Sailboat Racing - Ocean Navigator

18 Nov

AEON School Named Official US Sailing Educator

Eric ColbyOffshore Sailing, Racing News, Sailboat Racing, Uncategorized, Voyaging Skills

US Sailing has named the AEON School its official school. The partnership will provide young sailors with an opportunity to pursue an academic education and follow their passion for the water. AEON School offers a digital learning platform designed to meet the needs of student-athletes, helping them balance schedules between sailing and an education. “AEON and US Sailing are committed to fostering the next generation of leaders, both on the water and in the classroom,” Eric Krasnoo, SVP of membership, partnerships and marketing at US Sailing, said in a statement. “This partnership ensures that sailors can continue that sailors can…

15 Nov

Vendée Globe Sailor Breaks Record

Eric ColbyOcean Voyaging, Offshore Sailing, Sailboat Racing, Voyaging Skills

Nicolas Lunven, a French solo captain of the vessel Holcim-PRB, has had quite a start to his first Vendée Globe single-handed sailboat race. Between the second and third days of the solo race around the world, he set a new 24-hour distance record. According to the Vendée Globe website, Lunven chose a more westerly route than the rest of the fleet and benefitted from a stronger wind and a direct course. He covered 546.60 nautical miles in 24 hours, confirming the capability of Holcim-PRB. The boat holds the crewed 24-hour distance record of 640.48 miles on the fifth leg…

14 Nov

New Safety Products Coming at METSTRADE Show

Eric ColbyOcean Voyaging, Offshore Safety, Offshore Sailing, Power Voyaging, Sailboat Racing, Seamanship & Navigation

ACR Electronics will introduce its new ResQFlare PRO and Ocean Signal will launch its rescueME EDF2 distress light at the METSTRADE international trade show for the recreational boating industry in Amsterdam Nov. 19 to 21. Nominated for a DAME Design Award in the Safety and Security category, the ResQFlare PRO distress light represents a step forward in distress signal technology. ACR said the light exceeds U.S. Coast Guard requirements and combines electronic and optical technologies to give the ResQFlare improved functionality compared to pyrotechnic flares. The buoyant electronic visual distress signaling device delivers a more powerful SOS distress alert system…

23 Oct

New Zealand Claims Third Straight America’s Cup

Eric ColbyOffshore Sailing, Racing News, Sailboat Racing

Emirates Team New Zealand accepted the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup trophy on Oct. 19 on the main stage of the race village along Barcelona’s Moll de la Fusta in Spain. The Kiwi defenders defeated the INEOS Britannia team in dominant fashion, winning the series 7 to 2. The official trophy presentation was made by Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton-Moët-Hennessy and Pietro Beccari, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton. “What a fantastic final today. First may congratulations to Emirates Team New Zealand for the spectacular victory,” Arnault told the winners. “Your skill, determination and innovation have set…

18 Oct

Vendée Globe Competitors to Deploy Scientific Testing Equipment

Eric ColbyOcean Navigator, Ocean Voyaging, Offshore Sailing, Sailboat Racing, Weather

Twenty-five sailors competing in the Vendée Globe 2024, the biggest solo around-the-world race, will be launching oceanographic research and weather forecasting equipment during the voyage. The equipment is provided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, who will train the captains in the use of the instruments. Once deployed, the equipment will collect and distribute data to scientists in real time looking to expand global knowledge of climate and the ocean. The goal is to improve operational weather forecasting services in less-frequented areas of the globe like the Big South, a remote section of the Southern Ocean. The…

31 Oct

What’s in a name?

Story and photos by Craig SmithSailboat Racing

A boat’s name is an important part of its appeal, and recently the 11th Hour Racing Team had a ceremony in Concarneau, France, that firmly established the identities of two of the team’s 60-foot race boats. Previously, the boats had only carried the numbers 11.1 and 11.2. The naming ceremony was conducted by philanthropist and 11th Hour Racing co-founder Wendy Schmidt, alongside 11th Hour Racing co-founders Jeremy Pochman and Rob MacMillan. 11th Hour dipped into the Hawaiian heritage of team CEO Mark Towill, and the brand new IMOCA 60, previously nicknamed 11.2, was named Mālama (to care for). The team’s…