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SCUTTLEBUTT 2952 - Friday, October 16, 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. Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Today's sponsors are Hall Spars & Rigging and Dinghy Locker. LESSONS FROM 50 YEARS OF JUNIOR SAILING By Paul Heineken, StFYC Junior Committee Chair My family says I'm permanently arrested at the sailing instructor level of development. As Co-Chair of the Junior Committee at St. Francis Yacht Club, I have been forced to regress. What follows are my reflections on the locations, changes, experiences, and lessons learned over those five decades: 1950's As a barefoot kid in Pine Beach, N.J., I got a "teaser" ride with a bunch of kids on a Lightning. I loved it, but couldn't afford the $5 to join the junior program, so for the rest of the summer I watched from the beach. This fanned the fire to sail, and led to the first lesson: MAKE JUNIOR SAILING ACCESSIBLE. 1960's During a high school summer, I sold myself as a sailing instructor to a summer camp in New Hampshire. (No US Sailing Certificates then.) After preparing by memorizing the "Golden Book of Sailing," I got the kids safely sailing Sunfish dinghies. But the key discovery was integrating water games with the sailing. For most 10 year olds, pirate, sponge tag, bucket attack, etc., are far more fun than racing--but sailing well improved each team's attack. The second lesson: MAKE IT FUN. As a college student, I took a summer job on the south shore of Long Island at a club with a hot new fleet of International 420s, complete with trapeze and spinnaker. That was the easiest lesson. Sailing fast is more fun, (and trapezing beats hiking). The summer before medical school I landed a job as the head instructor at Royal Bermuda YC. A summer in Bermuda, accompanied by my Finn Dinghy, was a wonderful experience. Competing in the Finn Gold Cup against the likes of Paul Elvstrom was icing on the cake. That lesson: KEEP THE INSTRUCTOR HAPPY (and let him or her race every now and then). 1970's On the Charles River in urban Boston-Cambridge, MIT had a great racing program - sailing tubby Tech Dinghies. As a busy medical student and resident, this was the only sailing I had time to do. Soon I learned that the slow Tech made the "small pond" much bigger, and proved the next lesson: COMPETITION IS WHAT MAKES GOOD RACING, NOT THE BOAT. My move to San Francisco occurred at the birth of the local Laser phenomenon. Don Trask built Lasers and junior sailors sailed them to their limits. John Bertrand, Jeff Madrigali, Paul Cayard, Craig Healy, and many others pushed each other such that the whole group excelled. They went on to win world championships, proving the next lesson: WHEN KIDS ARE READY, CHALLENGE THEM AGAINST THE BEST. The stock Windsurfer was an active one-design racing class for all ages and sizes. One often saw 60+ boards at events on the Bay or Delta. The windsurfer was widely available, inexpensive, and easily transported. It got many people onto the water that had never sailed a boat. Local shops ran training programs for kids and adults. Racing was made fair by defining weight classes. The next lesson is obvious: TO BE ACCESSIBLE, ENTRY LEVEL SAILING MUST BE AFFORDABLE. Complete report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/1015/ => Curmudgeon's Comment: I am hopeful that Paul's report prompts some healthy dialogue on this subject. Please email to me your comments or post them in the link above. STANDOUT PRODUCTS FROM THE SHOW The annual U.S. Sailboat Show provides the marine industry with an excellant opportunity to showcase its new products. The show concluded this past Monday, and MyBoatsGear.com editor Mike Hobson was there to review some of the standout products. here is his report: -------------------------------------------------------------- - This year sees a couple of new Sailmakers at the show, both should impact the industry with healthy competition. Evolution Sails based in Easton MD; this new sail making company combines the talents of employees previously with North & Quantum. They are able to custom make their own string sails. Hyde Sails out of the UK now has offices based on the East Coast of the US. I sampled a J/24 main and Genoa this season and found them to be very fast. - Fugawi and Navionics have teamed up for iPhone navigation. This is not a gimmick - this is a real mobile navigation solution. - Harken introduced many products, including their new Radial Winch line, hydraulic systems, and headsail furlers. - NKE earlier this year introduced a new product (first time in Annapolis) that takes the NKE line of instruments into the high end race boat market. - PURE Yachting announced sleek new carbon ribs with teak decks Here is an index of show reviews: 2009: http://www.myboatsgear.com/newsletter/20091012.asp 2008: http://myboatsgear.com/newsletter/20081015.asp 2007: http://www.myboatsgear.com/newsletter/20071015.asp 2006: http://myboatsgear.com/newsletter/2006122.asp ONE STEP AHEAD Hall Spars & Rigging has momentum. Instead of cutting back, we're moving forward to enhance our factories, processes, and products. We've opened a spectacular new addition to our Holland factory, featuring a 45-meter autoclave and a fabulous carbon shop that will easily accommodate the largest superyacht projects. In the U.S., our SCR manufacturing facility produces seamless rigging up to 180ft. long. And in NZ tooling is already being used to build Oceanfurl booms for superyachts 100ft. and longer. If your goal is to stay one step ahead, stay with the company leading the way. -- http://www.hallspars.com EVOLUTION OF WOMEN'S SAILBOAT RACING: "ROLEX" TURNS 24 By Carol Cronin The Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship has changed since the first event in 1985 - and that's a good thing. The weather certainly dominated dockside conversations at this year's Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship. Too much wind the first day and too little on day three allowed us to complete only six of a planned eleven races. But the real story lies in what everyone-competitors, race management, judges, spectators, spouses - took for granted: the high quality competition among several generations of Olympic sailors. The first "Rolex" took place in 1985, three years before the first women's Olympic medals were awarded. This year's event was dominated by the current Olympic gold medalist in the women's singlehanded discipline, Anna Tunnicliffe. Second place went to an alternate from the 1988 Olympics, Cory Sertl. The 2004 U.S. Olympic women's keelboat skipper (that's me) finished third. Two Olympic Yngling sailors, Dominique Provoyeur from South Africa and Jen Provan from Canada, finished fourth and fifth. The level of dedication required by Olympic preparation transfers quite well to this event, across both years and classes. The US has yet to win an Olympic medal in the women's keelboat, but we've won all thirteen Rolex regattas. Perhaps the deck is a bit stacked in our favor? This international event, which is always held in the USA (Newport, Annapolis, Houston, and now Rochester), is sailed in classes with a strong US presence: J/24's and now J/22's. With only two teams from outside North America, I missed the international depth and breadth of years past, when Europe was well-represented and several teams of seven Japanese women (some in pink foulweather gear) cajoled a chartered J/24 around the race course. I also missed the chance to catch up with friends from around the world without getting on an airplane. But this year's lack of international flavor stems from the fantastic growth of women's sailing worldwide. As other opportunities (Olympic and otherwise) have blossomed, the Rolex is no longer the only well-run event for women eager to do battle in small keelboats. And as skill levels have risen (thanks in part to the training required to succeed at this event over the past twenty-four years), more women are sailing against the boys at keelboat championships around the world. -- Boats.com, read on: http://tinyurl.com/ygvp2fe * Photographer Dan Nerney travelled to Rochester, NY for Rolex to shoot their International Women's Keelboat Championship, and in doing so captured another winning moment for 2008 Olympic medalist Anna Tunnicliffe. Photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/1015/ CHAMPIONSHIP OF CHAMPIONS Lake Carlyle, IL (October 15, 2009) - With temperatures in the mid-40s and winds of 4 to 6 knots, competition was tight at US SAILING's Championship of Champions through eight races today on Lake Carlyle. The 2008 Thistle National Champion, Greg Fisher (Annapolis, Md.) with crew Dan and Tobi Moriarty (St. Louis, Mo.) dashed out to an early lead by winning three races today, including the first two. They finished with 20 points on the day and a one point lead over two-time Lightning North American Champion, Allan Terhune (Arnold, Md.) who finished strong and posted a line of 3-3-2-3-1-3 over the final six races. Terhune is joined by crew Catherine Terhune (Arnold, Md.) and Dave Perkowski (Crownsville, Md.). Point Loma High School sophomore and FJ National Champion, Olin Paine (San Diego, Calif.) with crew Steve Hunt and Jeff Reynolds is a distant third place with 34 points following an OCS in race seven. The OCS followed a win and second place finish in races five and six respectively. Paine is tied with Lido 14 National Champion, Stuart Robertson (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and crew Whit Batchelor (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Mark Ryan (Long Beach, Calif.). Robertson had a lead through four races. He also won the final race of the day. Racing resumes Friday and runs through Saturday. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/ygsx27z * Live updates during the races: http://tinyurl.com/yjeap3w SAILING SHORTS * Athens, Greece (October 15, 2009) - Teams awoke to rain on the second day of the IFDS World Championship, with 6 to 9 knot northerly winds coming off the Athens shoreline, ultimately dying off to limit racing. The SKUD-18 completed three races, while the other fleets were limited to two races. The top teams representing North America are Scott Whitman/Julia Dorsett (USA) who is now second in the SKUD-18 fleet (4 teams), while Rick Doerr/Brad Kendall/Maureen McKinnon-Tucker (USA) are fourth in the Sonar (12 teams). Bruce Miller (CAN) is now 11th in the Single-Person Keelboat - 2.4mR (27 competitors). Racing continues through Sunday. -- Event website: http://tinyurl.com/ykl38kv * A one-hour special on the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, held this September, is scheduled to air on Sunday, October 25 at 7:00 pm Eastern (4:00 pm Pacific) on ESPN2. Presented by Rolex, the program is produced by Emmy award-winning producer Gary Jobson and features highlights from racing among 19 teams from 14 nations as well as interviews with participants and side stories about Newport, Rhode Island, where the New York Yacht Club hosted the event in one-design NYYC Swan 42s. More information on the event can be found at http://www.nyyc.org/WorldInvitationalCup/ * State senator Greg Barkus from Montana is facing three felony charges related to a boating accident in August that injured five people. Barkus was charged with criminal endangerment and negligent vehicular assault after driving a boat into the rocks on a Montana lake on August 28. Prosecutors say Barkus' blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit for driving a boat. If convicted on all charges, Barkus could face up to 30 years in prison and a US$70,000 fine. -- IBI Magazine, read on: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090915153411ibinews.html * West Marine has reported net sales of US$168.2m for its fiscal third quarter ended October 3, 2009, a decrease of 6.7 per cent compared to the same quarter a year ago. Same-store sales were off by 4.3 per cent for the quarter. The company said in a statement that if the impact of a fiscal calendar shift in 2008 was calculated into the results, this year's third quarter revenues would have increased by 0.2 per cent, and same-store sales would've been 3.7 per cent higher than last year. -- IBI Magazine, read on: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090915151744ibinews.html * CORRECTION: In Scuttlebutt 2951, there was a link to a do's and don'ts list about the college recruiting process. Unfortunately, the source of the information had the wrong copy posted and there were some errors. The corrections state how junior sailors cannot receive scholarships related to sailing in any shape or form, and how college coaches are not allowed to help with financial aid. The correct information is now posted here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/college_sailing_guide.pdf DINGHY LOCKER - CHAMPIONSHIP GEAR, WORLD CLASS SERVICE Dinghy Locker has a boat for every sailor - from beginners to recreational and club sailors up to Olympic sailors who demand and expect the best. Visit our store and showroom off I-95 Exit 6 in Stamford, CT to see our Laser Performance line, Bluemagic Optimist, Blueblue i420, and the new Bladerider RX. You'll also find Patagonia, Musto, Gill, and Magic Marine gear, plus hardware by Ronstan, Harken, Optiparts and more. Interested in a charter? Arrive at Orange Bowl with a fully rigged Opti or Club 420 waiting for you! Contact a Dinghy Specialist (800) 487-0775, visit http://www.DinghyLocker.com or stop by! PHOTOS OF THE WEEK Some of the random photos from the sport received this week at Scuttlebutt include collegiate keelboating, Swiss mess, schooner travels, Spartan sailing, and Worlds training. If you have images you would like to share, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor. Here are this week's photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/09/1016/ VIDEO OF THE WEEK Professional videographer Vince Casalaina has produced this overview of the Snipe class and its 2009 World Championship in San Diego, CA. Included is sailing footage from the Worlds race course, interviews from top competitors explaining the culture of the class, onshore scenes, along with the event story. Crisp editing and knowledgeable dialogue make this clip a winner. Click here for this week's video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/09/1016/ * If you have a video you like, please send your suggestion for next week's Video of the Week to mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com EIGHT BELLS Passing away on October 13th, Richard T. Whitcomb (1921-2009) was an aeronautical engineer who spent most of his career at the Langley Laboratory of the NACA and its successor organization, NASA. In the 1970s, Whitcomb developed winglets, devices used at the wingtips extending both upward and downward, which reduce wingtip vortices and the induced drag such vortices create, improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing and seen frequently in modern airliners, in which they reduce fuel consumption, and in sailplanes in which they improve glide ratio. For sailboats, the use of the winglet had hydrodynamic advantages as well, and was widely introduced to yacht design during the 1983 America's Cup when Australia II utilized a wing keel in their victory over the American team. => Curmudgeon's Comment: The recent interest in Australia II, or specifically the source of the design for the innovative wing keel, has provided a welcome distraction from the legal gymnastics that the America's Cup now provides. I had a nice chat with Dennis Conner this week, where he shared some of his memories from that Cup summer 26 years ago. Look for that report next week. 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 Andy Vare: Watching the Americas Cup 24/7 slow motion trainwreck over the last several years, I have turned my attention elsewhere in search of meaning and truth within the fine sport of sailing. I feel compelled to bring light to another Deed of Gift governing a very serious affair here on the San Francisco Bay. This is a summer-long regatta that has a really neat crowd, with blue-blazers and skirts-below-the-knees mixed in with the predominant casualness which is common on the winning boats. I am impressed beyond words with both the caliber of sailors and their genuine respect for fellow competitors and love for the sport, even beyond competition. Thusly impressed, I have never seen before such a thoroughly well-thought-out piece of yachting governance, than that contained in the Deed of Gift, which is included in the following link: http://tinyurl.com/yf8mwsu One thing their site does not link to is which legal venue controls where competitors or interested parties may, for example, sue to prevent the Beercan Series from proceeding without due process; for standing as a Challenger; or to file complaints about procedural correctness of cross-motions to stay, amicus curiae, etc. Turns out, it's pretty easy and disgruntled foreign challengers are encouraged to file at http://www.judgejudy.com/submit_case.php * From Roger Marshall: If Ras al-Khaimah was such a good venue to begin with, how come they had to spend $120 million to upgrade the infrastructure for two boats? I seem to remember that Perth built a whole new harbor for less than that and there were many more teams in Perth. * From Jim Thompson: So, let me get this right, they selected RAK at the last minute, Alinghi could not get sponsorship due to the short timeframe and now I hear they are investing 120 Million on infrastructure ... for how long and what did they know that we did not and could this be true? Don't you need a plan ... something smells bad here. * From Ron Ward Navigator, Communicator, America's Cup Race Committee - 1983: The recent discussion about who actually designed the 12 Meter "Australia II" is certainly not new. But unlike suggestions in Scuttlebutt, it had public airing long ago. In January 1985, Peter van Oossanen addressed hundreds of naval architects, marine engineers, and sailors at the U S Naval Academy on the development of the design at the Chesapeake Sailing Yacht Symposium sponsored by The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), The Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, and the U S Naval Academy. He presented his paper entitled "The Development of the 12 Meter Yacht Australia II". In it he provided all details of the step by step progress including a request to evaluate the addition of winglets to the keel studies by Ben Lexcen on May 19, 1981. He traced the relationship between his organization, the Netherlands Ship Model Basin, and Warren Jones and Ben Lexcen of "Americas Cup Challenge 1983, Ltd."The work was carried out "under the supervision of Ben Lexcen" (quote). The paper, and seven others, was published in bound form for wide distribution and should be available from SNAME. It covers other aspects of the preparation for the challenge and the controversy over the origin of the design. * From Steve Brownsea: It is funny how an 8 ounce guppy can turn into a 200 LB Marlin. We all know who the real designer was for Australia II was, you only have to look at Van Oosanen's other Americas cup designs starting with his 1992 challenge Australia to see it. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too. Special thanks to Hall Spars & Rigging and Dinghy Locker. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
