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The performance sailing magazine

ANNIVERSARY 1947-2017

£4.50 Issue #1714 October 2017 yachtsandyachting.co.uk

IAIN PERCY LOOKS AHEAD TO 2017’S GLOBAL EVENT EVENT REVIEW

Fastnet flyers Highlights from the record breaking offshore race

INTERVIEW

Dee Caffari Gearing up for the Volvo Ocean Race

TECHNIQUE

Startline tactics DESIGN UPDATE

SPECIAL REPORT

Foiling Nacra 17

Cowes Week

All the action from across the fleets PLUS Fast40+ and White Group winners

with Ben Saxton

ALEX THOMSON

ON TEST: S1 RACE

PERFECT FINISH

TICKET OFFER

Swapping Hugo Boss for a family cruise in the Caribbean

The new singlehanded high performance cat

Guide to paints, varnishes and modern alternatives

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THIS MONTH

OCTOBER 2017 Analysis & advice Cowes Week report 18 COVER STORY: All the action

from Lendy Cowes Week from the key fleets, plus we weigh up the new Triple Crown event

Fastnet flyers 26 COVER STORY: The largest ever fleet took part in this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race. James Boyd reports

32 COVER STORY: As the Volvo Dee Caffari

Ocean Race build-up continues, Dee talks with Toby Heppell about building her team

38 Louay Habib talks to Girls Fast 40+

on Film owner Peter Morton about how it is so far so good in his new CF40+

Elite success 42 Freddie Peters has become

PAUL WYETH/LENDY COWES WEEK; JEN EDNEY; PAUL WYETH/RORC; PEDRO MARTINEZ/SAILING ENERGY

the youngest helm to win the White Group at Cowes Week, aged just 14

Bash 2017 46 Bart’s COVER STORY: Iain Percy looks ahead to the extraordinary sailing event that spans the globe

50 The foiling Nacra 17 is the latest Nacra 17 update

iteration in this Olympic class. Ben Saxton explains more

to win: Starts 56 How Mark Rushall on how to handle being the windward boat in starting situations

Dinghy playbook COVER STORY: Our guide to starting, with Toby Heppell

Equipment & travel

Travel: Caribbean 64 Alex Thomson swaps his Hugo

Boss IMOCA 60 for a cruise with his family and friends

test 72 Boat The new singlehanded cat S1

Race is put through its paces

guide 76 Buyer’s Paints, wraps and finishes. Rupert Holmes investigates

kit 81 New An app update, new bouyancy aids and Rooster kit reviewed

news 83 Boat Off-the-shelf IMOCA 60 and a new sportsboat

REGULARS 6

News

10 News Spotlight 13 Bob Fisher 14 Andi Robertson 17 Andy Rice

NEW! 84 Clubs & Classes News

88 Clubs & Classes 98 Position

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

EDITORIAL Editor Georgie Corlett-Pitt georgie.corlett-pitt@chelseamagazines.com Deputy Editor Toby Heppell Art Editor Claire Wood Senior Sub Editor Henry Giles Clubs & Classes Editor Paula Irish club@yachtsandyachting.co.uk

UGO FONOLIA/VOLVO OCEAN RACE

Contributors: James Boyd, Bob Fisher, Louay Habib, Rupert Holmes, Paula Irish, Sue Pelling, Iain Percy, Andy Rice, Andi Robertson, Mark Rushall, Ben Saxton, Alex Thomson Cover image: Kurt Arrigo/Rolex Fastnet Race Vittorio Biscarini’s Mylius 15e25, Ars Una ADVERTISING Jodie Green +44 (0)207 349 3722 jodie.green@chelseamagazines.com

Two-way opportunity

he two pinnacle events of the summer – Lendy Cowes Week and the Rolex Fastnet Race – were made all the more exciting this year by the addition of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet who were warming up on ‘Leg 0’. Many watching were of course keen to spot the pre-race favourites. The acknowledgement from amongst the teams is that there’s still a lot of hard work and crew training to be done before the race sets sail from Alicante on 22 October. As I write this, some teams are even still in the process of finalising who is on board. With the rule changes for this edition encouraging mixed teams and under 30s the race is to be applauded for opening up new opportunities and widening the pathway through professional sailing. That is itself is inspring. And it’s not just the up and coming sailors who can take advantage here; the teams also stand to gain from a new raft of talent and perhaps a new way of thinking from the newcomers - many of who are fresh from Olympic and America’s Cup groundings - as they step up alongside the old guard; more on this next month. Skippers like Dee Caffari – see our interview on page 32 – who embrace this opportunity are likely to be the ones who get the most from their teams in the long term.

See us on Facebook.com/sailingmagazine

There are important lessons here for any skipper or team interested in progressing their own sailing and indeed in helping progress our sport overall in the longer term. Looking ahead, this month sees the return of Bart’s Bash. Now into its fourth year, this phenomenal worldwide regatta continues to carry just as much momentum as ever, as Iain Percy explains on page 46. We hope to see as many Y&Y readers as possible out on the water over the weekend of 16-17 September, continuing to support this worthwhile event. This month is also, of course, time to head to Southampton Boat Show – the Y&Y team will be there throughout the show, so make sure you pop along to stand J109 and say hello. We’ll see you there!

Mark Harrington +44 (0)207 349 3787 mark.harrington@chelseamagazines.com Hannah Stanton-Warren +44 (0)207 349 3734 hannah.stanton@chelseamagazines.com PUBLISHING Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Finance Director Vicki Gavin Publisher Simon Temlett Publishing Consultant Martin Nott Marketing Manager Sophie Mazrekaj sophie.mazrekaj@chelseamagazines.com WEBSITE yachtsandyachting.co.uk Yachts & Yachting is published by The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel: +44 (0)20 7349 3700 SMALL PRINT © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2017. All rights reserved. ISSN 0044-000 Printed in England by William Gibbons. Ad Production: All Points Media www.allpointsmedia.co.ukDistribution: News Trade (UK and Rest of World), Seymour International Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PT. Tel: 020 7429 4000 Fax: 020 7429 4001 Email: info@seymour.co.uk No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission in writing. Every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information in Yachts & Yachting, but no responsibility can be accepted for the consequences of actions based on the advice portrayed herein. The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd makes every effort to ensure that the advertising contained in this magazine is derived from responsible sources. We cannot, however, accept responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers. Yachts & Yachting welcomes letters.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUE ENQUIRIES

Georgie Corlett-Pitt, Editor

Tel: +44 (0)1795 419 843 Email: yachts@servicehelpline.co.uk Online: yachts.subscribeonline.co.uk Post: Yachts & Yachting, Subscriptions Department, 800 Guillat Avenue, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8GU Back Issues: www.chelseamagazines.com/shop

WRITERS THIS MONTH INCLUDE… Ben Saxton represented GBR at the Rio Olympics in the Nacra 17, and has twice won the Endeavour Trophy for the RS200 and Merlin fleets

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

Mark Rushall coaches at the highest levels of the sport, covering all types of racing from dinghies to round the world big boat events

Iain Percy is not only a twotime Olympic champion and America’s Cup sailor, but an Ambassador for Bart’s Bash and an ASF Trustee

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NEWS

Leg 0 heroes Mapfre has walked away with a win in Leg 0 of the Volvo Ocean Race, which comprised a series of four varying length practise courses. The Spanish flagged entrant was the standout performer across the four courses and has cemented their position as a race favourite.

Behind Mapfre there were few surprises based on previous form and campaign build-up time - when it came to who placed where. Dongfeng and Brunel both scored even points with Dongfeng winning out overall due to their better result in the final leg from St Malo to

Lisbon – cut short due to the wind switching off and turning the race into a slow drift. All three raced in the last edition, so their impressive performance is little surprise, though how much teams are holding back remains to be seen. Follow the race at yachtsandyachting.co.uk

A little over a week into Leg 1 of the Clipper Round the World Race (from Liverpool, UK to Punta del Este, Uruguay), the skipper of Greenings, David Hartshorn, needing to be helicoptered from his boat to hospital due to injury. The 52-year old professional sailor was medevaced by the Portuguese Rescue Services after he fractured and partially severed his thumb. He is expected to make a full recovery. Clipper Race Director Mark Light explains: “The incident occurred around 450 Nm off the Portuguese coast whilst David was leading a spinnaker drop in breezy conditions. Unfortunately, his left thumb became caught in one of the lines which has resulted in some serious damage.” Fortunately, the on board medic and fully trained coxswain were able give immediate assistance and take over control of the yacht, which was diverting under motor to Porto. The 12-strong fleet left Liverpool on Sunday 20 August; the race takes amateur sailors on a 40,000nm voyage around the globe.

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

SHAUN ROSTER; ONEDITION/CLIPPER RACE

Clipper skipper medevaced

SAP on top at the Extreme Sailing Series, Cardiff Over 90,000 spectators turned out in Cardiff to watch Act 6 of the 2017 Extreme Sailing Series over August’s Bank Holiday weekend. Racing went down to the wire with SAP Extreme Sailing Team taking victory ahead of Alinghi in a thrilling finale. Helm Adam Minoprio said of his win: ‘It felt really good.” The win is the Danish team’s third of the season and now sees them top the overall leaderboard. Meanwhile, Oman Air was forced to settle for third. The British Land Rover BAR Academy team struggled to find form and finished sixth overall. Also taking place in Cardiff Bay was the 2017 Flying Phantom Series, which concluded with an overall win by Red Bull Sailing Team, from Austria. The Extreme Sailing Series now heads to San Diego for the penultimate Act of 2017, taking place 19-22 October.

1420

IN NUMBERS

Metres of rope on each Clipper Race boat

Years since a 49er World Champion was not one of three teams - Martinez/ Fernandes; Outteridge/ Jensen; Burling/Tuke

126

Number of entries to this year’s A-Class Catamaran Worlds in Poland

SPORTOGRAPHY.TV/OC SPORT; JESUS RENEDO/SAILING ENERGY; SANDER VAN DER BORSCH

Drama at World Champs The test event for next year’s Sailing World Championship – the combined worlds event for Olympic classes run by World Sailing – has concluded in Aarhus, Denmark. The week of racing was dominated by big breeze and waves providing a challenge for all competitors – though the final day’s medal racing saw significantly lighter weather. The British Sailing team elected to focus on other events for the most part, so few Brits were competing in the 10 disciplines. Nonetheless, for those who did attend, there was plenty of drama, as on the eve of the medal race, the builders of the newly foiling catamaran, Nacra Sailing, advised 47 crews not to sail their Z-foiled Nacra 17’s until new daggerboard bearings were supplied, after three daggerboard breakages. This advice was issued to all teams sailing the foiling version of the boat sparking concern the class would be not be able to stage their own World Championships in early September. But, as we go to press, Nacra Sailing has been able to produce, test and distribute replacement parts. For British Olympian, Ben Saxton’s assessment of the foiling Nacra 17 turn to page 50.

Age of the youngest skipper to win White Group at Cowes Week - see our interview on page 42

125

Years of Burnham Week, the 125th running of the regatta took place in August

8 Out of 11 classes won by French teams in this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race

THEY SAID… “It’s going to be a very cool boat; imagine coming into the finish, in a harbour in 20 knots of breeze and you are going to see this thing fully airborne, foiling, at 35 to 40 knots.” Nick Bice, Volvo Ocean Race director sets out a clear vision of the new Volvo Ocean Race boat, which has now been designed and for which the moulds are under construction.

“In this edition you can only sail with seven but if you can bring two extra pair of hands on board that’s a no brainer... We just use the rule to the maximum for our own benefit and I have learned there is no difference to be a male or female, we are all team members on the same level.” Bouwe Bekking on the selection of Annie Lush, the first of two female team members for Brunel in the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race.

“I so badly wanted to prove that I was worth my Olympic title, and to do it in my home country, to show our sport, to show myself, for the nation… It’s just an incredible feeling.” Marit Boumeester celebrates her victory at the Laser Radial World Championship in Medemblik, Netherlands.

“It’s going to be awesome racing against Tukey. We have huge respect for each other’s skill and talent and we are each other’s biggest supporters. We are both in a position to gain amazing experience to bring to our future sailing goals. I look forward to sharing a few stories and beers with him in port.” Peter Burling prepares to take on his 49er crew and America’s Cup team mate, Blair Tuke in the Volvo Ocean Race after they both signed for different teams - Burling for Brunel, and Tuke for Mapfre.

“I think he might have the offshore bug - apart from the freeze-dried food... And the lack of sleep... And the cold...” Concise 10’s Ned Collier-Wakefield seems hesitant about Olympian Giles Scott’s apparent new-found passion for offshore racing.

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

Ô IN BRIEF Middle Sea building

Moved The Round the Island Race in association with Cloudy Bay has changed dates and will now take place on 7 July 2018 to avoid a clash with the Isle of Wight Festival. Partnered Kingfisher Yacht Ropes has announced a partnership with the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra Class Associations, offering discounts and bespoke product development. Hamble The first ever Spinlock IRC Autumn Championships to be run in the Solent will be held 30 September to 1 October by Hamble River Sailing Club, with five races. Entries are open. Keelboats The British Keelboat League final will take place in Cowes from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 September, with a plan to have 24 teams completing 48 races over the two and a half days.

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

Boat Show ticket offer Preparations for the 49th annual TheYachtMarket. com Southampton Boat Show, which takes place on the waterfront of the famous maritime city from 15-25 September, are well underway. The much-loved show is britain’s biggest festival of boating and features hundreds of boats lined up along Europe’s largest purpose-built marina. The Yachts & Yachting team will be there too, so make sure you pop past the stand (J109) to say hello, pick up a free copy of Y&Y and take advantage of our special show subscription offers. Those of you who have yet to purchase your tickets can take advantage of our special Yachts & Yachting ticket offer, which provides a £15 discount on the usual gate admission fee. To claim your discount, simply enter code YAY17 when prompted during the online booking process at: southamptonboatshow.com.

Polish solitaire sailor, Szymon Kuczyński, set off from Plymouth on 15 August 2017 hoping to set a new record for achieving the solo non-stop lap of the planet in the shortest ever boat. This will be his second circumnavigation, though previously with stops, and he will once again be sailing his Atlantic Puffin, a 6 meter Maxus 22. The boat is normally used for inshore racing and has required significant alteration to be ready for the ocean. The hull and rigging have been strengthened and the interior of the yacht has been limited to just the essentials. The cabin can be hermetically closed, and the hull can still float even if completely full of water. Most of the changes made in the Puffin were based on Mini class used in the Mini Transat. Szymon is aiming to complete the classic route south of the Great Capes in 9-11 months.

GREAT READING BIGGER AND BETTER Extra pages, more boats, more destinations

This month our sister magazine, Classic Boat goes sailing on The Who’s Pete Townsend’s yacht, examines the historical accuracy of blockbuster, Dunkirk and tests out the Marlin 23 Herreshoff trailer-sailor. Meanwhile, Sailing Today’s East Coast special brings you all you need to know about cruising up the beautiful coast. Plus they get to grips with rafting up and take a look at navigation apps.

OCTOBER 2017 | sailingtoday.co.uk | £4.50

FREE Boat Show tickets to give away HOME WATERS

East coast special

OFFICIA L MEDIA PARTNE R

Deep draft on the Thames Estuary Gull's Eye guide to Fambridge Yacht Haven ON TEST

Contest 67

Luxury bluewater cruiser

Black Pepper Elegance, speed and practicality

SEAMANSHIP

Rafting up

Stay tangle free with our essential guide

INTERVIEW

SOUTHERLY YACHTS

BUYER'S GUIDE

Navigation apps

Sean Langdon on the resurgence of an iconic brand NORWAY

Intrepid vicar Bob Shepton sails north

SONAR

How you can help chart the oceans

COVER_OCT.indd 1

We find the right one for you

TOM CUNLIFFE

Beating the odds to make it back to the pub

NEW GEAR

All the new kit at the boat show reviewed 15/08/2017 15:56

Classic Boat OCTOBER 2017

30YEARS 1987-2017

T H E W O R L D’ S M O S T B E A U T I F U L B O A T S 350th/30 year logo.indd 6

19/12/2016 11:45

The Who

Pete Townshend’s ‘wind-driven locomotive’

DUNKIRK What the film got right OLD IS GOLD!

Classic wins Cowes Week DAVID BOYD

COWES CLASSICS 170 small boats go racing

His unknown influence on Fife MODERN CLASSIC

Herreshoff in GRP CB352 Cover Standard.indd 1

PRACTICAL

Scribing a boot-top

BAILLI DE SUFFREN

Med’s greatest race

www.classicboat.co.uk

22/08/2017 14:29

yachtsandyachting.co.uk

KURT ARRIGO/ROLEX; SPORTOGRAPHY/BART’S BASH; PAWEL MOTAWA; ONEDITION

Reunited Danish-based sail manufacturer, Elvstrøm Sails AS has acquired French sibling Elvstrøm Sails Sarl in a move to bring the company’s disparate parts closer together after 50 years of separation.

Puffin record attempt

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Tickets Tickets for the RYA Dinghy Show will go on sale in October, be sure to pick yours up early! See yachtsandyachting.co.uk for details

Each year, more and more crews have been taking on the event in recognition of its challenging nature, particularly weatherbased routing. Past experience suggests the number of entrants is set to rise significantly before registration closes on 6 October and the organisers say they believe the final entry list may surpass the record of 124 starters set in 2014.

Bash At Lendy Cowes Week Charity Day all competitors were automatically entered in to the inaugural ‘Cowes Bash’. The overall winner - calculated using the Bart’s Bash results system - was Roger Bowden’s King 40, Nifty; read our full Cowes Week report on page 18.

The Rolex Middle Sea Race looks to be in the ascendancy as middle-long distance races gain popularity. With a little under two months until the start of the 38th edition on 21 October, 53 yachts from 20 countries have already entered. The race is often referred to as taking place at the ‘crossroads of the Mediterranean’ due to its geographical location; and the course is undeniably scenic.

Main image by Patrick Bennett @ Uncommon Caribbean

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LIONHEARTED

he first-ever J-Class World Championship has been contested in Newport, Rhode Island. Appropriately for a class so summarily tied to the America’s Cup, the location is where the legendary Ranger cleaned up 4-0 in 1937, which was the last time J-Class yachts raced for the Auld Mug. Displaying solid consistency across all seven races sailed by the six boat championship fleet, Lionheart, steered

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

by Dutch owner Harold Goddijn, won the world title by three clear points. Throughout the week, the Lionheart team displayed impressive skill, but it was its conservatism that perhaps won them the regatta along with a well-drilled close-knit crew, which has mostly been together since 2011. It is telling that the team won only a single race over the course of the week but had no results outside the top three. It was this consistency that saw

Above Slick crew work on board Lionheart Right Jim Clark’s Hanuman had to settle for second

them eclipse the highly fancied Hanuman, skippered by North Sails’ Ken Read for owner, Jim Clark, which returned to J-Class racing only this season after a three-year hiatus. Over recent years the Palma, Mallorca-based Lionheart has probably sailed at more regattas than her rivals, J-Class or otherwise, in the pursuit of improvement, training and optimisation. “It is a special title, one for the owner who gives us so much confidence in

yachtsandyachting.co.uk

IMAGES: ONNE VAN DER WAL/J-CLASS ASSOCIATION

Consistency was the key for Lionheart as the J-Class took on its first ever World Championship in Newport, Rhode Island

NEWS SPOTLIGHT

J-CLASS WORLDS

We always started cleanly and we always, except in one race, could sail our own course... We keep it simple tactician Bekking smiled: “I said before the championship that if we could finish top three in every race we would most likely win and it has worked out. We always started clean and we always – except in one race – could sail our own course. I think we did a nice job of letting the boat work for us and letting our excellent crewwork prevail. We just keep it simple. “We made the boat a little heavier after Bermuda [J-Class Regatta during the America’s Cup in June], a little too heavy, maybe, but we were expecting stronger sea breezes. We were a little sticky downwind. All in all we were going just nice. One of the key points is that Harold, the owner, has come such a long way, even this season, we have made steps. Everybody has their responsibilities, their own jobs to do and there are no rock stars, no prima donnas. We just believe in each other. That may be a little bit the Dutch style but mostly it comes from our owners, that is the way they like it.” Lionheart’s victory also meant that

it won the Terry Kohler Trophy, as the 2017 J-Class season champions. The recently introduced trophy goes to the winner of a series comprising St Barth’s Bucket, the America’s Cup J-Class Regatta and this first-ever J-Class World Championship. “We started out five years ago, a little bit low key and the owner said ‘I want to race and I don’t want to make a fool of myself ’. Five years later this is the result,” said Bekking. Appropriately enough, given her history in Newport, Ranger completed the world championship podium after a close match with the newer Topaz, throughout the week and in the final race, with both teams vying for third. “Going into today we were fighting for third and today it was a bit sticky for us, but we have a great team and we are sailing the boat well. Murray Jones did a great job with Matty Mitchell on the bow in getting us off the startline,” said Ranger’s skipper-helm Erle Williams. The World Championship concluded with the prize-giving at the New York Yacht Club’s Harbour Court.

ourselves and who gives us carte blanche in how we set the boat up and how we sail. It is great for him now that he lifts the trophy today,” enthused tactician, Bouwe Bekking – who will now head back to Europe to rejoin his Team Brunel Volvo Ocean Race programme where he will compete for the eighth time. Serving as the antithesis of Lionheart, Hanuman won three races from seven, but a fifth place on Thursday and a sixth on Friday sealed their position on the second step of the podium. “Congratulations to Lionheart, they sailed better than us this week. We left too many points out there on the racecourse,” commented Ken Read. “We are ticked off about that. At the end of the day winners win and Lionheart did a good job.” Of their world title winning conservative philosophy Lionheart’s

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

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Bob Fisher OPINION

It would be hard to top the biennial Cowes Week - Fastnet Race combo, that is unless the Admiral’s Cup returns. And The Fish is all for bringing it back

PAUL WYETH/COWES WEEK

here was something missing about Lendy Cowes Week and for most of the week I could not identify exactly what until I briefly met Tony Higham (past Admiral’s Cup and Whitbread Race winner). He reminded me what was missing from an otherwise perfect week’s regatta. It lacked the jewel in the crown that has been missing for some years – the Admiral’s Cup. What was once known as the unofficial world championship of offshore racing, was last held in Cowes in 1999, when it comprised racing for three-boat teams over the Channel Race, two inshore races in Cowes Week, and the Fastnet Race. It was a magnet for teams from USA, Australasia, and Europe, and would be still today, if the arguments over which classes should compete could be settled along with sponsorship clashes. The latter has to be resolved because of the valuable sponsorship of the Fastnet Race by Rolex. I cast my mind back to when an offer to sponsor the series came from another quality watchmaking company, Corum, but this had to be rejected even if it did produce an ‘Admiral’s Cup’ watch and sponsored races within the series. That, minor clash, was not seen as a conflict by the organisers. Today the sponsorship of sailing events has diversified to companies and organisations that no one would have given a second thought – motor manufacturers among them. It is no longer solely the province of the finance companies and the luxury goods manufacturers, even the supermarket chains are knocking on the door. Maybe Champagne Mumm should be asked if it would like to take it on again. The Australians have already indicated their interest – in Sydney a 50th anniversary regatta is planned and according to my contact, Peter Shipway, is creating considerable interest. They are hoping to have as many of the yachts that took part in their trials competing, but as he admits there are many that have disappeared or are undergoing

The big boat class must be relatively free with foils allowed, as one must look to the future major refits. But at least they are making deliberate efforts to celebrate the event that Australian sailors enjoyed. Maybe we should follow suit, but in a more practical manner by organising an Admiral’s Cup event in 2019, when the Rolex Fastnet Race will next be held. Back in 1981, when RORC threatened to pull the Cup away from Cowes (which was beginning to be regarded as ‘dirty’), one of the Cowes Harbour Commissioners stated succinctly that it could be “a catastrophe for local traders”. The RORC threat however resulted in a major improvement in the facilities available afloat and ashore for the competitors. The Admiral’s Cup had clout. It should still have that aura about it. But it should be kept simple, at least for the re-start. Just four races – the Channel Race to kick it off; two inshore races in Cowes Week – the Britannia Cup on Tuesday and the New York Yacht Club Cup on Thursday; and finish with the Fastnet. If later it is seen to lack races, these can be added in the week before the Channel Race. And which boats are to be used is a problem for the organisers, but they must look at the success of the recent IRC World Championship for a rating formula that works. The Fast 40+ class has disqualified itself with its top wind speed restriction. Perhaps a

Above Class debate: the TP52s could step in for the Admiral’s Cup one design classes of the past

One of the biggest names in yachting journalism, Bob Fisher has a passion and depth of knowledge that’s second to none

class of TP52s with no rating allowance could ape the one-design classes of the past, but the big boat class must be relatively free with foils allowed (the IRC can rate these), as one must look to the future for development. Boats therefore are not a problem; it is simply up to the organisers to make the choice (with the wisdom of Solomon). Discussions with teams from other countries might be revealing, but there are just two years before the next Admiral’s Cup should take place. That is not a lot of time, but by the end of the year, it should be possible – electronic communication is fast. It needs, however, for the Commodore of the RORC to give it his approval and for the staff to beaver away at those ‘in charge’ of other countries’ offshore sailors. There is certainty of a “yes” from Australia and I would imagine the USA will not be far behind. Then just think of the areas of activity in Europe – Italy and France are certainties while Spain and Germany will not be far behind. My bet is that New Zealand, whose sailors are still on a high from the America’s Cup, will be among the countries entered. So too will Holland and Ireland find the challenge too hard to refuse. Admiral’s Cup 2019 would have something for everyone – sailors, sponsors and even spectators. What is there to stop it being a success?

September 2017 Yachts & Yachting

Andi Robertson YACHTS

As the Mini Transat class embraces full foiling capabilities, next month’s pinnacle event promises a thrilling showdown between the top sailor and the top design

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

Lipinski is bidding to become the first sailor to win the Mini Transat in both the Series and the Proto sailor to win the Mini Transat in both the Series and the Proto classes. In 2013 his dream was thwarted when he capsized off Portugal when leading. The following winter he was offered the chance to participate for the Prepa Nautic yard on the first Ofcet 6,50, designed by Etienne Bertrand. With this boat he won the first stage into Lanzarote and the overall Series ranking. After that the French company Griffon came on board and his current boat 865 is designed by David Raison. With this boat he won seven out of seven races last year including the Les Sables-Azores-Les Sables race. The jury is still out on foils in the Mini class, the now ‘conventional’ scow shape such as Lipinski’s seems to deliver a more all-round performance across the wind range, upwind as well as downwind – compared with the likes of Simon Koster’s Eight Cube and Quentin Vlaminyck’s Arkema Mini. The Arkema Mini is the most radical of foilers, so far finishing second in the Pornichet and third in the Marie Agnès Péron race. Eight Cube was designed before the Mini rule was relaxed to allow foils to extend beyond the 3m max beam measurement, but the Arkema boat – designed by Verdier collaborator Romaric Neyhousser, one of those behind the Emirates Team New Zealand foiling systems – was finalised last winter with outward facing foils.

Above Ian Lipinski in his David Raison designed Mini with the scow shaped bow, now commonplace

Few people can match Andi Robertson’s insight into the big boat world, both in the UK and globally

Arkema’s rounded stem is similar to Lipinski’s 865, but the foils tilt fore and aft, the keel cants, the rig has a soft two element wing shape (solid wings are not permitted), the forestay is adjustable and the bowsprit articulates. So far the Arkema Mini has maxed out at over 20 knots, on the foils, but Vlaminyck has yet to get the most from it. It is very much optimised for the fast downwind trade winds of the Mini Transat and I’d still put a few euros on this Arkema combo halting Lipinski’s whitewash. Meanwhile, from Mini to Maxi 72. I’m looking forward to seeing the Maxi 72 class race for the world title in Porto Cervo at the Rolex Maxi Worlds, in early September. Honours seem to be very even after Momo prevailed at the Copa del Rey Mapfre; the new Cannonball, the only Botin designed Maxi 72 in the fleet, won PalmaVela; Proteus won the breezy Corfu Challenge; while most consider Bella Mente the best allrounder. Owner-driver Hap Fauth was not in Palma and it took Alex Roepers, Farr 40 World Champion owner-driver, a couple of races to settle in to his first experience of helming the Maxi 72. Just as with the Minis where one event, the Mini Transat, is everything, in the Maxi 72 the only event the teams talk about and optimise for is the Maxi Worlds - and that certainly means the pressure is on.

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CHRISTOPHE BRESCHI

s Mini class champion in 2016 and 2015, it is hard to look past the indomitable Ian Lipinski when searching for a favourite for this year’s Mini Transat race, which leaves for Martinique from La Rochelle, France, via Gran Canaria, on 1 October. Sailing his 2014 David Raison design, Lipinski won the Mini Championship last year, which was decided across three events - the La Pornichet Sélect, the Trophée Marie Agnès Péron and the Les Sables-AzoresLes Sables races. Already this year Lipinski has won the Pornichet Sélect, Marie Agnès Péron and the two handed Mini Fastnet with designer David Raison, more recently adding overall victory in the two stage Transgascogne Race across the Bay of Biscay. The second leg of the Transgascogne between Avilés and les Sables d’Olonne was almost completely sailed upwind and while tactics came into play, it was a particularly exhausting race. There were no big surprises, but it was very close at the finish with victory going to Lipinski (865 - Griffon.fr) in the prototypes. Kéni Piperol (788 – Région Guadeloupe) and Simon Koster (888 - Eight Cube Mojo) were only seven minuutes or so behind although they had taken the opposite option with 90 miles separating them from Lipinski at one point. Lipinski’s easterly option paid off and he achieved another victory, his fifteenth in a row since 2015 and his second in the Transgascogne, which he also won in 2015 on a production boat. After finishing Lipinski said: “Early on, I thought I’d stick with the others, but I saw they were way off my routing, so I took the decision to go my own way, I had a lot of doubts about it. The wind didn’t come around to the east as expected, so I was to leeward and I thought it was over for me. I said I’d try to keep first overall. In the end, I won the leg, which was great; another win, which is always pleasing. This was a great way to prepare before the Mini Transat.” Lipinski is bidding to become the first

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Andy Rice DINGHIES

This month has seen the updated Nacra 17 foil straight into hot water. The boat itself may be a sensation - but the concept and construction are raising questions

PEDRO MARTINEZ/ SAILING ENERGY

he recent product recall of the foiling Nacra 17 just weeks after the relaunch of the Olympic catamaran is a worrying sign that the sailors campaigning for Tokyo 2020 could be in for an expensive three years in the build-up to the Games. Twelve months ago at the medal winners’ press conference in Rio 2016, I asked the Nacra medallists what they thought about the prospect of going full foiling at the next Games. The newly crowned gold medallist Santiago Lange predicted that converting the Nacra 17 to a full hydrofoiler would be a “disaster” for the sailors already in the class. The first four years of the Nacra 17 had not gone well; with many components of the boat simply not robust enough for the job, it proved expensive for the sailors, amidst allegations of cheating. There are worrying signs that Lange’s fears could be coming true, just when the class might have had a chance to settle down into some kind of stability. Another question is whether or not the full-foiling version of the Nacra will prove sufficiently seaworthy for most regatta venues, bearing in mind the semi-foiling version was already struggling with lumpy conditions. Historical weather data for the regatta venue for Tokyo 2020 suggests that it is likely to be windy with a large swell. Are the foilers going to handle bigwave, high-wind conditions? I’m not sure what evidence exists to suggest they can. This could put the race officer under severe pressure. Caught between the commercial obligation to deliver racing for TV schedules at the Games (a major revenue stream for World Sailing) on one side, and on the other the risks of sending sailors out to sea in conditions that might require more than a crash helmet and body armour to keep them safe, the race officer could find himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Back to the measurement issue of single manufacturer one-designs like the Nacra 17, and there is a much

Lange predicted that converting the Nacra 17 to a full hydrofoiler would be a “disaster” wider problem to address. I had a chat recently in Sweden at the RC44 World Championship when Iain Percy showed up for a flying visit. Iain used to give me a hard time for being so critical of the outrageous costs of running a Star campaign when he said there were bigger problems to address in single manufacturer onedesigns (SMODs) like the 49er during the build-up to London 2012. Iain had some valid points, which came home to roost at the Weymouth regatta. There was controversy around the equipment used by the Australian team to win the 49er gold medal, which I wrote about at the time. Hopefully those problems are behind the 49er class now, but the bigger issue exists that not all SMOD equipment is built equal. At least, not to the exacting standards required by Olympic competitors. It might be sufficiently equal for weekend racers where the standard is not so exacting, but Olympic-level sailors can detect the smallest difference in performance between one piece of kit and another, and they’re prepared to go to great lengths to find what they’re looking for. Iain Percy says: “Most of the top 49er sailors test multiple sails and masts to find the right combination. When you’ve got to go through that much kit to find the one bit of equipment that’s good enough, you can’t tell me that

Above Crash and burn action at the recent Nacra 17 Euros, the first full-foiling event

Musto Skiff sailor Andy Rice has unparalleled knowledge of the dinghy sailing scene, from grassroots to Olympic level

campaigning these boats is cheaper.” Iain acknowledges that the SMOD approach works well for low-tech boats like the Laser where slight variations in tolerance don’t matter so much. “But it has to be provided equipment too, like it is for the Laser and the RS-X boards,” he says. “If you expect people to bring their own boats, like the 49er and the Nacra 17, they will push the rules to the limit.” Iain also points out that in high-tech boats like foiling Moths or cats, a millimetre of variation can be worth hundreds of metres on the race course. For those boats, he believes the only way is for a class to have a measurement rule, and for sailors to develop and supply their own equipment. I used to be a fan of the simplicity of SMODs, and still am for the vast majority of racing. But at Olympic level it creates problems. The Finns and 470s are no longer the sexiest boats, but with their model of having a rule with small tolerances and a choice of licensed builders, the sailors can push the edges of development - as they always will - within legal boundaries. As a result the technology edge in these older classes is in many cases smaller than in the pure one-designs, and that’s not how it should be. For more on Nacra 17s see Ben Saxton’s account on page 50.

