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SCUTTLEBUTT 2249 – December 22, 2006Scuttlebutt 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). OBSERVATIONS FROM THE TRAIL (Top ranked US Laser sailor Andrew Campbell has recently been training in Clearwater, FL, where he notes the resurgence of the Finn class that has come to town to do some of the same. Below is an excerpt from his blog.) It really is amazing how the Finn class has resurged in recent months with the support of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club group investing and sailing actively, on top of a potentially massive Miami OCR this coming January. There are more American Finns here than I have ever seen in my young life. But, not having been around in the pre-Laser era, seeing 35 Finns at the Pre-Trials in Newport Beach, and now about 35 more (about 10 overlap both regattas) here in Clearwater, I’m blown away by the people coming out of the woodwork to sail the boats. The Laser guys in the boat park are starting to develop quite the Napoleon complexes, as we look like Santa’s elves cruising around with the big boys involved with the Finn camp. And yet, the camp is an inspiring site. If that many people are eager to get their Finns out of the garage and come down for a long weekend just before Christmas in Clearwater, then there must be a massive fleet of Laser sailors keen for a similar clinic/regatta style event. New England frostbiters? All the press they’ve had recently has made me wonder how much bigger the Masters Midwinters and Laser Midwinters held in February in Clearwater will be this year. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/yf63jo FILLING THE GAP If you sail dinghies, you can find competition against matched boats in bays or coastal ocean courses. For keelboat racing, most events are best suited for boats 24 feet LOA and up, where courses may take them around the buoys or on much longer distance ocean racing (and often around the world). Between these two groups, there remains a huge gap, and for those fleets there is the SBC Classic Boat Rally on May 3-10, 2007. This event is for classic day sailors, LOA 15 to 23 feet, and participation is available from one day to the whole week. The SBC Classic Boat Rally is as much a sailing adventure as a race, beginning in Savannah, GA and extending up the Intracoastal Waterway to Charleston, SC. The race schedule takes 6 days, with stops each night at a yacht club or marina to spend the night ashore. Each day is a 30 (+/-) nautical mile sail in the most beautiful sections of the ICW, with two races (PHRF handicapped) imbedded in each leg. Shore crews (spouses and friends) work their way along the coast in cars, soaking up the history, meeting the sailors each afternoon at the designated destination. This event can handle only twenty boats on each leg due to limited dock space. Event details at http://www.ClassicBoatRally.com REUNION IN MIAMI The week between Christmas and New Year’s means family time for most. For some it means skiing in New England or in the Rockies, for others it means heading south for some sunshine on a tropical island, yet for many of the world’s top junior sailors and their families it means a week of organized chaos in Coconut Grove. This year’s International Youth Orange Bowl Regatta organizers capped the registration so that over 700 Opti, 420, and Laser Radial sailors and their untold number of brothers, sisters, moms, dads, and coaches could celebrate a Miami, and for many, a family tradition. As the Listwins, towing their Laser, three 420’s, three tiny Optis, and a partridge and a pear tree race Santa and his sled from Michigan to Miami, many local families take time away from their Holiday shopping to prepare to host this Junior Olympic Festival regatta. Sarah Lihan just flew home to Fort Lauderdale from Connecticut after finishing up her finals at Yale, to be with her family during the holidays. Her third in the Laser Radials at last year’s regatta was one of the many accomplishments that have created her celebrity. This year alone she has been named a starter on the Yale Sailing Team, a member of the US Olympic Sailing Team, and a candidate for Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. “I’ve sailed in the Orange Bowl since I was in the Opti Green Fleet and so has Marissa. There’s always a lot of excitement leading up to the regatta for the whole family.” Tom and Dana, her father and mother, are running one of the mark boats for the Laser Class and her younger sister Marrissa is sailing her last Orange Bowl Regatta in the Optis, as she ages out. Marissa, who was the top female North American at this year’s Opti North Americans, will start sailing 420’s following the regatta. -- by Lynn Fitzpatrick, full story: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1221/ LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEAS If you're like most of us, you'd rather be sailing than shopping for Holiday gifts. If you want one-stop shopping, West Marine has something that'll appeal to nearly everyone, boater or not. From warm fuzzy fleece, to gleaming brass lamps, to stocking stuffers like multi-tools and rigging knives. We've got the latest GPS units, shoes from Sperry, and those Crocs everybody seems to be wearing. You'll have a good time, and you'll find gifts that you'd never find at the mall. Better yet, you won't even have to go to the mall. Find a store near you at http://www.westmarine.com US ATHLETES OF THE YEAR (December 21, 2006) US Sailing, the national governing body for the sport, has selected five athletes as sailing’s 2006 U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Athletes of the Year for outstanding performance and achievement. US Sailing names Star sailor Mark Mendelblatt (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and Laser Radial sailor Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) as SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year, respectively. The Star team of Andy Horton (Newport, R.I.) and Brad Nichol (Lake Sunapee, N.H.) is the Team of the Year, and Sonar sailor Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.) is the Paralympic of the Year. US Sailing has also nominated these sailors to the USOC for consideration for the overall USOC Athletes of the Year Awards. The USOC will select the award winners from the Athletes of the Year recognized by each Olympic sport's national governing body. The awards will be announced in January 2007. -- US Sailing website, full report: http://www.ussailing.org/pressreleases/2006/aoy2006.htm VIDEO OF THE WEEK The launch of the weekly video feature in 2006 has added a new dimension to the Scuttlebutt newsletter, and has opened our eyes to the many different ways that the sport can be portrayed. It has been fun going through all the available clips, and exciting to see how popular this feature has become with the ‘buttheads. To celebrate the close of this year, the Curmudgeon has put together a little video of his own, and he really hopes that you enjoy it. Happy holidays! -- http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/06/1218 CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * The Elvström Sobstad Group has appointed Andrew Smith as Group Vice President effective immediately. Former Technical Director for North Sails in the UK, Smith starting working with Elvström Sobstad Group in January 2006, involved in the design and development of the company’s new range of sail products. He will now assume the role of Vice President, based at the company’s headquarters in Aabenraa, Denmark. -- http://www.elvstromsobstad.com * The premiere sailing convention for women is set to launch on Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, CA. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatU.S.) will again be the primary sponsor of the 18th Annual Women's Sailing Convention, presented by the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA). -- BYM News, full report: http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=1630 * A windsurfing group that attempted to break the 50 knots barrier failed to claim the big record, but they did garner three world records broken, another two production world records, 19 national records, and 14 personal best speeds achieved over the distances of 500m and the nautical mile. All record claims are now forwarded to the WSSRC for ratification. -- http://www.50-knots.com 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 Alicia: My father wants a gizmo called Staygrip for Christmas. I can only find it in the UK online (backordered and too late to get it for Christmas) Does anyone know of a store that sells this sailing gizmo in the USA (and ships it). Preferred in the MD area. (Send suggestions to http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum) * From Paul Zankel: (reply to ‘Junior Trainer Testing’ story in Issue 2248) A recipe for potential disaster? There is no need for a simpler "transition" boat between the Optimist and the Club 420. In fact, the Club 420, is a simplified version of the International 420 sailed by juniors in the rest of the world. The North American juniors are already sailing the "dumbed down" version. If yacht clubs are looking for a depowered, non-spinnaker doublehanded boat, what's needed is a transition class using a Club 420 with a slightly smaller main (perhaps even reefable) and no spinnaker or trapeze. Several clubs in our area have experimented with exactly that. In fact, BBYRA also races 420s in the college format, which forgoes the chute and trap. Why make parents buy a boat that good sailors will outgrow quickly, that isn't used in the college racing format, and doesn't offer any more excitement than a 420? The Laser fleet has adapted to the needs of younger, smaller sailors by developing smaller sails and rigs, and the Club 420 fleet should do the same. The international junior scene is increasing, not decreasing, the performance level for junior boats. The 2007 World Youth Championship will be sailed in 29ers, a more complex boat that offers real excitement and speed. If the US is going to keep up with the international junior scene, we need to increase the level of competition more rapidly, not offer easy-to-sail "cruising" boats. * From John Fracisco: (RE: The new Spanish AC yacht) I think that besides the bowsprit, another interesting trend is the dreadnought bow, which is the inverse of the destroyer bow. And....the boats are beginning to look like pregnant guppies. Full and bloated in the first third and long and lean in the aft end. * From Rees Martin, British International Six Metre Association: In response to Peter Campbell's comments on Saskia mentioned in Scuttlebutt (Issue 2248), we believe that KC19 is actually Saskia 11, previously Erin, Caprice and initially Saskia 11. My personal records don’t show Saska but are a little out of date. Our contact in Australia is Geoff Docker; he has located six and is looking for a seventh - no Saska as yet. We are compiling a database on all the Metre classes. Our IT guru David Elliott is using the Wiki framework. If anybody would like to no more about this project, do contact me. It is quite something; we started it for the 2007 Metre Regatta/6m Worlds and somehow gathered momentum... -- http://www.6mr.org.uk * From Larry Law: (Re: Scuttlebutt 2246) Thank you Tom Ehman!!! While I do not think that we should abandon amateur sailing (re: the Olympics), I am tired of hearing the threads on how we have to make our sport some sort of X-Games to attract an audience. Sailing in not inherently bloodcurdling to watch except for those of us that understand the nuances, and no matter how you change the "rose" it will never provide the constant threat of a train wreck to keep JQ Public entertained, no matter what boat is sailed. I will never understand why we are trying to find ways to make us what we are not. The Virtual Spectator phenom did the best job of laying out our sport to the masses, but it still is what it is. Curling and badminton are still spectator sports for heaven's sake (no slam intended). I welcome Tom's great concept as a sure fire way to add some additional interest in sailing for those outside the fraternity - but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. * From Debi Schoenherr: Tom Ehman is spot on with his suggestion of returning Match Racing to the Olympics. Whenever I try to explain to non-sailors what I do when I am judging or umpiring sailboat racing, a glazed look usually ensues, until I finally say; "like the America's Cup"...suddenly the light bulb comes on and they "get it". The "cream of the crop" Match Racing in small (3 or 4 person) sport boats can be wild and exciting, easy for the TV crews to keep the game in front of the audience and just might hold the attention of said audience. Big names, you bet...fast moves...yes.... whistles and penalty flags...armchair quarterbacking. Get the audience involved...that's what is going to work. * From Chris Ericksen: I could not agree more with past ISAF President Paul Henderson when he said in 'Butt 2247 that men's and women's match racing should be Olympic sports. Match racing is perhaps the most understandable part of our sport to the average Olympic fan, and deserves a place in the Olympics--even though it is the smallest part of our sport based on the numbers of people engaged in it when compared to the number of sailors in one-design and handicap fleet racing. Yet I remain mystified that the leaders of our sport continue to think that participation in the Olympics is "good for the sport:" the effort, money and attention paid by ISAF and national organizations in supporting Olympic sailing could much better be used to grow the sport at the community- and grass-roots level. And I am disappointed that Mister Henderson, in a sadly characteristic and gratuitous shot as part of an otherwise excellent letter, says that USA and GBR sailors' support for the Star remaining an Olympic class was "clearly a self-interest vote" that contributed to the elimination of the Soling (and match racing) from the Olympic Regatta; it was no more self-serving than the Europeans supporting the Soling in the first place over, among other boats, the Etchells. * From Jo Mogle: As we prepare to take off for Christmas with family in CT, and I found myself doing one last log-on to read 'Butt before leaving, and it reminded me what a blessing this online sailing newsletter has been to our family and friends for many years. Being able to have such an easy connecting lifeline to news of the sport we've loved and enjoyed since the late Sixties has been a real gift. While there are many more precious things we value this holiday season, I just wanted you to know at this special time of year when we find ourselves counting our many blessings, that Scuttlebutt, while a little one, is on our "Things to be Thankful For List." So thanks, Tom, for starting this great newsletter, sticking with it when it gained momentum (and along with it an amount of work and commitment you undoubtedly didn't anticipate) and keeping it so informative, fun and meaningful. You're leaving a great legacy. Hope you and yours have VERY happy holidays! Curmudgeon’s Comment: Thanks Jo! This issue of Scuttlebutt will be the last one for 2006. We plan to use next week to recharge our batteries for next year, which is shaping up to be a magical year with big events, an evolving sports landscape, and anniversaries abound (like Scuttlebutt turning 10). We truly appreciate all the support we receive from the Scuttlebutt community, and we look forward to more good things in 2007. See ya then. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION “Borrow money from pessimists -- they don't expect it back.” - Steven Wright Special thanks to West Marine and all the companies that support Scuttlebutt and the’buttheads: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender of the 32nd America's Cup. |
