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SCUTTLEBUTT 1674 - September 23, 2004Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing, whining and personal attacks for elsewhere. ATHENS PARALYMPIC SAILING Athens Greece As predicted, the sea breeze did kick in Wednesday afternoon. The breeze was as usual shifty but 7 to 10 knots made for some great sailing conditions. The USA's Sonar and 2.4 Metre sailors are well-positioned to bring home Paralympic medals after races seven and eight were completed today on the Saronic Gulf. Both fleets will sail the ninth and final race of their Paralympic Regatta Thursday. Tom Brown (Northeast Harbor, Maine) is now guaranteed a medal in the 2.4 Metre, while Sonar sailors John Ross-Duggan (Newport Beach, Calif.), Brad Johnson (Milwaukee, Wis.) and J.P. Creignou (St. Petersburg, Fla.) remain in the hunt. On finishes of 1-3 in today's races, Brown recovered the one-point between himself and rival Damien Seguin of France. The two sailors are now tied on points at 17 apiece in a virtually unbreakable tie owing to the same number of first, second, third, fourth and fifth-place finishes thus far in the series. Seguin holds the overall fleet lead by virtue of his finish in the last race today a second to Brown's third. Theirry Schmitter of the Netherlands is third overall with 20 points. The three sailors are all guaranteed medals, with the color to be determined on the outcome of tomorrow's final race. After an eighth place finish in the first race of the day, Ross-Duggan, Johnson and Creignou battled back to place fifth in race eight to remain in contention for a medal in their 15-boat Sonar fleet. The U.S. team is fourth overall, behind Germany with whom they are tied on points at 30. Israel leads the overall standings on 18 points, followed by The Netherlands with 22. In Thursday's final race, the U.S. will have to finish ahead of Germany -- and stay within seven boats of Australia -- to claim the bronze medal. - Event website: www.sailing.org/paralympics2004/ PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced yesterday that its Executive Committee approved the Prohibited List of Substances and Methods for 2005. The new List will be published prior to October 1, 2004, and will go into effect January 1, 2005. Some changes will be made from the current List in 2005. The Executive Committee based its decisions regarding the List on the recommendations of WADA's List Committee and Health-Medical and Research Committee, which met in September to discuss the 2005 List. Since 2004, WADA has been tasked with issuing the List on an annual basis, a responsibility previously held by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). A substance or method is added to the List if it meets two of three criteria: it is performance enhancing, poses a danger to athletes' health, and its use is against the spirit of sport. The 2005 Prohibited list is effective in sport from 1 January 2005 and a copy will be published prior to that date on the ISAF Medical microsite: www.sailing.org/medical BELL MUMM 30 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Samuel Kahn, a.k.a. "Shark," and his world-class crew of Mumm 30 neophytes finished third, first and second in Wednesday's second day of racing---Lewmar Day around the historic Royal Canadian Yacht Club---to seize a six-point lead after six of 11 races in the Bell Mumm 30 World Championship. The younger Kahn took over the lead from his father Philippe, the California software developer who opened the day with a win, followed by a fifth and a wind-dying 19th, settling into third place 11 points off his son's pace and five points behind second-place Fred Sheratt, the local hope from the host club. The Shark's stunning performance is an even larger surprise than the weather. On the first day of autumn, when the resident Canada geese should be flying south and citizens donning winter woolies, the region remained in the grip of a high-pressure system with a peak temperature Wednesday of 29 (C.), which converts to 85 (F) - probably warmer than it was in the Kahns' second home in Hawaii. The conditions meant light to moderate winds fading to very light and swinging 45 degrees left through the afternoon. When Kahn and several of the same crew won the Melges 24 worlds last year a fair share of credit was given to the other guys in the boat, particularly professionals Richard Clarke and Mark (Crusty) Christensen. But when a quiet lad of 14 and now 15 steps into an authentic international one-design class like the Melges 24s and Mumm 30s and outperforms veterans as Kahn is doing, some extraordinary forces must be at work. At least he raced the Melges 24 a couple of years before reaching the top. Here, he and each of his six crew members are racing a Mumm 30 for the first time in their lives. - Rich Roberts Standings (after 6 of 11 races): 1. Pegasus 20, Samuel Kahn, Honolulu, 27 points. 2. Steadfast, Fred Sheratt, Toronto, 33. 3. Pegasus 591, Philippe Kahn, Honolulu, 38. 4. Tramp, Tom Ritter, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., 29. 5. Foreign Affair, Richard Perini, Sydney, Australia, 47. More information and photos: www.mumm30rcyc.com and www.mumm30.org ULLMAN SAILS AT DANA POINT Ullman Sails congratulates our customers who won at the RH Dana Charity Regatta. Biff Bunney on his Henderson 30 "Power Point" took Class A and was 1st overall, winning the Total Elapsed Time Trophy. Class C was won by Brady/Bronson in their J80 "Athena". Tom and Cathy Adamson won the non-spinnaker class on "Maxwell", a Catalina 42. In the Lido 14's Bob Hartung on "Speed Racer" finished 1st in Fleet B. For the "Fastest Sails on the Planet" contact an Ullman Sails loft and visit http://www.ullmansails.com TRAGEDY While other experienced sailors ignored reports of bad weather and started a race off Greenport, Long Island, Saturday morning, Chris Conradi and Peter Harvey decided to do the smart thing and head home instead. As they sailed Harvey's 31-foot trimaran "Andiamo" back toward Stonington, a vicious squall enveloped them near Niantic Bay about 10:30 a.m. The 50-mile-per-hour winds and six-foot swells fueled by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan capsized the boat and flipped it upside down. Both men were wearing life vests but the 38-year-old Conradi was trapped underneath the boat among the tangle of sails, rigging and other equipment. Harvey, who is much smaller, managed to extricate the athletic, 6-foot-4-inch Conradi from underneath the boat and pulled him onto one of the hulls. For the next hour he tried to resuscitate his close friend and racing partner with no success. Finally, Harvey was able to get the attention of some passing fishermen. They brought the two men into Crescent Beach in Niantic while one the fishermen continued CPR, (unsuccessfully). On Sunday, friends and relatives of Conradi, an experienced sailor and skier who lived in the borough, tried to deal with his death. - By Joe Wojtas, Day Staff Columnist, Stonington/ Mystic, full story: http://tinyurl.com/6w9vu SAUSALITO CHALLENGE According to a story posted on the Mariantic website, we should not get too excited about rumors that PeopleSoft will sponsor John Sweeney's Sausalito Challenge America's Cup syndicate. Although one of Sweeney's vintage ACC boats has been seen sailing in the San Francisco Bay with PeopleSoft signage, Mariantic revealed, "…that their 'sponsorship' from PeopleSoft is a one week 'Sailing Billboard' promotion in San Francisco in conjunction with PeopleSoft's annual week long symposium held at the Moscone Center. "We feel that John Sweeney gave the impression to the world press that the challenge had a sponsor for the 32nd America's Cup. The announcement on the Challenge Series website will disappoint many and anger some. It will also delight the detractors who have, from the beginning, said this challenge was a fantasy. We have (had) a heap of goodwill for this team but, sorry, we are losing patience. This is not the innovative, professional approach their website claimed was what set them apart. Even if there does turn out to be a real deal here, they have alienated at least two fans (mariantic) and probably many more." - Full story: www.mariantic.co.uk/ac/six.htm#ps C-CLASS CATAMARAN CHAMPIONSHIP On Narragansett Bay the International C-Class Catamaran Championship went into phase two today with the start of the match racing competition with Cogito, the Little America's Cup defenders and winners of the this event's fleet racing first half lining up against their predecessor Patient Lady VI. Meanwhile the Airbus team from the UK on Invictus Challenge raced the Australians on Team Ronstan in the 'petit-finals'. Once again conditions were light and the start of racing was delayed from 1100 until just after 1500. Patient Lady VI tacked on to port soon after the start leaving Cogito to go out to the left. Patient Lady then tacked back to sail up the middle of the course and by the weather mark she held a 100-150m lead over Duncan MacLane and Steve Clark's form boat. Although Cogito was able to eat up their lead over the course of the next three legs, it was the Tornado hotshots Lars Guck and Stan Schreyer who were able to take their first race off the seemingly invincible Cogito. Unfortunately the tables turned in the next two races which were both won by Cogito taking the points for today's racing. For the start of the first 'petit-final' between the Brits and Aussies the wind was around 8 knots … and for the second race the wind was still less than 5 knots, conditions in which the British boat suffers and the Australians took off to lead around the race course, securing the day's result in this competition. - Excerpts from a comprehensive story on the Daily Sail website, full story: http://www.thedailysail.com/ NEWS BRIEFS * Stamford YC - Skip Shumway sailed his Ideal 18 to a first place finish in the nine race, one throw-out 2004 North American Championship that had winds ranging from 12-35+ knots. Even Hurricane Ivan couldn't keep the fleet of 23 boats off the course on Saturday. Sunday's conditions were bright but with building breeze and seas which forced the Committee to cancel the day's racing after four races were completed. Stuart Saffer finished a very close second with Dave Perry taking third, Charles Zylstra fourth and Gary Vogel fifth. - http://stamfordyc.com * The Valencian newspaper Levante reported that the teams established in the new customs wharf are unhappy with the pontoons, their anchorage and the lack of water and electricity. RCNV pontoons and wharves were ready by Sep 18 when Alinghi and Oracle returned to their existing bases but, when K-Challenge, Le Defi and Shosholoza sailed from the Dockwise ship to the newly extended Customs Wharf, they found the pontoons were not anchored, lacked the necessary anchorage and moved laterally. Furthermore there was no water or electricity. - Cup in Europe website, full story: www.cupineurope.com/MatchRace/04ValenciaLV-EN.htm * A weather window is opening up for Bruno Peyron and his crew, who will try to break the Marseilles - Carthage record. The Orange II maxi-catamaran should cross the starting line Thursday between 1800 and 2000 hours local time. www.maxicatamaran-orange.com/ * After six races of the seven race Etchells NAs at the Richmond YC, Judd Smith has 19 points and a six point lead over Peter Vessella. Tim Wells is in third place in the 53-boat fleet with 31 points - one point less than Vince Brun and Great Brittan's Nils Razmiloviz. Complete standings: www.sfetchells.org/naduring/results.cfm IN MEMORIAM Richard Waterman Besse, 83, died at his home in Skaneateles on September 17 of cancer. He was a graduate of Yale University and Commodore of the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club. Dick spearheaded the revival of small boat racing at the Skaneateles Country Club. In 1976, with Janet, he founded both The Sailboat Shop and the Skaneateles Sailing Club. Dick qualified as an alternative Finn class skipper for the 1952 Olympics, won the Rhodes Bantam National Class Championships three times, qualified for the Laser World Championships in 1974 and crewed in many ocean races. He designed and built several wooden boats, including a Rhodes Bantam that is on display at the Skaneateles Historical Society. Dick dedicated much time to the Syracuse area community and was president of the Central New York Yacht Racing Union and charter member of Mystic Seaport. As a retiree, Dick served on the Board of the Skaneateles Sailing Club, spent many hours working on club projects. A naval burial service at Lakeview Cemetery will be followed by a 1 p.m. gathering to celebrate his life on October 9 at the Skaneateles Sailing Club. NEW ENGLAND ROPES ONSITE AT J24 WORLDS New England Ropes has long been an active supporter of the J/24 Class. Most of our products have been developed and tested on the J/24, the world's largest one-design keelboat. Look for our new products: Bzzz, Salsa and Endura Braid on most of the leading contenders. Good luck to all participants. New England Ropes products will be available for purchase on-site from the Boat Locker. For more information on the regatta, visit j24worlds.com and for more information on New England Ropes, visit http://www.neropes.com 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. This is not a chat room nor a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From John McNeill: I was just waiting for someone to pick up on this (Shumway in #1673) Team Racing has ALL the elements for involving the general sports viewer in our misunderstood sport. As in football or roller derby, there are runners, blockers and occasional mayhem, not to mention the goal line stand (chaos at the mark). Perhaps the single most exciting regatta I have watched in recent years was just such a contest in J 105s in San Francisco pitting the StFYC vs. NYYC in the aptly named Madcap Regatta. This is the one sailing venue where the actions of the participants fully determine the outcome, rather than the technology or money behind a given yacht. It lends itself well to the featuring of the players rather than the equipment, and the emotional content rather than the instruments. Throw in a couple of minor collisions and a bit of cheating with appropriate penalties and you've got the very stuff that attracts audiences. Mr. Shumway is right that the money will follow, given viewers. * From Bob Fisher (Re: Lisa Neuburger's comments on the candidates for Presidency of ISAF): Certainly Goran Peterson was at the Olympic Games, but so too were the other two candidates, Sadi Claeys and Fernando Bolin. * From Craig McBurney: Paul Henderson is wrong by communicating to advertisers a defeatist attitude and more than unhelpful to us who are risking significant personal dollars to bring wind and watersports programming to mainstream broadcast and narrowcast channels (from Butt # 1671: 'By the way, nothing sailing does will make it a high-profile Olympic TV sport'). TV is becoming the Net and the Net is becoming the TV. Instead of being close-minded and negative on prospects for opportunity and growth of sport (growth comes from resources