The Extreme Sailing Series 2017. Pictures of the Oman Air race team in action during practise racing. Skipper Phil Robertson (NZL) Peter Greenhalgh (GBR), Nasser Al Mashari (OMA), Ed Smyth (NZL) and James Wierzbowski (AUS)
Credit – Lloyd Images
The Oman Air team is heading into the intensity of the European phase of the Extreme Sailing Series confident they can hit top form and challenge their close rivals for supremacy.
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10th Multihull Solutions Regatta 2017 AY Race Report 4 & Summary |
 Thar she blows…The winners are Thor, Twin Sharks, Pulse Yellow & Mojo By AsianYachting MultiMedia July 16th Ao Chalong, Phuket: The remaining yachts approached the start line with trepidation, as the SW’ly gusts were over 20 knots. Flying the hull or hulls became the order of the day and if you weren’t ‘driving like you stole it’, expect to be at the back of the fleet. The daring young men in their flying machines, marched away at the front and ended up winning the 4 classes. As the breeze increased to 25 knots before the second race, the Firefly’s and Pulse 600’s decided to call it a day, while three Stealth cats braved it out. While the others returned to the comfort of the Phuket Yacht Club and wisely choose to preserve their rides for Phuket Raceweek, starting next Thursday. Goto the action packed AY Photo Gallery.
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The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has awarded BAE Systems a grant of £457,000 to design and deliver the UK’s first dedicated autonomous systems testing service.
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Based around Portsmouth, Southampton and the South East of the Isle of Wight, BAE Systems together with ASV Global (ASV), Blue Bear Systems Research (Blue Bear), Marine Electronic Systems (MES), SeeByte and the University of Southampton, will work together to provide the service’s infrastructure, with other organisations set to join later this year. Together the Solent LEP and partner organisations are investing £1.5 million in this project, the first of its kind in the UK.
The new service will be ready for use later this year and customers will be able to conduct trials and test systems such as unmanned boats, air vehicles and autonomous sensors in a safe, controlled and realistic environment in the Solent. Backed by a comprehensive safety case, the service will make use of a secure maritime communications network and a mobile command and control centre, featuring the same technology BAE Systems provides to UK Royal Navy platforms.
The new service was announced during a two-day launch event at the Royal Marines Museum in Eastney, Portsmouth, attended by more than 100 guests from autonomous systems providers, local businesses, academia, the Armed Forces and other interested parties.
BAE Systems’ Combat Systems Head of Technology Frank Cotton said: “Autonomous and unmanned systems are widely regarded as a vital technology for the future, but there is a great deal of work to be done if we are to unlock its true potential and understand how they are best integrated into wider systems. A wide range of organisations from the defence and commercial sectors, along with academia, have ambitions for this technology and this unique service will allow them to find valuable ways to use it whilst furthering its development. The Solent area has a growing number of world class organisations operating in the autonomy sector and we are excited to be working with ASV, Blue Bear, MES, SeeByte and the University of Southampton to launch this concept this week. It is anticipated that the full test service will go live later this year.”
Solent LEP Maritime Chairman Ian Millen said: “The Solent is the heart of the UK’s Marine and Maritime sector and the assets we possess enable the region, its businesses and the UK economy to compete globally. From the Port of Southampton, the most productive port in Europe, to Portsmouth Naval Base, HQ of the Royal Navy and soon to be home to the largest aircraft carriers in UK history, the Solent is used to making waves on an international stage. The key to this success has always been founded in innovation and, through our investment to create the UK’s first autonomous systems testing service in the Solent, the LEP will ensure that the area and its businesses, large and small, continue to be a driving force for UK innovation for years to come.”
In October 2016, BAE Systems and the test service partners successfully showcased their autonomous maritime capabilities in the Royal Navy’s ‘Unmanned Warrior’ exercise – the world’s first large scale demonstration of innovative maritime robotic systems. BAE Systems’ bespoke ACER (Autonomous Control Exploitation and Realisation) system provided a seamless flow of information from sensors on the unmanned boats to crews on the hosting warships. One of the unmanned boats used in the Unmanned Warrior exercise was BAE Systems’ Pacific Class 950 Unmanned Rigid Inflatable Boat which is capable of travelling autonomously at up to 47kts for up to 12 hours at a time. The autonomous technology on the Pacific Class 950 can be retro-fitted to existing boats.
The Yacht, finally clear of the shingle bank, being escorted into Holy Island Harbour, to be met by the Coastguard Rescue Team and Harbour Master.
A relieved Yacht skipper we suspect !
At 17:00hr on Friday 14th July 2017, both lifeboats relaunched, and returned to the yacht to assist it to free itself on tonight’s high tide. The tide was tonight was slightly lower than this morning, so if the yacht could not be freed, it could be marooned for a week at least till the tides start to pick up again. At the point of high tide, the yacht was still not refloating. With some wash generated by the lifeboats, it was finally possible to gently tow the yacht clear. Care had to be taken to prevent any damage to the yacht’s hull. The yacht, once finally clear, was escorted to Holy Island harbour, where it was met by the local Coastguard Rescue Team. After a friendly chat between the Coastguard, yacht crew and lifeboat crews, both Seahouses Lifeboats returned to station at 20.30hr that night. A slightly difficult job, but with a successful conclusion.
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10th Multihull Solutions Regatta 2017 AY Race Report 2 |
Fresh breeze claims some scalps on Day 2  By AsianYachting MultiMediaJuly 15th Ao Chalong, Phuket: The strong wind warning issued by the Phuket Weather Bureau proved to be correct and produced plenty of exciting moments, equipment failure and a spectacular nose dive, followed by a capsize. The saving grace was, that there were no rain squalls, normally associated with the blustery SW monsoon. Each day has produced some carnage and after two windward/leeward races today, the fleet is drastically reduced. The prevailing breeze is predicted to increase tomorrow and some doubt exist on whether to race, with a wait and see attitude. The class leaders managed to stay under control and have extended their lead. Goto the action packed AY Photo Gallery |
As Rytov tightens his grasp on the lead at the Europeans, the Melges 20 World League fleet anticipates a very intense final day of racing in Sibenik
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10th Multihull Solutions Regatta 2017
AY Race Report 1
 Tricky conditions make hard work on Day 1By AsianYachting MultiMedia July 14th Ao Chalong, Phuket: The day started with a light South Westerly but as the passing storm stayed overland, the side effect was for severe changes in wind direction and speed. PRO Simon James elected to send the entire fleet on Course 16, out of Ao Chalong, around Ko Bon and back inside Ao Chalong for some dog legs before finishing. The boats that nailed the start line in clear wind, established early leads but selecting the correct line inshore, out of the current and stronger breeze, paid dividends. As the breeze wasn’t steady to set windward/leeward courses for the second race, the racers were sent on the same course, while the Pulse 600’s did a short inshore race. These were completed in quick time, just as the clouds opened up and a heavy deluge put an end to the days racing. |
