Editorial Andrew Hurst Why the surprise?


It’s reassuring that the biggest sailing event in the world in terms of public interest is the Vendée Globe. Biggest by some considerable distance. Yes, most of those one million-plus fans who


attend the start in person and the hundreds of thousands who then follow the race closely are predominantly French (though the 750,000 who


play the Virtual Vendée are an international mix). But they are astonishing numbers that any other sailing event would kill for. Those one million spectators who block the roads for miles


around Les Sables d’Olonne with their camper vans would have filled every hotel room in Bermuda several hundred times over. They would completely overwhelm the organisers of the Olympic regatta – in fact, the Olympic Games as a whole. Singlehanded ocean racing connects with the public more than


any other form of the sport. It is aspirational, romantic and dangerous. At one level a supreme test of competitive ability, at the other an enormous personal achievement. The backstories shade those of the most interesting Olympian or America’s Cupper. I fail to understand the surprise among the racing community


at the success of next year’s Golden Globe Race, sold out at its first edition. Let alone the fact that race organiser – and experienced round-the-world competitor – Don McIntyre is confident enough to have already commissioned 10 new one-design Joshua replicas (page 60) for a second class at the next event in 2022. The boats are very slow by modern standards but that misses


the point. McIntyre now makes a living running adventure expedi- tions. He gets the draw of man versus the elements – especially in its pure form. So do plenty of sailors and the countless thousands of non-sailing public who would like to become sailors – especially ocean sailors. Restores your faith in humanity.


Credit where due When Elizabeth Meyer rescued Endeavour30 years ago and set about the ultimate yacht restoration she had no idea what she had started. Seven J Class giants raced in Bermuda as a central part of the America’s Cup regatta. Six came to the line in Newport RI – where else – to contest the class’s first world championship (sic). Six J Class yachts had never before competed against each


years it is hard to imagine the J Class ever went away. But it did and a long time ago. It’s 80 years since the last race of the first J Class era. Now the fleet’s bigger than ever. As Don McIntyre knows, there’s a lot more to yacht racing than being the fastest on the day.


Result The Bernard Nivelt-designed 39-footer that won this year’s Fastnet is very different from the typical mid-sized IRC race winner. More radical, lighter displacement and more modern even to a non-sailing eye. It is more exciting and more interesting to sail. Currently these more ambitious new IRC designs from Nivelt and


a handful of others still have their favoured conditions but that range of conditions is widening with development and as crews learn to sail their very different raceboats. Faster boats already dominate the upper reaches of IRC


competition but the cut-off is coming down steadily, which is good news for anyone who enjoys fast boats – those already racing and particularly those in high-performance dinghies and cats who are left cold by conventional cruiser-racers. Ironic that in this instance progress has happened from the top


down but it doesn’t matter. IRC is easily now the world’s biggest handicap system in terms of active users and, fortunately, with boats getting faster, it is also the dominant system wherever ‘proper’ offshore racing is practised. Over 300 IRC boats started this Fastnet – the faster they get


the better for everyone and for the sport. Many more would have started without the intelligently enforced limits on fleet size. Traditional IRC designs must always be taken care of and they


will. Those running the system make that very clear. But those who do the best job of sailing the best boats are finally being rewarded. Managed progress is a good approach. Designers like Nivelt, prepared to keep pushing things forward, q


and the owners who support them are doing us all a service.


other. That’s never, ever. Aside from the spectacle, probably the most impressive in yachting, thousands of sailors, boatbuilders and equipment suppliers have a lot to thank Elizabeth Meyer for. Having watched the class take off and grow over the past 10


‘ BREXIT


The very slim masthead crane on Super J Ranger during service work in 1937. The flush-riveted duralumin spar was less than 50cm diameter at the deck. Note the elegant halyard lock and the Starling Burgess Trulock splices developed for Enterprise in 1930


WATCH OUT Q: What are your favourite conditions?


A: About 30 knots – Mathias Coutts (11) PRIORITIES


t$n of money – Floyd Mayweather’s pre-fight prediction


I was just a little fatigued


– Conor McGregor is stopped in the 10th


Swimming in British waters is something you should consider only if your Spitfire’s


been shot down – Jeremy Clarkson (with apologies to snowflakes everywhere)


HANG IN THERE Should I have received my Seahorse by now, my post contains


nothing but bills? – Mike Woodhead (we’re on


I’m gonna make a $hit our way, Mike)


LEGEND Come on, my little shower of sh*t


– How the ‘invisible’ Rolling Stone Ian Stewart religiously called ‘his children’ to the stage at every Stones concert from 1962 until he passed away in 1985


REALITY ALERT Obviously, aside from the huge social and financial commitment needed to set up the infrastructure, re- profile roads, re-lay Tarmac, fit miles of Armco, build grandstands, pay for race hosting fees and gain approval and sign off from the FIA, we don’t see any barriers to our vision of running a Grand Prix here in Woking


– Jonathan Neale, McLaren (But thank, Bermuda – ed)


Seahorse magazine and our associate raceboatsonly brokerage site are both at: seahorsemagazine.com The editor is contactable by email at: andrew@seahorse.co.uk


SEAHORSE 9


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