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SCUTTLEBUTT 1367 - July 9, 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 focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. ADMIRAL'S CUP The first two races of the new look Admiral's Cup take place this Saturday 12 July from Cowes. With eight teams lined-up for the start including one from Australia, four from England, one from France and two from Spain, indications show that this event, which was originally planned to take place in Dublin gives all the indications that it could be an event to remember with eight team signed up so far. In an effort to restore enthusiasm in the event organisers have changed the format this year opening the event up to club teams with two boats per team including an IMS600 and an IRC big boat. The race format is similar to previous year with two days of two inshore, round the cans races during the first weekend as a warm up followed by two days of short offshore races, a long inshore race, two more inshore races on the Thursday, and the final Wolf Rock Race on the last day. - Sue Pelling, Yachting World website, full story: http://www.yachting-world.com/auto/newsdesk/20030608144050ywnews.html AMERICA'S CUP According to Ed Gorman, Iain Percy and Ben Ainslie, two of the world's top Olympic dinghy sailors, are now in negotiation with Peter Harrison, who funded the last British (America's Cup) campaign, the GBR Challenge, and some predict a deal is likely. The move will be seen as an imaginative and exciting progression for Harrison, whose last team did respectably under the leadership of Ian Walker in finishing seventh out of nine challengers at the last Cup in Auckland. Percy and Ainslie are great friends and are regarded as being in a class of their own among the present generation of British professional sailors. Both in their mid-20s, each has already acquired an impressive pedigree in the toughest school there is, the Olympic Games, where Ainslie has won silver and gold medals in the Laser class and Percy gold in Finns. * One highly influential power broker in the sport said recently that he could imagine Percy in the sort of leadership role Russell Coutts performed for the Alinghi Swiss Challenge team when it won the Cup in February, while Ainslie might sit alongside him as sailing team manager, in a similar role to that performed for Alinghi by Jochen Schuemann, the triple Olympic gold medal-winner. Some remain sceptical that Percy and Ainslie will work with Harrison, who is not everyone's cup of tea. However, one well-placed source said that he thought there was now a "90 per cent chance" that Harrison, Percy and Ainslie would be in business at the 2007 Cup. - Cup in Europe website, full story: http://www.cupineurope.com/LatestNews/2007GBR-LN2.htm TRANSPAC Pegasus 77 sailed farther and faster Tuesday but Pyewacket stretched its lead in the marquee match race of the 42nd Transpacific Yacht Race to Hawaii, a situation that has often been an anomaly of the race for the last half-century. Studying the positions reported at Tuesday morning's daily roll call, George Caras of Commanders Weather said, "North may be favored a little bit [Monday] or [Tuesday], but south will be favored starting [Thursday]. The goal for a lot of the boats is going to be to get farther south." Those would include Pyewacket, Roy E. Disney's Reichel/Pugh 75 that holds the race record of about 7 1/2 days. Sailing a more direct course, Pyewacket logged 329 miles at 13.7 knots in the first full day at sea and moved into first place in corrected handicap time for the entire fleet. Oddly, Philippe Kahn's R/P 77 Pegasus, taking a more tactical southerly route, went 338 miles at 14.1 knots but dropped to 27 miles behind. (* From skipper Philippe Kahn on Pegasus: They (Pyewacket) now have lots of leverage for a big right hand shift. Pegasus is counting on significantly better winds down South. They will be looking at wind direction; we'll be focusing on wind speed. The tropical depression Dolores could now play a bit in our favor. - http://www.pegasusracing.com/log.htm#latest) Meanwhile, Renegade, an Andrews 70 sailed by Dan Sinclair of Vancouver, B.C., dropped out Monday afternoon with a problem described as "failure of the boat's steering sheaves." Renegade started in Division 2 a day earlier and was 260 miles offshore in Mexican waters. Sinclair, sailing his fourth Transpac, said the breakdown occurred in 12-foot seas. He said the boat was in no danger and was returning to San Diego but gave no ETA. There have been three dropouts since the starts, reducing the fleet to 54 boats. Beau Geste, a Transpac 52 sailed by Hong Kong businessman Karl Kwok with Gavin Brady and a largely New Zealand crew, now leads Division 2 boat for boat and on corrected handicap time, second only to Pyewacket in the latter. - Rich Roberts, www.transpacificyc.org SAM DAVIES AND MUSTO Alongside Ellen MacArthur and Nick Moloney, the third member of the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team is Sam Davies. Having just finished 6th "Rookie" in her first solo Figaro regatta, her next challenge is the Rookie title in the Solitaire du Figaro - 1,979 grueling solo miles between France, Ireland and Spain. Why choose Musto? Because it's all about performance. Sam needs the best so she can concentrate on the task in hand - to push the boat to the limits and win. You don't have to race solo to wear Musto. Try it out next time. http://www.musto.co.uk MATCH RACING Both the Women's and the Open Match Racing rankings were released Tuesday following the completion of the 2003 ISAF Grade 1, Swedish Match Cup, which concluded over the weekend. This ranking is the cut off date, and the moment when the top nine skippers in the Open list will find out if they are to be invited to the ISAF Match Racing World Championship, to be held on the world renowned Lake Garda, Italy in August. As the defending World Champion, Karol Jablonski (POL) automatically receives an invite, thus leave the nine top-ranked skippers who will receive invitations as those placed from second to tenth in the rankings. The final two of the twelve skippers invited to the Worlds are the two skippers from the XXXI America's Cup Dean Barker and Russell Coutts. Open Rankings 1. Karol Jablonski, POL 2. Jesper Radich, DEN 3. Jes Gram-Hansen, DEN 4. James Spithill, USA 5. Ed Baird, USA 6. Magnus Holmberg, SWE 7. Bjorn Hansen, SWE 8. Mathieu Richard, FRA 9. Paolo Cian, ITA 10. Staffan Lindberg, FIN Women's Rankings 1. Marie Bjorling, SWE (Ranked 144 on the Open Rankings) 2. Malin Millbourn, SWE 3. Nina Breaestrup, DEN 4. Marie Faure, FRA 5. Lotte Meldgaared Peddersenden, DEN 6. Liz Baylis, USA 7. Giulia Conti, ITA 8. Betsy Alison, USA 9. Malin Kallstrom, SWE 10. Gwen Joulie, FRA Complete rankings: http://www.sailing.org/matchrace/mrranking.asp SAILING SHORTS * Former Team New Zealand and OneWorld grinder Craig Monk will sail with Oracle BMW Racing in the next America's Cup. Monk was with Team New Zealand when they won the cup in 1995 and defended it in 2000. Also an accomplished Finn sailor, Monk won bronze in the 1992 Olympics. He was ranked No 1 in the world in 1993 and was a gold medallist in the Goodwill Games in 1994. He is the second Aucklander to join Oracle after helmsman Gavin Brady signed last month. - Julie Ash, NZ Herald, http://www.nzherald.co.nz * As you plan this summer's sailing events, please consider submitting your top event in the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy competition. The winner is selected on the basis of race management superiority and evaluation by participating skippers. The nomination deadline is September 5, 2003. http://www.ussailing.org/racemgt/St_Pete_Trophy/index.htm * Alchemy, the fast, new 77-foot Alan Andrews will be racing in this year's Chicago Yacht Club race to Mackinac. One of the crew members, Chicagoan Scott Gregory, was a member of the crew of Roy Disney's 75-foot Pyewacket when it shattered the 15-year-old finish time record in last year's race. And Tim Kent, who recently placed second in his class in the 2002 Around Alone, is sailing this year with his family, including his 10-year-old daughter, who is participating in her very first Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. * 470 European Championship, Brest - France, Final Results (101 boats) 1. Alvaro Marinho/ Miguel Nunes, POR, 9; 2. Nick Rogers/ Joe Garfield, GBR, 16; 3. Kristian Kjaergaard/ Mads Moeller, DEN, 17; 4. Lukas Erni/ Simon Bruegger, SUI, 23; 5. Graham Vials/ Bevis Field, GBR, 24; Michael Anderson-Mitterliing/ Graham Biehl, USA, 26; 9. Steve Hunt/ Eben Russel, USA, 27. - http://www.europe470.com/ * US Sailing is providing a complimentary trial period of SailRater, their web-based application that calculates changes in predicted speed from alterations to a boat's configuration. SailRater is free until July 31, 2003. Go to http://www.sailrater.com and enter Promotional Code BIRW03. TEAM ULLMAN SPEED ADVANTAGE! For 30+ years Ullman Sails has progressively grown into one of today's premier sailmakers. With lofts established throughout the world and new lofts being added, Dave Ullman and a loyal team of talented and dedicated followers have put Ullman Sails at the forefront of the sailmaking community. By utilizing the latest in cloth and construction technologies, Ullman Sails has developed the fastest and most durable sails possible. From local club sailing to international competition, give yourself the Team Ullman Speed Advantage. For great service and competitive pricing, call your nearest Ullman Sails loft or visit us at http://www.ullmansails.com PAUL CAYARD (Daily Sail editor James Boyd caught up with Paul Cayard at the recent Swedish Match Cup in Marstrand where Cayard was crewing for Peter Holmberg. Here's a brief excerpt from Boyd's story.) Eminent yachting journalist Bob Fisher believes that Cayard is likely to end up with another Italian campaign again due to his high profile in that country following his skippering Raul Gardini's Il Moro di Venezia. With the Cup coming to Europe Italy is expected to field several challengers, with Vincenzo Oronato's Mascalzone Latino team believed to be going again, Patrizio Bertelli wavering over Prada taking a third crack and rumours that Gucci might be trying their hand. "America's Cup is a big thing in Italy so it's very enticing for people who want to have a high profile to get involved with the America's Cup," says Cayard. Cayard holds a non-executive position at Nautor and is known to have been in discussion with Nautor Group/ Salvatore Ferragamo fashion house boss Leonardo Ferragamo about a possible Cup campaign. "He's sniffing around a little bit," says Cayard of Ferragamo. "But I don't see him taking on a whole challenge all by himself that's for sure. He's just toying with the idea at the moment and there is a lot more talk about it than reality. The media and everybody is hyping that up more than he is." As to setting up his own team again, Cayard is currently testing the water in the States. - James Boyd, The Daily Sail website, full story: http://thedailysail.com/ CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS * July 26-27: International Lightning Class Atlantic Coast Championships, Malletts Bay Boat Club, Colchester, VT. http://www.lightningclass.net/2003acc/ * August 21-24: Soling North Americans, Milwaukee Yacht Club, Milwaukee, WI. http://home.wi.rr.com/soling / or http://www.ussoling.com * September 25-28: New York/New Jersey Sail Expo, Liberty Landing Marina, Jersey City, N.J. More than 150 exhibitors, boats from 8 to 65 feet, plus a seminar lineup that includes Russell Coutts, Gary Jobson, Bernadette Bernon and Nigel Calder. www.nysailexpo.com NEED THE BEST SMALL BOAT GEAR? LOOK TO MAGIC MARINE They have gear for every sailor. The Competition Hiking Pant uses super-stiff battens and Airprene perforated neoprene. They're some of the most comfortable hiking pants out there and are used by many of the best sailors. Look around at your next regatta or see it all now at http://www.magicmarinegear.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 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 William Cook (edited to our 250-word limit): There is a simple reason all those Farr 395s rate differently: they measure differently. Assuming the same hull offset file was used for all the boats, each will have a slightly different result in measured freeboards and righting moment. This is due in part to errors in measurement procedures but also due to differences in the actual boats - those "one design" boats vary a lot more than you think. The way equipment is arranged on the boat may also affect the measurement. There is no conspiracy here. The assertion that Carrol Marine closed its doors as a result of slow development of a grand prix rule is preposterous, and the assertion that the stewards of Americap II, some of whom are friends and colleagues of mine, would deliberately do anything to harm the sport of Sailing is offensive. The Grand Prix Working Party is working hard to find common ground for a new rule. One should not assume that what the Americans in Chicago want in a new rule is at all relevant for the Italians or Spanish or Australians or anyone else. It makes no sense for one group to try to save the world with a new rule only to find that the others don't want it (remember IRM?). Some of those countries are actually pretty happy with the system they have now (IMS), which is working well for them. They might not see change as a good thing. Common ground first - new rule after that. * From Dan Nowlan, Offshore Director, US Sailing (In response to Dan Hirsch on Americap Farr 395 Ratings): Americap is a measurement rule that generates ratings based on reported data. The Farr 395's in the Chicago Mac race all are based on the same hull, keel and rudder. However, there are differences in owner reported rig and sail sizes. Some are significant, especially among the spinnakers. It is these differences that have caused the observed rating spread. The Farr 395 class has not applied to Americap for a one-design rating, which we would be happy to provide. Such a rating would be based on class supplied one-design sail and rig configurations. In the absence of a full one-design rating, Americap rates you for what you actually have. * From Tim Dick: Americap, like any other handicapping formula (e.g. IRC, IMS, PHRF) takes into account aspects of individual boats which are often not factored in or are illegal under class rules. Here are some popular Farr 395 factory options which are not credited in One Design racing, but significantly affect Americap or any other handicap: * Two different keel options (an 8 foot and a 6 foot) which are rated evenly in class racing. * A popular aft-cabin option which adds 200 lbs. * Extra batteries which add 150 lbs. * Electric winches. * Sails which exceed the class limit 5-sail and/or non-overlapping jib limit. Even the J/105 class which has extremely tight class rules (which result in fixed PHRF or Americap racing) has varying non-class Americap (or PHRF) handicap if the owner chooses to equip it with an over-class-limit 120 percent jib, an over size kite, and class-illegal carbon sails. These sail changes can lower the J/105 PHRF rating from pure-class 84 to 78 or even lower. Such changes are frequently done by owners for non-class racing to simply make the boat go faster. But owners shouldn't whinge that they are penalized for these "demon tweaks" because their boats are now no longer true one designs. * From Bruce Gresham: ears ago Buddy Ebsen spoke at the banquet following the Governor's Cup race at the Balboa YC. His speech was 5 minutes long, but everyone remembers what he said...cuz it was so short. Buddy had raced Thistles. Here is what he said. A fellow from San Diego would drive up to Newport and pick up a crew somewhere (anywhere) on the way and win the Thistle series races every time! One week-end Buddy finally won, but somehow the elation wasn't as great he had anticipated because he realized that the guy from San Diego didn't show up. So he told those young racers of the Governor's Cup..."Always Appreciate Your Opponents." End of speech. CURMUDGEON'S QUOTATIONS When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?" - Dilbert |
