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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1558 - 10 JULY

Brought to you by Boats.com Europe ( http://www.boats.com ) and Yachtworld.com Europe ( http://www.yachtworld.com ) Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to editor@scuttlebutteurope.com

SINGLE-HANDED NORTH ATLANTIC MULTIHULL RECORD ATTEMPT Thomas Coville crossed the official start line for the single-handed North Atlantic record attempt today, Wednesday 9th July at 0747 hours local time, or 1147 UT (subject to confirmation from the WSSRC). The 32 metre maxi trimaran set off in a 16 knot SW'ly air flow which is set to fill rapidly to around twenty knots.

The maxi trimaran Sodeb'O left Brooklyn Harbour yesterday, Tuesday, shortly before 1800 hours (local NY time). In order to avoid putting in some tacks, Sodeb'O remained under tow the whole night. Aboard, a crew of five people kept watch to enable Thomas to sleep and concentrate as he awaited the green light from his routers.

To beat the record set by Francis Joyon in 2005, Thomas will have to cross the Atlantic at a hellish pace of less than 6 days, 4 hours, 1 minute and 37 seconds. "Maintaining the speed of the maxi Sodeb'O at an average of over 19.75 knots for 2,980 miles for nearly 6 days remains an achievable performance" commented the skipper, who is the 24 hour speed record holder aboard his maxi Sodeb'O, having covered 619.3 miles at an average of 25.8 knots.

As regards the weather forecast "The SW'ly air flow at the start will take Thomas as far as Cape Race to the SW of Newfoundland on Friday afternoon (UT). A low stretching over from Canada will see the wind fill in slightly after the passage of Newfoundland on Saturday night. It is with this same low that he is set to complete the course" explain Richard Silvani and Christian Dumard, routers to Sodeb'O. As far as the ice is concerned, which is something all skippers dread, this has almost totally disappeared from the course. "Throughout the record I'm going to be like a well supported and highly guided tightrope walker. You spend your time on the tracks just as you do on a ski piste, which has already been skied and you stay on that track for as long as you can" explained Thomas Coville before the start. -- Translation by Kate Jennings

http://www.sodebo-voile.com

PACIFIC CUP HAS BIGGEST FLEET IN YEARS San Francisco, California, USA: The Pacific Cup race organizers announced the final starting lineup, with a total 61 boats competing in the biennial race to Hawaii. Twenty-two boats including two double-handed divisions are set to begin the race early afternoon Monday, July 14, with additional starts for faster boats through Saturday, July 19.

Most racers anticipate arrival at Oahu's Kaneohe Bay around July 26-29, with that date range varying by several days on either side depending on weather, course selection, and boathandling. Notable participants in this year's race include Paul Cayard and his family aboard Hula Girl and Philippe Kahn aboard Pegasus.

Saturday's start, Division F, consists of the fastest boats skippered by dedicated and aggressive racers. Philippe Kahn on Pegasus (OP-50) hopes to best the record for fastest doublehanded passage now held by Stan Honey for his passage on the 70-foot Mongoose.

As the fastest-rated boat in the fleet, Kahn should set the pace for the rest. The other boats in Division F are fully-crewed, generally meaning they will benefit from less fatigue and more aggressive sail handling. 70-foot sleds like Velos, Holua, and Rage will spar with Pegasus as well as Criminal Mischief and Flash, designed to take advantage of light weight, surfing all the way to Hawaii.

2008 will see some special trophies. Blue Water Sailing magazine has sponsored a prize this year for the "Fastest Family Afloat." At least eight boats have declared as family efforts, with at least three relatives aboard, or two for doublehanders. These include perennial Pac Cup buffs Jim Quanci and Mary Lovely aboard Green Buffalo, the Jensen family aboard Alternate Reality, and the Cayard family aboard Hula Girl. Competition for the prize is expected to be spirited.

Race co-organizer Storm Trysail Club has sponsored a Team Trophy. This prize will go to the three boat team from a single yacht club with combined best performances against the overall fleet and each boat's division. Nearly half the entrants have joined in teams defending the reputations of the Saint Francis, Richmond, Encinal, Corinthian of Portland, and San Diego yacht clubs, as well as the Singlehanded Sailing Society.

All monohulls compete for the Pacific Cup, the trophy that gives the race its name. This is awarded to the boat completing the course with the best corrected time. Super-racers compete with modest family programs for this coveted prize.

In the highly variable conditions of the Pacific, and under the strictures of the race, it's as likely that the trophy will be carried away by a general purpose sailboat of modest design as it is to be taken by an all-out race machine.

http://www.PacificCup.org

HARKEN UK REGATTA SUPPORT - CORK WEEK The Harken Service Van will be fully tooled up and on-site in the regatta village to help solve any technical problems. So come and make a pit stop for all your Harken tune-ups.

The Technical Service Team is only a phone call away for hardware selection, installation advice or problem solving.

Come and meet the Tech Team in the Harken Service Van.

Contact Details Service Van: 07969 299848 Technical Enquiries: 01590 689122 Email: enquiries@harken.co.uk Website: http://www.harken.co.uk

ABERDEEN DRAGON EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP High ranked sailors from 18 nations will meet for the Aberdeen Dragon European Championship in Oslo, Norway in the end of July. 62 boats have signed up for the event and the defending title holder Marcus Wieser (UKR) will meet a very competitive fleet.

The biggest contingent this year comes from Russia. The Dragon class has really caught on in Russia the last couple of years, and they are represented with 17 boats in this year's Aberdeen Dragon European Championship. Among them is Anatoly Karachinsky with Versiya 3.1. He is the CEO of IBS and considered to be the Russian Bill Gates.

Norway will have 15 boats on the starting line. Peder Lunde jr. is among the many top contenders for a podium place. Eivind Melleby, high ranked Star sailor and one of Norways absolutely best sailors, is relative new to the class, but he will most definitely be aiming high.

Odd Roar Lofterod, with his sparkling red Odd Job, is also a man to watch out for when the guns goes off for the first race on August 4th. Seven races are planed with the last on Friday August 8th.

All the 62 three man teams will start gathering on Herbern Marina on Thursday July 31st. The Dragon Class is world know not only for their sailing but also for their parties and social program for family and friends when the race is on. This championship will most definitely not disappoint in that respect.

The Aberdeen Dragon European Championship is one of the many events that celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (KNS). KNS is the biggest yacht Club in Norway and has pulled out all the stops to make this event memorable for all. -- Jon Antrup

You can enjoy a video of Oslo and Drake sailing here: http://www.nordragon.com/images/drake.wmv

You can view all the competitors here: http://www.sandaker.no/seilnett/deltagerliste.aspx?seilasid=141

CST COMPOSITES 2008 MOTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The fourth day of the CST Composites 2008 Moth World Championships has been cancelled due to too much wind with gusts over 30 knots continuing.

However, the sailors spirits were lifted late yesterday afternoon when the event organisers allowed them out into Portland Harbour for a 'Speed Challenge'. Each boat was given a Velocitek to record their fastest 10 second average in over 25 knots of breeze.

Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI) came away with the impressive 10 second average speed of 26.1 knots; James Owen-Smith (AUS) came in second with 25.9 knots and Martin Gravare (SWE) third with 25.4 knots. The photos attached tell the story of a fun afternoon had by all.

The big news for today was the four hour International Moth Class Association Annual General Meeting. With 18 nations represented at the CST Composites 2008 Moth World Championships, and a raft of fabulous proposals to host future events coming from various countries, the room took the time to vote on which options would be in the best interest for the growth of the Moth Class.

The next three year's Moth World Championships were confirmed at this meeting, as follows: - 2009 Moth World Championships will be held in The Gorge, Portland USA from 5th to 14th August 2009. - 2010 Moth World Championships will be held in Dubai, UAE in April 2010. - 2011 Moth World Championships will be held on Lake Macquarie, Australia in January 2011.

Further, the 2009 European Championships will be held in Kiel, Germany in June next year.

The WPSA Race Committee have amended the 2008 Championship sailing instructions to allow racing tomorrow to commence as one fleet. This will make for some spectacular sailing with almost 100 boats lining up on the start line.

The forecast for tomorrow's weather is for kinder conditions of under 20 knots, so they are aiming for at least 4 races tomorrow, and as many as possible on Friday, the last day of the event.

http://www.moth-sailing.org

SEA RIBS: GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT! Recently launched Sea Ribs UK are taking delivery of four boats in time for the summer. So, if you fancy a treat or you want to spoil your family, why not drop in to our website and have a look at these great boats. http://www.searibs.co.uk/rec_open.htm

Currently available are the 470 Lux, 540 Open, 580 Lux and 620 Lux. All of these boats are powered by Suzuki outboards and are rigged and ready to go.

For packages and prices, please contact Joe Hall +44 1983 200901 ext 1. Joe.hall@mainsail.co.uk

INTO THE RECORD BOOK WSSR Newsletter No 157. 9th July 2008.

The WSSR Council announces the ratification of a new World Record:

Record: Around Ireland. Powered Sails - WSSR rule 21c. Yacht: "Leopard" 30m Monohull Name: Chris Sherlock. GBR Dates: 22nd June to the 25th June 2008 Start time: 12:00:00 UTC on the 22nd June 2008 Finish time: 05:48:47 UTC on the 25th June 2008 Elapsed time: 2 days 17 hours 48 minutes 47 seconds Distance: 708nm Average speed: 10.77 knots

There has been no previous record in the 21c category. Times taken during the Round Ireland race

John Reed Secretary to the WSSR Council http://www.sailspeedrecords.com

RC44 MALCESINE SLAM CUP The match race event of the RC 44 Malcesine SLAM Cup couldn't have started any better, with six flights held in 8-14 knots of typical Lake Garda thermal breeze.

The races took place alongside the beautiful local club, Fraglia Vela di Malcesine, an eco-club-house with a grass covered roof, hardly noticeable from the water. The set up was ideal for the public and the partner's guests, with a starting line splashed hundred meters away from the shore, often forcing the RC 44's to tack less than ten meters away from the shore and the crowd.

The leaders of the Championship Tour clearly confirmed their status today, with Team Hiroshi - Citta di Milano (Sebastien Col) and Team Aqua (Cameron Appleton) sharing the lead, with five wins and one loss each, ahead of James Spithill's Team Ceeref (4 points), Team Banco Espirito Santo (Dean Barker) and BMW ORACLE Racing (Larry Ellison), both with three points. On great form, Team Aqua only lost to Banco Espirito Santo by a couple of seconds. The two helmsmen, Cameron Appleton and Dean Barker, know each other well: they were sharing helming duties on board Team New-Zealand in 2003.

Team Aqua and Team Hiroshi - Citta di Milano have five points each; however, Aqua has beaten Hiroshi today. Tomorrow, both teams have a bye and both have to sail against James Spithill's Team Ceeref, who will sail three races.

Banco Espirito Santo has a good card to play tomorrow, with three matches scheduled against BMW ORACLE Racing, Organika and Carbon Affairs. Also competing for a place on the match race event podium, Larry Ellison, Russell Coutts and their crew on board BMW ORACLE Racing are the only team to have beaten Ceeref since the Cagliari Cup in April. They will sail their three last races against Sea Dubai, Carbon Affairs and a final match against Banco Espirito Santo. -- Bernard Schopfer

Match-race, provisional results after six flights:

1. Team Aqua, Cameron Appleton, 5 points 2. Team Hiroshi - Citta di Milano, Sebastien Col, 5 3. Team Ceeref, James Spithill, 4 4. Team Banco Espirito Santo, Dean Barker, 3 5. BMW ORACLE Racing, Larry Ellison, 3 6. Sea Dubai, Markus Wieser, 2 7. Team Organika, Philippe Presti, 2 8. Team Beecom, Isao Mita, 0 9. Team Carbon Affairs, Michel Vaucher, 0

http://www.rc44.com

COMPLETE FREIGHT Complete Freight continues to supply and fit out super yacht and race program containers. Currently being fitted out at the moment are two 40ft containers for the new J Class, Endeavour II. Complete Freight can cater for all design requirements ranging from basic sail and box racking systems all the way to fully custom built storage / office environments complete with air conditioning, gantry cranes for those heavy sails, work benches complete with tool chests, 220V / 110V electrics, WiFi etc.

For more information or for a quote please contact Complete Freight on 01489 885400 or go to http://www.completefreight.com/cms_photogallery5_1.html for some photos of previous work.

SPAIN TAKES THE LEAD IN THE TUTIMA J80 WORLDS 'Have a shower..', that was the motto for today's races. Heavy rain showers cooled down the fresh winds during the first day of the Tutima J80 Worlds on Kiel Bight. In between wind speed decreased a bit, but the wind came back punctually for the third race. Finally four races were sailed in at least best conditions. The courses were dominated by the crews from Spain, at the end Ignacio Camino Rodriguez (ESP) and his crew took the lead in front of Javier Padron (ESP). The British team of Kevin Sproul achieved the third place. J-Boats designer and maybe the first J80 sailor in the world at all Jeff Johnstone from the US came in fourth and showed how well he knows his 'own' boat.

Race director Jobst Richter had fired the signal for the first race of the day at firm winds from west at 11:25 a.m. "We had very variable wind conditions on the courses and had to lay out a new course for each new race. With every cloud the wind shifted by at least twenty degrees, which made it a challenge for the sailors as well", declared Jobst Richter.

He will now give the race management responsibilities into the hands of Mandus Freese for the rest of the Tutima J80 World Cup

The new J80 World Champion will be determined on Saturday.

Top five after four races: 1. Ignacio Camino Rodriguez/Alberdo Padron/Gomez Jose Luis/Armando Coniertua (ESP/2,2,6,8) 18 2. Javier Padron/Juan Gonzalez/Abelardo Queuedo/Cesar Obregon (ESP/1,9,4,9) 23 3. Kevin Sproul/Yoann Richomme/Robert Gullan/Aarian Gray (GBR/3,14,2,4) 23 4. Patrick Bot/Matthieu Durand/Frederic Hauville/Agathe Brucelle (FRA/22,1,1,1) 25 5. Jeff Johnstone/Bo Teichmann/Stella Mau/Florian Foh/Henning Mittelmann (USA/7,11,3,5) 26

http://www.j80-worlds.de

NYYC CLASSIC REGATTA AND OLIN STEPHENS CELEBRATION The New York Yacht Club's (NYYC) sixth biennial Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex starts off with a bang on July 18, when some of the world's most notable classic yachts and their owners and crews gather to participate in the club's 100th birthday celebration of America's legendary yacht designer Olin J. Stephens. Stephens, of Sparkman & Stephens design fame, will have the pleasure of watching several S&S designs compete among the large fleet of classics expected over July 18-20. They will include Dorade, one of his very first boats off the drawing board (at the ripe young age of 21), now owned by Edgar Cato (Charlotte, N.C.), as well as Sonny, Joe Dockery's (Newport, R.I./Greenwich, Conn.) 1935 cutter sloop, which was rammed by a German submarine in WWII, then refloated and repaired.

A special Bolero-themed birthday cake will be part of the celebration for Stephens at a sit-down dinner under the tent on Saturday night. Bolero, an S&S design owned by Edward Kane (Concord, Mass.), belonged to John Nicholas Brown, commodore of the NYYC (1952-54), who owned Harbour Court, now the NYYC's on-the-water clubhouse.

Along with Bolero, other S&S designs competing are Black Watch, sailed by Trevor Fetter (Dallas, Texas), Palawan, sailed by G. Scott Gazelle (Hingham, Mass.), Puffin II, sailed by James Koss (Point Richmond, Calif.), the 6 Meter Jill, sailed by Martha Coolidge (Camden, Maine), and five 12 Meters: two-time America's Cup winner Intrepid, sailed by Jack Curtin (N.Y.,N.Y.); one-time Cup winners Columbia and Freedom, sailed respectively by Alain Hanover (Newport, R.I.) and Ernest Jacquet (Boston, Mass.); and Enterprise and Gleam, sailed respectively by Jan Slee (Newport, R.I.) and Alfred Van Liew (Middletown, R.I.). The 12 Meter fleet also will include racing on Friday for its series. -- Barby MacGowan

http://www.nyyc.org

IMO ENDORSES ISAF VIEW ON COLREGS The International Maritime Organization has supported the International Sailing Federation's position on the prevention of collisions at sea.

The Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, or COLREGs, was subject to lively debate at the recent 54th meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency specializing in marine safety. At the meetings of the Safety of Navigation (NAV) Sub-Committee of IMO it was decided not to accept proposals from Italy for fundamental changes to COLREGs, a position supported by ISAF.

The proposals were contested in written and oral submissions by the delegations of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), IAIN (International Association of Institutes of Navigation) and New Zealand. Thirty more delegations spoke at the meeting attended by 95 delegations.

Alan Green (GBR), Chairman of the ISAF International Regulations Commission who represent ISAF at IMO, said, "ISAF is always ready to support practical initiatives to improve safety at sea but we were certain that the proposals made would not have achieved the desired result. All parties received a very fair hearing at IMO and ISAF welcomes the outcome."

The initiative from Italy, initially tabled in 2006, aimed to improve safety at sea by defining a new class of vessel to be called "pleasure craft" to be required to keep clear of shipping in many circumstances not envisaged in the present COLREGs. But it was argued that the proposed rules would cause confusion and the proposed new light and sound signals would impose considerable and unwarranted expense on owners.

Whilst the number of reported collisions between small craft and large ships was small it was accepted that the lack of a common format made it difficult to analyse relevant statistics. The development of a recognized format is likely to follow.

http://www.sailing.org/offshore

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - editor@scuttlebutteurope.com Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From Fred Imhoff: You have been infected by the racing virus probably as much as I am. But what is the problem these days?

In my opinion good racing area's, good committees, and strong (not especially large) fleets. Of course there are the Olympic games, but do they select the best venues these days? Do you want to sail 7 days a week for 4 years? Probably not!

So what's interesting?

Well, I will tell you. I got information about the Vintage Yachting Games, and I think that's what we are looking for: racing in the former Olympic Classes against former medalists. A superb racing area in the best time of the year (20-27 September 2008), one of the best international racing committees and a hot competition.

Anyway, whatever you do, I made my entry (on http://www.vintageyachtinggames.org ). And of course I hope to see you at this unique series.

The classes are: Europe female, Europe male, O-Jolle, Flying Dutchman, Soling and Dragon.

The Vintage Yachting Games is the result of the former Olympic classes wanting to celebrate their combined Olympic history in a high performance regatta. Each country can be represented by their best sailors in each class. The Vintage Yachting Games will be held every four years. For the first edition in Medemblik, there are already entries from 23 countries.

So if your country is not yet represented in one of those classes, just contact Rudy den Outer ( rudy@vintageyachtinggames.org ) and make sure you can participate, because this is one of those seldom possibilities to race under the best circumstances against the best competitors.

Hope to see you all in Medemblik at the "Vintage Yachting Games".

THE LAST WORD It's not the end of the world, but you can see it from there. -- Pierre Trudeau

The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt Europe do not necessarily reflect those of its editors or sponsors.

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