|
SCUTTLEBUTT 1680 - October 1, 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. TRANSPAC 52 EXPLOSION According to Tom Pollack, the TP52 Class Association's Los Angeles-based Executive Director, around 17 examples will be sailing next year in the Mediterranean and US - possibly more. There are any number of reasons why this rush is happening. Maybe it is simply that the class has emerged at the right time, when grand prix racing under IMS has come to the end of the road in most parts of the world and its death knoll is sounding even in Spain following the King's move into the new class. Certainly some owners such as Bright Star's Richard Breeden say they couldn't wait around for a new Grand Prix Rule to come into existence. The more pessimistic feel that the Grand Prix racing community has become so fictionalized over the last two decades since the demise of IOR that agreement would never be fully reached over such a rule. Pollack gives his views as to why the surge in interest in this class is suddenly taking place: "Guys who haven't been active in yacht racing for 10 years have suddenly got excited by the prospect of owning a boat where there is longevity to it, where the rule doesn't change every year from under your feet. Even the sponsors in Spain have got tired of buying a new IMS boat every year - that gets expensive. It is much cheaper to swap a fin and a bulb rather than it is to swap a hull. - Excerpt from a major story on The Daily Sail website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/68ft2 YET ANOTHER RECORD Mari Cha IV has entered the record breaking books yet again after becoming the largest sailing yacht ever to be transported on the deck of a container ship. In the past year Mari Cha IV has proved herself to be the fastest sailing yacht in the world. When she shattered the west to east transatlantic speed record by two days in October 2003, she became the first monohull to sail more than 500 nautical miles in a day. During the six days it took her to cross, she covered a staggering 525.7 nm in one 24 hour period. Mari Cha IV also holds the record for Antigua to Guadeloupe and the West Coast to Hawaii Pacific Ocean race. The carbon fibre yacht, owned by Robert Miller, the founder of Duty Free Shoppers, was loaded onto an Italia Line container ship in Long Beach, California on August 14th. At a length of 140ft and a beam of 30ft she took up the space normally reserved for 139 containers. Although one reason for shipping Mari Cha IV was to give her crew a rest from their busy schedule, two crew members accompanied the yacht to ensure her safe passage to the Mediterranean. For the organizers of the project, Complete Freight Ltd, the relocation of Mari Cha IV proved to be a demanding undertaking. "It is a challenging task as Mari Cha IV has a 20ft bulb at the end of the canting keel", said Mr Simon Judson, Transport and Export Manager at Complete Freight. Given the value of Mari Cha IV it was necessary for the marine transit insurance to be spread over ten underwriters. The cradle design was both innovative and economical. Four empty containers formed the basis for the structure which, after precise location on the ships deck, were chained down. Mari Cha IV was then lowered onto two enormous poppets welded onto the top of the two containers. Her overall height in this position was 40ft. Mari Cha IV is in the Mediterranean to compete in the Voiles de St Tropez Regatta at the beginning of October. After that she will head for La Ciotat, France to undertake alteration work to improve her already outstanding performance. Trim tabs are to be fitted to the keel, and a canard fitted to the bow. She will also receive a fresh coat of paint. - www.mari-cha4.com To see the photos: www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/04/0930maricha/ ACT 2 With just over 4 days remaining before the first race of the Act 2 of the 32nd America's Cup, the Valencian waters are crowded daily with yachts and support craft as syndicates intensify preparations. +39 Challenge and Emirates Team New Zealand join French syndicate K-Challenge, American BMW Oracle and South Africa's Shosholoza who are already testing and training in Valencia. "The team is playing very well despite his lack of experience", +39 Challenge 's Technical Director, Cesare Pasotti said. Meanwhile, Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said the yacht was on the water off the Spanish city two days ahead of schedule. "The boys had worked very well so we decided to go sailing today. It is only 18 days since NZL82 was damaged in Marseille," Dalton said. "A lot has happened since then. It is a tribute to the Emirates Team New Zealand shore team who have worked long into the night to make this happen". Dalton said the boat performed well, even with more than 20 people - including a group of sponsors - on board today. There is still no sign of Alinghi and Luna Rossa Challenge. - The Cup in Europe website, www.cupineurope.com/MatchRace/04ValenciaLV-EN.htm CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAIL INTO SAVINGS Check out the closeouts at henrilloydonline.com for fall savings on fine gear. Henri Lloyd trousers and jackets, smocks and vests, all with the quality construction and styling you expect from HL…but at prices you might not expect! Choose from foul weather or fair weather options in a variety of colors and sizes. Be sure to order now while the selection's good. Close out your summer with closeouts from Henri Lloyd; you're just a click away! http://www.henrilloydonline.com/productmgmt/subcat.asp?nCatID=12 CHAY BLYTH Of all the names you could call Chay Blyth, the one that he likes best is 'enabler'. "I like that," mused the 64-year-old as he surveyed the 12 yachts assembled in Portsmouth for Sunday's Global Challenge start. Blyth is known as a man who lets people live their dreams. Since the first Challenge in 1992, some 300 ordinary folk have raced around the world. When the inaugural Challenge was announced, it was seen as a daring and improbable project. "I took a lot of flak," remembers Blyth. "People said it could not be done. Well it could. Again and again and again..." In one exchange with the Royal Ocean Racing Club, who pondered the wisdom of sending individuals, some new to sailing, around the world, Blyth was at his disarming, combative best. "What experience do you think you need?" Blyth asked rhetorically. "Not a lot," he continued. "There's nothing magic about sailing. It's only wind and water. Even at Cape Horn." Yet there is so much that sets this race apart. Blyth builds and owns the identical 72-footers. Crews are amateurs, paying £27,750 for a berth for the 160-day race. By contrast, a top-flight professional might expect to be paid 10 times that. Sailors have all manner of jobs and put their lives on hold. Whether they can sail or not is immaterial. Blyth's Challenge Business trains them. And boats go the slow, clockwise way around the world. The reason? It's safer, says Blyth. Speeds are slower so that anyone who goes overboard will not be separated too quickly from their yacht. He still remembers losing Bernie Hosking from his crew of paratroopers on Great Britain II in the 1973-74 Whitbread race. This Challenge lacks a title sponsor and Blyth was tempted to sell Challenge Business some years back, but the advertising and sponsorship market fell flat. Having "done well" for the best part of 15 years, the last three have not turned a profit. "But we've traded through it and we're secure," he says. "It's been tough, but we're OK." While the fleet leave for the first 6,200 of 28,000 miles on the opening stage to Buenos Aires, Blyth will be itching to resume hunting. - Excerpts from a major story by Tim Jeffery in the Daily Telegraph. Read the complete story: http://tinyurl.com/4vs5o GBR CHALLENGE Despite rumour to the contrary HSBC bank have confirmed that they will not be becoming title sponsor of GBR Challenge. The reason for the decision appears to be that the bank's corporate marketing group do not feel that that HSBC should sponsor high profile teams or individuals and should focus only on events, as a result of their past negative experience in F1. GBR Challenge has two strong and committed private investors who remain very positive and are still focused on mounting a seriously competitive challenge. GBR Challenge also has a number of on-going discussions that are being progressed and further meetings scheduled in the coming weeks. - Excerpts from a story on the Daily Sail website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/4pn26 PRE-REGISTRATION The preliminary races for the Musto Scuttlebutt Sailing Club Championship, beginning October 31 at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands, will be sailed this year in Lasers, Hobie Waves and Hunter 216s. SSC members attending this event are encouraged to pre-register early to insure getting the boat they prefer. Just send your choice by email to: jglynn@cplp.com. At the same time, it wouldn't hurt to express a preference for which of the skippers you'd like to sail with in the BEYC Pro-Am Regatta, which runs concurrently - Russell Coutts, Lowell North, Ed Baird, Keith Musto, Peter Holmberg, Rod Johnstone, Carol Cronin, Butch Ulmer, Betsy Alison, Andy Burdick or the curmudgeon. This year's event will be a bit of a reunion, as BEYC has gotten reservations from a very large number of SSC members who sailed in previous Pro-Am regattas. And anyone who has procrastinated about making reservations should move quickly, as the resort is filling up. Happily however, you can still get the Scuttlebutt Sailing Club discount. - Event website: http://beyc.com/todo_act_regatta_proam.asp CITIBANK J/24 WORLDS Jeffrey Johnstone, Portsmouth, RI (USA) has snatched the lead from Jens Hookanson, Middletown, RI (USA) on day four of the 2004 Citibank J/24 World Championships. Long Island Sound must have needed a rest after the high winds and huge swells of yesterday, for today the Sound was flat as a pancake with little to no wind. Race Committee started race seven in a light southerly, but it was eventually abandoned. After waiting several hours, and sitting through a rain squall, race seven got off for a second time. On Friday, two races are planned, and at day's end, a new World Champion will be crowned. - Andrea Watson Standings after seven races with one discard: 1. Jeffrey Johnstone, USA, 49 pts 2. Jens Hookanson, USA, 56 pts 3. Satoshi Kume, Japan, 63 pts 4. Brad Read, USA, 67 pts 5. Andy Horton, USA, 74 pts 6. Skelley/Crockett, USA 75 pts 7. Alejo Rigoni, Argentina, 83 pts 8. Zaleski/Zaleski, USA, 84 pts 9. Yutaka Yoshida, Japan, 104 pts 10. Rossi Milev, CAN, 115 pts Event website: www.j24worlds.com For video clips of the regatta: www.t2p.tv NEWS BRIEFS * ISAF has compiled the best images of the six medal winning crews from the 2.4mR and Sonar events into a screensaver depicting images of the medallists in action on the water and at the medal ceremonies. For more information prior to downloading: www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=8071 * According to a report on the Mariantic website, Alpha Romeo will be the "official car" of the Luna Rosa syndicate. So the Italians will be driving Alphas, and the Oracle syndicate has BMW wheels, while ACM will ride in Fords. - www.mariantic.co.uk/ac/six.htm * What's next? Well, now there's a furling system for all asymmetric sails. It's claimed to work just fine on existing sails without modifying the sails, and without affecting the sails performance. Take a look: www.rollgen.com/index_e.htm NAVY SEAL BOAT SHOE You may never get to shimmy down from a hovering "copter" into a snake pit of enemy fire, but you can wear the same shoe today's Navy SEALs wear to maximize traction and torque in extreme amphibious combat situations. It's the Figawi ZIP, $69.99. Designed for high performance on land and in water, the Figawi features characteristics unique to Sperry Top-Sider and perfect for the SEALS distinctive operations, including non-marking outsole that leaves no trace, Super-Tack rubber for grip on wet and dry surfaces and quick-drying materials. For a retailer near you, visit http://www.sperrytopsider.