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AFTER THE CANARIES
Still on course for her attempt at the record in the Discovery Route between Cadiz and San Salvador (Bahamas), Gitana 13, having left Cadiz on Sunday 18 March at 9h07mn08s UT, passed the Canaries in the early hours of this Tuesday 20 March. And it was a case of relief all round, as in the archipelago, the wind was variable and low and consequently difficult to harness. By the end of the night, it had risen back to 15 knots and should maintain this force throughout the day, thereby allowing Gitana 13 to extricate herself from the archipelago.

Coming out of this difficult night, the team are slightly off the pace in relation to Steve Fossett's record, but the conditions to come seem to offer some cause for optimism, judging by the good mood of Lionel Lemonchois on the phone this morning: "We had a bit of a rough night due to a difficult passage of the Canaries that resulted in us losing a bit of ground. But in the hours to come, the situation should settle down and allow us to get back up to normal speeds for the boat. It's still doable.... We've not had any technical problems to speak of since the start, everything's been going well. The boat may be 8 years old, but the technical improvements we made over the winter have all borne fruit and the boat is a lot better.

Over the coming days, Dominic Vittet, the navigator on board, and Sylvain Mondon (Meteo France), are promising us a nice anticyclone with wind, so morale is good and the record is still within our grasp!"

Key stats: Record to be beaten: Steve Fossett on Playstation in 2003 in 9 days 13 hours 30mn 18s (source WSSRC)
Number of miles to be covered: 3,901 miles
Gitana 13's start: Sunday 18 March 2007 at 9h 7mn 08s UT

Update at 14:20 UT:
Distance covered since start: 867 miles
Distance to finish: 3034 miles
Average speed since start: 16.29 knots

www.gitana-team.com

CAFFARI AND GOLDING FORM TECHNICAL ALLIANCE
Dee Caffari and Mike Golding, two British entries in the 2008 Vendee Globe, have today announced they are forming a technical alliance to share key technical data on the development of their new Open 60 yachts.

The Vendee Globe has, to date, been dominated by the French, who have won every single one of the five editions. This alliance will boost British hopes in this single-handed, non-stop round the world race.

The relationship between the two sailors goes back some eight years when Golding gave Caffari her first job in professional sailing. Despite this close relationship however, the two sailors will be competitors on the start line in 2008.

The alliance will include the sharing of data during the boat building process to produce two near identical boats, the two-boat test sailing will help to optimise set up of each of the yachts and gain both skippers invaluable experience in extracting the best performance from these complex yachts.

Both skippers are hoping to not only improve the performance of their respective boats, but also give themselves a psychological advantage over many of their rivals who will not have such a structured development program.

The first step in the new alliance will be the sharing of the tooling information for Mike's new Owen Clarke design Open 60 that is currently under construction at Hakes Marine in Wellington, New Zealand. It is anticipated that the new ECOVER and Aviva will begin two-boat testing in early 2008.

Merfyn Owen of Owen Clarke Design commented: "We are thrilled that Mike and Dee have agreed to this technical alliance. It gives us a unique opportunity to evaluate two designs side-by-side and further develop what we had already considered to be a leading-edge design".

www.mikegolding.com

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More info on www.holmenkol.com/bilder/download/Haendler_Aquatic_weltweit.pdf

LOOKING FOR THE KEEL BULB
Graham Dalton is convinced that the lead keel bulb which has separated from his boat can be found in Fortaleza Harbour and has commissioned some local divers to help locate it. It took Dalton a few minutes of sailing on the open ocean to notice the lack of the keel bulb, but now he believes that the bulb had already come detached before he'd even cast off lines from his harbour mooring. So there is some hope of finding it. However, even that would merely be the start of a long and tortuous process to get back in the race. After the past few days of his rudder cassette shattering on a submerged object, his subsequent pitstop in the Brazilian port, his severe bout of illness and the theft of all his vital communications equipment, Dalton could be forgiven for bowing out from this race with honour.

But while even a glimmer of a hope remains, the tenacious Kiwi appears to be holding true to his mantra of "Go hard or go home." If by some miracle he does manage to find the sunken bulb, he then needs to raise it to the surface, have it reattached to the boat and be absolutely confident that AGD - A Southern Man is seaworthy again before he attempts the final 3,000 miles to the Leg 2 finish in Norfolk, Virginia. Bearing in mind the task ahead, Dalton would be hard pushed to make the restart for the final Leg 3 to Bilbao on 15 April.

One thing in his favour, however, is that there is a shipbuilder in Fortaleza which builds superyachts. So if he can retrieve his bulb, the expertise should be available for reattaching it safely. However, this really is the thinnest of silver linings around a very big and dark cloud over Graham Dalton right now.

www.velux5oceans.com

SOLO SAILING CONFERENCE
The first Solo Sailing Conference at Southampton was a sell out as single-handed race enthusiast from nine nations gathered for a packed programme of presentations by designers, builders, skippers, sailmakers and race organisers.

