Contents August 2015
FEATURES 27 Dream start
Eight brand new custom-built grand prix racers (and one 2014-turbo) went to the line in Valencia. ROB WEILAND has plenty to be proud about
28 Levelling the pitch BAR Technical Director ANDY CLAUGHTON helps bring ‘proper’ racing to the superyacht fleet
30 Some family
Trompe l’oeil can float One-design keelboats have been the key to keeping yacht racing going through the rating and economic
dislocations of the past 15-20 years. But while many former grand prix racers switched – not always seamlessly – into the new format others missed the individualism that could find an outlet through a custom project. Those lucky enough to have been active through the heady days of the Admiral’s Cup, Kenwood and Southern Cross Cups, plus the numerous well-subscribed Ton Cups, will recall, as well as some pretty wild boat designs those equally flamboyant colour schemes. Not today’s multitudinous white one-designs with the odd daring stripe, but boats like Germany’s Sudpack (Google it) which lifted irony to a new level. In today’s design-led culture our boats are frankly often very boring to the eye; that is no one’s fault, in a fleet of white one-designs only an idiot chooses another colour – kiss goodbye to brave starts. It seems, however, that the odd bit of flair is coming back, hand in hand with a modest revival of interest in custom boats typified by the successful relaunch of the TP52s, of which the exquisitely decorated Platoon (pictured) is one example. The famously quizzical response from Blue Yankee owner and Admiral’s Cup competitor Bob Towse, when his team proposed a one-design for next season, ‘spend all the money and only get to choose the colour?’, was representative of a whole generation of grand prix owners who enjoyed all of the ‘game’ and not just the racing. If a few should now return, and some new faces are attracted by the increased expression again on offer then, inch by inch, others doors may (finally) start to open up again
COVER: Ingrid Abery INSET: Ainhoa Sanchez
The Melges sailing dynasty is without parallel. BILL GOGGINS and DAVE DECKER catch up with all three of the most recent generations…
36 A lateral question There’s more to foiling than meets the eye… as KEVIN ELLWAY and ALAN SMITH explain to ANDY RICE
40 Improving the breed Little is heard these days of DICK CARTER, one of the most influential offshore designers of the modern era. But life still offers plenty of interest, as CARTER explains to JOHN ROUSMANIERE
REGULARS
4 Commodore’s letter MICHAEL BOYD 7 Editorial
ANDREW HURST 8 Update
A very special Australian (though reclaimed by London for all the good bits), TIM JEFFEREY remembers ALAN BOND and the events leading up to the 1983 Cup Match. Plus the 2017 Cup
format just grew again and BOB FISHER is all in favour of San Francisco’s 12 Metre contest
14 World news
Those scows (finally) take another step forward, it’s the Jules Verne for FRANCIS JOYON, birth of the Collectif Ultim, new Kiwi speedster (for Australia…), TOM ADDIS returns to the fray and a closer look at MR EHMAN’S latest plans… BLUE ROBINSON, IVORWILKINS, PATRICE CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, DOBBS DAVIS
22 Rod Davis Is busy homemaking in Bermuda…
24 ORC column DOBBS DAVIS
25 ISAF Column JOHN CRAIG and continuing improvements to the Sailing World Cup
44 Design – Cracking effort STEPHAN BODEN and ALEX VROLIJK have come up with something extremely special
46 Seahorsebuild table
– Moving (swiftly) on Foil-innovator IAN WARD continues on the trail of the fast, manageable and affordable foiler
50 Seahorse regatta calendar
52 RORC news EDDIE WARDEN-OWEN 71 Sailor of the Month
Mighty achievements… plenty of significance
Left/above: the innovative Dick Carter 39-footer Red Rooster with lifting keel and rudder was central to the USA victory at the 1969 Admiral’s Cup in Cowes. Carter knew Cowes well, having won the 1965 Fastnet on his breakthrough 34ft Rabbit (far left) and racing the 1967 Admiral’s Cup on Rabbit 2
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