Brought to you by YachtsandCruisers.com with the support of OC Events, Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

CLIPPER RACE 3 SALVADOR DA BAHIA - DURBAN
Light winds have been dogging the majority of the Clipper 07-08 fleet overnight meaning lots of sail changes and very few miles covered. westernaustralia2011.com managed only 19 nautical miles in 12 hours and Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper did not fare much better, with a run of only 35 nautical miles. Martin Silk, skipper of westernaustralia2011.com, is frustrated at having to sail in light winds again, and commented this morning, "ITCZ south does exist!"

Anybody can sail in stronger winds but it takes talent, patience and lots of hard work to keep the boat moving when the wind drops.

The light winds are a common source of frustration and every attempted manoeuvre to keep the boat moving appears to be in vain. Onboard Glasgow: Scotland with style Clipper they are certainly feeling this. "Over the last 24 hours we have had 14 different sail plans and we are still going nowhere fast. What is Durban like at Christmas?" asked skipper, Hannah Jenner.

One boat that does not appear to be affected at the moment is Hull & Humber which has made a strong charge through the fleet after the medivac a few days ago.

The whole fleet are now positioning themselves for the stronger winds that are due to arrive on Thursday. The tactics being employed by Nova Scotia and Jamaica will mean that they will get these winds sooner and stay in them longer than anybody else, but will it be enough to justify the decisions they have made?

The full leaderboard and current race positions for the Clipper 07-08 fleet can be viewed at www.clipperroundtheworld.com

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS: BARCELONA WORLD RACE STARTS IN 12 DAYS
There are less than two weeks to go before the start of the first Barcelona World Race, a two-handed, non-stop race around the globe by 18 of the top Open 60 sailors on the planet.

Now just 12 days ahead of the start on Sunday November 11th, all but one of the boats is secure in Barcelona at the Race Village. The remaining boat, Hugo Boss, sailed into Mediterranean waters on Monday and is expected to arrive in the Port on Wednesday or Thursday.

Final preparations are underway for all of the skippers, who are making last-minute adjustments to their boats and trying to stock up on sleep; once the race begins, a good night's sleep will be a luxury they'll go without for up to three months.

The Barcelona World Race Village, located in the Barcelona Port Vell, at the Moll de la Fusta, will have its official opening on Thursday, November 1st.

At 11:00 hours, there will be a ceremony to mark the occasion, including the Mayor of Barcelona, Sr. Jordi Hereu and the President of the IMOCA class, Mr. Luc Talbourdet, among other honoured guests and dignitaries.

Breaking the 80-day barrier is a goal for each of the nine Barcelona World Race teams. Solo sailors in the Open 60 class have completed the non-stop circumnavigation in 87 days. Adding another pair of hands will allow the Barcelona World Race teams to push even harder, bringing the 80-day mark into play.

The Barcelona World Race start is on Sunday, 11th November at 13:00 hours. The official opening ceremony and public presentation of the teams takes place at 19:00 hours on Friday 9th November.

barcelonaworldrace.org

A STEERING WHEEL FOR RACERS
Upon request of several nautical professional Exit Engineering has introduced a new 1050 mm diameter carbon wheel. This CE certified wheel is as strong and light as any other, even if it weighs less than 1.5 kg, thanks to the Continuous Shell Construction Process. With this patent Exit Engineering can build monocoque wheels without weak joints nor secondary bondings. The elegant Exit Engineering's 3 spoke design confirms its superiority where weight, strength and total quality are concerned. Exit Engineering's new carbon gangways and steering wheels can be seen at METS - Stand n. 05.359

www.exitengineering.com

SOLENT IRC SERIES 2007 PRIZEGIVING
Michael Tattersall (X-99 Electra) received trophies as both Class and the overall IRC Solent Series Champion at this year's prizegiving held at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes on Saturday, October 27th. There was a wide range of yacht designs scoring the podium places in each class, indicating the success of IRC as a rating system that delivers good quality racing to differing craft.

Following on from the demise of the old Solent Points Series in the 1990s, the IRC Solent Series was introduced by the Solent Cruising and Racing Association (SCRA) to provide a co-ordinated series of events running through most of the season, producing summer series class and overall champions, taking place after the Spring Series and before the Winter Series. Race days are run by seven different clubs from May to September and provide a variety of competition for the competitors, ranging from round-the-cans to "passage"-style racing.

The Class winners were:

Class 1 - Koko Kai, Kristin Pagano
Class 2 - Cajou, Mark Chatfield
Class 3 - Extra Djinn, Neville Hodkin
Class 4 - Electra, Michael Tattersall
Class 5 - The Flying Fish, Kathy & Rupert Smalley

Electra, which had scored four firsts in her class, was the overall Solent Series Champion.

The seven clubs running the events in the SCRA IRC Solent Series 2007 were:

Royal Southampton YC
Royal Lymington YC
Royal Thames YC
Royal Southern YC
Royal Yacht Squadron
Island Sailing Club
Royal Corinthian Yacht Club

www.scra.org.uk

TAHITI RACE WIDE OPEN FROM CAL 40 RATING AND UP
The Transpacific Yacht Club organizers of next summer's 13th Tahiti Race have set only one primary condition for entries: Any boat with the speed rating of a Cal 40 or better is eligible.

There will be no upper limit.

However, all boats must meet Category 1 of the ISAF Special Regulations governing offshore and oceanic equipment and preparation, including US SAILING prescriptions. Also, inboard power is required. The race will be run under ORR and all monohulls must have a valid ORR certificate.

Multihulls must be a minimum of 45 feet overall length. There will be no single- or doublehanded classes; all entries must have a minimum crew of four.

The 3,571-nautical mile race, scheduled to start June 21 off Point Fermin in San Pedro, has been run intermittently a dozen times from 1925 to 1994. The current hiatus has been marked in recent Transpacific Yacht Races to Hawaii by the revival of the Cal 40 class led by the late Wendy Siegal, re-establishing the boat's performance and seaworthiness as an enduring benchmark for ocean racing.

At the other end of the scale, anything goes. Already committed is Doug Baker's Magnitude 80, an Andrews 80 that this year sailed to a runaway record in the Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta Race, first to finish in Newport to Ensenada and first on corrected time in Division 1 of the Transpac.

But, unlike Transpac and other major ocean races, any sailboat on earth, including multihulls, is welcome to go for the race record of 14 days 21 hours 15 minutes 26 seconds---an average speed of about 10 knots, modest by current standards---established by Fred Kirschner's Santa Cruz 70, Kathmandu, in 1994.

Inquiries about entry fees and other information may be obtained by contacting entries chairman Mike Nash at 949.574.2772 cell 714.501.3494 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it -- Rich Roberts

FINNGULF 43 IRC DESIGNED BY FARR - 182 DAYS TO LAUNCH
The first two FG43s will be launched on May 1st 2008 - the launch and christening party is scheduled to start at noon. Parts of the yacht are still on the drawing table, but already 6 boats are sold! Looks like FG43 is a concept with natural pull on the market. The hull #1 will be laminated during November.

Follow the progress!

www.fg43.com

THE CNEV'S ANNUAL REGATTA HAS ITS NOTICE OF RACE
The CNEV being the Challenger of Record has the obligation, according to the Deed of Gift, to organize an annual regatta. Once again, we will not argue whether the regatta must have been held before the challenge was filed or if this can be done at a later stage. This is the core issue of the litigation in New York and Judge Cahn will rule within a couple of weeks.

There are now more details on that regatta, given the fact its Notice of Race, dated 8 October, has been made public. First of all, we now know its precise date and location, as it will take place here in Valencia, from November 23 to November 25. The boats will be cruisers and will be divided into 3 classes according to their rating. Organizers hope to have a minimum of 10 boats per class.

Once thing that surprises though is the time of the day racing has been scheduled. On the opening day racing will start at 3pm and in the two following ones the starting gun will be fired at noon!! We really don't know what kind of wind organizers expect to have in Valencia, at noon in late November!! -- Pierre Orpahidis, his full article at valenciasailing.blogspot.com

The NOR is at premium.fileden.com/premium/2006/7/3/105858/Anuncio_I_Trofeo.pdf

RONSTAN A-CLASS CATAMARAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
With a record setting 100 boats pre-registered, the 2007 A-Class World Championship sponsored by Ronstan, FSE Robline, Corum, and West Marine is now only weeks away. The regatta will take place at The Islander resort hotel in Islamorada, FL beginning on 9-November, 2007 and running through 16, November 2007. The Week will begin with the Blue Water Classic warm up regatta on 8-9, November. The Islander has been hosting the US A-Class for its last two midwinter race weeks and was the unanimous choice by the US class as the best venue to host this world championship. The race site is a 9 square mile area of the Atlantic ocean protected by an offshore reef. Sailors will enjoy clear aqua water and hopefully warm and consistent easterly winds of 8-15 knots.

The international contingent includes Glenn Ashby Australia who will be racing to defend his 2006 title. Glenn is a multiple world champion in the class and is regarded as the best A-Class sailor ever. In addition, Glenn is regarded as a favorite to medal in the 2008 Tornado Olympic event in Qingdao, China with his teammate Darren Bundock. In addition to Ashby, other top international sailors racing will include past world champions Scott Anderson and Nils Bunkenberg, Olympic medalists Andrew Landenberger and Goran Marstrom, New Zealand champion Murray Philpott, top Dutch sailors Sjoerd Hoekstra, Pieterjan Dwarshuis, and Piet Saarberg, Alinghi designer Mike Drummond New Zealand, and top Swiss sailors Dieter Melcher and Luc De Bois.

The USA will have all of its top A-Class sailors challenging the international contingent. At the top of the list is three time North American champion Lars Guck who has been dominating US A-Class sailing for the last two years. Right beside Lars will be 1997 and 2005 A-Class World Champion Pete Melvin. Pete's speed and consistency make him a favorite for a podium finish especially given the size of this fleet. Other top US sailors that are certainly contenders to finish in the top ten include Phil Kinder, Olympic medalists Pease and Jay Glaser, 505, I-14, and 18' Skiff World Champion Howie Hamlin, Olympic medalist Charlie Ogeltree, and Ben Hall who may be racing with a radical solid wing sail (still testing and evaluating).

Many sailors are watching this regatta closely as several new platforms are making their debuts. These include the next evolution of the Marstrom which now has hulls that are canted and has a revised volume distribution for better performance in waves and chop, the Nikita which is an evolution of the original Flyer, a Peter Cogan design that is an evolution of the proven Bimare XJ, and the radical LR2 designed and built by Ian and John Lindhal. These new designs will be joined by the proven Flyer Mk I and Mk II, the Tool, the Bimare XJ, and the dominating Melvin A2/A3. Except for the potential appearance of the Hall solid wing rig, most sailors will likely be using carbon masts from Hall, Fiberfoam, Saarberg, or Marstrom and square top sails from Ashby, Glaser, Ullman, and Landenberger. While clearly a development class, advancements in A-Class performance have for the last 10 years been subtle never immediately making obsolete the current designs and allowing active sailors to pass on older but still competitive equipment to new sailors. This trend has been very good for class growth. -- Bob Hodges, US A-CLASS President

www.acatworlds.com

EARLS COURT: PUTTING THE 'SHOW' BACK INTO BOAT SHOW
From 1-9 December, the revamped Earls Court opens its doors to sailors, Christmas shoppers and show-goers visiting London. There's music and fashion shows, Riva, a spa for the footsore, the original special events Guinness bar, the National Maritime Museum's Hall of Fame, dozens of drams from the Whyte & Mackay family, acres of chandlery and boats! From a 'boat in a bag' to Gipsy Moth IV, a display of yachts on the pool and headline musical entertainment! The all-new Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show: you can't beat boating in the heart of London!

www.earlscourtboatshow.com

KIWI OK DINGHY SAILORS HONOUR THEIR HEROES
Two of the greatest OK Dinghy sailors ever to emerge from New Zealand were honoured at the weekend at Takapuna Boating Club in Auckland by being inducted into the OK Dinghy Hall of Fame. During the ceremony, Leith Armit (NZL) and the late Clive Roberts (NZL) became the latest names to be added to the ultimate who's who of OK Dinghy class heroes.

The occasion was a special event organised by the New Zealand OK Dinghy class Association to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the class in 2007. Nearly 70 OK Dinghy sailors from the past and the present came together for a weekend of racing and remembering. On the water, sailors competed for the 2007 North Shore Championships. In the clubhouse they remembered some of the heroes from the past 50 years.

