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SCUTTLEBUTT 2234 – December 1, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). SAILING AND DEER HUNTING (Nov 30, 2006) “Years ago, when I was covering the America's Cup in Perth, Australia, Mitch Albom was among the sports reporters who arrived at the end to watch Dennis Conner retrieve sailing's Holy Grail for America (in 1987). One beautiful Western Australia day, our press boat was bobbing gently on blue Indian Ocean swells in 85-degree temperatures under a cloudless sky when the race was called because of a lack of wind. Albom looked at me in puzzlement and said, ‘Is sailing the only sport where they cancel because the weather is too nice?’ “Well, the answer is ‘almost.’ Deer hunting has been a lot tougher for the last week or so because Michigan's late November weather has been far too nice, crazy-warm for the season, and deer haven't been moving much. But the weather forecaster said that today, the last day of the regular firearms season, was supposed to bring a spate of cold weather from Ironwood to Monroe. It will take a few days, but once the temperature drops enough that deer need to refuel often, whitetails will start moving around a lot more.” -- by Eric Sharp, Detroit Free Press, full story: http://tinyurl.com/ya5wyn Curmudgeon’s Comment: We didn’t realize these two activities had much in common, nor that anything about deer hunting would ever be in Scuttlebutt. Guess we are sympathizing with our winterized readers. DEAR SANTABUTT “I would like for my Christmas gifts anything of the Patagonia capiliene base layers along with socks. A Musto drysuit size XS-S and Musto dinghy gear. A few pairs of Camet shorts in ladies small, a pair of Kaenon sunglasses with the copper lens and the most polarization (they are awesome!) and lots of Harken hardware to rig a couple of new boats. Last but not least, a trip to Barbados!” ~ Susan The above list is one of many now posted on Scuttlebutt’s “What is on your gift list?” Forum thread. Each week SantaButt gives a $50 gift certificate to one of the gift lists that have been sent in. There are now four weeks remaining to submit your “must have” items for this year’s holiday season. Post your gift list here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/2006/gifts SCUTTLEBUTT POLL: RULE 69 REVIEW (Nov 30, 2006) The US Sailing Review Board is empowered to hand out the penalties for Rule 69 infringements (Allegation of Gross Misconduct). Historically, these decisions are made well after the incident. Considering that the punishment is often harsh, it is imperative that sufficient time is taken to insure a thorough investigation is completed. However, it is also during this investigative time where the significance of the event is gradually lost, and the strength of message that such behavior shall not occur is lessened. This week’s Scuttlebutt poll asked whether 4 months** was a sufficient amount of time for the US Sailing Review Board to decide the proper punishment for a Rule 69 violation. The results were as follows: 88.08% - More than enough time. 10.46% - About the right amount of time. 1.46% - Not enough time. ** The US Sailing Review Board is currently hearing a case that occurred four months ago. The following comment from the Scuttlebutt Forum seems to speak for the majority of the voters: “It would be inappropriate for Buttheads to be prosecutors, judges and juries, and to sentence anyone via the Internet. Lord knows there are enough inaccuracies on the Internet already. But as sailors in a self-policing sport, it is not too much to expect that the matter be resolved expeditiously. Given the gravity of the allegations and the potential of this incident to taint our sport and turn off competitors, four months is too long. I recognize that those who are responsible for the administration of justice in our sport are all volunteers who give freely of their time and therefore there may be delays. But rule 69 violation allegations are exceptional; they are serious; and they have repercussions beyond the immediate parties. They should be prioritized. Justice delayed is justice denied.” -- Additional comments can be made here: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/2006/1130 LIGHTWEIGHT YET RUGGED, B&G LEADS THE WAY Light enough for Valencia, yet reliable enough for the Southern Oceans, the B&G Fastnet Network was in use on all the Volvo Ocean Race boats, and currently used on all America’s Cup boats. No other system combines this level of lightweight, sophisticated performance with rugged reliability under the harshest conditions at sea. You’ll never find unreliable crimp-on connectors used with B&G! Our commitment to quality is why Hercules main processors helped lead ABN Amro One to victory. To learn more about the advanced B&G Fastnet Network for professional sailors, contact your local B&G dealer or Simrad, Inc. at 425-778-8821. VIDEO OF THE WEEK This past summer in Douarnenez, France, the 60-foot Brossard Trimaran gave tow to two wakeboarders: Fabienne d' Ortoli (Double Champion of the World of Kitesurf) and Bruno André (Vice Champion of France of Freestyle). The tremendous contrast between the two wakeboarders and the trimaran sets the stage for the 1:14 minutes of outstanding helicopter footage. We are not sure what is more amazing – the wakeboarding or the power of the tri. You decide. Also, if you have a video you like, please send us your suggestions for next week’s Video of the Week. Click here for this week’s video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/06/1127 TRIVIA QUESTION What does the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, and the top-ranked collegiate coed team in the US have in common? (Answer below) MUMM 30 WORLDS (Miami Beach, FL - Nov 30, 2006) Erik Maris’ Twins from France sailed into the lead after a second day of consistent sailing. Their finishes of 7, 9, and 1 put them in the lead, with a textbook final race to ice the day. They had a nice, clean start, clear air and tacked early to cross the fleet and never looked back. Twins’ tactician Philippe Gildas said, “Today the sea was quite rough, for the tactician it is not so easy. With no discard you have to be very careful and not make mistakes, such as OCS or hitting the mark.” Easterly winds ranged from 16-18 knots, with a few stronger puffs early in the day and lulls under the big black clouds rolling in from offshore. Bigger waves and “liquid sunshine” were the order of the day with ominous looking big black clouds dumping rain across the course, rinsing off the salt water at least temporarily, finished off with a rainbow over South Beach. -- Full report: http://www.mumm30.org/content/view/112/18 Preliminary Results (protests pending) 1. (FRA) Twins, Erik Maris, 5-2-3-7-9-1, 27 pts 2. (AUS) Foreign Affair, Richard Perini, 4-12-9-1-2-4, 32 3. (NED) Mean Machine, Peter deRidder, 1-3-10-11-6-10, 41 4. (USA) Groovederci, Deneen Demourkas, 7-8-2-5-16-8, 46 5. (USA) Sixx, Tom Lihan, 2-4-6-24-1-15, 52 * Thanks to photographer Walter Cooper, there are some great images from now on the Scuttlebutt website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/06/1130 CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar MONSOON CUP Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia (Nov. 30, 2006) - After a trying day beset by light winds and intermittent downpours, Peter Gilmour took the early lead in defense of his title at the Monsoon Cup, Stage 6 of the 2006-’07 World Match Racing Tour. Gilmour, skipper of PST, finished the day with a 3-0 record to claim the top spot. Behind him is a group of four skippers - including Jesper Bank, Paolo Cian, Sébastien Col and Ian Williams - at 3-1. The wind this time of year is typically from a northerly quadrant, but today it blew from a southerly quadrant and was light, topping out around 6 knots in puffs. There were other factors that compounded the mental strain on the sailors, such as the ripping current and short racecourses. “It was a difficult course to call today,” said Ian Williams. “The left looked better for pressure but the right was better for tide.” The Pulau Duyong Basin sits at the confluence of two rivers. The tide rips through before flowing to the South China Sea. On a racecourse barely 300 meters long, the racing was tight and placed a huge emphasis on starting. Then, the winning move seemed to be heading to the right side of the first beat, where there was current relief. Racing in the semifinal and final rounds, Dec. 2 and 3, is scheduled to be broadcast live on the Internet at www.sail.tv. It will also be broadcast live on ESPN/Star Sports, Eurosport, The Sailing Channel, Fox Australia, Sky New Zealand and Showtime Middle East (check local listings for times). -- Full report: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/default.asp?m=da&id=47509 Round Robin Provisional Standings (after 6 of 17 scheduled flights) 1. Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, 3-0 (Crew: Rick Brent, Christian Scherrer, Graeme Spence, Yasuhiro Yaji) 2. Jesper Bank (DEN) United Internet Team Germany, 3-1 (Crew: Henrik Blaksjaer, Thomas Jacobsen, Mike Mottl, Jan Schoepe) 2. Paolo Cian (ITA) Team Shosholoza, 3-1 (Crew: Ian Ainslie, Fernando Colaninno, Pierluigi Fornelli, David Rae) 2. Mathieu Richard (FRA) Saba Sailing Team, 3-1 (Crew: Thierry Briend, Greg Evrard, Olivier Herledant, Yannick Simon) 2. Ian Williams (GBR) Team Pindar, 3-1 (Crew: Bill Hardesty, Mark Nicholls, Simon Shaw, Mark Williams) 6. Sébastien Col (FRA) Areva Challenge, 2-2 (Crew: Christophe Andre, Benoit Briand, Gilles Favennec, Thierry Peponnet) 6. James Spithill (AUS) Luna Rossa Challenge, 2-2 (Crew: Magnus Augustson, Torben Grael, Michele Ivaldi, Joe Newton) 8. Peter Holmberg (ISV) Alinghi, 1-2 (Crew: Rodney Ardern, Lorenzo Mazza, Dean Phipps, Piet van Nieuwenhuyzen) 9. Tiffany Koo (MAL) Team Selango Gapurna, 1-3 (Crew: Rolf Heemskerk, Jeremy Koo, Ong Khong Sing, Looi Sing Yew) 9. Björn Hansen (SWE) Team Apport.net, 1-3 (Crew: Martin Berntsson, Kalle Kjerstadius, Staffan Lindberg, Magnus Woxen) 11. Wearn Haw Tan (SIN) China Team, 1-4 (Crew: Thierry Barot, Xavier Husson, Yurii Siegel, Zhang Wenpei) 12. Adam Minoprio (NZL) Black Match Racing, 0-3 (Crew: Nick Blackman, Tom Powrie, Josh Puckey, Dave Swete) SEASON STARTER With the onset of cold weather, the many sailors that thrive on speed and ice are sharpening their runners, aligning their chocks and getting ready to hit the ice this weekend, Dec 1-2, for the first DN iceboat regatta of the season (The Great Western Challenge Regatta). The event typically held on one of the many lakes in the Fergus Falls, Minnesota area, which is close to Fargo, has grown to a level that makes it one of the largest iceboat regattas each racing season. This two-day racing event brings in the best sailors in the world to get their iceboat programs tuned up for the championship season. With competitors coming from Europe, Canada, many of the local states including Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maryland and a special treat with a competitor from Australia for 2006, this looks to be the largest pre-regatta turnout in years. With the opportunity to have over 50 boats on the starting line, the sailing will be fast paced and really show who is in top form to start the season. New boats, planks, runners and masts will be raced for the first time, hopefully the builders of these boats and parts will come home with smiles on their faces as long hours of labor bear out better speed for everyone. -- by Zack Clayton (on Destination One-Design); for event updates: http://www.iceboating.net WHERE TIME STANDS STILL The Ultimate Sailing Calendar is the perfect gift for the active and arm-chair sailors on your list. Sharon Green presents the 25th anniversary edition featuring 24 spectacular images from the sport. $18.95 for one, $16.94 for two or more. Time might not stand still, but the images in the 2007 calendar are the perfect reminder of the moments that did. Order at http://www.ultimatesailing.com SAILING SHORTS * Last weekend, St Francis Yacht Club hosted the 3rd Annual "Big Sail", which pits Northern California rivals Stanford and Cal Berkeley in a match race event on J/105s. On the water, Stanford varsity beat Cal 2-0, while both the Cal Masters and the Cal "young" Alumni (under 40) each bested their Stanford counterparts in their winner take all single match races. However, it was onshore where the action looks most heated. If anyone wonders what it takes to create interest in yachting, how about college marching bands and cheerleaders facing off at the yacht club. Game on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/06/1130.jpg * The Annual General Meeting of the Bahamas Sailing Association will be held on Wednesday December 6 at Nassau Yacht Club. -- http://www.bahamassailing.org * Antigua & Barbuda will become the first Caribbean territory to host the prestigious Superyacht Cup sailing race when the event is hosted at the Nelson’s Dockyard from December 13-16, 