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SCUTTLEBUTT 1837 - May 12, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere. NEW EXTREME FOR THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE Portsmouth (England), 11 May 2005 - A new generation of sport catamaran was announced today which will be showcased with an exciting grand prix series during some of the in-port stopovers for the Volvo Ocean Race 2005 06. The class, which will appear as the Volvo Extreme 40, is a strict one-design catamaran that has been purposely designed and built to race inshore and short offshore regattas. The concept is simple, it is easy to sail, lightweight, easily transportable and like the Volvo Open 70's that will compete in the race, it is at the forefront of sailing technology. Created and designed by Olympic Tornado champions Mitch Booth, who has represented both Australia and the Netherlands at Olympic competition, and French Olympic gold medal winner Yves Loday, the boat has been created to fill the gap in grand prix sailboat racing. It is a new generation of mid sized catamaran sure to set the standard for exciting inshore sailing with 'action' at the forefront of the designer's mind. The boats are guaranteed to catch the eye as the 40 ft catamaran is expected to reach boat speeds of 35 knots in flat water in around 25 knots of wind and to fly one hull in as little as 6 knots of wind. The race series will be launched in the forthcoming months and will attract some of the world's top sailors and provide audiences all around the globe with an exciting spectacle. The boats will be crewed by four sailors who will be joined by one non-participant, which is likely to be a media guest, celebrity or VIP, enabling them to enjoy the experience first-hand. Herbert Dercksen, Chief Executive of the new class, said, "By the end of this summer we aim to have a fleet of at least five boats. Three sponsors have already signed up and the first boat will be hitting the water at the beginning of July. Within a year the class is expected to have up to ten boats and I am sure we will see some great racing during the series." Glenn Bourke, Chief Executive Volvo Ocean Race commented, "The introduction of the Volvo Extreme 40 grand prix series is an exciting addition to our in-port race entertainment package. Can you imagine just how thrilling it will be with these boats flying a hull just feet away from the spectator gallery? The design characteristics of the boats will ensure stiff competition - and an up close and personal experience for those fortunate enough to secure a 'guest' spot on board." Further information on the class and high-resolution images can be found on the website www.VolvoExtreme40.org IT STARTS AGAIN TODAY The 8th annual Match Race Germany, Stage 6 of the 2004-'05 Swedish Match Tour, is set to begin Thursday with the competition raced on Lake Constance in southwest Germany. The field of 12 teams features four of the top eight skippers on the Swedish Match Tour leaderboard, including Nos. 1 and 3, and the top two skippers on the ISAF world rankings. There are six crews representing syndicates for the 32nd America's Cup, and two skippers making their Swedish Match Tour debut. Also, the event's reigning champion has returned to try and make it two in a row.Held on beautiful Lake Constance - a lake that borders Switzerland and Austria and offers stunning views of the Alps. The only drawback is that the wind conditions can be very fickle at times. In the grand scheme of the Swedish Match Tour, Match Race Germany stands as an important event towards the Tour championship. Baird, who has 75 points, leads Gilmour by 13 points. Russell Coutts (NZL) is second in the standings, 5 points behind Baird, but isn't entered. Baird placed fifth last week at Stage 5 in Italy, his worst showing in four events this season. He can't clinch the championship this week, but he can go a long way toward solidifying his top standing. - Sean McNeill, www.SwedishMatchTour.com MATCH RACE GERMANY 2005 ENTRANTS - Ben Ainslie (GBR) Emirates Team New Zealand - Ian Ainslie (RSA) Shosholoza Challenge - Jan Eike Andresen (GER) - Ed Baird (USA) Team Alinghi - Jesper Bank (DEN) United Internet Team Germany - Sébastien Col (FRA) K-Challenge - Peter Gilmour (AUS) Pizza-La Sailing Team - Sten Mohr (DEN) - Staffan Lindberg (FIN) - Bertrand Pacé (FRA) BMW Oracle Racing - Mathieu Richard (FRA) - Ian Williams (GBR) ROD DAVIS Yachting New Zealand announced that Olympic and Americas Cup Sailing veteran Rod Davis will be our new Olympic Director. Davis will head a three year programme leading up to the 2008 Games with a primary goal of achieving medals for New Zealand in Beijing. "My Olympic experience spans more than 20 years, sailing for the USA (once) and New Zealand (three times) and most recently, as Head Coach for Denmark. In each case, the top performance was the key moment - the Olympic Games. My Olympic campaigns and results are defined by the philosophy behind them: focused, disciplined and results orientated," says Davis. Davis won gold for the USA in Los Angeles (1984); silver for New Zealand in Barcelona (1992), and finished 5th in both Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000). In 2002 he was hired as the 'coach's coach' for the Danish Olympic Sailing coaches, and then promoted to Head Coach of the Danish Team in 2004. The Danish campaign produced medals in two classes in Athens. In 1998 Davis was asked to take a talented group of Italians and bring them to world class sailing level. Two years later, after tackling numerous challenges Davis, as Head Coach brought the Prada Americas Cup team to the final of the Louis Vuitton Challenger Series and on to challenge for the Americas Cup. The Prada development programme was so successful that Davis was asked to do a similar thing for Emirates Team New Zealand. Davis will take up the new Olympic Director role this month while continuing his involvement with Emirates Team New Zealand, in an agreement between Yachting New Zealand and the Americas Cup syndicate headed by Grant Dalton. Davis is set to work full-time with the Yachting New Zealand Olympic Squad in the year leading up to the Beijing Games in 2008. www.yachtingnz.org.nz/135_1/135_1_top.cfm?pageid=1&parentid=1&nid=462 WHERE IT ALL BEGAN. . . In June of 1980, Eric Hall and Phil Garland unlocked the doors of 7 Burnside Street and went to work with five employees, some milling and welding machines, and a clear vision of creating high-performance spars and rigging. Word traveled quickly; Ben Lexcen soon sought out Hall Spars for a top-secret spreader project. Twenty-five years later, Hall Spars & Rigging has more than 100 employees, three autoclaves, and two factories. Hall's physical set-up has changed but the vision remains the same: Create the highest performance products using the best methods available. Join Hall's Silver Anniversary celebration at http://www.hallspars.com HOW PHYSICALLY TOUGH IS IT SAILING THE VO70? (Above is one of the questions that the Bang the Corner website asked Bowie Bekking, skipper of the Volvo 70 Telefonica Movista during the team's recent stopover in Brazil. Following is Bekking's response.) "Compared to the Volvo 60s, much tougher, the Volvo 70 is 20% faster but I would say it is 40% more physical to sail. The loads are higher and the reduction in crew numbers makes it much harder on the ten guys on board, we are using a watch system of two hours on and two hours off and using power naps rather than REM sleep, in much the same way as solo racers. We have a fantastic personal trainer, Sam Brovender, although all of the crew were physically in good shape before we started training, Sam has taken us to another level, that and sound nutritional guidance means that we are able to cope with the physical attrition and our recovery time once we get into port is much quicker. "I would add that I wish the organizers would have a look at the ruling on outside assistance at the quick stop-overs, at the moment the crew are not allowed any help at all, which means they must do everything right down to cleaning the boat. I can see no good reason for this, the shore crew will be there anyway, it is an extra burden on a tired crew that I can not see any good reason for. - Bang the Corner website, full interview: www.bangthecorner.com/default.asp?m=da&id=13365 HANDSHAKE AGREEMENT The America's Cup Challenger Selection Series working party of John Cutler (Desafio Espanol), Tom Ehman (BMW ORACLE), Bruno Finzi (Luna Rossa) and Dawn Riley (K-Challenge) reported on their negotiations with ACM officials to reconcile the CC's "San Francisco Plan" with ACM's bonus points ideas. A new plan, known now as the "Valencia Plan," had been negotiated. It is similar to the San Francisco plan in structure and schedule, but includes a range of bonus points to be carried into the rounds robin by all Challengers based on the overall results of the Acts. A handshake agreement had been reached on the Valencia Plan with ACM. Pending further consultations by ACM with SNG and the Defender, and approval by the full Challenger Commission, it was hoped that formal agreement and an announcement of the Valencia Plan would be achieved shortly. The Challenger Commission approved the Valencia Plan on a vote of 8-2, and await a decision from ACM. To read other decisions just made by the America's Cup Chal;lenger's Commission: www.challengercommission.com/ BEN AINSLIE (The Daily Sail subscription website interviewed Ben Ainslie about his role with Emirates Team New Zealand. Here's an excerpt from their story now posted online.) Match racing requires an entirely different mind-set to fleet racing and to get good at this on the water chess game requires experience. "The hardest thing is the starting and I finally feel like I am getting to grips with that, " says Ainslie of his new discipline. "All the maneuvers are set pieces and until you have been through every scenario about five times only then do you start to get a handle on it, because the moves have to be instinctive and if something happens the opportunity is gone." Equally hard is the transition from dinghies to giant lumbering ACC boats. "Time on distance, when the boat stalls out, how long it takes to get going, turning distances and all those sorts of thing - I'm still learning that and it takes a long time," say Ainslie. And then, perhaps the hardest part of all, is making the leap from sailing singlehanded to having a crew around you and having to operate as a cog within a bigger mechanism. "Part of helming is to trying to lead the boat and push everyone along, so that is another learning experience as well," continues Ainslie. "It is a subtle balance between leading the boat along without imposing yourself too much and not getting above people too much." Fortunately Ainslie says he is getting on well with the Kiwis, they have a similar attitude to him, they work hard, play hard and it is an amazing team to be involved with - something he is proud of. - The Daily Sail, www.thedailysail.com YACHTING CUP STOP II ULLMAN SAILS INSHORE CHAMPIONSHIP! Ullman Sails customers continue the trend with the "Fastest Sails on the Planet." Twelve classes, over 120 boats, seven Ullman class winners, and 60% of the trophies at San Diego Yacht Club's 2005 Yachting Cup. Congratulations to John Laun and crew on "Caper," winning J/120 class and "The Yachting Cup Trophy" as regatta's top performer. Additional class winners: John Carroll's "Arana," Doug & Pam Werner's "Javelin," John McBrearty's "Voodoo," Gary Mozer's "Current Obsession," Scott Taylor's "Defiance," and Jeff Janov's "Ripple." It's time you put the "Fastest Sails on the Planet" on your team! Contact Ullman Sails and visit http://www.ullmansails.com NEWS BRIEFS * The 2005 ISAF Mid-Year Meetings for the ISAF Council, Audit Committee, Events Committee and Executive Committee get underway in Stockholm, Sweden today. On May 13, the 2005 ISAF Beppe Croce Trophy will be presented to former ISAF President, Paul Henderson (CAN). - www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j1/Fhy~`D * The German campaign is now on its way to the starting line of the first America's Cup to take place in Europe," announced Willy Kuhweide, a former Olympic champion and the commodore of the Deutscher Challenger YC. Having challenged on the 29th April, the United Internet Team Germany will be sailing in the June Valencia Louis Vuitton Acts with GER 72, the ex-Mascalzone Latino from the 2002 challenger series. Danish skipper Jesper Bank, who led the Swedish Victory Challenge in 2002 - 2003 will steer the first German challenger to sail in the America's Cup. - http://tinyurl.com/9gl4m * The 2005 Tybee 500 has reached its midpoint arriving in Cocoa Beach, and there is a short 2-part video on the event including interviews with the sailors posted on the Sailing channel (channel 2) at www.AdventureOnline.TV. Event website: www.catsailor.com/Tybee05/T05Leg1.htm BUTTHEAD BONANZA Scuttlebutt is calling on all buttheads (yes, that's you) to recruit their sailing friends to subscribe to the Scuttlebutt E-newsletter. The goal is 20,000 subscribers by the 20th. Details and special offers from West Marine, Harken, Team One Newport, and Hall Spars & Rigging at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/contest/20000 LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From J A Booker: While Mr. Moulton's knee jerk reaction to the "girl" designation on the USODA Team Trials results is understandable, it is based on an inaccurate assumption regarding intent. In fact, many of the international travel teams selected at the USODA events are deliberately mixed in gender. That is to say, for example, that a team of ten will include at least three of the opposite gender. In this day and age, one simply cannot deduce correctly the sex of a sailor by their name, so the scorer includes that information in the results. I find that USODA makes an extraordinary effort to promote Opti sailing for girls and boys. A quick look at the young people participating in high school, college and Olympic sailing seems to indicate that this effort is paying off. On the Opti/ Sabot debate. - Every year the St. Petersburg Yacht Club sends a group of juniors (boys and girls) to San Diego to sail Sabots in the Junior Commodore's Regatta. A group of clubs there then send sailors to St. Petersburg to sail Optis in the Valentine's Day Regatta. The results from the last four years that I have been involved have clearly show one thing: kids are learning to be great sailors in both. * From Mark Gaudio (edited to our 250-word limit): Quite a compliment for the Naples Sabot to occupy soooo much time and energy from so many astute 'Buttheads.' The talent generated through the efforts of Southern California Jr. Naples Sabot Fleet speaks for itself. Although I agree with Peter Commette that the exact boat may not matter, you want to have the right choices for the right venue. The under-performing Opti has no place in the generally lighter air venues of So Cal. Having experienced as a youth, an Opti Nationals in Key Biscayne (150 boats), I can tell you this much; peers of mine actually took pain-taking efforts to break their boats, so they wouldn't have to race the lighter days. These were Naples kids who were rather bored with the archaic 'sprit' that the Opti boasts. Personally I would much rather have leeboards in the water, than sprits in the air! Our main priority in any Junior Sailing Program is to teach the necessary skills to propagate the sport-for a lifetime, not to merely replace the weekend regimen of the Soccer Field. Sailing/Yacht Racing offers us a life-long skill set, unlike most Jr. Sports. If our junior sailors get too bored too early, we'll loose them. We need to set the 'hook' for life. With regard to 'swamping' the Naples Sabot vs. the forgiveness of the Opti. I like the fact if you blow a maneuver bad enough and swamp your Sabot-game over. Sometimes in life you are not afforded the luxury of a second chance. * From Paul Kaplan: I have a 42' Baltic with a full IMS certificate and for a number of years actively raced this and other boats under IMS, PHRF, IOR, and the old Delta rule used on the Chesapeake Bay prior to MHS/IMS. The local IRC measurer called me this winter to suggest that I obtain an IRC certificate. His estimate of the total costs for the certificate, yard fees, and his measurement fees was $1,000. In addition, I estimated that I would need to spend a least 2 days preparing the boat so that it would be in measurement trim. Since I did not plan to race in an event this year that required IRC, I declined and will continue to race under PHRF. Please note that his plan was to take certain measurements while the boat was on land and others once the boat was launched. I can not speak for the accuracy of these costs, only what the local measurer was quoting. From my perspective, this is a large cost to chase another new and unproven rule. I will most likely not chose IRC unless forced to obtain a certificate to participate in a race that I otherwise wish to do. * From Larry Bulman: I can sympathize with Mr. Kirstiansen who wrote about difficulties getting an endorsed IRC Certificate. I would like to relay my actual experience with a 53 ft. boat this was measured and weighed in Florida. Costs incurred were as follows: * Measurer: $600.00 (his charge onsite) * U.S. Sailing $254.00 (certificate processing fee) * Yard $595.50 (crane, travelLift, etc. for overhauling) TOTAL: $1,449.50 If you take away one way of the roundtrip to the water, it brings it to about $1,150. Simply put, it is significantly more expensive than suggested to get a boat and just as much, if not more, than IMS Certificate. * From Rand Milton: Tony Bridgewater comments in 'Butt 1836 and Peter Huston's comments in 'Butt 1835) need clarification regarding medals won by a single individual in both summer and winter Olympics... Eddie Eagan holds a special place in Olympic history: he is the only person to win gold medals in both summer and winter sports. In 1920, Eagan defeated Sverre Sörsdal of Norway to win the light heavyweight boxing championship at the Antwerp Olympics. Twelve years after his victory at the Summer Games, Eagan reappeared at the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Olympics as a member of Billy Fiske's four-man bobsleigh team. The Fiske foursome won the event by two seconds and Eagan achieved his unique double. * From Greg Jones (re 'Butt 1836): If those Chinese can reproduce while walking single file then they have redefined multitasking. We may as well give them the Cup now and save everyone the trouble. * From Paul Henderson, former Finn sailor, former ISAF President and President of the Italian +39 America's Syndicate: Valencia +39 enthusiastically welcomed Ben Ainslie's visit to our compound where he has many friends. All Finn sailors are always welcome as +39 appreciates talent. +39 has on board a cohesive team of Olympic Finn Medallists like Ian Percy, Trujillo, Devotti but as a "lean and mean" endeavor +39 does respect other syndicate's concept of handling talent by leaving them on the shore. If Finn Gold Medallists Ben Ainslie and Russell Coutts feel so inclined they will always be welcomed by their friends at +39. In reference to the Kiwi Dalton's great experience and comparing +39 to Formula 1 race cars, Italian +39 has no desire or knowledge about shearing sheep. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished. |
