Oracle Racing's new 38m-long wing and the cross structure for the first of Oracle's AC72 multihulls has left the manufacturer Core Builders Composites in Warkworth for shipping to San Francisco and the Pier 80 base of the Cup defender.
"That's $6-7 million of kit going out the door," said Core Builders Composites general manager Tim Smyth as the radical wingsail left the factory. The wingsail took six months to build - at 25,000 man hours - and there will be more assembly work to do once it arrives in San Francisco. The wing's flap elements have already been shipped across, and once all the pieces are joined together, the wingsail will be ready to be fitted into Oracle's first AC72 multihull, designed for the 2013 America's Cup. Under Cup rules, the hulls of Oracle's yachts must be built in the United States; Oracle plan to launch their first yacht in July.
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Fleet Racing Championship - Provisional Results (after two races) 1. Energy Team, 18 points 2. Luna Rossa Swordfish, 16 points 3. Team Korea,15 points 4. Emirates Team New Zealand,13 points 5. Artemis Racing,13 points 6. Luna Rossa Piranha, 12 points 7. ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill, 10 points 8. ORACLE TEAM USA Bundock, 7 points 9. China Team, 4 points Match Racing Championship - Qualifying and Quarter Final Results
Qualifier 1 - ORACLE TEAM USA - Bundock defeated China Team QF 1 - ORACLE TEAM USA - Spithill defeated Luna Rossa - Swordfish; 2-0 QF 2 - Luna Rossa - Piranha defeated Team Korea; 2-0 QF 3 - Artemis Racing defeated Emirates Team New Zealand; 2-0 QF 4 - Energy Team defeated ORACLE TEAM USA - Bundock; 2-0 The winners of the Quarter Finals advance to the Semi Finals. The losers are assigned final finishing positions (5th to 9th) as per the Sailing Instructions. 5. Emirates Team New Zealand 6. Team Korea 7. Luna Rossa Swordfish 8. ORACLE TEAM USA Bundock 9. China Team New Zealand has scooped four titles at the 7thWorld Superyacht Awards in Istanbul.The international panel of 17 judges awarded
Young Panamanian fisherman, 18 year-old Adrian Vasquez, who survived 28 days at sea on a small disabled fishing punga is suing Princess Cruise Lines in the United States, because the cruise ship failed to stop and give aid in compliance with SOLAS regulations.
Princess Cruise Line's Star Princess passed the crippled craft and did not stop, despite being alerted by birdwatchers on board that the people on the small boat was signalling for help. As a result, Vasquez two companions died a short time later and young Vasquez drifted on alone. Lawyer Edna Ramos says the lawsuit alleging negligence by Prince Cruise Lines was filed in a Florida state court on behalf of Adrian Vasquez. Ramos said the lawsuit included testimony from two cruise ship passengers who said they saw the disabled boat and reported it to a cruise representative on the Star Princess liner. So now the enforcement of the SOLAS (Save Our Lives At Sea) regulations has moved to a civil suit in the US against the company. The incident is also being investigated in Bermuda, where the ship is registered. Final Results:
1. PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG / 17 days, 01 hour, 13 minutes, 59 seconds / 30 points 2. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand / 17 days, 02 hours, 21 minutes, 24 seconds / 25 points 3. Groupama sailing team / 17 days, 07 hours, 29 minutes, 03 seconds / 20 points 4. Team Telefónica / 17 days, 08 hours, 06 minutes, 38 seconds / 15 points 5. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing / 17 days, 15 hours, 57 minutes, 37 seconds / 10 points Team NZ is bringing a revolutionary new chase boat to the Americas Cup in San Francisco. A 45 ft fibreglass catamaran lighter than previous chase boats and more fuel efficient. It is fitted with:
"It will be rugged, nimble and powerful enough to do the job - the work of the big tender and a chase boat," says Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton who is rapt with the latest addition to his fleet. The first of Team NZ's twin AC72s is, to be launched in July. The second catamaran will join it in early 2013. The case of the Star Princess cruise ship´s failure to stop for drifting Panamanian fishermen 150 miles off shore is now in the hands of Bermudan authorities. An independent investigation to probe the case has been launched. Bermuda's Deputy Premier and Minister of Transport, Derrick Burgess assured the Bermuda Assembly that the Department of Maritime Administration had contacted the cruise line and had an initial response.
Mr Burgess told the House of Assembly: “As the duty to assist ships in distress is explicitly defined in the Merchant Shipping Act 2002, including the failure to do so as an offence, we have met with our counsel from the Attorney General’s Chambers and fully apprised him of the situation. We have also met with the Bermuda Police Service and they have confirmed their commitment to assist as required.” Full report: http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20120421/NEWS/704209913 Cooking up some beans in a pressure cooker aboard Catamaran Viva proved not such a good idea.
The pressure cooker exploded and not only sprayed the boat with beans, it managed to destroy windows on both sides of the boat. It took out three windows of 8mm thick acrylic cracking them completely. Bob was extremely lucky not to be severely scalded in the explosion, but the mess has proven an exemplary lesson on what you can and can not cook in a pressure cooker. Apparently, new pressure cookers warn not to cook beans this way. They can block the air vent. Bob has spent days having the beans cleaned off absolutely everything in the cabin and he has to also sort out the repair of the windows that were broken in the explosion. So take it easy with those pressure cookers and check what you can and can't cook. Below are photos of what happened to the pressure cooker! The Cruise Ship - Star Princess - that sailed past three distressed Panamanian fishermen in International waters will be investigated by the country of register, Bermuda.
According to the Antigua Observer, the investigation of the incident has already been opened. Princess Cruises has responded that there has been a breakdown in communication between Bridge and passengers and that the Captain is devastated that he has been accused of knowingly turning his back on people in distress. It will be interesting to see if reponsibility is pursued vigorously. Will the log book be requested? What are the consequences of this action if he or the line are found guilty? Who investiagates and prosecutes if maritime law is violated? What are the consequences for the Cruise line and the Captain? All this adds some interesting issues for someone booking an international cruise. One case of a cruise ship registered in Liberia: passenger was raped and Liberian law on rape applied! Wow! The young Panamanian fishermen aboard a drifting panga called Fifty Cent could have been saved if the cruise ship captain on Star Princess had recognised their plight. Bird watchers aboard the cruise ship - equipped with powerful binnoculars - spotted the stricken panga with the young crew aboard and alive - waving desperately for help. The sighting and obvious distress was reported to the crew and the Bridge was notified.
The Captain decided not to investigate the panga. He recorded in his log that he spoke to the fishermen by radio and changed course to avoid the nets. This has been proven to be false. The boat had no radio. Any true sea-farer would have recognised that a small panga 150 miles off shore was likely to be in trouble and recognised the need to investigate. The fact that yet another Cruise Ship Captain is in the hot seat for his judgement, raises the question of training and whether it is adequate. There is a pressing need for the merchant fleet to have officers and crew who understand the elements and the realities of life at sea. Sail Training is a way to improve the training of the merchant navy by giving them a great understanding of the sea the winds, currents and the vessels that venture out on these waters. For more on this story, check : http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20120413184536993#comments |
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