Yearly Archives: 2024

SailGP Canadian Team Safe

SailGP has confirmed the acquisition of the Canada SailGP Team by Canadian biotech entrepreneur, Dr. Greg Bailey.  In a move set to send shockwaves through the global racing championship, double Olympic Gold medalist Giles Scott has been signed as driver for the Canadian team. Giles Scott previously drove for Emirates GBR, and was the winner of the Sail GP Canada event this summer. Scott was born in Canada and Has citizenship.

Dr. Greg Bailey is co-founder and executive chairman of Juvenescence and chairman of Max Insurance, a Canadian property and casualty insurance company. 

In addition to Scott, the Canada SailGP Team announces the retention of top talent, including flight controller Billy Gooderham, wing trimmer Paul Campbell-James, as well as grinders Tim Hornsby, Jareese Finch, Cooper Dressler and Tom Ramshaw.  Strategist Annie Haeger will also continue and be joined by Georgia Lewin-LaFrance, who returns to the roster following on from her 2024 Olympic campaign. Joe Glanfield also returns to the team as Lead Coach.

SailGP also confirms the return of a Canadian SailGP event next season in 2026.  A sellout success, SailGP’s Canadian debut in Halifax was named ‘favourite racetrack’ in the Season 4 fan-voted awards. More than 50,000 spectators turned out to cheer on the action, along the Halifax shoreline.

Mighty Servant 1

The famous Heavy lift Semi Submersible vessel Mighty Servant made a very brief stop in Halifax yesterday to swap some crew. the ship entered port, and was met by a Dominion diving vessel off Ives Knoll to perform the swap.

The ship then turned and headed out of the harbour, with the total stay in port of less then 5 minutes. The ship sailed from Cadiz Spain, bound for the US East Coast, with wind farm components. The ship will likely begin transporting towers from staging in Newfoundland, to the installation site, as other Boskallis vessels have been perfroming this work.

Night Howl

The Mega Yacht Night Howl Moved out into the harbour to land a Helicopter this afternoon. Not something you see every day.

The AS-50 Helicopter departed Danbury Connecticut on Saturday, Arriving at YHZ on Sunday morning, before making a 10 minute flight to the yacht just after 3pm.

Night Howl is owned by Rich Handler, who is CEO of the investment firm Jefferies. he purchased the yacht earlier this year for 65million, selling stock in the firm to fund the purchase. The yacht was reportedly previously owned by Tilman Fertitta, who’s worth $11.8 billion, is best known for operating the Golden Nugget casinos and owning the Houston Rockets

Emerald Princess first Cruise ship to Tender, violating labour laws.

The above image showed up on social media feeds this morning, and the ILA was noticed to be picketing the port Authority so whats going on?

The Emerald Princess is the first cruise ship to visit Halifax and use tenders. Tendering is when a ship anchors, and then ferries the passengers to shore. Some of the ships lifeboat compliment is designed for this dual purpose.

Earlier this morning, the ship dropped off crew members at the temporary dock you see above, and those individuals are tying up the tenders. This is work that should be going to ILA members. The ships crew haven’t been vetted by Transport Canada to work in a Canadian Port, and are also working illegally in Canada.

Tendering became necessary this year on busy cruise ship days due to the expansion of PSA Atlantic Hub, and the infilling of the Basin Between Pier B and Pier A1. The port authority has installed a tender dock at Pier 23

S/V Theros Disappears, crew found in dingy on Sable Island

The Theros departed the Dartmouth yacht club June 11, and was last heard from June 13th. the vessel with 2 persons on board was due in the Azores on July 2. instead they were found, deceased, in their black dingy when it washed up on sable island July 10th.

Family reported them missing June 18th, after they received no further contact form the couple after the 13th. There was no distress call from the vessel, nor did it appear to carry an epirb.

There was a suggestion that the Theros may have been run over by a LNG Carrier Ineos Intuition. this was based on incomplete AIS Data for the Theros, but the last known position provided by the USCG suggests the Theros was well past the track of Ineos Intuition.

USCG Eagle

USCGC Eagle Arrived Wednesday, and spent 2 days at anchor before tying up at pier 20 Thursday evening. the Ship is open to the public 10am-7pm Friday and Saturday.

The ship is a regular caller in Halifax, usually stopping in every second year or so.

SailGP comes to Halifax

SailGP comes to Canada and Halifax for the First time this weekend. The series, created by Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is currently in its 4th season. 10 teams, will race F50 one-design multi-hulls around the Harbour Saturday and Sunday. Both days will feature 3 races, with the final race only including the top teams from the previous 5 races.

The Boats are an evolution of the 2017 AC50 boats used for the Americas Cup, and 3 of the hulls were raced in that Americas Cup. as a one design series, all the boats are identical, so winning comes down to ability of the crew of 6 – Helmsman, 2 grinders, tactician, trimmer and flight controller. The F50 name drives from Foiling, and the boats length 50′. if you look closely, you will see the boats skimming through the water on a single foil on the downwind side of the vessel.

The boats typically race at 60-80km/h depending on wind conditions, with the top speed of 99.94km/h being recorded in 2022.