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SCUTTLEBUTT 2062 - March 30, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.VOR: DISHEARTENING NEWS If ABN AMRO One's dominance of Saturday's In Port race was not enough to dishearten the mere mortals trying to catch them, then the fact the black boat sailed the course with keel fin damage, as discovered this morning, will surely add insult to injury for their rivals. The delamination to the trailing edge of the keel fin, believed to have been sustained when they ran aground returning to their berth after a training sail on Friday, emerged this morning when the boat was hoisted from the water. The team already held suspicions of damage after a diver, attempting to clean the bulb on Friday, noticed wires wrapped around the fin. Then skipper Mike Sanderson said he felt a disturbance beneath the boat which was hindering their performance upwind during Saturday's race - ironically an area the team's rivals considered the black boat's strong point - and on closer inspection this morning the issue appeared more serious. Neil Cox, the team's shore manager, explained, "Basically all the composite work on the trailing edge had just peeled off with the water pressure of the boat heading upwind during the race." - Volvo Ocean Race website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/eu3w5 MINI TRANSAT "Our goal is simple," said skipper Clay Burkhalter. "It is to win the 2007 Mini Transat on a U.S. designed and built boat with a U.S. sailor at the helm." The 30th Transat 6.50, popularly called the Mini Transat, will start in September 2007. The 4240-mile singlehanded race starts in La Rochelle, France, stopping in the Canary Islands and finishing in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. Rod Johnstone, Burkhalter's uncle, designed Acadia USA 575. The boats' basic specs are LOA = 6.5 meters (21 feet), BOA = 3 meters, draft = 2 meters. Mast length is nearly twice the LOA and they carry about 400 square feet of sail area upwind (1200 feet downwind). An American-designed boat won the Mini Transat in 1979, but since then none have contested the French-dominated race. In 2003 American Jonathan McKee's Team McLube was leading by 100 miles when his mast broke 500 miles from the finish. Four American sailors are preparing boats for 2007. Entrance is limited to 72 sailors who must qualify by completing a 1000-mile non-race solo sail and a 1000-mile solo race on an Open 6.5 Meter Class or 'Mini'. Acadia was launched in late February for sea trials and several admirers were overheard saying, "She looks like a J!" In the spring Burkhalter will complete a 1000-mile qualifying solo sail in Florida and the boat will be shipped to France. - http://www.teamacadia.org Photos of the launch: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/0328 NO LONGER DOMINANT Curiosity prompts an inquiry into beach volleyball, it being one of the few native games where we (Americans) might still be the best. How, I wondered, is the good old US of A doing at volleyball? Alas, I must report that, like baseball, like basketball, we are stiffs, slugs, also-rans. We no longer rule a game we invented. We are only No. 5 in volleyball. Hey, we are No. 5 in soccer. I said soccer. Just to review. Baseball, our national pastime, belongs to Japan. Basketball. Our game. Belongs to Argentina. The MVP is Canadian. The next MVP will be German. The best player might be Chinese. Ice hockey. Their game but played here. Belongs to Sweden. Or Finland. Only they know the difference. And Lance Armstrong has quit sticking it to the French for us. The next big bike guy from those who know is from Kazakhstan, or one of those Stans. Maybe his name is Stan. After Lance, it does not matter. The America's Cup, named after us, an ocean boat race prize we did not even know we had until we lost it, well, the America's Cup belongs to Switzerland. Switzerland. There is not even an ocean in Switzerland. - by Bernie Lincicome, complete article: http://tinyurl.com/f82yq COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN PERFORMANCE Commitment needed to succeed continues to increase. Fast sails backed up by outstanding customer support are the hallmark of Ullman Sails. The quality of service you receive from your sailmaker will determine whether you are maximizing your boat's performance. Ullman sailmakers are industry leaders in sail development and customer support in North America and over 20 locations around the world. Our participation in world-class events keeps Ullman Sails on the cutting edge of ultimate boat speed. To insure that your program is receiving the best sails and support, contact your nearest Ullman Sails loft and visit http://www.ullmansails.com STORY OF GOOD HOPE Succeeding the Phoenician sailors by about 2000 years - if we trust the Greek historian Herodotus - the navigator Bartholomeu Dias reached the Cape of Storms in February 1488, aboard the caravel Sao-Cristovao. The Cape was sailed again by Vasco de Gama in November 1497, five years after Christopher Columbus reached America. The King of Portugal, Johannes II, preferred to name the rocky spur swept by howling winds the Cape of Good Hope to mark his interest for this pathway to India and its wealth! But the new name did not prevent Dias from dying there twelve years later, during an apocalyptic storm. Many other adventurers, travelers and sailors found the same fate, because this Cape remains a place for shipwrecks, especially when the icy southeasterly wind, nicknamed the "Cape Doctor" bursts out. The history is such that yachtsmen of the world shiver uncomfortably at the thought of the America's Cup being sailed in the rough waters off Cape Town. "We are not here to bring the America's Cup to Africa. We are here to bring a part of Africa to Europe and the America's Cup," was the poetic explanation of Captain Salvatore Sarno, when he introduced his Team Shosholoza to the America's Cup world. It is as if, five hundred years after the arrival of the Europeans to the Cape, the pendulum of history had turned, with Africa coming to make a conquest (albeit peacefully!) in Europe. - America's Cup website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/zbsn4 BOOK REPORT A recent read of John Jourdane's latest book, "Sailing With Scoundrels and Kings" provides insight into the life of someone who had made a commitment to ocean racing. After sailing over 300,000 miles, breaking masts in every ocean on earth, and competing on some of the hallmark boats and races in the sport, Jourdane narrates the experiences of his 45-year journey. Simple writing, almost log-style, keeps the reader to the facts, and allows the mind to wander and consider the life style he led. Said Jourdane, During the first ten years of the book, I was teaching school in Hawaii and learning to sail and race offshore. Then I retired from teaching, and made a living delivering boats and working as paid crew on racing boats. After my first Whitbread Race, I started making money navigating and preparing and delivering race boats." The book briefly departs from Jourdane's recap, and includes a reprint of an article from the Los Angeles Times by John Balzar, who joined the 1997 Transpac Race on the boat Ragtime. By his own account, Balzar is not much of a sailor, but he is a heck of a writer, and if you have ever had a tough time getting non-sailors to understand or appreciate the sport of sailing, this chapter alone would bridge the gap. Jourdane's book spans a period where he saw the professionalism in the sport evolve. Said Jourdane, "I think I sailed through yacht racing's transition from amateur to professional. I started out as a raw amateur, then a part-time professional, and eventually, a full-time professional. Now I'm back to being a part-time professional." John sees himself as now having the best of both worlds. He instructs 7th grade Science in Pasadena, CA from September to June, and then takes off and races to Hawaii or Bermuda, and will do a return delivery for his summer job. Then by September, he's tired of sailing, and ready for the kids again. Information on the book can be found at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/books/links/JJ IN MEMORIAM Edward du Moulin, of Sands Point, New York, passed away Tuesday morning, March 28, at the age of 91 after battling leukemia for his last year. Until developing the disease, Ed had never spent a night in a hospital, did his daily pushups, and sailed his 42-foot cutter Lady Del almost daily through the end of the summer of 2005. Ed was elected to the America's Cup Hall of Fame for his management of multiple America's Cup Campaigns in the 1970's and 1980's, mostly teamed with Fritz and Lucy Jewett, Malin and Roberta Burnham, and Dennis Conner. His wife Eleanor and daughter Cathy, who both passed away 5 years ago, were always there in strong support. With his family (son Richard and grandkids and friends), he raced a series of Lady Del's and Blaze to Bermuda class wins, DeCoursey Fales Trophy, and many awards. Ed wrote a popular book, "The America's Cup and Me," with all proceeds going to the Herreshoff Museum. Ed was a member of Knickerbocker, New York, and Storm Trysail Clubs. Recently he was made an honorary member of Manhasset Bay and Port Washington. In World War II, Ed served in the Coast Guard on North Atlantic convoys, and later had a career on Wall Street, which he gladly retired from to work in America's Cup activity (which he never wanted or expected to be paid for). Perhaps Ed is best known for all the guidance and support he gave young people in sailing and dealing with life's challenges. The service and party for family and friends will be at Knickerbocker Yacht Club from 10-4 pm this Saturday, March 31. WORKING HARD That's what's required if you want to be one of the top selling J/Boat dealers on the West Coast. The San Diego office stays open six days a week, and is available on the seventh day by appointment! If you want to buy or sell, contact the hardest working sales team on the west coast. Contact the J/Boat guys in San Diego - Jeff, John, and Ken - the guys who work hard to sell more. For great results in selling or buying, call us or visit online: 619-224-6200; check out our listings at: http://www.yachtworld.com/sailcalsandiego TRIVIA QUESTION On November 22, 1718, English pirate Edward Teach, otherwise known as "Blackbeard," fought to his death against Lieutenant Robert Maynard. As Teach had become the terror of the Caribbean, the coasts of Virginia, and the Carolinas, Maynard had been sent to end Blackbeard's pirate career. What was the name of the vessel that Maynard used for this battle? (Answer below) VOR: CHESAPEAKE CHALLENGES Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race brings many challenges. Skippers and navigators must negotiate the southeast and northeast tradewinds, cross through the dreaded doldrums and Bermuda Triangle then play the strong currents of the Gulf Stream. There are many decisions to be made during the 5,000-nautical mile leg from Rio de Janeiro to Baltimore, but it's the final 120 miles that concern skippers and navigators the most. "There could be some serious reshuffling in the Chesapeake Bay," Pirates of the Caribbean skipper Paul Cayard said yesterday. "Anything can happen in the Bay, and that's good for fans. The leader could get parked for 12 hours." Stan Honey, navigator aboard ABN AMRO ONE, the overall race leader, admitted the trip up the Chesapeake to the finish at Baltimore Light could be the most tricky aspect of Leg 5. "The Chesapeake can be very variable and it's anybody's guess what will happen," he said. It can be frustrating to sail a strong leg for 4,880 miles on the open ocean then have any advantage gained wiped out within a matter of hours in the relatively tight confines of the Chesapeake. That is what happened in 1998 and 2002 when the Volvo Ocean Race visited Baltimore and Annapolis. Wide separations between boats were reduced as the fleet compressed in the Chesapeake. John Kostecki, newly named skipper of Ericsson Racing, knows all about the vagaries of the bay. He was aboard Chessie Racing in 1997-98 and skippered illbruck Challenge to overall victory in 2001-2002. "It's going to be a challenge. There are lots of shoals, crab pots and variable winds because you are surrounded by land on both sides," Kostecki said. "I've sailed up the Chesapeake three or four times and I've struggled with it. It's hard to make sense of it as a total package." - by Bill Wagner, The Capital, full story: http://tinyurl.com/elml6 NEWS BRIEFS * The Valencia Sailing blog has comparison photos of BMW Oracle Racing's new boat, USA-87, and their previous boat, USA-76, being towed out of Port America's Cup on Wednesday morning, for the team's two-boat training and testing session. They were taken at the exact same spot, a few seconds apart. Notable differences include the bow angles and graphics. A reminder that the bowsprit on USA-87 is supposedly due to the bow being "cut off," which then would explain why the mast location appears different when gauged from the bows of the boat, though seems similar from the stern. Photos: http://valenciasailing.blogspot.com/2006/03/twin-keel.html * Italian clothing manufacturer Murphy & Nye will be the official clothing sponsor of United Team Germany, the first German entry in the America's Cup. Previously announced was the agreement for Murphy & Nye to also be the clothing sponsor of the organizers of the 32nd America's Cup. * Long Beach, CA - Some of this country's best small boat sailors are preparing for the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club's 46th Olympic Classes Regatta next weekend (April 1-2). Racing will be on the open ocean of San Pedro Bay, outside the breakwater. Seven races are scheduled over Saturday and Sunday. - http://www.abyc.org * Rolex Commodores' Cup 2006 organizers are predicting a strong line up as in 2004, when England Red bested ten other teams in the Solent-based international competition. At least eleven teams are again expected, representing the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Ireland, with a good chance of a team combining Russian and Polish boats participating. The US, which hasn't competed in the event since 1996, is also a possibility. Three boat teams, one from each of the designated IRC rating bands, will compete off Cowes, Isle of Wight, June 25 to July 2. Entries close on May 22. - http://www.rorc.org * This week's US Sailor of the Week is Blakeley Adkins, a US Sailing Certified Level 1 Instructor from Shoreline, WA, and presently a junior at the University of Vermont. Read the full report on the US Sailing website: http://www.ussailing.org/News/Sailor_of_the_Week/index.asp * Outdoor Life Network will be showing the documentary, "The American Challenge, Americas Cup 2007," which will focus on the experiences of the BMW Oracle Racing Team as they train for the 32nd America's Cup 2007. Look for exclusive insights into the internal developments of the team, combined with the drama of the pinnacle of professional sport sailing, during the 2005 season in Valencia (Spain), Malmö (Sweden), and Trapani (Italy). Show times are scheduled for April 2 (2:30-3:00pm) and April 5 (6:00-6:30pm), but confirm with your local listings. - http://www.olntv.com TRIVIA ANSWER Lieutenant Maynard's vessel was "The Pearl." Blackbeard had been under the protection of North Carolina's corrupt Governor Charles Eden until local planters turned to Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia, who acted by sending the British frigate with Maynard aboard to defeat Teach. Curmudgeon's Comment: Would there be any correlation between "The Pearl" and "The Black Pearl," which Disney chose as the name for Capt. Jack Sparrow's vessel in the "Pirates of the Carribean" films, and has been also used for their Volvo Ocean Race entry? SCUTTLEBUTT BURGEES The long awaited, and frequently requested, Scuttlebutt Sailing Club burgee is finally available for sale. This is the official burgee of the Scuttlebutt Sailing Club, which is the official club of the Scuttlebutt newsletter, which is fully endorsed by US Sailing (National Authority for sailing in the US). These high quality, 12" x 18" pennants are currently in stock and ready for immediate shipping: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/store 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. You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And please save your bashing, and personal attacks for elsewhere. For those that prefer a Forum, you can post your thoughts at the Scuttlebutt website: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi) * From Pär Johansson: I'm very flattered after you got one of my movies (Breaking the mast) for "Video of the Week." Unfortunately, the host turned the site down (made downloads impossible) because of too many downloads, as the site is a non-profit site we use as a cheap host but with "free traffic" worth nothing. Anyway the film you linked to and one more is on new places and we are working for a better solution: http://www.hustomten.com/sailfast/Breaking%20mast%2013MB.wmv http://www.hustomten.com/sailfast/A%20Sunny%20Day%2047MB.wmv * From Jean-Paul Churchouse: I was under the assumption that bowsprits were illegal on AC boats. Can anyone clarify the ruling here? * From Eric Wallischeck, USMMA Sailing Master: (Re: The eulogy discussion) I had the honor of reading that poem a few years ago at the funeral of Owen Torrey. At the time, I attributed it to Victor Hugo, as an excerpt from his book, "Toilers of the Sea." That's apparently not correct. A little bit of on-line Googling suggests that this work has a murky history. Since its source is not clear, the cautious writer might add, "Attributed to Henry Van Dyke" to cover their bases. Those who are interested in a more detailed explanation could visit the following website: http://www.gavroche.org/vhugo/toilersdeath.shtml * From Ted Cooper: This poem has been correctly attributed to Charles Henry Brent, (d. 1929) the Episcopal Bishop of the Phillipines. He was a close friend of my grandparents. My father attended Brent School in Baguio, Phillipines and I have found memorabilia referring to the Bishop's authorship of "What Is Dying." They are comforting words indeed. * From Ted Livingston: Regarding the idea that Kiwis are "too nice" (Scuttlebutt 2060), I've found that "niceness" to be refreshing. Many Aussies, it seems to me, are a bit too much like us Americans. CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL Never go to a doctor who asks to see your organ donor card in advance. Special thanks to Ullman Sails and Sail California San Diego. |
