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Contents
January 2008
32
Death wish
With Team New Zealand allegedly on standby to freeze operations, T I M JEFFERY asks why we seem set on asphyxiating the 33rd America's Cup
Spain's Barcelona World racers, voids in the Auckland closet, Ainsworth looks to the bright side and Kilroy's east coast forage continues. CARLOS PICH, PATRICE CARPENTIER, IVOR WILKINS, DOBBS DAVIS and ROB MUNDLE
A month of fiasco How is it possible that, with so much that is exciting taking place in sailing at the moment, the last few weeks have been a total disaster for two of the most important areas of the sport? The inescapable fact is that while, on the water, sailing has moved into the 20th century the politics and management of the sport are still rooted in the worst nepotistic and self-obsessed excesses of the 18th. Hence, in one day at Estoril ISAF critically damaged the long-term chances of sailing remaining an Olympic sport, by proving to those watching from IOC Towers that not only are we incapable of recognising that the world is changing, but that we are arrogant enough to think we remain unaffected. A positive step, in switching Olympic disciplines to reflect the future of sailing rather than the past, would have sent all the right messages, and may even have got ISAF back some of the respect they have lost elsewhere in arenas like the America's Cup; God knows that event could do with some impartial external guidance. Meanwhile, where is the good news? Easy, everywhere that major events are being run hy independent race organisers who must Uve or die on the quality of the regattas they promote. Hence we have just finished enjoying a fantastic and massively over-subscribed Mini Transat, and as we close for press we are watching the final stages of a record-busting two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre. And, wfiile all this has been happening. Offshore Challenges have worked away with the City of Barcelona to give us the Barcelona World Race. Finally, there is the recent launch of boat nol for the Veolia SolOceans Race — yet another tempting prospect. You just have to look!
COVER: Gareth Cooke INSET: Mark Lloyd
- P a r t i
TP52 class manager ROB WEILAND explains some of the aggressive steps this grand prix fleet are planning to protect their pre-eminent position
38
The case for change
- P a r t s
JULIAN BETHWAITE details the technical background that underpins current proposals for a more modern new rig for the Olympic skiff class
42
The king is dead (for now)
- P a r t i
The enduringly powerful Cogito has been slain at last, but its creator STEVE CLARKE only sees opportunity in defeat... as does his conqueror, Canadian C-Class enthusiast FRED EATON
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST9
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON is relishing keeping some distance (for now) away from the mess that is the America's Cup, JUAN KOUYOUMDJIAN observes wistfully that AC90 is actually rather cool and SCOTT MACLEOD could soon find he has the only grand prix match race in town!
13
World news
Forget the America's Cup, the new oceanic giants are taking to the water, VPLP make waves among the monos, Blévec's Mini triumph, a lot rides on
23
Paul Gayard
Great new team... in dire need of a playing field
24
Olympic and small boat news
- T h e Manhattan Project
L Y N N FITZPATRICK talks to JOHN DANE and AUSTIN SPERRY about the mother of all Olympic campaigns... and about a parallel and ongoing chunk of real life29
Four leaves in the wind
- 2 0 0 8 / 9 Volvo Ocean Race
And at long last the Irish are coming out to play
30
5aa^0^5ê letters
More cause for concern - and it's getting hotter
31
ORG column
A new rule to stir things up, plus a look at some healthy GP classes' development
46
Design-A class is born
DOBBS DAVIS talks to designer MIKE ROBERTS and project manager KENNY KEEFE about the new Rosebud STP 65 from San Diego-based Reichel-Pugh48
Seahorse raceboat build table
- O f f t o a good start
Nacira's first Mini 6.50 showed strongly on its big debut and now there is a series-build to follow
50
RORG news
65
Seahorse regatta calendar
66
Sailor of the Month
Two young uns this month (well, they think so)
Surely the perfect choice as a mixed-gender Olympic class, but that would be too obvious for iSAF. This is {left) Athens 470 silver medaiiists Nick Rogers (GBR) and crew Jo Glanfield at Weymouth earlier in the year, showing you don't really even need fo hike. And if you do, then lighter crews can always grow a bit with inventive trapezing {inset)
[I
tjiliW^i^i
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February 2008
Look on the bright side Who cares about the America's Cup nonsense with people like Francis Joyon arovmd who choose to set out on a major world record attempt with the absolute minimum of technical assistance. Pure, simple and light is Joyon's creed; push hard and fast, understand the weather and the sea better than your rivals with their satellite equipment and try not to break anything that matters! Under seven days to the Equator, 15 days to pass the Cape of Good Hope and a 24-hour solo record of 614 miles at an average of 25.76kt. Joyon's average speed for those first 15 days at sea, by the way, was over 20kt. The only sailing boat
ever to reach the south faster
was Bruno Peyron and
Orange 2... fully crewed.
Most remarkable, particularly when you study Joyon's progress amid the endless reams of self-serving statements pouring forth about 'developments' in the America's Cup, is that his Idec2 project has little or no media support, just a small website for enthusiasts to follow journey. In fact, both Joyon and his sponsor are the first to concede his project rims on patronage not sponsorship... but then so do many America's Cup teams, only they are less keen to admit it. It is fascinating, too, for Idecl's designers, Nigel Irens and Benoit Cabaret, since they are also responsible for Thomas Coville's rival challenger Sodebo. Both boats started out the same, in fact the platforms are similar, and yet the end products are completely different. The battle between the finest of the new world and the best of the old is an intriguing one. Thoma' too is a wonderful sailor, but what an opponent!
COVER: Benoit Stichelbaut INSET: Ivo Rovira/Alinghi
F E A T U R E S
30
Open season
As the nightmare of a legal appeal looms ever closer we attempt to unravel how the America's Cup has regressed 20 years in just four months
33
Seismic sliift
There is a new sailmaking game in town and the only question is how fast it manages to reach the consumer... T I M JEFFERY takes a trip to Switzerland to explore
37
Tlie king is dead (for now)
- P a r t 2
C-Class designer STEVE KILLING tells the development story behind the world's most efficient sailing boat
41
It's the crossoven.» stupid
Just like carbon spars before it, so composite rigging is migrating down through the IRC fleet. JONTY SHERWILL, DAVE LE PELLEY, MARK MILLS and MIKE URWIN investigate the central question of value per rating-point43
Booming!
