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SCUTTLEBUTT 2808 - Wednesday, March 25, 2009
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.
Today's sponsors are North Sails, New England Ropes, and Annapolis Performance
Sailing.
YACHT CLUB ASPIRES TO COMPETE IN CUBA
(Sarasota, FL) - Now that U.S. President Barack Obama has taken office, a
group of sailing enthusiasts are hoping to reopen routes from Florida to Cuba
through competitive sailing events. Jay Meyer, a member of Sarasota Yacht
Club's sailing team, has applied with the federal government for permission to
compete in a sailing regatta off Cuba's coast -- something he last did 15
years ago, before the United States prohibited virtually all travel to the
island nation.
While travel to Cuba is still heavily regulated, Meyer is hoping the new
administration will allow him to take as many as 100 sailboats, yachts,
powerboats and their crews to Cuba for a 15-mile race in June. At least one
expert in global trade relations believes Meyer might have a shot at it this
year. -- Herald Tribune, read on: http://linkbee.com/LGR4
* Here is additional information on the event, which began when the Hemingway
International Yacht Club (HIYC) in Havana extended an invitation for U.S.
boaters to compete in the Regatta Castillo del Morro, restoring a 70-year-old
international tradition: http://linkbee.com/LGR5
MITCH BRINDLEY: COLLEGE SAILING IN 2009
In January, the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association of North America (ICSA)
held their Winter Meeting in Park City, UT. Here is the second half of an
update from ICSA President Mitch Brindley:
* Did last year’s qualification changes for the coed dinghy nationals achieve
its goal?
BRINDLEY: ICSA feels the semifinal format initiated last year, was a success,
particularly in terms of the competitiveness of the Championship finals.
Furthermore the two additional semifinal regattas were both highly
competitive, creating a great deal of excitement and competitive racing. This
new system has a sense of competitive fairness, where all teams have
equivalent opportunities to sail their way into the finals. The one area of
weakness that was identified in the new format was that some sailors and
coaches said that the two semifinals "did not feel" like nationals. So this
year we are taking steps to correct change that perception. It should be an
easy step with both the ICSA Eastern and Western National Championship
Semifinals being run concurrently in Boston Harbor on May 2-3, 2009 in two
fleets of FJs - right in front of Puma City during the Volvo Boston stopover.
* Is the ICSA looking at a new boat design?
BRINDLEY: As for the new college dinghy, the need for a better boat has not
gone away, and design characteristics are still being looked into. I think
there have been such improvements in boat building technology and design
systems that could be incorporated in to a new design of a boat or rig. The
economic environment might slow the process but should not stop it. Our
initial goal is to create some design parameters first. Mike O'Conner at
Harvard is the chair of the committee and is looking into this. -- Complete
interview: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0323
SOUTHERN CIRCUIT WRAP-UP
The 2009 Lightning Southern Circuit has ended for another year. With events
last week in Savannah (GA), Miami (FL), and St Petersburg (FL), sailors are
now sitting down (gingerly) at their desks or still trying to catch up on
their sleep, or trying to explain how the flu left them with big white raccoon
circles on their red and peeling faces.
Despite the CES (Current Economic Situation), the Lightning class was well
represented this spring, and there were a surprising number of young people
sailing. There were a few all-youth boats, notably Joy MacDonald’s all-girl
knot-tying champs, and Will Tyner’s “Rode Hard, Hung Up Wet” team. Alumnae
from the ILCA Boat Grant Program were plentiful, including Collin Kirby, Nick
Farina, Bobby Martin, Will Brown and Justin Coplan. The après-sailing parties
had a distinctively younger feeling this year, with lengthier late-night
adventures and so forth. -- Read on and/or post your circuit comments here:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7257#7257
STARK RAVING MAD WINS CABO RACE
Jim Madden and crew aboard his J/125 'Stark Raving Mad IV' took line honors
earlier this month in the 2009 Cabo Race and was also first in class and first
in fleet. Racing with a 100% North Sails inventory, Madden first chose North
when he got back into racing 9 years ago. "I'm very analytical by nature. I
did a very comprehensive analysis and obtained proposals from four sailmakers
and I looked at race records, cloth/technology, local support and cost for
each. I thought North was the best overall and went with them. I've been very
pleased and never turned back." -- http://www.northsails.com
40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS
(Mar. 24, 2009; Day 39) - In biblical terms, 40 days and 40 nights has many
connotations. But in the final throes of this 12,300-mile Leg 5 of the Volvo
Ocean Race 2008-09, it means ravenous men with 40-day growths enduring
sailing’s equivalent of purgatory. And, as has been the case for the past
week, talk on board is about last suppers as food stocks dwindle and morale
dips.
So how far off is redemption? At the current rate of progress, Cristo Redentor
should come into view for Ericsson 3 tomorrow afternoon – day 40. When,
precisely, is anybody’s guess, which is a relief for those of us with money
invested in the Race HQ sweepstake. -- Read on: http://linkbee.com/LGR6
* From Ken Read, PUMA skipper: “We have a choice. We always have a choice, but
now...we really have a choice. We can feel sorry for ourselves and bitch about
the weather and the winds and everything else that is preventing us from ‘all
we can eat in Rio’, or we can suck it up and deal with our situation the best
we can. Continue to race and continue to do our jobs. This crew has clearly
done the latter and I am very proud of all involved. Not a single ‘feeling
sorry for ourselves’ comment. We continue to race. Now, with that said and
between you and I...is this really necessary? Do the wind gods need to play
with us like this.” -- Read on:
http://www.volvooceanrace.org/news/article/2009/March/PUMA-L5-D39-2009/
Crewed around the world race in VO 70’s, with ten distance legs and seven
In-Port races. Leg Five from Qingdao, China to Rio de Janiero, Brazil is
12,300 nm, with the finish estimated on March 25th. Current positions (as of
Mar. 24, 10:15 pm GMT):
1. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Magnus Olsson/SWE, 321 nm Distance to Finish
2. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 96 nm Distance to Leader
3. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 200 nm DTL
4. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 563 nm DTL
5. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 612 nm DTL
Telefonica Black (ESP), Fernando Echavarri/ESP, Did Not Start
Delta Lloyd (IRL), Roberto Bermudez/ESP, DNS
Team Russia (RUS), Andreas Hanakamp/AUT, DNS
Event website: http://www.volvooceanrace.org
Overall scores: http://www.volvooceanrace.org/rdc/#tab4
Race tracking: http://volvooceanrace.geovoile.com
NEW COMMISSION TO FOCUS ON OLYMPIC STRATEGY
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has announced the members of the
newly formed Olympic Commission, which is tasked with developing and promoting
long-term strategy for the sport of sailing at the Olympic Games. The ISAF
Council approved the creation of a new Olympic Commission at the ISAF Annual
Conference held in Madrid, Spain last November. The new Commission replaces
the Olympic Advisory Board and will be tasked with assisting the Executive in
‘developing, agreeing and promoting a comprehensive vision and strategy of the
sport of sailing in the Olympic Games’. Here is the full list of Commission
members:
- Phil Jones (AUS) - Chairman;
- The Chairman of the Athletes’ Commission - currently Marcelien De Koning
(NED) although note Athletes’ Commission elections for the next four-year term
are scheduled to take place this year;
- The Chairman of the Events Committee - currently Chris Atkins (GBR);
- Cory Sertl (USA);
- Georg Fundak (AUT);
- Scott Perry (URU).
The creation of the Olympic Commission follows on from the ISAF Council
decision to approve Submission 082-08 from Yachting Australia during the 2008
ISAF Annual Conference. -- Read submission and full report here:
http://www.sailing.org/27656.php
* Phil Jones, CEO of Yachting Australia since 1997, is the chairman of the
newly established ISAF Olympic Commission. The Commission is scheduled to hold
their first meeting in Warsaw, Poland this May, during the ISAF Mid-Year
Meetings. In this interview, Jones provides his views on Olympic sailing and
the new commission: http://www.sailing.org/27657.php
NATIONS CUP GRAND FINAL
The 2009 International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Nations Cup Grand Final - a
global competition to find the world’s top match racing nation - are being
held this week in Porto Alegre, Brazil, with Dave Perry (USA) and Anna
Tunnicliffe (USA) representing North America. John Loe is sailing with Dave
and files this report:
(Mar. 24, 2009) - Today was the first day of racing. The women sailed in the
morning and so we didn’t have a report time until 2pm. After arriving at the
club we watched a few hours of racing and then were brought out on the water
on the inflatables. We watched the first men’s flight as we had a buy and
then switched into our boat.
The breeze was offshore and extremely puffy and shifty. Very much like
sailing on the Charles River or another very small college-style venue. The
racecourse was held in a small cove of the larger river on which the club
lies. We saw breeze from 8-16kts. Needlees to say staying in phase and
staying in the cheese and out of the holes was crucial. -- Read on:
http://johnloe.com/2009/03/24/nations-cup-day-1
* Anna’s team went 4-1 on the first day of racing, with the event concluding
on March 28th. Event site: http://www.sailing.org/nations-cup.php
CHRIS LARSON AND NEW ENGLAND ROPES ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
New England Ropes (NER) and Chris Larson are pleased to announce the
continuation of their highly successful partnership for the upcoming 2009
Melges 24 World Championships. Chris, former Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, with
over 35 world, National and One Design championships to his credit, says he’s
ready to rally for this fall’s World Championship. Team NER will feature all
of New England Ropes core technical products including: V100, Endura Braid,
Endura 12, Flight Line, and Salsa Line. This combination of world championship
know-how, and the world’s best running rigging, will make the Larson/Team NER
a force to be reckoned with in 2009. -- http://www.neropes.com
FLYING STARTS FOR HUTCHINSON (6-0) AND AINSLIE (5-1)
Long Beach, CA (Mar. 24, 2009) - Two illustrious sailors---Terry Hutchinson
and Ben Ainslie---are the first to say the Long Beach Yacht Club's 45th
Congressional Cup is a lot closer than it looks on the scoreboard that shows
them with 6-0 and 5-1 records after the first day of racing Tuesday.
But the Annapolis veteran, who won here in 1992 and called tactics for winners
Ken Read in 2003 and Dean Barker in 2006, said he isn't pondering the choice
between $30,000 or the keys to a new Acura awarded to anyone who goes
undefeated all week.
"There are a lot of good sailors here," said Hutchinson, who was recently
honored as America's Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. "You could easily go for oh
and six tomorrow." And it wasn't a perfect day for Hutchinson's crew, which
like all the others is lodged at LBYC members' homes. "The day started out,"
he said, "with those five words no host likes to hear: 'Do you have a
plunger?'" -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0324
OCEANS APART
With the fleet of four 40ft boats in the Portimão Global Ocean Race safely
around Cape Horn and into the South Atlantic, the Race Director, Josh Hall,
takes a frank look at this achievement, the implications this has for future
events and the likely impact… March 18, 19, and 20 2009 have become historic
dates in the history of round the world yacht racing and true milestones for
the Portimão Global Ocean Race.
At the same time as the fleet of 70ft Volvo Ocean Race yachts rounded Cape
Horn, so did the Portimão Global Ocean Race fleet of 40-footers. Both fleets
manned by passionate, talented sailors and both fleets followed by a massive
internet audience that held their breath as the boats carried their crews
around the world’s most notorious cape and swiftly from the inherent dangers
of the Southern Ocean back into the relative safety of the South Atlantic. --
Read on: http://www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com/?page=news&news_id=241&lang=en
SAILING SHORTS
* The Disney movie Morning Light is showing at the Port Jefferson Cinema (Port
Jefferson Station, NY) for one show on March 26, 2009 at 9:00PM. -- Theatre
information: http://www.pjcinemas.com
* A television program called Great Lakes Log has been produced jointly by the
Grosse Pointe War Memorial Studio and Bayview Yacht Club Com. Ted Everingham
about this year's 2009 Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Race. Frank Kern, the
2009 race chairman, describes the new changes to this year’s race. View here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQIDmPibzAc
* Entries are now open for the 2009 AYC/SSA Team Race on May 16-17, hosted by
Annapolis Yacht Club in Annapolis, MD. A maximum of 20 teams will be accepted
for the event, which will use supplied Club 420s. -- Details:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0316/
SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT
Headed to Charleston Race week? It's not too late to get some new team gear
and show up in style! APS, "The World's Leader in Outfitting Performance
Sailors", has cooked up a tasty deal on customized Henri Lloyd Atmosphere T's
that's so great you'll think you're in nirvana. Come see this rockin' deal
at... http://www.APSLTD.com/TeamGearSpecial
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Reader commentary is encouraged, with letters to be submitted to the
Scuttlebutt editor, aka, ‘The Curmudgeon’. Letters selected for publication
must include the writer's name, and be no longer than 250 words (letter might
be edited for clarity or simplicity). You only get one letter per subject, and
save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a
more open environment for discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum.
-- To submit a Letter: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
-- To post on the Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From Roger Vaughan: (re, letter in SBUTT 2807) I couldn't agree more with
Peter Wilcox about running out of food at sea: stupid is the right word. I've
covered half a dozen Whitbread/Volvos, sailed in one Whitbread, and when I
hear about sawing handles off toothbrushes, cutting clothing allowances to the
bare minimum (pun intended), restricting books and CDs, and of all things,
scrimping on food, I can only shake my head. It's tough enough out there
without adding those ridiculous handicaps. As Wilcox says, race officials
should step in and assign minimum weights and issue mandatory lists regarding
personal items and food, and stop the foolishness. Equality would be
maintained throughout the fleet, and life on board would be a tad more
comfortable and a lot more healthy. Fixing this issue is long overdue.
