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SCUTTLEBUTT 2717 - Tuesday, November 4, 2008
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.
Today's sponsors are JK3 Nautical Enterprises, Camet, and Charleston Race Week.
AN INVESTMENT IN RELATIONSHIPS
By Ron Lieber, NY Times
In the last month or so, it has become much harder to take out our wallets
without feeling guilty. No single authority figure has told us not to spend. But
people are scared, and that fear is showing up in lower sales on all sorts of
big-ticket items, from autos to electronics.
But it’s easy to forget a couple of important things. First of all, the vast
majority of people in the United States are not going to lose their jobs.
Second, most of us work not merely for subsistence but so we can spend money on
things and experiences that bring us some form of contentment. So let this serve
as a reminder that there may be plenty of good reasons left to spend what you
earn.
This is not a call to consumer patriotism, a suggestion that we all go shopping
for the good of the economy. Instead, I’m merely suggesting that if you’re
feeling undeserving of anything special at this particular moment, or think you
should help perform some sort of collective penance for our national
overspending, you may want to cut yourself some slack.
I was reminded of this about a month ago, when I got a note from a man in Ann
Arbor, Mich., named Ron Stefanski. At the time, I was writing about reducing
financial risk, and he and his family had recently splurged on a 38-foot
sailboat and lowered the 20-year-old vessel into the waters of Lake Charlevoix.
The question his message raised was whether spending money on a boat was
actually wise, and if so, why? -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/NYTimes110308
THE SIX MOST COMMON BOAT WINTERIZING MISTAKES
With winter approaching, BoatUS Marine Insurance has reviewed its claim files
and reports the following six most common mistakes made when winterizing a boat:
> Failure to winterize the engine: Freezing temperatures occur in all 50 states
and while they are taken seriously up north, it's the balmy states of
California, Florida, Texas, Alabama and Georgia where boaters are most likely to
have freeze-related damage to engine blocks. It routinely occurs to boats stored
ashore here. Boats left in a slip are less susceptible to sudden freezing as the
surrounding water retains heat longer than air.
> Failure to drain water from sea strainer: If your winterizing plan calls for
draining the engine, the seawater strainer must be winterized or residual water
could freeze and rupture the watertight seal. Sometimes you won't know it's
damaged until spring launching and water begins to trickle in.
> Failure to close seacocks: For boats left in the water, leaving seacocks open
over the winter is like going on extended vacation without locking the house. If
a thru-hull cannot be closed, the vessel must be stored ashore - the sole
exception is cockpit drains. Heavy snow loads can also force your boat under,
allowing water to enter thru-hulls that are normally well above the water line.
Read on: http://www.boatus.com/news/releases/2008/October/Winterizing.asp
JK3 NAUTICAL ENTERPRISES, J BOATS AND J BOATS ASIA IN CHINA!
We are getting ready for our first International Invitational Regatta in Xiamen,
China, November 7, 8 and 9. The regatta will be sailed in new J/80’s built at
the J Boats Asia/J world facilities in Xiamen, China. Jeff Brown of J Boats Asia
and Jeff Johnstone of J Boats will be participating with their own teams in this
international event, including sailors from more than 9 different countries. J
Boats are quickly becoming the boat of choice in Asia with growing demands for
J/80’s and J/109’ being built. Check out our website at
http://www.jboatsasia.com and http://www.jk3yachts.com or call our office at
619-224-6200 for more information.
ONE LEG DONE - NINE MORE TO GO
(Nov. 3, 2008; Day 24) For the cast of characters that call the Volvo Ocean Race
their occupation through the end of June, the first leg is (nearly) done with
nine more to go. The champagne’s been sprayed, the fat lady’s sung, the
chocolates and flowers presented. Completing the line-up on the podium following
the Sunday finishes of Ericsson 4 and PUMA was Ericsson 3, arriving early Monday
morning. But Anders Lewander and his team won’t get all the benefit from this
strong showing, as they have a couple of points docked by the International Jury
for the keel infringement. On the bright side, Ericsson Racing Team’s managing
director, Richard Brisius, told them on arrival that the replacement keel was on
the dock, ready to be fitted. No more penalty point deductions for Ericsson 3.
However, for this leg, the team earning the third most points shall be the Green
Dragon team.
Regarding his first major offshore passage, Green Dragon skipper Ian Walker
commented, “We had 3 or 4 heinous days onboard. The moment we hit something was
the worst moment of the leg. The boat went from 20+ knots of speed to a dead
stand still. My first reaction was to get the dry suits on and call for a
mayday! Luckily though it didn’t come to that. The nights were pretty scary and
it was clear that we’re reigning in the speed at this time, especially with our
concern over the potential damage to the keel. Elsewhere, the kind of miles that
Ericsson 4 and PUMA were pulling out overnight was just amazing, and it was
clear that we couldn’t match those speeds. In the night you really do feel like
you are sailing blind, you run into an island and just not know it, so that was
a scary concept to get your head around!” -- Audio interviews:
http://www.greendragonracing.com/en/audio
The length of Leg One from Alicante, Spain to Cape Horn, South Africa was
6500nm; finishing order (as of Nov. 4, 1:00am GMT):
1. Ericsson 4, Torben Grael, Finished Nov. 2, 05:54:00 GMT
2. Puma, Ken Read, Finished Nov. 2, 17:44:50 GMT
3. Ericsson 3, Anders Lewander, Finished Nov. 3, 04:08:50 GMT
4. Green Dragon, Ian Walker, Finished Nov. 3, 07:12 GMT
5. Telefonica Blue, Bouwe Bekking, Finished Nov. 3, 11:18:37 GMT
6. Team Russia, Andreas Hanakamp, Finished Nov. 3, 15:29:47 GMT
7. Delta Lloyd, Ger O'Rourke, Finished Nov. 3, 23:03 GMT
8. Telefonica Black, Fernando Echavarri, 179 nm Distance to Finish
Race website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org
* The 4,450nm Leg 2 from Cape Town to Cochin, India begins November 15th.
* A video of Ericsson 4 arriving to Cape Town, docking, celebrating, and skipper
Torben Grael describing their accomplishment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlExA4ANB2I
BARKOW WINS ISAF GRADE 1 ASIAN MATCH RACE EVENT
Beijing Olympian Sally Barkow of the USA swept aside reigning World Champion and
world #1 Claire Leroy to win the Busan Cup Match Race in Korea, the first-ever
ISAF Grade 1 women's match racing event held in Asia. Eleven skippers from Asia,
Europe, North America and Oceania competed in Bakewell 30 yachts, but the
competition was dominated by Sally Barkow (USA) and Claire Leroy (FRA), both
two-time winners of the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship title. By
finishing in the top two spots, Barkow and Leroy earned $25,000 and $15,000
respectively.
Despite her success on the match racing circuit (including World Championship
wins in 2004 and 2005), Barkow’s main focus over the past four years was her
Olympic campaign in the three-person Women’s Keelboat - Yngling event. In
contrast, LEROY decided against an Olympic campaign and has instead focussed on
a match racing campaign which, over the past couple of seasons, has made her the
undisputed top women’s match racer in the world, won her the 2007 ISAF Rolex
World Sailor of the Year Award and resulted in her being named as one of the
nominees for the 2008 Award. However, with the change in the Olympic sailing
programme for 2012, which will include Women’s Match Racing for the first time,
Leroy is set to face a renewed challenge to her status as the world’s leading
female match race skipper. -- Complete report and results:
http://www.sailing.org/26057.php?PHPSESSID=ee3b6742a98f45ed12d54276e527c347
VENDEE GLOBE: FIVE DAYS TO GO
The Vendee Globe race is arguably the most extreme event in the sport. An Open
60 is pretty extreme, solo sailing is pretty extreme, and sailing non-stop
around the world is pretty extreme. Combine the three elements, and do it among
a fleet where two-thirds of the thirty boats were built to compete in this
edition, and you have situation where the competitive juices will push both man
and boat further than ever before.
Regarding the need the need for improved medical assistance, race doctor Jean
Yves Chauve comments, “In 1993, when Bertrand de Broc had to put stitches in his
tongue, we communicated using faxes. We had to wait a quarter of an hour or
longer between me sending the message and him receiving it. Considering we were
dealing with an emergency situation, that certainly complicated matters. Fifteen
years later, we have moved on to video-conferencing. Live from our computer at
home, we can guide someone through an operation in a boat in the middle of
nowhere. Technology has moved on to such an extent that we can now begin to talk
about virtual medicine. In this area, the Vendée Globe is the perfect
experimental lab.” -- http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en
CAMET HOBART EXTREME TECHNICAL SHORTS
Shorts perfect for everyone from the yacht racer to the day sailor, from the
kayaker to the mountain climber. Our nylon fabric is lightweight, yet made for
the abuse, and has a DWR (durable water repellent) finish that dries quickly.
Offset side seams reduce chafing and the improved design, with a clean relaxed
profile, gives you extreme flexibility. Check out the details at
http://www.camet.com/?Click=1023
HOW BUSY WAS YOUR BAY THIS PAST WEEKEND?
Annapolis, MD - For the east coast, the weather curtain is quickly closing, so
this past weekend on Chesapeake Bay was like last call at the local tavern. The
Melges 24 North Americans held the lion share of interest, but there were
several other events that attracted broad interest too. Competing for space to
set race courses was Storm Trysail Club's IRC East Coast Championship, where a
total of 35 boats competed for wins in four divisions. For the thriving J/22
class, their East Coast Championship had been cancelled in September during the
approach of Hurricane Hanna, with the rescheduled event last weekend won by Todd
Hiller. Not to be outdone, the local J/105 fleet, which a year ago had hosted
the 2007 North American Championship, held their traditional end of season
Chesapeake Bay Championship won by Peter McChesney. -- Scores for all events:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2008/11/busy-bay.html
SAILING SHORTS
* The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia announced one of the largest fleets in a
decade with 113 yachts nominated for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008,
Australia’s premier blue water event, which will begin on December 26th. The
Rolex Sydney Hobart 2008 fleet will represent the USA, UK, New Zealand, Germany,
the Netherlands, Switzerland, Russia and New Caledonia as well as every
Australian state (6). A fleet of 90 yachts applied to enter last year’s contest
and of those, 82 made it to the start line and 79 finished the gruelling 628
nautical mile course. To view the entries:
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com//yachts.asp?key=526
* Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands (Nov. 3, 2008) - The lower shroud
exploded with a loud ‘bang’ on Paul Cayard’s IC 24 on the return race from The
Baths during Monday's Scuttlebutt Offshore Championship hosted by the Bitter End
YC. Cayard quickly tacked the boat and handed the helm to BEYC guest John
Stephenson. Without wasting a motion, Cayard kicked off his flip flops and
climbed the rig with both a spinnaker halyard and topping lift in his teeth.
After completing a very crude jury rig, he took back the helm and calmly won the
race, and the two-race championship by 32 seconds over Bruce Kirby, with Dave
Ullman in third place. -- Complete report:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6630
* While Port America's Cup looked haunted Sunday afternoon, it was buzzing with
activity on Monday. All four teams that were officially announced, or rumored to
take part in the 2nd edition of the Desafío Trophy, were very busy preparing
their yachts. The entry list for the America’s Cup Class division will be
Alinghi (SUI), Desafío (ESP), Team Origin (GBR), and Luna Rossa (ITA). --
Valencia Sailing, full report and photos:
http://valenciasailing.blogspot.com/2008/11/meanwhile-in-valencia-four-teams-are
.html
* Special engagements for the Morning Light film within the next two weeks
include events in Sheboygan, WI (Nov. 7), Charleston, SC (Nov. 7), Traverse
City, MI (Nov. 13), and Norfolk, VA (Nov. 15/16), in addition to the new list of
theatres now showing the film. Complete details at
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/M_L
* The elections for the Officers of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF),
that is the President and the seven Vice-Presidents, will take place at the ISAF
General Assembly on 15 November, held in Madrid, Spain. The ISAF Officers are
voted for by the Member National Authorities (MNAs), who represent their nation
within ISAF. Officers are elected for a four-year term which will start on 16
November 2008 and end at the next General Assembly, to be held in November 2012.
