The 8 champions and their crews taking part in this year's edition of the Trophe Clairefontaine took possession of their boats and carried out their first test and training session, inside Port America's Cup Port in Valencia. Wind conditions during the training session could be defined as acceptable. Throughout the morning, a constant and quite strong breeze was blowing throughout the America's Cup race course as well as inside Port America's Cup. Unfortunately, training started a little bit late, we suppose later than what was initially planned. The 8 boats docked out past 5:30pm and at that time the thermal breeze usually has already started to die down and there the was probably 6-7 knots of wind. There is no doubt that racing will be spectacular once the breeze kicks in. One shouldn't forget that the race course is right inside the basin and yachts have to sail two legs (one upwind and one downwind) inside the canal, meaning that at times they get extremely close to its edges, as seen in the photos. Let's say, I could have almost grabbed Ed Baird's helm if I wanted!!  read more »

In this final episode, our cruisers hike up a hill behind the bite on Norman Island. A million dollar view of the BVI awaits. The south side of Norman Island provides an ocean scape as our cruisers comment on a magnificent cruising vacation with our film’s producer, Gary Jobson. With their boats at anchor below, [...]

The deck boat manufacturers have designed an innovative craft that's fast, offers maneuverability, and with its V-bottom hull able to skim the waves in a similar way to that of a Bowrider. Ideal for use in protected waters, such as bays and lakes. Deck boats are constructed with a catamaran or cathedral hull with an fiberglass molded hull in most cases although some manufacturers produce aluminum models, such as the Suncrusier deck boats.

One of my favorite places to launch when I'm Lasering on my own is Colt State Park in Bristol because it has two boat ramps with a dock between them. It's very easy for me to launch my boat and tie it up to the dock while putting my dolly ashore. And ditto in reverse when I return.

I could launch off one of the many beaches in the area but after launching there's always that awkward "let go of the boat, run up the beach with the dolly, estimate state of tide during the next few hours and make sure dolly will be above the water all the time, drop dolly, run back to boat, and hope that in the meantime it hasn't (a) drifted out of reach, (b) capsized, or (c) been smashed on to the beach by wind and/or waves thereby causing extensive scratching, scraping and dinging of my precious gelcoat necessitating extremely tedious and time-consuming repair, and ditto in reverse when I return" process.  read more »

[Source: BMW Oracle] Valencia, Spain, 1 July 2008: BMW ORACLE Racings sailing will continue a full program of training and competition in RC 44s and Extreme 40 catamarans through the European summer while it waits for delivery of its new Americas Cup multihull boat, skipper Russell Coutts (NZL), said today. As part of a stepped-up multihull program, the team also confirmed today that it will field two entries in the iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week 2-4 August, part of the highly-competitive iShares Cup Sailing Series. Coutts and multihull consultant Franck Cammas (FRA) will share the afterguard duties for one entry in the Cowes regatta, with helmsman James Spithill (AUS) and tactician John Kostecki (USA) on the other. Final crew lists will be confirmed closer to the regatta.  read more »

