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SCUTTLEBUTT 3240 - Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Scuttlebutt 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.
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Today's sponsors: Doyle Sails and Ultimate Sailing.
VIEW FROM THE HELM
The World Yacht Racing Forum opened on Tuesday in Estoril, Portugal, where
organizations or individuals involved in the business and commercial side of
the yachting industry have gathered to share ideas. BMW ORACLE Racing
skipper James Spithill gave the Opening Keynote Speech in the Forum... here
is a copy of the speech:
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Good morning everyone and thanks for having me.
Before the coffee stops working and you guys gets too settled in your
comfortable seats, I will make a few observations about our sport.
Then we'll run a video with some great images with a taste of things to
come.
That is a future for the America's Cup that is full-on, dramatic and
addresses a question which I guess is relevant to all of us here.
We love our sport.
Many of us have grown up with sailing since childhood and it's more like a
way of life.
But that doesn't mean we can afford to take it for granted or miss an
opportunity to improve it, make more it approachable and more
understandable.
To be honest with you, I'd sign up for all three of those.
Naturally my focus is the America's Cup.
It's the most visible, the most talked-about and, to me, the most
challenging part of our sport. Nothing comes close to testing how good you
are at every single element in creating a winning Team effort, than an
Americas Cup Team.
Outsiders see it as sailing contest, design contest, management exercise.
Some of us know it as all of the above!
Controversy and the Cup never seem to be far apart. That was as true earlier
this year as it was back in 1851.
While we would be bored of a sport without its talking points or
controversies, we certainly don't want it plagued with uncertainty or delay.
If you have followed what has been said about the reforms being brought in
for the America's Cup you would see that they boil down to three key things.
First off, we need continuity. That's what independent management and good
disputes resolution procedures bring.
Secondly sustainability is vital. You might say that the Cup has survived on
the basis of a handful of rich people for 159 years. This might work for
some teams, though many owners seek sponsorship these days and everyone
wants to see returns that match the investments.
But it certainly doesn't work for the event which is much more dependent on
commercial partnerships.
If I tell you that the 32nd America's Cup in 2007 cost a quarter of billion
dollars to stage, you'll see why sustainability is imperative.
Thirdly, and crucially, we want more people turned-on by the America's Cup,
not just more sailors tuning in, but more non-sailors tuning in!
In my mind the most important part for the next AC is the TV. -- Read on:
http://tinyurl.com/BOR-121410
SAILING NEEDS THE 'NEXT' DENNIS CONNER
"Motorbike racing wouldn't reach such audiences without Valentino Rossi.
Skiing has lost a lot since Alberto Tomba stopped his career. Cycling would
be poor in the U.S. without Lance Armstrong..." observes Pau Serracanta, the
Managing Director of Dorna Sports SL, organisers of the Moto GP. And
sailing? "There are no big personalities in our sport," considers Mark
Turner, Executive Chairman, OC ThirdPole. "It's a matter of opportunity: you
can't manufacture them." A point of view Clifford Bloxham, Head of Athlete
Representation, Octagon doesn't share: his job is precisely to help build
those personalities. "It is critical for the success of an athlete and an
event to become a brand. The performance is key, but they also need to
develop their key values and know where they will be in twenty years time.
An athlete should develop his logo early on in his career, and have
long-term vision." -- World Yacht Racing Forum, full report:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/10/1214/
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BEN AINSLIE - MATCH RACING WORLD CHAMPION
Match racing is on the upswing. From the grass roots club level to the
Olympics, the level of awareness is growing. On the professional level, the
World Match Racing Tour provides a stage to earn prize money plus compete
for the ISAF Match Racing World Championship title.
Earlier this month, Ben Ainslie (GBR) and his TEAMORIGIN crew overcame long
odds to take the 2010 crown, adding to a treasure chest that already holds
his four Olympic medals. Here is the second part of a conversation Ben had
with Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck:
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* How far down in the 2010 Tour standings is the break even mark on expenses
vs. income?
BEN AINSLIE: It's hard to say as I don't know what sort of funding or
sponsorship most of the teams were receiving. If I had to guess I would say
5th. After you take out the expenses you need to be top 5 in most of the
regattas to be taking any money home.
* You dominated on the Tour in 2009, but finished third overall because you
did not sail in enough scoring events. Now the Tour wants to expand its
schedule. What are the pros and cons of this objective?
BEN AINSLIE: The positives of adding more events are an increased exposure
in the Tour and a greater opportunity for younger sailors to qualify and
race in these regattas. There is a danger that the quality of regattas will
go down as the Tour gets diluted and that is something which the WMRT will
have to look out for.
* There were five boats you had to master during the 2010 Tour. Did you have
any favorites?
BEN AINSLIE: They are heavy and slow turning, but that makes the match
racing element more interesting as you can't just spin your way out of
trouble. The DS37 and Foundation 36 are also very good boats for match
racing but they are possibly too maneuverable. The boats are not always that
even and as a team you have to be able to deal with that.
* It is the desire of the WMRT to trend toward bigger boats (38-48 feet) as
they expand the Tour. Is this a good idea?
BEN AINSLIE: Slightly bigger boats is not a bad move and will probably add
to the credibility of the racing. Bigger boats will mean bigger costs for
the events and the teams will also need to be larger in numbers.
* If a sailing club was looking to host a local match race event, can you
offer advice as to what makes for a good match race boat?
BEN AINSLIE: A lot depends on the size of event you are trying to hold. The
Elliot's which are used for Women's match racing are a good purpose design
for a smaller crew and lower cost. If you wanted something more glamorous
there are probably a few V5 IACC yachts going cheap! Seriously though the
boat needs to be durable, relatively inexpensive, one design and the boats
need to be evenly matched. It will be really interesting to see what new
designs are proposed for the WMRT.
Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/10/1209#P2
WILL THEY STAY, OR WILL THEY GO?
Negotiating the rights to an America's Cup can be a lot like the sailing
race itself. There are times when you cover, and there are times when you
play the shifts. That game was on display in the final days of talks between
race sponsors and San Francisco City Hall, which wants to host the
billion-dollar match on its waterfront in 2013.
When BMW Oracle Racing team negotiator Stephen Barclay unexpectedly threw
the entire bid into turmoil, insisting on going back to the original, much
more expensive and unpopular central waterfront option, there was the
expectation of fireworks from City Hall. Instead, they held their course.
And today (Dec. 14) the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the
cheaper "northern" option for staging the race. The focus now shifts to the
BMW Oracle Racing team, who declared that San Francisco would lose the right
to host the next America's Cup unless they approved a plan with the City by
this Friday.
Representatives of the Port of San Francisco had reportedly met at length on
Monday with Barclay to address his concerns. Though it was not said
specifically, it is suspected that there were sufficient changes to the
City's bid before today's vote for the Event Authority to now deem it
acceptable.
The America's Cup Event Authority, Golden Gate Yacht Club, and BMW Oracle
Racing are obligated under the Protocol for the 34th match to name a venue
by December 31. However, they are under pressure from would-be participants
around the world to act asap. The ball is now in their court. Will they
stay, or will they go?
Story sources:
Kimball Livingston: http://kimballlivingston.com/?p=5676
SF Chronicle: http://tinyurl.com/SFC-121410a
SF Chronicle: http://tinyurl.com/SFC-121410b
SF Chronicle: http://tinyurl.com/SFC-121410c
SF Chronicle: http://tinyurl.com/SFC-121410d
FOCUS ON MANDATORY LIFE JACKET PROGRAM
By Norman Schultz, Soundings Trade Only
Tomorrow (Dec. 15) could be an interesting day if the subject of mandatory
life jacket wear on pleasure boats is on your mind. That's because a meeting
of the National Recreational Boating Safety Coalition is slated to feature a
report from the Army Corps of Engineers on its mandatory life jacket
program. Never heard of it? I hadn't, either, until recently.
Yes, there's been lots of dialogue in recent years about mandating wear.
Most states have passed some laws on the subject. For example, all but two
states require PWC operators to wear one. It's almost universal that water
skiers and children wear them, albeit in the latter case the age requirement
and size of boat vary. Generally, however, adults are not mandated to wear
life jackets. When and where the issue has been proposed, boaters have
usually pushed back loudly.
Until, that is, the Army Corps of Engineers unilaterally elected to
implement a new rule on Corps-operated lakes in certain districts - most
recently, the Vicksburg Districts. Reportedly a desire of General Don T.
Riley (as director of civil works) to have such a policy on all 170-plus
Corps lakes across the country, it was decided to avoid an anticipated
nationwide boater backlash and start with a 3-year "test program" on four
Corps lakes in the Vicksburg District. -- Read on:
http://blog.tradeonlytoday.com/dealer_outlook/index.php/?p=375"
THEY SHOOT TO THRILL!
