Sail with New Freebooters

Not many years ago, Telezygology, Inc., of Chicago introduced a fastening system that is being enthusiastically tested by the aviation industry. So it’s no surprise that the superyacht industry is also taking an interest – in fact, World Superyacht Awards gave it a prize last year. In the cumbersome style that is beloved of many [...]

At least, that’s Bouwe Bekking’s story and he’s sticking to it. After winning Leg 4 in conditions that this veteran Volvo skipper says were the worst he’s ever experienced in all his years of competing in the race, Bekking claimed that his decision to go out to sea rather than seek the shelter of the [...]

Apparently, the average boat owner gets to use his boat for only three weeks of each year. That’s total sailing time, including day sails and short weekends. The rest of the time, it is either afloat with him hoping nothing has happened to it, or stored on shore. And he’s paying for it all the [...]

One indication of how rough it was out there is the fact that the only video clip that contains actual video rather than voice plus a few stills is the one Rick Deppe made when Puma’s boom broke. Several reports reference sledgehammers, but the most graphic is from Gustav Morin, media crew member on Ericsson [...]

It’s been as tough as predicted – in fact, the waves experienced by some crews have been far higher (up to 14 metres) and real boat-breakers. Green Dragon, with spinnaker halyards doing duty for her broken forestay, must have had another problem because as I write this the race viewer shows her reaching off to [...]