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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 717 - December 27, 2000SYDNEY TO HOBARTThe line honours favourite and race leader, Shockwave, has retired from the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race after leading the fleet into Bass Strait earlier today. Shockwave, a new 80-footer owned and skippered by Sydney-based New Zealand businessman Neville Crichton, was the first boat past the compulsory safety check-in point abeam of Green Cape on the New South Coast at 8.20am. Just over one and a half hours later, the skipper advised the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Race Committee that he was "apprehensive about the forecast and how they might fare." Shockwave went into the 630 nautical mile ocean classic untested in heavy seas and owner Crichton had expressed concern before the race started. At the time she was just past Gabo Island, at the entrance to Bass Strait, with skipper Crichton saying they intended to return to Sydney. Shockwave was the first boat to sail past Green Cape, reporting to Telstra Radio aboard the radio relay ship Young Endeavour that the yacht and crew were in good condition to continue the race across Bass Strait. Five minutes later the Swedish maxi, Nicorette, skippered by Ludde Ingvall, reported that she was continuing, with the third boat to call up being the 60-footer Xena (Sean Langman). Shockwave is the fourth boat to pull out of the race as fleet battles into 25 to 30 knot southerly winds and rising seas, with a gale warning still in force for eastern Bass Strait waters. - Peter Campbell Leading the way (27 December, 14:05 PM): 1. Nicorette, 367.10 miles to go, 2. Wild Thing, 367.80 miles to go, 3 Illbruck, 392.98 miles to go, 4. Bumblebee 5, 394.97 miles to go, 5. News Corporation, 396.07 miles to go. Website: http://www.syd-hob.telstra.com.au/index.cfm BATTLE LINES In the December 21 issue of 'Grand Prix Sailor' Dawn Riley's commentary discussed a plan for reversing the ISAF's decision to add a class for Women's Keelboat Racing instead of Women's Match Racing in the next Olympics: "Get the ISAF Council to declare the vote null and void because it was made without a submission as required by the ISAF Regulation 1.9. If that request was refused, then we would get as many National Governing Bodies and council members to request an extraordinary meeting be called under Constitution Article 62 so the decision could be reversed. This process is now well under way." - http://www.sailingworld.com/gps/ One day letter the ISAF issued their 'Making Waves' Newsletter which included the following comments from John R. Caldwell, ISAF Constitution Committee Chairman: "There is a rumor that some people are attempting to reopen the discussion concerning Women's Match Racing vs. Women's Fleet Racing and the subsequent vote taken in Edinburgh in support of Women's Fleet Racing. "You should be aware the discussion of Women's Match vs. Women's Fleet Racing was reopened under the Events Committee Submission 54. Therefore, the discussion and subsequent vote on the merits of Women's Match Racing vs. Women's Fleet Racing was in compliance with ISAF Regulation 1.9. Further, Council complied with the mandated requirements of ISAF Regulation 6.1.1 pertaining to the selection of the 2004 Olympic Regatta equipment (classes). "The ISAF Constitution Committee is 'the sole body responsible for interpreting the Constitution and Regulations of ISAF'." - http://www.sailing.org/makingwaves/makingwaves69/ EASIER SAIL HANDLING If you want easier sail handling and better performance look no further than a SAILMAN full batten system. Designed for yachts from 24ft to 80ft, the range includes track systems, in-mast systems and even slides specifically for composite spars. SAILMAN systems are well engineered, easy to install, simple to maintain and great to use so if you are thinking about full battens, talk to your Sailmaker about SAILMAN by Bainbridge International. More information at: www.sailcloth.com VENDEE GLOBE - By Philippe Jeantot Thierry Dubois (Solidaires) announced today by fax that after the breakdown of his main alternator and the failure of his batteries, he has decided to make a stop in New Zealand to effect the necessary repairs. Thierry commented that "my intuition tells me as a skipper that it wouldn't be at all prudent to head into the Pacific Ocean, the longest and most difficult stretch of water, with the boat in this condition." Therefore he has decided to stop in New Zealand, repair and set off: "It's a disappointment not to be able to finish this circumnavigation within the rules." These kind of damages are becoming more frequent at this half way stage of the race, and as Thomas Coville (Sodebo) noted a few days back, that this race has its own process of natural elimination - the events of each day are giving life to that comment. As for the battle in the rankings, Marc Thiercelin has moved into fourth place now that Dubois has bowed out, and is intent on searching out a way to pass Ellen MacArthur (Kingfisher). He strongly asserted in a fax to the Race HQ (he has no Standard B working right now) : "In 2-3 days we'll be in the Pacific Ocean, and from that moment I have 15 crucial days ahead of me to try and come back. I cannot make a single mistake in this time." In the depression to come, he knows his boat can do well. He covered 135 miles in 6 hours on the 23rd December in winds of up to 50 knots. "I just stick up more sail. I get the brunt of the action but it has to be that way if I1m to keep up the chase." There is still 50 or so days left of this race and 11500 miles to go to the finish. Standings: 1. PRB, Michel Desjoyeaux, 2 Sill Matines & La Potagere Roland Jourdain, 83 miles behind leader 3, Kingfisher, Ellen 295 miles behind leader 4. Active Wear, Marc Thiercelin, 380 miles behind leader, 5. Sodebo Savourons la Vie, Thomas Coville, 533 miles behind leader. Website: http://www.vendeeglobe.