Normandy Sailing Week – the Farr 30s open

by Kate Jennings on 4 Jun 2010 Normandy Sailing Week update: 'We couldn’t have hoped for more for the first day’s racing' said Manfred Ramspacher, organiser of the Normandy Sailing Week. With glorious sunshine and 17 knots of breeze blowing across the Baie de Seine, the 17 Farr 30s participating in the competition linked together three races and it was clear for all to see that the standard on the water was very high to say the least.

The international Farr 30 teams are already well honed for the upcoming Tour de France à la Voile. There were some fabulous flying starts, clean manœuvres, impeccable mark roundings, gybes, tacks, spinnaker hoisting and close contact racing… the seven crews aboard the ‘Bruce Farr’ designs put on an impressive performance in Le Havre today for the start of Normandy Sailing Week.

The powerful current and the fabulous cliffs that characterise the North of Normandy make sailing in the Baie de Seine highly tactical and strategic. The best on the water today was the crew of 'Courrier Dunkerque' skippered by Pierre-Loic Berthet, reigning French champion, who took the lead in the provisional general ranking thanks to a consistent performance, worthy of the top specialists in contact racing (second, second and first). 'We’re leading with just a two point lead over the Toulon sailor Fabien Henry' explained Pierre-Antoine Morvan, helmsman on the boat from northern France. 'We’re a bit frustrated as we rounded the first three windward marks at the head of the fleet. We took a bit of time to find our speed when sailing downwind'.

In second position then, 'TPM – Coych' was on the hunt… proving why the top two teams in the Farr 30 of recent years are in that position. On the third step of the podium, 'Oman Sail Renaissance', a team that has only just hit the Farr 30 circuit, really packed a punch with an impressive speed downwind. Helmed by the British skipperRob Greenhalgh, a veteran from the Volvo with two participations on ABN AMRO (first) and Puma (second), with French sailor and windward leeward specialist Cédric Pouligny at the helm, the Omani crew have had a great start to Normandy Sailing Week. 'Three Omani debutants are sailing with us' highlights Pouligny. 'As such it’s a good result. Our aim is to get into the top five in the general ranking on Sunday'.

In fourth place, the Dutch boat, 'Tu Delft' is the big surprise of the day. 'We did a lot of training in Scheveningen this winter' explains the robust Bert Schandevyl, skipper of the boat. 'This Farr 30 fleet is fantastic with a number of international projects. It’s nice to hear English on the race zone'. For his part, Nicolas Lunven, mainsail trimmer on 'Team Sog-Safran', seventh in this evening’s ranking, appreciated this fine day of sailing. '15 to 20 knots of breeze, current, waves and a great atmosphere aboard; what more could you ask for?'

During this time, the other series and their crews (IRC, J80, Sportsboats, First 7.5) were making some final adjustments to their boats in preparation for their first day’s racing tomorrow. 100 craft will take to the water from 1200 hrs local time, at which point the Normandy Sailing Week will really take off!

Farr 30 low-down

9.24 metres in length, a beam of 3.07 metres, a 2.10 metre draft and weighing in at two tonnes, the Farr 30 is superb craft. However, its very slender appendages and its high aspect ratio mean that its very demanding and requires great dexterity and a lot of vigilance from its crew. Seven sailors race aboard. Descriptions…

The helmsman: his or her mission is to direct the Farr 30. The helmsman has to concentrate on the boat’s trajectories upwind, downwind and on a reach. Over the latter points of sail, in strong winds and rough seas, helming is a pretty tricky task as the Farr 30 tends to get carried away in the long surfs and can even bury its bow in the waves. Watch out, broaches are imminent!!

The mainsail trimmer works on trimming this sail. The trimmer’s role is one of the most physical on the Farr 30. He or she has a coarse sheet system to ease and sheet in, as well as a fine tune sheet system to reduce the stresses. When the marks are rounded, there’s a lot of sail area to bring in. The trimmer works in conjunction with the helmsman and regulates the Farr 30’s trim. He or she also has an adjustable backstay which enables, among other things, for the mainsail roach to be eased when conditions become difficult.

The tactician is the boat’s metronome. This is the person who makes the decisions to tack or gybe etc. The tactician’s role is to position the boat well, according to the other boats, the wind and the current. Upwind the tactician is out on the wire in front of the mainsail trimmer. Downwind he or she is more likely to be behind the helmsman. The tactician makes decisions according to feeling, as well as using the onboard electronics (angle of the true and apparent wind, log…). This post requires experience. A good tactician accumulates a number of navigation patterns and applies them when they appear.

The two trimmers are in charge of the headsails. Upwind those on the winches have a choice of three sail types, according to the weather conditions: the light, the solent or the heavy. One eases them while the other sheets them in. Downwind they can choose between the fractional spinnaker and the topmast spinnaker, which enables the craft to climb towards the wind. One takes care of the sheets, the other the guys. These two roles require a great deal of flexibility to move on and off the wire and a sound knowledge of the different sail forms. The trimmers are able to make some fine adjustments to the sails, with different devices to open the top of the sail and barber haulers when sailing downwind. The synchronisation between these two characters is essential during the gybing phases. They also spend their time giving information to the helmsman, so as to find the best possible compromise between the heading and speed.

The pitman is in charge of the boat’s running rigging: genoa halyards, hoisting and dumping of the spinnaker, adjustment of the up-haul downwind… He or she also adjusts the boom vang and the cunningham, two adjustments which have a direct impact on the mainsail.

Finally, the seventh crew takes care of tasks at the front of the boat. He or she has to perform a balancing act on the boat. Gybing the spinnaker pole, climbing the mast when there’s a problem, calling out when there’s waves or other boats…The bowman is the ‘monkey’ on the Farr 30. This role requires someone with a good physique.

The osmosis of these seven crew members is essential in ensuring the Farr 30 slips smoothly through the water. Good concentration from those in each position, good communication and a good dose of talent are often recipes for victory.

The results:

Farr 30 Group (FAR) after 3 races
1: 'Courrier Dunkerque', Pierre Loic Berthet ( / A P C C Nantes) 5 points
2: 'Tpm-Coych', Fabien Henry ( / Cercle Org Yachting Competition Hyerois) 7 points
3: 'Oman Sail Renaissance', Robert Greenhalgh ( / Oman) 13 points
4: 'Tu Delft', Bert Schandevyl ( / Hollande) 17 points
5: 'Ile de France 2010', Jimmy Pahun ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 18 points
6: 'Manche Basse Normandie', Benoit Charon ( / Y C de Granville) 20 points
7: 'Team Sog-Safran', Julien Villion ( / S N Trinite S/mer) 20 points
8: 'Groovederci', Deneen Demourkas ( / Etats Unis D'am) 24 points
9: 'Nouvelle Caledonie', Michel Cohen Addet ( / Yacht Club de la Grande Motte) 26 points
10: 'Mumma Duck', David Vanderberg ( / Hollande) 33 points
11: 'Csc Hec Ecole Navale', Herve Gautier ( / Porh Loeiz Skiff) 33 points
12: 'Rapetou', Alban Mesnil ( / Societe des Regates du Havre) 33 points
13: 'Bred', Yann Rigal ( / France) 35 points
14: 'Purflo les Thermes Marins St Malo', Ronan Desert ( / S N Baie de St Malo) 38 points
15: 'Region de Bruxelles-Capitale', Laurent Declercq ( / Belgique) 42 points
16: 'Essec - Hanploi.Com', Damien Seguin ( / Sport Nautique de L'ouest Nantes) 47 points
17: 'Normale Sup - Lagardere', Eric Brezellec ( / Centre Nautique de St Cast) 48 points

www.normandy-week.com