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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 715 - December 21, 2000VENDEE GLOBE - By Philippe JeantotTwo days after the dismasting of Aquitaine Innovations on the 40th day of the Vendee Globe 2000, and Yves Parlier has already managed to get some sail rigged up and get back in control of his situation. The veteran Vendee skipper has managed to get a whole 7.2 knots out of his boat this morning, after spending 4 exhausting hours yesterday at the top of his 6 metre high mast section fixing up pulleys and halyards in order to effect a jury rig before night drew in. Right now Aquitaine Innovations is placed ahead of a depression which is bringing 20 - 25 knot winds from the West North West. Catherine Chabaud (Whirlpool) is a little way behind Parlier and benefiting from the same conditions. Compared to her 13.4 knots then, Parlier is not going at snail speed at all, and in time the "Extra-Terrestrial" should be able to get even more sail area up. The question has been asked of Yves Parlier many times, concerning his decision to continue in the race under jury rig, if this hasn't put him in a more dangerous position during the toughest part of the race, passing through the Indian and Pacific Oceans, considering his reduced speed limit. In order to rally on to Les Sables d'Olonne without assistance, it will take him much more time (even a month perhaps), and he is the only person to answer the other vital question: has he enough food and diesel to last for that extra time? The diesel fuels the generator, which supplies power to the autopilot, navigation instruments, satellite communication systems and watermaker. With the alternative and natural energy sources of his solar panels and wind generator he could feasibly economise on his diesel reserves. As the top boats get in place for the incoming hard blow, the back markers are already getting a good Southern Ocean hammering. Spaniard Javier Sanso (Old Spice) has been under storm jib in 50 plus knots yesterday and moments ago faxed the Race HQ to inform us that: "I have lost one rudder, boat is sailing no problem, I am estimating damages. I don't know if I will continue on the race. I am talking to designer and owner of the boat. I think I can continue." Italian Simone Bianchetti (Aquarelle.com), 19 degrees further East than the Spaniard, reported to have been knocked down three times last night. "There was 45/50 knots, a low pressure passed very quickly. Suddenly the boat went into a surf at 28 knots, the mainsail gybed, and I broke two battens. - http://www.vendeeglobe.com Standings on December 20 at 13:02 UT: 1. PRB (Desjoyeaux) 2. SILL Matines La Potagere (Jourdain) 26 miles behind leader, 3. Sodebo (Coville) 308 miles behind, 4. Kingfisher (MacArthur) 389 miles behind, 5. Active Wear (Thiercelin) 438 miles behind. THE RACE * December 20 - American Steve Fossett's PlayStation arrived in Marina Port Vell yesterday evening at 2200. You can't miss her, a 40 metre mast with impressive rake, 38 metres long, more than 18 metres beam and bows to devour the seas. - http://therace.org * TEAM LEGATO: December 20 - Newsmen who went to interview hero yachtsman Tony Bullimore (Team Legato) were press-ganged into a terrifying 1,000-mile sea trip lasting six days. The reporters told yesterday how they endured fierce gales and seasickness - before staggering ashore in Portugal. Bullimore, 61, put to sea from Bristol last Wednesday with the four - two of them BBC men. The journalists were only supposed to sail as far as Falmouth in Cornwall. The two-day trip was to publicise Bullimore's entry for a round-the-world race. But off Falmouth a force seven gale blew up. Skipper Bullimore, famed for surviving four days in an upturned yacht in the Pacific in 1997, REFUSED to enter the harbour. He told the stunned newsmen it was too dangerous and they would have to continue with his ten-man crew to Barcelona in Spain. And despite their protests the 101ft catamaran Team Legato headed out across the storm-lashed Bay of Biscay. Their journey became a nightmare as the gale worsened to force nine. By Friday night the newsmen were 200 miles off Britanny in mountainous seas. A spokeswoman for the Legato race team said: "You could say they were not amused." Furious BBC West reporter Scott Ellis, 36, told Bullimore: "I'm meant to be covering other stories this weekend." He demanded to be let off the L1.5million boat "anywhere" but soon realised he had no choice but to stay. Bullimore decided to head for Vigo in north west Spain but storms prevented them docking there as well. They eventually managed to get ashore in Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday morning - just before their food ran out. As he recovered before flying home, Scott said: "It was very rough out there. It's a hard and unforgiving boat. "It bounces about all over the place and you don't get a minute's peace. I'm just glad to be back on dry land." His colleague Rob Salvidge, 43, said: "We were expecting a few quiet days. "But it soon became apparent that it wasn't going to be quite as we had expected. It was dark, wet and cold. Several of us were sick." - Chris Pharo, The Sun, UK Full story: http://www.the-sun.co.uk/news/13250520 * TEAM ADVENTURE: December 20 - Team Adventure docked in Barcelona Harbor just minutes before midnight on Monday night, becoming the third entrant in the Race of the Millennium to arrive at the starting line. The 110-foot American catamaran, skippered by Cam Lewis, from Lincolnville, ME, had sailed through calms and storms during an 11-day voyage from her builder's yard in Cherbourg, France. Barely 12 hours later, Lewis and his international crew of 14 sailors shoved off the dock and went sailing again as they showed off their boat to media guests of race sponsor Renault, to a camera crew from the host television broadcaster TWI, and a photographic team from Fortune magazine. Special guests on board included Bob Metcalfe from Lincolnville, ME and Lewis' father George Lewis, from Sherborn, MA. "The delivery voyage was a wonderful test for the boat and the crew," Lewis said. "We put the boat and the crew through a punishing three-day test in ferocious, wintry North Atlantic storm conditions. Our boat, our systems and our people came through with flying colors. "We also had some great light air sailing in the Mediterranean after we passed through the Straits of Gibraltar and that gave us an opportunity to work on our sail trimming techniques and refine our crew drills. "Team Adventure is an extremely big and powerful boat with extraordinary working loads on the sails and gear. Every mile we sail brings additional insights on how we can trim and tune for maximum speed and efficiency. This boat is a wind generator. It sails doubles the speed of the wind. If it is blowing ten knots the boat does 20 knots. Before he went sailing yesterday, Lewis and one of his crew applied a green and purple Monster(.com logo to the side of the big cat. Monster(.com, the leading global online careers site and the flagship brand of TMP Worldwide has signed a Sponsor Level Partnership - becoming the first major sponsor of the team. - Keith Taylor, http://www.TeamAdventure.org * TEAM PHILIPS: The weather has improved over the past few days making it possible for the Goss Challenges team to send out an aircraft to search for Team Philips. There is a weather front which will pass through tomorrow (Thursday) morning and the team will leave after that. The forecast is good for the remainder of the day. Team Philips is currently approximately 650 miles West of Ireland. Finding Team Philips will be a difficult - it will be rather like searching for a needle in a haystack. On the aircraft will be Pete Goss, Andy Hindley, the management team and some of the sponsors. The team has not been able to poll Team Philips today. This can mean one of three things: 1.The wind generator has stopped working (this could be temporary, due to lack of wind) and the Satcom C has run out of power. 2.The elements have overwhelmed the accommodation pod. 3.The vessel has been found and the Satcom C has been turned off. We are finalising the plans to salvage Team Philips should she be found tomorrow. We will update you as soon as we have further information. Pete Goss, Team Philips, http://www.teamphilips.com/index.cfm?ArticleID=3659 OVERNIGHT SUCCESS Douglas Gill's "Overnight success promotion" is a great way to purchase Gill gear during the holiday season. Each Gill customer who purchases $250 retail value or more during the promotion period qualifies for a free Gill Overnight bag style #1001 value $45. To order on-line or locate your nearest dealer log on to the gillna.com web site at www.gillna.com/stardealers RRS The newly revised Part 2 (When Boats Meet) of the 2001-2004 Racing Rules of Sailing are now posted on the International Sailing Federation's website. The racing rules are revised and published every four years by the ISAF, the international authority for the sport. The new rules become effective on 1 April 2001. - http://sailing.org/newrules/default.html LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) (Letters selected to be printed may be edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. We don't publish anonymous letters, but will withhold your e-mail address on request.) * From Carol Boe Sail2Wn@aol.com Did any one else notice there were no females on this list of former winners of the Everett B. Morris Trophy for College Sailor of the Year? I wonder if that is what Everett B. Morris intended ... * From Sandy Purdon HPPurdon@cs.com The passing of Peter Barrett leaves a big void. I got to experience Peter at his best in a 8 day trek to the Canadian Rocky Mountains on a helicopter ski trip in 1980 which included Jimmy Crane. Peter showed up with an old fowl weather jacket and blue jeans to take on the elements. I will always remember how nothing phased him. The altitude, the steep runs, the trees, the avalanche training and the fact he was giving away a few years to us "youngsters." Jimmy Crane said it best in his note in Scuttlebutt #714. Peter had no ego and was a true original in our sport of sailing. God rest Peter's soul and let us not forget the best part of sailing might just be the great people we meet along the way. Peter Barrett was one of those people. * From Bruce Golison bruce@golison.com As one of the few people I would consider my mentor, Peter Barrett was one of the good guys. Having worked for Peter, sailed with Peter and been coached by Peter, I owe much of my success on and off the water to him. He was truly one of the fairest people I have ever met and he played strictly by the rules....and these rules applied evenly to everyone, no matter what level you were at. One trait that Peter had, that amused me the most was his "no fear" attempts at almost anything....from business ideas, to trailering boats, to flying his plane (which he has crashed into a lake), you never quite knew what to expect from him. On the water, Peter was one of the all time great sailing talents, I would easily put him in the same class as Buddy Melges and Paul Elvstrom. I am saddened by his death, but am proud to have known and been educated by Peter Barrett. * From Harry Anderson (a co-founder of the US Finn Assn.) HHAJR@aol.com We first met Peter Barrett at the trials in Marblehead for the 1960 Olympic Games in which he represented the U.S. in the Finn finishing eleventh. One was immediately conscious of his qualities of leadership and perseverance. First, he went out of his way to coach his lesser competitors in the Class; second, on limited funds he lived with his wife and small youngster in a tent and to boot endured much pain from a risk to which all Finn sailors are exposed - during a jibe in an early practice race the main boom pinned his head to the deck driving a couple of teeth through his lip. That U.S. sailors became competitive at the Olympic level in the Finn is due in large part to Peter's guidance and support. * From Bruce Van Deventer - Many yacht clubs are incorporating gate leeward mark pairs instead of a single leeward mark as a means of decreasing congestion and consequent protests. At the same time, the RRS allow the race committee to shorten course at a mark of the course using flag S, (rule 32), normally flown by a committee boat in proximity to that mark, such that to finish, a boat sails between the mark and the boat with code flag S. Now, when shortening course at a gate mark, what is the proper procedure for both competitors and the race committee? It makes sense to me to finish between the marks, but if a committee boat is flying code flag S in vicinity of the marks, do you finish between it and one of the marks? Does the committee boat position itself between the gate marks, outside of them, or should it replace one of the gate marks with itself and also fly flag M (mark missing?) * From Gary Hoyt garryhoyt@ids.net - Having sailed against, and usually behind, Peter Barrett in the Finn Class, I can attest first hand to his qualities as a sailor whose exceptional toughness matched his exceptional skill. But beyond his significant sailing accomplishments was a rare quality of open helpfulness that is increasingly scarce in sailors of his high level. Without reservation Peter would share the full scope of his hard earned knowledge--quite literally telling and teaching his competitors to get better enough to beat him. He may have been the last of that unique brand of selfless champion. I can still see him sailing his orange Finn, seemingly impervious to hiking pain, holding her absolutely flat even if it was blowing 30, and always with that trademark big smile. Somewhere, he, Carl VanDuyne and Jorge Bruder are having a helluva regatta. Godspeed Peter Barrett. * From Jim Linville James838@aol.com Pete Barrett was a man who even amongst the original "tigers" of North Sails, each one more than capable of filling a room with his charisma and energy, stood out. But on first glance, he was probably the last one you might pick as the spiritual leader and conscience of the group, and I might add, of any group that he was a part of. Pete had a unique ability to judge every person and situation on its own merits, completely unburdened by his own self-interest or any prejudices that I could ever see. At the time that ability was remarkable, and it seems even more so in today's world where so many see right and wrong through the lens of their own self interest. Pete was an inspiration to every one that knew him, and to this day I find myself asking what Pete might have done when I am looking for the right way. He had time for everyone, though that sometimes (often?) meant that he was late. He always gave his best, but with kindness and good humor. He always enjoyed himself, and passed that joy on to whoever was around him. He never hesitated to disagree with you if he thought you were wrong, and he would always listen hard and let you try to convince him of why you weren't. More often than not, however, he was right, but he never let these discussions get personal. How lucky we all are to have had him around for as long as we did! * From Lowell North lowell92106@yahoo.com Without Peter Barrett North Sails would still be a one man operation next to the SDYC. Without Peter Barrett I would never have won my Gold Medal. Peter Barrett is the best person I have ever known. I will miss him very much. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: This is just a sampling of the many letters we got about the loss of Peter Barrett. While it's more letters on a single subject than we've ever carried in one issue of Scuttlebutt, normal guidelines make no sense whatsoever when you loose a person who has been an inspiration to a whole generation of competitors. Whoever invented the word "special" must have known Peter Barrett very well. May he rest in peace! AMERICA'S CUP December 21 - The America's Cup challenge from the Duesseldorf Yacht Club has been formally accepted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. It is the first challenge from a German yacht club in the 150 year history of the world's oldest sporting trophy. The Commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Peter Taylor, said the recent clarification of the "arm of the sea" clause by the America's Cup Arbitration Panel had cleared the way for acceptance of the Illbruck Challenge from the Duesseldorf Yacht Club on the Rhine River. Challenges for the 31st America's Cup regatta have now been formally accepted from five yachts clubs in four different countries. The other four clubs accepted are the Yacht Club Punta Ala (Italy), the Seattle Yacht Club (USA), the New York Yacht Club (USA) and the Societe Nautique de Geneve (Switzerland). - Peter Taylor Commodore Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron MORE VENDEE GLOBE The first and second placed Open 60's in the Vendee Globe, Michel Desjoyeaux (PRB) and Roland Jourdain (Sill Matines La Potagre), are both powered by Bainbridge Internationals SCL Laminates. This cloth has dominated the world of single handed offshore racing for a number of years because it is strong, tough, low in stretch and above all, dependable. Manufactured from a scrim of Spectra fiber protected by two ultra durable layers of woven spectra it is also used extensively for Super Yachts and, in lighter weights, for cruising yachts over 45ft. For more information: http://www.sailcloth.com SAFETY AT SEA Competitors in this year's Telstra Sydney to Hobart yacht race will carry the most widely used maritime global satellite communication and safety equipment in the world. The Inmarsat-C satellite system, being supplied by Station 12, provides vessels with two-way data communications to and from virtually anywhere in the world. Most important of all, Inmarsat-C meets the stringent specifications required to earn GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety Equipment System) accreditation - the international maritime safety system. GMDSS uses terrestrial and satellite technology and shipboard radio systems to ensure shore-based communication bases, rescue authorities and nearby vessels are automatically alerted in the event of a maritime emergency. The Inmarsat-C terminals will enable Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race officials to track the position of the race fleet and to allow two-way communication with each yacht to relay information such as weather reports. The easy-to-fit, light weight, terminals will also be carried by entrants in next year's Volvo Ocean Race (formerly known as the Whitbread) on their 10 month, 32,250 nautical mile circumnavigation of the world. - Peter Campbell, Media Director - 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, sydhobmedia@bigpond.com THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM If the Energizer Bunny attacks someone, is it charged with battery? |
