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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 669 - October 17, 2000ISAF/SPERRY WORLD SAILOR OF THE YEAR AWARDSThe World Sailor of the Year Awards are being presented in 2000 for the seventh successive year. Two "World Sailor of the Year Awards" are presented, one to a male sailor and one to a female sailor. There are 13 nominees for the 2000 awards drawn from nominations received by Member National Authorities (MNAs) and the ISAF Nomination Panel. These sailors represent the diversity of our sport, from offshore to Olympic Sailors. The winners will be determined by popular vote by sailors from around the world. The nominees are: MALE: Jesper Bank, Henrik Blakesjaer and Thomas Jacobsen (DEN) Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT); Thomas Johanson and Jyrki Jarvi (FIN); Vincent Lauwers (AUS); Iain Percy (GBR); Mark Turnbull and Tom King (AUS); Team New Zealand (NZL). FEMALE: Serena Amato (ARG); Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell (AUS); Karine Fauconnier (FRA); Ellen MacArthur (GBR); Shirley Robertson (GBR); Alessandra Sensini (ITA). Full details of the nominees' achievements can be found at: http://www.sailing.org/worldsailor/2000nomineeshortlist.doc Eligible voters include Member National Authorities, ISAF Committee Members, International and Recognised Classes, Affiliate Members and International Media. The ballot can be found at: http://www.sailing.org/worldsailor/2000votingform.doc The winners of the ISAF/Sperry World Sailor of the Year Awards 2000 will be announced at the Annual Dinner and Awards Presentation on Tuesday 7 November 2000, at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, Edinburgh, Scotland. DENNIS CONNER (The man they call "Mr America's Cup", Dennis Conner, is returning to the match-racing scene for the Colorcraft Gold Cup, the final event on the Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing Tour. When he talked with John Roberson about his return to the circuit, he replied "Russell and Gilly talked me into it". Here is an excerpt from Roberson's story on the Sports.com website.) Dennis is adamant that this is not an indication of his intention to do the Swedish Match Tour next year, "I'm working for a living mate," he told Sportsline, "I'm trying to put an America's Cup programme together, and it's pretty hard to do that while you go sailing." While other big money teams are out scouting around the world signing up the best crew they can find, Dennis isn't worried about this, "well informally I've talked to the same people that you would expect me to have," he says, "but I'm not going to sign any contracts, because there is no point in it." However he has committed to Reichel Pugh as the design team, and New England Boat Works to build for what he anticipates to be a two boat campaign. When asked about the huge teams being signed up by the four billionaires, Dennis is as laconic as ever, "we hear rumours of a hundred crew, but last I heard it only takes sixteen. I expect to have the same core that you might expect. It's a nice tight family, and we enjoy each other, and if the boat is fast, they'll win." He has now dropped the idea of Volvo Ocean Race campaign, and is excited by the prospect of the new money coming into the America's Cup. "I still like the Volvo, but time is running out, and I'm not really actively seeking sponsors," he confessed. "If someone called me and asked me to do it, I might consider it, but I'm more interested in the America's Cup now. I think it is going to be rejuvenated with the interest of all the rich guys." Unlike the big money teams Dennis is not going to be spending the next two Southern Hemisphere summers practicing on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, he believes his team are getting enough sailing anyway. Ken Read has done the Kenwood Cup this year, and recently finished fourth in New York's Knickerbocker Cup match racing, Peter Isler has been Etchells sailing, while Peter Holmberg has done the Italian and Danish events on the Swedish Match Tour, and will be in Bermuda. - John Roberson Full story: http://www.sports.com/sailing/ The Science of Comfort. At Gill we know the quality of our garments will be measured over years of use. That's why we strive to exceed industry standards in everything we do! From the unique way we work with and listen to the world's sailors to the meticulous attention we give to every garment. Whether you're on the US Sailing Team at the Sydney Olympics or facing the extremes