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SCUTTLEBUTT #523 - March 7, 2000INDUSTRY NEWSFindings released from the North American Sailing Industry Study reveal a 16% unit increase in sailboat production in 1999 and a rise in estimated retail value to almost $600 million. The Sailing Industry Study is an annual survey of sailboat production in North America produced by The Sailing Company, publishers of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines. "The sailboat industry in North America has had another growth year, benefiting from the continued strength of the U.S. economy. There is increased wealth and discretionary income in the hands of consumers, and they are choosing to invest that in sailboats," said Sally Helme, publisher of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines, who has overseen this study since its inception. According to Helme, technology also plays a key role in this growth: It has allowed builders to produce small boats at very affordable prices and has fostered the development of sophisticated onboard systems that make handling large boats easier. The 16% rise in production represents the third-largest growth spurt since this study began in 1988. The largest decline in production, a 26% drop, occurred in 1991 (the year when a 10% luxury tax was imposed on new boats costing more than $100,000). But as the U.S. economy emerged from the recession of the early '90s, sailboat production went into an upswing. Since 1992, this study has revealed growth in sailboat production in seven out of eight years. The largest increase was in 1998, when production soared by 26%. Boats are grouped into eight size ranges. In 1999, the most dynamic areas of growth were among two classes of boats: boats under 11 feet and boats between 46 and 59 feet long. In the under-11-foot category, the rate of increase in 1999 production represents a 62% growth spurt over production in 1998. In the 46- to 59-foot category, the growth was a staggering 139% (see figures in table). "The big factors in the under-11-foot category are the new technologies that have been introduced in the past few years: injection molding and rotomolding," said Sally Helme, publisher of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines. "These techniques have enabled builders to produce some exciting new models under 11 feet for very attractive prices, with some boats retailing for less than $1,000." The strong economic climate that has enabled certain small-boat builders to invest in this new technology has paid off--with a surge in production and a proliferation of new entry-level models that are bringing new buyers into the market. According to Helme, the growth in the 46- to 59-foot range could be tied to a very clear demographic trend. "You have a generation of baby boomers moving toward retirement age with more wealth than ever before, and they are choosing to buy larger sailboats that allow them to pursue their sailing dreams farther afield." The 234 units produced in this size range in 1999 represents an all-time high for this category. Advancements in technology are helping to make these larger boats more practical for couples and short-handed crews to handle. "Fifteen years ago, probably the largest boat you could handle as a couple was under 40 feet," said Helme. "But today, you have sophisticated onboard systems, such as roller furling and power winches, that make sail handling easier. That technology is widely available at very affordable prices, which means people can buy and handle bigger boats than they could in the past." STUDY HIGHLIGHTS: - The production of multihulls has risen by 25% in the past year. In 1998, 1,733 units were produced. In 1999, that figure rose to 2,165. The size category that saw the strongest growth was the 12- to 19-foot sector. - The estimated retail value of sailboat production in 1999 was $589.6 million. This represents a $75.3 million increase over estimated value in 1998. In 1999, the size category that generated the largest revenue was the 46- to 59-foot sector, at $134.6 million; second was the 41- to 45-foot category, at $133.2 million. - In 1999, the number of employees in the sailboat-production industry was 4,618. - Builders forecast the production of 27,884 units in 2000. This represents a 32% rise in production. The largest growth sector, based on these forecasts, is in the over-60-foot range, with a projected 73% growth. The second fastest growing sector is predicted to be the 41-to 45-foot sector, at 59% growth. -- Cynthia Goss Additional information: http://www.sailingworld.com BACARDI CUP MIAMI, FL. - After several delays on the first official day of racing at The 74th Annual BACARDI Cup Star-Class Regatta, the renowned six-day sailing competition on Miami's Biscayne Bay lived up to expectations. Skipper Peter Bromby and his crew, Lee White, both from Bermuda, narrowly won the first race of the event, which featured a record-setting 96 teams, including teams from 20 different countries. Bromby's margin of victory over skipper Ian Walker: inches. For awhile, it looked like there would be a repeat of Sunday's conditions when the opening day of the regatta had to be abandoned because of shifting wind conditions. But after four general recalls (false starts) and more than a two-hour delay, the race took off in about a six-knot east-northeasterly breeze. Defending BACARDI Cup champion Ross Macdonald of Canada finished in 11th place. Six-time BACARDI Cup Champion and 1992 Olympic Gold medalist Mark Reynolds finished in 13th place. The highest American finisher was Seattle's Bill Buchan, who finished in seventh place. The BACARDI Cup runs through Friday, March 10, with competitors sailing one race per day. -- Steven Schwadron DAY ONE RESULTS: 1. Peter Bromby/Lee White (Bermuda) 2. Ian Walker/Mark Covell (Britain) 3. V.D. Ploeg/Rafa Trufullo (Spain) 4. Marc Pickel/Thomas Auracher (Germany) 5. Mark Neelman/Jos Schrier (Netherlands) 6. Gavin Brady/Jamie Gale (New Zealand) 7. Bill Buchan/Scott Leppert (Seattle) 8. Mark Mansfield/Dan Brien (Ireland) 9. Frank Butzmann/Jens Peters (Germany) 10. Mats Johansson/Leif Moller (Sweden) OLYMPICS The Australian Yachting Federation (AYF) will reconsider the nomination of the 49er representatives for the 2000 Australian Olympic Team following a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the weekend. Late last year, the AYF Board announced their intention to nominate World Champion, Chris Nicholson and crewman Daniel Phillips as the competitors to represent Australia in the 49er Class at the 2000 Olympic Games, ahead of nomination pointscore winners, Adam Beashel and Teague Czislowski. "Under the Nomination Criteria published by the AYF, we are obliged to nominate to the AOC those athletes who the AYF consider have the best medal prospects at the Sydney Games," said AYF Chief Executive Officer Phil Jones. "The nomination criteria stipulate that performance in the nomination regattas will be a significant but not necessarily determinative factor." The Nomination and Selection Criteria for Sailing, having been agreed to by the AOC, was published on 12 January 1999 and distributed to all athletes and officials who were seeking nomination for the Sydney 2000 Games. Athletes seeking nomination were then required to sign the nomination form, agreeing to the Criteria, and return this form to the AYF by 3 May, giving the athletes appropriate time to consider and raise issues in relation to the published criteria. "With this in mind, we have an obligation to all those athletes who have nominated to implement the Nomination Criteria," said Mr Jones. Under the Criteria, athletes have access to a two-tier appeals process that enables them to appeal non-nomination by the AYF. The first appeal is to the AYF's Appeal Tribunal. This independent tribunal heard the appeal by Beashel and Czislowski during January, and upheld the original decision by the AYF. They found that whilst the AYF should not have taken into account the circumstances surrounding Race 2 of the Sydney International Regatta, the last of the three nomination regattas, this had not been a determinative factor in their decision to nominate Nicholson and Phillips. Beashel and Czislowski then appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as provided for in the AYF Nomination Criteria. This appeal was heard at the end of last week by a CAS Arbitrator, Malcolm Holmes QC. In his findings, released early on Saturday morning, the Arbitrator agreed with the Appeal Tribunal "that the circumstances surrounding Race 2 should not have played any part in the formation of the opinion of the Nomination Panel or of the Board of the Australian Yachting Federation", but differed in his determination when holding that "it is not possible to say, as the tribunal did, that it would not have made a difference between the Appellants being selected or not selected". The Arbitrator therefore remitted the matter back to the AYF with directions to reconsider in accordance with the Nomination Criteria, excluding any consideration of the circumstances surrounding Race 2. This course of action had been agreed to by all parties in the event that the appeal was upheld. The AYF Nomination Panel will meet as soon as possible to reconsider their recommendation to the AYF Board. Given the circumstances, each of the crews have been offered and have accepted an opportunity to make submissions to the Panel, to outline why, in their opinion, they consider that they are the best medal prospects. Both crews will be in attendance throughout the submissions. "We are very satisfied that our Nomination Criteria has provided athletes with the appropriate forum for any grievances to be heard," said Mr Jones. "Obviously the right of appeal remains available to both crews once the AYF s decision is made known to them. -- Peter Campbell LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude personal attacks. But only one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree. -- From Chris Welsh -- What a day for AC news. Young America not competing again - OK. Selling their boats to Prada? Not OK! (unless they continue to break up...) What is the deal with absolutely no nationalism present in this competition among nations? Sail fabric makers committing their entire production to a foreign team...designers working for anyone, leading to the Cup being in New Zealand today, among other things...virtually all sails produced in America...and the entire stable of boats from A3 last time and Young America this time sold to rival syndicates, presumably along with their technology too. A super syndicate for the next round? Great, especially if Paul Cayard is at the center of a team and is freed up to sail more and manage less. Without Young America on the scene, it just might be possible. Is this the best way for America to be represented? Probably not. Does having one software company give us the best product? Or many companies, competing? I'll go with the capitalist approach - let the super syndicate fund three well-funded regional syndicates, and let them start sparring against each other this year as a requirement to the funding. Just think where we would be if A3 and YA's boats were still here too... Kudos to the Kiwis for two innovations during a five race series - the Millenium mast, and the double headsail rig (probably just a mind game that worked on the Italians). Time to think outside the box for our teams. -- From Rob Vandervort -- Everything comes in cycles. History, the Wind, the Stockmarket. I believe the likes of Sir Thomas Lipton and the Shamrock series of boats has, once again, begun its cycle in the America's Cup albeit under a new name, country, and industry (fashion not tea). HEINEKEN REGATTA The 20th annual Sint Maarten/Saint Martin Heineken Regatta which took place March 3-5 broke at least two records. With 256 entries in 17 classes, it was the largest Caribbean regatta ever. The coveted Sint Maarten/St. Martin Cup for the 'most worthy performance' went to 'Harrier', an S&S 48 sailed by Jeffery Salzman. The Columbus Cup for the best bareboat overall went to 'Kalalou', a Dufour 45 helmed by a Dutchman named Nijpeis. The NIE Cup for racing overall went to a Henderson 35 named 'Crash Test Dummies' of Trinidad. It was steered by Doug Fisher. The Heineken Cup Trophy, for the overall winner of the cruising/racing class, went to Ronald Roberts Dufour 39 named 'Flechette' of Antigua. The Shell Cup for cruising overall went to 'Budget Nautique', a Kelt 9m helmed by Hans Lammer of Antigua.The Empress Cup went to the trimaran 'JP van Eesteren' for having the best multihull elapsed time around the island. The SHTA Cup for the fastest monohull spinnaker around the island went to James Muldoon's Santa Cruz 72 'Donnybrook'.The Xerox Cup for the fastest non-spinnaker around the island went to Larry Bulman's Frers 77 'Javelin'. Complete Results are now posted: http://www.heinekenregatta.com/ QUOTE / UNQUOTE I am leaving the America's Cup in a form I am proud of where sportsmanship and fair play rule. We entered the cup after 1992 believing we could win if we treated it as a yacht race. We achieved that in 1995 and now we've defended it successfully. - Sir Peter Blake, UK Daily Telegraph Full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ LINE HONORS The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia announced today that upper speed limits for the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will be increased for both IMS (International Measurement System) and IRC (International Rule, Club) rated yachts. At the same time, the Club has opened the way for all eligible yachts with water ballast as an integral part of their rating to sail with water ballast in the IRC handicap category of the ocean classic. The changes will come into effect for this year's Telstra Sydney Hobart Race and are expected to attract overseas entries, with two prominent Australian yacht owners already taking advantage of the higher speed limits for IMS and IRC and the use of water ballast by yachts racing under IRC. Sydney yachtsman Neville Crichton said today that as a result of the CYCA's "positive step forward" in lifting the IMS speed limit, he will campaign his new 79-foot maxi yacht in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart and again in 2001. The Reichel/Pugh-designed maxi hull is currently being built in Sydney by McConaghy Boats and will be fitted out in New Zealand mid-year before being sailed back to Australia for Hamilton Island Race Week and the Sydney to Hobart. Melbourne yachtsman Grant Wharington also announced that because of the CYCA's decision on water ballast he will go ahead with plans to extend the overall length of his already successful maxi Wild Thing from a 70-footer to an 80-footer. "After next month's 50th Adelaide to Port Lincoln Race we will cut off the bow just for'ard of the mast and add a new, longer bow section," Wharington announced. "This will bring the boat to the new upper limit for the IRC handicap category and the CYCA decision means we can race with water ballast. -- Peter Campbell BILL MARTIN ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan President Lee C. Bollinger announced today (March 3) that he has asked William C. Martin, president of First Martin Corp., an Ann Arbor real estate development firm, to serve as interim director of athletics. Martin is president of the United States Sailing Foundation and also served as president of the U.S. Sailing Association, the national governing body of the sport of sailing from 1988-91. He has been on the board of directors of the U.S. Olympic Committee since 1995 and has served on its budget committee. The appointment will be effective March 6 pending approval by the U-M Board of Regents at their meeting March 20. Martin, a U-M alumnus, also is the founder and chairman of the board of Bank of Ann Arbor. He was one of four members of a committee appointed by Bollinger in February 1999 to review the financial management of the Athletic Department. The details of Martin's compensation are not yet finalized, Bollinger said, but Martin has indicated his wish to contribute his service to the University without compensation. RECOGNITION US Sailing has selected William B. Ross of the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association (SAYRA) in Charleston, SC and Lake Norman Yacht Club (LNYC) of Charlotte, NC as the 1999 winner of the W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. National Sportsmanship Award. US SAILING President James P. Muldoon is expected to present the award to Ross during the organization's Spring Meeting (March 22-26) in Chicago, IL. Although Ross' primary focus in the sport of sailing is racing, he is also known as an avid teacher, a fair competitor on the water, and a tireless volunteer. Ross is a US SAILING certified Senior Race Officer and Senior Judge, has served twice as Jury Secretary at the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, and was on the Race Committee of the 1996 Olympic Regatta. This past year he served as the Primary Race Official for the Thistle Nationals in Edenton, NC; at the end of the week-long regatta, Ross and his team received a standing ovation from the competitors. Additionally, the Lake Norman Yacht Club won the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy in October 1999 for its outstanding race management and organizational performance during the 1999 Thistle Nationals. Ross also serves as Area Representative on the US SAILING Board of Directors. -- Penny Piva For more information: http://ussailing.org/sportsmanship LIFE AFTER THE CUP For Newport, RI-based Ken Read, the principal helmsman aboard Team Dennis Conner's one-boat effort, life after the Cup means a return to normalcy: "I'm filling the same role I had in the past with North Sails, heading up some special projects on the sales management side." Ken says he'll be involved with the fledgling National Sailing League this spring, and later this summer will race aboard the new Farr-designed IMS 50 Esmeralda, currently under construction at Eric Goetz Custom Sailboats. He'll also compete in the Corel 45 Worlds aboard George Andreadis' Atlanti. -- Dan Dickinson, Sailnet website Full story: http://www.sailnet.com/articles/ THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM If vacuum cleaner really sucks, is it good or is it bad? |
