SCUTTLEBUTT #489 - January 25, 2000
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
(The following is an excerpt of an interview Gary Jobson conducted with
Olympic medalist Paul Foerster for the NBC Olympics website.)
Paul Foerster, 36, has been sailing since the age of 13, and he earned a
silver medal in the Flying Dutchman class at the 1992 Olympics in
Barcelona. Now sailing in the 470 class, Foerster in 1999 came in second in
the 470 at the IBM Sydney Harbour Regatta in Australia; won the 470
national championship in Houston, Texas; and came in first out of 31 Silver
Fleet boats in the 470 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. In 1998
he won five events, including the 470 national championship. I recently got
a chance to chat with Paul, and here are some of the highlights of our
conversation:
Jobson: In 1992 you earned an Olympic silver medal in the Flying Dutchman
class. What lessons from that experience helped you earn a berth in the 470
class for Sydney 2000?
Foerster: We trained in the same way we trained in the Flying Dutchman. We
went to as many regattas as possible and sailed against the best
competitions as often as possible. Experience definitely helps -- it gave
me confidence that if we worked hard enough, we would have a chance to win
the trials.
Jobson: The Flying Dutchman is nearly 20 feet long and weighs 364 pounds,
and the 470 is 15-6 long and 264 lbs. Was it difficult making the transition?
Foerster: Well, I had been out of the Flying Dutchman for five years and
had been sailing a JY15 with my wife, so the 470 was very similar in size
to a JY15 (15 feet, 275 lbs.). Now when I see a Flying Dutchman, I am
shocked by how big it is.
Jobson: How did you and Bob Merrick get teamed up together?
Foerster: My other teammate could not get enough time off from work, and I
had sailed with Bob once and we sailed well together, so we decided to give
it a try and see how it went. He knew a lot more about the 470s than me, as
he had done a '96 campaign
Jobson: For aspiring Olympians, say at the high school or college level,
what advice would you give?
Foerster: Training to be the best in the world is a lot of hard work and
sacrifice, so be aware of what it will take. When I first started training
for the Olympics, I saw how other people were training and tried to train a
little more. The improvement in results will show if you are on the right
track, at least for sailing.
Full story: http://www.nbcolympics.com/
LOUIS VUITTON CUP FINALS
Strong winds and vicious seas on the gulf combined to force Regatta
Operations Director Vince Cooke to cancel Monday's scheduled Race 1. "It's
kind of a rotten day to start something as serious as the Louis Vuitton Cup
finals," said Cooke. "It's a boat-breaking day." The wind has been blowing
from the north around 20 knots since yesterday afternoon and has created a
choppy seaway near one metre.
"This is the kind of day the boats broke in San Diego," said Cooke,
referring to oneAustralia's fatal day during the 1995 Louis Vuitton
semifinals. "The wind wasn't that strong, but the sea is what did it. We're
looking at five to six-second waves, the most pertinent and significant
waves are five to six seconds apart."
Cooke said that seeking land shelter from the seaway would be futile
because the wind is expected to shift nearly 180 degrees later in the day.
"We won't get a lee because of the wind," said Cooke. "Even if we attempt a
lee from the sea, we'll have to move to the middle of the gulf when the
wind shifts to get a start.
Today's race has been rescheduled to 1:15 p.m. tomorrow. AmericaOne will
still have the starboard-tack advantage entering the start box at the
five-minute preparatory signal and Prada port tack. The cancellation means
that Friday's scheduled reserve day will be used as a race day.
Weather permitting, Races 1 through 5 will be held in succession beginning
tomorrow and running through Sunday. Monday, 31 January, is a mandatory off
day. Races 6 through 9, if needed, are scheduled 1-4 February. Quiokka
America's Cup website
Full story: http://www.americascup.org/
* The first match of the Louis Vuitton Finals will now air on ESPN2 at
midnight eastern time (technically 12:00 AM January 26) and 9:00 PM pacific
time on January 25. -- Jobson Sailing, http://www.jobsonsailing.com/
* THE FORCAST -- Northerly 20 knots with gusts to 30 knots in exposed
channels becoming southwest 10-15 knots late this afternoon. Moderate sea
becoming slight by evening, but choppy where wind opposes the tide. Rain
with poor visibility developing this morning, easing to a few showers this
evening. -- Louis Vuitton Cup website: http://www.louisvuittoncup.com/
PRAMS TO PROAS, MAXI'S TO MINI'S
Whatever it is you may race, Optimist Prams off the beach to Maxi Sleds
offshore, Ullman Sails have proven time and again they can accelerate you
into the winner's circle. Check out http://www.ullmansails.com and find
out what many already know -- Ullman Sails can help you dive into the
silver. So, if you want to ad some to your shelf, do yourself a favor and
contact Ullman Sails for a spring time tune-up.
CLASS REUNION
The Newport Harbor YC is expecting 140+ Schock-built boats to race at their
WD Schock Memorial Regatta on March 4 - 5. Classes include the new Schock
40, Schock 35, NY 36, Santana 30-30, Wavelength 24, Santana 20, Harbor 20,
Thistle (yes-they actually built some), Lido 14 and Lehman 12. The regatta
notice of race and entry form on the club website: http://www.nhyc.org/
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net)
Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250
words max) or to exclude personal attacks. But only one letter per subject,
so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree.
-- From Chris Luppens -- There is a lot of feeling within US SAILING and
ISAF that there will be one starting system in the next Racing Rules of
Sailing (2001-2004) and it will be similar to the System 3 starting system
that is in Appendix N of the current rules. This is the 6 minute sequence
referred to. For some more insight to the 6 minute system, that does offer
a lot of flexibility especially when multiple fleets or classes are
involved see: http://ussailing.org/racemgt/system3.htm.
Also I would like to point out that in addition to the Race Management
Seminar listed in Scuttlebutt #486, there are 14 additional seminars listed
at: http://ussailing.org/racemgt/Seminars/index.asp.
Both of these pages are on the Race Management Committee website that is
part of the US SAILING website. If anyone has ideas or suggestions for this
site let the web liaison (me) know. There is a link to my E-mail on each
page of the site. jcluppens@worldnet.att.net
-- From Chris Ericksen -- At ABYC we have been "playing fast" for years. We
utilize separate start and finish lines so as to simultaneously finish one
fleet while restarting another. Interestingly enough, the starting line is
laid off the starboard side of the RC signal boat; this is so that boats
lining up to the right side of the starting area are not in the finishing
area (which would be the case if the finishing line were on the starboard
side of the boat and the starting line on the traditional port side).
Switching these line positions is a rookie mistake some YC's have made in
trying to emulate this system.
We also have gone to three-minute sequences instead of the standard
five-minute periods. We also have the option of rearranging the order of
starts in races after the first race of the day so that a class that
finishes ahead of a class it started in front of in one race may start a
subsequent race ahead of that class. To help everyone know what the new
sequence will be, we post class cards not only for the class starting but
also for the class "on deck": this way you get a three-minute "head's up"
before your class starts.
We can get seven or eight races for up to ten classes in a typical summer
weekend. And for we who regularly race at ABYC, we sometimes find waiting
for the five-minute period to end at other races seems interminable after
having raced on three-minute sequences.
-- From R. Geoffrey Newbury (re Scott MacLeod's comments) -- Maybe the
answer then, is to put a TV camera on each stern, looking out perpendicular
to the centreline. Provide a feed to the umpires (as well as the rest of
us)... These yachts are big enough to carry the extra weight, and all are
equally affected. These 'overlap' cameras need not be adjustable like some
other cameras on board, and could display the 'overlap' line.
Yes, you could not tell if a spinnaker had touched the backstay: that would
still depend on the umpires being able to see. The camera feed would allow
them the leeway to be 'off station' without affecting their ability to make
the correct call. And 'battle losses' would only amount to 'damage to
property.
-- From Don Durant -- Eric Hall probably knows a lot more about what's
going on in the America One camp than I, but if I had been deciding
strategy for America One, I'd have chosen to race the finals with Italy.
That way, if Italy wins & goes on to win the Cup, AmericaOne can come back
next time with another challenge. If Stars & Stripes had won & gone on to
win the Cup, we'd be subjected to another boring drifting match off San
Diego & no American team could challenge. Paul would have to move back to
Italy to play again.
BASIC RACE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
This seminar is designed for people with some race committee experience,
and newcomers, who wish to become certified under US Sailing's new race
officer certification program as a US Sailing Club Race Officer. It will be
at Saturday, February 12, 2000 Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle Seattle,
Washington.
The topics to be covered include: race committee objectives, competition
formats, sailing instructions, race committee jobs, race committee
equipment, race day preparations, setting the course, starts, during the
race, finishing, post-race responsibilities, and scoring.
The principle instructor for this seminar will be Matt Jones. Matt is a US
Sailing Senior Race Officer, a former member of the USYRU Mobile Race
Management Team and for 15 years was the Race Manager of the St. Francis
Yacht Club in San Francisco, California. Matt will be assisted by Paul
Ulibarri. Paul is an international race officer and was a principal race
officer at the 1996 Olympics, the ISAF Worlds in France, Dubai and
Melbourne and will serve as an ISAF international race officer at the 2000
Olympics.
At the seminar, you will need your own copy of the Racing Rules of Sailing
("RRS") and you will be given a copy of Join the Race Committee Team.
People who register will be sent a set of race management study questions
to be used in preparation for the seminar.
The Club Race Officer Certification Test will be given at the end of the
seminar and is optional. You will also need to have your own copy of the
current [1997] US Sailing Race Management Handbook which is available from
US Sailing by calling 800 SAIL 1 or on the web at http://www.ussailing.org
Advanced registration is required. For more info contact Leslie Keller at
LesKeller@aol.com or CYC at (206) 789-1919
LVC PERSPECTIVE
* In making predictions before the semifinals began, I chose these two
teams to meet in the finals and then forecast that Paul Cayard's AMERICA
ONE would be the winner. Now, having watched the semifinals, and in spite
of Cayard's very impressive 9-1 record, I will reverse that prophecy and
call for the Italians to win the best five of nine series and advance to
the America's Cup. This forecast goes against the Auckland odds makers and
most of the press corps at the Louis Vuitton media center. Even with Paul
Cayard's aggressiveness and tactician John Kostecki's brilliance, the
Americans will have difficulty corralling the spontaneous speed of LUNA
ROSSA. --Bruce Kirby, Sailnet
Full story: http://www.sailnet.com/articles/index.cfm?articleid=kirbyb065
* Paul Cayard is confident that his AmericaOne team can turn over Italy's
Prada syndicate in the finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup. Cayard's confidence
stems from a flood of money coming into his campaign after their semi-final
success, from private sources such as Bill Koch, and corporate backers. He
knows that Bruce Nelson has given him a boat which, if not faster than
Prada's, is good enough to carry the fight to Italian skipper Francesco de
Angelis.
The talk around the Cup village is that the final will hinge on Prada's
speed against Cayard's will. You can detect fears inside the Italian camp
that a couple of early losses would deflate de Angelis and Patrizio
Bertelli's $54 million campaign would come to a standstill. If the pressure
is bearing down on de Angelis, with a huge television audience In Italy and
front page newspaper coverage which would shame Ferrari, the tall
Neopolitan remains remarkably composed. -- Tim Jeffery, Electonic
Telegraph, UK
Full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk
* "The performance of the boats will probably be pretty close over a broad
range of conditions," AmericaOne designer Bruce Nelson said. "The
difference might be two seconds a mile. It will be interesting to see which
boat enjoys that advantage and in what conditions. But it's going to be
close, and performance of the sailing team will make the difference."
"It's taken three regattas [in International America's Cup Class boats] to
figure out what works," said Prada designer Doug Peterson, who co-designed
the last two Cup winners, America3 and Team New Zealand. "But all the boats
are closer now. This America's Cup is about sailing, not just boat design.
Now we'll see the sailors playing a bigger role, which is good for the event."
In the distance, Italian entry Prada, the last remaining obstacle to
Cayard's quest to sail for the Cup, appeared under tow headed for harbor,
its testing finished. "There goes the enemy," someone said to (AmericaOne)
mainsail trimmer Terry Hutchinson of Annapolis. "That's not the enemy," he
replied with a smile. "That's just a bump on the way to the enemy." --
Angus Phillips, Washington Post
Full story: http://search.washingtonpost.com/
* Boat speed is what has historically won most America's Cup races and
interestingly, of the past three America's Cups five out of the six
Challenger and America's Cup finals have seen the winner having a
measurable speed advantage. Having a boat speed edge is one of those little
gems in life that you always hope and strive for. Watch both skippers'
facial expressions about half way through race one. If one boat is faster,
the skippers' faces will show it.
Usually, yacht races are lost by the ones who make the most errors. I
suspect, however, that winning this final may need a bit more than a low
error count - some brilliance may be called for. -- Chris Dickson, NZ Herald
Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
* Paul Cayard sailed for Italy in 1992, taking Il Moro di Venezia to the
America's Cup match, and still has a following in the nation now so zealous
about the regatta. But he believes that Patrizio
Bertelli, head of the Prada syndicate and fashion empire, is trying to
undermine his Italian support. "This guy is trying to get the Italian
public against me. He's saying stuff that isn't true," said Cayard, who
would not elaborate on what Bertelli was supposed to have said about him.
"I've never met him, but I hear he's a pretty passionate guy. "All it has
done is spurred e-mails and faxes from Italy encouraging me. I have some
fairly notable friends in Italy and they are voicing their opinions in
support of us." -- Suzane McFadden, NZ Herald
Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
DON'T DO IT!
You don't have to spend a lot of money to have the best looking custom crew
attire at the regatta. Honest! Frank Whitton at Pacific Yacht Embroidery
can give you the quality stuff designed by California artists at really
affordable prices. Call Frank for quotes and a free apparel catalog. (619)
226-8033 (pacyacht@aol.com).
DOCK TALK
The word is that Bruce Schwab's Vendee Globe Challenge is now fully funded
and going full steam ahead. Look for a new syndicate name to be announced
soon.
AUCKLAND'S EXTRA ADDED ATTRACTION
There are strange craft appearing at the America's Cup basin this week,
huge motors instead of sails providing the go-forward. Auckland plays host
to the world offshore powerboat championships next month, in between the
Louis Vuitton final and the start of the Cup defence, and the first of 21
overseas entries began arriving on the waterfront this week.
The powerboats will have their pits at the old Abracadabra and Espana Cup
bases, the public welcome to get alongside the monsters as they prepare for
racing that starts on February 9. Already set up is the Victory team from
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, world champions in class two racing,
where boats are limited to eight-litre engines and 12m in length.
They're serious about winning again. Their team of 35 includes drivers,
mechanics, weathermen and chefs, two helicopters, and eight containers of
gear. They even brought their own fuel for the twin four-litre BMW engines
that power their 9.7m racers to speeds of around 150 km/h. Boats are also
coming from Scandinavia, Australia, Britain, the United States and
Argentina. -- By Peter Jessup, NZ Herald,
Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM
If a stealth bomber crashes in a forest, will it make any sound?
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