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SCUTTLEBUTT 1614 - June 29, 2004Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest 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. A REALLY GOOD SHOW No question about it - there was a really good feeling about the UBS Trophy series in Newport, RI this past week. It probably shouldn't be a surprise that a community with a gaggle of 12-meter yachts continually sailing around on its bay, and a street named 'America's Cup Avenue,' would embrace the concept of having the world's two leading AC syndicates openly showcase their teams and boats in an exciting match race series. But even though this community has the richest America's Cup tradition of any city in the world, I don't think many anticipated the genuine excitement and appreciation that this series generated. And having the America's Cup Trophy on public display for more than a week just amplified the enthusiasm of the thousands of people who witnessed and participated in this week-long festival. Capping off this experience with a spectacular fireworks display (generously provided by the city of Valencia, Spain) was indeed a fitting finale for an extraordinary event. Both BMW Oracle Racing and Alinghi will now be shipped to Europe where they will fleet and match race against other syndicates at September's "Marseille Louis Vuitton / Act 1." And then they will move on to Valencia, Spain in October for "Louis Vuitton Acts 2 and 3." Will the ACC boats return to Newport for a similar event next year? "I sure hope so," said veteran AC journalist Peter Rusch. "This was spectacular." There is no question that the people of New England hope so too. But it's hard to ignore the thousands of miles that separate the United States from Europe where the syndicates will be training in 2005. Not only would it be expensive to bring the ACC boats back to the USA, doing so would cut huge holes into every syndicate's training schedule. AC Management will undoubtedly announce the 2005 schedule later in the year, but one thing is pretty clear. If Newport, RI is not on that schedule, a lot of New Englanders will be traveling to Europe next year to see these incredible sailboats race again. - The curmudgeon BUT WHERE'S RUSSELL? What's going on, say insiders, is an ugly separation that could be permanent. Coutts himself, who spent last week here doing commentary on a spectator boat carrying Alinghi supporters after declining to sail on the race boat, was not optimistic. "Any chance you can patch this thing up?" he was asked on the dock. "Probably not," said the dark-haired New Zealander, with a trace of sadness. Coutts apparently is miffed by his modest role in Alinghi defense planning. Insiders say he had strong interest in shaping the new Cup structure and hoped to influence decisions on the venue for the next event, changes in the design of Cup boats and racing rules. Instead, Bertarelli put his longtime business assistant, Michel Bonnefous, in charge, leaving Coutts and Butterworth with the sailing team. Relations soured. "It's been going downhill for a year," said one Alinghi crewman. "We met with Brad (Butterworth) about it," said Alain Golaz, a high-ranking official with the Societe Nautique de Geneve, the Cup's official keeper. "He said, 'We'd like to be loved, to be part of the club. We're going to lose our sense of humor if it's all lawyers and accountants making the decisions.' " Golaz said the loss of Coutts shouldn't damage Alinghi's chance for a successful defense too severely. "All the effort has been to show this as a team -- Jochen, Ernesto, the designers, the sailors, the trainers and the staff working together. If one among these for legitimate reasons decides to do something else, it would not, I think, be so damaging. Now Alinghi looks slightly vulnerable and Ellison, with all his insecurities, may peak early. Team New Zealand has mounted a serious challenge with two strong sponsors and $100 million Kiwi dollars in hand, while South Africa, France, Italy and England all have prospects. And now Coutts, who hasn't lost a Cup race in a decade, is on the loose. Or is he? - Angus Phillips, Washington Post, Full story: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8389-2004Jun26.html QUOTE / UNQUOTE "We clearly have to hire more people and Ken (Read) could be one person." - Ernesto Bertarelli, President of Team Alinghi, Cup in Europe website: www.cupineurope.com/LatestNews/2007-Alinghi-EN7.htm COMFORT NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD Whether you're playing on the beaches of Punta Del Este or surfing in the Molokai Channel during the Transpac, it's all about feeling good. The new Camet Punta Boardshorts offer extreme comfort and durability day in and day out. Lightweight, quick-drying microfibers make these the perfect shorts for your next adventure. A cargo pocket holds tape and tools. Drawcord closure with a hook-and-loop fly; inseam is 9 1/2". Look for the new Camet Punta Boardshorts, along with the Camet padded shorts and pants, Coolmax shirts, Rashguards, Mylar bags, etc. at http://www.camet.com NOT A HAPPY ENDING Ellen MacArthur on B&Q failed to break the solo transatlantic West-East record by just 75 minutes. The outright record of Laurent Bourgnon, has stood for 10 years now, and remains at 7 days, 2 hours, 34 minutes, 42 seconds. B&Q achieved a best 24 hour mileage of 526 miles - just 14 miles short of the solo 24 hour record. "It's sad. I've put so much in to this record attempt. I've given it everything I've got," MacArthur said. "If I think of all the times I could have gained a few minutes, of times I've made small errors, it's very frustrating. But I've learnt huge amounts about myself and the boat. I never imagined being able to push her so hard. And I also haven't pushed myself that hard before, maybe not even in the Vendée Globe. I don't think I've slept for more than 12 hours in total since New York. I certainly couldn't have pushed any harder, that's for sure." - www.teamkingfisher.com Photos: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/04/0418em IBM VICTORIA TO MAUI YACHT RACE The 19-boat Victoria to Maui fleet has settled in to some fast sailing in winds reported to be around 15 knots at Monday's roll call. The lead boats were roughly opposite San Francisco and moving around the edge of the high-pressure zone which now extends well to the East, and a long way North to South. The leading yachts are each judging the curve which maintains the best wind over the shortest distance. Division 1 leader, Dwight Jefferson's Transpac 52 Flash, is on the inside of all of this, and the other boats in her class are sailing roughly parallel courses. In Division 2, Brian Duchin's J/130 Voodoo Child leads the class and is second in fleet, while Jack Shannon's Swan 46 Tranquillite is the Division 3 and overall leader. - http://www.vicmaui.org/2004 SAIL ROCKET UPDATE All eyes will be on Portland in the coming weeks as one of the most exciting quests in world sailing nears its destiny. Revolutionary yacht Sail Rocket is being put together at Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy for a series of assaults on the world speed sailing record. During the next four months the £100,000 ($182,449.75 USD) single-seat vessel will make extensive use of a 500-metre strip of water in the lee of Chesil Beach, one of the few spots in the world perfect for high-speed yachting. Sail Rocket's sole purpose is to break the existing world record of 46.52 knots set by the Australian yacht Yellow Pages in 1996. Her British designer is convinced she will do so by shattering the mythical 50-knot barrier, just short of the 60mph car speed limit on Portland Beach Road. The arrival of the project in Dorset marks the culmination of what has been an incredible eight-year odyssey for the boat's builder and pilot Paul Larsen. - Matt Dickinson, Dorset Echo, full story: http://tinyurl.com/39kad Curmudgeon's Comment: The above link provides a fascinating tale of how Australian Paul Larsen, who in 1998 was working for the yacht charter firm Sunsail as an engineer and `barbecue scrubber', has become one of the most experienced campaigners in the world. SNEAKER PERFORMANCE FROM DUBARRY Looking for a sporty yet stylish athletic deck shoe, with both high-performance and comfort? New to the ladies range is Waterline, a stylish and lightweight deck shoe. The men's Fiji has all the technical performance of Dubarry's off-shore boots, in addition to comfort and shock absorbency. Dealer List: http://www.dubarryna.com/dubarry_dealers.htm PREMATURE US Olympic Finn sailor Kevin Hall wrote to Scuttlebutt to let us know there were a few errors in the report we carried yesterday from the Baltimore Sun which stated he who has been cleared to compete in Athens by the International Olympic Committee: #1. I only have part of my waiver. There are conditions on my TUE stipulated by the IOC. One of these is that an "independent referee", different from the ISAF Medical Commission, different from WADA, and different from the IOC Medical Commission, review my case. This process has begun as of June 25. #2. The IOC and the WADA did not step aside and let ISAF decide. ISAF has been supportive for years, and if that had been the case we would not have been talking about any of this for the past 6 months. The IOC brought in a fourth entity, the abovementioned "independent referee" (fifth if we count USADA, which has also become supportive). #3. I'm not sure to whom this has