North Sails NZ - February newsletter - Sydney Hobart | Millennium Cup

by North Sails NZ on 9 Feb 2017 North Sails February 2017 newsletter looks at two significant regattas for the New Zealand loft - the Millennium Cup sailed in the Bay of Islands at the end of January, and the Rolex Sydney Hobart which started on Boxing Day 2016.

Blessed with near perfect weather, the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart was the fastest yet by a big margin. Perpetual Loyal set a record that will probably never be broken. Beyond the line honours and record chase the Sydney Hobart should have been a big boat race. Powered by North Sails and with a rig from Southern Spars, the New Zealand owned Giacomo, finished just under 2 hours astern of the 30ft longer Perpetual Loyal, and two minutes ahead of a second 100ft supermaxi, Scallywag.

Sydney Hobart Tattersall Trophy
Volvo 70 Giacomo’s IRC victory in the 2016 Sydney-Hobart race was the culmination of an intensive two-year programme, supported by the team at North Sails New Zealand. Sailing aboard the boat as it finished the iconic race second over the line in 1 day, 15 hours, 27 minutes, 5 seconds, was North Sails salesman Richard Bicknell, who has worked closely with owner Jim Delegat and the crew to fine-tune the sail wardrobe and maximise the boat’s performance under IRC.

Bicknell says preparation for the 2016 Hobart race, 'pretty much started once we stepped our new Southern rig back in mid-2015, after we lost the original in the 2014 Hobart.' The boat was campaigned in a range of events in Auckland and Coastal Classic from Auckland to the Bay of Islands, winning everything it entered on line but in predominantly light airs. Giacomo, formerly Groupama 4, also won the 2016 Auckland–Fiji race, setting a new record, before heading to Australia for the CYCA Blue Water series to line up against some of the form Sydney to Hobart IRC boats.

Sailing master Steve Cotton has run the Giacomo programme for Delegat since the boat arrived in New Zealand. For the Sydney–Hobart there were 14 crew on board, including Delegat and his two sons, James and Nikolas; Brad Jackson, Rob Greenhalgh, Tony Rae and navigator Francesco Mongelli. Bicknell sailed as a trimmer with Dave Miller, also from North Sails. North Sails has built a full new suit of sails for the boat since its new rig was stepped, and a new staysail and number two genoa were added for the Hobart race.

'From the outset, Steve has been adamant about the way to mode the boat to win this race. We have done work on the IRC rating when we got the new mast and developed an IRC masthead code zero and an IRC fractional zero. Geometry-wise, the boat is almost identical to when it finished the Volvo Ocean Race with a few small IRC mods,' says Bicknell. 'We took our whole inventory for this race as it can throw anything at you — it really is a race of anything.'

'We have sailed Giacomo enough to have a pretty accurate cross-over and while with the IRC sails it is hard to cover every angle, in this race we got great conditions.'

The race started in a 16 knot northeasterly then built to 20-25 knots.

'We had a great first day sailing with our polyester A4 full size gennaker and our Cuben A3 with the J4 inside them, and these sails were critical to keep in the leading bunch the first night,' says Bicknell. 'We worked hard to keep the boat at full power for the rest of the race. Our masthead zero, J4 and SJ (storm staysail) were also a fast combination at the wind angle we saw later in the race.'

'When we reached the transition off Green Cape, we were able to navigate through that really well, then were on a two-sail reach down to Tasmania. The winning of the race was really in the transition for us — we were only becalmed for a short time then back sailing again at full pace,' says Bicknell.

'Looking back at the race, preparation was a key to Giacomo’s success. We’ve worked really hard for two years to get the sail wardrobe we wanted,' says Bicknell. 'It was also the crew dynamics — it was a fun race. The Volvo guys on board added a lot to the performance and were great to sail with.'

'Being second on line, just minutes ahead of 100-foot supermaxi Scallywag, was amazing, then winning Tattersall’s Cup for IRC was even better.'

Millennium Cup 2017
The Bay of Islands lived up to its reputation for champagne sailing at this year’s Millennium Cup, which saw six superyachts duel it out - genteelly - over three days in late January. The finely turned-out fleet completed three races around the scenic bay, with conditions providing some close racing - in superyacht terms - and an enjoyable week for owners and crew.

Winning the cup on handicap was the 98 foot ketch Tawera, with North Sails consultant Paul Murray on board. Former America’s Cup skipper Chris Dickson called tactics for the regatta, with designer Ron Holland along for the regatta and owner Mike Mahoney on the helm.

Murray says the Tawera crew were able to take advantage of their Mark Foy start position in variable conditions to win all three races on line, as well as handicap honours. 'We were able to pick some good wind shifts, the crew work was superb, and the boat was sailing really well,' he says. 'The other guys just didn’t get a chance to catch up. The owner was over the moon to win two years in a row.'

Tawera had a new set sails fitted before the previous year’s Millennium Cup, from Norths’ 3Di™ Endurance product, specifically designed for superyachts and long-distance cruising boats. 'The sails have done a few miles but they are living up to what the product is designed to do, in terms of durability. The shapes are still as if the sails were new. They’re some of the nicest sails I’ve seen on a boat this size.'

Also sailing in the regatta were North Sails consultants Richard Bicknell, aboard Janice of Wyoming, Miles Addy on Farfalla, and Josh Tucker aboard the 112 footer Silvertip. Bicknell says the highlight of the regatta was the beauty of sailing in the Bay of Islands, as well as finishing second on countback. The 130 foot Janice was carrying a North sails 3Di™ wardrobe new in 2016, and had experienced Kiwi sailors Erle Williams and Joey Allen aboard.

The 104 foot Farfalla was carrying a whole new set of North sails after an extensive refit, including new Southern Spars EC6 rigging and the addition of a new prod. Silvertip was also sporting new North 3Di™ sails, fitted just a few days before the regatta started, and had big names Tony Rae, Tom Schnackenberg and Tom Dodson aboard.

'We had some pretty tight racing with Farfalla and Cavallo, really pushing the 40 metre rule,' says Tucker.

And while racing was tight out on the water, the social and networking events around the regatta were also a critical part of the event.

'It’s a really fun regatta for the owners - they love us all getting together and love the banter and the enjoyment we have while racing,' says Bicknell. 'I can’t say enough about how beautiful the Bay of Islands is, and what a great event this is.'

Go North. Go Beyond.

Two locations:

North Sails NZ are now operating from two premises in Auckland - the sales and drop off office in Westhaven Drive, and the new sail loft in Archers Road, Glenfield.

Sail Loft: 217 Archers Road, Wairau Valley, Auckland, NZ

Sales Office: Unit 3, 23b Westhaven Drive, Freemans Bay, Auckland, NZ

Phone: +64 9 359 5999
Email: sales@nz.northsails.com