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Brought to you by Yachtworld.com Europe and boats.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
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Subic Centennial IRC Overall Winner of Rolex China Sea Race
Photo credit: Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi
Last night the land-sea breeze off the Philippine coast made and lost fortunes for the potential handicap winners in this 565-nautical mile offshore Asian classic.
At the Philippines finish of the Rolex China Sea Race, the local enthusiasm and passion for sailing is evident, so it seemed fitting that the overall handicap winner was the Philippines entry, Subic Centennial, co-skippered by Judes Echauz and Vince Perez and their crew of young Filipino sailors.
Echauz and Perez won the China Sea Race in 1998 with the same boat, and ten years later decided it was time to try again. Echauz is President of the Philippines Sailing Association and head of the Philippines sailing team and was involved in the ASEAN Games in Manila. Subic Centennial, a Sydney 46 from the Manila Yacht Club, is mostly composed of young kids who are part of the Philippines Team, with Australian Jamie Wilmot as the senior coach.
Paul Bankowski's Ker 11.3 Jaywalker, won IRC Racing B division and was 2nd overall on corrected time after Subic Centennial. Jaywalker persevered where others were stymied, coming in on the northwesterly which shut off, filled in from the southeast and shut down again, before finally filling in from the northwest again to get them across the finish line at 2204 hrs.
They also persevered in that this was only the second time the boat has finished this race, after starting in four editions, having had to retire twice due to mechanical problems.
In IRC Premier Cruising Division, it was Mark Thornburrow, from Hong Kong, on his Taswell 49 Dream who finished first.
The official prize giving ceremony will take place on April 16th 2008 at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. Among the trophies, Rolex timepieces will be awarded to Hi Fi's for the Line Honours win and to Subic Centennial for winning IRC Overall.
www.rhkyc.org.hk/rolexchinasearace.htm
www.regattanews.com
* A very wet and weary Strewth crew appeared out of the murk at Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, accompanied by the faithful guard ship Cloud, the RHKYC's Kellett VI, and RIB M69.
Photo of Strewth, sans keel, by Guy Nowell, Sail-World.com
It was easy to tell which of the two yachts motoring up the harbour was Strewth - the one with the pronounced roll. Just 36 hours earlier she had lost her keel approx 170 nm south east of Hong Kong, en route to Subic Bay in the Rolex China Sea Race 2008.
As she came in to the RHKYC Eastern Pontoon we saw another effect of being keel-less - sideways movement! M69 was needed as tugboat to gently push her into position. And then, safely tied up, it was time for a handshakes all round, thanks from the Strewth crew to Cloud, and kettles of rum and coke on the hardstanding. Said Geoff Hill, owner of Strewth: 'a typical Hong Kong rescue - DRC and smiles all round!'
'At 0300 watch-change yesterday (21 March), we were fine reaching at about 12 kts in 18 kts of breeze, and there was a loud crack. Several crew checked everything we could think of, but couldn't see anything wrong. 20 m ins later there was another loud crack, and 30 sec after that, she went...'
'The bow went down maybe 30 deg, and the boat rolled 45 or 50 eg - just enough to get the gunwhale wet - the main trimmer dumped everything, and we came upright again with a bit of a kick on the stern from the seaway. It was all very weird, we actually started to trim up and sail again, and were hitting 8-9 kts of boat speed, but the boat was way too tender and had serious leeway.... Richard Grimes went over the side to see what was happening down there, and came back and said, 'Nada. There's nothing, there, it's all gone.'
'It's all a bit worrying,' said Geoff at the end. 'Those were new keel bolts, and it's a simple, not very hi-tech, sort of design. The boat wasn't being pressed. I have no doubt at all that if we had gone straight over, there would have been loss of life. We wouldn't all be standing here looking having a drink now.'
'Olivier and the crew of Cloud were absolutely magnificent, and we are very grateful to them. Thank you, one and all.
'Small boats look after small boats, you know!' -- Guy Nowell, Sail-World.com: www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=42859
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Kite Speed World Cup
Port St. Louis, France: For the creme de la creme of speed kiteboarding, the battle is on for the world championship titles and new records. The Kite Speed World Cup will again be held in Port St. Louis du Rhone this year oin March 29 - April 6, for the 3rd year running.
