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SCUTTLEBUTT 1569 - April 26, 2004Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere. CONGRESSIONAL CUP - SWEDISH MATCH TOUR The 40th Congressional Cup had run out of time and Terry Hutchinson had run out of wind when Ed Baird came from behind on the last leg to win a sudden-death championship race by 1 minute 41 seconds Saturday. Baird, at 46 the oldest competitor in the fleet, was the only semifinalist among Hutchinson, New Zealand's Gavin Brady and Australia's Peter Gilmour who hadn't won the event's traditional Crimson Blazer. Baird, from St. Petersburg, Fla., took the weakest round-robin record into the semifinals (11-7), but eliminated Brady (12-6), a two-time winner, 2-1. Meanwhile, Gilmour (16-2) chose Hutchinson (12-6) as his semifinal opponent after the Annapolis, Md. sailor had warned, "I wouldn't pick us." Sure enough, Gilmour was stunned, 2-1, downgrading the anticipated title showdown between himself and Brady to a sailoff for third place, won by Brady by 1 minute 15 seconds. The scheduled best-of-three final was reduced to a single race because the Sailing Instructions said no race could be started after 1600 (4 p.m.) and it was already past 3 o'clock. Hutchinson gained on a favorable wind shift immediately after the start and was able to tack on Baird's nose and lead by 53 seconds, 1:23 and 34 seconds at the three marks before sailing into the fateful leg. With half a mile to go for the title, he did a simple bear-away spinnaker set that took him left and into the lee of one of the oil islands in the Long Beach outer harbor. Baird, seeing no profit in pursuing his opponent, did a jibe set and went to the right---and into whatever breeze remained on the course. It was the smartest move he made all week. Soon, down in the shadow of the island, Hutchinson's sails were sagging and his boat was dead in the water as Baird glided on a steady course to the finish. - Rich Roberts, www.lbyc.org / www.swedishmatchtour.com Final Congressional Cup Standings 1. Ed Baird (USA/Team Musto) 14-8, $6,000 2. Terry Hutchinson (USA/Team Annapolis Volvo) 14-8, $3,500 3. Gavin Brady (NZL/Oracle BMW Racing) 14-8, $3,000 4. Peter Gilmour (AUS/Pizza-La Sailing Team) 17-5, $2,500 5. Kelvin Harrap (NZL/Team New Zealand) 10-8, $2,500 6. Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN/Team Gram-Hansen) 10-8, $2,000 7. Scott Dickson (USA/Dickson Racing Team) 7-11, $1,750 8. Mattias Rahm (SWE) 6-12, $1,500 9. Cameron Appleton (NZL) 6-12, $1,250 10. Allan Coutts (NZL) 0-18, $1,000 Swedish Match Tour Standings (After four of eight events, top eight qualify for tour championship) 1. Peter Gilmour (AUS/Pizza-La Sailing Team) 77 points 2. Magnus Holmberg (SWE/SeaLife Rangers) 45 points 3. Jesper Radich (DEN/Team Radich) 35 points 4. Gavin Brady (NZL/Oracle BMW Racing) 30 points 5. Ed Baird (USA/Team Musto) 25 points 6. Dean Barker (NZL/OMEGA Match Race Team) 24 points 7. Jesper Bank (DEN) 20 points = Chris Dickson (NZL/Oracle BMW Racing) 20 points = Terry Hutchinson (USA/Team Annapolis Volvo) 20 points = Kelvin Harrap (NZL/Team New Zealand) 20 points Sportshow TV is producing a half-hour highlight video of the Congressional Cup Regatta to be aired later by the Outdoor Life Network. Check out the full gallery of Rich Roberts photos for this event: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/04/concup/ SAILROCKET One of the most original yachting machines created was unveiled in Southampton Friday. If designer Malcolm Barnsley, and pilot and instigator Paul Larsen have got their concept right, then SailRocket could be one of the most significant vessels of all time. That is because the aim is to break the world speed sailing record, timed over a 500m dash, currently held by the Australian Yellow Pages team with 46.52 knots set in 1992. Larsen hopes to break the 50 knot barrier - sailing's four minute mile - and go beyond. This would mean 60 mph in a wind propelled machine. "This is such a new thing there's not even a name for it," said Larsen, a Southampton-based Australian. For two years Barnsley, Larsen, Helena Darvalid and a small, dedicated volunteer team have created a carbon fibre drag racer. If successful they could recapture the speed record once held by Briton Tim Colman and Crossbow 11. - Tim Jeffery, The Daily Telegraph, http://tinyurl.com/332aj Curmudgeon's Comment: You've simply must check out this hummer: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/04/0423sailrocket/ "THIRSTY" FOR NEW GEAR???? Quench that thirst with some Mount Gay Rum gear - jackets, polos, fleece items and more and the gear can also be customized with boat names. With the sailing season getting into full swing throughout the country, check out the full line of Mount Gay Rum gear that Zuse offers. Don't forget Zuse has perfect Mount Gay Rum gear gifts for sailors. Be sure to mention that you read this ad on Scuttlebutt when you contact Zuse at 800-840-9335 or view the Mount Gay Rum gear at http://www.zuse.com/products_yc.cfm?marketID=1&eventID=14&categoryID=7 BUYING A PIECE OF HISTORY A French America's Cup syndicate has acquired the yachts Team New Zealand used to successfully defend the Auld Mug in 2000. K-Challenge, in Toulouse, has bought NZL57 and leased NZL60, the yacht that beat Prada 5-0 in the America's Cup match. Design and engineering documentation is included in the deal. Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton said NZL60 would be returned after the 2007 cup. "It is a yachting icon that was at the cutting edge of design innovation in its day," he said. "As a winning yacht, we felt it should be retained in New Zealand." Dalton said the syndicate had no concerns about making the 2000 yachts available to a rival syndicate. "Team New Zealand has moved on. We have NZL81 and NZL82 from 2003 as the base for our 2007 campaign. We have also acquired the Illbruck challenge yacht GER68, which was built for 2003 but never raced, which we will test against NZL82 on the Hauraki Gulf next summer." - Julie Ash, NZ Herald, full story: http://tinyurl.com/3alq9 STAR WORLDS The gloves came off for the first race of the Audi Star World Championships in Gaeta, Italy with Skandia sponsored Iain Percy and Stevie Mitchell scoring an opening race win in challenging conditions. After an interminable delay by the race committee who were unable to set a course as the wind banged around the Aurunci mountain range, fluctuating, dying and then steadily rising to a heady peak of 26 knots, racing got underway after an obligatory general recall late in the afternoon. Very quickly it became obvious that the guys who had done their homework on the venue were always going to be the ones to beat. When the breeze built up to 26 knots with gusts of 28 knots, it was all Percy/Mitchell. Mark Reynolds, Xavier Rohart and Paul Cayard all started early and were scored OCS. Cayard also broke his rig and destroyed both his main and his jib. - Magnus Wheatley, full story: www.yachtsandyachting.com Standings after one race (102-boats): 1. Iain Percy/Stevie Mitchell, GBR 2. Mark Mansfield/Killian Collins, IRL 3. Freddy Loof/Anders Ekstrom, SWE 4. Flavio Marazzi/Enrico De MariaSUI 5. Maxwell Treacy/Anthony Shanks, IRL. Event website: http://www.starworld2004.com/ THE REAL BIG BOAT SERIES Antigua Sailing Week, which started Sunday, attracted a total of 211 boats in 16 classes. However, the spotlight is on the big boats - 28 of which are 60-feet and over. The Big Boat I Class includes the 140-foot Mari Cha IV, two canting keel maxZ86 sleds Morning Glory and Pyewacket, Titan 12, the Reichel Pugh 75, Farr 70 Atalanta II, Bill Alcott's Andrews 70 Equation, and Volvo 60s Venom and Spirit. Racing in Big Boat II pits the likes of Mike Slade's 90-foot Leopard of London against Peter Harrison's 115-foot ketch Sojana, All Smoke, a Southernwinds 78, Starr Trail, Liara, Spirit of Minerva and a gaggle of Swans. - www.sailingweek.com PRETTY AMAZING The Newport Ocean Sailing Association's Tommy Bahama Newport to Ensenada Race likes to bill itself as the world's largest international yacht race. OK - but they sure don't act like a major event. Even though our distribution time is more than six hours after the prize-giving, they have not issued a press release about what happened - about who did well … and there were no standings posted on the event website. They do have a photo page, but the images are all from the 2003 event. Very strange priorities! Happily we did get this information from the crew of the catamaran, Afterburner: "The crew aboard the fastest boat on the West Coast, Afterburner swept all six categories they were eligible for including the coveted first to finish in the 2004 Tommy Bahama Newport to Ensenada race held this weekend off the coast of Southern California. Afterburner finished the course a full three hours ahead of the next boat "Alchemy" a Transpac 80 (actually - Alchemy is Richard Compton's Andrews 77) from Santa Barbara, CA. 452 entries from all of the West coast including Canada, the event took place under moderate wind conditions, absolutely flat water and clear skies. Afterburner reached speeds in excess of 25 mph during portions of the race and finished in time for dinner Friday night in Ensenada Mexico." For more information on Afterburner: www.sailingproshop.com/afterburner4.htm Here's the event website - maybe something will be posted later this week: http://www.nosa.org MAN OVERBOARD! Racing to Bermuda or Hawaii? Coastwise cruising? No matter what your challenge, the ability to locate a man-overboard victim is greatly