Recounting the top dogs in each of Transpac's racing categories on a day that saw a whopping nunber of finishers. TranspacRace video above published Jul 21, 2019.
Comanche First Monohull to Finish Transpac50
Owner Jim Cooney and Navigator Stan Honey give a rundown of the 2,250-mile journey onboard the 100 footer they finsihed in 5 days 11 hours 14 minutes 05 seconds.
Wild Oats XI owned by the Oatley Family crossed the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race finish line in 1 day, 19 Hours, 7 Minutes and 21 seconds to take out her ninth Line Honours win. It was a spectacular sight to see the four remaining supermaxis all in the Derwent River at the same time. Wild Oats XI was followed across the line by Black Jack 28 minutes later with Comanche crossing close behind a further 1 minute later. Crosbie Lorimer video above first published Dec 27, 2018.
RSHYR 2018 – Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2018 post-race supermaxi interviews: With much of the attention in Hobart focused on the AIS protest against Wild Oats XI (the protest was found invalid at the hearing) this selection of interviews with skippers and some highly credentialed crew aboard the four super maxis gives some insights on how things played out on the water for the four super maxis. Bow Caddy spoke to Juan Vila (Wild Oats XI), Mark Bradford, Tom Addis and Brad Butterworth (Black Jack), Kyle Langford (Comanche) and Chris Nicholson and Bouwe Bekking (InfoTrack). Even across this eminent line-up there was some surprise that four such different designs could occupy the same patch of water for so much of the race. Crosbie Lorimer video first published Dec 28, 2018
2017 Transpac Race Record: Comanche, Skipper Ken Read
Video above published Jul 12, 2017: Ken Read, skipper for Comanche in the 2017 Transpac Race talks about their record breaking performance. Video footage by Dylan DiMarchi.
Transpac 2017: New multihull and monohull records established
Both the multihull and the monohull first-to-finish race records have fallen in the 2017 Transpac, a 2225-mile course from Point Fermin in Los Angeles to Diamond Head in Honolulu.
H. L. Enloe's ORMA 60 trimaran Mighty Merloe crossed the finish line first on July 10th for an elapsed time of 4 days 6 hours 32 min 30 sec, a full 26.5 hours faster than the previous mark set in 1997 by Bruno Peyron and his team on Commodore Explorer. Jim Clark's 100-footer Comanche, on July 11th decisively established a new course record for monohulls with an elapsed time of 5 days 1 hour 55 min 26 sec, a half a day faster than the previous record set in 2009 by Neville Crichton's R/P 90 Alfa Romeo II.
The 100ft super maxi Comanche crossing the Lizard finish to smash the west to east monohull record. Published July 30, 2016
A Billionaire's Super Yacht Built to Break Records:
Comanche, a 100 ft. maxi yacht owned by billionaire Jim Clark, is celebrated as a vessel at the very cutting edge of sailing, and made a big splash at the Transatlantic Race 2015. WSJ.com's Aaron Kuriloff reports in this video published July 2015.
Tweets by TeamComanche
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Maserati and Giovanni Soldini Before the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2015:
The Maserati crew led by Giovanni Soldini getting ready to set sail on one of the world’s toughest sailing challenges: the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, held annually, starting in Sydney, Australia, on Boxing Day, December 26th and finishing at Hobart, Tasmanian Island. (Published on Dec 21, 2015)
The 71st edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (2015) lived up to its name with the most dramatic weather and racing conditions in over a decade. Of the 108 boats, 28 were from international countries, including the first ever Chinese yachts. Sailing their 100 foot Maxi Comanche, Jim and Kristy Clark took home line honours, as well as a Yacht Master II in Everose Rolesor; while Paul Clitheroe and his TP52 Balance won the coveted Tattersall’s Cup, in addition to a Yacht Master I in Rolesium. Published on Jan 26, 2016
The Italian owned yacht Maserati was fourth on line honours into Hobart. Nick Vindin and Liz Wardley dockside. Published on Dec 28, 2015
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The Transatlantic Race 2015 was a 2,800-mile race from Newport, R.I., to The Lizard on the southwestern corner of England. The 30th transatlantic race since three New York Yacht Club members sponsored the first one in 1866. A fleet of 38 boats—ranging in size from 40 to 140 feet and in age from 100 years to 10 months—departed from Newport in one of three different starts (June 28, July 1 and July 5). They spent from one to three weeks crossing the Atlantic. For more information, visit the race's website: http://transatlantic race.com - Published July 30, 2015
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2016 RORC Caribbean 600. Wrap up film: 70 Boats from, 30 Different countries, 600 Nautical Miles, 11 Caribbean Islands 1 Amazing Race. Published Feb 29, 2016
