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SCUTTLEBUTT 3204 - Friday, October 22, 2010Scuttlebutt 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. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: Layline and Sailors Night Vision Cap. SAILING LEADERS SPEAK OUT ON IMPACT OF AC34 FORMAT The Americaıs Cup new format will have long lasting consequences on the international yacht racing scene and professional yacht racing worldwide. All the Classes and professional Series are directly or indirectly affected: the sailors have to choose their path; the sponsors to decide where to invest. Is it an opportunity for our sport to grow? The subject will be extensively discussed during the World Yacht Racing Forum in Estoril, Portugal (December 14-15), with a special Americaıs Cup session and a keynote address by AC 33 winner James Spithill. Meanwhile, Bernard Schopfer, WYRF publicist, asked a number of leaders in pro sailing whether the new Cup format would have an impact on their respective class, and if so, what would it be? The following excerpts are taken from Schopferıs article on the WYRF website entitled, "The New America's Cup: What are the consequences on professional international yacht racing and sponsorship?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim OıToole, CEO,World Match Racing Tour: "With the exodus of the AC34 event from traditional match racing to high speed catamarans this has created a new and exciting reality in our world. The World Match Racing Tour now sits as a significant international match racing event and has a greater role in guiding the ISAF global match racing structure. This is an opportunity that we intend to grasp wholeheartedly." Knut Frostad, CEO, Volvo Ocean Race: "We will certainly watch how AC progresses carefully. Of what I have seen so far I believe the recruitments they have made to the top management is more interesting than the boats themselves. Shorter race courses, onboard camera systems, sound, etc., are elements we are familiar with, but we would like to share and learn with the AC on these issues. The purpose of the Volvo Open 70 is very different to the AC72, so I don't see the class changing much because of this. The challengers have expressed their concerns regarding costs; how AC will deal with this issue is relevant to us as we are constantly trying to reduce costs too. We are also constantly evaluating our class but our - and I believe AC's - biggest challenge is still to make our sport compelling to the major brands who engage in sports sponsorship as well into the global mainstream media outlets. That is in our experience not so much about multihull or monohull but rather a question of sponsorship ROI as well as delivering a compelling story on TV. In an inshore story like the AC, the speed of the boats may have a bigger impact, but offshore the drama is not necessarily about the size and format of the boats." -- Full story: http://news.iirme.com/q/1NV2AMl89LjtUn/wv TULLOCH & CREW LEAD AT ROLEX OSPREY CUP St Petersburg, FL (October 21, 2010) - Genny Tulloch (San Francisco, Calif.), ICSAıs 2004 Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year, has jumped to the top of the results after the first two days of racing at the Rolex Osprey Cup. With crew Alice Manard Leonard (New Orleans, La.), Jenn Chamberlin (Annapolis, Md.), and 2006 Quantum Female College Sailor of the Year Alana OıReilly (Charleston, S.C.), Tulloch has been unbeaten in the matches thus far. Close on Tullochıs heels are teams helmed by Maegan Ruhlman (Cleveland, Ohio/USA) and Giulia Conti (Toscolano Maderno/ITA). In 1996, the visionaries at St. Petersburg Yacht Club created and organized the first Osprey Cup to expand the opportunities for women sailors to compete in match racing. Sponsored since 2000 by Rolex Watch U.S.A., the event has weathered the on-again, off-again, and, since 2007, on-again commitment to a womenıs match race medal in the Olympics. Now, less than two years until the debut of womenıs match racing at the 2012 Olympic Games, 10 teams are fighting for the Rolex Osprey Cup title on Tampa Bay. The 2010 Rolex Osprey Cup, one of 17 International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 1 womenıs match racing events (out of 70 womenıs match racing events held this calendar year), has a common thread binding the competitors this year - most are veterans of college sailing, with one third of the racers attaining All-American status from the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA). -- Event website: http://tinyurl.com/26quqeh FALL SPECIALS AND DISCOUNTS Fall is here and so are the "traditional" boat show fall specials and discounts. But what can be better than the 1,000 of products on sale at Layline and their 150% Low Price Guarantee? There is no better time to buy what you have been putting off. Also make sure you go online or call us about the great new fall products that are now available. Keep your eye out for the return of the infamous Layline Catalog to hit your mail box soon. We sell all the major brands and would love the opportunity to quote you for your next rigging job. For 20 years - your source for the best. 800-273-9491, http://www.layline.com OBSERVATIONS FROM ANTRIM The Americaıs Cup isnıt until 2013, but the 2011 Americaıs Cup World Series will commence in June, and will be sailed in the new AC45 catamaran class. Thereıs now been plenty said about the rationale behind the development of the ³sister² class to the AC72, and the concept seems like a good idea, according to renown designer and San Francisco Bay area resident Jim Antrim. Here Jim discusses with Michelle Slade the virtues of the concept: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * How unique is the AC45 compared to other racing cats around the same size already out there? JIM ANTRIM: What really makes it most unique is the wingsail. Theyıve been around but not real popular, for many years really. Itıs always been just one or two here and there up until now. Wings are very powerful and efficient sails so that would be the primary thing - other than that, theyıre just pretty much a light narrow racing catamaran sort of similar to the boats called the Formula 40s which became the Pro 40 back in the late 80s. Then thereıs the one design circuit going on now, the Extreme 40s. The AC45 is similar to those boats really, other than the wing. * How do you think a scaled down version of BORs famous wingsail will transfer to the AC45? JIM ANTRIM: The performance of the wingsail can be incredibly good. The challenge has always been engineering them to make them light enough and itıs become quite expensive to do that. If you capsize the boat theyıre usually a wreck so thatıs an expensive proposition so the idea of keeping them light enough so that theyıre not flinging a lot of weight around in the air. Being an Americaıs Cup class I guess we donıt care much about the cost of building them but the fact that they are being built in that format will promote ideas and make them more popular and easier to build, probably, in the future. The huge advantage of a wing is that it has a round, broad leading edge so it has a variable tack angle where with a flat sail you essentially have to have exactly very limited angle at the entry of the sail to keep it from either luffing or stalling and also with a rigid wing you can flatten them out without making it totally luff so you can go to a really low drive low drag situation as the wind builds up. So they have quite a range of operation and just a better luff to drag ratio. * Do you think the industry will see a spike in multi hull interest as a result of AC34? JIM ANTRIM: Yeah, absolutely. Iıve seen that already. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/2dqo3c9 => Curmudgeonıs Comment: Michelleıs involvement with the Americaıs Cup has found her on both the team side and on the media side, with the focus now on her company Slade Communications. Scuttlebutt is pleased that she also avails herself to occasional editing duties here too. RACING POINTERS FROM A WINNER Cam McNeil, the 2010 National MC Scow Champion sailed to a convincing win at the 2010 MC Scow Nationals at the Lake Lanier Sailing Club, Georgia earlier this month. Here, McNeil talks about his pre-regatta strategy in preparing for a national championship, the anticipation and excitement that is endured in the lead up, as well as some of his rules-of-thumb for performance once out on the water: --------------------------------------------------------------------- With any big event - especially a National Championship - it is important to minimize potential issues that may increase oneıs anxiety heading into, or at the regatta. This is accomplished through proper preparation and planning. The week prior to the regatta I did some preventative maintenance on my boat by replacing a few worn lines and bent shackles. I also scalped any part from my brother Johnıs boat that happened to look nicer and faster including his new tiller and rudder. Our smooth trek south was made possible by the generosity of the Verplanks and Davises who allowed us the use of their triple trailer and SUV, respectively. With such a solid travel package we were left to focus on sailing fast. In addition to equipment checks and ironing out logistics, itıs important to mentally prepare for the various scenarios likely to unfold on a crowded race course. Pre-formulating my plan for a given situation saves me the on-the-water-deliberation that usually results in a poor decision. A few rules of thumb for me last week were: 1. Be flexible at the start. If your setup isnıt looking good at 45-30 seconds bail out and re-set. 2. Donıt risk a close port-starboard early in the regatta. Take the stern and get him or her on the next crossing. 3. Donıt bang corners or try to call long laylines. Stay up the middle so youıre well positioned for shifts from either side. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/2ay9h99 WEBB TOPS UP HOME CLUB COFFERS The following report is from BMW ORACLE Racing bowman Brad Webb: Back home in New Zealand recently for a friendıs wedding I took the opportunity to return to Muritai Yacht Club on the shores of Wellington Harbor. Muritai is where I started sailing P Class and it still exemplifies the renowned, homegrown, kiwi yachting culture. I joined the club at the age of 12 and, despite rare appearances, maintain an active membership and interest in the clubıs activities. In 2003 I established a youth training fund by auctioning 10 years worth of sailing gear. Interest earned from the balance is available as a grant to kids participating in national and international events. George Gautry, Tim Coltman, Nichola Trudgen and Leah Trudgen are all past recipients and have gone on to compete overseas with commendable results. To make the most of this visit the club sold tickets, ran a raffle and gave out spot prizes, posters and pins. The AV-savvy members rallied to provide plenty of technology, and we put on a show that would make Oracle and Hartmann Studios proud. -- Read on: http://bmworacleracingblog.blogspot.com/ LONE KIWI SET TO START 2010 ROUTE DE RHUM (October 21, 2010) - 26 year old New Zealander Conrad Colman will be the sole New Zealander on the start line for the 2010 Route de Rhum solo trans-Atlantic race that begins on October 31, 2010, with a record 86 competitors on the start line. Starting in Saint Malo, France and finishing in Pointe à Pitre, Guadaloupe (3,543 miles), this is the ninth edition of Franceıs most prestigious offshore race (launched in 1978), and the kiwi, who is based in France pursuing his passion for offshore racing, is on board a chartered Class 40 yacht for the race. ³The 2010 edition looks like it will be epic,² writes Conrad Colman on his blog. ³The limits on the boats have been removed and as a result Franck Cammas will be solo onboard the same machine that he and nine others claimed the Trophée Jules Verne in 48 days. In all there will be four hundred footers in the hunt as well as the IMOCA and Class 50 Trimaran classes. However, with over 40 boats, itıs the Class 40s that will fight each other for every inch along the way.² -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/2byxy82 * Route de Rhum-La Banque Postale website: http://tinyurl.com/y6qjcx SAILORS NIGHT VISION CAP Navigating at night on the water, it is critical to maintain your night vision. (2) red LEDs under the cap brim angled downwards to light up your task lighting area without having to crane our head and neck down while maintaining night vision. (2) white lights under the cap brim useful for task lighting below deck. (1) powerful LED light on the cap brim can project over 60 ft. Very useful for Sail trim checks or spotting buoys. All these lighting needs with a simple button under the baseball cap brim. www.SailorsNightVisionCap.com => Curmudgeonıs Comment: If you click on only one website address in this issue of Scuttlebutt, take a look at the hat advertised above. This is new, fresh, and best yet, needed. PHOTOS OF THE WEEK Some of the random photos from the sport received this week at Scuttlebutt include sponsorship, the classics, women on the water, boats on the move, yard disaster, mooring disaster, and splintering disaster. Here are this weekıs photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/10/1022/ BONUS: "Build me a schooner that can win." Elena is a replica of the 180-foot Herreshoff schooner designed in 1910, who won the Trans-Atlantic Race in 1928. Newly built in 2009 at the Factorial Naval de Marin in Spain. Photos by Christophe Launay: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/10/1020/ SEND US YOUR PHOTOS: If you have images to share for the Photos of the Week, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor: mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com VIDEO OF THE WEEK The Student Yachting World Cup is the only regatta enabled by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to award the student sailing world title. In 2010, eleven international teams will compete in the equally matched Grand Surprise 32s, with each team required to include at least 2 women. With its