In This Issue
• The Climb
• Sportsmanship
• What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
• Sir Ben Ainslie Talks To Shirley Robertson
• 18ft Skiffs: Family Rivalry On The Race Track
• Cruising Association European Inland Waterways Cruising Guides
• Exclusive look inside Luna Rossa's base
• LaserPerformance strikes out in court
• Bob Fisher tribute tomorrow Friday 5th Feb on Facebook Live
• Peter Burling's love affair with Bermuda set to be resumed
• Post-Brexit restrictions for UK sailors
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Excess 15 - Catamaran
• • Dazcat 1495 Apollo
• • Cookson 50 - Endless Game
• The Last Word: Mark Twain

Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News 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

The Climb
There are still thirteen solo skippers climbing the Atlantic towards the finish line In Les Sables d'Olonne, all of them in their own particular situation fighting their own gremlins, their own winds and, indeed many still enjoying the satisfaction of each mile gained towards the line.

Two will arrive at the weekend, likely Saturday for Jeremie Beyou and Romain Attanasio. Then there is the group of six that has to get around a big high pressure system which has elongated north south, pressed between the Atlantic lows, (Boissières, Le Diraison, Roura, Shiraishi, Costa, Hare) and then there is the trio Giroud-Cousin-Merron which is finished with the doldrums, and finally the duo Barrier-Huusela that is going steadily north off the coast of Brazil.

the group of six (Boissières, Le Diraison, Roura, Shiraishi followed by Costa and Hare) has to circumnavigate the Azores High by passing 1000 miles to the West of the Portuguese isladnds And the worst thing is that it's not over yet, according to the Vendée Globe meteorologist, Christian Dumard: "They will have to deal with a first front which will deepen before a new low, formed by strong north-westerly winds with more than 50 knots on the files. They're not done with winter lows yet!"

"It's going to be a great match race right up to the end," says Alan Roura (La Fabrique), who was enthusiastic on this morning's radio calls.

Giraud-Cousin-Merron and the north-easterly trade winds

"That's it, I'm out of the Doldrums, it feels good! "Manuel Cousin (Groupe SETIN) chuckled this morning. "I know we still have a Transat to do but we're going to fight."

Miranda Merron is still struggling to get out the Doldrums. "I had a disastrous night. I have no wind at all and there is a big swell from the North-East, South-East". The sailor from Campagne de France says of her mainsail which "slaps very violently on all sides as if it was trying to separate itself from the mast". But she is hanging in there and hoping to get into a more solid NE'ly breeze soon.

www.vendeeglobe.org

Sportsmanship
It's disheartening to see the latest news filtering back 12,000 miles from the land of the long white cloud that agreement has not been reached between Team Ineos and the Prada boys to nullify the patently ridiculous Claim of Non Compliance (CNC) that will see the Brits go into the final of the Prada Cup one strike down and on the precipice of having a race nullified for any further rules infringement. In the interests of sport, I would strongly urge the Prada gang to think again and get back around the table. The tone is wrong. The intent is clear. And once again, when an olive branch of reason is offered it has been rejected.

This will come back to haunt Prada. The gloves are off now. In the past, picking a fight with the British was pretty much fair game. Under Ben Ainslie, Grant Simmer and Jim Ratcliffe's reign you are playing with dynamite. The response will be fire and fury. You don't want to make Ben angry - that's a really bad idea as recent history attests.

It's the cheapest of cheap shots. And quite simply there will be no tears when Luna Rossa are clinically dispatched and remembered merely as a footnote in this America's Cup cycle. They are playing this game wrong, immersed in an obvious, dated narrative that is not befitting of this wonderful regatta set in these strained global times. It sticks in the craw like a cheap Instagram influencer on a jolly in Dubai. -- Magnus Wheatley

rule69blog.wordpress.com

Seahorse February 2021
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

Better than ever
Nautor’s Swan has always worked hard to ensure that owners continue to enjoy their yachts long after the pink ribbon comes off. Now the new Nautor’s Swan Experience takes this already rarified level of customer care to an even higher level

The best yet?
The confident and very successful Grand Soleil shipyard gave the brilliant design talent (and regular Seahorse contributor) Matteo Polli free rein with their first collaboration. The result is exceptional... in every sense

Imagine
Rob Weiland is doing his level best to look on the bright side with some cautious predictions

Ee by gum!
Andy Claughton is looking forward to the world’s biggest ever eSailing Regatta down in Auckland

Rod Davis - Party time
The games begin... Plus the good, the bad and the plain incomprehensible

1yr Print Sub: €77 - £48 - $71 / Rest of the World: £65 www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/subs/

1yr Digital Sub for £37.50: www.seahorse.co.uk/shop/subs/

Discounts shown are valid on a one year subscription to Seahorse magazine.

Sir Ben Ainslie Talks To Shirley Robertson
Having now secured a place in the final of the Prada Cup we look back to when double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson caught up with Team Ineos UK Team Principal and Skipper, and Olympic legend Sir Ben Ainslie to chat about the pandemic, the boats and the challenges they face in the 36th America's Cup.

