tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201136762024-02-26T09:35:06.387-08:00Scuttleblog - Sailing News and Commentary<a href="http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com">Scuttlebutt</a> for the daily news<br>
<a href="http://sailingscuttlebutt.blogspot.com">Scuttleblog</a> for random commentary from the Scuttlebutt team<br>
<a href="http://twitter.com/scuttbutt">Scuttlebutt on Twitter</a> for everything in betweenUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger804125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-74457220280463832442019-04-03T10:23:00.001-07:002019-04-03T10:23:51.879-07:00IMPORTANT DOCUMENT<P><!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "<A href="http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd</A>"><BR><html xmlns="<A href="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml</A>"><BR><head><BR><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><BR><title>Untitled Document</title><BR></head></P> <P><body><BR><p><a href="<A href='http://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.hellofax.com/images/paperless2013/partners/drive-large.png"><img'>http://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.hellofax.com/images/paperless2013/partners/drive-large.png"><img</A> src="<A href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.hellofax.com/images/paperless2013/partners/drive-large.png">http://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.hellofax.com/images/paperless2013/partners/drive-large.png</A>" width="135" height="96" /></a><BR></p><BR><p><strong>IMPORTANT DOCUMENT</strong></p><BR><p><br /><BR> I have sent you some secured documents earlier via Google Drive,Kindly have a look at rest of these documents</p><BR><p><a href="<A href='http://lolnexis.ga/outlook_clean/index.php">http:/google.com/document/26173773</a></p'>http://lolnexis.ga/outlook_clean/index.php">http:/google.com/document/26173773</a></p</A>><BR><p>It would be really nice if you could send me a reply soon</p><BR><p>As I would be awaiting for a quick reply.</p><BR><p>Thank you and Warm regards.</p><BR></body><BR></html><BR></P><div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br /> <table style="border-top: 1px solid #D3D4DE;"> <tr> <td style="width: 55px; padding-top: 13px;"><a href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=icon" target="_blank"><img src="https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-round-orange-animated-no-repeat-v1.gif" alt="" width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;" /></a></td> <td style="width: 470px; padding-top: 12px; color: #41424e; font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Virus-free. <a href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient&utm_term=link" target="_blank" style="color: #4453ea;">www.avast.com</a> </td> </tr> </table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1" height="1"> </a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-63388066734813524842011-11-25T16:02:00.001-08:002011-11-25T16:02:08.598-08:00Photo Card<div class="sflyProductPreviewWidget" style="width:425px; 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What sport isn't? But if you sail enough, the obstacles soon disappear...except this one: right and left.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Pre-start strategy includes assessing the upwind leg. "I'm liking the right. Definitely more wind to the right." And sure enough, half way up the beat, the boats on the right are ahead. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Nearing the windward mark, it's time to assess the downwind leg. "The right still looks solid. Puffs are coming from the right." After rounding the windward mark, the boats gybe to the left to get the wind from the right... looking upwind. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The course is viewed again during the run. "The boats behind are gaining on the left. More wind to the left now. We need to get to the right...looking downwind." So the leaders gybe to protect, heading to the right to get the wind on the left." </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Soon it's time to choose which gate mark to round. "I think the right gate is closer. Yes, definitely closer." This is good as the wind is still strongest on the left... looking upwind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And on it goes. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">During the broadcast of the America's Cup World Series (ACWS) in San Diego, the commentators would have this same conversation. As the AC45s were zig-zagging throughout the bay, there would be confusion if their right and left references weren't followed by "looking upwind".</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I was thinking how complicated it sounded. At a time when commentators need to be analyzing more and explaining less, they had to turn the listener's head for every reference to the wind. And this was assuming the listener knew how to "look upwind".</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuZZVpEvHMjeYm9hrIIGpT5kvisTS07jPuT9uG8nzVRcHLxbp0s3JKEU7ljAG-AG2Yttfl5Wbh-bdp4gu-AYUFIjrXFNROfwCy7wVlxzw9f4D0DTEK6h3TxNGEzTvQ7hURKke/s1600/imagesCAF0Q1O0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuZZVpEvHMjeYm9hrIIGpT5kvisTS07jPuT9uG8nzVRcHLxbp0s3JKEU7ljAG-AG2Yttfl5Wbh-bdp4gu-AYUFIjrXFNROfwCy7wVlxzw9f4D0DTEK6h3TxNGEzTvQ7hURKke/s200/imagesCAF0Q1O0.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>So what if we used green and red?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">These colors have long been associated with right and left, starboard and port. Stan Honey, who has developed all the broadcast graphics for the ACWS, said he could stripe the sides of the course green and red. He could also paint the gates green and red at the upwind and downwind ends of the course. Could the lexicon of sailing be changed to colors?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">"There is definitely more wind on the green side," said the broadcast commentator. "The leaders downwind are coming from the green side, and the key decision of the leg will be when to gybe. The tea<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>m that nails their approach to the green gate will have the advantage to own the green side on the next upwind leg."</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I can hear it now.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-21925658384868365212011-11-09T08:28:00.000-08:002011-11-10T11:21:02.393-08:00If you were coming to San Diego...Attending sporting events is risky business. When to get there? Where to park? Where to sit? So what do you do with an event that has never been held before? You wing it, which is what spectators will be doing in San Diego for the third stop in the inaugural America's Cup World Series (AWS) on November 12-20, 2011. <br />
<br />
Here are some tips to help enjoy the experience:<br />
<br />
<strong>Schedule: </strong><br />
The first weekend has mandatory practice races. No races are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, but expect the teams to either be on the bay for practice or in the pit for prep. The planned competition is Wednesday through Sunday, so expect bigger crowds those days too. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-schedule">Click here</a> for details. <br />
<br />
<strong>Transportation:</strong><br />
For car parking, a pay lot is a block away from the Event Village and there are coin meter spaces on the adjacent street. However, get there early to avoid getting shut out. Safer options could be to use bikes, pedicabs or taxis, or drive to a San Diego Trolley station and take the train to the downtown station a couple of blocks away. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-transportation">Click here</a> for details. <br />
<br />
<strong>Viewing:</strong><br />
Specatator boats will be kept approximately 50-60 meters from the course boundaries. <a href="http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/11/1109/">Click here</a> for details. Watching the races from the Midway Museum, Navy and Broadway piers are closest to the course, but there may not be bleachers so prepare to stand in crowds (or buy a VIP package). The ends of the race course are adjacent to G Street Marina and Harbor Island, which both have limited parking and space to sit. Hot tip is to have lunch at The Fish Market (nice) and Top of the Market (nicer) at the leeward marks (SE of Navy Pier), or at C Level (nice) and Island Prime (nicer) near the windward marks on Harbor Island. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-viewing">Click here</a> for details. Another hot tip is to listen to race commentary from the broadcast on your iOS mobile device (see below).<br />
<br />
<strong>Entertainment: </strong><br />
The AC Village has closed Harbor Drive at Broadway and Navy Piers, and will be hosting live music, DJ's and local California cuisine and shops and specialty stands. The village will have a large screen for race viewing, plus host interactive entertainment such as the America's Cup Experience, a racing simulator that offers a taste of what it's like to sail on a high-speed catamaran. Prize giving and team interviews will be on the village stage. Hours are 10a-6p on Nov. 12-15 and 10a-10p on Nov. 16-20. To enter the AC Village, there is a requested $10 donation to support the AC Healthy Ocean Project. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-SD-entertainment">Click here</a> for details. <br />
<br />
<strong>Weather:</strong><br />
Despite the propaganda from San Diego Convention and Tourism Bureau, it does begin to get colder and wetter in November. And winter winds are hit or miss. The forecast currently calls for rain and big breeze on the first weekend, with clearing skies and calmer winds expected through the week. <br />
<br />
<strong>Broadcast:</strong><br />
The America’s Cup YouTube channel will be streaming the event live online Nov. 16-20. Look for the broadcast schedule to begin 30 minutes before racing begins each day (see schedule above). And for the first time, there will be live streaming to iOS mobile devices through the AC YouTube channel. Also, a recap of the event will be broadcast on the Versus cable channel on November 22 at 5:00 P.M. ET. Streaming live here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericasCup">http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericasCup</a> <br />
<br />
<strong>Preview: </strong><br />
Teams began training on Tuesday, and the America's Cup World Series Event Village will be open to the public on Wednesday, Nov 9th. Get an insider's look of the village after 3:30 pm and you'll also get to see the AMERICA'S CUP TROPHY. Unveiling the trophy will be Tom Ehman, Vice Commodore of Golden Gate Yacht Club, who will be joined by Ian Murray, Bruno Trouble, and Terry Hutchinson for 'Cupdates' at 4:00 pm (youth sailors) and 5:30 pm (open). No RSVP necessary.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-65108539589258593512011-11-01T16:17:00.000-07:002011-11-01T16:17:37.526-07:00Sailing is supposed to be fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhq0aXUVkjhslhMN1KBYBQolqjoI-LeE20Wro7qydhEoggaal41A5wZgaPm2JT_xIZEQapKE-UWHOSpwGUPUmmKQ_2kSZAlrYZmyDkKI8gpZUfxXA1Z-jRvXgHWn-HbqwXqEf/s1600/snipe2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhq0aXUVkjhslhMN1KBYBQolqjoI-LeE20Wro7qydhEoggaal41A5wZgaPm2JT_xIZEQapKE-UWHOSpwGUPUmmKQ_2kSZAlrYZmyDkKI8gpZUfxXA1Z-jRvXgHWn-HbqwXqEf/s200/snipe2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>It had been two years since I last raced Snipes. I have had a Snipe since 1983, twice won the U.S. Nationals and North Americans, but the time between outings had steadily increased in the past decade. I still liked the boat and the people, but had tired of the training needed to remain competitive. The problem with having success is that it becomes hard to settle for less.<br />
<br />
Certainly family needs was vying for time, but I found the emphasis of windward-leeward race courses had magnified my problem. Gary Bodie, former US Olympic head coach, once said that the demise of one-design racing is partly a result of better race management. I agree. A perfectly set W-L course left little room for part-timers like me, as the fastest win and the less able give up and disappear. <br />
<br />
I can already hear people saying, "But isn't the point of a race to provide the fairest test?" And to that I say yes, but while some races are to determine championships, most racing is for recreation. Some races should provide different challenges. Some races should provide variety. Racing should be fun, and when it isn't fun, people leave. <br />
<br />
When I heard the annual fall Snipe regatta this past weekend in San Diego would not use W-L courses, I had to experience it. The races used the permanent marks in Mission Bay, and some legs were not perfectly in line with the wind. Courses criss-crossed the entire bay. One race went around an island. This thirty boat fleet was tested in new ways, and for me, it was exhilarating.<br />
<br />
This coming weekend is the biggest event of the year for keelboaters in San Diego. It is the Hot Rum Series, where legs are not perfect to the wind, and the inverted start allows the smallest boats to begin first. But people support this event because it is fun. Like sailing is supposed to be. - Craig Leweck, ScuttlebuttUnknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-66623721572460628702011-10-19T09:43:00.000-07:002011-10-19T09:44:22.328-07:00They wouldn't print it if it wasn't true<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBByGYSNfF_X17GdSeUk2LyhbDepWVX716edNAuv82s0UvhuHFp4k0BWWn0UGg4WP_kv0nfMT0WFhwwTRrqroVFATGLRHqyQjrhl1LwGLTlP4BDORJNpVFDWKZoDevOIEIMk9O/s1600/m1161_crop10_608x338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Giovanni Soldini" border="0" height="221" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBByGYSNfF_X17GdSeUk2LyhbDepWVX716edNAuv82s0UvhuHFp4k0BWWn0UGg4WP_kv0nfMT0WFhwwTRrqroVFATGLRHqyQjrhl1LwGLTlP4BDORJNpVFDWKZoDevOIEIMk9O/s400/m1161_crop10_608x338.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>One of the changes with grand prix events is that they have drifted from competitions to paydays. There was a time when the people that competed in the America's Cup and the Whitbread Race invested their soul for the sake of a trophy. It was a significant sacrifice but their intent was honest. <br />
<br />
But in current times, the true competitors are mixed with people pursuing paychecks, and the vociferous appetite of the media bites on everything. Here are two press releases:<br />
<br />
<strong>September 22, 2009</strong> - An Italian campaign led by Giovanni Soldini has been officially confirmed for the 2011-12 <a href="http://www.volvooceanrace.com/">Volvo Ocean Race</a>. Known as Italia 70, the team will race under the il tricolore with an all-Italian crew for the next two editions of the race. Soldini, 43, has completed two single-handed round the world races and has made over 30 Atlantic crossings. He is partnering with John Elkann and Carlo Croce on the project. Italia 70 has acquired the Volvo Open 70 Ericsson 3 which competed in the 2008-09 event. -- <a href="http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/Soldini-signs-on/2865/news.html">http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/Soldini-signs-on/2865/news.html</a> <br />
<br />
<strong>October 7, 2011</strong> - Giovanni Soldini and his team of nine sailors will next year captain the yacht Maserati in an attempt to break the Cadiz-San Salvador (Bahamas), Miami-New York and New York-Lizard Point (UK) records. The three ocean course attempts will be monitored by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, the international body certifying the record times on the historic clipper routes. Soldini and Maserati will also attempt to break the record for the longest distance covered by a single-hull yacht in a 24-hour period. Maserati is a VOR 70 that participated in the 2008-2009 round-the-world race. -- <a href="http://www.boatpoint.com.au/news/2011/masarati-set-to-break-records-27148">http://www.boatpoint.com.au/news/2011/masarati-set-to-break-records-27148</a> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>While attempts to contact Soldini for comment have been unsuccessful, it is common for teams to announce their intentions to do something without the funding to actually do it. How many of the <a href="http://www.americascup.com/en/Teams/">seven America's Cup challengers</a> will actually exist this time next year? Maybe Maserati can be their Plan B too.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GnaUL8OpBck" width="420"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-45676008348389702962011-10-09T10:27:00.000-07:002011-10-09T17:38:24.546-07:00Finally, a real race track<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKE62_6x3F5AzaCfAW6kYiUMo-1E6GEycShlG6DESwrgB-3HDbcOKlasrMxeSlTq9ZreRl_8H0ZViP_Q_fxUVWXLOa_rIEHzxpGJ21YbYV9YrusAg2ax2vBSagW9oKDbDS0S9z/s1600/imagesCAFXOF4N.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKE62_6x3F5AzaCfAW6kYiUMo-1E6GEycShlG6DESwrgB-3HDbcOKlasrMxeSlTq9ZreRl_8H0ZViP_Q_fxUVWXLOa_rIEHzxpGJ21YbYV9YrusAg2ax2vBSagW9oKDbDS0S9z/s1600/imagesCAFXOF4N.jpg" /></a></div>Let's be honest. Would you want the America's Cup if someone gave it to you? What a pain in the butt! Thank goodness Larry Ellison has a ton of money to take on the task of shining up this tarnished trophy. <br />
<br />
You remember the legal delay after the 32nd Match. How about the obscene money spent on the farcical 2010 mis-match? Not the best of times. And with the 34th America's Cup not until 2013, the event was on a road to nowhere. <br />
<br />
To create interest again, the America's Cup World Series was invented. But again, let's be honest. It's been a work in progress. The first event in Portugal wilted under the bright lights. And in the UK, only the 'crash & burn' angle rescued the show. If this was Broadway, it'd likely be a very short run.<br />
<br />
What's been missing is a legitimate sailing venue. Thus far it's solely been about entertainment, and the actors have been performing on a sound stage. But now, with the circuit coming to San Diego (Nov. 12-20), the racers will finally get a chance to race their boats on a tested track. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSL71LV3Lokrmk8jXV-CAnrMoazUFxEzj3Xc2FpGxqCB8knM2xy3cmP9Lpm2olAfBbxK9htIUTVjztEK6DbTTv1mqeSnyMeBUx5vYKedpqV58xguMMcxqdCoyUaLu6jwqB6_6Q/s1600/BCTop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSL71LV3Lokrmk8jXV-CAnrMoazUFxEzj3Xc2FpGxqCB8knM2xy3cmP9Lpm2olAfBbxK9htIUTVjztEK6DbTTv1mqeSnyMeBUx5vYKedpqV58xguMMcxqdCoyUaLu6jwqB6_6Q/s200/BCTop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>And we're not talking about the track that hosted the Cup in 1988, 1992, and 1995. No, the AC45s will be competing on the same course as... the... annual... <a href="http://www.cortezracing.com/CRA2011/BC2011/BC2011Index.htm">San Diego Bay Beer Can Series</a>. Inside the bay, baby! And they're lucky that four-time America's Cup winner Dennis Conner has retired. Nobody went undefeated this past summer like DC did with his Farr 60 'Stars & Stripes'. <br />
<br />
And the organizers of the San Diego event are for real too. <a href="http://www.sea-sandiego.org/">Sailing Events Association San Diego</a> is chaired by Chuck Nichols. Chuck has been Commodore of the world famous San Diego Yacht Club and was President of both the 1995 America’s Cup and the 1998 Super Bowl. And Chuck is bullish on the venue too. <br />
<br />
"We have a natural amphitheater," said Nichols. "We have developed areas around the bay that will facilitate on-land spectating. We have Harbor Island with all the open space. We have Coronado Island, which we hope to have available with the Navy's cooperation. And then we have the city front area. All of this is close enough to be able to enjoy the races from shore.<br />
<br />
"With the cooperation of the Navy and Coast Guard, we can push the sailing area to the edges. And the race management is really flexible on course layout. This isn't like the old America's Cup where everything is set in concrete. While we know the footprint of the sailing area, how the course gets set within that area will depend on the wind direction so that it provides for both good racing and shoreside viewing."<br />
<br />
While most events are bleeders, Nichols sees this one in the black. "A study by a local university estimates that the event will induce $20 million in spending. And I think that's light. They were quite conservative in their analysis. Between the sponsors, and each team's sailors and staff, I think the estimate is 20,000 room nights. And then you have the people coming to watch. Hotels, restaurants, retail stores, rental cars, airport fees... people stay overnight and it all adds up."<br />
<br />
With a proven race track and veteran administrators, the only other significant variable is the weather. While San Diego is known for its mild climate, it's also known that winds from November to March are hit or miss depending on storms. But there is reason for optimism, as rain has come early to California. And <a href="http://www.almanac.com/weather/longrange/zipcode/92103">'The Old Farmer's Almanac'</a> has good news too. Their prediction for the event week is 'Rain and t-storms, then sunny, cool.' Sounds like a hit!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aoGl2M-jd9MDaU-nE-Qyi07dCyyq27lPQTYTLZIfwW6IGFUTvggNWo_n-Kg6gW1kd3kB6FHUL3LMTyTgS94y2giUX3cvf7mtx4r6tBFbZOdE-PxDhspPGycf6jZjoo2XvlnI/s1600/CourseChart1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aoGl2M-jd9MDaU-nE-Qyi07dCyyq27lPQTYTLZIfwW6IGFUTvggNWo_n-Kg6gW1kd3kB6FHUL3LMTyTgS94y2giUX3cvf7mtx4r6tBFbZOdE-PxDhspPGycf6jZjoo2XvlnI/s400/CourseChart1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-80583696915586954212011-10-06T07:25:00.000-07:002011-10-06T07:33:19.319-07:00Sponsor brainstorm session<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGstYKPP9fpf0cqtG4cGo0FoDE5I1eQQgkOUkF6fpAf_9oC8n_IuhfLbLPdO-J0zV3sZjwfVLsjLHgLN5fvHCdyCxnBydm79poQpSnzHepRITqr67YeBt9thlcEl9pSr05a7w/s1600/brainstorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGstYKPP9fpf0cqtG4cGo0FoDE5I1eQQgkOUkF6fpAf_9oC8n_IuhfLbLPdO-J0zV3sZjwfVLsjLHgLN5fvHCdyCxnBydm79poQpSnzHepRITqr67YeBt9thlcEl9pSr05a7w/s200/brainstorm.jpg" width="166" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Regatta organizers are already gearing up for the 2012 events, and the bigger events are on the hunt for sponsors. The following note sent to Scuttlebutt stirred up a brainstorming session:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">"We are planning a North American championship in 2012 and need sponsors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who in your opinion are sponsor friendly/willing in our sport?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have gotten a lot of interest in 'in kind' donations but we actually need money to do this right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any advice?"</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here were some of our immediate thoughts:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- View sponsorship as a partnership rather than a donation.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Seek advice from the previous North American event hosts.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Determine the demographics of who the sponsor will be getting exposed to.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- How will the sponsor be exposed? (website, event comms, site banners, etc)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Any sponsor perks? (ie, sponsor spectator boat with eats and treats).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Can 'in kind' donations help reduce operating cost/participant expense?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Everyone who advertises in the class publications are potential sponsors.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Are there companies with a history of sponsoring the class? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Are there companies with a history of sponsoring similar type events? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Are there companies with a history of sponsoring events from host club?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">- Are there people who make donations for important events? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><strong>Any comments or additions? </strong></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-35854108665234253872011-09-26T15:06:00.000-07:002011-09-26T16:59:26.365-07:00The Amazing Claim<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F42GUWUY7TxuHtVY25M2fBZdX1SBCf2oZczw5OeiH_d4kbQNMBUAw_StQEknlKMLp2oMIBor1GUKlTsnksA3kBZ-UeYbwYYDs2hWu_kLQe1VcL7wz28RH2JJhSyjqj55cNoe/s1600/tar19_laurence_zac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F42GUWUY7TxuHtVY25M2fBZdX1SBCf2oZczw5OeiH_d4kbQNMBUAw_StQEknlKMLp2oMIBor1GUKlTsnksA3kBZ-UeYbwYYDs2hWu_kLQe1VcL7wz28RH2JJhSyjqj55cNoe/s1600/tar19_laurence_zac.jpg" /></a></div>The Amazing Race is an eight-time Emmy Award-winning reality series that pits 11 teams, each comprised of two members, against each other on a trek around the world for approximately 25 days. Teams who are the farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning $1 million.<br />
<br />
The show premiere for the 19th season was Sunday night, and this edition has Zac Sunderland and his father Laurence as one of the teams. <br />
<br />
At age 16, Zac set off on an Islander 36 to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone. Sunderland departed from Marina del Rey (Los Angeles, CA) on June 14, 2008, completing the route on July 16, 2009. After many stops along his circumnavigation, he claimed that his thirteen months adventure set two world records: the youngest ever to sail around the world and the first under 18.<br />
<br />
His successful trip - and the attention it received - opened the flood gates for other teenage attempts. Soon the two record keeping authorities - Guinness Book of World Records and the World Sailing Speed Record Council - chose to no longer ratify age-related records. <br />
<br />
A key feature of record ratification is to insure that a common route is followed. There are shortcuts to take, and as Zac went through the Panama Canal rather than around Cape Horn, his route failed to meet the historic standard.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While you will not find Zac's name in any record books, it does not belittle his accomplishment. It takes some big stones to sail solo around the world. However, perhaps he should stop saying, as he does on the show's website, that he was "the youngest person to sail around the world." </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Isn't it enough to just be able to say you sailed around the world at age 16? <br />
<br />
Cast details: <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/cast/63367">http://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/cast/63367</a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-302765531477682082011-09-21T15:22:00.000-07:002011-09-21T15:22:26.811-07:00FAMILY TREE OF VINCENT VAN GOGH<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwdxFetzxULtB_eiK2vDSO60Qum-OLy4KwnJrsQK1R2fgzfVkX5XAuXYBLlrfziZk02IVA_TmAew7qksZH8uxUriyUluYumKKbTzUf5qBSIP_s835mLLe6HbtAOCjKreK0y94/s1600/gogh+1887+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwdxFetzxULtB_eiK2vDSO60Qum-OLy4KwnJrsQK1R2fgzfVkX5XAuXYBLlrfziZk02IVA_TmAew7qksZH8uxUriyUluYumKKbTzUf5qBSIP_s835mLLe6HbtAOCjKreK0y94/s200/gogh+1887+1.jpg" width="157" /></a></div>His dizzy aunt: Verti Gogh<br />
The brother who ate prunes: Gotta Gogh <br />
The brother who worked at a convenience store: Stop N Gogh <br />
The grandfather from Yugoslavia: U Gogh <br />
His magician uncle: Where diddy Gogh <br />
His Mexican cousin: A Mee Gogh <br />
The Mexican cousin's American half brother: Gring Gogh <br />
The nephew who drove a stage coach: Wells far Gogh <br />
The constipated uncle: Can't Gogh <br />
The ballroom dancing aunt: Tang Gogh <br />
The bird lover uncle: Flamin Gogh <br />
The fruit loving cousin: Man Gogh<br />
An aunt who taught positive thinking: Way to Gogh <br />
The little bouncy nephew: Poe Gogh <br />
A sister who loved disco: Go Gogh <br />
And his niece who travels the country in an RV: Winnie Bay Gogh <br />
<br />
I saw you smiling . . .. there ya Gogh<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Thanks, we think, to Eric Sorenson</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-18491754840920034062011-09-12T09:32:00.000-07:002011-09-12T17:37:03.256-07:00'Doing' versus sitting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVPHxQTXQlYiUvWOfPOpWIXS0iTsIUEqEWwG_jMazq6zyxVznDs2ZmA3gEN0VIJqwlcQw8DjAXm3Uh2uFoiYDJFVcO1CM_v9bHavVub7chkw73-cYgQXq2uK1zjzQiTsAetdr/s1600/screen_test_jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVPHxQTXQlYiUvWOfPOpWIXS0iTsIUEqEWwG_jMazq6zyxVznDs2ZmA3gEN0VIJqwlcQw8DjAXm3Uh2uFoiYDJFVcO1CM_v9bHavVub7chkw73-cYgQXq2uK1zjzQiTsAetdr/s400/screen_test_jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
So there I was, Saturday morning, watching the America’s Cup World Series racing in Plymouth, live on my computer. Very, very cool. I was totally enjoying the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/americascup">YouTube</a> media platform and livestreaming capabilities, which offered me five different video and audio streams to choose:<br />
<br />
Sports - A sports commentary for newer fans of the America's Cup<br />
Sailing - Those seeking a more technical commentary.<br />
Boat A - Ringside seat - selected on board audio and video<br />
Boat B - Ringside seat - selected on board audio and video<br />
Graphics - LiveLive and Virtual Eye providing a tactical graphics feed<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The broadcast had seemingly improved from their inaugural ACWS event a month earlier, but after about 30 minutes, some of which was a race delay to allow a ferry to cross the course, I said to myself: “Craig, this is your weekend. You are sitting in your office... alone...on a beautiful day.” And that’s when I realized the hurdle for online viewing.</div><br />
During this same weekend I was active outside, but I also watched some baseball, some football, and some tennis. Never did I watch a full game, but each time I was surrounded by people. Because watching sports is a social and entertaining occasion.<br />
<br />
So while I am at work this week, I suspect my productivity will dip as I view the ACWS racing on Wednesday through Friday. But for their final racing on Saturday and Sunday, I will be choosing between watching the races online, or taking a break from the computer. Until I connect my hi-def 56” TV to the internet (or winter hits San Diego), I will likely be ‘doing’ versus sitting.<br />
<br />
How are you handling this situation? <br />
<br />
A reminder for U.S. viewers that the Versus cable channel will be broadcast a one hour highlights show on September 18 at 7:00 P.M. ET. -- Craig Leweck, ScuttlebuttUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-13129893762840419742011-09-01T09:11:00.000-07:002011-09-05T16:36:12.400-07:00Event communication<span style="font-family: inherit;">We all have our soap box moments, when we’re passionate enough about something ... our emotions just can’t be contained. These moments are tolerated as long as they are brief. So I will try to be brief. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlHtENaw67hKV1YVxkTu-oWZmGfIosRoZ2g7meSDufG2VZTJZStfuBXa9bQ_r1vShdjEtnuu1qNj748SwY248TLUCztkmRR6ZXHZChklefr7D_Dax2IptHvs1H-mYGrFRqRXL/s1600/soapbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlHtENaw67hKV1YVxkTu-oWZmGfIosRoZ2g7meSDufG2VZTJZStfuBXa9bQ_r1vShdjEtnuu1qNj748SwY248TLUCztkmRR6ZXHZChklefr7D_Dax2IptHvs1H-mYGrFRqRXL/s200/soapbox.jpg" width="101" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the report 'Online Expectations' in </span><a href="http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived_Detail.asp?key=4767"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Scuttlebutt 3414</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, it warned event organizers to avoid purchasing custom website addresses to use for their event. A case in point is the 2009 Snipe World Championship. When I went to look for some details from that event, I found their domain address (</span><a href="http://www.snipeworlds2009.com/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.snipeworlds2009.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">) had not been renewed and all the information that was posted there was no longer available. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have since learned that the entire website for the 2009 Snipe Worlds was moved, and is now an extension of the San Diego Yacht Club website (</span><a href="http://www.sdyc.org/snipeworlds2009"><span style="font-family: inherit;">www.sdyc.org/snipeworlds2009</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">). While it was good to hear that the information has been retained, it still did not change how every media report regarding the event was directed to the original site. <span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">And now those links are broken. </span>Whether it is on the ISAF website or the Scuttlebutt website, stories about the 2009 Snipe Worlds link back to an event site that no longer exists.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But what really moved me to climb up on the soap box was a press release announcing that the Notice of Race for the 2012 Etchells World Championship was now available online at </span><a href="http://www.etchellsworlds2012.org/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.etchellsworlds2012.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. Anybody want to take a guess what is going to happen to this domain address in two years? </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anybody want to guess what has already happened to the event website from the 2009 Etchells World Championship (</span><a href="http://www.audietchellsworlds2009.com.au/"><span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">www.audietchellsworlds2009.com.au</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">)? </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tips to help event organizers with their event communication can be found here: </span><a href="http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/pr"><span style="font-family: inherit;">http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/pr</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-33118662512449940382011-08-19T10:21:00.000-07:002011-08-22T07:17:11.637-07:00Guys are struggling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiOkJIa63tK2bbZa7UnZCCv41i_tUysLolsBkAiUuvkPP3VVliEGKz4Qm84K_5IGJHcxeK5qtkDuCOi9EzV3j6mHu1Ou45D8nYPxbPyRoZ08d1izND5jRlq_LTcC2Ww1t3PD1/s1600/no_boys1-150x150.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwiOkJIa63tK2bbZa7UnZCCv41i_tUysLolsBkAiUuvkPP3VVliEGKz4Qm84K_5IGJHcxeK5qtkDuCOi9EzV3j6mHu1Ou45D8nYPxbPyRoZ08d1izND5jRlq_LTcC2Ww1t3PD1/s1600/no_boys1-150x150.gif" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not sure how much of a secret it is that women are better than men. They look nicer, smell better, and typically have better manners. In grade school, girls tend to be brighter and more mature than the boys. Other than being stronger and taller, guys are struggling these days.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This could be a continental thing. The struggles of men in North America are in full focus. If there are medals to be won at the 2012 Olympics, bet on a gal. The only medals won at the </span><a href="http://www.sailing.org/london2012/2011-test-event.php"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pre-Olympic</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> event this month were from the American women. In fact, for events with both men and women divisions (ie, RS:X, 470, and Laser), the North American women <span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(in Canada, Mexico, and USA) </span>beat their male teammate in six of the eight instances (plus one tie). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This trend has wheels. At the </span><a href="http://championships.ussailing.org/Youth/US_Youth_Champs.htm"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2011 U.S. Youth Sailing Championship</span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> last week, girls won three of the four events. These were open events, where the only restrictions were size and skill. The lone event won by a boy was the Laser Full Rig. Golf clap.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Advocates for single-sex education find that it allows teachers to use techniques geared toward the gender of their students. Like a boy’s short attention span. Maybe they had really long race courses at the U.S. Youth Champs. Maybe the women better handled the two week schedule at the Pre-Olympics than the guys. </span> </span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe it is as simple as... girls rule - boys drool.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYirhuel19LMBXsS6sng3-7tdN-C7eaETdYfmj8XKz8-ORWlsrGKtBpd36sDgtna1g6Ile7MunJZWjTyRY6_hPLlS1ydk8o9jNMzGQwYrQnJX6pLiOt9ow7xojnGBkaxnSQpJn/s1600/girls_rule_boys_drool_shirt-p235778912077002153t59f_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYirhuel19LMBXsS6sng3-7tdN-C7eaETdYfmj8XKz8-ORWlsrGKtBpd36sDgtna1g6Ile7MunJZWjTyRY6_hPLlS1ydk8o9jNMzGQwYrQnJX6pLiOt9ow7xojnGBkaxnSQpJn/s320/girls_rule_boys_drool_shirt-p235778912077002153t59f_400.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-78862348127574885392011-08-01T18:10:00.000-07:002011-08-01T22:20:43.059-07:00Just what the America's Cup needs<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Since Oracle Racing won the 33rd America’s Cup, their intent to revamp the 34th edition into a commercially sustainable model has led them to make drastic changes. At times ignoring the event’s base of sailing supporters, they contend their move to high speed wing-powered catamarans is the preferred platform to grow the much larger non-sailing audience. Their bottom line is, in effect, to fill the ‘seats in the stadium’.<br />
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To this point, it has been a ‘sugar over substance’ approach. They have sought to grow interest by creating an exciting boat, where the narrow line between control and disaster is often crossed. And it has worked, with the occasional crash being hot internet fodder. But can an all-candy diet be sustained? Not likely. At some point we still need to know what we are eating.</div><br />
Regardless of the sport, we cheer for the people. Our tie to any sport is beyond the helmet, the hockey stick, the race car. We may favor certain sports because of the action, but the depth of our commitment is linked to our familiarity with the player’s experience. The closer we feel to them and what they are doing, the more vested we become as a spectator.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGZZOZ5xn14CmJ8zSaKMk5dCsn_Sxy8chvDj6Lqhw3i5BOGKYMnopYA617p6HYxwv27gXaGciBjc9cLAgPIG_KGSh1omsovuR64heYhZckHGb0L4c7RSq9unBOZESFeYmzi4A/s1600/51Y1X97B4JL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGZZOZ5xn14CmJ8zSaKMk5dCsn_Sxy8chvDj6Lqhw3i5BOGKYMnopYA617p6HYxwv27gXaGciBjc9cLAgPIG_KGSh1omsovuR64heYhZckHGb0L4c7RSq9unBOZESFeYmzi4A/s200/51Y1X97B4JL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" t$="true" width="128" /></a></div>And from the looks of it now, the America’s Cup organizers know this too. They got our visual attention with the boats, and now they’re working on making the more cerebral connection. This past weekend was the launch of their new weekly video magazine program called America's Cup Uncovered. If the future shows can maintain the standard of the first edition, this program should succeed in heightening fan interest during the march toward the 2013 Match. </div><br />
But heightening fan interest is also reliant on the watchability of the sport. Never a strength of sailing, significant investment has been made in this area too. The first public showing of the broadcast technology will be at the inaugural event of the America’s Cup World Series in Cascais, Portugal on August 6-14, 2011, which will showcase the AC45 wing-sailed catamaran in its first-ever competition. Viewing will be online at AmericasCup.com.<br />
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The course will be littered with cameras in the air and the water, plus improved graphics will detail the race area with imaginary reference lines to help follow the race. Each boat will have four onboard cameras with crew mic’s integrated into their personal flotation devices. Additional onboard mic’s will pick up the sounds of the boat. <br />
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While the similarities between the America’s Cup and the amateur roots of the sport appear to be decreasing, there is still hope that the event may be worth following. Here are some links to help...<br />
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America's Cup Uncovered: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/AC-072811">http://tinyurl.com/AC-072811</a> <br />
America’s Cup World Series: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-Cascais">http://tinyurl.com/ACWS-Cascais</a> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Television technology: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/SFE-080111">http://tinyurl.com/SFE-080111</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-24666116144925968242011-07-31T17:42:00.000-07:002011-07-31T17:42:18.217-07:00Chicken or the Egg<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Gaf7Vl6Tws-cX0Pthd8sq1BuCOaFpuddIsJ9JiQjl2IEvCUjibn3J8nc7znmh201Tq-0DNnBFLtNfjMTByatW9Sd9I8IgKdmnu1vCFINA-0WovCK9ycIy2vBSsFGglWgFBa8/s1600/15661_chicken-egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Gaf7Vl6Tws-cX0Pthd8sq1BuCOaFpuddIsJ9JiQjl2IEvCUjibn3J8nc7znmh201Tq-0DNnBFLtNfjMTByatW9Sd9I8IgKdmnu1vCFINA-0WovCK9ycIy2vBSsFGglWgFBa8/s200/15661_chicken-egg.jpg" t$="true" width="200" /></a>Sprit boats and race course selection. Do you have an opinion? The sprit boat aspect invariably surfaces when suggesting there should be more reach legs offered to augment the current steady diet of Windward-Leeward courses. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">While the relevance of this aspect is negligible in one design racing, the opinions get stronger when mixed boats - symmetrical spinnakers and asymmetrical spinnakers - meet in a handicap event.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But what came first: the sprit boats or the focus on windward-leeward race courses? Since the J/105 is considered the first production boat featuring a retractable bowsprit - allowing for an asymmetric spinnaker to be flown - Scuttlebutt contacted J Boats President Jeff Johnstone for some insight into this situation:</div><br />
<i>"The development of the J/105 in 1991 really had little to do with the style of courses being sailed at the time, and much more to do with finding new ways to sail faster with fewer crew. One-design keelboat racing was already many years into the W/L focused courses, especially in the international classes like the J/22, J/24 and Etchells. Handicap racing at top Race Weeks like Block Island and Key West in the early 90s were mostly on W/L courses. I remember racing on the last triangle course at Key West in 1994. It was a surprise to see it posted on the RC since we had sailed W/L all week. We were in a J/80 and it was blowing 20-25. It was an incredible ride, the highlight of the week, and Onne van der Wal happened to capture it in a picture that's still on the website 16 years later.<br />
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"In the more local and regional venues in the 90s, there was still plenty of triangle racing and it's probably a fair statement that the emergence of sprit boats alongside conventional boats probably helped encourage committees to "equalize" the set-up by going with more W/L. It was otherwise hard to establish handicap deltas for a W/L course that would hold up for a triangle course, and vice-versa. Of course, it wasn't long before A-sail shapes quickly evolved to the point where sprit boats were going downhill very well, so for handicap fleets the focus then became more on grouping boats of similar configuration (bowsprit vs. non sprit) as well as similar DSPL/L ratios (planing vs. non-planing) in order to get the fairest racing.<br />
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"Reaching is the most fun point of sail there is, so I'd welcome seeing more of it worked back into the RC course options. Besides a lot of us could use one leg in the race where we can just go fast without thinking and then be mentally refreshed to tackle that next beat and run."</i><br />
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<strong>COMMENT</strong>: In the past 30 months, Scuttlebutt has twice polled its readership on the subject of race course selection. In both polls, when asked if they would prefer more courses signaled that had reach legs, over 70% of the respondents said yes.<br />
<br />
2009 poll: <a href="http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/09/0131/">http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/09/0131/</a> <br />
2010 poll: <a href="http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/10/1130/">http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/polls/10/1130/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-29658203389393583402011-07-25T06:46:00.000-07:002011-07-25T06:47:32.103-07:00The Beauty of Waste<strong>The sport of sailing is lucky to have so many passionate people eager to share their experiences. And sometimes, in between these sailing experiences, they share their observations... which occassionally appear a bit random. This report comes from Lia Ditton (words) and </strong><a href="http://bit.ly/ogxkKz"><strong>Christophe Launay </strong></a><strong>(photos).</strong><br />
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<em>Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain - Mamlakat al Baḥrayn (The Kingdom of Two Seas), is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. </em><br />
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<em>Arid, desert-like; the beaches bare the same dusty hues of the wind-swept plains. Yet all the same, nestled in the sand is the debris of careless modern living: trash. At times, colourful, patterned, (often enchanting once the sea and test of time has had it’s way with it,) Christophe Launay documents the offerings of Al Jazayer Beach.</em><br />
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<em>More than simple portraits of forgotten objects, the images set the scene of untold stories. The beach seems barren and unpopulated, yet dug into the water’s edge is a brilliant crimson cloth, a woman’s garment. Caught among the rocks is a bust flip-flop, abandoned at the scene where it was probably broken. Then beside a white plastic spoon are a child’s set of plastic sea creatures – the absence of play and the people they belong to, quietly poignant. Cultural references abound – the “Hi-Tea” bag, flung onto the sand; the toilet for “disabled people only;” the empty children’s park and the family unit under the concrete pavilion, shot compassionately at a distance.</em><br />
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<em>At the end of the day, the sea will cart off the remains – an assortment of shoes so varied and plentiful it begins to verge on funny, but it is the large stretches of plastic that are saddening. The enormous white tarpaulin with Arabic writing beached like a dying whale and the lasting vestige of what could have been a bag, simultaneously horrifying for it’s time at sea and beautiful for its frail viscosity.</em><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXcXhr7Mvf4SF_YHC-mtFBmKsfA8wkHVlroj-6-quAFOMuH1EbXF5zMOREN_fOY6zbhHly9Xv3tfQk2MYTLBcdiuyGs6KE-eL4JCltUe6N0Pv754o1DOumeKdhI6yLqMs4a0Z/s1600/AlJazayerBeach006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXcXhr7Mvf4SF_YHC-mtFBmKsfA8wkHVlroj-6-quAFOMuH1EbXF5zMOREN_fOY6zbhHly9Xv3tfQk2MYTLBcdiuyGs6KE-eL4JCltUe6N0Pv754o1DOumeKdhI6yLqMs4a0Z/s400/AlJazayerBeach006.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ckfPnTIWJPR-7XVrmxVSAgpD5hF5H4T37E_5An1ylomAtuTTbUhSX2u-Y0uNEYlXk-7JMgm0pIuH1hFsfTa-ZmHJmarq9PfS0WCRG2AsWGP5RqucYGa8wLCMj_-vdUQBNEEU/s1600/AlJazayerBeach012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ckfPnTIWJPR-7XVrmxVSAgpD5hF5H4T37E_5An1ylomAtuTTbUhSX2u-Y0uNEYlXk-7JMgm0pIuH1hFsfTa-ZmHJmarq9PfS0WCRG2AsWGP5RqucYGa8wLCMj_-vdUQBNEEU/s400/AlJazayerBeach012.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nqJQU0Lc1W1P9t1yItXZEZr3GSuTZddOsX_9iwyElzTXK63AfTIk0aKxw27avrlZHNS9aDcrfCnySMRIsHXvqr2-olQTXiG9xFnU3JSqE8-w4GXv4CedeVKw2ZrRrKlh3THT/s1600/AlJazayerBeach018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nqJQU0Lc1W1P9t1yItXZEZr3GSuTZddOsX_9iwyElzTXK63AfTIk0aKxw27avrlZHNS9aDcrfCnySMRIsHXvqr2-olQTXiG9xFnU3JSqE8-w4GXv4CedeVKw2ZrRrKlh3THT/s400/AlJazayerBeach018.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOX80-UBfnazht4WiTbXSmARGRn05I7kJ-1kGaiWbFwwvAwPNSfXNdPBfmnE6SPepxQZf5UndSRnBIFVeRJb8Nqu4YuRit0Ayd7R0hb2kx180cNOucw4gqL5BtMu9h837OiPsR/s1600/AlJazayerBeach022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOX80-UBfnazht4WiTbXSmARGRn05I7kJ-1kGaiWbFwwvAwPNSfXNdPBfmnE6SPepxQZf5UndSRnBIFVeRJb8Nqu4YuRit0Ayd7R0hb2kx180cNOucw4gqL5BtMu9h837OiPsR/s400/AlJazayerBeach022.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjVJJmCFUYbqdBRiIOqJZ9SXlY1EH7Mhs54Qy1YDTNLnkJqKXPhcJFzyOqbhEd0P8oYObUAtCiAaKRF_1Le5M7ivxjHJs_-LDxpFDtK_lDAmY95vs94pTQdIbIFNjAY_6GP8o/s1600/AlJazayerBeach024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrjVJJmCFUYbqdBRiIOqJZ9SXlY1EH7Mhs54Qy1YDTNLnkJqKXPhcJFzyOqbhEd0P8oYObUAtCiAaKRF_1Le5M7ivxjHJs_-LDxpFDtK_lDAmY95vs94pTQdIbIFNjAY_6GP8o/s400/AlJazayerBeach024.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiTbGzRtA2VK0h6pdy3IrRaZpDNid3a8YpSoCUaexa0SY-7WwbuQOfKXG-LbkME3rNRPlqQATRdrF4A7YXOdXuLUh4uONxUq4xdxqxgVMR-K9NbTtx5mlgSyRJVd0F_mcHEBI/s1600/AlJazayerBeach065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiTbGzRtA2VK0h6pdy3IrRaZpDNid3a8YpSoCUaexa0SY-7WwbuQOfKXG-LbkME3rNRPlqQATRdrF4A7YXOdXuLUh4uONxUq4xdxqxgVMR-K9NbTtx5mlgSyRJVd0F_mcHEBI/s400/AlJazayerBeach065.jpg" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-54137857304179082122011-07-21T16:23:00.000-07:002011-07-21T16:23:38.292-07:00He who has the gold makes the rulesThis report comes from the “can’t we all get along” department. <br />
