News

The seventh edition of the World Yacht Racing Forum and Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium closed its doors on Thursday afternoon following two intense days of presentations and networking in Barcelona. Once again, most key speakers highlighted the need for a stronger governing body. Some 200 delegates and 50 speakers spanning seventeen nations participated in the seventh edition of the World Yacht Racing Forum and Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium in Barcelona over the past two days. Whilst …

‘Solent Whisper’ – a 5.9m sailing catamaran with a cutting-edge hydrofoil system has made her international debut at the Paris Boat Show which opened a few days ago. The new hydrofoil technology is the brainchild of Ron Price, a Southampton Solent University yacht and powercraft design graduate who is now Senior Lecturer in Naval Architecture at the University’s Warsash Maritime Academy. Designed and built by Ron with access to the state-of the-art yacht design and engineering facilities at Solent’s Warsash …

Team Vestas Wind’s navigator Wouter Verbraak appears to have ‘fessed up to the error which put the Volvo Ocean Racer on a collision course with Cargados Carajos Shoals, some 200 miles north-east of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean Writing on his Facebook page, in an entry since removed, Verbraak commented: I am totally devastated and still in shock as the gravity of our grounding is slowly sinking in now that we are safely in Mauritius with finally some time to …

The Notice of Race for the 2015 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship that will be held in Langkawi, Malaysia from 27 December 2015 to 3 January 2016 has been released. Click here to view the Notice of Race. The ISAF Youth Worlds has seen a whole host of star studded names compete and take honours across its 44 year history. Over 300 of the world’s top youth sailors are expected to compete in Langkawi in a bid to add their …

  The next America’s Cup will be raced in Bermuda in June 2017. The host venue was confirmed at a press conference in New York by Harvey Schiller, the Commercial Commissioner for the America’s Cup. “In Bermuda we have a perfect international venue to demonstrate the excitement America’s Cup boats and teams can generate,” Schiller said. “The sailing conditions are near perfect. The race course on The Great Sound is a natural amphitheater with room for racing and spectators, amid …

Richard Crockett interviewed Charles Enright, skipper of Team Alvimedica Were you hoping to do better on this leg? You can always do better. Our leg had some good moments and some moments we probably want back, but by and large it was a pretty good foundation for moving forward. In terms of your young crew – did they perform as you expected them to? I think one of our strengths right now is our team because everybody has a good …

Richard Crockett interviewed Ian Walker – skipper of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Congratulations on your first leg – that was a good start to a long race? Ya it is a big relief really – I just feel happy for all – obviously you are pleased for the sponsors, but also for the shore crew, all the guys who put so much work in. You can see they have all got a spring in their step. The sailors’ job is …

Interview Richard Crockett chatted to Chris Nicholson – skipper of Team Vestas Wind You are remembered fondly by South African sailors for your 505 victory in 1994 off Durban – does that win still stand out as one of your memorable sailing achievements? Absolutely. But probably for different reasons than what people think. It’s obviously special to win a world championship, but to win them in countries you enjoy being in, and South Africa was very special, was awesome. At …

Significant changes have been made to the Protocol to the America’s Cup. The effect of the moves is to straighten out some of the issues surrounding the proposed conduct of the 35th America’s Cup. Other issues still remain unresolved. Challengers will welcome the easing of the requirements on Entry Fees. Instead of there being a payment of $1million upon acceptance of entry by the Defending Club, Golden Gate Yacht Club. A second payment of $1million was due on December 1, …

* Cyclone season awaits Leg 2 fleet * Monsoon and high winds in store * Three Exclusion zones Volvo Ocean Race sailors set out today (Wednesday 19 November) for the open seas with no piracy activity on their radar, but the threat of cyclones ahead on Leg 2 from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi. Sailing conditions in Cape Town look challenging for the start (18h00 local RSA time) with plenty of wind, but flat seas forecast. Then the seven-strong fleet …

          By Richard Crockett Okay all you landlubbers – here’s the inside story of my sail with the girl’s team aboard Team SCA on Saturday’s In-Port race. Firstly, and let’s clear this up right now – I was chosen for my good looks and boyish charm! Secondly. The jury is out as to whether pink really is my colour! Thirdly. No disparaging remarks or insinuations here, as these are finely honed and exceptionally fit women sailors. …

Volvo Ocean Race’s seven-strong fleet are to sail all the way from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi for Leg 2 after the event’s security experts gave the all-clear this week following a big decrease in piracy. In the 2011-12 edition, the boats were shipped from the Maldives to Sharjah during the same stage because of the threat of attack from pirates in the Indian Ocean. They were also transported over the same stretch by the ship for Leg 3. Since …

Asenathi Jim & Roger Hudson selected ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year, Olympic medalists, world champions and a Volvo Ocean Race superstar are on their way to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup Final. From 26-30 November 2014 283 sailors from 39 nations with proven track records of excellence will fight it out in the Emirati capital for the right to become an ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion. All ten Olympic events will …

by Captain John Jamieson What qualities make a ‘need to know’ sailing knot? I believe they include easy to tie, easy to untie, above average safety and security, and one that can be tied in trying conditions like rough seas, nighttime, or rain squalls. The tough but super simple to tie ‘Round Turn and Two Half-Hitches’ can be used to tie up small craft to a mooring ring, a ‘starter’ knot for lashings, or tying or untying a knot with …

Chinese lanterns, also known as sky lanterns, are illegal according to a press release sent out by Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith. Alderman Smith has said that Chinese lanterns are illegal and a fire hazard. The device contains a candle inside a paper or silk housing. The candle is lit and the heat generated causes the device to rise into the air. The device then remains airborne until the candle burns out and …