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SCUTTLEBUTT 2309 – March 27, 2007Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). HOSTING THE CUP Valencia, Spain: The America's Cup will generate €6 billion (US$7.96 billion) and 61,300 jobs for Spain over the next eight years, according to a report released Monday. A document called "The economic impact of the America's Cup" analyzed the benefits of the sailing event between 2007 and 2015 on host city Valencia and the rest of Spain. After spending more than €2 billion (US$2.65 billion) on infrastructure - including the building of the Port America's Cup, which is expected to host 1 million visitors over the event's three months - the province of Valencia is expected to gain €3.7 billion (US$4.9 billion) and generate more than 40,770 jobs, mostly within the service and industry sectors. Spain is also expected to welcome an additional 300,000 tourists in the years following the event. "We will benefit immediately and also the day after when the local investment is realized," Industry minister Jordi Sevilla said. The federal government will account for €692 million (US$918,537) of the costs, with the province responsible for the repayment of the remaining €1.3 billion (US$1.7 billion) debt. AC Management, the company responsible for the management of the America's Cup, selected Valencia over Lisbon, Portugal; Marseilles, France; and Naples, Italy, after Swiss boat Alinghi won the 31st America's Cup in 2003. -- International Herald Tribune, http://tinyurl.com/2zmj25 THE COUNTDOWN TO RACING ADVANCES With just one week to go - racing begins in Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 13 on Tuesday next week - life is continually getting busier at Port America’s Cup. Some teams took the opportunity to enjoy a few days off last week (maybe the last they’ll have for months), but now, everyone is back to the business at hand; getting ready to race in the ultimate season of the 32nd America’s Cup. After a glorious sunny spring weekend in Valencia, which spurred thousands of visitors to come down and check out the new and improved Port America’s Cup, Monday dawned cloudy and cooler with hints of rain in the sky. That didn’t stop the teams from training however. The cooler, wetter weather is expected to linger for a few days more this week. -- Complete story: http://www.americascup.com/en/news/detail.php?idIndex=&idContent=14208 GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt’s lead article (in Issue 2308) on Jim Capron’s response to the complaint action of unprecedented size that is being taken against US Sailing states that “there are some big-time campaigns going on behind-the-scenes”. The complaints filed by US multihull sailors are not “behind the scenes” actions. These complaints are entirely in the open, and above board. In response to the actions of the US Sailing Board of Directors, nearly 550 US multihull sailors (from Olympic competitors to recreational families) have submitted Complaints against US Sailing to US Olympic Committee Chair, Peter Ueberroth. This is the largest number of Complaints ever filed against a national governing body; indeed it is the largest many times over. The sailors, whose views the US Sailing Board of Directors is required to represent, reject the position put forward by Jim Capron that the ‘2012 Olympic Equipment’ submission protects the interests of US Olympic sailing. The Olympic Regatta Medal results do not support Jim Capron’s claim; and the Complaints challenge whether US Sailing has complied with the requirements of the USOC Bylaws the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act. The process that has been initiated by the Complaint filings is laid out in the USOC Bylaws, and the hearings and the record of the proceedings will be open to the public. Some of the central elements of the process that will now begin include: -- Read on, as submitted to Scuttlebutt by Jim Young and John Williams: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/0325 HOBART EXTREME. Camet International Clothing expands their line of technical gear with the new Hobart Extreme Technical Shorts. Designed to be the lightest shorts on the market, they weigh in at only 9 ounces, and are designed with offset side seams to reduce chafing. The improved design provides extreme flexibility, while the Titanium silver nylon fabric has a durable water repellent finish that dries quickly, and has a UV rating of 40+. Features include two back pockets with Velcro closures, adjustable Velcro waist, two deep side-pockets, and a Cordura-reinforced seat for added protection from abrasive surfaces. View all the Camet products: http://www.camet.com/?Click=122 WOMEN’S MATCH RACING WORLD CHAMPS World #1 Claire Leroy (FRA) heads the line up for the 2007 ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship on her home waters in St Quay Portrieux, France. Twelve skippers from nine nations will contest the title, with a new name on the trophy guaranteed. Reigning World Champion Dorte Jensen (DEN) is unable to defend her title, as she will be taking a maternity leave from the match racing circuit, thrusting Leroy into position as red hot favourite to lift her first World Championship title. The French skipper has held in the top spot in the Women’s ISAF World Match Race Rankings for almost two years and won the ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final for France last year. She has twice won bronze medals at the 2004 and 2005 Worlds, although came a disappointing eighth last year after putting a hole in the bow of Christelle Philippe’s (FRA) boat. -- Full report: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=ju/FnA6kl&format=popup The ninth ISAF Women’s Match Worlds takes place from 6-11 August at the Sport Nautique de Saint Quay-Portrieux. The contending skippers with their ISAF World Match Race ranking are: Claire Leroy (FRA) – 1 Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN) – 2 Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED) – 3 Silke Hahlbrock (GER) – 4 Katie Spithill (AUS) – 6 Jenny Axhede (SWE) – 7 Josie Gibson (GBR) – 9 Christelle Philippe (FRA) – 11 Nicky Souter (AUS) – 12 Gemma Farrell (GBR) – 13 Jessica Smyth (NZL) – 16 Sandy Hayes (USA) – 19 SERIOUS SAILING – SERIOUS FUN (The Snipe Southern Circuit finished up last weekend, where Florida racing in Clearwater and Miami gave way to the final stop - Nassau, Bahamas. Enjoy Fried Elliott’s report on this island event.) If you believe your Snipe has a soul, then surely there is a Snipe heaven and its gates are the Royal Nassau Sailing Club. Much like the immortal Gods of Olympus, the Bahamians have perfected the art of racing their Snipes and enjoying themselves in a leisurely, refined, yet wickedly devilish sort of way in which each day the physically demanding on-the-water action is followed by equally demanding onshore consumption and late night mayhem. As a result, every day starts pretty much the same: you wake up and wish you were dead. But with great charm and grace your local host drags you down to the club where somehow you manage to launch your Snipe, hoist sails, and within minutes of leaving the dock you are on a screaming plane out to the course. Adrenalin cures all. The first race of the day begins promptly at 1100 hours. You start grinding up the mile-long beat. The wind gauge reads a steady 18 knots. Depending on the current, you find yourself either picking your way through a long swell or battling a steep rip chop. Five minutes up the first beat you start remembering why you hurt so much. But the fleet is still bunched up so you hang in there until the windward mark approaches where you bear away… and enter Snipe heaven. -- Full story: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/SnipeCircuit GETTING ON WITH IT Honolulu, HI (March 25, 2007) No worries, mate. Mike Sanderson, winning skipper of the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race, says the young Morning Light team is "certainly going to be ready for Transpac." The New Zealander rejoined his Volvo navigator, Morning Light instructor Stan Honey, to spend four days tutoring the team on land and sea during its third monthly training session on the Transpac 52, less than a year after Roy E. Disney started from scratch to build his team of young sailors to sail the 44th Transpacific Yacht Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu. With the race four months away it was time for a progress report, measured from two overnight sails---first with Sanderson aboard, then completely on their own. Piet van Os, 23, of La Jolla, Calif. was the designated skipper and primary helmsman for the first run to Molokai and back, with the Volvo winner breathing over his shoulder. "He's one of the best coaches I ever had," van Os said. "He wants you to drive so hard and do so well. He just likes to sail fast, day and night." Sailing manager Robbie Haines said "the timing was right" for Sanderson's involvement. The sailors had learned how to sail the boat but not really race it. "He brought them up to a new level when they were ready to step up," Haines said. "He impressed upon them that if they're going to win they have to work harder than the next guy." Sanderson said, "It's about intensity. If you want to go on vacation you should go somewhere else. If you want to win sailboat races you have to get on with it." -- Full story: http://www.pacifichighproductions.com/News/March25,2007-Overnight.html MELGES 32 RACING CIRCUIT This hot one-design class is getting hotter. A full on one-design racing circuit has been established and can be reviewed at the Melges 32 website. Miami Race Week was a huge success for the class. Sixteen Melges 32's raced in an outstanding event. Next up is the Annapolis NOOD, where there will be over 20 boats on the starting line. The National Championship is in Newport, RI, and then the fleet heads west. Join the crowd, get a Melges 32. Get geared up for the 2007 /2008 Winter Series too. Details at http://www.melges32.com AGE AND TREACHERY (Here’s a pretty entertaining report from the 2007 Sunfish International Master Championship, which was held March 16-18 in Port Charlotte, Fl.) I wanted to provide more timely news on the Masters but I was sailing in the regatta. Furthermore, at my age I am lucky to even be able to figure out this Internet Super Highway thing. I will start with the second day. It was almost as windy as the first day. You could smell the Ben Gay in the air on the shore as we ancient mariners prepared to do battle. The first race was WINDY - a couple skippers who forgot to fasten their hairpieces down lost them within minutes of even hitting the water! Anyway, after a brutal upwind leg, Richard Whitehurst led the fleet down a blazingly fast first reach. Tom Whitehurst took control on the second reach. But wait, what's that?? A race official boat came by and stopped the race! Apparently someone had misunderstood a Race Committee radio command and picked up the leeward mark as we were all heading to it! Not much I can say, I can barely hear, much less see, so it seemed like an honest mistake to me. But boy my legs were shot after 30 minutes of what turned out to be a tune-up race. -- The Sunfish Forum, full report: http://www.sunfishforum.com/showthread.php?p=9358#post9358 SAILING SHORTS * Marina del Rey, CA -- While small white caps occasionally appeared on the Santa Monica Bay during the Laser Midwinters West Regatta last weekend, those with strong light air skills excelled at this event, hosted by California Yacht Club. Luke Ramsay kept no score worse than fifth in the 64-boat Laser class to win by 19 points over Charlie Buckingham. Chris Raab was the top Master - finishing eighth in the eight race (one discard) series. Philip Cain finished racing in the 48-boat Laser Radial class with three straight bullets to squeeze past Chris Barnard by two points. Isabella Bertold was the top female in fourth place. -- http://www.calyachtclub.com/cms/raceresults/Series182.htm * The deadline for applying to the Lightning Boat Grant Program for the 2007 season is March 31. Included in the grant is the use of a competitive boat and a subsidy to defray some of the sailing expenses! This is a great opportunity for young sailors to gain entrance in a very active and competitive one-design class. For complete information visit the website: http://www.lightningclass.org/Boat_Grant/GrantProgramIndex.htm * Bunny Wayt, who has been the International Etchells Class Association Executive Secretary for some six years, has now the moved on to become the Farr 40 Class Secretary. The Etchells class is actively seeking Wayt’s replacement; information on the position can be found at http://etchells.org/content/view/104/86 * Lahaina, HI (March 26, 2007) A snapped mast aboard a catamaran sailing in rough seas claimed the life of a 48-year-old man and sent three people to Maui Memorial Medical Center on Sunday. The commercial sailing catamaran Kiele V was about one mile offshore of Kahana Beach when its mast cracked and fell on deck, according to Lt. Brian Murphy of the U.S. Coast Guard. In early December, a similar accident killed a California boy after a catamaran ’s mast snapped and pinned him off Waikiki on Oahu. -- http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=28917 * The rating office for the IRC rule has posted online a measurement manual aimed at official and club measurers that contains instructions and tips on measuring boats for IRC. -- http://rorcrating.com/ir2000/irc/Ircmeas.htm EIGHT BELLS After a long battle with cancer, my good friend Russ Nutter died Thursday, March 23. Many may remember Russ as the administrator of the 50 Foot Yacht Association. He was responsible for organizing their regattas all over the world. He also was the head or Junior Sailing at the Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit, MI and a trustee of the USODA. He was very active in US Sailing and served on many committees. Russ and I sailed thousands of miles together over the last 40 years; he was a great seaman and shipmate, with incredible stamina. He exhibited these traits in his fight with cancer. We will all miss “The Iron Man.” -- George Uznis WISCONSIN IS FOR WINCHES, AUSTRALIA IS FOR ORBITS The hottest blocks in the world now come from Down Under. Samples of Ronstan ’s new Orbit Blocks hit sailing markets from Melbourne to San Francisco to London, and it’s clear that they are the lightest, strongest, and coolest blocks in the world. Coming soon to your chandlery…Launch into Orbit! Visit the Scuttlebutt new product forum for details: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4544#4544 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 Bennet Greenwald: The discussion last week regarding the US Elite Youth Development Sailing Team got me to thinking about my observations at my local yacht club, where I frequently see 8, 9 and 10 year olds in sabots banging away at a race course, supervised by fully competent and fine youth program coaches. Unhappily, I also see ranks of parents staked out along the dock watching with steely-eyed arrogance and clearly standing or sitting in judgment. I have also watched and listened as the children finish and most of the parents put the equipment away while discussing the child’s performance in full, ignorant detail. What I am most curious about is, amid this heightened atmosphere of training, how youth programs can instill and preserve the “love of the game.” For kids that aren't earning sailing trophies, or simply want less structure, how do you keep these kids from burning out? Sailing “for fun” offers a sport with minimal structure, and mounds of freedom, but are we messing that up with this seemingly performance-minded mandate. If a youngster wants to compete at the top level, and is willing to sacrifice part of his life (and part of his parent’s life) to sailing, than that’s fine. However, I don't see these kids as the future of the sport. I see the future of the sport in the hands of those kids who just want to sail for fun, learn that they can steal a little fire from the gods and police themselves on the water. What are we doing for those kids? * From Bill Dixon: I think Jim Capron is wrong, wrong, wrong. Boardsailing and multihull sailing are young person sports. It would not have cost the Olympic side of US Sailing a penny to include them on the list of events desired in 2012. Offending the young people by ignoring their sailing will cost us dearly in the future. Capron has succumbed to corporate short-range thinking about the next Olympics, and is not investing in the future of the sport. * From Justin Scott, Greenwich, CT: The US Sailing submission to the ISAF on events for the 2012 Olympic games lacks credibility and I fear it will have little impact on the ISAF decision making process. Jim Capron has publicly stated that one of the two goals behind the US submission is to submit events in which "US sailors have a better chance of winning an Olympic medal." He has thus diminished the US representatives at ISAF to the status of serving purely parochial interests. The Olympic events should be chosen with the goal of creating a competition between the best sailing athletes in the world, whatever their nationality. ISAF representatives who rise above their local interests and argue in favor of classes that best showcase the sport of sailing on the world stage will have far more influence than those who promote events simply because their own sailors stand a better chance of winning medals. Instead of the US submission changing to reflect whatever class we currently seem to be doing well in, US Sailing should take a long-term view and support classes that will promote sailing as a relevant Olympic sport. Then our Olympic efforts can assist our athletes’ focus on those events and we will over time succeed. We don't need to "fix" the events. We don't know what classes we will be good at in 6 years time. Who knows what new crop of talent may have emerged by 2012? * From David LaPier: Your news headline on the Lightning Southern Circuit last week skipped the most important news for me. "Jim Carson of Brick, NJ, was awarded the Karl Smither award at the Saturday night banquet. This award, deeded by Don Gregory of St. Petersburg, recognizes the qualities of an individual Corinthian yachtsman, Lightning enthusiast, and an class mentor. Jim Carson, who will turn 80 this spring, typically sails with at least one high-school kid (this year Michael Crann, last year’s Davis Youth Award winner and Matt Reiser). Last year’s winner, Ann Allen, was on hand to congratulate Mr. Carson." I know that there are hundreds of sailors like me, including several World champions, across three generations whose lives were affected in very positive ways by Jim. He taught us all so much; he is a great sailor in every respect. -- Complete Lightning blog is posted at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/LightningCircuit * From Reynald Neron: (regarding letter in #2308) If Marijuana improves concentration, then it enhances the performances. Therefore, it should be banned and strongly fought, like any other drugs. And you should not be racing/ sailing while under the influence. CURMUDGEON’S CONUNDRUM Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give their vacuum one more chance? Special thanks to Camet International, Melges Performance Sailboats, and Ronstan. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
