February 2015

FEATURES

I’ll be back
JOCELYN BLERIOT talks to ARMEL LE CLEAC’H about Rhum disappointment and also the exciting Vendée Globe story that lies ahead…

Man at the helm
He won the first Fastnet Race and went on to found an ‘Ocean Racing Club’ in its image… CLARE MCCOMB and BEN HOOGE - WERF look back at the fascinating life of EG ‘GEORGE’ MARTIN

The story of a passion…
From offshore oil exploration to creating an innovative new range of IRC designs... PATRICE CARPENTIER talks to incoming Archambault Shipyard supremo THOMAS DUHEN

Caribbean (race) charter…
From boats to regattas to nightclubs… how to go about it and how to make the correct choices

Revolution in the village
Pontos… and a new paradigm in winch control

An iconic gathering
ROB WEILAND finds himself on an illuminating voyage down offshore racing’s own memory lane

REGULARS

Commodore’s letter
MICHAEL BOYD

Editorial
ANDREW HURST

Update
IAN WALKER has very clear views about taking on the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race, TERRY HUTCHINSON wraps up 2014 at the Melges 32 worlds and GUY NOWELL takes a (warm) look at the Raja Muda Selangor’s 25th anniversary…

World news
LAnd it’s top (Rhum) marks for ALEX PELLA and our own roving correspondent MIRANDA MERRON, Bermuda wins the opening skirmish of America’s Cup 35… and GRANT DALTON reacts, XABI FERNANDEZ explains the changes onboard Volvo entry Mapfre… some context to ‘NICHO’S’ heartbreak and Wild Oats heads for Hawaii… CARLOS PICH, BLUE ROBINSON, IVOR WILKINS, PATRICE CARPENTIER, DOBBS DAVIS

Rod Davis
And how Artemis Racing intend to rewrite the playbook for the 35th America’s Cup in 2017

ORC column
Making life easier for regatta organisers (and competitors). DOBBS DAVIS

Design – A competitive commission…
Current Mini Maxi world champion designer MARK MILLS is thrown down a new gauntlet by the ultra-competitive ROBERTO LACORTE

RORC news
And a greatly expanded inshore and offshore programme is planned for the club’s 90th anniversary season. EDDIE WARDEN-OWEN

Seahorse regatta calendar

Seahorse build table – Fire-breathing monsterSHAUN CARKEEK spots a gap in the ‘HPR style’ market for a new ‘upper mid-sized’ design…

Sailor of the Month
Both fast… albeit at opposite ends of the spectrum