From the Archives: Scuttlebutt 3000

As Scuttlebutt approaches the publication of its 5000th newsletter, here’s a flashback from Scuttlebutt 3000 on January 5, 2010:

• When the New York Yacht Club held the America’s Cup for twenty four successful defenses (and one not so successful), they were not beyond an occasional tilt of the playing field to help their cause. But the latest move by defender Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) may have set a new precedent in how to fluster a challenger. How about a Notice of Race that requires the challenger Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) to moor their boat in a harbor that they can’t get into?

• The inaugural Best Sailor’s Bar contest posted the establishments that made the Top 10 list of the best of the best. Driven by public opinion, the rampant loyalty and extent of the customer databases and club members was staggering, with Peter-Cafe Sport in the Azores topping the list.

• Ken Legler, Tufts Sailing Coach and National Race Officer, discusses how the use of a Port-line boat for adjusting the angle of the starting line to the wind and sighting the line for starts, was not yet a common practice around the world but how that needs to change.

• G. Lawrence (Larry) Gadsby, Portsmouth, RI, a great supporter of disabled issues and sailing programs, passed away Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, from complications of pneumonia.

• Barton Beek passed away January 2, 2010 in the hospital in Houston. He was a long-time Star sailor from Newport Beach, CA and supporter of junior sailing through CISA and other organizations.

• Ross Ritto, music industry professional and San Diego, CA sailor, passed away from cancer on Wednesday, December 23, 2009, at the age of 60. Born in Rochester, NY, Ross spent nearly 40 years in the sound business, helping to grow a company that had provided touring systems for the likes of Jimmy Buffett.

• “Training for the 1988 America’s Cup on the Stars & Stripes catamarans (we had two identical cats, one powered by a wing and the other by a traditional mast/sail rig), we noticed an interesting phenomena in our racing practice,” reports Peter Isler. “On the downwind legs, the leading boat could ‘cover’ the trailing boat and give it ‘dirty’ air! That leading boat advantage is expected on upwind legs, but it turns out, if the two boats are ‘vmg-ing’ faster than the wind speed on a downwind leg… the leading boat retains that tactical weapon.”