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SCUTTLEBUTT 2494 – December 12, 2007Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, featuresand dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors. MARKETING SAILING A recent study by myGoals.com has announced its annual predictions describing what types of resolutions people are expected to make during the coming New Year's season. From the findings in their report, sailing marketers might take note of the top ranked item and the bottom ranked item. Both items apply to the sport, but depending on the presentation, can be applied differently. According to anonymous, random sampling, this year's New Year's resolutions are expected to break down as follows: New Year's Resolutions - 2006 / 2007* / Change -------------------------------------------------------------- Health & Fitness - 31% / 27% / (-4%) Personal Growth & Interests - 10 / 15 / +5% Personal Finance - 15 / 15 / 0% Career - 15 / 12 / (-3%) Education & Training - 9 / 9 / 0% Home Improvement & Real Estate - 5 / 7 / +2% Time Management & Organization - 8 / 6 / (-2%) Family & Relationships - 5 / 5 / 0% Recreation & Leisure - 2 / 5 / +3% -------------------------------------------------------------- * Projected; does not equal 100% due to rounding Website: http://www.mygoals.com/about/pressRelease014.html NEW LEADERSHIP AT WEST MARINE After three years at the helm of West Marine, Inc., Peter Harris resigned his post as president and CEO of the nation’s largest boating supplies and accessories retailer as of December 10, 2007. In a release distributed Monday night, West Marine announced that it has named Geoff Eisenber, 55, as Harris’ successor, effective immediately. Harris has agreed to assist with the transition through the end of the year. This news might not come as a complete surprise to those watching the company ’s performance during Harris’ tenure. While several initiatives have been moved forward, its financial results have been disappointing and there have been multiple rounds of store closures. Despite an 81-percent increase in West Marine’s net income during the third quarter ended Sept. 29 to $5.3 million, for example, the company lowered its full-year guidance for a second time and its profitability “continues to lag,” one analyst commented. -- Boating Industry, read on: http://www.boating-industry.com/output.cfm?id=1347535 ON APPEALS AND DEED REVISIONS by Cory E. Friedman, Scuttlebutt legal analyst Before we proceed Down the Rabbit-Hole of revamping the America’s Cup Deed of Gift, a brief note regarding where we are. Justice Cahn’s 11/27/07 Memorandum Decision ended with the instruction: “Settle Order.” Under this New York State procedure, the winner, Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC), prepares a proposed order faithful to the Memorandum Decision and settles it upon the losers, Société Nautique Genève (SNG) and Club Nautico Español de Vela (CNEV). If they do not like the proposed order (three guesses), they counter settle a counter proposed order, and the Justice’s Confidential Law Secretary (law clerk) will mark up one or the other to conform to what the Court really wants to do. As you guessed on your first try, SNG did not like GGYC’s proposed order and counter settled. Aside from some technical issues of interest only to those billing by the hour, the differences boil down to whether, absent consent, the match will be October 1, 3 and 5, 2008 (GGYC version) or July 18, 21 and 23, 2009 (SNG version), and whether SNG must identify the venue, be it Valencia or elsewhere, by December 31, 2007 (GGYC version) or 6 months before the match (SNG version). In an attorney’s affidavit, SNG claims that a possible appeal will take a year and that October 2008 is not feasible because the Valencia Formula 1 event will have first call on the city streets and, as SNG’s lawyer swears, “in the Northern Hemisphere the autumn equinox brings the risk of uncertain winds and storms . . . .” -- Read on: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/cf/#p10 * Curmudgeon’s Comment: Cory may have outdone himself here in Part 10 of his America’s Cup commentary, providing countless facts related to the Appeal and the Deed of Gift change. Needless to say, you cannot just say you are going to appeal and/ or change the deed, and have the world stop. There are significant legal hurdles that lie ahead for those that try. AMERICA’S CUP: TACKS AND GYBES * In correspondence from BMW Oracle Racing owner Larry Ellison to Alinghi owner Ernesto Bertarelli, Ellison says he is okay with discussing possible changes to the Deed of Gift, but not at the expense of delaying the next event. Complete letter: http://www.cupineurope.com/Prov/071211-LE.pdf * There remains 16 million Euros on personnel costs and maintenance fees that was still outstanding from the 32nd America’s Cup this past