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

his year’s Lendy Cowes Week will be remembered for big winds, bright sun, broken records, plus a new sponsor in peer-to-peer construction industry financier Lendy. A number of changes and new initiatives for the week included the Sevenstar Triple Crown, which saw extreme action on the water and a new Around Isle of Wight speed record. There

was also a new official sailing charity, the Andrew Simpson Foundation. It was predominately a week of big winds – little racing took place in less than 10 knots and several days saw gusts above 20 knots in bright sun and a classic southwesterly breeze. Damp conditions, accompanied by a shut down of wind on the opening day were therefore largely forgotten. Monday was the official Charity Day,

with a focus on activities organised both afloat and ashore by the Andrew Simpson Foundation. An overall winner for the day – Nifty, a King 40 in IRC Class 1 and skippered by Sam Cox – was calculated from the winners of the 36 classes competing using the Bart’s Bash results system. The day finished with Mark Covell hosting the Foundation’s ‘Big Bash’ party on the main stage in Cowes Yacht Haven; a

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COWES WEEK 2017 18

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

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REPORT

COWES WEEK

COWES WEEK/PAUL WYETH

The new Triple Crown saw extreme action on the water and a new Around the Island speed record

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REVIEW

RUPERT HOLMES rounds up as

records topple in the Solent

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

COWES WEEK

REPORT

gusts over 40 knots and one of 48 knots in the area off Norris. The sun was back within 10 minutes and the delay to the starting sequence was minimal, although the squall produced yet more work for local sailmakers and riggers. As ever, there were a number of notable celebrities both on the water and in town, ranging from America’s Cup sailors Nick Hutton, David ‘Freddie’ Carr and Matt Cornwell racing on Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator, to HRH the Princess Royal, who started the first race on Tuesday, plus TV’s Jodie Kidd and James Norton. The Sunsail Gutterboat Racing Challenge, in support of

big, wonderful party with fabulous prizes and on-stage entertainment. The ebb tide for the early starts on Tuesday created an issue for the J/70 fleet on its first downwind leg, where a large group of the front runners, who were trying to stay in the favourable tidal eddy close inshore, sailed through the Daring fleet’s startline and were all disqualified. Wednesday was another breezy day in which gusts reached over 25 knots and crews invariably came ashore soaking wet, but grinning from ear to ear. Thursday was the only day in which a significant number of classes didn’t

Above The Squib class hopes to beat the XODs next year as the largest fleet Below Breezy XOD action from day three

race – only the three classes competing in the Triple Crown were sent out thanks to gusts of well over 30 knots. Friday saw a return to more settled conditions, with continued sun and another westsouthwesterly breeze of 15-22 knots. The final Saturday carried a low risk of shower activity, but by the time of the Redwing’s start at 1215, a powerful squall line could also be seen working its way up the western Solent. While none of the central Solent weather stations sampled winds over 25 knots, boats in the area, including Ian Miller’s Sun Fast 32 Dabra in IRC Class 6, saw multiple

A tantalisingly close race, with 18 boats crossing the line in less than 100 seconds

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

The Sevenstar Triple Crown was deemed a resounding success by owners, crews and organisers. This comprised three days of competition (Tuesday to Thursday) for IRC Class 0, along with Ludde Ingvall and Sir Michael Hintze’s 100ft DSS foiling supermaxi CQS, the Volvo 60 Team Jolokia and the entire fleet from the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. The first day saw the biggest boats complete a 43 mile race, with a shorter 30 mile course for IRC Class 0. Tony Langley’s Gladiator won IRC 0 ahead of Igor Yakunin’s Ker 46 Lady Mariposa R, and Christian Zugel’s Mat 1180 Tschuss. The next day was a race around the island in spirited conditions comprising 40 knots against tide conditions on the south side. CQS had sail damage at the Needles, which foiled her hopes. But the Volvo Ocean 65 Mapfre shot round in 3 hours, 13 minutes and 11 seconds, slashing 6 minutes 58 seconds off the outright monohull record set by Mike Slade’s Leopard in 2013, and beating the record for a monohull without powered winches by 36 minutes. In IRC 0 Gladiator retired with gear damage, the only time she failed to take the winner’s gun all week, leaving it for Lady Mariposa R to win the three day series. With it Yakunin won some of the most prestigious trophies in yachting, including the Duke of Edinburgh Triple Crown Trophy, the Royal Yacht Squadron’s King’s Cup 1920 and the Sevenstar Triple Crown Trophy.

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IMAGES: COWES WEEK/PAUL WYETH; RICK TOMLINSON

SEVENSTAR TRIPLE CROWN

Gladiator, TP52, winner in IRC Class 0

Alegria in the foreground in IRC Class 2

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Mapfre and Brunel during Day 4 Triple Crown Race around the Isle of Wight

Mapfre on the way to a new around the island record

REPORT

the Andrew Simpson Foundation, also attracted big sporting names including Sir Keith Mills, Olympic gold medallists Hannah Mills, Saskia Clark and Iain Percy, along with rugby legends Phil Vickery and Ollie Phillips. WHITE GROUP HIGHLIGHTS The smaller dayboat fleets this year consisted of 15 one-design dayboat classes, plus an IRC rated Sportsboat division with entries ranging from a 707 to four Farr 280s. There were upsets at the top of a number of classes that have had consistent overall

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

Above Racing under a rebranded Lendy Cowes Week 2017 Below Sunshine, Malcom Roberts’ 9m Ker, took third in the Sportsboat fleet

winners for a number of years. Racing all week was extremely tight in the Dragon class, with four different race winners and half the 14-strong fleet scoring at least one podium result and three boats in contention for an overall class win. The final race saw places two to six separated by only 27 seconds, with past multiple overall winner Graham Bailey’s Aimee in fifth. Despite winning four races, a retirement on Sunday meant he also had to count a disappointing ninth place on the opening day. Oliver Morgan’s Christianna won the final race, lifting him into first overall, one point

ahead of Aimee, with Martin Payne’s Full Speed one point behind in third overall. In the 21-strong Daring fleet John Corby’s Doublet won with a day to spare, knocking past overall White Group and Cowes Week winner Giles Peckham’s Dauntless into second overall. In the XOD class John Tremlett’s Lass went into the last race as overall leader 14 points ahead of Simon Russell’s Swallow. However, Tremlett’s discarded 18th place from his result on the opening day left his overall lead in this big fleet vulnerable to a lacklustre result in the final race. This was a tantalisingly close race, with the first 18 boats crossing the line in less than 100 seconds. Rory, Amanda and Stuart Paton’s XL, successfully port tacked the fleet at the start and went on to finish first, five seconds ahead of Roger Yeoman and Mike Moss’ Xcitation, with Paul Woodman’s Ibex third two seconds later. Tremlett finished seventh, sealing yet another overall win, ahead of Swallow and Ibex, while James Meaning’s Gleam took fourth overall. Rob Elliot’s Bonne Vivant won the Etchells class with a day to spare, two points ahead of Shaun and Emily Frohlich’s Exabyte. Rob Tyrwhitt-Drake’s Desperate was eight points further back in third overall. However, this vignette belies just how tight the racing was through the week. Throughout Wednesday’s windy race for instance, there was much place changing and, despite Elliot extending to a good lead mid race, he, Frohlich and Tom Abrey’s Jolly Roger all finished within 27 seconds. A minute later Murray Chapples’ Silver Lining and Desperate finished within just a second of each other. The Italian team on Piero Panccia’s IRC optimised Farr 280 Adriatica dominated the leader board of the Sportsboat fleet, winning with a day to spare. David and Kirsty Apthorp’s J/88 J-Dream took second place overall, ahead of Malcolm Roberts’ modified nine-metre Ker, Sunshine. Georgina Hill’s Hunter 707 Strom Crew won the opening and final races, but a string of mid fleet results in the middle of the regatta dragged her down to ninth overall. Although the Squib class has strong local fleets, notably at the Royal Victoria YC on the Isle of Wight, the podium places were shared among competitors from around the country. Steve WarrenSmith’s Aquabat won six races to win with eight points. David Wines and Keith Davies’ Plymouth based White Magic and east coast based Malcolm Hutchings and Andy Ramsey’s Lady Penelope, finished

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COWES WEEK/PAUL WYETH

COWES WEEK

REPORT

the week tied on 16 points, with the tie break resolved in favour of White Magic thanks to a race win on Wednesday. The class, traditionally among the largest at Cowes Week, is planning to have its national championships next year in Cowes and hopes to get enough boats to Lendy Cowes Week to knock the XOD fleet off its long-held perch as the largest at the regatta. SB20s and J/70s again had an eightrace short series over the first four days of the regatta, with both classes attracting more than 30 boats. John Pollard’s Xcellent won the SB20 Grand Slam, counting only podium results, with Elliot Noye’s Porco Rosso second and Michael Cooper’s Export Roo

Gwaihir was overall winner, counting only four points, ahead of Anthony Lunch’s Solitude and Charles Fisher and Richard Thompson’s Migrant. In the Sonar class two boats – Alistair Barter’s Bertie and Andy Cassell’s Jenny – scored only podium results all week. Barter was overall winner, by a margin of seven points, with Barry Byham’s Dolphin third. Malcolm Stewart’s Isabel won the Victory class with an almost perfect score of first places, other than a second in the opening race. Team Scammell’s Zinnia was second overall and Geoff Dixon’s Zelia third. Roger Wickens’ Sunbeam Danny won the series overall five points ahead of Becky Wickens and Oliver Gilchrist’s

Above XODs finishing off the Royal Yacht Squadron

INGRID ABERY

Isabel won the Victory class with an almost perfect score of first places – just one second third. Noye went on to become overall winner at the end of the week, ahead of Richard Powell’s Marvel and Hussain Al Jabri’s Oman Sail 3. Paul Childs’ F’in Magic 2 won the J/70 series, ahead of Ali Hall’s Sceptre and Jack Davies’ Yeti, the latter going on to win the class overall at the end of the week. The organisers are always happy to accommodate requests from classes wherever possible. This year, although the Swallow fleet raced on all eight days, only the races from Sunday to Friday counted for their series. Mike Wigmore’s

Sky, which finished tied on points with Stewart Reed’s Firefly. Christina Moncur’s Ffoenix won the Flying 15 class ahead of Tony Beddingfield’s Durban Fflyer. Charles Apthorp’s Foof and Sam Chan’s Freefire20 both tied on 27 points, with Foof taking third overall thanks to a win in the final race. Noel Dobb’s Bluebell won the Mermaid class, ahead of Hugo Mills’ Sheen and Ben Few Brown’s Cynthia. In the 20-strong Redwing fleet Ed Nainby-Luxmoore’s young crew on Snowgoose ll, took first overall by an

COWES WEEK

impressive margin of 14 points and gained the regatta’s Under 25 trophy. Serena and Rosie Gosling’s Gosling was second, ahead of Annie, Joe and Bel Robertson’s Red Gauntlet II. The overall winner among the White Group dayboats was 14-yearold Freddie Peters, who also won the RS Elite class, the Newcomers’ trophy and Young Skipper’s Trophy – check out our feature on page 42 for more about Freddie. The RS Elite is renowned for close racing, but Peters’ Riff Raff dominated the leader board, winning all but one race. Ossie Stewart’s More T Vicar took second overall and Colin Smith’s Shaken Not Stirred third. BLACK GROUP HIGHLIGHTS The yachts racing in Black Group again encompassed a huge variety of entries, ranging from Jo Richards’ much modified and immaculately prepared 19ft Alacrity from 1964, through a variety of cruiser-racers spanning more than four decades of yacht design, to the Sevenstar Triple Crown fleet. This included Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator and the seven Volvo Ocean 65s competing in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race (see box out on page 20). In addition to the eight IRC classes, three cruiser divisions represent a growing number of boats that want simpler racing and easier courses that avoid more complex manoeuvres such as gybe sets. The five further classes

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

REPORT

were made up of Quarter Tonners plus four one design fleets – Contessa 32s, Sigma 33s, J/109s (which still maintain a turn out of 20 boats in one-design configuration), and Sunsail Match F40s. The Fast40+ fleet again had worldclass racing for the fleet of 12 boats, most of which are almost level rating – 10 of the boats are within four points of the 1.270 maximum rating limit. More than half the fleet scored at least one podium result, while a measure of the quality of the competition is that, had newcomer Jamie McWilliam and Matt Hanning’s Signal 8, the 11th boat overall, raced in IRC 0 she would have been close to a podium position at the end of the week. In a thrilling final race, to the Nab Tower and back, Peter Morton’s Carkeek 40 Mk4 Girls on Film finished first to win the series and the New York Yacht Club Trophy (see our interview on page 38). Sir Keith Mills’ Ker40+ Invictus took second overall, and Bas de Voogd’s Carkeek Mk3 Hitchhiker (last year’s Girls on Film) third. The Fast40+s were just one of many IRC fleets that went to the wire in terms of the final results. The competition for the top spot in IRC 4 could barely have been tighter. David Franks’ JPK 10.10 Strait Dealer started the final day with a two point margin on both Peter and Sarah Hodgkinson’s X362 Sport Xcitable and Oliver Legrain’s Archambault 35 IBA Sailing Team. Legrain took line honours the final race by three and a

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

half minutes, but was nine seconds short of saving his time on Franks. The fight for first place in the Quarter Ton class also continued to the end, with Sam Laidlaw’s Aguila taking the title one point ahead of Tony Hayward’s Blackfun. Louise Morton’s Bullit had been consistently in the top three, but retired on Wednesday and broke her mast on Friday, so finished on 24 points, one adrift of Oliver Ophaus’ Bullet, which took third overall. Two boats dominated the top of IRC 7 – Jo Richards’ 19ft Alacrity Eeyore and Paul Dunstan’s Marieholm Folkboat Mandarin either won or took second place in every race. They were separated by only one point at the start of the final

Above Fast40+ heavyweights Zephyr and Tokoloshe (white hull) battle it out

other First 40s, Alex and Andy Moore’s Tilt, and David Rolfe’s Shadowfax. All those who won with a day to spare were contenders for winning Black Group overall, but this title invariably goes to a boat that counts an unbroken string of first places. In IRC 5 a second place for Harry Heijst’s Sparkman and Stephens 41 Winsome on the final day put an end to his quest for that title, even though his class win was secure the day before. Similarly Adam Gosling’s JPK 1080 Yes! was forced to count a second place in IRC 3, dashing his hopes of retaining the overall title for the fifth year in succession. In IRC 6 Giovanni Belgrano’s classic 38ft Laurent Giles design Whooper

All those who won with a day to spare were contenders for winning Black Group overall day, in which Richards made a perfectly timed start and went on to win by a comfortable margin, to seal his class win. Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator won IRC 0 counting a straight run of race wins, which also saw him take second overall in Black Group. As well as winning the Andrew Simpson Foundation’s Cowes Bash on the Monday, Sam Cox’s King 40 Nifty won IRC 1 overall, counting only first and second places. Andrew McIrvine’s La Reponse went into the final day having won IRC 2 overall with a day to spare, ahead of two

finished the week counting a clean sweep of first places, to win his class, Black Group and take the title of Overall Lendy Cowes Week winner. It was an almost flawless performance by a team that has taken many titles this year, including the IRC Nationals. “It is something I thought we could never achieve to be honest,” said Belgrano. “When I bought the boat 17 years ago we gradually realised her potential so got into racing more and more. We have been enjoying learning more every year – it’s incredible how we keep making steps forward.”

