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SCUTTLEBUTT 1370 - July 14, 2003
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welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
TRANSPAC
Philippe Kahn's Pegasus 77 bore down on Diamond Head with a one-day mileage
record in its log and its sights on a rare clean sweep in the
2,225-nautical mile contest. The Reichel/Pugh 77 seemed to put away its
chief rival, Roy E. Disney's R/P 75 Pyewacket, by breezing 356 miles in the
24 hours leading to Sunday morning's roll call and was 74 miles in front
with 288 to go. The former record was 353 miles by Doug Baker's Andrews 70
Magnitude, in 1999.
"Our projections show that we will be crossing the finish line around [5
a.m. Hawaii time]," Kahn said through his Web site, "or maybe a little
earlier, before daybreak. His remaining goal is to correct out on Bill
Turpin's Transpac 52, Alta Vita, and Stan and Sally Honey's Cal 40,
Illusion, in handicap time. "We just realized that we had a chance at top
three in corrected time," Kahn said. "We really never thought that we'd
play in the handicap game. So, now we have a new goal."
Meanwhile, Alta Vita still had its hands full of Karl Kwok's Transpac 52,
Beau Geste, as the two were virtually even, boat for boat, and due to
finish around mid-day Tuesday.
Roger Kuskedark's Lady Bleu II, an Aloha A class entry, blew into town at
mid-day Sunday. The blue Dynamique 62 was the first boat to finish because
he got a five-day head start on Pegasus 77 and the other high-speed,
high-tech racing machines. Several other Aloha class entries are projected
to beat Pegasus 77 to the finish line. However Kahn will collect his second
consecutive Barn Door Award for the fastest elapsed time, although missing
Pyewacket's '99 record of 7 ½ days by just a few hours after suffering
light winds earlier in the race. - Rich Roberts
Division Leaders:
Div 1: Pegasus 77, Philippe Kahn, R/P 77
Div 2. Alta Vita, Bill Turpin, Transpac 52
Div 3. Maitri, Peter Johnson, J/160
Div 4. Wild Thing, Chris & Kara Busch, ID35
Div 5. Wind Dancer, Paul Edwards, Catalina 42
Div 6. Illusion, Stan Honey & Sally Lindsay Honey, Cal 40
Div 7. Between the Sheets, Ross Pearlman, Sun Odyssey 52
Div 8. Barking Spider, David Kory, Catalina 38
Transpac website: www.transpacificyc.org
ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?
On the hottest day of the year back home, the crew of the sailing yacht
Summer Dream out of Marblehead, Mass., sat bundled to the teeth last week,
shivering in a cold, claustrophobic fog 200 miles east of the Massachusetts
shore, bound for the Canadian Maritimes. So it goes every other year in the
biennial Marblehead to Halifax Race, an offshore tradition born almost a
century ago, back when men were men and boats had backbones of oak.
How cold does it get? "Four years ago we had a guy pass out on deck from
hypothermia," said John (Gags) Gagnon, an experienced offshore hand who has
done the trip several times over. "He was hiked out on the rail for a
couple of hours. Everybody thought he was just sleeping until somebody
nudged him and he tipped over and hit his head. He was out cold with his
eyes rolled right up in their sockets. He was the biggest, youngest guy on
the boat so it wasn't easy getting him down below."
The lads rolled the big fellow into his bunk, stripped him and rubbed his
skin to get the blood circulation restarted. He spent 24 hours below
warming up, Gagnon said, but wound up none the worse for the experience and
was back in the race this year on another boat. "Who is the guy?" I asked.
"I don't know his last name," Gagnon said with a chuckle. "From then on we
just called him, 'K-K-K-K-Kenny.' " - Angus Phillips, The Washington Post,
full story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A48658-2003Jul12.html
CHICAGO MAC
Light winds are making for challenging racing for the 281 boats and nearly
3,000 sailors competing in the 97th running of the Chicago Yacht Club Race
to Mackinac, the world's longest annual freshwater race. As of 1:17 p.m.