for programming, which comes from commercial marketers, which demand ROI meaning exposure) and insulting NBC's Olympic Sailing budget expenditures and Gary Jobson by saying sailing won't work on TV, solutions should be debated in a positive, creative way. And moving a crashed website to a Hobie Cat site may be clever, but clearly unprofessional and indicative of a lack of focus on an interest in increasing exposure, the very thing marketers pay attention to when making media buying decisions. It's an on-demand narrow-cast world now, bringing production costs in line with revenues for limitless niche programming, available for prime-time viewing whatever the viewers time zone get the thinking out of the box please and good things can happen. * From James L. Gallacher: This whole flap about making sailing more "televisual" is ridiculous. If Mr. Wheatley has his way the sailors will be racing Neon Transformers outfitted with giant claw hammers that could sink your nearest competitor with a very televisual blow. * From Chris Ericksen (In reply to Stuart Lochner in 'Butt 1672): No, sir, one-design is not the "end-all answer" to debates among sailors about their boats: if you want to get a group of sailors wound up, start talking to Etchells owners about keels. And his point about the higher relative cost of one-design boats is a good one, although the statements that they "tend to be way over-priced" or carry a "typically obscene price tag" are not: those of us who prefer to sail one-design keelboats will pay what it costs, for it is our demand for these boats that bids the price up. For those who cannot--or choose not to--pay to be in a one-design keelboat class, fine: that is the beauty of a system that offers something for everyone Just now, the Etchells class is contesting its North American Championship on San Francisco Bay. There is a brand-new boat out there, skippered by a sailmaker and past North American champion; there is also a boat built more than a quarter-century ago, skippered by a small businessman who spends less on his boat than most. Both had top-five finishes the first day. No ratings arguments, no excuses, no recriminations, just doing it. That is what one-design is about: the better sailors do better. Period. * From Chris Upton (re Stuart Lochner, in 'Butt 1672): Buying the boat is the easy part, its campaigning that's expensive. Current hot OD classes are working to limit the costs: sail limitations in the form of number per year (and in the case of the J/105 4 per boat), few pros, a regatta schedule that fits the class and restrictions on modifications. PHRF is wide open to these expenses. It is not financially logical to buy any boat. Race boats are built to the edge, are raced hard and do wear out. The hot OOD in the 80's was the J/35. You could be on the line for well under $200. Now $35-50. This is not Everyman's sport. A used J/105 with family capability is less than $70 used and can be competitive. IOR boats were sold at 20 cents on the dollar? There is a responsibility to buy a boat that you can afford. Just consider the the cost to campaign and maintain. Boats loose their value over time. Sail makers can build sails in quantity for strict OD classes. The same with equipment manufacturers. The J/44 class owns class sails for events. How's that for keeping your costs down? What non one design is comparable to these OOD classes for half the cost and equal quality? The only boat that has been known to reliably appreciate is the Hinckley Bermuda 40. * From Dave Wilhite: I know this may go down like a lead balloon and I know that in some cases clubs are focused differently but... how can sailing in America expect to grow athletes for the Olympic games when the major feature of practically every yacht club in our country is a dedicated, often elegant, bar room, several with respected staff bartenders, while few yacht clubs have a dedicated classroom with a respected staff teacher or coach. No health club, gymnasium or track and field stadium has such a feature and look at the metals we pull down in these arenas. And what of the summer coaches hired for the youth sailing camps? Great, but how about coaches for adolescents and adults! How about some sort of system, or facilities for that matter, to bridge the gap during adolescence to keep youth and adults involved? The very essence of the bar at most yacht clubs is a natural block that keeps kids away and education at a minimum. What about including dinghy classes during regattas of larger yachts so that we minimize segregation? Multiple start lines and racing areas are already used to improve the quality of class sailing and we can apply this kind of thinking to other aspects of a fun regatta weekend. If we can find solutions to solidify the sailing community rather than maintain the stratification of today's current arrangements, our country will make great strides towards improving our competitive edge. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION For Sale: Parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain. |
