The fourth and final day of the Rolex Capri Sailing Week, organized by the Yacht Club Capri in collaboration with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda with Rolex as title sponsor, saw the competing fleet set out accompanied by bright sunshine and a 5 to 6 knot breeze from approximately 250°, increasing to 10 knots. Full Article

The last day of the 2007 Fullpower Melges 24 World Championship, hosted by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club was sailed in extreme conditions which cranked up to 30kts forcing the cancellation of the last race. Dave Ullman the overall winner commented: "We weren't racing at the end, just surviving." The conditions were so tough that 19 of the 58 starters did not finish. One - Corinthian Division winner (Othmar Mueller von Blumencron) - lost half her mast but finished with what was left of her rig.Full Article

Think sailing in the UK is expensive? Then imagine the cost of running a sailing school in Zimbabwe. The inflation rate in Zimbabwe is currently at 1193.5% or around 3% per day. Or the current exchange rate is 255.963 Zimbabwe Dollars for $1 U.S. Jacana Yacht Club on Zimbabwe's Lake Chivero in is holding a week-long sailing clinic this May, aimed at children who sail Optimist dinghies. But only the very, very rich will be sending their children for the week, as the costs are somewhat exorbitant. The article at www.Sail-Search.com quotes the small print: Full Article

Now five days into the 5,500nm double-handed Melbourne Osaka race, the morning sked shows RYU-JIN – fgi (Qld) leading the race, positioned north of Newcastle, but Gusto (Vic) is on her tail, sailing closer to the coast, having taken a little dig in yesterday. Patrick Giudice and Brian Pattinson’s big Open 60 has halved the distance between them and Bucknall/Sayer to 17 nautical miles since the sked at 4.00pm yesterday and should pull more miles out with the updated south-westerly having hit the fleet. Full Article

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – As the yachts get bigger and more numerous, the Caribbean is running out of parking space. The answer to this invasion of the so–called megayachts? Megamarinas. From the Bahamas in the north to St. Lucia in the south, island governments and entrepreneurs in the Caribbean and western Atlantic are developing waterfront property and expanding marinas to handle yachts that range from 80 feet (24 meters) to longer than a football field. Full Article

Enter the lifestyle of Roman Abramovich or Richard Branson and get a taste of the ultimate luxury sailing holiday, with a private chartered yacht and crew catering for your every desire, that dream is now possible… This spring, Club La Costa Resorts & Hotels will launch its exclusive Yacht Club in Palma, when the first of its fleet of 60 ft luxury €1 million catamarans will sail around the island of Mallorca for its inaugural spring/summer season (from March 17th to October 20th, 2007, inclusive.) The Club intends to quickly expand its fleet and destinations in the future to include Italy, Turkey and the Aegean.With the backing of parent company Club La Costa - which this year will celebrate 23 years in the holiday industry - the Yacht Club aims to bring the luxury of sailing holidays within the financial reach of everyone, Full Article

The new Italian America's Cup challenger - ITA99 - arrived safe and sound at the Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Base at 1900 yesterday evening after an adventurous five-day journey from Green Marine in Lymington (UK) last week which saw the ship transporting the boat across the English Channel forced back to England by the tempestuous weather that buffeted Western Europe last week. Now the yacht is safely in Valencia the team is working round the clock preparing her - including fitting the keel and bulb and stepping the mast - for her first sail in a couple of week's time. ITA99 is the second of Mascalzone's two new boats built for the 32nd America's Cup, following ITA 90 which the team has been training with since last summer. Full Article

Chris Dickson was at the helm USA 98 - BMW Oracle Racing's new race yacht for the 32nd America's Cup - which was sailed for the first time today on the Hauraki Gulf in Auckland. After the yacht's maiden voyage Dickson BMW Oracle Racing CEO and skipper commented: "In a four-year campaign, it is only twice that the team has the thrill of taking a new yacht on its shakedown sail. Certainly this day is a milestone in our programme as we enter race mode and the final stretch to the Louis Vuitton Cup… "…The report card comes when we sail with the boat fully-loaded in race mode but for sailing right out of the box, 98 feels pretty special." Full Article

BMW Oracle Racing is set to launch the New Year in style with a unique visit to the Collins Stewart London Boat Show at ExCeL from 5-14 January. This is the first time an America's Cup yacht has exhibited at the London Boat Show at ExCeL and visitors will be able to view the full-scale BMW Oracle Racing yacht, USA-61, in close detail and enjoy a truly interactive America's Cup experience. BMW Oracle Racing is the Challenger of Record and one of the leading Challengers to win the Cup back from Swiss Defender, Team Alinghi.Weighing 2 tonnes, the 24-metre hull will take pride of place on the BMW exhibition stand, located in the North Hall (N425). Full Article

Butterfield Bank has generously sponsored three youth sailing boats at the Cayman Islands Sailing Club. Butterfield has sponsored three ‘Bytes’ and its company logos adorn the sails of the popular dinghies. The late Pete O’Neill, Project Manager at Butterfield Bank and a keen sailor, helped to arrange the sponsorship. Young local sailors have been trying out the Butterfield–sponsored Bytes in recent weeks and have been hugely impressed.“I love the Byte because it is fast,” said Oliver Fogerty. “The Byte is a good boat. Full Article

The Etchells One Design class attracts some of the world's best sailors, and the upcoming 2006 Audi Etchells Worlds in Fremantle, Western Australia is no exception. The event will be sailed from November 17th to 25th, and it has attracted 'a red hot fleet' according to Etchells sailor John Bertrand. Bertrand, who skippered Australia II to that famous victory in 1983, loves sailing in Fremantle, sailing there last month and coming fourth in the warm-up Syd Corser Cup. Full Article

The Cayman Islands Sailing Club (CISC) 2006 National Youth Sailing Championships took place over two days on calm seas and in light winds. Eight boats competed over courses laid out in North Sound just off the CISC clubhouse. The lightweight, high-performance Byte CIIs had a clear advantage in the conditions and took the first three places. Stuart Jennings taking first place in the Stuarts Walker Hersant-sponsored Bytes with Joe Roberts and Oliver Fogherty taking second and third in Butterfield Bank sponsored boats. Full Article

One of Northern Ireland's newest tourist attractions is to shut down after only 18 months. The Lagan Belle narrow boat has been taking tours on the Lagan canal but will make its last journey later this month. William Wallace began the service after Lisburn City Council invited expressions of interest. He said about 4,000 people used the service in the first year, but numbers have since dropped. "The first year was very successful, but this year has seen a downturn," Mr Wallace said. Full Article

Driving rain and strong winds of 20 knots hammered the 31 boats competing on the final day of the third Evason Phuket Raceweek regatta today, but it was not enough to dampen the spirits of the skippers and their crews, who battled on to finish the final race in trying conditions with little visibility. David Lindahl kept an almost perfect record on his boat La Samudra over the four days of racing to win the top honours in the top-flight IRC1 class after some close tussles with the other boats in his class. Lindahl and crew finished first in five of the six races contested at this year’s Raceweek regatta, and in the only race they did not win, they finished second. Full Article

Thousands of spectators gathered in Liverpool for the climax of a 35,000-mile yacht race. The Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race featured 10 identical craft circumnavigating the globe. The Western Australia team won the race on Saturday, while the Liverpool team missed a podium finish when they were beaten into fourth place by New York. Spectators lined the River Mersey to welcome the crews back into the city where the race started last September. Each of the racing yachts are named after - and officially endorsed by - a different city or country including New York, Western Australia, Victoria, Qingdao, Jersey, Liverpool, Singapore, Durban, Glasgow and Cardiff. Full Article

A DANDENONG manufacturer that has helped boost numbers in disabled sailing will build boats for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Games organisers have asked Access Dinghies Sailing Systems to supply 90 of its 5.8-metre SKUD18 boats to its sailing competitions. Access Dinghies projects manager David Staley said this was because the SKUD18 was easy to use for people suffering from a range of disabilities, including quadriplegics who would otherwise be excluded when using traditional boats. Director Chris Mitchell founded Access Dinghies in 1993 to pursue his passion for boat design and construction. Full Article

The new Elan 340 - another outstanding Performance Cruiser design by Rob Humphreys and Elan, replaces the very popular and successful Elan 333. Gael Moldán and Rod Parry from Navsail in Sydney recently visited the Internautica Boat Show on the coastal town of Portoroz, Slovenia - not far from Trieste for the premiere release of the Elan 340, where they had an opportunity to sail this boat. Gael reports. ‘The Elan 340 feels and looks bigger then its 10 metres. ‘The boat proved to be very stable, responsive, has a big boat feel, tracks beautifully, is very well balanced, easy to handle finger tip controlled wheel and quickly picks up speed after tacking. Full Article

While all of the relevant regatta sailing personnel are hailing the document as something quite wonderful, there is one particular call that if heeded will really be an indication that the sailors collectively are prepared to bid the old "row" days goodbye. James Wallace, an executive of the Nassau Sailing Association says he would like to see one more condition placed in the National Regatta Rules. His view is that the architects of the NRR should include a clause mandating that regatta committees show proof of sufficient funds to cover all of the expenses of the event, especially stipends and payments to the sailing teams. Full Article

SHETLAND yachtsman Leslie Irvine and crewmate Dick Koopmans are setting off on the second leg of the Shetland Round Britain & Ireland Race this afternoon (Thursday). Their Shetland Catch sponsored yacht Jager arrived in the Irish port of Kinsale on Tuesday afternoon after completing the first leg of the 2,000 mile race. The first yacht into Kinsale was Pete Goss and Paul Larsen sailing Cornwall Playing for Success which crossed the finish line at 11am on Monday with an elapsed time of 23 hours. Most of the 42 participating yachts experienced light winds after leaving Plymouth on Sunday and only made slow progress towards Kinsale. Full Article

Graham Dalton’s new Open 50 has begun sailing and is working through some issues which have arisen as a result of the sea-trials. Dalton is pleased with the performance of his Elliott designed Open 50 which is hitting better than expected performance numbers. ''A Southern Man – AGD'', she is the first Open 50 class yacht built in New Zealand and features a canting keel and nine-metre retractable centreboard amongst other high-tech gear to aid solo ocean racing. Designed by Greg Elliott, the carbon fibre composite hull, was constructed by Davie Norris Boatbuilders of Bromley in Christchurch, and is now in the Viaduct Basin being worked up for the prior to the start of the VELUX 5 OCEANS race which begins in Bilbao, Spain on 22nd October. Full Article

A hydrogen-powered boat that aims to become the world's first mass produced H-vessel could be the answer to air pollution from the marine transport sector. A prototype of the Dutch-designed boat is set to hit the waves this summer, with a commercial model expected on the market in less than two years' time if EU funding comes through, project leader Robert Van den Hoed told edie. The boat is powered by hydrogen fuel cells, seen as a great hope for clean energy as they emit only water vapour when burning hydrogen to produce electricity. Marine transport could become a niche market for hydrogen fuel cell technology because it is both clean and practical for use in boats, Mr Van den Hoed believes: "Many European cities have air quality problems. Full Article

Plans for a hydro electric scheme on one of the country's top white water rivers are being opposed by canoeists. Energy firm Npower Renewables believes the River Braan scheme in Perthshire could generate enough electricity to power more than 2,000 homes a year. But sportsmen claim water levels on the river near Dunkeld would drop and drastically cut canoeing days. Npower said the planned scheme, which has yet to go before Perth and Kinross Council, has community backing. The stretch of water at the centre of the dispute has been dubbed the "mad mile" by canoeists and is said to be one of the best white water rivers in Europe. Protesters have compared the proposed scheme to building a wind turbine on the centre circle at Hampden or Murrayfield. Full Article

Australian-based Azzura Yachts, a brand of Azzura Marine, has recently launched its latest evolution in traditional styled motor yachts. Making her public debut at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show 2006, Cambria II reflects the true definition of a custom yacht. At 30.48m (100ft) she is the second custom motor yacht of this size to be constructed at Azzura Marine’s facilities on Queensland’s Gold Coast. This exceptional and unique motor yacht was designed and built to reflect the golden era of yachting. While her owner actively drove the concept and style of his yacht, the fine craftsmanship of Cambria II comes from a team comprised of Azzura Marine’s Iain Murray, who worked on her external design; Thomas Hamel, on creating her interior design; and Azzura Yachts on the construction of the vessel. Full Article

