Monthly Archives: February 2017

Flying cyclists


Bruno Dubois Team Manager for Groupama Team France, former manager of North Sails Europe and more recently Team Manager for Dongfeng Team in the Volvo Ocean Race, in a comment to a Mark Turner Facebook post, explain the roles of the Emirates Team New Zealand AC50 crew members, cyclists included.

So…. to explain you the way it works : the guy in the front is still the bowman, he trims the jib and tack it. The #2 activate the daggerboards with kant and rake. The #3 does the same but he is the one jumping on the other side of the boat for the tacks and jibes. #4 call the tactics.

The #5 is the wing trimmer. he has enough on his plate to do that only and communicate about speed with the helmsman. #6 steer the boat and also play with the elevators on the rudders. All this need to be well coordinate to make it smooth through the race course.

Those crew are the best you can find in the sailing world. They are fit with no fat at all and a huge cardio. They are great match racers and not afraid about speed. You know how much my heart is on offshore sailing… therefore my comments are now polluted by the cup.

The 4 guys in the front on top of doing all the jobs mentionned above do grind for sure. But it is on top of their normal sailing job.

In 2007 on the V5 cup boats we had 8 big fat grinders pumping all day long. They had no agility , just fat and muscles. It was not a problem since the boats were sailing at 11knts….. now we are toping the 45knts easy !!

 

The FLYING MANTIS takes off

The FLYING MANTIS will debut at the RYA Dinghy Show, Alexandra Palace, London, on 4th and 5th March 2017, stand C86.

The FLYING MANTIS is a lightweight carbon easy foiling trimaran for the solo sailor. It is designed to deliver windsurfer flexibility and be transported and sailed almost anywhere.

The FLYING MANTIS is two beautifully designed performance boats in one. It can be switched between a semi-foiling displacement trimaran and a full-foiling version depending on a sailor’s skill and sailing conditions.

Key specs:

  • Main hull – length 4.2m (LWL), beam 0.5m
  • Outrigger – length 2.5m, beam 0.14m
  • Overall beam 2.4m
  • Combined hull weight c.45kg
  • Lifting T foil rudder
  • Semi-foiling version – central dagger board
  • Foiling version – dagger board plus interchangeable lifting central T foil adjusted by wand
  • control from a bowsprit
  • Sails – Main 9 sqm, Jib 2.3 sqm
  • Easy sailing

The Flying Mantis boasts a lightweight carbon epoxy foam sandwich construction. The hulls are quick and simple to assemble. The central hull weighs around 20kg plus outriggers at 12.5kg. Fully assembled, this lightweight trimaran is especially suited to taller & heavier sailors, with a weight range of up to 120kgs.

www.FlyingMantis.UK ….to be unveiled just prior to the RYA Dinghy Show

Record Fleet for 2017 Moth Worlds

With 6 months remaining, the 2017 Moth Worlds has already attracted a record number of entrants. Earlybird entries closed on Tuesday with 190 competitors from 25 countries registered for the event to be held at the Fraglia vela Malcesine on Lake Garda in late July.
The record lineup features a daunting who’s who of top sailors.
At the top of the list is the Olympic Laser shoot out, with reigning Moth World Champion, 2008 Gold Medallist and Artemis Racing helmsman Paul Goodison (GBR) going up against 2012 Gold Medallist and Oracle Team USA tactician Tom Slingsby (AUS) and 2016 Gold Medallist Tom Burton (AUS).
2016 Laser Radial Olympic Silver Medallist and 2014 Women’s Moth World Champion Annalise Murphy (IRL) leads the charge in the growing women’s fleet against reigning champion Wakako Tabata (JPN) and 2013 Women’s Champion Emma Gravare (SWE).
Among the past champions, 2009 & 2013 Moth World Champion Bora Gulari (USA) makes a comeback to the class after taking time out to compete in the Nacra 17 at the Rio Olympics. Also making a return after Olympic and Americas Cup commitments, dual medallist Iain Jensen (AUS) will be looking to improve on his top 10 result in 2015.
Despite, or perhaps due to the venue, over 30 Australian entrants will make the journey, lining up against a large British contingent. New Moth countries Argentina, Ireland and Finland are well represented, alongside competitors from growing fleets in Poland, Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Norway, Canada and Bermuda.
Taking it to the Olympians will be the Moth regulars including 2012 World Champion and current Australian Champion Josh McKnight (AUS). McKnight will debut a new Australian built Moth for the event against the dominant Mach2 and Exocet designs. Also pushing the development envelope is 2015 and 2016 Amlin International and Volvo Ocean Racer Rob Greenhalgh (GBR), who will surely be among the favourites based on recent form. 2016 European Champion Mike Lennon (GBR) will also debut a new design, the Lennon PP Moth designed by David Hollom and built by White Formula in the UK. Not short of innovative ideas, winner of the 2013 Mini Transat Benoit Marie (FRA) returns with a new boat for the event.
Alongside Marie is a large European contingent, with 3 time Moth European Champion Arnaud Psarofagis (SUI) taking a break from his responsibilities as helmsman on the Alinghi Extreme Series GC32 to return to the Moth. Not to be taken lightly, the local Italian fleet will be out in force, lead by 3 time Olympian and Artemis Racing helmsman Francesco Bruni (ITA).
6 months is still a long time in a Moth, but with entry numbers rapidly approaching 200, anticipation will be building for what will be the largest Moth World Championship ever. Follow the event progress at http://www.mothworlds.org/malcesine or find MothWorlds on FaceBook & Twitter.