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SCUTTLEBUTT 3752 - Friday, January 11, 2013
Scuttlebutt 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.
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Today's sponsors: North U and Melges Performance Sailboats.
WIN WITH STYLE. LOSE WITH STYLE.
By Clemmie Everett, WindCheck
If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it
really make a sound?
I don't know.
If a sailor can win a race but there's no one to race against, can the
sailor really win? Pretty clearly, the answer is no. Sailing is a great
lifelong sport that encompasses a range of ages, abilities, and degrees of
seriousness, and one aspect that's vital to keeping the sport going is
sportsmanship. It's often said that sailing is a self-policing sport and
that for this reason, sportsmanship is particularly important. This is
certainly true; it only takes one incident with one boat abusing the system
to make a race less enjoyable for everyone else. Following the rules is
certainly a significant piece of sportsmanship, but being a good sport in
sailing goes beyond rules and the racecourse.
It's one thing to think about how to improve your boathandling or tactics,
but thinking about how to be a better sport is a more difficult - and more
important - task. It's relatively easy to think of ways to be a bad sport,
but are there concrete steps to being a better sport? There's certainly no
right answer, but here are a few things to keep in mind as you approach
your next race or regatta.
1. Show your appreciation. Thanking the race committee, regatta organizers,
your competitors, and any friends, family and coaches who helped get you to
the starting line goes a long way to making sure that a positive racing
atmosphere will stay that way.
2. Be prepared. If you have the parts, clothing, and information that you
need for your time on the water, you'll be less tempted to grab a part from
a boat in the parking lot or "borrow" the spray top you find in the
bathroom. You'll also be less likely to feel like you've suffered for an
"unfair" reason (like your traveler snapping or not knowing the starting
sequence) and take out your frustration on others.
3. Know the rules. The Racing Rules of Sailing are complicated, but you
should do your best to learn and follow them. If you take some time to
think about the rules and how they apply in key situations like starts and
mark roundings, you'll know how to react and will be less likely to break
them. If you're confident in your knowledge, you may also find yourself in
situations when you can teach the rules to your competitors in a clear
way...and not by yelling at them!
4. Learn to move on. Many sailors ruin otherwise good races by being fouled
and then being angry about it for the rest of the race. If you're fouled,
you certainly have the right and responsibility to enforce the rules
through a protest, but then you should move on and continue racing. Use
your energy to find the next puff or catch the next shift.
5. Remember why you're out there. Ultimately, we're all on the course to
have fun in one way or another, though different fleets have different
understandings of what that entails. If you approach Sunday afternoon
frostbiting with the same seriousness as a world championship event, or
vice versa, you're not going to see eye to eye with your competitors, and
though you may not technically break any rules, you will insult someone. If
you're unhappy with the approach your fleet is taking, find a fleet that
fits your goals.
6. Get to know your competitors. Getting to know people makes everyone a
little bit more human on the course. Congratulate your competition, even if
it's the person who edged you out for mid-fleet (e.g. "Wow, you guys had a
really nice roll tack at the end of the race."); when it comes back your
direction, it will feel great. It also means you'll get a little more help
tying down your boat at the end of the regatta, and no matter what happens
on the water, post-race festivities will be more enjoyable.
Sailing is a unique sport in that if you stick with it long enough, you'll
find yourself running into the same people again and again, often at
unexpected times and places. If you earn yourself the label of being a poor
sport, that reputation will follow you and you'll have a hard time getting
rid of it. On the flip side, if you earn yourself the reputation of being a
good sport, you'll not only enjoy the sport more in the short term, you'll
also find that the rewards continue to build as you continue with sailing.
NOTE: Clemmie Everett won the Sportsmanship Award at the 1999 Leiter Trophy
and the 2008 Adams Cup. Reprinted courtesy of WindCheck magazine and
American YC News.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
There are four right-of-way rules, four limiting rules, plus rules
governing mark-room and obstructions. NorthU Rules & Tactics Seminars and
Webinars take the myth and mystery out of the rules so you'll understand
your rights (and obligations) in any situation. The seminars cover all the
rules - new and old - with a new Racing Rules & Tactics Workbook created by
Dave Perry. US Sailing Memberships and Discounts! Full details and
registration: 800-347-2457, http://www.northu.com
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
A frequent rant in the hallways of Scuttlebutt World Headquarters is the
lack of responsibility demonstrated by one design classes concerning the
preservation of their event history. Here's the frequent progression for
one design championship events:
1) Event website address is purchased for 2-3 years
2) Event uses website for event communication
3) Event ends, website address is not renewed
4) Event information is lost when website address expires
A recent announcement by the Melges 24 class regarding their 2013 World
Championship noted the event website would be www.melges24worlds13.com. We
predict this website address is temporary, and all the links that point
toward this website will be useless in a couple years. Unless the
information from this website is moved to another website, it will all be
lost too.
Let's use the 2012 J/80 World Championship as an example. The event was
held in Dartmouth, England on June 9-15, but that's all we know about it.
The event website has already expired: www.j80worlds2012.com
However, this week we received an announcement from the Finn class
regarding their 2013 World Championship, which the class refers to as the
Gold Cup. The announcement noted that the event website would be
www.finngoldcup.org/2013. We predict this website address is the permanent
home for their championship information, and that each future event will be
hosted there (ie, finngoldcup.org/2014, finngoldcup.org/2015, etc.)
That's what we're talking about. The Finn class is exhibiting a long term
plan for preserving its championship event history. For additional thoughts
about the Internet, events websites, and press releases, Scuttlebutt has
post its notes here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/pr/
QUOTE / UNQUOTE
"I only won two awards at the Oakville Yacht Squadron sailing school. They
were: The Crash and Burn Trophy (for the most holes and broken equipment
during the summer) and the End of the Line Award for being the youngest
gold graduate during my session. I've never won best white sail or bronze
sail or most improved sailor or any of the racing awards during my sailing
school tenure but look at me now. Just being a finalist for Sail Canada's
2012 Rolex Sailor of the Year is my greatest accomplishment. I am truly
honored. Sailing is a lifelong sport and if you love it, work hard at it
and set your goals high, you can do great things even if you don't win
awards when you were young." -- 2-time Olympian Oskar Johansson,
http://tinyurl.com/SC-011013
THOMSON GAINS 200 MILES IN 24 HOURS
(January 10, 2013; Day 62) - At the 1900 GMT ranking Alex Thomson (GBR)
onboard Hugo Boss has slammed dunked into third place. It's difficult to
know until the fleet converges at the Equator what the true position of
this weather gain will be. He is currently sailing a shorter route, in
easier conditions, along the coast of Brazil, whilst Jean Pierre Dick and
the duelling duo at the front are labouring upwind in lighter winds, 700+
nm to the east.
The files can be deceptive, and it will be a week, or so, before we see how
the leaderboard will juggle with any certainty when the fleet converges and
heads into the north Atlantic. We still have the Equator and the Doldrums
to cross before the final fate of the race is decided. There is everything
to play for and quite frankly anything can happen. Will we have any nails
left to chew in the next few weeks? Welcome aboard the race rollercoaster.
Tracking: http://tracking2012.vendeeglobe.org/en/
Top 5 of 20 - Rankings as of Thursday, January 10, 2013, 20h00 (FR)
1. Francois Gabart (FRA), Macif: 4831.3 nm Distance to Finish
2. Armel Le Cleac'h (FRA), Banque Populaire: 92.6 nm Distance to Lead
3. Alex Thomson (GBR), Hugo Boss: 330.1 nm DTL
4. Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), Virbac Paprec 3: 355.2 nm DTL
5. Jean Le Cam (FRA), SynerCiel: 1536.3 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/
SAILING SHORTS
* Miami, FL (January 10, 2013) - The first day of the Star Mid-Winter
Championship saw its share of carnage while rolling through two races in
15-20 knots. Over a third of the fleet was unable to finish the first race,
with two broken masts among the casualties. Stuart Hebb/ Mike Wolfs (CAN)
are the early leaders with a 4-2, followed closely by Augie Diaz/ Arnis
Baltins (USA) with a 1-6. Event details:
http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=724
* For the third consecutive edition of the Volvo Ocean Race, each entry
will have onboard an embedded multimedia reporter to provide the stories
and images during the 2014-15 Race. Details for interested individuals will
be available on the race website by Friday 11 January at 1200 CET:
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/home.html
* The online registration deadline has been extended to January 26 for ISAF
Sailing World Cup Miami, which currently has 205 entries for all ten
Olympic events and two of three Paralympic events. Racing begins January
28. -- http://mocr.ussailing.org/
* Approximately 30 individuals representing diverse organizations and
companies with a vested interest in the future of the recreational boating
industry reconvened recently for the third growth summit. In two earlier
growth summit meetings, nearly 200 industry stakeholders narrowed their
efforts, focusing on six priority action items: attracting younger and more
diverse participants to boating; supporting industry marketing efforts;
creating stronger boating advocacy and uniting to fend off unwarranted
legislation that hampers boating growth; exploring issues related to the
affordability of boating; and creating opportunities for growing boating
through education and outreach. -- NMMA, full report:
http://www.nmma.org/news.aspx?id=18276
MELGES AT STRICTLY SAIL CHICAGO
Melges will be on display at this year's Strictly Sail Show in Chicago,
January 24-27. Space #230 at Chicago's Navy Pier. Melges will feature the
Audi Melges 20, the Melges MC and the Melges 29er Skiff. A great time to
see these popular Melges products up close. During this time Melges will
feature special savings on these boats as well as their entire line of
Performance Sailboats. Take advantage of this special savings period by
stopping by the show or calling Melges to order your New Melges Boat or
Melges Gear and Products. Melges Performance Sailboats are Forever Fun!
http://www.melges.com
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Some of the random photos from the sport received this week at Scuttlebutt
include before and after, Oyster Rally, advice for helm, Omani heaven,
numerology, better late than never, and Maine. Here are this week's photos:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/13/0111/
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
VIDEO OF THE WEEK
There are not many events where the Notice of Race begins with the
statement... "This event is not sanctioned by any authorities."
But the third annual Lord of the Wind Showdown is in Los Barriles,
Mexico... off the beach... with kiteboards and windsurfers. Dude, rules are
for people that need them.
The 2013 edition is being held January 10-15 in the best wind, water and
weather that North America has to offer, and attracts the best windsurfers
and kiteboarders. The schedule includes slalom racing and freestyle
competition, plus the Hang Time competition challenging each rider to stay
in the air the longest.
Also on the event itinerary is a Mexican pig roast followed by the
legendary bikini contest and bands rocking into the night. The finale will
pit kiteboarders against windsurfers in the Lord of the Wind Showdown to
see who can dethrone American kiter Johnny Heineken as the defending 'Lord
of the Wind'.
Is it any wonder why this segment of the sport is growing? This week's
video provides a recap of the 2012 event:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/13/0111/
Bonus Videos:
* This week on America's Cup Discovered Cup veteran and America's Cup World
Series commentator Gary Jobson take us on a journey through the oldest
trophy in sport. Sailing on a multihull or monohull has always been about
speed. The vision of the 34th America's Cup in 2013 has a new look; not
only with the catamarans, but also with the younger, fitter and stronger
sailors. No matter the boat, no matter the athletes onboard; the passion to
excel has endured the decades. Tune in on Saturday January 12 at approx
0800 PST/1100 EST: http://www.youtube.com/americascup
* In case you have plans to travel to San Francisco this summer for the
America's Cup, and you are not among the 38.5 million viewers who have seen
this video, you may enjoy Ken Block's tour of the City. Filmed over four
days on the actual streets of San Francisco, we advise you not to try these
stunts without traffic control: http://youtu.be/LuDN2bCIyus
* A three minute video recap of the 2012 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is
now available: http://tinyurl.com/RSHYR-01101
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 Gary Kennedy:
The only 2012 Olympic event the U.S. made a significant investment in
equipment was Women's Match Racing and the result was developing three
teams that were ranked internationally in the top ten. The announcement in
Scuttlebutt 3751 that three events would get funded to the tune of eight
boats each (Nacra 17, 49er and 49er FX skiffs) is phenomenal. This is how
you build homegrown depth. A new era of US Olympic sailing has begun!
* From Dan O'Brien:
Regarding the New racing rule on throwing trash overboard (Scuttlebutt
3749), Lahaina Yacht Club was always considered a freewheeling place. But
in 1972 we instituted the Ecology Rule. If you tossed anything into the
water you were automatically disqualified. It is a matter of respecting the
water you sail on. Believe me, it completely stopped the thoughtless
arrogance. Why has it taken so long for the rest of the world to get the
idea? I say good on the rule makers for finally making a rule we can
understand, and for showing those who participate that we are dead serious
in our love of the water.
* From Willii Gohl (GER), International Judge:
Rob Overton made a correct statement on "wills" and "shalls" in Sailing
Instructions (Scuttlebutt 3751). Think back to our female nestor of race
officials, the late Mary Pera. She made it easy to learn the difference
between the two words: A competitor "shall", the race committee "will"!
Easy and simple!
ARCHIVES
The letters in the Guest Commentary section often refer to past issues of
Scuttlebutt. If you ever care to refresh your memory, every past issue of
Scuttlebutt is indexed in the Archived Newsletter section of the website:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archivedMonth.asp?year=2013
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
"Change your thoughts and you change your world." - Norman Vincent Peale
SPONSORS THIS WEEK
APS - Marion-Bermuda Race - Atlantis WeatherGear
Team One Newport - J Boats - North Sails - Block Island Race Week
Ribcraft - Ullman Sails - North U - Melges Performance Sailboats
Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
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