summer, and it was only this week that the Madrid Government had agreed to cover the expense. Additionally, there is political pressure from the Spanish government against an appeal being launched by the Club Nautico Español de Vela (CNEV), since most politicians believe that there is nothing to be gained from trying to overturn the decision by Justice Cahn. -- The Valencia Life Network, mailto:publisher@valencialife.net THE PERFECT GIFT FOR UNDER THE TREE Are you looking for the perfect gift for that person on your list who has it all this holiday season? Why not get them their very own professional grade RIB from Ribcraft. Whether it's the 15' Ribcraft 150, the US SAILING 15, the 19' Ribcraft 190 or one of Ribcraft's Offshore RIBs, a Ribcraft makes the perfect tender, runabout, or boat for watching the kids sail. Enjoy hassle free boating with the Official RIB of US SAILING and the boat of choice for yacht clubs and first responders. Visit Ribcraft today to find that perfect gift. -- http://www.ribcraftusa.com BARCELONA WORLD RACE Open 60 doublehanded round the world race (started Nov 11; 25,000-miles) (Day 31 - December 11, 2007) The leading boats in the Barcelona World Race have entered the ‘Furious Fifties’, that region south of 50-degrees latitude where the wind and waves roar around the planet uninterrupted by land. But overnight, the fourth-placed boat, Delta Dore, was knocked out of the race after being dismasted. Both sailors, Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet, are in good health and were uninjured when the mast crashed to the deck. With the carnage on deck threatening the integrity of the hull, the two sailors had no choice but to cut the damaged rig free. They lost the entire mast and boom in the process, and have had to be very inventive in coming up with a jury rig that will help get the boat to South Africa, some 850 nautical miles away. They have rigged up a small sail using spare battens and the raised daggerboard for support and are making 3.5 knots towards the African coast. -- http://www.barcelonaworldrace.com * From Alex Thomson, Hugo Boss: “It is getting even colder down here now and it’s blowing 25 to 30 knots. Snow flurries and sleet showers are a daily occurrence, and disaster struck Monday when the heater broke, leaving us rather cold and grumpy. Today we have seen the sun for the first time in a while and after some technical advice about the heater from a fella called Toby, we are all warm and toasty again. Heat makes a big difference to life onboard, dry clothes, dry cabin, it completely changes the morale and thanks to our wind generator taking the load off our engine for charging the batteries, we have fuel to burn!” -- http://www.alexthomsonracing.com/archive.asp * Estrella Damm’s Jonathan McKee recounts the events surrounding the breakage of their rudder: http://tinyurl.com/3a9zkh Positions at 18:00 GMT - Distance to leader (+gain/-loss since previous day) 1-Paprec-Virbac 2, Jean-Pierre Dick/ Damian Foxall, DTF not available 2-Veolia Environnement, Roland Jourdain/ Jean-Luc Nélias, 146 mi DTL (-29) 3-Hugo Boss, Alex Thomson/ Andrew Cape, 221 (-20) 4-Temenos II, Dominique Wavre/ Michéle Paret, 895 (-65) 5-Mutua Madrilena, Javier Sanso Windmann/ Pachi Rivero, 1510 (-363) 6-Estrella Damm, Guillermo Altadill/ Jonathan McKee, 1859 (-398)* 7-Educación sin Fronteras, Servane Escoffier/ Albert Bargues, 2210 (-255) Retired - PRB, Vincent Riou / Sébastien Josse (broken mast) Retired -Delta Dore, Jérémie Beyou/ Sidney Gavignet (broken mast) * Returning to Cape Town for rudder repair * (Day 18 - December 11, 2007 - 16:12 UTC) With 14,124 miles remaining, Francis Joyon’s solo round the world record attempt onboard the 97-foot trimaran IDEC II continues to maintain an amazing pace. His path across the Indian Ocean along the 46-degree latitude finds his 24-hour speed average at 24.9 knots and 597.2 miles per day. Joyon’s advance over Ellen Macarthur’s record pace in 2005 is now up 131 miles to 1,864. While not a priority, Joyon is slowly approaching the 24 singlehanded record set in 2006 by Yvan Bourgnon (SUI) onboard the 60 ft trimaran "Brossard" that clocked 610.45 nm at an average speed of 25.76 knots. -- http://www.trimaran-idec.com YOUR FAVORITE EVENT With the publication of Scuttlebutt’s 2500th newsletter to occur next week, we are celebrating the success of the 2007 sailing season, and we want to hear what your favorite regatta was this year. Some of the events that have been submitted are: US Multihull Championship (Hobie Alter Cup) - Melbourne, Florida USS Constellation Cup – Baltimore, MD Captain Island Race - City Island, NY Charity Fun Regatta – Newfoundland Swiftsure Race - Victoria, BC Catalina Island series – Long Beach, CA Long Beach Race Week – Long Beach, CA Flying Scot North Americans - Deltaville VA 40th Anniversary Race - Porto Cervo, Italy Marblehead Race Week – Marblehead, MA Louie's Last Regatta – Milwaukee, WI MC Scow Midwinters - Eustis, FL High Sierra regatta - Huntington Lake, CA Rolex International Keelboat Women's Championship - Houston, TX Submit your favorite event, and you’ll automatically be entered to win some great giveaways. Go to http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5603 SAILING SHORTS * Miami, FL - Hundreds of Etchells sailors from North America, Europe, and Australia crowded Miami's Biscayne Bay December 8–9, 2007, for the Piana Cup, the first of four class events in the annual Jaguar Series. The event attracted 73 boats and their crew, including several of the class's world champions. At the end of the weekend, Bill Hardesty and crew, sailing USA 979, took home the cup, winning by one point over Jud Smith. – Complete story and results: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5639 * The Fifth Annual ICSA Coaching Colloquium is open to anyone with an interest in college sailing, and will be held January 8-14, 2008 in Park City, UT. Details at http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5640 * The Scuttlebutt Store has a couple of new items from ‘Scuttlebutt University’, plus the price on the polo shirts have been marked down. Check it all out at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/store THE LATEST STRING-SAILS HAVE ARRIVED There’s a new string sail on the market – UK-Halsey Sailmakers’ MatriX. It’s all grand prix and the fastest sails in the UK-Halsey line. MatriX sails have already won races, have set off circumnavigating on boats up to 95 feet, and some will soon be doing the Hobart Race. We’ve dedicated our newest production facility to making MatriX, so you won’t have to wait long to put yours on the starting line. Nearly 60 UK-Halsey sailmaker-run lofts and service centers worldwide are waiting to hear from you. MatriX: faster by a factor of X. Get a quote: 800-253-2002, http://www.ukhalsey.com 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 Dr. Gene Neill: (regarding story in Issue 2493) Heather is not one of the myriad, empty-headed but well-meaning dreamers, who by the scores fantasize this same grand dream every day: "I'm gonna' buy me a little boat and sail clean around the whole-wide world!" But they don't have the soul to even sail out of sight. Yes, soul! Brains are not a prerequisite to solo-circumnavigation at all, witness the numerous intellectually challenged sailors who have tied tied the knot. And wealth doesn't help at all, as we learned when poor old Joshua Slocum left with only some twenty bucks in his pocket, and sailing an un-seaworthy old derelict boat. Youth and good health aren't needed for a solo circumnavigator, either. Just ask 78-year-old David Cark, or the blind circumnavigator, or 71-year-old Ardell Lien, who completed his solo circumnavigation shortly after receiving a heart and kidney transplants. You don't even have to be an accomplished sailor to sail around the world alone. When she did her first anchorage on the east coast, the first night of her voyage, Tanya Aebi didn't even know about letting out scope during an anchorage. She just let out the rode, that first night, 'til the anchor touched bottom, and then she cleated it off right there. Zero scope. It just takes soul. No substitutes. And Heather's got that coming out her ears! She will get it done. * From Guy P. Brierre: Is it just me, or wouldn't a "successful real estate broker" be able to afford a slightly bigger boat than a Flicka 20 for a round-the-world sail? Isla Mujeres is a great place, I hope she makes it there then thinks better of the rest of her trip. * From Roy E. Disney, Honolulu, HI: Following a lengthy outcry regarding the deteriorating condition of Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor (see story in Issue 2410), the post-race home of the Transpacific Yacht Race, I am gratified to learn now that plans are in place for it to become once again a source of pride. The state has begun a series of immediate improvements with plans for more, while at the same time introducing a modest increase in parking fees in the area as a needed source of funding. There are always those, of course, who vociferously want progress and improvements as long as they come at no cost to themselves. Thus, a relatively small and equitable parking fee is being described in the most lurid, rabble-rousing terms, [such as] "2100% increase!!" That last alarmist statement describes a reasonable new parking fee of $35 a month. Guess what the old fee was? $1.67 per month. How can anyone expect even minimal maintenance much less any improvements with a fee structure like that? I applaud the state for taking this big step toward restoring the Ala Wai, as well as other harbors around the state. * From Mike Esposito: Chicago has had a program designed to attract minority youths for some years now. No surprise that it comes from the same program that introduced adaptive sailing to Chicago. A highlight of the program is that it brings the boats (Optis) to neighborhood lagoons, rather than making the kids take several buses to get down to Lake Michigan. Visit http://www.juddgoldmansailing.org/junior_sailing.html * From Jim Linskey: To add to the thread to expand sailing beyond racial barriers, there is a sailing program, KATS ( kids at the sea), that has been in existence for the past 15 years. The program starts with basic swimming and culminates to certified scuba diving for kids age eight till they reach their eighteenth birthday. One of the most popular programs for the kids is sailing. We (all volunteers) teach beginners all the way up to level 3 sailors that race IC24's, which are modified J24's. The crew of 5-6 kids sail the 24's all on their own and compete throughout the Caribbean in major regattas. All of these kids live in the BVI and come to the classes by attraction to the sea that we instill in them by teaching them to swim at a young age. The sailing program is mostly black kids, some whose parents cannot afford to send them to other sailing schools here. The beauty of the program is that a percentage of the kids, once out of high school, keep sailing and pursue jobs in the charter industry, which is probably one of the largest in the world. I have brought up at least two kids through the program that now are studying for their captain’s licensing and will be running 50' catamarans very soon. Yes, black sailors are being groomed right in their own back yards, thanks to the KATS program and its volunteers. The program is funded by gracious donations of private enterprises and individuals. The web site is http://www.katsbvi.com * From Alicia (on the Forum): I'm imploring the Scuttlebutt community for assistance. Although, I would love to get my dad a new boat it is out of the budget this year. So what unusual sailing item (under $50) would you love to receive this Christmas. Something non-typical but very useful or funny. FYI he is more a cruiser then racer. Thanks for helping me finish my Christmas Shopping. Post here: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=5588 => Curmudgeon’s Comment: We usually don’t allow retailers to promote their products in the Forum, but for this thread we will allow it. Another area to scout for hot tips is the New Product Announcement section, where companies can provide information on their latest items: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/forum/products * From Mike Perry: Bravo to my old, and I mean old mate, Bob Fisher. While many of us in his age bracket are losing our car keys several times a day and wearing our underpants back-to-front, Bob has retained enough gray matter to write a lucid letter laying out simply how most sailors feel about the America's Cup. In his open letter to Alinghi's owner Ernesto Bertarelli (in Scuttlebutt issue 2492), Bob calls on the Swiss defender to respect the history of the Cup, a history that means more to many of us than any amounts of money Bertarelli's "modernization" can bring to the event. After months of reading the utterances of greedy billionaires, self-obsessed pro sailors and word-bending lawyers, Bob's words are welcome indeed; understandable to even a common dockworker, who probably has is underdungers on back-to-front. * From Craig Davis: Alinghi is without Louis Vuitton’s sponsorship dollars for the challenger series, and their top team sponsor UBS may be on the way out too. UBS is one of the leaders in the sub-prime mortgage market, and have just taken two billion dollar write-offs, sold 10% of the bank to Singapore and the middle east, with maybe more to come. Also, after having followed the multi-hull circuit for a while when I was in Europe, I agree with Bruno (Trouble) that with their speed, the gaps open real fast between the boats, which does not make for exciting viewing. A HOLIDAY GIFT TO SCUTTLEBUTT Ever since the early days of the Scuttlebutt newsletter, readership growth has been by word-of-mouth. With the holiday season at hand, the best present you can give the Curmudgeon is to continue telling your friends about the publication. To make this easy, click on the link, and then add names from your contact list. Thanks in advance for the support! Here is the link: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/wordofmouth CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION Ever wonder why when a woman wears a leather dress, a man's heart beats quicker, his throat gets dry, he goes weak in the knees, and he begins to think irrationally? Because she smells like a new truck. Special thanks to Ribcraft RIBs and UK-Halsey Sailmakers. A complete list of Scuttlebutt’s preferred suppliers is at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
