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SCUTTLEBUTT 2861 - Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Scuttlebutt 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.
Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt
Today's sponsors are Camet, North Sails, and J Boats.
QUANTUM WOMEN'S SAILOR OF THE YEAR
By Rachel Johnstone, Sailing World
After finishing 18th in one early race of the InterCollegiate Sailing
Association Women's Championship, Yale senior Jane Macky and crew Marla
Menninger recalibrated their focus. "We looked at each other and were like,
'OK, let's go out and win this next race,'" she says. "It was really windy and
all day we hadn't truly turned our game on 100-percent. We had everything
ready to go and off the start we blew away from the fleet, hiked our asses
off, and were beating all these bigger girls that had been beating us all
day."
And so it was in this fashion that Yale senior and women's Bulldog A-division
skipper Jane Macky ripped it up in the remaining races of the Women's
Championship in San Francisco. Sheer determination and love of sailing earned
the New Zealand native an impressive first place in A division and Yale's
ultimate victory. The outstanding performance also sealed the two-time
All-American's fate as the Quantum Female Sailor of the Year.
SW: Being from New Zealand, what made you decide to come to the United States?
JANE MACKY: “I had heard about college sailing while in Canada for the Cork
Regatta when I was 16. I think that's the way to do university and sailing at
the same time, which isn't as easy to do in New Zealand. Back at home, if you
want to be serious about sailing you give up university and train for the
Olympics straightaway. So college sailing really sparked my interest and
sounded like a lot of fun. When I got in to Yale, I was like, ‘Well I have to
go now!’" -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/SW-6-8-09
YOUTH COACHING - HAS IT GONE TOO FAR?
It would be hard to imagine competing in a regatta and winning 7 out of 12
races… particularly a major championship. It would even harder to imagine
having that score line and not winning the event too. However, that was how
the U.S. Optimist Team Trials went for Bradley Adam, finishing 8th in an event
used to qualify which Optimist sailors would be sent to major events around
the world during the current season.
Inconsistency plagued his event (5-1-1-26-1-30-1-1-25-1-40-1), but Bradley
receives high marks for improving from 43rd the year before. As Bradley notes,
“My Dad runs a bunch of Opti clinics throughout the year and he has provided
much of my coaching since day one. We started sailing each weekend from the
first weekend in March through team trials. It is a small group of 8-10
sailors who are really good and help push one another to the limits. Sometimes
my sister Grace and I would go sailing after school without a coach for a few
hours. I go to a lot of Opti regattas without a coach and this helps in our
preparation. Neither Grace or I had a coach at Team Trials.”
While it was revealing to learn that Bradley did not have a coach at the Team
Trials, it was even more revealing to learn what some of the coaches were
doing. When asked about what happened in some of the races he didn’t win,
Bradley remarked, “Wind Shifts!!! I was on the wrong side of them. I found it
a little bit discouraging that some kids had coaches upwind and radioed back
to the starting line what the breeze was doing at the windward mark.”
What…coaches at the top of the course providing weather information?
Scuttlebutt eagerly awaits comments as to the prevalence of this practice at
the youth level, AND if anything is being done to manage it. Post comments
here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2009/06/youth-coaching.html
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SNAKES AND LADDERS
(June 8, 2009; Day 3) - After the thrilling ride from Galway, the breeze has
dropped and the fleet now faces the challenges of the English Channel; tides,
currents and shipping. A neck and neck battle between Telefónica Black and
Green Dragon has developed as both teams continue to test their knowledge of
this difficult region.
In the approach to the Scilly Isles, on the southwestern tip of the Cornwall
peninsula, Telefónica Black had taken the lead when her choice to stay south
of Bishop Rock on the Scilly Islands paid off. “Green Dragon did the same and
was actually 17nm ahead of us. After the Scilly Isles, Green Dragon went more
north and we stayed south. When we met later in the day, we were ahead of
them. What a surprise,” wrote a very happy navigator Roger Nilson.
As Telefónica Black and Green Dragon continued to head south towards France,
the rest of the fleet followed. Green Dragon, still duelling with Telefónica
Black, showed their superior knowledge of this area by nipping through the
Alderney Race with a foul tide -- not something to take on lightly. -- Read
on: http://tinyurl.com/VOR-6-8-09
* VOLVO OCEAN RACE: Began in Alicante, Spain on Oct. 4, 2008, crewed around
the world race in VO 70’s, with ten distance legs and seven In-Port races.
Finish is in St Petersburg, Russia on June 27th. Leg 8 from Galway to
Marstrand, Sweden (950 miles) started on Saturday, June 6th and is expected to
finish by June 10th. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.org/schedule/
Current positions (as of June 8, 22:00 GMT):
1. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 633 nm Distance to Finish
2. Telefonica Black (ESP), Fernando Echavarri/ESP, 1 nm Distance to Leader
3. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 3 nm DTL
4. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 3 nm
5. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Magnus Olsson/SWE, 8 nm DTL
6. Delta Lloyd (IRL), Roberto Bermudez/ESP, 13 nm
7. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 14 nm
Team Russia (RUS), Andreas Hanakamp/AUT, Did Not Start
Event website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org
Race tracking: http://volvooceanrace.geovoile.com
Overall scores: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/#tab4
DOES THE BEST WORK-OUT EXIST?
By Harry Legum of Annapolis Sailing Fitness
In all of the fitness tips that I have written and with all of the feedback
that I have received, I still find athletes looking for the one magic
exercise, the key workout that will be the end all. It doesn’t exist!
An overall approach to one’s health and wellbeing is what’s needed to properly
benefit each sailor. What one exercise may do for you could have contrary
effect on the next person. We all have such a unique physical makeup with its
ups and downs, that creativity, diversity and balance must be applied. Medical
considerations, proper nutrition, core, functional movement, integrative
exercises, all must factor into the regime.
This is all possible and attainable yet the one common ingredient is movement.
If you are not currently working out and looking to improve performance… do
something, anything within reason. Go for a walk. At the very least it will
make you feel good and hopefully give you a brighter outlook.
One of the best readings that I have found just came out regarding health and
fitness. Its by big wave surfer Laird Hamilton called “Force of Nature”. I
know, this isn’t geared towards sailing but whoever thought that weightlifting
would be as popular with sailors as it is now. Get this book and devour it. At
the same time, go get yourself a stand up paddle board. It will challenge the
heck out of you and help with balance, core and give an overall great workout.
-- http://tinyurl.com/NS-6-8-09
WHO WILL WIN THE TRANSPAC BET?
By Lynn Fitzpatrick
The bet is on again between Philippe Kahn and Dave Ullman. Once again, it’s
for a pittance. It certainly won’t affect either’s net worth. It will,
however, give one of them bragging rights on Tranpac Row in Honolulu and some
more acclaim among the international fraternity of sailors. When they meet in
Hawaii sometime during the first half of July, they’ll shake hands and one
will reach into his pocket and turn over a soggy dollar bill to the other. The
bet? Whose boat will have the shortest elapsed time during Transpac ’09?
Their last $1 bet was over the 2008 Pacific Cup. Ullman sailed the fully
crewed Santa Cruz 70, Holua, and Kahn double-handed his Open 50, Pegasus 50,
with Richard Clarke. Kahn pocketed the $1 in 2008. Not only did Pegasus 50
beat Holua boat for boat, but Kahn and Clarke set a double-handed record of
7:15:17:50. Theirs was the fastest elapsed time among the entire 61-boat
fleet. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/TP-6-8-09
DEAR ‘OLD’ DAD
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Gear has a great selection of DVDs (including the soon-to-be-released Disney
movie, ‘Morning Light’), new Regatta Cap colors and a great selection of PUMA
Volvo Ocean Race gear that hip Dads all over the world will love! Hurry -
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Just mention ‘Dear Old Dad’ in the comments box during check-out and shipping
charges will be deducted. When Dad matters, head North:
http://www.northsailsgear.com
* North Sails has developed an online Q&A where you can submit questions. Ever
wonder about mildew in your sails? Here is the info:
http://tinyurl.com/NSQA-6-8-09
SLOW ROAD TO NEWPORT
For the fleet of 60 boats that started the 2009 Annapolis to Newport Race on
Friday, June 5th, as of 17:20 on Monday only twelve had finished the 473
nautical miles from Annapolis to Castle Hill Light House at the entrance to
the East Passage of Narragansett Bay. While George David’s 91’ maxi Rambler
finished at 09:16 on Sunday - a little less than 2 hours off the record pace
for the race - it took over 12 hours before Bella Pita, a Tripp 75-footer
owned by Jim Grundy, became the second finisher. Rambler’s win of IRC 1 was
secure when Michael Brennan’s R/P 45 Sjambok crossed the line over 18 hours
later as the fifth boat in, earning second in class. Along with IRC 1, the
results for PHRF 1 are also complete, with James P. Muldoon’s 72-foot
Donnybrook securing the title with their early Monday morning finish. -- Race
website: http://v009u07qap.maximumasp.com/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=46
* Many of the boats in the Annapolis to Newport Race will be sticking around
for the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) 155th Annual Regatta presented by Rolex on
June 12-14. Entries for this, the longest-running regatta in America, have
topped 100 boats, with almost half of the fleet racing IRC along with
One-Designs, Classics, 12 Metres, 6 Metres and PHRF. -- Details:
http://www.nyyc.org/home/article_503
“HOW TECHNICAL DO YOU WANT?”
By Chris Caswell, Sailing magazine
My wife slid out of her chair, clutching her sides and gasping for air. No, I
didn’t think I should call 911. I was actually thinking about saying something
caustic to her, because she wasn’t having a seizure and wasn’t about to die.
She was in the throes of uncontrollable, hysterical laughter. I was trying on
my 100th pair of sunglasses and it only took one look to put her into this
convulsive state. “You look….,” she said, before relapsing into laughter. “You
look…,” she tried again. “Just like Ben Franklin, right after the kite thing.
No, wait, you’re David Crosby before the new kidney and after a bad night.”
Like so many things, it started innocently. I sat on my favorite pair of
sunglasses. These were from the Blues Brothers era, I think, although
youngsters assumed that I was copying Men in Black. Either way, they were
largish, very dark and very comfortable. Most important was that they gave
these sailors’ eyes a break from glare. We were in one of those super sporting
goods stores, where there were about a zillion choices in sunglasses. She had
settled into a chair while I approached the counter. I asked where the
polarized lenses were and the clerk asked, “How technical do you want?”
I must have looked puzzled, because she attempted to educate an imbecile: “You
know, do you want vents, side panels, automatic lenses, colors for skiing or
bass fishing, polycarb or nylon, anti-fog, spring hinges?” Most of my
experience shopping for sunglasses was at a corner drugstore, on a wire rack
where the most expensive shades were 10 bucks. These ran into the hundreds. --
Read on: http://tinyurl.com/cfyzlc
SAILING SHORTS
* Rye, NY (June 8, 2009) - Marc Leblanc (Houma. LA) and crew Alex Streb
(Fuquay Varina, NC) and Tim Angle (Winthrop, MA) sailed away with the honors
in the first annual Robie Pierce One-Design Regatta presented by Heineken,
sailed June 6-7 out of American Yacht (Rye, NY) and co-hosted by Larchmont
Yacht Club. Twenty disabled teams and two teams of blind sailors from 14
states, the District of Columbia and Canada, competed in the inaugural event,
named for disabled sailing trailblazer Robie Pierce (Newport, RI). -- Read on:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7644#7644
* Long Beach, CA (June 7, 2009) - Chris Nesbitt and his team from Balboa Yacht
Club Sunday won the 2009 Butler Cup, an ISAF Grade 5 match race hosted by Long
