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SCUTTLEBUTT 1845 - May 24, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere. ROLEX TRANSATLANTIC CHALLENGE Almost 24 hours into the Rolex Transatlantic Race, the leaders in the Grand Prix class have found breeze while those astern continue to wallow in light air, making five knots or less. The fight in the Grand Prix class is seeing Robert Miller's (Hong Kong/New York, N.Y.) Mari-Cha IV jockeying for position with Charles Brown and Bill Buckley's New Zealand yacht Maximus. Both have taken the most southeasterly route to get out into the Gulf Stream and line themselves up to make the best of the weather ahead. Joe Dockery's (Stamford, Conn.) smaller Carrera has been taking a more easterly route, closer to the great circle, which is the shortest course. As a result, at 1200 GMT today, the latest positions showed Carrera having moved into the lead. She was 969 miles from Point Alpha, the waypoint off southeast Newfoundland, compared to 992 for Mari-Cha IV and 997 for Maximus. Of concern for the crews at the moment is the weather ahead. "The main storm system will be coming off the Virginia coast this afternoon, and that will turn into a major gale," says Ken Campbell of Commanders Weather. The message from Campbell is that the yachts should head south. "It is going to be a very rough two days for the fleet." At present, Mike Slade's (GBR) Leopard of London is leading the Performance Cruising class 1, while the smallest boat in the fleet, the Swan 70 Stay Calm, is leading Performance Cruising class 2. Among the classics, A. Robert Towbin's (New York, N.Y.) Sumurun is holding a six-mile lead over the Storm Trysail Club-chartered clipper ship Stad Amsterdam. - http://transatlanticchallenge.org FROM ONBOARD THE LEADER, CARRERA - Ken Read Even though it was light air, we worked our tails off through the night. At last count, in the last 21 hours, we had done about 25 sail changes to keep up with the fickle conditions. Lots of work but clearly worth it so far. The combination of all this work as well as our early strategy had us a reported 20 miles ahead of the next boat Mari Cha at 6:00am today (Monday). Pretty amazing for our little 81 footer, but looks may be deceiving. Yes, we are closer to England than the rest of the fleet by a good bit, but the two big boys are well to the east of us and obviously think that is even a better route around the light air patch off the Massachusetts coast. Those two are so much faster than us that they have drag raced almost 40 miles further out into the ocean. Time will tell if their speed have led them down the right path or not. - Ken Read, North Sails website, full report: http://tinyurl.com/dvhbg FOCUS ON YOUTH US Sailing has announced the qualifying events for the 2006 US Youth World Team, which will represent the U.S. at the 2006 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF (International Sailing Federation) World Championships. Open to sailors who will not have turned 19 in 2006, the Youth World Championships feature competition in seven events. The 2006 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships will be held July 12-21, 2006, in Weymouth, England. The qualifying events for the 2006 US Youth World Team are: * Open Multihull (Hobie 16): 2005 U.S. Youth Multihull Championship, to be held August 25-28 at St. Andrew Bay Yacht Club, Panama City, Fla. * Boys Singlehanded (Laser): 2006 U.S. Youth Sailing Championship, dates to be determined, hosted by Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans, La. * Girls Singlehanded (Laser Radial): 2005 U.S. Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship, to be held July 30-August 5 at California Yacht Club, Marina Del Rey, Calif. * Boys Doublehanded (International 420): 2006 420 Midwinters, to be held February 18-20 at the US Sailing Center of Martin County, Jensen Beach, Fla. * Girls Doublehanded (International 420): 2006 420 Midwinters, to be held February 18-20 at the US Sailing Center of Martin County, Jensen Beach, Fla. * Boys and Girls Boardsailing: qualifying events to be determined based on equipment selection by ISAF. - www.ussailing.org/ A POWERBOAT SAILORS LOVE TO BRAG ABOUT Inspired by the rugged, reliable New England lobster boats and built to the highest standards by the leader in composite technology, the Pearson True North 33 and 38 are changing the minds and souls of sailors everywhere. Professional sailor Ken Read became a convert with his True North 38 - and now the boats are on tour at shows across the US. Plan on attending the San Diego Summer Boat Show June 23-26 in San Diego, California to see for yourself. Contact Jeff Brown at 619-709-0697 for show details, boat information, or view the True North Series online at http://www.pearsonyachts.com OFFSHORE Imagine gale-force winds, 12 hours of rowing a day, freezing temperatures and thousands of miles of sea ahead of you - Steve Dawson from Boston is ready for the challenge of his life! Steve and four fellow rowers have flown to St John's in Newfoundland to meet up with their boat Naturally Best, in which they intend to break two world records. The team will attempt the fastest row across the North Atlantic and to be the first crew in history to row into mainland UK. They will be looking for a three-day window from May 28 and westerly winds to aid their attempt. If they get this wrong, the wind and tides could push them back towards land. The team will row on a rotating basis - two hours on and two off - and intend to row at all times to try and beat the world record. 'It's an extraordinary adventure. We're rowing from Canada to England - say it fast and it's not very far! It's vain-busting and absolutely physically draining. 'If you do two hours on an ergo in a gym, get off and go and sit downstairs and relax for two hours, the get back on and do two hours. 'You try and keep that up for the rest of that month and the following month, and that's what it's like,' says Steve on the demands of the trip. The crew will consume an enormous amount of calories on the trip, but still expect to lose between 14 and 21 pounds in weight each. On their off-watch periods they will have vital administrative tasks including cooking, plotting positions, weather updates as well as sleeping. - BBC Lincolnshire website, full story: www.bbc.co.uk/lincolnshire/sport/atlantic_four_200505.shtml MDS DISPUTE UPDATE For over a year the Challengers have objected to ACM's acceptance of Alinghi's recommendation for ACM to spend Euro 3.5 million on a Met Data Service ("MDS"), of which some Euro 3.0 million would be spent placing 20+ weather buoys in the racing area. The Challengers believe that this large number of the weather buoys, and the special layout, will give a significant competitive advantage to Alinghi, is unnecessarily expensive, and will constitute a hazard to navigation. At the 10 May CC meeting, MDS Working Party chairman Luis Saenz (Luna Rossa) presented a report and recommendation (on behalf of the MDS Working Party, which included team meteorologists from most Challengers) in response to the 13th April MDS papers from ACM, and on next steps with regard to the CC's continuing strong opposition to ACM's Met Data Service on "Neutral Management" and excessive expense grounds. The report was received with appreciation and approved unanimously. Chairman George Clyde made the recommended communication to ACM, asking for a response by 20 May. Friday evening 20 May, ACM replied to the Chairman's communication, stating that ACM would continue to implement the MDS program as designed and specced by Alinghi despite the repeated objections of the Challengers and the CC. Given the ACM response, CC Chairman George Clyde advises that, in accordance with the resolution adopted unanimously at the 10 May CC meeting, an application on behalf of the CC and Challengers will be filed with the Jury this week, formally disputing the matter with ACM. - Excepts from a report on the AC Challenger Commission website, full report: www.challengercommission.com/2005/05/cc-memo-mds-dispute-update.html J/24 NATIONALS Seattle, Washington - High winds returned to Puget Sound Sunday for the last day of the J/24 U.S. National Championship regatta, including a 37-knot puff that tossed the boats around like toothpicks. About six boats were knocked on their sides by the gust, two fully capsized, and one of those two turned all the way over and sank. Three of the five crew members of Magic Hat were pitched into the water as the boat turned over, while the other two managed to scramble onto the boat's bottom as it rotated until the mast was straight down and the keel was sticking straight up. None was injured, and a chase boat operated by Seattle Corinthian Yacht Club and a spectator boat owned by Seattle Sailing Club were on the scene before Magic Hat went down. From the time it capsized, it took about a minute for the boat to sink. Meanwhile, racing continued off Seattle's Shilshole Bay Marina, and Chris Snow of San Diego came from behind to win his fourth national championship in the class. Snow and his boat Bogus took a first and two thirds in Sunday's racing. Snow, with a total of 25 points, overtook David "Deke" Klatt of Ventura, California, who led after the first two days of the event but finished just one point behind Snow. In third place in the 47 boat fleet was Keith Whittemore of Seattle, with 28 points. Whittemore's boat capsized when the big puff went through the fleet, laying on its side for about a minute before the crew managed to right it and recover to finish second in the race, the day's final contest. - www.j24nationals.org/index.htm Gallery of J/24 sinking: www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/05/j24sink/ Gallery of J/24 Nationals event: www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/05/j24usn/ BENEFITS ARE FAST DRYING, BREATHABLE & LONG LASTING It's this relentless dedication to quality, combined with constant innovation and ever-higher performance standards that makes Camet Clothing unique and the best in their class. Sailing gear and leisure wear for Men and Women! Exclusive padded shorts, pants and vests, moisture wicking shirts, and much more for racing and cruising! Pick up the phone and call one of our many dealers or go on-line at http://www.cametclothing.com LIFE AFTER THE OLYMPICS Double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson will make her first competitive appearance north of the Border since her Athens triumph when she helms the Farr 45 yacht, Volvo RYA Keelboat Sailing, in the Bell Lawrie Scottish Series, starting at Oban on Thursday. Robertson, who will turn 37 this year and says that her greatest weakness in sailing is not being able to stop, confirmed to Scotland on Sunday that she intends to compete in China in three years' time in search of an Olympic hat-trick. "As long as I am competitive, it would be worth a decent bet that I'll be in Beijing," she said, "but what class I'll be in remains to be decided. "I remain committed to the Olympics in 2008. Olympic sailing has been my life for 16 years and remains very addictive. I have, however, always attributed much of my success to the importance of retaining balance in my life, and intend to spend more time with my husband, friends and family in 2005." - Scotland on Sunday, http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=559142005 NEWS BRIEFS * The 2005 J/22 North American Championships sponsored by Chesapeake Natural Gas and hosted by the Oklahoma City Boat Club were won by Scott Nixon from Annapolis, MD with Dave Van Cleef & Ted Kaczmarski crewing. Fifty-six of the top J/22's made the trip to Oklahoma for a six race series that saw winds in the 4-16 knot range on Lake Hefner. Temperatures were around 100 degrees in Oklahoma City and the racing was completed in two days after a "no wind" day on Friday. Second place was Marvin Beckman, and third went to Kelson Elam (both from Texas). - www.2005j22na.com/ * In the fast paced city of San Francisco, a weekend event in 25 knots plus is how the locals relax. Looking at the following images, these folks must have had a heck of a week: www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/05/0523 * The Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia America's Cup team will launch of ITA 77 in Portoferraio this week. ITA 77 has been modified to meet the requirements of AC Version 5 rule. Currently it is being tested against ITA 66 (formerly Team Dennis Conner's USA 66). At the end of May, the team and boats will be transferred to Valencia, where the Louis Vuitton Acts 4&5 will commence on the 16th of June. The modifications to upgrade ITA 77 (previously USA 77 - Stars & Stripes) were drawn by the design group of Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team led by Harry Dunning. - www.mascalzonelatino.com * For the second year in succession Italy's Paolo Cian took the honors in the ISAF Grade 1 Albaria Cento Cup in Mondello, Italy. Cian defeated ISAF World Mach Race Rankings' number four, Mathieu Richard (FRA) 3-1 in the final on Saturday. The final was sailed in excellent conditions in Mondello with 20 knots of wind and the sun shining. Cian had earlier overcome Eugeny Neugodnikov (RUS) in the semi finals whilst Richard had beaten Matteo Simoncelli (ITA). In the battle for third place, Neugodnikov, who finished fourth in last year's ISAF Match Racing World Championship, defeated Simoncelli 2-1. - www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j6/Fhy?B? * With less than 2000 miles to the Global Challenge Boston finish line, the close racing continues. "The close proximity of so many boats now is testament to how good our crews have become in racing these one-design boats to their full potential," writes BG Spirit skipper Andy Forbes. "Reaching speeds in excess of 21 knots, surfing down waves in 35 knots of wind with the spinnaker up does not really raise an eyebrow anymore." The top seven boats are less than 20 miles apart with BP Explorer is the current leader followed by SAIC, VAIO and Team Stelmar. - www.globalchallenge2004.com/en EXCLUSIVE 10% OFF SALE Take 10% off all internet orders between now and June 1st at SailNet. Just in time for the summer, check out SailNet's hardware, rigging, and other gear for your 2005 racing season. Enjoy this Scuttlebutt exclusive today at http://www.sailnet.com/scuttlebutt LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Robert Wilkes, Secretary, IODA (With reference to Elizabeth Elmer's plea is Butt 1844: "But after World Peace could someone figure out an easier way to rig an Opti."): The International Optimist Dinghy Association is currently asking exactly the same question! A competition to design the Optimist sail of the future was announced in its March 2005 Optiworld newsletter with one of the criteria being that the new sail should be easier to rig. We warmly invite all sailmakers to help us solve Elizabeth's problem. Details at www.optiworld.org/oworld58counter.html (page 3). * From Derek Blancké, UK (Replying to John Harwood Bee in SB 1843 - edited to our 250-word limit): Until Britain has won the AC it has everything to prove as a sailing nation. Large yacht racing is a combination of factors not just sailing ability. To compete in the AC you have to be full on in every discipline including finance and you have to have money in place early enough to be able to bring in the top people before other syndicates cream off all the top experience and talent. Britain does not have any major track form in the event. With the amount of money involved and the highly evolved egos there is bound to be high level politics and maneuvering Take a look at Formula One motor racing and Premier League football with similar sized budgets and a very strong ruling body and see what goes on there. All is fair in love, war and high level sport. The reason Britain does not have an entry is easy - We cant afford it. We don't stand any chance of winning so nobody in the corporate world is going to back a certain looser - bad PR. A very rich individual with an obsession rather like Roman Ambromovich with Chelsea would get us to the event but the chances of getting a result would be minimal because we don't have the intellectual knowledge or the benefit of continued high level development. Britain and Australia are missing out big time and as time goes by will become further removed from any chance of competing successfully. * From Frank Whitton (Reply to Craig Fletcher): I'm sorry to see a letter such as this published in Scuttlebutt. As the measurer of the two 1D48's in question I feel it necessary to set the record straight. First of all, the first 1D48 was not a "Full" measurement. It was an in the water measurement with a check of the designer supplied hull offset file. Every rule including PHRF, IMS, IOR CCA, and Americap, use standard boats. Once a design is in the data base, it is only necessary to measure the variations. Obviously this is done to minimize the cost to the user and does not relate to the scientific nature of whatever rule is being used. I have processed approximately 40 Americap Certificates this year with the average bill to the owner of around $500. This is the total cost. Everything included. If a boat is a standard the cost is around $300. Of the 40 boats I have processed, 2/3 have fallen into this category. Americap is not expensive and US Sailing has done everything it can to minimize costs. With regard to the 1500 Lbs. of missing displacement, this could be caused by the boat being lighter as Craig states. It also could be caused by the hull and deck being attached slightly differently. Craig declared the keel was "Shaved" - an accusation which at this point is unproven. The boat in question is being checked and will be issued a certificate which will reflect any differences from its sister ships. * From Pete Sherwood: I think we have heard enough criticism and whining from sailors who have no experience racing in IRC. It seems to me that most that have raced under its rules are coming back for more. Sure it's not a Grand Prix rule, but it was never designed to be. At the moment it's the best thing around, so while we are waiting for a new GP rule to come along, get out there and have a crack or shut the hell up. GP rules will always have a limited lifespan when all the best designers in the world are trying to "beat" it. It's simply the nature of the beast. It will take an exceptionally well administered ruled to stand up to this type of onslaught. I think IMS slit its own throat in the late nineties when the low stability trend started. They should have nipped that in the bud (don't ask me how) as it went against everything IMS was founded on. IRC is unique in that it is "blind" so let's hope it holds out (and I believe it will) until the next GP rule comes along. There's also been a lot of nonsense talk about the expense of optimizing for IRC. I think most of these changes would be more appropriately called "un-IMS-ing" rather than IRC optimizing. (I.e. removing lead from the bilge and putting it back in the keel where it belongs) * From Judy McLennan (re Jerry Goodin's comments): It is not just the boaters who use Newport Harbor and all the harbors around Aquidneck Island who are in a panic mode about this proposal but anyone who lives on and or visits Aquidneck Island all year long will be affected. Aquidneck Island(where Newport is) is a real Island! It is served by three bridges. Any time one of these tankers is in range, the traffic which would be needing to travel one of the bridges will be stopped for at least an hour. This means two bridges are affected as the tanker heads to it's unloading area and one bridge affected when it leaves empty. This is a huge problem 12 months of the year for everyone who lives on Aquidneck Island or has a business on the island. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS On a Taxidermist's window: "We really know our stuff." |
