|
SCUTTLEBUTT No. 807 - May 3, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome.
ADMIRAL'S CUP So start the Admiral's Cup with an 18-20 hour Channel Race on Saturday. Then follow it with five days of inshore racing as a Cowes Week class, with a mix of committee boat and starts off the Squadron, and finish with a prize-giving just before the fireworks on the Friday. Those who want to do the Fastnet can compete in it as a separate race. And if lots do, then you might take a view on reintroducing it to the Admiral's Cup, but I think it's crucial in the first instance to keep the regatta length to no more than a week. And the boats? Right now you'd probably pick two Farr 40s and a Mumm 30 for a three boat team. But it would be smart to wait and see what people are racing a year before the next event, and then choose those boats. In the past the Admiral's Cup has had the power to drive yachting development, to start classes and maintain them. Not any longer - the dog's now wagging the tail, and the ACMC had better get used to the idea. - Mark Chisnell, madforsailing website Full story: www.madforsailing.com
LEWMAR CARBON FIBER WINCH HANDLE
AMERICA'S CUP The British Olympic gold medallist was one of a number of high-profile recruitments, including Australian skipper Peter Gilmour. Some signing fees were believed to be as high as £140,000, coupled with £188,000 salaries. But setbacks in technology stocks in the United States have hit Craig McCaw, the team's backer, hard. The telecommunications magnate has a £4.3 billion fortune but, after spending £21 million already, is looking for sponsorship and investment to make up the challenge's funding shortfall. Despite rumours that OneWorld were being shut down, Ainslie is back in Seattle. He said: "OneWorld are still together and looking forward to competing in the Louis Vuitton challenger trials." - Tim Jeffery, Daily Telegraph, UK sport.telegraph.co.uk
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON * From Sailing World editor John Burnham: Peter Chandler's response to my editorial in the May issue of Sailing World accurately quoted what I wrote about the average age of racing sailors increasing and their interest in a shower, drink, food and a bed at the end of the day. But he apparently missed the part that read, "Many people still like racing to Halifax, Mackinac or Mexico, but don't have time for more than one distance race a year." I agree with Mr. Chandler that well-organized distance races have an important place for many sailors; my point was that few sailors have time or inclination to compete in a whole series of distance races under a format like the old SORC or the Admiral's Cup. Especially those who while racing are likely to partake of "superb beef tenderloin and a fine vintage while bouncing through the Gulf Stream." * From Richard du Moulin: As I follow the various debates on rules, drug testing, etc, and read the opinions of knowledgable friends like Peter Lawson and Robbie Doyle, it dawned on me that before any changes of racing rules, procedures, or policies, the governing bodies in our complicated sport should post a "Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" on Scuttlebutt. Within two weeks, the inputs from participants in the sport would help the governing bodies modify these changes for the better, and the participants would have more buy-in for the final output. Perhaps Scuttlebutt could set up a poll where responders could vote for/against a proposal, and offer specific amendments?? * From Eric Wallischeck President, Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound: I was disturbed that you broke your own rule against "personal attacks" by printing Tim Rossi's letter in 'Butt 806. I don't know Mr. Rossi, so I can't assess his credibility. However, I do know that his tenure at US SAILING was short-lived. Consequently, I don't think he has the experience to bring anything particularly useful to the discussion, and his acerbic comments don't merit any space on these e-pages. There's plenty of US Sailing bashing going on, some deserved, some not. But, I'd rather read the comments from experienced sailors and US Sailing veterans than those from a disillusioned former employee. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: You're absolutely right. That letter never should have been published. * From Rick Hatch: I take it Mr. Rossi didn't receive the severance package from the Portsmouth office he felt he was so deserving of. As a race management volunteer for two MNA's, I must say I really appreciate being referred to as an elitist snob by somebody I've never met. Would it be conceivable that Mr. Rossi has opinions about any other organizations? On a separate matter: Thank you, Peter Harken, for your insightful, erudite letter about PWC's in the National Parks. No visitor to Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton or any other National Park should ever have to suffer even one yahoo buzzing around on a PWC (or, for that matter, an ATV) in such an otherwise magnificent environment oblivious to every other living thing around them. Limit the owners of PWC's to their use in places where people of their own kind can use them for target practice out of season. * From Michele R. Zinn: I second Peter Harkin's suggestion to voice opposition to allowing PWCs in the National Parks. To facilitate expressing your opinion to Ms. Norton, her email address is gale_norton@ios.doi.gov * From Dick Lemke: Peter Harken and others ought to be reminded that a 2 cycle engine in a PWC is just a short step away from a two cycle, four cycle, or a "dirty diesel" in a sailboat! How long before those too are "exempted" from sailing along coastal waters, marine preserves, etc.? What about all of those noisy, ratchet action blocks that are heard while sailing, what about the noise from too loud stereo systems at a North Channel evening anchorage, and what about all of those high-speed, almost out of control ice boats that terrorize ice fishermen and other winter sports persons? Shouldn't they be considered for a ban as well? I doubt that PWCs spew as much garbage on our waterways as do sailboats, fishing boats or recreational craft. There just isn't room to carry a lot of junk to be tossed into the water. * From Chris Ericksen: I am proud to know and have sailed against Mark Reynolds in Stars. I am just as proud that he has chosen to sail on the Olympic level and had the chance to congratulate him on his latest Gold Medal; in no other sport do the rank-and-file have the access to these elite sailors as we do in sailing. I further deplore that the pressures to excel at those levels have driven some unscrupulous competitors to resort to performance-enhancing drugs and to the officials of those events to test for these drugs. But I have consciously chosen not to compete at that level and in those events (not that I am qualified to do so). And I resent being held to the same standard of drug-testing at the level and in the events in which I choose to compete that the elite racers agree to in order that they may compete at that level and in those events in which they choose to compete. Perhaps it is time, as another 'Butthead (not one of the "lunatic fringe") suggested, to set up a separate level of organization for the elite Olympic and Grand Prix sailors. Maybe then US Sailing will become the organization that supports the needs of the majority of sailors and not spend an inordinate amount if its time and efforts in meeting the needs of the elite. I have and will continue to contribute to the efforts of Olympians, but I will then have an organization that supports my needs and efforts. * From Scott Mason: I agree whole-heartedly with Mark Reynolds. Olympic athletes have used banned substances to win in many sports. Clean competitors have been disadvantaged. The IOC, ISAF, US Sailing and USADA have had to respond to these actions to save the integrity of sport. An unfortunate but necessary result is testing. We all make choices. If we choose to compete in an event where testing may occur, and we fail the test, we suffer the consequence. Too bad, it was our choice. The whining commentary that the weekend warrior will be kicked out of sailing for holding a beer is unrealistic. Let's spend the time being part of the solution, not magnifying the problem. Drug use is a huge problem, both performance enhancing and mind-altering. I don't want my kids to use either, and if testing is a way to reduce drug usage, so be it. Let's kill the whining thread and give the Curmudgeon some ideas that our governing bodies can use to solve a very important issue. * From George Bailey: Face it, sportsmanship is dead everywhere, in just about every sport, except some sailboat racing and, perhaps, lawn bowling. The winner of a recent around-the-world-race said in print that the high point for him in the race was when the other guy's boat broke. Clearly, sportsmanship is not something he is into. (And he is a role model for our kids.) I am not saying he would cheat, just that he is a bad sport. But cheating is the norm in all big-time sports popular in the US. Hal Smith suggests that "US Sailing and others need to begin now with an intense effort" to get the "its OK if you don't get caught" attitude out of sailing. This is exactly what will not work. Big Brother cannot make us moral, and always makes things worse by trying. Only we can make ourselves moral. This has to be an individual, grass roots thing. Only if individuals at the grass roots level set the tone for participating in sailboat racing by beleiving in an practicing good sportsmanship will we keep our sport from continuing in the direction of all others. If we percieve that "if you can get away with it" is becoming the norm in some race circuits, we should refuse to participate and otherwise snub the cheaters. * From Ray Tostado: I find it amusing at this age of yachting's youth entry decline that so much verbiage is put forth about how to control personal (private) behavior amongst the ranks. Is this an appeal in disguise to attract youth? During my active 20 year racing tenure, I knew very well of the excesses and personal habits of the racing fraternity, from owners to crew folk. I don't recall any significant event of personal conduct stemming from the ingestion of controversial substances, apart from overt drunkenness, that may have injured or caused physical damage, or reduced the competitiveness of a racing vessel. As a lifetime drug free individual I have never felt inclined to charge those who did engage in such as being inferior nor superlative performers. It was just the whiskey of their choice. If it is the goal of this current trend to clean up the sport then perhaps they should lean more on the flagrant protest meeting liars, rating cheaters, and truly unsportsmanlike buffoons I see on the race course today. On a purely personal basis, their conduct turns me off from racing; much more than knowing that someone ingested illegal trash into their blood stream. I just keep recalling the submissive conduct of a drug influenced crewmember of mine who did a superlative job on the foredeck that day, upon comparison to the loud and boisterous drunk at the next table. Performance enhancement? Where an enhancer might make a difference lay amongst 3% of the racing fraternity.
BOAT PREPARATION - by Dean Brenner I like to think about boat preparation in three steps for each part of the boat: cleaning, inspecting, and preparing.
Mast Maintenance: Make sure you take care of places where a topping lift or a spinnaker can get caught. Specifically, we always ran a small piece of shock chord between the lowers near the top of the shrouds so that nothing could get wedged in between the lower and the mast. I would also consider putting some rigging tape across the front of the mast between the spreaders, to cover up the gaps between the spreaders and the mast. Make sure your spreaders are in the mast firmly, and that they're even in height. You don't want them working loose or swinging even the least bit. Make sure your masthead wind indicator is fixed securely. This is an expensive piece of gear to be replacing often. - Dean Brenner. www.sailnet.com
HALL SPARS & RIGGING IS HIRING
DRIVERS WANTED
CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS
HOT IMAGES * Photos from American Yacht Club Spring Series are now online: www.regattaphotos.com
WEIGHT WATCHING 1. Rinse all buoyancy tanks and internal areas with fresh water. Rinse, purge, rinse again. Then allow to dry.
2. Drying techniques... 3. Remove old fittings - and don't replace them if you don't use them anymore! Get imaginitive. Do you need shackles everywhere or can you do what the skiffs (from 12 to 60feet!) do and replace them with spectra strops. How about the transom flaps - do they work or can you tape them over instead... Try and think safety too tho'! 4. Cut down rope tails to the shortest you can get away with. Soggy sheets and control lines weigh a ton. - By Penfold, Boat Magic website Full story: www.boatmagic.com
THE CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL |
