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SCUTTLEBUTT 2685 - Friday, September 19, 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. AN ONLINE ENVIRONMENT FOR USERS TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES In anticipation of the start of the Volvo Ocean Race on October 4th, the 2008-09 event has now launched a newly redesigned website aimed at taking visitors closer to the heart of the action. Among the biggest advances with the new site is the Race Data Centre, where for the first time race organisers will share insider information from the fleet’s on-board telemetry. During racing, the Race Data Centre’s unique features include predicted positions based on weather routing, a form guide that builds performance tables for the boats as the race progresses and historical data graphing. Volvo Ocean Race CEO Knut Frostad has been the driving force behind the Data Centre in conjunction with author and professional navigator Mark Chisnell, who will provide tactical analysis and commentary throughout the race. “I was keen for the web audience to experience the race as the sailors do – at least as much as possible. With that in mind, we’ve shifted the focus more towards ‘what happens next’, with predicted positions, and on tactics, as well as developing an understanding of which boat is faster. The Race Data Centre is a big step towards that,” Frostad said. Volvo Ocean Race TV (www.volvooceanrace.tv), launched earlier this year, will show video content including news, features, on-board footage and interviews when the boats are at sea. Volvo Ocean Race TV will also show live coverage of all in-port races. Frostad adds, “And now, with the Media Crew Member on board, our ‘embedded reporters’, we now have the ability to play to our strengths in capturing every ounce of the action, the sheer speed of the Volvo Open 70s, as well as the emotional highs and lows endured by the guys on board.” -- Complete report: http://tinyurl.com/3p85au DISCOVERING THE DEPTH OF IKE’S DEVASTATION BoatUS catastrophe team coordinator surveying the damage caused by Hurricane Ike believes that "many hundreds, if not thousands," of boats were sunk by the winds and tidal surge. Ike roared ashore near Galveston, Texas, last Saturday, and left a path of devastation in marinas along the entire coast. Mike McCook, head of 15 members of the BoatUS catastrophe team on the ground in Texas, comments, "The damage to boats and marinas is very broad, spread out about 400 miles along the coast.” McCook says that, beyond Galveston, boating-intensive areas along the coast were also heavily damaged. "I spoke to the manager of the Watergate Marina (Kemah, TX) and he said that of the 1,200 boats in his marina, 300 were sunk," said McCook. "I've also heard that dozens of boats in the Houston Yacht Club in La Porte were badly damaged." -- IBI Magazine, full report: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20080818153418ibinews.html * International charity, Heart of Sailing, is coordinating a relief and salvage mission for the residents of Bayland Marina in Baytown, Texas, who have been affected by Hurricane Ike. Heart of Sailing is a non-profit organization that teaches sailing as a form of recreational therapy for children with developmental disabilities such as autism and Down Syndrome. Bayland Marina, located on the Houston Ship Channel, was in the heart of Ike’s destructive path suffering the brunt of damaging winds and the storm surge. -- Full report with photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0918 PAINTING OUTSIDE THE LINES A couple of years ago our crew was sitting around after a race and lamenting the lack of competition in Yacht Racing. We decided that what Yacht Racing needed was more interaction between the racers. So, we dreamed up a regatta that would be just crazy wild fun with the idea that if we created stronger bonds between the sailors on land that it would translate into more racing on the water. Last year was the inaugural event and it was a smashing success. We had over seventy boats competing in our three race series, and it attracted a lot of new people. Here is our formula for this fall: > The races start at 3 PM not 11:00 or noon. You get the entire Saturday morning to do chores or go to the kid’s soccer events. Then when the wind is best our modified version of a beer can race starts. > The entry fee is ten bucks but we will give you ten dollars worth of free tickets to use on t-shirts, drinks or dinner. No entry fee for juniors or college students. > Live protest sessions with the audience voting on the winning protest. > Buy a nice meal for $7.50 and a beer for $2.50. We have Beer and Rum sponsors who will also be giving away a lot of stuff. > Several side events during the after party (Flip Cup competition, Goldfish Races, and Rain Gutter regatta). -- Complete report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0912a * Last month, the 2008 Delta Lloyd 24-Hour Yacht Race received 724 pre-entries for their annual sailing spectacle for yachts, multihulls and Dutch flatbottems. What’s unique about the race is that the winners are determined by which competitor completes the most nautical miles within 24 hours. The area of the IJsselmeer, Markermeer, Wadden Sea and North Sea is divided into laps, of which each may be sailed twice. Competitors calculate their route to work in the most reaching according to the weather forecast. The strategy they come up with is also decisive for the start location. They have a choice out of sixteen places, whereas the massive finish will be off the coast of Medemblik. -- http://www.24uurszeilrace.nl/ (sorry, only Dutch) TEAM ONE NEWPORT: COLLEGE/HIGH SCHOOL TEAM PROGRAM INFO If you are a College or High School Sailing Team and would like to get a discount on your sailing gear, Team One Newport has the answer! They have been helping College sailors for 23 years and they know what’s the best gear on the planet. Request your College or High School Program by emailing mailto:Alden@team1newport.com or calling 800-VIP-GEAR ext 109. Be sure to fax or email your College Roster with your Coach’s information. Visit http://www.team1newport.com and click Scholastic Program. HERO’S WELCOME FOR NICK SCANDONE Orange County, CA (September 18, 2008) - United Airlines delivered precious cargo to Orange County's John Wayne Airport this afternoon. Over 100 Balboa Yacht Club members, friends and family welcomed home Paralympic Gold Medallist, Nick Scandone; his wife, Mary Kate; his loyal friend and coach, Mike Pinckney and his devoted brother, Vince (Rock). The elevator door to the baggage claim area opened and Nick Scandone was met with cheers, smiles, banners, balloons, American flags and flashes from lots of cameras. Many of the crowd wore BYC T-shirts emblazoned with the navy and orange Balboa Yacht Club burgee and the saying "Way to Go Nick" on the front and a wire drawing of a SKUD 18 with "Scandone & McKinnon-Tucker, US Olympic Gold Medal across the back. It's a long flight from Beijing to LA and a short hop from LA to Orange County and no matter what your health, it takes it toll on you. The exhausted Gold Medal SKUD 18 crew got an energy boost from all of their fans and showed off the Gold and Jade Medal to all. -- Complete story with photos: http://tinyurl.com/Scuttleblog091808 COASTAL RACE CANCELLED AT TP52 MEDCUP FINALE Portimao, Portugal (September 18, 2008) - Without leaving the dock in Marina Portimao, Quantum Racing took a big step closer to winning the overall Audi MedCup Circuit 2008, when the double points Coastal Race today at the Portugal Trophy regatta was cancelled due to the lack of wind. Basic arithmetic, conventional logic and the wind as per current forecast for the final two days of the season points to a maximum of 75 points to be scored, completing each of a possible five races left this season, as things stand. Quantum Racing (USA) have 45.2 points in hand over second placed Bribón (ESP). Local forecasters promise 10-12 knots of wind for the windward/leeward races that will continue Friday and conclude on Saturday. -- Daily report: http://2008.medcup.org/news/?id=447 Current standings (Top 5 of 15) 1. El Desafio, ESP, (10,2,3,7,3) 25 2. Matador, ESP, (8,5,10,1,2) 26 3. Quantum, USA, (4,8,1,6,10) 29 4. Platoon powered by Team Germany, GER, (11,10,8,2,1) 32 5. Synergy, RUS, (9,1,4,14,5) 33 Complete results: http://2008.medcup.org/results/venue.php?trophy=6 TAKING THE CLASS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM (Greeley, CO) If there was a popularity contest at St. Mary's Catholic School, it probably wouldn't be a student's award to win. The prize likely would go to Bernie Kendall, a science teacher for the parochial school who has made a career out of going above and beyond and taking teaching outside the classroom. "Yeah, he would definitely win," said Wyatt Schwartz, a student in Kendall's science class. Wyatt was one of the students Kendall took Tuesday to the lake to learn how to sail, a longtime passion for the teacher. Kendall was showing his students the ins and outs of navigating a sailboat in a combined lesson involving science, history and physical education. The students had to learn how to make the boats go the way they wanted regardless of the wind, Kendall said, and also have been learning the history and culture of sailing, along with the science behind it. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/SButt0918a PERMIT OK'D FOR SAILING CENTER ON LAKE NORMAN Huntersville, NC (Wednesday, Sep. 17, 2008) - Cornelius Town commissioners unanimously approved a permit late Monday for a community sailing and rowing center to open at Blythe Landing Park on Lake Norman. The nonprofit group N.C. Community Sailing will offer group and private sailing lessons at the center and host weekday high school and college racing events, said Luke Largess, a member of the center's board. Sailing for persons with disabilities also will be offered, as well as youth summer camps and rowing instruction and competitions, he said. The center is expected to have 30 small and medium-sized boats for public use. -- Charlotte Observer, read on: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/196940.html PROFESSIONAL WIND FORECASTS: FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS! Want a competitive edge in your next regatta? Get a forecast from PredictWind.com - the worldwide specialists in high resolution weather modeling. For the first time ever, you can access a forecast using a model that calculates the wind at an incredible 1km resolution for your local area. High resolution equals better accuracy. The web based forecasts are easy to use, and available in maps, graphs and even a text format that is accessible on your mobile phone. It is the system that champion sailors rely upon, and until January 2009 the forecasts are free of charge: http://www.PredictWind.com SAILING SHORTS * Belvedere, CA (September 18, 2008) - After two days and six races, Scott Young (Austin, TX) is holding a narrow three point lead at the U.S. Sailing’s Mallory Cup over Ken Kleinschrodt (Mobile, AL). Eleven teams are representing each of U.S. Sailing’s nationwide districts in the four day, eleven race, round robin series in J/24 class boats. Racing concludes September 20th. -- Event site: http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/usmsc/index.asp * Oklahoma City, OK (September 18, 2008) - The U.S. Women’s Sailing Championship completed four races on the first day of the event, where eleven teams are competing in J/22 class boats. Jennifer Gervais (Charleston, SC) holds a three point edge over Whitney Loufek (Costa Mesa, CA), with three teams no more than 7 points off the lead. The regatta is being conducted using a round-robin format, with the goal being for each team to race in each boat one time for a total of eleven races. Racing concludes September 21st. -- Event website: http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/women/uswsc * Fifty-one Melges 24’s are in Charleston, SC for their U.S. National Championship, with three days of racing to begin on Friday, September 19th. Among the entrants is Brian Porter, who won the 2007 US Nationals in Detroit, MI. Only one race is required to be completed to constitute a series, with a drop race included after the sixth race has been completed. -- Event website: http://www.m24charleston.com * The 2008 ISAF Annual Conference takes place in Madrid, Spain on November 6-16 and will bring together the ISAF Council, Committees and Commissions along with other leading figures from the sailing world to debate, discuss and decide upon the key issues in the sailing world. The meeting papers for Conference are published online to give ISAF Member National Authorities, ISAF Classes and sailors all over the world an advanced preview of the issues up for debate this November. -- Full report: http://www.sailing.org/25362.php * The Troia Portugal Match Cup, the 7th event of the nine stage World Match Racing Tour, will be held September 23-28 2008 in Troia, Portugal. The 12 team field includes 7 of the top 8 from the current Tour leader board, the current World Tour leader (Ian Williams, GBR), the current ISAF No 1 ranked skipper (Mathieu Richard, FRA), and five teams representing America’s Cup syndicates. The SM40 will be used, with teams vying for the $125,000.00 prize purse. -- Full report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0918a * A fleet of 10 Extreme 40s is in Amsterdam, Netherland’s for the final event of the 2008 iShares Cup series, with racing to be held September 19-21 in the IJ-Haven canal, a narrow strip of water just a few minutes away from Amsterdam city centre, off Java Island. The event will decide the overall series winner as both TEAMORIGIN and Alinghi enter the event currently tied on points. Earlier events were held in Switzerland, France, UK, and Germany. -- Full report with video: http://www.isharescup.com/container.asp?id=17763 * Summerside, Prince Edward Isl (September 18, 2008) - Last weekend’s inaugural MBS Race Around the Island sent five participating schooners on a roughly 270 mile transit around Prince Edward Island and served up a wide variety of conditions for those who took on the challenge. Organized by Downtown Summerside, Inc., the event had a prize purse of $97,000. The Spirit of Bermuda not only took line honors, but also the first place bounty of $40,000. Pride of Baltimore went home with $26,000 for placing second overall, and the Schooner Virginia received $13,000 for third place. PaPa 1 and Mist of Avalon each received $9,000. Full story at http://www.journalpioneer.com/index.cfm?sid=171275&sc=118 * CORRECTION: In Issue 2682, it was noted that the UK paper The Daily Telegraph had ended their 19 years of sailing coverage. However, Mark Skipworth, Executive Editor (Sport) provides the following clarification: “Having re-assessed our editorial budgets, we can no longer use (long time writer) Tim Jeffery. Kate Laven will be covering sailing for both the daily and Sunday telegraph as well as online.” VIDEO OF THE WEEK The Optimist might be the overwhelming choice for junior sailing around the world, but you cannot fault the folks at BIC for trying to show that there is another road for kids to travel on. Their U.S. O’pen Cup “Un-Regatta” hosted by New Bedford Community Boating Center (MA) did just that, where kids experienced unorthodox slalom courses, freestyle, and …capsizing. The kids are clearly having fun, and this video also demonstrates how BIC is connecting with the burgeoning “YouTube” generation. Additionally, this video was shot in HD… nice! Click here for this week’s video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/08/0919 * If you have a video you like, please send your suggestion for next week’s Video of the Week to mailto:craig@sailingscuttlebutt.com PHOTOS OF THE WEEK Some of the random photos from the sport received this week at Scuttlebutt include Paralympic Games celebration, Olin Stephens tribute, schooner racing in Nova Scotia, on board TP 52 Artemis in Portugal, and the launching of a 53-foot historic replica of an 18th century colonial trading vessel designed by the late William Baker. If you have images you would like to share, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor. Here are this week’s photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/08/0918 LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Reader commentary is encouraged, with letters to be submitted to the Scuttlebutt editor, aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’. Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). You only get one letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Randy Tankoos, Darien, CT: The note from Russ Saunders in Scuttlebutt 2684 and previous notes about piracy along the VOR route gets me to thinking that no pirate in his right mind would attack these guys. I am not sure of the geography but it seems just looking at the blokes doing this race would scare away any pirates. Never mind that the VOR boats are probably faster than most pirate boats anyway. * From Duncan Wood: In Response to the comments of Russ Saunders in Butt 2684: Great idea. Unfortunately, the United Nations is little more than a debating society, and not very good at that. They have neither the courage nor resolve to rescue a rubber ducky from a bath tub. * From Gregory Scott: I rarely believe heavy handed - draconian type solutions are appropriate .... However, I do agree with the comments of Russ Saunders in Butt 2684... Allowing a bunch of two bit pirates to carry on as they seem to be doing is foolish. It is this type of thin end of the wedge issue that leads to much higher costs for everyone. Insurance as an example... The cost to everyone to try and protect from irrational crime is in the billions. A punk breaks into a house - takes a TV and $100.00 cash - that has a cost to everyone on that street as they buy new locks, window bars and alarm systems. The court sees the crime as small - society pays a price in the combined cost of everyone trying to prevent it. The real theft was in the billions - not in TVs but in the theft of our discretionary budgets diverted to "feel" safe. Horse thieves and pirates cost everyone way more than you think. PS... With all that's going on, it won't be long before sailing insurance is unavailable for extended cruising outside of coastal waters. => Curmudgeon’s Comment: On a lighter note, International Talk Like a Pirate Day is Friday, September 19th. If you are curious as to the length at which some will take this “holiday”, a Scuttleblog posting will give you an idea: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2008/09/talk-like-pirate-day.html CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION I pray for Wisdom to understand my man; Love to forgive him; And Patience for his moods. However, I don’t pray for Strength as I might beat him to death. Special thanks to Team One Newport and PredictWind.com. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
