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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 930 - October 25, 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 Even though Amer Sports One was in a safe distance, the illbruck crew did not back off, but kept pushing till the very last minute, close reaching in more than 30 knots of wind and two meter waves. Then the yacht came out of the darkness, as shiny in green and white as she left Southampton more than a month ago. Right after crossing the finish line, illbruck's support boat with syndicate head Michael Illbruck on board approached the racing yacht to celebrate this victory. Amer Sports finished just over two hours after illbruck. Arrival in Cape Town was sweetened for Grant Dalton, as his wife gave birth to their third child, a girl, the day before. With illbruck and Amer Sports One tucked up in Cape Town, the story of the first leg now revolves around the six remaining yachts at sea, with Team News Corp looking safe to finish in third position. "The meter is ticking over," said News' navigator Ross Field yesterday. "We are still pushing hard for miles and using this time as valuable testing for sails, angles and crew training for the Southern Ocean [leg two]. It appears, cross fingers, that we have third place locked up which is satisfying". Conditions on the final 200 mile run into the finish seem to be keeping the crew of Team News Corp on their toes. "It's blowing 25-29 knots from the south east and fortunately we're tight reaching into Cape Town at 11-13 knots, but, it's bloody uncomfortable," reported Field just a few minutes ago. "It's freezing cold on deck, spray everywhere and the boat is crashing off every second wave. The crew are sleeping on the wet sails below deck because you can't stay in your bunk". Tyco, 225 miles astern of Team News Corp, are likely to finish in fourth. POSTIONS: 0400 hours GMT on October 25 - 1. Illbruck: finished 31d 06h 19m 49s 2. Amer Sports One: finished 31d 08h 20m 56s; 3. News Corp, 200 miles from finish; 4. Tyco, 425 mff; 5. Assa Abloy, 639 mff; 6. Team SEB, 1197 mff; 7. djuice dragons, 1214 mff; 8. Amer Sports Too, 1312 mff. www.VolvoOceanRace.org
AMERICA'S CUP Whilst the pressure is on the design team to come up with a fast design, it must also reflect what the sailing team want to achieve. For this reason the sailing team must be involved in the design process and any decision will be a team decision based on what is right for GBR Challenge in this campaign. On 1st November, the final design for the first ever British built America's Cup Class yacht will be handed to the Build Team. General Manager David Barnes already knows it will be a difficult decision : "This decision is obviously more difficult for a one boat programme, and can be a philosophical one. The bigger teams can build a 'safe option' - probably an evolution of previously successful AC boats - and a more revolutionary boat based on new thoughts and ideas. We can only choose one and we must decide down which route we should go." "All of our designers have worked tirelessly to come up with the best solution to the America's Cup Class Rule and I have been very pleased with the progress they have made." The new boat will be constructed in the build shed at the GBR Challenge Base in Cowes, which is now ready following the completion of the 100 foot long oven. - www.gbrchallenge.com * Whilst their colleagues in the Sailing Team are training in Lorient with FRA-46 and NZL-32, the members of the French Challenge Design Team are today finalising their choices about hull, a fundamental step in the design of new French's America's Cup racing yacht ("before a second follows possibly"). From October 2000 until February 2001, the Design model the existing IACC on the most realistic way and test them in tank testing and calculation session. " The results allowed to understand what it was spent during the last Cup, to view the approach of the other designers, and to test our tools and our reflections" said Philippe Pallu de la Barriere, first designer of the Team. After that, five new design concepts for hull shape are tested in the towing tank on 1/4 scale models of actual IACC at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton, UK. Tank test results are used to refine and validate design ideas that are developed with ICARE (a software of modelling developed by the Ecole Centrale de Nantes) and to choose a final shape for the IACC Hull. Now, the new boat will be constructed and is to be delivered on April/may 2002. www.ledefi.com As found on the Hauraki News website: www.hauraki-news.com
BIG BARGAIN?
