A trio of key speakers will address a global audience to demonstrate how inspiration and innovation can increase participation and generate business success. Olympic Gold Medallist Iain Percy OBE will welcome delegates from around the world to the International Sailing Summit (ISS) on 17 November 2014 and record-breaking quadriplegic sailor Hilary Lister and Rod Carr, Chairman of UK Sport will headline the Gala Dinner.
Read more: Olympian Iain Percy backs participation drive in...
Busy day of racing at the 2012 Paralympic Games Regatta! The Sonar class pumped out 3 races in an effort to catch up and the other two SKUD 18 classes (2.4mR & SKUD) both completed 2 races on this second last day of competition. While podium spots are already guaranteed for some countries, others will have to give their everything to earn those elusive top three positions. The battle continued in the 2.4mR today. According to ifds reports, Lucas (GBR) was well back in 13th place on part of the first leg of the first race but the only woman in the fleet must have been even more disappointed when reigning Olympic champion Paul Tingley (CAN) arrived at the first mark to slip ahead of her.
Its been no vacation for our Paralympic Sailors this weekend. All three fleets have completed a 6 of 11 races already. The event started on Saturday and they now have three days of racing completed with three more to go. 2.4M - Our Gold Medalist for Beijing - Paul Tingley - has shown some flashes of brilliance but has really been having a tough event. His is sitting in 5th overall with 5 races to go. With 30 points, he is only 10 points out of 3rd but it will not be an easy margin to make up. So far his finishes have been 6, 7, 2, 10,9, and 6.
The London 2012 Paralympic Games are set to get underway tomorrow. Over the past few days, the Canadian Paralympic Sailing team has had training, measuring, opening ceremonies and now a practice race under their belts. It has been a very busy week and year for sure but the preparation is now done! There were a variety of conditions for practice racing with the SKUD and 2.4's sailing in the morning race. Winds ranged from very light, three knots up to 8-10kts with 90 degrees of compass change. The team looked strong on the water today helping them get rid of the jitters before tomorrow.
The Canadian Yachting Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Cook to the new position of Development Team Manager. Chris is a high performing Finn sailor who finished 5th in the 2008 Olympic Games and had numerous , podium finishes at International and North American based championships including a recent Bronze Medal finish at the World Cup Event in Palma in 2012. Chris was on target to compete in his 2nd games this year until struck by illness in the final trial. His immediate support for his fellow Finn sailor, Greg Douglas, who benefitted most from Chris’s withdrawal, was a display of his high quality sportsmanship.
Read more: Olympian Chris Cook joins CYA High Performance...
Paul Tingley isn't in London to "defend" his Paralympic Games sailing title. Make no mistake about it - the 42-year-old from Halifax believes he's more than capable of repeating as the champion of the 2.4mR class he mastered in 2008 in Beijing. He's done everything possible to get ready for his fourth Paralympic competition, including training with Swedish coach Stellan Berlin in waters off the English coast to prepare himself for the conditions he'll face in the days to come. But defence doesn't seem to be in the playbook of the sailor nicknamed The Gambler in some circles for his penchant for taking risks - many of which tend to pay off in a big way.
“The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” When he spoke these words, Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin, recognized as the founder of the modern Olympic Games, could not have envisaged that the initial event with nine sports and 14 nations would grow to include 33 sports, 200 nations, and 13,000 athletes. Nor could he have foreseen the multi-million dollar industry that the Olympics would become or that the triumph would become more important than the struggle – at least in the eyes of those who provide the majority of funding.
Only 2 days before the Paralympics kick off and the Canadians are well prepared! The sailing Canadian Paralympic Sailors team have arrived in Weymouth and had a few days to practice with their competition to get their boats completely tuned and ready to race. Team Leader Brian Todd sends in a report as of Sunday.
The rain stopped and the sun came out in Weymouth today, which set up for an excellent day of training. The Sonar, Skud and 2.4 all spent a full day on the water in one of the few remaining days to get the boat and rig tuned and ready for the Games.
Chester Race Week ended with glorious sun and good wind. The competitors were happy with the race management and the evening parties, which didn't start until 9:30 and were extremely well attended with 3 great local bands and wonderful Dark 'n Stormies at the bar. Sound like fun? Why not put it on your calendar for next year and come on down to Nova Scotia to enjoy the saltwater, great seafood, wonderful hospitality, and fabulous racing in Mahone Bay... a heck of a lot of sailors already do!
