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SCUTTLEBUTT 1959 -- November 3, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.WHERE'S WHARINGTON? Whoever came up with the immortal line, "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain", clearly hadn't been to Sanxenxo. For the past two days, the Volvo Ocean Race teams have been pelted with rain and battered by Southerly winds gusting over 50 knots. The Australians on Premier Challenge, Grant Wharington's team, had been due in Sanxenxo two days ago, but with gale force winds standing directly in their path, the Volvo Open 70 was forced to divert to La Coruna on the northern coast of Galicia, and shelter from the worst of the wind until conditions became a little more acceptable. The Aussies are looking to complete the final 140 miles of their voyage today, with a possibility of them arriving late (Wednesday) evening. After their epic journey just to make it to Sanxenxo, it remains to be seen whether they'll be in any fit state to compete in the In Port race this weekend. On the other hand, the weather pundits are suggesting that Saturday might just have a five knot zephyr - after all this, could racing be postponed for lack of wind? -- Volvo Ocean Race website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/7k54d FINAL WEEK (Paul Cayard posted the following report on the Volvo Ocean Race website. Here is an excerpt.) We put the Black Pearl back in the water on Halloween, but it was too windy (Wednesday) to take her out for a spin. It has been blowing 20 plus from the South to southwest for most of the past two weeks and you know what direction we have to go when we start the leg to Cape Town. . . Southwest! Maybe there is a theory that if it blows from the southwest for three weeks straight, we might get some other direction on November 12th. The crew (has) had to attend a two-day safety course and a media training day. The safety course was very valuable although we hope we won't need to employ anything we learned there. We did spend an afternoon in a swimming pool with our liferafts learning how to right them if they are upside down, how to get an injured crewmember in one, how to bail it out, how to collect rain water and a number of other things. The next day we learned how to stop bleeding from a deep wound, how to do CPR and man overboard rescue. The good thing about these courses is not only do they teach you things, but they make you think about how you would handle certain situations. It is impressive to see what goes into getting a boat ready to go to sea for 3 weeks and 6700 miles. I remember what a mountain of work it was eighth years ago and how much better we got at it as the race went on. The same will be the case this time. This will be the toughest leg to prepare for. - Volvo Ocean Race website, full report: http://tinyurl.com/b2je3 DOUBLE-HANDED TRANSATLANTIC Whilst playing the waiting game for her solo transatlantic record attempt, Ellen MacArthur (GBR) was utilizing her time to become re-acquainted with the Open 60 monohull class. She has been spending as much time as possible training with French skipper Roland Jourdain onboard Sill et Veolia in preparation for the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race which sees her return to the class in which she made her name over four years ago. It is over three years ago that MacArthur was last involved in fleet racing onboard Open 60s at the Route du Rhum in November 2002, in which she was first in her class. "After the Vendée Globe in 2001, I felt like I needed to step away from the Open 60's, after a very intense four years, I was ready for another challenge and I found that in multihulls," commented MacArthur. After a stint racing in the 60 foot ORMA multihull class including the 2001 and 2003 Transat Jacques Vabre races onboard Alain Gautier's Foncia, MacArthur's team launched the trimaran B&Q in January 2004 and since then MacArthur has covered over 55,000 miles on the 75 foot record breaking trimaran culminating in the solo, non-stop round the world record earlier this year. A total of twelve Open 60 monohulls will be racing in the seventh edition of this two-handed transatlantic classic. MacArthur has competed in this race three times before in both the Open 60 monohull class and the ORMA 60 multihull class. The Open 60 Class is highly competitive and Sill et Veolia skipper, Jourdain, will be looking for another podium finish on arrival at the finish port of Salvador de Bahia, Brazil and possibly a third victory having won this class twice before in 2001 and 1995. -- http://www.teamellen.com Event website: http://www.jacques-vabre.com ULLMAN SAILS POWER MARTIN242 NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPS Congratulations to Alan Field and his crew on "Wombat" for winning the Penfolds Martin242 North American Championships. The field of 33 boats raced the October 15-16 regatta at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. "Wombat" won the 7-race regatta with a full inventory of Ullman Sails. Champions continue to depend on Ullman to deliver the speed to out pace the competition. Cutting edge technology, world-class designers, and outstanding customer support combine to produce winners. If you and your crew are ready for the "Fastest Sails on the Planet," contact your nearest Ullman Sails loft and visit http://www.ullmansails.com FALLEN BEHIND Spurred by the popularity of the America's Cup, match racing has become the most publicized form of international sailing. San Diego, however, has fallen behind in match racing despite hosting three America's Cups between 1988 and 1995. Fresh from competing for the third time in the Bermuda Gold Cup match racing championships, Hardesty would like to see San Diego Yacht Club acquire a fleet of one-design, three-man boats to help train the area's talented corps of young sailors in the rules and tactics of match racing. "All you have to do is look at the success of young sailors and teams from San Diego to understand how rich a talent base we have," said Hardesty. "The local talent is way ahead of their peers. I'd just like to introduce and train some of them in match racing. We've fallen behind in this one area that has grown in importance through the rest of the sailing world." The 30-year-old Hardesty was eliminated in the second round of the Bermuda Gold Cup. Two years ago, he finished sixth in the international competition. Hardesty, however, is one of the few San Diegans to have skippered in a major match racing event since Dennis Conner started fading from the scene. "If we're going to excel in the area of match racing, and we have plenty of young candidates locally, we need to do more events," said Hardesty, who is a product of the San Diego youth sailing program and former collegiate sailor of the year. "Right now, the graduates from the local youth programs advance to intercollegiate sailing or one-design and Olympic classes. I'd like to expand their opportunities. "So, I'd like to see San Diego Yacht Club become a leader in the match racing area." Hardesty would like to see his club acquire some used J-22s, J-80s or Etchells sloops. "Right now, there is no avenue for young Americans to pursue match racing," said Hardesty. "As a form of sailing, it's cheap to do if you have support. Were we to create a fleet here, I think it would become popular and the area would reap the benefits." -- Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20051025-9999-lz1s25boating.html BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR 2005 (This "exchange" between Nelson and Hardy was submitted by JHB, and demonstrates how far we are from the original battlefield in 1805) Nelson: "Order the signal to be sent, Hardy" Hardy: "Aye, aye, Sir" N: "Hold on, that's not what I dictated to the Signal Officer! What's the meaning of this?" H: "Sorry, sir?" N: "England Expects Every Person To Do His Duty, Regardless Of Race, Gender, Sexual orientation, Religious persuasion or Disability. What gobbledegook is this?" H: "Admiralty policy, I'm afraid, sir. We're an equal opportunities employer now. We had the devil's own job getting 'England' past the censors, lest it be considered racist." N: "Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco." H: "Sorry, sir. All naval vessels have been designated as smoke-free working environments, sir." The complete transcript is posted at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/05/Trafalgar MAXIMUS (New Zealand supermaxi Maximus co-owner Charles St Clair Brown provided the following comments on the Sail World website. Here are a few excerpts) "We really do want to do the Rolex Sydney Hobart, and we feel very confident about our ability to out perform the other entries in our class, but in the end it comes down to time and money," explained Brown. "The other super maxis will be in Europe next year and this is where the action will be for these boats in my opinion." Turning to the incident in Sardinia, which dropped the radical rotating mast, Brown explains what happened in the closing stages of the second race, less than 500 metres from the finish line. "We were forced into making a very tight rounding of the last mark to avoid a spectator yacht and as always seems the case a strong gust of wind hit as we are easing away and setting up to gybe. The mast broke just below the main spreaders. It was at least a 25-knot gust and we were fully canted and accelerating away from the mark. The loads were very high and the crew was forced to execute unfamiliar procedures. A lot is to be said for a deck mounted rig as minimum damage was sustained to the boat." Since her launch the Maximus campaign has been the subject of legal action emanating from the West Coast of the USA, relating to the use of foil technology (canting keels, rudders and centreboards) and the way these systems interact. "The latest example of which was the publication of copies of proceedings apparently filed against us in the San Diego district court," said Brown. "These alleged breach of certain US Patents that we have strongly and publicly denied any infringement. We have our own intellectual property arising from our own designs and we have filed Patent applications in respect of same in NZ. We will vigorously defend any proceedings brought against us by the holders of those US Patents and we encourage our supporters to assist us in this matter," he added. -- Richard Gladwell, Sail World, full story: http://www.sail-world.com/Offshore/index.cfm?Nid=19756&refre=y NEWS BRIEFS * Tommy Hilfiger announced that it would officially sponsor a team in the Volvo Extreme 40 sailing series, which runs for 5 days in between the in-port race and the restart of each leg of the 2005/2006 Volvo Ocean Race. 'Hilfiger Sailing' will be skippered by two-time Olympic medal recipient Randy Smyth, for the opening race in Sanxenxo, Spain, taking place on November 6th 2005. The boat will compete in additional races in Portsmouth, and Rotterdam through the spring and summer of 2006. Hilfiger is also in development of a fully functional sailing collection to be launched in Spring 2007. * The debate over alternative scoring systems for Olympic sailing formed the basis for a new poll: Should Olympic sailing be scored differently to insure that the final race of the event has the greatest value? Read the point-counterpoint letters on the polling page, then cast your vote: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/05/1102/ * The forums section has a thread seeking information on the best dry suit for dinghy sailing. Do you have some? If you so, please log-in at http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=36#36 6 OUT OF 7 VOLVO OCEAN RACE BOATS CHOOSE MUSTO It's Gore-Tex, extremely waterproof, breathable and durable. It provides maneuverability for high activity, high performance sailing. That's why 6 out of the 7 Volvo Ocean Race boats have chosen Musto. Musto's HPX foul weather gear will protect the teams from the elements whilst in the Southern Ocean, where towering seas, temperatures below zero, and 60-knot winds are the norm - not forgetting the icebergs, which are an ever-present danger. You don't need to race a Volvo Open 70 to experience Musto. Give it a try next time - check out http://www.musto.com/usa for product information and a store finder. 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 neither 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. And please save your bashing, and personal attacks for elsewhere.) * From Mark Lammens: I am concerned by the notion sailing needs to change the format to increase Olympic TV interest, specifically the last race winner wins the gold. Wasn't that why we had match racing in for 3 Olympics (1992-2000). And we flicked it. If we want to increase TV interest what about using windy venues, and show its true athleticism. Look at the success of the Fremantle, AUS America's Cup? Perhaps we have also been doing a very poor job explaining the sport to the viewing public? Sailing is a bit like Golf, each hole is like a race. You seldom see the guy hitting a hole in 1 winning the Masters, you do however see a guy going in the lake and losing it. Increase TV interest, is Track and Field interested in Javelin catching to increase its viewing capacity, maybe 'Pro Wresting' should be considered an Olympic sport as well, apparently lots of people watch it. Next thing we will talk about is having 'shoot outs' in Hockey to decide game winners. * From J A Booker: (in response to Brad Dellenbaugh's letter in 1958) Until this weekend I would have wholeheartedly agreed that team racing is exactly what the Olympics need to make sailing for TV. The intricate ballet at the start and finish, tacking and gybing duels, the mark rounding tactics and the use of thorough knowledge of the rules to gain an advantage for your team have always been a part of what makes team racing exciting to watch. Not so at the European Opti Team Cup in Berlin this weekend. The finals were like watching paint dry. It seems that the international umpires had decided that the "American style is too aggressive" and flagged the US kids repeatedly for questionable Rule 15 violations in precisely the scenarios that make team racing challenging and exciting. Unfortunately, they shared nothing of their intent until after the fact. I'm afraid the resultant fleet race with eight boats (or six in most other classes) will do nothing to bolster sailing's status as an Olympic event. * From Chris Ericksen: Brad Dellenbaugh's comments in 'Butt 1958 ended with the sentence, "If you want to keep sailing in the Olympics, it is going to have to go down the path (of making sailing more accessible to the non-sailing public) a little bit." At the risk of speaking heresy, what does the average sailor gain from keeping sailing in the Olympics? How does the Olympic regatta improve the lot of the average weekend warrior? I have met dozens of Olympians and Olympic hopefuls, and I think I understand the motivation of many of them, but what's in it for the rest of us who contribute time and/or money to support their efforts? In 'Butt 1957, Malcolm McKeag wondered if he has "derived any great benefit from the increased participation in my sport" and says he has never gotten "a convincing answer." I really do wonder if Olympic sailing has contributed "any great benefit" to the average Flying Scot, J/22, PHRF or 5-0-5 sailor. Please, someone, make a convincing answer. Speaking for myself--and maybe Mister McKeag--I don't want Olympic sailing to go away, I just want to know that there is more than simple tradition or conventional thinking that makes us as a sport continue to focus so much energy, attention and money on one regatta that is sailed every four years. * From Tom Cain: ARRR… even the Curmudgeon now believes that the (unintended?) glorification of past criminal conduct is good…especially for our children….and the publicity great for our sport! Surely the film will hide the swearing, violence, drunkenness, murder, rape and theft of the real past and present pirates. I know this movie is just another Hollywood fun perversion of history. But… good pirates? No such thing Tom. Forget the movie…the tag line by itself misleads kids. Hey, how about a sequel? "It's good to be a Gang Member?" The kids will figure it out, right? * From Ray Tostado: Kudos to Eric Lind's reality check for people who feel safe dragging through the water on their tethers. The human body will reflex upon hitting cold water by pulling the head backwards, (USCG Golden Gate death research). You do the same when you enter a cold shower. The answer is a drill to prepare sailors to push their heads forward so their chin, mouth closed, is pressed against their chest. This procedure is already used by divers upon entering cold water. Gasping is not recommended. Learn to enter cold water without gasping. By so doing the breathing passage will remain maximum closed and prevent water from entering lungs. Then, don't be in a hurry to surface. Relax, let your body find its buoyancy because upwardness can be a confused state or disorientation. Remember, thrashing burns vital calories. Calories will be needed to retain body heat. Given an individual's circumstance, shed clothing. A 200# man fully suited in sailing gear can weigh over 250# when his clothing is wet and pants pockets contain water. This makes recovery more difficult. Boots filled with water become anchors. Never wear tight pant cuffs. If air becomes trapped in pants legs you may be forced upside down. Now the hard part, relax. This comes from repeated practice and team support. Understanding your situation is half of the recovery process. * From Paul Kueffner: Noted the application for an LNG terminal in Boston in today's Scuttlebutt. There seem to be many such applications pending -- including one for the middle of Long Island Sound. (Don't know if you've covered this already. That one would close the Sound's entrance at The Race to any other vessels several times a week as the LNG ships shuttled in & out.) With federal law now streamlined to steamroller state's rights, what happens to all the terminals & plants after they all get approved and built? Will they overbuild, go bust, and leave us with huge abandoned gas stations with unseen hazards lurking for us and our children later? Who's on watch here? Another appointee who knows horses? * From Lauren Thirer: (re the Proposed LNG Terminal in Boston Harbor) Over the course of the past six weeks, nearly every statewide (and many local) environmental, business, trade, and maritime interests, including the Massachusetts Marine Trades Association and the Massachusetts Boating & Yacht Clubs Association, have joined Save the Harbor/Save the Bay in opposition to the proposed LNG terminal on Outer Brewster Island in the Boston Harbor National Park. For a copy of the Joint Opposition Statement we issued on October 17 (with over 25 state and local organizations), recent press clips, or Save the Harbor/Save the Bay's position paper on the proposed terminal, please visit www.savetheharbor.org CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Winners make it happen - losers let it happen. |
