rcontents January 2016 FEATURES Cost and self-rehance... now the debate gets going, 24 Don't lose your cool TERRY HUTCHINSON kicks back... as his back Good engineering practice, but now colour-coded kicks him and JACK GRIFFIN looks at the first indicators of thermal activity can be made integral AC test boats to go sailing and reflects on an for highly loaded cordage. JON MITCHEUL unusually 'average' year for the Cup defenders 26 The laws of evolution 12 World news The older Imoca 60s will indeed be faster than the Wünderkind FRANCOIS GABART does it again . new boats at times... as GUILLAUME VERDIER straight out of the box, PRB wins as Banque Pop explains to JOCELYN BLERIOT 'maybe' throttles back, those Imoca 60 blues, scorecard Team New Zealand 1 Shows promise 30 Shock and awe America's Cup media coverage 0, doing Armel Le Cléac'h and Erwan it for the kids, plus few rules (yet) Tabarly got their flying -Parti for those C&C30s. ANDREW Verdier-VPLP Imoca Banque (Some of) the C-Class has stepped MCDOUGALL, IVOR WILKINS, Populaire V/H safely to Itajai up by several notches thanks to the BLUE ROBINSON, PATRICE to take 2nd overall behind the arrival of Groupama. STEVE CLARK CARPENTIER, CARLOS PICH, well-proven 'conventional' DOBBS DAVIS PRB in the Transat Jacques Vabre. Banque Pop was the 34 The day after tomorrow only survivor of the new Why deck-sweeper wishbone rigs look like the 20 IRC column Imoca foiler fleet, though only way to go... plus son of Sailrocket. PAUL LARSEN the BP team know whether It's all about the sort of 'fast' that we want to be this experienced pair backed encouraging. JAMES DADD off a little once news of the 37 A sport of idiosyncracies damage elsewhere filtered through to them. No matter, -Parti 22 ISAF column BP VIII made it to Brazil Was there ever a more illustrious guest hst? Young, old and just plain genius... gold medallist and when power-reaching DOBBS DAVIS is introduced to the Pewaukee MALCOLM PAGE on the Sailing Hall of Fame in company with PRB was Blue Chip and goes sailing amid the corn fields sometimes sailing 3kt faster than its non-foiled rival. 42 Design Slower in the light, yes, but a 40Hangin'jn (and going fast) 3kt edge through the Southern Not much cash, not much time but GRANT -Lighter and lighter Ocean could prove enough to DALTON cannot be unhappy with his team's JASON KER led the way towards a new era of win the Vendée Globe; plus performance in 2015 - as he tells BOB FISHER lighter mid-sized IRC racers and now he's doing it with six of the new boats all over again. Plus IRC-ORCi... not so different racing the Vendée they won't all break. Amid problems with 45 A brief history the hulls there was one clear The co-founder of the Caribbean 600, JOHN 49 RORC news success for the new boats, in BURNIE's roots in the Caribbean regatta and EDDIE WARDEN-OWEN that the one-design masts and race-charter scene go back a lot further than that keels introduced by the Imoca class last year performed 50 Seahorse build table - Film star flawlessly. Only Hugo Boss REGULARS PROtect have been at it again with a 'super-film' lost its rig, by capsizing when for the new AC50s. GIULIANO LUZZATTO hove to, and no one reported 4 Commodore's letter any difficukies with their keel MICHAEL BOYD system. Following the success 54 Seahorse regatta calendar of one-design rigs and keels in the Volvo 65s this is a big 7 Editorial endorsement for the Imoca ANDREW HURST 75 Sailor ofthe Month class's pursuit of a similar And don't jump to any conclusions just yet Visionaries and innovators... no question strategy, in order to ensure that more of their boats make Virbac aloft at it to the finish of races and the start of the that fewer sponsors get the TJV and {Inset midnight phone call. As well top) one of the as rigs and keels, there were rib failures she also no structural issues suffered soon reported with the foils after. Four of five themselves, which is very new Imocas had impressive given the citca similar problems lO-torme loads these fragile {Hugo Boss, looking complex curved below), but only blades have to withstand when Safran and Hugo the boats are sailing at speed. Boss got into On the back of his rurmer-up serious difficul­ slot in the last Vendée and his ties. Trying new TJV performance, Le Cléac'h construction and is now emerging as the strong new lift foils favourite for the 2016 edition together was a of a uniquely tough contest big ask; but one of these boats COVER: Yvan Zedda should still win INSET: Sharon Green the Vendée Globe FEATURES REGULARS 4 A driver of innovation 6 Commodore's letter Maritime chess... JOHN ROUSMANIERE looks MICHAEL BOYD ahead to the 50th Anniversary Bermuda Race 9 Editorial 28 Kite Strings ANDREW HURST It will soon be 10 years since we first experienced the 'boosted' string-drop. MARK WISS ypilate JACK GRIFFIN on feedback, TERRY 30SlioGk and awe-Part 2 HUTCHINSON hits the buffet, ANNA A day at the races... that was pretty CORBELLA opens the doors and Italian Good precedent much all of the on the water action for memories of VALENTIN MANKIN If the popularity of the Farr 40 STEVE CLARK at the Little Cup. during its first 10 years is any But there were compensations... guide then the innovative new 114 World news 'Fast 40' class in the UK has a ' LOÏCK PEYRON feels safe (at 30kt), decent shot at success. Around 34 Lotsofliorsepower FREDERIC DENIS in his Mini cave, 150 Farr 40s were built in Going big... in fact very big indeed the strong views of LUCA DEVOTI, total, enjoying strong events '(Maxi) kit of parts and Key West 2016. even when campaign budgets 35 A sport of idiosyncracies rVOR WILIONS, BLUE ROBINSON, started to escalate in the late PATRICE CARPENTIER, DOBBS DAVIS 'noughties'. Forty-foot is a good size for inshore and -Part 2 offshore racing; it is big Who would have guessed that foiling superstar 22 Rod Davis enough to not scare off BORA GULARI is also a very handy guy to have It's not just about trying to win, it's about trying dubious offshore competitors along when you go Scow racing. DOBBS DAVIS to show everyone else why they are going to lose but not so big as to demand prohibitive levels of expenditure. The model for 38 Best of botli worlds 24 ISAF Column JESTER BANK keeps his focus upon usage the Fast 40 is the UK Quarter ADRIENNE GREENWOOD Ton fleet, where a large group of different designs enjoy the best of handicap racing by 39 Happy 10th birthday 26 ORC column being forced into a narrow MERF OWEN looks back on 10 years of success SHAUN CARKEEK and DOBBS DAVIS rating band. Handicap racing for one of the most important offshore classes works best among similar boats and the Fast 40 follows 52 Design - New horizons this theme. Using IRC, small 42 Busy guy And Farr Yacht Design are (successfully) trying allowances will be given One man continues to fight to bring the different between different designs but offshore cultures together... ROB WEILAND something a little different. EMERSON SMITH the closeness in ratings should talks with a hyperactive ANDREW MCIRVINE over time see handicap results 55 RORC news mirroring the order on the EDDIE WARDEN-OWEN water. This initiative will 46 Closing the gap almost certainly be a local How well does CFD simulation really stack success on the UK south coast, up against high quality empirical testing? JIM 58 Seahorse regatta calendar with 8-10 existing boats and TEETERS and DOBBS DAVIS try to find out two or three more on order. If the racing looks good then 60 5ea/r0r5e build table other skippers looking for 50 Shine a light racing that is more serious Will solar power taken from your sails get you -(Pretty) fast than regular IRC handicap around the world? ALAIN JANET believes so Plenty of sail and plenty of righting moment. competition will join in. And plenty of style... UMBERTO FELCI Of course, like the HPR40s in the USA, the whole thing will 56 Welcome to M32 World be blown apart by someone Why one small corner of Sweden will never be 83 Sailor ofthe Month coming in with a new quite the same again. ANDY RICE Two of our best performers - afloat and ashore purpose-designed Fast 40 and a top programme. This is more likely than not and the whole thing will need very diplomatic management to survive such an assault. The bigger question is could such a class find traction elsewhere; at best the answer is 'perhaps'. Every nation has different taste in keelboat racing and to ever bring everybody together inevitably still means a single Powerful boats yet beautiful detail. international rating system The pit on Hugo Boss (left) is a pianist's dream; bobbles control the numerous concealed clutches. Above: Merf Owen's new Class40 COVER: Luca Villata /.ongboivfeatures this immaculate INSET: Jonathan rotating carbon sprit with integral Eastland/DPPI clutches for the two tack lines [|i^«1iW:ii^M March 2016 FEATURES 7 Editorial 24 Reflections ANDREW HURST Forty years after bursting onto the design scene as one of the 'golden child' generation of the 1970s, 8 Update RON HOLLAND reflects on the journey since..