- P a r t 2
ROB WEILAND looks in detail at the changes being proposed for the revised TP52 box rule
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST9
Update
A plethora of opinions this month, from TERRY HUTCHINSON... an extremely disgruntled America's Cup tactician, ERNESTO BERTARELLI, an allegedly misunderstood America's Cup magnate, and IAN WILLIAMS, who is simply happy to have just won the World Match Race Championships!
15
World news
Is MICHEL DESJOYEAUX in denial, is there a new Imoca game in town, does FRANCIS JOYON really put his trews on one leg at a time like the rest of us, is 40kt at night sensible sailing, is ROD DAVIS too good to coach, is SEAN LANGMAN for real... and will IRC be taking over at Key West? CARLOS PICH, PATRICE CARPENTIER, IVOR WILKINS, DOBBS DAVIS and ROB MUNDLE
24
Rod Davis
A pretty good year, but a very good month!
26
Olympic and small boat
news - An A-Gat primer
BEN HALL, GLENN ASHBY and PETE MELVIN lift the lid on recent developments in the hottest (inset) little singlehanded fleet of all...29
Stretching the repertoire
- 2 0 0 8 / 9 Volvo Ocean Race
And now two-time Olympic silver medallist IAN WALKER is going Volvo Ocean Racing'. T I M JEFFERY reports
46
Design - Change of pace
Top IRC designer JOHN CORBY has moved a notch or five higher up the performance scale with his latest mid-sized IRC design
48
Seahorsemcehont
build table
- Getting hotter
While Lutra Design have also taken the go-go pills with their new 42-footer for Luctor Yachts
50
RORG news
As IRC spreads its wings the 2008 Rolex Commodores' Cup could be something special
65
Seahorse regRttd. calendar
66
Sailor of the Month
And you would really... never have guessed
Makes powerboat design look easy: several speed record groups are now on standby to break the elusive 50kt mark. Paul Larsen's {left) team have been in Namibia recently 'inching' their SailRocket into the low 40kts as development progresses. Among the recent lessons is the benefit of a dual steering system; when the low speed foil comes up the speed gain is around 5kt plus
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Contents
March 2008
•
Job done
Not only did the crowds in Brest cheer Francis Joyon on his arrival after 57 days at sea, but they also produced a cheer for his sponsor and ftiend Patrice Lafargue - nice. Joyon now heads home to make up lost time with his family, do his share of school runs and find time to look after his boat, which will soon return to its familiar mooring in La Trinité. Joyon has some other ocean records on his radar, but for now the record spotlight switches to Franck Cammas, who at the time of writing was literally gagging to start his fully crewed assault on the Trophy Jules Verne onboard Groupama 3. There are various intriguing aspects to the record-breaking market at the moment, not least the return of the trimaran. Preferred til recently for solo sailing performance, because of its more balanced and easier performance profile, technology has now allowed the creation of much bigger crewed trimarans, with Southern Ocean reaching performance comparable to a G-Class cat such as Orange 2, combined with superior light air and upwind performance for the return leg back up the Adantic. Cammas, of course, knows that he needs to get a record this winter, because by this autumn the new and even bigger Banque Populaire V will be afloat and ready for a Jules Verne challenge of its own. Similarly, Thomas Coville is planning to turn his attention this summer to grabbing another of Joyon's own records, for the fastest solo west-east Adantic crossing. Then there is the looming America's Cup, currently consuming the time of the same designers who are responsible for these ocean-going beasts. What a time to be a multihull designer! COVER: Jean-Marie Liot/DPPI INSET: Christophe Launay
F E A T U R E S
31
No stone unturned
- P a r t i
Designer STEVE KILLING describes the design and build of Ered Eaton's second new C-Class challenger, the 'four-point' foiler OffYer Rocker
35
At the end of the rainbow
Just in case it ever makes it out of the trap... DAVE H O L L O M looks at what the proposed AC90 Class might do for the quality of America's Cup races
39
Hardyalcl(a
Eellow Einn class 'survivor' BLUE ROBINSON talks to BEN AINSLIE on the eve of his attempt to secure a record-breaking fifth Finn Gold Cup.
42
Booted and suited
MARK CHISNELL describes the efforts made by DEE CAFFARFs Vendée Globe team to create a personally tailored Imoca 60 winch system
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER22
Paul Gayard
Worse-case Cup scenario... then it must be time to start lining up some other good sailing
24
Olympic and small boat news
- (Partial) consolidation
ANDY RICE talks to International 14 champion ROB GREENHALGH and his co-conspirator
RICHARD WOOF about their latest package
27
Big boots
- 2 0 0 8 / 9 Volvo Ocean Race
GLENN BOURKE, three-time Laser world champion and the organiser of Sydney's outstanding Olympic Regatta is leaving his desk at the Volvo Ocean Race for warmer pasturesANDREW HURST
9
Update
NIGEL IRENS talks about the remarkable FRANCIS JOYON, TERRY HUTCHINSON enjoys a fast delivery to Key West, GRANT SIMMER reckons 'everyone's got it wrong' and the Aussies are back in Olympic sailing for real...
14
World news
Monsieur Joyon hits Brest in some style, Imoca 60 rigs and their failings, is Spanish sailing on the bubble, the STP65 enjoys a great Hobart debut, while the Maximus is happy just to live to fight another day, plus the USA goes very lukewarm over the America's Cup fall-out. CARLOS PICH, PATRICE CARPENTIER, FVOR WILKINS, DOBBS DAVIS and ROB MUNDLE
28
America's Gup 33
- A game of many parts (but few
players)
TIM JEFFERY examines the rapidly dwindling world of the America's Cup family...
30
ORG column
DOBBS DAVIS takes a look at some of the encouraging progress among newer, smaller members of the ORC's box rule Grand Prix fleet
44
RORG news
46
Design-Starter pack
The GP26s are getting going in South America as designer NICOLAS GOLDENBERG reports
48
S e a t e d raceboat build table
-Staying in touch
PAUL LARKIN has been proactive recently in improving onboard communication for struggling America's Cup crews and their masters...
66
S e a t e d regatta calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Similar in styles... different choice of racetrack
Well-known skiffle, rigger, offshore racer and all-round sailing nut Sean Langman launches his speed record challenger in Australia with sponsor K. Graham Wood Q (centre) and z crewman Martin Q Thomson (left), y Langman's new < 40ft by 30ft Ll. foiling proa was S
designed by g
Class
I was just reminded that each Finn Gold Cup Ben has entered he has won. So he is a phenomenon who thrives on pressure and from what I see from the outside is the most professional sailor in the class. And he holds this altogether with fiis attitude.
An outstanding young man with a great sense of values, and this combined with his natural ability is setting him up for a wonderful sailing career, if that is his choice.
-John Bertrand, 1983 America's Cup winner
Ben is better with his mind - that's the difference. He doesn't necessarily sail faster, and his tactics aren't better than the other guys, there are a lot of really good sailors in the Finn class. In today's last race it was easy to see Ben is so capable of putting att his energy into it. They had a meeting with the jury before the race, who restated their plan to heavily police Rule 42; just by saying that they increased the tension. But, you know, I think Ben was the only one who dealt with it properly. He wasn't phased at all, just went away and washed his boat. Some guys started discussing it all, maybe losing their focus a bit while they did, and so weren't sharp at the right moment. And that is all the difference between a champion and a fantastic sailor. Some have to do a lot of work to get there, some never get there, and some have a natural gift of being there. Probably of all the guys I have seen sailing in my career, Ben is the toughest under pressure. And he is very special. I think once every 30 years you see a guy who is able to focus so much. He's worked very hard for this, so hats off to him!
- Luca Devoti (ITA), 2000 Finn Olympic silver medallist
COVER: J e f C r o w / S p o r t Library/Sail Melbourne INSET: Peter Acke
F E A T U R E S
32 No Stone unturned
- P a r t 2
FRED EATON spent close to $USlmillion on his first C-Class campaign; not only did he win on the water, but his team made great strides in multihull and foil technology. STEVE KILLING
36
Stick with it...
MALCOLM S J O D A H L explains the story
behind the emergence of the Q-Bond sail gluing system, which allows unprecedented flexibility in terms of user access and expands
affordability using a range of fabrics
38
Long live the King
DOBBS DAVIS visits the MARIANI family in Argentina, who have risen in a remarkably short space of time to acquire an outstanding reputation for both Grand Prix raceboat building and performance spar manufacture
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST9
Update
It's only January but already TERRY HUTCHINSON is on a roll, BEN AINSLIE secures bis place in the saihng history books, EDDIE WARDEN OWEN is looking ahead to steering the bus from the front, and DOBBS DAVIS talks to ERNESTO BERTARELLI
15
World news
Girl povver keeps truckin' in the Class 40s, Cammas starts off OK, but a plethora of new TP52 commissions, the man in the hot seat is AUGUSTIN ZULUETA, DAN SLATER is beaten but not bowed, the remarkable ROB WADDELL, CRICHTON downsizes and
a strange but successful Acura Key West 2008. CARLOS PICH, PATRICE CARPENTIER, FVOR WILKINS, DOBBS DAVIS and ROB MUNDLE
24
Rod Davis
Stop your moaning already, saiUng is a winner!
26
Olympic and small boat news
-Winter down under
ANDY RICE watches the orgy of small boat racing that was Melbourne in early 2008
28
America's Gup 33
- No prisoners
T I M JEFFERY keeps a respectful distance as the game gets nasty... as well as more and more personal
30
Seahorse letters
Of heavy-weather sailing, flared trousers and supercavitation!31
Job (mostly) done
- 2 0 0 8 / 9 Volvo Ocean Race
The course is set, the boats are starting to launch
42
Design - Beauty in the beast
JASON KER describes the evolution and refinement of his latest IRC creation, based very much around the toys of the America's Cup46
RORG news
48
Seahorseracebont
build table
- H o r s e s for courses
Californian designer T I M KERNAN started out drawing a new beer-can racer and ended with a new one design class on his hands. Nice problem!
66
Seahorseregattn calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Young, gifted and going head to head...
l i t i i j ' k ï i E ' i l t ó . i l
Medal Race, what medal race? Britain's Oly
Wilson won a second consecutive world title in Miami with not oxiebut two finalüiedal race irrelevant. Ayton's Team Mirabaud really does appear just 4
e
Contents
fW^Aiim ^
MIGHTY
Designed by Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens, Harold Vanderbilt's powerful, sophisticated and for its time modern Ranger did for the J-Class very much what Bill Koch's Matador' did for the lOR Maxis a little over 50 years later. Photographed here on 4 June on Long Island Sound, in her debut year of 1937, Ranger had so many successful new features that her rivals really stood little chance. Vanderbilt's new J-Class was the product of an unprecedented tank test programme, with eight large models - four from each co-designer - being trialled prior to construction at Bath Ironworks in Maine. Built from flush-riveted high-grade steel. Ranger boasted one of the first aluminium masts and set the first proper synthetic sails. With better sails and spars, plus an efficient snub-nosed hull form and well thought-out onboard systems she went on to win 32 of her 34 races that first year, including a successful defence of the America's Cup against Sir Tommy Sopwith's last British challenger. Endeavour II.
Ranger was also notable
for bemg the only J-Class in which Olin Stephens played a part as a designer. But the Stephens influence did not end there: Ohn himself sailed on Ranger as tactician while his brother Rod was placed in charge of sailing operations by Vanderbilt as his deck boss. Ranger's America's Cup win marked the end of the J-CIass's Cup involvement and the yacht herself was scrapped some two years later along with the rest of the American J-Class fleet in order to provide war materials. A modern replica was launched in 2003
COVER: Mystic Seaport Rosenfeld Collection, Mystic, CT, USA INSET: Christian Février/Bluegreen
F E A T U R E S
34
Whatalife
A yachting wordsmith's essential: T I M JEFFREY celebrates the life and times of OLIN STEPHENS
38
(Really) high-speed sailing
- P a r t i
PHIL ROTHROCK brings us up to date with recent technical history in the US landyacht fleet
41
Good numbers
Before going too far into their research in search of a new rig for the 49er skiff JULIAN and FRANK BETHWAITE put some time into improving the quality of the data they are using
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER(unsuccessfully) to get his beauty sleep in Miami
25
Paul Gayard
And some magnetic 2008 America's Cup 'theory'
26
Olympic and small boat news
- Golden prospects
We don't like to predict when conditions are as tricky as those in Qingdao, but we did think it worth asking JON EMMETT to catch up with
SARAH AYTON'S latest 'blondes in a boat'
28
America's Gup 33
- T h e apocalypse button?
GRANT DALTON'S legal assauh on the Swiss sailing establishment has proved the last straw for several Cup Team hopefuls. T I M JEFFERY7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST11
Update
So far TERRY HUTCHINSON'S winter scorecard reads pretty well, ROB MUNDLE talks to CARL RYVES and JOHN BERTRAND as BEN LEXCEN'S legendary Taipan goes briefly back into the water, TOM WEAVER is relying on 'clean air' in his bid to make the VOR start, DOBBS DAVIS looks at the 2008 World Match Racing Tour and ORC news
16
World news
PATRICE CARPENTIER talks to FRANCK CAMMAS's team about the Groupama 3 capsize, IVOR WILKINS celebrates a major 'co-operative' regatta in Auckland, and also observes some of the fall-out from Cup World, CARLOS PICH welcomes back a successful full-house of Spanish circumnavigators, ROB MUNDLE gets fully stuck into the 'canting cows' debate with support from BILL TRIPP, and DOBBS DAVIS tries
31
No contrails
- 2 0 0 8 / 9 Volvo Ocean Race
A shot at a carbon-neutral race entry plus a talk with new man in the chair KNUT FROST AD
44
Design-Big beastie
ALLEN CLARKE of winning Open Class speciaUsts Owen-Clarke discusses the studio's mighty-looking turbocharged Mk3 Class 40
46
RORG news
EDDIE WARDEN OWEN welcomes the TP52 fleet to their new second home in the Solent
48
Seahorse raceboat build table
- Little rocket
FRED BARRETT has designed the first GP26s for Australian owners, which are currently being built by skiff builder BRETT VAN MUNSTER
66
Seahorse regatta calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Multiple world championship winners both...
Many Europeans wonder how it is that Argentina keeps coming up witti so many astonishingly good Optimist sailors... a quick look at the conditions they go racing in back home in Buenos Aires may give you some sort of a clue. Untii the last two years and the rise of China and New Zealand in the class, Argentina , could count
|n43"*- , top-three finishes at
•-•krtók just about every
world championship
I event going back ^ ^ for over 20 years
cn
ILI m < Q • CC CD 2Long journey
It has been a long slog for Poland's Mateusz Kusznierewicz since leaving the Finn fleet in 2000 to finally winning his first Star World Championship in Miami in April with countryman Dominik Zycki. In that interim period Kusznierewicz has watched as his fellow ex-Finn sailors have been racking up the Star world tides: Freddy Lööf (two), Xavier Rohart (two) and Iain Percy (one). In fact, since American Mark Reynolds won his last world ride in 2000, the same year Reynolds took his second Star gold medal, world championships in the Star class have been dominated by the Finn's Class of 2000, with oidy Laser sailors Hamish Pepper and Robert Scheidt breaking an otherwise uninterrupted eight-year run. The other sailor to have withstood the onslaught of the hard-hiking and heavyweight Finn helms has, of course, been Torben Grael, who dominated the shifty Athens Regatta to take his fifth Olympic medal. Grael would also have been the most feared competitor come the flukey wind conditions expected at Qingdao, but fortunately for his Star rivals the Brazilian will be otherwise engaged this August with final preparations for his second Volvo Ocean Race, this time as skipper of Ericsson 1. Meanwhile, Kusznierewicz's recent success comes at a good time for Polish sport. 2008 is already turning out to be a vintage year for this deserving former Eastern European nation, with Pohsh sailors shining across the board at this year's Hyères Regatta, a Star world title in the bag, and the mercurial Robert Kubica being hailed as the 'new Schumi' in Formula One. What more could a country ask for?
COVER: Fried Elliott INSET: Pete Smith
F E A T U R E S
30
Case for the defence
As we inch towards an unprecedented 33rd America's Cup, Alinghi return to our pages with an update on their plans for an 'unusual' season
37
(Really) high-speed sailing
- P a r t II
What Buddy Melges (inset) does on his days off... landsailing record holders BOB DILL and PHIL ROTHROCK look behind those tales of the frozen north
41
More than skin deep
- P a r t i
Little attention is paid to recent developments in surface finishes but a lot has happened in the past few years. DOBBS DAVIS brings us up to date
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST11
Update
BLUE ROBINSON savours tea with a king, TERRY HUTCHESISON reports on an impressive and turbulent third consecutive success for the Latin rascals, a look at Jim Swartz's glorious new Moneypenny and a chance to meet one WILLIAM HARDESTY
17
World news
The America's Cup family moves to Lorient, GAUTIER and DESJOYEAUX compare notes, CLAIRE LERO Y goes back to back in New Zealand, as the Stewart 34s continue to roll, SYD FISCHER contemplates building again, DADDO and MCKEON watch their record dreams fade and the Olympic debate rumbles on. PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE, DOBBS DAVIS and IVOR WILKINS
26
Rod Davis
The 2008 programme devised for Yachting New Zealand was created to win medals... not friends
28
Olympic and small boat news
- Step up
Sydney's 18-Foot skiff fleet has been the setting for some intense and successful rig development over the past 18-months. ROB BROWN
33
Rules, rules
- 2 0 0 8 / 9 Volvo Ocean Race
JUAN KOUYOUMDJIAN has onceagain been in 'talks' with the VO70 measurers, plus an update on Russia's
Batest race challenge. T I M JEFFERY
35
America's Gup 33
- It's only a matter of time
There will be a boat race and it will take place in multihulls. GRANT DALTON does not fancy the Swiss chances (hmm - ed), plus LUCIEN MASMEJAN explains Alinghi's legal position and another reversal for SIMON DAUBNEY
44
Design
-Designing to the rule
MARK MILLS gives his interpretation of IRC 2008, plus a look at some of his new designs
46
RORG news
-Well worth (all) the effort
He's done the miles and now EDDIE WARDEN OWEN speaks out in support of offshore racing
48
Seahorse raceboat build table
- Less swimming more sailing
The Dragon Class is making renewed efforts to stay afloat... SUE PEELING66
SeahorseregdXidi calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Beauty and the beast (sorry, Mateusz... joke!)
'Honey, I only bought myself a speedboat..." The story goes that the owner of this new Juan Kouyoumdjian designed 100-footer was determined to preserve his anonymity while the boat was being built at Cookson Boats because he had yet to reveal his new acquisition to his better half. Makes a good story, anyway. American-owned, Speedboat is now being shipped to the USA to begin setting records...
E y e e y e
The opening round of the Audi MedCup showed what happens when you put 200 or so America's Cup sailors on the bench. Just like in Florida last winter the talent and experience filters in wherever it finds an opening. The consequent step-up in crewing standards, therefore, makes it ali the more impressive that once again it was a helmsman who does not earn his living from sailing who topped a highly charged series, Peter de Ridder scoring five wins on his latest Judel-Vrolijk Mean
Machine to take the first big
prize of 2008. De Ridder has kept together his core team, including Ray Davies and Tom Dodson, for several years now, mainly by recognising the importance of this continuity. That was one reason why De Ridder spent a fair chunk of his own money trying to kick-start a Volvo Race campaign two years ago, to keep his crew out of the hands of his rivals. Meanwhile, another TP52 owner, Eamon Conneely, who followed a similar path to De Ridder, has now taken delivery of his new VO70 from McConaghy and is working away frantically with skipper Ian Walker to secure the funding to make it around the world. Conneely's new Reichel-Pugh VO70 looks every bit as sweet as you would expect from a studio with a reputation for good-looking as well as fast raceboats and it is to be hoped that this Irish-based team find the money to do it justice. Meanwhile, during testing in Lanzarote the former ABN One has proved to the Ericsson Team that she still has it in her to score a good finish in the next Volvo Race; let's hope that she too now finds the crew to do the job well one more time...
COVER: Thierry Martinez INSET: Christophe Launay
F E A T U R E S
30
In his element
With IDEC 2 NIGEL IRENS and BENOIT CABARET showed the world what they could do with very limited resources; now Team Alinghi are giving them the chance to let rip...
37
Getting crowded
HUMPHREYS YACHT DESIGN have joined the Class 40 contest in earnest, as T O M HUMPHREYS explains
40
Read the question
(carefully)
ANDY RICE talks to Ericsson Racing navigator JULES SALTER and CHRIS BEDFORD about the new Volvo Ocean Race course
43
More than skin deep
- P a r t 2
DOBBS DAVIS talks to JUTTA
GLUCKSELIG of ITolmenkol about their use of nanotechnology in surface coatings and looks at some of the other popular products that are currently available
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST11
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON made it to the startline with his new TP52, and did not appreciate some of the post-Farr 40 Worlds nonsense, ANDY RICE puts some legs on his ageing singlehander and KINLEY FOWLER reports from the less glamorous end of the match-racing career ladder
16
World news
Another intense AG2R, honeycombs and big tris, MARC PAJOT returns to Cup World, Speedboat goes (sort of) public, as does Telefonica (twice), the Big Fella turns 50 (in style), which is sort of where SEAN LANGMAN is aimed and more delicious irony from America's 'Corinthian' yachting scene. PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE, DOBBS DAVIS and IVOR WILKINS
27
Paul Gayard
Bored by the America's Cup (having stirred up a storm!), he turns his mind to heading west...
28
Olympic and small boat news
- The discipline
Having upset pretty much every multihull sailor on the planet, ISAF now turns its attention to surviving the well-organised calms of Qingdao
33
Gross-trainer
- 2 0 0 8 / 9 Volvo Ocean Race
And KEN READ is clearly not doing hisforthcoming lap of the planet for fun. T I M JEFFERY
34
ORG column
- O f f t o a light start §
But the year's first G P 4 2 regatta, in Santa Q
Margherita, was a popular success... ;
35
America's Gup 33
-Reversal of fortune
With Justice Cahn's latest ruling the boot appears to be swinging to the other foot as developments start to go Alinghi's way. T I M JEFFERY
46
Design
- Easy access
Tired of hearing about escalating cost in the . Mini 6.50 fleet, NICOLAS GOLDENBERG decided it was time to do something about it
48
Sea/ror^e raceboat build table
-Something very special
Former Alinghi boffin CLEMENS DRANSFELD has turned his mind to an extreme new foil-borne lake racer aimed at ripping up the status quo...
50
RORG news
- S k i l l flow
New hirings, and a boost for the ICR fleet! EDDIE WARDEN OWEN
66
Seahorse regatta calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
From opposite ends of the career path...
< 00
IWuch as we wondered why, Fedor Konyukhov was the one out there on his own lapping Antarctica on his 85-footer. Sailing around the continent beiow 45° south meant countless
cebergs, the largest measuring 60km. The hardy Russian was at sea for 102 days. And so back to the beginning... Why?
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Co n te n t s
M
i
M
I
I V f a i i
Boring?!?
The two fastest-growing areas of saihng are, as Goran Marstrom higlilights on page 28, skiffs and multihulls. hi fact, we'd hazard a guess they are the only areas of major growth with the ciurent sad decline m many dinghy classes. At the other end of the scale we have that most historic of events, the America's Cup 'accidentally' discarding big, heavy monohulls in favour of what wHl be the most exciting multihulls yet seen (after a high-speed Cup in 2009, we suspect returning to heavy monohulls, though desirable in terms of racing, may prove a kiss of death for those trying to fmndraise). What is going on when the America's Cup - sailing's oldest trophy and incidentally the big event with the highest average crew age - goes faster while ISAF stolidly ignores every chance to move forward, preserving its Olympic Regatta as a heritage event? For sailing to thrive the grass roots must be fed which means foxy fast boats wherever possible (a women's Olympic skiff would have been a perfect start). You cannot with one hand reconfigure your big event (aka the beloved Medal Race) to 'encourage media interest', and with the other choose disciplines while firmly locked into a 1970s timewarp. It is being more and more widely accepted that ISAF missed a wonderful opportunity for Weymouth 2012 to wipe the slate and make the Olympic Regatta as exciting for those watching as for those competing. Is it too late? Probably. But ISAF will have a lot to answer for if it continues to ignore the need for young blood; or perhaps sailing could one day become a sort of bowls... but for those who hke the water
COVER: Christian Fevrier/BIuegreen INSET: Gilles Martin-Raget
F E A T U R E S
30
Hidden talent
Former Olympic downhill skier turned multihull racer PIERRE-YVES JORAND is one of the quiet forces that help drive the Alinghi team. JORAND describes the background to Alinghi's multihull programme and takes a close look at one of its intrinsic elements - the D35 'cat-and-a-half
32
The beast is born
Designers ROB and TOM HUMPHREYS are joined by America's Cup navigator MARK CHISNELL to tell the story behind Team Russia's powerful-looking and
characteristically innovative new Volvo Ocean Race challenger
39
An increasing challenge
BMW Oracle have called many of the shots to date in the 'battle' of the 33rd America's Cup but momen tum may now be swinging back towards the Defender. T I MJEFFERY talks to BMW Oracle skipper RUS-^ SELL COUTTS about the task ahead...
43
No more glue
First it was the stitching that was being chased out of modern sailmaking to be replaced by adhesive, now those same glues may soon also be on the way out. SCOTT MILLAR
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST11
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON reports from a lively Marseille as the Quantum Racing TP52 moves up a gear, hydraulic's maestro GIOVANNI CARIBONI talks about 'those' canting keels, more legal news from Noo York... BLUE ROBINSON inspects IAN WALKER's Volvo Race entry... and Olympic measurement 'issues'
16
World news
Géry Trentesaux goes for the hat-trick, as Briand returns. Marc Thiercelin goes for the fifth... the TP52s battle for redress in Marseille, light isn't always right in New Zealand, where the Cup sailors have started to look closer to shore for the next dollar, Nicho goes for third (Volvo) time lucky. Bond returns to the stage in Oz, IRC survives and thrives at Block Island and DOBBS DAVIS bemoans America's reluctance to 'travel'. PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE and FVOR WILKEMS
27
Rod Davis
What happens when three (fast) men find themselves stuck in a motor car...
28
Olympic and small boat
news - The discipline
G0RAN MARSTROM is less worried about the specifics of ISAF's decision to abandon the Tornado than he is about the regressive message that it sends out
46
Design
F a s t e r f a s t e r
-Canting keels... been there done that, says HUGH WELBOURN who is busy chasing stability in an altogether different - and much lighter - direction
48
Seahorse raceboat build table
- Level rating, anyone?
Yet another new IRC40, this one from Javier Soto Acebal in Argentina. ALEJANDRO BOTTINO
50
RORG news
- H o t stuff
There were more than a few visiting Rolex Commodores' Cup challengers taking on the various home teams at this year's British IRC championships... EDDIE WARDEN OWEN
66
Seahorse regntia calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Very inshore versus extremely offshore...
Heaps going on: while trying to set a new record around the Nakheel Archipelago off Abu Dhabi, Yvan Bourgnon's much travelled Orma 60 Brassard simply cried enough... in flat water and 15kt of breeze. And at a wild TP52 MedCup round in Marseille there was almost another very big crash indeed (left), as AudiQ8ctas\\ gybes to avoid the broaching English entry Cristabella
ltijt1iW:1ili/^September 2008
Intriguing
There may only (currently) be seven boats lined up for the 2008-9 Volvo Ocean Race but the competition this time around promises to be especially fascinating. Read Roger Badham's expectations about the radical routeing options (page 22) that are feasible for the fkst time and you will see how there are aspects of the next event that will prove a particular draw for those following it. Given the number of legs on the new course characterised by distinct routeing choices, it also looks unhkely that one boat will easily dominate in the maimer of ABH Amro
One last time. One may still
prove clearly quicker than her VO70 rivals, but good course management will make it very unlikely for that same boat to win all the legs. The next race will certainly be characterised by big gains and losses on the less familiar stages, in particular, as well as, hopefully, some success for the less fancied runners. The boats themselves will, of course, be closer in pace than the disparate fleet of 2005-6; technically, with several quite different approaches to hull design from the competing designers, this race will also offer more of interest to the technical buff... something that Seahorse readers will especially appreciate. As Juan Kouyoumdjian himself says, one particular boat should prove exceptionally fast in at least one condition... and he is not talking about either of his designs for Ericsson - although great things are expected there as well. Then again, both the Farr office and Juan K himself are predicting that the best boats from the last race would be faster than the latest designs in winds of 8-lOkt or less... Feeling lucky, anyone?
COVER: Oskar Kililborg/Ericsson INSET: Nico Martinez
F E A T U R E S
30
Not too phased
Team Alinghi's chief designer ROLF VROLIJK had httle direct experience of creating high-performance multihulls... until late last year
36
The covers come off
No surprise that there are high expectations for Ericsson's latest new Volvo 70. TIM JEFFREY talks to designer JUAN KOUYOUMDJIAN and race skipper TORBEN GRAEL
40
Growing choice
As IRC rule managers gently ease off the brakes with regard to composite rigging JONTY SHERWILL looks at the options for raceboat owners
43
Performance AND
durability
DAN NERI talks to DOBBS DAVIS about the reintroduction of taffeta into
3DL-concept sails in search of improvements in their longer-term performance
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW LIURST10
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON has definitely had a good (if busy) month, OLEG ZHEREBSTOV is looking forward to a wet ride around the world, France loses its grip on the Commodores' Cup, I A N WALKER manages his Volvo expectations, THOMAS COVILLE gets that fkst big record and SCHNACK scores his first GP42 triumph...
17
World news
A giant challenge for French (and other) soloists.
Class 40 dominates to St-Malo, as VINCENT RIOU beefs up his act, and the first GP33 hits the water in Auckland, Quantum and Cagliari score with the TP52s, 'CLOUDS' looks ahead to the toughest Volvo Ocean Race yet... and it's the slow boats that are fastest to Bermuda (again!). DOBBS DAVIS, PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE and IVOR WILKINS
29
PaulGayard
And it's 2,070 very different miles to Hawaii
32
Olympic and small boat news
- Detail man
L Y N N FITZPATRICK catches up with Poland's legendary coach to the 'Stars'
ANDYZAWIEJA
35
America's Gup
-Inching to glory
The clock is ticking away... and with it perhaps the early advantage that was held % BMW Oracle Racing
46
Design
- Delivering the ultimate mast
As far as the Volvo Open 70 Class is concerned, BEN HALL and JIM STONE have been working away to do precisely that48
S e a t e d raceboat build table
-White isthe new black
It's all change for Team Lewmar with their approach to Grand Prix winch systems...
50
RORG news
- Gonsistency
It always pays... EDDIE WARDEN OWEN
66
Seahorse regatta calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Great talents all, both young and old(er)
Not so good: Fernando Leon and Kiko Sanchez's 2007 Botin and Carkeek TP52
Ci4/Wsank during the Trofeo ia Reina in Valencia after her bow opened up under forestay tension. Though major rule changes for the TP52 Class for 2010 now look likely to be watered down, one new rule that will come in will ensure all boats feature a water-tight emergency ^. bulkhead forward!
