Great ride!!!

It's been a great ride....the America's Cup and Anacortes!   But the 'Auld Mug' is off to Auckland, most deservedly and decisively after their win today...7-1 for the final series.  
Twelve years ago Core Builders came to town with the 'Cup Spirit' and they've certainly left a positive mark on the community and AYC....times and celebrations we'll never forget.  THANKS!!!

MATCH POINT in Bermuda1

Kudos to the KIWI's...They're at Match Point with 2 decisive wins today and they deserve to be!!  Peter Burling is, and has been, simply phenomenal, as has the KIWI team.   ORACLE was initially slower (last weekend) but the shore crew seems to have  remedied that, but the tactics and boat handling have fallen short!   At the start of the second race today Burling with a classic Match Race move "rubbed ORACLE'S nose in it" and was ahead by almost 30 seconds at the start!!!!   (It may not of been that far, but it seemed like it and it might as well of been!!!)

Tomorrow we take one race at a time, and still have some hope!!

It must be as warm in Anacortes as it is here!!

Mac & Wendy in Bermuda

Red Bull Youth Championship Finals in Bermuda...

The last 2 days were the finals of the Red Bull Youth Championships....18 to 24y/o's racing the foiling cats used in the AC World Series the last 2 years.  Exciting fleet racing!!!!  It wasn't over until the final race when the Brits, having led after the first day, salvaged the series win even tho' the KIWI's got 3 bullets the second day.   I was fortunate enought ot get out on a high speed RIB 'media photo boat'.    Note the young gal on the Brit crew...she was tactician.   We spent some time with many of them...GREAT kids!!!

'J' Boat spectacle in Bermuda...

For the first time ever, 7 "J" boats, the 45metre (150') beauties from the 30's, gathered to race around the buoys...and we were lucky enough to be here and get out on the water to watch them.
The boats included:

• VELSHEDA   JK7   launched in 1933
• SHAMROCK   JK3   also 1933
• TOPAZ    J8   A more modern take on the 'J' design, built more recently
• RANGER   J5  A replica of the original, built by Danish Yachts in 2003 as an exact replica, the white hull
• LIONHEART   JH1  Another more modern replica built to the 'J' rule
• HANUMAN   JK6    Another replica with updated systems
• SVEA  JS1    Originally designed in 1937 but never built, and now just completed to 2017     standards and systems 
• RAINBOW   ....   the original, is here but not participating in the racing

These behemoths draw 5.5 meters carry more crew than we could count,  and all sailed here.
We've lots of pics, but here are a few........

Bermuda SUPERYACHT Regatta

Another spectacular day out here in the Atlantic Ocean....the Superyacht Regatta as part of the America's Cup Program.  There were 20 racing today, including 6 J-Boats...no, definately not the J boats we're used to seeing, but the behemoths of the 1930's that raced for the Cup.   These are just amazing to watch...they're absolutely beautiful...and it was a perfect day with 15K of breeze and the cobalt blue water.  LIONHEART won today with RANGER a close 2nd.   More to come!!

America's Cup.....Bermuda

Excitement, excitement!   So much going on here.
The Louis Vuitton America's Cup Challenger Playoff Finals are underway: As you probably know by now, in Saturday's racing, NZL won the first race. ARTEMIS (Sweden) won the 2nd and were leading in the 3rd when during a tack at the last windward mark helmsman Nathan Otteridge slipped overboard, so NZL ended the day up 2-1.  In day two, Sunday, ARTEMIS won the first, NZL the 2nd and in the 3rd race NZL won by ONE SECOND...both boats crossing the finish, reaching at nearly 40 knots in 14k of wind!!!!
Today they'll go at it again.  The first to get 5 wins going on to meet ORACLE next week for the CUP.   The sentimental favorite, overwhelmingly, here is ARTEMIS.
Today the Red Bull Youth Sailing starts with 12 under 24y/o teams fleet racing in the foiling AC45's. These teams represent 12 countries and with fleet racing format, it's really amazing.
And then the Super Yacht regatta starts tomorrow, including 6 of the fantastic J-Boats of yesteryear. What a sight.
If interested, visit the 48North Website where Wendy and I are posting (which gives us 'Media Status' and Access here).   More to come...stay tuned.

Pangaeamac