victory in the 2009 Kennedy Cup Collegiate Sailing Championships at Annapolis, MD, The California Maritime Academy won the right to represent the US in the 2010 competition. This annual French-sponsored international regatta will be held this year at La Rochelle on the French Atlantic Coast from October 24-29. So who is The California Maritime Academy team? Here is a very well produced video that opens the door to this inspiring group of young sailors: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/10/1022/ SEND US YOUR VIDEOS: If you have clips to share for the Video of the Week, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor: mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com SAILING SHORTS * (October 21, 2010) - With 700 of 7,000 nm sailed in the 2010 VELUX 5 OCEANS, Polish solo sailor Zbigniew Gutek Gutkowski, a former champion dinghy sailor, pushed his boat Operon Racing hard and stole an overnight lead of nine nautical miles over US entry Brad VN Liew who lead for the first three days of the race. Both skippers opted to head west away from land in search of breeze. Derek Hatfield and Chris Stanmore-Major have slowed due to lighter breezes, allowing the leading pair to make more ground. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/295tpor * (October 20, 2010) - Sam Stan secured a podium finish at last weekıs RenaissanceRe Junior Gold Cup to demonstrate why he is the current national champion. The 14-year old Optimist sailor placed third overall in a racing fleet that comprised of some of the worldıs elite at this level such as American siblings Chris and Duncan Williford. The local sailor, who is widely regarded as one of the most promising up and coming acts, attributes devotion to training among the key factors to his recent success. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/24tamh5 * Portland, ME (October 17, 2010) - Coast Guard Sector Northern New England had 17 cases this weekend involving unmanned adrift vessels during heavy weather. It is the Coast Guardıs policy to treat every unmanned adrift vessels as a possible person in the water case until it can be determined beyond a reasonable doubt that there wasnıt someone aboard. The Coast Guard asks mariners to make an extra effort to keep vessel registration up to date and visible on the vessel. Kayaks and canoes should have identifying information as well. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/27rr6mu 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 are 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 Bob Fisher, Yachting Journalist (re, Scuttlebutt 3203): Richard Viggiano may be a touch off course with his attribution of BOC sponsorship of the original singlehanded round the world race to the efforts of Dave White. True, White had the original idea but securing the sponsorship was not his work. I quote from Barry Pickthall's excellent book on the race, "The Ultimate Challenge:" Nigel Rowe, Chief Executive, Corporate Communications, at the BOC Group, takes up the story: "We heard about this race through Richard [Broadhead] at the same time we were scratching our heads for an unconventional idea to promote the BOC Group in our major markets outside Britain . . ." Broadhead, unsponsored, competed in the race, finishing third and rescuing Jacques de Roux from his sinking yacht on the third leg in the process. White retired with self-steering problems on the second leg. * From Rex Bradley (re, Scuttlebutt 3203): Your "knotfurlong" is one the funniest pieces of 'drivel,' I have seen for a while. Thanks for the grin. * From Nevin Sayre, Founding Chairman PWA (re, Scuttlebutt 3203): I had to gulp when I read that "In sailing, the only professional circuit that awards prize money is the World Match Racing Tour." Best of luck to the WMRT, but actually the Professional Windsurfers Association World Tour has been awarding prize money continually since 1987- some years with purses much larger than the WMRT. Well, I guess not always cash. I was fortunate to win a 4WD Mitsubishi Truck at one event ... and never shared it with my crew. * From Randy West, St Barth (re, Scuttlebutt 3203): Kudos to Rich Vigiano, he is correct in naming Dave White who sailed Gladiator in the first BOC. An extraordinary yachtsman, Dave taught me to always carry a whistle when two or more- handed sailing to get the attention of the other crew when you went overboard, and always a knife when sailing alone, to cut your wrists so not to cause the suffering of drowning to take such a long time. CURMUDGEONıS OBSERVATION It's not whether you win or lose, but how you place the blame. Special thanks to Layline and Sailors Night Vision Cap. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