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Peter G. Smith: I was surprised and saddened to hear that Bob Derecktor passed away earlier this month. I grew up down the road from his house, went to school with his son Paul, hung around the yard in Mamaroneck in my youth, and eventually worked for Paul (and Bob) for a short period of time. In my whole time of knowing him, he was always a gentleman. His insight and knowledge into all sorts of things, including boat building, always fascinated me. In opinion, he was a true renaissance man and he will be sorely missed. * From Rodger Martin: It was great to see Olin Stephens, Huey Long, many others & Bob Derecktor's great troupe of children with THEIR kids at his memorial service in Mamaroneck, NY, last Saturday. Bob gave me (an illegal immigrant at the time!) my first job as a boat designer in 1977, with a fair salary. Like almost all his employees, I had to prove that I could 'really work' with a grinder, glasswork, etc. before I could work in the Design Office, which I always felt he didn't think was 'real work!' I once said to him (not long before I left to go cruising for a year with my wife) "Bob, why do you always have to act so tough?" He replied with a sideways grin "Armadillo on the outside; Marshmallow on the inside!" I admired him & will be among many he gave a start to, including Phil Garland Colin Beashel, Bill Tripp and many more, who will feel his void. He was a real boat builder. It was inside him. * From Eric Hall: I cannot match the eloquence of Roger Vaughan, Olin Stephens or my brother Ned. Each hit the nail on the head about Bob Derecktor. My own experience gave definition to him that would surprise none of his friends. My earliest job in the marine industry was one working for designer Brit Chance. If I am a wise guy now, I was an unmercifully cocky kid then. When Brit designed Jack Potter's ketch sled Equation, the rig and deck gear were my responsibility. Bob tolerated me (but just) during the project (probably only because he liked and respected my dad) . One morning, when I pointed out to Bob that the robust forward chock he'd just installed but wasn't to plan (probably adding some uncharitable adjectives), he had had enough, saying of course it was. After I did another sketch, he got what I meant. "Not bad. I like it," he said. The next day, the Derecktor-tough weldment had been removed and "my" chock was welded there in its place. Trying one's best and having new ideas were things that Bob respected, apparently regardless of punk kid packages. He was an expert builder and tough offshore sailor. But above all else, he was a great and warm human being. Anyone who really knew Bob, loved him.
MORE ABOUT JOHN DOE One World spokesman Bob Ratliffe said yesterday that the former employee left in the Northern Hemisphere spring, but he refused to name him or say what his position was. However, several sources told the Herald that John Doe was involved in New Zealand's successful defence of the cup last year. Reviving images of some of the dirty tricks that litter the cup's history, papers filed in the King County Superior Court in Seattle claim the former employee's attempt to sell trade secrets to members of the Oracle team backfired when they dobbed him in. The information, on paper, computer disks and in his memory, included technical information so secret that One World allowed only eight people to have access to it. One World said the information was unique and valued it at more than $US2.5 million. Eugine Bingham, NZ Herald Full story: www.nzherald.co.nz
AWARDS US Sailing and Rolex have a long history of Sailing partnerships. Together they present the Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards. US Sailing's national adult championships are supported by Rolex through regatta and clinic subsidies. Two complementary programs are associated with the Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship: the Next Step, a mentoring program for junior women sailors, and the Road to Rolex, a series of clinics around the U.S. and abroad, which encourage personal growth and participation in the Rolex IWKC. The US Sailing Team, comprised of the country's top-five sailors in each Olympic class, has been sponsored by Rolex since 1982. Additional US Sailing projects sponsored by Rolex include the publishing of The Centennial History of the North American Yacht Racing Union; an annual promotional poster for the adult and junior championships; and numerous years of fostering junior sailors through local, regional and national events. - www.ussailing.org
IACC INSTRUMENTS
