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SCUTTLEBUTT 2218 – November 7, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). OLIN STEPHENS'S RADICAL YACHT (The following story is by G. Bruce Knecht, where he reports on Olin Stephen ’s first design: Dorade is 75; its maker is 98--and they both remain (sea)worthy of admiration.) Olin Stephens's obsession with sailboats took hold shortly after World War I during a childhood visit to Cape Cod. He didn't just admire them. He studied them with what he later described as "great concentration," sketching any he thought might be worth emulating and imagining how he might do things differently. By the time he was 20, Mr. Stephens had dropped out of M.I.T., had brief apprenticeships with several leading yacht designers, drawn up plans for a handful of small boats, and formed his own company, Sparkman & Stephens. On the basis of Olin's early promise, his father, who had recently sold the family coal-supply business, placed an order for a relatively large yacht, a 52-foot yawl. When Dorade, named for the dolphin that is correctly spelled Dorado, was launched in 1931, it sparked a revolution. It was strikingly slender, its beam just 10-foot-3. It was also, by the standards of the day, extremely lightweight, in part because the frames that supported the hull were made from steam-bent sections of wood weighing far less than conventional and much bulkier sawn frames. Until then, it was believed that ocean-going stability could not be achieved without a much broader and heavier hull. Dorade's stability came from a different source-a lengthy lead keel that put the ballast far below the waterline, where it would be much more effective in counterbalancing the force of the wind. Thanks to the combination of a streamlined hull and "outside ballast," Mr. Stephens was certain Dorade would be fast. It was also strikingly beautiful. Like most designers of that time, he believed boats that were pleasing to the eye were also faster than unattractive ones. Dorade's bow and stern rose from the water with curvaceous grace, creating the elegant overhangs that are hallmarks of classic sailing yachts. But Dorade (also) represented a major risk. -- Read on for the rest of the story: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1106 MONDAY MORNING TACTICIAN (American Andrew Campbell is the top ranked Laser sailor in the US, and was the 2006 College Sailor of the Year. Below is an excerpt from Andrew’s blog, where he reminisces about an early sailing lesson that has proven invaluable over time.) I spent this past weekend with my former teammates at Georgetown’s homecoming. Thursday afternoon’s sailing practice was a “race day” series, which I had the pleasure of watching from the powerboat with Coach Callahan. I hopped into boat #1 for the last race and stirred things up a little. The 48 degrees, on top of the dead feeling of the FJ tiller were a shock to the senses, as well as a nice reality check. Managing to get around the racecourse wasn’t too rough (c’mon it’s only been 5 months), but one situation inspired this week’s Monday Morning Tactician column. Sailing the last 100 yards into the finish one of my competitors/teammates got around us and was slightly ahead as we raced for the finish line. In the last boatlength to the mark, I thought that we didn’t have a chance in the world to beat the other boat. No quicker did the thought go through my head did they make a crucial mistake of a last minute tack. We shot the finish line at the pin and squeaked in ahead by a hair. So this week, I’m going to go back in time to my sabot sailing days to discuss a situation of which I am constantly reminded. It is funny to think that one incident in one race twelve years ago in the 1995 Jr. Commodore’s Regatta at the Mission Bay Yacht Club in San Diego is still valid in my sailing, but without a doubt it is one that constantly comes back into my mind. -- Read on and learn: http://tinyurl.com/yhumcu GOING TO EXTREMES TO WIN (In the November issue of Sailing World, editor at large Gary Jobson recalls some of the radical measures taken by racers to gain an edge.) "Has your boat been to the shop yet?" It was a puzzling question posed to me by a successful sailor. "No," I replied, "what happens in the shop?" I had no idea which shop he was talking about. The mystery unfolded. "Well," I was told, "all the fastest boats go into the shop to be altered, faired, and spiffed