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The race began at 6:25 p.m. on Friday from Charleston Marina with international competitors from the USA, France, Great Britain and Germany competing extremely closely for the three-day, first leg. The teams left Charleston harbor with Icarus jumping out in front of the fleet with the best start. Shortly after the start 40 Degrees’ cap shroud failed leading to their dismasting and retirement from the first leg of the race. Boats were mostly in sight of each other until they rounded Cape Hatteras, where the fleet split into two groups. One group opted to go towards the shore where the wind was forecasted to be stronger and the other half opted to sail further east into the gulf-stream to take advantage of the three knot push. Forecast winds didn’t develop for the group headed for the shore allowing the group in the gulf-stream to establish and extend the lead over the inshore path.

“It couldn’t get any better, really. So first place and the second win in the second race for the boat, which is pretty cool and I think we had a really really good race,”said Mare skipper Jörg Riechers.

“We tried to make a plan long before the start and stick to it, and I think that helps when you don’t let other people in on what you’re going to do,” said Mare skipper Ryan Breymaier. “The weather conditions might change a little bit, but as long as you sort of stick with the plan you know is right from the beginning, it’s all going to work out in the long run.”

For more results, go to www.atlanticcup.org.

The crew of the 47-foot Musketeer of Stutton, a yacht from the Absolute Aqua RYA sailing school, had been enjoying an evening ashore last week, and began the normal dinghy tender shuttle that would take them back to the boat. It was just before midnight, the seas were rough and the winds were high, but it was a transfer they had done many times before.

When the dinghy didn’t arrive back after delivering some of the crew, crew waiting on the beach called the Coast Guard for help, thinking “that the outboard engine may have failed.” They couldn’t have guessed that their crew mate had drowned.

In the rough seas, high winds and poor visibility, the search of Poole and Studland Bays of Dorset in the UK involved both Swanage RNLI lifeboats, Lee-on-Solent Coast Guard helicopter and the Coast Guard rescue teams from Swanage and Poole, and Dorset Police.

Initially recovered by lifeboat, the sailor, who was found not wearing a life jacket, was unconscious, found floating near his upturned dinghy.

He was given CPR before being transferred to Poole Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Courtesy of www.sail-world.com.

Unfortunately after just over a day of sailing, the Knowles and their crew aboard the s/v Sapphire, a Jeanneau 54DS, have reported that they have had to turn back for the BVI after hitting bad weather.

The crew reports, “We had a picture perfect day [Tuesday] after we finally left the dock at 1:30pm. We had 15 knots SE winds. Shortly after dark we ran into a band of squalls which lasted all night. Winds averaged 20 knots and up to 30 in squalls. The seas built and became confused. [Wednesday] morning, shortly after breakfast, our auto pilot quit. We are unable to determine the cause and are therefore headed back to BVI. We have one seasick crew member, so in these sea conditions and squalls, three of us would be exhausted by the time we got to Bermuda. We also are not sure if there would be anyone there who could fix it.”

Fourteen other boats are participating in the rally with final destinations ranging from Hampton, VA to Mystic, CT. The SDR is sponsored by Blue Water Sailing who is providing weather routing through Chris Parker. NV-charts is giving each participant a chart kit of their choice, Voyage Yacht Charters is offering reduced fuel to all SDR participants, Bamboushay Pottery/BVI Painters has made an Official Salty Dog Mug and is presenting one to each SDR Participant, and Road Town Wholesale is giving all SDR Participants free delivery of groceries at store prices and more.

Additional participants include:
Joy For All, Farr 50
Tiramisu, Beneteau 400
Jadimean, Catana 50
Borealis, Hallberg-Rassy 37
1700 Somewhere, MacGregor 65
Lady, Catalina 470
Windward, Tayana 48
Manureva, Voyage Cat 58
Charmed Life, Beneteau 49
Northstar, Tartan 43 CB
Minaxi, Abel Super Maramu 53
IL SOGNO, Oyster 56
Rum Runner, Caliber 40
Raftan, n/a

The fleet left San Francisco Bay in this US coast-to-coast leg on April 14. It has made its way through the famous Panama Canal over the last week and is now truly back in its home strait on the Atlantic Ocean, having already conquered nearly 35,000 miles at sea.

The start line was set 60 miles from the coast of Panama. At 2330 UTC Race 11 got underway, as nominated lead skipper Richard Hewson from Gold Coast Australia set a “Le Mans” start. Here all ten Clipper Race entries line up alongside each other and crew race to hoist their headsails in the fastest possible time.

While Welcome to Yorkshire managed to hoist and fully power up the Yankee 1 and staysail in 1 minute 37 seconds, Qingdao suffered from a winch jam at the wrong moment. Both Australian entries had a tussle with Gold Coast Australia currently ahead of Geraldton Western Australia.

Tasmanian Richard Hewson said, “As the sun neared the horizon, Gold Coast Australia fired the ten minute gun and the yachts lined up for a Le Mans start, which basically lines all the yachts up on a bearing, sailing a specific course.  After the start, yachts must maintain their course for ten minutes before changing their sail plan. Our boat appeared to accelerate faster than the other yachts around her and we focused on sail trim to optimize our speed as we worked hard to get ahead of the fleet and into clear wind before nightfall.”

The Clipper Race fleet is now on a one-sided upwind battle north, leaving Jamaica on the port side before heading into lighter winds near the Windward Passage which marks the exit from the Caribbean Sea into the Atlantic Ocean.

For the latest news and to track the fleet, go to www.clipperroundtheworld.com.

The Swan 105  takes its lead from the previous generations such as the Swan 112, 100 and 130. It is designed to provide the ultimate cruising experience. The performance orientated hull with clean deck layout concealing the substantial internal volume and innovative technical features combine to afford true comfort for owners and guests.  The layouts options include an owner’s cabin forward and aft for a personalized preference. With six hull windows on each side of the hull coupled with ten deck hatches and the raised saloon windows, natural light flows into the main saloon area producing bright living quarters.

The deck offers clear views over the raised saloon flowing naturally into the entertainment cockpit where a protected area with access to the main companionway also benefits from an integrated in-deck hydraulically operated bimini.

The Swan 105 offers a broad transom at the stern opening out to reveal an extensive swimming platform with additional space ideal for a 13-foot tender with its own hydraulic launching and recovery system.

Luca Lucheschi, Commercial Director at Nautor’s Swan says, “The Swan 105 is essentially an extension of our fast maxi-cruiser concept, central to our portfolio of yachts.  As well as using the knowledge gained from 45 years of developing the ultimate in hull lines, foils, deck layout and internal arrangements, we have produced a successful package with the Swan 105.  She not only commands respect for sailing performance but also stands out from the crowd through her interior comfort quality.  A truly beautiful cruising boat with the benefit of modern technical improvements, the Swan 105 expertly continues the proud traditions of the Nautor’s Swan marque.”

For more information, go to www.nautorswan.com.

The maiden voyage of a replica Bronze Age boat made in Kent had to be aborted when it failed to stay afloat.

The vessel, which is called Boat 1550 BC, immediately began to take on water when it was lowered into Dover Harbor.

The boat is half the size of an original Bronze Age boat which was unearthed in Dover in 1992.

“It didn’t go to plan so we had a bit of a naming ceremony instead,” a Canterbury Christ Church University spokeswoman said. “They had the boat carefully placed in a crane hammock but it filled up straight away.”

No-one was in the boat during its launch.

A team of specialist archaeologists spent more than three months building the vessel on the Roman Lawns at Dover Museum.

The university’s spokeswoman said, “They are going to patch it up and try to do this again. It’s a bit disappointing for them but they were so behind schedule they could not do their test run.”

Boat 1550 BC is the first stage of a three-year program of events which Canterbury Christ Church University is helping to co-ordinate.

The replica boat will form the centrepiece of a multilingual exhibition which opens in Boulogne-sur-Mer on June 30. In December the boat moves to Belgium and returns to Dover in July 2013.

The original 3,500-year-old boat was excavated by the Canterbury Archaeological Trust near to the museum in 1992.

The project is supported by the European Union and brings together seven partners from Britain, France and Belgium.

Courtesy of www.bbc.co.uk.

“Since our launch in June 2011, the response to our new Farr-designed Cruiser Series, has been overwhelming” explains Kenny Feld, Managing Director of Bavaria Yachts USA. “We anticipate even more excitement with the upcoming introduction of the incredible new Vision Series. We are thrilled that with the opening of the new Mystic office, we will now be able to directly serve the Northeast market. Mystic is the perfect location given it’s accessibility from most major sailing and metro areas in the Northeast. The Mystic Shipyard is also uniquely equipped with the skills and facilities to support the premium service all Bavaria owners will enjoy. Besides, Mystic is just a special place to visit and sail from, as anyone who’s been there can attest.”

Coming Spring 2013, new Bavaria models will be available for chartering the beautiful cruising waters of the Northeast, with the opening of a new Horizon Yacht Charters base in Mystic, Horizon’s sixth base in the US and Caribbean.

All Bavaria Yachts are built in Bavaria, Germany using state-of-the-art technology with structural engineering by Farr Yacht Design and deck and interior styling by BMW Designworks USA and Design Unlimited UK.

For more information, go to www.bavariayachts.com.