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SCUTTLEBUTT 3734 - Friday, December 7, 2012Scuttlebutt 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. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: Dieball Sailing and The Pirates Lair. TRENDING IDEA It was nearly a year ago that a new event was launched in Miami with brave ambitions. The event - the Miami Snipe Invitational (MSI) - was sponsored by the local Snipe fleet, and the mission was to attract new sailors in the target audience of 30 years and under. It proved to be a huge success, and organizer (and 5-time Snipe U.S. National Champion) Kathleen Tocke is ringing the bell again for the second edition. Here Kathleen provides insight into why one design classes need to get behind this kind of idea. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- We were at the 2011 Snipe Worlds in Denmark and Brian Kamilar, Enrique Quintero, and Tyler Sinks were talking about having a regatta for only younger people. Great Snipe sailors, from the younger generation like Brian, Enrique, Tyler, and Nick Voss have grown up around the Snipe. They get it. Their idea was to get more of their peers involved and introduce them to the boat. The reality is there are so many post-college sailors that don't really have a lot of direction as what to sail (or money). Not every kid can afford an Olympic campaign, but many are interested in sailing at a high level and want the opportunity to compete internationally. This is what we promote. On the event invite, we advertise getting into the Class as an opportunity to represent your country at the Pan Am Games, which is the next best thing to the Olympics. When kids sail Optis, they all want to go to Team Trials to qualify for one of the International Team events. The Snipe, being a Pan Am Class, is one of the few, non-Olympic Classes that offers this same opportunity (and Mom and Dad aren't the chaperones!) And honestly, it's nice for the Snipe Class' young talent to showcase their sailing. It's tough for College All-Americans to come into a Class like the Snipe and get beat-up by "old guys" like Peter Commette, Augie Diaz, and Doug Hart. It's hard to win. The 30 & under age was just enough to keep past national champion Ernesto Rodriguez out of the picture too. We wanted a good introduction for new young sailors. The Snipe Class suffered a good 15 year drought of new young blood, but the number of young Snipers is on the rise. This is mostly because of word of mouth, as kids who have grown up in the Class are inviting their friends, and people like Augie Diaz, Peter Commette, myself on the east coast and the John and Aine Fretwell in San Diego are working hard to provide kids from the other juniors Classes with the opportunity to sail the Snipe - boats, sails, coaching. -- Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=14919#14919 DIEBALL SAILING - MORE THAN SAILMAKING! Dieball Sailing is your personal sailmaker and leading supplier to many One Design classes. Our hard work and personal approach has catapulted our business and is setting a new standard in sailmaking service. We love working with sailors and it shows! In an effort to add another level of convenience to our growing customer base, we are pleased to announce the opening of our on-line store, http://www.dieballstore.com. There you will find championship sails, parts and gear. Great brands like Harken, Rooster, Sea Sure, Velocitek and many more. Use coupon code "Scuttlebutt" for additional savings when you check out! WILL THE 'FRONT FIVE' SOON BE THE 'FRONT FOUR'? (December 6, 2012; Day 27) - If the purpose of ice gates is to keep the Vendee Globe fleet away from the regions of reported ice in the southern latitudes, then how come four of the five leaders are currently in the regions of reported ice? The answer to that question has to do with the problems with ice gates. When sailing in the Roaring Forties of the Indian Ocean, bad things happen. Boats break. Thankfully modern technology helps to select routes away for horrific weather, but when the route requires the passage of an ice gate, the course options decrease. The good news - sort of - is that what the 'Front Five' are dealing with is not horrific weather, but no weather at all. A high pressure zone is nearly on top of the Crozet gate, with immense detours selected to avoid the light winds. Only Armel Le Cleac'h has fulfilled the gate requirement, which means he is stuck in calm conditions, thus the reason why he lost his lead to François Gabart. But Gabart, along with Bernard Stramm and Jean-Pierre Dick, are grouped together, 200nm south of the gate, and will soon need to take a very severe left turn to climb up to it. Count on miles being bled. If there's a Hail Mary amongst the 'Front Five', it is the tactics by Alex Thomson. He is 400+ nm to the south of the eastern end of the gate, and well into a documented ice zone. Either there is a sling shot weather system to bring him north, or we will soon be calling the leaders the 'Front Four'. Tracking: http://tracking2012.vendeeglobe.org/en/ Top 5 of 20 - Rankings as of Thursday, December 6, 2012, 20h00 (FR) 1. Francois Gabart (FRA), Macif: 16755.5 nm Distance to Finish 2. Armel Le Cleac'h (FRA), Banque Populaire: 18.4 nm Distance to Lead 3. Bernard Stamm (SUI), Cheminees Poujoulat: 30.4 nm DTL 4. Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), Virbac Paprec 3: 45.2 nm DTL 5. Alex Thomson (GBR), Hugo Boss: 163.8 nm DTL Full rankings: http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ranking.html BACKGROUND: Twenty skippers began the Vendee Globe, a solo, non-stop around the world race in the IMOCA Open 60 class. Starting in Les Sables d'Olonne, France on November 10, the west to east course passes the three major capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin and the Horn before returning to Les Sables d'Olonne. Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) set the course record of 84 days in the 2008-9 edition. -- http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/ HANSEN FIGHTS BACK Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia (December 6, 2012) - The 2012 Alpari World Match Racing Tour leader Bjorn Hansen (SWE) endured a tough start in his bid for Monsoon Cup glory this week but fought back strongly today in the third day of the Qualifying Session. As the final event of the 2012 season, Hansen kept his World Championship quest alive by completing the opening round robin series atop the rankings at 7-4 and advance to the Quarter Final stage. A pivotal match for Hansen was against Ian Williams (GBR), who is the Swede's closest threat to the overall season title. Williams seized the lead after a pre-start jostle left Hansen trailing the Brit up to the first mark. Hansen managed to pull back on the first downwind run and rolled through Williams for the lead, holding on to the finish despite a spirited effort from Williams. "On the first day we said we weren't going to panic," remarked Hansen. "We're pretty happy with the way we're sailing. I'm feeling good. Against Ian we managed to come from behind in what could turn out to be an important win if conditions don't improve." Sailed in the Foundation 36, the Monsoon Cup offers the highest prize purse on the Tour, MYR 1.475 million (approx USD 475,000), with the winner set to earn MYR 310,000 (approx USD 100,000). Not all of the 12 teams have completed their 11 matches, which could further shuffle the top eight that advance to the Quarter Finals. The remaining Qualifying matches and Quarter Finals are scheduled for Friday with the Semi Finals and Finals planned for Saturday December 8. Racing is available to watch online at http://www.wmrt.com/live.html BACKGROUND: The eight event World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) is the leading professional sailing series, and is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). Prize money is awarded for each event, with event points culminating in the crowning of the "ISAF Match Racing World Champion". -- http://www.wmrt.com SAILING SHORTS * The Sail Canada Board of Directors have announced the recipients of the 2012 Sail Canada Awards and the top three finalists for the Rolex Sailor of the Year. Nikola Girke was named Female Athlete of the Year, Zac Plavsic was named Male Athlete of the Year, and the top three finalists for Rolex Sailor of the Year are Paul Davis, Oskar Johansson, and Zac Plavsic. Full list of award recipients here: http://www.sailing.ca/features/the_results_are_in/ * (December 6, 2012) - Marc Guillemot, skipper of the French Open 60 Safran, today appeared at Southampton Magistrates Court and was fined 9,381 pounds and awarded costs against him of 4,125 pounds for travelling the wrong way in busy traffic lanes off the Kent coast. The incident occurred June 2012 during an attempt to set a new speed record for sailing around the United Kingdom and Ireland. -- Yachting World, full story: http://www.yachtingworld.com/news/533222/french-sailor-fined-over-colregs * St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (December 6, 2012) - Two skippers finished with only one loss after the first day of sailing in the 5th Carlos Aguilar Match Race (CAMR), presented by Ulysse Nardin/Trident Jewels & Time. The USVI's Peter Holmberg, who won this event in 2009, sailed to 7 wins while the USA's Sally Barkow, the 6th ranked woman match racer in the world, finished the day with 6 wins. Barkow made it to the Finals last year where she narrowly lost to Finland's Stefan Lindberg. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=14920#14920 * Melbourne, Australia (December 6, 2012) - All 20 classes finally sailed together on day four of Sail Melbourne, the first event of the 2012-13 ISAF Sailing World Cup season. Early in the morning the wind was blowing 15 knots out of the South, dropping down to five knots from the East. The forecast for Friday may be less than cooperative, after delivering way too much earlier in the regatta. Racing continues through December 8. -- http://sailmelbourne.com.au * Rio de Janeiro, Brasil (December 6, 2012) - The final showdown of the 2012 Extreme Sailing Series begun with six races today in brilliant sunshine and 12-15 knots. Pierre-Yves Jorand (FRA) on Alinghi finished the day just ahead of season leader Leigh McMillan (GBR) on The Wave - Muscat. Pit row will be busy tonight repairing the stern of Oman Air and the bow of Red Bull Sailing Team after those two teams collided. Brazilian national Olympic legend Torben Grael made his Extreme 40 debut as skipper on the wildcard entry Team Brasil, finishing the day eighth in the nine boat fleet. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/ESS-120612 * CORRECTION: We heard from several people on this mistake... we will let David Villiers-Child speak for the crowd: "I hope you will forgive me correcting the HISTORY piece in Scuttlebutt 3733 on the early 12 metre Amercia's Cup Races. Sceptre was not helmed by Peter Scott, but rather Lt Cmdre Graham Mann who had sailed the Royal Dragon Bluebottle to a Bronze Medal at the Melbourne Olympics. Peter Scott helmed a later Challenge by Sovereign in 1964. Both challenges were far from successful, The British were simply under powered by vastly inferior sails." CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AT PIRATES LAIR DOT COM! Warm the holidays with official Mount Gay Rum apparel, Michael Schwab prints, and other goodies. Check out selected season-end blowouts of various regatta tees too. Log on today and don't forget promo code: "HOLIDAYS" for an added discount at checkout! Shop away at http://www.pirateslair.com/SFNT.html PHOTOS OF THE WEEK This week's photo feature is sponsored by the Outside Images agency, which has provided an assortment of images that their office has collected this year. And there is more. Outside Images is offering Scuttlebutt readers a special Christmas coupon for purchasing professional prints for their walls and digital downloads in December through January 2013. They have thousands of stunning images taken by their photographers from around the world, any of which can be purchased at a 40% discount with the special Scuttlebutt coupon code. This link provides a sampling of images along with the coupon code: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/12/1207/ SEND US YOUR PHOTOS: If you have images to share for the Photos of the Week, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor: mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Bonus Photos: Birds and sailors know the truth... fly south in the winter. There are few sailing regions as good as Southern Florida for the next few months, with the Melges 32 getting the party rolling last weekend in Ft Lauderdale. Photos courtesy of John Payne and Sara Proctor: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/12/1206/ VIDEO OF THE WEEK While we may never experience the feeling of sailing a super maxi sailboat, this video by Rick Tomlinson brings us pretty darn close. Aglaia is a spectacular 66m sloop-rigged aluminum yacht with low superstructure and a clean deck. This cruiser has serious sex appeal. The large sloop rig is all carbon with EC6 rigging and gives a sail area to displacement ratio equivalent to a racing yacht. This Dubois design breaks new grounds in several areas - not just the length of this sloop but in the design and all the engineering, innovation, technique and craftsmanship coming together. Click here for this week's video: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/12/1207/ Bonus Videos: * This week on America's Cup Discovered we take a look at the wing, but with a twist. Red Bull Flugtag has imaginations soaring with whacky flying crafts that Jimmy Spithill gets to judge. Oracle Team USA enter into the spirit when they seek out new training methods after the disappointment of their AC72 capsize. Spithill has the opportunity to feel the power of the wing first hand when he flies with the Blue Angels...question is, what happens next? Tune in on Saturday December 8 approx 0800 PST 1100 EST: http://www.youtube.com/americascup SEND US YOUR VIDEOS: If you have clips to share for the Video of the Week, send them to the Scuttlebutt editor: mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250 words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Dave Perry: In response to John Sweeney's letter (SB 3733), the rules tell each boat what their rights and obligations are in each situation, which then informs the sailors what their tactical options are. My goal in teaching the rules through my books and seminars is to help sailors know and understand precisely what the rules say, so they are clear in each situation and can make the best tactical choices. Regarding the situation where two port-tack boats are approaching a starboard-tack boat: 1) The racing rules use some terms that are defined in the racing rules themselves. The starboard-tack boat (S) is an "obstruction" to the two port-tack boats because the definition Obstruction says "...a boat racing is not an "obstruction" to other boats unless they are required to "keep clear" of her..." The two port-tack boats are required to keep clear of S under rule 10; therefore S is an "obstruction." 2) There is no question to the precedence of rules 20 and 19. The preamble to Section C of Part 2 of the racing rules says, "When rule 20 applies, rules 18 and 19 do not." Rule 20 says, "When approaching an obstruction, a boat sailing close-hauled or above may hail for room to tack and avoid another boat on the same tack. After a boat hails, the hailed boat shall (and remember "shall" is mandatory) respond either by tacking as soon as possible, or by immediately replying 'You tack'..." -- Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=14912#14912 * From Lianne Dusek: After reading the article in Scuttlebutt 3732, "The Future of Sailing Lies with the Girls", I felt compelled to share my thoughts, being an experienced female sailor myself. While the intentions of the Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club are commendable, and the efforts put forth to include the women are a start, the program can be revised to reflect a more modern way of thinking. The idea that every women is destined to have a family, and be dependent on her husband, is an out-dated mentality which seems to be embraced by the Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club's sailing program for women. Frankly, as an experienced female sailor, I was offended to read that the "mommy track" was the only perceivable outcome of a woman's sailing career. May I point out, that there are many more opportunities for female racers outside of the keelboat classes. Women continue to excel in high performance classes, and will be crucial in the new mixed multihull class in the 2016 Olympics. Girls should be given the background necessary to pursue these ambitious goals from the very beginning of their sailing careers. -- Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=14918#14918 * From Ryan Hamm, Charleston, SC: I really like some of Bill Gage's suggestions in Scuttlebutt 3733. I have done both fun and serious racing and think there does need to be a better mix; I already get some of the fun with my PHRF racing around buoys and such. Not sure where to start but maybe on the green fleet Optis, the future of our sport. They end up sailing on windward- leeward courses almost every race because it is convenient for the race committees. And they struggle to get around the courses and many of them never leave green fleet and take up soccer or lacrosse or some other non waterborne sport. Then if they happen to do well at one regatta we rush them up to the better fleets instead of easing them into the rat race. Sure, a few do break through and thrive but more and more I see them take up other avenues. Maybe there is a way to go about it. As sailing chair for a local YC I think I am going to try something different this year for our open regatta. Not sure what yet but sure won't be just windward- leeward. I will keep up with comments on Scuttlebutt and maybe take some cues from it. Thanks for putting it out there. * From David Sprague, past ISAF Council Member: Regarding the comments by Brian Morris and Paul Henderson (SB 3732-33), classes do pay significantly more than the MNAs and get little value. Between 2005-2010 the Classes paid 1,666,174 Pounds Sterling (about $2,675,000 US) to ISAF, the MNAs 1,153,672 ($1,853,000 US). Brian is right, the MNAs get a much better deal than the Classes. The MNA's alone elect the Executive and the Board of Directors, only the MNAs vote at the General Assembly (where the Council decision re the Olympic Boards/Kites was changed) and the MNA groups appoint 36 of the 40 Council Members. "No taxation without Representation" comes to mind. The Classes are certainly taxed but certainly not properly represented. Paul implies the MNAs do not influence the voting of the people that they appoint and he is completely wrong in the current ISAF. That idealized world may have existed in history when he was President (although I doubt it) but not now. Canada has made it clear that its appointees are expected to sell and vote the Canadian position. As an appointee of the Canadians I was told that if I did not vote the way the Canadian Association wanted me to they would retaliate. I understand US Sailing place similar restrictions on the people they appointed to ISAF. -- Forum, read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=14917#14917 * From Bruce Kirby: Regarding the history report in Scuttlebutt 3733, I was right abeam of Gretel / Weatherly on a press boat when the Aussie's surfed on by and I actually got a good shot myself with a 400 mm lens. Big stuff back then. Sometime later the word got out that Gretel had been faster than Weatherly in the Davidson tank in New Jersey, which the challenger could use back then. And that beautiful spinnaker of Gretel had come from Columbia after she had been beaten by Weatherly in the American trials. Bus Mosbacher was mad as a wet hen when he found out the chute had been sold to the enemy. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION "The trouble with most of us is that we'd rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism." - Norman Vincent Peale, minister and author SPONSORS THIS WEEK Ultimate Sailing - Summit Yachts - North U - North Sails Ribcraft - Doyle Sails - Atlantis WeatherGear - International Rolex Regatta Point Loma Outfitting - Ullman Sails - Dieball Sailing - The Pirates Lair Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
