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Happy New Year - let’s hope that 2019 is a year filled with crazy sailing stunts. I know, that’s an odd wish, but two sailing related stories in the news caught my eye this past week and it’s worth commenting on them. But first…  It used to be a big deal to sail across an ocean or around the world. My first circumnavigation was in 1981 and we were part of a small group that had made it all the way around the big blue marble blown just by the breeze. It was a big deal but these days circumnavigating has become pretty routine. There are many people who have done multiple circumnavigations and still continue to do them. It’s an addiction. There are records for the fastest, the slowest, the stupidest, the weirdest and recently I read about a true single-handed sailor that sailed single-handed. In the recent Route du Rhum, which is a solo race from France to Guadeloupe, there was a competitor that had only one hand. He was born without a right hand. A true single-handed sailor. With that in mind it’s getting increasingly hard to do something that has not already been done before. You have to be quite innovative and usually the French are the best at coming up with some crazy idea; and pulling it off. But this most recent stunt is the stunt to beat all stunts. A 71-year-old Frenchman has set off across the Atlantic Ocean in a large orange barrel hoping to float to the Caribbean. His name is Jean-Jacques Savin and he left the Canary Islands in a barrel-shaped capsule which he had built himself. Since leaving he has been traveling at one to two knots and he expects to float the almost 3,000 miles pushed by the wind...

There isn't much that North doesn't have it's fingers into. Here is their latest acquisition... North Technology Group(“NTG”) is proud to announce the purchase of MBrands International B.V the owner of the Magic Marine technical sailing apparel brand and Mystic the kiteboarding accessories brand. These businesses will be held under a new arm of NTG called North Actionsports Group. Located in The Netherlands MBrands International (B.V). was successfully developed by the Blom family over the last 15 years and Magic Marine is one of the premier brands in technical sailing wear for dinghies and coastal racing and cruising.  ...

World Sailing and sailors seem to be two different things. Since a few months if not longer a great number of sailors have by various means and ways expressed their concerns about the way WS’s business in conducted. In particular the last Mid Year meeting in Sarasota is considered to be dubious. People that obviously have made their mark in our sport have expressed their concern if not discontent. Of course do I as an old Finn sailor feel sorry to see the Finn go. On the other hand I have sailed Starboats for +30 years as well. Development has to be, change is inevitable in case you want to survive. But WS apparently doesn’t seem to want to listen or even to observe other sports. How many changes are made in Athletics, without any doubt the pinnacle of Olympic Sports? The same goes for Rowing. do they consider Mixed Events; half women, half men in an 8? Nobody even thinks about it. An open letter from Gerardo Seeliger is reacted upon by the addressee; Kim Andersen. The reply consist of denial upon denial and even indication of which class is to blame for all these ‘unjustified’ rumors. Had the Chairman of WS listened - and acted to the obvious unrest created by as an example a ‘Mixed one Person Dinghy Event’ and belated WS’s own submissions about a ‘Double-handed mixed Offshore Event’ he would not simply deny every single one of Gerardo’s suggestions or advise. Kim, you may be right, but do ,in this case, sailors acknowledge that you are right? Consequent denial without any support but repetition of your own viewpoint or presumption in support doesn’t help. Should WS not reconsider or at least communicate a lot better? Signed by a very concerned Olympic sailor and sailing executive...

Oh sure, you may laugh at the Harbor 20's, or laugh at how hokey the voice over in this video is (it sounds like Bruce Brown from the 70's!), but this class knows how to have a little fun.  ...

WS's Kim Anderson's reply to Gerardo Seeliger's brutal take-down letter of World Sucking, we mean Sailing... Dear Gerardo Thanks for your mail and the open talk we had before Christmas. When you say we should be worried, - I can say that I am worried about the rumors. But Gerardo, they are just rumors! Instead of referencing rumors you should not pass on rumors without having some kind of assurance whether they are rumors or not. As you mention these rumors are circulated around the world and from media without any objectivity or proof. But the media world today seems that the more you write, it the more is becoming the truth. So please check the rumors before passing them on. I can clearly state that these are vicious rumors passed around in the sailing community, but you need to stop them at the source. The facts that I know are stated in my communication relating to the process, when it comes to transparency, everything has been published not only from the events in Sarasota but also from all the rumors and issues from the May meeting and the rumors created regarding issues between the meeting. The same people supporting the rumors have been constantly supporting one specific class and that is not fair to anybody within our sport, the proof being that the rumors would cease if we would not have any changes in the Olympic equipment - that cannot be the values of World Sailing, being ruled by rumors. As the honorary President of the Finn class it’s important that you know that the Finn class was not part of the event in question. The event in question was the “Mixed one-person dinghy Event”, at the AGM three submissions where received against this event. One wanting to keep...