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SCUTTLEBUTT 2324 - April 17, 2007Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). LET THE WAITING BEGIN (April 16, 2007) Following a four year programme of racing across Europe, on Monday the first day of racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup was scheduled. For the first time, the challengers were sailing for their lives, with elimination looming after two Round Robins. But the weather didn’t fully cooperate. For the more than 50 thousand spectators in the AC Park on a holiday Monday, it was a beautiful, warm, sunny day; the first for weeks. But on the water, the wind needed for fair racing never materialised with a very light and unstable sea breeze teasing race officials and sailors alike. Racing was postponed with the teams remaining on the water all afternoon. Race Officers Peter Reggio and Harold Bennett held station until 16:50 when racing was called off for the day. The postponed matches will be pushed to the first available racing slot, which is the Reserve Day on Friday. On Tuesday, racing is scheduled to continue with Flights Three and Four, as previously scheduled. -- Full story: http://www.americascup.com/en/news/detail.php?idRubr=22&idContent=16095 Flight 3 1. Luna Rossa Challenge vs. United Internet Team Germany 2. Victory Challenge vs. China Team 3. BMW ORACLE Racing vs. Team Shosholoza 4. Areva Challenge vs. Desafío Español 2007 5. Emirates Team New Zealand vs. +39 Challenge Bye - Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team Flight 4 1. United Internet Team Germany vs. China Team 2. Team Shosholoza vs. Luna Rossa Challenge 3. Victory Challenge vs. BMW ORACLE Racing 4. Areva Challenge vs. Emirates Team New Zealand 5. Desafío Español 2007 vs. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team Bye - +39 Challenge Provisional Leaders (Bonus Pts - Matches Sailed - Matches Won - Total Pts) 1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 92) 4-0-0-4 2. BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 98) 3-0-0- 3 2. Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 94) 3-0-0-3 2. Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 97) 3-0-0-3 5. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia (ITA 99) 2-0-0-2 5. Victory Challenge (SWE 96) 2-0-0-2 5. Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) 2-0-0-2 5. +39 Challenge (ITA 85) 2-0-0-2 9. Areva Challenge (FRA 93) 1-0-0-1 9. United Internet Team Germany (GER 89) 1-0-0-1 9. China Team (CHN 95) 1-0-0-1 * Over the past couple of days rumour control in Valencia has it that one of the competitors in the 2007 America's Cup has developed a so-called canting keel. Further investigation has revealed that the keel does not cant, but rather a way may have been found to reduce the amount of keel strut deflection as a 20 tonne bulb is suspended away from the hull of a heeling America's Cup yacht. We present the relevant section of the ACC Rule and the Interpretation 22, which has given rise to the speculation. -- http://tinyurl.com/39lf6m * Back in the day, in the very first springtime after Valencia was announced as the venue of America's Cup 32 - a place with a reliable seabreeze - BMW Oracle dispatched a scouting party. That was April 2004, and it rained. The scouts walked around saying things like, What if we're here in 2007 and it's like this? Well, it was, and then it turned sunny for Race One of the Louis Vuitton Cup, but not in time to build a seabreeze. Can you say "handwringing?" And, quick, what's the only sport that cancels because the weather is too good? -- Kimball Livingston, SAIL blog, full story: http://tinyurl.com/2lsphf * Gangs of street robbers have invaded (Valencia) and are making life a misery for foreigners as security is concentrated on the bases around the newly developed Port America's Cup. The shine on what should be a glittering event is being tarnished. -- Stuart Alexander, Independent, full report: http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article2452437.ece * The weather outlook for Tuesday calls for a northerly wind veering to northeasterly at 8-12 knots with some inland clouds. Temperature is to be 19 degrees Celsius (mid 60’s Fahrenheit) and dry. BUILDING A LEGACY China will launch its first America's Cup bid (this week) in Spain, and while no one thinks it can win yachting's most prestigious trophy, the team hopes the sport might eventually catch on at home. "The Chinese people's lack of interest and knowledge about yachting is really a big problem for the sport," said Liu Weidong, vice secretary of China's Yachting Association in Beijing. "Yachting requires a lot of money. You can't force it simply because you want to promote the sport, because you have to take economic means into consideration." Even for those growing wealthy from China's economic boom, facilities in a nation with 18,000 kilometres (11,000 miles) of coastline are virtually non-existent, adding to the challenges