Brought to you by boats.com Europe, Yachtworld.com Europe, 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

JULES VERNE TROPHY
The connection with the tradewinds of the Saint Helena High were timed to perfection this Thursday lunchtime, and after a reduction in the pace due to the Doldrums and the passage of the equator, Groupama 3 has kicked up her heels again and is making nearly thirty knots.

Their lead over Orange II has shot up to over 500 miles... Given that the weather conditions are forecast to be stable for at least two days, we can expect a lot of headway to be marked out on the map as we approach the second weekend of sailing.

"In two days, we shall be quite far South to track down a front, which is shifting to the West and will enable us to "take the corner" and close on the Cape of Good Hope. It's almost an ideal scenario even though we'll have to go quite far South, and therefore a little outside Orange II's course. We are lucky to have a front, which will traverse the Saint Helena High level with Tristan da Cunha.... We still have some leeway today to aim for the most favourable point to hook onto the low, slipping along nicely for most of the time. The moment where we hoist the gennaker to adjust the place where we will encounter the Argentinean front will be important. We're handling Groupama 3 with kid gloves by lifting the foil a little and raising the daggerboard. Since the passage of the equator, there haven't been too many manoeuvres and the crew has been able to rest, do a bit of washing, clean up the gear and tidy up a bit." recounted Franck Cammas at the noon radio session.

Sylvain Mondon (Meteo France), onshore weather expert for Groupama 3: "What we imagined would happen at the start off Ushant has become a reality: high pressure conditions up to Cape Finisterre, then a more complicated disturbed passage around the Canaries and Cape Verde. The expected scenario has been confirmed with the Saint Helena High being pushed eastwards by a fairly active low, which is shifting across the South Atlantic: the tradewinds are orientated more to the East as they fill in. The situation will carry Groupama 3 to the roaring 40's fairly rapidly... There is also a corridor of air which gives us some cause to hope for an entry into the Indian Ocean at the start of next week! We have been pretty surprised in the light airs as regards the trimaran's performance: it is capable of going twice as fast as the strength of the wind." -- translation by Kate Jennings

Detailed cartography at: cammas-groupama.geovoile.com/julesverne

A TRICKY BEAST
While aboard Hugo Boss Alex Thomson and Andrew Cape are psychologically ready to struggle against light conditions until Gibraltar, things started to move a bit more swiftly this afternoon for race leader Paprec-Virbac 2. Which certainly doesn't mean the situation is clear for Dick and Foxall, who will have to play hide and seek with a high pressure system whose movements are less than predictable. "A tricky beast", said Jean-Pierre today during the video conference.

Making their way towards the North as fast as they can in order to catch the strong (25 knots) easterlies blowing west of the Canary Islands, the Franco-Irish team have been keeping busy at the chart table for the past four days, trying to figure out how to avoid their "invisible" enemy. "We'll have a hard time determining how the high pressure system might move, and things will be difficult all the way to Gibraltar, basically", said Jean-Pierre. Weather models seem to contradict each other and tactical decisions will have to be made very cautiously - "It's not the right time to make a big mistake, so we're assessing various scenarios, examining all the options we have", added Paprec-Virbac 2's skipper, before concluding, "For the moment, it's a matter of catching those easterlies before they drop. that would certainly give us an edge."

Further back, for Hugo Boss it's still "painfully slow. but we're getting there", said Capey today. Grey weather, 15 knots of wind blowing from the North East. the song remains the same, and Gibraltar lies some 12 days ahead for the Men in Black.

Temenos II and Mutua Madrilena are both up to speed, with a similar average of 12 knots, their passage towards Gate 7 facilitated by steadier east north-easterly trade winds. Dominique and Michele are now just over 400 miles from Fernando de Noronha, with the Spanish boat just 91 miles behind both should cross the gate in the next 48 hours.

Currently benefiting from steady south-easterlies off the Brazilian coast, Educacion Sin Fronteras is this afternoon the fastest boat in the fleet, and should continue to gain miles on the leaders, helped by a low pressure system located off Rio de Janeiro.

1. Paprec-Virbac 2 - Jean Pierre Dick / Damian Foxall - 2164 To Finish
2. Hugo Boss - Alex Thomson / Andrew Cape - 459
3. Temenos 2 - Dominique Wavre / Michele Paret- 1454
4. Mutua Madrilena - Javier Sanso / Pachi Rivero - 1544
5. Educacion Sin Fronteras - Servane Escoffier / Albert Bargues - 2788

www.barcelonaworldrace.org

ULLMAN TAKES ANOTHER KEY WEST MELGES 24 TITLE
David Ullman and crew on 'Pegasus 505' led the way to a big finish by Ullman Sails customers in the Melges 24 fleet at Acura Key West 2008. Ullman won the regatta with a 1-2-1 result on the final day of racing, competing with 100% Ullman inventory. European champion Franco Rossini and team on 'Blu Moon' - racing with an Ullman mainsail and spinnaker - finished just three points behind. And Alan Field claimed third spot with his crew on 'WTF.' Field competed with a full Ullman inventory.

Are you fast enough? Contact an Ullman loft and visit www.ullmansails.com

OFF THE COAST OF BUENOS AIRES
Since Sunday afternoon, Gitana 13 has taken advantage of a sustained southeasterly wind to once again chalk up boat speeds more in keeping with its potential. Still cruising along the Uruguayan coast and nearing Argentina - the route chosen to keep a good distance from the Saint Helena high-pressure system - Lionel Lemonchois and his nine-man crew are preparing to enter another zone of unstable winds.

After several days during which they covered a small number of miles, the maxi-catamaran fitted out by Baron de Rothschild reached its stride again yesterday. "What a pleasure it is to do another day of 600-plus miles," said Dominic Vittet, the onboard navigator. "It had been awhile since we've experienced that, it's good for our morale knowing that we're again picking up the pace. We're still being careful, in order to protect the boat, but we're also in a race against the clock to get from New York to San Francisco as quickly as possible!" said Vittet.

The clear sailing along the Latin American coast will be interrupted on Tuesday when the team encounters a stormy low-pressure system. The loss of speed is already perceptible this morning, as Gitana 13 jibed toward Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. Fortunately, the maxi-catamaran should only be affected by this system for a few hours. According to Sylvain Mondon's forecast, Lemonchois and his crew could enter catch another set of solid high-pressure system winds in the evening to help carry them toward Cape Horn.

www.gitana-team.com

AMERICA'S CUP GREATS TO COACH WARREN JONES REGATTA YOUTH
The young sailors contesting next week's Warren Jones Youth Regatta will have a unique and privileged opportunity to learn about match racing from some of the best and most experienced America's Cup sailors in the world.

In a training seminar held this weekend, prior to the start of the regatta on Monday, legendary names like Peter Gilmour and James Spithill will coach the competitors both ashore and afloat.

Gilmour worked closely with James Spithill when they were part of the One World America's Cup challenge in Auckland for the 2002/3 series, and the young helmsman went on to steer the Italian challenger Luna Rosa at the most recent Cup in Valencia.

Spithill, originally from Sydney, is now with the BMW Oracle racing team, and has flown in to Perth from Valencia specially for this seminar, and he will be working with one of his core team from past campaigns, Perth resident Andy Feathers.

Another mature and highly experience member of the coaching panel is Allan Smith, who has sailed in every America's Cup since 1987, when he was with the New Zealand Challenge in Fremantle.

The Warren Jones Youth Regatta is organised by the Western Australian Yachting Foundation, and hosted this year by Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, with the seminar held over the weekend, and racing on the Swan River from Monday through Thursday. -- John Roberson

www.wayachting.com.au/warrenjones.asp

PARRY AND THRUST, AGAIN
Just when it seemed that Monday, January 28 was the deadline for the two litigating parties to submit their documents in the NY Supreme Court, we have yet another two letters sent to Justice Cahn.

First, BMW Oracle sent Justice Cahn a letter on Tuesday, replying to Alinghi's documents submitted on Monday. Then, on Wednesday, Alinghi replies to BMW Oracle's reply by sending Justice Cahn another letter. Without going further into legal details, both letters focus once again on whether BMW Oracle's challenge is valid.

Read the two documents:
- BMW Oracle letter sent to Justice Cahn, on 29 January, replying to Alinghi's submission
http://www.ggyc.com/20080129_Letter_to_Justice_Cahn.pdf
- Alinghi letter sent to Justice Cahn, on 30 January, replying to BMW Oracle's previous letter
http://www.alinghi.com/multimedia/docs/2008/01/sng_response_30.01.08.pdf -- Valencia Sailing: http://valenciasailing.blogspot.com

* Justice Cahn made it clear last week that Monday's submissions were to be the final filing on the matter of the invalidity of the GGYC certificate, however yesterday the American club launched a flurry of last minute correspondence abandoning their position on the "keel yacht" / multi-hull issue.

Lucien Masmejan, lead counsel for SNG, describes the content of the letter and gives his views on their motivation for writing it.

Can you identify the main points of the latest letter from GGYC to Justice Cahn?
LM: The long letter finally concedes that the GGYC does not intend to race with a "keel yacht" and therefore completely abandons their arguments of Wednesday last week that purported to demonstrate that a multi-hull vessel could be a "keel yacht". This is a complete change of strategy that has for aim to salvage their defective certificate.

Can you also outline the content of the SNG response?
LM: We have highlighted that since the GGYC has finally confirmed they would not race a "keel yacht" but a multi hull, they should be deemed to have withdrawn their challenge, which is in any case invalid.

Wasn't the SNG's submission on the 28 January, supposed to be the final word on this matter?
LM: That was certainly the intention of Justice Cahn. It seems the GGYC is making a last attempt to clarify its ambiguous and contradictory certificate.

It seems that the GGYC are shifting their arguments from a "keel yacht" being a multi-hull to insisting that they have supplied all the details required by the Deed of Gift for a challenge. Why this shift at this late stage?
LM: It seems the GGYC has realised that its certificate is unclear under the Deed of Gift, particularly since it voluntarily added the reference to a "keel yacht". The Deed of Gift plainly requires a crystal clear certificate from the challenger, the one they have submitted is far from clear. In completely abandoning its position of last week at the hearing and shifting its opinion, the GGYC has implicitly accepted that our argument is strong and their certificate unclear. -- From Alinghi: www.alinghi.com

SHORT TACKS
* The official Notice of Race for the 2008 Newport Bermuda Race is now available online. Details about Safety at Sea seminars, safety inspection checklists and forms, and Royal Bermuda Yacht Club berth reservations forms are also available. More than 117 boats have already applied for entry for the race, which starts in Newport, Rhode Island on June 20. For these details and more, or to complete an Application for Entry, visit www.bermudarace.com

* The 16th-century Mary Rose, raised from the bed of the Solent 26 years ago, is to receive 21million GBP towards the final stage of its conservation, in which the remaining hull will lose a third of its weight in water, and a purpose-built museum in Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard. This will for the first time since the recovery bring the ship together with the majority of the impressive collection of artefacts which were also recovered. The present museum only has space to display some 6 per cent of these.

The Cutty Sark has been awarded a 10million grant increase to cover damage caused by the fire last May. It follows an original restoration grant of 11.75million made in September 2006. -- Classic Boat, www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20080025114115cbnews.html

* The World Match Racing Tour will host an exclusive exhibition match race regatta in Qingdao, China as part of 'Celebration China', a unique festival being held as a prequel to the 2008 Olympic sailing events at the end of April in Qingdao.

Celebration China was officially launched yesterday at a press conference in Beijing. Backed by the Government of Qingdao, under the auspices of the Sailing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games, 'Celebration China' is an international festival, scheduled for the Chinese May Labour Day holiday, April 30th to May 4th. The five-day multi-faceted event is expected to attract over one million visitors in Qingdao, which is known as the Sailing City of China. -- worldmatchracingtour.com

* Essex sailmakers are helping to breathe new life into an elderly yacht that still graces top classic races.

When the owners of the 19-metre Mariquita - Spanish for ladybird - needed a new mainsail, they turned to a firm in the Brightlingsea where she overwintered nearly 100 years ago.

Now, the team at James Lawrence Sailmakers is busy stitching together 3,300sq ft of polyester sail cloth, coloured cream to match the cotton sails of yesteryear.

The project is so big that staff had to lay out and cut the fabric on the sports hall floor at the town's Colne Community School. -- www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/

* Charles Caudrelier and Bostik's crew arrived last Thursday at Cape Town (South Africa) and will set off again on Friday 1 February towards Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, end of the first leg of the Reconnaissance Tour of the SolOceans (Caen - Wellington). 7,270 nautical miles of sailing in the highly dangerous Indian Ocean. They will first round the Cape of Good Hope only a few hours after casting off the moorings from the Victoria and Albert Waterfront Harbour of Cape Town.

As Erwan Tabarly will disembark for professional obligations in France taking place at the beginning of February, Charles Caudrelier said he'd liked to continue the Reconnaissance Tour of the Soloceans only with the remaining crew members composed by Liz Wardley and Erwan Lebec. Liz has already sailed in the Great South (Volvo Ocean Race 2001-2002), it will be the first time for Charles and Erwan.

To follow Bostik's progression, enjoy the "Road to SolOceans" videos and for all the latest news on the SolOceans, visit the website: www.soloceans.com

* Yachts competing in the Volvo Ocean Race will be allowed a media specialist crew member for the first time in 2008-09 - in line with plans to film the race fully in HD.

Each boat in the around the world yacht race will be allowed to carry an extra crew member. That person will edit footage from the boat but will not be allowed to sail. The vessels will be equipped with fully waterproof HD media desks.

The yachts are fitted with specialist cameras that allow access to two minutes of historic footage whenever they are activated - either by a person or by "telementary" data, such as the boat breaking its own record for speed.

Each boat will be equipped with a total of five fixed HD1080i cameras, including some with a night vision recording facility and remote joystick control. The vessels will also be fitted with three fixed and two wireless microphones. -- Katherine Rushton, www.broadcastnow.co.uk

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 Heike Blok: SEMANTICS: The branch of linguistic and logic concerned with meaning. FORMAL SEMANTICS: Studies the the logical aspect of meaning, such as sense, reference, implication, and logical form. LEXICAL SEMANTICS: Studies word meanings and word relations. CONCEPTUAL SEMANTICS: Studies the cognitive structure of meaning."

As our greats of "Zillion Sailing" seem to have reached the end of a Cul-de-sac and have now degraded our sport to a contest of semantics which, even that they fumble, I asked the grandson of 6 of a friend of mine what a keelboat is. He said: "A boat with a keel". And what a Catamaran is: "Two boats without a keel". OK guys, shall we keep it at that? And by all means, do read the above and if you still don"t get it, you can always ask your grandson...

* From Richard Hayes, re: 10 footer circumnavigation race: I wonder if the organizers of this event realize that the crocs in Darwin can be three times as long as these 'yachts' - not to mention the sharks of the same size... Still, I suppose it's just Natural Selection working to remove 'anomalies' from the gene pool.

FEATURED BROKERAGE
2000 Farr 40, 100,000 GBP, Lying Hamble, United Kingdom.

Farr 40 from 2000 hull is Gunsmoke grey with powder coat stanchions pulpit and pushpit. Boat has always been dry sailed since new and has its own cradle. Wheel steered boat.

Brokerage through Yachtworld.com: www.yachtworld.com

Complete listing details and seller contact information at
uk.yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatFullDetails.jsp?boat_id=1655957

THE LAST WORD
You can't be a Real Country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. -- Frank Zappa

About Boats.com
Boats.com provides marketing and Web services to boat builders, dealers, brokers and service companies throughout the global recreational marine industry. The Boats.com Website provides consumer access to information, boat listings and financial and insurance products. With more than 143,000 new and used boat listings from more than 5,500 brokers, dealers and manufacturers, Boats.com is the largest concentration of recreational marine industry marketing in the world.

About YachtWorld.com
Formed in 1995, YachtWorld.com is the premier online sales channel for yacht brokers around the world. The site lists more than 110,000 boats for sale in 115 countries by some 2,500 brokers in 60 countries. The total value of boats listed is over $40 billion. Headquartered in Seattle, YachtWorld.com has its European headquarters in the United Kingdom, with sales offices in Germany, Italy and Russia and sales representation in Dubai, Australia and China.

Scuttlebutt Europe is available via email:
To subscribe visit scuttlebutteurope.com

Editorial and letter submissions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or see www.scuttlebutteurope.com/advertising.html