18ft Skiffs: Family Rivalry On The Race Track
John Winning and John Winning Jr., in the rigging area at Double Bay. Click on image for photo gallery.

For more than 100 years there has been a strong family influence over the generations in the 18 Footers.

Last Sunday, when Zac Barnabas sailed in the bow of Tom Cunich's Vintec, it created some very interesting competition within the Australian 18 Footers League's fleet at the 2020-2021 Australian Championship on Sydney Harbour.

For a number of seasons, John 'Woody' Winning and his son John 'Herman' Winning have been locking horns at the highest level as skippers of Yandoo and Winning Group respectively.

'Woody' is the 2000 JJ Giltinan, Australian and NSW champion when he skippered AMP Centrepoint to victory. 'Herman' won the 2019-2020 NSW Championship, when he skippered Winning Group to victory.

Zac Barnabas' entry into the 2020-2021 season fleet put him in direct competition with his father Trent, a multiple JJ Giltinan champion, who was in the bow of Michael Coxon's Smeg.

Unfortunately for young Zac, dad came out on top as Smeg took line honours in both races of the Australian Championship.

As well as the father and son competition, there was also family rivalry between two brothers, Cam and Charlie Gundy.

While they are each members of very talented teams, last Sunday was not a good day for either as Cam (Andoo) and Charlie (The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines) had to be satisfied with below normal results.

Another member of the Andoo team, Jeronimo Harrison is the son of a former top rating 18ft skiff sailor, who sailed in some of the leading 18s of the 1980s.

One of Jay's teams was when he sailed as sheet hand with John 'Woody' Winning (yes, the same one who is still skippering in today's fleet) and Grant Pollitt on Flora-Triple M in the late 1980s.

The Australian Championship continues this Sunday when Races 6 and 7 of the 9-race championship will be sailed on Sydney Harbour. If the racing is as good as it was last weekend, spectators, on the water, or watching through live stream video coverage, will be treated to a great contest.

www.18footers.com.au

Cruising Association European Inland Waterways Cruising Guides
Print and digital editions of the Cruising Association's (CA) main European inland waterways cruising guides have been published for the 2021 season; namely, Cruising the Inland Waterways of France and Belgium, Through the Netherlands via the Standing Mast Routes, 50 Great Cruising Routes in the Netherlands, The German Rhine, and Cruising the River Moselle/Mosel have been published by the CA's European Inland Waterways Section (EIWS).

Cruising the Inland Waterways of France and Belgium is a 216-page A4 guide, edited by Gordon Knight and now in its 25th edition.

Through the Netherlands via the Standing Mast Routes is a 66-page guide, first published in 2019, providing detailed navigational information on 14 different routes by which yachts can transit the Netherlands.

50 Great Cruising Routes in the Netherlands is a 246-page A4 guide, written by CA members Andy and Gwen Mulholland and edited by Gordon Knight, which was first published in 2020.

The German Rhine is a 20-page, full colour A4 guide, written by CA members Dr Roger Edgar and Rob Thomas and edited by Gordon Knight.

Cruising the River Moselle/Mosel The river, which runs for 394kms from Neuves-Maison in France through Luxembourg and Germany (where it is known as the Mosel) to finally join the Rhine at Koblenz, has hitherto been poorly served with cruising guides to what is widely regarded as one of Europe's most beautiful waterways. This 54-page, full colour guide is the first to provide comprehensive information on this cruising route in English.

All are available in full colour print or PDF digital format via the Cruising Association's online shop at www.theca.org.uk/catalog/735

Exclusive look inside Luna Rossa's base
Beyond the Cup: NZME's Cheree Kinnear gets an exclusive look inside the Italian base with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Trimmer Pierluigi 'Pigi' de Felice.

LaserPerformance strikes out in court
It was February 2020 when a hearing in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut concluded, it was the result of a 7-year long Federal Court litigation between Laser designer Bruce Kirby and Quarter Moon (QMI) and LaserPerformance (Europe) Limited (LPE).

Alongside their battle with Kirby, LPE had its troubles with the International Laser Class Association (ILCA). After having been the dominant Laser builder for North America and Europe, LPE was removed from the approved builder list in March 2019 when ILCA found them to be building non-compliant boats.

That was strike one. Their second whiff was a year ago when Kirby's claims were resolved by a jury who unanimously found in his favor, with QMI/LPE liable for a sum of $6,857,736.30, payable to Kirby. But as usual in the US Courts, it takes a while for resolution, but strike three came in a decision dated February 2, 2021.

LPE remains a non-class builder, and while they may appeal this latest judgement to reduce the fees, the case is over.

Full article in Scuttlebutt

Bob Fisher tribute tomorrow Friday 5th Feb on Facebook Live
Tom Ehman is hosting a tribute program on the Sailing Illustrated Facebook page this Friday.

