The Environment The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center forecasted a “severe solar storm” that’s expected to hit Earth tonight, according to a release. These geomagnetic storms happen every so often, but as the Sun approaches the maximum of its 11-year solar cycle, the space weather is getting more intense. A geomagnetic storm occurs when solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) occur on the Sun, causing variation in the solar wind that hits Earth’s magnetosphere, the protective sheath of Earth’s magnetic field. Read on ..read more

No, I didn’t quit Sailing Anarchy, nor quit doing podcasts, I quit racing sailboats! I’m done, finished, burnt out, tired, old – you name it. I’ve been racing for 56 years, and in my own weird way, I’ve been there and done that and that’s quite enough! I’ll still be commenting, complaining, and critiquing, but ya won’t see me on the race course unless it’s on a powerboat! – Scot Tempesta Listen here ..read more

Swiss-German solo sailor, Oliver Heer, is facing a gruelling personal battle in the Transat CIC race, a notoriously difficult solo transatlantic crossing. While the leading boats have already crossed the finish line just outside of New York, Heer faces several more days at sea as he continues to fight through a series of setbacks and unforgiving weather conditions. The race began in pleasant conditions on April 28th in Lorient, France, but quickly turned fierce. Heer battled strong winds, heavy seas, and equipment failures, including a dramatic autopilot malfunction that knocked his boat down ..read more

The Environment Imarinair unveils its ambitious multipurpose catamaran project intended for oceanographic research and sea pollution control. This 24-meter vessel will be powered by sail and hybrid engines (electric/thermal). The launch is planned for the end of 2026. Concerned with an environmental commitment, it will also be an awareness center for all ages. Read on ..read more

Melges Performance Sailboats has always been a family-run company, so it’s hardly surprising that their latest design, the Melges 15, is drawing together sailors of all generations for family-centric competition. Here’s one example: at a recent regatta, the first race was won by Dana Haig and her father/crew – just ahead of her sister Emily and Zoe Fisher. Crossing the line in third were Claudia and John Bartlett, the eventual winners of both the Grand Masters and Couples trophies. Like its still-thriving patriarch the Melges 24, the Melges 15 was designed by Reichel/Pugh and won Sailing World ..read more

Code sails and flying headsails put huge demands on the reliability of sailcloth. Now there’s a solution. The advent of code zeros and flying headsails has produced a leap forward in reaching performance among all boat types, from cruisers to Grand Prix racers. The market has responded favorably with sales of these sails being robust for all sailmakers at all scales. To achieve the same levels of efficiency that decades of their development of upwind headsail sailcloth has produced, Dimension- Polyant has now put the same effort of development into the introduction of a new cloth style, CZ Uni ..read more

Henri-Lloyd is going back to its roots with plans to make sailing gear that lasts for decades and a focus on offshore racing. New product launches in the clothing world often feel like they come as regularly as the sailing seasons that they cater for. But every now and then there are announcements that mark changes from technological advances to broad reassessments of the manufacturer’s focus. For Henri- Lloyd, it was the announcement of both these factors that made their 2023-24 show season a special one as they unveiled a new strategy, along with a new yachting and boating range ..read more

The Annapolis Sailboat Show is a celebration of boating at its best. Nestled on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis has long been a pilgrimage site for sailors. Dubbed America’s Sailing Capital, the city’s narrow streets are steeped with a maritime legacy that spans over three centuries. Its skyline has a unique dynamism, typified by an ever-renewing assortment of masts no less than the domes of the Naval Academy Chapel and State House. The Annapolis Sailboat Show (October 10-14, 2024) was born out of this nautical fervor more than 50 years ago ..read more

Almost three decades after it was first staged as an end-of-season jamboree for yachts and crews preparing to cross the Atlantic, the 2024 edition of Superyacht Cup Palma promises to be a cracker, says Phil Riley. Superyacht Cup Palma, Europe's longest-running superyacht regatta, is now gearing up to celebrate its 28th anniversary from June 19-22 in what may be a spectacular 2024. ‘If you build it, they will come’ — the now famous prophetic line from the 1989 film Field of Dreams that inspired farmer Kevin Costner to build a baseball diamond in his Iowa cornfields ..read more

Here’s the latest on the new ClubSwan 28… The first boat is planned to hit the water on May 20th in Cartagena,  with deliveries starting by the end of July. The demo boat will be available in June and July in fabulous Lake Garda for viewing and testing. 5 boats are expected to be on the starting line at the Rolex Swan Cup in September, and the 2025 schedule is being finalized – hopefully the class will land in Florida for next winter;-) The boat delivered in Europe is 200.000 €, so with a decent exchange rate, perhaps  $214.000 USD + shipping ..read more