of the Southern Ocean sailors want to stay warm and dry. Don't' take any short cuts when it comes to comfort and quality. Choose Gill gear! http://www.gillna.com THE RACE (Tim Jeffery looks at the problem-plagued Team Philips maxi-catamaran designed and built specifically for The Race. Here are two brief excerpts from his comprehensive story posted on the Quokka Sailing website.) * If goodwill had anything to do with it, Team Philips would be back afloat and blazing across the Atlantic. Such is the nearly disciple-like following Pete Goss' project has inspired among ordinary, non-sailing supporters in Great Britain. Instead, one week after Team Philips' second structural trauma, there is still no explanation as to why the bottom of the port mast failed - or what the fix is. One thing is clear: Despite being launched last February, Team Philips will arrive in Barcelona with hardly any miles on the clock. The most radical of The Race's entries will still be largely untested. Asked to confirm that the mast problems had scotched plans to squeeze in a trans-Atlantic crossing before The Race's start, Goss replied: "You don't need me to tell you that!" A little testiness is understandable, given the sheer weight of responsibility Goss has carried for the past four years. But coming from the normally exuberant Goss, it's highly unusual. * Leading the investigation into the failure are builder Gary Venning, designer Adrian Thompson and the rigs' designers/engineers Martyn Smith and Barry Noble. Goss said outside experts are also involved. Each of the 2.5-ton masts slots into the hull like pens into inkwells. There is a self-aligning bearing at deck level and massive structure below, including bulkheads fore and aft of the mast step. Between the bulkheads, a bronze cup at the bottom of each mast sits on a melon-sized titanium ball, the ball-and-socket joint giving the spars full 360-degree maneuverability. Although the cause is not yet understood, Goss said that the cup became detached from the mast base, allowing the spar to drop down over the ball and causing small damage to the forward bulkhead. "It would appear that the cup gripped the ball rather than rotating on it," Goss said of the initial findings. "The result was that the mast dropped onto the base structure in the bottom of the boat, but did not shift about a great deal, as the ball was captive within the side walls of the mast. "I don't have a crystal ball, so I don't know when we will have the full answer," Goss added. - Tim Jeffery, Quokka Sports website Full story: http://www.quokkasailing.com/stories/10/SLQ_1016_goss_WFC.html LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed may be edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. -- From Jim Champ (re advertising code) - The simple answer to this is that most other places in the World see sponsorship very differently from you guys in the States. Over here in the UK, for instance, amongst many dinghy sailors, the word Corinthian tends to be interpreted as "Clubs for people with lots of money". In Australia and NZ, especially amongst the skiff classes, sponsorship has always been the way the ordinary bloke, an amateur, can afford to run a good boat with the aid of a sponsor (an enthusiast themself) who buys a few rags in exchange for some signage so it can go on the company books. If it wasn't for such sponsorship racing dinghy development worldwide would be about twenty years behind what it is... The problem with race organisers choosing the categories? It means that the ordinary bloke doesn't have to have to be perpetually peeling stickers on and off, or have two sets of sails, all of which would cost money for no benefit to the sport. With a class rule your boat is always in the same category. To my mind it's a great commonsense change, regularising existing practice in much of the world. And for you guys that have a problem, well all it takes is for your Class/Measurement Association to vote for Cat A. I bet that the vast majority of such votes will take place in the USA... -- From Geoff Lynch, Vice Captain Junior Offshore, and JOG representative to IRC Council (UK Handicapping system for Cruiser Racers) - Just as here in the UK, the ISAF advertising code changes are finally starting to make an impact in the USA. Your USSA has been 'hit' by an ISAF agreed/imposed rule change which was never thought through for handicap or offshore racing at the club level. As over 80% of such racing in the UK is run using our IRC system, the IRC administrators (RORC) and our MNA (Member