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SCUTTLEBUTT 1808 - April 1, 2005Scuttlebutt is a digest 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. GOING FOR IT The New York Yacht Announced announced that the two winningest skippers in modern America's Cup history, Dennis Conner and Russell Coutts, have agreed to work together to bring the Cup back to the waters of Newport, RI and lower Manhattan. The most necessary ingredient to any America's Cup challenge is raw cash, and News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch has agreed to underwrite this challenge. Said Murdoch "You can't do any better for leaders than Dennis and Russell. Dennis will handle the co-sponsorship sales, and Russell in charge of everything to do with the team - everything. Clearly, the America's Cup is the marquee event in all of sailing, and it is in the best interest of News Corp to own the TV rights, and the best way to control that is to win the event." Sailors, and principally a helmsman, have not yet been announced, but there are several from within the club who will be given serious consideration, said the NYYC spokesman. Coutts will be handling the design team, and as yet it is unknown who he may select, but it is likely to include Young America leader John Marshall. - www.nyyc.org CHANGING TIMES The Board of Managers of the Mystic River Mudhead Sailing announced that it would begin random drug testing of all participants in the 2005 Wednesday Night Racing Series. The Board felt that the integrity of the sport is at stake and that it is time for the Mudheads to create a drug-free racecourse. Commodore Curt Kramer said, "Look at the mess baseball is in the board decided that we had to take the lead in this area there won't be any asterisks in the Mudhead yearbook." While all of the details need to be finalized the board has retained the services of Atlanta based ChoicePoint to administer the program. All Competitors will be required to register with ChoicePoint and will be given confidential registration numbers. The randomly selected numbers will be broadcast on VHF channel 68 before the start. A ChoicePoint mobile testing van will be at the Seahorse Restaurant in Noank after sailing to collect samples. Testing will be in accordance with USSailing and WADA guidelines, however at this time the Club does not anticipate testing for Human Growth Hormone due to the expense. Response from competitors has thus far been overwhelmingly positive. Said one Class II competitor "It's tough when you're going downwind happily drinking a beer and someone flies by you pumping the chute you wonder what they are on. Alcohol consumption is limited in certain competitions but sailing is not one of them." While there are some who feel that the testing represents an invasion of privacy Kramer pointed out that the board took the action only after very careful consideration and mentioned that two years ago the Board overwhelmingly voted against banning smoking tobacco while racing. Comments and suggestions can be directed to mudhead@mudhead.org. - Chris Field CARBONWOOD A recent discovery of carbonwood has created new opportunities for sailing equipment. Believed to be in only very remote areas of southern California, experts feel that the emergence of this material is due to the unprecedented rainfall this winter in the west. Due to the low cost, superior strength, durability, and lightweight, workers will be hard pressed to harvest enough material to meet the demand for new carbonwood spinnaker and whisker poles. The following link provides an image of a carbonwood sapling. Note the young one on the right has not yet fully developed its grain as the more mature one. - http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/05/4-1 Curmudgeon's Comment: Happy April Fools Day. Now that we have all of this nonsense out of our system - on with the real news: INNOVATION Current models of life jackets save lives everyday, however, a 2004 BoatU.S Foundation study found that many boaters often don't wear them because they are uncomfortable. So what would a life jacket look and feel like if there were no government guidelines? To encourage innovative ideas and new technology to design a life jacket that the majority of boaters might wear, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water and the Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association (PFDMA) are sponsoring an "Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition," which seeks entries that embrace new technologies and out-of-the-box thinking to solve the age-old problem of why certain boaters won't routinely wear life jackets. Entries are being encouraged from armchair inventors to high school science clubs and collegiate design programs. The winning designer will receive a $5,000 award. The competition will be judged based on four criteria: wearability, reliability, cost and innovation. "Wearability" relates to the level of comfort. "Reliability" will take into account the chances for potential failure, while "cost" will look at the affordability of the design. "Innovation" will take into account originality or the employment of new technologies. There are no rules regarding types of materials to be used or whether the design meets any current U.S. Coast Guard or Underwriters Laboratory standards. However, certain entries may be submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard to review for possible financial assistance towards gaining full USCG approval. Entries and contest Rules: www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/lifejacketdesign Curmudgeon's Comment: Just so you know - this is NOT an April Fools story. NEW PRODUCTION MINI 6.5 Jonathon McKee created the mini 6.5 buzz when he was leading the 2003 Mini Transat. The Internet has made ocean racing the newest of extreme sports. Now built in North America, the first production Mini 6.5. Designed by 2-time Mini Transat Champion Sebastien Magnen and built in North America. Your door to ocean racing has just been opened. Walk through and let your sailing needs take over! http://www.mini650.com PROTEST The Global Challenge Race Committee announced their intention to protest Pindar, "for a breach of RRS [Racing Rules for Sailing] 42.1 following notification, under General Sailing Instruction 20, of the use of their engine in reverse gear at 1530 (local time) on the 27th March 2005." Pindar were at position 44.39S 50.33E when the incident in question occurred, in 17/18 knots of headwind. After a report of a sluggish helm, kelp was found to be trailing under the transom. Assuming the rudder was fouled, Pindar was brought hove-to and the crew attempted to dislodge the kelp using the boat hook. In the heat of the moment the engine was engaged for approximately 1-3 minutes in reverse gear only. This time, again using the boot hook, a large ball of kelp was freed from its position where it had indeed been fouling the rudder before racing resumed. The crew then recognised, with the benefit of hindsight, that this action may be regarded as a breach of RRS Rule 42.1 and immediately notified the race committee. In accordance with the Sailing Instructions, they will present a full written report to the Race Committee within 24 hours of the leg finish. The Protest Hearing will take place on 14th April at the Royal Cape Yacht Club in Cape Town. The International Jury, appointed by ISAF, will hear Pindar's case along with any other protests lodged within 24 hours of each yacht crossing the finish line and award any penalties if deemed necessary. - Rachel Anning, www.globalchallenge2004.com HANDICAP RACING The USA's Offshore Racing Association (ORA) has published an update on the progress made on the development of a new Offshore Racing Rule (ORR). This position paper gives an explanation of the rule effort, and discusses the proper application of simple rules such as PHRF and IRC versus a full measurement rule such as ORR. That paper is now available online (www.offshorerace.org). ORA has secured agreement with U.S. Sailing to take over the marketing and administration of the Americap II handicapping rule, which has been has been updated for 2005 with several technical improvements. For the 2006 sailing season, the rule will be renamed ORR with several more technical and administrative improvements to be implemented. THE NEW GENERATION OF TP 52s (The Daily Sail subscription website talked with Jim Schmicher, Senior Naval Architect at Farr Yacht Design about the new generation of TP 52s. Here's an excerpt from that interview posted online.) Compared to last year's models built for racing in the States, the latest generation Farr boats have been optimized for slightly lower down the wind range. "This means they will be narrower on the waterline and have a smaller footprint upright for sailing in lighter winds. But they still have the ability for reaching and when they get going fast to transition to a powerful boat with good effective length," explains Schmicker. Saying this Schmicker doesn't think there will be a difference between US and Med boats destined to race around the buoys or in long inshores. "If you came to the US and were doing buoy racing at Key West or Newport, then guess what - your Med boat wouldn't be wildly different because the average wind strength in Key West is 12 knots and in Newport it is about the same. The principle difference between TP52s, as demonstrated by the Goetz boats, will be between those looking to race inshore and those going seriously offshore or oceanic as in the case of Pegasus. "If you were always doing buoy races you would have a particular set of appendages, tailored for having enough lateral area to get upwind well and they would have features of the bulb designed to go upwind that would reduce drag," Schmicker explains. "The other extreme is if you are doing an offshore race with lots of reaching and running and then you don't need lateral area so you'd have a fairly small fin and you have a bulb tailored to very low drag. - The Daily Sail, www.thedailysail.com TRANSPAC 52 RULES CLARIFICATION - Tom Pollack In regards to how the TP52 Class will handle the issue of who is permitted at the helm of a TP52 in a World/Global Championship designated regatta, current class bylaws specify the owner or a category 1 sailor to be at the helm in a buoy race or the start, and the first thirty minutes of an offshore race- regardless of geographic location. - www.transpac52.org/Documents/TP52ClassBylaws2005.pdf On March 12th, TP52 Class Officials from USA, England & Spain met for 10 hours over two days at the annual class meeting going over TP52 measurement issues. It was a great series of meetings. George Andreadis, Vice President of ISAF and a TP52 owner was invited to participate in the first measurement meeting to lend his vast level of technical and measurement experience to the group. Andrew Williams, the Chief Measurer of the TP52 Class presented a range of topics for class officials to focus on. Arturo Delgado, TP52 Med Fleet President & Pablo Ferrer, a class measurer based in Barcelona also attended the measurement meetings along with Ignacio Triay (Bribon) who is helping put together the 2005 Breitling Med Cup Circuit. The TP52 class is very focused on ensuring a level playing field with all TP52's "in the box" on a global basis. Afterward, class officials enthusiastically enjoyed a round of beer and shared the mutual feeling that we were part of something really big about to happen in Grand Prix Sailing. - Tom Pollack- Executive Director- TP52 Class. www.transpac52.org FRUSTRATION Imagine It. Done. skippered by Dee Caffari is still leading Leg 4 of the Global Challenge on the final 900-mile stretch to Cape Town but in the extremely light conditions Duggie Gillespie and crew aboard Spirit of Sark are closing up and are now just nine miles astern. Having led for the majority of the leg, Caffari is not surprisingly concerned about the current situation. Chatting from the boat this morning Caffari expressed her frustration commenting: "We're getting stuck in every wind hole possible. That was not in the plan or the weather file. We're feeling very frustrated and can only hope that Spirit of Sark and BP Explorer [in third] get their own wind holes to sit in. It's been soul destroying and we definitely have no fingernails left." - Yachting World, full story: www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20050231111935globalchallenge05.html MATCH RACING The Swedish Match Tour resumes its sixth racing season in five weeks with the Toscana Elba Cup - Trofeo Locman. The May 4-8 event features a 75,000 Euro (approximately $97,000) prize purse. American Ed Baird, leader of the 2004-'05 Tour standings with 65 points, heads the field that includes Russell Coutts, Peter Gilmour, Peter Holmberg, Thierry Peponnet, Ben Ainslie, Francesco de Angelis, James Spithill, Gavin Brady and Magnus Holmberg. Former Star World champion, Ian Percy, who is now with the +39 Challenge, is an unconfirmed skipper. The IMX 40 that was used in the first three editions of this event is being replaced this year with the Swedish Match 40, the Tour's specially designed match-racer from designer Pelle Petterson. - Sean McNeill, www.swedishmatchtour.com IGNORANCE IS SELDOM AN ASSET Time spent learning weather will help you avoid the problems it presents. Improve your sailing skills. The weather seminar on April 16th uses cutting edge graphics. Learn the theory at New Bedford Whaling Museum. Combine weather & currents. Aboard or ashore from his office, Bill Biewenga, veteran racer and weather router is also available to work with you, your crew, or club. Bill brings 340,000 ocean miles & 18 years of weather routing experience to each project. Review the full range of weather seminars - live & online. Email mailto:billbiewenga@compuserve.com or visit us at http://www.weather4sailors.com JUST ONE MORE TIME Roy E. Disney, a Transpac fixture long before he became the record holder, says his 15th race this summer will be his last. He is retiring from racing, selling his fourth Pyewacket, a Reichel/Pugh maxZ86, and planning to go cruising with his non-racing wife, Patty. This is not an April Fool's gag. Disney, 75, said, "I just had sort of a momentous birthday in January, and when you finally get to where you say, 'I can't do this like I want to do it,' there you are. This boat is a thrill beyond belief to sail, especially in a breeze, but at some point you have to draw a line. I figured now is the time." Disney's various Pyewackets also set records in the Bermuda-Newport, Chicago-Mackinac, Pacific Cup from San Francisco to Hawaii and the Victoria B.C. to Maui race, among several others. HOBIE TIGER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP * Santa Barbara, Calif. - The 4th Hobie Tiger World Championship had it's final day in typical Santa Barbara weather, sunny with 7 to 12 knots of wind which was the ticket for the winners from Puerto Rico, Enrique Figueroa and Jorge Hernandez. With three bullets and a third in Thursday's races they took home the gold with a one point lead over second place finishers of Mischa Heemskerk and Marelien de Koning of the Netherlands (22 points). The father and son team of Taylor and Mitch Booth of Australia (Mitch Booth was defending champion of the last Tiger Worlds held in Singapore) took third with 24 points overall. Others who did well in the 88-boat championship fleet: 4. Vaireaux Moana/ Petit Romain FRA, 26 ; 5. Fernando Echavarri Erasun/ Anton Paz, ESP, 28; 6 Greg Thomas/ Jacques Bernier, USA, 31. The event had a full range of weather conditions from nasty, bumpy and windy to pleasant smooth sailing with lots of tight finishes and thrilling downwind rides. For photos, videos and final results go to www.hobieworlds.com NEWS BRIEFS * It was around lunch, local time, on Wednesday that Brian Thompson and his team on Doha 2006 bounced back into the Northern Hemisphere leaving the autumn leaves behind and just in time to watch spring work it's magic on a hemisphere that has suffered under a blanket of snow since the Qatari catamaran set sail almost two months ago. Since Tuesday morning they have been sailing close hauled, pounding upwind in an uncomfortable seaway. At 0103 GMT Thursday Brian Thompson's Doha 2006 was 1562 nm from the finish with Tony Bullimore's Daedalus 2725 miles further back. - www.oryxquest.com/ * Reichel-Pugh's second TP52 is the latest racing boat of Doug de Vos, who's family are known for their series of Windquests. However on this occasion the boat is being called Quantum Racing. Of note with this campaign is that having been sidelined for this America's Cup cycle, on the helm will be none other than Russell Coutts. - The Daily Sail subscription website, www.thedailysail.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 Roger Vaughan: Even as someone who has written about the America's Cup longer than I'd like to admit, I have to agree that the constant flow of "news" about the event only stimulates yawns. But the item about Team New Zealand taking up boxing did catch my attention. The only physical exercise evident in the first Cups I covered in Newport, R.I. was the walk home from the Thames Street bars at night. Now the boys are boxing, and that could be a very hot idea. Norman Mailer once wrote a short, powerful little piece (Esquire, I think) about the Saturday morning boxing matches he, Pete Hamill, and a few other devotees of the sport organized at a little gym in New York. He said the idea of stepping into the ring on Saturday was so frightening it dominated his entire week. On Saturdays he'd often throw up before he left his apartment. Very scary stuff, looking over your big gloves into the eyes of a guy who will try to punch you silly. Boxing will be great for TNZ's physical conditioning, but more than that it will help dispatch any fear factor that might surface along the way. After putting on the gloves and hearing that bell, a person would be virtually immune to what normally passes for intimidation. After the last Cup Defense debacle in New Zealand, what that team most needed was to rebuild confidence. They might have found a way to do it. * From John Manderson: (Clinics, Coaching, the Olympics and old farts): What were the ages of sailing medal winners in the last Olympics? I understand the emphasis on the youth, but what about some opportunities for development for the fired up wily old farts. * From Michael W. Fortenbaugh: I would enjoy an opportunity to correct a fact in the March 30 issue. Francis Joyon's trimaran IDEC will be staying at the North Cove, not the Manhattan Sailing Club. I am lucky to be involved in both organizations and we are both located at North Cove which is where the confusion may have started. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. |
