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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 919 - October 10, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
VOLVO OCEAN RACE As the average speeds increase, the number of days left to Cape Town decrease towards initial predictions of around 30 days. As such, rationing of food is not the issue it was a week ago. ÒBack on full rations, which have pleased the crew and everyone is in good shape,Ó explained Team News Corp skipper Jez Fanstone. By tomorrow afternoon, the leading five yachts of illbruck, ASSA ABLOY, Tyco, News Corp and Amer Sports One will cross into the southern hemisphere for five months of high wind sailing. The only possible upset over the next two days, weather wise, will be if the current south east breeze shifts and heads the fleet, forcing them to put in a costly tack to clear the island. The brave crews may decide to bear off a few degrees, gaining speed in the short term but losing more miles should the shift come through. The southerly sprint between Isla Fernando de Noronha and Ilha Trindade 1010 miles away will provide the first real comparisons of pure boat speed between the yachts from the drawing board of Farr Yacht Design of illbruck, ASSA ABLOY, Tyco and News Corp against Amer Sports One designed by Mani Frers. Position Report Day 17, 2200 GMT
Boat / Distance to Finish / Distance to Leader Event site: www.volvooceanrace.org
PLAYSTATION SET TO BREAK TRANSATLANTIC RECORD They could cross the finish line as early as 07:00 Wednesday morning, taking more than a day off the existing time. Navigator Stan Honey revealed the secret of their success, "The weather front that has been carrying us along still appears as though it may be progressive enough to make it the rest of the way to the English Channel, which doesn't always happen." Steve Fossett: "PlayStation has finally come into her own. We are able to sail at her full potential with an experienced crew. We're taking full advantage of this great weather pattern, and hope to post an outstanding time." For ongoing record status see www.fossettchallenge.com
WEEKEND WARRIORS
ACURA RENEWS SORC SPONSORSHIP FOR THREE YEARS While celebrating its 60th anniversary this past spring, the Acura SORC enjoyed one of its best years ever with more than 130 yachts competing. Organizers anticipate participation to increase in 2002 with a growing emphasis on one-design classes, with entries expected from, Farr 40, 1D35, J/105, J/80, Mumm 30, and Melges 24 classes. The event will provide a one-design class start to five or more boats of the same class. There will also be racing for handicap classes including IMS, and PHRF. News and information about the Acura SORC is available on the regatta web site at www.acurasorc.com. The Official Notice of Race will be posted on October 15th.
PINGING THE ENEMY
AMERICA'S CUP At least five EPFL labs and some fifteen EPFL researchers are now working in collaboration with the Alinghi Swiss Challenge Team. About twenty EPFL students will soon join them. The partnership carries out its research and development work at the EPFL campus in Ecublens as well as at the Decision SA boat yard on Fenil-sur-Corsier near Vevey. The research partnership has several dimensions: materials science to optimize the yacht shell and test the resistance of its components, computer simulation to design the shape of the hull, especially the section below the water line, and measurement systems to analyze the aero- and hydrodynamics of the boat. EPFL will also launch a contest for students to develop a semester project that could result in a supplementary innovation for the Alinghi boat. The prize-winning student will be invited to join the Alinghi Team in New Zealand for the Louis Vuitton Cup competition in late 2002. * Peter Harrison's GBR Challenge today officially started their program in New Zealand, one year before the Louis Vuitton Cup is due to start in the Hauraki Gulf.Ê The GBR Challenge base is a compact version of the Cowes base, with a sail loft, admin offices, an operations facility, a travel lift and an extended pontoon.Ê The team are based there from now until the end of March, when they will return to Britain. Four new sailors officially join the Challenge. Toby Iles and Mal Parker have joined as trimmers, with Matt Cornwell signed up as a bowman and Craig Nutter for the pit.Ê
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (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 Joseph Bainton: Reply to Scott Ridgeway -- You overstate your case. Anyone who attends a world championship in any Olympic Class and finishes in the top half of the fleet qualifies as an A sailor athlete. Anyone who attends a world championship in any ISAF international class and finishes in the top half qualifies as a B sailor athlete. That is a universe much larger than the top 1% of all U.S. sailors. It is an informed universe that includes a significant number of weekend warriors in addition obviously to the top 1%. * From Chris Ericksen: I think Scott Ridgeway missed it ('Butt #918).Ê It is probable he is not a Class A sailor-athlete under the definition posted, but he might be a Class B or C.Ê All you need to have done to be a Class C sailor-athlete has have competed in an ISAF-sanctioned world championship in any class or any Nationals or North American Championship in the last ten years;Ê if you finished in the top third, you qualify to be a Class B sailor-athlete.Ê I suspect practically any serious one-design sailor qualifies;Ê hell, even I qualify as a sailor-athlete, a fact that will doubtless amaze those who know me... * From Dick Hampikian: Having used old System 2 as a PRO for many years over a wide variety of regattas (including club events as well as National, North American, World Championships and Olympic Pre-Trials) I find the complete elimination of old System 2 curious. Particularly, given that I never felt there was a problem with it. I keep looking for the benefits of the new ISAF system but unfortunately I find none. The new ISAF system doesn't handle multiple classes well - yet the vast majority of regattas have them. In fact, the new system takes longer despite the reduced times! (Unless you use rolling starts, which US Sailing advises against doing.) Racers have no fixed time-frame to synchronize their watches so congestion around the committee boat is greater. The shorter times don't allow for good tactical starts in large fleets and for boats that need to make rig adjustments etc. The elimination of shapes is even more absurd. As a racer, I find shapes much easier to see than flags in all wind conditions. And, shapes are easily distinguishable from other flags on the committee boat. It seems the decision to make the new ISAF system the only one in the US rulebook was mostly political. I hear the US Sailing Rules Committee recommended including old System 2 in the US rulebook as a prescription. However, that recommendation was rejected. It is interesting that the Canadian Yachting Association did include such a prescription, particularly since ISAF President Paul Henderson is a Canadian. Do they know something we don't? * From Tim Prophit: I don't know, certainly there would be few of us who might qualify for the A and B level athletes, but the field opens up considerably with the level C requirement, " ISAF sanctioned world championship in any class, National or North American Championship." Here in Detroit this past summer we had Tartan-10 Nationals, and J-35 Nationals, Etchells had their North Americans on the west coast of Michigan. Last year we had Cal-25 Nationals, and the year before that J-120 Nationals. As these, and many other classes tend to rotate the venues of their class National or North American Championships, I have to believe the pool of potential C level sailor/athletes is pretty big. * From Gareth Evans: I agree entirely with Rod Carr's comments.Ê The cut-off date for regatta entries is there to enable the organizing committee to successfully organize the event.Ê Any well organised boat will have planned at the start of the season which events they will be taking part in - most of the crew have to book time off work to go to these events.Ê So why can they not get their entries in before the cut-off date???
VOLVO OCEAN RACE - QUOTES FROM BOATS But we are wounded by the failure of our masthead locks and unable to use our code 0 in anything other than really light air. And guess what, we have entered a part of the world where it is all code 0 weather so we have to watch these guys move off. The stories of djuice being slow, seem that they may have had some substance, although they are in an impossible weather position at present and SEB, well, with all the info the boats get now the chances of bouncing corners and being right are somewhat reduced.
Rudi Rudiger, ASSA ABLOY: Now it's into the straight way and we'll see a little bit who has the horsepower. Now it is up to the boat and the trimmers. For the next 1000 miles there will be few passing lanes other than through the odd squall or gear failure. This morning was a reminder again of why we come back here time after time. The wind was blowing 12 to 14 knots on the beam and Assa Abloy is chomping at the bit to catch illbruck just ahead. The air is comfortable just at sunrise, and the colors and shapes can't be captured on film. You would also never capture the mood. The feeling of coming through the first big test and having a moment to relax with our ever strengthening team and friends. After more than two weeks now, the machine has a well-balanced roar.
Espen Guttormsen, Christen Horn Johannessen, djuice dragons: My watch mate Jonas is not too happy these days because his girlfriend Anna is way ahead of us at the moment. We try to tell him that 140 miles is nothing.Ê It doesn't seem to help him much at the time being.Ê We will see, its still more than 4000 miles and about 27 days of sailing left.Ê Our time will come, we just have to keep working on what we can control ourselves.
Jez Fanstone, Team Tyco: Ahead Isla Fernando de Noronha off NE Brazil, as our first turning mark, a chance for a film drop off for our cameraman nipper, and of course the equator....duty to be paid to Neptune by three crew... apparently the dues are expected to be severe as the lord of the deep is not in good humour.
MINI TRANSAT The first leg lasted 30% longer than the food did even for the leaders. Those further back in the pack will be eyeing up even a juicy deckshoe by now -- www.offshorechallenges.com for updates in English, the official website www.transat650.com is only in French.
ALBACORE US CHAMPIONSHIPS At 46 boats, this year's Nationals had the highest number of participating teams since the 1980s, a testament to the resurgence of both the class as well as the enduring appeal of the Uffa Fox design. Neville Herbert and crew Steve Penfold of the United Kingdom came in second place after fending off a strong challenge from U.S. Naval Academy All-American sailor Jasper Craig and wife Becky. Greg Jordan of Columbia, MD and crew Ken Stanek -- who came in 29th place at the 2000 Albacore Nationals -- garnered a most-improved award by placing fourth this year. Guillo Cintron of Arlington, VA, and crew Tomas Valasek won the highest-placing first timers award by placing fifth. President's Fleet: 1. Barney Harris/Steve Goode, Arlington, VA (6.25); 2. Neville Herbert/Steve Penfold, UK (24.75); 3. Jasper and Becky Craig, Pasadena, MD (26); 4. Greg Jordan/Ken Stanek, Columbia, MD (34); 5. Guillo Cintron/Tomas Valasek, Arlington, VA (43). Challenger Fleet: 1. Dave Dalbec/John Mongle, Washington, DC (5); 2. Stephanie Strand/Pat McGee, Alexandria, VA (10.75); Steve Van Winkle/crew, Arlington, VA (11.75); 4. Caroline St. Onge/Luc DesJardins, Toronto, Canada (29); 5. Gene Spillane/Peter Epstein, West Orange, NJ (33). For more info: www.albacore.org/usa
THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION |
