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SCUTTLEBUTT 1730 - December 13, 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. ANOTHER US AC SYNDICATE A quorum of members from the Sausalito Yacht Club voted Sunday, December 12th to adopt the Sausalito Challenge's entry for the 2007 America's Cup. The vote means that the yacht club will immediately file paperwork for an official challenge, and that John Sweeney's organization has cleared enough hurdles to post a bond worth more than $1 million to ensure the Marin (County) team's spot in the series. Sweeney is a veteran of two previous Bay Area cup campaigns, sailing for Dawn Riley's America True in 2000 and Larry Ellison's Oracle in 2003. He is characteristically tight lipped about fund raising and is not naming his sponsors yet. He says only that they are in final negotiations and will re-name the Sausalito Challenge when the sponsors are announced. "BMW Oracle has said their budget is about 200 million and Alinghi's (the Swiss 2007 cup defender and winner of the 2003 cup) is about the same," Sweeney said. "Luna Rossa's is about 150 million, and Team New Zealand's is about 70 million." Sweeney feels that the sailing team and the boat are on track for the Acts Series, which are races to be held in 2005 and 2006 as a build-up to the actual 2007 Americas Cup. According to Sweeney, the sailing team has been assembled and will be announced in January. "they are all USA guys and have all done America's Cups," says Sweeney, who plans to buy a boat to take to the Acts in Europe next year before building one starting January 2006. The Sausalito Yacht Club was founded in 1942 and has more than 500 members. - Jan Pehrson, Marin Independent Journal, www.marinij.com/ REDRESS There has been a very emotional letter circulating on the internet that purports to be from the Global Challenge entry, Team Stelmar. We did not carry that letter because we were unable to verify its authenticity. (Repeated inquiries to the event's PR manager went unanswered?) The letter in question complained that the race organizers 'penalized' Team Stelmar by not offering redress for their decision to divert to Chile to offload an ill crew member. Regardless of the authenticity of the letter, a point worth making is that the Racing Rules of Sailing are very clear about this issue - Team Stelmar is not entitled to redress. Just read Rule 62.1(c): 62 REDRESS 62.1 A request for redress or a protest committee's decision to consider redress shall be based on a claim or possibility that a boat's score in a race or series has, through no fault of her own, been made significantly worse by (a) an improper action or omission of the race committee, protest committee or organizing authority; (b) injury or physical damage because of the action of a boat that was breaking a rule of Part 2 or of a vessel not racing that was required to keep clear; (c) giving help (except to herself or her crew) in compliance with rule 1.1; or (d) a boat against which a penalty has been imposed under rule 2 or disciplinary action has been taken under rule 69.1(b). The letter also suggested that future skippers might use this incident as a precedent to overrule medical advice and ignore heath and safety issues. Wow! Can you imagine sailing with anyone who would put a finishing position ahead of the health and safety of the crew? And just in case there is any doubt, the first rule of the Racing Rules of Sailing - one of only five Fundamental Rules - states quiet plainly (Rule 1.1): "A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger." Simply stated, when a boat or a person is in danger, the only option is to drop everything and come to their aid. Team Stelmar is now trying to distance themselves from the much-traveled letter -and for good reason. It makes the team leaders look foolish and uninformed. But if there is even a shred of authenticity to that letter, the team leaders will not be the only ones who look foolish - the race organizers, who selected those who lead the paid crew volunteers on their matched fleet of boats, will also wind up with 'egg on their face.' - The Curmudgeon COLD DAYS AHEAD - ARE YOU READY? Move through three seasons in warmth and comfort in Henri Lloyd's North Sea Vest. Worn alone or over a sweater, it may just be the most versatile piece of gear you own. TPT technology outside, fleece-lined inside, you'll be warm and dry all over! Durable, hydrophobic, rib-knit trim at the hem and oversized pockets for stashing your cell phone or your sub-zero hands. Highly waterproof and highly breathable, you're likely to highly recommend it to everyone you know. http://www.henrilloydonline.com/scuttlebutt LOOKING GOOD Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton's latest mission to Europe could seal a huge slice of the last NZ$30 million needed to ensure a super-charged challenge for the America's Cup in 2007. The straight-shooting Dalton, who has presided over the restructuring of the shattered 2003 team which lost 0-5 to Swiss syndicate Alinghi, said Emirates Team NZ had secured all but about 20% of the reported NZ$150m budget needed to mount a strong challenge. Speaking before Team NZ's revamped 95-strong staff was unveiled on Friday, he said he had never felt so confident about gaining the required sponsorship. "I've never flown off into what feels like such fertile ground before. Normally, you pack your bag and take your hopes and dreams and off you go. But we're moving into ground where people are wanting to talk to us, as opposed to us camping outside their door and trying to get to them before they can get in their car," Dalton said. A lot of the positive interest in Team NZ comes from it winning the pre-America's Cup overall title in Valencia two months ago, proving to corporate giants that it can rise from the ashes of 2003 and serve it up to the billionaire owners of Alinghi and United States contender Oracle. Dalton hits Dubai this weekend, then travels in Europe to meet what he calls "major names". They are significant companies in their own right. All companies that certainly can afford to do it and who have indicated they want to talk to us," Dalton said. But he knows there are no givens in the world of sponsorship. "In the end they've got to buy into the dream and that's the key." He is satisfied Team NZ is in fine shape. "It is a big shift from where we were in June. Financially, there wasn't a cent. Every kid's piggy bank that we could lay our hands on was being robbed at that stage. We had a sigh of relief that we'd made it to the critical mass, then got involved in the regattas (in Valencia). The Valencia regatta result doesn't create money but it sure as heck makes the conversations easier. If a company is now interested in the America's Cup, we become a serious player or certainly on their radar. It's not beyond their wildest dreams that we could win." - Gary Birkett,Sunday Star Times, full story: www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3125939a1823,00.html ELLEN Ellen MacArthur is suffering serious technical problems on board her 75-foot trimaran B&Q that could threaten her solo round the world record attempt. Two days ago it became apparent that the main generator - required to charge the batteries that power all the electronics on board, from the B&G instruments, satellite communications to the fresh water maker - was burning up an excessive amount of oil, and at a rate that was unsustainable for the duration of the record attempt. Ellen therefore then switched to the smaller generator to conserve the oil stocks she had left, but this engine does not have the same efficiency and has to run longer to charge the batteries. This in itself is not a problem but, unfortunately, the heat caused by the back-up generator has become excessive. The temperature inside the cabin at one point reached 118 degrees Fahrenheit, melting some surrounding components and, in addition, it is omitting 'suffocating' exhaust fumes that are invading the cabin area down below. With the boat being also pounded by a sea that even Ellen said she had not experienced before on this boat, life onboard has been extremely difficult, with sleep non-existent and very high stress levels. Technical difficulties have unfortunately increased yet further for an exhausted Ellen, with the second watermaker failing Sunday night - a determined and resourceful Ellen working hard to fix that now. Ellen was more than 11 hours ahead of Joyon's record at 0400 GMT Monday- www.teamellen.com WEST MARINE RIGGING SPECIAL Just in time for Key West Race Week, West Marine is discounting 10% off all running rigging purchases from December 13 - January 14, 2005 (labor attached orders only). Call 888-447-7444 and mention this ad. Don't forget to visit West Marine while in Key West at 625 Caroline St. (305-295-0999). On-site rigging available with all the latest, greatest gear from Harken, Lewmar, Ronstan, Samson Rope, New England Rope, Suunto, Raymarine, Gill, Tylaska and more. While there pick up a free tide chart (dates 1/15-1/21, 2005). CARNAGE - VENDÉE GLOBE After Joé Seeten (Arcelor Dunkerque), who broke his second rudder in four days yesterday, it was Jean-Pierre Dick (Virbac-Paprec)'s turn to be victim to a second lot of damage to his gooseneck. As for Patrice Carpentier (VM Matériaux) and Jean Le Cam (Bonduelle) their boats both went over, but it was without any serious consequences for the equipment. While Joé Seeten is resting anchored off Pig Island (l'île aux Cochons) , as explained on the newswire, Jean-Pierre Dick is heading north with just the genoa looking for finer weather to plan repairs to his gooseneck. He already replaced it once, as he was crossing the Equator, but now the spare too has broken following the boat going over. Set up to use as little energy as necessary, the pilot didn't manage to hold back the 60-footer during a squall. A careful planner, Jean-Pierre Dick had stowed two spares on board. The repair isn't going to be easy in heavy seas. The arrival of a huge new low is also threatening the handicapped monohull. Leaders at 0400 GMT December 13: 1. PRB, Vincent Riou, 13,533 miles to finish 2. Bonduelle, Jean Le Ca, 85 miles to leader 3. Sill Véolia, Roland Jourdain, 278 mtl 4. VMI, Sébastien Josse, 390 mtl 5. Ecover, Mike Golding, 423 mtl 6. Temenos, Dominique Wavre, 1139 mtl 7. Virbac-Paprec, Jean-Pierre Dick, 1299 mtl 8. Skandia, Nick Moloney, 1514 mtl 9. Pro-Form, Marc Thiercelin, 1955 mtl 10. Arcelor Dunkerque, Joé Seeten, 2136 mtl Complete standings: www.vendeeglobe.fr/uk/ NEWS BRIEFS * America's Cup winner John Bertrand said his wife Rasa escaped with bruises following an alleged carjacking in the southern city of Melbourne late Saturday. Bertrand said his wife Rasa tried to gain control of the steering wheel and couldn't remember how she ended up out of the car and on the side of the West Gate Freeway. Police pursued the car for an hour at speeds sometimes exceeding 160 kph (100 mph). A 16-year-old boy was arrested after the Porsche stopped in a trailer park. It had allegedly been involved in collisions with five vehicles. - www.chinapost.com.tw/i_latestdetail.asp?id=24935 * One of ocean sailing's oldest records will come under assault in February in Del Rey YC's 18th biennial Corum USA International Yacht Race from Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta. Roy Disney's maxZ86, Pyewacket; Randall Pittman's Dubois 90, Genuine Risk, and Doug Baker's Andrews 80, Magnitude 80, will all be seeking to break the 1985 record set by Richard and Camille Daniels' MacGregor 65, Joss. Boosted by following breezes of 15 to 25 knots most of the way, Joss sailed the 1,125 nautical miles in 4 days 23 hours 0 minutes 4 seconds. Average speed: 9 1/2 knots. - www.dryc.org * US Sailing's Team Racing Committee is organizing a Team Racing Summit on January 15-16, hosted by New York YC and sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. The purpose of the Summit is to identify strategies to help team racing develop more broadly at the local, regional and national level. The two-day symposium focuses on 'how to build it' (not 'how to sail it'). Anyone interested in talking about team racing and its future is invited to attend and participate. Online registration and a complete agenda are now available for this event. - www.NYYC.org/teamracing ANOTHER J/65 IS UNDERWAY With hull #2 now in the mold and the first deck starting this week, the special J/65 custom construction bay at Pearson Composites in Warren, RI is getting crowded. This sleek 65-foot carbon speedster with luxurious accommodation will be launched on both coasts next summer. To find out more: http://www.jboats.com/j65 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 Bob Johnstone: The finalized J/100 Class Rules just posted on the J/Boat website offer two One Design options: (a) Non-spinnaker with 100% roller furling jib as the default or (b) With asymmetric spinnaker, in which case two are allowed between 60 & 80 m\2 in size. After racing this summer, we learned that prohibiting legs over the side was impractical and uncomfortable, but the Rules still prohibit torsos beyond the sheer. Crew sitting amidships on the deck can hold onto the cabin handrail for support when there are no lifelines. We also increased the weight limit for any number of crew to 350 kgs. to allow 4x192.5 pounders with helmsman weight over 220 lbs. not counted. - www.jboats.com/j100/pdf/J100%20Class%20Rules%2012-03-04.pdf * From Mats Grip: In the text in 'butt 1729 about the launch of Tony Bullimore's Daedalus, Geronimo is incorrectly mentioned as "both the newest and current round-the-world record holder". Although Geronimo holds the Jules Verne Trophy no one can take the outright RTW record away from Steve Fossett and his crew on Cheyenne without sailing faster around the globe, which Geronimo has not done. * From Ralph Taylor: Gee whiz, I never imagined seeing the day when "the kite" was an actual kite -- flying by strings away from the boat. It's a fascinating development & I hope Scuttlebutt keeps reporting on it. 'Course, it seems there's still some R&D needed for questions like "Can it propel a boat any direction but dead downwind?", and "Should it be used in conjunction with landing gear?" (For when the boat leaves the water & starts traveling over land). But, all this will get worked out & it's good that ORCA is encouraging the process. In the interest in helping the R&D, I'll point out that when the kite is 15 degrees above the horizon, the force lifting the boat out of the water is about 26% of the pull on the lines & the propulsion force about 97%. At 30 degrees, lift is 50% & drive is 87%. (Yeah, they add up to more than 100%; that's trig.) * From Ron White, Chief Measurer, Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac: In response to ORCA legalizing Kites and adding new rules covering Kites, RRS 86.1 provides for changes to the rules that are allowed and specifically, there is no provision allowing changes to Part 2 governing right-of-way. It would be lunacy to place boats on the same race course under two different sets of right of way rules. By example, a starboard tack kite boat has to keep clear of a port tack non-kite boat, and while ducking fouls a starboard tack non-kite boat. The chain reactions hold endless possibilities, which would result in chaos in the protest room and fortunately, we shouldn't see it because the RRS don't allow these rule changes. * From Tom Donlan: I was interested to read your review of the J100. With all due respect to J-Boats, I can't help wondering: What does the J100 offer that a 25-year-old J30 doesn't offer, except a more comfortable cockpit? The satisfaction of shelling out more than $100,000 instead of $20,000 to $25,000? Reversing the question is a lot easier. What does the J30 have that the J100 doesn't? The J30 has real cruising accommodations, 6-foot headroom, well-established one design rules, strong one-design fleets in several areas, a decent PHRF rating, a genoa for light air, a spinnaker for when the wind is behind. (Anyone who wants a "gentlemen's Etchells" with a rig like the J-100 can leave the J30's extra sails and gear at home.) I leave it to the partisans of other boats, J- and non-J, to ask the same question. For my money, the J30 is the boat of this and every year since 1979. See www.j30.org for more information. * From Brad Avery: I like all the folks at Cruising World, and the guys who do the BOTY reviews. But I wonder why the the long piece on the BOTY awards needs to lead Scuttlebutt this morning, which most of the time keeps a good distance from such slavish bows to advertisers. Scuttlebutt is refreshing because it contains interesting sailing news and well-edited discourse, rather than non news articles and reviews that are essentially puff pieces for the industry. Both have a place in the market. But I get Cruising World every month and keep it on my nightstand to help me fall sleep. I like Scuttlebutt in the morning to wake up. I hope I don't have to resort to double lattes in the future! * From Nick Barran: What a great job by not only the competitors but also those bringing us the race updates at www.teamellen.com and www.vendeeglobe.org. At both sites the weather analysis by Commanders and Dominic Vittet is outstanding. It is all great armchair stuff for us in the winter of the northern hemisphere. So here is the question. Ellen Macarthur gave the Vendee fleet a twenty one day head start, and, all things equal, she will certainly pass the tail enders of that fleet, but will she pass the lead boats, PRB and Bondouelle? It looks as though it will be very close, yesterday it seemed as though she would make it by 200 miles or so but today, after a difficult and slow night, it looks as though she will not. Either way it looks very close at this point. * From Cameron McIntyre: A few words from a son of sailor in response to the current thread on parent sailors and their children sailors. As a child weekends at the boat with Dad were the norm. My little hands could fit in small places, boats have a lot of small places. As soon as my little hands became big hands, I became a deck hand. Summers in the junior program as student and instructor were simply a natural progression. Long story short, learning how to sail was a given, becoming a sailor was a choice. There is nothing about growing up sailing that I would change. I have sailed thousands of miles with my Dad and I would sail a thousand more. I think the most influential motivation he provided was simply being the sailor his is. He may have fantasized about his son being an America's Cup skipper, but never pushed him to become one and as result of his tutelage, guidance and love, his son is a sailor who will sail for the rest of his life and not just sail but race! So for all those parents who would like to see their children become sailors, the most beneficial motivation you can provide is to be the best sailor you can be and share the genuine fulfillment that you experience with your children. In the end they may still not become sailors, but they will without a doubt understand the values and principals that sailing instills. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION One nice thing about egotists ... they don't talk about other people. |
