QUANHAI LI IS CHIEF
China’s Quanhai Li has been elected as World Sailing President.
Four Presidential candidates were up for election in the first round and no candidate received more than 50% of votes.
A second round of voting was required between the top two candidates. Denmark’s Kim Andersen and Li advanced to the second round. In the second round Quanhai Li received 68 votes and Andersen 60 votes. Joining World Sailing President Quanhai Li on the Board of Directors are:
Tomasz Chamera (POL) Sarah Kenny (AUS) Philip Baum (RSA) Yann Rocherieux (FRA) Duriye Özlem Akdurak (TUR) Marcus Spillane (IRL) Cory Sertl (USA)
World Sailing CEO David Graham has warmly welcomed Li as President of World Sailing. “Our new President is joined by a very strong set of Vice-Presidents who have a wealth of experience as former Council and Committee members. The future of World Sailing is in very capable hands and I look forward to working with our new Board.” The Board will serve a four-year term up until the 2024 General Assembly.
World Sailing is the world governing body for the sport of sailing, officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Founded in 1907, World Sailing’s vision is for a world in which millions more people fall in love with sailing; inspired by the unique relationship between sport, technology and the forces of nature; we all work to protect the waters of the world.
World Sailing is made up of 146 Member National Authorities, the national governing bodies for sailing around the world and 119 World Sailing Class Associations.
For more information visit www.sailing.org
BIOBANK TO SAVE CORAL
Facing diverse threats ranging from pollution through acidic oceans to global warming, the planet’s coral beds will hopefully receive a helping hand from the world’s first coral biobank, proposed for Port Douglas in Queensland, Australia.
The conservation facility will house some 800 coral species from around the world. It has been described as a ‘Noah’s Ark’ for the planet’s coral, fitted with hundreds of tanks with temperature and light control.
Designed by Sydney’s Contreras Earl Architecture, the four-storey centre mimicks a mushroom coral head. Inside, facilities include an exhibition centre and auditorium – and research laboratories over four levels. The facility would also be an interactive space so visitors can view corals and learn about the reef.
The project is led by the Great Barrier Reef Legacy – a non-profit organisation seeking philanthropic backing to fund construction. Graphics supplied by Contreras Earl Architecture.
UNDERWATER SPACE STATION
Renowned aquanaut, ocean explorer and environmentalist Fabien Cousteau – grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau – is hoping a proposed underwater research station and habitat will address humanity’s most critical concerns.
A project of the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center (FCOLC), PROTEUS™ has been conceived as an underwater version of the International Space Station. It will be a platform for global collaboration among researchers, academics, government agencies and corporations to advance science for the benefit of the planet.
“As our life support system, the ocean is indispensable to solving the planet’s biggest problems,” says Cousteau. “Challenges created by climate change, rising sea levels, extreme storms and viruses represent a multi-trillion-dollar risk to the global economy.”
Proposed as the largest and most technologically advanced underwater station ever built, PROTEUS™ will allow scientists and aquanauts the time to conduct continuous night and day diving and data collection. It will create a better understanding of how climate change affects the ocean and facilitate testing of advanced technologies for green power, aquaculture and robotic exploration.
Onsite labs will facilitate processing of organic samples that can be studied in real time, rather than the specimens rapidly degrading or dying during the arduous journey to the surface. On-premise experimentation results in an enhanced pipeline to support the development of new treatments for cancer, antibiotics, vaccines and much more.
The station will be located off Curaçao at a depth of 60 feet in richly biodiverse marine-protected water. It will also feature a full-scale video production facility to provide continuous live streaming for educational programming.
PROTEUS™’s strategic partners include Northeastern University, Rutgers University and CARMABI. The initial concept design has been co-conceived by renowned industrial designer Yves Béhar and his firm Fuseproject.
Founded in 2016, the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center’s mission is to raise awareness, educate, and empower the citizens of the world to protect and preserve the planet’s coastal areas, endangered marine habitats and marine life.
