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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 898 - September 11, 2001Scuttlebutt 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.
BIG BOAT SERIES TurboSleds will be racing for the St. Francis Yacht Club's namesake the St. Francis Perpetual Trophy. Sailors worldwide know the event as the "Big Boat Series" and an annual gathering of the tribes, with cityfront racing action close under the eyes of spectators. One-design classes will be important players in the 2001 grand prix field. The club will offer one design starts to Santa Cruz 52s, Farr 40s, Schock 40s, Express 37s, J/120s, J/35s, One Design 35s, and J/105s. Minimum fleet size is six boats. For the first time, the newly developed Americap II handicapping system will be used for boats racing on time allowance. The race committee expects to start 3-4 Americap II divisions, with class breaks determined according to the final list of entries. ROLEX, which is sponsoring a Commodore's Welcoming Reception on Wednesday, September 12, is providing five watches to be presented to the winners of the St. Francis Perpetual Trophy, City of San Francisco Trophy, Atlantic Perpetual Trophy, Keefe-Kilborn Memorial Trophy, and Richard Rheem Perpetual Trophy. Dry Creek Vineyards will join ROLEX as a sponsor, providing wines for special regatta receptions from its list of fine sailing-labeled vintages. Racing for all divisions kick off at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 13 and continues with 11 a.m. starts through Sunday, September 16. Two racing areas will be used, one with a starting area north of the Berkeley Pier and one using windward-leeward courses along the San Francisco cityfront. An awards ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday. See www.stfyc.com/race-office/2001/BBS2001.htm
ISAF WOMEN'S MATCH RACING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
1. DEN - D Jensen
Further information available on Event Website
ADAMS CUP / MALLORY CUP
COOL WEATHER SAILING
MOBILITY CUP Gold Fleet, top five: 1. Danny McCoy, Toronto CAN, 8 points, 2. John McRoberts, Victoria CAN, 12, 3. John Ross-Duggan, Newport Beach USA, 19, 4. David Cook, Victoria CAN, 22, 5. Merle Hickey, Calgary CAN, 28. Complete results at www.mobilitycup.org
ONE TON CUP After having finished 2nd in 1999 in Puerto Portals and in 2000 in Marseilles, Atalanti XÔs Greek owner George Andreadis - who competed the Olympics in Flying Dutchman class in 1968 and in Soling class in 1976 - meets success at last with Star World Vice-Champion Gavin Grady at the helm in one of his most difficult quests. The One Ton Cup, which belongs with the America's Cup to the two oldest sailing trophies still being staked, had only been won once by a Greek boat, Okyalos, in 1990 in Marstrand. -- Joseph Monnier
Final results:
EXTRA AIRX!
SWEDISH MATCH TOUR The Nippon Cup has been an ISAF-rated Grade One event since 1987 and is hosted by the Hayama Marina Yacht Club. The town of Hayama is well known as the origin of sailing in Japan. There has been a slight change to the Swedish Match Tour's event schedule, the Sun Microsystem's Australia Cup and Steinlager Line 7 Cup as well as the Match Race Lake Constance and ACI Cup of Croatia have switched their order of occurrence in 2003. The Sun Microsystems Australia Cup will now be held from March 12-17, 2003 in Perth, Australia with the Steinlager Line 7 Cup to be held the next week, March 19-24, in Auckland, New Zealand. Additionally, the Match Race Lake Constance will now be held May 16-20, two weeks earlier than in the past, and will be followed six days later by the ACI Cup of Croatia, May 26- June 1. The next event on the Swedish Match Tour is the Colorcraft Gold Cup in Hamilton, Bermuda, October 14-21 (see www.bermudagoldcup.com) See www.swedishmatchgp.com for complete Tour information.
