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SCUTTLEBUTT 1260 - February 12, 2003Powered 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 emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. ISAF WORLD SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS - Paul Henderson (Following are excerpts from ISAF President Paul Henderson's report on the 2003 ISAF World Sailing Championships in Cadiz, Spain.) The ISAF ExecCom has just had a very positive tour and report on the preparations for the ISAF Joint World Championship of Olympic Classes. This event was initiated to become the World Cup of Sailing held every four years to promote the sport using the Olympic Classes. I can report that the Mundo Vela and Cadiz are doing a superb job. Laser Class will have the best facilities all of us have ever seen. It could run the whole Olympic Games now let alone just the Laser. 470 in Rota is also a facility with superb launching and onshore facilities. The town is adjacent with hotels and restaurants. Other classes are at Puerto Sherry and the area, ramps and docks, are very large. All courses are very close and within 15 minutes sail of the marinas. I believe that no class has ever had better facilities. I checked on rental accommodation and there are many choices. I was shown a 3 bedroom Condo within 5 minutes from the marina with all ammenities and only 3 years old for 600 EUR a week and a private house on the sea for 800 EUR. ISAF will appoint a PRO for each course. Jury Members have been appointed with input from the classes. It is ISAF's firm opinion that the Cadiz Worlds will be to as high a standard as ever seen at the individual Class Worlds. - Paul Henderson, Event website: http://www.mundovela.com/ PINEAPPLE CUP Robert McNeil's Maxi 86 Zephyrus V set new Pineapple Cup course record for the 811 mile race from Port Everglades, Florida to Montego Bay, Jamaica. Their time of 2 days, 23 hours, 5 minutes and 57 took 4 hours, 34 minutes and 10 seconds off of the long standing record of set in 1971 by Windward Passage. - http://www.montegobayrace.com/ CLAY OLIVER (Team New Zealand Principal Designer Clay Oliver) trained as an architect at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis where his focus was mostly on warships. After leaving the navy, he joined an architecture company based in Annapolis, concentrating on defence and military applications. He then worked for the US defence contracting company, SAIC. It was through that company he became involved with the America's Cup. "SAIC said they had this small project with the America's Cup that I could work on. They said it might be four weeks, or four months, but it turned into three years, mostly assigned to Dennis Conner's campaign in Australia." Conner regained the trophy in 1987 and when New Zealand's Sir Michael Fay challenged in 1988, Clay worked on Conner's catamaran. He then teamed up with designer Bruce Farr and worked on the 1992 New Zealand Challenge and Chris Dickson's 1995 Tag Heuer. Oliver joined Team New Zealand for the 2000 cup and opted to stay with the syndicate for their second defense. And when Team NZ's black boats were unveiled, hull appendages and all, before the challenger series final, Oliver and his design team became the talk of the town. - From a story by Julie Ash on the NZ Herald website, full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/americascup/acstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3100073&thesection=sport&thesubsection=americascup To learn more about Clay Oliver's work and thoughts on the 'Hula': http://www.nzherald.co.nz/americascup/acstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3100676&thesection=sport&thesubsection=americascup INTERESTED IN SAVING WEIGHT? If your mechanical vang is old or heavy, take a look at Hall Spars & Rigging's QuikVang 2000. The QuikVang 2000 is effortless to use, and incredibly lightweight. The secret is its pneumatic cylinder design. Return force is generated by compressed air; adjusting the vang force to match the weight of your boom is as simple as pumping up a bicycle tire. And it's easy to install on any boat: read our instruction manual online. For the month of February, use the magic word SCUTTLEBUTT2 in our online coupon and save an additional 5% on the purchase of a QuikVang 2000. http://www.hallspars.com JULES VERNE TROPHY * GERONIMO: In the 24 hours to 03:00 GMT today, the Cap Gemini and Schneider Electric trimaran covered 504 nautical miles at an average speed of 21.04 knots. The Indian Ocean is now just a memory and its hostile seas and leaden skies forgotten as everyone looks forward to the beauty of the Pacific. - http://www.grandsrecords.com * KINGFISHER2 starts a gradual move east whilst still maintaining a push south averaging 7 knots. The wind has started to move to the left and gives Kingfisher2 the chance to start making some Easting gain - in the right direction. Shore-based weather router, Meeno Schrader advised Ellen: "Take the chance to shorten the course and keep some pace even with the risk of running into light airs," said Schrader. Kingfisher2 Day 12 Summary (http://www.teamkingfisher.com): - 12 hours 40 minutes behind Orange - 52 hours 12 minutes behind Geronimo - Day 12 (24 hour run): Kingfisher2- 266 nm, Orange- 252nm, Geronimo- 459nm - Distance to go: Kingfisher2- 20496nm, Orange- 20294nm, Geronimo- 19661nm ON THE TUBE * February 13th at 8:00 PM ET/PT - Outdoor Life Network will broadcast Defining Moments: The Louis Vuitton Cup, a one-hour highlight program of the challenger series. The network's highlight program will document the most memorable and exciting moments from the elimination series during which nine teams from six countries descended upon Auckland, New Zealand. Three-time Cup challenger Dawn Riley and America's Cup winner Peter Isler join host Bill Patrick for this highlight program that will feature the finals races between Alinghi and Oracle BMW Racing, plus the defining moments that transpired beginning with the First Round Robin back in October. OLN analysts will also preview the match between Alinghi and Team New Zealand, including the unveiling from Auckland of the declared boats that would go head-to-head - and the latest news of the off-water "war of words" between the syndicates. - www.OLNTV.com * Following is the schedule for ESPN2's America's Cup 2003 programs. America's Cup 2003 Preview (1 hour) Thursday, February 13 at 11:00pm ET (8:00pm PT) Friday, February 14 at 12:00pm ET (9:00am PT) (reair) America's Cup 2003 Race 1 - Friday, February 14 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 2 - Saturday, February 15 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 3 - Monday, February 17 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 4 - Wednesday, February 19 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 5 - Friday, February 21 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 6 - Saturday, February 22 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 7 - Monday, February 24 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 8 - Wednesday, February 26 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) Race 9 - Friday, February 28 at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) This is a best of nine series. http://www.jobsonsailing.com/ AROUND ALONE 2003 Canadian skipper Derek Hatfield, has informed the race office that he is experiencing from charging problems on board his Open 40 Spirit of Canada. Hatfield is heading back towards New Zealand shores just a day's sailing away. He reported that each time he shut his engine down after charging, he got a spike in power of up to 17 volts which he believes has fried all of his onboard electronics. Either the electronics are dead, or the wiring in the boat is dead and he can't check the electronics, but either way it's not good. Derek suspects that an internal short in the new batteries which he installed in New Zealand caused the problem and as a result his GPS, autopilots and computers are not working. STANDINGS 2200 UTC February 11 CLASS 1: 1. Bobst Group-Armor Lux, Bernard Stamm, 6864 miles from finish; 2. Solidaires, Thierry Dubois, 7 miles behind leader; 3. Ocean Planet, Bruce Schwab, 13 mbl; 4. Tiscali, Simone Bianchetti, 18 mbl 5. Pindar, Emma Richards, 19 mbl 6. Hexagon, Graham Dalton, 32 mbl. CLASS 2: 1. Tommy Hilfiger, Brad Van Liew, 6880 miles from finish; 2. Everest Horizontal, Tim Kent, 89 mbl; 3. Spirit of yukoh, Kojiro Shiraishi, 108 mbl; 4. BTC Velocity, Alan Paris, 133 mbl; 5. Spirit of Canada, Derek Hatfield, 432 mbl. - www.aroundalone.com QUOTES FROM THE DESIGNERS * "People thought we were going to try to work in the same direction as Team New Zealand. But we think we have been going in the right direction all the time, so we just wanted to improve, rather than try to copy something." - Rolf Vrolijk, Alinghi principal designer * "These are two boats that are quite different in every respect except for the rig. You would expect one would be faster and one would be slower, but we just don't know." - Team New Zealand designer Mike Drummond * "The longer bulb gets the centre of gravity lower, presumably at the expense of some drag, so it may be faster upwind but almost certainly slower downwind. - Oracle designer Bruce Farr * (Re the 'Hula') "I think it is an atrocity that this has been allowed by the measurers to get through the rules. It was never anticipated or intended by the rules. If you look carefully through the rules there are plenty which indicate it is not supposed to be there. - Oracle designer Bruce Farr * "The hula's job is actually to try to reduce the wave resistance ... If the boat's ghosting along at three knots of boatspeed, there's no waves so the hula's not doing anything. If you're doing 14 knots, it's doing quite a lot." Clay Oliver, Team New Zealand designer All quotes were taken from stories by Julie Ash and Helen Tunnah on the New Zealand Herald website: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/americascup/ TAKE A PEEK For those readers who could not make the boat 'unveilings' in Auckland, the Sailing Scuttlebutt website has just posted new photos by Daniel Forster of the both the challenger and the defender. There are fresh images of Team New Zealand's 'Hula,' plus some keel photos of both boats. There is certainly a huge difference between the bulbs on the two boats. http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/ J/105 ROULETTE? - "NOT!" Are you and your crew willing to play J/105 Roulette with your sailing season? Whether it's racing or gambling, one fact remains the same; successful competitors have learned to increase the odds in their favor. Ullman Sails has consistently placed more J/105 customers at the top of major regattas around the country then any other sailmaker. If you are ready to stack the deck for your 2003 season, then give the Ullman Sails loft in your area a call or visit us at http://www.ullmansails.com WATCH FOR FLAGS Britain's Independent yachting writer Stuart Alexander said there was a strong possibility that the umpires would play a big role once racing started on Saturday. "The predictions are that Alinghi may be quicker going upwind and that Team New Zealand - with the combination of the hula and maybe 12 square metres in extra sailing area - will be quicker downwind. But trying to overtake a boat downwind often produces tense close-quarter situations." That would be when the umpires come into play. Each boat carries an umpire-observer, who acts in an advisory capacity to the chief umpire and those on the wing boats. Alexander said he still fancied the Kiwis to take the cup though Alinghi had a "very smart team". - Mary Jane Boland, The Dominion Post, full story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2256874a7313,00.html NEWS BRIEFS * Neville Crichton's water-ballasted maxi-racer Alfa Romeo powered away from her more stately performance cruiser sisters today to handsomely win the corrected and elapsed time trophies for the Kawau Island Race in the Millennium Cup Superyacht Regatta. Just five minutes and 23 seconds behind her, Bob Miller's 146-foot ketch Mari Cha III finished in second place. www.millenniumcup.com * The sixth race of the Clipper 2002 series gets underway Wednesday, 12 February 2003 at 12:00 Hawaiian Standard Time (22:00 GMT). A 3,400 nautical mile race from Hawaii to Japan lies ahead for the Clipper fleet. The third crew leg of Clipper 2002 covers a distance of approximately 6,000 miles, over some seven weeks, on its way to Hong Kong via Japan and China. The adventure starts with a fast, warm downwind sleigh ride, which can see the yachts exceed 200 miles a day. - www.clipper-ventures.com * French bowman Bernard Labro sustained a broken clavicle in a traffic accident. He will not be onboard SUI 64 for the 31st America's Cup, which begins February 15 in New Zealand. The prognosis calls for conservative treatment and doctors expect the bone will mend completely after 6 weeks. Bernard will not sail until then, and his left arm is immobilized in a sling, but doctors granted permission to resume moderate activity within 3 weeks. - www.alinghi.com/en/index.php LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) (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 or a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From William F. Cook: I am sure that there is going to be some backlash against Kevin Hall for his comments yesterday, and I am equally sure that most if not all of it will be from people who don't know Kevin and who did not have to experience the truly unfriendly atmosphere with which competitors in America's Cup 2003 were greeted in Auckland. This is all so unfortunate. A competition which is historically ruthless on the water and in the jury room but (at least in recent memory) still friendly at the bar has been converted into a truly bitter, angry circus spectacle. We've had a disgraceful hate campaign and some less-than-genuine rules "reforms", and now we have a legion of disillusioned fans, including Paul Allen, Craig McCaw, and some others who, if they stayed in the game, could really help our sport. For shame! Let's hope that the winner of the Cup will not simply carry over the current event structure, with its built-in controversies and distractions. Let's hope that they will truly try to create a great event. It's a good thing to hope for. But don't hold your breath. * From Marty Fetsch (Re Kevin Hall's letter): It is sad to see achievement in one area, Team Racing, used as a pulpit to vent ones frustrations with the America's Cup. Everyone knows that TNZ is working hard to win again and that there are disagreements about people and equipment. The Kiwi's have earned a reputation as great sailors and in many cases great sportsman. It is a shame that Peter Lester is not one of them. * From Roger Jolly: Kevin Hall's letter has confirmed what I've always suspected. The real trickle down from the Americas cup is poor sportsmanship. And to Mr. Lester's suggestion that team racers at the World Championships may some day be able to participate in the Americas cup if they play their cards right. I assure you Mr. Lester that if those sailors wanted to be racing in the Americas cup they would be. Don't assume that a bigger boat is equal to bigger talent, at least Philippe Kahn has figured that much out. * From Ron Baerwitz: I wholeheartedly agree with Scott Barnard comments about Philippe Kahn. I have never met the man but I have seen his love for the sport blossom. Unlike many wealthy owners who pay for the program and then let some rock star coach them around the course, Mr. Kahn has taken to hiring top notch coaches like Mark Reynolds and Morgan Reeser to teach him the sport. He practices, practices, practices on all types of boats and the results are showing. Again, I have never met him but I have great respect for a man of his stature who put his ego aside and his love for the sport first. He appears to be a very class act. * From Joe Lotuff: While it may be, for some, an interesting exercise to propose modifications for future America's Cup Regattas. I respectfully submit that we are about to experience, and should prepare to enjoy, what will likely be one of the most exciting match racing regattas in recent history. All the elements of intrigue and personality are present; both teams will bring to the line sailing crews in the pink of condition, at the highest level of skill and training. The boats, sails and rigging represent the highest evolution of the IACC. Valentine's day at 19:00 hrs (ET) - We've got the ball game on. The afterguards will be miked up, virtual spectator providing the data and the big screen TV sorted and ready to go. Are you ready for some sailing? From Greg Weeger: I am intrigued with Alinghi's Curtis Blewett comments on the differences of the AC boats and I hope he is not creating an escape route for either team using boat speed issues for lack of success. I believe the brain trust from both teams previously trained using marginally slower boats, computer simulated or real and succeed. The only catch they say is a perfect pre-start and no on-the-water mistakes. I would say good luck Curtis, but as we know Luck has nothing to do with it. My suggestion, pretend you are on the slower boat and you can't loose. * From Chris Woods: We cannot possibly give enough congratulations to USA 2 for their well deserved win at the Team Racing Worlds in NZ last week, and for what they represent in the sport of sailing. Timothy Fallon, Karen Renzulli, Graeme & Lee Woodworth, Brian Doyle and Ery Largay (along with coach Kevin Hall and others) showed not only the top skills at an event which is in many ways the summit of the sport, but for years they have been at the forefront of a unique movement in sailing. They, along with many others across the country, have been developing team racing as an expression of what we might call sailing's best "character". This is a group of excellent sailors and fierce competitors, who like nothing more than to help their fellow sailors get better. While team racers spend long days competing on the water (399 races in 6 days at the 2003 World's), no one keener on spending time afterwards helping others figure out rules and showing others how to improve their tactics. And while much has been said about Team USA 2's winning the silver at 5 major regattas, you can't recognize enough that this crew is the first to genuinely praise and appreciate the winners. Team USA 2 and others are building an enviable model for the sport by following the maxim: "a rising tide lifts all boats". Because of these efforts, not only did they win but the sailing wins. THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft, and I'll show you A flat minor. |
