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SCUTTLEBUTT 2340 – May 9, 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). FINALLY… THE FINAL FOUR Valencia, 8 May 2007 - On Tuesday afternoon, Desafío Español 2007 joined an elite group; the Spanish are the fourth team to qualify for the Semi Finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup. When Emirates Team New Zealand beat Victory Challenge, the Swedes chances of advancing were erased. Although the Spanish lost their match today to BMW Oracle Racing, there was jubilation on board when the boat returned to Port America's Cup. A wild celebration at the dock ensued, with crew members being tossed into the water, and champagne sprayed over the team and the boat. There is still one flight of racing left to complete Round Robin Two, and it will determine the top team at the conclusion of this stage of the event. BMW Oracle Racing meets Emirates Team New Zealand on Wednesday, and the winner will lead the table and have the right to choose its Semi Final opponent. -- Complete race report from Flight 10: http://tinyurl.com/2u2gy9 Flight 10 1. +39 Challenge beat China Team by 1:57 2. Areva Challenge beat United Internet Team Germany by 0:35 4. Luna Rossa Challenge beat Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team by 0:07 5. Emirates Team New Zealand beat Victory Challenge by 0:34 6. BMW ORACLE Racing beat Desafío Español 2007 by 0:55 Bye - Team Shosholoza Provisional Leaders (RR1 pts - Matches Sailed RR2 - Matches Won - Total Pts) 1. BMW Oracle Racing (USA 98) 21-9-8-37 2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 92) 18-9-9-36 3. Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 94) 19-9-7-33 4. Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 97) 17-9-6-29 ------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Victory Challenge (SWE 96) 14-9-6-26 6. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia (ITA 99) 14-9-3-20 7. Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) 12-9-3-18 8. Areva Challenge (FRA 93) 9-9-4-17 9. +39 Challenge (ITA 85) 6-9-2-10 10. United Internet Team Germany (GER 89) 3-9-1-5 11. China Team (CHN 95) 1-10-1-3 Note: 2 points are awarded for each match won. * Tuesday viewing: The best race to watch from Flight 10 on Tuesday was between Emirates Team New Zealand and Victory Challenge. In the pre-start, Kiwi helm Dean Barker seemed intent on getting the hook on Sweden, but the ETNZ afterguard's timing went badly awry. Victory Challenge charged off the line on starboard tack, while the Kiwis tacked to the right and were almost 25 seconds late starting. The Victory team defended the lead around the windward mark, but only by 10 seconds. When Sweden gybed towards the middle of the run, the Kiwis held out to the right and picked up better breeze to pull them past Sweden by the first leeward gate. The race remained close for the final lap with plenty of dangerous separation at times, but the Kiws hung on to win. * Must-see Wednesday: This is the final day for Round Robin 2, the final day of racing for 6 challengers (China’s last day was Tuesday), and the final opportunity for BMW Oracle Racing to get knocked off the top of the leaderboard. Emirates Team New Zealand can’t get worse than second in the standings, so look for them to go for all the marbles in their match against the American team. -- Complete schedule: http://www.americascup.com/en/americascup/program/calendrier.php * Buttheads disagree: The Scuttlebutt poll regarding the appropriateness of the jury’s decision to award Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team financial penalties last week for their rules violations was quite revealing. Not only did the ‘buttheads overwhelmingly disagree with the monetary fines, but their comments also might shed some light on how the event can better market itself in the future: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/07/0504/ * To help the ‘buttheads keep track of all the information, the Scuttlebutt website has a bunch of handy links now in one place on the ‘Latest Issue’ page (on the left side under the navigation). There you will find updating headlines, free written and radio on-the-water commentary, free daily videos, a list of bloggers, and most important of all, a link that contains the schedule and results, plus loads more. -- http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/acup * Weather forecast: With the site of AP over A still within our memory, it is far too early to take the good weather this week for granted. The Emirates Team New Zealand website is calling for Wednesday's weather to be 8-12 knots from the southeast, a sunny 12ºC to 27ºC (54ºF to 81ºF) with 30% humidity. A reminder of the report in Issue 2337 from BMW Oracle Racing team meteorologist Chris Bedford, who observed these onshore, southeasterly winds as the steadier angle for Valencia. HOW THE FOURTH SLOT WAS WON The Desafío Español 2007 have earned the fourth slot of the semi-finals, and a look back at the race results from RR1 and RR2 reveal how small the differences were between the ousted Victory Challenge and the Spanish. What it came down to was 3 things: 1) the 1 extra point the Spanish had over the Swedes as a result of their performance in the Acts that preceded the Louis Vuitton Series (Spanish had 3 pts to Sweden’s 2 pts); 2) Desafío Español 2007’s win over BMW Oracle Racing, which was the only victory by either team over the leading 3 challengers; and 3) the upheld protest the Spanish filed against the Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia, which allowed them to re-sail and win a race they had earlier lost. The Spanish beat the Swedes in RR1, but the result was reversed in RR2. As Victory helm Magnus Holmberg said, ”We have become stronger and stronger, but it was not enough.” Here are a couple wrap-up reports to bid farewell to the Swedes: * Rule 69 Blog: http://www.rule69blog.com/archive/2007/may/328 * Sail Juice: http://sailjuice.blogspot.com/2007/05/you-lose-you-schnuss.html HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE RULES? If you would like to feel more confident about racing near other boats, you should get Learn The Racing Rules! This new two-part DVD, written and narrated by David Dellenbaugh, uses live sailing action and computerized animation to explain all the important right-of-way rules in the 2005-2008 rulebook. Part 1 covers the essential rules that apply whenever boats meet. Part 2 explains the often-confusing rules about marks and obstructions. Each is an hour long and includes the text of all rules discussed. Produced by SEA-TV, it makes a great gift! To learn more or to place an order, go to http://www.SpeedandSmarts.com SCUTTLEBUTT POLL (May 8, 2007) There is plenty going on right now in the world of sports. While Scuttlebutt World Headquarters has been immersed in the action taking place amidst the 32nd America's Cup in Valencia, we were wondering where everyone else's attention was focused. So we ask the question: For the past week, what sport/event have you been following the closest? => America’s Cup Louis Vuitton Challenger series => Major League Baseball regular season => National Basketball League Playoffs => National Hockey League Playoffs => Other Click here to vote: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/07/0508 MELGES 24 WORLDS Santa Cruz, CA (May 8, 2007) - Two veterans and longtime rivals who learned to sail in the gentle zephyrs of Newport Beach, Calif. turned the tables on their roots Tuesday when they won the opening races of the Fullpower Melges 24 World Championship on a bright and breezy Monterey Bay. But consistency paid larger dividends. As Bruce Ayers scored 1-7 finishes and Dave Ullman went 21-1, France’s Francois Bernac’s 2-4 at the helm of Benjamin Cohen’s entry left him atop the leader board in a tie with the defending champion, Italy’s Nicola Celon, driving for Amadori Ezio. Ayres shares third place with Brian Porter of Winnetka, Ill., while Ullman shares seventh with Team Pegasus colleague Mark (Crusty) Christensen. A day earlier Dave Ullman had assured doubters that the challenging venue would return to its reputation in time for the competition, and he proved not only a prophet but a winner in cool west winds blowing 10 to 15 knots. After Ayres won the first race, Ullman won the second, both leading at every mark. What’s more, Ayres and his totally Corinthian (i.e. amateur) crew of Jon Pinckney, David Shelton, and Don Smith momentarily stole the thunder of the high-profile performers in the fleet of 58 boats. A Corinthian team has never won a Melges 24 Worlds, and there are 24 competing here, but, of course, there are still four days and eight races renaming for the stallions to find their strides. -- Complete story: http://www.melges24.com/displayarticles.asp?year=2007&id=1205 Preliminary Results (After 2 of 10 races; 58 boats) 1. Francois Bernac, France, 2-4, 6 points 1. Nicola Celon, Italy, 4-2, 6 3. Bruce Ayres, Newport Beach, Calif., 1-7, 8 4. Brian Porter, Winnetka, Ill., 3-5, 8 5. John Pollard, UK, 8-6, 14 6. Othmar Mueller von Blumencron, Great Falls, VA., 6-9, 15 7. Dave Ullman, Santa Ana, 18-1, 19 8. Mark Christensen, Santa Cruz, Calif., 16-3, 19 9. Chris Larson, Annapolis, Md., 12-8, 20. 10. John Pink, UK, 7-14, 21. Complete results: http://www.scyc.org/melges24/rr/race-series.html ROME JOINS WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR (May 8, 2007) A new stage on the World Match Racing Tour, the Latium Match Cup, was announced yesterday at a press conference in Rome. The event, named after the central Lazio region of Italy (Latium is the Latin term for the region) will take place from 11-16 September in Fiumicino, approximately 26km west of the city of Rome. The CivitaVela Sail Show 2007 will take place in the Fiumicino darsena with a 50,000 square-metre exhibition area to be fully dedicated to sailing over the 6 day event. The Latium Match Cup is presenting a significant prize purse of Euro 200,000 (270,873.91 USD), one of the highest on the World Match Racing Tour. Prize money will be split between the top eight teams. The Latium Match Cup will invite 12 teams to the event, with an ‘America’s Cup’ style race format including a ‘Round Robin’ series, semi-fnals and finals. -- Complete report: http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/default.asp?m=da&id=54418 LIGHTNING CLASS BOAT GRANTS The International Lightning Class Association is pleased to announce the first sailors to be selected for the ILCA Boat Grant Program. This innovative program was designed to help young sailors race in the Lightning class even if they don’t have the funds to buy their own boat. First announced in February of this year, the ILCA Boat Grant Program provides a race-ready Lightning, regatta subsidies, and a Lightning class coach/mentor for the summer racing season. Fifteen applications –– sailors ranging in age from 14 to 26 –– made the March 30 deadline from across North America as well as Brazil, of which four were chosen to be part of the program. “In the first three days after the news broke about the ILCA Boat Grant Program, our website had something like 10,000 hits per day. Normally it’s around 10K a week. The interest was incredible,” noted Steve Davis, president of the ILCA. Sailing groups around the world took notice. “We’d like to stand with Disney’s Morning Light and other programs that help bridge the gap between pram-kids and professionals