Rocking the boat Rocking the boat John Fildes talks us through the design and build of Rockatross The Merlin started life on the Thames at the end of the second world war. It was designed as a dry-to-sail boat with a lot of deck in contrast to the International 14s at the time which had no deck and the crew bailed out all the way around the course. by John Fildes Posted 28 Sep 15:59 BST ILCA / Laser Summer Series at Queen Mary SC ILCA / Laser Summer Series at Queen Mary SC A hard fought series comes to an end with O'Gorman on top Back in May many of us were feeling as if the season was slipping away without any prospect of decent racing. However, all over the country, clubs were working hard to find ways to get back on the water safely. by Guy Noble Posted 28 Sep 15:20 BST WASZP GPS Challenge - Current leaderboard WASZP GPS Challenge - Current leaderboard A number of entries over the weekend from many countries We have had a number of entries over the weekend from many countries and it is getting tight at the top. We have two weeks left of the event window and plenty of chances to grab the win! by WASZP class Posted 28 Sep 14:37 BST RYA Dinghy Show goes virtual for 2021 RYA Dinghy Show goes virtual for 2021 Due to the current escalation of COVID-19 The RYA Dinghy Show will become a virtual event for 2021 due to the current escalation of COVID-19. by Susie Nation-Grainger, RYA Posted 28 Sep 14:02 BST Scarborough Yacht Club grow 707 racing fleet Scarborough Yacht Club grow 707 racing fleet Miss Moneypenny allow Leeds University Sailing Club to race at weekends Scarborough's competitive fleet of Hunter 707's just grew larger thanks to the kind assistance of the 707 Association. by Nick Taylor Posted 28 Sep 10:51 BST RORC Two-Handed Series Race 2 RORC Two-Handed Series Race 2 Gentoo takes line honours in the 128nm race James Harayda & Dee Caffari, racing Sun Fast 3300 Gentoo, have won the second race of the RORC IRC Two-Handed Autumn Series. Gentoo took line honours in the 128nm race as well as the win on IRC corrected time. by Louay Habib Posted 28 Sep 09:12 BST RYA Affiliated Clubs Conference RYA Affiliated Clubs Conference Bookings now open for this year's online event Bookings are now open for the RYA Affiliated Clubs Conference supported by Gallagher, on Saturday 21 November with Ben Ainslie headlining a stellar virtual cast of expert speakers and workshops. by Susie Nation-Grainger Posted 28 Sep 06:19 BST Plym Yacht Club Not Salcombe Regatta Plym Yacht Club Not Salcombe Regatta Eleven J/24s travel to the Plym Every year the Plym Yacht Club run a race to and from Salcombe. With Covid-19 restrictions, they decided that racing to Salcombe and back would be unachievable and to put on a quiet cruiser regatta for their local fleet. by Sam Marshall Posted 28 Sep 05:33 BST Bembridge Redwing & OD Racing final 2020 weekend Bembridge Redwing & OD Racing final 2020 weekend An early start on Saturday due to tides and forecast high winds Traditionally the last weekend of racing for the Redwings and One-Designs tends not to see large numbers of boats wanting to race and so with a 08:00 start on Saturday it was pretty impressive to see three Redwings and four One-Designs raring to go. by Mike Samuelson Posted 28 Sep 05:07 BST 2020 K1 Club Racing Lockdown Nationals 2020 K1 Club Racing Lockdown Nationals Maintaining contact with sailors and interest in sailing K1s As with most classes, the K1 class association has seen the cancellation of its 2020 National Championships, and many open meetings due to the Covid-19 situation. by Restart Sailing Posted 28 Sep 04:55 BST Meet the Vendée Globe skippers: Manuel Cousin Meet the Vendée Globe skippers: Manuel Cousin A business executive who is chasing his dream He is a business executive who is chasing his dream, after 20 years in the motor industry he moved to Les Sables d'Olonne to further his IMOCA project as he transitioned to full time sailor. by Vendee Globe Posted 28 Sep 04:44 BST Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez: Sunday in the sunshine Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez: Sunday in the sunshine Il Moro di Venezia wins Yacht Club de France Autumn Cup Enjoying a fine breeze and bright sunshine, the splendid arrival in race format of the classic yachts competing in the Yacht Club de France's Autumn Cup kicks off play for Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2020. by