Performance Yachts 100 'Liara' is for sale through Nicolle Associates

On board ‘Liara’ will be Adrian Nicolle and John Danby from Performance Yachts, Directors and yard manager from Southern Ocean Marine, the builders of the PY-100 and PY-109 and, exhibiting at the show in their own rights, will be Azzura Marine, builders of the PY-115 and PY-125, and Dixon Yacht Design, who are responsible for the design of the whole Performance Yachts range which currently spans 100 to 125 feet.

‘Liara’ returns, and is up for sale, for all the right reasons. After only 18 months of ownership, during which time the yacht has distinguished herself in several races and regattas, and provided the owner and his family with extremely comfortable and fast cruising, he has decided that he wants to continue his Performance Yachts experience, but on a larger model from the growing Performance Yachts fleet.

PY-100 lightweight interior with teak veneer

‘Liara’s owner says, ‘This yacht has been everything I wanted and more. She is competitive racing, obviously fast when cruising and a superb live aboard yacht. Her build quality has proved to be very much more than the ‘skin deep’ first impression that is all some yachts manage to exude, and after 18 months she is as good as new. The only downside is that for my personal circumstances I would like to have a slightly larger yacht but, I shall be using exactly the same team at the designers, the builders and Performance Yachts to design and build her’.

Nicolle Associates, apart from their sales responsibilities, can also arrange charters on ‘Liara’, which has already been successfully chartered on a number of occasions in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, with excellent comments being made by guests on board.

Potential purchasers or charterers of ‘Liara’ can get more information from Adrian Nicolle on +44 (0) 23 8045 6348 or on the findaboat website at,  PY-100 ‘Liara’ for sale link or, of course, at the Monaco Show.

'Liara' from the Performance Yachts range of composite Performance Cruisers

Huisman / Dick Carter Sloop 'Kohinoor'

She  is strongly built to highest spec by Royal Huisman of Vollenhove, Netherlands to a Dick Carter design in 1971. All aluminium welded construction hull with teak on ply decks on aluminium beams. Reckmann spars. Fin lead keel/rudder on skeg. All plans available

Reckmann triple-spreader mast and boom. Runners when using cutter-stay. Mast awlgripped white. Spi-pole. Hydr. in-mast furling and genoa furler – D4 membrane Vectran main (57) and G III (74) from 2006 and lightly used. Asymetric spi (235), G I (120), 2 more headsails and an older main. 5 Andersen s-steel hydraulic sheet winches. 4 Andersen ST on mast for halyards. Covers/bags for all sails. Awnings and cockpit tent. Full winter cover.

Full details click here

NYYC 156th Annual Regatta

The start to the weekend was the Around the (Conanicut) Island Race on Friday, which is scored separately from the Saturday/Sunday races. The race has become a popular “add on” for competitors, especially those gearing up for the biennial Newport Bermuda Race the following week. George David’s (Hartford, Conn.) Custom Maxi Rambler took line honors, finishing the 19-nautical mile distance in two hours, 10 minutes. However, Titan 15, a Reichel/Pugh 75 owned by Tom Hill (Puerto Rico) finished in first on corrected time with Hap Fauth (Minneapolis, MN) in second with his Mini Maxi Bella Mente. “We really love the competition,” said Hill after racing. “We have been having so much fun racing Titan that to be that close to the other boats is really enjoyable.” Rambler finished in third.

Hap Fauth's Belle Mente, winner of IRC 1 in the NYYC Annual Regatta, presented by Rolex. Dan Nerney photo.

The Honours List reflects and pays tribute to outstanding achievement and service across the community.

Rod Carr receives CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Speaking this morning Rod Carr said: “I feel incredibly proud to be awarded this honour. It was an honour in itself to lead the RYA during a period of significant change and development for our sport.

“Without the support of an army of committed volunteers, the RYA Staff and my family, my contribution and effectiveness would have been greatly diminished. Not many people are fortunate enough to have had a career in an activity that is their passion; I count myself as extremely privileged.”

Rod Carr was Chief Executive of the RYA from 1990 until his retirement in February of this year.  Born and brought up in Nottingham, Rod started sailing on the River Trent. His passion for the sport of sailing took him to an urban sailing centre in North London and then to the National Sailing Centre in Cowes in 1975, where he became chief instructor four years later.

Rod joined the RYA in the 1980’s where he worked as coach, racing manager and performance director and chief executive. Rod was the architect of the RYA World Class Performance programme for sailing and the grassroots OnBoard sailing programme which helps youngsters to get involved in the sport.

Richard Langford, Chairman of RYA Council: “I was delighted to hear of this well deserved honour for Rod, achieved I am sure not only for his work with the RYA but sailing more generally. On behalf of all the members of the RYA I would like to offer him our heartfelt congratulations.

“Rod has been involved with the sport of sailing since the early 1970’s and with the RYA since the 1980’s. Most people involved with boating will have benefitted from one or more of Rod’s initiatives.

“He has been a respected ambassador for the sport of sailing for almost four decades and has played a key role in supporting the UK’s interests on the sailing world stage for the last fifteen years.

“Sailing has been Rod’s life-long vocation and I am sure that he will be at the forefront of the planning and organisation for the forthcoming Olympics at Weymouth and Portland”.

Performance Yachts 100 (PY-100) "Liara" now for sale

No expense has been spared and no detail, however small, has been missed from inception to completion of this exceptional light-to-moderate displacement yacht design.

Built using the latest high tech composite construction ‘Liara’ far exceeds expectation. A lifting keel is incorporated into the fine hull of this Performance Yachts 100 which has a very long waterline. Her tall, carbon fibre rig means less weight and a very high sail area / displacement ratio.

Fine dining in Liaras saloon

Lawrence of Arabia launch sold to RAF Hendon

ST206 was used by the RAF to ferry passengers and crew to and from the giant flying boats of the 1930s, and was used as a fire tender and rescue launch during World War II.

The boat – the last to fly the Service ensign on water – made its final trip around the south coast and up the Thames in May.

It will be laid up at the RAF Museum, Hendon, North London as part of a permanent exhibition.

The launch was developed by TE Lawrence in his little-known career after his famous desert exploits in World War I.

He entered the RAF’s Marine Section in 1925 under the pseudonym TE Shaw and worked with the British Power Boat Company to develop faster and more effective rescue boats after witnessing a fatal seaplane crash in 1931.

Lawrence was a long time friend of Wing Commander Sydney Smith, the CO of RAF Cattle Water (later RAF Mountbatten), who gave him the role of working with Hubert Scott-Paine, the British Power Boat Company chief designer, to develop new, faster boats for the RAF.

ST 206 is one of the boats on which Lawrence performed the sea trials, broke the speed record, and created the hard chine planing boats that became the British Power Boat Company Series 200.

The project made a vital contribution to speed boat design and ensured that the new generation of boats specially designed to rescue pilots during World War II were faster and more effective.

The RAF used them as transport and long-range escort bomber aircraft in Coastal Command.

ST206 was built to service the Short Sunderland and will join the RAF MuseumÕs Sunderland on display at Hendon.

A museum spokesman said: “Nearly every major port in England was used as a rescue base and ST206 visited many former seaplane bases on her journey where the RNLI had offered their facilities.”

The RAF Marine Section was formed in 1918 under the motto: ‘The Sea Shall Not Have Them’ and the service saved 13,000 lives during World War II.

Sarah Treseder takes to the helm...

“Coming to the RYA is a great opportunity for me to combine my passion for business and my passion for being on the water and to make a lasting contribution to the RYA and all it represents. It is exciting and it will be demanding, but I am looking forward to the challenge”, commented Sarah.

Sarah brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise from the business world, from newspapers, international business and most recently luxury events, as well as a passion and lifelong involvement in boating from, learning to sail with her family at a very early age, to enjoying weekends on canal boats and cruising on board friend’s powerboats.

Sarah continued: “The breadth of the work done by the RYA is quite staggering and the membership is very diverse but I relish the challenge of working with all its areas of expertise.

“Rod leaves behind a huge legacy and some big shoes to fill, but with such a strong team to work alongside I am confident we can deliver even more for our members, clubs, training centres and recreational boaters in the future.”

BMWOracle wins the 33rd America's Cup

Read the full Associated Press news story – http://bit.ly/cxBYEB

Sikorsky S-92 helicopter in a Search and Rescue role

This Search and Rescue helicopter service is provided by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Sea Kings and a civilian helicopter service under contract to the MCA.

This capability will be replaced over the next decade through a single contract placed with Soteria that will retain a proportion of military aircrew working alongside civilian aircrew trained to the same high standards. The service will continue to be managed jointly by the MOD and the MCA.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Quentin Davies, said:

“I am delighted to announce that the Soteria Consortium has been chosen as the Preferred Bidder for the Search and Rescue Helicopter project.

“The new service, which will begin with a phased introduction which is anticipated to begin in 2012, will bring together the current Search and Rescue helicopter provision into one highly effective and harmonised service under a single contract, providing the British taxpayer with an excellent service for many years to come.

“The future service will benefit from modern, fast, reliable helicopters and will continue to operate from 12 bases in order to ensure that it provides a fully effective SAR service.”

Paul Clark, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, said:

“The new harmonised service is an excellent opportunity to build upon the high regard that the UK SAR service is so rightly held in. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency manage a SAR service from their four bases that has already been successfully delivered by a contractor for over 20 years and the new service will build on this proven track record.”

Following finalisation of the contract, the MOD and the Department for Transport expect to be in a position to award the contract later this year.

Sikorsky S-92 helicopter

The Soteria Consortium is made up of CHC, Thales, Sikorsky and the Royal Bank of Scotland, and has chosen the Sikorsky S-92A as its operational helicopter.

The S-92A is providing reliable service internationally in the oil and gas industry and Search and Rescue with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on Shetland and the Isle of Lewis in northern Scotland.

The helicopter has a cruising speed of 145 knots (269km/h), with a radius of operation in excess of 260 nautical miles (482km).

In comparison with the current SAR Sea King helicopters, the new aircraft is approximately 30 per cent faster and has approximately 70 nautical miles (130km) greater radius of operation.

The cabin, that is over 1.7 metres high, has a large door on the starboard side and a ramp at the rear which will allow easy access for casualties and hospital care equipment such as incubators.

The S-92A SAR-H has a fully equipped purpose-built paramedic station, including piped mains oxygen and an electrical power circuit within the cabin, that allows immediate life-saving care to be administered day and night.
Sikorsky S-92 helicopter

Not including the four aircrew, the S-92 can carry ten passengers seated in fully crashworthy seating and one stretcher, or six plus, seated, and two on stretchers in the SAR role.

Sikorsky S-92 helicopter

The helicopter has a twin, side-by-side high speed winch installation which increases the efficiency and safety of rescuing people from places of danger; both winches are identical and rescue is possible using either.

The new service will be phased in progressively taking over site by site, anticipated to start in 2012. The four MCA bases will transition to the new service first and will be followed by the eight MOD bases. The detailed timetable will be finalised as part of concluding the contract.

A common helicopter design has been selected for the future SAR-H service. The black and orange livery will: maximise visibility; signal that this is an emergency service; represent the MOD and the MCA by including the RAF, RN and MCA insignia on all helicopters; and maximise flexibility by being a single colour scheme.

50 of the UK's best powerboat racers claim prizes at ceremony

Held at the prestigious De Vere Royal Bath hotel in Bournemouth, 50 of the UK’s best racers, starting from just age 12, from the disciplines of Jet sport, Offshore and Circuit racing claimed their awards, recognising their achievements throughout the 2009 season in front of some 150 friends, family and supporters.

The evening was hosted by one of the United Kingdom’s leading powerboat racers and the first female British champion in her field, Shelley Jory Leigh who was part of the first all female team to win a Powerboat P1 SuperSport Grand Prix, in Istanbul last year and the RYA’s Powerboat Racing manager John Puddifoot, who himself claimed the 2009 National Sprint SL250 Champion award during the evenings proceedings.

John and Shelley were joined on stage by little known powerboat racer, but world renowned sailor and the first man to sail single handed around the world, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston CBE, who presented the evenings awards.

“I’m delighted to be here this evening celebrating the success of our powerboat racing champions. It’s great to see so many youngsters here collecting their awards and any event that celebrates the success of people out on the water is absolutely fantastic.

“The boats are extremely sexy, but clearly these guys are all mad!” commented Sir Robin, who competed in the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes race with Shelley in 2009, of which he said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but I don’t think I’ll be doing it again!”

Alongside the annual awards a number of special awards were presented including the Offshore sponsors award that went to Scorpion RIBs, the BJ Noone award presented to a youth racer who has demonstrated extraordinary achievements through the season, presented to Scott Curtis 2009 F4 World Champion and the Tony Needell Award which recognises services to the sport, which went to Cliff Watts from the circuit discipline.

Amongst the winners and one of the few female winners on the evening was Anya Colley who claimed the 2009 World Jet Sport Expert Ski Limited & Amateur Ski Open Champion, she said of the evening: “This is my third year at the awards and I think they are wonderful and really well done. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to celebrate what they’ve achieved and have their moment in the spotlight.

“Not many people know about jet-sport so it’s a great opportunity for the other disciplines to hear what we’ve been doing and for us to hear about all the other sports and what they’ve achieved.”

The awards are hosted each year by the RYA in recognition of the UK’s Powerboat Racers achievements, John Puddifoot, RYA Powerboat Racing manager explained: “Year after year the UK’s powerboat racers excel both nationally and internationally doing their country proud and we hold our awards to celebrate these successes. It is also the one opportunity that our champions from every discipline get the chance to get together.”

Once more it has been a fantastic year for Powerboat Racing in the UK during 2009. Some 900 people took to the water and there have been 51 national championships decided, 9 World Championships secured; with 2 New World Records and 11 National Records set.

The UK also played host to its first ever Junior JT250 European championship along with the final round of the OSY400 European championships, a busy year indeed.

Special thanks to Denis Swann for sponsoring the evenings’ drinks reception and to Rotary Watches for donating a selection of watches for a special ‘International Recognition Award’.

To find out more about how you can get involved with any of the power racing disciplines visit the RYA website www.rya.org.uk or call the RYA Powerboat Racing team on 0845 345 0378