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SCUTTLEBUTT 2804 - Thursday, March 19, 2009Scuttlebutt 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 The Pirate’s Lair and Ullman Sails. DEAR SOX The Chesapeake Bay ritual of sock burning occurs at the vernal equinox (March 20th) to celebrate the end of winter. Here SpinSheet Magazine editor Molly Winans shares her personal story: “I know we haven’t been together for very long. You’ve been good to me - so I need to be honest with you. I think it’s time to go our separate ways. I know. It’s a shock to you. I meant to warn you, but you know how it is. When you have to chop ice off your windshield to get to work, how can you imagine the first day of spring? One day, you wake up, and here it is. “I remember when I discovered you in New York City on a chilly, fall day. You were so bright and so much fun. How could I resist your charms? In fact, you were so cute that I barely took notice of the fact that you were cotton. Really. What the heck was I thinking? All the woolen, warm-and-fuzzy, and higher tech models out there, and I fell for cotton. I’m a sailor; I should know better. You had me at hello. “We were a good fit, for awhile. Until that hardwood floor incident. The little hole in the heel just grew and grew until I had a hole in my heart. I mean, a good fit is important and looks, too. But at the end of the day, if my feet are still cold, what’s the point? “I hate to see a peaceful relationship go up in flames, but here we are, Sox. [Sigh.] Sorry. The fire thing was not my idea. There’s a little mystery as to who started burning socks around here on the spring equinox about 30 years ago. Some say that Bob Turner at Annapolis Sailyard got fed up with his stinky socks and winter, made a little fire in a paint tray at the end of the work day, and while sipping a Budweiser, torched his socks. Others claim to be the pioneer sock pyromaniac.” -- Read on: http://issuu.com/cdeere/docs/0309ss/11 => Curmudgeon’s Comment: Are there any “end of winter” party announcements? Email them to me and I will include them in the Friday issue of Scuttlebutt. -- mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com VETERAN NAVIGATOR TO MAKE IT FIFTY TIMES ACROSS PACIFIC by Herb McCormick, Sailing World John Jourdane looked a little, well, peaked. But you couldn't really blame him. It was two days before Christmas and Jourdane had just landed in Australia after a flight from his home in Southern California to serve as navigator for Chris Welsh's Spencer 65, Ragtime, in the most recent running of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race, which was on schedule to begin in a little less than 72 hours. But the last thing Jourdane was looking for was sympathy. "Actually, being jet-lagged is a pretty good way to start a race," he said. "You don't really know where you are, you don't know the time zone, so you just fall into whatever watch system they're running. It works pretty good." As it turned out, things worked out exceedingly well for Jourdane and Ragtime, the sole U.S. boat in the field, which went on to win the IRC-2 division. For Jourdane, it was yet another victory in a sailing career that's been chock-full of them. But another, even more amazing highlight is just around the corner. For when Jourdane sets out aboard Ragtime this summer for the 45th edition of the biennial Transpac Race from Los Angeles to Honolulu, it will be his fiftieth—as in five/oh, baby—transit of the vast, blue Pacific. -- Read on: http://linkbee.com/JWXK BIG RACES! BIG GEAR! ONLINE NOW AT THE PIRATES LAIR Outfit now and save over party prices on Newport to Ensenada, Yachting Cup, and The Border Run gear. Also pre-buy the new Mount Gay Rum burgee! Find it all online at The Pirate’s Lair website: http://www.pirateslair.com/store/index.html See you at the races! SUNSCREEN: WHAT DO THE PROS USE? What is the best sunscreen for sailing? Scuttlebutt asked some of the people who are regularly on the water, and here is some of the feedback we received: * Bill Hardesty, professional sailor/world champion: “My sun block of choice is Hawaiian Tropic 60+. It’s very thick and starts out white. Eventually it absorbs and turns clear. Its ultra waterproof, doesn't rub off, and one application is usually enough. I try to avoid alcohol based sun block or anything that irritates my eyes. Spray block seems to be popular but I have found it is thin and wears off quickly. I see most people first spray on their hand and then apply to the face. I prefer the more traditional types.” * Morgan Larson, professional sailor/world champion: “In the past I used Coppertone Water Babies (in the pink bottle). My dermatologist (who I see every 6 months) is now recommending Neutrogena that comes in a SPF 45 and 75. I recently used it in Miami and it seemed to be really good. The best lip protector was an Australian "sunstick" called Aquasun SPF 30 but nobody seems to be able to find it anymore.” *Morgan Reeser, professional sailor/Olympic medalist: “I use ‘COTZ’...available at totalblock.com which contains only Titanium and Zinc. Because of a dermotologist's recommendation that I use sunblock without "parabins" and "propolyne glycol". My dermatologist said that I was as likely to get skin cancer from these two chemicals as I was from the sun.” Look for additional tips to come from Terry Hutchinson, Chris Larson, Kevin Burnham, and Kenny Read. All the comments are getting posted on the Scuttlebutt Forum. Do you have a favorite? Post it here: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7198 ERICSSON 3 PROMISES A FIGHT TO THE FINISH (Mar. 18, 2009; Day 33) - The Volvo Ocean Race crew of Ericsson 3 is still marveling at the fact that they led the whole VOR fleet past Cape Horn and back into the Atlantic Tuesday, claiming top marks at the scoring gate at the same time. Skipper Magnus Olsson said