Costa Esmeralda – There be Superyachts

After our season in the Med, we have seen a fair amount of super yachts. From the super yachts we have seen we have learned a number of things. Such as:

1. Super yachts like to concentrate on spots with the best show off potential
2. Global warming is still denied by a number of people, including super yacht owners. We haven't seen a single solar panel, lights are left bathing the yacht in light at night, and stinky generators are always on.
3. Most people that are in the position to order a new super yacht being built prefer motor boats of the uglier looking variety.

For this reason we were not so keen to visit the famous Costa Esmeralda, on the north east tip of Sardinia, which is the play ground of the rich and famous, and home of many super yachts for the summer. But we were surprised. The conversation went something like this:

Walbert: “Hey, look Liefje, see that black sail over there?”

Elizabeth:”I see it, what about it?”

Walbert: “That is probably the most expensive mainsail you have ever seen, it's full carbon.”

Elizabeth:”I thought carbon was reserved for masts.”

Walbert:”Yes, carbon masts are quite fancy, but carbon sails give that edge in performance.”

Elizabeth:”Hey look, there are some more black sails over there. They must have a discount deal for carbon sails here in the Costa Esmeralda. I have never seen so many carbon sails.”

Walbert:”It is really refreshing that the super yacht owners are going for the sailing boat, rather than those ugly motor boats. It looks like they are practicing for races. See the team in the team color, all sitting on the edge”

Elizabeth:”That boat over there uses carbon sails, but yet it has a teak deck. The benefit of the carbon sails is probably off-set by the teak deck. I don't understand the choices that these boat owners make”

Walbert:”Hey look, the carbon sails are lining up over there, and the Genoas are down. It looks like they are lining up for a start.

We tacked, so SaltyPaws passed just under the downwind buoy. While we sailed past the buoy, we saw several roundings, where the spinnakers where frantically taken down, and the Genoa was very quickly winched in. From out position, we had the best seat in the house. As we were making our way into the straight of Bonefacio, we got in the upwind section of the second race. We saw a crash-tack due to a right of way situation, and we saw quite a few beautifully executed normal tacks. We saw the spinnakers go up at the upwind buoy. However, finally we saw a number of the black sails coming straight towards us. We like to have the best seat in the house, but not at the expense of disadvantaging competitors, to we carefully monitored the incoming yachts. Due to a stroke of luck, the yachts went upwind and down wind of us, and we did not have to tack or give any of the racing yachts space to pass.

While we were sailing, the wind was slowly building from the initial steady 4 Beaufort, to a gusty 6 Beaufort, and with the increase in wind, our sail size went proportionally down. After tremendously enjoying the races, we had a very nice sail, through the sheltered channel on the south side of the straight. The total distance covered was 21 nautical miles in a straight line. However, we have to make 21 tacks to get from our A to B. Because of the islands, the sea was allowed only a very limited fetch, and we were enjoying to sail in 6 Beaufort, without significant waves. In these conditions we could beat into 30 degrees of the apparent wind. Many of the yachts going the same direction were running on the engine. I could not understand why. We were not going much slower, and had a ton of fun sailing. The exception were the carbon sailed yachts. One of the yachts refused to give us right of way, even when it was not in a race. Part of the race was also the Gazprom boat. We could not understand how a company owned by shareholders could justify such an expensive yacht, but there you go.