SCUTTLEBUTT No. 788 - April 5, 2001

Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome.

US SAILING SURVEY
(Following is an excerpt from the report of US Sailing VP Mike Schoettle concerning the recent Internet survey conducted USSA.)

224 people contributed their thinking to the survey on US Sailing's priorities that was on the web site for five weeks ending March 8, 2001. These comments were very useful to the Executive Committee in its meeting on March 22. During this facilitated strategy session, we decided what we thought were the most important goals US Sailing should accomplish during the next few years. The Executive Committee members also considered inputs from the staff as well as the ideas of individual members, who had spoken directly to them. The following are the Priority Goals that were developed during this session and then were approved by the Board of Directors on March 25, 2001:

PRIORITY GOALS
á Define and implement a plan that dramatically improves US SAILING's communications, especially to volunteers and to individual and organizational members.
á Improve fiscal strength and discipline.
á Field Olympic, Paralympic, Pan Am, International Offshore and Youth World teams that are more successful in this cycle than any other country and support youth and other development processes that position us for similar success in the future.
á Attain compliance with the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998 and USOC Constitution and Bylaws by November 2001.
á Develop and implement a plan for strategic use of technology by US SAILING.
á Complete the following certification and training programs: Power Boat, Safety Certification, Sailing Counselor, Level 2 Instructor Trainer, Level 4 Coaching.
á Develop and implement a plan to better meet the needs of offshore sailors.
á Develop and implement a plan to better meet the needs of grassroots sailing.
á Start a fundraising/endowment program.
á Improve administrative efficiency and effectiveness of US SAILING's office in Portsmouth.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
á Serve as the National Governing Body for the sport of sailing under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act of 1998.
á Be the national authority for sailing.
á Be the source of information about sailing in the United States.
á Represent U.S. sailors' interests to all national and international constituencies.
á Field national teams that consistently demonstrate excellence in international competitions.
á Be the primary source of education materials, programs and standards for training and skill development in competitive and recreational sailing.
á Achieve measurable growth in sailing.
á Maintain an operating surplus to reinvest in sailing.

Full report: www.ussailing.org/

THE PREZ SAYS .
Yes, the new Racing Rules of Sailing went into effect on Sunday, April 1st, and yes, the Racing Rules of Sailing 2001-2004 booklet is late. We at US Sailing are not going to make excuses or blame ISAF. Instead, we'd like to assure you that the Rulebook is in production and will be shipped mid- to late April. I'm as anxious as anyone to get the new rulebook in my hands and frustrated that it is not out yet.

In designing the new Rulebook, we listened to our Members' suggestions. Its size will allow us to tuck it in our pockets; the cover and pages will be tougher, and a new wire binding will allow us to open the book and lay it flat.

Between now and when you receive your Rulebook, the entire draft of the new rules and all US Prescriptions are available. You can find the complete ISAF racing rules text at the ISAF web site (www.sailing.org) and the US prescriptions, including those regarding the new Eligibility and Advertising rules, at the US Sailing web site
(www.ussailing.org/).

US Sailing members will automatically receive a copy of the new Rulebook. Sailors who would like more than one copy, or who are not US Sailing Members, can reserve a copy now at
www.ussailing.org/

As always, please feel free to contact me. - Dave Rosekrans, US SAILING President, President@ussailing.org

SAILBOAT RACING WITH GREG FISHER
This is the book no one-design sailor should be without. Take some tips from one-design veteran and multiple class champion, Greg Fisher. Through a combination of "how-to's" and enlightening anecdotes, this packed-with-photos book will be your go-to guide when you decide to up your level of performance and fun. To order your copy of Sailboat Racing with Greg Fisher, go to www.GoFastSailing.com or email ThomasHubbell@compuserve.com.

THE RACE
With barely 100 miles covered since yesterday, Team Legato is really struggling to reach the port of Las Palmas where a spare part is waiting for her brought by a technician from Carbospars. 25 to 30 knots on the nose are not ideal sailing conditions, especially with a weakened mast following the incident to its base. At this pace, Tony Bullimore's catamaran will not reach the island of Gran Canaria until Thursday morning. "We are battling against headwinds and trying to reach the Canaries as quickly as possible. But we must be very careful with our mast", wrote Tony Bullimore this morning.

It will be not until they have detected whether there is any other damage to the mast that we will know whether Team Legato will be able to leave Las Palmas within the day as hoped. The avowed objective of the English boat was to leave again just ahead of the Poles who are continuing to make fast progress towards the goal. But it looks less and less probable.

