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We’re pretty sure 2011 will see the first Melges 24 World Championship Notice Board that reminds people to leave their unlicensed guns in the car. While On-The-Water Anarchy will be busy with the Velux 5 Oceans Race re-start in Charleston, we’ll be bringing you plenty of action from Corpus Christi, courtesy of some of our many friends racing Worlds and the GoPros aboard with our friends on Air Force One.  Here’s a fun little ‘trailer’ for Worlds – edited and shot by a ten-year old future SCOTW.  Go here for the full lineup at Worlds and stay tuned for some more news (including whether Chip and Greg at CCYC can get the live streaming thing happening before racing begins).  ...

The Sloop Tavern Yacht Club has a 30+ year of getting like-minded drinkers sailors together to make racing better without regard for politics or egos, and they’re doing it again – this time, with a Puget Sound version of San Francisco’s super-successful Three Bridge Fiasco this weekend.  Here’s the scoop from ‘Ballard Sailor’ – check the thread for more info and go sign up! Introducing, everyone, the "Three Buoy Fiasco". Commodore Tim Morgenroth has orchestrated his enthusiastic board at STYC into re-inventing the Three Bridge Fiasco into a PNW format that will be fun, challenging and unique - but most importantly encourage participation from other yacht clubs from both the East and West sides of Puget Sound. Through the help and guidance of Commodore Pat Mitchell, of Port Madison Yacht Club, and with the enthusiastic permission of the Singlehanded Sailing Society of San Francisco Bay, the "Fiasco" is coming North to Puget Sound. So what the heck will this Fiasco be you ask? Let me tell you . . . A "Fiasco" style race incorporates multiple marks that can be rounded in any direction in any order (and you can start and finish in any direction as well). Marks may be in areas where anchoring is needed to wait for a puff or where you simply abandon your attempt at a mark and come back later (one might even have a barge attached). This will be a pursuit style race with the slower rated boats starting first which helps in clearing the starting area for boats of different design and ability. The starting area will be off the North end of the Shilshole Bay marina at the "N" mark (the Tug boat buoy). Racers will be allowed to start in either direction. The course marks will be West Point Buoy, Halvorsen's Tug...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3TlLCm7V8g&feature=player_embedded We missed it by a day, but that’s probably appropriate, considering… So join us to wish Bob Marley’s ghost a happy birthday (yesterday).  Last week we told you why every real sailor should throw their Buffet music over the side – for those same reasons and more, Bob Marley deserves a puff for the memories. He may not have been a sailboat racer or a long distance cruiser, but his words have probably accompanied more sailors for more hours than any other musician.  Sailing Anarchy hereby salutes the Iron Lion of Zion, with thanks to Tranquilo for the heads up.  Comment here.  ...

The famous French 3-masted Marite, built in 1923 as a fishing vessel for Terre Neuve. She went under major repair and restoration steps in Cherbourg since 2006 and was under completion at Saint Vaast la Hougue (furniture, rigging,...) since 2010 before here departure to Granville this month. Here she was laid along the pier in Saint Vaast la Hougue to set the masts, in conjunction with other traditional sailing boats from Normandy waiting for high tide. Thanks toSylvain Viau...

