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SCUTTLEBUTT 2192 – October 2, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt brought to you by UBS (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). TARGET PRACTICE ON THE GREAT LAKES The U.S. Coast Guard wants to establish 34 "permanent safety zones" on the five Great Lakes so its crews can practice firing "machine guns, rifles and 9mm guns, according to numerous press accounts. The Guard says its crews need to train for combating terrorists and intercepting smugglers. The proposed zones have upset ferry boat owners, fishing enthusiasts, sailors and environmentalists -- most of whom missed the Guard's Aug. 1 call for public comment, published in the Federal Register. Congressional concerns from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio forced the Guard to extend the comment period to November 13th. The zones include areas near shore lines and where public ferries cross the waters. Initially Cmdr. Gustav Wulfkuhle of the Guard's 9th District told the Detroit Free Press there were no plans to extend the comment period or hold public hearings. - by Thom Burns, Sailing Breezes. Read on for the full story, which includes a mailing address for your letters if you desire to question the safety and environmental issues of the Coast Guard’s proposal: http://tinyurl.com/p2hx3 WINNING HABITS (Coach and author Andrew Kerr provides in Sailing World his 27-point list for creating winning habits) The most expeditious way to prepare as a team and to attain the consistency that is so often spoken of by top teams is to develop a pre-race routine and apply it to every race. Each team's routine will be different, but the goal is to make it a habit; once you've done that you're on your way to better, more consistent results. Much of a pre-race routine involves the essential basics, but trust me, from many years of instructing and coaching I can tell you that it's these basics that are regularly put aside in favor of more sophisticated and overly technical distractions. I've come up with a working list, which I know you'll find useful as well. - Full story: http://www.sailingworld.com/article.jsp?ID=44295&typeID=402&catID=596 SEASON ENDING DEBRIEF (On ‘The Skips Blog,’ Todd Gallant chronicles the races of the J24 ‘Gray Jay ’ and his experiences along the way. Here he evaluates the lessons learned following his second season racing her) It finally hit me that there is only one more race left in the season. So naturally I began to look back at the season and evaluate how successful a season it was. From a standings point of view it sucked... We were killed again and again and again. True...Last year we had better overall standings, but I am looking at this year as an overall building year. A regular crew is now established and working well together, we made huge changes to the deck layout and revolving crew, and we tried to sort out what our speed issues were. It was a year for large changes and experimentations. For this reason I am not going to get hung up on the standings. I know it takes time to build a fast and quality boat and crew and I definitely thing we are moving in all the right directions to be at the top of the fleet at some point in the near future. Surfing around there were some other sites with threads of top things people have learned this year. The one that really stood out in my mind was Learn something new each time you get on the water, and teach it to everyone else. This person went on to say that on their boat it is not uncommon to have an impromptu seminar on the way out or at dock. I think this is an excellent way to have everyone on-board on the same page. So in that spirit here are 10 things I have learned this season! - Read on for the list: http://tinyurl.com/mszqh FANTASTIC BIG BOAT SERIES RESULTS Ockam Instruments would like to congratulate Robert Youngjohns and the crew of his DK46 ‘Zephyra’ and to Phil Lotz and the crew of his J/105 ‘Indefatigable’ for their great results at the 2006 Rolex Big Boat Series. What do these well-sailed yachts have in common? Ockam Instruments’ superior Tryad processing, the new Matryx II display technology & Lynx wireless control for that distinct competitive advantage. We have instrument solutions for everyone! For more information, contact mailto:sales@ockam.com - Check out our display in the Pyacht.com booth X-5 at the US Boat Show in Annapolis. MEETING THE MARKET When the 12 boats competing for the America's Cup in Valencia, Spain, take to the water next year, the lineup will feature a first--a team representing China will participate, marking a new era in the race's 150-year history. The China boat will feature another first. It will be sponsored by Lladró, the Valencia-based collectibles company known for its steeply-priced porcelain figurines, which often depict frolicking children and dreamy, fair-skinned maidens. The China team, led by America's Cup veteran Chaoyong Wang, has a sponsorship budget of €15 million (approx $19 million), divided between three sponsors. Lladró's participation has afforded it a unique branding opportunity. But it isn't worldwide exposure Lladró is looking for. It has a more targeted audience in its sights: the exploding luxury market in China. - Lauren Sherman, Forbes.com, full story: http://tinyurl.com/n6gt5 SKIRTS OFF IN APRIL (The following excerpts are from a story called “Taking up the challenge” on the official America’s Cup website) “The trick with this (America’s Cup) game is that everybody is moving and everybody has slightly different priorities and changes,” says Grant Simmer, the Managing Director and Design Coordinator for Alinghi. “It’s always hard to gauge your performance and so the fleet race next year (Louis Vuitton Act 13 in April) will be interesting for us…it will be a read of sorts on how prepared we really are.” Among his many tasks at Alinghi, Simmer keeps an eye on the new boats raced by the challengers to date, and he’ll be watching closely when the challengers take to the water in new boats in the spring. His job, as for all design aficionados in this Cup, is made easier by the unveiling day of April 1st. That’s when all the canvas hiding the hulls from prying eyes must be dropped and the undersides of the boats must remain exposed until the end of the America’s Cup Match. It’s the earliest in the competition that this has happened in recent memory. “The skirts come off in April, so you’ll see what everyone has done. Typically there haven’t been huge gains through appendage packages, but in April we’re all going to see, and people will likely react to what they see a little bit. It’s late, but there is still time to react to that a bit.” If the keel, bulb and winglets aren’t where the gains are going to come from, what should we be looking at? “Hull shapes, the hull is still a huge component of the total drag of the boat and we’ve seen some developments there,” Simmer says. “The first New Zealand boat (NZL 84) is quite a radical boat: narrow, slab-sided, an unusual bow…it’s an unusual boat and yet it won the last regatta, so clearly it is fast. I think the hull shapes in the second boats of the top teams will be interesting to see as they come out over the next couple of months.” - Full story: http://tinyurl.com/pdf2o STAR WORLDS October 1, 2006 - San Francisco, CA - After being postponed for 90 minutes due to no wind, the first start gun sounded just after 1:30pm. The westerly breeze proved very shifty all afternoon, ranging from as much as 13 knots to as little as 5, with the pressure spread out all over the course. Racing began in an ebb, turning to a flood late afternoon. Hamish Pepper and crew Carl Williams (New Zealand) took the first win of the 6-day series with seeming ease, with Andy Horton and Brad Nichol (USA) in second place. Like many, British team of Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell took their day in stride, “It wasn’t so flash,” said Percy, “We went the wrong way as the left on the first beat was the killer - we had a 30 degree windshift. We were in good company though.” That company included favorites Fredrik Loof and Anders Ekstrom (Sweden). Admitted Ekstrom, “It was a hard day for us, we didn’t do too well. Off the start we went left which wasn’t good. It’s just one race though – we have still have 5 to go.” Other American teams placing in the upper ranks today include William Fields and Richard Burgess in 8th, Jim Buckingham and Mike Dorgan in 13th, and Foss Miller and Greg Newall sitting in 16th. - Michelle E. Slade, Slade Communications, complete results: http://www.stfyc.com BEHIND THE SCENES (Here’s an excerpt from a report by Andy Horton/ Brad Nichol, one of the leading Star boat teams in the US) As many of you know since China (Pre-Olympic regatta), we have been preparing for our next big adventure, the 2006 Star World Championships. The Star Worlds is considered by many to be the pinnacle of yacht racing with the list of champions reading like the Sailing Hall of Fame. This year the world’s best sailors will be tested on San Francisco Bay, some of the most difficult racing conditions anywhere. With winds typically in excess of 20 knots, strong currents, short steep waves, and icy cold waters, it makes sense that the world’s most feared prison, Alcatraz, sits in the center of the bay. We have done our homework and feel confident that we are prepared for the challenge. In early September we spent a week dialing in our big breeze sailing with the help of our coach, James Lyne, and Olympic Silver Medalist, Mike Wolfs. After a short break back in Valencia and Miami, we arrived on the scene in San Francisco a week early to fine tune in the conditions and get our equipment in order. Of course there were issues - like our boat not arriving in time from China - but thanks to the generosity of James Spithill, we have a great boat to sail. In the last few days we have split our time between working with our coach to improve our technique and participating in practice racing with the top sailors in the fleet. We have been finishing high in the practice races and we are ready to be in the top pack each day next week. Even with all this work every day, we come home and have a long debrief with our coach. We watch video of ourselves and our competitors to learn what we can about our technique and to bring ourselves to a higher level each day. - http://www.hortonnichol2008.com HEADED TO THE ANNAPOLIS SAILBOAT SHOW? Onne van der Wal’s Gallery of nautical photography will be in Tent A, and Fawcett Boat Supplies has added Onne’s photography to their inventory. Catch Onne at Fawcett’s for a book/ poster signing on Saturday, or visit online where Scuttlebutt readers always get 10% off! (mention SCUTTLEBUTT in your order) http://www.vanderwal.com SAILING SHORTS * Team One Newport, the popular chandlery in Newport, RI and online (and Scuttlebutt advertiser), had an errant car driver crash into their storefront late Thursday evening of last week. Driver is fine and the store remains open, with Scuttlebutt photographer Matthew Cohen on hand moments after the incident to provide these images of the mess: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/06/0929 * US Sailing is currently accepting nominations for its Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards, considered the highest individual sailing honors in the country. Through November 30, 2006, US Sailing members can nominate the male and female sailors who they think have turned in the most outstanding performances on the water in this calendar year. Details at http://www.ussailing.org/awards/rolex * Attendees at the US Sailboat Show on Saturday October 7th, 2006, are invited to join the team from the Bitter End Yacht Club for some snacks and "Penfolds" tropical cheer, at BEYC's booth (Booth D-21) from 5 pm to 7 pm. Join BEYC's General Manager Mikhail Shamkin, Director of Group Sales and Special Events John Glynn, and On Site Sales/Marketing Manager Erik Stacy, where they will have information on, amongst other things, the 20th Anniversary Pro Am Regatta (title-sponsored by vineyard vines), and the 5th Annual Musto Scuttlebutt Sailing Club Championships will be available. - http://www.beyc.com * Outstanding sailors who earned their sea legs on the Barnegat Bay, NJ had their names entered into the Barnegat Bay Sailing Hall of Fame on Saturday, September 30th. The 2006 inductees are Betsy Alison, Bill Campbell, Jim Carson, Peter Commette, Jody Lutz, Buzz Reynolds, and Alicemay Weber-Wright. Posthumous awards will be awarded to Slade Dale, Charles Mower, and Edwin J. Schoettle. - Ashbury Park Press, full story: http://tinyurl.com/p65bw * (Palamos, Spain) Starting the Finn only 18 months ago, the Team Skandia GBR sailor Ed Wright has completed his rocket debut in the class by becoming the new Finn European Champion. This year Wright has won the French Olympic Week in Hyères, place 2nd in the Holland regatta and 3rd in the Finn Gold Cup in Split! Countryman Mark Andrews won the Finn Junior European title, with top North American entrant Chris Cook (CAN) finishing in 11th place. Full results: http://www.cvpalamos.org/finneuropean * An early start at the Jeju Laser World Masters Championships in Jeju, Korea rewarded the fleet with a sparkling last day's sailing in 16-18 knot winds and great surfing waves. Apprentice (35-44 years) Brett Beyer (AUS) continued his impressive run to take the overall Standard rig prize with a race to spare. In the Radial rig fleet, Steve Cockerill (GBR) had to fight his way through the fleet in his races to take the overall prize. Top lady master Christine Bridge (AUS) finished fifth overall, one place ahead of great grand master (over 65) Peter Seidenberg (USA). Full results: http://www.laserinternational.org/W2006/Results/results_index.htm * Details have been released by Dean & Reddyhoff, the developers and operators of the new 600 berth fully serviced marina at Portland, which is to be the venue for the sailing events of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Photos and details at Sail World: http://tinyurl.com/oozuf * If you wish your crew (or you) could better identify the parts of a mainsail, here is a short, eight question quiz to use as a learning tool for beginning sailors who are familiarizing themselves with the many components of a sailboat. - http://tinyurl.com/oamym CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or space (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, there are no word or frequency limits on comments sent to the Scuttlebutt Forums. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Kevin Wilson: (for Scuttlebutt e-Newsletter subscribers who have delivery problems) Comcast customers can set up their email with a folder to show screened email. Scuttlebutt has, indeed, starting showing up in that folder rather than the inbox where it always landed before. If using web access to the email account, the recipient has the option of "teaching" the system by clicking a button that says "this is not spam." I've done that...if it doesn't work, I'll let you know. I've also used the link provided here to tell them about the situation. * From Nancy Noyes: As Communications Chair of Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis, I share your pain -- we also are being blocked by Comcast on an ongoing basis. I hope your experience is not as bad as ours. We find this problem recurring 2-3 times per week and now will have to move our mail server. Boy, do we hate spam. And spammers. They take the fun out of everything. * From Derek Bouwer, Commodore, Algoa Bay YC, South Africa: Could you please let me know how the yacht clubs affected by hurricane Katrina are faring? I hope they are back on their feet. Although on the tip of South Africa, we are all yachties, and we heard of the destruction but would like to hear how they are getting on Curmudgeon’s Comments: We will gladly print any updates submitted. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Retirees don’t mind being called ‘Seniors’ because the term comes with a 10% percent discount. Special thanks to Ockam Instruments and Onne van der Wal Gallery. America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt is brought to you by UBS. |
