Enjoying the ride?
by John Curnow, Editor, Sail-World AUS 10 Dec 2017 17:37 PST
11 December 2017
Leg 3, Cape Town to Melbourne, Start © Ainhoa Sanchez / Volvo Ocean Race
We do hope you are. Some of the new features of this new platform have been on display this week, with the videos at the top of the page. There’ll be more, so standby for loads of multimedia action. If your class or association is generating material, make sure we help you spread your word, and you can do that by emailing us
As we await the return to normal programming, herewith is your ‘newsletter’ of sorts. Seeing as it is all about the ride, and the Xmas races loom ever larger, we’re going to carry the theme through. First up is the VOR who were off from Cape Town on their bumpy ride (I can see Harry Potter’s London bus ride with the Rasta skull and all as I type) in the Roaring Forties into Melbourne.
The anticipated bumpy ride in Cape Town fizzled out like a dud firecracker or Xmas Bon Bon. Of all the things that came out of that, perhaps it is a reminder that things that happen on the boat stay on the boat, and as the ground has now shifted so far that prudence and deliberation should be top of mind for all crew!
Seeing as we’re talking about Potter, we’ll borrow the ‘he who cannot be named’ moniker so we do not hex the project, and just point out that only bumps that this superlative sailor and vessel appear to be feeling are the ones as they smash through all the time gates around the globe. A solo circumnavigation record will be a good pairing with the 24-hour run he and the Ultime Tri already own.
Now if you’re talking about bumpy rides, then it does not take long before you arrive at the America’s Cup. From venue to teams, personalities to boats, it is not so much as a shopping centre with speed humps everywhere, as it is one of those wickedly awesome rollercoasters in the States, where near vertical drops and mid bending corkscrews are the norm.
Captain America’s Cup, four-time winner DC himself, went on record as saying they would be up to US$150m, complicated and likely to capsize. Interestingly, he specifically noted that the best sailor in the world could not win without a good boat and a good team. He went on to add that, "It's a radical new boat. We knew it had to be something special and, boy, they didn't let us down.”
Of course, those from the Eastern Isles had the Exocets (not the Moths BTW, but the Franco ship killer missiles) armed and launched immediately. ETNZ’s Dan Bernasconi said if was that high then his team "haven't got a hope".
Not many even stopped to think to themselves that this radical new concept appeared so quickly as to be almost something from the Alchemy days. Truth is that Guillaume Verdier (now you see why I needed the Franco reference) had many of the notions contained in the revelatory video that was released already clarified, if not totally developed. True they were for a vessel of approximately half the size, but the late Joe Adams tested the venerable Adams 20 with the Adams 10 first…
Now we’ll get to see the big red girl, often likened to a famous tune by Queen, that Verdier had such a fundamental hand in developing, once again set sail South on Boxing Day. Personally, I would love to see her smash her own four and a half minute record to get out the Heads, but we’ll have to wait and see what Huey deems fit on the day. Talking of rides, that would be one you’d sell anything and everything for!
However, back to Verdier himself, and then next VOR boat is also his. Given that the existing fleet is now old hat, and that the IMOCAs he and VPLP have dominated for years have blasted a new path through the speed field like laser fight from Star Wars, this too is a boat set to make sailing funkier and more appealing to younger sailors. Participation is the name of the game, and dinosaurs are for museums (and movies).
Well then, it has to be that time, and just as Tim Shaw said, “But wait! There’s more.” Now you will have to go to the website for other news, for it has been yet another bumper week. Check out the links below as a sample of the articles, which include the CYCA Trophy Series and the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge is tomorow, the 18s, VOR, Clipper, Star Sailors League, Youth Worlds, Milang Goolwa, SB20s, AC, North Sails talks with Charlie Enright, not so good news but hardly surprising about plastics in the oceans, records being set, the wonderful and talented Wilson brothers recognised for all of their efforts (well done lads! Thoroughly deserved…), King’s Cup, Golden Globe, Heaven Can Wait, and much, much more.
Remember to keep a weather eye on Sail-World. We are here to bring you the whole story from all over the world…