* From Dawn Riley: What a great letter by Rich Jepsen from OCSC (in SBUTT
2807). I agree, we have to encourage teens who naturally and desperately want
to be adults to take some leadership and have some responsibility and what
better way to do that then to have them in charge of their own borrowed
keelboat and with others of their own age (yes coed is preferable). Nothing
against my parents but I became obsessed with sailboat racing at age 13, the
day that I went racing on a big boat without them. That continued through Sea
Scouts where someone had donated an awful colored Dufor 29 to us, so we named
it Agent Orange and went practicing or racing five days a week. Oh - and my
obsession still continues.
* From Jeff Borland: (re, Congressional Cup story) I would like to make a
small but salient point - there are actually THREE grade 1 match race events
held annually on the North American continent. The BoatU.S. Santa Maria Cup,
the Osprey Cup and the Congressional Cup. The Congressional Cup can lay claim
to the only OPEN grade 1 event, as the BoatU.S. Santa Maria Cup and the Osprey
Cup are both women's events.
* From Ken Womack: This past Sunday while racing Etchells in the Coral Reef
Cup on Biscayne Bay (Miami, FL), I was involved in a serious accident about a
minute before the start of a race, It was blowing pretty hard maybe 20 plus
with greater gusts. The collision resulted in my ending up in the drink with
two legs that refused to function and and enough blood running out of my head
to worry anyone. The response of everyone around was picture perfect.
Lifejackets appeared, the closest boats positioned themselves to make a
recovery, other boats stayed clear, and one of the race committee boats came
to our aid immediately. After being recovered by my own crew, I was
immediately transferred to one of the race committee boats and rushed to shore
where there was emergency personnel in numbers and an ambulance to transport
me to the ER.
I want to especially thank Ken Batzer operating the boat that ferried me
ashore and his crew which included Annie Edwards for their efforts. Ken's boat
handling skills in the transfer were impeccable and Annie did a great job of
evaluating my injuries and stabilizing me on the way to shore as well as
making sure that resources would be waiting when we arrived ashore. -- Read
on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7244
* From Peter Bowker, Fort Lauderdale, FL: Much as I admire John Jourdane’s
exploits and, in particular, his ability to go sailing and still have a real
job, he and Herb McCormick (of Sailing World) seemed to have succumbed to the
quaint Californian belief that sailing to Hawaii is a “transit of the vast
Pacific ocean”.(to quote Herb, ‘butt 2804).
Hey folks, get real! You’re only a third of the way to the other shore! The
so-called Trans-Pacific Yacht Club runs a biennial race to Honolulu and an
occasional one to Tahiti. I have enjoyed both events but never considered that
I had crossed the Pacific, until we took Windward Passage to Australia and
back some years ago.
Calling the jaunt to Honolulu a Trans-pacific race is tantamount to suggesting
the Newport to Bermuda race be dubbed a Trans-Atlantic race.
* From Andrew H. Hooker, Youngstown YC (NY): (re, sunscreen for sailing
thread) I have been sailing and racing on Lake Ontario for over half a
century. In spite of the fact that our season is only half of the year, skin
cancer is very prevalent. With the thinning ozone layer near the poles, I burn
easier at latitude 43 degrees than I do in the Virgin Islands. Unfortunately,
sunscreen didn't exist the first half of my sailing career. I am now paying
the price with biopsies every three months, Efudex treatments, and a back that
looks like a chart of the Thousand Islands. Hawaiian Tropic Ozone 70 or H.T.
Sport 60 applied generously & early in the day have slowed down my frequency
of basal, squamous cell, and malignant melanoma. Get checked regularly by your
dermatologist and apply your sunscreen early (at least an hour before going
into the sun).
=> Curmudgeon’s Comment: Great info… is there anymore? Please post it here:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7198
APRIL FOOLS WRITING ASSIGNMENT
In anticipation of April 1st next week, Scuttlebutt is hosting an April Fools
writing assignment. There are countless themes to choose - just scroll through
recent issues of Scuttlebutt and put your own absurd twist to any event… or
make up your own. Don’t forget the America’s Cup legal ruling that we expect
any day. We will publish every story, and dig into the prize bin for the most
worthy. Deadline is Monday, March 30th, and be sure to indicate on your
submission that it is for the April Fools writing assignment (we don’t want to
confuse your story with legit news). Send stories to the Scuttlebutt editor at
mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
CURMUDGEON’S DICTIONARY OBSERVATION
Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto
the roof and gets stuck there.
Special thanks to North Sails, New England Ropes, and Annapolis Performance
Sailing.
A complete list of preferred suppliers is at
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers
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