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SCUTTLEBUTT 1222 - December 18, 2002Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news ofmajor 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. THE APPENDAGE One of the most intriguing developments of this Louis Vuitton Cup to date is the so-called, "Kiwi Clip-On". This week, Alinghi skipper Russell Coutts revealed that his team, along with Team New Zealand, and possibly Oracle BMW Racing are developing some form of underwater appendage. But it's not the sort of appendage that we would normally expect to see. The three teams are researching ways to attach a sort of second skin or false hull under the aft sections. But what does it look like? And what does it do in real terms? The straightforward answer is simple. No one bar a few designers, team members and the measurers really know for sure. But what is becoming clear is that there may be an effective way to extend the dynamic sailing length of an ACC boat. By drawing a physically longer boat with a shallower run aft and by attaching a device to the hull that alters the distribution of buoyancy. The issue starts with the basic principle that for non-planing boats, a longer boat is a faster boat, for a given displacement. Although not specifically fixed, the length of an America's Cup boat is one of the three trade-offs in the class rule, along with sail area and displacement. The trick is to squeeze extra length into the boat's shape, without letting the rule see that you've done so. - Matthew Sheahan and Marcus Hutchinson, Louis Vuitton Cup website. There is much more, including the first drawings we've seen of the 'Clip-On': http://www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com/story1459.html THE OTHER SYNDICATES The Oracle team of software billionaire Larry Ellison, meanwhile, issued a statement Tuesday saying reports it had the same ('clip-on') technology were "speculative and inaccurate." Oracle's rivals claim the San Francisco-based team has tried New Zealand's "clip-on" appendage with less success than the Kiwis and Alinghi. Seattle's OneWorld Challenge said Wednesday it had researched the false hull, hailed in some circles as the largest Cup design breakthrough since Australia II's winged keel, but were "not convinced of its effectiveness." Team New Zealand did not suggest challengers had copied its design, which it had attempted to shield from rivals, but said it hoped teams had developed the technology legitimately. Team New Zealand has reportedly threatened Alinghi with formal action for breaches of America's Cup surveillance regulations. While rival teams regularly follow each other's yachts, they are not allowed to approach within 200 meters during sailing. - Steve McMorran, AP, as posted on the Fox Sports website, full story: http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/view?contentId=812148 MELTING POT The America's Cup Deed of Gift was written by George L. Schuyler, the sole surviving owner of the cup won by the schooner America in England in 1851. In 1887 he donated it to the New York Yacht Club, in his words, "upon the conditions that it shall be preserved as a perpetual Challenge Cup for friendly competition between foreign countries." "Friendly" didn't last long, and "foreign" got all mixed up. Oracle BMW is owned by software giant Larry Ellison and represents San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club. But Oracle BMW had only six Americans among its 16 crew members when it sailed its most recent race Sunday, closing out a 4-0 blitz by Switzerland's Alinghi. They were Peter Holmberg, a U.S. Virgin Islander who is now only the part-time helmsman; bowman Geordie Shaver; pitman Matt Smith; and grinders Phil Trinter, Brian McInnes and Eric Doyle. Smith, Trinter and Doyle are Southern California residents. The skipper is Chris Dickson of New Zealand. OneWorld, owned by two other billionaires, Craig McCaw (cell phones) and Paul Allen (Microsoft), represents the Seattle YC. OneWorld has had only two U.S. citizens aboard in its bid to eliminate Italy's Prada: tactician Charlie McKee of Seattle and navigator Kevin Hall of Ventura. The skipper is Cup veteran Peter Gilmour, the helmsman 23-year-old James Spithill, both Australians. As for Alinghi, the only Swiss on the boat was its 37-year-old billionaire owner, Ernesto Bertarelli (pharmaceuticals), who serves a legitimate role as navigator. But Alinghi often sails with two Americans: pitman Josh Belsky and grinder John Barnitt, who is a throwback to Conner's triumphant team that won the prize from Australia in 1987. * Throw all the Yanks together and they're still still five short of a regulation red, white and blue crew. But between the two "American" boats, there are 14 Kiwis, seven Australians, two Japanese and one Italian. After Conner won in '87, President Reagan invited the team to the White House. If OneWorld or Oracle BMW wins, the United Nations might be more appropriate. - Rich Roberts, LA Times, full story: http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-sailing17dec17.story?null TIMING Despite his positive comments about New Zealand's hosting of the America's Cup, Dennis Conner does have some questions about the timing of the competition. "To my mind, for the benefit of New Zealand, not necessarily Team New Zealand, the event should have taken place in April. Here, there's only going to be two teams left by Christmas [in the challenger series]. How does that make sense?" The semifinal repechage to determine the second of the two challenger series finalists could run through to December 29. But there are enough days racing before December 25 for one team to have the opportunity to win by then. "How does that make sense? To have everybody gone by Christmas when the holidays come, and you've got all the good weather." Conner pointed out that in the six weeks from the last day scheduled for the semifinal repechage, through to the America's Cup itself, the only event was the challenger series final. That could be over in as few as five races, with a maximum of nine. The whole event could be over by the third week of February, with the fifth race in the best-of-nine clash for the America's Cup between the top challenger and Team New Zealand scheduled for February 22. "How does that make sense?" - Excerpted from a story by Michael Daly in the NZ Herald, full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/americascup/acstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3047133&thesection=sport&thesubsection=americascup THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE, ARE YOU READY? The Team One Newport website for their great selection of gifts for all your sailors and outdoor enthusiasts. They have a cool selection of America's Cup syndicate crew gear, Sharon Green's Ultimate Sailing calendars, Harken's new Italian shoes and even Blokarts in their new Holiday catalog and this only compliments their regular catalog which features Henri-Lloyd, Gill, Musto, Patagonia, Camet, Railriders, DuBarry, Suunto and more! Go to www.team1newport.com, or better yet, call 800-VIP-GEAR and talk to one of the great team members and they can personally help you with your Holiday needs. And check out their crew uniform section! NEWS BRIEFS * A tip of this American hat to Canadian Steve Tupper.Steve was recently named Rolex Sailor of the year by The Canadian Yachting Association.The award is the most prestigious presented annually by The CYA. I knew, raced against and played with Steve when we were both a lot younger. Since then I've followed his exploits both on the water and ashore in yachting politics, for more than 30 years. He has distinguished himself in both arenas. - Skip Doyle * After that second race (of the Semi Finals), OneWorld made a mode change. They won't comment specifically on what was done, but to increase downwind speed teams can fit a smaller rudder, smaller ballast-bulb wings or smaller trim tab, which help reduces drag downwind. Or, they might've re-ballasted to increase sail area. "We were happy with our mode change, we think it was a good decision," said navigator Kevin Hall. "But I think we also learned from some of the other pairs on ways to approach close racing downwind and it felt like we picked up our game quite a bit there tactically and that made a difference as well." - Sean McNeill, Louis Vuitton Cup website, full story: http://www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com/story1461.html LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) (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 or a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Fred Roswold: Can someone justify to me how Alinghi and Oracle can, in the words of several news reports, "copy" Team New Zealand's latest design innovation and nobody seems to even be asking, "How did they get it?" let alone thinking about some sort of penalty when OneWorld was penalized for simply possessing obsolete design information which they never used or supposedly even looked at? Its obvious to me that Prada and Stars & Stripe's righteous indignation, and the One World penalty, were all about trying to "get rid" of One World and had nothing to do with copying design secrets, and equally obvious that the rules need changing, and a healthy dose of reality would be useful. * From Jim Barber: Is it not curious, that three syndicates suddenly have these waterline lengthening appendages that are described as one of the most innovative circumventions in the history of the Americas cup? Where did the idea originate and how did it migrate into the designs of the other syndicates? OneWorld is paying a very dear penalty for having some old computer files