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SCUTTLEBUTT #359 - July 14, 1999CMAC* The International Jury governing the 1999 Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup has ruled on the rating certificate of the French IMS Big Boat in the regatta, Krazy Kyote Two. The Jury has rejected an application by the owner of Krazy K-Yote to have the rating certificate of his boat re-instated. The certificate had been withdrawn on the instructions of Nicola Sironi, Chief Measurer of the Offshore Racing Council (ORC). The Jury has confirmed that the ORC is entitled 'to give a rating it considers appropriate in the case of innovation in design and construction' and has found as a fact that the mast of Krazy K-Yote Two is innovative in design and construction. The Jury's decision effectively endorses the actions of John Warren, Chief Measurer of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, in withdrawing the certificate previously issued to Krazy K-Yote Two as soon as he was instructed to do so by Sironi. It also gives the ORC the go-ahead to issue a rating which 'does not result from actual measurement, in order to take into account reduced windage'. Such a rating has already been prepared, by Nicola Sironi and Andy Claughton of the Southampton Institute, using the IMS's computer model which normally produces the rating from measured figures. The Jury has also ruled that should that certificate be issued, it is to be deemed to have been issued on or before 11th July 1999 - in other words, it is to be the rating used if the boat races in this year's Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup. Another issue which would appear to be settled, if only by inference from the Jury's decision and the proposal by the ORC to issue a certificate, is the question of the legality of the boat's highly unusual mast. The mast is essentially a carbon-fibre I-beam set athwartships with lightweight Kevlar fairings fore-and-aft. The legality under the IMS Rule and its various Regulations of the materials used in the mast's construction, and indeed of its design and operation, had all at some stage been questioned in the past two days. Since the ORC now proposes to issue a certificate, the assumption must be that the mast, however unusual, is legal. Equally, the ORC's contention that the unusual features of the mast - in particular its aerofoil shape, its exaggerated fore-and-aft length and the way it is designed to twist - gave a performance advantage upwind which the ordinary IMS computer model could not fairly compensate would also appear to have been accepted by the Jury, and this is why the Jury has ruled that rule 101 of the IMS can be properly and legitimately invoked to give the boat a rating other than the one which would result purely from using the actual measurements of the mast. - Susan McKeag * The entire French team has withdrawn from the 1999 Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup after Stefan Kandler, owner of their Big Boat Krazy K-Yote Two, failed to persuade the International Jury to re-instate the boat's original rating certificate and refused, instead, to accept a theoretically assessed rating for the boat calculated by Nicola Sironi, Chief Measurer of the Offshore Racing Council. The Jury had earlier endorsed the Chief Measurer's action in ordering the withdrawing of Krazy-K-Yote Two's rating certificate on the grounds that the innovative aerofoil mast could not be fairly rated by the existing rule. They had also confirmed the Chief Measurer's right to calculate an independent rating for the boat. Acknowledging the Jury's support for the ORC position, Stefan Kandler nonetheless maintained that his boat was being unfairly victimised, and withdrew. 'A penalty against one of our boats is a penalty against the entire team' said Jean-Louis Fabry, whose Mumm 36 Bloo is the French small boat - and he and Bernard Moreau, owner of the French Sydney 40, also and reluctantly withdrew their boats. David Minords, General Manager of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, and Gerard de Ayala, who since 1977 has represented Champagne Mumm's interests as long-serving sponsors of the series, made no secret of their 'very profound dismay' at the turn events had taken. 'It is a great disappointment indeed' said Minords. 'RORC and Champagne Mumm have in the past two years worked extremely hard both to re-structure the event and in particular to have a French team here. For this to happen now is very painful to us.' The French have not been represented in Cowes since 1993 when, ironically, they won the Cup. * The United States team preparing to defend the Champagne Mumm Admiral's Cup enters the ocean racing series for international three-boat teams with high hopes of retaining the prestigious gold trophy. Racing starts today, Wednesday, July 14. Last weekend, the team's boats finished first in two of three classes in the Berthon Source Lymington Regatta. Virtually all of the boats from the eight international teams contesting the Admiral's Cup raced in the event as a warm-up for the 13-day Cup series. There were nine teams but the French contingent withdrew its entry in protest late today, after the International Jury ruled that the Offshore Racing Council had the right to add a penalty to the boat's rating certificate to compensate for an innovative, free-standing mast on their big boat Krazy K-Yote Two. George David's 50-foot Nelson/Marek sloop Idler from Hartford, CT, won the big boat class in the Berthon Regatta, as did Matt Whitaker's Mumm 36 Ciao Baby, from Houston, TX, racing in the small boat class. Bob Towse's Sydney 40 Blue Yankee Pride, from Stamford, CT, finished sixth in the middle-sized boat class after steadily improving all weekend. Idler, the big boat in the US Team, has the same afterguard that won the Cup two years ago aboard the US entry Flash Gordon III. Newport sailmaker and Rolex Yachtsman of the year Ken Read is steering, Olympic silver medalist and J/24 World Champion Jim Brady, from Greenwich, CT, is again the tactician. They are joined by renowned British ocean racer Derek Clark, returning as navigator. Towse is coming back to the event for the fourth time, and has chartered the new one-design Sydney 40 Blue Yankee Pride. He is joined by his regular helmsman, sailmaker, Olympic and ocean racing champion Steve Benjamin, from South Norwalk, Ct. Their tactician is America's Cup navigator and ESPN and Speed Vision television analyst Peter Isler, from La Jolla, CA. Whittaker, a three-time Admiral's Cup veteran, has chartered the Mumm 36 Jameson and named it Ciao Baby. This is the same boat his helmsman Chris Larson, from Annapolis, MD, steered to victory in the 1998 World championships and sailed to win the Admiral's Cup two years ago. Their navigator is New Zealander Mike Drummond, who has also sailed three Admiral's Cup and is a designer for Team New Zealand, defending the America's Cup. - Keith Taylor Regular updates about the regatta can be found on: http://mummadmiralscup.orgor http://ussailing.org/offshoreteams/ac AMERICA'S CUP AmericaOne, the San Francisco-based St. Francis Yacht Club's America's Cup 2000 challenger, today announced that the christening of their International America's Cup Class (IACC) boat, will be carried on the Internet, July 17 at 3:00 PM/PDT. The special "webcast" at http://www.americaone.org will be presented live from San Pedro and will feature a video, pre-show compound tour and christening of AmericaOne's first IACC boat, USA 49. Virtual guests are invited to log onto the AmericaOne website to pre-register for the event, as well as to download the viewer that will allow them to tune in for the christening. Attendees of the pre-show will enjoy both a pre-show video and a "virtual" tour of the AmericaOne compound, featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the different workshops the AmericaOne team has used to operate the boat and run its business operations including the sail loft, Tech Bay and a number of other shops utilized for rigging, electronics and machine work. The webcast marks the first time such an America's Cup christening ceremony has been shared with the public-at-large in what are usually private events reserved for individual challengers' sponsors, members of the press, and international VIPs. SAIC was also responsible for developing "America's Cup On-Line" during the '95 Cup - the official website which provided news and information about the Cup races. "Call it the democratization of the America's Cup," says AmericaOne's Paul Cayard. "The broadcasting of AmericaOne's christening is a small step toward broadening the appeal of sailing's Holy Grail to a worldwide audience." - Gina von Esmarch Webcast Checklist: -- Log on to the AmericaOne website at http://www.americaone.org -- Pre-register for the christening of USA 49 -- Check configuration by viewing AmericaOne video highlights -- Tune in for virtual pre-show compound tour -- Join the AmericaOne Team virtual christening ceremonies on Saturday, July 17th at 3:00 PM/PDT TRANSPAC The B-25 Vapor, has not been in contact since it started the Transpac on June 29. The crew is known to have had radio trouble even before the race. No other boat has reported sighting Vapor, but that is not unusual. In fact, it is very unusual for one boat to see another from a day or two after the start until after the finish. Also, no distress signals, such as an automatic EPIRB system, have been sent from the boat. According to its performance rating, Vapor would not be expected to arrive in Honolulu until Tuesday night or Wednesday -- perhaps even later depending on wind conditions or possible gear failure. Transpac officials are concerned because of the lack of communication, but because of the above points and the ocean sailing experience of Bill Boyd and Scott Atwood they are confident the boat could arrive unannounced at any time. - Transpac Media Center Event website: http:// www.transpacificyc.org MATT JONES TRANSPAC TRIVIA QUESTION Daily Transpac position reports were inaugurated in what year: 1936 - 1939 - 1941 or 1947? Answer at the end of this issue of 'Butt.
FAST AND FASTER
CMAC
TEAMS
SYDNEY 40
MUMM 36
GOVERNING BODIES
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude personal attacks. -- From Jeffrey Littell -- I have learned of proposed changes to the advertising code of the ISAF regulations that apparently: -take control of advertising away from the organizing authority and give this control to the Class or ISAF; -can be changed every 90 days apparently as ISAF sees fit; -will make it almost impossible for an organizing authority to issue a Notice of Race more than 90 days in advance if the "OA" desires to deal with advertising; -has designated certain regattas as being under the control of ISAF whether or not the "OA" wants to be included in this category. Please seek medical advice at once for treatment of mad cow disease for all of you are certainly out of your minds. -- From Mark A. Michaelsen -- More than ten years ago I was a speaker at the first "Sponsorship in yachting" conference. This meeting was sure to spell "the beginning of the end" of yacht racing as we knew it if you listened to the men in blue blazers who sat in the back shaking their heads at this "horrendous turn of events" in what had previously been a stuffed shirt sport. Well, a decade has passed, and it's obvious that USSA can stop worrying about floating billboards coming to a town near you. Americans are just not ready to watch "yachting" as a spectator sport and without that draw sponsorship will never be a big part of the sport here in the states the way it is in other parts of the world. If no one wants to watch, your advertising "reach" is limited and the value of graphics and other advertising is greatly limited. Let the decision rest with the class and I think you will find that the pressures within the groups will keep things in relative check all by themselves. Yeah, there might be one yahoo who wants to put his company logo all over the boat and sail around the buoys to get "the write off" but there won't be a check at the end of the event for his crew anymore than there is right now. Take a deep breath and try it this way. It certainly can't hurt the turnout we have been seeing lately --From Mark Jardine, Editor of Intersail Yachting Magazine, UK -- I read with interest the article giving US Sailing's view on the ISAF advertising code. Apart from their comments about the 'Special Events' list growing without forewarning I am wondering what their concern is. The new code in my reading gives more power to the Member National Authority (MNA) as to what levels of advertising are permitted and how it should be governed: Quote: 'In respect of fees paid, with the exception of those events/classes falling under ISAF's responsibility, then the respective MNA will be responsible to determine whether a fee will be charged and an Advertising Licence System introduced.' I sail in the UK where many boats use the existing category B rules to advertise their own businesses. This is not necessarily sponsorship but does provide the owner with a floating billboard if they want it. If the MNA choose not to charge for Category C advertising to a similar level of the current category B then where is ISAF gaining more control ? Dan Nowlan suggests 'race organizers, member yacht clubs and sailing associations should voice their opposition to the proposed additions and the Advertising Code by contacting ISAF'. I reckon everyone should read the ISAF proposals and make up their own minds. -- From Peter Huston -- While I prefer one-design racing, I've sailed in and enjoyed plenty of PHRF racing. There is no question that the rule isn't perfect, but alot of one-design rules aren't either. I certainly don't pretend to know everything about the mathematics involved in PHRF, or any other rating rule for that matter. It is my understanding that PHRF bases it's ratings on certain assumptions such as the boat being "well prepared", or some such wording. Am I correct in also understanding that PHRF assumes a new suit of sails on each boat when a rating is assigned? If that is the case, then don't those who show up with "old" sails carry a de facto penalty? Given that the vast majority of boats that race under PHRF do not buy a new inventory each year, would it not be better for the rule to assume what the average racer uses for sails? Would it be better for all concerned if the rule assumed a "fairly new" inventory - and assigned a penalty for "new" sails? If the goal is to increase participation, it would seem to me that if the average recreational racer perceived that they had more of a chance of winning, more of them who do not now compete because they think they have no chance of winning given an "old" inventory just might show up on the line if they had a "rating credit" for using "old" sails against the people who have the crispy new rags. --From Ken Brooke, Aus -- Orchids to Jeff Martin for his comments on World championships. The reason we have so many is that there are so many classes capable of holding them. It is a pity that so many yachts of a similar size capability and performance have been introduced to our sport. To me the arguments put forward by Messrs Unger and Fritze for reducing the number of World events do not hold water. How do you tell a class that they can no longer hold a World Championship when they take on all of the organising, arrange the venue, the infrastructure and the money to run it. OK maybe the ISAF will refuse to sanction a particular event. What a furore this would create. Equal opportunity, parochial arguments, etc. etc. and the class would just go ahead and do it anyway. The Etchells ran a brilliant World Championship in Perth WA with over 50 entries and I believe there were only 5 countries represented. D Connor, and J Bertram were amongst them. The winner was truly a champion. The whole thought is ridiculous and really is hardly worth debating. (So why am I??) From Jordan J. Dobrikin -- As I remember the discussions at the US Sailing AGM, in Seattle, the basic idea was to inform boats that were, ACTUALLY, OCS, after the start signal, as quickly and as effectively, as possible. So as to give those boats an opportunity to to return to race as soon as possible. Thus allowing them the opportunity to participate in the race in a meaningful way. This to be done using any/all of the following: radio, loud hailer, marks boat(s), work boat(s), judge boat(s), etc.; in addition to the use of the prescribed Rules for Individual Recall. "Bottom line", IMHO, after hearing all/most of the arguments against, is that it is good for the sport. Betsy Altman's proposal of a continuous, running, commentary, PRIOR to the start, IMHO, is not good for the SPORT. One of the most interesting, exciting, and challenging aspects of the Sport is the pre start and "start melee", as well as the post start adjusting. Getting "outsiders" involved with the dynamics is fundamentally wrong: informing the losers, after the fact, is acceptable, even beneficial, to the overall health and growth of the sport. -- From US Admiral's Cup Team member, Big Mike Howard -- THE FRENCH TEAM HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CUP. BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY OVER THEIR BIG BOAT. IT IS A SHAME TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO ADVANCE OUR SPORT AND NOT SET IT BACK TO THE DINOSAUR AGES. THERE IS NO MAST RIGGING -- THE TALL TOPSIDE BOAT WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. OBVIOUSLY IMPRESSIVE ENOUGH TO SCARE OFF THE COMPETITION AND HAVE ITS RATING CHANGED ARBITRARILY. IT SADDENS ME THAT 30 GUYS WILL NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO SAIL AS A TEAM. INSTEAD THEY WILL SIT ON THE SIDELINES WATCHING. I APPLAUD THE INTELLIGENCE OF A 27-YEAR-OLD DESIGNER TO FIGURE OUT THE FLAWS IN THE IMS RULE. AUCKLAND UPDATE (Reprinted with permission from DEFENCE 2000, which is available for US $48 per year from John@roake.gen.nz) * The French America's Cup Bouygues Telecom Transiciel yacht, Sixieme Sens (Sixth Sense), has been launched and reporters only got meager glimpses of the rudder and keel during the launching. The bulb of the keel is very voluminous and the rudder is a very deep 3.5 metres. Painted orange and blue, the boat does not seem to be either radical or revolutionary. It follows the lines of other known challenger boats so far launched. Long, heavy, narrow, and banana- shaped. If there is anything new, it relates to the bulb and the yacht's immense rudder. * The ailing Cousteau Society has high expectations of Sir Peter Blake when he takes control of the Society, immediately after the America's Cup. Reports emanating from Paris report that the Society is virtually bankrupt, and Sir Peter will have a major task on his hands to solve the society's problems. The French weekly magazine Le Point reports the the Cousteau Society has been brought to the brink of disaster by excessive ambitions, poor management, equally poor financial controls and declining membership. Hostility between Cousteau's widow (his second wife) and Michel Cousteau, son from his earlier marriage, has exacerbated the situation, with both branches of the family claiming to be the flag bearer for the deceased former leader. Further, the situation is not helped by an unauthorised biography just released, stating that Cousteau was a racist and anti-semite. NO WAITING Here's a rare opportunity! For the last few years there's been a backlog of two years to get a new Santa Cruz 52, but right now there are two yachts available. Hull #22 can be delivered in November 1999 and hull #23 in February 2000. Come and join the fun other Santa Cruz 52 owners are experiencing, racing and cruising the world in a first class performance yacht. For more information contact Stacey Ely at 831-684-0537 or stacey@santacruzyachts.com. Fast IS Fun and comfortable aboard a Santa Cruz 52! See Stacey and the Santa Cruz 52 in Annapolis in October. ANSWER TO THE TRANSPAC TRIVIA QUESTION Transpac began taking daily position reports in 1939. THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION A ship in a harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for. |