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PAUL WYETH/LENDY COWES WEEK

COWES WEEK

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FASTNET

FEATURE

From superstars to amateur race teams, the largest ever fleet took part in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rolex Fastnet Race. JAMES BOYD spotlights the winners and shares stories from on board

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FASTNET FLYERS 26

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

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CARLO BORLENGHI/ROLEX FASTNET RACE

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hat is it about coming across and destroying the British on their home waters that you enjoy about the Rolex Fastnet Race? is a question I’ve been dying to ask French competitors in the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s biennial 600 miler. For a third consecutive occasion, our cousins from the south side of La Manche handed it to us: of the 11 class

prizes (including the Fastnet Challenge Cup for overall IRC victory), French boats claimed all - but three. This year, they didn’t win IRC Zero, which went to American Ron O’Hanley and his canting keel Cookson 50, Privateer. A French-led Chinese team also claimed the VO65 title. And, ironically, it was a usually French-dominated class which provided Britain’s lone win, Ned Collier Wakefield, Giles Scott, Paul Larsen and the crew on Tony

Lawson’s MOD70 Concise 10 winning the multihulls, both on the water and under MOCRA rating rule. RECORD BREAKING FLEET Once again this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race attracted a record-sized fleet, with the majority in the IRC fleets, plus the ‘non-IRC’ classes, such as the multihulls, IMOCA 60s and Class40s. Significantly the race was also the first occasion boats competing in

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

Race, most competitors enjoy being part of the same event as the stars that this year included luminaries of the Volvo Ocean Race to Vendée Globe skippers such as Alex Thomson, Sam Davies and Dee Caffari to several crew fresh from the America’s Cup, including Peter Burling, having a comfy and surprisingly speedy ride on the supermaxi Nikata – at 115ft, the largest boat in the fleet – while his fellow gold medal winning 49er crew Blair Tuke slummed it on the VO65 Mapfre. Weather-wise the race did what it said on the tin. Aside from a significant right hand shift into the north that some competitors used to their advantage

Previous page The overall winner, JND 39 Lann Ael 2 Above Solent startline - a record 362 boats took part Below Rambler 88 was the first monohull to round the Rock

outbound in the Celtic Sea, winds remained generally in the prevailing west. This made for a beat down the Channel and, thanks to a shallow front located across the West Country, most competitors experienced a short lull in the wind with some forced to kedge. When the wind filled in it was from the northwest, continuing the upwind slog all the way to the Fastnet Rock. The outbound crossing was worst for the medium-small boats which endured 25-30 knots on the nose. Some also found the wind going light at the Rock. However all this misery was subsequently forgotten with a high speed, ‘yeehaa’ run back to Bishop Rock and a reach into the Plymouth finish. FIRST AROUND THE ROCK For the line honours jockeys, a shutdown at the Scilly Isles, the upwind slog to the Rock and the wind rarely exceeding 15 knots, meant that no records were broken. Nonetheless Concise 10 romped around the course, and spectacularly defied ye olde notion that ‘multihulls can’t go upwind’. The blue trimaran took 8 hours 42 minutes less to get to the Rock than George David’s larger, state of the art maxi, Rambler 88, the first monohull round, ahead of Ludde Ingvall’s radical 100ft maxi CQS, just ahead of Nikata. Despite the Volvo Ocean Race boats

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

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ROLEX FASTNET RACE; SHAUN ROSTER; JAMES TOMLINSON/RTP

the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race lined up, using the Rolex Fastnet Race as the second leg of ‘Leg Zero’, the official non-scoring practice prior to October’s main event. Seven of the potential eight VO65s competed. Meanwhile the IRC fleet was impressive for its sheer scale. When registration opened its cap of 340 boats was reached in just four minutes and 24 seconds! While the combined IRC and non-IRC entry list had been close to 400 ultimately 362 boats started, 312 under IRC. This size of fleet makes the Rolex Fastnet Race the largest of the world’s classic 600 milers by a considerable margin. And like the Round the Island

FEATURE

sailing their first race, there was enough past VO65 experience on the newbie teams, such as Dee Caffari’s Turn the Tide on Plastic, that the fleet remained tight for the duration of the race. At least three boats led with the Simeon Tienpont-skippered Team AkzoNobel (sailing the only brand new VO65), ahead at the Lizard and leading around the Fastnet Rock. However the standout teams were the Xabi Fernandezskippered MAPFRE and Dongfeng Race Team, skippered again by Charles Caudrelier. These two ended up in a

Above Giles Scott was amongst the crew on Concise 10

– Yacht Club de Monaco sailed by Boris Herrmann and Pierre Casiraghi.) Illustrating how poor the upwind performance of the new generation of foil-assisted boats is compared to those with more conventional straight boards, Paul Meilhat and Gwénolé Gahinet aboard the 2012 Vendée Globe winner SMA reached the Rock 48 minutes ahead of the first foiler, Malizia – Yacht Club de Monaco. Jean-Pierre Dick and Yann Elies on St Michel-Virbac reduced the 3 hours 4 minutes they trailed SMA at the Rock to just 1 hour

Concise 10 romped around and defied the notion that multihulls can’t go upwind neck and neck sprint into the finish line ultimately won by Dongfeng, by less than a minute. As Fernandez explained: “We were stretching away at the very end, but then a big squall came with 20+ knots. It was way too much for the sail and we had to peel and they overtook.” Ultimately all seven boats finished within 39 minutes. In the IMOCA 60 class the top five finishing boats from the last winter’s Vendée Globe were taking part, three under new ownership (Banque Populaire is now Louis Burton’s Bureau Vallée 2; Maître CoQ is now Sam Davies/Tanguy de Lamotte’s Initiatives Coeur and Edmond de Rothschild is now Malizia

15 minutes at the finish, elevating them to second. Nonetheless the performance of SMA was exceptional, finishing in a similar time to the larger VO65s, despite being sailed doublehanded. The Rolex Fastnet Race is a perfect length race for the Class 40s; their crews were already familiar with the course which they covered in May’s Normandy Channel Race. That race was won by Jersey’s Phil Sharp on Imerys who was Rolex Fastnet Race favourite as he leads the 2017 Class 40 championship by a considerable margin. In the event, the race proved a three horse affair with Franco-Anglo duo

FASTNET

Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron on Campagne de France (a design by veteran offshore racer Mabire) leading at the Fastnet Rock only to be overhauled by the more powerful reaching machines, victory going to Maxime Sorel’s V and B with Imerys second. IRC BATTLES The Class 40s finish among the upper end of IRC 1, where a tough on the water battle for the lead took place between James Neville’s HH42 Ino XXX and the beautiful Mylius 15e25 Ars Una of Italian Vittorio Bissarini. These two pulled out a massive lead on the water with Ino XXX winning, but it was Lann Ael 2, the JND 39 of Parisian Didier Gaudoux, that came out on top, the La Crouesty boat’s time correcting out to more than two and a half hours faster than the Lombard 46 Pata Negra, campaigned by Dutchman Herman de Graaf and his family. In IRC 2 Gilles Fournier and Corinne Migraine’s J/133 Pintia managed to fend off Nick and Suzi Jones’ First 44.7, Lisa, skippered for the race by RORC Commodore Michael Boyd and present leader (for a second year) of the RORC Season’s Points Championship. These two boats led IRC 2 into Plymouth both on the water and on corrected time with the lower-rated Pintia’s time correcting out to 1 hour 13 minutes in front. According to Boyd one decisive

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

FEATURE

moment came at Portland Bill. “Pintia went in and we probably should have followed her as they just managed to get through the gap. We went outside and lost quite a few miles. However we gained them back in Lyme Bay when an awful lot of boats went in and many had to anchor.” FRENCH DOMINATION For IRC 3 the JPK 10.80s again prevailed, repeating Géry Trentesaux’s 2015 Rolex Fastnet Race victory on Courrier Du Leon. This year Trentesaux was crewing for a friend in the Multihull class and it was the turn of two French boats to fight for IRC 3 honours. Arnaud Delamare and Eric Mordret’s Dream Pearls came out on top, winning by a mere 1 minute and 11 seconds on corrected time from Marc Alperovitch’s Timeline. This outcome might have been different had Alperovitch and his crew not spent six minutes extricating themselves from the Shingles bank as they tried to exit the Solent. Again these two boats led on the water as well as on corrected time, leaving third to British duo, Rob Craigie and Deb Fish on the Sun Fast 3600, Bellino. Another boat to do well was the Russian 10.80, Bogatyr skippered by Melges 20 champion, Igor Rytov. IRC 4 was another all-French affair between two JPK 10.10s. Here Pascal and Alexis Loison aboard Night and Day won, the Cherbourg-based father and son team showed the same prowess as caused them to claim the Rolex Fastnet Race honours in 2013. Just two up, père Loisin, an orthopedic surgeon and Alexis, a successful Figaro sailor,

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

beat their long term fully crewed rivals aboard Noel Racine’s Foggy Dew. These two boats led at the Fastnet Rock on corrected time, not just in IRC 4, but overall across the entire IRC fleet. Racine described how they lost out: “We were close, but we fell into a wind hole 100m from the Fastnet, stopped for two minutes and they disappeared.” Night and Day rounded 20 minutes ahead on corrected time and extended away: “A patch of light wind was coming from astern, so the boats behind had more difficulty than us, but the boats ahead were gone.” The nearest British competition in IRC 4 was, Xara, the Swan SR 38 of Jonathan Rolls which finished fourth, three hours and 23 minutes behind Night and Day, which also cleaned up in IRC Two Handed, where there

Above Dongfeng rounds the Rock en route to VO65 victory by less than one minute

to the Scilly Isles was perfect for us – the wind angle, the size of the waves, etc. It was windy and these boats enjoy big waves. We were doing over 20 knots - a new record for us!” Having rounded the Rock 29th overall, this latter part of the race won them back their time. Last year when new, Lann Ael 2 put in a disappointing performance in the Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup, but since then the boat has been heavily optimised with input from her navigator, Figaro veteran and sailmaker Fred Duthil. So France cleaned up again, but the good news is that Britannia is putting up a better fight these days, even if it has yet to translate into results. In the 2013 and 2015 races it was argued that French competitors had better hardware for IRC in the bottom to mid-size range, most notably the JPK 10.10 and 10.80 which won these races overall. But since then French tech has been exported and, while the trio of 10.10s that took the IRC 4 podium were all French, in IRC 3 there were five 10.80s– two French ones (Dream Pearls and Timeline), two British (Bluenote and Sunrise), even one Russian (Bogatyr) although the two French boats still claimed honours on corrected time by almost an hour. In addition to the British JPK 10.80s, where Stephen Hopson and Nigel King on Game On were fourth and Tom Kneen’s Sunrise 11th, the competitive British boats were Sun Fast 3600s with an especially notable performance by Rob Craigie and Deb Fish on Bellino, with Ian Hoddle and Olivier Wyatt on Game On and Ed Fishwick and Nick Cherry seventh and eighth in class respectively. As Marc Alperovitch, the French skipper

Alperovitch and his crew spent six minutes extricating themselves from the Shingles bank were a record 58 entries. Here British boats faired better with Bellino coming home third behind Dutch two handed champions Robin Verhoef and John van der Starre aboard their new J/122e Ajeto! CAN BRITANNIA RULE AGAIN? Ultimately it was the IRC 1 winner Didier Gaudoux’s JND 39 Lann Ael 2 that came out on top across the IRC fleet, winning the coveted Fastnet Challenge Cup. “We had a fantastic race,” said Goudoux. “We were lucky with the weather. Conditions were good for the team and the crew. From Fastnet Rock

of the JPK 10.80 Timeline and class winner from 2009, observed: “We knew even before the start it would be much more competitive than the two previous times. We knew there were ten boats capable of winning (IRC 3), including five British boats, which is not something I would have said eight years ago.” Alperovitch also noted that of these five, all but one was doublehanded. “Bellino and Game On were sailed well and Redshift Reloaded was impressive, clean, and all doublehanded. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Bellino or Game On was sailed fully crewed.” With two years until the next race, the potential is there.

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SHAUN ROSTER

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Learn & Race With The Best

DEE CAFFARI

INTERVIEW

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

As the Volvo Ocean Race start looms, TOBY HEPPELL talks to Dee Caffari about life since the last race and building her new team

COUNTING DOWN

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love being offshore and I love racing offshore. Just being out there is a whole different challenge. You’re playing the big game, the long game, and I have been enthralled by that from the first time I went offshore,” says Dee Caffari, as she stepped ashore after racing her Volvo Ocean 65 from Plymouth to St. Malo as part of the ‘Leg 0’ qualifier for the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race. The British PE teacher turned offshore legend is in the process of preparing for her fifth lap of the planet, once again taking part in the Volvo Ocean Race, which she raced last time around on board Team SCA. This time, however, she is spearheading her own team, Turn The Tide on Plastics. It has been a pretty hectic couple of years for Caffari since the last race concluded for the all-female Team SCA, who disappointed in many of the offshore legs but excelled in the inshore series. She has been one of the driving forces behind the Magenta Project, which was to a degree born from the conclusion of SCA. The project is a collective of passionate, female sailors on a mission to accelerate women in sailing and industry by creating pathways, empowering leadership and driving change. Under this banner, she has been sailing on a GC32 foiling cat in some of the Extreme Sailing Series events and others beyond. “It took me quite a few sails to get used to the GC32,” Caffari recalls. “There is so much to do, and short course racing can be so hectic that, to be honest, to start with I was just heads down doing stuff and probably could not have told you where we were on the course, let alone where other teams where. After a while though we were into the groove and I did have a bit of time to look around.” Events like the Extreme Sailing Series have actually been relatively good for female and youth representation – in that it is not exclusively a field made up of established male sailors – but it is the offshore environment where the Magenta Project and Caffari have been primarily pushing to gain experience for women. “Away from the Magenta Project I

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XXXX JEN EDNEY/ VOLVO OCEAN RACE

To start with I was just heads down... After a while though we were into the groove and I had a bit of time

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DEE CAFFARI

SHAUN ROSTER

was lucky enough to do a few Fastnet Races and regattas with Sidney Gavignet. And Brian Thompson offered me a lot of deliveries, so I have had the chance to sail a few big offshore multihulls.” However, even for someone of Caffari’s calibre, these opportunities are few and far between. “It is great to just get some miles in driving a big, offshore trimaran and it is handy to be sailing them with people who trust you to do so. “Steering a tri across oceans is a bit like everything in this sport. The first time I did it, I was really white knuckled on the wheel with the boat flying along at 35 knots or so and I really felt the need to keep pushing for speed. Eventually, you realise that fast surges tend to be followed by slower bottom outs. The skill is in aiming for the high averages and remaining consistent. Eventually you get a bit lighter on the helm and can focus on keeping the boat in the low-mid 30s for really long periods of time.” BUILDING A TEAM Now heading up her own team for this year’s Volvo Ocean Race, it is Caffari’s turn to give people a shot at gaining the experience necessary to become viable offshore prospects. From the first announcement, her new team, Turn the Tide on Plastics – which is backed by a range of foundations and corporations,

without headline sponsorship over and above their environmental message – Caffari has been clear in her focus on providing opportunities for youth and female sailors. As such, the crew – which is still being finalised – is to be made up of 50 per cent females and males, with a large number of under-30 sailors. Under the new rules for the race, teams may take seven men and two women (or fewer of either should they wish), or five men and five women, or 11 women. So aiming for an equal gender split should give the team a numbers advantage over most (the majority

Above The VOR practise racing (Leg 0) has been a good chance to trial potential crew

INTERVIEW

first of her crew to be announced. “I was a bit daunted at the idea of building a team and making selections for spots on the boat when I first realised I was going to be responsible for deciding who would get the nod. “In particular I am aware that it is all too easy to fall into the trap of familiarity and ending up taking only people you know. But that is not the point of this project; we are trying to reach beyond the field of regulars.” But in trying to discover new talent, one of the inevitable problems is that much of the crew will have to try out,

Now heading up her own team, it is Caffari’s turn to give people a shot and gain experience have opted for seven males and two females) but the team will be short on offshore experience. To date Caffari has named Brits Henry Bomby and Bleddyn Mon - along with Francesca Clapcich (ITA), Lucas Chapman (ITA/ AUS), Bernardo Freitas (POR) and Frederico Melo (POR) - in addition to herself and Liz Wardley, but there are several more names still to come. “The first thing to say on building the team is that I would not be able to do this without the help of Liz Wardley,” Caffari says of her boat captain, the

and many of those triallists will not make the cut. “I have spoken to a few people who have built teams before and have chatted a fair bit with Ian Walker [winner of the race last time round] so know what I am looking for. And then I am just trying to be as constructive as possible in my feedback. “It is pretty amazing the response we have had. We announced the team and the intention to pick up new talent but we never put anything out calling for applications. Yet we had about 180 applications from people pretty quickly.

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

INTERVIEW

Someone did ask why we had not put a call out for crew, but if there is someone out there that wants to be a part of the team but doesn’t try to get in contact, well then that is a bit self-selecting. “Beyond that though, there are only so many places you have on the boat and every selection you make has an effect on who else you need. Clearly the girls are going to struggle with the really intensely physical tasks, but that does not mean they are not involved in that, so everyone has to be extremely strong and fit. “People usually think the physicality is all about turning the handles [grinding]. Although that is part of it, in many ways it’s a small part. When you think about the weight of the sails and moving the stack for each tack or gybe, that is a huge physical task and everyone will be doing that. So whether male or female, a high level of fitness and strength are essential.” Adding to the difficulties in terms of fitness is that, with final crew selections taking place now, and fewer than two months to go until the start, there is not really the time to train crew up to the level required. So where someone might have all the necessary skills but not quite have the fitness required, or vice versa, and could be trained up to the right level, there is little opportunity for that here.

