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SCUTTLEBUTT 1905 - August 18, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE Since winning Olympic Gold in home waters a year ago, Greek sailing star Sofia Bekatorou has been working hard to launch a new match racing event called Dream Race Mykonos. Bekatorou has attracted Russell Coutts, four top America's Cup teams, along with four Greek teams, one of which she is the skipper. For Bekatorou, the outcome of the racing is secondary to the wider aims of the event, which the Olympic Champion says are to "fund Youth sailing in Mykonos and promote the sport in Greece. What better motivation could young sailors have than seeing a group of the most famous sailors racing in their hometown?" Even that ambition is only a stepping stone to a greater goal for Bekatorou. "The race is called the Dream Race because for the first time Greek sailors have the opportunity to race against America's Cup teams. My dream is to create a Greek team for the America's Cup and this event is the first introduction for people and sailors to meet and see the real fun of match racing at the highest level." Bekatorou admits she had serious misgivings about launching such an ambitious project, but took great heart from asking Russell Coutts his opinion of the event. When he answered with a simple, "Why not?", that was all the confirmation she needed to go ahead. To have attracted such a strong list of contenders in the event's first year is testament to Bekatorou's drive. Now that some of the big names have come to see the beauty of Mykonos for themselves, they may not need any persuading to return in future years. Russell Coutts has won Dream Race Mykonos, defeating Francesco Bruni's Luna Rossa team 2-0 in a light-wind final. Full Results can be found at: www.dreamrace.gr WHY RACE SAILBOATS? "No more expensive way of going really slowly been invented by man than sailing." (Chris Caswell, The Quotable Sailor). No less of a quandary to the land lubber is the idea of racing boats moving at speeds no faster than a man can run... But regardless of the outsider's view, there is something about the sport of Yacht Racing -- the heart pounding pressure of competition, the brain straining tactics and strategy, the fortune telling of wind events, the stress of seeing heavy floating masses of fiberglass converge just inches apart with no brakes, the tension of stop watches clicking the seconds away, the sounds of grinding winches, crackling sails, hull pounding waves and the firing start gun, the intense focus on telltales and advancing waves, and the winning or getting closer to winning -- that just gives us all a rush and keeps us coming back for more week after week. We just love the challenge. Yacht Racing is also known as the most complex sport ever invented by man. Pick a sport. Any sport. And find that in sailboat racing the venue is not a fixed football field or basketball court or even a racetrack, but is a changing surface that is sometimes flat, choppy, confused, peppered with different sized waves with different periods and heights, coming at the boat from different directions, with characteristics that differ from location to location. A sport where the predominant forces of wind and water are unknown from moment to moment, where velocity, direction, and consistency may vary by height from sea level. A sport where the participating vessels can only move forward and the predominant factor controlling chaos is the "corinthian spirit" and each participant's understanding of the rules. A sport driven by teamwork, intellect and sometimes physical and mental endurance. A sport where sometimes different boats may be used, each variant having a different speed, different rigging and sails and unceasing learning. - Excerpt from a story on the Yacht Racers Online website, full story: http://www.yachtracersonline.com/why_race_sailboats.htm PLEASE PEE IN THIS BOTTLE (Excerpt from a story posted on The Daily Sail subscription website.) On their arrival in La Rochelle at the end of leg two of the Solitaire du Figaro, the first four skippers were picked for an anti-doping check up. In a race comprising four legs, each of two to four days duration, where performance is often directly proportional to how little skippers sleep, there would be an incentive for some extreme caffeine in-take. "It is the first time this has happened to me in my in my whole sailing career", confides Charles Caudrelier, a former Solitaire du Figaro winner and skipper of Bostik. "It is surprising, but I find it really good. I am convinced there is not drug taking in our sport, but it is better to prove it." The results of these tests will be available in two weeks, and will only be revealed if they show up positive. -- www.thedailysail.com DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN SUNBURN YOUR EYES? Yes, that burning and itching in your eyes can be sunburn. UV rays can also increase your risk to cataracts, macular degeneration and other serious eye diseases. You SPF your skin, so protect your eyes with Harken polarized sunglasses. They block vicious UV rays and absorb reflected glare. Close fitting, wrap-around frames also guard against windburn. Three styles. Prescription or non-prescription. Free Harken Hides™ sunglasses strap with each purchase. http://www.harkensailinggear.com/sunglasses/sunglass.php ELLEN After a delivery trip lasting eight days, the 75-foot trimaran B&Q arrived in the Canadian port of St. John's, Newfoundland early Wednesday afternoon. The delivery crew of Loik Gallon, Jean-Sébastien Chesnier Proteau, Lalou Roucayrol and Kate Steven will disembark from the trimaran, as B&Qskipper Ellen MacArthur and back-up crew Charles Darbyshire take her on to New York. It will be a relatively short turn-around for the crews as they clear customs and re-stock the boat but MacArthur has decided to delay the departure for New York until tomorrow: "We have decided to delay departure until tomorrow morning otherwise we will just sail out into 30 knots on the nose from the south-west. So we will wait for the wind to go into the north-west and then leave. We should have a good breeze to start with but it could get lighter in the middle so our ETA for New York is currently 22nd/23rd August. Upon arrival in New York, it is planned that the trimaran will be berthed for the first few days at North Cove Marina which is located in downtown Manhattan where the current solo transatlantic record holder, Francis Joyon, berthed his 90-foot trimaran IDEC whilst he was on standby. MacArthur will not be the only skipper on standby for an attempt on the current 6 day, 4 hour, 1 minute and 37 second solo transatlantic record. Since the beginning of August, French skipper Thomas Coville has been based in New York with his record breaking 60-foot trimaran. Sodebo. Ellen is due to go on standby from the 1st September to wait for the ideal weather system to propel her 2925 miles across the North Atlantic. If Coville is still waiting in the wings, it could turn into a race as well as a record attempt! -- www.teamellen.com SWEDISH MATCH TOUR The St. Moritz Match Race, Stage 3 of the 2005-'06 Swedish Match Tour, bills itself as racing at the top of the world. Watching the crews depart their boats huffing and puffing at the end of the day gives one an understanding of the challenges involved with sailing at more than 5,600 feet above sea level. "We were outta breath often," said Ed Baird (USA), of Alinghi. "The guys were gulping for air. It makes the Tour de France all that more impressive," he said of the grueling bike race that traverses the Alps and Pyrenees mountains. Despite a lengthy delay to the start of the day while the southerly Maloja wind filled, there was plenty of action once the crews hit the water. There were five come-from-behind wins and one victory at the finish line after a 270-degree penalty turn. With the wind blowing 10 to 15 knots and gusting up to 20, crews were maxed out on the trapeze at one moment and then squatting into the boat the next. And the shifty conditions kept the crews on their toes. "We had no idea what the wind was doing at the top of the racecourse," said Mendelblatt, who favored the left side of the beats but also worked the right on occasion. "It was very shifty out there," said Baird. The puffs sent some crews planing into the leeward mark with the spinnaker up too late, creating a mad scramble to get the sail down. "And sometimes our toes were on the spinnaker halyard," said Mike Drummond, crew for Baird. -- Sean McNeill, www.swedishmatchtour.com St. Moritz Match Race Standings -- Group B Round Robin (After 5 of 5 scheduled flights) 1. Mark Mendelblatt (USA), 4-1 2. Ed Baird (USA) Alinghi, 4-1 3. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Team Finland, 3-2 4. Mathieu Richard (FRA), 3-2 5. Marcel Walser (SUI), 1-4 6. Eric Monnin (SUI), 0-6 KING OF THE HILL The twelve sailors who will compete for the title of 2005 ISAF Match Racing World Champion in Calpe, Spain from 12-17 September have been confirmed. Two triple Champions will line up in Spain in the shape of number one sailor in the ISAF World Match Race Rankings Peter Gilmour (AUS) and defending champion Ed Baird (USA), who is presently ranked number two. The other players are: - Philippe Presti (FRA - ranked #5) - Paolo CIAN (ITA - 6) - Sébastian Col (FRA - 7) - James Spithill (AUS - 8) - Ian Williams (GBR - 9) - Bjorn Hansen (SWE - 10) - Staffan Lindberg (FIN - 11) - Eugeniy Neugodnikov (RUS - 12) - Santiago Lopez-Vazquez (ESP - 568) Selected by the host MNA, the Real Federación Espańola de Vela, the host club Real Club Náutico de Calpe and ISAF. Full story: http://www.sailing.org NEWS BRIEFS * Although there were teams competing from 13 countries, teams from Argentina have won both the men's and women's divisions in the US 470 North American Championships. Lucas Calabrese and Fernando Gwozdz for the men, and Fernanda Sesto and Consuelo Monsegur for the women. In the ten-race series (with one throwout) on the San Francisco Bay, Michael Anderson-Mitterling/ D. Hughes (USA) finished ten points behind Calabrese/ Gwozdz in second place in the Men's & Mixed Division. Amanda Clark/ S Mergenthaler (USA) were second in the women's division. -- http://www.470classnachampionship.org/ * Shortly before noon Wednesday, the United Internet Team Germany became the first of the 12 America's Cup teams to go sailing in Malmö. It was a short sail though, as the wind didn't cooperate, dying completely just over an hour later. The German team was alone on the water, none of the other teams had even stepped their masts as of mid-afternoon. Victory Challenge is planning to sail on Thursday, and other teams will surely join them. Look for each of the teams to be sailing by the weekend. -- http://www.americascup.com/en/acmag/postcards/index.php * With the America's Cup teams getting geared up for the Malmö-Skĺne Louis Vuitton Acts to begin next week, some old school America's Cup boats were reliving their glory days at the 11th Annual Twelve Metre Regatta, hosted by Edgartown Yacht Club, Edgartown, Massachusetts. Enjoy the latest photo gallery on the Scuttlebutt website, provided by Jack Hardway: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/05/12meter * Twenty three singlehanded sailors are at Alamitos Bay YC in Long Beach, Calif. to compete in Lasers for the U.S. Singlehanded Championship (US Sailing's George O'Day Trophy). There's one woman competitor: Anne Bowen of the University of Charleston (S.C.). The only former winner competing is Chris Raab, a member of the host club, who won in 2000. A third of the fleet was born in the 50s and seven others in the 60s and 70s -- mostly people who didn't grow up sailing Lasers, because Bruce Kirby didn't produce the boat until 1971. It's not a kids' event. -- http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/ussc EIGHT BELLS Charles A. (Skip) Boston died on August 16. He was 67. Beloved husband of Judy Templin 40 years; dear father of Michael Boston, Diana Lee Boston-Meijer (Robert), and Veronica Coger (Stacy); dear brother of Martha Youstra (John), Nancy Peltier (Ray), William (Spike) Boston (Alice), Sue McMahon (Michael), Kay Wyszynski (Ed), and Julie Boston. There are five grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Skip touched the lives of countless numbers of sailors and was responsible for improving the performance or cruisability of yachtsmen all over the world. Fond memories of Skip can be shared with his family by emailing Michael mboston@bostonsails.com DO YOU "ONE DESIGN?" WE DO! Tornado, Sabots, Yngling, 470's, J/105, Beneteau 40.7, Etchells, A-Cat, Farr 40, 505, Cal 20, Coronado 15, Fireball, J/24, CFJ, 420, Europe Dinghy, Harbor 20, International 14, J/22, Holder 20, Flying Scot, Lido 14, Lehman 12, Lightning, Melges 24, Optimist, Snipe, Thistle, Cal 25, Soling, Sonar, Santana 20, Santana 30/30, Capri 14.2, El Toro, Ultimate 20, Flying Junior, J/80, Hobie 21, San Juan 24, Nacra, Prindle, J/120, Antrim 27, Olson 30, Mumm 30, J/109. Ullman Sails has been one designing 35+ years - give your local loft a call or visit us at http://www.ullmansails.com 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 Bob Hofmann: I am the Lahaina Yacht Club, Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race, co-chairman and see the deplorable condition of our local harbors here on Maui. One of the limiting factors on entries to the Vic-Maui is the number of boats that can be berthed (including moored out) in Lahaina, which is 35. We here know that we are getting screwed by the government who collects slip fees and then spends them on anything deemed more important than harbor maintenance. Our harbors are suffering from lack of maintenance just as badly if not worse than on Oahu. Concrete walks and breakwalls crumbling, electrical systems exposed to the elements from rusty pipes designed to keep them safe, and would you believe, no pump out facilities here in our two most heavily used tourist harbors. * From Chris Welsh (edited to our 250-word limit): The Ala Wai is under attack by silt. Ragtime draws 11'2". We came in from Transpac at 2:00 AM. After our party, and with Transpac Row nonexistent, we were asked to move to the temporary "F" dock at 4:30 AM. In the side channel to F, we went aground, hard. We were able to back off and get back to a side tie at Hawaii YC. Tough sledding, given the darkness and arrival mai tais. Two days later, we were assigned to a slip at Waikiki YC. We naively came in at high tide. Went to leave the next day and found out the hard way that we could only leave on the top 1-2 inches of the high tide. Tried a circus act of 4 guys on the boom, etc, no luck. A day later, finally made it out to go to the Ala Moana shipyard for a haul out. Went aground between the travelift piers and could not lift. Tried again on a higher tide the next day, went aground, and gave up on the effort. Side tied back at HYC, dropped the rudder to inspect the bearing and changed from the racing shaft and prop to the delivery shaft and prop. Had a good time, but chalk up one more place we have a hard time visiting due to silt. Only 20% of Newport Harbor is routinely available to us - Pyewacket is going to have an interesting time living here, even with the trimmed keel. * From Kirk Elliott: I completely agree with Roy Disney's assessment of the Ala Wai Yacht Basin. My first Transpac was 1965, I will always remember the camaraderie felt between the boats, and crews, walking Transpac Row. From the 1st to finish dock, toward last to finish, in front of the Hawaii YC. I was aboard "Odyssey" this year, the only thing that felt like the old days was the fantastic Aloha greeting from the Hawaii YC. There is nothing like it anywhere else. * From Mike Doyle: I sure hope that Mr. Disney's article may influence the State of Hawaii to put a stop to this preplanned deterioration. Otherwise, the next plan to get rid of the water. Only in Hawaii! * From Glenn McCarthy: Everyone needs to take the Tack or Cross decision up to the next level. What if the two boats end up having a collision? Who is going to do circles? If a protest is filed, how will it be adjudicated? The answer is really simple. The Racing Rules of Sailing are a contract between sailors written in black and white. Side verbal contracts will hold no bearing in a protest hearing. Port will be DSQ'd and if there is damage, Starboard will be DSQ'd as well. This is also true if the Tack or Cross communications never happened between the two boats. No additional rights are made with these verbal contracts. Secondly, has RRS 41 "Outside Help" been violated? Brad Read wrote: "both boats would avoid an expensive tack and be better off (possibly) in the long run. Haven't both boats received outside help? * From Peter Huston: Brad Read's excellent bit about "tack or cross" missed one key element - the port tack start - probably because he's smart enough to not attempt one when it obviously it can't be properly accomplished. Just a couple of hours before I read Brad's article, I witnessed one of the lamest - and most irresponsible - attempts at a port tack start I've ever seen. 18+ knots of breeze, a slightly pin end favored, relatively long starting line, a Beneteau 40.7 full of guys with more ego than experience, hopped up on testosterone, thinking they are going to cross on port a well practiced group of other like sized boats. With 20 seconds to go, there is no way the 40.7 is going to cross at the pin, unless they accelerate and push the line hard. If they had tried to start on time, the first boat on starboard would have drilled them at the chainplates. The gun goes, and 40.7 was over - the more responsible choice would have been for the 40.7 to take the transoms of the boats they couldn't cross - they likely would have been launched. Forget whether or not as the port tack boat you might be able to control the actions of a starboard tacker with a hail of "tack or cross" - attempting a port start in big breeze when you have more ambition and ego than experience is a prescription for a large insurance claim, if not injury to crew members. * From David Barrow (Re your conundrum in Wednesday's Scuttlebutt): The extra penny is for tax, of course! CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION The older I get, the better I was. |