enhanced by SeaMarshall marine rescue beacons and homing receivers. Automatic water-activated SeaMarshall gear can mean the difference between a successful recovery and tragedy. Contact Chip Barber: admin@chbarber.com or http://www.seamarshall-us.com SEAN REEVES A former Team New Zealand member at the centre of the America's Cup secrets for sale scandal has been told to pay the money he owes. Sean Reeves was ordered by a United States court to pay the One World syndicate more than US$1 million after he broke his contract by handing on secrets to another syndicate. The latest ruling comes from the High Court in New Zealand which says Reeves must honour the American ruling. NZ Herald, http://tinyurl.com/2le5r Curmudgeon's Comment: Recruited by OneWorld from his role as Team NZ rules adviser in 2000, Reeves helped the US syndicate recruit key designers and sailors from Team NZ. After falling out with OneWorld's management, Reeves' employment with the first time America's Cup challenger ended by mutual consent in May 2001. In August 2001 OneWorld sued Reeves, claiming he had tried to sell OneWorld and Team NZ design information to three members of rival America's Cup challengers. PHOTO GALLERY Photographer Carlo Borlenghi caught up with Ranger during the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, April 17-20, 2004, which precedes Antigua Sailing Week. Helmed by Peter Holmberg, we've posted images of this replica yacht may bring back many memories for those that recall the original Ranger during the 1937 America's Cup. Important: you must click on each of the photos posted on this page to bring up the full gallery of images: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/04/0423ranger/index-f.asp NEWS BRIEFS * After more than 60 days at sea, Olivier de Kersauson and his Geronimo crew have officially lost their quest to set a new round the world sailing record. Steve Fossett's record on Cheyenne stands at 58 days 9 hr 32 min 45. It also looks like Geronimo may need a few breaks to beat the Jules Verne Trophy time set by Bruno Peyron on Orange in 2002 (64 days, 8 hours, 37 minutes, 24 seconds). www.trimaran-geronimo.com * This past weekend 74 J/24 teams gathered for the 2004 Levitra US Nationals in Annapolis MD. Tim Healy of Newport, RI, sailing with Gordon Borges, Dave Crocker, Nick Judson, and local Nick von der Wense calling tactics, used conservative tactics, great boatspeed and patience to win in tough 5-8 knots conditions the first two days, and 10-12 knot conditions the last. In avoiding the over-early and the big number, Healy and crew quietly went about winning by nearly 40 points in the seven race, no throwout series. Complete Results: www.j24fleet8.org/USNationals/results.htm * Saturday, the Luna Rosa Italian syndicate for the Americas Cup - the first AC team to set up in a base in Valencia - carried out their first training session under the tutelage of Francesco de Angelis. The main objective for 70-member team was to test the new sails that have been fitted to their two yachts. These trials will continue until July. The team will re-assemble in September, and after another trial, will decide whether to participate in any of the pre-regattas for the Americas Cup being staged in September and October. www.valencialife.net IN MEMORIAM Lynn Stedman passed away on Friday, April 23. In 1975, Lynn Stedman, then the "dean" of yachting in Detroit became President of the North American Yacht Racing Union. Shortly thereafter, he restructured the organization into the United States Yacht Racing Union with a new emphasis on top racing sailors, especially women and younger people. When Congress re-organized the US Olympic Committee in 1978, USYRU, by then broadly-based and well-organized, was held high as the "model" national governing body which other NGBs were expected to emulate. After his presidency Stedman was an internationally-respected senior delegate to IYRU (now ISAF). He remained active as an international judge well into his 70's, serving many major events including both Mackinacs, the Canada's Cup, Congressional Cup and Admiral's Cup. The USYRU judges program was initiated in 1977 during his presidency. Stedman also served on the USYRU Appeals Committee from 1975 to 1983. In 1986 he was awarded the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, the sport's highest service award in the USA. Memorial gathering Thursday 1-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Chas. Verheyden, Inc., 16300 Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe. Memorial Service Friday 10:30 a.m. at Mariners Church, 170 E. Jefferson, Detroit. - A tribute to Lynn Stedman by Tom Ehman is posted on the US Sailing website: http://www.ussailing.org/news/2004/lynnstedman.htm. BILL BIEWENGA TALK AND SLIDE SHOW Bill Biewenga will be at Team One Newport's store on May 4th from 7 to 9 pm. He will give a terrific slide show on his record-breaking sail from New York to Melbourne. He will share his weather expertise and how to use it while sailing. He will sign copies of his new book "Weather for Sailors". Don't miss this exciting show at Team One Newport. RSVP 401-848-0884 or email Liz@team1newport.com. Have you seen our new women's gear? Visit the Team One Newport website to view the gear and/or go to the "Catalog Request" tab at the top. http://www.team1newport.