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SCUTTLEBUTT 2581 – April 23 2008Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors. THE SHOE HAS COME OUT OF THE BOX by Dave Reed, Sailing World magazine (April 21, 2008) There was a silent pause in my conversation with Ken Read as we sat in the fresh spring grass outside Goetz Custom Boats, in Bristol, R.I., and as Puma Racing Team's new 70-footer hovered 20 feet off the ground, spot-lit in the late afternoon sun, suspended by the long arm of a yellow crane. Then he chuckled and pointed out the irony of how it was the sailors, not builders, standing on the deck. Just like that, they'd taken it over like a bunch of surfers taking new sticks from their shapers--eager to carve their first turns. The boat was theirs now to ride, and ride it they will across many an ocean mile. And my, oh my, will it be a killer ride. "It really is incredibly amazing," Read tells me, his eyes hidden behind stylish Puma-branded shades. "I swear, 24 hours ago, this boat looked nothing like it does now. The deck looked nowhere finished [in fact, the final bit of graphics on the deck had just gotten its final touches the night before] it was all covered in plastic wrap and there was still stuff that had to go down." But Goetz's crew put in the final push to get the thing out the door, knocking off 14-plus hour days. In the end, says Read, some were napping in their cars to get it done. -- Read on: http://forums.sailingworld.com/blogs/?q=node/145 PHOTO GALLERIES * The Puma Volvo 70 exited Goetz Custom Boats this week, with the anticipated extreme graphics living up to expectations. Photos by Sally Collison and Meghan Sepe: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/08/0422 * If ten identical 68-footers rolled into your harbor from finishing a leg of the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race, it would look something like the photos that Rich Carlson has provided Scuttlebutt. Here the fleet is prepping for their next leg through the Panama Canal to Jamaica. -- http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/08/0422a * Just like the event name would indicate, the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta in the West Indies brings out the finest in yachting, amidst the delightful Caribbean sailing conditions. What a shock that supreme shooters Cory Silken, Thierry Martinez, and Sally Collison would be on hand to catch the “action.” -- http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/08/acyr STRONG MISTRAL CANCELS RACING Hyères, France (April 22, 2008) Since last weekend, the weather experts had predicted a strong Mistral for Tuesday, and the building morning breeze proved them right. Despite the alarming forecast, the racing committee tried to give the larger fleets an extra race before they were divided into Gold and Silver divisions on Wednesday (RS:X men and Women, 470 men, Laser and Radial). Despite moving the course toward shore for protection, it was soon after the first start (470 men) when the Mistral began gusting up to 35 knots, cancelling further racing for the day. One of the teams that likely took advantage of the day off was 2004 Silver medalist John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree (USA), whose European Tornado season has had a rough start thus far. The Americans took delivery of a new boat, but had shipped their masts and sails from the New Zealand Worlds a month earlier. When the shipment didn’t arrive in time, they were forced to borrow a set-up from a Greek team. With big breeze preceding the event, they missed out on training opportunities, and were now feeling unprepared and likely off the pace. Strong winds in the first day of racing furthered their problems, for when a boat capsized just in front of them at a weather mark, their attempt to avoid collison led them into a radical pitch-pole that kept them from finishing the race. Worse yet, Ogletree needed medical attention to repair his right hand and forearm that suffered bruising and nerve damage in the capsize. Their current scoreline of 17-22/DNF-20-11 finds them uncharacteristically in second to last place. -- Regatta website: http://sof.ffvoile.net * Lovell/Ogletree website: http://www.t-squaredracing.com/index.php 2008 STAR WORLDS: TOP AMERICANS USE DOYLE SAILS How does a sailmaker, who has never built Star sails, design sails fast enough to power the top American finisher in the 2008 Star World Championship? It is by continuing to perfect our theoretical models with feedback from world class racers like the Mark Mendelblatt and Mark Strube that enables Doyle to engineer sails that are truly fast. Contact your local Doyle loft to find out what Doyle's leading edge design software can do for you, 800-94-DOYLE or http://www.doylesails.com * Curmudgeon’s Comment: This year’s Star Worlds was not for the faint of heart, as over 20% of the participants had already attained World Championship, Olympic, and/or America’s Cup accomplishments. Full list of achievements here: http://www.starclass.org/artman/publish/article_333.shtml BUSTING THROUGH THE BARRIER UK windsurfer Farrel O’Shea has been around long enough to have seen the 20 knot barrier broken, and now recently set the British record with a speed of 44.34 knots. Here are a few comments on the battle to break the 50 knot barrier: * Hydrofoil boards might be the way forward, but the practicality of putting the development into it… you need some pretty clever blokes! Asymmetric sails and fins - that’s the way it should go. Plus fitness…it’s not just the bulk, but you’ve got to be pretty fit and strong. Small changes will nudge it up a little bit and that’s what we must continue to do. * We have got major challenges from the kiters. They seem to be able to breeze up to speeds, like 42 knots, which is a massive barrier in the windsurfing speed world. Windy, shallow locations, small kites and a number of them are cruising up to 47 knots speeds. They are simply more consistent at it. But the major threat is the French/Swiss boat (Hydroptère). The technology in that boat is far beyond what we have seen so far in windsurfing. But the windsurfers have got a chance. * Conditions (must improve), because the equipment has definitely moved on. I have been around for so long that I have seen all the ‘barriers’ broken down. I was windsurfing when the 20 knot barrier was broken. I certainly remember the 30 knots with Fred Haywood, the 40 knot with Eric Beale, now we looking at 50 knots which was almost unthinkable back then. The curve is slowing down but that’s what it is like in every sport now. Look at the 100m sprint… they are breaking the record by a 1000th of a second. -- Windsurfing Magazine, complete interview: http://tinyurl.com/4qhvgz => Curmudgeon’s Comment: Nearly a year ago, the VIDEO OF THE WEEK featured footage of windsurfing and surfing with hydrofoils. Really cool: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/07/0528 SAILING SHORTS * The World Sailing Speed Record (WSSR) Council announced that Francis Joyon (FRA) had set the Equator to Equator, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean singlehanded speed records onboard the 97-foot trimaran IDEC. The elapsed times are: Equator/Equator: 41 days 9 hours 14 minutes; Indian Ocean: 9 days 12 hours 6 minutes; and Pacific Ocean: 10 days 14 hours 26 minutes. Joyon also briefly held the 24 hour singlehanded distance record of 613.5 nm in December 2007 before Thomas Coville (FRA) established a new record onboard the 105-foot Trimaran Sodebo of 619.3 nm on the January 6, 2008. -- http://www.sailspeedrecords.com * The Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF), the largest private, national organization devoted to melanoma in the United States, today announced John Dane III, a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team, will serve as a national spokesperson for the organization, promoting melanoma awareness, prevention and early detection. – http://www.melanoma.org * Cagliari, Sardinia -- The second event of the RC 44 Championship Tour 2008 begins this week, with recently crowned World Champions Mateusz Kusznierewicz (Star) and Vincenzo Onorato (Farr 40) joining Ben Ainslie, Russell Coutts, James Spithill, Sébastien Col, Larry Ellison, Cameron Appleton, etc, onboard ten strict one design RC 44’s. The Cagliari Cup will start on April 23rd with the match racing event, with the team owners then taking the helm for three days of fleet racing and a long distance race to end the event on April 20th. -- Class website: http://www.rc44.com * New Zealander Jack Lloyd, a well known figure in international yacht racing, has joined the Volvo Ocean Race as its new Race Director. Lloyd, 54, was Chairman of the International Jury for the 2005-06 race after serving as member of the jury for two previous races. Lloyd takes over from Andy Hindley, and completes the race management line-up for the 2008-09 race following last month’s appointment of Norwegian Knut Frostad as CEO after the departure of Glenn Bourke, who returned to Australia. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/5xvake * The 2008 Newport to Bermuda Race will enjoy the presence of some exciting new launches, with Jim Swartz’s Reichel/Pugh designed STP65, Moneypenny now in route from its building in Australia. Also planning on competing is the new Juan Kouyoumdjian, designed 100ft maxi, Speedboat, which was launched last week in New Zealand. These two entries will be joined by the 2007 Sydney Hobart Race winner, Roger Sturgeon’s Farr-designed STP65 Rosebud. Also joining the fleet will be George David’s 90-footer Rambler, and if this year resembles 2007, look for strong winds as the Rambler was a lightning rod for hurricane force forecasts last year. -- http://www.bermudarace.com * The Jury Decision from the 2008 Farr 40 World Championship protest in the ninth race between winning team Mascalzone and second place team Joe Fly is posted on the Scuttlebutt website: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0422b QUOTE / UNQUOTE On the suggestion that Alinghi was negotiating to hold the multihull deed of gift America’s Cup match in Valencia, Spain, Russell Coutts was unsure: “Alinghi said it would not appeal, and in the end it did…. Bertarelli said last December that it was ready for a Cup with multihulls in 2008 and now says it is not ...” -- From an interview with Coutts in Las Provincias: http://tinyurl.com/3jjfcc PREPARE TO BE AMAZED Hall Spars & Rigging is the place to start your regatta preparation. We are continually developing innovative rigging solutions to share with our customers. This month we focus on J/Boats. Visit our online store and click “Shop by Boat” to find pictures of our streamlined J/24 layout or to browse the equipment list from the race-winning J/100 “Bad Girl.” Buy parts online or in our rigging trailer during the J/24 U.S. Nationals in Staten Island. You’ll be amazed what you can achieve when your preparation begins at Hall. http://www.hallspars.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Michelle Slade: I've written a story for a women's fitness magazine about how women can get into sailing (and the joys thereof, etc.). The editor wants to include in the story the approximate number of women participating in the sport of sailing in the US. I have made a ton of calls to my reasonably extensive sailing network, and even those you would expect to have an answer, don't. Not a current figure anyway. Dawn Riley came up with some stats from a study dating back to between 1995-1998, used when she was fundraising for America True. Then, the number was over 1.7 million women sailors, although the study doesn’t state on what basis they reached that figure. The stats were provided by US Sailing, The National Sporting Goods Association and The United States Census Bureau. However, US Sailing doesn’t have any current information, and sadly, the NSGA no longer provides research on sailing (however camping, muzzle loading and scooter riding are among the women’s sports they do research, go figure). Please have the ‘buttheads contact me if they have any data that can be shared. Email: mailto:michelle@sladecommunications.com * From Cameron McIntyre: What Bruce Brown has to say should not fall upon deaf ears (from Issue 2580). Having lost a friend and fellow crew member that fateful Wednesday in April and experiencing the most feared tragedy a sailor can face, I took a very serious look at my sailing practices and how a simple slip or seemingly inconsequential blunder can have catastrophic results. I understand there was a man (woman) overboard and rescue this year at the NOOD in San Diego. This skipper has published his thoughts on the event and only after the fact, in hindsight, was able to completely comprehend the importance of all those small safety practices. I also learned this morning that this last weekend at the Strictly Sail Show a sailor fell overboard and was rescued on a sea trial. Sailing, especially when competitive does have inherent dangers and taking some extra time in the beginning of the season to refresh our minds and sharpen our reactions is time well spent. * From Chip Pitcairn: (re, lead story in Issue 2580) I realize I'm tilting at windmills but the correct term is Man Overboard, not Crew Overboard. It covers both genders and changing it just adds to the confusion surrounding nautical terms. My GPS and most electronics in use today use the abbreviation MOB. Why Change? Must we now refer to our boats as ‘it’ instead of 'her’? I love the tradition and history of sailing and usually the updating of terms doesn't bother me. I grew up racing with a gentleman from NZ who referred to spinnaker sheets as braces. This is a harmless variation in nautical terms. But the change from MOB to COB just adds to the confusion in an already stressful and life threatening event. I pray that being politically correct doesn't risk lives. * From Andrew Hurst, aging Star boat enthusiast and Seahorse Editor: (re, the thinly veiled attacks on Mark Reynolds in Issue 2580 for his honest and entertaining letter in support of the Star Class in the present Olympic classes dispute.) To those who do not know Mark, and that clearly includes your contributors to Edition 2580, Mr Matthews and Mr Morris, there is no one who I have met in sailing less self-serving than Mark, and few sailors who are more ready to help both their direct rivals and enthusiastic beginners alike. Ask a few recent Star Olympic medallists just how much help they have received from San Diego's double gold medallist and they will no doubt tell you, "far more than I would ever have given any of my own rivals." * From Alex Arnold: (re, Olympic Classes) Anyone, seriously, advocating dumping the Star from the Games should read Jerry Klein's article entitled, "Starstruck" on page 44 of May's Sailing Magazine. It tells us of his growing up sailing Stars at the Illinois Valley YC [IVY and certainly not HYP] starting in the '50s [pre self-tacking deck sweepers] and the spirit and tradition that has grown, not faded, with time. Get out the Kleenex and read it. What was the Sharpie? * From Doug Mills: I would like to comment on the NOSA requirement that participants in the Newport Ensenada Race belong to an SCYA yacht club, or similar organization if one is an outsider to SoCal. An SCYA club must actively run sailboat races. The cost is appreciable in terms of dollars expended, time spent by members on race committees, purchasing and maintaining marks and flags, and providing committee/chase boats. Good races don't materialize out of thin air at no cost. It is argued that to participate in a sport that places such demands on the host organization, those involved should join the community. The cost of some SCYA clubs can be appreciable, but there are active member clubs with initiation fees and dues are that are a small fraction of the cost of maintaining a racing boat. NOSA is not a yacht club. But virtually all its volunteers, officers and others are members of SCYA yacht clubs. Also, the equipment used for the Newport Ensenada Race, including Committee boats, are contributed by members of SCYA clubs. Some clubs support the race with direct dollars. The organization is thus an extension of SCYA. I know of races in the SoCal area one can enter without being a member of an SCYA club. This offers the "newbie" the chance to try things out before making the commitment of joining a club. But if you want to play with the Big Dogs, you have to get off the porch, as they say. * From Fred Roswold, Phuket, Thailand: It should be obvious why SCYA doesn't seem to want SSC as a member of their organization: they don't want to see any their own club members flee to SSC. What these organizations, the traditional yacht clubs (and US SAILING), need to recognize is that they need to provide the services that sailors will pay for without the coercion to buy what might not be wanted (fancy club house, a nice bit of waterfront, professional race committee, junior program, etc). Those are good things but some sailors are not interested. This arm twisting and coercion, in the end, will backfire, and racers will either leave the sport or find their own races which don't come with the “yacht club” baggage. The SCYA are simply trying to exclude SSC from offering the product at a lower price. In some jurisdictions this would be considered price fixing. I am a member of both an excellent “traditional” yacht club, and an excellent “paper yacht club” . I support them because I want to, and I don't even race in any of their races. But if they tried to force me, I'd let my membership lapse; I don't like my arm twisted. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Second marriages are a triumph of hope over experience. * The theme this week is marriage… please submit your advice and observations here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2008/04/marriage-theme.html Special thanks to Doyle Sails and Hall Spars & Rigging. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
