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Scuttlebutt Updates
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Archived NewslettersSCUTTLEBUTT 3039 - Tuesday, March 2, 2010Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Scuttlebutt on Facebook: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/facebook Today’s sponsors: Harken Sport, North U, and J/Boats. TO PURSUE, OR NOT TO PURSUE By Cory E. Friedman, America's Cup legal analyst As faithful America’s Cup followers may recall, Golden Gate Yacht Club’s (GGYC) Constructed in Country motion (CIC) and Société Nautique De Genève’s (SNG) cross motion were not decided the week before the 33rd America’s Cup Match was scheduled to commence, and were originally scheduled for February 25, 2010. They have since been continued to March 10, 2010. GGYC breach of fiduciary duty (BFD) action remains pending, with SNG’s response yet to be filed. With the Match over, all the litigation will go away. Right? Maybe not. The Mutiny on the Race Committee (RC) boat was the straw that broke the camel’s back and may have changed the litigation landscape. By any objective measure, from the CNEV charade onward, SNG devoted unremitting effort and left no stone unturned in its attempt to be the worst trustee in AC history. Only New York’s judges prevented it from succeeding in wrecking the Cup for good. Alinghi skipper Brad Butterworth signed a letter that said it best: “For those who seek a level playing field, go and race in any of the numerous competitions that exist in the world.” The Mutiny was the icing on the cake, and only PRO Harold Bennett’s Horatio at the AC gate quick action prevented the AC from being fixed as surely as the 1919 World Series was fixed in the infamous Black Sox scandal. In any self respecting sport, or business, or anything else self respecting, Bennett’s report of the Mutiny would inevitably result in a thorough investigation and, if the alleged facts turn out to be true, everyone in the chain, from the onboard boat owner, to the portly skipper on the phone on the boat, to the SNG observer on the phone on the RC boat, to the RC, would be banned from sailing for life. Perhaps ISAF will do what it should. But, given ISAF’s past behavior, from the secret agreement on, what are the odds? If ISAF sweeps the matter under the rug, perhaps on the hockey rationale that the fouled player scored anyhow, so no foul is called, the BFD is an avenue for at least cleaning up the AC. The upside of ending the litigation is that the alleged Chief Mutineer - Ernesto Bertarelli - has said he may participate in AC 34 if GGYC stops suing him. The downside of ending the litigation is that the alleged Chief Mutineer has said he may participate in AC 34 if GGYC stops suing him. The reality is that, had it not been for Larry Ellison, the Cup would now be the Alinghi Cup, the rules would be jimmied, the result fixed, and no one would ever be able to pry it out of SNG’s grip. Larry had plenty of help from an incredible organization and obviously could not have done it alone, but without him the Cup would have been a goner. While Larry looks trim and fit, if anything were to happen to him, what team would be in a position to keep the Cup out of SNG’s hands for good? A successful conclusion in the BFD would end the threat to the Cup. No one involved in a breach of fiduciary duty could be the trustee again -- or a challenger, as a challenger must be a potential trustee. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/cf/#p60 LANDSAILORS WALK ON ‘WATER’ Imagine this: You're in your small sailboat, skimming along at speeds that top 50 or 60 miles per hour. The wind whips your face. Exhilarated, you skillfully guide your craft, moving the sail to adjust your speed. The landscape is a blur until you gradually head up into the wind and allow your sailboat to slow to a stop. Then you step out of your boat, smiling, and walk over to the shade where your friends have been sitting, watching you sail. No, you aren't walking on water. You're participating in an extreme sport called land sailing. Some historians trace land sailing back to ancient Egypt and other cultures that used vehicles with sails for land transportation. Drawings exist of land sailors on the beaches of Belgium in the 1500s. These days, land sailing is popular in Europe, where it's called sand sailing. Boats race along sandy beaches at low tide, and racers may attract big-name sponsors. Land sailing also is popular in New Zealand, Brazil and other places with wide, open spaces. In the United States, land sailing gained popularity in the late 1960s and has been growing and evolving since. Racing dominates the sport, with events like the annual Americas Landsailing Cup regatta. In 2010, the event will take place March 21 through the 26 in Primm, Nev. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/yjpbphr NEW HARKEN SPORT 2010 LINEUP - AVAILABLE NOW Itching for spring sailing? Get ready with the latest 2010 Harken Sport gear released this week. New for 2010: eco-friendly UPF50+ technical shirts, crew jackets, fleece and windproof fleece layers, more shoe colors, and moccasin-style Classic Leather shoes. We've also added Ballistic Pants and casual shorts to our popular Eco line (4 colors). Check it out now at http://www.harkensport.com/cat/2010.html PROBABLY THE FINEST SAILOR'S PLAY GROUND by Louay Habib As many sailing locations around the world were in the grip of winter. The second edition of the RORC Caribbean 600, hosted by the Antigua Yacht Club, attracted crews from over 20 countries worldwide. The Antiguan Government recognised the importance of the event. Honourable John Maginley, Minister of Tourism, and the Honourable Howard Lovell, Minister of Finance for Antigua and Barbuda, were present at the welcome party sponsored by Lee Overlay Partners. Clear blue skies and crystal clear ocean typify the Caribbean and the competitors in the RORC Caribbean 600 were treated to some superb champagne sailing conditions, as they started the only offshore race in these waters. At the start, there wasn't a foul weather jacket in sight as the fleet sailed upwind into a warm easterly breeze of 12-15 knots. Huge swathes of spectators gathered on Shirley Heights and Fort Charlotte to witness the start of the RORC Caribbean 600. The first boats crossed the start line for the 605 mile race on 22nd February at 12:30 local time, to start an adventure that would take them around 14 Caribbean islands, in what is regarded as probably the finest sailor's play ground. The RORC Racing Manager, Ian Loffhagen, got all classes away without incident and the big boat start was extremely competitive with several boats timing their approach close to perfection. As the sun set over the Caribbean, the competitors in the RORC Caribbean 600 were preparing for their first night at sea. The leading boats had rounded the North Sails mark off Barbuda and were power reaching west towards the sunset under spinnaker. Region Guadeloupe was in pole position, setting an incredible pace as navigator Nick Lykiardopulo reported. "We are blasting through the water to Nevis, the speedo has barely dropped below 22 knots since we left Barbuda." Karl Kwok’s Farr 80, Beau Geste, was launched, screaming along at over 20 knots and behind them skirmishes had developed throughout the fleet. Danilo Salsi’s Swan 90 and Jim Grundy’s Riechel Pugh 75, Bella Pita, were in a close quarters confrontation. Richard Oland’s Southern Cross 52, Vela Veloce was in a fight with two Cookson 50s, the reigning RORC Caribbean 600 champion, Lee Overlay Partners and Ron O’Hanley’s Privateer and the three Farr 65’s chartered by Ondeck were having their own private battle. Complete story: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/10/0301/ Photo Gallery: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/10/0301/ SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO Bill Gladstone of North U. reviews one of the fundamental tactical decisions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- When to Split Tacks You know the old adage: “Can’t catch ‘em if we follow ‘em.” So, when you are behind you’ve got to split tacks to catch the leaders. In fact, splitting tacks is often a gamble with poor odds of success. To understand why, first answer this question: Which way are the leaders going, the right way or the wrong way? (Hint: they are in the lead.) If they are going the right way then splitting to go the wrong way is a low percentage play. What to do instead: First off, recognize that if the leaders don’t make any mistakes, you won’t catch them. Don’t just split tacks for the sake of splitting. You’ve got to sail fast, and stay within striking distance so you can pass when they stumble. When the leaders are going the right way, then go that way. If they become preoccupied tactically and miss a shift, or fail to respond to a change in conditions (either tactically or in trim) then you get your chance. But if you split for the sake of splitting and go the wrong way, then you will likely fall further behind; and you won’t be in position to capitalize when the leaders make a mistake. Sail fast, be patient, and pounce when the opportunity arises. -- http://tinyurl.com/yhcz8t8 FOR THE RECORD (Day 30 - March 1, 2010; 17:18 UTC) - Groupama 3 has been forced to distance herself from the direct route towards the Horn in order to skirt around a very fast low, which is circulating around sixty degrees or so South. Under two reefs in the mainsail and staysail, the giant trimaran is driving hard towards the ENE to avoid the most violent zone in a disturbed system, which is tracking across towards Cape Horn at 45 knots. On Monday at lunchtime, the winds were reportedly blowing 80 knots around Drake's Passage (between Cape Horn and Antartica). "We're sailing in a steady wind of up to 37 knots, and the seas are fairly chaotic and pretty big,” reports bowman Jacques Caraes. “It's not easy to negotiate... It's very wet on deck and the helmsmen are trying to protect themselves behind the windscreen, which is in a very sad state of repair, held together by lines. There's a cross swell with a few high waves (2-3 metres) and the boat comes to a standstill in a wave from time to time. We're being shaken about quite a lot and it's very uncomfortable. Fatigue has set in and the manoeuvres are a lot more laborious. We're having to remain prudent." The rounding of Cape Horn is now scheduled between daybreak and midday on Thursday. While their longer northern route is helping to avoid the worst of the stormy winds and seas, once they gybe their descent to the Cape isn't going to be easy because as the wind shifts round to the NW on Tuesday evening, the wind will be right on their stern. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/ykgx9zt Current position as of March 1, 2010 (22:00:00 UTC): Ahead/behind record: +230.4 nm Speed (avg) over past 24 hours: 30.7 knots Distance over past 24 hours: 735.8 nm Distance to go: 8,723 nm Data: http://cammas-groupama.geovoile.com/julesverne/positions.asp?lg=en Map: http://cammas-groupama.geovoile.com/julesverne/index.asp?lg=en * After their start on January 31, 2010, Franck Cammas and his nine crew on Groupama 3 must cross finish line off Ushant, France before March 23rd (06:14:57 UTC) to establish a new time for the Jules Verne Trophy (21,760 nm) for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions. Current record holder is Bruno Peyron and crew, who in 2005 sailed Orange 2 to a time of 50 days, 16 hours, and 20 minutes at an average of 17.89 knots. STAMFORD, ANNAPOLIS, CHICAGO, AND DETROIT... ...host the next North U Trim seminars lead by David Dellenbaugh or Todd Berman. Not just great sailors, but expert instructors so the emphasis is on your sailing, not their sea stories. In one day you learn to control and balance power for better upwind performance, trim your spinnaker (A or S) to run faster and deeper, and how to set, jibe, and douse like a pro; plus you take home the North U TRIM Seminar-on-CD; all for about $100. US Sailing member discounts. Visit http://www.northu.com or call 800-347-2457 for the full schedule and details. DIARY OF A NAVIGATOR Navigator Stan Honey (USA) is among the nine crew sailing with skipper Franck Cammas onboard the 103-foot maxi trimaran Groupama 3 during their attempt to win the Jules Verne Trophy, a fully crewed round the world record attempt under sail. Stan will be updating ‘butthead readers from onboard Groupama 3, and provides some insight into handling the obstacles of the Southern Ocean: * What tools do you use to track icebergs, and how has their position affected your tactical decisions? We have been using a French radarsat processing company, CLS, to process satellite radar scans of specified areas for us. However, there is still risk as small icebergs and growlers smaller than 50m or so cannot be tracked from space.In addition we use Australian and other sources of data on known icebergs. Finally we use historical data on past iceberg locations, both from previous sailing events in the Southern Ocean as well as statistical data like that found on Pilot or Routing charts. The Southern Ocean is tougher than the North Atlantic where there is an ice tracking organization with a long history. We stayed north of a field of icebergs that was South of Australia. As it turned out, that was not much of a detour. In the Pacific we might have gone further south at times if we had certain knowledge that there was no ice. On the other hand, big multihulls don't need as much wind as the Volvo 60's used to, and therefore we do not have as big of an incentive to sail far south the way the 60's did. * What kind of collision damage can Groupama 3 sustain and be able to continue on? Collisions are a concern. My impression is that one boat in ten that circumnavigates in a race or record attempt will sustain sufficient damage at some point during the event to affect the boat's performance, e.g. lose or damage an appendage or damage a false bow. It is difficult to track floating objects in high sea-states. The return from the rough surface of the sea creates lots of clutter that can mask the radar or sonar return from a growler or other small object floating amid the waves. This sea clutter masks the return from small floating objects whether those objects are scanned from above with radar, or from below with sonar. On other projects I have used infrared imaging to detect ice with limited success. Like most boats that race around the world, Groupama 3 has false bow(s). Nevertheless, a sufficiently severe collision would disable the boat. Also, we do not carry spare appendages. Complete diary: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/1111/ SAILING SHORTS * The Canadian Yachting Association has announced the 36 members of the 2010 Canadian Sailing Team (CST), as determined by the Sport Canada Carding Criteria. The mission of the CST is to win Olympic and Paralympic Medals and have athletes consistently achieve top 16 results at World Championships and Olympic Games. -- Details: http://www.sailing.ca/features/announcing_the_2010_canadian_sailing_team/ * The Volvo Ocean Race has announced that Lisbon, located in the west of Portugal, will be the finish of the transatlantic leg of the 2011-12 race during the summer of 2012. The starting port of this leg has not yet been announced, which in 2008-9 race began in Boston (USA) and finished in Galway (IRL). The entire route will be revealed by the end of the month. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/yfx5zhl * Racing begins Thursday at the 2010 Miami Grand Prix for IRC, Farr 40 and Melges 32 boats from no less than 12 states and 7 foreign countries. A favorable weather report should provide four days of competition with as many as 10 races planned. At stake are class honors and the Florida Grand Prix trophies, awarded to the best combined scores from both Key West 2010 and the Miami Grand Prix, with Melges 32s including their 2009 Gold Cup scores as well. Current scratch sheet and daily results and reports: http://www.premiere-racing.com * Gill has been chosen to serve as the official technical clothing supplier to Emirates Team New Zealand. The company will supply a range of clothing for both the Louis Vuitton Trophy events in 2010 and the TP52 taking part in this season's Audi Medcup. -- IBI Magazine, read on: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20100126125658ibinews.html TOP HONORS FOR THE NEW J/95 The J/95 (31') breaks new ground as a sporty, keel-centerboarder that sails eight, sleeps four and draws only 3.2' of water. It's also the first design in history to win the Overall Boat-of-the-Year award from BOTH Sailing World & Cruising World. Wow, that's versatile! Check out the gallery and specs at http://www.jboats.com/j95/ LETTERS AND FORUM Please email your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’). Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). One letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Jackson Michaels: In regards to all of the comments surrounding the America's Cup fiasco....if indeed you could even call it the America's Cup race that BMW Oracle has won: There is an issue concerning the last debacle of racing that not many have brought to light... UNEMPLOYMENT. The mess that just occurred put so many people out of work in an already shaky economy and many families and decent individuals with a lot to offer to this race and sport were found lost, without income and work. I am sure that billionaires don't care and it is probably something they do to people on a regular basis, but while they were basking in their play-yard school fights in the courts and on the waters of Valencia, others were left struggling to make ends meet. I personally know a great many families affected by this mess they created. Perhaps the Cup can find its way into hands that are more capable of dealing with a proper yacht race in the future and that people can start to work again. We are not all billionaires with the ability to fund our fights at the expense of other people’s quality of life. * From Russell Painton: (re, lead story in Scuttlebutt 3038) I would like to add my vote in support of Nicholas Hayes' observations regarding one big reason for the decline of sailboat racing. I have been racing for some 50 plus years, and have watched with dismay the increasing presence of professional on board. I have seen owners, who have not contributed one thing to the first place "they" have "won", have the nerve to actually walk up and receive the award, as if they had actually done something themselves. Imagine the reaction of a new racer, who is even further back in the fleet, when he sees this. He evaluates what his chances are forever winning a race against these odds, and soon loses interest. One also reads about the huge successes that fleets have had when they simply forbid any pros on the boats at all. I am unaware of any other sport in the world where pros are routinely allowed to compete against amateurs. There is obviously a reason for this. Why are we any different? For those that insist they really like to try their skill against the pros, let them pick the pro am races and go for it. For the rest (vast majority) of us, let's save the sport before it is too late. CURMUDGEON’S CONUNDRUM Was there life before coffee? Special thanks to Harken Sport, North U, and J/Boats. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
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