that rounding Cape Horn is a peak in both his career and his life. “It is my sixth time,” he said. “I am most happy for all the rookies on the boat who have never done it before, because I could see how happy they were. It is a fantastic achievement to go round first, I can hardly believe it.” After passing through the Le Maire Strait, the narrow channel between the Isla de los Estados and the eastern end of Tierra del Fuego, the E3 team ran into a light spot and their lead diminished to only five miles. Ericsson 4 came barreling in; only to meet a brick wall, which kept them stationary for two hours after Ericsson 3 was set free to build back her lead to around 45 nm. Now, the leading pack of three, which includes PUMA, is approximately 50 nm west of the Falkland Islands, and the leader has less than 2,000 miles to run to the finish.Ian Walker’s Green Dragon rounded the Horn early Wednesday morning while Bouwe Bekking’s Telefónica Blue remains 222 nm from the turn. -- Full report: http://linkbee.com/JWXP 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 23rd. Current positions (as of Mar. 18, 10:15 pm GMT): 1. Ericsson 3 (SWE), Magnus Olsson/SWE, 1,813 nm Distance to Finish 2. Ericsson 4 (SWE), Torben Grael/BRA, 44 nm Distance to Leader 3. PUMA (USA), Ken Read/USA, 116 nm DTL 4. Green Dragon (IRL/CHN), Ian Walker/GBR, 196 nm DTL 5. Telefónica Blue (ESP), Bouwe Bekking/NED, 661 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 THE DEED IS IN NEED OF A MAKEOVER by Gary Jobson, Sailing World I have followed the America's Cup for 50 years, and over this span I have witnessed it from every angle: as young spectator, crewmember, organizer, committee member, commentator, and now bewildered observer. I have studied its history, interviewed all the prominent players, and tried hard to make sense of the developments as they have occurred of late. While Cup races always look glorious in retrospect, there has been intrigue and controversy in all 32 matches dating back to the competition's inception in 1851. But the deplorable series of events that have transpired since the conclusion of the 32nd regatta in Valencia, Spain, have taken the Cup to a new low. Looking ahead, it is time for the America's Cup to be reorganized so it can thrive. While sitting in the New York Court of Appeals in Albany, N.Y., in February for the final round of litigation between the Golden Gate YC and Société Nautique de Genève, I studied the surrounding walls of the ornate wood-paneled courtroom. Portraits of judges past peered down from all sides. They looked stern and important. It reminded me of the portraits of past Commodores at the New York YC, and this led me to wondering what the Cup sailors of the past would think of the current state of the event. At one point during the February trial, one of the appellate judges remarked that we couldn't bring George Schuyler back to explain his intentions so we need to interpret his thoughts. It sure would be nice to know exactly what Schuyler intended. -- Read on: http://linkbee.com/JWXT ULLMAN SAILS GETS RESULTS IN NEWPORT TO CABO RACE Last week over 25 boats set out from the starting line off the Newport pier and headed down the Baja Peninsula for Cabo San Lucas. Newport Harbor Yacht Club hosted the classic offshore race that was once again a great hit for competitors and a success for Ullman customers as Alchemy took 2nd in class A as well as 1st sled to finish and 2nd finisher overall. The first Santa Cruz 50 crossing the line off the arch at “finisterre” was Flaca skippered by Paul Casanova. Visit us at http://www.ullmansails.com * Race reports for the 800-mile international event from Newport Beach, California to Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico are posted here: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=6617 SAILING SHORTS * (Mar. 18, 2009) - The second leg of the Lightning Southern Circuit came to Miami, FL, with 48 boats competing in the two day class Midwinter’s Regatta hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club. On Tuesday, there were sunny skies and nice breezes of 5-9 knots, while Wednesday had white caps, gray skies with huge thunder clouds and 20 knots at the start. Allan Terhune, sailing with Katie Terhune and Olympian Sarah Mergenthaler as crew, won with two bullets and a second place out of the five races. -- Full report: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7209#7209 * The Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Union National pour la Course au Large joint owners of the IRC Rule, have given IRC its very own website. "We felt it was time to give IRC its own identity now that it is established in over 38 countries worldwide," commented RORC Technical Manager, Jenny Howells. "The web site is designed for sailors to get information about IRC including news and technical guidance. We hope to get feedback from the visitors to the web site, to make it as useful and practical as possible." -- Full report: http://www.ircrating.org/en/concentric-circles/133-new-irc-website.html * The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has announced the early appointment of the Executive Technical Delegate and the Race Officials Management Team for the 2012 London Olympic Games Sailing Competition. The Executive Technical Delegate and the chair of the Jury, Measurement and Race Officials Teams for the Olympic Sailing Competition at Beijing 2008 have all been re-appointed to the same role for London 2012. They will form the core of the team charged with ensuring fair play on the water and will work closely with the London 2012 Organizing Committee (LOCOG) to deliver a successful Olympic Sailing Competition. -- Read on: http://www.sailing.org/27570.php * This year's Vineyard Race will be the 75th running of the Labor Day classic from Western Long Island Sound to Buzzards Bay and back. Many famous ocean-racers have taken part in this race and this year many special events are planned including an expanded cruising class, skipper's meeting with Gary Jobson and an arrival party for all racers and their families. The race starts September 4 off Stamford Harbor. -- http://www.stamfordyc.com/intraclub/query/catquery.html?doc_number=676 * After a lapse of almost a decade, the Virginia Cruising Cup Race, a fixture on the Chesapeake Bay yacht racing calendar for many years, will be revived this summer with a start on Friday, May 22, 2009 in the Annapolis area and a finish as always in Hampton (race website is http://www.hamptonyc.com/downthebay). This race, which is generally styled by Lower Bay sailors as “Down the Bay” and by Upper Bay sailors as “The Hampton Race,” was run every year from 1934 to 1999 except for the war years of 42 – 45. -- Details: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7207 * Sailboat production in the US fell to 11,427 units for 2008, a decline of 2,731 units or 19 per cent, compared to the previous year. US sailboat manufacturers also cut their workforces by a combined total of 23 per cent. According to the latest "The Sailing Market: State of the Industry" report, production levels haven't been this low since 1991, after the imposition of the Luxury Tax. The annual report, compiled by The Sailing Company, said that the estimated value of sailboat production fell by 31 per cent to US$551m in 2008. -- IBI Magazine, read on: http://www.ibinews.com/ibinews/newsdesk/20090218004039ibinews.html * CORRECTION: The interview with 2009 Etchells World Champion tactician Bucky Smith in Scuttlebutt 2803 had some website formatting problems. If you tried to read it and couldn’t, the problem has been fixed. Here is the link: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/09/0317b CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Here are a few of the events that are coming up: Mar 20-22 - San Diego Sperry Top-Sider NOOD - San Diego, CA, USA Mar 20-22 - Sunfish Midwinter US National Championship - Clearwater, FL, USA Mar 21-22 - Orange Peel Regatta - Jacksonville, FL, USA View all the events at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar 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 Jim Teeters: (re, Eric Schlageter in SBUTT 2802) Eric was a very hard working and dedicated designer and America's Cup technician. He had not only a keen wit but a very practical perspective on things. Eric and I worked very closely together during two AC campaigns. One day, as pressures mounted during the design process and we wrangled over the best ways to do things, he passed on some learned wisdom along the lines of: "When Scott Graham and I worked together and had a difference of opinion, we concluded that if neither of us could convince the other of the merits of our positions, then those positions were probably without merit." Wise words, never forgotten. * From Rick Hatch, US Sailing Umpire: In 'Butt #2803 you stated, "…connecting the youth sailor to options that will be available to them beyond their school years should be a priority too." I encounter far too many youth racing programs that seem to be singularly focused on fleet racing and development of future Olympic team members. That approach results in a very skinny, tall pyramid of sailing talent - with a steep, long learning slope and a big distance between the few near the peak and the majority closer to its base. Too many young sailors on this pyramid end up slipping off the slope. Instead, I strongly believe that one of the best possible ways to connect the youth sailor to more engaging options later in life than all but the most competitive one-design fleet racing is to foster active team racing in youth programs, where the more talented team members can raise the game of their weaker team-mates. Run the youth team racing program in one-design dinghies with simple sail plans like the CFJ, Club 420 (trapeze rigs not recommended) or Vanguard 15. Then, as sailors seek a bit more comfort, run team racing programs for adults in easy to equalize, member-owned, club-owned or sailing association-managed one design keelboats like the J/22, Sonar, even mini-12 metres - any class of keelboat that isn't too fragile and can be crewed by no more than four people - as long as the level of sailing skill required to sail the boat enables the focus to be on tactics, not raw boat speed or an Olympic gymnastics-level of crew work. * From Bob Dill: (re, ice sailing records in #2800) Both FISLY and NALSA (European and North American land/beach sailing organizations) have had speed record ratification protocols for many years for sailing on wheels. We accept each other’s ratifications. NALSA has offered to ratify records on ice where it makes sense for all parties. For example NALSA is working with Richard Jenkins/Greenbird on his current ice and land attempts. The NALSA protocol is a bit less formal (and less expensive) than the WSSRC protocol and it is, we believe, quite effective from a technical and ethical point of view. The work being done by the GPS-speedsurfing/ice groups is, in my opinion, a good thing. It gives a realistic perspective on speed for the sailors, something that has been lacking in traditional iceboating. The 2009 sailing season is rapidly coming to a close. Over the off season we can look at how we might raise confidence in speed data above the standard of bar room bragging rights without creating a cumbersome ratification process. As you point out, it is all about confidence that proper standards and practices were abided by. CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION There is no substitute for the rush we get when totally unprepared for an important task. Special thanks to The Pirate’s Lair and Ullman Sails. A complete list of preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