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

“One of the things that did surprise me with a few of the applications was that you would get people – Olympic level sailors even – saying ‘the Volvo has always been a dream of mine’ but who had not taken steps themselves to ensure they would be an asset. The Race now requires all crew to have an offshore Yacht Master qualification, which is not simple or easy to get. The number of applicants who have not even started to take steps towards that was a bit surprising.”

Above Honest and constructive feedback is an important part of team building

skill. But then just as important are skills like sail repair, engineering or mechanics, those are all things that will make you a more desirable candidate. “Perhaps just as important in the context of the race is personality. You want a couple of people on the boat who you know will be able to lift the mood when people are tired, stressed and angry – and there will be plenty of those moments. “Finally, one of the big things about taking great sailors offshore with limited

You want a couple of people on the boat who you know will be able to lift the mood Caffari says that in some of the stages in Leg 0 they have been racing around at the same time as doing effective live revision for the Yacht Master the crew will need to pick up if they are to be allowed to compete! So what are the attributes she is hoping to draw out from her team for this race? “It is a bit difficult to answer really. Like I said you are not really aiming to have everyone able to do everything to the same level. But there is a lot more to an offshore racer than just the racing. Obviously fitness is key and so is sailing

experience, is that they tend to want to prove they can be helpful by pushing themselves too hard. There have been times where I have had to demand that someone goes and sleeps when they are off watch. It is so important in this race to keep yourself together and that means getting as much rest as you can when you can. The race is nine months long and you need people that understand that, just like helming that big tri we talked about earlier, it is the high averages that win you the race, not the bursts of speed.”

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JEN EDNEY//VOLVO OCEAN RACE

DEE CAFFARI

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eter ‘Morty’ Morton has been racing at world class events since the 1980s. Over the last 30 years, Morty has won the Quarter Ton Cup, the Half Ton Cup, and the Three Quarter Ton Cup; he has competed in the Admiral’s Cup seven times, winning in 1989, and has been in the afterguard for two overall wins in the Fastnet Race. Morty has lived on the Isle of Wight with his wife Louise, for many years. Louise has had tremendous success in the Quarter Ton class, winning the Quarter Ton Cup on three occasions. Last year, at the fifth attempt, Morty finally lifted the One Ton Cup, racing his Carkeek C40 MkIII Girls on Film, and was also crowned winner of the inaugural 2016 Fast40+ Race Circuit. This year, keen to see the Fast40+ fleet grow, Morty sold his 2016 winning boat to a Dutch team led by Basde Voogt who wanted to get into the class, which they now sail as ‘Hitchhiker’. Meanwhile, Morty’s new Girls on Film, launched in April 2017 - a CF40+ also designed by Shaun Carkeek, and built at PCT in Dubai – has already proved its pedigree as the winner of the Fast40+ class at Lendy Cowes Week.

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A CLASS ACT It’s hard to believe that the Fast40+ class is only in its second season. The class exploded onto the Solent scene in 2016, with 14 carbon fibre flyers driven by their owners, and raced with a pro-am crew. The action is fast, intense and thrilling, with quality and depth in the competition. Whilst it’s not one design, the class has tight parameters ensuring that the boats are very evenly matched yet still allowing development through design.

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

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MORTYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOLDEN RULE

INTERVIEW

PETER MORTON

LOUAY HABIB talks to Girls

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ALL IMAGES: PAUL WYETH

on Film owner, Peter Morton about his success so far in his new CF40+ and about the future of the Fast40+ fleet

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

PETER MORTON

INTERVIEW

“New teams have joined the class this year, and boats are in-build to swell the numbers,” comments Morton. “Signal 8 from Hong Kong joined the class for Cowes Week, and besides Hitchhiker, a new Swedish team is entered for the One Ton Cup, plus there is a new boat being built in China. It looks like fourteen Fast40+ boats will compete for this year’s One Ton Cup. Looking into the future, I have heard that there are one or two Dutch teams looking at the class, and there are some British teams that are showing interest. The deck mould for Girls on Film is available at PCT in Dubai, and I have no problem with someone building from it. I would be very surprised if an all-new design came along and crucified everybody, but I know that at least Judel/Vrolijk, Mark Mills and Farr Yacht Design, have all made designs for new Fast40+ boats. So there are plenty of options for boats out there, and plenty of owners with the resources to do it. He also points out that within the Fast40+ class, a number of existing owners are talking about upgrading

Above The new Girls on Film (01) took the class win at this year’s Cowes Week Left Morty’s team working hard on board his previous boat at the One Ton Cup, 2016

existing boats or getting new ones. “You don’t need to be revolutionary, there is plenty of scope with the existing boats to make changes and upgrade them,” he says. “Take 42 South, which was really struggling in the first season. Mark Rijkse the owner, has invested in the oldest boat in the fleet, and is now right at the top of the class. Many people do not realise how long it takes to get a boat sorted and going well, the Fast40+ fleet is not one where you can just step in and go straight to the front. There are some really good teams and drivers.

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

“The Fast40+ class is not one design, and I like that. You can push the boundaries on set up and design, and that has always been a fascination for me, ever since I started racing. I don’t want to get into a boat that I can’t do anything to, because half of my fun is trying to eek that half percent here and there. If you look at yacht racing classes, the one designs come and go, it is the development classes that last. How many one designs has the Quarter Ton class seen off? I reckon the competition in the Fast40+ fleet, front to back, is

closer than many one design fleets.” He refers back to the 1980s Half Ton and One Ton scene, which is where he says he learnt so much, describing the competition in grand prix racing as “off the scale”. He says: “In 1985 there were 20 brand new One Tonners trying to make the three boat British Admiral’s Cup team. We were changing keels, rudders and rigs, just to find that extra half a boat length. To win you have to do all those little things and I love that unique aspect of development classes. It is all about being patient, and figuring out strengths and weaknesses. I don’t want to drive the same car as everybody else, let alone the same boat.” CLOSE COMPETITION The new Girls on Film is from the same hull mould as Rebellion and Hitchhiker. For Morton maximising upwind speed has been a really important focus, and time spent perfecting foil and rig position and configuration is clearly paying off, giving an edge to their pointing ability upwind. But has that come at the expense of performance in other areas? “We now have a boat which is faster upwind than probably all the fleet, but we are a little vulnerable reaching and downwind,”

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Morton acknowledges. “We are a bit nervous about our speed reaching, as the Ker40+ yachts, such as Invictus and Pace, are fast on a reach. Looking at our results you might think it is a bit of a domination, but on the water it is not like that, the racing is incredibly close, and when any team sails well, they do well.” Another factor crucial to Girls on Film’s success is a strong ethos of teamwork and nurturing talent. “I have been sailing for years with some of the guys on Girls on Film, Darren Marston

massively important – we enjoy each other’s company, we eat together, have a beer together, and that all helps. “It is also really great to see young talented sailors coming into the class. I think it would be a good idea to promote this more. I think we need to have a couple of events where youth sailors are required by the rules. The competition is at a level where you can’t afford any passengers and it is hard to find young sailors who are good enough. We have Ben Cornish with us

On the water the racing is incredibly close, and when any team sails well they do well and I sailed together 20 years ago on Farr 40s. It is hugely important that we have a stable crew, and we have brought youngsters in, like Toby Mumford and Ben Cornish. For me it is important that you bring guys that fit in. It’s about attitude, and not purely about talent. I like people that grunt up when things are not good. There is never any shouting on the boat, or bad words. If someone makes a mistake, everybody gets behind them, and I very much encourage sailing that way. We don’t have a blame culture on the boat at all, and that is

trimming the main for the season, he is a very promising young Finn sailor, and he is now fully into the Fast40+ class and a fantastic sailor. Also Olympic medalists like Luke Patience and Giles Scott are now racing in the class. “Getting young talented sailors to race is so important, they are the future of the sport. I have always been an advocate for bringing young guys on. In the 1990s, I got John Merricks and Ian Walker to come and race in the Admiral’s Cup. When they were young I had Ado Stead, Andy Beadsworth, Simon Fry, Andy

Hemmings, and the late Glynn Charles, on a One Tonner called GBE, and they were all straight out of dinghies.” With the Fast40+ class now in its second year, how does he see the future of the class unfolding? “You can say that nothing has changed in the last 40 years, except that the boats are faster. To get a winning performance you need attention to detail, it’s the little things that make the difference between winning and losing. It is never one thing, it’s lots of little things that all come together to get a winning performance, out of the boat and the crew. “The most important thing to remember to nurture the Fast40+ class, is to look after the owners. If they are not enjoying it, they won’t invest in the sport. The class must do want the owners want, not what the sailors and organisers want. Maybe we should get the Admiral’s Cup out of the cupboard and race for it with a TP52, a Fast40+, and a one design, with an under-25 team? “We need to keep the existing owners and get new ones. We’ll do that by people seeing it’s fun to be in the class. If you want to get a 40-year old hedge fund manager excited about sailing, you need to promote boats which are fast and fun to sail. It’s the golden rule.”

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

FAMILY FORTUNES 42

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

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At 14 years old, Freddie Peters has made history as the youngest helmsman ever to win White Group at Cowes Week. SUE PELLING reports yachtsandyachting.co.uk

INTERVIEW

FREDDIE PETERS

Peters defied all odds including lack of experience in a keelboat, and sailing with a broken arm

ALL IMAGES: PAUL WYETH/COWES WEEK

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reddie Peters, a 14 year-old from Hayling Island Sailing Club is more used to racing his 29er than an RS Elite. Incredibly, racing not only for the first time ever at Lendy Cowes Week, but also for the first time in a keelboat, he scooped an impressive haul of trophies and with it the honour of winning the hugely acclaimed White Group overall. A quick flick through the record books also confirms that he is the youngest ever helmsman to do so. Sailing with his father Russell – a serial champion dinghy and team racing sailor and current RS Elite National Champion originally from West Kirby SC – plus big sister Emily (21), and close friend Ellie Burrows

(21), Peters defied all odds including lack of experience in a keelboat, and sailing with a broken arm! Winning a race at Cowes Week is huge, and to win the class overall is often a lifetime sailing ambition. For Peters, who appeared to take the whole Lendy Cowes Week experience in his stride, there was no sign of stress – just lots of smiles and appreciation of being able to compete at the biggest regatta in the world. He was also racing against some highly talented sailors, including Olympic bronze medallist Ossie Stewart, but that didn’t seem to worry him either. Peters eventually finished 12 points ahead of Stewart in second place. Even the fact that he was sailing with a broken arm failed to faze this

young, talented yet hugely modest sailor; he confesses his scariest moment of the regatta was actually collecting the prizes. “I was very nervous at the prize giving standing in front of so many top sailors. I knew we had won the Elite class, but I had no idea we had won so many other awards.” He also admitted disappointment at having his 29er sailing curtailed this season, explaining: “I fell off a friend’s shoulders in June. I broke both my ulna and radius and had an operation to re-align them with flexible pins. Mum says I wasn’t the easiest to live with the following three weeks. The sun shone and I sulked.” Having to sit down and rest his arm was a real struggle; as well as sailing, Peters is a good

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

FREDDIE PETERS

INTERVIEW

most scary time of all though, was when I threw the roll of duck tape overboard and dad gave me a good talking to – won’t do that again in hurry!” What gave them the edge over others in the RS Elite fleet? Peters puts it down to having a “dream team”, as he says: “Winning in all sailing is down to teamwork and spreading responsibilities between the team. I have done as much crewing as helming and I feel there is no role that is more significant – they all play their part in a winning team.” SPEED SECRETS Setting up the rig and being able to point well, with speed, was also a huge advantage. “Dad had just won the nationals in the Elites (sailing Wombat) which was a big help. We were pretty confident we would be fast enough but all-round field sportsman; he won the U14 national championship title with Winchester Hockey Club, and also excels at cricket, scoring his first century for his school, Canford, earlier this year. There’s a long-line of sailing tradition in the Peters’ family, and although Freddie wasn’t that keen on sailing initially, he took part in his first nationals at the age of eight in the RS Tera class. Two years later he finished third at the worlds. Moving onto the Feva, crewing for Piers Nichols, he finished second at the worlds in 2014, aged 11. He then moved on to helming and won his first Feva nationals in 2016, and was second in the worlds in Santander that same year – both at the age of 13, with Louis Johnson crewing. This year marked the beginning of his 29er sailing and a creditable third under 19 result with crew Elliot Wells at the Youth Championships at HISC in April, is a good indication of his talent. Although Peters says he has not really sailed with his dad that much, Russell has nonetheless been the mainstay of his coaching. “It has been a huge advantage to have a dad who loves sailing (and is quite good at it) to coach me and my helm/crew when I am free to sail.” DREAM TEAM At Lendy Cowes Week, Peters was fortunate to have not only his dad on sail trim and tactics but also his sister Emily on bow and navigation together with Ellie Burrows. Commenting on his dad’s input, Peters said: “He is massively enthusiastic and always gives useful advice, and it’s easy to

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

Winning in all sailing is down to teamwork and spreading responsibilities between the team talk to him about tactics and set up – you could even call him boring!” The last minute decision to race together at Lendy Cowes Week came about as a result of Peters’ broken arm. “As it looked very unlikely I would be back in the 29er this summer, dad had the idea of entering us for Cowes Week, which meant at least we could do some sailing. However, because someone else was using our boat [Wombat] we had to borrow Riff Raff at the last moment.” Recalling the first start at Lendy Cowes Week, Peters admits it was a big learning curve. “I nearly had a crash on the first startline but I learnt quickly because I had dad to advise and concentrate on tactics and Emily and Ellie on nav, tide and course so I was able to focus on steering fast and not having to worry about these aspects, which are always essential but even more so in Cowes Week.” As a 29er sailor, the sort of winds and big seas experienced during the week certainly led to some breathtaking moments. “I have only ever sailed dinghies before and it is rare we would race with gusts of 30 knots, so that was quite an experience, which I really enjoyed. It was also scary at times especially when we got rolling downwind with the kite up. “Another scary occasion was when dad got injured when the end of the spinnaker pole almost ended up in his eye, and we had blood everywhere. The

Above It was a first taste of keelboat racing for Peters, who is more used to Fevas and 29ers

it was down to me not to make any mistakes. Also because I am not used to such long races, I had to learn to concentrate for long periods of time. “In dinghies it is all about sailing flat so it was very strange to sail a keelboat with plenty of heel. As with dinghies though, it was about sailing fast as much as possible and focusing on never letting the speed drop, whether that be upwind or down.” Peters said that with good teamwork, trust and communication, all he had to focus on was sailing fast. “I spoke mainly to dad during the race. I knew he and the girls had the rig settings and trim right, and he is good at putting us in the right place on the race track – if they got that wrong I could blame them!” Finally, in summing up what he learnt [fairly early in the regatta] Peters says: “To be nice to my sister off the water if I want an easy day on the water!’

INSPIRING YOUNG SAILORS Freddie Peters’ result at Lendy Cowes Week will hopefully encourage other young sailors to participate in the future. Although there was one prize Peters was unable to claim – the Musto Under 25 Trophy (because the entire crew has to be under 25) – there is always a lot on offer for young teams. This year that included discounted entry fees and a competition to win Musto kit and preevent coaching. Entry for 2018 Lendy Cowes Week is already open, see lendycowesweek.co.uk for more.

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BART’S BASH

PREVIEW

Young participants at Weymouth

IAIN PERCY shares his thoughts ahead

A Bart’s Bash 2016 Laser start

of this year’s global sailing spectacular, now running for the fourth year

BART’S BASH 2017 Iain Percy

art’s Bash this year, and in previous years, has a special place in my heart as it is incredible to see hundreds of thousands of people taking to the water in memory of my great friend and sailing partner, Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson. The sense of camaraderie and the bringing together of the sailing community is something extremely special and it is an honour to fly the flag of Bart’s legacy for this event. I love seeing people of all ages, abilities and from

across the world taking part in sailing together as one. One of the highlights for me is that we have people taking part who are not regular sailors; perhaps they are shore support crew usually, but they always make the effort to enjoy the race. The best thing about this race is that it doesn’t have to be taken competitively, you don’t even need your own boat if you sail with us in Portland Harbour! We just want to encourage everyone to go and sail together to remember Bart and raise money for a great cause.

Bart’s Bash, launched in 2014, is the world’s largest sailing event and is run by sailing clubs, community sailing programmes, class associations, sail training centres, yacht clubs, scout groups, sea cadets and even groups of sailors, all around the world. From Olympic medallists to America’s Cup heroes to complete beginners, anyone and

Yachts & Yachting August 2017

everyone can join in and everyone who sails in a race gets a result. This is your chance to take on the best and have a great day with your friends and family at the same time. The Andrew Simpson Foundation continues to promote the sport and all the benefits it brings to people of all abilities, and this year is no exception. The aims

of Bart’s Bash in 2017 is to increase international awareness of participation in sailing, encourage sailors and their friends and family to take part and have some fun whether on or off the water, and to raise funds to support the Andrew Simpson Foundation, the charity that is improving the lives of disadvantaged young people.