Class 40 was the hot topic with detailed studies of two contrasting designs, the Express40 presented by builder Paul Metcalf and the Simon Rogers 40 by James Day. Both craft are in build and delegates will be able to compare the two in the flesh at next years conference. Race skipper Ian Munslow was the star of the show with a riveting account of his splendid third place in the Route Du Rhum sailing the Owen Clark designed, Jazz marine SA built Bolands Mill. Ian had generously flown in from Stockholm where he is building the next generation Volvo Ericsson twins. Ian's own boat was the first non Pogo 40 to be measured and it caused such a flurry in the class establishment that they had to change the box rule in retrospect, Graeme Sutherland led the skippers through the nitty gritty of the new design rules, some designs have had to be altered in the mould!

Solo race organisers dominated the middle session with presentations by Paul Peggs on the RIOW Solo, April 28th, and the Petit Bateau Solo race to Ireland , July 14th. The new Mini Fastnet from Plymouth, June, was presented by James Tingle of the UK mini class association, this is a ground breaking co-production between RWYC and the French classe Mini largely bought about by James' efforts and the massive over subscription of mini races in France. Jester Challenge winner Eric Andlauer's plans to practice his English were scuppered by the closure of the Channel Tunnel. OSTAR 2009 was enthusiastically promoted by three veterans of the race which happily coincided with the opening of the entry list for the classic RWYC event. Jerry Freeman analysed the appalling attrition of the Open 40 class in the 2005 race when only one of eight starters managed to complete the course. Charles Allen(2000) dissected the Notice of Race 2009 for 'gotchas' and Stuart MacDonald,second in class in 2000, shared a taste of the horrors of the race with his video nasty. Ostar 2005 veterans Steve White, Lia Ditton, Huib Swets and Bart Boosman added their support in an audience comprising many potential Ostar competitors who plan to enter via Petit Bateau's 1200 miles official qualifying race in 2008.

One design ocean race boats with powerful rigs were the subject of Charles Bertrand's talk on the exciting new Class 9.50, the young designer presented his vision for the FoX 950 which forms the perfect bridge between mini 650 and class 40. Dutch designer Dick Koopmans countered with his IRC optimised VQ32 of which three have already been ordered and which complies with the 950 box rule.

The conference was organised by Racing at Petit Bateau Ltd, source of all things innovative in solo sailing in the UK with the support of bluQube , Daily Sail, Quantum Sails, Express40, Raymarine, and Offshore Rigging systems. Special thanks go to Royal Southampton Yacht Club for opening their splendid club for the conference and to Jacki Peters and Kathy Smalley for their generous assistance. The 2008 Solo Sailing Conference will be bigger and better. -- Jerry Freeman

TOUGH TESTS STILL TO COME
Excerpts from Ben Ainslie's article in the London Times:
The Louis Vuitton Cup is only a month away, which means that things are starting to warm up here in Valencia. The cup is for the 11 challenging teams who will race through a double round-robin series, a semi-final and then a final series. The winner will progress to race Alinghi, from Switzerland, in the America's Cup final in June. By the middle of May, seven teams will have been eliminated, which, after three years of training, is a harsh reality.

Going into the racing, the top four challengers are probably ETNZ, BMW Oracle, of the United States, Luna Rossa, of Italy, and Desafio Espanol. The expectation is that the racing will be some of the closest ever as the design philosophies for the America's Cup class get closer and the speed differentials between the boats become narrower. Teamwork and close-quarter manoeuvring will become crucial.

The close racing will also increase the likelihood that the on-water umpires will have a busy time and their decisions will have a huge impact on the racing.

Of course, the America's Cup is not the only sailing event this year. In July, the joint Olympic classes World Championships will take place in Cascais, Portugal. For all Olympic hopefuls, this is a massive event in terms of becoming a credible medal contender.

It will also serve as a method of selection for many nations. There is only one Olympic place per class per nation, which makes the competition for qualification fierce. My situation is no different, with my main competition for the Olympic berth being Ed Wright, the European champion in the Finn class. If, as we all hope, ETNZ go all the way to race the Swiss in the America's Cup, it is debatable whether I will be able to race in Cascais.

It is a decision I will have to make quite late, but I will not race if I am uncomfortable with the amount of preparation time.

The Cascais venue should reward the heavier sailors, making it a different challenge from Qingdao, the sailing venue in China. The Great Britain squad continues to lead the way, with medal hopes in almost all ten classes - a great credit to those involved.

The challenge is to keep that momentum going in the build-up to the Olympic Games next year.

Full article at:
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/sailing/article1545349.ece

FAMOUS MARINE PHOTOGRAPHER EXHIBITS IN LONDON
World-renowned marine photographer Philip Plisson will stage a one-off UK exhibition later this year to showcase photos from his new book 'Ocean', which recently featured in Channel 4's Richard and Judy Book Club.

The exhibition, on from 16 May to 3 June at the.gallery@oxo in London, will also include some of Plission's previously unpublished images of oceans taken in more than 50 countries.

The artist said: "By exhibiting in London I am returning to the very place that gave me my passion for marine photography. Through my new book 'Ocean', I try to honour the sea through my gaze and I hope that visitors to the exhibition can share the illustrated emotions I feel, as I take them on a voyage between the sea and the sky."

