Around The World Of Sailing

Railey in Spain

Paige Railey, the 17-year-old Laser Radial sailor from St. Petersburg, Fla., won the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta in Spain today, the first major Olympic classes regatta in Europe of the season. Railey, who is ranked the top Laser Radial sailor on the 2005 US Sailing Team, defeated 35 boats from ten countries in Palma de Mallorca to take home the honors. Railey has kicked off the first year of a new Olympic quadrennium with a bang, winning US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR earlier this year.

Railey’s strong performance was consistent throughout the five-day regatta, taking the lead on the first day and never relinquishing that top spot. Out of a total of 13 races, Railey won a total of six races. Overall, Railey had a total of 33 points and finished 32 points ahead of runner-up Charlotte Dobson (GBR), who inched ahead of third place finisher Wiebke Schroder (GER) earlier in the week.

Next up for Paige Railey is a trip back home to St. Petersburg, Fla., to complete her senior year in high school. She has a busy sailing schedule ahead of her this summer, including a trip to the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Busan, Korea to represent the USA as part of US SAILING’s US Youth World Team.

Possible Engine Use Protest

The Global Challenge Race Committee today (31st March 2005) announced their intention to protest Pindar, “for a breach of RRS [Racing Rules for Sailing] 42.1 following notification, under General Sailing Instruction 20, of the use of their engine in reverse gear at 1530 (local time) on the 27th March 2005.”

Pindar were at position 44.39S 50.33E when the incident in question occurred, in 17/18 knots of headwind. After a report of a sluggish helm, kelp was found to be trailing under the transom. Assuming the rudder was fouled, Pindar was brought hove-to and the crew attempted to dislodge the kelp using the boat hook.

In the heat of the moment the engine was engaged for approximately 1-3 minutes in reverse gear only. This time, again using the boot hook, a large ball of kelp was freed from its position where it had indeed been fouling the rudder before racing resumed.

The crew then recognised, with the benefit of hindsight, that this action may be regarded as a breach of RRS Rule 42.1 and immediately notified the race committee. In accordance with the Sailing Instructions, they will present a full written report to the Race Committee within 24 hours of the leg finish.

The Protest Hearing will take place on 14th April at the Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town. The International Jury, appointed by ISAF, will hear Pindar’s case along with any other protests lodged within 24 hours of each yacht crossing the finish line and award any penalties if deemed necessary.

Race Update

“It’s not as cold when it smashes you in the face...” The sea temperature is finally rising for the Global Challenge fleet according to Imagine It. Done. skipper Dee Caffari.

The fleet is heading northwest in pleasant conditions with 15-20 knots from the west-southwest and Imagine It. Done. is still leading the way. The breeze is gradually backing to the southwest and moderating after a bout of variable conditions made sail-plan decisions incredibly difficult.

“The wind strength has been changing dramatically in the last 24 hours from 0 - 35 knots,” wrote Team Stelmar skipper Clive Cosby this morning, “we've had thunderstorms and dead calm. Boat speed has therefore also varied from -1 (backwards) to 12 knots down the line. We have had to react accordingly and are changing sails and reefs several times during the watches.”

Imagine It. Done. suffered in the variable winds, skipper Dee Caffari reporting that, “Getting stuck in every wind hole possible was not in the plan or the weather file. However these things happen and it is good for the crew to hoist every sail in the forepeak and then pack a kite at the end of it all! I am very frustrated and can only hope that Spirit of Sark and BP Explorer get their own wind holes to sit in.”

This afternoon, however, the winds are far more reliable, Dee Caffari reporting “more consistent breeze and less swell so getting the boat going is a lot easier.” And she has used them well; Imagine It. Done. creeping ahead once again. Spirit of Sark (2nd), skippered by Duggie Gillespie, trail by 12nm and BP Explorer, skippered by David Melville, trail by 22nm.

The current estimated time of arrival for the lead yachts is the afernoon of Monday 4th April.

Leaderboard DTF

Imagine It. Done. 865nm
Spirit of Sark 877nm
BP Explorer 887nm
Pindar 923nm
Team Stelmar 927nm
Barclays Adventurer 985nm
SAIC La Jolla 995nm
Samsung 1,017nm
Me to You 1,038nm
BG SPIRIT 1,069nm
Team Save the Children 1,224nm
VAIO 1,369nm

Linky Sailing News

Racing Cat Challenge to Italy

News Singles Sailing

Great Lakes New marina

College Sailing Big 10 team race hosted by Michigan

Round Britain Shaping Up

A number of competitors are following in the footsteps of Jean Le Cam and have confirmed their intention to participate in the Calais Round Britain Race, the first Imoca event of the 2005 season. Around ten crews should be on the start line in Calais on 22 May 2005 : a quality line-up which may well have a strikingly high British presence.

So British…

The British sailors may well be out in force in this second edition of the Calais Round Britain Race. They will find themselves in familiar waters as the 1850 mile course is literally going to be a race that is home from home, along the English, Irish and Scottish coastlines.

Three crews have been announced. In addition to the confirmed participation of Mike Golding and Emma Richards, Conrad Humphreys has expressed to the organisers his desire to be present.

A valiant third in the Vendée Globe, Mike Golding crossed the finish line without his keel. His boat has been in the yard in Cowes since the start of March. It’s now a race against the clock on the English side of the Channel so that Golding and his crew will make this first rendez-vous of the year. With regards the young Emma Richards, after her participation in the Around Alone in 2002-2003, she has chosen to devote her next few years to the Imoca circuit. She will be at the helm of her 60 footer Pindar Alphagraphics. Emma notably won the Round Britain and Ireland Race on a 50 foot monohull with Miranda Merron in 2002; a fact that may well mean that she knows all the traps and secrets of this course.

Finally, Conrad Humphreys, author of an incredible round the world, also has the intention of being present at the start in Calais. Heading off into the race again from the back of the pack after a pit-stop in Simonstown, South Africa, the young skipper was able to complete his very first Vendée Globe in 7 th position, after a fantastic comeback. His boat is also likely to undergo numerous repairs.

High society amongst the Frenchies

On the French side, Jean Le Cam was the first skipper to register his name on the list of competitors. His friend Roland Jourdain is likely to join him aboard Sill et Veolia. The keel of his Lombard design was damaged during the Vendée Globe while ‘Bilou’ was battling it out in the leading trio. A new keel is in construction and the whole team are already hard at work to be present in Calais. Jean Pierre Dick, Bernard Stamm and Anne Liardet have also made it known that they will be on the start line.

Still provisional, the competitors’ list may well be enriched by some equally big names in ocean racing between now and the closing date for inscriptions on 15 April 2005.

Calais Round Britain Race in a few points

* Crewed race reserved for the Imoca class (Open 60 footers)
* Starting from Calais on 22 May 2005 between 1200 and 1400 GMT
* 1850 miles of racing around the British Isles in a clockwise direction
* First finishers in Calais around 29 May
* Winner of the 2003 edition : Vincent Riou and his crew on PRB / 9 competitors

Channel Opening

In accordance with 33 CFR 165.901, Captain of the Port Sault Ste Marie will open the waters between Cheboygan Michigan and Bois Blanc Island Michigan known as South Channel, effective 0600 EST 01 APR 2005.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels.

Further inquiries can be made by phone to Sault Vessel Traffic Service at (906) 635-3232 or via email at vts@grusaultstemarie.uscg.mil.

Linky Sailing News

Racing H33 800

News Ovington Obit. ENZ update

Great Lakes Big mac History

College Sailing Oregon

Imagine It. Done Leads

Imagine It. Done still out in the lead

Imagine It. Done. skippered by Dee Caffari is still out in the lead in Leg 4 of the Global Challenge, having dominated most of the way in the toughest leg of the race.

Just 15 miles back and chasing hard is Duggie Gillespie’s crew aboard Spirit of Sark, closely followed by David Melville and his crew on BP Explorer – a further 15 miles behind again.

Speaking back in Portsmouth at race start Dee explained: “Sailing today is still male-dominated but there are many female skippers who are doing a lot of good things like Ellen MacArthur, Emma Richards and Tracey Edwards. They’re all putting female skippers on the map and enabling them to become much more accepted.

“Yes, I know that some people will be looking a little harder at me as I’m not one of the boys…in body…but I just see myself as one of the skippers doing the same role as everybody else!”

She will undoubtedly have silenced any critics she has had in the past that questioned her competitiveness. After a huge medical evacuation in the first Southern Ocean leg - where she very nearer lost one of her Crew Volunteers, John Masters - and a huge flyer in Leg 3 which cost her dearly, a win on this leg would push her right back up the race results leader board.

That possible win is ever closer with Cape Town less than a week away but as David Melville – one of Dee Caffari’ closest rivals - put it: “There are still 1,000 miles to go, further than the whole of leg 3. It may feel like we’ve broken the back of the leg but there’s still a long way to go.”

Right now the fleet are experiencing warmer northerly winds prior to the arrival of a cold front (approximately 6 hours away). As the front passes over the fleet the wind will back to the north west and then west.

Cal Tomlinson, Challenge Business’ Sailing Manager told us: “This will probably be the last ‘real’ westerly blow for the leg and they will soon be influenced by a high pressure system forming to the west of Cape Town, which will generate south westerly and then south easterly breeze which Cape Town is famous for. But, until then there is the small hurdle of this last strong westerly.”

Stuart Jackson, skipper of Barclays Adventurer explained how the weather was looking like from one of the sailor’s perspectives. He explained: “Things are looking pretty good on the weather front for the next few days too. We have another low heading in our direction, which is due to pass to the south of us.

“Therefore, currently the winds we are experiencing are northerly, these are due to continue for around 12 hours, when the cold front is due to pass over us. The characteristics of this will mean we'll experience squally showers with winds around 30 - 40 knots, we will then have a large wind shift resulting in south westerly winds for the next couple of days. This will hopefully herald the end of our heavy weather sailing for this leg.”

However, this heavy weather has been keen to snare at least one last victim - SAIC La Jolla – who have experienced sail damage as Jim Walker expands: “We’ve had some repeat damage to the staysail in gusty conditions and it was back on the saloon table for repairs at breakfast yesterday. Luckily the damage was minor and the sail is now flying again. We’re continuing our pursuit of Barclays Adventurer who are currently 16 miles ahead, but with variable conditions forecast it should create some opportunity for us to claw back some of those miles.”

Currently more than 500 miles to the north east and sailing a completely different wind pattern is VAIO who are negotiating the eastern band of a small high-pressure system. They will encounter the same conditions as the remainder of the fleet but with a 24-hour delay.

The current ETA for the fleet into Cape Town is Monday afternoon local time.

Fleet positions:

Imagine It. Done 1,059(Distance to finish)
Spirit of Sark 15 (miles to leader)
BP Explorer 30
Pindar 54
Team Stelmar 60
Barclays Adventurer 106
SAIC La Jolla 119
Samsung 148
Me To You 168
BG SPIRIT 175
Team Save the Children 358
VAIO 507

Batteries

As the first days of spring approach, we at the Torresen Marine Ship’s Store are seeing some familiar faces. Launch requests have begun to roll in, as sailors anticipate fairer weather.

We all know the tasks are endless when commissioning a boat for launch. If your boat has batteries, an important one of these tasks is checking the battery’s status. When doing so one must be cautious pertaining to electrical systems and spills. Sparks from arcing cables can cause a battery to explode and the liquid in the battery is acid. Keep in mind that this is a task you will not want to be repeating, as batteries are often times hard to access.

Torresen Marine, inc maintains a stock of the most common batteries used in boats. We recommend the Deka brand from East Penn because of the track history and, if needed, the service response. These batteries are found with many labels, including Wonch and West Marine. The batteries at TMI are constantly on sale with very competitive pricing. TMI also has high-tech equipment for measuring the status of your batteries that goes beyond voltage testing and load testing. This is not equipment that we lend or rent but if your boat is nearby or if you bring the batteries to our service shop, we can run a test to let you know the current status of the batteries and what to expect of those batteries in the near future.

If you find that you must replace a battery, TMI will recycle your old battery at no cost to you.

There are several types of batteries that you may encounter. The old standard “lead acid” batteries have removable caps on the top of each internal cell. Each cell should contribute about two volts, i.e.: six cells equal a twelve-volt rated battery. Newer batteries are “maintenance free” and you cannot adjust the internal liquid level. Gel batteries were very popular for a while but the precision required for recharging resulted in many premature failures. The latest are AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) which a very similar to the Gel batteries but more forgiving when being recharged.

You will also find batteries for different applications. There are engine start batteries that can put out a great amount of amperage that is required for proper cranking speeds required to start an engine. They can also be recharged rapidly. The life of these batteries is greatly shortened if cycled greatly or frequently. Then there are Deep Cycle batteries that are designed to be run through many discharge-recharge cycles. They may not put out the rush of current required for engine starting nor can they be recharged in a hurry. Another is the Dual Purpose battery, which is a compromise between the previous two.

Maintaining your batteries is neither difficult nor time consuming, but it is essential. For a very informative write-up on the care and feeding of batteries go to Deka Batteries.

Beyond the Engine

Believe it or not, spring is right around the corner and with it comes the start of the 2005 sailing season. It won’t be long until you can feel the wind in the sails and the water rushing past as you trim in for your first outing of the year. In an ideal world we would spend all of our time sailing from one destination to the next, but unfortunately that is not always the case. More times than we would like, we end up using our auxiliary means of propulsion, more commonly known as our engine.

Moving while under power can be quite noisy and causes a fair bit of vibration. This vibration, while normal, is sometimes exaggerated by components of your drive train becoming worn out or misaligned. Before your boat goes into the water is the best time to inspect all of the elements of this system to ensure smooth operation of your sailboat while under power.

The first item we come to on our inspection underneath the boat is the propeller. The prop should be smooth and look completely symmetrical from one blade to the next. The slightest damage or imperfection to the prop can cause serious vibrations to occur while under power. Inspect the point where your shaft enters the prop, there should be absolutely no visible gap here whatsoever. If you can see any daylight, the prop is improperly mounted. Check to see that both nuts are tight and that there is a cotter pin in the end of the shaft. If you have a folding propeller, the blades should be tight in the hub and there should be very little play in the blades when they are open or closed.

The next step up the shaft is the propeller strut. The strut is able to hold the shaft in place but still allows it to rotate by means of a cutless bearing. This cutless bearing is a brass sleeve with a rubber liner inside of it. The brass sleeve is pressed in place in the strut and is usually held in place with setscrews. The rubber liner is what acts as the bearing for the shaft and it stays lubricated simply by the water it is submerged in. Although these bearings usually last quite some time, they will eventually wear out. Inspect the bearing from both ends and look for signs of wear. It is especially important to look for signs of uneven wear. Uneven wear can signify the need for bearing replacement as well as give you a clue about potential engine alignment problems, which we will discuss later in this article. Wiggle the shaft back and forth and see if there is any slop between the shaft and the bearing. This should be quite snug and any motion should be a cause for concern. If a cutless bearing fails, the rubber can become detached from the brass and fold over inside the bearing and cause serious problems. Inspect this area carefully and replace if needed. Do NOT oil this bearing.

The last inspection to be done outside of the boat is to the shaft itself. Grab the propeller and rotate it while closely watching the shaft where it exits the hull. There should be no sideways motion whatsoever. Any motion up and down can mean a bent shaft or potentially a shaft-coupling problem. Also look and see if the shaft exits the boat in the middle of the tube. If not, this could also be a clue to a potential alignment problem.

The first point of contact for the propeller shaft inside the boat is the stuffing box. The job of the stuffing box is to keep the water out of the boat while still letting the shaft rotate freely. The conventional stuffing box consists of a brass nut containing flax packing. By tightening this nut, the flax packing is compressed against the shaft and water is sealed out. When the packing is new, very little pressure is required to make this water seal. As the packing ages and dries out, more force is required on the packing to create this seal. This increased pressure over time can eventually get to the point were it will begin wearing grooves into the shaft. These grooves will in turn allow more water in, which requires the nut to be tightened more. This cycle can cause premature shaft wear as well as allowing unwanted seawater into your boat. If you have never replaced your packing, assume that it needs it. It is quite a simple procedure and can be done without too much difficulty.

The next step for your shaft is the coupling. This is the round T shaped piece that connects the shaft to the output shaft of your engine. It is very important that the shaft fits perfectly into the coupling. There should be absolutely no movement at all between these two components. If you can wiggle the two independently from each other at all, you need to have it corrected. This usually means replacement of either the shaft or coupling which is major, but crucial. This problem is one of the most common causes of excessive vibration and if this fit wears excessively it can cause the key and/or the setscrews to shear which can cause you to lose all drive to the shaft. If this failure were to occur while in reverse, it is possible that the shaft could even back itself out of the boat leaving you with a large hole in the boat as well as no forward or reverse. This fit is best checked with the coupling separated from the output flange of the engine and is most commonly done while alignment is being checked.

The shaft coupling is bolted to the output flange on the engine. It is important that these two mating surfaces are perfectly aligned with one another. Alignment is checked by first separating the shaft coupling from the output flange on the engine. The shaft is then positioned in the center of the tube where it exits the hull. These two surfaces are then inspected for alignment. If the two surfaces do not align perfectly with one another, the engine then must be repositioned until it is aligned with the coupler. This repositioning is done by adjustments that are performed with the motor mounts. These adjustments can move each corner of the engine up or down as well as side to side.

Motor mount breakdown is one of the biggest causes of engine misalignment and can dramatically increase vibration while under way. Inspect the mounts and look for any signs of them breaking down. The rubber on the mounts should appear firm with no cracks or tears. Keep them clean and free of diesel fuel or engine oil, as these products can break down the rubber. Motor mounts break down over time and will eventually need replacement. If you’ve never checked your mounts, now’s the time.

If you have any questions concerning any of the above information, please feel free to contact our service department at 231-759-8597 or send an e-mail to brian@torresen.com. Torresen Marine also has expert mechanics on staff that are trained in the maintenance and repair of your boat’s entire drive train. Our mechanics are also available to assist you with inspections and repairs before your boat gets launched.

Whether you have a vibration problem or not, these are all items that should be checked in order to keep your drive train in proper operating condition. A little routine maintenance now can help keep your boat powering smoothly and help prevent expensive yard bills down the road.

ABN Goes Transat

The ABN AMRO will be making her first transatlantic trip on 30 March, journeying to the United States. Skipper Mike Sanderson said this marks phase two of the boat’s development. The goal of the trip will be to get more offshore miles under the boat. “And the North Atlantic is as close as you can get to going to the Southern Ocean.”

Sanderson said he wants to “test the boat in extreme conditions. When we get back, we will have 7,000 more sailing miles under our keel.”

The boat will take about three weeks to get to the United States and back, and up to two weeks in port. “It should be a worthwhile five weeks.”

The boat will first dock in Newport, Rhode Island. Then they will go to New York City on the 22nd of April and will stay there a few days. Once the boat docks in New York, Sanderson will assess the downwind conditions for the return trip.

“Hopefully we will have moderate air reaching and running on the trip there,” said Sanderson. Then, he is looking forward to the return trip, when the high winds of the North Atlantic will give the boat a run for her money.

The ABN AMRO has been on the dock recently, undergoing a previously scheduled refit as a result of all the miles the boat has done recently. After the boat’s recent trip to Rotterdam, “we had always planned to pull the boat apart.” The boat had had two full months of sailing including the 3,000 mile trip to Rotterdam and back.

The crew has been looking forward to taking her across the ocean, and the shore team has been working hard to get her ready. “We have a lot of exciting new ideas, and we’re hoping to get the conditions to try them out.”

IDEC heads to New York

Currently making a stopover for supplies in Saint Martin, the IDEC trimaran will be heading for New York this evening or on Thursday morning at the latest. Francis Joyon thinks he will arrive on the fifth of April at the Manhattan Sailing Club, where he will be staying while on stand by. From the tenth, the single-handed yachtsman and his boat will be on the starting blocks.

«Everything is fully ready. I had a trip yesterday between the south of Guadeloupe and Saint Martin, and the boat managed 22 – 24 knots in some fine trade winds. I’m here to finish loading up with supplies and finish off two or three little odd jobs.» Francis, who admits he can’t wait to get underway, is not expecting very favourable weather during the journey to New York, a short trip, which should take around 5 days. «The conditions will be fairly quiet, sailing more or less downwind at the start, and then I’ll be upwind in some stronger winds. It’s not going to be easy sailing, but it should allow me to get there in reasonable time nonetheless.» On the positive side, the equipment won’t be put under too much strain during this journey. «After having so many difficulties getting everything ready and the boat set up correctly,» the skipper said, «I’m going to try to avoid damaging anything, so there won’t be any work to do all over again in New York! Most of my work involved the rigging, deck fittings and sails, but not a lot of work needed to be done on the boat itself.» Francis, who, as usual, will be preparing the trimaran all by himself, will once again have spent many hours working on her, but this time in the sunshine in Guadeloupe, where the conditions were certainly more attractive than those you find in Brittany in winter. «If you’re dealing with the hull, it means you spend two hours a day in the water, and you often need to climb up the mast … so in short, that keeps you fit. Besides that, I also did some swimming,» explained the yachtsman, whose impatience is clear to see. However, the moment he is so looking forward to, may not be so close, as even if the boat is on stand by from 10th April, for the moment, there is no clear picture of a window of opportunity. This isn’t stopping Francis from remaining hopeful, «I can see a series of lows passing over New York, so things could get going quite quickly,» said the skipper, who never enjoys having to hang around ashore. He will at least be able to take advantage of the hospitality of North Cove Marina in the Manhattan Sailing Club, where his giant will take up position under the skyscrapers.

Atlantic record: the important figures
• New York – The Lizard route (theoretical distance calculated by the WSSRC) : 2925 miles
(5,417 km)
• Single-handed record: Laurent Bourgnon, Primagaz, 7 days 2 hours 34 minutes 42 seconds
(June 1994)
• 24-hour single handed record: Laurent Bourgnon, Primagaz, 540 miles (June 1994)

Fender Locks

Taylor Made Products is expanding its line of fenders and accessories for larger boats with the introduction of new deck-mounted fender locks for lines up to ½ inch.

The new stainless steel fender lock, with a starting retail price of $21.00, is a larger version of Taylor Made’s best selling smaller fender lock. It is made with a unique one-way locking peg that provides secure and reliable mounting for large fenders.

The Taylor Made fender locks are designed to make it fast and easy to hang and adjust the height of fenders from on deck. All components, including the mount, peg and fastening screws, are stainless steel for long life in the marine environment.

For 2005, Taylor Made is also introducing new fender hanging hardware, including injection-molded nylon brackets and clips for mounting on rails or lifelines.

Taylor Made Products, a member of the Taylor Made Group®, is one of the largest and most innovative suppliers of marine aftermarket products, including buoys, fenders, boat covers, bimini tops, dock products, flags, pennants and hardware.

RR Quotes

This week some interesting sailing quotes and comments on them.

The below quote is from an article on the 2004 Quebec St Malo transat. The crew was an all star one with the total number of circumnavigations, etc. almost immeasurable. The quote describes a crucial moment in the race.

"Here the computers go down for 4 hours, cutting off our access to ex data and we miss a trought's rotation and sail into and parallel with it for several hours...we get passed..."

How important have computers become to sailing and racing? Even the worlds best need them.

"For now everyone is washing their Patagonia shirts and their Musto shorts and drying out. The Patagonia silk weight gear is fantastic for these conditions and I highly recommend it. Some of the Patagonia gear I've got on this trip was bought in 1998 and is used regularly! Any cotton would have rotted by now!"

Will Oxley the navigator of Doha 2006 makes the above comment on wardrobe. I am fully in agreement with this thoughts.

A sailing lyric snippet from Stan Roger's Barret's Privateers

On the King's birthday we put to sea,
We were 91 days to Montego Bay
Pumping like madmen all the way

This from an interview with American Vendee Globe sailor Bruce Schwab.

Q: What eats up most of your time?

Bruce Schwab: Email takes about half my time, and in fact, after rounding Cape Horn I had about 50 e-mails I had to answer. The sailing is one thing, but you have to share the experience, too."

More evidence of the power of the computer. Going sailing may not mean freedom from modern office madness anymore.

Tim Zimmerman of Wetass Chronicles on the future of Race Class/G Class cats, "So, where does this impressive cat leave the world of maxi-sailing? In trouble, I would say. There's no boat in the current generation that can touch Orange II for high average speeds. So forget it, De Kersauson. Forget it, Cam Lewis. Have a seat Dave Scully, Tony Bullimore, and anyone who was thinking about buying Kingfisher or Doha 2006....Franck Cammas is getting ready to launch a new, giant tri, and that boat could be the only real competitor on the horizon. But the big multihull game has just gone from a field of 5 to a field of, maybe, 2...My money says the focus will shift to breaking the 50 knot barrier, and the head to head solo competition between Ellen MacArthur and Francis Joyon..."

That's probably the hardest most realistic take I've seen. It's Cammas or not at all.

So, let's think, who might get into the solo competition other than Macarthur or Joyon? Does somebody have the capability to sail one of the 100 foot plus cats around the world solo?

Zimmerman also has an article on the Sleep Doctor in the new issue of Outside Magazine.

From Procul Harum's Salty Dog

Across the straits, around the horn: how far can sailors fly?

Linky Sailing News

Racing Global Challenge. Tasmania 3 peaks

News Damage minor. Boat Builder dies Team GBR ok

Great Lakes Ballast tank crackdown

College Sailing Yale wins Owen Trophy

Mackinaw Launching

The public is invited to attend the Christening and Launching Ceremony for the Icebreaker MACKINAW (WLBB–30) at Marinette Marine on Saturday, April 2, 2004. Mrs. Jean Hastert, will serve as the ship’s sponsor and will christen the vessel as Coast Guard Cutter MACKINAW by breaking a bottle of champagne across its bow when it is launched from the Marinette shipyard. Her Husband, Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony.

The Coast Guard is charged with maintaining a heavy icebreaking capability on the Great Lakes. This capability includes keeping channels and harbors open to navigation in response to the reasonable demands of commerce to meet winter shipping needs. Since 1944 that mission has been performed by USCGC MACKINAW (WAGB-83). The new Coast Guard Icebreaker, which is also to be named MACKINAW, will relieve her namesake of that mission once she is commissioned. The new Coast Guard Icebreaker MACKINAW (WLBB-30) will have multi-mission capabilities in addition to heavy icebreaking that include; servicing buoys, search and rescue, and law enforcement.

With a crew of eight officers and 38 enlisted personnel, the icebreaker is scheduled to be delivered to the Coast Guard October 15th and should arrive in Cheboygan, MI, the cutter’s homeport, later in the year. The new icebreaker is powered by three Caterpillar diesel engines enabling it to break through 32 inches of level ice at three knots. Twin Azipod™ Propulsion Units with fixed pitch propellers and a Bow Thruster will propel the ship, providing unparalleled maneuverability. In order to fulfill it’s buoy tending mission, the ship has a 20 ton Appleton Crane for lifting and servicing aids to navigation. In addition, it is equipped with an oil spill recovery system and some of the latest technology that includes state of the art navigation, communication and security systems.

The Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard, located on the Menominee River in Marinette, WI will open at 9 a.m. Central Standard Time. The launch ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.

Kiwi Junior Wins Triple Crown

Paul Snow-Hansen is the first to claim the 'triple crown' of Junior Sailing by winning three major titles in the same season. He has added the Optimist National Championship title over the Easter weekend to his wins in the Tanner Cup and Tauranga Cup at New Year. Snow-Hansen won the Optimist Nationals in Taipa, Northland a convincing eight points clear of 2nd, clinching the top spot with one race still to sail.

Racing at the Optimist Nationals concluded yesterday with the podium places all going to members of the successful 2004 New Zealand Optimist Team to compete at the World Championships.

Snow-Hansen of Wakatere Boating Club finished on 13 points winning seven of twelve races, while Daniel Wilcox of Murrays Bay Sailing Club was 2nd with 21 points. Carl Evans of Kohimarama Yacht Club finished 3rd with 30 points. Susannah Pyatt of Murrays Bay Sailing Club in 7th place [55 points] was the first girl to finish. 193 sailors competed in the Open fleet.

Snow-Hansen placed 2nd at last years Optimist World Championships in Ecuador. President of the NZ International Dinghy Association, David Glen views this group of young sailors as the talent of the future.

"The reality is we have a group of young sailors here that are sailing together and pushing each other. There is Paul Snow-Hansen, Carl Evans, Daniel Wilcox and a few others that are edging each other along and ensuring the high standards. It's great to see," says Glen.

"It was an excellent weekend of sailing at Taipa. We had fair breezes and a variety of sea conditions. The Optimist Nationals have been sailed for nearly 20 years and this is the first time one sailor has won this title together with the P-Class Tanner and Tauranga Cups in the same season."

The team to represent New Zealand at the 2005 Worlds was announced at the conclusion of the National Championships yesterday and will include the top five place-getters. The strong talent pool lead by Snow-Hansen that has dominated the Optimist Class regattas in recent times will provide New Zealand with high hopes for good results at the Optimist World Championships to be held in late July in Switzerland.

The 2004 New Zealand Team won the Miami Herald Trophy as the top performing team at the 2004 Worlds in Ecuador and was announced joint winners of the 2004 Yachting New Zealand Young Sailor of the Year. Individually Snow-Hansen took 2nd overall and Daniel Wilcox placed 4th. Eligible to compete again this year, the young sailors will be looking to go to Switzerland and improve on last years result.

2005 NZIODA Optimist National Regatta Top Ten Results
Top Five Place-getters selected as the 2005 New Zealand Optimist Team to the World Championships

1st - Paul Snow-Hansen - Wakatere Boating Club - 13 points
2nd - Daniel Wilcox - Murrays Bay Sailing Club - 21 points
3rd - Carl Evans - Kohimarama Yacht Club - 30 points
4th - Luke Deegan - Howick Sailing Club - 32 points
5th - Jason Saunders - Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club - 39 points
6th - Francisco Lardies - Glendowie Boating Club - 41 points
7th - Susannah Pyatt - Murrays Bay Sailing Club - 55 points
8th - George Kool - Glendowie Boating Club - 76 points
9th - Russell Hopper - Murrays Bay Sailing Club - 87 points
10th - Scott Barnes - Murrays Bay Sailing Club - 89 points

Linky Sailing News

Racing International Rolex

News Mendenblatt. Ellen's lap. Coutts 1 & 2. Johnson salvaged. Boxing to sail

Great Lakes Locks open

College Sailing MAISA/SAISA

MAISA/SAISA

MASIA/SAISA
Hampton University

March 26-27, 2005

FINAL RESULTS

REGATTA HIGHLIGHTS:

Saturday started with NE winds at 5-8kts and flat water which held for
most of the day. Wind turned to the east later in the day and varied in
velocity between 5-8 knots all day. Sailed past 5:00pm and were able to
get 8 races in both divisions today in anticipation of bad weather
tomorrow. 11teams total, Citadel is a no-show.

Sunday was overcast with light winds 8-10kts from the East. Wind
direction held all day with varying velocity. Finished up 11 races total
in both divisions and gave the SAISA teams an early start home.

A division = 11 Races
B division = 11 Races
A B TOT

1. St. Mary's College 20 25 45
2. Georgetown 17 30 47
3. College of Charlesto 51 38 89
4. ODU 53 57 110
5. South Florida 70 48 118
6. Univ. of Florida 66 76 142
7. CNU 81 67 148
8. Hampton 74 83 157
9. Wm. & Mary 106 88 194
10. Univ. of Virginia 88 108 196
11. NC State 100 106 206

A division = 11 Races
TOT
1. Georgetown 17 JB Turney
Mary McAuley
2. St. Mary's College 20 Adrienne Patterson
Maggie Lunkes
3. College of Charlesto 51 Blake Kimbrough
Megan Riddle
4. ODU 53 Michael Collins
Tyler Obara
5. Univ. of Florida 66 Tristan Lohman
Ali Figuiero
6. South Florida 70 Phil Tanner
Sarah Hakken
7. Hampton 74 Gabrielle Lyons/Marcellus Wesley
Tiffany Folkes/Maranda Smith
8. CNU 81 Will Mc Cabe
Liz Hund
9. Univ. of Virginia 88 Drew Johnson
Marta Harales/Jessica Burshell
10. NC State 100 Ryan Boyle
Allison Jones
11. Wm. & Mary 106 Chris Seibert
Amy Dapper

B division = 11 Races
TOT
1. St. Mary's College 25 Jenny Gervais
Doria MacKenzie/Katie Tinder
2. Georgetown 30 Kyle Bergeron
Taylor Whitter
3. College of Charlesto 38 Emily Brown
Julia Southworth
4. South Florida 48 Grant Lockhart
Nicole Beckett
5. ODU 57 Brian Mcewing
Amanda Martin
6. CNU 67 Kate McClintock/Mark Newman
Megan Murray/Sara Hattorf
7. Univ. of Florida 76 Travis Waisht
Galen Bruno
8. Hampton 83 Bryana Nicholas/Blake Mathew
Candice Franklin/Michelle Lance
9. Wm. & Mary 88 Benjamin Coffey/Adam Domanski
Arash Sadraee
10. NC State 106 Brady Fish/Alan Stewart
Eric Abernathy
11. Univ. of Virginia 108 Bill Bridges
Ryan Shamburger

Owen Trophy

USMMA - Kings Point

March 26-27, 2005

2:17 PM 3-27-05

REGATTA HIGHLIGHTS:

Saturday: Races 1-8 in each division were sailed in a dying northerly
that held strong for 6 races and died for race 8b. After de-rigging the
420's the southerly filled in nicely and so we re-rigged and sailed two
more races in each division. Courses were a modified trapezoid, breeze
ranged from 10-15 and 2-8. A few protests were heard resulting in one
DSQ, thank you to our Judges Bruce Cook and Jim Ryan who heard those
protests. 10 races in both FJ's and 420's with only 6 remaining, Yale
stands on top. BTTWBJ.

