|
SCUTTLEBUTT No. 929 - October 24, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
VOLVO OCEAN RACE illbruck, to the south of the Nautor Challenge yacht, now has a five mile lead with a little over 200 miles to sail to the finish line. Both yachts are power reaching at a steady 15 knots in a 20 knot southerly breeze. At their current speed, illbruck is expected into Cape Town at 19.40 hours GMT today, (21.40 hours local time). - www.VolvoOceanRace.org * "The last 24 hours has been a reality check for this team on what's going to happen to us in the Southern Ocean unless we go back to basics on how to sail a boat like this in a lot of breeze under spinnaker," (Amer Sports One's skipper Grant) Dalton said. "It has left us with two destroyed spinnakers, one of which is missing 150 miles behind us, a broken halyard and a crew somewhat more receptive to the wise old men on board telling them what to do." Two major foul-ups left Amer Sports One with trashed sails. In one broach, the boat was laid horizontal for 20 seconds before the staysail halyard failed and exploded the staysail right through the spinnaker. In the other, a sail was ripped by a new helmsman not yet orientated into his position. - Tim Jeffery, The Telegraph, UK Full story: sport.telegraph.co.uk * With only one day's food remaining following light airs slowing the fleet's progress down, Team News Corp crew will have only protein drinks and muesli bars for their last day(s) at sea. They'll be looking forward to pizza and burgers on arrival in Capetown. STANDINGS - 0400 hours GMT on October 24: 1. illbruck, 212 miles to finish; 2. Amer Sports One, 5 miles to leader; 3. News Corp, 303 mtl; 4. Tyco, 463 mtl; 5. Assa Abloy, 668 mtl; 6. SEB, 1157 mtl; 7. dejuice dragons, 1173 mtl; 8. Amer Sports Too, 1247 mtl. http://www.VolvoOceanRace.org
AMERICA'S CUP "I am happy to announce that we have been issued sail number 66," said Conner, who will represent the New York Yacht Club during the 31st America's Cup, which will begin with the Louis Vuitton Challenger series in October of 2002 in Auckland, New Zealand. In 2000 we raced USA-55, for this new boat we have been issued USA-66, and I think repeating digits are good luck," he said with a smile. "It's always thrilling to reach this stage of an America's Cup campaign." This is Conner's ninth America's Cup challenge. Conner and many of his America's Cup sailors have been racing consistently in several regattas during the past two months. Conner won the Etchells North American Championships in September and is now the #1 ranked Etchells sailor in the world. Peter Isler and Vince Brun, who will both sail on Stars & Stripes have also given outstanding performances within the Etchells class and are now ranked 7th and 8th respectively in the world. "I always set my sights on winning and being ranked #1 in the Etchells class was no different," said Conner. "The next year is going to be an exciting one for myself, our team and of course the New York Yacht Club," said Conner in closing. "We plan to launch our boat in January and start a full training regimen shortly thereafter." Team Dennis Conner will be training in the waters off of Long Beach, California before relocating to their New Zealand compound next summer. - http://www.stars-stripes.com
SIMILARITY
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Roger Vaughan (edited to our 250-word limit): Just received an email that Bob Derecktor has died. I'm in shock. I think I figured he might live and sail and build things forever. I wish he had. I had great affection for him. He was one of the most impressive men I ever met. Tough, testy, challenging, creative, a craftsman of extraordinary skill, and a genius at some things. He built great boats, innovative boats with round watertight submarine type hatches, or canting rudder systems, or dagger boards with 18-part tackles. His favorite toys were huge cranes. He would rather build a good work boat than a yacht any day. He was as willful as they come, a his-way-or-no-way guy. His way was usually the right way, but sometimes it got him in trouble. You never faced off with Bob that you didn't suspect he just might throw a punch at you. Sometimes he did, a throwback to roughneck days. His heroes were guys who could design an engine, then cast the block and machine it and build it, then install it in the boat they had designed and built. His biggest hero was J.A. Roebling, who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. Bob's standards were high. For some reason he tolerated me and my camera around his Mamaroneck yard.. We were friends for years. Then we had a falling out. Predictable. It got patched up fifteen years ago. He cared. Sail on, Bob. You leave an enormous empty space. I will sorely miss you. * From Olin Stephens: I should like to see Scuttlebutt add a few further words of tribute to Bob Derecktor who added both quality and color to the world of Sailing. With many friends of his I attended a memorial service at the Mamaroneck yard last Saturday. I knew and admired Bob, first in 1937 when, still in high school, he had built a good little boat and he came to my house. After setting up his own yard he built many S&S designs and because I felt responsibility to the owner this was a sort of an adventure with my confidence in his quality somewhat offset by Bob's cavalier attitude toward the plans he was supposed to follow. If this was a little exciting the boats were always well built. Bob knew and loved boats and many friends knew and loved Bob. * From Ned Hall (Edited to our 250-word limit): I have many fond memories of Bob Derecktor. But sailing with him on the 1966 Transatlantic Race from Bermuda to Denmark was particularly memorable and characteristic. We were approaching the Flemish Cap on our great circle course and the weather was changing fast and getting chillier and foggier by the minute. The wind changed quickly and Bob roused us all out from below so fast we were doing sail changes in our bare feet and underwear. Soon we settled down with the masthead chute on Grey Goose, the little Derecktor-designed double-ended out board rudder 40-footer, and were screaming along at hull speed. Steering was hard because you couldn't see the edge of the chute in the dense fog, even with the mast light. Bob was tough throughout all this, but then we saw him rigging the life raft on the fantail. Another rather unnerving thing he did was place a loaded Very pistol right by the wheel with orders for the helmsman to aim it right at he bridge of a freighter if we saw one, so they would know we were there. That, of course, would only be if they were about to run us down. That was a particularly harrowing night, but somehow Bob's presence and attitude made you believe everything would turn out all right. Bob was human and that night had fear like all of us. But he never let it stop him. In everything he did. They broke the mold when they made him * From Glenn McCarthy: What's the difference between volunteering at US SAILING as an "athlete sailor" or "other sailor"? NOTHING. You still have the exact same input. Why did this "athlete sailor" thing come about? Here's the gist of what I've been told - In some really tiny sport, the Olympic athletes went to their board requesting funding to compete in championships overseas (which is normal in all sports). Low and behold, the board in this tiny sport used the Olympic grant money inappropriately and the athletes went unprepared for Olympic competition. The U.S. Congress became upset and never wanted that to happen again (for example, think about the effect of Jesse Owens competing in Hitler's Olympic games). The Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act came about to assure that "athletes" become part of the fabric of all National Governing Bodies. With the purpose that athletes can monitor the Olympic designated monies. Yes, the definition of "athlete" has changed (I don't know if the current one is the permanent one?) as the Congressional act did not give finite definition, leaving that to USOC. USOC came to US SAILING for a definition, and that definition has been in negotiation for some time (with US SAILING attempting to forge the widest definition possible, desiring inclusivity). Here's the bottom line good news, the net effect is that it is bringing many younger sailors to the US SAILING meetings, which is super IMHO. * From Bob Johnston: Back in the late 60's a guy named John Beery was teaching sailing here in El Toros and Capri 14's. Part of the plan was to sell his students new Santana 22's. Many of the Tunas (and graduates) are still sailing on the Bay. Good, reasonably-priced lessons followed by the purchase of a solid, reasonably-priced, simple boat got lots of folks into the sport in those days. It's not a unique idea - I think Tradewinds in Pt. Richmond is trying to do the same thing with the smaller Hunters - but some of the schools feel like it's a conflict-of-interest to be selling boats. I think this is a mistake. I also believe more people stayed with the sport in those days because they learned the dynamics of sailing in small boats. Some never moved up to "big" boats because the small boats were cheaper and more fun to sail. The SBRA was booming in those days - today they've all but disbanded it. Listen to the uninformed comments many people make aboard boats at the shows (they need lessons) and look at the number of sailing class guardates who are looking for a boat they are familiar with. Schools should feel more freedom to transition their students into boat ownership, and adults should be encouraged to learn sailing in small boats first.
