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f 15, 13

Hans Klaar: The Antidote

by Tim Zimmermann

Voyager Hans Klaar sets off

Tim Zimmermann finds an irresistible pull in the way of life of Hans Klaar, a longtime voyager and builder of Polynesian-style blue water catamarans.

I can’t quite process the sadness of Andrew Simpson’s death during training for the America’s Cup, and what its implications will be (though I do know that the America’s Cup is a far too silly and cosmically meaningless event to be worth the loss of a life).

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f 14, 13

Late But Far From Last

by Michelle Slade

Chris Draper, skipper of Luna Rossa

Luna Rossa skipper Chris Draper shares the Italian team's progress headed into San Francisco.

High performance sailor Chris Draper is fortunate to have helmed for two America’s Cup teams in the past two years, sailing early on for Team Korea before being hired by Luna Rossa in 2012. Even though the Italian team were almost a year late into the game, Draper’s experience on the Extreme 40 series has helped his team maintain a fairly consistent place in the top half of the fleet in the AC World Series events, recently finishing second overall in the match racing event in Naples.

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f 9, 13

The Dash for Cash

by Ryan O'Grady

The 2012 Atlantic Cup champion Mare (foreground) isn't entered this year. But the path to victory taken by the German entry will be scrutinized by the seven teams that will contest the 2013 Atlantic Cup from Charleston, S.C., to Newport, R.I., via New York City.

The third edition of the Atlantic Cup features three legs, seven teams, and a heavy payout to the winners.

Three years ago, the Atlantic Cup debuted with a bold plan: to bring a European-style doublehanded offshore racing series to America, and provide the top finishers with a cash prize. The first year of the regatta, 2011, drew a small fleet of mostly local boats. In 2012, the top European boats took notice, and 14 of the world’s best Class 40 teams converged on Charleston for a battle up the Atlantic Coast.

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f 6, 13

From Across the Pond: Part III

by Amelia Quinn

Spectators cheer on the Wilson Trophy competitors.

Amelia Quinn checks in from the third and final day of racing at the Wilson Trophy in West Kirby, England.

After 345 fully-umpired races, the 2013 Wilson Trophy has come to a close. Of those races, we competed in 22; 18 in the regular racing, followed by two quick wins in the quarterfinals, followed by two quick losses in the semifinals. We didn’t win, didn’t take home the glory of being the25th and newest title defenders. That honor went instead to Wessex Exempt, who sailed cleanly and classily throughout the regatta, both when they knocked us out in the best of three formatted semifinals and when they went 3 and 1 in the best of five finals.

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f 4, 13

From Across the Pond: Part II

by Amelia Quinn

British Fireflies team race in big breeze.

Amelia Quinn checks in with a few lessons learned during the second day of the Wilson Trophy in West Kirby, England.

Today dawned grey with a hint of drizzle. We got to the club by 7:30 a.m. and quickly dressed, skipping coffee and breakfast in order to make it to the boats that were already awaiting us by the water. Our first race started just after 8:00 a.m. in about 5 knots, leading to a whole new set of potential boathandling concerns—unlike college sailing, you can’t come out of a tack or jibe faster than you went into it, and with umpires everywhere there’s no chance of slipping by unnoticed.

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f 3, 13

From Across the Pond: Part I

by Amelia Quinn

British Fireflies team race in big breeze.

Amelia Quinn checks in from the windy Wilson Trophy in West Kirby, England, where she's sorting out boathandling in the British Fireflies and admiring kitchen marvels that make drinking tea a breeze.

Today was the first day of racing at the 64th annual Wilson Trophy in West Kirby, England. The fleet had a scheduled late start—the first warning signal wasn’t until 12:57 in the afternoon, although we arrived at the West Kirby Sailing Club (WKSC) promptly at 9 a.m. We had signed up for a 9:30-10:30 practice time, but all practices were cancelled due to the breeze already whistling through the boatyard and the desire to prevent breaking boats before racing began.

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f 3, 13

Young and On Fire

by Michelle Slade

Tom Slingsby celebrates a match-racing win in Naples.

Australian Tom Slingsby took the helm of Oracle Team USA's AC45 at the America's Cup World Series in Naples with a goal: to prove he's just as much a helmsman as a tactician.

Standing in for fellow Aussie Jimmy Spithill for the final America’s Cup World Series event, young Tom Slingsby set off to Naples to put one thing straight: He’s just much of a helmsman as he is a tactician. A hard worker and fiercely competitive, he proved he’s got what it takes to get an AC45 around the racetrack quickly, bringing home another match-racing title for Oracle Team USA, which also claimed the overall ACWS 2012-'13 season championship.

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f 24, 13

Banderas Bay Blues

by Tim Zimmermann

Camelot and Blue just before colliding.

Injuries during the start of the Banderas Bay Race last month send a reminder of the importance to keep racing in perspective and always anticipate what's coming next.

How many of you have been involved in a major collision at the start of a race? Probably lots.

For those of you who have, were the boats worth hundreds of thousands of dollars? Hopefully, a lot fewer.

How many of those collisions resulted in the tactician breaking both legs? Hopefully, none.

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f 15, 13

Roped In, Again

by Michelle Slade

After three campaigns with Alinghi, former America's Cup and Volvo/Whitbread winner Curtis Blewett took some time away from sailing to recharge. He's now back in the Cup chase with Artemis Racing.

Curtis Blewett enjoys his time away from sailing, but after a few years off to recharge, he's ready to make another run at the Auld Mug as part of Artemis Racing.

Canadian Curtis Blewett likes to switch gears between America’s Cup campaigns, turning to his other passions to recharge after the intensity of a Cup effort. Between doing bow on Alinghi’s big cat for the 2010 Cup in Valencia and being snapped up by Artemis Racing for AC34, Blewett ditched salt water for his hometown mountains in Whistler, B.C., where he spent time paragliding and skiing with his wife, Monique, and 4-year-old son, Valentino. It wasn’t all wine and roses, however.

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f 15, 13

How to Survive Spring Break

by Amelia Quinn

A blanket of snow cocoons the Tufts team during spring break.

A few pointers for anyone aspiring to camp out in fickle weather while simultaneously training hard for the spring sailing season.

Each year, the Tufts Sailing Team checks the forecast, packs their bags, and drives south to North Field—which is, literally, a field. It belongs to St. Mary’s College of Maryland and is home to a dilapidated barn, St. Mary’s rugby team practices, and—for one week each year—the Jumbos. After surviving four years on the field, I now feel qualified to share some pointers for anyone aspiring to camp while simultaneously training hard for their spring season.

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Hans Klaar: The Antidote

Late But Far From Last

The Dash for Cash

From Across the Pond: Part III

From Across the Pond: Part II

From Across the Pond: Part I

Young and On Fire

Banderas Bay Blues

Roped In, Again

How to Survive Spring Break

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