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SCUTTLEBUTT 3557 - Wednesday, March 28, 2012Scuttlebutt 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. Website: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/scuttbutt Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sailingscuttlebutt RSS: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/rss/index.xml Today's sponsors: US Sailing, Doyle Sailmakers, and Henri Lloyd. BEING PREPARED FOR ACCIDENTS By Wayne Bretsch In my role as principle race officer for the Division 3 course at Key West Race Week this past January, my team was involved in an emergency situation that occurred during the event. Involved in the situation was Tapio Saavalainen and Arne Peterson, skipper and crew of Kalevala II (Grand Soleil 37 B&C) respectively, who recently hosted several of us at lunch at the Annapolis Yacht Club as recognition for our involvement. It was enjoyable, interesting, and rewarding... let me tell you about it. To back up to January, our opening day saw winds in the high teens with gusts in the low to mid twenties, and we had two races planned. Within seconds after their downwind finish of the first race, Kalevala II contacted the RC on the competitors' VHF channel that there was an onboard emergency. A crew member had severed his thumb. With me on the RC signal boat was Peter Sarelas, who quickly took control of the radio communication to coordinate the rescue. Tom Stalder, who served on the RC gate mark boat, was directed alongside Kalevala within a couple of minutes. Using a small racing mark as a fender, the injured crew member (Arne) was sufficiently mobile to get into the mark boat with another of the Kalevala II crew. Meanwhile, Peter called 911 on his cell phone. Using the VHF, Peter instructed Tom to take the injured crew member to Key West (about 6 miles) while he made further arrangements with on shore emergency personnel. The total time from the first VHF hail from Kalevala II to the time Arne was in the ambulance was about twenty-four minutes. While Peter and Tom were handling this incident, the remaining RC team continued finishing boats and setting up the second race of the day. Back to lunch, Peter, Tom, and I discussed with Tapio and Arne the injury and the incident. Unfortunately Arne lost his left thumb (he is right handed). The injury occurred when he was helping to bring in the spinnaker after crossing the finish line. Arne had a grip on a sheet which pinched his thumb between the sheet and a stanchion or lifeline. His thumb was not cut off, but instead was pulled off, and it was clear the efforts by Peter and Tom helped keep a bad situation from becoming worse. We also discussed lessons learned or reinforced, probably the most important part of our lunch conversation... read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13495 CHALK TALK IS BACK That's right, US Sailing is proud to bring back the Chalk Talk series with Chris Love. US Sailing is running a special College Membership - a four year membership for $95, regardless of what year you are in college. To sweeten the deal, Sperry Top-Sider has agreed to provide footwear to the college team that registers the most US Sailing members by the 2012 Collegiate Nationals on June 6, 2012. Sign up for a college membership at http://racing.ussailing.org/College.htm, and get your college sailing fix with the latest episode of Chalk Talk. LESSONS LEARNED While plans are well underway for the 289nm 104th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, due to start this summer on July 20 and 21, memories of the 2011 race are never far. When a severe thunderstorm crossed Lake Michigan near midnight, the force of its 52 knot winds and waves of 4-6 feet led to the deaths of two competing sailors on the capsized yacht "Wingnuts". Integral to the rescue was the crew on the Beneteau 40.7 "Sociable". Here is their collective recollection of the storm and rescue of the crew of "Wingnuts" on Sunday July 17th and Monday, July 18th: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary: Around 10:30 pm CDT on Sunday evening, we encountered a severe squall while positioned approximately 15 nautical miles northwest of Charlevoix. Conditions prior to the storm were following seas of 4-6 feet with 20-25 knots south wind; conditions we had been sailing for the prior 6 hours. During the squall, we saw heavy rain, a lot of lightning, and winds up to 50 knots. During a brief moderation of the storm, (it came in two phases) we were able to lower our main sail, and ride the storm out with our #3 jib. We raised our main sail once the storm had passed around 11:15 pm CDT. Visibility was still poor, and the sea state was very lumpy from the storm. Shortly after raising our main and beginning to make headway, several crewmembers heard what sounded like a whistle. Around that same time, we encountered a bare poled sailboat to starboard, and we suspected the whistle came from that boat attempting to alert us to its presence. Hearing the whistle certainly heightened our senses that we should be vigilant for others given the nature of the storm that just occurred. A minute or two after hearing the whistle, a crewmember spotted a faint light perhaps 1/4 to 1/2 mile to port, and this light after 1 minute was confirmed by other crew members. We continued on our current course for two or three minutes until we had an appropriate angle to tack over to the light. We brought our spot light on deck. As we drew closer, we were able to see other lights, and we signaled in the direction with our spot light. Our signal was returned with flashes from the lights in the distance. At that time we became certain we were headed toward a vessel (or person) in distress and we made the decision to lower our main sail and proceed under power. We started the motor and verbally notated the time as 11:30 CST. The sails on our boat were taken down and stowed. -- Read on: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13496 UNANIMOUS APPROVAL (March 27, 2012) - It's full speed ahead for the 2013 America's Cup race in San Francisco. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors today approved the agreement to host the America's Cup in San Francisco September 7 to 22, 2013. The 2013 race will be the first time the competition for the "Auld Mug" will be held in San Francisco, a perfect natural sailing arena where more than one million spectators will see the 34th edition of the America's Cup. The San Francisco agreement calls for teams to be based at Piers 30/32 and for the America's Cup Village - the public Race Headquarters - at Piers 27/29. The pier improvements will be funded by the Port. "We have worked very hard to bring this historic race to San Francisco and we're very happy to have finally reached an agreement," said Stephen Barclay, interim CEO of the America's Cup. "Now we are focused on making this the most spectacular race in America's Cup history." The inclusion of Piers 30/32 as the "pit row" for the teams in close proximity to the America's Cup Village at Piers 27/29 will make the event's footprint more compact and will benefit the teams as well as the general public. Racing will be visible from the shoreline - only minutes from downtown shopping and hotels, making this the most spectator-friendly event in the Cup's 162-year history. The dates for this year's (2012) racing for the America's Cup World Series, the global circuit of events leading up to the 2013 America's Cup regatta in San Francisco, were also confirmed today: AC World Series Naples, Italy: April 11-15, 2012 AC World Series Venice, Italy: May 15-20, 2012 AC World Series Newport, USA: June 26-July 1, 2012 AC World Series San Francisco, USA: August 21-26, 2012 AC World Series San Francisco, USA: October 4-7, 2012 Full report: http://tinyurl.com/ACUP-032712 SKUNKED IN PARADISE Tortola, British Virgin Islands (March 27, 2012) - There was no racing today, the first day of the BVI Sailing Festival. Principal Race Officer, Dave Brennan postponed the start of the race to Bitter End and indicated to the 48 competing yachts in the starting area to motor up towards Virgin Gorda, to see if the situation would improve. In the vicinity of Ginger Island, there were some signs of a stable wind developing, but it was short lived and racing for the day was called off shortly after 1100. "Unfortunately the wind has not materialized and there will be no racing today." Commented Dave Brennan, Principal Race Officer: "The important thing is now to make sure the fleet gets to the Bitter End Yacht Club as every indicator available to us is forecasting that there will be no wind today. However, tomorrow is looking far more promising with possibly 15 knots of breeze, so we hope to get the racing started then, perhaps with a race around Virgin Gorda for the Bitter End Cup." -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/BVI-032712 Schedule of Events March 27-28 - BVI Sailing Festival March 28-29 - GILL BVI National Match Racing Championships! March 29-April 1 - BVI Spring Regatta Details: http://www.bvispringregatta.org/bvi/SCHEDULE/Events.aspx 1.8 MILES OF STITCHING Doyle Sailmakers is proud to have sponsored the St Barths Bucket Regatta held March 22-25, 2012. With close racing through and through, the highlight for many was watching the 54m Perini Ketch Parsifal III come flying into the finish on Sunday with her new 15,260 square foot Doyle kite, to pass two of her rivals and win the Grand Dames class. Completed just in time for the Bucket, the spinnaker had 1.8 miles of stitching and a 90 foot tall coffee machine inlayed in the center. Visit the Doyle Sailmakers' Facebook page to see the highlights from the St Barths Bucket: http://www.facebook.com/doylesails IT'S DEFINITELY COLD NOW (March 27, 2012; Day 10) - Now free of the restrictions of the ice exclusion zone, the leading pair in the Volvo Ocean Race have continued to power south east in winds gusting over 45 knots at average speeds over 20 knots. With just over 1000nm remaining in the Southern Ocean before they reach Cape Horn, and now sailing at 57 degrees south, Puma media crew Amory Ross attempts to describe the onboard discomfort: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Now it's cold...officially cold. Like, "you're-not-a-complainer-if-you-say-it" cold. Do you remember during the last leg when I mentioned finding refuge from the Equatorial inferno by grabbing the propane tanks? How, after boiling water, they would cool and condensate? Now they freeze. After boiling water (which takes twice as long) they are covered in a thick layer of frost, and I no longer want to grab them. Sunshine on the black deck makes things more bearable during the day, but down below there's little hope for added warmth - especially during the nights. Small icicles are forming in the hatch and working below is like taking your office onto the porch, but in the middle of winter. Hands are too stiff to type, and the trackpad on my laptop struggles to distinguish frigid fingertips from freezing air. While it might not be that cold (our chocolate bar-ometer isn't exact), it's so damp that it could feel worse than it really is. Condensation forms on the ceilings, walls, and bunks, and the moist air chills to the bone, regardless of the many layers you might be wearing on top of them. Thankfully, our three-layer sleeping bags keep us toasty when it's time to sleep. None of this accounts for the fact that there's still 30-35 knots of windswept sea, and while being active in the sun for a few hours on deck helps to keep the core warm, Southern Ocean elements take their toll. Between the cold water - now about 5-degrees Celsius (40-degrees Fahrenheit) - the crisp air, and the balance-testing ride of a rocking boat, just living requires considerable energy, energy that isn't easy to replenish. We're always tired, but exhaustion is growing. -- http://www.puma.com/sailing/news/its-definitely-cold-now INFIRMARY: Team Sanya has arrived in New Zealand to repair their rudder, and will rejoin the fleet in Miami. Camper is bound for Puerto Montt in Chile to repair bow damage, and then continue to Itajai. Team Telefonica will make a stop at the Argentine port of Ushuaia to repair bow damage and then continue to Itajai. Leg 5 - Auckland, NZL to Itajai, Brazil (6,705 nm) Standings as of Wednesday, 28 March 2012, 1:03:12 UTC 1. Groupama 4 (FRA), Frank Cammas (FRA), 2879.3 nm Distance to Finish 2. PUMA Ocean Racing (USA), Ken Read (USA), 45.3 nm Distance to Lead 3. Telefonica (ESP), Iker Martinez (ESP), 353.4 nm DTL 4. CAMPER (NZL), Chris Nicholson (AUS), 990.5 nm DTL 5. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (UAE), Ian Walker (GBR), 1418.9 DTL 6. Team Sanya (CHN), Mike Sanderson (NZL), Retired Tracking/Standings: http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/racetracker/rdc.html Schedule: http://tinyurl.com/VOR-2011-12-schedule Video reports: http://www.youtube.com/user/volvooceanracevideos COMMENT: Usually when a post on Twitter or Facebook tells me that I must do something, I instinctively do the opposite. But I have to say that words describing the Volvo Ocean Race can only do so much. If you are not a regular viewer of the race footage, I encourage you to occasionally click on the video link above. It really looks brutal. - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt BACKGROUND: During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which started in Alicante, Spain (Oct. 29) and concludes in Galway, Ireland during early July 2012, six professional teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles around the world via Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, around Cape Horn to Itajai, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient. Teams accumulate points through nine distance legs and ten In-Port races. - http://www.volvooceanrace.com DON'T PANIC BECAUSE AD SPACE IS NOW SOLD OUT If you would you like your marine business news to be published in Scuttlebutt, our advice is to buy ad space. But since the advertising opportunities are now sold out for 2012, the Industry News Forum allows companies to post their personnel, product and service updates at no charge. As a bonus, each week the Scuttlebutt newsletter includes some of the recent updates. Are you in the marine industry? Post your updates here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/industry_news SAILING SHORTS * Long Beach, CA (March 27, 2012) - The first day of the ISAF Grade 1 48th Congressional Cup match racing championship saw its ten teams roll through five flights at the foot of the Belmont Pier. Four-time winner Gavin Brady (NZL), who is the lowest ranked competitor due to his absence from the circuit, snapped quickly into the routine and went undefeated to lead the event. Racing continues on Wednesday as the ten teams compete in the double round robin opening stage to determine the top four that will advance to the semi-finals. -- Event website: http://www.thecongressionalcup.com/ * (March 27, 2012) - The Canadian Yachting Association has announced the Canadian Sailing Team to take part in the 2012 ISAF Youth World Sailing Championship in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland on 12-21 July. -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/CYA-032712 * The 2012 Sailing Industry Conference will take place Tuesday and Wednesday, June 26-27, 2012, at the Newport Harbor Hotel in Newport, R.I. The theme for this year's conference is "From Survive - to Thrive," and the event's content is designed to help businesses adapt and profit in the new economy. The event will feature one and a half days of seminars, workshops and networking opportunities. Participants at the conference will engage in brainstorming sessions, learn how to create an integrated marketing campaign, and get tools and expertise on how to remodel businesses for success. -- Full story: http://tinyurl.com/BI-032712 * The Fishers Island Junior Overnight Race will be held on August 10, 2012, with an 80-100 mile course to be held in Block Island Sound or Long Island Sound with the start and finish near Sea Flower Reef. The event will be for boats 27 to 45 feet with a crew of at least 80% junior sailors ages 13-18. -- Details: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13499 * Hosted by Encinal Yacht Club, the 21st consecutive running of the 2012 Coastal Cup is an ISAF Category 2 ocean race from San Francisco to Santa Barbara that start on June 13 and 14. The Race is open to crewed as well as shorthanded entries. -- Details: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13500 FREE CLASSIFIED ADS The Scuttlebutt Classified Ads provide a marketplace for private parties to buy and sell, or for businesses to post job openings. Here are recent ads: For Sale - * Swaging machine * G-AP3 Norlon 75 Gennaker Now Hiring - * Director of Waterfront Activities - Annapolis, MD * Sailing Instructors, Boothbay Harbor, Maine * Lewmar/Navtec: Technical Service Representative Part-time View/post ads here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/classified_ads HENRI LLOYD SPRING LIFESTYLE GEAR IS HERE... Mauri Pro Sailing is launching "Mauri Lifestyle", an exclusive store for Henri Lloyd Casual and Coastal Living Apparel. Henri Lloyd and Mauri Pro Sailing are pleased to bring these new casual wear styles with a classic marine heritage to the North American market. See all the styles at http://www.maurilifestyle.com GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. Either submit comments by email or post them on the Forum. Submitted comments chosen to be published in the newsletter may be limited to 250 words. Authors may have one published submission per subject, and should save their bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. Email: editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com Forum: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum * From Don Bedford: Thank you for sharing Dave Reed's article in Sailing World (in Scuttlebutt 3556). "Away" regattas have a unique place in my heart as that was how I grew-up. Rumbling down the road in the back of my dad's pickup/camper with a trailer behind us, we roamed all over California and as far as Florida. It was not just the summer adventure of going to the Snipe Nationals but also the High Sierras, Long Beach, and little dinky lakes all over the US. I do hope people have not lost the sense of adventure and willingness to make new friends and find new fun places to sail. Not only will your skills improve but you will have new, fun photos to share with your friends! * From Andy O'Brien: The story about the Flying Scot Midwinters in New Orleans got me to think about where else could we remain entertained for three days if the winds would not cooperate. What if there was a huge sailing lake next to Las Vegas? After three days of Vegas, I might not be able to ever sail again. * From Craig Fletcher: After reading Mike Urwin's interview (in Scuttlebutt 3556), one can only conclude IRC is no more than a glorified, secret PHRF! Why owners spend thousands of dollars to race a glorified PHRF, pretending it's a grand prix rule, I will never understand. To the national authorities: Please develop a scientific multiple number grand prix rule with no age allowance, publish it, and leave it unchanged for a minimum of 10 years. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION "Don't make me use UPPERCASE!" - Maxine SPONSORS THIS WEEK Dieball Sailing - Camet - New York Yacht Club - North U North Sails - Soft Deck - US Sailing - Doyle Sailmakers - Henri Lloyd Point Loma Outfitters - Ullman Sails - New England Ropes - Summit Yachts Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
