sumurun yacht crash

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it’s complicated

The causes of this 2007 collision at Newport between  Sumurun,  the 94’   William Fife 1915 ketch, and  Amorita , a Nat Herreshoff 44’ gaffer launched in 1905 were complex.

A third classic yacht,  Alera , had spun  Amorita  into  Sumurun ’s path although the big ketch was found to be at fault for not keeping clear.  Amoirta  sank, but after a two-year legal battle was restored and re-launched in 2011.

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Litigation - following a regata collision. Amorita - Sumurun crash in 2007.

• Thread starter Zen Zero
• Start date 10 Nov 2015
• 11 Nov 2015

macd said: The collision ocurred in 2007, and was widely reported along with news of the suit beng brought. However, I can find no links to the outcome of the court action. Maybe Towbin settled? Click to expand...

Active member

Zen Zero said: Yes the word is that they settled with "sealed" conditions. Click to expand...

Well-known member

That's a pretty incredible story! I could, kind of, see where he was going in filing the initial appeal, that his penalty was to retire and should not have been changed to DSQ. But, man alive, you run over and sink another vessel from clear astern... You man up, apologise and get your insurers on the case.  

flaming said: That's a pretty incredible story! You man up, apologise and get your insurers on the case. Click to expand...

Quick point/caution: we are only seeing one side of the argument here and nobody seems to quite know the ongoing status of the case. In light of this, and of the amount of legal flak being thrown around, I'd personally be inclined to desist from any outright criticisms of either party. Also bear in mind that US citizens to tend to recourse to law more than we do.  

dom said: ..... I'd personally be inclined to desist from any outright criticisms of either party..... Click to expand...

Resolution said: But as many of us sailors are owners of "luxury yachts" (thank you, Daily Mail), we must presumably be rich.....and therefore Not Nice. So we should stop pretending to like and be polite each other. Click to expand...

Romeo said: You are not really getting the hang of the internet. I don't think we can say that there was any malice here though. I would think it is more likely to be carelessness/ ineptitude all be it with dangerous consequences. There must be a lot to think about approaching a mark in a 100 foot vessel with that many sails up. Perhaps an argument for avoiding having vessels of such varying size and speed on the same racecourse at the same time. Click to expand...

Capt Popeye

Humm, not aware of present days Race Rules in yacht racing, but if we were to compare the skippers actions and non actions resulting in this pretty major collision with those commonly used in Road Traffic accidents, tis I read most common to see what preventative actions were taken by the parties involved. For instance, did a vehicle slow down, brake, swerve to avoid etc etc, if not then these non preventative actions are oft reported in the summing up and apportioning blame. So?  

JumbleDuck said: Rich people are never nice Click to expand...

Zen Zero said: B had recently tacked onto Big Boat's track... Click to expand...

More information about the case, including the protest forms and results. http://www.ny30.org/pdfs/Complaint2.pdf Excellent that the protest committee noted that it accepted the protest even though no protest flag was shown. "No hail or protest flag as protest boat sank."  

dom said: Quick point/caution: we are only seeing one side of the argument here and nobody seems to quite know the ongoing status of the case. Click to expand...

macd said: ...unless they've read post #21. Click to expand...

• 12 Nov 2015

chrishscorp

What shines through all of this is to see the pictures of Amorita brought out of the repair shed and relaunched, hats off to the craftsmen involved, a labour of love i would suggest.  

• 14 Nov 2015

Foolish Muse said: It's pretty ridiculous that the court even considered the case. They should have just left it with the protest committee. In fact the only issue in front of the court should have been whether the protest committee (and the following US Sailing Appeals Committee) was the correct forum for hearing the protest. The court is opening themselves up to a huge number of cases with this. Can you imagine what would happen if every crash in auto races ended up in court? The article does not tell us what is the actual purpose of the lawsuit. Perhaps the Sumurun insurance company is refusing to pay without a court order. As said above, the court should not hear the facts of the case at all. They should do nothing more than rule that the Sailing Committee is the proper forum for this. Click to expand...

• 15 Nov 2015

Seven Spades

Something is odd here. Why didn't the insurance companies sort it out? Were one or both un-insured? You would have expected Amorita's insurers to have issued the litigation not the owner it is all quite odd.  

Seven Spades said: Something is odd here. Why didn't the insurance companies sort it out? Were one or both un-insured? You would have expected Amorita's insurers to have issued the litigation not the owner it is all quite odd. Click to expand...

4. We shall have the absolute right in our discretion and at our expense:- (i) to commence or take over and conduct the defence of any claim against or prosecution of an Insured Person arising out of an occurrence which might give rise to a claim under the Policy; (ii) to commence or take over and conduct any claim brought in the name of an Insured Person to recover sums which are or which might be payable under the Policy; (iii) to commence or take over and conduct the representation of an Insured Person at any inquest, inquiry or similar proceeding which might give rise to a claim under the Policy. Click to expand...

Skyflyer: what you wrote may very well be the case in the UK, but it's perhaps a bit of a stretch to assume it's also the case in the US? Certainly none of the many reports of the case I've read mentioned insurance or insurers in any way.  

