Please select your home edition
Edition
Allen Sailing

Lightening the load?

by Guy Nowell 4 Apr 2019 23:15 PDT
Gear, including pipe cots, left behind during the first leg of the Round Hainan Race 2019. Were they on the Certificate? Yes © CBI

A few days ago Sail-World Asia published a story about the recent Round Hainan Race, which has proved to be highly inaccurate. We apologise for not checking more closely, but when World Sailing is the source you tend to go with the numbers. Won't make that mistake again. According to the WS press release, the race “was 1,040 nautical miles in total.” A quick visit to Google Earth indicates that Haikou to Sanya (leg 1) and then Sanya to Haikou (leg 2) involves about 430nm of sailing, so the inshore races must have been very long indeed!

In some bars the Round Hainan Race has acquired a less than enviable reputation for sharp practice among the participants. We know people who have sworn to “never go there again,” and heard numerous stories of engines being turned on during the night. Nothing provable, but not hard to work out.

And this year we have received from a friend a photo of a lot of gear that appears to have been removed from a boat for the Haikou-Sanya leg of the race. Our reporter advised the Jury, and check with the IRC Measurer in Hong Kong to confirm that the last time the boat was measured, pipe cots were “in”. All the Jury (Chairperson, Ana Maria Sanchez del Campo Ferrer, World Sailing Council, WS Executive Committee, WS Women's Forum) had to do was spot-check the boat when it arrived in Sanya, and cross-check with the certificate. This didn’t happen, and right now the Jury is not answering the phone.

Silence may be golden, but it is also self-damning. When someone reports a suspected breach of the rules to an International Jury, the very least they (the Jury) can do is to respond. If nothing else, it is politeness. Failing to respond means that they are either just plain rude, or else avoiding something. Or both.

Standing by on 72.

Guy Nowell, Asia Editor.

Related Articles

NMMA Industry reports now available for download
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America The latest report on cruiser, water sport, fishing boat and trailer sales trends, part of NMMA's 2024 U.S. Recreational Boating Statistical Abstract, is now available for member download. Posted on 10 Sep
Metstrade to accommodate over 1600 exhibitors
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America Visitor registration is now open for Metstrade (18-20 November), the most influential event in the leisure marine industry, and will be the biggest show to date, with expanded halls, enhanced zones, and over 1,600 exhibitors. Posted on 3 Sep
IBEX announces 2025 Education Conference line-up
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America The International BoatBuilders' Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) has announced its 2025 Education Conference line-up, featuring an expanded schedule of seminars, workshops, and Main Stage sessions for marine industry professionals. Posted on 27 Aug
Marine Industry headwinds continue for now
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America U.S. inflation picked up in July, with the Consumer Price Index rising to 2.7% year-over-year, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, climbed 3.1%. Posted on 20 Aug
Fishing takes center stage this week
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America The post-pandemic surge of participation in fishing continues to get record numbers of participants on the water, but data from the RBFF's 2025 Special Report on Fishing finds churn continues to pose a significant challenge. Posted on 13 Aug
Marine industry production index stats released
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America NMMA, in partnership with ITR Economics, has released the latest update to the U.S. Boat-Building Production Index, offering a refined outlook on the trajectory of boat production through 2027. Posted on 6 Aug
Trade agreement reached between the USA and Europe
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America In a significant development for American marine manufacturers, the United States and the European Union have reached a trade agreement that spares U.S.-made recreational boats and marine engines from a new round of retaliatory tariffs. Posted on 30 Jul
Move to introduce a market expansion strategy
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America In a pivotal move to confront declining new boat sales and unify the recreational marine industry around a shared growth strategy, the NMMA and the MRAA have launched the Market Expansion Advisory Group. Posted on 23 Jul
Tariff news still taking the headlines
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America Last Week, President Trump announced additional plans to impose new tariff rates on imports from several countries, including Brazil and the Philippines. Posted on 16 Jul
Legislation passed supporting US industry growth
A summary of news relevant to marine businesses across North America On Friday, President Trump signed what he referred to as "one big beautiful bill": legislation that preserves key provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act (TCJA). These provisions will continue to support growth. Posted on 9 Jul
Allen Dynamic 40 FooterRS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTER