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SCUTTLEBUTT 2928 - Monday, September 14, 2009Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors, providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Today's sponsors are to e Sailing Yachts, Doyle Sails, and Newport Shipyard RETURNING TO NEWPORT Newport, R.I. - It will be reminiscent of Newport's America's Cup days when 19 yacht club teams from 14 nations descend on this 'City by the Sea' this week. Like in 1983, when Newport last hosted the Cup races here, the patriotic teams will be sailing on Rhode Island Sound for a trophy kept by the New York Yacht Club, but this time it isn't the 'Auld Mug.' It's the Invitational Cup which the New York Yacht Club has recently put into circulation for the purpose of reviving amateur racing on these shores and around the world. "While the current America's Cup competition is embroiled in legal contretemps, the New York Yacht Club is running an international event that features teams from as far away as China, Finland, Germany and New Zealand," said Event Chair John Mendez. "The event will showcase the finest amateur sailors in the world and will be the most significant event that the New York Yacht Club has hosted in recent memory." Sure to have plenty of fans will be the New York Yacht Club's own entry of Arethusa, with accomplished skipper Phil Lotz (Newport, R.I./New Canaan, Conn.) steering. He will have as his navigator Wendy Lotz, his wife, and as mast man and spinnaker trimmer, respectively, his sons Chris and Doug Lotz. Another local sailor aboard, well-known in Newport as well as around the world, will be Ken Read, who recently skippered Puma to second place in the Volvo Ocean Race and will serve as tactician for Arethusa. Arethusa snagged the NYYC's berth at the Invitational Cup after emerging as top boat in an elimination series that included the NYYC 155th Annual Regatta presented by Rolex and the 2009 Swan 42 National Championship, which it won. Another U.S. team, skippered by Soling World Champion Craig Healy, will represent San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club. Alongside him on the chartered NYYC Swan 42 Interlodge will be noted tactician Russ Silvestri. The complete list of competing clubs is as follows: Japan Sailing Federation (Tokyo, Japan) New York Yacht Club (New York, N.Y., USA) Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (Hamburg, Germany) Nyländska Jaktklubben (Helsinki, Finland) Real Club Nautico Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (Hamilton, Bermuda) Royal Canadian Yacht Club (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Royal Cork Yacht Club (County Cork, Ireland) Royal Danish Yacht Club (Hellerup, Denmark) Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club (Hong Kong, China) Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (Auckland, New Zealand) Royal Ocean Racing Club (London, England) Royal St. George Yacht Club (County Dublin, Ireland) Royal Thames Yacht Club (London, England) Royal Yacht Squadron (London, England) St. Francis Yacht Club (San Francisco, Calif., USA) Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy) Yacht Club de France (Paris, France) Yacht Club Italiano (Genoa, Italy) For more information: http://www.nyyc.org/eventnews/ WHAT'S IN A NAME Richard Gladwell has posted another insightful piece about Louis Vuitton World Series on the Sail-World.com website. Here are just a few brief excerpts. Just days after being launched in Paris, the Louis Vuitton World Series would seem to be beating into a stiffening breeze. At the launch of the new Series along with the World Sailing Teams Association, questions were immediately raised as to how the new event would work with the existing World Match Racing Tour; and how the Association could use 'World' in its name without the prior sanction of the governing body of sailing, the International Sailing Federation. Scott MacLeod is Director of the World Match Racing Tour, and went through a similar, but more protracted exercise with the world body, over the same issues, culminating in a deal that was struck, in principle, in just 15 minutes with the ISAF Executive. That deal ended a difficult situation which had started many years previously as various individual match racing regattas around the world decided to join hands and create a world circuit. That mantle was then taken a step further with the formation of the World Match Racing Association, and with an unofficial world title being contested. Part of the deal struck between World Match Racing Tour and the International Sailing Federation was to give the then fledgling tour some protection against other start up match racing regattas (which weren't embraced by the new world championship) from forming a rival world circuit. That agreement is at the genesis of the issues between the World Match Racing Tour and the new Louis Vuitton World Series. Macleod makes it clear that he does not have objections to the Louis Vuitton World Series as such. Although some of the issues relating to the use of the title 'World' are contained in ISAF Regulations, many interpret these to be related to preventing the proliferation of events touting themselves as 'World Championships'. The Louis Vuitton World Series does not claim itself as a World Championship, instead saying there will just be an overall winner of the series. The reality is that all teams might not, in fact, probably will not, compete in all events. It is likely that there will be more emphasis on the individual events themselves, and with the focus on all important bragging rights as to who won the last event, and who is going to win the next. - Read Gladwell's interview with MacLeod along with their conclusions about this evolving situation: http://tinyurl.com/p8kh89 COME SAIL AN e33 WITH US! Slots are filling fast for e33 test sails at the Newport and Annapolis Boat Shows - reserve now! Robbie Doyle and Jeremy Wurmfeld will also be on hand to introduce two new e Sailing Yachts designs. The e27 daysailer features the elegant lines, comfortable cockpit and easy handling of the e33, all at an attractive price. The e44 performance cruiser has a large and comfortable cockpit with a transom door/ swim platform that opens flush to the cockpit sole. Her sail handling systems maximize ease and performance. All with a well appointed and spacious interior. http://www.esailingyachts.com/testsail. BRAZILIANS PREVAIL San Diego, CA (September 11, 2009) - The Snipe World Championship was won in the penultimate race by the Brazilian team Bruno Amorim and crew Dante Bianchi. Amorim and Bianchi had to finish in the top 10 in race 10 to take home the Commodore Hub E. Isaacks Trophy, and their fifth place finish did just that. But that wasn't enough. Amorim and Bianchi then did a true victory lap and won the final race of the regatta to score an amazing 29-point victory in the 49-boat fleet. Shifty breeze and light cloud cover greeted Snipe World Championship contenders on this final day of racing at the San Diego Yacht Club. The final two races saw a few positions in the top 10 shuffle around, but the Brazilians finished strong with three teams in the top six. The Spanish team of Gustavo del Castillo Palop and Felipe Llinares Pascual secured second place in the championship, while the USA's Ernesto Rodriguez and Megan Place finished in third place - just six points further back. Regatta Website: http://www.snipeworlds2009.com Photos & Video: http://www.snipeworlds2009.com/media/index.htm ROLEX BIG BOAT SERIES San Francisco, CA, (September 13, 2009) - This was not your typical Big Boat Series. It only got into the 20 knot range on one of the four days, lots of 10 to 15 knot sailing, and the wind was so light on the final day that racing was abandoned for the IRC divisions and two of the one-design classes. The St. Francis Yacht Club race committee planned the day's final Bay Tour, but with light and inconsistent wind direction, racing was abandoned for the four IRC classes, along with the 1D35 and J/120 classes. The six races completed through Saturday stood as the final results. As the top performing IRC rated boat, Vincitore - with tactician Norman Davant and helmsman Chris Dickson - was named the overall Rolex US-IRC National Champion, and Mitchell was presented with a Rolex Yacht-Master to mark the occasion. The City of San Francisco Trophy was awarded to Kjeld Hestehave's (Richmond, Calif.) 73-foot Velos. Since the very first race, the largest boat entered in this regatta dominated his opponents with six straight race wins. Dale Williams' (San Francisco) Kernan 44 Wasabi finished in second place, with Sy Kleinman's (Saratoga, Calif.) Schumacher 54 Swiftsure in third place, tied on 16 points with Wasabi. - Complete report: http://www.big-boat-series.com/ * Catch all the action on video: http://www.t2p.tv SIX METRE WORLD CUP NEWPORT, RI - Over five days, competitors at the 2009 Six Metre World Cup encountered every condition that Narragansett Bay could serve up, and then some. From bright sunshine to driving rain squalls. From four to 25 knots of wind. 1992 Star Olympic Bronze Medalist Eric Jespersen (Sidney, British Columbia), aboard Gallant, won the 24-boat Classic with finishes of 3-1-4-(5)-2-2-3 to earn 15 points, with Johan Garkman and Peter Astrand's Fridolin (FIN) second overall, five points back. In the 10-boat Modern division, Sophie II, with New York native Hugo Stenbeck (SWE) at the helm, won on a tiebreaker over Scoundrel, driven by Rob Gray (GBR). Boats from ten countries sailed in the event - Bermuda, Canada, Finland, France, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. - For complete scores, photos and more information, visit www.6metreworldcup.com CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR Aarhus, Denmark - Having had one year out from match racing and the World Match Racing Tour, local hero Jes Gram-Hansen was not top of the list of favourites going into this week's Danish Open, organised by the Royal