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SCUTTLEBUTT 3395 - Monday, August 1, 2011Scuttlebutt 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. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: Kaenon Polarized and Doyle Sails. CHICKEN OR THE EGG Sprit boats and race course selection. Do you have an opinion? The sprit boat aspect invariably surfaces when suggesting there should be more reach legs offered to augment the current steady diet of Windward-Leeward courses. While the relevance of this aspect is negligible in one design racing, the opinions get stronger when mixed boats - symmetrical spinnakers and asymmetrical spinnakers - meet in a handicap event. But what came first: the sprit boats or the focus on windward-leeward race courses? Since the J/105 is considered the first production boat featuring a retractable bowsprit - allowing for an asymmetric spinnaker to be flown - Scuttlebutt contacted J Boats President Jeff Johnstone for some insight into this situation: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The development of the J/105 in 1991 really had little to do with the style of courses being sailed at the time, and much more to do with finding new ways to sail faster with fewer crew. One-design keelboat racing was already many years into the W/L focused courses, especially in the international classes like the J/22, J/24 and Etchells. Handicap racing at top Race Weeks like Block Island and Key West in the early 90s were mostly on W/L courses. I remember racing on the last triangle course at Key West in 1994. It was a surprise to see it posted on the RC since we had sailed W/L all week. We were in a J/80 and it was blowing 20-25. It was an incredible ride, the highlight of the week, and Onne van der Wal happened to capture it in a picture that's still on the website 16 years later. In the more local and regional venues in the 90s, there was still plenty of triangle racing and it's probably a fair statement that the emergence of sprit boats alongside conventional boats probably helped encourage committees to "equalize" the set-up by going with more W/L. It was otherwise hard to establish handicap deltas for a W/L course that would hold up for a triangle course, and vice-versa. Of course, it wasn't long before A-sail shapes quickly evolved to the point where sprit boats were going downhill very well, so for handicap fleets the focus then became more on grouping boats of similar configuration (bowsprit vs. non sprit) as well as similar DSPL/L ratios (planing vs. non-planing) in order to get the fairest racing. Reaching is the most fun point of sail there is, so I'd welcome seeing more of it worked back into the RC course options. Besides a lot of us could use one leg in the race where we can just go fast without thinking and then be mentally refreshed to tackle that next beat and run. COMMENT: In the past 30 months, Scuttlebutt has twice polled its readership on the subject of race course selection. In both polls, when asked if they would prefer more courses signaled that had reach legs, over 70% of the respondents said yes. 2009 poll: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/09/0131/ 2010 poll: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/10/1130/ Scuttleblog: http://sailingscuttlebutt.blogspot.com/2011/07/chicken-or-egg.html MY LIFE AS PAIGE The focus of Olympic sailing begins this week on the 2011 Weymouth and Portland International Regatta, an event designed to test the Olympic sailing venue and its operations in advance of the 2012 Games. It's also a rare opportunity for the sailors to get valuable experience amid the pressures of the Olympics - a year before the Games. Racing for the ten Olympic sailing events is August 2-13, where 325 entries representing 135 countries will compete across five courses on Portland Harbor and Weymouth Bay. Consistent with the Olympic Games, each country is allowed just one representative in each event. Currently ranked 5th in the World, Paige Railey will be racing in the Laser Radial for the U.S.... here is her latest update from the UK: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (July 31, 2011) - We are getting closer and closer until the first day of the Pre-Olympics. Everything around the sailing venue is changing and getting ready for the upcoming event. We now have credentials that allow only the athletes and staff allowed into the regatta area. The staging areas are set which means every sailor from their given country rig up in the same area as their fellow team mates. I am currently getting USA and American Flags plastered everywhere on my boat. It's really exciting to be a part of this event. It's pretty much a mach Olympics and as far as I can tell everyone is treating it as though it is the Games. Let's rewind a little bit. I have been here training since July 21st. The wind has been unusually light which is good because it has given Luther (Coach Luther Carpenter) and I the chance to work on some of my main weaknesses. I have been struggling all year in moderate conditions (6-10 knots, choppy waves). Luther and I have made it a main goal to improve in this condition and lately we have been seeing some dramatic changes. Today I sailed with Sara Winther from NZL. I believe she is one of the fastest girls upwind in these conditions so I was glad to be able to compare my technique. Luther and I have noticed a positive progression and I am happy/proud to say that I was keeping pace with her today. She is very talented and to be able to compete against her in this is very good. Honestly my days have been very monotonous. Meaning, I wake up, read the forecast, eat breakfast, go sailing, go to the gym, eat dinner, do computer work and sleep. I guess it looks kind of boring, but that's my life and I love it. Hopefully I will see all this hard work pay off in the upcoming event. -- http://paigesailor.blogspot.com/2011/07/training-in-weymouth.html Event link: http://www.londonpreparesseries.com/sailing/index.html US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics: http://tinyurl.com/USSTAG-073111 STRATEGIC: Despite winning 16 world junior and youth titles the last seven years, Singapore sailors have not replicated this success at the senior and Olympic levels. There is also a high drop-out rate. To address this, a taskforce was formed six months ago to ensure success at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and beyond. Six boat classes - the women's Laser Radial, Skiff and 470, men's 470, and men's and women's windsurfing - were identified as having "possible to best" chances of winning medals at the Rio Games. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/Singapore-073111 ARE YOU READING THE BREEZE Yes, that's the question - how well do you read the breeze? How effective are you at reading velocity and directional shifts in the wind? After all, this is sailboat racing! Kaenon Polarized SR-91 polarized lenses have no rival. Reading Breeze with unparalleled optical clarity, color contrast, definition and detail that will bring the water's surface into stunning, vivid detail - providing a treasure trove of information your tactical mind will devour. Available at APS, TeamOne and Point Loma Outfitting or locate a dealer nearest you http://www.kaenon.com. Available in prescription. Kaenon Polarized. Evolve Optically. AMERICA'S CUP DESIGNER PREPS FOR LASER SLALOM The Laser Slalom returns to the St Francis Yacht Club for two days of action right off San Francisco's Crissy Field on Wednesday August 3rd, turning up the heat between the Laser 4.7 World Championship and the Laser Masters World Championship. An invitation-only fleet of 32 competitors will face off on a course close to the beach designed to force quick decisions.... as the event touts, "good people go bad in conditions that would never otherwise trip them up." The fleet is stacked with talent including LaserPerformance Ambassador and Team Maclaren skipper Anna Tunnicliffe, Olympic Gold Medalist and US SAILING's 2010 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. Also competing is Oracle Racing's Scott Ferguson, winner of the '09 and '10 Laser Masters World Championship. SailBlast caught up with Ferguson as he was getting ready to hit the water on Saturday afternoon at St FYC to spar with fellow Oracle design team member Dimitri Despierres. Ferguson, from Jamestown, RI, has just this month moved to the Bay Area with his wife Kim to be closer to the Team's HQ. He's been involved in Cup campaigns since first working with Dennis Conner in 1995, as well as Italian teams Luna Rossa and Prada. He managed the mast and wing design on USA-17, followed by the AC45 wing, and is now working on Oracle's AC72 wing program. Ferguson's also worked on numerous other big boat programs including TP52s and the Volvo Ocean Race. But this week he has his sights set on the Laser 4.7 and getting around the slalom course without crashing...so why the Laser Slalom? "The Slalom is something I've heard about forever," said Ferguson. "30 years ago I remember hearing about San Francisco and this event that goes on out here, it being really windy and people used to wrap their sails twice around the main spar to reduce sail area and stuff like that (LOL) and so it's always had this lure. I heard about it, timing is good because I'm now here so so I have to do it just because it's such a unique regatta. I like the boat handling - a lot of tacks, a lot of jibes - I hope I'm pretty good at that (LOL)." -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/SailBlast-073111 SKIN CANCER FACT AND FICTION In a world of tweets and sound bites, it can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. However, when it comes to skin cancer, it's imperative to know the truth since it may help save your life. FICTION: Getting a base suntan protects you from skin cancer. FACT: "There are no healthy tans," said Dr. Stephen Shewmake, a dermatologist with Palomar Pomerado Health. "A tan is a visual sign of sun damage to the skin." In an effort to protect itself from further sun damage, the skin cells produce a pigment called melanin, which darkens the skin. By the time the tan develops, permanent damage has been done and will someday show up in the form of wrinkles, blotches, sagging tissue or skin cancer. -------------------------------- FICTION: Men and women are equally at risk for getting skin cancer. FACT: Since men are less diligent about applying and reapplying sunscreen and tend to spend more time outdoors, they are usually at higher risk. Over a lifetime, 1 in 58 Caucasian women will develop melanoma, while the rate is 1 in 39 for men, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. The trend is reversed among people under 40, probably because young women spend more time sunbathing. -------------------------------- FICTION: Visible signs of aging and/or skin cancer will show up within a year or two after bad sunburns. FACT: "I tell my patients that skin never forgets how much sun you've had over a lifetime. The exposure and damage accumulates," said Shewmake, who sees most skin cancer in people after the age of 40 or 50. "It's those severe sunburns during childhood that create the greatest risk for melanoma." -------------------------------- FICTION: You only get skin cancers on areas of the body that receive maximum sun exposure. FACT: Although basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas are more prevalent on sun-exposed areas, it's not unusual for melanoma to show up in places where the sun doesn't shine, including the soles of the feet, buttocks, genitals and between the toes. Genetics can play a role in where melanoma develops. -------------------------------- FICTION: A white T-shirt worn over a swimsuit protects your skin from the sun. FACT: The typical white T-shirt has an SPF of only 5 to 7 and even less when it's wet. You need tightly woven garments and the darker the garment's color, the more protection you'll get from it. Dermatologists recommend wearing special sun-protective clothing with the equivalent of an SPF 15 to 30. San Diego Union-Tribune, full report: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/26/skin-fact-and-fiction/ SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CALENDAR Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * La Rochelle, France (July 31, 2011) - Competing in the 99-boat girl's division of the Laser Radial Youth World Championship, American Erika Reineke dominated the field to defend the title she won last year in Scotland. Winning seven of eleven races, and never dropping below fifth, Reineke won by 38 points. In the boy's division, Mitchell Kiss (USA) opened the series with a pair of bullets, but a 23-BFD at the end would drop him to fourth in the 270-boat boy's division. Italian Giovanni Coccoluto closed strong with a 1-2 to take the title. -- Results: http://www.srr-sailing.com/world-laser-radial-youth-results/ * There are two ISAF Grade 1 Women's Match Race events that have openings for more international teams. Scheduled back to back, these events provide an International team with the unique opportunity to spend minimal time and money to participate in two excellent grade 1 events: the Santa Maria Cup in Annapolis MD (28 Sep -1 Oct; J/22s) and the Rolex Osprey Cup in St. Petersburg, FL (5-8 Oct; Sonars). Both events require a 4 person team and are a short flight apart. Contact Jeff Borland (jborland@santamariacup.org) for the Santa Maria Cup and Pat Seidenspinner (pseidens@tampaba.rr.com) for the Rolex Osprey Cup. * Newport, RI (July 31, 2011) - Twenty-year old Ryan DeVos aboard Volpe outsailed fifteen teams during the three day, eight race series to capture the Melges 32 North American Championship. Assisted by Ed Baird on tactics while Dick DeVos, Scott Nixon, Sam Rogers, Mike Hill, Drew Weirda, Alex Clegg and Cary Seigler served as crew, the team held off a late surge by Steve Howe's Warpath squad who took second. -- Event website: http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=528 * The USA Snipe Sailing Class held its National Championship Series this past week at the North Cape Yacht Club on Lake Erie in Monroe, Michigan. Thirty-eight teams participated in the 5 day, 10 race event. Past World Champion and current USA National Champs Augie Diaz and Kathleen Tocke of Miami took second in the qualifying series, then dominated the Nationals series by winning 4 of the six races and throwing out a third place finish. The top skipper over 70 was the long time Snipe Sailor (60 yrs +) Jerry Thompson with Mandy Smith crewing in 15th place. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12325 * Marblehead, MA (July 31, 2011) - Bill Lynn and the crew of the J/105 Shooting Star edged out Matthew Pike's Got Qi? and 29 other teams to win their class in the Sperry Top-Sider Marblehead NOOD. For their hard-fought victory in this highly competitive class, Lynn and company earned the regatta's overall prize, which includes an invitation to compete against the winners of the other NOOD regattas at the Sperry Top-Sider Caribbean NOOD Championship, which takes place this November in the British Virgin Islands. One hundred sixty-nine entrants competed in ten classes at this three day event hosted at Corinthian Yacht Club. -- Full report: http://www.sailingworld.com/nood-regattas/marblehead * Buzios, Brazil (July 29, 2011) - With the Chilean team of Tito Gonzalez sailing with his son, Diego and Cristian Herman clinching the 2011 International Lightning Class Association World Championship with a day to spare, the final race on Friday would be between three teams to claim the bridesmaid position. Brazilian Claus Biekarck, Gunner Ficker and Marcelo Batista da Silva scored second in the race, which was good enough for silver. Americans David Starck with his wife Jody and Ian Jones were third in the race, but it dropped them to fourth in the rankings behind race winner Thomas Sumner, Felipe Brito and Fillipe Gil from Brazil who took third overall. -- Final results: http://www.lightningclass.org/racing/results/2011/worldsresults.pdf * The eighth edition of Clipper 11-12 Round The World Yacht Race began Sunday, 31 July 2011, from Southampton on the UK south coast. Deemed the world's longest ocean race, 500 people from all walks of life and representing more than 40 nationalities will crew on ten identical 68-foot racing yachts with the 40,000-mile race taking a year to visit 15 ports on six continents. -- http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/ * (August 1, 2011) - Last night at 9.55pm, Bruce McKay reported his yacht Wasabi had lost her keel while racing in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's (CYCA) 384 nautical mile Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. The 39-foot Jon Sayer design was around 17 nautical miles south of Port Macquarie and four miles north of Camden Haven on the NSW coast when her keel fell off around 3 nautical miles offshore. Her water ballasted design helped keep her afloat, and winds were light at the time. Crew and boat were reported safely in Camden Haven just prior to 12.30am this morning. -- Full story: http://goldcoast.cyca.com.au/news.asp?key=5347 DOYLE CUSTOMERS DOMINATE BAYVIEW MACKINAC RACE Doyle customers won 11 classes and 58% of the available flags at the 2011 Bell's Beer Bayview Mackinac Race. Congratulations to our customers for winning the Beneteau 36.7, J/120, GL 70, C&C 35, PHRF A, PHRF B, PHRF C, PHRF D, PHRF E, Cruising B and Cruising C classes. Doyle swept the Beneteau 36.7 class, with "Weather Edge III," "La Buena Vida," and "Carrera" finishing 1-2-3. And in the J/120 class, Doyle powered "Hot Ticket," "Flyin' Irish," and "Carinthia" to 1-2-3. Keep connected with Doyle, visit http://www.facebook.com/doylesails GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250 words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Gregory Scott: So walking into Canadian Tire (weekend mecca for most Canadians), there outside the doors was the Boat Smart crew - tent - boat - fancy truck et al..... and there they were telling Canadians the need to have "the card" - no one shall be allowed on the water without the card. I had just heard on the news that the police will be stationed at boat ramps turning those away without the card and fining those arriving by water who don't have the card. But the best part was the Boat Smart booth and the words "you don't pay the fee if you fail the exam". Both my girlfriend and I stopped and looked as he repeated to the subject standing at the counter. That's right, he said "try the exam and if you fail you don't pay" ... and with that the skeptic in me asked if somehow the results were skewed in favour of a pass equating to the payment being required. Whenever a system creates a reward such as this - I immediately suspect the honorable intent. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION The only thing worse than a Monday is a decaffeinated Monday. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Kaenon Polarized - Doyle Sails - Melges Performance Sailboats - North Sails SailFast - Morris Yachts - Team One Newport - LaserPerformance Ullman Sails - West Marine - JK3 Nautical Enterprises - Summit Yachts Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
