Volvo Finish at noon...AC45 launch in Bermuda...Keel questions asked

by . on 6 May 2015 Welcome to Sail-World.com’s New Zealand e-magazine for May 6, 2015

The Volvo Ocean Race should finish in the late morning New Zealand time in Newport RI, USA.

Once again, it has been a match race as the herd mentality induced by the constant reference to AIS, and reluctance to try a sustained break- out move for fear of losing contact with the fleet.

In this edition we have the links to live coverage of the finish, so make sure you are handy to a screen - on whatever device you choose and keep an eye on the action and celebrations.

Newport RI, the former home of the America's Cup, is the only US stopover in the race. The historic town looks set to go off and make up for some of the 32 years since the America's Cup left Rhode Island.

Had the racing been less intense, the fleet may have opted for a short stopover in Bermuda to check out the latest action in the America's Cup, as Oracle Team USA launched their AC45S and went foiling for the first time on the Great Sound.

We have video and images from that sailing session - with on board and on-the-water footage.

For all its shortcomings as a race venue, the first shots from Bermuda do look spectacular with beautiful aquamarine water, bright sunlight and moderate breezes. The white spray from the foils provides a great highlighter in the images.

In New Zealand, the media bashing of Team New Zealand continues with the news of the departure of Dr. Keith Turner as Chairman of the Board of Team New Zealand.

The supposition is that Turner, an engineer by profession and accomplished professional Director was bought in as part of the required restructuring of the Team's management before the Government would consider a future role in the team.

Certainly from the National Government's perspective Turner was a safe pair of hands. Nothing more should be read into the resignation other than the fact that the Government may not invest further in the team, and the fact that the drive from Tauranga to Auckland and back is time consuming, and day-destroying.

The team has to go through a further shakeup before any replacement will be made, and when the major sponsors come back on board. It may well be that one of the remaining four Board members steps up to the mark to be Chairman, or that the role is shared. But this is not a crisis.

Since the imposition of the expanded and more independent Board, the difference in the Team has been noticeable with a broader sharing of responsibility. One gets the impression that there is less of the decision-making being contained within one or two heads than has been the case previously. The trick, of course, is to avoid reverting to the old ways.

The shift to the multihull in the America's Cup has shifted the exercise into one of very complex design, coupled with a real need to think through the logistics and strategies involved - as well as doing the hard yards day in day out. Having the final decision-making centred within one individual won't work anymore.

One of those challenges will be when to make the move to Bermuda. While Oracle Team USA are using the island as their primary base, Ben Ainslie Racing are building a new base in Portsmouth, UK. Artemis looks set to move from San Francisco to Bermuda. Team New Zealand will probably remain in Auckland.

The situation could change again if the decision on the Qualifiers swings back to Auckland.

Sail-World's information is that Team NZ will be sailing their foiling AC45 in England, in the next week or so, as they do testing that probably should have been done in Auckland. The first major event is the America's Cup World Series in Portsmouth in July.

In our last edition of Sail-World.com's e-Magazine, we ran the report on the Cheeki Rafiki tragedy. Her four man crew were lost after the 40fter lost her keel 750nm off the Nova Scotia coast while on a delivery voyage back to UK.

George Stead, now living in Auckland, was one of the first people involved in production yacht construction in UK through the Southern Ocean Shipyard. In this edition, he provides his thoughts on the requirements for keel attachment. It's a must read and very thought provoking, in an environment where every situation seems to be covered by regulation rather than common sense. Of course, when there is a disaster, involving loss of life in the regulated environment - then we have a systemic failure - no-one to blame. No responsibility. And the solution is more regulation.

Don't miss Mark Turner's column on his thoughts on the communications on and off the boats in the Volvo Ocean Race. Turner heads up the sports management company OC Sports who put together the Dongfeng Race Team entry for the Volvo Ocean Race and manages that program with its unique challenges - as East meets West in more ways than one.

There's also a link to other opinion pieces in Mark's blog - all very thought provoking in a sport that is trying to effect major change, across a number of events, with varying degrees of success.

Follow all the racing and developments in major and local events on www.sail-world.com, scroll to the bottom of the site, select New Zealand, and get all the latest news and updates from the sailing world.

Good sailing!

Richard Gladwell
NZ Editor

sailworldnzl@gmail.com

Please forward news stories and images these directly to Sail-World NZ using our new very easy to use submission system, or forward to the email address: sailworldnzl@gmail.com as text in the email and attach images in the standard way for emails.

To subscribe to Sail-World.com's NZ e-magazine, published two or three times weekly goto www.sail-world.com and click on Newsletter and Subscribe. You can see previous newsletters by clicking on Newsletter and then Archive from the drop-down menu.

If you are a potential advertiser and want to understand how Sail-World can work for your company, website or product, then drop a line to Colin Preston at nzsales@sail-world.com

If you want to contact Richard Gladwell directly email: sailworldnzl@gmail.com or call (+6421) 301030

Don't forget to check our website www.sail-world.com, scroll to the bottom of the site, select New Zealand, and get all the latest news and updates from the sailing world.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]