Emirates Team New Zealand won one and lost one on the final day of Act 10 of the America’s Cup pre-regattas. Alinghi’s SUI 75 lost to NZL 84 in the final race. In the first race of the day a torn spinnaker near the first downwind mark cost NZL 84 a possible win in its match against Luna Rossa (ITA 86). Today’s breeze was similar to previous days – light 8-9 knots from the east but swinging through about 20 degrees, keeping the afterguard, with breeze spotter Adam Beashel up the rig, on their toes. It was another day for clear heads and conservative sailing. Full Article

Another busy day on Lake Neusiedl sees the ISAF World Sailing Games nearing its conclusion in Austria, with just one more day for the leading crews to secure a top ten place and a spot in the decisive Medal Races this Saturday. If yesterday the French sailors shone, today saw the Aussies fight back, with the race for national honours now also hitting fever pitch. The final series is nearing its conclusion in Austria, with just one day to go before the top ten competitors in each fleet go forward to the decisive Medal Races this Saturday. Strong performances in the Laser, both 470 events and the Hobie Tiger mean that Australia is right back in the running for the King’s Trophy, awarded to the best performing nation at the World Sailing Games. France still just have the edge though, and lie one point clear of at the top of the standings with two days of racing to go. Full Article

ABN AMRO One extended its lead in the Volvo Ocean Race by winning the short 400-mile Maryland-to-New York sprint. The Dutch vessel arrived at the Hudson River finis line at 0407 local time to post its fifth win out of the six legs. Skipper Mike Sanderson said: "We had a pretty bumpy ride, so it feels good to arrive with the boat in one piece. "It has been pretty tense for us. The skipper never sleeps enough, so now I shall do lots of sleeping in the city that never sleeps." The 40-hour journey has been one of the toughest legs for the Volvo Ocean Race fleet in terms of lack sleep. The boats had to tack every hour or so as they thrashed up wind after suffering light air on the way down Chesapeake Bay. Full Article

During the Troubles, no-one would have believed that Belfast would become a port of call on the cruise ship circuit. But times have changed, and there is now an increased desire among tourists to stop off and see the attractions of Northern Ireland's capital city. The Grand Princess has previously docked in Belfast Twenty-three cruise ships will call at the Port of Belfast in the next four months, carrying more than 30,000 passengers and crew. Well-known cruise companies such as Princess Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises will be visiting the city before the end of September. Full Article

A record number of spectator craft, estimated at 3,500 by the U.S. Coastguard, lined Chesapeake Bay today to farewell the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06 fleet for the start of the sixth leg of the race from Annapolis to New York. Thousands more fans took up vantage points on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge where traffic also came to a standstill. The figure surpassed the 2,000 spectator boats assembled for the start of the race in Vigo, Spain in November last year. Brasil 1, skippered by Torben Grael (BRA) led the pack away from the start line with movistar, the winner of the Baltimore in-port race under the leadership of Bouwe Bekking (NED), in hot pursuit. Full Article

"They are so beautiful, and so powerful," says Gary Jobson of the boats sailing around the world in the Volvo Ocean Race. The Annapolis sailor, TV commentator and author, named Admiral of the Chesapeake in 2005 by Maryland's governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., will serve as master of ceremonies this afternoon as Annapolis welcomes the fleet of seven Volvo ocean racers into port to anchor this weekend's Maryland Maritime Heritage Festival. "You need to see the boats up close," he says. "At this level, the challenge of sailing these things becomes an art." These miracles of sail left Vigo, Spain, in November. They sailed to Cape Town, South Africa; Melbourne, Australia; Wellington, New Zealand and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- a distance of 20,650 nautical miles -- and then set out on a 5,000-nautical-mile fifth leg to Baltimore, where they blew into port, surrounded by celebratory small craft, on April 17. Full Article

The start of the In Port race in Chesapeake Bay ended a very hectic period for team Brunel. In just five days the boat was reassembled, tested and geared up for the In Port race. Not a lot of time for the crew to get familiar with the boat. That's why Australian skipper Grant Wharington tempered the expectations for this first race since Melbourne. Sailing a clean race and keeping the boat in one piece are the main objectives of Brunel. 'It is not realistic to expect more from us after only one day of training with the new crew and modified boat.' Full Article

Early this morning, hundreds of spectators gathered at Shirley Heights, the legendary mountaintop lookout over English Harbour, to witness the start of the 39th annual Rolex Antigua Sailing Week. Two divisions - one for racing and one for cruising - set off toward Dickenson Bay, with the faster boats racing around the island some 35.4 miles to the east and the cruisers going west on a 21.3 mile course. Defending overall champion Titan 12, Tom and Dottie Hill's 75-foot maxi-racer from Puerto Rico took line honors overall but did not have enough lead time to secure first in class. Rosebud, Roger Sturgeon's TP52 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. holds that honor in Racing Big Boat 1 class. Full Article

Escape the crowds aboard a private floating palace.
Fact: super yachts, for all their high-tech gadgetry, usually travel at no more than 10 to 15 knots. Going on a luxury yacht cruise, says Melbourne yacht charter broker Brook Felsenthal, is not really about sailing across the open seas. The interiors of the grandest dames of the sea are so chock full of fine fittings and furnishings, and wealthy punters, that hitting rough ocean currents could easily trash the tranquillity. "The way these super yachts are set up, you really don't want to take them into a huge swell," Felsenthal says. "There's too much expensive crystal on board." Full Article

MANY people love the sea, but having the freedom to be out on the open water in your own boat is something special. Enter Haines Hunter. The boat manufacturer has been in the marine industry since opening its doors in 1959, but activity has ramped up in the past few years since new owners took over. After John Haber, Edwin Cole and John Cirillo bought the business in 2001, the awards began rolling in — Victorian boat manufacturer of the year two years in a row, among others. Cole says Haines Hunter had been owned by an American company "that was going belly-up". Haines was making a profit, but it was being milked by the parent company, and "we got it at the right price". Full Article

Quantum Sails have confirmed their sponsorship of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club Winter Series which is held on Saturdays from 29 April to 22 July 2006. The Quantum Sails Winter Series specifically targets the club racer and invites yachts from neighbouring clubs to compete. The series has grown considerably over recent years with the final race of the 2005 series attracting over 50 yachts racing in 3 divisions. Racing commences on the sound with scratch starts from 1100 hours. Course lengths are specifically tailored to wind strength. The series offers PHS, IRC and non-spinnaker divisions for the club racer and divisions are determined to ensure competitive racing delivered to all competitors. Full Article

A total of 183 yachts have signed up for this year's Antigua Sailing Week that starts on Sunday 30 April. Now in its 39th year and sponsored by Rolex this year's event promises to be one of the best yet with some of the world's top sailors preparing themselves for a week of exciting racing. Among the largest entries are two boats from the UK, Nephele the Frers 112 owned by William Ainscough, and Sojana Peter Harrison's Farr 115 which last year completed the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge and won the Antigua Megayacht Challenge. Full Article

No rest for the six racing committees in Hyères who made the most of the perfect conditions to complete 46 races on the second day in the SOF regatta. The Easterly breeze, which was fighting its way in yesterday, settled to 15 knots in the late morning. Weakening to 8 knots later in the afternoon close to the shore on the RS: X course, the wind granted the Tornados with stronger conditions averaging 17 knots with gusts reaching 21, and nice waves. While suiting some teams like the Australians Bundock/Ashby, comfortably in the lead after a third and a victory, or the Spanish Echavarri/Paz, who enjoyed the conditions scoring a first and a second, the stronger breeze took also its toll. Full Article

The Corpus Christi City Council has given it's tentitive approval for a huge boat show at the downtown marina. Tuesday, the council approved the first reading of an 11-year contract with the Texas International Boat Show. The show, which would be held April 26-29, 2007, would run in conjunction with an aircraft display at the airport and a classic car show at the marina. As many as 300 boats would be displayed, making it one of the biggest events of this type to come to Corpus Christi. "City of Corpus Christi it's going to be the largest yacht and jet show other than California and Florida, it's going to be the next largest show in the U.S. Full Article