In This Issue
• A Dismasting and Some Proper Speed as the Wind Returns
• Laser Worlds
• Dick Carter - Yacht Designer
• International Maxi Association launches new Caribbean maxi circuit
• What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
• The final sprint
• 30 Classes And Building For The Draycote Dash
• Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award 2021: Top 20 revealed!
• Adventure Globe 5.80 Transat
• Letters to the Editor
• Featured Charter: J121 - Wings
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Pendragon VI
• • GP42 - "Redshift"
• • HH44 - New Boat
• The Last Word: Raoul Wallenberg

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A Dismasting and Some Proper Speed as the Wind Returns
11th Hour Racing Team's IMOCA Alaca'i is out of the Transat Jacques Vabre - the Imoca fleet is now down to 20 boats. The Ultimes have flown along whilst the Ocean Fifty continue at pace. The Class 40s are still taking it easy.

Briton Simon Fisher and Justine Mettraux of Switzelrand alerted race management this afternoon that 11th Hour Racing Team Alaca'i had dismasted just north of Cape Finisterre off the Spanish coast. Both sailors are safe and uninjured.

This is the same boat that Alex Thomson guided to a second place finish in the 2016 Vendee Globe.

It's the second IMOCA 60 to have dismasted after Bureau Vallée, skippered by Louis Burton and Davy Beaudart, was forced to retire on Sunday night.

Alaka'i had been the link between the leading group of IMOCAs and the chasing pack so there are now six of them in a significant breakaway group. Apivia is out in front followed by LinkedOut 34 miles behind. Then comes Initiatives-Coeur, Charal, 11th Hour Racing Team Mālama and Arkea Paprec. The IMOCAs chose to go around the Traffic Separation Zone away from the Spanish coast tonight - a move chosen by Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat, and followed by all the others.

The leading boats are now enjoying a good 15 knots of wind whilst the following IMOCAs are struggling in the aftermath of that high pressure.

By contrast the Ultimes earlier in the day chose to travel through the corridor between Cape Finisterre and the no-go Traffic Separation Zone. The fleet is very close, "We were side by side in the middle of the night with Sodebo, as we rounded Cape Finisterre, at around 40 knots," explains Franck Cammas, aboard leading boat Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, "It's tight, there's a very good level of speed and tactics, which makes for a fine spectacle."

However, there could be trouble ahead. After making a speedy descent down the Iberian coast (over 550 miles in 24 hours, something to be happy about in the Bay of Biscay "which has never been so slow"), there could be a new setback for the trimarans, continues Cammas: "the wind has already begun to weaken, so we're going to have to set the boat up for light airs as we did at the Bay of Biscay"

Race tracker

www.transatjacquesvabre.org/en

Laser Worlds
Tom Saunders goes into the final day with a pretty commanding lead over Ireland's Finn Lynch and you have to say that this World Championship has been all action despite the winds being all over the place. Jim Saltonstall used to have several good expressions for fluky winds - if you know, you know. But it's been a tremendous showcase for the Laser class who are well into the Olympic cycle now with the clock ticking down to Paris 2024 (or Marseille really) and the big teams starting to look very closely at who can handle the pressure and manage the big time.

The British Olympic Team is strong this cycle. The money is there after the medal-hauling success in Tokyo and the coaches have a big headache in selection with the massive talent that they have at their disposal. Training is relentless and it's clear that the top Brits have the speed - it's just that final elixir of putting it together when it matters. Becket and Hanson are the stand-out names, Sam Whaley are Daniel Whitely are the coming forces. You can throw a blanket over them in training but who's got it in them to medal? Tough question.

Tom Saunders looks untouchable now for the 2021 title but with this regatta, anything, and I mean anything can happen. The Trofeu Internacional Ciutat de Barcelona has been one testing, teasing, marauding venue for one of the greatest prizes in world sailing. Whoever wins after this week, thoroughly deserves it. And if it goes to New Zealand then I'd be happy for them after a torrid time in yachting news recently.

Great regatta. Brilliant to watch. More intrigue than an Italian Cup challenge, more drama than Netflix and one heck of a prize at the end.

The Laser is still the one-design of one-designs. -- Magnus Wheatley

Dick Carter - Yacht Designer
In the Golden age of offshore racing
Special limited edition signed by Dick Carter - Great Xmas gift!
With foreword by John Rousmaniere

In 1965 Dick Carter entered Rabbit, the first boat he had ever designed into that year's classic Fastnet race - And Won! Two years later, racing Red Rooster, an even more innovative boat of his own design, he won the Race again, his centreboarder finishing top boat in the Admiral's Cup which contributed greatly to overall victory for the American team!

Over the next decade, Carter and his yachts dominated across the world, winning successive World One Ton Cups with the likes of Tina, Optimist, Wai-Aniwa and Ydra, the Half Ton Cup with Crocodile and Two Ton Cup with Aggressive. During 1972 Wai-Aniwa skippered by New Zealander Chris Bouzaid capped off a great season by finishing Top Boat in the Southern Cross series lifting New Zealand to win the team trophy.

The stories behind other top Dick Carter designed racing yachts include Robin Aisher's Frigate, 2nd boat overall in the 1973 Admiral's Cup, Carina III, a member of the winning team at the same event, Chica Tica II, winner of the 1976 Cape/Rio Race, Dr Recchi's Custom 65 footer Benbow, line honours and handicap winner in the 1977 Middle Sea Race, and William Hubbard's Lively Lady II which dominated the 2006 Bermuda Race prize-giving.

Despite his lack of formal training in naval architecture, Dick Carter made himself into a skilled yacht designer with radical ideas and a record of daring and continuing success. The results his designs achieved, are a direct reflection of his innovative mind. Blessed with what sailors call 'an eye for a boat' - an intuitive understanding of why some boats sail faster and better than others, coupled the ability to transform that understanding into new expressions. He was the first to separate the keel and rudder in ocean racing, the first to introduce a trim tab to the trailing edge of a keel, an idea later adopted by Olin Stephens on his 1967 America's Cup winning 12 metre Intrepid. Dick was also the first to radically reduce weight and windage within the rig, pioneering the idea of internal halyards and shroud tangs. "They don't even do that on America's Cup yachts." Ted Hood remarked at the time.

As John Rousmaniere writes in his Introduction: "This story of the underdog sailor taking on the world and conquering it is often surprising, roundly entertaining, inspiring and instructive. Dick's approach was straightforward: challenge the common wisdom with a daring that he describes as: 'Once a challenge is met successfully, that is enough for me.'"

The last challenge was the first he could not successfully meet - the petroleum crisis during the 1970s that depleted economies and nearly destroyed the boating business. Just a decade after he burst on the scene, Dick Carter retired from boats, and moved to furrow a fresh course through life. Many of his old friends and shipmates were sure he had died. Now Dick is back, larger than life - and with a remarkable story.

Special limited edition signed by Dick Carter is available only from South Atlantic Publishing www.southatlanticpublishing.com priced £40.00 + P&P

View sample pages

Order online at www.southatlanticpublishing.com

International Maxi Association launches new Caribbean maxi circuit
Following on from their multi-event Mediterranean Inshore and Offshore Challenges, the International Maxi Association (IMA) is to hold its first series in the Caribbean in 2022. The IMA Caribbean Maxi Challenge is open to all maxi yachts of 60+ft LOA. Backed by Rolex, the IMA is officially tasked by the sport's governing body, World Sailing, to oversee and develop maxi yacht racing internationally.

Following the RORC-IMA Transatlantic Race which sets sail from Puerto Calero, Lanzarote in the Canary Islands on 8 January 2022, bound for Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina in Grenada, the IMA Caribbean Maxi Challenge will comprise four events, one offshore and three inshore.

The IMA Caribbean Maxi Challenge starts with the RORC Caribbean 600 on 21st February from Antigua, where it also finishes. The course winds between 11 Caribbean islands, as far north as St Maarten and south to Guadeloupe, including Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba and St Barths. The present monohull race record was established by George David's Rambler 88 in 2018 with a time of 37 hours 41 minutes 45 seconds.

From Antigua, the maxis will head northwest to St. Maarten Heineken Regatta taking place over 3-6 March.

From St Maarten it is a short jump to Les Voiles de St Barth Richard Mille, taking place over 17-23 April. This comprises five days of racing for maxis under IRC on a variety of coastal courses around the paradise French island, plus a strong social program including concerts every evening, a Crew Party and a layday.

Finally there is the event that is the oldest, original Caribbean regatta - Antigua Sailing Week. This takes place over 30 April to 6 May, the final race week of the season. -- James Boyd / International Maxi Association

internationalmaxiassociation.com

Seahorse November 2021
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine

World news
Class40... the Laser story all over again? Plus 'les' modern cockleshell heroes, not a 'Fastnet Mal' nor a 'Fastnet Magnifique', do some very nasty (getting nastier by the day) goings-on in New Zealand mean that we now all end up in the Middle East after all, the beauty of a return to serious racing, gold medal humility, US match racing... on the way back? Blue Robinson, Ivor Wilkins, Patrice Carpentier, Dobbs Davis, Nacho Postigo, Carlos Pich, Victor Kovalenko, Vincent Lauriot-Prevost, Grant Dalton

Paul Cayard - Eminently achievable
There's no silver bullet - nor is there any good reason why USA cannot make it back to the top

IMA - The green-eyed monster
The Maxi fleet could not wait to get racing again but it was not long before the politics of envy reasserted themselves. Andrew Mcirvine

RORC - Even better to come
Jeremy Wilton

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The final sprint
With the front runners now less than 500 miles from the finish and expected into the port of Saint-François this Friday, the battle is becoming more and more fierce within the fleet in this 23rd Mini Transat EuroChef. In the prototype category, the top trio in the first leg, Tanguy Bouroullec (969 - Tollec MP/Pogo), Fabio Muzzolini (945 - Tartine sans Beurre) and Pierre Le Roy (1019 - TeamWork) seem to be bang on track for each of them to retain their podium place. Of course, it remains to be seen in which order, even though things are slowly beginning to get clearer. However, the situation is much more uncertain among the production boats, where the top three are grouped within less than 8 miles and the top ten within 50 miles.

“The breeze is rarely blowing in excess of 13-15 knots, but we had a gust of 20 knots in our first squall yesterday. There are big fluctuations, with the wind shifting up to 50°”, noted the skipper of Petit Prince, one of the event’s seven support boats, in a report sent to Race Management this Wednesday.

In the prototype fleet, Pierre Le Roy is still leading the dance with a 62-mile cushion in relation to Fabio Muzzolini, who’s got his foot to the floor, and 91 miles over Tanguy Bouroullec, who has indicated via a message to Race Management that he managed to resolve a technical issue this morning.

In the production boat category, there is still a big cloud of uncertainty obscuring the leader board. Rarely in the history of racing have we seen such a scenario. If we look back at the last two editions, in 2019 Ambrogio Beccaria dominated the race hands down, whilst in 2017 Erwan Le Draoulec really banged the point home on the number one spot several days before making the finish in Martinique. This time, it’s virtually impossible to make any firm predictions. With four days until the finish (the ETAs in this category are fluctuating between 14 and 15 November according to the latest routing), the three leaders, Giammarco Sardi (992 - Antistene), Alberto Riva (993 - EdiliziAcrobatica) and Loic Blin (872 - Technique Voile - Les Entrepreneurs du Golfe) are bunched together within just a 7.5-mile radius .

www.minitransat.fr/en/

30 Classes And Building For The Draycote Dash
Entries for the Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash close this Sunday, so if you've got a half a mind to take part in the opening event of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series, then it's time to get your skates on and get entered ASAP. The event takes place over the weekend of 20 & 21 November 2021.

Online Entry at: www.sailjuiceseries.com

Almost 60 boats have entered up to now, representing 30 different classes. Among those already signed up are 505 National and European Champions Roger Gilbert and Ben McGrane who are up against some formidably talent in the Five-Ohs including former winner of the SailJuice Winter Series and a champion in the Solo and RS400 classes, Michael Sims, crewed by Oliver Davenport. Another to watch is past 420 World Champion and 470 Olympic campaigner Steve Irish who with crew Norman Byrd knows every corner and subtlety of Draycote Water.

Entry list to date

The Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash consists of up to four back-to-back handicap races on Saturday, starting at 11am. Sunday is the Pursuit Race.

A number of classes choose to use the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series as their class Winter Championships or for other events in their calendar during the colder months. Already for this year, fleets including the 420, D-Zero, Hadron H2, RS300 and RS Aero are using events in the Series for class purposes. If you'd like to set up a hassle-free, Covid-compliant series for your fleet, then contact Simon Lovesey:

Assuming the maximum entry quota hasn't already been reached, entry for the Dash closes on Sunday 14 November.

draycotewater.co.uk/sailing-events/visitor-information/

Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award 2021: Top 20 revealed!
The 80 photos selected by the international jury are available on the event's website. Today we unveil the Top 20, dominated this year by Italian photographers! The winners will be celebrated on 9 December at the Nautic in Paris and the prizes awarded by an internationally renowned sailor.

No less than 126 professional photographers representing 24 nations entered the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award 2021 photo competition. Today we reveal the Top 20.

The main ranking, the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award, was established by the international jury made up of Jo Aleh (NZL), Gilles Martin-Raget (FRA), Glenn Ashby (AUS), Nicolas Mirabaud (SUI) and Anne-Cécile Turner (FRA).

The top 20 includes some of the world's most prominent sailing and yacht racing photographers, active all over the world. The overall winner of the 2021 edition is one of them.

Italy wins the ranking by nations, with five images in the top 20, ahead of France (3 images), New Zealand, the USA and Russia (2 images).

www.yachtracingimage.com/gallery.html

Adventure Globe 5.80 Transat
With late starter Jim Schofield from Ireland arriving safely in Marina Rubicon Lanzarote on the 10th of November, all entrants of this eventful inaugural qualifier are now gathered in Lanzarote (Spain), including Class Globe 5.80 Class founder Don McIntyre.

All are celebrating the start of an adventure which began just over a year ago, as they each started building their plywood epoxy kit 5.8mtr Mini ocean racers. All in different countries, but with a common dream to make the Globe Transat.

N° 88, the swiss entry Numbatou from Etienne Messikommer won the first leg, completing the 600 nautical miles qualifier in 4 days, 20 hours and 55 minutes after a constant battle with the elements, and the Czech entry Menawan from Michal Krysta.

Many including skippers themselves wondered how the boat would perform due to the little time at sea, with only Numbatou and Menawan clocking offshore miles between Les Sables d'Olonnes and Lagos in Portugal prior to the start.

The boat however, behaved splendidly, the Globe 580 Transat Race Director Lutz Kohne puts it: "With all experiencing a mix of conditions and gusts to 35 knots and above with swells of 3-4 meters, these amateur home build boats just proved their seaworthiness and fun factor."

Don McIntyre sailed his TREKKA through the biggest storm and probably learnt the most about this new experimental design. After spending a night running under bare poles steered by wind vane at 5-8kts, getting plenty of sleep below, conditions continued to build next day climaxing in 45-55kts with 5mtrs seas for five hours before rapidly abating.

Leg two is already in everyone's mind with a week before the start, while the boat design and home-built construction satisfied entrants and organizers alike some valuable lessons were learned from leg one, with tweaks and mods being planned.

www.Globe580Transat.com

Letters To The Editor -
Letters are limited to 350 words. No personal attacks are permitted. We do require your name but your email address will not be published without your permission.

* From David Brunskill: re: Rolex Middle Sea Race and the role of the International Jury

The rules concerning redress and re-opening hearings and the rationale for them are designed to enable competitors to resolve issues where they feel that the rules have not been correctly applied. All sailors, when entering races accept and are bound by the racing rules of sailing, of which the redress and re-opening rules are an integral part.

Redress can only be granted if there is a breach of the conditions in rule 62.1. Competitors sought redress under the terms of rule 62.1 (a). Was there an improper action of the race committee or organising authority? Requests for redress were considered.

The rules regarding re-opening hearings are set out in rule 66. Requests for re-opening were considered.

Under the terms of rule 70.5 there shall be no appeal from the decisions of an international jury formed under the terms of Appendix N of the rules.

These procedures have been developed so that after a race, a series of races or regattas there can be a clear end to any debate and that prizes can be awarded. As part of the process of applying the rules for the Rolex Middle Sea Race the international jury members will have considered the rules in depth and how they should be applied.

The jury having made un-appealable decisions, prizes have been awarded and the international jury has ceased its work.

The jury cannot defend themselves. To qualify as international judges there is extensive training, a notoriously difficult judges test and peer member review after every international jury has completed its work,

Sailors may disagree with jury decisions. But when decisions were made in good faith by a properly formed international jury and the rules followed then those decision should be respected.

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The Last Word
I encounter one example after another of how relative truth is. -- Raoul Wallenberg

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