Transatlantic Race 2011: Update

The Maxi Yachts that started on July 3 from Newport, R.I. to The Lizard in southeast England have been making fantastic progress. The yachts are all opting for the direct route and maximizing speed. Rambler 100, the Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed 100’ canting keel maxi, is averaging close to 20 knots and predicted to finish on the 10th of July. This will set an exceptional benchmark for a transatlantic crossing.

Rambler 100 is closely competing with PUMA’s Mar Mostro. PUMA has taken up a slightly more northerly position however, the Point Alpha ice gate is looming and the Volvo 70 may need to alter course towards the east to leave the mark of the course to port. Nearly one hundred miles behind Rambler 100, ICAP Leopard is south of the rhumb line and enjoying better breeze than the two rivals in front.

The young Oakcliff All American Offshore Team, racing aboard the Reichel Pugh-designed Vanquish, are thrilled with the experience, and opportunity and are managing to hold their own rather well despite the fiercely sophisticated competition.

In IRC Class Two, Jazz, is the frontrunner and the Cookson 50 has altered course north, aiming for a low-pressure system. This move north also avoids an area of little wind to the south that the German Rogers 46s, Shakti and Varuna, have been unable to take.

Second Start, June 29 - © Amory Ross — Second Start, June 29 – ?? Amory Ross

The IRC Class Three lead is maintained by Zaraffa. Ambersail’s move south saw the Lithuanian crew make up some ground but ahead lies an area of little wind and they will need to move sideways to the northto get into pressure.

In IRC Class Four, Carina has given a remarkable performance but their competition has most definitely caught up some miles. Carina chose a southerly route, while the Army Sailing Association’s British Soldier, among others, stayed to the north. British Soldier has advanced 30 miles on Carina, but the American team is still over 170 miles ahead.

Ned Collier-Wakefield’s (Oxford, U.K.) Concise 2 is currently 60 miles ahead of Dragon, skippered by Mike Hennessy (Mystic, Conn.). The two Class 40s have been enjoying some fast-reaching conditions and are now fully offshore many miles from land.

“Dragon passed the longitude of Point Alpha and now the next mark of the course is Lizard Point, a mere 1800 miles down the road,” reported Hennessy in a message revealing his thoughts as they head out into the Atlantic. “Funny enough, our entire race thus far has been within about 100 miles of land. Now we are heading off into that big open space in between, the wild blue yonder. See you on the other side.”

For more information, yacht blogs and photos: https://www.transatlanticrace.org/

Visit this link to Charter Racing and Spectator Yachts

Posted on July 5, 2011 by admin

Transatlantic Race 2011: Fierce Competitors Challenge Each Other and the Unpredicatable North Atlantic

Photo Credit: Amory Ross-Transatlantic Race 2011 — Transatlantic Race 2011-Photo Credit: Amory Ross

Today, Wednesday, June 29, the largest group of 14 yachts departed on the Transatlantic Race 2011, a 2,975 nautical mile course from Newport, R.I., to Lizard Point, South Cornwall, England, featuring 30 boats ranging from 40 to 289 feet in length.

The sight of the Open Class, which is

Maltese Falcon Photo Credit Roddy Grimes Graeme — Maltese Falcon-Photo Credit: Roddy Grimes Graeme

comprised of just two, albeit show stopping yachts heading off into the Atlantic Ocean was a spectator spectacular. The 289’ head turning Perini Navi, Maltese Falcon, is racing against the only multihull entered in the race, the Lamborghini orange catamaran Phaedo.

Jazz Photo Credit Rolex Carlo Borlenghi — Jazz-Photo Credit: Rolex, Carlo Borlenghi

In IRC Class Two, Jazz, a Cookson 50, with a star-studded crew challenges two German teams on nearly identical yachts competing in the class. Given the racing records of these top yachts, Jazz, Shakti and Varuna should virtually match race across the North Atlantic.

