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SCUTTLEBUTT 2303 – March 19, 2007Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). NEW US-IRC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NAMED Newport, RI - Richard du Moulin, Chairman of the newly formed US-IRC Owners committee and member of the US-IRC Association, has announced the appointment of John Mendez as the Executive Director of US-IRC. Mendez, a past chairman of the New York Yacht Club Race Committee, replaces Barry Carroll who leaves the post to pursue other business interests. Carroll will remain affiliated with the US-IRC as a technical advisor. Mendez raced dinghies and raced offshore in England from where he emigrated to the U.S.A. in 1968. He is also a member of Larchmont Y.C. where he served as Commodore. "US-IRC will continue to pursue its primary goal of promoting the IRC rule and IRC events," Mendez said "We successfully introduced IRC racing into the United States three years ago and Barry Carroll has done an excellent job of building the fleet and growing events in the US. Now with his resignation, we will take this opportunity to review our next challenges." US sailing will continue to manage the rule in the US. Their Offshore Office will continue to issue IRC certificates and will support the rule fully, as other Member National Authoritys do in their commitment to managing IRC. US Sailing will be there to address questions from owners on all topics including among other matters, the status of their rating in the system, validity of their measurements, perceived differences between PHRF and IRC ratings, differences between "sister ships", how to get measured, where to get measured, and how to contact a local measurers. "US Sailing Offshore is the management entity for IRC in the U.S.A.," Mendez concluded. "And the US-IRC organization will focus on communications and marketing to build the IRC fleet, to promote existing IRC events and to spread IRC participation from coast to coast. Our goal is to get sailors sailing." -- US-IRC website, full report: http://www.us-irc.org/news_full.cfm?ID=25 MATCH RACING IN AMERICA Long Beach, CA - The world's best match racing sailors outside of Valencia are lined up for Long Beach Yacht Club's 43rd Congressional Cup, presented by Acura, May 15-19. Although several top players will be involved in the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger trials prelude to the America's Cup in Spain at the same time, the Congressional Cup remains a Grade 1 event on the strength of the rankings of the individual competitors by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). The total purse will be $41,000, including $10,000 to the winner. The complete list, in order of rankings: Mathieu Richard, France, No. 3; Eugeniy Neugodnikov, Russia, No. 7; Damien Iehl, France, No. 12; Johnie Berntsson, Sweden, No. 14; Simon Minoprio, New Zealand, No. 17; Martin Angsell, Sweden, No. 23; Andrew Arbuzov, Russia, No. 24; Brian Angel, Redondo Beach, Calif., No. 34; Przemek Tarnacki, Poland, No. 39; Scott Dickson, Long Beach, No. 87. The North American hopefuls are LBYC's own Scott Dickson and Brian Angel of the King Harbor Yacht Club in Redondo Beach. Dickson, younger brother of Chris Dickson, skipper and CEO of BMW Oracle's America's Cup team, is not a regular on the world match racing tour but is a Congressional Cup competitor for the 11th time after winning his berth in the Ficker Cup sailoff last September. His highest finish has been second place, and he reached the semifinals last year. Angel, 25, had a 6-12 record last year but has since raised his world ranking from 64th to 34th with success on the world tour. -- http://www.lbyc.org/concup * Curmudgeon’s Comment: Another prominent match race event may be coming to the US, as a recent news story claimed that the World Match Racing Tour is coming to the state of Maine, either this fall or in spring 2008. The tour, however, which is sanctioned by the ISAF International Sailing Federation and includes professional sailors, America's Cup teams and Olympic Gold medallists, claims the announcement is a bit premature. Said Tour Director Scott MacLeod, “We are in very positive discussions with Maine and we are very interested in the potential of the venue, but we haven't finalized an agreement at this date.” The story was posted on the Morning Sentinel: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/sports/stories/3718692.html SAVE A CLASSIC Featured in the most recent edition of Wooden Boat Magazine is the famous sailing yacht, "Escapade". This 73' yawl was one of the three great yachts of her time, along with "Bolero” and "Baruna". If you or someone you know, dreams of owning a classic yacht, this is a wonderful opportunity. With her centerboard and 8' draft, she is ideal for cruising. Her pedigree is second to none. Sail into nautical history and enjoy a spectacular yacht by restoring a slice of Americana. For more information, contact Paul Kaplan at (510) 307-7900, mailto:paul@kkmi.com or visit http://www.syescapade.com DIRE DAY (Sunday, March 18, 2007) Last Saturday must mark one of the lowest days of the Velux 5 Oceans for Kiwi skipper Graham Dalton onboard A Southern Man - AGD. The kiwi skipper was struck down so violently by a terrible sickness and diarrhea that he collapsed in the lobby of the hotel he is staying at the Brazilian Port of Fortaleza. Dalton pulled into Brazil to fix his electronics and the cassette that holds his rudder after he hit a UFO in the water over three days ago. At 0800 UTC on Saturday morning Dalton reported to the race office that while combating this debilitating condition he also discovered that all of his communication equipment, GPS, laptops, hand held phones, cameras etc had been stolen from his unattended boat. Barely able to