Sailing
July 9, 2007 Hobie is a name that’s been associated with innovation in aquatic sports since Hobie Alter started creating boards for the fledgling sport of surfing in his father's garage more than half a century ago - and this latest creation is no exception. A true “best of both worlds” invention, this unique cross between a pedal powered kayak and a trimaran adds an entirely new dimension to sailing. The Hobie Mirage Adventure Island is a 16-foot, single-person “Sail/yak” that combines the Hobie MirageDrive pedal-propulsion system with a 5.38 square meter sail and two amas (outriggers) that provide stability on the water and fold back into the hull for docking and beaching. Read More
July 5, 2007 UPDATED IMAGES For four hundred years majestic tall ships ruled the world’s oceans carrying cargo and migrants to far corners of the globe, but the advent of steam power in the late 19th century brought the golden age of sail to an end and rendered wind-powered vessels obsolete – but did it? Recent projects in both Europe and the U.S are seeking to breathe new life into this “old technology” and once again give sail-power a viable role in commercial shipping. The new era of sail-power wont see the return of square rigged barques or clipper ships, but rather the introduction of high-tech kite sails that generate greater propulsion power than conventional sails. These can be used to supplement the propulsion systems of all kinds of cargo vessels and in the process generate economic benefit, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and deliver emission reductions in a sector that has become one of the world’s biggest polluters. Read More
June 27, 2007 America's Cup defender Alinghi beat Emirates Team New Zealand to square the match at two wins apiece here today in Valencia. The Swiss team led the entire race, on another day of tricky, shifty conditions, with the light 8 to 10 knot wind blowing out of the East. SUI 100 helmsman Ed Baird won the right hand side of the starting line and Alinghi was in a powerful position for the rest of the race. The scoreline reads 2-2 with Thursday a scheduled 'off' day, and racing set to resume on Friday. Read More
June 26, 2007 Emirates Team New Zealand won its second consecutive race in the 32nd America's Cup Match here today, beating Alinghi by 25 seconds in a thrilling race that will go down in the books as one of the most exciting matches in Cup history. With difficult weather conditions which saw massive windshifts over much of the race course area, the Team NZ built a massive lead early, only to see it disappear during the middle portion of the race. The final run to the finish in a dying breeze gave them a second chance, and this time skipper Dean Barker and his afterguard were up to the task, finding more wind on the right side of the race course and streaking past Alinghi for the win just metres from the finishing line. Read More
June 23, 2007 America’s Cup Defender Alinghi won the first race of the 32nd America’s Cup Match on Saturday afternoon in the waters off Valencia. In perfect conditions for racing, with a stable 12 knot sea breeze, Emirates New Zealand skipper Dean Barker won the start, but within a few minutes, Alinghi showed enough pace to force the Kiwi boat to tack, and from there, the Swiss were in control. Alinghi is now long odds-on with bookmakers to win the best of nine race series, Read More
May 23, 2007 Part of sailing's exclusive reputation is due to the considerable cost and inconvenience of owning, transporting and storing watercraft. A UK company has just made the sport far more accessible, with a range of small, sporty 2-person catamarans that fold up and fit into a convenient carry bag - so it's now possible to take your own boat on holiday with you, or become a weekend racer with your boat stored in a cupboard through the week. Read More
