for 2008, and PSA will bid to host the Feva World titles on Sydney Harbour in summer 2010.

More here >>

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Original post by OG and software by Elliott Back

If there’s one thing sailors love, it’s a nice strong breeze.

If there’s one thing Sailing School’s hate, it’s a nice strong breeze for beginners.

Teaching beginners to sail in strong winds is tricky. Even using cut down sails leads to students becoming overwhelmed by the erratic flapping of the sails and the strong wind coming across the water. Add in a water pouring in over the side, and 90% of students will be scared. The other 10%, well they’ll love it and be sailors for life. We just can’t afford to scare the wits out of the other 90% though.

The forecast this weekend is 25/35 knots, that’s the sort of wind that makes me want to run a Soccer Training Camp… or a Tennis Clinic.

We do our best to run alternate land based activities, but at the end of the day, there’s only so many tacking drills and find-a-words that you can do!

Screw you Huey!

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Original post by johnsee and software by Elliott Back

We want to know your favourite Sailing Sites on the web. Are you a big fan of Tillerman’s rants? Do you check Sailing Anarchy every day? Are you a backwards Western Australian? Sail World? YA?

We want to know what sailing sites you check out.

Let us know! >>

Original post by johnsee and software by Elliott Back