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SCUTTLEBUTT 2205 - October 19, 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). ONCE WAS ENOUGH (October 18, 2006) ABN Amro today announced that it would not enter the 2008/9 Volvo Ocean Race. ABN Amro's participation with two boats in the 2005/6 round-the-world race was a huge sporting and marketing success. This was ABN AMRO's first global sponsorship project aimed at uniting the worldwide territories of the bank, raising global awareness of the brand and introducing the global tagline 'Making more possible'. The campaign's primary objectives were to involve employees from all key territories around the world, achieve worldwide brand exposure, create a platform for client hospitality, communicate the core values of the bank to a global audience, and win the race. All objectives were achieved during the race. - Full release: http://team.abnamro.com/web/show/id=102954/contentid=4342 DEFENDING HIS TITLE Bernard Stamm is this week gearing up to defend his title as winner of the ‘Around Alone’, the previous edition of the race now known as the Velux 5 Oceans, which starts on Sunday 22nd October, in Bilbao, Spain. Stamm, 45, who won four of the five legs of the previous race, and in doing so set two speed records - for the fastest passage from England to South Africa in an Open 60 (29 days, 21 hours, 59 minutes, 45 seconds) and single-handed Atlantic Open 60 record (10 days, 11 hours, 55 minutes, 19 seconds) - looks set to be a strong contender in a fleet battling for the podium in the world ’s toughest sporting event. The 2006-7 Velux 5 Oceans is set to be the hardest ever solo round-the-world race, with longer legs, fewer stopovers, and a total mileage of 30,000 miles. Bernard Stamm's life has been linked with the sea since the age of two, lake-sailing with his parents in Switzerland, then a brief career in the Swiss merchant navy followed by a period as boatbuilder and cruising boat skipper. - Full story: http://www.velux5oceans.com/page/ProfileDetail/0,,12345~897373,00.html A CLASS, CLUB, AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING REGATTA For the International Snipe Class, their World Championship is in odd numbered years, with continental championships hosted in the even years. For 2006, the Americas and Asia will compete in the Snipe Western Hemisphere & Orient Championship (WH&O) in Miami, FL. However, back when the class was seeking a host for the event, with the rotation schedule requiring a North American site, there were not a lot of takers. Why had the WH&O become a regatta that no district, fleet, or club wanted to host? WH&O participation in recent years had slipped to 20-25 hard-core teams with the majority of them hailing from the US and the host country; hardly a money-making regatta. One change was the catalyst for many, and the result is that this year’s event will be the largest ever, with the maximum number of competitors allowed under the modified deed of gift. A field of 50 teams from 9 countries will kick off the Miami one-design season by competing on Biscayne Bay from October 22nd -26th. But what precipitated the turnaround? - Full story: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1017 SAILFLOW.COM - WEATHER WHERE YOU SAIL! SailFlow, the leader in real-time and forecasted marine weather, invites you to experience a unique new website. By collecting all public weather data (buoys, forecasts, warnings, satellite/radar, etc), SailFlow's free service eliminates your need for multiple weather bookmarks by giving you everything in one convenient location. Plus SailFlow operates a network of proprietary weather stations placed right where you sail and uses their own computer model to forecast conditions. A recent addition is a revolutionary weather graph that scrolls between current, past, and forecasted conditions without having to reload the page. -- http://www.SailFlow.com/new COMING TO THE USA San Francisco, CA (Oct. 18, 2006) - Past match racing world champions Chris Dickson and Peter Gilmour, along with BMW Oracle Racing team founder and owner Larry Ellison, are among the entrants for the first Allianz Cup Presented by Oracle, Stage 5 of the 2006-’07 World Match Racing Tour. Sixteen teams are entered in the $100,000 Allianz Cup, scheduled Oct. 25-29 at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco. The winner earns $25,000. The teams represent a mix of America’s Cup syndicates and the next generation of match-race sailors. The entry list: Ben Ainslie (GBR) Emirates Team New Zealand, Brian Angel (USA) King Harbor Match Race, Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, Jesper Bank (DEN) United Internet Team Germany, Johnie Berntsson (SWE) Team Semcon, Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Viano Mercedes Benz, Chris Dickson (NZL) BMW Oracle Racing, Cameron Dunn (NZL) Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team, Larry Ellison (USA) BMW Oracle Racing, Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, Björn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.net, Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi, Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team, Chris Perkins (USA), Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team, Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing Event site: http://www.AllianzCup.com Tour site: http://www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com COMING TO BERMUDA (October 2006) After two years of discussions, the Bermuda 1-2 Yacht Race has agreed to allow Mini 6.50’s to participate in the 2007 rendition of the regatta as an Exhibition Class. The Bermuda 1-2 will be the Minis’ first official regatta in the United States. There are already 6 boats that have committed to the race, which will start in Newport, RI on June 9th 2007. The Mini Class US is strongly committed to meeting, and exceeding, all the safety rules and expectations set by the Bermuda 1-2 race committee; and look forward to beating some of the “big guys” to Bermuda. The US class will have their annual meeting November 4, 2006 in Newport, RI, and is open to anyone seriously interested in Minis. For more information: http://www.miniclassus.com DESIGNING FOR THE CUP (The ‘Valencia Sailing’ website continues their "Inside an America's Cup team" series with Jason Ker, principal designer of Team Shosholoza. Ker lays out the main tasks of a boat designer in the America's Cup but also gives a more specific view on the 32nd edition of the event in Valencia. Here is an excerpt.) Valencia Sailing: You are one of the world's top designers of racing yachts. How much different is designing an America's Cup boat from the ones you have so far designed? Jason Ker: Compared to other boats, the amount of time there is normally available to design an America's Cup yacht is far greater which allows us to go into minute detail. In addition, even if Shosholoza has one the smallest budgets among the teams in Valencia, you have a relatively "unlimited" budget for design in comparison to other types of design. You could say the steps in designing these boats are similar to other racing yachts but you have more time, more people involved and more resources. You do things that you normally wouldn't consider doing for a normal racing yacht. When AC designers apply themselves to other yacht design, they have effectively the same set of tools in the box but usually much less time to use them. - Full interview: http://tinyurl.com/y9srxv SAILING SHORTS * A memorial service for Cy Gillette will be held at Kaneohe YC on Monday, October 30th. Plans call for ashes to be scattered offshore at 3:00 pm, with a reception to follow at 4:00 pm. Those wanting to launch their boats must do so by 12:00 pm and leave trailers outside the gate. A chartered bus will depart Waikiki YC at 1:30 pm and return at 6:00 pm; contact the WYC office to reserve space. For those driving, additional parking will be available at YWCA Kokokahi and at Windward United Church of Christ, with Shuttle buses going every few minutes. * Scuttlebutt received an email with photos of a very odd craft. The sighting occurred in the state of Washington, and attempts to gather information about the craft from the crew were rebuffed. The first person that can provide us with accurate and verifiable details will earn a Scuttlebutt cap. Here is the link with the photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1018 * The U.S. qualifying regatta for the "Under-21" berth at the 2007 ISAF Team Racing World Championship, will be on March 17-18, 2007 at Stanford University's Morrison Boathouse in FJ's. The 7th annual ISAF Team Racing World Championship is on August 20-25 at West Kirby, England. Entries for the qualifier will be limited to 10 teams and will be selected via resume if necessary. All team members must be over 15 years of age and under 21 years of age on December 31, 2007. For details, contact Jay Kehoe at mailto:jkehoe@stanford.edu. Event website: http://www.wksc.net/ISAFworlds2007 * The long-time editor of BoatU.S. Magazine, Michael Sciulla, was recently named publisher of the nation's largest circulation magazine for recreational boat owners by BoatU.S. Founder Richard Schwartz. Begun in 1966 as a basic newsletter for the members of Boat Owners Association of The United States, Schwartz and Sciulla revamped the 500,000-circulation publication in 1996 turning it into a critically-acclaimed and advertising-supported magazine that now has more than 650,000 subscribers. - http://www.boatus.com * (October 17, 2006) Officials of Yale Cordage, Inc., today announced the formation of Yale Rope Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary. The new company has acquired the assets of Spencer, North Carolina- based Wall Rope, Inc. According to Tom Yale, president of Yale Cordage, Inc., the North Carolina facility will