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SCUTTLEBUTT 3376 - Tuesday, July 5, 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: Kaenon Polarized, Morris Yachts, and West Marine. BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN Newport, R.I. USA (July 4, 2011) - The final start on July 3rd of the Transatlantic Race 2011 saw six of the giant yachts among the 24 entrants set their course from Newport to The Lizard off the southeast coast of England. Among the fleet is PUMA's 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race team skippered by Ken Read on 'mar mostro', who are using this race to continue their training. Once the PUMA Ocean Racing team completes the 2,975 nautical mile race, they will take a quick turn south for their new training base in Lanazrote, Canary Islands. This is all part of their program to be prepared for the start on October 29th of the first leg of the Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante, Spain to Cape Town, South Africa. "Back in the saddle again," remarks Ken Read. "It's unreal, actually. I wish I could say all was great, but to be honest, it was pretty hard leaving home yesterday knowing that your goal is to sail around the world. It's quite daunting when you are reading the paper and having your last cup of coffee the morning before departing. "But we have put together a team, designed and built a boat, trained, tested, built and re-built a program that everyone involved should be very proud of. Step No. 1 is complete. Now, it's on to step two, and we are currently in the thick of it. Rambler 100 (the monster) is showing everyone the way. But to be honest, we are pleasantly surprised that we are well ahead of the other 100-footer, Leopard, at this stage. "Right after the fantastic send off that Newport gave us, Leopard snuck by when we were on the wind. But as soon as we cracked to a reach, we were actually able to hold our own, and about a half hour later we got around them and sailed away. We were all really surprised, and it certainly gives us some extra incentive to push the boat hard. For sure, the 100-footer will have conditions where they are quite a bit faster, but for now our little 70-footer is doing just fine." Transatlantic Race: http://tinyurl.com/Transat-070411 PUMA: http://www.puma.com/sailing/news/back-in-the-saddle WILL THE PACIFIC HIGH KEEP ON KEEPING ON? Los Angeles, CA (July 4, 2011) - The first wave of Transpac starters left Point Fermin today, bound for Honolulu with a seabreeze in the low teens to get them "off the beach" and many a quiet prayer for the breeze to hold through the night. There is ample wind offshore for a fast passage, "if we can just get to it," as Celerity crewman Kelson Elam put it. Elam is one of two lake-sailing Texans aboard Harry Zanville's Santa Cruz 37, a crew of five, Transpac first-timers all, who looked very good at the start as they ignored the jam-up at the committee boat-end of the line. Instead, they opted for elbow room and clear air near the pin. And a nose-ahead start. Ten racing boats in Division 6, a wide-vision grouping from 32 feet to 43 feet, were mixed at the start with the Aloha Division, eight cruising boats or cruisey-type skippers in cruiser-racers. A lone catamaran, Santiago Becerra's 47-foot Espiritu Santi, received her own starting cannon five minutes later. Another 34 boats, including the likely first-finishers, start on Friday, July 8 at 1 p.m. off Point Fermin. In the meantime, the storyline runs along that question of holding wind through the night - Celerity's crew is imagining a 10-day passage, but only if all the ducks line up and quack smartly and the probability that the Pacific High Pressure Zone, now nicely formed and pumping gangbuster tradewinds toward Hawaii, will keep on keeping on. Transpac meteorologist Lee Chesneau is bullish on that. As the bigger boats moved to the front, and true cruisers such as Eric Gray's Morris 46, Gracie, were left behind, we thought of the prospect of trades in the twenties and Elam's parting comments and a question: "We have two A2's, one A3 and an A4. Know where we could get an A5?" Celerity hails from the Lake City Yacht Club, Minnesota. Doublehanders Greg Constable and Doug Backhouse from Nanaimo, British Columbia, made up the international component of this start with the 40-foot Narrow Escape. -- Kimball Livingston/Transpac: http://www.transpacrace.com T-HUTCH: OLD-SCHOOL VALUES WITH NEW-SCHOOL VISION Terry Hutchinson is old-school.with a relentless need to win. So what does a traditional yachtie do in today's hi-tech, hi-speed times? He adapts! That might explain why T-Hutch uses the original, award winning Kore from Kaenon Polarized. Pure comfort, function and protection in frame design, with Kaenon's hi-tech breeze reading SR-91 polarized lenses in C12 and C28 lens tints created to read every bit of movement in wind and water. T-Hutch and Kaenon's Kore = old-school values with new-school vision! Available at APS, TeamOne, Point Loma Outfitting or locate a dealer nearest you http://www.kaenon.com. Available in prescription. Kaenon Polarized. Evolve Optically. KIWIS SPOIL AMERICAN CELEBRATION Boston, MA (July 4, 2011) - Dean Barker's Emirates Team New Zealand clinched victory at Act 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series in an epic showdown as the circuit made a very successful USA debut. As the country celebrated Independence Day, American Terry Hutchinson on board Artemis Racing went in to the final race with an 8 point lead after heading the leaderboard for most of the past 5 days - but lost in the final leg of the final race of the final day. An enthralled US non-sailing public turned out in spades to watch up close what was probably one of the biggest ever on-site American audiences for a sailing event, estimated at 55,000 over the five days. The stadium concept developed for the Extreme Sailing Series certainly engaged a largely non-sailing audience in Boston. In a finale that could have been written by a Hollywood scriptwriter (but wasn't!), Emirates Team New Zealand had a blinding start, taking the lead once from Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, only to lose it after painfully stalling in a tack on the final beat. Until this point, despite having to duck most of the fleet on the start line, Hutchinson had managed to stay inside the crucial four places behind Barker which were necessary to take overall victory. On the final beat, however, just one tactical choice decided it, with the right-hand side of the course for once not paying for the American, and as they approached the final top mark they were passed by four boats and scored an 8th place. A rare occurrence for Hutchinson, destroying his dream of winning on his home turf with Emirates Team New Zealand taking overall victory by four points after 37 races. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/ESS-070411 BACKGROUND: The Extreme Sailing Season is embarking on its fifth season, with Boston as the fourth stop for the nine event tour that will travel through Asia, Europe, and North America this year. The platform used is the one design Extreme 40 catamaran with 'stadium' short-course racing in front of the public. The 2011 ESS has grown in part due to the multihull format planned for the 34th America's Cup in 2013. -- http://www.extremesailingseries.com/ NEW AMERICA'S CUP ERA BEGINS IN AUGUST * The first competition of the new multihull America's Cup era begins with the inaugural America's Cup World Series in Cascais, Portugal, on August 6. For the first time, all nine teams entered in the 34th America's Cup will compete together, racing identical AC45 wing-sailed catamarans. Both fleet and match racing will be a part of each event, with additional 2011 ACWS events in Plymouth, England, (September 10-18) and San Diego, USA (November 12-20). -- Full details: http://tinyurl.com/AC-070411 * A new website for the America's Cup is now online. An organic and growing entity, the team running the site will be adding new features, more languages and additional sections over the next three years, and even in the weeks leading up to the first America's Cup World Series event in Cascais, Portugal in August. The nine teams entered in the America's Cup have, for the first time, been fully integrated into the event website. As of July 1st, pages within americascup.com are the sole online presence permitted for competitors. -- http://www.americascup.com * The dates and format for the Louis Vuitton Cup, the America's Cup Challenger Series, have been confirmed. To take place in 2013, the objective of the challenger series is to both build and identify the strongest possible challenger to meet the defender in the America's Cup Finals. The next Louis Vuitton Cup will consist of three stages for all of the challengers, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-final round to determine the two teams to compete in the final round. The series will extend from July 4 to September 1. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/LVC-070411 HOW THE DEAL WAS SILENTLY SWEETENED IN SAN FRANCISCO It's a mad dash at San Francisco City Hall to put all the pieces together in preparation for the America's Cup, the prestigious regatta that will culminate in the summer of 2013 along the city's northern waterfront. But once that spectacle is over, the biggest impact of the event will be a massive, lasting, and quite lucrative transformation of the city's waterfront by a few powerful players, a deal that has been modified significantly since it was approved by the Board of Supervisors. As negotiations on the fine terms of the development agreements continue to unfold, the future landscape of a huge section of the San Francisco waterfront is in play. If the America's Cup Event Authority (ACEA) - the race management team controlled by billionaire Oracle CEO Larry Ellison - aims high in its investments into port-owned infrastructure, it has the potential to lock-in leases and long-term development rights for up to nine piers for 66 years, with properties ranging from as far south as Pier 80 at Islais Creek to as far north as Pier 29, home of the popular dinner theater Teatro ZinZanni. The possibility of securing long-term leases and development rights to Piers 19, 23, and 29 - provided race organizers sink more money into infrastructure improvements - was added to the deal in the last two weeks of 2010, just before San Francisco won its bid to host the world-famous sailing match. The possibility of obtaining rights to portions of two additional piers, 27 and 80, were also added at the last minute. Race organizers and city officials negotiated the final modifications after the Board of Supervisors signed off on the Host City Agreement on Dec. 