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Every once in a while a class and a regatta come together and produce a major happening. That’s the case this year with the Corum Melges 24 World Championship, sailing out of the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo December 11-16. One hundred boats, and you won’t be able hoist a beer without elbowing a world champion, a sailmaker, or an America’s Cup sailor. Philippe Kahn and his 2003 world champion son Shark will be there, with Papa Kahn getting tactical input form none other than Russell Coutts. This will be a classic. Stay tuned…

Shark Attack: “Where’s Dad? Time to lee bow him again for laughs…”

This snowboarder really launches. Funny thing is, it was totally unintentional. Watch here…

“Uh-oh…”

Still haven’t signed up (see below)? Well, maybe you need to watch Part 2 of Sir Robin’s excellent visual enticement…

Joltin’ Joe Harris: “I’ll be there, especially if I can keep the damn bow out of the water…”

It doesn’t start until next October. But the 5 Oceans Race, formerly the Around Alone, is the next big solo race on the calender. Around the world, alone, in just four legs. Why am I writing about it now? Because all you dreamers out there have just enough time to register and charter a boat, and I’m here to help you do it. Need a notice of race? Go here. Need a boat? Go here. Need inspiration? Watch Part 1of the slick vid Sir Robin has put together (Parts 2 and 3 will air later in the week). Go on. Go racing. You know you want to…

Frigid, Soaking, Lonely Fun: “I can’t believe Tim talked me into this…”

Hate shopping? Don’t know what to get the Wetasses in your life? Then I urge you to peruse this list of the 100 greatest adventure books, compiled by National Geographic adventure. Number 1? The Worst Journey in the World, by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, about Scott’s failed mission to the South Pole. Here’s the write-up:

As War and Peace is to novels, so is The Worst Journey in the World to the literature of polar travel: the one to beat. The author volunteered as a young man to go to the Antarctic with Robert Falcon Scott in 1910; that, and writing this book, are the only things of substance he ever did in life. They were enough. The expedition set up camp on the edge of the continent while Scott waited to go for the Pole in the spring. But first, Cherry-Garrard and two other men set out on a midwinter trek to collect emperor penguin eggs. It was a heartbreaker: three men hauling 700 pounds (318 kilograms) of gear through unrelieved darkness, with temperatures reaching 50, 60, and 70 degrees below zero (-46, -51, and -57 degrees Celsius); clothes frozen so hard it took two men to bend them. But Cherry-Garrard’s greater achievement was to imbue everything he endured with humanity and even humor. And—as when he describes his later search for Scott and the doomed South Pole team—with tragedy as well. His book earns its preeminent place on this list by captivating us on every level: It is vivid; it is moving; it is unforgettable.

It doesn’t get much more laudatory than that. But, you know what? The reviewer is right. And if you’ve read it already, don’t worry. There’s tons of good stuff on this list…

Chilled Cherry-Garrard: “Sure everyone is dying. But it’s going to make an amazing book…”

When we last checked in on Alain Thebault’s flying, foil-elevated tri, it had broken into bits during a transatlantic record attempt. It was towed into the Canaries, and despite near total destruction the old girl is being rebuilt. After assembly Hydroptere will continue on to Miami and New York, presumably for more record attempts. Who knows when that will happen. But in the meantime go to the hompepage and check out the very cool video of Hydroptere sailing fast. And then go here to watch a four minute video of how Hydroptere came to be, with great footage of scale models and test tank action. This is still one of the coolest projects afloat. And you have to admire Thebault’s resilience and determination…

“Is this thing really a sailboat…?”

Bog With An Irish View…
(Photo: Courtesy of TWC reader Andrew Killen)

Is this bungee jumping or BASE jumping (click here to watch)? I can’t tell. But who cares? It’s pretty creative (though he does end up in a tree)…

How Great Ideas Are Born: “Damn, I sure could use a parachute about now. Hmmm…”

Now, this would be an impressive regatta:

A new race for giant multihulls will be, officially, announced on December 7, at the Paris Boat Show.

The event is being organised by naval architect Yann Penfornis, a member of the Multiplast design team, who was project manager for Orange II and is now fulfilling that role for Franck Cammas’ Groupama 3.

The start and finish, of the 12 day race will be in Vannes and, as Penfornis told BYM News “All the big boys will be there!”

The competitors committed to lining up are Orange II, the original Orange, Cheyenne (formerly Playstation), Doha 2006 (formerly Club Med), Geronimo and Groupama 3, which will be launched next May.

All these boats, except Cheyenne, are built by Multiplast, which – in the last few years – has built more giant multihulls, than any yard in the world.

Groupama 3 is the second maxi-trimaran to be built by the yard; the first was the Van Peteghem /Lauriot-Prévost designed Geronimo, which was in the process of being built when the three Multiplast maxicatamarans, Club Med, Team Adventure and Innovation Explorer, took the first three places in The Race.

Since then, the number of circumnavigations undertaken by maxi-multihulls has multiplied and the Jules Verne Trophy record has been beaten three times; most recently by the Multiplast built Orange II, in the sensational time of 50 days, 16 hours, 20 minutes and 4 seconds.

Interesting, very interesting, if true, though the notable absence of an actual date for the race is telling. These guys always claim every possible boat is committed, and then end up with maybe two boats on the line…and one of them is Tony Bullimore on the old Enza. Still, we’ll stay tuned…

“Saddle up, boys. We’ve got another maxi-multihull party to crash…”

This is called payback:

JERUSALEM (AFP) – An Israeli diver hunting swordfish off the coast of Tel Aviv was taken for bait, was reportedly attacked by a shoal of his prey and then skewered in the face by one fish’s swordlike jaw.

The unlucky fisherman somehow managed to fight free of the angry fish and reach shore, where he was taken to a hospital in the nearby town of Kfar Saba.

The man had a 20-centimetre (eight-inch) section of the fish’s “sword” stuck in his face and protruding from each cheek, the Yediot Aharonot newspaper reported.

Now that makes for an interesting emergency room tale…

“If I ever get out of this, I swear I’m going to spear the next motherf*cker that comes anywhere near me…”