YachtPals.com News

Roz Savage Interview - First Woman to Row from California to Hawaii Solo

YachtPals — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:15:53 +0000

YachtPals.com 07 Sep
Roz Savage Interview - First Woman to Row from California to Hawaii Solo

Years ago, an unhappy and out of shape Roz Savage was working in an office in the UK, wondering what she was doing with her life. She decided she needed to make a change. So, she sat down at her desk and wrote up her own obituary - actually two, in fact. The first was the obituary for the life she was leading then, the second for the life she wanted to live - a life that was worth living. In that moment, Roz Savage decided to step out of the realm of the average office worker, and into a life of adventure.

Captured Yacht Decoy for Somalian Pirates?

YachtPals — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 22:38:10 +0000

YachtPals.com 06 Sep
Captured Yacht Decoy for Somalian Pirates?

Somalia - YachtPals just received a warning from Andrew Mwangura of the Seafarers Assistance Programme (SAP) in Kenya to ALL VESSELS NEAR THE HORN OF AFRICA. The Amel Super Maramu Carre D'as IV, captured by Somalian Pirates a week ago, may be under use as a decoy vessel attacking other ships. The SAP warns that the vessel likely is or will be used to signal ships at sea as being under distress, while hiding a speedboat from view of any ships responding to the rescue. Mwangura says that a small attack vessel of the type that can hide behind the Carre D'as IV "usually carries

Somalia Pirates - French Hostages Phone Home

YachtPals — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:55:25 +0000

YachtPals.com 06 Sep
Somalia Pirates - French Hostages Phone Home

Somalia - Jean-Yves Delanne, a french citizen being kept hostage by pirates in Somalia, has spoken with his daughter Alizée Delanne in Tahiti via satellite phone, telling her "Nous allons bien" - "We are well". Alizée Delanne first learned of the trouble with her parents, who were sailing a yacht near the Gulf of Aden, when she received a call that the EPIRB (a safety device) had been triggered on the boat. The Tahiti resident tried frantically to reach her parents via satellite telephone, to no avail. When she finally got through to her father to ask why the ale

Sailing the New BMW Oracle America's Cup Multihull

YachtPals — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:11:42 +0000

YachtPals.com 04 Sep
Sailing the New BMW Oracle America's Cup Multihull

Anacortes, USA - BMW Oracle Racing’s new 90 foot multihull sailboat hoisted sail for the first time this week in Anacortes, Washington. “This boat is incredibly challenging,” said skipper Russell Coutts. Coutts and the BMW Oracle crew have been working with the crew from Groupama's famous multihulls, including YachtPals own Franck Cammas. The mega-team is combining its talents to test the newest America's Cup hopeful out on the waters of Rosario Strait, amongst the San Juan Island

Sailing Photo of the Week - Hamilton Island Race Week

YachtPals — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:01:17 +0000

YachtPals.com 04 Sep
Sailing Photo of the Week - Hamilton Island Race Week

Queensland, Australia - This well timed photo was taken at Hamilton Island Race Week in Australia. Some of the best joys of sailing are enjoying the nature and wildlife around you, even if you are speeding by on a sleek sailboat in a yacht race.

Pirates Kidnap French Yacht Crew

YachtPals — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:23:35 +0000

YachtPals.com 03 Sep
Pirates Kidnap French Yacht Crew

Somalia - A sailing yacht was seized by pirates yesterday in the Gulf of Aden. The Venezuelan-flagged Carre D'as is reported to have been attacked at sea, captured, and the boat and hostages taken to Somalia. The only reported hostages so far are two French nationals, whose names have not been released. Clearly in Somalia, yachts are now fair game for pirates.

Roz Savage Completes Pacific Row

YachtPals — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:09:46 +0000

YachtPals.com 02 Sep
Roz Savage Completes Pacific Row

Honolulu, US - In spite of the adversity, or should we say adversities, Roz Savage has rowed the Eastern Pacific from San Francisco to Hawaii. 99 days, 2900 miles, and many, many pulls on the oars after leaving the Golden Gate, Roz crossed her chosen line at around 0900 local time yesterday. While this row is an amazing achievement, Roz is only part way to her goal. This is just the first leg of her much longer trip to

Sailor in the Spotlight Interview - Marcus Eriksen of JUNK

YachtPals — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:00:59 +0000

YachtPals.com 01 Sep
Sailor in the Spotlight Interview - Marcus Eriksen of JUNK

As a US Marine serving in the first Gulf War, Marcus Eriksen stood in the middle of the burning oil fields, covered with soot and burnt crude, and was struck with the senselessness of it all. From that point, he decided that something needed to be done to bring attention to the ongoing issues of environmental destruction. He realized that if he could make saving the environment an adventure, if he could make it cool, then the much needed press coverage would follow. He reinvented himself - leaving behind the life of a Marine Commando to become a commando warrior on a different front.

iShares Cup Kiel - 50,000 Watch Alinghi Sail Threepeat

YachtPals — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:45:53 +0000

YachtPals.com 01 Sep
iShares Cup Kiel - 50,000 Watch Alinghi Sail Threepeat

Kiel, Germany - The fourth sailing venue of the 2008 iShares Cup tour has hosted some fine racing these last three days, and the spectators turned out in droves to see it. Fifty-thousand people for a football game would be expected, but 50,000 people coming out to watch sailing is nothing short of phenomenal. This tour's formula of top sailors, short races, and accessible shore-side venues combined with the hull-flying action of the Extreme 40 catamarans has truly proved the skeptics wrong: Sailing can be a spectator sport, and a popular one at that.

Sailing Photo of the Week - Dig It!

YachtPals — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:18:30 +0000

YachtPals.com 28 Aug
Sailing Photo of the Week - Dig It!

When a multihull buries the front of a pontoon in the water, it's called "digging in," and it often results in spectacular cartwheels, pitchpoles and capsizes. Nico Elshout caught this shot of the Extreme 40 Tommy Hilfiger racing in the iShares Cup earlier this year. Despite the acrobatics, injuries are fairly rare among these pro sailors. Riding the fine edge between speed and disaster is