Stories about Spectator Boats
Below are the latest stories which have been categorised as being about Spectator Boats.
Kiel Day 2
Posted 12 days, 21 hours ago by Adam May
Okay I shouldn't have mentioned about using up discards! Doh! Broke part of my kingpost today in the first race whilst leading and limped home with no kicker on to get a result. Painful watching the fleet cruise by, and an interesting exercise on how low you can point upwind when you don't have any kicker on!
I sat out the next one to get it all sorted. All repaired now and I live to fight another day.
But all in all it was a good day. Pace is very good in the marginal stuff. I'm first to foil, and can foil for longer. Still plenty of little tweaks to do, but happy to be quick out of the box.
Our first race of the day was actually abandoned in the end because the breeze died completely, but I lead round the top mark being the only one to manage to foil up the beat, with the Skippy 'All the Way May' in second. The Skippy got into the lead on the lowriding reach, and Mark Robinson got me on the second one. (Note to self - get some more peel ply to finish deck grip so I can sit fwd in the light stuff!) But I foiled through to leeward of him on the second beat. Prompting a bit of mainfoil tweaking with the rubber mallet later on!
Gary peaked early again taking a win in the first counting race, and then struggling in the second of the day. Alex Adams decided to try his standard rig again, but still couldn't find speed and control from his boat, so came in to ponder life, the universe, and german sausage.
The Moths have been a big hit here with lots of interest from the organisers and spectator boats, and I heard this evening that although this was meant to be a single invite event, we might be invited back next year.
Whilst we were packing up, and most of the other fleets were sailing home a huge thunderstorm came over, with loads of breeze under it! Almost everything still on the water capsized, and tents ended up in the marina! Ten minutes later it was sunny again!
That'll be Kiel! But its growing on me, now I know it is always like this.
Big breeze forecast for Monday so we might do some sitting around..... more »
Delta Lloyd Regatta: Australian 470 and Netherlands Yngling dominate first medal races
Posted 1 month, 11 days ago by BYM Sailing News
On Saturday May 24 2008, Australia and the Netherlands dominated the first two double scoring Medal Races at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik (NED). A crowd of spectator boats gathered on the IJsselmeer to watch the final battles. ... more »
Textbook start to The Artemis Transat
Posted 1 month, 25 days ago by Sail World Australia
The Artemis Transat start was followed by 1,000 spectator boats. BT was first to cross the start line. more »
Textbook start to The Artemis Transat
Posted 1 month, 25 days ago by Sail World New Zealand
The Artemis Transat start was followed by 1,000 spectator boats. BT was first to cross the start line. more »
Artemis Transat: Loick Peyron Gitana Eighty first skipper at Eddystone lighthouse
Posted 1 month, 25 days ago by BYM Sailing News
Given today by Mike Golding, winner of the 2004 edition, aboard the Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, the start of The Artemis Transat was followed by 1,000 spectator boats. Heading off towards Eddystone - first race gate of the ... more »
Safran and Marc Guillemot start up with the leaders
Posted 1 month, 25 days ago by Sail Search RSA
www.Sail-Search.com: They’re off! It was in very light conditions that the start of the transatlantic race, The Artemis Transat, took place on Sunday 11th May at 2 p.m. (BST) in Plymouth (3 p.m. CET). From the outset, Marc Guillemot and its Safran were up with the leaders. The 2800 mile adventure to Boston has begun… Marc Guillemot did warn us: «As soon as we get ready to line up for the start, all the stress leading up the race and all our worries disappear. We’re in it to race and when the gun is fired…we really go for it. We give it our all and try to get the maximum out of the boat. It’s as simple as that.» At exactly two o’clock (local time) or three (CET) on Sunday 11th May 2008, that is exactly what happened on board the thirteen IMOCA monohulls and the eleven Class’40 that are taking part, as they crossed the start line separated in two by a Royal Naval vessel, HMS Argyll. A clean start with no penalties in light conditions with a 5 to 8 knot sou’westerly wind under skies veiled simply by a heat haze and on a flat calm sea, which was only made choppy, because of the presence of hundreds of spectator boats that turned up to watch the event. According to Sylvain Mondon of Météo France, who studied the weather with Marc Guillemot right up to the final moments before the start, the wind should strengthen to become a fifteen-knot northerly, once they get out of Plymouth Sound and pass the Eddystone Lighthouse, the first mark located 11 miles