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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 713 - December 19, 2000VENDEE GLOBE* After predicting a winning 99-day circumnavigation, Yves Parlier is out of the Vendee Globe single-handed race around the world. Parlier's royal blue Aquitaine Innovations was dismasted yesterday. Parlier, who had led the race for the better part of the first month, today was positioned at 48 degrees South and 88 degrees East, more than 1,300 miles south/southwest from Perth, Western Australia. Parlier's silence and erratic route yesterday created anxiety at the race office in Paris. Today they received word from Parlier that he was experiencing "technical difficulties" but was in "fine health." * Parlier, highly regarded for his keen sense in forecasting the weather, has a history of difficulty completing races. He was forced to withdraw from the last Vendee (1996-97) when a rudder broke after striking a growler. He also has withdrawn from the last two trans-Atlantic races from England to Rhode Island, both times because of broken masts. Michel Desjoyeaux continues to lead the race aboard PRB. He was averaging nearly 17 knots today at 1300 GMT and running 85 miles ahead of Roland Jourdain and Sill. Desjoyeaux, who overtook Parlier for the lead last week, was still more than 13,000 miles from the finish. - Excerpts from the story posted on the Quokka Sailing website. Full story: http://www.quokkasailing.com/stories/12/SLQ_1218_parlier_WFC.html MORE VENDEE GLOBE From Yves Parlier "Everything happened very quickly. The wind climbed very fast, and very strongly under a storm cloud. My boat took off, gybed uncontrollably and wiped out on its side. As she came back up, the shock loads were so big that the boat gybed a second time and I was thrown across the cockpit. The boat took off again on a surf, but nose dived with the water coming right up to the mast - and it was that that brought the mast down. Now all is well, and I confirm that I do not require assistance." Parlier has managed to make a jury rig from what he has left, and has confirmed he is able to make his own way to the nearest land - probably Perth, Australia, some 1600 miles to the north. With a big new storm arriving in the vicinity tomorrow which will test the whole fleet, it will be a tough passage. - Courtesy of Ellen MacArthur's Kingfisher syndicate. Standings on Dec, 18 at 13:01 UT: 1. PRB (Desjoyeaux) .2 SILL Matines La Potagere (Jourdain) +85 miles, 3. Aquitaine Innovations (Parlier) +348 miles, 4. Sodebo (Coville) +419 miles, 5. Kingfisher (MacArthur) +430 miles, 6. Active Wear (Thiercelin) +452 miles. Race website: http://www.vendeeglobe.com/home.asp?lang=us PETER BARRETT Peter J. Barrett died Sunday December 17 in Madison, Wisconsin after a two-year battle with cancer. Peter grew up and was educated in Madison and was a long-time resident of Pewaukee, Wisconsin and a member of the Pewaukee Yacht Club. Peter was a remarkable man and one of America's most accomplished sailors. As a collegiate racer at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, Peter and MCSA teammates Art Mitchel, Bruce Goldsmith, Dextar Thede and Otto Scherer won the 1957 Collegiate Team Race Championship. He had another great year in 1962 when he won both the U.S. Single-handed Sailing Championship (George D. O'Day Trophy), and crewed with Charlie Miller to help Jim Payton win the Mallory Cup (U.S. Men's Sailing Championship). During his extraordinary sailing career, Peter competed in three Olympic Games-winning medals in two. He finished 11th in the Finn at the 1960 Olympics in Naples, Italy, won a Silver medal in the Finn at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan, and teamed with Lowell North for a Gold medal in the Star at the 1968 Games in Acapulco, Mexico. On the home front, Peter won the 470 Nationals, Finn North Americans, C-Scow Blue Chip, A Scow Inlands and crewed on the winning boat in the 1971 Chicago-Mackinac Race among other championships. For many years he was a contributing editor to Yacht Racing/Cruising (now Sailing World). He also co-designed the Aquarius 23 with Stan Miller. In 1964, Lowell North, President and founder of North Sails, asked Peter to manage the Newport Beach, California loft. After working there for several years, In 1973 Peter returned to Pewaukee, Wisconsin to become Executive Vice President of North Sails, Inc. During his tenure, North established lofts throughout the world and became the dominant company in the sailmaking industry. Peter left North in 1985 to embark on a new career. Both he and Laurie spent many wonderful years teaching business and accounting at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Peter is survived by his wife Laurie and their three children: Tara is a forestry professor at the University of Montana. Bruce is a family practice physician in Madison and is currently researching alternative medicines. Bruce has two children, a boy and a girl, Nola (8) and Robin (6). Kevin, also a Madison resident, is finishing a Ph.D. in African languages and literature. His wife Fatna is from Morocco. They have two boys Hakim (6) and Karim (3). Memorial Service: Visitation: 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Memorial Service: 4:00 p.m., Thursday December 21, 2000; Ryan Funeral Home, 2418 North Sherman Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53704-3345, (608) 249-8257. PERSONAL NOTE: "Every right minded parent would want their kid to emulate (Peter Barrett) on how to win against all odds without sponsorship, earn it yourself, do it yourself, and how to live and treat your fellow man during and after your quest for success." - Peter Harken EXPERIENCE COUNTS For over 28 years Sailing Supply has helped the best sailors in the world prepare for big events. Having a very experienced staff helps. This year alone our staff has won the Etchells 22 world championship, Key West, SORC, Big Boat Series, Santana 20 Nationals, Volvo Inshore Championship, SD Yachting Cup, plus many more local regattas. Our staff is on the water, year round, trying new products and rigging ideas. Please give us a call and let us help you rig your boat to win. 1-800-532-3831 or visit our website at www.sailingsupply.com AMERICA'S CUP The America's Cup village is officially full for the 2003 regatta. Village officials have filled the final spot, with the second Italian syndicate signing up, and issuing an early confirmation of its plans to challenge for the Auld Mug. Mascalzone Latino will join challenger of record Prada as the two Italian syndicates vying for the America's Cup. - NZ Herald, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ac2000/ INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S KEELBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP ANNAPOLIS, MD (Dec. 18, 2000) - Organizers say "change" has been the key word used in planning the 9th Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship (IWKC), slated for September 22-28, 2001. The first change was announced last summer when US SAILING reported that the biennial event, after 14 years with the Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, R.I., was moving to Annapolis, Md. Also, it was decided that the smaller four-person J/22 would replace the J/24. And lastly, the International Sailing Federation Council (ISAF) added women's keelboat fleet racing as the 11th sailing medal for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. "Based on a dialogue with the women sailors, we're anticipating between 50 and 75 entries representing eight to 12 countries," said Sandy Grosvenor, a three-time Rolex IWKC veteran who, serves as co-chair with Anne Harrington. "The new venue and boat have been enthusiastically embraced. And, we anticipate that the new Olympic status of keelboat racing for women will bring even more energy and participation to the regatta." During the Rolex IWKC's 15-year history, more than 250 teams from 17 nations have competed. www.annapolisyc.com/rolexkeelboats / www.ussailing.org/riwkc LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) (Letters selected to be printed may be edited for clarity, space (250 words max) or to exclude unfounded speculation or personal attacks. This is not a bulletin board or a chat room - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree. We don't publish anonymous letters, but will withhold your e-mail address on request.) * From Ken Guyer kagptloma@home.com The thread regarding rescues at sea, the assessment of cost, and whether it is just another day in the life of the rescuers is fascinating. I don't think it is incorrect to ask the question regarding who should pay for such services. It gets dialogue going and helps separate the legitimate "on the edge" attempt at something on the water from the foolish and ill conceived. Having retired from public safety myself, I know it was always a topic of discussion particularly after a life-risking rescue of a member of the public who got themselves into trouble because of his/her own foolishness. While training exercises are held to keep skills honed, it is not as dangerous or risky as being on the scene of a adrenaline pumping, high risk rescue, making split second decisions, and placing your own self and other rescuers in jeopardy of serious injury or worse. It is good to have the discussion. Leave the door open to levy penalties to those who risk the lives of the rescuers because of foolhardy stunts. While the question is asked in the case of Team Philips, it is obviously not the type of incident which should require a pay back. But a fee for services rendered is viable sometimes, especially if the risk to those who perform the rescue outweighs the circumstances. * From Ed Sherman Brewster210@aol.com Addressing a sporting sailor's witness and peril during nature's violence at sea and considering the lessons of Fastnet, Sydney-Hobart, The Race, The Perfect Storm and others, the last concluding statement of the 1979 FASTNET inquiry says it best. It is the most profound warning ever written regarding sporting types and conditions at sea. "The sea proved that it CAN BE a DEADLY enemy and that those who go to sea for pleasure must do so in the FULL KNOWLEDGE that they may encounter dangers of the HIGHEST order." * From: Guy Gurney gurney@optonline.net Nearly 20 years ago I discussed with the great French sailor Laurent Cordelle the issue of whether governments should pay for the rescue of long-distance racing sailors in distress (even then it was an old familiar topic). He advocated a simple solution: single-handers and such adventurers should be prohibited from carrying any kind of liferaft or any means of communication aboard the yacht. If they got into trouble they would be on their own. This, he claimed, would force them to design and build boats that were seaworthy, rig them properly and strongly, and stop taking foolish risks. It would also save everyone else a lot of inconvenience and expense. I think he was joking, but I'm not sure. * Carl Watson watsoncarl@yahoo.com.au To all, as competitor and luckily a survivor of the Sydney to Hobart in 1998 aboard the yacht Sword of Orion, we all as Sailors respect the Ocean , however the Rescuers in this case have never received the accolades that are due , we were fortunate to be rescued by our Navy, an extremely gallant effort. The point that a great deal of your readers and contributers miss is that these people do not see this on a daily training mission and reality tells us all that Fact overrules Fiction. I have had a great deal of dialogue with our Rescuers whom above all else took life threathening risks. To be firm with the situation these people voluntarily took on these roles as employees of the Nation. Teamwork such as such as this will only encourage our sport, therefore go out of your way to get these people on your boat to show them We Care. R.I.P. Glynn Charles. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: On this high note, we'll officially end this thread. * From Mark Townsend mtowns@dwp.ci.la.ca.us Brad Reads article reminds me of the following. In 1993 Alamitos Bay Yacht club ran the Tornado World Championships and were requested by the ISAF to use an experimental course design which incorporated gates. The course that was proposed, and which was actually used included a leeward gate, a windward gate, a mid-course gate as well as a reaching finish, a total of eight marks! The windward gate did not work out to be the winning strategy that the designer thought it would be. With boats coming from the right side of the course and rounding the left gate and vice versa, the closing speed of boats at the weather gate was spectacular. In the words of the weather whaler at the time when asked how things were going, "someone's going to get hurt". The mid-line gate, which was between the committee boat and shortened start line, was equally interesting, especially as they had to pass through this gate both upwind and downwind! At the end of the regatta, with everyone still in one piece, we recommend against windward and mid-course gates in the future. Fortunately I think for everyone, especially the insurance companies, windward and mid-course gates did not catch on. BEAR-AWAY SPINNAKER SETS (Flawless bear-away spinnaker sets can only be achieved through practice and attention to detail. Dean Brenner explains how they did it during his Soling campaign with Ed Baird and Tom Burnham in a story posted on the SailNet website. Here's a brief excerpt.) Once the bow is through the turn, I leave the rail and helmsman Ed Baird calls for the hoist. Whether it's the helmsman or the crew boss or the tactician who makes the call, the crew should really wait for the hoist call so that the maneuver is coordinated. It is also critical that the guy gets squared as the halyard goes up to avoid any wraps. If possible, the helmsman should let the crew know if he or she will be staying on a hot angle or steering down all the way. This will insure that everyone is on the same page, and that the pole is not over or under-squared. On our Soling, we rig it so bowman Tom Burnham pulls up the halyard, Ed trims the guy back on the set, and I feed the kite out of the bag and then jump on the sheet. Make sure the kite gets out and away from the boat. The tendency for many less-experienced trimmers is to over-trim right out of a set. It's important to get the spinnaker eased right away to a fast setting, with a nice curl. If you over-trim, you risk having the boats behind close the gap and ruin any clear air you might have gained with your quick set. Get the jib down (and keep it out of the water) right away. If you do it too early though, it can get fouled in the spinnaker as it goes up, so don't be too anxious. But the quicker it comes down, the quicker you'll get into your fast downwind mode. Focus on just the necessary things-outhaul eased, backstay eased, crew weight in the most productive spot, etc. Any sort of extra cleanup should wait for a while after the set. Get the boat moving fast first then start looking aft for pressure and shifts and focus on the quickest escape from the crowd. Don't send anyone up to the bow right after the set. Only do what is necessary to get the boat moving at optimum speed. Just like everything else in sailing, practice will make your life easier on the racecourse. Doing the little things correctly, like executing a good bear away set, will save you boatlengths and keep you sailing fast around the race track. Good luck, sail fast, and have fun. - Dean Brenner, SailNet website Full story: http://www.sailnet.com/collections/racing/index.cfm?articleid=brenne0001&tfr=fp MORE VENDEE GLOBE The first and second placed Open 60's in the Vendee Globe, Michel Desjoyeaux (PRB) and Roland Jourdain (Sill Matines La Potagre), are both powered by Bainbridge Internationals SCL Laminates. This cloth has dominated the world of single handed offshore racing for a number of years because it is strong, tough, low in stretch and above all, dependable. Manufactured from a scrim of Spectra fiber protected by two ultra durable layers of woven spectra it is also used extensively for Super Yachts and, in lighter weights, for cruising yachts over 45ft. For more information: http://www.sailcloth.com COLLEGIATE SAILING The Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association is putting together a new handbook for colleges and sailors about how to start up a college sailing program. We'd like to include some brief quotes from sailors, particularly former college racers, about what their college sailing experience meant to them. Answer the question, "Why do you like college sailing?" or "What do you get out of college sailing?" Please submit your suggestion, along with your name, undergraduate college and year of graduation to: CDR Eric Wallischeck, ICSA Secretary, sailing@usmma.edu. SAILING PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Dec. 16, 2000 | WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Former America's Cup skipper Bill Koch must pay over $16 million to end his 4-year marriage. Circuit Judge John Phillips granted a divorce to Bill and Angela Koch of Palm Beach on Thursday, ordering Koch to make a $16 million payment to his wife in lieu of alimony. Koch, 60, must also make monthly child support payments of $10,900 for each of the couple's two children - ages 3 years and 15 months - and has agreed to pay for their college education. The children will live with their mother during the school year, but their parents will have shared custody. The settlement superseded a prenuptial agreement between the couple, which said Angela Koch, 43, would receive 1 percent of her husband's net worth, said Mark Luttier, Koch's attorney. Forbes magazine estimated Koch's net worth this year was $650 million, and he spent $70 million on the yacht he captained to victory in the 1992 America's Cup. His family owns an oil and energy business based in Wichita, Kan. - Solon.com website Full story: http://www.salon.com/mwt/wire/2000/12/16/kock/index.html BOOK REVIEW When I reviewed Rick Tomlinson and Mark Chisnell's marvelous new book, Shooting H20, in Scuttlebutt 703 I failed to mention that people in the USA can order it from Brian Hancock (888-639 2122) / brian@teamadventure.org or go to Tomlinson's website: http://www.rick-tomlinson.com. SAILING JOBS ISSA, the Interscholastic Sailing Association, maintains a free job bank on their site at: http://www.highschoolsailingusa.org THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is about age eleven. |