function Dalton spent the whole of yesterday with local police trying to get to the bottom of this horrendous outcome. However, it appears increasingly unlikely that the police will be able to recover his stolen equipment. -- Sail World, full story: http://www.sail-world.com/index_n.cfm?nid=31806 AMERICAN WISH LIST Taking a bite of the apple, the US Olympic Sailing Committee has accepted the offer by ISAF to submit their suggestions for what events they would like to see participate in the 2012 Games. Thus far, what is known by everybody is that the number of events is shrinking from the current line-up of eleven down to ten. What is not known is what these ten events will be. So, to provide ISAF with a suggestion, it should come as no surprise to anyone that the USOSC has submitted a list of classes that they see as representing their country’s strengths, while also lending an ear to what the international sailing community might accept. They have identified 8 of the 10 events that they feel most strongly about. As for the other 2 events, perhaps they will cash in some political capital to help those countries that agree to help them. The glaring omissions from the list are a multihulls and windsurfers. Also missing from the list is a Team Racing event, though it is likely that the USOSC wants to stick with battles that they see as winnable, and not burn up too much energy fighting for an event that might still be a quadrennium away. -- For the current preferences of the USOSC, as of February 17, 2007: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2007/03/2012-olympic-events.html THE LAND THAT OLD MAN RULES (Miami, FL) On Friday morning, Gonzalo Diaz Sr., aka ‘The Old Man’, welcomed 52 Snipe crews to the 41st Annual Don Q Regatta hosted by Coconut Grove Sailing Club. This was also the 41st Don Q Regatta in which The Old Man has competed and it has become more than a family tradition for the Diaz family. This year, The Old Man, his two sons, Augie and Gonzo, and Augie’s son, Lucas and Gonzo’s son, Gonzo raced in four separate boats. While they were out on the water, Carmen Diaz and her crew managed registration, Saturday’s Daiquiris, and Cuban meal for all of the competitors. With no run away leader going into Sunday’s final race, it was George Szabo and Alan Capellin that came through for Szabo’s fourth plaque on the perpetual. -- Read Lynn Fitzpatrick’s complete report with results here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/SnipeCircuit/ 1. George Szabo / Alan Capellin, 2-2-8-4-4, 20 pts 2. Ernesto Rodriguez / Kathleen Tocke, 4-3-10-0.75-3, 20.75 3. Andy Pimental / Julia Langford, 6-5-2-9-0.75, 22.75 4. Peter Commette / Sheehan Commette, 3-0.75-17- 2- 2, 24.75 5. Augie Diaz / Pam Kelly, 7-9-0.75-3-8, 27.75 PURE TECHNOLOGY. When talking about technological advancements in marine electronics… look no further. Ockam leads the way in sailing instrument technology by utilizing an advanced scientific approach to ensure the most reliable and accurate real-time data available. The powerful Tryad processor allows for easy sensor input calibration and processes information in 3D using pitch and roll. Tryad now has the ability to log all your data in its flash memory without an onboard PC. The new Matryx II graphical display uses transflective LCD technology to deliver crystal clear information, strip-charts and system control. OCKAM: a distinct competitive advantage. For information, contact: mailto:sales@ockam.com SAILING SHORTS * The 2007 ISAF Team Racing World Championship is back on the sailing calendar, following a late bid by the Real Club Nautico Gandia. In its seventh edition, the ISAF Team Racing Worlds is heading for the Mediterranean, with Gandia, Spain, 70 km south of Valencia, set to play host to a feast of short races, small course and supreme boat handling skills. -- ISAF website, full report: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j17FnAzv?&format=popup * The minutes from the January 13, 2007 Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association Winter Meeting have been posted on the ICSA website: http://tinyurl.com/2udwbw * San Diego, Calif. (March 18, 2007) The Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta in San Diego enjoyed 82 races on three race courses for over 1,000 sailors in 14 one-design classes. Ranging from the largest keelboat class, the J/105 class with 23 boats won by Gary Mozer (Beverly Hills, CA) to the largest dinghy class, the 29er with 21 boats won by Judge Ryan (San Diego, CA). The next NOOD Regatta will be in Annapolis, Md., April 27-29. -- Results: http://www.sdyc.org/raceinfo/results07/NOOD_res.htm * (Eustis, FL) Seventy Boats invaded Lake Eustis Sailing Club for the MC Midwinter Championship. Sailors traveled from all around the USA to race in this major championship, where moderate to strong breezes prevailed for the first two days before a strong front confronted the fleet for the third and final day. After a brief postponement, the fleet was able to finish out the event, where the tactics of the lake along with decisions on sailing solo or with crew helped decide the scores. Overall winner was Jamie Kimball from Zenda, Wisconsin. -- Look for Andy Burdick’s daily reports, posted on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4495#4495 * Solomons, MD - A sudden burst of wind overturned several sailboats last week in the harbor of Solomons Island in Calvert County, MD, plunging a group of teenage students from a local sailing school into frigid waters. Reportedly 17 students on six small sailboats operated by the Solomon's Island Sailing Club, in Solomons Harbor were involved in the incident. After five of the boats tipped over, crew and instructors on the chase boat, as well as crews on boats from DNR police, the U.S. Coast