of drawing young talent. Nevertheless Wang Chaoyong, a wealthy venture capitalist who is syndicate head of the Chinese team, believes that China's participation in sport's oldest trophy will eventually put the Asian giant on the sailing map, at a level commensurate with its status as a rising global economic power. "Technology, innovation, teamwork, entrepreneurship -- these are the values of China's society today," said Wang. "An emerging nation like China should have a team." -- TurkishPress, full story: http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=171212 * Singapore’s sailors have been on a rapid rise to the top over the last few years and 2006 was their most successful season yet, with World titles and medals galore at the Asian Games. With the 2008 Olympic Games in China, the Volvo Ocean Race heading to Asian ports and China Team lining up for the Louis Vuitton Cup, Asian sailing has never had a higher profile. Within this growth area for the sport, Singapore’s recent success has been particularly remarkable, especially for a nation of just 4½ million people who only managed to qualify one sailor for the 2004 Olympic Games. Whilst on a visit to the Inter-schools Championships in 2005, ISAF President Göran Petersson (SWE) was so impressed with Singapore’s ability to promote and organize the sport that he commented, “Sailing should be like this in all countries.” -- ISAF website, full story: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j19FnA,18&format=popup TEAM ONE NEWPORT VIRTUAL WAREHOUSE SALE For those of you who don't live near Newport, RI, here’s your chance to experience Team One Newport’s Warehouse Sale (aka Mad Martha's Sale!). The first sale items will be placed on the website tonight in our new Warehouse Sale department; sizes on the site should be available but they are on a first come, first serve basis, so hurry! We will be adding more items for the next 3 weeks until we have our physical sale here in Newport. For our faithful locals, you can order online and request a pick-up at our retail store. Call 401-VIP-GEAR (401-847-4327), http://www.team1newport.com MONDAY MORNING TACTICIAN (US Olympic Laser contender Andrew Campbell pauses long enough during his Euro training schedule to provide his latest blog post, ‘The First-Beat Blues.’) Situation: Here we are charging upwind, full-speed, bow even above, bow even below fifty boats on either side. We have a marginal lane. With a little lift, we can hold here and maybe boatspeed our way out of harm’s way. With a little header, we are likely to fall into the boat to leeward and be forced into decision-making-mode. We were not entirely sure as to which side of the course was going to be better. The seabreeze was oscillating, but only slightly and in regular and short intervals. Small cumulus clouds are making little impact on the racecourse and the current seems pretty marginal across the racing area. What do we do? The answer may be simpler than you think. We find ourselves in situations like this often enough. Once we have gone through our starting routines and come off the line with full speed and with breathing room, it becomes difficult to execute the perfect plan of attack. It usually goes without saying, on skewed racecourses, there are important strategies to follow. If the current or geography demands we go right in order to win, then we will do our best to start in the boat-third of the line, and get going right as soon as possible after the gun. Likewise, if the left has been working all day, then starting at or near the pin in clear air will give us a higher percentage of possibility to win. The rest, after the start shakes itself out with proper traffic-handling skills and integration between shifts and strategy. A good start improves our percentage, whereas a bad start sends us praying to the comeback deities that they may be merciful. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/357zqh QUOTE / UNQUOTE Dennis Conner, on who is going to win the America’s Cup, "We already know who's going to win this America's Cup, don't we? It's going to be a Kiwi. It's just a matter of which one." -- Tim Jeffery, Telegraph, full story: http://tinyurl.com/3e2bjr * The New Zealand Herald has printed a list of all the Kiwis involved with all of the syndicates. It’s a pretty long list: http://tinyurl.com/2vaka3 EVALUATION UNDERWAY (April 16, 2007) The Women's High Performance Dinghy Evaluation Event is underway in Hyères, France, with some of the world’s top women sailors putting the six-boat line up through their paces. The 29er, 29erXX, RS800, Cherub Daemon, Carbonology GT60 and International 14 have all submitted their entries to the Evaluation Event, being held in advance of the decision on the ten events for the 2012 Olympic Games. Evaluation events have become an important part of ISAF’s commitment to develop the sport of sailing at the very highest level and make the most of new and exciting technologies. Women’s