CDT Sunday, Richard and Mary Compton's Alchemy, an Andrews 77 from
California, was the first boat to reach the Manitou Islands, the Race
check-in point approximately 102 miles from the finish line. At 8:30 a.m.
CDT the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw reported winds at 10 knots (11.6 mph)
out of the Southeast from its location south of the Manitou Islands.
http://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/racetomackinac/index.html
HIKE
What if your tactician or navigator could hike hard and still have full
view and control of the instruments? Wouldn't it be great to tack or gybe
with no touch screen cords or umbilicals to deal with? How great would it
be to use low cost "off the shelf" computer hardware as specialized onboard
wireless instrument handheld displays? It's here, and its called Eye. For
detailed Ockam OS4 eye information and software download visit
http://www.ockam.com
ADMIRALS CUP
The King Juan Carlos-led Spanish team have lost their Admiral's Cup lead
after Pedro Campos was disqualified for an incident in the third race
against Dickies Yacht Sales, of the Royal Southern Yacht Club's team. This
dropped Spain to third, behind the Australians from the Royal Prince Alfred
YC team and the Royal Ocean Racing Club's team.
The clash took place at the first windward mark in the first of yesterday's
second pair of Solent inshore races. Campos's Telefonica Movistar bore away
around the mark in an extravagantly tight turn, with no obvious "mirror,
signal, manoeuvre" caution being exercised. The yacht surged on a wave and
suddenly found its bow knifing towards Nigel Biggs's Dickies Yacht Sales,
steered by Andy Beadsworth. Campos threw the wheel hard, avoiding a major
crash but sending his yacht's mainsail boom scything along Dickies' side,
somehow missing all the crew, apart from Biggs and one of his fingers.
The clash epitomised the close racing enjoyed by the smaller Class 2 boats,
particularly Telefonica, the Australian Aftershock, steered by Colin
Beashel and with Adrian Stead as her tactician, and Chernikeeff 4, which
has twinned the talents of Ian Walker and Ben Ainslie together in the Royal
Ocean Racing Club's team.
* In three of the four races, Bob Oatley's Wild Oats, the
double-ruddered, hinging keel, radical 60-footer from Australia, marched
out ahead and placed second on handicap behind (King Juan Carlos's) Bribon.
She was denied in the fourth by Peter Harrison's Chernikeeff 2, sailed by
Ian Budgen, for the RORC team. - Tim Jeffery, The Daily Telegraph, full story:
http://sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;$sessionid$V1EYFJEBZ35ILQFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=%2Fsport%2F2003%2F07%2F14%2Fsoyots14.xml
MATCH RACING
Danish specialist Jes Gram-Hansen, number 3 in the international rankings,
won in Marina di Ravenna the IX Trofeo Challenge Roberto Trombini,
defeating James Spithill 3-2 in a tight match final. In the petit final,
Dutchman Roy Heiner defeated Italian Paolo Cian and takes the 3rd place and
the podium. It was another perfect sailing day inside the port of Marina di
Ravenna, sunny and wind at 10 knots. Over 3.000 spectator, on the docks and
in the water, attended the event.
It was one of the most emotional editions of Trofeo Trombini, because every
single match race was very close, with continuous manoeuvring, and
overlapping between the two boats. Most of the finishes were really close,
less than a boat length. - Fabio Colivicchi, posted on the sail-world
website, http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?Nid=10360
Final Standings:
1. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN)
2. James Spithill (AUS)
3. Roy Heiner (NED)
4. Paolo Cian (ITA)
5. Ed Baird (USA)
6. Matteo Simoncelli (ITA)
7. Ian Williams (GBR)
8. Staffan Lindberg (FIN)
9. Cameron Appleton (NZL)
10. Luc Pillot (FRA)
11. Tommaso Chieffi (ITA)
12. Chris Law (GBR)
Event website: www.matchracetrombini.com
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS
* July 20-26: Albacore International Championships, Portsmouth Olympic
Harbor, Kingston, Ontario. http://www.cork.org/nor-albacore2003.html
BEHIND THE SCENES
Out on the start line of the 2003 Transpac was the new 22' Raider 665,
which had the distinction of the being the official photo boat for the
event. This new center console boat, complete with motor trailer, even has
an enclosed head and is available with special introductory pricing. With
all the speed and performance of the larger Raider RIBs, this smaller size
doesn't compromise on the superb handling that made Raider famous. Quality
made affordable. Call for details at (619) 709-0697 or check out this high
quality yet affordable RIB at http://www.raiderboat.com
470 EUROPEANS
Day five of the 470 Europeans was a non-event. With no hint of wind all day
the sailors were forced to tap into their oldest and most obscure stories,
many that shouldn't have been told. This event has created a four
quadrennia shortage of good scuttlebutt. Without some wind to provide
impetus for the next round of outrageous stories, the class could be in
real trouble. Everyone is praying for wind tomorrow. - Rollin "Skip" Whyte,
US 470 Coach
Men's Gold Fleet results after five races with one throwout (38-boats):
1. Nocholas Rogers/ Joe Glanfield, GBR, 8
2. Paul Foerster/ Kevin Burnham, USA, 11
3. Simon Cooke/ Pete Nicholas, NZL, 11
4. Gildas Philippe/ Nicolas LeBerre, FRA, 11
32. Steve Hunt/ Eben Russell, USA 50
Event website: http://www.europe470.com/
NEWS BRIEFS
* Seahorse International sailing magazine has just begun working with a
large number of West Marine stores to reach more American readers. Do get
yourself along to your local West Marine outlet and if they cannot help you
with a copy directly they can certainly order one up for you very fast.
* US Sailing has named Oregon Scientific, Inc as an official sponsor. The
partnership grants Oregon Scientific official sponsor rights and benefits
for the Weather Forecasting and Monitoring, Emergency Alert and Weather
Radios categories, and incorporates the development of Oregon Scientific-US
Sailing co-branded products. Oregon will have the right to use the US
Sailing and the official US Sailing Team logos in advertising, promotion,
publicity, and collateral materials; sell branded weather forecasting,
weather monitoring, and emergency alert products.
* Peter Harrison has accepted a challenge laid down by Kit Hobday to
match-race Harrison's Farr 52 Chernikeeff against Tim Louis and Kit
Hobday's Bear of Britian during Skandia Cowes Week (August 2-9). The
match-racing is scheduled to take place as soon as the RYS line is clear of
the daily racing (between 1700-1800) and will be staged over the course of
three evenings during the Week. Part of the challenge is that the series
loser hands over £5,000 to the Skandia Cowes Week Official Charity,
Sail4Cancer. This is a poignant move, given that Hobday is himself fighting
cancer.
* Fort Walton YC - Fort Walton Beach, Florida - Final results of the Youth
Multihull Championship for the Hoyt-Jolley Cup: 1. Jorge Murrieta & Andres
Manzano, Mexico, 4; 2. Francisco Figueroa & Fabiola Mustafin, PR, 5; 3.
Bret Sullivan & Samantha Simon, NJ, 7.
http://www.ussailing.org/multihull/youth03/results03.htm
2003 KEANE SNIPE NATIONALS OFF TO A BRILLIANT START
Lisa Pline/Kim Couranz won the 2003 Keane Snipe Womens' National
Championship after two awesome days of racing on Buzzards Bay. In the
Junior Championship Robert Ramirez/Andrew Brennan took home top honors
while Nick Voss, sailing with his father Ken Voss, won the special
Junior/Senior division. While these teams were racing in beautiful 10-20
knot winds and sunshine, competitors on land were busy measuring and
preparing for the main event that begins today. Check out the latest
results and photos of Serious Sailing and Serious Fun at
http://snipe.org/nationals2003
JUNIOR WOMEN'S DOUBLE-HANDED CHAMPIONSHIP
Windycrest Sailing Club, Tulsa, OK - Leigh Kempton (Island Heights, NJ) and
Kaity Storck (Huntington, NY) won the Ida Lewis Trophy emblematic of U.S.
Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship. Kempton and Storck showed their
dominance throughout the racing week, winning six out of eight races and
finishing with eight points. Adrienne Patterson (Corona Del Mar, CA) and
Melanie Roberts (San Diego, CA) finished in second place with a total score
of 18 points. In close third place were Carolina Young and Shannon Heausler
(both from Tampa, Florida) with 21 points. By Kempton and Storck have
qualified for the 2004 Youth Sailing ISAF (International Sailing
Federation) World Championships, which will be held in Gdynia, Poland.
www.ussailing.org/Idalewis/
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 Michael Gian: It sounds as if Ellen MacArthur may have actually
gotten stabbed, as opposed to cut, considering that the knife passed
through three layers of material before cutting her. When I was a youth,
crewing on a sailing ship, our First Mate would break the points off of all
of the sheath knives carried on board, excepting only those he called
"sheep-foot" (these had a blunt tip). His claim was that the danger far
outweighed the utility. He also demanded that all knives keep a very keen
edge, for the same reason.
* From Richard Collins: In the heyday of J-35 racing "one-design" on Long
Island sound in the mid 80's, about 30-40 of us decided to support the
"new" IMS system and get rated. As I recall, just the 6 boat Stamford YC
club fleet had a 25 sec spread (depending on wind speed)between us. I
recall winning one of the early IMS Champ regattas but few J's showed to
race because of the rating spread. Frankly, the boats sailed a lot closer
together than the ratings (measurements) indicated. Together with the cost
of maintaining it, IMS was droppped from interest and the fleet continued
to sail one-design (as today). The usual top third boats/crews usually
always still finish in the top third...etc. Hence the continued
popularity/growth of one-design over handicapping?
* From Andrew Troup: An ill-conceived and tragic Kansas stunt, nothing to
do with sailors or sailing, could nevertheless cost sailors dearly. A "pro
wrestler" was lowered from high above the ring, hanging from nothing more
than a quick-release trigger shackle, a piece of idiocy no sailor would
contemplate or condone. The shackle, designed to release easily and
instantly under load, opened 24 metres up. It didn't fail; it did what it
was designed to do. Although the wrestler's spouse released Lewmar (UK)
from the lawsuit, reasoning that the organizers of the stunt were at fault,
a US judge overturned this, on grounds (among others) that Lewmar held $50m
of applicable insurance cover.
Is it indeed an axiom in the US that anyone who can pay ridiculous
settlements for the poor judgment of others, should pay them? Is this axiom
so self-evident in its moral authority as to merit imposing it on the rest
of the world?
At best, should this action succeed, marine equipment will cost us all
more. At worst, items which could conceivably be misused will simply be
withdrawn. Misuse being up to the user rather than the equipment, there is
no natural limit to how far this could extend. Don't watch the next solar
eclipse through a pair of marine binoculars - unless you happen to be an
American who wishes to make a lawyer's day. My intention is not to berate
or belittle US citizens, but to alert them to matters which they alone can
address.
* From Talbot Wilson: In 'Butt 1368 Chris Little, the man with the huge
task of restoring Britain's one-time premier big boat racing series, the
Admiral's Cup to health, stated, "I think the Iraq War has prevented the
Americans from wanting to come over." Sorry Mr. Little, the American's
didn't come over for the Admiral's Cup because nobody wanted to spend hugh
amounts of money to build, optimize or charter for the IRC Big Boat class
that the RORC selected for the event. One team had been possible for the
Irish venue, but that disappeared with the return to Cowes. Several of us
who have been involved with numerous US Admiral's cup teams tried to drum
up interest for 2003. No one was willing, and it was not because of Iraq.
CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM
If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?
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