Author: charlestonyachtsales.com

JK3 is excited to announce we are expanding and opening a new office in San Francisco! Joining the JK3 team to run the office in Alameda is Chris Corlett. Chris brings with him a wealth of knowledge both on and off the water. With over 30 years of yacht sales experience and a lifetime of sailing accomplishments, including numerous Big Boat and TransPac wins and multiple one-design fleet developments, Chris’ lifelong experience as a
yachtsman makes him an invaluable resource to our customers in the bay area. Contact Chris for information on new Sabre Sail and Motor, Back Cove, Hanse and quality brokerage yachts: chris@jk3yachts.com, (510) 914-1073, http://www.jk3yachts.com

Melbourne, Australia (November 8, 2011) – Racing at the first round of the 2011-12 ISAF World Cup at Sail Melbourne got off to a late start today, as light winds bedeviled the race committee’s best efforts. Eventually a full program was possible on the second day of the event for the 49er, 470, Laser and Finn classes, but there was no action for the RS:X windsurfers or the paralympic classes.

Top North Americans from the USA are Stu McNay/ Graham Biehl (3rd – Mens 470) and Erin Maxwell/ Isabelle Farrar (3rd – Womens 470) and Canadians Zac Plavsic (3rd – RS:X Men) and Lee Parkhill (4th – Laser Men). Day three may test the crews even further if the threatened thunderstorms and 20 to 30 knot winds eventuate. — Full report: http://tinyurl.com/Sail-Melbourne-110811

Attending sporting events is risky business. When to get there? Where to park? Where to sit? So what do you do with an event that has never beenheld before? You wing it, which is what spectators will be doing in San Diego for the third stop in the inaugural America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) on November 12-20, 2011.

Here are some tips to help enjoy the experience:

Schedule:
The first weekend has mandatory practice races. No races are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, but expect the teams to either be on the bay for practice or in the pit for prep. The planned competition is Wednesday through Sunday, so expect bigger crowds those days too. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-schedule

Transportation:
For car parking, a pay lot is a block away from the Event Village and there are coin meter spaces on the adjacent street. However, get there early to avoid getting shut out. Safer options could be to use bikes, pedicabs or taxis, or drive to a San Diego Trolley station and take the train to thedowntown station a couple of blocks away. Details here:
http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-transportation

Viewing:
Watching the races by boat will be limited due to course boundaries and the speed of the AC45s. Watching the races from the Midway Museum, Navy and Broadway piers are closest to the course, but there may not be bleachers so prepare to stand in crowds (or buy a VIP package). The ends of the race course are adjacent to G Street Marina and Harbor Island, which both have limited parking and space to sit. Hot tip is to have lunch at The Fish Market (nice) and Top of the Market (nicer) at the leeward marks (SE of Navy Pier), or at C Level (nice) and Island Prime (nicer) near the windward marks on Harbor Island. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-viewing

Entertainment:
The AC Village has closed Harbor Drive at Broadway and Navy Piers, and will be hosting live music, DJ’s and local California cuisine and shops and specialty stands. The village will have a large screen for race viewing, plus host interactive entertainment such as the America’s Cup Experience, a racing simulator that offers a taste of what it’s like to sail on a
high-speed catamaran. Prize giving and team interviews will be on the village stage. Hours are 10a-6p on Nov. 12-15 and 10a-10p on Nov. 16-20. To enter the AC Village, there is a requested $10 donation to support the AC Healthy Ocean Project. Details here:
http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-entertainment

Weather:
Despite the propaganda from San Diego Convention and Tourism Bureau, it does begin to get colder and wetter in November. And winter winds are hitor miss. The forecast currently calls for rain and big breeze on the first weekend, with clearing skies and calmer winds expected through the week.

Broadcast:
The AC YouTube channel will be streaming the event live online Nov. 16-20. Look for the broadcast schedule to begin 30 minutes before racing begins each day (see schedule above). Also, a recap of the event will be broadcast on the Versus cable channel on November 22 at 5:00 P.M. ET. Streaming live here: http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericasCup

Preview:
Teams began training on Tuesday, and the America’s Cup World Series Event Village will be open to the public on Wednesday, Nov 9th. Get an insider’s look of the village after 3:30 pm and you’ll also get to see the AMERICA’S CUP TROPHY. Unveiling the trophy will be Tom Ehman, Vice Commodore of Golden Gate Yacht Club, who will be joined by Ian Murray, Bruno Trouble, and Terry Hutchinson for ‘Cupdates’ at 4:00 pm (youth sailors) and 5:30 pm (open). No RSVP necessary.

The 2011 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards to honor the best sailing talent in the world were presented Tuesday (Nov. 8) evening during the ISAF Annual Meeting this week in Puerto Rico.

This year there were four female and five male nominees who have been shortlisted for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year award based on their achievements during the qualifying period of 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011.

The 2011 nominees were:

Female
Dee Caffari (GBR) – Record Breaking Round The World Yachtswoman
Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU) – Double Professional Windsurfing World Champion
Alexandra Rickham (GBR) – ISAF Sailing World Cup & IFDS World Champion
Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) – ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion

Male
Ben Ainslie (GBR) – ISAF Sailing World Cup & Match Racing World Champion
Lorenzo Bressani (ITA) – Melges 24 & 32 World Champion
Rob Douglas (USA) – Outright World Speed Record Holder
Iker Martinez & Xabier Fernandez (ESP) – Open 60 & 49er success
Nathan Outteridge (AUS) – International Moth World Champion

The winners were announced as Scuttlebutt went to press. Congrats to Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) and Iker Martinez & Xabier Fernandez (ESP), winners of the 2011 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards: http://www.sailing.org/worldsailor

Yes, it’s that time of year! What better way to celebrate then giving the gift every sailor loves. A new pair of CAMET Sailing Shorts! Designed and assembled in California. CAMET shorts have been the number one choice for sailor’s because of the style, look, durability and performance. Made from the latest technical fabrics these shorts out perform the competition. Order today as stock is limited and you don’t want to miss out! Shirts,
pants, bags, etc. Go to http://www.camet.com/?Click=2024

In the 2008-9 Volvo Ocean Race, once the fleet escaped the Med and headed south in the Atlantic toward the equator, the bunched fleet of ocean going 70-footers was not unlike so many J/24 races that PUMA skipper Ken Read had dominated. They jibed on every shift, working the offwind corridor toward the Canary Islands. The wind was up and the competition was close.

Funny what a difference three years can make. With the fleet on the first leg of the 2011-12 VOR from Alicante to Cape Town, here is a report from PUMA skipper Ken Read as he again leads the shoe company in this round the world adventure:
———————————————————————-
(November 8, 2011; Day 4) – If you had told me that one third of the fleet would be at the dock, one third of the fleet would take a left and head down the African coast, and one third of the fleet would head due west in search of frontal breeze to get south on, I would have looked at you like you had six heads.

Unreal. Exactly what I didn’t think would happen. My guess was that six boats were going to sail around the world in a bunch.

Then CAMPER decided to come our way so the French are the lonely warriors heading the traditional trade route. Still pretty amazing. A split in the fleet with 39,500 miles to go!

I have to admit I like our spot but there is a long way to go to the Doldrums. In essence that is where we are all targeting – a spot to try and get through with the least light and crappy wind. That’s the key to the success of this leg.

Fortunately life on board is pretty much back to normal. Finally some much needed sleep and a little mending and the troops are good to go. Newcomers Rome Kirby and Amory Ross are both wondering if we will be going upwind all the way around the world. At this point the answer would have to be yes.

We are glued to the hip of our buddies on Telefonica. Heading west as quick as we can in a crummy sea state and ever changing breeze strengths. Not great sailing but at least we are moving today. — http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/-Unreal-start-for-Ken-Read/3910/news.html

Standings as of Wednesday, 09 November 2011, 01:02 UTC
1. Team Telefonica, 5884.6 nm Distance to Finish
2. Groupama Sailing Team, 1.1 nm Distance to Lead
3. PUMA Ocean Racing by BERG, 3.4 nm DTL
4. CAMPER with Emirates Team NZ, 18.3 nm DTL
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing – Suspended Racing
Team Sanya – Retired, hull damage

Tracking/Standings: http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/racetracker/rdc.html
Video report: http://youtu.be/0GHzZSbmLXM

PIT ROW: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing is ahead of schedule in a race against time to replace its broken mast and return to racing Leg 1 of the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race. The team hopes to have hull repairs completed and their new mast stepped in time to restart on Wednesday. Under the rules, Abu Dhabi will be able to motor to the spot where they suspended racing. The light winds in the Atlantic combined with a promising forecast in the Med are expected to help the team close the gap on the fleet. — Full story:
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/24-hour-goal-for-Abu-Dhabi-restart

CONGRATULATIONS: Not only is Team Telefonica leading the race, but onboard skipper Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez are currently celebrating a major award announcement. See below.

BACKGROUND: During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which starts in Alicante, Spain and concludes in Galway, Ireland, during early July 2012, six professional teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the world’s most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajai, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient. Teams accumulate points through nine distance legs and ten In-Port races. –
http://www.volvooceanrace.com