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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 1199 - November 14, 2002Scuttlebutt 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.
LVC QUARTER FINALS The second day of the 'quarters' saw more fine weather, with a shifty 15-knot breeze from the south/southwest. Although there weren't as many lead changes or penalties as on the opening day, the matches were no less intense, especially on the final runs. Oracle BMW Racing's lead came under threat when their spinnaker pole broke during the set, allowing OneWorld to close up. Alinghi saw most of its 36-second lead evaporate when they split with Prada for the other end of the finish line. Sweden's Victory Challenge honoured the spirit of their founder by dominating France's le Defi AREVA for a second day. Syndicate founder Jan Stenbeck would've turned 60 today, but he passed away last August just hours after the team had launched Orm, SWE-73. Stenbeck's son, Hugo, was aboard as 17th man today, as he has been for nearly every race. - Louis Vuitton Cup media center, www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com
RACE RESULTS
DANGEROUS INVASION Acting within the IMO (International Maritime Organization) framework, ISAF has agreed, as an alternative to big-ship legislation, which would otherwise have affected all vessels, to prepare special guidelines to ensure that yachts minimize the danger of spreading undesirable species in their ballast water. - ISAF website, full story: www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=3396
NOMINATIONS, PLEASE - Service: To recognize distinguished service and leadership in the promotion of one-design sailing and class organization. - Leadership: In recognition of individual initiative, enthusiasm, organizing ability and leadership in creating the outstanding fleet building program. - Club: To recognize administrative excellence, fleet growth, creative programming, regatta support, member contribution - at regional, national and international levels - of the one-design yacht club of the year. - Regatta: To recognize excellence in development, promotion, and management by organizers and sponsors of the year's outstanding multi-class regional regatta. - Creativity: To recognize outstanding individual creativity and contribution to the year's most innovative one-design event of national or international significance. If you know of a deserving club, class or regatta, please take the time to make a nomination. Nominations may be made online at www.ussailing.org
DID YOU RACE KEY WEST OR BLOCK ISLAND?
NEWS BRIEFS * A record number of Swans will this year enter the world's largest transocean sailing event, the annual Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, starting on Sunday 24th November. From the 225 yachts heading for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 21 of these entrants are Swans, the largest number of any sole manufacturer. This unique race starts from the bustling port capital of the Canary Islands and heads for the Caribbean destination of Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. - www.worldcruising.net * Sailing World and Cruising World Publisher Sally Helme announced the appointment of Jim Marshall as Regional Sales Manager for the New England/ Northern Europe territory. Marshall brings over 20 years of marine- industry experience to the magazines owned by World Publications, including pivotal responsibilities with Young America, the New York Yacht Club Challenge for the America's Cup in 2000. Marshall joins Sailing World and Cruising World from MindBranch, where he was Director of Outside Sales, after working five years as Young America's Director of Partner Yacht Clubs, Education and Development. * For the second consecutive race of the LVC quarterfinals, John Cutler has joined Larry Ellison on the sidelines of the Oracle BMW Racing Team. The four people listed in the Oracle afterguard for race two of the quarter finals were Tommaso Chieffi, Ian Burns, Peter Holmberg and skipper Chris Dickson.
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) * From Jennie Fitzhardinge: Rob Mundle has very different recollections of the America's Cup in Fremantle. I was working on one of the crowd control boats and it was dull to the point of embarrassment. Conner won every race by a mile and the sea breeze never kicked in to deliver the exciting racing the posters promised. Great sunbathing weather - as you would expect in February. I believe the challenger series was breezy and exciting - as you would expect in December. Two different times of year - two different kinds of sailing. Perhaps the organisers of the next America's Cup could take a better look at the timing of the Cup as well as the location. Schedule the Cup for a breezy time of year and sailors and spectators would get the thrills we all expect from top-level sport. * From Colin Watson: Rob Mundle might reminisce about how good the America's Cup was in the old days. He also needs to remember that the event has moved on since then and Australia has not. Even though there are some talented Australian sailors leading challengers in this event, there is no interest in the AC in Australia and the history of their last three challengers is dismal. Remember Australia One. Even the gung ho Sydney Hobart has changed dramatically. The publicity Rob talks about during the Freemantle defense was because the AC was held in Australia and we were fresh off the magnificent win by Australia II. * From Sean Jeffery: (re Rob Mundle comments in Butt 1198): I bet all Australians share in your memories and dreams of the Americas Cup in Freo. But I believe that you first must put forward a challenge and win the cup to fulfill that dream. * From Greg Siewert: To those detractors of the present Luis Vuitton Cup and match racing, I hope you watched and enjoyed the first races of the quarter finals. Unless you usually play with a Game Boy, I don't see how you couldn't find the action riveting. My palms were sweating, I was cussing the other boat's skipper, and timing my bathroom run to the commercial breaks. This is yachting at it's best. I guess if you didn't like it, you never will. * Dean Hubbard: So when Francois Joyon capsized he was up at the mast while hard on the wind in rough seas and trusting the autopilot. It's hard to believe that a multihull skipper of any size boat would have left the tiller under such conditions unless he had no choice but to be tending to an emergency up at the mast. On the surface of this story it seems as if Francois was too complacent and asking for the inevitable. Say it wasn't so. There must be more to the story. * From Doug Petter: (Regarding the recent collisions in the Route du Rhum- edited to our 250-word limit): When you are sailing a 50' or 60' racing monohull and you don't see a ship, you are a menace on the water. What if the racing boat had just punched through the side of a crewed boat on a delivery ride? What about the damage they might cause to a working vessel trying to make a living on the sea. Two separate race boats hit freighters and bounced off, great testament to the strength of the vessels but totally stupid when you consider these freighters were probably moving at 16-18 knots and the monohull could have been running at 18-22 knots. If the freighter had been unlucky and crushed the hapless bloke there would be tremendous outcry at the negligent ship's captain! The ship may or may not have seen the sailboat on radar, but the sailboat certainly should have seen the ship on radar, they are a pretty massive target. The solo skipper is probably neglecting his look-out duties because he is downloading e-mail & grib files to look for the next pressure, and doesn't have radar or lights on so he doesn't need to run his genset so much. This goes against the grain of seamanship on so many levels it's really absurd. Single-handed distance racing is reckless in today's world of crowded shipping lanes and high speeds on both the sailboat and ship. Times change, maybe the single-handed racer is going to have to find another venue for their craft and skills.
CARNAGE UPDATE The next victim of capsize occurred at 06.10 GMT this morning, when Yvan Bourgnon on Rexona Men was hit by brutal wind forces, which lifted the boat and knocked it over. Close by, Loïck Peyron on Fujifilm was severely beaten by the same sort of conditions. With no sails up, on starboard tack, in massive waves and 45 knots of wind, Loïck Peyron realised at 09.00 GMT that his starboard float was broken in two, neatly cut between the two beams. Two hours later, at 11.00 GMT, the French skipper called in again - Fujifilm had dismasted. The front of the starboard float exploded, and the mast immediately gave out. The mast fall damaged the port float, which is now filled with water. Peyron began sailing a "proa", heading downwind towards Portugal, but eventually had to call for assistance. Bayer CropSciences' Frederic Le Peutrec repaired his autopilot problems and left port in Belle Ile at 08.40 GMT this morning, but has gone back into La Trinité sur Mer to shelter from the depressions. Jean Le Cam on Bonduelle left port in Camaret around the same time as Le Peutrec, but has now followed suit. Jean Luc Nélias, Belgacom, was also ready to go, but decided to wait in port until Thursday or Friday, for better conditions. Marc Guillemot on Biscuits La Trinitaine Team Ethypharm will make a pit stop when he reaches the Azores for sail repairs. In the monohull fleet Ellen MacArthur has taken the lead. - www.routedurhum.org
HARKEN'S INSIDE VIEW OF THE AMERICA'S CUP
AROUND ALONE
Standings 2200 UTC November 13, 2002 Ð CLASS 1:
CLASS 2:
FARR 40 WORLDS "We weren't really set up for it," said McLaughlin, Canada's current Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, "and we lost two boats in it and another on the last leg, but I'll take the fourth we ended up with." In driving rain, the fleet sailed on its ear to a windward mark that could barely, if at all, be seen. The last downwind leg of the course was exhilarating for many, disastrous for others, as huge waves created surfable, sometimes broachable, conditions. Two boats shredded spinnakers. - Barby MacGowan
STANDINGS:
QUOTE / UNQUOTE
SYDNEY GAY GAMES REGATTA The regatta was organized by ASCC with reception, club and marina facilities provided by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and the City of Sydney. CCYA also provided the boats for open and non-spinnaker divisions, 10 each Elliot 5.9s and brand new Elliot 6.0s. Several afternoons of 18-25 knots with higher gusts proved the mettle of virtually all the competitors on these tough, light keel/bulb boats. No small number of crew took unexpected dives into the shark-infested waters, but no harm was done and there were minimal breakdowns and damage, though plenty of protests to keep the international jury working night and day. Australia's Black, Green and Gold, led by Australian champion Gavin Dagley, dominated the open division, as expected, with a first in every race. USA's SF12 Carpe Cerevisiam took the silver and Great Britain's Gust Superheros the bronze. In the non-spinnaker division, Australia again dominated, taking thegold and bronze, with Chicago taking the silver. Gay Games VII will be held in Montreal in 2006. At press time sailing was not included on the list of planned sports but plenty of international pressure is already building to force reconsideration. - Robert Johnston
THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM |
