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SCUTTLEBUTT 3368 - Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,
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dock talk . . . with a North American focus.
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Today's sponsors: Atlantis WeatherGear, LaserPerformance, and Gladstone’s
Long Beach.
THE VIEW FROM SPITHILL'S OFFICE
Jimmy Spithill's version of getting up and heading to the office is just a
little different to most. He starts in the gym about 7, heads home for a
shower and breakfast, then hits the ORACLE Racing HQ at San Francisco's
Pier 80 for an operations meeting which sets the team's agenda for the day.
Meetings over, it's time to crank up the pace and get out on the water.
"It's a full day," says Jimmy. SailBlast editor Michelle Slade chatted to
the 29-year old skipper of America's Cup defender, ORACLE Racing about his
first week sailing the AC45 in San Francisco.
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SB: What's the Team learned here on the Bay?
Spithill: Everyday we've been here it's been windy and we've used our
heavy jibs every single day. The other thing has been learning the race
track. It's a real challenging place to sail - every day is different with
the tides - there always seems to be some small variation. And, just getting
to the lifestyle, the daily routine and thinking about the long term. It's
just been fantastic for the whole team, not just the sailors but the shore
guys too.
SB: There's a lot of talk about the athleticism required on the 45?
Spithill: It's definitely a different game - the huge emphasis now is on
the athletic side, which I think is good. I have friends who are
professional rugby players and they don't see the athletic side of sailing
- they instantly think of guys in a blazer swanning around the bay. Once
people see the 45s, with the cameras and mikes onboard, they see the amount
of effort going into it.
SB: Has this had a big part in determining who is on the sailing team?
Spithill: Definitely. You can't carry anyone. If you're on these boats or
the 72, you've got to be fit and you have to be able to perform, and that
can only be a good thing. When you look at it, on the 45, there're only
four guys doing all the work as the helmsman can't do a lot - he can help
out with the wing trim here and there. On the 72 it's the same thing - take
the helmsman out and you have 10 guys - you have a wing trimmer, and a front
sail trimmer, so you have eight guys to physically do all the work. They
have to be all-around sailors.
SB: How are you liking the breeze out there?
Spithill: It's just fantastic, it's soooo good. That Bay has got to be one
of the best places to sail in the world - it's reliable wind, the current
makes it challenging and it really is a natural amphitheater - on the 45s
you feel like there are some boundaries - it's very cool. Honestly, you
look really look forward to getting up and out there each day. You need
weather for sailing - of course there are skills associated with light air
sailing but let's face it, it's not much fun when you can be blasting
around at 30 knots all day.
SB: Talking about the speed - what have you done to step up your game at the
helm?
Spithill: I got into multihulls because of the last campaign so I had a head
start but these boats are completely different. The trimaran had an engine
and it was a big boat so it was more about keeping the thing in one piece
whereas with these boats you really have to sail them as hard as you can.
We're just putting the hours in as with any class of new boat.
SB: You're playing with the edge every time you're out there?
Spithill: Sure! You've seen us capsize these things. That's a good thing,
I reckon it's great. The whole purpose of these boats is to be able to get
out there on a small scale and understand what the 72 is going to be about
around the track but also to be able to push. The best way to learn is to
make mistakes and I think capsizing is all part of it. -- Full story:
http://tinyurl.com/3qmrz3u
SERIOUS SAILING, LAID BACK FUN
Block Island, RI (June 21, 2011) - The Storm Trysail Club's (STC) biennial
Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex is underway for its 24th time
since it was first held in 1965, and by all indications, it hasn't lost one
bit of charm.
The event is hosting 134 boats sailing in IRC (four classes), PHRF (five
classes) and One-Design (Farr, NYYC Swan 42, J/44, J/109 and J/122) and is
serving as the 2011 IRC East Coast Championship, the J/122 National
Championship (with the contenders sailing in IRC 3), and the J/109 East
Coast Championship.
For Day 2, light wind caused a delay ashore, but just as in yesterday's
opener, the fleet was rewarded for its patience in the late afternoon when
the breeze generated enough horsepower for 13 of 14 classes to complete two
races each. (PHRF Cruising Non-spinnaker completed one.)
In J/109 class, the largest here with 15 boats, it was Bill Sweetser
(Annapolis, Md.) who got the most bang for his buck today by winning both
races with his crew aboard Rush. Combined with yesterday’s second, the
performance gave him four points to the 12 posted by Skip Young's
(Guilford, Conn.) Dragonfly in second.
"Today, we had reasonably comfortable leads with no last-minute scrambling
to try to finish first," said Sweetser, "as opposed to yesterday, when we
had several boats on our heels, and when we finished we were asking
ourselves, did we come in second, third or fourth?" Sweetser added that he
has to watch all the boats, not just one or two. "There are a lot of newer
boats here that we haven't had the occasion to sail against. It's exciting
and almost a record for these boats in one place for one regatta." -- Read
on: http://tinyurl.com/3fy22rf
DISCOVER: THE NEW ATLANTIS CATALOG
Our new Summer catalog has just started landing in mailboxes, and to quote
the great Navin R. Johnson, "We're somebody now!" It's chock full of new
products and cool stories, and we've even added a couple of links to videos
that you can scan with your phone. If you want to see it, click on the link
below to give us your mailing address so we can send you one, OR click on
the link to take a look at the digital version. Either way, we hope you like
the new gear!
Discover Your Atlantis
Mailing address: http://tinyurl.com/AWG-Catalog-Request
Digital version: http://tinyurl.com/AWG-Digital-Catalog
DAY 4 KIELER WOCHE
Kiel, Germany (June 21, 2011) - There was no racing on the fourth day of
Kiel Week in the Laser, Laser Radial, Finn or the Men's 470, moving the top
ten in each class into the Medal Race at the International Sailing
Federation's (ISAF) final Sailing World Cup regatta. Germany's Kathrin
Kadelbach and Friederike Belcher won the only Women's 470 race on the
fourth day to close the gap on Erin Maxwell and Isabelle Kinsolving (USA) to
just two points. The Americans came seventh in Race 9. Just four points
separate first and third in the Women's 470.
In the Women's Match Racing competition it was an all Australian battle in
the first semi final as Nicky Souter faced Olivia Price. And it was the
former who came out on top defeating Price 3-1. Meanwhile in the second semi
final Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) and Genevieve Tulloch (USA) had a closer
contest with the Russian coming out on top with a 3-2 victory. Team
Maclaren/Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) finished 5th losing the quarterfinals 2-3 to
Nicky Souter (AUS).
Said Tunnicliffe writing from her blog, "The conditions again proved
challenging on the race course. We had great starts for every race and had
the lead at the top mark. Unfortunately, we struggled a little with our
tactics exiting the top mark and lost some distance. The puffs were hard to
read and would appear only a few lengths before the mark, so it was more of
an educated guess rather than a tactical decision as to which gybe to be on
when exiting the top mark." -- Read on:
http://www.annatunnicliffe.com/content/view/478/1/. -- Full results at:
http://tinyurl.com/3jb9eho
TEAM RACE DEVELOPING IN MARBLEHEAD
(June 20, 2011) - Eleven teams were greeted with ideal conditions at this
year's Marblehead Team Race, sailed in Vanguard 15s this past weekend. The
talented field included one member of the reigning team race world
championship team, multiple collegiate national team racing champions & All
Americans, and a member of the reigning high school team racing national
championship team. Conditions were so perfect that the RC was able to
complete 135 races over the two days of racing.
Thanks to the Rhode Island Team Racing Association, colored jibs were
provided for the event - and helped to draw a large spectator fleet each
day. One of two teams from Eastern Yacht Club - Clay Johnson/Elyse Dolbac,
Colin Merrick/Tyler Wilson, and Alden Reid/Megan Watson - won the event with
a 25-0 perfect record.
This was just the second year of the Marblehead Team Race. The event was
founded in 2010 as part of the local YC's commitment to team racing. The
annual dinghy team race regatta is now part of a summer team racing schedule
in Marblehead that includes weekly evening team race series in V15s
(Wednesday nights) and Sonars (Thursday nights), both of which provide team
racing opportunities for members and non-members.
The team racing in Marblehead doesn't end when the kids go back to school -
Eastern YC's Halloween Team Race will feature eight teams from around the
country this October; weekly frostbiting out of the Boston YC features keel
boat team racing every Sunday throughout the winter; and the Boston YC's
Jackson Cup in April has attracted top team racing teams since 1999. -- Full
results: http://tinyurl.com/3tvvm49
CALLING ALL LASER SAILORS
The summer sailing season is here. Are you ready? LaserPerformance and your
local dealer are stocked and ready to supply all your class approved
equipment. Upgrade to the new GRP foils, Harken ball bearing boom/traveler
blocks or the new friction pad. Visit http://na.laserperformance.com/home or
locate your local authorized dealer:
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SAILING SHORTS
* (June 20, 2011) - Positions were solidified today as both fleet leaders,
Matt Bounds (Hobie 17 - Commerce Twp., MI) and Jim Sohn/Becca Krause (Hobie
18, Des Moines, ID) scored multiple first-place finishes. In the 17s, Phil
Collins (Piedmont, OK) is 10 points back in second; Wally Myers (Marmora,
NJ) is in third. In the Hobie 18s, the father/daughter team of Steven and
Kristin Attard are 8 points back in second, and the husband/wife team of
Jim/Barbie Doty (Bowie, MD) is in third. Racing continues through Thursday.
-- Full report: http://www.hobieclass.com/?Page=9060
* Portimao, Portugal (June 21, 2011) - Tour Card Holder Jesper Radich has
vowed to return to the World Match Racing Tour with guns blazing as he gears
up to face his rivals on the eve of first Qualifying Session at the Portimao
Portugal Match Cup. The 12 contending teams hit the azure waters of Portimao
today for the practice session, their last chance to iron out any problems,
acclimatize to their surroundings and to the SM40 boats they will be
competing in before the start of the Qualifiers tomorrow. -- Event website:
http://www.wmrt.com
* Cres, Croatia (June 21, 2011) - Despite glassy morning conditions and a
weak forecast, race managers today sent the fleet of 119 teams off on the
long and middle offshore race at the 2011 ORCi World Championship.
Yesterday's Class A winner, the Croatia-based Grand Soleil 56R Marina
Kastela skippered by Mate Arapov, may be a favorite to win today's 100 mile
course given the team's familiarity with the local conditions. -- Full
report: http://tinyurl.com/3n3x3fz
* The IOD Worlds competition concluded last Friday. After Monday's two
races, defending champion Elliott Wislar took first and third. His Long
Island team repelled heavy assaults from second placed Charlie Van Voorhis
and third placed John Burnham's Fishers Island teams, to take overall
honors. He joins 11 other multi-Worlds winners in the 50 Worlds held since
the first such international "play-offs" in 1959 in this class that began
sailing competitively in 1936. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/3t6fq99
* 55 teams gathered last weekend at the Maxinkuckee Yacht Club in Culver,
Indiana for the 2011 C Scow Nationals. Five raced were completed in the
three day National Championship on Lake Maxinkuckee. Andy Burdick and Chris
Impens on Team M / I-45 did not lead the regatta until after the first race
on Sunday. They clinched their victory with a bullet in the last race of the
Nationals to take home the title. Burdick is a back to back winner of the C
Scow Nationals, having won the 2010 event with crew, Jim Gluek. -- Full
results: http://www.yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=475
POST YOUR INDUSTRY UPDATES HERE
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Here is the link to post Industry News updates:
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ROAD TO VICTORY IN SAN FRANCISCO BEGINS IN LONG BEACH
As a world-class sailing venue with strong prevailing winds, Long Beach,
California has provided the training grounds for multiple America's Cup
teams including BMW/Oracle Racing. The City is bidding on an America's Cup
World Series event in 2012 or 2013, and this week will host the west coast's
largest keelboat regatta - Long Beach Race Week. As a proud supporting
sponsor of the event, Gladstone's Long Beach tops a good day of sailing with
large portions of fresh seafood, grilled steaks and chops, healthy salads,
and cold adult libations.
Details at
http://www.gladstoneslongbeach.com
http://www.facebook.com/GladstonesLongBeach
GUEST COMMENTARY
Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community.
Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted
comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250
words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should
save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From Brian Hancock (re, Scuttlebutt 3367):
Once again, and how many times has it been now, Chris Caswell hit the nail
on the head. The point behind sailing is to teach kids (and adults as well
it seems) that sailing is about finding yourself. Parents setting their
children free to sail ... alone... out there into the big wide world. This
is the pure essence of why we loved sailing as children and why we are all
better people for it.
* From Mark Eustis (re, Scuttlebutt 3367):
Back in the day when I was a very young teenager, a good friend and I
"borrowed" a Lightning and sailed from Connecticut to Long Island, and
back, in a day. We used the Northport power plant stacks as a landmark on
the way south, but we got set a few miles west by the tide. So we stopped at
the Eaton's Neck Coast Guard station for a visit to the head and a big
drink of water (spur of the moment venture so we didn't have a canteen).
The bos'n at the CG station laughed when we told him we'd sailed from
Rowayton and said he thought what we were doing was 'cool'. He gave us a
couple apples and a milk carton with some water, and suggested a course that
would account for tide on the way back. I don't much like apples so Geb ate
both of them. We got back around 6:30, furled the sails and left the boat
just as it was, then rode our bikes home for dinner. Mom never asked where I
was all day, and I sure as heck wasn't about to volunteer.
* From Jamie Gilman:
The 'mommy boat' issue that Chris brings up is blown way out of
proportion. As a sponsor of the USODA I have attended nearly every regional
and national Optimist event for the past two years in addition to having
been an opti coach for several years. The blatant cheating that Chris refers
simply doesn't happen. Many of the parents out on the water are lifelong
sailors themselves and simply enjoy being able to see their children
participate in the sport that they love so much.
We don't accuse parents of little leaguers of hovering because they sit in
the stands do we? No, then why should be berate sailing parents for going
out on the water in inflatable's to watch their kids sail? Sure there will
always be the bad apple in the bunch, but using the bad apple to type cast
the entire group is wrong. I think that we should be thankful that so many
parents are out there encouraging their kids to participate in sailing and
helping to grow the sport we all love.
=> Chris Caswell's article in Scuttlebutt 3367 stirred up varied responses
which are posted at: http://tinyurl.com/4yxh78s
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
The sign said "eight items or less". So I changed my name to Les.
SPONSORS THIS WEEK
Doyle Sails - Kaenon Polarized - Hall Spars & Rigging
J Boats - Atlantis WeatherGear - LaserPerformance
Gladstone's Long Beach - Point Loma Outfitting
Ullman Sails - JK3 Nautical Enterprises - Team One Newport
Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
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