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Displaying items by tag: JP Dick

#Mod70 – In the second dramatic capsize of a MOD70 trimaran – the first on Dublin Bay in June – French skipper JP Dick has been rescued by helicopter after his giant trimaran flipped in a training run.

In similar circumstances to the Dublin Bay capsize of Spindrift the Tri appears to have been blown over in a gust of wind. After the gust hits, the 70-footer sails along for several seconds on its leeward hull before finally capsizing, smashing its carbon mast as it fully inverts. One crew can be seen falling from the hull into the water.

Jean-Pierre Dick and Roland Jourdain were on board Virbac-PAPREC 70 off Belle Ile, practicing in 15-20 knots of wind for this month's Transatlantic Jacques Vabre race. According to reports from the professional French racing team the boat 'turned suddenly' and capsized. A Helicopter and lifeboat lifeboat retrieved the crew and boat. Below are vids from both the leeward side of the hull and from the rescue helicopter.

On June 22, the race-winning multihull Spindrift capsized in gale force winds off Dun Laoghaire at the start of the Route des Princes series of inshore racing spectacle on Dublin Bay.

That accident happened about 700 metres off the starting line as the fleet of five MOD 70s were accelerating in the strong and gusty winds. The boats were not carrying full sail as a precaution against the strong offshore winds blowing in the bay that day.

 

View from inside the leeward hull

Heli rescue - JP Dick injured

Published in Offshore
Tagged under

The Half Ton Class was created by the Offshore Racing Council for boats within the racing band not exceeding 22'-0". The ORC decided that the rule should "....permit the development of seaworthy offshore racing yachts...The Council will endeavour to protect the majority of the existing IOR fleet from rapid obsolescence caused by ....developments which produce increased performance without corresponding changes in ratings..."

When first introduced the IOR rule was perfectly adequate for rating boats in existence at that time. However yacht designers naturally examined the rule to seize upon any advantage they could find, the most noticeable of which has been a reduction in displacement and a return to fractional rigs.

After 1993, when the IOR Mk.III rule reached it termination due to lack of people building new boats, the rule was replaced by the CHS (Channel) Handicap system which in turn developed into the IRC system now used.

The IRC handicap system operates by a secret formula which tries to develop boats which are 'Cruising type' of relatively heavy boats with good internal accommodation. It tends to penalise boats with excessive stability or excessive sail area.

Competitions

The most significant events for the Half Ton Class has been the annual Half Ton Cup which was sailed under the IOR rules until 1993. More recently this has been replaced with the Half Ton Classics Cup. The venue of the event moved from continent to continent with over-representation on French or British ports. In later years the event is held biennially. Initially, it was proposed to hold events in Ireland, Britain and France by rotation. However, it was the Belgians who took the ball and ran with it. The Class is now managed from Belgium. 

At A Glance – Half Ton Classics Cup Winners

  • 2017 – Kinsale – Swuzzlebubble – Phil Plumtree – Farr 1977
  • 2016 – Falmouth – Swuzzlebubble – Greg Peck – Farr 1977
  • 2015 – Nieuwport – Checkmate XV – David Cullen – Humphreys 1985
  • 2014 – St Quay Portrieux – Swuzzlebubble – Peter Morton – Farr 1977
  • 2013 – Boulogne – Checkmate XV – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1985
  • 2011 – Cowes – Chimp – Michael Kershaw – Berret 1978
  • 2009 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978
  • 2007 – Dun Laoghaire – Henri-Lloyd Harmony – Nigel Biggs – Humphreys 1980~
  • 2005 – Dinard – Gingko – Patrick Lobrichon – Mauric 1968
  • 2003 – Nieuwpoort – Général Tapioca – Philippe Pilate – Berret 1978

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