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SCUTTLEBUTT 1899 - August 10, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.CARL EICHENLAUB (The Sailing World website has posted an interview that Peter Huston did with Carl Eichenlaub -- one of the 2005 inductees into the Sailing World Hall of Fame. Here are a couple of excerpts.) Sailing World: Why did you decide to become the U.S. Sailing Team shipwright? Eichenlaub: "I didn't decide. One day I got a phone call from Dick Sterns, the President of Murphy & Nye. He called me out of the blue, saying a new position had opened up on the Sailing Team, he thought this position would be right up my alley. He asked me to take on the job (he was going to be the team leader) and I almost turned him down. But a friend told me that if I ever had the chance to go to Olympics I should go. That was in '76. I've done it every Olympics, Pan Am, and Goodwill Games since. Have you ever had a real conflict between helping a U.S. sailor with a minor problem or fixing something major for a sailor from another team? I've always worked on helping out with other countries. Some of our team leaders like this, some didn't, but I always cleared it first. The Canadians didn't take Dirk Knuelman (their shipwright) to Athens and their women's board got crushed in shipping. I fixed it, and it came out beautiful and she won the first race. A lot of people were sort of unhappy about that, but then Lanee Butler (USA) won the next race, so it was OK. "The most creative (repair) was when Bill Buchan came to the '84 Olympics, he had a boat that was too narrow, more than a half inch too narrow at the stern, both at the deck and chine. Bill had built the boat himself, and I was surprised he let me fix it. So I took a Skil saw, made four three-foot long cuts, put some wedges in, fixed it, and he won the gold medal." -- Sailing World magazine, full story: http://www.sailingworld.com/article.jsp?ID=38054&typeID=398&catID=608 HIGH PARTICIPATION CLUB RACING IDEAS Gary Bodie once surmised that part of the decline in one-design racing is because race management has become too good. The fastest boats win and the slowest often give up. Less perfect races, such as round-the-island races, downwind starts, or starting from the club dock can produce surprise winners. One fun kind of club race is a pursuit race where the fleet starts in handicap order with the slowest boats starting first. The course could do laps around the harbor or lake with a gate and finish right in front of the club. Bob Johnstone and others have just created a pursuit race with a figure-eight course among the Boston Harbor Islands with a start, gate and finish at Georges Island. This National Park island is easily accessible via constant ferries for all the families and other fans. They are hoping for 500 boats, if not this year, then in the coming years. The craziest concept might be the "Bang and Go Back" race. In this race, there is a reaching start and everyone follows the scratch boat for about 40 minutes. At a certain moment, signaled by radio, gun, or pre-designated time, the entire fleet turns around and races straight back to the start/ finish line. Of course the boats with bad starts have a huge advantage but "sand bagging" isn't really fun and raises eye brows when a big boat is not out near the front. When Wianno Yacht Club did this a few years back, many boats came out of the woodwork that had never raced before. To include one-designs and other small boats in handicap racing, you can always use the "Portsmouth Yardstick" system (suggested by Ralph Taylor in 'Butt 1894) as found via http://ussailing.org click on racing/offshore/handicap systems. -- Ken Legler BRRRR British explorer Robert Swan has walked to both the South and North poles, using only a watch, compass and sextant as his guides. Now the world adventurer is making San Diego his base as he pursues a new challenge. He plans to circumnavigate the Americas in a sailboat. One leg of his journey will include the Northwest Passage through the Arctic islands of Canada. Swan's 883-mile trek with a group to the South Pole in 1986 was inspired by explorer Robert Falcon Scott's 1911-12 Antarctic quest. In 1989, Swan and companions walked to the North Pole. He subsequently led a cleanup expedition to Antarctica that collected 1,000 tons of debris littering its fragile landscape. Now Swan is scheming to make the record books again and draw attention to global warming. The first successful navigation of the Northwest Passage was documented in 1906, a journey that took three years. A century later, Swan expects to sail the same route in only three months, a period he says would not be possible but for the effect of global warming and the melting of Arctic ice. The entire trip will take 10 months. He hopes to set out in May 2006, sailing from San Diego. - Union-Tribune, http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/bell/20050804-9999-7m4bell.html SWAN 601 LANDS IN U.S. - RACE AND RELAX The latest in high performance sailing from Nautor's Swan has arrived. The Swan 601 made headlines as Class A winner at the Rolex Swan American Regatta, and is turning heads as the new standard in luxury cruising yachts. The 601 embodies Nautor's Swan's vision of a yacht that satisfies the most competitive sailor who also demands the finest in quality and beauty. No need for both a stripped-out race machine and a comfortable tender, the owner-driven Swan 601 offers the best of both worlds: unmatched racing and uncompromised cruising delivered with unparalleled craftsmanship. See for yourself - http://www.nautorswan.com GOING TO TURKEY US Sailing has announced the members of its World University Games Team. The four-member Sailing Team from the U.S. and a coach will travel to Izmir, Turkey, for the World University Games which will be held August 11-21. The U.S. will be represented by a total of four sailors in two Olympic classes: two competitors each in the Laser and the Laser Radial. The four sailors named to the 2005 U.S. World University Games Team - Sailing are Andrew Campbell (San Diego, Calif.); Anna Tunnicliffe (Norfolk, Va.); Brendan Fahey (Kingston, Wash.); and Jennifer Gervais (Charleston, S.C.). The Team will be accompanied by coach Gary Bodie, US Sailing's High Performance Director and Head Coach of the US Sailing Team. Organized every two years by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the World University Games bring together thousands of top-level collegiate athletes from around the world to compete in at least 10 sports (the number of sports fluctuates every Games). This year, 15 sports will participate in the Games, marking the second time that sailing is part of the Summer World University Games since FISU organized the first Games in 1959. USA sailors won a bronze medal at the 1998 Summer World University Games when they were held in Palma, Spain. -- www.ussailing.org/olympics/2005WUG/team.htm SLOOOOOOW In the Celtic Sea there were mirror-flat seas, patches of fog, fitful squirts of breeze and painfully slow progress for the 281 remaining entries in the Fastnet Race yesterday. Fewer than 20 of them had rounded the rock off the south-west of Ireland by late (Tuesday) afternoon as they then began the 250-mile trickle back to the finish in Plymouth in just six knots of southerly breeze. While the New Zealand 100-footer Maximus led its Australian rival Wild Thing by nearly six hours at the turning point, it was the Irish 52-footer Patches that was leading on handicap. "It's all very slow," said the principal helmsman Shirley Robertson, despite holding an hour and 25-minute lead over their main rivals, Jez Fanstone and Jeremy Robinson in Aera. In the Open 60s, Mike Sanderson and Emma Richards in Pindar kept the pressure on their rivals. They were first of their class to round, 19 minutes ahead of Jean-Pierre Dick in Virbac, but Bernard Stamm in Cheminées Poujoulat was breathing down their necks. -- Stuart Alexander, The Independent, full story: http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/article304923.ece NEWS BRIEFS * Stage 2 of the Swedish Match Tour, the Danish Open, kicks off Thursday in Skovshoved, Denmark. Hosted by the Royal Match Race Center in Skovshoved, the 9th annual Danish Open features 12 teams competing in DS 37s for approximately $62,000 in prize money. The field is headlined by America's Cup Class helmsmen s Jesper Bank (GER), United Internet Team Germany, Dean Barker (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand, Gavin Brady (NZL), BMW Oracle Racing, Jesper Radich (DEN), Desafío Español, and Jochen Schümann (GER), Alinghi. Overall there will be 10 America's Cup teams racing plus a qualifier and a wild card entry. -- www.swedishmatchtour.com * 21 18' Skiffs from every corner of Europe are set to descend on Lake Garda for the 4th round of the 2005 European Grand Prix making this the second largest Skiff gathering in the World this year following the JJ Worlds in Sydney in February. The 21 teams represent 10 nations across Europe and Oz. There is no North American entry in this event. *Just a month after the terrorist outrage in London the country has united with the simple saying "We are not afraid". Last week at Cowes week Charles Dunstones maxi sled sported the familiar logo "We are not afraid" which all of the sailors would agree with. Dunstone's yacht racing at Cowes Week and wearing the anti-terrorism logo which is springing up everywhere. -- Yachting Universe, http://tinyurl.com/dxy4x, We are not afraid website: http://www.werenotafraid.com/ * The International Lightning Class Association Women's, Juniors' and Masters' North American Championships were held at the Milwaukee Yacht Club, August 2-5, 2005. Masters Champion: Ric Larson, Eric Larson, Michael Elmergreen; Masters Runner-Up: William Hofmeister, Mandy Hofmeister, Bruce Richards; Women: Sarah Buckley, Christina Norris, Betsy Alison; Women's Runner-Up: Jody Swanson, Jpy MacDonald, Lauren Jones; Junior: John Newell, Jamie Moran, Joe Raite; Juniors' Runner-Up: Billy Healy, Conor Healy, Emily Maloney. Complete results at http://www.lightningclass.org/Results/results05/wjmhappening.htm * Split, Croatia - After five races in the 82-boat Women's Division of the Laser Radial European Championship, the USA's Paige Railey has a 1-1-(2)-1-1 series and a three point lead over Sari Multia (FIN). http://www.euroradial2005.com * Andreas Geritzer (AUT ) leads Brazilian Robert Scheidt by three points after four races in the Laser European Championships in Murcia, Spain. Only five points separate the top four boats with Tom Slingsby (AUS) in third one point ahead of Aron Lolic (CRO). Andrew Campbell is the top North American in 19th place of this 129 boat regatta. -- http://www.europeanlaser2005.com/ * 73 Sailors from 24 countries are racing in the Finn European Championship in Kalmar Sweden. Ben Ainslie has already taken command by winning both races in rainy and medium wind conditions on Tuesday. Marin Misura (CRO) is second overall with 10 points while American Junior sailor Zach Railey is the 3rd Junior in 28th place. -- http://www.eurofinn2005.org/ * After three races, just two points separate the top four boats at the Tornado European Cahampionships in Västervik, Sweden. American's John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree are two points off the pace in fourth place behind Roman Hagara/ Hans Peter Steinacher (Aut) , Darren Bundock/ Aaron Worrall (AUS) and Andrey Kirilyuk/ Valery Ushkov (RUS) who all have 29 points. http://www.multihullsweden.com/results.htm * The Buccaneer North Americans concluded on Friday with Ryan and Jennifer Flack of Chicago convincingly repeating as Champions. The Flacks scored eleven bullets in fifteen races over four days in the whole range of sailing conditions from drifter to heavy air. The Class is experiencing resurgence in membership and racing. Designed in 1968, with over 5000 boats in production, the 18 foot Buccaneer is an enduringly modern dinghy, now built by Nickels Boatworks. Hosted by Malletts Bay Boat Club, on Lake Champlain, VT, 31 boats from as much as 2000 miles away matched the Buccaneer Class record set in 2004. -- http://www.buccaneer18.org/bnac2005/index.asp * The Morgan Cup regatta, considered by many to be the national keelboat team racing championship, was won by host New York YC over Seawanhaka Corinthian YC in a tie breaker. The two-day, round-robin regatta was sailed in the New York YC's dedicated, team racing Sonar fleet at the club's Newport, RI facility. Clubs were invited by resume and included Larchmont YC, Southern YC and Yale Corinthian YC. Participants included an America's Cup winner, a current U.S. Youth Sailing Champion, rules experts, Olympic sailors and multiple Hinman, Wilson and Collegiate All-Americans champions. Results at: http://nyyc.org/index.cfm?content=sailingevents_details&eventid=85 * The Alpine Bank Dillon Open Regatta -- "The World's Highest Regatta" -- drew 110 boats from over 20 states and three different countries. Ten different one-design fleets , and two PHRF fleets competed on two separate courses in the two-day regatta with winds that blew 20 to 25 knots on Saturday with light winds on Sunday.. 2005 marked the 32nd running of the Dillon Open Regatta and is hosted by the nation's highest yacht club, the Dillon Yacht Club at 9,017' above sea level on beautiful Lake Dillon. -- http://www.dillonopen.com/ RACE FOR A CURE New England Ropes is a proud sponsor of the Leukemia Cup Regatta to be held in Bristol, RI on August 19-20. The regatta, just one of many held across the country, aims to raise both awareness and much needed funds for the fight against Leukemia and other blood cancers. For more information about the Leukemia Cup Regatta, visit http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/regatta/hm_reg or contact the RI Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at 401-943-8888. For more information on New England Ropes, visit http://www.neropes.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is neither a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And please save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere.) * From Richard Goldsmith. Excellent to hear that two highly respected members of SINS (Société Internationale De L'Scribler Nautique ) -- Bob Fisher and Rob Mundle -- have been included in the America's Cup Hall of Fame selection committee. We all look forward to the sensible long overdue nomination of Ben Lexcan. I like many past America's Cup crewmen and women find this a stain on the legacy of sportsmanship and friendship, that we crews of Defenders and Challengers have always maintained and enjoyed. Should this nomination fail to materialize, then the time has come for the Guardians of the Deed of Gift to look into the continuation of any permission or Licence granted that allow the use of the words, title and logo of "America's Cup" in this hall of shame. Congratulations to Simon Le Bon and crew of "Drum" for getting back on the horse that bucked them in 1985 and sailing the Fastnet. I'm sure all the crew will have toasted the crew of "Carat" that stood by them and the HM Coastguard Culdrose helicopter crew that plucked them out of the water as darkness fell. When "Nirvana and Atlantic Privateer" finished 36 hours later, breaking the 1979 Record, their on the dock at Plymouth were 'Chas from Tas' and 3 other Drum crew still in wetgear (all they had left), with Sir Robin Knox Johnson and the Late Eric Tablay. That is the friendship and camaraderie that our sport engenders and that 'those who don't go down to the sea in ships' fail to understand or lucky are enough to enjoy. * From Rob Mundle: What is the difference between a yachting journalist and a shopping trolley? You can fit more food and drink into a yachting journalist! * From John C. Powers: I just read the Storm Trysail Club draft concerning "Rendering Assistance". Why is it necessary to formalize a set of guidelines for something that is just plain common sense? Safety on the water and respect for the water are the first things taught in any sailing or boating class. It's fundamental! If competitors on any racecourse are more concerned with their racing than saving a life they should be thrown out. End of discussion! Racing is secondary, safety of your crew, other crews, and anyone else on the water (racing or not) should be your main concern. The ISAF 2005-2008 Rules very appropriately address this issue in Rule 1 (1.1). The rule is very clear - "shall give all possible help." It doesn't say "maybe", or, "if possible" -- it says shall! Paul Elvstrom's explanation of 1.1 is also very clear, and very short (2 sentences, 41 words). ISAF interpretation of 1.1 (Page 197 of Elvstrom's book) is equally clear and concise. There is no need for a "Prescription" or "Recommendation" to complicate a very simple rule. Read the Rules, sail by the Rules, Enforce the Rules! * From Sara Makielski: How cool to see my brother's name listed in your newsletter when you reported the Thistle Nationals' results. Congrats Mark Makielski! He and Ashley and Bruce King finished second. Sailing is a team sport. It's impossible to win without a top notch crew. The crew is as important as the one holding the stick. Sometimes those of us that drive forget that … and thanks Mark for teaching me how to sail. * From Jon Alvord: Hmm, look closely at the Sharon Green's photos of the Waikiki Offshore Series in the Butt photo gallery and you will see that nobody on any of the photo's is wearing life preservers. With a caption "High wind and Big Sea's" I would think they would be -- my crew sure would be! http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/05/wos/ * From Walter I. Bostwick: Another reason reaching legs went out of favor in mixed class handicap racing was the advent of the bow-pole boats. The nostril pole boats found the reaching legs an ideal way to maximize speed to handicap ratio. Many times the inclusion of an old style Olympic course would pretty much guarantee a Melges or J-sprit boat would collect corrected honors. The windward leewards make them work to figure out the best angles. But it you have enough boats to split the boats into type-classes, it is still the most fun to blast along on a reach. * From Manfred C. Schreiber: Reaching vs. Running. An interesting discussion and very difficult to make up the mind. Before the weekend and after reading all those informative letters I tended to agree on reaching vs. running legs. Having raced in a singlehand dinghy over the weekend and rounding the first weather mark in the top three and running eeeh, reaching away from the pack I found myself affirnmed. Not making a top position in the next race on the first weather mark and seeing the top boats blast away from me with a gust without giving me any chance to recover I thought twice. Up and down had been installed to make the racing for us competitors (isn´t that what is important) more exciting. Giving us more passing lanes and that really is the case. I have done many Kiel Weeks with the odd two triangles but always found them to be a procession, whilst the up and downs brought new possibilities. Both in one-design dinghies and IMS keelboats. I do hope that all the pro reaching contributors are taking their view from the middle of the pack and not from the rocking chair and good ol´ memories of reaching into the sun... * From Derek Bouwer: Triangular courses will always be with us, but the only time where a tactical decision as to which side of the course is quickest can be made is on the beats. With windward- leeward courses you can make this decision on both the beats and the runs. A triangular course takes this decision away from you. My feeling is that a lot of sailors like this option because it's one less decision to get wrong. Understanding to reach which every side of the course you choose is always faster than a dead downward run! * From Ray Tostado: Am I a conspiracy minded person? This current suggestion for the return of major racing, using reach courses seems to compliment the weak points of the current mass market "sprit boats". Reaching only favors waterline. Curmudgeon's Comment: Enough - this thread is now officially dead. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job. |
