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SCUTTLEBUTT #214 -- November 10, 1998GUEST EDITORIALBy ISAF President Paul Henderson I have just returned from Palma to read the comments attributed to Terry Harper (Dan Nowlan's Guest Editorial in 'Butt #210) regarding the changes in media rights and Category "C". As usual a little myopic information is 180 degrees off base. With regard to Category "C," ISAF is turning more and more over to the Int. Classes and therefore the sailors and their respective National Sailing Authorities. ISAF will not take any portion of any fee for the Int. Classes. All National Events are totally between the sailors and their National Authority so again ISAF receives nothing. Event organizers have asked ISAF that the events not be the fee collectors from the "Category C" big boats and the syndicates have asked for a yearly license so they are not unduly taxed at each event. ISAF therefore will take the responsibility off the shoulders of the Events and will deal directly with the top yachts in International events. The net result is that ISAF will get less fees not more. Category "B" has not been deleted and it is under discussion what to do because it is very difficult to police. (The) ISAF Secretary General has suggested we return to the original categories which were easy to understand. Category "A" no advertising at all. All classes are here unless the owners vote to go further and allow advertising. Category "B" Hulls only. This allows most regional sailors to get expenses written-off and is totally in the domain of the National Authority. Category "C" Everything is allowed. It is recommended that the first 25% be kept clean for the Event Sponsor as is now in "B". ISAF will allow a class to chose what they want and limit the degree as they see fit except the Olympic Classes must be Category "C". All the above helps the organizers and should be cleaner for everyone. The World of Commercial Sport has changed in 10 years and ISAF is endeavoring to address it. Media rights are being protected and that is a very complicated situation and we are reacting to what the International Intellectual Property Rights Lawyers are saying all sports must do to protect the events. It is a legal maneuver of protection especially in Europe not a power play or revenue producer. ISAF is an above the table transparent organization. Nothing is done without due process. It is always annoying when these rumours are circulated. All sailors should note that the sophisticated National Authorities receive much greater positive $$$ to service the Corinthian Sailors in their respective countries than they pay to ISAF. In fact the final resolution of the America's Cup negotiations provide that for the first time the National Authorities of each Challenger Syndicate will receive a contribution all negotiated by ISAF on their behalf. USSA should get $75,000 which they would not have got without the initiative of ISAF. -- Paul Henderson ISAF ANNUAL CONFERENCE REPORT The following is a brief summary of the just concluded ISAF Annual Conference in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. More than 500 delegates from more than 70 nations attended. One of the greatest achievements of the week has to be the inclusion of women in all ISAF Committees. The initiative from the ISAF Executive Committee, now sees over 10% female representation within ISAF, with 37 of the 287 nominated committee members, being women. The newly elected female Vice-President, Nucci Novi Ceppellini of Italy, who becomes the seventh member of the ISAF Executive Committee, will ensure that the voice of women sailors around the world is heard at the highest levels of the sport«s administration. The Women«s Representative on Council, the ultimate decision making body of ISAF, Jane Moon of the Cayman Islands, is also charged with co-ordinating a women«s forum each year, to bring together all the women within the ISAF Committee Structure to focus on issues effecting women in sport. With the support of the ISAF Women«s Committee, chaired by Teresa Whelan of Great Britain, women's issues will be debated and presented to Council. ISAF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE -- President Paul Henderson was unopposed and will continue to lead ISAF for the next two years. Seven Vice President positions those elected: George Andreadis GRE Fernando Bolin ESP David Kellett AUS Nucci Novi Ceppellini ITA Goran Petersson SWE Ken Ryan IRL Ding Schoonmaker USA 2004 OLYMPIC REGATTA The events for the 2004 Olympic Regatta will be: Boards Men Boards Women Single-handed dinghy men Single-handed dinghy women Double-handed dinghy men Double-handed dinghy women Dinghy Open Multihull Open Keelboat Open Keelboat Men Keelboat Women The equipment (classes of boat) to fit the events will be selected at the 2000 ISAF November Conference. 2000 OLYMPIC REGATTA -- The Events Committee recommendation that in Sydney 2000 the national flag or emblem of each athlete in all eleven events should be displayed on the mainsail and spinnaker was well received. ISAF will continue looking into this proposal and work out the details and specifications. ISAF COMMITTEES -- Council approved the formation of a new Empirical Handicapping. The ISAF website will soon have a very comprehensive database of Empirical Handicapping information. ISAF EVENTS -- Team Racing World Championship - there is a bid from the Czech republic for the 2001 Team Racing Worlds. For the future, ISAF will encourage more countries to participate in this Championship. Offshore One-Design Classes World Championships - bids have been received from France and Dubai, which ISAF will now formally consider, together with any other bids, prior to a final decision being made. ISAF Women«s Match Racing World Championship - the bid by the Yacht Club Italiano to hold the first ISAF Women's Match Racing Worlds was approved, which will take place in October 1999 in J/22s. 1999 ISAF Match Racing World Championship - the Knickerbocker Yacht Club were given until 16 November 1998, to confirm their intent to host the 1999 Championship. Bids have already been received from Dubai and Spain to host the event in 1999, if the Knickerbocker Yacht Club withdraw. Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship - there was a move to give the Youth World Championship greater freedom of choice of boats to be used and they may now use "any International or Recognised Class suitable for Youth Sailing". Bidders for the Championship must say three years in advance which classes will be raced. Volvo is to sponsor the ISAF World Youth Championships for the next three years, which will further improve the entire organisation of the Championship. INTERNATIONAL CLASS STATUS -- ISAF International status was granted to the 49er Class, with ISAF recognised status granted to the Buzz , Splash, Farr 40, Open 60 Monohull, Maxi One Design, Hobie Tiger and the Open 60 Multihull. The application for Recognised status was not granted to the Sydney 40 Class, but it was accepted in principle, so the Class will be able to hold a World Championship in 1999. The J80's application was deferred. OFFSHORE RACING COUNCIL -- The International Sailing Federation and the ORC announced their agreement to merge the two Secretariats of the two organisations, under the jurisdiction of ISAF. The ISAF will be the only sailing governing body in the world, and the ORC will become a part of ISAF maintaining autonomy in policy and technical decisions through the ORC Council. The Executive Committee presented to Council their proposals for a new Advertising Code. Whilst the proposals were accepted in principle, the existing Advertising system will apply until an implementation plan of the new Code is produced by the Executive Committee for confirmation at the 1999 Mid-Year Meetings. The full report will be posted later today on the ISAF Website: http://sailing.org/98november/ FARR 40 WORLDS For its first-ever World Championship regatta, the Farr 40 One Design class has drawn nineteen entries from around the globe to compete in a series of races held off Florida's South Miami Beach. Over November 10-14, 1998, amateur-driven teams hailing from Australia, Great Britain, Greece, and the USA will do battle in a series of eight inshore races, with the winner awarded the coveted World Cup, a prestigious trophy last awarded in the International 50' Class and generously donated to the Farr 40 Class by Wictor Forss. Some of the favorites to watch during next week's competition are the two most successful veterans to class racing, John Thomson's 'Solution' and Steve and Helga Garland's 'Wired'. These two finished as winner and runner-up, respectively, in the 1998 US season championship and are well into their second year of campaigning their boats successfully in both class and handicap racing. The Farr 40 One Design class rules level the skill of the helmsmen through the helmsman eligibility committee, and by having a limited number of pro-level players on each crew. Class rules also specify that only amateurs are allowed to take the helm in class competitions. However, among the quota of pro-level crew, there will be a considerable depth of talent present on Miami next week, with numerous Olympic, America's Cup, and current and former World Champions from other competitive classes. A survey of this afterguard talent includes: reigning J/24 World Champion Terry Hutchinson on Alexis Michas' entry 'Phish Food' from New York, NY, while past J/24 World Champion Bill Fortenberry will be aboard 'Wired'; Soling Gold Medalist Robbie Haines on 'Atalanti XI', while Soling Silver Medalist Jim Brady will be with Bill Steitz from Pittsburgh, PA on 'Flyer'; former America's Cup winning tactician Tom Whidden on 'Solution', while John Kostecki, tactician for the AmericaOne challenge for next year's America's Cup, will be aboard Edgar Cato's Charlotte, NC-based effort on 'Hissar'. -- Renee Mehl TRADEMARK A lot of racers put a lot of thought into the colors of their spinnaker, and after a while that chute becomes their trademark. There is no reason that trademark should not be faithfully reproduced in the embroidery on the crew shirts. It can be, and it will be if you let Frank Whitton at Pacific Yacht Embroidery take care of the details for you. Give him a call to learn just how affordable quality crew attire can be. Frank delivers: Pacyacht@aol.com / 619-226-8033 LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (250-word limit) >> From Bob Fisher -- I hope I can help Norman Davant, who seems to have discovered what we in Britain, France and 18 other countries have understood for several years, although IR2000 is not due to come into force until 1st January 1999. But IRC, the 'unmeasured' version (in which owners are asked to submit the crucial measurements of their yachts AND have them weighed) is simply a modified version of Channel Handicap System (CHS). The rule is secret and the owners' measurements have to be submitted to a recognized rating office that is licensed to deal with the rule. IRM, the measured version of IR2000, doesn't come in until 1st January 2000. It will be published in June of 1999 and there is no secrecy about it. I have had a more than cursory glance at IRM and believe that those who have formulated it knew what they were trying to achieve and have managed to do so. To me, it would seem that the type it will form (as do all rules of this type) will be the sort of boats we will all want to sail - fast and exciting and as far as possible from the lead mines of other rules. It should work for 25 years - by then, there will be other considerations and it will be time for a new rule. IRM is aimed at providing a grand prix rule essentially for new boats - it is not in business to rate 1964 clunkers with 1999 flyers. >> From Ali Meller -- Rolex Yachtsman of the Year - should be the team of Nick Trotman & Mike Mills. This year they not only won the International 505 Class World Championship - the first US team to do so since 1982, but along the way won the 505 North American Championship and the 505 Canadian Championship. Nick also led his team to victory in the World Team Racing Championship...so Nick has not only won World Championships in two classes this year, but did so it in two different sailing disciplines. These two don't just race the