The RORC Caribbean 600 started from Antigua on Monday 22nd February 2016. The 600nm course circumnavigates 11 Caribbean Islands starting from Fort Charlotte, English Harbour, Antigua and heads north as far as St Martin and south to Guadeloupe taking in Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba and St Barth's, finishing back in Antigua
Results: RORC CARIBBEAN 600 TROPHY - IRC OVERALL
2016 - George Sakellaris’ Maxi72, Proteus (USA)
2015 - Hap Fauth, JV72, Bella Mente (USA)
2014 - George Sakellaris, RP72, Shockwave (USA)
2013 - Ron O'Hanley, Privateer, Cookson 50 (USA)
2012 - Niklas Zennström's JV72, Rán (GBR)
2011 - George David, Rambler 100, JK 100 (USA)
2010 - Karl C L Kwok, Beau Geste, Farr 80 (HKG)
2009 - Adrian Lee, Lee Overlay Partners, Cookson 50 (IRL)
2016 RORC Caribbean 600. First finishers - Hear what the crews on the fastest yachts have to say about this year's race. A new course record for Phaedo 3, a near record for Comanche and Bella Mente is forced to retire, plus a look at Brunel rounding the deserted island of Redonda - the last mark rounding in the race. Published Feb 25, 2016
Man dies, another injured in Pittwater yacht crash | DailyTelegraph: "A SAILING veteran was killed today after being struck by a timber beam and thrown into the water in a racing yacht crash which left another competitor pinned under water. Police and paramedics were called to the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Newport [Australia] about 2.30pm after the vessels crashed in Pittwater, knocking a 72-year-old racer into the water. Friends tonight flooded the club’s Facebook page with tributes to the dead sailor who was racing on his couta yacht. “A great loss of a nice bloke. Unfortunately died doing what he loves doing. RIP mate,” Bob Rayner wrote...."
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A fleet of seven M32 racing multihulls gathered on the waters of the Great Sound in Bermuda for the 2016 M32 Series Bermuda:
M32 Series Bermuda, Day Three - 21 February 2016
M32 Bermuda Series, Day Two - 20 February 2016
M32 Series Bermuda, Day One - 19 February 2016 For more information, visit www.m32series.com
Other Sailing NEWS: Phaedo3 Smash the '600 after Epic Duel - Lloyd Thornburg's MOD70 Phaedo3 Breaks RORC Caribbean 600 Multihull Record: Hurtling around the Caribbean at speeds in excess of 30 knots and topping out nearer 40, often barely a boat length apart, the epic duel between MOD70s Concise 10 and Phaedo3 came to a conclusion after 32 hours of hot racing. Lloyd Thornburg's MOD70 Phaedo3, co-skippered by Brian Thompson crossed the finish line at Fort Charlotte in an elapsed time of 31 hours, 59 minutes, 04 seconds, breaking their own multihull race record set last year by 1 hour 34 minutes 26 seconds. Barely out of sight of each other the entire race, Tony Lawson's MOD70 Concise 10, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield was just 9mins 52seconds behind. The superyachts in Falmouth Harbour heralded the arrival of Phaedo3 and Concise 10 with a cacophony of horns as hundreds of race fans gathered dockside to cheer the two teams to the dock. Joy & Pain | News 2016 | News: "Jim Clark & Kristy Hinze Clark's American VPLP-Verdier 100 Comanche crossed the finish line of the RORC Caribbean 600 at 03.45 on Wednesday morning with an elapsed time of 40 Hours 53 Minutes 2 Seconds taking monohull line honours for the race, and only 33 minutes outside the record time set by George David's Rambler 100 in 2011. Comanche Skipper, Ken Read: “Comanche is built to come in first to finish and when Mother Nature co-operates we have the pedigree to break records,” was Ken Read’s reaction to the wind coming from the south-east, making the leg from St Marten to Guadeloupe a beat, which for previous record holder - Rambler 100, was a fast fetch. “Going around these islands is a ball; whales breaching, volcanoes smoking, it doesn't get any better than that. We will be back, I promise you – this is a great race.” " More information:
RORC Carribean 600 - Organised by The Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with Antigua Yacht Club. Start: Antigua, West Indies - Monday 22 February 2016. Course: Approx. 600nm non-stop around 11 Caribbean Islands. #rorcrc600
Video above: Comanche wins Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2015 - 28 Dec - Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark’s maxi Comanche pulled off an incredible feat.
A Look Back at 2015 RORC Caribbean 600: Stories from the race 2016 RORC Caribbean 600 update:
The record fleet for the RORC Caribbean 600 enjoyed a full moon on the first night of racing. At sunset on the first night, all of the fleet had rounded the Barbuda mark, enjoying fantastic sailing conditions and highly competitive racing. Phaedo3 and Concise 10 were at the front of the fleet enjoying a thrilling high-speed duel, often touching a blistering 30 knots of boat speed. 100ft Maxi, Comanche was blasting through the Caribbean surf in hot pursuit of the monohull record for the course. Four Maxi72s were in a close quarters battle for supremacy, but two of the smaller yachts in the fleet were vying for the overall lead as dawn broke on day two of the RORC Caribbean 600.
