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STAMM CROSSES INTO THE INDIAN OCEAN
Close to 1,000 miles south of the Cape of Good Hope, the first major cape landmark in the Velux 5 Oceans round the world race, leader Bernard Stamm on Cheminees Poujoulat last night entered the Indian Ocean as he passed Longitude 18.29 degrees East. The defending champion from Switzerland has been clocking the fastest speeds within the fleet over the last day, despite reporting a broken halyard yesterday.

After clipping the western limit of the race organisation's safety gate, Mike Golding pushed ECOVER into a sharp dive south, crossing behind the stern of Hugo Boss (Alex Thomson). The World Champion now hangs off the young British skipper's starboard quarter, stalking the second placed boat from a mere 34 miles.

Shiraishi's decision to stay further north, well above the safety gate at Latitude 42 degrees South, has caused the Japanese hero to lose miles on Golding overnight in terms of Distance To Leader as the British boat swooped south. However, conditions are still truly 'Southern Ocean' onboard Spirit of Yukoh as the temperatures drop. The leading yachts are fast approaching the infamous waters of the Southern Ocean after passing north of the safety waypoints below South Africa. Although there is no officially defined boundary that marks the Southern Ocean, the brave skippers will certainly be in the thick of it below Latitude 50 degrees South.

Latest position report:

1. Cheminees Poujoulat, Bernard Stamm, 4012 nm to leg finish
2. Hugo Boss, Alex Thomson, 769 nm to leader
3. Ecover, Mike Golding, 789
4. Spirit of Yukoh, Kojiro Shiraishi, 968
5. SAGA Insurance, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 3089
6. A Southern Man-AGD, Graham Dalton, 3335
7. Pakea, Unai Basurko, 3436

www.velux5oceans.com

FIELD TIGHTENS AT AUDI ETCHELLS WORLDS
Britain's Ante Razmilovic won the 2006 Audi Etchells Worlds Race 4 off Fremantle this afternoon, ahead of American Craig Healy and New Zealander Andy Gair. While series leader Jud Smith has extended his overall lead, behind him the field is tightening.

Ante Razmilovic's win today took him to third place overall in the regatta. The 35 year old Briton is not a new kid on the block, having won the 2003 European titles, the 2004 British titles and only being beaten in the 2004 North Americans on count back.

While Razmilovic has now made a podium claim, the four times Worlds runner up and three times North American champion Jud Smith, has further tightened his grip on the 2006 Worlds, stretching his lead over Britain's Andy Beadsworth.

Provisional Results for Etchells Worlds Championship
after 4 races with 4 races to count

1. Jud Smith/Dirk Kneulman/Andrew Wills/Thomas Saunders, USA, 10 points
2. Andy Beadsworth/James McHugh/Simon Fry, GBR, 10
3. Ante Razmilovic/Jez Fanstone/Stuart Flinn, GBR, 19
4. David Ridley/Carl Peters/Derek Scott, NZL, 32
5. Julian Plante/Michael Coxon/Nick Garland/Matt Day, AUS, 44
6. Mark Bradford/Graeme Taylor/Steve Jarvin, AUS, 48
7. John Bertrand/Ian Johnson/Tim Ede, AUS, 48
8. Stuart Childerley/Simon Russell/Roger Marino, GBR, 51
9. Cameron Miles/Phil Smidmore/Dave Samson, AUS, 52
10. Jake Gunther/Russell Tyson/Richard Ironmonger, AUS, 53

www.etchellsworlds2006.org

YACHT: A HANDMADE BOOK ABOUT HANDMADE BOATS
The paintings of Classic boats by Michael Frith, renowned artist, are reproduced on watercolour paper, hand-bound with a slipcase evoking the character of the Classic boat; 4 colour endpapers; ribbon head and tail bands; rich mahogany-coloured leather spine and corners, and gold-blocked title, with over 40 paintings and sketches. Contributions from Harry Spencer, MBE, and Dan Houston, editor of Classic Boat magazine, quotes from around the world and a specification of each Classic boat included. Bespoke editions can be created for corporate clients.

Full details at www.spotred.co.uk

SPEEDSAILING RECORD ATTEMPT WALVIS BAY
The weather surprised us again with a nice 25 knots average day and a good angle on the sandbar, giving some more sailors the possibility to join the 40 knots club.

Alain de Gendt set a new Belgium record, closely reaching the appropriate margin with 40.15 knots on his production Missile XS. Nick Vardalachos improved his own Greek record, set just two weeks ago, to 40.41 knots. Also new in the 40 knots club is Frank Stein from Namibia with 40.41 knots.

Maaike Kallenborn achieved a new personal best with 36.48 knots but unluckily missed the appropriate margin to get it accepted as a new womens production board record, so her record is still standing at 36.45 knots.

All records are subject to WSSRC ratification.

The forecast is still not looking good, but as it changes permanently we have still hope for the remaining few days. -- Markus Schwendtner

www.50-knots.com

JOB OPPORTUNITY WITH AN EXCITING FUTURE
Ker Yachting Ltd is seeking to engage the services of an experienced Build Manager to take responsibility for the roll out of a range of new yachts. The Candidate will have a sound, proven track record in the Boatbuilding industry, with experience in high tech construction methods and epoxy wet-preg techniques. He/she will be required to deliver high quality IRC Cruiser/Racer yachts to demanding timescales, and meet stringent weight and cost budgets. He/she will have an active interest in yachting and be willing to relocate as necessary to Southern Europe. Applicants please email a covering letter and your CV to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

ARRIVING WITH A BANG
Tony Bullimore and his crew arrived with a bang - quite literally - at Albany, West Australia earlier today when two inflatables acting as 'tugs' failed to stop the 102ft catamaran from slamming into the wharf.

Crewman Simon Redding, who was trying to orchestrate the two support boats from the port bow of Doha 2006, was thrown into the water, but came to no harm. Nor was their any damage to the boat or dock.

"It was embarrassing to have this happen in front of 150 press people all lined up on the dock, but these things happen. The guys in the inflatables had no previous experience of doing this kind of job. I wasn't worried about the boat. She's as strong as an ox. I was more worried about the dock and knocking some of the press into the water!"

After the headline treatment he has received from some quarters of the press during the 11 days Tony and his crew were out of contact, he might be forgiven for quietly wanting to give the offending press a god ducking but Tony remained calm and relaxed.

"We have come in to take on fuel, make one or two small repairs and get a technician to look at the satellite communications onboard Doha 2006, before continuing the voyage to Hobart. I hope to leave on Wednesday or Thursday." Tony added.

He also had an opportunity to explain what went wrong with the communications systems onboard that led to his 11 day silence.

"It was simply a communication problem. We have three satellite phones onboard which meet the safety standards set by international race organisations like the Oryx Quest round the world race which I finished second in last winter. We started out using the Mini M sat phone as our main coms and e.mail system, but this does not have good coverage in the Indian Ocean. We lost coverage with this on Nov 7, shortly after crossing the Equator and swapped over to the Fleet 33 and 77 phones which do have good coverage in the Indian Ocean. However, we couldn't get a connection - We think the problem may lie with the antenna and will now get this checked out

My shore team knew that we were having problems with the satellite phone, but after a week of no contact, reported this as a matter of course to Falmouth Coastguard and asked if they could try and raise us by radio or alert shipping in the area to report our position. Perth and Canberra Maritime Radio Stations then tried to raise us on the radio and it was this message that someone overheard and passed to the media as a rescue alert. The Sydney Morning Herald then ran a story headlined 'Bullimore sets off new alert' and it then spread around the world like wildfire. We did not set off an alert. We were not overdue and there was never any concern for our safety either from my shore team or the rescue authorities."

Once in Hobart, Doha 2006 will be stripped of 3 tons of extraneous equipment including her two engines and sail drives prior to Tony setting off on a solo attempt to break the 70 day barrier for sailing around the world. The record is currently held by Dame Ellen MacArthur with a time of 71 days 14 hours.

www.teambullimore.com

BAA BAA BARCELONA
One observer commented that trying to get 15 of Europe's finest sailing scribblers and snappers together in one location was like trying to herd sheep, let alone to get them on board one of the ten yachts assigned to each one that were gathered in Port Vell in Barcelona for the final test sailing of the European Yacht of the Year. This morning, Wednesday 15 November, under yet another day of benign blue skies that task was achieved and here they all are, the Jury for the Awards representing top sailing magazines from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, UK, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Spain.

After two days of testing and some unusually good breezes, today is the final day before the Jury retires for their deliberations. After an earlier test sail session in Holland in September a total of 20 shortlisted boats will have been exhaustively sailed, measured, photographed and inspected by each one of the Jury members in the most thorough process ever undertaken for any Yacht of the Year Awards. The final results, with a winner in each category, will be announced at the Dusseldorf Boat Show in January and the reports on all the winners will be published in the March issue of Yachting World. -- Andrew Bray

The shortlist, and photo of said staid journos, on Andrew's new blog on YBW.com: www.ybw.com/yw/blog/andrew_bray.html

SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE FASTEST BOAT SOLO AROUND THE PLANET?
She might be 'ex'-B&Q/Castorama, but she remains the fastest boat around the planet piloted by a solo sailor. Ellen MacArthur's 75 foot three-hulled 'weapon' has just been relaunched in Cowes, UK, after an extensive refit that makes her 'better than new' - well proven, now in immaculate condition in every sense including a full clean repaint, and ready to leave to go around the world again - or something more sedate. Offshore Challenges Sailing Team, owner of the record breaking trimaran, are seeking projects, purchasers or charterers to take this young lady on to her next chapter - be it on or off the racecourse. Please, only serious enquiries to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

ORMA CAPSIZE PREVENTER??
From TheDailySail.com:
Capsize, it seems, is an unavoidable ingredient of solo long distance multihull racing. However an individual in France is trying to reverse this state of affairs.

