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SCUTTLEBUTT 3466 - Wednesday, November 9, 2011Scuttlebutt 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. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: Camet, JK3 Nautical Enterprises, and LaserPerformance. WHAT A DIFFERENCE THREE YEARS CAN MAKE In the 2008-9 Volvo Ocean Race, once the fleet escaped the Med and headed south in the Atlantic toward the equator, the bunched fleet of ocean going 70-footers was not unlike so many J/24 races that PUMA skipper Ken Read had dominated. They jibed on every shift, working the offwind corridor toward the Canary Islands. The wind was up and the competition was close. Funny what a difference three years can make. With the fleet on the first leg of the 2011-12 VOR from Alicante to Cape Town, here is a report from PUMA skipper Ken Read as he again leads the shoe company in this round the world adventure: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (November 8, 2011; Day 4) - If you had told me that one third of the fleet would be at the dock, one third of the fleet would take a left and head down the African coast, and one third of the fleet would head due west in search of frontal breeze to get south on, I would have looked at you like you had six heads. Unreal. Exactly what I didn't think would happen. My guess was that six boats were going to sail around the world in a bunch. Then CAMPER decided to come our way so the French are the lonely warriors heading the traditional trade route. Still pretty amazing. A split in the fleet with 39,500 miles to go! I have to admit I like our spot but there is a long way to go to the Doldrums. In essence that is where we are all targeting - a spot to try and get through with the least light and crappy wind. That's the key to the success of this leg. Fortunately life on board is pretty much back to normal. Finally some much needed sleep and a little mending and the troops are good to go. Newcomers Rome Kirby and Amory Ross are both wondering if we will be going upwind all the way around the world. At this point the answer would have to be yes. We are glued to the hip of our buddies on Telefonica. Heading west as quick as we can in a crummy sea state and ever changing breeze strengths. Not great sailing but at least we are moving today. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/-Unreal-start-for-Ken-Read/3910/news.html Standings as of Wednesday, 09 November 2011, 01:02 UTC 1. Team Telefonica, 5884.6 nm Distance to Finish 2. Groupama Sailing Team, 1.1 nm Distance to Lead 3. PUMA Ocean Racing by BERG, 3.4 nm DTL 4. CAMPER with Emirates Team NZ, 18.3 nm DTL Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - Suspended Racing Team Sanya - Retired, hull damage Tracking/Standings: http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/racetracker/rdc.html Video report: http://youtu.be/0GHzZSbmLXM PIT ROW: Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing is ahead of schedule in a race against time to replace its broken mast and return to racing Leg 1 of the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race. The team hopes to have hull repairs completed and their new mast stepped in time to restart on Wednesday. Under the rules, Abu Dhabi will be able to motor to the spot where they suspended racing. The light winds in the Atlantic combined with a promising forecast in the Med are expected to help the team close the gap on the fleet. -- Full story: http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/24-hour-goal-for-Abu-Dhabi-restart CONGRATULATIONS: Not only is Team Telefonica leading the race, but onboard skipper Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez are currently celebrating a major award announcement. See below. BACKGROUND: During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which starts in Alicante, Spain and concludes in Galway, Ireland, during early July 2012, six professional teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the world's most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajai, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient. Teams accumulate points through nine distance legs and ten In-Port races. - http://www.volvooceanrace.com CAMET APPAREL FOR CHRISTMAS Yes, it's that time of year! What better way to celebrate then giving the gift every sailor loves. A new pair of CAMET Sailing Shorts! Designed and assembled in California. CAMET shorts have been the number one choice for sailor's because of the style, look, durability and performance. Made from the latest technical fabrics these shorts out perform the competition. Order today as stock is limited and you don't want to miss out! Shirts, pants, bags, etc. Go to http://www.camet.com/?Click=2024 ISAF SAILOR OF THE YEAR The 2011 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards to honor the best sailing talent in the world were presented Tuesday (Nov. 8) evening during the ISAF Annual Meeting this week in Puerto Rico. This year there were four female and five male nominees who have been shortlisted for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year award based on their achievements during the qualifying period of 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011. The 2011 nominees were: Female Dee Caffari (GBR) - Record Breaking Round The World Yachtswoman Sarah-Quita Offringa (ARU) - Double Professional Windsurfing World Champion Alexandra Rickham (GBR) - ISAF Sailing World Cup & IFDS World Champion Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) - ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion Male Ben Ainslie (GBR) - ISAF Sailing World Cup & Match Racing World Champion Lorenzo Bressani (ITA) - Melges 24 & 32 World Champion Rob Douglas (USA) - Outright World Speed Record Holder Iker Martinez & Xabier Fernandez (ESP) - Open 60 & 49er success Nathan Outteridge (AUS) - International Moth World Champion The winners were announced as Scuttlebutt went to press. Congrats to Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) and Iker Martinez & Xabier Fernandez (ESP), winners of the 2011 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards: http://www.sailing.org/worldsailor IF YOU WERE TO COME TO SAN DIEGO... Attending sporting events is risky business. When to get there? Where to park? Where to sit? So what do you do with an event that has never been held before? You wing it, which is what spectators will be doing in San Diego for the third stop in the inaugural America's Cup World Series (ACWS) on November 12-20, 2011. Here are some tips to help enjoy the experience: Schedule: The first weekend has mandatory practice races. No races are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, but expect the teams to either be on the bay for practice or in the pit for prep. The planned competition is Wednesday through Sunday, so expect bigger crowds those days too. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-schedule Transportation: For car parking, a pay lot is a block away from the Event Village and there are coin meter spaces on the adjacent street. However, get there early to avoid getting shut out. Safer options could be to use bikes, pedicabs or taxis, or drive to a San Diego Trolley station and take the train to the downtown station a couple of blocks away. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-transportation Viewing: Watching the races by boat will be limited due to course boundaries and the speed of the AC45s. Watching the races from the Midway Museum, Navy and Broadway piers are closest to the course, but there may not be bleachers so prepare to stand in crowds (or buy a VIP package). The ends of the race course are adjacent to G Street Marina and Harbor Island, which both have limited parking and space to sit. Hot tip is to have lunch at The Fish Market (nice) and Top of the Market (nicer) at the leeward marks (SE of Navy Pier), or at C Level (nice) and Island Prime (nicer) near the windward marks on Harbor Island. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-viewing Entertainment: The AC Village has closed Harbor Drive at Broadway and Navy Piers, and will be hosting live music, DJ's and local California cuisine and shops and specialty stands. The village will have a large screen for race viewing, plus host interactive entertainment such as the America's Cup Experience, a racing simulator that offers a taste of what it's like to sail on a high-speed catamaran. Prize giving and team interviews will be on the village stage. Hours are 10a-6p on Nov. 12-15 and 10a-10p on Nov. 16-20. To enter the AC Village, there is a requested $10 donation to support the AC Healthy Ocean Project. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-entertainment Weather: Despite the propaganda from San Diego Convention and Tourism Bureau, it does begin to get colder and wetter in November. And winter winds are hit or miss. The forecast currently calls for rain and big breeze on the first weekend, with clearing skies and calmer winds expected through the week. Broadcast: The AC YouTube channel will be streaming the event live online Nov. 16-20. Look for the broadcast schedule to begin 30 minutes before racing begins each day (see schedule above). Also, a recap of the event will be broadcast on the Versus cable channel on November 22 at 5:00 P.M. ET. Streaming live here: http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericasCup Preview: Teams began training on Tuesday, and the America's Cup World Series Event Village will be open to the public on Wednesday, Nov 9th. Get an insider's look of the village after 3:30 pm and you'll also get to see the AMERICA'S CUP TROPHY. Unveiling the trophy will be Tom Ehman, Vice Commodore of Golden Gate Yacht Club, who will be joined by Ian Murray, Bruno Trouble, and Terry Hutchinson for 'Cupdates' at 4:00 pm (youth sailors) and 5:30 pm (open). No RSVP necessary. ISAF SAILING WORLD CUP Melbourne, Australia (November 8, 2011) - Racing at the first round of the 2011-12 ISAF World Cup at Sail Melbourne got off to a late start today, as light winds bedeviled the race committee's best efforts. Eventually a full program was possible on the second day of the event for the 49er, 470, Laser and Finn classes, but there was no action for the RS:X windsurfers or the paralympic classes. Top North Americans from the USA are Stu McNay/ Graham Biehl (3rd - Mens 470) and Erin Maxwell/ Isabelle Farrar (3rd - Womens 470) and Canadians Zac Plavsic (3rd - RS:X Men) and Lee Parkhill (4th - Laser Men). Day three may test the crews even further if the threatened thunderstorms and 20 to 30 knot winds eventuate. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/Sail-Melbourne-110811 JK3 EXPANDS TO SAN FRANCISCO JK3 is excited to announce we are expanding and opening a new office in San Francisco! Joining the JK3 team to run the office in Alameda is Chris Corlett. Chris brings with him a wealth of knowledge both on and off the water. With over 30 years of yacht sales experience and a lifetime of sailing accomplishments, including numerous Big Boat and TransPac wins and multiple one-design fleet developments, Chris' lifelong experience as a yachtsman makes him an invaluable resource to our customers in the bay area. Contact Chris for information on new Sabre Sail and Motor, Back Cove, Hanse and quality brokerage yachts: chris@jk3yachts.com, (510) 914-1073, http://www.jk3yachts.com MARKETABILITY MATTERS (November 8, 2011) - The World Match Racing Tour has today announced a new Tour Invite Policy for the 2012 season which is designed to ensure the world's leading professional sailing series continues to attract the best sailors and teams to its World Championship events. A key part of the Tour's blueprint is for the series to provide its event promoters with access to a consistent pool of the world's top match racers to ensure high quality racing at their events. The new Tour Invite Policy will therefore adopt a selection model that reflects a combination of performance and marketability. For 2012, the nine Tour Cards will be allocated on three key selection criteria: performance in previous year; rankings; and, an analysis of the team's ability to add value and consistency to the Tour as a Championship, sports property, media vehicle and as a business. The fee for a 2012 Tour Card is based on past performance and market availability. The current World Champion will pay $25,000 while everyone else pays a minimum of $45,000. To insure that Tour Card holders represent the international sport, there will be a maximum of two teams per market (ie, country). For markets with more than two bidders, the fee for the Tour Card may increase. To help Card Holders demonstrate the level of return on investment each season to their sponsors, each Card Holder is also presented with their own team valuation report created by the Tour's independent valuation agency. Based on the level of exposure that teams receive across the Tour's multimedia platform, the individual reports provide not only a team valuation figure but also a valuation breakdown for each of their sponsors. In 2010, the average team value for the Tour's nine Tour Card Holders across the season was over US$770,000. The Tour requires all applications and confirmation of preferred event options to be submitted by 31 December 2011. Tour Cards for the 2012 season will be allocated on 13 January 2012. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/WMRT-110811 BLING: The World Match Racing Tour this week unveiled its new ISAF Match Racing World Championship trophy at jeweller Garrard's flagship store in Mayfair, London. The new Tour trophy is made from sterling silver with partial gilt and enamel, and adopts a nautical theme complete with spiralling waves, nautical rope detail and the Tour's famous double sails symbol which sits at the top of the trophy. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/WMRT-110811A BACKGROUND: The eight event World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is the leading professional sailing series, and is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with "Special Event" status. Prize money is awarded for each event, with event points culminating in the crowning of the "ISAF Match Racing World Champion". -- http://www.wmrt.com FREE CLASSIFIED ADS The Scuttlebutt Classified Ads provide a marketplace for private parties to buy and sell, or for businesses to post job openings. Here are recent ads: * Wanted - Offshore sails for J/105 * $1,000 off on a Brand New Doyle Mainsail * J/24 for Sale - Newport, RI * The Dinghy Locker - Sales and Charter Coordinator needed View/post ads here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/classified_ads ARE YOU IN THE MARINE INDUSTRY? The Marine Industry News category of the Scuttlebutt Forum provides companies with guaranteed online exposure of their personnel, product and service updates. Plus each week the Scuttlebutt newsletter selects a sampling of updates to feature in the Thursday edition. Are you in the marine industry? Post your updates here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/industry_news SAILING SHORTS * Ft. Walton Beach, FL (November 8, 2011) - The gulf delivered some sporting conditions for day 2 of the Hobie 16 & Hobie 20 North American Championships. Winds in the 10-14 knots most of the day with very large waves, making upwind a struggle to keep moving through the waves while downwind was all about surfing. Four races were completed. In the Hobie 16 class past champions, Francisco Figueroa/Jolliam Berrios (PUR) now lead followed by Greg Thomas/Karen Sikora (USA). In the Hobie 20 class Kevin Smith/Rundell Curtis (USA) continue to hold the lead over Phil Collins/Bev Collins (USA). Full results: http://tinyurl.com/Hobie-110711 * St. Thomas, USVI (November 8, 2011) - Watch match-racing at its best in scenic Charlotte Amalie harbor when over a dozen of the world's best men and women's skippers will duel in Inter-Club (IC)-24s in the 4th Annual Carlos Aguilar Match Race (CAMR), presented by Ulysse Nardin/Trident Jewels & Time, December 1 to 4. There will be waterfront viewing plus a live webcast of this International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade Two Official World Tour Qualifier (WTQ) for the 2012 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT). -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12855 * US Sailing has published a list of frequently asked questions and answers for competitors, race officials or clubs/organizations who are filing or contemplating filing an appeal under rule 70.1, requesting confirmation or correction of a decision under rule 70.2, or requesting an interpretation under rule 70.4. The answers given are merely advice intended to be helpful. The actual rules governing these matters are rules 70 and 71, and the rules in Appendix F in the US Sailing edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing. Read the FAQ here: http://raceadmin.ussailing.org/Appeals/Appeal_FAQ.htm WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON FRIDAY? If you're among the billions of people using Facebook and Twitter, getting connected to Scuttlebutt has its advantages. Not only can you share your updates and photos, but you get reports that aren't published in the newsletter, you get the jump on breaking news, and this Friday you will learn about an epic event. If Facebook and Twitter isn't your thing, you can get these same updates as a text message too. If you're in the United States, send a text 'follow scuttbutt' to 40404. Other country codes are listed on the Scuttlebutt Twitter page. Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt LASERPERFORMANCE EVENT BOATS AND FALL SALE PROMOTIONS The LaserPerformance GoPro Video Camera promotion; buy a qualifying boat and get a free GoPro Video Camera! Our Fall Fleet Builder promotion which gets you volume discounts on purchases of 420's, FJ's, Bugs and Optimists! We also have limited event boats left that come with a dolly and qualify for our GoPro promotion. Please contact us at customerservice@laserperformance.com GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250 words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Paul Ludgate: It makes me want to throw up seeing comments like this in Scuttlebutt 3465: "The commercial existence of such a system gives Olivia's family a substantial leg up in a defective design products liability/wrongful death suit against the harness manufacturer, boat builder, vendors, etc., as it proves a safer system is practical, an element of a products liability case. It also bears on the potential negligence of any junior program that continues with existing hook and ring systems." Most certainly it was a tragedy to take the girl's life, but all that will come of this type of action is that some lawyers will line their pockets and our "nanny state" will try to ensure there is one less thing that may harm us. Perhaps we should not be on the water at all. After all, drowning is a distinct possibility whenever we venture off terra firma COMMENT: I received several calls and emails today, all critical of Cory's comments and my decision to publish them. The purpose of this report was not to drum up business or dismantle youth programs, but rather give thought to insure today's standard equipment remains the best solution, and for sailing programs to review the tools they believe will protect them in the event of an accident. My apologies to anyone who was offended by this intent. - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt * From John McNeill: The debate regarding a requirement for mandatory PFDs, posted for many races, brings up valid pro and con arguments, but they do not necessarily solve the dilemma. After decades of sailing, and seeing or reading of the huge variety of situations, I have become convinced that the only correct solution today is the inflatable (NOT self-inflating) PFD. It may not serve in the case of unconsciousness, but will provide the individual with control over use in case of rigging entanglements or a full turtling. One issue with these PFDs however, is maintenance, and it is time for some forward-thinking producer to come out with a program that provides the necessary replacement cartridge and instruction on a timely basis for users. In that manner, we may once again defeat Darwin, and survive. * From Mary-Ann Sharwood: I suspect that the breakages in the Volvo Ocean Race are more to do with the sea state than the winds. The waves in the Med would have been steep and short compared to the long swells found in the open ocean in 30 knots. * From Jesse Fradkin: I know that I wouldn't want to be sailing around the world in a boat in which I had any doubt about its ability to take a pounding from a mere 30 knots going upwind. It certainly means I do not think it wise to attempt to race around the world in a similarly under-built boat built for speed way over safety or structural integrity in a decent sea state. When these lightweight super sleds or cats start to break up in 25 to 30 knots of wind in a race, I truly think it's past time to rethink exactly what we're doing here for speed at any cost. So far, thankfully, only the race has been lost in these unfortunate incidents. COMMENT: The VO 70 rule has evolved to improve safety and durability, but the race organizers must now be wondering what more needs to be done. Risk must exist to foster interest in the race, but the business of the race requires boats to be on the water and not on the hard. Luckily, the four remaining boats are all legitimate contenders, and the video production is light years better than the 2008-9 edition (http://www.youtube.com/user/volvooceanracevideos). - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION "It must be hard to be a model, because you'd want to be like the photograph of you, and you can't ever look that way." - Andy Warhol SPONSORS THIS WEEK Doyle Sails - Team One Newport - Harken - Summit Yachts - North Sails New England Ropes - JK3 Nautical Enterprises - LaserPerformance Ultimate Sailing - Ullman Sails - Camet - The Pirates Lair Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