in their 30’s and 40’s,” said Davis. “Teens and 20-something sailors are the lifeblood of a vital, international class like the Lightning.” -- Full report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/0508 AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME - HARKEN/MCLUBE INTERVIEWS HAMISH Kiwi Speed Team sailor Hamish Pepper has rocketed to fame in the Star class…becoming Star World Champion in his rookie year, followed by wins in the North Americans and Bacardi Cup. Is the deck layout the same on his new Lillia Star? How do crews Carl Williams and David Giles differ in their approaches? What would he miss most on the boat if he forgot it? Find the answers to these questions and more in the Harken/ McLube interview with this extraordinary sailor. http://www.harken.com/sailing/HamishPepper_Star.php SAFETY HARNESS OR DEATH STRAP? There are sailors who revere safety harnesses as lifelines, yet other sailors swear that safety harnesses are death straps. The fact is they can be both. So how does one explain the yin and yang of safety harnesses? Easily. For the conflict does not lie with the tether line and safety harness, but in its use. The following case file illustrates how a safety harness when used incorrectly can become a death strap. Holland, Michigan, September 20, 2002. A 50-year-old male had departed Holland, Michigan, at 7 p.m. on Friday evening aboard a 38-foot sailboat in a solo race to Michigan City. On Saturday morning a shoreline resident discovered the boat with the mainsail up, about a mile south of Holland. Responders found the solo sailor dead along side the boat tangled in the jib, secured by a tether and safety harness. -- by Tom Rau, Sailing Breezes, full report: http://tinyurl.com/3xtaf3 ‘BUTTHEAD BENEFIT Were you in San Diego this past weekend for the Yachting Cup? Hosted by San Diego YC, the event saw 107 boats enjoy winds in the teens for the 3-day event. Friday was dedicated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, where Gary Jobson was on hand to celebrate the $100,000 that was raised by the entrants. Classes for Saturday and Sunday included PHRF, Beneteau 36.7 and 40.7, Schock 35, J/105, J/120, Farr 40, and Flying Tiger. J Boats President Jeff Johnstone was in town to celebrate the boat builder’s 30 year anniversary, which saw the largest fleet - the J/105 - won by Thomas Coates sailing Masquerade. Photographer Glennon Stratton (GTS Photos) was there as well, and is giving away an 8 x10 print of the boat you were sailing on to the first five people to respond. The race is on: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4788#4788 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 John Longley: I was listening to the Americas Cup Radio on the net Monday night and was amazed to hear the dramatic description of the "Chase Boat Take Down" performed by the Swedes. Evidently the boys in Adventureland were a bit slow in getting the jib up and the take down line rigged so they literally let everything go - halyard, sheets, spinnaker, the lot - all into the heaving main. The Spanish red flagged them for leaving half their sail plan as a big fishing net in their way. So far I have not heard the outcome of the protest, assuming they went ahead with it, but my question is when did this become acceptable behaviour. As a forward hand/ grinder on 5 America’s Cups Challengers/ Defenders, albeit way back when, it was news to me that this was allowed. By the way the guys on the AC Radio are doing a great job. Curmudgeon’s Comment: While the Spanish flagged the incident on the course, they never filed the protest. Tom Ehman noted on the BOR blog that the understanding from their team’s “rules guru Richard Slater (AUS) is that this (douse) breaks no rules -- unless it is deemed to have been done intentionally to impede the other yacht.” Photos and video revealed that the Spanish’s progress was not arguably impeded, which is likely why they did not pursue the case. As for when this douse became acceptable behavior, we asked Paul Cayard, who said it was in 1992. * From Bill Hooper: Having just received my May issue of Sailing World, which included a great DVD from Acura's Key West Race Week, I would like to say KUDOS and thanks for a great and entertaining display. As an active racer here on the left coast, it was thrilling to see the excellent "In boat camera" work so well defined. I'm planning to sit my uninformed (non sailing) friends down, hand them a cocktail and let them view whats involved with competitive sailing. Many thanks to the sponsors, Acura, Key West, ESPN 2 and SW for the excellent production...I hope all you racer out there enjoy it! * From Ian White: I would be grateful to know if there is a Farr 40 Owners Forum, or an equivalent, as I have been looking at some Farrs recently, and note that they appear to have some weakness around Frames 2, 3, and 4 (wheel well, companionway, and chain plates). They all seem to suffer from cracking in these places, as well as some cracking between the hull and the aluminum frame for the keel and the mast (caused by hydraulic pressure on the mast step, I suspect). These are obviously standard problems with the design, and are to be expected considering the loads applied. What I want to know is how to fix these problems without transferring the loads to different parts of the structure. Can anyone direct me to the answers as to how to deal with these stress fractures? Please reply here: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4786#4786 CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Stop lights timed for 35 mph are also timed for 70 mph. Special thanks to Speed & Smarts and Harken Yacht Equipment. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
