Update
Two out of two: next stop the Rolex Fastnet Race in July. While Dad (Sean Langman) was celebrating in Hobart having won IRC 0 on the family’s stretched Reichel/Pugh design Moneypenny, his son Peter was covering the final stretch aboard an even more famous – and equally successful – member of the Langman fleet, the restored 1932 Ranger design Maluka on which Pete Langman and five hard-driving muckers won IRC Division 5. It was Peter Langman’s eighth Hobart… for his old man this was Hobart Race number 30
LOTS (AND LOTS) OF SAILING – Terry Hutchinson 2023 has started in much the same way that 2022 finished – hair on fire ripping around Pensacola Bay. Not a bad way to bring in 2023. But at this writing I am racing aboard Windquest in the GL52
Southern most Regatta. The Southernmost Regatta has taken over from Key West Race Week and so far champagne conditions have ruled the week for our little four-boat TP52 fleet. While this is small numbers the ORC rating band provides competitive racing that keeps the fleet close. Vesper (2008, ex-Quantum Racing), Fox (Botín, 2019), Interlodge(Botín 2018) and Windquest (2015 Botín ex-Quan- tum Racing) are kept close with the rapid 1.3nm beat keeping a high priority on starting, speed and consistent boathandling. The fun aspect of the Windquest programme is Doug (DeVos)
slides aft and does the runner and his son Dalton drives. It is great to see the next generation coming through; we now have some young talented sailors aboard being mentored by a bit of grey hair! In the world of firsts it is fun racing with Andy Escort and Brad
Farrand, both professional sailors with great pedigree and a high tolerance... But as always when you get the opportunity to race with new people you learn. Brad has a great feel for the boat downwind and is a consistent
communicator, so key as we evolve as a new team. Andy shows his experience as a Quantum sail designer in the rig set-up. Of course both are dealing with stubborn me and as we are developing and learning together it is fun to do it in a manner of improving the team. Southernmost Regatta also saw the US debut of the Cape 31
as a one-design fleet. When you see this sporty little boat it has all the look of a scaled-down TP52. One of the sailors I caught up with made the comment that every time the Cape 31s are around the
14 SEAHORSE
TP52s, it must be how the TP52s feel around the Maxi 72s, which makes complete sense. However, they are very cool and when you see them ripping down-
wind the low freeboard makes for an exciting ride. You also get the impression that like all good sportboats, the combination of athletic boathandling coupled with high speed means that the close racing seen in the UK will quickly catch on across the ‘pond’! Going forward in 2023 there is a lot happening for New York Yacht
Club American Magic. The team has AC40 hull #5 arriving mid- February as we shut down the Patriot operation in anticipation of our move to Barcelona and the AC40 development. This move will create a fair amount of havoc for the team as any move of this magnitude is unsettling on the best days. But the transition to Europe will also be beneficial as the team settles into life in Spain. Our host city in Pensacola, Florida is incredibly kind to the team
and Pensacola Bay never ceases to amaze our team. The bay and the Gulf of Mexico have continually provided NYYC AM with this untouched training venue. As we watch the shared recon Alinghi’s training in Barcelona
certainly gives the appearance that the venue is going to be difficult. Having the gulf as a place to put Patriot and more importantly the foils into a learning opportunity… Getting a clearer understanding of the anhedral foil versus the straight T-foil… Doing it at full scale in real time is awesome. What are we learning? It is really hard to foil in a sea state and the game has truly changed from Auckland. Looks like an opportunity to me! Going forward from here it will be back to Pensacola to close out
Patriot and perhaps a bit more TP52 sailing in Key West – if I am lucky! Standing by, Key West, Florida on a warm winter day!
ANDREA FRANCOLINI/ROLEX
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