Today was moving day for us on the Roma. As a team we needed to decide if we were going to continue to slide after a bad day 2 or if we were going to come back swinging. The team was down early on the boat cleaning up after our CODE RED day yesterday. The navigator was still working frantically trying to get the new computer working. The mood in the team was focused but happy I think that the work list was almost cleaned up.
We headed out on time and got a nice beat in and a run back to the starting area. The windspeed was around 8-10 knots and the sea state was surprisingly calm given the state we left it in the day before. Even if the sea state was calmed it was certainly disproportionate for the wind speed. I’ve always felt that we have an advantage in a sloppy sea way relative to the newer boats so I was pretty confident heading into the race.
We started race 3 reasonable well but couldn’t really get anything going upwind. At one stage we were certainly last near the top of the beat. We rounded the top mark 4th and headed off down the run to grind a few boats down. We had a good boat on boat battle with Puerto Calero and rolled them. We rounded the leeward mark 2nd but coughed up a position on the beat near the top. Down the run we passed Puerto Calero again in a nice boat on boat battle to finish up 2nd. I think maybe we passed those guys 3 times…
Race 4 started off reasonable well but still only got us to the top mark in 3rd. We gained a spot on the run and then benefited from a massive shift on the second beat. The shift moved us up to first where we managed to stay through to the finish.
The breeze was back up into the mid 20’s for race 4 and the waves were back as well. We started well but didn’t have a great upwind mode going and gave up a few positions to round the top mark 4th. Our run went much better than the other breezy day and we were right in the thick of things. We were set up to round the right gate but had a last minute change to left and rounded inside the whole pack. That rounding pushed us right up to 2nd. We couldn’t get to Madrid but we were able to hold onto our 2nd to the finish.
So 2,1,2 for the day which when combined with Puerto Calero’s day gave us a 2 point lead going into the final day. A few repairs to work on overnight and more computer work for the navigator. Hopefully tomorrow he will have the Deckman back up so that we can run full instrumentation. Let’s see how we handle the lead on the last day.
Patrick Shaughnessy
New yacht in the charter fleet - ICARUS
The charter yacht ICARUS is a beautiful 88-foot (27m) performance sloop designed by Doug Peterson and built by Jongert in 2007. Her design offers ample space and volume for a luxurious and comfortable interior layout, while her sleek lines render exhilarating sailing performance.
SPECIFICATIONS:
ICARUS features a deck saloon that has a roof that completely slides open and cockpit settees that transform into sunbathing lounges. Her interior is styled in whitewashed teak with brushed stainless steel detailing, creating a light, modern atmosphere.
RATES:
SPECIFICATIONS:
- LENGTH: 88ft (27.0m)
- YEAR BUILT: 2007
- BUILDER: Jongert
- DESIGNER: Doug Peterson
- TOTAL CREW: 3 (Captain Barry Duck & Chef Sophie Bardon +1)
- TOTAL GUESTS: 6
- GUEST CABINS: 3 (double & 2 twins)
ICARUS features a deck saloon that has a roof that completely slides open and cockpit settees that transform into sunbathing lounges. Her interior is styled in whitewashed teak with brushed stainless steel detailing, creating a light, modern atmosphere.
RATES:
Summer 2009: Western Mediterranean, Currently in PalmaWinter 2009-10: Caribbean Terms (Bar/Beverages not included)
- 35,000 euros/week plus all expenses, for up to 6 guests
- 2 guests: $47,000/week
- 4 guests: $48,500/week
- 6 guests: $50,000/week
Summer 2010: Western MediterraneanCurrently AVAILABLE for Christmas & New Years Charters (7 nights OK)
- 35,000 euros/week plus all expenses, for up to 6 guests
What a fine addition to the yacht charter fleet. We look forward to booking s/y ICARUS.SPECIAL EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT for Winter 2009/10 season. Confirm your charter before December 15, 2009 for these special rates:
- $55,000/week for up to 6 guests (Bar/Beverages not included)
- 2 guests: $42,000/week (Bar/Beverages not included)
- 4 guests: $43,500/week (Bar/Beverages not included)
- 6 guests: $45,000/week (Bar/Beverages not included)
Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book ICARUS
View Icarus' online brochure
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com
View Icarus' online brochure
Visit our website: www.ParadiseConnections.com
Super Yacht Regulators look to the Future
The MCA Gazes into a Crystal Ball
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to have a question and answer session with a senior UK policy maker, Captain Roger Towner, the UK Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen at the M.C.A
Subjects to be discussed are:-
- The forthcoming STCW review
- “Efficient Deckhand” and the “Able Seaman’ rating”
- “Entry into Enclosed Space” training
- The “ECDIS” course
- The “3000gt” Limit for Yachtsmen. Can they go higher?
The session will conclude with an open forum followed by drinks and nibbles provided by Blue Water Yachting. Entrance is free and open to all superyacht crew members!
The session will be held at 1800 on Tuesday 22nd September at Le Salle du 8 Mai, in Antibes, and is sponsored by Bluewater Training
Race day 2 at the Medcup Murcia in Cartagena
CODE RED. It all happened on the Roma today.
The race committee got us of the docks on time today. The fleet moved out of the harbor quickly and everyone got into some practice with the eager anticipation of some racing in nice fresh conditions. The first thing you notice outside the harbor area is the absolutely square waves. I can honestly say I’ve never sailed in such a peculiar wave shape and pattern. Any way we got a nice beat in and a run in maybe 18 knots. All pretty uneventful.
By the time race 1 started the breeze was up over 20 and the waves were even uglier. We won the boat end of the line and forced our friends on Puerto Calero to tack away. Not a bad way to start off. We did cover PC on the right but they had just enough separation to get bow forward on us and eventually cross us. We found ourselves mid fleet at the top mark, and really didn’t do anything spectacular to change that over the course of the race. We did start to have a bit of excitement in the breeze however. At the leeward mark my spinnaker halyard jammer failed. I managed to save the spinnaker though because I had a safety wrap over the pit winch. On the second run we blew up our A3 in a broach. Although we got an A2 up we just lost too much down the second run. We finished in 4th place which wasn’t really what we had in mind.
As I mentioned the other day, the time between races is where the full panic really gets started. This particular time between races was quite spectacular. We got pretty far away from the starting area while we were packing jibs, and spinnakers, and bailing out a huge amount of water below. We eventually found ourselves almost on a breakwater. In the hurry to start the engine, we wrapped the starboard afterguy around the prop. We had to work pretty hard with main only and eventually a tow from our rib as well to get clear of the shore. Next we went main down and tried to keep the boat stationary so that Pablo the boat captain could try to clear the prop. Prop cleared we went main back up, jib up, and bailing and packing like crazy off to the starting area.
In our blind panic to get to the start of race 2 we cooked up an incredible Vanderbilt start and absolutely nailed the boat end of the line at the gun. Puerto Calero was again forced to tack away, and we went about covering them. A quarter of the way up the beat Paolo Cian says were on fire. We all agree, going very well. No really a fire. Sure enough smoke was pouring out of the boat. Pablo went back into action to empty a few extinguishers into the engine box. Fire out. We rounded the top mark 1st and with Puerto Calero back mid fleet things were well in hand. Breeze was up to 25+ and the ride down wind was spectacular. Unfortunately we went through a few waves with the hatch open and really started to fill the boat with water. Once it starts it just gets worse and worse. We coughed up 1st place at the end of the run with a bad layline call and early drop. We have great boatspeed up wind though and pulled back into the lead. The second run was really fresh and we were really full of water. I would guess maybe water was 50mm over the floorboards. Maybe a ton of water? We were nose heavy and absolutely underwater. After 2 big pitchpoles into broaches that could only be ended by lowering the kite we decided to drop the spinnaker. From first to 4th. A disaster.
Back on the dock we licked our wounds a bit and went over the boat carefully. The fire had created a big mess and destroyed the boat computer. The water was everywhere. Maybe a ton was a pessimistic estimate. The team installed bilge pumps over the night and we limber holed the structure. Mathais the navigator worked up a new computer to replace the boat computer. The good news I guess was that the boat came through fine structurally. It is really remarkable to come through without any boat problems especially considering that we are by far the lightest of the GP42’s in terms of construction. The knowledge that the boat can take the pounding, the great upwind speed, and the bilge pump plan have us optimistic about tomorrow.
We’ll see how we go on day 3. Maybe the forecast will be a bit lighter, maybe the waves will be a bit smaller. Something more civilized maybe???
Patrick Shaughnessy
The race committee got us of the docks on time today. The fleet moved out of the harbor quickly and everyone got into some practice with the eager anticipation of some racing in nice fresh conditions. The first thing you notice outside the harbor area is the absolutely square waves. I can honestly say I’ve never sailed in such a peculiar wave shape and pattern. Any way we got a nice beat in and a run in maybe 18 knots. All pretty uneventful.
By the time race 1 started the breeze was up over 20 and the waves were even uglier. We won the boat end of the line and forced our friends on Puerto Calero to tack away. Not a bad way to start off. We did cover PC on the right but they had just enough separation to get bow forward on us and eventually cross us. We found ourselves mid fleet at the top mark, and really didn’t do anything spectacular to change that over the course of the race. We did start to have a bit of excitement in the breeze however. At the leeward mark my spinnaker halyard jammer failed. I managed to save the spinnaker though because I had a safety wrap over the pit winch. On the second run we blew up our A3 in a broach. Although we got an A2 up we just lost too much down the second run. We finished in 4th place which wasn’t really what we had in mind.
As I mentioned the other day, the time between races is where the full panic really gets started. This particular time between races was quite spectacular. We got pretty far away from the starting area while we were packing jibs, and spinnakers, and bailing out a huge amount of water below. We eventually found ourselves almost on a breakwater. In the hurry to start the engine, we wrapped the starboard afterguy around the prop. We had to work pretty hard with main only and eventually a tow from our rib as well to get clear of the shore. Next we went main down and tried to keep the boat stationary so that Pablo the boat captain could try to clear the prop. Prop cleared we went main back up, jib up, and bailing and packing like crazy off to the starting area.
In our blind panic to get to the start of race 2 we cooked up an incredible Vanderbilt start and absolutely nailed the boat end of the line at the gun. Puerto Calero was again forced to tack away, and we went about covering them. A quarter of the way up the beat Paolo Cian says were on fire. We all agree, going very well. No really a fire. Sure enough smoke was pouring out of the boat. Pablo went back into action to empty a few extinguishers into the engine box. Fire out. We rounded the top mark 1st and with Puerto Calero back mid fleet things were well in hand. Breeze was up to 25+ and the ride down wind was spectacular. Unfortunately we went through a few waves with the hatch open and really started to fill the boat with water. Once it starts it just gets worse and worse. We coughed up 1st place at the end of the run with a bad layline call and early drop. We have great boatspeed up wind though and pulled back into the lead. The second run was really fresh and we were really full of water. I would guess maybe water was 50mm over the floorboards. Maybe a ton of water? We were nose heavy and absolutely underwater. After 2 big pitchpoles into broaches that could only be ended by lowering the kite we decided to drop the spinnaker. From first to 4th. A disaster.
Back on the dock we licked our wounds a bit and went over the boat carefully. The fire had created a big mess and destroyed the boat computer. The water was everywhere. Maybe a ton was a pessimistic estimate. The team installed bilge pumps over the night and we limber holed the structure. Mathais the navigator worked up a new computer to replace the boat computer. The good news I guess was that the boat came through fine structurally. It is really remarkable to come through without any boat problems especially considering that we are by far the lightest of the GP42’s in terms of construction. The knowledge that the boat can take the pounding, the great upwind speed, and the bilge pump plan have us optimistic about tomorrow.
We’ll see how we go on day 3. Maybe the forecast will be a bit lighter, maybe the waves will be a bit smaller. Something more civilized maybe???
Patrick Shaughnessy
Congratulations to the Sonar Team Racers
On August 28-30, Fred, Rob and Jim from Northern Yacht Club participated in a team racing clinic and regatta at the US Sailing Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin located on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Bert Foster of WYC coordinated the event with Hans Graf, Executive Director of the US Sailing Center.
What is team racing? The game involves two teams of 3 boats each racing against each other. It’s a combination of fleet racing - getting a good start, sailing fast, catching shifts etc. and tactical moves to help your team mates move up in the race standings. If you leave your team mates behind, the other team will try to slow them down so their own boats move ahead. Since there are 21 possible points, the goal of each race is for your team to finish with a “winning” combination of 10 points or less. The best winning combinations are 1st, 2nd and anything or finishes of 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. With these “stable” combinations, it’s difficult for the opposing team to pass your team mates. On the other hand, if your team has a 1st and 3rd during the race watch out because the opposing 2nd place boat will attack your 3rd place and try to slow them down with a “pass back” move. If you don’t go on the offensive first and are attacked by the other team you may find yourself going from 2nd to 6th place in a hurry.
Three teams competed at the Sheboygan Invitational Team Clinic and Regatta – Wayzata, Canada and Sheboygan. Teams arrived on Thursday afternoon to launch boats and do a little shakedown cruise. Cocktails and appetizers followed at the yacht club. Friday was a practice day for the teams followed by a debriefing by Coach Ken Legler, Head Coach of the Tufts Sailing Team. Ken provided valuable instruction to the entire group throughout the weekend on the nuances of team racing strategy, tactics and rules.
The three teams competed in a series of round robins to determine who would make it into the finals. The top two teams would compete in a best of five series after all the round robins were completed.
Competition started on Saturday in a Northwesterly wind of 15-20 mph. There were a lot of close races and everyone was trying to figure out the competition. Sheboygan showed early dominance and Canada rallied after lunch winning 4 races to put them in contention to make it into the final.
On Sunday morning the wind clocked to the Northeast which brought 3 to 4 foot swells and winds of 10 – 15 mph. Team Wayzata had a huddle before racing began and decided to change their starting strategy from “one boat start on the boat end, one in the middle and one at the pin” to – “get a good start, sail fast and go from there”. The strategy paid off. Team Wayzata rallied to win 3 races in a row and make it into the “Best of 5” final against Team Sheboygan. Team Canada watched the final from the coach and umpire boats and listened to Coach Ken Legler’s commentary on the radio about the plays that were developing on the race course.
In the final, Wayzata won the first race against Sheboygan. In the 2nd race, Sheboygan rallied and won the race to tie-up the series 1 to 1. In the third race, the race was close ending in a 5 boat pile up at the finish line. When the dust settled, one of the umpire boats informed a boat from Sheboygan that they had fouled a Wayzata boat near the finish line and had to re-finish. This infraction gave Sheboygan a losing combination and put Wayzata up 2-1. In the 4th and final race, Team Sheboygan had created a wedge at the start with two of their boats on either side of Wayzata boat #5. The Wayzata boat was an innocent victim with nowhere to go. To make things more interesting, Mark Kochendorfer from Wayzata fell overboard trying to clear a competitor’s boom from the forestay and get clear. The penalty against the windward Sheboygan boat that failed to keep clear was fair and immediate. An umpire watching the mayhem required the guilty Sheboygan boat to do penalty spins until Mark could get back on board and sail on their way. One of the other Sheboygan boats who helped create the incident retired. The other two Wayzata boats had a clean start and finished in a winning combination of 1st and 2nd place to seal the victory for Wayzata in the final over Sheboygan with a score of 3 wins and 1 loss.
It was a great weekend of sailing and learning about team racing. Sonar Fleet 5 will continue to practice their Team Racing skills and compete next year in Sheboygan to battle it out on Lake Michigan with other teams.
Team Wayzata
WYC Boat #4 – John Rainaldi, Ernest Brody, Becca Lundberg
WYC Boat #5 – Marty Fossen, Kathy Fossen, Mark Kochendorfer
WYC Boat #6 – John Sligh, Liz Sligh, Jeff Harris
Team Canada
CYA Boat “Captain Hook” – Bert Foster, Carmella Foster, Leonard MacKinnan
CYA Boat #7 – Tom Brown, Dan Hollinger, Chandra Wobschall Millner
CYA Boat # 8 – Fred Finlayson, Jim Fogg, Rob Eby
Team Sheboygan
SYC Boat #1 – Hans Graf and Crew
SYC Boat # 2 – Albert, Rachel and Max of Tufts Sailing Team
SYC Boat # 3 – Greg, Duane Olmsted and Crew
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