seemed easy, but we are just over one month from the Olympics, and I still do not have a final, all-bases-covered answer. I first broached this issue to the USOC and the IOC in 1995. - Kevin Hall NEWS BRIEFS * Tevo Time - This afternoon, OLN begins its coverage of the 2004 UBS Trophy - the match-racing regatta between Switzerland's Alinghi Team and Oracle Racing in Newport, RI. The three-part program begins Tuesday, June 29th at 3:00 PM (PT) and continues on Wednesday and Thursday at the same time. The series re-airs again from August 2 through August 4 at 8 AM (PT). http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar * Sixteen teams will be competing next week for a share of the SEK 849,000 prize purse (approximately $112,000) at the eighth and final event of the 2003-'04 season, the Swedish Match Cup on the picturesque island of Marstrand, Sweden. The skippers include Peter Gilmour, Russell Coutts, Peter Holmberg, Ed Baird, Chris Law, Gavin Brady, Karol Jablonski, Jesper Bank and Luc Pillot. Switzerland's America's Cup champion Team Alinghi will be in Marstrand, led by helmsman Peter Holmberg and interestingly, Russell Coutts has also said he'll attend. - www.SwedishMatchTour.com * Athens, Greece - Boat charter companies in Athens, Greece are finding that they have become a realistic alternative to traditional housing for those planning trips to this summer's Olympic Games. Due to a shortage of local housing options, hopeful spectators are needing to be more creative, and Athens-based The Moorings and NauticBlue have been able provide solutions for the weary vacation planner. For details go to http://themoorings.com or http://www.nauticblue.com * Erik Brockmann (MEX) leads 119 sailors from 12 countries after the first two days of the Optimist NAs, followed by Austen Anderson from Centerport NY and four members of the strong Bermudan team including reigning champion Sean Bouchard. Among the girls USA Worlds team member Stephanie Roble from Lake Beulah Y.C. WI in 6th place has established a clear lead. Fleet racing is now suspended for two days while attention turns to the Team-Racing championship where top seeds Bermuda must be strong favorites. - www.tcyc.org/home/2004OptiNAHome.htm * Richie Shulman and his Temptress crew nailed down the IMS North American Championship and took home the Henry B.du Pont Trophy as top individual boat in the Onion Patch Series. Lawrence Dickie in his N/M 52 Ptarmagin led the fleet after four races, but the IMX 45 Temptress picked up a place in the 1.2 weighted Newport Bermuda Race and five points in the final two races for the victory over 28 other IMS Racing and Cruiser/Racers that had sailed the seven-race series. Crescendo, a Swan 44 sailed by Jamie Wilmot took third. - www.onionpatchseries.com * Corum USA has become the title sponsor of the Del Rey YC's 18th biennial race from Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The owner or skipper of the overall winner in each class will receive a Corum Admiral's Cup Trophy 41 watch with a retail value of $2,195. The Notice of Race and current entry list for the February, 2005 race are online: www.dryc.org * It is one of the closest race finishes yet for the Corinthian class of the 630 mile Newport Bermuda Race - three minutes, 11 seconds. That was all to divide Richard du Moulin and Chris Reylings New York based Express 37 Lora Ann at the end from their second placed rivals Hewitt Gaynor and Jay Raymond on Mireille in the Double-Hander class, once handicap times had been taken into account. www.bermudarace.com QUOTE / UNQUOTE "A lot of money is being wasted developing (rating) rules for a few thousand boats; what's needed is a rule for 100,000 boats" - Olin Stephens in the July issue of Yachting World magazine, www.yachting-world.com/ HENRI LLOYD OCEAN RACER BOOTS-NOW AT SAILNET.COM Extreme Deck Boots and Ocean Racer boots from Henri Lloyd are now available at SailNet, which was named Forbes Favorite Best of the Web. You'll find premium products like Henri Lloyd, New England Ropes, AirForce cruising and performance sails, plus great how-to articles, message boards and owners groups. http://www.sailnet.