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SCUTTLEBUTT 1361 - June 30, 2003
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DAIMLERCHRYSLER NORTH ATLANTIC CHALLENGE
Skip Sheldon's Zaraffa crossed the finish line in the DaimlerChrysler North
Atlantic Challenge at 09:17:28 (UTC) Saturday and claimed the coveted
"first ship home" title in this first-ever race from Newport to Germany.
The passage took 13 days, 15 hours, 7minutes and 28 seconds. During the
3,618 nautical mile journey, the Reichel/Pugh 65 recorded a top speed of
25.7 knots. The winning crew included Mark Rudiger (navigator), Richard
Clarke, Neal MacDonald, Richard Mason, Greg Gendell, Michael Joubert,
Justin Clougher, Josh Adams, Dave Flynn, Geoff Ewenson and Rodger Erker.
"We were extremely lucky with our weather routing," said Sheldon of
Shelburne, Vt., who at 73-years-old adds this title to an impressive
sailing record. "It is the key to any race." Rudiger further explains,
"The most difficult [part] was the start," he said. "We went up into the
cold eddies when most of the others went further south. We invested early
and that paid off. This was a trip we expected to be awful and it came out
to be great."
The next boat due to finish is Tempest, chartered by Arthur Bugs Baer of
Madison, Conn.; Dr. F. Karl Van Devender of Nashville, Tenn.; and Dr.
William A. Dunn of Stuart, Fla. Lawrence S. Huntington, commodore of NYYC,
and his yacht Snow Lion currently lie in third position overall with a
projected finish of July 2. On IRC corrected time, Team888 (ex Kingfisher)
is currently in the lead, with a projected finish on July 4. - Dana Paxton,
Media Pro Intl., http://www.dcnac.de
NORTH SAILS RACE WEEK
A lot of things can go wrong in sailboat racing, and most of them did at
the 19th North Sails Race Week concluding Sunday. The spoils went to those
who overcame their bad luck or blunders (take your pick) or simply waited
for fate to make their days.
Jim and Lori Thompson, sailing their new J/109, Shekinah, from San Pedro,
didn't even finish the first race of the three-day weekend when they sailed
over their spinnaker. But later they were able to discard that result as
the worst of the seven races, break a tiebreaker with Dick Velthoen and
Paul de Freitas' J/35, Rival and---shazam!---collect additional honors as
PHRF and event Boat of the Week for winning the most competitive class.
They also shared the Lydia Kent Family Trophy with PHRF 3 winner Paul Kent,
one of eight descendants of the trophy's late namesake on board.
A throw-out was introduced this year, but it didn't help Samba Pa Ti. John
Kilroy's Farr 40 from California YC, with Paul Cayard as tactician, twice
recovered from jumping the gun in starts Saturday to share first place with
Peter Stoneberg's Shadow from St. Francis YC going into the last race. But
then a third misstep Sunday was fatal, and that was compounded when Samba
Pa Ti failed to return back across the line completely to clear itself,
requiring a second restart. By that time, a fickle 4-knot breeze that
greeted the fleet of 130 boats on the final day had built to a brisk 15
swinging hard right for the second race, leaving few passing lanes to play
catch-up.
Another San Francisco boat, Tom Coates' Masquerade, also overcame a setback
to run away with the largest class where 25 J/105s contested their Pacific
Coast Championships. Coates wasn't on the boat. He cut his left hand
severely last Wednesday so, on 48 hours' notice, tactician/mainsail trimmer
Chris Perkins became skipper and helmsman.
The Yacht Club Challenge Trophy was won by St. Francis, based on the class
wins by Masquerade and Shadow and a second place by Bill Wright's Zsa Zsa
behind Fanger and Mario Yovkov in the 1D35s.
Complete story and results at http://www.Premiere-Racing.com
OCKAM QUALITY AND ACCURACY
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providing significant and repeatable accuracy difference. Unlike other
systems that force fit boat data to a template and then constantly readjust
in varying conditions, Ockam calibrates to a specific boat and remains in
synch as conditions change. For more, visit http://www.ockam.com.
BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK
The sea breeze kicked in on Friday after drifting conditions on Thursday
and powered the Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week presented by
Rolex to a speedy and successful conclusion. The Everett B Morris Trophy,
top prize for the week went the J/105 Pretty Sketchy that dominated
competition in the 34-boat one-design class, the biggest of the 19 classes
racing. Pretty Sketchy also won the A. Justin Wasley Memorial Trophy for
the overall winner of the one-design class with the largest number of entries.
Skippered by 45-year-old Thomas Enright of Bristol, R.I., and steered by
his 18-year-old son Charlie, Pretty Sketchy showed a clean pair of heels to
the competition, posting a score of 13 low points. Sea Shadow, the
second-place boat in the class, sailed by Buddy Rego and Bill Riker, from
Hamilton, Bermuda, was a distant 26 points back with a total of 39. The
Bermudans won the Governors Perpetual Trophy for the foreign yacht with the
best performance of the week.
In the hotly-contested Farr 40 class John Thomson from Port Washington, NY
sailing Solution finished the week tied on points with Marc Ewing
skippering Riot, from Glencoe, Ill. Thomson had posted one more first place
than Ewing, breaking the tie in his favor.
In the International Measurement System (IMS) Level 40 Class, competition
reached new levels of intensity as three boats completed the seven-race
series tied on 17 points. The tie was broken in favor of Ira Futterman's
ILC 40 R-Wave from Kew Gardens, N.Y. Second place went to Paul Lowell's
Nelson/Marek 43 Agincourt from Hempstead, NY. Third was Robert Bayer's More
War Stories, from Stamford, CT. - Keith Taylor; full results available at
http://www.blockislandraceweek.com
ZEPHYRUS V RETIRES
Zephyrus V retired with rudder damage from the DaimlerChrysler North
Atlantic Challenge on Saturday, June 28, after logging 440 miles during an
attempt on the world 24-hour sailing record. John Bertrand, skipper of the
water-ballasted 86-foot American turbo sled, reported by satellite
telephone that all crew on board were safe and well. He said that in
addition to the rudder problem, waves smashing onto the deck of the boat
had broken stanchions for the lifelines and damaged a spinnaker pole stowed
on deck. Zephyrus V is headed for Southampton, England and is expected to
arrive on Tuesday.
"We pushed the boat pretty hard in winds of 30 to 35 knots and a very
confused sea state with big waves on top of a big swell," Bertrand said.
"We hit top speeds of 34 knots, and prolonged surges of 24 to 25 knots but
the sea state was not all that conducive to record breaking," he added.
"We'd go ripping down the face of a big swell and punch through two wave
tops before hitting a third and losing speed. The swell would pass under us
and our speed would drop to 16 knots before building again."
Ian Moore, navigator of Zephyrus V, explained that the fastenings pinning
the lower rudder bearing in place in the rudder housing had sheared off.
The rudder was still functioning, but the bearing was moving and working
inside the housing and the boat was taking on some water. "The boat itself
is in pretty reasonable shape. We could handle the inflow but it was
getting worse and we were a long way from home. It was time to put a lid on
the attempt."
In the record attempt Zephyrus V, had to maintain an average speed faster
than 20.16 knots for a 24 hour period in order to beat the mark of 484
nautical miles in 24 hours set in April last year by John Kostecki and the
crew of illbruck Challenge on Leg Seven of the Volvo Race from Annapolis,
Maryland to La Rochelle, France. - Keith Taylor, Taylor Associates
PASSING
Bernie Goldhirsh, 63, the founder of Sail magazine died June 29 from
complications from cancer in Boston. Bernie became intrigued and interested
in sailing while a student at MIT and discovered that there was no
comprehensive directory of sailboats. This led to his publishing the first
annual Sailboat Buyers Guide in 1968 and to Sail in 1970. He designed Sail
to be the engine of growth for the sport. Sail also eventually became the
leading sailing publication in circulation and ad sales in the world, a
position it still holds. Goldhirsh sold Sail to Meredith Publishing Company
in 1980 at the same time he was starting Inc., a magazine directed at
entrepreneurs. He was an active sailor and especially enjoyed his 44-foot
McCurdy designed ketch and navigating with "the old tools" with skills he
learned and then taught running a schoolship in the Caribbean. - Donald
Macaulay
ONE GIANT LEAP: SAILOR GOES FROM DECK TO DOCK
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TRANSPAC
A promising but unsettled weather system awaits the first starters in the
42nd Transpacific Yacht Race to Hawaii tomorrow. The first 25 boats---10
Cal 40s, 10 Aloha competitors and five boats in racing division 5---will
leave the starting line near Point Fermin on the Palos Verdes Peninsula at
1 p.m. Overall, the 59 entries form the largest Transpac fleet in 18 years.
In his special Transpac preview series, world-class sailor and weather guru
Bill Biewenga most recently noted: "The QuikSCAT satellite data indicates
a good breeze along rhumb line. There appear to be 20 knots of wind or more
along much of the route . . . or slightly to the south of rhumb."
And Biewenga gives the early starters something else to ponder: "As you
begin to think about how far and how fast to go to the south to dodge or
ignore the high pressure ridge, remember to keep an eye on your back in the
tropics. [There is] a lineup of tropical waves and one of them is already
being labeled a Tropical Disturbance. You'll want to watch to see just how
'disturbing' it becomes. That can rearrange the pressure gradient along the
normal location for the ridgeline. Or it can be far more disturbing than
that." - Rich Roberts, www.transpacificyc.org
CONFLICT
A conflict in the summer sailing schedule forced some of the sport's top
sailors to decide what event to attend. The Transpac starts this week,
where Gavin Brady, Kimo Worthington, Mark Rudiger, Morgan Larson, Jeff
Madrigali, Adam Beashel, Steve Ericson, Robbie Haines, Peter Isler, and
Dean Barker will be heading toward Honolulu. Also this week, the Farr 40
Worlds in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy will have plenty of able bodies.
Notables include Iain Percy, Russell Coutts, Mark Reynolds, Rod Davis,
Tommaso Chieffi, Chris Larson, Terry Hutchinson, Kevin Hall, Bill Hardesty,
Vince Brun, Dee Smith, John Kostecki, and John Cutler crewing in the event.
2003 US DISABLED SAILING TEAM
The Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) of US Sailing has announced its 2003 US
Disabled Sailing Team. Selections include the top-three competitors in the
two classes selected for the Paralympic Games Sonar and 2.4 Metre. For
the first time, each Sonar team will name an alternate which will allow for
a crew substitution should the need arise.
The following members of the 2003 US Disabled Sailing Team are listed in
ranking order one through three:
Named in the Sonar class (skipper and crew): 1998 World Disabled Sailing
Gold Medallist John Ross-Duggan (Newport Beach, Calif.), with Mike Ross
(Leucadia, Calif.), J.P. Creignou (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and alternate
Larry Kutno (Seffner, Fla.); 2001 2.4 Metre North American and Northeastern
Champion Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.) with Tim Angle (Marblehead, Mass.),
1998 World Disabled Sailing Silver Medallist Richard Hughes (Kennesaw,
Ga.), and alternate Maureen McKinnon-Tucker (Marblehead, Mass.); 2000
Paralympians Paul Callahan (Providence, R.I.) and Keith Burhans
(Irondequoit, N.Y.) with Mike Hersey (Hyannis, Mass.), and alternate Roger
Cleworth (Brandon, Fla.).
Named in the 2.4 Metre class: 2001 IFDS 2.4 Metre World Silver Medallist
and 2000 Paralympic 2.4 Metre Bronze Medallist Tom Brown (Northeast Harbor,
Maine); John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wis.); and Tom Franklin (Miami, Fla.).
The 2004 Paralympic Regatta is scheduled for late August, in Athens,
Greece, shortly after the 2004 Olympic Games, and will utilize the same
competition venue. Additional information is available at:
www.ussailing.org/Olympics/Paralympic/.
SURPLUS NORTH SAILS RACE WEEK GEAR AND MORE!
Check out the changes at The Pirate's Lair online store! You will find
surplus stock of the official North Sails Race Week gear and our new line
of Douglas Gill sailing gear. Quality gear is being added all this month,
including excellent package deals on regatta, high-school, college and team
gear. Check out the leader in regatta apparel at (888) SAIL-BUM or
http://www.pirateslair.com/sailing
KIELER WOCHE
This was the 121st year for this massive German event, where more than
5,000 male and female sailors from about 50 nations participate. Following
is a summary of some of the best performances by North American sailors in
the Olympic classes:
TORNADO (61 boats): 1. John Lovell/ Charlie Ogletree; 23. Robbie Daniel/
Tjiddo Veenstra; YNGLING (38 boats) 2. Hannah Swett/ Melissa Purdy/ Joan
Touchette; 8. Betsy Alison/ Lee Icyda/ Suzy Leech; STAR (69 boats): 7.
Peter Bromby/ Martin Siese;14. Mark Reynolds/ Magnus Liljedahl; 470 MEN (78
boats): 5. Paul Foerster/ Kevin Burnham; 470 WOMEN (37 boats): 9. Erin
Maxwell/ Jen Morgan; 10. Katie McDowell/Isabelle Kinsolving; 13. Jennifer
Provan/ Nikola Girke. Event website: http://www.kielerwoche.de/
NEWS BRIEFS
* 62 boats competed in the Tasar Worlds, held in Victoria, British
Columbia, Canada and concluded last Friday: 1) McKee/Johnson-McKee, USA,
32; 2) Buchan/ Buchan, USA, 42; 3) Renehan/Renehan, USA, 52; 4)
Mcphee/Kellow, AUS, 59; 5) Giese/ Towers, CAN, 88. Complete results at
http://www.tasarworlds2003.org/
* The J22 NA's saw 47 boats attending the event in Youngstown, NY. Final
results: 1) Peter McChesney Jr, Annapolis YC, 38; 2) Greg Fisher, Eastport
YC, 42; 3) Kelsom Elam, Rush Creek YC, 47; 4) Terry Flynn, Houston YC, 51;
5) Scott Nixon, Annapolis YC, 54. Complete results at http://www.yyc.org/j22/
* Over 800 sailors and 54 yachts have gathered in Cowes, England for the
2003 Swan European Regatta. Racing takes place from June 29th through July
3rd. Competing yachts represent England, Russia, Belgium, Norway,
Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark and USA. The Swan European
Regatta forms part of the world renowned Nautor's Swan Racing Calendar
which spans the globe with events specifically designed to provide Swan
owners with the excitement of competitive racing and a range of social
events that are second to none. In addition the Swan European Regatta, this
year's programme will include the Swan American Regatta in Newport, Rhode
Island, which is run from July 27th to August 2nd. Results and regular
updates of the racing will be posted on http://www.nautorgroup.com
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS
* August 17-20: US SAILING Junior Olympic Sailing Festival/Narragansett Bay
Yachting Association Junior Race Week, Barrington Yacht Club, Barrington,
Rhode Island http://barringtonyc.com/aJRWMAIN.htm
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com)
(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 or a
bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best
shot and don't whine if others disagree.)
* From Brad Russell: In response to the current "rules knowledge"
conversations, I have found UK Sailmaker's free Rules Quiz on their website
a extremely useful tool (http://www.uksailmakers.com/RulesQuiz/index.html).
The animation of a typical situation gives a visual example followed by an
explanation related to the applicable rules. Thanks UK Sailmakers for
making such a contribution in hopes of making something that is obviously
an issue, easier to understand. If only US Sailing would go to such an
effort, we might find this issue less of a problem. I have a hard enough
time reading and interpreting the RRS at 33 and couldn't begin to imagine
if I had started sailing as a kid in dinghies and trying to learn them.
* From Cam Lewis (edited to our 250 word limit): I, like so many of you,
are often frustrated with the lack of knowledge of the RRS that most
sailors have, or should I say, don't have. If your club has a newsletter,
consider having one or your more of your more knowledgeable members write a
rules quiz or article for each issue. I have been doing this for years with
my local YC and in general, it has really helped. In fact, for the July
issue of our newsletter, I discuss a real life incident that I observed at
the start of the Delta Ditch Run (a race up the Sacramento River). Being a
downwind start, you really had to think about what rules applied and how
they affected right of way. A single monthly article may not be the fastest
way to get sailors used to the rules but a little progress is better then
no progress at all.
* From Larry Nielsen: Since we keep changing the rules all the time --
maybe, just maybe there is something fundamentally wrong with the rules
themselves. I seem to remember that the best games had the simplest
rules. Not rules which try to cover every possible event.
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
Anyone who thinks old age is golden must not have had a very exciting youth.
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