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SCUTTLEBUTT 2082 - April 27, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.SINKING INTEREST -- Bill Center Just over a decade ago, international sailing was riding the crest of a giant wave. Interest in the America's Cup and the Whitbread Round the World Race led many in the sport to believe sailing was about to jump into the mainstream. It all started in 1983 when Australia won the America's Cup. ESPN made a last-minute decision to televise the final race from Newport, R.I., and drew a surprisingly high rating. That led ESPN to televise the entire 1986-87 America's Cup from Australia. Again, the ratings stunned television officials. The exposure also turned skippers Dennis Conner, Tom Blackaller, Chris Dickson and Iain Murray into sports celebrities. Conner became a national hero with Stars & Stripes' victory in Australia in 1987. And the America's Cup arrival in San Diego also paralleled New Zealand's rise to glory. Led by skippers Peter Blake and Grant Dalton, New Zealand entrants Steinlager and NZ Endeavour dominated the Whitbread races of 1989-90 and 1993-94. After falling short in the 1992 America's Cup, New Zealand claimed the America's Cup here in 1995 behind skipper Russell Coutts. The stock of international sailing probably reached its zenith at that moment. Sailing had gained entry to national nightly sports shows. Eleven years later, does anyone still care? The nationalism that fueled the America's Cup has all but faded away. We're a year away from Switzerland's first defense, which will be held in Valencia, Spain. And the lone United States challenger, Oracle-BMW, struggles to get traditional coverage. And the six boats in what is now the Volvo Ocean race sailed into Baltimore last week with nary a notice – other than a report that Volvo had decided to end its sponsorship of the former Whitbread race even before its second event is completed. What has happened? Certainly, the drop in American prominence as well as participation is a factor. So is the fact that both the America's Cup and the Volvo Ocean race have watered down the value of their core programs with meaningless and contrived ancillary events. The Volvo Ocean race, which was designed to be a high seas endurance test, now has in-port races and mid-ocean “gates” that factor into the scoring. The America's Cup has had a road show of prelims while en route to Spain. It probably hasn't helped either event that each has attracted only one American boat. The America's Cup has Oracle. No Conner, no Paul Cayard. Just Larry Ellison's San Francisco-based, foreign-led band. And the lone American boat in the Volvo race is Cayard's Pirates of the Caribbean. Cayard, who won the around-the-world race in 1997-98 with EF Language, is a distant third this time around with almost no chance of overtaking runaway leader ABN Amro One skippered by Mike Sanderson. P.S: The second-place boat in the Volvo Ocean race as the fleet prepares for the stretch run across the Atlantic is ABN Amro Two. Now that will surely stoke interest. -- Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, http://tinyurl.com/zgpxn DECISION MAKER The inshore tactician (for ABN Amro Two) is 23 year old American Andrew Lewis, a highly accomplished Olympic Laser dinghy sailor who shone through the worldwide crew selection process, despite never having sailed on a big boat for more than one day at a time. Lewis grew up in Hawaii, sailing, surfing and windsurfing as much as he could. Living just five minutes from the famous Diamond Head breaks, the professionalism of multiple windsurfing world cup champions Robby Naish - a local hero - and Bjorn Dunkerbeck, apparent even on his local beaches, was an early inspiration. It was another local hero, top Laser sailor John Myrdal, who represented the USA at the Sydney Olympics, who was his mentor and got him started in the Laser dinghy. Lewis represented the USA at the Youth World Championships in the Laser in Kuopio, Finland in 1999 and lead the class until the final stages, winning all the windy races, but, he admits, lying second he 'choked' on the last day and finished fourth. Since then he has a string of top drawer international regatta results to his name. He was top US Laser sailor for two years going in to the US trials last time, finishing third behind Mark Mendelblatt and Myrdal. Lewis’s main big boat experience was previously confined to some sailing with Philippe Kahn's Team Pegasus, mainly two boat testing off Hawaii, in Farr 40, the Transpac 52, and Melges 24, but it impressed North Sails Hawaii's Fuzz Foster. It was he who suggested Lewis join the trials for a place on ABN Amro Two. In turn - according to Lewis - Foster made a recommendation to ABN Amro One skipper Mike Sanderson to look out for the youngster as a talent, which did his chances no harm. So there will be no shortage of pressure, again, on Andrew Lewis’s