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SCUTTLEBUTT 1832 - May 5, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest 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, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere. SWEDISH MATCH TOUR Porto Azzurro, Italy (May 4, 2005) - The pre-regatta consensus among the 70 sailors competing in the Toscana Elba Cup, Stage 5 of the 2004-'05 Swedish Match Tour, was that there wouldn't be any easy outs. But it was the established match-racers who had difficulty in the opening flights. Skippers such as Swedish Match Tour leader Ed Baird (USA), of Team Alinghi, and three-time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts (NZL), of Coutts Racing, are 1-2. Past Swedish Match Tour champion Peter Holmberg (ISV), of Team Alinghi, is 0-3. At the top of the fleet, James Spithill (AUS), of Luna Rossa Challenge, in Group A and Gavin Brady (NZL), of BMW Oracle Racing, in Group B both won all three of their matches and lead their respective groups. "It's tough match-racing in light winds, it's not always exciting" said Brady, a helmsman for BMW Oracle Racing. "This event has a good format. There's enough racing scheduled to get the job done and move to the quarterfinals. But if you don't get it done, there's another chance in the repechage round." While the wind averaged around 8 knots for Group A's four flights, Group B contended with winds lighter than 5 knots for much of the afternoon. The conditions were ripe for upsets, and there were plenty. Coutts, a Finn gold medalist in 1984, lost matches to Iain Percy (GBR), of +39 Challenge and a Finn gold medalist in 2000, as well as Ian Ainslie (GBR), of Team Shosholoza, himself a two-time Olympian in the Finn class. - Sean McNeill, www.SwedishMatchTour.com Group A: 1. James Spithill (AUS) Luna Rossa Challenge, 3-0 2. Magnus Holmberg (SWE) Victory Challenge, 2-1 3. Ben Ainslie (GBR) Emirates Team New Zealand, 2-2 T. Francesco de Angelis (ITA) Luna Rossa Challenge, 2-2 T. Hamish Pepper (NZL) Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team, 2-2 6. Ed Baird (USA) Team Alinghi, 1-2 7. Peter Holmberg (ISV) Team Alinghi, 0-3 Group B: 1. Gavin Brady (NZL) BMW Oracle Racing, 3-0 2. Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team, 2-1 T. Karol Jablonski (RSA) Desafio Español, 2-1 4. Iain Percy (GBR) +39 Challenge, 2-2 5. Russell Coutts (NZL) Coutts Racing, 1-2 6. Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza, 1-3 T. Thierry Peponnet (FRA) K-Challenge, 1-3 ON THE TUBE Beginning May 11, Eurosport and America's Cup Defender Alinghi will co-produce an "Inside Alinghi" weekly television episode that Eurosport will broadcast every Wednesday evening. The show will re-air the following day and weekend to 102 million households in 54 countries throughout Europe, Western Russia, North Africa and Israel. A full-time in-house team cameraman will follow the Alinghi crew in their daily training, sailing and racing to film interviews, special features and behind the scenes 'never seen before' footage. More than 260 million Europeans with access to Eurosport will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the sailmakers, design team and shore crew every week. Eurosport will increase their broadcasting schedule to add special monthly Alinghi programs in 2007 - the year of the America's Cup Regatta. - www.alinghi.com HANDICAP SAILING Enrico Chieffi, Marketing Director of Nautor's Swan, announced that Nautor is fully behind the recent groundswell movement for use of the IRC rating rule on a global basis. Nautor feels that the unprecedented cooperative efforts of so many yacht clubs and sailing organizations in the USA and worldwide well serve to reverse the decline in participation over the last few years and begin to foster real growth in the sport of yacht racing. Chieffi believes that in order to ensure the popularity of sailing continues to grow globally, a simple and fair handicap system must be widely used, one that evaluates boats in a consistent and uncomplicated way. The IRC rule is designed around these principles, providing a handicap that is driven by participation, allowing a broad range of owners and sailors to enjoy competitive and yet fair racing. - www.nautorswan.com ULLMAN SAILS DOMINATE 2005 MELGES 24 U.S. NATIONALS Neil Sullivan's "M-Phatic," powered by a full inventory of Ullman Sails, helmed by Morgan Reeser, and crewed with Max Skelley and Karl Anderson dominated the Melges 24 U.S. Nationals Championship with a 20-point lead. Using newly designed sails, the Sullivan team demonstrated superior boat speed in a variety of conditions. The Melges 24 National Championship was sailed in conjunction with Lands' End Annapolis NOOD. Neil Sullivan's "M-Phatic" was selected as Overall Champion for the Annapolis NOOD. For the "Fastest Sails on the Planet" with superior customer service, contact your local Ullman Sails representative or visit http://www.ullmansails.com PHIL KAIKO The Jury for the 32nd America's Cup has ruled that the Spanish team, Desafío Español, is not allowed to employ Phil Kaiko, an America's Cup yacht designer. Kaiko has previously been associated with both K-Challenge and Mascalzone Latino since the end of the 31st America's Cup in March, 2003. The Jury ruled that Mr. Kaiko had applied "substantial intellectual creativity and judgment to the determination of" eventual hull shape or rig design during his work for Mascalzone Latino. This Jury ruling is not the result of a protest, but rather answers the second of two questions the Spanish team posed to the Jury in January. The five members of the Jury heard evidence from a number of Phil Kaiko's colleagues from his time at Mascalzone Latino who described the work that he did over several months in the summer and autumn of 2004. The question for the Jury was to decide whether this work constituted 'design' as it is defined in Article One of the Protocol for the 32nd America's Cup. In issuing its ruling, the Jury stated: The Jury is satisfied that Phil Kaiko was a designer, as defined in the Protocol, whilst employed by Mascalzone Latino. As a consequence he is restricted from working for any other competitor in the 32nd America's Cup by article 13.5 of the Protocol. Therefore, the answer to Desafío Español's question at to whether they can continue to engage Mr. Kaiko is, "No". - Full story: www.americascup.com/en/ IT'S A BIG SUCKER The prototype of a proposed new windward mark for AC 32 made its first appearance in Valencia today - assembled by ACM Race Operations Manager Niccolo Porzio and his team, then moored to the Race Committee dock at the Real Club Nautico Valencia. The main (orange) part is 19 metres in circumference and 2.5 metres high. A number of cameramen can stand inside the open interior, and, of course, there is ample area to display ACM sponsor branding on the outside. The white ball is a helium-filled balloon on a tether that would be released to a height of 100 or so meters to help identify the location of the windwark mark to spectators and media. To avoid the tether tangling in the rigs of the racing yachts, the balloon would be retrieved before the yachts approached the mark to round it. Regatta Director Dyer Jones will present the concept to the Challenger Commission at its meeting next week; no doubt it will be discussed in some detail. If well received, the plan is to test it during Acts 4 and 5 at Valencia in June. Check it out on the AC Challenger's Commission website: www.challengercommission.com/ SKIPPERS NAMED Clipper Ventures Plc has named the skippers chosen for the 10 boats in Clipper 05-06 Race: Craig Millar (South African), Tim Magee (British), Graeme Johnston (Scottish), Richard Falk (Australian), Mark Taylor (British) Jonathan Bailey (British), David Pryce (Australian), Danny Watson (British), Ewan Hind (British) and Conor Fogerty (Irish). The Clipper 05-06 - the world's longest circumnavigation race - begins in Liverpool (UK) on Sunday, September 18, 2005, and returns in the summer of 2006 after some 35,000 miles of competition. The boats were designed by Dubois Naval Architects and built by Shanghai Double Happiness Yachts in China. They will be raced by international teams of 17 paying crewmembers under the guidance of a professional skipper. - www.clipper-ventures.com MAGIC MARINE: GEAR DESIGNED FOR THE ONE DESIGN ATHLETE The sailing season is officially here and with it comes the time to pull out your old gear and see how crusty and holey it has become. Now is the time to check out Magic Marine's 2005 sailing gear featuring new wetsuits, gloves, layers, boots, and spray gear. Innovations in the Ultimate Harness, Energy Wetsuits, Energy Hiking Pants, and Metalite layers offer technical advancements in exciting new designs that enhance on-the-water performance and comfort. To find a dealer and view the entire Magic Marine line, visit http://www.magicmarinegear.com WHOOPEE The new ISAF World Sailing Rankings and ISAF World Match Race Rankings are now on-line - reflecting the impact of the Congressional Cup, Semaine Olympique Française, International Women Match Race Criterium and the Star Western Hemisphere Championship. American Ed Baird still tops the Match Racing rankings - but the next North American on the list is Mason Woodworth, ranked 28th. Even more interesting is the fact that Dean Barker and Chris Dickson, who finished 1-2 at the Congressional Cup are ranked 39 and 67 respectively. In the women's Match Racing rankings Claire Leroy (FRA) has finally leapfrogged Marie Bjorling (SWE) at the top of the Rankings thanks to her three to one victory in the semi finals of the Criterium. Bjorling had occupied the number one spot since February 2003. The new rankings for the Olympic classes are also posted: - www.sailing.org/rankings/ NEWS BRIEFS * From June 19 to 25 some 70 Swans from more than ten different nations will converge on Cowes, Isle of Wight for the Rolex Swan European Regatta. The list of contenders includes 27 different models, spanning the entire Nautor's Swan portfolio, from the traditional Sparkman & Stephens-designed Swan 36, the first Swan ever produced, to the German Frers-designed Swan 70. Eight one-design Swan 45s have already signed up, as have four Swan 601s - Nautor's Swan's latest one-design model. The event will comprise five days of short windward-leeward races and a series of longer 'round The Solent' races. - www.nautorswan.com * On October 11, 2004 Scott Duncan and Pamela Habek (both legally blind) put the Golden Gate Bridge astern in a bid to be the first legally blind people to sail across an ocean or to circumnavigate the globe. On May 4 the couple continued their voyage from Marina Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico aboard their 32' Valliant sailboat Tournesol. The first landfall on this leg of the voyage will be Niku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands, and the sailors plan to arrive in Sydney Australia in late December of this year. - www.blindsailing.com * The high-pressure system has dealt a cruel blow to the Global Challenge teams furthest west, but they had been well aware of the dangers the system posed. While the weather pattern driving these leaderboard movements is slightly unusual, SAIC La Jolla and Samsung knew they were taking a risk by maintaining their course to the west of the fleet, and they have suffered the consequences by dropping to 5th and 7th respectively. BP Explorer currently leads the parade with Stelmar, Spirit of Sark and Barclays Advendure just astern by single digits. - www.globalchallenge2004.com/en/ * Australian yachting journalist Peter Campbell is trying to identify the name(s) of the designer(s) of Huey Long's Ondine I, Ondine II and Ondine III. If who can help, please write Peter at: peter_campbell@bigpond.com. * Pusser's Rum, the original navy rum and the rum of Great Britain's Royal Navy for 330 years, has produced 18,000 limited edition Nelson Trafalgar Bicentenary Decanters to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of Nelson's colossal victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, October 21st, 1805. Each decanter is hand decorated using coloured glass inks that have been permanently fired into the porcelain. There are four major designs around the body of the decanter. The aged Pusser's Rum in the Bicentenary Decanter comes from a limited number of specially selected barrels. - http://pussersrum.com SHOPPERS WANTED While not exactly eBay, the Scuttlebutt Classified ad postings offer an assortment of gear, jobs, and items wanted. View the current offerings on the official bulletin board of Scuttlebutt Sailing Club. Ads are free too. Check it all out at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/classifieds LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (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 Bob Brenac: After half a century of racing using Time on Time handicapping, I've never heard of anyone needing an "interactive dynamic time table generator" to figure out "how we are doing" during a race ('Butt 1823 & 24). The time allowance between any two boats can be calculated with a $1 calculator. Subtract the lower TCC from the higher TCC, divide by the lower, then multiply that by 60. The answer is the number of minutes per hour the higher rated boat owes the lower. This takes about 10 seconds per boat to calculate, so in a fleet of 30, it's a five minute job to figure out how much time (in mins/hr) your boat receives from, or gives to, every other boat in the race. Thus, at any time throughout a race (usually at mark roundings), one can easily figure out whether others are ahead or behind on corrected time. For those who are half adept at using spreadsheets, ie MS Excel, it's even quicker to prepare a time allowance table.For example - in cell A1 enter your boat's TCC. In column B, enter as many other TCCs you want. In cell C1 enter the following: =IF($A$1 column C and presto! The minutes per hour you owe to, or are owed from, every other boat in the list. Dead easy! * From Doran Cushing: It never ceases to amaze me how the "authorities" look to the little guys for solutions to bigger problems. In the case of polluting bottom paints, remember that the U.S. Navy has lots of very big boats in the San Diego basin...none of which must comply with federal regulations which restrict toxins in bottom paints. If you are a big boat, or a government boat, you don't have to worry about polluting. Blame the recreational boaters for everything ... head discharges when city systems dump millions of gallons of untreated sewage by mistake and get a slap on the wrist (happens all the time around Tampa Bay). Runoff of rainwater brings tons of heavy metals, petrochemicals, and killer phosphate lawn chemicals into coastal waters but pity the poor boater whose bilge pump sends two teaspoons of diluted diesel overboard. And with the buyout of marinas for megabucks condos nationwide, the public access to the waterways is the 21st century dinosaur...becoming extinct before our very eyes. Just like parklands, tennis courts, and general aviation airports (which get privileged protectionism), local, state, and federal authorities need to protect marina properties before we're all forced to sell our boats and become country clubbers. * From Paul Lowell: Oh Lord, please don't let a thread get started about water safety education (mandatory) because two young people in a JY 15 did something rather stupid. There are over 300 million people in the U.S., and a small number will do something that has the rest of us shaking our heads in disbelief. So be it. Thank you, but I can educate my own children on how not to become proof that Darwin's law of natural selection is correct. Curmudgeon's Comment: Agreed - We'll kill that thread before it gets any traction whatsoever. * From Eric Knopf: Recalling Scuttlebutt 1828, the current US Sailing Team is represented by a higher percentage of sailors from California then from any other state. Outside of California, the Optimist is frequently regarded as the only proper pram for young kids to sail. Optimists, Sabots, El Toros, ect are all small boats for kids to learn sailing and it doesn't matter what boat you learn to sail, it is the quality of instructors and later coaches that determine the type of sailors that evolve and become members of the US Sailing Team. With the number of sailors that drop out of sailing when they are young, the energy should focused but what can be done to keep young sailors interested and continuing to sail throughout their lives , not spent on what is the "best boat" in other areas or the country or the world. * From Jim Barton: My guess would be that in 15 or 20 years no one under the age of 30 will even remember what a Naples Sabot is. The Optimist dingy is the one design class in the world right now. It is one example of one design racing moving in the right direction. * From John Edwards (re the cost of the America's Cup): There is always someone whining about how money is being "wasted". That 1.8 billion is going to be spent on wages, equipment, food, airfares, and all of that in turn goes to someone else's wages etc. That is what makes the world's economy work. There could be nothing worse than sticking it in the bank so some accountant to dole it out over the next 20 years. There will be sailors who learn new skills and meet with other sailors; volunteers who will get memories for a lifetime; and a worldwide audience. We may actually get to see sailing in prime time. Thousands will travel to see the America's Cup, and in the process learn about Spain and what a beautiful country it is; as well as spend more money which goes into wages... (You get the idea). Look at this in the positive. Celebrate the spectacle, and appreciate the perseverance and organization it takes to run a high intensity program for several years competing with the best in the sport. * From Brian Watkins: I read today that a company is making a solar sail material for NASA to power a spacecraft on photons ejected from the Sun. That all sounds good, except the article said they want to sail to this craft to the Sun. Anyone know how that would work? I'm sure they could arrange some machinery to handle tacking back and forth, but usually that requires a keel or a skate sticking into something to keep from slipping sideways. And if they can't do that, they'll never be able to put their keel sideways to the current or get the well regarded lee bow effect. Or maybe the sail is the keel in this case and they can take the lee bow effect all the way to the Sun. Anyway, unless NASA can prove the lee bow effect, I can't see it working. Maybe the people on Scuttlebutt can help NASA with our sailing knowledge before they get too far along, at the very least to recommend bringing a paddle in case they end up downstream. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION The trouble with bucket seats is that not everybody has the same size bucket. |