Link here

Show time:
Friday 1300 Pacific / 1600 EST / 2100 UTC / 2200 CET
Saturday 0500 Perth / 0800 Sydney / 1000 Auckland

Facebook Live does not require a Facebook account. It is open to the public. To view the show live, or to replay, click on this link like any other public website:

If you have any vivid memories you would like to share, you can send a facebook message to the Show and Tom will read out as many as he can. -- Barry Pickthall

Peter Burling's love affair with Bermuda set to be resumed
The formidable duo of Peter Burling and Blair Tuke will make their SailGP debut at the same racing venue where they helped to guide Emirates Team New Zealand to America's Cup glory.

Challenger Team New Zealand romped to a convincing 7-1 victory over defender Oracle Team USA at the 35th America's Cup, which Bermuda hosted in 2017, with helmsman Burling and flight controller Tuke playing integral roles in their team's success.

They will be now keen to pick up where they left off when the island hosts the 2021 SailGP season opener and inaugural Bermuda Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess & Beach Club on April 24 and 25, with all racing to take place in the Great Sound.

SailGP, cofounded by software billionaire Larry Ellison, involves eight national teams boasting 18 sailors with Olympic medals.

Each grand-prix event includes two competition days, featuring five fleet races leading to a final match race between the two leaders. Points are accumulated at each event throughout the season, culminating in a $1 million winner-takes-all championship race at the Grand Final. -- Colin Thompson in The Royal Gazette

www.royalgazette.com/sailing/

Post-Brexit restrictions for UK sailors
UK sailors are facing a host of new restrictions post-Brexit, the Cruising Association and RYA warn. Both organisations are trying to get answers from the UK Government but they expect the coming season to throw up many unresolved issues on the water.

The Cruising Association's Brexit spokesman Roger Bickerstaff said anyone sailing to an EU country should be prepared for a more 'administrative environment', while RYA Cruising Manager Stuart Carruthers said: "The important point to get across is that we are now a Third Country and there are going to be some very significant changes to the way that people can do their boating.

"As an example, the whole idea of taking a sabbatical in the Mediterranean, living on your boat, which you've bought with your pension, has just disappeared out of the window now that we are subject to Schengen Area visitor visa rules. That is just one post-Brexit reality."

Among a range of issues, the 90-day visa rule is likely to affect most boat owners. Bickerstaff said: "You need to sign in and out when you visit a Schengen territory. If you don't sign out, the clock will keep running, so when you pitch up next into a Schengen country, a port or an airport, there is a chance they won't let you in.

"We're going to have to work out how, when yachts leave to sail back to the UK, they stop the Schengen clock – how are they going to get their passports stamped when they enter and when they leave?"

Referring to a widely reported incident at the Dutch border in January, when guards confiscated a ham and egg sandwich from a British truck driver, he said: "Like the ham and egg sandwiches, there are going to be all sorts of strange things to emerge this year.

"What we're doing at the Cruising Association is trying to identify and sort out these issues as they arise." -- By Rob Peake

www.sailingtoday.co.uk

Letters To The Editor -
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 Robo Roberson:

To my Perth based friends, any of you who knew the legendary Bob Fisher, are welcome to join an informal gathering at Royal Perth Yacht Club, late afternoon Friday 5th February, to raise a glass and reminisce about the life of one of the greats of our sport.

The Club will ensure that there are the ingredients for a few "Screaming Bob Fishers".

I have spoken to Bob's widow, the lovely Dee, who is delighted that we are able to gather and honour Bob. Western Australia is one of the few places in the world where this can be done.

Bob had a soft spot for Perth, having won a World Championship here in the Hornet class, way back in 1970. He also lived here throughout the '86/87 America's Cup, and always used any excuse to visit.

During the afternoon, the final of the City of Perth Cup match racing will be sailed on Perth water, and if anyone would like to go afloat to watch this we will do our best to arrange a place on a spectator boat. The City of Perth Cup will feature some of Western Australia's up-and-coming talent, and is being held in place of the Warren Jones International Youth Regatta, which can't be sailed because of travel restrictions.

The celebration of Bob's life will follow on from the City of Perth Cup prize presentation.

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The highly anticipated EXCESS 15 Catamaran from Groupe Beneteau is now available for the 2021 season.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Sea Ventures (UK) Ltd
Swanwick Marina
Swanwick Shore Road
Swanwick
Hampshire SO31 1ZL
+44 (0)1489 565444

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2016 Dazcat 1495 Apollo. 750,000 + vat GBP. Located in Plymouth, UK.

Dazcat - the best of performance cruiser-racer catamarans hand engineered by Multimarine Manufacturing for quality, comfort, ease of use, strength and lightweight displacement inshore and offshore. D1495 'Apollo', pure Dazcat pedigree, is for sale. Virtual viewings available.

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Contact

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2004 Cookson 50 - Endless Game. 395,000 EUR. Located in Naples, Italy.

The quite incredible Cookson 50 yachts do not come on the market very often, and when they do, they are rarely as good as ENDLESS GAME. Amazing specification and maintained as well as a yacht can be. Please do call for her full specification and for more

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
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Telephone: +44(0) 1590 679222

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
Do something every day that you don’t want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. -- Mark Twain

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