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SCUTTLEBUTT 1306 - April 11, 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. SWEDISH MATCH TOUR - Congressional Cup New Zealand's Gavin Brady posted his third consecutive perfect day, winning four races, at the Swedish Match Tour's Congressional Cup to increase his record to 14-0 and cement his position atop the leaderboard following the third day of round robin racing. Brady created a bit of excitement on the day by being behind in each of his four matches at one time or another, but as a testament to how well his crew is sailing, quickly corrected his situations. Also posting a perfect day on Long Beach's Outer Harbor was Australia's James Spithill, former helmsman for the Seattle-based OneWorld Challenge. Spithill started the day tied with Italy's Paolo Cian of the Riviera di Rimini Racing Team for second place, but easily handled his Italian opponent in the day's first match. The dogfight for the other two places in the semifinals is Friday. Ken Read, of Newport, R.I., won three of four to tie Italy's Paolo Cian at 7-7, followed by Dickson, Law and Holmberg at 6-8. Gram-Hansen and his Scandinavian countryman, Jesper Radich, are ranked 1-2 on the Swedish Match Tour scoreboard but are struggling at 5-9, followed by France's Luc Pillot at 4-10. The race committee plans to run only three of the last four flights Friday, saving the 18th and last for Saturday preceding the best-of-three semifinals and finals. Winds were steady but light Thursday, teasing the sailors with a sunny 6-8 knots that included a built-in 40-degree shift to the right through the afternoon. - Shawn McBride and Rich Roberts STANDINGS (after 14 of 18 flights): 1. Brady, 14-0; 2. Spithill, 10-4; 3. tie between Read and Cian, 7-7; 5. tie among Scott Dickson, Law and M. Holmberg, 6-8; 8. tie between Radich and Gram-Hansen, 5-9; 10. Pillot, 4-10. - www.lbyc.org / www.swedishmatchtour.com OLYMPICS The acting president of the United States Olympic Committee describes this weekend's board meetings in Fort Worth as "the defining moment in the history of the American Olympic movement." The remarks, made by the acting president, William C. Martin, during a conference call with reporters Wednesday, may be hyperbolic, but they express the expectation of impending, radical change to the structure of the U.S.O.C. The organization's 21-member executive committee today will listen to the recommendations of an internal task force appointed in February to streamline its unwieldy governance. The size of the executive committee and the 123-seat board of directors are expected to be dramatically reduced, and their membership far more independent. The task force will also recommend the creation of a new advisory group that would continue to provide a role for the many sports and groups disenfranchised by the board's shrinking. On Saturday, the full board will listen to those recommendations and others on new ethics guidelines. But Martin said that no changes would be voted on until the board's next meeting in October or a special meeting that could be called before. - Richard Sandomir, New York Times, full story: www.nytimes.com/2003/04/11/sports/othersports/11usoc.html THE SLIP Wanna put the slip on your competition? First, you have to put the slip on your boat. Enter Dynaglide MT Teflon rigging tape, a pressure sensitive tape using a skived & tensilized Teflon film backed with a silicone adhesive. Put it on spreaders, shrouds, batten pockets and turnbuckles to tack sails faster. Apply to headstays to jibe that a-kite quicker. Wrap line tapers to prevent hang-ups. The uses are endless and Annapolis Performance Sailing and Dynaglide MT now have new lower prices. We're putting the slip on our competition to help you put it on yours. Click on http://www.apsltd.com/scuttbutt.asp HANDICAP RACING (Following is an excerpt from a story on The Daily Sail website reporting on the progress of the new working party has been set up to examine whether or not a new handicapping rule could improve global unity in grand prix big boat racing.) The first meeting of the working party was said to be "incredibly positive" and much time was spent trying to establish how to proceed. The upshot of the meeting was that a survey is to be carried out globally of participants, both pro and amateur, race organizers, designers and all interested parties to get their views. "We need to ask the world whether or not an international grand prix rating rule would be supported globally - whether it is wanted or not and if so, what type of rule the world wants," (the RORC's) Stuart Quarrie told The Daily Sail. The questionnaire was drafted at the meeting and over the course of the next few weeks must be finalised between the three parties involved - RORC, ORC and US Sailing - before it is translated into Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch and French and disseminated. Meanwhile members of the working party will be contacting key members of the yachting community directly to get their opinion. While a strong feeling exists that here is a problem to be solved, Quarrie says that there is genuine concern that a new international rule might not work simply because racing conditions vary so much around the world. "It is hard to find a rule which will cater for everyone. - The Daily Sail website, full story: http://thedailysail.com/ RACING RULES OF SAILING ISAF has just launched a new Internet location for the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS). The RRS are now presented in a downloadable format, with clear top level menus routing through to sub-menus and required information. There have been changes to the RRS since first published in 2001 and all changes are clearly detailed in a downloadable format for inclusion in your rulebook. Standard documentation included within the Racing Rules, such as Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions and Protest Forms are also accessible. The Racing Rules Question and Answer Service, provides for any International Judge or Member National Authority to submit a question to the Q&A panel, which will provide an answer, with the aim to assist judges to apply the rules in a consistent way. - www.sailing.org/rrs2001/ CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS April 24- 27: Charleston Race Week, Charleston Ocean Racing Association. More than 80 boats in four PHRF fleets and several one-design fleets. www.charlestonraceweek.com/ ALTER CUP A day full of redress hearings. The initial jury denied the big request for redress and made the cut at 12 races. A request to reopen was filed and a second jury was assembled with two additional judges. After prolonged deliberations SI 6.5 was determined to support the inclusion of every competitors 7th race. The jury must now hear all pending requests for redress and protests from races 13, 14, & 15. On the water, Matt Struble & WF Oliver remain undefeated with seven points, followed by Brian Lambert & Jamie Livingston and Bob Hodges & Jason Sneed - both of these teams have 11 points. www.ussailing.org/alter/alter03/day4report.htm NEGATIVE IMPACT A dramatic fall in Auckland (NZ) business confidence has been recorded in the Auckland Chamber of Commerce's latest survey of its members. The returns from 550 businesses show confidence in the general business outlook has gone from a net 32 per cent positive a year ago, to 3 per cent positive three months ago and 22 per cent negative now. "Among the drivers are clearly the international situation, the America's Cup loss and the encroaching negative impact on Auckland of lower commodity prices for exports and the higher dollar," said Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett. NZ Herald, full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3300500&thesection=business&thesubsection=economy&thesecondsubsection=nz THE LATEST AND BEST FROM LAYLINE - 3 INTERESTING UPDATES (1). Looplocks' latest development: A shock cord variation of the locking system that is very secure. As with the Velcro versions, we guarantee these will not flog off! A Layline exclusive at http://www.layline.com/llf/prod/llock/ll.html (2). Layline introduces the new "Two Speed" Adjustable Length Winch Handle from Italy. Seen at METS this past fall, this handle is aluminum, well made, tough, and light. Find out more at http://www.layline.com/llf/prod/sf/sf.html (3). Crazy Walt is back with more cordage stress test results. This week, we "punished" Composite Cored Double Braids. View the results at http://www.layline.com/llf/articles/rope/punisher2.html NEWS BRIEFS * American solo sailor, Tim Kent, of Milwaukee, WI announced today his program to compete for the Open 50 monohull FICO-Lacoste World Championship title on his Jim Antrim designed boat 'Everest Horizontal'. The series consists of four races: the current Around Alone Race, the inaugural 'Saguenay-St. Pierre-Vendee' race, a crewed event for Open 50 boats, the Rolex Fastnet Race and the doublehanded 'Transat Jacques Vabre' from Le Havre, France to Salvador, Brazil. * Quantum Sails has established Quantum South Asia located in Melaka, Malaysia. Bruce Anson formerly with Sobstad Sails will now provide Quantum sails and service within Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore from a 45,000 square foot manufacturing, sales and service loft that employs 60 people. According to Quantum CEO Glen Peck, "The addition of Quantum South Asia is in keeping with our expansion plans within key sailing regions around the world." * This week's Scuttlebutt poll is about seasickness remedies - we are trying to determine which one is used most by our readers. The current count is close between Transderm Scop and Bonine. Is there one that you rely on, or have heard works best? Cast your vote in the new Scuttlebutt survey feature: www.sailingscuttlebutt.com * Lightning Masters Day Two Update: Too much breeze! In Miami, racing for Day 2 of the International Lightning Masters Championship was postponed. With wind well over 20 knots all day, and with puffs up to 30 knots, the RC headed by Ken Batzer of Biscayne Bay YC postponed racing until Friday. - Amy Smith Linton, www.lightningworlds.org * The ISAF website reports that all buildings for the 2004 Olympic Regatta is proceeding according to original plans and timeframes. - www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=4276 * Good Reading: Those of you who thought we cut off the Kinetics Thread too quickly should immediately go to the following link on The Laser Sailor website for a comprehensive interview with rules guru Dick Rose: www.laser.org/c/cnt/down/Rule42articlefromWinter2003.pdf * North Sails is expanding its service facility and staff in Portsmouth, R.I. The waterfront loft, located at the Ted Hood Marina Complex, will now have 10,000 square feet of floor space to repair and recut sails for boats from 10 feet to superyacht size. Last year North Sails built a 16,000 square foot facility in Milford, CT to house new sail manufacturing, centralized sailcloth and parts inventory, paneled sail cutting and corporate offices. This facility has adequate capacity to move new sail construction out of the Portsmouth location and allow the site to focus solely on sales and sail service. North Sails has six new sail manufacturing facilities in North America: Stevensville, MD; San Diego, CA; Bethpage, NY; Toronto, Ontario; Milford, CT and the 3DLT facility in Minden, NV. - Veronica Brown, www.northsails.com 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: Bart Beek: As usual Joe Bainton is right on the mark (Scuttlebutt 1304). What logic gives the small nations only two slots in the ISAF World's Championship while the large nations get many slots? Seems grossly unfair to me. * From Andrew Bray, Editor, Yachting World: It's good to see John Rousmaniere advocating the ORC Special Regulations as a good starting point for offshore cruisers. It's something we've been preaching on this side of the Atlantic for close to 20 years. When I was Editor of Yachting Monthly we ran a series called 'The Offshore Yacht' which largely grew out of the Special Regulations and which later was published as a book. More recently when boat testing we have used the Special Regulations as a yardstick of the 'offshore factor' for production boats. * From Brad Avery, Commodore TPYC: As a card-carrying member of Transpac Anonymous, I know what Pat McCormick is talking about. Transpac is too long, the first three days are miserable, and if it's a slow race, your wife and kids may not recognize you when you get home 10 years later. I also have been dismasted in the race, 510 miles from the start, and spent the next five days sailing home with a jury rig eating freeze dried food and living in my only set of warm clothes. How I wished I had dialed that number on my blue TPA card before the race! The suffering will probably continue though, I'm a non-recovered Transpac sailor. I'm hooked on the thrills the race has given me over the years, which override the painful memories. Like three 300-mile days in a row, Edge of control surfing in squalls, and finishing off Diamond Head and onto the best welcome parties of any ocean race. My favorite memory is of jibing in a squall aboard the Andrews 53 Persuasion with just three of us on deck. Keith Kilpatrick and I still crack up every time we mention it. So I hope Pat can stay clean, and my hat's off to the good work the TPA organization does. But for many of us junkies, Transpac's highs are just too great for us to quit. * From Chris Ericksen (Re Pat McCormick's "Transpac Anonymous" letter in 'Butt 1305): I've known Pat for nearly twenty years now and never knew the secret he was carrying in his heart: that he is a "Friend of Tom L." I applaud his silent struggle and applaud even more his coming out on the subject. My admiration for Pat has risen even higher. Hang in there, buddy! In the immortal words of Nancy Reagan, "Just say no." * From Brian Kent: As the helmsman responsible for pitching Pat McCormick upside down out of his bunk on that dark night 26 years ago, I commend him in his ability to deny his Transpac desires. I too joined TPA that year. Being of weak character, I quickly succumbed to my need for endless hours of surfing at warp speed down huge Pacific rollers. I did five more Transpacs after that year. In a desperate attempt to break free of this addiction, I finally bought a displacement cruising boat and spent 3 years cruising in Mexico and the Pacific with my wife and children. Unfortunately, sailing week after week in tradewind conditions in a boat unable to surf has only increased my need for a fix. The cruel denial I have put myself through is unbearable. We now live in New Zealand in the hope that distance will keep things under control, but each Tranpac year creates an inner battle that I fear one day I will give in to. If only I had utilized the services of TPA ... things could have been so different. All I can say to my friend Pat and others like him ... Stay strong! As you can see from my life, once you give in, it sets off an uncontrollable chain of events that will impact you and all those around you. Good Luck! THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS If practice makes perfect, and nobody's perfect, why practice? |