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SPORTOGRAPHY.TV.TV/BARTS BASH

ONE EVENT – NOT TO BE MISSED!

Sammy Fell, at Burghfield SC

A great excuse to introduce friends and family to sailing

Iain helps fundraisers at Cowes Week

Big boats also take part; fundraising at Cowes Week

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Get creative with fundraising ideas

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

BART’S BASH

PREVIEW

CAN WE BEAT 2016’S BASH?

Above Hamish Simpson sails with his grandfather (left) and Alex Porter ASSC manager

across 12 countries which is incredible and we couldn’t have done this without our supporters, so thank you. An example of a project that has benefited from funds from the ASF is Leicestershire and Rutland Youth Sailing Association. This project was selected as they run a very successful and inclusive water sports charity, offering training and competition opportunities for juniors, youths and adults with a range of special needs. The students will not only learn a new skill but will be enjoying a healthy outdoor activity while gaining in confidence and self-esteem. We have fantastic support from across the world and especially with my fellow professional sailors; it’s not every race where you get to compete against some of the best sailors in the world. It creates an inspiring playing field for all abilities

Get involved - updates for 2017 Bart’s Bash 2017 is about each club or sailing venue creating a fun atmosphere for the day, or even the weekend. If you are already holding an event on the 16-17 September, why not incorporate Bart’s Bash into that? Any race that’s happening already; simply submit your results to the team and they will do the rest. Then add some fun – cake sales, cardboard boat races and fancy dress can all be used as added incentives for fundraising. And this year, any club or venue that raises over £250 will be

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

entered into a draw for 12 of their members to go along to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre and have a half day experience on an Extreme 40! The Bart’s Bash team has made the signing up process easier than ever this year. Just visit bartsbash.com and log in to your profile to set up your 2017 event information. And do make sure to share your photos, videos and stories from the day. We will highlight the best in next month’s magazine: email editorial@ yachtsandyachting.co.uk, tweet us @YandYmagazine,

or post to Facebook. com/SailingMagazine. #sailonbart #bartsbash

DON’T FORGET... It’s for a very good cause! Up to and including 2017, the Andrew Simpson Foundation has supported 45 individual worthwhile sailing projects and pledged funds totalling £736,000 across 12 countries. 2017’s funds will specifically go to help disadvantaged young people. Grant applications open 16 September. Visit andrewsimpsonfoundation. org for more information.

as the results are compiled from all events and you can see where you placed against everyone in the world. Creating this welcoming atmosphere to everyone in the sailing community is especially important as we want to encourage as much participation as possible. Sailing is an accessible sport and I am proud that we can encourage participation across all levels, from first-time racers to America’s Cup sailors. This year I will be sailing in Portland Harbour. This is where Bart and I trained together and where we won our last medal together in the Star. It’s a special location for me for obvious reasons but it is also the home of the Andrew Simpson Foundation and the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre. We always host a large event in Portland Harbour with the local sailing clubs combining to sail together for the race; it brings together the sailing community of Weymouth and Portland in a very special way. Wherever you are in the world, please join us on 16-17 September to celebrate sailing and have a fun day out on the water. Bring your friends and family and help us to raise funds to allow more people to enjoy this sport that we love so much.

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SPORTOGRAPHY.TV/BARTS BASH

I cannot thank the participants and volunteers enough for helping to make this a reality. Four years ago we were at a loss for what we could do to carry on the passion Bart had for encouraging youngsters into sailing, and I strongly believe that we have created something very special with Bart’s Bash and the Andrew Simpson Foundation. I see this race becoming a tradition now and for years to come, to go for a sail each year to celebrate everything that we love about sailing. The vital funds raised from this event all go towards projects aimed at breaking down the physical, social and economic barriers into this sport and we have helped many projects across the world to achieve this. Since the Foundation’s grant programme started in 2015 we have already supported more than 40 projects,

Furthest distance: UK sailors sailed a total of 15,884,139 metres Biggest fundraisers: The America’s Cup teams, Artemis Racing, Oracle Team USA and Softbank Team Japan donated a combined total of £7702 on the day. The top UK fundraiser was Hayling Island Sailing Club, which raised £2435 Biggest fleets: Southport 24 Hour Race had a combined entry of 738 sailors over a 24 hour period. Kiev Racing Yacht Club in Ukraine was the second largest fleet with 236 sailors Largest classes: Lasers (432), Toppers (322), Optimists (281) Firsts for this year: Includes the first ever French sailing club to sign up, Pôle France Voile La Rochelle. Fiji has also signed up again this year and is likely to kick off Bart’s Bash. Other new clubs for 2017 include Hebe Haven Yacht Club, Hong Kong, and Darwin Sailing Club, Australia

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NACRA 17

DESIGN UPDATE

NEXT GENERATION It’s the first Olympic class to fully foil. BEN SAXTON gives his personal viewpoint on some of the highs and the hurdles of sailing the Nacra 17

t is a very exciting time because now the Nacra 17 Olympic class is foiling, we have just had our first event – the European Championships at Kiel, Germany – and it was great. And I don’t just say that because myself and my new crew Katie Dabson came away with a great bronze medal! Katie and I have known each other for a long time, and her experiences crewing many boats, most recently a 470, have obviously made her very ready for the challenge ahead in the Nacra. What are the technical developments, and the challenges we all face? Who’s looking strong at the moment, and what is next?

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

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FOIL UPDATES The Nacra 17 Olympic class has just ‘evolved’ into its full foiling MkII style. For the last Rio Olympic style we had MkI ‘C’ shaped boards and normal rudders. This meant we had

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October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

PEDRO MARTINEZ/SAILING ENERGY XXXX

PEDRO MARTINEZ/TOMAS MOYA/SAILING ENERGY

DESIGN UPDATE

some lift but by no means could we foil steadily. Now the rudders have a ‘T’ shape which means we have a lot of lift from the horizontal lower section of the foil. The MkII boards have a ‘Z’ shape meaning the top third is vertical then it angles in towards the centerline, before heading vertically down again at the tip. We have lift from the middle third of the board and the rest is to prevent leeway. The biggest difference compared with the MkI Nacra 17 is the rudders. The ‘Z’ main foil is designed to work with all four foils in the water, so we do not lift the windward one like some foiling catamarans do. Does it work? We got our boats only a few weeks ago and we are still learning so much, but at a glance the answer is yes. Downwind they work well. We foil steadily in 6kt of wind and in 20kt of wind. It is really impressive how little wind it takes us to foil downwind. In over 15kt of breeze the boat is really fast and extreme downwind! The other impressive aspect is how we are able to manoeuvre the boat on the foils. The easiest wind to sail on the foils is 12-15 kts. We have achieved foiling gybes, however many people have not completed one yet; it’s a very difficult boat to sail compared with other foiling ones. Personally I think this is a good thing. Foiling hoists and drops are easier than gybes, and certainly make for a good spectacle. Being able to hoist on the foils makes the races much better as before we used to be really slow exiting the windward mark.

TEETHING PROBLEMS The class is having some teething problems with the new foiling boats, but this was always a risk, and personally I am confident that they will be overcome and the class will provide a great spectacle. Before the Europeans we all did a lot of practice foiling upwind, and compared with others who were trying to foil, Katie and I were flying. However, to our disappointment at the recent Europeans it turns out the most optimal VMG was often to not foil. This is because of the low angle we have to sail in order to get the boat to foil upwind. Compared to a Moth that heels to windward when foiling, the Nacra 17 has a lot of leeway (slipping sideways) when on the foils. So we found that foiling was better used as a tactical tool rather than a VMG mode. Often the gain of foiling was outweighed by the loss if we got foiling wrong. Skimming in and out of the waves at the moment seems the best mode for us. Don’t be disappointed as we were still achieving high speeds, and I’m sure that with more practice the whole fleet will be mastering foiling a lot more. Going back to my earlier point I think it is good that as an Olympic class that this boat is hard to sail perfectly – I just hope Nacra haven’t gone too far, and the foiling upwind is best in the future. Foiling in large waves will always be difficult though! The foiling Nacra is definitely harder, and more dramatic than its predecessor and I have no doubt that this class will be the pinnacle of our

Top The Nacra 17’s foils on display Above Despite teething problems, the boat gets a thumbs up from Saxton

NACRA 17

sport of sailing. Olympic sailing always has been the toughest and purest racing in the world, which is why as a whole it is the pinnacle of our sport too. UPWIND SPINNAKERS There are two other major updates to the Nacra 17 compared to the boat I sailed at the Olympics in Rio 2016. The spinnaker is a new flatter design, and the boat has a carbon inner skin. The flatter spinnaker is because of the higher speeds that we are now sailing downwind, and it is a great development. Also it means we are sailing with it upwind in light winds. Words don’t describe how much of a great thing I think this is. Suddenly the sport is athletic and physical in light winds, and we are much faster,

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

DESIGN UPDATE

plus it looks great! But it does mean the lifespan of a spinnaker is pathetic now. The class soon will have to decide if it likes us sailing with spinnakers upwind. Maybe it just needs to be changed a bit so that it fits the purpose better. It would be a shame to ban it. The great thing is that, unbelievably, we sail with the spinnaker upwind until 9kt. It is still quicker to have it up and be overpowered than take it down and be underpowered. Also it makes the racing pretty exciting. The tactics are pretty volatile as there are so many modes that can be chosen – used as VMG modes or tactics. For example, getting off the startline is hard because it’s quicker potentially with the spinnaker up but lower sometimes, however you lose two boat lengths forward on the hoist. The speed gain of sailing with three sails is not enough to punch through a front line of boats. One thing I know so far, is that carefully assessed bravery is best, with this kind of racing you can’t be shy. This crossover means we change straight from kite up to sailing upwind both trapezing. I do not know the numbers, but I guess we are doing about 8-9kt boat speed at the crossover. It only takes a few more knots of wind speed for us to foil upwind! Finally, at times we are higher upwind with the kite up compared to boats sailing without it. At the Europeans we won a race because the German boat in front of us dropped its spinnaker at the leeward mark so we sailed around them to leeward and then came up to

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

Above Experimenting with what makes the difference in a tight fleet

windward across its bow and ended up directly on its breeze. Why is this? Putting it simply, this was possible because we were sailing faster so our foils were working better meaning that we were making less leeway. The addition of the carbon inner skin to the hulls simply makes them stronger as the fleet were having problems with them splitting in the last few years, and the loads are now obviously much higher. It has not added too much weight to the boat.

the duration of our races. Traditionally our final ‘medal’ race has been 20 minutes. However, that is not that different from our normal 30 minute races. For the first time at the Europeans we sailed three 10 minute races on the last day, instead of one final 20 minute race. The racing was frantic and we had lots of boat on boat decisions to make. It was great to race for spectators. We had awesome coverage at the Europeans. So many people got involved watching it. I was happy we raced normal

At times we are higher upwind with the kite up compared to boats sailing without it FOILING FORMATS The next year of racing in this class is going to be fascinating. There are lots of great established sailors racing, some experienced foiling experts, as well a new younger generation, and the established Nacra 17 big guns. Consistency will be very hard especially as the foiling boats are new to us all; for example, we won six out of 14 races at the Europeans but had to count a few races outside the top ten. Another change looking forwards is

RECALL UPDATE

After a series of breakages at the World Sailing Test Event led to an equipment recall, Nacra Sailing was able to supply all teams with new daggerboard bearings in time for the Nacra 17 Worlds, which was underway in France as we went to print

windward-leeward courses, and did not do something crazy for the cameras. It seems there is a fine line to be judged. We have one major event left this year. Going to press, the World Championship will be taking place in the south of France in La Grande Motte in early September. Then we’ll train as much as we can so in summer 2018 at next year’s world championships we can qualify the country to have a slot at the Olympics in Tokyo 2020 at the first opportunity – very achievable. Put simply, by this autumn we will still be feeling like we have just got the boats. This winter we will be training, and hard, to ensure we come back in 2018 with a bang! The season starts in Miami in January before moving to Europe for the spring and onwards. Everything is about the end goal, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

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PEDRO MARTINEZ/SAILING ENERGY

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It is no defence to sit there doing nothing until she has drifted so close she is unable to keep clear

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

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HOW TO WIN

STARTS: WINDWARD BOAT

WINDWARD! ON THE LINE

It’s fraught, frantic and you’ve got to fight for it – but using the windward boat rule wisely on the startline can ensure you lead from the off. MARK RUSHALL breaks things down

indward boat! It’s a common hail and refers to one of the oldest rules in the book. Rule 11 of the Racing Rules of Sailing provides plenty of options for making boat on boat gains. It states: “When boats are on the same tack and overlapped, a windward boat shall keep clear of a leeward boat.” Getting to know the ins and outs of how best to use this rule can put you one step ahead, quite literally from the word go, as one of the most common ways it comes into play is on or around the startline. This feature looks at some of these tactical opportunities in the pre-start and immediately after the starting signal, and clarifies some windward boat rules situations that are often misunderstood.

Ok You had room

Control the start approach (fig 1)

Approaching the line to start, Red is in complete control, whether it is an upwind or downwind leg. If Red is early, she luffs to slow, keeping Yellow trapped to windward at all times. If Yellow slows, Red slows too to maintain the overlap. If Yellow starts to edge forward, Red shadows the move then luffs, to slow both boats down. As windward boat, Yellow must keep clear at all times. When Red changes course, RRS 16 (changing course) requires Red to give Yellow room to keep clear, but Yellow has to act at once. If Yellow has to sheet in and sail over the line to keep clear, that’s what he must do. If Yellow allows the boats to become so close that there would be immediate contact if Red changed course either way, Yellow has not met the definition of keep clear. It i no defence for Yellow to sit there doing nothing until she has drifted so close to Red that she’s not able to keep clear. Red’s tactic is to hold Yellow up until ready for her trigger, then bear off and accelerate to the line, leaving Yellow wallowing.

Too close: Protest!

PAUL WYETH

‘Initially’ means ‘initially’ (fig 2)

Yellow becomes keep clear boat when Blue gains the overlap to leeward (position 2). Initially, Blue gave Yellow room to keep clear: Yellow could have sheeted on and sailed forward, or

Windward

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

Gun’s gone: please sail your proper course

Windward tacked out. Yellow does neither, and by position 4, Blue is not able to change course in either direction without immediately making contact. Yellow has broken rule 11 at this point.

The proper course rule (fig 3)

It is important to remember how the overlap was created. After the start gun, Yellow must continue keeping clear, but Red’s opportunity to stay high may be restricted by RRS 17 (proper course). If Red had gained the leeward overlap from behind, within two of her hull lengths of Yellow, Red must not sail above her proper course once the start gun has gone. (There’s no proper course before the gun.) That’s the course she’d sail to finish as soon as possible, if Yellow was not there. If the overlap was created in any other way, Red can stay high for as long as he likes.

Oh! No room!

Shut them out (fig 4) Windward!

Fig 4 shows an extreme version of controlling the approach. Blue is keep clear boat, overlapped to windward of Green. Section C (marks and obstructions) rules don’t apply at a starting mark surrounded by navigable water from the final approach to the start till they are passed. Green luffs to force Blue the wrong side of the start mark: Blue is keep clear boat and must do just that. If Green closes the gap by changing course, she must do it in a way that gives Blue room to keep clear (RRS 16 again): she can’t wait until Blue has nowhere to go, then luff to crush her against the committee boat!

Avoiding the hook (fig 5)

Windward!

Incoming!

Orange sees Purple approaching from behind: he knows what Purple is up to. Orange accelerates to prevent the overlap, then dials down across Purple’s bow to achieve the controlling leeward position. Orange takes care to avoid creating an overlap when she dials down though: normally a boat that gains right of way has to initially give the new keep clear boat room to keep clear (RRS 15), but if Purple gains right of way as leeward boat because of Orange’s actions (in dialling down and creating the overlap), Orange loses that initial protection.

Not the windward boat (fig 6)

5 58

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

A classic keelboat starting situation. Big Red is fully wound up and approaching the line at speed. Cool blue is hanging around by the committee boat, killing time. Red’s hails count for nothing: until the boats are overlapped, she is clear

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HOW TO WIN

STARTS: WINDWARD BOAT

Now you have an overlap and must give me room to keep clear

Clear ahead still!

Windward boat! Clear ahead!

Windward boat

astern, and therefore keep clear boat. Blue must be aware and ready to react, but need do nothing until the boats actually become overlapped and Red gains right of way. Even then, Red must initially give Blue room to keep clear.

Exceptions to rule 11 (fig 7)

Rule 11 continues to apply to an inside overlapped keep clear boat while rounding a mark (or obstruction). But there are a couple of special situations where rule 11 is overridden, and both are possible starting situations. Green has come into position with speed, and pushes her sail out hard to slow down and ‘crab’ to windward and close the gap on Red. While she’s moving sideways to windward by backing the sail, she is keep clear boat: the same would apply if she was reversing through the water by backing a sail.

I’m keeping clear

RICHARD LANGDON/OCEAN IMAGES/RYA

It is important to remember how the overlap was created... Yellow must continue keeping clear

You are now keep clear

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

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DINGHY PLAYBOOK

STARTING

ADVANCE YOUR TECHNIQUE:

STARTING

TOBY HEPPELL takes a step-by-step look at how to get

off a startline with the best ways to hone your skills

T ALL IMAGES: SPORTOGRAPHY.TV

he startline is arguably the most intimidating part of the course for those new to racing or with limited experience. Away from racing, it’s rare to be amongst as many other boats as you will be on a racecourse – and nowhere are they more compressed than on the startline. The principal components of a good start remain the same no matter what. The aim is to be at the correct end of the line, moving at maximum speed, and crossing the startline precisely when the gun goes. With no other boats around, the exercise would merely be one of working out which end is favoured and then timing your run into the line – admittedly this is a skill in itself. PICKING THE FAVOURED END On many if not most occasions, you will want to start towards the end of the line that is skewed closest to the

wind. There are three commonly used techniques for working this out. If the committee boat is displaying a wind direction you can sail directly along the line subtracting (or adding depending on the tack) 90 from the compass, the discrepancy between this number and the wind direction is the bias in the line. Less accurate but broadly simpler to do and keep testing are slightly more ‘by eye’ techniques. If you sail along a startline and then turn exactly head to wind, the end of the line your bow is pointing at is the favoured end of the line and so is the end at which you should start. A similar technique is to look at your burgee and/or the flags flying on the committee boat. If the tail of the flag is pointing at one end of the line, the opposite is the favoured end. Clearly the above is only true should the course be roughly even in terms of which side of the actual beat is favoured – there may be a lot more tide on one

Above Good boat control is a starting essential

Watch the video online at yachtsand yachting.co.uk

side, for example. If the left of the beat is favoured significantly but the right of the line is favoured a small amount then it will probably be best to start towards the pin or left end. Making this call is something that gets easier with time. MAKING SPACE Learning exactly which end it is favourable to start at on the line is an important skill but, in truth, you may not be be at a significant disadvantage starting elsewhere on many occasions. Perhaps then, the most important thing in a start is to get the first beat underway with clean air, allowing you to make your own decisions and not spend the first few minutes of the beat tacking, desperately trying to find a decent lane. In an attempt to ensure clear air, even the best sailors don’t always try to start exactly at the favoured end, where there is usually a significant amount of congestion. Instead it is often better

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

STARTING

DINGHY PLAYBOOK

to start towards the favoured end, but far enough down to find a gap. This way, you may not be immediately ahead of those pulling off a perfect start, but get your time on distance right and you will certainly be ahead of the vast majority. Wherever you are on the startline, space is key and this space usually has to be earned – unless you are very lucky and stumble across a huge gap at the favoured end! Space to windward on the startline is good but is not a necessity. Any boat close to windward of you will essentially start being leebowed by you and will often be forced to tack away. The bigger concern is if there is someone to windward who has developed a gap between you and them as they will be free to bear off and accelerate over the top of you. The aim is always to build a gap below you while ensuring no one comes in from behind to fill that gap and no one above you has the opportunity to accelerate over the top of you. Key skills to practise in order to be able to build and hang on to this space are: down-speed boat control, accelerating and stopping in a confined space, and double tacks.

1 1. Learning to keep a boat stationary is a vital skill to practise. The key is in managing both crew weight and the balance of power in the sails. Heeling to windward will help pull the bow down, as will sheeting on the jib. Here the slight windward heel is helping bear away.

3 3. As the boat begins to accelerate sitting out hard with boat sails trimmed will give you a boost of speed across the startline. Here, any gap you have built to leeward will come in very useful to accelerate down into and thus keep the boat moving at speed.

2 2. Heeling the boat to leeward will help her to round up as will sheeting on the main. Be cafeful not to overdo the mainsheet tension or leeward heel lest you get stuck head to wind. The crew needs to be ready to sheet on the jib to counter if the boat is rounding up too quickly.

4 4. Once you are at maximum speed with both sails trimmed, you can slowly squeeze up to windward. If you have a boat threatening to roll over the top of you or close to leeward, you can use your speed to pinch a bit. But don’t overdo it and kill all your speed.

STRATEGY

ADVANCED SKILLS: Fighting for the start Understanding when to accelerate and when to hold position is key. Reacting to the boats around you is a skill that takes practise.

1. Here the leeward boat is clearly in the control position. She is ahead and to leeward and should be able to squeeze up to prevent the boat to windward rolling over the top. She is in a controlled slow mode.

2. Having been well in control, the leeward boat’s windward heel, sails out and aft crew position are all slowing her and the windward boat has drifted over the top of her. Leeward now looks precarious.

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

3. With the windward boat heeling to windward she is clearly setting up to accelerate and the leeward boat should be reacting to this. If the leeward boat rolls to leeward and sheets the main she might still be ok.

4. Leeward has not reacted quickly enough to the windward threat. She is still stationary and drifting further to leeward due to her windward heel. Windward has spotted this, heeled to leeward and begun accelerating.

5. Here the acceleration advantage from a roll to leeward, sheeting on and sitting the boat upright is clear. Leeward having reacted too late has simply sheeted in and will not get the same speed boost as windward.

6. Leeward has been roundly outfoxed and is going slower, has fewer options and will be in dirty air. Her only option now is to tack off and try to find clear air. This race is all but over before it’s really begun.

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TRAVEL

ALEX THOMSON’S CARIBBEAN

BUSMAN’S HOLIDAY

After spending three months at sea, battling singlehanded for 24 hours a day, solo round the world sailor ALEX THOMSON took a well-earned family holiday in the Caribbean

with everyone still smiling. Once at the Dream base at English Harbour we were met by Thierry, who had our Catana 47 Manao ready for action, and we quickly made her home. I chose a Catana 47 catamaran simply because she was a good sailing boat and I was not disappointed. A big difference is when racing on board Hugo Boss in the Vendée the boat is mostly driven by the autopilot whereas on holiday helming is shared between us all. Downwind in the flat water we were happily averaging nine knots with occasional bursts to 11, and my 6-year old son Oscar was easily able to steer in a straight line. Oliver and I had chatted through

XXXX

MAIN IMAGE: ISTOCK/CHRISTIAN WHEATLEY; INSET: LLOYD IMAGES

few weeks after I arrived back in France after finishing second in the Vendée Globe, it was time for a well deserved holiday. I asked my wife Kate to arrange something for ourselves and our two children (Oscar, 6, and Georgia, 2), and she booked us a month-long sailing holiday with Dream Yacht Charter in the Caribbean. She also invited another family (The Edwards: Oliver, Clare, and their two children, Isabella, 6 and Mia, 3) we have known for many years. We found the journey to Antigua to be really straightforward, quick and easy, and we made it to the Antigua Dream Yacht Charter base

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TRAVEL

ALEX THOMSON FAMILY

our passage plan for the holiday; after Antigua we would go north to Barbuda, St Barths, St Maarten and the BVIs, then keep an eye on the forecast and find a light patch in the weather to avoid a bumpy upwind ride back. The last thing either of us wanted was sick or tired children or wives! I was really looking forward to the trip. It’s great being on the water with all my family and having people to interact with face to face, to share the experience with. It’s totally different from solo sailing where I am sailing in very isolated and remote locations. Although I don’t really get lonely, one of the biggest challenges in solo sailing is getting enough sleep. Racing in the Vendée you are always on edge, and you are competing 24 hours a day for over 70 days. It’s an amazing race, but is quite stressful. Cruising with the family is very relaxing, in great weather conditions, warm temperatures, beautiful islands and with no time pressure. PACKING Before we left to go to the airport it all felt a little familiar! Since we were going on a boat I took the payload gear bags from Hugo Boss. However, when racing

we reduce any non-essential weight so luxuries are left at home. On holiday, it’s a very different story! We ended up struggling to fit all our bags in the taxi to the airport, let alone knowing how we would fit all our bags and nine people onto a 47 foot cat for a month. I’d like to blame Kate, Oscar and Georgia for the mountains of luggage, but it’s mostly comprised of kites, kiteboards and my precious Slingshot hydrofoil. I’ll admit I’m not one for relaxing on holiday and I was planning on spending as much time as I could kitesurfing. PROVISIONING My dad, Pete, and his wife, Anne, who had spent the winter cruising in the Caribbean, were on the final leg of their journey and met us at our boat. They had been to the supermarket and stocked our boat for a few days, which was a welcome relief. This is a service that Dream Yacht Charter can provide, and one I would highly recommend using. During the trip we stopped every day for fresh food. Again, this was a far cry from the Vendée when all provisions are taken on board from the start, as the race is non-stop with no assistance. And

Above A different kind of sailing and lifestyle for Vendée Globe veteran Alex, his family and friends

ALEX THOMSON’S CARIBBEAN

these provisions are mostly freeze dried! Having fresh fruit and seafood every day was a real luxury by comparison. FAMILIARISATION Once we had arrived and settled in, I went through the boat’s inventory and was given the official handover of Manao; this sort of thing always takes longer than I would imagine as I always have a lot of questions. I am not used to chartering yachts and rarely sail any other boat than Hugo Boss so I always want to know as much as possible. Better prepared than not! I later realised that during nearly five months at sea - first on the Vendée and then on holiday - I had hardly opened the tool box at all.

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

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TRAVEL

ALEX THOMSON’S CARIBBEAN

ALEX THOMSON FAMILY

The non-stop sailor’s favourite stops GREEN ISLAND, ANTIGUA We sailed east out of English Harbour and spent our first night at Green Island, a beautiful island and lagoon on the eastern side of Antigua which also happened to be a first class kitesurfing location. The beaches on Green Island are idyllic, with lovely calm water, so there was lots of swimming and snorkelling. Despite regular application of sun cream we were all slightly charred by the end of the day, and after a BBQ and some rum we were all in bed pretty early. DEEP BAY, ANTIGUA Next stop was Deep Bay, which was a downwind sail halfway around the island. There is a semi-submerged wreck at the entrance to the bay and a beautiful deserted beach with what looked like a huge beach bar at one end, that turned out to be near-abandoned. We did manage some takeaway sundowners to have on the beach and we watched the first of many amazing sun sets. Clearly I see a lot of sunsets and rises in my job but it’s difficult to appreciate them when

you are focusing on something else. Sat on the beach with my family to hand and a boat a few yards off the beach was the first time I felt truly relaxed in months. BARBUDA I have sailed in the waters around Antigua many times, generally racing. Now I wanted to visit all those places that I had sailed right on by. Barbuda is just a short sail north from Antigua and is one of the least populated islands. As we approached we had a real ‘wow’ moment. It looked like the most perfect tropical beach with the clearest waters and the softest sand, and once we got ashore we were not disappointed. We soon found a local beach bar, which served us our best seafood meal of the holiday. Kids love nothing more than a day on the beach picking up shells, building sand castles and playing in the gentle surf and by 1900 they were all fast asleep. SAINT MAARTEN The ladies initially wanted to stop in St Barths and my credit card heaved a

Above Clockwise from top left: unspoilt BVIs; local resident; beach life; Thomson and Edwards family: the next generation

huge sigh of relief when they decided we should instead stop in St Maarten. I have competed at five St Maarten Heineken Regattas and it is one of the few islands I know well. We went through the bridge at Simpson Bay and took a berth at the Palapa Marina where everything you need is right there. It was great to sink a few rum and cokes at the Soggy Dollar Bar and remember the old days! VIRGIN GORDA Having never been to the BVIs I was very keen to get down there and stay in one place for five days or so and really chill out. We decided that Virgin Gorda was going to be that place so we set sail. Check in there is at Gun Creek, a quiet little village that serves as a port for workers going to neighbouring islands.

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

From there, we discovered the nearby Bitter End Yacht Club and we could not have been treated better. Immediately the kids were straight off to the sailing centre where Oscar and Isabella enrolled into sailing lessons. The Bitter End Yacht Club has it all, lovely beaches, great food, attentive staff, and lots and lots of sports. They have the Caribbean Kitesurfing School on site as well an extremely well equipped sailing school. Oscar was having a ball learning to sail an Optimist on his own, trapezing on the Hobie cat with me and kitesurfing between my legs in the huge lagoon between the Bitter End and Necker Island. Truly, I had found my paradise, and we stayed for more than a week. ANEGADA It was difficult to leave the Bitter End but we really wanted to visit Anegada to the north where, according to the pilot book, we would find the Caribbean’s best lobster dinner. We left early and arrived shortly before 10am and, after securing to a mooring buoy, we went ashore and managed to find transport to a stunning quiet hotel on north side of the island. I still find it amazing when you can find beaches that are completely deserted and you can walk for miles without seeing another person’s footprints. We all agreed that if we were going to come

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

TRAVEL

back for a shorebased visit, The Beach House in Anegada would be the place.

Above Bluewater Bay, one of Antigua’s many gems

NECKER ISLAND One of my partners is Slingshot who supplied the kites to use in my ‘Skywalk’ stunt. They had just equipped Necker Island with some new hydrofoils and they put me in touch with their watersports manager who was super kind and gave us a tour of the island. Everything you could ever wish for is on this beautiful little paradise and I can really see why Richard Branson lives there.

in a little boutique hotel called Juliana’s. There was plenty for the kids to do and we even found a couple of excellent playgrounds to keep them entertained. We wanted to stay a few days but the trades would re-establish themselves and I did not want to risk a family mutiny! So we set off via St Kitts for Antigua. BIRD ISLAND, ANTIGUA Bird Island is an unspoilt, uninhabited little islet about two miles north east of Antigua. It has plenty of day trippers but is the only home to the Antiguan racer snake and the island is very well

The locals went off to get supplies and asked us what we needed... ice and rum of course! SABA ISLAND I have raced around Saba Island in the RORC Caribbean 600 but having read that there was not a single beach on the island, this time I was a little concerned. But I needn’t have worried. We had a little tour of the island which ended at the main town high in the hills called the Windward Side. I don’t think I have been to a more relaxed place and the normal heat of the Caribbean was tempered by the height above sea level and the light breeze. We perused the little shops and had a wonderful meal

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looked after. Last time I was there it was very quiet but this time it was the Easter holidays and a group of Antiguans had camped on the island. I thought this may detract from the experience but they were all so friendly. We stayed for three days and when the locals went off to get supplies they kindly asked us what we needed... ice and rum, of course! We had a few barbecues on the beach and climbed to the top of the island where we could see the huge blow holes below. It was a great way to finish the holiday before getting back to civilisation.

