18.02.2012 - The Greek coast guard has rescued eight people from a 60-meter French-flagged yacht which suffered mechanical failure in gale-force winds off the coast of the Aegean island of Skyros. The coast guard said two Air Force helicopters and a Navy frigate, as well as coast guard vessels and four commercial ships headed to the assistance of the yacht, registered as Yogi, after its captain sent out a distress signal Friday morning. The captain said the yacht was taking on water and he had ordered the ship to be abandoned.   Built by Proteksan Turquoise in 2011, the yacht was reported to be in difficulties this morning in the area between the islands of Skyros and Psara, 19 nautical miles off the coast. A 'mechanical failure' has been blamed for the inci...

New York, N.Y., USA (January 30, 2011) – The Cruising Club of America (CCA) has awarded its esteemed 2011 Blue Water Medal to Thies Matzen and Kicki Ericson for a commendable 24 years and 135,000 miles of sailing the oceans of the world with a focus in the high latitudes of the Southern Ocean. The first Blue Water Medal was awarded in 1923; and is given to "the most meritous example of seamanship." Its recipient is selected from among amateurs of all the nations." The medal will be presented by Commodore Daniel P. Dyer, III at the annual Awards Dinner on March 2, 2012 at New York Yacht Club in Manhattan. Matzen was born in Germany in 1956 and grew up to be a wooden boat builder. In 1981,Matzen purchased Wanderer III, a 30 foot wooden sloop, bui...

January 31, 2012 - 1500 UTC Leg 3 Stage 2 Day 10.  Team Telefónica were fending off relentless attacks from Groupama sailing team on Tuesday, clinging to the lead as the fleet continued the race through the South China Sea.Groupama's persistence took them to within four nautical miles of Telefónica, the overall race leaders, at 1440 UTC, with PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG a lurking presence 11 miles behind the frontrunner.Credit: Amory Ross/PUMA Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean Race.  Starboard tack for the long haul, onboard PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG during leg 3 of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, from Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China."It's going to be tight with Groupama," said Telefónica's Australian navigator And...

9 January 2012 - Our apologies, Prime Minister. I'm sorry we were not racing around the world trying to establish a world record on a ten million dollar sailing vessel that was wrecked by a storm. I'm sorry we were not a Russian poaching vessel stealing Patagonia toothfish from the waters off the coast of Antarctica where we breached our hull and needed your help. I'm sorry that we are not an eco-tourist vessel grounded on the beach of Antarctica in need of your assistance. Unfortunately we're not setting world records, poaching fish or gawking at penguins. We're trying to stop illegal whaling. Surely you remember that back in 2007, Peter Garrett promised us that your government was going to get tough on whaling and that your government was actually goi...

23 Jan 2012 - Entry to the Zhik International Etchells 2012 Australian Championship, to be held by Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Sydney, closes in just under one week on 2nd February. Regatta Director David Ritchard is looking forward to welcoming entries from around Australia even if the skippers haven't qualified for the World Championship in Sydney, to be held later in the month. Registration for the event will be held on Thursday 9th and Friday 10th February. Included in the program is pre-measurement of the boats that are competing in the Worlds. "From Monday 6th to Thursday 9th we plan is to do as many boats as possible. This will help take the load off when the boats go down to Sydney," Ritchard said. World Champion in 2010 and defending natio...

Francesco Schettino to appear before judge today Arrested on suspicion of multiple manslaughter and abandoning ship Ignored order from coastguard to return to ship 'Offered to return to doomed cruise liner, but only to collect black box' 'Seen wrapped in a blanket on way to shore' 30 minutes before order to evacuate was given Seventh person was found dead in shipwrecked vessel, rescuers say this morning 35 Britons on board reported safe and well, more than 60 people injured, 29 still missing Reports Schettino was dining with passengers when the accident happened     The captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, Francesco Schettino, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter The Costa Concordia's captain did abandon ship 'half an hour' before hundreds of his...

Qingdao first destination to sign up to sponsor third generation global race fleet. Clipper 13-14 set to become world's largest and longest race. 6 January 2012 - Clipper Ventures Plc announced at the London Boat Show today that it has signed a major sponsorship deal with Qingdao, host of the sailing events of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, to continue its participation in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race through to 2016. Credit: Clipper - Clipper Ventures' chief executive, William Ward (right), and Qingdao Municipal Government Vice-Mayor, Wang Xiulin, at the signing ceremony in ChinaQingdao has fielded an entry and hosted the event since 2005 and has credited the Clipper Race with helping it not only prepare for hosting the Olympics but also in ...

08.01.2012 - An American luxury passenger line en route to the Seychelles is stranded in the Maldivian waters due to "piracy risk", while the passengers depart to the Seychelles through airline flights, as reported by Hawwa Lubna from the minivan news. Secretary General of Maldives Association of Yacht Agents (MAYA), Mohamed Ali, told Minivan News on Sunday that the passenger line had arrived on December 29 and was scheduled to leave the same day after a brief stop near Male'. However, he said the cruise captain had decided not to leave with the passengers on board due to "security reasons", as there have been several attacks by pirates near the Seychelles. "To avoid the risk, the 67 passengers on board were taken to Seyche...

Wednesday December 7, 2011 - 1300 UTC    .The full Volvo Ocean Race fleet is back together for the first time in over a month, after PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG limped into Cape Town with just days to spare before racing resumes in conditions that will once again test the teams to the limit. The six boats in the 2011-12 edition are preparing to rejoin battle over the weekend with the second of 10 in-port races on Saturday (1300 UTC) and the start of Leg 2 to Abu Dhabi on Sunday at the same time. Weather forecasts suggest the teams will be heading straight back into possible boat-breaking conditions in Leg 2, with the teams facing the prospect of beating upwind in up to 30-35 knots for the first 24 hours. That will raise uncomfortable memories for...

4 December 2011 - The paradox could not be ignored - a parade of historic vessels meandering down the Swan River as a symbolic launch to one of the most intense international sailing competitions of the decade. But, somehow, it seemed appropriate. The four-hour Parade of Sail was the centrepiece of yesterday's elaborate opening ceremony for the 2011 World Sailing Championships, in which about 1100 competitors from 78 countries will spend the next 16 days fighting for world titles and Olympic qualification. Seven vessels, each representing a local yacht or sailing club, carried the official championship flag for a leg of the journey. They also carried a part of WA's sailing heritage. It began with Royal Perth Yacht Club's 100-year-old gaff-rigged yacht Mercedes, followed by a 14-fo...