Two years ago, I interviewed Amy Minnikin and her mom, Paula, as they had just taken possession of a Ranger 28 that they named Ry’n Sun. They were given this boat by a friend and it was in pretty rough shape. After a lot of hard work and elbow grease, they boat started to come back to life, and the mom/daughter duo started to race together. Today, Amy has started to sail without mom, and has her own crew of dedicated, bright, young women (all between the ages of 15-17) who have banded together as a team to sail Ry’n Sun.
Destinations
Thornbury on Georgian Bay
Jennifer Harker
To borrow a line from Monty Python, “and now, for something completely different”.
Normally, our boating adventures are spent weaving our way amongst the picturesque backdrop of the 30,000 Islands of eastern Georgian Bay aboard our Sea Ray Sundancer 268. This time we’ve traded power for sail as friends welcome us aboard their 38-foot Irwin for the Canada Day long weekend.
We’ve set our sights on a decidedly different destination for this journey, charting a course for Thornbury. This small town, located in the southern reaches of Nottawasaga Bay, is an oft-overlooked area of Georgian Bay - but it shouldn’t be. Although we’ve explored this shoreline on countless road trips, this will be our first visit from the waterside.
Read more about the Thornbury on Georgian Bay...
Lifestyle
The Ins and Outs of Working on a Superyacht
By Marianne Scott
An estimated 10,000 yachts measuring 100 feet or more are afloat on the world’s oceans. They congregate in places like Monaco, St. Tropez, Fort Lauderdale, Antibes, and Antigua. Some yachts are used for private luxury cruising - Oman Sultan Qaboos, for example, shares Al Said, his 508-foot yacht, only with his 65 guests (and 140-member crew). Other big yachts offer opulent charters serving paying guests. Many yachts move between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean following the seasons.
Read more about the Superyachts...
Boat Reviews
Cruisers Yachts Cantius 46
The Cantius 46 is the latest evolution of Cruisers Yachts’ Cantius line – now there are five models from 42 to 60 feet. The new Cantius 46 is a great example of “easy boating” the way Volvo Penta imagined it and how Cruisers Yachts has executed it. The idea is that you just come on board, unlock the glass doors, fire it up, cast off, and enjoy - alone, with a spouse, or with a huge group.
Since the first Cantius model was introduced, Cruisers Yachts has continued to refine the concept for ever-greater convenience, more clever and innovative features, and also greater performance.
Read more about the Cantius 46...
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410
By, Zuzana Prochazka
The revolution continues – with a twist
The Jeanneau 410 is the eighth generation of the Sun Odyssey line, but even with that long history and umpteen years of tweaks and iterations, what the French builder has done in the latest revamp will make you say, “Wait, what?”
Last year, Jeanneau turned the sailboat deck layout on its ear with the introduction of their Sun Odyssey 490 and 440, and the concept of the ‘walk-around deck’.
Read More about the Odyssey 410...
DIY & How to
Ask Andrew: Electrical Installations – Part 2: fuses and breakers
Andrew McDonald
Last time we looked at making proper electrical connections – the tools, supplies and methods needed to make connections between components and wiring.
When planning out electrical work, one of the more common questions that I address is on the set-up, installation and sizing of breakers and fuses.
Fuses and breakers are collectively called ‘overcurrent protection’ – and these come in many different shapes, styles and sizes. Their purpose is the same: to prevent a situation where a larger than intended electrical current is running through the circuit, which puts the circuit at risk of overheating, fire and damage to equipment.
Read More about Electrical Installations Basics...
Marine Products
Canadian Yachting 2019 Gear Guide
Watch for a tsunami of innovative new boating products in the chandlery this year, as accessory manufacturers battle for your attention and dollars.
This past decade has been a real up-and-down ride for the companies who make boating equipment. When the recession hit in 2008/2009, new product development for most manufacturers ground to a sharp halt as they focused on more pressing issues, like simply keeping the lights on. It took a few years for the economy to stabilize and for the first handful of new items to begin slowly trickling out to market. For guys like me who make a living writing about new boating gear, those were pretty lean years, let me tell you.
Read more about this years' Gear Guide....
AGM VS Flooded Batteries - What you need to know
You most likely operate your vessel with batteries that are rechargeable. Rechargeable batteries account for nearly half of worldwide battery sales. Within the rechargeable battery category, there are many different types of chemistries that are used. The most proven type of chemistry is the lead acid chemistry.
Wet cell or “flooded” batteries and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries are both considered lead batteries and contain an electrolyte solution which causes a chemical reaction and produces electrons. These batteries are recharged when put in contact with a reverse current. But, given the way they are designed, they each have their own pros and cons and these variations should be considered before use.
Read more about AGM and flooded batteries...