There's even a chance to meet the man himself, as Plisson will be visiting the gallery from 17-19 May. This will be his only UK appearance. The exhibition will be open daily from 11am to 6pm, and admission is free.

www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20070220114330mbmnews.html

INDUSTRY NEWS
* Dubai International Boat Show has recorded scores of major deals this year, with contracts signed for everything from superyachts through to dinghies, in addition to high sales for equipment and marine supplies.

The Gulf region is poised to overtake Europe in terms of per capita boat ownership, according to exhibitors gathering at the show, and the strong sales recorded at this year's event underscores the business potential generated by this trend.

Organisers are confident that sales will overtake last year's high figures, which broke the US$ 100 million barrier, further reinforcing DIBS' reputation as a key show to "do business" in the boating industry.

Companies from across the region have created a particular splash at the event, with groups from Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE all registering significant sales.

BYM News: www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=5029

* A number of leading European and US boat manufacturers have signaled their intentions to expand sales in the Middle East region in the near future. In fact, if the amount of press releases generated by this year's Dubai boat show are any indication, boat exports to the emerging Middle East market should grow significantly in the next year.

Companies like Azimut and Majesty Yachts had global launches of new yachts in Dubai, while others like Sunseeker, Pacer, Donzi, Jeanneau and Nordic Star had 'Middle East' debuts at the show. Clearly, these companies are jockeying for position in what many expect to be a fast-growing market.

Others issued their own press releases saying they were establishing a long-term presence in the Middle East.

In fact, there were any number of 'showstoppers' in Dubai, both foreign and domestically built. And virtually everyone interviewed by IBI believes that this would be a quick-growing market in the next three to five years. In the meantime, the rush to enter the Middle East seems to be turning into a publicised race where just about everyone sees themselves as a potential winner. -- IBI News, www.ibinews.com

* A radical keel design that promises speed and seaworthiness has been patented by Cambridge-based Howes-Macnaghten Technology (HMT).

It could cost a lot if you run it hard aground...

Designed by Jonathan Howes, an aeronautical engineer and keen sailor, the new Loop Keel will, says HMT, outperform a fin keel of the same area and mass. This makes it a compelling case for every new cruising yacht to be fitted with our product, says the company.

Benefits include extra power from dynamic righting, improved keel efficiency and enhanced resistance to broaching. It is also said to be highly stall-resistant, even at extended leeway angles.

The Loop Keel has already undergone rigorous testing at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton, backed up by physical towing and sailing tests with modified Laser dinghies at Grafham Water Sailing Club. -- www.boatingbusiness.com/archive/2007/april2/news/radical_keel_offers_speed_and_handling

* Following the signing of the agreement February 14, Norwegian-based Navico International Ltd has now closed the deal to acquire the marine electronics business of Brunswick New Technologies.

The company's brand portfolio is strengthened by the addition of MX Marine, Navman marine and Northstar to its existing marine electronics portfolio of B&G, Eagle, Lowrance and Simrad brands.

As part of the transaction, Brunswick has entered into a supply agreement with Navico, which secures a close partnership with all Navico brands to supply leading-edge marine electronics solutions to the Brunswick Boat Group.

* Lewmar has been selected as the winch and hardware supplier to the 62-meter schooner Athos being built by Holland Jachtbouw. Conceived by Hoek Design, Athos is due for completion at the end of 2008 and will be the world's largest schooner.

Athos's deep-V hull with a shallow draught keel and integrated keel centreboard has been designed to give her a gracious aero and hydrodynamic shape. The rig will be highly automated in terms of pushbutton operation, with furling booms and carbon spars.

Lewmar's new generation below deck LMS captive winches will operate sheets and halyards. All above deck winches and hardware will be Lewmar custom stainless steel.

Athos's 11-metre beam will create an unprecedented amount of volume aboard. The interior will include a private owners' cockpit and deckhouse, four guest cabins, and a main deckhouse with a formal dining and lounge area. Athos's unique engine room will house twin main engines with controllable pitch propellers in a space with standing headroom.

An exclusive aluminium structure will feature two boarding platforms, two boarding ladders and a passerelle on the stern. Integrated side platforms will constitute ideal landing possibilities for dinghies, while large deck lockers provide storage for two 29-er dinghy's, two Optimists and scuba gear.

www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=5091

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. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Virginia Crowell Jones: If I read the list of crew members correctly G 13 has a crew of 12 with 2 specialists in a number of fields including an Energy Systems Manager. Is that a euphemism for "Cook"? Or do they only get pre-packed and micro-waved TV style frozen dinners? How many folks long for the old days where there was a Skipper and/or Navigator, Mate and/or members of a port and starboard watch, and a real, proper, Sea Cook? Maybe the boats didn't go as fast, and some of them might leak over your bunk, but you got a decent meal, some exhilarating sailing and a really good ride.

THE LAST WORD
I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult. -- Rita Rudner

OC Events, www.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.

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