SHORE TEAMS The standard jobs list for each stop over is already as long as the yacht but will undoubtedly grow with the general teething problems that are associated with a long opening leg. The specialists waiting dockside to rectify any issues will include boat builders, sail makers, riggers and engineers, all under the guidance of a shore manager, plus his secretary, a cook, press officer and some hired local help, to speed up and smooth out the process. The boat and mast will be stripped and every inch scrutinized. All the running rigging (halyards, sheets etc) may well be replaced. The water maker, engine, generator and water ballast, which can all be temperamental, will have a specialized service. The leaders will have an extra few days to ensure they are ahead of the game going into leg two and the Nautor and illbruck Challenge teams are poised on the dock. "They are keen to start work the second we get in," said John Kostecki. "It is basically like a pit crew in a car race....hand the boat over and let them do what they do best. We are very fortunate to have a large experienced shore team who knows what the priorities are on these short stop overs. This takes some pressure off of the Sailing team, so we can focus on recovering from the previous leg," added Kostecki. At the rear of the fleet, Team SEB, djuice and Amer Sports Too will all have their work cut out, as they will have a week to ten days less to turn themselves around in preparation for wild ride to Australia. "Take the scenario that we are beating to Cape Town the last thousand miles or so. This means a shorter stopover and less help from the crew. Higher demand on the shore-team is an immediate effect. I spoke to our shore manager, Scott McAllister today and he said that they are all ready and waiting, all they need is a boat," explained SEB skipper Gurrar Krantz last week. Throw in sponsor and media commitments, plus some more on water sail testing and days off become hours. No stone can be left unturned between now and November 11th if any team wishes to be first past the Opera House in Sydney three weeks later. - http://www.VolvoOceanRace.org
INDUSTRY NEWS * Terry Harper, former Executive Director of US Sailing, will become the Executive Director of US Synchronized Swimming. The sport has been in the Olympic Games since 1984 and in the Pan American Games for several years prior to that. The National Governing Body's offices are in the Pan American Plaza in Indianapolis. * The Royal Yachting Association of Great Britain seeks to appoint an Olympic Manager for the highly successful Team GBR Olympic sailing squad. Applications close at midday on Monday 5 November. The Olympic Manager will oversee and co-ordinate all activities involved in maintaining and developing Team GBR's current position in Olympic sailing. The post includes the responsibility of working with the home country and UK Sports Councils to implement the World Class Start, Potential and Performance programmes. - http://www.rya.org.uk
FORMULA WINDSURFING WORLDS STANDINGS, Men: 1. POL-BRZOZOWSKI WOJTEK 7.4 pts; 2. ALBEAU ANTOINE 15.0 pts; 3. AUS MCGAIN PHIL 16.0 pts; 6 US - PRITCHARD KEVIN 23.0 pts; 7 USBUZIANIS MICAH 24.0 pts; Women: 1. POL - STASZEWSKA DOROTA 2.1 pts; 2. SUI-JAGGI KARIN 7.0 pts; 3. BRA- MATUCK VALERIA 14.0 pts. Event website: http://www.worlds.windformula.com/
BOAT ENVY
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS
QUOTE FROM THE BOATS " It is getting pretty chilly out here, especially now, as we always set off on leg 1 of this race with thoughts of the tropics and clothing and bedding to match. As such we did not bring any sleeping bags which got everyone's approval at pre-race meetings as a good way to save weight but right now seems like a bad idea all round. We have instead of sleeping bags some thin fleece type sheets, which have been fine until now but have all the thermal properties of a string vest. The only solution for some of the guys was to grab the sail making kit and sew their rectangular sheet into a bag." Steve Hayles, Team Tyco
ISSA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SINGLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP Complete results: http://www.highschoolSailingusa.org
VANGUARD-15 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Complete results: www.v15.org
THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM |
