Maserati-- 70' Ocean Racing Foiler

Maserati still leading at 5:41 pm Eastern and going nearly fast enough to foil. She's doing 16.3 knots while PP is doing 13.2 with no hope of foiling....

Tracker http://rolexmiddlesearace.com/tracker/

Go Maserati!

 

At 6:47 PP is still well behind but doing 19.2 knots while Maserati is doing 14.8........There is a possibility that Maserati can't foil on port tack unless they ensure that the central rudder foil remains in the water-a bit dicy considering the mainsheet can't be adjusted like normal....
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At 8:41 Maserati was doing 18.8 knots and Power Play 15.9 as they close in on the next mark-Favignana- with Maserati significantly ahead.

Go Maserati!

 

Maserati still with a big lead. At 7:30pm Maserati was at 16.3 knots while Power Play was at 16.9....

From Team Maserati:
MASERATI MULTI 70 STILL IN THE LEAD AFTER A ROUGH NIGHT, 200 MILES AWAY FROM THE ARRIVAL
October 22, 2018
Giovanni Soldini and Maserati Multi 70 are still sailing in the lead of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, around 200 miles away from the finish line and after increasing the advantage over their direct rival PowerPlay, which is sailing 35 miles behind (according to the tracker at 11.00 local time, 9.00 UTC).

It was a very hard night for the Italian trimaran’s crew: they had to pass through a big storm, with wind gusts up to 50 knots, and they reached the island of Favignana this morning around 05.00 (03.00 UTC).

“A very violent squall line with strong gusts of wind, thunders and lightings passed over our heads”, says Giovanni Soldini. “We were able to shorten the sails very quickly without any damages, we stopped for just 5 minutes. We always stayed on route. One of the concerns was obviously the right-side damaged rudder: with strong winds and sudden gusts coming from left, we needed to be very careful not to be unprepared and to keep the central hull in the water or we would be left without any rudder in use. We are very satisfied with the beautiful regatta we are conducting so far. I’m particularly happy about the way that everyone in the crew reacted to the problems with the hydraulic piston and the rudder. We don’t have any intention to stop!”

Maserati Multi 70’s Team is heading towards the island of Pantelleria, to be left to port, with a 15 knots NNW wind. The next buoy will be the island of Lampedusa before heading towards Valletta in Malta.

Soldini comments: “The last part towards the finish line will be the most critical for us. We will sail with strong wind and rough sea, without a rudder, beam reach, which is the most challenging and difficult sailing point for Maserati Multi 70.”
UPDATE- Maserati has rounded the island of Pantelleria some time ago-PP not yet.


Go Maserati!

 

Maserati doing 22.2 knots at 8:43am eastern and PP doing 20.6knots. Looks like they have wind! Maserati is in a bit of a quandry: on port tack if they fly they take a chance on the central rudder popping loose leaving them with no steering since the stb ama rudder is non-functional.

Maserati on port tack(not in this race). She'll be on port tack a lot between now and the finish and she should be able to fly BUT it will be scary since any heel could cause the central rudder to pop loose. Will be interesting to find out if they have someone dedicated to controlling the rake of the daggerboard foil for downforce if needed?

 

As of 10:56am eastern Maserati is still leading as they approach the final major turning mark at Lampedusa. Maserati (on port tack) is doing 24.9 knots and PP 23.2.....
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Maserati is about to round Lampedusa, still with a substantial lead. Her speed at 11:48 eastern was 24.6 knots and Power Play 15.

Go Maserati !!!

 

From Team Maserati:
MASERATI MULTI 70 PASSES LAMPEDUSA AND STARTS THE LAST PART OF THE COURSE TOWARDS MALTA
October 22, 2018
Giovanni Soldini and his crew passed the island of Lampedusa at around 18.00 local time (16.00 UTC), and are now heading towards the finish line in Malta.

After passing Pantelleria in the morning, the Italian trimaran sailed towards the last buoy of the Rolex Middle Sea Race’s course at a speed between 14 and 27 knots, maintaining the first place.

There are now 115 miles before the finish line for Maserati Multi 70‘s crew that will now have to face the most challenging part of the regatta, with strong wind and rough sea in beam reach.

 

Wow- at 12:46 eastern Maserati at 28.9 knots-must be foiling.....PP doing 18 knots and they still haven't rounded Lampedusa.....

Go like hell, Maserati!!!!

 

At 2pm eastern Maserati appears to be 30-40 miles ahead of PP and doing 25.6 knots! Power Play is sailing at 20.7 knots. My excitement grows........
Big question: are they able to fly the boat w/o the stb rudder?!

Go like a bat out of hell, Maserati!!!!

 

At 3:12 eastern Power Play is doing 27.1 knots, Maserati 24.6. Maserati is within an hour or two of the finish-PP is still way back.

Go Maserati!!!!

 

At 4:30 eastern Maserati has passed thru the channel between Gozo and Malta and continued on a ways. I would imagine she'll make the right turn* toward the finish line momentarily. She's doing 20.2 knots and PP 25.1 knots with no chance of catching Maserati barring a breakdown or disaster of some sort. Maserati is about 15 miles from the finish and PP is about 40miles behind.
She did moments ago....

Just a bit more, Team Maserati!!!

 

Team Maserati wins!!!!!! After so much trouble and travail the guys pulled it together despite trouble with the stb rudder and mainsheet. They beat an almost identical non-foiling boat-another Mod 70 in conditions that weren't the best for any foiler especially one crippled with two major problems. Way to go Team Maserati including Guillaume Verdier!!!!!!!

 

From Team Maserati:
MASERATI MULTI 70 FINISHES IN FIRST PLACE THE 39TH ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE IN 2 DAYS, 11 HOURS, 54 MINUTES AND 58 SECONDS
October 22, 2018
Today October 22nd, 2018 at 22.54 58” local time (20.54 UTC), Maserati Multi 70 crossed the finish line of the 39th Rolex Middle Sea Race in first place, covering the 606 miles of the historical maltese regatta in 2 days, 11 hours, 54 minutes and 58 seconds.
Maserati Crew: Giovanni Soldini, Guido Broggi, Carlos Hernandez Robayna, Oliver Herrera Perez, Matteo Soldini, Nico Maori Malingri di Bagnolo, Vittorio Bissaro, Francois Robert.

At the finish-note no stb rudder:

 

Maserati is the first full flying foiler to win this race TWICE although last time the other guy(not PP) made a wrong turn(literally). Also, I believe Maserati is the first full flying foiler to win ANY ocean race!!

 

Soldini on the race:
The constant changes in conditions due to the shape and location of the course mean plenty of opportunities to learn how best to adjust trim and rake, and, to perfect manoeuvres. It was the willingness to keep trying different set-ups that enabled Maserati to stay ahead, particularly on the stretch from Lampedusa to the Comino Channel.
“We had to gybe on the way down to Lampedusa and then sail on the starboard hull all the way to Malta,” advised Soldini. “We were very scared that PowerPlay would be able to overtake us. We kept trying and found that by trimming the rake a little bit we could flatten the boat and be very fast, with just the central rudder in the water. We were also lucky that we were in the beginning of the strong winds and the sea-state was flat.” Soldini is another who enjoys the Rolex Middle Sea Race course despite the stresses of racing: “Sailing is my passion, so I always enjoy it even if I’m not happy to have a problem. It is a very nice race and I would love to come back.”
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If the central rudder was in the water then so was the main foil and the stb ama foil-need to know more about the "rake" he was talking about: the mainfoil lift(and downforce) is controlled by the rake of the daggerboard and would have a big effect on keeping the boat flat. Or was he talking about rig rake?dl

 

From Team Maserati today:
LINE HONOUR VICTORY FOR MASERATI MULTI 70 IN THE ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE. SOLDINI: “GREAT REGATTA!”
October 23, 2018
Today at 22.54 58” local time (20.54 UTC), Maserati Multi 70 crossed in first place the finish line of the 39th Rolex Middle Sea Race, covering the 606 miles of the historical Maltese regatta in 2 days, 11 hours, 54 minutes and 58 seconds.

PowerPlay, its direct rival, arrived second in 2 days, 13 hours, 36 minutes and 48 seconds.

Giovanni Soldini and Maserati Multi 70 crossed the start line in the Grand Harbour in Malta on Saturday October 20th at 11.00 local time (09.00 UTC) with a 15 knots wind from North-East and headed right away towards Sicily.

After passing Capo Passero, during the tacking race with PowerPlay, Maserati Multi 70 had to face a damage to the main sheet’s hydraulic piston: the oil dropped in the air chamber. The problem was solved right away by the crew.

Just an hour later, sailing close-hauled, the right-side rudder’s fitting broke.

“We immediately realized the seriousness of the situation”, explains Giovanni Soldini, “the rudder burst through sideways the aft part of its location. We are sure that we didn’t hit any object and we think it’s a structural problem. After we brought the damaged rudder out of the water, we were able to restart a few meters behind PowerPlay, which regained all the advantage we had over it.”

A key moment of the regatta was the decision, took by Soldini and Vittorio Bissaro, to approach the Strait of Messina from East, letting Maserati Multi 70 obtain a discrete advantage over PowerPlay.

“The most difficult moment was, during the night between Sunday and Monday, the passage of a big squall with storms, thunders, lightning and gusts up to 50 knots. After a very challenging manoeuvre we quickly got out of it without any damage.”

Monday October 22nd was then very hard for Giovanni Soldini and his crew: PowerPlay gained back most of its delay, right before the last lap beam reach from Lampedusa to Malta, the most critical for Maserati Multi 70 considering the damage to the right-side rudder.

Soldini continues: “We knew that between Lampedusa and Malta we would find a strong side wind port tack, probably the most critical wind point for a multihull. With the damaged rudder, we weren’t sure we could defend our position from PowerPlay’s attacks. To our surprise, we were able to find a magical asset, with the boat’s weights, the leeward foil’s rake and the mast’s incline, that made it possible for us to handle this beam reach lap at high speed.”

“It was a great regatta and a great battle with PowerPlay, which never let go until the end. I must thank everyone in Maserati Multi 70’s Team, they did an amazing job!”

Aboard Maserati Multi 70, with skipper Giovanni Soldini, there are 7 professional sailors: Italians Vittorio Bissaro (tactician), Guido Broggi (mainsail trimmer), Nico Malingri and Matteo Soldini (both grinder and trimmer); Spanish Carlo Hernandez Robayna (trimmer) and Oliver Herrera Perez (bowman) and French François Robert (pitman).