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SCUTTLEBUTT 1359 - June 26, 2003Powered 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 and personal attacks for elsewhere. THE NEW ONION PATCH SERIES The Onion Patch Series 2004 has expanded to six races and revised the Bermuda courses. In 2004, all three races of the NYYC Annual Regatta will be part of the series. Races 1, 2 & 3, June 12-13, are the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta. Race 4, the Cruising Club of America/Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Newport Bermuda Race starts June 18th. Races 5 & 6 are the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Anniversary Regatta scheduled for June 25th in Bermuda. In addition to more races, the Onion Patch racing in Bermuda will see a new format. Instead of two Windward-Leeward races there will be one short WL in the Great Sound and a longer "round the buoys" course starting in the Great Sound and finishing in Hamilton Harbour near Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. The club marina will provide an excellent spectator vantage point to view the finish of the series. The Onion Patch Series is organized by the New York Yacht Club (NYYC), the Cruising Club of America (CCA) and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) and is open to IMS Racing and IMS Cruiser/Racer yachts entered in the 2004 Newport Bermuda Race. All yachts will race as individual entries, but are encouraged to form three-boat teams to compete for the Onion Patch Trophy. The Henry B. du Pont Trophy is awarded to the best scoring individual yacht participating in the six-race series. The best scoring yacht will win the IMS North American Championship. The first yacht on corrected time, in the Bermuda Race, that is a competitor in the Onion Patch Series will be awarded the Catherine Hollis Memorial Trophy. - Talbot Wilson, http://www.bermudarace.com/ DAIMLERCHRYSLER NORTH ATLANTIC CHALLENGE Skip Sheldon's Zaraffa is not only extending its lead on the fleet of 59 boats currently competing in the 3,600 nautical mile race to Germany, but it is looking to establish a new racing record that will most likely hold for a very long time. With approximately two more days of racing to go since the Class I start on June 14 in Newport, R.I., Zaraffa's navigator Mark Rudiger summarized the boat's success up to this point in the DaimlerChrysler North Atlantic Challenge. "We were able to come off the backside of low and we were unconventional in taking a more northerly route out from the start," he told WADK radio's host Brad Read today by satellite phone. "We were anticipating northeasterlies, so we could almost fetch the gulf stream easier than boats that went lower. We took our medicine early, so to speak. It was critical for big picture. We had a four hour window to catch the train on this cold front and we were on the leading edge for a week, surfing it. If we arrived four hours later at Point Alpha, we would have missed the train. We were fortunate to get on." - Media Pro Int'l, www.dcnac.de U.S. YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP Milwaukee, WI - Today's conditions were a duplicate of yesterday without the thunderstorms. Winds were out of the SSE at 12 knots at 11 a.m. when the first race got started. Two-foot seas quickly built to 4-5 feet and winds increased to 15 knots - great planning conditions. Three races were completed in both fleets for a total of ten, with one throwout allowed. The Laser fleet has been dominated all week by two sailors, Emery Wager (Seattle, WA) and Mike Wilde (Rochester, NY). Wager continued his streak today with a 1-1-4. Emery's scores are good enough that he does not need to sail the final race. Wager's many days of training paid off. He sailed hard and aggressively all week. Mike Wilde had almost as good a day with finishes of 2-6-2. He also does not have to sail the last race to retain his 2nd place finish. - Lee Parks, The top three 420 teams showed excellent boatspeed today but none of the top five places changed after today's three races. Zach Brown and Melanie Roberts (San Diego, CA) remain in first with 25 points. Leigh Kempton (Island Heights, NJ) and Kaitlin Storck (Huntington, NY) continue to hold onto second place with 32 points. Their brothers, Erik Storck and John Kempton, are just four points behind in third with 36 points. - Lee Parks, http://www.ussailing.org/ PAIN IS SLOW! Sunburn, ropeburn, and buttburn make you slow! Sailing Angles Sun Shirts, Kontrol - aggressive gripped gloves, and Breakers - double seated and padded-optional sailing shorts and longpants are designed to eliminate these painful distractions from interrupting your focus. It's simple...if you are scratching your butt or your burns you are not concentrating on the next puff or wave. Sun shirts in three colors xs-xxxl, Gloves from jrs to xxxl, Shorts from 26"-44," women's 4-14 and sailing long pants from 28"-42." Protective products by Sailing Angles designed to get you there first! Find them today at APS, Layline and http://www.sailingangles.com US TEAM NAMED The Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) of US Sailing has announced the team which will represent the U.S.A. at the 2003 ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Youth Sailing World Championships in Portugal from July 17-26, 2003. To date, over 200 competitors (representing more than 40 countries) have registered for this event which is open to sailors who will not have reached their 19th birthday in 2003. Quinta do Lorde Yacht Club, on the eastern side of the island of Madeira, will host the racing which will be conducted in four classes (six events): Laser (boys singlehanded) and Laser Radial (girls singlehanded); International 420 (boys and girls doublehanded); and Mistral (boys and girls boardsailing). For the third consecutive year, Brian Doyle (Darien, Conn./Hanover, N.H.), the OSC's Youth Development Coach, will act as Team Leader. Doyle is a 1992 graduate of Brown University with a degree in organizational behavior and management, and has been the head sailing coach at Dartmouth College (Hanover, N.H.) since 1993. Assisting Doyle as coach will be Nathaniel Stoffelsma (Sidney, British Columbia), who has been coaching at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point, N.Y.) for the last two years. 2003 U.S. Youth World Team: - Girls Singlehanded: Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) - Boys Singlehanded: Chris Branning (Sarasota, Fla.) - Girls Doublehanded: Caroline Young and Shannon Heausler (Tampa, Fla.) - Boys Doublehanded: Zach Brown and Graham Biehl (San Diego, Calif.) - Girls Boardsailing: Nancy Rios (Naples, Fla.) - Boys Boardsailing: Philip Muller (Ft. Pierce, Fla.) U.S. team members: www.ussailing.org/Olympics/YouthWorld/ Regatta information: www.worldyouthsailingmadeira.com BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK Picture perfect conditions and a 14 to 17-knot westerly seabreeze made for high-powered racing today for the 203 boats competing in the Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex. Offsetting a slow start to the early part of the week, On-the-Water Chairman Peter Reggio and his race committees put the assembled sailors through their paces, staging three back-to-back races on each of the four race courses but one. Some top positions were overturned, but the cream still remained on the top in most classes. Although called over early in one race and started behind in two others, Edgar Cato's 12-Meter Hissar is maintaining an unbroken string of bullets. Bob Towse's Reichel/Pugh 66 Blue Yankee, driven by Olympic medalist Steve Benjamin, was also called over in one race but managed to dig back and complete a string of bullets for the day in IMS Class 1 to lead by seven points. Marc Ewing's Farr 40 Riot with a daily score of 2-1-3 was bested only by John Thompson's impressive 1-2-1 on Solution to take the runner-up position in the seven-boat Farr 40 class, a mere two points behind Riot. - Keith Taylor, http://www.blockislandraceweek.com MUMM 30 WORLDS The Mumm 30 Class announced today that the location of the 2003 Mumm 30 World Championship will be moved to Elba, Italy. The dates for the relocated Event will be October 8-11, 2003, approximately one week later than the originally announced dates for the 2003 Mumm 30 World Championship. Additional logistical details will be available on the Mumm 30 web page shortly along with a Notice of Race, Entry Forms and Sailing Instructions. Initially the Mumm 30 Worlds were to be hosted in Cassis, France. Due to local political problems, the Yacht Club withdrew the proposal which had been accepted by the Mumm 30 Class. Working on very short notice, La Ciotat, Heyres and Bandol, France each worked towards proposals to host the Event. However, these cities were unable to complete final arrangements with the Class, for various reasons, despite substantial efforts by the Mumm 30 Class World Council to arrange a host venue in the south of France. Vincenzo Onorato and the Mascalzone Sailing Team very recently offered to underwrite the Event and arrange for a host Yacht Club in Elba, Italy, to assure that the Mumm 30 World Championship would be held in 2003. After evaluating the status of French proposals, and following consultation with and approval from ISAF the generous Elba offer was accepted by the Mumm 30 World Council earlier this week. - Farr International, www.mumm30.org PROBLEMS WITH CONTROL? Spinlock's line of tiller extensions will put you in control, whether around the buoys or around the world Spinlock is the #1 choice of extensions. 2 handle options and 5 different lengths to choose. Spares and support available at spinlock@maritimetrading.net or visit The Experts in Rope Holding. - http://www.spinlock.co.uk SAILING SHORTS * Film producer John Lutz will document the Challenged America team of sailors with disabilities in this year's 42nd Transpac Ocean Race. "These amazing individuals are really raising the waterline on what is possible and achievable, despite personal challenges, such as spinal cord injury, blindness, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, amputation, kidney disease and other afflictions that would keep most people at home," Lutz said. With a cameraman aboard B'Quest (the Challenged America 40-foot racing sailboat) to document the entire race and arrival in Hawaii, the John Lutz documentary will be edited for a one-hour television special. - http://www.transpacificyc.org/ * Lightning Canadian Open Championship, Buffalo Canoe Club, Ontario, Canada. Final results after seven races (30-boats): 1. David Starck 11 pts, 2nd Larry MacDonald, Jr 13 pts, 3rd Tom Allen, Jr. 32 pts. For complete results, www.lightningclass.org * J/22 NAs, standings after four races (47-boats),Youngstown YC,: 1. P. McChesney Jr, M. McChesney & K. Murphy, Annapolis YC, 16, 2. K. Elam, B. Calk & M. Babb. Rush Creek, 22, 3. G. Fisher, J. Jones, J. Eiber & M. Fisher, Eastport YC, 23, 4. N. Cromwell, S. Kabler & T. Babel Severen Sailing, 29, 5. P. Kris Zillman & G. Gutman, Edgewater YC, 30. http://www.yyc.org/j22/ * Tasar Worlds, standings after nine races (62-boats): 1. McKee/ Johnson-McKee, USA, 19; 2. Buchan/ Buchan, USA, 30; 3.Mcphee/ Kellow, AUS, 37; 4. Renehan/ Renehan, USA, 37; 5. Giese/ Towers, CAN, 46. - http://www.tasarworlds2003.org/ SPEED LIMITS Changes to the rules of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart race that have set a speed limit on the event have rendered the 2002 winner, Alfa Romeo, ineligible from taking part in the 2003 blue water classic along with most of the fastest and most advanced yachts around the world. Alfa Romeo's skipper and owner, Neville Crichton, who is successfully campaigning the 90 foot super maxi in Europe during the northern summer, has said that the cost of making Alfa Romeo meet the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's new rules is prohibitive. It is simply not worth bringing the yacht back to Australia to compete in the 2003 Rolex Sydney to Hobart or any of the supporting races, he says. "The CYCA has set a speed limit on the race by keeping the handicap upper limit at 1.61 and what sort race has a speed limit?," asks Neville Crichton, who persuaded Alfa Romeo to extend its sponsorship of the yacht to cover five major regattas in Europe following its Sydney to Hobart win. "It means would cost more than a million dollars to change Alfa Romeo and slow it down to enable it to compete in the 2003 Sydney to Hobart. If we made the changes to enter the race, Alfa Romeo would be totally uncompetitive in every other race around the world. We would either have to spend the money again to reinstate the equipment we had removed or be faced with a yacht that is totally uncompetitive and completely un-sellable." The changes to the rules not only affect Alfa Romeo. It means that the majority of the super yachts have that have been built during the last 12 months cannot take part in the race without multi-million dollar changes to slow them down. The super yachts that could have entered the race include Roy Disney's maxiZ86, Asso Plattner's maxiZ86, Randle Pittman's Dubois 90 and the English campaigned Bolles 92. These yachts are all the latest breed of super maxis and represent the fastest and most exciting yachts in the world. "It is desperately sad that the Sydney to Hobart race, which has built itself into one of the two or three most famous yacht races in the world, should be dummed down to meet the demands of the owners of older boats," says Crichton. - www.alfaromeo.com.au/shockwave ATTENTION: SUNSHINE JUST AROUND THE CORNER If you East Coasters think this is bad, we get clouds and rain year 'round in the northwest. Even though it's cloudy, now is a good time to check your boat's running rigging for wear. Stop by your local Samson dealer or rig shop with your shopping list and buy some new halyards, sheets or control lines. This will be good for the marine economy and your boat will love you for it. Plus, you'll be ready for the sunshine and warm breezes when the weather turns. http://www.samsonrope.com KIELER WOCHE Following is a summary of some of the best performances by North American sailors at the massive Kiel Week Regatta after two races: TORNADO (61 boats): 1. John Lovell/ Charlie Ogletree; 23. Robbie Daniel/ Tjiddo Veenstra; YNGLING (38 boats) 2. Hannah Swett/ Melissa Purdy/ Joan Touchette; 5. Jody Swanson/ Cory Sertl/ Elizabeth Kratzig; STAR (69 boats): 12. Mark Reynolds/ Magnus Liljedahl; 470 MEN (78 boats): 18. Paul Foerster/ Kevin Burnham; 470 WOMEN (37 boats): 15. Jennifer Provan/ Nikola Girke, CAN, 17. Erin Maxwell/ Jen Morgan. Event website: http://www.kielerwoche.de/ 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 or a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Ralph Deeds: An even bigger omission from Sailing World's hall of fame than Dick Carter, in my opinion, is Bill Lapworth. * From Geoff Newbury: If we are doing nominations of the 'presently missing' in the Hall of Fame I'll suggest David Curtis, whose resume was the source of the Miller Lite commercial: more classes, more championships! For a naval architect, I'll suggest Ron Holland. * From Ed Sherman: Ed Price wrote in Butt of his surprise not to see Dick Carter (designer) in the hall of fame. What about Skip Etchells? The AC skippers train and practice in Etchells and the 12 meters were a larger spin-off of them. 'Famers' John Bertrand and Russell Coutts (AUS), Dennis Conner and maybe more sailors in the Hall seem to swear by Skip's boat. * From H.L. DeVore: In response to Denis Farley comments about active sailors being out of date with the rules. The crew of an experienced former club champion just called mast-a-beam on me! I too worry about this ignorance, but am also probably guilty a little myself! The concerns I have aren't just about racing quality and fun but about safety...and ultimately fun. You shouldn't have to protest someone to teach them the rules...but if that's what it takes...do it without contact otherwise YOU should be thrown out too. Contact is to be avoided, if possible. - * From Peter Huston: A rules test before going racing? There's another brilliant idea to help get more people sailing. And imagine the revenue US Sailing could get from all those books and tapes, to say nothing of the inevitable fees. One question though, might this not be a problem if you were racing in the front of the pack, where presumably more people are up to date on the rules? * From Bruce Munro: I would like to second the motion of Tom Ehman and recognize the contributions of Dyer Jones to the America's Cup challenger selection process during both '99-2000 and '02-03. As the COO of the organization, Dyer had to balance out some heavy duty players, each of whom was trying to gain an advantage over the other. Dyer's low key style and overall competence has made both events successes while never seeking the limelight for himself. Kudos to Dyer for his sterling services and let's hope that the new guys running the show do not over look his talents. * From Malcolm McKeag: Oh dear (if that's not too sexist a remark)! I think the lady who doth protest rather a lot has rather missed the point of Chris Welsh's gorgeous (there I go again) story about the baseball coach, has she not? I would say 'lighten up, Ma'am' - but I don't want a lecture about the dangers of using tobacco. Incidentally, Bob Fisher was modest enough to refrain from pointing out that he and Reg done good by John Fisk, and won the Little America's Cup, so perhaps the Curmudgeon will permit me to toot 'The Fish's' hooter for him (another Scuttlebutt first). By the way, uwanna know why 'Toscana' was originally called 'Blizzard'? She was launched in a snow storm. Now - is there anyone out there needs that joke explained as well? CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM If you don't pay your exorcist, do you get repossessed? |
