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SCUTTLEBUTT 3119 - Wednesday, June 23, 2010Scuttlebutt 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: Harken, APS, and Quantum Sails. 'THE AMAZING RACE' HOST TAKES SHOW ON THE WATER Phil Keoghan has signed on to host and co-produce a new race around the world. "The Amazing Race" host has signed on to partner on a reality show set in the world of the Velux 5 Oceans race. The event follows skippers as they sail alone around the globe on Eco 60 racing yachts. Exodus Film Group has sealed North American TV rights to the race, while Keoghan will produce through his No Opportunity Wasted banner. Global production company All3Media is handling audio and video support. A U.S. outlet has not yet been identified. "Phil's adventurous spirit and experience as an entertainer will help capture the true personalities of these adventure athletes on and off the water and the challenges they face in circling the planet globe alone," said Exodus Film Group CEO John Eraklis. Keoghan said he was most intrigued by the fact that the sailors will tackle the seas alone. Solo sailing has been in the news recently via 16-year-old Abby Sunderland's recent aborted attempt to become the world's youngest sailor ever to circle the globe solo. "This is a fantastic opportunity to share a physical and mental challenge that will test competitors beyond what seems humanly possible and at the same time highlight the planet's awe-inspiring oceans," Keoghan said. Clipper Ventures runs the Velux 5 Oceans race, which begins in La Rochelle, France, on Oct. 17. Race moves from France to Cape Town, South Africa; then to Wellington, New Zealand; Salvador, Brazil; and Charleston, S.C., in the United States, before returning to France. -- Variety, http://tinyurl.com/3ag84du LOCAL: Veteran solo competitors Brad Van Liew of the U.S. and Canadian Derek Hatfield are entered in the race. TRACKING TAKES CENTRE STAGE Over the next few weeks more than 400 Optimist sailors will compete for the North American and European titles and for the first time, fans will be able to keep up with all the action by following the racing live online. The Optimist North American Championship will see more than 200 sailors gather in Kingston, Canada for five days of tough competition (June 26 to July 4). Just a few days later, another even larger fleet will gather in Kamien-Pomorski, Poland for the Optimist Europeans (July 2 to 10). This year, both events will feature live tracking. Available on the internet, it will feature race analysis, mark roundings and real time standings. You can follow specific sailors or teams - easy to use with replays of all races also available. There has been much discussion recently, particularly following the ISAF Olympic Commission report, about the need for sailing to embrace technology and to present sailing to a wider audience. It seems particularly appropriate for the Optimist class, the worldwide pathway for young sailors, to take the initiative and run live tracking at four championships this year - the North Americans, Europeans, European Team Racing and the Worlds. -- http://www.sailing.org/32946.php HARKEN MEN'S AND WOMEN'S DECK SHOES Feel the breeze on your feet through Harken Hydroflux shoes. Face cooler climes wearing our Vortex style. Try the Classic Leather for the perfect combination of on-deck performance and traditional styling. 3 styles, 12 colors, women's and men's fit. Visit http://www.harkensport.com/cat/shoes.html SOCIAL: Check out the new Facebook page for Team Harken news, photos, and dock talk! http://www.facebook.com/Harken CLARITY COMING SOON FOR BERMUDA STANDINGS (June 22, 2010) - A Swan 56 owned by Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, Noonmark finished off St. David's Head, Bermuda, at 1:40 AM EDT on Tuesday after experiencing more wind than the bigger boats that finished ahead of her. Based on provisional standings, Noonmark VI has handily won the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Trophy, which allows an unlimited number of professionals aboard, including professional helmsmen, but is open to amateur crews that want to sail against them. As the mostly English Noonmark crew of 16 celebrated at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club marina soon after dawn on Tuesday, Carina, Rives Potts's McCurdy & Rhodes 48-footer, finished the race at 5:55 AM EDT, more than 50 miles ahead of the next boat in her class, Class 3 St. David's Lighthouse Division. The most experienced Bermuda Race boat in history (this is her 19th race since her first one, in 1970, which she won), Carina appears to have a lock on the competition between boats in the 45-55 foot range. To further emphasize her achievement, she was the 21st boat to finish in the 103 starters in the St. David's Light Division, beating dozens of larger, higher-rated boats. Carina represents the Cruising Club of America, whose Commodore, Sheila McCurdy, is the daughter of the boat's designer, James A. McCurdy. The St. David's Lighthouse Division, the largest division in the race, allows a limited number of professional crew, but only amateurs are permitted to helm the boat. Will Carina survive the thrilling duel between three boats in Class 1, for 35-40 footers? They are two-time St. David's Lighthouse Trophy winner Sinn Fein, her Cal 40 sistership Belle Aurore, and the Peterson 38 Lindy. The 2:19 AM iBoattrack position report showed all three boats within a mile or two of 130 miles from the finish, with Sinn Fein farthest to the west and sailing sail a little broader off the southwest wind, very likely under a reaching jib or spinnaker. The boats are averaging more than 7 knots so should finish after sunset Tuesday. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/367t38s FOCUS NARROWS WITH KIEL FINALS ON WEDNESDAY Kiel, Germany (June 22, 2010; Day 4) - It was a bit of a nail biting day again in the morning of the fourth day of Kieler Woche, the sixth stage of the 7 event ISAF Sailing World Cup. By noon a light breeze filled in and all classes could finish enough races before the medal races begin on Wednesday. "The forecast was really the opposite of what we saw later on the water. But to make sure enough races were completed for the Finn and Star classes, who had only raced two before, we relocated their course close to the shore. And it worked, they could sail three races," explained Jobst Richter, Chairman of the Kieler Woche. The top ten from each fleet racing class advance to the Medal Race on Wednesday. The North American competitors that qualified are: 3rd - Laser, Michael Leigh (CAN) 5th - Laser, Clay Johnson (USA) 3rd - Laser Radial, Paige Railey (USA) 7th - Laser Radial, Sarah Lihan (USA) 3rd - Star, Mark Mendelblatt/ Magnus Liljedahl (USA) 5th - Star, Andy Horton/ James Lyne (USA) 7th - Finn, Zach Railey (USA) 8th - 470 Men, Stu McNaty/ Graham Biehl (USA) 10th - 470 Men, Adam Roberts/ Nick Martin (USA) 10th - 49er, Erik Stork/ Trevor Moore (USA) For Womens Match Racing, the race committee continued to churn through the rounds all day but by 20:00 hrs had to postpone having got part way through the quarter finals. At the close of the day, Claire Leroy (FRA) leads Silke Hahlbrock (GER) two flights to one. Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) leads Silva Lehtinen's team from Finland by two to one and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) also leads Katie Spithill (AUS) by the same score. In the final group world number one Lucy Macgregor (GBR) leads her opponent Genevieve Tulloch (USA) by two to one. Event website: http://www.kieler-woche.de/eng/englishdefault.php USSTAG report: http://sailingteams.ussailing.org/Events/World_Cup/KW2010.htm FROM A TO Z CONCERNING SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS Options for communicating on a boat and out of VHF & cell phone range include satellite and SSB (single side band). SSB can get you some very cheap air time after the initial start up costs. However new developments in satellite technology is making this option cheaper. There are three major players in the satellite field; Inmarsat, Iridium, and Globalstar. At the present time, the two best options must be Inmarsat and Iridium. Inmarsat has its Fleet Broadband network which includes FB150, 250 and FB500 which offers fantastic data connections , while iridium offers the cheapest worldwide phone calls, in a small portable package. Globalstar has been around for a while, but have had problems with their satellites over the past few years. However for the future Globalstar has funding which will help it launch new satellites to get them back in the game. The French government is behind this and with Thales Alenia space providing the satellites. To give you an idea of costs a phone call via cell phone from the Bahamas to the US may cost more than via sat phone. Satellite phone costs vary from close to $1/minute to $1.5/minute, so if you use the phone sparingly for important calls it's not that expensive. One new feature from satellite providers is free incoming text messages to subscribers via web site. This works by a party going to say the Iridium messaging site and entering their friends Iridium phone number and typing in a message. The text message then appears on the Iridium phone within a few minutes. -- MyBoatsGear.com, full report: http://www.myboatsgear.com/newsletter/200752.asp COUGARS? NO, CRUGEAR! There's a new cat in town but it's not a cougar. Introducing Crugear by APS, "The World Leader in Outfitting Performance Sailors." When you're looking for all the latest in sailing fashions for your team or want to bring your passion for sailing to your next event let APS Crugear outfit your crew. Featuring in house design and decoration backed by APS' top notch customer service and knowledge of sailing apparel from event gear to crew gear to corporate gear Crugear has you covered! Some things might get better with age but that doesn't mean there's time to waste. Visit: http://bit.ly/crugear GEAR REVIEW: Something just for the ladies! APS set out to look through their women's gear and took a good look at three women specific life jackets, Bella by Astral, Abba by Astral and BetSEA by Stohlquist. All three have their good and bad features and here's an in-depth look: http://blog.apsltd.com/2010/05/womens-gear-review-life-jackets.html SAILING SHORTS * AccuWeather.com is now predicting 18 to 21 named storms for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, some of which will impact the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. There have been no named storms so far this season, which began June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. AccuWeather.com chief hurricane meteorologist Joe Bastardi increased his original forecast of 16 to 18 storms to 18 to 21, with six hurricanes, two or three of which will have major landfalls. Only five years in the 160 years of records have had 18 or more storms in a season. -- Soundings, full story: http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/home/hurricane-prediction * The Bahamas Sailing Association has announced that Christopher Sands will be heading to Istanbul, Turkey from July 8 - 17 July to participate in the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship 2010 in the Laser Radial class. Christopher is 16-years old and is one of the countries junior sailors that the Bahamas Sailing Association and the Nassau Yacht Club are actively supporting with training and regatta programmes. -- Full story: http://www.sailing.org/32943.php * (June 22, 2010) - The Clipper 09-10 Race has endured 24 hours of tricky navigation and careful helming in thick fog as the Clipper 68s continue to pursue the Challenge 67 Cork across the Atlantic to her home port of Kinsale, Ireland. Not only that but fast downwind conditions have taken their toll on spinnakers and there have been several reports of kite damage across the fleet. Jamaica Lightning Bolt continues to lead the nine Clipper 68s, now 144 nm astern of Cork. -- Event website: http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/ PHOTO GALLERIES * If the America's Cup is hosted on San Francisco Bay, the teams better be prepared to sail in conditions suitable for an Optimist. Last weekend saw 44 Optimists handle the 25 knot winds in the aptly named 2010 Opti Heavy Weather Regatta, and here are photos from Erik Simonson and Leslie Richter to prove it: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/10/0621/ * The start of the Newport to Bermuda Race is as much festival for the spectators as it is the commencement of one of the famous distance races. With photographer Daniel Forster in the air, and Cory Silken, Leighton O'Connor, Meghan Sepe, and George Bekris on the water, this Scuttlebutt photo gallery joins the party too: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/10/0622/ * There is something about combining the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, the skill of an elite photographer, and the power and beauty of TP52 racing to make for an exciting photo gallery. Thanks to Carlo Borlenghi, Guido Trombetta, Chris Cameron, Juerg Kaufmann for these epic shots: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/10/0622a/ QUANTUM SAILS ARE WINNING ALL OVER THE WORLD! Quantum Racing captured 1st place in the second regatta of the 2010 Audi MedCup in Marseille, France. Meanwhile in Holland, Quantum sails captured 1st and 3rd at the J/24 European Championships as Serco took top honors. Additionally in Italy, Andrea Cassale with his Quantum sails took 1st at the J/24 Italian Nationals. Discover your winning ways at http://www.quantumsails.com 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 Derek Bouwer: Regarding the Mayday procedure in Scuttlebutt 3118, while I wholeheartedly agree with the article, I need to point out a few errors: A Mayday call is only sent when the vessel is in imminent danger of sinking A Pan-pan call is sent if assistance is required A "Medico-Medico" call is sent if medical assistance is required * From Ken Womack (re, Sacrificing the Social Part of the Sport: #3117): It is my belief that the Etchells Class would be well served in having a single weigh-in at its major regattas. Although the Class bristles with pros, the Class relies on the amateurs across many fleets in many countries to keep the Class going. It is the amateurs who help give the Class its critical mass and financial means to exist. The Class needs to work had to make its events fair and competitive as well as fun for all involved. I am an amateur by every measure. I am attracted to the Etchells Class for many reasons, including not in small part its ability to attract phenomenal talent, its great venues for major events, top notch race committee work, and the fleet camaraderie. It is also a boat that can be well sailed by crews that often consist of two or three sailors well over fifty or sixty years in age. If my amateur crew and I cannot enjoy the wonderful venues the class affords, because of quibbling over a pound or two gained during the regatta, perhaps Jeff Borland (in Scuttlebutt 3118) and others are right in saying shame on me for not being a hard bellied 24 year old. Unfortunately the multiple weigh-ins negatively impacts my experience in other ways. If there are many top teams fighting the weight limit throughout the regatta, I am also missing out on the opportunity to share time with these top sailors of the world, who also need to abstain from the post race functions. Spending a little social time with these fellows is one way I can improve my skills on the water and they are a major motivator in my remaining active in the Class. * From Bruce Golison, 2010 Etchells North Americans winner: I have been in the Etchells class for six years now and have sailed both 3up and 4up. I sail with friends and hope that the Etchells class never changes the crew weight limit to effectively eliminate a 4up team sailing with regular size people. By doing so, the class, which has its roots as a family class, would lose the ability have women and kids sail with adult males of normal size. This would be against the original principles of the Etchells class in my opinion. We just won the Etchells NA'S sailing 4up with normal size people including a 42 year old gal (in light to medium air conditions). Two other boats in the top five sailed with adult women. In past Jaguar Series regattas, I have sailed with several 12 year olds (boys and girls) as part of a 4up team and finished in the top four in each regatta. Let's not lose the ability for women and juniors to race in the Etchells class. => Curmudgeon's Comment: The posts on Scuttleblog have taken the class crew weight issue and weigh-in protocol a step further by debating the fairness of sailing with four people versus three people. It has been noted that while sailing with four people provides an extra set of eyes and hands, it also allows for an unmeasured weight increase due to the extra sailing gear of the fourth person, plus four lighter people have additional hiking strength over three heavier people. Read all the comments here: http://sailingscuttlebutt.blogspot.com/2010/06/party-killer.html * From Brent Boyd: Ken Legler (in Scuttlebutt 3118) is lost in his own remote world concerning Team Racing. Most television viewers - and this is what it takes to make a sport take off - can barely understand what basic sailing is all about because they have never tried it therefore have no empathy or basis for comparison. Everyone has thrown a ball, run a footrace, or tried to jump over an object and knows the difficulty and limitations. Another step up in sailing is America's Cup match racing as well as other match racing events; even with diagrams, virtual imaging, and excellent narrative I have non-sailing friends who barely understand the basics. Team racing brings a whole new set of rules to flaunt, several unidentifiable boats to follow on maze like courses, and action so fast the average barca lounging, beer drinking viewer is hopelessly lost shortly after the start if not before. The channel is quickly changed to Star Trek reruns or NASCAR. There are many more obstacles to overcome than perceived language differences. Sorry Ken, but you have a long, difficult hill to climb. I wish you the best of luck. * From Steven Wolff, chair of US Sailing Team Racing Committee: Three cheers to Ken for picking up the idea of spreading the team racing spirit and running with it. Nothing breeds success like success and the BUSA tour has been a boon to collegiate sailing in the US and the UK for decades. An international collegiate team racing tour has "win-win" written all over it. More than any other sailing discipline team racing engages its participants on multiple levels - there's the obvious --- athletic boat handling, rules knowledge and teamwork. But, there is also the less obvious but equally important - the team racing culture is all about camaraderie and sportsmanship -- I know personally the great racing and life-long, international, friendships it encourages. What better way to achieve the Olympic credo - "higher, faster, stronger" and the Olympic goal of friendly competition among the youth of the world than a high energy and spectator friendly team racing event with a 100 races a day, in color-coded boats, at a venue close to shore. With good commentary, a video feed from the water and overhead, and interviews with the players on the Internet and TV, the spirit can grow virally (see what Sailgroove posted daily from this year's ICSA/APS Team Race Championships at U-Wisconsin Madison or Gary Jobson's efforts to televise team racing for ESPN U). But let's not stop with the college crowd. If we want to see team racing in the Olympics, we need to infect people at all levels of the sport - especially those who make decisions at national and international levels. -- Scuttlebutt Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10059#10059 CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste. Special thanks to Harken, APS, and Quantum Sails. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
