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Editorials, Opinions and the Rumour Mill...
Confusion Reigns
Confusion reigned yesterday as to when the 33rd America's Cup would take place. Alinghi said immediately that they would not appeal and looked forward to their enforced showdown with BMW Oracle in July 2009. But BMW Oracle said that the competition would be held in October 2008.
"You have to ask Alinghi how they came up with July 2009," Tom Ehman, the BMW Oracle spokesman, said. "The Deed of Gift says that the Challenger chooses the date and must give ten months' Notice of Challenge. So we challenged last July. We gave them not ten months, we gave them 12 months' notice and chose dates in July 2008.
"In December, after Justice Cahn's ruling, we agreed with their attorneys then - they have since been excused by Alinghi - that we would race in October [2008]. So we gave them another 11 months' notice from Justice Cahn's decision and a total of 16 months' notice [from the original challenge], and now they want two years' notice. As far as we are concerned it is in October, we won't go back now. Even though Justice Cahn makes it quite clear that the match could be in July [2008], we stand by our agreement." Alinghi, despite the billions of Ernesto Bertarelli, their owner, are already worried about the timeline, which puts huge pressure on the teams to build competitive multi-hulls for the race, as opposed to the normal monohull America's Cup designs. Alinghi, who must soon name the venue, feel that BMW Oracle, owned by Larry Ellison, have made a head start on the design last year. A full America's Cup, with other teams such as Great Britain's Team Origin, is now unlikely to be held before 2011. -- Matthew Pryor in The Times Online, www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/more_sport/sailing/article3586870.ece
Yeah, Right
Get ready for the next round, merde-fight fans. This much happened in the first few minutes after the court ruling went public.
Conventional wisdom (which can be wrong, but I subscribe) has it that Alinghi's actions these recent months have been aimed at delaying the inevitable Deed of Gift match, while they play catch-up on design. Bertarelli was so confident of winning in court the first time around that he did not begin work on a multihull defender until the rug was swept from under his feet. His own people have said that, and who am I to doubt them? The American camp, meanwhile, was cranking great guns.
Today --
The defender issued a statement quoting team boss Ernesto Bertarelli: "Let's settle this on the water." Alinghi lead counsel Lucien Masmejan was quoted as setting July, 2009 for a best-of-three match.
However --
Among other matters, the Cup's Deed of Gift covers situations in which the parties cannot mutually agree to terms, and it addresses the timing of a disputed match.
Thus my email to Jane Eagleson, asking the question that leads this writing. And about two minutes later, in email time, comes:
"You would have to ask Alinghi - where do they get 2009 from?? This is nowhere in the court papers - we want to go as soon as possible"
My point exactly.
Interviewed on Radiosport New Zealand, Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth had comments that laid out the next arena of conflict:
"It [the ruling] is pretty much what we expected to happen."
"Next year we're happy to meet them in a multihull."
"The strategy of BMW all along has been to race this year."
"There is no way we could do it in that time frame, and even when they went to court last year [if we had started then] it would have been a big push. They could have a regatta in July, but it'll be ridiculous."
"We're thinking the clock stopped when we went to court."
The DoG stipulates 10 months from the date of challenge, and the various back-and-forths since BOR filed its DoG challenge have us racing in 2008. I heard Butterworth talking July, 2008, but I believe he had the month wrong. I heard BMW Oracle talking October.
So can Alinghi persuade (whom?) that the clock stopped? Will we be going back to court to ask Dad to set a date?
I think so. -- From Kimball Livingston's blog: sailmagazine.blogspot.com
Alinghi Still Wants 2009
Following the letter sent by the GGYC representatives in response to the proposal made by the Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG) for a fair resolution of the 33rd America's Cup on the water, Lucien Masmejan, lead counsel for the defending yacht club, expresses:
"We regret the tone and the content of the response from BMW Oracle Racing to our proposal. It looks as if they plan to stick to their destructive strategy that has been successful so far, eliminating all Challengers and qualifying in court directly to the America's Cup Match, thus putting hundreds of people in the sailing community out of business. Now they want to use the same plan to beat the Defender without fighting a fair duel on the water. We communicated to them that to have a fair and high-quality race the event must take place in 2009. It is simply impossible for us to construct a boat to defend the Cup in a seven-month time frame as GGYC currently proposes.
Moreover, 2009 is the right date after the 10-month notice period demanded by the Deed of Gift to allow the Defender time to prepare their defence, which resumes only after Justice Cahn's final order was entered on March 19 2008. The parties agreed months ago that the 10-month notice period would be tolled during the pendency of this litigation up through entry of a final order or judgment and expiration of the time for appeal. But as they did previously, GGYC keeps changing the frame of the discussion to try to obtain the Cup by any means and at any price. Are they afraid of meeting Alinghi on the water?
Both SNG and GGYC have repeatedly stated in public that, should they win the 33rd America's Cup, the 34th edition will be sailed in 2011. Thus, it makes no difference to GGYC and, more important, has no impact in the America's Cup community whether the race is held in October 2008 or July 2009, unless GGYC does not believe that it can win if SNG is given adequate opportunity to prepare for the match.
However, the SNG and Alinghi remain committed to trying to find a compromise with BMW Oracle Racing and therefore we proposed a meeting next week to try to find a solution that moves the America's Cup fight back on the water and not in court."
Their latest letter, in full: scuttlebutteurope.com/pdf/080321-sng_letter_to_ggcy.pdf
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Reactions From The Syndicates
* After several weeks of waiting, K-Challenge welcomes the decision of the New York State Supreme Court and Judge Cahn with satisfaction, since everything will be ruled on the water regarding the case which opposed Alinghi, the Defender, and BMW Oracle Racing, the confirmed Challenger of Record.
Thus, the 33rd edition of the America's Cup will be a duel between these two teams in multihulls, and will take place in 2008 or 2009.
That is to say, the next competition with selections between challengers (the 34th edition) will probably take place in 2011, in Valencia, as announced by Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing.
Yesterday evening's breaking news was also welcomed with enthusiasm by all the America's Cup and sports community, and it makes it now possible for K-Challenge to come up for the second time as a French challenger for the 34th America's Cup.
K-Challenge has started to work in all fields for several months with an intact determination in order not to waste time, in spite of the bounces which happened in the event lately.
The team has been working for several months, and the next stage will allow on March 27 to introduce the details of its programme and its key members who will be the heart of the French challenger K-Challenge. It will also be the perfect opportunity for the team to introduce with pride its first sponsor who chose to support K-Challenge with this new project.
* Team Shosholoza managing director Captain Salvatore Sarno has welcomed last night's New York State Supreme Court ruling in respect of an ongoing America's Cup dispute as it ends more than eight months of uncertainty around sailing's premier event.
"The decision of Judge Cahn, whether right or not, has finally ended this long period of uncertainty which was killing the fighting spirit of all the teams, " said Captain Sarno.
"Finally the dense fog which was enveloping the America's Cup has disappeared and we can see through and prepare our programme.
"It is pity to see that once more the power of few - but with an enormous fortune - has dictated the will of many - with a lot of passion but no money. But, let's start. Let's start!" said Sarno.
* Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said today Justice Cahn's decision was the best possible outcome for the team and for all challengers.
"The way is open for the America's Cup to get back on track with a multi-challenge America's Cup at a date to be decided.
"We are getting some clarity at last," Dalton said.
Dalton said: "Alinghi has issued a statement saying they welcomed an event in July 2009. This is a smokescreen because we assume that Alinghi will not be ready in July 2008. It is in Alinghi's interests to try to push the event into 2009.
"We assume that BMW Oracle has factored a July 2008 date into their build programme so it is in their interests to race as soon as possible."
"We have known for many months that whatever way the Oracle/Alinghi legal action was determined, the 33rd America's Cup would be a one-on-one Deed of Gift challenge.
"Emirates Team New Zealand's strategy has been to stay strong and prepare for the 34th America's Cup which will be a multi-challenge event. We have kept the team going throughout this time so that we can respond quickly when the time comes.
"Design work has continued throughout this hiatus. Members of the sailing team will be racing together in major northern hemisphere regattas this year.
"When we have a date for the 34th America's Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand will be in good shape."
Delivered By Sail
Montpellier, France: The first cargo of wine shipped from France by sail since the late 1800s will arrive in Ireland from the southern Languedoc region next month, saving an estimated 140 grams (4.9 ounces) of carbon per bottle, compared to a regular shipment.
"My idea at the beginning was to do something for the planet and something for the wines of Languedoc," said Frederic Albert, founder of the shipping company, Compagnie de Transport Maritime a la Voile, CTMV.
Fifty Languedoc wine producers have now been chosen to supply wines, and Albert says he has a waiting list of about 200 others. "We chose the best wine in the area, but it must also be made in a sustainable way, using as many natural products as possible," he said.
The ship itself, the first of seven planned to be working by 2013, is the 52-metre (170-feet) three-masted barque Belem, the last French merchant sailing vessel to be built.
Launched in 1896, its job was to bring chocolate from Belem, in Brazil, to France.
The wines will be delivered to Bordeaux by barge using the Canal du Midi and Canal du Garonne that run across southern France from Sete in the east, via Beziers in the Languedoc, where the wines will be collected.
The first shipment planned for Dublin currently amounts to about 60,000 bottles, and each bottle carries a label with a stylised ship logo and the slogan, "Carried by sailing ship, a better deal for the planet".
Retail prices will range from seven to 20 euros, a "normal" price range for French wines, said Albert. "I realised working in Dublin in the wine shop that French wine was very badly represented, and that it is always sold more expensively than other wines so we are losing out on volume."
CTMVs second boat, which cost six million euros (8.4 million dollars) to build and is as yet unnamed, will also be launched in March this year. It will measure 52 metres and have 1,000 square metres of sails and a top speed of 14 knots.
Estimated delivery time to Ireland is four days, says Albert. "We had someone who studied a century of weather conditions to work that out."
Future ports of call, with Bordeaux as the regular departure point, will include Bristol or Manchester in England, Gothenburg in Sweden, Copenhagen in Denmark, and other towns in Scandinavia.
The next delivery after Dublin, however, is Canada. "The Canadians came to my stand yesterday and they want us to come there in June," said Albert, speaking at Vinisud, the Montpellier-based wine trade fair for southern France being held this week.
"They have already ordered 20,000 bottles, but I think there will be more by the end of the show," Albert said. -- from Sail.ie, www.sail.ie/wp222/?p=91
Belem site: 3mats.net
Artemis Transat
With just over 50 days to go until the start of The Artemis Transat on Sunday, 11th May from Sutton Harbour, Plymouth to Boston, 25 solo skippers are currently confirmed for the race. Sixteen of the world's leading IMOCA 60 sailors, including two previous Vendee Globe winners Michel Desjoyeaux and Vincent Riou, and nine Class 40 sailors representing four different nationalities.
IMOCA 60
Akena Veranda / Arnaud Boissieres (FRA)
Artemis / Jonny Malbon (UK)
Aviva / Dee Caffari (UK)
Brit Air / Armel Le Cleac'h (FRA)
BT / Sebastien Josse (FRA)
Ecover/ Mike Golding (UK)
Foncia / Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA)
Pakea Bizkaia 2009 / Unai Basurko (BASQ)
Pindar / Brian Thompson (UK)
PRB / Vincent Riou (FRA)
Roxy / Samantha Davies (UK)
Generali / Yann Elies (FRA)
Cervin EnR / Yannick Bestaven (FRA)
Gitana Eighty / Loick Peyron (FRA)
Groupe Bel / Kito de Pavant (FRA)
Safran / Marc Guillemot (F! RA)
Roland Jourdain, skipper of IMOCA 60 Veolia Environnement, unfortunately announced last week that he will no longer be able to compete in The Artemis Transat 2008. Following his dismasting during the double-handed Barcelona World Race and subsequent delays in shipping the boat back to Europe, his boat will not be race ready in time.
There are currently nine boats on the Class 40 entry list. Jean Philippe Saliou will be at the start onboard Akilaria 40, under the colour of Leclerc Ville La Grande. Both Miranda Merron and Patrice Carpentier are pre-registered but are still trying to secure sponsorship funding in order to participate.
Class 40
Appart'City / Yvan Noblet (FRA)
Custo Pol / Halvard Mabire (FRA)
Fujifilm / Alex Bennett (UK)
Groupe Partouche / Christophe Coatnoan (FRA)
Leclerc Ville la Grande / Jean-Philippe Saliou (FRA)
Louis Duc (FRA)
Mistral Loisirs-Elior / Thierry Bouchard (FRA)
Prevoir VIE / Benoit Parnaudeau (FRA)Telecom Italia/ Giovani Soldini (ITA)
thetransat.com
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Launchings
* The brief was to design a racing yacht of around 20' which could be sailed by both able and disabled sailors alike; with the characteristics of a contemporary AC boat ... the Artemis 20 was born.
A 6 metre carbon fibre performance keelboat with AC characteristics, yet safe and manageable.
The concept behind Vizual Marine and subsequently the Artemis 20 which the company designed and built in association with Simon Rogers, was to create an 'even keel' within the sailing fraternity that will allow both able and disabled sailors to race against each other with the same rules, the same boats and no unfair advantages.
After successfully sailing solo across the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 2005 in her adapted Artemis 20 and making history, quadriplegic sailor Hilary Lister, 35, is now planning her solo circumnavigating of the British Isles. Hilary and her team are hoping to achieve this in the summer of 2008.
The 2008 Artemis 20 Schedule includes:
HISC Open RNLI Pursuit Race - 24th March 2008
HISC Glyn Charles Pursuit Race - 26th April 2008
Artemis Transat - 9th - 11th May Plymouth
JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race - 28th June 2008 Cowes
ACCBank Cork Week - 12th - 18th July (tbc)
Skandia Cowes Week - 2nd - 9th August 2008 Cowes
Sailability Multi-Class Regatta Rutland SC - 8th - 10th August
Falmouth Week - 9th - 16th August 2008 tbc
PSP Southampton Boat Show - 12th - 21st September 2008
Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show - 28th November - 7th December 2008
* This is Merrymaid, the superb Charles Nicholson-designed gaff cutter originally built by Camper & Nicholsons in 1904 but seen here being re-launched recently at Southampton Yacht Services following a major re-fit.
Photo from Southampton Yacht Services.
Having spent years in a mud berth in Essex after the Second World War, like so many vessels of her ilk, she was rescued and started sailing again in the Mediterranean towards the end of the last century.
In her latest re-fit in which Piers Wilson's team at SYS were able to get to the core of her problems, a special cradle had to be constructed to support the yacht while half the stem, the keelson, the stern knee and the stern post were replaced.
The interior has also been completely restored, a lot of it with new teak joinery and new engineering and electrical systems have been installed. Martins Rigging have attended to her complex rig and and a new suit of sails from Lawrence Sailmakers has been cut. Merrymaid has been undergoing extensive sea trials in the Solent and will soon return to the classic yacht circuit. -- David Glenn/Yachting World, www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20080202180950supersailworld.html
* We've been keeping tabs on the progress of the Beluga SkySails, first modern commercial cargo vessel to harness wind power with a deployable computer controlled kite.
The ship arrived in the Venezuelan port of Guanta on Tuesday February 5th, leaving from Germany on January 22nd.
SkySails didn't deploy the high-tech kite system until reaching the Azores, midway in her voyage. Once fully deployed, the system saved between 10 and 15 percent in fuel consumption, or $1000 to $1500 per day, according to Verena Frank, project manager for the SkySails. This was the first time the system had been tested under the difficult conditions of the mid-Atlantic.
As bugs get ironed out and crews gain expertise with the system, the kite can be deployed for up to half of a typical voyage while fuel conservation is expected to increase another 5 to 10 percent.
www.triplepundit.com/pages/ms-beluga-skysails-completes-h-002897.php
* Philippe Briand has designed a new 86'. This aluminium sailing yacht is currently under construction at the Chantier C.N.B. in Bordeaux. She is to be launched in May 2009.
This 86' yacht is designed for offshore sailing. Her owner is an experienced yachtsman and has already owned a C.N.B. built yacht, which explains why the architect has taken care to design a sensitive boat which is pleasant to sail, due to her long waterline length, large sail area and a lifting keel which increases her draft from 2 to 4 metres.
The roof was therefore designed with very pure long lines and large windows. As the helm station is offset, the helmsman will have a perfect view over the headsails. A 3.70 m long tender is stowed in a aft garage. -- MegaYachts.ru: megayachts.ru/en/news/10/450/
* Europe Sailing Corporation Ltd, has developed a new sailing project: the boat "Twelve" One Design The boat was designed by the Italian company Studio Lostuzzi Yacht Design and Engineering (located in Torviscosa, Italy) owned by Marco Lostuzzi and Andrea Grigolini.
Photo from Max Ranchi
The Studio received various awards such as the Oscar for sailing 2003 as the best project for Solaris 36' OD, finalists for the award "sailor of the year" in 2004 and 2006 for design engineers and won the Millenium Yacht Desing Award for the SLY42'. In 2006, Engineer Marco Lostuzzi was appointed Advisor of the Association for Yachting Boat Projects, and this year his boat SLY 42' won "European Yacht of the Year 2008".
The boats, along with the models and moulds, will be produced in Italy. A minimum of 12 boats shall be produced in the first year (2008) and a minimum of 24 boats in 2009 and 36 boats in 2010.
Photo Galleries
Click on the image for the photo gallery.
From left to right:
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