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SCUTTLEBUTT 2992 - Tuesday, December 15, 2009Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Scuttlebutt on Facebook: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/facebook Today's sponsors are North Sails, Ultimate Sailing, and LaserPerformance. JIM RICHARDSON - MR. FARR 40 As President of the International Farr 40 Class Association and internationally known as skipper of the Farr 40, 'Barking Mad', Jim Richardson has had quite a year. In April of this year, he was voted sailor of the month in the internationally circulated sailing magazine 'Seahorse' and in June he won his third Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in a very competitive regatta sailed in Sardinian waters. Recently, he was awarded the Mosbacher Trophy as the New York Yacht Club's 'Sailor Of The Year' and has been nominated as the US Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. His enthusiasm for his chosen one-design class is legendary and that his enthusiasm is contagious is reflected in the outstanding success of Rolex Farr 40 World Championship regattas, both on and off the water. 'A BRUSH WITH SAIL' spoke to Jim recently: "My family summered on Cape Cod. My parents didn't sail but my older siblings did. When I was seven years old I used to go down to the beach and hope one of the older kids would take me as a crew. Sometimes they would if it was very, very light. Other times when it was very windy I was invited along to pump the bilges. "The kind of boat I grew up sailing was a Beetlecat. It was a heavy, wooden, 12 and 1/2 foot long, gaff rigged, center-board boat. There may be a picture of it in the dictionary defining weather helm. When I was 13, my Dad bought me one of these classics and I was racing her constantly. "By the time I was 16, I also had an 18' Cape Cod Knockabout, which was another design from the beginning of the 20th Century. It was sloop rigged with a very short mast and a long boom. It was also a center-board boat and it had a barn-door rudder. It weighed 3,000 pounds. I guess sailing such technologically innovative boats didn't hurt my development too much by the time the Farr 40 was born." Complete interview: http://tinyurl.com/yaax99b GOOD START FOR THE NORTH AMERICANS Melbourne, Australia (December 14, 2009) - Day one of racing at the 2009 Sail Melbourne regatta is complete with a strong breeze and big waves providing perfect racing conditions for the opening round of the 2009/2010 ISAF Sailing World Cup. 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Gold medalist Malcolm Page and skipper Mathew Belcher lead the 470 men's fleet from start to finish, recording two wins to open the regatta. Noted Belcher, "The conditions were nice today, wind in the high teens and big waves, typical Melbourne stuff. It was certainly nice when you get it right, making sailing downwind easy." The ISAF Sailing World Cup incorporates seven events across Australia, USA, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain to form the definite series for Olympic and Paralympic sailors. The North American contingent for Sail Melbourne is meager, with teams likely setting their sights on the second event, Rolex Miami OCR 2010 to be held January 24-30. Additionally, Sail Melbourne is not including the Women's Match Racing event, and early 2010 World Championships are cutting into the schedule, with the 49ers in Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas (January 2-9) and the Stars in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (January 12-23). Racing continues through December 19th. After two races, here are the positions for the North American attendees: 2. Paul Tingley (CAN), 2.4 Metre 2. Stuart McNay/ Graham Biehl (USA), 470 Men 6. Adam Roberts/ Nick Martin (USA), 470 Men 1. Paige Railey (USA), Laser Radial 1. Michael Leigh (CAN), Laser Standard 4. Clayton Johnson (USA), Laser Standard 41. Sean Fabre (USA), Laser Standard 28. Derick Vranizan (USA), Laser Standard Complete results: http://www.yachting.org.au/site/yachting/event/24420/default.html FREE SHIPPING FOR SCUTTLEBUTT READERS! Finish your holiday shopping at NorthSailsGear.com and enjoy free shipping** on all North Gear orders through December 20th. You'll find a great selection of sailor-tested clothing, hats, belts, bags - including 3DL duffels and tote bags, office essentials and boat gear certain to please everyone on your shopping list without breaking the budget. Enter "S-Butt" in comments box at checkout and freight will be deducted. **Surface shipping within the USA only. When only the best gifts will do, head to http://www.NorthSailsGear.com * If you missed the 'How It's Made' show last October on The Science Channel that featured the North Sails 3DL factory in Minden, NV, the video is now posted on the North Sails website: http://www.na.northsails.com/tabid/17515/Default.aspx THE COMMERCIAL CASE FOR SAILING SPONSORSHIP Sports sponsorship is still relatively misunderstood. To many, there is still an idea that sports sponsorship has more to do with the whims of the CEO or Chairman than it does with marketing and communications. The World Yacht Racing Forum, held in Monaco last week opened with a session devoted to the sponsorship of yacht racing. The session included several presentations from slightly different stakeholders. First up Richard Moore, CEO of sports marketing firm Capitalize who has a more global view about how sailing fits into the bigger picture. The good news is that despite some firms in America being prevented from using TARP money on sponsorship, spending is up 9.1%. $31 billion of the money spent on sponsorship is spent on sport, though only a fraction of that is spent on sailing. According to Moore, companies that fit with sports sponsorship and who might be looking to spend money can be found in the sports tourism, data storage and utilities sectors. The perception of sponsorship and how it is measured is changing. Moore draws a distinction between sponsors who are acting as patrons and those who are using the tools to drive business returns. Sponsors are not venture capitalists, says Moore. He goes on to say that sponsorship is less and less about eyeballs and more and more about using passion to change emotions and habits. In order to achieve the 6 times ROI that sponsors are looking for, sailing needs to focus on its strengths and remember that often the marketing director will not know or care who ISAF is or what a tack or gybe means. To put things into perspective - in France, sailing is not listed in the top 10 played sports. So what are the strengths of sailing? Well the sport has "dwell time" - events are long and when coupled with hospitality provide a chance for people to talk, network and do business. Sailing also has stories that speak to wide audiences, but more needs to be done to create passion and fans. Sailing can be a very powerful platform for doing business though. It's not always obvious why a sponsor is spending so much money, especially if they are a B2B brand. The insight presented at the forum by Richard Brisius from the Ericsson Racing Team reminded us of what sponsors are looking to achieve and how to sell to those needs. -- Yacht Sponsorship, read on: http://tinyurl.com/y9tvtql RULES QUESTION Jim Barber had written to Scuttlebutt with the following question: "Using the engine to propel the boat is clearly forbidden. But is there any exception/redress for the following situation? For many racing boats, kelp on the keel cannot be removed by flossing or a stick, so backing down is the only solution. In moderate conditions it is not a problem to take the headsail down, turn the boat up into the wind and have the crew push the main boom out. "But in heavy conditions pushing the boom out could be very dangerous for the crew. In those conditions can the engine be used to back the boat down while head to wind without penalty? If the skipper and one or two crew attest in writing that the engine was not used for the initial maneuvering into position or getting back underway, would an RC accept it?" (Answer below) WHAT IS A FAST FINISH, OR, THE BOTTOM QUESTION By Bob Sengstacken Some months ago I asked the Lightning email List how our members prepare the bottoms of their drysailed fiberglass Lightnings. If you subscribe to the list, you know that I got an earful. I think we all agreed that fair is fast. There cannot be low spots or high spots, if you want the best performance. After that it got much more interesting. People use everything from steel wool (on the board) to lemon juice (cleans hull stains). They were all over the map, with not much of a detectable pattern. Opinion varied, to say the least. Some point out that it is more important to be on the right tack than to use the right polish, and of course this is true. What we're looking for here is that extra foot at the top of the leg so we clear that Starboard tacker, for example. You upgrade your sails periodically, right? Tune your rig properly and adjust controls for conditions? So, don't you want to use your hull to its full potential? And, the psychological factor should not be undervalued. If you are confident that your boat is at its peak, you might loosen up and sail better. Even placebos can be effective. So, I went back individually to some of the class experts, speed demons and recent champions for whom I could obtain an email address. This was not a scientifically exact sample, and we can't know if they tell us all of their deepest secrets. Some did not respond, and a couple said "I have a guy who takes care of all that." However, the responsive experts showed a lot of consistency. The experts who responded generally agree that smoother is better. They sand with up to 2000 grit paper, some then buff it, and all apply polish. Most said they do the same on the board and rudder, as well as on the hull. (The others did not say: nearly none of the experts said they do nothing to the foils.) The consensus expert opinion seems to be that Super Smooth is the way to go. The idea that a rough finish encourages laminar flow is out of favor, at least in this group. -- Read on (go to Page 14): http://tinyurl.com/yazkpbt LAST CALL TO BE THE ULTIMATE GIFT GIVER! Gotta get it on Santa's sleigh! Order by December 16th to ensure Christmas delivery of the 2010 Ultimate Sailing Calendar. Sharon Green and 4 of her talented colleagues bring you the best year ever. For additional ideas for the Ultimate Sailor, check out our new cozy pullovers, moisture wicking hydro-zip T's, and or new eco friendly shopping bag. Ready to ship: http://www.ultimatesailing.com PHOTO GALLERIES * MIAMI: The Melges brand attracted 13 teams to their inaugural Audi Melges 20 Miami Winter Series last weekend, with 11 of the teams listing homeports in the 'cold and miserable' category. Fun boat plus mid-80 degree temperature equals 'where do I sign up'. Photos by John Payne and Joy Dunigan: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/1214a/ * SINGAPORE: The Extreme 40 catamaran caravan is in Asia this winter, and brought their brand of high speed closed course racing to the inner harbor of Singapore this past weekend. For the inland sailor, who has spent a lifetime competing on the puddles of the Midwest, you would be right at home. Photos by Thierry Martinez: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/1214/ * PHOTO GALLERY: With 2009 coming to a close, Scuttlebutt would like to thank all the photographers that contributed to the 156 photo galleries that have been posted so far this year. Since the Scuttlebutt website was launched in 2003, over 700 photo galleries have been published. Here is the index for all the galleries and their photographers: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/ RACE COMMITTEE TOOLS A week ago, a request by US Sailing Area K Director Chip Mann was posted on the Scuttlebutt Forum for help in finding a digital wind direction and velocity device that could be used for race committee work. His goal was to source a mobile product that would help race committees set better courses - all for around the $1,000 price point. Here are some of the options that were posted in the Forum: * Windtronic 2 Wind Meter * Speedtech Instruments WM-300 * Kestrel 4500 Pocket Handheld Weather Tracker * Windmate from Speed Tech * LaCROSSE EA-3010 Pocket Sized Wind Meter Forum thread: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8698#8698 SAILING SHORTS * The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) reported today that Brazil was given authorization from the World Trade Organization to impose sanctions on US imports. The list of targeted items includes US-built boats and engines. The NMMA said it is a retaliation for the failure of the United States to comply with a WTO ruling condemning US government subsidies for cotton farming. Imports of US boats could carry a heavy tariff, said the trade association. -- IBI Magazine, read on: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20091114170744ibinews.html * One of the six supermaxis listed to start in the 628 nautical mile Sydney to Hobart race, Etihad Stadium, the former Skandia Wild Thing was dismasted in Bass Strait on her delivery run to Sydney. The wounded 98 foot supermaxi has now motored into Sydney Harbour and is heading for Noakes Boatyard at North Sydney, where it will be based whilst plans are put together to see if a replacement mast belonging to Alfa Romeo's Neville Crichton can be worked into the Etihad Stadium Supermaxi layout. -- Sail-World, full story: http://tinyurl.com/ybbsws3 * Another impressive turnout rate is expected for this year's USA Junior Olympic (JO) Sailing season finale in Miami, Fla. The 33rd annual Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta, hosted collaboratively by the US Sailing Center (Miami, Fla.), Coral Reef Yacht Club, Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, and Lauderdale Yacht Club, takes place on December 27-30. Nearly 700 junior sailors from 20 countries, as well as 28 U.S. states and territories will convene for the Orange Bowl Regatta, the largest youth sailing regatta in the country. Registration for this event closes on Tuesday, December 15. -- Details: http://tinyurl.com/y9uxqqm * The decision of the Appellate Division in New York has yet to be made public but it seems both America's Cup teams, Alinghi and BMW Oracle, take it for granted the 33rd America's Cup match will take place in Valencia. Otherwise, one cannot justify all the activity going on in their respective team bases (and beyond) in Port America's Cup, even under the current adverse weather conditions and heavy rains that have been hitting Valencia and the rest of Spain. -- Valencia Sailing, photos and story: http://tinyurl.com/yer6llo RULES ANSWER In response to the question regarding the use of the boat's engine to remove kelp from the keel, Dick Rose, Secretary, US SAILING Racing Rules Committee, provides this response: "What follows is just my opinion and not an 'official' rules interpretation. To obtain an official US SAILING rules interpretation, you must follow the process set out in racing rule 70.4 and Appendix F in your US SAILING rulebook. "Rule 42.3(h) is designed to cope with special situations such as the one Jim describes. To permit the use of an engine to remove kelp, the sailing instructions should include a statement saying, "Under rule 42.3(h), a boat may use her engine or any other method to remove kelp from an underwater appendage, provided that she does not gain a significant advantage in the race." WHAT DO THE LASER AND NEW VAPOR OPTIMIST HAVE IN COMMON? Both built in the US, both built by LaserPerformance. Check out the Vapor Optimist at the Orange Bowl. The Vapor XD featuring an Optimax rig, TEB foils, and Harken hardware, will be on the starting line. Not lucky enough to be in Miami at the end of December? Don't worry, you can still see the Vapor at http://www.laserperformance.com LETTERS AND FORUM Please email your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, 'The Curmudgeon'). Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). One letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Jeff Brock: (re, Doyle Sails ad in Scuttlebutt 2991) My father Peter Brock completed the passage 4 years ago in a steel 42ft boat he built himself, inside and out. The first to do so without assistance and in a vessel built by the skipper, but not after being blown ashore in 75 knots and 3 abandoned attempts due to massive ice movement, only to try again the following year. He was 73 and achieved the passage after open heart surgery the year before. Similar to Forsyth, he also had various crew members throughout the journey - both young and older. I am sure Peter would be happy to have met Eric Forsyth and discussed their achievements and adventure. There are clearly not many people in this world with balls of steel at that age. Peter built his boat in Nova Scotia and set sail south, then returned 8 years later on that same course.south. Pretty cool! * From Bruce McPherson: Mike Sands has good points (Scuttlebutt 2990) regarding trickle down in the America's Cup influencing the future! But, at this moment, the greatest concern has to be all the unknown variables of racing two such vast multihull machines that have never met an equal on the water in a one-on-one situation before.... America's Cup is all about boat control: your boat control to control the opponent's boat. Here we will have two boats that have never experienced close-in tactics against another equal ability+/-. All tactical moves will be experiments, given the lack of a trial horse. The scary part becomes the limits in knowledge of the other boat's performance: panic turn radius, acceleration from a come-about, loss of power when covered, ability/time to do a 360, how far ahead to tack on the lay-line when ahead, and ability to recover when put head to wind on the starting line, etc. These all now are to be done at the highest level, before the entire world. There will be vital need for "the quick learn" by all concerned! * From Cameron McIntyre: In response to Mike Sands essay on the automation of BOR90 (in Scuttlebutt 2990), while all this mechanical advantage flies in the face of convention and tradition, the development of this boat and the wing sail is clearly revolutionary. Technological leaps advance thought or maybe its advanced thought that drives technology; either way the automation aboard BOR90 is exactly what sailing needs. Hopefully this type of innovation and research will continue and begin to trickle down to Joe and Jane sailor who would absolutely love to have the on board computer optimize sail trim. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION "I'm not the cashier! By the time I look up from sliding my card, entering my PIN number, pressing 'Enter', verifying the amount, deciding, no, I don't want cash back, and pressing 'Enter' again, the kid who is supposed to be ringing me up is standing there eating my Almond Joy." - Bill Maher Special thanks to North Sails, Ultimate Sailing, and LaserPerformance. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