up before racing." Hmm, this is supposed to be a strict one-design class. I dug further and learned about a shop that did extensive work on boats, and in doing so, wondered whether this activity was in the spirit of the class rules. Measurement procedures at regattas did not detect any irregularities, but boats from the aforementioned shop were noticeably faster. I didn't acquire the services of the shop, but it made me think about the extremes some sailors go to in order to win races. In the competitive mindset, it's a natural course of action, but the tragic result is that people get turned off and fleets shrink when sailors perceive the playing field isn't as level as they'd been led to believe. -- Sailing World, full story: http://tinyurl.com/yek8jz FUTURE TACTICIANS!!!!!!! Camet clothing line keeps growing! They have now added T-shirts for kids, with sailing graphics for all ages, perfect gifts for young and future sailors with a variety of colors and designs. Now the Cargo shorts are available in Navy Blue, with the same style, fast-drying breathable fabric, reinforced seat to insert foam pads, two Cargo pockets, phone pocket, adjustable waist, and belt loops. Code Zero shirts, Mylar bags, Coolmax, shirts, Rash guards, Neoprene shirts, Hiking pants, and Padded vests. Visit the Camet website at http://www.camet.com IRC EAST COAST CHAMPIONSHIP Annapolis, MD (Nov. 6, 2006) The second-ever IRC East Coast Championship, hosted November 3-5 by the Storm Trysail Club – Chesapeake Station, yielded a familiar victor from the big-boat racing arena. Dan Meyers (Boston, Mass.) and his Farr 60 Numbers rallied to win both a distance race held on Friday in 15-20 knot winds and the second of two short windward/leeward races that were squeezed into Sunday afternoon in barely-there breezes of 5-7 knots. Up to seven races had been planned, but Saturday's action, unfortunately, consisted only of abandonment of racing shortly after a start, then bobbing and waiting for breeze, which never materialized, in unseasonable temperatures that never rose above 50 degrees. Meyers and his team became the overall IRC East Coast Champions when the Race Committee deemed them to have the best cumulative average corrected time over the three races completed. A total of 33 boats, divided into four classes, competed in the regatta. IRC 1 (IRC - 5 Boats) 1. Numbers, Farr 60, Daniel Meyers, Boston, MA, 6.5 pts 2. Wahoo, Corby 41.5, Augustus Fretz, Stevensville, MD, 9 3. Badfish, Melges 32, Tom & Steve Ripley, Annapolis, MD, 11 IRC 2 (IRC - 10 Boats) 1. Upgrade, Farr 395, Peter & Debbie Gibbons-Neff, Rosemont, PA, 8.5 2. Dame Blanche, Beneteau 40.7, Othmar von Blumencrom, Great Falls, VA, 11.5 3. Down Time, Beneteau 40.7, Ed & Molly Freitag, Annapolis, MD, 12 IRC 3 (IRC - 12 Boats) 1. Volition, Beneteau 36.7, Curt Schwab, Washington, DC, 7.5 2. Seahorse, Beneteau 36.7, Garth Hichens, Annapolis, MD, 12.5 3. Dreamboat Annie, Beneteau 36.7, Chip Devine, North Potomac, MD, 14 IRC 4 (IRC - 6 Boats) 1. Rush, J/109, Bill Sweetser, McLean, VA, USA - 3, 1, 1; 5 2. Horseweed, Beneteau First 10R, Bobby Oberg, Annapolis, MD, 10.5 3. Moon Racer, Beneteau First 10R, Ken Comerford, Annapolis, MD, 10.5 Full report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/110606.htm DEPLOYING AN MDS WEATHER BUOY The Meteorological Data System is one of the innovative developments at the 32nd America’s Cup. Set up under office of the Regatta Director, the MDS provides weather information – wind direction and speed, temperature, barometric pressure, wave height – to all 12 teams. Gone are the days when the richer teams would each spend millions, just to gather historical data. Now, the data is gathered by the race organisers, and distributed to everyone. The MDS doesn’t provide weather forecasting – the teams can still distinguish themselves in that regard – but it gives more raw data, all of the tools, with which to build a forecast. The data comes from 21 weather buoys spread around the two race course areas, along with several shore based sensors, and two wave height buoys. -- Full report with video: http://tinyurl.com/yk88vc FOR THE RECORD 27,000 miles in 70 days - That’s the challenge British yachtsman Tony Bullimore has set himself when he sets sail from Hobart, Tasmania last week aboard his 102ft catamaran Doha 2006 on a solo round the world record attempt. The course will take Bullimore straight down into the Southern Ocean where the westerly winds in the Roaring Forty latitudes will slingshot him across the first 5,000-mile stage to Cape Horn. He will then follow the South American coast northwards and across the Equator from where he must pick his way through the calms of the Doldrums and those associated with the Azores high pressure system to round the island of Flores before returning southwards to the Cape of Good Hope. He will be guided throughout by American weather router Lee Bruce, who will be advising him about impending weather systems on a daily, if not hourly basis. Once in the Indian Ocean, the British yachtsman will rely on Bruce to help him to avoid the worst of the Roaring Forty winds that will speed Doha 2006 towards Cape Leeuwin marking the Western tip of Australia, and passed the point where Bullimore famously spent 5 dark days capsized during the 1997/8 Vendee Globe Race. Once across the Australian Bight, he must navigate his way through Bass Strait and back to Hobart - all in 70 days! -- http://www.teambullimore.com WHAT A GIFT It is time to start shopping for the sailors on your list (and dropping hints to those who have you on their list). North U Books, CDs and DVDs make a great gift for your crew (or skipper). Take your pick: Racing, Cruising and Weather. Not sure which items suit the sailor in your life? Try a North U Gift Certificate. You can spend a lifetime learning to be a better sailor. North U accelerates the process. Accelerate your holiday shopping at http://www.NorthU.com RACES IN PROGRESS * Velux 5 Oceans, a 30,000-mile solo race exclusively for the Grand Prix IMOCA Open 60 and Open 50 classes, is now in its third week. Leader Bernard Stamm (SUI) is almost through the Doldrums, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (GBR) has achieved the highest average speed yet over a 24-hour period, while the lone Open 50 entrant, Graham Dalton (NZD), has left Porto Santo after repairing his rudder. The race begins and ends in Bilbao, Spain with just two stops - in Perth, Western Australia and Norfolk, Virginia on the east coast of the USA. - http://www.velux5oceans.com * Route du Rhum race, the 3,500-mile solo race for multi-hulls and monohulls from France to Guadeloupe is now in its second week, with Lionel Lemonchois (FRA), skipper of Trimaran Open 60’ “GITANA 11,” setting a new elapsed time race record when he finished Monday morning (7 days, 17 hours, 19 min, 6 sec). American Kip Stone holds a 151-mile lead over his competition in the Class 2 monhull division with 1,817 miles to go. -- http://www.routedurhum.com/en SAILING SHORTS * US Sailing members have just a few more days - until Wednesday, November 8, midnight Eastern - to vote for the nominees they'd like to represent sailors nationwide on US Sailing's Board of Directors. The new Board of Directors will be announced on Saturday, November 18 at US Sailing’s Annual Meeting. Online votes are accepted online, and a short biography and a brief position statement of each nominee are also available at http://www.ussailing.org/BOD/election * The Valencia Sailing website reports that the next Volvo Ocean Race will begin October 11, 2008 in Alicante, Spain and that there 5 teams confirmed; two of them have been officially announced - Ericsson and Mean Machine - and a Spanish project will be announced shortly. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/yjc32b * On Tuesday 7 November the 2006 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards will be presented on an evening dedicated to a year sailing and the achievements of the eleven nominees. Sailing fans will now be able to relive the tension as the winners are announced and watch all the best action from the Awards Ceremony in a Podcast of the event. -- Full report: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j8lFh?,`C&format=popup * The Mclaughlin Fall 2006 Newsletter reports that the 2006 Orange Bowl Regatta (Dec 27-30) will be limited to 300 Optimist entries (there were 288 in 2005). Entries can be completed at http://www.coralreefyachtclub.org/index.cfm?menu=7560 * The teams that have qualified for the 2006/2007 College Sloop Nationals at the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. are NY Maritime, St. Mary's (MAISA); Minnesota (MCSA); Coast Guard, Roger Williams (NEISA); U/Washington (NWICSA); USC (PCCSC); Charleston, South Florida (SAISA); and Texas A&M Galveston (SEISA). Teams will be competing in J/22s (skipper + 2) on November 17-19. -- http://collegesailing.org/nas/fall06/sloops CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar CAN YOU GUESS THIS ONE-DESIGN CLASS? 650 boats worldwide; leading in entries for 2007 Acura Key West Week; owner donated boats at 2007 Hospice Championship, Storm Trysail Club's Intercollegiate Regatta and 2007 Allianz Cup match racing; only class with starts at all nine NOOD Regattas; and even better... a boat that's truly enjoyable to sail. http://www.jboats.com/j105 LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forums. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From John Hammel: It's incredible to me that there can be record numbers of young sailors at regional and national junior events and just 10 US boats at the 470 pre-Olympic regatta. I wonder about the actual grass roots support of junior sailboat racing. I noticed a few years back how difficult it was getting Yacht Clubs to support regional training at a higher level than offered at the individual clubs. Those "travel teams" were resented by parents who thought those kids were getting an unfair advantage, by clubs because they siphoned talent away from their own programs, and by the regional junior sailing association because they feared the competitiveness as well as the fact that those kids took home all the hardware. Fighting the negative sentiment takes a toll on the parent volunteers, and breeds counter-resentment. Talking to similar regional teams around the country, the story is the same. The kids and parents involved often feel like outcasts in their own clubs and sailing associations. I think this is an ideal situation for Dean Brenner to step in and demonstrate leadership on a grassroots level, by showing support to these regional development teams. There probably aren't more than 10 or 15 in the country. He could promote the idea at the spring meetings of the sailing associations and the annual US Sailing instruction symposium. By helping these kids with passion for racing feel welcomed at the local and regional level, they'll be more likely to stay with the sport and pursue the Olympic dream. * From Doran Cushing, Raymond, NH: (regarding hurricane news in Issue 2217) If anyone out there has time to document the predictions from "hurricane experts" about what to expect from the now-ending 2006 hurricane season, I'd love to see the "official" commentary. Talk about job security...weather people are the only "workers" who can be wrong 60% of the time and still keep their jobs (except for politicians, but we already know that). The venerable Farmer's Almanac does no better. We were supposed to have a long and difficult winter in 2005/2006 but it turned out to be one of the mildest on record (followed by unpredicted monsoon rains). Now that I've cursed myself and the entire Northeast, I'd still like to see some of those hurricane "quotes." * From Emma Paull: As a 30 year old female who is nuts about sailing I agree with Dave Doody (letter in 2210) that you don't see enough children simply messing around in boats but have you thought why? One of the reasons is because the parents of these kids don't do their own exploring as much anymore, and the kids aren't given the chance to just go sailing. I have spent my whole life in boats, my parents met buying a boat from one another, but both my parents came from non-sailing parents. To start sailing they individually begged, borrowed and built their own boats. Both used to tell me their own stories of dodgy sailing trips in very small boats with no engines around the Solent when they shouldn't of because the weather, tide or boat just wasn't up to it. But they did it because they never had anyone saying you can't do that, its too dangerous, and they proceeded to learn valuable seamanship lessons with each mistake they made. When I sailed with them in various size and shape boats, I was slowly taught the basics - like always go upwind or up current first depending on the strongest so you will always get home again, never be afraid to stop somewhere early and wait until conditions get better, and my favourite, always take a 10 pence piece so you can ring for help when it all goes wrong! - Read the complete letter is in the Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3499#3499 CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a committee. Special thanks to Camet International, North U, and J/Boats. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