IRC Overall
Three yachts in IRC Zero occupy the podium. Steve Benjamin's American TP52, Spookie is the provisional leader for the race after IRC time correction. Spookie was set to round Tintamarre the northern most part of the course this morning. Last night, Spookie and a leading pack of about 25 yachts rounded the chicane at the top of the course weaving past Nevis, St.Kitts, Saba, St. Barths and St.Martin. This is probably the most technical part of the 600 mile race, with dozens of manoeuvres requiring precision and stamina from the crew. Spookie's crew is a well-drilled short course unit, well versed in boat handling. On Spookie's hip is Piet Vroon's Dutch Ker 51, Tonnerre. The Dutch grandmaster's team is also well versed in short course racing having won her class in last year's RORC IRC National Championship. Tonnerre 4 was less than eight minutes behind Spookie after IRC time correction.
Maxi72
Hap Fauth's JV72, Bella Mente was lying third after time correction and leading the tight pack of four Maxi72s, but only just. Peter Ogden's Jethou and George Sakellaris' Proteus were both in sight. Dieter Shoen's JV72, Momo showed great speed during the first day to round Barbuda, just behind Bella Mente. Momo was the leader after time correction for several hours, but during the night fell back behind the others by some three miles. MOCRA Multihull
It is all on in the battle between the two MOD70s. Lloyd Thornburg's Phaedo3 has led the multihull fleet since the start of the race but the American MOD70, co-skippered by Brian Thompson has been pushed all the way by Tony Lawson's British MOD70, Concise 10, skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield. Covering an astonishing 380 miles in just 20 hours, the two flying machines were entering the wind shadow of Guadeloupe at dawn this morning. The 'Guadeloupe Casino' could well decide the victor. The wind shadow west of the French island, followed by a tricky passage from Iles des Saintes to La Desirade is one of the most complex conundrums of the course. Phaedo3 have a slender advantage over Concise 10, but by leading the way, if Phaedo3 stall, Concise 10 will take the advantage without any mercy. After corrected time using the MOCRA rating system. Phaedo3 holds the upper hand from Concise 10 with Jonathan Bush's Gunboat 62, Zenyatta in third. IRC 1
Grand Soleil 46, Belladonna, skippered by RORC Admiral Andrew McIrvine with RORC Commodore, Michael Boyd as navigator leads the class. On the water, 10 yachts in IRC One were on the wind heading for St.Barths. The majestic 213ft schooner Adix was leading the race overall during the night, but stayed on starboard tack on the beat to St.Barths and lost ground. Erik De Turkheim's French A13, Teasing Machine was second in class just seven minutes behind Belladonna after IRC time correction. Teasing Machine should be very fast on the next leg; a 55nm reach to St.Martin, as will Adix. Andrew Weiss' Sydney 43, Christopher Dragon was in third.
IRC Two
Defending class champion, Scarlet Oyster, skippered by Ross Applebey had a one hour lead, however virtually the entire class was in a close pack beating to St.Barths at dawn this morning. First 40, Arthur Logic, skippered by Oliver Heer was leading on the water and second after time correction, and Dominic Hurndall's Grand Soleil 43, Jua Kali was in third place. Andrew Allner's Swan 53, Ballytrim is six miles behind the leaders but may well move up the rankings after cracking sheets around St.Barths.
IRC Three
Irish eyes are smiling in IRC Three with Conor Fogerty's team from Howth Yacht Club on Jeanneau Sunfast 3600, Bam leading the class this morning. However, the Irish team have a full-on battle with Susann Wrede's German Swan 441, Best Buddies. The two yachts have pulled away from the rest of the class and matching each other for speed on the beat to St.Barths.
(source: Press Release)
UPDATE: 2016 RORC Caribbean 600 Start Highlights - Start highlights from the 8th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 with 70 yachts from around the world and some of the top racing teams competing. Aerials at the start off Fort Charlotte, Antigua and at the Barbuda mark. Published on Feb 22, 2016
2016 RORC Caribbean 600 - prestart highlights. -
RORC Caribbean 600 Press Release: The 8th edition of the RORC Caribbean 600 started in spectacular style with the record 70 yacht fleet gathering in the starting area outside English Harbour, Antigua. Under the Pillars of Hercules, the magnificent collection of yachts started the 600 nmile race in a sublime 14 knot south-easterly breeze with brilliant sunshine. The conditions were enough to have the fleet fully ramped up and a not insignificant swell added to the excitement. Five highly competitive starts thrilled hundreds of spectators lining the cliffs at Shirley Heights and Fort Charlotte. Not only was this a record fleet for the RORC Caribbean 600, it was undoubtedly the highest quality of participants since the inaugural race in 2009.
CSA, IRC 2 & IRC 3 Start
24 yachts engaged in a pre-start peloton resulting in a tremendous battle for the line. The all-girl Sirens' Tigress; IRC 2 champion, Scarlet Oyster and Polish team, Por Favor executed text book starts. However, winning the pin was American Swan 48, Isbjorn. Jua Kali also got away well which was marvellous for the British team who badly damaged their rig in the Atlantic en route to the start.
IRC 1 & CLASS40
17 yachts started the race with American Sydney 43, Christopher Dragon winning the pin ahead of Canadian Farr 45, Spitfire. Spanish Tales II was the first Class40 to cross the line with Antiguan entry Taz also starting well. Belladonna, skippered by RORC Admiral, Andrew McIrvine had a great start controlling the favoured coastal side of the course.
IRC Zero & IRC Canting Keel
The most impressive start in the eight-year history of the race featured 23 head-turning yachts. 115ft Baltic, Nikata tried to use her might to win the pin but encountered severe congestion, forcing the superyacht to round the wrong side of the pin. Lithuanian Volvo 60, Ambersail were overeager and with no room to bear away, sailed around the pin end buoy. Irish Cookson 50, Lee Overlay Partners was adjudged OCS and had to restart. Dutch Ker 51, Tonnerre 4 with octogenarian owner Piet Vroon on board had a cracking start, as did Hap Fauth's Maxi72, Bella Mente going for speed and heading for the lift off the cliffs. Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze Clark's, 100ft Maxi had a slightly conservative run-up to the line before the big winches growled in a dial-down and Comanche powered up, accelerating into the lead.
Superyacht
The penultimate start featured two of the largest yachts competing in the RORC Caribbean 600. Southernwind 102 Farfalla executed a textbook start to begin the 600-nmile race, assisted by a crew including Steve Hayles as navigator, winner of the race with Niklas Zennstrom's RAN in 2012. The magnificent sight of 178ft schooner Adix crossing the line under full sail drew gasps from the crowd ashore. Adix is the first three-masted schooner to take part in the race.
MOCRA Multihull
Six Multihulls including MOD70s Phaedo3 & Concise 10 lined up for the last start of the day. Phaedo3 and Concise 10 locked horns in the pre-start as expected, with Phaedo3 co-skippered by Lloyd Thornburg and Brian Thompson gaining a small but significant advantage at the start. Concise 10 had to tack offshore to escape bad air and ploughed through several spectator boats that had gathered close to the exclusion zone. The two MOD70s are expected to have a titanic battle over the next two days. Belgian Zed 6 reported a broken daggerboard before the start but managed a repair in time to begin the race.
With a south-easterly breeze the fleet took a long starboard tack to Green Island where they bore away for Barbuda hoisting downwind sails. The sleigh ride has already begun for Comanche, Phaedo3 and Concise 10 with the YB tracker already showing the trio hitting close to 30 knots of boat speed. The wind is expected to return to the east before morning and freshen to a possible 20 knots when many more of this magnificent fleet will be enjoying the magic carpet ride of strong trade winds.
Watching the start from the cliffs at Shirley Heights was RORC Chief Executive Eddie Warden Owen who could not help but marvel at the quality of the fleet: "This is an amazing collection of boats sailed by the best offshore sailors in the world and was shown by the intensity of the start. Each fleet battled for the outer favoured end of the line, caused by the wind being south of its normal easterly direction. No one held back," said Warden Owen "And I am surprised we only had one boat over the line at the start. The lighter wind increasing as the week goes on, could favour a small boat for an overall win under the IRC rating rule. It will be fun to watch, but I'd much prefer to be out there racing."
The RORC Caribbean 600 starts from Antigua on Monday 22nd February 2016. The RORC Caribbean 600 is an exciting 600-mile offshore race that takes competitors around some of the most beautiful islands of the Caribbean--
2015 RORC Caribbean 600 - Highlights of the first leg - Video highlights from Day One of the 2015 RORC Caribbean 600, with incredible arial footage of the high performance yachts in spectacular ocean racing conditions. (Published Feb 24, 2015)
Above is a short sailing video showing Phaedo³ at the start of the 2015 RORC Caribbean 600, from Ocean Images on Vimeo
Preview Video of the 2015 RORC Caribbean 600: The RORC Caribbean 600 has one of the most spectacular line ups of high performance boats racing anywhere in the world. Interviews with participating crews and practice action prior to the race start last year. (Published Feb 23, 2015) Thousands of spectators will gather at Shirley Heights to watch the impressive 66-boat fleet begin the 8th RORC Caribbean 600. Hundreds of thousands more will watch the race unfold via video, photographs, race reports and blogs from the boats. All of the competing yachts will be fitted with YB Trackers. THE RORC CARIBBEAN 600 RORC Caribbean 600 minisite: http://caribbean600.rorc.org The RORC Caribbean 600 starts from Antigua on Monday 22nd February 2016 The 600nm course circumnavigates 11 Caribbean Islands starting from Fort Charlotte, English Harbour, Antigua and heads north as far as St Martin and south to Guadeloupe taking in Barbuda, Nevis, St Kitts, Saba and St Barth's Past Results: RORC CARIBBEAN 600 TROPHY - IRC OVERALL (Best best corrected time under IRC) 2015 - Hap Fauth, JV72, Bella Mente (USA) 2014 - George Sakellaris, RP72, Shockwave (USA) 2013 - Ron O'Hanley, Privateer, Cookson 50 (USA) 2012 - Niklas Zennström's JV72, Rán (GBR) 2011 - George David, Rambler 100, JK 100 (USA) 2010 - Karl C L Kwok, Beau Geste, Farr 80 (HKG) 2009 - Adrian Lee, Lee Overlay Partners, Cookson 50 (IRL) 2016 RORC Caribbean 600 news: Long Haul Arrivals and Weather Jabber | News 2016 | News: "Jim Clark & Kristy Hinze Clark's American Maxi Comanche arrived in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua on Saturday afternoon, 20th February. Having taken line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, the 100ft Canting keel Maxi left Sydney by ship on 6th January bound for Charleston, USA, 9,272 nautical miles via The Panama Canal. Comanche then sailed 1,500 nautical miles in less than four days from Charleston to Antigua. Eric De Turckheim's French A13, Teasing Machine won its class in the Rolex Sydney Hobart but miraculously arrived in Antigua 24 hours before Comanche ..."
Featuring the most magnificent collection of racing yachts ever seen in the Caribbean, an incredibly varied fleet will be racing under the IRC, CSA and MOCRA rating systems, as well as Class40s racing under class rules. Comanche, Phaedo3 and Concise 10 will be gunning for course records but the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy will be won by the yacht with the best corrected time under IRC.
Monohull Record: 2011 George David, Rambler 100 - 40 hours 20 mins 02 secs.
Multihull Record: 2015 Lloyd Thornburg & Brian Thompson, MOD70 Phaedo3 - 33 hours, 35 mins 30 secs.
THE RORC:
Established in 1925, The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) became famous for the biennial Fastnet Race and the international team event, the Admiral's Cup. It organises an annual series of domestic offshore races from its base in Cowes as well as inshore regattas such as the RORC Easter Challenge and IRC National Championships in the Solent
The RORC works with other yacht clubs to promote their offshore races and provides marketing and organisational support. The RORC Caribbean 600 based in Antigua and the first offshore race in the Caribbean, has been an instant success and last year the RORC extended its organisational expertise by creating the new RORC Transatlantic Race from Lanzarote to Grenada in November 2014
The RORC is based in St James' Place, London and Cowes, Isle of Wight
In co-operation with the French offshore racing club, UNCL, RORC is responsible for IRC, the principal international handicap system for yacht racing worldwide.The Spinlock IRC rating rule is administered jointly by the RORC Rating Office in Lymington, UK and UNCL Centre de Calcul in Paris, France
The RORC Rating Office is the technical hub of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and recognised globally as a centre of excellence for measurement. For Spinlock IRC rating information in the UK please see: www.rorcrating.com and www.rorc.org
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3D St Petersburg: Day One (graphics only sailing video above) Extreme Sailing Series™ 2015 - Starts: August 20, 2015 THU 7:30 AM ET (US) - Saint Petersburg, Russia | Extreme Sailing Series: Act 6, Peter and Paul fortress, 20-23 Aug 2015
Hannah White makes her predictions for Act 6, Saint Petersburg | News: "... One team used to the challenges of this racecourse is Gazprom Team Russia. With a third position at Act 3, Qingdao and a second at Act 5, Hamburg, I believe the local team has the potential to take the Act win on their home waters. They’re looking strong and progressively getting podium results. They secured their best position in Hamburg and they’ll have the home advantage in Russia, which I hope will take a little pressure off them. With increased confidence after two podium positions, you can see they’re finding their feet. Gazprom Team Russia have really focused on their team dynamic and stuck with the same crew formation this season. They’ve overcome initial challenges as basic as language and communication onboard, and they’re getting into their stride ..." more info: http://www.extremesailingseries.com/results
Rolex Fastnet Race 2015 - Line honours decided - 19 August 2015 - Day 4 of the 2015 Rolex Fastnet Race. The leading yachts have begun arriving in Plymouth having completed the famous 603-nautical mile course from Cowes, Isle of Wight via Ireland’s mythical Fastnet rock. Jim Clark’s 100-ft Maxi Comanche from the United States claims monohull line honours finishing a mere 4 minutes ahead of compatriot George David’s 88-ft Rambler. Swiss yacht Spindrift 2 claims the multihull line honours crown
Peter Aschenbrenner, owner of the 63ft trimaran Paradox at the finish in Plymouth. - Paradox benefitted from the weather front that gave much relieved windless Rolex Fastnet Race fleet some breeze at last, albeit with the accompanying rain. They sped past the Lizard at 34 knots and arrived Wednesday morning in Plymouth with a good chance of winning the multihull prize on handicap.
Rolex Fastnet Race 2015 - Oman Sail CEO David Graham sailed onboard the MOD70 Musandam Oman Sail for his first Rolex Fastnet race. They finished second MOD 70 in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Rolex Fastnet Race Starts Sunday, August 16th - You can track the fleet via the Royal Ocean Racing Club's dedicated mini-site. http://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/
The proposed start times for the Rolex Fastnet Race on Sunday 16th August 2015 are as follows:
ClassStart timeMultihull 1200
IMOCA 60, Class40 & Figaro II 1210 BST or 7:10am ET (US)
IRC 4 1220 BST
IRC 3 1240 BST
IRC 2 1300 BST
IRC 1 1320 BST
IRC Z, IRC Canting Keel & Volvo 65 1340 BST or 8:40am ET (US)
The Royal Ocean Racing Club has made public the latest entry list for its biennial 600 mile race from Cowes to Plymouth, via the Fastnet Rock, starting at noon on Sunday 16th August. The entry list makes for impressive reading in terms of scale, diversity and quality of the fleet taking part, confirming the Rolex Fastnet Race's position as the world's biggest and most popular offshore race by far.
There are 387 boats entered with a further 74 on the waiting list. If all the boats currently entered were put bow to stern, the line from Cowes would stretch two thirds of the way across the Solent to the mainland (1635.75m). The bulk of the fleet - 340 entries to be precise - are competing under IRC for the race's overall prize, the Fastnet Challenge Cup. With the two American maxis: Jim and Kristy Hinze Clark's 100ft Comanche and George David's Rambler 88, due to be the pace setters on the water, the IRC fleet will, in due course, be divided into classes and class sub-divisions.
Rolex Fastnet Race Homepage: "While it may not be the event's ultimate prize, the monohull battle for line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race is always hotly contested, coming with considerable bragging rights. This year's race from Cowes to Plymouth via the Fastnet Rock, coinciding with the 90th anniversary of the event's organiser, the Royal Ocean Racing Club, will see the world's two very newest maxis jockeying for this prize. Both belong to American captains of industry and both were launched last autumn Favourite is the 100ft long Comanche owned by Jim and Kristy Hinze Clark. "
A replay of the skipper's briefing for competitors, including the weather briefing by Penny Tranter, Met Office
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News: "Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark’s 100’ maxi Comanche set a new monohull 24-hour record when she covered 618.01 miles over Friday-Saturday (subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council), Lloyd Thornburg’s MOD70 trimaran Phaedo³ also put in a resounding performance. Towards the end of the race Phaedo³, at one point, recorded a peak speed of 41.2 knots when navigator Miles Seddon was driving. As Thornburg recounted: “The sea opened up before him. It was the biggest wave you have ever seen and we were pointing down it"..."
Sailing Videos (above and below) - 2015 Transatlantic Race
First Finishers of the 2015 Transatlantic Race
Bryan Ehrhart’s Lucky secured line honors in the Transatlantic Race, second across the famous Castle line was Nomad IV, Clarke Murphy’s 100ft Maltese flagged yacht that suffered hydraulic failure during the race, meaning water ballast, sail hoist and controls all had to be manned by the crew’s own strength only. At present Lucky holds the lead in the Transatlantic Race 2015 under IRC handicap, but the title remains under threat from boats yet to finish. Similarly, her impressive course time is likely to be bettered by the maxis which started four days after her. (published on Jul 12, 2015)
The Transatlantic Race 2015 is a 2,800-mile race from Newport, R.I., to The Lizard on the southwestern corner of England. This is the 30th transatlantic race since three New York Yacht Club members sponsored the first one in 1866. A fleet of 38 boats—ranging in size from 40 to 140 feet and in age from 100 years to 10 months—departed from Newport in one of three different starts (June 28, July 1 and July 5). #tr2015
Windquest (Terry Hutchinson, Skipper) Wins Line Honors in 107th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, presented by Wintrust (published on Jul 13, 2015) #CYCRTM more info:
Anchors aweigh: On sailing and sailboat racing
CNN
At sea (CNN) Avast, all ye sailors, and muster before the mast to hear yarns of sailing and adventure. Here are musings and tales of derring-do aboard ...
Coast Guard Rescues Man and Dog After Sail Boat Catches Fire Off Florida - ABC News: "A man and his dog were rescued by the Coast Guard after their sailboat caught fire off the coast of Florida. The Coast Guard said in a statement that it received a call Friday afternoon from the captain of the sailboat Southern Bell, who said his boat was disabled and that he and his dog had been drifting since Wednesday. About an hour later, the captain told the Coast Guard that he and his dog abandoned ship and boarded a dinghy after their sailboat caught fire...." more sailing news below (@ web version link below for mobile)
Transatlantic Race 2015, Start 3, included four of the fastest ocean racing yachts on the planet, including the new super maxis Comanche, owned by Jim & Kirsty Clark and skippered by Ken Read, and Rambler 88, owned and skippered by George David, as well as two trimarans, Phaedo3 and Paradox. All four sailed out of Newport in ideal conditions, quickly touching more than 20 knots of speed under bright sunshine. #tr2015 - The Transatlantic Race 2015 is a 2,800-mile race from Newport, R.I., to The Lizard on the southwestern corner of England. This is the 30th transatlantic race since three New York Yacht Club members sponsored the first one in 1866. A fleet of 38 boats—ranging in size from 40 to 140 feet and in age from 100 years to 10 months—departed from Newport in one of three different starts (June 28, July 1 and July 5). For more information, visit the race's website: http://transatlantic race.comTracker: http://yb.tl/transatlantic2015
Transatlantic Race 2015: published on Jul 2, 2015 - Start 2 included a majority of the fleet, 20 boats ranging in size from 40 to 100 feet. They will spend one to two weeks crossing the Atlantic.
On Board Rambler 88 - Transatlantic Race 2015 - published on Jul 9, 2015 - #tr2015
Transatlantic Race 2015: "Day 10 Race Report: Storm-Force Winds in the Mid-Atlantic (Wednesday, July 8, 2015) – Severe conditions in the mid-north Atlantic have continued to punish the bulk of the fleet in the Transatlantic Race 2015. Yesterday Daniel and Gretchen Biemesderfer made the decision to retire from the race after their Mason 43 Shearwater suffered mainsail and rigging damage. She is heading for the Azores. Similarly, just before midnight UTC, Carter Bacon’s Nielsen 50 Solution sustained damage to her rudder and was taking on water. She becomes the sixth boat in the Transatlantic Race to retire and is now diverting to the Azores, albeit without electronics, which went down in a previous deluge..."
A Billionaire's Super Yacht Built to Break Records: "Comanche, a so-called maxi yacht owned by billionaire Jim Clark is celebrated as a vessel at the very cutting edge of sailing and expected to make a big splash at the Transatlantic Race 2015 ....."
US Youth Champs Day 2: Short and Sweet - published on Jul 8, 2015: A thunderstorm cut short day 2 of the U.S. Youth Sailing Championship at Roger Williams University, but not before a couple of light wind races to balance out the stiff breeze of opening day. Hear from sailors in the I420, Radial, and 29er classes.
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Regattas | ISAF Sailing World Cup : ISAF Sailing World Cup | Miami 2015: "From 26-31 January 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami returns to the waters of Biscayne Bay, bringing together the world's top Olympic and Paralympic class competitors. The regatta is a mainstay on the winter circuit for sailors who are campaigning for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Competitions. In 2015, the ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami is the second of five regattas included in the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup, the seventh edition of the annual series for Olympic sailing. As well as World Cup Miami honours, the gold medallists in each event will qualify for the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final scheduled for 29 October to 1 November 2015 in Abu Dhabi, UAE."
The Tour of Comanche with Ken Read. -
Dec 26, 2014: a tour of Jim and Kristy Clark's new 100ft weapon "Comanche". Here is Ken taking us around the boat and showing Comanche in a perspective that isn't seen by most. It's a long video, one of the longest we've made, however this is because everything Ken says absolute gold. This video isn't designed to be exciting or thrilling, it is designed to document an exciting and thrilling boat. Hope you enjoy!
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French Sailing SuperStar Loick Peyron in Sydney Dec24 14 Talks to boatsontv -
Loick Peyron has won ... everything in sailing possibly. He is the fastest sailor around the world, he took over a 103 foot tri two months before this year's Route du Rhum and beat his round the world 130 foot winning boat and he did it singlehanded. Then there's more. Check him out on Wikipedia the wins are endless... Published on Dec 23, 2014
Tall Ships to rendezvous with 2017 America's Cup
Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The tall ships fleet will be part of the Rendezvous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta being organized by Sail Training International in partnership with the City of ...
In Ocean Races, Some of the Biggest Perils Can’t Be Seen (NYTimes.com): “... Honestly, whether we’re sailing big multihulls or these supermaxis going incredibly fast speeds, you just go sort of on faith that the odds are in your favor and sleep with your feet facing forward,” said Peter Isler, an American who is the navigator for the supermaxi Rio 100 in this Hobart race. “Whether you are racing to Hawaii or across the Irish Sea or down in the Bass Strait, you are just going for it,” he said. “It’s not like in the Southern Ocean, where you are watching for icebergs on radar. There are some things you can’t avoid in the ocean, and you just pray that you do. It may not be the greatest thing to talk about for our sport, but the sad truth is, boats do run into stuff. In the last five years, we’ve hit a couple of whales and a shark. It’s sad. These boats go so fast and don’t make any noise. But the things you worry about the most are big, hard things...”
