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SCUTTLEBUTT #760 - February 26, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk. Corrections, contributions, press releases and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome. Send to scuttlebutt@boats.com. THE RACE "We touched the first effects of the depression a good three hours ago," said Jacques Caraes (Club Med) during the daily chat show. "We're not yet on a direct route but it won't be long. The wind for the moment is southerly, then it will gradually turn south-westerly. We have spent a lot of energy to keep the boat going in these really light airs. Paradoxically, it's more tiring to keep these boats underway in light winds than now. The sea is flat and we're doing 20 knots. All is well..." Inversely proportional... is the situation in the Pacific. Team Adventure and Warta-Polpharma are in the grips of a "mother and father" of all depressions, a 50 knots of established wind version and a seaway generated by several days of this wind regime. Needless to say, those are tough conditions, and they will be following the boats as far as Cape Horn even if the wind should fall a bit... to 40 knots. After having fought off Team Adventure for several days, the Polish boat is now 256 miles behind. No doubt that the conditions encountered are not ideal for the ex-Commodore Explorer. 2000 miles further behind, Team Legato is still bogged down in the anticyclone allowing them a paltry 2.5 knots. By heading north-east, what could Tony Bullimore be after? Latest positions:
1.Club Med / distance to finish 2271.3 miles Event site www.therace.org VENDEE GLOBE Golding's gradual progress Northwards is by no means effortless in the fluky, upwind conditions prevailing offshore near Cape Finisterre. Just a few degrees further in latitude, he anticipates a better wind to bring him straight home, but meanwhile is finding these last few days ultimately the hardest part of the race. Bernard Gallay (Voila.fr) holds a tenuous 20 mile lead over Josh Hall (EBP/Gartmore), bizarrely in sight of each other for a while over the weekend. "It was quite amusing, and we spoke over the VHF. Moreover, Josh and I learned to sail with Robin Knox-Johnston, two old pupils neck and neck!" Catherine Chabaud (Whirlpool), in view of the 40 - 50 storm force winds and big seas expected tonight, has taken refuge in La Coruna until the cold front has swept through. "With an under-canvassed boat and a jury rig, which is not a hundred percent tenable, it seemed a sensible idea to stop again. We shall definitely get off again on Wednesday morning." She hopes to get to Les Sables d'Olonne by Friday. Meanwhile on land, everyone is now preparing for Thierry Dubois (Solidaires) to arrive tonight before the tide bars him from entering the port after 2130hrs local time. He is optimistic about this latest ETA, sailing at an average speed of 13 knots right now. ETAs: Event site www.vendeeglobe.com MORE ON THE VENDEE WHIDBEY IDLAND RACE WEEK Returning sponsors are: Captain Morgan Rum, Fisheries Supply, Quantum Sails, Sail Northwest, DJI, Chugach Development. First time sponsor Musto joins in inviting sailors to "Adult Summer Camp". Shoreside hosts are the Oak Harbor Yacht Club and Oak Harbor Marina. The Notice of Race and Entry Form is available by going to www.whidbey.net/raceweek or call Sail Northwest at 206-286-1004. ROBERT N. BAVIER, Jr. I told Bob that I'd just gotten back from the Miami Boat Show the previous night and wanted to see him before he took off on any voyage; to thank him for being so helpful to me and so many other sailors; for publishing SAILING TO WIN (1st edition in 1947 when I was 13 years old); for helping get the first US Youth Champs off the ground in 1972, getting word out through Yachting Magazine by stopping the presses at the last moment to insert the announcement; and for persuading Mary & me to move to Charleston. I asked him to promise me one thing: That he'd save me a place on his crew for that round-the-World and round-the-Universe sailing machine he'd be putting together up there. Since it was his left hand I was holding, told him that was the hand that had won the start so he could tack on the first shift and clear the fleet on the way to victory....that he had certainly done that in his life and was an inspiration to us all and had made his mark on the planet. Wished him peace, God's blessings and fair breezes, said the Lord's Prayer and departed. Had to share this visit, because at the time I felt my words and feelings of love for him were not just my own, but similar to those that would have come from his friends worldwide had they been there. Bob was born March 10, 1918, graduated from Williams College in 1940, was CO of the DE USS Gantner in WWII, obtaining the rank of Lt. Commander. He became President & Publisher of Yachting Magazine; wrote 7 books on Yacht Racing; successfully defended the America's Cup in 1964 as helmsman of Constellation and was named Yachtsman of the Year; served as President of the NAYRU; was an Internationl Judge at the Olympic Games; inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame as a Charter Member in 1993 and awarded the Herrreshoff Trophy for "Outstanding Contribution to the sport of Sailing". For 25 years represented the USA in the IYRU. He was a member of the New York Yacht Club, Carolina YC, Noroton YC and the Cruising Club of America. But, most of all, he was a true gentleman; considerate, enthusiastic, interested and full of the spirit of life. A memorial service is being held on Friday, March 9th in Noroton/Darien CT. -- Bob Johnstone LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Rick Hatch <rhatch@telus.net> The relevant press release can be found at: While the "prescription effectively eliminates any incentive by sailors to file protests against competitors who may have non-members as crew", I hesitate to imagine the skipper of some boat, in some event somewhere in the US at some point in the future, to engage not only the judges' and the protested party's time in going through a hearing but also the skipper's own time, by filing a protest for an alleged infringement of rule 75.2. I trust no competitor will pursue such less than endearing behavior! I trust that by now all 'Buttheads are members of the SSC anyway. (Editor's note: go to sailingsource.com/scuttlebutt/ for information on joining the Scuttlebutt Sailing Club and getting free membership cards that render all this academic). * From Chris Johannessen <ChrisJ@AtlanticSail.com> *From Ralph Taylor <rtaylor@informationtools.com> US Sailing isn't perfect. There are areas where it needs to get its act together and I believe that the best information about those can come from sailors who question what's happening now. But, let's not forget what the organization does for us, though not all the benefits are immediately obvious. Consider your recourse if you're unfairly disqualified - it's first to an appeals committee of the regional sailing association under US Sailing. Consider who trained and certified the PRO and judge at the race or regatta - if anyone, US Sailing volunteers. Consider who represents you on the ISAF rules committee - more folks under the auspices of US Sailing. (The recent eligibility changes went through over their dissent.) Those are just three examples of benefits and every racing sailor receives them, whether they're members or not. Without that type of US Sailing involvement in your racing, the quality of the experience could diminish quickly. GOOD STUFF TIMES CLIPPER RACE Bob Beggs congratulated the Jersey Clipper crew for a tremendous race and commiserated with them. "We always knew we had a chance, but it was a anybody's race. In the end we also had to tack to make the line but by that time we had snuck past them. That's now a Pacific win for three different boats, us, Jersey and Plymouth. That makes great racing." The finish of Race 6, a 3400 nautical mile race from Hawaii to Japan, is a line 2 miles south from Nojima Saki Light, which is situated at the eastern entrance to Tokyo Bay. After finishing, the boats have a further 50 miles to transit into Tokyo Bay to the Bayside Marina at Yokohama. The fleet of eight identical 60-ft yachts, each sponsored by UK cities including Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Plymouth, Portsmouth and the island of Jersey, will set sail from Yokohama on Monday 5th March, racing on to China and a voyage up the Yangtze River. The Times Clipper 2000 is the only yacht race to travel up the Yangtze, where the eight-strong fleet of identical 60-foot Clippers motor in convoy up this very busy waterway to Shanghai. Following a stop over here, the race then re-starts for the final stretch of this leg, sailing through the Taiwan Strait for a stopover sponsored by Fox Pitt Kelton Ltd in Hong Kong, which is the half way point of the eleven-month circumnavigation. The fleet will then race onto the Philippines, Singapore, Mauritius, Cape Town, Brazil and New York before the final Atlantic crossing to Jersey. A short sprint back to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth will ensure a close and exciting race finish, with an expected arrival date of 21st September 2001. -- Sue Warden-Owen Race site www.clipper-ventures.com HOYA ROUND THE ISLAND RACE All bookings made before noon on Easter Saturday, 14th April, will be charged just 40 pounds per yacht. The fee increases to L45 for entries received after 14th April, but before noon on Saturday 26th May. After this date, and until bookings close at noon on the Saturday 9th June, entry will be charged at L135 per yacht. Covering 50 nautical miles, the 65th Hoya Round the Island Race, the most distinguished race of its kind, starts at 0800 on Saturday 16th June 2001 for the first group of boats off the Royal Yacht Squadron starting line at Cowes, Isle of Wight. Anyone wishing to participate in the 65th Hoya Round the Island Race 2001 can obtain further information and entry forms from either the Island Sailing Club on 01983 296911 or from the website - along with other useful information on the race, ratings, tides and on the sponsor Hoya Lens UK Ltd - on www.hoyaroundtheisland.org.uk -- Sue Warden-Owen TORNADO CLASS HAS A NEW PRESIDENT John Forbes has been involved with the running of the ITA since the evolvment of the "big rig" back in 1993 and, as one year being Vice President in 1994 and then as President since 1995, he now hands over the top job to the USA Tornado sailor Michael Grandfield. Michael Grandfield has been Vice President of the USITA for some time and played a vital "neutral" role during the 1996 and 2000 US Tornado Olympic Team Selections. He is also the Regatta Organiser for the 2002 Tornado World Championship being held at Martha's Vineyard in conjunction with the A Class World Championship. They expect to see 150 - 200 of the high speed catamarans on the island during September 2002. Class site www.tornado.tc THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION |
