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SCUTTLEBUTT 1304 - April 9, 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 emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. SWEDISH MATCH TOUR - Congressional Cup Two-time Congressional Cup winner (1996, 1997) and 2002 runner-up Gavin Brady and his Team Beau Geste recorded five wins on the opening day of the Swedish Match Tour's Congressional Cup to take the early lead in round robin racing. Brady and his Kiwi mates wasted little time in serving notice that he is seriously bidding for his third "Crimson Blazer" - the ceremonial jacket awarded to the winner of the Congressional Cup. Brady also cited the importance of recognizing some of the subtleties of racing in Long Beach, "Prestarts at the Congressional Cup are all about the first shift off the line and not always about winning the right side like at some other regattas." Additionally, umpiring, as key a component to match racing as any sport, must be taken into consideration according to the pace-setting Kiwi. "Umpires at the Congressional Cup are very concerned about people not getting hurt and not damaging the equipment; they'll penalize you even if you don't make contact here, unlike at events in Europe. When the event joined the Swedish Match Tour last year, Brady was runner-up to Peter Holmberg with a mostly Italian crew that included his longtime sidekick, Sean Clarkson. "Now," he said with a relaxed smile, "I'm back sailing with my old mates from New Zealand." Those would be Clarkson, James Baxter, Jon Gunderson and Brad Webb, as well as a couple of new hands this week: American tactician Chris Larson and Theresa DiRocco of Annapolis, the only female sailing this week. DiRocco's 106 pounds brought the team up the 1,200-pound crew limit, and Larson's presence refined the dynamics. "This is the first time in a long time that we've sailed with a fulltime tactician," Brady said. "Chris made all the decisions on which way to go. All I did was drive the boat." Larson said, "[Brady] trusts everybody, and it's a really good group. His four guys are really good." - Sean McBride and Rich Roberts STANDINGS (after 5 of 18 flights): 1. Brady, 5-0; 2. tie between Spithill and Cian, 4-1; 4. Holmberg, 3-2; 5. tie among Gram-Hansen, Dickson and Radich, 2-3; 8. tie among Pillot, Law and Read, 1-4. - www.lbyc.org / www.swedishmatchtour.com ALTERNATIVE Refugees from the not-happening 2003 Worrell 1000 are being welcomed at the Tybee 500, which runs (maybe not the right word) from Islamorada, Florida to Tybee Island, Georgia on May 12-17. At least some of the displaced, would-be Worrell competitors have indicated they'll compete, including Gale Browning and Carl Roberts of Team Antieau Art. Registration is open until April 15. The boats are 18- to 20-foot production catamarans with beams of 8.5 feet or less and factory-rigged spinnakers. According to the notice of race, that means the boats include but are not limited to: Inter 20 - factory spinnaker Nacra 6.0 - New England 6.0 spinnaker Hobie 20 - factory spinnaker NAF 18 - factory spinnaker Open - factory spinnaker rigged, Portsmouth .6300 or below. A class requires eight or more boats, with a limit of 40 entries total for the race. Excerpt from a story on the Sail magazine website, full story: http://www.sailmagazine.com/Boats/NewsOfTheDay/ Event website: http://www.tybee500.com/ STORAGE SOLUTION Ever notice how Star and Etchells sailors have storage boxes mounted to their trailers? The convenience of the boat trailer box keeps their tools, sails, spares, etc. where they need it - with their boat. Mr. Wax has these boxes in stock and they are affordable to ship anywhere in America. Sturdy fiberglass construction insures dry, secure storage. Used also as boat yard lockers. Boxes are 13'4" in length. Check them out at http://www.mrwax.com/mainfram/Storagebox/storagebox.htm AMERICA'S CUP The K-Challenge for the America's Cup has signed one of the better-known and successful naval architects and designers in the field, Phil Kaiko. He was a principal designer of the 2003 challenger, OneWorld that was a semi-finalist in the Louis Vuitton Cup, the precursor event to the America's Cup. Kaiko has been involved in the design of America's Cup class boats since 1987. Kaiko designed America True in 2000 and the victorious America3 in 1992. Kaiko will be K-Challenge's principal designer and will be joined shortly by a co-designer. The signing of Kaiko is a strategic step in the process K-Challenge began 15 months ago of putting into position the key people, technical partners (including MCube which provides design and validation tools), and know-how to make K-Challenge a powerful French challenge. Next to join the design team will be a technical director (whose name is being withheld until he is released from his contractual obligations from the last America's Cup). Along with Kaiko, this addition reunites with Dawn Riley many of the key members of the America True team of 2000. The response to the K-Challenge's call for technical, sailing team, and afterguard has been overwhelming with more key individuals of this multi-national team to be announced soon. A first test for the K-Challenge sailing team may be its participation in the IACC Golden Gate Series and the IACC Worlds to be held in San Francisco September and October of this year where K-Challenge would have the opportunity to act as a "sparring partner" to Oracle Racing. - Nadin Stephanie, www.k-challenge.org CHANGE OF PLANS Derek Hatfield has experienced problems after getting caught in an unforecast storm at the mouth of the Beagle Channel late yesterday. The storm is passing over the area between the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn and has winds reaching 60 knots. This storm is expected to abate by Thursday this week. Derek Hatfield has taken a prudent decision not to resume racing. "The most important thing right now after all that has happened in the last month is to finish the race," he wrote. "It would be unwise to sail out from land into the teeth of this storm without sufficient sea room." Therefore Hatfield has decided that it is better for him to make port again in order to sit out the storm and Spirit of Canada is currently heading to Puerto Williams, a small town on the south side of the Beagle Channel. He intends to set out again on Thursday. We will keep you posted and his position on the positions page will resume as soon as Derek has passed the point where he was dismasted and resumes racing. Brian Hancock, www.aroundalone.com YOU'VE EITHER GOT BALLS OR YOU DON'T Sailors don't like losing their balls ... from their traveler cars. That's why Harken developed the first Captive Ball Bearing Travelers. Stop playing ball bearing hide-and-seek, toss away that loader, and simply roll cars on and off the track. Check out Harken's latest addition to this breakthrough line of one-piece aluminum travelers - the Small Boat range - perfect for boats up to around 28 feet. For more information, check out http://www.harken.com/scuttlebutt/ad-cbcar.php NEWS BRIEFS * The Lightning Masters World Championship starts today in Miami. To qualify, skippers must be at least 55 years old and the combined age of the three person crew must total at least 130. Thirty one entries have been received. The Lightning Worlds itself begins on April 13 and it is restricted to just 62 boats. Teams from Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, US, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, Brazil, and Venezuela are expected. - Amy Smith Linton, www.lightningworlds.org * Sundance Cup Women's Match Racing Clinic and Regatta, Fort Worth Boat Club, Final Results: 1, Deborah Willits, La Porte, Texas, 2. Sandy Hayes, Scituate, Massachusetts, 3. Sarah Buckley, Chicago, Illinois. www.fwbc.com/ * 568 voters chimed in on last week's survey on the Scuttlebutt website which asked whether wearing a PFD in competition should be by choice or dictated by race organizers. Freedom of choice won out this time, with nearly two-thirds voting for it to be a personal decision. This week we are asking what seasickness remedy works best for you. Do you have an opinion? If so, cast your vote at the Scuttlebutt survey and we'll announce the results next week: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com * Clearwater, FL - Defending champion Matt Struble and crew W.F. Oliver have taken a commanding lead in the U.S. Multihull Championship for the Alter Cup by taking bullets in the first six races. Brian Lambert & Jamie Livingston are in second place with 11 points followed by Nigel Pitt & Alex Shafer with 15 points. www.ussailing.org/alter/alter03/reports.htm FUNDING 2003 is the second year ISAF has committed to provide funding to support the attendance of sailors at ISAF Events, with funding towards travel and entry fees provided for sailors from 12 countries at the 2003 ISAF Youth Worlds in Madeira, Portugal. The funding is aimed at sailors from those countries who have not previously participated in ISAF events, sailors from developing sailing countries and those where the financial costs make participation prohibitive. At the close of applications on 26 March 2003, 59 applications from 22 countries had been received at the ISAF Secretariat. ISAF was overwhelmed by the response, and as result had to apply a strict criteria in order to consider the applications and filter those which would receive funding. Of first priority were those nations who had not previously participated at the ISAF Youth Worlds, and ISAF is delighted to be funding the travel and entry fee for one sailor from each of the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Pakistan, Puerto Rico and Samoa - ensuring the inaugural appearance of these countries. Second priority of funding went to those countries who may otherwise have been prevented from sending sailors for financial reasons, and this selection was based on the ISAF subscription category of the respective country. Applying this criteria, ISAF was pleased to confirm funding to cover 50% of the travel and entry costs of one sailor from each of Algeria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Estonia, Guam and Tahiti. It was ISAF's wish that the funding provided be meaningful and a significant amount be given to a few countries, rather than a small amount being given to many, hence only 12 of the 22 countries that applied received funding. However, for those countries that were granted funding, but had made multiple applications to the programme, the decision as to whether the funding provided by the Athlete Participation Programme 2003 be allocated to an individual sailor or spread across the applications made remains with the respective Member National Authority (MNA). - ISAF, www.sailing.org/makingwaves/makingwaves142/default.asp BLAZING BOAT SPEED IN FLORIDA! Ullman Sails continues delivering top results in Florida. MORC Midwinters (1st & 2nd overall); Michelob Ultra Cup, Multihull Division (1st, 2nd, and 3rd), Division 3 (1st) and Division 4 (1st); Lightning Southern Circuit (1st); St. Petersburg NOOD, Henderson 30 class (1st and 2nd), SR21 class (1st and 2nd), Melges 24 class (1st) and Olson 30 class (1st). Are you ready to add additional boat speed to your racing program? For the "Fastest Sails on the Planet" visit your nearest Ullman Sails loft or visit us at http://www.ullmansails.com 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 Marty Rijkuris: After all the Hula and underwater appendage arguments and rulings I would like to see the underbodies becoming unrestricted as per a modified Deed of Gift which was raised by none other than Hamish Ross a member of Team Alinghi back in the March 2002 As Ernesto Bertarelli and Larry Ellison share the same vision and values for modernizing the Cup and go forward with planning the next event perhaps canting keels and canting rigs should also be considered along with unlimited canards and hula's so the millions spent on design and technology will advance monohull racing to the next level and directly benefit the world over. It may also stop all the squabbling that goes on and the huge legal costs that competing teams could well do with out. * From Stephen O Connor, Cork, Ireland (re bikinis on the rail): It's hard enough to keep the crew concentrating on the tell tales not to mind the tails on the rail - it's a good job the sailing conditions in Ireland ensure no such distractions. Bloody weather! * From Alex Haworth: In yesterday's 'Butt (1303) Tom Ehman "expects the ban against centerboards and sliding keels will remain, unless Alinghi and Oracle BMW are otherwise persuaded." Indeed under the protocol released by both it seems they already may be so persuaded: 7. DEED OF GIFT SNG and the Challenger of Record have mutually agreed, in accordance with the terms of the Deed of Gift as follows: (a) all racing in the Regatta shall be undertaken in yachts that comply with the ACC Rules and this Protocol; (b) centre-board or sliding keel vessels are permitted provided they meet the requirements of the ACC Rules; * From J. Joseph Bainton (Reply to Andy Besheer): Larchmont Yacht Club predictably ran a very successful Interclub Nationals of 65 boats last weekend for less than US$20,000. There is a rumor - which perhaps ISAF can confirm or deny - that the budget for the Cadiz ISAF Olympic Classes Worlds is Six Million Euros, i.e. US$6 Million+. If that rumor is true, where is so much money coming from; how is it being spent; and why on a single event? While we are on the subject of qualifying counties for the Olympics, at the ISAF Olympic Classes World Championship why not limit each country to two or possibly three entrants and thereby (a) come much closer to replicating the Olympic Regatta, (b) level the playing field for smaller countries and (c) save money? Given the number of very talented Italian, German and American star sailors (to name three countries with big star fleets), pause for a moment and think how daunting a task it is for the one star from Bermuda or the two or so stars from Canada and Nassau to qualify their countries in a 100+ boat fleet and meet the country's "standard" of finishing sufficiently high in a world championship in order to be able to go to the Olympic, even if their country is qualified. * From Doug Pope: There is a 1" nylon webbing product, available through sailmakers, that fits the bill for jacklines. It comes in white or blue and has a breaking strength of 6000lbs. I would suggest the blue. It's easier to see against light colored decks and it will fade over time, giving an indication of its condition from exposure to UV. * From Bob Bonney: The tavern came first. The Sloop Tavern Yacht Club (STYC) was founded 25 years ago by Seattle racing sailors seeking a kinder, gentler way of enjoying racing with their significant others, non-racing sailors, friends, kids and neighbors. The Sloop Tavern served as their informal clubhouse. For simplicity, spinnakers were forbidden, rules were limited to basic right of way, no protests were heard and club membership costs were kept very low. There was a 100% volunteer race committee, no race entry fees and liberal handicapping that allowed for "fast", "furniture 40", and regular PHRF-rated boats. STYC quickly gained a reputation as an anti-establishment yacht club drawing accomplished racing sailors as well as novices to the starting line. Over time, STYC adopted some traditional features. STYC is a US Sailing member and all racing is conducted under the Racing Rules of Sailing. Protests (though rare) are heard, and there is growing list of reciprocal moorage arrangements. The club maintains large number of active members in PHRF-NW. STYC has been an innovator in the Pacific Northwest. STYC established the first Jack & Jill to Hawaii, a PHRF-NW-adopted multihull handicapping system and the annual Blakley Rock Benefit Regatta. Some recent local beneficiaries have included a high school library, Footloose Sailing (for handicapped sailors) and the Ballard Family Center. All proceeds are presented to the beneficiary at a post-race party - held at the Sloop Tavern of course! * From John Cole: I (like Arthur Jones) am offended by your 'Preseason Refresher Course.' Not all of us get the joy of Warm Water Racing. I have adjusted your first two lines for those of us in the Pacific Northwest (and colder wetter climates): 1. Buy a case of beer, sit with it in the cold shower for a few hours, then drink it. 2. Stand in the cooler for 2 hours and have a buddy throw buckets of cold water on you every 2 mins. Make sure the water flows down your neck while you look towards the ceiling. * From Richard Clark: The image of icy cold bubbles of Steinlager scraping and dissolving the salt from my lips and throat is one of the great pleasures of sailing. The next best thing is standing in a hot shower after a week at sea with vertigo and the taste of salt competing, to see who can stay with me the longest. Being hammered in an East Coast Storm by bullets of rain, spray and what ever else is floating around out there is reason enough for the 1st Pint, after that it is either drowning the memory and the misery of hanging over the lee rail or bullsh**ting ourselves into signing up for the next offshore adventure. I was living in Sydney, a member of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club, when Alan Bond won the Americas Cup in '83. The quiet little drink, I always thought QLD was an abbreviation for Queensland, that followed saw the Police bar entrance or exit to the Club, I believe we were allowed to legally drink the place dry. Alcohol and sailing are inseparable, except when I am at the helm and others entrust their lives to me, but once docked, well, as Cole Porter so beautifully wrote, "anything goes." THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter since nobody listens. |
