In This Issue
• Le Cleac’h and Marchand heading into the Indian Ocean
• Making a Splash at the Southernmost
• Swan 56 Skipper required based in Hamble
• Beautiful design masterful construction - RM Yachts
• Cup Spy : Capsize Day
• Charleston Race Week Early Registration Discount
• 18ft Skiffs Australian Championship, Race 2
• Camden Classics Cup
• Womens Match Racing Tour - USA Events
• Featured Charter: Sunreef 50 Eco - TIRIL
• Featured Brokerage:
• • Ice Yachts ICE 62 Targa
• • Farr X2 Racing Yacht
• • Gunboat 72
• • Class 40 - #155
• • Alexa Of London
• The Last Word: George MacDonald Fraser

Brought to you by Seahorse magazine and YachtScoring.com EuroSail News is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to

Le Cleac’h and Marchand heading into the Indian Ocean
After Charles Caudrelier passed on the 19th at 1332hrs UTC and Thomas Coville on 21st at 0218hrs UTC, next, today it will be the Armel Le Cleac'h and Anthony Marchand passing Cape of Good Hope. Tom Laperche’s SVR Lazartigue has successfully docked in Cape Town and the technical team are continuing their evaluations. Éric Peron is nearly 1,800 miles further west in sixth place.

This Tuesday morning there is no real let up in the pace for the leader Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) who is still making nearly nearly 30 knots. After passing the Kerguelen Islands yesterday he sailed SE close to the ZEA (ice exclusion zone).

“Charles is on a solo round-the-world pace now, really,” explains Fred Le Peutrec from Race Direction He has no need to attack any faster than this. He is ahead of the curve, he can focus on looking after himself and the boat. And he has good conditions all the way to Tasmania. There, he has a sequence of gybes as he will be downwind but he is well hooked into this favorable weather system.”

More than 1,400 miles to his west is Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3) who is slanted further north, due to a low pressure center in front of him to his east. “This low pressure center has deepened, centred over Madagascar and is descending towards the South,” specifies the assistant race director. In any case, the skipper of Sodebo says, “ I am in my bubble, in my rhythm, into a reality of adventure, of endurance”.

In Cape Town the SVR-Lazartigue team is busy, inspecting the Ultim to assess the damage and have a more precise idea of the repairs to be carried out. -- Andi Robertson

arkeaultimchallengebrest.com/en

Making a Splash at the Southernmost
Photo by Felipe Juncadella / @uptopmedia_. Click on image to enlarge.

Key West, Florida: The Southernmost Regatta presented by Sailing Inc. just came to a close.

Six classes raced in the fourth edition of the event. A wide range of conditions ensured the best teams found their way to the top of the leaderboard after a week of racing.

Sailors enjoyed the laidback island lifestyle here in the Florida Keys. Each day after racing, sailors gathered for awards at the Sunset Tiki Bar with live music and Mount Gay aplenty.

“This is the fourth year we’ve organized racing in Key West,” said Rob Ruhlman. ”This year saw a noticeable increase in professionalism all due to the team Chip assembled: highly organized yet personal and friendly." We'll do it again next year! Registration is open for January 20-25, 2025.

The newcomer this year is the “Navigator” division, won by Will McKeige. Each day, this double-handed ORC fleet raced a short distance race, including an overnight race won by McKeige and Vadim Shablinksky racing a Figaro 2+. McKeige finished at about ten in the morning on Thursday, ten minutes ahead of the next boat. “We had about ten sail changes overnight, so we’re looking forward to a fun Key West dinner and a good night’s sleep.” The Southernmost Regatta teamed up with North East Keelboat Alliance (NEKA) to bring this growing double-handed format to Key West.

Richard Thompson’s Black Seal team from the United Kingdom had a late-game surge in the evenly matched Cape 31 fleet. Drew Freides’s Pacific Yankee began the event in pole position, but a pair of bullets on day three catapulted the Brits ahead of the Americans.

The behemoths in the Great Lakes 52 fleet were a stunning spectacle on the blue waters off Key West. Led by skipper Santiago Lange and tactician Andy Horton, Victor Wild’s FOX took charge early on, finishing with seven bullets throughout the 11-race series.

Full Results at YachtScoring.com -- Hannah Lee Noll

Swan 56 Skipper required based in Hamble
Family owned since 1999, meticulously and professionally maintained.

Cruising range Solent to Weymouth and St Malo, France.

Two generations of experienced racing sailors now using the Swan as support for grandchildren sailing and windsurfing.

Main activities May to August, 100 days minimum guaranteed.

Apply to Edward -

Beautiful design masterful construction - RM Yachts
RM Yachts’ new 1080 is a more powerful and spacious version of one of the marque’s most successful boats… and it will be even faster downwind

Over the past 35 years RM Yachts has taken a unique, yet successful, path developing increasingly innovative and refined performance cruising yachts that harness the benefits of building in epoxy and plywood. The RM1080 is the La Rochellebased yard’s latest little rocket and is in many ways a direct development of racing Class40s, both inside and out.

