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SCUTTLEBUTT 3464 - Monday, November 7, 2011Scuttlebutt 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: Doyle Sails and Team One Newport. RACE BEGINS IN BOAT-BREAKING CONDITIONS (November 6, 2011) - Before the Volvo Ocean Race fleet was to start the first leg of the 2011-12 edition in Alicante, Spain, they already knew what lied ahead. Ken Read, skipper of PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG, put it bluntly: "It looks like we could get the crap kicked out of us getting out of the Med." Following the race start on Saturday (Nov. 5th), the six teams maneuvered around several marks in 20+ knots to provide a brilliant online broadcast, but soon were to head upwind into a building breeze of boat-breaking conditions to begin the 6,500 nautical mile first leg to Cape Town. Two teams would not survive the first 24 hours. In five-metre waves and 30 knots, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing was the first casualty, breaking their mast in two places just six hours and 84 nautical miles from the start line. "I was steering and we just came off a big wave," skipper Ian Walker said. "I know it's a big wave when my feet leave the ground. You always have your heart in your mouth when that happens. When we landed the mast just kept going." The incident was reported at 1915 UTC/GMT. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing arrived in Alicante under engine Sunday morning, where a team of riggers will soon be met by the replacement mast. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will return to the race once the mast is prepped and hull damage repaired. "I say three days and hopefully it's two, maybe it's four, but we'll do it as soon as we can," said Walker, who also noted they did not lose any sails. "We are only allowed 17 sails for the race so you can't go throwing two sails over the side." (see video: http://youtu.be/tuWGtdCRs4o) For the five remaining teams, the attrition would continue as Team Sanya reported at 0834 UTC Sunday, November 6 that they had suffered hull damage. "We were looking after the boat nicely while going upwind in 35 knots of wind," explains skipper Mike Sanderson, "and suddenly the boat went really bow down and immediately we knew it wasn't good. The water tight bulkhead is doing a great job, the pumps are running." It was still unclear exactly what had caused the damage, which occurred when the boat was 30 nautical miles southeast of Motril, on the southern coast of Spain. "Right now we have no idea how major the damage is, we can however see a puncture wound on the port side and streams of carbon peeling off so it isn't good," said Sanderson immediately after the incident. Team Sanya, which is the only boat among the fleet that is not new, is now in the Mediterranean port of Motril assessing the hull damage, but had not indicated whether they would return to Leg 1 by press time. The team also announced on Sunday that bowman Andy Meikeljohn had broken his foot during what they described as a hectic sail change. On the racecourse, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand has led the fleet through the Strait of Gibraltar, where the forecast describes a high-pressure system west of Gibraltar that should drop the wind speed to 10 knots. Standings as of Monday, 07 November 2011 00:55:00 UTC 1. CAMPER with Emirates Team NZ, 6129.1 nm Distance to Finish 2. Team Telefonica, 3.4 nm Distance to leader 3. Groupama Sailing Team, 20.2 nm DTL 4. PUMA Ocean Racing by BERG, 22.1 nm DTL Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing - Suspended Racing Team Sanya - Suspended Racing Tracking/Standings: http://tinyurl.com/VOR-11-12-Tracking Photos - start: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/11/1105/ Video - day one: http://youtu.be/5LnQv4szZN4 Abu Dhabi report: http://tinyurl.com/AD-110611 Team Sanya report: http://tinyurl.com/TS-110611 BACKGROUND: During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which started in Alicante, Spain and concludes in Galway, Ireland, during early July 2012, six professional teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the world's most treacherous seas via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajai, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient. Teams accumulate points through nine distance legs and ten In-Port races. - http://www.volvooceanrace.com POLITICS AS USUAL (November 5, 2011) - A tiff over the shipment of a natural gas liquid out of the Marcellus Shale, by tankers from one US port to another, almost blocked a series of races tied to the 2013 America's Cup, but was resolved in a rare display of bipartisan cooperation in the US Senate. US Senator Pat Toomey, a Pennsylvania Republican, said this week he would delay the America's Cup World Series sailboat races in San Diego set to start next week (Nov. 12-20) unless Congress granted a waiver for foreign flag tankers to carry liquefied petroleum gas on US waters. At issue is the Jones Act, which prohibits foreign flag ships from traveling from one US port to another without a waiver. The ships would take ethane from Sunoco's Marcus Hook Refinery where Sunoco Logistics is building a refrigerated ethane storage facility. Ethane is one of the natural gas liquids produced from Marcellus Shale wells in western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. Sunoco Logistics and MarkWest first announced in June 2010 the plan to refrigerate and transport refrigerated ethane from the Marcellus down to the Gulf Coast for processing in petrochemical plants. Toomey's office said the senator sought wavers for the tankers, but was told that they would have to wait until the Coast Guard Authorization Act was considered in a few months. But Toomey also learned that similar waivers were being issued to 60 foreign ships to participate in the America's Cup race in San Diego next weekend (described as an event that leads up to the 2013 America's Cup) and would be passed immediately in the Senate. That news prompted Toomey to threaten to put a hold on those waivers if similar waivers were not granted to the Marcus Hook tankers. (For those not familiar with the US legislative process, senators have a great amount of clout to do things like this.) The chairman of the Senate Commerce committee, US Senator Jay Rockefeller, said he shared Toomey's concerns. A West Virginia Democrat, he said the US House of Representatives will pass a bill that combines the America's Cup Act of 2011 and the NGL tanker waivers. "When the bill comes to the Senate, I will support it," he said, "and (I will) push for its immediate consideration." Replied a satisfied Toomey: "Terrific." Source: http://www.platts.com/weblog/oilblog/2011/11/05/spat_over_shale.html COMMENT: The bill passed. "We applaud the members of the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives who voted overwhelmingly in support of the America's Cup Act of 2011," said Craig Thompson, Chief Executive Officer, America's Cup Event Authority. "This Act enables our international field of America's Cup teams to participate in the only global sporting event currently committed to come to the United States in the next decade." -- http://tinyurl.com/AC34-110611 OVERTHROW THE STATUS QUO Doyle Stratis sails are now onboard Team Sanya for the Volvo Ocean Race and Team Korea in the AC 45's. These projects along with the IRC Mini Maxi Shockwave are proving that Doyle Stratis outperforms the competition in the highest arenas. Are you ready to break with the status quo and gain the advantage of Doyle Stratis to power your program? Watch a video giving insight into Team Korea's White Tiger campaign and the incredible success it has enjoyed being the only AC 45 to break from the fleet and fly Doyle Stratis sails, http://www.doylesails.com/overthrowthestatusquo AULD MUG COMES TO SAN DIEGO A preview of the America's Cup World Series Event Village in San Diego will be open to the public on Wednesday, Nov 9th. Get an insider's look of the village after 3:30 pm and you'll also get to see the America's Cup Trophy. Unveiling the trophy will be Tom Ehman, Vice Commodore of Golden Gate Yacht Club, who will be joined by Iain Murray, Bruno Trouble, and Terry Hutchinson for 'Cupdates' at 4:00 pm (youth sailors) and 5:30 pm (open). No RSVP necessary. Ehman will also be providing presentations (but no trophy) this week for yacht club members at... Nov. 8 - Los Angeles, California YC at 7:30pm Nov. 9 - Newport Beach, Newport Harbor YC at 12:00pm (rsv. required) Nov. 10 - Long Beach, Long Beach YC at 7:30pm (rsv. required) COLLEGE NATIONALS Chicago, IL (November 6, 2011) - Thirty-six of college's best Laser sailors competed at Chicago Yacht Club's Belmont Station for the LaserPerformance Men's and Women's Singlehanded National Championships. During the course of the three day event, temperatures ranged from upper 40s to upper 50s, with the wind increasing each day. Final day winds saw gusts hitting over 30 knots, which ultimately halted racing after 15 of the 18 races were completed. Boston College's Anne Haeger ('12) became a three-time ICSA Women's Singlehanded Champion as she dominated the women's event, winning with a race to spare. On the men's side, Yale's Cam Cullman '13 was tied for the lead after the first day, but then pulled away to also win before the final race. Men's results (top 5 of 18) 1. Yale University, Cam Cullman '13, 57 points 2. University of South Florida, Christopher Stocke '15, 84 3. College of Charleston, Zeke Horowitz '12, 84 4. Stanford University, Mateo Vargas '14, 94 5. Brown University, Colin Smith '13, 120 Women's results (top 5 of 18) 1. Boston College, Anne Haeger '12, 34 points 2. Yale University, Claire Dennis '13, 69 3. Yale University, Emily Billing '13, 77 4. Brown University, Sky Adams '14, 104 5. U. S. Naval Academy, Marissa Lihan '14, 108 Event website: http://2011singlehanded.collegesailing.info/ BACKGROUND: The Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) hosts six major championships in each school year. The Coed Dinghy National Championship, Team Race National Championship, and Women's Dinghy National Championship are held in the spring, and the Men's and Women's Singlehanded National Championship and the Match Race National Championship are held in the fall. -- http://www.collegesailing.org/ THE ED BAIRD SHOW Virgin Gorda, BVI (November 4, 2011) - No matter how you look at it, the 25th running of the Bitter End YC's Maclaren Pro-Am Regatta was pretty much the Ed Baird show. Sailing IC24s, Baird comfortably won the 12-race fleet racing portion of the event with an eight point edge over Andrew Campbell. Because of previous travel commitments, Campbell could not stay for the match racing finals, so Anna Tunnicliffe, who was only a single point behind him, moved up to match race Baird for the championship. Baird was ahead at every mark in a one sided series (2-0) to claim the Pro-Am title for the seventh time. In the Petite Finals, third place fleet racing finisher Zach Railey lost his opening match to Peter Holmberg, and was trailing on the run to the finish line in their second race when he caught a puff that avoided Holmberg. Railey won by perhaps a foot to set up the final and deciding race of their series. Race three was pretty much a mirror image of race two. Holmberg lead all the way around the course until a puff on the run to the finish line pushed Railey's bow out in front - this time by less than a foot - giving Railey third place in the regatta. Dave Ullman finished the Maclaren Pro-Am in fifth place with the UK's Matt Burge taking sixth. -- Results/Daily reports: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12838 SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CALENDAR Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * With the aim of bringing younger sailors into the Canadian 49er class, a program has been developed to provide highly discounted charter boats to young sailors interested in sailing the Olympic class 49er skiff. The charter boats will be a complete 49er with dolly, a carbon mast and ready to race for a period of one year. This is a perfect opportunity for young Laser, C420 or 29er sailors looking to make the jump into the exciting 49er class. Applications shall be submitted on or before Thursday, November 17th, 2011. A decision on the selected athletes will subsequently be made by November 20th. Details here: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12852 * Washington, DC (November 3, 2011) - Following the results that were published in October showing the damaging effects of E15 on marine engines, David Hilbert, one of the leads on those research studies, sat with members of the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, from the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, at a U.S. Congressional hearing to discuss the effects of E15. The subcommittee invited a number of specialists to the Congressional hearing to testify on the effects of E15, including Hilbert, who testified on behalf of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. -- Boating Industry, read on: http://tinyurl.com/BI-110611 * Marinalife announced that Nantucket Boat Basin in Nantucket, Massachusetts was voted Best Transient Marina for the second year in a row in its second annual Best Marina Contest. Nantucket Boat Basin, a 240-slip full-service marina located two blocks from the town of Nantucket, is known for special touches like a hand-written confirmation note and a welcome bag delivered to arriving boaters. A full-time concierge service is also on-call to make restaurant reservations, tee times, and special arrangements like a clambake on the beach. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12850 THREE REASONS TO WEAR OR TRAIN IN VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS 1- The best grip of any shoe we've tested on almost any boat. 2- Improves range of motion in ankles, feet and toes while it strengthens muscles reducing potential injury. 3- Stimulates neutral function important to balance & agility reduces heel lift to align the spine and improve posture. This will make you a better sailor no matter what type of sailing or training you do while eliminating back pain. Get your pair of FiveFingers at Team One Newport: http://tinyurl.com/ton5finger or 800-847-4327. Service, selection & expertise since 1985. Free ground shipping on orders over $99 (Offer expires 11/23/11) 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 Howard Bentley: Commenting on the letter in Scuttlebutt 3463 by David Greene, I am very sorry about your son and also the recent tragedy, however, age is but one single consideration whether risky activities are appropriate for minors. Age does not accurately or consistently reflect one's sailing experience, one's ability, or one's physical and mental maturity to handle all situational variables. I went to school with a man-child of 17 years old that left high school early to sail in Perth and try to challenge for the Americas Cup. He did the bow, at 17. That simply would not have happened with nanny state rules specifying age minimums. Would you deny such an opportunity based on the results of a dissimilar comparison? Many activities can be risky and sometimes very bad things happen, even with total preparation. The onus is ultimately on the participants, the skipper, parents (if minors), and the sponsors of activities. We do not need rules created based on an emotional response to tragedy. Age restrictions only prevent people from gaining experience, experience that is best learned early and often. I was fortunate to have skied in nasty places early on and ended up with skills for a lifetime. Skills I never would have had without all the early childhood risk. * From Leslie Wilson: Regarding the debate concerning super-yacht mooring during the 34th America's Cup (in Scuttlebutt 3463), are we not speaking about a short term parking spot that we should welcome into the San Francisco local economy as well as set a precedent of hospitality for the future? I am all for protecting the public, the land, the waterways... but come on! Politically and economically, you need to embrace this event and then pray that Oracle wins and your track record reflects a welcoming venue to be a potential home for AC 35. * From Rocky Schnaars: Our team signed up for the coaching (described in Scuttlebutt 3463) at the 2011 East Coast Championship in Annapolis. Now I figured it to be a seminar and hey, we have all been there. That is not what happened at all! So while I am putting the boat together on Thursday, I get introduced to Bary Gately from Quantum Sails. Bary is a successful sailmaker and can make any boat faster that he gets on - (yeah we all know some guys like that). He is a great sailmaker and a great sailor - but what Bary Gately is passionate about is coaching. I mean this guy is crazy about coaching!! He is there on the dock before you, ready to answer any questions. While you are putting the boat to bed at the end of the day he appears to answer any questions about the day. Between races he appears on a launch to make suggestions and answer any questions. Hell, on Saturday evening when it was 36 degrees and raining, he came outside with us and showed us what he felt was the best way to tack the number 3 (tuff to ignore the advice of someone who has done the J/24 worlds). Now remember, we are deep deep in the fleet after Friday. We do not have all Quantum Sails. It is a gnarly nasty Saturday evening and we are hanging out with a guy who is coaching us. Making the crew better, making us better sailors, making us better people! That was why this regatta was one of the best experiences I have had as a sailor! -- Full comment: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12851#12851 * From Keith Archer: Your item in Scuttlebutt 3463 about the message in the bottle reminded me of a time long ago when, anchored at an island in New Zealand and wandering along the beach, I found a bottle with a message in, giving a lady's name, address and asking the finder to contact her. By way of a joke, I gave the message to a friend who was heading for a visit to California, and asked him to write to the lady saying he found the bottle on Long Beach, California. This he did, and some time later the lady contacted the local newspaper in Auckland telling the amazing story of how her bottle with a message turned up so far away. The story, prominently displayed in the newspaper, attracted a good deal of notice, including of course a day or so later, very critical replies that the story was a hoax - it simply wouldn't have been possible for the bottle to travel the distance in the time available, let alone against known currents. The lady rang the paper, very upset that she had been scammed so I chose to own up to what I had done. She rang me and tore big strips off me - just didn't see any humor in the story whatsoever. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Doyle Sails - Team One Newport - Harken - Summit Yachts - North Sails New England Ropes - JK3 Nautical Enterprises - LaserPerformance Ultimate Sailing - Ullman Sails - Camet - The Pirates Lair Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