Sunday: 6 races in each division were completed by 1:00 with a strong
northerly turning into a week southerly. Courses were a modified
trapezoid, No Protests filed. Thanks to all the Midshipmen for running
a great event and the Yocum Sailing Center staff for having all the
boats ready in time. Thanks also to Bill Ludlum who was our Judge on
Sunday. Congratulations to Yale, this years Owen Champion. BTTWBJ

A division = 16 Races

B division = 16 Races

A B TOT

1. Yale 66 75 141

2. Dartmouth 61 107 168

3. Washington College 93 98 191

4. Connecticut College 92 113 205

5. Hobart/William Smith 118 90 208

6. USMMA - Kings Point 134 90 224

7. U/Penn 155 78 233

8. Boston University 80 159 239

9. Navy 139 104 243

10. Tufts 150 114 264

11. Brown 115 156 271

12. Columbia 101 173 274

13. CGA 190 112 302

14. Cornell 195 233 428

15. NY Maritime 232 228 460

16. Army 255 247 502

Szambecki Team Race

Aaron Szambecki Team Race Intersectional at Old Dominion University:

Saturday conditions: The wind was northeast shifting east northeast all day at 6-14 mph. On the water judging was provided. Course used was the digital N. 43 races were sailed. Thanks to Town Point Yacht Club for providing lunch, hot drinks, and snacks.

Sunday: Wind was ene 3-10 mph. Course used was the digital N. On the water judging was provided. The second round robin was completed followed by a sail off between Tufts and USC to break a tie for 4th place; USC won and proceeded on to the championship round.

Final results:

Georgetown 15 W 2L
Hobart 12W 5L
ODU 10W 7L
USC 7W 10L

Tufts 7W 7L
St. Mary's 6W 8L
Charleston 5W 9L
TAMUG 0W 14L

Marchiando Trophy Team Race Intersectional

These are the results for: Marchiando Trophy Team Race Intersectional @ MIT March 26-27

Lynne Marchiando – Team Racing
Host MIT
Date March 26 & 27, 2005

This was the 24th running of the Lynne Marchiando Memorial Trophy.
"This trophy was given in memory of Lynne Marchiando, MIT ‘81, by family, team members, and friends of MIT." (NEISA web-site)

Sat. - Wind Speed and Direction
East at 8 gusting to 12.
Judges were on the water.
One complete round robin in FJs.
Courses sailed were N, V, C

Sun. –
Wind from the southeast 8-10.
Judges on the water.
Morning sail repechage for lower six teams - top two join top four from Sat. for finals. Harvard and Dartmouth only brought forward Sat results
Single round robin sailed for finals
Two protests were heard in open hearings for all to observe.
Course sailed was an N all day long

Many people volunteered - Thank you very much to all the people who judged.
Tim Fallon, Joel Hanneman, Ramsay Key, Rich Bell

Race Management - Fran Charles, Mike Kalin, Sue Ostrowski, Ellen Pratt, Bob Coyle, Claudio Cairoli, Shawn Porter, Dwight K. Brown, Victor Preciado.

Sunday Final Results

Points
1. Tufts 18
2. MIT 15
3. Navy 14
4. Roger Williams 9
5. Harvard 5
6. Dartmouth 4
7. Eckerd 9
8. Brown 6
9. Bowdoin 4
10. Boston Univ. 3

Sunday Wins Sunday Losses Sat. Wins Total Score Final Position

Tufts 5 0 8 18 1
MIT 4 1 7 15 2
Navy 3 2 8 14 3
Roger Williams 2 3 5 9 4
Harvard 1 4 3 5 5
Dartmouth 0 5 4 4 6
Eckerd 3 2 3 9 7
Brown 2 3 2 6 8
Bowdoin 1 4 2 4 9
Boston U 1 4 1 3 10

Sunday morning Silver Fleet Results

Sun Win Sun Loss Sat Win Pts
Dartmouth 4 1 4 12
Harvard 4 1 3 11
Eckerd 3 2 3 9
Brown 2 3 2 6
Bowdoin 1 4 2 4
Boston U 1 4 1 3

SATURDAY ROUND ROBIN
Win Loss
Navy 8 1
Tufts 8 1
MIT 7 2
RogerWm 5 4
Dartmouth4 5
Brown 3 6
Bowdoin 3 6
Eckerd 3 6
Harvard 3 6
Boston U 1 8

Record of Participation

Bowdoin College
Pieter Scheerilinck ‘05 all
Frank Pizzo ‘06 all
Rob Parrish ‘08 all
Katie Auth ‘08
Jakie Haskell ‘05
Kelly Rula ‘07

Brown University
Annie Davidson ‘05 all
Katie Lovelace ‘06 all
Isaac Stone ‘07 all
Sall Walkerman ‘05 all
Louise Sherman ‘05 all
Xaykham Khamsyuoravong ‘06 all

Boston University
Chris Love ‘07 all
Ben Spiller ‘08 all
Chanz McManus ‘06 all
Kerry Sullivan ‘08 all
Lauren Kugel ‘07 all
Maddy Kanter ‘08 all

Dartmouth College
Garrett Holmes ‘05 all
Ben Sampson ‘08 all
Todd Whitehead ‘06 all
Debbie Sperling ‘06 all
Laura Sheintkopf ‘07 all
Betsy Bryant ‘08 all

Ekerd College
Peter Stanton ‘06 all
D.J. Driscoll ‘06 all
Kollen Bernard ‘06 all
Kristen Mitchell ‘05 all
Allison Cribbs ‘06 all
Maddy Eustis ‘05 all

Harvard University
Kyle Kovacs ‘08 all
Sloan Devlin ‘06 all
Matt Knowles ’06-‘07 all
Laura Schubert ‘05 all
Christina Dahlman ‘07 all
Sam Fink ‘07 all

M.I.T.
JM Modisette ‘05 all
Jack Field ‘08 all
Jake Muhleman ‘08 all
Cha-ling O’Connell ‘07 all
Wyman Li ‘07 all
Emma Bassein ‘06 all

Naval Academy
John Keith ‘06 all
Katie Whitman ‘07 all
Garth Fesano ‘08 all
Lauren Sutehall ‘07 all
Slava Haywas ‘07 all
Kristen Sprout ‘08 all

Roger Williams Universtiy
Bobby Koar ‘05 12,14,17,19,23,27,37
Andy Goetting ‘08 17,19,23,27,40,43
Drew Hamilton ‘06 12,14,17,19,37,40,43
Dave Hyer ‘07 12,14,23,27,37,40,43
Crews
Kristin Pappas ‘06 12,14,17,19,23,27,37
Alex Boudreau ‘08 17,19,23,27,40,43
Sarah Henley ‘06 12,14,17,19,37,40,43
Elizabeth Wishe ‘05 12,14,23,27,37,40,43

Tufts University
Brendan Shattuck ‘06 all
Bryan Prior ‘06 all
Tommy Leach ‘06 all
Katie Greenlee ‘08 all
Chloe Starr ‘08 all
Meredith Ginley ‘08 all

___________________________________

ACC Mono's

ACC MONO CHAMPS
US NAVAL ACADEMY
26-27 MARCH 2005

5:26 PM 3-27-05

REGATTA HIGHLIGHTS:
Very light conditions all weekend long- 3-8 knots N to NE.
Best wind of the regatta was 2:30 - 3:30 Sunday.
Results below...

A division = 16 Races
TOT
1. Stephen Gay 51
2. Eric Reitinger 77
3. Bobby Martin 90
4. Isaac Bussil 91
5. Corey Lynam 98
6. Valen Smith 104
7. Jeff Sharp 105
8. Ryan White 127
9. Matt Conover 143
10. Steve Guenther 159
11. Jeff Fink 164
12. Arian Radmand 166
13. Kevin McGill 183
14. Devin Hurson 192
15. Kevin Santoro 195
16. Sterling Schlegel 235
17. Ian Hanover 269

Daedalus to the Barn

Team Daedalus has officially entered the Indian Ocean after a quick transit of the South Atlantic. At 22:00 GMT on Sunday night Tony Bullimore and his team passed the longitude of Cape Point some 350 miles south of the famous landmark. They are still technically in the Roaring Forties but the weather seems less fierce after the weeks spent in the deep south. Their course is almost due east as they ride the fringe of yet another Southern Ocean low enjoying strong, gusty westerly winds. Their speed for the past 18 hours has not dropped below 20 knots as the old girl, the yacht that is, eats up the miles on the home stretch up the Indian Ocean. While the sailing may have been fast, it has not been easy as Tony described in his daily log. “The last 24 hours have been traumatic,” he wrote. “We have been going straight down our track, doing around 20 knots. One minute we are running a bit deep and we then slow down to around 15 knots and then the helmsman heats it up and we are doing 27 to 28 knots. But most of the time we hold the boat on course. We were really flying last night when there was an almighty bang, and within a second we realized that the Gennaker halyard had failed. This had happened before and although one or two of the guys are saying the rope is on the old side etc, the fact is, if you suddenly heat up the boat, the sail and halyard, and the sheets for that matter, go under a tremendous point load and that is when you get some of the breakages. To put it simply, if you put too much load on the rope, or any other component on the boat, it will break. Everything has a safe working load, and a breaking load. One needs to understand this. One needs to work within guidelines or gut feelings that gets more reliable with the experience of sailing these incredible racing machines.”

The weather pattern for Daedalus is much different than it was for the crew of Doha 2006 who passed this way ten days ago. At this point in the race Doha 2006 was a further 400 miles south and heading deeper, forced that way by a persistent ridge of high pressure. The only high within range is 3000 miles to the east of Daedalus getting squashed by the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Hennie. With any luck Tony and his team will be able to skirt inside the region and sail a more direct course for the Mauritius turning mark. They have now taken well over a 1,000 miles out of Doha 2006, but that all about to change. The Qatari catamaran has found some fair weather and is “heading for the barn” as they say in sailing circles. Fraser Brown on board Doha 2006 noted the change of course in his daily log. “On my last watch we did have some good news from the nav station asking us to come down 10 degrees,” he wrote. “This gives us a slightly better angle on the waves and on average is a little quicker.” After five days of relentless upwind bashing, sailing off course, it’s a relief to finally ease sheets and make some distance toward the finish now less than 3,000 miles away.

The storm that was Tropical Cyclone Hennie is still moving south and has weakened as it passed over cooler waters. The US-based tropical storm agency did an outstanding job of forecasting both the strength and direction of the cyclone and their detailed analysis allowed Brian Thompson and his crew to pass the tropical low in relative safety. They might have been safe, but it was not a smooth ride as Fraser Brown described in his log. “It's hard to explain what we have been dealing with over the last few days,” he wrote. “Everything is difficult from sleeping to cooking, going to the toilet, and even just standing up or trying to put on your foul weather gear without wiping out. There is also a big difference in the motion depending on what side of the boat you are on. Because we are on starboard tack the port hull, which is 50 feet away, spends most of it's time lurching giving you a backwards motion as it is effectively always trying to catch up to the windward hull. This lurching motion is so intense that we are now sleeping with our heads facing forwards. This is usually bad practice, but in this case it's completely necessary. I have woken up two times much further down my bunk and would rather have my feet hitting the bulkhead, than my head.”

The standard practice on a maxi-multihull is always to sleep feet first. These boats travel at high speeds, sometimes in excess of 40 knots. A collision with a solid object will bring the boat to a sudden, crashing standstill, catapulting the crew forward. If someone is sleeping head forward, the impact of their head hitting the bulkhead could be catastrophic. So feet first it is, unless, as Fraser Brown described in his log, a different set of circumstances presents itself.

The weather ahead still looks complicated for Thompson and his crew. The area between where they are now sailing and the Gulf of Oman is usually dominated by high pressure with a clockwise air circulation. This means more upwind sailing for Doha 2006 as they skirt by the eastern side of the high pressure region. Brian Thompson and his navigator, Will Oxley, have been eyeing the road ahead knowing full well what they are in store for. “Now our focus turns on to getting to the winds of the northeast monsoon that are blowing down the North Indian Ocean” he wrote. “That is another windward leg and we will try to set ourselves up to get as far north before starting that long beat to the Straight of Hormuz. Meanwhile all is good on board. Everyone is enjoying a break from the constant motion of going to windward. We are giving the boat are thorough check over and all seems ok.”

Three thousand mile in a maxi-catamaran, even upwind, is about a weeks sailing so Thompson and his team are looking at an ETA early next week. Tony Bullimore on Daedalus, if all goes well, should be sighting the sand dunes of Doha in just under three weeks. The beat goes on. Doha is getting ready to welcome their national entry back home while the multinational crew hunker down for the final slog to the finish.

Famous Curry Time

Since the early days of planning the Oryx Quest 2005, the anticipated weather in the Indian Ocean has been a constant topic of conversation. Unlike most ‘conventional’ around-the-world races, the Oryx Quest 2005 transits the length of the Indian Ocean and not the Atlantic, and it’s the Indian that has dished up the most surprises, and the most tactical challenges. On the way south it was debris from the tsunami that caused concern and may have been the deciding factor in Geronimo’s withdrawal after they struck a solid object while sailing at speed. Now, as the boats head north, there are different concerns, most of them tropical in nature as it’s cyclone season in the Southern Hemisphere and these dangerous storms bring their own unease. It’s a pity that Geronimo and Cheyenne are not still racing; the tactical opportunities have been numerous and would have certainly made the racing more interesting. Perhaps too interesting for Brian Thompson and his crew on Doha 2006 as they hunt down the million dollar prize and the prestige of winning the inaugural Oryx Quest.

Since turning north out of the Southern Ocean it has been a minefield of weather obstacles for the crew of the Qatari catamaran. They were originally forced way south of Cape Town by two obstinate high pressure systems, and now as they sail north, they are being sent on a circuitous route up the Indian to evade Tropical Cyclone Hennie. Their course has been a wide arc to avoid either potentially dangerous gale force winds, or potentially frustrating clams. Now that they have passed the Mauritius waypoint and are just over 1,000 miles south of the equator the way ahead does not look any easier. Brian Thompson reports from Doha 2006. “Up ahead the weather routing is suggesting a very easterly course up the Indian Ocean, almost out to 80E, and then up to the east of the Chagos Islands and perhaps even east of the Maldives. We are going to be passing our outward track pretty soon and completing an around-the-world voyage before we even finish.. Chagos to Chagos. In the current forecasts there is certainly more wind to the east, especially in four or five days time, so we are persisting with our upwind strategy for now to set us up for some nice reaching conditions ahead. If we crack off now we will soon be upwind all the way to the finish.” Fortunately that part of the Indian Ocean is one of the most beautiful for sailing and although the crew on Doha 2006 are still racing as hard as they can, they will surely take some time to enjoy the brilliant turquoise water and warm tropical evenings on board. They will also be secure in the knowledge that these are their final few days at sea and although the tug of life on land is strong, the simple pleasure of sailing around the world must be savoured.

In a different ocean, still thumping downwind at full speed, Tony Bullimore and his crew on Daedalus are also savouring their time at sea. It’s Easter Sunday and Tony has opted to cook his crew a belting hot curry to warm their chilled bones. In a brief satellite phone call Tony discussed lunch plans. “It’s my turn to cook and I an going to make one of my famous curries,” he said. “We are very low on ingredients but we do have some canned beef and some nice curry powder that my wife Lalal and I bought in Doha a few days before the start. We are going to enjoy the meal thinking about all the fine spicy meals I had when I was last in South Africa which, by the way, is now less than 600 miles away.” Had the wind been blowing from the northeast rather than the southwest, Tony and his team might have been able to smell the pungent Malay curries being prepared on the Cape Peninsula as the local people prepare their special meal this Sunday morning.

To all those celebrating Easter at sea, we hope that you find the chocolate eggs we hid on board before the start and enjoy the day at sea. At least this time next year when someone asks what you did for Easter last year, you will remember. How many past holidays have blurred into a distant memory? Have a great Sunday and a safe day on the open ocean.

International Rolex Regatta

In a change of pace from past years, sailors at the International Rolex Regatta in St. Thomas, USVI, traded in short-course buoy racing for a coastal romp that took them from Cowpet Bay, where host St. Thomas Yacht Club is located, to a finish line just inside the harbor of Charlotte Amalie. The 79-boat fleet then reversed course for the second race of the day and beat back upwind in 12-15 knot breezes to St. Thomas Yacht Club where a beach party awaited the tired but happy competitors. It was the second day of the three-day Easter Weekend event, which has repeated itself here for 32 years, and now only one race remains tomorrow to determine the winners of Rolex watches in each of nine classes competing.

The IC-24s and J/24s reached the harbor first, taking the most direct course for the coastal distance of six miles, while the bigger boats and beach cats added around-the-buoys extensions to their routes, making the longest of the courses a 16-miler. With easterly winds prevailing, getting to Charlotte Amalie was an easy mix of downwind and reaching angles, but the return trip was an uphill slog, especially for the Beach Cats, which don't point as high as monohulls.

"It was just over an hour getting there and an eternal two and a half hours getting back.," said Carla Figueroa of Puerto Rico, who is crewing for her husband Enrique, the class's defending champion, on Suzuki/Red Bull. "I would have liked to have done the easier part last!," she laughed. She and her husband easily topped the class in both races, as they did in yesterday's three races. The latter Figueroa is a multiple world and national champion in catamarans and has represented his country in the Olympics four times.

Richard Shulman (Riverside, R.I.), the skipper of the IMX 45 Temptress, absolutely loved the return trip, no matter how "gruelling" it was. "I actually gave up the helm at one point, because I wanted to sit on the rail and look around. It's my first time to do this event, and the scenery is just so amazing." The Temptress crew, made up of all Rhode Islanders, maintained its lead over Spinnaker Racing Class 2 when it won both of today's races. Shulman said the key to his success is having a core group that has sailed together for over two decades. He gave a respective nod to Carlo Falcone of Italy and Antigua, who is holding on to second aboard his Vallicelli 44 Caccia Alla Volpe. "We have to work hard to beat them," said Shulman.

Not so happy today was Puerto Rico's Enrique Torruella, who was embroiled in a head-to-head battle with another Melges 24 skippered by Guy Eldridge of Roadtown, Tortola, BVI in Spinnaker Racing Class 3. Torruella's boat Don Q Limon, which led Eldridge's Mistress Quickly by a mere one point going into today's first race, passed his competitor downwind and claims that Mistress Quickly illegally pumped its way past him again to win. Torruella protested, but to no avail; however, a wide-margin victory over Mistress in race two keeps him ahead of his adversary, but again by only one point. "Tomorrow's another day," he said. And tomorrow this will certainly be the battle to watch.

The start for the return course today provided the most visual excitement, as boats worked to use the confinement of the harbor and the starting line within it to their advantage. For the five largest boats sailing in Spinnaker Racing Class 1, the scene was more like watching the pre-race maneuvers at the America's Cup, as the boats wove in and out among spectator boats and anchored cruising boats to find an advantageous position. Tom Hill's Puerto Rican entrant, Titan 12, swept the competition for a second day in this class.

A final distance race, this one a traditional course through Pillsbury Sound, is planned for tomorrow.

For rosters and results, www.rolexcupregatta.com

International Rolex Regatta

Results
Day 2 (March 26, 2005)

Position, Boat Name, Skipper, Hometown, Country, Boat Type, Finish Positions, Score

Spinnaker Racing 1 (5 boats)
1. Titan 12, Tom Hill, San Juan, PR, USA, R/P 75, 1-1-1-1-1, 5
2. Donnybrook, James P. Muldoon, Washington, DC, USA, Custom 73, 2-3-4-5-2, 16
3. Equation, Bill Alcott, St. Clair Shores, MI, USA, Andrews, 5-2-5-2-3, 17

Spinnaker Racing 2 (5 boats)
1. Temptress, Richard Shulman, Riverside, RI, USA, IMX45, 1-1-2-1-1, 6
2. Caccia Alla Volpe, Carlo Falcone, Antigua, ANT, Vallicelli 44, 2-2-1-2-2, 9
2. Cosmic War Lord, Michael Shlens, Los Angeles, CA, USA, Express 37, 3-3-3-3-3, 15

Spinnaker Racing 3 (6 boats)
1. Don Q Limon, Enrique Torruella, Guaynabo, PR, Melges 24, 1-3-2-2-1, 9
2. Mistress Quickly, Guy Eldridge, Roadtown, Tortola, BVI, Melges 24, 4-2-1-1-2, 10
3. Contact Carib 2, Frits Bus, Philipsburg, St. Martin, NA, Melges 24, 2-1-4-3-3, 13

Spinnaker Racing 4 (11 boats)
1. Lost Horizon II, James Dobbs, ANT, Olson 30, 1-2-1-1-1, 6
2. Magnificent Seven, John Foster, St. Thomas, USVI, J/27, 2-1-2-2-2, 9
3. Broken Drum, Jack Bishop, St. Croix, VI, USA, 7-5-3-6-3, 24

Spinnaker Racer/Cruiser (7 boats)
1. Lazy Dog, Sergio Sagramoso, San Juan, PR, FIRST 40.7, 1-3-1-1-1, 7
2. Anticipation, Peter Newlands, Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK, Beneteau 40.7, 2-1-2-3-2, 10
3. Pipe Dream, Peter Haycraft, Roadtown, Tortola, BVI, Sirena 38, 3-4-3-2-3, 15

Beach Cats (11 boats)
1. Suzuki/Red Bull, Enrique Figueroa, San Juan, PR, USA, Hobie Cat 16, 1-1-1-5-1, 9
2. Exodus, Keke Figueroa, San Juan, PR, Hobie Cat 16, 2-2-2-8-2, 16
3. Blame It On Rhea, Mark Chong, St. Thomas, USVI, Prindle 19, 4-3-4-1-6, 18

Class: Non Spinnaker Racing (11 boats)
1. Cayennita, Antonio/Ellen Sanpere, Christiansted, USVI, Soverel 27, 2-3-4,9
2. Wildflower, Stan Joines, St. Croix, USVI, Alberg, 4-1-6, 11

3. TNT 76, Rudy Thompson, St. Thomas, USVI, Sonar 23, 3-4-5, 12

Class: J-24 (7 boats)
1. Orion, Fraito Lugo, Ponce, PR, USA, DNS-1-1-1-2-1, 14
2. Urayo, Gilberto Rivera, Guayanabo, PR, USA, DNS-2-2-5-1-2, 20
3. El Shaddai II, Jeff Fangmann, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI, 1-4-7-3-6-3, 24

Class: IC-24 (16 boats)
1. Sea Hawk, Robert/Michael Hirst, Tortola, BVI, 2-1-2-3-2-2, 12
2. BamBoushay, Chris Rosenberg, St. Thomas, USVI, 3-4-3-2-1-1, 14
3. Stinger, John Holmberg, St. Thomas, USVI, 1-3-1-9-3-5, 22

ABN AMRO choses 8 Sailors

TEAM ABN AMRO announces its eight core second boat sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005/06
25 March 2005 - Portimão, Portugal
TEAM ABN AMRO has selected its final eight sailors who will form the core crew for the ABN AMRO
second boat in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005/06.

These eight young professional sailors are:
Phil Harmer - Australia
Luke Malloy - Australia
Lucas Brun - Brazil
Andre Mirsky - Brazil
Gerd-Jan Poortman - the Netherlands
Simeon Tienpont - the Netherlands
Andrew Lewis - United States
George Peet - United States

These eight sailors have been chosen from an initial group of 80 candidates who competed in crew selections all around the world. These sailors were selected from four regional crew selections: one
Dutch, Brazilian, American and international.

Five sailors out of each of these four selections came to Portugal to compete, beginning on 15 March. After a week of sailing tests, 12 were chosen to compete in a final week of selection.

TEAM ABN AMRO originally received over 1,800 resumes from young sailors under 30 who wanted to be a part of the team and receive the chance to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race. Two judges, Maurice Paardenkooper and Hans Horrevoets, have chosen the sailors with the right balance of judgement, teamwork, all-round sailing experience and technical knowledge required to be able to successfully sail in the Volvo Ocean Race.

This past two weeks twenty high potential young sailors under the age of thirty competed for a seat on board the Volvo 70 to race in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005/06. The first week of this final crew selection involved morning and afternoon sailing sessions, medical
testing and crew meetings. All sailing was done on the 60 foot ;Pindar boat, which is famous for its solo round-the-world travels under skipper Emma Richards. The second week, which concluded on 24 March, included long-distance offshore sailing.

The candidates sailed 24 hours a day without stopping for several days. The boat has a watch system, where there is always a crew working and a crew resting. These sailors were on the water for 18 hours a day and on land for six hours a day.
Sebastien Josse (Skipper), Nick Bice, Simon Fisher (Navigator) and Scott Beavis, the four second boat crew members announced earlier this week, attended the final selection to welcome their future
crewmembers to TEAM ABN AMRO. They later went out and sailed with their new teammates aboard the Pindar, alongside the ABN AMRO first boat.

TEAM ABN AMRO will be sailing two boats in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005/06. The first boat is comprised of fully professional crew members with many years of experience.

The second boat is largely comprised of young professional sailors under 30 who have yet to sail around the world, but who have extensive sailing experience. They will be given the same equipment and provisions as the first boat. This is the first time that two boats will race under one banner in the Volvo
Ocean Race.

The Volvo Ocean Race is the toughest off-shore race in the world, covering over 32,000 nautical miles.

Linky Sailing News

Racing OQ day by day

News Coutts won't sail. Brasil I. Johnson freed

Great Lakes Water Level Update

College Sailing HOF

Water Level Update

Below you'll find water level info that pertains to Lakes Michigan and Huron.

Reference Point- Measurements in Inches

Difference from Chart Datum +3
Difference from last month 0
Difference from last year +7
Difference from long term average for March -10
Difference from Record High -40
Difference from Record Low +20
Forecast for 18 April +4

Click for information on other lakes.

8 days to Qatar

In the South Atlantic Tony Bullimore and his crew on Daedalus have started their slow turn north out of the Southern Ocean. If they continue on their present course they will pass close by the coast of South Africa, cutting the corner and further closing the gap between themselves and Brian Thompson’s team on Doha 2006. In the last week Daedalus has taken over a thousand miles out of the larger catamaran as the crew on the Qatar boat have played ding dong with Tropical Cyclone Hennie. At the 07:00 GMT poll on Friday morning Daedalus was 100 miles due south of tiny Gough Island sailing at speed as they get dragged along by the fringes of a Southern Ocean front. The wind has been gusting over 40 knots, blowing strong and steady out of the west. “Yesterday was our best day yet with a 24-hour run of 525 miles,” Tony wrote in his daily log. “We are now midway across the Atlantic with 1,500 miles to go before rounding the Cape of Good Hope. If these winds continue we will be heading into the Indian Ocean within the next 3 days.” 525 miles in a day is significant. In the mid 80s, shortly after the boat was originally launched as Formula Tag, it set a new 24-hour distance record of 525 nautical miles. At that time it seemed unbreakable, but technology does not stand still. The latest 24-hour speed record stands at 706.2 nautical miles, an average speed of 29. 42 knots, set in August last year by French sailor Bruno Peyron and his crew on Orange II. Now that old record is just another good days sailing for Tony and his team. Despite munching up the miles, the crew are finding food pickings a little slim. Tony’s log continues; “While the racing is fantastic, we are running short of food which is not so good. We are okay for powdered milk, coffee, tea and chocolate drink, but have run out of sugar and are short on food. Our freeze dried fare should save the day, along with standby stocks of RyVita, but we have nothing to spread on it. No butter, jam, marmalade or anything else.” Like Doha 2006 Tony and his crew are going to have to start food rationing soon.

At the same 07:00 GMT poll Doha 2006 was sailing on a north-northeasterly course at 19 knots keeping a wary eye out for the tropical storm that had been dogging them for days. At present TS Hennie is located south of the island of Mauritius moving in a south-southeast direction at 10 knots. It’s still a powerful storm, but Thompson and his team have done a fine job of giving the worst of it a wide berth. They are almost 800 miles from the center of Hennie enjoying a fast ride north despite the light wind conditions. “At present we have full main and Solent sailing in 12 knots wind on the edge of the high-pressure system,” Brian Thompson wrote. “The sea is a deep blue, the sun is shining, and the only spoiler is an easterly swell, big enough to limit our speed at present, but quite manageable so long as the on-deck team are playing the sheets and keeping the boat speed to 15 knots.” Thompson and his navigator Will Oxley have targeted a waypoint at 70 degrees east which they plan to reach before turning north. They are already 400 miles east of the longitude of the Gulf of Oman, almost due south of India. The double high pressure zones in the South Atlantic and Indian oceans, and this wide arc around Hennie, has added close to 3,000 extra miles to their course. Thompson’s log continues; “We should have good reaching conditions for the first 300 or so miles and then it may turn more upwind for us again. By this time we should be at the same latitude as Hennie and it will be the windiest section, but hopefully not much more than 25 knots for a short period. The further east we are the better it will be. So there we have it. We kept our options open for as long as possible and now we have made our bed and are lying in it. It’s pretty comfortable; good enough for me to clock up some good sleep last night. Now we just have to carry out the plan and look after the boat as much as we can.”

Doha 2006 still has 3,760 miles to go to the finish in Qatar. After almost 20,000 miles of racing the end seems tantalizingly close, however there is still a lot of ocean between their bows and the warm sand of the Middle East. Later today the two remaining boats in the Oryx Quest 2005 will enter the eighth week of their around-the-world odyssey. While playing with ETA’s is never an exact science, it’s worth noting that if Doha 2006 is able to maintain their high teen average speed which they have kept up since the start, they will arrive back in Qatar in eight days.

Coutts Will Not Sail

Ernesto Bertarelli, Alinghi Holdings and Russell Coutts announced today that they have amicably settled their past disagreements. As part of this settlement, Russell Coutts shall not sail for another team in the 32nd America’s Cup.

Ernesto Bertarelli and Russell Coutts both expressed their deep satisfaction with this positive outcome. Both parties have agreed to make no further comments.

Geneva, March 24, 2005

10 Days to Figaro Opener

IN BRIEF:

* ON APRIL 3RD, SKANDIA WILL BE ON THE START LINE OF HER FIRST FIGARO SOLO TRANSATLANTIC RACE - THE TROPHEE BPE FROM ST.NAZAIRE TO CUBA...

* SAM IS THE ONLY BRITISH SAILOR IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE 12 STRONG FLEET THAT INCLUDES TWO PREVIOUS FIGARO WINNERS...

* SAM COMPLETES SEA SURVIVAL COURSE AND MAKES FINAL PREPARATIONS BEFORE DEPARTING PORT LA FORET FOR ST.NAZAIRE…

* JEAN-YVES BERNOT, EXPLAINS THE WEATHER SYSTEMS COMPETITORS CAN EXPECT DURING THE RACE…

* DOWNLOAD THE TROPHEE BPE COURSE MAP BY GOING TO http://www.ocftp2.com/images/8544high_he.jpg

IN DETAIL:

In less than ten days time, on April 3rd at 1300BST Sam will be on the start line of the Trophée BPE - her first solo transatlantic race onboard SKANDIA Figaro. Last week, Sam completed her last training race with her preparateur Erwan LeMeilleur, and has been making last minute repairs & final preparations. At the end of this week, they will be leaving their base at Port La Forêt, for the delivery trip to St.Nazaire, 60 miles to the south.

Of the 12 competitors (listed below), Sam is the only British sailor taking part, and will be up against former Figaro winner Eric DROUGLAZET as well as Charles CAUDRELIER, winner of La Solitaire du Figaro last year. Also, Sam’s team mate in last years top 5 result in the 2-up Transat AG2R, Jeanne Gregoire (Banque Populaire) will this time be one of Sam’s biggest rivals.

The course is an interesting one, with the great circle route taking the boats very far north – potentially an upwind race, before the descent towards Cuba. It promises to be a very tactical race, without the prospect of the downwind surfing conditions usually experienced in transatlantic races that head towards the Caribbean.

This transatlantic race is the first of three events for Sam in the Figaro circuit this year – with the Generali Soli in the Med in June and the big one, La Solitaire, in August.

To download the Trophée BPE Course Map (St.Nazaire – Cuba) please go to http://www.ocftp2.com/images/8544high_he.jpg

TROPHEE BPE ENTRY LIST
(skipper / boat name/ sail number*)

1. BESTAVEN Yannick / AQUARELLE.COM / 34
2. CAUDRELIER Charles / BOSTIK / 3
3. DA CRUZ Antonio Pedro / LITTLE BLACK SHARK / 47
4. DAVIES Samantha (GB) / SKANDIA / 10
5. DROUGLAZET Eric / CREDIT MARITIME - ZEROTWO / 6
6. EMIG Marc / TOTAL / 30
7. GREGOIRE Jeanne / BANQUE POPULAIRE / 40
8. LIVORY Yannig / ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT / 67
9. MORVAN Gildas / CERCLE VERT / 5
10. RAISON David / not communicated / 93
11. TRIPON Armel / GEDIMAT / 57
12. VITTET Dominic / ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM / 22

(*If a skipper's finishing position in the Championnat de France 2004 is in the top 10 this determines the number on their mainsail)

Official race website: http://www.trophee-bpe2005.com (French only)

INTERVIEW WITH SAM

What have you been up to this week?
"This week has been pretty busy. In fact, I am loosing track of which week is which because time is going so fast. At the end of the "stage" of on-the-water training we did an overnight training race, which was really good for me (and the others who are doing the BPE) to get everything up and running in "race mode" for the Transat. Erwan and I had made it our goal that "Skandia" was race ready - in configuration for the BPE, so as well as racing (like normal) I spent a fair amount of time running the weatherfax, Iridium, sending e-mails (trying to send photos!) receiving weather forecasts etc. - I even chose the worst point (upwind, big swell, really uncomfortable!) to cook my spaghetti bolognaise!!! I was really happy at the end of the race because everything was great on board. I had sailed a good race too, making a small tactical error in the night, but generally good. The only thing that was strange was that I was having trouble with my water ballast…

So, Erwan checked out the ballast, and found that the entire Port tank had delaminated with water inside the balsa core - pretty serious problem. So we called Beneteau and they have begun straight away to help us re-construct a new tank! One of the guys at Beneteau worked all weekend to prepare the work, which is underway whilst I write. Luckily, Skandia is so well prepared and ready, apart from this, that it is not too stressful to have such major work going on one week before we start! It is just a little inconvenient! I am really lucky to be part of Offshore Challenges, because I have the support of the team - when one person has a problem, everyone in the team works together to help the "priority skipper" (i.e. whoever has the race the closest) get through. And in this case, Oli and Rob have come down from Lorient (where they are working on Ellen's tri - B&Q Castorama) to help Erwan supervise the repairs."