It’s a Marc Lombard design that also retains key attributes of existing RM models, including exceptional attention to detail and standard of finish, plus bright interiors with excellent natural light thanks to the trademark big forward coachroof window. There’s also an option of very efficient twin bulb keels that combine moderate draught with the ability to dry out at low water, yet without compromising sailing qualities.

What are the big differences between this new model and the eight-year-old RM1070 it replaces? While that model was very well regarded, ‘the yacht design world has moved a lot in that time,’ says RM’s Cesar Dohy. ‘The boats are getting more powerful and they are now much wider forward.’

Full article in the February issue of Seahorse

Cup Spy : Capsize Day
The Swiss had a second day of two-boat testing in AC40s, but capsized one of them. On the Hauraki Gulf, the Kiwis cut a training session short after what appeared to be trim problems arising from flap control issues, with the AC40/LEQ12 coming close to capsizing.

What happened in the Cup - January 18, 2024:

- Emirates Team New Zealand - Sailed one of their AC40s set up as an LEQ12. For the second successive day they appeared to have wing foil control system issues. This time the AC40 appeared to skip across the water, before doing a belly flop, and coming close to a capsize as they rounded head to wind. Fortunately they did not venture out into the America's Cup Course A area where they sailed yesterday, otherwise today's outcome could have been a lot more serious.

- Alinghi Red Bull Racing - Capsized an AC-40

- American Magic - No Report

- Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - No Report

- INEOS Britannia - No Report

- Orient Express Racing Team - No report.

Commentary:

Emirates Team New Zealand - Sailed one of their AC40s set up as an LEQ12. For the second successive day they appeared to have wing foil control system issues. This time the AC40 appeared to skip across the water, before doing a belly flop (starts 7.00 minutes into the Highlights video below).

Read Richard Gladwell's full commentary in Sail-World.com

Charleston Race Week Early Registration Discount
Are you considering attending Charleston Race Week at Patriots Point? The early registration discount ends on January 31st, so register and save $100.00 on your registration fee. Raceweek is an excellent opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Charleston while participating in a fun and exciting event. Sign up now at YachtScoring.com and get ready for an unforgettable experience.

Widely considered the pinnacle of annual sailboat racing events in the country, Charleston Race Week will host its 28th regatta April 18-21. Race headquarters will be anchored in a central location on Charleston Harbor in Mount Pleasant, and will feature more than 200,000 square feet of race viewing, event, and sponsor exhibition space.

charlestonraceweek.com

18ft Skiffs Australian Championship, Race 2
Approaching the bottom mark. Photo by Sail Media. Click on image for photo gallery.

2018-19 Australian 18ft skiff champion James Dorron showed the skills that gave him the title when, as stand-in skipper for the injured John 'Woody' Winning, he led the Yandoo team of Fang Warren and Lewis Brake to an outstanding victory in Race 2 of the 2023-24 Australian 18ft skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour today.

Yandoo trailed narrowly at the end of the first windward leg from Clark Island to the Beashel Buoy, but soon grabbed the lead on the spinnaker run to the wind mark at the southern end of Shark Island and from that point was never in danger of defeat as the team powered around the course in the patchy 8-10 knot North east wind.

At the finish, Yandoo crossed the line a 2m19s winner from Rag & Famish Hotel (Harry Price, Josh McKnight, Finn Rodowicz), with The Oak Double Bay-4 Pines (Jacob Marks, Alex Marinelli, Matt Doyle) a further 2m18s back in third place.

Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell) finished in fourth place, ahead of The Kitchen Maker (Lachlan Steel), and Giltinan champion Andoo (John Winning Jr).

After the first two races of the six-race championship, Yandoo leads the points table on 3 points, followed by Andoo, Rag & Famish Hotel and Vaikobi, each on 7 points. Smeg (Nathan McNamara) and Balmain (Henry Larkings) round out the top six placings on 14 points.

The Kitchen Maker won the handicap section of the race, which is part of the season-long club point score series, which is currently led by Fisher & Paykel (Jordan Girdis).

Race 3 of the Australian Championship will be sailed next Sunday (28 January). -- Frank Quealey, Australian 18 Footers League Ltd.

18footers.com

Camden Classics Cup
Camden, Maine, USA: Mark your calendars for a regatta like no other as the 8th annual Camden Classics Cup sets sail July 25th to 27th, 2024. Nestled in the picturesque waters off Camden, Maine, this beautiful regatta promises two days of thrilling competition, timeless elegance, and maritime camaraderie. Presented by Lyman-Morse with support from the CYOA, the Camden Classics Cup is a celebration of both classic yacht racing and boatbuilding. Participants will have access to Lyman-Morse's facilities, and a full weekend of events in the town of Camden!

We are looking forward to beating last year's record-sized fleet for both the CCC and the Youth Regatta! We hope you'll join us. Check your inbox for updates as we finalize all the registration details.

We're pleased to announce that we have been named a Platinum Level Clean Regatta by Sailors for the Sea! The Clean Regattas program is the world’s only sustainability certification for water-based events. The sailing and boating community is 12 million strong, and by running a Clean Regatta we can become a catalyst for engaging boaters to protect their waters. We'd like to give a special thank you to Bank of America, The Saltwater Classroom, the crew on AMERICAN PROMISE/The Rozalia Project for taking part in last year's Coastal Clean-Up which played a large role in promoting the regatta from a Gold Level Clean Regatta last year, to being awarded the top level of Platinum this year!

To learn more about being a Green Boater

camdenclassicscup.com

Womens Match Racing Tour - USA Events
St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco and Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis have once again teamed up to host the top women’s match racing teams at back-to-back events as part of the 2024 Women’s World Match Racing Tour.

Following the success of the inaugural Casa Vela Cup at St. Francis Yacht Club, and the return of the popular Santa Maria Cup after ten years at Eastport Yacht Club last year, both clubs have coordinated their Grade 2 international women’s match racing events to run back-to-back for 2024 with Eastport YC’s Santa Maria Cup set to open the 2024 women’s world tour season from 23-26 April (practice day 22 April).

The Casa Vela Cup at St. Francis Yacht Club will run from 2-4 May (practice day 1 May) allowing a 4-day travel window for teams to travel from East to West coast. Both events will be in the respective club provided fleets of J/22’s.

The 2024 Casa Vela Cup and Santa Maria Cup will both join Season 3 of the Women’s World Match Racing Tour, currently the world’s only global professional sailing series for women. 32 teams and over 140 female athletes competed on the first two seasons of the Women’s World Match Racing Tour since it was re-launched in 2022 with events in the USA, France, New Zealand, Greece and Denmark.

The full 2024 Women’s World Match Racing Tour schedule will be announced in late January with events planned in USA, France, Sweden and Denmark.

womenswmrt.com

Featured Charter
Sunreef 50 Eco - TIRIL. From 25,200 / week EUR. Located in French Polynesia.

TIRIL delivers a luxury cruising experience with its unrivalled living space, eco-friendly design and impressive performance!

See listing details in Seahorse Charters

Contact
Charter Department
Bernard-Gallay
Phone : +33 (0)467 66 39 93
Mail : or

See the the Seahorse charter collection

Featured Brokerage
Ice Yachts ICE 62 Targa. 1690000 EUR. Located ex-Factory, Italy.

New build option for an Ice Yachts 62 Targa for 2024 delivery. Currently in build and with scope for fitting out to buyer’s specification including internal layout and external features. Contact us for full details.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Michele Antonini - Grabau International (Italia)
Tel: +39 333 74 89 281
Email:

-----------------------------------------

Farr X2 Racing Yacht

This design embodies Farr Yacht Design’s deep understanding of race winning crewed, single and double handed offshore racing yachts

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Sea Ventures (UK) Ltd
Swanwick Marina
Swanwick Shore Road
Swanwick
Hampshire SO31 1ZL
+44 (0)1489 565444

-----------------------------------------

Gunboat 72. Located in La Grande-Motte, France.

The first catamaran with Gunboat performance and a flybridge, the 72 design begins squarely with the cruising aficionado in mind, when nothing other than a Gunboat will do.

For full details please go to... gunboat.com/yachts/gunboat-72/

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact

-----------------------------------------

Class 40 - #155. 330000 EUR. Located in Northern France.

Discover the exceptional 2018 JPS MACH 40.3 – an ideal blend for cruising and high-performance racing. With twin rudder and tillers, excellent electronics, good suite of sails and a 30HP Volvo Engine she boasts top-tier equipment and prepared for the sailing.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Lucy Jackson - LV Yachting
Call: +44 (0) 20 3920 6261
Email:
lvyachting.com

-----------------------------------------

1992 Gaff Cutter 'Alexa Of London'

Gaff cutter ‘Alexa of London’ is a beautiful yacht with stunning classic lines and a gracious yet powerful rig configuration. Alexa has been meticulously maintained year on year by her passionate owners and long standing crew. Without doubt she is the ‘belle’ of any anchorage and is much admired wherever she sails. Alexa truly is a turn-key package and would suit the owner who loves powerful gaff yacht sailing but with the onboard luxuries of a modern day superyacht. Commercially compliant to charter up to 150nm from a safe-haven, Alexa of London has an excellent charter record who’s guests have repeatedly booked her year on year. Alexa easily achieves 8 weeks charter at 40-50k EUR per week.

See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly

Contact
Carrswood Yachts Limited, UK
email:
Tel: +44 (0)7476 888639

See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/

The Last Word
There's a point, you know, where treachery is so complete and unashamed that it becomes statesmanship. -- George MacDonald Fraser

Editorial and letter submissions to

Advertising inquiries to Graeme Beeson: or see eurosailnews.com/advertise/