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SCUTTLEBUTT 2646 - Friday, July 25, 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. THE YEAR OF CARIBBEAN SAILORS The Optimist Worlds – 250 sailors from 53 countries - finished Thursday in Cesme, Turkey with the final three races of the 15 race series. 2008 was the year of Caribbean sailors, even more than 2007 belonged to New Zealand. Raul Rios (PUR), already North American champion, won with two races to go and good results in all wind conditions. Ian Barrows (ISV), still with two years left in the Class, can be proud of his silver. Puerto Rico won the exciting team-racing final and USVI took bronze. To cap it all Puerto Rico also won the Miami Herald Trophy for the team with the lowest cumulative points of the best four sailors. Bronze was taken by Kristien Kirketerp (DEN) just one point ahead of Mathias Derren. The girls' podium was very much of an Asian affair. Tomoyo Wakabayashi (JPN) was top girl in 5th place over-all, while Rachel Lee (SIN) had a superb last day to take silver ahead of Lu Yu Ting (CHN). Noppakao Poonpat (THA) was fourth. Shelley White of Australia posted the best Worlds result ever from her country which only recently started to participate. The leaderboard showed again the diversity of the Class with nine countries in the top ten. By Robert Wilkes, Commentary: www.optiworld.org/08worldnews.html Results: www.optiworld.org/08worldnews.html OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN: 15 DAYS TO GO * Olympic co-host city Qingdao will restrict swimming and boating activities in the sea near the sailing competition venue to ensure security for the Games. From 8 a.m. on Aug. 7 till 6 p.m. on Aug. 24, the unauthorized sailing of tourist boats, yachts and motorboats would be banned in coastal waters from the east side of the Tuandao Island to Shilaoren tourist area, the city's Public Security Bureau said in a circular. Meanwhile, swimming, diving, fishing and the sailing of model boats would be banned from the east side of Huiquanjiao to Shilaoren, except for areas within the shark barrier at approved swimming sites. Vessels must anchor at designated wharfs and berths. Anyone caught violating the rules would be prosecuted, the bureau warned. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/24/content_8760589.htm * Yesterday, a press release was sent out detailing a new type of gennaker Mitch Booth and Pim Nieuwenhuis are planning to use at the Olympic Games in Qingdao next month. The sail is also being trialed by the US team of John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree. The announcement came as a surprise to most outside of the Tornado fleet firstly because it was ‘announced’ at all leaving many wondering whether this is a sail designed to help at the Olympics or rather a stunt designed to distract other competitors. The sail unveiled is a very flat, significantly smaller gennaker for the Tornado than usual that is able to be flown upwind in very light weather – think a code zero on a big boat. Of course where this is different to a keelboat code zero is only one gennaker is allowed to be used at the Olympics so this sail will also be in use downwind and throughout the event irrespective of the conditions. While it may be a weapon upwind, it could be majorly off the pace downwind. The first thing to get clear is this is not a development we are likely to see on any other dinghy classes, multihull or otherwise. This sail has been specifically designed to deal with the extremely light winds that are prominent in Qingdao at this time of the year. -- Excerpt from a comprehensive story posted on the Daily Sail subscription website: http://www.thedailysail.com/ * New Zealand Finn class sailor Dan Slater is expecting the algae bloom to be a significant issue at next month's Olympic regatta at Qingdao. Slater has just returned to New Zealand after a two-week stint where officials are still trying to clear the Olympic course. Slater says the algae is not as thick as it has been, but it is still a problem and he could not sail as confidently and straight as he normally would. He says there are still patches in the water which wrap around rudders and centre boards which makes sailing really tough as the weed is not easy to see in water that is less than clear. Slater expects racing to be abandoned at stages of the regatta due to light winds and the algae. -- http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=88083&fm=newsmain,nrhl DARK AND STORMY NEWPORT, R.I. (July 24, 2008) -- The old "dark and stormy day" cliché applied perfectly to the opener for the second-half of New York Yacht Club's (NYYC) sixth biennial Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex. Sent to race courses in northern Narragansett Bay to better hide from ocean swells, classes for two IRC, two PHRF and four one-design classes began their four-day racing series but not until after a raging storm had passed them on the water. The weather cell whipped up 30-knot winds, two-foot seas and even a short bout of hail before settling to 18-25 knots for today's two races. "The Race Committee did a good job of waiting; that was a good idea because the original squalls were so unsettled," said Joey Bardenheier (Boston, Mass.), crew aboard Chris Bulger's (Brookline, Mass.) Blazer in the 20-boat NYYC Club Swan 42 class. Bardenheier explained that subsequent weather systems still brought sheets of rain and winds enough to propel them to "a good 14-15 knots downwind." At the top of the NYYC Club Swan 42 class scoreboard is Jon Halbert's (Dallas, Texas) Vitesse, which finished third in both races. Leading overall after finishing 1-2 in IRC Class 1 today was Roger Sturgeon's (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) STP65 Rosebud/Team DYT. "We were a bit rough with our maneuvers and boat handling as it has been a while since we have sailed in 25 knots of wind," said crew member Malcolm Park. Captain Jim Slaughter said Rosebud reached speeds of 21 knots off the wind on races of approximately 10 miles each. "That's fast," he said. In IRC Class 2, Jim Bishop's (New York, N.Y.) J/44 Gold Digger won both races to lead by two points over Blair Brown's (Newton, Mass.) Taylor 45 Sforzando. The full story and complete results are posted right now at www.nyyc.org, and on-demand video by T2p.tv will be available after 9 p.m.EDT each evening of Race Week. -- Media Pro Int’l MARK YOUR CALENDAR - ACURA KEY WEST 2009 One Design, IRC, and PHRF sailors from across the country are making plans for North America’s top winter regatta – Acura Key West 2009. World class competition, Premiere Racing’s professional management, Key West’s brilliant sunshine, warm water and winds, and unique shoreside attractions all make this a January must do. Now’s the perfect time to begin planning your winter escape! Race dates are January 19 – 23, 2009. Invited class include: Corsair 28R, Farr 40, J/105, J/80, J/109, Melges 24 and 32, M30, RC44, Swan 42, TP52 (and more). For logistics and planning details visit: www.Premiere-Racing.com AC UPDATE BMW Oracle Racing will begin training in Cowes next week in preparation for the highly competitive iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week 2-4 August where the team is fielding two entries –Team Spithill and Team Cammas. Spithill will helm with John Kostecki (USA), tactician/traveler; Dirk de Ridder (NED), trim/grind; and Alan Smith (NZL); trim/grind. Multihull consultant Franck Cammas (FRA) will also helm one of the team’s two Extreme 40s. His crew will include Thierry Fouchier (FRA), tactician/traveler; Joe Newton (AUS); trim/grind; and Simeon Tienpont (NED); trim/grind. BMW Oracle Racing skipper Racing skipper Russell Coutts (NZL) and design coordinator Mike Drummond (NZL) will be coaching the two crews in Cowes.. “This will be a perfect regatta for pushing our learning curve on multihull racing,” Spithill said. -- www.bmworacleracing.com RUDI A live webcast of a memorial party for Mark Rudiger at the San Francisco Yacht Club in Northern California is scheduled Tuesday, 1-4 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, at www.rudimemorial.org. Rudiger, 53, died July 17 after a relapse of lymphoma at the height of his career as one of the world's top ocean racing navigators. The webcast will feature friends and family offering tributes and anecdotes. AUDI MEDCUP Puerto Portals, Mallorca -- It was a perfect day for Quantum Racing and a black day for Mean Machine. Quantum Racing, the Audi MedCup Circuit leaders decisively took over the lead of the 14th Breitling Regatta off Puerto Portals, Mallorca by winning both sections of Thursday’s 34.2 miles passage back and forth across the Bay of Palma. This not only increased Quantum Racing’s lead at the top of the Circuit leader board to 23 points of clear daylight, but as erstwhile leaders of the 14th Breitling Regatta Mean Machine had a day they would rather forget, so the American boat also earned a lead of 11 points in the regatta standings. Having just yesterday got themselves back into joint second place in the overall Regatta standings Mean Machine’s 15th and then 14th Thursday leaves the 2006 MedCup Champion team with a mountain to climb, again with just two regattas left after Saturday. -- http://2008.medcup.org Breitling Regatta after 8 races. 1. Quantum Racing USA (11, 2, 2, 8, 2, 2, 1, 1) 29 pts 2. Platoon powered by Team Germany GER (7, 4, 6, 7, 6, 6, 2,2) 40 pts 3. Matador ARG (3, 1, 3, 9, 7, 1, 9, 9) 42 pts 4. Artemis SWE (4, 11, 5, 5, 10, 3, 3, 3) 44 pts 5. Mean Machine MON (1, 5, 1, 2, 1, 7, 15, 14)46 pts Audi MedCup Circuit 2008 Standings after 33 races 1. Quantum Racing USA 158 2. Artemis SWE 181 3. Bribón ESP 196 4. Mean Machine MON 204 5. Platoon by Team Germany GER 230 SAILING SHORTS * The 6th Annual Newport Bucket Regatta was sailed on Rhode Island Sound, July 19-20 with a fleet of 12 magnificent yachts including two Perini Navi 148’ ketches, Antara and Klosters, plus the 156’ Perini, Perseus. The large end of the fleet was also joined by Whisper, the 118’ Holland Jachtbouw Sloop, Avalon, 108’ Ron Holland Ketch, Apache, 100’ Custom Ketch, Carmella, 92’ Custom Ketch by Vitter’s Shipyard and the elegant Classic Herreshoff 138’ Schooner, Eleonora And the winners were … those who sailed on these magnificent yachts, and partied all weekend long. -- http://www.bucketregattas.com/ * Chicago Yacht Club's Belmont Harbor Station is gearing up to host the country's top youth sailors at the Chubb U.S. Junior Championships from July 28 through August 1. Sponsored by the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies and LaserPerformance, the events will feature competition in single-, double-, and triplehanded classes sailing Lasers (Smythe Trophy), Club 420s (Bemis Trophy) and Lightnings (Lightning class) respectively. Accomplished junior sailors from across the country have qualified to race in this regatta based on their performance in a ladder system of numerous eliminations held at dozens of sailing organizations nationwide. -- www.ussailing.org/championships * Light and predominantly light airs. In these conditions the fleet of the 7th Transat Quebec Saint Malo are certainly not going to beat any speed records. With the exception perhaps of the trimaran Crêpes Whaou! which has gained some massive separation and is closing on the archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon. As it heads towards the open ocean, the remaining 26 crews in the general ranking are making laborious progress in the waters of Saint Lawrence Bay. Amongst the multihulls, the deficits are extending, whilst the Class 40s bunched up dramatically at the passage of Percé. -- www.quebecsaintmalo.com * Norfolk, VA. - Dozens of Virginia teenagers will learn more about themselves and others as they sail up the East Coast. The Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation's Youth Sail Training program teaches youngsters between the ages of 13 and 17 how to sail. But organizers say that along the way, the teens also build character and discipline, and better leadership and communication skills. Each trip accommodates up to 16 teens on board a two-masted, 126-foot-long schooner. -- Complete story: http://www.wtop.com * West Marine today reported net sales of US$227.7 million for the quarter ended June 28, 2008. That compared to net sales of US$247.1 million for the same period a year ago. Its quarterly net income was US$4.4 million compared to US$20.8 million a year ago. The reported net income included a US$14.6 million non-cash full valuation charge that was required by accounting rules. Same-store sales for the quarter declined by 7.8 per cent. "Our financial results for the second quarter of 2008 reflected the ongoing softness we've seen in boating activity and in the economy in general," said Geoff Eisenberg, CEO. -- http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20080624133901ibinews.html “VICKI” IS FOR SALE This well known Alan Andrews designed 70 is for sale. Launched in 1995, she is all carbon and beautiful inside and out. This is a must see and sail. Fast, fun and of course, ready to go. See pictures at http://www.vickilawrence.com/vickilawrence/hobbies.htm. Located in Southern California. If interested, contact owners at mailto:vickiandal@aol.com VIDEO OF THE WEEK Michel Monfort provides this exclusive windsurf video of the best freestylers during the Professional Windsurfers Association world tour last month in Costa Teguise, on the island of Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain). The acrobatic movements of these athletes set them apart from the best skaters at the X Games, and the best skiers at the Winter Olympics. These sailors are not operating within the confines of manufactured ramps and hills; rather the ocean is their canvas, with only their creative instincts and physical training presenting the limits. If you have a video you like, please send us your suggestions for next week’s Video of the Week. Click here for this week’s video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/08/0721 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 may be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). 