|
SCUTTLEBUTT 2789 - Thursday, February 26, 2009Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors,providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Today's sponsors are Ullman Sails and New England Ropes. AN INDUSTRY RESPONSE TO LIABILITY CONCERNS In Scuttlebutt 2786, Doug Paine - a very active youth sailing Southern California parent - wrote a report concerning the liability issues involved with using yacht club trailers for the transport of youth boats to events. Here is a follow-up by Glenn T. McCarthy, a sailor and an insurance industry professional: “When it comes to club trailers being towed by a member's car: Step 1 - the club member needs to contact their personal insurance company, explain they are towing a commercially owned trailer, describe if they are being paid, or reimbursed for any expenses and see if their underwriter will approve this tow. Step 2 - Add any and all trailers that is designed for "over the road use" owned by your club as a vehicle on your club's automobile policy. Step 3 - Make sure your club has "Hired and Non-Owned Liability coverage, if not, add it." Step 4 - if the club's trailer is carrying boats that the club does not own (member's boats, for example), the club should purchase a Cargo policy. “ This is the abbreviated answer; for Glenn’s full response - a thorough 1,884 words of wisdom - go to the Scuttlebutt Forum: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7094#7094 SOCAL FLEET BUILDING Active in Southern California racing, Jim Madden has made it public that he has acquired two distinguished Transpac 52s, the former “Mean Machine,” winner of the 2006 Mediterranean Cup (“Med Cup”), and the former “Pisco Sour,” winner of the 2005 Med Cup. Both yachts, currently in Spain, are undergoing preparations for transfer to their new home base in Southern California. Scuttlebutt asked Jim a few questions: * How did the idea of purchasing these two boats come about? MADDEN: Even when I built the 66-foot canting keel Reichel/Pugh in ’05-‘06 I was thinking about a TP52. I have always thought they were fantastic boats - especially for SoCal. I locked in on the idea of a TP52 this time from Andy Rasdal who has been very helpful with his new TP52 (also a used boat that is currently getting prepped in San Diego). The idea of purchasing a second boat came about when I realized that we’d have a great opportunity for a fleet here in SoCal, and I would be dealing with only one seller in Spain (“ONO”) as they owned both boats. * While your plan is to charter one of the boats, are you hoping that they keep similar racing schedules? MADDEN: I am going to race the ’06 extensively, and in a perfect world, they’d be doing similar races. It really depends on the charter market. The major races will be Hoag and Transpac for this year. You can see the west coast race schedule I had in mind on www.stark-raving-mad.com – go to race schedule page. Additional boats in this size will include Andy’s new boat, Ernie Pennell’s new boat, and Pendragon IV, plus Margaritaville (though the latter is not in ‘class’). Rumor has it there is one more on the way, but I don’t know who the owner is. * While you have sold your R/P 66, did you ultimately enjoy the boat? MADDEN: I actually loved the 66 while I had her. She was fast, fun, and exhilarating. Now, that’s not to say there were not downsides. What I did not like about it was: 1) there was no one else like us on the West Coast, 2) the crew required for buoy and even distance racing was larger than I wanted, and 3) the draft (16’) was impractical for most SoCal harbors. I am hopeful I’ll find the TP52 a perfect size. Full details: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0225 TRIMARANS CLEAN UP IN ST. PETE Ullman Sails customers had a pronounced victory in the Corsair F28R class last week with Kathryn Garlick’s “Evolution” clinching first place overall, followed closely by Peter Katcha’s “Relentless” at the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD in St. Pete. Fully powered by Ullman Sails, both trimarans showed speed and consistency throughout the regatta. “Evolution” finished with five bullets in seven races, while “Relentless” ended with a bullet and six second-place finishes. Tom Reese’s “Flight Simulator” took third place with partial Ullman inventory. Ullman Sails – Focused on helping you meet your sailing goals and budget. Make an investment in your performance. Visit http://www.ullmansails.com VEGAS BABY! Once again, many of the sailing luminaries will be heading down to Miami this weekend for the Etchells Jaguar Series and some will stay on for Miami Race Week and the Bacardi Cup, which follow in quick succession. The Etchells Midwinters Regatta is both an independent regatta and the final weekend of the series held here on Biscayne Bay. The racers in the series are watching the weather, figuring what sails to check in, and monitoring their weight (max weight is ~ 628 lbs) as they prepare for the three-day racing weekend. Late February, or early March, when the regatta is held, is usually breezy, but the forecast this weekend is for lighter air, which could make it feel a little like Los Vegas. Not new to the top standings for the series, Jud Smith, who has been racing with Dirk Kneulman, will be heading to Melbourne to tune up for the Etchells Worlds. Hank Lammens will shake off the cobwebs and take over the helm for the weekend with Dirk and Hank’s brother Mark Lammens. Bruce Golison, lying in second for the series will sail with Steve Ericson and Steve Flam, who, like Hank, hasn’t been to Miami this winter. In third for the series, Bill Hardesty, who came on strong after missing the first regatta, will be sailing with his same crew of Vince Brun, Eric Shampain and Jennifer Wilson. -- Paige Brooks, North American Etchells Class Correspondent, read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/jaguar/#4 VIOLENT SQUALLS BRING BIG GAINS AND LOSSES (Feb. 25, 2009; Day 12) - All five boats racing down the South Pacific Ocean in leg five of the Volvo Ocean Race are engaged in a battle with nature. The doldrums and the associated clouds and squalls are causing big gains and huge losses across the fleet as the boats get pushed further away from their optimum courses by the unstable weather. “It’s all about your route through the cloud minefield,” says Guy Salter from Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA) who is clinging onto first place. “Often you just can’t avoid them [the clouds], and have to accept that, several miles away, your competitor is having an easier time of it,” Salter explained, as the team looks over its shoulders to see PUMA (Ken Read/USA) and Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE) astern and gaining. According to Salter, the clouds have often left Ericsson 4 in a complete void without even a breath of wind, before suddenly sending down a squall with such speed that the team has often found itself a fair way off their optimal course, and has been pushed further south than they planned. With clouds, come big gains and losses. Two days ago, Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE) sailed into PUMA’s world and has been their constant companion ever since. “We then started a 48-hour flat out drag race and slowly pulled out a very hard-earned four-mile lead, only to have it evaporate late last night in one squall,” explains PUMA’s skipper Kenny Read. “We slowed to 11 knots, they came roaring up at 20 and it has been game on ever since.” -- Read on: http://linkbee.com/GHMP Crewed around the world race in VO 70’s, with ten distance legs and seven In-Port races. Leg Five from Qingdao, China to Rio de Janiero, Brazil is 12,300 nm, with the finish estimated on March 20th. Current positions (as of Feb. 26, 1:00 am GMT): 1. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 8,738 nm Distance to Finish 2. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Magnus Olsson/SWE, 20 nm Distance to Leader 3. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 21 nm DTL 4. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 36 nm DTL 5. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 90 nm DTL Telefonica Black (ESP), Fernando Echavarri/ESP, Did Not Start Delta Lloyd (IRL), Roberto Bermudez/ESP, DNS Team Russia (RUS), Andreas Hanakamp/AUT, DNS Event website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org Overall scores: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/#tab4 Race tracking: http://volvooceanrace.geovoile.com AGAINST ALL ODDS (Feb. 25, 2009; Day 108) - From Dorchester in Dorset, England, Steve White is due in to Les Sables d’Olonne on Thursday morning and after a battle with the Bay of Biscay’s contrary easterly winds, he is more than ready to complete his remarkable race and collect eighth place in the Vendee Globe, outlasting many fancied, more famous skippers. His success is not just a triumph over fiscal adversity, sailing so close to the wind financially that when he arrived in October in Les Sables d’Olonne three weeks before the start, not only did he not have the money to race, but he was on the verge of losing the family home and his Open 60. Indeed it was only during that morning before he arrived at the Vendée port with the then Spirit of Weymouth that he got the news that a promised sponsorship had fallen through. While he was doing the passage to Les Sables d’Olonne his wife Kim had to borrow enough money to get to London to get his children’s passports. But on the return train journey she was breaking the sad news to the kids that not only was the Vendée Globe project off, but they might end up living somewhere else, when she had the call that a private individual would support them in the name of the Toe in the Water injured service personnel’s charity. -- Full story: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/9523/crikey-am-i-nearly-there-yet.html Event website: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en Complete standings: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ranking.html Race tracking: http://tracking.vendeeglobe.org/en BEAT THE HEAT IN KEY WEST New England Ropes introduced two new products at the most recent Premiere Racing’s Acura Key West Race Week. Vec-Tec, consisting of Vectran and Technora blended cover, and Poly-Tec consisting of Polyester and Technora blended cover, proved to be a perfect combination, for dissipating heat and abrasion on today’s hottest designs. So, whether you’re duking it out on the Farr 40 race course circle, buzzing off wind on the Melges circle, or tweaking your new IRC rocket ship, our design team is working hard to keep you in the lead. -- http://www.neropes.com UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES The law of unintended consequences, where actions of people always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended, may have found itself a home in the dispute involving Farrah Hall and U.S. SAILING. While the Buttheads are screaming out, “We are tired of sports and courts” and “When did Scuttlebutt become Law.com?”, we may not be able to ignore how a protest by Farrah Hall at the U.S. Olympic Trials may soon result in a rewrite of the U.S. version of the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS)... and more. While Farrah failed in her bid to be the U.S. representative at the Olympics, I was curious if it was a secondary goal of hers to change how protests and redress hearing are held. While Farrah did not respond to my question, her advisor John Bertrand replied, “It was her intent to see that issues like she faced are handled fairly in the future.” Okay, works for me, but it will be interesting to see what else changes along the way. Out of the blocks, the costs may be less money for U.S. athletes and a less effective Olympic selection process. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/blog/2009/02/unintended-consequences.html SAILING SHORTS * (Feb. 25, 2009) - At 07:25 local time, off the coast of Antigua, ICAP Leopard, the 100ft British super maxi took line honours in the inaugural RORC Caribbean 600. Completing the course in 44 hours, 5 minutes, ICAP Leopard has set a standard for competitors to beat in future editions of the race. Having also recently set a new course record for the Heineken Cape to Bahia Race, the RORC Caribbean 600 represents ICAP Leopard’s 12th record since her launch in 2007. -- Event website: http://caribbean600.rorc.org/ * America’s Cup skipper Dean Barker and business partner Richard Macalister, owners of Kiwi Yachting Consultants in New Zealand, have acquired Swedish marine electronics manufacturer Nexus Marine AB for an undisclosed sum. The deal was struck through their investment arm, Barmac Holdings, with the balance of shares being held by Layline AB, an investment company owned by Jan Silfven and Jonas Magnér - both of whom hold senior management roles at Nexus Marine. -- IBI Magazine, read on: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090125133910ibinews.html * Puerto Calero, Canary Islands (Feb. 25, 2009) - The RC 44 Championship Tour 2009 started today with the first matches of Round Robin one. Currently undefeated in the match segment of the event are Ceeref/ Sébastien Col, 3-0; BMW ORACLE Racing/Russell Coutts, 2-0; and No Way Back/ Philippe Presti, 2-0. -- Full report: http://www.rc44.com/en/regattas/news/index.php?idContent=1935 LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Reader commentary is encouraged, with letters to be submitted to the Scuttlebutt editor, aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’. Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and be no longer than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). You only get one letter per subject, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From David Shore: I just want to underscore the words of Walt Spevak and Adrian Morgan in Butt 2788 responding to the legal issues increasingly suffocating our sport. To make it very clear, we do not agree that "...the one thing sailors like a lot more than sailing is litigating." Far from it. The truth is that litigation is a cancer to our sport and it will kill it the way it has the America's Cup. It is up to sailors to say no, stop it, we will not feed this any longer. Besides, it's not very exciting when all the lawyers always win and the plaintiffs and defendants always lose. It would be good for Scuttlebutt to take a leadership role in this and drop the legal "news" to the bottom or at least spare us the details of endless appeals and simply inform us of a final decision. Sorry to be so negative, but that what this topic does to people... * From Mike Doyle: Hey, just wait for the protest committees to have to determine sexual harassment for those who have the right of way. Obviously the female on port tack always has the right of way. * From Dawn and Paul Miller: So, it seems that ISAF does not follow US law, shame on them. I imagine it does not matter to the USOC that the RRS protest and redress rules evolved over a hundred years and work quite well. They were just following orders. It is clearly more logical that a twenty year old law sponsored by a senator with clearly poor judgment that implies all sports operate in the same manner is correct. Since foolishness like this is sure to grow, it is time the idea of splitting US Sailing into Olympic and other events should be considered. This would not be a new idea. One only has to look at the American Canoe Association which split off the US Canoe/Kayak organization to handle the Olympic affairs to see one model. * From Paul Shannon: Quote from SB2788, “The racing rules provide for redress, the Protest Committee provided Rios with an award for an incident they found to be no fault of her own, and thus adjusted the scores.” – has anyone calculated the results to date of the Vendee Globe with redress for hitting whales, losing the rig, etc... * From Anton Huggler: (re, Curmudgeon’s Observations in #2788) I am Swiss and now floundering in the depths of depression... the Butt says I was a bad lover! But, by the way, how come Americans didn't make the list? Not good enough for anything and even worse than bad? * From Willii Gohl, GER: Your observation is mainly right, but never forget, that it were the Italians who reorganized and sorted out the chaos with all the luggage produced by the British on the new terminal at Heathrow airport. * From Lucia Nebel White: Today your observation was right on. Whoever wrote that had a good observation of human nature, as I am half Swiss and half Italian. I thought it was great! * From Lou Sandoval: As I write this update, I am completing my final preparations on the talking points for the Illinois State Legislature- Revenue and Finance Committee hearing tomorrow in Springfield, IL. I will be part of a three person team that will be testifying on behalf of the marine industry in Illinois and the long-term effects of the proposed bill (HB0451) that will impose a 'luxury tax' on cars, retail goods and boats. I will be joined by a representative from the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Springbrook Marina (a 30 y.o) family based power boat dealer from Seneca, IL. We have received letters of support from neighboring states and from boat owners as far away as Washington and Florida. Our press release was picked up by Scuttlebutt News and the industry trade magazine Soundings Trade Only. The support has been overwhelming to say the least. Sailors and boaters from around the country have asked how they can get involved to make a difference. It appears to be an indicator on behalf of the taxpayers in our country that imposing legislation that negatively impacts businesses and places frivelous taxes on consumers will not be tolerated. -- Read on: http://karmayachtsalesblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/update-on-proposed-hb0451.html CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION "A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices." - Edward R. Murrow Special thanks to Ullman Sails and New England Ropes. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
