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SCUTTLEBUTT 3113 - Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Scuttlebutt 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.
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Today's sponsors: North Sails, Camet, and Henri Lloyd.
TIME TO TURN OUT THE LIGHTS
Sixteen year old Abby Sunderland had her sights set on making history as the
youngest person, male or female, to solo non-stop circumnavigate the world.
But it has not gone well. She left Los Angeles on January 23rd, but had to
stop for repairs in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She restarted February 6th, but
then had to stop again for repairs in Cape Town, South Africa. She restarted
again on May 21st, with her course taking her east across the Indian Ocean.
in the peak storm season of winter.in a high performance Open 40 boat.
without a fixed backstay. Her luck ran out on June 10th when her mast broke;
the boat is now abandoned after Abby was safely rescued by a French fishing
boat on June 12th. Here are a few updates since her rescue:
* The mother of 16-year-old sailor Abby Sunderland said the girl's family
could not afford to pay for her rescue, which could cost as much as
$300,000. Australian authorities flew a Qantas-branded Airbus passenger jet
over the Indian Ocean to spot the girl and her disabled sailboat; they
ultimately took over her rescue from the French. "What price would you put
on a child's life?" Maryanne Sunderland said, according to the Telelegraph
newspaper. " ... We're not wealthy people." An Australian official
reportedly said that paying for the tab hasn't been worked out. "The full
cost of chartering an Airbus would be so high, you'd think they (Australian
rescue authorities) would have to work with the US government for that,"
Maryanne Sunderland said, according to the Telegraph. -- La Weekly, full
story:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/spot-news/abby-sunderland-rescue-cost/
* The father of teen sailor Abby Sunderland told The Post yesterday (Sunday)
that he's broke and had signed a contract to do a reality show, "Adventures
in Sunderland," about his family of daredevil kids weeks after she set off
on her doomed and dangerous solo sail around the globe. Laurence Sunderland,
a sailing instructor who lives in the middle-class Los Angeles suburb of
Thousand Oaks with his pregnant wife and seven kids, opened their home to
film crews four months ago. Magnetic Entertainment of Studio City, Calif.,
is already promoting "Adventures in Sunderland" and "Abby's Journey," a
documentary, on its Web site. The large family has long been a curiosity in
the community, neighbors said. All seven children are home-schooled. "They
rarely leave their house, and they rarely talk to neighbors," local resident
Brian Gonzales said. -- NY Post, full story: http://tinyurl.com/24ltn3z
* Apparently, the entire Sunderland clan has a lot of faith, because Mann
(Stephen Mann, who the Sunderlands consulted before Abby's trip) described
them as "religious fundamentalists." According to Wikipedia, "[Abby's]
family is devoutly Christian and her father has stated that, 'We are
born-again Christians, and we don't make any decision just based on feeling
or even on sound knowledge.'" The fundamentalist view of existence might
explain a lot of things. Such as faith overcoming reason when it came to
deciding whether or not to undertake such a risky voyage. Such as faith
making Abby an agent of god rather than just a mere sailor. Such as faith
meaning you don't have to worry because you're always in god's hands. And,
in the case of Abby's parents, faith that if their daughter was killed, they
would at least be reunited with her for eternity in heaven. -- Latitude 38,
full story: http://tinyurl.com/22lfmpd
NOTE: On Abby's last days she was faced with 60 knot winds and seas of 20-25
feet - conditions not uncommon for her location in the Southern Ocean part
of the Indian Ocean. -- Abby's Blog: http://soloround.blogspot.com/
WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
Tufts University Head Coach Ken Legler has been in the college game a long
time, and has likely seen every situation and heard every excuse that can be
made for poor performance. The combination of multiple short course races
with high octane young sailors provides a platform for mistakes to occur,
and as in every game, minimizing mistakes is the key to success. In this
article, Ken provides a series of tips that can be applied to all types of
racing:
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Here is a list of mistakes often made by college sailors. Many have
automatic excuses, particularly the "getting fouled" mistake. Excuses do not
win championships, only speed and mistake free sailing wins. These common
mistakes are divided into four basic categories: fouling, capsizing,
tactical disasters and boat problems. By listing these potential problems
and ideas for avoiding them, perhaps the students of the sport can become
mistake free sailors and master the game of college sailing sooner rather
than later.
Fouling, getting fouled, hitting marks, and communication breakdowns within
the boat are all in this first category. To avoid fouling, you must know the
rules, recognize situations in advance and handle your boat out of trouble
via a great deal of practice. Among my biggest pet peeves: mast collisions.
Avoiding getting fouled is a bit more sublime but again, recognizing what is
about to happen with time to avoid is paramount. Communication (in a timely,
polite but firm way) with the other boats is also key. Example: when an
out-of-control boat is barging at mid-line, instead of yelling at them while
holding your ground or forcing them up, try backing down so that they cross
your bow and take out the next boat. You then accelerate and go with your
next door neighbors to leeward now tangled in park. -- Read on:
http://tinyurl.com/2fuqpcm
NORTH-POWERED BOATS START 2010 ONION PATCH SERIES ON TOP
North Sails-powered boats finished 1-6 in the first segment of the 2010
Onion Patch Series at the NYYC 156th Annual Regatta presented by Rolex.
Congratulations to: 'Ran' (1st), 'Bella Mente' (2nd), 'Sforzando' (3rd),
'Vanquish' (4th), 'Invictus' (5th) and 'Rambler' (6th). Rounding out the top
ten was 8th place finisher 'Gold Digger' and 10th place finisher
'Temptation.' Good luck to all competitors racing in the rest of the Onion
Patch Series, which includes Newport-Bermuda Race results and one day of
racing in Bermuda. When performance counts, the choice is clear:
http://na.northsails.com
FREE WEATHER FORECAST: North Sails and Southern Spars have partnered with
Sailing Weather Service to provide one FREE weather forecast for the 2010
Newport-Bermuda Race that starts June 18th. The forecast, which will provide
a detailed outlook for the days ahead and what to expect while racing the
635-nautical mile course from Newport to Bermuda, will be emailed to
subscribers on Wednesday, June 16. Visit North's online weather center to
sign up: http://www.na.northsails.com/tabid/7240/Default.aspx
PART 3: ON MAKING SAILORS
Saving Sailing Author Nicholas Hayes continues to refine and improve the
core ideas of his award-winning book in this 6-part series first published
and still running in SpinSheet Magazine.
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Let's get two thing straight: 1.) Not everyone will be a sailor, just like
not everyone will be a cellist or a fly fisherman; and 2.) Not everyone will
be a mentor, just like not everyone will be a parent, or a teacher, or a
coach.
It takes a certain person to commit the time it takes to "be" a sailor, just
as it takes a mentor to commit the time to teach a sailor. Why is the mentor
so important? Consider the basics:
1.) It's not the place or the program, it's the person. If you want to help
kids in cities develop an appreciation of the natural world, of course you
will need some vestiges of the natural world in the city. Thus, the park. If
you hope that kids will deepen their appreciation by learning more about one
natural subject or another, you will create programs in the park. You might
find a volunteer who knows about bats to give a talk each Thursday at dusk.
However, the kid who is inspired to become a wildlife biologist focusing on
nocturnal mammals doesn't do it because of the park or the program, but
because of the volunteer's authentic, contagious enthusiasm for bats. It's
usually as simple as that.
Likewise, if you hope a kid will develop an appreciation of wind and water,
you'll need wind and water. Thus the shared sailboat, perhaps part of a
community or club fleet. Onboard, contagious, authentic enthusiasm for wind
and water is the spark for a life of sailing. Learning to love sailing is
often the product of simple, early shared experiences: like trading the helm
or the mainsheet; or practicing a maneuver until it doesn't require verbal
cues; or stories about sailing places and people told while the passage is
made. Contagious, authentic enthusiasm is evident when you hear either say,
"Wow, that was awesome, can we do it again next Saturday?"
2.) The bigger picture is the draw. Mentoring doesn't depend on only one
activity; it works as well with fishing, cooking or gardening as with
sailing. Mentors see activities as vehicles through which life lessons are
taught, so they usually pick one that they enjoy deeply and are the most
familiar with. Faced with a choice to teach through, say, sailing vs.
accounting, the mentor will always choose the pursuit that is 1.) fun for
everyone and 2.) provides the widest vista of teaching opportunity on
broader subjects like nature, science, math, commitment, humility and
responsibility. This combination of fun and context are what hold everyone's
interest. Here, you might hear an apprentice say, "That was a lot cooler
than I expected. I never thought about clouds that way!"
Read on: http://tinyurl.com/2fnhykm
NEW PROGRAM: The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center has a new program this
year called "Family Learn-to-Sail," which is a one-of-a-kind offering and
other sailing organizations around the country are planning to model
programs similar to it. Nick Hayes, a MCSC board member and avid family
sailor -- his daughter is now an instructor -- helped develop the program in
the wake of his book 'Saving Sailing'. "Unlike most summer activities like
sports, skills, camps or clubs, sailing isn't for kids alone," says Hayes.
"It's a fun and exciting outdoor activity where kids and parents can learn
and grow together. And at the Sailing Center, where boats, instructors and
safety equipment are supplied, it's affordable and convenient, too." -- Full
story:
http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/familysailingprogram.html?22875
RULE 30 - STARTING PENALTIES
There are three Starting Penalties provide in the Racing Rules of Sailing: I
Flag Rule, Z Flag Rule, and Black Flag Rule. Of the three, the Black Flag
Rule has specific administrative requirements of the race committee that
must be met, with this example by International Judge Jos M. Spijkerman
demonstrating what can happen when they are not met:
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Assumed Facts
The race committee displayed the Black Flag as the preparatory signal for
the start of a class. Boat A was identified in the triangle formed by the
ends of the starting line and the first mark during the last minute before
her starting signal. After the starting signal, the race committee signalled
a general recall. The race committee disqualified Boat A without a hearing
for breaking rule 30.3.
Question 1
If Boat A believes that the race committee made a mistake when it identified
her in the triangle during the last minute, do the rules permit her to sail
in the race when it is restarted and then request redress?
Answer 1
Rule 30.3 clearly requires boat A not to sail in the restarted race and
states that her disqualification will become non-excludable if she does. Her
only remedy is to request redress, which, if given in a series, would
normally be based on her results in other races.
Additional Assumed Facts
The race committee failed to display A's sail number before the next warning
signal for the race, and A sailed in the race when it was restarted.
Question 2
Is A entitled to a finishing place?
Answer 2
No. Boat A should be disqualified as required by the second sentence of rule
30.3. However, because the race committee erred by not displaying her sail
number between the general recall and the next warning signal for the race,
she should be scored BFD (Disqualification under rule 30.3), and not DNE
(Disqualification not excludable under rule 90.3(b)). If she requests
redress claiming that she is entitled to a finishing place because the race
committee erred by not displaying her sail number, her request should be
denied.
While not displaying her sail number is an improper omission by the race
committee, it is not the omission that deprived her of her finishing place,
but the fact that she had been on the course side of the starting line in
the minute before her starting signal. However, if she was scored DNE,
redress should be granted to the extent of changing her score to BFD.
Read on: http://rrsstudy.blogspot.com/2010/05/pillowcase-of-week-20-96.html
BETTER BY DESIGN
The Camet Wahine, along with the Martinique, is a big step forward in the
design of women's clothing. "We are the first company to really focus on
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women". The Martinique features a low rise and a longer inseam. The Wahine
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more @ http://www.camet.com/?Click=1627
SAILING SHORTS
* Long Beach, CA (June 13, 2010) - While the Optimist is the primary junior
trainer for much of the world, the Naples Sabot remains the dominant choice
in Southern California, and has something that the Opti cannot offer - adult
racing. Title winners from this past weekend at the 2010 Naples Sabot Senior
Championship were Jeff McDermaid, Mark Gaudio, Erik Mayol, and Pinky Greene.
-- Full report: http://www.abyc.org/event.cfm?id=388
* Newport, RI (June 14, 2010) - With the completion of the 156th New York
Yacht Club Annual Regatta presented by Rolex, racing in the first of the
three stage 2010 Onion Patch Series ended Sunday afternoon. Overall
provisional results after Stage One put Belle Mente (Reichel/Pugh 69) 1-2
and Ran (Reichel/Pugh 75) 2-1 in a tie with three points each. Stage Two of
the Onion Patch Series, the Newport Bermuda Race, starts Friday June 18th in
Newport. The classic ocean race is organized by the Cruising Club of America
and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. -- Full report:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10027#10027
* Strictly Sail Miami, which moved to Sea Isle Marina this year because of
the recession, will relocate to the Miamarina at Bayside in 2011. The
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) said in a statement that
the move will "meet the needs and preferences" of exhibitors and attendees.
It will be held in conjunction with next year's Miami International Boat
Show. -- IBI Magazine, read on:
http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20100514154307ibinews.html
LETTERS AND FORUM
Please email your comments to the Scuttlebutt editor (aka, 'The
Curmudgeon'). Published letters must include writer's name and be no longer
than 250 words (letter might be edited for clarity or simplicity). 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 Ted Beier (re, Eight Bells: John Bonds):
I was very sorry to read of the passing of John, who became a life-long
friend since he was one of the originators of our sailing training programs.
He always seemed to remember your name and always had a moment to chat. An
example of his extraordinary ability to manage people came during a USYRU
(as it was then) annual meeting while he was executive secretary. A
frustrated committee head was complaining to John and several others of us
about how her volunteer committee mnembers were "really messing things up",
and asked John, "What do I do with them?" John replied, "With volunteers you
tell them, 'thank you for your service'."
* From Hugh Balloch (re, Eight Bells: John Bonds):
We were blessed by being able to sail in the 2009 Marion Bermuda Race with
John Bonds as our navigator. He also safely skippered Dragon home with his
usual eclectic mix of experts and novice offshore sailors. Despite less than
ideal weather conditions John was irrepressibly cheerful and optimistic. But
he always had a wary eye for what might go wrong and planned accordingly.
He'd typically pop his head up one of the companionways with some advice or
comment on every watch - a habit that earned him the nickname "Whack-a-mole"
for part of the trip. We miss him, and wish him fair winds on his final
sail.
* From Chris Welsh/Ragtime (re, Abby Sunderland):
I've followed the discussion and criticism of who would let their kid do the
world trip a bit, and I stand firmly with the Sunderlands. For them, and
their daughter, it was the right call. For another child- adult that has
been over protected their whole life, going at age 24 would be wrong. I read
Abby's blog; she was totally composed throughout as things got nasty, and
she responded as well to the crisis as well as a 40 year old would have. She
catalogued and understood the risks, prepared for them, and when tested, did
the right thing. If the proof is in the pudding, she's proved she had the
mettle.
Pluck comes from experiences like she has had, and parenting that let her go
out and try. Her dad's comment that kids were overly protected and needed to
learn the world for themselves resonate with me. Someone like Abby is
welcome to sail on Ragtime any day.
* From Paul Berger (re, Abby Sunderland):
As a veteran of well over 60 years and 75,000 miles of ocean racing and long
distance cruising, I fully agree with the decision of the American Sailing
Association to NOT provide sponsorship to Abby Sunderland for the reasons
stated by the organization. Experienced sailors know that in making
decisions about departure, whether departing for a short term sail or an
extended cruise, the one thing you can control is the weather.
If the weather is expected to be bad, you delay leaving port. If you are
planning a world cruising route, you time certain passages for the
appropriate time of year. This was not taken into consideration by the
Sunderland family because of the stated goal of Abby being the youngest
woman to sail around the world "non stop and unassisted" and the fantasy of
capitalizing financially should that goal be achieved.
Driven by that folly, when there were delays in her initial departure from
Marina Del Rey, they pushed forward anyway. When she had to make a stop in
Cabo San Lucas for repairs they still pushed forward, spinning the matter as
"well, it will still be around the world 'nonstop' since it is Northern
Hemisphere to Northern Hemisphere." When another lengthy stop had to be made
in Cape Town, again they pushed forward spinning the matter as "well, it's
still around the world!"
The issue isn't her age relating to her capability (although it should be
noted that in an interview before she left Marina Del Rey for Cabo she
disclosed that the longest she had ever been at sea alone was overnight).
The issue was her age as it drove the erroneous decision to proceed with the
trip notwithstanding the delays. -- Scuttlebutt Forum, read on:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=10028#10028
* From Tim Smith, Sydney, Australia:
It is interesting to see Cory E. Friedman and Howard Bentley (in Scuttlebutt
3112) jumping all over Abby Sunderland's reputation before her feet have
even hit solid ground. I have two questions for Messrs Friedman and Bentley:
1. Do you have a thorough understanding of the circumstances of the
dismasting of Miss Sunderland's boat? I seem to recall quite a few boats
sailed by sailors of all levels ending up in similar circumstances, handled
with what appears to be less aplomb.
2. If Miss Sunderland was 2 years older would your comments be the same?
What about 3 or 4 or 5 years? Or maybe if she was male? Maybe she's not man
enough for the task in your eyes as I didn't hear you moaning about her
brother, or Perham or Martin.
I, like most, am torn by the idea of 16 year olds sailing around the world,
but I do know that I wouldn't like to be dismasted in the Southern Ocean and
that I shouldn't assume that I know more about a situation than I do.
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CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
It really annoys me off when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link
takes me to a video instead of text.
Special thanks to North Sails, Camet, and Henri Lloyd.
Preferred supplier list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
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