Essential viewing

We review APP Broadcast's must-see new sailing TV series Seamaster Sailing

At Schroders London International Boat Show yesterday Andrew Preece and Richard Simmonds' company APP Broadcast launched their new global sailing television series, Seamaster Sailing.

Thedailysail has watched the first episode and we can safely say this is by far the best sailing TV program we have ever seen.

Key to the show is the use of some of the most breathtakingly dramatic images available in our sport. These include moments such as the hull on Fujicolor being ripped off during the Route du Rhum and Alex Thomson's recent 24 hour record. There are also some imaginative features such as taking Darren Bundock for a sail on Ellen's new Castorama B&Q trimaran.

No slimy TV presenters on this one - Seamaster Sailing's regular reporters are none other than Ellen MacArthur and Dean Barker (both on the Omega payroll coincidentally). Ellen in particular seems highly adept at this.

Equally interesting is the way the program has been pitched. There is no Peter Snow BBC-style explanations of how boats tack, nor embarrassement that sailing is a minority sport understandable by only a tiny percentage of the viewing public. In the episode we saw this seemed to be simply not an issue. The material used stands up on its own more than adequately and neither insults the experienced yachtsman viewing it nor is it inaccessible to non-sailors. Seeing Foncia creaming along at breakneck speed on one hull, the tip of her daggerboard fully exposed is something which will appeal to anyone with the smallest amount of testosterone following through them, sailor or non-sailor alike...

The half hour program is to be broadcast monthly around the world in 178 countries to an estimated 530 million viewers via channels such as CNBC, ESPNi and Sky Sports.
Considering this and the quality of the material, we believe that this series will do more to encourage non-sailors to take an interest in our sport than anything previously conceived.

The first episode focussing on the Jules Verne Trophy can be viewed on Sky Sports on 17 and 18 January in the UK (full transmission time details can be viewed here).

Looking forward APP says that Seamaster Sailing will provide sailing news from the hotspots of the grand prix sailing world plus in-depth features that will take viewers into the characters that have achieved sporting fame from their achievements in sailing. Seamaster Sailing will be on the inside at events that are ranked among the toughest in any sport; Seamaster Sailing will be first on board the extraordinary sailing machines that are breaking world speed records.

Viewers can sign up for email and text reminders of programme airtimes. In addition to the television broadcasts Seamaster Sailing will be available on DVD Subscription where the monthly DVD will include the full Seamaster Sailing programming plus Bonus Extra Content.