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON *From Terry Welsh: (edited to our 250 word limit) The answer to Mark Green's lament in about not finding "that ideal class where all boats are created equal & we can just go out and sail, is" the Harbor 20 ( H-20 ). Sailors at Newport Harbor YC in Newport Beach, CA decided they needed a boat for duffers that no longer wanted to hike out on the rail of a dinghy.Ê So they developed their criteria: 20' LOA, high aspect ratio main with full length battens, large cockpit with good cushioned seats, halyards & sheets accessible from the cockpit, lazy jacks, roller reef jib, torpedo on short keel for good stability, and commissioned Tom Schock to come back with a design. He did and we have an active racing class with 47 boats in the NHYC fleet & nationallly over 130 boats. The boat is easy to handle for a solo sailor, but some race with 3 or 4 aboard. Class rules limit the purchase of new sails to prescribed times, boats must be kept in the water and limited to annual haulout, no hiking out, no alteration of rigging.Ê It is a great class with close competition from a former America's Cup sipper, Star National winners, big boat sailors and dinghy champions. The H-20 even has an electric motor that hinges out of the lazarette for the times when the wind quits as the sun does down. * From Roger Marshall: I just spoke to my son, aged 12 about sailing 420s. He has been sailing Optis for three years and was second in Narragansett Bay Opti racing this year. What boat do you want to sail when you get too old for Optis I asked, 420, Laser, or 29er? The answer was unequivocally 29er, followed by Laser. Last came the 420 and only because that's what colleges sail. His brother, aged 14, also wants to sail a Laser or 29er. Interestingly, they cite getting crew for the 420 as the biggest reason not to sail the boat. Neither of them want to sail with each other in 420s, they want to beat each other. * From JohnÊ Diggins: I just re-read the rules on Outside assistance and confirmed my memory. RRS 47.2 states that " a person leaving the boat by accident or to swim shall be back on board before the boat continues in the race." From the descriptions given the AC boat referred to is clearly in violation of 47.2 and should be disqualified. Since 47.2 applies, R.R.S. 2 cannot be used, but if I were on the Jury I would nail the offender on Rules 1 and 47.2, and deliver a sermon on Rule 2. * From Ken Guyer: The issue of having a tender pick up a crew member who has gone overboard vs an IACC flying 4500+ sf of spinnaker on the run really is not an issue. No doubt it is faster to have the tender do it if they are in close proximity to the race boats. I have driven a tender for an IACC since it was first placed in the water. During the '92 Cup trials and the Cup itself, the main purpose for the tender/chase boat to be on the course with the race boats and judges was as a safety boat. We were instructed to pick up any crew overboard, stop dead in the water and wait for the race boat to return, unless of course there was an injury. Pretty much the same in '95. I believe the same was true in 2000 but there was a little variance to how and where the tenders were deployed. I am not sure what the race instructions called for during the Jubilee, but it would not surprise me they would include a provision to pick up the crew member and not have the IACC return due to the crowded waterspace. Dave Dellenbaugh is aware of the procedure in '92 and '95. The piece of information missing is whether or not this type of pickup was allowed in the rules for this particular race. As far as safety and well being of the crewmember, I would say the best bet is to have a fast, manuverable, low free board chase boat do the rescue. * From Paul Galvez: It's 2001, we need skiffs such as the 29er, 49er, and International 14 more than ever to keep the kids interest in our sport alive. Boats like the FJ and 420 are dinosaurs. Yes, they are durable, but only because they are far too overbuilt. Ask the kids themselves what they would rather sail. Bailers/Bruises or Traps/Speed Laps. Skiffs are just as tactical if not more so (just look at the downwind legs). I wish the 29er was around fifteen years ago when I was getting bored silly with the FJ. Skiffs are here to stay. Step up to the challenge of advanced boathandling and experience a new level of fun!
SAILING ON TV
Skandia Life Cowes Week
EDS Atlantic Challenge
America's Cup Jubilee
Volvo Youth World Championship, France
United Airlines International Match Racing Event - Weymouth
STAR CLASS COLLEGIATE PINE TROPHY In the last race, UVM and Ohio state were called OCS at the pin, but both restarted properly. Harvard had a decent first beat, but really made a showing on the first run, passing a bunch of boats to follow first place Navy into the leeward gate. 3/4 of the way up the second beat, Harvard passed Navy, and never relinquished the lead from there. Navy finished second and Yale was third in the last race. UVM, who had reached as high as sixth place after their restart, finished eighth in the race to finish in third for the regatta. Yale finished second with Harvard winning the tiebreaker to win the Pine Trophy. Navy's strong showing Sunday moved them to fourth while Boston College fell to fifth for the regatta. Great event, as the kids all had big smiles on their faces sailing into the dock. They were in awe of the Star and all enjoyed the challenge of sailing them in a collegiate regatta. More chowder, and leftovers from Saturday night's feast were devoured after the boats were hauled, and packed up for travel.
Final standings:
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS
* September 12-14: Etchells North American Championship. Macatawa Bay YC, Holland, MIÊÊ- www.mbyc.com
* September 22-28: Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship, Annapolis YC, Annapolis MD - annapolisyc.com/keelboats/
* September 23-29: Finn Gold Cup, Eastern YC, Marblehead MA - http://easternyc.org
THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS |
