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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 935 - November 1, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
THE PROTESTS Modifications have apparently been carried out by the illbruck Challenge syndicate. James Dadd cites, a weed cutting device that has been embedded into the leading edge of the propeller strut using a filler compound then faired to give an aerodynamic shape. Dadd added that the oil drain located at the lower end of the S-Drive has been filled and faired to create a single surface area on the S-Drive - again to create a more aerodymanic shape. - John Greenland, Volvo Ocean Race website CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT - The story on the event website site discusses Dadd's protest of illbruck and sites the rule in question, VO 60 Rule 5.4.2, which reads: "Only modifications to specified machinery approved by the chief measurer are permitted. The chief measurer may only approve modification in exceptional circumstances. Modification, which results in lighter specified machinery, will not be approved. All items supplied by Volvo Penta including engine beds and auxiliary equipment are governed by this rule." Read the full story: www.volvooceanrace.org/news/leg_1/n1_011031_protest2.html
REACTION While one can understand that other teams might be keen to take a pot-shot at the seemingly all-conquering illbruck in an effort to level the playing field, the involvement of an impartial measurer at such a key point in the race adds a whole new dimension to the difficulties facing Kostecki and his Syndicate Boss, three-times Laser World Champion, Glen Bourke. - Peter Bentley, madforsailing website Full story: www.madforsailing.com * The class rules require modifications to the engine installation to be approved by the chief measurer. These are given only in "exceptional circumstances". If Illbruck is out of class, disqualification from the 7,350-mile leg from Southampton becomes a possibility. - Tim Jeffery, The Telegraph, UK Full story: sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/
WORLD DISABLED SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2.4m Class (14 boats): 1. Heiko Kroeger, GER, 8; 2. Thomas Brown, USA, 28; 3. Bjornar Erikstad, NOR, 36; 4. Jostein Stordahl, NOR, 38; 8. John Ruf USA, 56; 9. Danny McCoy CAN, Full results: www.spyc.org/World/Results/results.htm
POLISH AC SYNDICATE The Polish Challenge race crew for the America's Cup includes Karol Jablonski, one of the best European Match Racer and a 100 % Polish crew (Jacek Wysocki, Marcin Kropidlowski, Jakub Friedenberger, Grzegorz Baranowski, Przemek Tarnacki, Arek Ornowski, Piotr Przybylski, Damian Lesniewski, Dominik Zycki, Marcin Jechorek, Grzegorz Sikorski, Mirek Rychcik, Igor Szrubkowski, Pawel Wlodarczyk, Pawel G—rski, Rafal Szukiel, Pawel Bielecki, Piotr Rozalski, Andrzej Czapski, Arek Fedusi et Ryszard Szumowski). Karol Jablonski said that the Cup budget is sufficient for two years and, during this time, all team will be working away from the base in Valencia (Spain). - Hauraki News website www.hauraki-news.com/LatestNews/Polska1-challenge-LN.htm
LOWER RATES = TIME TO BUY A BOAT
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Richard Hazelton: Congratulations to the Richmond YC Great Pumpkin Regatta for attracted over 140 boats. And thanks Tom for recognizing this event in this hardcore racing forum. It's events like this that do more for showing people the true enjoyment of the sport. As far as fun being an "important, but sometimes overlooked, aspect for our sport", I personally believe it IS our sport. Sure it will become a vocation for an elite few, but for the rest of us "non-sailor athletes", fun is why we do it. Can we protest someone who's not having fun under Rule 90? Sometimes makes me wonder - who are the real sailors, the whiz bang guy who only goes on the water to race, or the guy in the home-built, gaff-rigged 20-footer, slowly heading out on the sound with no other agenda than the enjoyment of being under sail. * From Dan Shine: If rule 90 (Have fun on the race course) does get added to the Racing Rules of Sailing, will you be able protest a boat (or your own skipper) for violating said rule? * Ken Redler (With regards to Rule 90): Over the last 15 years I have seen a large decrease in the number of protests filed after racing. In fact, in the majority of the regattas I sail in, they are nonexistent. However, that does not mean there are less infractions occurring on the water, nor are there any more 720's being performed. Instead sailors are committing fouls and nothing is being done about it. The main reason for the decline in protests is that the protest procedure after racing simply is not fun. Consequently, when faced with the decision to file a protest or join our friends at the bar, the majority of us opt for the latter. This is where Rule 90 and enforcing the rules are in conflict. Conundrum: If protesting is not fun and Rule 90 states we're supposed to have fun, how do we protest without disqualifying ourselves under Rule 90? Recently, there has been a big effort to simplify the rules. How about putting that same effort into enforcing them? One suggestion I have is to eliminate the filing process, which to many is intimidating. Most often, the information filed is illegible or inconsistent with the facts found, anyways. Instead, simply post a sign up sheet for those with the intent to protest. What I don't know is how to simplify the protest hearing. I am sure that with 11,000 Butt-Heads putting our minds together, we can come up with a good solution that is consistent with Rule 90.
BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK Premiere Racing announced last month that after running the last three even-year Race Weeks it was backing out, because of competing events and declining interest among sponsors. It had started with 85 boats and grown the event to 136 boats but did not see a prospect of continued growth, it said. Storm Trysail Club has managed the very successful odd-year regattas since 1965, and last year had 214 boats registered to race. That event was held on the fourth week of June because of the schedule of other sailing races. Zuse's business is marketing and sales, and "we have managed many events," he said. He said he has attended ten or a dozen Race Weeks on Block Island, as has his partner, deBoer, who is publisher of the Sailing Central monthly. Block Island Times, www.blockislandtimes.com/news/2001/1027/Front_Page/003.html
AMERICA'S CUP The design is a collaboration between full-time GBR Challenge technical team members Derek Clark, Jo Richards, Akihiro Kanai and Taro Takahashi and consultant yacht designers Rob Humphreys, Stephen Jones, Phil Morrison, Hugh Welbourn and Simon Rogers. - Tim Jeffery, The Telegraph, UK Read the full story: sport.telegraph.co.uk/sport/
TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE Official website: www.jacques-vabre.com/pages_uk/accueil_uk.htm
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ILLBRUCK CREW GEAR
OCEAN RACING Newport Harbor YC (NHYC) and Long Beach YC (LBYC) have joined forces produce this race for PHRF-level racing, turbo sleds, ULDB 70s, Transpac 52s and California 50s among other one-design classes. In addition, the sponsoring clubs will also be hosting a power auxiliary cruise so power-boaters can join in the fun, and a post-race golf tournament in Manzanillo. The race will start on October 31, 2002 for smaller boats with the larger boats starting on November 2, 2002. The Notice of Race will be available at www.nhyc.org in November. The Sailing Instructions will be available July 2002 Accommodations for racers and their families will be provided by the Grand Bay Hotel, Isla Navidad Resort at discounted prices. This six-star hotel is one of the most exclusive resort properties in Mexico. Marina berthing will be available to all regatta participants. For more information: www.nhyc.org, www.islanavidad.com
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