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SCUTTLEBUTT 2033 - February 17, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.AN INCENTIVE TO DROP OUT A furious row broke out dockside here last night after the British skipper Neal McDonald suspended racing by the Swedish entry, Ericsson, just 300 metres from the finish of leg three of the Volvo Race from Melbourne. The move was explained by Ericsson's spokesman, Bernard Schopfer, as "just using the rules, as others have done, to our advantage". It meant that Ericsson could use its shore crew to make repairs to troublesome wiring and the yacht's engine, take a two-hour penalty for doing so on a leg during which they were last anyway, and then start the next leg without incurring a time penalty for making repairs during a pit stop. Torben Grael, the skipper of Brasil 1, was furious, describing the move as "dishonest" and "dishonourable", but Ericsson's navigator, Steve Hayles, said: "I can see no moral implications at all." The race organizers saw no need to make any comment. ~ Stuart Alexander in Wellington, The Independent, full story: http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article345898.ece BUSY BOATYARD Ericsson was not the only boat hoisted out of the water in Wellington. Shortly after the media moved off movistar following their Leg 3 win, we were informed that the team would take the two hour penalty for outside assistance during this pit stop as there were hull damage problems that would have to be repaired before the next leg to Rio de Janeiro. The boat was taken to a boat lift and immediately the hull cleared the water it was obvious that large parts of the keel wedges that fair the keel aperture and the sliding "bomb doors" had been ripped from the hull. There was also damage to the fairing at the hull aperture for the port side dagger board. Now that the boat has accepted the penalty they can have their shore team or outside experts to work on the boat until it is time to leave for the start of Leg 4. The wedges are foam and carbon fibre fillers between the sliding plates that move with the canting keel to stop most of the water that might come into the boat through the hole the keel works through. The team's shore-based boat builder Peter Britt said he had been alerted to the problem yesterday. "The crew felt it happen," he said. movistar's technical shore boss, Fred Barrett will make an emergency dash from Hobart to Wellington via Sydney tomorrow, armed with a new dagger board cover plate and the new wedge, which will then have to be laminated in place and faired, to provide a smooth, hydrodynamically smooth underside to the boat. Work quickly lads - Leg four from Wellington to Rio de Janeiro will start on Sunday February 19. ~ www.volvooceanrace.org Volvo Ocean Race Leg Three finishing Positions: 1. movistar, Bouwe Bekking, 3d 22h 09m 26s 2. ABN Amro One, Mike Sanderson, 3d 22h 09m 35s 3. Pirates of the Caribbean, Paul Cayard, 4d 00h 59m 35s 4. Brasil 1, Torben Grael, 4d 03h 12m 30s 5. ABN Amro Two, Sebastien Josse, 4d 04h 03m 58s 6. Ericsson Racing Team, Neal McDonald, suspended racing Current Overall Race Standings: 1, Amro One, 38pts 2. ABN Amro Two, 28 3. Movistar, 25 4. Pirates of the Caribbean, 21.5 5. Brasil 1, 20 6. Ericsson Racing Team, 16.5 7. ING Real Estate Brunel, 11.5 See the dramatic finish line photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/06/vorl3f/ QUOTES FROM THE BOATS "No one can be upset with that, it was a great race - we'll never have another one like that again in our lives. We were certainly pushing hard for the last 24 hours with more people on deck than usual, although always trying to keep the guys rested too. I probably had four hours sleep last night, we've been full on since 4 am, and since then we have been sailing in our in port race positions. Second is a good result. Consistency is the key, keep putting them in and you can win the event." ~ Rob Greenhalgh, ABN Amro One MONITORING VALENCIA WEATHER Thanks to Puertos del Estado, the Spanish state port authority, it is possible to have a detailed view of the weather, useful to anyone sailing in Valencia or visiting the city. Thanks to a buoy close to Valencia's harbor one can have up to date figures on air pressure, temperature, wind speed and direction. The SeaWatch weather buoy in Valencia forms part of the "Deep Sea Measurement Network" of Puertos del Estado. It is essentially a sensor carrier for a multitude of oceanographic and meteorological measuring instruments. The SeaWatch buoy allows two-way communication via satellite. Maintenance-free solar panels and sealed lead-acid backup batteries enable long term unattended operations. In addition to precise meteorological data, the buoy also provides data on waves and sea currents. Its location is around 5 miles off the beach of Port Saplaya and inside the North Race Course. As a result, one can have a quite precise overview of the weather conditions that yachts are facing when racing in Valencia. The data is updated every hour and is given through various graphs posted online that display all information for a one-week period. ~ Valencia Sailing, http://valenciasailing.blogspot.com/ SAVE ON AIR NECESSITIES FROM NORTH SAILS North Sails is having a winter retail clearance sale on a variety of great items including selected tees, polo shirts, Exofficio shirts for men and women, Ibex long underwear, Hawaiian print shirts and more! Don't delay - quantities and colors are limited. http://na.northsails.com/ClearanceSale.htm GULF COAST UPDATE (Past J/22 North American champ Greg Fisher of North Sails files this report on his way to the class midwinters in Houston, TX) Every away regatta starts out with a road trip. Some are boring and non-eventful (hopefully), and some are exciting and full of adventure. What would make this trip interesting would be our stops in Mississippi and New Orleans, and our firsthand look at how the areas are recovering from last fall's Hurricane Katrina. Words could not describe the total devastation in Bay St Louis, MS and Waveland, MS. We walked up to Beach Drive, which runs along the front of Bay St Louis, but it simply didn't exist any longer. It was completely washed out, and the ground where it stood was now a good 5-10 ft lower! When we managed to drive to Waveland, where it has been said the greatest damage occurred, there was simply not a house standing. There were slabs, stairs, a few walls. but nothing that would resemble a home. The extent of damage here extended at least a mile in from the beach. When we entered New Orleans - specifically Lakeview where Southern YC is located - we felt we were entering a ghost town. There was an ugly water line as high as the second story on all the houses in the area. Some houses couldn't handle the water and collapsed. There was still no power in the area. We needed to dodge boats that still littered the roads leading to Southern YC. The SYC driveway still had 10-15 boats lying on top of one another... evidently waiting to be hauled away. The club's structure was cleaned off the slab and only a fence with a sign earmarked where the building had been. To say we were overwhelmed would be an understatement. It felt like it would be years and years- if ever- before anything could ever grow again in either area. But interestingly enough, that was not the sentiment we felt and saw when we talked to the local people. Their optimism was inspiring and impressive. - For Greg's full report and photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2006/02/gulf-coast-update.html FREE CLASSIFIED ADS The Scuttlebutt website has classified ad listings for gear and boats for sale, job listings, and a section for items wanted. No fee required. View the ads, or click on the link at the top to submit your own ad: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/classifieds LICENSE SUSPENDED The designer of the wrecked yacht Moquini has suspended the license of the company that builds and sells his yachts, insisting they complete a checklist to determine if they made any alterations to his original design. Last week the Moquini, a Fast 42, was found drifting 500 nautical miles off the Wild Coast, upside down and with the keel broken off. The yacht was spotted nearly five months after it and its crew of six went missing during the Mauritius to Durban race. Alex Simonis, the Dutch designer of the Moquini who is based in Cape Town, said on Wednesday: 'I suspect, from the photos I have seen, that the hull sailed over a container, with the keel taking the full impact, which pushed it into the boat.' 'It is possible that the builder deviated from my original design and, though in 12 years there have never been any structural problems with the design, I have to keep the option open that there is something wrong with it.' Responding to speculation that the keel broke off simply because of the rough conditions, Simonis said: 'Highly unlikely, considering the clean break-off.' ~ Full story: http://www.sea-dreamer.com/newspage.asp?storyid=481 WHERE ALL EVENTS ARE POSTED The Scuttlebutt Calendar is likely the most comprehensive source for sailing event information on the Internet. Enjoy the self-service tools to post individual events, or have our techs help you post your entire event calendar. Sponsored by West Marine, view the calendar at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar NEWS BRIEFS * The Global Ocean Challenge 2007/08 will make Charleston, SC the penultimate stop of this international RTW yacht race. By the time the fleet of 40 and 50 foot sailboats arrive in the United States in April 2008 they will have sailed 23,000 nautical miles and will have visited South Africa, New Zealand and South America before closing the loop and finishing back in Europe. The race restart for the final leg of the circumnavigation will be staggered with the 40-foot division setting sail on May14, 2008 and the 50-foot division setting sail three days later on May18. ~ www.globaloceanchallenge.com * The full extent of the problems with the boats in Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race is still unclear. At present however it is unlikely that the boats will be able to leave the Philippines before the end of March as opposed to the 8th of March as previously hoped. The boat builder from Green Marine has arrived and together with the surveyor, has been grinding back around the affected area to get a clearer picture of the extent of the problem. Eight out of the 10 boats are now without rigs and two boats have been hauled. ~ http://www.clipper-ventures.co.uk/2006/ * Tim Troy of Crownsville Maryland (USA) announced his entry in the Vell\ux 5 Oceans round the world race. He recently purchased a French Open 60 built by the Mag OCEA group in 1998, the same builder that built the PRB. "I believe I now have a fantastic platform for a title sponsor to join my campaign. However, with or without commercial sponsorship, I will be on the starting line to fly the flag for the USA," Troy said. ~ www.sailamericaone.org, www.velux5oceans.com * After a satisfying 185 mile day, Dee Caffari is looking at the winds being favourable over the next couple of days allowing for some straight line sailing which will hopefully deliver her 72-foot Aviva clear of Tasmania so she can push onto passing the next Great Cape, Cape Leeuwin at the SW point of Australia. Caffari is attempting to be the first women to complete a solo 'westabout' non-stop circumnavigation. ~ www.avivachallenge.com * Gill has name as the Official Clothing Supplier to the 2006 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship. The company is supplying a team uniform to the 120-strong volunteer shore team as well as Gill-branded racing bibs for the 300 competitors. These young athletes are competing from fifty nations in the most important event on the International Youth Sailing calendar at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy from July 13-20. ~ www.gillmarine.com * BoatU.S. Founder and Chairman Richard Schwartz was honored by the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) with its Charles F. Chapman Award. Given to one outstanding individual each year since 1977, the award celebrates those who have made a significant contribution to the boating industry and boating public. Under Schwartz' leadership, BoatU.S. has been a major force for boaters, particularly in Washington D.C., where the Association has used its grassroots clout to fight against numerous unfair federal taxes and fees over the years. Schwartz was also recognized for the work of the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water. ~ www.BoatUS.com/news/releases.asp * Joyce Harvey has won the $5000 Grand Prize award in Sail America's 2005 John Southam Awards for Excellence in Media Communications. Her story "Families Can Learn to Sail on Any Budget" has been published in 67 US Newspapers. Winners of $1000 awards included J.J. and Peter Isler, John Glynn, Bill Sargent, John Vigor and the Boston Sailing Center, while Gary Jobson received a Special Commendation Award. 163 entries were received for this competition, which included a broad mix of print, broadcast, books and online/internet media. The winning entries will be posted on the www.southamaward.com BUTTHEAD DISCOUNT Scuttlebutt readers save $25 at NorthU seminars on Racing Rules & Tactics, Wind & Strategy, Cruising & Seamanship, Weather for Sailors, or Expedition Performance Software. Or try a Florida Race Week, a Bluewater Miles Passage, or Bonnell Cove Foundation Suddenly Alone Seminar. See the full schedule plus the latest in books, CDs and DVDs. You can spend a lifetime learning to be a better sailor. Accelerate the process at NorthU and Save $25. Put "Butthead" in the comments when you register for a seminar at: http://www.NorthU.com 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. You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And please save your bashing, and personal attacks for elsewhere. For those that prefer a Forum, you can post your thoughts at the Scuttlebutt website: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi) * From Wayne Kennedy, Wellington NZ: Picture this, its the NZ summer, blue skies, gentle breezes and you are sitting on Queens Wharf in Wellington harbour eating your lunch in the warmth of the mid day sun. 500 yards away two F1 sailing machines, about a boat length apart after 1450 miles of ocean racing, are reaching in a light breeze straight towards you, but more importantly, they are racing for the finish line 200 yards in front of them (and you). ABN One tries one last time to find a way past Movistar only to have it covered yet again, the umpteenth time this has happened in the last 11 hours. It was pure sailing magic, pure poetry and you had to be there! I was and the memory will stay with me for a long time. The joy of the winner with their proud Wellingtonian on board and the anguish of the second yacht. And also the sportsmanship. Once their sails were down, ABN One pointed itself towards Movistar and as they glided past each other, less than a boat width apart, all the ABN One crew stood along their port side and clapped the performance of the winning Movistar crew. * From Alan McReynolds: I just watched the Black Pearl video for the 12th time. Wow, man I want to get me a ride on one of those things! Yipee! Where can I see more? (http://www.piratesracing.org) * Mike Warren: It is amazing what a few bucks and some inspired Disney creativity can do. That is the most exciting piece of sailing video I have ever seen! I want more! * From Ray Tostado: To offer a suggestion as to why presumed available footage of the V70 event is not made available in the USA: It most likely is. Anyone want to buy some? Film/TV coverage is a product, not a hobby. It comes in several states: The live news reporting; the event summary; the event full documentation; the mini-feature package. I have just listed a budget cost of from $500 a day to a conceivable $25k a day spread out over production and post production costs. There is actually no limit to the upper end finished ready for theater or TV release. So let's pretend I will spend something around $5k a day. I am $145k into this event covering only 30 days of filming time. Let's pretend the product is great. Previews label it a smash hit for the event and the sport. Now where do I get my money back? Unless I do a Warren Miller and tour, or a Irving Johnson and tour, where is there a TV outlet who will give me low cost air time if I have my own sponsors? Do I really have more than the minimum 500,000 eyeballs necessary for a low end advertiser to show interest? So those guys who are filming with whatever budget they have are right in asking for some form of compensation. Remember when race crews were volunteers? Obviously there are no sponsors willing to pony up any amount of funding to get the event onto USA TV screens. * From Bob Hunkins: I want to take exception to the idea that sailing ought to have points scored for "style". I think the Greeks are rolling over in their collective graves when it comes to the "sparts" (part sport, part art ~ I love that term) seen in the Olympics today such as snowboard half pipe, figure skating and other subjectively scored events. Call me a traditionalist, but I prefer the honest sports where the scoring is objective. It's who crosses the finish line first, has the fastest time, or gets the most shots in the goal that ought to win. Figure skating may be more athletic than curling, but given the choice, I'll watch curling instead because the scoring is objective, and judges don't have the potential to get together in smoke filled rooms to trade votes as we saw four years ago in Figure Skating. The very idea that sailing ought to take a page from figure skating and score for style is laughable. * From Woody Glenn (re Nothing to Sign): In my 50's & 60's I started collecting hats from various regattas [and ocasional partys] and have about 40 hanging on rafters in my bedroom. Happy reminders of good sailors and friends. In retrospect many could have been signed by idols or friends enhancing them. * From Rich Roberts: I was walking down a gangway at Key West with Paul Cayard a couple of years ago when an oncoming weekend sailor became overjoyed at encountering such a major celebrity (Cayard, not me). While he could hardly contain himself, he handed over his digital camera and asked me to take a picture of them. That picture is probably on his shelf now -- the 21st century's much-improved evolution of the autograph. * From Don Mason, Blind Sailing New Zealand (re Craig Leweck's question, 'what do our role models sign?'): When this occurs in our organization an event burgee or club/ racing pennant is offered. We have young and old with many top yachties autographs on their flags get the marina to supply some Volvo Pennants to the kids * From Mike French (re Nothing to Sign): In Canada I believe that applying any form on marking to a PFD renders it illegal. * From Steve Old: In a media statement carried in 'Butt 2031, it was stated that, ". the Volvo Ocean Race is expected to attract over 1.5 billion television viewers over the eight month," - to which the curmudgeon asked, "So why aren't we seeing some of that television in the USA?" You are not alone. If you live anywhere in Australia except Melbourne, you didn't get to see any of it either!!! Maybe 10 seconds on the lowest rating Free to Air TV news service in the country . if you're lucky. The only "coverage" we are getting here is the net 20 minutes Volvo pumps out once a week, and that's usually around midnight on a Monday night, commencing plus or minus 30 minutes of the advertised scheduled time. Usually proceeded by a 1 hour el cheapo "soapie", also on the same lowest rating FTA channel. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION One of the sure signs that you've grown up is that your houseplants are alive . and you can't smoke any of them. Special thanks to North Sails and North U. |