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Contents
October 2008
A good show
For something that started hfe as an adjunct to the In Port stages of the previous Volvo Ocean Race the V X 'Extreme' 40 Class is providing both great racing and some genuine 'viewing opportunities'. There have been numerous attempts to create an exciting inshore racing series that would justif)' crowds and TV cameras, skiffs. Ultimate 30s, Orma 60s, 40ft trimarans and so on; but while the 18ft skiffs have succeeded in Sydney, where they enjoy a lengthy history of pubhc support, the VX40 is one of the first European classes to occasionally get itself onto the main pages of the daily papers. Having a marginal boat, plenty of wind and top professional crew who, importandy, are not afraid to press their sponsors' craft to the point of destruction are among the factors in this success. The other key elements are that the boats are big enough to have some real presence, and the racing itself is tightly managed, with short sprints, fast regroups and lots and lots of
incitement to damage. Cheap thrills maybe, but the iShares VX40 series has been among the most photographed saihng events of 2008 and with good reason. Given that the sheer speed of a multihull gives it great crash potential, and the fact that by their beam the boats 'look' big enough to be dangerous (but fold up easily enough to move about), it was no surprise to see the Tornado class being used around Qingdao as the gigantic poster-child for the 2008 Olympic Regatta. Or, as we might say to the gendemen of the ISAF Olympic Classes committee, to requote our principal coverline: 'Oops!'
COVER:
Paul Todd/Outside Images
Ivo Rovira/Alinghi
F E A T U R E S
26
State of the nation
Hearing, decision, appeal, meanwhile the financial lifeblood of 12 potential challengers seeps away. Like many others, Alinghi skipper BRAD BUTTERWORTH has run out of patience
36
Pre-emptive strilce
The Imoca 60 Class may appear in rude health on the surface but beneath the euphoria of a
forthcoming record-breaking Vendée Globe there are serious concerns for the future. MERFYN OWEN has some proposals to put forward
40
Nowhere to hide
Attaching your company name to a high-profile grand prix saihng campaign can be a risky business... especially if your business happens to be sailmaking. ED REYNOLDS
43
Conflict resolution
PER ANDERSSON thinks that it is time that the customer got a fair deal when trying to make an informed choice between different sailmakersR E G U L A R S
4
Commodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST10
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON is not amused by the latest America's Cup developments, DEE SMITH pays tribute to the late MARK RUDIGER, ROB WEILAND sets the case for drawing the TP52 box closer to IRC and ANDY RICE applauds 30 years of 'top-marks' from JIM SALTONSTALL
17
World news
'Quebec-St Class 40' and it's back to centre-stage for HALVARD MABIRE, out the (Orma) shadows for Crêpes Whaou! and a second Figaro for Troussel, labours of love in Auckland, mixed feelings on the '08 Copa del Rey, but 'Hollywood'
Roberts shines on the Gold Coast. DOBBS DAVIS, PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE and FVOR WILKINS
25
Rod Davis
Pampered babes and their magic containers
28
Olympic and small
boat
news
- Flying worlds
It's the foilers that are keeping the dinghy world growing right now... as ANDY RICE reports
30
Seahorse letters
Some you can please, and some you just can't... glued sails, plus 'that' 2008 USA Rolex
Commodores' Cup team
31
America's G u p - S o
(bloody) near
We were so close to getting going again... albeit in those 'old' monohulls... but then came the inevitable
34
2008/9 Volvo Ocean Race
- Locked and (almost) loaded
The players are ready and the first boats are qualified... and they're proving very hard work46
Design - Evolution
GUILLAUME VERDIER drew what is generally acclaimed as the fastest Class 40 to date... and now there's a second design from the same stable
48
S e a t e d raceboat build table
- We've come a long way (baby)
Why the film feed coming ashore from this year's Volvo fleet should be unrecognisably better than in previous editions. FLEMMING SnSIKJ./ER52
RORC news-Hola!
As Palma's Copa del Rey moves to take onboard the IRC system. EDDIE WARDEN OWEN
66
S e a t e d regatta calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Two great allrounders... and a classy battle!
Just a little local flag wave... two of the first sailing gold medals were awarded to the Yngling girls of Sarah 'never stop smiling' Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson, and to Ben Ainslie {right viWh coach Jez Fanstone), after whom it is rumoured the Finn Class will shortly be renamed. Wilson and Ainslie live around the corner from the Seahorse office... as did Fanstone before he bu**ered off to live in Kiwi!
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Contents
November 2008
'MEAN, MOODY, MAGNIFICENT'
- t h e late Jack Knights, writing in Yachts and Yachting in 1 9 7 2 about Flying Dutchman sailor Rodney Pattisson after he took his second gold medal, in Kiel, Germany
With his third straight gold medal, his second in the Finn class, Ben Ainslie finally overtook Pattisson's mark to become Britain's most successful Olympic sailor. It is some measure of the achievement of both these outstanding sportsmen that it has taken 32 years, since Pattisson won his third Olympic medal, a silver, sailing with Julian Brooke-Houghton {pictured) at the 1976 Olympic Regatta in Canada, for his record to fall. While Great Britain's peerless FD sailor remains famous for ploughing his own furrow in terms of technical
innovation, in his beloved Flying Dutchman, hke Ainsüe he raised the game in terms of physical preparation and on-the-water training. His first gold medal, in Acapuico, was also taken very much Ainslie-like; after a DSQ in Race 1 he reeled off a string of wins to take the big prize. Both men share the abihty to focus utterly on the task i n hand once afloat, and both -less obvious than it may seem - share a God-given touch on the tiller. Comparatively, while Pattisson is always regarded as being the single-minded medal-winning individual, it is perhaps almost to Ainslie's detriment that his unbeatable combination of talent and application arrives just as Team GBR's medal-winning machine is in full flow. But, make no mistake: Ainslie would be no less a force were he still campaigning out of the back of a van like so many of his illustrious predecessors
COVER: PPL INSETS:
Francois R i c h a r d / P P L
F E A T U R E S
26
Multi-tasking
GRANT SIMMER is one of the most respected figures in the world of the America's Cup, having won the Auld Mug both as a sailor with Alan Bond and as a technical director (twice) with his current team, Alinghi. Now he is having to prepare for a very different kind of Cup defence strategy...
34
A grand time
The Olympics seems somehow always to produce a remarkable regatta... Qingdao was certainly no exception. TIM JEFFERY
35
A British blueprint
Guess which team left Qingdao with the biggest haul? TIM JEFFERY looks at the creation 12 years ago of the performance programme that culminated (to date...) at Beijing in August 2008
36
Winners (almost) all
ANDY RICE did not agree with the venue choice, but he is unstinting in his praise for the Chinese organisers... and for the sailors who thrived in Qingdao's challenging conditions
38
A tale of two boats
Did the Danish crew deserve their 49er gold? Absolutely, says ANDY RICE... and this is why
39
Les monstres! - Part 1
Two lOOft-plus trimarans launched in one week. Has there ever been anything like it? We talk to designers du jour, MARC VAN PETEGHEM and VINCENT LAURIOT PREVOST
42
A changing world
Volvo navigation is no longer a purely cerebral role, says Team Russia's WOUTER VERBRAAI-C
R E G U L A R S
4
Gommodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURSTAnd our entirely unexpected voice of liberalism is warming to his theme... for the greater good!
10
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON and NICK
SCANDONE both close the deal, and RODNEY PATTISSON and BEN AINSLIE compare notes
. cr O CD
3
cc
s
17
World news
LOICK PEYRON's big Figaro... CAMMAS and BIDEGORRY's big boats, and San
Francisco's, big breeze in Hamo and TOM ASHLEY delivers! PATRICE
CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE and LVOR WILKINS
25
Paul Gayard
Time for a serious look at the big picture
28
Seahorse letters
The finest credentials and the clearest of opinions
30
ORG column
SYD FISCHER is back on the warpath
31
America's Gup
- Girls, girls
The Cup 'battle' gets personal
33
2008/9 Volvo Ocean Race
- M i n d your backs
And a new team on the dock. SAM BRUNNER
45
Design-Right first time!
'They [Percy and Simpson] would have won gold in any boat', JUAN KOUYOUMDJIAN reminds us generously. But the first of JUAN K's latest Star designs is still worthy of closer examination
48
Seahorse vdicehotit build table
- H a v e it all?
The theme of a high-performance multihull cruiser-racer oriented towards and using the best racing technology gathers pace. ERIK LEROUGE
52
RORG n e w s - A long road
EDDIE WARDEN OWEN
66
Seahorse regRlt^ calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Two genuine legends... we're bracing ourselves
Clockwise from top left: Denmark's 49er crew of Warrer and KIrketerp rush ashore after breaking their mast before the start of the lUledal Fiace, frantically wind some rig tension into the borrowed Croatian 49er which is still set up for the previous day's light airs and race down the ramp, setting the chute as they leave the dock. They made the start m
line just three seconds § before the time limit expired >-and went on to finish § seventh and claim gold...
December 2008
A S SERIOUS AS IT GETS - Kito de Pavant and Groupe Bel training in the Bay of Biscay for the 2008 Vendée Globe
The forthcoming Vendée Globe promises not just a brutal contest between the world's best singlehanders but also a terrific design study. Previous Vendees have been dominated by a small handful of the best skippers, usually with the best prepared boats but rarely involving designs straying far from the consensus. This race is drfferent - at the top of the scale we have Brian Thompson's heavy and powerful Juan K design
Pindar which received a
boost in the weeks before the start with fresh sponsorship from the Kingdom of Bahrain. Until the new funds were received Pindar was looking unhkely to show its full potential as Thompson struggled with a shortage of both cash and time - one of those issues now appears to be largely resolved if not the other. At the lightweight end of the Imoca fleet we have De Pavant's Groupe Bel and multihuU sailor Marc Guillemot's Safran; these two boats are hull-sisters from the new design combination of Guillaume Verdier and VPLP, although they are quite different in key details.
Safran, in particular, has
been well-tested and has been continually refined and improved; she is also characterised by what until recently would have been regarded within the Imoca 60 fleet as an unprecedented standard of detail 'finesse'. This will be a fascinating test of contrasting design styles, with good centre-ground boats such as PPB and
Foncia providing enough
references for the designers to really get their teeth into
COVER: Thierry S e r a y / D P P I INSET: Gilles Martin-Raget
F E A T U R E S
26
Novice no more
The speed with which ED BAIRD and his Alinghi crew learnt to race their new VX40 catamarans took their 2008 iShares Cup rivals by surprise
28
Matcli race around
tlie world?
It was not the pace of this year's Volvo Race fleet that prompted surprise after the first week's racing, it was the closeness in performance. T I M JEFFERY
30
Up to speed
KEN READ is relishing his first experience as a Volvo Ocean Race skip per... and the sails look nice too!
34
Scary - but so, so cool
T I M JEFFERY got an exclusive look into the workings of Larry Ellison's magnificent, VPLP designed, 'multihuUed' America's Cup machine
37
Driving daisy
For three-time America's Cup winner RUSSELL COUTTS BMW Oracle's first AC multihull presents an extraordinary learning experience as well as an unfamiliar degree of delegation
40
Les monstres! - Part II
MARC V A N PETEGHEM and VINCENT LAURIOT PREVOST look at a range of
multihull design approaches... including BOR90
42
Too good to miss
As the entries grew for the 2008 Vendée Globe, so many of the greatest competitors of previous events were drawn back for one more lap. PATRICE CARPENTIER talks Imoca 60 development and Vendée strategy with LOICK PEYRON and MICHEL DESJOYEAUX
R E G U L A R S
4
Commodore's letter
DAVID AISHER7
Editorial
ANDREW HURST8
Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON is back in the air,
CAPTAIN GARTNER'S extraordinary day,
BERNTSSON joins the Gold Cup élite and skiff sailing on a budget... yes, it can be done (... ISAF)
15
World news'!
Vendée Globe preview, from one who knows, DICKSON (ROY) hands back his prizes, cMedCup games begin, 'Adios' Enric Puig,
Australia aims high for 2012, Ilhabella ticks the boxes and match race fight-back. DOBBS
AVIS, PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS ICH, ROB MUNDLE and IVOR WILKINS
25
Rod Davis
A good excuse to check the life balance
32
Olympic and small boat news
- Gold rush
For the second time in eight years sailing coach VICTOR KOVALENKO played a starring Olympic role. Now for one last step up the ladder
46
Design-Coming of age
The ORC GP42 class is about to begin its third season of competition. DOBBS DAVIS and DANILO FABBRONI catch up on development
48
Seahorse
ruGehont
build table
- S o f t l y softly
Another relative newcomer to be doing well is the RC44 one-design class. We look at the reasons for this fleet's growing success... afloat and ashore
50
RORC news
- Armchair sailing anyone?
EDDIE WARDEN OWEN66
Seahorse regdXta calendar
67
Sailor of the Month
Gravitas, great skill, courage and perseverance First flight of the Mirabaud LX foiler, designed by Swiss engineer Thomas Jundt. The 30ft boat (or maybe structure - ec/) weighs just 150kg and achieved a speed of 23.1 kt on its maiden voyage in around 9kt of wind. The hull is
vestigial, just ^ sufficient with help § from buoyancy g
bags on the racks g
to keep the craft ^ afloat before lift a. out is achieved
