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SCUTTLEBUTT #430 - November 1, 1999ISAF WOMEN'S MATCH RACING WORLDSAfter four long days of 0-5 knots, we finally had decent (and beyond) wind for the quarter finals. With only eight teams competing, matches went off quick, although there were a few breakdowns as brand new J-22's experienced 15-20 knots for the first time. When the wind died down to 10-15 after the first three matches, we finally got to do some match racing moves! Final four were determined to be Dorte Jensen (DEN), Betsy Alison (USA), Cory Sertl (USA), and Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED). The winners of the semi finals (Alison and Jensen) went on to the finals today. The petit finals (between Sertl and Zuiderbaan to determine 3-4) went to the first team to win 2 points. Zuiderbaan won the first match in a light breeze, but Sertl won the next one and after a short break to wait for the breeze Sertl won a close match to finish third. Meanwhile, Alison and Jensen had to get 3 points to win. Thye split the first two matches, but when Jensenled back to the starting line by several boat lengths, the writing was on the wall. And when she again led Alison back to the start to establish an early lead, she won her first world match racing championship. -- Carol Newman Cronin Final Results: 1. Dorte Jensen (DEN) 2. Betsy Alision (USA) 3. Cory Sertl (USA) 4. Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED) . US SAILING At a gala dinner at the U.S. Naval Academy, some 250 volunteers honored one individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing. "Gary Jobson is the person who singlehandedly brought sailing into America's living rooms-and made it understandable to them," said former US SAILING President Bill Martin. Jobson (Annapolis, Md.) was awarded the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, the accolade considered to be US SAILING's most prestigious honor, for his contributions as a writer, television journalist, and lecturer who has conveyed the excitement and allure of sailing to millions of people. As a commentator for ESPN, Jobson has covered sailing in some 340 television shows. He won an Emmy for his coverage of the 1988 Olympic Games. He has given some 1,300 lectures, written 12 books, and produced 50 videos on sailing. As National Regatta Chairman of the Leukemia Society of America's sailing program, Jobson has helped these regattas grow in fund-raising potential over the past five years, from zero dollars to some $1.5 million per year. In 1994, Jobson helped establish the first sailing team at Hampton University. As a world-class sailor, his successes on the racecourse have been numerous-with victories in the America's Cup, in one-design fleets, and in the college arena. But, "This award is not for sailing," said US SAILING Vice President Janet Baxter, who helped Martin present this award. "It's for serving sailing." In accepting, Jobson noted the honor he felt in joining the roster of sailing greats who have won this award in past years. "Looking at this list of past winners," he said, "I feel quite humbled. Every single one is a giant in the sport. . . I have won the America's Cup, an Emmy for the Olympics, and been named College Sailor of the year twice. But none of these means as much as this award tonight." Named for the preeminent marine designer and builder Nathanael G. Herreshoff, this trophy is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing in the United States in any associated activity. The award was donated in 1957 by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. THE CAPTAIN JOE PROSSER AWARD -- US SAILING Board member Steve Colgate presented the Captian Joe Prosser Award to John Kantor (Westport, Conn.). The Prosser Award, considered US SAILING's highest honor for training, is awarded each year to recognize outstanding contributions to sailing education by an individual or a program. Kantor has shown a longtime commitment to teaching more people how to sail, and-personally-"It gets my batteries charged," he said, after accepting this award. Kantor particularly enjoys helping beginners gain their first experience as skipper of their own boat. "It's like riding a bicycle on two wheels for the first time: You look back, and no one is holding you up. . . It's a moment that you never forget." This year, Kantor celebrates his 35th year of running Longshore Sailing School in Westport. In 1997, he started a second Connecticut school, Greenwich Community Sailing in Old Greenwich. Since its inception, this new school has shown rapid growth by tripling its enrollment over the past two years. ST. PETERSBURG YACHT CLUB TROPHY -- North Carolina's Lake Norman Yacht Club was recognized tonight for its outstanding race management of the 1999 Thistle Nationals. The club is the recipient of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy. Marcia Everingham, chair of the Race Management Committee, made the presentation this evening during the dinner that capped the four-day meeting. Competing sailors themselves make the initial selection for this accolade by rating the club's handling of race management duties. "The event provided a unique challenge, held three-hundred-plus miles from the host club. The Race Committee made it clear: They were there to serve the competitors," said one racer. We expect that US Sailing will be issuing a final report soon. Until then, there are updates on: http://www.ussailing.org/events/meet99fall/ IMAGES While the racing in the first round of the Louis Vuitton Cup Series has been a bit bizarre, it's produced some really great photos. You can see the best of them on the Quokka website and so much more. Quokka has audio and video reports, plus some old-fashioned written summaries and commentary by the most experienced team of journalists in Auckland. Just because the racing does not resume until Saturday does not mean that you shouldn't check in at least once a day. It's the best way to stay really current: http://www.americascup.org/ LOUIS VUITTON SERIES * The Swiss FAST 2000 boat Be hAPpy (SUI-59) has shown itself to be neither fast and consequently, not too happy yet. FAST 2000 is the only team to finish Round Robin One of the Louis Vuitton Cup without a single point. On Saturday, the Swiss team unveiled their boat and showed off the radical underwater design configuration of their bright yellow boat. Be hAPpy boasts not one, but two keels, placed fore and aft. Both keels have big bulbs at the bottom. The leading keel is a moveable foil over the fixed bulb and the trailing keel is a more conventional fixed foil with a large trim tab. Both bulbs had winglets on them for Round Robin One that have now been removed. Peter van Oossanen, part of the design team for Be hAPpy said the major advantage of the design was reduced drag. 'We discovered in the towing tank that the resistance of two small bulbs separated along the hull is less than a conventional design with one keel and bulb in the centre,' he said. The trade-off is maneuverability. Van Oosanen said the team recognised that it would be a problem. 'When we took the decision to build this boat, we knew it was going to be a difficult boat to steer,' he said. But the team felt they would have enough time to learn the boat. 'Unfortunately, because of our financial problems halfway through the year, we were not able to come to Auckland early enough. We only got out sailing eight times before the first race,' he said. Steering is complicated because both the fore and aft fins need to be turned independently. This makes it difficult not just to turn the boat, but also to just sail straight. According to helmsman Jochen Shumann, the problem comes in finding the right balance between the two rudders. 'It's very challenging,' he said. 'We are getting deeper and deeper into the problem of balance. We don't know what the problem is, and we don't have the solution yet. We've had a few moments, but we haven't been able to sail it for a long time period in the groove.' For this time, every moment on the water is crucial. Van Oosanen says the team is learning every day, and expects better results in Round Robin Two. 'It's a very difficult boat to steer,' he said. 'We are still in the steep part of our learning curve.' 'It is hard because there's no feeling on the helm,' Shumann said. 'My feel is based on a normal keel configuration. And on this boat, the steering is hydraulic, so I need the instruments to know if we're going fast. It's a very uncommon way for me to drive.' The FAST 2000 team is upbeat. 'The whole team is still behind this complicated program,' said Shumann. 'We'll sail every day from now until Round Robin Two. We have nothing to lose!' -- Louis Vuitton Cup website, http://www.louisvuittoncup.com * Dennis Conner's longtime America's Cup teammate Tom Whidden, President and CEO of North Marine Group, will be joining the Stars & Stripes syndicate this week in Auckland. Whidden has been a part of Conner's America's Cup campaigns for more than two decades, beginning in 1979 with the Freedom / Enterprise program. "It's hard to overstate the importance of Tom's role to our campaigns," Conner said. "He's been the key to so much of our success. I'm delighted that he is able to join our team for Round Two of the Louis Vuitton Cup Series." -- Stars & Stripes website, http://stars-stripes.com * Abracadabra 2000 announced today the addition of a new chase boat to its support team funded by the members of Lakewood Yacht Club of Seabrook, Texas. Lakewood Yacht Club has been extremely supportive of Abracadabra 2000 skipper John Kolius' past America's Cup campaigns. Their contribution of a new Rayglass 12-meter Protector chase boat, a sister ship to the team's present chase boat, is a great boost to Abracadabra 2000's two-boat sailing program. -- DJ Cathcart, http://www.aloharacing.org * On Monday, the leading teams from Round Robin One were out on the water doing two boat testing. The Prada Challenge, and the New York Yacht Club's Young America team have sailed every day since the end of first round racing, in a case of the rich getting richer. -- Louis Vuitton Cup website, http://www.louisvuittoncup.com * What may have been the largest armada of boats ever assembled inside the Viaduct Basin staged a non-hostile invasion of the Stars & Stripes base camp on October 31. More than 100 Optimist dinghies sailed from the Kohimarama YC to the Stars & Stripes base, and literally took over the place. There were no secrets during this visit. And every place the kids went there were members of the Stars & Stripes team to explain and demonstrate the workings of the facility. With the help of McDonalds, Coca Cola and Griffins, the 'invaders' were also treated to lunch on the facility. "It's fun for people to see the boat and learn how it works," Stars & Stripes helmsman Ken Read said. "I wish it had been like that when I grew up in Rhode Island." -- Stars & Stripes website, http://stars-stripes.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (tomleweck@taitech.co.nz) Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude personal attacks. But you only get one letter per subject, so think it through carefully, and be ready to take any flack it generates without whining. -- From Bill Trenkle, Team Dennis Conner -- Larry Law's letter brought back a lot of bad memories of breakdowns in 12 meters in Newport and Fremantle and even IACC boats in San Diego. These are custom high tech race machines where you have to push everything to the limit. It is not surprising to anyone on the teams that learning how to get these new generation IACC boats around the course is difficult. Likewise getting 12 meters around the course in Fremantle was no picnic. We went through the same teething pains trying to upgrade the boats from Newport mode. That is not to say that I do not believe the present rules for postponement have been abused in Round Robin #1 or that I even would have expected that we would have had to sail around the race course alone for our long anticipated big race against Young America or against what we expected was a battle ready Young Australia. Anyway do not get discouraged with the 2000 America's Cup it is going to be a great event right down to the finish. This is my seventh cup campaign and I cannot describe how exciting it is down here with the most unbelievable fleet of Cup boats and the best of the best sailors from all over the world out there doing battle in a natural sailing arena called the Hauraki Gulf, that is as beautiful a place as I have ever sailed with a mix of winds and sea conditions that are challenging both physically and tactically. -- From Paul Henderson, ISAF President -- Maybe now you a seeing why I pushed so hard to have an independently appointed and approved International Jury and Umpires to adjudicate the integrity and Fair Play of the most brutal Sailing Event: "The America's Cup". This is a pure case of the "inmates running the asylum" and then when all hell breaks loose they realize their inadequacies but never learn using the same mentality each time around. ISAF should have written the Notice of Race and Race Instructions not the competitors as the ISAF Officials are the ones who have to interpret them and make the calls. ISAF does not want to be involved the Event Management nor all commercial interests leaving that to the combatants. They should leave the integrity of Sailing as practiced in the AC to ISAF. -- From Alan Johnson --18 knots-What bunch of wimps. Do they have to go in if it rains? Bring back Perth!! DC ripping a genoa and still winning the race, Whitbread southern ocean legs. Cheer for San Francisco!! Please no Newport, Rhode Island!! I can hear the snoring in front of the television now. We want sailing on the edge not grass growing. -- From Brent R. Boyd --I would like to know who imposed the 18 knot no sail rule. Was this decided before the boats were designed? Were the designers and builders informed of this decision? It seems like 5-18 is a very narrow wind range for the top echelon of sailing. Even high school sailing continues above 18 knots. The most exciting Cup matches I remember were the 12's pounding it out in Australia. Curmudgeon's comment: Let me try to tackle this one. It was the Challengers who agreed to the 18-knot rule. The reason -- it's expected that the conditions later in the Summer during the Cup itself will be lighter than the Spring winds now being encountered. The 18-knot rule was imposed to insure that the boat that won the Louis Vuitton Series would not be too heavily skewed towards heavy air and thus potentially less competitive during the America's Cup itself if indeed the light air does materialize in February and March. -- From Mort Weintraub -- I think the guys running this regatta have it almost perfectly right. The objective for this first round was to have boats race against each other. Allowing a fair amount of time for repairs was in line with that objective. That's why each victoy in this first round was worth only one point. In the next round, the process will tighten. And, for the final round I think we can assume AC rules. I know that I am having a great time following the racing on Quokka. The one guy I know with Virtual Spectator says it's just awesome! Curmudgeon's comment: The guy with Virtual Spectator is spot-on. Just do it! -- From Russ Lenarz -- I find it interesting that there is so much hype about the Fast 2000 revealing its new unconventional keel. It is clear that it has not worked well along with the fact that the boat is falling apart as well. Maybe by going public they are saying that this is not how to build an AC boat. In reading the report from the press conference it is clear that the crew is not happy about Be Happy. --From Keith Lorence -- How soon we forget!! Your notice about Mark Rutiger's Volvo race entry states that he was the first American navigator to win the Whitbread RTWR. In fact, Mark wasn't even the first American navigator from the bay area to win it. "Radar" Ray Conrady, from San Francisco proper, was the first American navigator to win the race sailing aboard "Sayula II" in the 73'-74' race. "Radar" did it without the aid of G.P.S., Weatherfaxes, E-Mail, cell phones, polar pants, and waterproof foulweather gear! "Radar used a sextant, and took his weather info by morse code from Chile, and had Spanish speaking crewmwmbers translate for him! Not to take anything away from EF Language's great achievement, it was really something, but Americans have been in and won this race before. Curmudgeon's comment: For those who may not have figured it out, Keith Lorence was a part of Sayula II's winning crew. VIC-MAUI The Registation Committee is pleased to announce that the Vic-Maui 2000 now has 28 entries on the Provisional Entry List. This is amazing when compared to the sametime of the Vic-Maui 1998 of where there were 6 entries on the list. The majority of the entries are from the Pacific Northwest area where the Vic-Maui has been a favorite race for all comers. Starts are on June 26rd and 28th in the year 2000 in Victoria BC with the finish 2308 miles later in Lahaina, Maui. Deb Rigas in Seattle announced on Oct. 8/99, that a very serious group of international women sailors will be competing in the Vic Maui 2000 Yacht Race. It will be 16 years since the last and only all womens campaign by a Victoria team who raced "Emily Carr" back in 1984. For those women who are interested in completing the crew, please check their website at: http://www.navgates.com/vmcontents.html and go to Crew Search. Event website: http://www.vicmaui.org DRESS FOR SUCCESS It's been proven over and over again - if look successful you'll feel successfuland ultimately be successful. It applies in business. It works on the racecourse. So what are you waiting for? Go where the winners go for their crew shirts and regatta apparel. Frank Whitton at Pacific Yacht Embroidery can help you as he's helped so many successful racing programs: 619-226-8033 / pacyacht@aol.com LLOYD PHOENIX TROPHY -- USSA Offshore Championship (This special report is from Scott Dickson, who sailed with Area J skipper, Mark Noble.) For the final race the breeze was lighter (if that is at all possible). Although starts were important, staying in the pressure was golden. But then again, tacking these 44' monsters in 2-3 knots of wind was not a decision to be taken lightly. Great crew work and trim in the first race today propelled us throught the fleet to 3rd at the finish. Going into the last race, 4 teams could have won the championship. Unfortunately for us we were unable in this race (which was probably the lightest of the regatta) to make any comeback from a below average 1st mark placing. Team H (Seattle) sailed a solid last day to secure 1st place. Final Results: 1. Area H (12 points) 2. D (14) 3. J (19) 4. E (23) 5. B (27) 6. C (31) 7. Navy Gold (32) 7. Navy Blue (34) 8. K (44) 9. A (46) PLAYSTATION -- Code Green Stan (Honey) and I believe we should go (for our Trans-Atlantic Record attempt) on this weather window. Currently we estimate the start line at midday Wednesday and we need to leave the dock 3 hours before the start. We would take the start after the Low passes Wednesday morning, and the winds shift to the west of North. We expect gale force winds on the beam Wednesday night, then winds should moderate to the 20-25 kt range. After Cape Race, Newfoundland, we will be sailing downwind to the finish. This will entail sailing north of the Great Circle Route until we gybe then south of route as we approach England. -- Steve Fossett, http://www.fossettchallenge.com/ THE CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL It's not the pace of life that concerns me -- it's the sudden stop at the end. |
