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SCUTTLEBUTT 2849 - Thursday, May 21, 2009Scuttlebutt 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. Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Today's sponsors are Atlantis WeatherGear and Ullman Sails. THERE STILL REMAINS A CHANCE FOR SOME DRAMA (May 21, 2009, Day 6) All we want is a good game to watch. The first game of the NBA Western and Eastern Conference finals were both close at the end, and that is what we want for the Volvo Ocean Race too. If Ericsson 4 runs away with another leg win, it is going to be hard to keep the butts in the seats. After nearly seven months, they continue to remind us they are the best team, but we still want some drama. Looking at the Race tracker, we might still have a game in the third quarter. The fleet has nearly skirted the ice exclusion zone, and would be on layline to the Galway finish if not for a backing breeze (to SSW) that now has them in power running mode on starboard, but aiming to the right of the target. In 20 knots, the V070s like a True Wind Angle of about 140 degrees, but a little more or a little less can lead to some healthy lateral separation… and that is what we now have. Call it leverage, and with the lead two boats to the far left and the rest of the fleet to the right, this race is not over… yet. Stay seated! * The auction for the autographed Scuttlebutt t-shirt, which was signed by all the skippers competing in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/9 at the Boston stopover, will close this Friday (9:00 am PT). This is a one-of-a-kind item, and 100% of the proceeds for this item going to the Traverse Area Community Sailing. Post your bid here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/auction * VOLVO OCEAN RACE: Began Oct. 4, 2008, crewed around the world race in VO 70’s, with ten distance legs and seven In-Port races. Teams are now on the 2,550 nm transatlantic Leg 7 from Boston to Galway, Ireland that started May 16th and is expected to finish by May 23rd. Current positions (as of May 21, 01:00 GMT): 1. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 1,403 nm Distance to Finish 2. Telefonica Black (ESP), Fernando Echavarri/ESP, 4 nm Distance to Leader 3. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 12 nm DTL 4. Delta Lloyd (IRL), Roberto Bermudez/ESP, 16 nm DTL 5. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 17 nm DTL 6. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 32 nm DTL 7. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Magnus Olsson/SWE, 38 nm DTL Team Russia (RUS), Andreas Hanakamp/AUT, Did Not Start Event website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org Race tracking: http://volvooceanrace.geovoile.com Overall scores: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/#tab4 SLOW, STEADY PROGRESS FOR LASER CLASS While in Boston during the Volvo Ocean Race stopover, Harken USA CEO Bill Goggins was carrying special cargo - the prototype Laser mainsheet blocks that Harken would soon be supplying exclusively to LaserPerformance (see Twitter post). With over 165,000 class members, Laser sailors had still been using the same blocks that were on the boat when it was launched at the NY boat show in 1971. To learn more about this change, Scuttlebutt checked in with Chip Wilkerson, VP Marketing at LaserPerformance, which builds 4,000 Lasers a year for North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, and much of Asia. * How does the Laser class go about making this kind of change? CHIP WILKERSON: “Each class is different. They have their own process and differing degrees of freedom when it comes to equipment changes. The Laser is the largest one-design racing class in the world so they take this very seriously. For changes such as these, it has to go in front of the World Council technical committee where it's ratified by a vote. These 'elections' happen once a year at the annual builder's meeting. It then gets documented/updated in the Laser Construction Manual. Any change is recorded in this tightly controlled document to ensure that every Laser, irrespective of builder, is exactly the same -- materials, lay up schedules, dimensions, manufacturing methods, etc.” * Can you provide a timeline for previous upgrades to the Laser? CHIP WILKERSON: “The last upgrade approved by the class was the new clew strap which was launched in 2006. Prior to this we introduced the Outhaul and Cunningham and 16:1 Vang upgrade in 2000. So, as you can see, changes are made very prudently. This is what has made Laser such a strong one-design class.” -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0520 DISCOVER: WORLD-CLASS PERFORMANCE THAT FITS YOUR STYLE Introducing the all-new 2009 Aegis line from Atlantis. Designed and tested here in Marblehead by sailors for sailors, this gear is engineered to keep you dry whether you’re sailing dinghies, Etchells or TP52s. A new jacket, spray top and hybrid bib pant that are loaded with features and designed with the kind of attention to the small details that only happens when gear is designed by sailors for sailors. Visit http://www/AtlantisWeatherGear.com to see the new Aegis gear and to find an Aegis dealer near you. Discover your Atlantis TEEN ENTERS FINAL LEG OF AROUND-THE-WORLD VOYAGE With only about a month to go before he makes history, a Thousand Oaks teenager is drawing increasing attention as he nears the finish line on his around-the-globe solo sailing journey. Zac Sunderland, 17, departed Marina del Rey (Los Angeles) on June 14, 2008, sailing the westerly direction, and hopes to complete his quest to reach Marina del Rey late next month and become the youngest person to circumnavigate the Earth alone in a sailboat. Sunderland reached the final leg of his yearlong trip Tuesday, when he entered the Pacific Ocean after sailing through the Panama Canal. Australian David Dicks sailed solo around the world when he was 18 years, 41 days old in 1996. Sunderland won’t be 18 until January. Sunderland has competition for the honor of becoming the youngest to sail solo around the world. Michael Perham, a 17-year-old English sailor who left England in November, is sailing east and recently reached New Zealand. -- Ventura County Star, complete story: http://tinyurl.com/r4xqt2 SEATTLE’S COMMUNITY BOATING CENTER WEATHERS CHANGE Morgan Collins states it matter-of-factly, as if such a deal is unremarkable. “It costs a dollar for a kid to sail here for a year,” said Collins, the executive director of Sail Sand Point, the nonprofit community boating center at Magnuson Park in Seattle. “Our mission is to get anyone who wants to sail sailing. Everyone’s welcome.” Sail Sand Point is a bit of a legend for those in the know. It began as a youth program run by the Corinthian Yacht Club at Leschi, but was so successful that within two years it had outgrown the premises and needed to move elsewhere. Experienced sailing instructors Jonathan and Marcy Edwards founded the center as a nonprofit at Sand Point in 1998. -- Three Sheets Northwest, read on: http://tinyurl.com/ry8kt3 LAKE ERIE SOLO SAILING ADVENTURES None of these guys is as old as Jack Nicholson or Morgan Freeman of "The Bucket List" movie, but they agreed a "solo sail" was something they wanted to try before, well, kicking the proverbial bucket. The nonstop Lake Erie Solo Challenge is one of many solo events sponsored by the Great Lakes Singlehanded Society sanctioned since 1979. The Lake Erie Solo Challenge started in 2007, but Erie sailors made their maiden voyage in 2008. Dave Amatangelo, Brad Enterline and Greg Gorny are all seasoned sailors -- with crews. None of them had ever sailed solo for more than a few hours before getting into a race that provides a lifetime of coast-to-coast memories. The 312-mile Lake Erie Solo Challenge begins off North Cape Yacht Club near Monroe, Mich., and heads to Pelee Island, Ontario, and east to Seneca Shoal Light near Buffalo, N.Y. The course ends at the Erie Yacht Club (Erie, PA). Where did this idea originate? -- Erie Times, read on: http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090519/NEWS02/305199888 ARMED FORCES SAILING REGATTA (Alameda, CA) - In appreciation of the men and women in our Armed Forces, Club Nautique has invited the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard to participate in The Club Nautique American Armed Forces Cup! Each branch of the military is sending three participants to compete head-to-head for the first annual American Armed Forces Cup perpetual trophy. The regatta is being held on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 between 1530 and 2200 aboard five evenly matched twenty-six foot sailboats. Club Nautique is providing the boats and professional skippers for the event, but the military teams will do all the sailing. The overall winner will be presented with the American Armed Forces Cup perpetual trophy, which is to be defended next year and each year thereafter. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7403 WHERE THERE’S WATER… No matter where you are or what sailing you do, Ullman Sails lofts worldwide are focused on providing the best sails and service possible. In Texas, Rob Doolittle and Brock Schmidt continue their winning streak in the Flying Scot class, claiming first in the 24-boat fleet at the Spring Dinghyfest. In Italy, Flavio Favini helmed Melges 24 “Blu Moon” to another victory at the Volvo Cup Regatta in Lerici, powered by the Ullman Dacron “Shark” mainsail. And in Sydney, we’re completing final sail testing with competitors for the upcoming 505 Worlds in August. Ullman Sails - Invest in your performance. -- http://www.ullmansails.com SAILING SHORTS * (Valencia, Spain) - The European Grand Prix could be facing an uncertain future as one of its principal supporters faces a court hearing on allegations of corruption that could include the development of the Valencia harbourside (America’s Cup) venue. Regional president Francisco Camps is due in court today [Wednesday] to face charges of accepting 'bribes and backhanders' in exchange for awarding key 'contracts and illegal building permits'. Camps was in Boston during the Volvo Ocean Race stopover to announce the completed contract to move the VOR headquarters to Alicante, Spain. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/raqf73 * The World Match Racing Tour has announced that Philippe Presti will receive a Tour Card for the remainder of the 2009 season. All tour events are by invitation only, with eight Tour Cards allocated to the top sailors to guarantee their entrance in tour events. Presti’s card came when Ed Baird recently withdrew from the tour. The second tour event of 2009 will be Match Race Germany (Langenargen, Germany) on May 27-June 1. Remaining card holders are Ben Ainslie (GBR), Paolo Cian (ITA), Sébastien Col (FRA), Adam Minoprio (NZL), Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mathieu Richard (FRA), and Ian Williams (GBR). -- http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com * The Ocean Watch is a unique sailing vessel that will become a floating platform for science research as it circumnavigates the Americas. Ocean Watch was launched on March 31, and will start its voyage north from Seattle on May 31. It will go north, to sail the Northwest Passage this summer, where it is now possible to sail ice-free along the northern coast of Alaska and Canada as the Arctic ice dramatically shrank. Scientists from various agencies fear that global warming is taking its toll on the ice. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/r629hr * Balboa Yacht Club has announced the entrants in the 43rd annual Governor’s Cup International Junior Match Racing Championship, where 3-person teams will compete in Governor’s Cup 21s on July 14-19, 2009. The event features the best young match racing talent from all over the world including teams this year from New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Bermuda. US entrants include last year’s winner, Newport Harbor Yacht Club, along with teams from California and Louisiana. -- http://www.govcupracing.com RACING FOR A CAUSE Team Goldendog is a Northeast U.S.-based sailing team with strong ties to the island of St. Maarten. For the past six years, the team has competed in the Bareboat Charter division at the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta held each March - and helping four-legged friends in a huge way. “When we started Team Goldendog, it was really about two things,” said Milford, CT native Jeffrey Sochrin. “First, we wanted to sail competitively in the bareboat division of the Heineken Regatta; second, we wanted to sail with a cause. I have always been an animal lover and after adopting my two Golden Retrievers, Simon and Max, I wanted to put together an organization that helps homeless animals find their forever homes.” The team has sailed in the regatta since 2004, raising nearly $40,000 for the St. Maarten Animal Welfare Foundation, Les Quatre Pattes (The Four Paws, which helps homeless and abandoned animals on St. Maarten) and Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue of Hudson, MA. To raise funds for the animal organizations, Sochrin manages this annual event, from securing the bareboat charter, organizing crew and their logistics, and getting sponsors on board. -- WindCheck, read on: http://tinyurl.com/d2cxfl RUSSELL COUTTS SPEAKS OUT As the CEO of the BMW Oracle Racing team, Russell Coutts shared some opinions with the NZ Herald on the current situation with the America’s Cup: * On steering the BOR multihull: "Something like that [the trimaran] is a 100 per cent, full-time, focus and I'm quite happy to say it's not my area of expertise. James Spithill will skipper it and he and the crew have been doing nothing else but working out on it and getting to grips with it." * On accusations of BOR spying: "It is an accepted part of what goes on in the America's Cup. We all do it - that's why Alinghi have had people like [New Zealand Alinghi sailors] Peter Evans and Warwick Flury hanging round in San Diego. Last time I was there, I took them all out to dinner - that's how normal it is. But they [Alinghi] were quite vicious about our guy - they tried to make out he'd trespassed when it was quite clear he hadn't and they tried to make out it was a criminal thing when it wasn't." -- Complete story: http://tinyurl.com/rx3b3c CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Here are a few of the events that are coming up: May 22 - Down the Bay Race for The Virginia Cruising Cup - Annapolis, MD, USA May 22-24 - Puerto Rico Vela Cup - Fajardo, PR, Puerto Rico May 23-24 - Annual Lilac Festival Regatta - Hamilton, Ontario, Canada View all the events at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Reader commentary is encouraged, with letters to be submitted to the Scuttlebutt editor, aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’. Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). You only get one letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Geri Conser, Aerial Yacht Photography: (re, Peter Harken letter in Scuttlebutt 2848) You have it so right. I have been around about as long as you and seen my fair amount of sponsorships treated as a gift. Major American companies happy to SPONSOR a sailing event: provide yacht club top of the line autos for everyone from commodore to club manager, money for all parties and firmly asked not to display any banners or ask for top line on the event program. Americans just do not get it. If the event is non-commercial and really no advertising, then ask for donations and no professionals on the line. It is so bogus to see sails, the loft big guns on the new boat, and new yacht club non-sailor parading as an amateur. There is nothing so wrong with having a great sponsor putting on a great sailing event and getting the fun of sailing out to the public. * From Mark Lammens: I find this discussion about "Corinthian spirit" interesting and confusing. Advertising and dropping out of races because of a mistake are very different. RRS Rules have evolved such that if you make a mistake today you can do a 360 or 720 and still play. Going to the dock early, the "sail of shame", is not fun, especially if you drove long distance, etc to race. If you did break a rule back in the day, when the rules required you retire for hitting a mark or fouling someone, then based on the rules of that time you did as required and were a good sport/showed fine Corinthian spirit. You are noble and still not racing. Having a sponsor for your event does not mean you are reducing the value of the Sport and are less 'Corinthian'. Harken would seem like a very good fit of likeminded efforts. The regatta and the sponsor are into racing sailboats and doing their best. However, I would suggest having Rothmans (cigarettes) sponsor your regatta would be sending a very different and less appropriate message, and the club may have an issue of that banner flying at the club, especially with the new accepted norm. This is when I would be in favour of the Corinthian approach. * From Robert Duffy: In reference to Mr. Spijkerman's comment (in Scuttlebutt 2848) on sailing a 'Proper Course', this may be a little misleading for those 'non-rules people' who do not follow through on the link. I am not aware of any part of the RRS that require you to sail a Proper Course. You may be restricted from sailing above or below your proper course but I am not convinced there is any Rule obligation to actually sail your proper course. Others may have a different view. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION When people ask, “Can I ask you a question?”, I am thinking that they didn't really give me a choice. Special thanks to Atlantis WeatherGear and Ullman Sails. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
