In a testing final day amid challenging conditions the ultimate outcome of the 2022 Superyacht Cup Palma could not possibly have been closer.

The destination of the overall Superyacht Cup Palma Trophy remained in doubt until the end of the St. Regis Race Day, with the end result only decided on countback.

Once all results were in, the awe-inspiring J Class contender Svea and the elegant 46m Class B sloop Ganesha finished level on points with identical score lines. With a certain Hindu deity perhaps tipping the balance, Ganesha emerged the overall victor thanks to her last race win, with Svea taking second in hers.

J Class contender Svea Photo: Sailing Energy

Ganesha's delighted owner Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker said: "It is a great moment as we really didn't expect it at all, but we worked hard for it and I am glad we are a winner today."

And looking ahead he added: "It's not my first time here – I have just bought a house here in Palma, so I am going to be a Superyacht Cup Palma regular for sure."

His sentiment was echoed by Ganesha's skipper Alex Pamment: "It was a bit of a surprise win and we certainly weren't expecting it, either the class or the overall.

"It was very, very close. Yesterday we came second by one second, but today the weather gods were with us and we were able to get a result. The tacticians had it tough, but we were able to make the right calls."

Svea meanwhile could take some consolation after emerging the worthy winner of a hard-fought J Class contest. There were cheers and hugs after she crossed the line of the final race, securing the class victory by two points from Ranger, who won the final race on corrected time.

"We are thrilled, delighted to have won our class – we are over the moon," said co-owner Niklas Zennström. "It is the first regatta with the boat for the new team and the new owner group, and we came to this event having put in a training week before to get to know it, as many of us have never sailed a J Class before.

"What's fascinating with this class is that it is very, very close racing. To win the class is very special, much more than we expected as this was going to be a learning regatta. Racing is about minimising mistakes and the team did not make many of them and did a very, very good job."

As a further indicator of the competitive nature of Superyacht Cup Palma, the Class A contest was also decided on countback, with the striking high-performance Malcolm McKeon designed Pattoo taking the class from Kiboko Tres, with her last race victory settling the outcome.

Skipper James Waugh said: "We're a new team but we were able to hit the ground running here with a couple of days training, and each day we got to know the boat better and went from strength to strength.

"We had exactly the same results as Kiboko Tres, and I guess we were a bit lucky, but we are over the moon about it. We loved Superyacht Cup Palma, the organisation is great and so is the atmosphere."

A second day of a prevailing north easterly wind had seen the Bay of Palma become a challenging arena once the opposing sea breeze tried to dominate, with two separate wind bands presenting a tactical challenge as the yachts negotiated their racecourses.

One yacht to fall foul of the difficult to predict wind was the modern classic Savannah, which had gone into her final Class B race in pole position for the overall SYC prize – not least thanks to her one second victory over her rival Ganesha yesterday – before becoming becalmed in the bay. Ganesha went on to win the race, Class B and the title.

St. Regis Race Day followed on from one of the highlights of Superyacht Cup Palma, the exclusive Owners' Summer Barbecue at Mallorca's best address the St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, which featured an impressive fireworks display, live music and exceptional food.

Following racing, and speaking before the celebratory prize-giving at the Real Club Náutico de Palma, also catered by the St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort, SYC Event Director Kate Branagh said: "Superyacht Cup Palma has always offered friendly but competitive racing, and this year has delivered that in spades.

"Having the overall winner in doubt until the last moment makes for incredibly exciting racing, and we hope that all the owners, captains and crews have had a great time whatever their finishing position.

"We look forward to welcoming them all back in 2023, and offering them the chance to win the Superyacht Cup Palma Trophy."

SYC organisers have announced that next year's event will be held from 21-24 June.

And Branagh added: "I would also like to say a big thank-you to all our partners and friends who have helped make this such a great regatta."

Some big changes in fortune, along with a change in wind direction and the closest possible finish in one class, saw results in the Superyacht Cup Palma fleet set the scene for a dramatic finale after a day of frenetic activity out on the Bay of Palma.

With an initially solid north-easterly breeze supplanting the more usual sea breeze for New Zealand Race Day, the three classes were launched on their way upwind and heading towards the city itself.

Once again the majestic quartet of J Class yachts led the way, all four hitting the startline within seconds of each other in a dramatic demonstration of power and something akin to poetry in motion, their jet-black sails overlapping each other.

The white-hulled Ranger, the weather boat, was first to tack away, soon followed by Topaz. Meanwhile, Velsheda and Svea stayed on their starboard tack for what would prove to be a decisive few minutes, with the pair establishing a narrow lead at the first mark which they would hold to the finish.

A stern shot of the 37.5m Archelon Photo: Sailing Energy

For Velsheda the win marked a remarkable bounce back from her fourth place in the previous race. Her captain Barney Henshaw-Depledge said: "Today we managed the beats well and we managed to get around in front of Svea. It was obviously a lot more encouraging and the owner was locked in on the helm and he left very happy. As for tomorrow, well may be more of the same, and it's great to be back in the pack.”

Meanwhile, Svea's second place saw her slightly extend her lead at the top of the J Class table to two points from Velsheda, while Topaz – who finished fourth today – are tied on points with Ranger who recorded her second third place finish.

Another competitor producing a dramatic reversal of fortune was the clearly potent Wally 80 Rose. Though at 23m the smallest entry at this year's Superyacht Cup Palma, Rose took a deserved win in Class A having had to drop out of Thursday's opening race after suffering prop issues.

Tactician Jesper Radich said: “It was not easy as it was a tricky forecast, but we got round the racecourse really well and picked our shift at the end to win our class. If we do really well tomorrow we have a chance of the top spot, so we are going to give it a shot. We are a new team and the smallest yacht here, so we have a lot to learn, and fighting against the big boats is tough. We have to play it smart and stay out of their wind shadows."

46m Ganesha Photo: Sailing Energy

And in another remarkable outcome, Class B saw the race result decided by a single second on corrected time, with the 27m modern classic Savannah edging the far larger 46m Ganesha to take her second successive win

Ganesha's tactician Mark Sadler smiled and said: "To finish the day with a one second delta to the first boat is pretty fantastic. Obviously you look back and think where that one second could have been gained or lost, but it's the same for the other boat.

"We sailed well today, and Ganesha's a big boat so getting the sails up and down around the course is an achievement in itself. We have two seconds, so it's all to play for tomorrow."

Racing complete the Real Club Náutico de Palma hosted the North Sails Happy Hour and daily prize-giving on their expansive terrace. This was followed by one of the highlights of Superyacht Cup Palma, the exclusive Owners' Summer Barbecue at Mallorca's best address the St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort.

The 2022 edition of Europe's longest-running superyacht regatta comes to a conclusion on Saturday with the St. Regis Race Day, which will decide the final placings of a closely contested regatta.

Results are here

The entire Superyacht Cup fleet made the Bay of Palma their arena today as Europe's longest-running superyacht regatta hit its stride with another day of sparkling Mallorcan sailing conditions.

Pantaenius Race Day saw a slightly lighter breeze than Wednesday's opening races for the J Class, but the 11-strong fleet showed their mettle in a hard-fought three hours-plus coastal race, with the outcome of the three-class contests in doubt until the final legs on each course.

The four superb J Class yachts got the party started with their own fleet start. From the off decisions were split, with Velsheda making a bold call to head right while Svea, Topaz and Ranger headed up the left-hand side of the course.

On this occasion, fortune did not favour the brave, and Velsheda's course to Palmanova on the western side of the Bay of Palma did not pay off, with the other J Class contenders leading by a considerable margin at the first mark.

Meanwhile, the elegant 27m modern classic Savannah led the rest of the Superyacht Cup fleet away, the first in a series of staggered starts which soon filled the bay with a diverse cross-section of impressive superyachts.

Racing in Class B the Pedrick-designed Savannah had her work cut out to match the pace of the 46m Ganesha, the powerful Oyster 1225 Archelon and bluewater cruiser La Belle, but she made the most of her handicap rating to take the class win.

"The committee sent us on a great course, and there were some pockets of really good breeze so you had to choose your course carefully," said Savannah's owner Hugh Morrison. "Luckily we got some of those right so it was a good day."

Looking ahead to the next two days of racing he added: "There's some fantastic competition out there and some outstanding sailors on amazing machines, and they sail differently in different conditions. The conditions are expected to be stronger tomorrow so we will just try to hang on to their coattails and do the best we can."

The 32m Farr-designed carbon flyer Kiboko 3 Photo: Sailing Energy

Class A saw a tussle for supremacy between the 32m Farr-designed carbon flyer Kiboko 3 and the similarly high-performance 33m sloop Pattoo, with both making a striking impression as they raced on a leg up the eastern side of the bay framed by the rugged coastal cliffs at Badia Gran. At the finish it was Kiboko that edged the contest.

Owner and helm Juan Entrecanales said: "We are of course happy with the result today, the conditions were good, though we made a late start we were able to keep on going."

Asked about the origin of her name – Kiboko is Swahili for hippopotamus – he added: "The boat was built in Cape Town, and I wanted to reflect her African heritage. A hippo is fast – fat yes, but fast as well, and the name sounds good."

In the J Class the leading trio were locked together around the course, with none able to make a decisive break away. Svea claimed the on the water win and was able to preserve the top spot once the handicap was applied, closing the gap at the top of the overall table to one point behind Topaz, who were runner-up. Ranger claimed third with Velsheda unable to close the gap for her first leg deficit.

Back ashore after racing SYC's host, the Real Club Náutico de Palma, turned on the style once again with the celebratory North Sails & Southern Spars happy hour on the RCNP terrace together with the prize-giving.

Racing continues on Friday with New Zealand Race Day before Saturday's concluding St. Regis Race Day – supported by SYC's Preferred Hotel Partner the St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort – completes the Superyacht Cup Palma.

Pantaenius Race Day results

Class A

1. Kiboko Tres
2. Pattoo
3. Rose

Class B

1. Savannah
2. Ganesha
3. Archelon

J Class

1. Svea
2. Topaz
3. Ranger

The 40-metre superyacht Phoenix arrived in Dun Laoghaire Marina on Monday, one of the first such visitors to Ireland's largest marina this season. 

The brand new motor yacht was built in Italy by Benetti and delivered to her owners in 2021. She is one of 18 Oasis 40M models.

Phoenix is in the top 30% by length overall in the world according to industry statistics. She is one of 549 motor yachts in the 40-45m size range and certainly she dwarfs the local boats (typically between 7 and 12 metres) at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Her top speed is 17.0 kn, her cruising speed is 16.0 kn, and she boasts a maximum cruising range of 4000.0 nm at 11.0 kn, with power coming from two MAN diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 10 guests in 5 staterooms, with 7 crew members. She has a gross tonnage of 385.0 GT and a 8.5 m beam.

Phoenix is currently sailing under the Cook Islands flag (along with a total of other 107 yachts).

Fancy yourself on the tiller of a schooner in the Med this summer? Eleonora is now available for charter. 

Eleonora is a precise replica of the 1910 Herreshoff schooner Westward. The historical yacht was arguably one of the most famous and best-known racing schooners of her time. She was designed by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, the ‘Wizard of Bristol’, the designer of the America’s Cup defenders which turned back all six challenges from 1893 to 1920. Westward was undoubtedly the fastest schooner in the world in 1910 and in the following years.

Mirroring N.G. Herreshoff’s design, she is fully panelled in mahogany throughout. With no sacrifice to luxurious standards of comfort, her staterooms and entire traditional interior display the ambience and elegance of another age.

The Low Season charter rate for Eleonora is: €70,000 per week and High Season at €85k.

Download the full brochure/pr below

Numerous prospective entries from both newcomers and SYC regulars have been received, joining the trio of confirmed J Class entries Topaz, Ranger and Velsheda at the June 29 to July 2 festival of sail, with a 12-15 strong fleet expected.

And as a further sign that it is all systems go for Superyacht Cup Palma 2022, SYC’s long-standing race management partner the prestigious Real Club Náutico de Palma will again provide the elegant setting for the shore base following the success of the venue last year.

“As previously announced, we have made a small change to the dates to welcome the J Class, and we are receiving a lot of early interest from across the superyacht world from both prospective new entries and returning old friends - 2022 is looking set to be a great way to start our second quarter-century,” said SYC Event Director Kate Branagh.

Among the first-timers planning to join Europe’s longest-running superyacht regatta are the 43m Vitters-built La Belle and the 38m Oyster 1225 Archelon.

Win Win, Javier Jaudenes, Baltic Yachts, 33m Photo: Sailing Energy

Meanwhile, previous attendees actively planning a return include the streamlined 33m Vitters-built sloop Missy, the 34m Gilles Vaton designed Baiurdo VI - which took a podium place in Class B at last year’s event - and the ultra-competitive 108-foot Baltic built Win Win, an SYC overall winner in both 2019 and 2016.

The streamlined 33m Vitters-built sloop Missy Photo: Sailing Energy

Superyacht Cup Palma will open with superyacht registration and the captain’s briefing on Wednesday 29 June 2022, followed by three days of racing concluding on Saturday 2 July.

The J Class will be joining the fun at Europe’s longest-running superyacht regatta in 2022.

The J Class Association and owners unanimously chose the high-profile Mallorcan festival of sail as one of three events planned for their racing season next year, and a trio of the magnificent vessels – Topaz, Ranger and 2018 SYC champion Velsheda – are already confirmed entries.

To accommodate the J Class, and after consultation with SYC’s race management partner the Real Club Náutico de Palma and a number of superyachts who had expressed an early interest in attending, the 2022 regatta will now be run from June 29 to July 2, a small move of a week from the earlier June 22-25 dates.

“It is very exciting to host the J Class again in Palma where they will no doubt provide an incredible spectacle of highly competitive fleet racing,” said SYC Event Director Kate Branagh.

The Superyacht Cup Palma is Europe’s largest and longest-running superyacht regatta Photo: Jesus Renedo

“We carried out an extensive consultation with superyachts that had expressed an early interest in entering, along with the RCNP and the J Class, and the move of a week to June 29 – July 2 proved the best option for our participants and partners, and provided the added bonus of avoiding a clash with other Grand Prix events.”

The J Class has a long association with Superyacht Cup Palma, and most of the existing fleet have graced the Bay of Palma regatta, several on numerous occasions, with the venerable Velsheda showing her superyacht rivals a clean pair of heels to top the overall table in 2018.

J Class Secretary Louise Morton said: “Superyacht Cup Palma has built its reputation on having a unique atmosphere, close racing, excellent conditions and great event organisation from the teams at SYC and RCNP, so the decision to include it in the 2022 season was an easy one – the owners were unanimous in choosing it.”

It is also set to be a popular decision with the captains and crews, not least Velsheda. “We have raced at the Superyacht Cup many times and it is a firm favourite,” said her captain Barney Henshaw-Depledge.

“Palma has so much to offer in terms of services for yachts, good restaurants and hotels and easy logistics for a large crew. We expect flat water and with excellent sea breeze conditions in the summer we are really looking forward to the event, and of course hoping for well contested racing to obtain a good result!"

Superyacht Cup Palma will now open with superyacht registration and the captain’s briefing on Wednesday 29 June 2022, followed by three days of racing concluding on Saturday 2 July.

Megayacht, superyacht – certainly bigger than any craft in Bangor Marina. Lying alongside the Eisenhower Pier in Bangor Harbour on the North Down coast on a recent visit, after a passage from the Clyde, the 39.62 m motor yacht, Liquid Rehab arrived in Bangor for a brief stopover but stayed longer.

Built in 2004 by Westport Yachts, USA, whose sales office is in Fort Lauderdale in Florida and has two yards in Washington State, this huge three-decked craft cruises at 24 knots and has a top speed of 28 knots. She sleeps 10 and has a crew of seven.

Liquid Rehab is owned by Kevin Martyn, who is in the pharmaceuticals business and has an interest in the USA National Football League. Captain is Jameson Cooper, from North Palm Beach in Florida.

Vice Commodore Alan Espey, (third right) welcomes Liquid Rehab owner Kevin Martyn (second right) and Captain Jameson Cooper (right) and friends to RUYC

Kevin Martyn, Jameson Cooper, members and friends were welcomed to Royal Ulster Yacht Club by Vice Commodore Alan Espey, where they enjoyed lunch in the famous Lipton Room.
Harbour Master Kevin Baird was delighted to welcome Liquid Rehab to Bangor and said on its arrival, " We wish all onboard an enjoyable visit and we trust you will enjoy your stay in Bangor".
Liquid Rehab is currently in Leith near Edinburgh and plans to return to the North Coast of Northern Ireland before calling in Belfast.

The largest boat currently racing in the Sovereigns Cup series at Kinsale is Conor Doyle's locally-based Xp50 Freya. For most of us, she's a biggy, and an elegant one at that. But if you were to exit Kinsale Yacht Club through its venerable original front door and amble town-wards along O'Connell Street, you'd soon reach the office of Rob Doyle Design, and find yourself grappling with decidedly abstruse concepts of big boat size several multiples of Freya.

For if you could inveigle your way therein, you'd find that one of the ideas they're working on is Project Fury, a concept 63-metre sloop-rigged superyacht which they're developing in tandem with Van Geest Design, with whom they're already working on two 52 metre sailboats under construction in The Netherlands.

He's used to dealing with big numbers – Rob Doyle in his Kinsale design office.

It boggles the mind as to why they've selected a name like Project Fury, but to get a notion of the proposed boat's size, there's some basis in the fact that 63 metres is 206ft, and therefore simple souls will latch onto the fact that she's more than four times longer than Freya. But that's only a distraction. Boat size increases volumetrically, and the figures zoom up exponentially. 

It all looks clean and simple, but there's an enormous design challenge in having all sail controls effective yet invisible, while incorporating features whereby the stern area opens up to become an on-board lido.

Thus as Project Furey's beam is envisaged as being 43ft, while her substantial and several-decked hull depth is augmented by a large multi-storey coachroof, it could be argued that she's all of twenty-fives times larger than Freya, and it wouldn't surprise us at all to hear that the factor is much greater then that.

Either way, it's an awful lot of boat. Yet the two design teams are determined to optimise her performance, so there's a certain creative dynamic tension between the Kinsale team's tradition of elegance and comfort, and the Dutch group's fondness for lightweight yet hyper-strong austerity. Either way, some very advanced construction techniques and special materials are involved at every level.

For the rest of us, it all looks entirely off the wall. But in this even-more-crazy-than-usual world of ours, Superyachts are currently one of the happening areas of economic activity and realisation.

But whether we'll ever see her in Kinsale is another matter. Even if the draft can be adjusted to suit the available depths, the masthead will be scraping expensively against the cloud-base……

Imagine being on the helm of a machine like this – even the Masters of the Universe will have to form an orderly queue…..

A new 100-metre sailing superyacht can - and must - be environmentally friendly and have as little impact on the ecosystem as possible say the promoters of the NL 285 "Vento" project, presented by designers Nuvolari Lenard at this week's Venice Boat Show 2021 that runs until the 6 June.

This, they claim, can be achieved by adopting 'virtuous behaviour' and combining the knowledge, technologies and materials we already know about. Carlo Nuvolari and Dan Lenard, founders of the Nuvolari Lenard Venetian design studio, are convinced of this. They have always been concerned with protecting the environment and have promoted responsible yacht design (their latest projects include Thunder, the 14-seater hybrid Venetian water taxi launched in 2020).

Carlo Nuvolari and Dan Lenard, founders of the Nuvolari Lenard Venetian design studio

BACK TO BASICS

Building on decades of experience in yacht design in all shapes and sizes, with hugely successful projects for iconic shipyards such as Oceanco, Palmer Johnson, Perini Navi and CRN Ferretti, Nuvolari Lenard decided to break the mould with a radical concept that integrates all the parameters of pure sailing with the needs of today's superyacht owner.

"Vento" will not be the umpteenth "sail assisted megayacht", but an authentic and extremely elegant 100-metre sailing vessel that will use wind as its natural propulsive force.

"Being environmentally conscious has to become a way of being, as well as a way of thinking," explains engineer Carlo Nuvolari. "There's nothing stopping us from thinking about a truly green large yacht. It's not difficult to achieve major results, you just have to stop being a traditionalist and take a risk, going back to the basics: building a sailing yacht that really uses sails and is really efficient.”