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SCUTTLEBUTT 2546 – March 5, 2008Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors. CANTING KEELBOATS UNDER SPOTLIGHT IN UK A dust up in the UK regarding Skandia Cowes Week and canting keelers have brought the spotlight on event organizers and their mission to balance the priorities of their customers… the sailors. The magnitude of the event has likely played into this brawl as well. Since 1826, Cowes Week has been a key part in the British sporting summer calendar and is one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events. Scheduled for August 2-9, 2008, it now stages up to 40 daily races for over 1,000 boats and is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world. When the event announced on February 25th that they did not anticipate enough canting keel boats in 2008 to provide them with their own class, and since they did not feel canters could be fairly rated to compete alongside non-canters, they stated that any boat over 14 metres overall with a canting keel would need to fix their keel amidships for entry, and would be eligible to apply for a new, lower IRC rating. As you might suspect, this didn’t sit too well with some. Skandia Cowes Week is managed by Cowes Week Limited (CWL), and to help clarify the situation for Scuttlebutt readers, CEO Stuart Quarrie has provided the following update, for which a few highlights are presented below: * The owners and crews of some of our classes believe that boats designed with canting keels are as far apart from their boats as multihulls and in general do not wish to race against them – not because the canting keeled boats will always win but because the quality of racing is compromised. * At the smaller end, owners of fixed keel boats racing against these (canters) have not expressed the same concerns as we have seen from owners of bigger boats. * The RORC Rating Office recognises that canting keel boats are different from other boats. They have performance profiles which are such that when they find their conditions, their actual performance versus predicted performance can make good racing difficult to achieve. Complete statement can be read here: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5872 STP65 RULE AND BYLAWS RELEASED Larchmont, N.Y. (March 4, 2008) – After working at length with Storm Trysail Transpac 65 (STP65) class participants, designers and Chief Measurer Andrew Williams, the STP65 Board of Directors has released the "box" rule and bylaws by which the class will be governed. The two documents, which Williams says are "beneficial in both understanding the rule and class management," are now posted in their final versions online. "Many of the questions raised recently have been regarding the accommodation requirements, so the answers to those are included in the rule," said Williams, also Chief Measurer for the Farr 40 class. In addition, the bylaws include an update to incorporate the move to an Owner/Category 1 Driver Class that, according to Jim Swartz (San Francisco, Calif.), "will be attractive to a number of owners." Swartz, well known for campaigning his successful Swan 601 Moneypenny, is currently building a Reichel/Pugh-designed STP65 at McConaghy's Boat Yard in Australia. Another owner, Udo Schutz (Selters, Germany), also has begun construction of a Judel/Vrolijk-designed STP65 at Premier Yachts in Dubai, UAE, while a third STP65 -- launched in June and making waves in the yachting world ever since -- is Rosebud, designed by Farr Yacht Design for owner Roger Sturgeon of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. -- Read on: http://www.stp-65.org/2008-STP-65-PR-3-3-08-txt.html 156 YEARS OF LIGHTNING RACING AND COUNTING by Amy Smith Linton Yeah, okay, I’m working with government math: 50+ years at Savannah, 40+ years in Miami, and 60+ in St. Pete. But in a one-design dinghy that celebrates its 70th anniversary this summer, the 2008 ILCA Southern Circuit comes out to a lot of years any way you add it up. And a lot of racing (Weather willing! Knock wood!), as sailors start racing over the weekend at Savannah YC’s Deep South Regatta (March 8-9) in Georgia, then after a day for travel, race Tuesday-Wednesday on the aqua waters off Coral Reef YC for the ILCA Midwinter Regatta in Miami, FL. Another day for travel back up Florida, and the racers finish up at the St. Petersburg Winter Championship next Friday-Sunday (March 14-15). Teams from as far off as Nigeria and Chile are expected, and in the past few years, attendance has been excellent: close to 60 boats or so in both Savannah and Miami, and 70 or more in St. Petersburg. Some skippers partake in only one or two of the events, but a dedicated group of 40 or so will race all three. The fleet include a mix of male and female, youth, seniors, and people in-between, making a mighty competitive fleet with an unexpected number of families on the water. Olympic 470 sailors Amanda Clark and Sarah Mergenthaler will be racing, as well as my own favorite skipper, 2007 U.S. Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, Jeff Linton. – Read on: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5875 * Curmudgeon’s Comment: This is Scuttlebutt’s third year following the Lightning Southern Circuit, which is as much a three event series as it is a traveling circus. Amy will be coordinating reports along the route, but we encourage everyone to join in and share their stories in the Forum thread, “Lightning Southern Circuit 2008.” DISCOVER THE NAVIGATOR'S CLUB ... WIN FREE GEAR! Join Atlantis WeatherGear's Navigator's Club and you'll instantly be entered to win a Grand Prix Softshell Jacket (Link: http://tinyurl.com/23f8n8). Every Friday, one lucky winner (hopefully you) will be picked at random from the Navigator's Club entries, so sign up now (before we come to our senses and cancel this promotion). Navigator's Club members receive special coupons, discounts on our coolest new gear (the '08 line is on its way) and breaking news straight from Atlantis HQ in Marblehead. Enter now for your chance to win this Friday! Enter here: http://www.atlantisweathergear.com/cust-service-subscribe.html Discover Atlantis WeatherGear STAR BACARDI CUP Miami, FL (March 4, 2008) The second day of a moderate sea breeze left Biscayne Bay awash with handfuls of seaweed and partly sunny skies for the fleet to contend with during the third race of the series. After the third attempt at a start, most of the 118 entrants headed toward Key Biscayne and a cloud bank to the northeast on their first tack to a mark that was set at 165 degrees, 2.4 nautical miles away. For the second time in three races, past Star World Champion Alan Adler and Ricardo Ermel (BRA) put together a great start and a spectacular first beat to round the weather mark in first, but it was the young Irish team of Guns O’Leary and Stephen Milne that would soon parlay their sixth place position at the first mark with a bullet by the finish. With their third place finish, Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (GBR) pulled into the regatta lead. Said Percy, “I’ve won a lot of races in the Bacardi over the years, but I haven’t won the Bacardi Cup yet.” -- Full story: http://www.starclass.org/artman/publish/article_317.shtml Current results (top 10 of 118) 1. GBR, Iain Percy/ Andrew Simpson, 3-14-3, 20 2. BRA, Lars Grael/ Marcelo Jordao, 7-1-16, 24 points 3. POR, Afonso Domingos/ Bernardo Santos, 12-9-7, 28 4. BRA, Alan Adler/ Ronald Seifert, 2-19-8, 29 5. IRL, Peter O'Leary/ Stephen Milne, 14-15-1, 30 6. ITA, Diego Negri/ Luigi Viale, 16-7-12, 35 7. ITA, Alberto Barovier/ Nando Colaninno, 23-4-9, 36 8. BRA, Robert Scheidt / Bruno Prada, 4-12-21, 37 9. USA, Augie Diaz/ Phil Trinter, 9-3-29, 41 10. SUI, Flavio Marazzi/ Enrico De Maria, 15-21-5, 41.0001 Full results: http://www.starclass.org/search.cgi?Action=view&Event_id=1371 SAILING SHORTS * Team USA is taking applications for teams interested in competing at the I-420 World’s Championship to be held in Athens, Greece on July 22-31, 2008. Teams will be chosen on the strength of their double-handed sailing resume’, their training regimen and dedication to advancing in the International 420 One Design Class. Entries must be returned to the US I-420 Class Association office no later than March 28, 2008. Final Team selections will be made the following week. -- Complete details: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5874 * The JJ Gilitinan International Championship, the unofficial World Championship of the 18 foot skiff class, will be held in Europe for the first time ever in 2009. Previously held on Sydney Harbour, the 2009 event will be held in Carnac, France from the June 27 to July 5, with the best Australian, New Zealand, and American teams already confirming their presence. -- Complete announcement: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5873 * North Sails has partnered with Sailing Weather Services to provide free weather forecasts for Acura Miami Grand Prix from March 6-9, 2008. To sign up for these complimentary daily forecasts, including an event overview on Weds., March 5, log on to North Sails' online weather center: http://na.northsails.com/ew/ew_main.taf * The World Sailing Speed Record Council announced the ratification of a new world record from New York to San Francisco by the 110ft catamaran Gitana 13. Skipper Lionel Lemonchois FRA, and nine crew sailed the route from January 16th to February 28th, 2008, setting an elapsed time of 43 days, 3 minutes and 18 seconds. -- http://www.sailspeedrecords.com * Chicago Yacht Club has announced that it has closed entries to the 2008 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, presented by Lands’ End Business Outfitters. 2008 marks the 100th running of “the Mac,” the world's longest annual freshwater sailing distance race. The 100th Race will start off Chicago's lakefront on July 19, 2008 with 460 entries, breaking the old record of 325 entries set back in 1998, and tracking position transponders will be on all entered boats to follow the race on the event website. -- http://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/racetomackinac * The entry deadline for Balboa Yacht Club's biennial race from Corona Del Mar to Cabo San Lucas is Wednesday, March 5th. Starting March 28 and 29, the race currently has 40 entries. Details at http://tinyurl.com/397yt6 RULES QUESTION…. CORRECTED In Issue 2545, we provided a rules question, but in our attempt to paraphrase the situation that is posted on the ISAF website, we apparently messed up the applicable rules. So much for a simplified system. Here is the situation again, with some help from the ‘buttheads: Two boats are sailing closehauled, both on port, overlapped, and a half of a boat length apart with the leeward boat’s bow slightly ahead. They are approaching the finish line, of which a committee boat is on the right side of the finish with a finish line flag positioned halfway between the bow and stern. While the windward boat can fetch the finish line flag, she can’t fetch the bow of the committee boat. The leeward boat cannot fetch the finish line flag, and her course is directly aimed toward the committee boat, and will likely need to tack to both cross the finish and clear the stern quarter of the committee boat. Can the leeward boat hail to the windward boat that she needs room to tack, and is the windward boat obligated to keep clear? RULES ANSWER…CORRECTED Because the windward boat cannot fetch the committee boat, Rule 19.1 applies, which permits the leeward boat to hail for room to tack due to the obstruction, wherein the windward boat must either tack as soon as possible, or immediately reply “you tack”, in which case the hailing boat shall tack as soon as possible and the hailed boat shall give room. However, if the windward boat was able to fetch both the finish line flag AND the committee boat, then Rule 19.2 applies, and the leeward boat would NOT be entitled to room to tack under 19.1. However, in this situation, the windward boat must still keep clear if the leeward boat wants to luff up and shoot the finish line flag. * Here is the link to the example on the ISAF website: http://www.sailing.org/1548.php COME SEE MORRIS YACHTS IN PORTLAND AND CHARLESTON! Morris Brokerage Director James Allen and Service GM Dayton Arey and their teams are heading to Portland, Maine for the Maine Boat Builders Show March 14-16. This rustic show is a harbinger of the boating season! Come chat with them about service projects and the best brokerage boats on the market. Next up is the Charleston-in-the-Water Boat Show April 17-20 in Charleston, SC. Morris will be showing off Tom Morris’ very own M42 and a M36. For her maiden voyage, Tom will sail his M42 from St. Augustine to Charleston! For more information: http://www.morrisyachts.com/sail/M_series.asp or call 207-244-5509. LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or simplicity (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, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Moose McClintock: I have to shake my head about Lynn's comments (letter in ‘Butt 2545) regarding the Star and Etchells racing last Sunday in Miami. Sailing on an Etchells, I was totally stunned when the Star RC set their starting line inside the port layline of the ongoing first race of the day for the Etchells. As we sailed from the left corner to the first weather mark, we sailed almost a quarter mile above the Star RC boat, then had to dodge 115 Stars that were tuning, having to dip starboard tackers who told us to “f@#k off” when we said we were racing, and having to sail in bad air under multiple Stars that were sailing upwind on port testing against each other with absolutely no regard to the Etchells race. The Etchells fleet was already being pushed far south of our regular sailing area to accommodate the Stars (and we didn’t complain, and we moved even further for our second race), but to come down on us after we were told over the radio, by our RC, to sail a compass course (at great pace, he mentioned, to avoid the Stars), and especially after the Stars completely dismissed their encroachment on the Etchells course (more than 45 minutes before their first start), to say that the Etchells fleet did anything but go out of their way to accommodate the Stars is incorrect. I might also add, before we started the last race, the RC told us to make sure we went down and around the Star course after we finished. However, while we were sailing, the Star RC set up so there was a diagonal 2.5 mile strip across the bay that we couldn't get around, hence trying to get across the gap as quickly as possible. It wasn't a good scenario. * From Mark Jefferies: (In response to Lynn Fitzpatrick's comments regarding the Etchells sailing through the Star race course) If someone had asked me that morning to insure that the Etchells would sail through the Star race course, I would have done everything that the Star race management did. Consisting of: Starting their day later than the Etchells, centering the 3nm race course on the rhumbline to the very narrow Dinner Key Channel, starting the Star's first and only race as the Etchells were finishing their 2nd and last race of the day, and placing the left side of the course against the shallows, eliminating the option of sailing to leeward and up the far side of the course. Doing all this, on the