Danish Yacht Club. However match racing for Gram Hansen seems to be like riding a bike, especially when it is in the DS37s he started racing intensively during his match race training as a youth back in the mid-1990s, and better still when he is racing these familiar boats in his home waters off Aarhus. Gram-Hansen had a battle royal with Australian veteran Peter Gilmour of Yanmar Racing in the semi-finals. He won this nail-biting series 3-1, to go up against Torvar Mirsky in the finals. Mirsky in turn had dispatched Mattias Rahm and his Stena Bulk Sailing Team 3-2 in the semis. After his heavyweight bout in the semis, Gram-Hansen seemed to make easy work of the finals to win against the young Australian, by an emphatic 3-0. Overall Results 1st Jes Gram Hansen (DEN) Trifork Racing 2nd Torvar Mirsky (AUS) Mirsky Racing Team 3rd Peter Gilmour (AUS) YANMAR Racing 4th Mattias Rahm (SWE) Stena Bulk Sailing Team 5th Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar 6th Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team 7th Adam Minoprio (NZL) ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing 8th Damien Iehl (FRA) French Match Racing Team 9th Sebastien Col (FRA) French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge 10th Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing 11th Peter Wibroe (DEN) Wibroe Sailing Team 12th Jonas Warrer (DEN) Daily highlights can be viewed at www.wmrt.org/video Event website: http://worldmatchracingtour.com GET MORE FROM LESS Doyle Sailmakers is using innovative sail technology to power boats without overlapping genoas. The Brooklin 50 "Ginger" won its class at the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, powered by a square top main, non-overlapping jib and Code 0 to maximize sail efficiency. When you want to power up your boat, contact Doyle. See us at the Newport Boat Show or visit http://www.doylesails.com MAXI YACHT ROLEX CUP Porto Cervo, Italy - After five splendid racing days Niklas Zennstrom's Judel Vrolijk designed 72 foot Bermudian sloop Ran (GBR), launched this year and already winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race, took victory in the Mini Maxi Racing 00 group of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup. In the Mini Maxi Racing Cruising division Michael Cotter's Reichel/Pugh designed 78 foot sloop Whisper (IRL) took first place in all but one of the five races completed. The Wally division saw Claus Peter Offen's Y3K (GER) dominate with three bullets in six races. In the Racing/ Cruising division Roma - Aniene (ITA) led from day one and brought home an impressive four bullets over five races. It was in the Cruising/ Spirit of Tradition division, however, that the J Class Velsheda displayed the most impressive score sheet with five straight victories. - http://www.yccsmaxi.com SAILING SHORTS * Malletts Bay Boat Club, Colchester, Vermont - James Crane, from Darien, Connecticut, along with crew Brenda Crane, and Tom Allen Jr., saved the best for last. Going into the last leg of the last race, there were 16 boats between them and the finish line. Crane sailed to the far right corner of the course and passed everyone ahead of them, winning the final race, and with it, the International Lightning Masters Championship by two points over Bill Mauk, from Miami, Florida who finished second with 11 points. Peter Hall from Montreal, Quebec finished third with 15 points. -- http://www.mbbc-vt.org/Events/LightningWorlds09/default.asp * Riverside, CT - Charles Rosenfield (Woodstock, Conn.) won the singlehanded 2.4mR division at the U.S. Disabled Sailing Championship, hosted by the Riverside Yacht Club. US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member, Jen French (St. Petersburg, Fla.) with crew, Roger Cleworth (Lithia, Fla., USSTAG) and Kevin Wixom (Lakeside, Calif.) won the Ideal 18 division. Teams prepared to race in the Skud 18 doublehanded division moved into the Ideal 18 fleet prior to racing on Saturday. The singlehanded fleet consisted of four boats, while the Ideal 18s included eight teams. - http://tinyurl.com/r9nm5y * Sheboygan, Wis., (September 13, 2009) - New Zealand's Samantha Osborne bested Canada's Jen Provan in a thrilling five-race final to win the inaugural Buddy Melges Challenge hosted by the US Sailing Center Sheboygan. In the petit-final series, Stephanie Hazard (NZL) won the first and third races to beat Peru's Tania Zimmerman for third place in the regatta. Provan finished the round robin with eight points, tied with Zimmerman. In the consolation round, California's Sandy Hayes beat Cleveland, Ohio's Maegan Ruhlman for fifth place and honors as the best-finishing American entry. - http://www.ussailingcentersheboygan.org * Last Wednesday Ben Morrison-Jack (33) and James Weight (34) entered the record books by kitesurfing across the 129 mile Bass Strait. Ben Morrison-Jack is a professional sailor having competed in the past three America's Cups and also holds a world speed record for transatlantic crossing. Check out this video with Grant Wharington (Wild Thing) and Graham Taylor on the support boat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdK5OwMLEEM LABOR DAY IS JUST THE BEGINNING... Although summer in nearly over, the hustle and bustle at the Shipyard is crazier than ever. With dozens of 6 Metres preparing for the Worlds and megayachts being lifted out of the water left and right, the buzz here has never been better. See photos: http://www.newportshipyard.com EIGHT BELLS Robert M. Allan, Jr . - Bob Allan, 88, died of Lewy Body Dementia on Sept. 11 at home in Capitola, CA. Bob married Harriet 'Spice' Spicer in 1942 while both attended and raced for Stanford. This love affair lasted a lifetime: 66 years. Bob graduated from Stanford, and served during WW II as weather adviser to General George C. Marshall preceding D-Day. Bob served as Vice-President of Times-Mirror Corp., Cypress Mines, and Litton Industries. But his passion lay in sailing, and as crew aboard the 98 foot schooner Morning Star, his wartime weather experience guided Morning Star to her record breaking passage in the '49 Transpac. All who follow the classic "Reverse S" route to Hawaii sail in Bob Allan's wake. For many years, Bob chronicled West Coast sailing as a correspondent for Sea and Yachting magazines. In the 1950's he was an early advocate and friend to fledgling yacht designer Bill Lapworth. And for many years the Allan family raced and cruised Lapworth designs, including the 1967 Transpac winner Cal-40 Holiday Too. He was a great friend to junior, collegiate, and Naval sailing and leaves a legacy that will last for generations. Through Bob, many West Coast collegiate sailing programs received donations of 30 foot Shield sloops. Bob was Senior Staff Commodore of Newport Harbor Yacht Club and a founder of the Fales Advisory Committee on sailing at the U.S. Naval Academy. LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Please submit your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, 'The Curmudgeon'). Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). One letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Roger Marshall Richard Gladwell's commentary in Scuttlebutt 2927 hit the nail right on the head. ISAF needs to get their head out of the sand or the professional circuit will and should, say 'sayonara', and leave ISAF without its most well-known stars. The Louis Vuitton Cup series is an ideal opportunity to establish a world-wide Formula One style professional circuit and bring sailing to Sunday afternoon TV during dreary winter months. Throw a couple of bodies on the floor, a few starlets, and the America's Cup can easily become a perfect TV sailing/ courtroom soap opera. :-) * From Greg Paul, Auckland, New Zealand (re: Richard Gladwell's commentary in Scuttlebutt 2927) It is fantastic, that some logical minds have finally got involved in the Americas Cup related events. No Brainer - what a comment! To get an international event based on the America's Cup, as was seen in Auckland New Zealand last year, is not only going to enable the "other" teams to participate, but also the international public to see some America's Cup Style yachting, which they are all waiting for. I do think 'those two' have forgotten what it is all about. This is not the 1900 century - it is no longer between two rich guys having some fun. But I am sure those 'two' still feel that way. But now, with the international media, those 'two' are depriving a huge yachting public, from all around the world, of a terrific event, an event based on fair and competitive competition. The world-wide yachting public wants a competition of spectacular Formula One Yachts in an even Regatta - a 'restricted design' based regatta, giving all the teams a chance to win. Isn't this what happened a number of times - San Deigo, Auckland, and even going back to Perth? Why is this so difficult? Do those 'two' just want to stuff the whole history? I support the new initiative . . . No Brainer! * From Adrian Morgan, UK Just 10ft appears to stand between Alinghi and BMW Oracle. Golden Gate stated that their multihull was 90ft by 90ft. In fact it's 100ft x 90ft. "Dang, but we thought you meant waterline length." Simple really - cut off 10ft and get back on the water quick. (Suggestion: maybe 5ft off the bows and sterns respectively.) Anyway, what's 10ft between friends? * From Shea Weston All the facts aside, there is simply no reason Jessica Watson's collision (Scuttlebutt 2926) should occur with today's available technology. Between AIS, radar detection alarms and MARPA equipped radars there should have been ample warning of a potential collision course. Any or all or these devices could have sounded an alarm to alert/wake Jessica. Simrad (one of her sponsors) offers both AIS units and MARPA equipped radar/plotters. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery. Special thanks to e Sailing Yachts, Doyle Sails, and Newport Shipyard. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
