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SCUTTLEBUTT 2179 - September 13, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt brought to you by UBS (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). TURNING UP THE HEAT The Swedish Victory Challenge has ramped up its operation in Valencia to the point that on Monday, the team sailed its two America’s Cup boats, SWE 63 and SWE 73 for the first time since Auckland when the team trained during the quarterfinals of the Louis Vuitton Cup on November 22, 2002. “It feels fantastic to finally get going with the two-boat training,” says Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman. “We have fought hard to develop, despite only sailing with one boat. It hasn’t been easy, even if we haven’t been standing around with our arms folded. We have made great progress. But with two boats it is easier to push forward development at a faster rate. We are testing two different packages; one boat has exactly the same configuration as in the last Louis Vuitton Act. On the second boat today we have the new mast and new mainsail.” Victory Challenge has announced the addition of several new sailors over the past weeks, as the team gears up for a period of two boat testing. The entire Victory Challenge squad now numbers over 100 people, including 80 sailors, shore crew and administrators in Valencia. – America’s Cup website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/hbwbx PART 3: SHARKS AND SEA URCHINS The Scuttlebutt team went to the French Polynesian islands this past summer, and has been providing their log this week from the bareboat charter. In Part 3 of the five-part series, the group is now in Bora Bora, swimming with sharks, and getting stung by sea urchins. Good times! Also, just added to the log is a list of Scuttlebutt’s Top 15 bareboat chartering tips. If you have ever thought about doing your own bareboat charter, or if you are interested in some insight into this Pacific Ocean destination, pay attention as this adventure unfolds. Here is Part 3: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/tahiti THE OLYMPICS IS A TV SHOW The way we offer sailing for Olympic TV - black & white thinking in the age of HD. There was a minor bit of fury around the recently completed Pre-Olympic test event in Qingdao, China this summer. Some were saying the conditions were awful, that the place never should have been selected as the host site, that this was all ISAF’s fault. Really? The IOC picks a host country, and then sites for events within that country, based on what ISAF thinks are the best places to sail? Hardly. It seems from most reports the facility is superb. Andy Horton called it the best he’s even seen. Was the sailing tricky, full of light air and current? Yup. Did that matter to the Brits? Nope. And the US had a very good showing too. Great sailors can win anywhere. But there were flaws - mostly in the way the “medal” event was conducted. Two of the Gold medals were won before the last race - the “medal” event - was run. Imagine a sprinter being given the Gold medal in the 100m dash based on this qualifying times. No one would watch track and field then. The problem is not so much the idea of a medal event, the problem is the way too many events in sailing are scored with allowing a drop race. Why on earth in the Olympics are we rewarding inconsistency in any respect? Who in the general public that somehow finds sailing as part of the Olympic telecast is going to understand all of our arcane scoring? No one. It is lousy TV. Scoring format that isn’t perfectly clear to the first time view is a scoring system that will also make them a last time viewer. The format should be 10 races - count the first nine, all nine - add up the scores and the top 10 go to the medal event. One race. Three medals. – Sailing as I Sea It, full story: http://tinyurl.com/gn35o IT WAS RIGGED: 2006 MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP 49 of the world's largest, fastest and most technologically advanced racing yachts competed in the 2006 Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup off Costa Smeralda. Of the six divisions, five of the division winners were rigged by Southern Spars, including the Racing division winner Alfa Romeo which, together with Wild Oats, sported the largest female moulded mast, at 41 metres high. 50 percent of the fleet was powered by a Southern Spars mast. Our congratulations to all competitors, particularly the division winners: Alfa Romeo, ABN Amro One, Roma, Hetairos, Atalanta II, Magic Carpet, and Aleph. For more on Southern Spars: http://southernspars.com I-14 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Long Beach, CA.-- Affirming the credo that no lead is ever too big, Shark Kahn and crew Paul Allen had to win Tuesday's race twice to pull to within one point of Team Pegasus teammates Howard Hamlin and Euan McNicol after three of seven races in the International 14 Class World Championship hosted by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. Kahn/ Allen led Hamlin/ McNicol by about a quarter-mile, and Hamlin/ McNicol led everybody else by nearly that margin, until early on the last downwind leg when---wait, let them tell it. "We did a major cartwheel," Allen said. Kahn: "We were just sailing along trying to be conservative when a pretty innocent wave came up in front of us. We went straight into it . . . a perfect cartwheel." As the boat pitched forward and went from 18 knots to a dead stop as quickly as you can say a four-letter word, they both wound up on the headstay and then in the water. By the time they leveraged the skiff upright, Hamlin/ McNicol had flown past to lead by 50 yards at the last leeward mark, where the next race began with the former leaders in full attack mode. – Full report: http://www.abyc.org/upload/I14worlds06pr6.doc Standings (71 boats; after 3 of 7 races): 1. Howard Hamlin/Euan McNicol, Long Beach, 1-4-2, 7 points. 2. Samuel (Shark) Kahn/Paul Allen, Aptos, Calif., 5-2-1, 8. 3. Michael Lennon/Jon Blackburn, Great Britain, 4-8-3, 15. 4. Lindsay Irwin/Andrew Penny, Australia, 9-1-9, 19. 5. Bruce Edwards/John Vincze, Watsonville, Calif., 12-10-8, 30. Complete results: http://www.abyc.org/upload/2006_I_14_Worlds.htm IN MEMORIUM Morty Engel, longtime competitor up and down the east coast of the US, passed away on Saturday, September 9, 2006 in Punta Gorda, FL after falling and breaking his hip. Ken Slater submitted a wonderful remembrance of Morty, which is now posted on the Scuttlebutt Forums. For any readers who would like to share their own experiences with Morty, you can do so here: http://tinyurl.com/elkgw RECORD BID ABANDONED A sailor hoping to become the first person to travel solo around the world via the polar regions has abandoned his record attempt. Adrian Flanagan, 45, from near Bicester in Oxon, set off in October and has so far sailed 25,000 miles (40,234km). He reached Nome in Alaska last month, but only received permission to cross the Russian Arctic on Thursday. Mr Flanagan is postponing the last leg of the 35,000-mile (56,315km) trip because the route is now freezing over. The father-of-two said he plans to store his yacht Barrabas in Nome until he returns next year to complete the circumnavigation. He said: "My intention is to return in June 2007, in good time to make preparations. "Sometimes it is harder to make the decision not to press on. I have to be pragmatic. There is little merit in taking unnecessary risks." Mr Flanagan has spent 10 months sailing southwards from the UK, across the North and South Atlantic towards the Falkland Islands, westwards around Cape Horn and northwards through the Pacific before reaching Nome. While crossing the Bering Sea he had to endure "a murderous storm" in which his yacht suffered a broken propeller shaft, which had to be repaired in Alaska. – BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/5337664.stm THERE’S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN Among the 119 Melges 24’s at the 2006 Worlds in Hyeres, France, only one in the championship division suited up with UK-Halsey. After 11 races in 3-30 knot winds, that boat, BETE, is World Champion. Owner, Ezio Amadori, and helmsman, Nicola Celon, got “standard sails, nothing special,” according to Dede DeLuca of UK-Halsey Verona, who developed their inventory. Ironically, BETE’s asymmetric had been rejected by the French team that finished second. Celon credited his all-around sails that are easy to trim. Need some more speed from your sailplan? Call UK-Halsey: 800-253-2002. Read the world’s story (Newsletter) and more at http://www.ukhalsey.com RECOVERED The 90- year old wooden boat Anchovy broached and sank on September 2nd in 50 feet of water South East of Rose Island in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The two crew were quickly pulled from the water by Team Alinghi, who were nearby competing in the Farr 40 Pre-World Championship Regatta. As soon as weather conditions allowed, several volunteers and supporting organizations began searching for the vessel on behalf of the Museum of Yachting. After a number of unsuccessful attempts, a volunteer diver located her on Monday (9/11). Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Oldport Marine headed by Matt Gineo and Ron Ackman and MoY volunteers, Anchovy was brought to the surface today. According to MoY Director of Operations Andy Segal, "the outpouring of support and offers of assistance from the local community was overwhelming. While Oldport Marine was ultimately responsible for the recovery of Anchovy, we would like to also express sincere gratitude to all of the individuals and organizations that stepped forward to assist with the location and recovery of this important classic yacht. We are happy to report that she looks to be in fine condition, and after a bit of attention she is expected to again grace the Museum's boat basin next Spring as part of our in- the-water collection." - Email from the Museum of Yachting, for story and photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/moy.htm SAILING SHORTS * (Lake Winnipesaukee, NH) Light winds dominated the 2006 J/80 North Americans, with only Jason Balich's Over Achiever able to finish the final race within the time limits. Congratulations to Kerry Klingler and his crew of Jay Lurie, Doug Lynn, and Neil Bresnan on Lifted, who beat out runner-up Blake Fleetwood of Amagansett, NY by one point. Les Beckwith, from Wolfeboro, NH was third. Complete results: http://www.j-jamboree.org/2006/results.php * (Rizhao, China) Two races were completed Tuesday to finalize the qualification for the Men’s and Women’s Medal Race that will take place Wednesday at the 470 World Championship. In the Men’s Fleet, Nathan Wilmot/ Malcolm Page (AUS) and Nic Asher/ Elliot Willis (GBR) are the top contenders for Gold. 470 Women Marcelien de Koning/ Lobke Berkhout (NED) will have to face double competition from Japanese sailors Ai Kondo/ Naoko Kamata and Yuka Yoshisako/ Noriko Okuma. Top North American men are Mikee Anderson/David Hughes (USA) in 8th and top women are Amanda Clark/Sara Mergenthaler (USA) in 11th. - Complete results: http://470.rz.gov.cn/sfsjg/ * Despite yesterday's grim weather forecasts, the 114-strong fleet participating in the 14th Rolex Swan Cup enjoyed a great opening day, with plenty of sun, temperatures in the high twenties and an easterly breeze ranging between 8 and 10 knots. The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Race Committee, headed by Italian Sandro Ricetto, selected a 29-mile inshore course for the Grand Prix, Classic and Swan 601 divisions, which led the crews on a clockwise circumnavigation of the Archipelago de La Maddalena, while the Swan 45 fleet completed two windward-leeward races. – Complete report: http://www.regattanews.com/pressrelease.asp?pid=1504&lang=1 * (Narragansett, RI) Eight races have been completed after day two of the Hobie 16 North Americans. The day started with strong northeasterly winds in the twenty knot range but later decreased to ten to fifteen with big shifts and puffs for the last two races. Enrique and Carla Figueroa (Puerto Rico) took the lead today from Armando Noriega and RoderigoAcach (Mexico), with the top four countries from this event earning spots at the 2007 Pan Am Games. Presently, no Americans are in the top four, but there still is three days of racing remaining. Complete results and pictures: http://www.hca-na.org * US Sailing has posted on their website the nineteen entries for the 2006 St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy, an award emblematic for excellence in race management. Last year’s winner, California Yacht Club, is among the entries for their hosting of the 2006 Laser Radial World Championship. - http://www.ussailing.org/racemgt/St_Pete_Trophy/index.htm J/133 DAZZLES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC This 43-footer accelerates so quickly in the lightest of puffs, it’s easy to forget she carries a full cruising interior. The race results from Cowes, Cork, Spi Ouest, Block Island, and Bermuda are simply icing on the cake! See the J/133 at the upcoming Newport, Southampton and La Rochelle boatshows. http://www.jboats.com/j133/ ON THE MEND A new study using NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data finds consistent evidence that Earth's ozone layer is on the mend. A team led by Eun-Su Yang of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, analyzed 25 years of independent ozone observations at different altitudes in Earth's stratosphere, which lies between six and 31 miles above the surface. The observations were gathered from balloons, ground-based instruments, NASA and NOAA satellites. The stratosphere is Earth's second lowest atmospheric layer. It contains approximately 90 percent of all atmospheric ozone. The researchers concluded the Earth's protective ozone layer outside of the polar regions stopped thinning around 1997. Ozone in these areas declined steadily from 1979 to 1997. The abundance of human-produced ozone-destroying gases such as chlorofluorocarbons peaked at about the same time (1993 in the lowest layer of the atmosphere, 1997 in the stratosphere). Such substances were phased out after the 1987 international Montreal Protocol was enacted. - To read the full report, which includes findings on global ozone layer could be restored to 1980 levels some time in the middle of this century, go to BYM News: http://www.bymnews.com/new/content/view/34800/82/ LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or space (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and please save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, you can post your comments on the Scuttlebutt Forums, wherein we may include your submission in the newsletter. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Alex Stout: I live in Annapolis and often cycle over the Severn River Bridge and look down on Tim Troy’s moored boat and reflect on, as your article said (in Issue 2178), another under-funded American entry. What I don’t understand is why he didn’t buy an open class mini, which I assume he could afford out of his own pocket, do a couple mini transats, build his resume, then go after the big boat with major funding? Many of the major players in solo RTW sailing cut their teeth in the mini transat, a proven path to success. We’ve seen his approach before and it rarely leads to success. * From Bryan McDonald, US Team Racing World Championship Umpire: I don't believe US 470 sailor Kevin Burnham's back flip was the genesis for Amanda Callahan's back flip at the last US Sailing Team Race Championship. Before Mr. Burnham's backflip, Brad Funk did some impressive back flips at the last two Hinmans. See images: -- 2004 Hinman: http://homepage.mac.com/sailing/PhotoAlbum48.html -- 2005 Hinman: http://homepage.mac.com/sailing/PhotoAlbum56.html Well before Funk, Callahan and Burnham, it should be noted that the winning teams from the Wilson Cup (major team racing event in the UK) and team racing world championship have historically performed a variety of humorous acrobatics and skits after they win the event. Since there are three boats, the coordinated slapstick, stunts and skits can be quite elaborate. At the last team racing world championship, former world team racing champion Steve Tylecote's team sailed over to the spectator area and put on a delightful show for the crowd to hoot and holler at. * From Bruce Johnson, Chief Designer, Sparkman & Stephens, Inc: Regarding Dorade, if you follow the links to the following web page you can catch four small video clips from the Transatlantic and Fastnet Races of 1931. Of particular interest is the clip of Olin’s brother Rod Stephens going up the rig unassisted by any halyard. It is interesting to note that this was all done without an auxiliary engine. Here is the link: http://www.sparkmanstephens.com/history/video.html * From George Bailey: Our (US) Federal government has made it quite clear: discriminating on the basis of race is racism and is illegal and if you do not discriminate on the basis of race you are a racist and are violating affirmative action policies. How do you alter the behavior patterns of sub-cultures, such as the Hispanic sub-culture, so as to get them to race sailboats? The same way you get Wasp’s to do so: you take them racing. Does your club penalize racers one point for each race they do not have someone new to sailing on board? No? Well, that is drastic but is an example of the sort of thing required. Grass roots, not a big-bucks frontal assault by an advertising agency. Of course, you have to have a group of people new racers will want to return to once they meet them, reasonable club facilities, etc. Then perhaps one in twenty will come back a second time. Sailing might be something most people might like but racing definitely is not. CURMUDGEON’S CONUNDRUM If someone ever got addicted to counseling, how would you treat them? Special thanks to Southern Spars, UK-Halsey Sails, and J/Boats. America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt is brought to you by UBS. |
