Stuck for Christmas gift ideas for the sailor who has it all? Yachting World is here to help with 40 great ideas

Are you wondering what to get the sailor in your life for Christmas. Here is our pick of 40 top products that are perfect Christmas gift ideas for sailors:

1. Garmin inReach

Christmas gift ideas: Garmin inReach

This is a clever portable device that provides an affordable way to keep friends and family in touch with your whereabouts when offshore. It allows you to send and receive SMS text messages to any mobile phone, email address or other inReach device, anywhere in the world, via the Iridium satellite constellation.

In Reach works like a Sat phone and provides live online tracking and email and can also be sinked with your phone and operated through an app.

inReach SE+ £399.99. explore.garmin.com

2. Henri Lloyd neoprene gloves 

Christmas gift ideas: Henri Lloyd Cobra Winter Glove

Sailing with cold hands sucks. We tested a selection of winter gloves and these came out top. The full-fingered gloves have neoprene thermal insulation, which means that even when they (inevitably) get wet, they keep your hands warm.

The grippy surface on the palms proved particularly good when handling intricate jobs and overall we were really impressed with this glove. Tough, flexible and easy to get on and off even when wet.

£30-35. henrilloyd.com

3. Yachting World Subscription

Christmas gift ideas: A Yachting World subscription

A hardcopy of the world’s favourite sailing magazine every month from £19.49 a year – or an ipad/iphone digital issues for £16.49…

Now THAT’S Christmas!

Yachting-world-subscriptions

4. Waterproof iPhone housing

Christmas gift ideas:Proshotcase waterproof phone housing

GoPros and similar action cameras are great devices, but they are both expensive (some more than £500) and need charging. Recent smartphones have a camera that is just as good as a high-end action camera. This neat case turns an iPhone into a fully waterproof action camera.

It’s waterproof to 50ft or 130ft, depending on model, and is compatible with all GoPro mounting accessories. Full control of the phone’s camera is achieved via the volume buttons.From US$99. proshotcase.com

5. Red Limited Edition SUP Paddleboard

Christmas gift ideas: Red inflatable paddleboard

Red’s 10ft 6in Ride model is the most popular and arguably most versatile all round inflatable stand-up paddleboard. Having used one on our boat this summer, I can vouch for it being a fantastic edition to the sail locker. It’s ideal for getting to or from the beach, exercising/paddling or surfing when at anchor and it provides a dive platform and extra floating space for the kids.

It comes with cargo tie-downs and three fins attached – and the pumps and backpacks supplied are also superb. 2018 marks Red’s 10th anniversary, hence this limited edition 10’6” Ride in a new colour scheme.

£849 redpaddleco.com

6. Spinlock Lume-On

Christmas gift ideas: Lume-On

The simple ideas are the best. These compact LEDs stick to the underbelly of each bladder, which uses the large fluorescent surface like a diffuser to maximise the visibility of the flashing light.  Once activated, the Lume-On provides up to two hours of intense flashing light. It adds very little extra weight, has a smooth profile so will not chafe the bladder, and is very simple to retrofit to most lifejackets. £15 per pair. spinlock.co.uk

7. Karun recycled Sunglasses

Christmas gift ideas: Karun VOR Sunglasses

This small company in Patagonia makes unbreakable sunglasses from recycled fishing nets collected from the coast of Chile. It worked with professional sailors to design sunglasses with technical [Zeiss polyamide] lenses designed to meet the demands of the Volvo Ocean Race.

The sailing edition glasses were developed with and are being worn and tested by the Vestas – 11^th Hour Racing crew. The frames have stainless steel hinges and rubber temple tips.

€245 for the VOR Sailing Edition. www.eu.karunworld.com

8. Olaf Scooter

Christmas gift ideas: Olaf scooter

Here is an ingenious compact solution to getting around in foreign marinas and towns. The Olaf Urban combines four products in one: a kick-scooter, a trolley, a backpack and a skateboard. The Urban backpack is designed to carry the folded scooter. The combined backpack and trolley weigh just 3.5kg and the trolley can take a 120kg payload.

Price €195 for Urban (trolley and backpack). olaf-scooter.com

9. Astra esa smartwatch

Christmas gift ideas: Esa sailing smartwatch

The esa is the first smartwatch designed for sailing, fusing the sailor’s thirst for gadgetry with high-street technology. The esa watch uses wifi to display information from onboard instruments on your wrist. As well as the ability to show performance sailing data including speed and polar target data, the watch is still essentially a smartphone, offering full Android capabilities.

Video here   €399 from www.astrayacht.com

10. Solar powered waterproof speaker

Christmas gift ideas: Lemon solar powered speaker

For those who don’t fancy drilling holes in their cockpit lockers, a waterproof Bluetooth speaker is the answer. The California Roll will play for up to 15 hours on a single charge of the battery and is fully waterproof, even when submerged. Integrated solar panels further extend the operation time and the 5000mAh battery can be used as a USB power bank to recharge other devices.

Price: US$249 lemon-california.com

11. Free Wheeling

Christmas gift ideas: Free Wheeling manual prop

This Australian innovation blends rowing with outboard motors to produce a clever lightweight solution for your tender. It uses a 3:1 gear ratio contained in the collar by the handle, driving a high-pitch propeller to provide a smooth, silent and fuel-less means of manual propulsion in either direction. Time to ditch the outboard, oars or both?

Price £125. thewetworks.co.uk

12. Snowlizard SLXtreme Navigator

Christmas gift ideas: Snow Lizard

We conducted a waterproofing test on mobile phones, looking at nanotechnology sprays in particular, but concluded that a waterproof case remains the most secure way of protecting a mobile device. With more people using tablets for navigation, a case with a built-in GPS, like this SLXtreme Navigator could be the ideal solution.

The SnowLizard range include a built-in solar panel and back-up battery.  US $349.99 or phone cases from $49.99 snowlizard.com

13. Lifedge Ultimate Cable

Christmas gift ideas: Lifeedge Ultimate cable

If you’re going to get a waterproof case for your mobile device, you may want one of these charging cables too. The extra long (2m/6.5ft) and durable Ultimate cable is corrosion and tangle proof, and allows for waterproof phone charging when used with a compatible case.

£29.99. lifedge.co.uk

14. Raymarine Ocean Scout TK

Christmas gift ideas: Raymarine thermal camera

Raymarine’s most affordable thermal camera to date, the Ocean Scout TK can extend vision afloat, day or night, by creating images from heat. It can spot objects up to 119m away, including boats, buoys, landmarks or wildlife. But its ability to potentially thermally identify a MOB could quickly make it high on sailors’ wishlists. Price £412.50. raymarine.com

15. Sealskinz waterproof hat

Keeping your head warm and dry is vital to enjoying winter sailing. This waterproof hi-vis Sealskinz Bobble hat looks like the ideal way of achieving that, while making sure you can be spotted easily. It is water and stain repellent, with a Teflon coated acrylic outer fabric and micro fleece inner lining. £20. sealskinz.com

16. Ocean Signal rescueMe MOB1

Christmas gift ideas: Ocean Signal rescueMe MOB1

The more portable personal rescue devices are, the more likely they will be worn or carried. Ocean Signal’s new MOB1 is 30% smaller than competitor AIS MOB devices.

It can alert any AIS-equipped vessels in the vicinity to the precise location of a casualty in the water, and it will fit on any inflatable lifejacket’s oral tube. It also includes DSC alerting so can both pinpoint a MOB location via AIS, plus trigger the yacht’s own VHF alarm.

£250. oceansignal.com

17. SOG Multitool with proper blade

Christmas gift ideas: multitool with proper blade

Most multitools are at best a compromise, which means that while they’re useful for quick jobs that would be a faff if you had dig around in a tool box, they are not good for serious work.

On any yacht the most challenging task you might be engaged in without warning is to cut a line. SOG’s Reactor RC1001-CP has a proper blade, which maximises the chances of cutting a problematic loaded line before a tense situation spins out of control.

Price £65. sogknives.com

18. Exposure XS-WR Torch

Christmas gift ideas: Exposure XS-WR torch

This compact, lightweight double-ended torch shines a powerful white beam from one end and a red light from the other. Both can be operated simultaneously for a variety of uses from onboard, to the tender ride or cycle home.

Accessories include a headband that allows either colour to shine forwards, a reflective neck lanyard, plus stanchion, helmet and magnetic mounts.

£99.95. exposuremarine.com

19. Touchscreen gloves

Christmas gift ideas: Touchscreen gloves

Those who need to swipe screens in colder climes can now keep their digits warm too with Mujjo’s latest fleece-lined touchscreen gloves. These have black leather cuffs and anti-slip palms with silicon grip dots. Price from €29.95. mujjo.com

20. Splash Drone

Christmas gift ideas: Splash Drone

This is the first fully waterproof quad copter – and it floats. The drone is not only designed to carry a GoPro, but has a payload release feature for carrying and releasing other items, including safety gear.

The Splash Drone has autonomous features, including a ‘follow me’ mode, and can return to base at the flick of a switch. Use it to capture some unique footage of your yacht, take a beer to a friend, or even drop a life-ring to a casualty in the water.

Price US$1,299. urbandrones.com

21. TackingMaster

Christmas gift ideas: Tacking Master

Race tactics involve decisions based on the wind direction and trends, gleaned from the yacht’s compass. This Danish TackingMaster helps make wind shifts quick and easy to gauge using a watch-style wrist mount.

Once the wind direction and course to the mark have been set, you can track any shifts by using its inner course dial. So you can easily see how a shift may affect the next tack or leg and keep track of the average wind trend. Price €79. tackingmaster.com

22. Restube

Christmas gift ideas: Restube safety device

Anyone who partakes in extreme watersports will know there are times when wearing a lifejacket is simply not practical afloat. And others may simply want the comfort of a personal flotation device without the bulk, perhaps when taking a swim away from an anchored yacht.

The Restube is a personal lifebuoy developed by a kitesurfer that stows into a small bum-bag like pouch. It uses a vertical or horizontal belt attachment, and a sports model is available with a harness mount.

video here. £38.99 sontecmarketing.com

23. Dr Sails

If I were to recommend one piece of repair kit to carry aboard it would probably be this new emergency epoxy adhesive. The fast curing epoxy can be used on sails plus most materials in virtually all conditions – including underwater – so it can even help patch a hole below the waterline.  Watch the video here   

From €22.50 for 10ml. drsails.com

24. Thuraya Satsleeve+

Christmas gift ideas: Satsleeve+ for smartphones

A Satsleeve turns your mobile phone into a satphone. It wraps around the phone, utilising the mobile’s internal electronics and encodes and boosts the signal for connection to the Thuraya satellite network. The SatSleeve+ has a universal adapter, so the user can switch between most smartphone models from 58 to 85mm in width. £370 ex VAT or £5 per day to rent from www.globaltelesat.co.uk

25. Fizzics portable beer tap

Christmas gift ideas: Fizzics beer tap

Sailors are discerning types with quality tastes. So why not ship a portable beer tap for draught-tasting beer with the perfect head? The founders of Fizzics have really delved into the science (or ‘fizzics’) of beer drinking, and created a device that they say will deliver the perfect pour, creating an ‘ultra dense, long-lasting foam head’ from any standard size beer can or bottle – and all beer types from lager and ale to stout.

It’s strictly for those who take their drinking seriously – I’ve asked Santa for one.

Price $169 from upgradeyourbeer.com

 26. GoCycle portable E-bike

Christmas gift ideas: Go-Cycle portable E-bike

We did a test of folding bikes and portable transport in 2017. If you can afford it, this GoCycle is a clear winner. This beautifully engineered electric-assist bicycle has 20in wheels, balloon tyres, and a well-cushioned saddle, which gives a smooth fast and comfortable ride. It is proper, enjoyable bike to cycle manually and the rider can select from zero to 100 per cent motor assistance on demand.

The GoCycle is a premium product that needs space to store and time to assemble. But, it is a game-changer, giving real freedom to enjoy time away from the boat. £3,500 gocycle.com

27. TaskOne G3 case

Christmas gift ideas: TaskOne phone case

For those who don’t already rely on their mobile phones enough, the TaskOne G3 case turns a smartphone into a Leatherman. It includes 22 tools and a mount for attaching saw blades. So you can now use your phone to cut, saw, grip, and screw things – then open a beer after your hard work. £79.99. thetasklab.com

28. Garmin Virb X and XE 

Christmas gift ideas: Garmin Virb X

If your choice of action camera is more defined by durability, audio and picture quality, consider Garmin’s Virb cameras. Garmin continues to upgrade its excellent rugged and waterproof (to 50m) Virb cams.

The main improvements are with picture resolution and an increased variety of mounting options. The dedicated photo button to take stills at any time, even while the camera is recording, is also a neat addition.

From £239.99 at  garmin.com

 29. Leatherman Tread

Christmas gift ideas: Leatherman wearable multitool

This very cool wearable multitool completely reinvents the concept – it’s worn on the wrist like a watch. As standard 29 tools are provided, including flat, Phillips and Pozi-Driv screwdrivers, hex drives, box wrenches and Torx drives. There’s also a cutting hook, sim card pick, carbide glass breaker and bottle opener. As there is no conventional knife you can fly without putting it in hold luggage.

£199.95  leatherman.com

30. Flexsafe – Keep your valuables safe

Christmas gift ideas: FlexSafe

Keeping keys, passports, wallets and electronic gadgets safe when travelling can all too often be a challenge. The Flexsafe is a lockable bag made of slash-proof materials that cannot be cut open with a knife that incorporates a piercing 110db motion sensing alarm. When on shore simply attach the bag to a convenient tree, your folding bike, the dinghy or any other suitable structure.

Price US$59.95. www.theaquavault.com

 31. Digital Yacht Aquawear

Digital Yacht Aquawear

This blackbox server will wirelessly stream information from onboard instruments to mobiles, tablets and laptops. The splash-proof wrist case included helps promote wearable navigation – the viewing of instrument, charting and AIS data on deck via apps on your smartphone. Aquawear aslo creates a wifi hotspot for the whole crew. £264. digitalyacht.co.uk

 32. Spinlock Essentials chest pack

Christmas gift ideas: Spinlock Chest Pack

Spinlock’s Essential Packs are snug fitting solutions for keeping accessories like mobile phone, VHF, personal EPIRB to hand on the water.
They are available as belt, side or chest packs that attach with Velcro tie-downs, and neatly compliment Spinlock’s  Deckvest 5D lifejacket.  £14.95. spinlock.co.uk

 33. Personalised champagne

Christmas gift ideas:Champagne by you

Here’s your chance to create your own bespoke bubbles. Buying a case of Champagne By You involves a tasting session to decide on the exact champagne style, all imported from family growers in the champagne region. Clients then get to design a unique handmade aluminium label using anything from a corporate logo to a photograph.

Sampling, design and delivery of a case of 24 bottles costs from £2,257. champagnebyyou.com

34. Vaavud Wind Meter

Christmas gift ideas: Vavuud windmeter

Vaavud is essentially a set of whirling cups that turn your smartphone into an anemometer. Live wind data through crowd sourcing – clever and particularly useful for those of us that dither on the shoreline wondering which sail/boat/kite/board to take, or whether to mow the lawn.

