Lotta Wood

At almost 48m length we think this will be the tallest Sitka Spruce mast in the world. Built for the Int. 23-Meter Cambria, the search for the best Alaskan Spruce and construction of this spar is a good story. We'll tell it next week.

03/24/06

SAILING ANARCHY, INC.

Yeah, we know - quite an oxymoron. However, the reality of liability, taxes and the general business world leaves us little choice but to incorporate. It means nothing to you other than we are stronger, better protected and able to kick even more ass. We've got a couple of new elements coming that we think you'll enjoy. Call us corporate conformist whores if you must, but SA marches on.

03/24/06

Cheese and Whine

Looks like our Bad Wrap article below made the boys at Luna Rossa a little unhappy. Hey, we haven't even bagged on Nelson yet!

Luna Rossa did not catch fire in Bergamo. And you did get the delivery date incorrect. Luna Rossas timetable was not out by two weeks, you simply had the wrong info. And we only need to look at the last boat New Zealand had in the cup to see that we don't need more New Zealanders in the build team. Luna Rossa has an excellent team and boat. Many of the build team were only temporary staff that will not be kept on full time. That is what makes them disgruntled. Perhaps if you had received an invite to the day like all the other sailing websites you would be nicer? Luna Rossa had a running bet you would be unflattering any way you could when the boat was launched. The only news will be how 86 so much faster than 74.

03/24/06

Year of the Dragon

The new paint job on the Chinese AC boat. Nice.

03/23/06

Blo(kart) This

You are invited to join in the excitement this weekend at the Inagural St Mary Medical Center Western Regional blokart Championships and Rally  (at the corner of Ocean Blvd and Granada St in Belmont Shore in Long Beach. The parking entrance is near 4000 Olympic Plaza, Long Beach ). The first event of its kind in the US, it will provide a look into the future of this developing sport. The public will be invited to try their hand at sailing a blokart hourly during breaks in the racing. The event is on from 10 AM Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Don't miss this opportunity to see and try something new!"   There will be many opportunities to try this fun ride almost every hour between the races. Visit Class Action Racing for more info. Sailing Anarchys' Dawg (he'll be the one in the wheelchair) will be there and rumor has it so will the Ed.

03/23/06

Surreal San Diego

Thanks to Sean Trew for this shot from the San Diego Nood International 14 class.

03/22/06

ANARCHY SPRINGS FORTH

March 21st is the equinox, the official beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere.  Thousands of northerners are shaking off cabin fever as they pull their boats out of sheds, garages, and storage lots.  Now is the time to finish off the last of the projects and get ready for the frost to break.  If you haven’t yet, get on it!  It’ll bring a much needed smile to those pasty white faces.  Mr. Clean’s nephew shows how it’s done.

03/22/06

Lotta Plastic

Raymarine Warsash Spring Series
Photos courtsey Rick Tomlinson

03/21/06

Props

That excellent website Sailing Anarchy announced the winners of its 5th Annual awards. The dudes at the controversial US yachting website Sailing Anarchy, 'Where the Status Quo Blows' have announced the winners of their 5th annual SA's'. We'd like to commend Scot Tempesta, the world's second most attractive sailing website editor, on his exemplary choice for Best Sailing Web Site.

"Vive Le Anarchie!"

03/21/06

This contest brought to you by
Annapolis Performance Sailing

Keels Keels everywhere and not a boat in sight..............things that make you go HHHMMMMM. Actually if you want too you can read the article that went with this photo.

Prizes

1. An APS t-shirt, a Musto backpack, and a VOR Musto Hat.
2. A Musto backpack and Musto VOR Hat.
3. A Musto backpack and Musto VOR Hat.

What say you?

03/21/06

...Or Are You Just Glad to See Me?

There are prods, and then there are prods! Xena/AAPT courtesy of Christophe Launay.

03/17/05

Lean and Mean

Yet another bitchin' looking thing being built! Seemingly there is no end to new and creative boats being built. Good, we say. More on this one next week.

03/17/06

Reader Rant

D'oh!

G'day, I like your website. Like all things in life there are things I agree with and things I don't....but that is what makes life interesting. I am writing to comment on the bitchin' boat trend, or who can build the biggest dinghy hull. This has a long tradition (Vendee boats) but offshore they are a damn uncomfortable ride in big seas. Many readers have commented on the new 40ft hard chine boat being built. The Swede comes pretty close and I designed and built a test model that looks pretty damn close in 1999. What's so radical about hard chine? Is this newsworthy because Jim Antrim is involved or just a slow news day in SoCal? I think it is newsworthy because if it is successful it may give a bit of impetus to home builders using new materials besides plywood from Home Depot. Let's see how it slams in a short chop.

"In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics" - Homer Simpson.

03/17/06

Wiggly World

Challenge Business along with Northgate Technologies have developed quite a revolutionary race viewer in conjunction with Google Earth. Operational in about 10 days, you will be able to access the Challenge Race viewer in exactly the way you would normally for Google Earth. Zoom in or out, pan, north/course up - whatever you want. You will also be able to track multiple events. For instance, Challenge Business is currently supporting Dee Caffari's Aviva Challenge (1st female solo westabout non-stop circumnavigation), but is also running a race around Ireland in April. Monitoring both events is simply a matter of spinning the Google Earth globe from the Southern Ocean to Europe.

Another feature is the ability to superimpose the current and next 24 hour gribfile for the region where the racing is taking place.

Attached to a still picture of Dee Caffari's track through the Southern Ocean. Incidentally, after 115 days at sea - she is approaching the end of the Cape Horn to Cape Town section of what has been a very trying Southern Ocean passage. She was going to rendezvous with the VOR boys at some stage, but she was quite a bit south of them during the crossover!!

03/16/06

VOR

Big Change

Nothing like a little mid course correction: the Ericsson racing team has announced the sacking of Neal McDonald as skipper with John Kostecki as his replacement. An interesting dynamic was created as McDonald stays aboard as watch captain and "co-skipper", but clearly this is Kostecki's baby now. What of course will be fascinating to watch will be just how much JK improves the results. A proven winner in the VOR, there can't be much doubt that Ericcson will now find themselves much closer to the pointy end of this fleet. Or at least what is left of it.

03/14/05

VOR

Mutiny on the Movistar?
Apparently we crashed their server, but this video is now up - be sure to check it out. - Ed.

We all know of the VO 70 movistar's long list of problems encountered so far in the VOR. And of course we've been running on board reports from skipper Bouwe Bekking, who has been doing a good job of holding it all together. But here is a pretty revealing video taped meeting of the crew, revealing the same concerns anybody would have when facing a huge ocean challenge in a suspect boat. Start at the 12:52 time mark in the video for the crew meeting.

03/14/06

What Are You Lookin' At?

Much love for the bow men - just don't give them any grief! This from the Raymarine Warsash Spring Series from Sunday. Gray and cold, even a bit of snow in the air! Thanks to Rick Tomlinson.

03/15/06

03/14/06

Contest

Sail the Anarchy
Most of you have seen the Sail the Cloth animated video, right? Well the guy who made it, Harry Manko, has agreed to do a Sailing Anarchy version! So we thought it might be fun to have a contest to pick a winner to write the script and direct an Anarchy-appropriate (whatever the hell that means) Sail the Anarchy video. Sounds like fun - have at it!

03/14/06

Birds on Birds

Speaking of good women sailors, Dago's own Aimee Graham and Samantha Treadwell won the Snipe Class Women's National Championship, sailed at Florida Yacht Club. Second was also a Dago pair, Stacey Szabo and Julie Mitchell. Szabo/Mitchell aced both races on Sunday to beat Morgan Commette and Barb Evans, Ft Lauderdale. Former National Champion and 2004 Olympian, Carol Cronin, Bristol, RI sailing with Jerelyn Biehl ended up in fifth place.

03/14/06

Tape Measure

It is fairly remarkable how the string/tape sail technology has progressed in just a short time. This UK Tape Drive looks remarkably dated when compared to what their new sails and other string sailmakers can offer today. This sail may be a bit round and no wonder why - there's almost nothing to keep it from stretching! Did you notice how beautiful this photo is? - Thanks to Sean Trew.

03/13/06

Patched!
Talk about a series! Win three in a row to take a commanding lead, then have the deck split and have to drop out of the distance race, then come back with a 1-1-2 to win the TP 52 Global Championship overall is remarkable. Congrats to them and we're glad their rig is still standing! (wink). Nice shot courtesy Daniel Forster/Rolex.

03/13/06

Snow Cat
Unfortunately this website in French so I’ve translated enough for you to get the idea....

Sébastien Roubinet’s hybrid catamaran, Babouche, was christened at the La Clusaz boat show on the French/Swiss border, which will also play host to diving under the mountain descents at the helm of catamarans. In 2007 Roubinet intends to make an attempt at sailing through the North-West passage…

Photos courtesy Adrenaline Expedition

Kate

03/13/06

Rack It
At 03.18 GMT today after 20 days, 01 hour and 48 minutes, ABN AMRO ONE the overall leaders in the Volvo Ocean Race, added a leg four victory to their impressive race record.

This, friends, is what is known as a rout. Incredible, really. Thanks to TEAM ABN AMRO / Theo Ribeiro for the shot

03/11/06

Higher. Faster. Broken. Fixed?

Looking strong out of the blocks of the TP 52 178 mile distance race as part of their Global Championship. We learned that Patches later had some major deck structural issues in breezy and lumpy conditions and had to drop out. Correction: We earlier had thought that their rig had fallen down, which it did not. So apologies to Hall Spars, whose rig on Patches is still proudly standing!.We understand Patches will reportedly be back sailing in the series. Photo Daniel Forster/Rolex.

03/10/06

Higher and Faster

Sure, pictures can be misleading, but three bullets usually aren't! That's what the TP 52 Patches did at day two of the TP 52 World Domination Regatta. Perhaps going over Braveheart (sadly off the pace) is no big deal, but their results are.

03/09/06

A Fine Moment

There are few true icons in the sport, and Olin Stephens certainly would be considered one of them. Anarchist Da Woody was out shooting some assorted classics and woodies racing in Dago (Olin was driving the S&S designed Brushfire) and took Olin out for a spin afterwards on a real Woody! That's a shot he won't forget.

03/09/06

You Damn Horny Sailors

Let's see - boats, alcohol and a lot of horny dudes - what do you think is going to happen at the yacht club parking lot? Well, if you are a cranky neighbor, you protest. Good times.

03/09/06

Pool Boys

If there's water, there's a race. This from the 7th Ski-Yachting in Gstaad, won by Monaco yacht Club. Of Course. Watch out for the shallow end! Thanks to Juerg Kaufmann for the heads up.

03/08/06

Bacardi Cup

Bacardi and Mark

There is nobody better in the Star boat over the last two decades or so than Mark Reynolds, and he is doing it again at the '06 Bacardi Cup. Did we mention that Reynolds has won this thing seven times? There is good and then there is great. Still a ways to go in this one, but I'm sure he feels good being in front at this stage. Thanks to Alex Gort for the photo,

03/08/06

52 Worlds
The big offshore OD is having their big regatta, the Rolex TP 52 Global Championship. It would be nice to have more than nine boats for the World Domination Championships, but such is life. We haven't heard much about the event so far, but like all fleets there are the haves and the have nots. Photo Daniel Forster/Rolex.

03/08/06

Smiley in Seattle

Seattle has a different breed of sailor - cold seemingly means little to them. Rain, sleet or snow (no shine), they're good to go. And look - they're happy about it! This is the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle Center Sound Series 2006 Race #1 "Blakely Rocks." Thanks as always to Sean Trew for the fun shot.

03/07/06

Double Ugly
By now you likely know of the Schock 40 here in Dago that had its canting keel fall off while the boat was sailing in light air in San Diego Bay. This is the second time that this 40 dropped its keel, and a closer look shows things not looking particularly good.

This pic is of the forward rudder, and by the looks of that crack, this foil was about to fail as well. Call us nuts, but we wouldn't imagine there are too many new Schock 40's on order...

03/07/06

Chine On

Last month we ran an article and drawings of a new 40' chine being built for a SoCal owner. Here now is another, this one just completed. We'll give you more next week.

02/03/06

Black and Tan

Remember the Black Beauty from a couple of weeks ago? Now here it is with a surprising twist - get a load of that deck and cockpit.Gotta be a composite laminate, right?. Check outthe boat here.

03/03/06

VOR

Bombs Away

"WE ARE SINKING!!!!!!! EVERYBODY UP."

So reads the e-mail from movistar hortly after 0300GMT today. They have gained control of the situation, but the curse continues - Movistar reported taking on huge amounts of water through the "bomb doors" in the keel box area, so much that they at one point were ready to abandon ship. They have gotten the water flow under control and are sailing towards land, hoping to effect repairs after the scoring gate at Cape Horn. What a huge bummer and yet another nail in the coffin of this race, at least for all those besides the ABN's. Hear skipper Bouwe Bekking's audio report.

03/02/06

See Level

A unique shot of the Farr 40's racing at The Inner Circle Rum Farr 40 regatta down under. Thnaks to Christophe Launay for this stellar work.

03/02/06

In With The New

World exclusive and first photo of Oracle flying their boat to Valencia. Here the new boat is being loaded last night into the Antonov at SEA-TAC (Seattle) airport for the flight to Valencia. SA rocks!

03/01/06

Black and Tan

Remember the Black Beauty from a couple of weeks ago? Now here it is with a surprising twist - get a load of that deck and cockpit.Gotta be a composite laminate, right?. Check outthe boat here.

03/03/06

VOR

Bombs Away

"WE ARE SINKING!!!!!!! EVERYBODY UP."

So reads the e-mail from movistar hortly after 0300GMT today. They have gained control of the situation, but the curse continues - Movistar reported taking on huge amounts of water through the "bomb doors" in the keel box area, so much that they at one point were ready to abandon ship. They have gotten the water flow under control and are sailing towards land, hoping to effect repairs after the scoring gate at Cape Horn. What a huge bummer and yet another nail in the coffin of this race, at least for all those besides the ABN's. Hear skipper Bouwe Bekking's audio report.

03/02/06

See Level

A unique shot of the Farr 40's racing at The Inner Circle Rum Farr 40 regatta down under. Thnaks to Christophe Launay for this stellar work.

03/02/06