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2014-- finish Line Honours
Wild Oats XI record eighth line honours win in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2014 Wild Oats XI - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2014: "Wild Oats XI is the most successful yacht in the 70-year history of the Rolex Sydney Hobart race. She secured her seventh line honours victory under the guidance of Mark Richards in last year’s race. In 2012 she broke her own race record, which now stands at 1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes 12 seconds, and won the race overall. It was the second time the supermaxi had achieved this historic treble, and the only boat to do so twice in the race’s history. Once again, Wild Oats XI has been modified for the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Her bow has been streamlined, she will carry a new hydrofoil wing, and will be fitted with two new high-tech sails – a mainsail and a ‘code zero’ headsail. These modifications are aimed at keeping the nine-year-old yacht competitive against more recent designs. Richards and the crew now affectionately refer to their charge as the ‘Swiss Army Knife’, because of the number of appendages she boasts: a hydrofoil wing, a retractable forward centreboard, two retractable daggerboards, a canting keel, and the conventional rudder at the stern... Richards and his crew mustered all their resources this year as four other supremely competitive supermaxis and their crews – including the new Comanche 100-footer from America –vied for a line honours win. Wild Oats XI’s navigator, Juan Vila, was navigator for the victorious Alinghi crew in the 2007 America’s Cup match." Tracker - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2014
Comanche lead the five super maxis out of Sydney Heads reaching the first turning buoy in 4.35 minutes. Spectacular! Published on Dec 26, 2014
Rolex Sydney Hobart 2014; Handicap Honours Predictions
Given the weather models for the race, Crosbie Lorimer did the rounds of the CYCA dock just prior to the start of the race to find out who the various skippers, navigators and tacticians believed might take out the overall Handicap win on IRC. Here are some of their predictions and an update on the position at the front of the fleet. Published on Dec 27, 2014
Rolex Sydney Hobart; Line Honours Contenders Press Conference -
The skippers of the five 100 foot super maxis battling for Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race speak about the boats, the weather and their expectations. Published on Dec 25, 2014
North Sails Michael Coxon Dec 23 14 3Di "RAW" Sails, the "Hobart" and predictions
Michael Coxon, Managing Director, North Sails Australia talks to Geoff Waller of Boats on TV about the present sail making technology, the future, the current Rolex Sydney Hobart and building the biggest race spinnaker in the world for Anthony Bell of Perpetual LOYAL. Published on Dec 23, 2014
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Cost comparison of living on boat verse house
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Have just finished my first year (accounting wise) of living in a house
after 7.5 years on a 41’ sailboat. During my boat cruising years I
documented our m...
Deniss Karpak wins 2025 Finn Gold Cup
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Deniss Karpak became the first ever Estonian winner of the Finn Gold Cup,
after no more races were possible on the final day, Saturday. Read more on
Sail Web
Angel Island Barbecue – Saturday, August 16th
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On Saturday, August 16th, we will gather on Angel Island for our
Annual Angel Island Barbecue & Potluck. BAADS will provide the main course
(hamburgers, ho...
WEATHER MODELS 201 - WHICH WEATHER MODEL IS BEST?
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[image: Isler Weather Academy]
So many models - so little time! Marine Weather University announces an
upcoming course in these ubiquitous forecasting to...
The Year 2019 in Sailing (video)
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2020 Coronavirus Updates:
- Cancellations of regattas: go to links on the Calendar page.
- See also cruise refunds and cancellations info.
2019 -...
GC32 Racing Tour @Villasimius Cup 2019: Day 3
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Photo: Sailing Energy / GC32 Racing Tour - report sent by GC32 Racing Tour
media. Event web www.gc32racingtour.com
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SAIL's Tip of the Week
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Presented by Vetus-Maxwell.Got a tip? Send it to
sailmail@sailmagazine.comGood ConnectionsI wish I’d had a dollar for every
time I’ve cobbled together an ...
S/V Uhuru: Intuition
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The cutting tool that we had brought back from San Diego and that I was
using to make holes in the fabric, to insert the grommets for the dodger
cover I'm ...
VIDEO: Programme Seven 2014, Sydney, Australia
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The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the world famous Opera House provided the
iconic backdrop to the final of the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series™. After 11
month...
Sailing Magazine - Episode 20 - Dec. 2011
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Click on small gray "pod" icon on the left to watch.
Just a few years ago, these collegiate sailing teams did not even exist.
The University of Central O...
