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Recruiting, baby, recruiting

Growing the sport is a reoccurring theme, but it could be argued that in some areas of the U.S. the sport is not even being sustained. New people must be brought in to replace those people who move, or move on. But this should be easy. By all accounts, youth sailing has never been bigger. If sailing was a business, how could it fail with such a huge pool of prospects?

The reality is the sport of sailing is failing big time when it comes to converting youth sailors into life sailors. If youth sailing was education, our graduation rate is abysmal. In most developed sailing centers, youth sailing is in youth boats. When the sailor ages out of the youth boat - Optimist, Club 420s, etc - the trail too often ends. Why? Well, why do colleges seek out high school students? Why do businesses seek out college students? Recruiting, baby, recruiting.

Here is an excerpt from an effort to seek some change by Eric Woodman, New England Representative to the U.S. Sunfish Class Association:

“As you may know by now we have an exciting and full Sunfish racing calendar this summer in the region. We'll have events in five states (we need to get Maine on board!) for every level of skipper - from never been in a race all the way up to top International competition. We'll also have the North Americans/Junior North Americans as close as they have been in years (Long Island) and the 2011 NAs/JR NAs in Barrington RI the following summer.

“As most of us are well aware, we have a noticeable lack of junior sailors who travel to regattas in the region. I think it's time we did something about that and I'm asking for everyone's help in turning this trend around. Carson Turowski, manager of the Vanguard Sailing Center in RI, has agreed to help as needed, too.

“If you see a junior on the race course, encourage him/her. Tell them about the other events. Help them rig the boat (especially show them how to de-power the rig). Meet their parents. Tell them about the JR. NAs in 2011 (and 2010, for that matter). Talk amongst yourselves after racing about how to get juniors out on the water, etc.

“As for the JR NAs in 2011, it's my hope that as a region we can use this summer as a chance to groom (for lack of a better word) some juniors to compete. Again, Vanguard Sailing Center is eager to support this effort, perhaps even providing charter boats, or other incentives. By the way, I don't mean we need to find the next champion (although that would be nice). I just want to get kids out on the boat so that we can have an active and strong future for the class in this region.”

Click here for the complete correspondance from Eric Woodman.

Sportsmanship And The Rules

When a sport relies on the participants to oversee its rules while the game is played, the success of the sport places a significant responsibility on the player. Everyone in the game must contribute, everyone is vested, everyone has ownership. On this level, it is interesting to note how much sailing and golf have in common:

SAILING: “Competitors in the sport of sailing are governed by a body of rules that they are expected to follow and enforce. A fundamental principle of sportsmanship is that when competitors break a rule they will promptly take a penalty, which may be to retire.” - Basic Principle, Racing Rules of Sailing

GOLF: “Unlike many sports, golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.” - Golf Etiquette 101, U.S. Golf Assn.

Snow Geese and Star boats

What do Snow Geese and Star boats have in common?




Star photo by Fried Elliott

J/111 update

An update on the J/111:

The first hull hatched and she's ready to fly! The project is on track for sailing in June.

Key features enable state-of-the-art, affordable performance. Its 56 foot long carbon pre-preg Hall Spar uses ZyVex Corp's Arovex carbon nano-tube technology to reduce weight, lower VCG and improve stiffness compared to other carbon rigs-- a first for the sailboat industry.

For superior lift, lower VCG and maximum righting moment, its got a vertical L-shaped keel comprised of a 316L formed stainless steel fin and tear-drop shaped lead bulb.

The rig and keel combination enable performance characteristics similar to downwind flyers like the J/90 and J/125. With nearly the same BWL/Sailing Length and Downwind SA/Wetted Surface ratios as these flyers, the J/111 will be a rocketship reaching and running at double-digit speeds! Compared to the J/105, its about the same DSPL on 4 feet longer Sailing Length with 50% more Downwind SA. That power translates into speeds of 30-40 seconds per mile faster than the J/105. And, with higher RM (nearly 1,000 ft/lbs) than any of its 34-37 foot brethren, this sailboat will easily slice to windward at 7.0+ knots.

J/111s will be sailing in America at Newport, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami, Harbor Springs, Houston and Long Island Sound; in Europe at England, Germany, Sweden, France and Switzerland; and in Auckland, New Zealand and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Fresh photos of numero uno from the mold:

Cayard catches volcanoitis

Life as a professional sailor is not all peaches and cream, as Paul Cayard describes from an event in Palma de Mallorca, Spain:


TP 52 Palmavela
Paul Cayard
Sunday, April 18, 2010

Between Barcelona and Lisbon on the train -

I could never explain well enough what the situation is like over here in Europe for anyone who wants to travel somewhere or get a hotel room.

Since making the decision to try to escape one day early, here is what I have encountered:

1. Got to my hotel in Barcelona and had them tell me that the hotel was oversold, but that had covered me in another hotel.

2. Was boarding the flight to Atlanta this morning when the airport authority ordered the airport closed.

3. Waited there as told by Delta, and lived through all the "we're going", "no, we're boarding in 20 minutes", "no it's canceled", "wait, we're going at 12:00". During these three hours I was asking Torbjorn's pilot, Henry, who was in Palma with Torbjorn's plane, about the likelihood that Barcelona would reopen, as well as about Madrid and Lisbon. Finally, Delta pulled the plug at 1300.

4. Onto plan C. Get a car or train to Lisbon for tomorrow's flight to Newark which my travel agent Elin had booked before Plan B. (Plan A was flying through Frankfurt on Monday in Business Class arriving into SFO at 1200, nice and fresh. That plan got nixed on Friday).

5. No cars available in BCN.

6. Called Russell Coutts' PA Alex who is Spanish. She had been stranded in Paris and was on a 13 hour bus ride to Barcelona. All the while, she had been working on getting Russ out of London where he had been stranded since Friday. He eventually took a train to Paris this morning and is now driving from Paris to Madrid...18 hours.

7. Alex had a network modem and got me a train to Madrid and a car to rent there to drive to Lisbon, all from the bus.

8. I then went to the same train station in Barcelona where she was arriving by bus to then take a train to Valencia where she lives.

9. When I got to the train station it was total chaos. The line to buy a ticket was out the door. Thank God she had sorted it all for me and bought the tickets on line.

10. I then started to think that driving 8 hours tonight from Madrid to Lisbon might not be a good idea. So I asked her about a train. At first, nothing. Then she did something else magical and found one that leaves at 1030 tonight and get to Lisbon at 8am tomorrow. "Perfect...let's buy it"

11. What about Lisbon airport? Is it still open? Called Torbjorn's pilot Henry again. Yes, still open but Palma and Madrid closing. The cloud is still creeping South! Lisbon expected to stay open. Better start moving Southwest!

12. Called United to reconfirm the flight. With all the hecticness, that reservation had been voided somehow. My heart was in my throat as the agent told me this very calmly. I knew this flight was my last chance.

13. I resurrected the reservation. Thank goodness.

14. Then my credit card would not work. Unbelievable! If he could not issue the ticket I would not have a reservation and the flights for the rest of the week are oversold. All the people in Europe who want to go to the USA are running like rats down into the Southwest corner.

15. I had one more credit card...one I never use it.... it is for my kids. I used it!! And it worked!

So, I am now on the train. Surely, I am not done jumping through hoops. Going to try to sleep a bit as I am pretty fried and I will need energy tonight for sure. If I get on the plane, I can sleep all I want.

Obviously in cases like this you don't ask what it costs or if you can get an upgrade. All that is out the window.

Fortunately, Artemis won the regatta so I feel a little less badly for leaving them. But my poor teammates are stuck in Palma I am afraid. Maybe they will take the Artemis RIB or a ferry to Valencia and drive to Lisbon.

I am sure by now you are seeing it on the news in the States or wherever you live.

In summary; We have a situation over here! Looking for my next hoop.

Paul

MADSTREAK - 2007 Mini Transat

The ‘Morning Light' film had made headlines since the call for applications was made in the spring of 2006, and the plan was hatched to document a team of young sailors in their quest to compete in the Los Angeles to Hawaii 2007 Transpac Race. But the release of the movie in the fall of 2008 was greeted with only a polite clap. For the sailing enthusiast, it proved to be sufficiently entertaining while documenting the adventure, but fell short of providing any riveting intrigue or drama, and simply had far too large a cast of people to connect with.

During this same time, another race was being professionally documented, and this movie has succeeded in checking off all the required boxes. The 2007 Mini Transat drew 89 singlehanders to the start line in France to race their 6.5 meter boats on the 4200-mile route to Brazil. One of them was American Clay Burkhalter, and it is his story of building his boat and competing in the race that is the basis for the movie, ‘Madstreak’.

The movie quickly sets the tone, establishing the drama of the adventure, and creating the vital interest needed for me to stay seated. Clay is a supreme story teller, and his commentary is laced with interviews from better known individuals that include Jonathan McKee, who had done the race in 2003, and uncle Rod Johnstone (of J/Boats fame), who had helped to design and prepare Clay’s boat Acadia. A narrative by professional sailor Paul Cayard continues through the film to provide additional credibility to Clay’s challenges.

If you had seen the movie Cast Away, actor Tom Hanks spent much of the movie indefinitely marooned on a desert island, with only volleyball ‘Wilson’ as his company. What Hanks shared with Wilson, Clay shares with his onboard cameras. I found myself gaining an intimate relationship with Clay, and experiencing with him the huge squalls and other dangerous mid ocean encounters. Quite clearly I found myself cheering for him.

Where Morning Light struggled to gain interest among non-sailing audience, I believe Madstreak would succeed. It allowed me to bond with the characters, and it focused on their adventure without getting lost in the technology of the sport. This is not a sailing film just for sailors; I could easily imagine this being shown on cable television. Very watchable indeed! - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt editor

Movie website: www.madstreak.com

Sailing capital now lover's capital

If you don't know your way around Annapolis, this might be a bad time to visit...

