Welcome to the website of the Yacht Club de Monaco
Tuiga’s logbook
In the wake of her centenary celebrations in September 2009, the Principality’s yachting Ambassador, the 15 M IR Tuiga will be flying the Yacht Club de Monaco’s guidon high during the coming regatta season.
Among the highlights: her return to Cowes and her victory in the Solent for the Westward Cup (5-10 July 2010), organised on the initiative of Zbynek Zak, owner of Eleonora to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Westward’s launch.
An outstanding event which enjoyed the support of the Royal Yacht Squadron (lead club on the Organising Committee), New York Yacht Club and the Yacht Club de Monaco through La Belle Classe. These three prestigious Clubs agreed to come together and pool their combined skills for this centenary.
5 to 11 July: Cowes Westward Cup (http://www.rys.org.uk/)
Westward Cup 2010: 1er Tuiga, 2e Mariette, 3e Mariquita
August: Training every weekend
8 to 12 September: Imperia Vele d'Epoca (http://www.veledepoca.com/)
14 to 19 September: Les régates de Nice
20 to 26 September: Cannes Regates Royales (http://www.regatesroyales.com/)
27 Sept to 3 October: Voiles de Saint-Tropez (http://www.societe-nautique-saint-tropez.fr/)
To follow Tuiga’s adventures, read her logbook.
Tuiga’s log book
| 10 July 2010 | Wesward Cup Final Rankings | > See details |
| 09 July 2010 | 3rd race day | > See details |
| 08 July 2010 | Rest day | > See details |
| 07 July 2010 | 2nd race day | > See details |
| 06 July 2010 | 1st race day | > See details |
| 22 June 2010 | Cowes | > See details |
| 15 June 2010 | Looking forward to the departure! | > See details |
| 10 June 2010 | Genoa,Tuiga on board the Ankersgracht | > See details |
| 07 June 2010 | Tuiga departs on her campaign abroad | > See details |
10 July 2010
Wesward Cup Final Rankings
New York Yacht Club Race, Tuesday 6 July 2010:
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita
Boat International Race, Wednesday 7 July 2010:
1st Mariette, 2nd Tuiga, 3rd Mariquita
1st Mariette, 2nd Tuiga, 3rd Mariquita
Yacht Club de Monaco Race, Friday 9 July 2010:
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariquita, 3rd Mariette
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariquita, 3rd Mariette
Royal Yacht Squadron Race, Saturday 10 July 2010:
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita
Westward Cup 2010:
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita
1st Tuiga, 2nd Mariette, 3rd Mariquita
09 July 2010
3rd race day
The wind made us wait today and it wasn’t until 11.30am that the start could finally be given.
The 32-nautical mile race with the tide and 10 marks to get round was a challenge. It was to require more manoeuvres by all the crews than on the previous days.
On Tuiga, Bernard d’Alessandri, Secretary General of the Yacht Club de Monaco left the helming to Olivier Campana.
Tuiga and Mariquita had the best starts and seized the lead from the first tacks over the two other competitors.
Tuiga is a real gem in these wind conditions and for nearly four hours she was the equal of Mariquita. It was only on the last tack that the latter drew ahead and crossed the line first in real time.
Tuiga is winning comfortably in compensated time and is very favourably positioned for final victory in the Westward Cup for the last day, with two wins and a second place to her credit.
Tom Adamec, Tuiga
08 July 2010
Rest day
Visited the historic Royal Yacht Squadron’s club house with a commentary by Rear Commodore Captain Simon van der Byl, who did us the honour of being our guide and was admirably translated by Vincent. He succeeded in getting across the famous British humour in the language of Molière – a real tour de force!
Tom Adamec, Tuiga
07 July 2010
2nd race day
For the second day, the wind picked up to a steady 15-20 knots.
From the start these conditions favoured the big yachts and the crew on Tuiga had to concentrate hard throughout the 38 nautical miles to limit as much as possible the lead her competitors were inevitably going to have in real time.
Today, even more than usual, the crew’s aim was to execute near perfect manoeuvres and the attention of everyone on deck took on an extra significance in ensuring the safety of the men on board and the boat.
Mariette crossed the line first with an average speed of nine knots (!) followed by Eleonora and Mariquita.
Tuiga achieved her objective and finished second in compensated time behind Mariette.
Tomorrow, Thursday, is a day of rest and the crew on Tuiga are going to take advantage of it and visit the club house at the Royal Yacht Squadron.
Tom Adamec, Tuiga
06 July 2010
1st race day
27 seconds!
That was the gap separating Tuiga, second in real time, from Mariquita as they crossed the finish line at the end of a tightly fought race lasting a full three hours and 20 minutes in the Solent off the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron.
Helmed by the Yacht Club de Monaco’s Secretary General Bernard d’Alessandri, Tuiga began the competition with a victory in compensated time, 3h 42min 14sec against 3h 55min 36sec for second-place Mariette. The wind was changeable, blowing from the north to begin with and finally settling into a south-westerly.
It was an excellent result for Tuiga who had the best start over the line of the morning. She left her three rivals way behind and although it did not influence the final results – as the clock starts ticking for each boat only when they’ve crossed the start line – the effect on the crowds of spectators was to see Tuiga flying along in the lead at the beginning of the race.
Unfortunately Eleonora suffered significant damage to her two masts during training on Sunday. Both lost upper sections and even though the ingenious repairs carried out the same day in Southampton enabled her to line up today, she is not able to carry as much sail this week as she would have done otherwise.
Tom Adamec, Tuiga
22 June 2010
Cowes
The Ferry’s gate are opening slowly…we are first to get off, the weather is beautiful! Once gone through the checks, we are heading for the Isle of Wight… left hand side driving…Welcome to England!
Southampton, Portsmouth, these two harbours are the maritime lungs of the British economy. They are continuously on duty! Hythe is where we are waiting for Tuiga. Whilst waiting for her we take time to visit the little town of Hythe and the pontoon where she will be moored for the next two days.
The caretaker there looks like are retired army colonel from the Indian colonies as he greets us with a smile, a smile you have when you bump into your old friends…We spend time talking about the 2008 campaign and our stay in the Hythe boatyards where we shared a pontoon with Mike Horn then on his yacht Pangaea. We then made an appointment to finalise our mooring procedure on Monday with the Manager.
Our meal at the Lord Nelson reminds us how people here can be incredibly dynamic and pro active and at the same time so conservative, as much as quirkiness can be so charming! By taking the small train along the dike to retrieve the rest of the crew, we return to Southampton by the Hythe ferry which seems as old as the pontoon! One must only wait patiently for news of our cargo boat, the MV Ankersgracht.
15 June 2010
Looking forward to the departure!
Genoa, the city of Christopher Columbus, the explorer who discovered America was born in these walls. At the conclusion of 15 hours at sea in good weather and without any trouble, the first lights of dawn slowly deliver sights of the harbour under a drizzle and grey sky worthy of a November morning.
After zigzagging between a huge container-ship and a passenger ship, Tuiga moors in the Porto Antico marina. Yvon is getting his traditional warm coffee ready and it is now time to call the agent.
The Ankersgracht only arrives later today; we are waiting knowing that it is part of the life of the sailor: wait for a mooring, wait for the pilot, wait for departure … Tuiga will remain patiently moored, surrounded by two beautiful power-driven units. Looking forward to our departure!
10 June 2010
Genoa,Tuiga on board the Ankersgracht
There she is – we’ve arrived! We espy the Ankersgracht moored alongside the Genoa Metal Terminal wharf – we draw up gently alongside the freighter – the ogre is there, impatient to swallow our yacht, so fragile by comparison, into her bowels with the help of giant cranes.
The contrast is striking – a whole world separates this old but well maintained Dutch freighter and the delicate, elegant universe of Tuiga with her teak deck and varnished mahogany!
A huge clamp advances, firmly grasping our yacht. After a slight hesitation, Tuiga is lifted into the air like a wisp of straw and laid gently down on the back of the ogre. All is well. We can breathe easily again!
These handling operations are always impressive. An army of Filipinos rush forward with at least a dozen straps to secure Tuiga firmly in position on the cargo ship’s deck. The loading operation completed the dockers disappear. The Dutch captain shakes our hands. The adjuster has to run so as not to miss his train. The Club’s car awaits us. There’s hardly a moment to glimpse for the last time the top of Tuiga peering out above the deck. The leave-taking is quick as we will meet the Monegasque cutter again in Southampton.
07 June 2010
Tuiga departs on her campaign abroad
Monday 7 June 2010 – usually quietly moored alongside the quay at the Yacht Club, this thorough-bred of the sea is just waiting to be let off the reins. The winter has been relatively calm but we note the wonderful job that has been done on her bowsprit, and the stepping and adjustments to the new mast!
Now she is ready! Like a butterfly on water, Tuiga looks forward to feeling the water surging beneath her hull and to taking up this season’s challenges!
Her first race will be in England in the legendary venue that is Cowes! But the road is long – first Genoa where from tomorrow Tuiga should be carefully lowered onto the deck of a cargo ship bound for Southampton. Her arrival is scheduled for around 18 June.
The little town of Hythe will be our host until the Westward Cup. The English are delighted to welcome Tuiga who was a winner here during her last visit to the Solent in 2008 for Cowes Classic Week. On a 30 nautical mile course, the YCM’s flagship will be racing against the powerful schooners Eleonora and Mariette, and the gaff rig Mariquita. It’s going to be tough! But we will do the utmost to make it a double!