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SCUTTLEBUTT 1514 - February 9, 2004Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest 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 and personal attacks for elsewhere. PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE Written for Scuttlebutt courtesy by Janet C. Baxter, President, US Sailing - Chris Ericksen's guest editorial in Scuttlebutt 1513 refers to an initiative that will be discussed by all sailors who attend our meeting in March. The proposal is an attempt to make it easier to file an appeal, to improve the quality of the decision, and to shorten the time it takes to reach a result. (http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived_Detail.asp?key=2745). It seems that Chris is in agreement with most of the ideas being discussed. His primary concern seems to be about the process for changes. As President, that's my concern too; and I can assure you that there is no attempt to keep anything hidden here. We prefer to have a full and frank discussion of this and any proposed changes. In the past we have occasionally moved too slowly and sometimes too quickly, just like ISAF. Several versions of this proposal have been circulated, particularly to those who will be impacted by a change in our appeals processes. This is how we do our business, sending ideas across the nation with "white papers" to be commented on. Many committees have been involved in the discussions already and have contributed to the working draft. The current version of the proposal is available at http://www.ussailing.org/raceadmin/. All sailors can contact their various representatives and let them know how they feel about the appeals process and this proposal. US Sailing has target timelines at the national level for appeals it receives, and has no control over the association appeals committees, but we hear complaints about the whole process. For a variety of reasons, some appeals drag on for months, causing great frustration. Overlapping RSA jurisdictions create confusion on where to send an appeal. By having all appeals sent to US Sailing's office, logged and then sent to the appropriate Area Appeals Committee (AAC), it seems easier for the sailor and ensures that the correct AAC gets the appeal. Where to send the initial appeal could be spelled out with the process, eliminating further research by the sailor. Using our office could also provide one place to check the status of outstanding appeals and give visibility to any appeals that are not moving through the system at a sensible pace. The survey Chris refers to was not a survey; it was a poll of people at a meeting, so it was not scientific or complete. I'm sorry for any confusion on that. It is true that the Racing Rules Committee is working on a revision to Appendix F. The draft prescription is an excellent discussion vehicle because it contains the specifics that your delegates must discuss and vote on. Appendix F is entirely a US Sailing prescription and any change in the appeals process must be reflected there. We will get the final wording on the 2005-2008 rules from ISAF this summer and our Rules Committee will be busy getting the prescriptions done so that the rulebooks can be distributed in the fall. That is why it is advantageous for them to do the preliminary drafting now. We have not determined the fee, if any, but clearly there are costs that must be covered. We currently spend more than three times the fee we receive on most Appeals that come to the National level. I've had many discussions about pricing our services at what they cost, but that's a story for a different day. - Janet C. Baxter, President, US Sailing JULES VERNE TROPHY * Steve Fossett and his 12 person crew aboard the 125' maxi-catamaran 'Cheyenne' sped south and passed the observer of the World Sailing Speed Record Council (www.sailspeedrecords.com) at 05:10 and 35 secs GMT on Saturday. The Cheyenne crew hopes to pass him again (northbound this time) in less than 9 weeks time as they target the 2002 official RTW sailing record of Bruno Peyron (F) and the 110' maxi-cat 'Orange' of 64 days, 8 hrs, 37 mins, 24 secs (avg speed 13.98 kts). The record course length is 21,760 nautical miles, with actual sailing miles covered expected to exceed 26,000. By Sunday evening (8 February 2004 1930GMT - 200 miles west of Valencia) Cheyenne made progress towards the Southwest through the day, despite 'hitting a hole' in the middle of the day. Speeds improved throughout the afternoon and they are now making 12-14 kts westward and are on target for a late night rendezvous with a Low pressure cell for further progress South. - http://www.fossettchallenge.com * At 20:21:22 (Sunday), the Cap Gemini and Schneider Electric trimaran (Geronimo) also crossed the Jules Verne Trophy start line between the Créac'h lighthouse on Ushant and the Lizard Point in Cornwall. The French crew must therefore re-cross the same line before 04:57:46 on 13 April to beat the time set by Orange in 2002 (of 64 days, 8 hours, 37 minutes and 40 seconds). With less than 15 knots of easterly wind on the start line, conditions remained modest, but in line with forecasters' data. The current weather pattern promises no high average speeds, but a slow succession of anticyclones should drive the trimaran at a steady rate until she picks up the trade winds. On board, her crew has sailed around the world in multihulls 18 times between them. - http://www.trimaran-geronimo.com WEAPONS FOR THE WINTER SAILING WARS! Is your gear ready for the Acura SORC, your class Midwinters or the Caribbean racing circuit? Padded Sailing Shorts/Long Pants with optional rear seat pads (optional knee pads for Longs), Kontrol Gloves with aggressive-gripped palm-wrap, Waterproof Gloves and Socks, High Collared SunBlocker Sailing Shirts, Floatable Waterproof Gear Bags, and Knee Sleeves are only some of the weapons Sailing Angles has to help you win this winter/spring's wind wars! New quick-dry Shoreline Shorts are ideal, inexpensive team gear. Embroidery available. Team discounts available with a minimum of 3. Order by phone at 800-666-3616 or 305-661-7200 or go online at http://www.sailingangles.com CHANGING TIMES The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has confirmed that the Overall Winner of the 2004 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race would be the first yacht on corrected time in the IRC handicap category. CYCA Commodore John Messenger forecast this move in December 2003, citing evidence of the growing popularity of the IRC rule 'down under'. Rear-Commodore Roger Hickman confirmed the decision that the George Adams Tattersalls Cup would be awarded to the overall winner of the IRC divisions in the 2004 Rolex Sydney to Hobart race. He explained, "The CYCA has not locked themselves into the IRC handicapping system for any period beyond this year, ensuring they have the flexibility to move to another system should a better one arise." The decision means that almost the entire fleet will be eligible for the prestigious Overall first place and to be winner of the historic Tattersalls Cup. The CYCA move follows the increasing growth of International and Australian IRC fleet numbers. Over the last twelve months Yachting Australia records show a significant increase in the IRC fleet numbers, with 78 new boats being rated under this system in the first half of this season. Total figures at the end of the current rating year (30 June) are expected to be significantly higher than in previous years, demonstrating the popularity and suitability of the rule to many Australian yacht owners. There has been a slight decrease in IMS rated boats in Australia this year and the CYCA decision is likely to cause a plunge in IMS certificate numbers. In the 2003 Rolex Sydney to Hobart, the most successful yacht in the fleet was the Beneteau 40.7 First National Real Estate, co-skippered by Michael Spies and Peter Johnston, which won under the IMS handicap rule and was declared the Overall winner. Interestingly she was also the IRC winner and would therefore have won overall, had the IRC handicap rule reigned supreme. - Rob Kothe, full story: http://www.sail-world.com CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS (Sponsored by West Marine) Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar FORGET THE CHOCOLATES How about sweet deals on nautical photography? Save 15% on Onne van der Wal's hottest photos, from timeless classics to the latest racing shots in various sizes. The sale runs February 13-16 in his Newport Gallery or shop online. Nautical prints, calendars and notecards make great valentines gifts. - http://www.vanderwal.com MATCH RACING The teams on the Swedish Match Tour invited to the first ever Portugal Match Cup in Cascais this summer will be sailing six shiny new Swedish Match 40s - straight from the wharf. Justino de Sá Machado, chairman of the Portuguese race organization, signed the contract, worth approximately 400,000 euro with Pehr Edström, managing director of Maxi Yachts. The new match racer Swedish Match 40 was designed by Pelle Petterson and the development team at Maxi Yachts, who will build the boats. The yacht is intended to be mass-produced primarily for use in the nine tour events around the world. Because of its similarities with the America's Cup boats, they can also be used by AC syndicates for meaningful match race training. Last summers, the Swedish Match Cup teams in Marstrand had the opportunity to try out two of the prototypes, and were full of praise. Specifications: Length: 12 metres (39.4 ft); width 2.30 metres (7.5 ft) and draught 2.10 metres (6.9 ft). Weight 3.8 metric tons (7600 pounds). http://www.maxi.se NEWS BRIEFS * Augie Diaz (Miami, FL), 49, and Hannah Swett (New York, NY), 34, were honored Friday at a luncheon in Manhattan at the New York Yacht Club as US Sailing's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The two accepted engraved Rolex timepieces, symbols of outstanding on-water achievement in the calendar year just concluded. Diaz was recognized for his performances as skipper in three different one-design classes (Laser, Snipe and Star), Swett for full-time dedication to her Olympic campaign in the very competitive Yngling class, which will make its debut at the 2004 Olympic Regatta in Athens, Greece. - http://www.ussailing.org * The US Mariner Class Association wants to make contact with the over 4000 Mariner Owners throughout the USA and Canada. The 19' Mariner Sailboats were initially built by O'Day starting in 1963 and now by Stuart Marine in Rockland, ME. The Association publishes Quarterly Newsletters for all members and maintains a website at http://www.usmariner.org NEW ONLINE CATALOG AT PIRATESLAIR.COM Browse through our 293-page online catalog while waiting for your paper version via snailmail. Search by brand name or product style. Book a regatta with us by March and receive free giveaways, sponsorships, and other goodies for your regatta. Browse the online catalog at http://www.pirateslair.com/html/catalogmain.html or request a free catalog and complimentary widget at http://www.pirateslair.com/sailing LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) 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 Clark Chapin: Chris Eriksen (Scuttlebutt #1513, 6-Feb) made several good points, but before a mob of peasants armed with torches and pitchforks storms the castle, lets think about this a little further. Chris acknowledges that RSA boundaries are poorly defined. This is not a trivial problem for those who fall into those areas. Our case has helped bring this problem to a head: We are not currently members of an RSA We are near one RSA to the east, but that RSA is active on one lake and its connecting rivers, not the inland lake where we sail. A second RSA is farther away, but contains clubs that are farther west than we are. Some clubs in the first RSA are also in the second. Our club once belonged to a third RSA (now inactive) that was in the adjoining US Sailing area. We have been told verbally that the first RSA considers us in their area and that any appeal from our club delivered to their office within the time limit will be heard. Currently, if the appeal is delivered to the wrong RSA on the fifteenth day, there is no provision to correct the error. Delivering the appeal to a single location will solve that problem. An administrative fee is a reality in the current budget situation. The Council of Sailing Associations has previously considered making the RSA boundaries definitive by zip code, but has not supported the proposal. I wholeheartedly support the new appeal proposal. * From Glenn McCarthy, Past Commodore Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation: Chris Ericksen pointed out the root of the problem - RSA appeals turn around time is long. Why is this? The appellant is required to deliver the appeal in 14 days. Once the RSA appeals committee receives it, they do not consider only what is written on the appeal. They write the yacht club who held the protest, the judges who heard the protest and the appellant defendant requesting their views to the appeal, providing a balanced fair process. Are there time limits defined for the yacht club, judges and appeals defendant to respond? NO. There have been many instances where all three have dragged their feet. It is especially difficult when a yacht club does not respond, and a copy of the protest form can't be acquired. Now we are at real root cause of the problem. By organizing different appeals committees, the problem is not solved. The first appeal level will still take a long time to hear because the documentation required takes a long time to assemble. The solution US Sailing proposes does nothing but transfers the problem. US Sailing would be better to study the root cause and develop time limits for the: 1. Yacht Club; 2. The Judges; and, 3. The Defendant. The difficult part will be to assess penalties to Yacht Clubs, Judges and Defendants who do not respond by the deadline. Work on this to solve the real problem. * From Peter Johnstone: By 1991, most Lasers being produced were all white. The class had dwindled, and the business was, well, bankrupt. We purchased the business and did everything possible to distance ourselves from the failure of our predecessors. We paid our bills, raised the quality, supported the class, and eliminated all white Laser production. We introduced boats with vibrant colors and white bottoms with raised waterlines. Some called us heretics and other such fine compliments. Class participation grew, and a few years later, we helped get the world's greatest singlehander into the Olympics. Putting color back into a bland fleet was one element of that success. Being in the spotlight is part of being a healthy class. What photographer or magazine wants a photo of an all white boat? And what fool believes that today's race committees will miss you because of your boat color? Our Laser, at this point, is beater blue. Chip, keep the colors coming....we're nearly due for a new one. And we're not going for the Klu Klux Klan model. * From Ken Legler: Regarding OCS boats, general recalls, black flags and the like; someday we'll have electronic monitors on our Olympic dinghies. In the meantime the solution is to employ multiple line boats. The racing rules of sailing used to recommend this until the guidelines for race officers were removed from the book for brevity. Too bad, it works. Guidelines can be found in the US Sailing Race Management Handbook. I am continually surprised by race committees that try to spot the line with a "pin" boat near the pin with limited authority with multiple general recalls and progressive (regressive) penalties. With 20 boats, use a port line boat as the staring mark. With 40 boats, use a mid-line boat as well. With 100 boats, use five line boats. This will create four colinear starting lines with spotters at each end of each line. Add a one-minute, round-the-ends rule, modified to allow offending competitors to round any line boat and Voila! No more general recalls and no black flags! It takes 20 minutes to train a qualified sailing instructor how to spot the line and it costs less to pay them than to fly in a volunteer umpire. The last general recall at Terra Nova Trading Key West Race Week was in 1996 and there has never been a black flag used there. Curmudgeon's Comment: Ken is a great source on this subject, as he has probably seen more starts than most as longtime sailing coach of Tuft University and principal race officer at Key West. * From Max Lynn: The letter from Fiona Brown stating that Melges 24's do not have lifelines suggests that the boat does not meet the PHRF Category 1, 2 and 3 requirements for offshore racing. This in spite of the fact that the boat is commonly entered in many of the local offshore events (Ensenada, Santa Barbara to King Harbor, etc.). Is this the way the Melges 24 owners want it? This suggests (maybe mandates?) that Melges 24's cannot be entered legally in any offshore races. * From Mike O'Hara (edited to our 250-word limit): I am afraid I cannot let Pat Healy's comments (Scuttlebutt 1513) go without comment. If my doctor makes mistakes, the medical board takes away their accreditation. If my driving creates too many errors the police take away my license. The doctor still had to take a test originally as did I to get my drivers license, but the ISAF Judge may have never taken a test. Add to the fact the rest of the panel may have over ruled their erroneous thinking awarded the correct decision. So the incompetent Judge is well hidden and protected in the 'system'. But what if he was not overruled or the whole jury is made from people that have never passed the exam. I was at an event recently when the International Jury overturned a rule and a case in a very simple and straightforward protest. Their reason: "we wanted to be fair to the competitor who simply did not understand the rule." And Mr Healy wonders why the competitors have such a low appreciation for most of the International Juries. All the ISAF appointed Umpires, Race Officers and Measurers have had to pass an exam so why shouldn't the judges. Are they such a protected species in ISAF or is ISAF scared that many of the 350 judges would fail? Add to the fact that these judges are making decisions at the Olympics and could decide a Gold Medal. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION A good friend is the person who comes to bail you out of jail. However, a true friend will be the one sitting next to you saying, "damn...that was fun." |
