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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 762 - February 28, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome. I'M BACK The first half of the race was miserably light. At roll call on the second day - 19 hours after our start - we'd made only 59 painful miles down the track. The next two days were a bit better, but certainly not great. In fact, there was some ugly talk on our boat about food rationing. By the time we got by Cedros Island, the wind picked up to more normal conditions with a fair amount of the breeze in the 12-20 knot range while running down the Baja Peninsula. And some of us also had some fun spinnaker reaching across the Sea of Cortez -with the wind blowing 20-25 knots. Happily, Linnray managed to avoid many of the light air (and no air) holes that plagued others. We corrected out to first in Class C with Phil Friedman's Farr 39ML Black Knight taking second. Other trophy winners included, Class AA: 1) John MacLaurin's Davidson 52, Pendragon 4; 2) Philippe Kahn's Andrews' 70 turbo sled, Pegasus; Class A: 1) Etranger, Howard Gordon's water-ballasted Jutson/Sayer Open 50; 2) M-Project, Manouch Moshayedi's Sprint 50; 3) Roger Sturgeon's Santa Cruz 52, Rosebud; Class B: Kirk Wilson's Santa Cruz 50, Bay Wolf; and Class D: Wind Dancer, P.K. Edwards' Catalina 42. Complete results: http://www.dryc.org/ HALL OF FAME Also being inducted into the ninth hall of fame class are two posthumous members: the Earl of Wilcox, commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron (British) in 1851; and Henry Morgan, commodore of the US yacht in the 1851 competition. The 71-year-old Melges, who remains active in sailing and ice boating, is also a two-time Olympic medallist. He won the bronze medal in the Flying Dutchman competition in the 1964 Summer Games in Japan and the gold in Soling in the 1972 Games in Germany. - SailNet website, http://www.sailnet.com/ SIMILARITY AC CHALLENGERS So far eight challenges have been received by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron - they are from The New York Yacht Club, on behalf of Team Dennis Conner, Dusseldorf Yacht Club, on behalf of the Illbruck Challenge, Yacht Club Punta Ala, on behalf of the Prada Challenge, UNCL, on behalf of the French Defi, Royal Ocean Racing Club, on behalf of GBR Challenge and the Societe Nautique de Geneve, on behalf of the Swiss Challenge. A second Italian challenge and OneWorld have also challenged and been accepted, more details of these last two syndicates' yacht clubs are still to come. One of the most active syndicates that still has to formalise its arrangements is Oracle Racing from the United States. This syndicate is working on finalising contarctual arrangements with its yacht club and should make an announcement this week. Another syndicate that has made all the right noises initially but had gone quite recently is the Swedish Challenge. If these last two fail to have their challenges accepted by the 1st March deadline they have a further 12 months to pay the money and be accepted. The entry fee however will double to US$300k. - Louis Vuitton website Full story: LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) (Letters selected to be printed may be edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. We don't publish anonymous letters, but will withhold your e-mail address on request.) * From Malcolm McKeag <100527.3303@compuserve.com> (Edited to our 250-word limit) Peter Bentley's editorial on weight praises the Star's 'weight at any time rule' and derrogates offshore racing's 'weight-at--the beginning' rule. The difficulty with the 'weight-at-any-time' rule in offshore racing is that at typical offshore crew is ten in number, while your Star takes two and your Yngling, presumably, three. It is much easier for two people to keep under an aggregate weight limit over, say, ten days than for ten. Given, in particular, that the weight of the individual is such a smaller proportion of the weight of the boat (or boat-and-crew) in offshore classes. Peter speaks of the 'The risks of dehydration and other medical complications ' being eliminated by the weigh at any time rule: I should have thought precisely the reverse to be the case. With the threat of a weight-check hanging over them throughout a regatta, surely there is more, not less, likelihood of a crew avoiding proper nourishment and re-hydration, so as not to risk putting on an illegal few grams, through the regatta? The Star class is undeniably one of the best-managed in the sport. The offshore classes - or maybe I just mean the offshore handicap class - probably one of the worst, given what has happened to what used to be International Offshore Handicap racing in the past decade. Even so, I find myself yet again writing to Scuttlebutt to say: 'It isn't broke - so why are we trying to fix it?' * From Marilyn Mower <SBIMMM@aol.com> (edited to our 250-word limit) Amen to David McCreary's rant about how hard it is for the media to get GOOD regatta information. However, journalism, like public relations, is a profession. Just because people can read doesn't mean they can write. The easy solution is for the yacht club or sailing association is to rent a real sailing writer for the event to handle media relations. This insures better coverage for sponsors and racers, happier media, and a more successful event committee. Make the pitch to the watersports writer for the local newspaper or any freelance journalist you know about two months in advance to negotiate a contract and let the journalist make sure he or she has no conflict of interest problems with her regular employer. Offer a flat fee based on the number of days the event will take, free access to every event, i.e., meals and drink tickets, a good chase boat or two and possibly help with lodging if the freelancer is from out of town. Discuss the media plan in advance. This means determining the number of releases, a web component, and what media outlets will be contacted. Discuss your photo requirements in advance: do you need the journalist also to supply photos to the website and other media. If you don't know who to call, try logging on to Boating Writers International, or call the editor of sailing magazines you read and ask them for some names of freelancers whose work they use on a regular basis. * From Jon Rogers, Coronado Yacht Club Jr. Program <CYCJRS@aol.com> Wow. Cory Friedman really digs at Jr Regattas. I support his comments. As a Jr. Program Director for 5 years, it continues to amaze me that Jr. Regattas are way less organized that adult regattas. I think it should be the other way around. * From Ron Ward <RONWJR1@aol.com> It appears that Scuttlebutt for the last two weeks has had its letters devoted to beating up on Race Committees. There are certainly some horror stories which are true, but there are also a thousand regattas which go off beautifully and get no mention. It is noted that most of the criticism does not come from people who have actually been contestants, and most speak in generalities not specifics. Let's not condemn all race committees. Remember they are not all inept, and certainly if they were uncaring they would not be out there. * From: Chris Caswell <chriscaswell@compuserve.com> I had known Bob Bavier for many years on the racing circuit before he hired me as an editor at Yachting Magazine in the '70s, and he was the essence of the gentleman yachtsman in every sense of the word. If you look up the word "Corinthian" in the dictionary, Bob's picture should be there. He could be blunt and opinionated at times, but he was absolutely honest and lived his life for sailboat racing. I wish there were more like him to serve as role models for today's junior sailors who sometimes seem to need more of his attributes. Pete Barrett has already been memorialized here, but he and Bob Bavier were two of a kind and the world is a lesser place for their passing. * From: "Tim Ryan" <tryan@btmna.com> When I first started racing sailboats in 1989, I wandered through the Strand Bookstore in New York looking for used books on racing. I came across "The Keys to Racing Success" by Bob Bavier. What a concept! The keys! It was a great read, and I adopted most of his recommendations, including to prepare my boat as well as possible before racing and to compete against the best. The best of the best, according to Bob, was the frostbite program at Larchmont Yacht Club. I joined that fleet in 1990 and have been competing with the best ever since. Still getting our butt kicked but learning something every time. Thanks, Bob. We never met but you were an inspiration to me. * From: Bob Huckaby <Bobhuckaby@aol.com> I am pleased to see that US Sailing adopted my point of view in declaring an alternative penalty for the eligibility code infraction, as the previously suggested "no protest" treatment was contrary to the fundamental right of competitors to protest and hearing. To minimize the frivolous filing and consumption of protest committee time, I further suggest that race organizers prescribe a substantial filing fee (e.g. $1,000) for any protest under the Eligibility Code, Regulation 21.2.1(h), with only $1 refunded if upheld - if somebody wants to play that game, make them sponsor the event! * From Glenn T. McCarthy <mccarthys@ussailing.net> (Re US Sailing dues increase, and edited to our 250-word limit) - Tom Leweck noted the dues restructuring in October 2000 and US SAILING President Rosekrans brought it up in American Sailor magazine a few months ago. Up until February 28, 2001, the dues for an Adult is $40 per year. On March 1, 2001, you may continue to pay at a rate of $40 per year, as long as you pre-pay three years at one time ($80 more than you would pay at that time anyway). If you opt for a 2 year prepay plan, it rises to a $45 per year rate on average. If you opt for 1 year, the dues will be $50. It is common for the membership department to send 4 or 5 "reminder" notices each year to the majority of members. By prepaying, you can eliminate a lot of stuff in your mailbox. Your dues can be applied to US SAILING, instead of wasting a portion of it on reminder notices. It has been many years since US SAILING has had an increase, the fateful decision can't be put off forever. It was made clear that early-collected dues will be allocated to the future years and can NOT be spent in the current year. I know I will be sailing for three years coming (and until the big guy punches my "E" ticket), so I plan to take advantage of locking in today's rate at $40. The website is modified to include the year of renewal to assure that you
are being credited properly: THE RACE * Meanwhile back in the southernmost South Pacific, Team Adventure and
Warta Polpharma were hunkered down in winds of 50 to 60 knots, sailing
conservatively and reporting over-the-bottom speeds of 16 knots and 9
knots, respectively. (You know we're jaded when we call a 16-knot average
"sailing conservatively.") Warta Polpharma, 20 feet shorter than Team
Adventure, was under bare poles at least part of the time. Both should be
rounding Cape Horn at about the time the leaders reach Marseilles.
Tail-ender Team Legato, having cruised north for lighter winds, reported
speeds of less than 3 knots and was occasionally parked. - Sail magazine
website, STANDINGS: 1. Club Med 1549 (miles to finish), 2. Innovation Explorer, +1003, 3. Team Adventure, +5899, 4. Warta-Polpharma, +6375, 5. Team Legato, +8500. - http://www.therace.org CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS * March 10: Fourth annual J Boats Midwinter Rendezvous, Warren, R.I. gives J Boat owners the opportunity to tour the facility where their boat was built and speak with the designers and craftsmen who construct them. www.jboats.com JOB OPENINGS FOR SAILORS ACURA SORC America's Cup icon Dennis Conner won't be racing in the Farr 40 fleet. He has elected to sail in the equally intense Melges 24 sport boat class, with 26 entries already logged. Other popular one-design classes include the Mumm 30's with 18 entries so far, and the One Design 35 Class with 15 entries. Three classes will race under handicap rules: IMS, PHRF and multihulls. - Keith Taylor, http://www.acurasorc.com * Would you like to follow the 2001 Acura SORC wherever you are? Using the latest in wireless technology you can! Unwired Sailing is running a trial of a new service during this year's SORC and you can participate. Daily updates from the regatta as well as daily class results will be sent to subscribers' wireless devices (pagers and digital cellphones). For more information: www.unwiredsailing.com TRANSPAC There currently are 13 entries: Triumph (Santa Cruz 52), Howard Diethrich, Phoenix, Ariz. Grand Illusion (Santa Cruz 70), James McDowell, Haiku, H.I. Lawndart (Fast 40), Bill Allan, Nanaimo, B.C. Baronesa V (Open 40), Shuichi Ogasawara, Japan Ouch (J/120), Ted Mayes, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Doublehanded: Etranger (Jutson 50), Howard Gordon, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Watercolors (Sabre 402), Michael Abraham, Newport Beach, Calif. Aloha Class: Joyride (Beneteau First 42s7), William Johns, Manhattan Beach, Calif. Gecko (Tartan 41), Jim Fabrick, Laguna Beach, Calif. Tango (Beneteau 41), Howard Raphael, Palo Alto, Calif. Willow Wind (Cal 40), Wendy Siegal, Sunset Beach, Calif. Axapac (Wylie 39), Barry Ruff, Vancouver, B.C. Bonaire (Moody 65), Gil Jones and Associates, Newport Beach, Calif. - Rich Roberts, www.transpacificyc.org WOMEN'S SNIPE CHALLENGE Carol Newman Cronin/Sherry Eldridge dominated the event with 6 bullets,
with only Barbie Tillson/Lynne Sinks managing to break their streak in Race
5. San Diegans Carolyn Brown/Monique Gaylor and Stacey Szabo/Tammy Fowles
rounded out the top three. Kelly O'Bryan/Jim Elms took home the first place
trophy in the Jack/Jill division. - Holly Wolford O'Hare, INDUSTRY NEWS Waterline Systems, Inc. and USWatercraft, LLC, have relocated from Bristol to the Albin Manufacturing plant in Portsmouth, RI. This provides the companies with increased production space from 17,000 to 33,000 square feet. Waterline Systems, a 13-year-old marine repair company dedicated to the optimization of racing sailboats, while USWatercraft is the licensed North American builder of the J/24 and J/22. WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT THANK YOU THE CURMUDGEON'S QUOTATIONS |
