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SCUTTLEBUTT 2325 - April 18, 2007
Scuttlebutt 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).
“IT’S NEVER LIKE THIS”
(April 17, 2007) The weather hasn't been kind to the sailors to this point
at the Louis Vuitton Cup in Valencia. For the second consecutive day, the
race committee was unable to get off a start as the sunny skies weren't able
to generate a strong enough sea breeze to enable racing. While the weather
in Valencia this week has been beautiful with clear, sunny skies and
temperatures just above 20 degrees (68 degrees Fahrenheit), there hasn't
been enough power in the spring sun to heat up the land to the point where
it sucks in the air from over the race course area, generating the renowned
Valencia sea breeze which offers consistent racing conditions. With the wind
never registering above five knots, both scheduled flights of racing were
postponed until a later date.
Look for Wednesday to attempt Flights 5 and 6, which now include some of the
top ranked match-ups. The first scheduled reserve day on Friday is now in
play with Flights 1 and 2 scheduled. Flights 3 and 4 will take the next
available racing slot, which means Flight 3 would be the second flight of
racing on Sunday, and Flight 4 on the second reserve day, next Monday. --
Event site, full story: http://tinyurl.com/2j9bbo
Flight 5
1. China Team vs. Team Shosholoza
2. Emirates Team New Zealand vs. Desafío Español 2007
4. Victory Challenge vs. United Internet Team Germany
5. Luna Rossa Challenge vs. BMW Oracle Racing
6. +39 Challenge vs. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team
Bye - Areva Challenge
Flight 6
1. China Team vs. Desafío Español 2007
2. Team Shosholoza vs. Emirates Team New Zealand
4. Areva Challenge vs. Luna Rossa Challenge
5. United Internet Team Germany vs. Mascalzone Latino - Capitalia Team
6. +39 Challenge vs. Victory Challenge
Bye - BMW Oracle Racing
* Complete race schedule:
http://www.americascup.com/en/americascup/program/calendrier.php
Provisional Leaders (Bonus Pts - Matches Sailed - Matches Won - Total Pts)
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL 92) 4-0-0-4
2. BMW ORACLE Racing (USA 98) 3-0-0- 3
2. Luna Rossa Challenge (ITA 94) 3-0-0-3
2. Desafío Español 2007 (ESP 97) 3-0-0-3
5. Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia (ITA 99) 2-0-0-2
5. Victory Challenge (SWE 96) 2-0-0-2
5. Team Shosholoza (RSA 83) 2-0-0-2
5. +39 Challenge (ITA 85) 2-0-0-2
9. Areva Challenge (FRA 93) 1-0-0-1
9. United Internet Team Germany (GER 89) 1-0-0-1
9. China Team (CHN 95) 1-0-0-1
* The Daily Sail subscription website is posting live race updates, and
during Tuesday’s postponement, submitted the following, “(the) Commodore of
the Royal Malta YC informs us they have 15 knots in Malta... John Stapleton
has been following our train of thought too (and said): ‘I seem to remember
that the preferred venue of many was Cascais/ Lisbon (Portugal). Today’s
weather there is 25 degrees C, winds from the NNE at 20 km/h. Oh well’...."
For the metric challenged, that’s 77 degrees F and 12.4 mph, which would
make for nice racing. -- http://www.thedailysail.com
* From Paul Cayard, who is working for Italian television as a color
commentator: “No wind again. Very frustrating for the TV rights
holders...those who invested a great deal to broadcast the races live in
their home countries. Of course, it is frustrating for the spectators too.
Imagine the people who have planned trips to Valencia, paid money for the
hotel and rides on boats to go out and watch. I can't remember a Louis
Vuitton Cup that started with no sailing on the first two days. I think it
is a record and it will be hard to beat in the future. Let's hope we don't
extend the record.” -- http://www.cayardsailing.com
* The weather outlook for Wednesday calls for a northeasterly wind veering
easterly at 8-10 knots with clouds approaching from the south. Temperature
is to be 18 degrees Celsius (mid 60’s Fahrenheit) and dry. With both the
forecasted wind strength and temperature slightly less than Tuesday, the
possibility of additional delays remains strong.
MEDIA FRENZY: LUNA ROSA WINS
(April 17, 2007) With eleven teams in contention, the winner of Tuesday’s
race was the Luna Rossa Challenge 2007. Sure, the wind no-showed again, but
that is not what the 32nd America’s Cup is all about. This event is going to
be known for its immense Internet media presence, and the press release
people for the Italian team were the first to send Scuttlebutt their daily
email update. The other teams were soon to follow, and it is this stack of
minutia that we filter through daily now that the event has officially
started.
Each team’s media departments are part of the food chain for all the press
outlets that are following this rendition of the America’s Cup. While
Scuttlebutt’s regular online media sources have all ramped up for the event,
there are plenty of newbies on the scene. Blog sites have made it
inexpensive to enter the print field, and if the TV commentators can be half
as amusing as some of the observations being provided, we are all in for an
entertaining twelve weeks. Here are a few:
=> Rule 69 Blog (rule69blog.com) Yachting commentator Magnus Wheatley has
launched his site along with the start of the Cup, but expects to be around
long after it. Look for his views to be lively and engaging, whilst not
avoiding anything uncomfortable.
=> Got Live (sailmagazine.blogspot.com) SAIL West Coast editor Kimball
Livingston is now in Valencia providing entertaining and informative posts
that will undoubtedly help to paint the complete picture for the faithful
cup followers.
=> Tack by Tack (tackbytack.com) Professional sailor and writer Mark
Chisnell is providing his daily insight along with humorous minute-by-minute
updates during the course of each race day (got to keep it amusing when
there’s no wind).
=> Sail Juice (sailjuice.blogspot.com) Journalist Andy Rice is among the
writers contributing to the official event site, and has also started this
blog to provide his additional personal insight. -- Plenty more on
Scuttleblog:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2007/04/media-frenzy.html
GET UP TO SPEED WITH HOWARD HAMLIN
Shorts, flip flops, and shades - normal laid-back attire for Californian and
ex-surfer Howard Hamlin. But don’t be fooled. With world titles in the 505,
18’ Skiff and I-14 classes, he’s anything but laid back on the water. How
does Hamlin sharpen his boat handling skills? Reduce friction in sail
handling systems? Keep rig set-ups straight? Find the answers to these
questions and more in the Harken/ McLube interview with this versatile
performance sailor. http://www.harken.com/sailing/howardhamlin.php
GUEST COMMENTARY
A few years ago I did a test on man overboard gear and our panel of testers
came away with deep reservations about using the sling method of recovery.
When I looked into this afterwards I found that although the RORC recommends
a Lifesling or similar, it had never tested one. No official body in the UK
had ever independently tested any MOB recovery methods. Ever since then I've
thought what a pity it is we don't have such an independent organisation to
evaluate the effectiveness of safety equipment we all buy in good faith.
I thought about an independent test panel again when I read the conclusions
of the MAIB's investigation into the deaths of the Ouzo crew. They report of
the octahedral radar reflector that 'overall performance is poor' and that
there was only 'a 50% probability [it] would have been seen by the ship'. As
far as I know, all the radar reflectors you can buy for a yacht are
somewhere between poor and better than nothing. But it's only as far as I
know. The last major test I can think of was done 12 years ago by US Sailing
They found that all were marginal - except the radar flag, which was totally
useless - and concluded: 'none of the reflectors would be more than
marginally useful in offshore conditions where S-band radar were being used,
except perhaps in calm sea conditions'.
It ought to be time to repeat this test, and to look closely at products
such as the Sea-Me active radar target enhancer, which have come on the
market since this test was done. Isn't it time somebody in the marine
industry set up an independent and authoritative body to properly test
reflectors, liferafts, lifejackets and the like? -- Elaine Bunting, Yachting
World Feature Editor, http://tinyurl.com/2mmgex
GAVEL ACQUIRES VANGUARD
Portsmouth, RI – April 17, 2007 – Effective immediately, Gavel Securities
Limited (the holding company of Performance Sailcraft Europe Limited - PSE
and Laser Sailboats Limited - LSB), has acquired Vanguard Sailboats which
includes Seitech Products Inc and all three Vanguard owned retail stores in
Illinois, California, and Rhode Island. Chip Johns (former president of
Vanguard) and David Graham (current president of Vanguard and director of
PSE) have spoken at length about the great value of merging the two
companies for some time; Gavel acquiring the shares of Vanguard is the best
outcome for all parties. Chip Johns will stay on indefinitely as a
consultant to Gavel as the integration and transition takes place.
“Combining the two well respected builders from the two continents will be
incredibly positive for the growth of dinghy sailing,” said Chip Johns,
former president, Vanguard Sailboats. “The combined companies will be able
to focus more resources on promoting and growing the sport.” -- Complete
news release: http://tinyurl.com/32v5kf
COLLEGE SAILING: ADAM WERBLOW
For more than half of Adam Werblow's 40 years, college sailing has been a
primary part of his life. In 1988, after a successful collegiate career at
Connecticut College, he landed a coaching job at St. Mary's College in
Maryland, a small state-funded honors college with spectacular waterfront
access on the St. Mary's River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay. He's been a
fixture there ever since, building the program into one of the most
respected in college sailing. Currently the Seahawks occupy the top spots in
the coed and women's Sailing World College Rankings; positions the team
backed up last weekend with a first at the Dellenbaugh Trophy at Brown and a
second at the Admiral's Cup at Kings Point. After 20 years of working
weekends, long road trips, and college shenanigans, Werblow says he enjoys
his job as much as he always has, which may be a big part of the reason his
team is so successful. -- by Stuart Streuli, Sailing World, full story:
http://tinyurl.com/32gj5v
OPPORTUNITY DOESN’T ALWAYS KNOCK...
Sometimes it asks, ‘Are you ready to jibe?’ Due to an order cancellation,
Hall Spars & Rigging has an immediate supply of autoclave-cured carbon tubes
ready to ship. These tubes make great end-for-end spinnaker poles for
30-footers. The poles are 2.5-inches in diameter, in 11- and 12-foot
lengths, and the price is unbeatable. Just add hardware and you’re ready to
jibe. We also have a 15-foot carbon spinnaker pole complete with Hall
QuikTrip and QuikConnect end fittings, suitable for a 40-footer. Don’t miss
your chance to step up to autoclave-cured, seamless performance.
http://www.hallspars.com
SAILING SHORTS
* Party time - This Thursday, the Curmudgeon will be playing bartender at a
party hosted by the Bitter End Yacht Club at the Strictly Sail Pacific boat
show. Stop by the BEYC booth (Tent A #208) at 7:00 PM to say hello, and to
learn about the format changes for the 21st Annual Pro Am Regatta and the
6th Annual Scuttlebutt Sailing Club Championships. There will also be an
opportunity to win a 4 day/ 3 night vacation for two, which can be used
during the Pro Am. -- http://www.beyc.com
* Scuttlebutt still has $5.00 discount tickets for the 10th Annual Strictly
Sail Pacific boat show on April 18-22, 2007, in Oakland, CA. Look for their
banner ad on the Scuttlebutt website for info, or go straight to the show’s
e-commerce site to buy your discount tickets:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/jump/strictlysail
* The 2007 US-IRC Gulf Stream Series have combined Group 3 and Group 4
events into one group (Group 3) by a recent modification of the Notice of
Series. The revision combines Southern events and East Coast around-the-buoy
events into one group, making qualification for the series easier and less
restrictive. Details at http://www.us-irc.org/news_full.cfm?ID=28
* The RORC Committee has agreed that entries for the Rolex Fastnet Race 2007
will be limited to 300, with the entry deadline to be Friday, 27 July
2007. -- http://www.rorc.org
* To foster growth in women’s sailing, Rolex Watch U.S.A. has announced that
it will sponsor several “Road to Rolex” clinics across the U.S. and abroad
in preparation for US Sailing’s Rolex International Women’s Keelboat
Championship (Rolex IWKC), scheduled for November 14-17, 2007 at Houston
Yacht Club, La Porte, Texas. Organizers are seeking yacht clubs and sailing
centers to host the “Road to Rolex” clinics. Organizations interested in
hosting should contact Trish a McElroy at mailto:no720s@gmail.com
* Put-in-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio (April 16, 2007) -- GMC Trucks has
joined West Marine in sponsoring the GMC I-LYA Bay Week Regattas, which
consist of three events run back-to-back on Lake Erie: the Junior Regatta
(July 16-21), the Powerboat Regatta (July 26-30) and the Sailing Regatta
(July 30-Aug. 1). -- http://www.i-lya.com
* Most of the news the world receives about Israel involves the tragic
ongoing crisis in the area. However, despite the political problems (or
maybe because of them?) Israelis are turning to sailing in dramatically
increasing numbers. There are 2,715 registered yachts in Israel, and over
100,000 registered yachtsmen, according to recent data by the Transport
Ministry’s Shipping & Ports Authority. Since 1995, the number of yachts in
the country has increased by an astounding 268 percent. -- Sail World, full
story: http://tinyurl.com/378dlo
* Clearwater, Florida, has received a US$1.2 million federal grant for the
construction of downtown boat slips. The US Fish and Wildlife Service
approved the grant for Clearwater, the only Florida city to receive one. It
was one of 32 cities that applied for US$9.4 million in grant funds. -- IBI
Magazine, full story: http://tinyurl.com/39xpdq
WHAT MATTERS ON YOUR BOAT?
Scuttlebutt is supporting a sailing survey that is seeking to learn more
about how you use your boat and your preferences about the equipment on
board. This is a short survey; it takes about ten minutes and asks some
thought-provoking questions that will hopefully help to improve your sport.
Everyone who takes the survey is eligible to win a $100 VISA card to spend
on those boat projects this spring. Grab a beverage and point your browser
to http://www.sailingsurvey.com
EIGHT BELLS
Tony Roumeliotes of Sparkman & Stephens lost his battle with lung cancer
April 15, 2007 at the age of 56. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Linda
Sternau-Roumeliotes, sisters Dusty Spiliotis, Helen Cristaldi and brother
Demetri Roumeliotes. A private family service is planned in his hometown of
Haverhill, MA, followed by a gathering of remembrance this summer aboard his
classic S&S yacht LEGEND whose reconstruction is nearing completion.
Sailing was Tony’s passion and his resume of racing achievements is
extensive. He has been a familiar figure in classic yacht regattas around
the world, and had been a yacht broker for S&S for the past six years.
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 Victoria Scott: (regarding the America’s Cup venue) Ignoring the
merits of the city as a sailing venue, there seem to be several loud
grumblings at the moment across sailing forums about Valencia as a host city
with several describing it as a dump and a “sewer”. I am sure it is..…if you
join the tourist throng, make no effort at all to discover the heart of the
City, remain close-minded and generally expect it to be exactly the same as,
say, Auckland. If however, you use some intelligence & make even a small
amount of effort to speak the language, research your hotel properly (rather
than relying on poorly-recommended tourist holes) and generally delve
beneath the surface you can find a lovely city with small boutique hotels,
lovely restaurants, exhibitions, friendly natives & some great architecture.
Like all cities, it has bad parts – and Valencia does ‘grim’ in some areas
really well – but if I followed guide books’ advice and hung around
Leicester Square and Camden Market in Central London as a tourist, I’d be
out of there pretty smartish. It’s not Auckland, it’s Valencia – and wouldn’
t the world be a dull, uninteresting place for us lot if every city came out
of the same mould.
* From Marc Jacobi: I just don't see why our sport feels it must make so
many changes to only realize a few minutes (if that) of coverage in
non-cable Olympic TV coverage. Every quadrennial we hear hand-wringers
saying sailing could be in jeopardy, but the sport has wide support in the
Olympic community. If mainstream media is really interested in sailing, no
real changes need to be made to the sport itself, only in the way it is
covered: on-boat cameras & GPS, cameras on marks/ platforms (how cool with
that be?) and/ or in the air, sharp editing/ post-production, all would do
wonders. That, and fun, energetic commentator(s), not patronizing-sounding
ones talking lowest-common denominator stuff. Most important though, would
be helping viewers get to know the sailors, to see their personalities and
let us get into supporting (or booing!) them. Heck, if they can make golf
interesting...
* From John Rumsey: We already had an embedded journalist in the 2006 race;
Paul Cayard did a great job of recording life aboard and his book about the
race is terrific. As for a starting procedure, fire a bullet down the line
about 10 feet of the water. Any sail with a hole in it would be DSQ.
* From Juergen Klinghardt: Here’s the link from the ORC website, where they
have published a report on the work that has been done by the ORC
International Technical Committee. I strongly believe that this report
includes interesting matter regarding the “boxy” boats issue that is being
criticized by some sailors. -- http://www.orc.org/news/070403.htm#news0
* From Vince Snyder: Regarding Brad Nichols comments (in Issue 2324) about
the offwind speed of Brazilian Robert Scheidt at the Star Spring
Championships of the Eastern Hemisphere in Spain, it seems all too familiar
whenever someone mentions “Brazil” and “offwind speed.” Stories of Brazilian
offwind dominance in the Snipe class are legendary, and neighboring
Argentina has much of the same reputation. Hearing how Scheidt is passing
boats on the reach leg to leeward is nothing new. Who knows, it might be
because of the South Americans that we rarely have reach legs anymore.
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
The greatest problem to overcome.................Fear
Special thanks to Harken Yacht Equipment and Hall Spars & Rigging.
Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the Defender
of the 32nd America's Cup.
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