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Record breaking Caribbean 600 win

BY ADMIN • MARCH 26, 2018 • BREAKING NEWS, HOMEMOSAIC, RACING • COMMENTS (0) • 60

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

This season has proven to be one of the windiest Caribbean winters for many years. The 10th edition of this now classic 600-mile race around a string of iconic islands therefore proved to be the toughest yet. Competitors had to contend with mean wind speeds of 25-30 knots with frequent squalls, some of which brought gusts of well of 40 knots, along with four to five metre seas.

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

The record fleet of 84 yachts set off from Antigua on February 19, but casualties started to mount within the first 12 hours. High profile retirements included Ludde Ingvall’s 100ft supermaxi CQS, which suffered a technical breakdown. More seriously, Greg Slyngstad’s Bieker 53 catamaran, Fujin, capsized off Saba Rock. Fortunately, all eight crew were able to clamber onto the up-turned hull and two nearby competitors, Stephen Cucchiaro’s Gunboat 60 Flow and Jens Kellinhusen’s Ker 56 Varuna, stood by until rescue agencies were able to recover the crew safely.

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

Less than half the fleet was able to complete the race, although two of the smallest boats were successful – Shaun Carroll’s diminutive semi-foiling modified Sea Cart 30 trimaran Morticia, and Conor Fogerty’s Sun Fast 3600 Bam. The latter is no stranger to heavy weather, having won the stormy 2017 OSTAR single-handed trans-Atlantic race on corrected time. He returned to Antigua at the end of the Caribbean 600 victorious in IRC Class 3 and in second place in CSA Class 2.

Credit: © Tim Wright 2018/RORC

George David’s giant Rambler 88 screeched round the course in just 37 hours 41 minutes and 45 seconds, at an average speed of almost 16 knots. It was a stunning performance that earned him a hat trick of trophies – monohull line honours, first in IRC Class 0, and the best corrected time under the IRC rating rule. He also broke the race record, which he set himself six years earlier in his previous boat, Rambler 100.

“We sailed a good race and didn’t leave much out there,” David said. “Nobody got hurt and we didn’t break anything. I think it might come down to evolution in design. Six years ago, the conditions were similar, yet we are two and a half hours ahead of a 100ft boat. We made some modifications over the winter to Rambler 88. We draw 7 metres now and… it’s lighter and livelier and gets up and goes quicker; boats just go faster.”

via Record breaking Caribbean 600 win | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

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X boats recent launch of X4⁹

BY ADMIN • MARCH 26, 2018 • BREAKING NEWS, HOMEMOSAIC, YACHTS • COMMENTS (0) • 67

Only a couple of years since this Danish boat builder launched the first models, a 43 and 65- footer, in this range of fast cruisers that sits between the company’s Xp line of performance racer/cruisers and the Xc range of serious long-distance cruising yachts. The new format is designed to appeal to experienced and knowledgeable owners who demand comfort and luxury, but also want a yacht with impeccable sailing characteristics and the deck gear and sail handling equipment to match.

“When designing the new X4⁹ I wanted to combine the sleek, low profile lines of the new X range with luxurious high spec interiors to create a modern performance cruiser that will sail beautifully as well as be a joy to live aboard,” says lead designer Niels Jeppesen. The general formula has already proved to be very successful formula, especially in the 40-50ft sector. The new X4⁹ was launched at the Dusseldorf boat show in January 2018 and a 46ft model will also be on the water later this year.

The X4⁹ has minor on-deck styling changes compared to the earlier models, particularly around the companionway and the spray hood stowage. These give a flat superyacht style teak decked coach roof that’s notable for the absence of clutter. There’s also an optional electric mainsheet traveller recessed into the cockpit floor. Two keel options are offered – as standard it’s a 2.4m draught L-shape bulb keel, with a deep 2.71m torpedo bulb option.

The boat has significantly more interior space than the smaller model, which makes for supremely spacious sleeping cabins. Layouts are fairly fixed, but include three double cabins, with one of the aft ones optionally configurable as either a double or twin. There’s also a large owner’s suite forward.

The saloon, galley and navigation station are also well proportioned, with plenty of natural light and ventilation. These areas feel spacious, but the designers have been careful to avoid an excess of wide-open spaces that are difficult to negotiate safely when at sea in challenging weather.

Length overall 15.08m

Hull length 14.50M

Waterline length 13.58m

Beam 4.49m

Draught (standard keel) 2.40 m

Draught (deep keel) 2.71 m

Engine diesel 58hp

Fuel tanks 300 litres

Water tanks 325 litres

via X boats recent launch of X4⁹ | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

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Mystery of abandoned Sea Nymph

BY ADMIN • MARCH 26, 2018 • BREAKING NEWS, FEATURES, HOMEMOSAIC • COMMENTS (0) • 91

Screen grab of the Sea Nymph, four months after being abandoned. Credit: Turn the Tide on Plastic/Volvo Ocean Race

Many will remember the media attention given to Jennifer Appel and Tasha Fuiava when they were rescued in October 2017 from their 50ft yacht Sea Nymph after nearly six months at sea.

The pair claimed their boat was sinking as the reason for their need to be rescued. Yet the boat was found by one of the teams in the Volvo Ocean Race, Dee Caffari’s Turn the Tide on Plastic, more than four months later, having been drifting around 1,000 miles south-east of Japan.

While the circumstances around Appel and Fuiava’s situation may have been unusual, theirs is by no means the only occasion on which a frightened crew has abandoned a boat that subsequently turned out to be viable. There have even been cases of yachts abandoned during an Atlantic crossing that have then made their own way slowly across to the Caribbean, many of them sadly being driven ashore on beaches that they then litter, instead of being salvaged and subsequently repaired.

While it’s natural that a scared crew, in challenging conditions and faced with equipment breakages may wish to escape, abandoning the boat in deep ocean waters is often not a guaranteed route to safety. In particular, any transfer between a yacht and a ship is fraught with danger – with the two vessels moving several meters up and down relative to each other the risk of being squashed between the two vessels, or simply falling off the pilot ladder is very real.

When a yacht is rolling in a heavy sea it doesn’t take a huge amount of water sloshing around inside the vessel for it to lap over the bunk tops – a scary prospect. However, unless the ingress is fast and sustained over a long period the boat may be far from sinking at this stage and pumping/bailing out may not be as futile as it might first appear.

However, potential sinking is not the most common reason for abandoning a boat at sea – it’s far more likely to be a result of equipment failure. A broken rudder may seem like an unmitigated disaster. Yet it’s not all that long ago that many ocean voyagers didn’t have today’s sophisticated communication systems and EPRIBs and so would have to contend with such eventualities without outside assistance.

Given that most ocean passages are predominately downwind it’s not hard to make slow progress in very roughly the right direction – a speed of two and a half knots will give you 60 miles a day, sufficient to cover half the distance from the Cape Verde islands to the Caribbean in 20 days. All you need then is enough food and water – the latter can often be caught in rain squalls – plus a tow into port at the end of the voyage.

It’s much better than littering the ocean with many tonnes of used plastic yacht. And if you genuinely have to abandon ship, open the seacocks to allow it to sink before leaving – that way it won’t be a collision risk for others.

Sadly, Caffari’s team were unable to undertake salvage, but they were able to use a drone to confirm the identity of the yacht, and that the crew had therefore already been taken off. In reporting its position, it also leaves open the possibility of a salvage team recovering the vessel.

via Mystery of abandoned Sea Nymph | Yachting News Update | The Business of Boat Ownership and Marina Berths.

FORMER OYSTER PERSONNEL SET UP SUPPORT BUSINESS

HOME NEWSINDUSTRY NEWS FORMER OYSTER PERSONNEL SET UP SUPPORT BUSINESS

22 Mar 2018

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Sarah Harmer will head Fox’s Yacht Service

INDUSTRY DATABASE

FOX’S MARINA IPSWICH LTD

Three former Oyster personnel have set up a new business providing after sales support to owners of Oyster yachts.

Fox’s Yacht Service, based at Fox’s Marina & Boatyard, Ipswich, will be managed by Sarah Harmer who is the former after sales manager at Oyster.

Joining her are Will Taylor-Jones, former quality manager at Oyster and Richard Matthews Oyster founder.

“Our mission is to establish Fox’s Yacht Service as the one-stop first choice for owners and crew looking for reliable service and support at reasonable prices,” explained Sarah.

“Most Oysters were commissioned and rigged by Fox’s whose knowledge of these yachts is unsurpassed and who continue to offer a comprehensive range of services for these and other quality yachts.”

via Boating Business | Former Oyster personnel set up support business.

23 Mar 2018

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INDUSTRY DATABASE

MARLOW ROPES LTD

Tom Keegan is Marlow’s new leisure marine van sales representative meeting and assisting Marlow’s existing customer base as well developing new growth areas.

He has spent the last four years working on sailing yachts in Greece, Turkey and the Caribbean and is a keen Laser sailor.

Bruno Guerin has also joined Marlow as sales sanager for France working across Marlow’s leisure marine and commercial divisions.

As a French engineer, with experience of industrial sales, Bruno will continue to develop Marlow’s expanding business in France.

In addition, Graham O’Connor has been promoted to European sales manager. Graham joined Marlow in 2011 and will be responsible for the continued growth of the business across Europe.

“Tom and Bruno are joining Marlow Ropes at an exciting time in the company’s history,” said leisure marine sales director, Paul Honess.

“With significant global growth across all areas of the business in 2017, Marlow is looking to continue this success by recruiting and promoting keen, talented professionals.”

via Boating Business | Marlow expands its leisure marine team.

RORC APPOINTS NEW ASSISTANT RACING MANAGER

HOME NEWSPEOPLE RORC APPOINTS NEW ASSISTANT RACING MANAGER

23 Mar 2018

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Tim Thubron is the new assistant racing manager at RORC

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ROYAL OCEAN RACING CLUB

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has appointed Tim Thubron to the post of assistant racing manager.

Tim is a former professional skipper managing racing and charter yachts, he has also previously worked at the Royal Southern Yacht Club delivering an extensive sailing programme of regattas and other events.

He was also responsible for managing the club’s Prince Philip Yacht Haven along with RIB berths, dry sailing berths, dinghies and river pontoons.

“Tim brings with him in-depth knowledge and experience that will be valuable to the management and development of the extensive RORC race programme,” said RORC chief executive Eddie Warden Owen. “He is very much a team player and is looking forward to being part of our young race management team.”

via Boating Business | RORC appoints new assistant racing manager.

£4M FACILITIES OPENED AT BUCKLER’S HARD YACHT HARBOUR

HOME NEWSMARINAS £4M FACILITIES OPENED AT BUCKLER’S HARD YACHT HARBOUR

26 Mar 2018

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From left to right: Mike Golding, Mary Montagu-Scott and Lord Montagu

New £4m facilities have been opened at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour by yachtsman Mike Golding OBE.

The upgraded showers and facilities building features heavy oak doors, portholes bearing the Beaulieu River emblem, underfloor heating and luxury fittings. A cosy seating area uses artwork from entrants to the annual Beaulieu River photographic competition.

High Sheriff of Hampshire, keen sailor and interior designer the Hon Mary Montagu-Scott, who oversaw the project alongside her brother Lord Montagu, explained: “This is part of a programme of investments in the Beaulieu River, with a new approach for modern times.

“We have been delighted to open the new facilities for moorings holders and visitors.”

Locally inspired

Inspiration for the décor of the 11 large, luxury rooms was taken from their New Forest surroundings. The building, the latest in a series of investments in the five Gold Anchors-winning harbour, also includes a laundrette and facilities for families and disabled visitors.

Lord Montagu and Ms Montagu-Scott, who is also commodore of the Beaulieu River Sailing Club, joined world champion and global record breaker Mr Golding to welcome mooring holders for the opening.

Mr Golding said: “When we were training round the world race crews, we stopped at all of the marinas in the Solent area and always judged the venue by the quality of the facilities – and these at the Beaulieu River are outstanding.”

via Boating Business | £4m facilities opened at Buckler’s Hard Yacht Harbour.

VOR CREWMEMBER PRESUMED LOST AT SEA

HOME NEWSINDUSTRY NEWS VOR CREWMEMBER PRESUMED LOST AT SEA

27 Mar 2018

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John Fisher about to head out onto deck. Photo credit: Konrad Frost/Volvo Ocean Race

INDUSTRY DATABASE

VOLVO OCEAN RACE

John Fisher, a crew member on board the Volvo Ocean Race yacht Team Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag, is presumed to have been lost at sea after falling overboard on Monday afternoon.

The incident took place in daylight around 1,400 miles west of Cape Horn in gale-force winds of 35 knots with the consequent sea state.

The water temperature was 9° Celsius and conditions were deteriorating. Mr Fisher was wearing survival equipment.

Given the conditions, race control was not able to divert any of the other VOR competitors who were at least 200 miles further east and downwind of SHK/Scallywag to assist in the search operation.

Exhaustive search

“The Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag team conducted an exhaustive search for several hours in extremely challenging weather conditions, but they were unable to recover their teammate,” explained Richard Brisius, VOR president.

“This is heart-breaking for all of us. As sailors and race organisers losing a crew member at sea is a tragedy we don’t ever want to contemplate. We are devastated and our thoughts are with John’s family, friends and teammates.”

VOR coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre that located a ship 400 miles away and diverted towards the scene but this was not due to arrive until tomorrow.

Extreme sea state

Mr Brisius added: “Given the cold-water temperature and the extreme sea state, along with the time that has now passed since he went overboard, we must now presume that John has been lost at sea.

“All of us here at the Volvo Ocean Race organisation send our heartfelt condolences out to John’s family, his friends and his teammates and we will do everything in our power to support them in this very difficult time.”

Team Sun Hung Kai / Scallywag has now resumed sailing in a north-easterly direction towards the South American coast around 1,200 nautical miles away.

via Boating Business | VOR crewmember presumed lost at sea.

ENGLISH BRAIDS SUPPORTS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

HOME NEWSFITTING OUTEXTERIOR FITTING OUT ENGLISH BRAIDS SUPPORTS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

20 Mar 2018

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English Braids is working with Alex Alley in preparation for his round the world record attempt

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ENGLISH BRAIDS LTD

English Braids is supporting Alex Alley, who in November will attempt to break the world record for solo global non-stop racing in his specially designed 40ft yacht, Pixel Flyer.

Alex hopes to beat the current world record of 137 days, 20 hours 1 minute and 57 seconds, set by Chinese sailor Guo Chuan and increase his world record tally from two to three.

He has worked with English Braids for more than two years and will predominantly be using the company’s Dyneema products with custom covers, allowing maximum flexibility without compromising performance.

Tailor-made

Using custom covers, English Braids can produce a variety of tailor-made solutions to maximise the properties of the fibres.

“The wide variety of lines on offer in the market can be confusing for anyone – never mind someone sailing around the world,” explained marine sales manager, Justin Jones. “The importance of correctly matching each type of rope to a specific job cannot be over-emphasised and we are delighted to have been selected by Alex for this incredible world record attempt.”

Alex added: “In non-stop solo racing, the main priority is to have confidence in the products’ performance.

“With this in mind, I adopt a fit and forget approach with my trusted partners – based upon the knowledge I’m using the best products in the market.

“Those we’ve jointly selected will perform well – whatever abuse they encounter on my trip.”

via Boating Business | English Braids supports world record attempt.

PRESS RELEASESOYSTER IS SOLDHOME NEWSBOATBUILDINGBOATBUILDING OYSTER IS SOLD21 Mar 2018EmailShareFacebookLinkedInTwitterPrintOyster has been sold to Richard Hadida YachtingINDUSTRY DATABASEOYSTER MARINEUK software entrepreneur Richard Hadida has been confirmed as the new owner of Oyster.The deal – secured by administrators KPMG – covers the assets and business of Oyster Marine Ltd and the assets of Oyster Marine Holdings Ltd including its shareholdings in companies within the Oyster GroupThe sale, to a new company, Richard Hadida Yachting, will secure the employment of the retained staff at Oyster’s Southampton and Wroxham sites.Mr Hadida has sailed an Oyster yacht for several years and says he has fallen in love with the yachts themselves, the events and the Oyster family.Prestigious yacht builderIt was this passion that led to his decision to acquire the business.“I firmly believe that we must save this prestigious British yacht builder and continue to nurture and grow the Oyster Group for the long term,” he said. “My investment in Oyster is not merely a hobby.”And he stated that Oyster needs to be a sustainable business with hard, quick decisions made.This could include the company adopting more modern construction techniques such as modular construction to reduce build times.Re-employIt is understood Mr Hadida’s management team intends to re-employ as many of Oyster’s previous workforce as possible and resume yacht production as soon as possible, however many have already found alternative employment, particularly with Discovery Yachts.Future plans could also see the company start to build smaller yachts, in an attempt to introduce new owners into the Oyster ‘family’.Oyster Marine Holdings went into administration on February 7 2018 and Oyster Marine on February 20.“We are delighted to have a concluded a sale of the business, ensuring the recommencement of yacht production at the sites in Southampton and Wroxham, together with the opportunities for employment that this will bring,” said Neil Gostelow, partner at KPMG and joint administrator.Prior to administration, the group had 373 employees.Richard Hadida Yachting Ltd was incorporated March 16 2018 and is based in Chandler’s Ford near Eastleigh.

via Boating Business | Oyster is sold.