SCUTTLEBUTT #299 - March 30, 1999
TRAGEDY
(John Slivka forwarded the following information found on the SF SailLinks
web page. Portions of this piece were excerpted from a story by Seth
Rosenfeld of the Examiner staff.)
Last Saturday, In the Doublehanded Farallones race, The J/29, White
Lighting was by rogue wave 4 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge. Skipper,
Harvey Shlasky (a 1999 Singlehanded Sailing Society officer), and crew
thrown from boat. Reportedly, neither crew member's automatic PFD/harnesses
inflated, despite several minutes in the water. The crew member managed to
get back aboard, however, Harvey was unable to do so despite help from the
crew member.
After only 15 minutes in the water, a 44 foot Coast Guard cutter arrived
and recovered the skipper, but, sadly, they were unable to revive him. The
Olson 34, Razzberries was said to have radioed the Mayday to the Coast
Guard and stood by to be of assistance.
The incident happened toward the end of a race from the San Francisco Bay
to the Farallon Islands and back, a round trip of about 40 miles, sponsored
by the Golden Gate Yacht Club. About 30 boats were returning to the Golden
Gate, their sails filled with strong winds blowing to the east, said Coast
Guard Petty Officer Jeff Alger. Winds of up to 30 knots and waves as high
as 12 feet are typical for the early spring, making it one of the roughest
times to sail the Bay. The wind broke masts on at least three boats in the
race, Alger said.
For the full story: http://www.saillinks.com/
STEINLAGER LINE 7 CUP
AmericaOne skipper Paul Cayard swept to a 3-1 victory to take the
Steinlager Line 7 Cup in Auckland Sunday. Racing against Team New Zealand's
rising star, Dean Barker, Cayard took his second title in this event on his
second outing. He last won the series in 1996 against Chris Law of Great
Britain.
For Barker and his Team New Zealand crewmates, the runners-up slot had a
certain grim familiarity as well. This is their second attempt at the title
and once again they found themselves falling just short at the final
hurdle. In the 1997 Steinlager Line 7 series they finished 2nd to Team New
Zealand skipper Russell Coutts. "Maybe we can do it next year," Barker said.
Cayard, sailing with an AmericaOne crew of John Kostecki, Sean Clarkson,
Morgan Trubovich and Curtis Blewett, posted his intentions by winning the
first match of the final convincingly from start to finish. In their second
encounter, early control went to Cayard, but halfway up the first beat
Barker and his Team New Zealand crew of Hamish Pepper, Tony Rae, James Dagg
and Chris Ward had grabbed the advantage. At the top mark, both boats put
in a flurry of tacks and Barker won the duel by extracting a port-starboard
penalty from the AmericaOne team. The Barker team led around the track for
the rest of the match.
Their third encounter saw a more subdued start with both boats immediately
engaging in a long drag race side by side out to the right side of the
course with Cayard to windward and Barker tucked close under him to
leeward. When they finally disengaged close to the starboard layline,
Cayard held the advantage and increased his lead around the course to take
the gun.
With the score at 2-1 to Cayard in the best-of-five format, Barker had to
win the fourth match to keep his hopes of the title alive. But, after an
excellent pre-start battle, it all turned bad when the Team New Zealand
crew was judged over the line before the start. By the time they had
restarted, it was really all over. By sailing valiantly, they eroded
Cayard's lead on every leg, but could not peg back enough ground to
threaten the AmericaOne team's lead.
"We basically lost communication and next thing we were over," said a
disappointed Barker. "We felt the flag (signalling their premature start)
went up quite late, which cost us any chance of dipping back behind the
line and putting in a quick tack. That way, we would have kept right in
touch. But, it was an unforced error and something we will have to improve
on." Barker initiated a red flag protest against the race committee for the
late flag, but it was dismissed.
Cayard was thrilled to gain his second title, particularly as he felt he
had lost some of his match racing touch after time out to do the Whitbread
Round the World Race. "I feel it is starting to come back," he said.
Today's racing also settled 3rd and 4th places, with Ed Baird of Young
America taking the petite final from Chris Dickson of New Zealand by 2-1.
Places 5-10 were also decided in a separate round robin. The battle for the
minor places worked to the advantage of at least one of the America's Cup
crews, as the Prada Challenge from Italy went from last place after two
round robins to a much more respectable 5th. It did not do much to improve
the fortunes of the America True team, however, which finished 9th.
Steinlager Line 7 Cup final results: 1, Paul Cayard (USA); 2, Dean Barker
(NZL); 3, Ed Baird (USA); 4, Chris Dickson (NZL); 5, Francesco de Angelis
(ITA); 6, Chris Law (GBR); 7, Gavin Brady (NZL); 8, Magnus Holmberg (SWE);
9, John Cutler (USA); 10, Dean Salthouse (NZL)
Event website: http://www.steinlagerline7cup.co.nz
CAYARD'S COMMENTS
There are many pieces to the America's Cup puzzle; design, management,
funding and sailing. Winning any regatta is always nice but what we are
really focusing on is bringing our Cup home. In the big picture, this
regatta caps off a six month refresher course on match racing for me after
winning the Whitbread Round the World Race. After focusing on icebergs,
low pressure systems and malnutrition, I needed to catch up with the ever
evolving game of match racing.
Last fall when I first re-entered the professional match racing circuit, I
had some shocker results, the worst of my career. I had to eat a lot of
humble pie to get back into the game as there is a group of sailors who do
nothing but match race year round. I could have stayed away and excused
myself from the effort. But it was the right thing to do and I am very
happy with what we have done with our time.
Match racing is a very specific discipline and a minimum threshold of
competence is necessary to win the America's Cup. I am now comfortable in
knowing that we are well above that threshold and that this piece of the
puzzle is under control. John and I are working very well now as a
tactical team and our core crew of Curtis, Morgan, Sean and Josh are well
oiled in the boat handling mechanics associated with those tactics. This
core group can now "infect" the rest of the 16-man crew on the Cup boat
with the experience of the last six months. -- Paul Cayard
There is much more: http://www.ac2000.org
SNIPE PAN AM GAMES TRIALS
Henry Filter and Lorie Stout solidified their lead on the tough fleet of
Snipe sailors with a 2, 3 on the final day of the six race, no drop series.
They will represent the US in the Pan American Games in Canada this summer.
The sailing events will be held at the Gimli Yacht Club in Manitoba, Canada.
The breeze was slightly stronger than the forecast 10 knots from the NE.
The sailing was lumpy as in the last couple of days, but the shifts were a
bit more regular and not as difficult to predict.
In the first race locals and regatta organizers Watt and Precilla Duffy had
a great race with a fourth, preceeded by Andy Pimental/Steven Davidson
winning the race, Filter/Stout in second and Jerry Thompson/Jeff Baker in
third.
In the second race, Carr Moody/Rick Jarchow got just enough right on the
end of the third beat to take advantage of a right shift to oust Alex Pline
/S herry Eldrige at the finish, who had lead all the way around the double
triangle course, followed by Filter/Stout in third.
The Southern Yacht Club did a great job hosting and running the regatta.
Hats off the the Duffy's and Jerry Blouin for organizing a great event and
housing most of the competitors in local housing, not to mention showing
those who haven't been to New Orleans (and those who have) the wildness of
the French Quarter. - Alex Pline
Final Results: 1. Henry Filter/ Lories Stout - Annapolis, MD, 11.50 2.
Andrew Pimental/ Steven Davidson - Rhode Island/New Orleans, 20.75 3.
George Szabo/ Carol Newman Cronin - San Diego/Rhode Island, 25.50 4. Jerry
Thompson/ Jeff Baker, Newport Beach/San Diego, 46.00 5. Charlie Bustamante/
Michele Bustamante, 53.00
DO IT NOW
Now is time to get ready for the '99 racing season. Your first priority
should focus on getting commitments from your crew. However, right after
that, start eliminating the weak spots in your sail inventory. Let the pros
at Ullman Sails help move your program up to the next level. You can get a
price quote online -- it's more affordable than you think:
http://www.ullmansails.com/
OLYMPIC CLASSES REGATTA
Alamitos Bay YC Olympic Classes Regatta -- Final Results, 49er (17 skiffs):
JONATHAN & CHARLIE MCKEE (29) 2. MORGAN LARSON / KEVIN HALL (37) 3. ANDY
MACK / ADAM LOWRY (45); Europe (14 boats): 1. TORY CROWDER (14) 2. KRYSIA
POHL (15) 3. LYNN OLINGER (18); Finn (19 boats): 1. RICHARD CLARKE (13) 2.
RUSS SILVESTRI (17) 3. ERIC OETGEN (23); Laser (35 boats): 1. BILL
HARDESTY (18) 2. NATHANIEL STOFFELSMA (27) 3. KEVIN TAUGHER (28); Mistral
(16 boards): 1. PETER WELLS (12) 2. CAROLL-ANN ROSENBERG (14.5) 3. AMY MC
CAIG (38); Soling (9 boats):1. JOHN GOCHBERG (15) 2. JOHN WALTON (22) 3.
JIM MEDLEY (23); Star (11 boats): 1. JEREMY DAVIDSON / JEFF DAVIDSON (12)
2. MICHAEL GEORGE / DENISE (28) 3. JOHN VIRTUE / DARRELL HAIFT BALBO (29);
Snipe (9 boats): 1. RICK & CAROL MERRIMAN (7) 2. TOM O'NEILL / LAUREL
O'NEILL (13) 3. GAVIN O'HARE / HOLLY O'HARE (16)
Complete results: http://abyc.org/
AMERICA'S CUP
America's Cup veteran and sailing Olympic medalist Jim Brady is joining the
New York Yacht Club/Young America Challenge, Young America president John
K. Marshall and skipper Ed Baird announced today. Brady, the navigator for
Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes in the 1995 America's Cup and a 1992
Olympic silver medalist in the Soling Class, joins the NYYC/Young America
afterguard which includes Baird, Ed Adams, Tony Rey, and Kimo Worthington.
The 1990 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, Brady is a world champion in the
J/22, J/24, Half Ton, One Ton, and Soling (match racing) classes. A member
of the U.S. Admiral's Cup team in 1991, 1995, and the victorious 1997 team,
Brady will compete for the U.S. again on this year's Admiral's Cup team. A
New York Yacht Club member since 1989, Brady has a long history with Baird.
Brady trained and raced with Baird through the late '70s and '80s in
Lasers, Solings and J/24s. Baird was Brady's coach in his medal-winning
Olympic campaign. - Jane Eagleson
Full story: http://www.youngamerica.org/
SYDNEY TO MOOLOOLABA RACE - Report by Peter Campbell
Designer Iain Murray has won the 1999 Sydney - Mooloolaba ocean race,
skippering the Sydney AC40, Loco, to an outstanding IMS overall victory in
the heavy weather race to Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Middle Harbour Yacht
Club race officials this afternoon confirmed the IMS placings for the 469
nautical mile race, with 38 of the depleted fleet finished and two still
at sea.
There were 64 starters and 24 retirements, many with steering breakages as
they surfed north before 30 to 40 knot southerly winds and steep seas that
caused dozens of out-of-control gybes, smashing booms, shredding spinnakers
and battering and bruising crew. Several skippers claimed the heavy weather
downwind race had been a more demanding race than the 1998 Telstra Sydney
to Hobart.
Loco, owned by David Coe and David Lowe, but sailed by a "works" team
headed by designer Murray and sailmaker Michael Coxon, won on corrected
time from her sistership Sledgehammer, skippered by Ron Jones and a club
crew from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
This is Murray's second successive designer/skipper double in the
Mooloolaba race, last year helming his Sydney 46 design, ABN AMRO
Challenge to victory. "It was a wild ride at times, we had five 'chinese
gybes' as we surfed up the coast, I was on the helm for two of themand
ended up to my neck in water," the former America's Cup skipper said at
Mooloolaba Yacht Club today.
Third overall is the Queensland yacht The Last Picasso, a Jutson 36,
skippered by Mooloolaba Yacht Club member Bob "Sir Robbo" Robertson,
competing in his 16th Sydney - Mooloolaba race.
Final results -- IMS Overall: 1. Loco, Sydney AC 40 (David Coe/Iain
Murray, CYCA) 2. Sledgehammer, Sydney AC 40 (Ron Jones, RPAYC) 3.The Last
Picasso, Jutson 36 (Bob Robertson, MYC/RQYS) IMS Division A: 1. Loco,
2.Sledgehammer, 2. Assassin, Farr IMS 40 (Hugo van Kretschmar, CYCA) IMS
Division B: 1. The Last Picasso, 2. Loose Change, Jutson 36 (Clive
Gilmour/Robert Stanley, CYCA) 3. Kingtide, Sydney 36 (Colin Boyle, MHYC)
IMS Division C: 1. Sagacious V , Farr 40 (Peter Davis, CYCA) 2. Inner
Circle, Farr 40 (Dennis Pomfret, LMYCO 3.Superfine, Cavalier 350SL
(George Waldhausen, CYCA) CHS Division (provisional): 1. J44 Phoenix, J44
(Rob Reynolds, MHYC) 2. Loki, Swan 44 (Stephen Ainsworth, CYCA) 3.
Impeccable, Peterson 35 (John Walker, MHYC) PHS Overall (provisional): 1.
Flying Turtle, Farr 1220 (Philip Wait, MHYC 2. Loose Change, Jutson 36
(Clive Gilmour/Robert Stanley, CYCA) 3. Loco, Sydney AC 40 (David Coe/Iain
Murray, CYCA) PHS Division A (provisional): 1. Helter Skelter, Sydney 41
(Steve Gunns, MHYC) 2. Bright Morning Star, Frers 50 (Hugh Treharne,
MHYC) 3. Foxtel Titan Ford, Farr 52 (Julie Hodder/Peter Sorensen/Stan
Zemanek, MHYC) PHS Division B (provisional): 1. Flying Turtle, Farr 1220
(Phillip Wait, MHYC) 2. Hog's Breath Witchdoctor, Peterson 42 (Rum
Consortium, CYCA) 3. Too Impetuous, Holland 42 (Neville Watson, RPAYC)
BIG PROBLEM
For as long as I can remember, I've used my tired, beat up old shorts for
sailing. But no more. I've gotten spoiled by my fast drying Supplex Camet
shorts, and with their foam pads that pamper my aging butt. And the Camet
shorts do have a good look. So now I have a problem - what do I do with my
old shorts? http://www.camet.com/
SPEED RECORD
580 miles ! The record for the greatest distance covered under sail in 24
hours was beaten on Saturday March 27th by PlayStation, Steve Fossett's new
120' catamaran designed by duo Gino Morelli/Pete Melvin and launched in
December 98 in view of The Race.
Having left Auckland for a second attempt on Friday 26th around midday
(local time), PlayStation passed the Rangitoto volcano in the Gulf of
Hauraki at 1400. Because of the 25 knot North-easterly blowing, progression
was slow as far as the Northern end of Great Barrier Island, the starting
zone to clear the Northerly tip of New Zealand in this attempt.
With the automatic transmission of their position every 15 minutes by
Standard C, weather router Bob Rice estimated that the attempt had started
at around 0600 GMT on Friday March 26th. The steady North-easterly breeze
of 25 knots allowed PlayStation to achieve her best average as early as the
first 6 hours, or 152.5 miles at 25.4 knots average. Fifteen hours later,
the average was 23.8 knots for a distance covered of 357.3 miles.
A slight easing of wind speed slowed the rhythm down for a few hours. The
ten crew took advantage to shake out the two reefs which they had been
carrying since the start and unroll the solent. Under the thrust of 676
square metres of sail, the average speed remained at 20 knots.
In less than 20 hours, PlayStation had covered 465 miles, at an average
speed of 23.6 knots. By the 23rd hour, PlayStation had covered 546 miles,
at an average of 23.74 knots. Stan Honey continued to charge at 29 knots
until 0630 GMT before putting about for Auckland and home.
This figure is not yet official. The data will be rapidly forwarded to the
WSSRC and to the eight members of the Offshore Passages Committee who will
no doubt ratify this record.
This new record, for a yacht almost twice as big as Laurent Bourgnon's
trimaran, will almost certainly be bettered this coming summer. It was the
first day with the "foot flat on the boards" for the catamaran, which had
remained in port for more than four weeks last February for some minor
modifications. The absence of Ben Wright, her skipper and one of Steve
Fossett's best helmsmen was also significant. The objective of PlayStation
is now the 600 miles in 24 hours barrier.
Ben Wright who has directed the boat's preparation since mid December in
Auckland, had an accident sustaining injury to his right hand on Thursday
25th March during the first attempt and had to be admitted to hospital.
In charge of navigation for this attempt was Stan Honey, the usual
navigator for Roy Disney on Pyewacket. Also on board, Brian Thomson, Peter
Hogg, Barry McKay, Greg Yeo, Bruce Sutphen, Kermit Conoway of Southern
Spars, Gino Morelli, (the catamaran's co-designer with Pete Melvin), Mick
Cookson, the builder. And naturally owner Steve Fossett.
The record had remained unbeaten since 29th June 1994, with the two amazing
consecutive days of 1029 miles by Laurent Bourgnon and his trimaran
Primagaz, at the start of his solo Atlantic record.
There's more: http://www.therace.org
TORNADO OLYMPIC PRE-TRIALS
Today's race was sailed in ten to fifteen knots, a light day in Santa Cruz.
Lars matched race us before the start, but we were able to get a better
start. We rounded the first mark second and Lars sixth. We were able to
pass the first boat and win the race and Lars finished sixth. We finished
with a score card of 1, 2, OCS, 1,1,1, 1, 1. Our practice is beginning to
pay off as we sailed well and were very fast.
Our next regatta is in Gulfport, MS. We have a small training regatta where
we are going to practice and experiment with some new rig settings. Our
next big trip is to Spain for the European Championships. Stay Tuned for
more updates. -- Charlie Ogletree and Johnny Lovell
Final Results: 1. John Lovell / Charlie Ogletree (8) 2. Lars Guck / PJ
Schaffer (13) 3 Robbie Daniel / Jacques Bernier (22) 4. Mike Ingham / (26)
5. Richard Feeny / Bob Hodges (38)
Complete results: http://www.tornado.org
CATALINA REPORT
Absolutely fantasticand it's green! 'Butt reader Daniel Forster probably
said it best, "Sun screen is better than computer screen!"
THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM
If quitters never win and winners never quit, then who is the fool who
said, "Quit while you're ahead"?
|
