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SCUTTLEBUTT 2183 - September 19, 2006
Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,
features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is
distributed each weekday, with America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt brought
to you by UBS (http://www.ubs.com/sailing).
VOR UPDATE: SECOND ENTRY CONFIRMED
The second official entry for the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 was confirmed
Monday as the Mean Machine syndicate under the leadership of Dutchman Peter
de Ridder. De Ridder, who has overseen 20 years of competition for the Mean
Machine outfit, is relishing the challenge presented by the Volvo Ocean
Race. “There is no life without a challenge, and competitive sailing is my
passion,” de Ridder said. “I think that the combination of these two
elements, sailing and a fresh challenge gives me the positive energy to
enjoy life to the full in a demanding and exciting atmosphere. It also gives
me the chance to bring together my passion and my experience as a
businessman. I’m sure that all these ingredients will be a winning
combination for Mean Machine to do well in the next Volvo Ocean Race.”
“We are aiming to have the budget to allow us to have the very best design
team, the best sail development programme and the best support team. We don’
t want a “rock star“ crew; we want the best. Even Real Madrid with its team
full of superstars was unable to bring home the goods last season due to the
fact that they weren’t able to build a strong and solid team.” Ray Davies,
the Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup veteran, a highly regarded helmsman
and tactician on the international sailing circuit, was named as skipper
while Dirk de Ridder will combine the roles of watch captain and operations
director. - VOR website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/jts38
FRAPPR
Scuttlebutt has become aware of a couple one-design classes using a new
feature on the internet called Frappr, aka “Friend Mapper.” This free
service allows people to enter their name and location, wherein a Google map
has little flags showing where everyone resides. For folks with common
interests, Frappr provides a visual representation of where these people are
located. The organizing committee of the 2006 J/22 Midwinters used Frappr to
show who was registering for the event, with the map providing interesting
information on which areas had the highest number of people traveling to the
event. For the J/22 Midwinter participants, the map may have even provided
some help in handling transportation logistics. The Lightning class also has
a Frappr on their class website for class members to input themselves. For
someone considering what one-design classes to sail in, seeing where
Lightning sailors are located might influence whether they consider the
class as an option.
The J/22 regatta map looks to be done on the administrative end, whereas the
Lightning class is relying on its members to input their info. However
Frappr is used, it may be another handy tool on the Internet to help promote
the sport.
J/22 Midwinters: http://www.j22southwest.org/midwinters/mw_map.html
Lightning Class: http://www.frappr.com/lightningsailboats
Frappr: http://www.frappr.com
LASER WORLDS
(Jeju Island, Korea; Monday, September 18) For the Race Committee, Jury, and
volunteer coaches, the 6th day of the Jeju Laser World Championships began
at 0615 to start the process of returning all the evacuated boats back to
the beach to be ready for racing. At the same time, all race committee boats
where re-launched. This was completed by 1030, at which stage the scheduled
start was postponed for 1 hour to allow the sailors time to prepare their
boats after the passing of typhoon ShanShan. Racing finally got underway at
1230 in a 15 knot offshore wind and the fleets split into gold and silver
groups. The large easterly swells of previous days had disappeared to be
replaced with a short chop, but the conditions provided for two races to be
completed. In view of the previously challenging weather conditions, the
race committee has scheduled three races for Tuesday, the penultimate day of
the championship.
Standings (gold flight; 6 races with one discard)
1. Tom Slingsby (AUS) 7 pts
2. Michael Blackburn (AUS) 12 pts
3. Scott Giles (GBR) 26 pts
4. Michael Leigh (CAN) 28 pts
5. Andrew Murdoch (NZL) 29 pts
6. Rasmus Myrgen (SWE) 32 pts
7. Gustavo Lima (POR) 33 pts
8. Thomas Le Breton (FRA) 35 pts
9. Bernard Luttmer (CAN) 35 pts
10. Paul Goodison (GBR) 36 pts
Full results: http://www.laserworld2006.com
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OLD MAN AND THE SEA
The painter known only as “Toxic” is putting the final coat on the hull
beneath a giant bubblewrap, the cost of which has Sir Robin Knox- Johnston
rumbling, but the canting keel has arrived, the mast is being repainted and
the electrician and engineer are due the following day. Temperamentally
speaking, the clouds have blown over and the sun is shining. “I’m in a
better mood than I was this morning, put it that way,” says Britain’s most
famous mariner, ancient or modern. Knox-Johnston had forgotten how much of
the stress of round-the-world sailing comes before the start. Too much to
do, not enough time to do it. Some calculations have remained stubbornly
immune to the technological revolution which Knox-Johnston will attempt to
bridge when, at the age of 67, he reaches the start line of the
single-handed Velux 5 Oceans round-the-world race next month, roughly 38
years after his last historic solo voyage. - Andrew Longmore, The Sunday
Times, full story:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,4041-2361484,00.html
KID AWARENESS
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) announced that it will
partner with Captain Kids, a national organisation designed to connect
children, parents and educators to a broad range of maritime activities in,
on and under the water. The partnership will include Captain Kids Discovery
Point Exhibit hosted at several NMMA boat shows and sportshows throughout
the 2007 season, including its debut at the New Orleans Boat show, January
10-14. The interactive exhibits featured in Discovery Point encourage
children to get interested and involved in the water, such as building a
model boat, knot tying and boater's safety. Other features include
designated areas to explore and identify different types of boats, ocean
literacy, fishing and conservation. - IBI Magazine, full story:
http://tinyurl.com/zdk7t
CRYING MUSCLES
“Hike Hard,” cries the skipper, tactician or fellow crew. Unless you are a
solo dinghy racer, when your inner voice is pushing you to hold the planed
out position a bit longer; this is request that is rarely met with a grin.
The quads, abdominal muscles and surely a few other muscles are all crying
out if you are a dinghy racer. The keelboat racer who rides the rail feels a
slightly different pain or none (this is not a good thing). Hiking the rail,
hanging over a lifeline (which is hopefully padded!) for long periods of
time applies pressure to the lower pelvis and posterior thigh muscles. The
pain associated with this is the effect of nerve communication and
circulation to lower body being disrupted and the body trying to communicate
a problem to the head. - Read the complete article on how to better handle
your crying muscles in the SailTrim September newsletter:
http://www.sailtrim.org/images/September2006.pdf
HIGH PERFORMANCE DESIGNS AND LOOKS
The Camet Molokai vest offers the ability to add foam pad inserts in the
front to help protect crew against lifelines when hiking out. Made of a
waterproof, breathable fabric with a Coolmax mesh liner, it’s designed with
two large inside pockets and two outside pockets with zippers. Perfect for
all activities, the Camet Portofino soft cotton pants have a relaxed fit,
flat front, two deep side pockets and two rear pockets. Designed with a
double seat for protection and gusseted crotch. The stone colored front and
mist gray or khaki back give these pants a unique look. http://www.camet.com
BUILDING THE BOAT SHOW
Each October, for more than 37 years, the United States Sailboat Show (Oct.
5-9) and The United States Powerboat Show (Oct. 12-15) take over the docks
and harbor of the colonial seaport of Annapolis. These two events are, the
oldest and largest in-water shows in the industry, and they are the only
major boat shows not produced in an existing marina. Playing host to more
than 250 sailboats, nearly 500 powerboats and hundreds of land exhibitors
requires the construction of a temporary marina facility of stupendous
proportions.
To accommodate this veritable navy of recreational vessels, show producers
will drive 57 temporary pilings in the waters of Annapolis harbor. Those
pilings anchor a mile and two tenths of floating docks, assembled in
twenty-foot sections, requiring 636 three quarter inch bolts just to hold
them together. Exhibitors are supplied with fresh water for wash downs by a
temporary water system incorporating 1400 feet of three-inch fire hose and 5
custom built “Christmas tree” style hose bib manifolds. More than 200 tents,
erected on over 500 wooden floor sections covering more than three quarters
of an acre, accommodate land exhibitors. Both land and water exhibitors
receive electrical service via a system of submarine cables and wiring that
incorporates over 57 miles of wire. - Sailing Breezes, full report:
http://tinyurl.com/z9vtx
Curmudgeon’s Comment: Look for Scuttlebutt publisher Craig Leweck roaming
the show on Thursday and Friday.
SAILING SHORTS
* Carlo Borlenghi provides Scuttlebutt with a photographic essay of the
Rolex Swan Cup like few photographers can. Enjoy his images from this
glamour event that concluded last weekend in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, ITA:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/06/0918
* (Bristol, RI) The 2006 US A-Class Catamaran Association's North American
Championship concluded last week, where light to moderate winds prevailed
for the 14 race event. Bristol local Lars Guck sailed a perfect series of
all first place finishes for the win, with another local sailor, Phil
Kinder, sailing a very consistent series for a comfortable margin holding
2nd place, and Bob Hodges from Louisiana in 3rd overall. Bristol local Ben
Hall sailed into fourth, with 2005 World Champion Pete Melvin of California
recovering from a day one collision to take 5th overall. Full results:
http://tinyurl.com/jsxua
* (San Francisco, CA) Ninety boats in six classes competed last week at the
St. Francis Yacht Club’s Rolex Big Boat Series, where the top finishers
earned themselves Rolex Steel Submariner timepieces. Competing classes
included IRC, J/105, J/120, Sydney 38, Express 37, and ID35. Full results
along with new images from photographer Sharon Green at
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/06/bbs
* He’s the only Frenchman in Victory Challenge’s sailing team. He has great
experience of match racing, has previously participated in the America’s Cup
and is one of the most experienced trimmers in the world of professional
sailing. Thierry Fouchier, 40, is another recruitment for the two-boat
training that has just begun. In total, 13 new sailors have now joined
Victory Challenge during the last four months. Seven of them have previous
America’s Cup experience, of which four also have experiences from the most
recent Volvo Ocean Race. Another five took part in the most recent round the
world race. - Full story:
http://www.victorychallenge.com/start.phtml?lang_id=1
* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to propose a
recreational marine diesel rule that could require large yacht builders to
install exhaust after-treatment on all future yacht designs, according to a
statement issued by the NMMA. EPA has been working on a plan over the last
several years that would require emission reductions on marine diesel
engines. Earlier this year, an EPA diesel rule was implemented requiring
diesel engines to meet stringent new emission standards that necessitated
electronic controls. - IBI News, full story: http://tinyurl.com/fsnvm
PROFESSIONAL GRADE
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CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine)
Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be
edited for clarity or space (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 please save your bashing and personal attacks for
elsewhere. As an alternative, you can post your comments on the Scuttlebutt
Forums, wherein we may include your submission in the newsletter.
-- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
-- Scuttlebutt Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From J.P. Clowes, Columbus, Ohio: Both Max Rosenberg and Fin Beven
(letters in Issues 2182 and 2181, respectively) strike me as the type of
guys who sit on the porch and lament about how good things used to be, when
they really weren't. When starting multiple classes, nothing beats the new
system. Having to wait 10 minutes between starts seemed like an eternity
when you are bouncing around in a small dinghy in big waves. Five minutes
almost seems too long when you are dodging lots of different boats in the
area behind the immediate starting area, waiting for the three or four
classes in front of you to start. The system might be hard to explain, but
if you watch it once or twice, it really isn't that hard to figure out. It
also eliminates the problem of being far from the boat and having to wonder
did I hear one horn or two? Starting five classes on a small lake like the
one I sail on using the old system would mean that some classes would likely
be finishing before the last class had a chance to start.
* From Eric Sorensen: Max Rosenberg continuing the thread (in Issue 2182) on
starting flags got my attention. I always liked the White, Blue, Red and
remembered it with the acronym of ‘We Be Racing.’ The current weirdness is
something I haven't adjusted to and am hoping one of your readers has a
memory stimulator for me. Our YC in Anacortes, WA has used GPS time for
starting without a committee boat successfully in smaller races but there
wouldn't be any fleet recalls with that technique.
Curmudgeon’s Comment: Why don’t we put this question to a vote: Which
starting system do you prefer? Go to this link to cast your vote and post
comments: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/06/0918
* From Ryan Hamm: Mr. Mueller has just created another gap between sailors
and volunteers by making it sound like a group of people conspired against a
fleet of boats (regarding his letter in Issue 2182). PHRF handicaps are just
a way to keep boats competitive in a region. There are base ratings and
local areas can make adjustments based on performance. If one guy is doing
well and one guy is not, then probably no adjustment. But if no one locally
is doing badly in a class and a boat is dominating then changes are made, as
is probably the case here. No witch-hunt. It often happens in one-design
type boats because most one-design sailors do better in PHRF. Now if Mr.
Mueller buys a 33 and only races it PHRF, I bet after a while a successful
appeal can be made after his results are put in. Good luck. Long live one
design.
* From Michael H. Koster: Regarding Eric Mueller's question (in Issue 2182)
on what recourse there is for unfair PHRF ratings, there is an appeal
process available through US Sailing. The following site explains the
process: http://www.ussailing.org/phrf/usappeal.pdf
* From Bob Austin: Judge Jame's ruling about "navigation" (as printed in
Issue 2181) is very narrowly interpreted opinion which had to do with
fishing over private land which was flooded above the high water mark of the
Mississippi River. The ruling has been overblown and has virtually no effect
on normal recreational boating. This is an ongoing issue in an area of East
Carroll Parish, La. A landowner, Walker Cottonwood Farms, has requested that
the local Sheriff arrest "tresspassers" who were fishing over their land
when it was covered by water of the Mississippi River at flood stage. The
state court agreed that the area is dry most of the time and is not
navigable. Much ado about nothing, and it is being appealed.
* From Dave Carroll: (re, Art Ahrens letter in Issue 2181, “If you look at
areas of the country where racing is thriving…”) St Petersburg YC is a great
example of working with the city. 1) They bought the land on which the club
building stands from the city, so no more rent hikes, onerous rules, etc; 2)
They made a deal to manage the city-owned sailing center and parking lot,
which is really sweet as they get to use the facility, hoists, etc, and sow
the seeds of the sport within the community; 3) They have a pretty good club
as well.
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
No amount of genius can overcome a preoccupation with detail.
Special thanks to Joe Harris/Gryphon Solo, Camet International, and
Ribcraft.
America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt is brought to you by UBS.
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