Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Naema noses ahead after mega-schooner port-starboard incident at Capri Classica

by International Maxi Association 11 May 2019 10:48 AEST 8-12 May 2019
Naema successfully goes in for the kill on starboard - Capri Classica 2019 © Gianfranco Forza

Just when it seemed that the four giant schooners were likely to spend the day tied to the dock, the sea breeze filled in perfectly allowing the penultimate race of Capri Classica to take place. Sadly, due to the light forecast, the much-anticipated 19th century-style start from anchor was abandoned. Nonetheless the four schooners still had great racing in a competition which has effectively turned into a pair of match races with the giants - Mariette of 1915 and Naema - in one ring and The Classic Yacht Experience-owned schooners - Puritan and Orianda - in the other.

Once again the race committee set up the start between Capri and the Sorrento Peninsula and a first weather mark located off Punta Campanella, the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula. But from there the schooners were sent around a triangle returning them into the Gulf of Naples, back to the start and from there on a final extra leg towards Capri's Marina Grande.

Today all four boats started respectably, with Mariette of 1915 and Naema first to tack on to port. Mariette of 1915 once again showed her higher pointing ability and as Naema tacked back on to starboard to lay Punta Campanella, Mariette of 1915 tacked on to the same line directly ahead of her. The navy blue schooner seemed about to perform a horizon job, like yesterday, until the breeze dropped, forcing her to shave Punta Campanella, as Naema managed to stay high, laying the mark perfectly. After Mariette of 1915 tacked on to port and was approaching the mark she infringed Naema, which was closing on the mark on starboard with rights. In fact Mariette of 1915 should have accepted a time penalty, but in the event she carried out a 360 degrees penalty turn – no small undertaking in a 138ft 180 tonne beast of a vessel with eight sails up – leaving her far behind her rival.

But as on Wednesday all was not over. On the final leg off fickle Capri, the two mega-schooners split tacks, only for the breeze to disappear. As Naema's helmsman Hank Halsted observed: "We thought we might have the exact reversal of the first race when Mariette led us around the course and sailed into a hole. In fact this time we spent an equivalent time stopped on each side of the course."

Mariette of 1915 was able to close, but was awarded a 20% elapsed time penalty for her windward mark infringement. This left Naema to win the day comfortably.

Halsted, once creator of the 'Bucket' superyacht regattas, was disappointed that the racing hadn't been closer, as it had been on Wednesday, but still relished the competition. "Naema is simply not as powerful a boat and our sail plan isn't as well articulated. Mariette have been managing those sails since 1915 while this is our fourth regatta! We have 30 people from ten countries speaking four different languages – but everyone on this boat is passionate and their common language is 'schooner'."

Behind them Orianda and Puritan were locked in their own personal match race and while the smaller 85ft Orianda led up the first beat, the duo were involved in their own port-starboard incident at the top mark: Puritan came in on starboard with rights but on this occasion Orianda played it safe and ducked her transom. A nimble tack ensured Puritan took the lead.

Helming Puritan today was Tomas de Vargas Machuca, President of the International Schooner Association, whose company, The Classic Yacht Experience, owns and runs the Capri Classica entries, Puritan and Orianda. He recounted. "We had good pace and touched nine knots downwind. Then off the Sorrento coast there were difficult wind conditions, the wind shifting by 30-40 degrees. We were a bit slow to ease the mainsail and almost did an involuntary tack which lost us two or three minutes to Orianda. Then there was a calm final leg."

Ultimately Puritan's position corrected out leaving her behind Orianda, but at least was a point on board after having had to retire from the previous two races due to ensnared a fishing net on day one and running out of wind south of Capri yesterday.

"It was good fun today which was important - at least all four crews had good competition," said de Vargas Machuca. And this was despite some sore heads this morning, after last night's party that ran into the early hours across Mariette, Orianda and Puritan.

This had followed a display in which all of the crews were able to show off their traditional schooner craftsmanship and skills such as ropework and leatherwork. This competition is currently being judged - the winner will be announced at tomorrow's prizegiving in Capri's Marina Piccolo.

Overall Naema leads going into the final day of Capri Classica with another light day forecast.

Organised by the Circolo Remo e Vela Italia, the Yacht Club Capri and the International Schooner Association with the support of the International Maxi Association, this inaugural Capri Classica is an exclusive invitation-only affair for large classic schooners. It is the first event of the International Schooner Association's first Schooner Cup Series that will be followed by Monaco Classic Week and Les Voiles de St Tropez.

For more information on the International Schooner Association visit www.internationalschoonerassociation.com

For more information on the International Maxi Association visit www.internationalmaxiassociation.com

Related Articles

Capricorno wins Loro Piana Giraglia maxi 'double'
A neck and neck dash for the finish Loro Piana Giraglia, the YC Italiano's offshore race from Saint-Tropez to Genoa via the Giraglia Rock, and fifth event in the International Maxi Association's 2024-25 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge, has often seen leader changes in its last miles. Posted on 13 Jun
Loro Piana Giraglia overall
The 22 maxi yachts sail a coastal course on the final day After three days of windward-leewards on the Baie de Pampelonne, the final day of inshore racing at Loro Piana Giraglia saw the 22 maxi yachts sail a coastal course. Posted on 10 Jun
Loro Piana Giraglia Day 3: Capricorno rising
Upset on day three of the inshore racing The pecking order at maxi events is typically well defined with the largest, fastest yachts coming home first. However this was nearly upset on day three of the inshore racing at Loro Piana Giraglia, organised by the Yacht Club Italiano Posted on 9 Jun
Maxi boat blast off on Loro Piana Giraglia Day 2
A different complexion after the light wind opener After getting under way yesterday in light to moderate conditions, day two of inshore racing took on a different complexion at Loro Piana Giraglia. Posted on 8 Jun
Strong start at Loro Piana Giraglia
Saint-Tropez laid on fine conditions for the first day of inshore racing Saint-Tropez laid on fine conditions for the first day of inshore racing at Loro Piana Giraglia, organised by the Yacht Club Italiano in collaboration with the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez. Posted on 7 Jun
Diverse maxi fleet ready for Loro Piana Giraglia
Inshore/coastal racing prior to the event's famous offshore race to Genoa The International Maxi Association's 2025 Mediterranean Maxi Inshore Challenge (MMIC) continues tomorrow, Saturday 7 June with the first of four days of inshore/coastal race of Loro Piana Giraglia, organised by the Yacht Club Italiano Posted on 7 Jun
16th 151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar concludes
Mylius 60 crossed the finish line to win the IRC Over 60 maxi class It has been a long time coming after spending much of the 2024 season finishing second and even continuing this in the recent IMA Maxi European Championship, but finally Guido Paolo Gamucci's Cippa Lippa X has won a race. Posted on 1 Jun
16th 151 Miglia-Trofeo Cetilar preview
Registered entries for the race now total 229 This will be the fourth event in the International Maxi Association's 2024-25 Mediterranean Maxi Offshore Challenge, which began with last October's Rolex Middle Sea Race. Posted on 29 May
IMA Maxi Europeans overall
Bella Mente successfully defends her IMA European Championship title The 20 remaining yachts competing in the IMA Maxi European Championship, organised by the Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia in conjunction with the International Maxi Association, took part in a final coastal race today in a 8-14 knot southwesterly. Posted on 22 May
IMA Maxi Europeans day 3
Maxi Grand Prix class turns up the pressure as courses go to windward-leeward Following an overnight offshore race and two days of coastal courses, the IMA Maxi Europeans, run by IMA and Naples' Circolo del Remo e della Vela Italia out of Sorrento, for its penultimate day staged two windward-leeward races on the Gulf of Naples. Posted on 22 May
Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERV-DRY-XPantaenius Sail 2025 AUS Footer