EuroSail News #5448 - 8 November

In This Issue
• IMOCA leaders ponder their choices after great start
• The ULTIMs flying upwind
• Only the best - SLAM
• 18ft Skiffs Spring Championship, Race 5
• Christmas Coffee Table Books
• Start of Leg 2 McIntyre Ocean Globe Race
• "The DORIS Restoration" presented by David Snediker
• A classic sunshine start for the largest-ever ARC+ fleet
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Charter: Champagne Hippy
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Melges IC37
• • SW100#011 Friday
• • Ichi Ban 60
• The Last Word: Billy Gibbons

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

IMOCA leaders ponder their choices after great start
After a spectacular start at 0930hrs local time off Le Havre this morning the IMOCA fleet on the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre made the most of the outgoing tide to boost them on the their way out of the Channel, tacking upwind past the tip of the Cherbourg peninsula this afternoon in gusty westerly breezes in excess of 20kts. The defending IMOCA champions from the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre race, Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière on their new Finot Conq-Koch designed For the People have been setting a fiery pace. Keeping slightly closer to the coast after trading tacks with Charal, sailed by Jeremie Beyou and Franck Cammas, Ruyant and Lagravière had eked out a margin of just over a mile, directly ahead of Charal as they approached the tricky Alderney tidal race at the Channel Islands. Britain's Sam Davies and Jack Bouttell on Initiatives Coeur had made an excellent start, too, and were up in third late this afternoon.

An active front is incoming from the west which is set to bring a short period of strong winds tonight after which the leaders will need to quickly show their hand and make their strategic intentions clear.

transatjacquesvabre.org

The ULTIMs flying upwind
On the ninth day of racing, the Maxi Banque Populaire XI is still leading the ULTIM fleet, tacking upwind to get to Ascension Island, the final course mark before the downwind stretch to Martinique. With 3500 miles to go to the finish in Fort-de-France, everything is still to play for. Gradually, SVR Lazartigue is clawing back the miles from the leader, while extending her gains over Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, in third place.

Still out in front, Banque Populaire XI, the first to switch to the starboard tack yesterday, still appears to have the same potential she has had since the start from Le Havre on 29th October. Armel le Cleac'h and Sebastien Josse continue to set a fast pace in this race between the giants, with gaps widening and closing with each issue of the rankings.

Further back, Sodebo Ultim 3 and Actual Ultim 3 are also engaged in a tough battle with only around fifty miles separating them in terms of distance to the finish. It is still all to play for, but the most striking thing today is the capacity of these boats to take off upwind, as they make their way towards Ascension Island. According to François Gabart, it will be in around 24 hours from now that they will round this island lost in the middle of the South Atlantic, before beginning their climb back up towards Martinique, sailing downwind, which should see them flying high once again.

transatjacquesvabre.org

Only the best - SLAM
We talk to SLAM CEO Enrico Chieffi about how their partnership with Emirates Team New Zealand helps make better products for sailors

Enrico Chieffi, CEO of Italian sailing clothes brand SLAM, and Grant Dalton, CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand, have a relationship that goes way back. Both of them have a long track record as world class sailors and managers. Through decades they have been both rivals and friends. Now they have a joint project: developing the best possible sailing clothes in a partnership that puts ENTZ in a better position to win their fifth America's Cup title, and SLAM in a position where they can benefit from the feedback of the world's best sailors.

Even before the deal, Dalton had noticed something happening to SLAM since Chieffi took over two years ago.

Full article in the November issue of Seahorse

18ft Skiffs Spring Championship, Race 5
The winning downwind style of the Smeg team. Photo by SailMedia. Click on image for photo gallery.

The Smeg 18ft skiff team of Nathan McNamara, Jed Ctuikshank and Jack Taylor used its superior downwind speed over the concluding leg of the course to grab a last minute victory in Race 5 of the Australian 18 Footers League's 2023-24 Spring Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

A brand new unsponsored skiff, presently named "Put Your Name Here' (Kirk Mitchell, Andrew Stephenson and Daniel Barnett) led from the start of the race but was unable to hold back the challenge of Smeg as the two teams raced gybe-for-gybe downwind to the finish line off Robertson Point.

Smeg crossed the finish line only 10s ahead of Put Your Name Here after 70 minutes of sailing over a three-lap windward-leeward course in a variable 10-14knots Easterly breeze.

Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Emma Rankin, Cam McDonald and Tom Quigley) continued to impress with another consistent performance, and was also closing in fast on the first two boats and finished just 8s further back in third place.

Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis), another of the consistent performers in the Spring Championship, finished in fourth place, ahead of The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Jacob Marks) with Andoo (John Winning Jr) in sixth place.

With only one more race left to be sailed in the series (on Sunday week, November 19), The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines leads with a total score of 24 points, followed by Yandoo (John Winning) on 27, Fisher & Paykel 28, Smeg 31 together with Balmain (Henry Larkings) 31 and Shaw and Partners Financial Services on 32.

Although weather conditions were far from good, the fleet continues to produce some of the best racing seen in the Spring Championship for several seasons and has showcased the talents of many young skippers and crew who have joined the 18 footer class in 2023-24. -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.

18footers.com

Christmas Coffee Table Books
A two book deal. A rare combination of books about German Frers. The first is German Frers: A Passion for Design by Barry Pickthall. Limited edition, now out of print. Brand new, in protective mylar slip cover.

A magnificent limited edition 4-colour deluxe coffee table book that provides an insight into the lives, designs and passions of one of the most prolific and successful line of yacht designers - all named German Frers.

And from Zelmira Frers --

The Story Behind Recluta | English
Hardcover, 258 pages, 110 photograph. Swiss-style binding with exposed spine

Authored by Zelmira Frers, the daughter of German Frers. Also in as-new condition with mylar cover protection.

BOTH books for $ 375 USD plus shipping. Contact for a shipping quote (20-25 USD in the USA).

Start of Leg 2 McIntyre Ocean Globe Race
Sailing history was made in Cape Town under the stunning vista of Table Mountain as the iconic yachts starting Leg 2 in the OGR set sail for Auckland. South African Naval Vessel SAS King Sekhukhune 1, the official start vessel and French Navy Frigate Floréal towered over the 11 yachts as they passed the line in Table Bay at 14:00 local time in the hot Capetonian sun.

The OGR, a retro race in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, means no computers, no GPS, and no high-tech materials. Sextants and paper charts will guide those about to take on the Southern Ocean. Seven of the fleet are former Whitbread competitors, tradition and history runs deep in the OGR.

Three yachts didn't make the start line. The South African entrant Sterna SA (42) will start Monday, once rigging work is completed. Explorer AU (28) only arrived the day before race start, after 55 days at sea and sadly Godspeed USA (01) are still over 400 miles from Cape Town.

There was the normal jockeying for the best position on the perfectly set start line, square to the wind, meaning there was no perceptible bias on either end of the line. All the boats started on starboard tack with Pen Duick VI, skippered by Marie Tabarly, slightly ahead and to leeward of Translated 9. Marie tried to protect her position on the line by forcing Translated 9 to incur a penalty for being on the course side of the start line at the gun. Translated 9 managed the encounter well and at the gun was able to harden up and cross the line first with Pen Duick VI a few metres to leeward, crossing second.

oceangloberace.com/livetracker

"The DORIS Restoration" presented by David Snediker
Join us on Thursday, November 16th for an evening with David Snediker of Snediker Yacht Restoration. Dave will discuss the story of DORIS, the 1905 78' Herreshoff yacht that is being restored at his shop in Mystic, CT. Built in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1905 by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, DORIS changed the course of American yachting and has been given National Historic Register recognition. The restoration is on course for completion in 2025.

Dave Snediker's "DORIS" lecture will be the last lecture of 2023, but never fear! We already have a great lineup for the spring of 2024. The loose theme for this spring is maritime technology and innovation, and we will be featuring lectures on topics ranging from 19th century electric cars and boats to AUVs and ROVs - including expert commentary on the recent Titan tragedy - to Gilded Age innovation and technology. Keep an eye on our website for updates!

The Herreshoff Lecture Series offers both in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. Please take note of which ticket type you are purchasing.

Purchase Tickets

A classic sunshine start for the largest-ever ARC+ fleet
The 'ARC season' began Monday when 95 yachts departed Las Palmas de Gran Canaria bound for Cape Verde on leg 1 of the ARC+ transatlantic rally. This is a record-breaking fleet for the event, proving the growing popularity of this two-stage Atlantic adventure and the appeal of the destinations in Cape Verde and Grenada.

ARC+ 2023 is a record-breaking year for 'cats and kids'. With 26 multihulls taking part, a 30% increase on last year, almost a third of the fleet are catamarans, eight of which were launched in 2023. 44 children aged from 8 months to 16 years are sailing with their families on 20 different multis and monohulls.

While ARC+ isn't a race and there is no racing division, the yachts have a start time to provide fun competition. At 12:45, the starting gun fired on Customs cutter Condor, starting the 26 ARC+ multihulls under blue skies and 12 knots of wind from just west of north. The first three boats across the line were all from Outremer – a 51, Maracuja (FRA) flying her orange gennaker, followed by Outremer 55-2 XIII Treize (FRA) and Nuvem Magica (FRA), an Outremer 5X.

The monohulls were next across the line at 13:00 with a very competitive start. Hanse 455 Infinity of Yar (GBR), Italia Yachts 15.98 Nessun Dorma (ITA), Rustler 44 Sea Hayes (GBR) and Oyster 485 Wild Goose (GBR) crossed the line in close formation. Most skippers opted for a conservative start – after all, it is over 800 nautical miles to Mindelo, 5 to 7 days of trade winds sailing.

Every ARC+ boat is fitted with the latest YB trackers, so you can follow the fleet on the YB Races app or on the Fleet Viewer on the rally website worldcruising.com/arc_plus

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 Colin Sinclair:

A little more background I forgot...

After the 97 series, Mumm insisted on minimum 10 teams, to include UK and France. The President of UNCL was in touch with the Kandlers quickly, and assured Mumm and RORC that there would be a French team, including a new build 50 footer. The other boats would be a chartered Sydney 40 and one of K Yachting's race prepped Mumm 36s.

Then it all went silent in France. Team Kandler went into secrecy mode. They and Juan knew there would be ructions. And they simply forgot their promise about the other 2 boats. Late 1998 panic ensued at UNCL. Jean-Louis Fabry agreed to transfer his IMX-38 crew to the Mumm, and Bernard Moureau would pull together a crew for the Sydney. K-Yachting would provide a fully tuned Mumm during the winter, to St Malo, ready for crew training. Several months late, a totally unprepared Mumm 36 turned up leaving little time to get up to speed. The 2 owners did a deal with North for new sails, and booked the crews in to the Royal London for the event, with owners staying at the Squadron, being members of course … We were kept entirely in the dark about Krazy Kyote 2. There was a pre AC Mumm 36 event out of Lymington, where Kiwi friends went above and beyond to get our set up somewhere near optimal. Everything was all over the place when we got the boat, and not much worked.

We had a very good crew. As a non-French national I could not steer inshore, so trimmed main and lit fags for Marc Noel. J-L did nav and I did tactics with Robbie Platts. No weak links on board. At the end we were of course disillusioned, but had our heads up. No other boat had Squadron food in pressure cookers for the long race, nor fine wine in a shared mug and excellent cheese.

There are people you respect, trust and become lifelong friends with, then there are others.

Featured Charter
CHAMPAGNE HIPPY. Location: Caribbean

CHAMPAGNE HIPPY can comfortably accommodate up to 8 guests across four cabins, including a master suite with a king-size bed and en-suite bathroom located at the aft, a VIP suite with a double bed and en-suite bathroom, a cabin with two single beds and an en-suite bathroom, and a cabin with a double

CHAMPAGNE HIPPY is available for charter in the Caribbean this winter 2023-2024 - open to bookings.

She will then head to Scandinavia during May / June / July 2024.

She will be available in the West Med during August / September 2024.

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
Melges IC37. 187000 GBP. Located in Hamble, UK.

"ICY" is a proven race winner under IRC, and a superb mid-sized all rounder that is highly capable in ORCi and ORR as well.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Nick Bonner

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SW100#011 "Friday". 5500000 EUR. Located in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Friday is a beautifully presented example of the Southern Wind 100 miniseries with sleek and sporty ‘Raised Saloon’ deck configuration. Available for sale exclusively with Southern Wind Brokerage, contact for further details or to arrange a visit in Palma de Mallorca.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Jeremy Peek
Southern Wind Shipyard

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ICHI BAN 60. POA. Located in Sydney, Australia