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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1498 - 29 APRIL

Brought to you by boats.com Europe ( http://www.boats.com ) and Yachtworld.com Europe ( http://www.yachtworld.com ) Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to editor@scuttlebutteurope.com

ALL AROUND MADEIRA On Sunday Nicolas Troussel and Christopher Pratt, sailing aboard FInanco, were the first Figaro Beneteau to round the turning point of Madeira in the doublehanded AG2R; as of 1700 UT Monday night they still clung to a lead of 15.9 miles over Thierry Chabagny and Corentin Douguet on Suzuki Åutomobiles.

After the rounding Monday night of NIVEA Athletes du Monde (Jean Galfione and GIlles Favennec), the 24 boats remaining in the race have now all rounded Madeira and are headed into the Atlantic looking in the swell for the lost trade winds. Eric Drouglazet and Christophe Bouvet on Luisina and Tangi Mahe and Claude Bertrac on Iroise Promotions have abandoned the race.

While life on deck in the moderate winds may be peaceful (the fleet was sailing under spinnaker at an average of 10 knots with winds from the Northeast), life at the chart table is anything but. For those who dare deviate from the direct route there are huge uncertainties and that knot in the stomach.

Faced with this complex situation, some leaders play the card of radio silence: the best secrets are those that are detected as late as possible and several large arms race were enjoined today. Others portrayed an immutable calm, confident of their good fortune, followers of the good old recipes.

Bertrand de Broc, a wise old man, relied on a strategy less bold, remaining confident in his position of waiting until the situation had clarified. Jeanne Gregoire aboard Banque Populaire confessed that she was stressed at her chosen path: "Yesterday evening, we saw things that we have confirmed our decision. Today, I am much less confident. At times, the road north of the direct route seems good, but then yesterday it does not appear so."

* From Phil Sharp: "One week into the start of the Transat AG2R and on 'Atlantik FT' the island of Madeira is now behind us! After a very slow couple of days going downwind in light airs, we took a more westerly course in order to give us better wind and a better angle to Madeira last night. We had 'Sopra Team' (Antoine Koch) in visual just in front of us Saturday afternoon, who soon gybed off to leave us the furthest west. This option paid off a treat, and Saturday night we had great breeze to notch up 201 miles over 24hrs, which doesn´t sound that spectacular but was the fastest in the race so far, and we managed to leap up 4 positions to 12 place and top half at last! We arrived at Porto Santo, the north-eastern island of Madeira, just in front of 'Lenze' (Franck Le Gal), who are still currently nipping at our heels as I´m writing this, and we are now both heading on a westerly course out into the Atlantic. After over 1,000 miles of racing we are only 68 miles behind the leader, the fleet still being really tight, and routing strategy is going to be paramount over the week. The weather systems in the Atlantic are currently quite unusual and with a depression travelling quite far south, there are no Trade Winds to speak of that are accessible enough to tempt us south as yet. Instead, it looks like a northerly route is best for us so we´ll see what this has in store for us over the next couple of days - rain most probably." -- http://www.philsharpracing.com

Top ten at 1700 UTC 28 April:

1. Financo - Nicolas Troussel / Christopher Pratt, 2341.1 nm to finish 2. Suzuki Automobiles - Thierry Cabagny / Corentin Douguet, 15.9 nm to leader 3. Les Mousquetaires - Bertrand de Broc / Gwen Riou, 16.9 4. Cercle Vert - Gildas Morvan / Jean Le Cam, 17.3 5. Defi Mousquetaires - Thomas Rouxel / Erwan Israel, 23.1 6. Athema - Erwan Tabarly / Vincent Biarnes, 28.5 7. Gedimat - Armel Tripon / Dominic Vittet, 30.8 8. Degremont Suez Source De Talents - Jean Charles Monnet / Alexandre Toulorge, 76.6 9. Atlantik Ft - David Krizek / Phil Sharp, 82.8 10. Lenzele - Franck Gal / Erwan Le Roux, 83.4

Race website (in French only) http://www.transatag2r.com

THE WAY OUT General Counsel of Team Alinghi and long time America's Cup historian, Hamish Ross, here expresses a personal view of the background to the various occasions when America's Cup players have considered legal action, and how the current players and sport now has an opportunity to reclaim the America's Cup:

Sport ceases to be sport as soon as it enters the courthouse.