shoulders as the inshore starts, but he insists he will not be fazed by the prospect of having to nail skippers like Cayard and Kostecki when there is so much at stake, "You just have to step up and do it, and be confident. You don't want to be left as the marshmallow on the line. We know we can beat these guys and put the pressure on them just as much. We can give them a full-on battle. I just have to tell the guys what I want clearly." -- Excerpts from a story posted on the website of the Volvo Ocean Race, full story: http://tinyurl.com/g52z9 TRIVIA QUESTION North Sails founder Lowell North has won a record five Star world championships. Of the five “Gold Star” victories, he was the skipper of four of them and crewed in one of the victories. Who did Lowell crew for? (Answer below) US OLYMPIC SAILING (Jesse Falsone looks at how the American Olympic sailing team is upping their game and the form for Qingdao in a story posted on thedailysail subscriptions website. Here are a few excerpts.) In the last three Olympic Games, Great Britain has outscored the United States 12-8 in medals, and 5-2 in Olympic Gold. What do the Brits and other nations have that the US doesn’t? In the UK, the funding provided by the national lottery over the last three quads has driven the team to develop incredible depth in each class. Contrast this with the USA, much of the recent American sailing success has come from just a handful of very talented sailors, including the likes of Paul Foerster (one gold and two silver), Mark Reynolds (two gold and one silver), Jonathan and Charlie McKee (four medals between them). While the Star class has always been a hotbed for top US sailors, Olympic dinghy sailing in America has languished under the weight of dwindling domestic competition, and the high costs of training and competing overseas. Recognizing the problem, the US Sailing Olympic Committee has embarked upon changing the system. Dean Brenner, Chairman of the US Olympic Sailing Committee, has helped set the US team on a new course. “This old model relied on the sailors to raise their own funding. Olympic Sailing has gotten so competitive that it often takes more than one quad of training to become a true medal hopeful, and under our old model 8-10 years of training is more than most family and friends are willing to fund.” Now, the amateur model has been scrapped in favor of a professional approach that targets Corporate America.” -- The Daily Sail, full story: http://thedailysail.com KEN READ JOINS NER PERFORMANCE RACING TEAM Ken Read, the two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year with forty World, North American, and National Championships to his credit, has joined forces with New England Ropes, the leader in high performance sailing lines. Ken will skipper the NER Melges 24 program. The new boat, to be delivered in June, will feature all of New England Ropes core technical products including V100, Endura Braid, Endura 12, Flight Line, and Salsa Line. This combination of world championship know-how and the world’s best running rigging will make the Read/NER team a force to be reckoned with in 2006. http://www.neropes.com FADING BREEZE A quiet blue sea and bright sunshine welcomed the sailors ready to race their 4th day in Hyères at the Semaine Olympique Française regatta. Unfortunately the conditions at the end of the morning were more suited to sunbathing than sailing! The racing committee postponed all classes waiting for the sea breeze. Appearing timidly early afternoon with 5-6 knots near the coast, the wind was just enough to start racing. The soft sea breeze didn’t keep its promises; the most wind recorded was 10 knots on Bravo course but dropped an hour later after operating a big shift. Sailing on Bravo, 470 women, 470 Men silver and Finns had their course shortened to be able to complete decently their day only race. The American Yngling team of Sally Barkow/ Carrie Howe/ Debbie Capozzi scored a third place finish -- their seventh consecutive single digit finish -- to open up on a seven point lead over the British team helmed by Sarah Ayton, while a second UK team (helmed by American Nancy Haberland) is now is third place, just one point further back. Paige Railey (USA) move up to tie Sophie Turckeim (FRA) as the two leaders separate from the rest of the Laser Radial fleet. Anna Tunniclife (USA) is tied with the Chinese XU Lijia Xu in third place in that fleet, 13 points behind the leaders, with Canadian Lisa Ross now in eight place in the Laser Radial Gold Fleet. Canadian Michael Leigh is the lone North American in the top 10 in the Laser Gold Fleet, in seventh. With 110 boats the largest fleet comes from France. However Great Britain has the biggest International fleet with 48 teams. Poland comes next with 43. -- Complete results: http://sof.ffvoile.net/ CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar WORLD’S LARGEST It's billed as "the world's