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SCUTTLEBUTT 3687 - Monday, October 1, 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: Point Loma Outfitting, Summit Yachts, and Premiere Racing. THERE'S NO MORE STREET BALL Scott Ostler, a sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, was considering why there were so few Americans in the America's Cup. However, the story he published sparks a conversation that goes well beyond the America's Cup, and discusses issues aimed at the root of sailing in America. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I found a man with an interesting opinion. Zach Berkowitz is a world-champion sailor (I-14), former TV weatherman, and the creator of the website Cupnetwork.com. Zach is a homeboy, grew up sailing the waters off SFO with John Kostecki. He knows the game. So what's wrong? "There's no more street ball," Berkowitz said. He explained that when he was a kid, sailing was an adventure undertaken for adventure's sake, far away from parents and coaches. But sailing went the way of baseball and basketball and soccer. It evolved (devolved?) into a sport where the kiddies are coached and parented to a fare-thee-well. "The problem is over-coaching," Berkowitz said. "When I was a kid, we'd sail from the San Francisco Yacht Club to Richmond, get back at midnight. Our parents might get worried and call the Coast Guard, but we'd be back doing it the next week. "We'd get a rush putting the big spinnaker up and seeing how fast we could go before we'd crash. We'd push and push and push, to get that extra rush." Now, for kids who enjoy pushing, and adventure, there are sexier options than sailing. What we do now with li'l sailors, Berkowitz said, is, "We keep 'em in smaller, slower boats. They don't sail on their own. They lack the creative elements." Australia and New Zealand are pumping out the top sailors. "The mentality in Australia and New Zealand is to push, to learn to understand speed and what happens," Berkowitz said. "They put (kids) in high-performance boats when they're growing up, pushing the fun level." As Berkowitz sees it, the new school of American sailing is a betrayal of the very spirit of California and the Bay Area. "No one takes any risks," Berkowitz said. "Part of Silicon Valley and California is taking risks, going outside the box. Today (in youth sailing) it's not about risks, it's about moving down the path we have determined." How sad is that? America, with the Bay Area complicit, has rendered itself irrelevant in big-time sailing by abandoning our roots and heritage. We have wimped out. Surely there are other reasons for the dearth of U.S. sailors on America's Cup boats. The sport has become much more athletic over the years, and the most athletic American kids gravitate to the most popular sports. It's hard to imagine that Buster Posey, Michael Vick and LeBron James, had they opted for Little League sailing, could not have developed into world-class sailors. Still, our country used to produce sailors who pushed envelopes, damn the torpedoes. Ted Turner, who skippered Courageous to the '77 Cup win, was such an out-of-control sailor as a child that he was nicknamed the Capsize Kid. Look where that approach got him, in life and in the America's Cup. American sailing has a fever and there's only one prescription: more swashbuckle. Either that or we must teach our young sailors to speak Australian, mate. Full story: http://tinyurl.com/SFC-093012 BROADCAST: Details for this week's AC World Series event in San Francisco )Oct. 3-7) are now revealed. The races on Wednesday will be available by VirtualEye only, with the racing on Thursday through Sunday picked up by 35 networks throughout the world. In the U.S., commentators Gary Jobson and Todd Harris will host the YouTube broadcast on Thursday through Saturday, and then will move over to NBC to host the 'Super Sunday' final races. Details: http://tinyurl.com/ACUP-093012 RACK IT! PACK IT! Thule, the company know to produce high quality racks for watersports, has developed a new line of packs and bags. The Crossover series runs from an 87 liter Rolling Duffel all the way down to a toiletry kit and travel wallet. These bags feature high-denier outer shell, oversized wheels for straight and true rolling, crush proof pockets for you sunglasses, and best of all a 25 year warranty. That's right 25 years! Every bag has been designed to accommodate the modern traveler. Each has a padded pouch for a laptop, and most also have a padded pocket for a tablet, PDA or phone. Seriously, these bags are far superior to anything in the marketplace, check them out! http://www.pointlomaoutfitting.com/scuttlebutt.html KILROY IS BACK Newport, RI (September 29, 2012) - The final day of competition at the 2012 Melges 32 World Championship, hosted by the New York Yacht Club (NYYC), had spectators on the edge of their seats for the last race of the ten part racing series. John Kilroy, Jr. on Samba Pa Ti triumphed over the thirty-three strong fleet to claim the class' most coveted trophy and title - that of Melges 32 World Champion. The top five teams entered the penultimate day of the Melges 32 World Championship on Friday separated by only three points, but after three races the spread grew to 23 points. With one race remaining on Saturday, the title looked like it would now be between only two boats. Only five points separated John Kilroy's Samba Pa Ti and Alec Cutler's Hedgehog, two teams that had experienced very different regattas. Kilroy's team had been surging since their 20th in the opening race, posting top two scores in five of the nine races. However, no team matched Cutler's consistency, whose worst score had been a 7th. Overcast skies with light and shifty breezes provided the landscape for the finale. Kilroy's team controlled the tempo, keeping Cutler behind them from start to finish to secure the title. "We've worked so hard for so long to accomplish this." commented Kilroy during the awards ceremony. "We won in Key West, then felt as though we were a little off track. Officially, we are back where we need to be with this incredible win, a win I consider one of the most treasured I have ever won." Kilroy was joined onboard by tactician Paul Goodison and crew Federico Michetti, Harry Melges III, Luca Faravelli, Martino Tortarolo, Justin Smart and Marco Carpinello. Final results - top 10 of 33 (Skipper/Tactician) 1. John Kilroy, Jr, Samba Pa Ti (USA); [20]-8-1-12-1-1-1-2-8-5, 39 2. Alec Culter, Hedgehog (BER); 5-7-2-4-7-6-4-4-[11]-10, 49 3. Steve Howe, Warpath (USA); 2-15-4-7-8-3-8-3-12-[20], 62 4. Benjamin Schwartz, Pisces (USA); 4-1-[19]-2-4-13-11-14-2 19, 70 5. Pieter Taselaar, Bliksem (USA); 7-16-6-11-5-11-7-1-9-[18], 73 6. William Douglass, Goombay Smash (USA); 3-3-12-[29]-9-9-3-21-7-14, 81 7. Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino (ITA); 12-2-13-19-19-7-6-5-1-[22],84 8. Andrea Pozzi/, Bombarda (ITA); 1-6-9-3-2-26-21-6-[30]-16, 90 9. Edoardo Lupi, Torpyone (ITA); 8-4-3-6-[22]-22-22-19-6-2, 92 10. R. Tomassini Grinover, Robertissima (SUI);6-21-5-20-3-14-16-9-3-[24],97 Complete results: http://tinyurl.com/M32-Worlds-2012 Event details: http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=155 WILLIAMS BACK ON TOP Marseille, France (September 29, 2012) - Reigning ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR) overcame a spirited performance by young Kiwi William Tiller and torrential conditions to win the Final of Match Race France. It was Williams' fourth podium finish in five events this season which propels his GAC Pindar team to the top of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour (AWMRT) standings as the Tour heads into its penultimate event this week in Bermuda. Williams arrived in the Final off the back of a hard-fought Semi-Final victory against Keith Swinton (AUS). Light conditions delayed the race start, eventually forcing the Race Committee to shorten the Final to a 'first to two points' format. "We're super happy to get the win," said Williams. "It was good for us that we didn't have to go out and win another one but I think we would have if we'd had to." "That win has put us firmly in the hunt now and that's what we wanted. Every year it seems the guy that gets the early lead in the Tour tends to drop out towards the end. One year we had a 30 point lead and ended up going to Malaysia in 2nd place. Same for [Francesco] Bruni last year and this year it's happened to Bjorn [Hansen]. He had a strong lead but dropped off his form in the last two regattas. It'll be interesting to see who else is in the mix in December but you suspect whoever wins between us and Bjorn's team in Malaysia will take the season title." The Argo Group Gold Cup gets underway in Hamilton Harbour, Bermuda this week with the first Qualifying Session taking place on Tuesday 2 October. -- Full report: http://www.wmrt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12156 CHAMPIONSHIP OF CHAMPIONS Pewaukee, WI (September 30, 2012) - In what appeared to be a runaway for the 2012 C-Scow National Champion Ed Eckert, the 2011 E-Scow National Champion August Barkow, had other plans for Sunday's finale at the Championship of Champions in Wisconsin. Barkow chipped away at Eckert's 19 point lead from the start of today's racing. However, his late surge came up just short as Eckert held on for the victory by two points. The 2012 event, sailed in C-Scows, enjoyed improved sailing conditions on Sunday in comparison to the light winds on Friday and Saturday. The fleet racked up five more races to complete a total of 11 races. Tops among the non-scow teams was 2009 Championship of Champions winner, Skip Dieball, who made a late run at the title with crew Jeff Eiber. The 2011 Thistle and Highlander National Champion finished third, six points behind Eckert. Final report: http://media.ussailing.org/Latest_News/2012/CofC_12_Final.htm Final results: http://tinyurl.com/CofC-results-093012 SUMMIT YACHTS WINS ON BOTH COASTS The Summit 40, "Soozal" owned by Dan Woolery topped the IRC 2 class at San Francisco's Big Boat Series this past week, while on the East Coast, "Down Time", a Summit 40 owned by Ed Freitag took the top spot in IRC 2 at the Long Island Sound IRC Championships. Soozal just keeps adding to the impressive list of wins that she has amassed since being built several years ago, and "Down Time", a much more recent build, is on its way to a stellar list of successes. Check out the Summit 40 and the other great boats in the Summit line at http://www.summit-yachts.com HERE ARE THE CANDIDATES Full details of the candidates for the elections of President and Vice-President of the International Sailing Federation, to be held in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland in November 2012, are now available on the ISAF website. The election for President and the seven Vice-Presidents, will take place at the ISAF General Assembly on 10 November 2012. The ISAF Officers are voted for by the Member National Authorities (MNAs), who represent their nation within ISAF. Officers are elected for a four-year term which will start on 11 November 2012 and end at the next General Assembly, to be held in November 2016. In order to be eligible, a candidate must be nominated by five or more ISAF MNAs. At least two of the elected seven Vice-Presidents must be women. Nominated as Presidential candidates (3) Carlo Croce (ITA) David Kellett (AUS) Eric Tulla (PUR) Nominated as Vice-President candidates (14) George Andreadis (GRE) Chris Atkins (GBR) Marcelien Bos-De Koning (NED) Adrienne Greenwood (NZL) Nuno G Henriques (POR) Oleg Ilyin (RUS) Nazli Imre (TUR) Gary Jobson (USA) Jose Leandro (POR) Quanhai Li (CHN) W Scott Perry (URU) Alberto Predieri (ITA) Gerardo Seeliger (ESP) Riccardo Simoneschi (ITA) Full details: http://www.sailing.org/news/32594.php FIVE SECRET WAYS TO STOP BEING SEASICK By Lenny Rudow, Boats.com Many boaters get that awful feeling of seasickness every time they leave the dock, but these tips could keep your lunch where it belongs. Being seasick stinks, and as the old saying goes, the only sure-fire cure for seasickness is to hug an oak tree. But if you're a seasickness sufferer who loves the boating lifestyle, all is not lost. You can always turn to Dramamine, Scopolamine, and Bonine, right? Well, maybe. Sea sickness occurs when the inner ear tells the brain that the body is moving, but the eyes are fixed and stable, telling your brain that the body should be stable, too-so the gray matter reacts with confusion, hence the nausea. There are a few things you can do to modify your boat so that it rolls less, but even so, Navy research has shown that just one percent of the population does not get motion sickness at all, 10 percent rarely have a problem, and the rest of us have a chance of getting sick every time we board a boat-no matter how stable it may be. And unfortunately, those same navy studies have shown that drugs are only "moderately" effective. Don't let seasickness get you down - enjoy your time on the water! So, what else can you do about it? There are some unusual remedies and homeopathic solutions, which seem to work for significant numbers of people. Here are five seasickness fixes that could work for you: http://tinyurl.com/Boats-com-093012 SCUTTLEBUTT SAILING CALENDAR Events listed at http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/calendar SAILING SHORTS * Greenwich, CT (September 30, 2012) - Forty-one teams competed in the bi-annual Ideal 18 North American Championship, hosted by Indian Harbor Yacht Club on September 29-30. After sailing his discard in the opening race, Danny Pletsch rallied in the 8-race series to take the title by four points over John Bainton. -- Event details: http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=690 * (September 30, 2012) - As the final tune-up prior to the Kiteboard Course Racing World Championship, Adam Koch (USA) won the men's open division of the 2012 Course Racing European Championship, with Italian Riccardo Leccese winning the European title. Steph Bridge (GBR) took the women's event. Light to moderate winds dominated the racing held in La Baule, France. The racers now move to Sardinia, Italy for the Worlds which begins on Thursday. -- http://tinyurl.com/IKA-093012 * Chicago, IL (September 30, 2012) - The Chicago Match Race Center hosted two Grade 3 events, Autumn A and Autumn B, on September 27-30. Winning Autumn A was Anna Tunnicliffe and her team of Debbie Cappozzi, Mike Rehe, and Tyler Black. Winning Autumn B was Don Wilson and his team of Sally Barkow, Tod Reynolds, Eric Shampain and Jennifer Wilson. -- http://www.chicagomatchrace.com * The Grenada Sailing Festival Board will replace its Keelboat Racing Series with a new event called the Grenada Sailing Week on February 1-5, 2013, with race courses making the most of the great sailing conditions around the western and southern coast of Grenada. -- Event website: http://www.grenadasailingfestival.com KEY WEST RACE WEEK COMPETITION HEATING UP! It's time to plan your winter escape to Quantum Key West 2013. Enjoy the best of competition, unique shoreside fun and South Florida's sunshine and dependable breezes. Early entries include strong IRC, High Performance, and One Design programs. Don't miss the fun! January 20-25, 2013. Entries and more: http://www.premiere-racing.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 John Cladianos: Hats off to my boat yard next door neighbor, and general all around practically sensible friend John Clauser! I couldn't agree more (regarding John's comments in Scuttlebutt 3686 about going back to PHRF for the Rolex Big Boat Series). * From Jack Griffin: Regarding the ETNZ rules blog in Scuttlebutt 3686, I have reached out to Russell Green that his explanation of rights at the windward mark is wrong. I explain the rule with a diagram from Jos Spijkerman and a short video: http://www.cupexperience.com/2012/04/do-you-understand-this-surprising-rule It's not the boat that gets to the zone first who has rights, but who is the inside overlapped boat, regardless of who got to the zone first. Although my video describes a single mark, as was used in Naples, the rule is the same for both marks that make up a gate - inside overlapped boats have rights to mark room. EDITOR'S NOTE: ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing AC Edition Version 1.13 were approved September 28, 2012. Here is a copy: http://tinyurl.com/ACUP-rules-093012 * From Frederic Berg: Gee, the guys with all the resources in the world want to simplify the rules (Sbutt 3686). If that doesn't send a message to ISAF, I'll make it clear: "ISAF, simplify the rules." * From David Hammond: I had the pleasure of sharing the same apartment with Rambo (8 Bells, Sbutt 3685) in Hawaii and remember when he first moved in with his magazines of combat fighting and others; at first he scared the crap out of us. Within days we all realized what a gentle giant he was. John was the definitely the "T" in teamwork and would do anything for anyone that asked. We will never forget that great smile at the end of every day. CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION If a pessimist thinks the glass is half empty and an optimist thinks the glass is hall full, the engineer questions why the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. 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