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SCUTTLEBUTT 2117 - June 16, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.THE LAST HARRAH The six boats racing in the final stage of the Volvo Ocean Race from Rotterdam in Holland, to the finish in Gothenburg, Sweden are bowling a long nicely upwind, doing 11 or 12 knots in eight knots of wind. Brasil 1 (Torben Grael) leads the chase from Pirates of the Caribbean (Paul Cayard) who is two miles astern and the fleet is now parallel with Terschelling, the third in the string of Friesland Islands on the corner of Holland, 17 miles off the coast. The two Dutch yachts, ABN Amro One (Mike Sanderson) and ABN Amro Two (Sebastien Josse) are struggling in the light upwind conditions, something that Brasil 1 has proved to be very good at. Brunel is sailing with only nine crew due to Graeme Taylor being prevented by illness from being onboard the boat for their final push for a podium position. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.org Volvo Ocean Race Positions at 2200 on Thursday: 1. Brasil 1, Torben Grael, 374 miles to finish 2. Pirates of the Caribbean, Paul Cayard, +2 miles 3. Brunel, Matt Humphries, + 3 miles 4. Ericsson Racing Team, Neal McDonald, +4 mile 4. ABN Amro Two, Sebastien Josse, +4 miles 6. ABN Amro One, Mike Sanderson, + 5 mile FROM THE PIRATE SHIP Today's forecast for the race is decent wind at the start and for the first 10 hours, then gradually getting lighter, almost to the point of drifting. The conditions approaching Gothenberg are supposed to be quite fluky and variable. This is Brasil1's dream forecast ... anything but steady conditions is their best chance to get four boats between us, which is what they have to do. Brasil1 may be the fastest boat in the fleet in light air also, so I am sure they are feeling good about their chances. We will just have to keep it close and hope that what ever luck hits them, good or bad, hits us too. Also, the leg is not a fixed course. The race committee can lengthen or shorten the course by sending us on about six different "loops" as we approach Gothenberg. They want to have the fleet enter the city as close to 1300 CET Saturday as possible. So we won’t know for sure how much more racing there is left as we near the end of the race. So the best strategy for us is to stay close to Brasil1, if we have the speed to do so, and just let all these variables become irrelevant. That is the plan. -- Paul Cayard, Pirates of the Caribbean skipper FIRST SAIL The first six production boats of the new Paralympic two-person class have arrived in the USA. The SKUD 18 (Skiff Universal Design) is similar in hull shape to the 29er with a big asymmetrical spinnaker and a bulb keel. The boats are fast, technical and certainly challenging. The SKUDs were unloaded at Sail Newport in Newport, RI, and rigged by their new owners on site. Four U.S. teams and one Canadian team then took the boats on the water for three days of testing and training. Though the boats have now moved to various home locations, they will meet up again in Newport in August for the 2006 US Disabled Sailing Team qualifier for SKUD 18s. To date, four teams have purchased SKUD 18s and announced their plans to compete for the doublehanded slot on the U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team: RACING RULES QUIZ True or False? If two boats are tied at the end of a series and they each have exactly the same number of firsts, seconds, thirds, etc., the tie will be broken in favor of the boat that beat the other boat in more races. (See answer later in this issue.) UPGRADE NOW AND SAVE June is the perfect time to upgrade to Harken hardware from Hall Spars & Rigging. From now until June 30, everything Harken is an additional 5% off our already terrific pricing. It’s the chance you’ve been waiting for to upgrade to lightweight Harken Racing Winches. Top cleating, self-tailing, two-speed, three-speed - Harken has a lightweight winch for every boat. Order now and save. Only at Hall, only during June. You’ll find winches and blocks listed under “Hardware” or shop by your boat type in our online store. http://www.hallspars.com WINNER DECIDED IN “THE ROOM” The Volvo Extreme 40 Grand Prix series was up for grabs several times on the final day in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and when it was all said and done, the now bitter rivals of Team Basilica and the American entry Tommy Hilfiger settled the series in an undesirable location—in front of the protest jury. Three protest hearings and three races eventually saw Motorola-CHR win the Rotterdam regatta by a 1 point over Hilfiger in second and Basilica one further point behind in third, but all points totaled, Hilfiger won the overall the class's first title with 4 points to spare Basilica. -- Dave Reed, Sailing World magazine, http://tinyurl.com/z59mb Overall Series Rankings: 1. Tommy Hilfiger, Randy Smyth, Stan Schreyer, Jonathan Farrar, and Richard Feeney, 40 pts; 2. Basilica, James Grant, 36 pts; 3. Motorola-CHR, 36 pts; 4. Holmatro, 29 pts; 5. Volvo Ocean Race, 24 pts. -- http://www.VolvoExtreme40.org RULE 18 EXPERIMENT Would you like to test a new version of Rule 18 this summer? During the past six months, US Sailing’s Racing Rules Committee has drafted two new versions of Rule 18 (Rounding and Passing Marks and Obstructions). These are designed to make the rule simpler and clearer while still preserving the game. Now the Racing Rules Committee is looking for fleets to test one of these rules in local races during the next two or three months. If you're interested, or would like to learn more about the rule 18 experiment, please write to Rules@ussailing.org. VIDEO OF THE WEEK In an effort to promote safe sailing, the UK-Halsey website has streaming video clips and instructional text on safety at sea techniques. Of particular interest are the showings of a Quick Stop man overboard recovery while the spinnaker is flying and while sailing upwind. Also, if you have a video you like, please send us your suggestions for next week’s Video of the Week. Click here for the video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/#media CODE GREEN The situation over the North Atlantic that the Orange Sailing Team weather unit has been studying intensely seems to have become clearer. The window of opportunity that they spotted for Sunday for their transatlantic record attempt has been confirmed and the team has switched to Green Code with all the logistics being put in place. The goal is for everyone to be up and ready in Newport on Saturday! “It’s a fairly classic situation,” reckoned Bruno Peyron. The high is in the right place, a weather system will be moving away from the U.S. the day after tomorrow. In terms of its trajectory, it’s not 100% perfect – it won’t all be on one tack like PlayStation had in October 2001, but this is the only opening there has been for a month, so I don’t think we can do anything else but seize the occasion.’ -- http://tinyurl.com/l6r38 SCUTTLEBUTT PODCAST: ANDREW CAMPBELL (June 15, 2006) American Andrew Campbell, currently the US top ranked Laser sailor, sat down with Scuttlebutt just prior to leaving for an intensive summer training schedule in Europe. Recently graduated from Georgetown University, Andrew capped off a successful collegiate sailing career, culminating in him being named the 2006 College Sailor of the Year. In this podcast interview, Andrew discusses his college sailing, his summer schedule, and the Americans chances at the 2008 Olympics. Listen and learn: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/06/ac0615 SAILING SHORTS * Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary to Robert and Mary Johnstone. * The America's Cup trophy is returning to New York on Thursday, arriving business class after flying from Geneva via the current host city Valencia, in Spain. The current organizers of the America's Cup have arranged for the Cup itself, along with the Louis Vuitton Cup (presented to the winner of the challenger selection series), to tour New York. As part of the promotion in New York, an America's Cup exhibit will be on display at the Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, including USA 49, one of BMW Oracle’s Racing's yachts. -- http://xtramsn.co.nz/sport/0,,12021-5910384,00.html * 265 yachts, a record for the Bermuda race, will set out from Newport Friday at the start of this 100th anniversary race. Although it has been rather wet in Newport on Thursday, the forecasters are predicting sunshine and a developing thermal breeze for the start. There might even be a spinnaker start for the second race in a row. Winds will be 8-14 knots overnight Friday and in the 5-15 range on Saturday. Race progress can be followed on iBoat Track. -- http://www.bermudarace.com * Peroni Nastro Azzurro, the stylish Italian beer brand will act as the exclusive sponsor of the international Swan 45 Class fleet. Peroni Nastro Azzurro plans to host a series of high profile aperitivo activities, including design talks, trunk shows and exclusive sailing experiences on- and off-shore. These socials are geared to inspire newcomers to the sailing set as well as introduce Peroni Nastro Azzurro and its new partnership with Nautor’s Swan to the sailing cognoscenti. * Honolulu, Hawaii -- An out-of-control powerboat plowed into a 70-foot catamaran Tuesday night at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor, knocking vacationing Arizona resident Bill Browning out of bed. Browning went onto the deck of the Double Barrel, where he saw the 76-foot Prowler reverse into other boats, piers and his $1.5 million catamaran five more times at the Ala Wai Boat Harbor. Neal Timon, 65, was arrested after a police officer and an engineer from another boat jumped aboard the Prowler. Timon was charged yesterday with operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant and fleeing from the scene of an accident. -- http://starbulletin.com/2006/06/15/news/story08.html * Yacht clubs from the US and overseas will be sending their top Junior sailors to this year's Balboa YC Governor's Cup match racing series, July 17 - 22. The invited teams include Parkstone YC (GBR), Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Prince Alfred YC (AUS), Royal Perth YC (AUS) Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (NZL), Sandspit YC (NZL), Newport Harbor YC, California YC, King Harbor YC, Annapolis YC, Southern YC plus a team for the host club. The event will be sailed in Alan Andrews-designed 21-foot keelboats in the ocean off Newport Beach, California. * The O’pen BIC - a nine foot a fast planning machine with high performance rig and a totally open, self draining stern that makes even capsizing fun - was initially introduced in European countries during the spring of 2006. The boat, which features a durable, maintenance-free hull, is aimed squarely at juniors and teenagers. It has now arrived in North American where promotional and demo activities are being scheduled in the U.S. and Canada for summer 2006. Check out the pictures and video: http://www.openbic.com/ * The organizers of the Velux 5 Oceans have named the UK-based onEdition to provide comprehensive photographic services for their round the world race and its skippers both pre-race and during the three testing legs. onEdition will provide and oversee the running of the official on-line Velux 5 Oceans image library, which will give the media, yacht sponsors and their agents the ability to download, free for editorial use, high resolution images 24 hours a day, seven days a week. -- http://www.velux5oceans.com * Jersey Skipper, Richard Franklin announced that due to ‘outside commitments’ he will be resigning from the Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race, after replacing relief skipper Simon Rowell at short notice in Victoria. Franklin competed in race eight from Victoria, Canada to Panama City. Franklin will leave the boat at the New York stopover at the end of June where he will be replaced by veteran Clipper skipper Mervyn Wheatley. Wheatley has just completed race eight on board the Cardiff Clipper as the relief skipper for incumbent Conor Fogerty, who temporarily left the race to visit his sick wife. -- http://www.clipper-ventures.com * The 124th ISAF Grade 1 Kiel Week begins Friday with a new record in the numbers of participants. Around 5,000 sailors will start in Germany, with 2,000 boats taking part in 500 races. There will be 191 Lasers competing, including Laser World Champion Robert Scheidt (BRA). -- http://www.kieler-woche.de/ * Balatonfüred, Hungary -- Two races were completed Thursday in the Open Nissan Cup 470 European Championship -- again in a very light shifty breeze of 3-4 knots. After five races Benjamin and Romain Bonnaud (FRA) moved into the lead with all single digit finishes in the 112 boat men’s division . The USA’s Mike Anderson/ David Hughes remain the top North American’s in 36th place. Stefanie Rothweiler/ Vivien Kussatz (GER) continue to lead the women’s division while the top North American women’s teams are: 10: Jennifer Provan/ Carol Luttmer (CAN) and 24. Amanda Clark/ Sarah Margenthaler (USA). -- http://www.470euro.com/results/ * Riccione, Italy -- After nine races with one discard Evi Van Acker (BEL) has a two point lead over Gintare Volungeviciute (LTU) at the Women’s Division of the Laser Radial European Championship. Mexico’s Tania Elias Calles Wolf is now the top North American in tenth place with the USA’s Paige Railey 18th in the 91-boat fleet. -- http://www.netandpaper.it/laser/index_uk.htm ARE YOU ON THE RIGHT TACK??? For gear - for the boat and beyond!! All with the renowned Mount Gay Rum logo - available by calling Lands’ End Business Outfitters (with its sailing heritage and penchant for quality) at 800-490-6402 for top-notch Mount Gay Rum jackets, polos, bags, fleece items, and more - an extended line of available items for 2006. When you are searching for an exceptional gift for a sailor, Mount Gay Rum gear is the obvious choice. Look for information on the Mount Gay Rum Brand and the calendar of 2006 sponsored regattas at http://www.mountgay.com ANSWER TO RACING RULES QUIZ False. When two boats are tied at the end of a series, the fact of who beat whom in more races is not used as a tiebreaker. If they have the same number of firsts, seconds, thirds, etc., the tie will be broken by using the boats’ scores in the last race (see rule A8.2). For 99 more questions like this, check out the Racing Rules IQ Test at: www.SpeedandSmarts.com. EIGHT BELLS From the Vermont side of Lake Champlain: Jim Finch, a long time member of the Malletts Bay Boat Club died of Leukemia on Tuesday June 13 at age 62. Jim sailed and raced a J24, later a J27 and most recently dominated Lake Champlain’s PHRF Class C with his Wavelength 24 ”Toad’s Wild Ride” for many years. Jim’s picture should be in the dictionary beside the word “friend”. He was a sailor’s sailor, a keen competitor and embodied the Corinthian Spirit, both on the water and in life. Jim was very active in the Malletts Bay Boat Club, was a past Board member of the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, helped to organize the Regatta for Lake Champlain, and also served on the Race Committee for Key West Race Week in years past. Jim is survived by his wife Marcy Milton, his son and daughter in law Mike & Cheryl Finch, and other family members. He will be missed by all who knew him. -- Jamie Leopold 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. 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. For those that prefer a Forum, you can post your thought at the Scuttlebutt website: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi) * From Mike Esposito: The AC is what the AC is in large measure due to traditions. When you think AC, you don't picture multihulls (except for the grossly embarrassing Kiwi v. Cat series, which should be banished from our collective memories). And if you want to mess with the image of two traditional sailboats battling it out, why not go whole hog and "sail" it on sailboards -- they're a helluva lot faster than cats and if you jump really fast, you don't really even need water under them. * From Robert Young: I wonder why - other than for the ignorance of our European ancestors- people would sail a boat that won't sink when damaged? Didn't the Polynesians build multi-hulls that supported the largest unrecorded human migrations in history, while we smug Westerners were clinging to floating logs? Unseaworthy? Ask the crew of the Preussen, Drum, and any number of Hobart racers. On the other hand, the Mini Transat 6.5 has proven successful for decades. Perhaps there is a good reason why I've sailed anything from 139' schooners and W-60's to Shields and Nacra 5.8s - It's all good when you don't cling to old prejudices. Different strokes for different folks - The sea is selective. Slow in recognition of effort and aptitude, but fast in sinking the unfit. * From Marc Fountain: Having lived through losing and recovering an MOB (at night, on San Francisco Bay, in breeze, with the kite up, short-handed i.e. 3 people and we lost 1) I offer the following observations on the experience: a) If you crash the boat to stop, it may be harder to get back to the MOB. They aren't likely to swim to you because swimming is slow compared to sailing or even drifting while crashed. You have a better chance of getting back to the MOB if you're still sailing. Our instinct was not to crash the boat and that allowed us to go back upwind quickly. b) An MOB can be almost impossible to see even when you're very close because only the person's head is above water and heads are small compared to waves or chop. c) A crew that has been doing leeward mark roundings together for awhile can get the boat turned around very quickly. d) If your MOB can make noise that you can hear, you have two significant advantages. First, you know they are conscious and second, you know roughly where they are. A combination of good boat-handling, flotation on the MOB, noise-making and luck (MOB not injured while going over) produced a positive outcome in our case. If any one of these factors were missing it might have been a different story. The whole process took about 6 minutes and 10 boatlengths. CURMUDGEON’S CONUNDRUM When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to your youth ... remember about algebra. Special thanks to Hall Spars & Rigging and Mount Gay Rum. |
