Check out these great new sailing jackets that we have available:
MUSTO® BR1 Inshore Race Jacket
The Musto BR1 Inshore Race Jacket is lightweight, waterproof and breathable and is ideal for inshore sailing, club racing and cruising. In addition to the high levels of protection found on the BR1 Inshore Jacket, the BR1 Inshore Race Jacket features a water resistant front zip which not only reduces the need for a bulky storm flap, but also adds to the technical styling of the jacket.
The jacket is designed to have a slimmed-down closer fit, with noticeably less bulk overall and a racier look with distinctive sport styling. The Musto BR1 Inshore Race Jacket is practical and versatile, a very useful waterproof jacket onboard or for a variety of uses onshore.
Technical Details:
• Waterproof & breathable
• Roll away fully adjustable peaked hood (light grey colour)
Author Louay Habib:
[ "....Race leader Groupama had managed to struggle past the light winds around the Isle of Lewis and into fresher north easterly breeze. Getting to the breeze first means that they have opened up an 18 mile lead on rivals Telefónica Azul.
Looking at weather further up the track, the wind speed is due to increase in strength, to as much as 25 knots. Soon enough, the two Volvo Open 70s in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race will be launched like guided missiles, speeding down the west coast of Ireland...." ] Written by Louay Habib 26/08/2010
We have just cut the price of our Musto Evolution Technical Shorts to £49! That's the best online price that we've seen for these top quality sailing shorts. They retail for £65, so that's a massive discount.
We have only 3 sizes left, so grab a pair while they are still available. Black & Light Stone colours, sizes 30, 36, & 40. Free UK delivery.
Technical Features:
94% nylon - 6% spandex - Neo-Nano Dry high wicking fabric
Fast drying
60% Cordura – 40% Kevlar durable seat patch
Semi elasticated waist band
Zip fly
Two front pockets with Velcro closure
Slanted bellows side pockets with top & side zip openings
Mobile phone pocket situated in right thigh pocket
Two zipped back pockets
Evolution embroidery along front edge of left thigh pocket zip
[ Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) winner of La Solitaire 2010 :“ I’m really proud. I can’t believe it, I won three legs a sixth place in Ireland… Winning the Figaro like this it’s pure joy. I came to take my revenge for last year’s bad performance, I wanted to sail well on all the four legs. I was into the match and I somehow knew I could make it. I feel I have learnt something on how to control the race, to be in the lead. It’s hard when you have 44 adversaries behind you, and all good ones! I managed to get in the lead, stay there and win, on all the legs bar one. Cool! I felt terrific onboard, the boat, the strategy all came easier than I thought. I enjoyed every moment, even here at the raz Blanchard, Corentin (Douguet ed. note) was not far but I wanted to get to the end and win this Figaro.
Just one year ago things were quite different, I think I’ve grown up… I trained well and my shore team did a fantastic job. It’s been a long time since I won an important race, this year it’s been the Transat AG2R and the Solitaire.
I will probably be feeling the exhaustion soon. I’m exhilarated by many things, I’ve been thinking a lot before the finish. My victory in 2003, the work done during winter, the sailing in bad weather, when its’ cold. But you have to be well trained and ready… I need to make a break now, I’ve pushed hard and we had a bit of every condition: strong breeze, light air and it’s tiring, haven’t slept much…" ]
Promotional Video of race onboard the Class 40 yacht Fujifilm with Alex Bennett and Malcolm Dickinson. "Alex Bennett and co skipper Malcolm Dickinson claimed 3rd place in the Shetland Round Britain and Ireland Race after a very close race to the finish. After 2000 miles just minutes separated the top 4 Class 40 boats who led the fleet into Plymouth."
These videos chart the experiences of Alex and Malcolm as they prepare and compete in the 2010 Shetland RBANDI race, and for anyone remotely interested in sailing, boating or yachts they are terrific viewing.
This year's race was really exciting to follow, and we will look forward to reading more about this race and Alex's sailing experiences in his autobiography that is due to be published later this year.
[" On Wednesday 18th August at 21.15.24, Armel Le Cléac’h crossed the finish line of Leg 4 placed in the Bay of Cherbourg. It took to Brit Air’s 54 hours, 30 minutes and 24 seconds to cover the 435 miles of the last lap at an average speed of 7.98 knots. This summer le Cleac’h proved to be the man of all records. At 33 years of age he wins this 41st edition after having heavily dominated the race (with 3 leg wins) and enters the very selected club of double winners, thanks to his first victory back in 2003. Le Cleac’h was followed shortly on the line by Corentin Douguet on E.Leclerc Mobile and by François Gabart who thus secured second place overall."]
["Under a grey sky the 44 skippers taking part in La Solitaire du Figaro, left Kinsale for the fourth and decisive leg. Tension was high and the Committee was forced to give two general recalls. Swiss Bernard Stamm (Cheminée Poujoulat) and French Matthieu Girolet (Entreprendre) were involved in a collision and suffered from serious damages to their boats. Both decided to abandon racing. Excellent start for, young Portuguese Francisco Lobato and Italian Pietro D’Alì. Weather conditions are expected to be fairly tough, for a fast 435 miles passage to the finish in Cherbourg."]
["On Friday August 6th at 2 hours 44 minutes and 40 seconds Armel Le Cléac’h crossed the finish line in front of the Moulin Blanc harbour, in Brest. It took Brit Air’s skipper 2 days, 44 minutes and 40 seconds to sail the 385 mile long leg from Gijón to Brest, at an average speed of 6.34 knots.
Le Cleac’h, also know as “The Jackal” in this editon of La Solitaire doubled the number of wins: from two to four. François Gabart (Skipper Macif 2010) and Jérémie Beyou (BPI) jump on the second and third step of the podium respectively."]
So it's two for two for Armel Le Cléac’h - Who will break this winning streak? Can he maintain this awesome performance for the third leg? Check out Leg 3: Brest to Kinsale (349 Miles) which starts on Monday the 9th at La Solitaire
"On the penultimate day of the Extreme Sailing Series at Cowes Week, the pace was fast and furious. After a light wind first afternoon race in 8 knots, the wind accelerated to 15-18 knots and the Extreme 40s were off -- power reaching at speeds of 20-25 knots. It was fast, it was wet and hugely physical for the crews as they pushed hard, playing a balancing act on a high wire. It was potential capsize conditions - the windward hulls flying insanely, leeward bows digging into the waves -- misjudge the situation and it would be game over. The fifth man guests were having the ride of their lives and the spectators were loving it..."
Taken from the Adonnante TV YouTube Channel. no copyright infringement intended
La Solitaire du Figaro began yesterday from Le Havre in Northern Normandy. The 45 sailors began the first leg, 515 miles to Gijón, in Spain. La Solitaire, as the name suggests is the premier solo sailing event of the summer. Many well known names of French sailing, including Gilles Gahinet, Philippe Poupon, Yves Parlier, Jean Le Cam, Michel Desjoyeaux, Frank Cammas, Kito De Pavant, Jeremie Beyou, Pascal Bidegorry and Nicholas Troussel having won this race in previous years. This year, as in previous races, there are rookies and professionals competing against each other in this true test of single handed sailing.
The race began yesterday on the first of a four stage race over the course of the next four weeks.The video animation of the course, above, demonstrates the rather complicated route of 1717 miles around the French, Spanish and Irish coastline.
Video from AdonnanteTv No copyright infringement intended.
Following article from La Presse Solitaire. 28/07/2010 lasolitaire.com
["The 45 Figaro sailors set off from Le Havre in Northern Normandy yesterday on their first leg, 515 miles to the Gijón, in Asturias on the Spanish Cantabrian coastline. Eric Peron (Skipper Macif 2009) grabbed Karine Fauconnier’s (Eric Bompard Cachemir) early lead shortly after the last position poll and has continued over the past twenty four hours to maintain a narrow margin over his immediate pursuers, Erwan Tabarly (Nacarat), Adrien Hardy (Agir Recouvrement), Nicolas Lunven (Generali) Armel le Cléac’h (Brit Air). Sailors who opted for a more inshore course were rewarded with a lead this morning, however as the fleet rounded the Cherbourg headland filing down past and between Gurensey and Sark, the bulk regrouped. The coming twenty-four hours promises to be just as complex as the sailors attempt to get some rest and keep their keel and rudders clear of the seaweed before embarking on the passage at Four and the maritime traffic at Ushant on the turn south into the Bay of Biscay."]