In the men's fleet, all eyes are set to the reigning world champion and 500m world record holder Alex Caizergues, a true son of the city of Port St. Louis, who clearly dominated last years season.
His biggest opponents at the moment seem to be Manu Taub, also from France, currently second fastest kiteboarder in the world, Sebastien Cattelan, former world record holder, and 2006 world champion Christophe Prin-Guenon, always good for some first places at their home world cup.
This event will also attract a number of international competitors like Taro Niehaus from South Africa, David Williams from England, and Rolf van der Vlugt from Holland.
The womens fleet is well represented with reigning world champion Charlotte Consorti from France and outright speedsailing world record holder Sjoukje Bredenkamp from South Africa.
The Speed:World:Cup is sanctioned by ISWC (International Speed Windsurfing Class) on behalf of ISAF (International Sailing Federation) and the PKRA (Professional Kite Riders Association). The organization will be done by the Port St. Louis Centre Nautique in cooperation with the Speed:World:Cup Management.
www.speedworldcup.com
Spectacular Solent Racing
Photo of IRC SZ winner RAN by Rick Tomlinson
Day three of the Red Funnel Easter Challenge, organised by the RORC, produced some quite stunning Solent racing with plenty of spills and thrills. Finally, after two days of frustration, racing got under way and it was well worth the wait.
"It was tough out there today for all of the boats and the race committee," commented Ran navigator, Steve Hayles. "There were a lot of variables on the race course. The wind speed varied from 12 to 25 knots and the wind direction was never really stable. We made a few mistakes today, as I am sure everybody did but Easter being so early this year has been a big factor. On Ran we have only managed a few training days prior to the event and I am sure that we will improve as the season goes on. It is great to have these boats in the Solent; it is a fascinating and challenging place to race."
Provisional Overall Results
Series Place, Sail No, Boat, Type of Boat, Owner, (Handicap, Series Points, Race 1, Race 2)
Class IRC SZ
1. GBR528R, Ran, TP52, Niklas Zennstrom, (1.369, 2, 1, 1)
2. GBR952R, Henri Lloyd - Cutting Edge, TP52, Robert Lutener & Martin Elwood (1.36, 5, 2,3)
3. GBR76R, Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme, TP52, Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme (1.358, 7, 3, 4)
Class IRC 0
1. IRL3939, Silk Glove, Ker 39, Colm Barrington (1.131, 4, 1, 3)
2. GBR945R, Fever, Swan 45, Stuart Miller (1.184, 6, 3, 3)
3. GBR1545R, Poppy of Portland Marina, David Lancefield (1.136, 8, 7,1)
Class IRC 1
1. IRL3008, Blondie IV, King 40, Eamonn Rohan (1.116, 3, 1, 2)
2. IRL2007, Jump Juice, Ker 37, Conor & Denise Phelan (1.098, 5, 4,1)
3. GBR236R, Erivale III, Ker 39CR, Jerry Otter (1.118, 5, 2, 3)
Class IRC 2
1. GBR7031T, Sanguma, Ker 31, Chris Walmsley (1.036, 4, 1, 3)
2. GBR7712R, Zarafa, HOD 35, Peter Scholfield (1.031, 4, 2, 2)
3. GBR73R, Salvo, Beneteau 34.7, Peter Morton (1.012, 6, 5, 1)
Class IRC 3
1. GBR4992R, Jack Sparrow, J/92 S, Paul & Marie-Claude Heys (0.987, 2, 1, 1)
2. GBR4365, Dean & Dyball Enigma, MG346, Ian Braham (0.95, 4, 2, 2)
3. GBR9395R, Elusive, Elan 333, Jackie & Robert Dobson (0.981, 6, 3, 3)
Full results at www.rorc.org
Goetz and Rogers Team Up for New Project
Goetz Custom Boats and Rogers Yacht Design are teaming up to produce a new 82' cruiser/racer sloop for a UK client. The yacht will feature a contemporary, lightweight, superyacht interior with striking external styling. She has been designed to be competitive under IRC and will be participating primarily on the European regatta circuit. The yacht is scheduled for delivery during the second half of 2009. This project marks the first collaboration between Rogers Yacht Design (best known for their Open Class race boats, Class 40s, and Rogers 46 designs) and Goetz.
According to Simon Rogers, "To get the true benefit from this Rogers 82 design, RYD recognised that we required a world class builder. Goetz have won this project in all departments and we are delighted to be working together to produce an absolutely stunning cruiser/racer.
For more information on this and other GCB projects, visit www.goetzboats.com
America's Cup Could Head South
The US syndicate Oracle could challenge Swiss champion Alinghi for the America's Cup at a southern hemisphere venue during the next winter season, the Americans said on Saturday.
That, however, would be conditional on the two resolving their long-running wrangle over when their court-ordered, multihull duel for the trophy should be held.
Alinghi has offered to race Oracle in July 2009 for the 33rd America's Cup, but the US team is insisting on October 2008, the Swiss syndicate said Friday.
"However, if for some reason an agreement is reached for January, 2009, Oracle does not exclude racing in the southern hemisphere," he added.
The Deed of Gift that governs America's Cup racing stipulates that any regatta scheduled between November 1 and April 31 be held in southern hemisphere waters.
If that was the case, it would be up to Alinghi to decide on the venue.
If no agreement is reached at their meeting next week, the matter will return to the New York court which made the ruling for the multihull race to go ahead.
afp.google.com/article/
Clash of the Titans: ICAP Leopard Vs. Rambler
English Harbour, Antigua: In the highly competitive world of Grand Prix yacht racing, they are currently two of the best-sailed, highest profile offshore maxis in the game. In the last year alone, they have earned headlines around the world with top-notch performances in such classic events as the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Rolex Middle Sea Race, and the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race. In fact, their epic duel in last summer's Fastnet was a match for the ages, as the two giants were separated by a mere three seconds as they rounded the famous landmark known as Fastnet Rock.
Now, Mike Slade's 100-foot ICAP Leopard, and George David's 90-foot Rambler, are preparing for a rematch in the fresh tradewinds of the Caribbean. For the two state-of-the-art race boats are among the early entrants for the upcoming 41st edition of Stanford Antigua Sailing Week, scheduled from April 27-May 3.
Seventy-two boats have already registered for the 2008 running of Sailing Week, but none are larger or more impressive than ICAP Leopard, which was built Down Under at Australia's McConaghy Boats in June 2007, and almost immediately made a mark on the sailing world. The canting keel, 40-ton ICAP Leopard may have trailed Rambler by seconds at the halfway mark of the heavy-weather 2007 Fastnet, but the 100-footer staged an impressive comeback by overtaking her rival and, in the process, smashing the race record by eight hours to take line honors after a blistering voyage of 1 d, 20h, 18m, 53s. Rambler finished some 45 minutes in arrears but exacted some revenge by winning the prestigious IRC Super Zero Class on corrected time.
For the Bruce Farr-designed ICAP Leopard, the next stage of her world tour was the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race, where she finished a close second on line honors to the celebrated Australian maxi, Wild Oats XI.
In the mean time, the Reichel/Pugh-designed Rambler moved forward from the Fastnet Race to record a series of strong performances in its first year under George David's stewardship. With U.S. skipper Ken Read commanding an all-star crew of sailors who will also form the nucleus of Read's PUMA Racing team for the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race, Rambler registered a rare set of "trebles" - a record-setting time, line honors, and corrected time victory - in last fall's Rolex Middle Sea Race in the Mediterranean, and the Offshore Race Rolex Buenos Aires-Rio de Janeiro Race in the South Atlantic last February.
Rambler was originally built in 2002 for Aussie sailor Neville Crichton.
www.sailingweek.com
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Industry News
* British charter company and boating school Ondeck has recently acquired London-based nautical training operation Capital Sailing.
Ondeck has also established a company presence in Antigua and in the US Virgin Island of Saint Thomas, and has opened a RYA school in the Algarve, Portugal.
The firm forecasts that it will further expand its 19-strong fleet in 2008. In 2007 the company acquired Pindar's Volvo 60 and The Rocket Ship Open 60 as well as four Farr 40s, which are permanently based in the Caribbean.
Ondeck has bases on the Solent, UK and in Portugal, Antigua and the US Virgin Islands. Its existing fleet comprises Farr 65s, Farr 40s, Beneteau 40.7s and Dehler 39s. The firm also manages the charter of the Pindar Open 60 and Volvo 60. -- IBI news,
www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20080218161939ibinews.html
See www.ondeck.co.uk
* The decisions about who gets what in the aftermath of the collapse of Peters Opal sail and powerboat dealership in August last year are not expected before the end of March, according to lawyers representing boat owners involved.
Administrators KPMG were called in to try and sell the company leaving many buyers, sellers and suppliers out of pocket and awaiting their day in court.
The judge in the hearing, which started on 10 March and lasted three days, is not expected to give a verdict for several weeks, however there is hope for some of the affected customers.
It is understood that boat owners and buyers involved in brokerage deals via Peters Opal remain hopeful of getting their money back, perhaps even with expenses. However new-boat buyers may not fare so well, as many of these boats were owned by finance companies.
The KPMG administrator's report published two months after the takeover in August found that funds in the client account were routinely transferred to the business account, which ended 6 million GBP overdrawn.
Practical Boat Owner
www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20080217165141pbogeneral.html
* The French Nautical Industries Federation (FIN) has elected Thierry Verneuil of the watersport company Bic Sport to be the organisation's new chairman.
The vote took place at FIN's general meeting on Wednesday March 12. Verneuil succeeds Annette Roux, who did not wish to stand again after 15 years as head of the organisation.
Verneuil joined the Bic group in 1986 as CEO of Bic Sport and has been its president since 1997.
The general meeting also saw the promotion of Philippe Fourrier to the position of CEO, succeeding Tibor Sillinger. He was previously executive director for six years. -- International Boat Industry (IBI), www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20080220104605ibinews.html
* Arrangers Goldman Sachs and Dresdner Kleinwort have increased their efforts to syndicate the covenant lite leveraged buy out debt of German yacht builder Bavaria Yachtbau, according to financial newswire Debtwire Intelligence.
One-on-one meetings for parties interested in taking on Bavaria's debt will take place this week. Significant discounts to par are said to be under discussion.
The total package amounts to around 1 billion Euros. Underwriters negotiated with sponsor Bain Capital at the end of 2007 to amend the pre-crunch financing.
Private equity firm Bain Capital along with Bavaria's managing director Winfried Hermann acquired the company in July 2007. No purchase price was officially disclosed, but industry reports cited a total consideration in excess of 1 billion Euros.
www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20080218135038ibinews.html
* Following the announcement of its acquisition in January, Etap Yachting's new owners, Dehler, has announced a repositioning of the brand within the marketplace, with emphasis on safety, quality, comfort and energy efficiency. "Where Dehler in its product strategy compares itself with Porsche, Etap be positioned as the 'New Volvo' in the boat industry," read a statement issued from the boatbuilder.
"The target group will be families/couples from 35 to 65 years of age. Clients who want to identify with an image brand, which radiates quality, safety, energy saving and a high degree of comfort."
Changes have already begun and new Etap models will be introduced in 2009. "The interior will be changed from vinyl to high quality wood interior with new more classical colour propositions. The customer will have more choice in high quality upholstery," read the statement. Etap exteriors are also being modified: "From now on there will be more possibilities to order the hull in another colour than white. New striping integrating the new positioning/logo will be implemented on all yachts. There will be the possibility to have the deck in cork or teak. The anti slip metal rail will be re-placed by an elegant wooden rail and there will be improved deck gear / hinges and taps. In the future a new uniform window design will be developed on all the boats."
The overhaul is designed, its new owners claim, to leverage the Etap brand to compete with the likes of Swedish built yachts Hallberg Rassy and Najad. -- IBI, www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20080211125944ibinews.html
* Specialist marine clothing brand Henri Lloyd, has announced the continuation of their sponsorship of the Henri Lloyd - Royal Lymington Yacht Club Spring Series for the 2008 season.
The Spring Series which consists of ten races, commences on March 30th for five weeks, there are two races scheduled each Sunday for the following classes: IRC 1, IRC 2, IRC 3, Sportsboats, Folkboats, XODs and Lymington Handicap boats.
The Western Solent offers the best racing waters with a wide variety of options for course settings, while the club offers unparalleled hospitality to all competitors. Henri Lloyd will also be providing top of the range prizes and vouchers for the winners of each class.
The Henri Lloyd - Royal Lymington Spring Series NOR and Entry form are available to download from www.rlymyc.org.uk/racing/default.asp?page_id=738
Featured Brokerage
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The Last Word
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. -- Groucho Marx
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