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SCUTTLEBUTT 3547 - Wednesday, March 14, 2012Scuttlebutt 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. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: North Sails, Mount Gay Rum, and J Boats. HOPING FOR SOME OFFSHORE LOVE As one of Britain's most successful sailors, double Olympic medalist Ian Walker is not feeling much offshore love these days. In his first Volvo Ocean Race experience as skipper of Green Dragon in 2008-09, the design program lacked sufficient time, which saddled Walker with a slow ride around the world. But prior to this edition of the race, Walker had reason to believe that Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing would be a contender. But that is, as they say, why we play the game. As the only Farr designed boat in the contest, she has proven suitable for the In-Port races, but not so much offshore. The team currently sits fifth overall. Yet according to 43-year-old Walker, he sees the pendulum as ready to swing their way. "We are optimistic ahead of the next leg; we under no illusions that it will be extremely difficult but it is also downwind, and that is where our strengths hopefully lie," said Walker. "We've still not really gone downwind, let's face it. Telefonica look like the gun boat but everyone's going to have their weaknesses at different times. We've got to hope. We've done six weeks sailing in this race so far and I think four and a half have been upwind. We have to get the spinnakers up and maybe it will be a different story. You just have to keep believing, keep trying your best and good things will happen." Featuring the classic Southern Ocean high speed sleigh-ride sailing for which the Volvo Ocean Race is renowned, Leg 5 - which starts from Auckland, New Zealand on 18th March - is the longest passage in the race and throws up a new set of challenges for the six-strong fleet including sub-zero temperatures, the threat of yacht-crippling icebergs and howling arctic seas. The course initially takes the fleet from Auckland northwest across the Southern Ocean to the tip of South America at Cape Horn. From there the boats must cross the South Atlantic, avoiding the Falkland Islands on the way to the finish in Brazil. "The next leg is already on everybody's mind. You have to keep your wits about you, it can be very dangerous but exhilarating at the same time, it really is classic Volvo Ocean Race. It's just a shame we didn't have longer in Auckland for the stopover, it is very short so we don't have enough time to get up to full strength but it's the same for everyone, we're all in the same boat," added Walker. -- http://tinyurl.com/VOR-031312 Tracking/Standings: http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/racetracker/rdc.html Video reports: http://www.youtube.com/user/volvooceanracevideos SCHEDULE: After the weekend finish of Leg 4 from China, racing begins again on Friday for the Pro-Am, the In-Port on Saturday, and the start for Leg 5 to Itajai, Brazil on Sunday. Schedule: http://tinyurl.com/VOR-2011-12-schedule BACKGROUND: During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which started in Alicante, Spain (Oct. 29) and concludes in Galway, Ireland during early July 2012, six professional teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles around the world via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajai, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient. Teams accumulate points through nine distance legs and ten In-Port races. - http://www.volvooceanrace.com CAN SINN FEIN MATCH FINISTERRE'S BERMUDA RECORD? Newport Bermuda Race Historian John Rousmaniere notes that only one skipper has won the Newport Bermuda Race three times. Carleton Mitchell won three in a row in 1956-58-60. And Mitchell won those three races all with Finisterre, the most famous of the Sparkman & Stephens centerboard yawls. In 2010, Peter Rebovich was poised to repeat the feat in Sinn Fein, his classic 47-year-old Cal 40, but a sterling performance by Rives Potts and Carina swept away his chance for three St. David's Lighthouse Trophies in a row. The first three boats in Class 1 were all Cal 40's. Carina has won the Lighthouse twice, 1970 and 2010, but under different owners. Sinn Fein has sailed six Newport Bermuda Races, winning her class in 2002 and 2004 and then taking the first place St. David's Lighthouse Trophy in 2006 and in 2008. She took second in class and seventh in her division in 2010. Rebovich still has a chance to match Mitchell with three wins in the same boat and with the same skipper, just not three in a row. He'll be on the starting line June 15th in Newport, RI trying to do just that. He has been ocean racing on Sinn Fein almost forever and has honed his boat and regular crew into an efficient sailing machine. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/12/0313/ NORTH SAILS OPEN HOUSE ON MARCH 31st! North Sails is having an open house on Saturday, March 31st from 11am-3pm at our Stevensville, MD loft located at 534 Thompson Creek Road. Join us for a day of exhibits, discussion, discovery and fun! And, when you RSVP online, you will automatically be entered into a drawing to win 50% OFF a new North sail (winner must be present at the time of the drawing and some restrictions apply). To RSVP, visit: http://na.northsails.com/chesapeake.aspx ORIENTAL EXPRESS The two Asian teams entered in the America's Cup - Team Korea and China Team - have been fairly quiet since the AC World Series event in San Diego last November. But with the next competition now less than a month away in Naples, Italy, both teams are ramping up their programs to get ready. Here is an update from both teams... TEAM KOREA: Scuttlebutt colleague Michelle Slade interviewed their newly appointed skipper Nathan Outteridge this week... here are some excerpts from their conversation: What do you think of the opportunity? Outteridge: I'm really excited - we had our really first big Skype meeting last night with the whole crew. It was insightful to find out where they're out, how their progression has been and what their plans are for Naples and the events past that. It's very different to what I've been doing. I've done a bit of A-class sailing now but I'll be sailing with more people, furling gennakers, using different types of sailing procedures etc. Have you sailed the AC45 yet? Outteridge: Never been on the boat. I get to Naples on April 1 and might get 4-5 days in the boat if all goes well. I'm very excited about it as it's finally about to happen - the boats look amazing. I've been spending every spare minute I have at home watching the footage to work out what to do as I think it's going to be a very steep learning curve for me. What's your training schedule with Team Korea look like? Outteridge: The plan is to finish out this season in the AC45. It depends on how things pan out and how things are going with the build of the 72 but once the (Olympic) Games are over, the intention is to fly straight into full-time on TK. The team will be a bit behind the main 3 or 4 teams but they sounded very confident last night that the 72's going to happen. They're trying to shift focus a bit to get that prepared so when it comes to the Louis Vuitton they'll be ready to go. Full interview: http://tinyurl.com/SB-031312 CHINA TEAM: The team will be training on Ventilo M2 catamarans in Sanya from March 14-29 after having replaced two skippers and a helm from the 2011 events. Among the eight crew members are two skippers now vying for the position. Fred Le Peutrec is a sailing veteran and one of the most experienced multihull skippers in the world. Fred has accumulated a number of world records, including the "Jules Verne Trophy" (previously called "The Race" around the world) three times (with Loick Peyron (2012), Franck Cammas (2010), Grant Dalton (2001)); he has been winner of the ORMA (trimaran) championships and has been in the top 3 on numerous occasions for World Championships and various multihull categories. The second skipper is a China Team member already since 2011, Phil Robertson. At only 25 years old, Phil fronts WAKA Racing, a tight team of top young sailors, and has already won many major regattas. He is currently placed 8th worldwide in the World Match Racing Tour, and is aiming for number 1. In addition to this, Phil has placed in the top 3 in over 20 races in the past 2 years as skipper. Full report: http://tinyurl.com/ACUP-031312 WEBSITE TO REVEAL THE HISTORY OF BLACK MARINERS On April 1st, a new website: www.ADMsailing.com will officially come on line to showcase the extraordinary but unheralded history of Black mariners and one man's vision to field a new crew in the upcoming America's Cup AC-34. Charles M. Kithcart, Executive Director of African Diaspora Maritime (ADM), a North Carolina based non-profit organization, says the website is intended not only to close the gap for those unaware of the many African and African American descendents who served on the high seas, but also to reveal how today's racing industry can create educational and work opportunities for African-Americans. The site will track ADM's progress in getting an actual competition racing boat designed, constructed and crew assembled for a Defender Selection Series in 2013. A number of inquiries have already come from professional racers, yacht clubs, Olympic sailors as well as individuals and organizations who've expressed a strong interest in supporting this venture. "We're in court now to challenge the denial by The Golden Gate Yacht Club to allow us to sail a predominantly African-American team," says Kithcart, who has crewed on several racing and non-racing vessels throughout his 24-year career. "But just as important, the races themselves are connected to an incredible industry of professional designers, engineers, craftsmen and technicians who are constantly creating products and services. That door opens to jobs and careers we haven't tapped." -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13414 COMMENT: Cory Friedman, who provided commentary for Scuttlebutt during the America's Cup recent detour through the New York Supreme Court, is tracking this case and will provide an update when appropriate. As for more immediate analysis, I found April Fool's Day to be an amusing choice for this group to launch their website. - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt DOES YOUR BUSINESS SEND OUT PRESS RELEASES? If you would you like your marine business news to be published in Scuttlebutt, our advice for you is to buy ad space. However, the Industry News category of the Scuttlebutt Forum does allow companies to post their personnel, product and service updates at no charge. As a bonus, each week Scuttlebutt will include some of the recent updates in the newsletter. Are you in the marine industry? Post your updates here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/industry_news SAILING SHORTS * California International Sailing Association (CISA), which is best known for its annual advanced youth racing clinic each spring in Long Beach, CA, has announced their involvement with a new clinic in San Francisco, CA. The NorCal CISA Clinic, which will be held June 20-22 at St Francis Yacht Club, will be exclusively for windsurfing. The clinic will be open to sailors 13-19 years of age interested in advancing or learning more about windsurfing. Details: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13412 * Miami, FL (March 13, 2012) - The second stop on the Lightning Southern Circuit provided a high value day sailing on Biscayne Bay. Forty boats traveled to the Lightning Midwinter Championship, where the Coral Reef Yacht Club Race Committee hosted four races on the first day. Greg Fisher, sailing with his wife Jo Ann and Jeff Eiber, finished the day with a 9-3-7-3 to lead by one point over David Starck, his wife Jody and Bill Faude. Racing concludes in Miami on Wednesday, with the fleet moving to St. Petersburg for the final leg of the circuit. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13413#13413 * This was the 50th year that the combination of tropical sailing and Bacardi rum has been occurring in Miami for the Star class, and the third year that the event - BACARDI Miami Sailing Week - has expanded to include additional classes. Thanks to photographers John Payne and Joy Dunigan for providing images from the Star, Melges 20 and 24 fleets: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/12/0313/ * Brisbane, Australia (March 13, 2012) - Queensland turned on the sunshine for day 3 of the 2012 Laser World Masters Championships, with winds reaching 20 knots for the 233 sailors from 19 countries. German sailor Wolfgang Gerz leads the Laser Standard Grand Master Division after 1,2 results and is now six points clear of second placed Tracy Usher from the USA. Usher moved up the leader board today with a win in race 6 of the series and is ahead of Martinie Andre (DOM) on count back. Wednesday is a lay day for the eight divisions, with racing to re-commence Thursday and conclude Saturday. -- Full story: http://www.sail-world.com/newsfeed_show.cfm?nfid=12&nid=94848 * Sailors for the Sea, the only ocean conservation nonprofit focused on the sailing and boating community, announces the start of its 7th Clean Regattas season. As of March 2012, 60 regattas will seek Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas certification this year, and four programs have committed their entire 2012 sailing season to Clean Regattas certification. Clean Regattas certification provides independent, third-party verification that a yacht club, sailing program, or regatta is environmentally responsible, and is doing its utmost to protect the waters upon which people sail. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13410 GARY JOBSON IS ONBOARD WITH SAILING SPOKEN HERE. Whether you are still sailing in a warm breeze or awaiting the spring/summer sailing season, you can stay connected with your fellow sailors at Mount Gay Rum's Sailing Spoken Here. With tens of thousands world-wide members today, sailors are able to discuss their challenges, share their most treasured sailing photos, debate their past regatta scenarios, and find their favorite sailing bars. Also, we now have Gary Jobson on board to feed us with instrumental sailing content, which is reason in itself to get started. So, if you haven't already jumped into the conversation, luckily today's a new day. See you out there: http://www.sailingspokenhere.com GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250 words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Bill Reilly: When I read in the Copa De Mexico story (in Scuttlebutt 3546) where it said that Banderas Bay is the largest bay in the world, I had my doubts so I investigated. In reality, Banderas Bay (1,600 km2) is only the third largest bay in Mexico, behind Campeche Bay (16,000 km2) and Chetumal Bay (3,862 km2). The largest bay in the world is the Bay of Bengal (2,172,000 km2) followed by Hudson Bay (1,230,000 km2). Banderas Bay isn't even close... It must have been the tequila... * From Richard Jepsen, OCSC Sailing CEO: Regarding the story of the Tsunami damage (in Scuttlebutt 3546), I was struck by your data on its relative size in history and the sizes of waves upon the Japan shoreline. Yikes! Even inside San Francisco Bay in the Berkeley Marina, the tentacles of the Tsunami reached to wreak a small amount of havoc. While we didn't see visible waves like Santa Cruz, we had five knot currents alternately in and out of the marina, taking out some pilings and damaging some floating docks. This went on, in a slowly diminishing speed and energy level, for two days. What surprised me was that the tsunami had this much force remaining AFTER entering through the narrow Golden Gate and traveling (with refraction) several nautical miles eastward to the Berkeley Marina; it would appear that we were feeling a tiny fraction of the energy that reached the California Coast and still we had a wild ride. Intuitively, I expected much less energy and much less time. Anyone able to explain the science to me? * From Frederic Berg: Charlie Dole (Eight Bells, Sbutt 3545) was a fellow crew member, competitor, coach, mentor, friend and gentleman to all of us in Hawaii. Charlie (along with Joe Cochran) taught me offshore sailing when we shared a watch aboard the Newport 41 "Ricochet" in the "Around the State Race" when I was 15. Later he would heed the call to coach the University of Hawaii Sailing Team in my last years on the team. Next we competed against each other in J-24 State Championships through the '80s. Charlie was a natural and always competitive. He didn't need to raise his voice or make a big deal about winning - it came naturally. I think my mother summed him up best, "I always see Charlie with a beer in his hand." Charlie, thanks for the many lessons and sorry about speeding in the team rental on our way to Notre Dame. We know you are in a better place now. You've earned your eternal Budweiser. We'll miss you. * From J. Dwight LeBlanc, Jr: Charley Dole was a true sportsman and he will be missed. * From Scott Murphy: With the increasing emphasis on fitness for the US Olympic team (in Scuttlebutt 3546), I was trying to remember back to the first example that 'fit is fast'. I am sure there are many, but my vote goes to American Allison Jolly, who along with Lynne Jewell won the Women's 470 Gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. This was the first Olympics for the event, and this Olympics was windy. Prior to the Games, Allison was the buffest female sailor I had ever seen; she must have been a man among boys on the course. What were some of the other early examples? J/111 ACTION IN 2012 The J/111 has established a remarkable record in the past twelve months. This 36' easy-to-sail speedster, uncompromised by rating rules, has brought the fun back into sailing larger keelboats. Even better, enough are sailing (65+ in 8 countries) for one-design action in some of the world's greatest sailing areas - Annapolis, Cowes, La Trinite, Newport, Lake Michigan, San Francisco. http://www.jboats.com/j111 CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Good friends are like stars; you don't always see them, but you know they are always there. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Doyle Sailmakers - Summit Yachts - North U Atlantis WeatherGear - Ribcraft - North Sails - Mount Gay Rum J Boats - Ullman Sails - Southern Spars - New England Boatworks Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
