Sailing Anarchy

that which matters

Jim Holler, curiosity locked in, was content at first to watch. This was about two years ago, when a new kid showed up with a wooden motorboat that needed work, lots of it, at the Antique and Classic Boat Society, which makes its home in an old foundry occupied by the Buffalo Maritime Center on Arthur Street.

Holler, now 92, is a well-loved elder within the legion of gray-haired guys in jeans and T-shirts with sawdust on their hands who seem to always be there, building or restoring wooden boats. One by one, during Adam Curcio’s first days at the center, they quietly moved toward his 18-foot vessel, a Grady-White Hatteras, and gave him a stark analysis.

If saving the 57-year-old wooden boat was his dream, it was a dream in trouble. There was rot eating up the keel and the wood surrounding it. Some told him the boat might need cutting back, which they saw as better than losing the whole thing. Others shook their heads and wondered if the best move was simply thinking about another boat. Read on.

what is it?

No way do any of you get this.

father – daughter dance

Dad has a TP 52, so does the daughter. Damn! Photo thanks to Max Ranchi.

who fucked the finn?

The mid-year meeting of World Sailing saw voting taking place on the single-handed dinghy for the 2024 Olympics. Or more precisely, on the single-handed dinghies for the 2024 Olympics.And that’s very different, as there were indeed two separate votes for the men and the women single-handed dinghies, which means different boats for men and women could in theory have been selected.

Contrary to the logic that governed the re-evaluation of equipment for over a year, equipment committee members and member national authorities were offered the opportunity to vote for two different boats.

This could have been for example the Devoti Zero for women and the Melges 14 for men, or the RS Aero for women and the Laser for men, or any other combination among the four contenders.

That came as a surprise, as everything seemed geared towards having delegates to vote for the same boat for men and women. When voting took place last week-end, nobody was ready to cast different votes for men and women.

Had World Sailing conducted differently its equipment re-evaluation, could the Finn have been on the ballot?

And could the Finn still be voted upon to be the male single-handed dinghy for 2024?

half life

They say the stopwatch never lies and now Spinlock have produced something equally infallible to monitor the real state of your sail wardrobe

The ability to collect data and produce detailed analytical reports used to be for the experts, yet today quantifying every part of our lives and drawing meaningful conclusions is commonplace. From how fast and far we ran, or the calories burned during a cycle ride, to the number of steps we have climbed and even the amount and type of sleep that we are gaining are typical examples.

In recent years, the sailing world has also benefited from the data revolution as modern technology has filtered through to the sport. But now, an innovative new device from Spinlock has not only provided a new stream of data, but takes the logging process onto a new level and looks set to change fundamentally the way in which we will be able to quantify the life cycle of one of the most important parts of the boat, the sails. Read on.

no vor for you

A group of three university students working for the Canadian Coast Guard for the summer rescued eight people from a sailboat that ran aground on an island near Lunenburg, N.S., early Wednesday morning.

Marc Ouellette, a regional supervisor with the Halifax Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, said the initial report came in at 3:20 a.m.

The 19½-metre sailboat (ex-VOR 60 – ed) drifted into Cross Island, near the entrance to Lunenburg harbour, after a sail went overboard and was caught in the boat’s propeller.

Ouellette said a Mahone Bay Inshore Rescue zodiac, which is used in a summer program employing university students, was dispatched. The three students on board were able to rescue the eight crew members.

“They start [on the] May long weekend, so they’ve only been operational for less than a week now,” Oullette said of the students. Read on.

hounded

This old Serendipity 43 Houn Dog ain’t looking too good after the first Beercan Series race last night here in SD. The Beneteau that hit them looks better, but it’s not exactly wonderful…

no soup for you

The prestigious Transat yacht race will no longer start in Plymouth, it has been announced.

The city had been set to host the the starting point of  the 60-year-old race in 2020, following an announcement  by Race owner and organizer OC Sport back in March 20018.

However, this morning it was revealed the organizers have decided to move the race to France, as organizers look to “secure the future of the race”.

To rub salt in the wounds, Plymouth’s sister city, Brest in northern Brittany, will be the host. Plymouth City Council said it was “massively disappointed” with the decision, saying it won a bid to host the race in 2017.

Read on, thanks to Plymouth Live.

caption contest

Once you go black… Jump in with yours.

trash society

When Jennifer Lavers first arrived at the remote collection of tiny islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean, she saw all the makings of a “quintessential tropical oasis.”

Beneath the waves, abundant coral reefs teemed with marine life. Clear turquoise water lapped against pristine white sand beaches lined with palm trees. Home to roughly 600 people and located about 1,300 miles off the coast of Western Australia, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are touted as “Australia’s last unspoilt paradise.”

But upon further exploration during a 2017 trip, Lavers, a researcher with the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, and her fellow scientists came across a starkly different sight — stretches of beach littered with an estimated 414 million pieces of garbage, a majority of which was buried underneath the sand. Almost all of it consisted of plastic items such as straws, toothbrushes and shoes, according to a study published last week in the journal Scientific Reports. Read on.

feel the magic?

How cool to see Merlin back in better shape. Despite the butchering that first class wank Leif Beiley performed on this classic, it sure looks a fuck ton better. Go the Merlin!

sail on

Richard James Matthews, Veteran of America’s Cup campaigns in
1958 & 1962, Is Dead at 88

May 11, 2019 (Fairfield, CT) — Richard Matthews, a noted world class sailor who served as navigator for two significant America’s Cup crews, died on Saturday in Fairfield, CT. He was 88.

His death was confirmed by his three children, Richard Matthews Jr., Lynn Matthews-Douglass, and Howard Bradley Matthews.

Mr. Matthews served as navigator on America’s Cup challenger Vim in 1958, and in the same role with Weatherly in 1962. His brother Don Matthews was on both crews as well. Vim was runner up in the challenger trials to the eventual winner Columbia, and Weatherly won the Cup over Gretel.

“In those days, most of the world’s best sailors cut their teeth on Long Island Sound,” Matthews once said. “We met Bus (Emil) Mosbacher (who skippered both Vim and Weatherly) racing dinghies out of Larchmont Yacht Club and were lucky enough to stay with him through both Cup campaigns in ’58 and ’62.”

feeling blue

Love this shot from the 52  Super Series by Max Ranchi. Azzurra has jumped into an early lead after two races.

techorama

Nautor’s Swan has opened the doors to its new Boatbuilding Technology Center (BTC) in Pietarsaari, Finland – an expansion that started in 2017 with a €10.5m investment on refurbishing its existing building and the implementation of new production facilities totalling 9,935sq m.

“When we started talking about building the BTC in 2003, I was very impressed by how everyone supported the project,” says Leonardo Ferragamo, who cut the ribbon at the recent opening ceremony. “I have never doubted the knowledge, experience, pride, integrity and the values we share allowing Nautor’s Swan to build beautiful boats.” Read on.

fun tax

The Greek government has implemented its new cruising tax, also called the TEPAI, which was initially set to be introduced in early April. The news was issued by the UK-based Cruising Association (CA), many of whose members will likely be visiting Greek waters later this year.

The tax was first proposed in 2014, but its introduction, the CA reports, was beset with issues from the outset. “These ranged from the lack of any method of registering or paying the tax, despite promises that all would be in place, to the proposed manual system comprising duplicate forms at the Port Police and Customs which couldn’t be used as they had no stock.” Read on.

steam punk

The ultimate answer to shitty Seagull outboards! Thread and more pics here.

car racing, boat racing, whatever

No matter what you race, you’re a racer and one of the baddest racers ever just died.  What a life Niki Lauda lived!

Thread here.

why y?

From the the Fabulous Forums…

When should the RC fly Code Flag Y (all sailors must wear PFD’s while racing)?  We had 2 MOB’s Sunday in our Clubs races. a J22 crew got knocked over in a puff when the main sheet wasn’t  eased quick enough and an Ensign crew fell out of the boat as it heeled over. there was  12-15 kts of wind, flat water.

Yes the water is still chilly but they were not inf for very long.  there are some in our club who feel that code flag Y should of been hoisted and others who think that if the SI’s have code flag in them and the RC does not fly “Y” and someone gets hurt the club would be liable….I’m just looking for you’re opinion (HAAAAAAA, i’m sure there are many)

I’m in the camp of… (As a skipper) :.it’s the skipper’s responsibility to sail or not due to the conditions and if you have crew that are unfit to sail they don;t go.

( As a PRO)  : depends on the weather…20+kts. and steep waves added to chilly water I’d think about it, especially if there a lot of older crews sailing. But Sunday was 83 degrees, ave. of 13 kts of flat water….champagne sailing conditions….

Jump in and discuss.

their story

RS SAILING REFLECT ON THE VOTE FOR THE 2024 EQUIPMENT SELECTION FOR THE MEN’S AND WOMEN’S ONE PERSON DINGHY

The World Sailing Mid-Year conference, which gripped the attention of so many passionate sailors and followers, came to a close yesterday in London. The World Sailing Council rejected the Equipment Committees decisive recommendation for the existing equipment to be replaced by the RS Aero for the Men’s and Women’s One-Person Dinghy Event after exhaustive testing and sea trials.

After a day of reflection, RS Sailing would like to sincerely thank World Sailing for giving the RS Aero the opportunity to be part of the 2024 Equipment Selection for the Men’s and Women’s One Person Dinghy. We were impressed throughout the whole process by the Evaluation Team, World Sailing staff and the Equipment Committee who did a very professional and impressive job. We were extremely confident in the depth and thoroughness of the Evaluation Panel to conduct a fair and complete evaluation process.

RS Sailing also sends a heartfelt thank you to all our followers and sailors, old and new, and have been completely overwhelmed by the global support for the RS Aero and RS Sailing. You’ve all genuinely been on this journey with us and it feels like we’ve made a whole load of new friends in the process.

It’s undeniable that the RS Aero has been proven superior in almost every aspect. The original details in the 2024 Equipment Selection – Men’s and Women’s One Person Dinghy Report presented the RS Aero as the superior dinghy and the overwhelming majority vote by the Equipment Committee on Saturday confirmed it. On Sunday afternoon, during the Council vote Dina Kowalyshyn, Chairman of the World Sailing Equipment Committee, requested to make further comments before making recommendations to council. With their permission she went on to say,

“The evaluation panel had a few things to say about the RS Aero, that swayed some people in the equipment committee and should be made note of here at Council. Read on.

new kitty

Is this cool or not? 

South African builder Scape Yachts has developed a modified ‘sport’ version of its Scape 39 catamaran, which is nearing completion at its Cape Town yard.

The Scape Sport 40 is a lighter, faster open-deck formulation based on input from several local stakeholders and the owner himself, who is an avid open ocean sailor. It is due to start sea trials soon. Read on.

barnacle bill

Barnacle growth was the root cause of Finnish skipper Tapio Lehtinen’s slow solo circumnavigation but the 110 day difference between his and Race winner Jean-Luc Van Den Heede’s time was definitely enjoyable.

“I have certainly got my money’s worth from the entry fee.” Tapio had joked with Race organiser Don MacIntyre before his return to Les Sables d’Olonne at 20:21hrs on Sunday. “This is the best organised race I have ever taken part in…And the most selfish thing I have ever done… It is the fulfilment of a life-long dream…I’m not enrolling myself just yet, but yes, absolutely, I would do it again!” the 61 year old from Helsinki said at his press conference today. More.

laser it is…or is it?

Funny, this doesn’t sound like the winning team…

laser it is

The Laser class/ILCA Dinghy and radial has been selected for the 2024 Paris (Marseilles for sailors) Olympics.

From WS facebook:

To get to the result, we had a few votes…

The first vote to defer the selection of the Equipment to the 2019 Annual Conference was rejected. The second vote to approve the Equipment Committee recommendation to select the RS Aero as the Equipment was rejected.

The process moved to a ballot and Council members were able to vote on all four options – the D-Zero, Laser, Melges 14 and RS Aero.

The Laser won in the first round of votes.

For the Men’s One Person Dinghy, 36 voted for the Laser, 5 voted for the RS Aero, the D-Zero / Melges 14 received zero votes and there was one abstention.

For the Women’s One Person Dinghy, 37 voted for the Laser, 4 voted for the RS Aero, the D-Zero / Melges 14 received zero votes and there was one abstention.

We will see the Laser at Paris 2024.

The selection is subject to the Class Association agreeing to the Olympic Classes Contract for 2024.

* Any changes to the Regulations that Council makes must also be ratified by our Annual General Meeting in November.

funny, but looks aren’t everything

Originally drawn by the Late/Great Doug Peterson as a trailerable dumbed down version of his 1/4 Ton Design, Star Eyed Stella.

About 60 built in Australia by Tom Stephenson as a Seaway 25.Tom won the 1/2 Ton Cup in 1975 in Foxy Lady,one of Dougs designs.Tommy went on to become Peterson’s agent in Australia.

Originally had 500kg of internal ballast,and I put about 200 kg of that back on the lengthened Centreboard. Found an old Carbon 18ft Skiff Mast and Boom.Bringing recycling to a waterway near you. It should be a good thing under IRC.

We finally worked through all the formalities and got my boat out of Singapore off the docks, towed into Malaysia,then out of Malaysia and finally into Thailand where we are now working around the clock trying to get the thing finished for Koh Samui Regatta that starts Monday week.

Some Singapore copper sent me down the car lane at Customs.I told him the thing would not fit but he did not listen, the dopey prick. Sure enough the boom gate comes crashing down on the boat and WWIII has started. The whole exit lane is blocked. No one can get out of Singapore by car. I am surrounded by 20 coppers yelling at me in their native tongue .Car Keys and Passport confiscated. Plenty going on. No guns drawn, but I might tune up the story a bit to include some fire power! One hour or so later I am cleared to go. – Anarchist Michael

going green

The Netherlands and Russia have reached a settlement over the 2013 detention of the Dutch-flagged Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise and 30 members of her crew.

The Arctic Sunrise was involved in a protest in September 2013 in which activists attempted to climb onto Gazprom’s Prirazlomnaya platform in the Pechora Sea, 30 nm off Russia’s Arctic coast. The confrontation escalated, and Russian federal security officers boarded the Sunrise, seized the vessel and arrested 30 members of her crew. The ship was held for eight months, and Greenpeace said that she was damaged when she was returned from Russian custody.

In 2017, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ordered the Russian government to pay the Netherlands $6 million in damages for seizing a Dutch-flagged vessel in international waters. The two sides eventually negotiated the amount down to $2.7 million, according to AFP.

Greenpeace expects to receive a portion of this award for damages to the ship and for compensation for the detainees. The organization says that it plans to use remaining funds to campaign for climate protection.

aero, yo

World Sailing’s Equipment Committee just voted for the Aero for the 2024 Olympics.  Here are the results:

Aero 9; Laser/ILCA 3; D-Zero 0; Melges 0; Abstention: 1

Council vote to take place on Sunday 19.  Watch the full discussion on youtube.

spot the older design

Amazing to see the evolution of big boat design. Way cooler! Click to enlarge.

sail like a girl

“Sail Like A Girl” if you live like a girl, have a driver’s license to be a girl and a doctor’s note to be a girl! As progressives, we think this, from US Sailing, if real, is kinda ridiculous. Was this needed? Who decided it was? And who made the final decision? Click on the document for full size.

Jump in the thread.

on the march

It was supposed to be just two, and only two, 52 Super Series teams convening in Valencia for a little informal testing and tuning. But two became eight and the week of informal tuning and testing culminated in what became known on the old Victory Challenge dock as the FOMO Regatta, aka Fear Of Missing Out.

‘When once we were looking for half a boat length here and there, now it is down to a metre, so every minute we can get afloat counts,’ contends Andy Hemmings, trimmer on Andy Soriano’s Alegre, who along with Sled had planned the Valencia initiative.

Aside from the chance to settle in new crew line-ups, up for testing too were a new Botín bulb and rudder developed for the new Bronenosec, and since fitted to most of the Botín designs, countered by a new keel and bulb for the two recent Vrolijk boats, Provezza and Platoon. Read on.

what?

The war of words has continued between Laser Performance, ILCA, and a few other organizations.  Now, the sailors are speaking, with nearly 7500 already petitioning to keep the Laser (or whatever it’s called) in the Olympics.  It’s here  and the chat rages on here.

Btw, a Google search for ILCA gets you this!

paradise

HONOLULU – Unwanted boats are filling up Hawai’i harbors.

The state says there are 30 impounded boats across the state — most of them are on O’ahu. Several are locked up at their slips at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor.

One of the first sights you see as you look over the harbor is the Navatek II. The massive boat is leaning badly to one side. In addition to that, there are sailboats and even large engine-powered boats with notices from the state posted all over the vessels — all off limits to owners and left to whither away in the elements for months, or even years at a time.

Other boaters say the unwanted boats are an eyesore and they are costing the state thousands of dollars every month. One Ala Wai boater, Susan Ray, said, “There are all kinds of slips open that they could be generating income.”

The director of the State Boating Division says even if they cleared out the impounded boats, the state still wouldn’t rent out the slips. That’s because the space will be used for visiting boats that are coming here for this summer’s Trans Pacific Race. Once that ends in July, the available slips will go up for rent.

Read on.

plan b?

In 2012, there was a plan for a complete overhaul of the Laser with a new name – the Kirby Torch – and with new builders.

The plan failed. In 2018, the plan became to rename the Laser as an « ILCA » and, again, to have new builders.

Will this new effort succeed? And if not, is there a Plan B? Read on.

super indeed

We have liked the looks (and speed) of this Mills designed Vismara 62 SuperNikka, and indeed they won today at the Rolex Capri Sailing Week.