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SCUTTLEBUTT 2078 - April 21, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus.DECISIONS, DECISIONS Ericsson skipper John Kostecki has stated a decision will be announced in the “next few days” clarifying whether his commitments to Michael Illbruck’s Transpac 52 campaign will prevent him from taking part in some of the remaining legs of the Volvo Ocean Race. The American revealed how he has asked Illbruck to allow him more time to help Ericsson “do as well as possible,” but the German construction giant is keen for his skipper to return and oversee the team’s development as preparations intensify for their expected entry into the Breitling TP52 MedCup in May. As Kostecki is contracted to Illbruck, and only accepted offshore obligations with Ericsson in addition to the In Port races because of a temporary gap in his schedule, a conflict of interests has emerged, though the final decision on where he spends the coming months is not solely his. He said, “I’m going to have some conflicts in the future. It’s unfortunate. I think if Ericsson would have seen that there were going to be problems in the future maybe they might have signed me up earlier. But that’s the nature of the beast, so I’m not going to be able to do all the legs. “It’s pretty simple. I’m contracted with Michael Illbruck for certain things and I have to live by that contract. “I can’t really discuss it right now as we are in the process of making those decisions, but hopefully in the next few days I’ll have those answers for you.” Kostecki explained that in an ideal world he would “help this team as much as I can and have a successful TP 52 as well,” but accepts he may not be able to sail any more legs in this race. The illbruck campaign has already endured set-backs in the build and delivery process, costing them preparation time, and Kostecki, who has been in contact with Illbruck throughout to see what flexibility is available, is adamant they need at least a week of sailing before going to Punta Ala in May. – Volvo Ocean Race website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/mglkj THE UNSTOPPABLE AUSSIE (Here is an excerpt of an interview The Daily Sail conducted with Luna Rossa helm and current Melges 24 and Match Race World Champion James Spithill) If one were to define the term 'on a roll', then at present Australian James Spithill would be it. Aged just 26, Spithill is now well into his third America's Cup campaign, this time as principle helmsman for Luna Rossa. The Italian A team challenge is one of the big four in the Cup and with the exception of Emirates Team New Zealand is the oldest challenger, with what many believe to be big prospects in store for them. In addition to his regular job in Valencia, Spithill is also the current Match Race World Champion and Melges 24 World Champion. He attributes his present spate of successes to being comfortable with the people he has around him. "That just gives you self-confidence. I am really happy with the group and it says a lot to the level that is in there - I have been pushed really hard by Francesco and Philippe [Presti]. So it is fantastic." Luna Rossa was obviously born of the ashes of the last two Prada campaigns. This time there is also a strong element of former OneWorld crewmen in the team as well as a few other fresh faces. "Philippe [Presti] has come in," says Spithill. "Andy Horton and a heap of new people and the guys I came here with from OneWorld. So it is interesting to hear what they have all got to say." – The Daily Sail, full story: http://tinyurl.com/nrdv4 NOT SMOOTH SAILING It has been yet another challenging leg for Ellen and the crew onboard B&Q, as they crossed the finish line yesterday (19.04.06) at 18:20:36 GMT, to establish record number six in a total elapsed time of 3 days, 1 minute and 55 seconds. The 580-mile leg from Shanghai to Taipei saw frustration for everyone onboard as they were thwarted by light airs, navigating through a sea of boats and the delay waiting for customs clearance. Since Taiwan claimed independence after the Communist victory in mainland China in 1949, an uneasy relationship has existed. A repercussion of this is that there is no direct navigational route between mainland China and Taiwan, and all shipping must clear customs in Japanese waters before entering Taiwan. Ellen and the crew had to wait for customs clearance at a waypoint off Ishigaki Island in Japanese waters, and light conditions delayed their estimated arrival time, forcing them to wait overnight until a customs boat was available to clear them for their onward journey. Said Ellen, “This has been a hard leg for everyone onboard, due to the challenges of navigating our way though a sea of fishing boats, the light conditions and the delay at customs, at times it really felt like everything was stacked against us reaching Taipei, and sailing to a schedule means we do not have the luxury of choosing our weather window, but we are certainly glad to have crossed the finish line and to have reached Taiwan. One of the most unbelievable moments on this trip was during the second night at sea where we had a situation where fishing boat after fishing boat mounted up around us. Once dark the scene was surreal. I can only compare it to being out on the water during the fire works display in Cowes Week, or during the Royal Navy Fleet Review where the water was literally thick with boats.” Having arrived into Taipei later than expected, this now means