Sailing Anarchy

Of course, the Mekong Delta was the first thing that popped into our heads when we saw this particular bit of vaporware. Read all about it.

Can one yacht really satisfy a wide range of sailors? It’s a tough design brief but Bavaria and Cossutti reckon they’ve cracked it. On delivery trips between Mediterranean boat shows and on several test sails last summer and autumn, the eagerly awaited new Bavaria C46 confirmed that it meets the shipyard's specifications to the letter. The development team wanted nothing less than a 46ft sailing yacht that sails well and is easy to handle, but also is so versatile that it can be configured for a wide variety of purposes and requirements.

The first edition of the 600-mile Roschier Baltic Sea Race showed just how good the sailing – and racing – can be up here in high summer. Given the continued success and growing enthusiasm around the globe for 600-mile offshore races it was only a matter of time before demand for one in the Baltic became overwhelming. The biennial Roschier Baltic Sea Race, which first took place in 2022, has all the ingredients of a classic race of this type: a myriad of islands and lighthouses in a region steeped in maritime history.

The first year in which the concept of the P40 class has been taken forward was 2023 and we produced a structure which included inshore and offshore components - with separate prizes, subscriptions from members in order to manage the class and the formation of a committee to oversee and coordinate the development. Using questionnaires and direct approaches we have tried to discover the general hopes and aspirations of this new class. It became clear that there was a split between those who wanted to race inshore and those who preferred offshore; some did both but certainly not the majority.

Exhilarating yet easy to sail with an unmatched racing record, Savannah is arguably the most successful Spirit of Tradition yacht ever built… Imagine a yacht with all the elegance and grace of a J Class, scaled down slightly for a major reduction in operating costs, with fully optimised modern underwater sections, keel and rudder. That yacht is Savannah.

These fucking things just get weirder and weirder. Photo Oriol Castello / Alinghi Red Bull Racing / Red Bull Content Pool.

…Brooklin! Here, Finally, someone other than Tempesta talks. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get that egomaniac to agree to this? Talk about a pain in the ass… Today’s guest – thankfully –  is Will Sturdy, Chief Designer at Brooklin Boatyard. Enjoy! Oh, and next Tuesday’s guest on the podcast is […]

To state the obvious, Mark Mills draws some pretty fantastic boats. The boat pictured here is his new Slovanian-built Retro 41, soon heading to the US, and while we dig the overall boat, we just can’t understand why it has such a small and cramped cockpit. And yes, small cockpits make us mad! We know […]

The rapid development in staysail design, build, and application is pretty amazing. We grabbed this shot of the SC 52 Triumph from a Quantum newsletter to show you what their interpretation of staysails looks like. More here.

The French legend Pen Duick VI FR (14), skippered by the indomitable Marie Tabarly, has taken provisional line honours in the final leg of the inaugural McIntyre Ocean Globe Race – and in the days ahead could potentially win the OGR Overall! At 22:52 UTC, 11th April the stunning black-hulled, 73-foot Bermudan Ketch, revered amongst […]

There is no question that, particularly in high-density living and boating areas, slips are getting more and more expensive. And harder to find. Given the value of waterfront property, we see this problem continuing to grow. We received this bit of alarming news coming out of Newport Beach, CA. Not good. – ed. Based on […]

Yesterday Louis Robein arrived safely in Ushuaia after his unfortunate ordeal, running aground in Bahia Aguirre, in the southeastern peninsula of Mitre in the Tierra del Fuego. He was very fatigued when the incident happened, after his incredible voyage that saw him sailing with no autopilot for over three weeks in the open Pacific before […]

The Environment Based on unusually hot water temperatures in the Atlantic, Colorado State University’s Tropical Weather & Climate Research lab is predicting an “extremely active” hurricane season in 2024. The group forecasts 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes, 5 major hurricanes and accumulated cyclone energy of 210. These values are all about 40 percent higher than […]

In a much-anticipated announcement the CEO of SailGP, Sir Russell Coutts, has today announced that the next series of an elite professional sailing event will be staged exclusively in the Arab world. Speaking from the new SailGP headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Coutts confirmed the racing venues for the 2024-25 season in Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, […]

Was scanning the R2AK website today, and came across this entry. I know it well, this Peterson 27 was designed by Doug Peterson (likely on the back of a cocktail napkin), for Doug and whoever to race on it for the Beercan series down here in San Diego. A total shoestring budget, the mast was […]

The Environment This International Day of Waste, we urge you to join us in our quest to nurture a cleaner, healthier planet. Whether it’s reducing your personal waste, supporting organizations like Seabin, or spreading awareness about the significance of waste management, every action matters. Our Seabin technology isn’t merely just about tidying up our oceans; […]

With a journey of 30 days, Aina Bauzà, the sailor from the Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx, has made history by establishing the new transatlantic solo sailing record on a monohull, departing from Cadiz towards the Bahamas on March 3rd. The World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC), the organization responsible for Sailing World Records, […]

The Environment Regulatory efforts continue to accelerate pushing forward with the plans to develop the U.S. offshore wind energy sector. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the eighth large offshore wind farm for the U.S. surpassing 10 GW of approved capacity and the ability to power nearly 4 million […]

The 2024 Olympic Games begin in just four months. As is often the case, the sailing events will be held a long way from the host city (Paris to Marseille is 480 miles – an eight-hour drive on the motorway). That distance underlines the widening separation between sailing and mainstream Olympic sports. Their connection – […]