Sailing single handed with 12knots

First sailing in Las Palmas

On sunday we went out sailing for the first time since we arrived in Las Palmas.

The weather was cloudy with NE wind at 10knots.  

Bella Stella assembled

Yesterday Francesco and Roch were hard at work and the catamaran is now all set-up. Today, they should go out sailing for initial post-assembly tests, and Sunday they will test to capsize with full load. Francesco believes he could be ready to go by Tuesday morning.

Raining in Las Palmas

Francesco and Roch have landed today in Las Palmas of Gran Canaria. They have been welcomed by tropical weather: hot and wet. They have unloaded all the catamaran parts from the trailer at the Club Maritimo Varadero sailing club, with the help of local club members. The rain is unfortunately preventing the use of silicon sealing joints, and this delays the assembly of Bella Stella 2. When the catamaran is assembled, Francesco plans to do some tests at sea before the great departure.

Boarding in Cadix

Francesco today sent an SMS saying that he has arrived fine in Cadix where he is boarding the ferry boat towards Las Palmas, together with Roch, who will help him to put together the "Bella Stella 2" - Francesco's catamaran that is now being trawled dismantled on a trailer at the back of his car.

Old news

• 29th December - we got the new sails and went sailing in the bay of Cannes for the first time... my God this is a fast catamaran!
• 18th November - after meeting with some new technical suppliers at METS, I have their support confirmed. It's cool, this year we have some excellent new technical sponsoring.
• 9th September - the new platform is arrived and is assembled, the next week-end we will take the measures for the new jib and the new gennakers
• 22nd August - we have got a new platform, entirely carbon made in Germany, it will be in Antibes mid September
• 20th August - all the electronics have been received from the US (autopilots, vhf, gps, …)
• 25th July - A new set of wings have been designed and will be build by Italcanna in September
• 29 June - all the main technical sponsors have confirmed their support for the 2007 attempt
• 28 June - Alberto Spina has confirmed the he will be the official router also for the second attempt. This year again Italcanna will be the supplier of the carbon tubes.
• 25 June - Interview with Multihulls magazine
• 06 June - The new training sails by Ullmann Sails are ready
• 04 May - Interview with the Italian sailing magazine Bolina
• 24 March - Interview with UK magazine Yacht and Yachting
• 15 March - Francesco has fully recovered from the transatlantic attempt and all the Official Suppliers are committed for a second attempt