In a much quoted comment, the then Chief Justice of the State of New York eloquently wrote in 1990, when agreeing with the majority final judgment of the Mercury Bay dispute;

'Ultimately, however, it must be the contestants, not the courts, who define the traditions and ideals of the sport. No one wishes to see the competition debased by commercialism and greed. But if the traditions and ideals of the sport are dependant on judicial coercion, that battle is lost.'

The courts are latecomers to the America's Cup scene, having only been involved since 1956 to restart racing after the Second World War and the following post-war austerity. Even then early hearings were widely agreed and uncontested to amend or interpret the Deed of Gift...

....Yes, there are many legal arguments that can be raised in support of the Deeds of Gift and the continued application of legal principles by the court, but they fail to address the wider and more important point for the sport, whether it is desirable for the courts to have a continuing long term role in the America's Cup?

If the courts are unable to recognise the Deed of Gift as having legal validity permitting the application of legal principles to resolve disputes, all is not lost. Sporting life can and should be allowed to exist outside the jurisdiction and direct supervision of the courts. Competitors need to learn look to the sport to resolve their issues, not the courts. The best place to start is at highest levels of the sport.

Disputes in the America's Cup can be left to the sport to resolve. The Deed of Gift makes provision for it. The parties can by mutual consent agree a dispute resolution process - in normal times they do so without difficulty. And if they cannot agree - as at present, the Deed provides for dispute resolution. The Deed requires the rules and sailing regulations of the defender yacht club to apply to the match.

Is this going to give the defender an unfair advantage? No, those rules and regulating in almost all defender yacht clubs will be the ISAF racing rules of sailing, and ISAF Regulations with local national prescriptions. Those rules provide for a jury of judges to be appointed, the majority are to be experienced and reputable ISAF qualified International Judges, to resolve disputes.

Such a jury is able to consider all matters including issues of fairness, and what is and is not sporting. It will provide a far more effective and rapid dispute resolution process than months if not years it taking to resolve America's Cup disputes before the courts, and with far less wear and tear on people, pockets, and the sport.

There is now a brief opportunity for an appellate Court to send the America's Cup and its Deed of Gift permanently back to the sport to its resolve disputes, and make a lasting beneficial change the America's Cup. For the sake of all sport and sporting ideals, I hope the opportunity is taken before it is lost, perhaps forever. -- Hamish Ross, General Counsel of Team Alinghi (Comments and opinions expressed in this article are solely his personal views and are not necessarily those of Alinghi)

His full article (another 1500 words or so between those elipses!) at http://www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=43952

CAPRI T-SHIRT BY DUBARRY: BREATHABLE - AND NOT JUST FOR YOU Ever wondered why no-one's interested in hearing your post-race analysis? Sailing's about working hard and playing hard. Unfortunately, with most anti-microbial T-shirts, your hard work can leave you playing on your own, or at least downwind of everyone else. Dubarry's new Capri T-shirt is breathable, fast-drying SPF40 anti-microbial fabric that actually does what it's supposed to. So if you find your circle of friends widening rapidly, to the point where you have to shout, perhaps it's time you got yourself a new top?

Dubarry's New Capri T-Shirt: Same Rules. New Collection.

http://www.dubarry.com

SEAHORSE SAILOR OF THE MONTH Last month's winner:

Jim Richardson (USA) There is no curse of Seahorse Sailor of the Month, we know this because the 2008 Rolex Farr 40 worlds had concluded before we counted the votes../ but it was a shame that Jim's award - and a highly popular choice by the way - came as he was flying home having finished an untypical 8th overall. A modest consolation?

This month's nominees:

Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) Sailing with Dominik Zycki, in Miami this two-time Finn Gold Cup winner and 1996 Finn gold medallist finally got the Gold Star that he has been striving for since switching out of the Finn following the Sydney 2000 Olympic Regatta. And they did it in style, in a high scoring series and tough 104-boat fleet the flying Poles racking up the remarkable finishing tally of 1,1,3,4,5

Claire Leroy (FRA) While much of webworld busies itself over choice of Olympic disciplines for 2012 one with a very personal interest in the outcome is the now two-time Women's Match Race World Champion, who recently successfully defended the title she won in 2007 with another dominant performance, this time in New Zealand. Leroy, 2007 Rolex Woman Sailor of the Year, has also managed to head the women's match race rankings since May 2005!

Seahorse Sailor of the Month is sponsored by Harken McLube, Dubarry & Henri Lloyd.

Cast your vote at http://seahorsemagazine.com

GROUPAMA 3 BACK HOME AT THE MULTIPLAST YARD, BRITTANY More than two months after its capsize off New Zealand, the maxi trimaran Groupama 3 is back in the yard in which it was created, after being transported by cargo ship across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans as far as Lorient. On the programme, no less than six months work in order to be ready to make another attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy.

Unloaded on Saturday in the commercial port of Lorient, Groupama 3 was immediately towed by an SNSM (French lifeboat service) launch, Sieur Champlain, bound for Vannes and the Multiplast yard. Directed by team manager Stephane Guilbaud and Yann Merour, the five hour trip went smoothly, as did her lift onto the hard this Monday morning.

With its port float amputated, the maxi trimaran thus begins a long session of reconstruction work: "Our objective is to be ready to attack the Jules Verne Trophy at the end of the year. Determining a specific date is difficult today as we don't yet have all the necessary pieces of the jigsaw for reconstruction. The architects, Groupama's design office and the engineers working on her are gathering this information together as we speak, but nothing is yet set in stone" said Franck Cammas.

On the programme at the yard: construction of a new port float, repair of the starboard float with an extra foam reinforcement between the two cross beams, grafting of those same beams and final repair of the damaged zones on the deck and the beams.

At the same time the Lorima yard will be manufacturing a new mast, identical to the previous one, and the Incidences sail loft in La Rochelle will be cutting her a new set of sails.

http://www.cammas-groupama.com

SAILING BY NUMBERS When you're faced with stiff competition you need all the help you can get to make your mark. Precision instruments can help push you to the front of the fleet; the team behind the technology can help you stay there.

The Nexus Race Support Team is highly experienced in providing the help you need wherever you're competing in the world.

We'll be with you at 120 events in 20 countries during 2008. Download the Nexus Race Support Calendar at http://www.nexusmarine.se and remember, you can always rely on a little help from your friends at Nexus.

VICTORY FOR GITANA EIGHTY: GRAND PRIX PETIT NAVIRE Saturday's speed runs gave way on Sunday to a long coastal course off Douarnenez and then the Iroise Sea. In the capricious airs which marked this 3rd day of the Grand Prix Petit Navire, Gitana Eighty's crew dominated proceedings in today's 54 mile race.

Author of a good start at the foot of the Rosmeur port jetty, Loick Peyron and his men rapidly took control of the fleet of IMOCA monohulls. The lead acquired during the very first stretch of the course was to remain undefeated throughout the coastal course. At around 1700 hours, Gitana Eighty crossed the lined followed by Safran and then Foncia.

"Once again this course was an opportunity to put Gitana Eighty to the test in some varied wind configurations: upwind, reaching.... The wind progressively filled in throughout the day and we had up to 18 knots. At the end, we were slightly over-canvassed but that enabled us to see how our new mast performed under a bit of pressure. It was a great warm-up. The crew was essentially comprised of members of the Gitana Team, which was particularly important given that this season will be predominantly 'single-handed' so there won't be many opportunities to sail together" saud the skipper of Gitana Eighty.

The crew of Gitana Eighty: Loick Peyron (skipper), Jean-Baptiste Levaillant, Cyril Dardashti, Antoine Mermod, William Fabulet and Didier Le Vourch

Results of the speed runs The monohull Safran obtained the best time in the runs by just a few seconds... 11 minutes and 46 seconds for Marc Guillemot and his crew, whilst Loick Peyron and his men completed an equivalent sprint in a time of 11 minutes and 58 seconds: "The 12 seconds separating Gitana Eighty from Safran hinged on the start. In the end, we covered the compulsory 3 miles at an average of 15.04 knots. A fine average given that the wind sadly proved to be rather shy. Besides the performance, the day was interesting on a technical level as it enabled us to continue with adjustments to our new mast, as well as honing the preparation of Gitana Eighty just a few days from the start of The Transat" declared Loick Peyron on Saturday evening on his return to the port of Rosmeur.

http://www.gitana-team.com

SUHAILI RETURNS TO HAMBLE Suhaili, the first boat to ever sail non-stop around the world returns to Hamble on Tuesday evening, 29 April.

Almost 39 years to the day since she completed her record-breaking voyage, the 32-foot Bermudian Ketch will make another, this time by road, from Totnes in Devon to the Elephant Boatyard at Bursledon where she will be laid up ashore to complete a major re-fit.

It was on 22 April 1969 that the unsponsored Robin Knox-Johnston, a Merchant Navy Officer, sailed Suhaili into Falmouth, and into the record books, after 312 days at sea to win the Sunday Times Golden Globe for the first solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world, the only finisher of nine starters.

Since then he has sailed her extensively, using her for trips to Greenland with Sir Chris Bonington and across the Atlantic to test out renaissance navigation methods, for which he was awarded the Royal Institute of Navigation's Gold Medal. While Sir Robin was building Mercury Marina, Suhaili was a familiar sight on the Hamble and around the Solent, but more recently she was put on display at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. However health and safety issues about keeping her planking wetted led Sir Robin to remove her from Greenwich and put her back into commission. Now 45 years old, Suhaili's original Indian fastenings are rusting away and Sir Robin intends to replace them over the coming months and get the boat sailing again.

http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com

CLIPPER EVENTS IS HIRING Post: Corporate Sailing Skippers / Mates - 2008 Summer Season Department: Clipper Events, Clipper Ventures plc, Gosport Responsible for: Corporate Sailing / Yacht Maintenance Start/Finish 01/7/2008 - October 2008 Salary Scale: 18-24,000 GBP per annum pro rata

Clipper Events is a world leader in corporate sailing and management training/development. Using the current Clipper 68' RTW Racing Yachts we deliver high quality corporate sailing, racing and management training. We are currently looking to recruit a number of qualified, experienced and high quality sailing staff for the forthcoming summer season. Minimum of Yacht Master (commercially endorsed) and big boat experience.

Send CVs to Becky: bscarrott@clipper-ventures.com

12FT SKIFFS AT RUTLAND WATER The two recently imported New Zealand Twelve Foot Skiffs, Nice Action and DesignSource, could have been forgiven for thinking that they were back home in windy Wellington rather than rural Rutland when they joined the rest of their class at Rutland SC for the first round of the 2008 Barter Card 12' Skiff Series last weekend. Bright sunshine, blue skies and a building breeze set the tone for what was to be an awesome weekend's skiff sailing, combining both the 12s and 18s for one skiff sailing spectacular.

The five teams were as follows:- Bob Clements and Tim Noyce in Nice Action, Simon Roberts and Dave Turner in Bartercard, Iain Christie and Tom Vian in DesignSource, Andy Lang and Tom Gruitt in CST Composites and Neil Cardno and Ken Scott-Brown in Aqua Skipper.