MISSING AMBER ART FOUND?
Polish divers have stumbled across the wreck of a WWII ship in the Baltic which they believe might contain missing treasure pilfered from Russia by the Nazis.
The wreck is that of the 897-ton Karlsruhe – one of a fleet of vessels involved in Operation Hannibal, a German Navy initiative to evacuate thousands of troops and civilians from East Prussia between mid-January and May 1945 as the Red Army advanced.
She left the port in a great hurry on April 12, 1945 – the last ship to leave Królewiec before the Russians took it. She was carrying 1,083 refugees and 360 tons of cargo but was sunk the next day. There were only 113 survivors.
It’s also believed she was carrying the priceless art and amber panels (valued at £250million in today’s money) that for some 300 years had formed the legendary Amber Room in the Imperial Catherine Palace near St Petersburg.
The room’s ornate décor was often described as the eighth wonder of the world. Spread across 60m2 its walls were covered by more than six tonnes of amber comprising 100,000 pieces and arranged in an intricate jigsaw pattern.
Prussian monarch Friedrich-Wilhelm I had given the panels to Russia’s Peter the Great in 1716. But in 1941, adamant that the gift was rightfully the Third Reich’s, German soldiers stripped the amber panels from the walls of the room and shipped them to the Fatherland in 27 crates. After that, the trail goes cold – the panels vanished.
Until the recent discovery of the Karlsruhe by the Baltic-tech divers, who say the ship was in the last known area of the crates. Company spokesman Tomasz Zwara says documents show that the ship left the port in a great hurry and with a large load.
Lying at a depth of 88m the wreck is practically intact and in its holds divers have discovered military vehicles, porcelain and many crates – their contents so far unknown.
The Amber Room was subsequently re-created. If the missing panels are found, will they replace the replicas?
LARRY PARDEY 1939–2020: FAMED CRUISER CROSSES THE BAR
Larry Pardey – Canadian sailor, boatbuilder and author – died earlier this year in a Northland rest home after a life of sailing and building boats.
Pardey – who with wife Lin coauthored 12 books on their voyaging – was one of the first people to sail across the Sahara Desert. In 1967, as part of an expedition organised by the French and sponsored by National Geographic, he captained a North American team sailing land yachts from Colum Bechar in Algeria to Noachott in Mauritania, a distance of approximately 2735 kms.
Pardey began sailing at age 17 in Vancouver. He purchased and restored a 28-foot Tumlaren sloop, Annalisa. In 1964 he sold her and went to California in search of an affordable cruising boat.
Instead, he signed as first mate on the 85-foot schooner, Double Eagle and sailed to Hawaii on a movie-making charter. On his return he began building his first cruising boat, Seraffyn – a 24’ 6” Lyle Hess-designed, engineless cutter. Five months into the project he met Lin Zatkin who joined him to finish building what became their first cruising boat.
Together they eventually sailed more than 200,000 miles, including both an eastabout and westabout circumnavigation. To earn their way they delivered boats, restored boats and worked as riggers. Lin’s writing skills covered their cruising costs.
The couple opted for another Lyle Hess design for their next boat, the 29’ Taleisin, also built by Pardey and also engineless. In 1985, during a voyage to New Zealand, the two purchased a small boatyard and cottage on Kawau Island, 30 miles north of Auckland. This became their home and base but did not stop them from voyaging onward.
In 2009 the Pardeys made their last ocean passage together and Larry developed Parkinson’s Disease in 2015.
Together they wrote 12 books and created five instructional DVDs.
Among the numerous awards they’ve received is the Cruising Club of America’s prestigious Far Horizon Award for 2009 in recognition of their combined voyaging. They were also presented with the SSCA award from the Seven Seas Cruising Association in recognition of their contributions to the sport of sailing and the cruising community – only the 16th time in the club’s 60-year history this has occurred.
BANGKOK’S ELECTRIC FERRIES
The first of a fleet of 27 fully-electric catamarans is being trialled in Bangkok – part of an initiative to help clean the city’s air and transform its Chao Phraya river.
Danfoss Editron is providing the electric drivetrain systems for the cats. The project’s part of Thailand company Energy Absolute’s plans to promote and increase alternative energy methods of transport in Thailand.
Bangkok is the world’s most visited city, welcoming nearly 23 million international visitors last year. But its air quality is regularly recorded at unhealthy levels due to traffic, construction and factory emissions and the burning of waste and crop residues.
The city’s seasonal weather changes, which prevent pollutants such as exhaust fumes from dissipating, further exacerbates the issue. The Thailand government is attempting to clean up its air via several methods, including the promotion of alternative energy modes of transport.
Each 24m catamaran can carry 200 passengers and contains two of Danfoss Editron’s EM-PMI375-T800 motors. These provide a continuous power output of between 174-192kW and are based on synchronous
GRP ZEPHYR
The 2020 Auckland Zephyr Championship at French Bay was notable for the launching of the first full GRP Zephyr. Designed in 1956, the class remains strong – major regattas continue to attract scores of entrants.
With demand for new boats growing, a deck plug and moulds were built during Covid lockdown in a joint project between the Zephyr Owners Association and Silverdale’s Mackay Boats. The resulting seven-mould package has enabled the production of a finely-detailed hull, showcasing the skill and precision of boatbuilder Owen Mackay.
The first production run of four boats has been pre-sold and the class is confident of a second 64 years of existence.
REMEMBERING KEITH ANDREWS
As a young boy in the ‘60’s Keith Andrews asked his parents for a sailing dinghy for Christmas. But with five children his parents had no extra money, and Christmas came and went dinghy-less. From then on Keith knew if he wanted anything he’d have to work for it, so he got a part-time job.
His first boat was an OK dinghy, which he kept at the local Onerahi Yacht Club. Every Sunday he loaded the sails and gear onto his bike and rode to the club for racing. In his teens the motor mechanic partnered up with fellow sailmaker yachtie Jack Lloyd to build and race the 24ft Bruce Farr design Strait Laced. A few years later they built Lovelace – a Bruce Farr One-Ton racing yacht.
The determined young men qualified to race for New Zealand in the 1978 Pan Am Clipper Cup series held in Hawaii and raised enough money to ship the boat and compete in the series over six weeks. Lovelace was sold shortly afterwards to an American who renamed her Whangarei.
On his return Keith’s focus shifted to family and a home, although he was never far from the sea. He loved sailing catamarans, crewing on friends’ boats, and fishing or wakeboarding on his fizz boat with his three children.
Keith began his last home last year but it remained uncompleted when he succumbed to cancer, aged 66. He leaves behind his wife of 42 years Vicki and water-loving children Kurtis, Camden, and Holly, their partners, and five grand-children.
Boating New Zealand TV Episode 3
The latest edition of Boating New Zealand television went to air on December 10.
Fronted by Sarah Ell, Boating New Zealand, the TV programme, presents a selection of Boating NZ magazine's featured content on Face TV / Sky Ch83. The programme is repeated regularly (check the Face TV website for programming schedules), with new editions of the magazine-style show will screen every month.
Boating New Zealand is also be available on Face On Demand and on Boating NZ magazine's YouTube channel .
HELPING TONGAN KIDS SAIL
The Opua Business Association (OBA) in the Bay of Islands is sending a fleet of Optis to the Va’vau Bluewater School in Neiafu, Tonga to introduce the joy of sailing to the region’s youngsters.
Championed by Seapower’s Bruce Fuller (a long-time OBA member), the initial idea would see OBA members obtaining and refurbishing old sailing dinghies, branding them with company logos and sending them to Neiafu. But the project really got traction when Kerikeri Cruising Club upgraded its learn-to-sail boats and gifted seven Opti hulls to OBA.