around, from the last cup. It seems to me that this appendage innovation simultaneously appearing on three syndicates' boats represents a more serious transgression, yet in the discussions I have not heard this issue raised. * From Winn Story: The latest Hollywood style bombshell has just been dropped on the sailing public with the "discovery" of a "revolutionary" secret weapon for the America's Cup. Is it genius or blatant rule manipulation. Good grief!! Now the challengers have borrowed the concept. What is happening to "the pinnacle" of yacht racing? It smells more of a three-ring circus. How sad. An asylum run by inmate lawyers. If the designers want a competition, let them vie for a maxi one design. I can't believe that the majority of sailing enthusiasts, maxi or dinghy, appreciate what is happening to the granddaddy of sailboat racing. * From Paul Stanley: What a farce the Louis Vuitton challengers have made of their selection series by their rigid insistence on upper wind limits. For a start, basing their criteria on what they think the wind will be doing in February puts huge faith in forecasters who can't even predict the next day's weather successfully. Having sat out umpteen days of superb sailing breezes, we ended up with the semi-final series being left unfinished - and with the final race sailed in light-wind lottery conditions. This is a huge disappointment to the thousands of people who have paid substantial sums to be out on the water to watch the racing. At the same time, it can hardly be claimed to produce the most objective assessment of who should proceed to the next phase. Perhaps Team New Zealand know better than the Challengers what Auckland's weather might bring? On Friday 13 December, while all the challengers' boats sat snugly in their sheds because it was 'too windy', TNZ were out practicing. * From Jason Sims: I find it somewhat strange that the three boats remaining in the LVC finals series are all "first timers". If these guys have all only started two years ago (less for Alinghi!!) then the seven years of developement that Prada did has all been a waste of money. Instead of wasting all that money doing R&D they should have followed the others lead & spent that money "buying" personnel from TNZ . Seems to have done the trick for the other three. * From Malcolm McKeag (re Rick Hatch's, the Curmudgeon's and others comments on 'best-of-seven-series'): I think Rick and others will find that there is in match racing now no such thing as a 'best-of-seven', 'best-of-nine' or indeed 'best-of-anything-else'. To prevent exactly the scenario Rick described, match race scoring was generally changed to 'first-to-score-four (or whatever)-points' some time ago. I assume, and certainly hope, the America's Cup had the good sense to follow suit. Thus if OneWorld takes a match to 3-3, the penalty point will presumably be deducted at that stage and the scores be shown as 3-2. If OneWorld then won the seventh race, an eight race would indeed be needed. Assuming that one side scored one point, that side would win. But if, for example, both teams failed to score one complete point either through both failing to finish or even finishing first (i.e. winning) but being deducted a half-point, for example, because of some other infraction, there would then need to be a ninth race - and so on, until one team or the other has won four points. * From Roland Schulz: the sport of sailing and the Corinthian spirit that has ennobled it and caused it to thrive from the nineteenth century until the 1980's is under far greater peril from the pressures of commercialization and the professionalization than the peculiarities of the Deed of Gift or the conditions that Defender and Challengers mutually agree to conduct the match. There exists confusion between the appeal of sailing to individuals and the marketing of "Sailing" to the mass market. The extent that the later becomes the driving force of the sport will be inversely proportional to the former. If we continue think inside the box, i.e. remake sailing in the image of the TV we will surely kill it or at very least what we love about it. * From Christopher Miller Team New Zealand: The contractual relationships between TNZ and its designers is generally one of an employer/ employee rather than architect/ client. This is an important distinction. TNZ members sign intellectual property contracts which clearly state designs and related materials are the property of the team unless otherwise specified. These are standard principles in every high-tech business I've worked in. Departing with design materials without permission violates that contract. * From George Backhus What would the America's Cup be without legal maneuvering, circumvention of rules, espionage, lying, cheating, theft of "secrets," scandal and over-inflated egos, interspersed with a little