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AT THE LATITUDE OF THE CANARIES
In three days, Sodeb'O has been making an average of over 20 knots of boatspeed at the latitude of the Canaries. Indeed, Thomas Coville has pointed out to us how ephemeral the seasons are when you're at sea on a multihull. Setting out in an icy cold at the start of the week, Thomas has already removed his fleece. Today he is sailing in a T-Shirt in the knowledge that in three days time, he will be enduring the sticky humidity of the equatorial zones and in another ten the hat, gloves and furry boots will be out again with the entry into the Indian Ocean.

A great introduction then for Sodeb'O and its skipper, who confirm that "the boat slips through the sea exceptionally well. When the leeward float disappears into the water, it re-emerges without any harsh acceleration. In the same sea state, I feel safer than on a 60 footer, which are boats which are more aerial, more bird-like, thanks to the foils. The maxi-trimaran Sodeb'O is closer to a fish. Like an animal, it doesn't struggle with the water, it passes through it without stopping".

As regards speed, Thomas recognises how impressed he's been when the boat is slipping along at 30 or 35 knots, "at high speeds". The skipper details that he has to permanently control the subtle balance between the desire for speed and the management of the duration.

As regards the record, he's not thinking about it and "doesn't want to measure himself - at least not straightaway - either against Ellen (MacArthur)'s course or that of Francis (Joyon). In any case, we don't have the same conditions at the same latitude and we're not racing together in contrast with a race, which you experience from day to day with your adversaries".

The atmosphere is proving to be studious aboard Sodeb'O and inevitably the start has been fairly tricky to manage on an emotional level: "In three days you go from breakfast with your children to the solitude of the ocean. I'm remaining concentrated on what I have to do. Life aboard has become organised now that the conditions are more peaceful. I've got out my weekly bag of food, which is full of nice things. I've also run my iPod but unfortunately there was a squall at that point." -- translation by Kate Jennings

www.sodebo-voile.com

THE QUALIFICATION DANCE
An interesting email from reader Alex Howorth, who says regarding Dee Caffari's dismasting yesterday: 'I think she has done enough miles to be qualified for the Vendée in this boat (not the new one). Mike Golding seemed to indicate at the time of his problems that he had completed enough solo miles in his new boat to qualify it…despite not finishing the race.

'Crucially Dee's issue might be that she is not able to qualify the new boat until places are already full... she would then be forced to do the Vendee on the current boat.'

On the first point, unfortunately not. The Notice of Race for the Vendee Globe stipulates that you have to qualify by completing a solo race of at least 2,700 miles (ie the shortest transatlantic, the Transat) and finish classified. On this race, skippers had to complete the course within 9 days of the first finisher to be classified.

What is interesting, with all these dismastings and other problems, is how many new Open 60s are yet to qualify and must now complete the Transat in May: Mike Golding's Ecover 3, Delta Dore, Estrella Damm/Team BT and Marc Thiercelin's new Mars, yet to be launched. I'm racking my brains and I don't think that even the new PRB has completed a solo qualifier yet.

They can all do the Transat next year to qualify. But what if they don't all finish, quite likely considering this is invariably an upwind shocker? -- Elaine Bunting in her blog: www.ybw.com/yw/blog/elaine_bunting.html

COLLINS STEWART LONDON BOAT SHOW
London's largest annual event, the Collins Stewart London Boat Show, will take place at ExCeL - the heart of London's entertainment district - from 11-20 January 2008. Now in its 54th year the Show promises to offer something for all, and will welcome some 140,000 people, encouraging visitors to take to the waters.

Visitors to the Show have a plethora of exciting features to explore and enjoy such as Start Boating, Deck Games, an interactive Watersports Zone, Anchor Watch, Classic Boats and the Guinness Bar. There will also be a chance to climb aboard the HMS Exeter, the very first Royal Naval Destroyer to the Show.

www.londonboatshow.com

SPANISH TUG SUCCESSFULLY ATTACHES A TOWLINE TO AVIVA
At 16.30 UTC today, a large tug with 4,000 horsepower, from La Coruna in Northern Spain attached a towline to the dismasted Open 60 Aviva. The crew of HMS Northumberland assisted the Spanish boat in the operation and Caffari is now heading safely under-tow back to port.