These boats needed significant work, but with help from the Bay of Islands Boatyard team the hulls were sanded and painted. Keen local yachtie Jeff Knewstubb (Stubbie) donated his time to reassemble the boats.
All the local sailmakers (North Sails, Doyle Sails and Wills Sailmakers) co-operated to provide new sails for the fleet. Cater Marine donated much of the required hardware with other members of the OBA providing sponsorship to pay the costs for new rigs.
Activities organised by OBA (with cruisers attending the annual Blue Water Festival in Va’vau) raised funds to purchase a container, which Bay of Islands Boat Storage supplied at cost. The container will be used not only to transport the Optis to Tonga but will stay on at the Neiafu waterfront as a storage facility and base for the sailing school.
Ex-pat New Zealander Greg Just from Neiafu’s Tropicania Café runs the Blue Water School, a no-cost local programme that teaches water safety and skills. He will ensure the local kids get to enjoy these boats.
There’s only one piece of the puzzle missing from this two-year labour of love – the funds to ship the container to Va’vau. OBA is planning a fundraising event as part of the Opua Cruiser’s festival in November. Any organisation keen to step-up and provide a helping donation would be much appreciated.
THE SAILOR’S CELLAR
You might have the flashest yacht in the marina, but to really impress your guests you’ll need to present your wine collection in a stylish manner. Canadian company CellArt has the perfect solution.
The Montreal-based company positions itself as creating wine storage solutions that also function as pieces of art.
Consider, for example, the Les Dessous de Flacons – a mesmerising wine coaster set intended for the grand connoisseur and refined aesthete. This set includes three organically-shaped coaster plates: one designed for a 750ml bottle, one for a Magnum and one for a three-litre bottle.
Each plate is made of rich black walnut, English oak or mahogany wood – selected by the artisan and inlaid with black ebony. Each is emblazoned with a brass coin featuring CellArt’s iconic Phoenix emblem. Every set is delivered with a certificate of authenticity and numbered from one to ten.
Le Seau à Champagne is a three-piece Champagne bucket array made of black walnut, externally glazed with an ink-black sparkling lacquer. A stainless steel mirror interior stand allows your champagne bottles, magnums, or any great vintage of white wine to cool down in ice and cold water – with due reverence to their labels. Two additional display stands complete the set.
Each set is delivered with a certificate of authenticity, numbered from one to five.
For more information visit www.CellArt.com
CREWLESS SHIPS?
Last month the Mayflower Autonomous Ship, a 15m trimaran, left Plymouth in the UK on a pioneering voyage – an unmanned transatlantic crossing powered by solar energy and artificial intelligence.
Supported by an impressive consortium which includes IBM and M Subs (a Plymouthbased submarine manufacturer) the project’s led by Promare, a marine research organisation. It’s also received investment from tech heavyweights such as Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, ABB and Wartsila.
The technology for safe navigation at sea uses algorithms and computer vision.
While pilotless drones and driverless cars are already common, experts believe autonomous shipping is on the verge of a breakthrough.
“Doing this on a ship is infinitely easier than in a car,” says Brett Phaneuf, president of M Subs and the driving force behind the Mayflower project. In principle, autonomous technology is better-suited to marine transport than road or air.”
Those involved in the initiative point out that with lower speeds, less risk of collisions on the open ocean and detailed mapping of hazards, robot ships could reshape the industry. In addition to dispensing with human crew, autonomous vehicles offer other advantages – they can navigate around the clock without resting.
A number of ‘crewless projects’ are already in progress. Amsterdam, for example, is developing autonomous boats to ferry people and collect rubbish, while unmanned electric freight barges are being developed to exploit the Low Countries’ extensive canal system. In Norway and Finland, autonomous passenger ferries are already in operation.
This year’s 3,220-mile trip by the Mayflower Autonomous Ship also marks the 400th anniversary of the original Mayflower crossing in 1620.