largest international yacht race," this 59th Lexus Newport to Ensenada offshore adventure starting Friday. As of Wednesday, there were 457 entries, and every one of the mad assortment has its own reasons for doing it. Doug Baker wants a record for his high-tech ocean racer, Magnitude 80, while Lou Comyns, 79, and Vic Stern, 83, look to extend their participation to 51 and 44 races, respectively. Dennis Conner, enjoying the post-America's Cup phase of his legendary career these days, is sailing wooden boats older than himself---still to win, of course, but also for the fun of it. This time Conner, 63, has chartered Kelpie, an 82-foot schooner, for a 125-nautical mile test drive in the Ancient Mariner class with other classic wooden boats, such as Paul Scripps' elegant Miramar. He may buy the boat if he likes it. The 23 classes of boats will start at 10-minute intervals beginning at noon. There is no prize money but there are more than 150 trophies. About a third of the starters will be competing on the honor system in Cruising classes, which means they will be able to use engine propulsion overnight between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. but not for more than 12 hours in the entire race and only if they count each start-up as 30 minutes and record it in their logs. -- Rich Roberts Entries, trophy list and more: www.nosa.org/06_races-lx.html LIVE . . . FROM THE CHESAPEAKE Baltimore, Maryland – The duel between the Volvo Open 70s on Chesapeake Bay this Saturday 29th April – is to be broadcast live across the United States and around the world via the Volvo Ocean Race’s official website. It will also be broadcast to spectator boats following proceedings on the bay. This contest, the fifth of the Volvo Ocean Race’s highly successful series of in-port match races, has the potential to be the best so far. Many are expecting this to be the time when Mike Sanderson’s (NZ) seemingly unbeatable ABN Amro One faces its most serious challenge – a scenario made even more likely considering the current forecast: a very light easterly breeze on a gloriously sunny day. Light winds will not suit ABN 1 but will certainly appeal to the teams aboard Sanderson’s closest rivals on the points’ table, Bouwe Bekking’s (NED) second-placed movistar and Paul Cayard’s American entry, Pirates of the Caribbean. And Brasil 1, sailed by five-time Olympian and dual gold medallist, Torben Grael, cannot be ignored. Much interest will also focus on Ericsson and the revamped Australian entry, Brunel, which rejoins the Volvo fleet in Baltimore after undergoing extensive modifications in Melbourne. Ericsson, which has not excelled since winning the opening in-port race in Spain, will enter the arena on Saturday with Neal McDonald (GBR) back at the helm and two new crewmembers, navigator Mark Rudiger (USA) and Ian ‘Barney’ Walker (AUS). The man who is the voice of the Volvo Ocean Race, Guy Swindells, will again be joined at ringside by yachting commentator and author Rob Mundle aboard a media boat operating inside the course exclusion zone on Chesapeake Bay. All the action will be broadcast from 12:45 EDT (17:45 BST). The race commentary can be heard by simply going to the race website, and clicking on the live broadcast icon. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.org ULLMAN SAILS AT THE 2006 AHMANSON CUP Ullman Sails customers swept the top three places in J/105’s and Schock 35’s, and won PHRF A and PHRF B at the Ahmanson Cup, the first regatta in Ullman Sails Inshore Championships. Peter Lufkin’s J/105 “Short Skirt” won, followed by “Grace O’Malley” and “Wings.” Jeff Janov’s Schock 35 “Ripple” won, followed by “Whiplash” and “JoAnn.” Also, in PHRF A, Oscar Krinsky/ Chris Redmond on “Chayah” won with “Taxi Dancer” second. John Carroll’s “Arana” won PHRF B with “Amante” third. The next event is SDYC’s Yachting Cup, May 5-7. For the “Fastest Sails on the Planet,” contact Ullman Sails. http://www.ullmansails.com THE LAST 300 MILES The 110 foot Geronimo is getting closer to Yokohama. But patience is required. “I can now see why Japan was a closed country for centuries,” wrote navigator Larry Rosenfeld. “It's hard to get here by sailing ship! This has been a painful couple days. Fast, then slow, then fast, then slow. The waves are coming from everywhere, tossing the boat in the air and making big holes for it to drop into next. The French call it Mer Merdique—which I won't translate :-). The 300nm to the finish is something which on a normal day would take us 13 or 14 hours, but now it will take at least twice that long it seems.’ -- http://www.superyachting.com SAILING SHORTS * Emirates Team New Zealand and Team Luna Rossa have indicated they will race their new boats NZL84 and ITA86 in the first of this year's America's Cup pre-regattas in Valencia in May. BMW Oracle Racing have said they will race their old boat USA76 in the first regatta then introduce their new boat USA87 in the second regatta. Syndicates can change their yachts up until 24 hours before a regatta starts. The third and final regatta of the year is in June. -- NZ Herald, http://tinyurl.com/nkra2 * The fifth annual Women's Sailing Conference returns to Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, MA, on Saturday, June 3. The all-day event of land and on-the-water workshops is sponsored by BoatU.S. and organized by the National Women's Sailing Association. New topics covered in workshops this year are splicing, anchoring, fitness afloat and suddenly single-handed. Returning favorites include diesel engine maintenance, winch wizard, sail trim, crew overboard, charting basics and more. The event is limited to 150 participants, and usually sells out. -- http://www.WomenSailing.org * Alinghi opened the way and the Challenger of Record of the 32nd America's Cup followed suit. A few weeks after sporting the first jumper-less mast in an America's Cup yacht, the Swiss America's Cup Defender has now company in Valencia. BMW Oracle Racing also have a new jumper-less mast. -- http://valenciasailing.blogspot.com/ * Free online video of Annapolis Yacht Club's Wednesday Night Series is now playing on http://www.t2p.tv * Nikon has renewed and expanded its partnership with US Sailing as an Official Supplier for the US Sailing Team -- bringing increased support to the team members and their coaches. The new agreement runs through 2008, providing extra support to the athletes eyeing a spot on the team that will represent the U.S. in China during the summer of 2008. The US Sailing Team will be provided with high-tech binoculars and digital cameras, as well as additional support. This is the first time the partnership has been increased since Nikon became a US Sailing Team sponsor in 2000. -- www.ussailing.org * Have you found a great deal on a used boat and want to know if there have been manufacturer recalls that needed correction or major complaints from other owners? Do you know what the fine print means in a sales contract? Or, if you're selling a boat, do you know what an "exclusive listing" means? The answers to these questions and many more are answered in a free 34-page guide, Buying and Selling a Boat, from BoatU.S. Consumer Affairs. It is now available online at http://www.BoatUS.com/guide TRIVIA ANSWER North Sails founder Lowell North has won a record five Star world championships, where he skippered in four of them and crewed in one for Malin Burnham. In 1945, Malin Burnham, aged 17, along with 15-year-old North, together won the World Championship at Stamford, Connecticut, by two points with a 2-16-2-2-1 scorecard. Incidentally, Burnham had also won the Worlds in 1944, crewing for Gerald Driscoll. (Thanks to the Star Class website for the details). LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And please save your bashing, and personal attacks for elsewhere. For those that prefer a Forum, you can post your thoughts at the Scuttlebutt website: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi) * From Toby Reiley: For Coach Reed (UCSB) to insinuate Yale, BC, Dartmouth, Harvard and Tufts women's teams aren't qualified to sail at the Nationals because "Certain coaches in the MAISA and NEISA districts have been exploiting the system to gain these berths by slapping together teams" is sour grapes. Mr. Reed owes an apology to NEISA, MAISA and the many established teams which did not qualify (such as Coast Guard, MIT, BU). NEISA sailors work hard and go to tons of regattas that most collegiate sailors have never heard of. Every Weekend NEISA teams split up to sail Womens, Coed and Team events simultaneously, and usually in horrible conditions. Example: Dartmouth can't practice at home until late April due to hard water (ice) while BC sails in 35 degree Boston Harbor. Why does College of Charleston fly to New England most every weekend? For superior competition. NEISA has more regattas in any two week window than the entire PCCSC Spring Calendar. See for yourself http://www.collegesailing.org/pciyra/2006_Pages/SpringSchedule2006.htm vs. http://www.collegesailing.org/neisa/schedule/schedules/2006/NEISA_schedu le_main_body.pdf History shows that Eastern teams dominate the nationals. Click to 2005 results http://collegesailing.org/nas/spring05/WOMANS05.TXT 2004 http://www.collegesailing.org/nwicsa/na/womens_results.htm 2003 http://www.collegesailing.org/2003/womens_results.html if you need proof. The West Coast complaint has been heard since the ‘70s, and won't go away until the West 1) matriculates talented sailors, 2) adds more regattas to develop team depth, and 3) makes it easy to compete ( BYOBoat? Never in NEISA). Then the West Coast Teams may develop the talent to dominate at the Nationals the way the East Coast teams have. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -- Maya Angelou Special thanks to New England Ropes and Ullman Sails. |