How did your Sea Survival course go this week? What did it involve?
"The Sea Survival is a course / certificate that is compulsory for those of us who are doing the Transat - part of some new rules that are coming into force. We've done it before, but it is always good to re-cap and refresh the memory and learn any new techniques. It comprised of first aid, fire-fighting, general safety tips, liferaft, survival in the water, flare firing...
We were messing around a bit in between survival in the water (conserving body heat, floating properly, getting in, out and under obstacles) and liferaft practise - launching, re-turning, getting in and out of liferafts...)
It is good timing to do it just before leaving on a Transat because it makes me think about how I would deal with situations on board, and whether I need any extra kit (other than what is defined in our rules.)"

To download a photo of Sam and the Finistere Course au Large team taking during their Sea Survival Course, go to http://www.ocftp2.com/images/8580low_pf.jpg (Sam is in the middle of the group – wearing a red and yellow hat!)

How are you feeling about leaving Port La Forêt?
"It seems strange that our training is nearly over - time passes so quickly. I feel like I could do a year of this training and still have LOADS left to learn. At the same time, I have learnt a lot in the last two months. I am IMPATIENT to start the BPE. It feels like AGES that I have not raced properly! And having watched my teammates race around the world this winter I have extremely itchy feet! It is good that the first race is a Transat because I need to do a long one!!"

How are preparations going for the race and for the delivery trip to St.Nazaire?
"As I said above - preparations are great - I have never felt so ready to go this early. I even have all the food sorted! I am trying to do as much as possible now so that I can concentrate on weather and strategy as much as possible in the last week, at St Nazaire. This week, Jeanne Gregoire and I are "sharing" a day with Jean-Yves Bernot to study the course in detail and really get my head into the race. Some of the day will be in the classroom, some in our boats - to optimise our chart table, and make our lives as easy as possible on board.

The only slight thing holding us up is the ballast tank problem, which should be all fixed by Friday night, which is when I plan to leave on the delivery to St.Nazaire. The delivery trip is the last time I will sail offshore and overnight before the start. Romain will come with me - I want to have someone to try to help me get into the sailing a bit - we have done a lot of sailing this winter, but not much offshore or overnight (it has been too cold) and I feel that I need to push myself back into the rhythm of being offshore. I felt a bit "rusty" last week (everyone said the same thing - phew!) so it would be good if Romain is there to "coach" me a little! I really want to make the most of this last trip. At the same time as we take the boat, Erwan will be driving the cradle to St.Nazaire to drop it off for the ship to go to Cuba for the return of the boat...Life is complicated!"

JEAN-YVES BERNOT, one of sailing’s top weather experts has been spending time at the Finistere Course au Large centre teaching the team how to read the weather, the best way to use the routing software on maxsea and advice. We caught up with him to find out more…

Can you explain how you have been working with Sam and the team at Finistere Course au Large to improve their knowledge? What kind of work you have been doing?
"In such a competitive fleet, strategy will be a key part of the game. Sailors need to be familiar with the weather tools they are allowed to use during the race - weather charts by weather fax and GRIB files from the internet these are basis for on board weather routing. This needs timely analysis to be sure the tools give more answers than questions...
However, sailors need to know what the general weather is on the course and what kind of strategy they will have to handle. Remember the ultimate goal for a navigator is not weather, but to make a good course in a difficult working environment. Key words are "autonomy in decision making."

How is the weather looking for the start of the race? and during the race?
"It's too early to give accurate weather forecast for the start, but we can say the systems of travelling low pressure will be at work. This means westerlies, and a lot of decision making about how the front will cross the fleet & how to manage the low pressure centre... Be dynamic..."

What weather systems will the fleet experience during the race?
"The big picture is 3 main systems:
1. From start to Azores - the fleet is in the range of North Atlantic low pressure systems. Expect SW to NW wind medium to strong, and quickly changing weather. Aggressive strategy is needed to try to make a break before the Azores.
2. From Azores to West Indies - the question is how deep to go to the South to get the Trade Winds. Heading directly to the South will ensure steady downwind conditions at the cost of a longer course. Sailing a more direct course will ensure short distance at the price of more difficult weather patterns, and the threat of being trapped in the Azores high pressure system with it's infamous light winds.
3. The Caribbean sea is normally the domain of steady NE trade winds. Some trade winds failure related to US coast cold fronts may put some spice in the game."

The Route du Rhum is another transatlantic race with a similar route (St.Malo – Guadeloupe) which takes places in November on 50ft & 60ft mono & multihulls. How is this race different from a race like the Route du Rhum? How will this affect the weather & the race?
"Compared to Route du Rhum, this race is somewhat different:
- The race is longer because it is sailed in a smaller boat. This means between 3 weeks and 1 month at sea alone, with hard racing. Being in good condition in the last part of the race will be paramount for both boat and sailor.
- This is a one-design race, with so little difference from boat to boat that any mistake will be paid for
- Starting in April means a vigorous first part from the Bay of Biscay to the Azores, together with cold weather in Northeast Atlantic. On the other hand, the tropical part should be more steady than what we may expect in November.
- The long coastal part in Caribbean Sea needs awareness after an Atlantic crossing. It will probably be difficult after 3 weeks offshore to have the stamina to deal with all the traps we can expect in coastal sailing: navigation, changing coastal weather, tactics with close competitors etc..."

2005 FIGARO PROGRAMME
3 April: Trophée BPE 2005 (St.Nazaire – Cienfuegos, Cuba)
6-25 June: La Generali Solo 2005
1-28 August: La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro 2005

Lake Levels Rising

That's the forecast in a nutshell for Great Lakes water levels this summer, experts say.

Lake Huron is up 10 inches from this time last year, according to the latest forecast from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The lake, measured together with Lake Michigan for forecasting purposes, is expected to be up by 8 to 10 inches this July, compared to the summer of 2004, said Phil C. Ross, acting chief for the Corps' hydrology branch in Detroit.

In recent years, water level forecasters have been careful about saying that lake levels are on the upswing, signaling an end to near-record low water levels that have plagued the Great Lakes, causing barges to lighten their loads and marinas to dredge.

But Ross said he thinks the levels are edging back up, even though there's still a degree of uncertainty about the natural cycles of the lakes.

"If the meltoff is good and spring rains are semi-heavy and at least above-average, then you're definitely going to see higher levels (this summer), but it's definitely going to be driven by the storm patterns this spring."

The latest forecast shows Michigan-Huron at 3 inches above the depth markings on navigational charts and 10 inches up from this time last year.

Lake Huron is still 10 inches below its long-term monthly average level for March, and 40 inches below the highest recorded monthly mean in 1986, but 20 inches above the lowest recorded monthly mean from 1964.

The lake is projected to rise another 3 inches by April 4, the Corps says.

Speed: 29.6 knots

Oryx Quest Round the World Race - Day 46
Time: 15:00 24.3.05
Position: 42.06.20S 12.47.46W
Speed; 29.6 knots

Yesterday was our best day yet with a 24 hour run of 525 miles. We are now mid-way across the Atlantic with 1,500 miles to go before rounding the Cape of Good Hope. If these winds continue we will be heading into the Indian Ocean within the next 3 days.

While the racing is fantastic, we are running short of food which is not so good. We are okay for powdered milk, coffee, tea and chocolate drink, but have run out of sugar and are short on food. Our freeze dried fare should save the day, along with standby stocks of RyVita

But we have nothing to spread on it. No butter, jam, marmalade or anything else.

For the last week we have enjoyed reasonably good winds and expect this to continue for the next couple of days.

We have around 8,000 miles to go to the finish line off Dohar, most of it in the Indian Ocean.

Cape Town is very much the crossroads of the seas. If you stand on Table Mountain and look due south you are looking out at the southern ocean. Gaze left you are staring at the Indian Ocean; gaze right

And you have the South Atlantic ocean. The first time l did this was 47 years ago when l sailed to Cape Town and then on to Durban aboard the SS Cape Town Castle. I find the sight just as thrilling now as I did then.

There is an old saying: give a South African a bag of Biltong and a can of water and he will walk the length of Africa. South African sailors like Bertie Reed and John Martin have that they can do the same on the high seas. With food stocks as they on Daedalus, we have got to learn to do the same!

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Racing Sofia Trophy

News Ainslie stays with Finn. Johnson still grounded. Laser voyage

Great Lakes Sector Lake Michigan

College Sailing Navy News

Cyclone Hennie

Tropical cyclone Hennie is moving south very slowly packing sustained winds of 45 knots with gusts in excess of 60 knots. For now the storm is moving as forecast, but in the next few hours it’s track will change to head more to the southeast where potentially it could cause some trouble for Brian Thompson and his crew on Doha 2006. In a satellite phone call navigator Will Oxley described the situation. “We have made good progress through the night,” he said. “We kept good wind and have made excellent ground to the east. We are about a hundred miles from the point where we will finally be able to turn north and head in a more direct course for the finish. It hasn’t been good for making distance toward Doha, but the sailing has been really pleasant.” The easting has allowed them to put roughly 500 miles between the center of the storm and themselves, enough distance, they hope, to avoid the worst of the gale force winds associated with the cyclone.

In the southern hemisphere it is best to attempt to pass a cyclone to the west and at all costs avoid the dangerous quadrant to the southeast. Unfortunately given the fact that the island of Mauritius is a mark of the course this option was all but closed for Thompson and his team. The wind being generated by a storm like Hennie comes from two sources; the actual wind circulating around the center of the system and the apparent wind being generated by the forward movement of the storm. In the southern hemisphere winds rotate clockwise around the center of the cyclone. If you are to the east, like Doha 2006, you can expect to get winds from the north. The wind strength is tempered by the forward movement of the storm. As it tracks to the south the wind on the eastern side increases (wind strength plus forward movement of the storm) while on the western side it decreases (wind strength less forward movement of the storm). In a normal situation the wind difference can be as much as 20 knots which can make the difference between a bad storm and a lethal cyclone.

As Brian Thompson and his crew on Doha 2006 tiptoe around the edge of the system they may be spared the brunt of the storm, but they will not find the going easy. The wind will be from the north providing headwinds and the sea state may be rough. The effects of a tropical storm can be felt over a 1,000 miles away as the constant gale force winds push massive amounts of water that drive short, steep waves out ahead of it. These waves, combined with headwinds are sure to make life a bit miserable on board the Qatari catamaran. For now, however, the conditions are ideal as Will Oxley describes in his latest update. “Having punched through the high pressure yesterday morning we have been sailing upwind in relatively light airs on the northern side of the high trying to maximise our easting in a gentle sea state and breeze,” he wrote. “We are trying to get east of 70E and hopefully as far east as 74E. We have worked hard and are now nearly at 68E. Our boat speed averages have been between 12 and 16 knots, but our speed towards Doha hovers between 1 and 6 knots! In 12 hours or so we will have made enough easting to turn a little further north. Until we are well north of the storm we will not know if our strategy has been successful. Our biggest concern is the sea state that will be generated by Hennie, which is why we are making the most of the light air at the moment to head east.”

In the South Atlantic Tony Bullimore and his team on Daedalus continue to eat into Doha 2006’s lead. At the 07:00 GMT poll on Thursday morning Daedalus was at the precise longitude and latitude where Doha 2006 was on March 14. Their position is roughly 350 miles south of Tristan de Cunha as they continue sailing east in the Roaring Forties. As they near the tip of Southern Africa Tony’s thoughts once again turn to food as he fondly remembers the spicy dinners he enjoyed while visiting South Africa a few years ago. “I have a couple of tins of corned beef hidden away and I am going to make a really hot curry with boiled rice and anything else I can find to chuck in when we are nearing Africa,” he wrote. “I know we have curry powder, cayenne peppers and a variety of spices, but no onions, tomatoes etc, but I do have a couple of pairs of dirty socks, and one or two other little surprises. But I don't think the guys would see the funny side of it if I chucked them in the pot to help flavour the meal (maybe Charlie Chaplin would). One thing for sure, all the guys have got a hearty appetite and it takes all we have to keep everybody happy. Thankfully we have plenty of Marine Cuisine to keep people satisfied.”

Daedalus should pass south of South Africa during the upcoming Easter weekend and enter the Indian Ocean early next week.

Match Race Rankings

Ed Baird (USA) continues to dominate the ISAF Open Match Race Rankings and has now retained the top spot for eight months since winning his second consecutive ISAF Match Racing World Championship in Russia back in July.

Victory in last week’s ISAF Grade 1 Marseille International Match Race has extended his lead over Australian Peter Gilmour by 151 points. Neither Gilmour nor his fellow countryman, James Spithill have made any move in the latest rankings. As a result fourth placed Frenchman Mathieu Richard has closed the gap on them thanks to his second place in Marseille.

24 sailors have joined the rankings increasing the number of ranked
sailors to 1,342.

Two events have counted toward this release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings for the women's teams. Both are ISAF Grade 3 events and they are the JPMorgan Fleming Women's Winter Challenge which took place in Sunbury, Great Britain and the Harken Women's International Match Racing Regatta in Sydney, Australia.

Whilst there is no change to the top ten, there are however two new entries to the top 20, Australians Katie Spithill and Nicky Souter enter at 17 and 19 respectively.

There are two new entries to the women's list which now totals 155
skippers from 20 nations.

The next release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings will take place on 4 May 2005.

Top ten Match Racing - Open
1. Ed Baird, USA
2. Peter Gilmour, AUS
3. James Spithill, AUS
4. Mathieu Richard, FRA
5. Karol Jablonski, POL
6. Ian Williams, GBR
7. Philippe Presti, FRA
8. Russell Coutts, NZL
9. Staffan Lindberg, FIN
10. Lars Nordbjerg, DEN

Top ten Match Racing - Women
1. Marie Bjorling, SWE
2. Claire Leroy, FRA
3. Lotte Meldgaared Pedersen, DEN
4. Jenny Axhede, SWE
5. Nina Braestrup, DEN
6. Malin Kallstrom, SWE
7. Christelle Philippe, FRA
8. Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED
9. Christine Briand, FRA
10. Betsy Alison, USA

Team Capitalia

Team Capitalia becomes the third Italian Challenger for the 32nd America’s Cup, presenting its team in a public ceremony in Naples today. Distinguished by an ‘all-Italian’ sailing team, and with the support of its main partner Capitalia, an Italian banking group, the team formerly known as Mascalzone Latino has high expectations for its campaign.

This is the second consecutive challenge for the team led by Italian shipping and ferry service magnate Vincenzo Onorato. Representing the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia, Team Capitalia has ITA-72 from the 2002 campaign in Auckland, and has just acquired the two Stars & Stripes boats, USA-66 and USA-77, from Team Dennis Conner.

In Auckland in 2002, as a new team to the America’s Cup there were many highlights along the way for Mascalzone Latino, including an exciting win over the French team and a tough, memorable battle with its Italian rivals.

Despite an early exit from the event, Onorato wasn’t too disappointed, having come into the Louis Vuitton Cup looking to gain experience for further challenges. “It is useless to compete in just one America’s Cup,” he said at the time when his team was eliminated. “You have to try and try and try and learn and try again.”

“In the last America’s Cup, we were competing to learn,” Onorato explained on Wednesday in Naples, where the team was presented publicly for the first time. “This time, we are serious. I like the feeling on this team. We are focused and committed to fight to the end.”

The new team will be led on the water by skipper and tactician Vasco Vascotto, a newcomer to the America’s Cup squad, who will rely on helmsman Flavio Favini to steer the boat. Favini was tactician in the last Mascalzone Latino Cup campaign.

There are now three Italian challengers for the 32nd Am erica’s Cup, along with a pair of Louis Vuitton Acts scheduled in Italy at the end of the 2005 season, the Trapani Louis Vuitton Acts 8 & 9, beginning on the 29th of September.

“Italy has a very proud history in the modern era of the America’s Cup,” said Michel Bonnefous, the CEO of the America’s Cup organiser. “With the America’s Cup in Europe for the first time, I’m happy that there is so much Italian support for the event. This kind of excitement in Europe is exactly what we wanted with the Cup coming to the continent. We now have a very strong Italian presence in this 32nd America’s Cup, and I’m happy to welcome a third Italian team to the event.”

Team Capitalia’s challenge on behalf of the Reale Yacht Club Canottieri Savoia was accepted by the Swiss Defender of the America’s Cup, the Société Nautique de Genève, on the 9th of March.

The team will begin training for the Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts 4 & 5 (June 16-26) from its base on the Island of E lba, before coming to Valencia later this spring for its first taste of racing in the 32nd America’s Cup.

Upgrade Your Nav Lights

Both the US Coast Guard and the state of Michigan have required safety
equipment lists. These are items such as flares, PFD's,& navigation lights

However, because your boat conforms to these regulations does not mean you are ready to cast off. These lists should be viewed as the mimium equipment you need.

For sailors the the ORC Special Regulations serve as an excellent set
of guidelines for nescessary equipment.

These regulations are used in racing, whether it's an around
the world race (Category 0) or an in sight of land buoy race
(Category 4 or 5). These regulations are also used in
conjunction with the annual Mackinac races. What this means
is that these regulations can be of use to just about any sailor,
allowing you to customize equipment to your situation.

Using these regulations as a jumping off point here are what
the Regulations advise in certain areas.

Navigation Lights: For all types of sailing the regulations
read, "Navigation lights shall be mounted so that they will
not be masked by sails or the heeling of the yacht." If
you've added a larger headsail, or have a recently installed
roller furling unit you may want to verify your lights
visibility. Another option is to install a mast head tri
color light which should solve your visibility problems.
The Torresen Marine Ships Store has a full line of Aqua Signal
nav lights to help you upgrade.

Sea Liverpool

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, chairman of the AIM quoted marine events company Clipper Ventures plc, has been appointed patron of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture themed year ­ Sea Liverpool 2005.

Sir Robin, the first person to sail solo, non-stop around the world in 1968-69, will champion the city’s pledge to involve every child in a maritime activity during 2005.

Knighted in 1995, Sir Robin founded the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race to encourage people who have never sailed before to take to the seas.

Liverpool’s relationship with Sir Robin has developed since the city entered The Times Clipper 2000 Race; the city then became host port for the Clipper 2002-3 race and will be host port for the 05-06 and 07-08 races.

The Clipper 05-06 Race leaves Liverpool at noon on Sunday, September 18. An estimated crowd of 100,000 people are expected to line the banks of the Mersey to wave off the 10-strong international fleet, which also features the 68-foot Liverpool ’08 Clipper.

Sir Robin said: “I am truly honoured to be patron of Sea Liverpool and to be part of the city’s celebration of the sea.

‘’I believe the city’s Sea Liverpool 2005 campaign is most admirable, for it assists children in gaining an understanding and appreciation of our oceans. The Clipper 05-06 race education programme will further acquaint them to the joy of supporting their local team in a competitive global arena.

‘’The Clipper racing fleet, including the Liverpool 08 yacht, will join the Royal Navy’s spectacular International Fleet Review in June - the biggest of its kind seen in the UK for a quarter century. The start of the Clipper 05-06 Race will also play an important part in the Sea Liverpool programme and we are overjoyed to be supporting this tremendous initiative.”

The Sea Liverpool pledge will see more than 1,000 nautical events staged in 2005, with the intention of giving the city’s school children a taste of life at sea.

As part of the pledge, the city council is supporting Clipper Ventures’web-based educational programme for children to track the progress of the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race.

Schools will chart the course of the Clipper 05-06 fleet as it sets sail from Liverpool’s Albert Dock and races round the world, not only gaining a wealth of knowledge about sailing and travel, but also learning about the environment and cultures in other countries

Leader of Liverpool city council, Mike Storey, said: ‘’Sir Robin is an inspiration to sailors all over the world, and through the Clipper Race continues to bring sailing to new generations and new audiences.

‘’I can’t think of a better person to have as Patron of Sea Liverpool 2005. Liverpool is lucky to have such an ambassador to promote our aims nationally and internationally.

‘’Our entire year is aimed at encouraging young people to participate in maritime activities. That is a pledge I know Sir Robin holds dearly and one which he will help us to achieve.’’

This year's Capital of Culture theme corresponds with a national series of events, SeaBritain 2005, held to celebrate Britain's maritime heritage, centred on the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

Orange II Record Ratified

The World Sailing Speed Record Council has ratified the following record:

Around the world, non-stop, crewed, any type. The new record was set by Bruno Peyron and his team aboard the catamaran Orange II. The record of 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds surpasses the previous record, held by Steve Fossett and his crew on Cheyenne (nee Playstation) by more than 7 days.

Linky Sailing News

Racing Sofia trophy

News Pirate sailing. Nelson's killer. Which will be the Pirate boat? New ITA AC Team

Great Lakes Wind Farms

College Sailing Eli Aims

Storms & Rationing for Doha 2006

All eyes on board Doha 2006 are fixed firmly on a serious weather situation to their north. Tropical storm Hennie has been upgraded to Cyclone Hennie and the storm is on a collision course with the boat. At present the eye of the storm is located 330 miles north northeast of the island of Mauritius which also happens to be a required turning mark of the course. The system is tracking in a southwesterly direction at 9 knots. At present there is no immediate danger. The storm is more than a 1,000 miles due north, but it’s track is likely to intersect with that of the Qatari cat and with both entities moving at a good clip towards each other, they could close the distance in a couple of days. At present Brian Thompson and his navigator Will Oxley are weighing their options. It’s a very tricky scenario as it’s hard to know precisely where the storm will track. At present the local conditions for Doha 2006 are somewhat unstable making it difficult for the routing software to estimate the boat’s position 24 hours down the road. Will Oxley explained their dilemma in a satellite phone call.

“We have two options for dealing with this storm,” he said. “We can continue to head east to give it a wide berth. The best estimates are for the storm to track in a southwesterly direction, then southerly, and then turn to the southeast and intensify. That’s the part that has us concerned. If we try and go outside the storm and don’t make it because the wind dies we will be in a very dangerous place. Right in the path of a strong cyclone. Twenty four hours of good sailing and we will be fine, but there are no guarantees. The other option is to head northwest and try and get around to the west of the center of the storm. If we manage that we will get slung shot north in strong winds, but at least they will be favorable winds that could push us all the way to the equator. But again it’s tricky because if the cyclone does not turn to the southeast like they think it will, we will run smack into the middle of it. We may in fact have to do what Tony (Daedalus) did and that is turn and retrace our track by sailing south for a couple of days.”

There is another consideration to take into account should Thompson and his crew try for the westerly option. One small jog in the wrong direction by the storm may force the crew to head too far west and in fact miss the turning mark of Mauritius which they are required to leave to port. At present Doha 2006 is continuing on the easterly course, perhaps confident that they have enough wind to scribe a big arc around the danger zone. Will Oxley discusses the tactic in his log. “We now need to make another 600 nautical miles to the northeast before easing sheets and racing north in strong ESE winds,” he wrote. “Right now it looks very tight, but we should be able to stay clear to the east. This is certainly a storm not to be taken lightly with 70 knots winds and stronger gusts forecast. We knew the passage up the Indian Ocean was likely to be the most difficult of the race, but we hoped it would not be quite so hard. Things are developing quickly so plans can change, especially if it looks as if we wont make it around well to the east of the system.”

The high pressure systems in the South Atlantic and the southern part of the Indian Ocean has forced Doha 2006 to sail an extra 2,000 miles. Playing dodgems with the cyclone is likely to add additional distance to their race and it’s very likely that once the storm has moved off that they will face some very calm conditions. “My experience is that these storms literally suck the air out of the atmosphere leaving behind extensive calms,” Oxley said. “We could be facing days of drifting conditions and so we have started to ration our food. Our ETA for April 2nd or 3rd is no longer valid. It may be closer to April 10 and we only packed enough food until the 6th!”

While Doha 2006 weighs their options and sails 80 degrees off course, Tony Bullimore and his team on Daedalus are gulping big chunks off their lead. At the 07:00 GMT poll on Wednesday morning Daedalus was sailing at 19 knots and is currently halfway across the South Atlantic. In a brief satellite phone call Tony discussed the sailing. “We have had good conditions for the last two days and the boat is sailing perfectly” he said. “We can really tell the difference with the weight out of the boat. I think this is the best Daedalus has ever sailed.” In the last week Daedalus has narrowed the gap between themselves and Doha 2006 by 500 miles, but Thompson and his crew are not concerned. They know that Daedalus will also encounter difficult sailing conditions once they enter the Indian Ocean by which time Doha 2006 should be north of the equator and smelling home.

Pipe Island Channel Opening

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich - In accordance with TITLE 33 CFR 162.117, Captain of the Port Sault Ste. Marie will open Pipe Island North and East Channels, effective 1400 Local time on 25 March 2005.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels, which are being groomed for the opening of the shipping season.

New Cutter Mackinaw

Pictured is the new Coast Guard Cutter Mackinac (WLBB 30). The 240 foot ship will be launched Saturday 2 April at 10:00 AM and delivered in the fall.

Passing Through the Inbox

Here are some marine items that have passed through my inbox recently.

Last fall the ultra huge Mirabella V suffered a grounding in Europe. There is now a full accident report out. The results are not positive towards the yacht or her crew.

At issue are things like: size of anchors, being anchored on a lee shore, the state of readiness of the crew and communications throughout the yacht.

After the incident the yacht was repaired. After that she crossed the Atlantic to Palm Beach and is now in the Caribbean.

This is new Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw which will launch this spring.

Bad news from California where the Irving Johnson has suffered a grounding. The Johnson is one of a pair of 110 foot sail training brigantines.

She ran aground near the Channel Harbor marina. Apparently a sand bar had shifted or grown and the Johnson ran aground on this. She was near shore and was hit hard by surf. All of her crew were rescued some by PWC's.

Plans are to wait for high tide and then bring in a tug to tow the Johnson off.

The grounded Irving Johnson

Yachting World has published a special issue with a section covering Ellen Macarthur's solo around the world voyage. If you can get to a newsstand this is a great read.

Of interest was how Ellen's shore team handled her generator crisis. After her Yanmar gen set began burning excess oil, she switched to an air cooled unit. Her shore team bought an identical unit and ran around the clock test on the unit using oils such as olive oil, rape seed etc. This allowed them to determine how Ellen could safely use her gen set.

Then there's perhaps the most important mobile phone in the world! Mark Turner boss of Offshore Challenges carries a special phone which only the skippers of Offshore Challenge boats like B&Q, Skandia etc. have the number too. They can call this # in the event of a crisis and Turner can coordinate response, reply etc. Hate to lose that phone!

Finally the Coast Guard in Grand Haven will be holding a meeting to discuss something called Sector Lake Michigan. If you want to be in the know, you better go.

Finn In Museum

Cornish Olympic Gold Medal-winning sailor, Ben Ainslie, has loaned his victorious Finn dinghy, in which he competed at the Athens Games, to the Maritime Museum in Falmouth. The Finn has gone on display in the main Flotilla gallery alongside Ben’s Gold Medal-winning Laser dinghy from the Sydney Olympic Games.

The Finn class involves 11 races over five days in a variety of conditions. Ben dominated the field in Athens and despite his controversial disqualification in the second race of the competition, he managed to repeat his Sydney Olympic triumph with four victories, two second places, a third and a fourth – finishing the tournament with 38 points, 13 ahead of his nearest rival and taking the second Olympic Gold Medal of his career.

Talking about his collection of boats at the Museum, Ben says: “When I sailed around the area as a child, I never knew that Falmouth would have a museum dedicated to the sport I love, let alone that I would be a double Olympic champion. It is such an honour to have the Laser and the Finn side by side in my county’s very own Maritime Museum.”

At 4.5 metres long and 140kg in weight, the Finn is the biggest, heaviest and most demanding of all the single-handed boats, which is why Ben had to put on 20kg of muscle after leaving his Gold Medal-winning Laser after Sydney. To sail the Finn demands massive body strength, great tactical ability and an understanding of where the wind is and how your boat will answer to it.

Ben’s interest in sailing began at an early age when given a small Optimist sailing dinghy as a gift from his parents. He learnt to sail at Restronguet Sailing Club and was educated at Truro School. He now lives in Hampshire but maintains strong links with the county, where his parents still live.

Twice awarded World Sailor of the Year (1998 and 2002) by the International Sailing Federation and awarded British yachtsman of the Year in 2002 Ben has been described by his peers as a ‘genius on water’ and ‘the greatest British sailor of his generation.’ Since taking his second Olympic Gold Ben has been awarded an OBE in the 2005 New Years Honours List.

Ben’s Finn will be on display at the Maritime Museum until the start of the summer. After mid-June the Finn will have ‘gone racing’ when Ben takes it away to compete in the Finn European Championships in Sweden and the World Championships in Moscow.

Linky Sailing News

Racing Sofia trophy. Waypoint Bravo leader.

News Champs sked announced. Black Pearl. Star sailing. Black Pearl one of 2. Disney wants to win. Leading Star team. Mirabella Report

Great Lakes Coast Guard Town Hall

College Sailing SMC Women's

Coast Guard Town Hall Meeting

A public town hall meeting is scheduled to be held at Coast Guard Group Grand Haven at 650 South Harbor Drive on Tuesday March 29, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. to discuss the upcoming establishment of Sector Lake Michigan.

Rear Adm. Robert J. Papp, Jr., Commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District, will brief Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R - MI 2nd) and members of the Grand Haven community, and will answer questions and address concerns about the Coast Guard’s internal reorganization plan.

The Coast Guard extends an invitation to all interested or concerned civic and business leaders, media and Grand Haven residents to attend the meeting and hear how the Coast Guard plans to better serve the people around Lake Michigan and especially those who reside in Coast Guard City USA. Capacity for the event is limited to 60 people. Please RSVP to LTJG Craig Lawrance at (616) 850-2505.

Championship Schedule Announced

US SAILING, national governing body of the sport, has determined its 2005 schedule for Adult and Youth National Championships. The 18 events, which begin in April and continue through November, will be hosted by different yacht clubs across the country and
raced in a wide range of classes of boats.

ADULT CHAMPIONSHIPS CALENDAR

U.S. MULTIHULL CHAMPIONSHIP (Hobie Alter Cup); Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, Long Beach, Calif.; Hobie Tiger; April 13-17

U.S. INDEPENDENCE CUP (Chandler Hovey Jr.Trophy); Chicago Yacht Club,
Chicago, Ill.; Freedom 20 and 2.4mR; July 30-August 1.

U.S. SINGLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP (O'Day Trophy) Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, Long Beach, Calif.; Laser; August 17-21.

U.S. MEN'S SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP (Mallory Cup); American Yacht Club, Rye, N.Y.; Flying Scot; September 11-16.

U.S. WOMEN'S SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP (Adams Trophy); American Yacht Club, Rye, N.Y.; Flying Scot; September 11-16.

ROLEX INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S KEELBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP (Bengt Julin Trophy);
Annapolis Yacht Club, Md.; J/22; September 17-23.

U.S. MATCH RACING CHAMPIONSHIP; Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Newport Beach,Calif.; Governor's Cup 21; September 21-24.

U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP OF CHAMPIONS (Jack Brown Trophy); Bayview Yacht Club,Detroit, Mich.; Flying Scot; September 28-October 1.

U.S. TEAM RACE CHAMPIONSHIP (Hinman Trophy); Larchmont Yacht Club,
Larchmond, N.Y.; Vanguard 15; October 14-16

U.S. OFFSHORE CHAMPIONSHIP (Lloyd Phoenix Trophy); U.S. Naval Academy,Annapolis, Md.; Navy 44; October 27-30.

U.S. WOMEN'S MATCH RACING CHAMPIONSHIP (Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy); Fort Worth Boat Club, Fort Worth, TX; J/22; November 16-19.

YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS CALENDAR

U.S. YOUTH SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP; Cedar Point Yacht Club, Westport, Conn.;Laser, Laser Radial, Club 420; June 23-30.

U.S. JUNIOR WOMEN'S DOUBLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP - 10th Anniversary (Ida
Lewis Trophy); Ida Lewis Yacht Club, Newport, R.I.; Club 420, July 5-11.

U.S. JUNIOR WOMEN'S SINGLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP (Nancy Leiter Clagett
Memorial Trophy); California Yacht Club, Marina del Rey, Calif.; Laser Radial; July 30-August 5.

U.S. JUNIOR SINGLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP (Smythe Trophy); Newport Harbor
Yacht Club, Newport Beach, Calif.; Laser; August 9-12.

U.S. JUNIOR DOUBLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP (Bemis Trophy); Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Newport Beach, Calif.; Club 420; August 9-12.

U.S. JUNIOR TRIPLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP (Sears Cup); Balboa Yacht Club,
Corona del Mar, Calif.; Governor's Cup; August 9-12.

U.S. YOUTH MULTIHULL CHAMPIONSHIP (Stevens Trophy); St. Andrew Bay Yacht Club, Panama City, Fla.; Hobie 16; August 25-28.

US Sailing Sponsors Announced

US SAILING, national governing body of
the sport, has announced the slate of sponsors for its 2005 National
Championships: Rolex Watch U.S.A., Vanguard Sailboats, Nautica
International Inc., and Dry Creek Vineyard. The dedicated support of these sponsors opens up opportunities for thousands of sailors nationwide to compete at a national level and gain on-the-water experience that may take them to an international level.

Rolex Watch U.S.A.
Returning for its ninth year as sponsor of all US SAILING Adult
Championships, including title sponsor of the Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship, Rolex Watch U.S.A. continues to demonstrate its support of the development of the sport of sailing. Many of the Championships also offer Rolex clinics, which are designed to give sailors an opportunity to improve their racing experience through on-the-water or on-shore training from local or class experts. Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented timepieces to America's Cup defenders in 1958, the company has consistently endeavored to recognize and encourage excellence in every
important arena of competitive sailing, including Olympic Games
preparation, US SAILING Championships, disabled sailing, and offshore,one-design and women's events. www.rolex.com

Vanguard Sailboats
Vanguard Sailboats has been a dedicated sponsor of numerous U.S. National Championships for more than a decade. For 2005, Vanguard continues to sponsor the U.S. Singlehanded, Team Race, Junior & Junior Women's Singlehanded & Doublehanded, and Youth Championships. Demonstrating its commitment to the sport of sailing and to developing high-quality sailing programs, Vanguard Sailboats is an official sponsor of US SAILING. Vanguard supports and sponsors sailing at many levels, encouraging sailors in the U.S. to participate in and enjoy the sport, and ensuring great
competition among sailors. Visit their website at www.teamvanguard.com.

Nautica International, Inc.
A new sponsor of the National Championships, Nautica has signed on as
sponsor of both the U.S. Team Race Championship and the U.S. Youth
Championship. Long associated with the sport of sailing, Nautica is the Official Apparel Supplier to the US Sailing Team. Founded in 1983, Nautica is a leading global lifestyle brand with products ranging from men's, women's and children's apparel and accessories to a complete home collection. Nautica products are styled in timeless design and premium quality that enhance our consumer's energetic lifestyle yet recognize their desire for balance. Since August 2003, Nautica is part of VF Corporation, a leader in branded apparel including jeanswear, intimate apparel, sportswear, outdoor products and workwear. For additional
information, please go to www.nautica.com.

Dry Creek Vineyard
2005 marks the third consecutive year that Dry Creek Vineyard is a
supporter of several Adult National Championships. The winery, located in the heart of Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Calif., supports the U.S. Men's & Women's, Women's Match Racing, Team Race, and Match Racing Championships, as well as the U.S. Championship of Champions. Their wines are easy to recognize due to the spirited yacht paintings that appear on each bottle from Dry Creek Vineyard, www.drycreekvineyard.com.

Waypoint Bravo Leader

The only female skipper, Dee Caffari, has taken Imagine It. Done. to the head of the Global Challenge fleet, passing Waypoint Bravo in 1st place after racing 3,770nm from Sydney.

Positioned just north of the Kerguelen Islands by race management to keep the fleet out of the worst of the ice to the south, the waypoint also serves as the only major tactical and psychological landmark during their long passage across the Southern Ocean.

Spirit of Sark, skippered by Duggie Gillespie, has overtaken BP Explorer, who apparently sacrificed the lead in a southerly tactical gamble on Friday. Duggie Gillespie and his crew were 2nd around the waypoint and now only 1nm behind Imagine It. Done. BP Explorer is in 3rd, trailing the leaders by 21nm.

Imagine It. Done. is placed last on the overall leaderboard, yet leads the fleet during one of the most testing stages of the westabout race. Deep in the Southern Ocean, Dee has admitted that 1st place brings new challenges.

“The one place we wanted to be was in front,” said Dee, “We have just sailed around 4000 miles and have been 1st or 2nd the whole way. We now have 2,500 miles to keep it up. No pressure then - as the only way to go when you are on top is down. I think it is the best and the worst place to be all rolled into one.”

After taking flyers in previous legs that did not yield significant rewards, Dee promised her crew at the beginning of this leg in Sydney that they would stay with the fleet and avoid any bold gambles.

“That works great until you are in front,” she continued, having built a 10nm lead at the top, “I hadn't actually planned for that when it happened at the beginning. This position alters things a little because the weather meets you first and the shifts affect you first, so ultimately you tack first and to the crew, it looks as if I am committing the cardinal sin and leaving the rest of the fleet.

”We have now got used to this decision making process that takes place and can see by every position report how many miles they catch us or we can extend between us and them. The crews are tired and we have just crossed the halfway stage. The weather will improve and the drive for pushing these yachts to the limit must continue at all costs. There is no way we are in this position after almost 4000 miles to see it slip away.”

(by Dan Wedgwood)

Fleet positions

Imagine It. Done. 2,477nm ­ Distance to Finish
Spirit of Sark 1nm ­ Distance to Leader
BP Explorer 21nm
Team Stelmar 39nm
Pindar 46nm
BG SPIRIT 71nm
SAIC La Jolla 73nm
Samsung 75nm
Barclays Adventurer 90nm
Me to You 96nm
VAIO 178nm
Team Save the Children 266nm

Linky Sailing News

Racing SD Noods. OQ. ABYC OC. Marseille Match Race

News Pirates enter VOR. Ferry layover change

Great Lakes Tougher freighter rules

College Sailing Harvard wins Umsted

West Neebish Channel Opens

Captain of the Port Sault Ste. Marie will fully open West Neebish Channel from West Neebish Channel Light 29 to Lake Nicolet, commencing 0800 EST on March 24, 2005.

Coast Guard icebreaking operations in the upper West Neebish Channel will result in the removal of the primary (northern) ice bridge from Neebish Island to Barbeau, MI. The Coast Guard is cautioning all recreational ice users, snowmobilers, and Neebish Island residents of the icebreaking activities that will commence in the upper West Neebish Channel.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels, which are being groomed for the opening of the shipping season.

ABYC Olympic Class

Kevin Hall, the U.S. Finn class representative at Athens last year, says he isn't sure if he'll campaign for the 2008 Olympics in China, but he knows who one of his strongest rivals would be.

Zach Railey, a rookie from Clearwater, Fla. in one of the venerable Olympic classes, led Hall by a point Sunday going into the eighth and last race of the North American Championships, incorporated with Alamitos Bay Yacht Club's annual Olympic Classes Regatta.

It appeared he would win it all as he led the fleet into the last leeward gate, but he capsized in winds of 18 knots with gusts to 21 and failed to finish. Even after discarding that misfortune and winning half the races, he wound up a single point behind Hall.

Railey, 20, is the older brother of Paige Railey, 17, the top U.S. female youth sailor. In the 2004 U.S. Olympic Finn trials he was fifth and already knew he wasn't long for the class.

"It wasn't in my genes," said Railey, who is 6-4, 210 pounds and still growing. "My body outgrew the Laser, but it's perfect for the Finn. I just started sailing it a couple of months ago."

But he is already ranked second only to Hall on the US Sailing Team for 2005.

"I'm really happy with how I'm doing so far," he said.

Railey's spill left not only the North American title but the Llewellyn Bixby Trophy to Hall as winner of the most competitive class---an honor Hall also received in 1995 for winning the Laser class. The trophy is one of the original relay torches for the 1984 Games when the sailing was on these same waters.

Other class winners were ABYC's Kevin Taugher among 37 Lasers, Keamia Rasa of the Royal Vancouver (B.C.) Yacht Club in Laser Radial---a new Olympic class for 2008, replacing the Europe dinghy---and Will Stout and crew Darrell Hiatt of San Diego in the six-boat Star class, winning five of nine races with no finish worse than second.

Another surname famous in local Olympic lore excelled in Laser Radial. Lindsay Buchan, 23, granddaughter of Bill and daughter of Carl, both gold medalists in '84, was second to Rasa. She is ranked fourth on the US Sailing Team 2005.

Hall, 35, won't be sailing his Finn much more until after the 2007 America's Cup. He is a member of the Emirates Team New Zealand team bidding to recover the Cup for the Kiwis.

"I'm just skipping class for a few days to do this," Hall said. "It's not [an Olympic] campaign yet, but I enjoy sailing and racing, and after all the hard work it would be silly not to keep my head in it."

Meanwhile, he and his wife Amanda are new adoptive parents of a son, Rainer, born New Year's Eve to a surrogate mother. Hall is a survivor of testicular cancer.

"We'll all be together once the America's Cup campaign gets rolling," he said. "I'm looking forward to that."

ABN Cuts Eight

March 19 – The dreams of eight young sailors today were crushed, as TEAM ABN AMRO cut almost half of its sailors from its second boat crew selection for the Volvo Ocean Race. Only 12 out of 20 sailors will continue for a second week of competition.

Out of 1,800 sailors who applied to the second boat crew selection, only 20 made it to this final selection round, or less than one percent. There are only eight places available on the ABN AMRO second boat, and these eight will be chosen by the end of the second week of competition.

Four more sailors will be cut on 25 March. Only two sailors per regional group will be selected in the end: two each from Brazil, the Netherlands, the United States and the rest of the world.

Many of the sailors had felt the judges had already partially decided by Thursday as to who would stay and who would go. Some felt as though they were just going through the motions of sailing, just waiting until Saturday morning for the verdict. Others said the verdict was less important to them, that they wanted to squeeze every possible minute of sailing they could before they might be asked to leave.

One of the judges, Hans Horrevoets, said that the final day of sailing on day four had held no surprises for the judges. "It did confirm our earlier impressions," he said. Maurice Paardenkooper, his fellow judge, said that "a good sailor in the selection is not a bad sailor now." Choosing between the sailors would not be easy, as the cream of the crop had already been pre-selected.

The judges had met the night before, pictures assembled on a table in front of them, as they set out to decide which eight would be leaving the group. Some pictures were put to one side, and by the end of the meeting only twelve pictures remained: those who would be continuing in the competition.

Friday night: preparing to say goodbye
The The sailors had been told to appear at ten o'clock on the dock next to the ABN AMRO professional boat. Many had skipped breakfast, having been out very late the night before. The group had been invited to a nearby restaurant, the Dockside, for a seafood dinner with each other.

It was their last meal together as an entire group, and the mood was jovial as they passed around bread with garlic spread, and chose their entrees from platters of live fish and crabs brought by the waiter. They teased each other about mistakes they had made on board, each other's rooming habits and girlfriends back home. One sailor, Emil Wiberg of Sweden, had somehow managed to break his tooth during the evening.

The announcement
As the sailors assembled in one line, grouped by geography, they teased Wiberg as he smiled for the cameras. A crowd gathered to watch.

The sailors from the international, Dutch, American and Brazilian selections stood together in groups of five as they awaited the final announcement which would tell them who would go and who would stay.

Various members of TEAM ABN AMRO gathered round the judges and sailing director Roy Heiner to hear the results of the first shake-out. This included the professional first boat sailors, the shore crew and other staff. Second boat skipper Sebastian Josse, navigator Simon Fisher and sailors Nick Bice and Scott Beavis were also present.

TEAM ABN AMRO sailing director Roy Heiner began by pointing behind him at the ABN AMRO boat. "After a long time of selection," he said, "we stand before the boat some of you may be sailing in."

Heiner complimented the assembled sailors that "we would love to go sailing with every one of you on the ocean. But unfortunately we have to choose eight sailors." He said that he knew the feedback and decision this day "would hurt for some people. But you should take it as a positive moment in your sailing careers." He ended his introduction by saying, "we wish you all the very best of luck."

One by one, the sailors stepped forward to receive the verdict of the judges. Some stepped forward with their hands balled in their pockets. Others had their arms folded protectively over their chests.

The ones who were asked to continue in the selection walked over to stand beside the judges. Most were trying not to look too excited, as some of their fellow sailors did not make it.

The twelve sailors who will continue are:

Phil Harmer – Australia
Luke Molloy – Australia
Lucas Brun – Brazil
Andre Mirsky – Brazil
Edgardo Vieytes – Brazil
Gerd-Jan Poortman – the Netherlands
Simeon Tienpont – the Netherlands
Eduard van Lierde – the Netherlands
Simon Shaw – United Kingdom
Andrew Lewis – United States
Jan Mejer – United States
George Peet – United States

Each of the two judges, Horrevoets and Paardenkooper, gave feedback to the candidates before informing them of their decision. They commented to the twelve, that they had a good feeling for the boat, were solid sailors, were fast, improved quite a bit, were well-rounded and were hard workers.

The twelve were asked to immediately go aboard their boat, the Pindar, and get her ready for sailing on Monday.

The eight who were cut from the selection slipped away to talk to each other and call home. They also had to make travel arrangements. They were leaving their friends behind.

SMC Women's

In very tricky conditions, PRO Dave Johnson did a marvelous job
completing 10 races in each division. Under cloudy skies and
temperatures in the 50's breezes came in and then faded several times
throughout the weekend. Saturday winds eventually filled from the
Southeast and were hiking conditions for the better part of the
afternoon allowing for 6 races in each division. Sunday, a light
Southerly trickled in and out just enough to complete the series.

Judges Stovy Brown (Chief), Barb Herbig, and Ben Jarashow kept a close
eye on the racing from two jury boats.

Thanks so much to the four west coast schools for coming to St. Mary's.
15 of the past 16 SMC Women's Intersectionals have now been attended by
all 18 teams. This year a 19th school even showed up to compete all the
way from MCSA (sorry we couldn't squeeze you in).

St. Mary's Women's Intersectional

St. Mary's College of Maryland

March 19-20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 TOT

1

Coll. of Charleston A 2 7 2 13 4 6 2 9 11 13 69

B 1 2 6 7 1 1 9 4 4 7 42

3 12 20 40 45 52 63 76 91 111 111

2

Yale University A 1 2 6 11 1 5 13 6 1 5 51

B 12 5 9 12 4 10 3 1 8 4 68

13 20 35 58 63 78 94 101 110 119 119

3

Connecticut College A 9 12 3 3 7 12 1 14 5 2 68

B 4 4 5 10 2 5 6 7 3 12 58

13 29 37 50 59 76 83 104 112 126 126

4

Stanford University A 11 10 13 9 16 9 12 2 9 1 92

B 8 6 2 5 5 6 1 8 2 2 45

19 35 50 64 85 100 113 123 134 137 137

5

Dartmouth College A 12 17 1 7 9 8 4 5 7 11 81

B 2 8 1 4 11 4 8 12 6 5 61

14 39 41 52 72 84 96 113 126 142 142

6

Brown University A 3 16 17 5 10 17 9 4 2 3 86

B 10 3 4 1 3 3 15 9 5 9 62

13 32 53 59 72 92 116 129 136 148 148

7

Georgetown A 8 14 15 6 6 11 10 18 10 4 102

B 3 1 7 3 9 2 4 5 7 14 55

11 26 48 57 72 85 99 122 139 157 157

8

Tufts University A 10 1 8 2 5 2 8 1 12 7 56

B 5 14 13 14 8 13 5 14 16 1 103

15 30 51 67 80 95 108 123 151 159 159

9

St. Mary's College A 6 6 4 DSQ 14 3 3 3 8 6 72

B 6 7 10 9 7 11 14 6 12 13 95

12 25 39 67 88 102 119 128 148 167 167

10

US Naval Academy A 4 4 16 14 17 1 7 7 4 9 83

B 13 12 12 2 6 12 18 2 1 8 86

17 33 61 77 100 113 138 147 152 169 169

11

Boston College A 5 11 11 4 3 4 5 12 6 16 77

B 7 11 8 11 13 7 7 16 9 3 92

12 34 53 68 84 95 107 135 150 169 169

12

Harvard University A 14 3 DSQ 17 8 16 6 11 14 12 120

B 14 16 3 6 10 8 2 11 14 6 90

28 47 69 92 110 134 142 164 192 210 210

13

ODU A 18 5 7 8 13 7 11 8 16 15 108

B 11 9 16 17 15 15 12 3 13 11 122

29 43 66 91 119 141 164 175 204 230 230

14

University of Hawaii A 13 9 14 1 11 DSQ 16 10 18 10 121

B 9 18 11 8 12 9 13 15 10 10 115

22 49 74 83 106 134 163 188 216 236 236

15

U. Wisconsin A 15 8 10 15 2 14 15 17 3 8 107

B 16 17 15 15 16 14 11 18 15 17 154

31 56 81 111 129 157 183 218 236 261 261

16

Hobart/William Smith A 7 18 9 10 15 10 14 16 15 18 132

B 15 10 14 16 18 16 10 17 11 18 145

22 50 73 99 132 158 182 215 241 277 277

17

Washington College A 17 15 5 12 12 13 18 15 17 14 138

B 17 15 17 13 14 17 16 10 18 15 152

34 64 86 111 137 167 201 226 261 290 290

18

Western Washington U A 16 13 12 16 18 15 17 13 13 17 150

B 18 13 18 18 17 18 17 13 17 16 165

34 60 90 124 159 192 226 252 282 315 315

A division = 10 Races

TOT

1. Yale University 51 Molly Carapiet

Jenn Hoyle

2. Tufts University 56 Lindsay Shanholt

Meredith Ginley

3. Connecticut College 68 Kate Bogart

Elissa Leonard
B division = 10 Races

TOT

1. Coll. of Charleston 42 Anne Bowen

Liz McCarthy, Dani Nen

2. Stanford University 45 Caroline Young

Evan Brown1-4 Mariana Beardsworth5-6
BeccaLevin7

3. Georgetown 55 Blaire Herron

Dorothee Bergin

Umsted '05

Truxtun Umsted Regatta 2005
U.S. Naval Academy
19-20 March, 2005

5:41 PM 3-20-05

REGATTA HIGHLIGHTS:
Saturday was skunked for breeze after two races in each division. Lots of frisbee on the field as we all waited for wind... it never came. The ICSA Sailing Hall of Fame was re-dedicated Saturday night with college sailors, college sailing alumni, and benefactors all present. Sunday brought 3-6 knots throughout the day from the Southeast. Racing all day till 4pm.
Details of racing below...

A division = 10 Races
B division = 10 Races
C division = 10 Races
D division = 10 Races
A B C D TOT

1. Harvard University 86 70 59 68 283
2. Navy 82 43 117 51 293
3. St Marys College 100 63 52 81 296
4. Hobart/William Smith 80 105 72 47 304
5. Yale University 66 74 70 94 304
6. Georgetown Univ. 50 98 107 72 327
7. Dartmouth University 69 76 91 94 330
8. College ofCharleston 110 77 78 85 350
9. Brown University 93 38 85 141 357
10. Kings Point MMA 152 117 61 30 360
11. Stanford University 112 65 64 132 373
12. Old Dominion Univ. 79 126 117 68 390
13. Eckerd College 88 126 67 116 397
14. University of Hawaii 105 61 115 136 417
15. Washington College 110 125 118 108 461
16. Texas A&M University 78 144 159 112 493
17. Wisconsin 126 175 164 152 617
18. Michigan 162 165 152 169 648
19. Univ. of Washington 173 160 166 152 651
20. Michigan State 179 193 187 182 741

A division = 10 Races
TOT
1. Georgetown Univ. 50 Andrew Campbell
Caroline Lamotte
2. Yale University 66 Stu McNay
Meredith Killion, Benoit Bewley
3. Dartmouth University 69 Erik Storck
Clementine James
4. Texas A&M University 78 Scott Stanton
Nick Moraski
5. Old Dominion Univ. 79 Anna Tunnicliffe
Emily Bartlett
6. Hobart/William Smith 80 John Storck
Mandi Markee
7. Navy 82 Garth Fasano
Kristen Sproat
8. Harvard University 86 Vincent Porter
Ruth Schlitz
9. Eckerd College 88 Kellen Bernard
Maddy Eustis
10. Brown University 93 Patrick Rynne
Arlene Chung
11. St Marys College 100 Justin Law
Hilary Wiech
12. University of Hawaii 105 Joey Pasquali
Shandy Buckley
13. College ofCharleston 110 Sara Wilkinson
Joel Labuzetti
14. Washington College 110 Carl Horrocks
Alex Starks
15. Stanford University 112 Peter Dewing
Lucy Horton
16. Wisconsin 126 Patti Schmidt
Amy Schultz, Tristan Sather
17. Kings Point MMA 152 Pete Young
Sanha Bilunas
18. Michigan 162 Matt Vanderpool
Katie O'Brien
19. Univ. of Washington 173 Alex Jones
Ellie Wilson
20. Michigan State 179 Casey Ray
Meghan Walter

B division = 10 Races
TOT
1. Brown University 38 Charlie Enright
Janelle Sing
2. Navy 43 John Keith
Lauren Sutehall
3. University of Hawaii 61 Scott DeCurtis
Rebecca Mabardy
4. St Marys College 63 Aubrey Mayer
Paige Hannon
5. Stanford University 65 Edward Conrad
Anna Vu
6. Harvard University 70 Gerry Tulloch
Jenny Wong
7. Yale University 74 Zach Brown
Sarah Himmelfarb
8. Dartmouth University 76 W. Andrew Loe III
Elizabeth Kreter
9. College ofCharleston 77 Russ O'Reilly
Kelly Bowers
10. Georgetown Univ. 98 Steve Streit
Emily Sigular
11. Hobart/William Smith 105 Lee Sacket
Molly Lawson
12. Kings Point MMA 117 Andrew Bercovici
Connie Barela, Aaron Thompson
13. Washington College 125 Colin Robertson
Nicole Luckett
14. Old Dominion Univ. 126 Bill Berg
Ryan Kozoriz
15. Eckerd College 126 DJ Driscoll
Kristen Mitchell
16. Texas A&M University 144 Matt Barrett
17. Univ. of Washington 160 Ben Young
Emily Schneider
18. Michigan 165 Christina Falcone
Caitlin Fortune
19. Wisconsin 175 Aaron Mann
Mike Stephenson
20. Michigan State 193 Mills Forni
Steve Griffith

C division = 10 Races
TOT
1. St Marys College 52 Alex Steele
2. Harvard University 59 Clay Johnson
3. Kings Point MMA 61 Chris Branning
4. Stanford University 64 Emery Wagner
5. Eckerd College 67 Peter Stanton
6. Yale University 70 Matt Barry
7. Hobart/William Smith 72 Trevor Moore
8. College ofCharleston 78 Patrick Wilson
9. Brown University 85 Andrew Perry
10. Dartmouth University 91 Mike Wilde
11. Georgetown Univ. 107 JB Turney
12. University of Hawaii 115 Mark Spector
13. Navy 117 Steve Gay
14. Old Dominion Univ. 117 David Tunnicliffe
15. Washington College 118 Parker Michell
16. Michigan 152 Dave Ellis
17. Texas A&M University 159 Casey Krause
18. Wisconsin 164 Matt Schmidt
19. Univ. of Washington 166 Zak Malbin
20. Michigan State 187 Robert Linden

D division = 10 Races
TOT
1. Kings Point MMA 30 Chris Alexander
2. Hobart/William Smith 47 Jay Mills
3. Navy 51 Charles Fulmer
4. Harvard University 68 Kyle Kovacs
5. Old Dominion Univ. 68 Charles Higgins
6. Georgetown Univ. 72 Langdon Mitchell
7. St Marys College 81 John Loe
8. College ofCharleston 85 David O'Reilly
9. Yale University 94 Phil Stemler
10. Dartmouth University 94 Luke Hathaway
11. Washington College 108 Chad Hillyer
12. Texas A&M University 112 Hugh Haggerty
13. Eckerd College 116 Sarah Swan
14. Stanford University 132 Jeff Allen
15. University of Hawaii 136 Tinja Anderson
16. Brown University 141 Isaac Stoner
17. Wisconsin 152 Scott Eisenhardt
18. Univ. of Washington 152 Paul Stewart
19. Michigan 169 Ben Seppala
20. Michigan State 182 Michael Weingarten

Planet Shredding Warning

The two remaining boats in the Oryx Quest 2005 are gobbling up horizons and spitting them out the back in 2-metre high rooster tails as they shred the planet. The speed on both boats has barely dropped below 20 knots for the last 24 hours. It’s the kind of sailing these crews have come for and as they enter week seven of their around-the-world odyssey all is well on board both boats. In the Atlantic Tony Bullimore and his team on Daedalus are riding the northern edge of a powerful Southern Ocean front that is feeding them strong westerly winds. The forecast is for the wind to increase during the day today with gusts approaching 50 knots as the big catamaran hurtles down the face of short, steep waves. Fortunately the wind is from astern, and with reduced sail the boat is reveling in the conditions, the kind of sailing Nigel Irens had in mind when he designed the boat 21 years ago. Despite numerous circumnavigations and as many refits, the British-based multihull is still a rocketship boat in the right conditions. Tony shared his thoughts in his daily log.

“For the last few hours we have been tramping along doing around 20 knots going due east,” he wrote. “It's the first time for a few days that l feel we are on a really positive course to the finishing line. It is a fact that we have had poor weather conditions since Hurricane Percy back in the Southern Ocean, and over long periods we have had the wrong winds which has not allowed us to have great 500 mile plus daily runs. We have 8,000 odd miles to go to the finishing line and we can still do the fastest non-stop round-the-world time that Daedalus has ever done throughout her racing career. It would be a tremendous to sail the fastest circumnavigation of the globe for this boat.”

In the Indian Ocean Doha 2006 is still making excellent progress towards the finish despite the fact that the weather pattern has forced the crew to cut a wide arc around South Africa. They are still making a lot of easting as they wait for the right moment to turn north. At the 07:00 GMT poll on Monday morning Doha 2006 was 185 miles due north of the Crozet Islands, another remote, rocky cluster of islands in the Southern Ocean inhabited by birds, seals and an occasional scientist. The past weeks racing has been a tactical minefield that would have made for an interesting race had Cheyenne and Geronimo still been in competition. Paul Larsen, on board Doha 2006, discusses what might have been. “This current weather system would have been a great leveler had the other two big boats still been racing,” he wrote. “I think that the lead we had over Cheyenne would have evaporated quite quickly. There would be plenty of options open for people to take calculated guesses and create separation. Oh well, in this respect we certainly should be grateful. The major glaring issue with these boats, and what is trying to be achieved in these events, is the fact that these big multihulls constantly struggle to maintain even a 50% reliability record in non-stop round-the-world races/record attempts.”

Despite sophisticated weather receiving equipment on board both boats, route planning still requires a steady head and a certain amount of luck as Paul Larsen noted in his log in his own inimitable way of describing things. “Yesterday we sailed on a breeze no-one predicted, from a direction that no-one expected,” he wrote. “This makes it difficult to know whether or not it is taking you in the right direction, or the wrong direction as you wait for the weather models to catch up with the reality. Are we in a ridge, a high or a low? Is it a front? Nope, it's a little low which has formed in a ridge of High pressure! Ahh, that old classic.” And so the age-old debate continues between the on-watch crew trimming the sails and sailing the boat, and ‘brains’ below studying weather, planning strategy and making tactical decisions. Who knows best? Those on deck watching the wind and the cloud patterns in ‘real time’, or those below using expensive computers and high-tech equipment to predict the future? Perhaps the best strategy is a balance between the two. Fortunately the weather is constantly changing and a new set of problems will arise in the next few days as skipper Brian Thompson alluded to in his daily log. “Up ahead near Mauritius there is a tropical depression brewing and we have to factor that into our decision making. How big will it get, and where is it going to move to?” The debate goes on.

College Sailing Rankings

College Rankings as of March 15,

Determined by Sailing World's coaches panel:
Michael Callahan (Georgetown), Ken Legler (Tufts), and Mike Segerblom (USC).

COED (prev. rank)
1. USC (1)
2. Brown (6)
3. Yale (2)
4. Boston College (3)
5. Georgetown (11)
6. Stanford (14)
7. UC Irvine (4)
8. Dartmouth (5)
9. St. Mary's (12)
10. Harvard (10)
11. South Florida (13)
12. Hawaii (8)
13. Charleston (9)
14. Hobart/WmSmith (7)
15. Tuft (15)
16. MIT (17)
17. Connecticut College —
18. Old Dominion (16)
19. Kings Point —
20. Navy —
Also receiving votes: Washington, Boston Univ., Texas A&M Galveston, South Alabama

WOMEN (prev. rank)
1. Brown (3)
2. Charleston (1)
3. Yale (2)
4. Harvard (5)
5. Navy (11)
6. St. Mary's (8)
7. Stanford (6)
8. Boston College (4)
9. Old Dominion (10)
10. Georgetown (7)
11. Dartmouth (9)
12. Connecticut College —
13. South Florida (15)
14. Eckerd (12)
15. Hawaii (13)
Also receiving votes: UC Irvine

New Mooring Whips

Taylor Made Products has announced the introduction of a new line of value-priced mooring whips.

Sold under the BoatGuard® brand, the economically priced mooring whips are ideal for smaller boats on lakes and other protected waters. The whips consist of large-diameter solid fiberglass poles designed to provide the spring action needed to keep the boat safely away from the dock, and a newly redesigned whip base made of injection molded high-impact reinforced composite for strength and durability.

The BoatGuard whips, which retail beginning at $190.00, are sold as pairs and include all lines and hardware to complete the installation. They are available in 8, 12 and 14 ft. sizes for boats up to 25 ft.

“Taylor Made is solidifying its position as the number one supplier of mooring whip products,” said David Karpinski, vice president, sales and marketing. “The BoatGuard value products are a natural extension of our growing product line.”

Sacrifices & Gambles

BP Explorer has sacrificed the lead in leg 4 of the Global Challenge in a tactical gamble on the approach to Waypoint Bravo, just north of the Kuergelen Islands in the Southern Indian Ocean.

In anticipation of the strong winds from the southwest that will soon fill in as a conventional Southern Ocean low passes under the fleet, they headed south to line themselves up for the mark.

The southwesterly winds will lift all the teams on the racecourse on the run in to the psychologically and tactically significant waypoint. David Melvile, skipper of BP Explorer, clearly believes his former position would have left him sailing too far north, and therefore further from the great circle route to Cape Town that will take the fleet south again after rounding the mark.

“We have purposefully cashed in our first-place position,” reported BP Explorer Crew Volunteer, Naomi Cudmore, “getting some south in, hopefully to better set ourselves up for that 2,500-mile-long line to Cape Town. Whether or not this relatively bold move pays off will be impossible to determine until we finally round Bravo - probably on Monday."

BG SPIRIT has been heading south for some time, now in 10th place and also hoping the winds backing to the southwest and building in strength up to 30-35 knots will propel them through the rankings over the weekend.

At present though, former 2nd place Imagine It. Done. have taken the lead by 13nm; the team placed last on the overall leaderboard in 1st place on the water. After taking a few flyers that have not produced results in previous legs, skipper Dee Caffari promised her crew at the beginning of this leg in Sydney they would be concentrating on boat speed and staying in touch with the fleet. They have done exactly that and Dee’s evaluation of their impressive performance was simple:“We always knew we could sail the boat, but now we’re pointing it in the right direction as well!”

Leaderboard DTF

1. Imagine It. Done. 3,088nm
2. BP Explorer 3,101nm
3. Spirit of Sark 3,108nm
4. Team Stelmar 3,114nm
5. Pindar 3,126nm
6. Barclays Adventurer 3,128nm
7. SAIC La Jolla 3,147nm
8. Samsung 3,152nm
9. Me to You 3,162nm
10.BG SPIRIT 3,170nm
11.VAIO 3,206nm
12.Team Save the Children 3,311nm

Water Level Update

Below you'll find water level info that pertains to Lakes Michigan and Huron.

Reference Point- Measurements in Inches

Difference from Chart Datum +3
Difference from last month 0
Difference from last year +7
Difference from long term average for March -10
Difference from Record High -40
Difference from Record Low +20
Forecast for 18 April +4

Click for information on other lakes.

Announcing GLMRA

Great Lakes Multihull Racing Association has been formed! GLMRA’s purpose is provide racers with a rating rule and certificate, universally accepted throughout the region such that on any day a well prepared multihulled yacht and skilled crew, fairly sailed and respectful of GLMRA, USSA and ISF rules, regulations and procedures, may equally have the opportunity to win in competition. This group/rule is intended to encourage innovation and participation in racing on the Great Lakes, minimize confusion and partisanship, allow for the expedient development of boats and equipment, encourage innovation and safety as well as respect balanced interests of fair competition and sportsmanship.

GLMRA has been organized by representatives from lakes Erie, St Clair, Huron and Michigan. Historically, racers from this region have dealt with a different rating authority from each area. Given the relatively small size of the multihull fleet and the need for the group to travel throughout the region to place meaningful numbers on the starting line, the need for a unified rating authority/rule and single portable rating was obvious. In 2005 multihulls in the following events will be scored using GLMRA ratings:

All Lake Erie events
All Lake St Clair events
All Lake Huron events
Chicago Mackinac Race
Bayview Mackinac Race
All Great Lakes Single Handed Society events (incl. Chicago and Port Huron Solo Macs, St Clair Solo, Trans- Superior)

Why aren’t more Lake Michigan events included?

LMPHRF was invited on several occasions to join the effort but declined. The recent announcement about creation of a LMPRF multihull subcommittee was a response to the GLMRA effort to unify the entire region under a single rating authority, but fell short of the desired result of providing a single portable regional rating under a single rule structure. Announcements will be made as additional events are added. Lake Erie Multihull and Lake Huron/St Clair have unified with GLMRA.

What will my GLMRA rating be?

For 2005 GLMRA will mostly “normalize” the various PHRF ratings from around the region, that is to say where there are differences in a particular boat from one area to another, GLMRA will arrive at a single rating (TOT and TOD,) to be used. Additionally, a simple written rule document will be provided, specifying precisely how sails are to be measured, what must be aboard while racing, etc. Boats will apply for a GLMRA rating by completing an application including a sail measurement certificate and submitting a copy of their latest PHRF certificate, if available.

During this season GLMRA will also be working to gather as much weight data on the fleet as possible. A weigh in configuration will be specified and one-off designs (non series-produced boats) will be asked to provide a load-cell weight. All boats participating in the Great Lakes Multihull Racing Association Championship Regatta (formerly Great Lakes Multihull Championship, Bay City Yacht Club) will be weighed at the event.

What will be done with the weight data?

GLMRA seeks to compile accurate and consistent measurement data in order to better determine the performance characteristics of the various boats. While a pure measurement rule may or may not be possible, more science will be applied to the rating process in the future in order to develop the fairest possible race ratings. After the data is gathered during the 2005 season this data will be directly incorporated into the development of a fair rating process for future years.

Who is GLMRA?

Any owner obtaining a GLMRA rating certificate for their boat is a member. Other individuals who have expertise or experience necessary to assist the organization may also be invited to join. The founding members include:

Jim Frederick – Lake Erie Multihull, Put In Bay Yacht Club – lemultihull@coastalwave.net

Deb Schaeffer – Lake Erie Multihull - bigstorm@coastalwave.net

Tony Hammer – Viking Multihull and Bayview Mac Multihull Handicapper – ahammer@mnsi.net

Meade Gougeon – Bay City Yacht Club, Viking Multihull - mag@gougeon.com

Matt Scharl – MORF, Great Lakes Single Handed Society - maspic@mindspring.com

Ron White – Chicago Yacht Club, Chief Measurer CYC Race to Mackinac - stampede@skyenet.net

GLMRA will hold its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Championship in Bay City in August. All of the membership will be given the opportunity to provide input into the ongoing development and management of the Class, whether in attendance at the Championship or not.

I don’t travel away from my home lake to race, so why should I care about GLMRA?

The largest events in the region typically see in excess of 60% of participants traveling from outside the given home area. Locals clearly benefit from competitors traveling into their home area and GLMRA seeks to encourage even more travel and participation by providing a single portable rating certificate for the entire region.

What will the fee be to aquire a GLMRA rating?

The fee for issuance of a certificate will be $35.

Lake Erie Multihull will be providing administrative support for GLMRA and issuing certificates. The address is:

GLMRA
c/o LE Multihull
2131 N Camp Perry Rd
Clinton OH 43452

Stay tuned for more information in the next few weeks including the rule document for 2005 and rating application forms. Any of the founding members listed above may be contacted with questions.

Pass this info on to your friends!

US Sailing Sponsorship Announced

US SAILING, national governing body for the sport, announced today that it has selected New England Ropes as the Official Cordage Sponsor to the US Sailing Team, the US Disabled Sailing, and the US Youth World Team. The new partnership looks ahead to 2005 and beyond to supply the top sailors in the country with the latest and highest quality of ropes. As part of the agreement, New England Ropes
will outfit all team-members with a custom line-package, developed with input from the athletes and coaches.

"We are very excited to be chosen by US SAILING as Official Cordage
Sponsor, and we look forward to getting every sailor on the US Sailing Team geared up for international competition," said Kevin Coughlin, Market Manager for New England Ropes. "New England Ropes recently introduced a line of dinghy and one-design ropes that will help the team achieve top results."

"New England Ropes is a perfect fit for the performance needs of the
country's top sailors," said US SAILING's High Performance Director Gary Bodie. "With the new partnership, the athletes will play a key role in the development of new ropes that they will enjoy on the water."

About New England Ropes
For over 35 years, New England Ropes has been pioneering innovative
cordage solutions. Drawing on extensive in-house engineering and
manufacturing capabilities to continuously develop line for performance applications on boats of all sizes, New England Ropes offers more types of rope that any other manufacturer. Sailors of any level anywhere in the country can look to New England Ropes to set the pace with the strongest,lightest, lowest stretch, and easiest handling line on the market. For more information about New England Ropes call 1-800-333-6679, or go to www.neropes.com.

68 Enter Transpac '05

With the starts still four months away, the official entry list for the Centennial Transpacific Yacht Race has soared to 68 boats---the most in a quarter century---and brought prospects of a blistering Barn Door battle between sailing superstars for the record.

Hasso Plattner's Morning Glory, with three-time America's Cup winning skipper Russell Coutts on board, is among the latest to sign in. The German industrial software magnate will line up against Roy Disney's Pyewacket in a duel of Reichel/Pugh maxZ86s. They'll try to beat the fastest elapsed time by a monohull set by Disney's previous Pyewacket in 1999---7 days 11 hours 41 minutes 27 seconds---or at least claim the 3 1/2x4-foot slab of carved koa wood known as the Barn Door that goes to the fastest monohull.

Philippe Kahn's Pegasus boats won it in 2001 and 2003, Disney's Pyewackets the previous two races.

Besides Coutts, Morning Glory's crew will include world 505 champion Morgan Larson as a watch captain and all-round world-class competitor Peter Isler as navigator. Larson sailed on the two Pegasus winners.

Pyewacket regulars include Olympic gold medalist Robbie Haines and record-setting navigator Stan Honey.

There also are 14 Cal 40s---the 40-year revival seems boundless---and, in all, boats from six countries and four continents.

Australians Jamie and Jenny O'Neill have re-entered The Cone of Silence, their radical Super 30 that broke down early two years ago and returned to Long Beach. They noted that they had completed their required 160-mile offshore passage: "500 miles out and back in Transpac 2003."

Yoshihiko Murase's Ohashi 52, Bengal 2, from Japan is back after a seventh-place Division 2 finish in 2003 when it gracefully accepted the "northernmost" award for defying conventional Transpac navigational wisdom.

Also, Transpac historians believe this race will have the first doublehanded women's entry: Patricia Garfield and Diane Murray of San Francisco, sailing a Catalina 470, Charmed Life.

Both of the Aloha class winners are returning: Ross Pearlman's Jeanneau 52, Between the Sheets, in Class A, and David Kory in Class B, although his current Barking Spider 3 is a MacGregor 65, a step up from the 38-foot sloop he sailed last time.

Entries close on June 3. Measurement is also required by that date.

_/)

Transpac Trivia Quiz

Who was the first woman skipper to win her class? Answer below.

_/)

Sailors' Seminar May 1 at Alamitos Bay YC

Transpac has scheduled a seminar for all participants Sunday, May 1, at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Subjects will include communication, weather information, provisioning, rigging, ratings, insurance, return boat delivery and ratings.

The event is free and will be hosted by Commodore Jerry Montgomery. Experts in various fields are expected to appear. Lunch will be available.

Those interested are asked to contact Montgomery at mmmont@aol.com

_/)

Challenged America Announces the 2005 Crew

Challenged America, a team of disabled sailors returning from its historic 2003 Transpac debut, has announced its 2005 team selected from 44 original candidates with disabilities living throughout the United States and Canada, Mexico, Europe and South Africa.

The crew members are (above from left): Kevin Wixom, leg amputee, San Diego; Ryan Baker, paraplegic, San Diego; Joshua Ross, able-bodied, skipper, San Diego (behind Baker); "B" team member Linda Woodbury, totally blind, San Diego; Jeff Reinhold, quadriplegic, Seattle; Urban Miyares, totally blind, hearing impaired, organ transplant recipient and diabetes, San Diego; Miyares' guide dog, Duchess; Jim Halverson, leg amputee and cancer survivor, San Juan

Capistrano, Calif.

They'll sail the same Tripp 40, B'Quest, that the original team sailed in Racing Division 5 two years ago, finishing in a respectable 13-plus days. Woodbury is first alternate.

Duchess' talents will not be needed. "GPS has taken her place," Ross said.

Challenged America, based in San Diego, was founded in the late 1970s by disabled veterans desiring to further their own rehabilitation. In 1991 they expressed the intention of racing Transpac. After two failed attempts due to funding shortfall, the goal became a reality in 2003 when two of the original founders---Bob Hettiger, paraplegic, and Miyares, both disabled veterans---realized their dream with three other sailors with disabilities, plus Ross, the able-bodied skipper.

Making Waves Productions will film the campaign for an independent documentary. Progress may be followed with daily reports on www.YachtRacing.com starting July 11.

More information: www.ChallengedAmerica.org/

_/)

Trivia Answer

In 1959, socialite sailor Sally Blair Ames took the 76-foot schooner Constellation to first place overall in Class A on corrected handicap time.

_/)

Paid Entries

(listed alphabetically)

Artemis (Andrews 53), Louis Bianco, Seattle.
Atalanta (Tripp 73 ketch), Richard Hedreen), Seattle.
Azure (Cal 40), Rodney Pimentel, Alameda, Calif.
Azure (Swan 441), Samuel Beckey, San Diego.
Barking Spider 3 (MacGregor 65), David Kory, Concord, Calif.
Bengal 2 (Ohashi 52), Yoshihiko Murase, Nagoya, Japan
Between the Sheets (Jeanneau 52), Ross Pearlman, Marina del Rey, Calif.
Blue (J/160), Ken and /Cheryl Sears, Nashville, Tenn.
Bolt (Nelson/Marek 55), Craig Reynolds, Newport Beach, Calif.
B'Quest (Tripp 40), Challenged America, San Diego.
Braveheart (Transpac 52), Charles Burnet, Seattle.
Bright Wing (catamaran), John Walton, Jackson, Wyo.
Bubala (Cal 40), Lloyd Sellinger, Newport Beach.
California Girl (Cal 40), Don and Betty Lessley, Richmond, Calif.
Callisto (Cal 40), Jim Eddy, Glendale, Calif.
Camille (Stewart 42), James Read, San Francisco.
DH-Charmed Life (Catalina 470), Patricia Garfield, San Francisco.
Cipango (Andrews 56), Bob & Rob Barton, San Francisco.
Chasch Mer (S/C 50), Gib Black, Honolulu.
Coruba (N/M 68), Rob and Suzanne Fleming, Seattle.
Dancing Bear (Cal 40), Mark Schrader, Sitka, Alaska.
Dasher (S/C 50), Roger Groh, Sausalito, Calif.
Diablo (J/35), Reed Barnard, Anacortes, Wash.
Far Far (Cal 40), Don Grind, Naples, Fla.
Iataia (Beneteau First 40.7), Marcos Rodriguez, Acapulco, Mexico.
Illusion (Cal 40), Sally Honey, Palo Alto, Calif.
Incredible (Swan 53), Rick Gorman, Los Alamitos, Calif.
Innocent Merriment (J/160), Myron Lyon, San Diego.
Jacaré (J/35), Jeff Young/Rich Blackman, San Diego.
Jeito (J/145), Francisco Guzman, Acapulco, Mexico.
Kahoots (Andrews 43), Kerry Deaver/Bob Williamson, Newport Beach.
Locomotion (Andrews 45), Doug McLean/Melinda Lincoln, Long Beach.
Magnitude 80 (Andrews 80), Doug Baker, Long Beach.
Medicine Man (Andrews 61), Bob Lane, Long Beach.
Merlin (Lee 68), Patricia Steele, Maui, H.I.
Mongoose (Santa Cruz 70), Bradley Thorson, Bellevue, Wash.
Morning Glory (R/P maxZ86), Hasso Plattner, Kiel, Germany.
Odyssey (58' yawl), Audrey Steele Burnand, Long Beach.
Pipe Dream (CF 37), John Davis, Long Beach.
Plan B (Peterson 48), David Johnson, Long Beach.
Psyche (Cal 40), Steve Calhoun, Los Angeles.
Pursuit (Custom 48), Norman and Rosemary Dawley, Solomons, Md.
Pyewacket (R/P maxZ86), Roy E. Disney, Los Angeles.
Radiant (Cal 40), Fin Beven, Pasadena, Calif.
Ragtime (Spencer 66), Peterson/Richards/Welsh/Zimmer, Honolulu.
Ralphie (Cal 40), Taylor and Davis Pillsbury, Woody Creek, Colo.
Reinrag2 (J/125), Tom Garnier, Portland, Ore.
Renegade (Andrews 70), Dan Sinclair, Vancouver, B.C.
Rosebud (Transpac 52), Roger Sturgeon, San Francisco.
Scout Spirit (R/P 77), Bill Turpin, Newport Beach, Calif.
Seafire (Cal 40), John Harrison, Honolulu.
Second Chance (Express 37), Steve Brown, Crystal Cove, Calif.
Sensation (1D35), Gary Fanger, San Francisco.
Serena (T1150), David Kuettel, Bel Marin, Calif.
Shaman (Cal 40), Steve Waterloo, Alameda, Calif.
Showdown (IMX 38), Pete Meade/Mike Luna/ Paul McDonald, Irvine, Calif.
So Far (Swan 48), Larry Hillman, Chicago.
Soap Opera (Hobie 33), Scott Self/Nigel Brown, Rockwall, Tex.
Spectre (Cal 40), Lee Rogge, Seattle.
Stealth Chicken (Perry 56), Timothy Beatty, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Super Gnat (Beneteau First 40.7), Cliff Thompson, San Diego
Tabasco (1D35), Alamitos Bay Syndicate, Long Beach.
The Cone of Silence (Super 30), Jamie and Jenny Neill, Sydney, Australia.
Uproarious (Olson 40), Robert Bussard, San Diego.
Wild Radish (J/145), Louis Ravenet, Seattle.
Willow Wind (Cal 40), Wendy Siegal, Sunset Beach, Calif.
Wind Dancer (Catalina 42), Paul Edwards, Ventura, Calif.
Windquest (R/P maxZ86), Dick & Doug DeVos, Holland, Mich.

Flying 15 Worlds Report

Christchurch pair Aaron GOODMANSON and Alister ROWLANDS look to have claimed third place in the 70 boat fleet at the Flying Fifteen World Championships that concluded in Auckland today. Provisional results are out now and protests are unlikely to alter the top spots.

The pair won the final two races of the seven race regatta and retained third place on the leader board that they held at the start of today before the final race. GOODMANSON talking this afternoon was happy with their build-up and with todays result.

"We had a great lead-up to this regatta and we're pretty stoked with the result. We went to Adelaide for the Aussie Nationals in January and finished fourth there, and then had a good build-up regatta with a fifth at the New Zealand Nationals last week."

Conditions have been variable throughout the week-long regatta with start delays due to light winds earlier in the week. "Our aim was to try and finish in the top 10 in all of the races. Really the wind came in for us a little too late. We were hoping for stronger breeze, but it only came in the last couple of days," says GOODMANSON.

Australian pair Nick and Janet JERWOOD won the regatta with consistent performances throughout finishing on 29 points. Charles APTHORP and Alan GREEN of Great Britain took second with 33 points.

The regatta attracted a huge International group of sailors with 70 boats competing in the World Championship fleet. New Zealand had 19 pairs competing, with the next best kiwi performance being Murray GILBERT and Jonathan BURGESS in 12th place in the provisional results to hand.

Flying Fifteen World Championships 2005
Provisional Results at Conclusion of Regatta

1st - Nick & Janet JERWOOD (AUS) - 29 points
2nd - Charles ALTHORP & Alan GREEN (GBR) - 33 points
3rd - Aaron GOODMANSON & Alister ROWLANDS (NZL) - 36 points
4th - Greame LILLINGTON & Edmond REPSEVICIUS (AUS) - 44 points
5th - Steve GOACHER & Phil EVANS (GBR) - 49 points
6th - David MCKEE & Chris HEWKIN (GBR) - 54 points
7th - Greg WELLS & David TULLOCH (GBR) - 64 points
8th - Grant ALDERSON & Dean MCAULLAY (AUS) - 70 points
9th - Mike HART & Tim HALL (GBR) - 76 points
10th - Ronald PACKER & Peter MUDFORD (AUS) - 81 points

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Great Lakes GLMRA announced. Pilot Pay

Record Setters on Land

What a magnificent finish! It was just like the rest of this round the world voyage with the Orange II maxi-catamaran steaming along at more than 30 knots, with the floater raised up in the wind, under simply the staysail and mainsail with two reefs. In the sky, only the helicopter could keep up with this pace, and the motor boats with the throttles full out could only try to hang on in her wake.

The sun and the temperature were also in festive mood, as was the public, who were able to watch this majestic entrance live on a giant screen. It was with cheers ringing out that the new holder of the Jules Verne Trophy, with the record time of 50 days 16 hours 20 minutes and 11 seconds, came alongside the harbour wall in the docks in Brest at 09.30 GMT this morning. Some clean shaven, others less so, or even bearded like Yann Eliès, one of the three watch leaders on board, all the faces were beaming with joy. It had been a short sleepless night, but they were holding out for the time being. They were all getting back with friends and family. On the podium, where the crew gathered, there was an aura of magic. No one could resist the charm, with Bruno Peyron in top form. With almost thirty years of adventure and racing on all the world's oceans behind him, with three Jules Verne Trophies under his belt, he found the right words to thank all those, who had made possible the performance that would go down in history. Thank you, Bruno, and thanks to your great crew. We hope to see you again soon for some more world sailing records.

Dismasting Aftermath

Tony Bullimore and is team on Daedalus are trucking north as a weak front passes over the boat. The front, bringing squally weather, is a relief from the frustrating calms of a day ago and the big cat is making steady progress up the coast of Argentina. At the 07:00 GMT poll on Friday morning Daedalus was 425 miles from the Los Lobos turning mark. The forecast, however, shows that the next 24 hours are going to tricky sailing for the crew. A new low pressure system is currently forming over land to the north and west of Daedalus. It’s forecast to move southeast and deepen, meaning that it will pass directly in front of Tony and his team feeding the same bumpy conditions and vicious squalls that Doha 2006 experienced as they neared the turning mark. This region is known for Pampero’s, small localized squalls that hit with an intensity that can cripple and unaware crew. The systems develop over land where hot dry air from the Argentinean pampas generate energy before moving out over the ocean. The first sign is a low, cigar-shaped cloud on the horizon. The ocean becomes still and glassy with a sudden increase in humidity. Then the wind comes, strong and gusty, howling through the rigging and driving horizontal spray that makes it difficult to reduce sail and keep the boat moving in the right direction. These waters are familiar to Tony and he will be sure to be keeping an eye out for these unwanted Argentinean exports.

Meanwhile on the other side of the ocean Doha 2006 has been dealt their first bad wind card in many weeks. After being forced south to pass under the South Atlantic High, they continued sailing east under a second high that had formed in the Indian Ocean. A day ago Brian Thompson was hoping that they would be able to skirt under that system as well, but it’s not to be. The Indian Ocean high has steadily increased in size, rising in pressure until it has become a giant obstacle that stands between Doha 2006 and Madagascar. Passing under and to the east of the system now seems an impossible route and Brian and his team have made the tough decision to pass it to the west. This new tactic means strong headwinds for the next few days as the Qatari cat sails north out of the Southern Ocean. They will not see any relief from the upwind sailing until they are close to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, still 1,500 miles away. The time for some prudent sailing is ahead. It’s precisely these same conditions that crippled Geronimo a month ago. Olivier de Kersauson believes the boat his a submerged object, however the relentless, bone-jarring pounding experienced as a maxi-cat goes to windward are precisely the kind of conditions when damage can happen. They are clearly taking it slow as their days run for the last 24-hours was a paltry 245 miles. Team Daedalus has already taken over a hundred miles out of their lead.

During the first half of the race we received updates from Cheyenne navigator Wouter Verbraak. His analysis was invaluable and made for great reading. Now, however, with Cheyenne out of the race we are no longer receiving the daily updates. Verbraak is no back in Holland with his family and sent a final report. Here it is in full:

THE LONG JOURNEY HOME
With the loud bang, our non-stop round the world race came to an end, but at the same time a new journey started; to get the boat safely to the harbour and the crew home.

Thanks to some very valuable contacts in Argentina, the Argentinean Navy was mobilised within hours after our dismasting. The closest navy vessel was only 140 NM south of us, and within 10 hours she arrived at our position. Soon Gordon, Herve Jan and myself were transferred to the navy vessel to facilitate the communication with the naval officers. After a warm welcome from the crew on board the Castillo we went directly to the bridge, where we got introduced to the commander and his staff. They were very keen to proceed immediately with setting up a tow, as the sun would go down within an hour. No more than 15 minutes later the naval vessel was in position along Cheyenne and a towing rope was transferred. Unfortunately before everything was in place, the sea anchor broke! The light cat immediately accelerated to 5 knots, and ran over the towing line! This resulted in a big mess with the towing line around the daggerboard and rudders. Not good! The only way to proceed was to let go of the towing line and start again. However, by this time darkness had set-in, which made things more complicated.

We followed the second attempt very closely from the bridge of the Castillo, and we were well impressed by the professionalism and smooth operation of the naval crew. Despite more than 20 people present on the bridge, you could have heard a needle drop. A few calm words of the commander were enough to set in motion a complex chain of commands and actions that maneuvered the Castillo within meters of the Cheyenne. Taking into account the strong winds (30 knots), waves and large difference in weight between the two boats, the operation can not be described as anything but an extraordinary display of seamanship by the Argentinean Navy. The next day and a half on the Castillo were a welcome relief from the primitive life onboard Cheyenne. Warm showers, fresh fruit and Argentinean beef, we couldn’t believe our eyes! After 30 hours, we arrived in Comodoro Rivadavia, where we docked Cheyenne amongst the local fishing boats. The locals were lining the docks to see this strange boat, and soon we were front page news. However, due to the large tide and relative unsheltered harbour, it was decided that it would be better to tow Cheyenne further up the coast to Bahia Blanca. Six of the crew were to go with her, the other seven were to get home as soon as possible.

This proved to be a new adventure in itself; all flights to Buenos Aires were full for the next four days. Trains don’t connect to this part of Argentina and coaches are infrequent. The fastest option was to rent a car and drive to Buenos Aires; a journey of 1800 km through the planes of Patagonia. Gordon, Anders, Gerard, Jim, Herve Jan and myself rented a car and started the long drive. This part of Argentina is extremely arid. The Andes takes all the rain and leaves blue skies with a few clouds for the large planes to the east. Cities are scarce, with the main industry being based on oil production. As we progressed north the landscape slowly turned green and on Monday morning we reached Buenos Aires. We managed to get flights for the same day, so after a short good-bye we all went our own ways, and that was it; I am sure our paths will cross again soon, but first we will spend time with our family and friends. The Volvo Ocean Race taught me that it will take a long time to reflect on all the intense moments we had in this trip. Despite our dismasting, we can look back at a great race, and a great journey for everybody.

From the Notice to Mariners

LAKE MICHIGAN – Holland Channel, Holland, MI – Shoaling – Chart 14906 and 14932 The Coast Guard has a report of significant shoaling inside the Holland Channel. The depth of water has been reported to be 14 to 15 feet just inside the breakwall. All vessels should transit the area with caution.

Lake Michigan – Muskegon Lake – Chart 14934 MUSKEGON S BKW LIGHT (LLNR 18705) - reduce the light range from 7 to 5 miles and install an on-demand fog signal system. Energize the fog signal by keying VHF microphone on channel 79 five times. The changes would occur in May 2005.

GREAT LAKES - OH, MI, IL, WI, MN - Light-house daymark disestablishments The following lighthouse day-marks have been or will be disestablished since they are/were transferred to private preservation groups under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. The tower will remain and be maintained in a historic manner. The US Coast Guard will continue to maintain the optic: LLNR Aid Name
3745 Ashtabula Harbor Light - OH
10015 Fort Gratiot Light - MI
10130 Harbor Beach Light – MI
11345 Sturgeon Point Light – MI
11790 Cheyogan River Front Range Lighthouse – MI
12770 Detour Reef Light – MI
14575 Munising Station Front/ Rear Range Lights – MI
15165 Gull Rock Light – MI
15170 Manitou Island Light - MI
17845 St James Light - MI
19295 Holland Harbor Light - MI

Iridium's RTW Role

Geolink is providing global satellite communication services with Iridium for the Oryx Quest 2005 round-the-world sailboat race, which got underway from Doha, Qatar, February 5.

The Oryx Quest race pits four of the world’s largest and fastest multi-hull sailing machines against each other in a high-speed chase around the world.

Three of the giant multi-hull sailboats – Geronimo, Daedelus and Doha 2006 – have been equipped with Iridium handheld telephones by Geolink, the official communication supplier for the Oryx Quest event.

“Iridium’s global satellite coverage and service allows the racers to send and receive voice, messaging, data, the latest weather forecasts and routing advice from their experts ashore regardless of the extreme conditions at sea,” said Bruno Gicquel, maritime operations director at Geolink.

“The Iridium satphones will provide an important margin of safety for the sailboats throughout the race,” said Don Thoma, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite. “Iridium’s constellation of 66 low-orbiting satellites ensures that they will have seamless, uninterrupted communication even when sailing in extremely high latitudes where geostationary satellite systems are unreliable.”

The four space-age multi-hull sailing machines competing in the Oryx Quest race are expected to cover the 27,000 mile course in under 55 days, with average speeds of over 20 knots. Daily reports and maps can be viewed at the Oryx Quest website, www.oryxquest.com.

Iridium and Geolink are also providing global satellite communication services for the Vendée Globe single-handed sailboat race, which is currently underway. “The solo racers in the Vendée Globe are depending heavily on their Iridium satphones for vital communications with each other and with their shore-based teams,” said Gicquel.

Letter of Congratulations

Dear Bruno,

You have perfected the Round the World.

Before your first record in 1993, the best time was 109 days by Titouan Lamazou. Now on your third you have brought the record down to less than one half that time.

Although I am sad to see my record broken after only one year, I still have the satisfaction of being part of the progressive history of this Round the World Record. Your new record is likely to last, and certainly you have made a special mark on sailing history by breaking the Round the World three times.

You and your crew have sailed extraordinarily well. I am happy for you.

Kind regards,

Steve Fosset

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Great Lakes Illeagal Fitz dive. Marquette ice breaking

College Sailing # 1 USC

Day 2 Final Selection

Twenty international sailors who just two days ago didn't know each other have become a team. "Everyone comes out of such completely different worlds," said Stefan Marechal from the Netherlands. "But we are all the same. I thought that was cool, but I was surprised."

Day two of the final second boat crew selection was less about discovering the boat, and more about discovering each other. All of these sailors will take away good memories, and good friendships, long after this selection is over.

Andre Mirsky of Brazil said "the team is more like a team." Day one, he said, revealed that some people just weren't being part of the group. Today changed that for him.

The candidates hail from Brazil, the Netherlands, the United States,the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and Sweden. They found that the language and cultural differences between them really didn't matter much. A good sailor is good no matter where he comes from.

Judge Hans Horrevoets, who has himself sailed round the world with the Whitbread (now the Volvo Ocean Race), said that there were a few surprises in the group since the initial selections. Many of the sailors, he said, have simply grown in the process of the selection. And that, Horrevoets said, is a good sign for the outcome.

Morning announcement

At eight o'clock the group gathered on the dock. Today there were no stragglers, no one was late. Sailing director Roy Heiner announced that the day's schedule had been changed slightly. "I was concerned we would have no wind."

The day's activities were moved up three hours. Sailing would begin promptly at nine o'clock. "I pushed it forward so we would get as much sailing time as we can."

Heiner said that day one had been "easy sailing, not performance sailing." Heiner said all the sailors should "take that knowledge withyou. Today, we are sailing the Volvo Ocean Race."

The Pindar boat, which is larger than anything any one of them have sailed before, "should be sailed as fast as possible." This meant, it should be sailed at 98% capacity all the time. "You will be judged on it as a group." The challenge was not lost on the sailors. They knew the judges were turning up the heat.

The wind picked up to about 12 knots aboard the Open 60 Pindar boat, which meant that they could use the canting keel for the first time ever. This made the boat more stable and less likely to pitch.

Maximising time on and off the water

The sailors only got three hours on the water each. Some were impatient to get more water time. Many complained at having an hour or two to relax in between sailing and team building activities. They had come here to race, not to relax. Some paced up and down the dock, watching an antique clipper ship come and go, as well as brightly painted fishing boats.

Many of the sailors hit the gym when they were not taking part in the official programme. At any given time, the glass-enclosed fitness center on site was full of young men using the rowing machines, orergo meters, weight benches or elliptical cross trainers. They all had a great view of the marina and of the professional sailors going about their business.

Some sailors didn't go to the gym, such as American George Peet, saying they wanted to save up their energy for the water. They knew that they only have, after day two, six more hours on the water before the next team cuts, if all goes to plan.

Over dinner, some of the sailors got a chance to sit next to the professional sailors from the first boat. For many, this was their only chance to get this close to top-level sailors who were actually achieving what they could only dream about: sailing the Volvo Ocean Race for ABN AMRO.

The sailing

Horrevoets said that these conditions are comparable to the VolvoOcean Race, in that "the sailors will also be put into situations that they have never been in before. We get a sense of how they think ,their patterns."

Some sailors acknowledged that their challenges varied day to day, even though they sailed with the same group of six or seven sailors. "We had more problems yesterday with communication," said Lucas Brun of Brazil.

"Today we had more problems with making decisions. We needed a chief, a boss to hit the others and tell them, 'do that, darn it!'" Brun's experience was particular to his group. Every group had its own dynamic. Others had the feeling they had too many leaders, and not enough followers.

The sailors felt at times unsure and insecure as they struggled at points. For young men who know their way around dinghies or smaller craft, a boat this size threw some of them off balance. And for some, the constant need for teamwork in a boat this size tested their communication skills. For a few sailors, such as Jan Mejer of Maryland in the United States, the boat posed less of a challenge as he has sailed in larger boats.

Bruno Santos of Brazil said that "each day we are getting a better feeling." His opinion was echoed by others: they grew more confident as they put in more time on the water. Santos said he'd already achieved a lot by just being here. "This is the biggest objective of my life, being selected for this race." He said he would give the selection his all.

There were no announcements after the day's sailing. The sailors would have to wait until the next morning at eight o'clock to find out what they would do on day three.

Icebreaking Notice

Canadian Coast Guard Ship SAMUEL RISLEY will lock through the SOO Locks on March 18, 2005 transiting through the upper St. Marys River to Whitefish Bay and will continue to Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada for the spring breakout period.

The CCGS SAMUEL RISLEY is a 229' icebreaker buoy tender home ported in Parry Sound, Ontario Canada. The CCGS SAMUEL RISLEY will lock up to Lake Superior eight days before the official opening of the locks in order to reach Thunder Bay to conduct ice-breaking operations in support of that harbor. This will begin ice-breaking operations in the upper St. Mary’s River.

The Coast Guard would like to remind all recreational ice users to plan their activity carefully, use caution on the ice, and stay away from shipping channels, which are being groomed for the opening of the shipping season.

The Maxifoilers of 2030

Team Daedalus has had a frustratingly slow 24 hours as they sail up the coast of Argentina. After strong headwinds the wind has died away completely leaving a glassy smooth ocean with barely a cats paw rippling the surface. In the last 24 hours the big multihull has made good only 137 nautical miles towards Los Lobos island. Tony and his team sailed almost 180 miles through the water, but they were chasing breeze all over the ocean and the distance to the turning mark off Uruguay remains a painstaking 800 miles distant.

“There is not much we can do about it,” Tony said in a satellite phone call. “There is simply no wind around. The water is calm. It’s very beautiful, but not good for racing.” During Wednesday night they sailed past the place where Cheyenne lost her mast more than a week ago. “It’s strange how different the conditions are for the three Oryx Quest boats,” Tony continued. “When Doha 2006 passed by here they were sailing consistently over 20 knots. Cheyenne also had good wind but we have nothing. Not a breath.” Tony reported that all was well on board. The crew were relaxed and happy to be around Cape Horn and out of the freezing conditions of the deep south. Despite the anticlimax of rounding Cape Horn in the middle of the night too far from land to see even the loom of the lighthouse, the crew were proud of their achievement. Later in the day Tony sent an email. “The barometer has dropped, but there is still no sign of any wind in the immediate future,” he wrote. “But we are looking forward to turning east and chasing Brian Thompson and his Doha 2006 crew across the Atlantic. By then the bigger cat will most likely be in the lighter winds of the Indian Ocean which will give the trusty Daedalus an opportunity to narrow their 3,600 mile lead.”

Brian Thompson and his team on Doha 2006 also had a relatively slow day if you can call 421 miles covered slow. At the 07:00 GMT poll on Thursday morning the Qatari cat was sailing at a sedate 10.2 knots. They are still flirting with the fringes of two high pressure systems that are working in tandem to give Daedalus an opportunity to catch up. “We are threading our way between high pressure to the north and the Antarctic convergence zone to the south,” Thompson said in a satellite phone call. “It’s a gap about a hundred miles wide. We can’t afford to go north otherwise we will run out of wind, and we don’t dare go any further south. We have just enough wind to keep on a steady easterly course. He then added wryly. “We would look pretty silly if we ran into an iceberg right at the moment with a lead of almost 4,000 miles, so to minimise the risk we are trying to stay in the flatter seas and lighter winds. We will be a little bit slower getting to Doha, but a lot safer.” At the same 07:00 poll Doha 2006 was exactly 750 miles due south of Cape Town. The forecast has not changed since yesterday as Doha 2006 leaves the effects of the high pressure in the Atlantic and sails into the effects of another high pressure that remains stationary south of Madagascar. Being on the south side of the high they are sailing in steady westerly winds and Thompson and his navigator, Will Oxley, are hoping to ride the fair winds until they are beyond the high when they can slingshot north up the Indian Ocean. It’s tricky sailing and a somewhat risky move. If the high drifts east it will continue to block their way north and they will be trapped. “If the high does move to the east it’s going to force a hard decision on board,” Thompson said. “We may just have to bite the bullet and harden sheets to pass to the west of the system. This will mean strong headwinds, but sometimes that can’t be helped.” The next 24-hours are going to be interesting for Doha 2006.

Both Tony Bullimore and Brian Thompson took time to congratulate French sailor Bruno Peyron and his crew on Orange II on their magnificent nonstop circumnavigation. Orange II set a new around-the-world record of 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds. “Bruno has done a consummate job of choosing the right boat, the right crew and sailing with speed, precision and control for 25,000 miles,” Brian wrote in his daily log. “Having been a watch captain on Cheyenne, I was co-holder of the record for about 11 months, but knew that the record would not last for ever. However we never expected it to come down so much in one fell swoop. On board Doha 2006 we have four of the Cheyenne crew: myself, Damian, Jacques and Fraser, so congratulations from all of us to Bruno and the crew of Orange II.” On board Daedalus watch captain and co-navigator Nick Leggatt was also part of the Cheyenne record breaking team and he too sent his congratulations to Bruno and his team. Thompson’s log concludes: “It will be fascinating sitting in my rocking chair at home in 2030 watching on my head-up live Southern Ocean cam as maxifoilers weave their way past fast moving depressions as they rocket to the Horn at 45 knots.” One wonders where it’s all going to end but one thing is for sure; the Oryx Quest 2005 is playing its part in the development of fast and safe rocketship sailboats.

Orange II Record Notes

Orange II's time 50 Days 16 Hours 20 Minutes and 4 Seconds 22.2 knots average an improvement of 7 days 17h over Cheyenne's record.

That 22.2 knot average is nearly double that of the 11.35 posted by Explorer the 1st board to post a sub 80 day planetary lap.

"Olivier de Kersauson: "The hurdle of fifty days is now within reach, showing the huge amount of progress that our sport makes each year. No other racing sport can claim to have made this progress, as each new generation of boat pushes back the limits still further."

This quote is one of the reasons I won't join the chorus of 'this record will stand for years'. We heard this just last year after Cheyenne's record voyage. de Kersauson is correct to note the lineage of recent progress. Next up? Franck Cammas on a new trimaran

Orange II was faster than Cheyenne on all portions of the course except the equator to the finish. Cammas says of his new tri: "our approach has led us to designing a boat with extreme performance potential on the sail down and back up the Atlantic." The return from the equator is often the toughest with an emphasis on this leg being appropriate.

Ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes says he has a hard time saying he wins. Rather he says,"I prefer to say I survived the fastest."

Apropos to sailing records? Ellen Macarthur's voyage being solo had survival elements. Orange II collided with a whale damaging a rudder.

Perhaps the round the world record holders should be called 'fastest survivors'?

An interesting message from Jacques Vincent:

On board Doha 2006, we followed the Orange II course well by asking to
us whether early or late they would slip on a weather banana peel,
this famous calms or better, pétole, which would have allowed to all
the crew a good bath as diverting as necessary after so many days at
sea, and a few well deserved days of "idleness". But their road was
without respite seems it, and at the present time, with Damian, Brian
and Fraser, my fellow-members on Cheyenne last year, today with me on
board Doha 2006 we benefited from our last hours of champions.
Cheyenne is definitively a boat of another century. Our record was a
miracle, as well human as "divine" (weather not being a science). That
of Orange II resembles a conquest of modern times, the revenge of
Goliath, the return of César... Goodbye Cheyenne which had renovated
the record of ten days. Cheer with Orange II and its crew which placed
the so high bar."

Nope no weather banana peel. Vincent has now gained and won the round the world record 2 times. Cheyenne a boat of another (previous) century. Remember Cheyenne was the 1st of the new maxi cats. Seems to give Cheyenne more luck credits than Orange II.

Uniquely Singapore

At 3pm today at the historic St Katharines Docks in
London, United Kingdom, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong officially named “Uniquely Singapore,” the yacht which will represent Singapore in the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race.

‘Uniquely Singapore’, a magnificent 68-ft, state-of-the-art racing yacht, will set sail from Liverpool UK on 18 September this year in this challenging 10-month, 35,000 nautical mile race. Sentosa and PSA International, the first two Race Partners of ‘Uniquely Singapore’, will join the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in supporting Singapore’s involvement in this global event.

When ‘Uniquely Singapore’ sets off in this gruelling race against nine other global cities it will not only carry the hopes of a nation back home eagerly following its progress, but also a crew of bold and adventurous individuals who have signed up for the experience of a lifetime and a unique opportunity to represent Singapore.

Throughout the race, the crew of ‘Uniquely Singapore’ will act as
ambassadors for the nation, carrying with them the great responsibility of spreading the ‘uniqueness’ of Singapore to the rest of the world. Over thirty Singaporeans, including 21 who will enjoy an STB subsidy of 50% of the costs of participation of one leg, have signed up to take part in the Clipper 05-06, representing all walks of Singapore life from hawkers to businessmen, both male and female, of all races and ages.

It is this diverse fabric of Singapore which makes Singapore such a unique destination and this is what will be shared with the rest of the world as Singapore competes in this prestigious international round the world yacht race. Many of the crew will have to make huge sacrifices in order to represent their country in this challenge including leaving their families and their jobs, some even selling their business in order to generate the funds required to take parts. They are a truly unique group of individuals and exceptional ambassadors for the nation.

The name, ‘Uniquely Singapore’ is a fitting description of the city-state - a unique blend of East and West, of tradition and modern, a melting pot of nationalities, religions, cultures and personalities. Singapore is one of the world’s major business centres, a key player in the global finance and technology sectors yet traditional and cultural industries still thrive.
Singapore is also a hive of artistic and creative activity with an ever growing arts scene and even now on the sports front, with involvement in international competitions such as the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race, Singapore is proving that it can compete in the global arena.

The city of Liverpool, European Capital of Culture in 2008, Fremantle in Western Australia, the South African port city of Durban, Glasgow and the Channel Island of Jersey will also field competitive entries in the race, with sponsorship of the remaining four yachts to be announced soon.

Said Mr Lim Neo Chian, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive of STB, “With the naming of the “Uniquely Singapore” yacht here today, we move one step closer to showcasing the best of Singapore in this truly exciting and intense competition. Over the next few months, the crew will undergo rigorous training to prepare them for the demanding 10 months at sea. We are pleased that these daring, adventurous individuals have stepped forward to take on
this challenge, and we are confident that they will make Singapore proud. We also look forward to welcoming the international sailing fraternity when they visit Singapore in January 2006.”

The “Uniquely Singapore” yacht will be moored at St Katharines Docks for three days from 14th to 17th March, where it will be one of the key features in the Singapore Season programme. Singapore Season is a showcase of artistic and cultural performances by Singapore talents, and aims to portray Singapore as a global meeting place for ideas, creativity and innovation.

Singapore’s involvement in the nation versus nation Clipper 05-06 Race has been secured by the Singapore Tourism Board and Fast Track Sailing, the exclusive global commercial and media partner for the event.

Linky Sailing News

Records Orange II sets record. Day by Day

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Record Settting Orange 2
Photo

Orange II's Record Day by Day

Orange II set a new outright around the world sailing record of 50 days 16 hours. This broke the record set by Cheyenne.

This page shows the daily mileage of each boat, total miles sailed, average per day, the running total of miles for both boats,the difference in miles for Cheyene/Orange II at comparable stages and when they passed landmarks such as the Equator, Cape Horn etc.

Multiplasts Record Role

Wednesday 16th March 2005 à 03h23’ French time (02h23GMT), Orange II crossed the finishing line to take the round the world record under sail in 50d 16h 20' 04" at an average speed of 22,20 knots over the official course of 21600 miles, knocking more than 7 days off the time set by Cheyenne in 2004 and quite 13 days off the time set by Geronimo in the Jules Verne Trophy.

The addition of this new reference time to the list makes Orange II the fastest ocean-going multihull in the world (but not the biggest, which remains with Cheyenne).
Credit for the performance to the skipper and crew of Orange II. Thanks also to extremely reliable boat, whic! h came up to expectations in terms of speed and handling. Half way across the South Pacific on 22nd February 2005, Bruno Peyron : "The boat is sailing extremely well, even above the speed polars recorded in summer 2004. The boat’s fantastic potential does not surprise me, but I did not honestly expect to be able to exploit it quite so much and be able to push her as hard as we have been able to. Conditions are such that we can permanently use the boat at between 90 and 100% of her potential.. ".

The result of 25 years of experience
The technical performance of Orange II is there, thanks to the unique and enormous experience acquired by the Gilles Ollier Design Team and Multiplast over the past 25 years in the design and/or realisation of maxi multihulls. That was what was decided two years ago when the skipper of Orange decided for the third time to commission the architect/shipyard team. The four-strong team of naval architects - Gilles Ollier, Yann Penfornis, Franck Martin & Jack Michel – and engineer Alan Catteliot put their savoir-faire to good use and put forward prototypes which are in accordance with performance stated, validated by tests carried out by the Ecole Centrale de Nantes.
In view of the result, the construction carried out by the yard’s highly skilled 50-strong team of "prototypists" can be said to be pertinent and irreproachable. They stuck to the building schedule, taking just 12 months from start to completion. Moreo! ver, the fact that the design office and workshops are all under the same roof means that communication and reactivity were omnipresent throughout the construction.

Genesis of a reference
Orange II’s design brief was rather simple, based on all the data recorded by the design office in 7 circumnavigations sailed by boats built in the Vannes yard. Gilles Ollier : "…We leant a lot from the Club Med and Orange I generations and already knew what was required to sail fast. That is what was top of the list in the design brief for the skipper of Orange I. A finer boat which would be more efficient head to wind, a less voluminous stern to be lighter aft, and a sail plan without a masthead gennaker for a sail plan which would be easier to handle. Also, this boat has greater sea clearance to avoid impact from waves on the cross beams, an important factor in reducing speed. We quickly agreed on hull forms and the sail plan distribution. Only roof design was a little slower to define. In short, the general conception behind Orange II was to build a boat capable of high average speeds, whilst remaining reliable and safe for! those sailing her… ".

The fastest ocean-racing yacht in the world
An express circumnavigation. Orange II has even knocked 10 days off Cheyenne’s record. This maxi catamaran has literally driven the chronometers crazy ever since she was launched. The first reference time was the 24-hour speed record which she took form another Multiplast / Gilles Ollier Design Team boat, by the name of Maiden II, none other than the ex-Club Med, winner of The Race 2001, currently leading the Oryx Quest event under the name of Doha 2006. Proof yet again , whoever the skipper, that if the boat is well sailed, she still has great potential.
Then came second world performance on the trans-Atlantic record, falling a meagre 31 minutes short of PlayStation’s amazing time of 4 days and 17 hours. A new demonstration of the speed of this maxi catamaran. Confirmation followed a few weeks later with the Mediterranean record and the Jules Verne Trophy where Orange II accumulated a great number of refe! rence times. You perhaps recall 10 days at more than 600 miles.

Evolution
When a boat covers quite so many miles in such extreme conditions and puts on that sort of performance, analysis data recorded on board enables points which can be improved to be identified. Since Orange II was launched, one of the architects of the boat, Franck Martin has always been in close contact with the Roger Nilson, the yacht’s navigator, and with Eduardo Valderas from the shore-based weather cell. These exchanges have enabled the boat’s performance curved to be better interpreted and to assist in routing her more efficiently with data as precise as possible. The very quality of that data makes it possible to envisage going still further. One week from the finish, Bruno Peyron : " … now we have really got to grips with what makes her tick and are able to push her hard whilst mastering her speed. She is an incredible machine. And the boat has not yet been developed…".
An opinion shared by the Gilles Ollier Design ! Team and Multiplast. Just like at the launch of Club Med before the start of The Race in 2000, it was already becoming clear what might be possible beyond for Orange II. The first boat built for The Race was of a similar size to Orange II.
So, if the development of Orange II is the next natural step, her architects have already got their sights set on what lies beyond. They have been thinking about it for the past few months. Gilles Ollier : " …when we launch a new boat we are naturally very keen to validate what we have set down on paper. In fact we are not that surprised as we base our decisions on known elements, factors we have been working with for years. But our role is to imagine the next boat which follows, whilst remaining reasonable. We are currently thinking of something bigger still. I reckon we can still gain 10% in terms of performance with the next generation…".

References / Records held by Multiplast

New round the world record and Trophée Jules Verne
Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Bruno Peyron / 16 March 2005 / 50d 16h 20mn 04s
Old records
Round the world record / Cheyenne / Catamaran 38 m / Steve Fossett / 5 April 2004 / 58d 09h 32mn
Trophée Jules Verne/ Geronimo/ Olivier de Kersauson / 29 April 2004 / 63d 13h 59mn
8 attempts on the round the world record
1993 / Commodore Explorer / Catamaran 85’ Ollier-Multiplast / 79d 06h 15' 56"
1994 / Enza New Zealand / Catamaran 89’ Irens–Bombardier / 74d 22h 17' 22"
1997 / Sport-Elec / Trimaran 85’ / Van Peteghem-Lauriot Prévost–CDK / 71d 14h 18' 08"
2002 / Orange / Catamaran 109’ / Gilles Ollier Design Team–Multiplast / 64d 08h 37' 24"
2003 / Geronimo / Trimaran 112’ / Van Peteghem-Lauriot-Prevost –Multiplast / 68d 01h 58' 02"
2004 / Geronimo / Trimaran 112’ /! Van Peteghem-Lauriot-Prevost –Multiplast / 63d 13h 59mn
2004 / Cheyenne / Catamaran 125’ / Morrelli-Melvin – Cookson / 58d 09h 32mn
2005 / Orange II / Catamaran 121’ / Gilles Ollier Design Team–Multiplast / 50d 16h 20mn 04s

24-hour world record
Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Bruno Peyron/ August 2004 / 706.2 miles, average speed of 29.42 knots
Old record
Maiden II / Catamaran 33.50 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast / Brian Thomson & Helena Darvelid / June 2002 / 694.78 miles, average of 28.95 knots
References
First to cover 500 miles / Crédit Agricole / Catamaran 20.50 m / Gilles Ollier-Multiplast
First to cover 600 miles / Club Med / Catamaran 33.50 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast
First to cover 700 miles / Catamaran Orange II 37 m / Gilles Ollier Design Team – Multiplast

Round the world Orange II / more than 10 days at more than 600 miles
641 / 05-Feb, 688 / 06-Feb, 624 / 07-Feb, 652 / 13-Feb, 621 / 15-Feb, 641 / 19 Feb, 659 / 20-Feb, 678 / 22-Feb, 654 / 23-Feb…

Mediterranean record
Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Bruno Peyron/ September 2004 / 17h 56’ 13’’, average of 25.53 knots

Intermediate Records
Orange II
Ushant / Good Hope / 14d 8h 19’ / February 2005
Equator / Good Hope / 7d 5h 22’ / February 2005
Good Hope / Cape Leeuwin / 7d 5 h 35’ / February 2005
Ushant / Cap Leeuwin / 21d 13h 54’ / February 2005
Equator / Cap Leeuwin / 14d 11h / February 2005
Cape Leeuwin / Cape Horn / 10d 23h 35’

Indian Ocean Record
Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Bruno Peyron / Cape of Needles / Tasmania / 9d 11h 03'

South Pacific Record
Orange II / Catamaran 37 m / Bruno Peyron / Tasmania / Cape Horn / 8d 18h 06’

Day 1 Final Crew Selection

On day one of the ABN AMRO final crew selection twenty sailors from all over the world got the chance to sail on a boat they had only dreamed about: an Open 60. This boat, which is 60 feet long and with a mast over 80 feet high, can go over 20 knots in a good wind. There were three groups of very excited second boat candidates who were all vying for a spot on this boat.

The boat, they agreed, was spectacular. Sleek, sensitive and fast. And the Pindar’s skipper was exemplary: British sailor Emma Richards was a hit amongst these sailors. One said he asked questions just to hear her explain things in a calm voice he found soothing to listen to.

All the sailors said they learned things on board they could never have been learning back home in smaller boats, such as how to use a furling spinnaker sail or how to edge the sails. The weather, however, disappointed most of them.

No wind
At a little over eight o’clock, the first group of sailors set out after a pep, or motivation, talk by sailing director Roy Heiner. At noon, another group of sailors went out to the boat in an inflatable boat to change places. Then at four o’clock, a third group went sailing. The disappointment was palpable amongst many of the candidates. Many had been waiting for months to finally show their stuff on board, and the weather wasn’t cooperating. They just couldn’t go fast.

But that was beside the point, said judge Hans Horrevoets. He himself had sailed the Volvo Ocean Race when it was known as the Whitbread Round the World Race. Day one was more about getting used to the boat and to each other. But to anxious, eager sailors, the day was extremely frustrating.

Given that all the sailors were new to the boat, many got so involved in learning the ropes, literally, that they forgot to pay attention to what was going on around them. They ‘keep their head’ in the boat sometimes, said the judges later. That is perhaps to be expected, given how unused they are to the equipment, the sails and the feel of such a large boat.

Judge Hans Horrevoets said these sailors, sailing on unfamiliar boats, “can’t just copy what someone else does.” They have to make their own decisions and gauge what the cause and effect from each action will be. These sailors also had to contend with a canting keel for the first time.

Some of the sailors make several mistakes on each trip, Horrevoets said, while others don’t make any at all. “In the Volvo Ocean Race they will really have to think about the consequences of every action, or else you could have quite dramatic results.”

One sailor was a bit more philosophical about the ups and downs. Bruno Santos of Brazil said just to be here is good enough for him. “I have sailing in my heart and the chance to be selected is a dream.” His teammate Edgardo Vieytes said he had been sailing abroad for five years, and “it is nice to represent my country.”

Bruno had been sailing with a team that dubbed themselves “the Latin Rascals” from Rome, competing in the America’s Cup. There, he said, sailors often shout at each other on the boat. Here, Santos said, everyone is pretty calm.

Learning from mistakes
There was also a lot of movement around the boat at times, as the sailors got used to their positions and what those entailed. American sailor Andrew Lewis said that at times people on board got “jumpy and excited, with everybody yapping”or talking at the same time. Sometimes people wanted to show their leadership ability to the judges, he said.

But you can’t sail a boat with all leaders. Dutchman Simeon Tienpont said that “maybe it has something to do with our age,” but everyone has to simply accept their role and get to know the boat better. Bad sailing days, good sailing days, “that’s all part of the deal.” His group met after sailing to talk about what they could have done better on board.

American Jack Jennings said “you just can’t hop on a boat and,” he snaps his fingers, “know where everything is. The judges give you a little leeway.” He said actually the hardest part of the day was the mountain biking the crew did on shore when they weren’t sailing. He ran into a prickly cactus and blood was gushing out of his nose. The activity leader said, “I can’t take you back like that,” and cleaned him up so he wouldn’t scare the other sailors.

Andrew McCormick arrived on day two and began his programme in the middle of the day. “I am stoked,” he said. That means “super excited” in American English.

Looking ahead
Sailing director Roy Heiner forecast another day of slow winds on day two. But, he said, the winds turned the boat into a kind of laboratory to observe how these sailors reacted when things do not go well. “Just like the Volvo Ocean Race, there are days when there is no wind.” So the selection will go further: sometimes the selection isn’t about how fast the boat can be pushed but about how much the sailors can do with what they’re given.

50 Days 16 Hours 20 Minutes and 4 Seconds

- Jules Verne Trophy - Orange II and Bruno Peyron's crew have just set a new round the world record in 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds, achieving an average speed of 22.2 knots.
— Ahead of Cheyenne (Steve Fossett), the previous outright record holder by 7 days 17h 12'41".
— Ahead of Geronimo (Olivier de Kersauson), the previous Jules Verne Trophy holder by 12 days 21h 39' 42"

Mission accomplished! By crossing the finishing line off the Island of Ushant in the dark of night under clear skies at 02.23 GMT this morning, Bruno Peyron and his 13-man crew have just achieved a remarkable performance. They have smashed the records set last year by the American Steve Fossett and the French yachtsman Olivier de Kersauson. No one on board would have dared to imagine when they set out at 10.03 on Monday 24th January that they would achieve such a record. The Orange II maxi-catamaran, launched on Monday 22nd December 2003, proves quite clearly that she is the fastest ocean racing yacht in the world. Having already smashed the 24 hour sailing record (706.20 miles) and the Mediterranean record (Marseilles/Carthage) last summer, she has just added this supreme challenge to her list of successes. This catamaran skippered masterfully by Bruno Peyron, who built up a top level crew around him, has a fine future ahead of her, having shown she can literally swallow up the oceans. However, this morning, they were not talking about the future, but simply celebrating their achievement before heading into Brest docks to moor up at the Quai Malbert, where Orange II is expected later this morning at around 09.30 GMT. As she crossed the finishing line, the south south westerly wind was blowing at 25/27 knots. The maxi-catamaran crossed it at 28 knots just 0.5 miles from the coast. «We tried to get it just right, as we have done throughout the journey,» Bruno Peyron said with some real emotion in his voice.

Bruno Peyron, during the radio report just after crossing the finishing line: «It's more emotion than joy. It corresponds to the long hard slog. So there's no explosion. It's intense, violent, just like this round the world voyage. I really love this night, and we're going to try to make the most of it. Everyone is out on deck, and I don't think we'll be sleeping much before we get back on dry land, even if we haven't really made any plans. This is a genuine record, which is beyond dispute. The boat is certainly a classy creation and was handled by a superb crew. W'll have plenty of time to talk about it again."

Olivier de Kersauson, the chairman and former holder of the Jules Verne Trophy, congratulated Bruno Peyron and his crew on their fabulous performance around the world. «The hurdle of fifty days is now within reach, showing the huge amount of progress that our sport makes each year. No other racing sport can claim to have made this progress, as each new generation of boat pushes back the limits still further. The Jules Verne Trophy remains the outright reference for human and technological commitment, and Bruno Peyron has just added a new chapter, his third, to its history.»

Major moments :
- The best day: 6894 miles, 6th February, going down the South Atlantic.
— The worst day: 166 miles, on 9th March, off Cape Verde.
- Number of days above 600 miles: 12
— Maximum lead over Cheyenne's time: 10 days, on 3rd March
— Three new intermediary records in the process of being certified by the World Speed Sailing Record Council (WSSRC) 2005 /2008 : best time from the Equator to the Equator and the fastest crossings of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
More news later this morning...

Orange II's latest records
- The world 24 h record (706.2 miles covered at an average of 29.42 knots) - August 2004.
- The Mediterranean record (17h, 56 mins and 13s, at an average of 25.53 knots) - September 2004.
- The Record between Ushant and the Cape of Good Hope (14 days, 8h and 19 mins) - February 2005.
- The Record between the Equator and the Cape of Good Hope (7days, 5h, and 22mins) - February 2005.
- The Record between the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin (7 days, 5 hours and 35 minutes) - February 2005.
- The Record between Ushant and Cape Leeuwin (21 days 13 hours and 54 minutes) - February 2005.
- The Record between the Equator and Cape Leeuwin (14 days and 11 hours) - February 2005.
- The Record between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn (10 days 23 hours 35 minutes)
- The Record between Tasmania and Cape Horn (8 days 18 hours 06 minutes)
- The record between Cape Horn and the Equator (8 days 5 hours 36 minutes)

240 Miles Out

240 miles from the island of Ouessant, Orange II’s crew wascontacted for one last video conference before they make the finish line. As Bruno Peyron said, conditions haven’tchanged and the maxi-catamaran is still making for the finish at top speed. A rendez-vous has now been made for anarrival between 0200 and 0400 GMT on Wednesday morning.

Bruno Peyron : « It is 1700 GMT and the conditions are still the same: sametime, same speed, rather messy seas; speed still around 30 knots ! The wind is supposed to drop out a littlewhich would be good as it would put less stress on the boat!
Conditions are just about possible for a 24 hour record, but the seas are a bittoo crossed. It has never been ourobjective to beat the 24 hour record durin g this round the world though. We’reremaining loyal to our sailing philosophy. On the first Jules Verne in 1993, wedidn’t know the boat’s limits and set a speed limit of 20 knots. We went all the way round like that. When we arrived in the bay of La Baule (midwaydown the Atlantic coast of France), without a word, the five of us looked ateach other and unleashed her for 15 minutes making 33 knots! We can push this boat a lot harder but it’ssecond nature to me to respect the adage “he who wants to go far spares hissteed!” Nowadays we have so much fasterboats that we can practically avoid any difficult situations except for areaslike Cape Horn. In general we always have the possibility ofdistancing ourselves from the trouble and getting ourselves onto the right sideof the weather system. »

Sébast ien Audigane : « We’ve hooked onto a wind in the last two days and as Brunosays, we are trying to control the trajectory without pushing the boat toohard. At the helm, this boat that seemsvery big, resembles a big dinghy. Thereare lots of ways to trim the daggerboards and the sails. In terms of sensation, at times it feels like38 tonnes going over a speed bump, but it’s very, very delicate to helm. Since we’ve had the new rudders, it goes verywell. You move around a fair bit at thehelm to follow the boat’s movements.
We had a fine day on port tack level with Cape Townand it worked really well. Other thanthat we haven’t had very built up seas that have been hard to negotiate. At the moment it’s pretty difficult thoughand we’re having to chase down the best waves. We didn’t have any l ong swells in the deep south either.
It will be great to arrive in Brestwith the Jules Verne Trophy! I’ve wantedto do the round the world for a number of years and this was an express ride! Before the start, we said to ourselves that Fossetthad got a superb time. We reckoned we’dhave to make the Horn with a good lead and given the past few days it’s just aswell we had that extra time as we really got held up by the high pressureridges… »

Philippe Péché : « All’s well, it’s a real pleasure. We’ve had a great, magical voyage which isrounding up very nicely! With everyvoyage I make around the world it just gets better and better. Here we have a magical boat and crew. Each time the target gets higher andhigher. After that we have thirtyminutes to go and track down somewhere i n the North Atlantic.»

Record will be Official Tonite

With less than 300 miles to the finish, the atmosphere aboard the maxi-catamaran Orange 2 has barely changed. One sole striking difference: the small gennaker has been dropped due to a S'ly wind shift. The shift was expected and a 30 knot wind is continuing to blow. Under two reef mainsail and trinquette, Bruno Peyron and his 13 crew are still making 25 to 27 miles per hour. As these conditions, generated by the movement of a depression, are set to last, the calculation of an ETA is rapid. The passage of the line off the island of Ouessant should be made tonight between midnight and 0500 GMT, with a race time of 50 days and between 14 and 19 hours. This will be a successful all-round performance as the holder of the record around the world and the Jules Verne Trophy will be one and the same once more. The course time achieved last year by Cheyenne (Steve Fossett) and by Geronimo (Olivier de Kersauson) will also be relegated by 7 and 12 days respectively. This time differential speaks volumes about the level of performance attained by this latest record attempt, the fourth in Bruno Peyron's career and his third victorious one. The first to break the 80 day record in 1993, the skipper has unquestionably set the target very high this time around. Yet, in true form, Bruno is the first to redefine the debate: « Back then I didn't want to know the limitations of feasibility. I still totally believe that today ».

Bruno Peyron, 1400 GMT radio session : « The weather forecasts are fining down even though it's never an exact science. With Orange and France Telecom, we have everything we need to track down the files we want on all the world's Internet sites, specifying the size of the information and the time that suits us. All this data arrives in 20 seconds. That helps the navigator and it also gives us some fast, very fine trajectories. On the other hand though, too much information kills the information, so with Eduardo Valderas, we have created a form of software that enables us to be selective about the data we require. Those who have the privilege to travel far over long periods like us are torn between the desire to finish, to end on a high note, to bring this story to an end and the desire to be reunited with those we love. We are also aware that we will be separated from this magical group. The state of mind is both serene and attentive. It is naturally like that and that is how it should be. We can be concentrated with a smile. That's how it has been since the start of this round the world. We are all equally concentrated and tha's the right way to round this off properly ».

Yann Elies : « We are obviously trying to get our heads around what's going to happen to us in a few hours time and we're making the most of these final hours. In a few weeks, we won't be able to make the most of the boat like this. The wind kicked back in 48 hours ago and it is favourable for making headway at an average of 30 knots. For the time being, we're not really aware of our performance. Most of the activity and human exchange occurs when we change over watch. The lively zone is under the hood with the OEon watch' clad in foulies in the cockpit as they pass the OEstand-by watch'. We talk about everything and nothing, and about the conditions, then after 5 minutes, everybody gets back into position. That's the most convivial moment along with a fair amount of exchange in the galley ».

Lionel Lemonchois : « We have the ideal machine for this round the world course. It's a big boat which sits high off the water. You feel like the sea is smaller. The waves don't seem as high. You lose a bit of the scale of the real sea. Right now we've got 30 knots of wind and waves of 4-5 metres. If we were sailing on a little boat with one metre waves, that would be the same thing. Setting off on Orange II a month and a half ago, 55 days was reasonable but 50 days seemed unimaginable. The climb back up the Atlantic hasn't been easy, but when you win a race, it's thanks to a number of things. It's thanks to a boat, a crew, a skipper. For the rest of the course we were fairly spoilt. I don't think a 100% success rate on such a voyage is possible. We have reaped the benefits of good choices and the accumulation of a favourable sequence of events. »

Yves Le Blévec : « The sound of the rudder when we go quickly reminds us that it has suffered a serious impact. For the past two weeks we have been surveying it on a daily basis and it doesn't seem to be getting any worse so we're fairly confident. We don't forget about it though because of the noise it makes when we're doing over 15 knots and the sensations you get at the helm. The damage cannot degenerate, but we don't forget about it. 50 days... We don't talk about it very much as we haven't finished yet and I think that, without being superstitious, I would prefer to talk about it once we've crossed the finish line. »

Bernard Stamm : « We're coming, that's the most important news! We'll be happy to see everyone again. We'll be happy to change our rhythm a bit and eat something else! Powdered food is good, but it lacks variety. We dream of a good piece of meat! We made some guesses about our arrival and Roger was the closest but that's a bit like insider trading: 50 days and 16 hours! I was 4 hours ahead. »

Important facts :
- The best day: 689.4 miles, on 6 February, during the descent of the Southern Atlantic.
- The worst day: 166 miles, on 9 March, off Cape Verde.
- Number of days at over 600 miles: 11
- Maximum advance over Cheyenne's time: 10 days, on 3 March
- Three new intermediate records awaiting validation by the World Speed Sailing Record Council (WSSRC) 2005 / 2008 : best time Equator/Equator and the fastest crossing of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

References :
Day at sea: 51st
Date : 15/03/2005
Time (GMT) : 15h28
Latitude : 47 02.64' N
Longitude : 11 40.00' W
Instantaneous speed : 28.3 kts
Instantaneous heading : 52
Average speed : 29.8 kts
Speed over 24hr : 27.6 kts
Distance over 24hr : 663 nm
Speed since the start : 22.2 kts
Overall distance : 26713 nm
Distance remaining : 277.30 nm
Gaps on day 50 :
- J.Verne record: +4229 nm (ahead)
- Outright record: +2978 nm (ahead)

Spill Proof Jerry Cans

The humble jerry can. So called because it was originated by Germany and Jerry was a term for a german soldier. In particular it was designed for use by German forces in Blitzkrieg mode. They traveled so rapidly they often needed temporary fuel resupply.

Jerry Cans are a feature of the sailing biz. often on deliveries. When you are shorthanded and trying to make a deadline sometimes Dr. Diesel is the best way to move the boat. Often times extra fuel is needed. Many a sailboat has left on a delivery with a row of jerry cans strapped down. Legally they should be yellow, but red and blue work too.

The tricky part is pouring fuel into tank from jerry can sans spillage on moving, wet, dark deck. Often attempted rarely achieved. Diesel then becomes a slippery, smelly, stain leaving menace not a fossil fuel savior.

Good news! Diesel transfer sans spillage is now a reality. A fine product, one of the most fully developed items I ever hope to see in action, The Scepter ECO fuel container has solved diesel spills.

This is due to certain states (such as California, New York and Pennsylvania) prohibiting the sale of open, vented fuel cans.

When using these cans you tip the spot into the fill. A mechanism is compressed and fuel then flows. None of that sketch putting the thumb over the spout, tipping towards the fill, wildly shifting aim due to waves, I think I have it, damn no I've spilled again! No more with these ECO containers.

5 US GAL/ 20 LITRE ECO DIESEL CAN

Not only do they keep the boat clean, they keep the air clean. Go and buy yours now!

Final Selection Starts

The sunny, sleepy village of Portimao began to buzz to life this weekend as waves of international sailors began to arrive at its harbour. Twenty sailors, five each from previous selections, were converging to try and fulfill their dream: a chance to sail in the Volvo Ocean Race under the ABN AMRO banner. A second boat will raced by ABN AMRO with eight young sailors, all under 30 and all new to round-the-world racing.

This Portuguese town is also the base camp of the first boat sailors. As these twenty sailors check into their rooms and walk through the Tivoli Hotel, they begin to run into the first boat crew. In a way, these are their heroes. The sailors they would like to become. And, if they are good enough, will become should they be chosen to sail the Volvo Ocean Race.

These twenty sailors are the outcome of four separate crew selections. Five sailors each were chosen from the Netherlands, Brazil, the United States and an international selection of sailors from the rest of the world.

Simon Shaw and Jeremy "Jez" Elliott of the international selection check out the gym on Monday afternoon, hoping to get in some good workouts before the selection begins. They each want to pump some iron and get in a little cardio workout. There, they run into Robert Greenhalgh of the first boat crew. They trade workout tips and shoot the breeze, the younger sailors clearly enjoying the unexpected face time. Given their international crew selection was just the week before, they haven't been in a gym for a little while.

Soon, first boat sailor Sidney Gavignet comes in for a workout with a punching bag and fellow sailor Jan Dekker is chatting with his coach in the corner. This is the second time today they are in the gym: most mornings they meet at a high tech gym in the town itself at seven o'clock, running about 2.5 kilometres there and back. They are already fit: these sailors are here to fine-tune themselves.

A third first boat sailor, Justin Slattery, joins them before dinnertime. Sidney playfully tells the coach to give Justin an extra painful abdominal workout, as the Irish are "lazy." Slattery is used to this teasing apparently. "Just kidding, just kidding," Gavignet says. The gym is clearly the place to be when the boats are not on the water.

What is different about this selection

Maurice Paardenkooper, one of the selection judges, said that some of the sailors from previous selections wondered how sailors could be eliminated if they hadn't even been tested on the big boats up until this point. In response, he said "if you can't sail a small boat, you can't sail a big one." A lot of sailing, he said in his intense way, "is about feeling more than the equipment can tell you." And that feeling can be seen and evaluated on a small boat as well as a big one.

The Pindar is an Open 60 boat which has been raced in single-handed or solo races around the world. None of these sailors have sailed on this type of boat before. For that matter, neither have the judges Maurice Paardenkooper and Hans Horrevoets. "There are a lot of basics to learn," said the Pindar's skipper Emma Richards. "Even the selectors haven't sailed this. I took them out today to show them the boat."

Richards is on board for the duration of the crew selection. Her job is to make sure the boat is handled properly, and the judges' role is to evaluate how these sailors do in such an unfamiliar environment. She knows this boat inside and out, having sailed it across the ocean a time or two. "I make sure the batteries don't run out, that sort of thing." Richards is not a tall woman, but extremely strong and very capable. These sailors are in good hands.

In exchange, Richards and her crew get to train for three months at the Portimao base camp. "This is a great place to be, the weather is a lot more pleasant" than her native United Kingdom. "It is great to be based with ABN AMRO, with these men who have such experience and knowledge. It is good to be training next to them."

The sailors are also excited about working on the Pindar. Brun comes from a sailing dynasty in Brazil, and he was first on the water when he was "two months in my Mom's belly." Brun is impatient to begin. His selection was in February, and he has been itching to come here for almost two months. "Bring it on!"

ABN Amro Boat 2 Crew

TEAM ABN AMRO has presented in Paris, France the skipper and three core crew members for their second boat in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005/06. These experienced crew members will sail under command of the appointed skipper of the second boat, Sebastien Josse. This young Frenchman has a proven track record in ocean sailing. The three crew members are Simon Fisher, Nick Bice and Simon Beavis.

In the coming weeks the other eight crew members of the second boat will be selected. The finals are held in Portimão, Portugal.

# Skipper Sebastien Josse (30, France)

At just thirty years old, Sebastien Josse has already proven to be a bit of a genius at ocean racing. Known for keeping a cool head while pushing ahead with a strong determination to succeed, "Jojo" has what it takes to skipper a round the world race. Despite discovering sailing quite late in his career, he has risen rapidly among the ranks of the world's best. Winning the Crédit Agricole Selection jump-started an impressive series of single-handed victories on his way to joining Bruno Peyron's record-breaking crew on his maxi multihull in the Jules Verne Trophy. Today, Sebastien's reputation for keeping his feet on deck while his head takes to the wind will serve him well as he sets out on this latest challenge: skipper on TEAM ABN AMRO's second race yacht in the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006.

# Simon Fisher (27, Great Britain)

You could say that Simon has a head for technology. In the run of his sailing career he has managed both on- and offshore to stay in tune with the latest developments in racing electronics. He even develops race yachting software for onboard systems and post processing tools for race yacht performance analyses: it all seems to come naturally to the chemist and former law student from Bristol. But Simon is also a true all rounder – a fine quality for ocean racing – having taken up positions as trimmer, navigator and grinder in major races over the last half decade, as well as having been boat captain, sail maker and boat builder on numerous successful campaigns.

# Nick Bice (27, Australia)

Nick has been sailing for most of his life, the last five years of which as a professional sailor. As a qualified boatbuilder, Nick gained a wealth of experience with the latest composite construction technology and structural engineering at Blue Sky Composites in Australia. Such expertise has already proven valuable in his role as Shore Captain for the first TEAM ABN AMRO yacht and is sure to come in handy as he takes his place on the second yacht during the race. Racking up a lot of experience on the water has provided Nick with another treasure – a wealth of anecdotes of past sailing adventures. Nick knows what is required to achieve success in yachting Campaigns: always cheerful, he notes that "ocean racing has taught him the importance of team work."

# Scott Beavis (24, Great-Brittain/New Zealand)

Although he is the youngest of the four professionals on TEAM ABN AMRO's second race yacht, Scott Beavis has already proven that he belongs with the best. With a reputation for being an enthusiastic, hard working and resourceful crewmember, Scott strives hard for success. His experience in the last Volvo Ocean Race is sure to come in handy, as well as the fact that he is a keen sail maker who likes to put theory to the test under the most extreme conditions. When he isn't sailing – which is not often – Scott goes downhill mountain bike racing, surfing, snow boarding, skate boarding and road biking. Anything to get the adrenaline going, really.

Sam Davies 2005

IN BRIEF:

* LESS THAN 3 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL SAM DAVIES’ 2005 FIGARO SEASON KICKS OFF...

* FIRST RACE OF 2005 IS A 4,625 MILE SOLO TRANSATLANTIC RACE STARTING ON 3RD APRIL – THE FIRST TIME THE FIGARO FLEET HAVE RACED SOLO ACROSS THE ATLANTIC...

* SAM DAVIES NEW WEBSITE NOW ONLINE: http://www.samdavies.com/skandia WITH LATEST NEWS AND RACE INFO ABOUT THE UP AND COMING EVENTS...

IN DETAIL:

Sam Davies’ 2005 Figaro season onboard her Beneteau Skandia boat kicks off in less than three weeks time with the first ever single-handed transatlantic race – a 4265 miles from St.Nazaire to Cuba.

Sam has spent the winter training at the elite training school in Port La Forêt where she has been training since the end of the 2003 Figaro season. Sam was chosen as one of the 24 sailors who were selected to train together as a team (16 of which are part of the Figaro circuit). Davies was the first English female sailor to train full time with this elite Figaro team.

This training has played a major part in Sam’s rapid improvement in this highly competitive class over since she started competing in 2003. Last year she managed to improve her results on her previous season finishing with a top 10 place in the French Solo Championship (Championnat de France des Solitaires). In 2004 Sam’s mainsail displayed the number 27, in 2005 this number will change to 10, reflecting her position in the Championnat de France.

Now taking part in her third Figaro season, Sam has clearly defined her objective for 2005: "To finish in the top ten of the Solitaire du Figaro”. The Solitaire du Figaro is the main event of the Figaro circuit, and this year starts from from Perros Guirec (France) on the 7th August. But before that comes the first of two major races – the Trophée BPE, singlehanded transatlantic race starting on 3rd April from Saint-Nazaire, France – Cuba and then the Générali Solo in June.

What’s in store on the Trophée BPE?
"I haven’t crossed the Atlantic solo since my Mini Transat in 2001. I can’t wait! It will be a tough race, expected to last around 30 days, in a 32ft boat across thousands of miles. Safety is paramount but I have no doubt the competition will be fierce. "

This course of 4265 miles from St Nazaire to Cuba is the first solo transatlantic race in the Beneteau Figaro2 monohull fleet. Organised by Pen Duik, all race information can be found at http://www.trophee-bpe2005.com (French only) or go to www.samdavies.com/skandia and click on Race Info for English information. This week will be Sam’s last week of training before leaving Port La Forêt early next week to deliver Skandia to St.Nazaire in preparation for the prologue on 1st April and the start on 3rd April.

New look website:
Now on line, Sam’s new website at www.samdavies.com/skandia will have all the latest news for each of the three major events this season plus other fleet news and race information. Latest positions, images, audio, will all be available on the site.

To subscribe to Sam’s email updates or SMS service, go to http://www.samdavies.com/updates

INTERVIEW WITH SAM

What have you been up to since last season?
"At the beginning of the winter, my Figaro Skandia was in the boat shed at Port Le Forêt where Erwan, my preparateur, and I worked hard on the re-fit, refining and tuning Skandia. We also spent time learning about every detail of the boat in order to maximize her performance. We carried out some necessary modifications for the first race of the season - our solo transatlantic race from Saint-Nazaire to Cuba. My boat Skandia has never been in a single-handed race across the Atlantic – the whole Figaro fleet have never raced solo across the Atlantic! As well as training as part of the Port La Forêt team, since our last two-handed transatlantic race last year, the AG2R, I have learned a lot about certain things, which will be useful for my next transatlantic race in a few weeks time. We worked on the set up of the boat, fixings, chart table, etc, even the smallest details make a difference!

We’ve continued to develop the sails, the mast and the rudders since last winter. The safety requirements onboard are obviously a very important aspect for our transatlantic race, we now need a whole ‘safety kit’ onboard which includes a handheld VHF radio, which allows us to communicate with a plane. I will borrow this from my team mate, Nick Moloney’s, 60ft monohull Skandia, which he will not need while I am racing. I’ve also made modifications onboard Skandia to improve my comfort, in particular with a beanbag which is completely waterproof. I can quite comfortably sleep on this without having to lie down and stretch out. Very practical! Musto provide me with all my clothing, which will help me to keep dry especially in the first two weeks of the race which are likely to be cold and very wet! "

How did you feel about being selected as one of the recruits at the prestigious Pôle Finistere Course au Large training programme at Port La Forêt?
"I was very fortunate to be selected once again to be part of the team for 2005. I am really happy to be continuing to work with Christian Le Pape and the team at Pôle Finistere Course au Large because, for me, it is the most effective way of training to continue to improve on the Figaro circuit. The training is rigorous and full-time (6 days per week) including both on and off the water work. The team is very motivated and everybody has the same drive to improve. Obviously, it is thanks to Skandia and all my other partners that enable me to sail full time. I learnt so much last year - in two months I gained valuable experience and confidence in my boat handling and speed. I can't wait to get out there racing again! I am one of 5 or 6 skippers who are taking part in the Trophée BPE. The first event for the other skippers is the Générali Solo which I am also doing, but we all training together.”

How do you think you compare to your teammates at Port La Forêt and how are you finding the training?
"I feel like my sailing and the adjustments I need to make to optimize my performance has really improved during the training this winter. I feel like I’m sailing much faster now than I was last year and I’m finding the handling of Skandia easier. I even beat Vincent Riou two weeks ago!! (winner of the Vendée Globe 2004/05). We have been sailing in pretty tough conditions, including two days of sailing in 30 knots of wind. It’s very tiring! To help us train for racing in these conditions we train hard out of the boat including swimming, running and weight training in the gym. Our on land training also involves spending time in the classroom before and after training on the water. The de-briefings are particularly interesting because we can learn from the experiences of others, for example Vincent Riou had some great tips for sailing under pilot. It is important that we are progressing mentally as well as physically."

Aswell as being part of the Port La Forêt team you also form of Offshore Challenges Sailing Team. How do feel being part of this team?
"I feel very lucky to be part of the OC Sailing Team. I really benefit from the experiences of Ellen and Nick. I ask them a lot of questions and I learn a lot from them. It is very enriching. We all help and support each other. It is very important psychologically. You feel a lot stronger when you know there is a great team behind you! "

What is your objective for your 2005 Figaro season?
"I want to finish in the top ten of the Solitaire du Figaro. I want to be in the leading pack. For the Saint-Nazaire-Cuba race (Trophée BPE), my objective is to arrive in Cuba safely on Skandia, in one piece! The level is very high - there are 10 or 11 skippers who could win! But, I will fight hard! "

2004 FIGARO SEASON RESULTS
Transat AG2R (doublehanded with Jeanne Gregoire) 5th
La Générali Solo 12th
La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro 19th
Les Course des Falaises 9th
10th in the French Solo Championship (Championnat de France)

2005 FIGARO PROGRAMME
3 April: Trophée BPE 2005 (St.Nazaire – Cienfuegos, Cuba)
6-25 June: La Generali Solo (Bassin Méditerranéen)
1-28 August: La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro 2005

U.S. Youth Team Selected

US SAILING, national governing body for the sport, has announced the members of the US Youth World Team which will represent the U.S.A. at the 2005 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship. The championship will be sailed July 14-23 in Busan, Korea, and is open to athletes who do not reach their 19th birthday this year.

Racing will take place on Suyong Bay (where the 1988 Olympic Regatta was held) and the U.S. will compete in the following classes: Hobie 16 (open multihull); Laser (boys singlehanded) and Laser Radial (girls singlehanded); and International 420 (boys and girls doublehanded).

The U.S. Youth World Team members qualified for the team after winning a select regatta previously determined to be a qualifying event. The members of the 2005 US Youth World Team are:

Girls Singlehanded: Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.)
Boys Singlehanded: Royce Weber (Surf City, N.J.)
Girls Doublehanded: Megan Magill and Briana Provancha (both San Diego,Calif.)
Boys Doublehanded: Adam Roberts and Nick Martin (both San Diego, Calif.)
Open Multihull: TJ and Jerry Tullo (both Staten Island, N.Y.)

The seven athletes of the 2005 US Youth World Team will be accompanied by US SAILING's Youth Development Coach Mike Kalin (Cambridge, Mass.).

ENZ Selects Software

Pavilion Technologies, a leader in the field of performance enhancement software has been selected as an Official Supplier to Emirates Team New Zealand to help in their quest to bring the America's Cup back to New Zealand in 2007. The America's Cup is yachting's most prestigious sailing competition dating back to 1851 and is also considered the world's oldest sporting trophy.

"Technological innovations have always been a key contributor to America's Cup success and we are pleased to have Pavilion Technologies as an Official Supplier for the next Cup challenge", said Grant Dalton, Managing Director, Emirates Team New Zealand. "We believe that Pavilion's software, through its ability to model performance, identify improvements and provide predictive guidance, will be a valuable contributor to our success", he added.

The team's objective in using Pavilion software is to enhance the performance of their yachts by leveraging the software's model-based prediction capability. Mathematical models representing actual performance characteristics are created using the software. New information or changes in conditions can then be processed and a new end result predicted before it actually occurs i.e. the software simulates potential outcomes. This allows the team to evaluate the viability of many more design options, reducing development time and cost.

"We are delighted to be involved at such a critical level with Emirates Team New Zealand's campaign and would love to see the Cup return to New Zealand", said Tony Dowling, MD Asia Pacific Region for Pavilion. "The high performance requirements of a successful America's Cup campaign are similar to the challenges our international customers face in their quest to reach the top of their industries", added Dowling.

The use of high technology by America's Cup syndicates is a crucial part of the game and Emirates Team New Zealand is leveraging some of the most powerful technology available today. Pavilion's software will be used extensively by the team for data collection and aggregation both onshore and onboard their America's Cup yachts and will be a key feature for the team during testing and regattas leading up to the actual challenge in 2007.

"No other commercial application meets our requirements to visualise, analyse, and model the massive amounts of navigational, structural, and meteorological data we collect every day", said Christopher Miller, Software Designer, Emirates Team New Zealand. "We will be using Pavilion's patented modelling, simulation and performance enhancement software for sensor validation, design modelling and onboard performance optimisation, and in assisting the team to make the best sailing decisions during the race", he added.

Software and engineering support will be provided out of Pavilion's Hamilton, NZ office. Pavilion's Brussels office will provide support during periods when the team is based in Spain.

The America's Cup will be contested in Valencia, Spain in 2007.

Boating Deaths Down

Boating deaths in Michigan and across the U.S.A. are down
significantly despite more people than ever on the water. The most current data available from the U.S. Coast Guard shows Michigan fatalities in 2003 at 29 – down from 38 in 2002.

Boating deaths across the USA are at the lowest level in 40 years. In 2000, national fatalities dropped 5% to 698 over the previous year. Fatalities dropped again in 2001 to 676. At the same time, registered watercraft continued to increase. “While there are fluctuations every year, by and large, boating is getting safer,” said MBIA President Van Snider. “As an aggregate, boat registrations continue to go up
while fatalities go down.”

In 1987 there were 9,963.696 registered boats in the USA, and approximately 1000 fatalities that is 1 in every 10,000 boaters. In 2001, there were 12,876,346 boats registered in the USA and 676 fatalities – that is 1 in every 19,000 boaters. “ Michigan’s history reflects the same trends.

Linky Sailing News

Racing Oryx Quest. Flying 15 Worlds

Records Clockwork Orange II

News Skipper down. L. Peyron

Great Lakes Lakes to make priority list? Cruising

College Sailing Navy Spring Women's

Out of Choc Bars

Date Sunday 13th March 2005
Time 0130 GMT - 0730 LMT
Position 59 . 38 S 85 . 35 W
Wind S SW 20 kts to 25 kts
Sea Slightly rough but running with us (no problem)
Barometer 1000 mb steady

We are going due East with 30kts of blisteringly cold winds continuously flowing over the decks. First we had hail stones bouncing off the deck, sounding like several machine guns being fired at the same time. Then it went quite and along came the snow, and within minutes, the boat and any of the crew that stood on her decks, was slowly going white. Jimmy Dunning, who is responsible for taking the video and still pictures that helps to tell our story, was out on deck with the camera happily clicking in all directions.

We now have 595 miles to go to Cape Horn. Lee Bruce and Nick Leggatt are a bit concerned of the weather we can get involved with when we are actually leaving the Southern Ocean and going on into the South Atlantic Ocean. We could have severe headwinds and nasty seas, all part of a lively depression that is also heading that way. I suppose, if it was too easy, the crew that has never been down here before, would not get the real message of what the Southern Ocean can chuck at you!

It's Sunday and Nick Bubb is trying to put together something different for supper. The going rate is Mountain House freeze dried Lasagna with Raspberry Crumble to follow. It all sounds okay, and as Nick said, it would be nice to have a cheese board, with some biscuits and maybe some good quality coffee.

As soon as Nick mentioned coffee, l thought of Jamaica, the wondrous Blue Mountains, and of course, Blue Mountain Coffee, the best in the world. One minute l could eat off a couple of Jamaica patties and the next, l could eat some curried goat, and rice and peas. I could go on and on, but all that will have to wait till later down the year. Lalel my wife will cook some wonderful dishes as soon as l am back in the UK and once l am back in Jamaica a little later down the year, the world is my oyster, l shall not want. Whatever, it would be terrific to be on a sandy beach in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios or Negril, swimming and lazing around, just enjoying a lovely day. Ye man - me soon come.

Right now. it is very cold, we have grey skies, the seas are not too high but they look a little menacing, the wind is dragging the temperature down, the wind chill facture etc, and we are all tucked up safe, either on watch, steering Daedalus or holding the end of ropes, ready to ease them out when the gusts come, or we are below decks, wrapped up in sleeping bags, trying to be as warm as possible and trying to get as much sleep in the very difficult conditions.

One or two of the guys are beginning to panic because they are running out of the weekly ration of choc bars. Oh well, it won't be long, we will soon be crossing the finishing line, and then the celebrations
begin.

Clockwork Orange II

At an average of 26.6 knots, the maxicatamaran Orange IIis continuing its march forward towards the finish which is forecast in alittle less than 24 hours time. The S’lywind, which is bringing a welcome mildness across France,is pushing Bruno Peyron and his 13 crew along at a cracking pace. The sailing conditions are ideal and, on thishome straight negotiated under 2 reef mainsail, trinquette and small gennaker,Orange II is gliding along safely. The scenariodescribed by the skipper over recent days is panning out with perfect timing. At the latter part of the morning, the world’sfastest ocean-going multihull will enter into the Bay of Biscay, with a passage of the finish line off Ouessant duringthe second part of Tuesday ni ght. Itwill come and moor in Brest’scommercial port tomorrow morning, Wednesday, having improved on the record byover a week, in a race time of around 50 days and 15 hours.

Bruno Peyron, 0400 GMT radio session: « You have tosavour the last few miles, the last few hours. The daily life on land will soon catch up withus and there’s nothing we can do about it. As a result it would be almost criminal not to make the most of thesemagic moments that we’re experiencing today. They are all too rare to have the right tomiss them. When I go up on deck it’s pure pleasure. Everyone is content, happy. It’s so good to see the look in the eyes of allthe crew. There is no need for a longspeech to understand what is happening between us. In principal, we are 24 hours from thefinish. There is a regular 30 knot airflow and the sailing is good. We are glidingalong in complete safety. We couldn’t havedreamt of a sweeter note to end on ».

References :
Day at sea : 50th
Date : 15/03/2005
Time (GMT) : 04h30
Latitude : 43 52.84' N
Longitude : 17 34.60' W
Instantaneous speed : 29.4 kts
Instantaneous heading : 40
Average speed : 24.8 kts
Speed over 24hr : 26.6 kts
Distance over 24hr : 640 nm
Speed since the start : 22.1 kts
Overall distance : 26398 nm
Distance remaining : 585.10 nm
Gaps on day 49 :
- J.Verne record: +3826 nm (ahead)
- Outright record : +2843 nm (ahead)

Tony's Lifetime in Stories

Doha 2006 has further extended their lead over Daedalus opening up the gap to an impressive 3,640 nautical miles at the 08:00 GMT poll on Tuesday morning. The Qatari catamaran is shredding the planet, sailing the South Atlantic in 500 mile-a-day chunks. At this morning’s poll Doha 2006 was sailing at 24.95 knots on a course that will take them directly over Schwabenland Seamount. The deep ocean suddenly rises from a depth of 4,300 metres, to just 1,575 metres as a pinnacle rises from the ocean floor in a prehistoric geological formation. As Brian Thompson and his crew pass over the three mile wide top of the seamount it’s unlikely that they will notice anything other than a sudden sounding registering on their fathometer. They are in an area littered with seamounts, and if they carry on with their present course they will sailing into waters unmistakably African despite being 1,000 miles southwest of the continent. Ahead lies Shaka Ridge, named after the famous Zulu chief, and Shona Ridge, as well as a number of seamounts named after African tribes. Doha 2006 is being forced to sail well below South Africa to avoid slowing in an area of high pressure that extends into the Roaring Forties. At a time when they should be turning north heading for Madagascar, Doha 2006 is still sailing on a heading of 114 degrees. It’s a pity, I was hoping to see them sail by as I look out over the ocean from my window here at the foot of Africa.

While Doha 2006 is enjoying a fast ride south, Tony Bullimore and his crew on Daedalus are enjoying a fast ride north. At the 10:00 GMT poll they were 45 miles due west of the Falkland Islands sailing at 15 knots. The warmer weather and a cup of coffee had Tony thinking about life after the Oryx Quest 2005. “At the mention of coffee l thought of Jamaica, the wondrous Blue Mountains and of course, Blue Mountain Coffee, the best in the world,” he wrote. “One minute l could eat off a couple of Jamaica patties and the next l could eat some curried goat, and rice and peas. I could go on and on, but all that will have to wait till later down the year. Lalel my wife will cook some wonderful dishes as soon as l am back in the UK and once l am back in Jamaica a little later down the year, the world is my oyster. l shall not want. Whatever, it would be terrific to be on a sandy beach in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios or Negril, swimming and lazing around, just enjoying a lovely day. Ye man, me soon come.” Tony’s lovely wife of 37 years hails from that fair island where the people live close to the earth and life moves with the seasons. When Tony’s seaboots are completely worn out he promises to take her back there to find a simple cabin, a deserted beach and view of the ocean. He has a lifetime of stories to tell anyone who is willing to listen.

During Monday night Daedalus sailed past Isla de Los Estados leaving the rugged island to the west. Unlike Doha 2006 and Cheyenne, who both caught a fair tide through the Strait of Le Maire, the fierce current was not in their favour and Tony and his navigator Nick Leggatt opted instead to sail to the east of the island. They passed just nine miles east of the tip of Tierra del Fuego. They now face a hard slog north through waters that crippled Cheyenne and dished up Doha 2006 some of the worst weather of the trip.

Less than 51 days expected

The maxi-catamaran Orange II should complete its round the world tomorrow night, Tuesday. Its race time will be 50 days and around ten hours.

Another big day at sea and the record will be exploded; pulverised by over a week. Having made 630 miles over the past 24 hours and the Azores archipelago now in its wake, the way to Brest now seems free of obstacles. Ideally situated at the front of an Atlantic depression, Orange II will be able to maintain this pace with, of course, one established rule that has been the guiding principal throughout this hopefully soon to be victorious campaign: not taking any unconsidered risks, constantly checking all the gear, making sure it's as good as new according to the crew. The wind has been blowing at over 30 knots from the SW since last night. Bruno and his navigator are waiting for the wind to head, a more S'ly wind then kicking in to aid their progress as far as Ouessant.

Bruno Peyron, 1400 GMT radio session: « The conditions are very fine. We have a 30 knot SW'ly. We're on a broad reach with one reef in the mainsail and the small gennaker. We went a little off course 20 minutes ago so we're going to put in a reef (experienced live thanks to the video conference). It's like we're doing the Mediterranean record with this limpid blue sky. The air is moist and we're in a warm front, with the depression behind us. We haven't had any hairy moments during the round the world as we're always careful to be slightly under the threshold of losing control. Right now we're in a controlling phase: we're making 30 knots while we could be making 35. If something breaks that we haven't been able to see, we don't want it to happen in the last 30 hours. The weather conditions will dictate the time of arrival. It will be night-time, which will enable us to have a little time to ourselves. During the night, we're selfishly going to savour the privileged moment and after that we'll make for the port of Brest! We will enter into the harbour early Wednesday morning! We should have thirty knots of wind at the finish. We haven't had any more than that on the round the world apart from once when we were below the Falklands, with a gust of 48 knots, but on flat seas. If we manage to finish this adventure like that, we ourselves will qualify our voyage as a job well done. I am proud for all the teams who have worked on this project. All those that have worked on it; like the shore crew, the architects, the yard, the developers who have done a superb job. If we set off again tomorrow, I am sure we'd be better still as we are better today than we were at the start. We've learnt a lot of things during this round the world! We already know that with the same conditions Steve Fossett had from Brazil, we would finish in 47 or 48 days. Orange II has been designed to be the fastest around the planet for the next 5 years. There are still a lot of other courses for it, like the one across the North Atlantic of course. »

Bernard Stamm, during the 1400 GMT radio session: « It's a superb voyage! It was close to perfection so I wouldn't head out again for just anything. Two months ago, I didn't think I'd be doing the round the world, even less so in 50 days! I didn't realise the average speeds these engines could keep up. Orange II is a machine, it's impressive. Even in big seas, it doesn't stop! At the helm, it's balanced..after that, it depends on whether the seas are crossed and if they're following seas. My best memories are linked with the speed you clock in the surfs. I think my best speed was 39 knots something! But the goal was never to rack up the biggest score! »

Data :
Day at sea : 50th
Date : 14/03/2005
Time (GMT) : 15h20
Latitude :40 36.28' N
Longitude :24 14.68' W
Instantaneous speed :28.3 kts
Instantaneous heading : 56
Average speed : 25.1 kts
Speed over 24hr : 26.7 kts
Distance over 24hr : 641 nm
Speed since the start : 22.0 kts
Overall distance : 26040 nm
Distance remaining : 940.30 nm
Gaps on day 49 :
- J.Verne record: +3826 nm (ahead)
- Outright record : +2843 nm (ahead)

Vendee Globe Concludes

A Stunning Final
It was finally at 20h04 GMT that the Vendée Globe 2004 was completed in Les Sables d’Olonne. Karen Leibovici brought the race to a close by finishing in 13th place on Benefic. What a weekend! Summer conditions in Les Sables d’Olonne for 2 magnificent finishes. Initially it was local skipper, Raphael Dinelli, completing his first Vendée Globe on his third attempt. He received a rapturous welcome on Saturday afternoon from the thousands of people massed along the banks of the channel. It was an intense and much deserved conclusion to a fantastic race.

Karen, Karen …
It was late yesterday night that the 5th edition of the Vendée Globe was completed by the arrival of Karen Leibovici aboard Benefic. It was the epilogue of what proved to be a crazy Sunday where the crowds came out in their hundreds to welcome in their heroine, after a long, long wait.
Numerous forecasts for an ETA were being tossed around throughout the day yesterday. The more optimistic of them reckoned early Sunday morning that a midday finish in the spring of Les Sables d´Olonne was on the cards. As the day went on the ETA’s became increasingly less optimistic though, Karen Leibovici (Benefic) caught up in the midst of light winds around twenty miles from deliverance. Already the crowds were hurrying towards the channel leading to Port Olonna, in search of more specific information. As time went on thoughts turned to the fact that the tide was on its way out and that the channel would only be practicable until 2030 GMT. After some precisions on these calculations it was decided that “she’d get through until 2010 GMT, but only just.
At around 1600 GMT the pleasure boats, the organisation’s ribs and launches, Karen’s supporters, all began to leave the pontoons to go and welcome Benefic off Les Sables d’Olonne. She was then less than 15 miles from the line. Nothing at all compared with the 23000 odd miles that she had just covered, and yet...
It was a surreal image as a cortege of boats, ribs and yachts massed around Karen’s ‘red cigar’
Benefic, almost at a stand still, the sails flogging in a bare whisper of air. Gradually, in virtually complete silence, the journalists approached the boat one by one to get Karen Leibovici’s comments, as she understandably became a little annoyed by the situation ... Back on shore a presenter was trying to keep the public informed, though there was really nothing to be said when you don’t know when it’s going to end ...
Fortunately the conditions finally enable her to gybe one last time at around 1830 GMT and make a direct course towards the finish line. As if by magic the wind kicks back in as night falls...3 knots, then 4 then 5, the whole flotilla now surrounding Benefic as it makes headway at last. The atmosphere becomes lighter, the fog horns blare out flamboyantly in the darkness, the supporters yell and Karen relaxes, trims her boat one last time and finally revels in the moment.
Deliverance comes at 2004 GMT, Karen Leibovici crosses the line in 13th and final position. The emphasis is on making the channel as quickly as possible. Benefic is taken in hand by the organisation’s ribs and drives towards the jetty at over 6 knots. They get through! The boat is
slowed and the crowd applaud the 4th woman to loop the Vendée Globe loop. The atmosphere is sublime, the crowds have been waiting for hours, but they’re out in force, as always.
They tie up to the pontoons, there is applause from the supporters, they are showered with
champagne, there are bouquets of flowers, hugs and kisses, tears, protocol... Karen eventually steps down off her boat and works her way up the pontoon to climb up onto the podium. She gives the crowds

her first sentiments, still in shock after everything that has happened.
Raphael Dinelli, Benoit Parnaudeau, Jean-Pierre Dick, Isabelle Autissier, Catherine Chabaud, Jean-Luc Van Den Heede, Alain Gautier, the welcome committee is of a calibre that reflects the quality of the event. They wouldn’t have missed this moment for the world, Karen showing exceptional courage throughout these 126 days at sea. More hugs and kisses and tears and then the ceremony is rounded off by the notes of the song that her brother Roch wrote her during the Vendée Globe.
It is the end of the ceremony and the start of a long night with friends, partners, and family...
The end of a long but magnificent day, the ultimate of this Vendée Globe 2004, one of those that goes down in the history books of a race like no other.

Quotes from the Pontoons :

Karen Leibovici (Benefic): “The last day was hard. When all the boats swarmed around me, the transition was very quick, too quick without a doubt. I didn’t let down my guard until I crossed the finish line, I couldn’t let myself lose concentration. After that it was just crazy. I was overjoyed when the people that are close to me came aboard. The channel was all a bit of a blur. I’ll have to take a step back from the whole thing to take it all in but I’d like to say thank you. It’s good to know there are people following you, who are interested in what we do.”

Philippe de Villiers, President of the SAEM Vendée: “From the first to the last, all the finishes have been extraordinary! The fact that there were still 50,000 people to welcome Karen Leibovici is crazy! The standard in the race has never been as high as it is this year which I’m obviously very pleased about. What we hope for in the future is to continue to place the emphasis on the human aspect of this race and we’re going to do just that.”

Denis Horeau, Race Director: “It has been extremely pleasurable for the whole organisation to have welcomed 13 officially ranked competitors into Les Sables d’Olonne, as well as Patrice Carpentier and Marc Thiercelin who made the Vendée port without being classed. This 5th edition of the Vendée Globe ends on the same high note on which it started, with an enthusiastic public who have welcomed this ultimate arrival of Karen Leibovici in deserving fashion. We couldn’t have imagined a better note on which to end this exceptional event.”

Dinelli 12th

It was at 17 hours 09 minutes and 14 seconds GMT this Saturday 12th March 2005 that the 60 foot monohull Akena Verandas skippered by Raphael Dinelli crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe 2004, a single-handed race, without stopovers and without assistance departing and finishing in Les Sables d’Olonne (France).

The race time to make the 23 680 miles is 125 days 04 hours 07 minutes and 14 seconds at an average theoretical speed across the course of 7,88 knots.

References (GMT) :
Start and finish : Les Sables d’Olonne (France)
Number of miles to cover : 23 680 miles
Start date : Sunday 7 November 2004 at 1202 GMT
Date of first arrival : Vincent Riou (PRB) on Wednesday 2 February 2005 at 22hr 49mn 55sec.
Date of second arrival : Jean Le Cam (Bonduelle) on Thursday 3 February 2005 at 05hr 22mn 08sec.
Date of third arrival: Mike Golding on Friday 4 February 2005 at 03 hr 17 minutes 13 sec.
Date of fourth arrival: Dominique Wavre on Tuesday 8 February at 05 hr 15 minutes 20 sec.
Date of fifth arrival: Sébastien Josse on Tuesday 8 February at 12 hr 04 minutes 10 sec.
Date of sixth arrival: Jean Pierre Dick on Sunday 13 February at 15 hr 51 minutes 38 sec.
Date of seventh arrival: Conrad Humphreys on Sunday 20 February at 02 hr 34 minutes 24 sec.
Date of eighth arrival: Joé Seeten on Sunday 20 February at 11 hr 04 minutes 45 sec.
Date of ninth arrival: Bruce Schwab on Friday 25 February at 08 hr 00 minutes 57 sec.
Date of tenth arrival: Benoît Parnaudeau on Thursday 3 March at 13 hr 08 minutes 54 sec.
Date of eleventh arrival: Anne Liardet on Sunday 6th March at 17 hr 30 minutes 40 sec.
Dinelli’s Race time : 125 days 04 hours 07 minutes 14 seconds.
Delay behind winner :. 37 days 17 hours and 19 minutes and 19 seconds.

Dinelli’s Race (Akena Verandas) :
Passage of the equator (outward trip) :
21 November 2004 at 1100 GMT 13 days 22 hours and 58 minutes
Passage of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) :
10 December 2004 at 2030 GMT after 33 days 08 hours and 28 minutes
Passage of Cape Leeuwin (Australia) :
29 December 2004 at 0230 GMT after 51 days 14 hours and 18 minutes
Passage of Cape Horn (Chile) :
on 28 January 2005 at 1000 GMT after 81 days 21 hours and 58 minutes
Passage of the equator (return) :
on 18 February 2005 at 0945 GMT after 102 days 21 hours and 43 minutes

Linky Sailing News

Racing Miami Race Week. Bacardi Cup. Vendee Globe Concludes

Records Orange IIuesday

News International candidates picked

Great Lakes WSC. Iceboating

College Sailing Admiral Moore

Navy Spring Women's

REGATTA HIGHLIGHTS:

Saturday: 6 races sailed with 3-8 knots coming from the east dropping
onto the race course adjacent to Robert Crown Center. Sailors broke for lunch and completed 4 more races in 5-10 knot SW breeze off of Trident Point. Very shifty conditions all day. 2 Protests filed.

Sunday: Light breeze blowing straight down the river built to 8 knots
for the final 4 races of the regatta. Current was a major issue, pulling the fleet downwind all day.
Boats hit the dock at 1150. No protests filed.

A division = 14 Races
B division = 14 Races

A B TOT

1. Brown 82 47 129
2. Charleston 76 61 137
3. Yale 64 77 141
4. Harvard 70 101 171
5. Navy 107 72 179
6. St. Mary's 83 96 179
7. Boston Coll 120 65 185
8. ODU 55 140 195
9. Georgetown 117 97 214
10. Eckerd 112 106 218
11. South Florida 115 123 238
12. Hobart/WmSmith 133 152 285
13. UC/Berkeley 161 149 310
14. Michigan 169 185 354

A division = 14 Races
TOT
1. ODU 55 Anna Tunnicliffe
Jenn Adams
2. Yale 64 Molly Carapiet
Jenn Hoyle
3. Harvard 70 Sloan Devlin
Christina Dahlman
4. Charleston 76 Sara Wilkinson
Meg Callanan, Suzy Lintern
5. Brown 82 Anne Davidson
Sally Walkerman
6. St. Mary's 83 Adrienne Patterson
Maggie Lumkes
7. Navy 107 Katie Whitman
Slava Haywas
8. Eckerd 112 Lindsey Nahmias
Leo Calzadilla
9. South Florida 115 Kristen Herman
Jee Lee
10. Georgetown 117 Derby Anderson
Barbara Ha
11. Boston Coll 120 Maura Winston
Leland McMcManus
12. Hobart/WmSmith 133 Emlie Barkow
Kate Brush
13. UC/Berkeley 161 Kristin Maberry
Rachel Maxson
14. Michigan 169 Caitlin Delphin
Gabe Scherzer

B division = 14 Races
TOT
1. Brown 47 Katie Lovelace
Louise Sherman
2. Charleston 61 Alana O'Reilly, Anne Bowen
Suzy Lintern, Meg Callanan
3. Boston Coll 65 Leigh Kempton
Lizz McAlpine
4. Navy 72 Charlotte Hill
Andrea White
5. Yale 77 Emily Hill
Meghan Pearl
6. St. Mary's 96 Jenny Gervais
Doria MacKenzie, Katie Tinder
7. Georgetown 97 Cordo Carraher
Leigh Fogwell
8. Harvard 101 Jessica Baker
Emily Simon
9. Eckerd 106 Madeline Eustis
Allison Cribbs
10. South Florida 123 Abby Ethington
Ashley Wierzbicki
11. ODU 140 Mo Castruccio
Amanda Martin
12. UC/Berkeley 149 Anne Conway
Sara Huey
13. Hobart/WmSmith 152 Lauren Anderson
Kate Kana
14. Michigan 185 Sally Jacqumin
Katie O'Brien

St. Mary's Team Race

Saturday

45 races sailed in Southwest becoming Northwest breezes at 15 decreasing to 5 kts. A single round robin of the 10 teams was sailed. Limited umpiring was used for every race. There was a great umpire debrief at the end of racing.

Sunday

24 races sailed in a North to Northeast breeze at 5-8kts. Single round robin of the top six teams and a single round robin of the bottom four team were sailed as well as three sail off races. Limited umpiring was again used and there was a good umpire debrief at the end of racing.

Photos of the event are available at www.smcm.edu/athletics/sailing


1. St. Mary¹s 12-2
2. Georgetown 11-3*
3. Boston College 11-3
4. College of Charleston 7-7*
5. Hobart and William Smith 7-7
6. Connecticut College 5-9
7. Navy 6-6
8. Old Dominion 4-8
9. UCSB 2-10
10. Kings Point 1-11

* Won sail off to break tie.

Winning Team: SMC Seahawks: Justin Law, Hilary Wiech, Andrew Watters, Paige Hannon, John Howell, Melissa Pumphrey, Blake DeBoer, Aubrey Mayer.

ABN AMRO International Candidates Picked

At a quarter to four in the afternoon, a group of twelve very serious sailors assembled in the harbour master building next to the dock. They knew they were about to hear the news, who would be one of the final five to continue on to the second boat crew selection finals in Portugal the next week. Those five would have a shot at being on the ABN AMRO second boat in the Volvo Ocean Race. The remaining seven would go home, crushed that they came so close to being chosen.

The feedback
Sailing director Roy Heiner began by telling the assembled group of sailors that “you look nervous!” He said that the group had made it very difficult for the judges to make their decision as to who had what it takes to sail in the toughest round-the-world ocean race there is: the Volvo Ocean Race. “You are all fantastic sailors. All three of us,” including the two judges Hans Horrevoets and Maurice Paardenkooper, “bow deeply to you.”

Heiner dispelled some of the disappointed feelings amongst the sailors, who felt that they had not lived up to expectations during the morning’s sailing. “It was interesting today, all that happened.” Heiner said the morning’s breakdowns did not change the impression the judges already had of the top sailors, it only reinforced their earlier impressions. “Today, you broke the speed record on those boats. I hope you take that as a positive experience.”

“We think you are all winners,” he said. He then said he would be reading each sailor’s name aloud and then the two judges Paardenkooper and Horrevoets would be giving their feedback on their performance and the judgement as to whether they would be continuing on to Portugal.

The final five selected were:

Luke Molloy - Australia
Emil Wiberg - Sweden
Phil Harmer - Australia
Jeremy Elliott - Ireland
Simon Shaw - United Kingdom

Reactions
After the news, several candidates moved to hug each other in congratulations. Several slipped out, not wanting further attention after not having been selected. The final five received many congratulations from those who would not be continuing on in the process.

Emil Wiberg, one of the five, said “I am happy – I made it!”

Luke Molloy was unrestrained about his feelings. “I am really excited!” He expected the next week to be even harder, and looked forward to the challenge. He said he actually had had time this selection week to relax, which surprised him. The following week, he expected to be pushed night and day.

Jeremy Elliott, known as “Jez,” said he expected “a lot more fun and stress” coming up. But for today, “I was glad to be picked. I thought I sailed reasonably well.” He had one priority in the coming days, however. Laundry. “I just came from the Caribbean, and I’ve got gear but it is all pretty smelly.” His plans for the weekend included watching the Ireland vs. France football match with his French teammate Sebastian.

Simon Shaw said he was “extremely excited” about the prospect of sailing a sixty foot boat, as the boats used during this selection were “only” 35 feet long. He likes “big, powerful boats.”

Several of the seven not going further said they weren’t surprised not to be chosen, given the extremely high level of sailing ability in the group. Paul Campbell-James of the United Kingdom said, “I agreed with what Maurice and Hans said. I haven’t displayed a particularly mature side this week. I’m not particularly suited to be a Volvo guy.”

Tanguy de Lamotte said “I feel disappointed. But they picked some good guys for sure.”

Anthony Kotoun said his big plans were “to experience Amsterdam” on Saturday. The seven not continuing to the final selection will spend Saturday in Amsterdam before flying out on Sunday to their various destinations. Five will be flying directly to Portugal on Monday.

Looking ahead to the final second boat crew selection
Roy Heiner concluded his speech by telling those seven not selected that “I wish you good luck. I will see you on the waters around the world!”

The final crew selection begins 15 March in Portimao in the Algarve region. Heiner had a special message for the five finalists. “Portugal will be hard.”

Daedalus nears the Horn

At the 05:00 GMT poll on Monday morning, Tony Bullimore and his team on Daedalus were approaching the longitude of Cape Horn after a windy and bone numbing transit of the deep south. For the past five days they have been sailing south of the latitude of Cape Horn; even now as they approach the line of longitude that signals their rounding they are still well south of the famous turning mark. At the same 05:00 poll they were over a hundred miles south of the Horn sailing on a course that will take them directly to the Strait of Le Maire. Unless there is a significant change in wind direction, the Cape Horn rookies on board will not get a glimpse of land until they approach Isla de Los Estados on the southeast corner of Tierra del Fuego. In any event they will ‘round’ the horn, like the other Oryx Quest 2005 yachts, in the middle of the night. It will be a relief to finally be out of the Southern Ocean heading for warmer weather. Tony’s log describes the conditions they have had for the past few days.

“We are going due east with 30 knots of blisteringly cold winds continuously flowing over the decks,” he wrote. “First we had hail stones bouncing off the deck sounding like several machine guns being fired at the same time. Then it went quite and along came the snow, and within minutes the boat and any of the crew that stood on her decks were slowly going white. Jimmy Dunning, who is responsible for taking the video and still pictures that helps to tell our story, was out on deck with the camera happily clicking in all directions.” Later in his log Tony talks about the cold. “Right now it is very cold. We have gray skies, the seas are not too high, but they look a little menacing. The wind is dragging the temperature down, the wind chill factor etc, and we are all tucked up safe, either on watch steering Daedalus, or holding the end of ropes ready to ease them out when the gusts come, or we are below decks wrapped up in sleeping bags trying to be as warm as possible and trying to get as much sleep as possible in the very difficult conditions.”

On board Doha 2006 the conditions are different although the temperature is starting to drop again after a week of balmy trade wind sailing under a bright Southern Hemisphere sun. Brian Thompson and his navigator, Will Oxley, have been hard at work studying the weather charts looking for a smooth rounding of the Cape of Good Hope 1,600 miles away. The situation is becoming complicated as the South Atlantic High once more presents a tactical challenge. The earlier front that gave them a fast ride from Los Lobos had squished the high pressure into a ridge that extends well south. In order for them to skirt the high to avoid slowing in the light winds, they are going to have to sail under the High meaning that they are going to have to head well south of Cape Town. Will Oxley explains. “With a comfortable lead in our race we have been looking to stay north and in the sunshine for as long as possible before turning the corner and heading north for Mauritius,” he wrote. “Unfortunately the wind gods have deemed that we have had enough of a good thing and it is getting more complicated up ahead. In order to avoid being completely trapped by a high pressure system and no wind we are having to dive south. We then have to stay south to keep in pressure and avoid headwinds. No one is really looking forward to the cold again, but the thermals are back on, the sea surface temperature charts are being poured over and data is being gathered on the ice sightings in this region.” The South Atlantic, especially this late in the summer, is littered with ice and present a very real danger to any boats transiting the region. Orange 2, another maxi-catamaran looking to break Cheyenne’s outright circumnavigation record, saw ice in this part of the world and so there will soon be an ice watch posted on the Qatari catamaran as the dive further south. At the 05:00 GMT poll they were already well into the Roaring Forties sailing at a latitude 500 miles south of South Africa.

Both boats still have a long way to go to the finish in Qatar. At the 05:00 poll Daedalus had 10,450 miles to go and Doha 2006 had 6,990 miles to go. It’s early to be speculating, but Will Oxley has been playing with the numbers and puts his thoughts on an ETA in his log. “I still have the 3rd April in my head as an arrival date. If we average 15 knots, but lose a day due to calm winds, then we will still make it. On the gloomy side of things we need to average 12.5 knots on course from now to make it within 60 days. Still a long way to go but it’s nice to have some targets to keep us focused.”

Orange II: Tuesday

The Portuguese archipelago will be in their wake from the first hours of daylight. The SSW’ly wind is blowing at 30 knots and will accompany Bruno Peyron to the finish. The fantastic pace set on this round the world was found again yesterday, at around 1500 GMT. Since then, the maxi catamaran Orange II has covered 300 miles in half a day, which augers well for another 600 mile day or more. The only fly in the ointment this morning: it is impossible to follow a direct course again, with a heading that is 15° too far East. To round the archipelago and glide between the island of Florès in the North and that of Faïal to the South, Bruno Peyron is anticipating a gybe in two or three hours time to head North again. This realignment onto a N’ly heading again, should be short term, prior to making for the finish line off Ouessant once more. Orange II’s crew is expected between Tuesday evening on 15 March and early morning on Wednesday 16 March, on the 50th day at sea.

Bruno Peyron, this morning at 0400 GMT: "The first part of the night was starry with the sky gradually clouding over and with a barometer continuing to drop. The depression system is settling into position. We’ll keep it up to the finish, even though there’s still a doubt as to whether it really touches Brittany. We have 30 knots of SW’ly and we have all the sail area up, with one reef in the mainsail. We’re currently trying to decide if we should pass to the small gennaker. We’re making a constant 32/33 knots and it’s at this speed that we begin to ask ourselves this type of question. The sea is ok, even though it was crossed at times when we climbed up to the archipelago’s plateau. We are having to get used to this pace again, get back into the rhythm, try to get re-accustomed to sleeping in these conditions. We are less than 100 miles from Faïal and we’re going to take a left in a few hours to round the archipelago. We’re going to make the move before the wind backs, which will set us in good stead for the rest of the voyage. We should finish on Tuesday, during the second part of the night. We’re not going to take any unnecessary risks for nothing".

References :

Day at sea : 49th

Date : 14/03/2005

Time (GMT) : 0420

Latitude : 38 38.64' N

Longitude : 30 04.32' W

Instantaneous speed : 30.3 kts

Instantaneous heading : 70

Average speed : 29.5 kts

Speed over 24hr : 20.2 kts

Distance over 24hr : 486 nm

Speed since the start : 22.0 kts

Overall distance : 25744 nm

Distance remaining : 1226.60 nm

Gaps on day 48 :

* J.Verne record: +3503 nm (ahead)
* Outright record : +2803 nm (ahead)

Admiral Moore

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 TOT

1

Brown A 2 1 4 1 10 4 1 4 2 1 1 5
4 5 1 8 54

B 3 5 7 6 4 3 2 3 2 9 14 DNF
3 4 1 4 89

5 11 22 29 43 50 53 60 64 74 89 113
120 129 131 143 143

2

MIT A 1 3 3 4 18 2 13 1 3 3 12 7
1 6 8 1 86

B 13 11 3 1 2 8 4 1 9 8 4 4
1 2 4 3 78

14 28 34 39 59 69 86 88 100 111 127 138
140 148 160 164 164

3

KP A DSQ 5 1 3 1 16 10 9 1 8 14 3
6 3 12 9 120

B 1 1 1 3 1 2 5 5 6 10 1 3
2 7 7 5 60

20 26 28 34 36 54 69 83 90 108 123 129
137 147 166 180 180

4

St. Mary's A 11 6 2 5 11 8 4 15 4 7 3 1
3 8 9 5 102

B 5 6 11 4 3 1 12 8 1 1 8 2
10 13 11 2 98

16 28 41 50 64 73 89 112 117 125 136 139
152 173 193 200 200

5

URI A 6 4 7 16 2 13 11 12 5 9 4 2
2 2 4 3 102

B 6 4 9 12 9 5 10 9 15 2 3 6
5 8 15 16 134

12 20 36 64 75 93 114 135 155 166 173 181
188 198 217 236 236

6

Rog Williams A 4 14 5 14 4 6 14 14 10 11 8 18
5 16 11 7 161

B 2 2 2 5 11 9 1 13 5 11 2 1
7 1 3 7 82

6 22 29 48 63 78 93 120 135 157 167 186
198 215 229 243 243

7

Hobart A 3 2 13 2 3 5 12 5 8 2 6 8
14 7 10 12 112

B 8 8 4 2 16 13 6 6 8 13 10 5
13 11 8 1 132

11 21 38 42 61 79 97 108 124 139 155 168
195 213 231 244 244

8

Columbia A 5 7 15 7 7 1 5 8 9 16 10 11
8 1 7 2 119

B 12 7 6 14 6 6 8 2 11 3 11 7
6 9 10 8 126

17 31 52 73 86 93 106 116 136 155 176 194
208 218 235 245 245

9

Navy A 9 8 17 6 9 3 2 3 11 18 7 17
10 14 5 4 143

B 9 9 12 7 12 RAF 13 12 3 4 9 9
8 5 2 9 142

18 35 64 77 98 120 135 150 164 186 202 228
246 265 272 285 285

10

Minnesota A 10 13 8 13 14 9 3 11 7 6 17 13
12 10 2 10 158

B 15 14 10 17 13 4 3 4 4 14 6 8
4 6 5 6 133

25 52 70 100 127 140 146 161 172 192 215 236
252 268 275 291 291

11

Fordham A 7 9 9 15 8 7 8 2 6 4 5 9
7 9 15 13 133

B 11 13 5 10 8 15 9 DSQ 10 7 5 14
9 12 6 15 168

18 40 54 79 95 117 134 155 171 182 192 215
231 252 273 301 301

12

Coast Guard A 15 11 11 17 12 11 7 10 12 12 2 4
15 15 3 6 163

B 4 3 8 13 7 11 7 11 12 12 16 10
11 3 9 13 150

19 33 52 82 101 123 137 158 182 206 224 238
264 282 294 313 313

13

Conn College A 13 16 12 12 6 10 6 16 14 5 9 12
9 11 6 17 174

B 7 12 14 11 14 12 14 7 14 5 7 13
14 15 12 11 182

20 48 74 97 117 139 159 182 210 220 236 261
284 310 328 356 356

14

NYM A 8 10 6 9 5 15 9 6 13 10 13 15
11 4 13 18 165

B 14 15 15 16 5 16 17 14 13 16 13 12
15 10 14 12 217

22 47 68 93 103 134 160 180 206 232 258 285
311 325 352 382 382

15

Cornell A 14 17 10 8 17 12 17 7 15 15 11 10
13 12 14 16 208

B 16 10 13 9 10 14 11 10 18 6 15 11
17 16 16 10 202

30 57 80 97 124 150 178 195 228 249 275 296
326 354 384 410 410

16

UC Berkeley A 12 15 14 10 15 14 15 18 16 13 18 14
17 17 18 14 240

B 10 17 17 8 17 7 16 15 7 15 12 15
16 14 17 14 217

22 54 85 103 135 156 187 220 243 271 301 330
363 394 429 457 457

**17

Michigan A 16 18 16 18 13 18 16 13 17 14 15 6
18 13 17 15 243 + 20

B 17 16 16 15 15 10 15 16 16 18 18 16
12 17 13 18 248 +20

33 67 99 132 160 188 219 248 281 313 346 368
398 428 458 491 531

18

Princeton A 17 12 18 11 16 17 18 17 18 17 16 16
16 18 16 11 254

B 18 18 18 18 18 17 18 17 17 17 17 17
18 18 18 17 281

35 65 101 130 164 198 234 268 303 337 370 403
437 473 507 535 535

A division = 16 Races

TOT

1. Brown 54 Patrick Rynne '05

Arlene Chung '06 1-10

2. MIT 86 J M Modisette '05

Cha-Ling O'Connell'07 1-2,5-16 B. Boshco
'05 3-4

3. St. Mary's 102 Alex Steele '07

Samantha Perisi '07

4. URI 102 Morgan Paxhia '05

Kerry Mahoney '05

5. Hobart 112 Brian Clancy '07

Kate May '05

6. Columbia 119 Becker Chase '05

Lauren Parmington '05

7. KP 120 Chris Branning '08

Jarod Prill '08

8. Fordham 133 Nate Powell '06

Ann-Marie Martin '08

9. Navy 143 Steven Gay '05

Maggie Reynolds '08

10. Minnesota 158 Mark Dunsworth '06

Jenny Wilson '06

11. Rog Williams 161 Bobby Koar '05

Kristin Pappas '06

12. Coast Guard 163 Rob Gorman '07

Andrew Gibbons '07

13. NYM 165 Erich Hesse '05 1-14, Chris Price '07
15-16

Jill Decker '08 1-14, Arielle Knuttle '07
15-16

14. Conn College 174 Adolf Haffenreffer

Ingrid Wenzler

15. Cornell 208 Betsy Stearns '05

Hilary Johnson '05

16. UC Berkeley 240 Ryan Schultheis '06

Anneka Smith '06

17. Princeton 254 Nick Burroughs '08

Emily Smith '07 1-10, Jeff Hill '07 11-16

**18. Michigan 243 + 20 =263 Dave Ellis '06

Dave Elwood '05 1-10, Steph Shroud '08
11-16

B division = 16 Races

TOT

1. KP 60 Jimmy Givens '08

Aaron Thompson '08

2. MIT 78 Jack Field '08

Emma Bassein '06 1-2,4-16 Chuck Head '07
3

3. Rog Williams 82 David Hyer '07

Elizabeth Wishe '05

4. Brown 89 Edward Young '05

Liz Greenberg '06 1-2,4-10 Will Turnbull
'08 3

5. St. Mary's 98 Anthony Mazzeo '06

Mattie Farrar '08 1-2, 7-16 Cotton Kelly
'07 3-6

6. Columbia 126 Chris Fleming '08

Isaac Bauer '05 1-2, Julia Werb '06 3-16

7. Hobart 132 Wiley Wakeman '05

Kate Wilson '08

8. Minnesota 133 Jessica Haverstock '08

Kelsey Dunigan '08 1-4, Dave Elsmo '08
5-16

9. URI 134 Craig Thompson '08

Amy Combs '07 1-6 Lisa Krekler '07 7-16

10. Navy 142 Ian Gill '08

John Leone '08

11. Coast Guard 150 Ben Komar '07

Sarah Morin '06

12. Fordham 168 Alex Baum '08

Cristina Puglia '07

13. Conn College 182 Jonathan Cahoon '06

Erin Riley '06

14. Cornell 202 Scott Grandt '08

Josh Keegan '06

15. NYM 217 Seth Harris '05 1-4, 9-16 Stuart Grulke
'08 5-8

Pat O'Connor '08

16. UC Berkeley 217 Logan Jager '06

Jess Giddings

**17. Michigan 248 +20 = 268 Ben Seppala '07

Adam Schloff '07

18. Princeton 281 Powell Fraser '06

Liz Gough '07 1-10, Tracey Harrop '07
11-16

** failed to sign the RP form

Due North

Since Friday lunchtime, the Orange II maxi catamaran has been heading northwards averaging 20 knots.

On the western edge of the high, the southerly wind has strengthened and the maxi catamaran has been able to put on some more speed again. To achieve this, they are having to carry out a series of gybes to head due north, rounding the wind hole in the centre, as best they can, before catching the low-pressure system that will take them back to France. Bruno Peyron and his navigator Roger Nilson now have a clear picture in their mind of what is likely to happen between now and Tuesday 15th March, which looks increasingly likely to be the date, when they cross the finishing line off Ushant. If they finish before 11.00 GMT on the 15th March their time will be 49 days and XX hours. Any later and they will be into their fiftieth day. A fabulous performance. That is why Bruno Peyron and his dream team don’t want to c ount their chickens just yet. In high performance sports, it’s not over until the finishing line is crossed.

Bruno Peyron, this morning at 10.00 GMT:
«Since this morning, we have been using the tail end of a front to sail on the starboard tack towards home. We currently have 1240 sq.m of canvas up: main gennaker, staysail, and it’s not possible to put up any more. We’re reaching 30-31 knots in a 17-knot wind, which feels good. We’re making the most of a 60-mile wide strip, where it is overcast and raining. We can see though that the blue skies aren’t far off. Within the next 6 or 7 hours, we’ll be moving out of this narrow strip and gybing again, heading northwards. A third ridge of high pressure will be passing over during the night and tomorrow morning, so there will be another calm zone to get through. In fact, it’s the Azores high that is building again and we’re right in the middle of this zone. However, we’re where we need to be, and by tomorrow afternoon, we should be hopping on to a nice low, which will take us all the way to the finish. What’s really impressive is that the boat is in perfect nick. Apart from the damage to the rudder, there’s not the slightest hitch in the sails or problem with the fittings. The boat can set off on another voyage again, and the men too. We’re in fine fettle, not the hint of a health problem. However, that is not going to change the way we sail. It’s always near home that you have an accident, when you’re in a car. So there’s no way we’re going to drop our guard now. Now is not the time to make any mistakes… »

At the Azores

Orange II has been stepping up the gybes since this morning to finish rounding the high, which has been blocking her path back towards Ushant for the past few days. She overcame the first hurdle during the night by crossing through a ridge of high pressure, and is now heading towards the north and a waypoint that Roger Nilson and Bruno Peyron fixed themselves near the Azores. Once they have reached this virtual point on the charts, the giant catamaran will then be able to head for Ushant, and they hope to cover more than 600 miles on the first two days of next week. The ETA for the tip of Brittany is still planned for between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, or in other words after 50 or 51 days at sea.

Bruno Peyron during the radio link-up with race HQ in Paris this afternoon: «We’re starting to pick up some wind. The second high is a little to our right, and the wind has veered from the east to the south east and then the south. We’ll be gybing again towards the north in a few hours time to cross the third ridge of high pressure. Then it should be a straight run back to Ushant. We’re at the latitude of the Bahamas, so the temperature is tropical. Yesterday, we had some huge seas, and we were getting nowhere just being tossed around. Today is the first day for four days that we’ve gone above 20 knots. Below 25-27 knots, you don’t really feel like you’re going very fast. This morning may well have been the last in shorts, and tomorrow things are going to start to look very different. There’s a gale forecast, but the low isn’t going to be that b, as can be seen on the charts. There’s going to be a south westerly flow that will push us along towards Ushant. We may finish late on the fifteenth, or during the night of the fifteenth, or maybe early on the sixteenth. You can see that the low pressure is running up against the coast of Europe, and will be sliding up towards the British Isles, which explains why the weather will be spring-like in Brittany at that point in time. Once we reach the latitude of Fayal in the Azores, things will start moving quickly and we’ll be on a straight line with winds between 20 and 35 knots. We’re expecting two and a half days at more than 650 miles, but we’re not going to be pushing the boat too hard, for the reasons we have already explained many times. We’re going to try to finish as quickly as possible, in the best condition possible, in some fine light.»

Bitterly Cold with Big Seas

“I’d say that we are experiencing the biggest seas that we have had thus far on the Global Challenge,” reported Samsung skipper Matt Riddell on Friday. “In the last couple of hours we’ve had the biggest waves we’ve seen.”

Steep waves 'blasting' freezing water over the decks and winds of over 30 knots, gusting to 50, have limited the Global Challenge crews to on-deck rotations and helming duties lasting 45 minutes at a time.

It is now “bitterly cold” according to Matt Riddell, who said: “I’d be lying if I said people weren’t struggling a bit with the cold and the damp … we’ve just come from a 7-day sprint across the Tasman Sea in shorts and t-shirts and here we are back in the Southern Ocean ­ it is long and arduous and really what the Global Challenge is all about.”

The recent strong winds from the west-northwest are a result of the depression centred to the south of the fleet. As this low tracks eastward, the wind will continue to back to the west over the next 24-36 hours, maintaining its strength. It is most likely all teams will tack when headed by the westerlies ­ if they go too far south it may be difficult to get back up north to round Waypoint Bravo, designed to keep the fleet out of the worst of the ice. Once past this low-pressure system, the wind will be originating from further south so icy conditions are on the way for crews already feeling the chill deep in the Southern Ocean.

BP Explorer skippered by David Melville leads the fleet, creeping ahead of their nearest rivals today by another couple of miles; now 12nm ahead of 2nd place Imagine It. Done. and 19nm in front of 3rd place Barclays Adventurer in terms of distance to finish.

Team Save the Children, fighting back from 12th and 214nm behind the leader this afternoon after diverting from the racecourse so that injured crewman, Adrian Albrighton, could be airlifted to hospital, have had a minor set back. They have snapped the leech line on a headsail so they have been busy repairing the damage. They are also currently having problems with their heater so they will be feeling the cold more than anyone else as the winds drive the fleet further south.

However, they are clearly maintaining a sense of humour as usual. They wrote to race organisers, Challenge Business, to request permission for a campfire in the sail locker! Challenge Business said no.

Fleet positions

BP Explorer 4,206nm ­ Distance to Finish
Imagine It. Done 12nm ­ Distance to Leader
Barclays Adventurer 19nm
Spirit of Sark 34nm
Team Stelmar 38nm
BG SPIRIT 44nm
Samsung 44nm
Pindar 53nm
SAIC La Jolla 58nm
Me to You 67nm
VAIO 123nm
Team Save the Children 214nm

Water Level Update

Below you'll find water level info that pertains to Lakes Michigan and Huron.

Reference Point- Measurements in Inches

Difference from Chart Datum +3
Difference from last month +1
Difference from last year +8
Difference from long term average for March -9
Difference from Record High -40
Difference from Record Low +21
Forecast for 11 April +3

Click for information on other lakes.

Linky Sailing News

Racing Miami Race Week Day 1. Bacardi Cup. Doha on a tear

Records Wind hunting with a lead

News BMW Base

Great Lakes Water Level Update

College Sailing # 3 BC at St. Mary's Team Race

BMW Oracle Base

BMW ORACLE Racing today revealed plans for a next-generation America's Cup team base in Valencia's Darsena harbour, site of the 32nd America's Cup. The first steel beams of the three-story operations base for the America's Cup Challenger of Record are
expected to be installed next week, marking the first major phase of
construction.

The base architecture and design will reflect the team's technology-driven campaign. Working with the basic shell provided to all teams, BMW ORACLE Racing is enhancing the structure to feature a sophisticated hospitality center and a welcoming public interactive center. These unique features complement the basic functionality of a boat shed, sail loft, travel-lift piers and a gymnasium to allow efficient day-to-day sailing operations.

"We designed a base that would encompass a wide range of our team
requirements under one roof," said Chris Dickson, CEO. "The first priority was to provide the most efficient sailing operations possible. At the same time, we wanted to design a space that would offer our guests a memorable world-class hospitality experience set amidst an authentic sailing environment. Our base is our home in Valencia and we will open our doors daily to the Valencia community with a public interactive and merchandise area.

The BMW ORACLE Racing base area will be approximately 4,000 square meters with a building footprint of 2,700 square meters. The site is 67 meters wide and 70 meters dee with 35 meters of water frontage. The VIP area on the top floor will offer as many as 250 guests per day a new experience in sailing event hospitality. Guests will enjoy panoramic views of the Darsena from the rooftop deck. "Our program will be closer to what guests experience in Formula One than to what has been seen before in the America's Cup," said Laurent Esquier, Director of Operations, BMW ORACLE Racing. "The crucial point is to
entertain a significant number of guests at once and yet give each of them a very unique and special America's Cup experience. We believe this base design concept achieves this goal."

The team commissioned noted German interior designer Volker Bender of
Kaiserslautern, Germany. The Spanish builder is Dragados of Madrid.
"We had hoped to start the 2005 season in our permanent base, but we will remain operating from our temporary base at the Real Club Nautico until June when we expect this site to be completed," said Dickson. "We are grateful to the yacht club for extending their hospitality to us. Despite delays in the start of construction, we are working hard toward being in our new home before the Louis Vuitton Acts 4 and 5 in Valencia in June. The team is all looking
forward to getting settled into the Darsena base. When all the bases are complete, the Darsena promises to be a world-class venue for the 32nd America's Cup."

Miami Race Week Day 1

Bright sunshine and challenging conditions greeted the top sailors from around the world during the first day of Acura Miami Race Week with talent like Olympic Gold Medallist Sofia Bekatorou of Greece and 2003 America's Cup sailor Brad Butterworth of New Zealand calling tactics between the edge of the Gulf Stream and the shores of Miami Beach in an event where 1,200 sailors and 140 boats are participating.

Fresh conditions, deep swell