2006. -- http://www.thesuperyachtcup.com TRIVIA ANSWER Now that the Denver Broncos are starting Jay Cutler over Jake Plummer in their game this week, both Cutler and the top ranked collegiate coed team in the US have ties to Dartmouth University. Isn’t that one of those smart schools? The Sailing World College Rankings as of November 30, 2006 are now on their website: http://tinyurl.com/yd86yb LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Michael H. Koster: Wally Cross brings up some interesting points (in Issue 2233) with regards to Cat 1 sailors receiving excessive monies for their expenses from owners. If this is in fact happening in the Mumm 30 class, it appears that self-policing is not effective and/or owners do not see this as a problem. If this is a significant problem in sailing, it may be time to look at how the United States Golf Association approaches amateur expense reimbursement. Amateur golfers are allowed a fixed amount ($300.00) from a donor for an event expense. If expenses exceed the allowed amount, the donor must submit an application to the local/regional association, with a check for the excess. The amateur must also submit a request to the local/regional association for reimbursement, along with receipts. The local/regional association in turn distributes the funds to the amateur after reviewing the appropriateness of the request. Any monies left over are either returned to the donor or the donor has the option of contributing the amount to charity. Is sailing at this point yet? * From Frederic Berg: (Re: Steve Manson's experience in Issue 2233) I think it is worth saying more clearly - ISAF and US Sailing should focus 50% of their energy and budgets on sailing programs at the junior and high school levels if we want to see a huge increase in participation in our sport. Congratulations Steve, you embody the spirit of our beloved sport. Hope to see you in Hawaii! * From Kip Meadows: (edited to the 250-word limit) Sailing is like NASCAR, where the owner doesn’t drive in the “major leagues”, but the owner usually is often the driver in the minor league classes. Owners seldom drive America ’s Cup boats, but usually drive the more competitive owner-driver classes. The class rules are developed around “demand driven” scenarios, with the potential owners determining how they want to play. If you want an arms race, get into a class where that is the game. If you want to limit your expense and still sail at a high-end level and drive your own boat, the Farr 40, Mumm 30, One Design 35 and now the ORC/GP 42 are out there and the annual sailing budgets are fairly well known what it takes to be competitive. It is also known what it takes to be just competitive, and what will give your team a chance at a World Championship, if that is the goal. If you want to be “low amateur”, you can sail in a class where pros and amateurs mix, like the J-24 and the Melges 24, among many others, including Etchells, Lasers, and the list goes on. Some people want to see if they can beat Tiger Woods. Some would rather see if they could beat every other 12 handicap on the East Coast. Both goals are worthy. Communism didn’t work, and neither will socialism in sailing. Let the market set the options. * From Ray Tostado: I have been privileged to crew with "inspired helmsmen". What I realized is that they are great because of an understanding of sea conditions and wind, and the potential of the boat; most of all: the ability to focus. While they at times seem vain, they are always humble to the feel of the helm. Great helming is a privilege that only a boat can grant to a sensitive mind. But also, that they are only as good as their tactical advisor. Those with whom I have sailed are totally dependent on such input. This faith conditions their mental decision making as to subtle moves unnoticed by most others. It fosters confidence and promotes daring sensitivity for speed and position. They would prefer to get paid; since this is what they excel at. And they can show valid examples when compared to auto racing. The days of the NASCAR/INDIE syndicate owner/driver are long gone. Get the best you can afford and go out to win. CURMUDGEON’S CONUNDRUM Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane? Special thanks to B&G Instruments and Ultimate Sailing. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
