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SCUTTLEBUTT 2762 - Monday, January 19, 2009Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Today's sponsors are Team One Newport, JK3 Nautical Enterprises, and Newport Shipyard. GETTING TO QINGDAO IN ONE PIECE (Jan. 18, 2009) - There was a whiff of déjà vu at the head of the fleet almost 12 hours into the fourth leg, a 2,500-mile upwind slog from Singapore to Qingdao, China. PUMA and Ericsson 4, joined by a bungee cord for long periods of this race, were once again keeping close company in the South China Sea.With 150 nautical miles covered, and boat speeds hovering around 13 knots, Ken Read’s il mostro maintained a one-mile gap to overall race leader Torben Grael’s E4. The pair got the jump on the fleet at the start as Jennifer Lilly’s prediction of north-easterly winds in the low teens rang true. As reported in Mark Chisnell’s leg preview, the opening pages of this historic chapter of the 2008-09 race were always going to be processional. The ever-dependable Bouwe Bekking concurred in an email from Telefonica Blue soon after the start. “The first 60 miles is a procession, which means follow the leader,” he wrote.Leg Four from Singapore to Qingdao, China is 2,500 nm, with the finish estimated on January 30th. Positions as of 0057 UTC January 19: 1. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 2288 nm Distance to Finish 2. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 0 nm Distance to Leader 3. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 2 nm DTL 4. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Anders Lewander/SWE, 3 nm DTL 5. Telefonica Black (ESP), Fernando Echavarri/ESP, 4 nm DTL 6. Delta Lloyd (IRL), Roberto Bermudez/ESP, 5 nm DTL 7. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 7 nm DTL 8. Team Russia (RUS), Andreas Hanakamp/AUT, Did Not Start Race website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org Overall scores: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/#tab4 Race tracking: http://volvooceanrace.geovoile.com IS THE PROFESSOR'S WORK DONE? (Jan. 18, 2009; Day 70) - The lead of Michel Desjoyeaux (aka The Professor) continues to grow by the hour, averaging 16 knots Sunday morning to his nearest rival’s 12.2 knots. There will be some re-compression at the Doldrums when Desjoyeaux slows first, but after he enters the Northern Hemisphere in the next 24 hours, a ‘classic’ mainly westerly airflow in the North Atlantic should help to set a new Vendée Globe course record, despite it being a longer course and him re-starting 40 hours after the fleet. Vincent Riou’s record of 87 days 10 hours, 47 minutes looks certain to fall. Discretion was the better part of valor last Thursday when the Franco-British trio of Dee Caffari (Aviva), Arnaud Boissières (Akena Veranda) and Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) diverted their course at Cape Horn to avoid a severe storm that was forecasted to provide difficult seas and winds up to 85 knots. While Caffari and Boissières headed south to avoid the strongest winds, Thompson doublebacked to take shelter under the Islas de los Estados. All three found the conditions suitable on Friday to continue on in the race. Steve White (Toe in the Water) is yet to round Cape Horn, and has been sailing without his mainsail ever since the headboard car that parted from the sail and is stuck at the top spreaders. He is waiting for calmer seas before attempting the repair. Solo, non-stop, around the world race in Open 60s. Standings as of January 18 at 2000 UTC (30 entrants; 12 now competing): 1. Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA), Foncia, 3470.8 nm Distance to finish 2. Roland Jourdain (FRA), Veolia Environnement, 500.5 nm Distance to leader 3. Armel Le Cléac´h (FRA), Brit Air, 1097.4 nm DTL 4. Samantha Davies (GBR), Roxy, 1896.9 nm DTL 5. Marc Guillemot (FRA), Safran, 2143.9 nm DTL 6. Brian Thompson (GBR), Bahrain Team, 2831.6 nm DTL 7. Arnaud Boissières (FRA), Akena Vérandas, 2894.5 nm DTL 8. Dee Caffari (GBR), Aviva, 2925.3 nm DTL 9. Steve White (GBR), Toe in the Water, 3857.6 nm DTL 10. Rich Wilson (USA), Great American III, 5248.6 nm DTL 11. Raphaël Dinelli (FRA), Fondation Océan Vital, 6954.6 nm DTL 12. Norbert Sedlacek (AUT), Nauticsport-Kapsch, 6957.0 nm DTL Event website: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en Complete standings: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ranking.html Race tracking: http://tracking.vendeeglobe.org/en LONGER ROUTE DENIES NEW RECORD FOR COVILLE Thomas Coville crossed the finish line on his solo round the world record attempt aboard the 105-foot maxi-trimaran Sodeb'O today, off the Petit Minou light in Brest, Saturday 17th January at 10 hours, 41 minutes and 57 seconds UTC. Coville completed their circumnavigation of the globe in 59 days, 20 hours, 47 minutes and 43 seconds, the third solo sailor after Francis Joyon and Ellen MacArthur to have successfully sailed around the world without stopovers. However, Coville failed in his bid to eclipse Joyon’s record time of 57 days and 13 hours that he set with the 97-foot trimaran IDEC in 2008. Coville racked up the fourth best outright time around the globe, behind the crews of Bruno Peyron (2005) and Steve Fossett (2004), and the solo sailor Francis Joyon (2008). Coville’s record attempt was plagued by troubling weather systems, forcing him to sail too many additional miles. For Joyon’s record, he sailed 26,400 miles at an average speed of 19.11 knots. Though Coville’s average speed was faster (19.60 knots), the additional miles (28,125 miles) ultimately were too great to beat Joyon’s record time. However, Coville did establish a new 24 hour distance record on 7th December 2008: 628.5 miles at 26.2 knots. -- Full story: http://linkbee.com/AK6N TEAM ONE NEWPORT WILL MAKE IT MELT IN CHICAGO… Team One Newport will be in frigid Chicago for the Strictly Sail Show January 29th- Feb 1st. Come on by and look at the best gear and hot deals from Puma, Musto, Dubarry and more. If you can’t make it to Chicago, be sure to check out the year end specials by visiting http://www.team1newport.com and click on SPECIALS. Check it daily as there are items added everyday! Be prepared for the winter sailing and skiing season with great layers from Patagonia… find them all here: http://www.team1newport.com WHAT’S NOT TO ENJOY? “Blue sky, aqua-colored water, palm trees and 75-degree weather – what’s not to enjoy?” asked Annapolis, Maryland sailor Bruce Gardner. “Key West continues to be one of the premiere events in the country. It has the best competition available because teams go all out to win. A win in Key West has always been and will always be a real feather in your cap.” Gardner dismisses all the doom and gloom talk about reduced entries at this year’s regatta by saying, “Key West is still Key West.” L’Outrage is one of seven entries in PHRF 3 and Gardner said a class victory at Acura Key West 2009, presented by Nautica, would be just as satisfying as years past. While the total of 155 entries in 13 classes spread over three divisions is down from previous years, event director Peter Craig said the level of participation is really quite remarkable considering the economy has forced the cancellation of many regattas around the world. “Key West traditionally attracts top tier programs and this year is no exception,” said Craig, president of Premiere Racing. “Given the global economic issues, it’s extremely gratifying to see the number and quality of programs that will be racing in Key West.” - Racing starts on Monday, Event website: http://www.premiere-racing.com/ IT’S THE NOOD, DUDE By Dave Reed, Sailing World A long time ago, after attending all nine events in a single NOOD Regatta series, I pitched an idea to one of my colleagues here at Sailing World. At the time we both agreed it was a good one, but like many of my other half-baked ideas (I'm a Pisces, I can't help it, I dream), this one continues to percolate on the proverbial back burner. Every so often I casually pitch it to someone else, and found myself doing so again the other day. Here's the basic pitch: our Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta Series is now in its 22nd year, and continues to be the only nationwide regatta series of its kind. There really is nothing like it out there for hard-core amateur racers. The concept of consistent, quality race management at each venue guarantees a good experience for everyone, and the solid attendance each year confirms this is what we've all come to expect. PRO Peter Reggio would deliver nothing less. He likes to have his cake (chocolate) and eat it, too. But in its genesis as the National Offshore One-Design Regatta two decades ago, the event reflected the sailing scene of the day: there were a lot of offshore classes and big boats banging around the cans. The mission was simple: serve the big boats. Yet over the years, I've wondered why we couldn't apply the same successful formula for the vast majority of dinghy sailors out there as well (myself included). I felt we needed a DOOD regatta (Dinghy Only One-Design . . . pronounced "dude." -- Read on: http://www.sailingworld.com MORE BOATS, MORE OPTIONS Having now acquired Sail California Newport Beach, JK3 Nautical Enterprises has added three new lines of boats to its already stellar line up of J Boats, Rivolta, Delphia, Hunt and Raider RIBS. With the addition of Santa Cruz, Back Cove and Sabre Yachts, JK3 continues to be the dealer of choice when it comes to quality, service and customer commitment. The new Santa Cruz 37 is here and ready to race. Please stop by our offices in Newport Beach or San Diego office or give us a call to view this incredibly fast new boat. Call 619.224.6200 San Diego, 949-675-8053 Newport Beach. Or visit us on line at: http://www.jk3yachts.com => Curmudgeon’s Comment: While so much of the U.S. is dealing with real winter weather, I was wearing shorts in San Diego while I took a look at the Santa Cruz 37 this weekend. If I was a boat shopper waiting for the snow to thaw, I would be checking airline rates to SoCal right now! SAILING SHORTS * The New York State Court of appeals announced that it had accepted three amicus curia filed in support of BMW Oracle Racing team’s position held by the New York Yacht Club, the San Diego Yacht Club and 1992 America's Cup winner Bill Koch were all accepted. The court had also accepted the brief filed by a group of 5 challengers (Deutscher Challenger Yacht Club, K-Challenge, Dabliu Sail Project, Italia and Russian Challenge). However, the court denied the brief filed by Shosholoza and Team French Spirit. -- Valencia Sailing, full story: http://linkbee.com/AK6O * TeamOrigin, the British Challenger for the 33rd America’s Cup, has announced their team for the new ‘Louis Vuitton Pacific Series’ event taking place in Auckland, New Zealand, between 30th January and 14th February 2009. The team includes Ben Ainslie (GBR) as Helm & Skipper , Iain Percy (GBR) as Tactician, and Peter Isler (USA) as Navigator. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6892#6892 * Danish sail maker Elvstrøm Sails has launched their new EPEX technology, which is the name given to a process of bonding membrane sails using a high pressure vacuum system instead of traditional heat rollers used in most sail making factories around the world. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6895 * Raw sewage and pollution from agricultural run-off polluted 83 percent of China's coastal waters in 2008, according to state media. China's coastal waters last year witnessed 68 red tides, or algae blooms, which feed off nutrients found in excess pollution and sap water of oxygen, killing off large amounts of sea life, Xinhua news agency said. In August last year, one algae bloom caused havoc for the sailing competition of the Olympic Games when it engulfed waters surrounding the sailing venue in eastern China's Qingdao city. -- Full story: http://linkbee.com/AK6P * Leading marine offshore outfitter and safety expert Landfall has announced their agreement with the Sport-Sails Center as the exclusive North American distributor for the Blueblue International 420 (I420). Designed in the 1960s as an inexpensive, general-purpose, two sail dinghy, the I420 currently has a large multinational class association with more than 56,000 boats around the world. US SAILING's Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) recently announced that the I420 would be one of five classes used in their new Olympic sailing training pipeline. -- Full announcement: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6893 * United States Yacht Shows, Inc. is pleased to announce that the City of Annapolis has approved use, by the company, of the City Dock and adjacent Susan Campbell Park to conduct the annual fall in-water United States Sailboat Show and United States Powerboat Show through 2014. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6896 * A total of 12 ports around Europe and the US in 2009 will host Tall Ships events from April through to August with over 120 Tall Ships set to be involved. The first Tall Ships event this year starts in Vigo, Spain from 30 April to 3 May which is the start port for the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge. This 7,000 mile odyssey around the North Atlantic will see a variety of Tall Ships from Europe, South America and the US competing in an event involving seven ports, five countries and hundreds of crew members. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0115/ * IMOCA (International Monohull Open Class Association), the governing body responsible for the technical regulations of the Open 60 yachts currently competing in The Vendée Globe, has confirmed its official 2009 race calendar. As the International fleet continues to expand year on year, IMOCA knows that capitalising on the continued growth and success of the Class depends largely upon the sponsors and International markets it can attract. Dominating the calendar is the European Pro Tour, which is a crewed race that is aimed at amalgamating the key European markets of IMOCA within one event. -- Full report: http://www.imoca.org/container.asp?id=19490 ALL WORK AND NO PLAY No way... at Newport Shipyard we work, you play. Reserve your dockspace now for summer and we'll make sure work and play do mix. Can't wait to see you back at the ocean's best address. http://www.NewportShipyard.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Reader commentary is encouraged, with letters to be submitted to the Scuttlebutt editor, aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’. Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). You only get one letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Mike Moore: In response to Mark Lammens (in Issue 2759), my issues with coaching have nothing to do with missing a highspeed tow. I much prefer sailing to and from the course if the breeze is up. I also don't have any issues with someone wanting to raise their game and hire a coach. What I do object to is having to dodge coach boats in the starting area (and the extra chop they churn up), having to shout that much louder at the skipper due to the coach boat noise in the starting area, and competitors getting weather information once on the water that isn't available to all. Coaches can be a positive influence, can help almost all sailors raise their game, and can be of huge benefit to all when conditions get adverse. But they can also really change the game. For instance, is it fair for one competitor to get a wind report from the weather mark just prior to the warning signal while the rest of the fleet is left with just knowing what is going on at the starting line? Is it fair for a competitor to have access to spares on the water that everyone doesn't have access to? Both are examples I've seen, and neither are against the rules, but they do give a competitor specific, tangible, immediate advantages over his competition. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6906#6906 * From Dawn Riley: Recently there have been some discussions on coaching circulating around the sailing world. There have been some people who have insinuated or claimed that they believe coaches are cheating and communicating with sailors on the race course. As a result, some classes have recently ‘banned’ coaching. This is an unfair attack. Also IF it is happening then it is up to the fellow coaches and the competitors themselves to bring it to the attention of the judges. If you follow the logic of ‘some cheat so ban all’ then we would have to ban all classes where anyone had ever cheated. Ridiculous and unfair. Life isn’t always fair but we all have a personal responsibly to make it fair – not by hiding behind some cooked up rule but by standing up and fixing the situation, if or when it happens. On a more positive note, I have been coached a lot more than I have coached but I have to say I really do love coaching. Quite a few of the team members that I have worked with have become great friends as well and I see benefits at all levels I work with. As far as I am concerned it is all good. I also see coaching as one of the few opportunities for our sport’s growth. Anyone who is on a membership committee of a club knows that we have really low participation between the ages of 20 and 40. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6907#6907 * From Jamie Leopold: Thanks to Shaina Brown for the letter of explanation regarding keel failures of some of the Vendee Globe boats (in SBUTT 2761). In response to the elevator question, my answer would be no to a ride in a elevator that I was unsure of, and as far as a trans ocean race, or circumnavigation in an Open 60, or Volvo 70, I'd pass on that too. i would prefer a nice seaworthy boat with a fixed keel and a substantial rudder. Getting to the destination in one piece and unaided would be my primary goal. It is interesting to me that many willingly sacrifice safety for speed. I wonder how many would continue continue to make that trade without the rescue net that continues to be provided for these daredevils. * From Fred Roswold: (re, submerged shipping containers) Look, Mr. Noordzy's response (in SBUTT 2759) is a red herring; 12 containers lost in 10 years? Maybe for his four vessels (although I doubt that figure) but then what percentage is this? Extrapolate that percentage across all the ships plying the oceans and we start to see the number. It is cetainly in the thousands. Do most of them sink? Prove it. The truth is that these containers are certainly insured, and shippers weigh the cost of the insurance against the numbers lose and they simply bear the cost or, more likely, pass it on. And why not? Nobody who hits a container is going to stick around to record the serial number so it can be traced back to the shipper for liability, and besides, can you see that claim being won in a court case? NO! The shippers are safe: They pay the insurance and don't worry about the few lost, the insurance cost is minimal. There is no risk of liability. The only solution to this is either make all the containers sink if lost (good idea) or charge all shippers a fine for each container lost at sea to cover the assumed danger to other shippers and yachts and to the shorelines if they come ashore. If the price is high enough they will take care not to lose them. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6879#6879 CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Back from his solo around the world record attempt, Thomas Coville quotes Marc Aurèle: “Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can change, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Special thanks to Team One Newport, JK3 Nautical Enterprises, and Newport Shipyard. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
