October 2007

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The rule as agreed between Alinghi and the challengers is unveiled

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Click here for the entire rule in PDF

[Source: America’s Cup Management] Today AC Management, as scheduled, published the AC90 Rule marking an exciting milestone in the path to the 33rd America’s Cup. This rule has been crafted over the past six weeks through a design consultation process with all entered challengers, the Defender, and headed by Tom Schnackenberg as the class rule and competition regulations consultant for ACM.

Designers from all six entered teams have met regularly since the design process began on 15 September. Tom Schnackenberg comments on the sessions: “The process has been an invigorating one with the challengers helping enormously in making improvements to the rule. It is amazing how inventive people are in this environment, bouncing ideas off each other, these past six weeks have been a very enjoyable experience.”

The AC90 Rule, in brief, will be 90ft overall maximum length, 6.5m in draft whilst racing and will have a displacement of 23tons. This last parameter was defined by the challengers on their request. Tom adds some insight: “In writing the AC90 Rule we have used the experience gained in forming Version 5 of the America’s Cup Class rule. We have tried to keep it simple because of the short timeframe, while also taking care not to ignore the lessons of the last 18 years of the ACC. The rule is a box rule rather than a rating rule and differs greatly to Version 5 in that the yacht will be big, fast and much more demanding.”


Juan Kouyoumdjian, principal designer for British challenger, TEAMORIGIN, comments on the result of the design sessions: “To sit in a series of meetings chaired by Tom Schnackenberg and write a class rule for something as significant as the boat to be used for the America’s Cup has been an honour for me personally and a really inspiring experience. The profile of designers, engineers and naval architects representing the challengers and the Defender is, as always, really special. This has been an efficient and productive process and the boat itself will be spectacular: challenging to design, to sail and to race.”

John Cutler, technical director for Desafío Español, adds his take on the result: “We are happy with the process. It has been a lot of hard work for all the teams, the challengers and the Defender, and there have been a lot of changes. The boat will be exciting to sail, a challenge to design and also a challenge for the crew to master. It will provide exciting racing.”

As far as the next steps towards the 33rd America’s Cup are concerned, Tom Schnackenberg will continue the dialogue with the challengers and the Defender to finalise the Competition Regulations for a 2009 event.

Original post by Valencia Sailing and software by Elliott Back

 AC Management a comme prévu publié aujourd’hui la jauge AC90, marquant ainsi une étape importante en vue de la 33e America’s Cup…

Original post by Alinghi News and software by Elliott Back

 (Valencia, le 31 octobre 2007). AC Management a comme prévu publié aujourd’hui la jauge AC90, marquant ainsi une étape importante en vue de la 33e America’s Cup…

Original post by Alinghi News and software by Elliott Back

The ten yachts depart Salvador frustrated by light winds 31/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

High spec drysuit unveiled

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Ericsson sign Briton Salter as navigator to its internationally crewed Volvo Race entry 31/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

RS K6 in the US

The RS K6 fleet held their first International Regatta at the American Yacht Club

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Salter signed

Ericsson gain a navigator

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

X-99 takes overall honours in SCRA IRC Solent Series

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Starting tomorrow

ISAF preview their anual meeting in Estoril

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Deauville 2008

One-design and IRC racing on France’s Normandy coast in late May

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

The BUSA Fleet Racing Championships are set to take place this weekend

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Hall of fame

ISAF are to introduce a hall of fame in celebration of their 100 year anniversary

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

We speak to Dan Gohl and Tom Gall about their 40 entry into the Transat Jacques Vabre

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Moving on up

The Musto Skiff fleet continues to grow as the class moves to Ovington Boats

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

RNLI urge all from 8 to 80 to prepare for the charity’s national day of fundraising 30/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

The couple who survived on sea birds and a turtle - and say something must be done about liferaft emergency packs

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

As part of its centenary year the ISAF will induct six personalities into the Hall of Fame 30/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

Adrian Flanagan waits patiently for weather window home as he recounts two years at sea 30/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

Once again, our friend Jaume Soler has interesting news concerning the Club Nautico Español de Vela (CNEV), the newly-formed yacht that challenges Alinghi in the 33rd America’s Cup.

