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SCUTTLEBUTT 2697 - Tuesday, October 7, 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. LURKING IN THE SHADOWS The Volvo Ocean Race got the ball rolling last weekend with their two in-port races in Alicante, Spain, and will begin in earnest on Saturday, Oct. 11, when the fleet of eight VO70’s set sail on a 6,500-nautical-mile leg to Cape Town, South Africa. Another prominent race this fall is the Vendee Globe, where 29 registered skippers will start November 9th from Les Sables d’Olonne, France on this solo, non-stop circumnavigation in Open 60’s. However, lurking deep in the shadow of these two behemoths is the inaugural Portimão Global Ocean Race that starts on October 12th in Portimão, Portugal. The race is a new around the world event designed to fill a niche in the realm of offshore ocean racing, where the opportunities for non-professional sailors to participate in these kinds of events was practically non-existent. To make the race accessible, both single-handed and double-handed divisions were permitted, and to keep the race affordable, the size of boats are limited to 40 and 50 feet. The road to reality for the race was a tough journey, but when the city of Portimão signed on as sponsor, it gave the event the legs needed to continue, and ultimately attract four Class 40 doublehanded teams and two Open 40 solo entries. Here is the race course: Leg 1: Portimão, Portugal to Cape Town, South Africa Leg 2: Cape Town, South Africa to Wellington, New Zealand Leg 3 - Wellington, New Zealand to Ilhabela, Brazil Leg 4: Ilhabela, Brazil to Charleston, USA Leg 5: Charleston, USA to Portimão, Portugal Event website: http://www.portimaorace.com GETTING BACK SOME OF THOSE GOOD OLD DAYS San Diego, CA - Despite the high level racing reputation of San Diego Yacht Club, what with two products of their junior program competing in the 2008 Olympics, three America’s Cup victories and as regular host for world championship events, there once was a club sailing event that needed no press coverage, yet attracted the finest sailors in the area. For year’s summer sailing included the Wednesday night “beer can” sail out the channel, which was not a race, and it had no start time, but was simply a sail for all boat types out to a marker and back, and it provided that low key family and friend’s event that so successfully promoted the local sport over the years. The tradition was lost in the early 90’s, ultimately replaced by a competitive series that ramped up the skill requirements, and limited the opportunities to include the newbies. A group of club members were reminiscing last summer about the “good old days”, and decided to try to get some of those times back, and this became the genesis of the “Just 4 Fun” sailing series (J4F). The inaugural event took place in October 2007 and has been followed with four more “races” that included various themes for costumes (thank you to Seattle’s Duck Dodge): “Hawaii Day”, “Ladies Day” and “Pirates of La Playa Day”. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/NEWS/08/0923 'OPTIMUM' PERFORMANCE AT M 30 WORLDS Congratulations to Guy Stening and his team aboard his M 30 'Optimum' for winning the M 30 World Championship this past weekend in Newport, RI. Racing with a 100% North Sails inventory, "Optimum" stayed focused during the 11-race series to finish four points ahead of Jim Richardson and his crew aboard 'Barking Mad.' When performance counts, the choice is clear. http://www.northsails.com TWO YEARS OLD AND STILL TURNING HEADS by Richard Spindler, Latitude 38 The more we see of Tom Perkins' 289-ft Dyna-Rigged Maltese Falcon, the more we're impressed. If you've only seen the yacht from a distance, the main thing you can't see is the quality of craftsmanship throughout. Obviously this is a huge yacht, but every last detail — most of it done by Turks — is absolutely superb. All the guests marveled at the quality. The other thing you can't see is how brilliantly the unique Dyna-Rig sail plan, perfected on Perkins' nickel, works. We were underway for about four hours, with Perkins driving and controlling the sail plan almost the entire time. The yacht is steered with a small knob, and the freestanding masts and 15 sails are controlled with the push of a few buttons. Indeed, Perkins looked as though he was playing a nautical version of a mighty Wurlitzer. The most thrilling moment was when Perkins jibed the boat. By pushing several buttons, all three of the nearly 200-ft tall masts, with their very wide fixed yards spreading out the sails, rotated very rapidly. Indeed, if you stepped back about 10 feet from the helm position, you could watch and touch as the six-ft or so diameter middle mast turned. By the way, Perkins reports that none of the masts can ever be removed from the boat without destroying the boat. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/Lat38-100508 LEADING THE FRENCH CHARGE The World Match Racing Tour is in Bermuda this week for the 8th stage of the nine event series, with the 2008 King Edward VII Gold Cup also being the tour’s largest event. Whereas there are normally twelve entrants competing, there are twice that on the entry list, with nine of them coming from either the USA, Canada, or Bermuda. Among the leading skippers is Mathieu Richard (FRA), currently leading the ISAF rankings, is third in the tour standings, and is the defending champion and was runner-up in 2006. Here is an interview Richard conducted recently with Anne Hinton on the SailRaceWin blog: * Are you a professional sailor, or do you do something else too? MR: I am not 100% professional. I am also a teacher of sport, in colleges and grammar schools (I am a substitute teacher). But I have a job that permits me to sail a lot. * Why did you start match racing? MR: After the 420, I had the choice between Olympic sailing and match racing. I chose match racing because my club had all the infrastructure for developing match racing: high level teams (Luc Pillot), trainers (Marc Bouët), umpires (Gérard Bossé) and the boats for training (the First Class 8), at La Baule. And the club wanted to help the youth teams. * What is it that you like about match racing? MR: I like the "intensive" side of the sport. It is very exciting and full of play from start to finish. I also like the fact that it is very complete: it is necessary to be good at tactics, at speed, at manoeuvering, physically and mentally. * You have money from the Federation Français de la Voile and from Areva for training and travelling to many match racing championships? Do you need a sponsor too? MR: We have sufficient budget to cover all our expenses, but not enough to be match race professionals. Complete interview: http://tinyurl.com/SailRaceWin100608 Event website: http://www.bermudagoldcup.com QUOTE / UNQUOTE Ken Read, skipper, PUMA Ocean Racing: “If I had to describe this opening weekend of the Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante in one word, it would be relief. As a team, you can only practice so much for something before you begin to get stale. We've been out here in Spain for a month now and before the in-port race, we were beginning to reach the edge of that. We're relieved to have got the first race under our belts and are now looking forward to what we have really been training for - going offshore. Then we can really see what our creation - il mostro - can do.” -- Yachting World, full post: http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20080905215236ywnews.html MELGES 32, MELGES 24 & ALL NEW MELGES 20 IN ANNAPOLIS The Annapolis US Sailboat Show kicks off this Thursday and Melges will be featuring many of their sportboats. The Melges 32, Melges 24, and the all new Melges 20 will be in the water on display. The Melges 20 will also be featuring test drives during show hours. Come to Annapolis and see the new Melges 20 up close and personal. -- http://www.Melges.com * If you are coming to the show on Friday, Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck will be checking out the Melges boats, and then heading over to the Bitter End Yacht Club’s booth at 5pm. Join Craig at the BEYC booth 53 in Tent D on Friday to hear more about Bitter End's 2008 Pro Am Regatta (and Scuttlebutt Sailing Club Championship) for November, and the January 2009 Medicine for Mariners seminar. Or of course, you can also just come by the BEYC booth for the snacks and adult beverages, and to offer the “Curmudgeon” your gripes, opinions, complements, or observations. To make an appointment in advance, email at mailto:craig@sailingscuttlebutt.com DEALING WITH A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS American Zac Sunderland quest to be the youngest sailor to attempt a solo global circumnavigation began June 14th with his departure from Los Angeles, CA onboard an Islander 36. Nearly four months later, his trip has gone essentially to plan, but with all the reports of piracy in the countries bordering the Indian Ocean, Zac has now gotten a taste of this sad reality. Read on: “The wind stayed steady all through the night and I was making good progress. The swell picked up to about 8 feet and I was back to the climbing up and surfing down motion. Around 11:30am I was sitting in the cockpit when I saw a boat about 4 miles away. I took a look at my radar screen and didn't see anything. I took another look at the boat. We were heading parallel to each other and would pass well clear of each other. I went down below and switched on the VHF radio and tried to hail them on Channel 16 with no luck. I went below and got my camera and got some footage of them but it was still hard to make out who or what they were because they were still about 3 miles off. I was sitting in the cockpit watching them and suddenly they changed course. At this new angle we would hit. I moved the autopilot over a few degrees to get out of their path. As I did they changed course dead for me again. So I'm thinking, ‘I've got a ship that doesn't show up on radar with no flags and no radio response, deliberately heading straight for me 150 miles off the coast of Indonesia, a place notorious for piracy.’” -- Full post: http://www.zacsunderland.com/blog/2008/10/update.html 'TWO TO ONE' STARTING TECHNIQUE by Steve Hunt and Clark Dawson Getting a good start in team racing is extremely important if you want to help your team win. Tim Wadlow, Olympian and champion team racer states, "Team racing starts often become three individual match races, as each pair try to win their section of the line." With that in mind, let's discuss the starting technique of 'two to one'. Top match racers use that important ratio to determine when to start their final approach towards the line. Two to one meaning they return to the line with twice as much time as needed. As they sail away from the line they are always estimating how much time it will take to get back. When the time until the start and their estimated return time have a two to one ratio, they start their return. For example, if they are sailing away from the line on port tack and they estimate they are 30 seconds away, they start their final approach at one minute. If they estimate they are 45 seconds away, they start their final approach at one minute and thirty seconds. Why do the best match racers do this? Why do they give themselves twice as much time to get back to the line as needed? They do so to give themselves a time cushion for three things that may make their return longer: 1. The anticipated battle with a competitor. 2. The wind getting lighter. 3. The wind shifting left. Battling a competitor takes time as both boats sail extra distance, slow down and steal each others wind. Lighter breeze and left shifts make the trip back to the line take longer as well. Having a system in place to help you estimate the all important time to head back will improve your starting. The top match racers use the two to one ratio as a starting point. They go back a little earlier if it is light or they want the pin, and they go back a little later if it is breezy or they want the boat. Improve your time and distance skills by working with the two to one ratio. -- http://www.teachingteamracing.com THE FACTS ABOUT BOAT LIFELINES by Ed Mayo, Suncor Stainless There have been a lot of misnomers since 2007 in regards to lifelines with the passing of the ORC/ISAF regulation 3.14.6 (see below). This requirement for racing sailboats has led to rumors throughout the marine industry that must be clarified. While the regulation pertains to ORC/ISAF it does not pertain to USCG regulations for passenger and recreational vessels. This was clarified by Randy Jackson, the USCG Technical Advisor, based out of the USCG headquarters in Washington D.C. Per the USCG there is no requirement for Bare 1x19 stainless wire. While it is a good idea to constantly check all rigging and lifelines for corrosion and cracking it is the feeling of most marine professionals that Vinyl Coated and PVC lifeline wire is completely sufficient. One of the problems with the Vinyl Coated and PVC lifeline wire is that there is a lack of attention in terms of inspection and replacement. Many cruising boats built in the late 1970’s early 1980’s still have their original lifelines. At the first sign of a problem all lifelines should be replaced. If you race your sailboat under ORC/ISAF then you must use uncoated wire rope per the revised regulation. If your boat is for passenger service or recreation there is no rule or regulation per the USCG for bare or uncoated lifeline wire. ORC/ISAF Regulations 3.14.6 Lifeline Minimum Diameters, Required Materials, Specifications a) Lifelines shall be stranded stainless steel wire of minimum diameter in table 8 below. Lifelines shall be uncoated and used without close-fitting sleeving. Notwithstanding 3.14.6 (a) above, temporary sleeving may be fitted provided it is regularly removed for inspection b) Grade 316 stainless wire is recommended. c) A taut lanyard of synthetic rope may be used to secure lifelines provided the gap it closes does not exceed 100 mm (4 in). d) All wire, fittings, anchorage points, fixtures and lanyards shall comprise a lifeline enclosure system which has at all points at least the breaking strength of the required lifeline wire. Boat length - minimum wire diameter Under 8.5m (28ft) -- 3mm (1/8 in) 8.5m -13m -- 4mm (5/32 in) Over 13m (43 ft) -- 5mm (3/16 in) SAIL FASTER AND SMARTER Speed & Smarts is a bi-monthly newsletter full of race-winning tips on boatspeed, tactics, strategy, rules and more! If you subscribe now, you’ll get our upcoming issue that explains the new 2009-2012 racing rules. You’ll also receive a free copy of our special issue with 100 top racing tips! http://www.SpeedandSmarts.com SAILING SHORTS * With only a matter of days until the start of the 29th Rolex Middle Sea Race, the Royal Malta Yacht Club announced that the event may exceed seventy boats for the first time ever. The 606-mile race starts from Marsamxett Harbour on the October 18th, taking the fleet in a counter-clockwise direction around Sicily, and is known for its amazing diversity of landscape and sea conditions. The race is open to yachts from 9-metres to 30.5 metres, with George David's Rambler (USA) estabilishing the current Course Record of 47 hours 55 minutes and 3 seconds in 2007. -- Event website: http://www.rolexmiddlesearace.com * Snowfall ended the recovery efforts around the site of adventurer Steve Fossett's downed plane in the Sierra Nevada last Friday, and officials do not expect weather conditions to improve enough for crews to return until next summer. Authorities say they completed most of what they needed to do Friday when they removed debris from Fossett's plane and found three more bone fragments for DNA testing. Fossett vanished in September 2007 during what was supposed to be a short pleasure flight. Wreckage from his plane was discovered last week, solving the lingering mystery of his disappearance. -- Full story with photos: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/05/fossett.search.weather.ap/index.html * (October 5, 2008) l'Hydroptère returned to her speed base at Port-St-Louis-du-Rhône on October 1st, and last night the scientific team analyzed the measurements recorded during the day's sailing session at Fos sur Mer. They revealed the exact top speed in the 5th run: 52.86 knots. Said Alain Thébault, "It is the first time that a sailing boat has crossed the wind barrier, that is, 50 knots. Now all we have to do is to stabilize this speed over 500 meters!" Now that the Mistral has since fallen, l'Hydroptère will be taken to Marseille during the day. -- http://www.hydroptere.com/_en/index.php * There are two prime time broadcasts providing insight into the tryout process used to select the Morning Light crew for the 2007 Transpac race. This team was the focus of the film ‘Morning Light’, a true-life documentary about a group of fifteen young adults who were recruited and trained to race a high-tech, high-performance 52-foot boat in the event from L.A. to Hawaii. The 60 minute show is scheduled this week on ESPN2 HD for Wednesday, October 8th and Thursday, October 9th. -- Details: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6475 CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar LASER VS. BLADERIDER MOTH Rohan Veal carries a lot of clout in the International Moth Class. He established his authority by twice winning the Worlds, he used the muscle of the internet to raise our awareness of this foiling boat, helped to launch a company geared to mass producing what had essentially been a custom build class, and now he is leading the pitch to get the class into the 2012 Olympics. Well, he is not exactly pitching the class, but rather the Bladerider Moth, a brand that he works for. I suspect he is getting grief from the class about being a company man, but the other problem is that the slot the Moth is seeking is now currently held by the … LASER. The Moth is new and sexy, but is there a class that meets the Olympic ideal better than the Laser? International, available, affordable, athletic, unpretentious… it is the easiest “next step” for youth sailors, and with Olympic status, it has become a legitimate landing point for elite sailors to pursue excellence. The events for the 2012 Games will be decided at the 2008 ISAF Annual Meeting in November. I love the International Moth class; I just wish it was not looking to be the men's singlehanded dinghy event in 2012. -- Scuttleblog, http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2008/10/laser-vs-bladerider-moth.html CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Young men exaggerate; Old men pretend. Special thanks to North Sails, Melges Performance Sailboats, and Speed & Smarts newsletter. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