continue manufacturing product, while sales and administration functions will be shifted to Yale Cordage’s Saco, Maine, facility. - http://www.yalecordage.com * On Tuesday, the ACC Technical Director, Mr Ken McAlpine, notified the teams that sail number 99 has been issued. Teams have yet publicly to lay claim to previously allocated numbers 94, 98 and 99. Teams that have announced they are building, or are about to build, new boats: Alinghi, Luna Rossa, BMW ORACLE Racing, Mascalzone Latino Capitalia Team. Some say Victory Challenge (recently announced that they had 96) could also be building a second boat. Of note, the number 99 is also the number of Hershey's Kisses in a pound, according to the official Hershey's website. - Full report: http://tinyurl.com/ykv7jz * Zyvex Corporation announced the world’s first sailboat mast using carbon nanotubes. The mast, unveiled at the nanoTX '06 tradeshow in Dallas, incorporates Zyvex’s NanoSolve materials to improve yacht performance by significantly increasing the strength and stiffness of the mast without adding weight. The mast was built for the new Synergy 350 RL. Based on Zyvex ’s work for NASA in developing composite-in-composite materials, NanoSolve disperses carbon nanotubes into the epoxy matrix to provide stiffer and tougher composite structures. With a tensile strength 5-10 times higher than carbon fibers, nanotubes reinforce the epoxy and make the entire structure significantly stronger. - http://www.zyvex.com/News/Synergy_PR.html * The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is offering individual grants of up to $4,000 for boating safety projects. Applications must be received by November 1, 2006. Complete details at 1-800-336-BOAT or http://www.BoatUS.com/foundation LOVELL/OGLETREE WIN 10TH TORNADO NAT’L CHAMPS Congratulations to John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree for winning their 10th Tornado National Championship in San Diego, October 9-11. The Olympic medallists and perennial Ullman Sails customers also won the USA Pre-Olympic Trials, October 13-15. The top 4 Tornado’s in both events used Ullman Sails to dominate the competition. Ullman Sails delivers the speed that assists John, Charlie, and other world class competitors in their quest for national and world titles, and Olympic medals. If you and your crew are ready for the “Fastest Sails on the Planet,” contact your nearest Ullman Sails loft and visit 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 (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 save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, there are no word or frequency limits on comments sent to the Scuttlebutt Forums. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Jack King: I read with some amusement about your Mt. Gay hat contest. There are a number of people that I know here in south Florida that have large collections of the hats, but few of them have ever sailed in the events. Of course, Ms. Steffi, whom I know well, is not one of those people. Possibly the contest should focus on the quality of the collection rather than the quantity. I would like to nominate an unknown sailor for the honor of top quality collection of Mt. Gay hats. Several years ago I was returning from Block Island and was having dinner in Point Judith. I noticed a crusty, really old sailor wearing a Mt. Gay hat and having dinner with his at-least-half-his-age Jamaican wife. I struck up a conversation and asked him about the hat, which read "1984 Narragansaett Bay Frostbite Series." Then I offered to trade him a Key West and NOOD hats for his. He politely declined. Something about an 80 year old sailor with a 40 year old Jamaican wife. I should have known better! Curmudgeon’s Comment: Maybe quality will be the tie-breaker. The Mount Gay Rum hat contest can be found at: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/2006/mgr * From Derek Blancké: (Regarding the Curmudgeon’s comments about NERYC in Issue 2204; edited to the 250 word limit) I am a member of the Royal Southern Yacht Club situated on the Hamble River Southampton England. We have a big tradition in racing and host all manner of world class racing events. Look on www.royal-southern.co.uk you will also find that we cater for weddings, lunches, corporate functions etc. We have an excellent facility and we use this to provide recreation and entertainment for a wide-ranging and inclusive membership of all ages and their guests. Please don't knock the NERYC for making a success of their club by using the facility to its potential. They need to be commended. Reading the many emails you publish about the decline in US sailing, would this not be be addressed if more clubs took a lead from the NERYC and provided a good well balanced facility for parents, grand parents partners and guardians to use whilst the racers race. This makes the sailing environment interesting to non-racers and non sailors. Visitors