|
SCUTTLEBUTT No. 625 - August 15, 2000ROLEX COMMODORES' CUP 2000Cowes, Isle of Wight - Monday, the breeze kicked in at the Rolex Commodores' Cup 2000, and the Channel Islands Team seized the chance to close the gap on early series leaders, the Commonwealth Team. Winds gusting up to 23 knots in the Solent provided a stark contrast to the light and tactically challenging first day. Today, success was all about minimising mistakes and keeping the boat moving smoothly through all manoeuvres. The Channel Islands proved to be the most comfortable team in these harsh conditions, with their decision to have two Farr 40s in the team working to their advantage. The small boat, Mumm 30 Easy Oars, is having a tougher time of it against the IRM custom boats favoured by the two England teams. But fortunately for them the Commonwealth's small boat, the 1D35 Respect, lost control while dropping the spinnaker at the bottom of the last run in the first race today. By the time helmsman Mark Campbell-James had regained control and spun round for a second attempt on the leeward mark, the damage was done. She finished last in that race, compared with three 2nd places in the other heats. - Susannah Bourne STANDINGS: 1. Commonwealth (19 points) 2. Channel Islands (19) 3. England - Blue (19.75) 4. England - Red (21) 5. Scotland (25) 6. European (27) 7. France (37.25) Full story: http://rorc.org/raceind.asp?id=71 MATCH RACING (Many ask why more Americans aren't included in the World's top ranked match racers - Peter Holmberg of the Virgin Islands at #17 and Ed Baird # 89 are the only USA sailors in the top 100. And then you could ask, why are half of the top 10 from Denmark? I think the following story provides some insight.) SKOVSHOVED HARBOUR - Just north of Copenhagen - the Danish Capital - lies Skovshoved Harbour, site of the Danish Open 2000. A very active watersport center, it is an ideal location for several aquatic recreational activities including kayaking, canoeing, rowing, water-skiing and sailing. A typical day at Skovshoved provides the opportunity to follow a very active group of young talents training in Optimists, while they can look to older sailors practising in Ynglings, the DS Match Racers, the Knarr fleet or the group of sailors preparing for the around the world challenge. The waters around Skovshoved can be very challenging. Oresund, the straight between Sweden and Denmark often is very difficult to predict. An absolutely calm day can be followed by a morning with hard wind from South East producing large swells. Typically, however, the Harbour is characterized by steady North-Westerly winds 5-10 m/s. Skovshoved Harbour is also home of the KDY/SKS Match Race Center, host of the Danish Open 2000 and the training center for over 230 sailors. Established in 1993 by the Royal Danish Yacht Club (KDY), Skovshoved Yacht Club (SKS) joined joined KDY in 1994 to jointly manage what is now Denmark's premier coaching and training match race sailing facility. KDY/SKS Match Race Center has a fleet of six boats, making them the only center in Denmark with a fleet of this size. In 2000 KDY/SKS Match Race Center will host 14 events ranging from Grade 5 local events to the Danish Open 2000. KDY/SKS Match Race Center has also demonstrated a firm commitment to the female match racing. The Center has hosted the Tuborg Golden Lady Cup, a premier women's match race event, for the past five years. KDY/SKS Match Race Center has established a proven track record in the development of world class sailors, counting Sten Mohr, Jesper Bank and Jesper Radich Johansen among its alumni who continue to train at the facility. In fact, of the 20 Danish teams in the top 100 world rankings, KDY/SKS Match Race Center can lay claim to the development of 15 of them. Put all these factors together and add a match racecourse which is close to shore and the Danish Open 2000 promises to be a very exciting, spectator-friendly event. - Shawn McBride, Director of PR, Swedish Match Grand Prix Sailing Tour, http://Sports.com/sailing SOLUTIONS FROM SAILCLOTH.COM Wish your spinnaker would dry off after dunking, hold its shape after a few heavy air days of sailing, and resist tearing during complicated maneuvers? Next time, ask your sailmaker to use AIRX, a revolutionary new spinnaker fabric from Bainbridge International. AIRX is stronger, lower in stretch and has an ultra water repellent finish. With zero porosity and less tearing, it has a wide range of use for both racing a cruising sailors. AIRX is exclusively from Bainbridge International, where power and performance are cut from the same cloth. For more information, visit http://www.sailcloth.com AMERICA'S CUP Larry Ellison's America's Cup team is hard at work assembling its design, sailing, shore, finance and marketing departments and is anticipated to make its official entry for America's Cup XXXI before March 2001. Key players currently working with the team are: - Skipper -- Chris Dickson (also with Sayonara) - Boat Design -- Farr Yacht DesignR (formerly with New York Yacht Club) - COO -- Bill Erkelens (also with Sayonara) - Sail Design -- Mickey Ickart (formerly with Team New Zealand) - Campaign Manager - Paul Cayard (formerly with AmericaOne) - Operations Manager -- Robert Billingham (formerly with AmericaOne) - Sailing Team Manager -- John Cutler (formerly with America True) Oracle Racing has begun preparations to mobilize its sailing base in Auckland, New Zealand. The team is scheduled to begin its intense training program starting Oct. 2000. - Gina von Esmarch, http://www.oracleracing.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed are edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. -- From Peter G. Kremlick (edited to our 250-word limit) - I have been sailing since 1952, managing races since 1957 and judging in one form or another since 1965. I first became certified in 1992. In all these years I have seen (and done) some really dumb things in sailing but nothing even comes close to the actions (or rather lack of action) of the King Harbor Race Jury. What ever happened to common sense? It seems to me that the very least the jury could have done is to award the yacht VICKI the average of the times awarded to the others in the same incident, or at worst case make your own estimate or use half the number requested. To award nothing for performing a human act of decency is to invite fewer assists and more tragedies. "Ya gits what ya pays fer" Nowhere in the RRS is there a prescription to be accurate to the decimal second in awarding redress or in determining facts only from the yacht involved. Neither can I find a provision against suspending a hearing to obtain the necessary facts if needed. This committee failed absolutely in its obligations to the sport. To Mark Folkman I would say, "You may have tried, you did not try hard enough." You simply did not measure up to the task that had to be done. Your attempt to shift the burden of responsibility to the crew of VICKI in no way relieves you from the responsibility for a really lousy decision. The sport deserves better -- From Carl Schellbach - I agree that the actions of the crew of Vicki were consistent with all that yachtsmen portend to be, and that they deserved redress for their actions in a lot less than the 4 hours the committee tried to find a representative, whether they found one or not. People much more familiar than I with the ins and outs of protest procedure have wieghed in on this subject. However, I find it interesting - knowing that should the redress have been granted Vicky would have won the race - that the location of the trophy has not been mentioned. Don't tell me someone ELSE actually took it home! How would they look themselves in the mirror every morning? -- From Ken Brent - The actions of the Officials of the Santa Barbara to King Harbor Race could have been handeled better. They did not have a time adjustment to apply to redress the Yacht Vicki, but that does not give them an excuse to not pursue the issue further. During the 2000 ILYA Regatta at Put-In-Bay Ohio the PHRF Champhionships on the last day of racing four boats sank during a line squall. The yacht Alcoholics All of Us droped out and rescued crew from three of the four boats. The Officials of this event awarded the rescuing yacht a first place because of their efforts and the crew received a standing ovation from the other participants. The Santa Barbara to King Harbor officials should be embarrassed for their actions as well as their inaction. -- From Scott Ridgeway - Wouldn't you think that the officials for a big race like Santa Barbara to King Harbor would have assembled a jury composed of US Sailing certified judges? -- From Glenn McCarthy - It looks like what we have here, is a failure to communicate. While VICKI and JOCELYN WILSON presented a written request for redress, neither attended the hearing (by their own admissions). There seems to be no question that the judges were ready to hear the testimony and were in the mood to award time, as they did for the participants that appeared and gave testimony. The judges are giving their time to make the race fair, by attending the hearing, you are showing your respect for the volunteers who are there to help you (I am not suggesting you have shown any disrespect). For the judges to accept a written redress at face value without being given the opportunity to get complete understanding to the time involved and the accuracy of that time (I am not questioning the integrity of the redress), it is very possible that had lingering questions which prevented them from making a decision. The rules allow the re-opening of a hearing (if they don't agree to, then an appeal is in order, but I bet this won't be necessary). I'm willing to bet that the judges are waiting for both skippers to make the request to re-open the hearing, make the appointment, set aside the time and show up with testimony ready. The judges need better communication than a written redress. -- From Bill Cook - It seems to me that the crew of VICKI owe it to themselves and to our sport in general to file an appeal and get this cleared up right away. A discussion in this group, while lively and interesting and perhaps even worthwhile, does little to resolve the issue. Let's get this thing resolved so there won't be any question in anyone's mind about how to handle the situation in the future. -- Burr Hope, KHYC Race Chairman - We all know what Vicki and the other boats did to rescue the downed boat and crew During the Santa Barbara race was the most important action taken by anyone during the race. They all deserve our thanks and praise for their actions. We are gathering more information in the incident and will try to rectify it to the satisfaction of everyone involved, as soon as possible. I know that this is a very emotional issue for every one that races. It's also important that it gets resolved quickly. I assure you, we are working on it. -- From Adrienne Cahalan, Navigator Smile - There seems to be some misunderstanding and misrepresentation about the role of the Kenwood Cup International Jury in affecting the place of the top overall yacht 'Smile' in your issue of Scuttlebut. Smile went into the Molokai Race as overall series leaders ahead of Seahawk. Australia went into the Molokai Race as overall team leaders ahead of New Zealand. Smile stoppped and assisted for 1 hour and 58 minutes but was not awarded the full amount of this time, despite several reopenings. On the other hand Big Apple III had not been placed better than 4th in any race and on the time awarded by the jury on its first and only request ended up placing the yacht with a winn in the Molokai Race by over 10 minutes and some may say gave New Zealand the teams trophy. Your report makes it sound that 'Smile' did not deserve to win and only did because the jury awarded us the points to do so. The fact is look at the scoreboard throughout the regatta and dont make the fatal mistake that the jury tried to make and that is penalising us and Big Apple II for trying to do the right thing and stop and help a yacht in distress. Smile won top boat, New Zealand won the teams trophy and that's that. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: All of the reports 'Butt carried about Smile's win were excerpts from the press releases issued by the Kenwood Cup media center. Frankly, I thought they were crafted objectively. -- From Rick Hatch - >From his letter in 'Butt 682, it would appear Stephen Bailey may be having some difficulty with the definitions in the RRS of "keep clear" and "room", which are used extensively in Part 2 of the RRS. Experience tells me that there are fewer protests, not because "competitors are much less sure of which side of the rules they are on now", but rather, because they have given careful thought to the definitions, they more or less understand their application in Part 2. If a competitor is still in doubt, try referring to Dave Perry's books and the current US Sailing Appeals and ISAF Cases manual for some very good guidance to understanding the RRS, including the meanings of "keep clear" and "room." With respect, contrary to the assertion that "The vast majority of competitors [knowing] drastically less about the rules now than ever before", I submit that a more extensive survey of a wider cross section of sailors would indicate a much more positive attitude towards the RRS. -- From Tom Donlan - There are fewer protests under the new rules because the new rules deliberately make every situation ambiguous. By placing a responsibility on the (more-or-less) right-of-way boat to avoid a collision, every incident that includes a collision can result in disqualification of the protesting boat. Because of that, there are fewer minor collisions. But most incidents that do not include contact between boats are hard to win in the protest room, so why bother filing? In my races in the J-30 fleet in Annapolis, this has led to more bending of the rules, more letting the other guy keep sailing, fewer deliberate touches to prove a point and fewer regattas being decided by the jury. That's not all bad, is it? -- From Dustin Romey - With regards to man overboard recoveries, the recent responses have missed the fact that keeping the victim in sight is the single most important part of the manuever and the reason that the quickstop method is and should be preferred by US Sailing. While I don't have my Search and Rescure manual in front of me, I can give you some empiracal data about its importance. When I attended the Coast Guard's National Search and Rescue School, we were taught to plan searches with a probability of detection (the likelihood that you would find the object) of over 90% with one exception. If you were searching for a Person in the Water, the prob. of detection was acceptable in the 30% range. It is simply nearly impossible to see a person in the water. The problem with the figure 8 method is that it inherently begins with you sailing 5-6 boat lengths away from your victim. Having just finished the 505 NA's in Santa Cruz, I can tell you that I sometimes couldn't see another boat 5-6 boat lengths away much less a person! (REALLY big swells) I can perform a quick stop recovery within 2-3 boat lengths of a person as can most people with a few days of instruction. I know because I've taught well over 150 people to do so successfully in a small keelboat (J/80's, J/22's, Sonars, even Lightnings) without the handling issues mentioned by the other responses. -- From Ken Guyer - Marc Skipwith's comments in Butt #624 are inspiring. To suggest a unified approach to gaining more medals/classes in the Olympics is admirable and one which I think should be explored. It is sad when the members of one class bash members of another. I understand the goal is to protect your own, but in the big picture isn't "your own" the sport of sailing in general. I know it is a political battle as well, so a unified front may be the only thing which may work. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: All of recent comments about Olympic Sailing took on a new perspective for me as I watched '60 Minutes' on Sunday evening and learned that Ballroom Dancing was being added as one of the new Olympic Games in 2004. CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS Aug. 26 -27: Great Lakes Cat Fight I, Muskegon State Park, on Lake Michigan. Over 115 catamarans have made preparations to attend. http://members.tripod.com/UNI55/catfight.htm REVOLUTIONARY GILL/GORE BREATHABLE BOOT JUST LAUNCHED. Gill have been the market leaders in boating boots for many years. Whilst performance marine clothing has developed in leaps and bounds over the years: boots had not until now! During the past two years Gill has worked closely with WL Gore to develop a completely new and revolutionary marine boot. Style 910 Features include: waterproof, breathable, and light weight. Cordura and Kevlar tough upper. Unique rear lacing system. Superman grip with wrap around 3D sole unit. Reflective strip near to the ankle support. No offshore sailor should leave home without a pair. For more information: http://www.gillna.com MORE AMERICA'S CUP By day, the America's Cup will be lowered from the heavens for all to see; by night, it will be hidden in the ceiling. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is today bringing the Auld Mug out of the closet - or at least the cup room - so it is more accessible to people. A high-tech elevator will lower the world's oldest sports trophy from the ceiling to sit above the main room of the squadron. At night, it will be hoisted back to the ceiling to be locked away in a high-security vault. Since the hammer attack on the silver ewer four years ago, the cup and its bullet-proof case have been lugged up and down the stairs of the squadron every day to go on display in the special cup room. But the squadron's general manager, Ken Pascoe, who is responsible for carrying the cup to and from its ground-floor vault, had had enough. The club has paid for the sophisticated new system, but its cost is being kept under wraps. The cup will remain in the special plastic case made after it was bashed and will be unveiled in its new surroundings today when Team New Zealand launch their defence for 2003. - Suzanne McFadden, NZ Herald Full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ac2000/ ETCHELLS PRE-WORLDS San Diego, CA: 2000 Sailing Supply Etchells Orca Bowl (46 entries): Top Five: 1) Vince Brun 18pts 2) Dennis Conner 18pts 3) Dirk Knuelmann 18pts 4) Jud Smith 19pts 5) Peter Isler 20pts. - James Buley LIGHTNING NORTH AMERICANS Severn Sailing Association, Eastport Yacht Club - Sunday: 2 races, LOTS of wind and big waves. A lot of capsizes and some breakdowns. It has been reported that the water is quite warm, however. There were a lot of OCS's in the second start. Click here to read the daily report from Kate, Andy and Bill. Monday: Postponement this morning - too much wind, too much rain, flashes of lightning (the other kind), patches of fog. We've seen some of them limping in already, with reports of big winds and waves PARTIAL STANDINGS AFTER TWO RACES: Matt Fisher (3 points) Ched Proctor (4) Sean Fidler (4) Jed Dodge (5) Bill Healy (5) Hector Longarela (5) Event website: http://myweb.clark.net/pub/ssa/Classes/Lightning/NAs/2000_NAs.htm OUTTA HERE Having happily spent nearly two weeks crashing into and flying off of the big waves off Oahu, it's time for a change of pace. So the curmudgeon is off to a different island for the rest of the week - Santa Catalina Island. While I'm there, it's possible that Boats.Com may be producing and distributing 'Butt, but it's also possible that you could be on your own for the next few days. THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION The main accomplishment of almost all organized protests is to annoy people who are not in them. |