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S1 RACE

BOAT TEST

NO SOFT OPTION

This Italian-built, singlehanded catamaran certainly had TOBY HEPPELL questioning life as a monohull devotee

esigned by Michele Petrucci and built in Italy, the new S1Race (or S1R) singlehanded catamaran shares both its design pedigree and build factory with the S9 foiling cat – currently a hot-seller throughout Europe – not to mention many of the same features. But you would be mistaken if you considered this merely a de-tuned or soft version of the S9 – as I had ahead of testing on Rutland Water. In fact, it is better to think of this as a shorter A-Class cat, though with the addition of a 14.5sq m spinnaker or ‘screecher’ downwind, and designed specifically with UK-based Outlaw Sailing to fill what they see as a gap in the market. CONCEPT 9/10 In the increasingly congested small boat market it can be somewhat tricky for new manufacturers to find their niche but the S1R seems to make a decent case for doing just that. With the A-Class moving to foiling, those wishing to stay in Archimedean mode – or looking to avoid the development cost within the A-Class – have relatively few options for singlehanded cats. And with singlehanded boats more generally being one of the biggest growth areas within sailing right now, this new design would seem to tick many boxes. There is no doubt that this is an outand-out top-spec racer with everything made from carbon, aggressively toed out hulls and reverse (dreadnought) bows

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

SPECIFICATIONS

Main + wing mast: 12.5sq m Code zero furling system: 14.5sq m Mast height: 8m Boat lenght: 4.7m Boat width: 2.38m Weight: 85kg

all giving her a very racy look ashore – though the lime green paint-job of our test boat may not be to everyone’s taste! Certainly the boat will appeal to the prospective singlehanded cat sailor, but it also has the potential to open up a whole new option for monohull sailors after something in the vein of a Musto Skiff, who may well be convinced by the inherently higher form stability of two hulls. I suspect that the chances of the class really hitting it big will hang on how well it does in this latter category. DECK AND RIG 8/10 Simplicity has been a key driver in the S1R’s development and this is evidenced from the off with the decision to put the gennaker on a roller furler, which

yachtsandyachting.co.uk

remains hoisted upwind and down. This does little to help the racy look of the boat, but once out on the water it makes spinnaker work fantastically simple. It is not hard to imagine rounding a windward mark on the wire, deploying the chute with a simple tug on the sheet and powering off downwind. Of course the trade-off is all that windage upwind and there is always the danger of an accidental unfurl in breezy conditions leading to a swim. The main is powerful enough and in combination with the small wing mast and associated mast rotator, offers a

satisfyingly tweaky system. As became clear throughout our test, the boat in general terms seems to be surprisingly easy to sail, but will almost certainly have her own quirks and thus be tricky to coax to the absolute optimum round a course. The daggerboards on our test boat came with carabiner clips, which, attached to the shrouds, are a nice touch given how easily they could go overboard during launch and recovery. I would be inclined to add some elastic to hold the boards up when raised as the demo boat’s were lose enough in the case that the windward board on

2. Most control lines exit the mast and lead to either side of the boat

one tack would drop if I tried to raise it. Equally you could pack the case tighter but that would make raising the board a touch slower out of the tacks and gybes. Rudders are easily locked down with a familiar bar locking system. The Cunningham cleats at either side of the mast and on the demo boat the tail had been led out to either side of the tramp, so too the tail for the mast rotator, which is on a single swivel cleat. Outhaul cleats off on a swivel block under the boom and, in most conditions is likely to be something of a ‘set and forget’. Matt Bell from Outlaw Sailing, which

ALL PHOTOS: TOM GRUITT

1. The bar locking system on the rudders will be familiar to most multihull sailors

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

She is instantly responsive and easy to keep in the groove is selling the S1R in the UK, told us the intention would be to allow the class to remain fairly open in terms of running control lines and sheets in differing ways. Were I to purchase one, I’d certainly be interested in moving the Cunningham further outboard as this seemed as though it would be pretty regularly used – I suspect the mast rotation a little less so, but I would need further sails to confirm this. Other options would be to run the kite sheets under the tramp, principally to get them out of the way when furling – I stood on them a number of times when furling the chute, which would quickly become distracting in the cut and thrust of competition. UNDER SAIL 9/10 Conditions for our test saw a light breeze delivering perhaps 10 knots at the top end but sitting more around the 5-7 knot zone generally. As such flying

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

a hull was possible in the bigger puffs, which lasted several minutes at a time – enough to get into a groove and get a decent impression of how she performs in a straight line. I should probably ‘fess up’ to being predominantly a monohull sailor; I have done a fair amount of cat sailing but not particularly seriously. I feel pretty sure that a better cat sailor than I would have been flying a hull much of the time and managing the transitions between when to trapeze and when to sit in rather better – certainly it was something I improved at over the course of the day. But the very fact I was able to jump into the boat easily despite this clear need for improvement on my behalf, shows it should deliver for it’s potential monohull demographic. Upwind, the first thing you notice is just how responsive she is to both tiller and helm weight. As soon as you lift a hull the acceleration is marked and she is instantly responsive and remarkably

Above Upwind the boat feels stable and nicely balanced

easy to keep in the groove – even in the variable winds of our test day. A word of warning, however, the hulls both have big, flat planing surfaces aft (about which more later) and as such weight too far aft is a speed killer, as I discovered throughout the day. A small improvement here would be to run the grip tape further forward as you really do want to be trapezing up around the shrouds in lighter weather where our demo boat had no grip. It’s an easy enough fix but would make a big difference in those conditions. As mentioned, I’m pretty sure the S1R will be a tweaky boat and of interest will be exactly how high you fly the windward hull, in combination with the raised daggerboard. I was told before heading out that the asymmetric hulls sit on their planning surface with the windward hull some 30cm out of the water and this seems to be about right. But with the rudder foils and daggerboards both slightly canted too, the drag reduction in getting as much of them out of the water as reasonable must be significant – though, as ever, the

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BOAT TEST

higher out of the water the windward hull, the lower the righting moment. I suspect investing the time into experimenting here will be rewarded on the racecourse. Unfurling the spinnaker is even easier than I’d initially thought, with a tug on the sheet enough to unfurl the whole thing, particularly as it is helped by the breeze. As with upwind, the S1R remains sensitive to weight and even in these relatively benign conditions I was getting pretty far aft in the bigger gusts. Volume-wise the bows are quite narrow for the first 60cm or so and then volume increases significantly. If a puff catches you out the bow is likely to bury – I managed this on a couple of occasions even in the light winds and flat water of Rutland – but it pops out easily enough. I suspect she would sail through chop fairly easily but would be intrigued to see how she handles properly big waves. It is downwind with both sails pulling that the planing hulls really came into their own and in the gusts she was a real pleasure to sail. Again, as upwind, it was fairly easy to keep her in the groove once up and running. The team are still finalising the spinnaker cut. The one on our test boat is a bit flatter than the eventual spinnaker will be; principally this is being tweaked as part of the SCHRS handicap measurement in order to get a kite that is quick and provides a decent handicap. Tacking is not bad for a multihull but, again, in this lighter weather staying well forward was key. It is easy to end up crossing aft and killing speed. Having sailed a Musto Skiff a few times gybing, as you would expect, is, comparably, a doddle. With the main

sheeted fairly well on and the traveller down a bit, the sole focus through gybes other than steering is the spinnaker – though a bit of a pop of the main was required to get the battens across. VERDICT 9/10 As someone who sails most regularly at a pretty wavy venue, I would be interested to sail the S1R again in a big seaway to see just how hard you can push it before pitch-poling. I’m going to give the designers the benefit of the doubt here and assume that the mid-bow volume is sufficient to get you out of jail in all but the gnarliest conditions – though if I have one question mark it would be:

Possibly the most popular singlehanded trapeze boat with a spinnaker. The Musto Skiff has a lot going for it, but it can be a bit of a handful!

why not put a T-foil on the rudders? That is my single reservation with the boat. Clearly I have stated a few tweaks I would make to the S1R should I own one, but they are mostly preferences and it should be telling that I was thinking in terms of ownership! For those wanting a relatively easy to sail boat that offers high performance and will reward skill and time invested racing, then this is for you. Yes, at this price point you are looking at competition from a variety of areas, (it is pricier by some way than a Musto Skiff or a Waszp, though cheaper than a top-end Moth or A-Class), but I can see where the money is going - in the build quality and enjoyment factor.

ANSWER BACK

COMPARISONS

Musto Skiff

Above Simplicity in set-up – but I’d be inclined to tidy ropes with elastic take-ups

S1 RACE

Matt Bell of Outlaw Sailing says:

Shadow

In many ways the S1R is an updated version of the Shadow by Topper. It is still popular, but being 20 years old is naturally lower-tech.

When we first met with Michele (Petrucci) in 2015 to sit down and specify the S1R we had several key objectives in mind initially. The boat should be easy to manage on and off the water, fast, perform in a mixed fleet and be usable in a wide range of weather conditions. Toby’s review confirms the feedback we have received from most of the people who have tested the boat and our own thoughts, that we have broadly achieved our objectives. You can see the S1R in action at upcoming cat opens (Stokes, Weston, Grafham) and a test sail can be arranged for interested parties at either Rutland or Stokes Bay. For more information contact Outlaw Sailing at info@outlawsailing.com or call 0800 6124721.

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

TECH FOCUS

HULL FINISHES

From paints to varnishes and vinyl wraps, RUPERT HOLMES looks at the options available to achieving the perfect finish

great paint finish will both make a boat look stunning and provide a more slippery surface that will help to improve performance on the racecourse. Vinyl wraps are also an increasingly common alternative and allow for a wider range of artwork and graphics to be easily applied. TYPES OF PAINT By far the easiest paints to apply, and the cheapest to buy, are one-pot products that rely on the evaporation of an oil-based solvent to set. The two most common forms are alkyd (a synthetic binder soluble in white spirit) based, such as International’s Toplac and Hempel’s Brilliant Gloss, or polyurethane based, such as International’s Brightside. Alkyd paints are generally quite soft, so have relatively poor resistance

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

to abrasion. This makes it a less good choice for a boat that’s kept alongside a pontoon, although a fender blanket will help to reduce abrasion. On the other hand, if it’s dry sailed or kept on a swinging mooring this will be less of an issue. Single-pot polyurethanes fare better in this respect, but have less of a high gloss and can fade relatively quickly when exposed to sunlight. In two-pot paint systems the two elements undergo a chemical reaction that locks the ingredients into a hard chemical formula. These have greater scuff resistance, while some, such as Awlgrip, are harder than the gel coat to which they are applied and benefit from a top-quality deep gloss. The downside is that application is more difficult. After mixing they have a limited pot life before setting, but the more important aspect is that the working time in

Above A vinyl wrap is a good way to bring colour to your boat

13 NEXT MONTH Winter dinghy kit On sale 13 October

which any imperfections or runs can be brushed out is very short – as little as a minute or two in warm weather. This makes the application of two-pot products a more skilled process. It’s worth noting that two-pot paints, whether primer, undercoat or topcoat, cannot be applied over single-pot paints, as the solvents in the two-pack paint will tend to partially strip the existing coating. If you’re unsure of what was used for the existing paint system test a concealed area with a rag with some thinners for two-pot paint. VARNISHES Varnish is also available in alkyd and (single- and two-pot) polyurethane types, with the same pros and cons as the respective types of paint. An additional advantage of alkyd varnish types is that, being quite soft, it’s relatively

yachtsandyachting.co.uk

Epoxy-based pigmented paints offer abraision resistance and a low drag finish

IMAGE: SHAUN ROSTER

DOES THE BOAT NEED TO BE PAINTED?

Don’t discount simply buffing the original gelcoat – on many boats this will restore the finish to an 'as new' condition. If it has been badly oxidised you may need to start by sanding with 600 (or even 400) grit paper in a decent random orbital sander, moving progressively through finer grades to 1200 grit. At this stage the finish will already have a shine, but further buffing with polish, followed by wax compound, will produce a deeper and longer-lasting sheen that will repel dirt and grime and can be rejuvenated with only a few hours of work every couple of years. Existing gelcoat repairs that are not fully faired in and not colour matched are a key reason owners don’t opt for polishing tired gelcoat in this way. However, getting a boat builder to re-do these repairs to a proper standard and then polishing the hull is invariably the quickest and most economic route to an excellent finish.

flexible which is good for traditionally constructed wooden boats in which the timber expands and contracts. Standard polyurethane varnishes have much better wear resistance than alkyds, but lack flexibility. Two-pot polyurethanes can give a faster cure, allowing multiple coats to be applied in a single day. Flexible polyurethanes such as Coelan are a two-pot material that combines the benefits of traditional polyurethanes with the flexibility needed for long life. Several coats can be applied in a single day, with the finish lasting last twice as long as traditional varnishes. As well as being more expensive, a key downside is that preparation must be done to a high standard. Another alternative to a conventional varnish that’s more forgiving is International’s woodskin. This breathable microporous product is a flexible oil/varnish hybrid that’s easy to apply, easy to touch up and doesn’t need sanding between coats. Whatever varnish type you use it’s worth remembering that maintaining brightwork is best not left as a once a year task. The problem is that the system quickly breaks down once it has been penetrated by water. This process can be dramatically slowed by touching up any problems immediately, which greatly reduces the long-term amount of maintenance needed. EPOXY When used as a coating, epoxy resins such as Gurit’s SP320 and West System 105 can significantly out perform conventional varnish, fully sealing the wood, and have the advantage that an entire system can be applied in a single day. The biggest downside is a poor resistance to ultra-violet light – the coating will tend to turn yellow over time. For this reason a few coats of varnish need to be applied over the top. A clear epoxy can also be used to laminate a weather (and impact) resistant layer of fiberglass cloth on to timber, creating a permanently weather proof system. It’s also possible to buy epoxy-based pigmented paints, such as Durepox that offer superb abrasion resistance and the possibility of a great low-drag finish, but with a slightly satin appearance. APPLICATION Your chosen method of application will also have a significant bearing on the

nnHempel offer a range of epoxybased high performing paints

nnInternational's Interdeck is a tough polyurethane coating

nnAwlgrip are best known for their deck finishing

nnCoelan is a flexible twopot coating varnish

October 2017 Yachts & Yachting

TECH FOCUS

HULL FINISHES

nnGurit's SP320 epoxy resin can be used instead of varnish for a stronger finish

nnInternationals' Toplac is an easy to apply one-pot product

most appropriate paint products for the job – while many can be sprayed, rolled or brushed (when appropriately thinned) others are formulated specifically for one type of application. Some top-end products, including much of Awlgrip’s range are primarily intended for professional spraying, which produces amazing results. However, the boat will invariably need to be put in a shed, or at least inside a substantial all-over tent, which significantly increases costs. On the other hand there are other high end paints, such as Epifanes’ Poly-urethane, that are more tolerant of application by roller by a reasonably skilled DIY owner. Other products, such as Hempel’s PolyGloss, are twopart paints specifically formulated for application by brush. A good approach for an amateur application is to work as a team of two people, with one applying the paint with

Yachts & Yachting October 2017

nnEpiphanes is easier than some for DIY application

nnWest System is probably the best known Resin

a four-inch roller, and the second using light vertical strokes with a wide brush to tip off the roller marks, leaving a smooth surface. A variation of this that can work well with two-pot paints is to use the ‘empty’ roller with very light pressure to tip off before reloading it with paint to cover the next area of the hull. ALUMINIUM COMPONENTS Aliuminium components tend to look quite tatty once the anodising has been damaged, but paint does not readily stick to alloy components so some work is required. After thoroughly sanding the metal with medium grit paper, thoroughly cleaning and degreasing the surface you can apply an etch (or adhesive) primer as soon as possible. This helps to bond subsequent coats of paint to the metal and can be followed with the first coat of aluminium oxide primer after about 90 minutes.

VINYL WRAPS Vinyl wraps have the potential to be a quick, inexpensive and long-lasting alternative to a professional paint job. Until recently they were largely the preserve of sponsored race boats in which the graphics were often changed on a regular basis. However, vinyl wraps are now increasingly common of boats of all descriptions, including cruising yachts, and are routinely offered as options on new yachts. Benefits include reduced preparation time and quick application without the need to put the boat in a shed. This helps to both reduce costs – which may be as little as one-third the price of a professional respray – and minimises the time during which the boat is out of action. A wrap also allows a huge range of artwork and graphics to be applied at a fraction of the price of attemptong to achieve the same effect with paint. Vinyl tends to be less forgiving of abrasion and scratches than the best paint systems, but specialists have, over the years, developed techniques to neatly repair dings and scratches without replacing the entire wrap.

WHEN SHOULD YOU CALL IN THE PROFESSIONALS?

It’s certainly possible to paint your boat yourself and achieve decent results if using the right paint – I’ve used Epifanes Poly-urethane two-pot to great effect, for example, achieving a result that looks brilliant from a couple of metres. Even then it’s a time consuming process, especially in the preparation stages, and is a job that can easily go wrong – we’ve all seen plenty of examples of boats whose finish does not do justice to the time and money their owners have invested in them. A professional spray job on the other hand results in a perfect mirror-like finish that few people who are not in the business have a sufficiently well trained and practiced eye to achieve. It’s rightly seen by many as an essential element of a well prepared race boat.

WHERE TO GO FOR TECHNICAL ADVICE The big marine paint suppliers, such as Eastleigh-based Marineware, stock a wide range of brands and have knowledgeable staff. They are usually from a boat building background and know the products well. Before making an order they will give valuable advice on which coatings will work best for your boat and what products will be needed at the preparation stage. Such outfits can also supply paints mixed to a range of colours and in larger cans that are considerably more economic than buying a stack of standard 750ml tins from a chandlery.

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SPEEDSIX Speedsix Sail and Speedsix HydraPRO are two new lubricant options for sailors. Speedsix Sail aerosol (pictured) is designed as a lubricant for moving parts, such as blocks and cleats. Also available is the Speedsix HydraPRO – in a white can – which can be applied to your hull to help maintain a clean surface using superhydrophobic technology. Crucially, both are ‘legal’, and Speedsix Sail has environmentally friendly ingredients. speedsix.co.uk £10.95

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Off-the-shelf Imoca 60

Designers of the nine new Imoca 60s that took part in the last Vendée Globe (which finished earlier this year), VPLP have announced plans to build an off-the-shelf Imoca 60 for the next race in 2020. Previously, VPLP were commissioned by teams on an individual or small group basis as the solo round-the-world racers fought to find a design edge; thus Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss was radically different to Armel Le Cléac’h’s Banque Populaire VIII despite coming from the same design house. The Vendée Globe and more broadly the Imoca 60 class has always been a design race with a high cost to compete. Skippers are thus faced with the choice to purchase a new boat for eyewatering sums or pick up a proven secondhand boat. But now VPLP will be manufacturing copies of the winning Banque Populaire design, available at significantly less than a bespoke boat. Purists may argue that this is yet another step towards one design racing at the very top of the sport, but with the majority of participants short on cash it will be interesting to see the take-up for this offering. vplp.fr

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