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Ed Sherman: Newport '83 was probably the most dynamic AC series since the Isle of Wight and all the sailing world was there. As much happened at the docks as on the water. Thing I remember about Newport 83 was the sailor/fan friendliness. Walking anywhere in town, one could hear the well-placed loudspeakers calling the on-the-water play by play. "The Aussies just tacked to starboard. Dennis covers!" Like a baseball game. This continued throughout the week after everyone had waved both boats off from Castle Hill. A heartbreaker for some, but a classic victory for OZ. * From Barry Demak: Kimball Livingston wrote "In five more months, babies born during the 1983 match will be swaggering into saloons across America for their first legal drink." The Aussies won something then - Australian babies born during the 1983 match have already been drinking legally in Oz for 2 years and 7 months! * From Ray Tostado (re: Retaining ballast waters within the 200 mile point of origin): Not that it cannot be done; but rather what is the point? While agreeing that the transfer of non-native waters into other eco systems is a legitimate EPA, or whomever, concern, what happens to the human waste that is transported hundreds of miles through the human vector? I suppose shipping it back is not out of the question. As a fact, fish and amphibians in ecosystems at the lower ocean junctions of high mountain feeder streams and rivers have suffered massive mutations due to concentrations of female pharmaceutical agents ingested by populations hundreds of miles up stream and deposited as human excess into the local waters, then travel downstream in concentrated volume. These chemical agents do not disperse and lose their effectiveness when introduced into fresh and ocean waters. Well we all understand the top of the food chain rule. Here is the bottom of the pit rule. This rule has been applied to vast portions of national parks where hikers are instructed to haul out everything they hauled in; everything. * From Bob Kiernan (Concerning AC or high level yachting (in fact all yachting) auction on EBay): Just tacky! Attention *Mart shoppers is what I hear and in the ever popular words from Jim Kilroy "if you can't afford to do it right don't show up at all." Or something in that order. I for one would rather see this level of yachting stay at a lower level as for public awareness. The competition of ad's for dollars (ROI) is out of this world. Read that sentence several times. We as sailors, yacht racers, participants and yachtspersons have a chore to do to keep this world of ours refined as well as fine tuned at the same time drawing the others with class enough to uphold the honor of the sport. If we continue in the present direction some of you may just find images of the greats in our sport on tee-shirts at the large discount stores, 2 for 5 dollars. Just too tacky! * From Steve Killing, Canada: Your discussion on mast flotation in dinghies is very timely. We have just spent a year going through the development of what we call the 'floating mainsail' for the Fusion 15 dinghy. The goal was to make a 'turtle-proof' boat for sailing schools or those who want a little extra security. We went through all the thought processes noted in letters from your readers. I agree the best flotation is air and a sealed mast - if you can guarantee it is really sealed. Putting foam in the mast adds weight and when the capsize first occurs it does nothing for you - for the mast provides the flotation, not the foam inside. It is only when the mast leaks that the foam is of value. What we were striving for was more flotation than the mast could provide, but in an unobtrusive fashion. Bottles, buoys and rigid foam would not do. So Hans Fogh at Quantum sails worked with us to add soft flexible foam (like you have in your PFD) above the top full length batten - it is sewn right into the Mylar sail. The batten still controls the shape and the foam prevents the turtle. So far we cannot measure any performance detriment in the F15, although we think there must be some. It seems to us like a good solution. You can see the sail at: www.fusion15.com THE CURMUDGEON'S OXYMORONS Initial results |
