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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 661 - October 5, 2000
VOLVO OCEAN RACE
illbruck Round the World Challenge will be represented from 28th October
until 5th November at the international water sports exhibition "hanseboot"
in Hamburg, Germany. One of the two Volvo Ocean 60 training boats will tie
up in Hamburg's City sport harbour, where the fair visitors can look at
her. IRWC also has a stand in Hall 12 where visitors from the show can find
out about the German challenge for the Volvo Ocean Race 2001. Throughout
this period the construction of the syndicate's new race boat begins and
the race crew continues it's training in the Southern Ocean.
While the second boat should have arrived by a container ship in Fremantle,
Australia, where during the Southern Hemisphere springtime the training of
the crew will continue under skipper John Kostecki, "illbruck V1" will be
shipped over the North German River Elbe. She is due to arrive at the City
Sports harbour, on Friday, October 27, at approximately 11 a.m.
Meanwhile the construction of the race boat is ready to go in one of the
illbruck plants in Leverkusen, Germany. The well-known and reputed
boatbuilder Killian Bushe from Ireland has brought 16 guys with him to
construct the "illbruck V3". Bushe was responsible for the Norwegian
"Innovation Kvaerner" in the last race. The IRWC race boat will be ready
at the end of March 2001.
The schedule for the race crew in Australia faces the first test with a new
carbon fibre mast, allowed for the first time under the Volvo Ocean 60
rule. illbruck's second boat will be used for more crew training and to
finalise the list of twelve people onboard, who will be on the starting
line on September 23 next year. The preparation period in the Southern
Ocean ends up with the participation in the legendary Sydney-Hobart Race.
The plan is to simulate afterwards leg three of the Volvo Ocean Race, which
means continuing sailing to Auckland, New Zealand. - Jane Eagleson
Event website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/
WINNING SOLUTIONS FROM SAILCLOTH.COM
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cut from the same cloth. For more information, visit
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THE RACE
Pete Goss today looked forward expectantly to what he regards as "judgement
day" for Team Philips, his radical carbon fibre catamaran. Goss plans to
leave Dartmouth for Atlantic sea trials soon after midday tomorrow
(Thursday 5th October). He and his five man crew are expected in New York
on the morning of October 26th. The forecast for their departure - a North
Westerly wind of around 24 knots - is ideal. The aim is to cross the Bay of
Biscay, sail beneath a high pressure system, and pick up the trade winds.
Goss explained: "Thursday is judgement day in the sense that, from now on,
we expect to be judged on our performance. The spotlight is on us and it's
now or never. What we are trying to do is not easy, but I feel a tremendous
responsibility to fulfill the expectations of a lot of people. Basically,
we need to get out there and do it. Of course, that means not losing sight
of the basic lessons of seamanship. We will work the boat up methodically,
give her time to find the right level of performance.
"We need to be out at sea to expand, and breathe. We need to get miles
under our belt, to bind ourselves into a racing unit. We need to focus on
boat speed. Don't expect too much, too soon. We want to make the best use
of the time that is available to us before we arrive in New York.
"As a crew we've already been through a lot together. The shared dream was
replaced by a collective nightmare when the bow broke, but we've been
strengthened by the experience of fighting with our backs against the wall.
I welcome our detractors. I've seen others wax and wane in their belief in
the project. That's natural. Anything worthwhile stimulates debate. Heated
debate. Things may not be as slick as we'd like in the weeks to come, but
I'd never make the fundamental mistake of underestimating the team I've got
around me. Adversity has brought the best out of them."
After a week in New York, Team Philips will return to the UK via the North
Atlantic, where she will be subjected to the winter gales, which come from
North America towards mainland Europe. A brief spell back in the West
Country will precede a passage to Monaco and Barcelona, where The Race, the
no-holds barred non-stop circumnavigation, starts on December 31. - Team
Philips website: www.teamphilips.com
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net)
Letters selected to be printed are edited for clarity, space (250 words
max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a
bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so
give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.
-- From Joern Richter, Hamburg/Germany - i do not like coach boats on the
race area. it is unfair to those who cannot afford to have one, they create
wake right after a general recall, they (most!) tow only their own boats
etc., and the sailor still hast to run his boat. let the sailor get wind
etc. information from mother nature and not from father coach. he/she
(hopefully) will feel much better afterwards, cause he/she him(her)self won
the race and not a team of sailors and supporters. isnt that dinghy sailing
?
-- From Chris Ericksen - In 'Butt 659, John Rudderham asked if anyone
other than Briton Ian Walker had ever medalled as both crew and
skipper. The answer is "Yes, several." There are two I can think of
easily: Rod Davis medalled as crew in Soling and helm in Star, and the
legendary Peter Barrett medalled once in Finn and four years later as
Lowell North's crew in Star.
DOWNWIND PERFORMANCE
(Staying in the puffs and working the shifts is one of the most important
principles for staying fast off the wind. Zack Leonard explains more
winning techniques in part two of his story on the SailNet website. Here is
a brief excerpt.)
You should always be concerned with where the next puff is coming froma
factor that may determine which jibe you want to be on for the first puff.
Before you round the upwind mark and begin your downwind leg, have a look
at the wind on the water and try to determine where the first puff will
come from and whether you'll want to jibe right away or just bear away
after you round the mark.
The trick to using the puffs is is to sail your optimum VMG course toward
the side that the next puff will be coming from, get into that puff, adjust
to the new optimum angle for your boat, and then decide which jibe will
bring you closer to the mark. Staying close to the rhumb line particularly
in the leg, is not quite as important in puffy conditions because there's
so much opportunity to gain if you stay in the puffs.
Think about the downwind leg like a giant game of connect the dots, only
you are connecting the puffs. In general you want to dig back toward rhumb
line in a puff, but sometimes the next puff is coming down the same side of
the course. This often means that one side of the course simply has more
wind for some geographic reason and you need to program that into your
tactical plan. In that case, if you already are closer to the puff than
anyone else, then you can take a short turn on each jibe, trying not to
diverge from the rhumb line too much, but also trying to stay on the side
of the run where the puff will fill in. The closer you get to the leeward
mark the more you should try to get back to the rhumb line, and this will
influence your decision on jibing or holding your course. - Zack Leonard,
SailNet website
Full story:
http://www.sailnet.com/collections/racing/index.cfm?articleid=leonar0021&tfr
=fp
KNICKERBOCKER CUP
Twelve teams have been invited to compete in this ISAF Grade 1 world ranked
match-racing event sailed in J/105s. The racing began yesterday and
concludes on Saturday, October 7. Sailors from eight countries will
participate:
- Luc Pillot currently ranked 6th.
- Dawn Riley, ranked 23rd.
- James Spithill, ranked 14th.
- Peter Holmberg, ranked 17th.
- Sebastien Destremau, ranked 18th.
- Bjorn Hansen, ranked 20th.
- Andy Green, ranked 23rd.
- Ed Baird, ranked 30th.
- Maxim Taranov, ranked 38th.
- Carsten Bech, ranked 43rd.
- Chris Main, unranked
- Ken Read, unranked.
Event website: http://www.kyc.net/sailing/kcup/about.htm
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
When you need the latest high-tech gear for your boat, you:
A) Get in the car, drive to the store, wait for someone to show you a
catalog.
B) Dig out the "Old Boat Supply" catalog, and call for pricing on obsolete
products.
C) Visit ?????.com, and learn how to tie some knots or dock your boat.
D) Call Performance Yacht Systems at 1-877-3pyacht.
Click below for answers.
http://www.pyacht.com
hardware / rigging / sails / clothing / marine electronics
OLYMPICS
THE party spirit surrounding the Sydney Olympics has turned sour less than
48 hours after the city was adjudged to have delivered the "best Games
ever". It emerged yesterday that Michael Knight, the Olympics Minister and
the man who received all the plaudits in Sunday night's closing ceremony,
had announced his retirement from politics amid condemnation over his
vindictiveness towards a colleague.
Knight was revealed to have blocked the award of the International Olympic
Committee's highest honour - a gold order - to Sandy Hollway, the chief
executive of the Sydney Organising Committee. Hollway was in line for the
top award until Knight intervened by threatening to publicly refuse his
own. Hollway was eventually presented with a silver award. Dick Pound, the
senior vice-president of the IOC, said of Knight: "It was a particularly
disappointing attitude at a time when everyone should have been rejoicing
and not being mean of spirit."
Knight, 48, who has been in politics for 19 years and became Olympics
Minister in 1995, said he was quitting the New South Wales Parliament at
the end of the year. He said: "What else would I do in public life? My
contribution has been made and it's now time to move on." Despite
appointing Hollway to his role, it is understood Knight was unable to
forgive him for last year's ticketing fiasco, which threatened the Games'
preparations.
The IOC's medical commission, meanwhile, concluded their business in Sydney
by announcing a further two competitors had failed dope tests in the final
days of the Games. The athletes have not been named. They bring to nine the
number of positives during the 17 days of competition. - Tom Knight, Daily
Telegraph, UK, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
OLYMPIC TRIVIA
The International 505 Class Yacht Racing Association pointed out (with
pride) the large number of 505 veterans who raced in this Olympics. In the
49er class - the Gold medal crew, Jyrki Jarvi of Finland; the Silver medal
skipper and crew, Ian Barker and Simon Hiscocks of Great Britain; the
Bronze medal skipper and crew, Jonathan and Charlie McKee of the USA; and
the skipper of the Australian 49er, Chris Nicholson.
In other classes - Johan Barnes a crew on the Swedish Soling, and Ross
McDonald the skipper of the Canadian Star. 49er Silver medalist skipper Ian
Barker is expected at the 2000 505 World Championship, to be held in
Durban, Republic of South Africa, in November.
THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
You can accomplish anything you want if you let others take the credit for
it.
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