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SCUTTLEBUTT 2288 – February 26, 2007
Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,
features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is
distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of
Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing).
GLENN BOURKE: VOR UPDATE
(Volvo Ocean Race CEO Glenn Bourke provides this update on the 2008-09
event. Here are two excerpts.)
Q: What progress has been made in securing port stopovers?
A: In the new territories our first task has been to focus on education in
order for the authorities to appreciate just what the Volvo Ocean Race
brings from a commercial and sporting perspective, the infrastructure we
require and the interest that can be aroused from our arrival in those
stopovers. Beyond that point of introduction and education, we have found a
tremendous appetite for the race. We are making headway but, as you might
expect, the progress we have been making in places like the Middle East,
Singapore, India and China has been a bit slower than I had hoped but the
desire is building. I don’t see us having to make any rash changes. There
may be a few nuisances around a particular port. In some cases we are
looking at two or three ports in a country or region which is a nice
position to be in. Obviously it would please our stakeholders if we had the
route cast in stone two years out from the start, but they understand that’s
not possible. The dream ticket from the last race where we had an
affiliation between port and boat will be successful in some territories in
2008-09 and not in others. It will take us a little while yet to lock it all
in.
Q: Where do you stand on entries for 2008-09?
A: We have repeat sponsors for 2008-09 which sends out a very strong message
to other potential sponsors who are out there contemplating their
involvement. If as Ericsson have done, you can come back to this race
despite under-performing on the scoreboard last time and still be so
enthusiastic about doing well, that sends out a potent signal. And from that
statement of intent, we are getting a number of sign-ups. I am confident
that we are going to build the number of entries from the last race and that
this will be the first time in three/four/five editions of the race that the
field will grow. As to when more syndicates announce, we know they are
engaged, we know they are preparing their advanced battle plans but they are
not ready to go public as yet.
-- Complete interview: http://tinyurl.com/34y5vs
PENALIZED
The French challenger for the 32nd America’s Cup, Areva Challenge, has been
penalised by the Jury for a breach of the Protocol. Areva Challenge will see
its sail limit for the Louis Vuitton Cup (challenger series April 18-June
12) reduced from 45 to 43 sails. The Jury found that Areva Challenge had
breached both Article 11.2(f) of the Protocol which prohibits competitors
from ‘observing or capturing images of another Competitor’s ACC yacht…with
the principal intent and purpose to gain design or performance information…”
and, Article 11.2(g), which prohibits Competitors from accepting: “…any
information from a third party that, under this Article, would have been
improper for the Competitor to obtain directly.”
Following a complaint to the Jury from Luna Rossa Challenge, the French team
told the Jury that a number of photographs had come into its possession. The
photographs were given to Areva Challenge by a recognised media photographer
who had taken pictures of the Luna Rossa boat whilst the Italian team was
training. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/2uruql
CROSS-TRAINING
Outside of Newport, RI, the names Brad and Ken Read are known for their
College Sailor of the Year awards, J/24 class titles, etc. However, inside
the town of Newport, they are known as much for their sailing prowess as
their… ability on the hockey rink. Ken explains the double life of these two
dominant sailors.
SBUTT: Where did the interest in hockey come from?
Ken Read: My father played hockey at Brown University, so Brad and I were
born into it. It was a great era around the northeast US for hockey. Bobby
Orr played for the Bruins and they were winning Stanley Cups. Youth hockey
was huge and for a young kid it was a great way to get out and legally be
able to smash someone into the boards and not get in trouble for it. My
brother Brad and I were called "rink rats" as kids and with all the teams we
played on we were in a rink just about every day during the winter in our
childhood. My poor parents! But I think they loved it as much as we did. In
fact, they both helped run the youth hockey leagues. My mother wrote a
weekly article for the town's newspaper under the pen name "Zelda Zamboni".
SBUTT: Is there a time of year when hockey is played in Newport, or is it
year round?
Ken Read: For the most part it is a cold month sport. There are a couple
rinks open in the summer, but those of us still playing have at it from
October through March. A bunch of us play in a couple leagues. We play a
Sunday night league that is a real league. Then a bunch of us play on Monday
or Thursday night "pick up" league that is simply for fun and a good
workout. But, for some reason I was never able to really get excited about
playing in the summer. Hence our two sport addictions. Sailing in the
summer, hockey in the winter. Which is the reason we still play with a bunch
of sailors around here even today.
-- Complete interview: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/0224
SAFETY FIRST
John Rousmaniere will be teaching Suddenly Alone seminars in Portland (March
17) and San Francisco (March 18). Safety through preparation. Safety through
prevention. Safety through planning and practice. Suppose, through illness,
injury, or accident, you were to find yourself Suddenly Alone. What would
you do? How would you respond? Attend a Suddenly Alone Seminar and learn
from one of the world authorities on sailing safety. Registration and
information through North U: 800-347-2457 and at http://www.NorthU.com
LASER MIDWINTERS EAST
Hosted by the Clearwater YC, the Laser Midwinters East saw wind strength
gradually build during the four-day event. The 89-boat Laser fleet and the
98-boat Laser Radial fleet were divided into Gold and Silver fleets, with
the top ten from the Gold fleets listed below.
Laser – Gold Fleet
1. GBR Paul Goodison, 19
2. CAN Bernard Luttmer, 29
3. GBR Nick Thompson, 31
4. USA Andrew Campbell, 31
5. USA Brad Funk, 34
6. ESP Javier Hernandez Cebrian, 48
7. USA Clayton Johnson, 61
8. CAN David Wright, 62
9. CAN Michael Kalin, 63
10. USA Kurt Taulbee, 76
Laser Radial – Gold Fleet
1. USA Anna Tunnicliffe, 15
2. USA Paige Railey, 15
3. LTU Gintare Volungeviciute, 19
4. CAN Lisa Ross, 38
5. CAN Keamia Rasa, 71
6. USA Justin Doane, 74
7. USA Anne Haeger, 80
8. USA Philip Crain, 82
9. USA Colin Smith, 94
10. USA Philip Alley, 106
-- For complete results (including the 19-boat Laser 4.7 fleet) along with a
listing of all the on-the-water penalties:
http://www.clwyc.org/LaserMidwintersEast07
Curmudgeon’s Comment: This was the final event for determining the three
members of the 2007 US Sailing Team in the Laser class. They are Brad Funk
(1), Andrew Campbell (2), and Kurt Taulbee (3).
LASER DINGHY FOR FATTIES
Does the Rooster 8.1 have a future as the Laser for the 'larger sailor'?
Clearly Laser champion Steve Cockerill thinks so, because his company
Rooster Sailing has just finishing developing a new souped-up rig for the
standard Laser dinghy. Taking the basic Laser, Cockerill has added a taller
lower mast section, which combined with the existing top section, supports a
Dacron/Mylar radial-cut sail measuring 8.1 square metres. This compares with
the 7.06 square metres of a standard Laser rig, and Cockerill is pitching
the Rooster 8.1 at sailors weighing around 90kg (198 lbs), as opposed to the
80kg (176 lbs) or thereabouts for the standard rig. -- Andy Rice, full
report: http://tinyurl.com/2mmy5k
CARROT FIBRE YACHTS
The AC 32 Challenger Commission website reports that scientists in Scotland
have developed a revolutionary new material called CurranTM, made from
microscopic fibres extracted from carrots. Similar to carbon fibre, it is
lighter, stronger and can be moulded into almost any shape when it is
combined with special resins. Fishing rods made from CurranTM, which are set
to go on sale shortly, require up to 2kgs of carrots to make a single
fishing rod weighing just a couple of ounces. That means demand for CurranTM
to make car body parts - or other items currently made of carbon, such as
yachts, canoes, mountain bike frames or skateboards - would create a massive
new market for carrots. -- Read post: http://tinyurl.com/2r2uzp
WINNER’S CIRCLE
It’s only February, but Hall customers are already in the winner’s circle.
Titan (RP75) is first-to-finish while Carinthia (J/120) is overall winner of
the Montego Bay Race, and Hall-equipped Esmeralda (CS42) won IRC 3 at Key
West. Your boat may be circled by snow, but you can begin your journey to
the winner’s circle today by shopping at Hall Spars & Rigging. We supply the
premium products demanded by winners, from seamless carbon spars to
high-performance hardware and rigging. Buy online by March 5 for your first
victory - you’ll beat the 2007 price increases! http://www.hallspars.com
WORLD TOUR CONTINUES
Tortola, British Virgin Islands - The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing
Festival, presented by Nanny Cay and held this year March 30 April 1,
2007, will be welcoming a new boat to the Caribbean racing scene. ABN AMRO,
winner of the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race, is making the BVI Spring Regatta one
of its three events in the Caribbean this season. The boat will be competing
in the Caribbean Big Boat Series which is comprised of the Heineken Regatta
in St, Maarten, BVI Spring Regatta and Antigua Sailing Week.
BVI Spring Regatta joins other notable world-class regattas in hosting the
2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race champ. Since winning the 31,250 mile, nine leg,
round the world competition, ABN AMRO has competed in Cowes Week, the Maxi
Yacht Rolex Race in Sardinia, the SydneyHobart Race and the Rolex Middle
Sea Race in Malta. When asked why the ABN AMBRO chose to compete in the
Caribbean this year, Kate Fiarclough of Pitch PR replied, “The Caribbean
regattas are a selection of events making up a world tour that ABN AMRO ONE
has been on since winning the Volvo Ocean Race last June. The aim of the
tour is to visit new places where the boat has not been before, giving
employees, clients and the public the chance to see the race winning boat.”
Full story: http://www.bvispringregatta.org/news.php?news_id=57
SAILING SHORTS
* Four SAIL and BoatWorks writers were recognized for excellence in
journalism at the recent Boating Writers International annual award ceremony
held during the Miami International Boat Show in Florida. Awards were given
in 15 categories for “excellence in creating compelling stories about the
boating lifestyle through entertaining, educational, and inspiring
journalism.” -- Full report: http://sailmag.com/news/BWI2007
* Menominee, MI - In a follow-up to the DN World Championship title that he
earned last week, Matt Struble of Birmingham MI won the North American
Championships this past weekend at the same site. - Full results
http://www.idniyra.org/results/results07_na.html
* Longtime Olympic Tornado competitors Darren Bundock/ Glenn Ashby (AUS) and
Mitch Booth/ Pim Nieuwenhuis (NED) finished another chapter last week at the
F18 Worlds in Australia, with Bundock/ Ashby ending on top by a single point
after fifteen races. The last race was a thriller, where the champs
successfully executed the “sail them off the course and force them to use
their drop” tactic to Booth/ Nieuwenhuis. For photos and results:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/07/f18
* In its battle with Magnitude 80 for the record in Del Rey Yacht Club's
19th International Yacht Race to Puerto Vallarta, Scout Spirit lost their
rig just 15 miles past Santa Catalina Island, and only 3 ½ hours after the
start in Santa Monica Bay Friday. With the wind blowing 20 knots from behind
over turbulent seas, Scout Spirit, a Reichel/Pugh 77, was on a wild downhill
sleigh ride when suddenly, at about 4:30 p.m., the backstay gave way and the
mast fell forward above the lower spreaders about 15 feet above the deck. --
Full report: http://www.pv07.com/releases/022407_mdr2.php
* The number of boats at the Women's High Performance Dinghy Evaluation
Event has increased from five to six. The 29er has joined the 29erXX, RS800,
Cherub Daemon, Carbonology GT60 and International 14 for the Evaluation
Event in Hyères, France from 16-19 April 2007. The Evaluation Event will
look at whether there are suitable boats for a possible Women’s High
Performance Dinghy event at the Olympic Sailing Competition in 2012. -- Full
report: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j1qFnAuk?&format=popup
* The Fiat team of Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Nathan Ellis retained
their title when they won the 2007 SLAM-Winning Appliances JJ Giltinan
International 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour, Australia. Second
overall went to the young Gotta Love It 7 crew of Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton
and Robert Bell while John Harris, Craig Ferris and Chris Cleary (plus
stand-in Dave Ewings) finished third in Rag & Famish Hotel. The American
team of Pegasus Racing (Howie Hamlin) finished fifth. --
http://www.18footers.com.au
Curmudgeon’s Comment: If you love the action that the 18ft skiffs provide,
you will enjoy two short videos from the event that are have been added to
the Scuttlebutt website:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/07/0219/#video
HD VIDEO BRINGS SAILING TO YOUR BIG SCREEN
Relive your favorite sailing moments, impress your customers, or just thrill
your friends with high definition video of the sport we are passionate
about. PC Sailing Productions can meet your HD video needs. Visit our site
for more information: http://www.pcsailing.net
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine)
Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be
edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250
words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot,
don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks
for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is
available on the Scuttlebutt Forum.
-- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
-- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From Chip Johns, President, Vanguard Sailboats: (in a follow-up to a story
in ‘butt 2287) Shortly after midnight on Tuesday of last week, a basket of
rags stored under a workbench in one of the finish areas of the Vanguard
factory ignited. The fire triggered two fire suppression sprinklers directly
above this area to flow and extinguish the fire. The Portsmouth Fire
Department also responded to the fire and ensured that the fire was fully
suppressed. There was no structural damage to the Vanguard factory; only
water damage to two production offices and one small work bench. Vanguard
personnel arrived on site shortly after the PFD and immediately cleaned the
damaged area. No adverse effects on production occurred or are expected to
occur. I would like to thank the Portsmouth Fire Department for their quick
response.
* From Tom Donlan: John Manderson (Scuttlebutt 2287) has it backwards.
Dinghies are not designed for kinetics; kinetics is a technique for
torturing dinghies to perform above their design capability as sailboats. If
this is hard to believe applied to the Laser class, how about the Interclub
frostbite dinghy? It's a pity that he was offended by people who criticized
a sailor for deliberately crossing the arbitrary (and subjective, I might
add) line set by Rule 42. As one such critic, I can only use his words back
to him: "Cut us a break." I need his help understanding when a rule is not a
rule, because breaking it would be "fun." But he may be right about this:
The rule may have become a "problem" in certain classes, where there are too
many people like Manderson who think the boat isn't fun unless they use and
master kinetics. If they want to change the rules, class by class, let them
try. Indeed, I hope they succeed in one class so all his sort can pile into
it, and leave the rest of us to race sailboats.
* From Jesse Falsone (edited to our 250-word limit): There are three factors
that come into play when considering adherence to rules: 1) the character of
the individual committing the foul, 2) the respect that person has for his
competitors and fleet, and 3) the perceived threat of having a protest filed
and losing. I would submit that in classes where fouls are rampant, if
honest, respectful sailors are committed to the class, they must exercise
their right to protest. For many years, I have seen a growing reluctance to
file protest among small boat sailors, and it has had the unfortunate effect
on many fleets with decreased participation and bad feelings.
My recommendation is for people to start protesting more when they are
flagrantly fouled (but not for every minor infraction like a small duck or
incidental contact in a dinghy). I would also suggest that sailors on the
fleet level and in local events need to put pressure on frequent offenders
to abide by the rules so that they are more respectful and adherent at
larger regattas. It might help matters to institute one 360 degree turn
rather than a 720 for exoneration. I find it interesting that more often
than not, the frequent offenders are mid and lower-pack sailors. Does it
really matter if you finish 25th or 26th, or is your reputation as a sailor
of character and Corinthian spirit more important? In most one-design
fleets, we pretty much know who the cheaters are, and we know to stay away
from them.
* From Mike Stevens: In an attempt to clear up a few misconceptions, for
example Tim Dick in 'butt 2287, here are a few corrections. In the World
Racing League, these cats are strictly one design, ownership is retained by
the league, a Team buys the right to compete (this includes a year’s lease
of a cat), all the vessels are transported on the league's Cargo ship, which
also has shops, and storage areas for each team. These Cats sail in much
shallower water than a canting keel monohull. They are actually more
responsive than the V70s, for instance, and as the courses are set to
accommodate multihulls, there is no reason why they will not race inside SF
Bay or other confined waters. No races longer than 45 minutes - about 20-30
miles. With mast rising 120' above the water they will be extremely visible.
Anyone from Pier 39 to perhaps the Bay Bridges will certainly see the
colorful sails atop sheets of spray and foam with glimpses of hulls and
crew. There has been much discussion of how to raise the visibility of
sailing; Speed, color, close action, and a clear winner seem to be factors.
The World Racing League has it all, Marketing, Funding, Visibility,
Competition, and the excitement only Speed offers. Welcome to 21st century
sailing!
CURMUDGEON’S COUNSEL
“You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests you
think she's pregnant unless you can see her in labor at that moment.” - Dave
Barry
Special thanks to North U, Hall Spars & Rigging, and PC Sailing.
Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender
of the 32nd America's Cup.
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