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) (Letters selected to be printed may be edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. We don't publish anonymous letters, but will withhold your e-mail address on request.) * From Ivor Wilkins ivorw@xtra.co.nz If anybody deserves an award for courage under fire it is Pete Goss and his team. Sad as it is, their departure from The Race is a model of the grace and dignity they have shown throughout a campaign dogged by misfortune. I salute them. From Jesse Deupree jdeupree@pop-server.maine.rr.com With the current chapter of Team Philips done, I'm sure the comments are just beginning. I'll be defending the concept and the effort, but for now I just want to praise the way Pete Goss and Adrian Thompson (the boat's designer) have conducted themselves. Read Adrian Thompson's comments on the Team Philips web site "Forum", made just after abandonment, and you will see a great example of honesty and integrity. Throughout this project's difficult history, Goss and Thompson have kept their eyes on the prize, and have fearlessly acknowledged their failures and struggles. Would that politicians of every stripe, including those that have dominated the America's Cup arena for many years, could show this kind of class. From Art LeVasseur artlev@voyager.net [edited to our 250-word limit] Justice delayed is justice denied. Unlike judicial action involving election matters, in the context of sailing the wheels of justice continue to turn ever so slowly. As your readers may recall, Albtraoss Yacht Club was suspended last summer by US Sailing for rejecting an application for its 2000 series. The suspension was imposed even though the action of the club had already been found (in June) to be proper under RRS 76 after a full hearing by a Protest Committee. (AYC has since been reinstated by a mutual agreement reached after US Sailing backed off on some, but not all, of the ridiculous conditions it attempted to impose.) The Protest Committee's decision in favor of the club was appealed by the rejected sailor to the Detroit Regional Appeals Committee, which in turn decided to refer the matter to the Southern Cal Regional Appeals Committee. Yesterday the SCYRA appeals committee issued a decision finding it was without jurisdiction to hear the case and sending the appeal back to DRYA. Once DRYA issues a decision on the merits, the unsuccessful party will have the right to appeal to the National Appeals Committee. The rules of the American Arbitration Association require that an arbitrator issue his ruling within 30 days after the close of the record. Albatross rejected the entry in question last May. The appeal has been now been pending for some six months and is no closer to being decided on the merits than it was when if was first filed. * From J. Joseph Bainton bainton@baintonlaw.com Before shortening a course, a race committee should first ask itself whether the race they are about to score by reason of shortening its length was a "fair competition." If the reason for shortening the course is that a substantial majority of the fleet will not be able to finish the race within the time limit, odds are that the race should be abandoned rather than scored. The Star Class addresses the potential problem of a race committee more interested in "finishes" than fair competition by proscribing (a) the length of the course and (b) the time limit. In other classes, I have experienced some strange events that the race committee scored as a race. * From Tom Farquhar tfarquhar@compuserve.com In response to Bruce Van Deventer's inquiry regarding shortening a course at a gate, there are at least two good solutions. The least confusing is to remove one of the gate marks and rely on the rulebook description of what to do when "S" is displayed (finish between the nearby mark and the boat displaying "S"). This approach may not work if there are multiple classes and some are still using the gate. The second is to change, in the sailing instructions, the rulebook description of what to do when "S" is displayed at a gate to say something like "finish between the gate marks." The second approach may require the RC finish boat to anchor well outside the gate in order to not interfere with boats still using the gate. * From Harry Anderson HHAJR@aol.com [edited dramatically to our 250-word limit] - Recent challenges by clubs not on an arm of the sea have demonstrated that the barrier is as susceptible to re-interpretation as the United States Constitution. For example, the judgment rendered in 1984 at the request of the Royal Perth Yacht Club of Western Australia (joined by the NYYC) by Supreme Court of the State of New York (under which State of New York Deeds fall) that the Chicago Yacht Club was eligible to challenge. As Harman Hawkins points out, it was only a judgment absent a decision on the question of whether Lake Michigan was a 'sea' or 'arm of the sea'. Nor did it fit potential challenger, Cercle de la Voile de Paris, located on the Seine. It qualified, as has more than one Swiss Club, by holding its annual regatta on a sea. The promulgation of the recent decision to accept the challenge of the Dusseldorf Yacht Club does not include the basis thereof, but the Rhine at Dusseldorf can handle larger seagoing traffic than the Seine at Paris, and although the tide does not flow and reflow past the Club, there is unimpeded access to the sea unlike the Great Lakes so that it, too, most likely holds its annual regatta at another location. Is the provision in the Deed a sea sieve sifting through the intent of the original deed, "...any organized yacht club of any foreign country shall always be entitled ..."? AMERICA'S CUP - By Suzanne McFadden (Following are excerpts from two stories Suzanne McFadden had in the New Zealand Herald in recent days.) * The America's Cup Village has put up the 'No Vacancy' sign. If there is no room at the inn, where will Le Defi go to find a bed for their boats? The French syndicate have been left to look out of town for a home for their America's Cup boats after missing out on a berth in the cup village. Le Defi's old base next to Team New Zealand has been incorporated with the old Nippon site to make an extra-large compound for Ernesto Bertarelli's Swiss syndicate. There will be no room out back at the Viaduct this time either. Young Australia used a floating crane as their base last summer, but residents in the new waterfront apartments would probably likely object if they had a barge parked outside their windows. Doug Snell, general manager of America's Cup Village Ltd, said the French had been offered the last available base, No 3 on the map, but had turned it down because it was too small for their two-boat cup campaign. The last spot was snapped up by new Italian syndicate Mascalzone Latino, which are likely to have just one boat. A Union Jack is set to fly over base eight, even though two British groups appear to be bickering over who will represent their nation in the next cup. "The scuttlebutt around the waterfront is that there could also be another American challenge and an Australian syndicate which will be looking for a base," Snell said. "But it's up to them now to find somewhere. The serious syndicates recognised that you have to be here early in the piece to set up and start training, like Prada did last time." Latecomers are unlikely to find anywhere deep enough inside the Waitemata Harbour. They may have to park as far away as Gulf Harbour on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. * The latest billionaire to join the race for the America's Cup, "Latin Rascal" Vincenzo Onorato, is a world champion sailor in his own right. The Italian shipping mogul, who will bring his Mascalzone Latino challenge to Auckland, drove his boat of the same name to victory in the world Mumm 30 championships last month. But do not expect him to be at the helm of his sole cup yacht on the Hauraki Gulf in October 2002. Onorato, aged 40, says he does not know a thing about matchracing, and will hand the job to one of his crew. He has never been afraid to hire top guns to sail his fleet of yachts - among them Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker, who helped drive Onorato's boat in the last Admiral's Cup. The team of Mascalzone Latino - roughly translated as Latin Rascal - have snared the final berth in the America's Cup village. The syndicate have set up home base on the Italian island of Elba, and have bought the old Spanish boat Bravo Espana so they can learn the ropes of a cup yacht. Onorato owns shipping company Moby Lines, and could no doubt pay for the cup challenge with his loose change. But he wants to be known as a sailor. Onorato told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport that if he was walking down the street, he wanted to be recognised as a helmsman first, boat owner last. He has chosen not to bankroll the syndicate alone, as rival Italian syndicate head Patrizio Bertelli has again done with Prada. Instead Onorato has secured major sponsorship from oil company Shell and Japanese insurers Yasuda Kasai. He does not intend to import any crew before the nationality deadline - he wants an absolutely Italian team. Most will be yachtsmen who have sailed with Onorato before. The brains trust of the boat will be Paolo Scutellaro, Paolo Cian and experienced tactician Vasco Vascotto. Mascalzone Latino are likely to build just one boat, designed by Giovanni Ceccarelli, who regularly designs Onorato's racing craft. To read the rest of McFadden's stories: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ac2000/ OLYMPICS (Great Britain's Shirley Robertson has had a spectacular year winning an Olympic gold medal and the world sailor of the year award. Rich Roberts interviewed Robertson for Quokka Sports and came away with her thoughts about the Olympics) Along with an Olympic gold medal Shirley Robertson has achieved success as a match racer. She was recently fourth in the Women's Worlds in Florida and is currently 11th in the women's rankings. But she's glad that the ISAF changed its mind about women's match racing in the Olympics. "I was happy with the decision," Robertson said. "The process is a little bit odd, but I don't think match racing is a very good Olympic sport. I was much happier with the fleet-racing decision. I enjoy [match racing], but that's not the issue. I don't want to do it professionally as you would for an Olympic campaign. I don't want to go round and round in circles for three and a half years. "Looking beyond my own needs, with match racing, only a few crews get to do it, not just at the Olympics but all the events beforehand. Often you're sent home early without hardly racing. We just did the match-racing worlds. Eight teams sailed a day and a half after coming from all over the world. In my opinion, that's not the way to progress women's sports. "Fleet racing encourages the numbers. A lot of women can do it, and you get to stay until the end." Robertson plans to return for the 2004 Olympics but isn't sure she'll stick with the single-handed Europe. "I'm quite interested in doing the keelboat," she said. "I'll have a look in the new year and see what I think of it." She has never sailed an Yngling, the new women's keelboat class, but doesn't think that matters. "The boat's almost irrelevant. You still do the same things. You still have to put the hours in." - Rich Roberts for Quokka Sports Full story: http://www.quokkasailing.com/stories/12/SLQ_1220_shirley_WFC.html
THANKS DAVE
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