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SCUTTLEBUTT 2981 - Monday, November 30, 2009Scuttlebutt 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. Scuttlebutt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Scuttlebutt on Facebook: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/facebook Today’s sponsors are Atlantis WeatherGear, Kaenon Polarized, and Premiere Racing. AMERICA'S CUP VENUE FOR 33RD RACE AGAIN IN QUESTION The defending champions of the America's Cup returned to court last Wednesday in a bid to change the venue for yachting's most prestigious race to the United Arab Emirates from a location in Spain. Swiss team Alinghi announced earlier in November that the race would be held in Valencia, Spain in February after a court in New York disqualified the champion's preferred venue of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. But in the latest chapter in a more than two year legal battle over terms of the 33rd race, Alinghi which sails under the colors of Societe Nautique de Geneve and is backed by billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli told a New York appeals panel the race should be held in February or May in Ras al-Khaimah. "We don't think the court can strip the right to select the venue from us," Lucien Masmejan, a lawyer for Alinghi, told Reuters outside the courthouse. The California based challenger BMW Oracle, which sails under the colors of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and is backed by Oracle Corp Chief Executive Larry Ellison, said the team was already transporting its equipment to Valencia and that to change the venue would be unfair. "If the race is not held in Valencia at this point we will be severely prejudiced," said Tom Ehman, BMW Oracle spokesman. The court has promised an expedited ruling and both teams said they expected a decision within weeks. -- Full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2535699420091125 - Alinghi statement: http://tinyurl.com/yld7h5s - BMW Oracle statement: http://tinyurl.com/ykmjx4q AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF KAMIKAZE LAWYERS By Cory E. Friedman, America’s Cup legal analyst To cut to the chase, oral argument last Wednesday (Nov. 25) before the Appellate Division, First Department, on Société Nautique De Genève’s (SNG) appeal from Justice Kornreich’s decision ruling out RAK as the Match venue and excluding rudders from measurement of Load Water Line (LWL) was a waste of the Court’s time. This appeal is a “nonenumerated” appeal, which means that it is an appeal for which no oral argument is permitted, unless the parties request argument time and the Court grants the request. Many lawyers take the hint and submit without argument. That does not suit the peacocks of the bar, who believe that, no matter how brilliant their briefs, their dulcet tones will bring the Court a giant step closer to Nirvana. Naturally, SNG’s lawyers asked for argument time and Golden Gate Yacht Club’s (GGYC) lawyers generously acceded to their request. SNG has an endless supply of kamikaze lawyers willing to crash themselves into anything SNG wishes. Robert J. Giuffra, a rising star at Sullivan & Cromwell, is the latest to embody the Bushido Code for SNG, after Barry Ostrager at Simpson Thacher failed to even dent anything he crashed himself into. The purpose of argument is to help the Court reach the result your client requested in its briefing with as simple, clear and focused a presentation as possible. Of course a lawyer can also chose the path of confusing the Court by playing to his or her client in the grandstands. Giuffra chose the latter path, evidently because SNG may not be ready by February 8, 2010. Thus, instead of sticking to a concentrated version of what was argued in SNG’s briefs, he went on to argue that the Match should be postponed to May so that it could be sailed in RAK and not conflict with the Deed. The major problem with this argument is that it is not in SNG’s briefs, nor is anything remotely like it. Such an argument is pointless, as the issues presented for appeal are limited by the briefs, but SNG obviously loved it. This leap completely off the playing field into some extraterrestrial orbit left the Court baffled. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/cf/#p51 DISCOVER: SAILING GEAR THAT’S COMFORTABLE ANYWHERE The new Aegis line from Atlantis is the hottest gear to hit the sailing world, but we’re also seeing it in places like the Thanksgiving Day game, the grocery store and even the lift line. A watch window in your ski jacket? Perfect! This year, get the sailors on your list something they can use for more than just sailing. Visit http://www.AtlantisWeatherGear.com for more info, and while you’re there, sign up for the Navigator’s Club to get access to first looks at new gear, closeouts and great holiday deals (like Cyber Monday). Discover your Atlantis TESTING, TESTING, TESTING * DEFENDER: After a few long days and late nights for the shore crew and some of the sailors and designers Alinghi 5, the Defender’s giant catamaran, emerged from the boat shed at the team base in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, last Friday with a longer bowsprit. The change will offer additional