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SCUTTLEBUTT 3138 - Wednesday, July 21, 2010Scuttlebutt 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: The Pirates Lair, Quantum Sails, and Premiere Racing. THE EVOLUTION OF YOUTH RACERS By Amy Gross-Kehoe, US SAILING Youth Council Chair If youth racing is on the rise, why are young adults falling off? Youth Racing seems to be steadily growing since the mid 90's with more and more kids (and their families) traveling greater distances to compete at higher-level events. The opportunities are set into each class' annual schedule; regattas carry reputations for being well-run and competitive. Whether you're sailing Sabots, Optis, Laser, Radial, 29er or 420... juniors have to hit at least some of the big events to continue to grow and succeed. It's keepin' up with the Jones' kid. Enter High School and then College sailing, where fleets of boats are provided. Entry cost is a lifejacket and dry suit (that you may already own from junior sailing). No new sails to buy, no losing pricey spin poles. Most schools even pay for your gas these days. Lots of new sailors getting pulled in too... my High School team is 30% new sailors, and I imagine most college teams are similar. It's easy, and you can get spoiled traveling around the country, competing in close, competitive racing! When you get out of college and get that first job, it's tough... do I want to buy my own boat or actually have enough money to buy shirts that don't have a regatta name on them and take a girl on a date? Where am I going to live? Do I want to get a V15, Sonar or a J/22? Maybe I can get hooked up with that Farr 40 Team? I hear Key West Race Week is fun... Maybe I'm a past All-American and people are going to ask me what Olympic class I'm moving into... let's see, a year of campaigning costs $60k. Ugh! And I only get 2 weeks vacation per year... If I quit my job, I lose health insurance... Maybe it's time to get that MBA, then if I can find a job, I can afford a boat that I won't have any time to sail... Clubs who have fleets of easy-sail-and-maintain boats are keeping our young adults sailing until they become established enough to get boats of their own. New York YC's Sonars, Fort Worth Boat Club's J/22's, Clubs with V15's and more! Challenge another club to put together a team of Under 30's to Team Race! Throw a great dinner and free cocktail hour! Start running weeknight racing and team race/match race events to get the young adults down to your club! Maybe they'll join! -- Scuttlebutt Forum, http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10172#10172 * STATISTICS: ‘Saving Sailing’ author Nicholas Hayes notes that the “highest level of defection from sailing is at adulthood, where 95% of youth sailors don’t sail after 25.” HAS OCEAN RACING BECOME LESS FUN? by Bizzy Monte-Sano The reports in Scuttlebutt surrounding the Newport Bermuda Race last month detailed the extent to which some teams are willing to go to win. It prompted me to recount an amusing anecdote relating to the 1946 Race involving my dad, Vinnie Monte-Sano, which reminds us how much more serious and competitive ocean racing has become over the last 60+ years. The 1946 Bermuda Race was the first to be held after the hiatus which resulted from World War II. Dad had been invited to sail with Ed Waldvogel, then Vice Commodore of Larchmont Yacht Club, aboard his 46' ketch, ‘Voyager’. In preparation for the Race, a crew meeting was held during the winter, at which Mr. Waldvogel, suggested that, in light of the length of the Race and the return passage, any crew member who played a musical instrument should bring it with him for the purpose of entertaining the crew while at sea. For Dad, who expended considerable effort over a lifetime trying to elevate the practical joke to an art form, that request presented an opportunity not to be passed-up. Vice Commodore Waldvogel had taken ‘Voyager’ to Newport and she was anchored in the harbor the day before the Race awaiting the arrival of her crew. (No laying at a slip in 1946!) Waldvogel was working below on last minute details, when he looked up and saw a base violin coming down the companionway, followed by Dad. Not surprisingly, he was initially dumbfounded and said nothing as Dad placed the base violin in one of the bunks in the main cabin. Finally composing himself, Mr. Waldvogel asked Dad what he was doing with a base violin at the start of the Bermuda Race. In response, Dad said, "Ed, don't you remember that, at the crew meeting last winter, you suggested that if any of us played a musical instrument, we should bring it on the Race." Taken aback, Mr. Waldvogel responded that he had in mind that that if a crew member played a harmonica, a ukulele or perhaps a guitar, they should bring it; but taking a base violin on the Bermuda Race was "out of the question". Dad responded, "I do wish you had made that clear last winter. Unfortunately, there is nothing that I can do now; my wife, Peggy, has driven me to Newport and she has left to return to Larchmont." Dad went on to explain that the base violin had been in his family for "generations" and that his father had brought it with him when he came to the U.S. from Italy. As Ed Waldvogel became increasingly frustrated with the situation, Dad acknowledged that, just possibly, the instrument was too large to be stored below, but perhaps it could be kept on deck. Dad, took the base violin from the main cabin and carefully placed it on deck, on the starboard side of "Voyager's" trunk cabin, where he began to lash it down, leaving absolutely no room for anyone to go from the cockpit to the foredeck on the starboard side. -- Scuttlebutt Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10171#10171 COTTON KILLS - TECH TEES RULE - THE PIRATES LAIR ROCKS Call or email The Pirates Lair today for the best deals on printed tech tees for your event or team. Henri-Lloyd Atmosphere, Gill Tech Tee, ProFit, DryShirt, ProWik and Sport-tek are only the beginning. Our powerful graphics team and dye-sublimation will make you look good! (888) 724-5286 or info@pirateslair.com 10 BEST PLACES TO LIVE AND BOAT Somewhere the grass is always greener and the water always bluer. The question: Don't such thoughts have more to do with fantasy than reality? Maybe not. Boating Magazine investigated boating communities throughout the country, looking for the variety of boating opportunities, boat-friendly regulations, water access, availability of waterfront homes, health of the local economy and overall lifestyle for boaters. The following 10 locations are where boaters might find that imagination meets reality. Seattle, Washington Benton County, Arkansas Tampa Bay, Florida Knoxville, Tennessee Fort Lauderdale, Florida What are the other five places? Read on: http://www.boatingmag.com/skills/10-best-places-live-and-boat?page=0,0 USING ELECTRIC ENERGY FROM WIND The car is not the only vehicle that can be propelled electrically. Lecturers at the Higher Nautical and Naval Engineering Technical School, Mikel Lejarza, Jose Ignacio Uriarte, Miguel Ángel Gómez Solaetxe and Juan Luis Larrabe are part of a research team working on an innovative project: to have a sailing boat that can undertake port manoeuvres (such as mooring and unmooring) using electric energy obtained from the movement of the wind in their sails when sailing and thus reduce the use of fuel and the emission of waste and noise. Having the research skills in this field, they are working against the clock, given that their goal is to have the prototype operational in two years. As Juan Luis Larrabe explained, the idea is for such vessels to take advantage of the energy from the wind movement in order to generate electricity: "The wind energy is gathered in the sails and the propeller operates as a turbine. This turbine is connected to an electric generator which charges up electric batteries in such a way that, when you want to propel the vessel and there is no wind, you can use this stored energy while avoiding using the internal combustion engine". It is a hybrid model and not exclusively electrical (the latter would mean reduced operational range, apart from the fact that the great volume of batteries required today would make it unviable). "You still have to have the traditional engines on board, but the idea is to use them as little as possible", explained Mr Larrabe. -- Read on: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-05/ef-pfs051110.php SAILING SHORTS * Deltaville, VA (July 20, 2010) - Following postponements on shore and on the water, the first race of the 2010 USODA Layline Girls National Championship got underway in 5-8 knot winds, building gradually through the third and final race. Topping the 86 boat fleet was Haddon Hughes (Houston YC), followed by Eliot Caple (Napes Sailing Center) and KB Knapp (Cold Spring Harbor Beach Club) in second and third, respectively. The Fleet National Championship is scheduled for July 21-24. -- Full results: http://optinationals2010.org/results/girls-results/ * Flowery Branch, GA (July 19, 2010) - Twenty-two Windmill sailboats came to Lake Lanier Sailing Club from July 15 to July 18 for the combined Windmill Open and Junior Nationals. Class newcomer Robbie Estes (Atlanta, GA) with crew Eric Francois won the Juniors, while John Jennings (St. Petersburg FL) with crew Julie Valdez dominated the open event. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10166#10166 * Largs, Scotland (July 20, 2010) - Rain and mill pond conditions on the Clyde in the morning failed to develop suitable winds, forcing the postponement of racing on the first day for the boys and girls competing in the Laser Radial World Youth Championship. The 317 young sailors that represent 42 countries will try again on Wednesday, but the weather forecast shows little improvement with wind speeds expected to reach no more than 5kts from the north, accompanied by heavy rain. Racing concludes July 25th. -- Event website: http://www.laserworlds2010.co.uk/radialyouth * Cascade Locks, OR (July 18, 2010) - Fifteen Mothistas descended on the Columbia River for last weekend’s Moth Madness, and were greeted by the full wrath of the Gorge in meltdown mode. Some races were cancelled while others insured that the wipe outs were spectacular and multiple, with everyone experiencing being flattened in the gusts whilst foiling up wind. Dalton Bergen sailed supremely to take six bullets, with the circus now moving on to the International Moth North Americans in Harbor Springs, MI for the weekend of August 6-8. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10161 * Only hours after the start on Saturday, July 17th of the Lake Ontario 300 from Port Credit, ONT, the skies darkened and a squall hit the 198 entrants for the Lake Ontario 300. Reported gusts of over 40 knots were accompanied by heavy rain and hail, leading to a very challenging 6 to 8 hours of very unstable weather, followed by total absence of breeze along the south shore half-way through the race. Fifty-three boats are recorded as having dropped out of the race, with the balance of the fleet finishing Monday and Tuesday. No results are yet posted. -- Event website: http://www.lo300.org/ * The Hague, Netherlands (July 20, 2010) - Child care authorities asked a Dutch court Tuesday to extend their guardianship over 14-year-old sailor Laura Dekker for another year, a move that would further delay her plan to sail solo around the world. Dekker was made a ward of the state last year after her plan to try to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world raised concerns over her physical ability and her social development. Both her parents, who are divorced, back the plan. -- AP, full story: http://tinyurl.com/29e55sj * Newport, RI (July 20 2010) - While many sailors in the One Design portion of New York Yacht Club (NYYC) Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex head back to the office Tuesday, some are busy planning their strategy for the second “half” of the regatta, due to start on Wednesday. Four days of racing will take place on Rhode Island Sound and be purely IRC-rated. The best performing boat among the 35 entered will take the Rolex US-IRC National Championship title and its skipper will be presented with a specially engraved Rolex timepiece at the Rolex Gala and Awards Party on Saturday evening. -- Read on: http://www.nyyc.org/archives_public/article_799/ QUANTUM’S NEW J24 SAILS ARE ACHIEVING RESULTS WORLDWIDE In a game of inches, an extra one or two percent can give you the winning edge. Quantum’s J24 sails were redesigned in early 2010 using our proprietary iQ Technology, the most advanced sail design tools and process in the industry. Learn how to optimize your performance by downloading our J24 Tuning Guide: http://tinyurl.com/Quantum-J-24-TG-2010 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 Eli Slater: Robert Wilkes comment (in Scuttlebutt 3137) regarding the high level of talent within the Optimist fleet and the correlation between former top Opti sailors and youth worlds results fails to realize one important fact: kids these days have few other options for real competition other than Optis. Thankfully, California has stuck to their Sabots and El Toros, which allows young racers to experience something other than the ubiquitous Optimist. There is no question that the Optimist provides great competition based on the sheer numbers of boats that show up to local, regional and national events, but this has come at the expense of other classes that have simply been forgotten along the way. This effect is felt quite far downstream, with all sorts of dinghy and small keelboat fleets suffering declining numbers as young sailors have essentially one path to take which looks like Optis-->C420's-->V15's etc, and most nowadays could not identify what a Windmill (also a Clark Mills design), Thistle, International 110 or other technical race boat looks like when asked. I personally think that the domination of Youth Worlds results by Optis sailors is a sad state of affairs because it speaks to the homogenization of youth sailing. This is a terrible thing. -- Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10169#10169 => Curmudgeon’s Comment: The youth sailing model in highly developed sailing areas has been so focused on improving itself that it has clearly steered young sailors away from those areas of the sport that can last a lifetime. What needs to happen now is an effort to enlighten the teenage sailor to the opportunities that exist outside of youth boats. The reality is that if a young sailor has not made some connection with these lifetime opportunities before they age out of youth sailing/ high school sailing/ college sailing, the odds are against them continuing in the sport. * From Jeffry Matzdorff (re, Weird Etiquette story in Scuttlebutt 3137) Etiquette is really a function of tradition. In the Tour de France, traditionally one does not "attack" or attempt to take time from a leader or someone in contention for the lead after a "mishap". In an earlier stage, Andy Shleck, along with about 1/3 of the riders went down in a series of crashes, and the group ("peleton") collectively decided to wait and allow all those that crashed to finish together with the leaders. In an earlier race, Lance Armstrong (in 1st) waited for Jan Ullrich (in 2nd) when he crashed, and a group of riders waited for Lance (in 1st) when he got tangled up with a spectator and went down. A crash may or may not be the fault of the rider who crashed. In sailing a capsize is almost always the fault of the person that capsized. Monday’s incident where Shleck dropped a chain may be arguably his fault; Alberto Contador has not really admitted that he saw that Shleck had a mechanical issue, and I call a very firm "B.S." on that one. However, it's a race not a charity, so I think game on in this case. * From Geoff Van Gorkom (sailor and cyclist): Each sport has its own unique “etiquettes”, unwritten rules that participants of that sport usually abide by in the name of fair play and good sportsmanship. In professional cycling, when the leader of a race suffers a breakdown or crashes, the leading contenders for the race are obliged to wait for that leader to rejoin the group…..if they can. It is considered far more honorable to win a race based on ability than to take advantage of someone else’s misfortune. When Andy Schleck (the man leading the Tour and wearer of the Yellow jersey) had to stop because his bike chain derailed, Contador, Menchov and Sanchez attacked and raced away, showing a complete disrespect for the ‘maillot jaune’ (yellow jersey). In the 2003 Tour de France there was a similar incident when Lance Armstrong crashed in a mountain stage. The lead group backed off the pace and allowed Lance to catch up. That was a memorable moment in biking and Lance eventually went on to win the Tour. In my opinion, there is no honor in Alberto Contador presently wearing the Yellow jersey as it was stolen and not won. The battle between Schleck and Contador will be fought all the way to Paris and hopefully the best athlete (and sportsman) will win. * From Adrian Morgan: (re, story in Scuttlebutt 3137) Kiteboarding a solution to the Olympic sailing problem? You have to be joking. The problem is and has always been too many classes. The attempts to jazz up the events with match racing (ha!) and boardsailing were doomed from the start. The public are quite happy to see sailing in the Olympics, and maybe even watch it for a while as a relaxing alternative to the pumped up adrenalin rush of sprint and jump. They just want to see a fleet of boats, with three or four people in them, battling for the lead on a sunlit bay. One boat, one event, or maybe fleet racing followed by some sort of boat to boat knockout event. The crews should be mixed. OK, to make it worth all the organising, perhaps just one other class. Take your pick from those already on offer. Kiteboarding even (but make absolutely sure you choose a venue with guaranteed wind). As one who in a former life spent hours in a RIB watching Finns, 470s and the rest interminably heading for the weather mark (and no one had a clue who was in the lead, not even the coaches), I know a wee bit whereof I write. Keep it simple. Or we will lose it. * From Dana Timmer: (re, story in Scuttlebutt 3137) In regards to the economic impact of the AC on San Francisco the report states the following: "The 159-year-old sailing race ranks behind only the Olympics and soccer's World Cup in terms of spectators and economic activity, said the report from the council, a privately supported public policy group." I think the report forgot about Formula 1. "The grand prix is certainly the best known Monegasque sporting event because it is the most broadcast," says Automobile Club de Monaco president Michel Boeri. "It has 900 hours of live television and 1.2bn viewers". (this is one weekend) Source ESPN F1 KEY WEST RACE WEEK 2011 - START MAKING YOUR PLANS Six months from today new champions will be crowned at Key West Race Week! One Design, PHRF, IRC and Multihull classes promise top competition. Serious sailors are making plans for winter’s first and best. Race dates are January 17 - 21. Savings, logistics, early commitments on the event web site: http://www.Premiere-Racing.com CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION “Ain't no man can avoid being born average, but there ain't no man got to be common.” - Satchel Paige Special thanks to The Pirates Lair, Quantum Sails, and Premiere Racing. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