The CNEV being the Challenger of Record has the obligation, according to the Deed of Gift, to organize an annual regatta. Once again, we will not argue whether the regatta must have been held before the challenge was filed or if this can be done at a later stage. This is the core issue of the litigation in New York and Judge Cahn will rule within a couple of weeks.

There are now more details on that regatta, given the fact its Notice of Race, dated 8 October, has been made public. First of all, we now know its precise date and location, as it will take place here in Valencia, from November 23 to November 25. The boats will be cruisers and will be divided into 3 classes according to their rating. Organizers hope to have a minimum of 10 boats per class.

Soler goes on to claim that the RFEV (Spanish Sailing Federation) clearly breached its own rules by designating this event as “Alto Nivel” (Upper level), given the fact the normal procedure would have required the regatta to be submitted for approval before 30 June 2006!! Soler was the Federation’s press officer for almost a decade and we suppose he’s well documented.

Once thing that surprises though is the time of the day racing has been scheduled. On the opening day racing will start at 3pm and in the two following ones the starting gun will be fired at noon!! We really don’t know what kind of wind organizers expect to have in Valencia, at noon in late November!!

You can read the NoR (in Spanish) here. At least, this time it is publicly available before the race!

Original post by Valencia Sailing and software by Elliott Back

Only the intrepid Barton braves the Weymouth conditions

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

B14 blast

The B14 fleet experienced high winds and high speeds at their Weymouth open

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Fireball youths

The Fireball combined Youth National Championships and Open Meeting was held at King George SC

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

We look at the form going into this weekend’s start

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Who is for the chop?

The ISAF conference is set to begin this week in Portugal

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Greenwood walks it

The UK Finn Inland Championship was held in light winds at Leigh and Lowton SC

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Hamble Winter Series

Big winds force abandonment of small class racing at Garmin Hamble Winter Series 29/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

Big Boat Series final

Freddie Freeloader and Fidessa Fastwave win respective classes at recently concluded Garmin Hamble Big Boat Series 29/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

Imagine you wanted to join the yacht club whose privilege is to be the Challenger of Record in the world’s oldest and most prestigious sailing competition in order to show off at your friends and boast about over dinner talk. According to the story that Jaume Soler’s blog runs today, this is next to impossible.

Macarena Lainez, a well-known sailing journalist in Spain and director of the monthly magazine “Barcos a Vela”, wanted to write an article on the required procedure in order for someone to become member of the CNEV (Club Nautico Español de Vela) and inform the general public about the organization, activities and services of the yacht club that challenges Alinghi in the 33rd America’s Cup.

Nevertheless, what was supposed to be a simple task, gather some basic information, turned out to be an odyssey. Lainez finally had to talk to the CNEV’s president, Manuel Chirivella, mostly because the club has only a handful of members; Manuel Chirivella (President), José María Martín Puertas (Vice president), José Ángel Rodríguez (Treasurer and Secretary) and Luis Merino (Director), all of them vice presidents of the RFEV (Spanish Sailing Federation).

According to Soler, Lainez started her inquiry by calling the phone number that appears on the website of the Sailing Federation of the Valencia Region, apparently, the only place where one can find the club’s contact information. After letting the phone ring many times, the call was picked up by Desafío Español’s telephone operator [Note: CNEV’s legal address is the Desafío Español base]. She asked whether she could talk to somebody from the CNEV and the reply was negative. After several intents and unanswered calls it turned out the phone number appearing as CNEV’s is apparently Agustín Zulueta’s, general manager of the team, personal number in the base.

As a result, Lainez contacted the communications department of Desafío Español in order to also get additional information on the regatta the CNEV will organize in November in order to fulfill the requirements of the Deed of Gift. There as well it was impossible to answer her questions and she was told she had to call Manuel Chirivella, president of the CNEV. And call him she did.

According to Chirivella, they are “working” on the issue of the club’s organization and their aim is to have all of Spain’s yacht clubs as affiliates of the CNEV, adding that it was not born in order to compete with them. As for the issue of having private members, Chirivella said they were “studying” it but at some stage the club will have private persons as members.

The full story, in Spanish, will appear on the December issue of Barcos a Vela.

Original post by Valencia Sailing and software by Elliott Back

Imagine you wanted to join the yacht club whose privilege is to be the Challenger of Record in the world’s oldest and most prestigious sailing competition in order to show off at your friends and boast about over dinner talk. According to the story that Jaume Soler’s blog runs today, this is next to impossible.

Macarena Lainez, a well-known sailing journalist in Spain and director of the monthly magazine “Barcos a Vela”, wanted to write an article on the required procedure in order for someone to become member of the CNEV (Club Nautico Español de Vela) and inform the general public about the organization, activities and services of the yacht club that challenges Alinghi in the 33rd America’s Cup.

Nevertheless, what was supposed to be a simple task, gather some basic information, turned out to be an odyssey. Lainez finally had to talk to the CNEV’s president, Manuel Chirivella, mostly because the club has only a handful of members; Manuel Chirivella (President), José María Martín Puertas (Vice president), José Ángel Rodríguez (Treasurer and Secretary) and Luis Merino (Director), all of them vice presidents of the RFEV (Spanish Sailing Federation).

According to Soler, Lainez started her inquiry by calling the phone number that appears on the website of the Sailing Federation of the Valencia Region, apparently, the only place where one can find the club’s contact information. After letting the phone ring many times, the call was picked up by Desafío Español’s telephone operator [Note: CNEV’s legal address is the Desafío Español base]. She asked whether she could talk to somebody from the CNEV and the reply was negative. After several intents and unanswered calls it turned out the phone number appearing as CNEV’s is apparently Agustín Zulueta’s, general manager of the team, personal number in the base.

As a result, Lainez contacted the communications department of Desafío Español in order to also get additional information on the regatta the CNEV will organize in November in order to fulfill the requirements of the Deed of Gift. There as well it was impossible to answer her questions and she was told she had to call Manuel Chirivella, president of the CNEV. And call him she did.

According to Chirivella, they are “working” on the issue of the club’s organization and their aim is to have all of Spain’s yacht clubs as affiliates of the CNEV, adding that it was not born in order to compete with them. As for the issue of having private members, Chirivella said they were “studying” it but at some stage the club will have private persons as members.

The full story, in Spanish, will appear on the December issue of Barcos a Vela.

Original post by Valencia Sailing and software by Elliott Back

Tom Ehman, Hamish Ross and Brad Butterworth talk to PJ Montgomery, but are they playing the waiting game or planning to settle asks Matthew Sheahan

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

His half century marks 18 years of sponsorship. He’s Britain’s most prolific ocean racing supporter

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

Mike Golding and Bruno Dubois finish second overall in Transat Jacques Vabre prologue in brand-new Ecover 29/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

CYCA Big Boat Challenge changes name to support SOLAS Trust, plus your eBay chance to fire the starting cannon 29/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

Go racing on a maxi

CYCA to auction for charity spots on boats competing in their SOLAS Big Boat Challenge

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

TJV Prologue

Open 60 Safran and Class 40 Lord Jiminy clean up in Transat Jaques Vabre prologue on Saturday 29/10/07

Original post by Jeffrey Davis and software by Elliott Back

New 16m ‘open type’ offshore monohull christened in Cherbourg

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Hamble Big Boats

Two days of action for the big boys

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

The ‘winter’ is put into the Garmin Hamble Winter Series

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Photos: TJV prologue

Mark Lloyd’s images of the new hardware racing off Le Havre

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Southampton Solent University flies the flag for England this week in La Rochelle

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back

Asko takes race one

The Australian 18ft Skiff Club Championship is underway in Sydney

Original post by Bruce McLeod and software by Elliott Back