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SCUTTLEBUTT 2323 - April 16, 2007Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). LET THE GAMES BEGIN Racing in the Louis Vuitton Cup begins on Monday afternoon, with the first warning signal scheduled to fire at 14:05. 11 challengers from nine countries are racing for the Louis Vuitton Cup and the right to battle Alinghi in the 32nd America's Cup Match. Each of the teams with a choice of two boats to race in the Louis Vuitton Cup have announced they will select the newest of their boats, meaning NZL 92 (Emirates Team New Zealand) and USA 98 (BMW Oracle Racing) will make their competitive debuts on Monday. -- http://www.americascup.com/en Races scheduled for Monday (team listed first enters from port end) Flight 1: 1. Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team vs. Emirates Team New Zealand 2. +39 Challenge vs. Areva Challenge 3. Bye Desafio Espanol 2007 4. United Internet Team Germany vs. BMW Oracle Racing 5. Team Shosholoza vs. Victory Challenge 6. China Team vs. Luna Rossa Challenge Flight 2: 1. Desafio Espanol 2007 vs. +39 Challenge 2. Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team vs. Areva Challenge 3. Bye Emirates Team New Zealand 4. United Internet Team Germany vs. Team Shosholoza 5. China Team vs. BMW Oracle Racing 6. Victory Challenge vs. Luna Rossa Challenge * In the Louis Vuitton Cup, each challenger will race all the other teams twice - once in each of two round robins. Teams get two points for a win. The top four then go through to the semi-finals. The leading team choose their opponent, leaving the other two to match up. The semi-finals are raced as a best of nine. The finalists again race the best of nine. The winner takes home the Louis Vuitton Cup but the battle has just begun as they now take on Swiss defender Alinghi for the America's Cup itself. The America's Cup match is raced as the best of nine and the winner takes home the Hundred Guineas Cup and the right to organise the next challenge when, where and how they want. -- Eurosport, full report: http://tinyurl.com/27savu * +39 Challenge were back on the water last Friday, testing the mast that was given to the Italian team by Alinghi, a profile of the old generation, slightly less stiff than a version 5, where the new rules allow for a higher module carbon fibre and the possibility of mounting a halyard and jumper shrouds in a material other than steel. The team continues their work to repair their broken mast, which in now in one piece, but the lamination, the curing and the mounting of the whole structure is still to be done. Nobody is making any precise schedule but it seems that by the half of the first Round Robin the Marstrom mast will be stepped again on +39. -- http://www.piu39challenge.it/eng/news_template.asp?id=726 * Team New Zealand hopes to have key strategist Adam Beashel back on the water by the middle of May. Beashel caught his hand in the mainsheet block during the fleet racing regatta and stripped all the flesh off his index finger. He has had three operations on his finger and remains in hospital. Replacing Beashel is the American Mark Mendelblatt, who joined the team in October. -- New Zealand Herald, full story: http://tinyurl.com/28h746 * New Zealand sailing officials and a government minister rejected on Saturday suggestions that Dubai could host the next challenge for the America's Cup if New Zealand wins it back in Spain this year, wherein they insist there is an agreement in place that the cup would be defended in Auckland in 2010. -- SuperXtra, full story: http://www.superxtra.co.za/default.asp?id=211901&des=article SWINGING KEEL One of the teams in the America's Cup may have engineered a breakthrough that would give them a huge advantage on the rest of the field. Public documents indicate a design team may have found a loophole in the rules that could potentially hand them a match-winning edge, reminiscent of Australia II's revolutionary winged keel which helped them lift the cup from defender Liberty in 1983 off Newport, Rhode Island. One or maybe more of the teams have created a legal version of a swinging keel, which could provide them with a speed edge. Syndicates can ask the measurement committee for interpretations of the design rules. The submissions and interpretations are often confidential but are made public six months later. Although the submission and the interpretations are public, the syndicate that asked the question is not. -- New Zealand Herald, full report: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=531&objectid=10434436 THE WOLF TASTES BLOOD Caccia Alla Volpe (Bite of the Wolf), a 29 year-old cold-molded Vallicelli 44 skippered by Carlo Falcone of Antigua, just won the big-boat class at the 2007 Rolex International Regatta in St. Thomas, USVI. Caccia, the oldest and smallest boat in a class that ranged up to a 70-foot sled, strung together a 1,3,2,1,2,2 record. “UK-Halsey carbon Tape-Drives were the deciding factor,” said crewmember Tim