National Authority) (RYA) have come up with a clever ruse to allow clubs some say over what they do. IRC will issue two certificates for each yacht (IRC-A for Cat A, and IRC-C for Cat C). A club can then publish a notice of race for the class they wish to entertain (i.e. in JOG we will only permit entrants from IRC-A yachts). As our system is centrally administered (we only have 55 million population!) with 2,500 certificates issued this will work well for us. All in all ISAF have dropped a well camouflaged grenade into the waters for cruiser racing around the world. We are not Olympic sailors, nor are we happy that our MNA's found it difficult to address the issues before the decision was made at ISAF. Having to come up with work-arounds is never elegant or efficient, although I admire the people who had the brains to find a way round the problem for us. We still potentially have problems if non-UK entrants want to compete in our events! -- From Peter Huston - If US Sailing members want to understand why the organization is failing around on the issue of Category C advertising, being run over by ISAF, maybe they should look no further than to the leadership that unceremoniously broomed long time ISAF delegation chair Tom Ehman from his position as the leader of the US delegation several years ago. Ehman has one of the more unique perspectives within the sport - he has run the America's Cup, and he is extremely involved in F1 sponsorship. He has likely forgotten more about sponsorship and the impact it has on sports than the leadership of US Sailing ever even knew. More than anything, Ehman completely understands the need to create a clear differentiation between the casual recreational side of sailing, and the hard-core professional game. When Ehman moved to Germany to manage F1 sponsorships, a very few within US Sailing felt he couldn't be as involved in the administration of the organization as he once was because of the geographic separation - or at least that is they excuse they used for the little power trip. Maybe US Sailing doesn't get the value of this Internet thing. So, they played a pathetic self-serving political game and got rid of him. US Sailing members suffer as a result of this loss. Gresham's Law prevailed once again; the bad drove out the good. Obviously, US Sailing hasn't recovered from the leadership void it created. -- From Scott Mason - Mette Segerblom, Newport Harbor YC's race administrator and waterfront director since 1989, is taking a new position with Orange Coast College's sailing program in November. Mette's new position will free up her weekend's to spend more time with her three young sons, but her efficient presence at NHYC will be missed. On behalf of NHYC's yacht racing council and members, I wish Mette well. She has been a tremendous asset to our club's racing program. Many readers of the 'Butt have raced at NHYC over the years and have gotten to know Mette--please join me in thanking her for her efforts and wishing her well. US SAILING ANNUAL MEETING US Sailing's website has minutes and reports posted from the Area Race Officer Working Group, the Race Management Committee, and the Race Administration Committee. What is not posted is any mention of the 2001 dues increase - apparently next year dues will go from $40 to $50 annually. http://www.ussailing.org/ SPINNAKER TRIM (When sailing downwind, the spinnaker is the throttle, and knowing how to trim it properly can translate into a decisive advantage on the racecourse. Rich Bowen discusses spinnaker trim for performance on the SailNet website. Here's a brief excerpt.) The basic rule of thumb (for sheet tension) is to ease the sheet until the luff of the sail curls, then trim the sheet just enough to stop the curling. This is an ongoing process that should keep you busy throughout the entire downwind leg, but be careful not to let the luff curl too much. Too much curl is slow, and it could cause the sail to collapse, which tends to get you - the trimmer - yelled at. One common mistake of which most spinnaker trimmers are guilty from time to time is getting complacent - or distracted - and over-sheeting the sail. When this happens, the trimmer is no longer playing the curl and the sail trim isn't optimum. Keep an eye out for this kind of lapse in concentration, particularly in lighter conditions, since it takes concerted effort to stay focused for prolonged periods while trimming the spinnaker. If your concentration is beginning to fade, take a quick look around, get a drink of water, or let someone else trim for a while. In a big breeze, it's important to realize that the spinnaker trim will require particularly close attention. The trimmer needs to be in constant communication with the driver so that he or she knows when the driver is having trouble and the sail needs to be eased. One of the most critical aspects of being a competent spinnaker trimmer is communication. Some of the best drivers are able to multi-task efficiently when it comes to knowing what the wind will do behind them and where their competitors are. Professional sailors like Ken Read and Russell Coutts have an impressive ability to take in the total picture that way even while driving. And you'll find that many single-handed racers - like Laser sailors - are also attuned in this way. However, even if a helmsman has these abilities, he or she will still need input from the spinnaker trimmer. Downwind, the spinnaker trimmer is essentially steering the boat because that person provides constant input about pressure on the sail, and the driver should respond accordingly. - Rich Bowen, SailNet website Full story: http://www.sailnet.com/collections/outfitting/index.cfm?articleid=bowenr0006&tfr=fp WANT TO WIN IN ONE-DESIGN? If you want to win in One-Design you should be asking your sailmaker about Bainbridge Sailcloth. Following a string of summer successes Bainbridge's AIRX spinnaker fabrics and DIAX laminates have between them scooped top 3 at the J24 Worlds and 1st at the US 1D35 Championships. Talk Bainbridge to your sailmaker or find out more at www.sailcloth.com CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS * October 18-22: Championship of Champions, Houston YC, La Porte, TX. Skippers are 2000 one-design National or North American champions. The event will be raced with a skipper and one crew in Vanguard 15s. - http://www.ussailing.org/championships/CofC/cocnor.pdf * June 27 - 30, 2001: Balboa National Pram Championship, Balboa YC in Corona del Mar, CA. Twenty-one new Naples Sabots are being built for the event by the W. D. Schock Corporation, with new sails provided by Ullman Sails. Class Secretaries of the four pram classes recognized by US SAILING (El Toro, Naples Sabot, Optimist, and U.S. Sabot) refer their best. http://www.balboayachtclub.com * June 14, 2002: 43rd biennial Newport to Bermuda Race, Cruising Club of America and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. The Race is open to single-hulled sailing yachts with inboard auxiliary power, 35 to 80 ft LOA. which pass strict skipper, crew, design, and equipment specifications. http://www.bermudarace.com IACC YACHTS San Francisco based Sailing Billboards has just completed the purchase of IL Moro Di Venezia 1. ITA 1 which won the inaugural IACC Worlds Championships in '91, will be brought to San Francisco to join NZL 14 as a Sailing Billboard. She has sailed the waters off Point Loma since her delivery in the summer of '90 from Italy. Meanwhile in New Zealand, NZL 20 is nearing completion and will be ready to sail in January. After the summer she will be shipped to San Francisco and will join her sister NZL 14 and ITA 1. Sailing Billboards will spearhead and effort to get all seven IACC yachts on the West Coast to sail next summer in two regattas. In addition to these three, Larry Ellison has two (Aloha's), Dennis has Stars and Stripes 95 and the Seattle Challenge has IL Moro 5. Look for two televised regattas to happen sometime in the end of 2001. Information: John@sailingbillboards.com J-FEST Newport Beach, California - 65 J-Boats battled it out in typical light Southern California breezes over the week-end to claim bragging rights in 5 One Designs fleets, a PHRF category and even a cruising fleet in the 4th annual J-Fest hosted at Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Newport Beach. Never seeing more than 9 knots of breeze either day, skippers struggled to keep the frustration levels down and the sails filled. A postponement Sunday morning put the day's races in jeopardy, but the breeze finally filled in giving the competitors an opportunity to complete the five race series. - Karen Hall Class winners: J/120 (16 boats) Scott Birnberg, Indigo; J/105 (11 boats) Thomas Carruthers, Clouseau; J/24 (21 boats) David Klatt/Bill Robertson, Zoni; J/30 (4 boats) Mike Leary, Pangea J/80 (4 boats) Dave & Amanda Hammett, D N A; Cruising (8 boats) Vincent Barker, Miss Kathleen; J-PHRF (6 boats) Lance McCabe, Braveheart (J/130). THE CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL Moderation in all things, including moderation. |