QUOTES FROM THE BOATS "This was always supposed to be a shakedown cruise. The script is not written for us to be here. Illbruck deserve to be where they are with 3.5 years of training and a $20 million budget. They're probably sailing better than us too." - Grant Dalton, Amer Sports One skipper, from Tim Jeffery's story in the UK's Telegraph "My calculation says that we have finished this leg, will have sailed all the upwind work there is to do in this race. Normally, there should be between 10 and 12 percent of close hauled sailing in the Volvo Ocean Race, approx 3-4000 miles. It is good to have that over and done with, I can now look forward to the other legs with no beats at all." - Gurra Krantz, Skipper SEB "Everybody who knows me will agree I am not a very patient person. That's why I am doing this race, to learn! In a team of 13 girls, there is always something to wait for. A queue for the toilet, a spoon and plate for dinner and your turn for the dishes. Sailing wise, there is a lot to be patient about as well, especially when you've been match racing a lot." Klaartje Zuiderbaan, Amer Sports Too "Life onboard can be described in many ways, one thing is for sure: this is not for boy scouts. Many brave men will suffer a lot and the recovery time is shrinking all the time. The fight goes on . . ." Mickael Lundh, djuice dragons "On board things are o.k. "Fighting frustration in the freezing cold" is a good description. There are a few more words in that line but I'll censor those. I decided to try out my survival suit 2 days ago. To get used to it before the Southern Ocean. It is bright orange and is designed to keep you alive for a while longer if you fall into the icy waters. I am told, I look like a death row convict, and I can tell you it is really difficult to get on and off, which is a bugger when you need the toilet once it's on." - Mikey Joubert, Assa Abloy Racing Team "The race becomes easier the more times you do it, you get used to living in these conditions, it being impossible to make a cup of tea or go to toilet!" Roger Nilson, Amer Sports One Navigator
ULTRASONIC WIND AND BOATSPEED
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS
MATCH RACING
CHUCK KOBER In 1982 Charles M. Kober was tapped by USYRU to become President even though he was a relative newcomer to the organization. I then was Executive Director, so had the pleasure of working closely with Chuck. His presidency was three of the best years ever for USYRU. Chuck did a magnificent job, and was awarded the Herreshoff Trophy in 1990 for his many contributions and exemplary service to the sport. Aside from the 84 Olympic preparations, Chuck's first big test was the 1983 America's Cup "Keelgate." IYRU had declined NYYC's initial challenge to the keel, saying any official communications had to come from the national authority. This put us in a tight spot, in more ways than one. Keelgate heated up in July 1983 when Chuck and I were judging at the Pan Am Games in Venezuela. This was before cell phones, email, even fax. Our daily link to Newport was a small roadside phonebooth near the regatta center. It was fully enclosed, which assured privacy from the sailors and other officials milling about, but also meant it was a sweatbox. Chuck was not a small man. Each day, despite the equatorial heat and humidity, the two of us crammed into the phonebooth for shared-handset discussions with the USYRU office, the lawyers, and our friends at the New York Yacht Club who were pressing us to send a letter to IYRU challenging the legality of the winged keel. We sweated it out, and finally did the right thing by sending IYRU the letter in support of our constituent NYYC but assuring international due process. Thereafter IYRU's chief measurer Tony Watts made his pivotal ruling - that AUSTRALIA II's keel was legal. Chuck then helped persuade NYYC that there should be, for the first time ever, a properly constituted International Jury for the Am Cup Match that September. This avoided the specter of taint, and endless appeals had the keel been protested under the racing rules. Another test of Chuck's leadership was the protracted dispute that arose from the 1984 Finn Class Olympic Trials. Chuck handled this firmly but fairly, giving all parties the chance to be heard and re-heard, gathering up his advisors and seeking their counsel, and then taking a decision and sticking with it in the face of tough political and legal challenges. When all was said and done this difficult decision was affirmed by courts and arbitration panels, our Finn rep ultimately went on to win the silver medal, and Chuck saw to it that new policies and procedures were enacted to prevent similar problems in the future.
THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM |
