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SCUTTLEBUTT 3718 - Tuesday, November 13, 2012Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: North Sails, North U, and Ultimate Sailing. FALL MIGRATION TO THE CARIBBEAN D. M. Street Jr is a very opinionated 82 year old WOPF (well preserved old fart) that is still writing, racing a 74-year old Dragon and drinking Heineken. He is also passionate about seamanship, particularly navigating between the U.S. and the Caribbean, and he hopes his advice saves lives. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Reflecting on the loss of the Bounty, and given the fact that the fall migration to the Caribbean is about to start, a migration that I have followed in print and in bar room conversations for sixty years, I feel compelled to bring to everyone's attention the first article I ever wrote, Going South, Yachting September 1964. If sailors had followed the advice written in that article there would be a lot more sailors alive today and following the advice would have saved the underwriters many millions of dollars. That original article has been updated, re-written and republished about six times in Cruising World and Sail. In some cases the editors editing of my re-write did not properly express my views. The re-writes are a result of my personal experience of almost 40 trips between the states and the Caribbean or the reverse in the period 1960 to 1980, plus reading everything published about going south and many hours in various bars hearing of trips south, trips that varied from being excellent, good, bad to disastrous. Added to all this was the information gathered in 49 years in the marine insurance business. Some years no boats are lost, other years one, sometimes two, and once in a while three boats are lost in a single year. On a long term average I would estimate, over the last 60 years, one boat a year has been lost. Many lives have been lost. About 1980 I stopped counting when my 30th friend or acquaintance was lost on this route. Because of the improvements in life raft design, ELT/EPIRBS, the magnificent work of the USCG search and rescue helicopters, and the spectacular work of the swimmers that drop from the helicopters to help sailors into the basket, in the last 20 years relatively few sailors are lost, but sailors are still lost, one last November. The following is a condensation of my seven articles on going south and what I have learned about going south in the last 60 years. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/12/1106/ ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CLUBS It first began with regattas mandating environmental awareness such as requiring the use of reusable water bottles and recycling of trash. But does your sailing club promote this approach as an operational standard? Here are ten easy things, distributed to the membership of Miami Yacht Club (Florida), which can be done to reduce the 'plastic footprint' and help keep plastics out of the marine environment: 1. Choose to reuse when it comes to shopping bags and bottled water. Cloth bags and metal or glass reusable bottles are available locally at great prices. 2. Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other 'disposable' plastics. Carry reusable utensils in your purse, backpack or car to use at BBQ's, potlucks or take-out restaurants. 3. Reduce everyday plastics such as sandwich bags and juice cartons by replacing them with a reusable lunch bag/box that includes a thermos. 4. Bring your to-go mug with you to the coffee shop, smoothie shop or restaurants that let you use them. A great way to reduce lids, plastic cups and/or plastic-lined cups. 5. Go digital! No need for plastic CDS, DVDS and jewel cases when you can buy your music and videos online. 6. Seek out alternatives to the plastic items that you rely on. 7. Recycle. If you must use plastic, try to choose #1 (PETE) or #2 (HDPE), which are the most commonly recycled plastics. Avoid plastic bags and polystyrene foam as both typically have very low recycling rates. 8. Volunteer at a beach cleanup. Surfrider Foundation Chapters often hold cleanups monthly or more frequently. 9. Support plastic bag bans, polystyrene foam bans and bottle recycling bills. 10. Spread the word. Talk to your family and friends about why it is important to Rise Above Plastics! Source: http://tinyurl.com/MYC-111212 NORTH-POWERED BOATS WIN IN J/70 & J/80 - SAVE NOW ON NEW SAILS Congratulations to Tate Russack, winner of the J/70 Fall Brawl Regatta and to Brian Keane for winning the J/80 North Americans. North's fast one-design sails can help you move toward your championship goals and now through November 26th you can save 10% or more on new One Design sails and get a FREE 6-month subscription to "Speed & Smarts"! Promotion valid for sails delivered in North America only. Restrictions apply. Go to http://www.onedesign.com for details or call 1-800-SAIL-123 ext. 470 to be connected to your closest North one-design expert. CURSED AGAIN (November 12, 2012; Day 3) - "I am cursed. The Vendee Globe is not for me." That was the conclusion of the bitterly disappointed Kito de Pavant this Monday afternoon, despairing at the harsh reality that his challenge to complete the Vendee Globe is, again, very prematurely over. For the second successive edition of the race, De Pavant is forced to withdraw. His Groupe Bel suffered serious damage when he was hit by a fishing trawler whilst racing in 11th place, around 45 miles off the Portuguese coast about 75 miles NW of Cascais at around 1000hrs CET this morning. De Pavant described it as a 'stupid accident' grabbing some minutes of sleep when he was awoken by a bang. With damage to Groupe Bel's outrigger - the deck spreader which supports the rig - losing his bowsprit and sustaining a hole in the hull and deck he announced his retirement this afternoon. De Pavant's withdrawal follows the retirement of Marc Guillemot (FRA), whose keel broke off only 50 miles into the race. The Groupe Bel skipper's second attempt at the Vendee Globe effectively ended a little more than 68 hours after the start, a cruel reprise after he lost his mast within 24 hours of the start of the 2008-9 race. He is unhurt and arrived today in Cascais by early evening. "All of that energy spent over months and years to prepare, all this is terrible. There is no bowsprit, there is a hole in the front of the hull but the boat itself is safe. To leave the Vendee Globe again, after just two days of racing, is not even possible, not even possible," responded De Pavant. For the top ten, already spread out by a hundred miles, the early gains appear to be inshore along the Portuguese coast. But light winds are ahead, and the next test will be whether leader François Gabart (FRA), who is nearing the Strait of Gibraltar latitude, can defend against the offshore position Vincent Riou (FRA) took today. Tracking: http://tracking2012.vendeeglobe.org/en/ Top 5 of 20 - Rankings as of Monday 12 November 2012, 20h00 (FR) 1. François Gabart (FRA), Macif: 23260.4 nm Distance to Finish 2. Armel Le Cleac'h (FRA), Banque Populaire: 14.5 nm Distance to Lead 3. Bernard Stamm (SUI), Cheminees Poujoulat: 24.2 nm DTL 4. Vincent Riou (FRA), PRB: 26.1 nm DTL 5. Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), Virbac Paprec 3: 36.9 nm DTL Full rankings: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ranking.html BACKGROUND: Twenty skippers began the 7th edition of the Vendee Globe, a solo, non-stop around the world race in the IMOCA Open 60 class. Starting in Les Sables d'Olonne, France on November 10, the west to east course passes the three major capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin and the Horn before returning to Les Sables d'Olonne. In the 2008-9 edition, Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) smashed the race record by completing the race in 84 days. -- http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ SO MUCH FOR THE GONDOLA RIDE It was the late great humorist Mark Twain that once asserted, "If you don't like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes." It would seem the same can be said for the America's Cup. The 2013 schedule for the America's Cup World Series had planned to have two events in Italy: Venice (April 16-21) and Naples (May 14-19). However, an announcement today indicates that the road show will only be in Naples, Italy on April 16-21. "We are very happy to be returning to Naples for our only event in Europe in 2013," said Stephen Barclay, the CEO of the 34th America's Cup. So much for the gondola ride. The tease in the announcement is that the 2012-13 America's Cup World Series will culminate with two events in the USA (May 28-30 and May 31-June 2). The location is not yet confirmed, though a report last month indicated the AC World Series was hoping to get to the city that doesn't sleep. Sing it Frank: "I'll make a brand new start of it - in old New York. If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere. It's up to you - New York, New York." Full report: http://media.americascup.com/pressreleases/?id=1015 TEN FANTASTIC FOILING BOATS Images and video footage of foiling boats in action always carries a special wow factor. See the boats in person, or even better try sailing one, and the experience is quite simply amazing. At its most basic you might describe a hydrofoil as a wing that enables a boat to 'fly' above the water - the foils below the hull work much like an aeroplane wing does in the air to lift the boat's hull up above the water when traveling fast, so reducing drag and increasing speed. We tend to think of them as cutting edge - and the resulting flying boat is pretty spectacular, but they have been around since the late 1880s! 1. Hydroptere 2. C-Fly 3. International Moth 4. Mirabaud LX 5. SYZ & Co 6. Foiling Optimist 7. 600ff 8. AC72 foiling giants 9. Foiling Radio Controlled yacht 10. New Zealand 'R' Class skiff Full report: http://uk.boats.com/boat-content/2012/11/9-fantastic-foiling-boats/ HOLIDAY BONUS Free North U "Blast Reach" 100% cotton Long Sleeve T-shirt with every order over $50*! (*excluding tax and shipping) Order a Race Pack, Match Racing Pack, Cruise Pack or Weather Pack and receive the Long Sleeve T for FREE. Other gift packs include North backpacks. See all the great offers at http://www.northu.com RULES: EIGHT WAYS THE GAME HAS CHANGED By Dick Rose, Sailing World From establishing the zone at the mark to enforcing common rules worldwide, eight rule changes have reshaped the sport of sailing over the past 50 years, for better or worse. Back in 1962, when the first issue of One Design Yachtsman hit newsstands, the U.S. rulebook was a 34-page pamphlet issued by the North American Yacht Racing Union. The size of the pages has not changed, but now there are 154 pages. However, 104 of today's pages are devoted to special-purpose appendices and the introduction, index, and protest form, whereas in 1962, just one page was devoted to a single appendix. So, over the last 50 years, the number of pages devoted to the rules for a fleet race has grown from 33 to 40. That's not so bad - especially if you compare it to the increased complexity of the laws and regulations we confront in everyday life. Not surprisingly, half of those seven added pages contain rules recommended by lawyers (see Rules 3, 68, and 69). Throughout those 50 years, the basic right-of-way rules, as developed by Harold S. Vanderbilt between 1936 and 1947, have not changed. However, eight important game changes have been made since 1962. I'll discuss each in turn. In my opinion, six were steps forward, and two were not. 1. Common Rules Worldwide 2. On-the-Water Penalties 3. The Zone at a Mark 4. The Propulsion Rule 5. Simplification 6. Avoiding Contact 7. Elimination of Recall Signals that Identify OCS Boats 8. The Black Flag Rule Read on for a full description of these eight important game changers: http://www.sailingworld.com/experts/rules-eight-ways-the-game-has-changed MOVING KEY WEST FORWARD Excitement is building for Quantum Key West 2013 as the scratch sheet continues to grow. With still a month and a half before the first entry deadline, top competitors from more than 12 countries and 20 states have submitted their official entries. Farley Fontenot, Executive Vice President of Title Sponsor Quantum Sail Design Group says, "It is exciting to watch the entries come in, with everything from the new J/70 class, to the return of highly competitive fleets like the NYYC Swan 42 Class. Quantum is committed to helping bring great racing and a wonderful sailing experience to everyone who participates in Quantum Key West Race Week. We're looking forward to another great event in 2013." Swan 42s will again grace the starting line, with seven boats registered to date. Most of these elegant racers hail from the northeast. Close competition and friendly rivalries will be renewed in the warm waters of the Florida Keys. The IRC 52s US Super Series begins with a Key West prelude to their March World Championship in Miami. Doug DeVos's Quantum Racing (Ada, MI) will defend his 2012 Key West title against custom thoroughbreds from as far away as Argentina, the UK and the West Coast. Featured one design competition will again center on Melges mania with the Melges 24 and 32 classes producing some of the world's very top sailors. World and European ranking Champion Riccardo Simoneschi (Milano, Italy) challenges a Melges 24 fleet that has many other ranked sailors including last year's Key West Champion Bora Gulari (Detroit, MI) and Bruce Ayres (Costa Mesa, CA). -- Full report: http://premiere-racing.com/keywest13/QKW2013-Preview-Release.pdf SAILING SHORTS * Twenty-nine teams competed in the 2012 U.S. Formula 16 National Championship (Nov. 9-11), hosted by St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club in Panama City, FL. Mixed teams dominated the event, with Sarah Newberry and John Casey (USA) narrowly edging Puerto Ricans Enrique Figueroa and Carla Malatrasi for the title. Full results: http://www.isailrace.com/Event/Results/be135c8b-08db-46d1-bd93-d2addc7a1012 * Walvis Bay, Namibia (November 12, 2012) - The VESTAS Sailrocket 2 project, seeking to increase the outright world speed sailing record of 55.65 knots held by American Kite Surfer Rob Douglas, set a personal best today by reaching a peak speed of approximately 61 knots. Their record pace, which averages speed over a 500 meter course, was anticipated to be approximately 54 knots. Complete data was not available at press time. The team, led by pilot Paul Larson (AUS), has been improving their craft since initiating the project in 2002. They will continue to seek the record through November. -- http://www.sailrocket.com/blogs * All fifteen boats that competed in the 79th Anniversary Nassau Cup Ocean Race successfully completed the 179 nm course from Miami to Nassau. Ron O'Hanley's Privateer (Cookson 50) was first to finish, winning the IRC division and breaking the previous elapsed time record of Boomerang with a time of 13 hours, 31 minutes and 30 seconds. Frank Atkinson's Different Drummer (Cape Bay Fast 40) was first to finish in the PHRF class, winning Class 1 and overall. David Caso's Silhouette (Cherubini 44) won PHRF Class 2. Full details: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=1478 WHO'S YOUR 'ULTIMATE SAILING' DADDY? Hey Mr/Ms Corporate Bigwig. Forget the coffee mug, the popcorn tin, the polka-dotted tie ... what your customers, crew and cohorts really want is the 2013 Ultimate Sailing Calendar. Twelve action-packed months of the world's most spectacular boats, competition and venues, in one 18 x 24-inch, so-easy-to-wrap, one-size-fits-all, under-$25 holiday gift. With 24 dynamic, in-your-face images, this stunning keepsake works for you 365 days a year (so you don't have to). Nothing says 'Excellence,' 'Leadership,' and 'Who's your daddy?' like the Ultimate Sailing Calendar. $22.95 at select retailers or http://www.ultimatesailing.com 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 Steve Pyatt: Regardless of the rights and wrongs of the RS:X Olympic windsurfing decision, I wonder why ISAF would announce one day that: "With 38 possible votes, the 75% requirement was not achieved on either proposal so the events and equipment as approved in May 2012 remain for Rio 2016." And then the very next day have to rescind that announcement. Why didn't they wait until the final decision before making such a misleading or incorrect statement? I won't go into the amount of money that their indecision has cost sailors, but consider all those who sold RS:X gear at rock bottom prices and now need it back, or those who bought kites as well as the MNA's that bought Elliots that are no longer required! COMMENT: I wonder how familiar ISAF is with their own procedures. When I inquired in May with a senior ISAF administrator (who I won't name to save embarrassment) regarding the process for the Board event to be changed, here was the reply: "The decision made by the ISAF Council at the Mid-Year Meetings in Stresa, Italy to select kiteboarding for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition was completed in accordance with the ISAF Regulations and the defined decision making process. Decisions of the ISAF Council on sailing matters are final and therefore ISAF cannot comment on any suggestion that the decision could be changed and is now working towards the implementation of the decision and the introduction of kiteboarding to ISAF Events. There are regulations in place to ensure that decisions on Olympic Equipment cannot be overturned just like that, the next time a meeting is held, so there are rules that this cannot happen with a simple majority, but it needs a special majority, which I think is 2/3rds." As we now know (in Scuttlebutt 3717), it is a three-fourths majority for the Council to re-open discussion, but the General Assembly only needed a simple majority to revert the Board Event from kiteboarding to windsurfing. - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt SCUTTLEBUTT ADVERTISING IN 2013 Scuttlebutt provides a limited amount of text ad slots in each newsletter, and we are now taking ad reservations for 2013. Most of these ad slots will be booked by November 30, so if you are interested in advertising, contact us for details: 619-299-5678 or advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION When I was younger, all I wanted was a nice BMW. Now, I don't care about the W. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Southern Spars - Melges Performance Sailboats - North Sails - North U Ultimate Sailing - Point Loma Outfitting - JK3 Nautical Enterprises US Sailing - Ullman Sails - APS - Henri Lloyd - Hall Spars & Rigging Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
