|
SCUTTLEBUTT 1515 - February 10, 2004Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. TROPHEE JULES VERNE The first target for the two giant multihulls trying to break the Jules Verne record for the fastest circumnavigation is the dash to the equator. American Steve Fossett admitted that his 125ft catamaran, Cheyenne, did not have the optimum 'sling-shot' conditions when it left the start-line in Ushant, France, on Saturday morning. After dawn yesterday, Fossett's crew were steaming along at an average of 17 knots, which helped pull Cheyenne's average speed up to 13 knots for its first 2.5 days at sea. That put the boat some 200 miles west of Cape St Vincent in Portugal yesterday evening. Oliver de Kersauson's 112ft trimaran, Geronimo, did not start until Sunday evening in its pursuit of the same 64-day eight-hour record set by Bruno Peyron's Orange a year ago. Picking the optimum weather window is a key to a successful start to a circumnavigation. "This is not a huge, wide-open door," noted De Kersauson of the condition he chose to set off in. By the weekend, this pair could be joined by Peyron's new, more powerful, 124ft Orange II. It will be re-launched tomorrow and Peyron is primed to go. Peyron can be patient before relaunching Orange II following a re-fit after its December launch and initial trials. He knows that its smaller, lighter, less powerful predecessor is the record holder and that Jules Verne record attempts have, historically, only a 30 per cent success rate. - Excerpts from a story by Tim Jeffery in the Daily Telegraph, full story: http://tinyurl.com/3bt36 * Steve Fossett reported at 1710 GMT Monday that Cheyenne's average speed from the start was improving slightly to 12.92 kts, leaving the 125' cat still some 300+ nm behind the actual distance traveled by record-holder Orange (2002) in the same time. - www.fossettchallenge.com/ * Olivier de Kersauson was keen to stress that: "This is first and foremost an attempt at a start. If we can find the trades in a respectable time, we'll carry on. If not, we'll head for home, so we have nothing to lose. At 1300 GMT Monday, Geranimo had averaged 18.57 knots speed since the start. - www.trimaran-geronimo.com CORY SERTL (Following are two excerpts from a story by Gary Fallensen in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle about Yngling sailor Cory Sertl. It highlights the difficulties of combining an Olympic campaign with parenthood.) Sertl is a mother of two children - daughter Katja is a 9-year-old fourth-grader and son Nicholas is a 7-year-old in the second grade - which might contribute to her equilibrium, if not her perspective. Preparing for an Olympic Trial is time-consuming. Sertl was away from Jan. 2 to 12 and 19 to 30 before leaving again Tuesday for 20 more days. There are guilt pangs when you are there and your husband, Mark, and children are here. "My kids want to be with me," says Sertl, who married Mark after the 1988 Games. "You know from experience with other people that that might not be forever. "My son flat-out told me he doesn't want me to win." Victory would mean another six-month commitment for mom, culminating Aug. 13 to 29 at the Olympic Games. * Mark acknowledges that being apart from the kids is "one of the toughest things for her. The girls she's sailing with are single. But there are moms on some of the other boats that she can talk to." Besides, he adds, "they get a lot of mom when mom's home, and they realize this isn't a forever thing. There's going to be an end, whether it's in three weeks or six months." Cory bemoans "just missing all the normal family stuff, just them coming home from school and telling you about their day. When I do come home now all the other stuff I'd do - paddle (tennis), friends, volunteering - is put on hold." She is mom, and nothing but mom. Sertl says she is looking forward to teaching and sharing sailboat racing with her children. But she still has some of her own races left. Sixteen, at least. "It's going to be a long series," (sailing coach Scott) Ikle predicts. "It's going to be a test of wills." Being a mom might come in handy in that department, too. Full story: http://tinyurl.com/3catu OLYMPIC TRIALS TECHNICAL SUPPORT Harken and Team McLube have joined forces with local distributor Sailing Services to offer complete regatta support at the US Olympic Trials in Miami. Brooks Jones will make last minute hardware deliveries, while Harken's Tech Team will be on-the-water and at the regatta sites helping with any technical needs. Sailing Services, Harken, McLube and our US Olympic hopefuls make an unstoppable team. See you there. To contact Harken's Tech Team: http://www.harken.com/scuttlebutt/sc-miami.htm NEWS BRIEFS * At 1300 hours Monday, Jean Luc van den Heede's 84-foot aluminum cutter Adrien was back in the Atlantic Ocean, 5,923 miles from the finish. Having covered 288 miles in the last 24 hours he is now 26 days and 12 hours ahead of the 'westabout' singlehanded global record presently held by Philippe Monnet. - http://www.vdh.fr/gb/ * AC Fund Raising: The Luna Rossa Marketing/Sponsorship Team, (leaded by Giacomo Ovidi and Luca Paderni) announced that they will concentrate their efforts on the international markets. The new structure, built by Patrizio Bertelli count on contacts made with some multinationals companies to secure the necessary funds. If it doesn't work, the syndicate will appointed a company which specialises in raising funds of the magnitude needed to participate in the America's Cup. http://www.cupineurope.com/LatestNews/2007PradaLN1.htm * Tim Kent will be honored as Anniversary 'Sailor of the Year' at the tenth annual Milwaukee Community Sailing Center's Sailor's Ball on March 6. In the past year he finished second in the grueling 28,000-mile world circumnavigation race, Around Alone in his boat, Everest Horizontal. Previous honorees have been Jere Sullivan, Dawn Riley, Terry Kohler, Bill Schanen, Bill Pinkney, Peter and Olaf Harken, Peter Barrett, Gary Jobson and Buddy Melges. - www.sailingcenter.org *Twenty-five teams came from all over the New England, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio to compete in InterClub Midwinters at the Severn Sailing Association, Annapolis MD. Twenty races in total (ten in each division) were completed in blustry Northwest winds, but the short fetch off the Naval Academy breakwater kept the seas relatively flat. Final results: 1) Chad Demarest / Whitney Besse & Steve Kirkpatrick / Jane Kirkpatrick, 95 pts; 2) Jesse Falsone / Nancy Gilreath & Simon Strauss / Lisa Pline, 98 pts; 3) Mike Ingham / Liz Bower & Wayne Pignolet / Barb Evans, 113 pts. www.interclub.org * San Diego sailor Andrew Campbell, presently a sophomore at Georgetown University, has been chosen to receive the inaugural Linda Elias Sailing Scholarship for 2003 in recognition not only of his achievements but his contributions to the junior program at San Diego Yacht Club and to youth sailing in general. The Deed of Gift specifies that the grants may be presented to students, other foundations, men or women, persons that have fared well with their own accomplishments, have assisted someone else to advance their abilities or have enabled others to experience the sport of sailing." Campbell qualified on all counts. http://www.yachtracing.com/PressReleases/elias/020504.htm * More than 1100 new jobs and $58 million filled the sails of Manukau's (New Zealand) economy during the America's Cup. A report for the Ministry of Tourism found Manukau's share of the $497m benefit to the Auckland region was at least $58m. The estimated benefits are considered conservative because nearly 18 per cent of Manukau residents work in the hospitality industry and Auckland International Airport is in the city. This means there would be other spin-offs that can't be measured. - http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2809461a13,00.html ALWAYS A STEP AHEAD When you attend big regattas like Key West Race Week and Miami OCR, you quickly find out what's hot and what is not. It was instantly obvious that the Curmudgeon's glowing descriptions of the Camet sailing shorts have not fallen on deaf ears. Camet shorts were everywhere. And although everyone loves the advantages of the breathable fast drying Supplex and the reinforced Cordura seat patch, what's pushed them over the top is the fact that they look so bitchin'. Check out the web site for a complete line of Padded Shorts and Pants, Coolmax shirts, Breathable Polo Shirts. http://www.camet.com THE COMMODORE EXPLAINS (In Scuttlebutt 1514 we carried a story about the decision of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia to use switch from the IMS handicap rule to the IRC rule to determine the overall winner of the 2004 Sidney Hobart Race. CYCA Rear Commodore Hickman explains why that change was made.) "We now find ourselves in a position where IMS has declined in popularity and support, thus rendering it inappropriate as the handicap category from which the Overall Winner of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is determined. "The IRC rule has gained in popularity and support in Australia and overseas just as IMS's own position has been declining. Whilst the IRC rule has now has gained international recognition through the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), it was not designed as a rating rule for grand prix boats and is not an open and transparent rating system. Thus the CYCA does not see it as a long term replacement for IMS as the handicap category for the Tattersalls Cup. "In the absence of a broadly accepted grand prix rule for 2004, the CYCA finds itself in state of transition. Much work is being done on the development of a new rating rule, but that work will not be completed in sufficient time for it to be assessed for its suitability for the 2004 race. Indeed, unless progress is made quickly, it may be difficult to contemplate applying the new rule for 2005. "Against that background, the CYCA Board has determined to apply the IRC rule on a year-by-year basis until a suitable alternative is identified. Given the popularity of the IRC rule, and the large number of boats both in Australia and overseas with IRC certificates, we could well see the entire fleet in this year's 60th Race competing for an Overall Win and the honour of having their name inscribed on the historic Tattersalls Cup." - CYCA Rear Commodore Roger Hickman. THE GOOD OLD DAYS - Peter Harken The following year from the 505 launch I coincidently found in a Madison junkyard while looking for car parts for my 51 Chevy convertible, an old really beat-up, broken in the back FD lying upside down on a bunch of old car stuff and junk. My eyes went wide, "Wow, another hot boat and an Olympic class at that, wow, and it's free, what luck!" Did we always look through rose colored glasses at that age? Always, and without one sense of reality anywhere in our brain! Needless to say it took a friend of mine and I all summer evenings and weekends after our day jobs to restore this battered wooden cold molded former beauty plus having to make all her fittings. During the restoration work we found her builders plate and again, "wow!", she was US FD 1, the first FD in the USof A, holy cow, what a treasure! The wreckage of the cold molded hull was beyond restoring to a varnish job so we coated it with one layer of light fiberglass cloth with black impregnated resin. The deck was painted a light green and the other wood trim including mast and boom varnished. We proudly launched "Black Beauty", that fall, at the UW Hoofer Sailing Club with the 505 and, classes, what classes, spent untold afternoons racing these two magnificent original war horses around the lake. What a hoot! Did I graduate? Yeah, later than sooner, I had my priorities you know! Curmudgeon's Comment: Peter Harken is a true "American Treasure" and we have just installed him as the Fleet Captain of the Scuttlebutt Sailing Club. BTW - the new SSC membership cards are now available online: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/ ACURA SORC REGISTRATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 18th Register online now and reserve your spot at the 2004 Acura SORC, Feb. 25-29, in beautiful South Beach, FL. Come to South Beach where you and the crew will enjoy nightly festivities at the Miami Beach Marina, the Clevelander and Lost Weekend! - http://www.acurasorc.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not 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.) * From Patrick Festing-Smith: Honest to god, what is with all the kafuffle about that Laser Advertisement? Chip Johns, President of Vanguard already sent a letter to scuttlebutt readers explaining the concept. If you can't use a little tongue in cheek humor in advertising to attract the consumer's attention, then you might as well eliminate advertising all together. If we dictate what a comedian, politician or corporation can/cannot say then he/she really wouldn't be very good. Our sport and economy doesn't exist without advertising. Well done Chip and Vanguard! I appreciate your ads and support of publications like Scuttlebutt. * From Edward Trevelyan: The idea put forth by some that the very consideration of "starting line white" is somehow "un-Corinthian" is ludicrous. Sailors will do what they can, quite understandably, to exploit the weaknesses inherent in sailboat racing's chosen method of starting. Tom Ehman correctly points out that race committees can and must solve the problem by setting square lines and devising new race management strategies (gate starts again?). In the meantime, spare the guilt trips for those who favor white boats (even if they don't "like" the color). * From John Stevens: The 505 class has one of the most colorful set of boats alive and manages well over 100 boats on a single line with no recalls, black flags, etc. It's called Rabbit Starts and it works great - no matter what color boat you have (and some are outrageous). The 505s want to go sailing, not sit around luffing and waiting for flags and horns - oh, and thank god ISAF doesn't get in our way much! * From Kenny Robertson: To those arguing about hiding on starting lines and whether or not it is cheating to have a white boat specifically not get caught on a start line. Consider this - you are in the middle of a crowded line, boats to windward and leeward of you, bows roughly level. Can you see the ends of the line? Can you hell - unless there is a massive sag in which case you are well behind the line anyway. Pete Commette is right - when the guys around you go - you go. If you are brave or have a visible transit you can be a bit ahead, but honestly how do you know you are over or not? If the RO calls you - tough. If you are not over now and again you are not trying hard enough Elvstrom said. The corinthian spirit is about playing the game well, honestly and respecting your competitors, but ulimately it is also about winning. To make excuses about losing because somehow you are more honest than the rest of the fleet rarely stands up to scrutiny. * From: Philippe Herve (In response to Jim Champ on the white boat comment,): Using a white boat may be seen to you as cheating. Not returning when OCS is not cheating, it is called being disqualified. Have you ever driven a red convertible? If you have, you know that when driving with the flow of traffic at exactly the same speed as every car around you, you are the one that will get picked up by the police for illegal speeding or other random paper control. If I was to sail again one design on a very crowded start line, I would definitely have a boat of a color that match the rest of the fleet. Not to cheat but to be sure that I am not arbitrarily picked up. I am convinced that some highly visible boats are marked OCS simply because they stand out, not necessarily because they cut the start line too early. The day that start lines will be videotaped will be the day I will switch back to a boat color that stands out from the fleet. And yes, I have worked on race committee and I believe that I was always right in the calls I made on OCS boats but I am unfortunately only human... * From John C. Wade (edited to our 250-word limit): Recently there was a discussion about the drift in competitor mentality from a Corinthian attitude to a win-at-all-costs attitude. As one who has recently returned to sailboat racing, after a near twenty year hiatus, I found this to be true; at least it appeared to be more overt than before, especially in the application of the Racing Rules of Sailing to disadvantage a competitor. An article in Sailing World discussed the apparent need for the retention of RRS 16.2, and the vagueness of 16.1. In the old NAYRU rules (IYRU) the starboard tack boat, being the privileged vessel, also had the obligation to hold her course and speed, so the burden vessel could know how to clear her. Apparently the new rules are so poorly written, or intentionally deficient, that this obligation of the right-of-way boat is removed, and the starboard tack boat can "hunt " the port tack boat with the intention of forcing them to foul or take some undue evasive action not anticipated. There was a cry for a return to a more Corinthian approach to racing, but it appears this is not the desire of the governing bodies. It would be very simple to correct the RRS 16 by merely returning to the International Navigation Rules (INR), which were the basis of the old NAYRU rules, requiring the starboard tack boat to hold course and speed in a crossing situation. I would be interested to hear the thoughts others about RRS 16. * From Rex Riley: Chris Ericksen's editorial characterizes an unwarranted capitalization of sailing as unnecessary. Reading Scuttlebutt is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. The loss of Corinthian Sailing in exchange for Commercial Sailing with its attendant juridical proceedings is the most disappointing development in amateur sports. Is organized sailing that inadequate? Is there time to step back and ask ourselves whether the need exists to administrate this sport in NGO's in lieu of the organized club format? * From John Hammel (Re: Ken Legler's comments about line boats): Practically speaking: in mid-Long Island Sound a 60+ foot depth requires a minimum of 240 feet of scope. Combine that with a 1-2 kt current running against a weak wind and you might have an anchored signal boat swing 100 yards forward or back, depending on which force wins: current or wind. Using just one signal boat and a pin with very little scope requires art, skill, luck, and a patient fleet to get a reasonably square line. The thought of trying to line up 5 line boats just boggles the mind. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections. |
