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SCUTTLEBUTT 3339 - Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,
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OMITTING GRAVITAS INVOLVED WITH OLYMPIC COMPETITION
By Andrew Campbell, 2008 U.S. Laser Olympian
Without a doubt, Star sailing is what inspired me to pursue my Olympic
ambitions first in the Laser and now in the premier one design keelboat in
the world. San Diego Yacht Club's hosting of the 1994 Star Worlds opened
this 10-year-old's eyes along with hundreds of other junior sailors,
showing us what world class international sailing was all about. We pushed
trailers around the boat park and helped tie boats up to slips while we
marveled at the many languages and experiences bellowing from these giants
(quite literally in some cases) of the sport. These guys were my heroes in
the midst of the America's Cup also going on at SDYC at the time.
Today as I walk the docks of these foreign ports and mingle with the elite
sailors of Olympic as well as professional sailing, it is never lost on me
that there are young eyes observing our every move, following our results,
and practicing their skills long after we have left town with hopes that
they may one day be able to compete with us and at our level.
Perhaps the greatest asset that the Star class brought to the table for
this Olympic selection was the caliber of the talent and its strong
connection to fleets around the world. Each top sailor involved at the
Olympic level has a strong connection with his home fleet in some way or
another. That trickle down in the form of inspiration and exposure to
sailors both young and old across the globe is not to be diminished as a
major factor for the health of our sport.
While I understand the desire for ISAF to pursue the faster, more
accessible, and media friendly classes for the Olympics, I cannot agree
with their casting aside of the single most recognizable representation of
our sport to sailors and non-sailors alike: the keelboat. I felt much the
same way about the multihull and the decision to remove that sector of the
sport from the docket in 2012. ISAF is missing a grand opportunity to
showcase a very important part of our game by not presenting the multihull
when the Olympics come to London and Weymouth next year.
The difference in my mind is while multihulls are one sector of the sport,
keelboats are the mainstream. Dinghy sailing is a precursor for sailors all
over the world who will eventually pursue their passion in some form of
keelboat sailing. Without a doubt the omission of the keelboats for both
men and women will likewise omit some of the gravitas involved with Olympic
competition in the future. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/AC-051011
* Bill Allen, Star class President, comments on the elimination of the
Olympic Men's Keelboat event: "The decision process is complex and involves
many participants from all over the world. There was strong support within
Council for keelboat sailing and the Star, and many positive statements
were offered throughout the meeting. Nevertheless, the coalition of high
performance dinghies and emerging nations that was clearly in evidence
leading up to and throughout the meeting proved too strong to overcome." --
Full report: http://starclass.org/artman/publish/article_566.shtml
OLYMPIC FACTS - DID YOU KNOW?
* The first woman to win an Olympic Sailing medal was Frances Rivett-Cama
from Great Britain, who won gold in London 1908.
* Great Britain was the most successful Sailing nation at the Sydney 2000,
Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games.
* Women have always been allowed to take part in Olympic sailing
competition, but events specifically for women were only introduced at the
Seoul Games in 1988.
* The sports name was changed from 'Yachting' to 'Sailing' at the Sydney
2000 Games.
* Windsurfing was introduced as a sailing event at the Los Angeles 1984
Games. Women competed on equal terms against the men until their own
discipline was introduced in 1988.
* Sailing first appeared at the Paralympics as a demonstration sport at the
1996 Atlanta Games. In 2000 it was included in the Paralympic Games
Competition programme as a medal sport with events for the Sonar (three
person keelboat) and the 2.4mR (single-person keelboat).
Yachts and Yachting: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=157001
ARE YOU PREPARED?
Wherever your offshore plans take you - to Bermuda, Halifax, Mackinac or
beyond - now is the time to check the rules and your sail inventory. Bring
your sails to your local Doyle loft to be inspected and repaired. Don't
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Better Engineered Sails.
CLASSIFYING TEACHING, COACHING, AND ADVISING
The ISAF Classification system is a service to classes and events who want
to define who they want to sail. If there is a limit on the number
professional sailors that can participate on a boat, the Classification
Code is the system that must be used.
