Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

Sail-World Asia Newsletter 07 Nov 2020

by Guy Nowell 7 Nov 2020 02:51 UTC
Great Cape Race 2021-22 © Great Cape Race

Next year, add a new Round the World race to your calendar. First there was the Whitbread, then there was the Volvo, which has become The Ocean Race (possibly the most feeble race name ever). Now stand by your bunks for the Great Cape Race, brought to your chart by Andrew ‘Capey’ Cape (no coincidence) and departing UK in October next year. Capey has done eight laps around the planet, and knows the way. If you ever thought that a sailing race that included a one-point motoring leg to Nansha in China had probably taken the concept of sponsor sycophancy just a port too far, and if you ever wondered how a Round the World Race managed to cover 44,000nm when the equator is a smear more than 21,500nm… well then, a fully crewed, uncomplicated, ORC handicapped, four-leg, lets-get-on-with-it race is now on the cards. It’s a BYOB event (Bring Your Own Boat). Read below, and god bless all that sail in it.

World Sailing has recently elected a new President. Lee Qian Hai rose to some sort of prominence as head of the China Yachting Association, which position he was gifted by virtue of the fact that his father was in the Navy and therefore he must know something about boats. Really. It is noted that he entered the lists armed with a sponsor promising to shell out USD10m over the next couple of years, which must have looked sweet to the voting representatives of an organisation with “severe financial difficulties”. We remember a certain Russian gas company that made similar financial promises, and then withdrew in confusion. If something like that happens, what else does Mr Lee bring to the WS table?

Talking about round-the-world races, the Vendée Globe fires off again on Sunday 08 November. Is there is any sporting event on the planet more brutal than this? 28,000nm of sleep deprivation, cooking hot temperatures, freezing cold, incessant brutal battering, fear (Alex Thompson told me that), jubilation, and unending exhaustion. Maybe the Iditarod – but even that has a maximum of 15 days on the clock. As an Englishman, I am cheering for Alex Thomson, against whom I raced on board Chrysolite when he skippered Ariel and won the Clipper Race in 1998-99. With an IMOCA 60 on steroids (and of course foils), and after just too many appearances as the bridesmaid, Thomson is bidding to be the first non-Frenchman to win this race. Please, Alex, don’t find any containers, or whales, and cruise back into Les Sables d’Olonne in a couple of months’ time at the head of the fleet.

Boat Shows and their ancillary entertainments have been cancelled all over the world, and some of us have had more than enough of the terminally boring online replacements. However, the Macau Yacht Show managed to keep afloat, after a fashion, and more particularly so did the MYS Conference, otherwise known as the Asia-Pacific Yacht Industry High-Level Forum. This was a real/virtual event, with speakers and a small audience in Macau, and online guest ‘appearances’ from Hong Kong, Sydney, Geneva and Sanya (China). Buzzword of the Day is “Boating in the Greater Bay Area.” Full report of proceedings, below.

This coming Sunday 08 November, and slightly shorter in duration (26nm) than a round-the-world race, is the RHKYC’s annual Around the Island Race, taking off from Club HQ in Victoria Harbour and trying to get 200+ boats to circumnavigate Hong Kong Island, breeze permitting. Some of the boats are serious racers; some are more interested in the onboard wine cellar. In terms of sheer numbers, this is the biggest event on the Hong Kong sailing calendar. There’s always a hole at Cyberport, and the biggest question is usually where does the PRO call the short finish? Watch this space.

Guy Nowell, Editor, Sail-World Asia

Related Articles

Jazz Turner completes Project FEAR
Drama right to the end in her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles Jazz Turner has completed Project FEAR, her non-stop, solo, unassisted navigation of the British Isles in her Albin 27 yacht. A flotilla of supporters met her in Seaford Bay, which grew and grew the closer they came to Brighton Marina. Posted on 1 Jul
Project FEAR is in the final few days
Charity circumnavigation almost over, in record time, with a record total raised Jazz Turner is expected to reach home (Brighton Marina) on Monday 30th June or Tuesday 1st July. She has sailed round the British Isles - all round Ireland and the Shetland Islands - without any assistance in 27 days so far. Posted on 28 Jun
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more... Posted on 25 Jun
Project FEAR turns southwards
Charity circumnavigation progress report from the Shetland Islands Last month I didn't even know that Muckle Flugga existed. Yet today, the very name of the island brought tears of emotion to my eyes, as I heard Jazz Turner scream it out in victory, in a video she took when passing the lighthouse. Posted on 22 Jun
Video Review: The Amazing Cure 55
Composite Construction meets Cruising Convenience It was two years ago at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show that I talked to Dave Biggar about his ideas and plans for the Cure 55. At the 2025 show I got to step on board the yacht and see how his ideas became reality. Posted on 17 Jun
Jazz Turner's fundraising target is smashed
Already £30k raised for Sailability, so it's time to up the ante Jazz Turner has now passed the northern-most tip of Ireland and is on her way to the Shetland Islands, and at the same time her fundraising total of £30,000 has been smashed! Posted on 15 Jun
Jazz Turner is now nearing Ireland
Fundraising circumnavigation almost hits the £30k target after just 8 days afloat As at the 10th June Jazz is 8 days out from Brighton, and starting to near Ireland. Jazz had hoped to be further along than this, but the winds have been forcing her to stay close-hauled ever since she started. Posted on 10 Jun
Video Interview: Onboard the Excess 14
At the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show 2025 Excess have moved forward their designs with the Excess 13 and 14 cruising catamarans, so seeing the Excess 14 was high on the priority list, as well as talking to some exceptional high performance sailors on board to learn their thoughts. Posted on 3 Jun
Jazz Turner sets off around the British Isles
Wheelchair cast aside for a gruelling fundraising voyage for Sailability We have been following Jazz Turner on a quest to become the first female wheelchair user to complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the British Isles. Today she left Brighton Marina, velcro-ed to the windward side on the epic voyage. Posted on 2 Jun
Where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment
Seats, hoists, etc for sailors with a disability Several organisations have contributed their knowledge regarding where to purchase adaptive sailing equipment such as seats for dinghies and hoists for wheelchair users to get into boats. Posted on 1 Jun
Noble Marine 2022 SW - FOOTERSelden 2020 - FOOTERHyde Sails 2024 - One Design