(NECN: Hyannisport, Mass.) - It was a day at the shore designed to send a message. Ted Kennedy has no plans to slow down. Senator Kennedy and his wife, Vicki, went sailing Wednesday afternoon, just one day after it was announced that he has a brain tumor. On a picture perfect day for a sail, [...]

Valencia Sailing asked Davide Tagliapietra and Doug Schickler of Schickler-Tagliapietra to give their insight into the fleet of VO70's gathered in Alicante. Valencia Sailing: What are your impressions of the boats and the rule development? Schickler-Tagliapietra: Everybody knows the rule has become a much tighter design space. The boats are limited in displacement range, and keel weight is controlled independently. In the small range, the boats will probably all try to be at the light end, of course with the heaviest bulb possible. Using higher modulus fibre in the masts, and the very impressive carbon rigging will make a nice step forward in performance. Safety and reliability concerns have driven other new rules, especially in the keel area. Not all of the changes are founded on sound engineering, but the stakes are high for Volvo and the resulting boats are undeniably awesome. Valencia Sailing: There have been a lot of interpretations to this more refined rule, comments? Schickler-Tagliapietra: This keel weight rule has unfortunately led to a near "attack" on the interpretation process concerning the keel of one team. Even more unfortunate, VOR found itself in a position where it felt the best way forward was to amend the NOR so a boat without a valid certificate could start the race. They have tried to disarm the situation, but the precedent is troubling. Valencia Sailing: Any other interpretations of interest? Schickler-Tagliapietra: One about the use of a rotary keel actuator instead of rams. It's use was denied, but it stirs the imagination. There is an interpretation concerning the use of spray rails for lift, thus declaring it an appendage. The spray rails will trickle down to other long distance race yachts - a good development from IMOCA's and these boats. Valencia Sailing: Can you give us a summary of the boats and teams, from a designer's point of view?  read more »

This is the eighth in a series of videos describing the roles of crew members aboard the BMW ORACLE America’s Cup Racing Yacht. In this episode, we observe teamwork of the Mast and Pit Men who work around the mast and in the front end of the cockpit. The Mast Men handle the halyards at [...]

Posted by: venus46  read more »

Off the coast of Africa, the ocean liner American Star lies beached in Playa de Garcey, an isolated cove on the western side of Fuerteventura, the oldest and the second largest of the Canary islands.
Once the biggest single class liner in the world under the name Uss Australis, it had been berthed for twelve years at Pier 92, at the foot of New York’s West 52nd Street, and in Perama bay, when it was bougth by Chaophraya Development Transport Company which planned to tow it to Thailand and convert it into a floating luxury hotel at Phuket. Renamed American Star, she entered dry dock for a period of 68 days to allow workmen to fully prepare her for the long tow, which at an average speed of 5.5 knots, was expected to take 100 days. The Ukranian flag tug, Neftegaz 67, was contracted to make the giant tow. The propellers were removed and stored on the deck to prevent drag, and late in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, 1993, the two vessels left the Piraeus. Less than 24 hours after departure, due to very bad weather, American Star was yawing side to side and sometimes, overpassing the tug. The vessel returned the day after in the early afternoon, to wait for the weather to calm down and for adjustments to be made to the towing rig.  read more »

Do the drudgeries of day to day living go away just because you live on a boat....not likely. It would be nice to think that living aboard a boat somehow robbed you of domestic chores in favour of more exotic ones like finding ways to keep otters from having midnight seafood fests on your deck or finding the most comfortable spot for extended novel reading.

Despite the fact the America's Cup is currently in a limbo, there is increasing activity going on in Port America's Cup. In addition to BMW Oracle and Alinghi, a score of other teams are using the existing facilities for various TP52 and GP42 projects. One of them is Vasco Vascotto's Mutua Madrilea, whose brand new yacht arrived from Italy last Monday. This is the third TP52 boat for the Italians sailor. Vascotto was in fact one of the founding pillars of the TP52 fleet in the Mediterranean since he sailed in its racing circuit from 2005, the year it was established. He grabbed the inaugural title of the circuit, called Breitling Medcup until last year, on Pisco Sour, a Botn & Carkeek design. In 2006 his mainly Mascalzone Latino crew took a break from the TP52 circuit in order to focus exclusively on the America's Cup. In 2007, and with the arrival of Spanish insurer Mutua Madrilea as title sponsor, Vascotto returned to the Breitling Medcup aboard a new Botn & Carkeek design. Taking into consideration the fact Mutua Madrilea was aiming for the top spot in the circuit, last year was a clear disappointment. Mutua Madrilea finished 6th, the result of a 14th place in Puerto Portals and a 12th in Portimao.  read more »

Yesterday, Derek Hatfield had a knock down aboard "Algimouss Spirit of Canada" in the The Vendee Globe race. Derek writes: "... the boat went over and I ended up on the ceiling with all kinds of articles whizzing past me. The boat came upright immediately and the carnage inside was immediate. I rushed on deck and my heart sank to see two of the spreaders dangling limp on the shrouds. The shock hits you quickly that this is not fixable and the end of the race is here already."  read more »