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SCUTTLEBUTT 3511 - Monday, January 23, 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: Soft Deck and Quantum Sails. AVOIDING ATTRITION Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck provided the following commentary when he spoke recently at the US Sailing 2012 National Sailing Program Symposium: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- When I really think about what sailing is, I break it down into two parts. They may even be equal parts. The first part is the sailing. It gives us something to do, often with other people. The other part is when we're done sailing, we gather somewhere and talk about it. We share stories, maybe tell a few lies. Certainly have a drink. Whether racing or cruising, sailing provides for these deep bonding experiences. If we sail often enough, it soon defines who we are. Some people are 'golfers'. Some people are 'runners'. We are 'sailors'. And near as I can tell, the only way we can really screw things up is when we take it too seriously. Sailing is recreation. Sure, there are some people making a living at it, and a lot more trying. But most people are in it for the fun, and once any of us loses the love for it, we're screwed. Taking it too seriously, making it too competitive, requiring us to work too hard at it, is the path toward attrition. After I won a class championship, one of the class stalwarts pulled me aside to share some advice. He said, "Craig, you're doing great things, and I'm certain there is more ahead for you. But I want you to know, the challenge isn't the climb up the mountain. The challenge is the climb down." I had no idea what he was talking about, but I never forgot it. Over time, I got used to a certain level of success in the sport. Expectations were created by me, and by those around me. But success was a result of hard work. And when my growing family required more of my time, the time for training and preparation got less of it. Soon it became hard to play the game at the level I was used to playing it. The game became less fun, and as a result, I became less active. And then I remember the advice I was given. Without realizing it, I was "climbing down the mountain." I have helped myself by sailing different types of boats, and appreciating more of what I can do than what I can't. But it has made me think about how so many areas in our sport have heightened the competitive component. For those who want that, it's great. But for those that are not fully willing to keep up, how we may just be evolving ourselves into extinction. So keep it fun, share it with others, don't measure it, and remember to tell a few lies afterwards. QUALITY IS KING IN KEY WEST Key West, FL (January 20, 2012) - It was a frantic finish at Quantum Key West 2012 as several boats snatched victory with strong performances on the fifth and final day. Barking Mad pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the 25-year history of the regatta, winning the Farr 40 class despite suffering a dreaded DNF. Barking Mad, skippered by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., did not finish Race 2 after a scary man overboard incident. That type of result usually proves fatal in a no-throwout series, but the Barking Mad team kept plugging away - winning three of the final five races to pull out an improbable one-point victory. "I wasn't too optimistic that we could win the regatta after what happened in that second race, but we just had to keep sailing with the understanding that every point was crucial," Richardson said. "We got better as the week went along and everything just sort of fell into place at the end." Skipper John Kilroy and the Samba Pa Ti team held off a stiff challenge from Pisces to capture the talent-laden Melges 32 class. Pisces, skippered by Benjamin Schwartz, briefly took the lead by posting a pair of bullets on Tuesday, but Samba responded by placing fourth or better in five of the last six races to win by 12 points. Samba Pa Ti was selected as Quantum Boat of the Week for winning the closest, most competitive class at the 25th anniversary regatta. "It is always great to win in a high-caliber fleet like this," Kilroy said. "What I like about this 32 class is that there are so many great sailors and so many well-prepared boats. You have really got to be on top of your game to win any regatta in this class, much less one as competitive as Key West." It was the second Key West victory in Melges 32 class for Kilroy, a Los Angeles native who also earned Boat of the Week honors in 2010. Italian pro Lorenzo Bressani called tactics while countryman and close friend Federico Michetti trimmed the jib and spinnaker. Harry Melges, whose Wisconsin-based family builds the boats, trimmed main while Justin Smart (pit), Max Bulger (bow), Lucas Tomasetti (mast) and Martino Tortorolo (all-around) completed the crew. Full report: http://www.premiere-racing.com/KW12_releases.htm Results: http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=547 Photos courtesy of Sharon Green, John Payne, Ingrid Abery, Leighton O'Connor and PhotoBoat.com: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/12/kw Blogs and Video: Quantum Sails: http://tinyurl.com/Quantum-KWRW-2012 SAIL: http://tinyurl.com/SAIL-KWRW-2012 Sailing World: http://www.sailingworld.com/racing/quantum-key-west-2012 T2P daily videos: http://www.t2p.tv/guide/kw12.php SOFT DECK Soft - Simple - Durable - Great Looking - Shock Mitigating Peel and Stick - Non Skid Decking Solution Our non skid is easy to use, and provides great traction even when wet. Our soft, barefoot friendly material installs over existing nonskid in minutes, and won't tear up your knees or elbows. With deck pad sizes from 3" x 9" to 18" x 60" we probably have just the size to fit your needs. Sheet goods and custom installation is available. Proudly distributed through Sailing Supply and San Diego Marine Exchange. Come see our display at Sailing Supply's San Diego location! http://www.Soft-Deck.com TO CHINA OR BUST (January 22, 2012; Day 1) - It was a relief for the six Volvo Ocean Race teams to get back in the groove on the 3,051 nautical mile leg three to Sanya after the stop-start nature of the past weeks. Following the 106nm first stage from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, the fleet began the second stage to China at 0800 GMT today from the safe haven port of Male in the Maldives. "Another strange start," said Media Crew Member Amory Ross, as the fleet began in 8-10 knots of breeze. "The line was between one flag on one shore and a radio tower on another; there were virtually no spectators, tons of ferries, fishing boats, and more obstacles to dodge leading up to the gun. But we're now back to ocean racing, something we haven't been able to say in almost a month." "It certainly feels good to be sailing again and hopefully we have now put all the piracy and shipping logistics behind us," Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing skipper Ian Walker said after five hours of the race. "I guess it is no secret now that the boats were loaded and unloaded in the Maldives. This sounds very exotic but the reality in Male was somewhat different to that..." The leg will certainly throw in some curve balls in the shape of uncharted atolls, shallows, shipping and ocean debris, but for the first night the fleet could enjoy relatively straightforward conditions, on a port tack stretch across to Pulau We, an island on the northwest tip of Sumatra, Indonesia. All six boats were south of the rhum line in order to avoid the effects of a wind shadow from the Sri Lankan coast. Mike Sanderson took Sanya the furthest south, while PUMA's Mar Mostro was 4.21 nm to weather of the fleet. Team Telefonica lost some valuable miles earlier in the day when a fitting on their code zero headsail failed, leaving the sail flogging. The crew was working on repairs on Sunday night after doing well to limit the damage, with the team well in touch in fourth place. -- Event media Leg 3 - Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sanya, China Standings as of Monday, 23 January 2012, 1:02:15 UTC 1. PUMA Ocean Racing (USA), Ken Read (USA), 2815.0 nm Distance to Finish 2. CAMPER (NZL), Chris Nicholson (AUS), 2.0 nm Distance to Lead 3. Groupama (FRA), Frank Cammas (FRA), 2.1 nm DTL 4. Telefonica (ESP), Iker Martinez (ESP), 3.2 nm DTL 5. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (UAE), Ian Walker (GBR), 5.0 nm DTL 6. Team Sanya (CHN), Mike Sanderson (NZL), 5.6 nm DTL Tracking/Standings: http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/racetracker/rdc.html Video reports: http://www.youtube.com/user/volvooceanracevideos Race schedule: http://tinyurl.com/VOR-2011-12-schedule BACKGROUND: During the nine months of the Volvo Ocean Race, which started in Alicante, Spain and concludes in Galway, Ireland during early July 2012, six professional teams will sail over 39,000 nautical miles of the world's most treacherous seas 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 IMPRESSIVE BUT NOT A RECORD Philipsburg, St. Maarten (January 21, 2012) - Laura Dekker set a steady foot aboard a dock in St. Maarten on Saturday, ending a yearlong voyage aboard a sailboat named "Guppy" that apparently made her the youngest person ever to sail alone around the globe, though her trip was interrupted at several points. Dozens of people jumped and cheered as Decker waved, wept and then walked across the dock accompanied by her mother, father, sister and grandparents, who had greeted her at sea earlier. Dekker arrived in St. Maarten after struggling against high seas and heavy winds on a final leg from Cape Town, South Africa, Dekker claims she is the youngest sailor to complete a round-the-world voyage, but Guinness World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council did not verify the claim, saying they no longer recognize records for youngest sailors to discourage dangerous attempts. -- USA Today, full story: http://tinyurl.com/USA-Today-012212 SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CALENDAR Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * Following a series of meetings held during 2012 Quantum Key West Race Week, members of the TP52 class are forming a management group owned and controlled by members that will be responsible for event management, event marketing, sponsor and media coordination as well as recruiting new teams to join 52 racing. Details for their 2012 regatta schedule: http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=13179 * (January 20, 2012) - A coroner has recorded a narrative verdict on an 11-year-old Nottinghamshire girl who drowned after becoming trapped under a catamaran during a sailing holiday in Greece. The Nottinghamshire Coroner, Mairin Casey, heard that Laura Morgan died in July 2003 after being unable to detach herself from a harness after being submerged when the catamaran capsized. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/Stamford-012212 * (January 19, 2012) - The 2011 John F. Kennedy Cup, known as the Intercollegiate Big Boat National Championship, was held at the U.S. Naval Academy on November 4-6, 2011. Cal Maritime, which finished second in the event, has declared they sailed the event with an ineligible crew member and has withdrawn from all races. Navy had won the event, and now NY Maritime moves up to second and Coast Guard moves up to third. Results: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/12/kc0119.pdf * Sixty-three people have been named to the race administration for the 2012 London Olympic Games Sailing Competition. Listed here: http://tinyurl.com/ISAF-012212 * With the sixth edition of the Extreme Sailing Series kicking off in just five weeks in Muscat, Oman, the entry list includes new skippers Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI) and Morgan Larson (USA). -- Full report: http://tinyurl.com/ESS-012212 * The World Sailing Speed Record Council have ratified a new Outright Around the World record by Loick Peyron (FRA) and a crew of 13 onboard the 131-foot maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V. Sailing from 22nd November 2011 to the 6th January 2012, the new record is 45 days 13 hours 42 minutes and 53 seconds, covering a distance of 21600 nm at an average speed of 19.75 kts. The previous record was by Franck Cammas (FRA) on Groupama 3 of 48d 7h 44m 52s in 2010. -- http://tinyurl.com/WSSR-012212 IT'S A WRAP: QUANTUM KEY WEST 2012 It was a fabulous week at Quantum Key West Race Week. Congratulations to the 14 Quantum-equipped boats with podium finishes including first place winners Groovederci (Farr 30), Carbonado (High Performance), Barking Mad (Farr 40) and Quantum Racing (52 Class). Kudos also to the Quantum teams earning Boat of the Day awards: Rush (J/109), Groovederci (Farr 40) and Quantum Racing (TP52). We salute the Premiere Racing team on a superbly run regatta. Quantum is proud to have played a supporting role and we thank all the teams for their participation and commitment to this outstanding event. For all the Quantum results visit: http://www.quantumsails.com/News/?p=1284 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 Scott Kaufman: Is it just me or has the Volvo Ocean Race become too complicated and lost its way? As someone who would get up in the middle of the night to check on progress, I now find the course and current routing way too complicated and it's lost me as a loyal follower. I think the organizers desire to include the new world in the stopovers has not been beneficial. I'm not saying that the traditional route was the only way but the Indian Ocean and the need to load the yachts on a ship just has lost the normal momentum of the Volvo. I wish they were heading for Freemantle or somewhere in the southern ocean. COMMENT: It is my understanding that the route through Asia has provided port funding and supported the commercial interests of the sponsors, but as a race fan I'm not thrilled with the change either. The 2008-9 edition dealt with ridiculous weather and commercial traffic, and the boats caused havoc to fishing gear near the finish in China. And this edition, well, any route that must be constantly explained has fault. - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt * From Paul Newell, Isle of Wight: Regarding the news report in Scuttlebutt 3510, I hope that the RYA, when they have this enquiry into Ben's conduct, also haul the race organisers, the photographers and the boat skipper up before them too. I have had my own troubling experiences with press and jury boats, and thus have every sympathy with the way Ben reacted, especially as he had already remonstrated with the offending photography boat on another earlier occasion. My own opinion of the RYA is that it is run by a bunch of people who have risen to the height of their own incompetence and I expect them to make the wrong decision, that is to penalise Ben some more for a situation that should NEVER have arisen had the race authorities had any authority. It seems to me that although sailors en-mass try to abide by the rules put upon them, there are a few on the water who don't think these rules apply to them and when someone challenges them the wronged party gets the blame. It happen every where else in life and I unfortunately expect this to happen here too. The best of luck with this one Ben but I fear the politically correct brigade will, at the very least, haul you over some very hot coals. COMMENT: This has been a huge wake up call for everyone. ISAF wants the media, and sailors seeking to further their professional careers want it too. The sailors are obligated (through the Sis) to cooperate with the media, but defining how close is too close is still being determined. Interestingly, what has not been stated is whether there was evidence that the media boat sufficiently impeded Ben's effort to pass the boat ahead of him, or if Ben's place in the race would not have changed regardless of the media boat's interference. Should this matter? I think if we are judging Ben's actions, I think it matters immensely. Perhaps that is why the video has not been released. - Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt * From Dobbs Davis: Following-up on the thread that began in Scuttlebutt 3509, the issue of acceptance of sophisticated VPP-rating systems is separate and apart from any complications arising from scoring: ratings can be expressed in simple forms yet still have a sophisticated VPP behind it. For example, in the ORC Club and ORC International systems, handicaps can be expressed as single-number time-on-time or time-on-distance numbers for inshore or offshore courses (as used in Australia); as triple-number time-on-time ratings for low, medium, and high wind strengths (as used in Holland); or as a complex matrix of values built to windward-leeward, offshore, or other customized course models (as used in the Mediterranean and the Baltic). Each culture thus chooses what they want to use, and race organizers will try to group boat types together of the same style, but all the variations still have the power of the ORC VPP behind them for accuracy. Most other rating systems do not offer this range in flexibility. * From Laurence Mead: The best racing is one-design. Period. However the IRC rule has been delivering some great racing for many years across boats 25 to 55 feet long with the TP52's being the only anomaly with their ability to plane in a breeze. In 40 footers, that lighter displacement type hasn't been competitive but the IRC powers-that-be have already announced they are going to tweak the rule slowly to make lighter weight 40 footers more competitive over the coming years, so I would encourage people to get out in whatever they can and race. The Hong Kong guys are about to attend their 4th Commodores Cup in the UK (5,999 mile from home) and it's great racing. The rule works very well and seconds make the difference. Ever get the feeling there is too much talk and not enough sailing? July 17th to 27th, IRC handicap racing under Nationality rules. Fabulous! (I am sure we would all love to see a USA team there!!!!) CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION He who walks in another's tracks leaves no footprints. SPONSORS THIS WEEK Soft Deck - Quantum Sails - North Sails - North U - Southern Spars APS - Team One Newport - Ullman Sails - Hall Spars Need stuff? Look here: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/ssc/suppliers |