When we received this M34 training video, the thing that jumped out at us was how the hardest working person on board was the chick in the pit. So we reached out to her and found her to be one full-on sailor chick! Our SCOTW, Madeleine Sassy: Last year, i was on the Tour de France à la Voile with "Ville du Port-Région Réunion", as pit (yes, pit is good girl job!) . I trained on Reunion Island with the team. Before, i sailed a lot nationals races but it was my first experience with farr30. During the Tour, when my sailing times were finished, i decided to go in organisation of the race, during 3 days, and then i proposed to help the team "Supélec" which had a lot of troubles. Tour de France was for them the first real race. It was really complicated, for the team but also about safety , and for the others boats. I began co-skipper of this boat with Sylvain Escurat for the end of the Tour. My best memory : to arrive in Port Camargue at the first leg , first buoy, on the left : TPM - COYCH, on the right : Nouvelle Calédonie. Amazing. At the end, we never finished the last, it was the "challenge" of the crew. 1 month later, i was in "Championnat de France espoirs" in Le Havre , still with "Ville du Port-Région Réunion". I sailed after that in Holland , with First 35 "Shark", and then "Route des Iles" with Région Bruxelles Capitale. Just 2 days after, i was on Rolex Swan Cup in Porto Cervo with Atalante 2, swan 56, still pit. We finished 4th. The race was excellent, good level, and boats really really big. It's really different, but it was perfect. Then, I...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u84hin44QP8&feature=player_embedded We are a Croatian team that did our first Mini650 race (qualifying race for Mini Fastnet - Demi Cle). We thought you might want to add a funny video we made during the delivery of our Mini 593 "Jaja" (which, btw, in french is a slang for a glass of red wine!) from Pornichet to Douarnenez. Good times! Vedran & Dado www.risailingteam.com Croatia...

Big breeze at start of the Flying Fifteen calendar which kicked off at County Antrim Yacht Club,  Northern Ireland last weekend with extremes in weather. Saturday saw a forecast of Force 6 which ended up with 5 knots cyclonic. Sunday made up for it though with 25 knots gusting to 35 and phenomenal times have been had by all the Irish competitors. Maybe the only Flying Fifteen event  where the Classic Fleet exceeded the Open Fleet. Retro racing at its finest. And less than finest!  Anarchist Gavin and pics by Alasdair McBroom....

Over the past several weeks, Lake Champlain has risen 6 feet above normal level and we have been reminded of the incredible impact the Lake has on our community. The flood has taken a toll on so many families and businesses and it's times like this that shows us how incredibly important lake access is and just how strong a community we are. For more stories and pictures from the flood, check out the Burlington Free Press. Here at the Community Sailing Center, we’re trying to keep it all in perspective–our sailing gear has come in handy to keep us dry and most of our equipment is meant to get wet! Our awesome volunteers filled sandbags and staff waded through water to get to work. But unfortunately last week the Lake made its way into the office and forced us to evacuate. While we are not entirely sure what the Lake has in store, we are certain it will be another fabulous summer of playing on Lake Champlain! Right now the lake is at102.92 feet above sea level and we cannot install our docks until it’s below 100 feet–only 200 billion gallons of water to go. Ways to help: Contribute to the Staying Afloat Fund to help offset the $10,000 in lost revenue and the expected cleanup and repair costs. Register online for 2011 summer youth camps, adult sailing courses, and clinics. Sign Up for our Staying Afloat Volunteer Day – Saturday, May 28th. As of today, most of our spring programs are canceled and opening day has been postponed until Saturday, June 18th. A full schedule and summer e-newsletter will be sent in a few weeks when we know more about our plans to move forward. Stayed tuned for the amazing programs, events and community activities we have in store for you this summer!...

Last minute invite from a mate: persuade wife to do the Saturday supermarket thing, two hours to Florence - Portofino gas-guzzling at 140/150 km/h, 60 euro's for six hours parking, candy bars and bresaola sandwich aboard. Were very happy when the wind piped up to 5 knts... All sorts of rock stars around, for a series of windward-leewards on Wally's - much ado about nothing (on the water anyway) would sum it up! James Robinson Taylor....

We don't know the terms of the deal, but we've worked with Tidetech before and hope it works out well for them. From the press release... Tactical racing oceanographic data specialist Tidetech has been recruited to provide oceanographic data and tidal modelling to the 34th America’s Cup. Tidetech has agreed to supply a licence to use its San Francisco 100m v5 model from June 2011 to September 2013. The tidal model created for the San Francisco Bay area has been developed with the America’s Cup in mind but is available to anyone who needs accurate tidal stream data for that location. Tidal models are constructed using detailed bathymetric data (depths) and knowledge of local tidal harmonics. Complex calculations and mathematical analyses are then used to calculate how water moves from one part of the model area to another. The data is subsequently converted into a visual representation either in GRIB format, downloaded to onboard navigation software, or in a set of downloadable images.  ...