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 Mike Martin: I was surprised to read the support for some of the older boats to be Olympic classes. Just a week or two ago the thread was how Olympic sailing is not exciting to watch. Then I shook my head as I read the list of classes being considered and only 1 class (the 49er) on the list is less than 40 years old. Now I read support for one of the oldest slowest boats on the list. It is no wonder sailing is struggling. The sport needs to embrace modern technology and join the 21st century. If you want to catch the interest of our future sailors, the boats in the spotlight need to be fast exciting and on the leading edge of technology in the sport. I say pick the recently revamped Tornado, formula boards, and more skiffs, for the Olympics, and leave the older designs to be raced by the weekend warriors. * From Ron Nicol: While the Hobie 16 is a great boat to learn on and a fun recreational craft, there is no comparison to a Tornado or other performance cats with todays technology. Just because there are VW bugs in every country doesn't mean they are the car of choice to race in. Most people would choose a Porsche instead. It would be nice to add another multihull class to the Olympics, but to replace the Tornado with Hobie 16s is not a step forward. * From Ron Rezac: Open Olympic Events? I recommend that the men's events be replaced by open/ performance events and that the boats be selected to encourage women's participation. I do think that the Laser and 49er are two of the most deserving boats in the Olympics but calling them "open" is a stretch. Certainly there are many other boats in which women and men compete on a more equal footing. When we have as many women as men in the Olympics we can start to talk about "men's" events again. * From Andy McNab: With regards to the apparent political shenanigans going on between Madrid and Valencia, over the financial aid required to mount the America's Cup, I am wondering whether ACM has given any consideration to the question of the Spanish authorities applying VAT and Matriculation taxes to yachts under charter in Spanish waters. As discussed at a recent seminar at the Monaco Boatshow, the application of these taxes could have a huge , detrimental effect on the number of non Spanish vessels visiting Valencia, for the Cup. I would hope that ACM will be able to bring some pressure to bear to help solve this issue and if so , keep interested parties informed. * From April Runyon: Although the story 'Butt excerpted from The Dominion Post yesterday referred to Glenn Brooke, the main man at the Volvo Ocean Race, as an Englishman, he is, if fact, Australian, and sailed for Australia in the Finn at the Barcelona Olympics. * From Gareth Evans: Of course Philippe was right to protest his son. Shark is still a young man, and has to learn that he can't barge his way in front of other boats and infringe them by his actions. This isn't a Sunday afternoon club race - it's the Mumm 30 Worlds and there is a lot at stake for all the competitors at the front of the fleet. There is no honour in winning by cheating - especially if your Dad lets you get away with it. However, I have one rules question. If Philippe had chosen not to protest Shark, would another boat that witnessed the incident be allowed to protest him? * From George Bailey (re Philippe Kahn protesting his son at the Mumm 30 worlds): If it was not a legitimate protest, then it does not matter what the relationship between the people involved. If it was a legitimate protest, then it does not matter what the relationship between the people involved. Or does someone wish to maintain that the question of whether or not to protest should be based on emotion rather than on applying reason and the rules to the situation at hand? * From Jeff Carlile: The letter today noting the Conflict of the Kahns at the Mumm 30s got me thinking. I wasn't surprised Philippe would protest Shark; I've had Team Pegasus bookmarked since the 2001 Transpac and I can almost hear Philippe saying, "The boy's gotta learn." But the one incident wasn't enough to cost Shark victory. * From Andy Vare: Tom Goddard commented :" ...The Tour de France bike race isn't exactly a thrill a minute, and yet that was good TV because you had three guys commentating who were interested, knowledgeable, and realized that in the end it was just a bunch of guys riding their bikes and it was supposed to be fun! They spent half their time laughing rather than talking, and it was fun. "Boy I couldn't agree more. I nominate either Mark Heer (St.FYC Knarr sailor and wannabe Bill Murray protégé) or John Gladstone (North Loft San Diego) as ESPN's next "Bob Roll" for the America's Cup. That guy was too much! Get the yuks up and everybody loves it. Wind or no wind. Also, having a really hot babe in there wouldn't hurt ... doing lifestyle stuff everyone could relate to regardless of what was happening on the race course. Heck, even Pamela Anderson getting grinding lessons from the boys in the pit on a practice day? Possibilities are endless... * Curmudgeon's Comment: Fearing those possibilities, we now declare the TV thread officially dead. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. |