sailing has grown massively since the first all-female event at the 1988 Olympic Games. In Athens the sport showed a massive 32% increase in participation by women athletes compared to four years earlier and ISAF is looking to build upon this growth. -- ISAF website, full report: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j1lFnA,1D&format=popup LOOK OUT FOR 'EDDY' AT LONG BEACH Competitors at Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week June 22-24 are forewarned: the thermal southwest sea breeze that dominates the local weather patterns means special sailing, but beware. Last year it howled Friday, inhaled with a fluky southeast "Catalina eddy" Saturday, then roared back Sunday. As J/120 winner Chuck Nichols of San Diego said, "Being prepared for anything is to set up the boat and have the right sails for the broadest set of conditions and adjust to them." A daily weather briefing will be provided for all competitors, and links to various forecasts are on the website: http://www.lbrw.org RULES OF ENGAGEMENT The practice of ‘embedding’ reporters in the battle zones of Iraq and Afghanistan has become de rigeur. The Volvo Ocean Race is following suit for the 2008-09 race with journalists having the opportunity to venture to the front line of ocean racing after it was announced that a media specialist will be part of the crew aboard the Volvo Open 70s. Up till now, the rules of engagement between the sailors and the journalists who cover their lives on board have always been fairly clear. When the contest is done and the scores are tallied, the sailors face an inquisitive throng – sometimes happily, sometimes not. Afterwards, the media horde takes off in one direction to file their pictures and stories, while the sailors are left to celebrate their success or rue their failure. It’s a system with clearly marked lines of demarcation between two parties. In the next edition of the race it will be anything but. For when the crews set off on the marathon event in the autumn of 2008, they will do so with an ‘embedded’, onboard correspondent whose sole responsibility will be to chronicle their triumphs and travails. Event website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/2mudva SAILING SHORTS * (Port Washington, NY) Nearly 50 boats competed in the 2007 IC Nationals, hosted Manhasset Bay Yacht Club. After nine races, John and Molly Baxter from Larchmont YC won the title with 22 points. In second were Jim Bowers & Sarah Hitchcock with 54 pts, and Chad Atkins & Byron Eichorn in third with 74 pts. From the archives posted on interclub.org, there is no team that has won by more than 30 points in the 10 years of results posted. Complete results and photos: http://www.manhassetbayyc.org/files/2007ICNationals_Overall.htm * (April 16, 2007) After finishing the Princess Sofia regatta with five bullets, Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) followed it up with another great regatta locking up the Spring Championships of the Eastern Hemisphere with one race to spare. They did it with the kind of moves that leave you wondering if they have an engine hidden away somewhere on their boat. Today in very light conditions they rounded the first mark in 22nd and were 12th by the leeward mark and then rounded the 3rd mark in 10th and were in 2nd by the leeward mark. The Brazilians are showing impressive speed and smarts all the way around the race course. -- by Brad Nichol, complete report and results: http://www.starclass.org/artman/publish/article_266.shtml * (April 16, 2007) Having reviewed all the latest weather models, and following regular consultation with the skippers and their teams, Race Director David Adams set a new start date and time for the final leg of the Velux 5 Oceans from Norfolk, Virginia (USA) to Bilbao (ESP) now to commence at 10:00 AM local time (14:00 GMT) on Wednesday April 18. The noreaster storm which has been savagely battering the whole of the Eastern seaboard of the United States since Sunday is expected to intensify overnight into Tuesday before beginning to weaken later in the day. -- http://www.velux5oceans.com * Despite a forecast that called for 90 mph gusts over the ridges and snow, 10 Vanguard 15’s and 6 Lasers competed in the 2007 Ski/ Sail Champs held April 13-15 on Lake Tahoe, CA. While the snow did arrive, the wind cooperated for four great races. Jim Granger won the Laser division for the first time after competing in the event 12 or 13 times, with a 3rd in the sailing and a 2nd in the skiing. Defending Champions Matthew Sessions and Avery Patton dominated the sailing segment and then barely hung on in the skiing portion for the overall win. -- Ralph Silverman, mailto:Ralph@skisail.com 2007 VANGUARD SAILING TEAM The application period for the 2007 Vanguard Sailboats Sailing Team is now open. Sailors in Vanguard classes are encouraged to apply and receive support in reaching your sailing goals while helping Vanguard build the best boats and equipment in the world. Apply online by May 15 at www.teamvanguard.