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Old Salt Blog

A virtual port of call for all those who love the sea , hosted by nautical novelist rick spilman.

Amorita’s Unlucky Day

Photo by Billy Black – www.billyblack.com

The first time I saw Billy Black ‘s photo of the collision, I had to look twice to believe what I was seeing. It show two white yachts, both under full sail, one slicing half-way through the other.  The collision took place on 07/07/07.  The losing boat in the collision was the 107-year-old NY30 Herreshoff yacht Amorita of Newport, RI.   “ 07-07-07, Amorita’s Unlucky Day” is a film, directed by French sailor-director Pierre Marcel, which recounts the history, dramatic sinking and resurrection of the classic yacht Amorita.

“07-07-07, Amorita’s Unlucky Day” Film trailer

http://www.classicboat.co.uk/news/amorita-and-sumurun-the-most-dramtatic-yacht-racing-crash-of-recent-history-video/

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100 Summers of Sumurun

SUMURUN celebrated her 100th birthday earlier this summer.

First with a gathering of her ex-crew and friends at Harbour Court, the New York Yacht Club’s swish Newport summer house, then with a season of sailing which saw her win the Opera House Cup at Nantucket.

We featured the above picture in our August issue, and our November issue – out October 10, features the story of this incredible Fife ketch, which owner Bob Towbin first sailed in Cannes in 1975. Here are a few more shots from sailing aboard, at Newport.

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William Fife III 94 ft Bermudan Ketch 1914/2019

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BROKER'S COMMENTS

Born into an aristocratic air of racy intrigue, SUMURUN’s charms have wooed a select band of suitors since her launch at Fairlie. A legend in many lifetimes, SUMURUN is one of the most exquisite of William Fife’s large ‘fast cruisers’. For almost 110 years this 94ft ketch, formerly yawl, has been in commission and loved, most recently by the current owner who treated SUMURUN to a major 2017-2019 refit at Chantier du Guip. Return to classic racing late in 2019 was triumphant, with victory at Saint-Tropez. Rigged as a bermudan ketch since 1935, this handy configuration was retained but brought subtly up to date by Juan Kouyoumdjian. Under it, SUMURUN is perhaps consistently faster than ever, yet retains the ability to cross oceans comfortably; something she has quite a reputation for. “Form is temporary; class is permanent.”

RESTORATION/ REFIT

2017-2019: CHANTIER DU GUIP, BREST, FRANCE - New sail plan (Juan Kouyoumdjian) - All new spars (Pasqui, Villefranche-sur-Mer) - New sails, new running rigging, new standing rigging - New deck plan, new winches - New helm station - New stem and associated work - Replacement of some floors - Some frames restoration - Bilge painting - Changing keel bolts - Changing ballast bolts - Checking and changing lag bolts, rivets and planking bolts - Relocation of the mizzen mast step - Associated structural work; new mizzen chainplates - Refit rudder, new fittings - Total rewiring - New propeller, new propeller shaft, new reverse gear - Engine refit + paint + change of all hoses, new generator 2014-2015 - Deck re-caulked - Refrigeration system and insulation renewed 2011 - 6 x Keel bolts replaced - 7 x Double oak frames replaced amidships, N°s 21 to 28 - Silicon bronze dumps and bolts used throughout 2004: WAYFARER MARINE, CAMDEN, MAINE, USA - New teak deck fitted by Teak Deck Systems - 20 mm teak laid deck - Substrate of 2 x layers marine plywood (12mm and 18mm) - Nearly all deck beams replaced in laminated iroko

WILLIAM FIFE & SON YARD NO. 640 “More extreme boats, and less extreme boats than the really beautiful 90-ton yawl for Lord Sackville have been built at Fairlie. Speaking, however, with a close personal knowledge of about 50 years’ duration of the yard of Messrs. Fife, we should say there has not been fashioned in it one in which the best elements of several types have been better or more harmoniously blended… She is a very heavily wooded boat, and so perfectly has she been put together that she looks as if she should, bar accidents, wear for, well, say a hundred years.” The Yachtsman, 19 March 1914 “The big handicap class… raced around the coast, and during the later 1920s was dominated by two beautiful yawls built by Fife and sailed by Essex crews. Sir William Burton’s RENDEZVOUS, launched in 1913, was an elegant 87 footer sailed by Captain James Barnard of Rowhedge and his great rival was Hugh Paul’s SUMURUN, a fast 94 footer sailed by Captain Nat Gurten of Tollesbury. Both boats set 5,500 square feet of canvas and, immaculately kept and sailed, were examples of the very best type of yacht produced in any period of the sport.” John Leather, The Northseamen, 1971 Reputedly commissioned as a love token cruising yacht gift from Victoria Sackville-West to her husband Lionel Sackville-West, 3rd Baron Sackville - did strict Presbyterian William Fife Junior ('III') have a twinkle in his eye as he honed the half model that would be used to loft her sweet lines? This was to be no ordinary cruising yacht. Fife knew such yachts as 'Fast Cruisers' - nowadays we call them 'Cruiser-Racers' - but SUMURUN is surely 'Racer-Cruiser'. In fact, SUMURUN is everything, and that is the essence of a William Fife Fast Cruiser: wholesome; stoutly and beautifully constructed; exquisitely finished and fitted out, sea kindly - and fast. SUMURUN’s beautifully drawn-out overhangs certainly suggest more than a nod to racing pretensions, commented on by those in the know as soon as she was launched on Wednesday 29th April 1914, but the yawl’s early forays on the regatta circuit in the command of Captain Robert Wringe of Brightlingsea (a veteran of Thomas Lipton’s first three SHAMROCK America’s Cup Challenges) were short lived. The First World War broke out on the eve of Cowes Week 1914 and the yawl would spend the next five seasons laid up. First class yachting was slow to revive after the armistice, with King George V leading the way in 1920 by commissioning BRITANNIA. SUMURUN joined in, and either side of Cowes Week enjoyed extended cruises ‘down channel’, but Sackville-West had other things on his mind - and perhaps health issues. SUMURUN’s early 1920s moment of glory was taking line honours in the Royal Yacht Squadron’s 1922 Cowes Week King’s Cup regatta over a first class fleet that included her Fife stablemate fast cruising ketch VALDORA and the mighty Big Class cutter TERPSICHORE (later LULWORTH). SUMURUN’s early period racing heyday would come during the late 1920s under the new ownership of Ipswich maltster and Rear-Commodore of Royal Harwich Yacht Club (and member of many others) Hugh F. Paul. In particular, her races against fellow RHYC flag officer, Vice-Commodore William P. Burton’s one-year-older, similar concept, slightly smaller and lighter Fife “Cruising 17-Metre” yawl RENDEZVOUS became something of legend – beautifully described above by John Leather. Hugh Paul was considered a good amateur helmsman - still relatively unusual for the time. Hugh and his wife 'Maudie' would spend extended periods living aboard during the regatta season which always started early summer in south east England, and often took in the Clyde and Dublin regattas before returning south in time for Cowes Week in August. Towards the end of the 1930 season Hugh Paul purchased the Nicholson 23-Metre ASTRA and optimised her to compete very successfully with the J-Class. SUMURUN required a new suitor who eventually appeared in 1932: entrepreneur and successful racehorse owner Frederick W. Shenstone. During Shenstone’s ownership SUMURUN was a bona fide cruiser and very occasional racer; she was converted to Bermudan Ketch rig and received her first engine, a trusty 4-cylinder Gardner diesel. Although Shenstone lived in Sussex, Lloyd’s survey data through the period of his ownership – until 1951 – suggests she may have been based at Dartmouth or Brixham, though she is believed to have spent the Second World War very carefully laid up in a Hamble River mud berth. She somehow kept her original lead keel. Some of SUMURUN’s competitors from these between-the-wars seasons are still with us: the 15-Metre THE LADY ANNE (Fife 1912), the 19-Metre MARIQUITA (Fife 1911), the fast cruiser MOONBEAM IV (Fife 1915/1920), LULWORTH, and the Nicholson J-Class boats SHAMROCK V, ASTRA and CANDIDA. SUMURUN left the UK for the Mediterranean in 1951, renamed ERNA under the 4th ownership of London-based Greek shipowner Dimitrios Dionysos Stathatos who cruised her on the Côte d’Azure, eventually under reduced rig and with a more powerful engine. In 1960 ERNA was purchased by John Lubbock, 3rd Baron Avebury who cruised out of Gibraltar, spending long periods living on board – who wouldn’t?! In 1966 ERNA’s life as a charter yacht began after transfer of ownership to Dutch oil man Sam Johanahoff. She became one of the beautiful people of Saint-Tropez, and then of Antibes when owned, sailed and offered for charter as ERNA OF FAIRLIE by Mrs Monique Vella-Brandt between 1979 and 1983. A regular Cannes Film Festival charterer, American Robert Towbin, eventually was so smitten that he bought SUMURUN when the opportunity arose in 1983. This love affair would be the longest in SUMURUN’s long and happy life. When her centenary was celebrated in 2014 at the New York Yacht Club’s Harbour Court, Newport, Rhode Island station they’d been together for 31 years, and she received an award from Lloyd's Register for remaining 'In-Class' in their top wooden yacht Classification (18A1 1914-1957, later ✠100A1 1958-2014) for 100 years. Bob Towbin would re-introduce SUMURUN to racing, and her ocean racing debut, as the “classic yacht revival” evolved. Of course, she took to it with relish. Notable results from this period include: 1989 - Antigua Classic Regatta Overall 1997 - 1st in Class NYYC/RYS Rolex Transatlantic Challenge - Newport RI – Lizard 1997 - 1st, Vele d’Epoca, Imperia 1997 - 1st, Cannes Régates Royales 2002 - Antigua Classic Regatta Overall 2005 - 1st, Cannes Régates Royales 2013 - Antigua Classic Regatta Overall 2015 - 1st in Class RYS Bicentenary Regatta Bob Towbin’s final fling with SUMURUN in the Mediterranean was at the 2016 edition of Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, after which she transferred to present ownership and entered an extended period of refit, and the Yan Juan Kouyoumdjian rig re-design covered elsewhere here. The work was completed in the late summer of 2019, just in time to allow a stormy but triumphant return to the Mediterranean, winning first in class at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. SUMURUN is back doing what she does best: standing up to her canvas in big breezes, thrilling all aboard, winning prizes, and offering a superb après-race home to her owner, guests and crew. And she's ready to return to the oceans. ©2024 Iain McAllister/ Sandeman Yacht Company Ltd. [also acknowledging the research and writing of Jacques Taglang]

REGATTAS 2015-2022

2022 - Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - Cannes Regates Royales - Vela Clasica Mahon - Argentario Sailing Week 2021 - Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - Cannes Regates Royales 2019 - Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2016 - Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez - Cannes Regates Royales 2015 Royal Yacht Squadron Bicentenary International Regatta

CONSTRUCTION

- Teak planking on double oak frames - Teak laid deck on plywood substrate (2004) - Teak superstructures - (In Class Lloyd's: 18A1, 1914-1957; ✠100A1, 1958-2016)

DECK LAYOUT, EQUIPMENT AND GROUND TACKLE

GENERAL - Teak laid deck on plywood substrate (2004) - Teak capped bulwark - Teak deck structures - All bronze deck hardware FROM AFT - Open mooring fairleads with rollers port and starboard taffrail - Associated brinze and teak deck cleats port and starboard - Pasarelle socket at taffrail - Bronze fittings for boomkin - Ash and bronze mizzen sheet purchase blocks - Highfield levers port and starboard for mizzen runners - Manual self-tailing mizzen sheet winch - Deck box with concealed traditional binnacle and helm seat - Traditional ship's wheel on bronze Thomas Reid pedestal - Thomas Reid helm indicator MIZZEN MAST POSITION - Hatch over owner cabin - Mainsheet winches port and starboard - Ash and bronze mainsheet purchase blocks - Large raised butterfly skylight over owner cabin - Headsail winches port and starboard - Main mast runners highfield levers port and starboard COMPANIONWAY DECK HOUSE - Double doors - Raised, hinged hatch - Bevvelled glass sidelights - Grabrails port and starboard - Mushroom vent to starboard - Ship's bell - Stowage boxes forward - Headaail winches port and starboard MID DECK - Panama fairleads port and starboard - Associated teak and bronze mooring cleats - Raised butterfly skylight over saloon - Winches to port and starboard MAIN MAST POSITION - Winches port and starboard - Horse for boomed staysail sheet - Raised skylight over galley with large side portlights - Gas bottle locker forward - Mushroom vents port and starboard - Raised crew accommodation forehatch - Sliding hatch FOREDECK - Lofrans AC Powered windlass - 2 x Horizontal chain gypsies - 1 x Vertical warping drum - Bowsprit bits and cranse - Bow rollers port and starboard GROUND TACKLE - 1 x 100 kg Ultramarine anchor - 1 x 75 kg Spade anchor - 100 m of ⅝ in / 15 mm chain

ACCOMMODATION

- Accommodation for 6 guests in 3 cabins - Oak fielded and raised panelling - mostly original - Described as Jacobean style at launch COMPANIONWAY DOGHOUSE - Step down to button leather settees to port and starboard - Stair wheeled to port down to accommodation - Signal flag stowage over to port - VHF Radio - Ship's isolator panel forward - Clock thermometer and barometer LOBBY AREA - Shared WC / Shower Compartment to port - Engine room to starboard - Owner Cabin aft - Double ans Single/ Pullman Guest Cabins forward FORWARD TO SALOON 'L' Settee dining area to starboard - Dining table - 2 x Dining chairs - Regatta memento cabinet - Sideboard with lockers under and outboard - Book case - 2 x Bulkhead gimballed lamps Settee to port - Writing desk/ bureau and chair - Drawers under - Bookshelves and lockers over - Sideboard/ dresser forward; glasses and drinks stowage - 2 x Bulkhead gimballed lamps - 1 x Bulkhead lamp Door forward to Galley OWNER AND GUEST CABINS AFT Owner cabin - Double berth to starboard - Drawers under - Single berth to port - Banquette; stowage under - Writing desk aft; drawers under - Book cabinets - Butterfly skylight hatch in deckhead - Magazine rack - Hatch in deckhead - 2 x Bronze opening ports - Reading lights - Deckhead lights - Fan En-suite WC compartment - Tub with shower - Wash basin with hot and cold taps - Toilet - Many lockers Double Guest Cabin 1 (to port) - Double berth - Chest of drawers with sideboard - Mirror - Deckhead and reading lamps Shared Guest Cabins WC/ Shower Compartment Single + Pullman Guest Cabin 2 (to starboard) - Single berth - Chest of drawers with sideboard - Mirror - Deckhead and reading lamps

GALLEY, DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT AND CREW ACCOMMODATION

GALLEY - L-shaped to starboard - Extensive tops - Extensive stowage under and over - Inset double sink; tops; mixer tap - 4 x Burner forward facing hob with oven and grill - Extractor hood - Island unit; stowage under - Deckhead lights CREW - Accommodation for 6 - Forward to crew mess - Settee/berths to port and starboard - Pilot berths outboard - Stowage under - Drop leaf table - Ladder to forehatch - Forward to fo'c'sle - Hanging lockers to port and starboard - V-berths forward - Stowage under - Deckhead lights - 2 x Bronze opening ports

RIG, SAILS AND CANVASWORK

RIG - Hollow spruce main mast 36 m above deck (Pasqui, 2019) - Spruce main boom (Pasqui, 2019) - Hollow spruce mizzen mast 22 m above deck (Pasqui, 2019) - Mizzen boom (Pasqui, 2019) - Boomkin (Pasqui, 2019) - Bowsprit (Pasqui, 2019) - All rigging new 2019 - Swaged wire standing rigging - Running rigging in ‘classic’ Dyneema by Escale Rigging (2019/ 2021) - Turnbuckles new 2012 - Masts most recently off boat 2021 WINCHES Meissner Bronze Classic - 1 x Manual (2004) - 1 x Electric (2004) Harken Bronze Classic - 3 x Manual (2019) - 2 x Electric (2019) SAILS North (2019) - Mainsail - Mizzen - Staysail - Reaching staysail - Mizzen staysail 1 - Mizzen staysail 2 - Jib top 1 - Jib top 2 - Jib - Storm jib - Asymmetric spinnaker 1 - Asymmetric spinnaker 2 - 2 x Snuffing socks CANVASWORK Sun awning (2021) Covers for: - Rail/ bulwark, leather straps (2017) - Winches (2019) - Mainsail (2019) - Bowsprit and boomkin (2019) - Deck table (2019) - Helm seat (2019) - Wheel (2019) - Windlass protection (2022) - Tender (2021)

MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND TANKAGE

MECHANICAL Main Engine - 1 x 186 kW (249 hp) Cummins 6BTA diesel - Engine hours: 3633 (TBC) - ZF 3010 C Gearbox (2019) - 4-Blade SPW Variprop 820 mm propeller (2019) - Max speed: 9.5 knots - Cruising speed: 7.50 knots - Range: 500 nm at 7.50 knots - Fuel consumption: 20 L /h (4 US gallons) at 7.50 knots Generator - 1 x 17.4 KVA MASE (2019) - Hours: 220 (TBC) ELECTRICAL Batteries - Service: 8 x AGM 220 Ah (2021) - Engine: 2 x Optima AGM 50 Ah (2017) - Generator: 1 x Optima AGM 75 Ah (2019) - Radio: 2 x Optima AGM 75 Ah (2019) Chargers - Mastervolt MASS 24/100 3 PHASES (2019) - Mastervolt for radio battery ( 2019) Converters - Charger/inverter 220 V Mastervolt Mass CombI Pro 24/3500-100 (2019) - Inverter Mastervolt AC Master 24/500 (2019) Shore Power - 400 V 3-phase or 230 V single phase, 50 HZ TANKAGE Fuel - 1,000 L / 264 US Gal - Racor fuel separator Fresh water - 1,300 L / 343 US Gal Grey water - 284 L/ 75 US Gal Black water - 215 L / 57 US Gal OTHER - Great Water watermaker (2021) - 189 L / 50 Gal per hour - Headhunter Vaccu Flush toilet system

NAVIGATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

NAVIGATION - Constellation magnetic compass - B&G Echosounder - B&G Broadband 4G Radar - B&G Transponder - B&G DGPS - Adrena & C-Map Charts - B&G H 5000 Log - B&G H 5000 Wind - Toshiba PC + Adrena navigation software COMMUNICATIONS - Icom M-802 SSB radio - Icom M-602 VHF radio - Fleet One satcom - Wireless internet ENTERTAINMENT EQUIPMENT - Stereo in main saloon, seating at aft deck, and owner's stateroom - Bluetooth sound system and Wi-Fi throughout boat

- 2 x 6-Person Plastimo liferafts (2019) - 2 x FM200 Fire systems (engine room and lazarette) - 2 x Jon Buoys - 1 x SART transponder - 1 x EPIRB beacon - 10 x Fire extinguishers (3 x CO2, 2 x Powder, 5 x Foam) - 1 x DSC VHF Radio - 20 x Self-inflating life jackets - Rocket sets - Defibrillator - Emergency medical kit - 12 x Survival blankets - Guy wire cutter - Box of wood bungs

OTHER EQUIPMENT

- Deck dining table and folding director chairs - 5 m Folding spruce/ teak passerelle (2021) - Folding swim/ boarding ladder - 3.6 m Highfield Aluminium RIB (2019) - 20 hp Honda outboard motor (2019)

IMAGE CREDITS

- Main image: Marino Teobaldo - Sailing: James Robinson Taylor - On deck and accommodation: Laurent Charpentier - Drawings: Juan Kouyoumdjian

These particulars have been prepared from information provided by the vendors and are intended as a general guide. The purchaser should confirm details of concern to them by survey or engineers inspection. The purchaser should also ensure that the purchase contract properly reflects their concerns and specifies details on which they wish to rely.

Sandeman Yacht Company

Brokerage of classic & vintage yachts.

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Sailing an AeroRig

• Katy Stickland
• March 11, 2020

Long distance cruiser Steve Brown shares his experiences of sailing with his AeroRig aboard his Bestevaer 60C schooner, Novara

Novara features not one but two AeroRigs

It was Armin Fischer, then skipper of the 100-year-old Fife Classic Sumurun that first coined the phrase the ‘wobbly rig’ when I spoke to him about the AeroRig on the dock at Wayfarer Marine in Camden, Maine, writes Steve Brown.

Armin had sailed a single-masted AeroRig across the Atlantic and was explaining how it had taken the crew some time to get used to the movement of the rig at the masthead.

I had just bought the AeroRig schooner, Novara , so had two ‘wobbly rigs’ and other than a short sea trial in light winds and sub zero conditions I had never sailed an AeroRig before.

Novara and her rig

I had seen Novara on the brokerage pages and although her pedigree was undoubted – Dykstra-designed, ice-strengthened hull, built in aluminium by Damstra in Holland – few, if any, sailors looking for a boat understood her unconventional rig, so she remained unsold.

But with our own four-year circumnavigation completed I turned my attention to finding my ‘icebreaker’ to take me on some high latitude adventures and Novara had been built for the job and was still available.

The forward sail balances the mainsail and rescues the sheet loads. Credit: Andrew Cassels

Weeks of research into the original concept, a copy of Dykstra’s original tank testing carried out at the Wolfson Institute in Southampton, plus a number of articles all praising the AeroRig in action, including one from the otherwise traditionalist Tom Cunliffe, convinced me that Novara was worth a look.

Her first owner had already taken her to 80˚ north to Svalbard and the Antarctic.

Arctic sailor Amyr Klink had built the second AeroRig schooner Paratii 2 for his polar adventures, and Cath Hew was taking charter guests back and forth across Drake Passage to the Antarctic peninsula in her AeroRig Icebird .

Getting going

It was going to be a steep learning curve , our first expedition together was to be through the North West Passage to Kodiak in Alaska, and once through the ice-choked passage we then had the little matter of 3,000 miles through the Beaufort, Chukchi and Bering Seas to contend with; perhaps I should take friend’s advice and start with something a little easier?

But no, life’s clock was ticking and it was time to head north.

The key to learning how to sail her was to understand the principle of the ‘balanced rig’, the relationship between the small self-tacking blade jib and the mainsail .

Sailing an AeroRig does require some specific sailing skills. Principally, the key thing to remember is that every force through the mainsail is countered by the headsail. A significant boon in this is that as the wind increases, should you reduce mainsail by reefing, leaving full headsail out will mean there is little sheet load increase even in strong winds

The balance created slows down the rotation of the mast, stops crash gybes and significantly reduces forces on the spars and deck gear.

In the cockpit, Novara has only two Lewmar 55-powered winches for the two mainsheets, halyard s and jib and on the foremast two small winches for the halyards and jib sheet.

It was also necessary to understand the need for balance between the (aft) mainmast and the foremast to reduce loads on rudder and autopilot .

Get it right and she would sail in a straight line, get it wrong and she would wander around the ocean with the forces on each mast in conflict.

It was soon apparent that a little more sail up front was what was needed to create this balance, making life easy for the helmsman or autopilot.

The previous owner had fitted two huge roached mainsails, the result of a collaboration between himself, Gerry Dykstra and Robbie Doyle with the intention of improving Novara ’s downwind performance.

Due to the additional structure required, masts are usually made from carbon to reduce their weight

This had been achieved but the extra 30% of mainsail area meant that, in anything other than light airs upwind, Novara was overpowered.

Being slow on the uptake, it took me a while to figure out that reefing down much sooner than I would have done with a conventional rig resulted in a faster, smoother ride with less stress on the boat and her crew.

Following on from our successful North West Passage transit, our journey through the Beaufort, Chuchki and Bering Seas in the Arctic highlighted the need for a third reef in both mains and this then gave more flexibility regarding sail plan and the ability to go through the gears, first, second and third reefs, and finally to go down another gear using the Trysails that sit in the Stakpaks and run on their own tracks.

I also quickly found that it was not necessary to go to windward to hoist or lower sails, simply weather-cock the booms.

The carbon-fibre masts and integral booms were built by Carbon Spars in the UK, a company that eventually morphed into Magma Structures who have gone on to build the masts on the Maltese Falcon and the Black Pearl , the biggest free-standing rigs in the world.

The amount of flex at the masthead (hence ‘wobbly rig’) takes time to get used to, but the carbon mast and integral booms are incredibly strong, as are both the mast base and deck bearings.

My two earlier boats were a conventional rigged sloop and a cutter, but I have now sailed Novara over 35,000 miles, through some of the roughest, toughest seas on the planet.

The rig is ideal for these conditions; stresses are lower, with no standing rigging there are far fewer components to go wrong and the ability to depower the boat in seconds by weather-cocking the sails is a huge safety factor.

Are there any downsides?

The upfront costs are greater than a conventional rig.

Not everyone is a fan of the aesthetics of those big booms and a conventional sloop would have the edge when hard on the wind, but Novara ’s AeroRig and schooner set up provides great flexibility in a variety of conditions.

How an AeroRig works

The AeroRig is a trademark name for a type of freestanding rotating rig. It does not rely on stays or rigging in a conventional sense being without shrouds etc.

Due to their unstayed nature the masts tend to need to be built rather stronger than their conventional counterparts. As such, they can be heavier than a usual rig setup.

The slot between headsail and mainsail is key to power generation

Modern materials counter this somewhat and, as such, many of these types of rig are built from strong, fatigue-resistant carbon fibre.

The carbon mast exists alongside an integral long boom extending fore and aft of the mast, on which both main and jib are set.

An advantage is that the sails always work correctly, as the sailplan is adjusted when sailing via the mainsheet rather than adjusting each sail individually.

Although the mainsheet is the only control, when actually sailing the mainsheet loads are very light, due to the counterbalancing effect offered by the jib.

This setup makes the whole thing much easier to sail shorthanded than conventionally rigged boats, even allowing the mainsheet, should the wind increase suddenly, to be let out until the whole system is weathercocked, preventing overloading of the mast and providing time to reef or wait out a brief squall with little potential for rig failure.

The wobbly nature of the rig is not just a byproduct of the mast being unstayed but a designed feature.

The flexing provides the ability to self-unload by flexing and also helps to self regulate stresses and reduce likelihood of breakage.

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Classic Fife sailing yacht Sumurun sold

The 28.65 metre classic sailing yacht Sumurun has been sold with Mike Horsley at Edmiston & Company acting for the buyer and seller.

Built in teak planking on double oak frames by Scottish yard William Fife & Sons to Lloyd's class standards, she was delivered in 1914 as a Bermudan ketch. Accommodation is for six guests in three cabins including a master with a double bed plus a single bunk and en-suite bathtub and there is a double cabin with an en-suite sink, and one with twin beds. The two guest cabins share a bathroom.

The interior of Sumurun is beautifully fitted out in English oak panelling, raised and fielded, with much attention to detail. Most of this is original and what is more recent has been carefully replicated. The saloon is a masterpiece, with a dining table, sofa and three chairs, seating six comfortably. With its writing desk, bar, bookcases, china cabinet with cutlery drawers, the overall impression is of early 20th century excellence. There is even a well-stocked trophy cabinet.

As so often with yachts of this vintage, there is a romantic history. Commissioned by a beautiful and flamboyant baroness as a gift to her husband, she was named for an exotic harem girl, designed and built by a legendary Scottish yard, and hailed as one of the swiftest and most beautiful yachts afloat. Sumurun ’s story is filled with vivid personalities, a multitude of racing victories, and a serene elegance that has transcended the vagaries of over a century on the water.

She has been constantly and expertly maintained, usually by Wayfarer Marine in Maine and her crew. She remains Lloyd's 100A1 classed and, as part of this ongoing process, many fasteners have been replaced over the years, always in silicone bronze. Six keel bolts were replaced in 2011, although the original ones were almost perfect after 97 years. It is little wonder that those who love classic yachts the world over have a special affection for her.

Lying in Portugal,  Sumurun was asking $4 million.

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Sumurun - Yacht for Sale

Asking €3,650,000 EUR

• Builder William Fife III
• Length 34.8m (114ft)
• Year 1914 / 2019
• Gross Tons 50.72

SUMURUN sailing yacht is a classic 35m yacht from the legendary William Fife & Sons’ yard on the Clyde, who once served members of European royalty.

With a history as romantic as her profile, Scottish-built SUMURUN launched in 1914 as an extravagant gift from a baroness to her husband and has since travelled the world, proving her prowess from the Med to the Caribbean. Her good looks belie the vagaries of over a century on the water.

Exterior Design & Engineering

Originally launched as a gaff rigged yawl and later adapted to become a Bermudan rigged ketch, SUMURUN yacht is much loved by classic yacht enthusiasts due to her elegant aesthetic and her swiftness on the water.

SUMURUN had a succession of high-society Owners for the first 60 years of her life before being bought by an NYYC member, and this former SUMURUN yacht owner raced her hard on both sides of the Atlantic, regularly maintaining her.

SUMURUN sailing yacht was a regular contender on the regatta scene from 1989 to 2015. In 2016, SUMURUN yacht changed hands and under her new Owner she underwent an extensive multi-million Euro rebuild at the Chantier du Guip yard in Brittany, which saw her rig redesigned by Juan Kouyoumdjian and new spars added by Pasqui of Villefranche-sur-Mer, as well as structural improvements.

After a few years away from the regatta circuit she returned to the Mediterranean regatta scene in 2019 just in time to win her class at Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.

With assisted power from a 249hp Cummins 6BTA engine, SUMURUN yacht has a top speed of 9.5 knots and cruises at 7.5 knots.

SUMURUN yacht comes with bundles of timeless nautical character, from her deck box with concealed binnacle and helm seat, to her gleaming ship’s bell and traditional ship's wheel on a bronze Thomas Reid pedestal.

The cosy doghouse and welcoming salon, which includes a dining table, sofa and three chairs, a writing desk, bookcases, a bar, a dresser, and an all-essential trophy cabinet, provide ample comfort for serious sailors.

There are lots of unintrusive modern touches, too, like the stereo in the salon, Owner’s cabin and on the aft deck, as well as wifi and a Bluetooth sound system throughout the yacht.

In addition, SUMURUN yacht comes with a folding swim platform and a 5m passerelle for ease of boarding.

Interior Design

SUMURUN’s interiors are beautifully fitted out in English Oak panelling, both raised and fielded, most of which is original. The attention to detail is astounding, particularly in the salon, which is a masterpiece.

Few, if any, classic yachts have benefitted from the sympathetic and costly upkeep that SUMURUN has, with constant upgrades and maintenance ensuring that she has one of the most beautifully executed interiors of any yacht afloat.

SUMURUN yacht can accommodate five guests in three cabins, including an Owner’s double to starboard and a single berth to port as well as two Pullman berths, with banquette stowage and drawers under and a writing desk aft. There is also room for up to six crewmembers across three crew cabins.

Toys & Tenders

SUMURUN sailing yacht comes with a 2019 semi-rigid aluminium 3.60m Highfield tender with a 20hp Honda outboard.

Located in La Seyne sur Mer, France, ask your luxury superyacht broker to arrange a viewing of this one-of-a-kind yacht.

Key features

• One of the best-loved classic sailing yachts ever built
• The epitome of William Fife’s genius
• Constantly maintained by loving owners throughout her long life
• Multi-million Euro rebuild in 2017-19
• Faster and easier to handle with her new rig
• Keenly for sale due to a change in the Owners’ plans

Interested in Sumurun

"SUMURUN is much loved by classic yacht enthusiasts due to her elegant aesthetic and her swiftness on the water."

Specifications

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34.8m / 114ft

5.1m / 17ft

3.75m / 12ft

Cruising Speed

William Fife III

Naval Architect

William Fife & Sons

Hull Material

Superstructure Material

Gross Tonnage

Deck Material

Edmiston’s international sales team is renowned for its agility and as the deal-makers of the superyacht world. Our brokers are some of the most experienced out there, trusted by our clients, respected across the industry, covering every facet of yachting and supported by real-time in-house market data.

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Argentario Sailing Week: 21st edition successfully concluded

A south-easterly breeze at 16-18 knots gusting at 20 , not a cloud in the sky and enough of a swell to spray the decks upwind. What more could one ask for from the fourth and final day of racing of the 21st edition of Argentario Sailing Week ? The crews of the 30 classic yachts representing 117 years of history racing in Tuscany were able to enjoy the breath-taking scenery of Maremma from a completely different point of view compared to the three previous days when the thermal breeze was a westerly one.

After 2 hours and 12 minutes Sumurun owner Alain Moatti (Willam Fife III- 1914) cuts the finish line first overall.

tourists and enthusiasts strolling down the quay could admire up close the Grandes Dames of the Sea moored in Pilarella, the ancient port of Porto S. Stefano. During the award ceremony, the dates of the 22 nd edition of Argentario Sailing Week 2023 were announced: the international class yacht regatta will take place in Porto Santo Stefano from the 14 th to the 18 th of June 2023 .

Overall Winners of Argentario Sailing Week 2022

Vintage Gaff class – the winner is Scud (Patrizio Bertelli), followed by Marga and by Chinook .

Vintage Marconi class – Varuna of 1939 (Jens Kellinghusen), followed by by Stormy Weather ) and by Comet .

In the Classics, the overall winner is Il Moro di Venezia I (Massimiliano Ferruzzi) with Ojala II second and is Crivizza in third position.

In Spirit of Tradition , Toi et Moi (Alessandro Maria Rinaldi) is the overall winner of the class, second Midva followed by and Hanni II .

http://www.argentariosailingweek.it/classifiche.php

The history of Argentario Sailing Week begins in 1992 when a group of YCSS members organized a regatta for classic boats called Le Vele d’Argento. Over the years, the number of registered boats has increased and since 1999 the event has been called Argentario Sailing Week.

The Argentario Sailing Week 2022 is organized by the Yacht Club Santo Stefano and the Municipality of Monte Argentario with the patronage of the Tuscany Region, the Province of Grosseto, the Municipality of Monte Argentario and the Italian Navy. In addition to sponsoring the event, the Municipality of Monte Argentario has also contributed to the event financially.

The sponsors of the 21st edition of the Argentario Sailing Week are: Engel & Völkers Castiglione della Pescaia and Toscano Collezioni srl. The technical partners supporting the organization are: Verdissimo, Jacobelli Liquori sas, Podere 414 and the LaMMA Consortium for the weather forecasts. The mooring quay is in concession to the Società Porto Turistico Domiziano spa.

Hopefully next time I will be there. It’s a great news article. Cheers

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SUMURUN Interior & Exterior Photos

34.8m  /  114'2 | william fife | 1914 / 2019.

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