Yachting World March 2021

Online www.yachtingworld.com YouTube Yachting World Facebook @yachtingworld twitter @yachtingworldmagazine It is a fundamental principle that any seafarer will go to the assistance of another in distress. It’s enshrined in our laws, our racing rules, and our martime traditions. That four Vendée Globe skippers diverted to help when Kevin Escoffier abandoned ship in November is no surprise. That those actions would impact the overall result, two months later, is unprecedented. It’s hard not to feel for Charlie Dalin, who crossed the finish line 1st. He sailed a brilliant race on his first attempt, including effecting a complex foil repair, but could only watch as the hours ticked away, taking his lead with it (see page 10). Yet Dalin was philosophical. That, he commented on arrival, is just how it goes. Every Vendée skipper knows they might need…

Online www.yachtingworld.com YouTube Yachting World Facebook @yachtingworld twitter @yachtingworldmagazine It is a fundamental principle that any seafarer will go to the assistance of another in distress. It’s enshrined in our laws, our racing rules, and our martime traditions. That four Vendée Globe skippers diverted to help when Kevin Escoffier abandoned ship in November is no surprise. That those actions would impact the overall result, two months later, is unprecedented. It’s hard not to feel for Charlie Dalin, who crossed the finish line 1st. He sailed a brilliant race on his first attempt, including effecting a complex foil repair, but could only watch as the hours ticked away, taking his lead with it (see page 10). Yet Dalin was philosophical. That, he commented on arrival, is just how it goes. Every…

Reversing the odds over the space of four weeks, where the worst performing America’s Cup Challenger team became the best and vice versa, was on nobody’s radar here in Auckland before January, writes Matthew Sheahan. It isn’t just the pundits that have been surprised by the complete turnaround in fortunes in the Challengers’ camp, the teams have been shocked too. Among them was American Magic, who had never expected to be so comprehensively thrashed in the opening two Round Robins. After the first two weekends of the Prada Cup they had nearly lost their entire campaign after ripping a hole in the bottom of their boat in a dramatic capsize, and having to perform a major rebuild simply to stay in the game. The only team to have beaten the Defenders Emirates Team…

Rivals rally to rebuild Patriot Just nine days after near-sinking on the Hauraki Gulf, the American Magic AC75 Patriot was back on the water test-sailing its hastily repaired systems. A replacement hull panel was fabricated by ETNZ’s build team and, on relaunch, Patriot sported a ‘sticking plaster’ on her hull thanking the British, Italian and New Zealand teams for their help with the boat’s recovery and repair. Vendée closer, but slower When Charlie Dalin crossed the finish line on 27 January it was eight years to the day since his mentor, François Gabart, won in 2013. Dalin’s time was two days slower than Gabart, and six more than Armel Le Cleac’h in 2017. Light conditions in the South Atlantic saw the new foilers fail to set records, and the whole…

Rivals rally to rebuild Patriot Just nine days after near-sinking on the Hauraki Gulf, the American Magic AC75 Patriot was back on the water test-sailing its hastily repaired systems. A replacement hull panel was fabricated by ETNZ’s build team and, on relaunch, Patriot sported a ‘sticking plaster’ on her hull thanking the British, Italian and New Zealand teams for their help with the boat’s recovery and repair. Vendée closer, but slower When Charlie Dalin crossed the finish line on 27 January it was eight years to the day since his mentor, François Gabart, won in 2013. Dalin’s time was two days slower than Gabart, and six more than Armel Le Cleac’h in 2017. Light conditions in the South Atlantic saw the new foilers fail to set records, and the whole fleet was closer…

Reversing the odds over the space of four weeks, where the worst performing America’s Cup Challenger team became the best and vice versa, was on nobody’s radar here in Auckland before January, writes Matthew Sheahan. It isn’t just the pundits that have been surprised by the complete turnaround in fortunes in the Challengers’ camp, the teams have been shocked too. Among them was American Magic, who had never expected to be so comprehensively thrashed in the opening two Round Robins. After the first two weekends of the Prada Cup they had nearly lost their entire campaign after ripping a hole in the bottom of their boat in a dramatic capsize, and having to perform a major rebuild simply to stay in the game. The only team to have beaten the…