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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 1099 - June 24, 2002Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; 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.
IT'S GETTING UGLY Oracle and Prada are next-door neighbors on the Viaduct Basin. Prada occupies Base 1 and Oracle has Base 2. For some time now, Prada has complained to Oracle about their failure to take appropriate physical and other precautions to ensure Prada's privacy is respected; and Oracle's failure to install blinds or equivalent barriers to prevent personnel on the Oracle barge (parked in front of the Oracle compound) from being able to see into the Prada base. Oracle Racing has repeatedly denied that it has violated or will violate Article 13 in any manner whatsoever. So - on June 18 Prada took Oracle to court (the High Court of New Zealand, C/P no.226/ SW02). That may not have been a good thing to do - the America's Cup Protocol specifically prohibits that sort of action. Article 10 of the Protocol states in part, "As a condition of entry as a Challenger in the Thirty First America's Cup and in addition to all other requirements under the Deed of Gift, all Challengers are required under Article 1 to agree that they accept and will be bound by all of the provisions of this Protocol. In particular such acceptance includes an acknowledgement that all decisions rendered by the Arbitration Panel will be binding on all Challengers and RNZYS and shall not be subject to appeal or be referred to any court or other tribunal for review in any manner." Article 10 goes on to say, "Any Challenger who resorts to any court or tribunal, other than the Arbitration Panel or any other dispute resolution body agreed by RNZYS and the Challenger of Record will, except as permitted by Article 10.4, be in breach of this Protocol and will accordingly be ineligible to make the declaration provided in Article 6 and to be the Challenger for the Match." Could Oracle's protest make Prada ineligible for the XXXI America's Cup? That certainly is a possibility. For those who want to read more about this situation, check out: boats.com/content/default_detail.jsp?contentid=15659
THERE'S MORE . . . For months the OneWorld challenge of Seattle billionaire Crag McCaw has been denying allegations it has Team New Zealand's (TNZ) design secrets. But ONE News has obtained an email sent to the Seattle challenge from a mast company executive which says: "The work we have done to date on our own fittings (locks and such) has been essentially copying TNZ designs based on input from ex-TNZ team members." The email was copied to, amongst others: Laurie Davidson, the former TNZ designer (now with OneWorld); Gary Wright, OneWorld's chief executive; Peter Gilmour, the OneWorld skipper; Phil Kaiko, the former America True designer; and Sean Reeves, the former OneWorld and TNZ rules advisor now being sued by OneWorld for alleged breach of contract and offering design secrets to other syndicates. The email's author goes on to ask: "The question is what happens when these turn out looking exactly like TNZ or Prada gear. As far as the ancillary bits go it may be pretty obvious where some of the designs really originated." OneWorld's senior staff are currently in the US from where Gary Wright said the email, sent in October 2000, had been taken out of context. He said it should be read with several other emails with which it would be seen in a totally different light. All the emails are currently before the court in Seattle where the case against Reeves is to be heard. Team NZ would not comment, saying the matter is before the America's Cup arbitration panel. - From onenews.nzoom and posted on the 2003 AC website by Cheryl, isuzu21.webcrossing.com
AND FINALLY . . .
POLAR DATA SOURCES AND OCKAM COMPATIBILITY
SAFETY AT SEA Two crewmen from the yacht Morning Glory were flung overboard, as were sailors aboard Boomerang and Bright Star. The good news was that the episodes occurred in daylight hours and, thanks in part to pre-race safety drills mandated by the race committee, all four sailors were recovered within several minutes. On the other hand, considering that (Jamie) Boeckel had lost his life in a man-overboard incident less than a month earlier, it was highly disturbing that four top sailors from three of the race's supposedly best-prepared yachts were not tethered aboard with a safety harness. Among those out of harness were Team New Zealand America's Cup veterans racing aboard Morning Glory, the bowmen Joey Allen and Richard Meacham. "They're all pretty sheepish," said the British yachting writer Barry Pickthall, who was retained by the race committee to issue press releases on the event. "None of them want to talk about it. They're all professional sailors and you don't fall overboard if you're a professional sailor." That may be true in theory, suggested the race chairman, John Winder, but recent events are proving otherwise. "We are definitely concerned," he said in a phone interview. "The largest boats in the race are experiencing the same kinds of problems. It seems like a pattern." Winder said he was hopeful that sailors would be more mindful about donning harnesses in the future. "There could be a wake-up call; this race was rougher than many people have seen in a long time," he said. "You can't regulate it," said Benjamin, when asked whether race committees should mandate the use of safety harnesses. "I think common sense and a respect for the sea has to prevail. Every boat has to do what's right." Aboard Blue Yankee, Benjamin said, "We were wearing life jackets the entire race, and were clipped in with safety harnesses." On his old boat, apparently, winning a trophy was not the only way in which Jamie Boeckel was remembered. - Herb McCormick, New York Times, full story: www.nytimes.com
NEWS BRIEFS
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Sir Robin Knox-Johnston Those of us who knew Peter Blake also know that the wild sensational claims published in a couple of newspapers were absolute nonsense. Tragically, those who did not know him might have been lead to belive the slander. It is a very sad reflection on the state of some of our media that they will publish such inventions. They are, after all, only created by talentless people who have done nothing momentous and can only draw attention to themselves by attacking real heroes who have done something with their lives. Our sympathy must go to Pippa and the family, and the crew of the boat who have all been unnecessarily hurt by this totally unnecessary and untrue story. * From Madeleine McJones (Regarding Submerged Containers): It seems to me that with today's technology someone in the insurance or shipping industry would place a modified MOB/EPIRB or a RFID Tag http://www.aimusa.org/technologies/rfid/ like device on all containers that would send out a modified signal that could be located by salvage companies, or be picked by radar or radio by passing vessels. Some New cell phones are even giving out Lat and Long for 911 calls now. Such a device could improve tracking inventory of non lost containers as well. Heck if we can tag every mountain lion that threatens bighorn sheep, seems like a container should be easy and with the economy of numbers these tagging units would be cheap. * From Russell Painton: I have been wondering about just what legal liability attaches to ships/ companies that can be shown to have dropped a container into the water, causing loss of life and property. I am a land based lawyer, and haven't a clue. * From Dave White (re Sears etc Ladder events): - As one who has been involved for many years with running junior and senior ladder events (on a local/regional/and area level) I understand completely the issues. The problem is on both the national level and the area level. It seems to me that it is incumbent on the National Committees to pick a boat that is represented in a many regions as possible. I am fully aware that this is not an easy task. However this would make the jobs of the area directors much easier.
ONE-DESIGN RACING
QUOTE /UNQUOTE - John Cutler
49er WORLDS Also earning a berth was Great Britain, which took second and third places with the teams of Chris Draper/ Simon Hiscocks and Paul Brotherton/Mark Asquith finishing with scores of 40 and 45 points, respectively. Also qualifying their countries for the 2004 Olympics were ISAF top world ranked Rodion Luka and George Leonchuk (Ukraine); Pietro and Gianfranco Sibello (Italy); Michael Hestbaek and Rasmus Van Hansen (Denmark); and Pieter Lantermans and Pim Nieuwenhuis (Netherlands). Morgan Larson and Ed Smyth were the first U.S. team to finish, completing the series in 10th place and missing Olympic qualification by one place. The 2001 49er World Champions, Jonathan and Charlie McKee (USA), finished in 14th place.
There are still two more qualifier events prior to the 2004 Games: the 2003 and 2004 World Championship. - ISAF website, www.sailing.org
NEWPORT BERMUDA RACE WRAP-UP The race featured distinct divisions between IMS Racing with pro sailors on race type boats and IMS Cruiser/Racers with owner-drivers, limited pro crews and C/R boats. There were 11 starters in Racing and 127 in Cruiser/Racing. Twenty-eight entries sailed in two Americap Cruising Division classes, and 10 sailed in the Americap spinnaker, double-handed class. Skip Sheldon's 'Zaraffa' won the St. David's Lighthouse for 1st on corrected time in the IMS Cruiser/Racer Division. Bob and Farley Towse's 'Blue Yankee' won the Gibb's Hill Lighthouse for 1st on corrected time in the IMS Racing Division. Joe Hoopes' 'Palawan' won the Royal Mail Trophy for 1st in the Americap Cruising Division. Richard Du Moulin and Peter Rugg took 1st in the Americap double-handed class in 'Lora Ann' for the Weld Trophy. - Talbot Wilson CLASS WINNERS: Class 1: Peter Robovitch 'Sinn Fein'; Class 2: James Thompson 'Ariel'; Class 3: Reeves Potts 'Carina'; Class 4: John Santa 'Galadriel'; Class 5: Eduardo Salvati 'Mabuhay II'; Class 6: Frank Eberhart 'Hound'; Class 7: Robert Watson 'Neva'; Class 8: Skip Sheldon 'Zarqaffa'; Class 9: Bob Towse ' Blue Yankee'; Class 10: Joe Hoopes 'Palawan'; Class 11: George Denny 'Restive'; 12: Richard Du Moulin 'Lora Ann'. - www.bermudarace.com
ONION PATCH TROPHY
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS * June 28-30: North Sails Race Week, produced by Golison & Golison and Premiere Racing. PHRF and Farr 40, J/120, J/105, J/24, Melges 24, 1D35, Schock 35 and Santana 20 one-design classes. - www.premiere-racing.com * August 24: Battle of the Chesapeake, Eastport YC. Inverted start PHRF race between yacht club teams with the proceeds are given in the name of the winning club to CBYRA's Fund for Chesapeake Sailors, which supports local competitors at national and international levels. - www.eastportyc.org
CLARIFICATION
THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS |
