![Scuttlebutt Today](images/scuttlebutt.gif)
|
SCUTTLEBUTT 2238 – December 7, 2006
Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions,
features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is
distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of
Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup
(http://www.ubs.com/sailing).
MOVING UP
Peter Holmberg (ISV) made a huge leap on the just-released ISAF World
Match Race Rankings – climbing into the top 20 following his victory in
Malaysia at the weekend. Now counting eight results instead of six as he
also made an appearance at the ISAF Grade WC Allianz Cup, Holmberg
climbs a massive 61 places up the rankings to number 14. Making a
similar move is Jesper Bank (DEN) whose third place in San Francisco and
fifth in Malaysia sees him moving up 47 places to number eleven.
France continues its reign at the top as Sébastien Col and Claire Leroy
hold onto their number one positions. Ian Williams (GBR) continues his
assault on the top of the rankings whilst Silke Hahlbrock (GER) makes
her first appearance in the top five. Ed Baird, in the ninth position on
the new Open rankings, remains the top North American. And Sandy Hayes
is the top North American on the women’s rankings, in the 20th spot. –
Full story and rankings: http://www.sailing.org/default.asp?ID=j67Fh??12
STAMM THE MAGNIFICENT
(The Daily Sail subscription website talked with Bernard Stamm about his
Leg One win in the Velux 5 Oceans and about the race itself. Here’s an
excerpt from their story now posted online.)
Some might argue firstly that Bernard Stamm's victory on leg one of the
Velux 5 Oceans occurred just two nights into his 42 day 22 hour and 18
minute passage from Bilbao to Fremantle or secondly that his overall
result in the Velux 5 Oceans is now assured. However this is a
singlehanded round the world race, through some of the toughest waters
on the planet on the longest course of any solo race. As this leg has
demonstrated anything can happen in solo round the world racing and
there remain all manner of possibilities.
For example how many of us would have predicted that on this leg Mike
Golding and Alex Thomson would both break their boats and be out of the
race? With this in mind possible outcomes of the Velux 5 Oceans
including no finishers all, or that Stamm's boat experiences a severe
breakage opening up the competition once again. All we can say with any
certainty at this stage is that Stamm's position is good , with what
looks set to be an advantage of around four days on second placed Kojiro
Shiraishi on Spirit of Yukohat the end of the first leg - (the Velux 5
Oceans is scored on cumulative elapsed time remember). –
http://www.thedailysail.com
* Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi, sailing his Open 60 Spirit of
Yukoh, is now 288 miles from the finish of Leg One in the Velux 5
Oceans. Koji is expected to arrive in Fremantle, Western Australia, on
Thursday evening (local time). Graham Dalton, the Kiwi skipper onboard A
Southern Man - AGD, who moved into third yesterday, has confirmed that
he will need to make a quick pit stop in the Kerguelen Islands and
re-fuel his engine. The solo sailors use their engines to power the
technology and instruments onboard. Although Dalton will be subject to
the 48-hour time penalty for receiving assistance, he will not be made
to sit out the penalty at the waypoint, but will have the net time
penalty added onto his final elapsed time when he arrives in Fremantle.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s Saga Insurance's latest ETA into Fremantle is
between 23rd-28th December.
Event website: http://www.Velux5Oceans.com
HAVE YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES?
(In an interview now posted on the Volvo Ocean Race website, Louay Habib
asked Simon Fisher, navigator of ABN Amro Two, about the qualities
required to be a part of the crew on a Volvo Open 70. Here is Fisher’s
reply.)
There are many qualities you need to do this race. I guess it’s a given
that you are a good sailor and good at your specific role, but I think
it really helps to be a bit of an all-rounder. That way you get more out
of it for sure. I’d say mental toughness is important too. You have to
put up with a lot of different things and it can be very stressful, not
only when it’s windy and your are on the edge, but in the light airs
too. I guess everyone deals with it differently, but what matters is
that you can.
Then there is fitness, not only strength for dragging sails around, but
aerobic fitness too. If you are fit then you get less tired and I think
your brain works better too. I’ll definitely go into another race
looking a bit more athletic! Above all I feel that teamwork is the major
player when it comes to success in the Volvo. It’s a long race where you
live in each other’s pockets for extended periods, so it helps if you
are a good people person and a sense of humour is a must. I think having
a good, cohesive team goes a long, long way in this race. I think one of
the reasons ABN Amro Two worked as well as it did was because we had a
lot of fun while we were out there. – Full interview:
http://tinyurl.com/yyh2hz
DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT…
-- “A better dry pack” - Sailing
-- “From Boat to Shore & Still Dry” - Cruising World
-- “An excellent bit of kit, perfect for navigators” - Sailing World
Ocean Racing’s new waterproof Offshore Backpack & Duffels make great
gifts. 30% off on all sailing watches until Christmas plus other cool
gift ideas too. -- http://www.OceanRacing.com
MOVING ON
George Wood, who has worked with the College of Charleston sailing
program for 31 years, will resign as the school's Sailing Director
effective January 31, 2007. Wood has accepted the position of Director
of the Newport Sea Base for the Boy Scouts of America in Newport Beach,
California.
Wood, who will start his new job February 1, 2007, will serve as
Director of the Newport Sea Base for the Boy Scouts of America. He will
oversee the operation of the Sea Base facility located in the heart of
Newport Harbor on Coast Highway, in Newport Beach, CA, and includes more
than 400 feet of waterfront and a large fleet of boats. The facility
underwent a $6.5 million renovation in 2004. The fleet ranges from
kayaks and canoes to tall ships and a maxi ocean racer. A variety of
boating programs are offered for Boys Scouts and the community at large.
Since 1978, the CofC sailing team has qualified for numerous national
collegiate sailing championships and has won 15 of them. The team has
produced 56 All-Americans and four Collegiate Sailors-of-the-Year,
including James Island’s Alana O’Reilly who was honored as Women’s
Sailor of the Year last week last year. Last spring the Cougars won the
ICSA Women’s and Coed National Championship. The women’s was the first
ever for the team and the Coed’s was the second. Just this past November
the Cougars took the Women’s Singlehanded and Coed Sloop National
Championships. – The rest of the story:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/06/1206/
TORNADO WORLDS
Sunny warm weather returned to San Isidro, Argentina where the Tornados
sailed races three and four of their world championship in 10-12 knots
of breeze. Standings after four races (48 boats – no discards):
1. Roman Hagara & Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT) 13 pts
2. Darren Bundock & Glenn Ashby (AUS) 14 pts
3. Santiago Lange & Carlos Espinola (ARG) 42 pts
4. Billy Besson & Arnaud Jarlegan (FRA) 47 pts
5. Mitch Booth & Pim Nieuwenhis (NED) 50 pts
20. Johansson & King (CAN) 80 pts
24. Daniel & Chu (USA) 90 pts
28. Lovell & Ogletree (USA) 98 pts
Full results and pictures at http://tornado2006.cnsi.org.ar/
SAILING SHORTS
* Delta Dore skipper, Jérémie Beyou, will participate in the
double-handed, non-stop Barcelona World Race. This brings the latest
tally to five IMOCA Open 60 boats, with more expected to confirm their
entry over the coming months. Jérémie is the eighth skipper to be added
to the roll-call. Jérémie's new monohull IMOCA Open 60 was designed by
Farr Yacht Design and was launched in September, in time for the start
of the solo Route du Rhum - La Banque Postale race from St Malo to
Guadeloupe, but because of family reasons, Jérémie had to retire just
after the start. -- http://www.barcelonaworldrace.com
* From January 21 to 27, 2007, the world’s top Olympic and Paralympic
class sailors will be sailing on the waters of Biscayne Bay at US
Sailing's Rolex Miami OCR. For Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, the 18th
annual event is one of the world’s top competitions that will help the
sailors prepare for the competition in China in 2008. The event is
ranked by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) as a Grade 1 event
and features competition in all 14 Olympic and Paralympic classes. In
2006, more than 610 sailors representing 40 countries competed. --
http://www.RolexMiamiOCR.org.
* Bill Goggins has been named Commercial Manager of Harken Yacht
Equipment. In his new position, Goggins will coordinate Harken’s
newly-formed global OEM, Aftermarket, Grand-Prix and Custom sales
divisions. He will focus on opening lines of communication and
developing efficient operating procedures among the four groups. This
new role includes his present responsibilities of managing Harken’s
international marketing team. With this change, Tim Kent has been made
responsible for the US Sales team. Kent’s title is the US Sales Manager.
* Having taken very different routes, the two leading boats in ARC 2006
– a Swan 100 Fantasticaa and the 80ft maxi yacht Capricorno, are now
just a day away from the finish line, with the larger yacht just 29
nautical miles in front of her Italian compatriots. However, the
advantage is definitely with Capricorno, whose early decision to go
north, has been rewarded by a much better gybe angle and higher speeds
as they charge for the line. At stake is a chance for ARC glory, and a
new course record, currently held by the Volvo 60 Spirit.
http://arc.worldcruising.com/
* US Sailing is currently accepting bids from sailing organizations
nationwide to host a National Championship in 2008 and beyond. Hosting
one of these events has numerous benefits, including an opportunity to
showcase the sailing organization and local region to sailors from
across the country, bringing the club's members together to put on a
good show, getting nationwide visibility for the event. US Sailing
organizes 18 U.S. National Championships, ranging from junior to adult
events, from fleet racing to team or match racing, and from able-bodied
to disabled championships. -- http://www.ussailing.org/
ULLMAN SAILS – DENMARK
Ullman Sails International is pleased to announce that GP Covers in
Aarhus, Denmark has joined the Ullman Sails group. The three partners
are Oluf Groenkaer, Bo Melson, and Flemming Clausen. They moved into new
facilities this summer in Aarhus, which is one of the largest sailing
centers in Denmark. The sailmaking team is led by Lasse Rosenbech, whose
sails recently finished 1st on an Elan boat in one of Denmark’s largest
keelboat regatta’s. The Ullman group is delighted to have these talented
sailmakers on our team. Look for their contact information listed in the
“Loft Locator” section at http://www.ullmansails.com
EIGHT BELLS
Leonard M. Greene, 88, an aviation-safety innovator who received patents
for helping pilots avoid deadly wind hazards and who used his fortune to
fund an economic policy think tank, a group that flies cancer patients
to hospitals and ventures into America's Cup racing, died Nov. 30 at
White Plains (N.Y.) Hospital Center. He had lung cancer. An avid sailor,
Mr. Greene became a technical adviser to several America's Cup races
before buying two-time winner Courageous from Ted Turner in the early
1980s. Despite several of Mr. Greene's modifications to the keel, the
boat's age remained a problem, and his team withdrew during the 1986
competition in Fremantle, Western Australia. Mr. Greene's syndicate
represented the Yale Corinthian YC, and was one a record six challenges
from the USA for the 1987 Cup. -- Washington Post, full story:
http://tinyurl.com/y5xcoe
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON
Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name, and may
be edited for clarity or simplicity (letters shall be no longer than 250
words). You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot,
don't whine if others disagree, and save your bashing and personal
attacks for elsewhere. As an alternative, a more open environment for
discussion is available on the Scuttlebutt Forum.
-- Scuttlebutt Letters: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com
-- Scuttlebutt Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum
* From John Baker: Would you be able to enlighten us how the speed
record currently being undertaken is calculated? Length of course, time
elapsed, marker types, etc? i.o.w., course specifications. Also, how is
tide and/or set of the body of water accounted for? this latter variable
seems to be the quiet leveler that would be nice to eliminate. My only
first hand experience with speed records was watching the Slo Mo Shun 1V
do a mile in 178 mph on Lake Washington (no tide) around 1952, piloted
by Joe Taggart with crew Stan Sayres (owner). They started at a wide
spot between Mercer Island and what is now Bellevue, and finished close
to the East Channel Bridge, which Joe Taggart described harrowingly as
threading a needle on the run-out. The "course" stopped just short of
the bridge. After watching, I went sailing with my two ten-year-old
buddies on a Mercury, happy to fly along at probably 5 knots.