However all the teams were faced with a big decision... in the freshening breeze which one of up to four rigs would be the right choice? In the lee of the clubhouse things seemed fairly benign, however some windsurfers were clearly hammering it down by the dam wall in the racing area. Get the rig choice right and it would be twin wire action all the way, get it wrong and either watch the competition disappear over the horizon, or worse still, get a good laundering care of Rutland Water and mother nature!

Final placings:

1. Nice Action - Bob Clements & Tim Noyce, 6 points 2. DesignSource - Iain Christie & Tom Vian, 5 3. Bartercard - Simon Robert & Dave Turner, 4 4. CST Composites - Andy Land & Tom Gruitt, 3 5. Aquaskipper - Neil Cardo & Ken Scott-Brown, 2

http://www.12footskiff.com

SINGLE-HANDED RACE ROUND THE ISLE OF WIGHT The annual single handed race around the Isle of Wight; RIOW Solo, was won in record time by newcomer John White in his X37 SX Girl, setting a course best time of 8hours 36 minutes to win the overall, the class one and the IRC prizes . Second boat home, just 3 and half minutes behind was another RIOW rookie, Andy Greenwood in his new Figaro 2 winning open class 2 at his first attempt. Peter Olden was very fast in the light conditions to take class3 and third place in IRC in his Solent Goose ( J92S) and Simon Forbes raced Scooby to win the multi class for the second year running.

35 yachts chugged out from Shepards Wharfe in Cowes for the start of this 3rd edition at first light of dawn on Saturday to find an encouraging 8 knots of breeze from the south sou'west for the first start at 0600. Close hauled on port tack, the fleet found the best conditions on the Island shore with a few holes in the wind to frustrate the less fortunate as usual.

Most encouraging was the host of new, some young, skippers taking part in RIOW Solo for the first time ; Katie Miller helmed her Figaro 2 'Hot Sox' for their first race as a team and was very pleased to be dualing with the veterans, Oscar Mead raced his first solo in Juneau the J105 and crossed the line second of the J105's ahead of several top skippers.

Awards for persistance go the late finishers who stuck to their task through a complete glassy calm in the late afternoon to complete the course and collect their trophies, Keith Willis won the class mini in Rattle and Hum and Roderick Walker in Tinkerbell ( F27) who was second in the multi's.

The RIOW Solo race is organised by Racing at Petit Bateau and is the first of this years new Solent Solo Series of 4 fun size day races aimed at encouraging skippers who wish to try single handed racing perhaps for the first time, the next being on Sunday 17th August, the day after the RSYC Nab Tower race. Over 20 experienced single -handers have already entered for the bluQube Solo 1000 which starts from Mylor( Falmouth) on June 29th and visits Kinsale in Ireland, Santander in Spain and finishes in Camaret , France 2 weeks later. -- Jerry Freeman and Oscar Mead

http://www.petitbateau.org.uk

FEATURED BROKERAGE CMI Rogers 46, 475,000 Euros Tax Paid, Located in Hamble, South Coast, United Kingdom

Professionally kept and built with the full upgrade package. This is a fast and exciting boat, easy to sail, top speed of 24.5 knots boat speeds with higher speeds possible (Sister ship Shogun (hull #3) top speed 29.3 knots). A strong IRC contender, very competitive within the 44' to 52' range. Winner of the 2006 Garmin Hamble Big Boat Series - Top IRC boat, Top IRM boat and 1st in Class

Brokerage through Berthon International: http://www.yachtworld.com/berthon/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at http://uk.yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatFullDetails.jsp?boat_id=1880709

THE LAST WORD The nicest thing is to open the newspapers and not to find yourself in them. -- George Harrison

The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt Europe do not necessarily reflect those of its editors or sponsors.

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