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SCUTTLEBUTT 2244 – December 15, 2006Scuttlebutt 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). BOAT OF THE YEAR AWARDS (Dec 14, 2006) Sailing World magazine has selected the Esse 850 as the overall winner in its annual Boat of the Year awards for 2007. The Esse 850 beat out 18 other boats for the top prize. The 2007 contest marked the 23rd time the magazine has honored the best in boat design and building. In addition to the top award, the magazine also awarded honors for Best One-Design to the Open 5.70. Best Sportboat went to the Corsair Sprint 750, and the X-35 One Design earned the Best Racer/ Cruiser title. The Best Cruiser/Racer was the Salona 37. An independent panel of experts picked the winners from the 19 nominated boats announced during the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, in October. The winners will be featured in the January/ February issue of Sailing World, due to hit newsstands on December 15. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/ybj8ju ** Here is a list of 17 of the 19 entries, with photos of each entry: http://www.sailingworld.com/article.jsp?ID=48240&typeID=395&catID=687 FIRST ON THE WATER (Portsmouth, UK) 14 December 2006 – It was full speed ahead this week as the Mean Machine team began its intense testing and training programme. The second official entry in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/09, Mean Machine took to the Solent onboard the latest addition to the Mean Machine fleet – a Volvo Open 70. This 70-footer is none other than The Black Pearl, the Farr designed VO70, built by Green Marine (UK) only 18 months ago. The Pirates of the Caribbean VO70 captured second place in the last edition of what many consider to be the most extreme of round the world sailing races. After a seven-week refit at Endeavour Quay in Gosport (UK), Mean Machine is on the water, proudly displaying the team’s traditional colours. Commenting on the team’s acquisition of the VO70, Dirk de Ridder, Operations Director for the Mean Machine VOR team stated: “We were looking for a VO70 to begin our programme, with a view to defining the future design of the Mean Machine VO70. The Black Pearl became available and was ideal as she has all of the right equipment. Naturally, I know the boat well as I was onboard for the last race and I think it’s a great starting point for us.” -- Full report and photo: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1214 US SAILOR OF THE WEEK (The US Sailing ‘Sailor of the Week’ recognition goes to the Listwan family this week, who are succeeding in having all members of their clan embrace the sport. Here is the report.) For many sailors in the northern part of the country, it's freezing out there and not many of us hit the water on our trusty boats this time of year. And when we're driving on any North-South highway in the U.S. and we see boats being trailered in the southbound lanes, we can't help but envy the owners. The Listwan family from Grosse Pointe Shores, MI, is one of the lucky ones. Dad Rick, mom Karen, and kids Christie and Blair are heading down to Florida next week so the kids can sail in the Orange Bowl, the largest USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival. Right now, the boats the Listwans will be sailing are on their way down south on a van carrying a Laser, 3 Optis and 3 420s. The Listwans are a perfect example of what we call 'sailing fanatics.' Dad owns a J/105 and has competed in over 20 Port Huron to Mackinac races. Mom Karen still sails with dad Rick and also likes to focus on the kids' sailing activities. 16-year-old Christie crews on a Club 420, is a member of the high school sailing team, and is thinking about applying for the '07 Youth Champs. 13-year-old Blair loves his Opti and sails whenever he can. This is the second time the family is heading down south for the Orange Bowl and it's quickly becoming a new family holiday tradition. "We'll probably end up doing this until the kids are out of high school," says mom Karen. -- http://tinyurl.com/ycaty3 ANOTHER ACTION PACKED YEAR… B&G, the world’s most respected marine instrument manufacturer, celebrates 50 years and as ever it was packed with B&G winners and record breakers: X-35 launched with B&G fitted as standard; TP52 Circuit runs with top 7 boats using WTP; America's Cup Acts play out with every team using B&G; Dee Caffari accomplishes circumnavigation with B&G; Orange II takes Transatlantic Record using B&G; Maltese Falcon launched with bespoke B&G system; RC44 class announces B&G as official instruments supplier; Volvo Ocean Race concludes with B&G onboard every boat; Maxi Cup sees 'Wild Oats' take on 'Shockwave' - both with B&G. -- http://www.bandg.com VIDEO OF THE WEEK British sailing star and sports commentator Andy Green provides this week's video from his time sailing with the GBR Challenge in the 2003 America's Cup. During a training session in Auckland, New Zealand, the team was hit by a massive puff, and it was all the helmsman could do to keep the keel in the water and the rig in the air. It is 3:02 minutes of pretty exciting footage, with the camera facing forward from the stern of the boat. The bow waves are huge, the boat is shaking, and eventually the spinnaker explodes. Andy remarked that it was a pretty scary moment, which is likely an understatement after watching the narrow America’s Cup boat endure the huge wind blast. If you have a video you’d like to share, please send us your suggestion for next week’s Video of the Week. Click here for this week’s video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/06/1211 SOMETHING SPECIAL IS HAPPENING (The following observations were posted on the popular blog ‘Proper Course’, where the mantra of author Tillerman is “Cheat the nursing home. Die on your Laser.”) Something special is happening in New England. Eric Robbins was the first to point it out on in a post on the Laser Forum noting that “On recent Sundays, there have been over 120 people racing lasers at either Cedar Point YC in Westport, CT (one hour from NYC) or Newport. The CPYC and Newport programs keep leapfrogging each other for turnout, but both programs show the health and growth of Laser racing at the local level.” How right he is, but the phenomenon of growth in single-handed frostbite racing is happening in other classes as well as Lasers and is to be found all over New England. For example the other CPYC, Cottage Park Yacht Club, in Winthrop Massachusetts also has a thriving Laser frostbite fleet. Maybe not yet quite as large as their sister fleets in Rhode Island and Connecticut but around 25 boats. And according to the New England (District 7) Laser Class website these frostbite fleets are just the tip of the iceberg (pun intended) with cold season Laser activity also in Marion Massachusetts and Essex Connecticut. Then in Barrington Rhode Island we have the Barrington Yacht Club Sunfish Frostbite Fleet who seem to have 15 to 20 boats out most weekends. And even further north, popular sailing blogger Eliboat reports that the Cape Cod Frosty fleet in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is going from strength to strength with 24 Frosties racing last weekend. So what's responsible for this craze for spending several hours every Sunday afternoon racing a small boat in icy conditions? -- Read on for full story with photos and video: http://tinyurl.com/ygl42c COMBINING ART AND SAILING Lia Ditton, Britain's one and only professional sailor-artist, appears hell-bent on destruction. The yacht the 26-year-old art graduate raced in the Route du Rhum is to be cut in half -- mast, winches, keel, engine and all -- and turned into two art exhibits. She's calling it 'The Divorce.' Meanwhile, she's been dreaming up a new project involving a series of 6.5m Minis. The unique twist is that they would be built to sink. The working title is 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen'. These "Mini sinkers" as she calls them will be made of materials that will degrade in seawater, and Lia says she'll be undertaking the kamikaze mission to sail them until they disappear underneath the waves. She would like to make five different Minis from the same mould, one as a solid block of ice. The mast, keel, and some other metal structure will act as a framework. A second idea is to have another soft water salt version "made from the blocks of salt you put in water softeners. So it would be putting salt back in the sea," she says. A third idea is for a boat made of effervescent Vitamin C - "that would froth" - and another from paper in various unidirectionals, which is her most long-lasting and practical idea. "Nigel Irens reckons that it could cross the Atlantic, and I might actually do the Mini Tranat in that," says Lia. The final idea is for children: a boat made of food. -- Elaine Bunting, full story: http://tinyurl.com/yj9lnf SCUTTLEBUTT POLL The final vote for 2006 Rolex Yachtswoman and Yachtsman of the Year awards won't be until January, so we are getting a jump on it and giving Scuttlebutt readers the chance to declare who they think should win (which might be different than who will win). This week we are voting for the women ’s award, and next week we will cover the men. The nominees are Sally Barkow, Claire Dennis, Sarah Lihan, Paige Railey, Anna Tunnicliffe, with early voters giving Tunnicliffe the edge and adding some very favorable for her: * (Anna is a) Hard worker, never complains, well liked by competitors, and went from 17th to number 1 in the ISAF ranking in 12 months. Impressive! * I have absolute admiration for Anna, and her determination. She was an absolutely awesome junior coach, and set a fine example for the young sailors. The attitude of the coach is so very important to develop future sailors who will enjoy the sport, give it to others, and be true Corinthians. Anna is very deserving of this honor. * It is really close between Anna and Paige this year. My vote would go to Anna partly because she excelled in some non-Laser Radial events, as well as in the Laser Radial. You can only vote once: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/06/1213 WOMEN, SPORT, LOVE Whether it's Anna Tunnicliffe or Sally Barkow on the water. Danica Patrick on the track. Julia Mancuso on the snow. Christine Thorburn on the road. Or Jenny Johnson Jordan on the sand…they use it…and they love it. It’s Luxury Performance from Kaenon Polarized. Designed and engineered for women - so they look like women - whether they’re playing with the boys, or the girls. Please the one you love with Kaenon Polarized. Available in prescription. For women and men. Kaenon Polarized. Evolve Optically. View the entire collection online or locate an authorized dealer nearest you at http://www.kaenon.com SAILING SHORTS * The highlights programs for the recently completed Stages 5 and 6 of the World Match Racing Tour will be broadcast later in December. Versus (formerly OLN) in North America will broadcast the shows of the Allianz Cup and Monsoon Cup, both events which serve to determine the ISAF Match Racing World Champion. For dates and times: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar/shows * The Storm Trysail Club's biennial Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex is set for its 22nd running from June 17-22, 2007. The event, which traditionally offers five days of both handicap and one-design racing, will attract extra attention this time around when it doubles as the debut of the Rolex US-IRC National Championship. -- Full details: http://tinyurl.com/ylgjuy * The newest boat from AREVA Challenge, FRA 93 sailed for the first time this week in Valencia. It is the first new ACC yacht to sail since Emirates Team NZ launched NZL 92 in Auckland in October. Photos are on the Challenger Commission website: http://www.challengercommission.com/2006/12/fra-93-sails.html EIGHT BELLS Peter Brock, whose journey through the Northwest Passage earned him distinction as 2006 Nova Scotia Sailor of the Year, died Tuesday when he was struck by a pickup truck while cycling in Bayswater. In 1996, Mr. Brock and his wife began a five-year journey onboard their 42-foot sailboat, Minke, the second boat Mr. Brock had built himself. They left Nova Scotia, sailed down the east coast of the United States, past Cuba, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and through the Panama Canal, eventually ending their voyage at Vancouver Island. In 2003, Mr. Brock set out to sail through the North West Passage, going as far as he could each summer, before leaving the boat behind to return home. This summer, he completed the adventure and sailed to Labrador, where Minke is expected to remain until next year. -- The Chronicle Herald, full story: http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Front/547153.html CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar 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 Olaf Harken: (regarding Olaf’s request for help in Issue 2243) I got dozens of sightings (of Procyon) from Ohio to California to Florida. She is located at Bayside Marina in downtown Miami and her owner is currently in Morocco. I will contact him when he returns. Thank you readers for your help. * From Thorson Rockwell, Nassau, Bahamas: Firstly thank you for a fine, and completely enjoyable publication. I love reading you guys. In response to Marie Jergensen on board M/V 'Esperanza' somewhere in the Pacific(‘butt #2243), I would like to chime in. I have spent some time sailing blue water, and I've never done a crossing that signs of mans indifference weren't floating by in the form of non-biodegradable refuse. Plastics and styrofoam of all sorts are plentiful in every ocean I've sailed. I don't know how to begin to get the message across to the maritime community ie tankers, and cruise ships(there's no doubt in my mind these are the worst offenders), but when I see a trail of plastic on voyages such as the 'Bermuda Race' my serenity is right out the window. It's not that difficult to put the non-biodegradable stuff in bags, and offload it in port. * From Cory E. Friedman, New York, NY: The discussion of foiling Moths, etc. at the Olympics ignores the fact that, in little or no wind, all sailboats are slow and boring to watch -- even foiling Moths, skiffs and catamarans. If sailing's future participation is in jeopardy because it lacks spectator appeal, Qingdao could be the coupe de grace. Try to explain a sailboat race decided by invisible tide and current to the general public. Yawn. * From Brent Boyd: Have to totally disagree with Roger Jolly (letter in ‘butt 2242) about getting a real offshore keelboat for the kids on the east coast. Maybe the J/105 is a little pricey, but if you have the money and want to stay current with sprit boats – go for it. My two early-twenty sons raced from the time they were six years old and through high school and college with pretty good success. During and after college they lost interest in the sport because of limited opportunity besides being rail meat on some middle-aged guy’s boat who couldn’t drive a straight line. The Saunders family from San Diego YC provided the opportunity for San Diego young adults to use their well-maintained Santana 35 without adults on board. The “kids” love racing the boat in local and offshore events and maintain good finishing positions. Isn’t this what we want i.e. transition good young sailors into handicap and offshore racing. This is not April 1st, but it is 2006. Get with the current reality and keep good fundamental sailors coming into the ranks. You might even learn something. Take a page out of Roy Disney’s TP52 program; that is where the future lies. * From Joe Cazana: (In response to Jeff Dowling’s letter in Issue 2243; edited to the 250-word limit) Hans Horrevoets died for the same reason, the wind blew up, a wave swept the boat, and off he went. At that time, I said the Capt. and watch officer were responsible for Hans Horrevoets. I also said until these people were held responsible via charges of negligent manslaughter, more would die. You wouldn’t believe the flaming I got. Comments like, “the Capt feels bad enough as it is. Leave them alone.” I guess the Capt and watch officer of the Picton Castle didn’t feel they had anything to learn from the death of Hans Horrevoets either. Even if the Capt. advised the crew, (and I’m not saying he or she did), “failure to wear your harness on deck and be tethered to the boat after dark or during storm conditions will cause you to be removed from this boat either by mother nature or by the Capt. at the next port of call,” it’s not enough. The bottom line is probably not enough people lose their lives needlessly to warrant legislation. However, there are required placards on most vessels about garbage dumping, oil spills, and pollution. Why not a prominently placed placard mandating the use of harnesses and tethers when on deck during conditions equivalent to small craft warnings and worse? Furthermore why not require a tether be made part of a life jacket? Or at least for every life jacket there should be a tether. * From Brad Avery: In 1972 during a night watch between Bermuda and the Azores, I launched a bottle with a note giving my name and location etc. In 1974, my girlfriend's brother was visiting friends near Belize. There was a bottle on their window ledge. The conversation got around to how they found it on the beach with a note in it from a guy in California named Brad Avery... * From Adrian Morgan: Some years ago I threw a bottle into the sea off a beach near a small town on the south coast of England. A few years later a friend of mine found it, in the same place! To think it had traveled all round the world and back to the exact spot. Amazing... * From Johnny Smullen: I think the Message in a bottle thread is a dangerous one, if word gets out about messages in bottles it will be like spam on the internet, and we'll be wading through a sea of glass and plastic, pulling bottles out of the water offering us 0% down for used boats and Swedish mattresses not to mention coupons, be careful! Curmudgeon’s Comment: Good idea. We have received many letters on this topic, and have moved them all to a Forum thread called ‘More Bottles, More Messages.’ If you have a story you’d like to share, please post it on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/2006/1214 CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION "If your attack is going too well, you're walking into an ambush." - Infantry Journal This issue of Scuttlebutt provided by B&G Instruments and Kaenon Polarized. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
