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SCUTTLEBUTT 1696 - October 25, 2004Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere. REORGANIZATION Members of US Sailing's Board of Directors voted on Sunday, October 24, to move on with plans to restructure the organization, setting the stage for new Bylaws to be approved by the current Board of Directors in upcoming months. The new structure would eliminate the current system and culture of constituent-based governance and dramatically reduce the size of the Board of Directors. The proposed structure would empower the organization's membership and the Councils to discuss concerns and to elect the majority of the board. Each member of US Sailing would have a vote with two votes for each family membership. Annual voting would be done on-line. A Structure Task Force has been developing the restructure proposal since the Task Force was created in the fall of 2003. The Task Force consists of Tom Hubbell, a Vice President, and a small group including two Past Presidents and another Vice President. In March, 2005 a Special General Meeting will convene to enact the proposed re-organization, and at the close of the spring meeting March 2005, the Transition Plan would begin. To read more about the proposal: http://www.ussailing.org/organization/taskforce/structure/ 2008 OLYMPICS Bermuda is spearheading a campaign to have women's keelboat sailing changed from fleet to match racing in the Olympics. The primary reason for such a move, explained president of Bermuda Sailing Association (BSA) Tim Patton, is that it would significantly reduce participant expenses thereby opening up competitive sailing to women in many more countries. "Match racing requires much less by way of equipment for the competitors. Basically they would need a pair of sailing gloves and a bottle of sun block and they could go from event to event and sail in whatever class of boat there is at that location. In fleet racing you have got to show up with a boat but not in match racing. So that's one thing which makes match racing particularly attractive to the smaller sailing nations that are less well-to-do but have (sailing) talent. If you can get your talented people on the circuit without having to provide and transport boats for them, then it makes the sport more attractive to a much broader spectrum," he noted. Women's keelboat racing at the Olympics, he disclosed, was originally supposed to take place in a match-racing format with equipment supplied. However, wrangling within the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) - the sport's world governing body - resulted in a fleet-racing proposal being put forward to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with competitors having to finance their own boats. Patton said Bermuda's submission, which will be considered at ISAF's annual general meeting next month in Copenhagen, Denmark, already has strong backing. Gayle Alleyne, The Royal Gazette, http://www.theroyalgazette.com/ MAJOR MONEY According to Alfonso Grau, the Valencia Town Councilor in charge of the Economy, Major Events and Tourism, stated that the economic effects of the first regattas in the Americas Cup had increased the Valencian economy by 2.2 million Euros. Mr Grau also stated that hotel occupancy during the regattas, which took place between October 4 and 16, amounted to 73% - a 4% increase over the same period last year. The Councilor added that he expected even more people to come to Valencia for the next series of regattas that are due to take place in June 2005. For his part, Jose Salinas, who was in charge of the Valencia 2007 Consortium, and is now the head of the Valencia Convention Bureau, stated the average amount spent by visitors during the regattas was 204 Euros a day, and this has led to the conclusion that tourists and visitors spent some 19 million Euros during the events. - www.valencialife.net HAPPINESS IS... Skin that doesn't burn, butts that don't bruise and smiling unskinned knees. Sailing Angles protective activewear takes your enthusiasm for the sport seriously, and their gear protects you from your untamed desire to get out there and win without suffering the consequences. Pain is slow! Padded double seated sailing shorts and longs, UV blocking shirts, knee sleeves are just a few of the many great designs that can save your hide, plus help you get out front and stay there. Just ask gold medalist Kevin Burnham! Look for Sailing Angles products at APS, Layline, Team One, and http://www.sailingangles.com SWEDISH MATCH TOUR Hamilton, Bermuda - New Zealander Russell Coutts, the three-time America's Cup champion, has won the King Edward VII Gold Cup for the seventh time with a 2-1 defeat of Australian James Spithill. Coutts is the only sailor in history to win the regatta seven times. In the Petite Finals, Ed Baird defeated Scott Dickson, 2-1. Racing was canceled Sunday due to what the Bermuda Weather Service described as an extra-tropical weather system to the north of Bermuda. It produced westerly winds gusting up to 50 knots and a 3- to 5-foot sea on sheltered Hamilton Harbor. Consequently, the standings after Saturdays' racing became the final results. Coutts and Team Colorcraft crewmembers Jes Gram-Hansen, Christian Kamp and Rasmus Kostner, were awarded the championship of the Investors Guaranty Presentation of the King Edward VII Gold Cup and the $30,000. This event was the third stage of the 2004-'05 Swedish Match Tour. With the victory, Coutts gained 25 points toward the Tour championship and now heads the leaderboard with the high score of 45 points. The champion will win a $60,000 bonus and a BMW 545i Touring from Tour partner BMW. American Ed Baird, in second on the Tour, trails by 5 points and reigning Tour champion Peter Gilmour of Australia is third with 30 points. King Edward VII Gold Cup Final Results: 1. Russell Coutts (NZL) Team Colorcraft, $30,000 2. James Spithill (AUS) Luna Rossa Challenge, $18,000 3. Ed Baird (USA) Team XL Capital, $11,500 4. Scott Dickson (NZL) Dickson Racing Team, $9,000 5. Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team, $7,500 6. Staffan Lindberg (FIN), $6,500 7. Mathieu Richard (FRA), $6,000 8. Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED), $5,500 http://www.swedishmatchtour.com / http://www.kingedwardviigoldcup.com MULTIHULL MATCH RACING New Orleans, LA - In an exciting final day of competition, the USA's 2004 Olympic Silver Medal team of John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree have successfully defended their claim to the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (ICCT) by defeating Enrique Figueroa and Jorge Hernandez of Puerto Rico 4-2 in the "first-to-four point" series sailed in F18HTs on Lake Pontchartrain and hosted by Southern Yacht Club. According to ICCT Trustee John Dawson of Sea Cliff Yacht Club (Long Island, N.Y.), it will again be up to Southern Yacht Club to organize the next Challenge and Defense of the event. We hope to see this event held again on an annual basis," said Dawson, "and provide more eligible competitors the opportunity to sail for this prestigious trophy." The announcement of the dates, venue, and catamaran class to be used in the next event will be made in January 2005. - Media Pro Int'l, http://southernyachtclub.org/index.cfm?content=sailingevents_details&eventid STOLEN PROPERTY During the evening of Friday 22nd October a brand new Laser Radial was stolen from the car park of the Wayzata Yacht club in Wayzata , Minnesota during the ISCA Single Handed National Championships. The boat was one of a fleet of 32 laser and laser radials supplied by Vanguard sailboats as sponsors of the event. If it were not for the generosity of a club member, a competitor would have been out of a chance at this prestigious event. The Laser was a red 2005 (almost burgundy) Radial which was taken with all the equipment but not the dolly, suggesting it was taken by water. It also appears that the thieves knew what they wanted as they took the boat from the middle of the pack and it had been used by Paige Railly the previous weekend to win her fleet at the High School Single Handed Championships. The plaque/ sail number is 181180 and the serial number stamped on the starboard side of the transom is OQTI1180I405. Vanguard Sailboats would be grateful for information leading to the recovery of this boat. Anyone having information should contact VP sales, Michael Zavell at (401) 683 0960. FIGAWI FOUL WEATHER BOOT BEATS WINTER BLUES If it's ice and snow, it's H20, and no one knows frozen or flowing water better than the inventor of the boat shoe, Sperry Top-Sider. This winter, keep your feet warm, dry and planted firmly on the ground with Sperry Top-Sider's new Figawi Foul Weather Boot. Featuring wave-siped rubber outsoles for wet or dry traction, seam-sealed construction, nubuck uppers, and toasty sherling linings, the Figawi boot is engineered to perform in the teeth of a squall or in the face of a mud-soaked city street. Available in brown/sherling or charcoal/gold. Visit http://www.sperrytopsider.com NEWS BRIEFS * The Indian Harbor and Riverside Yacht Clubs (in Greenwich and Riverside, Conn., respectively) received US Sailing's St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy for excellence in race management. The two Clubs were honored for their outstanding organization and execution of the 2003 MasterCard International Etchells Class World Championship held September 17-23, 2003. A total of 93 boats from nine different countries competed in this Championship. Both yacht clubs received particularly high marks for reaction to wind changes, mark setting accuracy and setting of marks, response to change and safety considerations. - www.ussailing.org/racemgt/St_Pete_Trophy/index.htm. * Justin Hood sailing for Spring Lake YC and Lake Michigan, successfully defended the Richardson Trophy in the 65th running of the Great Lakes match racing championship series hosted by the Racine Yacht Club in 8 - 16 knots of wind in S2 7.9 Meter boats. Six teams, each chosen by sail-off qualifier to represent Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, the Detroit Regional Yachting Association, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario respectively competed. Kevin Doyle, Lake Ontario finished second by winning a tie-breaker with Chris van Tol, Lake St. Claire. - www.lmsrf.org/yrugl/R_trophy.htm * The daily logs of the Global Challenge racers have been packed full with all the antics from the crews, crossing their first monumental milestone - the equator. First over the equator was Samsung, who have dominated the race for the past week, closely followed by VAIO which is just 13 miles to the leaders, Barclays Adventurer a further 14 miles back. In fourth place is BP Explorer, another 26 miles behind and who, for the third consecutive poll in a row, have recorded the most miles over 24 hours - 233. - www.globalchallenge2004.com/en/ * Regatta marketing partnerships are becoming more common, and watchmaker Rolex is as active as any company. During Rolex events, a large round decal with their name is typically applied to the bow of each entrant to provide additional exposure. But an Australian boat, when faced with applying the decal over their beloved hull graphics, were forced to nudge the Rolex sticker back a tad. Enjoy their solution: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/04/graphic * Mirabella V - Joe Vittoria's 245ft superyacht - has arrived back to her builder, VT Shipbuilding in Portsmouth, following a comfortable voyage from the Mediterranean, for repairs to her lift keel mechanism. The 75 metre (245 foot) composite sloop went aground near Cap Ferrat following her 600 kg anchor dragging in a freshening breeze. Contrary to the various comments which appeared in the media, the hull and rig are undamaged. The sacrificial tip on one rudder needs to be replaced and the lift keel mechanism needs to be repaired. - Yachting World, full story: www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20040922092642ywnews.html * Andrew Campbell of Georgetown has won the 2004-05 ICSA/ Vanguard Men's Collegiate Singlehanded North American Championships, an event he also won two years ago. The event was sailed in new Lasers provided by Vanguard, and hosted by the Wayzata YC and the U. of Minnesota. Campbell managed to cross the finish line in the top three in 15 of 16 races. In the Women's division, Old Dominion's Anna Tunnicliffe won 11 of 16 races in the Laser Radial fleet to earn an unprecedented third consecutive North American Championship, becoming the first woman to accomplish that feat. - http://mcsasail.org/SinglehandNAs2004 * Hamilton, Bermuda - Final results after nine races in the Renaissance Reinsurance Junior Gold Cup, Frankie Lardies (NZ) took first with 29 points, Jas Farneti (ITL) was one point back with 30 points and Teemu Rantanen (FIN) came third with 39 points. Oliver Riilhilouma (BER) followed in fourth with 53 points. Racing was cancelled Sunday because of gale force winds and 3 foot waves in Hamilton Harbor. - http://www.kingedwardviigoldcup.com/index2.html SUPER SIZE MINE, PLEASE The new Protector 40' Hauraki RIB is here! We will be on tour with her throughout California in November and Florida in January and February. You have to see it to believe it. Who says you can't have it all? For details call 877-664-BOAT or check it out at http://www.protectorboats.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From John Sweeney (regarding sportsmanship - Scuttlebutt 1694): During a recent Laser regatta my considerably younger competitor fouled me while making a move for an overlap as we approached a leeward mark. When I insisted that he exonerate himself he suggested rather that I waive his right to room. I explained to him (it was a light air day) that it would be unfair to the four boats outside of me to allow him to fall in behind my boat, that he should accept his fault and take his penalty. Unfortunately this concept was so foreign to him he discredited it as mere wrangling of an old man in a young man's game. I persisted. Only when faced with the prospect of losing in the protest room did he begrudgingly do his circle. Later ashore the young man's close friends and father supported his view and bemoaned his losing valuable position in the overall standings for "such a minor infraction". I came away saddened by the notion that the younger crowd couldn't make the distinction and the father - a veteran sailor himself - wouldn't help them to understand the relevance of Rule #2. I don't know that my experience is the exception or the norm but I do know that it is my obligation to continue to impress upon younger sailors the meaning of sportsmanship, just as I learned it from my father and his pals. I trust that my peers would agree. * From Britton Chance (re sportsmanship in Issue 1694): Honor means a lot in Scandinavia. They call it Rent hår and Paul (Elvstrom) was elected as one of the very few honorary members of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club. * From Marc Fountain: We need leadership from the designers of the Racing Rules of Sailing to ease JJ Isler's pain. Please let's reinvigorate the sport by changing the rules to include a burden of proof for every situation that occurs 'when boats meet'. Make the odds in the protest room uneven so that skippers take defensive action when on the weak side of a rule rather than pushing the situation because it's generally perceived as a 50/50 proposition. Currently no disadvantage exists for poor sportsmanship as articulated in JJ's comments because the rules are poorly written. Could be that the German boat tacked too close, could be that they executed a perfect slam dunk. Who knows? The rules offer nothing to help the competitor on the course because it's 50/50 in the protest room and everyone knows it. The German sailors' action (turning circles) had nothing to do with their perception of the crossing situation but with the odds of increasing or decreasing their finishing position based on a 50/50 outcome of a protest on leg one of the race. Logically, if the exact same situation occurred on the final leg, the Germans would have skipped their circles and instead sailed for the finish and taken the 50/50 odds simply because it was the last leg. I don't know what more we can do to drain the Corinthian spirit out of the sport. The rules need revision and JJ's doubt about this simple two boat port-starboard situation without a mark involved supports the point. * From R. Geoffrey Newbury (re George Backhus' concern in Issue 1695 on the Race Committee being held responsible for loss when running a race in dangerous conditions): It's already happened. A long time ago. IIRC American YC or Larchmont were defendants in an action in the early 1980's. It was reported at the time in the US Sailing Newsletter in an article concerning the need for organizing authorities to obtain signed Waivers/Indemnities. * From Rob Anderson: Chris Boome's note about boat donations is very interesting given the many questions that it raises. I imagine that the legislation was aimed at the giant auto donation business. Boats can be a bit more complicated. If an organization uses a donation to teach sailing, then sells it after a couple of years ... how will a fair depreciated "right-off" value be established? Also, if an organization fails for one reason or another to sell a vessel for some period of time, does the tax payer have to wait until that tax year to take the right off? Having been involved in boat donations for many years, I witnessed many abuses. Under the old rules, when vessels are valued over $5000, the accepting organization has a responsibility to notify the IRS of the sale price should they "sell" the donation within 24 months. The IRS then looks at what the donor wrote off and what the vessel was sold for. It always amazed me when I would see charitable organizations advertising recently donated vessels available for "Lease/ Purchase" at a designated price; usually much less then the "appraised value". Our tax professionals indicated to me that this placed donors at great risk should they be audited. * From Robert Constable: (Response to Mark Michaelsen - 'Butt 1693): Two comments: First, while he's right that the AC isn't a mano-a-mano event like one-design; it's not at all about a "nation's total resources" anymore. It's about a few billionaires' access to capital, and their willingness to spend it for nothing more than bragging rights. Second, the oft-repeated comparisons to F-1 racing are off the mark. The dollars spent on F-1 deliver 18 spectator-oriented, television-friendly events annually, and the circuit is managed to provide the greatest benefit to sponsors and fans. The AC delivers one event, neither spectator- nor TV-friendly, every 3, 4 or 5 years, depending on the whim of the immediate past winner, and any consideration of sponsors and fans is at the convenience of the players. Do I wish it were any different? Not really. If it were predictable, democratic and financially accessible, it would be just another high-level event, like so many other grand-prix regattas, championships, and race weeks. The political jockeying, the design secrecy, the rare air in which the principles fly, and the extreme measures they take to wrest or keep control of the cup are what make it so entertaining. CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL Rather than call someone drunk, it's a bit nicer to say he or she is chemically inconvenienced. |