IRC Class Three will

feature six yachts, including Snow Lion, a winner that should prove highly competitive on corrected time. Zaraffa, the Reichel Pugh 65, will undoubtedly be a fierce competitor boasting a crew that includes several veterans of the last edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. The Volvo 60 Ambersail has logged over 100,000 miles since being purchased in 2008 in tribute to a thousand years of Lithuanian history. Ambersail took part in the 2010 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, winning class honors and placing second overall.

Screen shot 2011-06-29 at 5.33.44 PM — Concise 2

The two smallest yachts are the Class 40s, Dragon and Concise 2. Team Concise will be a force to be reckoned with, having won the 2009 Class 40 World Championship, set a world record for the Round Britain and Ireland course, and taken class honors at the RORC Caribbean 600 for the last three years. Dragon is the only boat racing across the Atlantic double-handed. Owner Michael Hennessy started to focus on short-handed distance racing in 2002. Since then he has competed in four Newport Bermuda Races, as well as dozens of other races across New England. In 2008 he took delivery of Dragon, an Owen Clarke-design, which will be co-skippered by Rob Windsor.

The Transatlantic Race 2011 is the centerpiece of the Atlantic Ocean Racing Series (AORS), which includes the Pineapple Cup – Montego Bay Race, RORC Caribbean 600, the Annapolis to Newport Race, Rolex Fastnet Race, Biscay Race and the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Of the seven races in the AORS, three races, including the TR 2011 must be completed to qualify for a series victory.

Click here to Track the Yachts.

For more information, yacht blogs and photos: https://www.transatlanticrace.org/

Visit this link to Charter Racing and Spectator Yachts

Posted on June 29, 2011 by admin

The Best Way to Attend the Monaco Royal Wedding? By Boat of course!

In celebration of the Royal Wedding this weekend (30 June to 2 July), Monaco is throwing a bash as only Monaco can. Including an Eagles Concert, Jean Michel Jarre performance, Processions, Ceremonies, Fireworks – this tiny principality will have it all.

And what better way to attend the various events, but on your chartered boat or yacht? Avoid the crowds, have peace and quiet when you want it, cruise up close to the concerts, watch the fireworks overhead, and don’t worry about anything else but just enjoying the experience.

Boatbookings has over 50 yachts and boats, of all types and sizes, to get you to Monaco this weekend in style! Please see our charter boats for the Monaco Royal Wedding and let us know which one best suits your needs!

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Tom Virden

A Romantic Sailing Yacht, A Dreamy Location, Celebrate Your Special Occasion

Reaction, a very popular yacht for very good reasons

Memorialize your special event with a romantic charter on board an elegant luxury yacht. Here is a selection of yachts with dreamy layouts and delightful crews that are ideal for your celebration. For an intimate, exciting and memorable honeymoon, anniversary, or romantic getaway, share with your loved one an experience that will create memories well worth passing down.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE Cruise the Florida Keys on this all inclusive yacht, air conditioned yacht that

is as ideal for sunning as relaxing in the shade.

DREAM KETCHER is a 41 foot ketch in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas. Rate is all inclusive with bar and up to 1 dive per day for certified divers.

REACTION is all inclusive 55 foot catamaran that will thrill divers with up to 5 dives per person per week in the amazingly clear waters of the Virgin Islands.

SANDCASTLE is a seaworthy 72 foot ketch in the Virgin Islands. The all

inclusive special honeymoon package includes two spa treatments or two scuba dives.

SAYANG is a 55′ foot cutter that sails in the Virgin Islands. SAYANG is one of our top picks for honeymooners, a lovely yacht with a very fastidious crew. Celebrate all inclusive, with complimentary fruit basket, bottle of champagne, $100 towards dinner ashore or spa treatment.

5 STAR, of all the monohulls in the Virgin Islands, has the classiest ambiance and a crew that accommodates clients in a 5 STAR manner with superb hospitality. Very romantic master suite in the forpeak with excellent amenities including terry robes, slippers.

SOULS CALLING is an owner version layout of the Lagoon 500 and has an elegant master suite with dressing area, large bathroom, and true privacy. Amenities, like the hammock and center console tender, make this a very upscale yacht.

Here is a link that presents superb celebration options worldwide for Yacht Charter for Your Perfect Honeymoon.

Souls Calling has an amazing crew and excellent amenities

Posted on June 22, 2011 by admin — No Comments ↓

Transatlantic Race 2011: 26 Teams Ready for this Newport to Cornwall Racing Challenge

The extremes of crossing the Atlantic Ocean will be experienced very differently by crews on the longest and shortest yachts competing in the upcoming Transatlantic Race 2011 (TR 2011). This adventure challenge will add 2,975 nautical miles to its participants’ log books. The TR 2011 starts off Castle Hill in Newport, R.I. (on Sunday, June 26; Wednesday, June 29; and Sunday, July 3) and expects to greet its first finisher off Lizard Point in South Cornwall (UK) sometime in mid-July, depending on many things, not the least of which are the lengths of the boats making the crossing.

On the one hand there is the Perini Navi designed Maltese Falcon, at 289 feet, one of the largest privately-owned sailboats in the world. On the other there are two Class 40s, which at 40 feet are specially designed for short-handed offshore and coastal racing. These extremes are punctuated by the fact that luxury charter yacht Maltese Falcon is every bit the world cruiser, with stem-to-stern luxury a given, while the Class 40s seem relatively stark in comparison. But each team at either has its reasons for undertaking the TR2011 challenge intends to succeed, if not win.

The yacht’s three self-standing rotating carbon fiber masts, which carry 15 sails with a combined sail area the size of three and a half tennis courts (25,833 square feet), are of such an imposing height–190 feet, in fact—that recent visitors to Newport have experienced “the Falcon” at almost eye level as they’ve crossed the 206’ high Claiborne Pell Bridge, which serves as the gateway to Narragansett Bay and its adjacent Newport Harbor.

Captain Chris Gartner calculated that logging 500-mile days would make Maltese Falcons voyage about six days, but longer is more likely. “If we do it in less than 12, I would be very happy,” he said, noting that the World Sailing Speed Record Council will ratify a new Newport to Lizard Point race record based on the fastest yacht’s elapsed time.

While Maltese Falcon will be dry and comfortable and sailing with a large crew, the two Class 40s will be roughing it with minimum comfort, eating freeze-dried food and sailing with anywhere from two to six onboard.

Team Concise was set up four years ago by owner Tony Lawson (Haslemere, UK) specifically to encourage and develop young British offshore sailors and will be entered in the TR 2011’s challenge for the Youth Trophy. His team of six (the maximum for the Class 40) will be skippered by Ned Collier-Wakefield (Oxford, UK).

“We sail six-up when allowed simply to give the largest number of young sailors a chance to do these big races,” said Lawson, explaining that the Class 40, built to a box rule and considered the world’s fastest growing offshore class, is designed for short-handed sailing, but several of the events on the class’s calendar are fully crewed. “So far, Concise teams have won the Class 40 World Championships, broken the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race record for a 40-foot boat, and twice set a new Class 40 course record at the RORC Caribbean 600.”

Sailing double handed in the Class 40 division will be Michael Hennessey on Dragon. “I would be thrilled with anything less than 12 days. I’m realistically expecting 13 to 14 days, and upper end who knows? It’s up to the weather gods.” As for plotting Dragon’s course relative to the rest of the fleet scheduled for the June 29 start (that includes Maltese Falcon), Hennessey said, “We’ll be most conscious of where Concise 2 is, as she is our pace horse, if you will.”

There are 26 entries sailing in the TR 2011, with the U.S. fielding 10 teams, Germany six, the UK four, and South Africa, St. Barth’s, Italy, Monaco, China and Lithuania one each. The yachts will be tracked with Yellowbrick Trackers, self contained units that transmit the position of each boat at regular intervals using GPS and Iridium (a global satellite phone network). Synchronized position reports will be available to the public by using the Race Player Application at the www.transatlantic.org website.

Here is a helpful link for information about Regattas and Sailing Events and a superb itinerary for Charter in Newport.

Posted on June 17, 2011 by admin — No Comments ↓