Accepting the award on behalf of her late husband, Bev Roberts was visibly moved when Wilcox presented her with a memento of the occasion.

Clive Roberts is nothing less than a legend in the OK Dinghy class. He was one of the small group of sailors that introduced the OK Dinghy into New Zealand in the mid 1960s along with his brother Ralph. Clive Roberts won a record of 10 New Zealand OK Dinghy National Championships, five Interdominion Championships and then in 1973 in Falmouth, England became the first non-European to win the OK Dinghy World Championships. Off the water Clive Roberts was famous for promoting the class and offering advice to young and old alike. He was tragically killed in a car accident in New Zealand in 1975. One of the many memorials in his name is the Australian OK Dinghy Association's junior trust fund, the Clive Roberts Trust, which supports the development of young Australian OK Dinghy sailors.

Then Armit was presented with his memento by Wilcox. Armit only agreed to come to the evening as long as he didn't have to make a speech, so this was a very short presentation. Leith Armit was inducted into the Hall of Fame as possibly the greatest OK Sailor of all time. Wilcox said, "In addition to the four world titles he also placed second (at age 17) and third overall as well. He never really crossed paths with Bo Staffan Andersson (SWE) who also won four titles and would have made for a very interesting match up." Armit said he was humbled, surprised and very proud to receive the award.

Leith Armit took the world title in 1983, 1985, 1990 and 1994. He also won six New Zealand National Championships and three Interdominion titles. In 1985 he was the recipient of New Zealand Yachting's Yachtsman of the Year Award.

The OK was designed in 1957 by Knud Olsen (DEN). The OK Dinghy Hall of Fame was established at the World Championships in Poland in July this year, to commemorate the classes half century. At that time Jorgen Lindhardtsen (DEN) became the first class hero to receive this honour. Further heroes will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the near future. -- Robert Deaves, www.okdia.org

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 D. Baker: Ernesto!, Larry!....A giant catamaran!..You're joking, right? Can you imagine 20 knots of breeze, the gun goes and two giant cartamarans power into the starting area at 35 knots. They start the dial up, by the time it ends they are 12 miles south of Barcelona! Roy Disney, are you out there? Imagine a 130 foot Pyewacket , a cat, most appropriately. You could try it out in Cork week next year. That would, as they say in Crosshaven, soften their cough for them.

* From Nic Compton: I note on the Antarctica Cup website that they refer to Fedor Konyukhov's voyage as an "attempt to become the first man to sail solo non-stop around Antarctica". As I have pointed out to John Reed of the WSSRS, this feat has already been achieved by John Sanders when he circled solo and non-stop from Fremantle to Tasmania in 1981 without leaving the Southern Ocean on the first loop of his double-circumnavigation.

Konyukhov may be able to break the speed record for the voyage, but he can't claim to be the first to have done it.

FEATURED BROKERAGE
66' Farr/Vismara Fast Ocean Cruiser Mister A, 2,625,000 Euros, Located in Porto Lotti, Italy

"MisterA" is the result of a team work involving: Vismara Yacht Design as concept, interior and deck designer and in charge for general coordination, Farr Yacht Design for the naval architecture design of the hull, decks and appendages and structures, SP Technology for the structures analysis, Southern Spar for the very innovative wing mast and rigging, studied for the aerodynamics by ICAD (International Consortium for Advanced Design) from Florence University.

It is difficult to locate this project inside a pre-existing category, easier to guess that she will be the first of a new sailing yachts family: FAST OCEAN CRUISER.

Brokerage through Farr Yacht Sales: www.farryachtsales.com

Complete listing details and seller contact information at www.farrdesign.com/brokerage/487_MisterA.htm

THE LAST WORD
We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special. -- Stephen Hawking

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 Artemis Transat 2008 (ex-OSTAR) plus the Extreme 40 Sailing Series for The iShares Cup.

www.YachtsandCruisers.com the new place to buy and sell prestige boats, the website has been designed to showcase high-end boats. People looking to buy prestige boats will be able to easily navigate their way around the site quickly. The portfolio of thousands of boats can be viewed by category, make, location and price. Alternatively the 'Advanced Search' facility will benefit those buyers who have a specific boat in mind.

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