Roger Ganovelli is a second generation multihull sailor. His father Marc, a dentist, is an Olympic Tornado sailor of a similar vintage to Reg White and Roger's background is scarily reminsiscent of our own, his father still owns one of White's 1970s-built Iroquois 30ft catamarans. The Ganovellis have lived and breathed multihulls for almost 40 years.

Studying as a mechanical engineer at the time the cogs began turning in Ganovelli's head over the possibility of some kind of sheet release device to help prevent capsizing or pitchpoling. His ideas were galvanised when the ORMA 60ft trimaran class made it mandatory for some kind of sheet release mechanism to be fitted to the boats for the Route du Rhum.

Full article for subscribers at www.thedailysail.com

A video of Yvan Bourgnon demonstrating the system at www.thedailysail.com/ism/MediaContainer.nsf/Movie/Anticapsize/$file/Anticapsize.wmv

LAUNCHINGS
* An enormous Christmas present arrived at the Areva Challenge base on Wednesday afternoon, when FRA 93 was delivered to the French base. Wrapped in a white protective cover, FRA 93 represents the hopes and dreams of the first team to announce it would compete in 32nd America's Cup, all the way back during the last Louis Vuitton Cup.

Until today, the team has been racing in FRA 60, a boat leased from New Zealand, which defended the America's Cup in 2000. Apart from ITA 59, it is the oldest boat in the fleet. Now, they will be racing in one of the newest.

The team is planning to christen FRA 93 in a ceremony on November 24 and sail it as soon as possible afterwards. -- www.americascup.com

Photo of Areva's tent setup in Valencia for the christening on the Challenger Commission blog: challengercommission.com

* Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team is pleased to announce the construction of the second of the two new boats built for the 32nd America's Cup. Work on the final fit out is going ahead as scheduled by Green Marine of Lymington.

As required by the Protocol of the 32nd America's Cup each team is allowed to build a maximum of 2 new boats, and those same hulls, to be able to race in 2007, must be built in the country of the challenge. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team's challenge is represented by the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia of Naples, Italy.

The hull was built in Italy at Marine Composite in Andora (Savona), and has since been transferred to England where it will be fitted out.

99, like Ita 90, is the design of Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team's design group led by Harry Dunning. The research and development group is comprised of designers, scientists, and engineers, and draws on the vast experience of many America's Cup veterans. -- Lara Ciribi, www.mascalzonelatino.com

* The most successful yacht in Cowes weeks history, a Global Championship trophy on the shelf alongside the prestigious Copa Del Rey, and a 3rd place in the 2006 Breitling Medcup have made Patches (2005) arguably the most successful TP52 since the class's inception.

For the 2007 season, Eamon Conneely and his team will have a new Reichel/Pugh designed TP52 to continue their winning formula. Construction of the new boat has begun at McConaghy's boatbuilding facility in Dong Guan, China where the new 'Yendys' is currently being finished and where the Chinese America's Cup boat is under construction.

The new boat will be launched in May 2007 prior to the first MedCup event in Castellon in June.

* The second Rogers IRC46, Yeoman XXXII, has now been launched in UK, much to the delight of her owner David Aisher, Commodore of the RORC.

To add to this momentum, Danebury, the first 46 off the production line, recently competed in the Garmin Big Boat Series in the UK, only her second event since being launched, and won both IRC and IRM convincingly overall.

The production is now well underway at CMI in Thailand with the next batch of boats due to be delivered to the US, Australia and the Far East. -- rogersyachtdesign.com

Editor: Photos of the new IRC46 at scuttlebutteurope.com/photos/ in the Launchings section.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Letters are limited to 350 words, and you may only write a single letter on a topic. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published.

* From Michael van Stom: I read with interest the story of Mike Perham and his transatlantic attempt. I wish him and his father well in their endeavour. I had a look at the Tide 28 website and was horrified to read that this vessel can be powered by a 70hp outboard and can attain 18 knots. I then had a look at the photo gallery and encountered an image described as "sailing". Unfortunately the 70hp outboard is still hanging on the transom and appears to be turning over. My question is what size outboard are the Perhams installing on their vessels?

Editor: sounds a lot like the MacGregor 26 sold extensively thoughout North America. Not something I'd ever consider getting out of sight of land on, let alone a transat.

* From Adrian Morgan: Tony Bullimore is accused of manufacturing a communications breakdown to generate media interest; Robin Knox-Johnston is wiped out as he struggles to make contact with a journalist. This is madness. I cannot imagine Chichester being so pressured by the need to placate his sponsors as to delay a sail change to conduct a radio interview, or for that matter even contemplating radio silence in order to whip up concern. Seamanship is being compromised by the pressure to inform the public of every windshift and mood change during the course of these long-distance races. Personally, I couldn't care a stuff any more, and if Robin is forced to pull out in Cape Town to fix battens broken while trying to appease the demands of the media, then it will be a sad day for all concerned. Robin has been an inspiration for generations of sailors who dreamt of going to sea to get away from it all. Seems now there's no escape. It's like reality TV, on sea. Me? I'm switching off. I'd much rather wait and read Robin's book.

THE LAST WORD
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy. -- Edgar Bergen

OC Events, 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) www.ocevents.org

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