Authorship accredited to La Solitaire. No copyright infringement intended.
Follow the terrific coverage and see video, photos and audio on the official La Solitaire website - English and French versions are both available.
Excellent clip from onboard Quantum Racing's TP52 at the start line of the Audi MedCup in Barcelona.
The following article is taken from the Audi Medcup website. Authorship attributed to Medcup.org. No copyright infringement intended.
["Quantum Racing lead the TP52 Series after the first day of racing, while Madrid - Caser Seguros' s perfect hat trick of wins sees them top the GP42 leaderboard.
Quantum Racing (USA) emerged as overall leaders of the Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona after opening with two fifth places and a second on what proved an especially testing first day of racing as the Audi MedCup Circuit competes for the first time ever off the Catalan capital.
As an introduction to a new venue nothing was gained easily in the moderate 9-13 knots NE'ly breezes. With the start line set directly in front of where the Olympic village was for the 1992 Olympic Games, relatively close to the shore, there was an awkward choppy sea kicked back off the beach to contend with. The variable cloud cover moved the wind around from time to time, the breeze varied in strength across the course and the racing for the most part was extremely close with small errors punished heavily in the intense competition.
The Quantum Racing team came back to the dock at the city’s Moll de la Fusta, greeted by huge crowds. After a long day on the water the 2008 Audi MedCup champions looked mildly frazzled but content to have stuck within their budgeted 12 points for the day which leaves them leading by only one point from a trio comprising Emirates Team New Zealand in second, Artemis (SWE) in third and Bribón (ESP) in fourth, whilst Cristabella (GBR) lies fifth."]
"The Extreme Sailing Series 2010 is a 5 stop European circuit featuring the very best sailors in the world. From the world of the America's Cup, to the Volvo Ocean Race, Olympics and Round the World record breakers, the Extreme Sailing Series attracts the the very best from around the World." EcoverSailing Channel
Promotional film for the Extreme Sailing Series circuit. Dramatic, over the top, and pumped full of adrenaline: if this video clip doesn't wet your appetite for the Extreme Sailing Series then nothing will! They've got all the big names and as much action as you could possibly want...Check it out
Don't forget that you can go and watch the Extreme 40 Sailing Series at Cowes Week!
[ In 2009 thousands gathered along the shoreline in Cowes, Isle of Wight, to watch the Extreme 40s in close quarter combat. The racing, easy to understand for both the sailors and non-sailors alike, was intense and spectacular, with the teams cheered on as they crossed within inches of each other and the beach.
The Extreme Sailing Series returns to Cowes again for the fourth consecutive year and for 2010 will host more days of racing than ever before. The fleet will be put through its paces over six days, with a mixture of the short, sharp courses the circuit has become renowned for, as well as longer 'classical' Cowes Week type races, stretching the legs of the dynamic Extreme 40 catamarans and the tenacity of their crews.
Event organiser OC Events is passionate about making top level professional sailing, also entertaining for both sailing and non-sailor audiences. Once again the Extreme Sailing Series Race Village at Egypt Point will have a mix of high-end corporate hospitality, along with bars and food outlets for the general public and in the evening DJs. "We aim to entertain both on and off the water at every event," commented Gilles Chiorri, Event Director for OC Events. "The visitors last year were fantastic in their support of the teams and were very vocal in their enjoyment of the racing. We look forward to putting on another great show this year."
Friday 30 July will see the only UK leg of the circuit kick off with an exclusive media day, reserved for the visiting national and international media. The non-point scoring racing will give the teams the opportunity to assess each other's improvements in performance and teamwork over the 8 weeks since the opening event in Sète at the end of May.
Every morning from Saturday 31 July to Thursday 5 August inclusive (except for Tuesday 3 August) there will be a long distance morning race, starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron line. Lasting up to 1 hour, the longer races will pitch the teams' boat speed head-to-head on relatively open water.
The short course racing will take place at Egypt Point every afternoon. For the first three days from 3pm and for the final three, the entertainment will begin from 4pm with racing from 5pm, to ensure as many of the Cowes Week competitors can enjoy the top flight action, after the waters are largely clear of the Cowes Week racing yachts.
Nine teams are anticipated to be on the start line in Cowes including current Series leader Yann Guichard and his men on Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, defending Series Champions, Oman Sail Masirah led by Mr Multihull himself Loick Peyron, double Olympic Gold Medallist Roman Hagara with Red Bull Extreme Sailing and local hero Mike Golding with Ecover Sailing Team. A new entry joining the line-up in Cowes will be announced shortly.
Mike Golding, skipper of Ecover Sailing Team commented, "It is always nice to be sailing in familiar waters, in front of a home crowd, but that also comes with additional pressures. We had a good result in Sete and we are hoping to reach the podium for the Cowes event. It will be interesting to see the teams' performances on the longer races - I'm sure boat handling will be crucial, as will the communication onboard. It's a long race compared to the short sharp 20 minute racing we are used to, I'm sure concentration will also be key to success on the water. The Island is famous for its tidal currents, and I'm hoping local knowledge will help us gain a bit of an advantage over some of the other teams in that area."
Four Extreme 40s will take part in this weekend's J.P.Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race: Ecover, Team GAC Pindar and The Wave, Muscat as well as defending line honours champions, Oman Sail Masirah.
Golding commented on this weekend's marathon. "This will be the first time we have raced as a team for more than 20 minutes at a time so I'm sure its going to be testing out there, hopefully we'll have some good conditions and be back in time for breakfast!"
2010 Extreme Sailing Series at Cowes Week Schedule:
Friday 30 July
1pm - Media Day, Press Conference
2.30pm - Informal racing, first start off Royal Yacht Squadron Saturday 31 July - Monday 2 August
10am - Start long-distance race off Royal Yacht Squadron
3pm - Afternoon, short course racing off Egypt Point
End of Racing - Daily prizegiving Tuesday 3 August - Thursday 5 August
10am - Start long-distance race off Royal Yacht Squadron (no race Tues 3 Aug)
5pm - Afternoon, short course racing off Egypt Point
6.30pm - End of event prizegiving ]
We have taken the following article from the Clipper site. It is so well written and informative, that we feel it summarizes the excitement and drama of the 2010 Clipper Race perfectly.
Following Article Source: Clipper Round The World website -
Authorship attributed to Clipper Ventures Plc. No copyright infringement intended.
["A spectacular welcome greeted the crews of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race as they arrived back in Hull at the end of their 35,000-mile circumnavigation. For the non-professional crew onboard the ten ocean racing yachts, the return to Hull Marina marks the end of a challenge of a lifetime as they battled the elements in search of victory and the title of Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race champions.Tens of thousands of people lined the banks of the Humber and the quayside of Hull Marina to welcome home the crews after a gruelling ten-month challenge that has seen them take on the world’s largest and most formidable oceans, endured violent storms and frustrating calms, extreme heat and bone-numbing cold, unstintingly come to the aid of their fellow competitors in times of need and, all the while, raced ferociously to win.
Crossing the finish line overnight at the end of the 14th and final stage of the Clipper 09-10 Race, the Irish entry, Cork, claimed the maximum ten points for securing their second first place of their campaign. It is an achievement made all the more remarkable by the fact the team’s original yacht ran aground on a reef in the Java Sea in January.
Cork’s victory in Race 14 denied Hull & Humber their much coveted home port win but their second place finish did allow the ‘big orange boat’ to leapfrog Jamaica Lightning Bolt in the final standings to finish fourth overall. Again, a remarkable achievement for the team whose original skipper, Piers Dudin, was med-evac’d by the Japanese Coastguard in the North Pacific after his leg was broken when a huge wave washed him across the deck. Piers joined Justin Taylor, who took over as skipper, and the rest of the Hull & Humber crew on stage to great cheers and applause from the crowds.
Clipper 09-10 champions, Spirit of Australia, finished third in the final stage of the 14-race challenge, minutes ahead of Cape Breton Island, whose performance guaranteed them a place on the final podium. The Canadian team finish third overall, just 1.3 points behind Team Finland.
The ten yachts raced up the Humber in the presentational John Harrison Race, commemorating the man who, in the 18th Century, revolutionised the age of sail by inventing the marine chronometer, a device enabling sailors to accurately plot their longitudinal position. Hull & Humber wowed the crowds with a win while Spirit of Australia flew their spinnaker to the delight of the tens of thousands of spectators.
Brendan Hall, skipper of the victorious Spirit of Australia team, said, “Finishing in first place feels unbelievable. That was the seminal moment of my sailing career. All the hard work over the past two years and all the hard work of the team over the past ten months is finally recognised in public by everybody. A big thanks to our fantastic peers on the other boats, the people of the City of Hull and all our loved ones here on the pontoon. It’s absolutely fantastic and one of the best moments of my life!”
The warmth of the welcome the home team received was overwhelming, according to Hull & Humber’s skipper, Justin Taylor. “It’s a great feeling. I can’t believe it, all these people… it’s phenomenal. I’m a little bit overcome with emotion; I don’t really know what to make of it, to be honest,” he said.
“The crew accepted me and they really pulled together and showed some real grit and I think that’s reflected in the results that they achieved after I took over. It’s down to them really – I gave them a bit of encouragement and they did the rest. The crew are elated. It’s wonderful to be back and I think they’re feeling the same way, a bit overcome by the reception we’ve received here.”
The Parachute Regiment’s Freefall Display Team, the Red Devils, dropped in as the yachts finished the John Harrison Race and once the yachts had entered the marina the Royal Navy’s helicopter display team, the Black Cats, showed their flying prowess.
On stage the teams were called up one by one to be saluted by their supporters, California, in tenth were first up, followed by Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, Cork, Qingdao, Uniquely Singapore and Jamaica Lightning Bolt in fifth place.
Each Clipper yacht is entered by a city, region or country and sponsors use the event to showcase themselves to the world.
Terry Hodgkinson Chairman of Yorkshire Forward which sponsors Hull & Humber and is responsible for bringing the Clipper Race to the Humber, said, “We’re here to celebrate these crews’ achievements and celebrate this wonderful city and the wider region. They’ve all done a fantastic job of getting the boats back safely. Clipper has done a wonderful job raising the profile of this area both nationally and internationally and bringing visitors to this fantastic region.”
Clipper Race founder and chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail solo non-stop around the world, said, “We have had fantastic support from the people of this region for this race. I’d like to mention Yorkshire Forward, Welcome to Yorkshire and of course the people of the City of Hull. It’s been fantastic, the way you’ve supported this race right from the start has been heart warming and we’re very grateful to you.”
Sir Robin had a message for the crews waiting next to the stage. He said, “You’ve achieved your ambition. You have sailed the oceans of the world, you have seen more of the sea than most people do and you have come through it all. You’ve come back very experienced sailors and you’ve achieved something very special in your lives and I’m very, very proud of you.
“I hope you go off now and continue sailing, take some of what you’ve learned the way you work as a team, back into your lives. Do you remember what I said at the beginning? I want to hear you say, ‘That’s the best thing I’ve done with my life’ – and then I want to hear you say, ‘So far,’ because then I know we have widened your horizons.”
Doctors, students, teachers, lawyers, engineers and a taxi driver are among the crew members who have succeeded in their challenge. On board each of the ten internationally-backed yachts is just one professional, the skipper, whose role it is to lead the team to victory. The crew members were all amateurs, nearly forty percent of whom had no sailing experience when they embarked on their Clipper Training, before setting off on this adventure ten months ago.
For every crew member this final race is a poignant moment. Sailing around the world is a considerable achievement – more people have climbed Mount Everest than have raced yachts around the world. The fleet’s arrival in Hull Marina this afternoon is the climax of this once in a lifetime adventure.
To date more than 2,000 people have become ocean racers by taking part in the Clipper Race and, of these, more than 300 have achieved the rare accolade of becoming a circumnavigator by racing around the world under sail. Eighty-two new circumnavigators have joined the ranks of this exclusive club following the fleet’s arrival in Hull."]
Article Authorship attributed to Clipper Ventures Plc. 2010. No copyright infringement intended.
Via the RC44ClassAssociation YouTube Channel. Copyright RC44 Class Association. All Rights Reserved.
— 11 June 2010 — Three seasons in one day in the RC 44 Copenhagen Cup
"Except for the summer, the teams involved in the RC 44 Copenhagen Cup had to deal with very varied conditions today. Strong and light wind, sun, rain, chop... Pieter Heerema's team No Way Back leads the provisional ranking ahead of Igor Lah's Ceeref and Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis..."
If you haven't checked out the RC44 website, then you must! These boats are amazing, check out the video that we've posted to see exactly what we're talking about.
{Text Source for the following article is from the RC44 Website}
[ "The objective of the Class is to develop a high level and entertaining racing program and to keep the absolute one design aspect of the RC44 by ensuring that all boats are as identical as possible in terms of construction, shape of hull and appendages, weight and weight distribution, deck layout and equipment, sail plan and performance.
“We wanted to include a degree of complexity so an owner can experience what a top-end race boat is like to sail, and it delivers on that”, explains Russell Coutts. “Yet we also wanted it to be easy to own – you can race this boat in summer and if you wish put it away relatively easily in winter.”
“While the RC44 have some distinctive America's Cup features, they are light-displacement, high performance racers and designed to sail with eight person crew, or for a professional match racing format they could be sailed by just six crew. When we started to formulate this concept I wanted to create a boat that would be exciting to sail downwind and powerful in light winds because most of the harbour and lake sailing is staged at lighter wind venues. I also wanted a boat that could be sailed short-handed with a deck layout incorporating many non-standard adjustments.
The trim tab on the keel was an example of that thinking, to reduce keel area and yet still achieve good upwind performance and maneuverability. It adds to the complexity of the boat, but the racing enthusiast will enjoy exploring the different tab angles and the resulting benefits in performance.”
With a powerful sail plan, the RC44 is intended strictly for racing, either match racing or day sailing fleet races. The boat is targeted at the day sailor who wishes to sail a high performance one-design class. It has no comforts for cruising, and with a big open cockpit, a fairly narrow beam and the huge sail plan it produces a lot of excitement. The philosophy was to create something special for the racing sailor – a bit like owning a sports car versus a 4-wheel drive!
The boat features a removable stern scoop with a two-piece mast, both developed to provide for easy transportation, assembly and winter storage.
The class rules and the construction of the boat are being tightly controlled to protect the one-design concept and reduce development costs for participants. For fleet racing it will be an owner driver class with strict limitations on the number of professional crew." ] Copyright RC44 Association 2010. All Rights Reserved.
We recently read about Tom McNally’s attempt to regain the World Record for the smallest craft to cross the Atlantic. This year, Tom McNally will embark on a double Atlantic crossing in his 3 foot, 10 inch boat, the Big C. Tom is aiming to create a new World Record and to raise money for the cancer charity, Sail 4 Cancer.
Tom will set off from Cadiz in Southern Spain and sail to across to Central America, up to Texas, and then Newfoundland before returning to his home town of Liverpool, England. The journey is estimated to last between 15-18 months, and will amount to a total of approximately 10,000 miles. Just imagine having to sleep whilst standing up for so many months!
Tom has crossed the Atlantic many times, and in early '93 he set a new world record for the smallest craft to cross the Atlantic, in a boat 5 feet 4 1/2 inches. The previous record holder, Hugo Vihlen, subsequently recrossed the Atlantic later that year, in a boat which was just half an inch smaller, and regained the record. Now Tom wishes to beat that record in the tiniest yacht possible: 3 foot 10 inches! Good Luck Tom!
We recently saw Geoff Holt on the BBC news talking about his plans to sail across the Atlantic this year. Geoff is planning on sailing the 3,000 mile journey in December, and aims to become the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the Atlantic unassisted. It will not be the first time that Geoff has sailed across the Atlantic, but it will be his first transatlantic crossing since he became disabled in 1984. Geoff has already sailed single handed around Great Britain, in 2007.
Geoff will be sailing the Atlantic on "Impossible Dream", a beautiful wheelchair accessible yacht owned by the charity Sporting Activities for the Disabled. The boat has push-button technology allowing Geoff to navigate and sail the boat. Because Geoff is confined to a wheel chair, he will have a professional carer with him on his trip. The carer will not be involved with any aspect of sailing the yacht.
We wish Geoff all the very best for his Atlantic Challenge!