The challenge of the Code is to fairly determine what types of activity
warrant a sailor to be classified as Group 3 (professional), and what is
permitted within the Group 1 (amateur) classification. One of the tools of
the Code is a list of over 120 frequently asked questions (FAQs), with
their answers helping to define Group 1 and 3.
Here are the FAQs for Instruction:
Q. Is a sailor who is paid to teach basic sailing, at learn to sail level,
Group 1?
A. Yes
Q. Is a sailor who is paid to teach or coach racing Group 3?
A. (a) Yes, he is Group 3 if he has been paid for work that includes the
coaching of:
(i) any competitor, crew or team to prepare for or compete in any of the
following:
- The Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Competitions and Qualifying
Events;
- Regional Games;
- America's Cup Match, Acts and Series;
- Grade 1 Match Racing Events;
- World and Continental Championships of ISAF Classes;
- ISAF Events;
- Global and Trans Oceanic Races; or
(ii) a National, State or Provincial Team; or
(iii) a Collegiate or University Team where the work is the principal paid
activity of the competitor who is applying for a Classification.
(b) Otherwise he is Group 1.
Q. If a paid coach, who is otherwise Group 1 races on a boat whilst
coaching, does he remain Group 1?
A. No, he would become paid crew.
Q. A sailor who works at a University teaching physics is also paid to
coach the College sailing team. Is he Group 1?
A. Yes, provided his coaching is not his principal paid activity.
Q. May a paid rules adviser be Group 1?
A. Not necessarily as he is a coach: see the FAQs in this section.
Q. A sailor teaches basic navigation. Is he Group 1?
A. Yes, provided that he does not teach racing strategy or tactics in which
case he may be Group 3.
Q. A sailor is paid (directly or via a company) to take sailors on board a
boat while racing to teach them beginners' racing skills. Is he Group 1?
A. No. Racing is an integral part of what he is being paid to teach;
therefore he is being 'paid to race' and is Group 3.
ISAF Sailor Classification Code: http://tinyurl.com/ISAF-CODE-0111
ISAF Sailor Classification Code FAQS: http://tinyurl.com/CODE-FAQS-0111
FINANCIAL HURDLES MAY THIN THE HERD
(May 10, 2011) - The 34th America's Cup has 14 entries as of today, with
one of the undisclosed challenge entries filed by the March 31 deadline
being declined by the Golden Gate Yacht Club.
The process is now underway to vet the $200,000 Performance Bond
submissions, which were required of each team to post by April 30th. How
many of the 14 entrants have made this submission? "An announcement will be
made in due course about the teams which have successfully met the bond
requirements," explained Stephanie Martin, Chief Communications Officer for
the AC Event Authority. Here is the current count:
Defender - 1
Oracle Racing, Golden Gate Yacht Club (USA)
Challenger - 13
Aleph-Equipe de France, Aleph Yacht Club (FRA)
Artemis Racing, Kungliga Svenska Segal Sallskapet (SWE)
China Team, Mei Fan Yacht Club (CHN)
Emirates Team New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL)
Energy Challenge, Yacht Club de France (FRA)
Mascalzone Latino, Club Nautico di Roma (ITA)
Team Australia, Multihull Yacht Club of Queensland (AUS)
Venezia Challenge, Club Canottieri Roggero di Lauria (ITA)
White Tiger Challenge, Sail Korea Yacht Club (ROK)
An additional four challenge entries remain confirmed but unidentified.
There are more financial hurdles that may thin the herd. An additional
$100,000 Entry Fee is due by each team on June 1st. And for any team not
participating in the first event of the America's Cup World Series in
Cascais, Portugal on August 6-14, there is a forfeiture of $150,000 of
their Performance Bond. And to participate in the ACWS you need to have one
million dollars (plus GST) to buy an AC45. The four teams that have
purchased and are sailing their AC45s are:
Artemis Racing, Kungliga Svenska Segal Sallskapet (SWE)
China Team, Mei Fan Yacht Club (CHN)
Emirates Team New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL)
Oracle Racing, Golden Gate Yacht Club (USA)
Standing by for the next entry update. As Kenny Rogers said in his song
'The Gambler', "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em."
HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS?
The Marine Industry News category of the Scuttlebutt Forum was created so
companies could get guaranteed exposure by posting their own personnel,
product and service updates online. In addition to website traffic,
Scuttlebutt editors randomly select updates each week to include in the
Thursday edition of the Scuttlebutt newsletter.
Here is the link to post Industry News updates:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/industry_news
WEST MARINE-FREE SHIPPING EVENT, PLUS UP TO 30% SAVINGS
Starting Thursday, May 12, we have a double whopper for you. The first is
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15. Use coupon code SHIP at checkout. Second, we have a Gear-Up sales event
starting Thursday, May 12, where you can save up to 30% on almost 200 great
products. This sale event ends May 22. My advice, combine the Free-Shipping
offer and sale items before the Free Shipping offer expires. Heck, you know
you're going to place the order soon anyway. http://bit.ly/WMSale051211
A SHIFT WORTH AVOIDING
With the sailing season started in the Northern Hemisphere, or at least the
warmer season for the hearty frost biters, I suspect everyone is eager to
see strong participation in the sailing events they plan to attend. There
are a lot of variables that lead to strong participation, but I fear that
the days of 'if we build it, they will come' might be behind us. Motivating
people is more vital than ever.
On occasion I reminisce about communication, or at least, how communication
has changed. Before the Internet, fleet and class communication was by
letter and phone call. One provided a physical reminder and one provided an
active reminder. While both were costly in terms of time and/or money, they
had qualities that motivated people. With the Internet, we have made
communication so much easier, but I think, much less effective for
motivating people.
Our society has shifted from personal communication to passive
communication. If your mission is to get boats on the water, this might be
a shift worth avoiding. -- Craig Leweck, Scuttleblog:
http://sailingscuttlebutt.blogspot.com/2011/05/communication.html
THE MERITS OF BEING HOOKED ON
Admiral Henry Sturgis Morgan, Jr., an accomplished yachtsman born in 1942,
was still racing and coaching at the Naval Academy Offshore Sailing Team up
until a brief bout of pneumonia took his life on May 6, 2011. Morgan's
first Bermuda Race was in 1960, in command of his father's sloop Djinn in
one of the hardest blows in the race's history. Here's the story as told by
him in the race's history:
"By now it was pitch dark, overcast, and raining pretty hard, so the
visibility was zilch. At that point we were hit from the starboard (now
lee) side by what I now realize was a microburst. The effect was a 70-80
degree right shift and an increase in the wind to about 60. The boat was of
course hit flat aback and went right over on her port side. I know how far
over because we found weed in the top of the three sets of spreaders while
checking the rig in Bermuda.
"Since everybody but about three were hooked on the port (old weather)
side, they went under, as did I, hanging onto the wheel. The men on jib and
main sheets let them go; the boom came over and carried away the old
windward running backstay. Just about the time I got to wondering what in
hell to do next, she straightened up, courtesy of the released sheets and
18 tons of lead.
"The spreader lights were on, and I could see that there wasn't a soul left
on deck, whereas I knew there had been seven others when we tacked. That
was a bit of a thrill, but very shortly people started appearing over the
rail, swarming up their safety harness tethers. One man had a cracked rib
and was back under the counter, so we had to haul him up, but everybody was
back aboard in a couple of minutes. This was the best lesson in the merits
of everybody hooked on I've ever seen."
Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18 at St. Margaret's
Episcopal Church, 1601 Pleasant Plains Road, Annapolis, MD. Details:
http://tinyurl.com/BR-051011
EIGHT BELLS
James McAllister (85 years) died in the morning of May 9th in Florida after
a very short bout with cancer. He was born into the marine world as part of
the great McAllister Tug and Barge family of NY. James served Stamford
Yacht Club as Commodore in 1978-80, and had lived in Port Jefferson (NY),
Stamford (CT), and Canada.
He taught me all I know about the water and boats; winning was important
but bringing others into the sport was fun. James was the best: quiet,
confident, champion. The kids that sailed with us - our own kids and anyone
who wanted to try - learned to sail in a confident and quiet manner.
James sailed with Marvin Green on Nirvana during many record setting
events, and had a fine career as a Tug Boat Captain in New York, and
salvage operations in Canada. Perfectly partnered with Kathy Keane of
Oakville Canada, he is survived by Kathy, four children and four
grandchildren.
A friend to everyone, the handsome Jack Nicholson look alike managed to
please and inspire people wherever he went. Your many friends will remember
a rich and warm relationship forever. -- Wendell Smith
DON'T MISS OUT ON THE LASERPERFORMANCE EVENT BOATS!
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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 Angelo Lavranos:
Just to add a bit to your piece (in Scuttlebutt 3338) on the origin of the
word "Corinthian" in yachting. I think the key idea is not the robustness
of the "Guys & Gals" but that they were amateurs.
Corinth, the city-state in Ancient Greece, was a leading maritime power (as
was Athens). The triremes were sponsored by private individuals or groups
of individuals, and manned by them without pay. The whole navy enterprise
was "amateur", although to be sure there had to be wealthy individuals
involved.
Triremes were a very sophisticated bit of kit, and were "drysailed" (stored
in sheds). Their planks were interlocked with key shaped mortices, and
being such long, thin, light structures had to be post tensioned with rope
cables from end to end. They could do 16 knots. People gained great honour
& status by funding and campaigning these ships.
* From Will Crump:
For the origins of the word "Corinthian" in regards to sports, you should
point your research to the Corinthian Football Club.
For brevity's sake the wikepedia entry is below, but there are loads of
books on the subject.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corinthian_F.C.
Sailing may be the only sport continuing to use the term, but sailing was
likely not the sport to attach the phrase "Corinthian" to amateur status or
virtues of self-policing and honor.
* From John N. Sweeney:
Regarding the ISAF Code for classifying race organizers and officials, it's
shocking how far off base the answers to these two FAQs are (in Scuttlebutt
3338).
In the first example, the knowledge that a race organizer or official
brings to a boat absolutely enhances her performance. But that isn't the
qualifying issue. The issue is whether or not that person is paid to be
onboard. And in the second example, whether Group 1 or 3, a person who
engages in paid work on a boat (design, rating optimization, etc.) should
never be eligible to measure her for a certificate.
Were these Q&A's drawn at random or with the intent of eliciting reaction?
If these are exemplary of ISAF guidance it's no wonder there is great
confusion and frustration in the classification system.
* From Mario Sampaio:
The Star class boat does not at all need the Olympics to continue to be the
most exciting and sought after one design keel boat... for serious sailors
only! The International Star Class Yacht Racing Association (ISCYRA) is and
has been THE one design sailing class 'par excellence', but this move says
a lot about ISAF (in parallel to several other related comments I will
refrain from making at this point).
Not to recognize its sheer modernity, (yes, at almost one hundred years old
the Star class boat still is a lot more modern than a Laser, a 470 or a
Finn) or how exhilarating it is to sail, or how complex and sophisticated
it is to trim and to fine tune. And how the class keeps attracting the very
top stars of sailing... and how the fleets are so amazingly competitive...
and have been for almost a century!
To ignore its heritage, and especially when the pedigree of that heritage
is of the rare type of the Star class boat, is a sad sign that shows how
ISAF ignores sailing's history; and it proves to all of us that the only
'antiques' ISAF has opted for keeping are in their meeting and conference
rooms.
ISAF has simply missed a huge opportunity to show off the Star class as a
significant and relevant part of our sailing heritage.
NOTE: A reminder that the selection of the Olympic events is done by the
ISAF Council, which is comprised of the President and seven
Vice-Presidents, along with other members of the Executive Committee (two
Presidents of Honour and a Treasurer - all non-voting). There are also 29
appointed members who represent each of the regional groups of sailing
nations, and representatives of the Oceanic and Offshore Committee, the
ISAF Classes Committee, the Women's Forum and the Athlete's Commission
(non-voting).
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
The reason elected officials try so hard to get re-elected is that they
would hate to have to make a living under the laws they've passed.
SPONSORS THIS WEEK
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