-- Complete report: http://www.sailing.org/26058.php
* Houston, TX (Nov. 3, 2008 - When Hurricane Ike roared ashore at Galveston,
Texas, in the early morning hours on September 13, thousands of recreational
boats stood in harm's way. BoatU.S. estimates that nearly 15,000 boats in Texas
were affected by the storm, totaling approximately $175 million in damage.
Another $25 million in damage to recreational boats occurred in other states
along the storm's path. BoatU.S. has captured the storm's impact on video shot
at local marinas and boat clubs, along with a collection of over 1000 post-storm
photos. -- Full report:
http://www.boatus.com/news/releases/2008/November/HurricaneVideo.asp
* The planning for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games to be held August 14-26,
2010 in Singapore appears to be on track to host the 200 events in 26 sports.
The sailing competition will feature 100 hundred sailors aged between 15-16
years that will be competing in four events: One person dinghy boys - Byte CII,
One person dinghy girls - Byte CII, Windsurfing boys - Techno 293, and
Windsurfing girls - Techno 293. -- http://www.sailing.org/23957.php
* (Nov. 3, 2008) - Madera County officials announced today that the DNA of two
bones discovered last week in the Eastern Sierra matched that of missing
adventurer Steve Fossett, who vanished in September of last year. The bones were
discovered by sheriff's deputies and volunteers who scoured the backcountry last
week in what local authorities said was their last attempt to find additional
clues to Fossett's disappearance before winter snow arrived. Authorities
declined to say what bones were found. -- L.A. Times, full story:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fossett4-2008nov04,0,6392640.story
WE FEEL YOUR PAIN
Charleston is rolling back the price of shore passes to 2006, not increasing our
registration fees, and continuing our epic beach parties. Registration is less
than half the cost of Key West. Charleston Race Week registration is open, NOR
posted - April 16-19, 2009. Be there or be square.
http://www.charlestonraceweek.com
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Reader commentary is encouraged, with letters to be submitted to the Scuttlebutt
editor, aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’. Letters selected for publication must include the
writer's name, and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for
clarity or simplicity). You only get one letter per subject, and save your
bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open
environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum.
-- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
-- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino: With reference to the last meeting
held on October 30th in Geneva among the Société Nautique de Geneve, Alinghi and
the challengers to the 33 America's Cup, Mascalzone Latino apologizes for not
having attended due to previous commitments and confirms its participation to
the next meeting scheduled on next November 11th.
It further occurs to me to say that, even if we would have attended last week
meeting, we would have not signed the letter with the request to the Golden Gate
Yacht Club to withdraw the case before the New York appeal Court. As we have
said several times, Mascalzone Latino agrees with the Oracle's goal to organize
an event with fair rules in order to give to all the challengers a chance to
win. The most simple solution, in order to put and end to this dispute, is to go
back to the 32nd America's Cup Protocol.
With respect to the class of yacht, it doesn't make sense to create a new class,
while the worldwide is getting through the deepest economic crisis after the one
in 1929.
A new class means new immediate investments for the research, and at the same
time throwing away a class with more than 100 boats already built.
In order to make the Cup to face both the external trauma due to the current
economic crisis, and the internal trauma due to the Alinghi's Protocol and the
legal dispute, it's necessary to go back, at least one more time, to the ACV5
which have already guaranteed exciting regatta. This would help to increase the
teams' participation in the event with a low budget - why not using the yachts
from the last edition of the America's Cup - and above of all, with a realistic
economic sense in the search for sponsors.
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
Special thanks to JK3 Nautical Enterprises, Camet, and Charleston Race Week.
A complete list of preferred suppliers is at
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
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