Sailing teaches you patience and US racing disaster

Weather day 3 Commodores Cup, Sail Port Stephens 2012  Bureau of Meteorology

Sail Port Stephen's Commodore's Cup regatta - with the heavy rainsqualls knocking out the breeze, the cruising fleet is being held ashore, so there is a lot of coffee being consumed. Regular SMS updates from the race committee are very helpful, the good news is its looking better for the much anticipated Trophy series, there are some very hot entries.

Early morning over d'Albora's marina Nelson Bay.jpg  Sail Port Stephens Event Media

This weekend saw one of the biggest disasters in North American ocean sailing in decades when one sailor was killed and four others went missing during the San Francisco Yacht Club's 2012 Full Crew Farallones Race.

Low Speed Chase, a Sydney 38, was swept by a huge wave as she was nearing the lee shore of the Farallones Island, sweeping crew members into the sea; the remaining sailors turned the boat around to retrieve their MOBs, only to be smashed onto the rocks by another massive wave.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) launched an all-out search for the sailors and later found the body of Marc Kasanin, but at the time of this writing, Alexis Busch, Jordan Fromm, Alan Cahill and Elmer Morrissey remain missing. Sadly, the USCG now fears these sailors lost, given the duration of their ordeal and the water and air temperatures involved.

Sail-world.com extends our deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the deceased and the missing, who are reported to be experienced and solid sailors.

As always there is lots more news ...

America's Cup World Series: Full Video Replay of Finals Day in Naples Sail-World, A full video replay of the Finals Day in Naples is available for viewing in all countries (including the blocked countries - New Zealand and France). Features the semi finals and finals of the Match racing, plus the Speed Trial and the Final Fleet race. Duration over three hours!... [more] Share this story

One dead, four missing in California Farallones sailboat race Carolyn Jones, One sailor died and four others were missing Sunday morning after 12-foot waves pummeled a Sydney 38 yacht and hurled it onto rocks near the Farallon Islands during a sailboat race. Coast Guard and National Guard rescuers were scouring the choppy waters 27 miles west of the Golden Gate for the missing sailors early Sunday. Three other sailors were rescued from the rocks Saturday afternoon.... [more] Share this story

SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2012 – Enter online NOW!! Magnetic Island Race Week, SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week, from August 30th to September 4th 2012 on the sheltered waters around Cleveland Bay and Magnetic Island. Notice of Race online now, online entry is live!!... [more] Share this story

America's Cup World Series Naples - Australian sailors tested Craig Heydon, America's Cup World Series Naples - They can usually be found in separate classes campaigning for Olympic Gold but this week two of Australia's leading sailors have been going head to head in the sport's newest series. Australian Sailing Team members Nathan Outteridge and Tom Slingsby are a part of the ACWS currently taking place in Naples, Italy, onboard a fleet of exciting 45-foot catamarans.... [more] Share this story

When a sea lion comes to dinner... Kate Elkington, Multihull Solutions/Sail-World, Cruising sailors Jackie and Graham had been warned that on arrival in the Galapagos they should try to prevent the sea lions from sleeping on the trampolines of their catamaran. However, word of the comfort of their beautiful Fountaine Pajot Lipari 41 must have leaked out. Read the story:... [more] Share this story

Learning curve for Rod Jones Ian Grant, The 308 n/ml QantasLink Brisbane to Gladstone ocean race proved to be an important learning curve for owner skipper Rod Jones and crew on board A5-Audi Centre Sunshine Coast. Their fifth place on line honours behind the longer, faster and more modern yachts Wild Thing, Black Jack, Lahana and Shogun V in their first ocean race provided the crew with the important benchmark... [more] Share this story

Extreme Sailing Series Act 2 - Full on action in Qingdao Extreme Sailing Series, Extreme Sailing Series Act 2 - Despite not opening officially to the public until tomorrow, thousands thronged to the breakwater to see the Extreme 40s in action on the first day of racing. The biggest support went out to China Team in their Extreme 40 debut and with two men-overboard incidents, the action was full-on.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race Leg 5 - Camper finally arrive in Itajai + Audio Lucy Harwood, Volvo Ocean Race entry Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand's marathon Leg 5 journey, that started in Auckland 30 days ago, is over. Camper finally arrived in Itajai, Brazil at 12:35:44 GMT on Tuesday (April 17). The crew had to sail an estimated 3000 plus extra miles compared with their rivals – meaning a total of over 9,000 miles for the leg... [more] Share this story

World Match Racing Tour – Williams to begin bid for fourth victory World Match Racing Tour, Reigning Alpari World Match Racing Tour Champion Ian Williams will begin his bid for a fourth Tour victory next month, a feat that would put him level with Peter Gilmour's record and affirm his status as a legend of match racing. It would be a remarkable performance from the Brit who only won his first World Championship in 2007... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet enjoy superb conditions Heather Ewing, Clipper 2011-12 Round the World Yacht Race - 'All that was missing from today was the champagne for breakfast, rosé for lunch and an ice cold G&T for sundowners!' Singapore skipper, Ben Bowley, is not alone in declaring the last 24 hours one of the best days' racing the teams have had in a long time.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: To Squid or not to Squid? That is the Question. Sail-World, Join the team from Puma Ocean Racing as they exercise their minds around the squid graphics aboard Puma's Mar Mostro - the Monster of the Sea. She is covered in hand painted tentacles. But are the octopus stripes attracting other monsters of the sea? And what of the Sea Cat? What will the Southern Ocean bring with whales that eat squid. Should they fit a fish finder as an early warning system?... [more] Share this story

Varuna Cup at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Peter Campbell, The Varuna Cup, the final race of the Squadron's summer season for 2011-2012, was held on Saturday 14th April. The East Coast 31 Tingari, owned and skippered by John Jeremy, has won the Varuna Cup, the traditional end-of-season handicap race between the winners and top placegetters in each division and class in the Squadron's Main Series.... [more] Share this story

Shorthanded Sailing Association of Australia Winter Series Peter McCorquodale, Shorthanded Sailing Association of Australia's (SSAA) first race of the 2012 Winter Series was held on Saturday 14th April. Seven yachts were in Hunter Bay for the 10 am start. There were two solo challengers – Bruce McKay on Wasabi and John Davies on Avanti, four yachts two-handed – First Light with Sue Rice and daughter Anna, David Mandelberg and Peter McCorquodale on Tanami... [more] Share this story

Powerless Kraken clings to WA Blue Water Trophy Offshore WA, A third place in Saturday night's Westcoaster Ocean Race was just sufficient for Todd Giraudo's Hillarys-based Kraken to win IRC Division Two of this season's Evolution Sails Blue Water Series, Western Australia.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup day 2 - Challenging for all Sail Port Stephens media, It was a colourful spinnaker start with the tide running with the fleet on day 2 of the Commodores Cup, part of Sail Port Stephens 2012.... [more] Share this story

Yachting NSW Class Development Program takes your class further Mainsheet Media, Training dates are flexible as Yachting New South Wales will work with the clubs, classes and club coaches in order to best suit schedules and the program budget.... [more] Share this story

Sailing team for London 2012 Paralympic Games announced Craig Heydon, The sailors to represent Australia at the London 2012 Paralympic Games have been named. Yachting Australia High Performance Director Peter Conde said that the three crews were all strong and present a great opportunity for Australia to add to its Paralympic sailing medal tally.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup Day 2 – a challenge ahead Sail Port Stephens Media, It's going to be a challenge today for the 46 yachts sailing in Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup. Its day two of this three day cruising regatta, part of the overall week of racing that runs though until Sunday, with more than 160 entries across the divisions. There is a trough line parallel to the NSW coast bringing onshore showers and there are some very active cells.... [more] Share this story

Laser Standard Junior World Championship - Coccoluto victorious Event Media (As Amended by ISAF), At the MacLaren Laser Standard under 21 World Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Giovanni Coccoluto (ITA) has emerged victorious. Coccoluto who has twice won an ISAF Youth Worlds bronze medal in the Laser Radial, posted two firsts and two seconds on his scoreboard to take the gold medal from Stig Steinfurth (DEN) by three points.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet remains tightly packed Heather Ewing, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet are on the third day of race ten from Oakland, California to Panama. As the yachts race past Los Angeles, there are as many twists as you'd find in the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster as the drama of the race begins to unfold. The race viewer today looks quite different to its appearance 24 hours ago as the teams work the winds along the California coast... [more] Share this story

London 2012 Paralympic Games - Matt Bugg named in Australia's team Peter Campbell, Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania member Matt Bugg today was named in Australia's team for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the climax of a courageous return to sailing after suffering severe physical disabilities in a snow-boarding incident six and a half years ago. The Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) announced that Bugg would represent his country in the 2.4mR single person keelboat class... [more] Share this story

Coronation Cup. Boats available (just). Sign here Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia, The Coronation Cup is an exceptional event - a division within the fastest-growing regatta in Asia - sailed in Platu ODs. If these two boats are re-leased, there will be 15 crews on the water in what is quite possibly the most nail-biting division in the regatta. Past winners have included Ray Roberts, Rolf Heemskerk and Scott Duncanson, and every one of those has been a hard-fought victory.... [more] Share this story

Sixth Paralympic Games for Tesch as Sailing team is announced Australian Paralympic Committee, The Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) announced the six-strong Australian sailing team for the London 2012 Paralympic Games today. Australia has won three medals in sailing at the Paralympic Games – one gold, one silver and one bronze – since it was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 2000.... [more] Share this story

Fisher's View: Day 5 Luna Rossa thrill their America's Cup home fans Bob Fisher, Day 5: It dropped a little and rained hard as the boats came up to the line. ETNZ were blocked out at the committee boat by LR- Swordfish while Luna Rossa - Piranha took it from the leeward ahead of Oracle Racing - Bundock to lead by five seconds at the turn and 12 seconds clear of China Team with Luna Rossa - Swordfish a further seven seconds later Includes full replay video of Final Day... [more] Share this story

Wobbly Boot prepares for Airlie Beach Race Week Ian Grant, Based on consistent results in point score racing over the Whitsunday Sailing Club courses, Craig Piccinelli has continued to helm Wobbly Boot into contention to score a major result in the Airlie Beach Race Week series later this year.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's Azzam heads for Itajai Volvo Ocean Race, In the Volvo Ocean Race, whilst the Camper crew are battling through the South Atlantic towards Itajai, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's Azzam is also making her way - on a transport ship - towards southern Brazil while two members of her shore crew work flat out on repairs.... [more] Share this story

AC World Series Naples - Oracle Racing Spithill claim overall lead Tim Jeffery, At the America's Cup World Series Naples, Oracle Racing Spithill placed second on the water in a testing race, but it was good enough to claim the overall lead in the ACWS 2011-12 Season Championship with two events remaining on the schedule. 'The good news is we took the overall lead. That's the most important part,' said Jimmy Spithill on taking over the series lead from Emirates Team NZ... [more] Share this story

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