last day of the Etchells series, knowing that 81 boats will be keen on getting to the hoist, and on the road, what did they expect? * From Fietje Judel, Judel/Vrolijk Yacht Design: Having carefully noticed the comments over the previous days, I think the most important question came not on the table. Can a single number rating rule give fair handicapping to the wide variance of yachts and innovations ? No it cannot. With a single number rating you only can achieve that when splitting the fleet in groups of similar characteristic. Logically boats will fall down the hill when only a few are there, especially when these are winning too often. To broaden the band of yachts racing fairly together in one group you need a performance based handicap system with variable handicaps. This will never be perfect, but it will make things a lot fairer. There is a large number of sailors crying loud when hearing "variable handicaps". I do pretty well understand their arguments against variable handicaps. But with a variable handicap system, the canting keelers would have been handicapped much more conservative from the beginning (see ORC rules), so that the frustration among the others would not have happened. * From Charles Doane: Mega kudos to Beau Vrolyk for pointing out (in Issue 2545) the obvious with respect to canting-keel boats. It amazes me there is so little discussion of the fact that any sailboat that must rely on stored energy or an engine to sail efficiently is perhaps something other than a sailboat. As for having to pin keels on the centerline to sail at Cowes, if the canting-keel crowd find they are overpowered as a result they can always reef, can't they??? Not that I'm against canting-keel boats. The technology is extremely impressive. But a canting-keel boat is an entirely different animal, as different from a fixed-keel monohull as a multihull is, and those who sail them can't really complain if they are treated differently as a result. If they want to let it all hang out, they need to play with others of their kind. * From Ken Legler: (Re windward gate marks in ‘butt 2545) Thought I'd help out young Bill Lynn with a smidgen of gate and Etchells history. Paul Elvstrom did indeed invent the gate course long before he invented triple racing. He brought the idea to the US at Yale's 1979 Snow and Satisfaction Regatta where we really enjoyed using windward and leeward gates. He explained that instead of the inside boat having the advantage, the faster boat has the advantage with a gate. The Finns and Stars tried them soon after (with PRO Dave Brennan at Miami OCR) and while they liked the leeward gate, they struggled with the windward gate and the concept disappeared. Match racers and team racers are now used to starboard roundings and with 80 Etchells, Dave Brennan braved to pull it out this weekend. Great move and I look forward to hearing from more Etchells sailors about Midwinters. The Etchells is over 40 now. Skip Etchells designed it with Olympics in mind. I was fortunate to be in the travel party of five Etchells 22s to 1969 Marblehead Race Week with Skip, my skipper Jim Fulton, and others. On a day too windy and wavy for the great IOD fleet and other classes, M'head salts took rides on this new thoroughbred beauty and within a couple of years the Etchells 22 was the queen of Marblehead. * From John Glynn: I read Bill Lynn's bit (in ‘Butt 2545) about the Etchells Midwinters innovation (a weather gate) with great interest. I'd like to remind Bill that the Bitter End Pro Am Regatta has been using weather gates for some years now (at least 10 that I can remember), both in triple racing, and in fleet racing. The concept has spread to the IC 24 fleet (another class where everyone arrives at the same time), which uses weather and leeward gates at the Drake's Challenge Cup Regatta. It makes all the sense in the world. * From Mike Esposito: Martin Adams (letter in #2545 regarding leap year) need not worry, as the calendar actually overcorrects a bit with leap days. One orbit of the Sun takes a little less than 365.25 days. By correcting with a full day every four years, we would add about three too many days every 400 years, which is why three out of four century years (years ending in double-0, which normally would be leap years) do not become leap years. The years 1700, 1800 and 1900 did not have Feb. 29 in their calendars, but 2000 did. I believe there were a couple things at work for the “leap seconds” we’ve had in recent years. One of them is that atomic clocks are ever-so-slightly imperfect (there was a recent article in, I believe, Scientific American magazine that explains that). Another is a slight change in Earth’s orbital and rotational speed, related to our planet rapidly plunging into the Sun. Hahaha, just kidding about falling into the Sun, but there are slight changes that occur as we spin in our orbit. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION God made man before woman so as to give him time to think of an answer for her first question. Special thanks to Atlantis WeatherGear and Morris Yachts. 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