|
SCUTTLEBUTT 1238 - January 13, 2003Powered 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 emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. LOUIS VUITTON CUP FINALS Series Standings: Alinghi leads Oracle BWM Racing: 2-0 RACE ONE: The Swiss Alinghi team justified its tag as pre-final favourite by posting a convincing win over Oracle BMW Racing in the opening race of the Louis Vuitton Cup final on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. Racing took place in 7-16 knot breezes shifting between north-east to north-north-east with a left-over swell from the storm that lashed Auckland over the past two days. A large spectator fleet gathered around the racecourse area to watch the battle of the giants commence after a break of nearly three weeks over the Christmas break. Assisted by a significant right-hand shift during the first beat, Alinghi had worked into a six boatlength lead within 15 minutes of the start, and led around the first mark by 47 seconds. On the first downwind leg, Alinghi took full advantage of a big shift to the left and stretched to a lead of one minute 23 seconds round the leeward mark. The final margin of victory was one minute 24 seconds. - Louis Vuitton Media Center, full story: www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com/story1653.html RACE TWO: The Swiss Alinghi team put on a clinical display of match racing skill to sweep to 2-0 over the US Oracle BMW Race team in the Louis Vuitton Cup final on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. In contrast, a botched spinnaker drop at the end of the first downwind leg cost Oracle BMW Racing dearly. Having closed up to within two boatlengths on the run, the San Francisco-based team blew their chances when the spinnaker was allowed to trawl in the water, hauling the boat to a standstill and breaking the spinnaker pole in the process. Despite the costly mistake, Oracle BMW Racing managed to keep the action fairly close, although Alinghi's lead was never threatened for the remainder of the race. Racing took place in 14-16 knot easterlies, with a slight chop still left on the course following nearly a week of easterly-quadrant winds over Auckland. After a relatively quiet start, with the yachts keeping well clear of each other for most of the final three minutes, Alinghi, skippered by Russell Coutts, hit the line on starboard tack, to leeward of Oracle BMW Racing, skippered by Chris Dickson. USA-76 tacked away immediately and on each successive tack of the first beat Alinghi made gains. Alinghi won the race by 40 seconds. - Louis Vuitton Media Center, full story: www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com/story1665.html JJ GILTINAN 18 FOOT SKIFF TROPHY US Sailors Howard Hamlin, Mike Martin and Rod Howell sailing General Electric successfully defended their 18-foot skiff Championship on Sydney Harbor, with a thrilling come from behind victory over the British team of Rob Greenhalgh, Dan Johnson and Peter Greenhalgh. It was a great disappointment for the British team, who had worn the orange jerseys of series leaders from the third to the seventh heat. "I am still in shock that we won," wrote a euphoric Hamlin in an email to the curmudgeon. "Going into the last race it seemed very unlikely. To win we would need to finish first or second and the highly polished RMW Marine team would have to sail their worst race of the series. "At the last leeward mark RMW is in fourth and has it won, but they get on the wrong side of a shift and lose two boats on the final beat to the finish. We win the 'World's' by .35 points but are confused by the scoring and did not find out that we had won until we hit the beach. It is so emotionally rewarding, but I can't help feeling sorry for Rob, Dan and Peter on RMW." Final results: 1. General Electric, Howard Hamlin USA, 28.7 points 2. RMW Marine, Rob Greenhalgh GBR, 29.05 points 3. Total Recall, Tony Hannan AUS, 32.4 points 4. Express Post, Hugh Stodart AUS, 42.7 points 5. Omega Smeg, Trevor Barnabas AUS, 50.05 points6. Casio Seapathfinder, Michael Coxon AUS, 61.7 points. - www.uk18footer.org REGATTA, TEAM AND CORPORATE GEAR Key West Race Week, Big Boat Series, Worrell 1000, and North Sails Race Week. These and other great events count on The Pirate's Lair for quality apparel printing. Our services include: Graphic Design, Screen-printing, and Embroidery of T-Shirts, Caps, Fleece, Foulies, Trophies, and Posters. Get new-customer discounts, our 400-page catalog or information by calling (888) SAIL-BUM or visiting http://www.pirateslair.com/sailing SECURITY AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) - Celebrity bodyguards have been assigned to protect members of Switzerland's Alinghi America's Cup team after letters were received threatening crewmen and their families. Dogs trained to sniff out explosives swept a press conference room Sunday before Alinghi sailors arrived to discuss their team's win over Oracle in the first race of the Cup challenger final. Letters received by Alinghi in mid-December targetted New Zealand sailors who joined the Swiss team after New Zealand's successful Cup defense two years ago. An organization calling itself Teach The Traitors a Lesson said it had tracked the families of the New Zealanders and threatened harm to them and their homes. Security has been stepped up around Alinghi's Auckland base and personal bodyguards have been assigned to New Zealand sailors, notably skipper Russell Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth. Swiss syndicate head Ernesto Bertarelli, 37, the billionaire head of the Serono pharmaceutical company, also has full-time protection. - Steve McMorran, AP, as posted on the Fox Sports website, full story: http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/view?contentId=851028 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 or a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Malcolm McKeag: Why is there a problem with the hula touching the hull? We've had all this before. NYYC protested Australia II's certificate on the grounds that the wings increased the boat's draft when heeled, and thus the boat ceased being a 12 Meter. The measurers (and everyone else) pointed out that overhangs at bow or stern increase the boat's waterline length when heeled - that's why they are there - and no one objects to that. Officially, the waterline length remains that which is on the certificate. The jury confirmed that provided Australia II was a 12 Meter in her static measurement condition, she stayed a 12 Meter when she went sailing, so long as nothing that had been measured was changed. In an earlier Cup, Lionheart's bendy mast allowed a dynamic increase in effective mainsail area. NYYC complained about that too - and again the answer was if it measures in the static condition, it measures, period. So surely all that is required is that the hula infringes no rule (including not touching the hull) when the boat is in measurement mode and is being measured, and that no changes are made to it after measurement has been completed? Provided there exists no mechanical device to alter it, it must remain legal - indeed its being altered by water pressure is surely implicity if not specifically permitted by rule 42 ('a boat shall compete by using only the wind and water to increase, maintain or decrease her speed'). * From Trevor Lewis: Roy P. Disney suggests that if the 'hula' creates a venturi to speed the water between itself and the hull, this breaks the propulsion rule. I don't agree. Rule 42 permits the use of water as well as wind to increase a boat's speed. If a venturi is illegal, then so is shaping the keel and bulb to the familiar tear-drop shape to promote flow and reduce drag - the effect is the same. Indeed, a sail is in effect half a venturi, its aerofoil shape creating different pressure and flow on each side. Are sails to be ruled illegal? * From Alan Blunt: Determining whether the "hula" touches the hull should be a simple matter of attaching ultrasound recorders to the interior of the hull in the critical areas. With all this nit picking interest in appendages, how is it that the dinghy bailers on every one of the AC yachts are allowed? They are moveable (open and close), protrude below the hull (an appendage) and create a venturi. * From Rick Viggiano: It should be fairly easy to monitor whether the Team NZ "Hula" contacts the hull during actual racing. Just attach an insulated conductive strip to the underside of the edge, paint a matching conductive patch on the hull and connect the two to a recording device to monitor resistance. This recording device could be as simple as a Fluke recording multi-meter or as sophisticated as a small computer. If it goes to zero at any time then there is contact, If not, then no contact - period! The reading could also be easily piggybacked on the instrument data coming off the boat already. * From Bill Hellmers: Finally! Rich Roberts comments about moving the America's Cup forward are like a refreshing sea breeze! I couldn't agree more! * From Rob Drury: I am heartened by Rich Roberts support of a 'box rule' for yacht racing, be though it the AC. As he says, One Design excludes technical innovation so to advance the industry and the sport, at the front end surely 'box' is the way to go, but use the KISS rule too - keep it simple. Consider the last Volvo Race - box rule boats - and some of the closest racing we have had on the planet! If Volvo go One Design, that'll be a mistake for the wider boating industry. * From Charles Smith: Everybody seems to have a solution for how to fix the America's Cup, but after 150 years it's safe to say that it's not broken. Anybody can start up their own competition. What would it cost, 100 guineas? After 150 years or maybe only 100 to be charitable we could assess the success of the new venture. The guys who are attracted to the AC want to use it as a microcosm of their world and subterfuge, recruitment, espionage, lawyers and money are all part of that. Some sailing and competition happens too. Now in my Cup we could run The Race cats around the buoys ... press release real soon. * From Colin Case: Rich Roberts' comments about the Cup were very welcome, well thought out, and considered with one exception. Discarding The Deed of Gift would be like the United States tearing up the Constitution. Read The Deed carefully, and one will see that those who wrote it gave the wording careful thought. Amendments or the other agreed-upon rules can deal with the timeliness of the competition. In other words, try and keep it simple. * From Kent L. Geffe: In Scuttlbutt No. 1237, Seymour A. Friedel suggests that a one-page rule would simplify and remove rules arguments. As an attorney, I know that a one-page rule would just add ambiguities and create more gaps and loopholes, creating more controversy. The rules are complicated as they attempt to eliminate ambiguities and close loopholes. * From Jimmy Hobbs: I truly love everything about the America's Cup. Sure - the races are really boring - but the rest of the stuff is great fun. PER PETTERSON Per Petterson, son of Swedish sailing legend Pelle Petterson and brother-in-law of Paul Cayard, died suddenly Jan. 6. Petterson, 38, died while playing an informal game of hockey in his hometown of Gothenburg. Not only was Petterson a two-time European match-racing champion who also won numerous Swedish and Nordic championships but, Cayard said, he was a great sailing talent who chose to put his family first. "Per was the world's greatest father and husband," Cayard said. "Fortunately, my wife (one of his sisters), my children and I just spent the holidays with him and his family. I was very impressed with him. I aspire to be as good a husband and father as he was. Life is very precious. I owe it to Per to make the most of mine." Petterson leaves his wife Annica and their two children, Melker, 9, and Jonna, 7. CARRYING THE OCKAM ADVANTAGE FORWARD Ockam systems have always been easy to update, and Ockam has far greater flexibility with specialized sensors and technologies - Gyro compasses, second/aft depth sensors, sonic wind and speed devices are a few examples. Taking advantage of new product developments is possible in older systems, and adding extra capabilities to a basic system is encouraged without product or price "tier" limits. For more information, or to discuss updating your current system, contact Tom Davis (tom@ockam.com) or visit http://www.ockam.com ATTENTION WEBMASTERS Scuttlebutt is pleased to announce our new Affiliate Program. All websites that currently link or post the newsletter on their site must go to the Scuttlebutt website to update their programming code. Current programming codes will soon expire. If your website does not presently provide Scuttlebutt as a feature, refer your webmaster to the Scuttlebutt website. http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/affiliate HANDICAP RACING US Sailing has named two delegates and a technical advisor to the newly formed ISAF Working Party charged with developing a new international Grand Prix rating rule. The delegates are Peter Reichelsdorfer, chairman of the US IMS committee, IMS boat owner, and Great Lakes 70 fleet racer; and Stan Honey, team member for many record-setting boats and with extensive racing experience at Grand Prix level events. Jim Teeters, naval architect and research director of the IMS International Technical Committee, has been named to the committee as a technical advisor. Currently, IMS is the only international rating rule. However, due to a decrease in its popularity, IMS is more and more frequently being replaced by club rules in high-level regattas. After poll results indicated that several countries have seen reduced numbers of Grand Prix competitors and have quietly begun seeking answers and solutions, the Working Party was created to coordinate their efforts with the goal of developing a worldwide Grand Prix system. US Sailing believes that American sailors have a long-term interest in this effort. A strong Grand Prix rule, oriented towards innovation and development, can provide the proving grounds for progress at all levels of competition. Grand Prix competitions provide venues for high levels of design innovation, funding, and professionalism. - Marlieke de Lange Eaton, www.ussailing.org FOR THE RECORD Olivier de Kersauson and his 34 metre trimaran Geronimo crossed the start line of the Jules Verne Challenge at 0300 and 39 seconds GMT Saturday morning. This means that to be beat the existing record of Bruno Peyron (64 days, 8 hours, 37 minutes, 24 seconds), they must return before 1136:33 on the 16th of March, unless of course Kingfisher2 lowers the record. That is a question that Olivier of course cannot answer, and the big challenge as always on a Jules Verne attempt is just how hard do you push - too hard and you don't finish, not hard enough, and the record might not be yours. Kingfisher2 is in her final preparation mode, with the last sail before departure planned for today. "Its been a tough couple of months for the team - everyone has worked very very hard, but its paying off, and we hope to be going in to standby mode on Thursday, as planned nearly 6 months ago. Great for Olivier to get off - and we're happier being the hunter, than the hunted. However, it's hard to say at present when the next weather window will open up for us." commented Ellen as she prepared for Saturday's sailing sortie from Lorient. www.kingfisherchallenges.com AROUND ALONE After Thierry Dubois' solid second place finish on Solidaires in Tauranga at 22:03:54 local time (09:03:54 GMT) on Friday 10th January, it is still all to play for in the duel for the coveted last spot on the podium for Leg 3. After racing for 7,000 miles, an intense match race has been raging between Italian skipper Simone Bianchetti on Tiscali and Kiwi Graham Dalton on Hexagon in the Tasman Sea on the final approach to Tauranga, New Zealand. The race organization in Tauranga is expecting five boats to arrive within 24 hours of each other. This includes Class 2 leader American Brad Van Liew on 'Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America,' who is 1,037 miles ahead of his nearest Class 2 rival and is now racing in the middle of the bigger Class 1 yachts. - Mary Ambler STANDINGS 2200 UTC January 12 CLASS 1: 1. Bobst Group-Armor Lux, Bernard Stamm, finished; 2. Solidaires, Thierry Dubois, finished; 3. Hexagon, Graham Dalton, 216 dtf, 4. Tiscali, Simone Bianchetti, 227 dtf; 5. Pindar, Emma Richards, 351 dtf; 6. Ocean Planet, Bruce Schwab, 373 dtf. CLASS 2: 1. Tommy Hilfiger, Brad Van Liew, 360 dtf; 2. Everest Horizontal, Tim Kent, 1366 dtf. 3. Spirit of Canada, Derek Hatfield, 1570 dtf; 4. Spirit of yukoh, Kojiro Shiraishi, 1657 dtf, BTC Velocity, Alan Paris, 2240 dtf. - www.aroundalone.com THE NEXT GO-AROUND A long flight from the northern hemisphere to New Zealand may be the strongest indicator of a third Prada challenge for the America's Cup. The head of the Italian syndicate, Patrizio Bertelli, returned to Auckland to see what defender Team New Zealand and Louis Vuitton Cup finalists Alinghi and Oracle were hiding under their skirts. Team New Zealand stole the limelight when it revealed the hula, its innovative false hull appendage - and evidently Bertelli was impressed. His two-day trip must be regarded as significant. The wealthy businessman adopted a hands-on role in design decisions and he is understood to have insisted on the bow makeover for Luna Rossa between the first and second rounds of the challenger series when Prada was off the pace. That he was interested enough to return and inspect other syndicates' underwater secrets, when he could have been sent pictures, suggests he feels the syndicate has unfinished business. * Prada spokesperson Alessandra Ghezzi said the syndicate's decision on its future would be influenced by the cup winner and where the next cup will be held. "So far, he (Bertelli) hasn't committed to another cup," she said. Meanwhile, the chances of Sweden mounting a second challenge look good. The syndicate is packed up with only its project manager Mats Johansson and two other team members remaining in Auckland. If Alinghi won the cup and it staged the event off Europe, Johansson said there was a very good chance Victory would be there. Johansson said it would definitely be more attractive for the syndicate's big sponsors - Tele2, Metro and MTG - if the cup was held on the Mediterranean Sea. "But we are also happy to come back because you have all the facilities here and it is quite cheap to live." Johansson said the sponsors were happy with the value delivered by the cup and he suggested there was a good chance they would continue to support the team. - Andrew Sanders, The Sunday Star Times, as posted on the StuffNZ website, full story: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/0,2106,2184161a6444,00.html THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION You know it's 2003 when you try to enter your password on the microwave. |