Guard, Solomons Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Company and Maryland State Police plucked 10 teenagers from the water. – Baltimore Sun, full story: http://tinyurl.com/3225ft CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar WHITE LASERS ARE RUNNING OUT Order your white Laser from your Vanguard dealer today! You only have until March 23rd to order a Laser that features a white hull with a fog grey deck. This is the only time of year these are offered. Don’t miss out. Complete details at http://tinyurl.com/37gq6u LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Craig Fletcher: (regarding how the US Youth Development Team announced in Issue 2302 is lacking any West Coast sailors) When is US Sailing changing their name to East Coast Sailing? Facts are facts; East Coast Sailing never looks West except for money and the occasional bone they throw our way. * From John Tormey: Unbelievable how there could be no west coast kids elected to the US Elite Youth Development Sailing Team. How do all the kids out west improve if there isn’t even one that is getting the benefits of this new program? This region is isolated enough without this oversight. Heck, they should have picked a west coast kid just for the appearance of propriety, knowing full well that the west thinks that US SAILING is an east-centric organization. They missed a chance to prove that sentiment wrong… again. * From Peter Willcox: I do not think this is any new requirement. I can remember having the same problem getting a British crew member into USVI, 13 years ago on a yacht. * From Phillip Shannon, Caribbean Tour Services: (IE. Customs Alert USVI.) The only time a US citizen needs a passport to enter the USVI is when arriving on a plane from a foreign destination. The USVI and Puerto Rico do not have the requirements the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada. The rest of the article is correct. * From Steve Scheck, Madison, WI: Regarding an item in ‘butt #2302 “The new requirement by Homeland Security that U.S. Citizens must have valid passports to gain entry to the U.S. Virgin Islands might now be well known,…” is mis-leading. U.S. Citizens traveling from the USA to the USVI do not need a passport, as the USVI are part of the United States. More info at: http://www.usvitourism.vi/en/welcome/pressreleases.asp?id=494 Curmudgeon’s Comment: The information in Issue 2302 came from the USVI International Rolex Regatta event. Thanks to the readers that have provided additional information. * From Ray Tostado: (re: Beashel the wind scout in ‘butt 2302) Pass this on to whom ever might believe it. It might be that there are distinct fresh and saline water channels in the area. The fresh water has less drag, attachment, on surface winds. High salinity will drag the speed down a tad. I imagine that is because the wind cannot lift the mass of high saline content as easily as low saline. If the patterns were irregular then it would take a keen and understanding eye to adjust to these invisible promoters. While tuning to find the secrets of sailing on the Great Salt Lake in Utah, it was amazing to be at hull speed on a clear day with hardly a ripple on the mirror glaze water; then get a knock down out of no where. Soon one will come to realize that the 18% salinity takes a lot more wind to disturb the surface texture. Wind signs do not appear until around 18/20 knots; not the usual Pacific breaks of 12/14 kts. Pacific waters are about 3.5% saline, been a while, I hope that's right. The only sense of a micro burst arriving is a low hum. At times the wind only affects starting about 15 feet off the deck. This too, due to water weight. This salinity specific also has a very significant effect upon the bottom preparation. One extreme enjoys a slick mirror finish; the other a coarser, turbulent surface. But that's another speculation for another day. * From Alfred Poor: (Re Chris Upton’s comments in ‘butt 2302) As the Unfrozen Caveman Sailor, I have never had the privilege of racing with umpires on the water. Chris Upton raises the issue of interference from umpire’s boats. Clearly, there is a simple solution: put an umpire in competitor’s boat. Wait, I realize that umpires don’t have eyes in the back of their heads, so clearly we need two umpires aboard each boat so that they can see everything going on around them. To make documentation of disputes easier, they should also be equipped with head-mounted video cameras that automatically record the lat/long position, boat heading and velocity, and the direction of view, so all incidents can be thoroughly reconstructed. Of course, like most simple solutions, this one is simply wrong. I’m with Chris’s ultimate conclusion; be a grown up and play fair by the rules. It’s not about what you can get away with; it’s about what you can do within the rules. * From Alex Baum , Rochester, NY: (Re.: Mark Townsends assertions in Scuttlebutt #2302) Mark, if my understanding of the rules is correct, the only way a sailor would not be allowed to throw out their DSQ (a DSD), is if a) they violated Rule 2, or b) they violated Rule 42 (this is a paraphrasing of Rule 89.3b). Based on recent discussions on Scuttlebutt about both of these rules and the expectations of our fellow sailors to "compete in compliance with recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play" as well as not committing gross misconduct, does a sailor who commits this wrong really deserve to be named the winner of any regatta, much less a World or National Championship? CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION It should be noted that the human species is the only one on earth which survives solely upon it's concept of credit. Special thanks to KKMI, Ockam Instruments, and Vanguard Sailboats. Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