invited to the Southern find it pleasant experience and many return for the social element as much as the sailing. Corporate and wedding events, lunches, dinners etc. bring in people who have never been on a boat. This can only be good. * From John Rousmaniere: Roy Davies' charming recollection of his early days in the P-Class and Optimist is a good reminder of the importance of small, inexpensive boats not just for their own sake but as launching pads to greater achievement. When Oxford University Press asked me to put together a list of the 30 most important sailboat classes for its forthcoming "Encyclopedia of Maritime History," I instantly started with these two boats. The P-Class is the foundation of New Zealand’s sailboat racing dominance, and the Optimist is the international standard for youngsters. It took a lot longer to decide on the 28 centerboarders, boards, multihulls, and keel boats (ranging up to the America's Cup Class) that completed the list. We could debate their merits for several lifetimes, but can anybody question the value of those two boats with a combined length of less than 15 feet? * From James Malm: It is sure nice to hear the U.S. Coast Guard is still as prepared as ever (regarding story in 2204). As a junior sailor we occasionally saw a boat patrolling up the Rocky River (Ohio) armed and ready; you got the feeling they saw Apocalypse Now a few too many times. I did laugh when I read, "We're concerned most particularly in the environmental aspect." Has Canada forgotten that the Cuyahoga River (Ohio) used to catch on fire? I don't think a few rounds would hurt any, but maybe the leach fields from septic systems along the lake would? On a positive note, I had heard that the military has developed a non-lead environmentally friendly bullet, which is supposed to have the same performance characteristics as the standard lead round, but I am not sure if it is in the full supply chain yet (or if they plan to bring it into the full supply chain). * From Chip Johns, President, Vanguard Sailboats: Have we lost a generation of sailors? I don't think that we have lost a generation of sailors, but we are losing some of the values that my generation gained from sailing. Look at the facts, there are tons of kids sailing now, Optimist and Club 420 regattas are larger than any events this country as ever seen, but our Olympic/International classes are smaller and some argue less successful than in the past. Theoretically if the base is as large as it appears to be there should be more cream rising to the top. One argument is that since the toys are provided so easily to kids from age 8 to age 22 that the jump to "doing it yourself" after age 22 is just too hard for most of the kids to make that jump. I witnessed an example at my home club this summer. The C420 team was packing up for a regatta and the parents and coach were packing and tying the boats down to the trailer. I suggested that they have the kids do this and the response was that they would never get to the regatta. If the kids do not want to go to the regatta badly enough to learn how to tie boat down then let them miss it! They will figure it out if they really want to go. Like everything in this world this is not a case of black and white. I am convinced that one of the problems we have is that our kids are not learning how to own boats and travel to regattas. No matter what kind of boat one sails, owning it requires twice as much work as sailing it. Our kids are missing this aspect of sailing and it is hampering the jump from college to post college sailing. * From Bob Wright: I assume that the articles regarding the making of contributions to Hans Horrevoets family are for those wishing to do so, and not because of a financial hardship facing the family. Question: Do the VO70 syndicates carry insurance policies for the crew members to mitigate any financial problems for their families in the event of a tragic loss? If not insurance, surely with the bugets they have they are capable individually, or as a group, of taking care of families of their crew members in such an event. Wondering... * From Mike Ferring: Former Volvo Ocean Race support guy Rikard Grunnan (Scuttlebutt, 10/18) might be pleased to know that he’s not the only sailor from a wetter place who finds himself gazing at Arizona cactus. I lived here for a year before discovering the water and sailboats, but now find myself Commodore of the Arizona Yacht Club (yes, it’s true). Rikard can find a band of enthusiastic sailors who sail and race not only in that small Tempe Lake he mentioned, but also in larger Lake Pleasant northwest of town and around the world. We welcome him to connect at http://www.arizonayachtclub.org CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake. This issue of Scuttlebutt provided by SailFlow.com and Ullman Sails. America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt is brought to you by UBS. |