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) (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 Leeds Mitchell, Barrington, RI: This past week, I had the opportunity to watch the UBS races in Newport, RI in two venues. On Tuesday and Thursday, we watched from Fort Adams, Saturday, we had the pleasure of being aboard Ticonderoga, an experience in itself. Having been a spectator and sightseeing boat operator at Cup races in Newport before "the loss," I could experience the difference, and what a difference it was. Where else in international yacht racing would you have the R/C on the VHF keeping the spectators up to date on the action? Where else could you watch the races from land, close enough to see the faces of the crew? Where else would you have a fleet of patrol boats professionally run and with a positive attitude not yelling at you, but asking you to observe the limits of travel near the competitors? Where else would you have professional commentators on AM radio, in a boat near the competitors, and on site at Fort Adams, providing commentary, humor, advice, and entertainment? We had it all here in Newport, even with unfettered access to the boats and crew at Newport Shipyard. Gone are the beefy guards, (except when the Cup was on display), gone was the elitist attitude towards all except the inner circle. Anyone connected with the organization and execution of this event deserve more accolades than available for quite possibly changing sailboat racing from merely a competition between boats to a true, existing, engrossing spectator sport. These folks have shown that our sport of sailboat racing can be, and should be, something for all to enjoy. I can't wait for the next event run by them. I'll be there. * From Michelle Gallego: Seeing several new comments on television, advertising and sailing in recent Scuttlebutts, it must be noted that UBS appears to be breaking the mold. I saw UBS's 15-second spot highlighting their involvement with Alinghi and noting this week's UBS Trophy in RI on the Golf Channel, on ESPN's golf coverage and on the History Channel over the past weekend. Imagine that, advertising the sport during shows not related to sailing, but certainly addressing that same demographic! What if Rolex took that terrific ad they used during Gary Jobson's 25 Years of Sailing program and showed it during, say, golf or open wheel auto racing. Could sailing perhaps start earning some notice outside of the traditional media? Is it time we stop preaching to the choir? * From Chris Boome: I thought you would like to know that 20% of the early entries for the Laser Masters PCC's at Huntington Lake on July 24 & 25 have listed Scuttlebutt Sailing Club as their Yacht Club. Curmudgeon's Comment: Free SSC membership cards are available at: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/ * From Scott Corder: In Butt #1610, Mr. Messner complains "it is frustrating to watch guys with new sails and perfect bottoms sail by because they don't have kids in college or a mortgage and can afford to properly prepare their boats." "In PHRF your score should be determined by how well you utilize what you have - not how much you spend." Mr. Messner's problem is not with PHRF. His problem would also exist in offshore one-design and dinghies. I race all three, and well-prepared boats often win. Rather, Mr. Messner's problem is that of unrealistic expectations. I now have a wife, kids and mortgage that prevent me from spending much time or money on racing. My boats have perfect bottoms and great sails (purchased during my no-cost-is-too-great-to-win youth), but these days I often find myself following others around the course. Yet I continue to enjoy racing. Why? Because my expectations of sailing today are far different than they were when time and money were no object. Rather than be distraught over changes in my performance, I choose to be happy when I do find time to sail, as racing provides me a rare escape from life's responsibilities. And on those occasions where I manage to place well, I have reason to feel very good. Bottom line - racing would attract more newcomers if Mr. Messner and others stopped blaming PHRF and chose to measure their pleasure by the number of hours spent sailing - not the number of trophies on their book shelf. * From Douglas Messer (Re Hal Smith's take on racing): So thirty years ago under IOR you could buy your victories and be the barroom hero. That is one of the reasons the IOR rule died. PHRF is supposed to address the design race issue by basing handicaps on actual performance. Unfortunately they want to handicap sisterships identically when even one-designs are not identical. As far as refugees from a scrap heap, this is an insult to the broad base of racing sailors out there. Sailors that take our well found, older vessels out to race need to control costs and if we do it by sailing with sails that are not the newest or a boat that is not the latest design we are doing it in a safe and seamanlike manner. If you want to compete against Plattner, Disney and DeVos, go ahead but don't tell the world that someone is a great sailor because he can afford to buy a championship. * From Sefton Powrie: Surely Athena is a sailing ship, not a yacht. This one must have crossed the threshold. THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it? |
