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SCUTTLEBUTT 2016 - January 25, 2006
Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions,
features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.
BEEFING UP STRUCTURES - Edward Gorman
The prospect of all seven boats completing an offshore leg for the first
time in the Volvo Ocean Race looked more likely last night after the teams
met in Melbourne to hammer out solutions to the technical failures that
have bedeviled the boats. The meeting at the Pacific International Hotel
was attended by representatives of the sailing and shore teams, plus all
the designers involved, including Russell Bowler from the Bruce Farr
office, whose four entries - Ericsson, Pirates of the Caribbean, Movistar
and Brasil 1 - have suffered the most.
According to Andy Hindley, the racing director of the Volvo race, there was
a constructive and open exchange of views and no one argued that the rule
governing the design parameters of the new Volvo Open 70s should be
changed. Instead, according to Hindley, it was a case of the teams
themselves admitting that they needed to get the balance right between
speed and strength, which means beefing up structures in hulls and swing
keel systems at the cost of weight in keel bulbs. "I think they realize
that the onus is on themselves based on the fact they've got their sponsors
and their own ambitions to satisfy as well as our ambitions as race
organizers," Hindley said after the meeting. "They don't have to tell us
that they are not performing - it's there, it's self-evident, you just have
to look at the results sheet."
Hindley said that the teams had finally accepted it was their
responsibility to put their problems behind them. "They are saying, 'We
have to do it in order to progress and race,' " he said. "They are not
saying it's not our fault. They are saying it's our responsibility, that
the rule is the rule and we need to make changes to fix the boats and go
on." Over the coming days, leading up to the in-port race in Melbourne on
Saturday week, it is likely that several boats will replace titanium
hydraulic keel rams with heavier but more reliable stainless steel
structures and extra carbon fibre support will be added to strengthen the
area around the top of the keel. There will also be more work on
hydraulics. - Excerpt from a story by Edward Gorman, The Times, UK,
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,4041-2008847,00.html
GOOD KARMA FOR NEW OLYMPIC CLASS
Miami, Fla. (January 24, 2006)-Today's light air on Miami's Biscayne Bay
was a telling test for the Neil Pryde RS:X, the new sailboard set to make
its Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008. Both a women's and men's division for
the RS:X class are included in US Sailling's Rolex Miami OCR, where 610
sailors from 40 countries are competing in a total of nine Olympic classes
and one Paralympic class. By the turnout--20 women and 39 men--the RS:X
looks to be the success that its class architects had hoped it would be.
"The board is less weight sensitive than the Mistral when the wind is
light, which is the great equalizer," said Mike Gebhardt . "It has
attracted a much broader range of sailors; you can be heavier now to sail
it," Gebhardt added that because of the RS:X's hybrid
personality--somewhere between the long-board style of the Mistral and the
high-performance design of a wider, shorter formula board--even World Cup
pros are looking to do campaigns, giving Olympic boardsailing a global
boost."It's noticeably slower than a long board in really light air, by
about 20 percent," said Gebhardt, "but when it's planing, it's 20 percent
faster, and it only takes about 10 knots to get it planing."
For two races today, the wind hovered only around 5-6 knots--a downer as
far as thrilling action goes but a fair comparison for what is projected
for Beijing. Yesterday's leaders in the Star class, the Australian team of
Iain Murray and Andrew Palfrey , fell to third place while George Szabo and
Eric Monroe (USA) climbed from sixth to first. Current world champions from
France, Xavier Rohart and Pascal Rambeau maintained their second place
position.
It was another smooth day for the USA's reigning Yngling world champions
Sally Barkow, Carrie Howe and Deborah Capozzi. With a throwout third-place
finish in the first of three races today, the team followed up with two
bullets to maintain a perfect scoreline. Hannah Swett, Melissa Purdy and
Liz Filter (USA) moved to second from fourth. In two races today,
yesterday's Laser Radial leader, USA's Paige Railey posted a 1-10, keeping
her lead, while Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) climbed the ranks from fourth to second.
Defending Tornado champions John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree (USA) posted a
2-8 today to maintain their lead, but other teams are moving in. Another
American team, Robbie Daniel and Enrique Rodriguez, moved up a spot to
second, while Spain's Fernando Echávarri and Antón Paz (fell from second to
fourth.
After a two-day qualifying series, the 90-boat Laser fleet has been split
into Gold and Silver fleets. Great Britain's Paul Goodison maintains his
lead, with Poland's Marciej Grabowski keeping his second place from
yesterday. In today's two races, Brad Funk (USA) got a 2-1, moving up the
ranks to third place overall. - Media Pro Int'l, complete results and more:
www.ussailing.org/Olympics/RolexMiamiOCR.
FOR THAT PERFECT START
…begin at Newport Shipyard. The Newport racing season kicks-off early in
2006 with back-to-back events scheduled in early June. The Jimmy Fund
Regatta, June 3-4, and NYYC's Annual Regatta/Onion Patch Series, June 9-11,
provides a perfect warm-up for the start of the 100th Anniversary
Newport-Bermuda Race on June 16th. Looking for the most action and the best
yacht services and repairs? Newport Shipyard offers all of this, along with
the warmest welcome in town. Join other racing programs that call the
Shipyard home and book your reservations for dockage and container storage:
Call 401-846-6000 or visit http://www.newportshipyard.com
STORM WARNING
Perth, Australia -- An impending storm forced the cancellation of racing at
the Alcoa IFDS World Disabled Sailing Championships, and has changed the
tactical situation for a number of competitors at the top of the
leaderboard. Instead of the scheduled two races tomorrow, the Royal Perth
Yacht Club, who are hosting the regatta, will try and run three races, to
bring the event close to the eleven scheduled races. The difference between
running two races or three on the final day will be critical to a number of
placings, because if a third races is sailed, which would be the tenth in
the series, then each competitor can discard their two worst results,
wheras if only two are sailed, then only one result can be discarded from
the scoreline. - John Roberson, www.2006ifdsworlds.com.au
Curmudgeon's Comment: Nick Scandone, 2005 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year,
filed this report from Perth, Australia, where he is competing in the 2.4
Metre class at the Alcoa IFDS World Disabled Sailing Championships: "It's
been a wild regatta. It started with 20+ knot winds and very large shifts.
The first two days were filled with big lead changes, and whichever side of
the course you are on will result in if you look like a hero or a goat.
I've been on the goat's side. You can't sail up the middle because one side
always seems to pay big. Every time I'm in the top five, the wind seems to
shift 40-50 degrees. I've also had some breakdowns as the wind has battered
my old boat.
"In yesterday's first race (on Monday), I got off the line and due to small
shifting winds, I lead from start to finish. Then race two came and after a
poor start (you couldn't lay the starting line on starboard), I made some
gains up the middle and then the wind shifted 40 degrees left and put me
well behind. I've never been so frustrated.
"Today they have delayed the start due to 50 knot winds at the coast. With
four races to go I sit in ninth place but only 10 points from fifth.
Hopefully I can get my head out of my a** and make a move. I have never
sailed in a place where you have to go to the corners and see how lucky you
get. I wish we could just get a steady direction so the course isn't so
unpredictable. -- Nick Scandone
AVIVA CHALLENGE
Dee Caffari celebrated her 33rd birthday alone deep in the Southern Ocean
("I may have been the most isolated person on the planet geographically")
but did not have a celebratory glass of champagne. "I shall save it for
when I am in company, as I haven't had a drink now for 65 days, and I would
hate to sleep deeply or have the feeling of being indestructible on deck."
As Caffari continues on her westabout 'wrong way' solo circumnavigation she
still has more than 15,000 miles to go. Sailing in 25-30 knots of breeze
she made 137 miles in the last 24 hours for a 5.7 knot average. -
www.avivachallenge.com
SAILING DIRECTOR WANTED
The Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts, is seeking a Sailing
Director for the upcoming summer. The Director will provide oversight of
the EYC Race Committee and assist in the organization of club-sponsored
regattas. In addition, the Director will help foster interest in all types
of sailboat racing by offering adult lessons and coaching, as well as
assisting member participation in a variety of racing. Please contact
Matthew Hooks at 650-269-6630 or mailto:mhooks@gmail.com
HIKING: YES OR NO
During the 2005 Melges 24 Worlds in December, the top sailors exposed a
newly found speed advantage: hiking. The class has never had lifelines, but
rather has what they term a hiking line. The class rules have always
regulated the hiking line to be rather loose, though its use for hiking has
only recently been fully exploited.
The question is whether this is a good thing or not. Aggressive hiking has
proven to be very fast, yet due to the discomfort, not everyone is doing
it. Tighten the hiking line, and you restrict the hiking. Keep it loose,
and you go faster. Regardless of what class you sail, this question has
good arguments on either side. Click on the link to view the images and
cast your vote: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/06/0125
NEWS BRIEFS
* World-class match racer Sten Mohr will join BMW Oracle Racing afterguard
when the team reports to Valencia in February. Other new additions include
New Zealander Morgan Trubovich, Australian Nick Partridge and American John
Ziskind. New Zealander Paul Wallbank joins the sailing team as physical
trainer/conditioner. The team will be two-boat training and testing this
spring in Valencia prior to the start of competition in the three America's
Cup Class pre-Regattas, Louis Vuitton Acts 10, 11 and 12. The first regatta
starts May 11 in Valencia. The syndicate's new boat will be launched this
spring at a date to be announced. -- www.bmworacleracing.com
* The inaugural Brazil Sailing Cup, the first event of the World Match
Racing Tour (successor to the Swedish Match Tour), will held on March 14-19
at the Angra dos Reis YC in Angra dos Reis, Brazil. There will be twelve
teams, eight of which represent America's Cup syndicates, racing for
$100,000 prize purse, which includes $35,000 for the winner. Racing will be
held in SM40s (previously Swedish Match 40). The field includes Ed Baird,
Peter Gilmour, Dean Barker, Gavin Brady, James Spithill, Peter Holmberg,
Ben Ainslie, Thierry Peponnet, Staffan Lindberg, Daniel Glomb, Hamish
Pepper and Magnus Holmberg. -- http://www.worldmatchracingtour.com/
* A sanctioned US Sailing Safety at Sea Seminar will be conducted at
Strictly Sail Chicago, February 5. A certified program for offshore
sailors, and required for many offshore races, the program, endorsed by
Cruising World and Sailing World magazines and sponsored by West Marine,
Zodiac and Oregon Scientific, has been credited with saving countless lives
over the past 20 years and has evolved from the highly successful program
developed and conducted by the U.S. Naval Academy for their midshipmen in
1980. Interested participants can register online at www.StrictlySail.com
* American sailor Steve Fossett who set a new crewed round the world
sailing record of 58 days 9 hours 32 minutes 45 seconds aboard his 125ft
catamaran Cheyenne is at it again. Fossett hopes to set a world record for
the first solo, non-stop, non-refuelled circumnavigation of the world in
his 'Model 311' aircraft. This single engine turbofan aircraft which can
reach speeds of 285mph should be able to complete the challenge in 80
hours. The aircraft has been specifically designed for non-stop global
circumnavigation for a solo pilot and its aerodynamics and configuration is
optimized for range and fuel efficiency. - Sue Pelling, Yachting World,
full story and photos: http://tinyurl.com/9xkjb
* The February issue of Sailing Magazine includes a behind-the-scenes
interview with the Curmudgeon, where he discusses the past, present, and
future of Scuttlebutt. Additionally, Sailing Magazine is offering
Scuttlebutt readers with an all-time low subscription rate of $9.95 for a
year. The complete article and subscription information is at
http://www.sailingmagazine.net/scuttlebutt.html
* The Cruising Club of America is hosting a two day SAS Seminar at the
Hyatt Regency Hotel on March 11 and 12 in Newport, RI. The Saturday session
is sanctioned by US Sailing to fulfill the 2006 Newport Bermuda Race
requirement that 30% of each crew attend. Speakers will include seamanship
and history author John Rousmaniere and Jef d'Etiveaud. The Sunday session
will feature an expanded Medical Seminar narrated by CCA Fleet Surgeon,
Edwin G. Fischer, MD and a Race Preparation Session hosted by the Race
Organizing Committee. Speakers will include Bill Langan, Nick Nicholson and
Jay Hansen. -- www.ussailing.org/safety/seminars/index.asp
MELGES 32 ONE-DESIGN MIDWINTER CHAMPIONSHIP
The Melges 32 class had eight boats on the starting line for their
Midwinter Championship in Key West this past week. Racing was close and
exciting throughout the series. Mike Carroll's New Wave edged out Jeff
Ecklund's Star for the first Midwinter title. Check out these supersonic
racers at: http://www.melges.com
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
(Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be
edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. You only get one letter per
subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And
please save your bashing, and personal attacks for elsewhere. For those
that prefer a Forum, you can post your thoughts at the Scuttlebutt website:
http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi)
* From Steve Schupak: To say canting keels are not fit for ocean racing and
we should only sail fixed keelboats by some Scuttlebutt neigh Sayers is
just frightening. Let's go back to book burning and censorship! Fixed keels
are not a sure thing. I recall several years ago when the keel fell off
Pandemonium and she turtled, there was another boat (I forgot her name)
where the bulb fell off 600 miles north of Hawaii on her delivery home and
the crew miraculously kept her upright and returned to Honolulu, and I a
buddy had the bulb fall off his brand new Melgas 24 while sailing in SF
Bay. Let face it, fixed keels are not a sure thing either. Sometimes stuff
happens.
The VO70 failures we are seeing are from just one design office, (and I'm
sure they're having some fun staff meetings over it). Let's not overlook
the hundreds of other highly successful canting keel boats now racing
including Wild Oats, Alfa Romeo, Pyewacket, Stark Raving Mad, Morning
Glory, Magnitude 80, Victoria 5, the Schock 40's, the Mini 6.5's and all
the others who have racked up thousands upon thousands of safe and
successful offshore miles.
Canting the ballast is a fantastic way to increase the effectiveness of
ballast. I've logged many miles on them and it's just a rush. When I go
back aboard a fixed ballast feels like going in slow motion in comparison.
I'll always prefer canting to fixed
* From Ross Field: I think some of your readers should learn to read! All I
said was that the competitors from the previous Volvo Race wanted a more
affordable boat, so that we could have a higher level of competition with
more competitors. There is no taking it away from the Volvo 70's - they are
exciting, fast and state of the art boats. I would love to have had a boat
in the race, BUT this is a commercial event - it needs competition - it
needs the numbers - it has to stack up. Why is there so few boat in the
race - they're too bloody expensive - it isn't rocket science!
* From Craig Walter (edited to our 250-word limit): VO 70 skipper Neil
McDonald recently complained about "bad press" regarding the Volvo Open 70
rule and finds "nothing fundamentally wrong" with it. I respectfully
disagree on both points. The most damning commentary about the VO 70 boats
comes from the sailors themselves. Quotes like: "a big angry boat;" "within
an ace of sinking" and "had to reduce speed in order to keep the boat and
ourselves alive" are contrary to arguments by Mr. McDonald. The pertinent
question right now is, are the seven boats competing sufficiently safe and
seaworthy for the purpose for which they were intended? Clearly, as a
group, they appear to be dangerously flawed, with the 2005-2006 Race in
jeopardy of becoming a joke if no boats can finish, or a tragedy if lives
are lost.
The people who formulated the Volvo Open 70 Rule inadvertently created some
monsters. Furthermore, it is the rule maker's responsibility to take
corrective action in accordance with their own policy, the need for safety
and self-sufficiency is paramount" and "any development.contrary to this
policy may give rise to Rule change."
Grand prix level auto racing comes to mind. When the world's best drivers
are not able to routinely control their vehicles safely, rules are adjusted
and often horsepower is reduced in one way or another. In a similar vein,
quick fixes for the VO 70's are to lock keels vertically (which addresses
other obvious problems); eliminate masthead chutes, reduce spinnaker pole
length and/or reduce mainsail area.
* From James King: It seems to me that it would be possible to make the
next generation of V70 boats safer by making a couple of simple changes to
the rule.
1. Keels to pivot at the opening in the bottom of the hull. Eliminates
having a large hole in the hull when the bomb-bay doors fail, and seems to
work well enough in the Open 60s and others.
2. Minimum hull weight and/or maximum bulb weight, to encourage boats to be
built strongly enough not to fall apart.
I'd personally rather see all the boats in the fleet going a couple of
tenths slower (makes no difference to me sitting at my desk) but still
racing, than 2 admirable boats and crews racing, followed by widely spread
stragglers that have all encountered varying degrees of mechanical malaise.
Was anyone else surprised to hear Bouwe Bekking comment that they went
racing with untried rams? On another note, the thread on boat terminology
reminded me of a leading Hobie 16 skipper many years ago "chucking a
left-hand turn".
* From Vincent Christian: Man, we are really missing the point here, with
all the whinging and griping about the Volvo 70 failures. Well, very
obviously, somebody's got the design right. JK's, to be exact, got his
calculations and forecasts right! Farr does have a problem, and you only
have to look at Page 10 of the February issue of Seahorse to see what they
are, in so many ways (a pic is a thousand words). But the boat can be done
right, and these are the guys that are winning at the moment.
New developments will always be a gamble but some make it, some don't.
Pretty close to our home is another JK boat, Maiden Hong Kong (in Sai Kung,
Hong Kong), owned by Frank Pong. I believe it has had its share of problems
with the technical side of things but I'm sure Frank will be quite pleased
to know that, thanks to the VOR and two JK boats racing, the learning curve
on the boat's operation will prove to be shorter than expected.
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
A pessimist's blood type is always b-negative.
Special thanks to Newport Shipyard, Eastern Yacht Club, and Melges Boats.
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