From the press release: Eight top quality teams signed-up so far for 2008 iShares Cup With the Extreme 40 catamaran fleet now numbering 14 boats, there is potential that even more will make the start line of the five iShares Cup events, which begin in Lugano, Switzerland, on May 30. The entry list reads like a Who's Who of sailing, bursting with the very best skippers and crews in the sport. America's Cup sailors will be lining up against Olympic medallists, ocean racers, and world champions, all coming together on the unique iShares Cup sailing circuit. Fleet at the start, Amsterdam 2007 Vincent Curutchet/DPPI/OC Events With the next America's Cup looking set to take place in multi-hulls, the Swiss Defender Alinghi will be putting their cat-sailing skills to the test in this year's iShares Cup. America's Cup-winning helmsman Ed Baird has been putting in plenty of training in the Extreme 40 with the Alinghi crew in Valencia. Even this multiple world champion admitted that the powerful catamarans can be pretty challenging: "It was hard at first - going down from 17 to just four crew, but after the initial learning curve it got to be pretty exciting!" He compared the spectator-friendly iShares Cup city courses to recent America's Cup racing close to the shore in Valencia, saying: "It's a good kind of racing for the sport to have, as the shorter the race the more evenly matched the boats are." TEAMORIGIN, the British Challenger for the next multi-challenger America's Cup, will also be lining up in the series. Current iShares Cup champion Robert Greenhalgh, who skippered the winning boat on last year's circuit, leads the team. Rob is joined by his brother Peter, a top skiff sailor and part of the 2007 winning Extreme 40 crew, as well as other key members of the British Cup squad. This year's series has also drawn double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson back to the Extreme 40, having competed in two events at last year's iShares Cup. "Last year really whetted my appetite, but this year's going to be a bit different with the pro teams really upping the ante," she explained. "I love the boats and am really looking forward to going sailing on them again." Shirley will once again take the helm of JPMorgan Asset Management, showing her mettle as the sole female skipper on the circuit.  read more »

[Source: Alinghi] Ex-Americas Cup sailor, John Barnitt, joined Alinghi this week as sports director for the sailing team. The American sailor is familiar with the Swiss team having worked for Alinghi during the 31st Americas Cup as starboard grinder. I have only been in Valencia for a few days, but it is good to be back. It is great to see some good friends and the colleagues that I worked with on the 31st Cup, said JB, adding: my first impressions are that everything seems amazingly well organised and the guys have taken the team from the level that we were at in Auckland and moved one step up from that. The 47 year old has enormous depth in the industry, he started his career with Dennis Conner on Stars & Stripes in 1987, sailed the infamous 1988 catamaran vs. monohull match and in 1992 experienced the early days of the new AC Class. After some time out, he joined Alinghi in Auckland for the victorious 2003 Americas Cup. JBs role as Alinghi sports director will include managing the sailors and helping the team prepare for the next event. On a day to day basis, Ill be planning the daily schedule, establishing priorities, organising the physical training and the staffing for the various boats and projects, while supporting the design team needs and aiding with the current development and performance programme for the sailing team. What the sailing team say Piet van Nieuwenhuyzen, bowman: I think his experience and being a sailor himself means he knows how things must be for the sailing team. I think he is going to be good for us. Nils Frei, trimmer: He brings huge experience. He has been sailing in the Americas Cup since before I was born!  read more »

Less than 24 hours after receiving their second Extreme 40 catamaran (the former Holmatro), BMW Oracle's shore crew together with a number of Extreme 40 staff had already put her on the water. Unfortunately, the black and orange catamaran had her maiden sail in Valencia after we left, so there are no pictures. In the meantime, Alinghi is now carrying an apparently intensive two-catamaran training program and to our understanding the Defender of the 33rd America's Cup is out on the water every day. Last but not least, the Desafo Espaol base has been transformed into a boatyard. Inside the shed the team is building a brand new TP52 yacht desgined by Vrolijk, while outside they are modifying last year's GP42 champion, the Quebramar-Chrysler yacht. Both boats will carry the colors and name of the Spanish team.  read more »

[Source: BMW Oracle] During BMW ORACLE Racings in-house regatta in their two Extreme 40 catamarans today, one of the boats capsized during an exciting downwind luffing match. While no one was hurt during the capsize, team CEO/Skipper Russell Coutts (NZL) sustained a minor injury while the crew were attempting to right the boat. His leg was cut, and required nine stitches. The other crew on board with Coutts were helmsman Franck Cammas (FRA), Jonathan Macbeth (NZL) and Alberto Barovier (ITA). There were no other injuries. During the retrieval of the catamaran, the mast broke. The boat and mast were towed back to the team base for repairs. The team was race training off Valencia in 17-20 knots of wind.  read more »