Numerology

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Beware of threes

Last week, America’s Cup Defender Alinghi hosted a media day in Valencia where they presented three details that did not seem to warrant a party, but they probably figured that providing cocktails and poo-poos to the yachting scribes might get them some complimentary publicity. Their message was:

* We are training on multihulls
* We are going to build a multihull
* We are in favor of a May 2009 defense

Not entirely riveting news, but there is an old adage of law that states: “When the facts are on your side, argue the facts. When the law is on your side, argue the law. And when you don't have either the law or the facts on your side, you pound on the table.” Maybe Alinghi is now pounding the table, and if they say May 2009 enough times, they could get their wish. The smart tactician identifies the situation, and succeeds or fails in how they utilize the options available.

Continuing on the theme of threes, the Alinghi team also took advantage of the media day to pay tribute to a previous Curmudgeon’s Observation: “The secret to success is knowing who to blame for your failures.” Breaking it down, blame can be aimed in three areas:

* Those that designed the Protocol
* Those that presented the Protocol
* Those that defended the Protocol

For those that designed the Protocol, they will remain nameless to protect their family and innocent bystanders from retribution. For those that presented the Protocol, Pacco Latorre, Alinghi head of marketing acknowledged that "we didn't do very well at explaining the team's vision for the 33rd America's Cup.” For those that defended the Protocol, Lucien Masmejean, Alinghi head of lawyering noted, “We haven't done very well so far from a legal point of view. The way the American legal system works is completely different to what we are use to in Europe. … It is all very confusing and that's probably why we have not been showing a great deal of strengths to date. We are a bit naïve in this …”.

Beware of things that come in threes. From a numerological standpoint, the 33rd America’s Cup was doomed.

Alinghi team quotes courtesty of Destremau Sailing blog

Dealing with adversity

What happens when you own ten identical 68-foot racing yachts, host a round the world race for the boats, sell crewing positions on the boats... and then two of the boats get dismasted on their way from China to Hawaii... half way around the world from the European suppliers. It would be nice to think that the “show must go on” but pulling it off is another matter. Here is an excerpt from a report by International marine events company Clipper Ventures Plc, that owns and administers the event:

* Clipper Ventures Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: “When we lost two masts in the Clipper fleet in just over a week during the race from Qingdao to Hawaii (on March 5 and 13), the priority was to replace all the similar fittings to those that failed within the fleet and to manufacture and ship out two new masts to Hawaii.”

* Sparcraft in Cape Town, the company that manufactured the masts for the ten matched Clipper 68s, had suffered a factory fire on March 7 and was unable to make the new mast section as a result. On April 10 the company confirmed that its other factories in France and the United States did not have the spare capacity to make the mast. Later that day, Clipper Ventures sourced the required mast section in France, which was transported to Atlantic Spars in Brixham. This was for the first dismasting.

* Following the second dismasting, a similar section was sourced from the Netherlands and sent to Atlantic Spars for finishing. Meanwhile, Spencer Rigging sourced enough compact strand to complete two complete new sets of standing rigging.

* Spencer Rigging commissioned a company to manufacture custom-made bottle screws and wire terminals as the regular supplier, Navtec, only holds minimal stock and did not have the capacity to make replacements for many weeks.

* The two masts were road transported from Devon to Luxembourg from where they were flown by front-loading Boeing 747 to Los Angeles arriving in the early hours of March 29. This consignment containing the new rigs and related parts then waited in Los Angeles airport to be loaded onto the first available flight to Honolulu on April 2.

* The rigs arrived early on April 2, where the Clipper Maintenance team along with three riggers from Spencer Rigging and a mast builder from Atlantic Spars were on hand. Following the replacement of related rigging on the other eight boats, the two boats needing complete rigs were sailing by April 10, just five days after the rest of the fleet had started.

Complete report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0428

J/120 AVRA

This team deserves some good karma:


Dear Curmudgeon,

I'd like to bring to your attention a website we launched for the racing program I am involved with, the J/120 AVRA. The home page of the site says a lot about this successful program and why we created an informational site -- to support new J120 programs in our area and keep our class active!

Website: www.avra.us

Hot button

Over the years, the Scuttlebutt editors have discovered some of the hot buttons for the ‘buttheads. When the topics wander toward racism, sexism, religion, and politics, the tide of incoming email rises quickly. From the rate of email last Friday, a new hot button was discovered, which was all in response to the open letter in Issue 2583 by Giovanni Maspero, owner of Joe Fly, following their disqualification at the recent Farr 40 World Championship in Miami (USA). Maspero was critical of a number of things from the event, and the ‘buttheads were seemingly unanimous in their contempt for his criticism.


From Scuttlebutt 2579:
By all witness accounts, Joe Fly seriously overplayed their hand at the
weather mark situation (final day, ninth race of 10-race series). They were on the port tack layline, with Barking Mad ahead and to leeward, also on port. Barking Mad tacked to starboard on layline, with Mascalzone near but slightly overstanding the mark on starboard. As Joe Fly approached Barking Mad, the Italians delayed their tack to make sure they were on layline, but ended up tacking too close to the Americans, who then luffed hard to avoid collision. Barking Mad didn’t want their protest to decide the Worlds, but offered to witness when Mascalzone did file a protest. Click here to listen to an audio explanation of the situation by commentator Matt Ciesicki that is on the Pro Sight Sailing website.

From Scuttlebutt 2581:
The Jury Decision from the 2008 Farr 40 World Championship protest in the ninth race between winning team Mascalzone and second place team Joe Fly is posted on the Scuttlebutt website: http://sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/08/0422b

18 Foot Skiff Class

There are things that exist around you that you think you should know about, but don’t . Then the decision whether you ask or not has to be made. Hate seeming ignorant, and if you keep it to yourself, maybe you’ll figure out and nobody needs to know otherwise.

When it came to the 18ft skiffs, it seemed like there was different divisions, different types, different ideology amongst the countries participating. After failing to figure it out, we asked Frank Quealey, who we know as the guy who is constantly emailing us stuff about the class racing, and who holds a position within the Australian class.

“So Frank,” we asked. “Just to be clear, is there only one class of 18ft skiffs, or are there multiple divisions?” Here is Frank’s reply:

• There is only one class of 18ft Skiffs.

• We produce new skiffs from proceeds of our licensed club and sponsors as well as maintain and upgrade existing skiffs to keep them competitive.

• We have had built moulds to construct the hulls and sent one to the UK several years ago.

• We have also sold or had built most of the skiffs currently owned or raced in the UK and USA.

• Since 1938, we have conducted the Giltinan Championship and on many occasions paid assistance funds to overseas competitors.

• This is all to help promote international competition of 18ft Skiff racing.

• The club recently purchased a shipping container and assists some of our competitors to move the boats around the world to contest other regattas.

• This year we have boars going to New Zealand, France and USA during the northern summer before they return for our next season, which begins in October.

• Our President and one of the club Directors are now involved in setting up an International Board, which includes representatives from USA, UK, Europe and New Zealand.

Click here for class rules.

No time

The song ‘No Time’ by The Guess Who came to mind when considering some of the information provided by the Alinghi team on Thursday, April 24, 2008 when they welcomed the media into their compound and announced that Ernesto Bertarelli had committed to building a multihull for the 33rd America’s Cup, according to Brad Butterworth, team skipper and tactician, “as long as we can get the pending issues resolved by the New York courts – including a race date in 2009.” What is interesting to note is that the team also published a timeline on the process to build a maxi-multihull, which stated that their plan required a fifteen months.

The question that comes to mind is that if the Deed of Gift gives each team ten months from date of challenge, and that their design and construction plan takes fifteen months, it would seem that there is a problem. To solve the problem, it would seem that either there needs to be more time than ten months or a simpler design and construction plan. What is not known is how far into their fifteen month plan they are, and whether their legal maneuvers in the NY courts are to defend their position, or to just provide them the extra time needed to complete their multihull.

Click here for timeline.



NO TIME (Bachman-Cummings)
No time left for you
On my way to better things
No time left for you
I’ll find myself some wings
No time left for you
Distant roads are calling me
No time left for you.

No time for a summer friend
No time for the love you send
Seasons change and so did I
You need not wonder why
You need not wonder why
There’s no time left for you
No time left for you.

No time left for you
On my way to better things
No time left for you
I’ll find myself some wings
No time left for you
Distant roads are calling me
No time left for you.

No time for a gentle rain
No time for my watch and chain
No time for revolving doors
No time for the killing floor
No time for the killing floor
There’s no time left for you
No time left for you.

No time for a summer friend
No time for the love you send
Seasons change and so did I
You need not wonder why
You need not wonder why
There’s no time left for you
No time left for you.

No Time, No Time, No Time, No Time
No Time, No Time, No Time, No Time

I got, got, got, got no time
I got, got, got, got no time
I got, got, got, got no time

Cattle Call

There’s the definition of Cattle Call, which considers it to be an audition in which a large number of often inexperienced actors or performers try out. There’s also the popular 1950’s song by Eddie Arnold named Cattle Call (covered here by Dennis Brown).



And then there was the movie, National Lampoon's Cattle Call, where three guys cook up a scheme to meet women by putting advertisements in the paper and creating a fake casting call for a movie that really doesn't exist.



In the spirit of the circus otherwise known as the America’s Cup, there is now a new variation of the Cattle Call, this coming from Team FRENCH SPIRIT to help them find a designer for their America’s Cup effort. Here are their words:

“It is in order to build up that ideal team, to identify talent, tools and means, that Team FRENCH SPIRIT decided to develop an innovative strategy and has thus invited the main French and international naval architect firms to participate in the ‘Designer Competition’ under the presidency of Phillipe Gouard, technical director of the French sailing federation.”-- Full announcment

Contest rules

Free speech

We are all for free speech, but the Internet has provided an exceedingly safe haven for those that want to test the limits of this freedom, and maybe it will be these same people that will cause this sanctuary to disappear.

More than 100%

Next time you go racing, and the tactician/skipper/owner asks that everyone give more than 100%, consider the mathematical formula below on how to provide that extra effort.

If:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Is represented as:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:

H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And:

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you:

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G 1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that While Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it’s the Bullshit and Ass Kissing that will put you over the top.

China and shark finning

The Chinese government hopes to use the 2008 Olympics as an opportunity to market their country, but it seems to have also given all the opponents an opportunity to spotlight China’s problems with human rights, the environment, politics, population, etc.

This week,a report is being circulated by how China is contributing to an exceedingly grim situation with how global shark populations are being driven to the verge of extinction mainly by the highly profitable practice of shark finning to supply Asian dinner tables and wedding banquets, with the principle demand coming from mainland China.

One study found that the Oceanic Whitetip shark native to the Gulf of Mexico had declined by more than 99% since 1950. Now almost forgotten, the species was once one of the most commonly caught sharks in the region. – Read on

Marriage theme

From Issue 2579:

CURMUDGEON’S CONUNDRUM
If brides wear white at weddings to represent happiness, then why do grooms wear black?

Which prompted these 'buttheads to write in:

* From Gordon Hinds: I think brides wear white to symbolise sexual and moral purity (virgin). Grooms wear black as it symbolises the death of their wayward bachelor ways...

* From Andrew Mason: On the marriage theme, marriage is like a castle under siege: lots of people on the outside trying to get in and lots of people on the inside trying to get out.

This week's Curmudgeon's Observations are going to have a marriage theme. Submit your "observations" in the comments section of this post.

Ensenada Race obstacles

The Newport Ocean Sailing Association’s 61st race to Ensenada, a 125-nautical mile run to Baja California, is looking less fun these days. This race attracts a broad spectrum of sailors, from the very serious all the way down to cruiser with no previous yacht club affiliation. The Scuttlebutt Sailing Club (SSC) usually gets a lot of calls before this race, as there are plenty of folks that want to do it, but don’t want to pony up the big yacht club fees to do their very first race. The problem is that the event requires local entrants to be members of a Yacht Club recognized by the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA), and this organization doesn’t want SSC as a member.

SSC would gladly pay the SCYA annual fees to support their organization, but we weren’t able to get the sponsors needed within SCYA to complete the membership application. We suspect the problem is because SSC doesn’t charge membership fees, and the brotherhood of SCYA clubs is simply protecting their turf. Apparently the sport is doing so well so as to keep these “fringe” racers from joining this fun race.

Maybe these newbies are better off staying in the marina this year, as there has been no shortage of news regarding violence along Mexico’s border cities that support teams would be frequenting on their way south to meet the boats, and that crews would be driving through to return home. While race officials have reported no problems during their organization trips to Ensenada, they still felt the situation was bad enough to publish the following list of precautions:

* Fill your gas tank before you leave the USA and cross the border; fill up your tank again in Ensenada before you return home.
* Use the main highways only, don’t travel back roads.
* Travel in caravans – if possible.
* Travel during the daylight hours when driving.
* Limit how many credit cards you take with you to 1 or 2.
* Don’t carry large quantities of cash on hand.
* Stay away from campsites, rest stops, and similar stop areas.
* Don’t exceed the speed limit, and don’t drink and drive.
* Don’t carry any firearms, illegal drugs, or large quantities of alcoholic beverages.
* Make sure you have valid insurance for the country you are driving in.

Good times!

Urban Skiff

Naked sailing instructors

We received the press release below, which our editor's would normally read and delete since it is a blatant ad. However, it came on the heals of another story from Florida on how a charter fishing boat was doing big business due to their bikini-clad crew, and at a premium rate, their topless crew. Makes you wonder how a sailing school might do with scantily clad instructors.

Offshore Sailing School Announces Its All-New
“Single Parents Week”

FORT MYERS, FL (April 2008) – For the first time ever, Offshore Sailing School is offering a “Single Parents Week” this summer. Scheduled July 13 – 18, 2008 at the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa on Ft. Myers Beach, Florida, it offers single parents with children aged seven to 17 the opportunity to learn to sail and make new friends in an enriching, family-oriented environment.

Single parent families will be paired with each other for a maximum of four students on each sailboat. Package rates are based on full tuition for single parent, plus 50% discount off tuition for first child, 25% off for second and third children.

Students can choose different courses that match their skill level:

* For novice sailors, Offshore’s signature Learn to Sail course is a five-day program taught on the school’s fleet of award-winning Colgate 26 sailboats.

* For those who know their way around a sailboat, single parent families can sign on for the five-day Bareboat Cruising Preparation course, which is taught on brand-new 41- or 49-foot Hunter yachts.

* For those who seek to go from novice to cruise-ready all at once, Offshore offers Fast Track to Cruising, an intense course that combines Learn to Sail and Bareboat Cruising Preparation in one 10-day program.

Rates for the five-day Learn to Sail course range from $2,893 for one parent/one child in a deluxe gulf-front studio to $5,755 for one parent/three children in a two-bedroom beach villa. Rates are slightly higher for the five-day Bareboat Cruising Preparation. The Fast Track to Cruising courses includes a discount for combining the two course tuitions, plus accommodations as needed.

The package includes a textbook for each participant, morning classroom instruction and half-day on-water instruction each day (except Friday), practice sail without instructor on Friday, accommodations ashore which can sleep up to four, and sailing gloves for everyone in the family. Participants will earn their Colgate certification and US SAILING certification (following optional Friday test).

For a full list of Offshore programs, including Bareboat Cruising Preparation, Fast Track to Cruising, and Power Cruise courses, please visit www.offshoresailing.com

Sailing after college

For many US youth sailors, they work hard perfecting their pram skills, then move up to either Lasers or doublehanded boats, perhaps do some high school sailing, and then off to the university and four years of collegiate sailing. However, when they graduate from college, what do they do? What boats do they sail then, or can even afford to sail? Big props to the 5o5 class for pursuing these prospects. Read on...

College Sailors,

If anyone has an interest in pursuing their sailing after college on an international level, there is no better time to get into the 505 class. The 2008 and 2009 schedule of events in the United States is loaded with top quality events on both the East and West Coast. Some of the notables are as follows:

2008:
May 24-25 Larchmont Spring (Larchmont, NY)
June 7-8 Region One Championship (Marblehead, MA)
July 12-13 Newport Multi-class (Newport, RI)
July 16-20 North Americans (Gorge, OR)
Aug 1-3 BBR (Marion, MA)
Aug 22-24 Canadian Championship (CORK, Kingston, ONT)
Sep 19-21 East Coast Champs (West River, MD)
Oct 11-12 High Performance Open (American YC, NY)
Nov 8-9 Region Two Championship (Hampton, VA)

2009:
Aug Pre-Worlds(North Americans) and Worlds (San Francisco, CA)

There has been a recent influx of younger sailors at many regattas in the past year. The biggest deterrent currently is the lack of quality used boats and the high exchange rates making new boats expensive. Keep in mind that quality 505's do not get soft and wear out like the boats we normally sail. It is not rare to see boats 20+ years old in the top 10 at a World Championship. The purchase price of a used boat may seem high, but the re-sale value of boats does not decline, resulting in minimal financial risk. Also the class is unique in the fact that the senior members are eager and willing to help younger sailors improve.

There are two unique opportunities to get into a boat in time to compete in these upcoming events:

Boat for Charter:
Drew Buttner has arranged a charter boat that is available in Newport, RI for the 2008 season. Although I don't know all of the specifics on this boat, I have been told it is competitive and would include everything needed to go sailing. The charter fee is $1500 for the entire season including sails. If interested please contact Drew at: andrew.buttner@gmail.com

Boat for Sale:
There is a unique opportunity for a young sailor to purchase a very competitive and lightly used boat. The owner of this boat wants to sell this boat to a young sailor interested in getting involved in the class. The boat is USA 8600 which is a 1996 epoxy Rondar. The boat is fully cored and is as stiff as the day is was made. This boat has seen very light use especially in the last 8 years. It has been mainly fresh water sailed and meticulously maintained. There are a few updates that would probably be beneficial although the boat comes ready to sail with full covers, blades,trailer and dolly for $9500. This means that even after a brand new set of sails, the all up cost is just over $11000. Please contact JB Turney at: jb.turney@gmail.com or Craig Thompson at: iqcraig@comcast.net

JB and I have been working hard to try to dig up boats like these and get younger sailors involved in the class. We hope to find many more used boats in the near future so that more college sailors have the opportunity to get out an race. One day of 505 sailing in over 20 knots and you will be hooked!

Craig Thompson
University of Rhode Island Sailing Team
iqcraig@comcast.net

Happy Birthday Olin!

Olin Stephens turned 100 years old on April 13, 2008. Here are two links with background information on his storied yacht design career:

Sailing World
Scuttlebutt

Click on the comments link to send your birthday wishes.

Pre-Season Tips

Pre-Season Refresher Course for Sailing

To best prepare yourself try these quick exercises:

* Sit on a bench with large metal fixtures cutting into your legs, stare straight up into the sun for 2 hours - for a more robust workout: invite 4 friends to come over and yell at you the whole time

* Go out and get very drunk, sleep 4 hours, then stand on a rocking chair for 6 hours.

* Go to bank and withdraw as much cash as you can - then set it on fire

* Sit in front of a commercial fan and have someone throw large buckets of salt water on you

* Cut limb off nearby tree, tie ropes to it, stand on rocking chair with tree limb and ropes - hold them over your head for 3 hours...at 5 minute intervals drop on your head - more robust version: have friends yell at you in 6 minute intervals

* Pour cold water in your lap and give yourself a wedgie, now alternate between sitting and running around bent over

* Tie ropes between 2 trees and sit on a hard barstool tipping yourself into the ropes and balance - push your body against them as hard as you can for 6 consecutive hours - don't stop for pain or bruising until the pins and needles in your feet make it impossible for you to walk.

* Nail wooden blocks covered in rough grade sandpaper to your stair make sure the sandpaper is wet , crawl up and down on your knees in shorts for several hours making sure to catch your fingers under the stair rods and smash your knees into the banisters
* Make 12 sandwiches on white bread with bad meat and margarine cram them into a plastic bag, sprinkle with sea water- eat one a day for 12 consecutive days ... make sure the last one is peanut butter and jam.

* Tie rope to rear bumper of friend's car, hold on tightly, but allow rope to slip through fingers as car drives away - TIP: works best with nylon.

* Upon completion of above sit down and drink 24 Mount Gay Rums and tell your non-sailing friends what a fantastic sport it is.

Thanks to Chad Siemens for the above tips.

Scuttlebutt 2570

CURMUDGEON’S OBSERVATION
On a septic tank truck sign: "We're #1 in the #2 business."

This observation prompted the 'buttheads to submit their versions:

* From Peter O. Allen, Sr: Locally we have such a truck, painted yellow, bearing the legend: "Stool Bus"

* Jack Lockwood: On a septic tank truck somewhere N of Green Bay, WI: "It may be shit to you but it's our bread and butter".

* From Thaddeus Gillespie: The sign on the garbage truck said, "Satisfaction guaranteed or double your garbage back".

* From Rik: Our local septic tank cleaner has on his business card ... "Your business is our business" ... but on his truck is written ... "We take sh!t from anyone".

* From Martin Dudley: From sign on truck reads, "We pump what the competition talks".

* From Matt Rosenberg: Don't forget the sign on their other truck: "Our Royal Flush beats your Full House".

* From Chris Upton:

Cell phone features

We haven't verified these tips, so add comments if you have something to add.

5 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST
Emergency The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile, network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND
Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk). Editor's Note: 'It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!'

THIRD
Hidden Battery Power. Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

FOURTH
How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #, a 15 digit code appears on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones. And Finally....

FIFTH
Free Directory Service for Cells Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now. This is the kind of information people don't mind receiving, so pass it on to your family and friends.

It takes a family

The Mini 6.5 Transat effort of American Clay Burkhalter took quite a collection of supporters for him to fulfill his dream. If you have ever wondered about doing a similar campaign, we think that is great, and believe you will find his list to be helpful. Click on the image to see the full note.

Dirty water

The Biggest Corporate Regatta Ever Seen

That was the headline of the press release, and here is the first paragraph:

“The biggest Corporate Regatta ever seen worldwide took place in Buenos Aires - Argentina, on March 28th. With an strategic event of high impact Danone, leading food products company, planned the "Danone - In Course for 2010" Regatta which had over 290 guests boarded in more than 45 sailboats and an exclusive private cruiser.”

The point of the press release was to promote the services of the company that ran the event (www.match-race.com.ar), but all we see in the many photos included is brown water. Perhaps if you are based in Buenos Aires, you don’t notice it. However, we see a lot of sailing photos, and they are not all from the Caribbean. Many are from some unglamorous places, and none are as striking as the silt-ridden waters of this place.

We are going to take a shower now.

Christine

Had wondered what happened to her...

Got jet?

Last week we received an invite for cocktails and pu-pus at the International Rolex Regatta in the USVI, and this week we are on the wine and dine list for a boat show in Croatia (above). I thought teasing and torture stopped in high school.

Mrs. Curmudgeon

Raising the bar on grumpiness.