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SCUTTLEBUTT 2619 - Tuesday, June 17, 2008Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors. KITING - A GAME STILL BEING INVENTED by Kimball Livingston, SAIL magazine It's always a kick to be around kite racing. Lots of youthful high energy, and more than that, it's a game that's still being invented. Going into the second-ever US Kiteboarding Nationals, the organizers at St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, pow-wowed with leading rules experts such as Dick Rose to work toward some specialty rules for racing kites. Here's one new rule put on the track in the regatta completed June 14: “In crossing upwind, starboard tack shall generally fly the kite as high as possible while port tack shall fly the kite as low as possible.” That word "generally" sounds scary. To put this more clearly, it sounds like the beginning of a lot of sub-clauses. I hope not, because this kiting thing is totally cool. It's an example of where ISAF ought to be sniffing around for one face of future Olympic sailing competition. Along with looking for a way to assure, as far as possible, that the Olympic sailing venue always has wind. Now there's a concept. At the first national course-racing title event, the top riders were San Francisco Bay sailors who had invented and experimented with course racing with kites for a year or so. The pro riders dropped in, liked the scene, and caught on. -- Read on, and listen to podcast with winner Damien LeRoy: http://sailmag.com/podcasts/DamienLeRoy OLYMPIC COUNTDOWN: 53 DAYS TO GO * Chinese officials have unveiled an official cheer for spectators at this summer's Olympic Games. The four-part cheer will be promoted on television, in schools and through a print advertising campaign. And as if it could not get more Orwellian, an official announcement of the official cheer states that "the cheer is a joint product of the Party Office of Spiritual Civilization Development and Guidance (GODPP), (and) the Ministry of Education..." among others. -- Read on: http://sailing.about.com/b/2008/06/12/clap-thumbs-up-clap-yeah-china.htm * Vancouver, BC -- Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for. Nikola Girke wanted another challenge after finishing 13th in two-person dingy sailing at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Her desire was fulfilled when she switched back to her first love, windsurfing. The 30-year-old Vancouver native heads to this summer's Games in Beijing ranked 29th in the world and knows she'll be in a fight to finish on the podium. "I would say I'm the underdog," said Girke, the top North American in the ISAF windsurfing rankings. "I love it. I can only surprise people. I know what I can do and I believe in myself." -- Read on: http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5i3hyeI-a1QR3aJT8uT7HMhishpgA BETTER LUCK NEXT YEAR FOR GROUPAMA 3 On February 18, 2008, whilst sailing with a day's lead over Orange's record, the 105 foot maxi trimaran Groupama 3 fell victim to serious damage to her port float. In a matter of seconds, the multihull skippered by Franck Cammas flipped over south of New Zealand. Promptly recovered, and now back at the Multiplast yard in Vannes, France, the architects and engineers have not yet decided with any degree of certainty about the precise cause of the damage. Experts and members of Groupama team's design office have a host of hypotheses: "Fatigue of the materials where there has been impact with a floating object may be the source of the damage. What we are sure about is that the construction is not in question," details team manager, Stéphane Guilbaud. The current plan is to alter the two floats by replacing the honeycomb-carbon sandwich with monolithic carbon. Team manager Stéphane Guilbaud explains the repercussions of this: "To alter the two floats will extend the duration of the work by nearly two months. Rather than being relaunched at the start of November, Groupama 3 won't be able to leave the Multiplast yard prior to January. Suffice to say this will be too late to attempt to contest the Jules Verne Trophy again in 2009." The Jules Verne Trophy is a prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions on the size of the crew. -- Complete report: http://xrl.us/b7iy5 CHIPPEWA WINS IRC-2 AT NYYC ANNUAL REGATTA The NYYC Annual Regatta, which is the first of three regattas that comprise the 'Onion Patch Series' was won by Clay Deutsch and his crew aboard his 68-foot Swan, 'Chippewa.' "We're well prepared for the Bermuda Race and we're duly humble. We'll sail the boat the best we can and hope for the best," said Deutsch. 'Chippewa' sails with 100% North sails. "I'm pretty true-blue North," Deutsch says of his sail selection. "A good friend of mine recently bought a boat and I highly recommended North Sails." When performance, speed and durability matter, head North. http://na.northsails.com ENERGIZE YOUR WORK-OUT by Harry Legum, Annapolis Sailing Fitness One of the keys in having a successful workout begins before you ever step foot in the gym. The night before is important regarding what you eat and especially what you drink. Over the years I have had many brave souls try to workout with me after drinking a few too many Dark and Stormy’s, downing the Rum and believing that they can not only fake their way that all is well, but survive more than 15 minutes. Trust me, if I find that you are hung-over for a scheduled training session, the experience will be painful. That’s the drama of it. As far as a simple workout is concerned, you will be sluggish, low on energy and basically begging to go home if you even made it to the gym in the first place. Maybe we should plan ahead? -- Read on: http://na.northsails.com/SailingFitness.htm BERTARELLI AND ELLISON VYING FOR MMA MATCH Remember when Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal won those championships for the Lakers, and then bitterness led to O'Neal going to the Miami Heat? The basketball league marketers heavily promoted the first game the two would verse each other, creating the intrigue on what they would say, what they would do? How about the football saga of ‘videogate’ with the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick, starting last fall against the NY Jets and rising to a crescendo in December 2007, with the promotional hype drawing as much interest in the game as whether the two coaches would shake hands at the end of the game. Now it would seem that sailing is breathing this rare air, with the next America’s Cup positioned to have its own moment… whenever the match occurs. There is so little love between defender Alinghi and rival challenger BMW Oracle Racing (BOR) and the respective team owners, Ernesto Bertarelli and Larry Ellison, that when these two do meet for the event, it will be must-see TV. If the event organizers are on the ball, all the crapola that has occurred in the courts, all the lost momentum to grow the event, all the general disinterest in the America’s Cup could be gone in the instant that these two individual meet. Will they shake hands, will their faces show contempt, will they make a smug remark (remember the famous Dennis Conner quote about the Kiwis, “Why else would you build a fiberglass 12 Meter, unless you were going to cheat?"). To fester this love-less marriage, BOR noted a recent posting by Alinghi on their website discussing the issues surrounding the court case leading up to the next America’s Cup, and as they felt the document contained numerous inaccuracies and omissions, BOR has now published a summation of corrections and clarifications. Don’t you love the dirty laundry? But let’s take this to the next level, and since they are calling mixed martial arts (or MMA) as one of the fastest-growing sports in America, what if it was Bertarelli and Ellison in the ring? Three words come to mind: “Pay Per View”. Alinghi’s backgrounder: http://xrl.us/b7iy7 BOR’s response: http://www.ggyc.com/20080612_AlinghiBackgrounder.pdf Mixed Martial Arts video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjVvhDwFnJk SUSPENDED SAILOR STATUS The following individuals are posted on the ISAF website as of June 16, 2008 for having their eligibility suspended: * Mr Justin Noble (CAN) - until 1 May 2008. * Mr Anders Steen Gotschalk (DEN) - For two years from 5 October 2007 - 5 October 2009 - (Anti Doping) violation. * Christine Johnston (GBR) - For two years from 1 June 2007 - 31 May 2009 - (Anti Doping) violation. * Mr Shinya Kunieda (JPN) - For two years from 1 November 2007 - 31 October 2009 - Breaking RRS 5 (banned substances and method). * Stefan Eriksson (SWE) - until 27 September 2008 - Lack of good behavior and sportsmanship. * Brodie L Cobb (USA) - until 31 December 2008 - Gross Breach of good manners and sportsmanship. Full details: http://www.sailing.org/suspended-sailors.php NEWPORT TO BERMUDA RACE Rambler vs. Speedboat - As these two racing yachts square off during the next Newport to Bermuda Race, the one thing they will have in common is their team gear from CAMET. From Rambler's custom colored shorts to Speedboat's hand-tailored design, CAMET design and manufacturing stepped up to deliver innovative designs for these innovative yachts. To get your team onboard, give us a call or checkout http://www.camet.com/?Click=855 for all your crew gear! UP FOR AN ADVENTURE by Marcy Finnas It all started with an email in the fall of 2007 from the boss asking if I was “Up for an Adventure”. He desired to bring his J/46 “SWING” by ship across the Atlantic to cruise for the summer in Scandinavian waters. “Yes, absolutely” was my reply. I was given the choice to travel with the ship or to have some time off and meet the ship in Denmark. As I always long to be at sea I chose to travel with the ship. My friends and family all said, “Why do you want to do that?” Well, I haven't an answer; it is simply one of those things that I just couldn't explain. We put in the request for my passage with the shipping company and then waited for months to find out if there would be space available. When I learned that I had been accepted for passage in the only cabin available for “riders” I couldn't help but wonder why no one else wanted to travel with the ship. All of these yachts and I’m the only one who wants to go. Am I making a mistake? I would likely be the only female onboard, would I share a cabin, a head, would I be relegated to my cabin, would anybody speak English, would I have access to SWING while underway, were some of the questions that were swimming around in my head. -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0612b SAILING SHORTS * Larchmont, NY (June 15, 2008) For the 114 boats planning to compete on June 14-15 in the Nautica Vanguard 15 National Championship, it was one of those amazingly frustrating Western Long Island Sound weekends where there never was sufficient wind to race on either day. The class has scheduled a “do-over” on July 18-20 (coinciding with Larchmont Race Week) to give it another try – with fees already paid for entry and charters to roll over to the new date. -- http://www.larchmontyc.org/racing/V15National.shtml * US SAILING announced that the yacht charter company The Moorings has donated $5,000 to the U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team, which is the prize money The Moorings had received after winning the 2007 John Southam Award for Excellence in Media Communications. A donation check was presented to US SAILING’s Olympic Sailing Committee Chair Dean Brenner by The Moorings' David Rohr on Thursday, June 12 at the GE Capital Solutions and Sail America Industry Conference in Newport, R.I. -- Full report: http://www.ussailing.org/pressreleases/2008/paralympicdonation_southam.asp * Corona del Mar, CA (June 13, 2008) - Twelve teams from the United States, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom have been selected by the Balboa Yacht Club to compete in the 42nd annual Governor’s Cup International Junior Match Racing Championship, July 16-20, 2008. The Governor’s Cup is the oldest junior international match racing regatta in the world, with 2008 marking the first entrant from South America in Cup history. Entry is by invitation only for sailors under twenty years old, and is sailed in Alan Andrews designed Governor’s Cup 21 boats that are owned by the host organization. -- Complete report with entry list: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0613 * Scotiabank International Optimist Regatta is celebrating its 16th year and is hailed as the regatta that launched the current wave of interest in Optimist sailing in the Caribbean. The St. Thomas Yacht Club and Virgin Island Sailing Association-hosted regatta is set to sail June 19-22, 2008. Junior sailors from 8 to 15 years of age are expected from destinations such as all three U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Anguilla, Argentina, Canada, Germany and the U.S. mainland. The pre-regatta activities begin Monday, June 16th and run through Wednesday, June 18th, when top international coaches will teach a three-day instructional clinic. -- http://www.styc.net * With more boaters having a hard time gaining access to the water, nominations for the second annual BoatU.S. Recreational Boating Access Award are now being accepted. The award recognizes those who have succeeded in preserving or improving public waterway access. Waterfront development, regulatory red tape, poor planning and restrictive covenants are just some of the factors contributing to the decline of waterway access for recreational boats.Applications are being accepted from June 15 through October 1, 2008 and winners will be announced by October 31. Previous entrants are asked not to reapply. For more information or a look at last year's winners, go to http://www.BoatUS.com/gov/AccessAward * Based on the number of competing high schools as of June 1, 2008 in each of the seven districts, the number of schools from each district that will be permitted to compete for the three national championships (singlehanded, doublehanded, and team race) have been determined for the 2008-2009 season. -- http://xrl.us/b7iy9 EIGHT BELLS William Ziegler III, a long-time resident of Darien, CT, and the third generation of Darien Ziegler's, died on June 13 after a long illness. He was born in New York City, received his undergraduate degree at Harvard University and an MBA from Columbia University. Bill was an avid Long Island Sound sailor in addition to travelling the world competing in ocean races with his boat, GEM. He was a strong advocate of ecology of Long Island Sound. He was a founding Trustee of the Stamford Sailing Foundation and a member of the New York and Noroton Yacht Clubs. Bill was predeceased by his wife who passed away March 29, 2006. Calling hours will be held at the Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Rd., Darien on Tuesday June 17, 2008 from 5PM to 8PM. A private Luncheon will be held at his home on Hay Island in Darien on Wednesday June 18th 2008. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Darien EMS- Post 53, Box 2066, Darien, CT 06820, or Norwalk Maritime Aquarium, 10 North Water St., South Norwalk, CT 06854. -- Complete notice: http://xrl.us/b7izb CHECK OUT SAIL1DESIGN’S JOB OPENINGS, USED BOATS & GEAR Sail1Design is sailing’s classified source, from gear to boats to jobs. Today’s S1D spotlights: Full-time Youth Program Director, Coral Reef Yacht Club; Seawanhaka YC needs Instructors; Melges C-Scow for sale; Great Radial/Full Rig Laser for sale; Brown University 420 sails for sale. Check these out and lots more. http://www.Sail1Design.com LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250 words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot, don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum. -- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com -- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Amy Linton: If you want to see the NBC program about 470 sailors Sarah Merganthaler and Amanda Clark, you better have a Windows platform. Because, surprise surprise, the "Tech Preview" for Mac is not yet functional...I wonder if all of the network's internet coverage will be likewise Windowfied. Yet another reason to watch the CBC (Canadian) coverage. NBC link: http://xrl.us/b7izd * From Marc Jacobi, Bridgeport, CT: (re, Ted Cremer's comment in Scuttlebutt 2618) Laser sails have always been luck of the draw. When doing my Olympic efforts I had brand new sails that, upon first hoisting, revealed themselves to be only "good" for practice. As one of the lighter competitors, everything had (and has) to be just right or I was out of luck in anything over 12 knots. Spars are a similar problem. With the Laser class now being Olympic, I think it's more than past time for the builders to tighten tolerances of both the spars and sails. Of course, the builder’s manual isn't available even to the highest-ranked class officers, so there is little way for effective changes to be proposed, much less made. Ah, monopolies... * From Pete Reichelsdorfer: As a long time US SAILING offshore volunteer, I was most distressed to read the criticism of the Offshore office in Scuttlebutt 2618. I have worked closely with the these folks for over 20 years and I know they are the most dedicated hard working group you will find any where in spite of having to work in an under funded and understaffed environment. Somehow they always manage to get out all data needed to run races prior the race start during crunch time in the spring. I say "Kudos to em". It is just too bad that we live in a world where is always "What's in it for me", not "what can I do for the sport of sailing". => Curmudgeon’s Comment: Like it or not, as a result of the US membership proposal that has been discussed for the past three months (but was not approved by the USSA Board of Directors), US SAILING has initiated an era of customer service scrutiny. We might not all appreciate the value of their products the same way, but we all appreciate the value of good customer service. As an aside, the person who wrote the letter that Pete is referring - that had been waiting since April for the required ORR certificate for the Chicago-Mackinac race - finally did hear back from US SAILING, and was told that he would have a certificate in hand before the race starts on July 19th, and that his entry in the race would not be impacted by the lack of a certificate. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Courage is the complement of fear. A person who is fearless cannot be courageous. Special thanks to North Sails, CAMET, and Sail1Design. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
