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SCUTTLEBUTT 2739 - Monday, December 8, 2008Scuttlebutt 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 UK-Halsey Sailmakers, Ultimate Sailing, and LaserPerformance. ISAF ENDORSES KITEBOARDS FOR OUTRIGHT RECORD It came as a shock when the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC) announced on November 20th, 2008 that the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) had decided at their 2008 Annual Meeting in November that a kite-powered craft could not be recognized as the holder of the outright world sailing speed record. Considering that in October, three kiteboarders had eclipsed the mythical 50 knot barrier, with their speeds endorsed then by WSSRC as the outright records, this ISAF ruling caught the kiteboard community off guard. What followed was extensive debate, and now a reversal from ISAF with the December 7, 2008 announcement that they will now support a decision by the WSSRC to ratify a claim for the Outright World Sailing Speed Record by a Kite-board. In accordance with this, the WSSRC announced the ratification of a new World Record: Record: Outright World Sailing Speed Record. Board: Fone Prototype Speed. Fone Bandit Dos Speed 7sq m kite. Name: Alexandre Caizergues. FRA Date: 4th October 2008 Start time: 15:35:00.84 Finish time: 15:35:20.06 Elapsed time: 19.22 Distance: 501 m Current: 0.1 kts Average speed: 50.57 kts Venue: Luderitz, Namibia Previous record: 2008. Sebastien Cattelan. 50.26 kts WSSRC website: http://www.sailspeedrecords.com NO EXCUSES FOR THE NEXT LEG (Dec. 7, 2008) For the members of the PUMA sailing crew assigned to boat repair, they earned their merit badges on the second leg to Cochin, India, twice dealing with potentially race-ending structural damage. How is the boat now? Kenny Read, PUMA skipper replied, “The boat will be 100%. That is for sure. We have had five additional boat builders and two engineers join us for this stopover. The plan was already in place while we were still on the last leg to replace the forward stringers, and they were actually constructed prior to us even finishing the leg. Made in pre preg, they are a very small weight hit so the competitiveness of the boat shouldn't be compromised. “The main longitudinal frame aft of the keel and the structural halyard tunnels have also been properly repaired by the shore team and again will be 100%. Besides the fix, just about all of the longitudinal frames in the boat are being strengthened. Again, the beauty of carbon allows a lot of strength to be thrown at a potential problem with a very small weight hit. “The sailing team is off now, elephant racing, taking canal tours, or whatever you do in India. Wild place. Tons of visitors to the Race village. This race has produced quite a stir here in India. Very cool to see. Every time I walk past the PUMA store there is a line out front to get in! That is a very good sign. Bottom line, we are going to be good to go by the middle of this week, with no excuses for the next leg, with hopefully all of our bad luck now behind us.” -- http://pumaoceanracing.com Leg Three from Cochin to Singapore is 1,950 nm, begins December 13th with the finish estimated on December 23rd. Current standings after Leg Two of the ten leg event: 1. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 26 points 2. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 19 points 3. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 18 points 4. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 16 points 5. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Anders Lewander/SWE, 14.5 points 6. Telefonica Black (ESP), F. Echavarri/ESP, 13.5 points 7. Delta Lloyd (IRL), Roberto Bermudez/ESP, 7.5 points 8. Team Russia (RUS), Andreas Hanakamp/AUT, 7.5 points Overall scores: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/#tab4 Race tracking: http://volvooceanrace.geovoile.com Race website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org YOUR MEMBERSHIP INVITATION Joining The Rules Group is like having your own sea lawyer on retainer. In addition to receiving (by download) a revised and highly enhanced version of UK-Halsey’s Flash animated Rules Quizzes (reworked to cover new 2009 racing rules), which now can play full-screen, you’ll get automatic updates, tactical advice, analysis of Appeals (bound to be numerous with so many rules changes), members-only blog with Rob Overton, Butch Ulmer, Peter Reggio, Bryan Willis and other international experts, plus answers to individual and group questions, and video clips from rules seminars. Membership just $55/year: a no-brainer. Info and signup at http://www.ukhalsey.com IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU LIKE CHERRIES. by Matt Gregory, Delta Lloyd navigator Today I was walking through the Volvo Ocean Race Village on my way from our base to the race headquarters for a meeting. While wearing my 'MBA hat', I was thinking about why this stopover has been so overwhelmingly popular. This sort of enthusiasm is common for the Volvo Ocean Race in Europe where the race is followed intensely. However, consider that these fans are not sailors. They know absolutely nothing about sailing nor anything about the history of the race. I asked myself "why are they all of these people here if they are not sailing fans?" I've figured it out. Strangely, this stopover reminded me a lot of the Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. If you either live or vacation in northern Michigan, the Cherry festival is a 'must attend' summer event. It doesn't matter if you grow, pick, sell, bake, or for that matter, even like cherries, you'd still go to the festival as a highlight of the summer season. Volvo has managed to not only capture the adventurous imagination of the local people of Cochin, but they've also turned this stopover into a 'must attend' event for the local people. 'Bravo' Volvo....this is exactly where the future of the 'professional' end of our sport needs to head. -- SAIL, read on: http://SAIL120708.notlong.com ONE MONTH IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN (Dec, 7, 2008; Day 28) - Forget the fact that the Vendee Globe fleet is solo and aboard Open 60s, arguably the most extreme distance class of boat possible. Get your head around this update by Brian Thomson aboard Bahrain Team Pindar: “Out here its business as usual, 35 knots (of wind), downwind, drizzling and with the boat leaping around like a rodeo bull as we go over and through the waves, going around the Antarctic and heading for Cape Horn, 11,000 miles away. There is a month to go in the Southern Ocean - a downwind race the whole way there till we turn the corner back into the Atlantic again.” The leaders have crossed the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope (under the African continent), heading east with fifty miles of leverage between the sides of the course, jibing back and forth, sailing in what Brian refers to as “the most challenging and unique sailing conditions in the world, big waves, storms, and cold waters. It’s what makes this race, the Vendee Globe, the toughest in the world and the Mount Everest for solo sailors.” -- Race tracking: http://tracking.vendeeglobe.org/en Solo, non-stop, around the world race in Open 60s. Standings as of 18:30 UTC (Top 5 plus of 30 entrants): 1. Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), Paprec-Virbac 2, 16876.4 nm Distance to finish 2. Sébastien Josse (FRA), BT, 29.0 nm Distance to leader 3. Roland Jourdain (FRA), Veolia Environnement, 42.7 nm DTL 4. Loïck Peyron (FRA), Gitana Eighty, 51.1 nm DTL 5. Mike Golding (GBR), Ecover, 57.9 nm DTL 14. Samantha Davies (GBR), Roxy, 580.8 nm DTL 16. Dee Caffari (GBR), Aviva, 736.9 nm DTL 20. Rich Wilson (USA), Great American III, 1093.4 nm DTL 22. Derek Hatfield (CAN), Algimouss Spirit of Canada, 1477.8 nm DTL Complete standings: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ranking.html Event website: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ * Unai Bazurko aboard Pakea Bizkaia has dropped out with damage to his starboard rudder cassette, leaving 24 of the original 30 entrants still competing. GILMOUR WINS THE BATTLE - WILLIAMS WINS THE WAR Terengganu, Malaysia (Dec. 7, 2008) - The Monsoon Cup was the final event of the World Match Race Tour, and while Peter Gilmour won the battle by winning the event, Ian Williams has won the war of the tour, claiming the World Championship title for a second straight year. For Gilmour, after several months of leading the Monsoon Cup event management team, he then had to turn around and focus his energies on the competition. For Williams, it was a matter of holding off rivals Sebastien Col and Mathieu Richard for the tour crown. While Paolo Cian advanced as the top seed from the round robin, he was dispatched by Adam Minoprio in the quarterfinals, with Col and Richard also getting eliminated in this round. When Williams advanced to the semifinals with Torvar Mirsky, Minoprio, and Gilmour, the tour crown was his, but he would fall short of also defending his Monsoon Cup title when he was defeated by Minoprio in the semis. Gilmour’s return to the title that he last held in 2005 took him straight through the rising youth on the circuit, but age and treachery endured, with Gilmour beating the 22 year-old Mirsky 3-0 in the semis and the 23 year-old Minoprio 3-1 in the finals. -- Wrap-up report: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/da/91837 Monsoon Cup - Final Standings 1. Peter Gilmour (AUS), Yanmar Racing 2. Adam Minoprio (NZL), BlackMatch/ETNZ 3. Torvar Mirsky (AUS), Mirsky Racing 4. Ian Williams (GBR), Bahrain Team Pindar 5. Paolo Cian (ITA), Shosholoza 6. Sebastien Col (FRA), French Team/K-Challenge 7. Magnus Holmberg (SWE), Victory Challenge 8. Mathieu Richard (FRA), French Team/Team French Spirit 9. Ben Ainslie (GBR), Team Origin 10. Keith Swinton (AUS), Black Swan Racing 11. Johnie Berntsson (SWE), Bertsson Sailing Team 12. Nurul Ain bt Md Isa (MAS), Perak Sailing Team Results and flight schedules: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/da/91616 Video highlights: http://www.sail.tv/?cid=708 LAST CALL TO BE THE ULTIMATE GIFT GIVER Gotta get it on Santa's sleigh! Order by December 15th to ensure Christmas delivery of the 2009 Ultimate Sailing Calendar by Sharon Green. For additional ideas, we offer many fantastic gifts. New for 2009 are awesome soft-shell jackets, cool vests, moisture wicking hydro-zip T’s-- ultimate gear for the Ultimate Sailor. All can be yours with the click of a mouse. Go to http://www.ultimatesailing.com US FINN ASSOCIATION SAILOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM The US Finn Association is launching a development program designed to introduce single-handed sailors under the age of 21 to the Finn and international competition. Selected sailors will be provided a Finn for one year at a nominal cost, access to US Sailing and Finn class training camps, shared coaching and reduced transportation costs to international events. Similar to the US SAILING “Pipeline” program announced in November, this program introduces top junior and collegiate sailors to Olympic development sailing, and is particularly well suited to 85 kg plus sailors who wish to compete in single-handed Olympic class sailing. One sailor will be selected for 2009, with the class aiming to seek additional financial resources so as to expand the program in subsequent years. Selection will be by resume, and the selected sailor will be expected to compete in all major US regattas and training camps, as well as some international events. The selected sailor will work closely with 2008 Silver Medalist Zach Railey and US Sailing High Performance Coach Kenneth Andreasen. -- Full details: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6753 QUOTE / UNQUOTE Rules expert and author Dave Perry on his "perversion" with the Racing Rules of Sailing: “The rules create the game. They tell each boat what it can and cannot do when boats come together. The clearer someone knows the rules, the clearer they will see the game and can play it at a higher level. I am a game player, and knowing the rules allows me to play the game at a high level. In match racing, as in team racing, each boat is constantly attacking their opponent or defending itself, so it is even more crucial and beneficial to know the rules in those disciplines.” CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (Dec. 7, 2008) - The first Annual ISAF Grade 2 Carlos Aguilar Match Race Championship resulted in St. Thomas' Taylor Canfield winning the Men's Division and Texas native Genny Tulloch taking the Women’s Division. Said 19-year-old Canfield, "I've done a fair amount of match racing this past year and this win is an incentive for me to keep going.," Noted Tulloch, "In many match races you're just concentrating on your opponent. At this event, we also had to focus on the constantly shifting winds which made it really challenging and fun." -- Daily reports: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6619 * Ft Lauderdale, FL (Dec. 7, 2008) - The Melges 32 class commenced their Midwinter Championship Series this weekend with the 2008 Melges 32 Gold Cup Regatta, the first of three events that comprise the series. Marty Kullman/ Mike Carroll aboard New Wave won the twenty boat event, with the Midwinter Championship Series continuing on in 2009 with Acura Key West on January 19-23, followed by the Miami Grand Prix on March 5-8. - Gold Cup daily reports, photo gallery, and video: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6761 * (Dec. 7, 2008) - Frenchman Thomas Coville’s attempt to set a new solo round the world record aboard the 105-foot maxi-trimaran Sodeb’O has not been blessed with ideal weather, and now he finds himself 1179 nm behind record holder Francis Joyon’s pace. However, as Coville seeks to make up ground, Sunday evening he beat the single-handed 24 hour distance record on a multihull with a total distance of 620.80 miles covered at the average speed of 25.87 knots (record not yet ratified). -- http://www.sodebo-voile.com * Sailing World's College Rankings as of December 5, 2008 finds St. Mary's and Georgetown take over the top spots in, respectively, the Coed and Women's rankings. Full update at http://SW120708.notlong.com * The 2009 International Rolex Regatta, hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club with racing scheduled for Friday, March 27, through Sunday March 29, is lowering entry fees by 25% and offering IRC boats free dockage at two island marinas. The 25% cut equates to a $100 discount for boats sailing IRC, CSA and One-Design, and $50 off for beach cats. Organizers also are standing by to provide logistical assistance for owners and captains who are coming to the regatta. -- Complete report: http://www.regattanews.com/pressrelease.asp?pid=100002&lang=1 * Chicago Yacht Club has announced that it will offer a Double Handed Division in the 2009 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. Boats competing in the Double Handed Division will start on Saturday, July 18, 2009 along with boats in the Chicago-Mackinac Trophy Division, Mackinac Cup Division, and Multihull Division. Cruising Division entrants will start on the afternoon of Friday, July 17. -- Complete report: http://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/popup.cfm?content=viewthenews&thenewsid=8044 * Audi, which dropped out of the American Le Mans Series last week, has also pulled out of the troubled sailing project Team Germany that had been hoping to challenge in the America's Cup. The project's leader, former Olympic champion and Alinghi helmsman Jochen Schuemann, needs a sponsor to build a new boat. Team Germany's interim boat, the TP52 Platoon, has been sold. -- IHT, full story: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/12/07/sports/SAI-Americas-Cup-Audi.php BUG OUT! The Bug, a new youth trainer from LaserPerformance is taking the organized sailing scene by storm. SAIL voted it Best Boat < 25ft for 2009! Sailing Schools love the versatile, durable and safe design. Sailors love the performance handling and comfortable self-bailing hull! Check it out for yourself at: http://www.laserperformance.com CHANGES FOR CORK EVENTS IN 2009 Kingston (ONT) - The annual August CORK event format has been modified to include three major events, each with their own focus. The new format will provide appropriate challenges for the diverse fleets in each event. The change will allow for each event to be better aligned with the skill level and focus of the participants. Based on feedback from the Sailing Community, volunteers and partners, the Board of CORK/Sail Kingston has decided to modify the competition format as follows: August 19-22, 2009 - CORK International Event This event will focus Youth and Development classes, providing learning opportunities as well as excellent racing. Ontario Sailing is a partner in organizing the coaching aspect of the event. August 23-27, 2009 - CORK Olympic Classes Event (OCR) This event includes Olympic and invited development classes, focusing on high performance competition. The only two annual ISAF Grade 1 events in North America are Miami OCR and CORK Regatta for Laser and Radial. The Annual ISAF Ranking is important for Canadian sailors as it is used as a base to award participation spots at the ISAF Worlds. August 28-30, 2009 - Offshore and One Design Keelboat and Dinghy Classes This includes the traditional Offshore (PHRF) event, one design Keelboats, Able Sail and international dinghy classes. This event will feature enhanced social package, as the Blues Festival is on in Kingston at the same time and will provide excellent opportunities to enjoy the Kingston night life. -- Complete report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6667 EIGHT BELLS Word has come of the death of Murray Davis, SAIL magazine’s founding Editor and later founding Publisher of Cruising World. I can best sum up Murray’s contribution to SAIL’s beginning by repeating words from an article I wrote for our 25the anniversary issue in 1995: “Murray Davis was an Australian with gentle eyes who spoke in a quiet, self-deprecating way. With terribly limited resources (you can guess - no money) he pulled together a superb group of freelance writers: Eric Olsen, Warwick Tompkins, Patience Wales, Donnie McNamara, Norrie Hoyt and Don Street. It was not any accident that this crowd cared more about having a place to say something than the bucks; they disturbed the even keel of the sport. They argued about the rating rules, the racing rules, introduced Caribbean chartering, promoted the cruising lifestyle, and most important invited people to join our sailing fraternity. They just plain could see over the horizon. And when Murray got his arms around the layout and editing one of their articles he would solemnly pronounce, ‘I think it will work.’” It always did. -- Donald A. Macaulay, Ex Publisher, SAIL NEW R.I. TALL SHIP TO TEACH SAILING Newport, RI - This oceanside city of luxurious Gilded Age mansions has long been an epicenter of yachting, its waters plied by sleek luxury vessels and sailors in the America's Cup races. But the large jet-black hull berthed in a wharf here breaks from the leisure boat culture. The Oliver Hazard Perry - named for a Rhode Island-born commodore who routed a British fleet during the War of 1812 - is conceived as a "tall ship”, a loosely defined term generally applied to majestic-looking vessels with soaring masts that conjure an earlier era of sailing. Tall Ships Rhode Island, a Newport nonprofit, bought the roughly 140-foot-long steel hull in September from two Canadian businessmen with the goal of converting it by 2011 into a towering training ship that will serve as a floating sailing school for students and apprentice seamen. "The ship will never carry a passenger," said its director, Capt. Richard Bailey, who has sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. "It will carry only those who come aboard to learn." - The Oklahoman, read on: http://SButt120708.notlong.com CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION “Those are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others.” - Groucho Marx Special thanks to UK-Halsey Sailmakers, Ultimate Sailing, and LaserPerformance. Please give consideration to supporting the Scuttlebutt sponsors when making your holiday shopping decisions this year. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
