SCUTTLEBUTT No. 901 - September 14, 2001
Scuttlebutt 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.
GUEST EDITORIAL: TO SAIL OR NOT TO SAIL
We've received hundreds of letters of support for the USA from around the world, for which we all are very grateful. The world has changed for us here, and not for the better.
Several letters were about cancellations of events, and there were a few letters decrying events that were not cancelled. Yes, we need to take pause for awhile. But we also need to get life going again. Soon.
If we allow the godless thugs who committed these atrocities to completely shut down our nation, to stop all our travel and recreation, cripple our financial system and make us cower in our homes, they have achieved an even greater "goal" than the murder of thousands. Far smarter people than I feel the same way: former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, for one. We must carry on.
We must also respect and protect the rights of our citizens and neighbors who are bearing, once again, the brunt of racist and ignorant attacks: persons of Middle Eastern descent and the Muslim faith. Those who threaten, beat and throw rocks through the windows of others solely because of their race or faith are cut from the same cloth as the terrorists who slaughtered thousands in New York and Washington. Zealotry and ignorance are a bad combination. We have seen far too much of that evil.
Give blood, write a check to charity, take the time to help someone in need. Fly the American flag from your home and your boat. Celebrate freedom, life and liberty. Go sailing. -- David McCreary
FARR 40 WORLDS
On a day when the south-westerly wind blew at 23 knots, with gusts of 28, Ernesto Bertarelli in Alinghi scored a remarkable victory. The Swiss skipper, who heads the Yacht Club of Geneva Challenge for the America's Cup, with Russell Coutts as his tactician, produced sparkling boat speed to win the third race of the world championship and move into the overall lead.
As the 22-boat fleet finished, the Royal Yacht Squadron Race Committee viewed the 27 knot wind speed with some suspicion and with a forecast of more to come and a building sea in the Eastern Solent, decided to terminate the racing until tomorrow.
The race could not have been closer with places changing rapidly and a different leader each time the boats came to the windward mark on the three round windward/leeward course of two mile legs. There were rolling white caps on the grey-green Solent and the Farr 40s climbed over the majority of the seas, but there were some heavy slams when helmsmen didn't meet them quite right.
There was an incident at the finish as Gaetan Janssens' Dune, John Coumantaros' Bambakou and David Murrin's 2XL were in line abreast. 2XL hooked the finishing line mark and is protesting the other two serially for not granting sufficient water to an overlapped boat. As a result, the finishing order and overall positions are provisional. -- Bob Fisher
Top five after two races: 1. Alinghi - Ernesto Bertarelli 2. Warlord VII - Philip Tolhurst 3. Barking Mad - Jim Richardson 4. GBR25 - Mark Heeley 5. Dawn Raid - Oscar Strugstad
Complete results at farr40.greencathedral.net
CANADA'S CUP
Team Defiant, representing the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, took a 55-second victory over the Bayview Yacht Club's Team Saturn shortly after 12:00 noon today to win the 2001 Canada's Cup International Match Race Series 7-5. Team Defiant was helmed by Terry McLaughlin, Team Saturn by Robert Hughes.
More information at www.byc.com/canadascup/
THE BIG FOUR
Boatspeed, Target Boatspeed, Wind Direction, and TrueWindspeed are very often considered the most important functions of an integrated instrument system. The "big four" rely on high quality sensor input from the boatspeed paddlewheel, the wind sensor at the masthead and the compass. Accurate sensor calibration is vital, and systems which integrate heel measurement into the wind solution are capable of truly amazing Wind Direction accuracy. The math behind accurate wind direction is complex, but when executed properly provides a powerful weapon on the race course. For more, please visit http://www.ockam.com and check the products section where the Ockam system manual may be downloaded.
ETCHELLS NORTH AMERICANS
Macatawa Bay Yacht Club, with 43 entries. After six of eight scheduled races, top three places:
1. Dennis Conner, Peter Burton, Al Pleskus, 6 points
2. Jud Smith,Henry Frazer,Doug Schiebner, 8 points
3. Tom Healy, Karl Anderson, Moose McClinlo, 10 points
See www.mbyc.com/EtchelsRegatta.htm for complete results.
EVERYWHERE
They are absolutely everywhere. They're in Norway, Japan, Spain, the UK and Canada. There are two each in Australia and Mexico. Italy has three and there are 10 in the USA. That's 22 in all, and every one of these Ullman sail lofts will give a quote on a new sail to show you just how affordable improved performance can be for your boats: www.ullmansails.com
US SAILING INDEFINITELY POSTPONES TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Due to our recent national tragedies, US Sailing has postponed indefinitely the U.S. WomenÕs Championship for the Adams Trophy and the U.S. MenÕs Championship for the Mallory Trophy, scheduled to be held September 11-15 at Chandler's Landing Yacht Club (Rockwall, TX) and Rush Creek Yacht Club (Heath, TX).
"US Sailing is extremely aware of the enormity of the attack on our country yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims of the terrorist attack on the citizens of the United States" said US Sailing President Dave Rosekrans. "We are also mindful that we must ultimately return to the normalcy of our daily lives." For that reason, US SAILING will reschedule the events if and when it is deemed appropriate.
BIG BOAT SERIES CANCELLED
From the St. Francis Yacht Club of San Francisco: In light of new information not available to us yesterday, we regret that we must cancel the 2001 St. Francis Yacht Club Big Boat Series scheduled for this weekend. Some but by no means all of the reasons include President Bush's call for a National Day of Prayer on Friday, cancellation of most sporting events, and continued transportation difficulties.
Many have gone to extraordinary efforts, not only to put this event on but also to get their boats here and ready to go forward. This is a very difficult time for our Nation and our hearts go out to the families of those who perished in this terrible national tragedy. --
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
While Tom is away, send your letters to the Guest Editor at dmccreary@boats.com (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 or a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.)
* From Cheryll Kerr: I've posted Jubilee photos for sailors to see (yes, one more perspective!) in an effort to take my mind off recent events being that I'm in the middle of NYC.....thanks regattaphotos.homestead.com/ACJubilee.html
* From Brian DeGraw: Information about the correct sizeÊof a U.S. Flag on a boat: 1" along the hoist for each foot of length. If out of stock, err on the larger size flag.
I don't know the flag formula rule for translating overall boat lengthÊrelative to the square footage of a land based vessel (house), butÊI'm sure the Scuttlebutt readers will come up with something interesting and appropriate. God Bless America.
* From Steven Levy: John Diggins, in reference to the MOB at Cowes, notes that "the sailing instructions ... expressly permit retrieval of overboard crew member by tender."Ê Not all that is legal is right.
First, even with modern personal equipment such as strobes, it is difficult to locate a MOB in the water; the boat should have done a quick-stop or equivalent maneuver to maintain visual contact.Ê As was pointed out a few issues ago, these boats -- with their highly skilled and trained crews -- can get back at least as fast as most of us weekend racers in our 30 and 40 footers.
Second, is there not a moral obligation incumbent upon the sailors to actively assist in the retrieval of anyone in the water? Some of this is codified in the RRS and the laws of the sea, but sailing is a self-policing sport whose continued success depends upon its participants understanding the difference between what's right and what one can get away with. It's bad enough that some sailors get away with propulsion, as we've recently discussed. I cannot but help believe that values are mis-set if a group of sailors accepted that winning a race was more important that standing by with their fellow sailor in distress.Ê
* From Lenore Goldman: I can't explain how appalled I am at the thought of a boat not stopping to pick up a man overboard and even more appalled at the Race Committee's actions. I was the windward markset boat for a race off Chicago on Sunday when we noticed several boats without their sails approximately 1 mile down the course. When I arrived on the scene I realized it was most of the Farr 40 fleet...sails down...some shreaded...one guy laying on the back of "Inferno" receiving CPR from an ER doctor. He had fallen off of "Virago" during a bad jibe and had to be helped into a lifesling by three other guys who jumped in the water after him...two from "Virago" the third from "Contentious". Two other Farr 40s were also standing by...sails down...waiting to see if they could lend assistance.
Although they guy was in the water less than 5 minutes and given immediate CPR by an ER doctor, his heart was restarted at the hospital but he died at the hospital later that night. How could you continue to race when someone just fell off your boat? How could the Jubilee management and the race committee think that this action is acceptable behavior? I think the crew member responsible for making that ultimate decision and the judge hearing the protest and not throwing them out need to be the guys IN the water...watching their boat sail off to the next mark without a second thought.
* From Ken Guyer (edited to our 250 word maximum): This "incident" regarding man overboard from an IACC at the Cup Jubilee has to be lacking some part of the story. It is hard for me to believe this boat simply left the crew in the water and sailed away.
Two issues, tenders picking up crew overboard and what the rules for the regatta state can be done in such a situation. First one is pretty much a no-brainer. I have skippered a chase boat for an IACC. It is the safest, best, and most logical way to rescue someone in the water. As is the rule in the Cup events, pick up the swimmer, stop and wait for the boat to return.
It is unclear to those of us who were not there whether there was a provision in the rules for such a pick up. If not, then why did the race committee AND the other competitors in the IACC fleet allow this skipper off the hook?
If this was an intentional act on the part of the racing skipper to simply ignore a crew overboard and sail on without regard for his/her rescue, that is criminal. He should be banned from racing for life. Bill Koch said they lied to the jury. What was the lie? There is more to this story than what has been told to us so far. I would really like to hear both sides.
470 WORLDS
The breeze finally came in for the 470's at their World Championships in Koper, Slovenia, and good racing was had by all. Three races were completed in the men's fleet which saw the first day of their 'Gold Fleet' racing, and in the Women's fleet, two races were sailed.
On the men's course, the Australian pairing of Wilmot/Page showed good form and completed the day with a total of 7 points, recording a st and two 3rd's.
In the women's fleet it was the Spanish pairing of Via-Dufresne/Azon that came out on top and by the end of the day had extended their lead to 13 points over Kedmi/Fabrikant of Israel. - Sacha Oswald, RYA
Men's Gold Fleet (Overall after 3 races) 1st Wilmot/Page AUS 7 points, 2nd Braslavets/Matvienko UKR 11 points, 3rd Kliger/Gal ISR 25 points
Women's Results (Overall after 5 races), 1st Via-Dufresne/Azon ESP 36 points, 2nd Kedmi/Fabrikant ISR 36 points, 3rd Provan/Girke CAN 57 points
Event website: 470.siol.net
THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
No one cares about the storms you've encountered, but only if you've brought the ship in.
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