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SCUTTLEBUTT 3457 - Thursday, October 27, 2011Scuttlebutt 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. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: Team One Newport, Ullman Sails, and Premiere Racing. VOLVO OCEAN RACE - THE WAY IT USED TO BE By Kevin Shoebridge, ETNZ In less than two weeks the Volvo Ocean Race starts. It's an exciting time for Emirates Team New Zealand after 18 months hard work by everyone involved in the CAMPER project. It's tempting to draw comparisons with round-the-world races of the 70s and 80s. Back then we raced what were essentially cruising boats; they were slow and the gear was not very good. There were only four legs and half the race was in the Southern Ocean where large lumps of ice capable of sinking a yacht were our constant companions. But there were some luxuries. On my first race (Lion New Zealand in 1985-86) were had a couple of microwave ovens and we had hot scones every second day. Each bunk had a reading light, a fan, we had books and walkmen and plenty of music tapes. Those were the amateur days. Then as professionalism and the weight watching took hold the finer things of life started to disappear. Less weight equalled more speed so non-essentials had to go. While the Whitbread as it was then called was one big adventure the yachties still wanted to win. Hot scones were gone, in their place free dried food, bunk lights and fans went so there was no need for books; sleeping bags were shared. The professional era got its start at the end of the 80s with the Steinlager 2 and Fisher and Paykel campaigns. Four years later New Zealand Endeavour took it further. Today the boats are faster, the equipment is fantastic and there are nine legs with stopovers at exotic places. Roughly 70% of the work on a Volvo Ocean Race campaign goes in before the boat is launched. That's the way it has to be if you want to win. For the CAMPER project we started by selecting the key people then pouring effort into design, research, weather and assembling the right people for shore and sailing crews. One of the big changes is in the communications from on board - HD video off the boats every day, GPS tracking so race hq knows where he fleet is at all times. That makes it easier to follow the racing from on shore. So it's a different race. But is still as tough physically and mentally - and as potentially dangerous - as it ever was. What's more every boat has a chance to win. -- http://etnzblog.com/#!2011/10/shoebs-blog-the-way-it-was ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The six Volvo Open 70s will get their first test on October 29th at the In-Port Race in Alicante, Spain before they take on the 6,500 nm race from to Cape Town, South Africa on November 5th - the first of the nine offshore legs. Skipper, Team, Yacht Design Frank Cammas, Groupama, Juan Kouyoumdjian design Iker Martinez, Team Telefonica, Juan Kouyoumdjian design Ken Read, PUMA Ocean Racing, Juan Kouyoumdjian design Chris Nicholson, CAMPER, Marcelino Botin design Mike Sanderson, Team Sanya, Farr Yacht Design Ian Walker, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Farr Yacht Design Photo of all the teams can be seen here: http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/gallery/photos.html QUOTE / UNQUOTE "It used to be that the race had already been won three months before the start, but I think this race is different," said Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad. "The teams have similar boats, similar crew levels, similar budgets and they've had similar time to prepare. The human factor will become more important than ever before. Whoever manages to build an atmosphere of enjoyment on their team will be the quickest. They will be fast when the going is good and will be best equipped to deal with the dark days." -- http://tinyurl.com/VOR-102611 GET A JUMP START ON YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING! Team One Newport is your online source for the perfect gifts for all the sailors on your list. We are your home for all things GoPro, Musto, Henri-Lloyd, Patagonia, Gill, Slam, tons more and the best crew uniforms team. Say "Thank you" to your crew or owner with an embroidered jacket or fleece! We can produce this fast! If these weren't enough reasons to shop with us, spend at least $150 & your order ships UPS Ground free to the lower 48 states. Add "FREESHIP" and your order will be adjusted prior to shipping. Hurry because this offer expires November 4, 2011. Call 800-VIP-GEAR or click here: http://www.team1newport.com TAKE PART IN THE ADVENTURE The Volvo Ocean Race Game now allows everyone to participate in this round the world race. During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which starts in Alicante, Spain in October 2011 and concludes in Galway, Ireland, during early July 2012, your entry in the Volvo Ocean Race Game will compete alongside the teams as they sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the world's most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajai, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient. While the crews on the six competing Volvo Open 70s test their sailing skills, physical endurance and competitive spirit as they race day and night for more than 20 days on some of the legs, you too will be tested. Gamers will endure sleepless nights, fast food, and computer blindness as they follow the race and adjust to its conditions. The Volvo Ocean Race Game will have a Pre Race on October 29 to November 2. The course is from Alicante to Palma and back. Participate in the game and take part in the adventure. Join this pre-race on Saturday October 29 at 14:00 CEST / 12:00 UTC. The race will be open until Wednesday November 2nd 12:00 CET / 11:00 UTC. The Volvo Ocean Race Game is hosted on the Scuttlebutt website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/GAMES/VOR2011-12/ TESTING CONFIRMS DANGERS OF ETHANOL IN MARINE ENGINES On Friday (Oct. 21, 2011) the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy released the results of two studies on the effects of using fuel that is 15 percent ethanol in volume (E15) in marine engines. The studies were conducted on engines provided by two marine engine manufactures; Both are members of National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). The long-awaited reports show significant problems with outboard, stern drive and inboard engines. Results of the reports show severe damage to engine components and an increase in exhaust emissions, reinforcing the recreational boating industry's concern that E15 is not a suitable fuel for marine engines. Emissions and durability testing compared E15 fuel and fuel containing zero percent ethanol (E0) and examined exhaust emissions, exhaust gas temperature, torque, power, barometric pressure, air temperature, and fuel flow. Specifically, the report showed degraded emissions performance outside of engine certification limits as well as increased fuel consumption. In separate testing on engine durability, each tested engine showed deterioration, including two of the three outboard engines, with damages severe enough to prevent them from completing the test cycle. The E0 test engines did not exhibit any fuel related issues. -- Read on: http://www.nmma.org/news.aspx?id=18043 SPEED, SPEED, SPEED... ALL OVER THE GLOBE By Tim Zimmermann, Sailing World It's Speed Week here on Planet Earth. Amid all the noise of the imminent Volvo Ocean Race, the imminent Transat Jacques Vabre, the not-that-imminent America's Cup (but imminent Act in San Diego), the ongoing Mini Transat, and the ongoing Global Ocean Race, I urge you to take a moment to turn your attention to the crazed fraternity that cares for only one thing: going faster under sail than any human has before. Here's why. Down in Namibia, you've got Paul Larsen, who after years of persistence has finally bootstrapped his wacky SailRocket design into the 50-plus knots zone, and is seemingly within striking distance of the current record of 55.65 knots. Larsen is still tweaking - and this week is racing to repair a broken beam - and hoping for record-breaking conditions. And a few hundred miles south of Larsen's course at Walvis Bay, at Luderitz, the kiteboarders are not sitting idly by while SailRocket stalks their speed-sailing crown. They have organized the Luderitz Speed Challenge 2011, their custom ditch is all set up, they've gathered a crowd of top kite "sailors," and they are waiting for the wind to blow really hard (forecast for next week looks good). I've never been comfortable thinking of what they do as pure "sailing," but it sure looks cool in this teaser from last year: And that's not all. Thousands of miles away from the Namibia action, the current world-record holder, Rob Douglas, has been kiting with some buds up in Martha's Vineyard, at the 2011 North American Speed Sailing Invitational, laying down some fast times and having a lot of fun. I've watched Paul Larsen plug away at this speed-sailing title for what seems like a decade. At first, it looked like Mission Impossible, with SailRocket again and again delivering spectacular disappointment. But Larsen never, ever, gave up. He kept rebuilding, refining, and coming back. His craft is also closer to what I would consider a sailing vessel than the modified skimboards the kiters traverse the waves on, so for now my heart is with him and the SailRocket team. I loved it when Hydroptere stole the record back in 2009 (how can you not love this?). And SailRocket deserves its 15 minutes, too. -- Full story with videos: http://www.sailingworld.com/blogs/speed-speed-speed STORE YOUR SAILS WITH CARE The northern sailing season is winding down. Before you store your sails for the winter, make sure you check each sail carefully for any wear and tear. Remember those small holes in the spinnaker?! You may not remember next spring. A simple repair forgotten can turn into an ugly and expensive first hoist! Ullman Sails offers comprehensive sail care, including repairs and maintenance. We also offer sail cleaning and storage at some locations. Contact an Ullman Sails loft now and make sure your sails will be in good condition when you hoist them next season. Invest in your performance. www.ullmansails.com IT'S SHOW TIME Key Biscayne, FL (October 26, 2011) - While the U.S. Olympic program as a whole is not as dominate as it once was, it is working hard to return to the forefront, and it is being led by its women. Nowhere is the country's contingent strongest and deepest than in the Women's Match Racing event. With teams led by Anna Tunnicliffe and Sally Barkow internationally ranked 1st and 3rd respectively, and Genny Tulloch's team ranked 11th, whichever team is selected to represent the country will be favored to medal at the 2012 Olympics. And now it's time to figure out who that will be. After the first day of round robin racing at the U.S. Olympic Team Qualifying Regatta, Tulloch's team was the only team of the eight competing to win all of their matches. "We had a lot of close races, and especially two close races: one against Anna and one against Sally," shared Tulloch. "There were lead changes downwind, but in each we were able to draw penalties and lead after the penalties." Biscayne Bay is ideal for match racing in the fall and today's conditions didn't disappoint with the wind ranging from 12-15 all day. The temperatures, however, were very hot. "At the end of some of the races we were dying sweating and all we could think about was getting water and rehydrate and cool down," explained Tulloch. The event format will consist of two round robin series, with the top four advancing to the semi and final series. The top four will also then advance to the second selection event, where they will compete on May 4-7 at the Weymouth & Portland National Academy, in England, the site of the 2012 Olympic sailing venue. The winner of the second selection event will be nominated to represent the U.S. at the Games. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/USSTAG-102611 TIRED OF THE SAME OLD COURSES Before inflatable marks were developed, buoy racing consisted of courses using government or other types of permanent marks. But nowadays these bulbous shapes allow us to set the perfect course for the wind direction. And most times that is a windward-leeward course... again and again. The debate regarding monotonous race course selection occasionally surfaces in Scuttlebutt, but as we have now learned, it has been raging on far longer than we realized. Here is an excerpt from the December 1935 issue of 'Rudder', in a column titled 'Long Island Soundings': ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The old argument about whether to move all starting lines for championship regattas away from Execution Light broke out with renewed fury at the last Yacht Racing Association meeting, with the usual lack of decisive results. Van Merle-Smith, Corny Shields and some others got up and protested against the monotony of eternally following the same beaten path around the Execution courses, to say nothing of the tide and wind peculiarities that sometimes beset that locality. Those who would move the starts all to the eastward even impute the cause of the slight falling-off of Y.R.A. yacht registration to people getting tired of the same old courses. The use of a standard starting point oa couple of miles to the eastward, with some such selective course system as that worked out by Ned Hodge at American and later elaborated by Commodore Moxham for the Manhasset Bay club world make things much more interesting, they say. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/11/1020/ SAILING SHORTS * US SAILING's 2011 Annual Meeting gets started Thursday in Annapolis, Md. at the Loews Annapolis Hotel and concludes on Saturday night. Among the presentations to take place will be the independent study reports, including the 2011 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, youth sailing 420 tragedy on Severn River, and the capsizing of Rambler 100 during the 2011 Fastnet Race. Other informative seminars will be presented by Stan Honey, Chuck Hawley, John Craig, Chris Larson, John Rousmaniere and others. Full details here: http://about.ussailing.org/US_SAILING_Meetings.htm * The San Francisco Yacht Club's Sixth Annual Leukemia Cup Regatta raised this year a record breaking $1,020,000 for the cause and is ranked the top fundraising regatta in the country for the fifth consecutive year. Since its inception, the San Francisco Leukemia Cup Regatta has raised a total of $3.5 million. Top overall individual fundraisers were Anne Feinberg ($35,055), Charles Froeb ($29,813), and Bill Nolan ($25,900). -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12822 * La Trinite-sur-Mer, France (October 26, 2011) - The Student Yachting World Cup was able to complete four windward-leeward races today, raising their total to eight races completed. Preliminary results list Euromed Arthur Loyd (FRA) as leading the field for the second day, with Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and Maine Maritime Academy (Castine, Maine) in fifth and sixth, respectively. Fifteen university teams representing 14 countries are racing in the 9.54 m Grand Surprise through October 28th. Event website: http://www.sywoc.org/ TEMPERATURES FALLING - ENTRY LIST RISING: QUANTUM KEY WEST 2012 From Mini-maxis to Melges 24s, the growing scratch sheet for Quantum Key West 2012 promises top-notch, exciting racing. High performance, special J/Boats classes, popular one designs, and design debuts are all there. Don't miss North America's premiere winter regatta and Key West fun. January 15-20, 2012. Details: http://www.premiere-racing.com CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Is your event listed on the Scuttlebutt Event Calendar? This free, self-serve tool is the easiest way to communicate to both sailors and sailing media. These are some of the events listed on the calendar for this weekend: Oct 28-30 - J/105 East Coast Championship - Annapolis, MD, USA Oct 28-30 - J/24 Hawaii Championships - Kaneohe, HI, USA Oct 29-30 - Club 420 Gulf States Championships - New Orleans, LA, USA Oct 29-30 - Texas J/Fest - Houston, TX, USA View all the events at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar INDUSTRY NEWS UPDATES The Industry News category of the Scuttlebutt Forum provides an opportunity for companies to announce new products and services. Here are some of recent postings: * Kaenon Polarized Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary * Olivia Constants Foundation Launches Website * Green Product of the Year Contest View updates here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/industry_news GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250 words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Wes Oliver: Bruce Golison encourages top competitors to join a race management team for the racing expertise they would bring to the party (in Scuttlebutt 3455-6). As a longtime PRO, I would like to suggest that the competitors can learn a lot from RC service that would help them be better competitors on the race course. I have found that many do not have a clue about what goes into managing a regatta on the water, and why PRO's make the decisions they do. * From J. Dwight LeBlanc, Jr.: Enjoyed article about Bruce Golison (in Scuttlebutt 3455-6). Another who fits this category is Hank Stuart. I had the pleasure of working with Hank in the Sugar Bowl J22 World Championship where he was the PRO. I have worked with a lot of PROs and he is by far the best I have ever worked with and he is an avid sailor. Enjoy reading SCUTTLEBUTT. * From Pete Thomas: Commenting on the PRO thread, kudos to Bruce Golison and all the other race officers that have embraced radio communications with their racers. Nothing has broken down the Us vs. Them conflict like open dialogue. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke, British politician, writer SPONSORS THIS WEEK JK3 Nautical Enterprises - The Pirates Lair - North U - North Sails J Boats - Melges Performance Sailboats - Doyle Sails - Salt Harbor Studio Team One Newport - Ullman Sails - Premiere Racing - Gowrie Group - Samson Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
