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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 947 - November 19, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
VOLVO OCEAN RACE Illbruck was just three and djuice six miles short of the record. All happened at the first weather window with strong reaching conditions a few days in the second of nine legs in the Volvo Ocean Race. This shows, that this new breed of V.O.60's is capable of setting a new 24-hour record for monohulls given higher and more constant wind speed. The present record for a monohull stands at 467.7 miles. Team Tyco's Shore Manager Ian Stewart, Rigger Richard Searle, Boatbuilder Tim Hacket, and Electrical Engineer Martin Carter are now in Port Elizabeth awaiting their boat's arrival, which is now estimated to be midday on Monday. "We'll be hauling the boat out of the water," commented Ian Stewart. "We will assess the extent of the damage upon the boat's arrival and we will fully explore all of our options. Things have not been decided yet. Our first goal is to finish the leg." Djuice has fought back the lost lead and is sailing 10 miles north of News Corp with a three-mile advantage on the Australian yacht. They had surfs that peaked at 34.4 knots speed, not a slow boat at all! While these two still enjoy 25 to 30 knots of wind, the northerly group with SEB, Assa Abloy and illbruck already reports about five knots less. This could well turn around as a new breeze from northwest with up to 40 knots is said to set in from the north first. POSITIONS on November 19 @ 0358 GMT: 1. djuice, 4067 to finish; 2. News Corp, 3 miles behind leader; 3. Assa Abloy, 53 mbl; 4. Team SEB, 61 mbl; 5. illbruck, 62 mbl; 6. Amer Sports One, 98 mbl; Amer Sports too, 313 mbl. - www.volvooceanrace.org
YNGLING WEIGHT LIMIT The methods by which the measurement of the weight limit will be controlled and monitored and the penalties for non-compliance is set for further debate. The 2002 Yngling World Championships in Switzerland will be used as a test event for the process, with a final decision most likely to be taken in November 2002. - ISAF Website Full story: www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=1568
GOT ANY HALF-TIME PLANS?
AMERICA'S CUP Gilmour said the process of testing was by no means riveting. "It is a tedious and time-consuming process. You come up with, say, 10 ideas to test. Maybe two of them will improve you and eight of them will have been done before or be of no use. "Hours on the water are very important. The Hauraki Gulf is a specialist patch of water. To predict what is going to happen next on any given day, you need a lot of experience." - Julie Ash, NZ Herald Full story: www.nzherald.co.nz/sports/ * On Radio NZ, Pete Montgomery reported that SWE-63's deck had lifted from the hull. Apparently caused by its transport to Auckland in an un-pressurized cargo hold on the Antonov aircraft. Also, on driving towards the Harbour Bridge yesterday, I spotted an IACC on a boat transport truck parked kerbside in Halsey Street (street facing syndicate row). I detoured to investigate. It was Alinghi SUI-59 (old BeHappy) left unattended, waiting to be manoeuvred into the compound. Shortly afterwards, the mast arrived on a separate truck. The truck had two cabs - one at the front and another at the distant rear also containing a steering wheel, presumably to assist with manoeuvrability. Victory Challenge's, SWE-38 (old NZL-38) is sitting in its travel lift on the base forecourt, still painted black but with Victory Challenge's sponsor logos. Their two rubber ducky chase boats are completely black with bright yellow signage. A few metres away are the two GBR 2000 generation boats. The evolution in design is very evident. SWE-38 appears much stubbier with a deeper belly and very much shorter overhang at the stern. - Cheryl, 2003ac.com forum, www.2003ac.com
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Paul Miller: In Scuttlebutt 946, Chris Dickson highlighted an important safety issue the America's Cup Protocol creates when he said, "The problem is that they are old boats and the protocol prevents us from getting the plans of the keel, therefore we don't have any specific engineering knowledge of the keel structure". As one who has designed a number of America's Cup structures, all the protocol allows me to do for the new owner is say things like, "you should be very concerned about fatigue", otherwise I risk a penalty for the syndicate I'm currently working for. America's Cup boats are famous for being designed to the popular notion of "breaking after the last race". This means they are designed for a finite fatigue life as that gives the lightest weight structure and the highest performance. Airliners, busses, trains and many other vehicles are designed using the same principles, but it is inconceivable that the engineering data related to the safety of those on board is not transferred to the plane's new owners. Unfortunately the protocol, by trying to restrict technology transfer between syndicates, also tries to force engineers to violate a major tenet of the engineer's creed, "I pledge to place the public welfare above all other considerations." * From Vince Cooke: Regarding suggestions for open protest hearings, you should know that at the top of the game, and at the initiative of the Chief Umpire/Judge, Bryan Willis, all hearings during the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup, Challenger Selection Series for the America's Cup, were fully open to each competing syndicate and to the media. * From Jim Pearson: It may not be "fun" to protest, but it is even less fun to share a racecourse with those who do not know and understand even the most fundamental rules. The proper response to a hail of "Starboard!" is not "We're just out having fun! Geeez!" It becomes even less fun, to downright dangerous, to be out there trying to share the water with those who know the rules, those who are ignorant of the rules... and those who are abusing the ignorance of others. All of us who enjoy this sport should do our best to convey the philosophy that playing by the rules is both important and (dare I say it?) Fun. Let's teach, abide by, and expect fair sailing under the rules. As for me, I'd rather see more protests, in an open format with swift, firm responses, than fewer. They're a great learning and teaching opportunity. * From Richard Hazelton: It seems Scuttlebutt itself has become a ad hoc protest room, droning on and on about individual woes. While debate is always good, people should realize that, of course, a rule isn't going to make everyone happy in every case. If it's the middle of the night and there's no one on the road but you, do you wait at the red light or go right through? It's a general rule that may not fit your particular circumstance right then, but a rule that is needed and applicable all other times. You win some, you lose some, but for the most part it works. * From Jim Linville: Would you say that Lance Armstrong is simply fit and not talented? How do you reconcile the combined fitness and talent of Paul Elvstrom during his Finn Dinghy days? Have you noticed that medal winning sprinters and marathoners - all fit, all talented - would probably not do too well in each other's discipline? Or that the best Tornado sailors - mightily talented - might not excel in the Star? There are so many different talents in this world, and among them is a group that allows high-level physical performance in any number of disciplines. Windsurfing simply combines certain sailing talents with certain physical talents in a different way than you are used to, but I would submit that branding world class windsurfing athletes as simply fit and not talented does a disservice to the "big house" of sailing. Look at it another way: how would you feel if the entire track discipline was compressed to the 100 meter dash as the only measure of track talent, because the longer distances required only fitness and not talent? * From Don Seymour (edited to our 250-word limit): It's funny to watch the development of windsurfing equipment. Many people are singing the praises of these new boards that plane in 8 knots. What you have is this huge wide board and gigantic 9 or 10 meter sail. Whatever you do don't drop that thing! Then you have this fin on the back that has grown to 3 feet long. Make sure you jump off the board a long way from the beach so you don't ding it or rip it out of the board. It costs $200 to replace. It's essentially a centerboard they have now, but on the back of the board where the fin used to be. You can't retract it. You might be able to plane in 8 knots but that's on a reach. Try to sail a mile upwind and then back downwind in 8 knots. It's not fun. How about tactics and strategy? Just go as fast as you can to the corner, do one tack and head for the mark. Forget windshifts. Someone compared the IMCO to a model T. What would sailing a Star or a Laser be like then? The best board for the Olympics is the Division II board that was used in '88 and '92. It's a boat like all the other Olympic classes, and is fantastic in light wind. People have to realize that Olympic windsurfing is a completely different sport from the kind of windsurfing that is done in Hawaii or at the Columbia River Gorge. * From Tom Willson: If we followed Bob Anderson's logic and eliminated windsurfing from the Olympics because he sees windsurfers racing only at OCRs in southern California, then we can go ahead and eliminate the rest of the classes too. Here in the Gorge we don't see any grass roots support for Solings, 470s, Ynglings or any of the other sitting "sports." Well, there are two Finns so we'll need a definition of grass roots. Nor are there any Volvo 60s on the river so let's cancel the Volvo Ocean Race. However there are several hundred boards out in the summer, every day, not just weekends, even though 95% of them aren't interested in racing. (That's probably because they're not interested in having a committee telling them when to start and stop). I guess if you're looking for good skiing you ought to stay out of the desert. * Fred Schroth, Executive Secretary, North American Laser Class: The new Executive Director of the US J/24 Class - Eric Faust - is definitely not a "former" Laser guy, as your announcement indicated. While the North American Laser Class publication will indeed have a new editor for the winter issue, Eric has certainly not left the Laser Class. Eric's new office is just up the street form the North American Laser Class office. We have been sharing knowledge and equipment in our efforts to promote the success of both the J-24 and the Laser Class. I still race my J/24 #187 and Eric still races his Laser.
QUOTES FROM THE VOLVO BOATS "So far we have managed to keep the inside of the sleeping bags dry, but that's about to go as well as the water is dripping from the water ballast tank faces due to condensation, straight into and on to the sleeping bags." - Knut Frostad, dejuice "We're smoking. Everything, including the toothbrushes, is stacked down the back of the boat to keep the bow out of the water."- Ross Field, Team News Corp "With a wind chill of zero on deck and water temperatures of 2-3 degrees [Celsius] having the correct clothing is vital to success on these cold legs." - Alby Pratt, Team News Corp "To gybe these boats in these conditions takes an hour. By the time you get everyone up and dressed, move the stack above and below deck, get all the sails across, re-rig everything, and turn the boat, it's an hour, so you better be sure you don't want to gybe back an hour later again." - Rudi [Mark] Rudiger, Assa Abloy "I only have one problem - I spend my off watch either doing repairs or working with media - I want to SLEEP!!" - Arve Roaas, djuice "You want speed, my friend? That is the whole point of this crazy game - white knuckles and knots in your stomach at thundering speeds on the edge of consequences you don't dare to think about." - Bridget Suckling, Amer Sports Too " In four hours we did somewhere around 50 miles - and I lost a bunch of hair for every single one! Attention Tom Leweck for Scuttlebutt: I have a message for all my friends back in Santa Cruz CA, please go and have a margarita for me at the Palomar, I really need one right now! Not to mention some chips and salsa and a chicken burrito!" Jon Gunderson, Team News Corp "The level of this game has increased from previous [Whitbread] races. There are more experienced crews, better maintained boats and stronger sails. It is pretty impressive to see." - John Kostecki, illbruck Challenge
YOU NEVER KNOW?
AROUND ALONE Van Liew will be bringing the Mission America yacht to Charleston Boat Works for a complete refit in preparation for the Around Alone 2002-3, which will begin from Newport, Rhode Island in September 2002.
LEWMAR CUP The Mumm 30 fleet had no clear dominant leader, but with Steadfast's disqualification in race 6 after a protest hearing, Paydirt (Kent Plunkett) started the final day's racing with a decent 3 point lead over Off the Gauge (Jack Leforte). Paydirt finished the final race a disappointing 8th. Off the Gauge, on the other hand, had the wind gods on their side and slipped across the line in 3rd giving both boats an equal number of points for the series. Unfortunately for Paydirt, Off the Gauge had more first place finishes for the regatta and the overall top spot went to them. The real story of the week, however, was Steadfast. Their consistent performance throughout the 8 races should have been enough for an overall win, but a disqualification after a protest hearing for race 5 foiled their chances, and they had to settle for 3rd overall. Full results were not available at our distribution time but we have been told they will be posted soon: www.farr40.org / www.mumm30
TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE Three hours and 32 minutes after Groupama took victory, Kingfisher-Foncia, skippered by Alain Gautier and Ellen MacArthur, crossed the line at 2225hrs 10s local time (1225hrs 10s GMT) under a "magical starry night", in Gautier's own words. They have spent 14 days, 12 hours, 35 minutes and 10 seconds racing. Alain Gautier & Ellen MacArthur had held the lead on Kingfisher-Foncia for several days until a broken bowsprit, hydraulic problems and blown out gennaker slowed them up sufficiently for Groupama to steal victory in the final 24 hours of the race. - www.jacques-vabre.com
THE CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL |
