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SCUTTLEBUTT 1719 - November 26, 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. PIONEERING EFFORT Secrecy and high security has surrounded the local design and building of South Africa's first state-of-the-art America's Cup class racing yacht which started this week at an undisclosed boat yard near Cape Town. Building of the new 25 metre ultra hi-tech racing machine involves advanced "oven baked" construction techniques, while the structure itself has evolved from leading edge designs incorporating aerospace technology and research similar to that used in both aircraft and Formula One racing cars. The yacht, which will be launched in April next year, will serve as a tune-up racing yacht for the South African America's Cup Team Shosholoza and replace the current yacht Shosholoza RSA 48 which was always only intended for crew sail training. The tune-up yacht will also be used as a development boat for a second new race yacht which will incorporate considerable more research, intensive tank testing and computer modelling. This second new yacht will be launched in 2006 and continuously developed through 2006 and into 2007 when Team Shosholoza will race in the America's Cup proper off Valencia in Spain. Responsible for the design of the new yachts is a local team of naval architects led by leading British yacht designer Jason Ker. The highly skilled team includes specialist engineers, fluid dynamicists, experts in composite structures and other software experts previously involved in the South African aerospace industry. "The tune-up yacht will effectively provide Team Shosholoza with a faster boat to race against the leading teams on a more level playing field, while also giving the design and construction teams a "dry run" for the final race-boat," said Ker. www.sachallenge.com/site/news.asp?dealer=5756 WHAT IF? (Ellen MacArthur talked with The Daily Sail editor James Boyd about her most momentous challenge to date - the solo round the world record. Here's an excerpt.) As with the Vendee Globe one of the principle ingredients to success in a round the world record attempt are to prevent breakage, be it terminal that would require the boat to pull out or bad enough to require time out for repairs and for it to affect the future speed of the boat. Thorough preparation helps minimize breakage. Ellen says that there are a whole host of 'what if' scenarios that she and her team have tried to second guess and find solutions to since they first sat down with Nigel Irens and Benoit Cabaret to design B&Q Castorama. "We've tried to remove as many of those 'what ifs' as we can on the boat side. We've taken the engine out, we've checked out how to change the rudders, I know how to climb the mast, I've got my kit sorted out, just to make sure I am as ready as I ever can be." Preparing for any eventuality is the key - not only to ensure Ellen breaks the record but also for safety's sake, so that she makes it home. To give some examples: There are crash bulkheads in each of the three hulls in case of a collision; her daggerboard is raked aft to such an extent that anything it snares should simply fall off the bottom; the central rudder is lifting while the rudders in the floats are sacrifical and Ellen will be carrying spare blades with her. - James Boyd, The Daily Sail, www.thedailysail.com CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar GIPSY MOTH TO SAIL AGAIN One of the country's most famous and important boats was thrown a lifeline. Gipsy Moth IV took Sir Francis Chichester around the world and earned him a knighthood. Since then she has been slowly rotting away in a dry dock in Greenwich. After months of campaigning, Yachting Monthly can announce that they have secured the backing of her guardians, The Maritime Trust, to set her on a course that we hope will see her sail around the world once more. The United Kingdom Sailing Academy has agreed to manage the restoration and consequent upkeep of Gipsy Moth and she was craned out of her concrete tomb. She will now be taken to Camper and Nicholsons, the yard that built her, for a thorough survey. www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20041017161917ymnews.html / www.gipsymoth.org FOR THE RECORD Russian explorer Fedor Konyukhov left Falmouth's Kings Wharf dock Wednesday morning to begin his epic round-the-world voyage. Fedor Konyukhov is the most recognised Russian explorer in the world who is also an artist, and journalist. He has written eight books, painted over 3,000 pictures and carried out 40 unique expeditions and ascents. His travels all over the globe include three visits to the North Pole and one to the South Pole and he has spent over 1,000 days solo voyaging. His 85 foot maxi yacht, Alye Parusa, is the largest of its kind in the world and was built in 1999 in France. He is to attempt to break the record for the fastest single-handed non stop round the world voyage. It is the first time that a yacht of this size has been sailed single-handed and a small bit of the museum will be sailing with him. - http://tinyurl.com/56kda HOLIDAY SAVINGS ON MOUNT GAY RUM GEAR!!!! Do you need something special for that sailor on your Holiday gift list? Zuse has special Holiday savings on the Mount Gay Rum gear that every sailor wants to see under the tree or in their stocking - Mount Gay Rum belts, t-shirts, polos, fleece jackets, vests and more. Make sure to act right away - Holiday shopping has started! Get all your shopping done for that sailor with a call to Zuse at 800-840-9335 or click on the Mount Gay Rum icon on http://www.zuse.com RECOGNITION Did your club run an outstanding multi-class regatta this year? Is there an exceptional person who was responsible for making your one-design fleet grow? You still have time to provide appropriate recognition, because nominations for one of US Sailing's five one-design awards remain open until December 1. The award categories are: - Service award - Leadership award - Creativity award - One-design multi-class regional regatta of the year - One-design yacht club of the year Award guidelines and nomination procedures are online: www.ussailing.org/ODCC/awards/index.htm NEW ZEALAND MATCH RACING CHAMPIONSHIPS. Olympic yachting gold medallist Ben Ainslie hates losing but he wasn't too distraught yesterday when he was beaten by Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker on the opening day of the New Zealand match racing championships. Barker and Briton Ainslie, who is Emirates Team New Zealand's new strategist, are first and second in the four-day regatta on the Waitemata Harbour. With just five flights completed in the fluky conditions of Westhaven Marina, Barker was unbeaten in all of his five races while Ainslie slipped up just once - against Barker. Ainslie, who has now moved to Auckland for Team New Zealand's summer training programme which starts next week, has the syndicate's afterguard coach Rod Davis sailing alongside him. "There are not many people more experienced than Rod. I am sure I must be frustrating for him at times seeing the obvious mistakes but I think you have to make mistakes to learn from them. - NZPA, www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3108804a1823,00.html Day One Results: Dean Barker, 5-0 Ben Ainslie, 4-1 Bertrand Pace, 4-1 Scott Dickson, 3-2 Michael Dunstan, 3-2 Cameron Dunn, 2-3 Simon Minorrio, 2-3 Chris Dickson, 1-4 Laurie Jury, 1-4 Adam Minoprio, 0-5 Event website: www.rnzys.org.nz/ VENDÉE GLOBE You need a bit of luck to win the Vendée Globe solo round-the-world race, and this week that luck has been with the two leaders, Jean le Cam in Bonduelle and Vincent Riou's PRB. We could see from the data on Monday there was a new breeze ahead and it was question of who could just manage to stay on it and who would fall off. We now know. There are 20 boats in the race, and, as we make our way towards South Africa, the leading pack of six or seven has shrunk to just two. It is a real possibility that this break could be decisive. It might be worth as much as two days by the time we get to the first Southern Ocean waypoint. - Mike Golding on board 'Ecover' as published by the Daily Telegraph: http://tinyurl.com/48ynz Leaders at 1900 GMT November 25: 1. Bonduelle, Jean Le Cam 2. PRB, Vincent Riou, 1.3 miles to leader 3. VMI, Sébastien Josse, 260 mtl 4. Sill Véolia, Roland Jourdain, 270 mtl 5. Ecover, Mike Golding, 333 mtl 6. Hugo Boss, Alex Thomson, 536 mtl 7. Hellomoto, Conrad Humphreys, 582 mtl 8. Virbac-Paprec, Jean-Pierre Dick, 609 mtl 9. Temenos, Dominique Wavre, 627 mtl 10. Arcelor Dunkerque, Joé Seeten, 630 mtl 11. Pro-Form, Marc Thiercelin, 632 mtl 12. Skandia, Nick Moloney, 651 mtl 13. UUDS, Hervé Laurent, 681 mtl 14 VM Matériaux, Patrice Carpentier, 704 mtl 15. Ocean Planet, Bruce Schwab, 863 mtl Event website: www.vendeeglobe.fr/uk/ QUOTE / UNQUOTE "I'm spending 100% of my day motivating myself, had some good days, had some tough days. Today is a tough day" - Nick Moloney, Skandia INTERNATIONAL CREW At a press conference on held Wednesday, ABN AMRO skipper Mike Sanderson, and technical director, Roy Heiner introduced the following members of their international team for the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race: - Stan Honey - Navigator (USA) - Brad Jackson - Watch Captain (NZL) (New Zealand Endeavour/Merit Cup/Tyco) - Tony Mutter - Helmsman Trimmer (NZL) (Swedish Match/Team SEB) - David Endean - Trimmer Pitman (NZL) (Tyco) - Jan Dekker - Bowman (FR) (Merit Cup/Tyco) - Robert Greenhalgh - Helmsman Trimmer (UK) - Justin Slattery - Bowman (IRE) (News Corp) Most recently, American Stan Honey has been identified with Steve Fossett's campaigns on PlayStation and with Roy Disney's Pyewacket program. However, Honey took some time off from professional sailing last year to do the Transpac Race with his wife on their Cal 40, Illusion - where they won class honors and finished third overall - www.abnamro.com/team JUST IN TIME Raider RIBs have a perfect yacht club tender. This 22-foot Raider 665 is the ultimate tender for a yacht club, a sailing program or a sail coach. The 665 is a center console, deep V hull with a 115 horsepower 4-stroke Yamaha engine, a galvanized trailer, towing post, and it even has an enclosed head. The Raider 665 is available for immediate delivery with special financing for a non-profit or yacht club junior program. Call for details at 1-877-7RAIDER, or check out the Raider 665 at our website. http://www.raiderboat.com NEWS BRIEFS * 2004 was a remarkable year for US sailors: Olympic medals for Paul Foerster and Kevin Burnham (470 Men's Gold), and Johnny Lovell and Charlie Ogletree (Tornado Silver); world championship titles for Jens Hookanson (J/24), Alec Cutler (J/22), Jim Richardson (Farr 40), Sally Barkow (women's match racing), Morgan Larson/ Trevor Baylis (505) and Stephen Shepstone (Sonar); not to mention national titles for Eric Gesner (Thistle) and Cory Sertl (women's match racing), to name just a few. Nominations for the 2004 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards close November 30, 2004. Submit your nomination now at http://www.ussailing.org/awards/rolex *Record breaking, solo round the world yachtswoman, Emma Richards received her MBE Thursday in recognition of her remarkable achievements in sailing. On 4th May 2003, Richards sailed into the record books as the youngest person and first British woman to complete the 29,000 mile solo round the world yacht race, Around Alone onboard her 60 foot yacht 'Pindar.' Emma was at sea for over 135 days on her own during which she survived a hurricane. * Forecasters are predicting conditions might be right for Ellen MacArthur aboard her trimaran B&Q to start her solo, non-stop, round the world record attempt as early as Sunday. There's now a 60 per cent chance of leaving within the next five days as the standby mode changes from red to amber. Commanders' Weather, the organization which tracks systems, waiting for them to line up in the ideal pattern suggests that high pressure developing north west and north of the Azores on Saturday and Sunday will produce good conditions. - Yachting World, www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20041025160614ywnews.html 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 Stan Gibbs: Russell Bowler uses a very broad brush to paint the picture of the demise of the first generation TP52 and seems to question the validity of the box rule TP52 boats after just one regatta, at one venue, such as San Francisco Big Boat Series And to single out another designers boat is imponderable, being that he is "Bruce Farr's Main Partner" If he is going to base judgment on race tally sheets without knowing what happened on the boats in question, it really seems a little unfair, and very one sided. And he seems to have a short memory being that Rosebud beat all his boats in the 2004 Bermuda Race and split his Fleet in the Chicago Mac Race. She is also a first generation boat! The TP52 class is the ultimate "horses for courses" rule being that no one design is going to dominate every race venue. This is the second bad press article regarding the TP52 box rule I've seen on the dailysail, from two different and very successful IMS designers, could it be they just can't bear to see the golden egg finely crack? * From Stevan Johnson: Further Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg trivia - According to my grandfather who lived on the shore of this fine but unpronounceable lake - and who was an avid fisherman - the name means "You fish on your side, I fish on my side and nobody fishes in the middle." A wonderful formula for peaceful coexistence and resource management. * From Ted Jones: Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, Mass. was changed to Lake Webster many years ago. I guess the name was too long to put on maps and roadside signs. You won't find it anywhere any more except in a trivia quiz. * From Zoe Wilde: Regarding NZ sailing news... there is a new forum website that has lots of info about NZL sailing - www.crew.org.nz * From Lorne Chapman: I personally had the privilege of sitting on a protest committee that Steve Tupper chaired involving two young Opti sailors in their first protest hearing. Steve's coaching the two participants through the process while resolving the incident was just a masterful application of kindness and care. They couldn't have had a better learning experience - as did I. Along with all the ISAF and large regatta accomplishments Steve seems to make time for anyone who needs his help. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION "The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter." --Mark Twain |
