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IN BRIEF
If you thought the Middle East was all sand and skyscrapers, think again. The scenery for the new style 1,000km Sailing Arabia The Tour was spectacular.
From the start in Salalah to the finish in Muttrah, from jaw-dropping landscapes to challenging weather, the new look 14-day event provided plenty to take onboard for crews as they got to grips with their new fleet of Diem 24 trimarans. The World Sailing Show was there.
Also in this month’s show, what life is like aboard a miniature offshore racer - the current Mini Transat champion gives us the tour.
And what’s the latest in the Volvo Ocean Race and how do crews change gear aboard a Volvo 65 and select the right sail? Race guru and Mapfre team member Rob Greenhalgh explains in our World Sailing Show exclusive.
Plus, how a pumped up idea could be the future for sailing.
- The new look Sail Arabia The Tour
- Mini Transat – Life aboard a small boat on a big ocean
- What’s in a Volvo 65’s sail wardrobe
- The inflatable wing sail – The future?
- Europe’s hot ships
- World Cup Series Miami
FEATURES
The new look Sail Arabia The Tour
New boats and a new route, the Sail Arabia Tour has changed. A 1,000km programme takes the new 24ft trimarans up the coast from Salalah to the finish in Muttrah. The two-week event takes in 5 coastal races and 19 sprint style inshore races around the cans. All set against a spectacular backdrop.
The event kicked off with a bang as strong winds provided a baptism of fire for the teams - some fared better than others with an impromptu swim for a few.
Mini Transat – Life aboard a small boat on a big ocean
At the end of last year, French solo sailor Ian Lipinski won a big yacht race in a tiny boat. With a cabin smaller than a cupboard and with inner workings more complex than a laptop computer a Mini Transat boat has little space to live below decks.
To give us an idea of what life is like aboard, Lipinski takes us on a training run.
Leg 6 Update + What’s in a Volvo 65’s sail wardrobe?
Light and shifty winds made things tricky for navigators and tacticians in the two in-port races in Hong Kong.
The results saw the leader board re-ordered with Dongfeng taking the overall lead in the in-port series, but only briefly. After the next in-port race in Guangzhou, China Mapfre was back on top, winning the race and leading the in-port series once again.
But the reality is that it’s offshore that counts and here the race south to Auckland threatened to shuffle the pack and disrupt the scoreboard once again. We take a look at what happened.
Plus, what’s in a VO65’s sail wardrobe and how do crews pick the right sail? Mapfre’s Rob Greenhalgh explains in a World Sailing Show exclusive.
The inflatable wing sail – The future?
Wingsails may not be commonplace in the sailing scene but the last two America’s Cups have demonstrated how much more efficient a wing sail can be. The trouble is handling them – few amateur sailors have a crane and a shore crew at hand to lift the rig in and out each day.
But a Swiss engineer has come up with an ingenious and innovative design that could provide an answer to the problems of handling a wing sail. And it’s based on air.
News and reviews
Who won the awards in the European Yacht of the Year?
Plus, who took to the podium at the World Cup Series in Miami?
