Update
Oh, one more observation: videos of training incidents in the AC45F have shown Ben Ainslie somersault through the air and get thrown against the forward crossbeam after burying the bows at speed. An Oracle nosedive smashed bowman Louis Sinclair against the daggerboard and left him staggering before dropping onto the trampoline netting. In another incident Oracle’s Kyle Langford got shaken up with a nasty knock to the head crashing into the centre spine. With no cockpits, sitting on the hull of an AC45F at foiling speeds looks like a dangerous pastime. Jack Griffin –
CupExperience.com
LOOKING BACK, PLANNING AHEAD
The Maxi 72 class is now 10 months young and very much alive. We’ve had our ups and downs.
Niklas Zennström selling his 72 was not really in the plan when I took the class manager job. Besides that, it did put one of the most advanced Maxi 72s on the market but made the early season a bit of a lonely affair for Bella Mente and Shockwave. Foreseen was to have four Maxi 72s in the Caribbean, not all doing the same programme but at most events it would have been at least three boats racing – reasonable competition at this size. As it turned out, Bella Menteand Shockwaveengaged only at Key West and then each went their (successful) way. Shockwave claimed victory in the 32nd Pineapple Cup, a biennial 811nm jaunt from Port Everglades to Montego Bay, Jamaica. Not much later Hap Fauth and crew, so Bella Mente, copied Shockwave’s success in the RORC Caribbean Race: a resounding win in class and overall. However, monohull line honours went to George David’s Rambler 88. In the Caribbean 600 everyone was blitzed by Lloyd Thornburg’s MOD 70 Phaedo3, which crossed the finish in Antigua with an elapsed time of 1d 9h 35m 30s, breaking a race record that had stood since the first 600 by over six hours. Then Bella Mentewent to the Voiles de St Barth and Shockwave was shipped to Palma. End of April saw three Maxi 72s at the Gaastra PalmaVela; Caol Ila, Jethouand Momo, with the brand new Momoon top after five races.
Menorca Maxi, end of May, showed the strength of a competitive fleet of 72s racing at near-identical speed. With five 72s battling it out, the teams had a ball… as did the event photographers, who came back in each day with big grins on their faces and loads of good photos. Again Momowon over Jethou, with Shockwave in third. At the Rolex Giraglia inshore event it was Caol Ila’s turn to take the win, while in the Rolex Giraglia offshore Shockwavetook the Maxi 72 trophy from Momo, Caol Ilaand Robertissima. After Cowes and the Fastnet all six Maxi 72s will meet for the Rolex Maxi 72 Worlds in Porto Cervo. The 2015 season will be closed by two 72s racing the Middle Sea Race. I deliberately gave you the full picture of this year’s racing as it shows the lengths the owners and teams go to to have good com- petition at the events of their choice. Of course several of our owners race other classes as well. The trick is to find a good balance between individual event preferences and racing each other. Racing every event with five or six 72s is better competition, but individual preferences, whether for day or offshore racing, or for certain locations, weigh heavily. In my opinion, only the ‘quality of the menu’ can get more teams to the ‘restaurant’. No use trying to force food down the throat.
For 2016 we already have six events lined up, starting at Key West and once again concluding with the Maxi Worlds in Sardinia in September. Just counting six current members and not specu- lating on new teams, I foresee four boats at each of most events and six boats at both the Copa del Rey and Maxi Worlds. What remains to be seen is what is the ideal number of events to schedule each year. That will vary per year depending, for instance, on the bi-annual events, class member wishes, time and cost. Avoiding complicated travel scheduling for the boats will help participation. Having a good mix of events at popular locations plus one or two new locations. No shortage of invitations from venues, that is for sure. The members will evaluate the first year of the Maxi 72 class in Porto Cervo. Especially the owner-driver rules. Some like it tough
12 SEAHORSE
and some like it flexible. All agree this is and shall remain an owner- driver class. Maximum number of crew and how much this can be varied between races is another topic to discuss. One owner will shortly build new, so by the end of 2016 another good 72 will come on the market. At this size of boat it all takes time. Considering there was no class a year ago, to me the 2016 calendar and its indicated participation look like a victory – primarily for the class members and the International Maxi Organisation. The IMA could have seen the class as a threat but instead embraced the concept of dual membership of both IMA and the Maxi 72 Class and funnelled enough resources our way to make it happen. Thank you for your support. Rob Weiland, Maxi 72 class manager
FAREWELL
The sailing industry lost a special soul this summer with the sudden passing of Bill Mosher, the marketing director of Forespar Products. We at Harken were especially touched by Mosher’s acquaintance, Bill serving as Harken’s US sales manager for close to 10 years until 1995. Bill was a committed contributor: to community sailing, to our industry associations and to many causes that he always attacked with passion. His early departure will leave a hole in the sailing universe that won’t be filled. Sail on, Bill Mosher, hope we’ll meet you aloft. Bill Goggins
SNAPSHOTS Brought to you in association with
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Top job… Brian Thompson for skippering Phaedo3to a resounding MOD 70 class win in the Fastnet and harrying the much (much) bigger Spindriftall the way to Plymouth Awesome pace… 22nm covered in 12 hours during the Fastnet by the leading Imoca 60s Quiet night in… SEA-TV Productions are publishing the long version of the film of the 1983 America’s Cup digitally and online (1h 29m run time) Ouch… the California courts ruled against grinder Joe Spooner in his quest for compensation against Oracle Racing More more… Spooner sought a salary increase from $US25,000 to $38,000 for moving to Bermuda That’s… per month, by the way Eat… your hearts out, Vendée Globe skippers Words… fail us Gravy train… next up was former Oracle grinder Matt Mitchell, seeking damages for loss of reputation around the kingpost incident What is it… with (some) grinders 57 metres… that is properly kedging, by former RORC commodore Andrew McIrvine during the Fastnet Remember the… drums of 3mm Kevlar we’d take into the Channel Such fun… pulling that puppy back up On the QT… very discretely Gavin Brady has launched a new Cookson/Botín TP52 for Karl Kwok – but aimed primarily at IRC competition Imoca 60 Edmond de Rothschild… 10,000 hours’ R&D, 30,000 hours’ build time, 100 people… Lucky… then, that is the ‘real deal’ Rothschild Fly-ins… most of the 2017 America’s Cup programme will take place at weekends Surprise… designer Dick Carter (SeahorseAugust 2015) recently learned that a bunch of Polish-built Carter 30s went to the USSR in the 1980s as part of a Polish debt repayment scheme Seriously… a new wooden 12 Metre launch? Johan Anker’s… design no434 went afloat in Flensburg recently And… she’s a beauty Farewell… to two very fine yacht designers, Jörg Beiderbeck and Magnus Halvorsen, who passed away recently Now to… ScuttlebuttEurope and RaceboatsOnly at
seahorsemagazine.com Pretty… please
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