a quick turnaround as the crew must prepare the trimaran for the 465-mile leg to Hong Kong departing today (20.04.06) – estimated start time around 1200 GMT. The crew have set themselves a target time of 2 days 16 hours for this next record. - http://www.teamellen.com TRANSPAC 52-HARKEN ENGINEERING BRIEF Harken has enjoyed great success in the TP52 Class with 34 of these flat-out racers completely Harken equipped. The class's less restrictive box rule has made this trip a blast, allowing us to trickle-down what we have learned from our last three America's Cup wins and the Volvo Ocean Race to build smaller, but still powerful winch and hardware packages. Read how TP52 hardware systems have evolved by Harken's custom racing hardware expert Mark Wiss: http://www.harken.com/sailing/tp52class.php THREE "ROCKETS" READY TO FACE ALINGHI? With a mere twenty days left till the next Louis Vuitton Acts, all of the Big-Four teams (Alinghi, BMW Oracle, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa) take advantage of every single day in order to train with both their boats. Unlike Alinghi that still use their boats built in previous America's Cup campaigns and modified to the new rules, all of the three top challengers are sailing and testing their newly built and delivered yachts. SUI-91, the brand new boat of the Swiss Defender of the America's Cup, is (to the best of our knowledge) still inside the team's shed in Valencia's yacht club, being readied to sail. So far, only Luna Rossa have made it absolutely clear that it is their intention to race with their new boat in three weeks. BMW Oracle and ETNZ have neither confirmed it nor denied it and will decide upon completion of the tests. While in the previous Louis Vuitton Acts the question of what boat the main challengers were going to use was of lesser importance, in 2006 it has moved to the fore. Will they race with their new "rocket," building an early advantage or will they keep their cards close to their chests? Time will tell. So far there haven't been any public comments concerning the performance of these three new boats and most probably there won't be any. As a result, we decided to run a small series of photos for their comparison. - Valencia Sailing, full story and photos: http://tinyurl.com/oqb32 EVERY OCEAN HAS ITS QUIRKS Here’s the latest report from Dee Caffari, received on 20th April 2006 (week 22), as she attempts to become the first woman to sail solo, non-stop around the world against the prevailing winds and currents: “You would imagine with the sun shining and the water being so warm and blue that this section of the journey would be easier than the rest. Unfortunately, being in the Atlantic doesn't always mean easy sailing, ask any sailors. It is notorious for changeable weather and you have to stay with it to get the best progress. “A shining example of that happened in the early hours of this morning. It began at about 0300hrs. We had a band of cloud overhead and the wind changed direction by 60 degrees. Unable to stay north of west, I gybed which, takes about fifteen minutes now I have had some practice and I have a set routine in place. Almost five minutes after I had finished the ordeal the breeze freshened, so I changed from the Code 0 to headsails. Once that was complete the breeze went for a wander again and made the other gybe more preferable. So once again we gybed. This shifting wind continued and in the space of two hours I had gybed four times. “I was very tired as I was yet to get any real sleep. The course and the wind settled and I tried to sleep, even for a few minutes. I struggled to get comfortable as my exertion had made me hot again and below had a severe lack of air circulating. After wandering around for a while trying different places out. I found my bunk to be the coolest place as it is in the saloon under one of the hatches. I lay down and slept for forty minutes. It felt so good I managed another half hour before I had to go and change sails again back to the Code 0. The last time I slept in my bunk was when I was southbound in the Atlantic near the beginning of the voyage, so it felt pretty good to be doing it again.” Complete report at http://www.avivachallenge.com/index.asp?pageid=6&person=dee WHEN 500 EQUALS 380 Yesterday (Wednesday), on her seventh day at sea, the Capgemini and Schneider Electric trimaran covered 462 nautical miles at an average speed of 19.28 knots, as she continues to make excellent progress in the second half of a course that promises to present a complex challenge. Having been forced a long way south of the direct route, the Capgemini and Schneider Electric trimaran has been heading back north towards Japan on her record attempt ever since passing Hawaii on Sunday. After seven days at sea, Geronimo and her crew have covered 3,178 nautical miles, leaving 'only' 2,344 to cover to reach Yokohama. However, this latest track, which isn't really one at all, is giving Olivier de Kersauson cause for concern, as he explained in his latest audio report last night. “It's going pretty well. We're making nearly 500 miles a day, which is a good average. The problem is that those 500 miles bring us only 380 closer to the finish line.” Geronimo must also cope with several areas of calm in the days that lie ahead. “We can see several cycles of calm to the north and west. The last 1,200 miles could be hazardous.” This latter section of the course may give the maxi-trimaran yet another opportunity to show just how adaptable she can be. “Geronimo is performing well. Apart from breaking a batten in a gybe yesterday, which we were able to replace quickly, we've had no problems at all. Once again, the boat is showing just how reliable she can be.” - Sail-World, full story: http://tinyurl.com/n89yp FREE, FREE, AND FREE The call is Toll Free - The shipping* is free on all foul weather gear and you also get a free Dryshirt™ with the purchase of any jacket and pant combination from Gill or Musto. What more could you ask for? This is a limited time offer so don’t wait to order. We have some gear at up to 40% on top name brands too! The all new PermawiK™ shirts are also being offered at introductory pricing. 1(800) 354-7245 or (562) 594-8749 International. http://www.sailingproshop.com GUY MEETS GIRL (The Newport-Bermuda Race section on the Scuttlebutt Forums has been seeking stories from past races. Here is one that we thought deserved some exposure) Well, this isn't about me and it isn't an offshore-in-the-&#$%&%#-Stream-on-a-wet-boat voyaging story. But it's about a guy on a boat that did the race. And (I think) it's a classic sailing tale in so many ways. I heard it first hand from the subject while sharing a spot on the rail in another bluewater misadventure. But that's another story. So there's this Guy. He'll remain nameless, since this was a hugely embarrassing moment for him then, and would surely be even more so today. So I'll respect that. Doesn't matter who it was, really. But you should know he's one of those people that are always in a "situation" and if you knew him you'd appreciate it even more. Anyway, he's the captain on a biggish race boat, 60+ something or other. Probably a Frers, given the day. They've got a real crew, new stick, new sails, new bottom, fancy hydraulics (first time around, not like today), some of them fancy new 'lectronics, and a full freezer of pre-made, pre-bagged goor-met meals all made up for the sloppy slog South. They start well, lead the fleet out off the line and don't look back. Nothing special about the race, particularly. Usual slog/ beat/ heave/ drop/ bang/ splash through the Stream and then cracked-off slide into the Patch. Get a pickle dish, eat a fine dinner, drink lots of Stark and Dormy's. Life is good. Gets better for our Guy, too. He meets a Girl at a post-race event. Pretty Girl...a very (independently verified) Pretty Girl indeed. They dance. They talk. They dance some more. They walk on beach. They go back to party. Our guy is smitten. She is...well, let's just say she's cautiously interested. (He is a boat captain, after all. And she, as it happens, is The Owners Daughter.) They part ways as the party ends with earnest plans to meet for a late breakfast and explore the island tomorrow. Scooter rides. Golf. Late lunch. A pink sand beach? Mmmmm... Unfortunately for Our Guy, the Friendly Owner has observed said interactions. And he knows his Boat Captain all too well. So at O-crack-sparrow-fart next morning, the FO steps aboard His Yacht on which our Boat Captain is sleeping. "Return my yacht to Newport immediately, please. Obtain all necessary crew and supplies, and shove off in 24 hours. I want my yacht back in time for The Cruise.” - This story is far from over, and can be continued on the Forums: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2119#2119 NEWS BRIEFS * The landmark Jamestown Bridge, for decades a crucial link across Narragansett Bay for motorists heading to Newport, was demolished Tuesday. The Scuttlebutt website has photographer Emily L. Ferguson’s seven photo sequence of the explosion from beginning to end: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/06/0420 * Powerhouses Point Loma and Newport Harbor will be among the top 20 ranked high school teams in California, plus three from Hawaii, competing in the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate Sailing Association's Pacific Coast Double Handed Championship at the US Sailing Center in Long Beach, CA this weekend. The top five in the PCISA season's final standings will qualify for the Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA) national championships for the Mallory Cup next month at Detroit. The PCCs are weighted 70 per cent among the six events on the schedule, compared to 10 per cent for the other events. - http://www.pcisa.org * The latest US Sailing Sailor of the Week is Kevin Wensley, who manages the Florida and Bahamas locations for Offshore Sailing School and still enjoys teaching at the Offshore Sailing School campuses at Fort Myers Beach and South Seas Island Resort on Captive Island, FL. Read the full report at http://www.ussailing.org/News/Sailor_of_the_Week/index.asp CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. And please save your bashing, and personal attacks for elsewhere. For those that prefer a Forum, you can post your thoughts at the Scuttlebutt website: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi) * From Donald M. Campbell, SanJuanYachts: (Re: Dennis Palmer's letter concerning Yachting World’s Cold Water Death Statistics in the NW) If you take the time to leave Puget Sound and head north into British Columbia you will find many salt water cruising areas that regularly boast water between 70 and 80 degrees for several months of the summer. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION When a man talks dirty to a woman, its sexual harassment. When a woman talks dirty to a man, its $3.95 per minute. Special thanks to Harken Yacht Equipment and Sailing Pro Shop. |
