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SCUTTLEBUTT 1510 - February 3, 2004Powered 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 focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. FOR THE RECORD The latest lonely pilgrimage of yet another remarkable but intensely private French solo sailor is due to erupt from isolation to celebration today. Francis Joyon returns to Brest today having sailed 26,000 miles around the world in 73 days - 20 days inside the old record. Joyon has not just beaten the previous record for sailing non-stop on his own around the world, the 93 days, 3hr 57min 32sec set by his compatriot Michel Desjoyeaux when beating Ellen MacArthur to win the Vendée Globe Race in 2001. He has eclipsed that and all previous efforts, knocking nearly three weeks off the target, or 20 per cent, and has set a time which, not many years ago, would have seen him lift the Jules Verne Trophy for being the fastest of all time. The original Jules Verne target was 80 days and was eventually achieved by another Frenchman, Bruno Peyron. It was then won by the Kiwi-British pairing of sir Peter Blake and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston whose 74-day time with six other crew members has been beaten by Joyon on his own in a boat the same size. And all of this on a shoe-string. Having seen his previous sponsor Banque Populaire pull the plug, Joyon pressed on. His boat is the same 90-foot trimaran that Olivier de Kersauson used to lower the Jules Verne bar to 71 days in 1997. In a rental deal, Joyon has paid just €460,000 (£315,000) to achieve his dream, which is about a 10th of what Britain's Tracy Edwards planned to spend to do the same thing in her 110-foot catamaran before deciding that a world record attempt was not terribly compelling. The Frenchman found a sponsor called Idec, a small construction company in central France, but could not even afford a new mainsail, so has used De Kersauson's from 1997 and set off. Not only that; he insisted that he did not want any outside assistance in the form of weather routing analysis saying: "It would have less value if I had a team ashore." - Excerpts from a story by Stuart Alexander in the Independent, full story: http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/story.jsp?story=487226 * Jean Luc van den Heede sailing Adrien, his 85ft aluminum cutter, on his fourth attempt at the 'westabout' singlehanded global challenge, is now 20 days ahead of the record. After a couple of good days with wind speeds topping 25kts, and covering up to 306 miles per day, van den Heede looks set to smash the current record of 151 days, 19 hours and 54 minutes, set by Philippe Monnet. However, he still has a long way to go and currently has his eyes set on the Cape of Good Hope 2,000 miles away. - Sue Pelling, Yachting World, full story: http://www.yachting-world.com/yw/home.htm MOB Whilst the majority of Franck Cammas' team are concentrating on the construction of Groupama 2 and its preparation for the first The Transat, Gaël de Kerangat and Pierre Bourcier have been successfully testing a new system for locating a man overboard off Lorient. Ocean-going multihulls are capable of ever increasing speeds. In such conditions the chances of survival for a crew member who falls overboard are increasingly slim as a great distance is covered between the moment of the fall and the time it takes for the trimaran to initiate its return manoeuvre to the estimated position,. At 25 knots of speed (nearly 50 km/hr), Groupama covers 800 metres a minute. Suffice to say that it becomes difficult to spot a crew member who is just 50 centimetres above the waterline. The Wavefinder system that we have tested is very simple. A beacon weighing only 130 grams, is inserted into the inflatable lifejacket that each crew member wears. In the event of someone falling overboard, the jacket inflates and the beacon automatically emits a signal which is received by an antenna positioned on the aft beam of Groupama. The information is then transmitted to a display panel placed under the casquette, that indicates the course to be followed to get back to the crew member. During our trials between Groix and Belle-Ile, off southern Brittany, we received a signal whilst we were 1.5 miles (3 km) from the transmitter and, despite the waves, we found him first time relates Gaël de Kerangat. YachtingUniverse.com, full story: http://tinyurl.com/3dwrp THE KEY TO FUN SAILING One of the great designs of Camet International has been on the drawing board for some changes for 2004. The popular Camet 3000 Sailing shorts have been improved with a longer rise for a roomier fit while hiking, and a longer inseam. They were tested for over 2 months, and the feedback was excellent. Made out of a Breathable fast drying Supplex® with a reinforced Cordura® seat pocket for an optional foam pad. Visit our web page for more information on our Shorts, Coolmax shirts, Breathable Polo shirts, Mylar bags, Rash Guards, Belts, Caps, etc. - http://www.camet.com WINDSURFING The ISAF Olympic Windsurfing Equipment Evaluation Event, to be held on Lake Garda, Italy from 3-6 May 2004 has attracted six manufacturers with eight designs of equipment. In addition, there are currently two manufacturers, whose applications are being processed. Manufacturers and equipment attending the Evaluation Event are: Boards and More: Mistral Prodigy, Mistral One-design, T.E, and the Olympic Design Flying Fish: Exocet Gaastra Sails: Prototype Neil Pryde: Neil Pryde Formula Starboard: Z-Class In order to evaluate the equipment across a range of sailors, all ISAF Member National Authorities (MNA's) were invited to nominate up to 2 sailors from their country to participate in the evaluation. Applications have been received from three continents, with Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, France, Russia, Italy, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong nominating sailors to be in Torbole. In total there are sixteen sailors nominated by MNA's, and all applications will be sent to the evaluation panel before the final sailors are selected. Torbole on Lake Garda is renowned for being a windsurfing mecca and will provide conditions worthy of the level of sailor and equipment at this event. The event is being hosted at the Circolo Surf Vela in conjunction with the Italian Sailing Federation (Federazione Italiana de Vela - FIV). The objective of the Equipment Evaluation Event is to identify suitable equipment to be selected for use at the 2008 Olympic Regatta, Beijing. - http://www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=6338 ANTARCTICA CUP The organizers of the proposed Antarctica Cup Ocean Race Series have confirmed that Cape Town is their preferred Southern Hemisphere Start/ Finish port for the second of their series of 'Nation vs Nation' yacht races circumnavigating the Great White Continent. The second race is scheduled to take place in 2007. The inaugural race will start/finish from Auckland. This action follows the granting of an exclusive Country Franchise Owner License to represent South Africa in the Antarctica Cup Ocean Race Series to Boating Partners of South Africa Pty Ltd, a company involved in the South African boatbuilding industry and the sport of international ocean racing. The Antarctica Cup Race is made up of national teams competing against each other in identical boats - the crewmembers must the same nationality as the country being represented. David Gant, Chairman of Boating Partners, said that Australia, New Zealand, and Britain have already indicated their intentions to participate. Gant went on to say that participation in international ocean racing and hosting starts, finishes and stopovers in South Africa, such as the Volvo and Global Challenge races, had huge positive economic impacts on the local economy and that the SA Boatbuilding Industry would be invited to compete to build the future Antarctica Cup Class Mk 02 fleet of identical Maxi-Boats with an estimated value of some US$3.5 million per boat. The inaugural fleet will be built by the New Zealand and Australian boatbuilding industries. - www.antarcticacup.com NEWS BRIEFS * Marine electronics manufacturer Simrad has announced the appointment of a new Managing Director for its subsidiary B&G. Richard Acland joins the company from the telecoms industry where he was in senior management roles for many years. As an experienced yachtsman and RYA Offshore Yachtmaster, he has helmed a J120 in Cowes Week and is planning an IMX40 campaign for Cork Week this year. To further strengthen its market position and develop sales to the Grand Prix racing and superyacht markets, B&G is also seeking a Race Specialist to spearhead its influence in this important area. - YachtingUniverse website, http://tinyurl.com/2klfa * On February 1, the final version of the Newport Bermuda Race NOR was posted on the web site, replacing the previous "Provisional" draft. While most changes are typographical corrections, attention is drawn to a new paragraph 3.2.5 concerning the ISAF Sailor Classification Code. - www.bermudarace.com/2004/nor.php * Porto Alegre, Guaíba Lake, Brazil - The Argentineans Gustavo Warburg, Hernan Celedoni, and Máximo Smith won their second title in the Soling World's that ended this Saturday at Veleiros do Sul. Second place went to Hungarian sailor George and in third was a local Brazilian skipper George Nehm. - ISAF website, http://www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=6330 * If you're tired of winter, Punxsutawney Phil had a message for you Monday - get used to it. After a rap on an oak stump roused him from his home on Gobbler's Knob, the world's most famous furry forecaster "saw" his shadow this chilly Groundhog Day morning, which according to tradition means six more weeks of winter. - AP, http://tinyurl.com/29qeh BEAT THE WINTER, RACE THE ACURA SORC The 2004 Acura SORC has extended the early registration deadline. Register before February 6 to avoid late fees and we'll see you, Feb. 25-29, in beautiful Miami Beach, FL. Entries welcomed from boats racing IMS, PHRF, Farr 40, Mumm 30, Melges 24, J/105, J/120, Multihulls, Swan 45's. - http://www.acurasorc.com INNOVATION Monday at Gujan-Mestras in southwestern France's Arcachon harbour came the moment that many multihull enthusiasts have been holding our breath for - the launch of Yves Parlier's latest creation, Médiatis Région Aquitaine. The new boat is ground breaking in many ways. Parlier anticipates racing her against the current crop of 60ft trimarans and already has her entered in this year's Transat (formerly the OSTAR). Yet his new boat is not only a 60ft catamaran but also has twin rigs mounted in the hulls side-by-side like the late Team Philips. Conventional wisdom has it - and this was born out time and time again during Formula 40 races during the late 1980s - that for a given length a trimaran is faster than a catamaran. In light conditions a trimaran has less hull in the water, lower wetted surface area and drag while in big conditions its extra beam provides more righting moment and power. Although this may be something of a red herring, the hull shapes are also fairly left field and resembles some speed sailing boats we have seen. The inspiration for the unusual stepped hull and cut-away stern sections comes from seaplanes that must reach high speed on the water enabling them to take off. The performance of the hulls is not limited to length and the team have established that at 40 knots their hulls have four times less drag than an equivalent non-planing hull form. - Excerpts from a story in The Daily Sail, full story: http://www.thedailysail.com THE GLAMOUR BOATS It's getting hard to ignore that the primary place where North America's big glamour boats get together for buoy racing these days is in the warm waters of the Caribbean. Just take a look at the entries for this year's St. Maarten's Heineken Regatta. Already signed up are two brand new MaxZ86s - Roy Disney's Pyewacket and Hasso Plattner's Morning Glory. Add to this Tom Hill's new Reichel-Pugh 75 Titan 12; James Muldoon's Donnybrook, Equation, Bill Alcott's Andrews 68, plus Chippewa, Mischievous, Starr Trail, a gaggle of Formula 1 Sailing's Farr 65s and a couple of VOR 60s. And when you factor in the Transpac 52 Rosebud, and the Swan 50 Highland Fling, plus Les Crouch's new all-carbon fiber R/P 43, Storm, this will undoubtedly be a bigger collection of the modern, big glamour boats than will be seen racing around the marks at North American regattas sailed in cooler water. HOW CAN YOU AVOID OCS CALLS AT YOUR NEXT LASER REGATTA? Buy an all white Laser. For a limited time all white Lasers are available. All white Lasers may be ordered from your local Laser dealer before February 20th. Delivery will be made in time for late winter regattas. Take this opportunity to get involved with one of the biggest one-design classes in the world, to upgrade from your old hull, and to avoid OCS calls. To find the dealer nearest you, call 1-800-966-SAIL or visit http://www.teamvanguard.com 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 nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Trevor Baylis: It's only the beginning of 2004 and already the sailor of the year, decade, and century has been decided. Francis Joyon for King! An Incredible voyage. * From Annie Nelson: Richard Benner - shame on you for telling your kids they can't play with their Hobie friends anymore because you are unhappy with the Tiger class. If my dad had told me something like that when I was 15 and fell in love with the Hobie 16, I probably would have thought he's a grumpy old man, and would have gone out and played on mine anyway. I'm not disagreeing with your complaints about the Tiger class changes, I do however think you should not drag your kids into it. If they want to sail Hobie's with their friends, drive them to the beach. I bet if you asked them, they'd want to take the seam off the bottom too. * From Dan Dickison: Ed Sherman's recent comment about the stolen Beneteau 57 in Charleston was useful, but he got a number of the facts wrong and that's what creates the kind of misinformation that can anger people and damage relationships. It's really not a big deal, because ultimately Ed was trying to make a point about tracking devices, but just for the record, the owner told journalists that he paid just under $600,000 for the boat, though others (presumably the broker) claim it was valued at $750,000. The authorities haven't released any information about this case other than the basic facts that the boat was indeed stolen on January 7 from Charleston's City Marina under a full moon and recovered at Running Mon Marina near Freeport in the Bahamas over three weeks later. Everything else remains conjecture. The authorities (DEA, FBI, Charleston Police, and Bahamian Police) say that their investigation is still underway. However, unofficially, they have suggested that the party or parties responsible didn't just steal "down the gangway," they probably dinghied over, climbed on board, and slipped off the dock in a stealthy manner after casing the boat for several days. We'll undoubtedly learn more about the methodology behind this theft when the authorities conclude their investigation. That information could lead to important security decisions on the parts of others who own such yachts, which I believe was Ed's intent. But in the mean time, it seems important to offer information that's factual and not based hearsay. * From Ron Schaper: When I read accounts of the stolen $750,000.00 boat, I am dismayed as it could be easily prevented with an inexpensive device called TIM. This wireless device, TIM (The Invisible Monitor): 1) Monitors critical boat criteria- bilge water, battery voltage, shore power, etc 2) Prevents Theft- GPS geo-fence protected 3) Tracking- position is computer accessible 4) Alerts against Intruders- using deck sensor/magnetic sensors 5) Fire/Smoke alarm 6) Preventative Maintenance- tracks engine hours. When any of these sensors is tripped, the smart computer sends a signal to a central station which in turn notifies the subscriber by phone, email, pager, etc. The above information & location of the boat can be seen on any internet-connected computer (after log-in & passcode). TIM sells for $595.00 + $5.00/week for monitoring. www.boatwatchman.com * From Robert Atkins: I have recently learned that ISAF International Judges do not need to do a Test for renewal. Amazing ! Some of the older ones have never done a Test. Would ISAF undertake to ensure that the Judges appointed to the Athens Olympics have done or will do an International Judges Test before the end of February? Would ISAF undertake to ensure that all IJs who have not done a test in the past four years do so before mid year? Would ISAF undertake to ensure that all IJs do a test every four years before their renewal? * From Jim Gardiner: A CPR course had a profound effect upon me. All of that chest pumping and mouth to mouth recitation merely maintain a heart attack victim for the time to get an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to him. The heart will not restart without it. I never knew this. It took the death of my cousin from a heart attack while working out at a health club where a AED was on hand but no one knew how to use it to prompt me to take the course, * From Ralph Mailloux: I feel compelled to comment on the viability of AED's and sailboat racing. I have been a fire fighter in Los Angeles for nearly thirty years, 10 of which as a Paramedic, and many more as a front line Captain utilizing AEDs. AED's can be a great tool when used properly so training and familiarity is a big issue. One of the basic premises for using an AED is to recognize when to apply it. The fundamental requirement is being CPR trained so that one can recognize the need and the proper application and function of an AED. I would to suggest that anyone who is not CPR certified go out and get the training. Your local fire departments or local Red Cross offer classes regularly. If a single AED unit with trained personnel were available by chase boat, then it could be dispatched to wherever the patient is, however, if the AED is truly needed then CPR also should be performed by crew while waiting for the unit to arrive. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION We understand that Zippo Lighters, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge and become: ZipAudiDoDa. |