A new compact Sleipnir model is now available that uses an electronic sensor and can read wind direction too. Video here   From £37. vaavud.com

35. Sugru

Christmas gift ideas: Sugru

Sugru is a new material that feels like play dough but acts like superglue and sticks to most objects and surfaces. It’s very user-friendly, highly malleable and waterproof and comes in 10 bright colours. It’s ideal for both fixing things and giving items a new lease of life as it sets like silicone rubber (flexible and insulated) – it’s also surprisingly fun to apply.

Bring out your inner kid… Must watch WTF is Sugru video here  From £6.99. sugru.com

36. Yacht Cufflinks

Christmas gift ideas: cufflinks

For that time when you need to collect the silverware in your blazer at the yacht club, you need to look the part…

These silver cufflinks come in a velvet lined gift box.

£49 (£39.20 special offer) josephturner.co.uk

37. Wichard knives

Christmas gift ideas: Wichard Knife

Wichard has produced knives in Thiers, the French home of knife making, since 1919. Its latest range includes Offshore and more economic Aquaterra models.

The Offshore knife has a serrated blade that can cut through Dyneema, and is available with a combined shackle key/marlinspike. The Aquaterra uses a conventional or serrated blade and has the accessory all sailors really need: a corkscrew.
Price from €17. wichard.com

38. Tiwal 3.2 inflatable dinghy

Christmas gift ideas: TIWAL inflatable dinghy

This French inflatable sailing dinghy stows into two compact bags and can be launched, assembled and sailed anywhere in 20 minutes. It looks like safe, enjoyable and family friendly fun, ideal for getting kids into dinghy sailing. It uses the same high-strength PVC material as stand-up paddleboards, inflated via a high-pressure pump. An alloy structure gives it a backbone and allows the helm or crew to sit out, and a freestanding carbon mast splits into four.

Keep in the locker or trailer sail – without the need for a trailer. Video here   

The 2018 models have been updated. They are now more streamlined, practical and comfortable. Hiking rack pads have been added to the accessories.

€5,490. tiwal.co.uk

39. Ino-Block Light

Christmas gift ideas: INO Block light

Three years ago Ino-Rope brought out its revolutionary lightweight textile IB blocks with working loads from 800kg to 6T. It has now launched a Light range that uses a soft connector as both axle and connector, resulting in a sturdy and affordable block for smaller applications, boats or dinghies.
From €16.50 for the IB 0.6 for rope up to 8mm. inorope.com

40. Rick Tomlinson 2018 Portfolio Calendar

Christmas gift ideas: Rick Tomlinson calendar

As well as the usual great mix of pictures – which this year includes action from the Volvo Ocean Race, Cowes Week, Quarter Tonners as well as cruising the Swedish archipelago – this special 30^th edition includes is a 30-year celebration spread featuring Rick’s choice of one image from each of his past calendars.

£19.95 www.rick-tomlinson.com

We can’t promise any of these products will be delivered in time – but wish a HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all!

The post 40 great Christmas gift ideas for sailors – our pick of the very best kit appeared first on Yachting World.

If you want to know which are the best new production yachts on the market at the moment, the European Yacht of the Year is the best place to start. Toby Hodges sailed the 15 nominees and gives his verdict on the five winners

What is the yacht of the year, or the best yachts to look out for in 2018? Which are the most interesting, entertaining, innovative, well built and best value for money yachts on the market?

The reason we can answer such questions with confidence is that, as well as conducting our own independent tests, Yachting World also sits on the panel of judges for the European Yacht of the Year awards. This involves shortlisting the best annual prospects into five categories before testing them all to elect the winners.

Take a look at last year’s winners here and the European Yacht of the Year 2016 here

Now in its 15th year, the European Yacht of the Year is the most thorough and unbiased awards programme for new production yachts. All 12 judges, comprising the boat testers and editors from sailing magazines across Europe, tested all the nominated yachts in La Rochelle and Barcelona last autumn.

The five 2018 European Yacht of the Year winners were announced on the first evening of the Dusseldorf Boatshow, on 20 January. Look out for our March 2018 issue, which has a feature combining our reviews on all the winners in more detail.

FAMILY CRUISER

Nominees: Beneteau Oceanis 51, Hanse 548, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440

Winner: Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440 European Yacht of the Year 2018

Credit to the large-scale production yards for the innovation going into their latest models. Nevertheless, the new Jeanneau Sun Odyssey range is hands-down the most impressive for its forward thinking in terms of hull shape, cockpit design and interior layout.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440 European Yacht of the Year 2018

The realisation of the volume gained from a full bow is shrewd, while the sloping side decks that make for a walkaround cockpit is one of those game-changing ideas that you can expect to see copied by others in the future.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440 European Yacht of the Year 2018

Price ex VAT: €184,400

See our full test of the very similar larger sister, the SO490 in the October 2017 issue.

LUXURY CRUISER

Nominees: Amel 50, Hallberg-Rassy 44, Ice 60

Winner: Amel 50

Amel 50 European Yacht of the Year 2018

That this is such a popular new model is unsurprising. It is both a manageable size of yacht for a couple to handle and a lot of exceedingly comfortable and quality built boat for the price. It is a modern-looking design that sails surprisingly well from a yard with decades of experience with building bluewater cruisers

Amel 50 European Yacht of the Year 2018

This is a yacht that could appeal to those seeking luxury weekend cruising as well as those wanting to live aboard and sail long-distance. It’s a yacht to dream about sailing away on and one that may well hasten your sabbatical or retirement from work.

Look out for our full test on the Amel 50, following a two day seatrial, in our April 2018 issue.

Price ex VAT: €750,000

PERFORMANCE CRUISER

 Nominees: ClubSwan 50, Grand Soleil Performance 34, JPK 45

 Winner: ClubSwan 50

European Yacht of the Year 2018 Seatrials in Port Ginesta Castellfels

The ClubSwan 50 is the most extreme-looking production yacht to date and one with versatile appeal as its design strikes that balance between performance cruiser and grand-prix racing yacht.

See our full test report here

Its race yacht side is paired with an international circuit for owners to enjoy strictly controlled one-design competition. It’s a deliciously appealing plaything for short cruises and day sailing as well. Above all, it is outrageously, award-winningly cool.

ClubSwan 50 European Yacht of the Year 2018

This is perhaps just the start… with news that two new Juan K-designed 100ft+ ClubSwan models are on the drawing board, Nautor’s Swan is entering a new era of luxurious race craft.

Price ex VAT: €1.1m

SPECIAL YACHT

Nominees: Beneteau Figaro 3, Flaar M37, TF10 Trimaran

Winner: Beneteau Figaro 3

Beneteau Figaro 3 European Yacht of the Year 20182017/2018

This startling VPLP design looks half modern offshore race boat, half crazed contraption from a Star Wars film. Learn more about the design here – plus expert sailors’ reactions to it

Beneteau Figaro 3 European Yacht of the Year 20182017/2018

 Reliability will be key to the Figaro 3’s success – Beneteau’s first two Figaro models have proved almost invincible and have done more miles than any Vendée Globe yachts.

But all credit to Beneteau for not playing too safe this time. The modern hull shape, stiff build technique, deck layout and, of course, eye-catching foils are the result of contemporary thinking.

Beneteau Figaro 3 European Yacht of the Year 2018

This is an offshore one-design sportsboat with global appeal. Time will tell whether the foils are more gimmick than game-changer, but I was impressed with how well the boat is set-up for solo and short-handed racing.

Price ex VAT: €149,404

MULTIHULLS

Nominees: Fountaine Pajot Saona 47, Leopard 45, Neel 51

Winner: Neel 51

Neel 51 European Yacht of the Year 2018

First reactions to the Neel 51 are fairly consistent: your jaw drops at the sheer size of the boat (in terms of height, beam and particularly volume) – then you sail it and are even more surprised at how slippery it is.

Here is a yacht that genuinely has the potential to shock. The Neel 51 offers the space of a cruising cat of similar length (and for the same price), yet will easily outperform it under sail and, crucially, provide a rewarding helming experience.

The vast cockpit and adjoining saloon on the Neel 51, European Yacht of the Year 2018

With this model Neel may well show that trimarans are not only for tearing up ocean speed records but could be the way to go for multihull cruisers too.

Price ex VAT: €669,800

The post The best yachts of 2018? These are the 5 European Yacht of the Year 2018 winners appeared first on Yachting World.

A glorious start for the 26 superyachts competing at the St Barths Bucket 2018

St Barth did what it does best and turned on the perfect conditions for Bucket racing around the outlying rocks and islands surrounding this idyllic island. And in return for the welcoming hospitality and weather, 26 superyacht owners and their armies of crews helped bring some much-needed glitz and tourism back to an island still finding its feet after the devastation of two hurricanes last November.

A Force 4–5 (15 knot average) trade breeze, cloudless skies and sparkling seas gave the competitors the ideal conditions to open the three-day regatta with a counter-clockwise race around the island. It was pursuit racing at its best, with the yachts in multiple classes split by seconds on the finish line after 20-25 miles of racing – bravo to the ORC Superyacht Committee.

The SW102 Farfalla slices to weather off St Barth – by Michael Kurtz

I sailed with Farfalla for that first race, a Southern Wind 102 that is being increasingly campaigned, including at the recent RORC Caribbean 600. With a competent owner-driver and a highly experienced afterguard, she sailed a very clean and very enjoyable race.

Onboard Farfalla, chasing down Danneskjold at the St Barths Bucket

Ian Budgen’s tactics and Nacho Postigo’s wily navigation (taking the shortest route where possible and making use of our slightly lower draught) combined to help us sail through three of the five in our class.

And the final beat, trading tacks with the slightly larger 112ft Frers Spiip (the former Unfurled and current holder of the bucket), provided the exciting finale. Just two boat-lengths separated us on the line.

These performance 32-35m yachts, which includes Nilaya, Farfalla, Danneskjold, Sojana, and Spiip at the Bucket, show how well these designs can adapt to superyacht racing and why its an increasingly popular size for new builds. They are manouvrable enough for a tight-nit racing and fun for the crews to hoist code sails and A-sails, keep a sweat on between marks and earn their keep.

The latest J Class Svea is turning heads at St Barth and is leading the Js – by Claire Matches

It is a rousing sight to see the incomparable 78m sloop M5 (ex Mirabella) racing for the first time at a Bucket. And the Js, always a magnet for the spectating boats and the crews on the rails, are enjoying some close racing.

There are only three Js this year, the two newest in Svea and Topaz, and the 1934-built original Velsheda. Again, just seconds separated the boats in the first three races.

A success story of this edition is the six strong corinthian class, a white sails only fleet that is also enjoying some close racing despite a variety in ages and sizes of yachts. The top three boats, Koo, Q and Missy, were separated by just 30 seconds in the opening race.
I joined Missy for the second race and enjoyed the triumphant feeling of starting last and finishing first as we managed pick off the larger competitors on the final beat. The new Malcolm McKeon designed 33m fast cruiser was designed for family world sailing but is competing in her first regatta.

Congestion at the bottom mark/rock, from onboard Missy

She certainly has a turn of speed to match her sleek looks. A first victory in that race will doubtless encourage her owner to enter her in more friendly racing events.

The traditional ‘Yacht Hop’ after the first day’s racing cemented the friendly nature of this event and reinforced how the assembled owners are here to support an island in need.
It’s an event unlike any other – all crews and guests of the bucket are invited to join drinks parties aboard those yachts docked stern-to in Gustavia. I cannot even imagine such an event taking place anywhere else – only in St Barth!

The post The perfect lift for St Barth as Bucket begins with a bang appeared first on Yachting World.

With a break in the America’s Cup schedule until the weekend when the finals commence, it is the turn of the J Class and superyacht fleet racing to put on a show

Five J Class yachts raced in Bermuda today, making up one quarter of the 20-strong fleet of superyachts in a superyacht regatta that is being held as a showcase event to the 35^th America’s Cup.

On Friday 16 June, the J Class will commence their own three day regatta, for which a record fleet of seven Js are expected to race for the first time in the near 90 year history of this illustrious class.

And it was announced today that on Saturday, during the first day of the finals of the America’s Cup, the J Class are due to put on a match racing display in the Great Sound for the thousands of fans viewing from the water and race village.

The J Class will put on a match racing display on Saturday 17 June in the Great Sound, Bermuda

Both the brand new J Class Svea and the oldest J, Shamrock V, remained on the dock today.

Svea’s owner, who couldn’t make today’s race, is due to take the helm of his new yacht for the first time competitively tomorrow, while Shamrock is only entered in the official America’s Cup J Class Regatta that runs on 16, 19 and 20 June.

But even tied up stern-to the dock in Hamilton, these elegant craft make a simply dazzling sight – this video shows six alongside each other.

Today’s 16-mile triangular single race was held in very light breeze off the north shore of the island. Despite being over early at the start and having to re-cross the line, Hanuman, helmed by America’s Cup commentator Ken Read, showed unmatchable pace in the light airs to come back and take the win.

Continues below…

Svea rules the day and Lionheart wins the J Class Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda

If Svea’s third place in her first race yesterday was impressive for the debutante J Class member, her victory over…

Inside J Class yacht Svea – what it’s really like to race on board the newest member of the fleet

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the most outstanding new yachts of…

The victory is the first of the three scheduled races at the America’s Cup Superyacht regatta and follows Hanuman’s win in the six strong J Class fleet at the St Barths Bucket in March.

Ken Read steers Hanuman to victory on the opening day of the Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda

Hanuman chose the preferred side for the first upwind leg and were already challenging then leaders Velsheda at the first mark. When Hanuman set a reaching spinnaker they extended away to win from Ranger in second place.

The dock talk is all still about the new J Class Svea, how fast she could be and whether she’ll be able to match the race-seasoned Js assembled here.

The racing can be followed here http://www.tractrac.com/web/event-page/event_20170

Here are some more shots from the day courtesy of Ingrid Abery

Pictures by Ingrid Abery

The post The J Class brings timeless elegance to the America’s Cup during their first day’s racing in Bermuda appeared first on Yachting World.

Fabulous conditions greeted the superyachts and record J Class fleet today in Bermuda – and while Lionheart won the race, all eyes were on the brand new J Class Svea in her first race.

We expected her to be fast, but would the new J Class Svea be competitive too? It is a tall order for a boat, which in two years has gone from being bought as a bare aluminum hull to a race-ready J, to be on the starting line against the largest fleet yet.

And when you consider that four of her opposition in Velsheda, Ranger, Lionheart and Hanuman have raced and trained with a seasoned crew for years now, it would be easy to presume she might be out muscled from the off.

Not so. For although Lionheart and Ranger put in a near faultless performance to finish the 14 mile triangular cum round the cans shaped course in first and second place, Svea was never far off their heels. See more about the J Class Svea below.

Here is some video action from the view of the press photographer’s boat today, in near ideal flat-water conditions with wind ranging from 7 to 13 knots.

With all six Js looking very evenly matched on the water, it was all about the downwind start today – and when Lionheart and Ranger picked the left side and found favourable breeze they just needed to sail smartly and cleanly to maintain their lead.

Lionheart leads Ranger with the red spinnaker of the J Class Svea chasing in third – by Chris Cameron

Svea’s quick decision to gybe early away from Velsheda and Hanuman and join the left side, was one that earned them third place. Not bad considering one of her crew later told me they hadn’t yet practiced a downwind start.

Tidy crew work as ever aboard the original J Class Velsheda

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the single most outstanding new yachts of modern times. Svea’s build programme has been a ruthless, unrelenting one since her American owner bought the bare hull. A serial yacht owner and experienced racer, his sights were firmly set on the Bermuda J Class regatta this June.

Continues below…

The J Class brings timeless elegance to the America’s Cup during their first day’s racing in Bermuda

Five J Class yachts raced in Bermuda today, making up one quarter of the 20-strong fleet of superyachts in a…

Inside J Class yacht Svea – what it’s really like to race on board the newest member of the fleet

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the most outstanding new yachts of…

In just 17 months from signing the contract to her delivery, Svea was transformed from bare hull to a race-ready superyacht at Vitters – and one that was ready to sail across the Atlantic to her first race, just as the original Js were designed to do.

Her lines and minimalist deck are kept spectacularly clean, thanks in part to the compact wheelhouse, sunken wheel and wonderfully low boom.

Svea, and her wonderful 8ft diameter wheel, on the race course for the first time

The lines for JS1, the J Class Svea, are from a Tore Holm design from 1937, the last J drawn but never built. Holm was one of the most gifted metre class designers. Andre Hoek reworked the design to make it competitive and applicable to modern day racing, his third J project in recent years following Lionheart and Topaz.

Even compared to these ‘Super Js’ Svea is big. She is (by six inches) the longest J overall at 43.6m /143.1ft LOA, with an ultra ergonomic deck layout that helps keep her lines uncluttered.

Svea’s deck layout is optimised for modern racing thanks to a large cockpit directly in front of the wheel from which the main, genoa and running backstays are all controlled.

Francesco de Angelis guides Svea’s owner on the helm during her first race

During their last training day in Palma in March, I sailed with Svea in race mode in similar conditions to today and spoke to Francesco de Angelis (the ex-Luna Rossa skipper hired as owner’s coach).

Tomorrow, Thursday 15 June, is the last day of the Superyacht Regatta fleet racing before the Js start their own showcase J Class regatta on Friday. With Shamrock joining the mix to make it seven Js for the first time ever, it will certainly be a spectacle.

The post Brand new J S1 Svea stars in a record J Class racing fleet at America’s Cup appeared first on Yachting World.

In only her second race ever, the brand new J Class Svea notched her first win today in a six-strong J Class fleet, while Lionheart’s consistency won them the three day event

If Svea’s third place in her first race yesterday was impressive for the debutante J Class member, her victory over the seasoned fleet today was quite a phenomenal achievement. It was a race that saw Svea go from zero to hero after she lost a crewmember overboard less than a minute before the start.

Lionheart’s second place finish today meanwhile earned them victory in the three day regatta overall. A delighted Bouwe Bekking, a seven time veteran of the Volvo Ocean Race, spoke to Toby after stepping ashore on the buzz of racing here and what it takes to win.

The Superyacht Regatta that concluded today may have been seen by the J crews as the ideal warm-up to the America’s Cup J Class Regatta which starts tomorrow, but all were taking the racing just as seriously. The round the cans format to the races, which include reaching legs, doesn’t suit the J Class as much as the windward/leewards that will be used for their own event from tomorrow. But it’s still a case of picking the best shifts.

Today’s race was Svea’s second downwind start in a row, a manoeuvre they had yet to practice before the Bermuda event. But as tactician Charly Ogletree told us directly after the race, it could have gone a lot worse for Svea. “This race start was more chaotic than yesterday,” he said matter-of-factly. “We had a MOB 40 seconds before the gun!”

The crewmember was scooped up by the chase boat and delivered back aboard, but it created “a late deploy and not exactly a perfect start,” said Ogletree, an ex Olympic Tornado sailor.

JH1 Lionheart leads the J Class fleet on her way to a Superyacht Regatta victory in Bermuda

Ogletree went on to explain how Svea’s break came during the 16 mile race when Hanuman blew out their spinnaker and stopped in front of them – “so we gybed to get away from them and found more wind.” This resulted in them briefly making a handsome 9.5 knots to the rest of the fleet’s 8 knots, he said.

Continues below…

The J Class brings timeless elegance to the America’s Cup during their first day’s racing in Bermuda

Five J Class yachts raced in Bermuda today, making up one quarter of the 20-strong fleet of superyachts in a…

Inside J Class yacht Svea – what it’s really like to race on board the newest member of the fleet

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the most outstanding new yachts of…

On the way back into Bermuda’s Great Sound this afternoon, the J Class fleet were treated to a Top Gun style flyby from the America’s Cup defenders. Bouwe Bekking took this footage of the Oracle Team USA catamaran clipping their ensign.

The other five J Class crews then cheered Svea in as she reversed back to the dock in Hamilton this afternoon. It is an amazing feat to record a victory this quickly – Velsheda and Ranger have been racing together for over 10 years, it took Lionheart a couple of seasons to get up to speed, and Topaz is two years old now and yet to find winning form.

Sharp crew work aboard Lionheart at the America’s Cup Superyacht Regatta

So what is the key in these light to medium flat water conditions? “Picking which way to go and boat management,” says Ogletree. He admits their focus is on the windward/leeward format of the J Class Regatta to come and the J’s World Championships in Newport in August.

“Any result we get is a bonus – we have a great team onboard and a good boat.”

Bouwe Bekking makes the tactical calls for Lionheart’s owner-driver

Svea missed the first day of racing on Tuesday so couldn’t realistically challenge for the overall regatta. Lionheart collects her trophy this evening and tomorrow the three day America’s Cup J Class Regatta  begins.

This event, which runs on June 16, 19 and 20 , will welcome the addition of Shamrock V to the fleet and will be the first time seven J Class have ever raced. The racing format for the Js also changes to windward-leeward contests, two per day, and will be sailed off Murrays Anchorage.

All pictures courtesy of Ingrid Abery

The post Svea rules the day and Lionheart wins the J Class Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda appeared first on Yachting World.

Toby Hodges sails the newest J Class yacht, Svea, and finds an elegant J crossed with a modern maxi grand prix yacht. Photos by Carlo Borlenghi

Svea, the newest addition to the now nine-strong J Class fleet, is one of the most outstanding new yachts of modern times – a harmonious meeting of historic and modern design; a blend of J Class lines and maxi grand prix yacht technology.

What follows will hopefully explain why she is the ultimate modern J; why her design and engineering had to be fast-tracked yet still produced such formidable results, and, crucially, why the other six Js and their 200 professional crewmembers racing in Bermuda this June were right to be worried about their new competition.

Svea’s build programme has been unrelenting since her American owner bought the bare aluminium hull two years ago. A serial yacht owner and experienced racer, his sights were firmly set on the J Class regatta in Bermuda.

This is the biggest year for the J Class since they raced for the America’s Cup in the 1930s.

The first time six Js raced together was in St Barth in March, but when Svea joins the fleet in Bermuda, it will be the first time seven have lined up. But for that to happen Svea had to take shape fast.

It was just 17 months from signing the contract to her delivery – a race-ready superyacht prepared to sail across the Atlantic to her first race, just as the original Js were designed to do.

Svea arrived in Palma in March to start sea trials and race training. I was invited aboard in late April for what turned out to be the last day of race training – and a day I shall never forget.

1930s lines, modern layout

All Js dazzle on the water, but Svea simply stops you in your tracks. Her lines and deck are kept spectacularly clean, thanks to the compact wheelhouse, sunken wheel and wonderfully low boom.

Her dark metallic grey hull and black and red sail wardrobe lend her timeless lines a slightly menacing appearance – a purposeful racing look that belies the luxurious interior below decks. The aggressive aesthetics are in keeping with her name, a Viking word (it means Swede).

The lines for Svea are from a Tore Holm design from 1937, the last J drawn but one that was never built. Holm was one of the most gifted Metre Class designers.

Andre Hoek reworked the design to make it competitive for modern day racing. This is his third J project in recent years following Lionheart and Topaz.

Continues below…

Brand new J S1 Svea stars in a record J Class racing fleet at America’s Cup

We expected her to be fast, but would the new J Class Svea be competitive too? It is a tall…

Svea rules the day and Lionheart wins the J Class Superyacht Regatta in Bermuda

If Svea’s third place in her first race yesterday was impressive for the debutante J Class member, her victory over…

Even compared to these ‘Super Js’, Svea is big. She is, by 15cm, the longest J overall at 43.6m /143.1ft LOA.

Think of classic J Class pictures from the 1930s and you picture a helmsman in a blazer and tie standing high on the aft deck battling a traditional wooden wheel. One of Svea’s striking features is her extra large wheel, nearly half of which vanishes into a well below decks.

Hoek encouraged the extra wide, sunken wheel, a feature that Frers favoured in the 1980s because it allowed the helmsman to sit out and see the telltales. Here it allows the helmsman, trimmers and afterguard to remain in close communication.

Svea’s deck layout is optimised for modern racing thanks to a large cockpit directly in front of the wheel from which the main, genoa and running backstays are all controlled. This means crew dealing with the runners and their fearsome loads are not on the aft deck and can safely operate the winches from a standing position.

The cockpit also doubles as a guest area when the yacht is in cruise mode, and there is removable seating and table.

I observed the action from the aft deck, in the company of Andre Hoek and the owner’s representatives and project managers Tako van Ineveld and Katie Beringer from Ineveld & Co. With its long overhangs a J’s ends are prone to pitching and as they are raced with no guardrails you need to be vigilant when the yacht is heeling.

Maxi grand-prix set-up with walnut interior

“Be careful on deck – we’re running big loads – up to 36 tonnes on the forestay,” Svea’s captain Paul ‘PK’ Kelly told us as we left Palma’s STP shipyard. That’s the weight of a 60ft cruising yacht, I thought!

“It’s a maxi grand prix set-up in every detail,” said Tako van Ineveld. “We will race it as a grand prix boat. The owner loves that, but he also loves his walnut interior.”

And that, I thought, in a nutshell, is what today’s J Class yacht is all about.

When I joined, the 24-strong race crew and six permanent crewmembers had been practising multiple pre-starts and two or three windward-leeward races a day. Granted, they had no competition, but I soon appreciated how getting the timing for the manoeuvres down and, crucially, knowing exactly how long each will take, is invaluable preparation.

As in a regatta, it takes a couple of hours between the time a J leaves the dock to the point at which it is fully prepared for the start. But when we were, and fully heeled over in full trim, sailing at 9.5 knots upwind in 9-9.5 TWS, the feeling was euphoric.

Svea’s immense black North 3Di RAW mainsail was allowed a little body to match the lighter conditions that morning. The sails are obviously big business on Js and Tom Whidden, North Sails’s CEO, was aboard for the day assisting the afterguard.

Furling headsails are a new addition this year for some of the newer Js. A crewmember needs to go aloft to attach the lashing to the head during the hoist, so it takes longer to swap headsails, but the advantage is a marked improvement in sail handling time.

The decision was taken early during Svea’s build to incorporate furling headsails, for which a Reckmann torque tube is installed on deck. “It’s a big help not having to drag headsails out of the water,” van Ineveld remarked.

A glance aloft shows a particularly aggressive Southern Spars rig design. Every bit of weight and windage was minimised, with no staysail halyard and only a single VHF aerial permitted from the mast top for example.

The Southern Spars boom is tapered at each end and the spinnaker pole is a novel triangular shape – which is promised to be lighter than an equivalent tube, if more vulnerable to impact.

During a couple of the upwind legs I sat forward of the wheelhouse, watching the choreography of the pit and foredeck. While the main and trimmers may be in better contact with the afterguard in their aft cockpit setup, it’s still a separate camp up here.

The wide, shallow pit serves a useful area to tidy the vast amount of tail ends for spinnaker sheets, inhaulers, barbers, etc and for storing sails or snaking the spinnaker when zipping it up.

When the wind died down to 8 knots there was talk of whether to lead the sheets for inside gybing on the downwind leg. It’s amazing to think that a 950sq m kite can be gybed inside these days, but it’s a call that needs to be made relatively early as it involves changing the tack strop and sheet leads.

It’s almost impossible to take in the flurry of activity that two thirds of the crew are involved with around the mast and foredeck during a hoist – that was governed by Team New Zealand veteran sailor Andrew ‘Meat’ Taylor, a crew boss whose physical presence immediately ensures respect.

The spectacular bright red kite went fizzing up and ballooned into life, filling out a symbol depicting an ancient Nordic compass rose.

When the wind increased to 12 knots for the second practice race that afternoon, everything felt a little more intense on board. The headstay load pin readout was up to 30 tonnes. There was more water coming over the deck, the stiff carbon sails snapped into place with a bang, when the runner was eased, the blocks sounded like a shotgun going off, shuddering a vibration through the aluminium deck.

We were making up to 10.2 knots upwind now. Francesco de Angelis, the ex-Luna Rossa skipper hired as owner’s coach, calmly steered sitting to windward, alongside the likes of Peter Isler navigating and the owner’s long-standing tactician and fleet manager Charlie Ogletree (an Olympic Tornado sailor).

We crossed the line within a second of the gun and Svea stepped out into her full graceful stride on another long leg.

As we rounded the top mark into the short reaching leg a late call is made for an ‘Indian’ – or gybe-set. It’s a test designed to time the crew response.

We gybed and the kite was hoisted in little more than a boatlength – I counted five seconds. There is a nod of approval from Tom Whidden, who comments: “That’ll allow you to go either way round the top mark – a pretty nice exit manoeuvre to have, especially if you’re in a train.”

I was astonished at the speed of the gybes. The boom is sheeted to two winches, both capable of spitting line out at 220m per minute. So even with the boom fully out when sailing downwind, it is centred in a couple of seconds.

The speed of the manoeuvres, especially after only three weeks’ training, was seriously impressive. I later learned that this was their best training day. Even so, it was remarkably quiet and well drilled.

Van Ineveld told me the crew was very pleased with how reliable all the systems have been, especially the hydraulics. He pointed out that Js have habitually suffered from hydraulic power failure, which is why they put the Power Take Off (PTO) on the main engine. “So far we’ve had no lack of hydraulic power and we’re only running at 70 per cent”.

The hydraulic pressure for Js is normally 220bar, but Svea has larger diameter pipes allowing more flow at 300bar. “Svea comes out of the box where others want to be,” says van Ineveld. “It’s where all the recent work to Lionheart and Hanuman has led – it’s the advantage of starting from scratch.”

Sailing Svea – the newest member of a revered class

During our final upwind leg, something happened that has changed my appreciation of sailing a J forever. Ogletree beckoned me to the wheel, mocking de Angelis by telling the elite helmsman: “You’re fired.”

My heart rate rocketed. I told myself to focus – I would only get a few taster seconds of the owner’s experience on the wheel. Sailing a J in race mode with race crew? More people have been to the moon.

But that ‘time’s up’ pat on the shoulder never came. The gargantuan wheel was entrusted to me for the rest of the upwind leg, the mark roundings, the spinnaker hoist and the downwind gybes all the way to the finish.

Focus, Toby! I asked de Angelis what sort of numbers we should be doing. “Just sail it to the telltales” was his refreshing answer – although in fact the genoa is professionally trimmed before I could even correct the wheel. The subsequent “9.8 knots target speed at 45º…” certainly helped.

Standing to leeward I was struck by the force of the wind slot between the sails and how hard it becomes to hear anything. As we tacked I bent for support to hand-over-hand the 8ft diameter carbon and teak wheel. Svea was back up to full speed. “You got the mark?” Ogletree asked. I nodded. “Over to you.”

Panic. Keep calm and don’t hit the buoy. I was aware of a flurry of activity on a foredeck far, far away. It helped make me appreciate just how focused the crew have to be on their role during a race. You have to be able to trust that everyone’s on it – I found it almost impossible to concentrate on anything other than pointing the boat from behind the wheel.

Turn the wheel and it’s still some moments (and distance) before the boat responds. It shows the value of anticipation.

We powered through a reach and bore away into a spinnaker set, at which point I went into a giddy trance, trying to mentally distill the moment while gybing Svea downwind. To drive the latest, most high-tech yacht in the most revered class in the world, with a full complement of rock stars and one of the world’s foremost sailors alongside coaching me through it… no, superlatives will never suffice.

“Well done everyone, that was a great day today,” said Ogletree in the debrief back on the dock, as my pulse began to settle. “The best we’ve sailed the boat and the best it’s gone.”

No room for delay

Svea’s deck is kept wonderfully clean. The original lines didn’t even have a deckhouse, something the class insisted upon, says Hoek, but Svea’s is kept low.

The furler and tensioner for the inner forestay are hidden under the deck. The anchor arm (removed for racing) rotates out of a locker and extends over the port bows. The chainplates with integrated turnbuckles are underdeck leaving just the ECsix rigging exposed.

It was eye-opening to see just how well Svea is finished below, particularly after visiting her in build at Vitters in December – at which time no cabin had yet been completed. Austrian company List pre-fabricated the interior entirely off site – a feat of 3D modelling and engineering.

The late Pieter Beeldsnijder (who worked on Athena, Hyperion, Hanuman, and Ethereal) designed an elegant interior that is timelessly finished by Michiel de Vos.

Raised and fielded panels are used together with both decorative and practical features such as curved handrails built into panels. These reflect the owner’s taste for millwork carpentry. His preference for an open grain to the Claro walnut helped produce a tactile finish.

The intricate design details and the complex build skills required are particularly impressive when you consider the time frame in which Svea was completed. Normally an interior is built in parallel with the hull, but in this case it was built and fitted during the 14-month Vitters yard period.

“There was no room for delays with the race programme for Bermuda,” said Tako van Ineveld.

A traditional skylight floods the saloon in natural light. A sliding hatch in the bulkhead between the saloon and the galley further forward helps open out this space and allows the owner to incorporate the compact galley into his living space. It’s a clever arrangement that also keeps the teak-finished crew area forward private.

The layout elsewhere is traditional for a J, with guest en-suite cabins (twin and double) each side of the companionway and the master stateroom aft. The saloon and cabins lacked a personal touch during our visit – the bulkheads were still bare – however 16 marquetry pieces inspired by classic Beken pictures were imminently due to be hung.

Beeldsnijder succeeded in pushing accommodation space to the maximum inside. This is evident in the aft cabin, where the longitudinal frames rise up towards the transom through the berth and sofas. The low wheelhouse squeezes the accommodation in the passageway aft, but this has been cleverly sculpted out at shoulder height.

The engine room, accessed from the passageway opposite the compact navstation or via the saloon sole, is particularly well laid out offering easy access to all the systems.

One to watch

The flurry of new Js and competitive regattas in the last decade has brought with it a chase to upgrade to the latest equipment. This is particularly the case with Hanuman and Lionheart. Svea, however, is today’s true answer to a race-ready J class.

“What an accomplishment it will be to make the start line at Bermuda, a year after going into Vitters,” said captain Paul Kelly. When I left, I was bowled over by this yacht, build and crew work and results so far have been very encouraging.

I am also now that bit closer to understanding the charms of the mercurial J from an owner’s point of view. To buy and helm a J Class yacht in a competitive race is the ultimate money-can-buy experience in sailing – and, arguably, in any sport.

The post Inside J Class yacht Svea – what it’s really like to race on board the newest member of the fleet appeared first on Yachting World.

Emirates Team New Zealand eclipse the deficit going into the finals and now lead Oracle Team USA after the first two races of the 35th America's Cup finals.
It’s 1-0 to NZ in the first to seven of what is set to be be a gripping, high-octane series.

An emphatic first two victories for Emirates Team New Zealand – plus claims they have plenty more in the tank – will give defenders Oracle Team USA plenty to think about after the opening matches of the America’s Cup finals.

The build-up has been immense. Four years since the last (34th) America’s Cup finals in San Francisco and we have a re-match – a proper grudge match – between the defenders Team Oracle USA and their Australian skipper and the challengers Emirates Team New Zealand.

The exotic setting of Bermuda and a buzzing America’s Cup village with high speed racing finishing metres away set a vibrant stage. To top off the build-up there was an exhibition race of the largest collection of J Class ever seen, just two hours before the start of the first race.

If Emirates Team New Zealand had any pre-match nerves it certainly didn’t show on the face of the seemingly unflappable 26 year-old skipper Peter Burling, who, together with his young but Olympic medal winning crew showed a steely determination to wrestle the America’s Cup back from the clutches of Oracle Team USA today.

There are two different ways to look at why the results went the way they did. Emirates Team New Zealand showed some electric pace both upwind and downwind, admitting they still made mistakes and still have more in the tank. But Oracle made two pivotal mistakes. Both skippers spoke to Toby post race.

RACE 1

The pre-match banter here in Bermuda focused on the two minute pre-start wrestling match and whether Oracle’s Team USA’s aggressive helmsman Jimmy Spithill would expose the one area of weakness Peter Burling showed in the challenger series. The AC commentary team described the sparring helmsmen as ‘the sheriff against the young gun-slinger’.

Spithill had laid the gauntlet down in the pre-match press conference. “We have an advantage because we’re the adopted home team. It’s pretty obvious who Bermuda wants to win – and a home field advantage can really play a part.”

In the event Oracle Team USA got the first start badly wrong. The light 7–8 knot easterly breeze at the start proved a puffy, shifty wind that could have played a bigger part in the match had Oracle Team USA not made such a poor start.

Was Jimmy Spithill a bit rusty after a two-week break since their last challenger series match?

Spithill admitted they got their timings wrong. Turning to go to the start line too early Oracle Team USA allowed Team New Zealand to become the aggressors, got their time and distance to the line wrong and were penalised for being early. “We gifted them the race,” said a typically bullish Spithill afterwards.

There was no hunting the kiwi boat down however, Emirates Team New Zealand simply extended their lead with each leg. Both boats were equipped with their light airs foils today. The fickle breeze dropped right down on the final leg, leaving Oracle struggling to foil and rounding gate five nearly two minutes behind.

But drama was reserved until the very last gate rounding when Emirates Team New Zealand made a rare error with their last gybe, dropped off their foils and stopped dead in the water. It was a heart stopping moment for the huge collection of kiwi fans in the grandstands, in a near déjà vu of an earlier Artemis match.

The challengers got back to speed in time to finish off a comfortable victory. They had undone the point Oracle Team USA gained for winning the Round Robin series – and honours were even.

35th America’s Cup 2017 – 35th America’s Cup Match Presented by Louis Vuitton – Race Day 1

“It was pretty pleasing to win by that much with so many errors around the race track,” said Peter Burling, post race.

0-0 scoreline going into second race

The breeze was up a little for the second race, over 10 knots at the start. It was clear Jimmy Spithill wanted to be aggressive but he couldn’t quite get that all important ‘hook’ that would allow them to control the New Zealand boat to windward.

Burling got the favoured higher end, creating a slightly better angle to the first mark and enough speed to edge ahead of the American boat and give them disturbed air.

On the first downwind leg Emirates Team New Zealand had up to five knots more pace than Oracle Team USA at times – although Jimmy Spithill later said the conditions were too puffy to read into any real boat speed differences today.

“We all thought in lighter airs they’d be good, but not this good,” said commentator Ken Read when the New Zealand boat then starting showing more speed and better VMG upwind too. “Kiwi fans around the world will be kinda licking their chops.”

Once again however, there was a surprise in store, with the Americans a seemingly unassailable 1 minute 35 seconds behind at the fourth gate. Burling had, until that final upwind leg, covered Oracle Team USA – and admitted afterwards he probably should have continued to do so.

Spithill and tactician Tom Slingsby picked an incredible shift on a starboard beat, which saw them reduce the deficit to mere metres at the final top gate rounding.

It looked for a moment like the defenders could go from zero to hero in one leg. But then followed Oracle’s second pivotal mistake of the day, a cruel gybe, where they dropped off the foils and parked, losing 300m on the kiwis instantly.

Did they lose hydraulic oil pressure? “I think we stalled the rudder going into the gybe,” Jimmy Spithill told us – “we’ll have to go back and look at the footage.”

Oracle Team USA had gone from a miraculous comeback to a large, 1 minute 30s loss, in what was a chastening afternoon for the defenders.

Peter Burling and Jimmy Spithill in the America’s Cup post match press conference

“This wind direction is notorious for being shifty,” said Spithill, “there were some big lumps out there.” Emirates Team New Zealand’s skipper Glenn Ashby agreed, saying he never stopped trimming the wing.

So was it Emirates Team New Zealand’s pace or the combination of mistakes and shifty conditions?

The one thing we can be sure of is that Jimmy Spithill and Oracle will be back out with more determination than ever for the double match tomorrow. “We were far from our best today and will come out swinging tomorrow,” said Spithill.

Game on.

The post America’s Cup finals: two wins for slippery Emirates Team New Zealand after costly errors by defenders appeared first on Yachting World.

The American defenders had no answers to the raw boatspeed of the challengers Emirates Team New Zealand today – whose back-to-back wins see them go 3-0 up in the America’s Cup first to seven points finals

For the many who want to know who has the quicker boat out of Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle Team USA in the America’s Cup finals, today produced an unequivocal answer.

For a fleeting moment in the second of two races – just as the two foiling cats crossed the start line – Oracle Team USA nosed ahead. But they spent the rest of both races looking at the rooster tails of whitewater flying off the appendages of Emirates Team New Zealand get further out of sight.

The big question going into today’s racing was whether Oracle Team USA would be able to get ahead and if so, would they be able to stay ahead? No.

Both teams sailed consistently well – gone were the errors of yesterday in today’s more stable flying conditions. That the kiwi challengers were quicker to accelerate and sailed faster upwind for a better angle will be particularly demoralising for the Oracle camp. If you can’t pass the opposition, you can’t win the race, simple.

Were this against any other team, the writing could be on the wall for Oracle Team USA after a weekend of four successive defeats. They were, however, famously in a similar position in the last America’s Cup in San Francisco. Are we going to see history repeat itself? (minus Ben Ainslie).

The expectation going into today was that Oracle Team USA would get the jump on the challengers at the start in the drag race to the first gate rounding, by using their higher speed (less drag for higher winds) foil package. That didn’t happen. The acceleration and then average high speed of the Emirates team was too hot to match.

The New Zealand team have accumulated a rather incredible record here in Bermuda – when they have lead at the first mark, they have yet to be passed in the whole America’s Cup thus far.

Continues below…

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America’s Cup finals: two wins for slippery Emirates Team New Zealand after costly errors by defenders

An emphatic first two victories for Emirates Team New Zealand – plus claims they have plenty more in the tank…

America’s Cup TV commentator Ken Read described today as “absolute dominance – no one saw this coming… It’s not crisis time, but it’s very concerning.”

“We’ve got five very, very important days – we need to get faster,” was Jimmy Spithill’s answer after losing his fourth match in a row. “We need to find more speed. It’s pretty obvious.”

So why are Emirates Team New Zealand this much quicker suddenly?

A great head-on shot by Ingrid Abery that shows the foil shape differences

Is it the angular foils? Is it the extra power of the kiwi ‘cyclors’? Is it the reduced windage of keeping the wing trimmer and helmsman sat in the boat (pictured below)? Is it Glenn Ashby’s revolutionary touch control system for the twist, camber and sheet controls of the wing that allows him to constantly trim and even pump the wing?

Emirates Team New Zealand crew, including wing trimmer and helmsman, are down low in the hulls

These are the sort of questions Oracle Team USA will be asking themselves this evening and this week ahead. The defenders have two things going for them now – five absolutely vital days off and the ability to learn and adapt every aspect they can from their rivals.

As Jimmy Spithill repeatedly said in the post race press conference, ‘everything is on the table’. And that includes learning from their rivals.  “The upside for us is that there’s quite a lot of technology out there now – a lot of camera angles, microphones, a lot of data get shared – from both sides really.

“There’s quite a few opportunities there and we’ve really got to take advantage of that. We’ve had our team watching the entire weekend, looking at all the data.”

We will have to wait until next Saturday now to find out if we will see more cyclists or different board designs aboard the defender’s boat. “No idea is out of the question, said Spithill, “You sometimes learn the most when you look over the fence at your competitors.”

And of course, they’ve been here before. In San Francisco, when Oracle Team USA were 8-1 down, the one-day layday was crucial. How pivotal will a five day break prove this time?

If the racing wasn’t tight today, it was certainly absorbing.

RACE 1

Out came Oracle Team USA with their high-speed foils, their plan presumably to win that first drag race to the first mark. The northerly breeze was more stable than yesterday’s easterly, coming in from the sea with less land disturbance – but at around 9-12 knots it was right in the foil transition zone for the defenders.

In the pre-start Spithill tried to push Peter Burling low to the layline, but the latter avoided a hook and both boats raced for the line neck and neck, both executing near perfect time on distance starts.

Oracle Team USA did look slightly quicker on the reach, touching 40 knots in the 10-knot breeze. Crucially however it wasn’t quite enough gas to get ahead of the kiwis.

A slight mistake – blink and you missed it – during USA’s downwind gybe was another key moment that allowed the kiwis to soak down on top of them, dish out their wing wash to the defenders and force them into another manoeuvre to split the gate.

The slight error perhaps became irrelevant when the kiwis showed their turn of speed upwind, where they averaged nearly two knots quicker than the Americans today. The result shows a 49 second victory to Emirates Team New Zealand – the reality was that they looked like they were in a different race.

ETNZ leads 2-0 and the ‘Fly Emirates’ logo on the kiwi’s wing seems more applicable than ever.

RACE 2

The second race saw drama in the pre-start when Emirates Team New Zealand parked dead in the water during their first gybe. Surely Spithill would go for the jugular? But he didn’t have the space to control the kiwi boat.

Telling is the lack of notes I made from then on in. For once the kiwis edged ahead on the initial drag race to the first mark, it just felt like it would be a one-way show unless the Emirates boat made a big mistake…. which they didn’t.

“You wouldn’t think a foiling cat would be able to point that much more than another,” said commentator Ken Read. The kiwis were sailing smart too, playing the shifts and covering when they needed to. “If the boat ahead plays the right shifts, even in the same speed boats – you won’t pass them,” said Read.

Peter Burling was clinical and Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the finish line over a minute ahead of the defenders. They proved quicker upwind and sailed at better angles, meaning they sailed over 500m less.

In the press conference we heard a lot of the same stuff. Both teams keep learning, keep improving, the curve is so steep etc. That we’re looking at near 100 per cent flight times in all races now testifies to the improvement in this Cup cycle.

Burling said multiple times that they must and will still keep improving. Spithill assured us they will look at everything, every aspect to improve.

Five days is a long time in this modern format. Is it long enough for the defenders?

The post Pure speed of Emirates Team New Zealand crushes defenders Oracle Team USA in America’s Cup appeared first on Yachting World.

The largest fleet of J Class yachts to ever assemble in their 87-year history raced for the first time today in Bermuda – and we were onboard Shamrock V.
However, Svea, the newest member of the fleet, had to limp back to dock after her forestay parted mid racing.

Seven J Class yachts raced against each other today off Bermuda’s azure waters, the largest collective fleet to race in their near nine-decade history.

It was a sight many had waited to see, and many thought may never happen. It was a pinnacle moment in the dramatic resurgence of the fleet over the last decade.

Bermuda, 19th June 2017, America’s Cup J Class Regatta. Hanuman JK6 – Chris Cameron

Three races were held off the north coast of Bermuda, in similar conditions to the America’s Cup yachts enjoyed over the weekend – 10-12 knots over typically clear Bermudan calm waters – but at a far more stately pace and in the utmost elegance.

It was a privilege to be racing aboard Shamrock V, the oldest existing J class. Shamrock is shorter and with considerably less sailplan for the same weight compared to the rest of the fleet – the result is that she is about 10 per cent slower and can only try and compete against the other Js on handicap rather than in real time.

But this did give us the perfect vantage point to see the other six Js hustle at the start, and round the top mark and set their kites as we were still beating upwind.

We spoke with Shamrock’s pro helmsman, Stuart Bannatyne, a veteran of seven Volvo Ocean Races on what it felt like to steer the eldest member of the class on this historic day.

Unfortunately the sight of all seven together only lasted for one and a half races. Whilst coming into the top gate during the second of three hour-long races, the top swivel of the furling headstay fitting on the newest J Class member, Svea, parted with a bang. The genoa dropped instantly and were it not for quick crew work, they could have dismasted.

The main was eased quickly and halyards cranked onto the foredeck. The positive news is that the rig stayed up, no one was hurt and Svea made it back to dock safely for her official Christening party this evening.

But this is a crushing blow for the Svea crew who has worked so hard over the last two years to get her ready for this summer’s big two J events. She already recorded her first race win last week and was looking particularly quick today, in second place when the incident occurred.

It is not yet known what damage to the rig might have happened or whether she will be able to race at the first J Class World Championships in August.

View from the weather rail of the eldest member of the fleet, Shamrock

Will such a large number ever race again? Hopefully. There will probably be six Js racing at the inaugural J Class Worlds in August (Shamrock is planning to return to the Med). And if Endeavour or Rainbow start racing again, we could see as many as nine one day.

Certainly this class seems to go from strength to strength thanks largely to the support of some long-term owners.

We have plenty more footage,and details from onboard Shamrock and of the J Class in Bermuda to bring you over the coming days.

Here are the results from today, with three different yachts winning the races.

The racing was cancelled on Friday due to low wind. There are two more races scheduled tomorrow, 20 June, which will conclude the J Class Regatta

The post A spectacular day as seven J Class yachts race for the first time ever appeared first on Yachting World.

The largest collection of J Class yachts yet – seven of the now nine strong J Class fleet – raced during the America’s Cup in Bermuda in June.

It is a sight many sailors have looked forward to as much or even more so than the America’s Cup itself – Seven J Class, the largest fleet to ever assemble in the 87 history of the class, raced in their own regatta either side of the first weekend of the America’s Cup finals.

The J Class also performed a stunning exhibition race on the America’s Cup course on the Great Sound on Saturday, shortly before the first America’s Cup match, for the thousands of fans in the America’s Cup village. (The shallow, reef-strewn depths of the Great Sound make it very tricky to set a proper course for the J Class, hence the actual races were held off the north coast of the island).

A combination of having some of the world’s best photographers here and the J Class racing on translucent turquoise blue seas means the resultant photographs (below) make for a visual treat.

Lionheart scored a first and second on the final day to win the J Class regatta, which concluded in a light breeze off the north coast of the island. It was reduced to a two day, five race event after Friday’s racing was canceled due to light wind.

The fleet was also without its newest member Svea for the final three races, after she suffered rig damage durig the second race (pictured below). But the crews at the prize giving were all delighted with how close the racing was in the light, flat water conditions – a fleet divided and decided literally by seconds.

Here is the best of the Js in Bermuda in pictures

Seven J Class hit the startline for the first time ever. The smaller Shamrock chose port hand starts to keep clear air – Studio Borlenghi

JK7 Velsheda and JS1 Svea add some colour to the otherwise black and white sail wardrobe – Studio Borlenghi

The long aft overhangs of JK6 Hanuman during Monday’s triple race day – Chris Cameron

The precarious pointed bow of a J Class highlights the skill of the bowman. Topaz on the greener, clearer waters of the Great Sound – Ricardo Pinto

The Js dance elegantly around the Great Sound off the America’s Cup village during the J Class exhibition – Ricardo Pinto

The exhibition saw staggered starts in a light breeze but a perferct opportunity to see the skills involved with getting the vast sails up and down around a simulated race course – Ricardo Pinto

Hanuman leads Ranger and Svea during the first day of the windward/leeward J Class Regatta. The final results came down to seconds. Chris Cameron

The view from the weather rail of Shamrock as the six other Js round the mark ahead, Velsheda leading. The smaller Shamrock can only try and compete with the others on handicap.

Preparing to hoist on the foredeck of Hanuman. She has been highly optimised and is the only J to use a snuffer to allow faster kite drops on mark roundings. Ricardo Pinto

The view from the America’s Cup village as the J Class perform their exhibition race. Sander van der Borch

Kristy Hinze Clark, Hanuman’s owner, enjoys helming the boat during the exhibition match – Studio Borlenghi

Onboard the newest J Svea, with her clean deck layout and extra large wheel, with Ranger and Hanuman chasing – Studio Borlenghi

Velsheda’s foredeck crew, led by Jeff Reynolds and Eduard van Lierde prepare to hoist the red white and blue spinnaker – Ingrid Abery

Weight forward on Lionheart on their way to winning both the Superyacht Regatta and J Class regatta in the light airs of Bermuda – Ingrid Abery

The seasoned competitors Ranger (left), Velsheda and Lionheart find their lane at the leeward end of the line – Studio Borlenghi

A seven strong fleet means it’s a gutsy affair at the pre-start and a good reason why the top pros are needed aboard to make the split-second calls  – Studio Borlenghi

Bermuda’s picture postcard conditions. The combination of enticingly clear, flat water, ideal temperatures, light breezes and welcoming locals makes for a spectacular venue – Ricardo Pinto

The newest J Class, a Hoek rework of a Tore Holm design, looked superb in her first regatta and was going well until she suffered rig failure (below) in her second race. Studio Borlenghi

There was a loud bang as Svea approached the top mark – the headstay swivel broke and the stay and genoa collapsed. The crew reacted quickly to release the mainsheet and runners and crank on halyards to the foredeck to keep the mast standing. It is hoped Svea will be fixed in time for the J Class Worlds in Newport in August. Studio Borlenghi

The race to the downwind gate and who can get the vast genoas up and kites down quickest – Ingrid Abery

The red socks of Ranger in support of Emirates Team New Zealand (famously worn by Sir Peter Blake) – Gilles Martin-Raget

Following a poor start and a tense finish to the last race, Lionheart wins the America’s Cup J Class Regatta. It marked triple success for the JH1 team in Bermuda, after also winning their class and the overall prize in the Superyacht Regatta. Some of her Falmouth based crew hoist the Cornish flag in celebration – Ingrid Abery

The post J Class picture highlights: spectacular images of 7 J Class sailing together at the 35th America’s Cup appeared first on Yachting World.

A brief test sail of the Pogo 36 was enough to convince us that this yacht is something special.

Pogo: a boat that brings fast fun to normal sailing. These are not racing yachts, but light and stiff (composite sandwich) cruising yachts that can plane away the miles.

Having announced the 36 painfully early – we had to wait two years to see it in the flesh – the hype grew and over 30 orders were taken before the first boat launched.

But it was worth the wait, although the design of the 36 may cause mixed reactions.

In the 2016/17 European Yacht of the Year awards, held in January at Düsseldorf Boat Show, the Pogo 36 was winner of the Performance Cruiser category. The other nominees: Dehler 34, Grand Soleil 58, J/112E, Ofcet 32.

The aggressive, angular coachroof, the liberal beam, hard chine, bluff bow and rocker line (longitudinal curve) look more suited to an open class racing yacht, while the super-high aspect square top mainsail makes the rig look as if it’s been borrowed from a catamaran.

Yet this Finot Conq design is a wonderful machine on the water – so easily driven; a powerful shape but with light enough feet to tiptoe through the calms.

Pogo performance is normally judged purely in terms of its offwind planing ability, but the 36 should banish any notion that a beamy design has to be sticky in the light. She performs handsomely upwind too.

I know because I was one of the unlucky ones to sail her in the light, sub ten-knot wind range. But she still clocked up to 7.5 knots reaching with the gennaker in the same wind speed and was only 0.5 knots less than true wind under genoa.

My fellow jury members reported that in 15 knots and above, the 36 remains in double figures when sailing offwind – confirmed by the Sentinel onboard tracker fitted to all the European Yacht of the Year vessels we tested this year.

Further reading
Pogo 36 review continues below…

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What is the interior of the Pogo 36 really like?

It’s not just the lightwind and upwind performance that took the jury by surprise. The 36 has a much more cruising friendly interior than past models, which is credit to the layout and the improved finish quality.

This is a very large 36-footer – the 10.50 she replaces would fit inside its hull says Pogo.

The coachroof height creates the headroom lost to a flat bilge and allows forward vision from down below. The large three-cabin layout (or two cabins and a technical room) plus a proper heads (at last!) give her more universal appeal than past Pogos.

The interior is light, spacious, simple and easy to maintain. Like all cruising Pogos she’s offered with a pivoting keel both for optimum performance and shoal draught versatility.

Pogo only sells direct to keep costs down and offers attractive rates for the Axxon carbon mast and the lifting keel option to encourage owners to go for the full performance benefits.

The test boat was €240k including tax and all options. With so many orders for the 36 already, the problem now will be the lead time.

Pogo 36 specifications

LOA: 10.86m (35ft 8in)
Beam: 4.0m (13ft 1in)
Displacement: 3,600kg (7,937lb)
Lift keel draught: 1.1m to 2.8m (3ft 7in to 9ft 2in)
Base price ex VAT: €133,000 (£116,679)
Contact: www.pogostructures.com

Toby’s conclusion

If you are a fan of the open race-boat looks of the 36, she is a boat that just keeps giving on the water. A Pogo guarantees fast cruising fun downwind, but the 36’s performance upwind and in light airs was a pleasant surprise. Pogo has worked on making its interiors more comfortable for cruising and the build quality throughout is commendable. A clear winner.

Bert Bosman, Waterkampioen, The Netherlands
This French sailing machine provides tons of potential, with civilised manners. Bring the family to enjoy easy mileage and a neat, practical interior.

Joakim Hermansson, Båtnytt, Sweden
Sailing a Pogo is always sailing with a big smile. Still you feel secure and protected in the cockpit, with a lot of smart solutions to make boat handling easier.

Roland Duller, YachtRevue, Austria
A boat with a masculine design and exciting performance in light and heavy winds, up and downwind.

Loïc Madeline, Voiles & Voiliers, France
A true Pogo: really fast and really different from all the production boats. A clever and very functional layout. Some will love it while others will not even think of sailing it.

Jochen Rieker, YACHT, Germany
Downwind or on a beam reach she can take a lot of pressure and transforms it efficiently into speed – but she was almost equally convincing upwind.

About European Yacht of the Year awards

The European Yacht of the Year is judged by journalists from 11 different magazines from 11 different European nations. Each jury member tested every yacht from the five different categories, over two separate weeks in two different locations.

Take a look at last year’s winners and the winners from the year before.

After the decisions were finalised, the five category winners were announced in January at a prizegiving held during the opening night of the Düsseldorf Boat Show.

The post Pogo 36 – the performance cruiser that lived up to the hype appeared first on Yachting World.

Slovenian boatbuilder Seascape has hit on an award-winning formula for affordable, fun family sportsboats – mini-performance cruisers.

Seascape is a Slovenian company that produces speedy sportsboats inspired by Open class racing yachts – mini performance cruisers that are capable of providing manageable fun in an affordable size range.

The company has had three nominations for European Yacht of the Year and two wins for its first three models – suggesting that it occupies an exciting and popular niche.

In the 2016/17 European Yacht of the Year awards, held in January at Düsseldorf Boat Show, the Seascape 24 was winner of the Special Yacht category. The other nominees: Bihan 650, Easy-To-Fly, Scow FR 18, Spirit 47CR.

The 24 embodies the best of Seascape’s previous 18ft and 27ft models: a versatile, lightweight, powerful yacht with a retractable swing keel that planes easily and sleeps four. It’s the modern ‘people’s boat’ says Seascape.

I can see this being a fun and fast weekender as well as a potent racing class designed around speed reaching.

The 24 is designed to be simple and manageable to broaden its appeal. Designer Sam Manuard has created a slippery hull shape that is easily driven at low heel angles.

Further reading
Seascape 24 review continues below…

Top 5 yachts named winners of the European Yacht of the Year 2016/2017

The European Yacht of the Year is judged by journalists from 11 different magazines from 11 different European nations. Each jury…

Beneteau Oceanis Yachts 62 offers luxurious design at a price rarely seen in this category

This is the first of an innovative new line from Beneteau, one that successfully takes influences from the motorboat sector,…

Pogo 36 – the performance cruiser that lived up to the hype

Pogo: a boat that brings fast fun to normal sailing. These are not racing yachts, but light and stiff (composite…

On the water I found her superbly balanced, her twin rudders providing fingertip control. The well thought-out control lines make sailing and trimming the boat fun.

It is certainly powerful with a sailplan large enough to significantly raise the pulse of most sailors – a little too aggressive for starters and young families perhaps.

Unfortunately the breeze was very light for my La Rochelle trials – the 24 still slipped along upwind at 5 knots upwind, increasing to 7 knots with the large kite (a gennaker up to 67sq m can be flown).

My European Yacht of the Year jury colleagues report that in 12 knots of wind she planes easily, sailing offwind at 11 knots in flat water (see comments below).

The pronounced coachroof creates seated headroom space for the interior. The use of sliding panels creates four usable berths and there’s space for a chemical heads.

Seascape 24 specifications

LOA: 7.30m (23ft 11in)
Beam: 2.50m (8ft 2in)
Displacement: 890kg (1,962lb)
Draught: 0.3m to 1.9m (12in to 6ft 3in)
Price ex VAT: €43,600 (£38,250)
Contact: www.thinkseascape.com

Toby’s Conclusion

In the 24 Seascape has created proper compact and versatile fast cruiser. The 24 inherits the sporty trailable fun of the 18 with the speed and space of the 27 – which makes for a spicy weekender and a pocket family sports cruiser that is good value for money.

Bert Bosman, Waterkampioen, The Netherlands
It’s hard not to smile while sailing this boat.

Joakim Hermansson, Båtnytt, Sweden
Trailable and affordable with exciting performance, the Seascape 24 opens up new waters for a growing group of sailors.

Roland Duller, YachtRevue, Austria
The perfect compromise between a regatta and a cruising boat. A very special design with a lot of space inside. Fascinating sailing performance and without competition in this size.

Pancho Pi-Suñer Oses, Nautica y Yates, Spain
Offers almost the feeling of a light sailing dinghy but at the same time, the possibility to spend a few nights at anchor. She is also well thought-out for one-design regattas.

Axel Nissen-Lie, Seilas, Norway
It is not just top speed but acceleration that gives you the excitement. The Seascape 24 is large enough to provide safety but small enough for easy handling. Finally everyone can experience modern sailing for a reasonably price.

Jochen Rieker, YACHT, Germany
When it comes to compact fast cruisers, Seascape does stand-out. And the new Seascape 24 just nails it.

About European Yacht of the Year awards

The post Seascape 24 – a pocket family sports cruiser that fits in an exciting and popular sailing niche appeared first on Yachting World.

RM has continuously improved its boats and the new 970 is a spacious and highly versatile yacht.

When I visited the RM yard in La Rochelle in 2012, I was really impressed by the quality of the company’s plywood epoxy construction process. Not only is plywood more sustainable than composite or metal, it is also a stiff, light and naturally insulating material.

RM’s yachts were still a little quirky, however, and needed to dazzle a little more on the water. Since then RM has moved into a larger yard and put an energetic young team in place, which has given the new line added spark.

RM won the European Yacht of the Year family cruiser category in 2013, was nominated in 2015 with its 890 and won again this year. Other nominees in the 2016/17 European Yacht of the Year awards: Django 12.70, Ikone 7.50, Jeanneau 51, Sunbeam 22.1.

This 970 perfectly demonstrates why designer Marc Lombard is so crafty in this size range. Modern lines, including reverse sheerline and voluminous forward sections, help create a spacious and highly versatile yacht that’s fun to sail.

Wheel or tiller steering can be specified; fixed or twin keels are offered too. RM has collaborated with specialists INO Rope on the deck layout: the purchase systems make light work of sail handling; the 3D genoa on an inhauler/barber system is a particularly neat set-up.

The 970 is great fun on the helm, really sporty, especially with the kite hoisted. There is direct communication to the twin rudders, which have real traction, allowing you to boss her around sharply.

Those accustomed to single rudders may still miss the feedback however, as the helm is neutral. We sailed in 15 to 18 knots with full sail, averaging 8.5 to 9 knots under gennaker.

At just over 9 knots she starts to plane, which is a blast and about the right balance of sportiness and control that you want out of a family cruiser. Upwind figures hovered around 7 knots but at a relatively low angle, even under staysail.

Further reading
RM970 review continues below…

Top 5 yachts named winners of the European Yacht of the Year 2016/2017

The European Yacht of the Year is judged by journalists from 11 different magazines from 11 different European nations. Each jury…

Beneteau Oceanis Yachts 62 offers luxurious design at a price rarely seen in this category

This is the first of an innovative new line from Beneteau, one that successfully takes influences from the motorboat sector,…

Seascape 24 – a pocket family sports cruiser that fits in an exciting and popular sailing niche

Seascape is a Slovenian company that produces speedy sportsboats inspired by Open class racing yachts – mini performance cruisers that…

RM sites the primary winches inboard, which is a superbly practical solution and the cutter rig option works well for cruising. I enjoyed steering from the aft quarters, but at this size, when a boat is fitted with wheels rather than tillers, the helmsman is squashed against the backstay.

Down below is the sort of  simple, bright and colourful modern interior that RM is known for. The saloon receives the majority of the space and light, thanks also to the open vee berth forward, and it adjoins a galley and a proper little navstation.

The two-cabin layout has a large heads aft that includes some wet hanging space and access to a utility/storage area.

Specifications: RM970

LOA: 9.65m (31ft 8in)
LWL: 8.95m (29ft 4in)
Beam: 3.70m (12ft 2in)
Draught (twin keels): 1.65m (5ft 5in)
Draught (single keel): 2.10m (6ft 11in)
Displacement (twin): 4,100kg (9,039lb)
Displacement (single): 3,900kg (8,598lb)
Price ex VAT: €120,417 (£106,500)
Contact: www.rm-yachts.com

Toby’s conclusion

This is the most impressive RM yet and shows the plywood specialists setting the bar for midsize cruisers. The 970 packs it all in – exciting performance in a fun, voluminous, versatile and refreshingly modern family-friendly cruiser. However, like past RMs it is comparatively expensive. I like the deck design, notably the running rigging and winch layout, and she’s a joy to drive – sporty yet authoritative, the ideal balance for a fast family cruiser.

Photo: Bertel Kolthof

Photo: Bertel Kolthof

Bert Bosman, Waterkampioen, The Netherlands
The prettiest and best sailing RM to date. The contemporary and eye-catching interior is as fresh and as bright as a greenhouse

Pancho Pi-Suñer Oses, Nautica y Yates, Spain
The RM 970 achieves an incredible feeling of space inside, plus fast sailing and very comfortable in cruising mode.

Axel Nissen-Lie, Seilas, Norway
Sailors on the French west coast demand high standards of build quality and function. This is a boat you can push hard. Both the exterior and interior design excels and sets a trend.

Jochen Rieker, YACHT, Germany
She has one of the best cockpit layouts, a very fresh interior and – above all – she sailed convincingly well, making her a very good all-rounder.

Lori Schüpbach, Marina.ch, Switzerland
A roomy and comfortably equipped family cruiser that is impressive under sail with a surprising potential for speed and a high level of stability.

The post RM970 on test – award-winning plywood family cruiser from Marc Lombard appeared first on Yachting World.

Based on the hulls of the Outremer 45, the extended 4X comes with a carbon rig and high expectations.

It’s a mix of everything you need for cruising and what you want to feel for performance,” Loïck Peyron said of the 4X during our initial trials. Outremer employs the multihull record-setter as a consultant to advise on the ergonomics of the boat and the line handling set-up.

In the 2016/17 European Yacht of the Year awards, held in January at Düsseldorf Boat Show, the Outremer 4X was winner of the Multihull category. The other nominees: Lagoon 42, FP Lucia 40, Nautitech 46 Open, Tricat 30.

Like Outremers past, the 4X is first a distance cruiser – one that’s designed to be lived aboard – but the X part denotes how she’s been optimised for performance. She has the same hulls as the 45 but with 3ft extensions aft, an optimised appendages and deck layout, a carbon rotating mast and carbon reinforcement.

You can perhaps understand the frustration of being aboard a cat like this with arguably the world’s foremost helmsman and only being dealt 3 to 5 knots of breeze, yet Peyron was quick to prove how this 48-footer can keep moving at the same speed as the wind. The Outremer never seemed to stop, even when all other yachts were parked.

During a second trial later that week (without Peyron) we clocked a steady 11-13 knots in 12-15 knots wind. It was addictively enjoyable fast cruising.

I was also surprised how light and balanced she felt sailing upwind. We made 9 knots at 70°T and it was light on both the helms – the wheel steering station on the coachroof and the tiller out on the bucket seat at the stern.

Further reading
Outremer 4X review continues below…

Top 5 yachts named winners of the European Yacht of the Year 2016/2017

The European Yacht of the Year is judged by journalists from 11 different magazines from 11 different European nations. Each jury…

Pogo 36 – the performance cruiser that lived up to the hype

Pogo: a boat that brings fast fun to normal sailing. These are not racing yachts, but light and stiff (composite…

RM970 on test – award-winning plywood family cruiser from Marc Lombard

When I visited the RM yard in La Rochelle in 2012, I was really impressed by the quality of the…

The key to designing a distance cruising yacht is getting the right balance between speed, controllability and safety. It’s not all about performance but a smooth ride; you can reef down and be underpowered, yet still slipping along.

The 4X will cruise at 6.5 knots under one of her 30hp engines, limiting noise to one side of the boat and reducing fuel consumption.

Positioned next to the single wheel is a bank of winches and clutches to control the sheets, halyards and mast rotation. This can appear daunting and takes some familiarisation – but they are placed exactly where needed.

The square top part to the powerhouse mainsail is particularly generous and there is a big J area for furling foresails.

The downside is that, to sail fast, she needs to be kept lightweight, so the interior and fit-out is basic to the point of minimalist. The narrow hulls and waterline beam of the Outremer  offers much less space than a charter cat.

She is also a high boat to look at and to board, as the freeboard height is needed for headroom and bridgedeck clearance.

The other main downside is Outremer’s lead time and high price, although these cats do typically command a high resale value. All structural parts are laminated and the 4X has vacuum infused carbon composite reinforced bulkheads.

“The goal is that the boat will last at least 50 years,” says sales and marketing manager Matthieu Rougevin-Baville. “Or eight to ten times around the world without structural issues. It’s a very different business model.”

Specifications: Outremer 4X

LWL: 14.62m (48ft)
Beam: 7.10m (23ft 4in)
Draught: 1.0m-2.0m (3ft 4in-6ft 7in)
Displacement: 8,200kg (18,078lb)
Price ex VAT: €689,000 (£609,700)
Contact: www.catamaran-outremer.com

Toby’s Conclusion

The Outremer 4X is not about outright speed, more a smooth, fast enjoyable ride. She is built to last, enjoyable to helm and the ideal size to go long-distance cruising at pace.

Photo Bertel Kolthof

Photo Bertel Kolthof

Photo Bertel Kolthof

Roland Duller, YachtRevue, Austria
For sure the best of the new age cruising catamarans in this size. She showed good speed and fun under sail with lots of very well thought-out solutions.

Pancho Pi-Suñer Oses, Nautica y Yates, Spain
It brings together all the facilities that one might expect in a multihull, coupled with very high performance. You really get what you pay for.

Loïc Madeline, Voiles & Voiliers, France
A luxury yacht, fast and distinctive. What makes it the winner is the choice of the builder. A really pleasant sailing boat to helm.

Axel Nissen-Lie, Seilas, Norway
Outremer has what it takes to convince a monohull sailor to go multihull cruising. It’s a fine balance between space and comfort on the one hand, and sailing abilities on the other.

Jochen Rieker, YACHT, Germany
She offered the best combination of space, comfort and, not least, performance. For crossing the Atlantic and spending the winter in the Caribbean, there could hardly be a better choice.

About European Yacht of the Year awards

The post Outremer 4X on test – a high-performance liveaboard cruiser that is built to last appeared first on Yachting World.

The new cruiser that is so conventional it’s almost radical. Toby Hodges reports

The Swan 54 is designed as a pure bluewater cruiser that is ideally suited for a couple. It uses the hull mould of the Swan 53 (a 2005 Frers design), but the rest of the boat is completely reconfigured to give a more contemporary look and feel. But is Nautor’s decision to re-use an old design a step backwards, or is it just sensible to recycle proven lines?

A four-cabin layout is available, but the three-cabin layout is standard. Yet as this boat is very much aimed at couples, there is also a two-cabin model, which includes a large office.

Owners can also specify a chart table that splits the saloon sofa, as well as a third heads and a crew cabin.

Our verdict

When we first saw images of this 54, it was a little underwhelming, looking slightly dated by today’s standards.

However, it is clear from the enduring popularity of the Metre and J Class yachts that many sailors still yearn for more classic lines. Perhaps Nautor’s Swan is going for retro appeal with its renewal of an old model, or perhaps this is simply a sweet hull that had no need of a redesign. The reasoning matters not.

The Swan 54 is a dependable boat for couples looking to live aboard or cruise long distance – and particularly those looking for an aft cockpit model to suit stern-to berthing and warm climates.

With its quality build and finish its value is sure to hold up well.

In a year that saw Swan launch an array of very modern yachts: three 115s, a 95, a radical new one-design, plus announce a 78-footer, news of a return to the type of serious bluewater cruising yacht that made this yard’s name is particularly welcome.

Specifications: Swan 54

LOA: 16.48m (54ft 1in)
LWL: 14.40m (47ft 3in)
Beam (Max): 4.75m (15ft 7in)
Draught: 2.44m (8ft 0in)
Disp (lightship): 22,000kg (48,501lb)
Ballast: 8,200kg (18,078lb)
Sail Area (100% foretriangle): 142.8m2 (1,537ft2)
Berths: 5-6
Engine: 110hp Yanmar shaftdrive
Water: 730lt (161gal)
Fuel: 600lt (132gal)
Sail area: displacement ratio: 18.5
Displacement: LWL ratio: 205
Price (ex VAT): €1.1m
Design: German Frers

Pictures and video shot by Richard Langdon, Ocean Images. The full eight-page test is in the  Yachting World August 2017 issue.

The post Swan 54 new yacht test video – a return to Nautor’s bluewater roots appeared first on Yachting World.

A record fleet of seven J Class yachts in Bermuda represented the purer form of the sport for many America’s Cup fans. Toby Hodges reports.

Inviting the J Class fleet to sail in Bermuda during the America’s Cup finals was one of the smartest decisions made by Russell Coutts and the organisers of the event. The largest J fleet to ever assemble in the 88-year history of the class put on a true yachting spectacle – sailing at its finest.

The America’s Cup catamarans divide opinion sharply among long-term sailing fans. For all those who love the high speed, high adrenaline format, it appears to repel at least an equal number. Hosting the J Class in Bermuda proved the ultimate foil to the foilers. It was an exhibition of timeless design and sail handling skill that the modern Cup lacked.

When five Js raced for the first time in 2012, it signalled the true renaissance of this incomparable class. But the sight of seven Js on a startline, racing over the calm, turquoise waters of Bermuda was sensational. It was the picture-perfect showcase for these graceful 1930s designs and a demonstration of the precise choreography of the large teams of skilled hands needed to get them safely and speedily around a race course.

All nine existing Js are in prime condition, upgraded and optimised to the nth degree (although both Rainbow and Endeavour are for sale and were not competing). The seven-strong racing fleet carries carbon sails, for example, as used by grand prix race yachts. The sight of these black sails on classic yachts made for a strange sight as they cast dark shadows over the clear water.

Lionheart, a 2010-built Hoek design that is taken from one of the lines plans made for the Ranger syndicate in 1936, proved the star performer. She won both the Superyacht Regatta, which comprised six Js and 14 superyachts, and the seven-strong J Class Regatta.

But the latter was only decided in the final stages of the final race (more on that later). As with most J Class racing in recent years, places were often separated by mere seconds on the water.

JK3 Shamrock V, the oldest J and the first built for the America’s Cup in 1929, changed hands last year and underwent a refit to get her race-ready for this season. Her teak planked construction means she can’t take the high rig loads of the other steel and aluminium Js. She is shorter and around ten per cent slower so can only compete on handicap.

JS1 Svea, the newest and longest J, is the polar opposite. Her blend of J Class lines and maxi class technology makes her one of the most exceptional new yachts of modern times. Impressively, she got a 3rd place on her first ever race, and a 1st on the second – a phenomenal achievement for a virtually brand new yacht.

Ultimate exhibition of sail

The Js held their own regatta either side of the first weekend of the America’s Cup finals and an armada of local and visiting boats followed the fleet out to the racecourse.

Those ashore were given the chance to see the fleet in action too. The shallow waters of the Great Sound are too restrictive to set proper courses for the J Class, hence the races were held off the north coast of the island. On the day of the first America’s Cup match, however, the Js performed an exhibition race that saw them set off at 30-second intervals on the Cup course on the Great Sound.

The footage and live commentary was beamed to the big screens and watched by thousands of fans assembled in the America’s Cup village. It created a carnival atmosphere and a tangible link to the history of sport’s oldest trophy.

The J Class were originally designed and raced for the America’s Cup during the 1930s. Sir Thomas Lipton commissioned the first J Class yacht, Shamrock V, for his fifth challenge for the Auld Mug. The Js signalled the change from the big boat class, to one where the size and displacement of the yachts were controlled for more even racing. Fittingly, it was the adoption of the Bermudan rig that enabled Js to carry their vast sail plans.

Just three of the ten J Class yachts originally built survive today – the rest are replicas or new builds of original designs. It still requires around 30 race crew to get these 180-tonne yachts around the marks, just as it did during the 1930s.

“You only have to look at the start sequence, with everyone within a second of the gun, it’s very close,” said Shamrock’s skipper Simon Lacey. “It’s vital to have the skill set to sail these boats safely at this level.”

Photo J Class/Carlo Borlenghi

Lionheart leading the fleet.

Velsheda

The green hull of Shamrock V. The the oldest J in the fleet is in great condition but her smaller size and sailplan mean she can only compete on handicap. Photo J Class/Carlo Borlenghi.

Cup sailors on ex-Cup yachts

The huge pool of decorated sailing talent aboard the J Class yachts in Bermuda made for a stark contrast to the modern America’s Cup format, where sailing roles are limited. The Js need the pros and the pros increasingly need the Js.

The pit and forward ends feature serious muscle power, ex-grinders with nicknames like ‘Meat’, ‘Animal’ and ‘the Tractor’. A glance at the afterguards shows that this class holds the cream of collective experience and provides longevity to the careers of some of the sport’s greatest sailors.

The crew of Ranger, for example, under long-term helmsman Erle Williams, included four times America’s Cup winner Brad Butterworth calling tactics. Tony Rae, manning the mainsheet, is a seven-time Cup veteran who sailed in every Team New Zealand line-up from 1987 until 2013.

“For me there is no sailing role now for a 55-year-old,” Rae explained. “It has all changed and that is one of the reasons we have so many ex-America’s Cup sailors on these J Class yachts. “

Hanuman is helmed by ex-Puma skipper Ken Read, who is supported by his Volvo Ocean Race navigator Stan Honey and eight-time America’s Cup sailor Warwick Fleury trimming.

Svea’s strategist is North Sails CEO Tom Whidden, a three-time Cup winner, sailing with navigator Peter Isler, his fellow crewmember from Stars & Stripes. Andrew Taylor is the crew boss, a powerhouse who has won the America’s Cup three times – twice for Team New Zealand and in 2010 with Oracle Team USA.

The pros are used in pivotal positions on Js and the other crew and permanent hands absorb their knowledge and experience. Lionheart’s Bouwe Bekking, a seven-time Volvo Ocean Race veteran, stressed that although the pros are vital, every hand is really important. “One of the strong points of Lionheart is that we have been sailing together for four years.”

Velsheda’s crew has sailed together for a decade and includes top Kiwi pros such as Tom Dodson as tactician, Campbell Field navigating and Carsten Schon trimming. Mainsheet trimmer Don Cowie made the point that it is actually difficult to find younger crew these days who are used to racing on yachts with such phenomenal loads.

Stu Bannatyne, Shamrock’s helmsman and a three-time winner of the Volvo Ocean Race, doesn’t think that there is a danger of these skilled roles dying out however. “Who knows what will happen with the next round of the AC? It may revert to boats that do require a little bit of sail handling – I think that would be nice.”

Shamrock’s crew included Olympic and Volvo sailor Chris Nicholson on tactics and four crew from three current Cup teams.

Olympic Tornado sailor Pim Nieuwenhuis mans the huge Harken primary aboard Svea. Charlie Ogletree and Francesco de Angelis flank her owner-driver. Photo J Class/Studio Borlenghi/Butto’.

Hanuman’s long-term helmsman is ex-Puma skipper and America’s Cup television commentator Ken Read. Photo ACEA 2017/Studio Borlenghi.

Hanuman’s owner, Australian model Kristy Hinze-Clark, takes the helm. Photo J Class/Carlo Borlenghi.

Olympic Finn sailor Peter Holmberg at the helm of Topaz, with double Olympic medal winner Ross MacDonald on tactics. Photo Studio Borlenghi.

Seven J Class yachts race

On the first day that all seven Js actually raced, Shamrock’s skipper Simon Lacey, the only person to have skippered all three original Js, invited me to join Shamrock’s crew.

At the start, we were the only boat to cross the line on port tack – a tactical decision to take the transoms of the fleet and keep out of their dirty air. Shamrock is smaller than the other Js and restricted by her older systems and rig, so has to sail her own race. “We have 30 per cent less stability and 200sq m less sail area for the same weight as Hanuman,” says Jeroen de Vos of Dykstra Naval Architects, who was trimming.

De Vos has worked on the design and optimisation of six of the Js over the last 20 years, including Hanuman, Ranger and Shamrock last year. Hanuman and Lionheart in particular underwent extensive work that specifically targeted the light winds of Bermuda.

De Vos said that ten tonnes was stripped out of Hanuman and that the forestay was moved forward – a rigging change that was also made to Ranger. Hanuman also has a furling forestay and is the only J to use a snuffer on the kite to allow for late drops and quicker mark roundings.

Shamrock’s size difference is certainly noticeable on deck and below. While she was clearly slower and less agile around the track – the upside of which, for me at least, was a prime view of the mark roundings of six other Js ahead – Shamrock was still expertly handled during the windward-leeward races that day.

During the first beat our crew boss Andy McLean, a Kiwi sailor who worked on the control systems for Land Rover BAR, admitted that he hadn’t sailed with a spinnaker pole since the 2007 Cup.

As we approached the top mark, however, the bear-away set he oversaw was a lesson in clockwork efficiency. Eight crew manhandled the spinnaker pole into place, while two more set the jockey pole. As we powered around the offset buoy, the sheets were eased, before the spinnaker rocketed aloft and burst open. Crew then scurried to the foredeck to grapple down the genoa, the kite was trimmed and calm restored.

Unfortunately the sight of all seven Js racing together only lasted for one and a half races. While coming into the top mark during the second race, the top fitting of Svea’s headstay furler parted with a frightening bang. The genoa dropped instantly to the water and, were it not for quick crew work, they could have dismasted.

The runners and sheet were immediately eased and halyards cranked onto the foredeck. No one was hurt and Svea made it back to dock safely for her official christening party that evening. But it was a crushing blow for Svea’s crew, who had worked so hard over the last two years to get her ready for this summer’s J events.

Svea is a remarkably stiff yacht with carbon sails and rigging that directly transmit the wind’s force through the boat. An astonishing 35 tonnes of load can be cranked onto the forestay. That this failure happened in 11 knots of wind and flat water, at less than half the safe working load of the fitting (55 tonnes), is highly concerning. Captain Paul Kelly says the rig will be inspected in Newport and that they hope to be back racing in time for the inaugural J Class Worlds in August.

The Js may sail at a pedestrian pace compared to the America’s Cup foiling catamarans, but as this fleet increases in size, so too does the potential for drama and position changes. One bad layline call, one poor gybe, or a mistimed entry to the windward mark – even by a few seconds – and the race positions get shaken up.

This was proven during the final races, when Hanuman and Ranger went into the last day sharing the lead but finished 3rd and 4th. Lionheart had a poor final start and was in last place going up the first beat – it looked like Hanuman’s regatta was sealed.

But when a penalty was issued to Hanuman for a rule infringement on a port approach to the last windward mark and Lionheart then managed to pass Topaz on the downwind leg, Lionheart snatched the regatta win in the final moments.

The crew were ecstatic. On receiving the trophy, Lionheart’s owner said the crew had been gearing up for this event for over two years. That both Lionheart and 2nd-placed Velsheda have owner-drivers is also good for the future appeal of the class.

The crew of Lionheart celebrate their victory.

All spare hands grapple with the 950m2 spinnaker aboard Svea, the latest addition to the J Class fleet. Photo J Class/Studio Borlenghi/Butto’.

The future of the J Class and the Cup

Might such an event happen again or was it a once in a lifetime? And will the Js continue this formal link to the America’s Cup?

The Js are all private yachts used for racing and cruising, so such a decision lies squarely with each owner. But would the owners be keen on going to New Zealand for the next Cup for example?

“Yes, I would say so,” says J Class Association secretary Louise Morton. “Certainly the invitation was there.”

It is very unusual (and expensive) for the class to do standalone events – yet recently they have competed in Falmouth, Bermuda and their first worlds will be in Newport in August. Next year the class plans to attend the St Barths Bucket and three key Med superyacht regattas.

The success of this Bermuda event also begs the question of whether we will ever see more than seven Js race? If Endeavour and Rainbow change hands it is certainly possible. And there are still a number of original lines plans that could be commissioned as new builds.

“It’s in the hands of the owners to maintain the longevity of the class,” says Dykstra designer Jeroen de Vos. “Now the class is growing it will only appeal more to potential owners.”

Whatever becomes of the America’s Cup racing class in the next edition of the Cup, it would be a prudent decision for the new defenders to get an early invitation in to the J Class fleet to join in. That’s how to guarantee a spectacle.

The post The purist’s America’s Cup – the story of the seven-strong J Class Regatta in Bermuda appeared first on Yachting World.

We surveyed nearly all 290 yachts in the 2016 ARC transatlantic to find out what broke and how it was fixed; what worked and what didn't.

You cannot presume to be able to sail across an ocean without experiencing some problems or breakages with your equipment. We issued the 290 yachts sailing in the 2016 ARC and ARC+, transatlantic rallies with a survey to detail their breakages and solutions.

The first thing you notice from the results is that there were few empty columns for yachts without problems. In total, 167 yachts, or nearly 60 per cent of the fleet, had a breakage.

Problems are of course to be expected, but breakages can spoil voyages. One of the best ways to avoid them is to learn from others’ mistakes.

We collected all the data and questioned the skippers that had relevant issues to understand how they fixed them and the lessons they learnt.

• The most common casualties were ripped sails and breakages caused by chafe – which, going on past feedback, is nothing new. But prudent seamanship, plus routine checks and maintenance will limit these.
• A worrying number of yachts had problems and breakages with their vangs and gooseneck fittings – something we see time after time, so we have dedicated a large section of the results report to this.
• There were also a number of steering problems, which we followed up on with the relevant skippers.
• Ten toilet blockages or breakages reported
• Eight watermaker malfunctions.
• Ninety-three yachts suffered sail damage, 62 of which were ripped or damaged flying sails (spinnakers, gennakers or parasailors). The majority of damage was caused from the yacht being overpowered, or when hoisting, furling or dousing. Some skippers admitted that they were using old sails or that it happened during poor gybes.
• Thirteen yachts had batten problems or breakages (mainly from flogging in light winds), which were replaced, removed or repaired. The simple message coming from the majority of these cases is to carry spares!
• There were 68 reported rig problems or breakages – mostly broken halyards – with chafe being listed as the primary cause for over half.
• There were multiple failures to preventers, blocks, and furling lines, again largely through chafe or overloading.

See the previous Yachting World ARC Surveys

95% of participating boats completed the survey. Click to enlarge.

Generator and battery problems on ARC 2016

Twenty-one yachts had problems with their generators. These mainly involved cooling issues, including coolant water, impellers, and salt or fresh water pumps.

A few changed impellers and filters to resolve the issues, but the majority had to switch to the main engine for power. The trend here showed a lack of routine maintenance.

Out of the 15 reported battery issues, the majority were charging problems put down to old batteries, which required more regular engine use to charge.

The starter battery exploded aboard the Ovni 365, Zigzag de Villeneuve, which skipper Mike Midgley put down to overcharging on a corroded terminal. They replaced the battery in Mindelo, which caused a delayed restart.

The crew aboard the Sweden 50 Scarabaus was unable to charge the batteries until they fashioned a new fan belt. The result was the loss of all fresh food.

Charles Chambers said that they were unable to charge the batteries aboard their Grand Soleil 50 Mk2 Betelgeuse. “We had to run the main engine continuously to maintain the boat’s systems, the battery charger overheated due to high demand when run off the generator and stopped working.” This resulted in a diversion to Cape Verde. “The boat does not have any wind, water or solar generation, which might have helped.”

Wind, water and solar power: how alternative energy has been transformed

Damage to booms, preventers, goosenecks and vangs on Atlantic crossing

The broken gooseneck bolt aboard the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 43 La Capitana

Another serious issue we’ve seen many times on ARCs concerns poorly led or set-up preventers. This happened aboard a Maxi 1300, resulting in a broken boom. No more details were given, but this generally occurs when the preventer is led to the boom’s midsection rather than the end of the boom.

The Moody 425 Pierina, meanwhile, broke three preventers during crash gybes.

When the rivets of the gooseneck worked loose on the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42i, Serenity, Roy Matheson used webbing straps for a temporary fix. He put the problem down to general wear and tear to his seven-year-old yacht, even if “it happened a lot earlier than it possibly should have.”

Matheson points to being caught in a storm for two days of slamming into waves on the way to Gran Canaria. And that, “during the first week of the ARC, there was a lot of light wind and the boom was swinging around a lot, causing stress on the gooseneck.”

Matheson now carries a large pop rivet gun with the correct rivet sizes to repair everything on board. He also now rigs a boom preventer in lights winds from any direction.

“I now have a more permanent setup to secure the boom at all times when at anchor or in a marina. In the past I would only secure the boom in severe, rolly conditions. This should help a lot to reduce long term stresses on the gooseneck and other parts.”

Tested: boom brakes and preventers, including Walder boom brake and Wichard Gyb’Easy

The gooseneck bolt broke aboard Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 43, La Capitana during the ARC+ disconnecting the boom. “I just noticed the boom hanging lose under the main sail,” Jan Lindroos reported. “Nothing alarming or special happened during that moment or just before. The grinding and wear and tear had somehow loosened the nut on the bolt and then the bolt dropped off its position.

“We lifted the boom back into its slot using the spinnaker halyard and tied the boom in position by means of rope as there was no suitable bolt or pin material (The original bolt was bent).”

Lindroos explained that the picture now shows the boom with a bolt in it, but that the whole boom end still needs to be changed and the mast connection looked into before their next crossing. He says the biggest take-home lesson is “to inspect critical points more often.”

Both the gooseneck and vang mast fittings broke aboard the 72ft Southern Wind Far II Kind. Heavy-duty ratchet straps were used as a temporary repair and the bolts needed to be retightened regularly. Skipper Will Glenn explained that the boom and vang had been removed prior to the ARC during rig survey work.

Heavy-duty ratchet straps (a wise spare to carry) secure the vang on Far II Kind.

“The holes for bolts needed to be re-tapped or Helicoiled before putting the boom back on, but it turns out this was never done; therefore the bolts weren’t tight enough and pulled some threads out.”

Glenn said in hindsight they should have checked that the riggers did what was asked of them properly – and that they should have trialled the boat in stronger winds than the 7-8 knots they had post rig survey.

L.I.A. of Sweden, one of four new More 55s on the crossing, damaged their mast track and pole during an accidental gybe, which also damaged the vang. A rope vang was made up as a repair. Fredrik Olsson reports that they were using a preventer at the time. Heeling to windward one night, the spinnaker pole dipped in the water to windward, breaking its attachment point at the mast. “This also disabled the cable which runs on the outside of the vang.”

The goosenecks also failed on the Lagoon 450F Calypso 166, the Solaris One 42 Albatross and the Archambault A35 Argentum, the latter when the vang fixing came loose. All were successfully secured with Dyneema/Spectra.

The gooseneck bolt/pin came out aboard the Leopard 48 Jolly Dacha and the Nautitech 542 Hugo. The vang pin worked loose and the vang detached on the Beneteau Sense 50 Jayana and the vang mast fitting ripped off when it was over -tensioned aboard Reliant 49, Rogue Trader – once again Dyneema came to the rescue.

Video – installing and testing a rope preventer and boom brakes to safely manage accidental gybes

Steering problems on the ARC 2016

Problems with steering linkage give cause for concern. David Dabney had some valuable advice after the cable broke aboard his Chris White designed trimaran, Juniper, despite upgrading it from 5mm to 6mm before the ARC after noticing broken strands.

“The steering on Juniper is all exposed so the cables and sheaves can be observed at all times,” Dabney explained. “Twelve hours out from St Lucia I noticed the cable had broken strands so the emergency tiller was fitted. Six hours out the cable broke and we completed the rally with the tiller.

“The 6mm cable I fitted in Denmark lasted approximately 5,000 miles. In my opinion the quality of the stainless steel available is of a lesser quality than in previous times. Most 316 cable is manufactured in Korea despite being marketed as German steel.”

Rudder failure – 1500 miles to sail across the Atlantic without a rudder.

Talking to other skippers that have experienced cable failure they have gone over to Dyneema cables. We have now fitted sheathed Dyneema to Juniper that has lasted 500 miles from St Lucia to Puerto Rico.
“Will it get us home to Denmark? I will let you know.”

The steering cable broke on the Beneteau Oceanis 58 Boni Venti, which was put down to a combination of chafe “and the block not articulating”. The crew replaced the wire with Dyneema and it then worked fine.

The Baltic 51, Gatsby, also broke the pulley and cable to their steering system, which needed to be replaced in Cape Verde.

There were also a couple of sobering incidents with rudders. The crew of Endorphine II, a Bavaria 47 AC, found a leak in the rudder shaft, which they put down to wear and tear. They applied epoxy to the leak and were able to steer using the windvane rudder.

And in one of the most serious incidents, the outer casing of the rudder broke off aboard More 55 Lady Nor. They put the cause down to possibly striking a floating object. It took 20 hours to fabricate an aluminium sleeve from a floorboard.

The underwater video footage the crew sent is alarming, clearly showing the bare foam innards of the rudder and how they dived and strapped plywood around the rudder to secure it.

Deck and rig fittings

What would you do if hardware, hatches or fittings ripped out of the deck or rig? When the mainsheet track car broke on Harmony 38 Oginev, the crew was quick to jury rig solutions. Pavlin Nadvorni told us that the Lewmar car suffered metal fatigue (and that their 2005 boat is ‘not exactly spring chicken’). “However, we’d run a soft shackle as a security measure, so when the aluminium casting broke, the mainsail and the boom didn’t fly out of control.”

“We then made a stainless steel backing plate under the car with an off-the-shelf stainless steel 12mm ring bolt. When that started showing signs of dying on us, we replaced it with a 20mm thick D-shackle secured to the track with 20-30 wraps of 5mm Spectra. That kept us going for roughly 300-400 miles and we would just replace the chafed-through Spectra and keep going.”

Nadvorni says that fatigued hardware remains a chief concern – “even on a recent IMOCA 60 delivery in the South Pacific (3,500 miles) – so it is something to be expected even on a high-tech carbon fibre boat.”

The traveller car broke during a crash gybe aboard Oyster Reach, an Oyster 54. This was also then lashed with Spectra. Jose Roberto Arruda confirms they were using a preventer at the time. “The preventer helped to reduce the impact when the unexpected gybe occurred but the problem arose when the person on the helm tried to correct the route and gybed again in the other direction, which had no protection from the preventer.”

The lesson here he says is not to try to correct the route when a gybe occurs – “stay on the same side until you return control to the boat.”

The bowsprit pulled clean out of the deck aboard the Elan impression 434, Ocean Diamond 2 when it was overloaded, damaging the anchor stem, but they too managed to lash it using Dyneema.

The crew of Betelgeuse had more serious issues when the decklight set into the sail locker hatch on the foredeck of the Grand Soleil 50 tore out between Gran Canaria and Cape Verde in rough conditions. “The decklight is approximately 25cm x 60cm,” skipper Charles Chambers reported. “This left a large hole in the foredeck potentially allowing serious water ingress.”

“We were able to make a suitable blanking plate from a locker cover in the saloon. It was a perfect size and did not need cutting down and it even had a suitable hole for the locking bolt. We also managed to fit a seal all the way around the blanking plate by using a length of cockpit locker seal.” They successfully fitted the blanking plate and avoided serious water ingress despite the conditions.

The importance of carrying Dyneema for running repairs

X-562, teamgeist broke the connection between mainsheet and boom. Philipp Schubert says they tried replacing the four screws with Dyneema and attached that to the mainsheet, but that this chafed through the carbon of the boom in swell.

“The second solution was a big M12 screw with an eye-shaped female screw in which we put the mainsheet again. Fortunately it lasted for the rest of the crossing but had to be replaced in St Lucia because the screw had bent at least 5-10° from the pressure.”

The cause he cites as the banging of the sails in low winds and big swell while the preventer wasn’t tight enough. “We will really tighten the preventer in future.”

The crew tighten up a new fixing point for the mainsheet on the boom after the original connection broke aboard the X-562 teamgeist.

One of the more significant rig issues happened aboard the Hanse 505, Hanse Sailor. The D1 & D2 shrouds failed on the starboard side and they had to reinforce them with Dyneema and ‘sail conservatively’.

The breakage led to them requiring assistance from the cruise liner Costa Magica to obtain enough fuel to get to St Lucia, says Andy Brock. “They sent us by long line 100 litres, which is all we needed. The reason for the breakage is unknown.”

The Fortissimo 33 HavAnna also broke strands on their shrouds during squalls and used bulldog clamps jumped with new wire. And the Beneteau Oceanis 41, Endeavour of Cork broke a spreader bolt, which strained their spreader. They “supported rig and sailed cautiously.”

Richard Downing aboard his Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 509 Caledonia Spirit, showed resourcefulness when his spinnaker pole tang broke into three pieces. He repaired it using resin and machine screws. “The holes were drilled and tapped, then loose assembled,” Downing explained. “Resin was then poured into the joints and the machine screws tightened up squeezing the resin out.”

Chafe and ripped sails sailing across the Atlantic

As mentioned, by far the most common breakages are to flying sails. The Lagoon 52, Cat’leya experienced more than their fair share. They blew their spinnaker out and broke their bowsprit early into the crossing. They then chafed through their spinnaker furler line, before breaking both the mainsail halyard and the head of the mainsail six days later.

Impressively, however, they succeeded in fitting spares for halyards and repaired all breakages at sea.

The Hanse 575 Siberia also had a catalogue of sail repairs, including two ripped gennakers, a ripped Code 0, halyard chafe and breaks, masthead block breaks, and a broken batten. And the Nauticat 40, Pureblue chafed through their genoa sheet three times – and despite buying new sheets in Cape Verde, these failed in 24 hours.

Torn sails and broken halyards are one thing, but what happens when you can’t get a sail down? The spinnaker snuffer aboard Betelgeuse fouled and jammed at the top of the mast. “We were unable to get the spinnaker down in the snuffer for six days,” said skipper Charles Chambers.

“We lashed the snuffer to the mast and rig as high up as possible to prevent it flailing about. We tried to send a crewman up the mast but the conditions were never calm enough and we did not want to risk injury. Our concern was as the weather deteriorated and squalls of 35+ knots hit us that the snuffer would fail and the spinnaker would launch and potentially bring down the rig.”

Chambers’ solution was to monitor the top of the snuffer by lying on the deck and using a 400mm telephoto camera lens, “which enabled me to review the images on my laptop rather than try and remember what I could see through binoculars.

In hindsight he says:” “We should have followed ‘Jerry the Rigger’s’ advice and fitted a block to the
mast ring.”

The post What are the most common repairs at sea for yachts sailing across the Atlantic? ARC survey results tell all appeared first on Yachting World.

A further adventure in the performance sailing market for the Italian stylists at Wally Yachts.

The introduction of the racy Wallycento class in 2012 was a big step into the performance arena for a brand best known for producing stylish superyachts. That first boat, Hamilton, underachieved and was sold, lengthened and modified under the design watch of Rolf Vrolijk. Relaunched as the 107ft Open Season she has now become a regatta-winning machine (see the video round-up of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup from 2015, below).

The same collaboration between Judel/Vrolijk and Wally has now produced a stunning cruiser-racer, the Wally 93, for a current Wally owner. A supremely light, powerful, clean and modern-looking design, she promises to be a missile on the water. According to Wally’s founder, Luca Bassani, the sail area to displacement ratio of the 93 is even greater than that of the Wallycento.

Advanced construction techniques, including the use of a CNC female carbon mould, high modulus unidirectional carbon fibre and autoclave prepreg composite are being employed to keep the new yacht’s displacement down to 35.5 tonnes (a cento is around 50 tonnes). A lifting keel extends the draught from 4.5m to a high performance 6.2m.

“[She is] very powerful upwind with the same draught as the Wallycento. The Wally 93 will be able to keep her lane after the start on the first upwind leg,” says Rolf Vrolijk. “The performance is optimised for light to medium conditions. The yacht will have the ability to start surfing with 16 knots of wind, and [is] easily capable of exceeding the true wind speed.”

The near flush deck design uses low coamings to help camouflage the guest cockpit, which is clear of sailing systems. The companionway leads to the crew and guest cabins, which are located aft of the saloon. This helps give privacy to the saloon and forward owner’s cabin.

Launch is scheduled for next summer in time for the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2018. The fourth Wallycento, which is a Mark Mills design, is due to launch this summer.

The post Wally 93 – the new cruiser-racer designed for life in the fast lane appeared first on Yachting World.

Full boat test video taken during our trials of the first PC55 – a modern composite built Hoek design inspired by the timeless shape of a pilot cutter

The PC55 is a performance cruiser with a difference – it’s looks. It owes its aesthetic inspiration to the original pilot cutters – working yachts that gained a legendary reputation thanks to their speed, manoeuvrability and ability to be handled by just two crewmembers.

The traditional pilot cutter is oft described as the best yacht design ever. It seems strange then that there is not a greater choice of pilot cutter inspired designs around today.

One person who is onto their enduring appeal more than any other though is Andre Hoek. Hoek’s ‘Pilot Classic’ range spans the whole size spectrum, from the 33ft Essence and 37ft Wally Nano to the 152ft Royal Huisman built Elfje and even a 200ft+ project currently on the boards.

Performance Classic Yachts (PC Yachts) has created a production yacht business around these Hoek designs from this PC55 up to a 85 footer. It is a five-year old British company that sub contracts the semi custom builds to Metur Yachts in Bodrum. Metur, a classic yacht specialist, has built numerous Hoek designs over the last two decades, including two for Andre Hoek himself.

The first PC Yacht was a wood epoxy built Pilot Classic 66 in 2014, followed by this composite PC55. The designs retain the generous sail area of a pilot cutter, albeit with a Bermudan rig, combined with a modern underwater shape. Weight is reduced and centralised wherever possible to optimise performance.

The PC55 has a carbon reinforced composite hull and deck and foam-cored furniture as standard. The combination of classic-inspired lines together with a modern lightweight shell and appendages looks quite irresistible. We travelled to Bodrum to see if the mix works on the water. Here’s the video:

We had perfect trial conditions, with winds averaging 15 knots over calm seas. The PC55 is designed for the yacht to be powered up in typical Force 3–4 Med conditions.

And she was quick to establish why the word ‘performance’ belongs in her title. We clocked 9–9.5 knots beam reaching, 8.5 knots when fetching and 7.5–8 knots upwind tacking through 85º. I was impressed.

Our test was a good representation of how a potential owner would want to sail the PC55. It’s an ideal concept for those who want to keep their yacht in a Med marina – to be able to take it out for a sail with partner and/or friend and maximise the moderate breezes.

The PC55 is around €300k less than a similar-sized luxury cruiser from the likes of Swan, Spirit, Oyster or Contest. So in production market terms, it’s more comparative to yachts like an XC55 or an Italia Yachts 15.98.

But much rests on the looks of the PC55 and whether they hook you in. The PC55 represents a cool blend of modern styling on a dreamy pilot cutter shape. It’s a yacht that has that ability to turn heads anywhere.

 This extract is taken from the full test report of the PC55 in the November 2017 issue of Yachting World.
Pictures and video shot by Richard Langdon, Ocean Images

PC55 Specs

LOA 18.54m 60ft 10in

LOD 16.62m 54ft 6in

LWL 13.38m 43ft 10in

Beam (Max) 4.23m 13ft 10in

Draught 2.7m 8ft 10in

Disp (lightship) 15,570kg 34,722lb

Price (ex VAT) €775,000

Design: Hoek Design

The post PC 55 Video: footage of our test of the Hoek designed Performance Classic Yachts 55 appeared first on Yachting World.