Beach Yacht Club, in dominating fashion with only one loss through the 10-race
double round robins. By winning, Nesbitt’s team qualifies for the Ficker Cup
next weekend, which is the local qualifier for the ISAF Grade 1 Congressional
Cup match race series. -- Complete report:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7643
* The Small Business Administration (SBA) yesterday announced a new pilot
programme that will offer government guaranteed loans to finance inventory for
eligible boat dealerships. The programme, called "SBA Dealer FloorPlan loans
or DFP loans," will begin July 1. -- IBI Magazine, read on:
http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090429160323ibinews.html
* Trinity Marine Group has acquired Quality Yacht Services and adjoining
property in Tiverton, Rhode Island, for US$8.6m. Trinity Marine chairman Keith
Laker said he intends to invest another US$5m to turn the property into a
superyacht marina that can accommodate vessels up to 300 feet. The marina is
expected to accommodate 70 vessels when it is complete in the fall. The
facility will be called Trinity Marina. -- IBI Magazine, full story:
http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090427161516ibinews.html
* France’s luxury yacht makers are riding out the recession in bankruptcy
protection, irking European peers who say their state-sanctioned refuge skews
competition. Rodriguez Group, which built convicted conman Bernard Madoff’s
vessel “Bull,” and Poncin Yachts SA have been using France’s liberal
bankruptcy laws to stave off creditors and delay debt payments. Couach SA is
in administration. The three companies are among France’s four publicly traded
yacht makers and build boats that can cost as much as $40 million. --
Bloomberg, read on:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_en&sid=aFAHIujPEPFg
* The World Sailing Speed Record Council announced the ratification of a new
Singlehanded Monohull Mediterranean crossing record (Marseilles, France to
Carthage, Tunisia). On June 2-4, Kito de Pavant (FRA) sailed the Open 60
‘Group Bel’ for an elapsed time of 45 hours 20 minutes and 29 seconds (average
speed of 10.1 knots). The previous record by Michel Kleinjans (BEL) on
"Roaring Forty" in March 2008 (01:21:24:00) now becomes the 40ft category
record. -- http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/
* Paul Cayard will be the keynote speaker at the first West Marine/ Challenged
America Regatta, June 12-13, 2009 in San Diego to support sailors with
disabilities in the San Diego-based Challenged America program. Cayard will be
speaking on Friday, June 12 at the event's dinner and auction, following the
fun race of San Diego commodores competing in Martin 16s. To hear Paul speak,
make reservations for the dinner or to enter the regatta, visit
http://www.WMCAregatta.com or contact Challenged America at (619) 523-9318 or
mailto:Ahoy@ChallengedAmerica.org
* Sailors were the recipients of many of the top honours at the 13th Annual
IKON Sport Nova Scotia Awards Banquet held on Saturday June 6, 2009. Canadian
Yachting Associaiton National Team Coach, Brian Todd was recognized with the
Sport Nova Scotia Chair Award. Paul Tingley, Canadian Sailing Team member and
his coach Craig Guthrie were named Male Athlete of the Year and Coach of the
Year respectively. --
http://www.nsya.ns.ca/news/105/Sailors_Win_Big_At_Sport_NS_Awards_Banquet
ANOTHER WINNING SEASON UNDERWAY FOR THE J/122
It’s only June and J/122s from Australia, France, UK, and USA have already won
at Antigua, Charleston, Finistere, Sydney and Warsash. Another is
single-handing across the Atlantic in the OSTAR race, while the US fleet gears
up for the North Americans at Block Island. The J/122 is for cruise, race or
just plain fun! -- http://www.jboats.com/j122
AGREE OR DISAGREE?
How many high school sailors does it take to change a light bulb?
Three. One to change the bulb, one to be a witness, and one to file the
protest.
How many Finn sailors does it take to change a light bulb?
Four. One to hold the bulb and three to rotate the ladder.
How many Star sailors does it take to change a light bulb?
115. One to hold the bulb and 114 to rotate the house.
How many Force 5 sailors does it take to change a light bulb?
Irrelevant. There aren't any Force 5 sailors left. They all burned their boats
and bought Lasers.
How many Sunfish sailors does it take to change a light bulb?
None. The class rules don't allow the light bulb to be changed.
How many Moth sailors does it take to change a light bulb?
Meaningless question. The light bulb was eliminated to save weight.
How many Laser sailors does it take to change a light bulb?
None. Laser sailors aren't afraid of the dark.
>>> Post your comments here: http://tinyurl.com/Tillerman-6-8-09
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at
you rapidly.
Special thanks to Camet, North Sails, and J Boats.
Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
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