In This Issue
• BVI Spring Regatta
• NIJI 40 Race Underway
• BSI Marine Equipment Group
• 53 Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by Iberostar
• What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
• Francois Gouin 5th place in Global Solo Challenge
• Cape Horn Hall Of Fame Nominations
• Roschier Baltic Sea Race
• Herreshoff Marine Museum Lecture Series
• Featured Charter: Advanced 80 Mindfulness
• Featured Brokerage:
• • ORC 37 - "KATARIINA"
• • Carkeek 47 “Stark Raving Mad IX”
• • 2011 Judel Vrolijk TP52 / IRC 52
• • ARAGON Marten 72 Racer - Cruiser
• • Skeeta Foiling Craft
• The Last Word: Ernest Hemingway
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
BVI Spring Regatta Finishes on a Light Note
Tortola, British Virgin Islands: Competitors racing in the 51st edition of the BVI Spring Regatta experienced a week of mixed conditions which put the best to the test; light for Spring Regatta and typical windy trades for the Sailing Festival, so those who competed in the full week can attest to just how exhilarating the breeze can be in the beautiful BVI.
A robust turnout of Olympians and world-champion sailors across the diverse fleet included Peter Holmberg, Alec Anderson, Luke Patience, Stu Bithell, Terry McLaughlin, Charlie Enright, Cameron Appleton, Paul Larsen, and Ryan Breymaier. On the boats, it was thrilling to see Spike, helmed by Sam Talbot, who has raced the J111 many times at BVI Spring Regatta, finally take their first win in class, while Michael and Helen Wilson racing their Cape 31 Shotgunn in the BVI for the first time prevailed against the highly competitive Flying Jenny, another Cape 31.
Todd Slyngstad on his HH66 Nemo, took first overall in Performance Multihull, finishing with 6.5 points, ahead of Allegra, the custom catamaran owned by Adrian Keller. While the fleet did not race today due to light conditions, Slyngstad was pleased to win some races this week.
Lady M, the Beneteau First 40.7 owned and skippered by Joan Rodriquez, took first in Performance Cruising A for the second consecutive year, finishing just two points ahead of Puerto Rico based Paroma, the Salona 44 owned and skippered by Luis Balzac.
Distinguished awards were presented to Chris Haycraft, Regatta Chairman and owner/skipper of Ting A Ling II, a Corsair F 31, who took four bullets over five races to win first in class in Sport Multihull and the Best BVI Boat award. Every year the Regatta presents the Guy Eldridge Spirit of Enthusiasm Award to an individual or individuals who shine in the spirit of the sport and who has stepped out and gone beyond. This year the award was presented to Bad Decisions, the J30 from St Croix skippered by Fuzzy Stoddard.
Full results at YachtScoring.com
NIJI 40 Race Underway
The result of collaborative work carried out between Class40 and Ultim Sailing over the past 18 months, a new transatlantic race has been created.
Dedicated to Class40 sailboats, it connects Belle-Ile-en-Mer (Morbihan) to Marie-Galante (Guadeloupe). The start was given on April 7, 2024 in Palais Bay.
After 24 hours of racing and a superb start around Belle-Ile-en-Mer, the 39 sailors of the Niji40 entered the transatlantic race which will take them towards Cape Finisterre.
On the Bay of Biscay, the crews had a start to the race which they all described as rather calm, allowing them to get their bearings and slowly settle down. They are now facing the front, expected for 48 hours, which accompanies the passage of a depression moving this afternoon towards Pointe Bretagne. The moderate winds suddenly picked up the trunk. A southwesterly flow with gusts of more than 35 knots sets a much more sustained tempo on larger waves, of 4-5 meters.
Tomorrow the 13 crews will have to negotiate more capricious winds. " They will have to make their first major strategic choice on Tuesday in the middle of the day: move to the North or South of the small anticyclonic cell which is expected at Cape Finisterre. The wind will then have eased to less than 10 knots. If they pass north, they will be upwind heading towards Santa Maria in the Azores. If they pass to the South, they will navigate downwind," explains Christian Dumard of Marine Weather Intelligence, weather consultant for the race organization.
European Yacht of the Year Winners Choose the BSI Marine Equipment Group
If you own or sail on a boat, there is a high probability that you have sailed with equipment from within BSI Marine Equipment Group. You see our goal is to design and manufacture the best-in-class marine equipment that can handle anything a raging sea can throw at them without compromising on control or speed.
We take pride in the products we supply,and testament to that is that many yards select our range of rigging, steering systems, folding propellers, hydraulics rams, thrusters, hatches, and blocks on the boats they build.
"It's a privilege to be able to say that every yacht that won their category or that received a special mention in the European Yacht of the Year 2024 had equipment from within the BSI Marine Equipment," comments Morten Madsen CEO for the group. "From the supply of standing BSI Rod Rigging to the GORI 3-blade folding propeller and Jefa Steering Systems and pedestals, we work with these award-winning yards using the latest materials and innovative technology to explore new ways to improve tomorrow, from the absolute best solutions we can make today."
The BSI Marine Equipment has evolved and grown considerably over time, the oldest company in the group dates back to 1921 (Hundested Propeller) and the most recent in 2014 (Ocean Marine Systems). The companies within BSI Marine Equipment Group include BSI Rigging, Gori Propellers, Hundested Propeller, Moonlight Portlights and Hatches, Jefa Steering, Ocean Marine Systems (OMS) and OYS.
Find out more about the range of products available from with the group at - bsidk.com
Breiana Whitehead takes top award at 53 Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by Iberostar
Winner of the Women's Formula Kite event Breiana Whitehead, held her nerve under pressure as USA's outstanding favourite Daniela Moroz false started twice, to become the only the second Australian winner ever of the overall top award as the 53 Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca by Iberostar Olympic regatta concluded on the Bay of Palma today.
After Moroz's successive errors an amazed Whitehead only realised she had won many minutes after the last race when she reached her coach. She joins Australia's 2018's winners of the famous Balearic regatta's overall award Matt Belcher and Will Ryan, the double Olympic 470 medallists.
In contrast to the five times world champion Moroz who admitted later she had pushed too hard when looking for her limits under pressure, Whitehead started cleanly each time to earn the event win.
Very light winds curtailed the final day programme and the FX, iQFOiL Men and Women and the 470 Mixed events had their finale cancelled and their standings from Friday stood. The ILCA 7 title had already been won with a day to spare by GBR's Micky Beckett and while the Nacra 17s did their Medal Race the Palma title was already in the bag for Italy's Olympic champions Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti. Germany's Philipp Buhl finished runner up from his French training partner and fellow former World Champion Jean Baptiste Bernaz.
Seahorse May 2024
What's in the Latest Edition Of Seahorse Magazine
Carbon cathedrals
Yann Penfornis has built more large multihulls than anyone else on the planet. He speaks to Jocelyn Bleriot
The Royal Escape
King Charles II escapes and Dan Houston (eventually) also makes it to Fecamp
The beating heart of sailing
The Annapolis Sailboat Show is a celebration of boating at its best
ORC Column - Stability simplicity
Andy Claughton
Seahorse build table - It's been too long
A new US custom raceboat at last. Dobbs Davis
Sailor of the Month
You now have to do a lot more to get this far!
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Francois Gouin takes 5th place in the Global Solo Challenge
Click on image to enlarge.
Thursday April 4th. At 11:09 am local time, after 158 days and 44 minutes at sea, Francois Gouin crossed the finish line of the Global Solo Challenge claiming 5th place with his Class40 Pogo 40S #75 Kawan3 Unicancer. When he raised his arms in triumph you could have easily been mistaken in thinking he had won the event overall. Clearly Francois was not celebrating his position in the rankings, he had conquered the most challenging sailing route there is, a solo non stop circumnavigation by the three great capes. Francois was deservedly ecstatic and proud of making his dream and goal come true, his eyes lit with happiness brighter than the flares he used to celebrate the crossing of the finish line.
Francois Gouin is the first of the Global Solo Challenge finishers whose life is not dedicated in one way or other to sailing and the sea. As a practicing oncology surgeon he took time off his work and used the opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of physical activity in the prevention and recovery from treatment of cancer.
Preparing for the event has soaked up all of the spare time of the skipper from Pornic, using all of his holidays and weekends in the years preceding the circumnavigation making the Global Solo Challenge the sole focus of all his thoughts, whilst working full time.
After crossing the finish line Francois with the help of his friends who climbed aboard Kawan3 Unicancer had to go up the mast to cut the lashings which had held the mainsail in place. When he reached the dock he celebrated with champagne paying tribute to his boat, his trusty companion. Riccardo Tosetto, in keeping with tradition, waited in A Coruna for Francois' arrival and greeted him on the water and helped him take his sails down just like Cole Brauer had done for Andrea Mura. It was Riccardo who presented Francois with his Global Solo Challenge trophy. -- Marco Nannini
globalsolochallenge.com/francois-gouin-5-en/
Cape Horn Hall Of Fame Nominations Close On April 30
The return of the Ocean Globe and Global Solo Challenge round the world racers provides a timely reminder for sailing enthusiasts everywhere to nominate their favourite Cape Horner for the 2024 IACH Cape Horn Hall of Fame awards.
There are some big names in the hat already, including 2023 Golden Globe Race winner Kirsten Neuschäfer, the first woman to win any round the world race, together with fellow circumnavigators Paul Cayard, William (Bill) Norrie, and the late Bill Pinkney from the USA, Frenchmen Loïck Peyron and his brother Bruno, Russian adventurer Fyodor Konyukhov, the late Rear Admiral Hugo Bruna Greene, who captained the Chilean square rigged training ship Esmeralda on four circumnavigations via Cape Horn, Whitbread/Volvo race veterans Andrew Cape, Roger Nilsen and Stuart Bannatyne, 5-time British circumnavigator Mike Golding, Hungarian/American solo circumnavigator Istvan Kopar, and British double circumnavigators John Chittenden and Richard Tudor
Organised by the International Association of Cape Horners, public nominations close on 30th April. An online nomination form can be found on the IACH website.
Roschier Baltic Sea Race
The second edition of the Roschier Baltic Sea Race will start from Helsinki, Finland on 27th July 2024. This new 635nm offshore race is attracting a diverse range of boats eager to take on a new challenge, racing to win The Baltic Trophy for the best corrected time under IRC.
Passion for the sea is ever present in Finland's capital Helsinki with centuries of seafaring tradition. The sea features prominently in Finland's folklore and literature; the Finns are fanatical about The Baltic Sea. The Roschier Baltic Sea Race is organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club and supported by the City of Helsinki, as well as the major yacht clubs and racing organisation in Finland: Nyländska Jaktklubben (NJK), Finnish Offshore Racing Association (AMP), Helsingfors Segelklubb (HSK), FINIRC and the Xtra Stærk Ocean Racing Society.
Niklas Zennstrom's Carkeek 52 Rán (SWE) is confirmed for the 635-mile Roschier Baltic Sea Race. Zennstrom hails from Sweden and will also race in the 350-mile Gotland Runt, which takes place three weeks before the Roschier Baltic Sea Race. The two races provide a thousand miles of offshore racing in the Baltic summer.
One of Rán's main competitors will be Infiniti 52 Tulikettu (FIN). One of the world's most advanced grand-prix racing yachts, Tulikettu sports DSS side-foils and all carbon-fibre build. Team Tulikettu's primary goal is to be the first all-Finnish crew to win RORC's important offshore races.
Herreshoff Marine Museum Lecture Series
"Human Exploration of the Deep Sea: a History of 20th and 21st Century Deep Ocean Exploration"
Human exploration of the deep ocean commenced in the 1930s, and humans visited the deepest location in the ocean, Challenger Deep at 11,000 meters (6.8 miles), aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste in 1960. Only five countries – China, France, Japan, Russia, and the USA – have developed research submersibles capable of taking humans to depths greater than 4,000 meters (2.5 miles), and only four of these countries currently operate submersibles capable of reaching those depths. Over the past decade, two submersibles have been developed by two high net worth individuals to reach the greatest ocean depths, and both have visited Challenger Deep. Only in June 2020 did the number of people visiting Challenger Deep exceed the number of people who've walked on the Moon. The talk will recount the history of 20th and 21st century deep ocean exploration via human-occupied vehicles, including the presenter's experience aboard Japan's Shinkai 6500, capable of diving to 6,500 meters (4 miles), as well as the recent tragedy near the Titanic.
Thursday, April 18, 2024 -- Begins at 7 PM US Eastern Time
Tickets are available for both in-person attendance and virtual
Featured Charter
Advanced 80 Mindfulness. POA EUR.
Some yachts are built for long ocean passages while others are designed to deliver superb performance in competition. Mindfulness satisfies both requirements to perfection.
Mindfulness is a blistering performance cruiser built from exceptionally high quality materials and equipped with an oversize rig. With her crew, Mindfulness can effortless tackle long and challenging passages in absolute safety as testified by her sister ship Apsaras’s round the world tour.
See listing details in Seahorse Charters
Contact
Jay Nolan
+39 3311096796, and/or +447984179713
See the the Seahorse charter collection
Featured Brokerage
ORC 37 - "Katariina". 205000 EUR. Located in Tallin, Estonia.
"Katariina" is a proven ORC racer that was a custom build for her experienced owner.
2018 ORC Europeans Champion shows this boat has what it takes to win ORC Class C.
Top spec hardware used throughout the yacht and huge optimization including a new hull designed to meet the newest ORCi rules in 20
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Sam Pearson - Ancasta Race Boats
+447759 424900
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Carkeek 47 “Stark Raving Mad IX”. 575,000 USD. Located in Portsmouth, RI USA .
Major upgrades and refit in 2021. Over twenty podium finishes across three seasons including Newport, RI and the Caribbean.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Expressions of interest for this exceptional boat, along with POA to:
+1-949-466-9210
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2011 Judel Vrolijk TP52 / IRC 52. POA EUR. Located in Western Australia.
This TP / IRC 52 has so much pedigree, built as Azzura then to become Shogun, Ichi Ban, Envy Scooters and now Crush. She has as excellent performance record under IRC and ORC and comes complete with an extensive up to date inventory that will sure to impress.
- Offshore and Inshore modes
- Wheel steering & Tiller steering
- Optimised IRC /ORC keel package 2023 by Judel Vrolijk
- New standing rigging & turnbuckles 2021
- Excellent North sails wardrobe
- Cat 1 offshore safety
- Professionally maintained
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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2006 ARAGON Marten 72 Racer - Cruiser. 992000 EUR. Located in Valencia, Spain.
The Reichel Pugh 72 was commissioned by a performance-oriented owner with a remarkable family history of racing lineage.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
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Skeeta Foiling Craft. POA EUR
Whether you’re looking to take your first steps in foiling, or an experienced thrill-seeker, there’s a Skeeta Foiling Craft for you!
The Skeeta is a singlehanded foiling designs built by Jim and David French in Melbourne, AUS. The scow’s stability and ease are only further enhanced by the performance and durability of the wings and aluminum foils.
Skeeta is the latest foiling dinghy that incorporates all-around performance. Sailors are no longer left waiting for a breeze to go sailing. The Skeeta is fun and capable of sailing in all safe wind ranges. It is more stable than narrow skiffs and can be sailed without hydrofoils, making it more versatile as an all-purpose dinghy. The hull is simple, robust, unsinkable, and quick to rig.
See listing details in Seahorse's RaceboatsOnly
Contact
Melges Performance Sailboats
W3730 Forest Glenn Street
Zenda, Wisconsin 53195
USA
Phone +1 262 275 1110
Email
See the RaceboatsOnly.com collection at seahorsemagazine.com/brokerage/
The Last Word
When people talk listen completely. Don't be thinking what you're going to say. Most people never listen. -- Ernest Hemingway
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