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SCUTTLEBUTT 1847 - May 26, 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. A PAIR OF DROPOUTS May 25 - After a high-mileage Tuesday, the pace has slowed for race leaders Mari-Cha IV and Maximus as they negotiate a warm front that will see the wind filling in from the east. Both boats are heading just south of due east and making a more modest 10 knots compared to the high 20s they were seeing yesterday. "Expecting a reasonable amount of wind tonight, nearly upwind, 25-30 knots for 12 hours or so, and then we get over into the high pressure by Newfoundland, and it will be holiday time," reported Maximus' veteran navigator Mike Quilter. "This is the first major test of the New Zealand maxi, which has a state-of-the-art rotating wing mast and a retractable canting keel. "It is a brand new boat, and there have been an endless number of small issues on board, but we have overcome them all," said Quilter. The third yacht in the class - Carrera, owned by Stamford, Connecticut's Joe Dockery - has retired from the race, citing in an email from captain Simon Davidson "catastrophic mainsail failure while beating upwind in 40 knots of wind and very large seas in the Gulf Stream." The yacht is heading back to Newport, R.I., and does "not require outside assistance." Continued the email: "Carrera's crew has made the unfortunate decision that it would not be prudent to head farther into the North Atlantic with a mainsail that was so badly damaged in the first storm." The race is also over for the biggest boat in the fleet, the Storm Trysail Club-chartered 250-foot (76m) clipper ship Stad Amsterdam. A delayed start and a prolonged period without wind has forced the captain to turn on the engine. "This night we have taken the decision to retire. That is because we came into an area with not much wind and our charter will end on 8 June in Cowes," explained Captain Pieter Brantjes. "To be there in time, we have to use the engine. At 0130 GMT we started the engine, and we are under power heading towards Cowes. - www.transatlanticchallenge.org KEN READ REPORTS FROM CARRERA We have just retired from the Transatlantic Challenge. It all started yesterday morning. The reason you didn't hear from me yesterday is because we had a little bit on. Forty knots hard on the wind in the gulf stream with the 3 knots of current running against the wind. Tough day at the office. But, all was fine. Boat was leaping off of waves with the storm jib and two reefs in the main in 35 knots was just fine. But when the wind picked up, the mainsail began flogging. We were in the process taking it down when the sail began to tear from the extreme punishment. So why did this chain of events happen? Well, first of all the low pressure we were anticipating yesterday really became far deeper and more severe than any of our weather people anticipated. It was this mistake that really put us in the wrong place at the wrong time with a very disappointed crew for sure. So here we are limping home with a storm trysail up and our storm kite, heading for Newport. - Ken Read, North Sail website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/8ksu2 HYDROFOILS The first human-powered commercial hydrofoil, resembling a bizarre cross between a pogo stick and a jet ski, has gone on sale. Riders operate the "Pumpabike" by bouncing up and down on a small platform at the rear of the contraption, whilst holding onto a steering column at the front. In doing so, they can reach speeds of up to 16 knots (30 kilometres per hour), says inventor Mike Puzey, who is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Puzey's design has no propeller and involves no pedaling. Instead, thrust comes entirely from the hydrofoils beneath the craft. The mechanical design of Pumpabike also transfers a rider's bouncing motion into a flapping action of the rear hydrofoil. The only drawback of the device is that its rider needs to kick off from a jetty, a boat or a specially provided stand to get enough forward motion for the hydrofoils to start working. This means if the rider stops bouncing or falls off, the craft lowers into the water and they must swim back to the launch point, towing it in their wake. - Duncan Graham-Rowe, NewScientist.com news service, full story: www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7414 ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN…ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND…. What started in the sailing industry has become a huge hit in traditional sports markets almost overnight. RSD technology allows synthetic materials to become water repellent and breathable while maintaining their lightweight and comfortable UV properties. Compression fit apparel is one of the fastest growing segments in the clothing industry, and the DryGuard is quickly becoming the serious athlete's choice for a performance base layer. Baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer, cycling, snowboarding, and motocross have discovered the unique properties this technology provides - but sailing benefits the most. Dryshirt™ and DryGuard are available from authorized retailers. Call 800-354-7245 or http://www.sailingproshop.com/dryshirt.htm RACING KITES As far as we know, the first course racing for kites, anywhere, is taking place this year on the San Francisco cityfront. For years now kites have been a familiar, colorful feature in the waters off Crissy Field, which is located just inside the Golden Gate and right in the mouth of the wind funnel. The kite sailors do their going-fast bit, and they do their flying through the air bit, and for some of them this is everything they know about sailing. Others, though, grew up in the sailing world, from dinghies to keelboats to windsurfers to kites, and a few of those people are also members of St. Francis Yacht Club, next door to Crissy Field. From a San Francisco point of view, a partnership was a natural. The games take place on alternate Thursday evenings, with starts from the St. Francis race deck. On opening night there were five races and anywhere from 18 to 22 kites per race. - Excerpt from a story by Kimball Livingston posted on the Sail magazine website. Full story: http://sailmag.com/kiteracing/ SWEDISH MATCH TOUR Bertrand Pacé (FRA), of BMW Oracle Racing, continued to blitz the field on Day 2 of the Swedish Match Tour event in Split, Croatia. The ACI H1 Match Race Cup's reigning champion ran his record to a perfect 13-0 after winning seven races on Wednesday. With a record of 9-3 Baird moved into second on the leaderboard of the ACI Cup after a total of eight flights (40 matches) were raced in strong windy conditions. A northeasterly howled over Split all day. In the morning it was gusting up to 30 knots, and whitecaps covered the racecourse. The wind abated to 20 knots as the day wore on, but still had gusts well over 25 knots. It led to broaches both upwind and downwind. "Today's a day where you appreciate the abilities of your crew," said Baird, who leads the Tour standings. "When people look at the sport and wonder where the athleticism is, that's where it is." - Sean MNeill ACI H1 Match Race Cup Standings (After 14 of 22 scheduled flights) 1. Bertrand Pacé (FRA) BMW Oracle Racing, 13-0 2. Ed Baird (USA) Team Alinghi, 9-3 3. Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team, 8-4 4. Kelvin Harrap (NZL) Emirates Team New Zealand, 8-5 5. Philippe Presti (FRA) le Défi, 8-5 6. Staffan Lindberg (FIN), 6-7 7. Mathieu Richard (FRA), 5-8 8. Dario Kliba (CRO), 4-9 9. Flavio Favini (ITA) Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team, 4-9 10. Björn Hansen (SWE), 3-9 11. Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza, 2-11 Event website: www.swedishmatchtour.com FREE LUNCH Finally - a free lunch. The latest Scuttlebutt contest rewarded all the 'buttheads with special offers provided by West Marine, Harken, Team One Newport, and Hall Spars & Rigging. Don't delay, as the clock is ticking on this limited time offer. Details available at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/contest/20000/results.asp NEWS BRIEFS * The 32nd America's Cup Match will be seen live on Swedish television, along with seven other Northern European countries following an agreement between the America's Cup organizers and Viasat Broadcasting. Viasat Broadcasting has acquired exclusive television rights to the 32nd America's Cup for Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary. Programming will begin this year with coverage of the Louis Vuitton Acts, and magazine programs. - www.americascup.com * Over 800 elite sailors from around the globe will gather in Medemblik, Holland, for the 21st Holland Regatta from Wednesday 25 May until Sunday 29 May. For the past 20 years the Regatta has been know as the Spa Regatta but as their title sponsor moves on the event will be known as the Holland Regatta. However, its reputation as being one of four major European grand prix regattas remains intact and all eleven of the Olympic class boats will be hosted by the International Sailing Centre in Medemblik. - http://tinyurl.com/akszc * Tessa Pelly has been named as Operations Manager for the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team, thus supporting Ellen MacArthur, Nick Moloney and Sam Davies's present and future projects. Since 2000 Pelly has had strong global experience, which includes playing a key role in supporting the highly professional RYA Team GBR and, amongst other things, supporting key preparations for British Olympic Sailing team's attendance in 2004 Olympics. - www.offshorechallenges.com * After waiting for more than a month for an opening in the weather, Francis Joyon is now ready in New York, where it may well be possible for him to set sail within the next 24 hours in hopes of setting a new single-handed trans-Atlantic record. His router, Jean-Yves Bernot, confirmed the wind conditions should be good for the IDEC trimaran - 25 to 30 knots, hardly any stronger. The current single-handed record: Laurent Bourgnon, Primagaz, 7 days 2 hours 34 minutes 42 seconds (June 1994) * Qualifications are complete for the 2005 Collegiate North American Championships on June 5-10 at Lake Travis, TX. Teams to attend the ICSA /Gill Coed Dinghy NA's are: Hobart/ Wm. Smith, St. Mary's, Old Dominion, Minnesota, Michigan, Brown, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, U/Washington, Hawaii, USC, South Florida, Charleston, Texas A&M Galveston, Tulane, Georgetown and Boston College. Teams to attend the ICSA Team Race NA's are: Hobart/ Wm. Smith, Georgetown, St. Mary's, Michigan, Northwestern, Dartmouth, Yale, Harvard, U/Washington, USC, Hawaii, Charleston, Eckerd and Texas A&M Galveston. http://collegesailing.org/nas/spring05 * The name of the Australian yacht in the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race will be 'westernaustralia.com.' Taking its name from the destination's interactive tourism website, the yacht will now join the rest of the Dubois 68s fleet training off the English coast in the lead up to the race. As it makes its way around the world, westernaustralia.com will provide international exposure in promoting the State as the 'Real Australia.' - www.clipper-ventures.com * US Sailing has renewed their agreement with Extrasport to be the Official Personal Flotation Device Sponsor of the US Sailing Team, the US Disabled Sailing Team, and the US Youth World Team. Under the multi-year agreement, which runs through 2009, team-members will receive an Extrasport lifejacket. - www.ussailing.org * The works for the new Pier in Valencia Port are well underway, with the works expected to be finished in about fifteen months. Valencia Yacht Club yesterday announced that the 120 new moorings would be offered for sale at a million Euros each, and that the new installations would be unique in the Mediterranean in that they would be able to welcome 50 and 60 metre craft. Sources inside Valencia Yacht Club have revealed that the demand has outstripped the amount of moorings that will eventually be available. - www.valencialife.net J/105 "JESTER" WINS CLASS AT 2005 ANNAPOLIS NOOD! With thirty J/105 teams competing for class honors at this year's Annapolis NOOD, Ullman Sails delivered the speed and performance needed to win. Congratulations to Hugh Bethell's "Jester" (1st), Marty Hublitz's "Veloce" (2nd), and Salvesen Lewis' "Mirage" (3rd). When boat speed is the dictating factor, one choice is clear, "The Fastest sails on the planet" are found at Ullman Sails. Congratulates also to Tripp 26 class winner Stephen Smith and Cal 25 class winner Leo Surla. For information on "The Fastest Sails on the Planet" and the new "FiberPath" sail technology, visit your local Ullman Sails loft or http://www.ullmansails.com 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 Zachie J de Beer (re CBTF technology): Sailing boats are less well understood that aircraft for obvious reasons. A forward foil (canard) as a lifting surface is not a new idea, the Wright Brothers and people before them used a forward lifting surface on early aircraft. In an aircraft the twin or triple lifting surface design can be made stall proof and the overall lift/drag ratio looks very good because all the foils provide positive lift, in a conventional aircraft the tail is pushing down (thus increasing drag). People like the famous Bert Rutan of Scaled Composites argued that overall fuel consumption would be better (for the canard design). During the later 80's a paper in the AIAA Journal (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) investigated the problem and found that should one try to optimize the overall planform the optimum was found with the smallest wing at the back. The downwash created by the front wing affects the rear wing and cancels the "obvious" benefit. There is much more to learn from this paper. * From Brett Phillips: The CBTF Company (Dynayachts) may have the Patent for Canting Keels, but they also claim to have "invented" it. The first time I remember seeing a Canting Keel it was a block and tackle system on the 55' x 10', Rotating Mast, Cat Ketch, oversized International 110 built by Steve Clark's Dad (Van?) in the early to mid 80's? The truth is, what CBTF has "invented" is in theory, no different than what Red Herring had 20+ years ago! * From Bruce Brown: Joanne Wright was a wonderful woman with a true commitment to her family, business and sport. She always had a moment to listen to a young sailor with a problem, always had a word of encouragement for a sailor with an idea and always had a warm heart for a sailor with a story of why it all fell apart on the course. Joanne will be missed by the industry in which she worked, by the friends she left behind and by those of us lucky enough to call her a friend. The sailing industry has lost a great woman and a true friend. * From Peter Jung: I am so sorry to learn of the untimely loss of JoAnne Wright. I fondly recall JoAnne passing needed fittings, line and tools through the back window of the Boat Shop to enable rigging of numerous boats in the parking lot at SDYC. Her warm, friendly manner, and ever-ready willingness to come to the aid of an often rigging-challenged young person (me!) quickly endeared her to my heart. Throughout the many years since those early '70s, she, Dave, and her kids became and stayed friends with me, something that I will cherish forever. Always finding time for a kind word and a smile at every opportunity, her grace and charm will always be remembered. I wish you fair winds and following seas, JoAnne. We will all miss you. * From Max Rosenberg: It's nice to note that in some of the sinking photos on your site, that other J's are not coming to the rescue! Well, in one shot, it looks like a boat is about to help by taking down their spin. * From Bob Marston: I sincerely hope Ben Nathan does not get a penny for the sale of the shirt he was wearing when he bashed the America's Cup. To capitalize on a crime like this is just pathetic desperation. I am sure there are other more positive ways for him to raise money and set a good example for his life-coach business rather than encouraging people to commit crimes of vandalism. What is next? The auctioning of the gun used in the robbery and murder of Sir Peter Blake? It's all tasteless and sad. * From Marc Herrmann: Correct me if I am wrong here, but here is a novel concept. Why don't all AC participants (defender & challengers incl.) collectively agree on adopting this form of meteorology without any other form of outside assistance. This way it puts everyone on an even keel (pardon the pun) with respect to weather info and if sharing the costs, will provide some of the "under funded" programs a competitive edge with everyone else. Sound simple? Perhaps it is too simple. * From Rodger Martin: A couple of comments this time under the heading: 'Cultural Differences.' IRC is wonderful for the Family Club Cruiser/ Racer it was intended to serve, as it is now, and as the established English Channel Handicap System it has been successfully for many years. 'Cultural Difference' in the US is that we are a nation historically unsatisfied with the status quo! We want to find a way to race boats that don't fit into the wide-but-shallow IRC bucket. Stray from the old conservative way, and you will be 'driven up the wall' of this bucket. A respected IRC proponent has told me that purpose-built IRC boats engendered by this new interest in the formula in the new world will bring us 60-70% ballast ratios! (Why not; stability, and the slippery slope its control can lead you down, is nor measured) This will certainly separate the fast from the slow in the development of new designs. (Note: There is a 'Sportboat IRC measure in England, yet to be developed internationally). The IRC is to be praised as a stable, non-emotional, even non-vindictive, racing platform for a wide range of conventional, useful, affordable boats. There is a strong need for this. * From Gram Schweikert: In reply to Mr. Robert King's letter questioning Mr. Whitton's comment about the hull to deck joint, I believe Mr. Whitton was referring to the shear height, and not the bonding material. Since the measurement displacement is calculated based on freeboards taken to the sheerline, a slight difference in the height at which the sheerline is formed by the hull to deck joint can cause fairly large changes in "measured" displacement. For a typical 48' boat, it takes about 1700 lbs to sink 1 inch. While an inch would be a fairly large error in the location of the hull to deck joint in a production boat, it would solely explain the different calculated displacement between the two ID48's, and I believe that is what Mr. Whitton was referring to. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS Any husband who says. "My wife and I are completely equal partners," is talking about either a law firm or a hand of bridge. - Bill Cosby |
