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SCUTTLEBUTT 1244 - January 21, 2003Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. KEY WEST Terra Nova Trading Key West 2003 promised serious sailing this week, but it wasn't supposed to be a swim meet. That's what happened Monday when 290 boats from 20 countries squared off in a 15-knot breeze to start the competition with a bang---three, actually. There were that many serious collisions in the spirited racing on four inshore courses. Ken Read, recently returned from the America's Cup wars with Team Dennis Conner in New Zealand, found similar intensity in this more bucolic venue. Read, driving George David's Idler from New York in the IMS class, was knocked into the water a minute and a half before the start of the first race when the Nelson/Marek 50 was tagged in the starboard stern quarter by Larry Bulman's Farr 49, Javelin, from Annapolis. "I went flipping over the rail," Read said. "I was fully in the water. I had to swim back to the boat." Fortunately, the water was 71 degrees and Read's freestyle form was fine. "We won the race," he said. "That's something to be proud of." The bad news: "Now I've got to make that fun phone call," Read said. " 'Hey, you've got a little hole in your boat.' " David, the owner, was delayed on business and won't arrive until Wednesday. John and Tony Esposito's J/29 Hustler, City Island, N.Y., took a temporarily disabling hit from Paul Anderson's Titillation, Deltaville, Va., while Geoffrey Perini's J/30 Bada Bing, Perth Amboy, N.J., was crunched by Paul Baehr's Fast Company, Montreal. All of the striking boats were tossed. Elsewhere on the four courses set along Hawk Channel, the Scott Harris/Alexandra Geremia Crocodile Rock from Santa Barbara, Calif. slipped quietly into first place among the Farr 40s with a pair of second-place finishes. Robert Hughes' Heartbreaker, Holland, Mich., and Dr. Wolfgang Schaefer's Struntje light, Kiel, Germany, each won a race, but couldn't match Crocodile Rock's consistency. Among the 57 Melges 24s, Kate Mullin driving John Sherlock's boat Frequent Flyer from Toronto, scored a 1-2 day. Italy's Flavio Favini, who won the delayed 2001 class world championship here a year ago, is stalking Mullin at 2-4. Bruce Ayres from Newport Beach, California is in third place with 11 points, and the current world champion Harry Melges and sidekick Jeff Ecklund are crewing for Norway's Kristian Nergaard, who stands eighth with a 4-22. - Rich Roberts, Complete results at www.Premiere-Racing.com THE BIG SHOW (Now that Alinghi has won the Louis Vuitton Cup, the big test lies before them. Washington Post columnist Angus Phillips takes a look at what it will take for them to win the America's Cup. Here's an excerpt from that story.) Next comes a sterner test. Team New Zealand's unique, horizontal underwater appendage, the so-called "Kiwi clip-on" or "hula hull," extends working waterline length of the boat so theoretically, top speed is enhanced. Even the clever Coutts, working with his longtime tactician Brad Butterworth and the brilliant strategist Schuemann, can't be expected to outrun a quicker boat, can he? Asked what he thought of the Kiwis' chances in the Cup match Feb. 15, Bill Endean, commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, official keeper of the Cup, said, "We have a longer boat, and what sailboat racer wouldn't like that?" But there may be downsides to the hula, which produces more drag in the water and adds a bit of extra weight. In light air, knowledgeable observers think it could be a hindrance. Alinghi toyed with the notion of attaching a hula appendage of its own two weeks ago but the plan now seems abandoned for lack of time to make it work. The Swiss likely will work instead on small, incremental improvements to their race package, as they have all season. They have the most aerodynamic sails and rigging in the fleet, by most accounts. Alinghi otherwise looks conventional compared to Team New Zealand's radical hula hull and it may well be a 5-0 Kiwi blowout when the two teams line up in a breeze. But if there are downsides to the hula hull, no one in sailing is better suited to ferret out and exploit them than the cagey Coutts, the former Kiwi skipper who has lost just five races in Cup competition in the last 10 years. - Angus Phillips, Washington Post, full story: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11297-2003Jan18.html WHY INVEST IN A HIGH-TECH HALYARD? Phil Garland of Hall Spars & Rigging says, "Modern sails stretch less than ever, transmitting loads directly into your halyards. With every puff, halyard stretch will cause the leech to open, robbing pointing ability. High-tech, non-stretch halyards will act almost like a halyard lock, stabilizing the sail from the top, giving consistent sail shape." Upgrade to a high-tech halyard through Hall's online store, and save 10% on your first halyard order (until Feb. 28, U.S. online orders only). Enter 'Scuttlebutt' under "Redeem Coupon" on the address confirmation page, or email orders@hallspars.com. http://www.hallspars.com PERSPECTIVE When Larry Ellison and Ernesto Bertarelli met at the dock after the race, Ellison told him, "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." The implication was a rematch. And watching a beaming Bertarelli being doused with Champagne by his teammates could only have tweaked Ellison's competitive instincts. The real winners in a Bertarelli-Ellison rematch will be professional sailors, whose salaries will be bid to the sky by men with large amounts of cash. But Bertarelli brings something besides money to the America's Cup - an almost childlike enthusiasm that contrasts with the jaded attitudes of mercenary sailors. He explained his motivation for spending that money this way: "Sailing brings me back down to earth. It just allows me to have a perspective on life. I just love it and that's why I do it." Watching him celebrate with his crew members at 3 a.m. - just before one of them was heaved into a giant tub of ice water - that enthusiasm showed. - Warren St John, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/20/sports/othersports/20BOAT.html CAPE TO RIO RACE Light Air - Although the front section of the SAP Cape to Rio 2003 seems to be catching some wind, race organizers are predicting that a section of the fleet will miss out on the final cut-off date of 5 February. Twenty-two entries still had over 2000 nautical miles to go before reaching the gorgeous Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro by Monday's report in. The British entry Maiden appears to have had the best day at 252 miles and it looks like she may start catching up with the fleet after a slow start. Hasso Plattner on board Morning Glory also gained good distance of 226 miles to creep back up into the top five on handicap rating. Gauteng-based Baleka holds onto the top spot on the handicap rankings with Gawie Fagan on Suidoos 2 tenaciously hanging onto second place. The other Fast 42 Investec is in third place. Skipper Bernhard Diebold, who is an Antarctic voyager, has inspired his crew of pupils from Reddam House to a fourth position on handicap. - http://www.pmg.co.za/capetorio/ NEWS BRIEFS * Next month's four-day New Zealand Millennium Cup Superyacht Regatta, has attracted some huge racing boats to Auckland. The front runners should include the 147-foot Mari Cha III; the 90-foot Alfa Romeo, line honors winner in Australia's recent Rolex Sydney Hobart Race; the 97-foot Reichel/Pugh designed Canon Leopard; plus the 80-foot Travelex, formerly the maxi racer Nicorette. To be sailed February 10-13 on the Hauraki Gulf, the superyacht regatta will be the curtain raiser to racing for the America's Cup, which starts two days later on the 15th. To date, 41 vessels have entered, while additional entries are still coming in. - Keith Taylor, www.millenniumcup.com * According to a story in the NZ Herald, Larry Ellison's other boat in New Zealand, his motor yacht Katana, is worth NZ$120 million and costs NZ $5 million a year to run, and it takes something in the order of NZ$180,000 to fill up at the fuel dock. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/entertainmentstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3097017&thesection=entertainment&thesubsection=tvvideo&thesecondsubsection=tvreviews JULES VERNE TROPHY * Olivier de Kersauson is now warning that only a narrow weather corridor is open for their southward journey. "It's no motorway. We'll have to go a long way west to outflank the enormous anticyclone now sitting right across the Atlantic. We'll probably have to cover an 1000, or even 1200 nautical miles more than the direct route if we're going to avoid these calms". Which is why the giant trimaran Geronimo is now shadowing the Brazilian coast as she speeds on towards the Cape of Good Hope. - www.grandsrecords.com/ker/rec/en/evenementiel/homepage_flash.htm * Kingfisher2 skipper Ellen MacArthur announced that the potential weather window forecasted for later this week has disappeared. "It's just not going to happen - the High we were looking at in the East will not stabilise enough to guarantee good northerlies," said MacArthur. "We are now looking at a weather model that shows another potential weather window developing for the middle of next week." http://www.teamkingfisher.com WHAT'S NEXT? Alinghi will make changes to their boat SUI64 to try to get a competitive edge over Team New Zealand. With a little over three weeks until the America's Cup match, Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts said yesterday that his team's attention had now turned to the black boats. "We can now focus on racing Team NZ and looking at the characteristics of their boat," he said. "It is no secret that everyone believes their boat is formidable, and now we have to look at how we can place Alinghi against Team NZ to try to give us the best chance of being competitive on the water." Asked if his team were still investigating underwater appendages similar to those on NZL81 and NZL82, Coutts replied: "We are still considering things." Coutts said Alinghi were satisfied Team NZ's appendage was within the rules. "The measurers have measured the boat and have come up with a policy of testing it. I have faith in the measurers. It is just another part of the boat which must comply with the rules." - Julie Ash, NZ Herald, full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/americascup/acstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3097076&thesection=sport&thesubsection=americascup&thesecondsubsection=challengers AWARDS Rolex Watch U.S.A. has been awarded Sail Magazine's Industry Award for Leadership. Created 10 years ago, the leadership award recognizes those who have shaped the course of the sailing industry for success and growth. In a break from tradition, however, Sail chose this year to honor a company rather than an individual "because of Rolex's unique commitment to sailing." Sail's Deputy Editor Josh Adams noted specifically Rolex's sponsorship since 1980 of US Sailing's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtsman of the Year awards, considered the sport's highest individual honors in sailing in the United States. He commended Rolex's sponsorship of both the US Sailing Team and the Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship. In addition, Rolex Watch U.S.A. sponsors the US Disabled Sailing Team, the Rolex Miami OCR and US Sailing's annual adult championships. The company has an exclusive sponsorship relationship with the New York Yacht Club, which has resulted in the creation of the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge and the New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex. Past recipients of SAIL Magazine's Industry Award include Everett Pearson of TPI, Frank Butler of Catalina Yachts, the Johnstone Family of J Boats, Randy Repass of West Marine, brothers Peter and Olaf Harken of Harken Yacht Equipment, Warren Luhrs of Hunter Marine/Luhrs Marine Group, designer/inventor Garry Hoyt, Steve and Doris Colgate of Offshore Sailing School and Dave Stanton of American Sail. - Media Pro International. RESIDENTIAL RULES Alinghi have formally questioned whether America's Cup yachting rules requiring designers and crew to live in and have a home in the country of the team they are representing comply with the traditions of the event. Team New Zealand, the New York Yacht Club and Punta Ala Yacht Club, Italy, oppose Alinghi's views. There are crew from 15 different countries on the Alinghi team, including New Zealanders Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth who have had to maintain homes in Switzerland to meet the rules. However, the America's Cup Arbitration Panel told Alinghi the nationality rules stemmed from the race's founding document, the Deed of Gift, which requires "friendly competition among nations". N.Z.P.A, as posted on the StuffNZ website: www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/0,2106,2205537a6469,00.html FAST BOATS IN KEY WEST If you are down in Key West this week, just look around and you will see that the sailors on the fast boats are wearing the Camet Padded Sailing Shorts. They know that the Camet Gear has an outstanding reputation of always being the best in design, quality, and service. The Camet shorts come in different models and colors, they are lightweight, breathable and fast drying. Check out their web site for the Shorts, Coolmax shirts, Mylar Gear bags, and more at http://www.camet.com QUOTE / UNQUOTE - Russell Coutts "Ernesto Bertarelli set out integration as our single most important goal and he took the whole team up toVerbier in the Swiss Alps. He said don't talk about design and forget about yacht racing, just talk to each other. Looking back you can see how right he was; he really urged us not to think about the details until we'd worked out a system of how to work together." - Daily Telegraph, http://sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;$sessionid$OEL2WY11SG4HPQFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2003/01/21/soyotz21.xml&sSheet=/sport/2003/01/21/ixothspt.html "I guess I can say it now. [Oracle] had a touch of speed on us," especially in light winds and flat seas of the last few days, when Alinghi came from behind three times to narrowly win." - Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15283-2003Jan19.html LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room or a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Guy Nowell, Hong Kong: In 1982, before my membership application for the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club had been ratified, I was racing in a Flying Fifteen when we were badly obstructed at a mark rounding by a venerable lady sailing a rather slow Dragon. A great deal of "nautical language" was heard. The lady's name was Pat Loseby. She would have been about 60 years old at the time, and had been a pillar of the Club for more than 40 years. Pat WAS the Club. Everyone knew Pat - except me, the new boy. Five days later I had to appear before the Membership Committee for my application to be approved, and to my horror the first person I saw when I walked into the room was the same old lady from that rather slow Dragon... Bang goes my membership, I thought. She peered across the table at me, and said, "We haven't met, but I believe we have exchanged words...?" I replied, "Yes, Miss Loseby, I know what you are referring to, and I hope that under the present circumstances you will accept my apology." "Not at all, young man. It was on the water. It doesn't count." Sailors are human, too, and in the heat of the moment excitement (and vocabulary) can boil over. Keep a sense of proportion and a sense of humour, and don't try to take all the salt out of the sailors. Political correctness? Get stuffed. * From Jerry Spencer: Two points about the foul language issue: 1. to those who feel it should be banned ... don't try to impose your morals on others. 2. to those who feel they must defend the use of foul language...remember, its use only reflects the lack of a decent vocabulary! * From Chris Upton: I learned to race by sailing with highly skilled and decent sailors on Long Island Sound. Some of these gentleman also taught me some surprising language. When I reached high school I was asked to assemble crew for a mixed series of day and overnight racing. I discovered that when we had women sailors on the boat we were much more civilized and more focused on racing (to my surprise). If you choose to sail with a mixed crew you will find the language improves. If you sail with the guys you will find that guys will be guys. * From Patrice Carpentier: It lookes like the next edition of the Volvo Race should be sailed once again on board monohulls despite a strong interest of the professional ocean sailors for the multihulls. I also understood that the edition after, it means in 2009/2010 will be very probably sailed on multihulls, at last. This situation, if confirmed, let me think the following suggestion : Instead of spending once again a huge amount of money for building a new short-lived and bigger monohull, why don't we keep the existing Volvo 60' for the 2005/2006 edition. There are plenty of these boats on the market at an affordable price and if you reduce the crew to let say six and reduce the number of stopovers, you will considerably reduce the coast of entering the race and so doing open the game to a larger number of entrants. Just think about 15 boats or more at the start, as it was at the past! * From J. Joseph Bainton: Commentators on the loss of the Louis Vuitton Cup by the Oracle BMW team appear to have overlooked one interesting variable, namely Paul Cayard. Mr. Ellison left Paul Cayard in "golden handcuffs" for this A/C, which was not all bad in that it gave Paul time with his young family. If Mr. Ellison had left Paul in charge of a team he largely created, one may fairly wonder if the result might have been different. Hopefully next time around Paul will be given an opportunity to return to an event at which most would concede he is a peer of DC and Russell Coutts. * From Tim Broughton: Russell Coutts highlighted the importance of hiring good people at the outset. Larry Ellison admitted to making some mistakes. Perhaps he should be questioning the wisdom of leaving Paul Cayard on the beach. THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? |
