Category Archives: Regattas and Races

Information about Yacht Races and Regatta

Transatlantic Race 2011: Catch the Live Panel Discussion Broadcast April 26 at 5:50 PM EST

In late June and early July anyone fortunate to be quayside in Newport R.I. can witness the awesome spectacle of 32 ocean-going yachts set sail in the Transatlantic Race 2011, which charts 2,975 nautical mile course from Newport to Lizard Point, South Cornwall (UK). The Royal Yacht Squadron, New York Yacht Club, Royal Ocean Racing Club and Storm Trysail Club organize the event.

The fleet includes sleek traditional designs, such as the 94’ William Fife-designed Sumurun, and sophisticated super yachts, such as the 289’ custom Perini Navi clipper sailing yacht Maltese Falcon. The Atlantic Ocean crossing can potentially challenge these renowned racers and their teams with fierce storms, testing seas and even icebergs.

Robert Towbin, owner/captain of Sumurun, who won two previous transatlantic races, is currently preparing his classic yacht, which was built in 1914, to endure this first challenge of the 2011 sailing season. “If you have an older boat, a race of this complexity takes a lot out of it, so we are putting a lot of work into it to get it up to date,” said Towbin.

Three separate starts will “stagger” yachts of different sizes and ability so that they will arrive in England in proximity to each other. The larger boats hope to finish the race in 8 to 12 days, while the smaller boats estimate 18 to 22 days to finish.

Maltese Falcon

The final race group of legendary competitors includes the VOR 70 crewed by PUMA Ocean Racing Team, the Newport-based second-place finisher in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race and entrant in the next edition as well; Rambler 100, George David’s maxi rocket ship that has been tearing up race courses since the beginning of the year, including breaking the record for the RORC Caribbean 600 and taking line honors at the Pineapple Cup-Montego Bay Race; and ICAP Leopard, which holds the current record from Ambrose Light to Lizard Point for monohulls using powered sailing systems.

A TR2011 Panel Discussion is scheduled for tomorrow, April 26, at 5:30 PM EST. Topics will focus on the history of transatlantic racing, the challenge and appeal of transoceanic racing, as well as the upcoming TR2011 and its entries. Panelists include George David, owner/skipper of Rambler 100; Chris Gartner, captain of Maltese Falcon; Larry Huntington, owner/captain of Snow Lion; Bob Towbin, owner/captain of Sumurun; Rives Potts, Rear Commodore of NYYC and owner/captain of Carina; and sailing historian and author John Rousmaniere.

Here are some useful links to Charter a Yacht for a Regatta or Sailing Event and a calendar of Upcoming Yachting Events, Regattas and Boat Show Dates Worldwide.

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Regatta Expert Meg Toppa: Momentum Accelerates as Bay Area Plans for Americas Cup 2013

Inquiries are coming in fast and furious for spectator charter yachts for the 2013 America’s Cup. Our regatta expert, Meg Toppa, was on a mission during her recent visit to the Bay area to learn up to the minute information about the event for charter clientele.

Meg visited the welcoming and unpretentious Golden Gate Yacht Club, where she met with General Manager Bob Mulhern. His enthusiasm for the event is infectious, especially in terms of involving area youth and reaching out to the general public. However, with a commencement date fairly far in the future, organization still seems to be sketchy, the website remains unfinished, and central offices are not open yet.

None the less, this is a great opportunity for the region, with tremendous potential to see high performance racing at its finest.  The locals are really trying to leverage the fact that the Cup is here and accessible to all, not just the famous competitors, already so intimately familiar with the scene, but also the younger generation of up and coming racers, eager to participate.

The West Coast setting is dramatic and inspirational, on this huge bay it is easy to imagine the new generation of multihulls racing at top speed over challenging seas against the backdrop of the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge.

The actual America’s Cup, on display at the recent Strictly Sail Pacific Boat Show in Oakland, California, attracted a sizeable crowd. Meg said, “growing up in Newport, Rhode Island, famous for America’s Cup racing, I never actually got to see the trophy. So it was truly thrilling to see the great big, brilliantly shiny Cup, roped off in heavy velvet, and very heavily guarded by state of the art security forces.”

Keep checking back for updates on the latest race and regatta information. For information to date here are some useful links for Upcoming Yachting Events, Regattas and Boat Show Dates Worldwide and Regattas and Sailing Events.

To contact Meg please email: [email protected]

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New Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Virgin Gorda Welcomes Superyachts

The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Marina (YCCS Marina) was recently inaugurated in North Sound, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. This magnificent property was designed as a facility for megayachts, their owners and charter guests, and provides a very private and exclusive destination for high profile clientele.

Location is a critical consideration for superyachts that have unique requirements of size, and suitability. Facilities have been extremely limited, particularly in the British Virgin Islands where no facilities existed on Virgin Gorda prior to the construction of YCCS. The world-class marina is protected from prevailing winds, ocean swells and surges, and offers 38 slips for yachts up to 328 feet in length with a maximum 30-foot draft in a naturally deep location.

The YCCS Virgin Gorda draws the international sailing and yachting community to enjoy top-level international sailing events such as the Superyacht Regatta & Rendezvous that took place last month. Amenities at YCCS VG include the full service marina, several docks, provisioning services and shops. YCCS is scheduled to be fully operational by December.

To assist you in planning your luxury yacht charter vacation please view our Virgin Islands Luxury Yacht Charter Itinerary, which includes highlights of Virgin Gorda.

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Newport RI: Sail for Pride to Benefit Servicemen and Women

Sail Newport has announced that on September 11, on the tenth anniversary of 9-11, the sailing organization will hold the fundraiser, Sail for Pride, an event that commemorates that fateful moment in history and raises funds for American service persons’ charities.

The original Sail for Pride was organized three weeks after the 9-11 terrorist attacks and to date the regatta has raised over $800,000 for over a dozen charities. This year organizers have selected the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) and the R.I. Red Cross Service to Armed Forces Fund as beneficiaries of the 10th Anniversary Sail for Pride.

A fundraising event will follow the race at the Newport Shipyard where race trophies will be presented along with a trophy for the top fundraising boat in the event. A silent auction will also be held to generate additional funding for the selected charities.

Sail Newport invites boats over 22 feet to compete in the nearly 20 mile race around Conanicut Island. All types of boats will be encouraged to participate with many classes offered for handicap and one-design boats. Boats that do not have a Narragansett Bay PHRF rating will be given one for the event.

Please follow these helpful links for comprehensive luxury yacht charter and destination information about New England and Newport and Cape Cod .

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America’s Cup and ACWS: Introducing Exhilarating New Events and Technologies

Fifteen yacht clubs from 12 countries have committed to field teams to compete in the next America’s Cup, scheduled in San Francisco in 2013. Launching the event are pre-Cup races called the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS), which start this summer in Europe and the US. The America’s Cup now features two new high-tech catamaran designs representing the next generation in sailing technology, as well as onboard cameras for the ultimate in armchair participation.

The ACWS will start in Cascais, Portugal in August, followed by a race in Plymouth, England in September. A third regatta in San Diego will take place between mid-October and early December. Two more events will take place in 2012 before the Louis Vuitton Series, which selects a “Challenger” among the competing teams to face off against the America’s Cup “Defender” Oracle Racing in the 2013 America’s Cup.

Competing on the ACWS circuit will be the AC45 catamaran, a smaller version of the AC72. Both new designs are expected to reach speeds two to three times faster than previous IACC class monohulls. In fact, the tremendous speed and power, particularly of the larger AC72, introduces an entirely new and spine tingling element of danger to the competitions, as well as showcasing extraordinary breakthroughs in sailing technology.

Please follow this link to view a wide range of charter yachts available for the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco

Please see our Yachting Events Calendar and our Regattas and Sailing Events page for schedules and available charter race and spectator yachts.

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