Maguelonne Turcat Posted 27 Sep 21:58 BST RYA and RNLI call for safety afloat RYA and RNLI call for safety afloat Joining forces to produce a new series of 'how to' videos The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) have joined forces to produce a new series of 'How to' videos with advice and tips on how to safely enjoy being on the water. by Emma Cotton Posted 27 Sep 17:00 BST Musto's hats, caps and beanies Musto's hats, caps and beanies Fast-dry fabric, breathable warmth, UPF protection Whether you're looking for fast-dry fabric, breathable warmth or UPF protection, Musto has appropriate and stylish headgear for all seasons and activities. by Musto Posted 27 Sep 12:00 BST Meet the Clipper Race Crew: Ian Wang Meet the Clipper Race Crew: Ian Wang Ian and his 20 teammates raced the ten other identical yachts for 24 hours per day “This is probably the most extreme thing I will ever do in my entire life!” Says Ian Wang a 43-year-old, Software architect, from Cardiff, who traded computers for sailing spending four months racing 15,000 miles from London, UK, to Fremantle, Australia. by Clipper Round the World Race Posted 27 Sep 10:44 BST 18ft Skiffs: Jack Macartney - tech2 18ft Skiffs: Jack Macartney - tech2 Jack Macartney will be back with tech2 in the Australian 18 Footers League's 2020-2021 Season The current Australian 18ft Skiff champion Jack Macartney will be back with tech2 in the Australian 18 Footers League's 2020-2021 Season fleet to defend his title and to wipe out the memory of a disappointing JJ Giltinan Championship sailed earlier by Frank Quealey Posted 27 Sep 06:46 BST Cherub Autumn Blast at Grafham Cherub Autumn Blast at Grafham Don't let a race course get in the way of enjoying your boat A 'Blast' is a weekend where we don't let a race course get in the way of enjoying our boats, and we were not to be disappointed. Bright sunshine and 15 knots greeted the eight cherubs for the first event of the year. by Martyn Denchfield Posted 26 Sep 21:21 BST Melges 32 World League event 3 overall Melges 32 World League event 3 overall Caipirinha is confirmed at the top: Reintjes conquers the event at Scarlino The third act of the Melges 32 World League, hosted by Marina di Scarlino thanks to the joint organization of Melges Europe and Club Nautico Scarlino, ends with another exciting day, characterized by strong winds and steep waves. by Melges World League Posted 26 Sep 20:09 BST Solos at Island Barn Reservoir Solos at Island Barn Reservoir Race Officer flexes his muscles and raises the Jolly Roger Island Barn limited entries to 20 boats for the Solo Open meeting, filling the quota two days before the meeting. With the cold wind and at least one sailor having to isolate at the last minute racing got under way with sixteen boats on the line. by Gareth Griffiths Posted 26 Sep 20:02 BST Finding Vendée sponsors in spite of the crisis Finding Vendée sponsors in spite of the crisis Romain Attanasio manages to secure a partnership during lockdown Given the current public health situation and the economic difficulties that have arisen, there was the fear that some sailors who had not completed their budget for the Vendée Globe might have found it hard to find sponsors. by IMOCA Globe Series Posted 26 Sep 14:43 BST RYA Joining Point Special Promotion RYA Joining Point Special Promotion Earn double commission in October The Joining Point scheme provides a quick and easy way for registered organisations to earn commission when they spread the word about RYA membership and encourage their members and customers to join the association. by Emma Slater Posted 26 Sep 12:00 BST RTYC Women's Open J70 Championship RTYC Women's Open J70 Championship Nine skilled women's teams compete in superb September conditions Nine skilled women's teams competed at the Royal Thames Yacht Club Women's Open J70 Championship, which took place over the weekend of 19th - 20th September, in champagne sailing conditions. by Rosa McNeill Posted 25 Sep 21:26 BST Melges 32 World League event 3 day 2 Melges 32 World League event 3 day 2 Caipirinha takes the lead Today's conditions turned out to be very challenging, forecasted by the weather models, with wind increasing to the point of leading the Race Committee to hoist the AP Flag and therefore set the end of the racing after the first race of today. by Melges World League Posted 25 Sep 21:14 BST Régates Royales day 4 Régates Royales day 4 Photographer Alexander Panzeri talks through how he viewed the racing On paper, my program for the event has been concluded, with 1.5 days gone due to the weather, and as usual one day is dedicated to finding new alternative to shoot, in particular from the ground, as I often watch the regattas from a beach or a port wall… by Alexander Panzeri Posted 25 Sep 20:57 BST RS200 Scottish Championship at Castle Semple RS200 Scottish Championship at Castle Semple The Scottish RS200 fleet finally have their first event of the year It's been a tough season for many of us, but on the 19th of September the RS200 class, after discussions with RYA Scotland, finally managed to have our first event of the year. by Peter Collings Posted 25 Sep 17:26 BST Have you heard about RYA Audiobooks? Have you heard about RYA Audiobooks? Yachtmaster Handbook and VHF Handbook are the first two titles The RYA is delighted to announce the launch of RYA Audiobooks, the latest addition to the already extensive range of print and digital RYA publications. by Becky Gilbert-Wood Posted 25 Sep 17:00 BST Entry open foLes Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille Entry open foLes Voiles de St. Barth Richard Mille April 2021 will see the 12th edition More than ever, the organizers are putting their faith in the future and promising to organize an event with the same excellence as past years, where conversation, competition, and conviviality are on the roster. by Laura Muma Posted 25 Sep 14:36 BST Changing Tack in a Changing World Changing Tack in a Changing World No more middle-men will reduce Henri-Lloyd prices by 40% plus No more middle-men will reduce Henri-Lloyd prices by 40% plus by Henri-Lloyd Posted 25 Sep 12:00 BST Kit you should carry when sailing at night Kit you should carry when sailing at night Considering night vision and man-overboard safety The nights may be drawing in, however, there's no need to shorten your sailing days. Sailing into dusk and through the night can be one of the most exhilarating and rewarding experiences. by Liz Rushall Posted 25 Sep 12:00 BST Persico 69F Grand Prix 2.2 in Malcesine overall Persico 69F Grand Prix 2.2 in Malcesine overall Young Azzurra take the victory A race (won) was enough for Young Azzurra to seal the victory in the ITAS Assicurazioni Grand Prix 2.2 of Persico 69F Cup. Malcesine saw a bad wind on the final day - a very unusual condition for the location. by Persico 69F Posted 25 Sep 11:36 BST Dame Ellen's final rallying call Dame Ellen's final rallying call To get Round Britain Your Way Three years yesterday, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust sailed into Largs to complete its Round Britain 2017 voyage, founder and patron, Dame Ellen, is urging everyone to have one last push to get the Trust virtually Round Britain again. by Karenza Morton Posted 25 Sep 10:28 BST Melges 32 World League event 3 day 1 Melges 32 World League event 3 day 1 German crew of 'Homanit' rule in Scarlino South-Easterly breeze sets the pace for the first day of racing for the Melges 32 fleet in the Gulf of Follonica and the youngest crew in the fleet, Gordon Nickel and and Maximilian Stein's Homanit, immediately takes control of the ranking. by Melges World League Posted 25 Sep 07:07 BST Lark Nationals to be in October - and free! Lark Nationals to be in October - and free! The class will 'give something back' by covering the cost of members' entries The Larks are planning a free "RYA Covid-compliant Nationals" in Plymouth on 17/18 October. by Nigel Hufton Posted 25 Sep 06:35 BST Régates Royales day 3 Régates Royales day 3 Torben Grael gives a starting masterclass After the problematic weather of the first two days, today we already knew that it would be a great day, the nearly perfect weather to shoot: sunny, not too much wind, nearly no big waves. by Alexander Panzeri Posted 24 Sep 23:19 BST West Lancashire YC 24 Hour eRace West Lancashire YC 24 Hour eRace No competitor felt cold or wet when capsizing in a brief squall at 2am Having considered all the options in early May West Lancashire Yacht Club made the difficult but, as it turned out, correct decision to cancel this year's WLYC 24 Hour Race on the Marine Lake, Southport. by Rob Pickering Posted 24 Sep 20:38 BST 17th PalmaVela Regatta postponed 17th PalmaVela Regatta postponed RCNP's president announces very hard decision The Regatta organisers, headed by Emerico Fuster, president of the RCNP, have announced the decision today after considering the different options for organization and participation. by Alejandro Varela Posted 24 Sep 20:15 BST Weymouth Yacht Regatta Weymouth Yacht Regatta 40 boats, including class racing for J24s, VX Ones and Squibs Forty boats from along the South Coast enjoyed a hotly contested Weymouth Yacht Regatta including Class racing for J24s, VXOnes and Squibs. by Kathy Claydon Posted 24 Sep 16:13 BST Rolex Middle Sea Race edges closer Rolex Middle Sea Race edges closer 79 boats representing 21 countries are currently registered A diverse and attractive fleet given the circumstances, with some fascinating entries. The Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC) continues to take nothing for granted. by Rolex Middle Sea Race Media Posted 24 Sep 15:57 BST Arkema 4 new Multi50 launched Arkema 4 new Multi50 launched An innovative, versatile and sharp-looking yacht for Quentin Vlamynck The brand new Arkema 4 was launched in the water this morning outside the Lalou Multi Composite shipyard in Port Bloc in the Gironde region, after one year of painstaking work. by Team Arkema Posted 24 Sep 14:47 BST Vendee Globe: Sleep is an essential requirement Vendee Globe: Sleep is an essential requirement With a direct impact on safety and performance In the very specific, rarefied world of solo ocean racing, sleep has a direct impact on safety and performance. In this first part, we begin with the subject of data with Thomas Ruyant. by Vendee Globe Posted 24 Sep 14:05 BST Persico 69F Grand Prix 2.2 in Malcesine day 2 Persico 69F Grand Prix 2.2 in Malcesine day 2 Young Azzurra win four races out of eight Young Azzurra are the protagonists of the second day of Persico 69F Cup ITAS Assicurazioni G.P 2.2, the first day of racing after the opening lull. by Persico 69F Posted 24 Sep 13:20 BST Bayside Marine Topper SW Area Championships Bayside Marine Topper SW Area Championships 39 young sailors take to the water at Brixham YC Brixham Yacht Club hosted the first South West topper event of the season on the 12th and 13th of September generously sponsored by Bayside Marine Chandlery. by Mark Smith Posted 24 Sep 12:21 BST Hamble River Sailing Club Optimist Open Hamble River Sailing Club Optimist Open A range of events for 58 younger sailors This weekend saw our younger sailors take to the water in a range of events. Firstly there was the annual HRSC Uncle Bob's competition on Saturday, our annual junior event. by Jane Saunders Posted 24 Sep 12:11 BST Gitana Team prepare for the Jules Verne Trophy Gitana Team prepare for the Jules Verne Trophy Maxi Edmond de Rothschild 40 days away from the start of stand-by This figure has been on everyone's minds for many months now; 40 days (23 hours and 30 minutes), is the exact time to beat if the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is to topple Francis Joyon and IDEC Sport, the current record holders. by Gitana Team Posted 24 Sep 12:03 BST Racing Rules Explainer Episode 2 Racing Rules Explainer Episode 2 Windward Mark Rounding Episode 2 of the Racing Rules Explainer series is now live! This week we look at how to use the Racing Rules of Sailing to improve your windward mark rounding skills. by Tom Chamberlain, RYA Posted 24 Sep 11:00 BST Innovative sustainability program Innovative sustainability program The Race Around intends to revolutionise the offshore sailing industry With three years to go until the start of the first edition of The Race Around, the organisers have announced the most innovative sustainability program in offshore racing. by Sam Holliday Posted 24 Sep 08:56 BST RYA Northern Ireland Youth Championships RYA Northern Ireland Youth Championships More than 90 Youth and Junior sailors at Ballyholme More than 90 of Northern Ireland's Youth and Junior sailors have taken part in the RYA Northern Ireland youth Championships, which were hosted by Ballyholme Yacht Club. by Emma Blee Posted 24 Sep 05:26 BST Study reveals sailing builds children's resilience Study reveals sailing builds children's resilience Roseland Youth Sailing Trust doing great work in Cornwall School children learn to cope with a host of challenges, stresses and worries in life - just by learning to sail - according to new research commissioned by the Roseland Youth Sailing Trust (RYST). by Lianne Barnard Posted 23 Sep 22:16 BST