Update
as strategist, Skip Baxter trimming the main, James Dagg trimming downwind, Brett Jones trimming upwind, Craig Monk leading the grinders, Matt Smith leading the boathandling in the pit, plus Jordi Califat and Richard Bouzaid designing sails and keeping us on track.
On the racecourse it was a solid event… except for hump day. The competition consisted of Shockwave, a great benchmark for our performance, and Numbers. Shockwavewon Copa del Rey and the team has maximised the performance of their boat. Like Bella Mente, Shockwavehad some new trimmers plus a new tactician (Paul Cayard) aboard and so it was imperative that we came out firing.
Our morning preparation highlighted the first cross with Shockwave, as they are fast enough and we owe them so much time that if we are behind at the first mark the race won’t end well. Lurking behind was the Judel-Vrolijk 66 Numberswith a mix of Alinghi crew (Brad Butterworth and co) and featuring Brad Read and Rome Kirby driving. Owner Gunther Buerman did not invest a lot in new gear but the people investment was high! Needless to say, Num- berswould be well sailed. Bella came out firing. Our first four races were 2,1,1,1. And then hump day.
The challenge of racing a 72ft boat in Key West is water limitations. Unfortunately, we mounted a sunken shrimp boat in the first race on Wednesday which required us to withdraw from that race; then race two featured a much different boat as the bulb was badly damaged. A redress hearing followed in which Bella was granted redress, much to the chagrin of Shockwave and Numbers… only to have it overturned on Thursday morning. Not a worry, though, as we finished the week how we started (2,1,1,1), even though the mistake we had made definitely put pres- sure on all of us onboard. Meanwhile, the work that the Bella shore team did to get us back in the water was perfect. The short-course racing (1.4nm legs) put pressure on the boathandling and starting element of the team. It was very cool to see the guys sail consistently and crisp while dealing with very short legs on a 72ft boat. A lot of work to do for the team, though, as this event was about setting the baseline for the 2015 season. From here we are off to the Caribbean 600 and then Les Voiles de St Barth. Both are quickly becoming must-do events… more sprint racing!
From Key West the next stop was Miami with Alessandro Rombelli and the Melges 20 Stig (gotta love the venues when snow is pounding the Atlantic seaboard). Interestingly enough, though the boat is 52ft smaller the days are equally long. A new boat for Stig requires rig up and down a lot as the rigging, spreaders and gear settle into place. The challenge of racing the 20 well is equal to that of the 72. Rig tuning, constant trim adjustment and, well, a lot of controlled aggression get the 20 around the track. Thirty-seven boats descended on Biscayne Bay, where we shared the course with 60 Etchell 22s and 20 Star boats. Hard to say that sailing is contracting as Biscayne Bay was littered with sailboats.
Our event was another solid start for 2015. Eight races over three days and, like Key West, champagne sailing. Bruce Golison and the Coconut Grove race committee did greatwork. Onboard Stigwe bat- tled for the podium with Michael Kiss’s Kiss and the formidable Kilroy team on Samba Pa Ti. At the first top mark of the last race it was up in the air but our boys sailed really well and, as was the case all weekend, our downwind speed got us back to the lead group. Kisswent on to win the event but we were in there fighting. Lots of promise on this front.
At this writing I am in Harwood, Maryland and it is -4°F blowing about 40. Word from our local yard is a J/70 has just deployed its jib on the trailer and is now lying across the parking lot… burr, to say the least. Off tomorrow for the 600 in Antigua and looking forward to a challenging racecourse. From there it is San Diego with the Plentyto start the Farr 40 season and then back to Miami for more Melges 20 sailing. Standing by, at sea level for a change.
q 10 SEAHORSE SNAPSHOTS Brought to you in association with
So was this a first… at least three VO65s have admitted to kedging during Leg 3
Avoids a tricky problem… Abu Dhabi Racing’s previous VO70 was completely burnt out during a yard fire in France
Few… will mourn Inch by inch… Mr Guichard and Ms Bertarelli’s Spindrift Racing are joining the GC32 circuit As well as… this year’s (multihull) Tour de France Timing… the always impressive – and modest – Ian Williams wins a record fifth match-racing world title (plus another US$186,000 in prizemoney) But… in 2015 the demand in the America’s Cup for brilliant match-race specialists remains rather limited Even so… Cart and horse… the Farr office are wisely testing the waters before launching a possible new IRC 44. Interested parties should contact Pat Shaughnessy Sweet deal… gas giant Gazprom have signed up with ISAF as an official partner Has to be said… we all know about Apple’s recent record breaking results But… did you know that those results equate to 1.03% of the world’s population purchasing an iPhone in just three months… 74.5 million… phones, in case you wondered Things… really are bigger in America. In Cowes they are developing the Fast 40 class In So Cal… they are now promoting the Fast 50s Game… set and match. An order has been placed for a new 222m motor yacht – known for now as Project Deuce That’s jobs… for 550-600 skilled people And a remarkable… 2-3 million man-hours Read and weep… Signor Roman – 163.5m – Abramovich Bargain corner… something more modest, and from the previous RORC commodore, no less. The extensively equipped Ker IRC 39 Erivaleis yours – offers on £110,000 Even more ‘affordable’… while you can also pick up a Dudley Dix-designed Mini 6.50 that is ashore in the UK – offers on £4,500 Huh… GBR Finnster Giles Scott extended a 15-month winning streak at Miami OCR 2015 However… Scott has yet to make the top three in the official World Sailing Rankings... 1.3 million euros… the contribution by each team towards the VO65 Boatyard Programme ‘That… sure would pay for a lot of people,’ adds Abu Dhabi skipper Ian Walker Sailing… has had a tough few weeks in terms of a (thankfully relatively small) run of fatal accidents But… don’t even ask about the Alps, where they expect this year’s avalanche toll among skiers to hit the upper end of the ‘usual range’ of 90-180 deaths per season As for… Alpine climbing… don’t even ask Yes… they keep these figures quiet for a reason Go Kiwi… it’s odds-on that the AC qualifiers will be in Auckland Sorry… Sydney Of course… it would have helped had you actually got around to getting your bid in before the deadline Why bother… Hollywood is going to make a new film about the ‘strange’ voyage of Donald Crowhurst Instead… check out the made-for-TV docudrama Deep Wateron the same topic Quite brilliant… really Farewell this month… to yacht designer Alan Buchanan, pioneering superyacht owner Noel Lister and yacht designer and industry icon Ted Irwin Ending… on a high. In last place at the 2015 FD world championships was none other than the great Carl Ryves, sailing with John Maguire Older… than Gandalf, surely? Legend… Now please… check out ScuttlebuttEurope and RaceboatsOnly at
seahorsemagazine.com. Thank you… very much
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