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SCUTTLEBUTT 2914 - Monday, August 24, 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 Myboatsgear.com, Morris Yachts, and LaserPerformance. I MISS MY HEROES by Chris Caswell It occurred to me that there might be a place for a column I did for Sailing Magazine a few years ago. It mentions Blackaller and other of my heroes who seem to have left the America's Cup arena to faceless accountants and billionaires intent on pissing on each other's shoes. I thought Scuttlebutt readers might share the same sentiments. Here we go: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- You know, I miss the America's Cup. No, not that ugly bottomless mug that's been bouncing around for fifteen decades, but the racing, the people, the excitement. The Aura. There used to be a "roar of the greasepaint, smell of the crowd" sort of visceral attraction that I just don't find anymore, and I'm sad that people who are first savoring the America's Cup at this point will never know what it once had been. You know what it comes down to? I miss the people. The America's Cup used to be a floating circus of fascinating characters--some you liked, some you didn't--but all combined to add something to the sport. Where are the Ted Turners? The Tom Blackallers? The Baron Bichs? At times, they seemed to be a taco short of a combination plate, but they brought the America's Cup to life, because they were all bigger than life. Let me give you an example. In 1983, I checked into a hotel somewhere in mid-America while the America's Cup was being contested and, on the way to my room, the bellhop noticed I was wearing a sailing shirt. "Hey, whaddya think about Dennis?", he asked. Startled, I could only reply, "Dennis who?". He looked at me like I had sprouted wings. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0821/ 505 WORLDS San Francisco, CA (August 23, 2009; Day 1) - Round One to Mike Holt in the 2009 SAP 505 World Championship Sunday which saw 98 boats slugging it not only among themselves but against the rough and tumble elements of San Francisco Bay, hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club. With chill winds building to 25 knots blowing in through the fog-shrouded Golden Gate Bridge, Holt scored 1-2 finishes, while only 45 of the 88 entries were scored as even starting the second race. Countless boats capsized---including favorite American Mike Martin twice---some broke down, others dropped out and limped to refuge on Treasure Island on the south of the bay or Angel Island to the north, and by unofficial count 14 had to be towed back six miles upwind to the Crissy Field staging area because they were in no condition to sail. It would be a long night in the boat yard repairing boats to continue the fight Monday with a single race starting at 2 p.m., but some competitors would seem to be down for the count. Top contenders at the moment are three-time world champion Chris Nicholson of Australia and crew Casey Smith (4-3) in second place, followed by two American teams sharing third: Nick Adamson and crew Steve Bourdow (9-2) and 1999 champion Howard Hamlin and crew Ian Mitchell of Great Britain (5-6). -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8095#8095 * Photos: http://www.rrrcommunications.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=18 * American Howie Hamlin, who has been second at the Worlds in 4 out of the last 5 years, and won the event in 1999 with Mike Martin, spoke to Scuttlebutt concerning his observations from the North Americans last week: "This will be a long hard regatta, testing every aspect of sailing; strength, tactics, preparation, boat speed, athletic skills and boat handling. The course conditions are windy and bumpy, with the Berkley circle offering it all: shifts, current, velocity differences. They all seem to matter, and I expect the top teams to be big, fast and good at everything. For Paul (Cayard) and I, we are a little light together, so may need to resort to age and treachery." -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8096#8096 VENTILATION One of the best systems you can have on your boat is adequate ventilation. Without adequate ventilation, below decks become musty, hot and suffer from condensation and mildew. This not only makes living uncomfortable, eventually electronics and equipment suffer from corrosion as well as your bronze lights turning green. This week's newsletter looks at the products available to provide great ventilation: http://myboatsgear.com/newsletter/2009827.asp. RSS feeds are available at http://www.Myboatsgear.com LASER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Nova Scotia, Canada (August 23, 2009; Day 4) - For the 167 competitors at the 2009 Laser Worlds, St. Margaret's Bay was back to true form on Saturday, August 22nd, with Nick Thompson of Great Britain taking advantage of the sunny skies and winds up to 22 knots to grab the lead. After finishing two races, the event now had five races completed, providing now for one result dropped. Of significance to the shift in standings among the top sailors was the decision to re-race for one fleet the third race from Friday. That single race on Friday proved tricky for the blue fleet which had numerous general recalls with more than 20 sailors, one third of the fleet, black flagged and recorded as not starting. Following protests and hearings the decision was made to allow the race to be re-sailed on Saturday. There was no racing on day four, Sunday, as the weather from Hurricane Bill forecasted to brush the Nova Scotia coast was for a three metre surge and winds in excess of 50 knots. Following Saturday's races, all the Laser hulls were moved inside the St. Margaret Sailing Clubhouse and race management centre. The plan is for competitors and volunteers to be back on site at seven Monday morning to unpack the boats and get ready to sail later in the day. Qualifying is now completed, with the championship racing to be held Monday through Wednesday. -- Event website: http://can09.laserinternational.org * Photos: http://www.capizzano.com/laserworlds2009/index.htm * American Clayton Johnson, who began Saturday in second place and finished the day in 34th, did not wholly agree with the events surrounding the re-sailed race. Here is his report: http://www.claysails.com/node/122 TP52 AUDI MEDCUP CIRCUIT Portimao, Portugal (August 23, 2009; Day 5) - Emirates Team New Zealand became the first team ever to win three consecutive TP52 MedCup Circuit regattas when they clinched the Portugal Trophy for the TP52 Series today off Portimao, winning by just 1.5 points from Torbjorn Tornqvist's Artemis. Heading into the final race today, Artemis led the ETNZ by 1.5 points, but finished the race last, perhaps unable to overcome the loss of tactician Paul Cayard (USA) who was in transit to the 505 World Championship, and slipped to second overall. With wins in Marseille, Cagliari and now Portimao, the Kiwi team, skippered by Dean Barker, now lead the Audi MedCup Circuit by 52 points over Alberto Roemmers' Matador, as the circuit heads to the final event next month in Carthagena, Murcia Spain. -- Full story: http://2009.medcup.org/news/index.php?id=1269 PHOTO GALLERIA * Photographers Thierry Martinez and Oskar Kihlborg documented the Archipelago Raid, the extreme race through the 100,000 Scandinavian Islands, following the 26 teams for six intense days as they compete on Formula 18 catamarans, carrying just enough food and spares to endure and fix the breakages along the way: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0823/ * The first Audi Melges 20 U.S. Nationals were held this past weekend, hosted by the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club, with Lake Michigan serving up the kind of winds and waves that these boats were designed for. Images by Layline Photography: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0823a/ * With the 505 North Americans completed last week on San Francisco Bay, and the Worlds on for this week, here is a tease of the action from Erik Simonson/Marine Media Alliance: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0821b/ * The Alinghi 5 catamaran for the America's Cup defender got a good work out last week at her new training base in Genoa, Italy. Photos from Carlo Borlenghi: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0821c/ * The 37th Annual Opera House Cup Regatta outside the mouth of Nantucket Harbor had 59 boats competing in the Classic Division, Spirit of Tradition Division, 12 Meter Class, and the Alerion Class. Photos by Emily L. Ferguson: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/0821a/ CRUISE TO MORRIS SERVICE FOR WINTER'S WORK! The time is now to take this year's final cruise to Mount Desert Island and leave your yacht in the professional hands of Morris Service for storage or a complete refit. Morris Yachts is widely known for their beautiful and capable Ocean and M-Series yachts, and all along Morris Service has provided world-class service and refits for these yachts and non-Morris vessels - both power and sail. Morris' yards in NE Harbor and Bass Harbor have developed into one of New England's leading resources for a complete overhaul or simply world-class service. Call Morris Service at 207-244-5511 and check out their recent projects at http://www.morrisyachts.com/Service SAILING SHORTS * Newport, RI (August 23, 2009) - Tom Hill's (San Juan, Puerto Rico) Titan 15, a new 75-foot Reichel-Pugh design that was launched this year at New England Boatworks in Rhode Island, handily won the IRC Division at this weekend's fifth Ida Lewis Distance Race, which started and ended off Newport, R.I., where host Ida Lewis Yacht Club makes its home. Starting at 3 p.m. on Friday with a fleet of 39 others (divided into classes for IRC, PHRF, PHRF Double-Handed and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker), Titan 15 finished its 150-mile course at 4:42 a.m. on Saturday, covering the distance in just over 13 hours and 42 minutes. -- http://www.ildistancerace.org/2009/ * Copenhagen, Denmark (August 23, 2009; Day 1) - Conditions could not have been better for the opening day of racing at the 470 World Championship, with eight knots at the stary building into the mid-teens as the afternoon progressed. Qualifying for the 95 men and 57 women teams will continue through Tuesday, with the finals held August 26-29. Top North American teams are Stu McNay/Graham Biehl (USA) and Erin Maxwell/ Isabelle Kinsolving Farrar (USA) in 16th and 6th, respectively. -- Event website: http://worlds470.kdy.dk/ * The future of Yachts and Yachting looks strong with the acquisition of the title by GNM Media, who bought the magazine after Yachts and Yachting Ltd was put into administration last week. The magazine's parent company, Yachting Press Ltd will be closing its Southend offices and the magazine's sister publication, Boards, has a new home with Factory Media. Y&Y's editor Gael Pawson and Mark Jardine, editor of YachtsandYachting.com, are both directors of the new entity. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8092 CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar IS THIS THE OLDEST TROPHY RACE? In Scuttlebutt 2912, Bob Johnstone (yes, of J Boats fame) was asking what were the oldest races that have been held without interruption. He noted how the Northeast Harbor Fleet in Maine had just completed the 85th consecutive (without interruption) George Davenport Hayward Cup Race, dating back to 1925, an annual all-club pursuit race involving any of the one-design keelboats that were ever given a OD start by the club. Concerning other trophies that had been raced for every year since 1925 (or earlier) without interruption, and if those race dating back to 1925 or earlier had been conducted as a pursuit race, here are some of the emails that came into Scuttlebutt: * From Bill Sills, Past Commodore & Multiple Winner: The General Philip H. Sheridan Race Regatta Trophy began in 1874 at Geneva Lake Yacht Club. The club later merged with the West End Yacht Club to form the Lake Geneva Yacht Club Fontana-On-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin. Originally raced in Sandbaggers and currently in A scows. * From Vincent Delany: We in the Waterwag Club, Dun Laoghaire, Ireland have many trophies which we race for every year since 1887 such as the Jubilee Cup which celebrates Queen Victoria's Jubilee in 1887. The Cup was presented by Thomas Middleton who insisted that it would be a Cup of no value but with a large surface area on which to engrave the names of the prizewinners. Due to the unfortunate interruption of World War 1, no competitors were available for sailing between 1915 and 1918. Our trophies for handicap races were not introduced until the 1930's. * From Ray Cullum, Rear Commodore, Beverly Yacht Club: The Beverly Yacht Club in Marion, MA offers the Van Rensselaer Memorial Trophy. This trophy has been competed for annually (except for WWI & WWII) beginning in 1896 and is open to all Buzzards Bay yachts. I am sure it has been raced under different formats over the years but it has been raced for a number of years as a pursuit race. Complete list is on the Scuttlebutt Forum, where additional events can be added: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8068 EIGHT BELLS Tom Neill, 60, who campaigned a series of boats named Nitmare out of Chicago, IL, passed away last Tuesday night in his home after a tough battle with cancer. Tom did not let that stop him in his sailing or his involvement. Most recently his crew won the Port Huron to Mac Race overall. Tom's E-Mail to his crew after the Race: "Thank God there is no I in team so I can be a part of your success. Although I was not on the boat, hopefully you will allow me the honor to claim that I was part of your effort. I know you did all the work but don't I get credit for making sure Jack made boat call??? I know I have told you all before and I know I am getting melancholy but I cannot tell you enough what a joy it has been in my life to develop the friendships that we all in our own way have, while at the same time serving the passion that we love (too bad we didn't get more ski trips). What we have created over the last 15 years is something so very special that most people in their lives will never experience and I thank you for this!!!" Over the years Tom has touched many people and accomplished so much in his sailing career, having placed in World and National Championships, SORC Overall, Key West Race Week, etc. Over the last 25 years Tom has campaigned his Nitmare boats all over the U.S, which during this time included a N/A-40, Beneteau-51, Farr-44, Corel-45, Farr-40, Melges-32, and his S/C-70. Tom will be missed by many and we will all remember him as a great competitor, Sportsman, and friend who was always living life to its fullest. Tom is survived by his Wife Amy, Sons Bill and Tommy, and Daughter Sarah. A service will be at Christ Church of Oak Brook (31st and York Road) on Monday at 11:30am. In addition, as Tom would call it, a Party will be held in the future at Chicago Yacht Club (Belmont). -- John Baxter, Doyle Sailmakers Midwest * Tom Neill was convinced that every minute he spent sailing bought him at least two minutes of life. The sport, which Neill enjoyed with a core group of crew so close it was like a family, didn't just sustain him, but helped him live years longer than doctors predicted. -- Sailing Magazine, read on: http://tinyurl.com/n7g9gc GET A BOAT FROM THE LASER WORLD'S PLUS A WHOLE LOT MORE LaserPerformance dealers are now taking orders for Laser World's boats. These Lasers come with a dolly and qualify for LaserPerformance's Fall Free Gear promotion which means that you can also pick up covers, a new sail, or other great gear from Ronstan or Gill -- for free. To find a dealer near you go to http://www.LaserPerformance.com 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 Andrew Hurst, Editor, Seahorse Magazine: In reference to the letter from Bill Reilly in Scuttlebutt 2913, who is preparing to set his two year-old son off solo around the world, I don't think this is such a good idea. Isn't he rather young? * From Paul V. Oliva: Regarding the youngest age attempts at sailing records, all those who would legislate against or deny opportunity for great -- though risky -- physical achievement must take care that someone else may oppose them in an activity that they deem safe. One could make an argument that all on-the-water activities should be banned because of the number of people injured or killed each year. So first, it is a slippery slope to rail against teenagers trying to accomplish something lest someone rail against your chosen goal. Second, it is hard enough to pass judgment on the capabilities of someone else, let alone their kid. Lay off. Let the young man or woman and their parents or guardian decide. Especially for around-the-world sailing which is quite a self-limiting activity in any case due to cost and difficulty. Third, last I heard we were trying to get teens to take an interest in the world and in accomplishing things rather than drifting through young adulthood. Nurture accomplishment and drive. Finally, and very importantly to Bill Reilly's point (in Scuttlebutt 2913), a 16-year-old girl is supposed to be selling Girl Scout cookies?! Give me a break. And we wonder why we see a preponderance of boys in junior sailing. I hoped we overcame those stereotypes long ago, and for the sake of my daughter and for the sake of sailing, I hope we can crush them. Take a look at what Dawn Riley worked to accomplish before you pass judgment on girls and sailing. Or catch the soccer film Gracie if you need a tutorial on Title IX and why equal access to sports is important for girls and women. * From RS:X World Windsurfing Championships: Regarding 'HI TECH RACE MANAGEMENT' in Scuttlebutt 2913, as you can imagine, windsurfers are fully occupied when racing as are our fellow sit down sailors in dinghies. They certainly do not have time to analyse tidal stream, wind and weather data as offshore sailors are already able to do. However, to be able to play back a race which we can do with the LIVE tracking data and have access to mark rounding times helps competitors analyze their racing. It also allows juries base decisions on facts previously unavailable. Our system gives almost LIVE data to the public and media wherever they may be in the world. The racing becomes instantly more interesting to everyone especially combined with on the water commentary. In fact, 50,000 unique visitors to our championship website are expected. When they get there, they will find links to images, videos, blogs and reports not to mention Twitter. * From Jim Champ: Regarding continuously held events, by and large in the rest of the English speaking world, such events were put on hold over 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 when so many young sailors were away being shot at. I'm not entirely sure that not having done so is much of an achievement, or indeed anything to celebrate at all. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION You know you are getting old when the pharmacist is one of your speed dials. Special thanks to Myboatsgear.com, Morris Yachts, and LaserPerformance. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
