Andi Robertson 2O Andy Rice

Andi Robertson

The Ocean Race is seeking to raise the game in its move to include the IMOCA 60 as a crewed class, but has it taken the right approach?

It still seems hard to visualise what The Ocean Race is going to look like and how it will finally unfold. One esteemed commentator recently described it as in its death throes - I sincerely hope it’s not. But clearly it is not getting the traction within the

IMOCA fleet that they hoped for.

Yes, there may be a couple of boats and teams still to appear last minute, but I don’t see more than four or five

IMOCAs on the start line.

It now seems that, rather than complement the Vendée

Globe, the massive success of that solo non-stop race round the world actually leaves a very small space for a crewed race.

For major sponsors, you could argue that the Vendée Globe represents better value and a more engaging proposition at this present time for a smaller budget. My benchmark was always that ‘AI makes pilot systems more efficient than the

Alex Thomson’s team in Boss colours were instrumental in supporting the move to IMOCA, human helm in many conditions... the performance gap between solo and crewed must be converging’ but the race became too expensive and too long for them. If it was not for them, who is it for? ABOVE only have the opportunity once in our life to build a new

Clearly Boris Herrmann - who leads Team Malizia - has done his sums and sees it as a viable proposition for his The crewed, foiling IMOCA 60 is one of two fleets racing boat, which is why the choice was made very quickly.” By most conventions, having already built a boat for the new boat, which will launch this spring. He finished fifth in the last Vendée Globe. He created a German audience in next year’s The Ocean Race; the other is the VO65 race and with the most comprehensive training and prep programme already in place, 11th Hour Racing then should of over five million regular fans and after Cape Horn was be the stand-out favourites. They will do two Transatlantics featuring on national terrestrial broadcasting every day. this season, to and from their home in Newport, and you

Long before he was finished it became obvious he could can add in the two they did last year between the Transat monetise the new following very swiftly to massively expand Jacques Vabre. By comparison, new boats like Team his programme to build new, and now plans to do the Route Malizia which will do the Route du Rhum will be sailed du Rhum, The Ocean Race and the next Vendée Globe. conservatively as they have no room at all for breakdowns.

“A study by the Melt Water Institute estimated the advertising I do hope The Ocean Race does prosper, but right now value of media return at 420 million euros. We must certainly it needs to evolve to something above and beyond just take that with a pinch of salt, but it shows the importance another opportunity for the top pro sailors doing their job. of the media impact which broke the ice in Germany, we It has always been the case that the crewed boats could be IMAGE SAILING ENERGY/THE OCEAN RACE did not expect that at all!” Herrmann said recently. “It’s fabulous to see how the Vendée Globe has allowed young and international teams like ours to achieve such success and we really had a very strong dynamic that pushed sponsors to come and meet with us and now to take part in the adventure. We were even able to choose our partners, today we have eight united under the slogan ‘A Race We Must Win’. This dynamic led us to tell ourselves that we would perhaps ANDI ROBERTSON An offshore sailing expert, few people can match Andi’s insight into the big boat world, both in the UK and globally pushed harder. As routing software and meteo forecasting becomes more advanced, AI makes pilot systems more efficient than the human helm in many conditions, the performance gap between solo and crewed must be converging all the time. It will be interesting to see what unfolds. Sadly this is my last column for Yachts & Yachting. Thanks to all who have collaborated over the 30 years I have had pleasure of contributing.

Andy Rice

Whether it’s sailing with the family or making an unprecedented mark on the Winter Series, one top dinghy sailor shows us there’s no substitute for getting involved

Gilbert & McGrane, one of the best known partnerships on the GBR dinghy scene, have been she’s experiencing more sailing that way than she would any other way. So it’s a good starting point. “Young kids, especially sailing together for almost 15 when they’re sailing with years. That’s longer than Burling someone reasonably good, and Tuke! Roger Gilbert and Ben they’re like sponges. You

McGrane were originally rivals can pick up a lot as a crew on the 49er circuit, Roger as a that you can then transfer high-achieving weekend warrior and use for helming later on the Olympic scene while Ben on, or you find a passion for was part of the British squad. crewing and become a crew.”

Although Ben didn’t make it to While Ben would love for the Games, there’s no doubt he’s Keira to enjoy the sport as one of Britain’s best small-boat much as he does, there’s no big sailors. Not only that, Ben clearly agenda. “I’m not sure we’re loves the sport with a passion. It was great to see Ben joining Hyde Sails last year. A “I don’t know why it’s always gybe at the church, but there trying to create Olympic rock stars or anything. I think me and Ros just want sign perhaps that Hyde Sails is returning to its roots of developing fast sails for small were plenty of spectators there to watch the action this time” our kids to find something to be passionate about and pursue it. That might be boats. As Ben says, mass- sailing, it might be climbing, producing sails for the so-called OEM market, for the high- ABOVE which my daughter loves, and she’s just started doing karate. volume single-manufacturer one-designs that are sold in Gilbert and McGrane So there’s plenty of other things on the agenda. At the moment their hundreds, remains the company’s bread and butter. So in action at the recent Tiger Trophy, the they love being around the water, so we’ll keep doing that.” while making sails for the likes of RS, Topper and whatever penultimate event of Meanwhile Gilbert and McGrane have been tearing a Laser is called these days, is the bigger part of the business, the 2021-22 Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series up the track in the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, sailing the passion part of the business is where Ben is focused. their 505 to victory in three of the events across a variety

Ben appears equally comfortable and equally winning in any of wind conditions - a mixed bag Fernhurst Books part of the boat, whether he’s trimming the kite sheet at the front Draycote Dash, a light-air King George Gallop, and a or waggling the tiller at the back. Despite spreading himself typically stormy Tiger Trophy at Rutland Water. pretty thin across a number of classes, Ben seems to hit the front There are two rules for the Tiger Trophy says Ben. “Rule of almost any fleet with sickening ease. When he briefly owned One, it’s always windy! Rule Two, gybe at the church!” Ben a Musto Skiff, Ben often left the rest of the fleet in the dust. adds: “I don’t know why it’s always gybe at the church, but

Jumping on to a Musto Skiff really shouldn’t come that easy. there were plenty of spectators there to watch the action this

This year Ben identifies the 505 Worlds in Ireland and time. We were following Mike Sims in his 505 and he gybed

Cowes Week aboard an XOD as his two primary focuses for and capsized, right at the point where we wanted to gybe. the season. “Although my seven-year-old daughter Keira There was about 100 metres of water before we were about might argue the Mirror Nationals is more important,” Ben run into the shore at high speed. So we said let’s drop and laughs. “We won the Mirror Nationals last year which was tack round. You have to be quick and adapt to the situation pretty good fun, quite special. It’s a class which has fully in the Sailjuice events. Hopefully when we get back on a big embraced parents racing with their children. Turning up there course with the 505 fleet it will seem a bit more laid back. and finding ourselves racing Simon Hiscocks [49er Olympic But probably not, it will just be hectic in different ways.”PHOTO TIM OLIN/SAILJUICE WINTER SERIES medallist] and DJ Edwards [former Fireball World Champion] and people like that in Mirrors, it’s absolutely brilliant.” While kids going sailing with their parents seems to have gone out of fashion over the past few decades, Ben says this is how he came to the sport and likes to believe Keira is enjoying sailing with her dad. “She loves it. She has sailed in up to 30 knots and she’s doing the spinnaker trim, she’s hiking as hard as she can. It’s fairly advanced sailing for her age, and I think ANDY RICE As a sailing journalist and TV commentator Andy has unparalleled knowledge of the dinghy sailing scene, from grassroots to Olympic level As I write, the Oxford Blue was yet to take place for the concluding event of this season’s Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series. But their three victories are an unprecedented achievement in the series which now leaves Gilbert and McGrane clear to become the first ever winners of the Winter Series in a 505. It bodes well for the summer. Watch out for a world-class performance from this dedicated duo at the 505 Worlds in Cork this August.