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On TeamOrigin's proposal, a solo round the world race in ultimated multihulls and the controversial Bloody Mary

Earlier this week TeamOrigin announced their own challenge to the SNG in an attempt to find a solution to the potential void that would be left should the Golden Gate Yacht Club challenge be deemed invalid by Justice Cahn (read about this here).

From the US Jason Werner sends this:

Why would anyone expect that SNG would accept any proposal other than their own? As the sailing community at large has agreed, their initial proposal was heavially biased towards their own needs and wants. Any future proposal, such as the one from GGYC would violate their wants and needs. While GGYC/Oracle have spent a lot of time simply "pissing off" Alinghi, they also proposed essentially the same thing as Origin. Both have proposed a DOG challenge with both showing the "want to negotiate a mutual consent" regatta. SNG/Alinghi turned them down, so why would anyone expect that Origin would be more successful?

Frankly SNG's current position cannot be changed. Mainly because it allows them to financially come out in a better position. By not being the 'bad guy', then they can safely delay the event to 2010 or 2011 without being the cause. Sure, everyone 'knows' they are the cause, but politics and legal are much different from real life. The politicians and lawyers work in their own world with their own agenda as well, so extending this is in their best interests as well! Think of Valencia and all the 'free press' they are getting right now. Sure, it is not great, but from a planning session would you rather have a 2009 AC or a 2011 AC (with the F1 event tossed in?). They would much rather go for 2011 and have a nice long cash cow to milk, starting with F1 and ending with the AC match.

Rees Martin of the International 6m Class Association writes:

Wonderful news! A refreshing piece of lateral thinking that moves the event out of the self-destruct mode that the current protagonists seem to be focussing on...

There are some very angry teams looking despairingly on at this current fiasco - let alone most of the yacht racing fraternity.

A plea - please, please get back to the basics. Keep the protagonists away from the rule book. Give the administration to a neutral body who has the clout and respect to attract the Dyer Joness and the Tom Schnackenbergs.

Bill Tucker sends this:

Chances of this settling? Comparable to that of a snowball in hell I should think. Chances of either party throwing away the multihull design and research costs that they have incurred to date are slim I feel. However being either inappropriately optimistic or unwholesomely inebriated I am in the habit of seeing pigs fly as well. A fine, well intentioned effort worthwhile pursuing as genetic manipulation of pigs is indeed proceeding faster than us aquatic types generally realise. I'm not holding my breath yet.

Alex Howarth writes:

There is a very easy way out of the Cup ownership issue: give it to Joyon for life!


In response to the news of the race from Brest non-stop around the world in unlimited multihulls Tom Goodwin writes:

The Brest Challenge will have to have a bunch of gates to keep them out of harms way. Unlimited boats but limiting the playing field. We all hope there will be no capsizes.

On the topic of Moths at the recent Bloody Mary, Jim Champ sends this:

The Portsmouth Yardstick scheme has always included different numbers for boats of the same class sailed in different configurations. This is especilly true amongst the keelboats with a bewildering array of variations of keel, engine layout etc, but amongst the dinghy list there is International Canoe with/without Spinnaker, and (at least until this year) Mirror singlehanded or two handed and probably others too. Lets not get into Laser Radials and 4.7s and things... The foils on the Moth are clearly a different configuration that should, like these other examples, have a different handicap. I find it hard to believe that anyone could suggest anything else without their tongue practiclly rammed through their cheek....

If you read the Moth forum and website you'll find suggestions for the Moth PY varying from 695 to 900 (the latter on the somewhat specious grounds that the handicap should include the number of times learner Moth sailors capsize... If the Mothies have no idea what a fair number would be how on earth can anyone else? But I think there's a very good chance that the number used at the BM was on the generous side. By all accounts the Cherub handicap was similarly or perhaps even more generous.


Simon Nelson writes:

Queen Mary SC has done itself and handicap racing no favours with the way it ran the Bloody Mary this year. However, I am particularly puzzled by the fact that on checking the RYA website, the PY number listed for the I14 has a note that states “non foil”. Without wishing to take away from Rob and Dan’s fine sailing, why have QMSC applied one standard to the Moth and not applied it to the I14? According to their rules, Simon Hiscocks should have won in his 49er. Or have I missed something?


John Wayling of Northampton SC sends his rather more glossy account of the Bloody Mary:

I competed in the Bloody Mary for the first time this year, so I am no longer a Bloody Mary Virgin!!!

At 47 years old and sailing a Phantom 1175 Alice and I were looking for a good day out but didn't know what to expect or how many boats?

On arrival I was immediately impressed with the organisation, getting up and down the ramp with ease. Rigging your boat as you shuffled up to the waters edge, Launching with lots of help. The briefing was short and sweet with no opportunity for questions, good idea really...

So starting on 29min with three other Phantoms off we went, picking our way through the fleet, chasing slower boats down, one eye over my shoulder waiting for the inevitable....

First "Quickie" to come by was the Cherub, I wondered if he had to come by again or had he unlapped himself, on the last reach the 49er crept buy struggling to wire, then I had a good conversation with the RS600FF as he fell off his foils and stopped in the lee of my wind shadow. I was casing the remaining Solo down the last run and the wind was dying...

I far as I could make out the Solo was my target, but he was very quick down wind and at the leeward mark I hadn't made much ground. We sailed onto the final 'toot' and onto the finish line where the 18ft skiff sailed under me like I was not there and then through the finish.

What a great event, it wasn't till the prize giving I found out the Solo was helmed by Geoff Carveth so I didn't feel so bad not catching him?!!

My thanks go to Queen Mary Sailing Club for hosting such a great event 259 boats, good weather and just about the right amount of wind for me....

It did leave me wondering about how many laps everyone had done, and whether I would have a slightly better result, but at the end of the day the Lark sailed by Harry Pyn did really well along with the other non trapeze finishers, Merlin's, Solo & 12's.

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