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SCUTTLEBUTT 2949 - Tuesday, October 13, 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 Camet, North Sails, and J/Boats. PAUL CAYARD - THE MYSTERY GUEST The US SAILING Championship of Champions event is that rare collection of one-design class champions, coming together for equal parts camaraderie and competition. Racing begins this Thursday on Lake Carlyle in St Louis, MO, with all the prize winning skippers competing in equally matched Lightnings to even the playing field. Competing in the field as the 'mystery guest' is Paul Cayard, whose professional sailing career typically takes him to events like the America's Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race, but his roots are in the Star class where he has won the 1988 Worlds and represented the U.S. in the 2004 Olympics. Scuttlebutt checks in with Paul regarding his trip to the C of C's: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- * What is it about the C of C's that has motivated you to participate? PAUL CAYARD: "I like meeting sailors whom I don't regularly compete against. These sailors are the top sailors in their classes, and I understand that this year's group is particularly deep. I am also looking forward to racing on Lake Carlyle and meeting the sailors there." * How prepared are you for this event? PAUL CAYARD: "Honestly, not too prepared. I have never had the chance to compete in the C of C's before, and it will be my first time in a Lightning." * Here's one tip - avoid sitting over the centerboard trunk in shallow water? PAUL CAYARD: "Thanks, I had not heard that one. I will pass it on to my crew." * Would you make any changes with how professional sailors now participate in the sport? PAUL CAYARD: "I don't know that I would change a lot. The market dictates the opportunities and the individual makes his choices. I have found that there are a lot of cool things to do in our sport that don't pay financially speaking but are none the less rewarding. I like to race with my children or to sail in something like the C of C's. I also really like sailing in the BVI with the Bitter End Yacht Club hotel guests and will forgo some work to participate in the Bitter End Pro Am Regatta this year. There is more to life than money and we all eventually figure that out." * Do you ever wonder if there is too much being invested in the sport by people wanting to succeed? PAUL CAYARD: "No. People who want to succeed in anything will always invest a lot, be it time, effort, or money. That is just the nature of competition. Everyone makes their own choices in that regard. Often the beauty of one design sailing is that it puts a premium on the effort and time, while the money is not so important." * What are your goals for the C of C's? PAUL CAYARD: "To meet a great group of sailors all tops in their class, meet the people who sail in the heart of America, and have fun!" -- http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/1012 "NO STONE WILL BE LEFT UNTURNED" New South Wales, AUS (October 13, 2009) - The captain of the (Reichel Pugh 80) maxi-yacht Shockwave was not wearing a lifejacket when he was swept overboard as his vessel crashed on to rocks in an accident possibly caused by human error or faulty navigation equipment (during the 92-mile Flinders Island Race). Survivor Matt Pearce spoke yesterday of the rough conditions that pummeled the 24m yacht, describing a wall of water sweeping skipper Andrew Short and navigator Sally Gordon overboard. "Then we copped a set of about four waves in a row that were solid green water, sort of two metres over the top of the boat," he told the ABC. "When we turned around, he was gone. That was the last we saw of Andrew. And then, when we turned back for Sal, she was also gone." Mr Pearce said Mr Short was not wearing a lifejacket during the race. "Andrew, unfortunately, didn't have a lifejacket on that night. I think a lot of skippers tend not to a lot of the time." He also claimed the yacht had not yet rounded Flinders Islet, off Port Kembla, south of Sydney, crashing into its northeastern tip. NSW police have started taking the statements of the 16 surviving crew of Shockwave V after Mr Short, 48, and Ms Gordon, 47, died in Saturday's accident. They have not ruled out any lines of inquiry with the Marine Area Commander, Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings, yesterday vowing that "no stone will be left unturned". Mr Pearce would not speculate on the cause of the accident, although some theories have emerged, including possible human error or a glitch with a GPS-style "chart plotter" device. Sailing writer Robert Mundle -- a close friend of Mr Short -- has been slowly piecing together what happened. "I'm pretty sure it was an error of judgment and they thought they were safe," he said. "Andrew thought that they were in a position where they could change course but they hadn't gone far enough. But that's purely speculation. "With it being such a low-profile island, in that condition, it would have been difficult to see." -- The Australian, read on: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26202139-5006784,00.html QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE All over the world, you will find Camet Padded Sailing Shorts. The leading teams are using the combination of our Code Zero Shirts and Sailing Shorts made out of a breathable fast drying fabric with a UVA certification (97.5%) for sun protection. With our closed cell foam inserts available for a variety of different styles of shorts, we have redesigned comfort, giving you the ability to hike hard without losing feeling in your legs. This will allow you to go longer and not suffer from fatigue, helping you to think clearly and perform to your expectations! http://www.camet.com/?Click=1383 GIANT TRIS READY TO GO ROUND WORLD By Elaine Bunting, Yachting World Rival camps are tuning up for the Jules Verne Trophy, the all-out, fully crewed round the world record. It is currently held by Bruno Peyron and crew in the maxi catamaran Orange 2 and stands at 50 days 16 hours. The latest two challengers, Groupama 3 and Banque Populaire V (BPV), could potentially reduce that time by as much as 10%, slashing it to below 45 days in optimal weather conditions. Fresh from setting a new North Atlantic record this summer and a breathtaking new 24-hour record of 908 miles, the 131-foot trimaran Banque Populaire V is the first to tee up by announcing their crew and plan in Paris last week. In the other corner is Franck Cammas's 104-foot trimaran Groupama 3, which was 2,000 miles ahead of the record time last year when the forward port beam cracked and the boat capsized and broke up off New Zealand. Since then the floats have been rebuilt and strengthened and Cammas went on to break the Atlantic record this summer, holding it briefly before it was snatched away by Banque Populaire V. -- Read on: http://www.yachtingworld.com/yw/blog/20090909085131blog_elaine_bunting.html WILL THE RIBLETS RETURN? Since the next America's Cup has dismissed the racing rule that restricts specially textured hull surfaces (RRS 53), 'butthead David Redfern reminds us of 'riblets', the off-the-shelf plastic sheet made by 3M that was popularized in the 1987 America's Cup. Here is a story from the NY Times dated February 4, 1987: The dominance that the American yacht Stars & Stripes has demonstrated over its rival, Kookaburra III, in the America's Cup finals this week may be anchored in aerospace research and the plastic wood grain decals on the flanks of station wagons. The hull of Stars & Stripes was recently covered with a new plastic skin designed to make the boat slip through the water with less drag. The surface is covered with thousands of tiny grooves, known as ''riblets,'' that tend to smooth the turbulence of the water as it passes the hull, reducing surface friction. Less friction means that more of the wind energy being captured by the sails is available to push the boat forward, and that means more speed. Officials of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, which supplied the new skin, said recently sailors had estimated the covering has added as much as two-tenths of a knot to the speed of Stars & Stripes - a major advantage in an event where speeds seldom go over 8 knots. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/yk7rqk3 RECESSION BUSTER Among the announcements at the U.S. Sailboat Show this past week in Annapolis, MD was that J/Boats was working on their latest model, the J/111 - their first new 35 footer in 8 years (J/109 was introduced in 2001). Stu Johnstone of J/Boats explains why the timing of this new boat makes so much sense: "If you remember, in difficult economic times, like the early 80s, we came out with the J/29 and the J/35 - both derivatives of earlier boats - the J/30 and the J/36. In the early 90s, we came out with the J/105 during a recession. Needless to say, a good solid mid-30's size boat does well, particularly when an economy comes out of a severe recession. The J/111 is getting back to our basics, great performance for the dollar. "When you look at our product line in the mid-30s range, we've got a great racer/cruiser in the J/109 (350+ strong). We've got the best inexpensive 35 foot one-design - the J/105 (670+ strong) - whose entry level is now down to $100,000 to get a competitive used boat (or $185,000 for a new one). The J/35 (300+ strong) is in the same scenario as the J/105. And, the J/36 (50+ strong) is quite competitive under PHRF. All in all, with over 1,300+ boat owners to date, the J/111 is building upon a solid foundation of passionate J enthusiasts and we hope that it will also bring new owners into the J/family. "What's interesting is that we've had a few dozen of our owners wishfully looking for a 'next gen' modern J/Boat in the same size category. The J/111 incorporates a proven large daysailing cockpit with a big wheel, tall high-aspect ratio rig with non-overlapping headsails, high-aspect bulb keel, planing hull shape, and a 6-foot standing headroom/ weekending interior. In other words, it builds on a combination of qualities that have made the J/109, J/105, J/35 and J/36 successful - we expect the J/111 to be a fun, fast, easy to handle boat with extraordinary performance. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive." (Photos of the J/111 here: http://www.jboats.com/j111/) FALL IS IN THE AIR. Fall has arrived and in celebration of the chilly season ahead, North Sails is offering a free hat with any outerwear purchase from North Sails Gear through Sunday, October 18th. Perfect for Fall are our new Zip Front Hoodies for men & ladies with NORTH SAILS appliqued across the front; fleece pullovers, jackets & vests; and a great selection of Henri Lloyd jackets & vests! Mention "SBUTT" in the comments box during check-out to redeem your free North hat. When staying warm & dry matters, the choice is clear: http://www.northsailsgear.com/store/?c=16 COLLEGE SLOOP NATIONALS The qualifications are completed for the 2009-2010 Inter-Collegiate Sloop National Championship. Hosted by Coast Guard in Colgate 26's (crew of 4) on October 23-25, the teams scheduled to attend are: MAISA: St. Mary's College/MD; U.S. Naval Academy MCSA: University of Toledo; University of Wisconsin NEISA: Boston College; Brown University NWICSA: University of Washington PCCSC: UC Irvine SAISA: College of Charleston SEISA: University of South Alabama Event information: http://www.collegesailing.org/nas/fall09/sloops/ SAILING SHORTS * Forty college teams participated in the 2009 Storm Trysail Club - Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta, hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club in Larchmont, NY. Teams competed in five classes: IRC 40, IRC 35, J/44, J/109, and J/105. Winning their class and the overall title was the University of Rhode Island team sailing with Rich du Moulin on his Express 37 Lora Ann. -- Results: http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=302 * The International Sailing Federation maintains an online list of sailors who have had their ISAF eligibility suspended. The list currently includes only Ludovic Siegwart from Switzerland, whose penalty three month penalty for an Anti Doping violation expires November 11, 2009. -- http://www.sailing.org/sailors/suspended-sailors.php * Annapolis Community Boating (ACB), a not for profit organization focused on providing free or subsidized boating education and access for local residents, had 435 people participate in their inaugural Free Sailing program. A 'Lessons Learned' report from the 2009 program is available here: http://nshof.org/images/stories/nshof-free_sailing_lessons_learned.pdf * (October 12, 2009) - Oman Sail Masirah is the overall winner of the six event iShares Cup 2009, but it took the last leg of the last race on the last day of the last regatta at the iShares Cup Almeria in Spain to finally overcome Gitana Extreme - LCF Rothschild. Finishing third in the overall Extreme 40 series standings was Oman Sail Renaissance. -- http://www.isharescup.com/ * Financial Results for year ended March 31, 2009 show a turnaround in the Canadian Yachting Association (CYA) finances. From a deficit of $209,258 in '07/'08, the situation has dramatically improved to a surplus of $110,012 in '08/'09. Commenting on the results, CYA President Gerry Giffin expressed his satisfaction that the tough decisions that the Board had made were paying dividends. "CYA has undergone a significant transition over the last 18 months. We now have a new governance model with a smaller, more strategically focused Board that has faced up to the significant financial challenges" he said. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/yjjyckx * Round-the-world yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur is retiring from competitive sailing to concentrate on environmental campaigning. The 33-year-old says a trip to the Atlantic island of South Georgia this summer, where she joined a campaign to save the albatross, made her acutely aware of green issues. Dame Ellen, who was 28 when she became the fastest person to sail solo around the world, says she will continue to sail for pleasure and to raise money for good causes. -- Read more: http://tinyurl.com/ycahqgu 2010 USA J/80 Tour Join the J/80 Class in 2010 for an incredible tour of 9 events over 9 months - starting in Key West and culminating in the J/80 Worlds in Newport. If you can't do them all, partner up to share the program and enjoy great sailing, world class competition, and camaraderie in some of the world's most famous seaports. -- http://www.j80.org LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Please submit your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, 'The Curmudgeon'). Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). 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 Dawn and Paul Miller, Annapolis, MD (re, letter in Scuttlebutt 2948): The debate over how many classes are developed has been going on for at least a century, but those commenting about the large number of new designs now must not have been alive in the late 60's and early 70's. The biggest growth of new classes came about when fiberglass became popular. In the wooden boat days it was relatively less expensive to develop a new design because the tooling was replaced frequently. With fiberglass tooling it is easier to make a large number and boat builders in the early 70's took advantage of it, hoping to start a profitable new class. I have a booklet from 1973 showing over 100 new sailboat designs from the period 1969-1972! Many of those designs were no longer in production by the time the gas crunch ended and probably less than 10% are in production today. Classes don't really survive because of the design, but because of the class management - and in many cases the class management is entrenched and inefficient. New designs offer people a fresh start and some excitement. * From G. E. Kriese, OceanRacing.com: In Scuttlebutt 2948, Dr. Zlot aptly identity's what he calls the "too-many-classes-disaster". He's exactly right and I'm glad someone has given the situation a name; TMCD for short. (U.S. SAILING take note!) The sport needs fewer, not more one design classes because too many dilute the existing pool of sailors and the level of competition. This is especially evident in a market like Detroit where local economics can only support a smaller number of sailors and classes than in the past. What is the point of incremental increases in performance and large increases in cost if it harms the sport as a whole? In difficult economic times emphasis placed on cost containment and having fun will pay dividends in the form of improved turnouts and competition. * From Bud Thompson: The latest on the AC drawn out legal debacle, this one on where to have it, causes me to write this little epistle. For years the yachting world was pretty much a BRIT AND YANK DO. Now in our flattening fast changing world yachting has become a universal activity. At almost any time of the year we find someone or fleet out to break one of hundreds of established records to and from many countries. The VOLVO 70's gang with their multiple stops in ports around the world and the in-port racing have wetted the appetites of many more and it has become a new world method of advertising. It's a happening no one would have dreamed of 50 years ago. I haven't even Googled Ras Al Khaimah to find out exactly where it lives but what the heck! If it happens there'll no doubt be a few more catching the bug to our wonderful world we've enjoyed. As for the boats, I sure do hope they get those huge multihulls into action next year and very hopefully we will witness some really good footage of it all. My imagination runs wild just picturing all the things that could happen with those big buckets on the course. Put me first in line if they get a DVD out on it. * From Dr. Karl Urtz The Swiss newspaper "Tages-Anzeiger" was recently wondering, why the mainsail of Alinghi 5 is still clear from remarkable promotion - and that four months before the race. They report about obviously unsuccessful negotiations with the Swiss private bank Julius Baer and the deal with the watchmaker Hublot, who is said to have paid a lump sum of 5 million Swiss francs. (US$ 4.8M) A leading Swiss PR expert is quoted in the newspaper that both the economic crisis and the legal disputes make it extremely difficult for a sponsor to evaluate the risks versus the success of a promotion campaign at that stage. To my opinion it seems that Hublot replaces the watch maker Audemar Piquet, who sponsored the last three Swiss America's Cup campaigns from Fast 2000 to Alinghi 2007. A great difference to the "mismatch" of 1988 where Dennis Conner - by the way the first time in the history of the AC - succeeded to plaster boat and sail with big labels of his main sponsors Marlboro, Pepsi Cola and Merrill Lynch. - Link to the story: http://tinyurl.com/yk9p8e3 CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS The best built fences are horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong. Special thanks to Camet, North Sails, and J/Boats. Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