from the start line. When the starting gun was fired, Marc Guillemot managed to place its Safran in the most windward position of the fleet. Under mainsail and small gennaker, the large monohull sailed by the yachtsman from La Trinité got off to the third best start, behind Sébastien Josse’s BT and Loïck Peyron’s Gitana Eighty, but ahead of Armel Le Cléach’s Brit Air, in fourth place. They were followed by Yann Eliès’s Generali, and then Michel Desjoyeaux’s Foncia, sixth, and Vincent Riou’s PRB, seventh. In spite of the inevitable low speeds (6 knots) due to these light conditions for the initial upwind sail over the first ten miles of the race, it was a wonderful sight seeing these large monohulls so closely grouped together. Thirty minutes into the race, Safran was still in third place, behind Sébastien Josse (BT) and Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), but the gaps, down to a few tenths of a mile in terms of distance to the finish in Boston, some 5300 kilometres ahead, were of course, highly insignificant. However, Safran is now on its way and Marc Guillemot is up with the action. The race is on. After the first Omega Gate at the Eddystone, the single-handed yachtsmen will head for The Lizard, before making their way out into the Atlantic. They’re off for a fortnight of adventure and transatlantic racing! At 15h16 (BST) (an hour later for CET), the leading competitors had managed to step up the pace to ten knots and were passing the Omega Gate at the Eddystone Rocks. Marc Guillemot’s Safran was very well placed, as it checked in in second place, less than three minutes behind Loïck Peyron’s Gitana Eighty, which was leading the fleet. more »
Safran and Marc Guillemot start up with the leaders
Posted 1 month, 25 days ago by Sail Search Blog
www.Sail-Search.com: They’re off! It was in very light conditions that the start of the transatlantic race, The Artemis Transat, took place on Sunday 11th May at 2 p.m. (BST) in Plymouth (3 p.m. CET). From the outset, Marc Guillemot and its Safran were up with the leaders. The 2800 mile adventure to Boston has begun… Marc Guillemot did warn us: «As soon as we get ready to line up for the start, all the stress leading up the race and all our worries disappear. We’re in it to race and when the gun is fired…we really go for it. We give it our all and try to get the maximum out of the boat. It’s as simple as that.» At exactly two o’clock (local time) or three (CET) on Sunday 11th May 2008, that is exactly what happened on board the thirteen IMOCA monohulls and the eleven Class’40 that are taking part, as they crossed the start line separated in two by a Royal Naval vessel, HMS Argyll. A clean start with no penalties in light conditions with a 5 to 8 knot sou’westerly wind under skies veiled simply by a heat haze and on a flat calm sea, which was only made choppy, because of the presence of hundreds of spectator boats that turned up to watch the event. According to Sylvain Mondon of Météo France, who studied the weather with Marc Guillemot right up to the final moments before the start, the wind should strengthen to become a fifteen-knot northerly, once they get out of Plymouth Sound and pass the Eddystone Lighthouse, the first mark located 11 miles from the start line. When the starting gun was fired, Marc Guillemot managed to place its Safran in the most windward position of the fleet. Under mainsail and small gennaker, the large monohull sailed by the yachtsman from La Trinité got off to the third best start, behind Sébastien Josse’s BT and Loïck Peyron’s Gitana Eighty, but ahead of Armel Le Cléach’s Brit Air, in fourth place. They were followed by Yann Eliès’s Generali, and then Michel Desjoyeaux’s Foncia, sixth, and Vincent Riou’s PRB, seventh. In spite of the inevitable low speeds (6 knots) due to these light conditions for the initial upwind sail over the first ten miles of the race, it was a wonderful sight seeing these large monohulls so closely grouped together. Thirty minutes into the race, Safran was still in third place, behind Sébastien Josse (BT) and Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), but the gaps, down to a few tenths of a mile in terms of distance to the finish in Boston, some 5300 kilometres ahead, were of course, highly insignificant. However, Safran is now on its way and Marc Guillemot is up with the action. The race is on. After the first Omega Gate at the Eddystone, the single-handed yachtsmen will head for The Lizard, before making their way out into the Atlantic. They’re off for a fortnight of adventure and transatlantic racing! At 15h16 (BST) (an hour later for CET), the leading competitors had managed to step up the pace to ten knots and were passing the Omega Gate at the Eddystone Rocks. Marc Guillemot’s Safran was very well placed, as it checked in in second place, less than three minutes behind Loïck Peyron’s Gitana Eighty, which was leading the fleet. more »
NEWS : And they're off!
Posted 1 month, 25 days ago by Artemis Transat
Given today by Mike Golding, winner of the 2004 edition, aboard the Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, the start of The Artemis Transat was followed by 1,000 spectator boats. more »
Stylish Rolex Sydney Hobart start for Hugo Boss
Posted 6 months, 12 days ago by BYM Sailing News
The crew of HUGO BOSS II, the British Volvo 60 racing yacht competing in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race today, surprised the 300,000 spectator boats and thousands more Australian TV viewers at home when they started the iconic ... more »
Canada's Cup: Alec Krstajic helms Honour to 2-1 lead
Posted 8 months, 26 days ago by BYM Sailing News
Canada’s Cup Defender Honour, helmed by RCYC member Alec Krstajic, thrilled dozens of spectator boats off Toronto today, beating U.S. Challenger Team Heartbreaker in two of three matches sailed on the waters of Lake Ontario. While forecasted strong winds ... more »
Canada's Cup: Alec Krstajic helms Honour to 2-1 lead
Posted 8 months, 26 days ago by BYM Sailing News
Canada’s Cup Defender Honour, helmed by RCYC member Alec Krstajic, thrilled dozens of spectator boats off Toronto today, beating U.S. Challenger Team Heartbreaker in two of three matches sailed on the waters of Lake Ontario. While forecasted strong winds ... more »
Spithill moves into 2nd as Appleton expands Team Aqua’s lead in RC44 Trieste Cup
Posted 8 months, 27 days ago by Valencia Sailing
[Source: RC44] Mixing it up was the best way to describe today’s racing, results and wind conditions. Team Aqua however, slickly shifted gears for the light air conditions and increased their lead overall. Tactician Cameron Appleton with owner Chris Bake on the helm, were once again the team to beat on day three of the RC44 Trieste Cup.
At the skippers briefing this morning, the teams agreed to continue fleet racing. In the first race, it was James Spithill’s talent that shone through for Team Ceeref. Owner Igor Lah swiftly led the fleet around the course to add another first place finish to their impressive set of results.
Second day of fleet racing at the RC Trieste Cup. Trieste, 12 October 2007. Photo copyright Emme & Emme/Parenzan
The Gulf of Trieste however, challenged the sailors as the winds dropped to less than five knots for the second race. Yet again, it was the Dubai based Team Aqua out in front. Their ability to predict the wind shifts and spot the increased pressure on the right side of the course paid off.
Mascalzone Latino’s smooth rounding of the second leeward mark and good tactics brought the Italian team to within a few metres of Team Aqua for a second place finish in Race 2. An impressive improvement, just in time for owner Vincenzo Onorato’s arrival in Trieste.
Japanese Team Beecom also handled the shifty conditions very well, finishing third in Race 2, as did Ekipa44 who moved into fourth place overall, with two fourth place finishes today.
Saturday is the final day of the RC44 Trieste Cup, the penultimate event on the RC44 Championship Tour. With all the spectator boats on the water, it will be good practice for the teams in anticipation of Sunday’s Barcolana.
QUOTES
Cameron Appleton, Team Aqua: “Our goal today was to be consistent and not make mistakes. We know we are up against some great competitors, so we just wanted to be steady with our results. We didn’t expect to have a 2-1 day! We really feel that we actually got it right today and that we were fortunate to come out on top.”
Kelvin Harrap, Team Beecom: “Today was better than yesterday for us. We sailed much better. The boats are good in light air. They power up very quickly and go well. Hopefully there will be a little more wind than today for Sunday’s Barcolana. It will be quite a spectacle! It will be the first time a lot of us in the RC44 fleet will participate.”
Mitja Margon, Team Ekipa 44: “We are very satisfied with our sailing today. I think we have done a good job up until now. Our races are very consistent and our results are also good. We trained a lot before this regatta and we didn’t expect such good results because we have not been sailing together long. Our goal for tomorrow is to come third or even second place overall.”
Michele Ivadi, Team Ceeref: “Independent of how Russell and Team Omega performed, what’s important is that today we had a very good regatta. For our owner, this is very important, as it was the first time he has helmed in a regatta with light winds. We are happy with our results. James did a good job too, but it was a complex day.”
RC44 Trieste Cup
Overall Fleet Racing Results - Provisional Ranking – no discard
1) Team Aqua (2,1,4,1,2,1) 11 points
2) Team Ceeref (3,5,1,5,1,7) 22 points
3) Team Omega (1,2,7,3,9,5) 27 points
4) Team Ekipa 44 (7,4,3,6) 28 points
5) Team ES Bankers (5,6,2,7,3,10) 33 points
6) Team Cro-A-Sail (6,3,6,4,10,8) 37 points
7) Team Mascalzone Latino (8,9,10,2) 39 points
8) Team Magia (4,8,9,8,6,6) 41 points
9) Team Beecom (9,10,5,10,5,3) 42 points
10) Team Organika (10,7,8,9,7,9) 50 points more »
Official Podcast of the 32nd America’s Cup: Match day 6
Posted 1 year ago by Marine Blast Sailing Videos
America’s Cup Match race day 6. Alinghi came from behind for the second consecutive day to beat Emirates Team New Zealand on Saturday afternoon on the waters off Valencia. The Swiss Defender put in a strong, controlled performance on a difficult sea breeze day. Hundreds of spectator boats crowded the race course to witness the [...] more »
America's Cup Match - Day 3: Preview
Posted 1 year ago by Valencia Sailing
Good morning from cloudy and rainy Valencia. The last 24 hours have been particularly volatile. Monday was extremely hot with maximum temperatures reaching 35 degrees, probably the hottest day so far in 2007, accompanied by a very strong southwesterly wind from inland blowing throughout the day with peaks over 20 knots in the afternoon. Then overnight it rained in most of the Valencia region, temperatures dropped significantly and the sky is currently (11am) covered with clouds.
In addition, sea is very very rough. It will be a rough ride off Valencia's coast for the two racing yachts and all the spectator boats. Guests will have to take their sea sickness pills.
As far as the two teams were concerned, there was no sailing activity on Monday and according to statements from Alinghi's Brad Butterworth as well as Emirates Team NZ's Dean Barker, the day was used for relax and, most importantly, to go over and study footage of the first two races. Both teams certainly have committed errors and will have to identify their weak points.
Since we are at a draw, in theory the series starts with a clean sheet although we don't entirely agree with that assertion. It is not a best-of-seven series, Emirates Team NZ has received an undeniable psychological and morale boost. Alinghi, on the other hand showed they make mistakes, even a handful of them in one single race. Brad Butterworth insists the faster boat will win the America's Cup but the second race was the proof the crew on the fastest boat is not necessarily faultless.
If you are a believer in historical facts and numbers, today's post on the always insightful and extremely knowledgeable BMW Oracle Blog is of interest. According to it, 3 is the magic number. With just one exception in the long history of the event, the yacht that won the third race of the America's Cup, always went on to take the trophy as well.
ClearPoint weather overview
The ClearPoint weather forecast this morning predicts around 11.5-12 knots from the south east, direction 130 degrees. This is always the forecast for the winds at 3pm in the approximate area of the starting line.
ClearPoint satellite overview of the Iberian peninsula at 9am Valencia Time.
ClearPoint wind forecast for 3pm in Valencia at 1km resolution, calculated at 9am Valencia Time. The model is currently predicting around 11.5 knots, direction 130 degrees
Weather forecast by the America's Cup organizers
Weak low pressure in Southern Spain produces light northeasterly gradient breeze early in the day. As the land heats up, easterly sea breeze develops 6-8 knots and builds 8-10 knots later in the afternoon as the wind veers towards the southeast. Some cloud inland and cooler - Temperature 24 degrees.
Alinghi's weather forecast
Easterly sea breeze from 6-10 knots, possibly developing to 12 knots in the late afternoon. Clouds. Temperature 25 degrees. more »
Swiss take race one
Posted 1 year ago by Lyn Hines
Among hundreds of spectator boats, cow bells and Buzzy Bees, the three year wait is over. Team New Zealand seemed to be in the drivers seat pulling off their classic point real high right off the line and having the immediate advantage over Alinghi. Clearly Alinghi was up on their game so that when New Zealand peeled of to the right after an intial dialup, Alinghi dug down extremely deep under NZ. This meant they had leeway when NZ jibed around for the startline. Alinghi followed their jibe but staying to leeward enough and ahead so as not to get controlled back to the line.New Zealand used another tactic of feigning trying to get an leeward overlap or the hook . Some lesser teams would take the bait and get pushed down the line further, Alinghi held its ground without losing speed.Once across the line, ETNZ used their incredible pointing ability to try to get to weather. Normally, once to weather they would run down over their competition. Alinghi not quite as fast at first gained a notch and forced to Kiwis to tack away, which is what they wanted anyway. Alinghi went about ten boatlenghts and tacked to port. They got a good lift on the left which they used the advantage gained to leebow NZ when they came back at them. Each time they came together, Alinghi had eeked out a little more until they could cross them cleanly. It was a covering game from there on out. more »
Winter training: paddleboarding SF Bay
Posted 1 year ago by Steve Bodner
Another windless Sunday in San Francisco but never an excuse not to train. This time Jean and I paddled up to the warming hut pier to watch the Queen Mary 2 arrive in San Francisco. Jean brought his camera to document the action. With all the spectator boats on the Bay- it was extremly choppy and balancing on the 24"wide Kona long board proved more difficult that we both imagined. Nontheless good training- both of us came in and our thighs were shaking from the hour paddle and balancing act- kind of reminded me of the way my legs feel after a San Francisco downwind classic
more paddle boarding photos from sunday's session at http://picasaweb.google.com/bodnersp/PaddleboardingSFBay
A late- arrival- but this just send in by Steve Waterhouse- from his North Beach apartment last night. What a viewof the Queen Mary at night! Click to enlarge.www.stevebodner.com more »
LV Day 6 - Racing Cancelled Again!
Posted 1 year ago by Adam May
Incredibly enough we've had another day of hardly any wind! There was enough for everyone to hoist mainsails and start checking out the course, but it never remained stable and the day was canned at about 4:30.
Of the almost 100 spectator boats on the Northern course area, the most impressive boats out were the classic 12m's.
more »
Match 1 Preview: Light Wind, Not Raceable?
Posted 1 year ago by BMW Oracle Racing Blog
Nice weather this week -- but for sunning not sailing?
Reports coming in this afternoon from various wx experts: it will be soft tomorrow (6-10 knots), and some models are showing that it might be too light to race (less than 7 knots). Remember, too that there will be a huge spectator boat fleet, which makes it even less likely race officer Peter Reggio would run a race in marginal conditions.
Even Alinghi's Ernesto Bertarelli hinted at today's press conference that tomorrow was looking dicey. If there is enough wind, it will be light and shifty, hence a big casino on the race course.
God forbid we don't race tomorrow, with the gazillion spectator boats and VIP guests around, and a sizable global TV audience looking in live.
Moreover, the longer term forecast is shaping up for it to be soft this coming week, with the exception of Sunday or Monday.
Per our previous post, a soft regatta could make it hard on Alinghi.
Moreover, ETNZ won the coin toss today and have starboard entry for tomorrow's (hopefully!) first race. Starboard entry is an even bigger advantage in light air.
Here's the BBC's take (click to enlarge)....
They say soft tomorrow and Sunday. Monday, of course, is an off day. Soft again on Tuesday. more »
Parties, Clothing & Boats
Posted 1 year ago by BMW Oracle Racing Blog
The "PCB's" of the America's Cup: who gets invited to which parties, who gets what team clothing, and who gets access to spectator boats. By all accounts, last evening's LV dinner in Valencia's Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias was a very nice affair. No idea who snapped this picture, but credit due Kimball Livingston's GOT LIVE blog. more »
Rubicat calling...
Posted 1 year ago by BMW Oracle Racing Blog
It is a beautiful afternoon on Valencia Bay. 10 or so knots of breeze. We have VIP guests on Rubicat and we are watching the unprecedented practice racing between Alinghi and Luna Rossa. And there must be 50 spectator boats out here, maybe more.
Alinghi has been ahead at the first cross after both practice starts -- once on the left, then a big time lead on the right for prac start two.
word is they will do this again tomorrow.
Alinghi appeared to win the third start as well but Luna Rossa got the right and that came good. ITA 94 led SUI 91 at the top mark by 52 seconds (we assume it is 91 not 100, though am not close enough to be sure). more »
