North Atlantic: Groupama and Banque Populaire V looking good

Groupama has recovered speed and right now they are positioned some miles ahead of previous record attemp gps recorderd course at same sailed hours checkpoint in 2007.
Banque Populaire V is 19nm behind GP 3 2007 checkpoint time reference.

Groupama 3 Banque Populaire V

Banque Populaire V record attempt - North Atlantic

Ok... but start together next time !

Good start for the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V!
With air and a wind of 25 - 30 knots, the multihull skippered by Pascal Bidégorry crossed the starting line of Ambrose Light, off New York at 00h 47min 42s, reaching out to conquer the famous record of the North Atlantic.
Surrounded by his 11-man crew, Pascal Bidégorry is not alone in having chosen this weather window, since Groupama 3, title holder, has also left New York to try to establish a new reference time. A real duel of titans are currently plays in the open Atlantic Ocean.

Time to beat: 4 days 3 hours 57 minutes 54 seconds
google translate from:
http://www.voile.banquepopulaire.fr/home.html

Groupama 3 attacks the North Atlantic for the Record

Green Light from Groupama 3 and Franck Cammas for their record attempt.
Banque Populaire V is also at NY for the same crossing, they should be racing together starting at the same time to make the challenge even hardcore and fun... (for us!)

Groupama 3 - © Yvan Zedda
2009/07/30 - 01h51
Groupama 3 attacks the North Atlantic
From New York to Lizard Point
This Wednesday 29th July Groupama 3 is attacking the North Atlantic crossing (New York - Lizard Point), the oldest and fastest of all the oceanic records.

It is 20h12'16''UT, when the maxi-trimaran passes the Ambrose Light on her way out of New York harbour. As such the race against the clock begins with 2,925 miles ahead of the trimaran. The time to beat - 4 days 3 hours 57 minutes 54 seconds - resounds in everyone's minds. To stand a chance of beating her own reference time set on 24th July 2007, Groupama 3 will have to cross the finish line off Lizard Point, the South-West tip of Britain, prior to Monday 3rd August at 00h 09' 10'' UT.
http://www.cammas-groupama.com

Heemskerk-Tentijs & the Wildcat back on track

Photo: Pierrick Contin - 2009 Worlds
After a close call for the F18 2009 World Championship, Mischa Heemskerk and Bastian Tentij returned to the highest place on podium at Westland Cup in Belgium. With the boat that replaced the venrated Tiger they won several regattas before the big one, and almost clinch the title on the Hobie Wildcat worlds debut. You have to remember that the Infusion didn´t won on her 1st try also, and the Shockwave was close too, but it's still a challenge for a brand new design to take home the cup months that soon.
What remained clear at the Worlds is that the Wildcat performed at top level, and at Westland Misha beated a strong Infusion team, only the top gun de Koning was not there.

Aas I always remark here, the F18 provides several racing machines to choose from.
Looks, availability and local support will define your final election, now you know you can win on any F18 on the market, no more excuses, just review some previous posts if you still have some doubt.
So Buy yourself and F18 (any), train hard and enter the most competitive and popular performance catamaran class in the world.
I'm not aware of any other class where so much builders are being able to provide top performers boats in the same class, if you know one let me know...

Results at Westland Cup:

No	Name	Boat	Pts	1	2	3	4	5
1	Heemskerk, M. Tentij	Hobie Wildcat	5	1	2	1	1	-3
2	Larsen, G. Dubbeldam,	Nacra Infusion	7	2	-3	2	2	1
3	Larsen, S. + Helden	Nacra Infusion	11	-5	1	3	3	4
4	Macpherson, A. West	Nacra Infusion	15	3	4	(dns)	6	2
5	Casey, J. + Boschma	Hobie Wildcat	20	-14	6	4	5	5
6	Bosser, T. + Gramme	Capricorn	21	6	5	6	4	-8
7	Veenman, J. + Munck	Hobie Wildcat	24	4	7	(dns)	7	6
8	Duinmeijer, R. Alessie	Nacra Infusion	43	8	13	7	15	(bfd)
9	Bruijne, K. de + Rijs	Hobie Wildcat	43	(dns)	8	10	16	9
10	Dalfsen, L.Uittenbogaar	Capricorn	47	7	15	15	-17	10

Formula 18 Class Association website: www.f18-international.org

Pete Melvin on AC Wave Piercers

Photo: Allen Chapman MorrelliMelvin A3 A-Class, Pete racing at US Nationals

Photo: Allen Chapman
Pete Melvin on his MorrelliMelvin A3, that bow looks familiar or what?

