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SCUTTLEBUTT 3053 - Monday, March 22, 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. Scuttlebutt on Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Scuttlebutt on Facebook: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/facebook Today’s sponsors: Mount Gay Rum and Hall Spars & Rigging. FASTEST CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE WORLD UNDER SAIL The Jules Verne Trophy now belongs to skipper Franck Cammas (FRA) and his nine crew who have sailed around the globe in 48 days, 07 hours, 44 minutes (average speed of 18.76 knots), beating the reference time set by Bruno Peyron and his crew on Orange 2 in 2005 by 2 days, 08 hours, 35 minutes. Franck Cammas and his men crossed the finish line off the Créac'h lighthouse at Ushant (Finistère, France) at 21h40'45" UTC Saturday 20th March. The Jules Verne Trophy represents the fastest circumnavigation of the world under sail via the three capes by any type of yacht with no restrictions. Achieving this goal was Cammas, navigator Stan Honey, watch leaders Fred Le Peutrec and Steve Ravussin, helmsmen/trimmers Loic Le Mignon, Thomas Coville and Lionel Lemonchois, and the three bowmen Bruno Jeanjean, Ronan Le Goff and Jacques Caraes, supported on shore by router Sylvain Mondon. In setting a new reference time, Groupama 3 certainly had her highs and lows. The 103-foot trimaran had a deficit of just over 500 miles in relation to Orange 2 and was only able to beat the Jules Verne Trophy record thanks to a dazzling final sprint from the equator. At that stage they had a deficit of one day and two hours, but by devouring the North Atlantic in 6 days 10 h 35', Groupama 3 quite simply pulverised the reference time over this section of the course. Setting out on 31st January 2010 whilst the weather `window' was not particularly favourable, the team’s routing led them to sail 28,523 miles, whilst the official optimum course amounts to 21,760 miles. As such, in terms of actual speed across the ground, their average speed was 24.6 knots! The trickiest zone, both on the outward journey and the return proved to be the South Atlantic. During the descent problems arose due to the calms and on the ascent due to the headwinds. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/ykzhtbb * Previous record holder was Bruno Peyron and crew, who in 2005 sailed Orange 2 to a time of 50 days, 16 hours, and 20 minutes at an average of 17.89 knots. * A recap of the highs and lows of the record: http://tinyurl.com/yjh4mft => Curmudgeon’s Comment: I must commend Franck’s media team for providing great commentary and video all the route. However, perhaps the most valuable tool they provide is the map - the dynamic cartography module that provided Groupama 3's position, the weather forecasts, the day/ night zones, all the data from the trimaran, etc. Even now, with the route completed, you can click on the player and follow along the route of both Groupama 3 and Orange 2. Link: http://cammas-groupama.geovoile.com/julesverne/index.asp?lg=en HOME TEAM WINS LOUIS VUITTON TROPHY AUCKLAND Auckland, NZL (March 21, 2010; Day 13) - Racing under the colours of the host Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Emirates Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland regatta Sunday, beating in the finals Mascalzone Latino Audi team representing Club Nautico di Roma, which is the Challenger of Record for the 34th America’s Cup. Emirates won the first race Saturday, and with their second victory today they went 2-0 in the Finals, which race officials shortened to a best-of-three contest due to light and uncertain winds. To earn their trips to the Finals, Emirates beat Azzurra 2-1 abd Mascalzone beat Artemis 2-1. Azzurra won their lone Petit Final match against Artemis 1-0. Final Results 1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), skipper Dean Barker (NZL) 2. Mascalzone Latino Audi Team (ITA), skipper Gavin Brady (NZL) 3. Azzurra (ITA), skipper Francesco Bruni (ITA) 4. Artemis (SWE), skipper Paul Cayard (USA) 5. All4One (FRA/GER), skipper Jochen Schumann (GER) 6. TEAMORIGIN (GBR), skipper Ben Ainslie (GBR) 7. ALEPH Sailing Team (FRA), skipper Bertrand Pace (FRA) 8. Synergy Russian Sailing Team, skipper Karol Jablonski (POL) Live streaming web coverage of the Louis Vuitton Trophy in Auckland is available on the event website: http://www.louisvuittontrophy.com/home/ Team lists: http://www.louisvuittontrophy.com/teams/EN/ BACKGROUND: The Louis Vuitton Trophy series is designed to be a cost-effective format for match racing competition in equally equipped Version 5 America’s Cup Class boats. The 2010 series continues on to Sardinia (May 22-June 6) and Dubai (Nov. 13-28). INJURY UPDATE: On March 2, veteran British sailing journalist Stuart Alexander was walking to the Team NZ headquarters at the Viaduct Harbour when a four-wheel-drive vehicle hit down. Miraculously, no bones in his leg were broken, but his list of injuries was lengthy - three broken ribs, a broken sternum, dislocated collarbone, punctured right lung that was partially collapsed, and deep wounds to a knee and elbow that required a number of surgeries. After 11 days in the hospital, Alexander was able to return to the event prior to the semi-finals. -- Full report: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10633529 FUNDED: Team New Zealand’s Grant Dalton confirmed the syndicate has received millions of dollars in private funding from backers in New Zealand and overseas to stop other teams stealing key sailors. Dalton won't say who the backers are, but the money will ensure sailors are on retainers for the next Cup. -- Full report: http://tvnz.co.nz/sailing-news/team-nz-get-private-cash-keep-crew-3427705 FOR THE BOAT AND BEYOND… Whether you are looking for leading sailing gear this season or gear for on-shore activities, you need to check out The Pirate’s Lair Mount Gay Rum line. The Pirate’s Lair has introduced new products to this gear and apparel line - Douglas Gill padded sailing shorts, newly styled softshell jacket and many more items, all with the legendary Mount Gay Rum logo. Also look for the new Mount Gay Rum bags, glassware and burgees by calling Pirate’s Lair at 888-724-5286 or to shop on-line, log on to http://www.pirateslair.com/store/index.html Also remember to visit the Mount Gay Rum website at http://www.mountgay.com BUILT TO LAST The 46th Congressional Cup scheduled Tuesday through Saturday will be sailed on Catalina 37s, but that's nothing new. They've been sailed in the United States' only Grade 1 Open match racing event for 20 years, and that doesn't seem about to change. If anything, the Catalina 37s have grown in popularity since Catalina Yachts President Frank Butler and chief engineer Gerry Douglas brought 11 of them, including a spare, to the Congressional Cup organizing Long Beach Yacht Club, which later placed them under the administration of the Long Beach Sailing Foundation for charter. Now they're used in various fleet racing regattas, including Long Beach Race Week and last weekend's intercollegiate Harbor Cup at San Pedro. They are the only 11 ever built and they weren't built for speed or comfort as much as for maneuverability and to last, like your father's good old pickup truck. They aren't high-tech fast, either, and you probably wouldn't sail one to Mexico or even to Santa Catalina Island for a weekend. No bunks, no nav station, no head, just a Porta-Potty. Catalina 37s were built for match racing where, as long as all boats are equal, speed and comfort are less important than durability because match racing is more Destruction Derby than Tour de France. And the Catalina 37s are certainly equal. They were conceived and constructed by with solid - not cored - fiberglass hulls, making them heavier but tougher, with virtually indestructible rigging and hardware. If they hadn't been built that way they wouldn't have lasted long enough to survive two generations of punishment and abuse from the world's best - i.e., instinctively aggressive - sailors. -- Read on: http://www.lbyc.org/html/content.cfm?CID=1176 Here are the 10 skippers competing with current ISAF rankings: Sally Barkow, Nashotah, Wis. (99), Pine Lake YC Johnie Berntsson (9), Sweden, Royal Gothenburg YC Gavin Brady, New Zealand, Royal Hong Kong YC Francesco Bruni (24), Italy, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda Simone Ferrarese (32), Italy, Yacht Club Cortina Bill Hardesty, San Diego, Chicago Match Race Center Damien Iehl, (3) France, APCC Voile Sportive Eric Monnin (31), Switzerland, Yacht Club Immensee Evgeniy Neugodnikov (20), Russia , Team Synergy Dave Perry (45), Southport, Conn., Long Beach YC Johnie Berntsson is the defending champion, while returning winning skippers are Gavin Brady (4-time) and Dave Perry (2-time). LIFE AFTER THE 33RD Fresh from the 33rd America's Cup in Valencia, journalist Justin Chisholm spoke to Alinghi team-member Ed Baird, who was crewing on a Melges 32 a couple weeks ago at the Miami Grand Prix. Here is an excerpt of the interview: * What would be your preference on the choice of boats for the next America’s Cup? ED BAIRD: I think the boats will be a natural evolution from the existing monohulls. Everyone from all the challenging teams last time seemed to agree that there was a need for something new and that’s where we went in Alinghi with our suggested Protocol. That of course got shot down, but nevertheless I think the spirit was out there from the potential challengers for newer, more modern monohulls which are faster and more exciting. That said, you never want to have a design rule which spreads the racing out too far and that’s the issue with the idea of super-high-speed multihulls. As a part of the world of sailors out there, I think we would all like to know sooner rather than later what is happening so that we can all start planning. * What is the current status of your involvement with Alinghi? ED BAIRD: Well Ernesto has shut down operations and is waiting to hear what is announced about the next Cup. It will be his personal decision whether to mount another Alinghi challenge. I know he is thinking hard about his options regarding the Cup in the future, but right now there is no clear path because nobody knows what the event is going to be. * Is Ed Baird an archetypical Opti parent at regattas? ED BAIRD: Truly, I tend to spend most of my time at Opti regattas on the shore. The biggest criticism leveled at me as an Opti parent is that I tend to help the kids put the boats away more than some people would like to see. I find it is good therapy for me. Let the kids run off and enjoy themselves and I don’t mind helping pack up a little bit at the end of the day. When I go on the water, it usually because I have found a friend with a boat and a bottle of rum that we can go out, anchor up and watch the activities. There have been a few incidences when I have witnessed parents getting a little intense about their kids performances, but on average I think it is a great class. Complete interview: http://www.offshorerules.com/articles/showArticle.aspx?id=489 SIEGAL WINS IT ALL Miami, FL (March 21, 2010) - Another Etchells Jaguar Series wrapped up for the winter season today with Jeff Siegal (Greenwich, CT) taking home all the silver. And it was a nail-biter. Going into the final day of the 55-boat Mid-Winter regatta and the overall Jaguar series, three boats were nearly tied for the regatta, and also for the series: Jeff Siegal, Tony Rey, and Marvin Beckman. Jeff Madrigali, sailing with Siegal said, “How cool is it when it all comes down to the last day?” The Jaguar series score combines the rankings from four designated Miami events with one dropped result. For many years, Siegal sailing with his regular crew of Madrigali, Willem Van Waay and Becky Nygren, has been in the top five, but never won it all. -- Paige Brooks, Etchells NA Correspondent, full report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/jaguar/#4 Final Results - Mid-Winters 1. Jeff Siegal, Jeff Madrigali, Willem Van Waay, Becky Nygren 2. Marvin Beckman, Kurt Oetking, Watt Duffy 3. Phil Wehrheim, Karl Anderson, Max Skelley 4. George Andreadis / Tony Rey, Bill Bennet, Chris Busch 5. Tom Lihan, Moose McClintock, Barr Batzer Full results: http://etchellsfleet20.org/2010_jag/2010JMW_results.html Photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/10/0321/ Final Results - Jaguar Series 1. Jeff Siegal 2. Marvin Beckman 3. George Andreadis / Tony Rey 4. Peter Vessella (4th overall and also the top all amateur team) 5. Phil Wehrheim Full results: http://etchellsfleet20.org/2010_jag/2010Standings.pdf HALL SPARS ONE-DESIGN SALE From now until March 31, all Hall-made products for one-designs are 15% off when ordered online. This includes running rigging (sheets or halyards that require splicing), standing rigging, carbon-fiber spinnaker poles, and QuikVangs. Beneteau 36.7 sailors save $407 on a Hall seamless carbon-fiber spinnaker pole. J/24 sailors save $30 on our lightweight traveler bar. Don’t sail one-design? Shop in April when all Spinlock products are 10% off. Visit our store for complete details. Be the first to hear about our monthly web specials by becoming a Facebook fan of Hall Spars & Rigging. http://www.hallspars.com SAILING SHORTS * St Petersburg, FL (March 21, 2010) - After the Lightning Southern Circuit completed their first two stops in Savannah, GA and Miami, FL, 56 boats were counted for the final circuit stop at the Winter Championship hosted by St. Petersburg Yacht Club, St. Petersburg, FL on March 19-21. Light winds plagued the fleet on Friday, while strong winds caused some drama on Sunday. First-time Southern Circuiter Ed Adams took the top spot at both St Pete and the overall Circuit. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=9458#9458 * The 2010 Sperry Top-Sider San Diego NOOD regatta covered the county with 169 boats competing on four courses between Coronado and Mission Beach on March 19-21, with race management provided by San Diego Yacht Club and Mission Bay Yacht Club. The largest fleet was the J/105 with 18 teams dominated by Doug & Pam Werner and their crew onboard ‘Javelin’. -- Full results: http://tinyurl.com/yffzvfc * (March 21, 2010; Day 20) - For the nine teams in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, the forecasted deep low pressure system in the Pacific Ocean has reached the fleet and winds of more than 50 knots are producing some very challenging conditions for the teams, most of whom are sailing under bare poles - that is, with no sails - and are still making fast progress towards San Francisco. Leading is ‘Cape Breton Island’, who holds a 203nm lead over second place ‘California’ with 1994nm to the finish. -- Event website: http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com * The Volvo Ocean Race will continue to introduce the new route for 2011-12 on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 March. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.com * (March 22, 2010) - Italy defeated bitter rivals Russia to clinch the 44th World Military Sailing Championship which concluded yesterday at the Bahrain Sailing Club premises near Al Jazayer Beach, Zallaq. The week-long championship got underway with 21 teams, including six Arab countries - Oman, UAE, Tunisia, Qatar, Libya and hosts Bahrain. The remaining countries were France, Pakistan, Canada, India, Poland, US, Norway, Brazil, Turkey, Finland, Austria, Denmark and Spain. -- Full story: http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=273735 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 Alistair Skinner: (re, Chinese stop for Volvo Ocean Race) I can understand why Sanya wants the race, as it will provide good publicity for this newish holiday destination that is obviously not exactly as well known as the Caribbean, for example. However, it is also a first class example of the VOR putting the event ahead of the teams. Look at the distances from the centres of CEO population: Hong Kong 400+ Miles; Shanghai 1,160 miles; Tokyo 2,200 miles; Manilla 800 miles. It isn't sponsor friendly from the viewpoint of key accounts just taking an afternoon out of the office. They will have to pay for their flights and the CEOs take a couple of days off if there is going to be any significant corporate events. Added to this that the per capita income there is considerably lower than many other Chinese coastal cities. There are many places where a sponsor would have a lifted ROI - and bottom line, that's all they are interested in. It is hardly the sort of inducement that potential teams would be hoping for to entice their potential sponsors. Whatever happened to the idea that the most important party in a sponsored event is the sponsor? I am told Sanya has no VOR infrastructure yet and where the VOR70s would need lifting keels and not canting keels. But there are two years to go and if anyone could get it ready in time, the Chinese can. * From Howard Bentley: Thank you Andrew Hurst for educating me; your simple, former, North American reader, loyal Scuttlebutt subscriber, and sniping editorial commentator who in fact is already back from and lives exactly from whence I come, in San Francisco. Us simple North Americans don't like cheaters and liars. It is pretty simple really. Whatever was accomplished on the water previously by Alinghi, was undone with each subsequent prevarication of the rules and every obfuscation of the truth through the multitude of inaccurate media releases intended on shaping opinion away from facts and reality. Alinghi was a complete disgrace right up to and including their club refusal to do the RC work. Is the best 'neg' you can come up with that BMW Oracle spent too much money?? That is a laughable statement from a supposedly for-profit magazine editor, especially in this economy. Curious as to how your advertisers feel about your seeming disdain for too much money being spent. Whoops. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion as to how best to cut some unnecessary monthly expense form my life. * From Jeroen van der Beek, New Zealand: Andrew Hurst - Editor of Sea horse Magazine - says it is time the American Arm Chair Critics give Ernesto Bertarelli the respect he deserves. Mr Hurst, that is exactly what we have been doing, giving Mr Bertarelli all the respect he deserves. How could a man in your position have missed that, were we a little too subtle? Oh and I'm not American. * From Craig Dymock: Here-here, Andrew Hurst. I am also deeply bored with Alinghi-bashing articles and letters here. Trying to suggest there was only one set of "bad-guys" in this whole episode is laughable, naive and is already boring. Time to move on. => Curmudgeon’s Comment: I commend Andrew for sticking his neck out, but I shall end this thread now in the newsletter before it gets cut off. All letters have been posted in the Forum, where this conversation can continue if desired: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=9454#9454 CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION “We made too many wrong mistakes.” - Yogi Berra Special thanks to Mount Gay Rum and Hall Spars & Rigging. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