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SAILING SHORTS
* Melbourne, AUS (December 14, 2010) - After light winds on the first day of
the Sail Melbourne limited racing, improved conditions today for the first
event of the 2010-2011 ISAF Sailing World Cup allowed the eight competing
Olympic classes to make progress with the race schedule. Leading the North
American contingent are Americans Zach Railey (1st, Finn), Stu McNay/ Graham
Biehl (2nd, 470M), Erik Storck/ Trevor Moore (3rd, 49er), and Clay Johnson
(6th, Laser). No racing on Wednesday due to gale force winds. --
http://sailmelbourne.com.au
* The start of ocean sprint two of the VELUX 5 OCEANS is provisionally set
to start on Thursday, December 16th. Gale force winds and huge seas led to
the race committee taking the decision to delay from the planned start on
Sunday because of concerns about the safety of the solo skippers and their
Eco 60 yachts. Ocean sprint two, the second of five that make up the VELUX 5
OCEANS, will see the fleet sail through the Southern Ocean to Wellington in
New Zealand. --Full story: http://tinyurl.com/V5O-121410
* The 2011 Strictly Sail Pacific Show will be held at Jack London Square,
Oakland, CA from April 14-17. Building on the success of the 2010 show, the
2011 all-sail show will run four days and will feature expanded exhibit
areas with many new special events. The goal of the show is to make it more
of a Sailing Event than a Boat Show. There will be a focus on FUN, with
on-the-water activities, youth sailing, and the most extensive seminar
program yet. A new "demo-ride" area and an expanded marina are also in the
works. Details here:
http://www.strictlysailpacific.com/shows/pacific.asp?show=pa
INDUSTRY NEWS UPDATES
The Industry News category of the Scuttlebutt Forum encourages companies to
post their new hirings, product and service updates. Scuttlebutt editors
will select Industry update each week to include in the Thursday edition of
the Scuttlebutt newsletter. Here is the link to post Industry News updates:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/industry_news
GUEST COMMENTARY
Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community.
Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted
comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250
words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should
save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From Julian Bethwaite, Sydney Australia:
The International Moth class, a development class, is deliberating on
possibly restricting development in their class. Though the particular
question at issue isn't important per say, the issue is wing masts.
For what it is worth, it matters not what the rules are, or whose set of
rules you use because the perception of the Moth class has been one that I
believe a great number of sailors who have never sailed a Moth aspire to.
The Moth is in a rarefied field, along with the A class, C class,
International Canoes and a class dear to my heart, which used to belong to
your group, but has dropped out the bottom, - the 18teen.
And this is my point: What the class executive committee is about to do is
make a decision that has very long term effects and will position the Moth
class as either the utopia that we all aspire to, or just another class.
In 1996-7 a gentleman called Antony James Reynolds made what was effectively
a personal attack on me, which set a course of demise of the 18teen to where
it is today rather than where it could have been.
Sorry, it's not a $$$ thing as an I14 is five times the cost of a 49er and
they are doing very well, thank you very much. And obsolescence does not cut
it either. Moths have an ethos of evolution. If you kill that, you kill the
class.
While the JJ Giltinan for the 18teen is still a very worthy trophy to win,
there simply are no new Bruce Farr's, Ben Lexan's, Iain Murray or dare I say
Julian Bethwaite's coming from what used to be called "the Hot House
Flowers" of the sailing world.
We now are looking at the Mac's and the Bora's of this world along with the
Rohan Veal's & Fred Eaton's to show us the future. Hopefully!
* From Bill Lynn, Atlantis WeatherGear:
Jordy Walker was a class act. His fellow World Match Racing Association
founders are terrific guys, but the fact is that the World Tour wouldn't be
what it is today if he hadn't bought into - and shared - Scott & Ben's
vision for a tournament-style Gold Cup.
NOTE: For anyone who would like to sign Jordy's online guest book, you can
go to this link: http://tinyurl.com/Legacy-121410
* From Paul Henderson: (re, letter in Scuttlebutt 3239)
I am not sure Ben Barger has his facts right as he is rather new on the
scene which is good to see young sailors actively involved in ISAF. Said
Ben:
"But what is clear is that the path the ISAF had while under Paul
Henderson's control for nearly a decade made it a feeding ground for
strategy-less council making decisions. I surely was pissed off at how
carelessly and blindly ISAF changed things right before each quad,
especially when I fund 75% of my own Olympic campaign expenses. Did medal
races make us a TV sport? Did killing the multihull get us closer?"
The Medal Race and killing the multihull both happened for 2008 Beijing and
London 2012. I left ISAF in 2004 after championing both the 49er for Sydney
and the new RS:X for Beijing which were chosen in open and well thought out
evaluations.
Glad to see Ben made the Olympic Team in the RS:X. I am most proud of the
fact that Women's participation rose from 19% in Savannah to 36% in Athens
2004. There are many issues sailors can debate about which they always do
but get the facts right. I would suggest Ben read "The Pope of Sailing" now
on Amazon.com so he can have an insight into ISAF which he now is involved.
* From Gregory Scott:
I find my fellow Butter Mr. Lorentzen (in Scuttlebutt 3239) seems to be
getting close to the point I raised in Scuttlebutt some time ago. That of a
large keel boat - maybe a Farr 40? His 12 Metre concept has merit as well.
But the shipping of Farr 40's would make them a good choice. Or RC 44s Or
maybe your friends at Melges could design a new 40... the Melges Olympic 40.
Or MedCup TP52's.
The point I am making is the same one I made ages ago - big boats bring big
names and a platform for them to perform on that is large enough for fans to
watch and relate to . (and sponsors to plaster ads all over). And with the
madness of the AC in totally irrational wing cats, this could be the ideal
way for sailing to usurp the glory the AC had and has squandered.
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
I just read a list of 'the 100 things to do before you die'. I'm pretty
surprised 'yell for help' wasn't one of them.
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