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SCUTTLEBUTT 2148 - July 31, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus SOMETHING NEW Small-boat sailors on the Chesapeake Bay will be introduced to a new type of racing when the inaugural MacBugly Regatta is held Aug. 5-6 off Annapolis. Organized by Annapolis resident John Potter, the MacBugly is a homegrown regatta that celebrates sailors who have mastered light air and tricky current. What makes the MacBugly unique is the fact the racing will feature competition between one-design classes of similar speed without handicap. For instance, Solings will be matched against Etchells in a head-to-head battle for bragging rights. Action will be held on short courses in order to minimize any speed differences between designs and maximize sailing skill. "This regatta is designed to showcase and promote small one-design racing, which is always competitive and exciting," Potter said. Among the noteworthy sailors committed to participating include Dr. Stuart Walker (Soling), Dirk Schwenk (Jet), Scott Nixon (J/22), Max Skelley (J/24), Keith Davids (505), Chuck Coyer (Etchells), Susan Dierdorff-Taylor (420) and Allan Terhune (Flying Scot). Regatta organizers have tentatively set a lineup divided into seven divisions, with most classes filling three slots apiece. Division A will consist of Etchells, Solings and 505s while Stars and Thistles will square off in Division B. Division C will be a battle between the J/22 and J/24 while D will match the Flying Scot versus the Lightning. Division E, comprised of Snipes, Vanguard 15s and MegaBytes, could be the most competitive. Division F finds the 420 facing the Jet 14 while G will be a rivalry showdown between Optimist sailors from Severn Sailing Association and Annapolis Yacht Club. All the action will be conducted on one circle, with Potter planning races lasting approximately 15 minutes. A two-minute start sequence will assure a course full of boats at all times with organizers hoping to get off at least 10 races for each division during the two-day event. -- The Capital, full story: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2006/07_27-59/SAL CAN COWES AND THE SOLENT COPE? Such is the popularity of Skandia Cowes Week that organizers have challenged the 8,500 competitors: tell us which direction the world's oldest regatta should take. Now in its 180th year, Cowes Week looks likely to break all records. From a fleet of seven in 1826, entries stood at 1,032 yesterday morning, well set to beat last year's mark of 1,036. This is remarkable given that the organizers, the Cowes Combined Clubs (CCC), do not canvass for more entries. Consider also that there was the alternative draw of Ireland's Cork Week only a week ago and there is no Fastnet Race at the end of Cowes this year, and you might expect a dip in numbers. But the reverse is true, primarily because the Laser SB3 remains extremely popular and will have 27 more entries than last year, at 89. Also, many boats have stayed on the Isle of Wight after the recent Squib national championships at nearby Fishborne, boosting this fleet by 15 from 2005. It has presented organizers with an enviable headache - record numbers mean they have a success on their hands, but can Cowes and the Solent cope? Stuart Quarrie, head of the CCC, would like Cowes Week to become Cowes Fortnight, splitting the fleets and spreading the load. "We're not trying to raise the numbers, but they keep on coming," he said. Full to bursting one week in every 52, Cowes' accommodation is limited, too. And with 37 classes - spanning yachts as powerful as the huge Kiwi 98-footer Maximus to as small as the Flying 15, course setting can seem like directing traffic at the Hanger Lane gyratory. "The pinch-points such as being able to shorten courses for all classes and having enough berthing and facilities are getting more acute," Quarrie said. He opposes limiting the number of entries because it would mean invidious and arbitrary decisions having to be made regarding particular classes, instead preferring to have one week for modern boats and another for classics to encourage expansion. Curmudgeon’s Comment: Cowes Online have a streaming video web cam on the Royal Yacht Squadron which allows viewers to follow the starts and to watch the action off Cowes. The Cowes Online team is also posting daily video reports covering the world's oldest and largest Regatta. Find the streaming video web cam and the daily video reports here: http://www.cowes.co.uk/cb/zone?p=index;cat_id=147;cp=0-51-147 TOUGH LOVE July 30, 2006 -- They pushed their luck yesterday and got away with just one general recall but today the largest fleet at Skandia Cowes Week - the Laser SB3 - pushed the patience of the race officers just a bit too far and found themselves being sent home with no racing after two general recalls. The all too eager 89-boat Laser SB3 were to be first away in the White Group. Starting off the Royal Yacht Squadron line, but against the tide on a heavily biased, relatively short line, they had two general recalls forcing the race committee to enforce White Group Amendment 1 which states: "After a general recall, the committee may abandon the day's race for the recalled start…" Reprimanded, a disappointed fleet headed back to the marina at Shephards Wharf to drown their sorrows and contemplate tomorrow's racing, which they hope doesn't result in a repeat performance. So, the biggest, and arguably the most glamorous, fleet in the fleet missed a whole day's racing in the best conditions of the week so far. While the class appears to understand the reasons of why they were 'sent home' they were naturally concerned and indeed a little surprised that they were not given another chance to get away. -- Sue Pelling, Yachting World, full story: http://tinyurl.com/lxdml A WINNING COMBINATION! 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Light winds and a typically oversize chop of 2 to 3 feet made them work for results on Day 1 of six as Anna Tunnicliffe, 23, of Florida---No. 2-ranked in the world---parlayed a fourth place in the first race with a win in the second into a first-place tie with Evi Van Acker (No. 8) of Belgium (2-3) at 5 points, one ahead of another winner, Germany's Petra Niemann (5-1). Those women didn't necessarily sail against one another Sunday. The 89 entrants are being split into Blue and Yellow fleets with separate starts for the first three days of qualifying races, with the fleets shuffled daily to balance the competition. Then, according to the standings, the top half will advance into the last six races over the last three days as the Gold fleet, going for the world title. The lower half becomes the Silver fleet. Both will carry over their qualifying results. Top-ranked Paige Railey, 19, of Florida opened with a third place but had to fight her way back through the fleet to make fifth in the second race. She had to execute a double penalty turn after drawing the dreaded whistle and yellow flag from an on-water judge for violating Rule 42 concerning kinetics at the start. The rule is being strictly enforced, although Jeffrey Martin, the international executive director of the class, did not consider the overall total of 23 yellow flags, including the men's fleet, as excessive. Steven Krol of The Netherlands leads the 71-boat men's fleet after a 2-1 performance, followed by countryman Steven Le Fevre with a 4-4. -- Rich Roberts, http://www.calyachtclub.com Leaders after two races - Women: 1. Anna Tunnicliffe, (USA), 5 points 2. Evi Van Acker, (BEL) 5 3. Petra Niemann, (GER) 6 4. Solenne Brain, (FRA) 8 5. Paige Railey (USA) 8 Men: 1. Steven Krol (NED) 3 points 2. Steven Le Fevre (NED) 8 3. Leong Koh Seng (Singapore) 15 4. Hiromitsu Eiraka (JPN) 18 5. Cam Cullman (USA) 19 9ER CHAMPIONSHIPS Traditional English summer greeted the sailors for the final day of racing at the 29er World Championship, meaning light rain and cold strong winds. There was a lot of energy flowing through the dinghy park as only a few points separated the top teams in Gold fleet. Event leaders Silja Lehtinen and Scott Babbage started of the day's two races with a pair of bullets and went on to win the regatta by 14 points. The top English team of Dylan Fletcher and Rob Partridge battled with Americans Cameron Biehl and Matt Noble who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively, separated by only 4 points. A protest between the two teams extended the action but was disallowed. Jen Morgan and Mike Kuschner extended their lead on Silver fleet while top Canadians Billy Gooderham and Dan Mctavish moved up to 37th. On the 49er course Morgan Larson and Pete Spaulding won the first race of the day to move up to 8th overall with Stevie Morrison/ Ben Rhodes (GBR) capturing the Gold. Most of the dinghy park at the 2012 Olympic site in Weymouth has now emptied out, except for 10 29ers which remain. These boats have been rigged with 29erXX gear and are being sailed for the next 3 days in the first 29erXX World Cup. 27 teams from around the world will compete in the 29erXX as the first test of the new Bethwaite design. -- Jennifer Morgan Glass, results can be found at http://www.9erchamps2006.com SAILING SHORTS * Adrian Flanagan, attempting to sail round the world via the polar route, will be hauling his 38ft Barrabas out of the water in Nome, Alaska to make to make emergency repairs to his propeller shaft and to replace his battered wind instruments. For full expedition details including news, position maps and photos: http://www.alphaglobalex.com * Reigning Yngling World Champion Monica Azon from Spain has added the Yngling European Championship to her resume. The Azon sisters who sail with Graciela Pisonero won the series convincingly with sixteen points difference. Second place went to the Dutch team of Mandy Mulder, Brecht van der Werf and Petronella de Jong. Mulder, while third place went to the team of Ulrika Schuemann (GER). -- Complete results: http://www.yngling.nl/ec2006 * Hayling Island SC, England -- Australian champions, Michael Quirk and Geoff Lange from Sydney, clearly felt at home, sailing brilliantly under blue skies and a brisk twenty knots plus breeze to take first place in the third heat of the CSC 505 World Championships. That moved the Aussies into second place, three points behind Mark Upton Brown/ Ian Mitchell (GBR) and five points ahead of the third place Californians, Howie Hamlin/ Jeff Nelson (USA). There are two other North American teams in the top 10 of this 112-boat championship: 9. Mark Upton Brown/ Ian Mitchell(USA), 10. Mike Holt/ Carl Smit (USA). -- http://505worlds2006.com/pdfs/505_Worlds.htm * At some regattas, the winner receives a trophy, a T-shirt, and a hearty handshake. At the Land's End NOOD Regatta at Marblehead Race Week, the overall champion wins a trip to the British Virgin Islands to compete for the 2006 Land's End NOOD Championship. Maybe that's why Marblehead's Rob Gorman had such a big smile on his face Sunday evening. After winning in the Viper 640 class with seven first place finishes, Gorman was chosen as the regatta's overall champion for his exceptional performance. Gorman's victory at the Marblehead NOOD also makes him the Viper North American Champion. -- http://www.sailingworld.com * Double Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie is set to make his return to Olympic classes sailing in China next month, as the British sailing team for the first of the Olympic Test Events for Beijing 2008 was unveiled today in Cowes. Ainslie will compete in the Finn class at the Olympic Test Event (18-31 August), which will be his first competitive foray in the heavyweight dinghy since winning his record-breaking fourth consecutive Finn Gold Cup in September 2005. The 29-year-old was unable to compete at the 2006 Finn Gold Cup event due to America's Cup obligations with Emirates Team New Zealand. – http://www.bymnews.com/new/content/view/33128/48/ EIGHT BELLS Françoise Pascal, vice president of the Fédération Française de Voile, member of the ISAF Match racing Committee, Offshore Committee and Women’s Forum has died. She was 60 years old, and dedicated most of her life to sailing, particularly to Match Racing. She contributed in the creation of Sète Training Center, in which most of the French Challenges of these 20 last years came to prepare themselves. She also encouraged vocations amongst young competitors, defending strongly their interests in the institutions and within the Council of the Federation, and launched the organisation of the Internationaux de France de Match Racing. REDUCED PRICE JK3 Yacht Sales has reduced the price on their listing of the 40' Raider RIB 1200 with custom-built center console. Previous tender to the Genuine Risk program, the Raider 1200 would be perfect for a similar Grand Prix program, or used by a yacht club or other sailing program. The Raider 1200 has B&G wind data, radar, GPS, VHF, galvanized trailer, full canvas covers, and twin Yamaha 300 hp engines. It even has a marine head! To take a look call JK3 Yacht Sales and Jeff Brown at 619-224-6200 or check out the listing online at http://tinyurl.com/qfmyd Curmudgeon’s Comment: Scuttlebutt used the RIB mentioned above when we sailed on the 111-foot record-breaking multihull ‘Geronimo’, and it can be seen in some of the photos on the Scuttlebutt website. Very nice: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/05/geronimo/ 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 not 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.) * From Julia Carroll: As a sailor and a physician I was excited to read the article on "Sports Medicine for Sailing". However, as a dermatologist, I was very disappointed that the authors neglected to address the issue of skin cancer. As sailors, we have increased exposure to sunlight over our lifetime which leaves us more vulnerable to skin cancers including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The sun's rays are also famous for their aging effects! Just a friendly reminder, as the Australians say Slip, Slap, Slop: Slip on a shirt, Slap on a hat and Slop on that sunscreen (SPF 30 or more with UVA & UVB protection). Happy racing! For further info see: http://www.ussailing.org/News/2006/skincancer.htm * From Peter Grimm Jr., Doyle Florida East (re the question asked by Mr. Bailey & Mr. Davis refers to in butt from 2147): The square top mainsail eliminates tip vortices and significantly stabilizes the airflow which makes the sail far more efficient. A marconi rigged mainsail has little or no efficiency at the mast top because the sail is so much smaller (fore and aft) than the width of the spar for and aft. Basically the sail top lives in the wake of the spar. We have been making catamaran sails with this sail profile for over 15 years and have taken many PHRF boats and changed the set up to a Square top mainsail and a smaller LP jib taken the rating change and have significantly improve the boat performance. * From Wes Kroeze: (Re - measurement at one-design regattas) 1) I agree that the rules are part of the problem - many rules are imprecisely written, or are unevenly enforced. 2) Sailmakers contribute to the problem, at least some of the time. I have measured a number of sails straight out of the loft that don't measure in - they ought to be held accountable for that, it seems to me. At a recent regatta, I borrowed a sailmaker's (cloth!) measuring tape, and found that it had stretched! - always use metal tapes! 3). Proper training of volunteers is an important issue, too, I agree with that. * From David Barrow: Oh dear, it is such a shame to see how the Etchells community seems to have got itself in such a tis-was over Mr Childerly, or is it Mr Childerly that is the problem, or the way the class is going. Perhaps it is a symptom of the amount some of them are investing in winning, and someone has to be blamed if they don't. For years there have been rumours about Childerly's boat and the good old tradition of knocking a consistent winner still persists. It would seem that fair play and money do conflict, so maybe to get fair play you need to restrict the amount of money spent. It was noticeable on the day I watched the Etchells Europeans that there was more than one top coach prowling around the perimeter of the course. The fleet was loaded with top pro sailors, one can only surmise as to the pay checks being dished out for the week. OK, so there is a fair amount of credibility to be obtained by winning next years Etchells Worlds, but the amount of money being spent in a seemingly escalating arms race seems disproportionate. Now we are in the realms of vitriolic comment and I suspect broken friendships. Is it really that serious -- it is only a yacht race. Maybe that is the issue ISAF should be addressing? After this very public debate I wonder what will happen to class numbers in the Etchells fleet over the next few years. * From Matt PedersenIn: In Scuttlebutt 2146, Tim Patton writes "the ISAF Technical Committee have ruled that our Class rules are not clear enough with respect to outlawing carbon fiber tillers." Here's what the Etchells One Design Rules have to say: 2. Protection of One-Design 2.1 The hull, keel, skeg, rudder, standing rigging, spars and sails are strictly controlled while the running rigging and associated fittings, lifting eyes, tiller, and tiller extension, are not controlled, except as specified in these rules...... It is impossible to mention every suggestion that has been ruled illegal in the past, and to foresee every innovation which may be thought of in the future. Therefore when considering anything in connection with the yacht or its sails or equipment [including use of exotic materials for any item] which is not clearly covered by the plans, specifications and/or rules, it must be assumed illegal unless prior approval has been obtained from ISAF through the IECA. My question is, how can it get any clearer than that? This just looks to me like bureaucracy run amok. * From Gordon Murphy (re DNF Brouhaha- 'Butt 2147): The number of references to so many paragraphs of rules relating to the young sailor and the gates incident clearly illustrates what is wrong with our sport. Too many and too complicated rules – not just for youngsters, but for adults to enjoy the sport. If this incident doesn’t illustrate the point then look at it how the rules have spawned a whole cottage industry of books and lectures just to explain the new rules for each revision. It wasn’t so long ago that an effort was made to simplify the rules – somewhat like the Paper Reduction Act. Our sport is expensive and complicated enough, but to burden it with excessive rules just seems so counter productive to the goal of reaching out. * From Barry Ault: Grant Baldwin was so much more than a radio operator. He was sailor, a US Sailing Judge and a tireless worker dedicated to all aspects of our sport. He spent much of his recently fading energies working as hard for the sport as he had throughout his life. Mentoring new judge candidates to replace those we are losing was his last contribution. Sailing and all of us who knew him will miss Grant. * From Steve Brown: After my first TransPac experience, I came away with a deep respect and awe of Grant Baldwin. The man was tireless. His respect for each competitor large or small touched me. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it. Special thanks to Ockam Instruments and JK3 Nautical Enterprises. |