Curmudgeon’s Comment: Let me refer you to the experts in this area – the
World Sailing Speed Record Council: http://www.sailspeedrecords.com/
* From Adrian Morgan: We can now rely entirely on Sir Robin
Knox-Johnston to provide the colour and drama in this latest round the
world race. Now that the rescue of Thomson by Golding is over, and Stamm
is enjoying warm baths and cold beer in Fremantle, the excitement is
being brought to us singlehanded by Sir Robin. Shades of 1968 again,
when he was forced to go over the side of Suhaili to attach tingles to
his leaking garboards (and keep an eye open for matrauding sharks). No
longer in competition, he is simply sailing against himself and the
ghosts of the Golden Globe. What an inspiration . Now, if Stamm were to
do a Moitessier, and head for Tahiti and the other two had to pull out
for any reason, it would leave Robin once again the only finisher. God
speed. I can't wait to read his book...
* From Bob Fisher (Re Scoring Editorial): The ISAF President states: "A
major part of the idea behind the new Medal Race format and moving to
just one discard in the Olympic Games was to make the sport more
accessible and understandable." Would it not have been both of these by
simply eliminating any discards? The loaded points of the medal race is
hardly conducive to greater comprehension of the scoring by anyone
outside the sport.
* From Ralph Taylor: There are some of us who hope ISAF's Rules
Committee resists the pleas of Glenn McCarthy & Luiz Kahl for worldwide
uniformity of race scoring. ISAF should standardize scoring only for
events in which it has a direct role. Leave room for local adaptation.
The point about protest committee "manipulation" of scores is
disingenuous. A PC can change scores only in the event of a protest --
it may penalize a boat -- or a redress -- it may improve a boat's score
- and only by following the rules. Should a boat breaking a rule not be
penalized? Should a boat damaged by a boat breaking a rule and unable to
continue racing should not receive redress?
PCs could use more guidance on applying redress; it has some tricky
questions. Modifications of Appendix A are put into sailing instructions
because competitors want them. Under standard A2, every boat gets one
"throw-out"; a regatta that completed only one race would result in an
all-way tie for 1st place and a waste of time for all. Differential
points for letter scores are a fairness issue; is it fair to give the
same score to a boat that "timed out" as to the surly rule-breaker This
differential might not make much different at the top of the fleet, but
it keeps the mid-fleet & back-enders racing. The McCarthy & Kahl
proposal, if adopted, would result in killing off much of the sport.
It's a cure that's worse than the disease.
* From Rory Ramsden: I read Glenn & Luiz's question on scoring with
interest. The sooner ISAF sort this one out the easier it will be for
sailors to communicate their sport to non-sailors. In the meantime, The
RS:X forum has had a discussion running on possible alternatives to the
current Olympic scoring system including the double points medal race.
Check it out at http://www.rsxclass.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8
* From Peter Huston: Score one for hard work, inventing thinking and a
willingness to examine what is wrong with the sport and how fix it one
problem at a time. McCarthy & Kahl have articulated a problem in terms
of the way sailing is scored, the complications therein for race
committees, and ISAF President Petersson has suggested he'd be very
interested in receiving submissions on this topic from Member National
Authorities. The only question now is which MNA will make such a
submission. Or does this rule re-write need to come from only one MNA?
Why not set up a wiki and let everyone around the planet help simplify
the rule. Sort of like Open Source Rule Writing. Then let any and all
MNA's call it their own and make a submission.
CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATIONS
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most
intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." --Charles Darwin
Special thanks to Ocean Racing and Ullman Sails.
Scuttlebutt is also supported by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, the
Defender of the 32nd America's Cup.
|
| |