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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1560 - WEEKEND EDITION 12-13 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

EDITORIALS, OPINIONS AND THE RUMOUR MILL...

BRITISH TEAM BENEFIT FROM CHINESE HOME The Germans were the first Europeans to recreate a little of home in Qingdao - hence the Bavarian style Tsingtao beer still made in the former colony - but it was Britain's Skandia Team GBR who set up a forward operating Olympic base there nearly four years ago.

The British rented a house and took over one of four blocks in a major hotel. Inside is home to the sailors, where they can eat food cooked by the team's chef and use the on-site gym and work space. If they need to check in with the team's doctor, nutritionist, physiotherapist, and fitness, coaching and technical staff they are all under the same roof.

It has been this way at every major training and competition session in the Yellow Sea city and will remain so until the sailors move into the official Athletes' Village for the Games themselves.

It is a great facility for the British sailors and one that helps keep the UK squad at the forefront of Olympic sailing.

"It's about providing much more than a basic hotel service," explains the Royal Yachting Association's Olympic manager Stephen Park. "It also ensures that you have facilities on the ground for people who want to train at the Olympic venue."

Scroll back through the last three Olympic sailing regattas in Athens, Sydney and Savannah, Georgia, and the progress made has been stark. There was a team house in Savannah, but it was relatively modest as most sailors couldn't afford to spend extensive time in America training.

Lottery funding changed that. British sailors spent a record time training at the venue in Sydney for the 2000 Games and there was a house and hotel in Athens too.

But it is in China that the permanent base has come into its own. Hotel costs in Qingdao have risen along with Olympic expectations. A room worth £250 now will cost double that in the Games.

"We're paying a small fraction of that," says Park of his three-year hotel lease. Controlling the budget on consumables is a key part of making best use of Lottery funding and sponsorship.

In China, Britain have eight 40ft containers, two of which will be allowed into the Olympic venue. "We can open the doors, flick a switch, and the generator starts, the lights come on and the air con kicks-in," says Park of the team's primary container. "We are entirely self-sufficient."

A forward operating base will not win medals on its own. But having food they are familiar with, tailored to their energy needs, along with hygiene standards they are confident in, permanent staff, two staff cars with bilingual local drivers and much more besides, is indicative of the British endeavour to campaign smarter and more effectively than anyone else. -- Tim Jeffery, his full article at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/07/09/sssail109.xml

IS USA THE TOP KEELBOAT RACING NATION? A United States racing team has won another round of the Audi MedCup series, this time sailed off Carligari, Sardinia. Quantum Racing skippered by Terry Hutchinson has taken out the third round of the Audi MedCup helped by Morgan Larsen and Mark Mendelblatt.

Quantum Racing now leads the series, which has become a pseudo America's Cup, after three rounds. There are three more rounds to be sailed in a circuit which runs for five months.

Many of Hutchinson's former comrades at arms from his previous gig at Emirates Team New Zealand were scattered through the fleet including his old skipper, Dean Barker helming Bribon (which placed fifth overall). Afterguard members, Kevin Hall (USA) Ray Davies (NZL) key members of the Kiwi afterguard in Valencia, did a good job for Mean Machine, hoisting the Dutch entry into second place.

After the regatta, Hutchinson reflected on the changed positions and circumstances of the Class of 2007: ' Today it is fun to be talking to Deano (Dean Barker, NZL, former Team New Zealand helm) because a year ago we were all in such a much different environment and so I can promise you that the stresses of this don't come close to comparing to the stresses of that, so it is always nice to be out there racing. The amazing thing here is that the after guard of Team New Zealand is pretty well represented. It is really good. And I am really happy for the guys at Quantum, they have invested a massive amount into our program and the guys support us with our sails, day in day out, fine tuning our sail shapes, learning from our competitors, learning about our boat, picking things that we like and making our sails better.'

Of course this is the second successive circuit win for USA teams on the Audi MediCup Circuit, with BMW Oracle Racing taking a win in last month's round. On the keelboat circuits at least, it must now be acknowledged that USA is very much on the center of the podium. -- Richard Gladwell in Sail-World.com, http://www.sail-world.com

MARK YOUR CALENDAR - ACURA KEY WEST 2009 One Design, IRC, and PHRF sailors from around the world are making plans for North America's premiere keelboat regatta - Acura Key West 2009. World class competition, Premiere Racing's professional management, Key West's brilliant sunshine, warm water and winds, and unique shoreside attractions all make this a January must do. With the racing, the fun, and exchange rates better than ever - it's the perfect time to plan your winter escape! Race dates are January 19 - 23, 2009. Invited class include: Farr 40, RC44, Swan 42, Melges 24 and 32, M30, J/105, J/80, J/109, TP52 (and more).

For logistics and planning details visit: http://www.Premiere-Racing.com

BREST 2008: THE CURTAIN OPENS Today marked the opening of Brest 2008 in the presence of the Port Admiral François Cuillandre and famous French sailor Olivier de Kersauson, who rang in the fifth edition of the maritime extravaganza on the bell of the 1938 Romanian three-master Mircea. They were answered by the siren of the tugboat Abeille, the water jets from the nearby fireboat and all the bells and sirens from the surrounding boats.

The Brest 2008 fleet is a stunning mixture of large yachts and coasters, historic replicas, fishing boats and working boats, classic boats, small traditional craft and skiffs. Added to this there are some classic motorboats from the 'belle epoque', exotic boats such as Asian junks, pirogues and boats from the West Indies, the Southern Ocean and Polynesia, and adventure boats which have made incredible journeys such as Kurun, Joshua and Tara. There are also boats uses by the professionals of the sea such as fishing boats, crab boats, trawlers and offshore racing boats from Figaros, to Mumms, to Imoca 60 footers and ORMA.

73% of the fleet is French with the remaining boats from Spain, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Vietnam, Switzerland, Croatia, USA, Madagascar and Russia. A total of 28 countries are represented at the festival including Australia, Brazil, Japan, Madagascar, USA and New Zealand.

Of the 2010 boats present, 1003 measure between 5 and 9 m, 434 from 10 to 19 m, and 37 in excess of 30 m. 56 of the boats are 100 years old or more and a total of 1012 date from prior to 1970.

Some of the oldest boats in the fleet include an 1876 gaff-rigged Smack from Essex (Martha II), Ibis an 1888 gaff-rigged cutter from Falmouth, Velsia an 1890 Colin Archer also from Falmouth, and an 1894 oyster smack called Thyra. Of the historic replicas which have made the journey to NW France (from Bristol, UK), is the legendary Matthew, a replica caravel with three masts and square sails, which was originally commanded by James Cabot during his discovery of Canada in 1497. Another replica is Lindheim Sunds, a replica of a patrolling Viking warship from 1040, the wreck of which was discovered in the bay of Roskilde.

http://www.brest2008.fr

HISTORIC YACHT LOST The historic yacht Tho Pa Ga, normally berthed in Ibiza, tragically sank off the coast of France this week. A Plymouth-based ferry came to the rescue, saving the crew from the ocean after the historic yacht sank off France.

Brittany Ferries' Pont Aven diverted its route to pick up five Spanish crew who were aboard the Tho Pa Ga, from a liferaft. Subsequently three of the crew were picked up and flown to hospital by a French helicopter.

The ferry, which was going from Santander in Spain to Plymouth, got a rescue call from the Tho Pa Ga which was sinking off Brest in France.

The Tho Pa Ga, a 1924-built yacht, was sailing to Brest for a yachting festival when at around 1.30am early Tuesday, crew reported seawater coming into the boat and alerted rescue services.

THO-PA-GA was an historic fore-and-aft Schooner. She was well-known at the beginning of the last century as a Mediterranean 'pailebot' and was used to transport general cargo sailing between Ibiza, Spain, France & North Africa, carrying an average of 230 tons of freight per trip. Until 1984, the schooner carried general cargo between the French Caribbean Islands.

The boat was built in 1924 by the shipyard of the Navarro Brothers in Spain and for this reason she was originally named 'Tres Hermanos' (The Three Brothers). She was constructed of pitchpine cut at the full moon and dried for 30 years in the shade. Her lines, profile and speed have always been envied and admired.

This wooden schooner was famous in Western Europe as being the only sailing ship with her cargo hall still in prime condition. Cargo capacity was 100m3, with a cargo hatch that offered an opening of 18m2 on deck and was sealed with the original wooden hatches.

After being converted for the tourist trade, accommodation was for 10 guests in 3 Double cabins with Washbowl, and 4 Single berths in the convertible Saloon.

She had been berthed at her original location, the old harbour of Ibiza (Balearic Islands). -- The Herald/Sail-World Cruising, http://www.sail-world.com/Cruising/Never-to-be-slept-in-again---Historic-Yacht-Lost/46238

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HALF THE CREW WERE THROWING UP, BUT MORALE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD No, that's not from Monty Python, that's a quote from the Captain of the Sea Viking... our story in Eurobutt 1559 related the departure from Ireland and arrival in Plymouth but we missed this gem (hat tip to Darin Dodd for finding this one...)

A replica Viking longship was forced to shelter in a Devon harbour after battling through stormy seas.

The 30m-long Sea Stallion anchored in Torquay after three days of sailing in heavy seas from Wicklow in the Republic of Ireland.

The skipper said half the 65-strong volunteer crew had been seasick and everyone was tired.

The ship is on a 1,000-mile round-trip from Denmark via Ireland to test the performance of a Viking ship.

Mr Wharran said: "It has been a very hard few days, half the crew were throwing up, but morale has been very good."

The Sea Stallion was built with traditional materials in Roskilde and is based on an original vessel which was unearthed there in the 1950s.

Skipper Carsten Hvid said: "It was quite rough, with most of the swell on the beam so we had to bail out about 18-20 tonnes of water.

"We decided to go in here because of the south-west gale.

"We were very down, but everyone is happy now." -- BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7498059.stm

DUBARRY'S NEW GENOA T-SHIRT: PERFORMANCE THAT WON'T LOSE YOU FRIENDS A strong performance usually means a strong smell because most anti-microbial T-shirts have a nasty habit of hanging onto to odour, no matter how many times they're washed. So does maximising VMG always mean maximising BO? Not any more. Dubarry's new Genoa T-shirt has fast-drying, anti-microbial fabric that leaves the memory of a good race in your head, not in your armpits. It's SPF40 too, so you don't need to grease up. And after racing, you might not create so much space at the bar, but you'll definitely get served quicker.

Dubarry's Genoa T-Shirt: Same Rules. New Collection.

http://www.dubarry.com

LAUNCHINGS * Ericsson 4 has made the short journey by road from the Ericsson Racing Team's boat yard in Kista, Stockholm to nearby Frihamnen, where she was put into the water for the first time.

The boat, the second of Argentinian designer Juan Kouyoumdjian's two new Volvo Open 70s, was then towed through the narrow waterways of Baggensstäket.

"It was pretty close to the rocks but we arrived here safely," said a relieved skipper Torben Grael.

Ericsson 4 will be joined by sister boat Ericsson 3 in a couple of days and both boats are due to leave for two-boat testing and their qualifying sail later this month.

As for Ericsson 4's road trip through the busy streets of Stockholm, the task fell to Volvo Trucks' new flagship FH16.

According to Christina Ohlsson-Jones, responsible for the Volvo Ocean Race at Volvo Trucks, the transportation of the precious 70-foot cargo turned a few heads.

"We chose a Volvo FH16 for this job as it is our strongest and toughest truck model, Ohlsson-Jones said. "The driver was also carefully selected for this important task."

* The 44m (145ft) performance cruising sloop Imagine II is currently under construction at Alloy Yachts in Auckland, New Zealand.

Imagine II is a development of the successful 33.6m (110ft) sloop Imagine built at Alloy Yachts and launched in April 1993. Imagine is one of Alloy Yachts' most extensively cruised yachts, having completed three and a half circumnavigations. The new Imagine II, for the same European owner, is a larger and more modern version. Both were designed by Dubois Naval Architects and share very sleek, low-profile lines.

Imagine II has a beam of 9.38m (30.8ft) and a design displacement of 260 tonnes. Her underwater appendages include a dagger board, with a draft of 4.3m (14.1ft) with the board up and 6.0m (19.6ft) with the board down.

She will be built to Lloyds Classification and will comply with the Large Commercial Yacht Code LY2.

The interior will be undertaken by the Alloy Yachts Interior Design team and features contemporary styling with light-coloured timber joinery. Guest accommodation provides for an owner's suite and three guest suites, all with ensuite facilities. The crew layout has three cabins all with en-suites for six crew.

Imagine II will be fitted with a carbon fibre mast by Southern Spars with in-boom furling and a complete composite EC6+ rigging package. 3DL sails by North will be handled by captive and vertical winches designed and built by Alloy Yachts. Headsail furlers will be Reckmann hydraulic units.

The main engine is a C18 873hp Caterpillar diesel driving a Hundested variable pitch propeller. 90hp TRAC bow and stern thrusters will assist in close-quarters manoeuvres. She will be fitted with two 67kw Northern Lights generators.

* With two superyachts, the Sunreef 102 Double Deck and the Sunreef 114, already under construction, Sunreef Yachts announces its latest design, the 150 foot ONE FIFTY by Sunreef coming in response to what the company sees as a continuing demand for the special combination of luxury and performance offered uniquely by a catamaran.

Developed by Sunreef's own in-house design team, the ONE FIFTY design is unique from other yachts in Sunreef fleet not only in size but also in appearance.

The futurist look of the ONE FIFTY as a result of meticulous research of the latest trends and styles in exterior design. Externally, the concept was for a modern, sweeping, sleek topside which blends into the curve of the hulls resulting in flat surfaces that accomodate solar panels as an alternative cheap and green source of energy or are covered by uncut, continously applied teak in keeping with the sleek lines.

The main deck features a spacious covered area spread over two levels spanning the entire beam (over 17 meters) with sloping deck leading up to the giant flybridge and navigation station just aft of the 55 metre carbon-fibre mast. The boom doubles as a crane for the rescue boat or for a large tender to be stowed out of sight, aft of the engine room.

In a break with tradition, the cockpit, which is sheltered by a sunroof, has been moved forward and equipped with sunbeds, a dining table seating twelve as well as comfortable informal seating on cushions and wicker armchairs. Despite the unique location, the cockpit will be accessible from both the flybridge via an open staircase and from salon/staterooms via two doors.

* Whilst the Oyster 100 Superyacht project gathers momentum, with tooling completed and work about to start on moulding the first hull, the Oyster 125 will now be offered with an optional flybridge.

Inspired by some of the larger Dubois designs, the Oyster 125 will incorporate a sleek, cleverly designed flybridge area that caps the deckhouse and will accommodate twin wheels, power and sailing controls, while at the same time providing a commanding view and a comfortable seating and sun lounge area for guests. The flybridge will also provide an area of complete privacy when the yacht is at rest. The aft end of the flybridge roof is designed to effectively cover the aft deck level cockpit so as to take the place of a bimini awning.

Apart from the convenience of the flybridge itself, the additional space this extra level creates offers a serious upgrade to the vessel's potential accommodation at saloon level, allowing enough space for a serious dining table, separate chairs and other occasional furniture. All of this is on a single, raised level ensuring a panoramic outboard vista through the sculptured deckhouse windows.

The accommodation configuration of the 125 offers three twin or double en suite guests cabins and an owner's stateroom aft. Forward, the vessel has a large galley, crew mess and three crew cabins, all en suite, as befitting a yacht of this size. The Oyster 125 will be available in both deck saloon and flybridge versions, although the first Oyster 125 will be built with the flybridge, tooling for which is starting this summer, with a target launch of May 2011. -- http://www.oystermarine.com

* Bristolian II, a Philippe Briand design, has just been launched in New Zealand. She was built by Yachting Development for an experienced owner.

Philippe Briand tells us: "The first meeting with her owner took place on board his previous Bristolian off Dubrovnik in Croatia.

To sum things up, top on his list of specifications was: "a very different yacht from the others." But he already wanted a yacht which performed every bit as well as the Bristolian N.1 and which was every bit as sensitive. So I pushed for a carbon composite boat with a lifting keel, with modern hull lines. Our reference was the Hamilton II design, wow, increasing the waterline due to a more vertical bow.

The deck saloon concept, common to all our designs was also accepted right away, but with a difference. The owner wished to have the advantages of a low saloon below the deck which was wider and to port whilst having a higher panoramic dining area to starboard. This led to the design of the original asymmetrical deck saloon which is in fact rather ingenious !

The most difficult stage was designing the deck lines. Owner specifications were for "out of the box" lines, based on a voluminous and panoramic coach roof. Both pods were particularly important to him, as they have to protect two watch areas, but they have to suggest the profile of the "Maserati" on the 1950's circuit! He also attached a great deal of importance to a minimum superstructure height throughout the whole length of the cockpit in order to facilitate the view of passengers when lying down on the seats. Creating a deck with a large central volume, with two boxes abaft with nothing to link them was no mean feat.

* New Zealand Yachts has completed a year long refit on the world's largest sailing catamaran Douce France. Seen here sailing out of Whangarei Harbor on May 20 leaving for the Pacific Islands where she will continue to charter.

According to New Zealand yachts, every imaginable component on a sailing yacht was overhauled and brought back to near new standards. This included all mechanical items including all hotel services, engines, electrical, electronic, alloy structure and plate replacement, interior, entertainment, navigation, masts, rigs, Doyle sails and a fresh coat of paint.

Douce France will continue to charter in the South Pacific with her first three months in Micronesia.

Douce France is not expected to be back in New Zealand due to her new route which will be taking her to the Indian Ocean where she will continue to charter and explore the worlds most remote islands. -- MegaYachts.ru, http://megayachts.ru/en/news/13/557/

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THE LAST WORD Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves. -- U. Thant

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

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