Contributors EDITOR
Andrew Hurst DESIGNER
Stephen Stafford SUB-EDITORS
Mick Cookson is pretty excited at his old team’s choice of boat for the next America’s Cup… ‘blown away’, to be more exact
Sue Platt, Lizzie Ward EUROPE
Patrice Carpentier Carlos Pich Tim Jeffery
Rob Weiland
Torbjörn Linderson Andy Rice
Giuliano Luzzatto Jocelyn Blériot
Frederic Augendre
USA & CARIBBEAN Dobbs Davis
Peter Holmberg Cam Lewis
Chris Museler
Peter Harken with brother Olaf and their large close knit team have done great things for sailing (and had some fun along the way…)
Terry Hutchinson JAPAN
Yoichi Yabe
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE Ivor Wilkins
Blue Robinson Rob Brown Rob Kothe Rob Mundle
Julian Bethwaite
COLUMNISTS Paul Cayard Rod Davis Ken Read
Eduardo Sylvestre is one of the many coaches and helpers behind World Sailing’s crucial Emerging Nations training program
AC TECHNICAL Steve Killing
Andy Claughton Jack Griffin James Boyd
ACCOUNTS AND CIRCULATION Kirstie Jenkins & Wendy Gregory
ADVERTISING MANAGER Graeme Beeson
David Raison has travelled from slightly left-field naval architect to the dominant designer of the competitive Mini 6.50 fleet
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graeme@seahorse.co.uk EDITORIAL
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Phil Sharp led the Class40 for much of the Transat Jacques Vabre but couldn’t quite hold off the best new designs once in the trades
6 SEAHORSE
Seahorse International Sailing is published monthly by Fairmead Communications Ltd, 5 Britannia Place, Station Street, Lymington, Hampshire SO41 3BA, UK. USA subscribers: Seahorse International Sailing (USPS 010-341) is distributed in the USA by SPP, 75 Aberdeen Rd, Emigsville, PA 17318. Periodicals’ postage paid at Emigsville PA. POSTMASTER: please send address changes to Seahorse International Sailing c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318. Distribution by InterMedia Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction without prior written permission is prohibited.
Commodore’s letter
Our thanks to Michael for his contribution to the RORC over the last several years, a hard act to follow. Whether one considers long ocean races, the classic 600s
I
such as the Rolex Fastnet, Caribbean 600, Newport Bermuda (the start of it all) and the Sydney Hobart, or the weekend off- shore series that the RORC and other clubs around the world organise, they are all embraced by our competitors with a spirit of adventure. Musing onboard, I attribute much of the success of offshore racing to the modern quest for adventure and the physical challenge absent for most in their working life. The enthusiasm for these challenges is shared across a
diverse RORC transatlantic fleet; yachts from 35 to 96ft, professionally prepared and sailed raceboats to Corinthian entries. The technology embodied in many of these boats is impressive. Throughout the fleet the sophistication in
It’s eight years since sailing got excited by the huge wing on Oracle’s ‘Deed of Gift’ tri USA 17. Since then wings have excited and sometimes amazed… But in August it will be 30 years since Dennis Conner defended the Cup in San Diego using a pretty big wing himself (left). And 50 since a solid wing first raced on a C-Class… just saying
all elements of design, hull construction, sails, clothing, electronics and communication has made our sport more enjoyable and safer. I was reminded of Jim Saltonstall’s often quoted analysis that our sport is probably second only to motor racing in its complexity and use of technology. Satellite communications are an established part of offshore
racing nowadays but bandwidth for the smaller boats is limited. Not for them a full-time navigator with effective broadband access to a large range of weather information. The more recent availability of weather routeing in the cloud can mean more information for less bandwidth which poses the question of how that sits with this club’s modification of rules on outside assistance. Keeping the rules up to date with the technology for the benefit of the sport is essential. Another piece of greatly improved technology is the autopilot
which has contributed to the huge spurt in double-handed racing. With a crew of more than two we are denied that onboard; instead we have our much more useful fifth crewmem- ber, coincidentally also named George; an energetic, enthused 18-year-old equally at home on the helm and on the foredeck. Technology does not separate us from the physical reality
of being on the ocean, our experience of nature and the elements at close quarters. Being out here independent of the world for a short time is for me one of the driving forces. Back in London there is much activity at the RORC.
There is no longer an off-season for the hardworking members of our race team, the transatlantic race organisation flowing straight into preparations for the Caribbean 600. The club’s 2018 Notice of Race will be published shortly. I also hope that you will soon see a familiar name as the newly formed Griffin committee looks at our support and encourage- ment of youth sailing. Watch this space.
Steven Anderson Commodore
q
n my first contribution to this inspiring publication I allude to the closing question of my predecessor. There is no ‘meaty wager’ for me on this fourth edition of the RORC Transatlantic Race unless it is with the airline on which my ticket home is booked; six days in as I write and still in light headwinds it is looking like a slow race for us.
BOB GRIESER/OUTSIDE
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