14, 2010. Not all board members knew that three additional city-owned piers were being added as possible extensions of the land deal, and those properties weren't mentioned in any of the earlier documents that went through a public review process in the months leading up to the approval of the agreement. Yet Board President David Chiu was evidently apprised of how the last-minute negotiations were unfolding and he quietly offered his support. -- SF Bay Guardian, read on: http://www.sfbg.com/2011/06/28/smooth-sailing-developers MORRIS YACHTS OPENS NEW SLIPS IN NORTHEAST HARBOR, ME Northeast Harbor, Maine, the gateway to Acadia National Park, and arguably one of the most desirable cruising destinations in the world has become a little more accessible to us all. Morris Yachts has just added 180ft of dock space to its Marina and Service Yard. "Slip rentals are virtually non-existent in Northeast Harbor so to be able to offer slip rentals is a great service." said Cuyler Morris. Within easy walking distance to shops, restaurants, transportation and endless outdoor activities in Acadia National Park, these slips are bound to be snapped up soon. Call Kirk Ritter at 207-276-5300 to reserve your slip today. http://www.morrisyachts.com/news THIRTY NATIONS COMPETING AT DISABLED CHAMPIONSHIP Weymouth, UK (July 4, 2011) - Australian SKUD crew Liesl Tesch hopes she and Dan Fitzgibbon's performance at the IFDS Disabled Sailing Combined World Championships 2011 this week will help towards her completing a unique Paralympic medal set, having already won three Paralympic medals in wheelchair basketball! The 42-year-old high school teacher from New South Wales, and helmsman Fitzgibbon moved to within two points of overnight leaders, Britain's Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell on day two of the IFDS Worlds at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, atoning for a disappointing day one display yesterday with two race wins today. Tesch only started Paralympic sailing in January, having made her name in her home country as part of the Australian women's wheelchair basketball team that won Paralympic silver medals at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 and bronze at Beijing 2008. But since taking up sailing and teaming up with Fitzgibbon earlier this year, the pair have won the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, in their first ever event together, as well as Skandia Sail for Gold last month. Now Tesch, who also competed at Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996, has just one ambition; to win the Paralympic gold that's missing from her collection. She hopes a switch in sport and a medal at the IFDS Worlds this week will go a long way to helping her cause. -- Full story: http://www.ifdsworlds2011.com/eventsites/content.asp?id=5131&eventid=69387 * The North American contingent is led by the Americans who are fairing well in all three events. After four races, Mark LeBlanc is second in the 2.4Mr, Scott Whitman/ Julia Dorsett are third in the Skud, and Rick Doerr/ Brad Kendell/ Hugh Freund are fourth in the Sonar. Racing continues to July 8th. Results: http://tinyurl.com/Results-070411 SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CALENDAR Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * Sylt, Germany (July 3, 2011) - After 12 races and 3 discards in more than challenging conditions, with winds up to 25 knots and breaking seas of 3+ meters, John Heineken (USA) and Steph Bridge (GBR) are the new world champions in kite course racing. Both riders did it in great fashion, resulting in a perfect score of all first place finishes! -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/IKA-070411 * The Gill National College Sailing Championship airs on ESPNU on Wednesday, July 6 at 7:00pm ET. Host Gary Jobson takes an in-depth look at the top 18 college sailing teams vying for the Collegiate Championship that was held in Cascade Locks, Oregon on May 23-June 1. A special feature is exclusive onboard footage along with interviews of the sailors. This production is produced in High Definition, and is sponsored by Sperry Top-Sider, Rolex and Gill. * Cagliari, Sardinia (July 3, 2011) - The seasoned team of Chris Bake (CAN) and professional skipper Cameron Appleton (NZL) on Team Aqua took top honors among the fifteen teams competing at the RC44 Cagliari Cup, the third event of the 2011 RC44 Championship Tour. The fourth event will be held in Marstrand, Sweden from August 17-21 where the teams will race for the RC44 Sweden Cup, a venue the class has never visited before. -- Class website: http://www.rc44.com * Cabrillo Beach, CA (July 4, 2011) - The Optimist North American Championship is hosting a fleet of 187 sailors from 21 countries. After two days of fleet racing, Peter Janezic (SLO) leads the field followed by Felipe Diniz (ARG) in second and Russell Clarida (USA) in third. The Team Racing championship was held Sunday with first and third won by USA with Puerto Rico taking the silver. The fleet had a layday today but will resume fleet racing on Tuesday and conclude on Wednesday. -- Event website: http://www.optiworld.org/MiniSite/miniNAM.php * Sponsored by South Shore Yacht Club, the 73rd sailing of the storied Queen's Cup race provided 149 boats with an overnight 67 mile sprint across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee (WI) to Muskegon (MI). Conditions at the start on July 1 at 6pm were about 20 knots, with the fleet ranging from Dick & Doug DeVos' MaxZ 86 Windquest to Matt Petter's Corsair F-24 Tres Fast. After about 10 hrs all boats had finished with the Pearson 530 from Muskegon, owned by Rob Rafson, emerging as the overall winner. The winning crew reported using five sails while grilling shrimp and steak off the back and drinking nice wine along the way. Event website: http://www.ssyc.org/index.php/queens-cup 2 DAYS ONLY - 10% OFF SITEWIDE AT WESTMARINE.COM We invite you to take 10% off sitewide at westmarine.com on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 5 and 6 only. This is a two-day offer, so be sure to jump on it quick. Use coupon code SAVE10 at checkout. This offer is good online only. Please visit westmarine.com for complete details. -- http://bit.ly/SB070611 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 Taylor Michie: After Olivia Constants' death, there is no doubt in my mind that the Severn Sailing Association junior program will only grow stronger and closer. As a sailor at SSA, I know firsthand the caliber of sailors that SSA has is of the highest shelf, and that Olivia Constants was no exception to that rule. While I was not close friends with her, I interacted with her at practices and can say that she was one or the most genuinely friendly people that I know; someone that would always say hi ask you how your day was going. It is sobering to think that the sport that so much of us love and participate in can also have such a dark side, but it is not something that I believe SSA sailors will let stop them. The tragedy of Olivia's death is not something that will or that should be forgotten. If anything, it should inspire us to sail harder and faster, because we know Olivia will be watching. * From Guy Buchanan: (re, Olivia Constants thread) When I sailed and raced dinghies, we very rarely capsized to leeward, and if we did, we never went in the water. So the "death roll" constituted nearly 100% of our water entries. I can remember finding myself hooked-in to various pieces of hardware inconveniently under water and having to carefully struggle to extricate myself. As such, I never wanted to wear a life jacket. Instead we wore wet-suits, which gave us enough positive buoyancy to float, but not so much as to encumber us under water. They were also much easier to swim in and kept you warm to boot. Too bad they aren't "Coast Guard approved". -- http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12162#12162 * From Bob Hofmann: Another alternative to the time delay for the transponder updates on the Transpac might be to leave them real time with one or two "dark periods" where a competitor can turn the transponder off for a set number of hours after which the real time tracking comes back on. This gives the boats the opportunity to escape everyone's sight for awhile and allows them to do something that may mess with the 'follow the leader' mentality of some of the others. Seems to work with some of the round the world races. * From Keith Taylor, Auckland, NZ: Regarding John Baker's letter in Scuttlebutt 3375 about Brad van Liew, I must comment about Baker's constricted and narrow view of the world! There's nothing new about sponsoring adventurers. Just one example. The great Antarctic explorers Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton and Byrd would never have trudged into the pages of history without sponsorship. It's an honorable tradeoff. The adventurer strives almightily, puts his life on the line and gets a shot at his goal, the backer reaps his reward, whether it's personal satisfaction or commercial gain. Recognition of that simple equation is lost on American business with its relentless focus on short term bottom-line results. Brad's story is an inspiring one, his performances and results speak for themselves. How truly sad that there isn't an American corporation that is willing to learn from European sponsors and demonstrate the foresight, imagination and courage to back this guy. * From John Casey: (re, John Baker's letter in Scuttlebutt 3375) John Baker makes two assumptions in his reply regarding Brad Van Liew and solo ocean racing in America: 1) that anyone can do what Brad has done in the sport if they so choose; and 2) that Brad has not already had "real jobs" and sponsored others. I'm just going to leave the first one alone, as I think after 120,000 miles of racing solo and winning two major races around the world, we can all assume there is serious talent there. On the latter, you may not be aware that Brad spent six years spearheading a sail training program in South Carolina, raising several million dollars and serving more than 4000 students with sailing experiences. Please do some homework before judging others. Professional sailing is business and does require tangible ROI for sponsors. Guys like Brad pave the way for us American racers who have the passion but aren't blessed with the silver spoon. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Ability is a good thing but stability is even better. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Kaenon Polarized - Morris Yachts - West Marine Melges Performance Sailboats - North Sails - Lewmar Ullman Sails - Point Loma Outfitting - Team One Newport - Doyle Sails Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
