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SCUTTLEBUTT #480 - January 12, 2000SPEED SAILINGThree of the most renowned minds in sailing have been gathered into a team headed by Hawaiian sailor Mark Ott to develop and build "Volantis" a 60' foiler trimaran to a design by Nigel Irens. The team consists of Irens, Hydrofoil specialist Dr. Sam Bradfield and Solid Airfoil expert David Hubbard as well as Ott and international businessman Manny Menendez who will oversee the business side of the project from the company headquarters in Honolulu. The boat is intended for ocean racing, speed records and technology development. It will be built entirely of composites and will feature the latest advances in Hydrofoil technology and will be powered by a Solid Air Foil rather than the traditional mast and "soft" sails. The solid airfoil will be operated by sophisticated computers which will constantly optimize the wing shape in much the same way as the extending elevator sections of modern aircraft wings. Phase one of the program is underway and the team have completed a 1/32 scale model of the boat for study purposes as well as a 20 ft. scaled prototype which has recently been launched and is currently undergoing on the water testing which will allow the team to optimize the wingsail and foils prior to Phase two of the program which will see the construction of the 60' boat. -- Duff Sigurdson MTN CAPE TO RIO RACE Zephyrus IV covered a record distance of 371 nautical miles with an average speed of 15.48 knots in the MTN Cape to Rio. Although there is no official records on distance covered in a 24-hour period, race organiser Eric Wells, said no other yacht has managed to cover more than 330 nm a day. Zephyrus IV is now in a good position to overtake her main rival, the other American maxi Sagamore. Sagamore covered 321nm, averaging a speed of 13.40 knots. -- Eben Human Full story: http://www.capetorio.com
INVESTMENT ADVICE
LVC - A FRIENDLY COMPETITION BETWEEN NATIONS
It was a heavy load day at the Louis Vuitton Cup today. The wind on the
Hauraki Gulf was strong, but perhaps a bigger factor was the swell. The
seas were over one metre, and the boats were slamming through and over the
waves. The sky was dark, and the grey clouds added a sinister touch to the
scene. The heavy loads created some problems for the Challengers, the
matches were delayed to allow Luna Rossa to replace its mainsail after
broken battens tore the fabric, and Asura needed to repair a winch and then
mainsail battens before racing.
NEXT SCHEDULED RACES: Team Dennis Conner / AmericaOne America True / Le Defi BTT Nippon / Prada QUOTE / UNQUOTE Peter Gilmour, on whether he has been asked to head the next Nippon Challenge: "That's not true. Nippon Challenge has a long horizon in its approach to the America's Cup. I think Mr Yamasaki has done a fine job over his three campaigns so far to pull together the team and the financial resources required to put together Japan's best effort at the America's Cup. Knowing him well, as a good friend, and as a leader of our team, I think he will once again in a few weeks' time pick himself up off the floor and start putting the pieces back together again. I must say I would be both delighted and proud if he turned around and asked me to be involved again." Paul Cayard, skipper of AmericaOne on whether he will race tomorrow: "Well we've been discussing it and I think basically we came here to race. We feel that every time we do, we learn a lot and certainly getting pushed by Peter and his team today and the other race we had in the Semi-Finals was very helpful and valuable to us. . . . The management decision is just about the weather. I would hate to come back with a stump instead of a mast. That wouldn't be too prudent for me. I don't have six masts racked up on the side of my shed. But, basically we came here to race and we don't have any preference on who we race in the finals. I think either Stars & Stripes or Prada will be very hard to beat; each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses. We'll make the final call in the morning." LVC website: http://www.louisvuittoncup.