Photo: Gilles Martin Raget-BMWoracleRacing DZ 1,5 bow
Suddenly everyone is talking about 'Wave Piercing', speculations are made every minute on "design failures" causing dives and stuff on BOR 90, we´d better listen to someone who knows of what he is talking about.
I respect guys like Pete Melvin the most, cause they not only have the theory, and a aeronautical engineering backround... he also sails what he designs, hey! he is even A-class World Champion sailing MorrelliMelvin´s A-class cats, so sit back and read from the master itself for a practical and logical explanation. Pete is also involved in the BOR project and also had some input on their new floats.
I asked Pete to comment those BOR 90 dives, and he kindly bothered to answer:

Pete Melvin:
"Regarding the new BOR 90 floats, I have not been sailing on the boat with the new floats so it is hard for me to say if there is a problem. As mentioned, there was a big swell on the day the recent photos were taken, which as you know can cause large pitching amplitudes depending on the relative speeds and angles of the waves and the boat. These types of bows are designed to occasionally penetrate through waves. A different bow shape may be optimum for the kind of ocean swell they encountered on that day.

Successful race boat design has always been about designing a boat that performs well in all the conditions expected, and that does not have any significant weaknesses. For instance, this is why the Infusion has been successful in my opinion. The smaller "wave piercing" bows on BOR 90 1.5
reduce weight and windage all the time, and reduce pitching and resistance especially in light to moderate conditions. In my experience, the smaller bows (like on BOR 90 1.5 and our A3 A cat design)are not as effective as higher volume wave piercing bows (like on the original BOR 90 floats and the Infusion design) in high winds and larger waves. If you are expecting light
to moderate conditions for AC33, then you would want the shape of the new floats..." ---------

Photo: Thom Touw
Pete Melvin Infusion F18, more height and volume than the A-Class, same Wave piercing concept, but different approach, taking account of final usage and specific class characteristics.

Photo: Gilles Martin Raget-BMWOracle Racing
1st DZ one, Infusion style, also the type of WPiercing bow used on Banque populaire V (right)
As mentioned in last BOR 90 'diving' post, they are testing amas designed for an specific venue in mind, they already tested their higher and more voluminous bows that would perform better in those swells. But the key here is maybe the definite venue has not swell at all! so these tiny low drag bows will simply fly and perform as designed in a flat water location.

There is an specific goal for BOR 90 designers in testing differents types of bows, there´s no design failure at all.
I mean a design failure would be having those DZ 1,5 extreme WP bows on 'Banque Populaire V' on her transatlantic records attempts...

www.bmworacleracing.com
www.morrellimelvin.com

Beachcat Cruising: New York-Lorient on a 20'

While Groupama and Banque Populaire are in NY wainting for the right weather to cross the Atlantic, a more modest catamaran is also there trying to do the same thing...
Record Attemp details:
-New York-Lorient
-Summer 2009
-3000 miles (5556 km) 3000 miles (5556 km)
-20 foot beachcat
Time to stand by for Pierre-Yves Moreau and Benoît Lequin, as they remain calm while awaiting a green light for a good weather report to atempt the crossing from New york to Lorient, France.
For more info check their site: www.ocean-express.org

Photo: www.betopandiani.com.br If you pretend to sail this kind of crossings you´d better be prepared to upright your cat. Above the legend of beachcat cruising, Beto Pandiani checking the system at port.

Here in Argentina we have one guy from the south, Pablo Querol that is tarining since 2006 to make a big crossing in the future, maybe Puerto Madryn, Patagonia-Ilha Bela, Brasil. This cruising Racecat model was built in July 2006, 2,90 wide and specially reinforced hulls, with the experience of Felipe Tomassi who sailed with Pandiani the South crossing from Puerto Montt Chile, to Ilha Bela Brasil in two Hobies 21.

For cruisng you need a solid boat with wings for comfort, good volume on hulls, some reef points on your main, roller furler for the jib and basically BIG balls...

BOR 90...Wave Piercer

Photographer: "In this shot, they've got at least 17 knots".

Click to Enlarge... incredible pics

Check this photo above, best ever of DZ

Big swell reported on ths sailing, to me the selected venue will be flat water so nothing to worry about 'design flaws'. All photos published in Sailing Anarchy AC Forum, Credit 'anonymous' as asked, check SA for more stuff.

... Awesome pics of BOR 90 1,5? Already like it until Alinghi 5 came out... right now I´m having doubts... Just can´t believe what we are seeing, this is History in the Making

F18 Worlds 2009: Shockwave training video

Shock who? Shockwave, so now everyone is looking info about the Loday-White F18 design that rock in Knokke.
Onboard video from Rob Wilson and Marcus Lynch, some good details of the boat.
www.robwilsonsailing.com

F18 Worlds 2009: Behind the hype...

Photo Pierrick Contin - Taylor Booth Jaques Bernier Tiger

Photo Pierrick Contin - Cirrus B1

Photo Pierrick Contin - Diam3
Is possible to have a top 20 performance in 180 boat fleet without having the latest F18 design?
Just ask Taylor Booth and Jaques Bernier or you can try also homas Sellier and Fred Moreau, and why not manu Boulogne who was there before his dnf on the final race?

14	FRA	5	Sellier Thomas, Moreau Fred	112	12	-49	15	25	13	13	11	5	18	Diam 3
18	AUS	1	Booth Taylor, Bernier Jacques	138	4	12	(bfd	3	33	7	22	16	41	Tiger
30	FRA	901	Boulogne Emmanuel, Kervyn Tanguy	205	-18	1	8	18	16	12	37	25	dnf	Cirrus

AC 33: 'V8 Engines' are valid...

Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi

Or at least were not ruled totally out in court yesterday....
Nevertheless this is going to be a match to remember, specially for multihull sailors.
I like the two 90' beasts, and Oracle proposed multihulls 1st, but Alinghi 5 is an amazing machine, I had the opportunity at Valle de Bravo, Mexico a few years ago while living there, to ride Stars&Stripes (hard wing) that was there and it was possible to rent her and we talked with a group of sailors! but finally we didn´t and I went back to Argentina in 2005, I´m regreting not sailing her right now more than ever...
I´ve got some pics, will search them later.

F18 Worlds Championships

2010 will mark the 10th anniversary of the International Formula 18 Catamaran Association.
And the class is returning to Erquy where all began, a little Worlds history from 2000:

Year	Location	World Champs	2nd	3rd
2000	Club de Voile de la Baie d'Erquy FRA	Mitch Booth Herbert Dercksen	J Christophe & Philippe Mourniac	Andrew Landenberger Philippe Neiras
2001	Parkstone YC, GBR	Mitch Booth Herbert Dercksen	J Christophe & Philippe Mourniac	Billy Besson Arnaud Jarlegan
2002	Luebecker YC, GER	Mitch Booth Herbert Dercksen	J Christophe & Philippe Mourniac	Darren Bundock Luca Remagnino
2003	Koksijde Yacht Club - BEL	Emmanuel & Vincent Boulogne	Gavin Colby Cory Camenisch	Darren Bundock Glen Ashby
2004	Puntala, CN Follonica, ITA	Darren Bundock Glen Ashby	Mitch Booth-Herbert Dercksen	Gavin Colby Cory Camenisch
2005	Hoek van Holland - NED	Darren Bundock Glen Ashby	Mitch Booth-Herbert Dercksen	Helge Sach Christian Sach
2006	Hyeres, France	Helge Sach Christian Sach	Darren Bundock Glen Ashby	Andrew Landenberger Felix Egner
2007	Yeppon, Australia	Darren Bundock Glen Ashby	Mitch Booth - Pim Nieuwenhuis	Billy Besson Arnaud Jarlegan
2008	Nigran, Spain	Coen de Koning Jeroen van Leeuwen	Franck Cammas Lagarrigue Jeremy	Mischa Heemskerk Bastiaan Tentij
2009	Royal Belgian Sailing Club BEL	Coen de Koning Tijs Visser	Rob Wilson Marcus Lynch	Hugh Styles Ferdinand Van West

Crews:
Mitch Booth- Herbert Dercksen: 3
Darren Bundock - Glenn Ashby: 3
Coen De Koning* : 2
Emmanuel & Vincent Boulogne: 1
Helge-Christian Sach: 1
* 08 with Van Leeuwen and 09 with Visser

Designs:
Hobie Tiger: 6
Nacra Infusion: 2
BCM Cirrus: 1
AHPC Capricorn: 1

Year	Design
2000	Hobie Tiger
2001	Hobie Tiger
2002	Hobie Tiger
2003	BCM Cirrus
2004	Hobie Tiger
2005	Hobie Tiger
2006	Capricorn
2007	Hobie Tiger
2008	Nacra Infusion
2009	Nacra Infusion

F18 Designs: Capricorn II ?

Photo: Pierrick Contin Capricorn V1
I´ve been hearing rumors, and also saw posts in some forums for a while, now they seem true.
Specific details at Catsailor.com posted.
So the design which was the predecessor to the Infusion and Wildcat will be possibly having a new version. The succesfull AHPC Capricorn, World Champ in 2006. Designed by Martin Fischer who also designed the Hobie Wildcat. The Capricorn is constructed by AHPC, where Greg Goodall, one of the most talented member of the catsailing community run his business. Greg also designed the Capricorn´s wingmast and sails, and happens to be also one of the best sailors out there too, as he demostrated at Belguim.
Nice combination of skills and knowledge in one person!
We´ll wait for more details as AHPC hasn´t published any offical info yet.

Errata: I made an error by not naming Martin Fischer as the designer of the original Cap when 1st posted, already corrected. Sorry about that, also check previous posts in Catsailingnews where I got it right the 1st time... Martin Fischer , Hobie Wildcat

Here the remark made by a reader in comments on this post that also adds some good info regarding origin of the Cap:
The Capricorn was designed by Martin Fischer, who also designed recently the new Hobie Wild Cat. The original boat was designed in 2001, a pre-series with around 10 boats was built and the original design was slightly modified in 2003. The first boats of the final shape were presented at the Worlds in 2004 in Italy. The modifications of the design were also made by Martin Fischer in close collaboration with Jim Boyer and Greg Goodall.

Wave Piercing: Cruising, F18s and the AC

Aeroyacht 110

New BOR 90 bow Photo: BMW Oracle Racig Martin Raget
Alnghi5 bow Photo Alinghi press

The Pete Melvin F18 World Champ design 08 and 09: The Infusion Photo Pierrick Contin

Pete Melvin World Champ A-Class: the A3 and on of the 1st Cat Cruiser featuring wave piercing bows
Some days ago I posted on the Aeroyacht 110, a wave piercing cruising catamaran designed by George Tarjan and Pete Melvin. For next AC 33 DoG fight designers from BMW Oracle (VPLP) and Alinghi (Vrolijk,Kramers, Simmers,Jones) have gone with wave piercing bows on their 90x90 multhulls.
Pete Melvin is an experienced catamaran designer and sailor, has worked with Oracle team and he is also the designer of the now 2 times World Champion F18 design: the Infusion

Pete and Tarjan describes the charateristics and advantages of wave piercers and why they adapted the concept to a cruising catamaran:
Pete Melvin “To make it short and simple, wave piercing reduce pitching motions and hull resistance though waves. Pitching results in motion discomfort for passengers, increases hull resistance and reduces sail efficiency. We’ve been designing wave-piercing bows for quite a few years now both for racing and for cruising multihulls. It is quite interesting to see that Alinghi have developed a hull and bow shape quite similar to the A3 A-Class catamaran we developed in 2003. There were other wave-piercers prior to the A3 but the A3 has a very unique shape that has been emulated many times since then. We are involved with the BMW ORACLE team and had some input into their news floats shapes as well. Lots of R&D went into confirming what we already knew was a fast wave-piercing hull form. The shape of the bow and underbody of a wave-piercing hull is dependent on many variables so the best solution for one design may not look the same as another design. In fact, the F-18 cat is actually closer to the design requirements for a high performance cruising catamaran like the Aeroyacht 110.”

Gregor Tarjan: “Reverse bows make the water think the boat is longer. A regular shaped bow will make the boat hobby-horse because as the boat is dipping into the sea the shape of the stem will force it back up quicker than if the stern is allowed to pass deeper and more gentler into the wave resulting in more comfort, safety and yes wetter. I think reverse bows are the future for small racing boats (where a wet ride is secondary) and large yachts over 60 foot.”

www.Aeroyacht110.com

www.morrellimelvin.com

Alinghi 5: Full charge on 1st day

Le Bouveret - 20/07/2009Alinghi SailingFirst sail for Alinghi 5 on Lake Geneva.
Carlo Borlenghi/Alinghi
Check VIDEO

Alinghi 5: Fly one

Alinghi 5: Sail up...

Photo: Twitter Alinghi

F18 Worlds 2009: IF18CA, RBSC and a great Worlds

Greatest F18 Campionship to date, 180 boats on water, regattas from 5 to 30knots, tough conditions, or survival would be best described by those who I talked today.
A massive event and close racing at the top, you can´t ask for more.
The Formula F18 class as a whole and the RBSC have shown ISAF the level of competition and the popularity of catamaran racing, this is what a ¨bunch of beachcats" can do...

But for some delegates and executives, we don´t exist as a representative percentage of what people sail and race around the globe.
This championship has made a great statement for the sailing community showing the power, the high performance and the organization behind multihull racing.

The Tornado is down , but no matter what a now monohull self declared organization votes in the future, the International Formula 18 Catamaran Association still holds the flag for all multihull racers and classes around the world, and we will continue to do so besides multihull olimpyc status.
I believe we must stay within ISAF organization and breaking loose will even do worst damage, but we need that one spot back.
Nevertheless right now we are out, and meanwhile we organize this "little mini championship with lack of sailors and logistics, poor competition and support"..... right????

As Darren Bundock declared once and I wrote down in an article about Tornado in an Argentine sailing magazine: "Who cares about the ISAF, we´ll always have the most incredible and spectacular boat to sail"

Photo Sander Van der Borch

Photo: Pierrick Contin
...

F18 Worlds 2009: Match Race

I followed the last three races through the live gps provided by the RBSC I had the impression that Coen and Mischa were having a match race in the 7th while both leading, imagine defining a championship and match racing your closest oponent but both being 1st and 2nd and maintaining lead thorugh the finsih line. This says a lot for the level of these two crews, it was a close call between them that could had benefit Rob and Marcus at any error leaving them empty handed.

Coen tells the story at NacraEurope site:
De Koning yesterday: "We were able to focus well until Thursday evening. Then we realized that I could win for the second time in row, against my own expectation." Before the first start of the last day, the two favourite teams were already close together. De Koning: "We were just above Mischa on the line. After the gun, we were match racing each other till the finish. By doing so, we ran away from the rest of the fleet. It was fantastic. However, we missed the gate in the l ast downwind, as we were probably too busy with positions, so we lost the lead and came second." At the second start, the Dutchmen didn't got off the line well and finished eleventh and Heemskerk/Tentij capsized downwind by pitchpoling.
Exciting Stuff:
Meanwhile, it was blowing over thirty knots with squalls coming through. De Koning: "The last race was chaos. A few boats were early over the line at the pin, which gave us bad air. Many teams were pinching, where we decided to loosen the traveller and jib. We were sailing lower, but much faster. At the last gate, we were in third or fourth position, but we capsized. We did extremely careful and we still got blown over. That really annoyed me, as we finished thirteenth." After the concluding race, De Koning and Visser learned that their rivals Heemskerk and Tentij had a black flag. However, the Englishmen Rob Wilson and Marcus Lynch sailed strongly in the big breeze and gained a few places. After nine races, they were on equal points with De Koning/Visser, but the Dutchmen scored more bullets and won the series and therefore the F18 World Title 2009.
Nacraeurope.com

F18 Worlds 2009: Coen de Koning World Champ x2

Check Hugh Styles face..

Photo: Pierrcik Contin
No one hit wonder for Coen, great consistence in every condition.
Deserved World Champion along with his new crew Thijs Visser, and of course what can I say about Rob Wilson and Marcus Lynch???
Check previous posts or the Shockwave label, they were coming , the 'dark horse' completed the task and only got 2nd after matching race by race against de Koning to define the Championship. Feel bad for Mischa though, too close again.
Full results

No	Sailno	Name	T	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1	NED 3	De Koning Coen, Visser Thijs	37	1	4	-12	1	2	3	2	11	13
2	GBR 1111	Rob Wilson, Lynch Marcus	37	-16	3	6	1	12	2	4	6	3
3	GBR 1204	Styles Hugh, West Ferdinand	58	2	(bfd)	2	13	19	6	10	4	2

F18 Worlds 2009: Pierrick Contin Photos - Final day

www.pierrickcontin.fr



www.pierrickcontin.fr