|
SCUTTLEBUTT 2210 - October 26, 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 America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt brought to you by UBS (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). MAKING A DIFFERENCE In 2005, there were 47 Leukemia Cup Regattas held throughout the US to help raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in their fight against leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma. Over 17,000 participants helped to raise more than $3.2 million that year, bringing the overall campaign results to more than $18 million since the fundraising concept began in 1988. For this year’s LCR schedule, a Midwest J/105 team conceived the idea of not just attending the event in their local area, but in creating a coast-to-coast tour where they would attend six events in all. This unique fund raising/ racing team is based out of Carlyle Lake outside of St. Louis, MO, and is co-owned and skippered by Rick Bernstein, and co-owned by Marcus Raichle. Their schedule had the team participating in regattas in Seattle, St. Louis, Chicago, Annapolis, Keyport New Jersey and Savannah (where they sailed their boat in 5 of 6 events, chartering only in Seattle). Having completed their final LCR event in Savannah last month, Bernstein reflected on the impact they had during their circuit, “The mission was to help increase participation and thus increase fund raising dollars, and we were really pleased to see this occur at 5 of the 6 regattas, with increased attendance leading to thousands of dollars more was raised for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We were able to raise the level of awareness of the LCR’ s in general, as our story and sailing model began appearing on national TV, in write-ups in the Seattle and Annapolis newspapers, along with exposure in Scuttlebutt.” - Full story: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1023 GARAGE SALE (October 25, 2006) The first news report came September 2006 (Issue 2177), when Challenge Business announced that the fifth running of the Global Challenge Round the World Yacht Race, scheduled for 2008/09, had been postponed after the company was unable to secure a title sponsor. Then two weeks ago it was reported (in Issue 2199) that Challenge Business International Limited, a company established by Sir Chay Blyth to organize the Global Challenge round-the-world yacht race, had gone into administration, that being a British term for bankruptcy (or a form thereof). Today, Challenge Business reports that they have retained Berthon International Yacht Brokers as the exclusive brokers for the sale of the Challenge Business fleet, which include five 67-foot David Thomas designed Challenge Yachts plus the thirteen 72-foot Rob Humphreys designed Challenge Yachts that were used in the Global Challenge 2004-2005 race. If interested in shopping for some boats designed to, as stated on the Challenge Business website, go “‘the wrong way’ around the world - against the prevailing winds and currents, ”contact Berthon International, http://www.berthon.co.uk LAST ROUND OF PRE-TRIALS Long Beach, CA - America's best prospects for success in the 470 dinghy and RS:X windsurfer classes at the 2008 China Olympics will complete the month's round of US Sailing Olympic Pre-Trials Thursday through Sunday. About a dozen men's and women's 470s will sail out of the US Sailing Center in east Long Beach while about 10 RS:X windsurfers---the new Olympic sailboard---will be based at the nearby Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, launching off the beach across the street and racing the same waters where sail boarding was introduced to the Olympics in 1984. The dual regattas feature one of America's stronger Olympic classes---the 470---and another---the RS:X--- that faces an uphill battle to achieve a globally competitive level. US Sailing Olympic coach Skip Whyte, who oversees the 470s, said this event is important for all Olympic aspirants not only because "it allows them to acclimate to the conditions they'll see in the [final] Trials next year," but, like the previous four Pre-Trials this month, it's the first of three events that will determine the top three contenders who qualify for campaign funding from the Olympic Sailing Committee. The US Sailing Team membership eligible for funding has been reduced from five to three in each class, according to a US Sailing statement, "as part of US Sailing's Olympic Sailing Committee ongoing mission to facilitate the success of elite performance athletes." A year from now the same venues will host the formal Olympic Trials to select the one boat in each class that will represent the United States in the Olympics at Qingdao, China in 2008. - Rich Roberts, full report: http://sdyc.org/trials/press.htm#25 PULLING STRINGS Only 653 days to go until the 2008 Olympic Games, and the US Sailing Team is working hard toward medals in eleven disciplines. New England Ropes has been making sure team members pull the right strings to ensure their success. Our line is engineered to perform at the highest level, in sizes appropriate for every class and application. New England Ropes products made their Chinese debut at the recent Olympic Test Event in Qingdao, and we will continue to work with the USST to ensure their success toward 2008. Others make line. We make line perform. http://www.neropes.com WORLD MATCH RACE RANKINGS (October 25, 2006) Sébastien Col (FRA) holds the top spot for the third consecutive release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings, although the 29 year old skipper for Areva Challenge did not make an appearance in the latest Ranking period. A string of wins over the European summer keeps him well clear of his rivals, with 338 points separating him from second place Paolo Cian (ITA). Like Col, both Cian and third place World Champion Peter Gilmour (AUS) were also absent from the match racing circuit during this Ranking period. Claire Leroy (FRA) makes it 15 consecutive releases at the top of the Women’s Rankings and looks almost certain of making it an unbroken calendar year in the top spot, as she currently holds a massive 1,222 point lead over her nearest challenger. That is now Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN), who moves from fourth up to second on the back of a terrific European summer for the Dane. This last rankings release was on September 20th, with the next release coming on December 6th, which will be the final release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings in 2006. - ISAF website, full report: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j6qFh?,k~&format=popup NO PLANS TO WAIT (October 25, 2006) Velux 5 Oceans race leader, Bernard Stamm and Open 60 Cheminées Poujoulat were stretching into the North Atlantic, 210 miles off the coast of Portugal. As the race fleet was lashed by gale force winds on Monday and Tuesday, Stamm was unaware of the carnage in his wake. During a brief satellite phone call with his team, the Swiss skipper described conditions in the Bay of Biscay: "It has been quite a brutal situation, especially as we had only just come out of the skipper's briefing, really, and not from a two weeks sailing. I have some really small damage, but nothing serious. I wonder for the other boats, but I would think they also had some damage." When told of the status of Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), Mike Golding (Ecover), Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (SAGA Insurance) and the Spanish skipper, Unai Basurko (Pakea), Stamm was astonished: "I was quite unhappy with the way I was doing on the race course. I was being so careful that I had the feeling I was more sailing than racing. So, to discover that I am leading is a really good surprise. It is a really sad to hear that the others had to stop but, anyway, I am not going to wait for them!" - Velux 5 Oceans website, full report: http://www.velux5oceans.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,12345~917367,00.html * On the four boats with damage, Alex Thomson rejoined the race early Wednesday evening, Mike Golding should be sailing again by Thursday afternoon, Unai Basurko could be back as early as Thursday night, and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston could be competing again by early Friday evening. Of the two others that have yet to start, Graham Dalton (NZL) hopes to start the race on either Thursday or Friday, while American Tim Troy continues to deal with keel issues that will keep him at the dock until at least Sunday (a week after the official start). * From Andrew Preece of APP Broadcast: “As the solo sailors battled upwind towards Cape Finisterre, the APP Broadcast helicopter team was over the leader Bernard Stamm. With his mainsail reefed down to its smallest size, Stamm was on the foredeck wrestling with his storm jib as his boat, Cheminées Poujoulat, was slamming over and through huge waves.” Click on the link to view the footage: http://www.appftp.com/tvnews/velux5oceans/VELUX5Oceans_Storm.wmv SAILING SHORTS * (October 25, 2006) - This week, twenty of the top US one-design sailors are meeting on the racecourse off Grande Maumelle Sailing Club in Little Rock, Ark. to compete in US Sailing's Championship of Champions regatta. More than thirty different one-design classes applied to have their National or North American champion compete in the event, which is limited to twenty. Selected skippers range from a 13-year old Flying Scot champion to a 67-year-old grand master, and will be competing in Y-Flyers for US Sailing's Jack Brown Trophy. Racing begins on Thursday, Oct. 26 and finishes on Saturday, Oct. 28. - http://www.ussailing.org/championships/adult/CofC * Beneteau USA recently awarded RCR Yachts with their 2006 Customer Service Award. RCR Yachts provides new boat and brokerage listings amongst their six Great Lakes locations on Lake Erie and Ontario. - http://www.rcryachts.com * (Miami, FL - Oct 25) Fresh breeze for the morning race slowly died throughout day three of the Snipe Western Hemisphere & Orient Championship, with the last race held in 8 knots of wind. Pablo Defazio/ Eduardo Medici (URU), coming off a Pre-Pan Am win last week in Rio, dominated the day with finishes of 1-2-3. This moved the Uruguayans within striking distance of regatta leaders Bruno Bethlem/ Dante Bianchi (BRA), who sailed a 6-4-21. Also moving up in the standings were defending champion Alexandre Paradeda/ Pedro Tinoco (BRA) in third (9-5-9) and current world champion Augie Diaz/ Mark Ivey (USA) in fourth (2-3-4). - Full results: http://www.snipewho2006.org/reports/who_2006/who_2006.html * The Valencian Government has set aside some 4.5 million Euros (approx. $5,666,570.00 USD) in order to promote the Valencian Community as the start area of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008. The amount is to be spent on the diffusion and promotion of Alicante City as the place where the race will begin. The fleet that is participating in the Race will leave Alicante in September of 2008 and the race will end in December one year later. - Valencia Life Network, mailto:publisher@valencialife.net ULLMAN SAILS - GULF COAST Ullman Sails International is pleased to announce, West Wind Sails in Mandeville, Louisiana (a suburb of New Orleans) has joined the Ullman Sails group. Owners Julie and Dave Bolyard celebrated West Wind’s 25th Anniversary in September. This prominent, full service Gulf Coast sail loft has a clientele that includes offshore and one-design champions, world cruisers, and local recreational sailors. The staff includes their son David and journeymen sailmakers with years of experience, whose customer service is second to none! Ullman Sails – Gulf Coast contact information can be found in the “Loft Locator” section of Ullman Sails web page, http://www.ullmansails.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or space (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, there are no word or frequency limits on comments sent to the Scuttlebutt Forums. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * Joe Sullivan, Coach, Fordham University Sailing Team: Thank you so much for including our burgee solicitation as a newsletter item. The response has been fantastic. Prior to the publication in your newsletter, 74 burgees had been received or pledged to the gift collection, which the Fordham University Sailing Team will be presenting to the Morris Yacht & Beach Club. In the past 24 hours, that number has increased to 95. Your readership is active, involved, caring, responsive, and generous in their giving. Thank you so much for assisting in this effort. Curmudgeon’s Comment: The Scuttlebutt Sailing Club burgee got mailed today. * Jennifer Langille, Owner/Founder, SailTrim: (regarding the article ‘Calorie Hurdles’ in Issue 2209) Now what a surprise when I opened my outlook today . . . and I had ~100 newsletter signs ups . . . and here come a few more . . . actually it has not stopped! From all over the world . . . so I was completely baffled at what could have happened. It is not abnormal for a few little burst here and there but this was crazy and since my coffee maker is dead, had not done my usual “coffee/’butt” morning ritual but took the dog for a walk instead. Soo . . . thank you for the plug! I am going to have to spend a day and a half sorting through it, but that is by no means a complaint! * From Bruce Parsons, Portugal Cove, Newfoundland, Canada: (RE the Oct 25 edition, Issue 2209) To answer some questions: my son Nick does indeed have a nick-name, one he chose himself, Squinge. I think he just liked the sound of it. And yes he and his buddies do just go out messing around in boats, though the sailing school is so unaccustomed to this practice they thought he was in the school anyway and wanted to charge him tuition. And yes I think today’s kids are excellent seamen - they have lots of knowledge and experience, no matter how they get their shoes to stay on. I am the poet who is willing to sail the southern ocean if anyone will have me...."...foggy nights/afraid of ice' is but a few lines from a poem I wrote years ago for my departed ancestors, the fishermen of Newfoundland. You know the ones - men of steel on boats of wood, and poor Newfoundland softwood at that. My father fished all the way to Baffin Island without a chart - there was always some old salt who had all the headlands memorized. He swears there was no poetry in twenty-hour days drying up traps and salting fish for a few hundred dollars for four months work. * From Geoffrey Emanuel: I'm wholeheartedly in agreement with David Doody's letter (in Issue 2209) about kids messing around in boats. As a life-long sailor, my best memories are of spontaneous, unorganized sailing adventures. Kids need to figure out for themselves what aspects of sailing they like best and if they never get the chance to experiment and experience all sides of our sport, they may choose to leave it rather than love it. * From Michael B. Duffy: (RE: Social members discussion in Scuttlebutt 2205 & 2206) While social members help pay the bills of expensive sailing programs, do they possess the same long-term interest and love of sailing as those who get wet? If social members are given the same voting rights as sailing members, will they unselfishly vote to support budgets and programs that benefit their fellow sailing members or prefer tennis courts and swimming pools for their family's enjoyment? Membership requirements are different from region to region and club to club, but don't the most successful yacht clubs require boat ownership, or in absence of boat ownership, a very strong boating résumé or a clear understanding that the member was “between boats”? My concern remains that as time goes on, the introduction and acceptance of social members will dilute a yacht club's sailing heritage and purpose. Voting social members, who do not have sailing interests at heart, have the opportunity to affect how a yacht club evolves in the future. I believe the long-term interests of social and sailing members are widely dissimilar and a yacht club should resist the temptation of allowing social members to join unless their collective power and status is carefully considered. * From George Bailey: I do not see the impression that most racers only race, they have no interest in just sailing, kids or adults, as anything new (as suggested in a letter in Issue 2209). That is how it was in 1954. With one exception, I could never get the other teens to "just go sailing" on the weekend between race weekends. Nor would they just sail around for fun in the hour before and the hour after racing. When racing ended, in they went. This is the same pattern I see today in PHRF in my area, again, with a few exceptions- say, one racer in ten "just sails" whenever they get a chance. One race only guy told me recently that it was boring to just sail. On the other hand, most "just sailors" whom I cannot talk into trying non-spin PHRF think the hard-core racers are mentally ill, and say that they have no interest in racing around the marks with those guys. My club was criticized by several of these people for having windward-leward twice around races for non-spin as well as spinnaker ( a 4.8 mile course overall), rather than the twelve mile down the river and back no matter what the wind direction (often a reach-reach) that they tell me non-spin did in the past. We see non-spin as prep for spin, not a duffer's race. Maybe that is another reason why participation is off - not serving part of our potential constituency. * From Stevan Johnson: (regarding letter in Issue 2209) Apparently Adrian Morgan wasn't reading Ellen MacArthur's dramatic, evocative, and occasionally emotional reports from the southern ocean, or the well written updates during the Volvo race on the deteriorating state of our ocean planet. It is a sport, and there are athletes out there. But what I've read is often impressive, especially given the wet, exhausted and hectic conditions the reports are written under. I for one am impressed by what comes to me sitting at my comfortable desk. And how do you describe doing 40 knots on a sailboat? H-ly Cr-p!!!! comes to mind. * From Craig Davis: Adrian, maybe you want to sign on for that Southern Ocean leg...and handle it for us.... CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION "See, the problem is that God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time." Robin Williams Special thanks to New England Ropes and Ullman Sails. America’s Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt is brought to you by UBS. |