sail area and change the balance of the boat downwind, but is not expected to have any effect on the upwind sailing. Grant Simmer, Alinghi design team coordinator, explains here: http://tinyurl.com/ydd87ms * CHALLENGER: There were plenty of electrons moving about on memory cards last Friday as the BOR 90 took to San Diego Bay with its wing sail for its final testing session in the United States. The wing was removed from the trimaran on Saturday, with the boat also lifted out of the water to be prepared for shipping to the venue for the Match. “We’re in the home stretch now,” said helmsman James Spithill (AUS). “With the Match scheduled to begin in just over two months time, every hour we’ve spent sailing in this last session has been of incredible value to us. The wing sail has been a powerful addition to the boat and we’ve used this time on the water to learn about what it can do.” -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/yfndlor MONSOON CUP 2009 OFFERS UP BIGGEST PURSE YET The Monsoon Cup 2009, which begins Tuesday, has confirmed its position as the premier match racing event this year by offering the biggest prize purse in all sailing events worldwide. This year the Monsoon Cup offers a total prize money of MYR1.57m (~US$454, 000). The increase is a result of support from key sponsors for the Monsoon Cup which is the final leg of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT). The winner pockets MYR360, 000 (~US$104,000) all the way to the last team (12th place) which receives MYR50, 000 (~US$14,400). Monsoon Cup Race Advisor, Datuk Peter Gilmour said, “This makes the regatta the biggest prize pool available throughout all sailing events in 2009. Importantly, the Monsoon Cup marks the final stage of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) where the ISAF World Champion will be crowned.” The Monsoon Cup which enters its fifth year will be staged at the RiYaz Heritage Marina Resort & Spa in Kuala Terengganu in Malaysia December 1-6. The inaugural event was held in 2005. Gilmour noted that the increase in prize money is attributed to the increased sponsorship commitments from the key sponsors and the State Government of Terengganu in providing such outstanding facilities and intragovernment support that takes the event to a new level. The WMRT is the leading professional sailing series featuring nine World Championship events across the globe and the World Tour is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) with 'Special Event' status alongside such tours which include the America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race. -- Full story: http://www.sail-world.com/newsfeed_show.cfm?nfid=19&nid=63822 AMENDMENTS TO THE 2009-2012 RACING RULES OF SAILING The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) announced that, as a result of actions taken by the ISAF Racing Rules Committee and the ISAF Council during the ISAF Annual Conference, several changes in The Racing Rules of Sailing for 2009-2012 will take effect on 1 January 2010. The changes apply to: - Rule 18.2(c) will be changed due to an unintended consequence of the current wording of this rule. - The definition Obstruction will be changed so that a boat racing will no longer be an obstruction to other boats that are required to give her room or mark-room. - Additions will be made to the definition Party to correct unintended omissions. - A new rule, rule C2.12, will be added to the Match Racing Rules. After the 2009 rulebook was printed, ISAF revised its Advertising Code and, in so doing, eliminated all references to Category A advertising. References to the Advertising Code in Appendices J, K and L will be changed to make them consistent with the revised Code. -- Complete report: http://www.sailing.org/30355.php WHAT THEY WEAR Russell Coutts wears Lewi G12; Brad Butterworth, Hard Kore C12; Anna Tunnicliffe, Beacon C12 / Georgia C12; Genny Tulluch, Georgia G12; John Kostecki, Hard Kore C12; Jimmy Spithill, Lewi G12; Ben Ainslie, Rhino G12; Iain Percy, Baton G12; Cam Lewis, Lewi G12 Rx Freestyle; Peter Isler, Burny G12 Rx Freestyle; Shirley Robertson, Georgia G12; Mark Mendelblatt, Hard Kore G12; Andrew Campbell, Hard Kore G12; Pete Melvin, Jetty G12; Chris Larson, Hard Kore C12; Terry Hutchinson, Kore C12. The best in the world wear Kaenon Polarized. Evolve Optically. Find yours at http://www.kaenon.com or locate a dealer nearest you. => Curmudgeon’s Comment: While the America’s Cup teams struggle to agree on the terms of the 33rd Match, at least their tacticians (Butterworth and Kostecki) have found something they can agree on… Kaenon Polarized Hard Kore C12 WOULD YOU ABANDON A FLOATING YACHT? By Elaine Bunting, Yachting World Efficient rescues mean more yachts are being abandoned only to be found floating later. Should people pull the plug before they get off? Funny enough, I was joking with the crew of one of the non-ARC yachts in the anchorage in Las Palmas that if they tagged along at the back of the fleet they might be able to pick themselves up an abandoned yacht sometime in the next couple of weeks. Then, a day after the start, a 53-footer lost her rudder and her crew abandoned the boat after an attempt at a tow failed. At least one yacht has been abandoned in most ARCs of recent years and several of these have arrived intact in the Caribbean and been salvaged there. One surprisingly drifted about until it ended in the Azores. I know this comment was a bit facetious but the point is that most of the boats abandoned have basically been seaworthy and well worth salvaging. I should add that my observation wasn't specifically a criticism of the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers). The rally is merely a high profile reflection of the way things are going. When something major goes wrong, anxious crews often take the first opportunity to get off. When they do get rescued, nine times out of ten they leave their boats floating; people very, very rarely scuttle their yachts. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/yhbqvsa NOT COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES The Luderitz Speed Challenge annually attracts the world’s top kitesurfers to the remote Namibian town of Luderitz to compete during the month of November against each other and the clock to prove what is the world’s fastest wind-powered craft. Here is a report from American Olympic boardsailing medalist Mike Gebhardt, who is in Luderitz as a coach for U.S. record holder Rob Douglas’ Team NASSP: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Right now “Hydroptere” has on the WSSRC (World Sailing Speed Record Council) record books an (open water) run of 51.36 knots average speed over 500 meters. Hydroptere is a 65 foot long trimaran that rides on some pretty cool looking hydrofoils, so it does not matter if the surface of the water is rough, as only the relatively small area of the foils is cutting through the water. What we found intimidating about Hydroptere’s world record speed is that they did it in an average of 28 knots of wind. 51.36 knots in 28 knots of wind….now that is some serious efficiency. Up until last year, for speed kiters to go anywhere near 50 knots, we needed 45 knots plus wind speed. But we quickly found out this year on the Luderitz Second Lagoon speed site that we could post runs of 47 knots in winds averaging 25 knots and gusting to 30. In winds of 30 to 35 knots with gusts to around 40 knots we are getting runs of 50.98 by Alex and a super close run of 50.95 knots by Rob, (Rob’s top run breaks his last American record which are now his fastest two speeds on a kite, just within striking distance of Hydroptere’s World Record run.) Now where we are not comparing apples to oranges is in how the 500 meter distances are recorded. Hydroptere is using a high precision GPS system, allowing them to sail around and track, on say a 10 mile long run. Then they choose the fastest 500 meter piece of track and that becomes their record. The kiters are limited to going fast by the surface of the water. -- Read on: http://nassp.net/nassp/?p=295 MARC GUILLEMOT TAKES IMOCA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP The 2009 Transat Jacques Vabre, which culminated in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica with the arrival of Sam Davies and Sydney Gavignet aboard Artemis II, saw victory go to the duo Marc Guillemot/ Charles Caudrelier (Safran), thus enabling Marc Guillemot to pocket the IMOCA Open 60 World Champion 2009 title. Prior to the start in Le Havre, it was Armel Le Cléac’h (Britair) who stood the best chance of winning ahead of Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) and Marc Guillemot (Safran). However, with the skipper of Britair suddenly forced to retire from the race, Marc Guillemot (Safran) could only snatch championship victory if he finished at least two clear places in front of Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia). Fortunately for Marc Guillemot, the very fine second and third places that went to Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel) and Mike Golding (Mike Golding Yacht Racing), deprived the double Vendée Globe winner of the 2009 title. -- Full story: http://www.imoca.org/container.asp?id=22787 PLAN THE PERFECT HOLIDAY KEY WEST! ‘Tis the season for North America’s premiere international regatta Key West 2010 (Jan 18-22). Worldclass competition featuring IRC, PHRF and One Design racing, professional race management, and incredible conditions. Earn your suntan this winter, don’t miss the party! Hurry, first entry deadline: December 18th. Details and online entry: http://www.premiere-racing.com SAILING SHORTS * On the Swan River in Perth West Australia, Sunday afternoon, 23year old Perth sailor Torvar Mirsky and his MRT team outsailed triple Olympic Gold Medallist Ben Ainslie, double Gold medallist Iain Percy and the Team Origin crew in the final of the 2009 Sunseeker Australia Cup. The scoreline was 2-0. -- Read on: http://www.australiacup.org.au/ * Dubai, UAE (November 29, 2009) - Pieter Heerema and his team No Way Back have conquered the Sea Dubai RC 44 Gold Cup. Winners of the fleet regatta and the DHL Trophy, they also grab the RC 44 Championship Tour 2009 ahead of Artemis, who retains the overall fleet race title. The scenario couldn’t have been better ahead of the last racing day of the RC 44 Championship Tour 2009, with four boats in a position to win the overall title. -- Read on: http://www.rc44.com/en/regattas/news/index.php?idContent=2223 * Racing in the 2009 PricewaterhouseCooper Bermuda Optimist Open and National Championship concluded Sunday with six races in perfect conditions on Bermuda's Great Sound, with brilliant blue skies and a steady 8 to 12 knot breeze. This was in sharp contrast to the conditions on Saturday, when only one race was completed as winds increased from 20-25 knots at the start to 30-35 knots at the finish. Thirty two boats competed in the Championship Fleet, 17 Bermudians and 15 visiting American sailors. Bermudian Sam Stan finished just one point behind overall winner Roger Dorr (USA), to be declared 2009 Bermuda Optimist National Champion. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=8642 * A 2009 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea have been presented to two US amateur sailors Maurice and Sophie Conti who in their Catana 471 cruising catamaran Ocealys rescued three people from the sunken yacht Timella in very heavy weather off a remote South Pacific coral reef. -- Read on: http://www.sailing.org/30369.php * (November 27, 2009) - The International Sailing Federation's (ISAF) new training and development programme passed a major landmark with the accreditation of its first National Training Programme, the RYA's dinghy training in Great Britain. Following a four day in depth inspection of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Training Programme by ISAF inspector Olivier Bovyn (FRA), the RYA is now formally recognized by ISAF as a world class leader in the delivery of dinghy training at RYA Training Establishments. -- Read on: http://www.sailing.org/news/30367.php * At the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta last Thursday Emmanuel Dodé and Fred Moreau from France won the 2009 Dart 18 World title with one race to spare. The French team are the true champions with seven bullets and two seconds. A crack in the back beam almost put an end to their attempt to prolong their title. However, the strong French team spirit brought them quickly back to the Caribbean Sea to finish the job. The British duo David Lloyd and Joanna Jones-Pierce will bring a silver medal home. -- Full story: http://www.sailing.org/30370.php * PUMA has picked up the international prize at the European Sponsorship Awards for their PUMA Ocean Racing campaign in the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race, the company's first serious foray into sailing. In the international category, PUMA beat off opposition from Vodafone's sponsorship of the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team which was given second place. PUMA was also highly commended in the business to consumer category which was won by Wrigley's Extra with Coca-Cola second. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/ykxu2rc * The World Sailing Speed Record Council announced the establishment of a “benchmark time” for a new route from Port Louis (Lorient, France) to Port Louis (Mauritius). From October 17 to the November 12, 2009, Francis Joyon (FRA) on the 98ft trimaran Idec set an elapsed time of 26 days 4 hours 13 minutes 29 seconds for an average speed of 12.7 kts over the 8000 nm distance. -- http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/ SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CALENDAR Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar LETTERS AND FORUM Please email your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’). Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). One letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Peter Isler (re, forum letter in Scuttlebutt 2980): Back in the days before the "dial up" became the standard opening move (unless port can cross starboard by getting farther downwind or upwind when the boats first converge from their assigned ends) in the match race prestart, the "reversal" was the second most common opening move for the starboard entry boat. The most common was simply luffing up and tacking... commencing the clockwise circling. Here's how it worked: Imagine two boats beam reaching at each other with the port tack boat on a slightly higher "lane" than starboard. Instead of luffing up and going into a tack to initiate the circling, the starboard boat could also do a sharp jibe (starting when starboard's bow is about at port's shrouds or before). That move could sometimes allow "starboard entry" to get so close behind "port entry" (with both now sailing on port tack) that the latter could be initially pinned and prevented from jibing or tacking. Nowadays the reversal is less commonly employed because any time the boats are close enough in gauge to do a dial up, starboard entry will usually take that opportunity (because of the possibility of getting even a stronger "pin" on the port entry competitor). But you do see the reversal sometimes employed during circling... its effect is less powerful than at the initial entry, but it can still shake things up and surprise your competitor. http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgibin/gforum.cgi?post=8639 CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever. Special thanks to Atlantis WeatherGear, Kaenon Polarized, and Premiere Racing. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
