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SCUTTLEBUTT 3787 - Monday, March 4, 2013Scuttlebutt 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: Gowrie Group and Harken. MAYBE THE BOAT NEEDS A BETTER NAME Jennifer French, who claimed the silver medal in the doublehanded SKUD 18 event at the 2012 Paralympic Games, was honored last week as the recipient of US Sailing's 2012 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. Her award makes Jen the first female to be recognized for her disabled sailing achievements, but what she would really like now is to go mix it up on the able-bodied race course. Designed by Julian Bethwaite and selected in 2005 as the new two-person boat for the 2008 Paralympic Games this summer, the SKUD18 continues to fly below the radar. "The 2.4 and the Sonar both began with able-bodied racing; they each had established classes before they became Paralympic boats," explained French. "But the SKUD 18 was just the opposite. It has been harder to build on the able-bodied side; that's the crux that the boat needs to overcome." Maybe it's the boat's name. The Urban Dictionary defines Skud as: 1) A person that appears attractive from far away, but when seen closer is actually ugly; 2) A derogatory reference to someone or something; or 3) A spliff with only tobacco at the beginning, the rest being purely marijuana. None of these references seem to have great marketing qualities. "It is remarkable that this boat is only used for disabled sailing," remarked Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck, who reviewed the boat in 2008. "It has all the elements of a skiff with the benefit of being lead assisted. With a tube-launched asymmetrical spinnaker and a modified high performance 29er stayed rig, the boat is fast and fun to sail. For people learning how to sail, the fixed seats eliminate the awkwardness that new sailors experience when moving around in a boat. For the daysailor, add surround sound and drink holders, and the SKUD 18 is speedy way to tool around the harbor. And for the aging keelboat sailor it provides the dinghy experience without all the athleticism needed." Interestingly, the SKUD's commitment to disabled sailing may also become its detriment. "It is a fun boat to sail, but what I dearly missed while doing the campaign is that it is not an open class," said French. "I want to be able to compete against able-bodied people too. But what the boat did introduce me to was the fun of sailing with an asymmetrical spinnaker. Once you sail with that configuration you kind of get addicted to it. However, now I am looking for the next able-bodied class I can participate in. That's what makes sailing so unique for people with disabilities; we can go out and race against able bodied people and be treated the same." Does French have aspirations for the 2016 Paralympic Games? "I am taking a break right now. The SKUD was a reminder of how important open sailing was to me, so that's what I have been doing lately. I have been doing some beach cat sailing, and I have been checking out the J/70. What I need to do is take a look at the available options for me." Rolex award ceremony video: http://youtu.be/bnKhuwlkh0g ARE YOUR YACHT CLUB'S DOCKS SAFE? Gowrie Group wants to help ensure the safety of all your members this summer, including your smallest members - children. Following basic dock safety guidelines can help to prevent tragic accidents. And in most cases, the solutions are simple and inexpensive to implement. Review our Dock Safety Guidelines now to make sure that the worst thing that happens on your dock this summer is a stubbed toe. Read the Dock Safety Guidelines: http://tinyurl.com/GowrieDocks. Contact Gowrie Group to learn more about The Burgee Program, the only custom insurance program for yacht clubs and sailing organizations at burgee@gowrie.com or 800.262.8911 PAUL CAYARD: FOILING AND THE AMERICA'S CUP In Scuttlebutt 3786 (Friday), Artemis Racing CEO Paul Cayard spoke openly of the work the Swedish America's Cup challenger was doing to prepare for the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup (July 7 - Aug 31). In Part 2 of his interview with Scuttlebutt's Craig Leweck, Paul shares more details on foiling and the other variables that are in play for the 34th America's Cup... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Different modes... "With the focus on full foiling (entire hull above water), it is important to recognize there are wind crossovers that impact the equation. If the winds are too light to fully foil, then the excessive drag caused by the foiling blades will be a big problem. While July and August are windy months on the Bay, September can offer a wider range of wind strength. The foiling package that works in the Louis Vuitton Cup (July 7 - Aug 31) may not work in the America's Cup (Sept 7-23)." Upwind foiling... "So far no team has been able to fully foil upwind. We see it when reaching and running, but not closed hauled, and I don't think we will see it in this America's Cup. But remember, even if the boats are not fully foiling upwind, they are still foiling to a less degree. A good estimation is that about half of the hull's displacement is getting lifted when sailing upwind." Reconnaissance... "It has been pretty interesting watching Oracle sail since the time we trained with them. They now, along with most of the other teams, are sailing with two different boards at the same time. One board is more suited for upwind and less stable when sailing downwind, while the more 'V' shaped board is more stable for downwind but produce more drag when sailing upwind. "We can learn from watching how the teams deal with the unsteadiness of the less draggy board. They might fly lower on the less stable board since that will minimize the hull pitch, whereas they will fly much higher on the stable board since they offer a much safer ride. But again, more stability when fully foiling off the wind means they are paying the price upwind with the additional drag of the stable board." More than foiling... "While so much of the focus is on the foiling, it is good for the public to recognize that this America's Cup is different in a lot of other ways too. When you consider the extreme conditions we expect in July and August, and the tightness of the race course, we are doing things no one has ever done before. Even in monohull racing, we have never been hemmed into a box that is just three quarters of a mile wide. The reaction time needed for the helm and crew is going to make a big difference. Add in how the boats are fragile, breakdowns are going to happen, and maintenance will be a big factor. There are just a lot of new factors that will be determining the outcome of this America's Cup." Full interview: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/13/0301/ IMPROVING THE OUTPUT It's still over a year before the start of the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race, but we are already getting excited about the race's heightened commitment to onboard media. Rick Deppe, who is responsible for the media output from the boats, provides this update for Sail Racing Magazine editor Justin Chisholm... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- We have the two spreader cameras as normal, plus the one on the back communications mast - they stay the same as they always work and so there is no reason to change. The larger bubble around the hatchway means we couldn't use the aft facing camera positioned on the mast below the boom this time - which incidentally I was never a big fan of anyway. So now we have built an aft facing camera into the top of the coaming around the hatchway. This will be a great location for pitman interviews while they are working. We can also rotate this camera like we can with the spreader-cams so we can point it up at the helmsman, or down to leeward at someone trimming. The microphones will be under the coaming, protected from the wind noise. We expect to use this setup a lot and I think this will be one of the biggest changes to the look and feel of the media output because it reduces the need to be on deck with a handheld camera where you are shaking and falling around as the boat moves. The footage from the new camera should be rock solid and really, really cool. Another new camera position I am really excited about is at the front. This new camera is in a kind of steaming light assembly fitted about 500mm above the boom height on the front of the mast and built into a custom fairing. That will be looking forward and because we are so much lower down and closer to the deck, when the guys are working on the foredeck fighting with a sail or when the boat is screaming along, we will see the water rushing towards the camera. The spreader cams were great for that but because they are so high, it kind of flattens the visual impact compared with being down lower. I think the footage from the new lower position will be really dramatic. -- Full interview: http://tinyurl.com/SR-030313 * The Volvo Ocean Race organizers have announced that the Portuguese capital of Lisbon will be a stopover port for the 12th edition in 2014-15 and again for the 13th in 2017-18. The boats will reach Lisbon in 2015 after setting out from Newport, Rhode Island and crossing the Atlantic back to Europe. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/VOR-030313 SAILING SHORTS * Tampa, FL (March 2, 2013) - Allan Terhune controlled the competition at the J/22 Midwinter Championship to win by 14 points. Racing Dazzler with Katie Terhune, Jeff Linton and Louise Neuberger, Terhune dropped his lowest score of only 4 and kept a line of 3,1,1,1,1,1,2 for just 10 points in the eight race series. He was quick to praise the host Davis Island Yacht Club, saying "We couldn't have had a better three days of sailing - warm, good breeze, challenging and fun!" -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=15278#15278 * The World Sailing Speed Record Council has ratified a new record for monohull sailing a route from New York to San Francisco (13,225 nm). Giovanni Soldini (ITA) and 8 crew sailed the 70ft Maserati from December 31, 2012 to February 16, 2013 in a time of 47 days, 42 minutes, and 29 seconds (average speed: 11.72 kts). The previous benchmark time was set by Yves Parlier in 1998 of 57d 3h 2m 45s. -- http://tinyurl.com/WSSR-030313 * Sail Canada announced members of the 2013 Canadian Sailing Team. The ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami event in January marked the final team qualification opportunity for the Canadian Sailing Team. This year's lineup includes many familiar faces along with nine new team members. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/CST-030313 * (March 1, 2013) - U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., introduced a bill this past week that would block the use of gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol until its harmful effects are further investigated. H.R. 875 would repeal the Environmental Protection Agency's waiver approving the sale of E15 until the agency seeks an independent scientific analysis from the National Academy of Sciences to explore the harmful effects of the blend, according to Sensenbrenner's office. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/E15-030313 * Buzios, Brazil (March 3, 2013) - After two days of competition at the 7th edition of the RS:X Worlds Championship, the 63 men and 41 women have five races completed, allowing a discard of their worst result. The men's fleet will now be divided into gold and silver fleets, with the first 50% of the best sailors on the first and the second half of the fleet on the last. The girls will continue sailing a single fleet through Tuesday, with the top ten of both men and women advancing to the medal race on Wednesday. -- Event website: http://tinyurl.com/RSX-030313 INNOVATIVE PRODUCT OF THE YEAR AWARD McLube's new Antifoul Alternative Speed Polish was a winner in SAIL's 2013 Freeman K. Pittman Innovation Awards. The concept came from their customers and their suggestions were incorporated into a cutting-edge, fully-biodegradable product formulated to keep your hull fast and pristine for weeks. This environmentally-friendly product left plenty of clean wake lines at Key West Race Week. Designed by you, for you, and Harken recommended for everything under the waterline. Give it a test drive. http://www.mclubemarine.com/antifoulpolish/ 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 Mike Brown - Chicago: In response to Mr McCarthy's OpEd in Scuttlebutt 3785, if he believes that sailing is a millionaire's club then he can get a look at my W-2! I have taught and raced and cruised...for 30 years...while I maintain an hourly job that buys me the essentials in life, and maintains my minimalistic approach to the path I have carved out day to day. Lake Michigan sailing is ever-changing and an attitude that reflects "elitism" when it comes to sailing will get you fewer and fewer participants in your weekly regattas and beer cans. * From John Graham: Sailing expensive? Not for the 50 to 80% who sail as crew and don't own a boat. The cost of equipment to sail as crew is less than the cost to go skiing, cycling, surfing, etc. Costs about the same as playing soccer, tennis, squash, etc. * From Rob Stephan - Fairfield, CT: I found the story of what John Ross-Duggan (Scuttlebutt 3785) accomplished before and after becoming a quadriplegic inspiring. Not only was he a skilled sailor/racer but he finished medical school and a four year residency/fellowship in neuroradiology after his injury and continued racing and winning. Hats off to a life well lived. John's story can serve as a fine reminder to any of us who may complain about any adversity that we experience to think again. * From Jim Leatherman: Regarding the passing of John Ross-Duggan, it is with a heavy heart that I reply to this sad and unexpected news of the loss of a friend, a great teammate, fierce competitor, roll model, and world class sailor (how many Paralympic Medals did he have in sailing?). Over the course of one's life, individuals come and go but there are those few that make a lasting impact on you. JR was one of them for me. I remember when we first met. I was struck by the fact that I was going to let this guy take me out into the middle of the Ocean just after the Perfect Storm, on a little sail boat, while being duct taped into some twisted metal parts that sort of resembled a chair. As we exited Marblehead Harbor and the sail boat in front of us completely disappeared in the trough of the swell, I knew I had lost my mind to have been talked into being onboard. After all, we had a QUAD driving the boat. As I hung on for dear life, I remember JR barking out orders as if we were simply on a day cruise at the Islands. When we got back to the dock that day, right after I got off the boat and kissed it, I know this guy was something special, and I now "wanted" to sail with this Quad at the Helm. -- Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=15275#15275 * From Deb Aronson: I'd like to respond to Dave Ullman's observations (#3781) on keeping the balance between competition and a healthy class. I can't think of any class that does this better than the Flying Scot class. The class is among the strictest of one-designs; boat #1 can sail as fast as boat #6000, skippers being equal, of course, so no one has to run out and buy a new boat every few years. The competition is fierce, and the sailors are world-class, but just as importantly, Scot sailors are the friendliest group of people I have ever competed against. When we showed up at our first Scot regatta, having bought our boat the previous week, our competition showed us how to rig it. Another thing that keeps the class healthy is the amazing willingness of the top sailors, even the professionals, to share tips with those of us back of the pack. And, although this might appear off topic, I also want to point out that this is the only class I know of that has an annual, class-sanctioned, national regatta for wife/husband teams only. This year's regatta attracted 27 boats and competition was so hot they had to use the around-the-ends flags on both days. 2007 Rolex Yachtsman of the year Jeff Linton and his wife, Amy, won it, but not without a fight! COMMENT: A successful balance has as much to do with the boat as the people that sail it. I have fond memories sailing FS #742 "The Pretender", which included sailing with 19 friends onboard, trying to launch her off a water ski ramp, and placing second in the North American champs. How many boats provide that much fun? - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt DOES YOUR WEBSITE HOST SCUTTLEBUTT NEWS? There are countless websites that host a custom code that allows the latest edition of the Scuttlebutt newsletter to be posted on their site. To all the people that read Scuttlebutt on these sites, we have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Scuttlebutt will soon be launching a new newsletter style and website, both huge steps forward. The bad news is that we will no longer be able to support the custom code. We encourage you to inform your website host of this change, and to subscribe to the e-Newsletter to be ready for its new launch. Free subscription info here: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/subscribe/ CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION If hot air balloons were a gender, they would be a man because to get them to go anywhere, you have to light a fire under their butt. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Gowrie Group - Harken - North U - Grand Ambition - Gladstone's Long Beach - Block Island Race Week - North Sails - Waterline Systems - APS - Ullman Sails - Hall Spars & Rigging - Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