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From John Brooks: I think the Bermuda Race deserves credit for announcing their handicapping structure well in advance (in Issue 2323). With ORR taking hold as the system for distance racing in the US, it should reassure the bulk of the potential 2008 Newport Bermuda fleet that boats will not be obsolete by the next (or subsequent) races. As someone who has raced a dozen Newport-Bermuda Races, primarily on boats that are more than 15 years old, it is good to know that results will continue using a VPP rating system that takes into account performance differences for differing wind conditions, and not be dependent on a single number handicap. This year's Halifax and Marion-Bermuda Races should provide an additional opportunity to see the ORR Rule in action. It seems that, outside of PHRF, we are moving into a dual handicapping world - with ORR for distance races, and IRC for day races. And I don't think that is a bad thing, at all. The distance races need safety screens (such as the stability index) that only ORR provides. For day racing, the convenience of a single number can outweigh the disadvantages that might otherwise sometimes be an annoyance. Remember when the "level 40s" raced together on Long Island Sound and at Block Island? NY 40s dominated when the wind blew, and C&C 40s ruled when it blew less than 10 kts. * From Bill McNaughton, Toronto, CAN: All three of our 24’ SHARK One Design Sailboats have been named “AMICUS”. The first was named by its original lawyer owners and had always been owned by lawyers. My wife and I both being lawyers appreciated the name and didn’t change it. Later we sold the boat to one of my wife’s law partners and fellow club member but stipulated we wished to keep the name. “AMICUS” was removed from her original hull, the new owner’s choice of name put on and “AMICUS” was painted on our new SHARK by the builder, all without any ceremony. Big Mistake - a fire at the yacht club destroyed a number of boats including both the new “AMICUS” and the old “AMICUS” (whose owner did however have the quote of the day while surveying the remains; “You need dental records to identify this”). We located another SHARK but to become “AMICUS” a name change was required. Taking no chances this time a web search came up with the full ceremony as now set out in Scuttlebutt (Hal Burchad Scuttlebutt 2321) No skimping on the formalities or tempting the Gods again was allowed. A final trip to acquire several bottles of very good Champagne resulted in generous libations offered to the Gods in accordance with tradition and to the attendees in accordance with their tastes. The Gods were obviously satisfied this time. “AMICUS” went on to win numerous races that year and since. * From Michael Duvall: Taking Rick Matthews' letter (Issue 2318) one step further; what if the use of electronics, weather boats, computers and software, coach boats etc. were banned from the Louis Vuitton Series and the AC Finals? The only information available to the boats would be from their onboard wind, speed and depth instruments, compasses, and a VHF for communication to the Race Committee. Limit the outcome of each race to the boats and their crews. Just a random thought. * From Zane Murdoch, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia: The simplest solution for precise television timing on race day is tape delay. Edit out all the pauses and waiting around. No one watching is going to care if the television event is an hour or two after the real time event. Most TV sailing programming is of this sort anyway, where we don't see it until days or weeks after. * From Bennet Greenwald: A strong second to Blake Middleton’s motion (in Issue 2323) and advice to ISAF and the TeeVee folks. Changing sailing protocols or rules for TeeVee is chasing one’s tail and will have the same, inevitable result. We will not catch up and we will look silly trying. ISAF should pay attention to sailors. Most of us believe that sailing is for doing not for watching. * From Glenn Brown: For many classes, there is a simple solution to the problem of general recalls at major regattas: large bar-code stickers with the bars wrapped around the bow, a photo from the committee boat at the gun, and a black flag. The bar code would virtually guarantee that one could identify and DSQ the lead boat (and possibly more) as seen by the camera, even if they lead by mere inches. One could no longer push the line with impunity. Curmudgeon’s Comment: Sounds good… as long as the closest boat(s) to the camera(s) aren't the furthest over the line, and thus blocking any other offenders. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Cube Farm: An office filled with cubicles. Special thanks to Team One Newport, Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week, and Vanguard Sailboats. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