Indeed, at 1615 miles from Marseilles, and at 17 knots average, Warta-Polpharma is still enjoying strong wind conditions, blowing from the west at force 3 to 4, enabling them to reel in 300 miles in 24 hours, or twice that of Team Legato. If all goes well on board the Polish boat could reach the Straits of Gibraltar around about April 8th and Marseilles 2 or 3 days later. - www.therace.org

POSITIONS on April 5 @ 0300 GMT: Warta-Polpharma, 1463 nm from finish, Team Legato, 1483 nm to go.

LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON leweck@earthlink.net
(Letters selected to be printed may be edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. We don't publish anonymous letters, but will withhold your e-mail address on request.)

* From: "Jim Lyle" jim@lyle.com To: Tom Leweck
Chip Evaul asked if anyone had "any idea how long (and how much paper) it takes to download the entire rulebook from ISAF on a 56K modem?" On a high speed LAN connection it took me 20-30 minutes to get all of the files. You then have 100+ pages to print which take up most of a three-inch ring binder. A very convenient format if you are strong enough to carry it.

* From: "Alice Leahey" aleahey@earthlink.net
In response to Chip Evaul's question, the ISAF rulebook, including Race Signals, Appendices, Index and Definitions, is 156 pages. The US Sailing Prescriptions are another 8 pages, and the US Sailing "Changes to the Racing Rules" are an additional 5 pages. As for how long all that takes to download on a 56K modem, I lost count when I fell asleep. Printing all this info requires more patience (not to mention ink!) than I have been blessed with.

* From: Bob Fink BobNJoy123@aol.com
Regarding the comment by Phillip Lyon that "You will not find yourself on the starting grid of a sports car race without governing body membership, you will not stand in the starting gate of a US Skiing event without governing body membership and you sure won't trot up to the tee box or baseline at a sanctioned golf or tennis tournament without governing body membership." - When I raced motorcycles my mechanic and sponsor did not have to belong to the American Motorcycle Association, when golfing my caddy did not have to belong to the PGA and when following recently graduated and commissioned officers up heavily defended hills in Vietnam I was not required to belong to the Marine Corps Officers Association. When a winch grinder is called up to accept a first place trophy the international and national sailing authorities will have made the case for mandatory membership for all participants.

His claim that all participants "owe" US Sailing a membership for "publishing the rules" carries the same weight as a claim that I "owe" Wynonna Ryder for selecting me as her love slave. When and if, Phillip, when and if ...........

* From: Chris Welsh cawelsh@home.com
Phillip Lyon's comments that those who don't want to be a member of US Sailing are being too frugal ignores a basic issue - in the eyes of many, it is taxation without representation. We perceive little, no, or even negative value to what US Sailing brings to the sport today.

Some of US Sailing's recent accomplishments:
1. A new starting sequence almost no one understands, and in two successive weekends, was applied differently. Whole classes are arriving to the line a minute early or a minute late. Six classes which previously would have started in 35 minutes (old sequence) are now started in 45-50 minutes.

2. A new set of rules (replacing a relatively new set of rules) that is not in print as of the effective date of the rules (I don't carry my web linked PC on the boat). In my experience, the recent new rules are not yet widely understood, as opposed to the old rules which everyone was pretty clear on.

3. Membership in ISAF and related boondoggles - see eligibility requirements as a starter for what is wrong here.

* From: Bobbi Tosse JFCBAT@compuserve.com
(Re: T.L.Lewis and the "multinational conglomerates" with 4 minute timers.) Gee, and I was convinced that the new starting system was sponsored by the purveyors of smokey blank 12 gauge shot gun shells. We now get to spend three times as much money to make the required noises. At about 80 cents a 'pop' (catalog - case price), this could almost add up to something.

* From: Nigel Musto nmusto@musto.co.uk (In reply to T.L.Lewis issue 787) - If you do insist in having your head in the bottom of the boat when the 5 minute gun is fired and so cannot hear the sound signal, Musto have the ideal timing devise for you. It is a wrist watch and has the new 5,4,1,0 sequence in it as a standard feature, as well as a "sync" button, which automatically synchronises the count down to the nearest minute when pressed. As a result, if you look up to see you have missed the 5, start the countdown anyway, and when the 4 goes synchronise the watch with that and you are immediately in sequence. As you are no doubt short sighted as well (unable to see the visual signal), it also has exceptionally large numbers!

* From: "Thomas P. Hubbell" ThomasHubbell@compuserve.com
Come on guys, let's be a little more objective. Point one: The extent to which US Sailing is out of touch is directly proportional to our level of involvement. Ireland has more members of its national organization than we do. What's wrong with us? Are we afraid of losing a little time out of the boat in order to build the infrastructure that supports our interest? (I have nothing to brag about, having done almost nothing with US Sailing until this spring.) The solution is obvious: quit complaining and make the organization work by belonging AND working with it.

Point two: I can't speak for Paul Henderson and the ISAF, but I gather that the membership idea was to encourage INCLUSION of all sailors in the organization of the sport, not, as we all assumed, to block neophytes from participation. Who can argue with inclusion?? Wouldn't it be mutually beneficial for a class association to use the regatta crew lists to recruit crews to membership? It's not a bad idea. The mandatory part hit our hot button justifiably. But let's look at it from the point of view of voluntary inclusion. If we continue to fail to recruit involved members to our various levels of the organization, fleets, clubs, class associations, national organization then our sport will drift over the horizon into obscurity, bickering all the while amongst our ageing selves.

* From: James Malm jmalm@donahueco.com
Scuttlebutt should hold a contest to see who can find all the new changes plus explain them! Maybe the sailing rulebook should be written in French, a more precise language? Currently the rules are hard to understand, so much so we need to have a Yale graduate write a book which explains them.

* From: Mr. Jan McCollum jan@vipdist.com
I read over and over people talking about how to make sailing more mainstream. Well let me tell you, you don't want sailing to be mainstream. I started rock climbing in the early 70's when a few adventurous people climbed. The camaraderie was excellent and the adventure was of paramount importance. Now that climbing has gone mainstream, regulations abound, adventure and danger is minimized to suit the average Joe and frowned on. The wilderness is trampled and never private. I also started flyfishing many years ago. This sport also went mainstream. The crowds are now terrible and there is no wilderness left. Do we really want to see sailing dragged down into the throat of the simple minded majority opinion? I hope not! That is a terrible place to go.

* From: Eric Steinberg erics@yachtwire.com
(Drastically edited to our 250-word limit) - I would like to offer another perspective i.e. "great times" in the boating biz, and why it is so hard to find good help. Times are good (or have been) for the whole economy and hiring skilled labor has been a problem in almost all industries for several years. The skills sought after in the marine industry are often the same type of skills required for other businesses i.e. attention to detail, attention to a specific goal or a client, ability to learn new processes, painting, engines, electronics, woodwork, etc. These are all jobs that exist outside of boating and marine professionals are leaving for better paying jobs. The rise of marine "super stores" has put tremendous pressure on margins as well and instilled a mind set with customers that cheaper is better.

Another drain on the labor pool, specifically in the sailing industry, has been big international sailing programs (Volvo, AC etc.). These events have scooped up a tremendous number of people who are the best in their particular fields. The net effect of which is an immediate loss of skilled labor to the public with the long-term loss of mentors for up and coming employees. The five year gap between the 95 and 2000 AC put a lot of these people back in the labor pool, but as soon as the 2000 campaigns got up to speed, they were gone again, and will be for as long as the Cup is on a three year (or so) cycle.

* From: Russ Lenarz Bycsailor@aol.com
With the recent announcement from the RORC as to the cancellation of this years Admirals Cup. It is time for the RORC to give full consideration to their own measurement rule IRM as a replacement. There are three measurement bands that could be used to continue the tradition of three boat teams. 9.00 meters, 10.70 meters and 12.50 meters. All three would produce designs that would provide close racing within each class and overall.

Although some changes may be necessary in the format of the type of races that now appeal to the majority of sailors. Using the IRM Rule is a logical step forward in keeping the Admirals Cup on track for 2003. There are already many design firms that have IRM designs within the three measurement bands.

* From: Stephen Bailey steph@cs.uchicago.edu
Why don't they run AdCup with something like two inshore boats (e.g. Mumm 30, Farr 40), and one offshore boat (VOR 60) per team? The crew configurations could be flexible (like Tour Voile) to include some of the same crew on inshore and offshore races (or ALL the same crew), and some (or all) class specialists.

* From: Roger McNaughton randamcn@iinet.net.au
In response to Ray Pendleton's article from Honolulu about the attempt to make it law to carry an EPIRB offshore... it is already law in Western Australia. All recreational vessels operating more than 2 miles from shore, or 400m from an island located more than 2 miles off the mainland, must carry an EPIRB. If operating more than 5 miles offshore you must have a marine radio as well as an EPIRB, on top of flares and fire extinguisher, etc needed for all offshore boating. I don't know if it is a function of the fact they are compulsory here but I think EPIRBs cost about A$300 (US$150).

VOLVO OCEAN RACE
(Dan Dickison examines at the illbruck campaign for the Volvo Ocean Race - now in its third year of preparation. Here's an excerpt from his behind the scenes look he posted on the SailNet website).

Charleston, SC - Four to five days a week the illbruck boats head offshore and line up side by side for hours on end to quantify performance data. Kostecki says that the team has gone to great lengths to ensure that the boats are essentially identical for these testing purposes. They take along additional bag of sails to assimilate the weight of the food they'll have on board for certain legs of the VOR, and they ensure that the crew weights are even boat to boat. Once under sail, navigators Juan Vila and Ian Moore use a sophisticated telemetry system to feed performance information from one boat to the other and vice versa as they conduct what seems like an endless series of 10-minute tests. Other than maintaining optimum trim and speed, the sailors on the control boat don't make any changes, while those aboard the other actively experiment with a series of variations on sail trim and sail settings. Vila calls out the impact of the changes, usually in terms of meters gained, and sail designer Robert Hook consults on sail shape and trimming options.

After six or so hours or sailing, the sails come down and the principal sail trimmers and the two watch captains congregate with "Hooky" for a debriefing as the boats motor back home. The numbers will get crunched and the appropriate sails will be attended to by the team's three dedicated sailmakers, right here at illbruck's 40-by-110-foot traveling sail loft. If it seems surprising that Team illbruck would be investing so much time and energy into refining its sail program at this stage, remember that sail development was a crucial factor for Paul Cayard and his crew aboard EF Language in winning the '97-98 edition of this race.

Another reason for such intensive sail testing is that the team has given itself a finite window of opportunity to accomplish this work. In early May, illbruck will take delivery of its new VO 60, and, as Kostecki says, "the focus will shift." Because he expects this new Bruce Farr design to be decidedly faster than the last generation of these boats, he anticipates that the team will need virtually the rest of the time allotted before September to break in the boat and get themselves accustomed to it. - Dan Dickison, SailNet website.

Full story:
http://www.sailnet.com

ONE-DESIGN
In Marina del Rey, California there's an active Martin 242 one-design fleet. About a year and a half ago, one of the skippers in that fleet switched to Ullman Sails, and suddenly winning got a whole lot easier. Obviously, this did not go unnoticed by the others. Now let's fast-forward to April, 2001. When you look at the MdR Martin 242s today, it's hard to ignore that it's just about wall-to-wall Ullman Sails. Coincidence? Not likely. Find out for yourself how affordable improved performance can be: www.ullmansails.com

CORRECTION
My dear Australian friend Tony Money (doesn't Scuttlebutt get around!) insists I owe all my Australian friends an apology for suggesting it was they who have led ISAF into lethargy in the matter of timely rules publication. Before my other Australian friend writes, and I thus lose both of them, I pass on Tony's correction that the Aussies have ALWAYS introduced their new rules on 1st July (they take them to study on their skiing holidays, having at the end of May put their boats away, just as we are getting ours out). It was we Northerners, Tony insists, who slipped the date to April 1st, to give more time between the end of the IYRU (now ISAF) conference which ratified the rules in November and the due date of publication. As that beautiful Italian aria puts it: Mea Culpa Mi Ola Mete - Malcolm McKeag, 100527.3303@compuserve.com

WOMEN'S MATCH RACING
The inaugural Women's Match Race Invitational begins today at Newport Harbor Yacht. This ISAF Grade 4 invitational regatta for the Bettina Bents Memorial Trophy is the sole women's match racing competition on the West Coast. The regatta format will feature a single round robin series in Santana 20s, with the top four teams continuing competition for the championship. The skippers are Dawn Riley, Pease Glaser, Katie Pettibone, Casey Hogan, Mary Brigden-Snow, Karen Johnson, Charlie Arms, Liz Hjorth, and Sandy Hayes. - www.nhyc.org

SAILING ON TV
April 9 - 8:00PM - 8:30PM & 11:00PM - 11:30PM (Eastern Daylight Time): GRAND PRIX SAILING, Auckland, New Zealand, Outdoor life network, www.olntv.com/

CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS
* July 2-8: Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship, RCNV and YCCS inValencia, Spain.
* September 2-8: Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS Snowmen fall from Heaven unassembled.