bit of sailing now and then? Just another bloody yacht race! CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: If you were looking for letters about the coverage of the LVC on OLN, you'll have to look elsewhere. That thread has been put to sleep. QUOTE / UNQUOTE "We realized early on this year that our boats were not as competitive as those of the other current semifinalist teams. This is not the time nor place to elaborate on this or on the reasons why we found ourselves in this situation. Unfortunately we reached very soon the limit of the potential development of our boats and improving them further in the limited time available was not feasible. I think that in the future the rules should allow for greater flexibility in the race calendar in order to allow better use of the weather conditions during the whole span of the day. Often we have seen whole days lost when a simple change to an earlier start would have allowed the competitors to race. As to the future of Team Prada and a possible participation to the next America's Cup, I think it is still too soon to consider this option before the end of the current event." - Patrizio Bertelli, Prada, http://www.pradalunarossa.com/uk/home.jsp PRADA Why did Prada lose so early? Matching the achievements of 2000 was always going to be harder when they were the best funded and most practised challenger. The arrival of billionaires Larry Ellison, Craig McCaw and Ernesto Bertarelli and their head-hunting of Team New Zealand's sailors, designers and technicians made Prada's opposition formidable. Internally, Prada's own recruitments did not work out. Harmony was lacking. They won a bidding war for Brady as a hot-shot starting helmsman but scarcely used him; and they lost a bidding war for designer Bruce Farr, against Oracle BMW in both instances. Prada retained Doug Peterson and David Egan from their 2000 effort, but added Briton Ian Howlett and Argentine Juan Kouyoumdjian . Prada president Patrizio Bertelli fired Peterson on the eve of the Cup trials, triggering a spate of redesigns to ITA 74 and ITA 80, the team's second boat which was flown to Auckland at a cost of £250,000 and never raced. - Tim Jeffery, Daily Telegraph, UK, full story: http://sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;$sessionid$KRG241AMUT1ZPQFIQMGCFFOAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2002/12/18/soyots18.xml&sSheet=/sport/2002/12/18/ixothspt.html DON'T MISS THE BOAT! There is still time to order your 2003 Sharon Green Ultimate Sailing Calendar and t-shirts, caps, screen savers, note-cards, poster, book and custom prints. For all the sailors on your list: http://www.ultimatesailing.com. AS SEEN BY RUSSELL COUTTS Russell Coutts criticized the New Zealanders for claiming that a rule anomaly meant the challengers could not now introduce a new boat for the rest of the challenger series or the America's Cup races. "The Team New Zealand I was involved in generally tried to steer clear of these rules challenges," Coutts said. "The new Team New Zealand seems to have adopted a different approach, and we just have to see if that approach is ultimately successful." He said he remembered Sir Peter "giving some speeches to the team that said, 'We're going to stay out of all these issues, we're not going to be a litigious challenger and we're going to try and win this event on the water through designing boats better and sailing better'." - Helen Tunnah, NZ Herald, full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/americascup/acstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3047722&thesection=sport&thesubsection=americascup&thesecondsubsection=challengers SUBSTITUTING BOATS The issue of whether the challengers can substitute their boats between the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals and finals appears to be going away as quickly as it appeared - as long as the parties involved talk to each other. Neither Team New Zealand, nor the Challenger of Record Management (CORM) want the matter to go to the Arbitration Panel and the defender today called for talks with CORM to sort it out. Both parties seem somewhat taken aback that it has blown up into a major issue and want to quell it as quickly as possible. Team New Zealand called a media conference today and syndicate head Tom Schnackenberg said he did not believe it was necessary for the matter to go to the Arbitration Panel. "I think it will be resolved pretty easily," he said. "We look forward to talking to the Challengers in a positive frame of mind." Louis Vuitton Cup Regatta Director Dyer Jones said: "I don't see it as a big issue either. Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill." - Ivor Wilkins, Louis Vuitton Cup website, full story: http://www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com/story1450.html THE CURMUDGEON'S OXYMORONS Small Fortune |