boats either, they actively support the class. Trotman served as VP of the 505 Class American Section this past year, and the person who replaces him is... Mike Mills. Nick and Mike accomplished all this while keeping their [non sailing] full time jobs. To top it off, they are two of the most helpful guys in the 505 class, always having the time to answer questions and help others. >> From Chris Corlett -- You do not have to like him, but it has to be Paul Cayard for Rolex Yachtsman of the year! >> From Mort Weintraub -- Kudos to Jack Mallinckrodt for his succinct detailing of what's right about IMS. I would only add, look at the easily driven, pleasant-to-sail, boats that Farr, Nelson-Marek, Tripp and others have designed to the rule. Contrast them with the boats that came at the end of IOR. >> From Chip Donnelly-- I think it would be a serious mistake to require sailors of the age of consent to wear PFDs at all times when racing. If the object is to save the lives of sailors, encourage them to get prostate exams, or to smoke, eat, and drink less, and engage only in safe sex, as these represent hugely more statistically significant threats to health than being PFD-less. We assume risks when we hop in the car, but are we compelled to wear helmets? Helmet wearing while driving would save orders of magnitude more lives than PFD-wearing while sailboat racing. Helmet wearing while recreational skiing would have saved the lives of Mr. Bono and Mr. Kennedy recently, but skiers understand that skiing is a dangerous sport, and the participants assume liability for participating in it. People need to understand that about sailing as well. It's cute that alot of sailing instructors try to wear PFDs when racing, to carry the torch in the PFD march. But if they want to be consistent, they would do more for their health by donning a helmet before hopping in their automobiles or skiing. Not to mention leaving that third Mai-Tai on the counter. >> From Peter Huston -- To Dobbs Davis - Appendix R has been around in various forms for probably 10-12 years. It was previously called A1A. Does it work? Can this be verified by any quantified data? The owners of the various new offshore one-design classes seem to embrace racing under this format, and put their hard cash on the line to do so. I wonder where these owners would be racing absent Appendix R. Would they have have bought new boats, or just raced under PHRF and be less satisfied? Do I fully support Appendix R in it's current form? Am I happy with the manner in which this rule is administered? Absolutely not, not even close. Were it my call, I'd have Appendix R undergo serious revision, and I'd create some other form of eliligibility appendix, perhaps taking a very hard look at SALT. So that everyone understand my personal agenda - this has nothing to do with not wanting to sail with or against "pro's". I've done that my whole life, and with more than a reasonable degree of success. But I know that for the sport to grow, it is essential that a personal ability/experienced based handicap system has to be created. I will never suggest that this be forced on any class, it is my notion that this just be a tool which active class members can use as they see fit for the benefit of their class. Appendix R is but the first step in this process. >> From Mike Schoettle -- Upgrading US SAILING'S woefully inadequate web site to where it becomes "a primary source of information on sailing in the United States" was one of the Priority Goals approved by the Board at the annual meeting in October. We have a long way to go to achieve this, and it will not be accomplished soon. However, it will be upgraded this year to something that will be much better than the present. If you or any of the readers of your newsletter have any specific suggestions or expertise they could bring to bear on this problem, I would like to hear from them. AMERICA'S CUP Principal private enterprise sponsors of the America's Cup Village have announced the development of a major AMEX Yacht Club bar facility for their American Express card holders. The gigantic membership charges will undoubtedly frighten even the most avid Cup follower. The membership fee ranges from NZ$1250 to NZ$3000. (You can put it on the card and pay it off over six months). Planned to be built on a barge in the middle of the village complex, there can be no doubt the observation possibilities from the multi-storied complex are endless. Planned opening is March 1999, and it will remain open until after the completion of the Defender series in February 2000. As an aside to this story, club members go into a draw for the 17th position on one of the Defender series yachts, which someone tells us is worth ,US$120,000 on the open market. Now how did they value that? -- Excerpt from DEFENCE 2000 which is available from John@roake.gen.nz for US $48 per year. OH MY Have you seen the new North Sails Fall catalog? It's got 44 pages full of really neat stuff. Sailing clothes? Oh Yea -- all kinds of really stylish duds for the race course-- and for the parties after the races. But they have much more than just clothes. Wanna buy a radio-controlled sailboat, a golf bag, or, or a huge model of the boat used in the 1899 America's Cup, or books, or watches, or a solar-powered "boom box"? This catalog has it all. Check out their web site -- you can order your own free catalog online. http://www.northsailscatalog.com/ ROUTE DU RHUM For the large multihulls, Paul Vatine and Marc Guillemot's strategy is paying off. The txo skippers have chosen the option off the coasts of Ireland on Monday to go down to the direct route afterwards, getting around the depression. The situation is far from being stable between those in the North (Paul Vatine, Mark Guillemot) and those taking the direct route (Laurent Bourgnon, Francis Joyon) and those in the South (Loick Peyron). The Northerners had the advantage last night with the wind changing to Northwest, which allowed them to get closer to the direct route but the gaps in distance are still insignificant after only 44 hours of racing. Event website: http://www.rhum.org/eng.htm THE CUMUDGEON'S OXYMORON Plastic glasses |