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 Scott Mason: (re commentary in ‘Butt 2645 about ISAF Ranking System) Nobody contests Ben Ainslie’s success or supremacy in the Finn class. However, the ranking system administered by ISAF is a combination of participation and results. Ben is not sailing full-time in the Finn like many others, hence the scoring results. I don't think any serious Finn sailor doubts Ben's skills, results or pecking order. That said, it is unfair to degrade sailors who are one-class participants and who are also "World Class" as most of the top Finn sailors are. Much like the pro golf world is learning to recognize athletes besides Tiger, the sailing world should recognize athletes who succeed while Ben is away doing other things. Rankings are not a one event thing, they are accumulated over an objective series of events. Ben is awesome, he may likely win another Gold, but to demean other athletes for the sake of journalism is unfair to dozens of successful sailors who have done so well. => Curmudgeon’s Comment: Sorry Scott, but I’ve re-read yesterday’s commentary, and I simply can not find any verbiage that in any way demeans or degrades other athletes. Certainly, that was not our intention. Instead, we were questioning the value of a ranking system that positions the acknowledged top Finn sailor in the world in the 28th spot. We’d be interested in hearing from other on this matter. * From Jack Attridge, Marblehead, MA, Birthplace of the American Navy: The Boys from Atlantis certainly stirred up this long debated moniker! (Butt 2641 and 2642) Although I can not argue the date that Mr. Gowell refers (Butt 2645) with regards to the decision of one of the Colonies to start a Navy, it is indisputable that one Ashley Bowen wrote in his journal witnessing George Washington delivering orders to John Glover to start our first seagoing operations to defend Boston during the Blockade of Boston in September of 1775. By an act of the Continental Congress, we had already been defending the coast from Cape to Cape (Sable to Cod) as we had the experience, ships and men that could not be duplicated. Glover and his Marblehead men were clearly chosen and were given the first specific orders by the new Commander-in-Chief, George Washington. It is also noted that Glover was one of Washington's closest Generals and he and his men were the critical component in the victory at the attack on Trenton, a "turning point point in the Revolutionary War". Historian George Trevelyan noted: "It may be doubted whether so small a number of men ever employed so short a space of time with greater or more lasting results upon the history of the world." If the Navy was started in all these other places...who lead them and who were their crew? What did they sail on? * From John Sweeney In response to Jay Goowell comments in ‘Butt 2645, declaring a navy for the Colonies in June 1775 can not be considered a US Navy since the United States of America didn't exist for another 13 months, when independence was formally declared. In 1775, surely the Crown would have considered any ship and sailors under authority of the Royal Navy. It's also debatable whether the orders to Captain Abraham can be considered the date of establishing a navy. I would say that actually having a commissioned ship and sailors is requisite for the claim. It would be interesting to know whether the Katy was commandeered by the colonists and its role in the revolution. * From Bruce Thompson: To be more complete in your history of the U.S. Navy, you should recognize the first time British colors were struck to those of the United States during the American Revolution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_O%27Brien . This was during the capture of the British ship, Margaretta, on June 12, 1775 by the men of Machias, Maine under Jeremiah O'Brien. The captured Margaretta was subsequently renamed Machias Liberty and given a letter of marque to operate as a privateer by the General Council of Massachusetts Bay. In October 1775, General Washington commissioned the first two of six ships to cruise Massachusetts Bay, the Washington Cruisers http://flagspot.net/flags/us-wacr.html#desc => Curmudgeon’s Comment. With these parting comments we are putting a lid on this history lesson and officially ending this thread. Have a nice weekend everyone. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't. Special thanks to Premiere Racing and Vicki & Al Schultz. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
