Yachts & Yachting magazine July 2019
Since 1947 Yachts & Yachting has been famed for its excellent coverage of all aspects of racing, from local dinghy and keelboat events to the heights of the Olympic Games, America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race. As well as the top end events, each issue is full of vital information, including technique and tips from some of the best coaches in the sport, interviews and profiles, kit and equipment guides, as well as tests of the latest new boats.
in this issue
getting the bug
Like all caring parents, I have every intention of letting my son and daughter choose their own paths in life – just so long as they’re sailors. So I took my son, now aged eight, down to our local club this month for his first proper taste of dinghy sailing. The club was running an open day as part of the RYA’s nationwide Push the Boat Out scheme. Some experienced youth sailors had volunteered to take the newcomers out and my son was paired up with 15-year-old Nick. Nick did the perfect job, returning to the pontoons, after 15 minutes of pootling around the lake, with my son beaming. A summer, perhaps a lifetime, of dinghy sailing now lies ahead. Where did you get the sailing bug? For millions of people…
news
Laser gets the nod for Paris 2024 The future of the Laser as an Olympic class appears to have been secured by a vote of the World Sailing Council. The decision runs contrary to the recommendation of World Sailing’s Equipment Committee that the RS Aero should replace the Laser at Paris 2024 – a recommendation based on a recent high profile evaluation of four competing dinghies that favoured the RS Aero. “World Sailing’s Council made key decisions on the equipment to be used at the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition on Sunday 19 May as the Mid-Year Meeting concluded in London,” said a statement. “The Laser was selected as the Men’s and Women’s One Person Dinghy, the IKA Formula Kite as the Mixed Kiteboard and the 470 as the Mixed Two Person Dinghy.” The…
in numbers
2,197 miles sailed over the theoretical 2,000m course of the Bermudas 1000 Race by winner Sébastien Simon 4 times victors in the Rolex Fastnet Race, the French are looking to make it five this year, with a trio of Ultime trimarans potentially chasing line honours 21 World Sailing council members voted in favour of all votes on the Olympic Equipment being held in secret, with 20 against. As a result, how each member voted for or against the Laser was secret 6 million dollars – the cost to construct Enoshima harbour for yachting events at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, and due to be used again in 2020…
they said…
“I had been neck-and-neck with Istvan Kopar across the Indian Ocean when suddenly he started to get away. I thought there must be something wrong – perhaps a fishing line caught in the propeller – and dived over the side during a calm spell before Hobart to investigate. It was not a rope or net, but barnacles growing all over the hull. When I saw them on the bottom, I knew my race was over.” Tapio Lehtinen, who crossed the Golden Globe finish line in fifth and last place in May, after a circumnavigation of 322 days, 8hrs and 21 minutes “It definitely finds the groove easier. I don’t know why. When we did all this work, the whole purpose was to improve our performance by two boat lengths upwind, so we…
in brief
Bossing it Alex Thompson’s new IMOCA Hugo Boss will be launched this summer and will debut in the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre (TJV) race from France to Brazil in October, co-skippered by Neal McDonald. The team will then target the New York-Vendée race in June 2020 and the Vendée Globe 2020-2021. Bermuda Sébastien Simon (Arkéa Paprec) crossed the finish line of the Bermuda 1000 Race – from Brest to Douarnenez via the Fastnet and the Azores – winning his first solo race in IMOCA. His time was seven days, 17 hours, 34 minutes. Rapscallions Supermaxi Scallywag, skippered by David Witt, took line honours in the 2019 Antigua Bermuda Race. Ergo Argo Ian Williams of Great Britain and the Team GAC Pindar crew won the 69th Argo Group Gold Cup at the Royal Bermuda…
turbo charged
“Fans were witnessing speeds of 45 knots just off the shore” After two days of racing at the San Francisco round of SailGP, the Australia SailGP Team, helmed by Olympic gold medalist Tom Slingsby, took victory. Proving the ultimate come-back kids after struggling in training and a disappointing day of racing on Saturday, they defeated the Japanese team in the final match-race to win the event and go two points up in the overall season rankings and a step closer to the $1m prize. San Francisco Bay lived up to its reputation over the weekend, delivering spectacular conditions that provided the ultimate test of skill and stamina for the elite athletes racing on the world’s fastest race boats. Fans had a ringside seat to the speed and drama, witnessing speeds of over 45…