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude personal attacks. But only one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree. -- From Peter Wells -- I am in complete shock after reading that the AYF made a subjective decision not to send the clear winners of their 49er Olympic Trials to the Games. Adam Beashel and Teague Czislowski convincingly won their three race selection trials. In doing so they took down the three time 49er world champion and became the #1 ranked 49er team in the world in the process. They could not possibly have done more than that to show that they are the best 49er team in Australia, if not the world. The only regatta of the three which they did not win was a joke. The 49er course at the Sydney International Regatta was complete mayhem. Many of the races in the 4 day event were thrown out due to race committee error and mass confusion reigned on the course. On the final day Adam and Teague were hit by another 49er in a separate fleet, taking them out of the racing. Even so, they won the trials that the AYF designed. The AYF should be embarrassed by making such a decision and stripping the ! winners of their right to go to the Olympics. Anyone who has done an Olympic campaign knows the financial and personal sacrifices that are made. Adam and Teague had the toughest assignment of any 49er sailor in the world, to beat the 3-time world champion. They did so convincingly and the Australian Yachting Federation is congratulating them by sending the second place finisher. -- From Lowell North -- My hat is off to Gary Jobson and ESPN. Yesterdays race between America One and Prada was by far the most exciting thing I have ever watched on Television. Maybe even the most exciting thing I have ever watched. I would like very much to get ahold of the feed from the helicoptors of that last run. Maybe a video showing the best parts of the race. I think a lot of people would pay money for that and ESPN should make a re'run of this race for sure. Could the volume of the voices on the boats be turned up for this? The refs did an amazing job. The word is spreading and I think ESPN will be amazed at the number of people watching these races at all times of the night. -- From Chris Welsh -- Today's AmericaOne/Prada race was a thrill, and fascinating for the judges' calls. Somewhere recently I heard or saw that the judges are having reviews with all of the teams to review on the water protests and why the judges ruled the way they did. If this is happening it would be as interesting as the actual racing to see video of. The AOne/Prada race certainly had some of the closest calls possible in a yacht race, with all of the marbles on the table. If these sessions are not being taped, somebody please do it - it's a rare opportunity to see inside the judges' minds at the highest level and make our judges and protest committees better. - From Luiz Kuhl -- Jobson and Kelly do a great job narrating the races but they are a bit too "serious" throughout and although they do explain some of the terminology used in the sport, it lacks some excitement in the broadcasting. Something that the average viewer and mostly non-sailors can attach or relate themselves to while watching. During one of those "late nights" at the club after the races, we came up with the thought that maybe they should add John Madden and his "chalk-talk" to the cast. Can't you picture it? Some replay of the action and Madden going wild with the chalk on the screen explaining all the moves with his unique sense of humor and powers of observation that keep viewers enlightened and entertained... Now that would make sailing interesting to watch without changing the sport... -- From Bob Festa -- Technology. The whole deal is about world class sailors using technology for advantage. Am I the only one who wants to know more about the boats and materials? After the '94 cup the sport boats like Melges' became popular. What technologies will I be racing with next year thanks to this years syndicates? Beyond the content, the technical coverage has been abysmal. There's not one shot that doesn't result in video dropping out completely or quantized freeze frame, and the relayed commentary is horribly muddled. Not to mention that the whole mess has to be converted to NTSC for broadcast domestically. The overall feeling is that of watching streaming media off of a slow server. I realize the gulf is not a broadcast studio, but my satellite feed has never looked so bad. And please...don't show me those same 3 commercial spots in the same order at each break. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENTS: Let me try summarize the reader's opinions: We love the coverage; wish it was on a bit earlier; think it could be done a bit better but thank God we are finally seeing the action on TV. Any additional thoughts should be sent directly to Jobson Sailing, jobsonsailing@compuserve.com, because this thread is now officially closed. -- From Si Reynolds -- Question of the day: will Cayard take 'a dive' in today's race against TDC? From the perspective of 'enlightened self-interest,' that scenario makes a lot of sense. -- From Jerry Bidjiewicz -- Sad and ironic that America True's big moment was sitting out the end of the last round robin. Sometimes "what goes around, comes around." Clearly they may have been better off with no time off and the boat in its' previous configuration. -- From Larry Edwards -- I cannot believe all the whining about this America's Cup being a petty, unsportsmanlike soap-opera. You whiners obviously have your heads in Fantasyland where the history of this event is concerned. There has been no AC that didn't have controversy of one form or another. In one instance a British challenger went home without sailing all the races. In another, the situation was so dire the U.S. and Australian state departments became involved (and that was years before the winged-keel). Up until the Conner rudder incident, this has been one of the most unpolitical and race-oriented events within memory of those covering this event. Nothing compared to the bowsprit spat in '92, and more on par with the rule-bending three-boat defender final in '95. And with on-the-water umpiring, there is very little time spent in the jury room compared to Fremantle, Australia, where protest hearings were almost a daily occurance during the rounds-robin. The AC is and always will be a political event because there is so much at stake. But rules are rules, even if they are silly rules that defy common sense. The veteran Team DC made a stupid, beginner mistake and paid the penalty. (Nippon were not spying. Didn't need to. They were told about the rudder by an unimpeachable source.) It's water under the bridge and Conner's fate lies back on the water. Enjoy the ride and please stop whining about the AC being a soap-opera. That's the essence of this event, after all. -- From Scott Truesdel -- Dick Squire commented about moveable ballast and sandbaggers. Moveable ballast has been far more prominent throughout history than fixed ballast. It is really only since the advent of sailing as a gentlemen's sport that rulemakers decided to ban the dirty sweaty work of moving ballast. In recent years the tables have been reversed once again and moveable ballast has become the easiest way to power up a sail boat -- push a button and the keel cants from side-to-side, flick a switch and water is pumped from one tank to another. I think it is great that PHRF is attempting to track these developments and assign handicaps rather than completely banning innovations. Long before boats were raced for sport, they were used to conduct commerce around the world. The best win/win scenerio was when heavy cargo could be used as ballast. The standard lading for the China trade was a bilge full of quality porcelain down low and tea up high. When England started producing porcelain as good as, then better than, China, merchants had to revert to carrying unprofitable stones in the bilge and trade with China was cut back as profitability declined. -- From Jerry Kaye -- Since the #477 'butt reprinted the San Diego Log story of Area G 's concerns, wouldn't it seem fair (to you) to, at least, refer interested readers to SD PHRF's website www.phrfsandiego.org (See Renewal Letter) and their statement that they are NOT withdrawing from PHRF of So Cal? Here's part of the text: "...There has been a fair amount of rumor and even letter writing with erroneous information regarding whether or not the San Diego Fleet Board has chosen to separate from PHRF Southern California. While that course of action has been considered and studied, the board has not chosen to do so for the foreseeable future. Instead, the path that has been chosen is to do what needs to be done to serve the San Diego Fleet's members and yacht clubs in the present, while continuing to try to resolve the problems that exist in the management of the PHRF Southern California activities. There will be a complete explanation of the issues involved at the PHRF San Diego Annual Meeting, which will be held at Coronado Cays Yacht Club, January 18, 2000." (signed) Fleet Captain, Wayne J. Coulon KWRW Competition at Key West Race Week begins on Monday, January 17 and concludes Friday, January 21 for five days of racing. 263 boats from 12 nations converge on the southernmost U.S. island of Key West (Fla.) to compete in the 13th annual GMC Yukon Yachting Key West Race Week. "There will be sixteen classes competing, and sixteen intense battle to watch," says Event Director Peter Craig as he surveys the entry list on the eve of competition. With 28 boats, the Farr 40 class has drawn the biggest fleet to date for this international owner/driver class. With 21 boats, the One Design 35 (1D35) class is facing a week of racing that 1D35 National Champion Dan Cheresh (Holland, Mich.) can only forecast as potentially brutal, and unpredictable. Other one-design classes include the Melges 24s (45 boats), Mumm 30s (26 boats), J/105s (18 boats), and J/80s (12 boats). Even the largest boats in the fleet will have sparring partners. Irvine Laidlaw's 60-footer Highland Fling (CM 60)--sailing from the Isle of Man, U.K.--captured the 1999 Yachting Magazine Trophy. But this year, this 60-footer will have a sparring partner in sistership Rima (Newport, R.I.). These two boats have not yet sailed against each other in around-the-buoys racing. At 70 feet, George Collins' Chessie Racing (Gibson Island, Md.) and Bill Alcott's Equation (Detroit, Mich.) will be the largest boats in the PHRF fleet. This year Collins squires Chessie Racing (ex-Pyewacket), a legendary West Coast record holder, to Race Week for the first time. Twelve international teams will battle for the Yukon Cup in the international team racing competition. The format for the Yukon Cup, presented by title sponsor GMC Yukon, is based loosely on the renown Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup in England. In the Yukon Cup, boats can race for individual nations or regions (when there are not enough entries from one country to field a team). This year, the United Kingdom has fielded two teams, and Italy, Japan, Canada, Norway, and France each have one team. Two European teams, Europe A and Europe B, will mix Greek, Italian, French, English, German, and U.S. sailors. Three U.S. teams will sail this year for different regions, so West Coast, East Coast, and Great Lakes boats this year have a forum at Race Week to battle for regional preeminence. The 12 nations represented in this year's fleet include Brazil, Canada, Greece, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Bahamas, and the United States. The United Kingdom leads in the number of international entries, with a total of nine boats. U.S. sailors hail from 30 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. With 30 entries, Florida has sent the largest number of entries to Race Week, seconded by California (29) and New York (22). -- Cynthia Goss Event website: http://www.Premiere-Racing.com FOLLOW THE LEADERS The lads at the top end of our sport got to where they are by insuring nothing was left to chance. And Laser champ John Torgenson recently summed up the feelings of a lot of top sailors with this observation, "It's the best thing I own for sailing. It's awesome." Awesome indeed -it's Camet's new breathable Neoprene Neo-Thermal top. This breakthrough technology senses how hard you're working to insure that trapped vapors (like sweat) disappear quickly. Just one look at this hot new item will sent it directly to the top of your wish list: http://www.camet.com AWARDS MARINA DEL REY, CA - (January 8, 2000) - Brad Van Liew, the only American to finish the Around Alone 1998-99 solo sailboat race, received the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA) Sportsmanship Award for 1999. In a race that demands complete physical and mental commitment, Van Liew succeeded in his mission to be competitive, while winning the respect of fellow competitors, race officials, and a worldwide audience of race enthusiasts. Despite a dismasting in the Southern Ocean that left Van Liew more than 1,000 miles behind the fleet, he won third place in the 50-foot class. SCYA represents 87 yachting and boating clubs from Fresno to San Diego, California. Brad Van Liew is currently managing a new offshore racing project called Mission America. Plans for 2000 include designing and building a new Open-60 yacht for international races starting in 2001. Mission America's race schedule includes crewed and solo races, with a finale race of Around Alone 2002-2003. -- Meaghan Van Liew TALL SHIPS Bell Atlantic Mobile, based in Woburn, Mass., has signed on as title sponsor of Tall Ships(R) Newport Salute 2000. Scheduled for June 29-July 2, 2000 in Newport, R.I., the four day tall ships festival will include concerts, art exhibits, block parties and fireworks as well as the breathtaking spectacle of dozens of tall ships parading on Narragansett Bay. Public tours of the ships, as they rest at berths or anchor along the city's waterfront, will combine with dockside demonstrations and exhibitions to complete a unique historic experience for Newport visitors and residents alike. To date, over 50 ships have accepted invitations to join in Bell Atlantic Mobile's Tall Ships Newport Salute 2000. Ten of those are categorized as "Class A," a designation reserved for square-rigged vessels and any vessel over 160 feet in overall length, regardless of rig. -- Barby MacGowan More inforataion: http://www.tallshipsnewport.com THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM How's come we never hear from 'gruntled' readers? |