The manoeuvre lasted just under an hour, after which Caffari waved goodbye to her 'guardian angel' HMS Northumberland. She now starts the 20-24 hour tow back to La Coruna, during which she will probably have to remain on deck at all times to ensure there are no problems with the tow. Fortunately, despite the damage to one of the rudders caused by the broken mast, Caffari has successfully engineered the autopilot to operate the functioning rudder so she will not have to hand-steer for the entire duration of the tow.

Andrew Roberts, Campaign Director said, "We are relieved that the tow has been successfully attached. Dee will now have to remain vigilant throughout the passage back to Spain and in the event of any problems arising she will have to cut the towline. At our current estimates it is likely that Dee will arrive in La Coruna tomorrow afternoon, where she will be met by campaign manager Harry Spedding and her shore team."

www.avivaoceanracing.com

SAFE AND SOUND IN THE PORT OF CAPE TOWN
It was at 9 h 20 French time on this Tuesday morning that the monohull Delta Dore was welcomed after having been towed for two days and a half days in the Indian Ocean by the Ocean 7 catamaran. The rescue and towage, organised a few hours after the monohull dismasted on Tuesday the 11th of December by 47 degrees South, became a success thanks to an experienced and efficient Franco - South African team. The rescue operation is a great achievement considering the dangers that can be met in the Indian Ocean.

For the Ocean 7 catamaran that did the towing, it was an exceptional mission. It was the first time the Captain accepted a rescue below the latitude of 40 degrees South.

Jeremie Beyou, on the phone after arriving in Cape Town:

" Before going back to France, we must prepare the boat for it to be shipped back on a cargo. As soon as tomorrow it will be craned and the keel will be removed. I will stay to help Fanch with the paperwork. The cargo should leave for England on the 6th of January. We will then motor sail her from England to Lorient. She should be in the boatshed in Lorient for the end of January."

barcelonaworldrace.com
www.voile.deltadore.com
www.jeremie-beyou.com

SEASONS GREETINGS FROM ULLMAN SAILS
Everyone from the worldwide Ullman network would like to wish you, your family and your crew a happy and safe holiday season. It's been a big year for sailing and next season is already heating up. Rest assured that once the holidays are over, Ullman Sails is ready to provide you with the highest quality sails and service. So make your New Year's resolution to get a hold of the "Fastest Sails on the Planet."

For more information on our services and Fiberpath technology, contact a local Ullman Sails loft and visit www.ullmansails.com

HANDICAP HOTSHOTS FOR THE ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART
Rosebud is the first launched of the new STP65 "box rule" class of high-performance fixed-keel yachts intended, like the successful TP52 class which inspired it, to provide both close class racing and competitive performance in mixed offshore fleets racing under IRC handicap.

Rosebud also won an earlier warm-up event on Sydney Harbour, the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge's IRC handicap division.

Sturgeon, who raced his previous Rosebud in the TP52 class, is a well-organised campaigner with a crew that has sailed many miles together. Principal helmsman is Jack Halterman. Bowman Justin Clougher, a Tasmanian with eight Hobart races on his CV who now lives in Newport, Rhode Island, is familiar with the fastest route by sea to his family's home in Hobart.

Rosebud beat the well-sailed local Reichel/Pugh 55 Yendys by just two points in the Rolex Trophy rating series of short windward-leeward races off the Sydney coastline, sailed in a good mix of wind conditions.

The two boats went into the last race tied on points. In a light and tricky south-east breeze, Rosebud placed second to Yendys' fifth to win overall.

Yendys, now in her second season, has proven to be an excellent all-rounder. Although she was designed and built for reliability in rough conditions as well as speed in long offshore races like the Rolex Sydney Hobart and the Rolex Fastnet Race, earlier this year she won the strong IRC division at the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, including three race wins in light air.

Her crew is strong in experience, again including Sean Kirkjian, Greg Johnston, Richie Allanson and Danny McConville, with Will Oxley navigating.

The Corby 49 Flirt, owned by Alan Brierty, won division two of the Rolex Trophy rating series, including five wins in her scoreline for the eight race series. The boat is helmed and organised by Roger Hickman, who was sailing master for Kevan Pearce aboard Ausmaid in her 1996 Sydney Hobart race win.

Graeme Wood's Wot Yot, a Nelson/Marek design built in 2000, after a promising debut in the 2006 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, in which she finished fifth over the line, is leading the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Bluewater Pointscore.

Her sailing master Michael Green, a veteran of 29 Hobart races who filled the same role in Quest's win in 2002 leads a crew with Quest veterans Hugh Brodie and Simon Reffold joined by some large, young newcomers.

Syd Fischer, aged 80, is enjoying racing aboard his TP52, his tenth ocean racer bearing his trademark Ragamuffin name. She is a Farr design, originally owned by Californian Philippe Khan and called Pegasus.

Fischer has beefed her up for the Rolex Sydney Hobart race, replacing the Transpac keel with a heavier one designed by Farr, to increase upwind stability, reinforcing the internal structure to carry the heavier keel and adding another ring frame between the mast and the bow.

He has also fitted a bowsprit in place of the spinnaker pole and replaced the mainsail, which originally had only one reef, with a new one with three reefs to handle the almost inevitable southerly blow on the way to Hobart.

The third TP52 entered Cougar II, a Farr design built in 2005, purchased recently by Alan Whitely of Melbourne, won the last race of the Rolex Trophy rating series. Whiteley sailed his first Cougar, a Beneteau First 44.7, to second place in IRC division D in the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Two Farr-designed Cookson 50s, Ray Roberts' Quantum Racing from Sydney and Michael Hiatt's Living Doll from Melbourne, must also enter handicap win calculations.

Roberts' strong team has been campaigning intensely in Asia with his DK46, winning the inaugural China Cup in October and placing second in the Kings Cup at Phuket, Thailand, in December.

Since last year's Hobart race, Roberts has had Cookson Boats in Auckland fit a forward canard on Quantum Racing to contribute side force resistance when the keel is canted, making the boat more efficient when sailing to windward.

Quantum Racing will race with substantially the same crew as last year, including tactician/helmsman Steve McConaghy, Scott Hinton and Don Buckley helming plus Carl Crafoord as navigator. Crafoord has sailed 21 Hobart races and been on three winning boats: Sagacious (1990), Raptor (1994), Quest (2004).

Full story at www.rolexsydneyhobart.com

NAUTOR'S SWAN UNVEILS NEW SWAN MAXI CLASS FOR 2008
In addition to the strong class association Nautor's Swan has developed over the past couple of years with the emergence of one design models and their respective classes, a new class has been devised to run alongside this successful programme in 2008. Swans measuring over 60 feet will now have the opportunity to race in a dedicated class of their own. The Swan Maxi Class has been built into the increasingly comprehensive programme of racing and cruising events for 2008, enforcing Nautor's Swans vision of developing a strong class series to support the growing SwanLine.

The Swan Maxi Class will feature in a series of events from March to October. Born through a partnership with the most important Yacht Clubs in the world, the Swan Maxi Class will incorporate the popular Swan 601 Class and boats will race within existing IRC events with dedicated starts and possible sub divisions. Following on the same class foundations as the Club Swan 42 and Swan 45, the Swan Maxi Class will enforce an owner driver ruling.

'THE' NEW TOY TO HAVE THIS CHRISTMAS!
B&G have launched their NEW wireless, handheld, On-Deck, Tactical Navigation PC and it's a cracker! RaceVision3000 builds on previous versions of RaceVision, which has proven to be a vital tactical tool in today's competitive racing scene. Designed to meet the tough requirements of the racing navigation environment, the new model has a sophisticated yet rugged appearance and feels comfortable in the hand. Complete with the latest version of B&G's Deckman Tactical Software, the RV3000 provides the navigator with access to navigation data from all areas of the boat, allowing optimum boat performance.

Check the new RV3000 out at www.bandg.com

SHORT TACKS
* Andrei Arbuzov, World No. 15, neutralised the loss of one race by winning the next two against Germany's Tino Ellegast for a 2-1 margin in best of three finals at the Provogue Mumbai International Match Race 2007, held off the waters at H20 complex, Chowpatty, India, on Thursday.

India's R. Mahesh lost to Russia's E. Nikiforov in the race for the third place.

The results (best of three finals): Andrei Arbuzov (Rus) bt Ellegast Tino (Ger) 2-1.

Third place: E. Nikiforov (Rus) bt R. Mahesh (Ind) 1-0. -- www.thehindu.com/2007/12/21/stories/2007122160992100.htm

* Two new World Match Racing tour videos for Holiday viewing. Bermuda is an exceptionally good show.

Latium Match Cup - won by James Spithill
www.sail.tv/player?cid=557&scid=5&source=wmrt

Bermuda Gold Cup - won by Matthieu Richard
www.sail.tv/player?cid=558&scid=5&source=wmrt

* Bang the Corner is proud to announce a new free professional yachting TV channel has just been launched on Joost. Volvo Ocean Race, TP52, Technical info, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Boat Shows and much more. What is Joost? It's video - with a state of the art internet TV platform, the brain child of the founders of Skype.

joost.com/219000d

* The Swan 45 Class Association has announced the appointment of Trim Sailing to manage the Class worldwide. Trim Sailing will oversee all communication, sponsorship and event management for the Swan 45 owners.

Trim Sailing is an indepedent, international marketing agency based in Florence, Italy. The team at Trim Sailing has more than a decade of experience in the sport, having worked with the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006, Cayard Sailing, Nautor's Swan, as well as international teams such as Mean Machine and ES Bankers.

The Swan 45 Class circuit will commence with the Mediterranean fleet participating in the Memorial Giorgio Falck Regatta from 21-24 March 2008 in Scarlino. The Class will then participate in Rolex Capri Week (21-24 May), the Rolex Sardinia Cup (16-21 June), Copa del Rey (25 July-3 Aug), the Rolex Swan Cup (8-14 September) and the Med fleet will finish the season with the Trofeo Cesar Manrique (15-18 October).

The Swan 45 Class World Championships, now held annually, will take place during the 2008 Rolex Swan Cup, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

* The DVD of the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships is now available to order from the ISAF website - www.sailing.org

Struggling for gift ideas for your sailing friends? Fret no more with the release of the DVD of the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships. Relive the sunny shores and warm winds of Cascais, Portugal which hosted over 1,000 of the world's top sailors earlier in July. As well as the battle for the 11 World Championship titles, the Championships was the principal qualification regatta for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition.

With first-class commentary from PJ Montgomery and Richard Parslow, together with guest reporting from Peter Gilmour, Michael Blackburn and Dan Slater, the ISAF Worlds come alive as one of the most thrilling sailing events of 2007. To order see www.sailing.org/isafworlds

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 John Frazer: Just a point of note, I feel a bit concerned that a Royal Navy warship was despatched to shelter yachtswoman Dee Caffari overnight after her vessel lost a mast in high winds in the Bay of Biscay. What was wrong with the yachts engine ? What of a jury rig ? Why did the boat not carry a deck kite?

No ship was despatched for Alex Thompson nor was one sent when the keel fell off Ecover. this is purely a case of the tail wagging the dog. Open 60 sailors for the most part are self sufficient and there are should be no exceptions.

I hope the Royal Navy will be sending Aviva the bill for circling the vessel all night and standing by.

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THE LAST WORD
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. -- Aldous Huxley

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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