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SCUTTLEBUTT 1882 - July 18, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. RUMOR MILL It's only 113 days to the start of the Volvo Around the World Race, formerly the Whitbread, to be sailed in the new highly powered Volvo 70s. For the general public, the biggest buzz has been about the Pirates of the Caribbean II entry that's obviously gotten the support of the Disney company that is making two sequels to the very successful - and quite entertaining - movie. Like all good pirate endeavors, this one is shrouded in mystery. It's known that the 'pirate ship' was designed by Bruce Farr and is being built at Green Marine in the UK. But there's no word about the skipper or crew. The last two runnings of this race were won by boats skippered by sailors who hail from the St. Francis YC and live in Marin Country - Paul Cayard and John Kostecki. As such, they would be logical choices to be skipper. Kostecki, however, is fully committed to the Oracle BMW America's Cup campaign, so it won't be him. What about Cayard? He's eight years older than when he did it last time, and this is the toughest ocean race in the world, so who knows if he'd be interested at any price. Nonetheless, the word along the dock is that he'll be involved to some extent, as will Southern California's Kimo Worthington. But so far it's nothing but rumors. That's got to change before too long. -- 'Lectronic Latitude, www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2005/0705/Jul15/July15.html#anchor675772 TRANSPAC A spectacular start in moderate breeze sent Roy Disney's Pyewacket, Randall Pittman's Genuine Risk and Hasso Plattner's Morning Glory off to Hawaii shoulder to shoulder in the Centennial Transpacific Yacht race to Hawaii Sunday. Nearly a hundred spectator boats watched the trio of long-striding thoroughbreds---GR is named for a former Kentucky Derby winner---the three fastest-rated contenders in the 75-boat fleet disappeared into the lingering mists of a morning fog lined up left to right in the above order with a clear advantage over 17 rivals in Divisions I and II. Sailing upwind through the San Pedro Channel faster than the winds of 8 to 11 knots, they passed the west end of Santa Catalina Island 20 miles offshore---the only mark of the 2,225-nautical mile course---in 1 hour 45 minutes in a straight line with Pyewacket leading Genuine Risk by 100 yards and Morning Glory another 100 yards back. Initial wind prospects for the race were so-so, although chances of breaking the record of 7 days 11 hours 41 minutes 27 seconds set by Disney's previous Pyewacket in 1999 were good because these boats are so much faster in similar conditions. Although boats that started Monday and Friday were standing up straighter Saturday into Sunday, Davis Pillsbury's Cal 40 Ralphie from Colorado made a dramatic gain in that fleet with a 196-mile day that jumped it from fourth to first, as Sally Honey's all-woman Illusion slipped to third with only 171 miles---worst in the 13-boat fleet. Ralphie also was second overall on handicap time to Kahoots, Kerry Deaver and Bob Williamson's Andrews 43 that boosted its lead in Division IV to 20 miles. Myron Lyon's Innocent Merriment, a J/160 from San Diego, leapt from fifth to first overall in Division III. B'Quest, Challenged America's team of sailors with disabilities sailing one man shorthanded, moved up to second place behind the doublehanded Soap Opera, a Hobie 33 sailed by Texans Scott Self and Nigel Brown. -- Rich Roberts, http://www.transpacificyc.org/ TRANSPAC QUOTES "Clearly, the boat is enjoying the weather a bit more than the crew. In a race which allegedly is mostly a downwind lark under spinnaker with sparkling seas and blue, blue skies, our passage remains grey, lumpy, cold and funky. And personally, I can't shake a recurring dream about all the lovely, warm foul-weather gear still hanging in my closet back home. Of shorts and t-shirts, I have a bagful. The light, clammy gear I've been wearing for days is getting, well, very old. The not-so-good news is that these conditions are now expected to last through at least the next third of the race. We've seen patches of blue sky exactly twice, and the moments were brief. Likewise with the moon, which has also made two extremely quick cameo appearances. Otherwise: gray, gray, gray." -- Excerpts from reports from the Cal 40 Dancing Bear posted on the Cruising World website: www.cruisingworld.com/ SUFFERING A BLACK AND BLUE STERN SIDE? The cure is a new pair of extra grippy Harken deck shoes with patented STC® technology and quadra-directional traction in the sticky rubber soles. Unless you enjoy crewmates snickering every time you do a deck-digger, it's time to buy a shoe that keeps you on your feet: Harken deck shoes, styled for men and women. Buy a pair today! To contact your local dealer: http://www.harkensailinggear.com/dealers/dealers.php HISTORY LESSON - PART II W. L. Stewart, Jr. was most responsible for the agreement that fixed the Honolulu Race starts in odd years, and Bermuda Race starts in even years. He had the 55' schooner, "Santana" built in 1935, and had become very good friends with the du Pont family while a graduate student at M.I.T. Henry B. du Pont had a little bigger schooner, the "Barlovento", at the time, and they recognized that there was a conflict in the scheduling of these 2 races which prevented East and West Coast yachts from racing in both during a given year. Both men were active in the then politics of the sport, and with support behind them suggested that the Honolulu Race in the future be scheduled in odd years and the Bermuda race in even years. To drive home the point Stewart guaranteed that he would send "Santana" East for the 1938 Bermuda race, and in turn the du Pont schooner would be sent West for the 1939 Honolulu race. "Santana" almost won the 1936 Honolulu Race being beaten only by "the world famous", "Dorade". "Santana" was shipped East for the 1938 Bermuda race, and did very well winning the "Schooner Cup". Upon "Santana's"arrival back in Los Angeles, Stewart sold her, and commissioned the building of the 67' yawl, "Chubasco" which was ready for the start of the 1939 Honolulu race that did indeed start in San Francisco. du Pont, however could not, as arranged, send his yacht West for the 1939 race to the Islands as the Second World War was already raging in Europe, and He had become one of President's Roosevelt's "dollar a year" men. However, He arranged to have his good friend R. J. Reynolds send his almost new 55' cutter, "Blitzen" west for the 1939 race which she won racing under the New York Yacht Club burgee. All of this was done and arranged by two men, very strong individuals, who spoke for the Cruising Club Of America, the Trans-Pacific Yacht Club and the Los Angeles Yacht Club. As Kimball Livingston mentioned in his story on the Sail magazine website, their agreement remains in place today some 70 years later, and the sport is all the better because of it. -- R. C. Keefe, St. Francis Yacht Club KEANE SNIPE NATIONALS The Keane US Snipe Nationals concluded like any good championship should - with the final race deciding the winners. Hosted by San Diego Yacht Club, the racing was held off the coast where the competitors saw a variety of wind directions and strengths that kept even the locals guessing. Significant kelp was added to the equation for the finale, where tactics for both the Heinzerling fleet (championship) and Wells fleet (consolation) had as much to do with puffs and shifts as maintaining kelp-free lanes For the Heinzerling, the team of George Szabo and Eric Wilcox overcame a two point deficit and a mid-fleet start in the last race, eventually working their way through the fleet for a second place and their fifth national championship crown. The nationals proved to be a proper tune-up for those going to the World Championships next week in Japan, with all teams in the top six scheduled to attend. The Well Series was equally close, with Charlie and Michelle Bustamante winning the morning race on the last day to pull them up for a share of the lead, and then winning the final race to take the crown. Heinzerling Series 1. George Szabo/ Eric Wilcox, 10.5 points 2. Doug Hart/ Zach Brown, 15.5 3. Ernesto Rodriguez/ Leandro Spina, 16.5 4. Augie Diaz/ Pam Kelly, 21 5. Rick Arneson/ Gus Wirth, 46 Complete results: http://www.sdyc.org/raceinfo/snipe/index.htm HAT TRICK BG Spirit has won Leg Seven of the Global Challenge 2004 / 2005 yacht race, making them the overall victwinners ors of this nine month race and proud winners of the prestigious Princess Royal Trophy. After a fiercely fought three day sprint from La Rochelle to Portsmouth, the ecstatic BG Spirit crew crossed the finish line at 11.55 (BST), claiming first place on this final leg; a hat-trick for Skipper Andy Forbes and his crew. Barclays Adventurer finished just four minutes after BG Spirit. The next finishers were VAIO, SAIC Las Jolla and Pindar. BP Explorer missed a waypoint just outside La Rochelle, so they had to turn back and round the mark to avoid potential disqualification. Hence they are nearly 100 miles behind the rest of the fleet. They still took third overall but it has been a disappointing blow for a team, which was leading for so much of the race. -- http://www.globalchallenge2004.com/en/ Overall Results: 1. BG Spirit, 90 2. Barclays Adventurer, 76 3. BP Explorer, 74 4. Spirit of Sark, 73 5. SAIC La Jolla, 71 6. Team Stelmar, 66 7.= Me to You, 63 7.= VAIO, 63 9. Samsung, 58 10. Imagine It. Done, 56 11. Pindar, 54 12. Team Save the Children, 41 MID-SEASON $4.95 SALE AT THE PIRATE'S LAIR Look for savings on the following items: Regatta Tees starting at $4.95 each; 144 embroidered hats at $4.95 each; Logo Digitizing at $4.95/1000 stitches with order; Moisture Wicking t-shirts at $4.95 each. Call 888-724-5286 or email mailto:info@pirateslair.com VOLVO YOUTH WORLDS The world's best youth sailors representing 46 countries were on the start line for the first races of the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships, being held in Busan, Korea through July 24. So far, all of the five races have been sailed in light to moderate conditions which seem to suit American Paige Railey just fine. With a solid 1-2-1-1-2 series in 31-boat Laser Radial fleet, she has amassed a 25-point lead over her closest rival - Tina Mihelic (CRO). Other North Americans in the top 10 in their respective classes include Royce Weber (USA) in second in the 36- boat Laser fleet - just five point behind Rutger van Schaardenburg (NED); Megan Magill/ Briana Provancha (USA) are in second place in the 21-boat Girl's 420s; Adam Roberts/ Nicholas Martin (USA) are currently in forth place in the 32-boat Boy's 420 fleet; and T.J. Tullo/ Jerry Tullo (USA) are running sixth in the 11-boat Hobie 16 Class. There are twelve races scheduled over the duration of the Championship, with a lay day planned on Tuesday 19th July, on which cultural tours of Busan have been arranged for the sailors. -- www.worldyouthsailingbusan.com NEWS BRIEFS * Mahòn, Minorca -- The title of 2005 Rolex IMS Offshore World Champion goes to the Spanish JV57 Azur de Puig owned by Marta Mas Borrell and helmed by Jose Maria Torcida, with America's Cup veteran Dee Smith calling the tactics in the Non Corinthian division, and to the Uruguayan GS42R Andalucia owned by Santiago Mesa and skippered by Ricardo Fabini in the Corinthian division. Forty one yachts competed in the event, with crews representing Argentina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and Uruguay. For results and more: www.mundialrolexmahon.com or www.yccs.it * Emily Dellenbaugh (USA) is the new Optimist European Open Girls Champion. Intriguingly she just happens also to be the U.S. Youth (Under-19) Champion in the two-person event held in 420s. At a stroke she has destroyed the myth that young sailors must be forced out of the Optimist early to succeed in 420s. Emily has usually been described as the daughter of Dave Dellenbaugh, tactician to the 1992 USA Americas Cup victors and well-known author of "Speed Smarts". How long before he is best known as Emily's dad? Results at: www.optiworld.org/NIVEAGIRLS5.pdf * Here are some photos of the new Volvo 70 "Ericsson Racing Team" (skipper Neal MacDonald - UK) in The Solent last week during early training for the Volvo Ocean Race that begins November 12, 2005: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/05/ericsson0717/ * Liz Hjorth of Marina del Rey won the inaugural Mayor's Cup when she beat Sandy Hayes of Newport, R.I. 2-1 in the finals of this new women's Grade 5 match race series conducted by Long Beach YC in the Congressional Cup Catalina 37s. Hjorth and Hayes got to the finals by placing 1-2 in double round robin series that was sailed for the most part in very light air. Round Robin standings: 1. Liz Hjorth, 8-2; 2. Sandy Hayes. 6-4; 3. Katy Lovell, 6-4; 4. Louise Bienvenu, 4-6; 5. Jessica Lord, 4-6; 6. Samantha Treadwell, 2-8. -- www.lbyc.org * Hoek van Holland, Rotterdam, The Netherlands - Defending Champions Darrren Bundock and Glenn Ashby (AUS) have again won the F18 World Championship, as the last and final day changed the overall standing completely. Mitch Booth & Herbert Dercksen (NED) were second and Helge and Christian Sach (GER) third. http://www.f18worlds2005.com/ * Ruairidh Scott from Great Britain won the Silva J/80 Worlds without sailing the last race - scoring a 12 point win over Kevin Sproul (GBR). The USA's Glenn Darden wound up in seventh place in the 52-boat fleet at the Royal Cornwall YC in Falmouth, Cornwall, UK. -- www.j80worlds2005.org/results.htm * Correction -- In Scuttlebutt 1855 on June 7 we ran a news item about Bill Sandberg's New England-based company, Stellar Marketing & Events, LLC, and we mistakenly referenced the website of the Stellar Marketing Group in San Francisco. There is no linkage whatsoever between the two companies. FREE PERFORMANCE SAILING COURSE WITH COLGATE 26 PURCHASE The Colgate 26 is an award-winning combination of performance sailing and family fun. Designed by Steve Colgate and Jim Taylor, she's a PHRF winner! Purchase yours by September 1 and take Offshore's Performance Sailing course, tuition-free (an $895 value). Make your boat perform to its maximum potential! Call 866-842-4355, http://www.colgate26.com/specials.htm LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is neither a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And please save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere.) * From Talbot Wilson (edited to our 250-word limit): The Bermuda Race, with its first start in Gravesend Bay on May 26, 1906, sails its actual centennial June 16, 2006. Since the Transpac was first sailed later - June 11, 1906 - the Bermuda Race is actually the granddaddy of long offshore races for small boats. This does not discount Marblehead Halifax Race sailed in 1905 as an "informal competition" and other longshore races like Brooklyn races to Marblehead in 1904 and to Hampton Roads VA in 1905 or the transatlantic races in 1866, 1887 and 1905 for the big boys. The Bermuda Race was and still is for small boats sailed by largely amateur crews racing over the horizon to an island 650 ocean miles away. The Brooklyn Yacht Club and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club along with Rudder Magazine's Thomas Fleming Day organized the 1906 race. Members of RBYC subscribed £2.00 each for finish line expenses and the "Turtle" dinner. The race was sailed annually from 1906 to 1910. After WWI, the race was revived by the RBYC, the New Haven Yacht Club and Herbert Stone, editor of Yachting in 1923 and sailed again in 1924. In partnership, the Cruising Club of America and the RBYC have made the Bermuda Race a biennial event from 1926 through 1938 and from 1946 on. It has been sailed as the Newport Bermuda Race since 1936. Centennial Celebrations are being planned now. * From Kris Kristiansen (edited to our 250-word limit): I would like to opine that the reason the number of sail racers is dwindling is because equipment costs to be competitive and the time to train a crew is more than the cost and time to take your family to every baseball game during the season. Need a new racing $ail? - $5000 please. Those are the numbers that apparently are more important to the men/ women with boats. Naturally the boys with bucks get the best equipment and crews. Sailors who want to try their hand competing with them are their cannon fodder. It's not fun being fodder. You can't fix that by simply establishing a new rating. Nevertheless, many sailors are committed to spending their valuable resources bobbing around a plastic buoy. In all the blather about ratings, Dave Hoy's and Matthew Thomas' comments make the most sense to me. To paraphrase - "Put the handicap back in PHRF". I'm interested in hearing how Matthew would handle mulligans however. An organization of PHRF racers who really cared about leveling the field would eliminate a host of new rating schemes. Shun the screamers, big headed elitists and restore the fun to the racecourse - with the kids. Give everyone a system that's easy to understand and make it fair for the money impaired. And they will come. The only one that I see on the horizon that has the chance to do that is spelled PHRF. Unfortunately here in New England it's still near the horizon's edge. * From J M Marta : Hats off to Seattle's Elliott Bay Marina for their "Downtown Sailing Series"! This is the 2nd year of their sponsorship of about a dozen "sort of" races with two classes--cruise and race--who sail a five mile course along Seattle's waterfront Thursday evenings, many with spinnakers flying. There are no corrected times--only elapsed times! Surprise: there are 50-65 boats turning out and 4/5ths are cruisers. If the wind fails, you are encouraged to motor to the finish to keep within the time limit--but you must have at least one sail up. The night's prizes are awarded by a random drawing of finishers at Seattle Yacht Club's outstation at the marina after the race and are donated by different corporate sponsors who each week also provide beer, wine, soft drinks, and hot dogs, and snacks. Last week my Tripp 40 had 20 on board; this week, we had 15. No one knows everyone, and many are "passengers," excited just to go out for a "race." Other boats also have a "fun" bunch like this on board. Protests are not allowed, and if boats crash, they are disqualified! This has become a true social sailing event on Seattle's waterfront, and it brings out the best of every one. Sailing is again a fun thing! * From Enrico Ferrari: In Anacortes YC (next to the San Juan Islands) we have three classes of race boats. Fast, Half-Fast, and Potted Plants class. There is no entry fee for the first year for those who want to come out and play. As a new boat owner this friendly type of racing has me trying to figure out how to get in a race between all my cruising around. So much to do....so little time. * From Tapio Saavalainen: For the sake of argument, assume that IRC and PHRF rate a boat equally well regarding her performance capacity. Add an enthusiastic crew going regularly out on the water to enhance boat-handling skills. Then race a season and constantly improve your results. For the next season the boat's rating goes worse as a result of the crew's hard work. Under which rule would the crew like to race the season after that? * From Gareth Evans: I was sorry to hear today about the death of Sir Ted Heath. Whatever your views on his politics, nobody can deny his great sailing career, which included wins in the Sydney-Hobart race and Admiral's Cup. Incidentally I believe that it was Ted Heath who likened sailing to "standing in the shower tearing up £5 notes". I think that should be £20 notes these days, or £50 for the AC sailors! We have lost a great sailor. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS "Why is it called 'Tourist Season' if we can't shoot at them?" - George Carlin |