Annapolis Mayor Joshua Cohen Renames Downtown Streets for Annapolis in Love Event

Street signs will be turning heads in Annapolis’ Historic District this weekend when residents and vacationers headed to Main and West Streets, Maryland Avenue and other favorites will find they’ve arrived instead at Lover’s Lane, First Kiss Boulevard, Passion Place, Head over Heels Street, and other roads that lead to romance.

Mayor Joshua Cohen will kick off a series of twelve weekend-long street name changes when he christens Main Street Lover’s Lane by replacing the Main Street sign at Market Space during an 8:30 a.m. ceremony in front of Zachary’s Jewelers on Thursday, April 15.

In rapid succession, the names of 11 other popular streets in downtown Annapolis will undergo similar transformations to kick off Annapolis in Love, a new citywide celebration on a mission to prove that Annapolis is the most romantic city in America. Under the leadership of Steve Samaris of Zachary’s jewelers, 85 downtown and area businesses are teaming up to make certain that love is in the air in a very special way throughout the Friday, April 16, through Sunday, April 18, event.

In the spirit of the weekend, Watermark’s Harbor Queen will be transformed into the Love Queen, and its water taxies will become gondolas. Concerts, movie marathons, live marriage proposals, progressive dinners, romantic carriage rides, love songs on demand, a singles cruise aboard the Woodwind, speed dating, and much more will dot the landscape of the event designed for people who are in love, looking for love, and loving life. Raffles and silent auctions at downtown businesses will benefit the American Heart Association.

Street name changes for the weekend include:

State Circle – Eternity Circle
Church Circle – Cloud Nine Circle
West Street – First Kiss Boulevard
Main Street – Lover’s Lane
Maryland Avenue – Pa Passion Place
Francis Street – Heartthrob Hill
Duke of Gloucester Street – Romance Road
Green Street – Head Over Heels Street
Conduit Street – Lusty Lane
Compromise Street – Soul Mate Street
Dock Street – Love Boat Alley

For a complete listing of Annapolis in Love events and activities, visit www.annapolisinlove.com or www.VisitAnnapolis.org.

Discounts for Newport-Bermuda racers and fans

Site helps firms cash in on $10m tourist spending

Sailing fans visiting the island for the popular Newport-Bermuda race will be offered a string of discounts at local stores, restaurants and tourist attractions.

Tourism website bermuda.com - a sister firm to the Bermuda Sun - is offering the savings programme as part of a new web platform built specifically for race enthusiasts.

Local firms can sign up to offer a discount - and get their share of the $10 million race visitors spend on the island.

Glenn Jones, bermuda.com general manager, said: "I'm confident we're providing this audience with exactly what it wants.

"I spent the past month pouring over exit survey data and fans of this race clearly want two things - the ability to book their excursions and dinner reservations ahead of time and they want to save money.

"bermuda.com will get the job done on both fronts."

The web platform, bermuda.com Online Gangway, is a "virtual bridge" to the 2010 Newport-Bermuda race.

It allows visitors to explore activities, restaurants, hotels, transport options, beaches and shopping.

They can also access a race calendar of events, race news and photo galleries.

The Online Gangway will offer race tourists a bermuda.com Preferred Visitor Card - a discount scheme specifically for this event, valid between June 18 to June 27.

Any local tourism-related business can offer enticing discounts or incentives to race visitors as part of the programme.

Along with participation in the Preferred Visitor Card, bermuda.com will offer ad space to local firms with an interest in reaching the anticipated 6,000 race visitors.

bermuda.com will also partner with the official race website bermudarace.com and the race's official programme book to reach the yachting community.

Mr. Jones said: "Following a difficult 2009, robust events like the Newport-Bermuda Race are critical to the bottom line of the tourism industry.

"Our goal with the Online Gangway is to give our tourism partners the advantage they need to win the largest possible share of a $10 million spending pie."

More than 6,000 people visited the island for the last Newport-Bermuda race, spending an estimated $10.4 million, according to figures from Research.bm

The bermuda.com Online Gangway is due to go live on April 15.

The Newport-Bermuda Race launches from Newport, Rhode Island, on June 18.

Race activities are expected in Bermuda over the 10 days following the race's launch

Typical Laser fashion

Sailing a Laser downwind is... complicated. Here is a quote from past Olympian John Bertrand, who has returned to the class:

"In typical Laser fashion, everyone was doing their own thing downwind. The sailors were sailing drastically different angles, everyone rolling wildly, and surfing the short steep waves to the best of their abilities."

Here is a photo from the CISA Clinic in Long Beach this past week:



Photo by Jacqueline Schmitz.

University of New Hampshire Sailing Center

This thank you card is for all the 'buttheads that contributed to this Scuttlebutt fundraiser.