ROB WEILAND looks at the strides made in the TP52 class and at the line-up for the Super Series

When it comes to performance in yacht racing readers will surely agree that weight positioning and weight saving are crucial – and the most efficient way to save weight is to leave it on the dock. Over the past 30 years big steps have been made. The 2015 TP52 at 7,000kg is half the weight of the IOR50 of the 1990s and (very) considerably faster in all directions. Weight management is always key to performance.

So you have to chuckle reading recent PR on TP52 cruiser-racer hull sisters being equally good or (why not) even better than the pure race version. You cannot have your cake and eat it and you cannot win a race dragging hundreds of kilos of unused space and comfort along with you, let alone while dreaming away in a comfy bunk or having a shower and a shave before returning to the deck to have breakfast under the sprayhood…

That is if rulemakers understand that racing is sport and that sport is what makes people build and buy boats and accept a class rule. Even if you own a cruiser-racer you are not going to be shocked to be beaten by a flat-out racer hull sister being pushed to the limit by a well-practised race crew. Meanwhile, the opposite experience, being rated out of a chance to beat your comfy hull sister, is enough to sell up and take to golf or gardening.

I talk of course about racing international events and national, regional and world championships. Not about Wednesday evening club racing. Each club is welcome to rate and rule locally as it pleases.

Of course a well-sailed, well-equipped cruiser-racer should always beat a poorly handled racer and a modern rating rule should reflect this. However, if a rule actively encourages a cruiser-racer typeform then it should not be used for top-level events.

Most accept the logic of this, although there will always be the odd person who prefers to see the wolf in sheep’s clothing causing havoc. With my blessing, please do put the wolf behind bars.

But putting those bars in place means accepting that no system will ever fairly rate all types of boats. I know that honesty in this department clashes with the holy grail of every rating system, but once we accept this simple fact and work on this basis then we will find the quality of racing going up. Yes, even the quality of racing among cruiser-racers, as we are not selling them as racers.

Owners will either accept this and will still enter the top regattas or they will seek out events catering for their style of racing. As at the Rolex Maxi Worlds, where you now have the Mini Maxi start for cruiser-racers and the Maxi72 start for pure racers of the same size. The result is not two small starts, but the cruiser-racers returning each year to compete again – so more boats and two proud winners. When quality goes up interest and participation grow. You cannot race off the back of PR, it is not a racing system… as too many have found out and often at great expense.

That having a good boat is a good start, but no more than that, must also be accepted. The TP52 Class and the 52 Super Series, without too much PR, have prompted considerable steps forward in raceboat design and construction, as well as in build management. The 2015 boats mirror the enthusiasm and passion of their owners in every detail. Many owners, as many flavours and no two boats styled the same. The same goes for layout and equipment: even sisterships are by no means identical twins.

Soon, however, the beauty contest will be secondary. The moment the PR stops, the sheets are pulled in and the bows come up for real then all the nonsense fades away.

Typing away in the Real Club Náutico de Palma clubhouse during the final day of racing at the Gaastra PalmaVela I am witnessing the first reality check. Four TP52s that we will also see in the Super Series in Palma: Alegre, Azzurra, Interlodge and Quantum. All Botíndesigned boats, so a verdict on the Botín-Vrolijk preference is still only guesswork. It is my feeling that we will not see a clear winner in this department.

Three days of PalmaVela racing proved once more that experience is of the greatest value. Newcomers to the class, Andy Soriano and the Alegre team, are up against Azzurra, Quantum and the experienced team on Interlodge helmed by no less than Dean Barker – straightaway back in at the deepest part of the deep end.

Changing gears in the 52 is of the utmost importance and requires practice. Once behind, it is a long haul to catch up and oh so easy to slip further behind, certainly on the one-sided courses that the Bay of Palma tends to present. Racing the top boats is the best way to learn, a four-day masterclass, but not always easy on the self-esteem. The first Super Series event in Valencia will show us the value of this ‘crash course’.

From the first gun in Valencia we will witness pure promotion for sailing and in particular for big boat racing and the teamwork that it requires at the highest level. Pure promotion for the magnificent machines that the TP52s are. No excuse to lose. No excuse not to enjoy every moment of the racing.

As 52 Super Series organisers and as the TP52 Class there is much to live up to. We somehow have to match the enthusiasm and efforts of the 14 owners and teams competing this year. It will be tough to get even close is my modest perception. There will be frustration and disappointment, there will be joy and satisfaction.

All participants start each of the 50 races scheduled for this Super Series with the same goal: to win. Win the start, the beat, the run, the race, the event, the series. One win is better than none. Winning an event is big. Winning the series is huge and so difficult.

Race hard and fair. Focus on the moment, on each and every action. It has to happen here and now, after all the planning and preparation now is the moment of truth. Not for the fainthearted, but for the passionate. Enjoy the game, come ashore with a smile. One good photo of a guy enjoying his sport is better promotion than me sweating over a thousand words… no matter how hard I try.
Rob Weiland, TP52 class manager

Click here for more information on the 52 Super Series»

Reaping the rewards on a worldwide scale NAZLI IMRE

Six years ago the International Sailing Federation decided to set up a dedicated Training and Development department tasked with the challenge of helping its Member National Authorities (MNAs) to increase participation in sailing. Now, with a second administrator being appointed as I write this article, the scope and work of the department have grown beyond anything that I, as vice-president responsible for development, would ever have imagined when we embarked on this journey.

The role of ISAF is now and always has been to act as a facilitator, with each national sailing federation member of ISAF (currently numbered at 142) responsible for the delivery of the outcomes in their specific country. Training is the key that will unlock the future sustainability of any sport and sailing is no different, especially in a world where there is more competition than ever for commitment of our ‘free’ time. Our dedicated training programmes are addressing the fundamental resources and opportunities needed by our members, as well as helping nations not yet members of ISAF that we must attract to be able to bring more people to sailing and grow stronger, more sustainable foundations for the future of our sport.

Information on the programmes and initiatives that we are delivering can be found via our dedicated website page sailing.org/training as well as by joining over 100,000 people keeping up to date with our initiatives at: facebook.com/ISAFDevelopment and Twitter… @ISAFDevelopment

A majority of the international work is carried out by a small team of ISAF Nominated Experts, a term that in this context refers to around 16 individuals, who have a unique skill-set in either a specific practical discipline such as dinghy sailing or have experience in coaching sailors and/or coaches within the context of a developed national coaching framework. This team is currently responsible for the training of over 200 coaches per year, with a small number of the experts having been appointed in the capacity of Regional Development Co-ordinator. This means that they have an additional responsibility to work with groups of national sailing federations in defined geographical regions.

This work is having a huge impact on the ways in which ISAF members can communicate with the international federation and is set to grow in coming years.

This year also sees us deliver the first ever Youth Worlds Emerging Nations Program (ENP). Aimed at reducing the performance gap that exists between nations attending the annual ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship and helping to increase the number of nations attending who may not normally be able to send sailors to this event due to limited national resources, this annual programme (involvement in which is heavily subsidised by ISAF) follows the successful model of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships’ Emerging Nations’ Programme (ENP).

This model was delivered first at the ISAF Worlds in Perth, Australia and then again in the build-up to the 2014 ISAF Worlds in Santander, Spain. A total of five regional ENP performance clinics will be delivered this year in Oceania (Fiji), Europe (Hungary), Africa (Mozambique), the Americas (Antigua) and Asia (Malaysia), with attending nations able to apply for further support for sailors to help them attend the ISAF Youth Worlds in Langkawi, Malaysia in December 2015.

With longterm strategy being crucial to the development of international-level sailors, we are also busy working with the Aarhus 2018 ISAF Worlds hosts in developing the outline for another Emerging Nations’ Programme. This will act as a link for many of the young sailors currently taking part in the ISAF Youth Worlds ENP who will be too old for the Youth Worlds in 2017 — but who will then be ready to represent their nations at the Worlds in 2018, a Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualification event.

Our training and development work never ends. Our focus simply changes from nation to nation, from supporting the creation of sustainable national programmes to helping more developed members with the latest examples of current best practice for the effective delivery of their own work.

Through this process more and more potential sailors can enjoy getting afloat all over the world while all of those sailors wishing to compete can more quickly learn how to reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Nazli Imre, ISAF Vice-president for Training and Development

Click here for more information on ISAF Development»

Harken is already anticipating a new generation of even larger mega-sloops with the development of its latest 70-Ton PowerReel Captive Reel winch

Until 2014, Harken offered eight sizes of Captive reel winches with maximum working loads (MWL) of 1.5 to 25 metric tons and tensioners to fit six configurations. This range of Harken winches, coupled with their innovative tensioners, already offered highly-efficient sheet-management solutions for all of today’s rope types. However, the rumours that 80 to 100 metre sloops were progressing to design stage were beginning to swirl, and we felt it inevitable that a build of unprecedented magnitude would soon be a reality. So we challenged ourselves: be ready with proven technology before the first of these designs was complete.

We set out to design, produce, and fully test a captive reel winch system with a 70-ton MWL – the most powerful ever designed for a sailing application and significantly beyond the MWLs needed so far in the market. We were incredibly excited by the opportunity presented by this large project, understanding that the financial commitment required would be a knowledge investment useful for trickling down to any lower MWL range.

DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
Test bench
Testing to and beyond the 70-ton working load that megasloops will someday generate required the completion of a 20-metre, 25,000kg steel test bench. This is now the fifth and largest of the test benches in the Harken Italy factory. The bench’s flexible platform is designed to accommodate different layouts to simulate a variety of operating conditions. Built for load tests of up to 100 tons, it also allows the addition of a pulley for deviation.

Simulating typical blue water sailing conditions on the bench demonstrates how different large diameter lines perform under long term loading. The test bench eases sheets at low and high loads at a variety of speeds and conditions. If certain sheets are highly loaded for long periods of time, their fibres stretch and stiffen, and the line becomes completely unbendable. With the correct sheet selection and our new tensioner design, Harken is able to provide high load systems that will last for many sailing years with few sheet problems.

Hydraulic and electric Captives
A major design objective for the 70-ton PowerReel Captive winch system R&D project was the creation of both hydraulic and electric power versions. Initially, the long history of hydraulics in the marine industry, plus the market’s knowledge of other onboard systems possibly similar to where we’d end up with this project, made the hydraulic system an obvious choice. But the opportunity to create an alternative and potentially greener solution with matching performance made us strive for an electric solution as well.

Following verification that our 70-ton hydraulic Captive winch reliably met the required load and speed criteria, we began the conversion of that fundamental design to an electrically-driven system. Tests proved the 70-ton electric Captive could deliver at least the same performance as the hydraulic version. We were also pleased to discover increased line control precision, noise reduction, and greater system efficiency from the electric versions. Harken is now the first to offer not only captive winches in this load range, but strong alternatives in terms of power sourcing.

Transmission
Every Harken Captive winch over 3-tons MWL features a unique twin-screw inner transmission to eliminate the tilting effect on the winch feeder under the axial load of the sheet (other manufacturers use single-screw systems). The symmetric, synchronized twin-screw system balances the axial load of the feeder and allows a very stiff, solid frame structure at a smaller size. This results in weight savings and allows the winch to perform at higher speeds and loads with minimum component deformation and wear.

The innovative patent-pending inner transmission has an added roller to download the radial load of the feeder directly onto the drum, eliminating the need for the full frame to perform that structural job. Testing proved this new system a winner, with maximum reliability and efficiency of the sheet feeder in motion under extreme loads and speed.

Tensioner
Through-deck tensioner development started from a blank sheet of paper several years earlier. We thought the classic sheave systems with radially-pressing rollers couldn’t be as effective as having the line pulled by its full surface. After analyzing known cable management systems, we applied with a simple transmission with an equalized pulling action on all surfaces of the sheet in contact with the tensioner device. These in-line and through-deck tensioners are able to handle the full MWL loads of the Captive winch they are coupled with while keeping the desired tension on the sheet under any easing-out speed requirements. This complements the winches and provides minimal wear on the sheets – even under severe working conditions.

Drum-sheet interactions
When going well beyond the scale of existing solutions (exceeding even 40-ton loads on a sailboat captive winch is indeed that case), the system component interfaces become critical factors to consider. The sheet and the drum cannot be chosen without a deep testing of the impacts on both sheet and drum under endurance conditions. The feeder pulley was designed and dimensioned in cooperation with leading rope manufactures in order to minimize the fatigue effect on the rope.

Despite the size, the drum weight is only a minor percentage of the Captive winch’s overall weight. The effect under severe load ramps is that all wraps on the drum equalize their load with small frequent movements. This interwrap, frequent-load distribution makes creating the smoothest drum surface finish possible, an important characteristic and a prime consideration when selecting the drum material. This has been proven to be a priority for sheet durability and safety.

Feeder
Despite the record loads on the feeders, Harken decided to apply the lubrication-free technology that has proven to be the best on Harken Captive winches under 20 tons. Designing twin composite nuts for the 70-ton feeder was a challenge from an engineering and production point of view, but the results paid back the effort with new knowledge of these extreme composite applications.

DEVELOPMENT AS A SYSTEM – NOT INDIVIDUAL PARTS
A systemic approach is paramount to yacht sail management. These loads demand engineering integration for maximum performance. Isolating the selection of the winch, sheet, tensioner, and diverting blocks as independent components sacrifices the synergy that a complete solution can offer. Harken is committed to developing turnkey systems that offer the best line management available.

Building complete testing facilities in Italy and the USA allows the introduction of fully-proven new products into the megayacht market. If these yachts are racing hard, Harken has tested solutions to overcome the friction and heatgeneration problems that may arise. Constant trimming in and out a few inches to play every gust while beating up a race course is normal on a 420 or an AC boat. Now it’s also imaginable on a megayacht with a 70-ton load on the sheet.

The Harken 70-ton PowerReel Captive winch project, along with the ability to drive an entire captive winch line either hydraulically or electrically, has proven successful. To complement the Captives, Harken continues to offer deck winches, cylinders, hardware, a technical team to work with the yacht’s system engineers, and trained service technicians to offer help for the life of the yacht.

Click here for more information on Harken»

Patrice Carpentier catches up with old friends at Structures Shipyard

Structures Shipyard production-builds fast sailing boats specifically for shorthanded offshore sailing – both racing and cruising (as in fast cruising). The Structures team is made up of people who are passionate about fast sailboats of all types, who have dedicated themselves over the past 15 years to the development and building of pure modern and enjoyable sailing boats, accessible to all.

Every Pogo is inspired by racing, with the objectives of:

•  achieving performance under sail over a wide wind range
•  ease of handling
•  reliability
•  safety
•  a good feel on the helm
•  stability under autopilot

Pogos have won numerous big offshore races including the Mini-Transat, the Trans quadra, the Quebec-St Malo, the Route du Rhum… Structures are proud of this record and of the hundreds of Pogos cruising trouble-free all over the world.

Pogo 3 – 25% more powerful.
The manufacturer of the historically most successful Series Minis – the Pogo 1 and Pogo 2 – launched a new baby last autumn; and she is all about speed.