Cutrona. “Of course, superior helmsmanship and crew handing played an unmistakable role.” Add some “bite” to your racing program with a UK-Halsey sail upgrade, because winning always tastes better. For quotes, quizzes and more, go to http://www.ukhalsey.com POSTPONED (April 13, 2007) It seems Friday the 13th is unlucky for the Velux 5 Oceans yacht race, as Race Director David Adams today announced that the start of leg three (on Sunday, April 15th) has been postponed as a result of the severe weather expected to hit Norfolk, Virginia (USA), over the weekend. With less than 48 hours to go before the fleet of skippers were due to set sail for Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) and complete their solo circumnavigation of the planet, the weather has dealt a blow to race start plans as a powerful low pressure system moves into the Chesapeake north of Norfolk and looks set to deliver intense storm conditions, reminiscent of the start of the race in Bilbao. The latest forecasts from NOAA show 40-55 knots of wind offshore (over 20 miles from land) on Sunday morning, with gusts up to 60 knots and waves of 25 feet east of 1,000 fathoms (over 100 miles offshore). After the front has hit, the storm is then expected to back off with up to 40 knots of wind on Monday, diminishing to 25 knots late in the day. These formula one ocean machines would not only contend with these challenging conditions, but would have to battle against the tides, significantly worsening the sea state and increasing risk of damage. -- Complete report: http://www.velux5oceans.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,12345~1010865,00.html PARADISE PENDING Spring training in Europe tends to surround Olympic contenders with the best competition, but so far the weather has made the sailing a bit of scramble. After the crap-shoot conditions at the 38 Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia – Mapfre in Palma de Mallorca, Spain two weeks ago, the Star fleet has stayed in the area for their Eastern Hemisphere Championships, where the weather seems to be much of the same. Here are some excerpts from recent reports by American Brad Nichol: * After the first scheduled day of racing (on Friday), 54 boats are tied for first as we sat in the cafe all day. Tonight the social committee, in true Spanish form, scheduled the party to start at 23:00h. * Cold and wet does not even begin to describe how miserable the conditions were Saturday. Our coach had seven layers on including thermals, dinghy spray gear AND off shore foulies and he was freezing all day. Our forecast was for winds out of the north around 20 knots with rain and squalls all day. When we got to the start line for the first race the wind shut off and we sat there for an hour with the rain soaking through our layers. When the next squall came though it brought enough wind to start but by the time the starting sequence had ticked down to the starting gun, the wind had died at the boat end of the line and the fleet was stacked up at the leeward end. General recall. * The phrase 'fools in the rain' came to mind Sunday morning as we de-rigged our mast and pulled it out of the boat in the pouring rain with winds gusting up to 30 knots. When I finally made it into the cafe after getting the boat put back together I certainly looked like a drowned rat and received plenty of quizzical looks. The wind finally came to Palma after two weeks of light air sailing but the clouds and rain hung around. There was a few times this bright yellow sphere appeared in the sky, but disappeared as quickly as it came. I'm not sure what it was but I hope it comes back. -- Results: http://www.starclass.org/search.cgi?Action=view&Event_id=1137 HANDICAPPING STRUCTURE ANNOUNCED The chairman of the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee and the flag officers of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Cruising Club of America announce that the Offshore Racing Rule (ORR) will be the primary handicapping system used for the 2008 Newport Bermuda Race. All boats in all divisions will be scored using ORR. Boats sailing in the St. David’s Lighthouse (amateur) and Gibbs Hill Lighthouse (professional) divisions may also submit endorsed IRC certificates for additional divisional trophies awarded under IRC. The highly-prized St. David’s Lighthouse and Gibbs Hill Lighthouse trophies will be awarded for corrected time performance using ORR. In making this announcement, the sponsoring clubs of the Newport Bermuda Race continue a 30-year tradition of endorsing VPP-based handicapping for this classic ocean race. The 2008 Newport Bermuda Race will start on Friday, June 20, 2008 in Newport, RI. More than 265 boats competed in the 2006 race, and another large fleet is anticipated for 2008. -- Race Chairman Nick Nicholson, http://www.bermudarace.com DISCOVER The New Atlantis WeatherGear. Launching April 19. http://www.AtlantisWeatherGear.com CHARLESTON RACE WEEK Charleston, SC (15 April, 2007) - Tornado warnings and bridge closures flashed on the hotel televisions this morning, making the Race Committee’s decision to abandon all racing on Day 3 of Charleston Race Week an easy one. Event Director Brad Van Liew commented on the enthusiasm of some of the teams, “Around 8:00 this morning, a handful of skippers begged me to let them race today, assuring me that they could handle the breeze, which was blowing around 25 knots at that time. I told them that they could handle it now, but they were not going to be able to handle 11:00.” Brad’s high confidence in the forecast proved justified, as the breeze steadily built to a sustained 35 knots, with gusts of over 60 knots recorded in a line squall. After the party tent collapsed on itself, the awards ceremony was wisely moved into one of the resort’s conference rooms while the kitchen staff prepared the traditional Charleston Ocean Racing Association chili buffet. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/2hfl9c Melges 24 (21 Boats) 1. Team Gill, Simon Strauss, New York, NY – 17; 2. MMallow, Bart Griffith, Gibson Island, MD – 17; 3. Spray, John Lucas, Charleston, SC - 19 J 80 (7 Boats) 1. Angry Chameleon, Kristen Robinson, Annapolis, MD – 8; 2. Outrageous, Michael Jones, Wilmington, NC – 12; 3. Sweet Baby J, Alston Team, Elon, NC - 13 J 24 (18 Boats) 1. Jesus Lizard, Daniel Borrer, St. Augustine Beach, FL – 7; 2. Classic, James Howard, Duluth, GA – 12; 3. Sea Plane, Randy Tilly, Hilton Head, SC - 19 Tartan 10 (6 Boats) 1. Liquor Box, Bill Buckles/ Terry Simon, Lorain, OH - 7; 2. Terminal Velocity, Simon Beemsterboer, Orland Park, IL – 10; 3. Pegasus, Andrea Krasinski, Chicago, IL - 16 J 109 (6 Boats) 1. evonne.com/2, John Yonover, Burr Ridge, IL – 6; 2. Rush, Bill Sweetser, Annapolis, MD – 8; 3. Freedom, Mario Fichera, Plandome, NY - 15 J 105 (14 Boats) 1. Savasana, Brian Keane, Weston, MA – 14; 2. Rum at Six, Worth Harris, Raleigh, NC – 14; 3. Big Booty, Patrick Eudy, Charlotte, NC - 15 PHRF A (14 Boats) 1. roXanne, Melges 32, Kip Meadows, Rocky Mount, NC – 11; 2. Cracker, Ker 11.3, Hunt Lawrence, New York, NY – 16; 3. Vamoose, Melges 32, Robby Wilkins, Lexington, SC - 18 PHRF B (9 Boats) 1. NKE, Beneteau First 10R, Don Finkle, Youngstown, NY – 7; 2. As-If, SR 33 IB, Jeff Kitterman, Kemah, TX – 10; 3. Temptress, SR 33 OB, Robert Hibdon, Hanahan, SC – 14 PHRF C (12 Boats) 1. Primal Scream, C&C 115, Steven Stollman, Key Biscayne, FL – 11; 2. Shameless, J 33, Wm. Roy Harden, Niceville, FL – 12; 3. Arrow, J 35, Willy Schwenzfeier, Charleston, SC - 18 PHRF D Heavy Displacement (16 Boats) 1. Whisper, C&C 38, Tom Bell, St. Johns, FL – 9; 2. Incommunicado, Omega 36, Ed Tracey, Severna Park, MD – 10; 3. New York Times, NY 40, Ed Doughty, Fayetteville, NC - 10 PHRF E Non Spinnaker (10 Boats) 1. Bubba, Beneteau Figaro 30, Max Letissier, Charleston, SC – 5; 2. Marion Maid, Beneteau 411 TM, Wayne Burdick, Mt. Pleasant, SC – 10; 3. Time.., Camper Nicholson 3/4 ton IOR, David Burnham, East Palatka, FL - 14 PHRF F (12 Boats) 1. Remedy, Donovan 27, Bert Carp, Annapolis, MD – 5; 2. Amigos, J 92, David/James Pritchard/Morang, Suwanee, GA – 11; 3. Rhumb Punch, J 29 OB, John and Linda Edwards, California, MD - 14 PHRF G (5 Boats) 1. Island Flyer, S2 7.9, Denny Manrique, Tonka Bay, MN – 8; 2. Phantom, B-25, Frank Silver, Kill Devil Hills, NC – 9; 3. Robyn, S2 7.9, Doug Frye, Spring Lake, MI - 12 CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * This week's Volvo Sailing Podcast chats with two Olympic gold medallists enjoying very different fortunes while helming during Act 13 of Americas Cup: Ben Ainslie ensured Emirates Team New Zealand finished as leading challenger going into the Louis Vuitton Cup, while aboard +39 Iain Percy lost the rig! Additionally, British Laser sailor Paul Goodison provides his comments fresh from the Princess Sofia Trophy in Majorca last week. -- http://www.volvooceanrace.org/podcast * Simon Cooke Sailing/ S|C Yachts has obtained licenses to become a manufacturer in both 420 and 470 hulls and is presently setting up their facility in China to go into production of these boats. The company has obtained a strong following in these classes with their foils and other products, and will now be able to provide class enthusiasts with a complete boat package. -- http://www.simoncooke.co.nz * The latest Sailing World college rankings were posted last week, where St. Mary's hold the top spot in both polls for the second straight ranking. Yale comes in right behind, third in the Coed Rankings, and second in the Women's. -- http://tinyurl.com/yu4zym * Coconut Grove Sailing Club hosted the Florida State Optimist Championship this past weekend, where Mike Popp of Davis Island Yacht Club bested 95 other Opti sailors in the gold fleet to claim the title. After sailing six races with one drop, Mike accumulated only 18 points. Aside from a BFD in the first race, Mike stayed among the top five finishers in every race. Pearson Potts launched a formidable challenge by winning both of Sunday’s two heavy air races for the Gold fleet. Jack Swikart also finished up the regatta on a high note with two second place finishes on Sunday. -- http://tinyurl.com/yoctaw * A change to the Notice of Race for the 2007 Pan American Games Regattas means the Medal Races will be tighter than ever, with just the top five competitors progressing through to decisive final shootout. The XV Pan American Games take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 13-29 July 2007. The nine sailing events – in the J/24, Laser, Laser Radial, Lightning, Men’s and Women’s RS:X, Hobie 16, Sunfish and Snipe – will be contested from 22-28 July on the waters of Guanabara Bay. -- ISAF website, full details: http://tinyurl.com/2arqml “MAN OVERBOARD!” The best just became more affordable. SeaMarshall’s new, permanently mounted, direction-finding receiver, the SarFinder 1003, only costs about half the price of similar man-overboard homing receivers. The SarFinder is the perfect match for your SeaMarshall water-activated man-overboard beacons (works with other brands, too!). For information: Chip Barber mailto:admin@chabrber.com; http://www.chbarber.com/seamarshall.html 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 Blake Middleton: The article by GBR coach Sid Howlett ('Butt 2322) regarding the starting procedures implemented by the ISAF Race Management team at the Princess Sofia regatta (if true) is one of the most egregious steps in the wrong direction for race and regatta management in the history of the sailing universe. Possibly worse. Throwing away the starting rules and fairness to benefit television timing? Have we gone mad? If television timing is 100% critical, then I can think of only two solutions. Either throw the black flag up for every race (which would be horrible mistake) or change the starting procedure completely. One way to do this quickly is to use the system that the 505 class has used with great success for many years: Gate starts. Otherwise, I'd candidly suggest that the ISAF team and the TV crews can go take a long hike off a short pier and get us back to fair race management on behalf of all sailors. * From Michael H. Koster: Reference Richard Shulman's comment (in Issue 2319) that East Coast events offering IRC as "...secondary scoring to the main ORR event." It would appear that Mr. Shulman is implying that any yacht that raced IRC in those events he mentioned, that their accomplishments are diminished or not held in as high regard as those that competed in ORR. It sounds to me that Mr. Shulman is still using his crying towel because his boat did not win his IRC class or division in last year's Newport Bermuda Race. His boat did win the ORR class and division and my congratulations to him and his crew for that accomplishment. Personally, if I had to pick which rating system to choose a first place from, I would go with IRC because of its reputation as an international rating system and its track record for rating boats. Americap, Amercap II, ORR, or whatever US Sailing is offering, in my opinion, still has a long way to go to reach the caliber of IRC. * From Brian Case, Etobicoke, Ontario: (regarding the boat name thread started in Issue 2320) Short and sweet, as I was taught, if a yacht loses her mast her name may be changed without dishonour before the new mast is stepped. * From Will Keene, President, Edson International: (regarding Bill Reed’s letter in Issue 2322) What a marvelous story about the Cecelia J. You have given me a whole new appreciation of an Old , but never used Edson Wheel with the name Cecelia J Marion engraved on the bronze wheel hub. As I understand it, the wheel was never delivered because it was determined to be defective, before delivery, due to an imperfection in the grain of the wood, so a new one was made which was probably turned into wood for the stove. Your story is a great one; I am going to make sure it stays with the wheel—it’s too good to disconnect it from the wheel. * From Donal McClement: (Re your comment on the late and very lamented Michelle Dunne) She was far more than a significant member of the Ron Holland Design Office. Michelle was, as anyone who had the pleasure to know her, was a great supporter of Sailing, Disabled Sailing, The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Kinsale Yacht Club and Junior Sailing in Ireland. She was a very good writer, a wonderful ambassador for Ron Holland, and a great organiser for fund raising events for all and every sailing charity. She will be sorely missed by all the organisations that she got totally involved with and her wholehearted support to everyone she met was really appreciated at the highest level of sailing in Ireland. At such an early age, any passing is tragic, and in Michelle's case it is just that. May She Rest in Peace. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Spring warning: A peacock is nothing but a chicken in bloom. Special thanks to UK-Halsey Sails, Atlantis WeatherGear, and C.H. Barber III. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
