FEATURES

(Almost) time to play
BRAD BUTTERWORTH is ‘excited’. He may not have wanted an America’s Cup DoG match, but giant multihulls... what’s not to like?

Changing the mould
EF Education Whitbread veteran and now Velux 5 Oceans race manager KINY PARADE has lots to smile about following the launch of the Eco 60

The clock starts here
At last... one Oracle boat or two... Valencia or Puerto Calero... or Tarifa... and are we really out of the woods? TIM JEFFERY looks at the 10-month timetable for the 33rd America’s Cup

Big town – big times
Boston was a successful stop for the Volvo Race in more ways than one

Putting back the mojo
– Part 2
KNUT FROSTAD continues his explanation of the so far relatively discrete but potentially far-reaching changes that he is implementing for the subsequent editions of the Volvo Ocean Race

Fireside tales
– Part 2
PETER HARKEN moves onto a discussion of some of the materials and load-bearing systems his company has looked at over the last 40 years

To infinity and (perhaps) beyond
ADRIAN GILLITT describes the development and execution of the build for the Judel-Vrolijk 72 Ran, which took IRC raceboat building to America’s Cup levels of refinement and detail

Old school
Another person who has played a big part in the evolution of some pretty fine composite beasts is MICK COOKSON, but he is taking a little time out right now... as he explains to TIM JEFFERY

REGULARS

Commodore’s letter ANDREW MCIRVINE

Editorial ANDREW HURST

Update
TERRY HUTCHINSON has a battle on his hands at the MedCup, DALTS gets the hose out, CAMMAS gets back in action, ROB MUNDLE strikes gold in Thailand and GERARD MORRIS puts thermoplastics into a wider perspective...

World news
Has the Imoca class done enough, a new ‘boat’ for Thébault, Class 40 goes global... skiff revival in Kiwi, CLOUDS the petrolhead and Sweden lends a new twist to the America’s Cup saga. DOBBS DAVIS, IVOR WILKINS, CARLOS PICH, ROB MUNDLE and PATRICE CARPENTIER

Paul Cayard
PAUL pays tribute to the fighting billionaires and all that they have done for the next Volvo Ocean Race...

ORC column

Olympic and small boat news – Upping the stakes
As boatbuilders MARC PICKEL and Jon VanderMolen prepare to start series production, we can look a little deeper into the development of their much-discussed new P Star

Design – Remaking the Bella
Hound to princess in several not so easy stages. DEE SMITH was entrusted with the resurrection of HAP FAUTH’s initially disappointing – but now extremely winning – Mini Maxi Bella Mente

Seahorse raceboat build table – One for all reasons... (sort of)
Andrea Vallicelli’s new Comet 54s design looks likely to soon be hauling in the silverware under both the ORC and IRC handicap systems

RORC news
EDDIE WARDEN OWEN 

Seahorse regatta calendar

Sailor of the Month
It’s a generation thing...

Below:
The reason why STP65 sailors feel at a disadvantage against their ‘open’ IRC rivals. The 49er -style aft hull flare on the latest IRC 72 Ran offers demonstrably more mechanical righting moment than the slab-sides of Luna Rossa – dictated by the constraints of the STP65 box rule