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SCUTTLEBUTT 518 - February 29, 2000
AMERICA'S CUP: RACE FOUR ABANDONED AGAIN
SCHEDULE CHANGED: RACING TODAY
With four race days lost, and only three races sailed, the Race Committee
has decided to change its schedule, and Race Four will now be sailed on
Wednesday. There was never a hint of wind on Tuesday on the Hauraki Gulf. A
sunny morning gave way to a hazy, cloudy afternoon and didn't generate
enough heat to build a sea breeze. The wind velocity never exceeded four
knots before Race Director Harold Bennett abandoned racing at 14:45.
Bob McDavitt, the New Zealand MetService Weather Ambassador says the problem
is a "high pressure system that has lingered over the Tasman Sea. This
results in sunny days that are good for sea breezes. But, the sea breeze
from the West coast meets the sea breeze generated on the East coast, and
the two cancel each other out. Normally, the Southwest sea breeze wins this
battle, but not until the land starts to cool late in the afternoon."
But McDavitt is calling for tropical rain storms to move into the area from
the North over Wednesday afternoon, resulting in Northeasterly winds of
10-15 tomorrow building to 20-25 knot Easterlies on Thursday, the following
scheduled race day. Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Team New Zealand
currently leads the Prada Challenge, from the Yacht Club Punta Ala, 3-0 in
the best of nine 30th America's Cup Match.
-- America's Cup 2000 Louis Vuitton Media Centre
Official site at http://www.americascup.org
ONE SIZE FITS ALL
It's really not important if you like your America's Cup news in bite-sized
capsules, or as a more thoughtful and detailed analysis -- the Quokka AC
website has it all. Plus photos, audio and video reports. Plus team
profiles, commentary and the racing schedule. Plus detailed results and
standings. And the people who write the words and shoot the images are the
best. And it's updated so frequently, that you always have the very latest
scoop. If you're looking for more America's Cup insight, here's the hot
link: http://www.americascup.org/
HAVANA TO BALTIMORE RACE CANCELLED
The idea of a sailboat race from Havana, Cuba to Baltimore has piqued the
interest of both sailors and non-sailors throughout the United States. While
the sailing crowd was gearing up for a major battle between some of North
America's premier big boats and big boat sailors, the non-sailing crowd was
eager to observe the firestorm of controversy a well-intentioned sailboat
race was certain to set off in the mainstream press.
Unfortunately, political issues have the upper hand and the simple magic of
starting a major distance race in Cuba will not happen this year.
Within the past 24 hours, the U.S. Department of the Treasury rejected the
City of Baltimore's application for the race, according to representatives
from the organizing Storm Trysail Club. While it was unclear whether the
current political tensions between the United States and Cuba played a role
in the decision, "it would be logical to assume they did," says Storm
Trysail's Butch Ulmer. Full story at http://www.spinsheet.com
VOLVO OCEAN RACE: TEAM RUDIGER
Professional ocean racer, Mark Rudiger, and his TeamRudiger syndicate for
the Volvo Ocean Race has solidified with the addition of renown yachtsman,
Dee Smith.
Smith, who recently completed an America's Cup challenge in the afterguard
aboard America True, has formally agreed to act as the Chief Technical
Officer and Co-Skipper for the TeamRudiger effort. Mark is the CEO,
Co-Skipper/Co-Navigator of this syndicate and was the Navigator on
EFLanguage, winner of The Whitbread 1997-98.
On TeamRudiger, Dee Smith will initially head up the design and building of
the boat and will assist in funds acquisition. His experience and recent
successes, including Co-Skipper/Tactician in the last Admiral's Cup on the
winning Dutch yacht, Innovision, are a perfect compliment to Rudiger. The
Rudiger/Smith combination will make for a formidable campaign. More at
http://www.teamrudiger.com
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (scuttlebutt@boats.com -- note temporary address
for guest editor)
Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250
words max) or to exclude personal attacks. But only one letter per subject,
so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree.
-- From Bruce Golison
That "swishing sound" is the America's Cup being flushed down the toilet by
ESPN, Corporate America and the American public - both sailors and non
sailors alike. Bruno Trouble said, "don't fix it if it is not broken".....
well the America's Cup is broken. It has become a joke. If some creative
upgrades are not made soon, the AC will fade away in a swell of "who cares".
Also, it has been widely known for awhile that the wind would be lighter for
the finals, so why were the AC finals scheduled for now anyway? Too many
personal agendas, not enough thought for what is good for the AC.
-- From Bruce Parsons
I think it is easier to talk about keels, which you can't see but pretend to
understand, than it is to talk about mast and sails, which you can see and
are harder to pretend you understand. This happens to professionals as
well. In the unveiling of the 95 boats Jerry Milgram was the only one
looking up - as he knows how little room for development there is
underwater. For anyone to catch TNZ last time on reduction of underwater
drag alone they would have had to throw away their rudder and one winglet.
Prof. Milgram spent all his time looking up.
In the third race the TNZ margin amounted to approximately 0.3 kt average
over the course. This is about 3 %, for which you need about 6% reduction
in drag alone to get. So again throw away your rudder Prada. The margin is
primarily in the air, and in the boathandling.
Prada has to sail better before we can even find out if they are sailing a
slower boat, but for the moment it sure looks like they are. Hard to beat
the best in the world in a slower boat.
Next time let all the designers realize that no matter what they might think
about its looks, TNZ is getting faster all the time. And while the margins
are half what they were in 95, this 2000 standard will be obsolete this time
next year.
-- From David M. Blakemore
I agree with the comments on which crew speaks English. Perhaps ESPN
should borrow a page from foreign films and the live broadcast of opera and
provide sub-titles.
-- From Rick Hatch
Further to George Middleton's remark, I was trying to figure out what was
"different" about the America's Cup television coverage this time around
(not Jim Kelly's commentary, certainly), and it dawned on me a couple of
days ago that, for the first time since 1987, the on-board audio feed wasn't
coming across in an American accent! How refreshing. I was worried I'd end
up having to drink too many shooters watching each downwind leg if
AmericaOne were to have been the challenger. Once you've sailed a season
with Kiwis in your crew, or stood watch with them all the way to Maui
listening to their sarcasm, it's easier to understand what Brad Butterworth
is saying (" 'e's foassteh"; " 'e's out of theyeh" ...).
POTOMAC RIVER SAILING LECTURES
Potomac River Albacore Fleet to host Wednesday Evening Sailing Lecture &
Social Events The PRAF conducts free, informal short course racing from the
Washington Sailing Marina on the Potomac River every Wednesday evening from
6:00 PM till dark during the months of May, June, July, and August. As a
precursor to this season, the Albacore fleet will host three evening
lecture/social events at 7:00 PM on April 5 and 12 in the Powtomack Landing
Restaurant Chart Room and on April 26th in the Afterdeck Cafe, both at the
Washington Sailing Marina. Anyone with an interest in sailing is invited.
For directions and further information go to:
http://www.geocities.com/~sail-albacores/index.html or contact PRAF Fleet
Captain Becky Harris at 703-838-0644.
HOT WEBSITE
If you like photos of sailboats you should double-click on this link:
http://www.northsails.com/graphics/NGphoto.html You'll see some neat boats
and some really neat custom sail graphics. Little boats, big boats -- it
doesn't make any difference. When you deal with Whitney Gladstone, the work
is done right, and it's affordable. So what are you waiting for? Call
Whitney and talk about custom graphics for your boat or sails: (619)
224-8667
THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM:
If a man is standing in the middle of the forest speaking and there is no
woman around to hear him...is he still wrong?
Note: Nelson Weiderman has created a "Curmudgeon Server" at
http://noeticharbor.com/curmudgeon/. It randomly pulls Curmudgeonly wit from
a database loaded with past 'Butt Observations, Counsels, etc. Check it out!
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