Forums

Most things happen at Scuttlebutt thru the prodding of our readers. Despite claims to the contrary, we are a small business, and are often busy keeping up with our daily tasks. While our primary goal is to provide our readers with an excellent source for daily sailing news, we are eager to surround our readership with the additional features they desire.

One of those features was a forum, which got on the to-do list about three years ago. I never had used a forum before, and when I went to a couple to view, I was discouraged by some of the posts I read. When you are used to deciding what is included each day in Scuttlebutt, the thought of having zero control wasn't too appealing.

However, over time, the requests for a forum continued, and last fall I finally conceded. Our goal is for the forum to be a positive force for info and commentary, and to provide the qualities that our readers have appreciated about the newsletter. We have listened to our readers' concerns about the anonymity provided by forums and the how it may effect the credibility of the posts, and therefore we closely follow what gets posted, and have deleted those posts and occassionally banned users who have chosen to disregard the established forum rules.

Since a lot of Scuttlebutt readers receive the email version of the newsletter, it is a bit of a leap to the website. However, I encourage all the 'buttheads to give the forums a look, and join the steadily increasing forum audience. I have become a believer, and look forward to the Scuttlebutt Forums providing a worthy alternative for the active sailor. - Craig Leweck

Final three races from Perth

(Nick Scandone, 2005 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, files this report from Perth, Australia, where he is competing in the 2.4 Metre class at the Alcoa IFDS World Disabled Sailing Championships.)

The last day in Perth proved to be a deciding factor for the World
Champioships. After a one and a half hour delay due to light winds
with large shifts, the RC set the course with the winds starting out
between 7 to 10 knots, I nailed the start and tack and crossed the
fleet. With the weather mark right under the land I sailed a course
to limit my tacks and lead from start to finish. As race two was
delayed due to a shift in the winds, the Freemantle doctor began to
build. Just before the start, I broke my vang and found myself battling
to finish in the top ten. In race three, I had another poor start and
found myself ducking the fleet as they crossed on starboard. Making a
conscious effort to limit my tacks and stay out of the middle, I then
tacked back from the right side of the course and crossed back to the
left where I was able to find a favorable shift and round the weather
mark in third. I past the Aussie downwind and battled Heiko Kroeger from Germany for first. He ended up with the win as I finished second. As he crossed the finish line his coaches were there and handed him a bottle of champange for the overall win. Congratulations to the German, and we will see each other in Finland this summer for the Open Worlds.

Well, I ended up fifth and qualified the country for China (2007 Olympics), which was the main goal so I accomplished what was important to the US. - Nick Scandone

How to be an Internet Pill

Just to show how worldly we are, we found the following info from David Pogue's blog, who is also a columnist for the New York Times. David's commentary covered the basic rules on being an Internet pill, reprinted here in their entirety, courtesy of the Pills of the American Internet Neighborhood Society (PAINS):

RULES FOR TROLLS AND PILLS

WHEREAS, 95 percent of all the e-mail received by critics and columnists is civil, friendly or respectfully constructive;

but WHEREAS, this is the Internet age, and we're all anonymous and can avoid making eye contact forever;

and WHEREAS, there's so much information overload, a little heat and drama on your part may be necessary just to be heard above the din;

and WHEREAS, many of those who fire off potshots are missing out on some of the best techniques for effective snippiness;

THEREFORE let us now post the rules for membership in the Pills of the American Internet Neighborhood Society.

1. Use the strongest language possible. Calling names is always effective, and four-letter words show that you mean business.

2. Having a violent opinion of something doesn't require you to actually try it yourself. After all, plenty of people heatedly object to books they haven't read or movies they haven't seen. Heck, you can imagine perfectly well if something is any good.

3. If it's a positive review that you didn't like, call the reviewer a "fanboy." Do not entertain the notion that the product, service, show, movie, book or restaurant might, in fact, be good. Instead, assume that the reviewer has received payment from the reviewee. Work in the word "shill" if possible.

4. If it's a negative review, call the reviewer a "basher" and describe the review as a "hatchet job." Accuse him of being paid off by the reviewee's *rival*.

5. If it's a mixed review, ignore the passages that balance the argument. Pretend that the entire review is all positive or all negative. Refer to it either as a "rave" or a "slam."

6. If you find a sentence early in the article that rubs you the wrong way, you are by no means obligated to finish reading. Stop right where you are--express your anger while it's still good and hot! What are the odds that the writer is going to say anything else relevant to your point later in the piece, anyway?

7. If the writer responds to your e-mail with evidence that you're wrong (for example, by citing a paragraph that you overlooked), disappear without responding. This is the anonymous Internet; slipping away without consequence or civility is your privilege.

8. Trolling is making a deliberately inflammatory remark, one that you know perfectly well is baloney, just to get a rise out of other people. Trolling is an art. Trolling works just fine for an audience of one (say, a journalist), but of course the real fun is trolling on public bulletin boards where you can get dozens of people screaming at you simultaneously. Comments on religion, politics or Mac-vs.-Windows are always good bets. The talented troll sits back to enjoy the fireworks with a smirk, and never, ever responds to the responses.

9. Don't let generalities slip by. Don't tolerate simplifications for the sake of a non-technical audience. Ignore conditional words like "generally," "usually" and "most." If you read a sentence that says, for example, "The VisionPhone is among the first consumer videophones," cite the reviewer's ignorance and laziness for failing to mention the prototype developed by AT&T for the 1964 World's Fair. Send copies of your note to the publication's publisher and, if possible, its advertisers.

And there you have it: the nine habits of highly effective pills.

To hike or not to hike

The current poll on the Scuttlebutt website about the level of hiking in the Melges 24 class has thus far provided interesting results. As of Wednesday morning, 60% of the voters say to restrict the hiking, but far more than that have added comments in support of the hiking. The quiet majority may be leading the poll, but the more vociferous may help to hang onto the status quo.

Having extensively sailed Snipes, I know all about hiking. Crews need hiking pants to do it well, and many skippers wear them too. Hike strong in big breeze and you will do better than those that don't. This fact was established early on in the class. Now the Melges class has entered the realm of hiking pads, though these are getting strapped onto crew stomachs to reduce the pressure from the hiking line.

While the benefit of hiking is well known, it had not immediately come to the Melges class. When I finished second in the 1993 M24 Nationals in San Francisco, my crew was not hiking, and nor was the crew on the winning boat. Seems kind of amazing to think that we didn't do it then, but maybe this is a sign of how much harder everyone is trying now compared to 10+ years ago.

Dave Ullman told me that hiking is not in the best interest in the class when the majority of the fleet can't or won't do it. Here is a guy who has become the reigning heavy-air king, partly due to having a strong hiking crew, and he is willing to peal away this advantage for doing what he feels is best for the class. Other crews from the December Worlds have shared with me that they still feel the pain from leaning hard on the hiking line.

While one-design classes are able to control many aspects of the boat, they still do evolve. The Melges 24 class is no different, and it is up to the class masters to decide which direction they desire for the class to go. Do they live by the mantra, "Evolve or die," or do they reel in the level of athleticism now needed for heavy air sailing? - Craig Leweck

PS: Click here for the poll

Hero or Goat

(Nick Scandone, 2005 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, files this report from Perth, Australia, where he is competing in the 2.4 Metre class at the Alcoa IFDS World Disabled Sailing Championships.)

It’s been a wild regatta. It started with 20+ knot winds and very large shifts. The first two days were filled with big lead changes, and whichever side of the course you are on will result in if you look like a hero or a goat. I've been on the goat's side. You can't sail up the middle because one side always seems to pay big. Every time I'm in the top five, the wind seems to shift 40-50 degrees. I've also had some breakdowns as the wind has battered my old boat.

In yesterday’s first race (on Monday), I got off the line and due to small shifting winds, I lead from start to finish. Then race two came and after a poor start (you couldn't lay the starting line on starboard), I made some gains up the middle and then the wind shifted 40 degrees left and put me well behind. I’ve never been so frustrated.

Today they have delayed the start due to 50 knot winds at the coast. With four races to go I sit in ninth place but only 10 points from fifth. Hopefully I can get my head out of my a** and make a move.
I have never sailed in a place where you have to go to the corners and see how lucky you get. I wish we could just get a steady direction so the course isn't so unpredictable. - Nick Scandone

End of the road, at the end of the road

For many folks that live in Key West, it is literally because the town is at the end of the road. You just can't get any further away from things, while still living in the US, than in Key West. For the sailors in town for the regatta, Friday is the end of their toad. The road show in Key West ends today, with 287 boats heading home, along with 3000+ sailors and countless industry professionals. Below are some of the images that will be gone by Saturday, and/or won't be seen again until next year.

Festive raft-ups, that included...

... the Swan 45 Worlds row.Countless support boats,...

... loads of riggers, and......even more boat support trailers.Plenty of local support, and...

... good times in the tent. See ya next year.

Big breeze banter

Comments in Scuttlebutt and elsewhere have mentioned how the strong winds at Acura Key West are not all that strong in the big picture, and that they should not be playing the role that they are. The Melges 32 class has an upper wind limit that kept them ashore on Wednesday, while the attrition in the other fleets indicated another form of limit that competitors found for themselves.

During the postponement Wednesday morning, Dave Ullman mentioned how he thought the day could/should very well be cancelled, if only for the simple reason that not all are well-prepared for the conditions. For many folks, their venture south had been preceded by a significant, winterized break, and their ability to handle big breeze is not what it would be later in the season.

Maybe this is not a reason to cancel a day of racing (particularly in beautiful Key West), but it is also a nice thought that every entry is able to compete to the end, and not be filtered out by the conditions. Part of competing is feeling that you can compete, and the pleasure you take from being a player. When a fourth of the fleet did not compete on Wednesday (either DNC, DNS, or DNF), it makes you wonder.

It would have been a no-win decision for the race organizers to have canceled the racing on Wednesday, particularly with the span of ability from the professionally sailed classes to the smaller PHRF entries. Of course, the good news at Acura Key West is regardless of race or sit, strong or light winds, the tent will be there to greet all sailors at days end with plenty of rum drinkies, the weather will be warm (usually), and the town will be there to carry folks as far into the night (and morning) as they desire.

Mount Gay Rum bar getting prepped

Day with the Photog

I went on the water Tuesday, which proved to be big breeze and big lump. Add in the clear skies and Key West waters, and you have a dream day for the photographers. Acura Key West tends to attract the best, and many included regularly in Scuttlebutt (Thierry Martinez, Onne van der Wal, and Tim Wilkes) are in attendance to capture the event.

On this day I joined a member of this elite group, Sharon Green, whose photos have been apart of the sport for as long as I can remember, and often is known for the riveting images in her Ultimate Sailing calendars. After slogging through the big seas to reach the weather mark, we all figured that it might be wise not to do that again, so as to avoid losing our breakfast during the course of the day (only one casualty amongst us... and thankfully it wasn't me).

The jockeying for position amongst the photographers reminded me of surfers in a wave lineup, trying to gain the advantage to catch the best wave. Sharon commented on the importance of the boat driver, but her calm and pleasant directions likely are part of the secret as well. She knew just where to be based on how the fleet approached the mark, and once the fleet arrived, the huge cameras come out of the waterproof containers, lenses get a quick wipe, and then it is a click-a-thon to seek out the moments that lift the sport from the water to the image.

We posted a lot of her images in the Scuttlebutt gallery, which successfully transcended the day on the water, and created a lasting impression of how exciting and beautiful the sport can be on a very rough and exhausting day. - Craig Leweck

KW: Making choices

I am starting to learn that at the Key West event, there are no shortage of choices, and that the Event Access Card is required equipment. Once past the check-point to enter, the Swan tent is adjacent to the big tent, and continues to be a popular spot early in the morning and again when the racers come in. Amazing what free food and drinks will do to attract traffic. The J/Boat booth is popular too, with high tables to enjoy the snackies they provide after the races.

Then... there is the big tent, which has beer stations and the grand Mount Gay Rum bar. After the Monday racing, one corner of the tent provided a Melges round-table for 24 and 32 sailors. Another corner provided similar support for the Corsair fleet. Photographer Tim Wilkes had a tent corner filled with monitors to view images from the day. The merchandise store was busy in another section. For those needing online access, the wireless signal has proven strong and reliable. Heck even the line at the Mount Gay Rum bar was short and moved quickly (though it is good to take advantage of the two drink limit).

The awards are presented daily, and the drinks are poured until 8pm. After that, the teams are directed toward town for another round of choices. I was caught in the media tent until 10pm, so when I exited the site was cleared out, but I still felt a need to test Duvall Street for the first time. Some call it Bourban Street South, and I must say that it was pretty lively for a Monday night. However, I sense that whether the regatta is on or not, that Duvall Street has the ability to regularly click on a Monday night.

The busiest bars this night were Irish Kevins or Sloppy Joes, and it was more of a choice between musical preference. IK's had the lively bantor of Jeff Harris on acoustic guitar and harmonica, with songs covering the range of those activities that occur amongst young and busy drinkers. SJ's had the complete band, who were equally skilled in playing and drinking, and maintained full capacity on the busy dance floor.

The early start time each day likely kept folks from staying out too late so early in the regatta, but as the event progresses, and positions in the fleet are established, I imagine that participation in the Duvall crawl will grow. - Craig Leweck

PS: Tuesday forecast is for mid-teens, and seems even stronger on land. Should make for some great images later in the Scuttlebutt photo gallery,

Internet drama

Major events and comprehensive websites have bonded so well, providing key info for participants before the event, and then keeping everybody at home informed during the event. The event website is a vital part of Acura Key West Race Week, so it was a shock when I learned this morning that the event site was down. Sadly, the site host, which is a major, major ISP, is having problems effecting all their clients, one of which is the regatta site. Sooo, if you are having trouble connecting to www.premiere-racing.com, that is why.

No worries - a solution exists. The Scuttlebutt website will be hosting results until the Key West site gets back online. Here is the link: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/keywest06

- Craig Leweck

Monday morning in Key West

To walk the docks in the morning of day one, you are keenly aware of the energy created by this event. By 8:00am, crew activity was well underway as teams prepared for the 10:00am start. Looking to buy a coffee, I eventually found a store that was NOT finishing up huge sandwich orders for the entrants (probably a lot of sandwiches were made this morning). Plenty of logistics to get off the dock, with some crew on cell phones simply trying to find their boats.

As the fleet left, you could feel the air getting sucked out of town. A small town like Key West does a good job of absorbing the 3,000 sailors, plus the sizeable event crew that is running the event. The tent is the hub of the event, with many of the boats docked nearby. Inside the tent are sponsor booths, merchandise sales, the huge Mount Gay Rum bar, but during the day it is quiet, with race admin scurrying around to handle any details before the fleet returns.

The weather forecast was for light winds, which has caused the first race to be delayed. However, the racing is underway - with results posted soon.

The event tent

Crowds in a local store

The boats, the teams - first day activity

The shwanky Quantum Sails support boat

Getting to Key West

Sunday was travel day for Scuttleblog to Key West. Arriving by a ten-seater prop plane, you do sense that you are about to greet the end of the world. Amongst the vacant land masses and spanse of water, the town of Key West appears with alot of water beyond. By the photo to the right, apparently perception is reality.

Being a first time visitor, it is a bit overwhelming at first in how much territory is covered by Acura Key West Race Week. With nearly 300 boats, the fleet can get spread out. However, I was able to borrow a bike to get the lay of the land, which was very helpful navigating the narrow streets of town.

You do get a sense of the Bahamas with all the cottages and white-picket fences, and a similar timeless feeling. Music is everywhere, and a bit of tourism has provided sufficient stores, eateries and drinkeries. The main drag is Duval Street, which I understand will not look much like the photo above as day turns to night.

Today was handled differently by many in the fleet. For some, it was the final day from a week of prep - some teams put a lot of effort into getting ready for this event. For others, it was arrive and launch. Most boats were out on the water, particularly since Saturday was blown out with 30+ knots.

After my bike ride, I was able to get back in time for the Swan 45 party, where they were offering free drink and eats to anyone who could get over to the main regatta tent area. Following the Swan party, event organizer Premiere Racing assembled an all-star panel in the big tent to discuss their prep for the event, particularly how they handled the day before the racing starts.

The roar outside the media trailer indicates the game is on, and Mount Gay is likely getting poured. The weather forecast is looking good for Monday, so stay tuned as arguably the premier US multi-class keelboat event is about to begin. - Craig Leweck

Women's Week loved by All!

Bitter End's Women's Week was a huge success by all accounts. We had our awards dinner and every participant was given a certificate for their acheivements. We even had the Evel Knievel Award for Theresa Evans, who tried almost every boat in the fleet, and was not put off by the 25 knot breezes!

It really was a super week where 12 women were able to learn to sail, and others honed their sailing skills in a wonderful atmosphere at the Bitter End Yacht Club. They really liked and connected with all of the female instructors, and commented on how comfortable they were with the 'all-women' aspect of teaching and learning. They felt that they bonded with the other women participants for life-long friendships, which is one of the best aspects of the sailing lifestyle!

Pam Wall gave her "Around the World" slide show which was open to the whole resort. Pam got rave reviews, and now we all want to sail around the world with our families and friends! Well, that's it for another year of Women's Week, and now I am off to Key West to go racing! - Martha Parker

Heading to Key West

I am cleaning my desk, and getting ready to hop on a flight to Key West. Next week, look for Scuttleblog to hold my daily impressions of the event. If you see me down there, please stop by to say hi... maybe you will make it into Scuttleblog. - Craig Leweck

Sailing Billboards

The talk in Scuttlebutt about the Volvo Ocean Race has covered the safety issue, the expense issue, and the low turnout issue. This week, Ross Field and Ron Holland are also reminding us that one of the goals for this race, when it was originally getting mapped out as to what type of boat to use, was to control expense to insure a good turnout.

It did seem ironic back then, as the concept of the 70-footer was gaining steam at the same time, and it was hard to imagine that both the boat and the cost issue could occur in concert. Well, they didn't, and thanks to Ross and Ron for reminding us, this train came at us with headlights on and alarms ringing.

If there is concern about sponsor fulfillment, it might be good to remember that there is another event that is presently occurring that does it differently - The Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race. The race organizers, Clipper Ventures, own the eleven boat fleet, finds crew that are willing to pay to sail on the boats, they hire skippers to lead them, and recruit sponsors to support each boat. The whole package is a lot less sexier than the VOR, but the boats do complete each leg of the race (note: there is another race planning for its fifth event with a similar format: Global Challenge 2008-2009).

The VOR boats are very cool, and are sailed by the premier players in the sport. It is all very, very appealing. The Clipper boats are built like a brick shithouse, and are sailed by no-names, but continue to succeed in gaining sponsors and putting a decent number of boats on the startline. While the Clipper and GC races are not going to threaten the VOR as the premier crewed round-the-world race, it is appearing that the present VOR format needs to be revamped... again. - Craig Leweck

Squalls in Paradise?!?

Our second day of Women's Week started out with torrential down pour! How could that be, we are at the Bitter End YC? Well, luckily down here, a squall only lasts for 20 minutes, but boy does it rain! However, it didn't stop our group of Women attending Women's Week.

We boarded the Leopard 45 JET STREAM for a great trip to the Baths. The swells were building, so like any great sailing trip we detected that getting into the Baths was going to be a little rough, so we made a course change and picked up a mooring at the Dogs. We went for an incredible snorkle with Yellowtail fish swimming right up to the swim platform on the catamaran! Half of us ventured off to the coral area closer to shore and saw fantastic schools of Angel fish and the most beatiful little lavendar fish, plus lots more!

On our sail back to North Sounds, we learned about the points of sail using a sesame cracker as our hull and tortilla chips as our sails! We learned about a triangle race course, using a candy cane and some butterscotch candies! When I could not find the windward mark, I discovered one of our guest had decided to consume it! It is all an adventure with Martha and Women's Week! Or at least we eat well! Cheers until tomorrow! - Martha Parker

Trouble Down-Under?

A recent post on the Scuttlebutt Forums has brought some concern to Scuttlebutt World Headquarters. Scuttlebutt is presently tracking down the merit regarding a forums post about the Sydney-Hobart Race now being under extra scrutiny about purported safety issues with race entrants.

Click here for the post, and please contact Scuttlebutt if you have any information.

Windy Day on North Sound!

What a glorious sunny and brisk day we had at the Bitter End today. We started our day with an informative lecture on GPS, where it started and where it is going! John Glynn was a great, guest lecturer.

Then we spent a long afternoon on North Sound in 25 knots with gusts to 35! Most of our beginner group learned that they can handle a boat in the heavy air, and some came face to face with some fears and figured out that they don't need to be scared by the wind.

We are missing JJ isler who is back in San Diego writing the second version of "Sailing for Dummies." Okay JJ, I had a few of the women who have their copies of the first "Sailing For Dummies" with them. They quoted from your Wind Velocity section that we were getting to the wind speed where we should be onshore. I reminded them that "Its always an adventure with Martha!" And what an adventure we are having! We all miss you JJ! - Martha Parker

Polling

There are often subjects or events in Scuttlebutt that divide the crowd, and we hear about it from the letters sent to the editor. Differing oppinions from folks of various backgrounds, often providing thought-provoking comments. We frequently can not include in Scuttlebutt all the email we receive, so the Forums section was created to open up the dialogue even further, and remove any restraints there were on the inclusion of submissions.

However, we know Scuttlebutt readers don't always have time to write out their thoughts, which is why the polling is so cool. By voting in a Scuttlebutt Poll, you are stating your postion. Interestingly, trends are usually set very soon in the polls, and while the number of votes increases, the trends typically stay constant.

We know it is not science, but it is another way that we can all become participants in the sport of sailing. Feel free to email me anytime you have an idea for a Scuttlebutt Poll. - Craig Leweck

Oops!

Monday's issue of Scuttlebutt (Issue 2004) included information on how to post to Scuttleblog by email. Unfortunately, this was not intended for publication, and the blog email address has since been changed. If you are interested in post comments regarding what you read in Scuttleblog, this can be done at the Forums. - Craig Leweck

Fun In the Sun at BEYC's Women's Week

It has been great fun on the first day at the Bitter End Yacht Club's Women's Week.  Pam Wall from West Marine and Janet Baxter, President of US Sailing are here helping me.  We have 10 very excited women who "hit" the water today!  They didn't hit it quite as hard as I did when I went Laser racing this morning in 15 knots of breeze and did my fair share of sailing upside down and talking to the fishes!!  I do have to try the 4.7 rig since I only weigh 110 lbs and continue to try to compete with the "big guys" in the "big breeze"!

 

Our crew started on the Rhodes 19 and are getting familiar with sailing and the beautiful surroundings!  If you have never been to the Bitter End, It is a very special place for seasoned sailors where you can sail anything from a sailboard to their Express 37.  And it is even more special for many of the women who are beginners and just starting their sailing experience!

 

We are off to the Baths tomorrow on a Leopard 45 catamaran which will be a thrilling trip for all!  We'll chat tomorrow! - Martha Parker

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We're going to the BVI!

Next week, Team One Newport's Martha Parker has volunteered to be the first guest blogger for Scuttleblog. Martha will be an instructor at the 14th Annual Women on the Water Week, an event hosted by Bitter End Yacht Club in the BVI.

If you've haven't been to BEYC, this place is a slice of heaven. Martha will be joined there by Olympic sailor and coauthor of Sailing for Dummies JJ Isler, big-boat cruiser Pam Wall, and US Sailing President Janet Baxter, where they will provide participants with exceptional hands-on instruction and superb shoreside activities.

My guess is that clinic attendees will be pretty dialed in racers by the end of the week, plus have a good start on their 2006 tan too. We look forward to Martha's observations on the event, and who knows what else. - Craig Leweck

Little surprises

A lot of the fun at Scuttlebutt World Headquarters is the little surprises that seem to happen each day. It is not like we have a team of reporters covering the globe - we don't. But what we do have is a community of supporters, and each day we are reminded how lucky we are.

One of today's surprises came in a letter mailed to us from Stu Argo. I have never met Stu, but he is one of the famous guys in our sport, having done his share of A-Cup events and plenty of other globe-trotting. Inside the letter from Stu was a note and a disk that purportedly holds Scuttlebutt Issues 92-134.

Stu undoubtedly read the ra-ra about Scuttlebutt publishing its 2000th issue, how the archived issues begin at Issue 194 from October 1998, and that the newsletters prior to that were "gone." Somehow he had retained these early issues, and took the time to send them to us.

Thanks Stu, and thank you to the Scuttlebutt community that brings to Scuttlebutt these little surprises. - Craig Leweck

The Vote

Unbeknownst to millions of Americans, but today a select group of voters will decide who will become the 2005 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. Established in 1961 and sponsored by Rolex Watch, U.S.A. since 1980, the awards recognize outstanding on-the-water achievement in the calendar year just concluded.

Who will win? The Scuttlebutt Polls had the watches going to Sally Barkow and Mike Ingram. US Sailing recently annourecognized that Sally, Paige Railey, Andrew Campbell, and Nick Scandone were sailing's U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Athletes of the Year for 2005. Likely it will come down to how the judges value a single world championship win against a larger body of superior, yet less prestigious, wins. Here are links for the men and women nominees.

I am not sure when the results of their vote will take place, but I am guessing that we are still a few weeks away from knowing. - Craig Leweck

How Come Now?

We woke up today to learn of the tragedy in a West Virginia coal mine and on Leg 2 of the Volvo Ocean Race. Reports are coming out now from WV that the coal mine has a lengthy history of violations, though they have yet to reveal if they contributed to the accident. I wonder when/if we will learn of similar findings from the VOR boats.

While some teams were late to launch, some have had plenty of time to learn of problems. Each team has a minimum of a 2000 mile non-stop trip under her prior to the start of Leg One, and most have much more. Brasil 1 and Ericsson have been trialing their boats since August 2005... but little was heard of any problems.

Did the problems first only surface on Leg One? Seems naiive to think so.

Also, as a sidenote, the VOR website has been taking a lashing for its ineptness. Case in point today, where it is littered with reports of Brasil 1 and Ericsson returning to port, their ranking methodology has had Brasil 1 in second place all day. - Craig Leweck

Screening Process

There is a private grade school in my neighborhood that charges a tuition of over $14k a year. I am sure it is a great school, but I have always wondered if the high fee is a screening process to weed out those that are not able to play the "game of life" at a certain level.

I also wonder if US Sailing is using this tactic, as I noticed that there is now an "application fee" of $25 for the 2006 US Youth Champs. Are there too many "pretenders" applying for this event? Does the US have a problem of having too many youth sailors that would like to attend this premiere junior event? Are they trying to screen out the wannabees? Click here to view details.

Good problem... but I worry about the solution.

-Craig Leweck

Moorings and Sunsail

Bareboating with a charter company ranks amongst my favorite vacation memories. After two previous trips in the Carribean, this summer we are headed for Tahiti with family and friends.

I was pleased to hear that despite the recent buy-out by Sunsail's parent company of the Moorings operation, they will continue to operate as separate brands. Other than some pooling of purchasing power in media buys and maybe boat shows, the merged group intends to enhance both brands. - Craig Leweck