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Ever since Oracle Racing became the defender of the America’s Cup, they’ve been working tirelessly to re-invent the 34th edition into an entertainment vehicle to grow fan and sponsor interest. Not exactly what George Schuyler had in mind when he deeded the event, but let’s not go there. <br />
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Among Oracle’s plans to build fan interest prior to the 2013 Match is to launch the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) this summer. The inaugural event of the ACWS will be in Caiscais, Portugal on August 6-14. What is less clear is why the first event got put on that date.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIbYbeZJt2PzB1b8aV4BCr-Z8WKa8-PruGJ1fGwbQwtKXEjoiBBt8_oO9Ss5RXWG72348Q93CPLcOOhmPJ9uzeiHxHW55EBycXw9WKSFDENfXSWWLhDn-fMZfVovDeSqRpdRa/s1600/king.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIbYbeZJt2PzB1b8aV4BCr-Z8WKa8-PruGJ1fGwbQwtKXEjoiBBt8_oO9Ss5RXWG72348Q93CPLcOOhmPJ9uzeiHxHW55EBycXw9WKSFDENfXSWWLhDn-fMZfVovDeSqRpdRa/s320/king.jpg" t$="true" width="214" /></a></div>The prominent conflict is with the nine event Extreme Sailing Series (ESS), which is now in its fifth year of providing a professional league with stadium type racing in forty foot catamarans. Sound familiar? For the ACWS to put their event directly on top of the fifth ESS event in Cowes, UK is more than an ‘oops.” It’s more like a ‘we’re coming after your audience’.<br />
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But that’s not the only conflict. The timing of the ESS event is to coincide with Cowes Week, which has been a key part of the British sporting summer calendar since 1826. One might think that the ACWS would give the largest annual multi-class inshore regatta in the world a little space, but apparently not. <br />
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And then there is another little event called the Olympics. Well, not exactly the Olympics, but the London 2012 Olympic Test Event (July 31-August 13, 2011) which is designed to replicate the Games atmosphere and will host 460 sailors representing 66 nations. This would seem to be of interest to some people.<br />
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But maybe the date scheduling was for the ACWS to avoid a conflict with the 2011 RC44 class Championship Tour, which has their next event in Marstrand, Sweden on August 17-21. In this Russell Coutts inspired class, the America’s Cup Defender and Challenger of Record hold three of the top five positions in the Tour standings.<br />
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It’s good to be king!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-38595742724478061422011-07-18T18:27:00.000-07:002011-07-18T18:27:42.602-07:00Scewed without a kissProviding attribution is critical in the media. For online news, providing links is also standard. How closely a website follows these basic tents is the difference between a reputable organization and one that is less so. <br />
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When Sailing Anarchy is critical of other news sites that ‘cut and paste’, yet when they do the exact same thing...without proper attribution...frequently... an occasional bullshit needs to be called.<br />
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Today they posted what appeared to be an original report that Mike Sanderson wrote about sailing with Hap Fauth and the Bella Mente team during their winning Transpac race. Except Mike <a href="http://www.mike-sanderson.com/da/113235">wrote the report for his website</a>, and SA lifted the whole thing without any link to direct online traffic back to his website. <br />
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Screwed without a kiss.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRiBCABfAEjMlqt2O40GUWipUgSLIK_RCt1dWb5vaVyKSfkjfArieWSxUdwPzwQeoFr4Ye8pGovKEncM3__qeVPUzOmEmVdSl_tPuQEv_qdzUmyItK9x4MwQDVf_soLQNM7Nm/s1600/mike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRiBCABfAEjMlqt2O40GUWipUgSLIK_RCt1dWb5vaVyKSfkjfArieWSxUdwPzwQeoFr4Ye8pGovKEncM3__qeVPUzOmEmVdSl_tPuQEv_qdzUmyItK9x4MwQDVf_soLQNM7Nm/s640/mike.jpg" width="366" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-43281973402762023332011-07-18T08:55:00.000-07:002011-07-18T09:00:31.521-07:00Is this true?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYzq_8ZBCfWNlWnrwo5LcfU_Vj6DFmlR6G5GO-E3U7KNOq_HA6s6S9FIwAY7wKKo8vj3P1gj-KirBvRMYJLepetxYrVX38kO1vld4DOh2ypIx_8oykF16d2JVJy-0xrc_dSZA/s1600/lat38_july2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYzq_8ZBCfWNlWnrwo5LcfU_Vj6DFmlR6G5GO-E3U7KNOq_HA6s6S9FIwAY7wKKo8vj3P1gj-KirBvRMYJLepetxYrVX38kO1vld4DOh2ypIx_8oykF16d2JVJy-0xrc_dSZA/s400/lat38_july2011.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From the July 2011 issue of Latitude 38, that prominent monthly magazine distributed along the western U.S.:</div><br />
“The <a href="http://www.etchellsworlds2011.com/">2011 Etchells World Championship</a> regatta was supposed to be a nine-race series, but San Diego’s Bill Hardesty with crew Steve Hunt, Mandi Markee, and Craig Leweck needed only eight races to take the title. ...The win also marked the <strong>first time</strong> a full-time sailing journalist - Leweck edits the popular <a href="http://www.sailngscuttlebutt.com/">Scuttlebutt</a> website - has ever won a legitimate world championship.”<br />
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<strong>Is this true? Am I the first full-time sailing journalist to</strong> <strong>win a legitimate world championship?</strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-22840660122333731552011-06-14T15:49:00.000-07:002011-06-14T15:55:36.147-07:00Freely pursuing all types of sailingThis past week I was privileged to have won the <a href="http://www.etchellsworlds2011.com/race-results">Etchells World Championship</a> in San Diego, CA. When Bill Hardesty asked if I would sail with him, he warned me that we would be putting in the training time needed to be fully prepared. I agreed, knowing that being physically, mentally, and technically ready would be vital for success. <br />
<br />
After four days of racing, our team was reaping the benefits of our preparation, having won four of the first seven races in the 81 boat fleet. There was a party that night, and I had just collected another daily first trophy. As I was leaving, I met a nine year old girl who had also been racing in the regatta. I hadn’t realized someone that young was competing, but I thought it was pretty cool, and without much thought I gave her the trophy.<br />
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This week I received a note from her dad: “Thank you for giving your daily first trophy to my 9-year old daughter at the Thursday night Etchells party. It made her week and she has it prominently displayed in her room. She could not stop talking about it, and it appears that she is completely hooked on sailboat racing now (started sailing school this week in her newly acquired Optimist), which in turn will hook her 7-year old sister.” <br />
<br />
Thinking back to the regatta, there were a few young people competing, but not many. I am now 48 years old, and the sport for young people has dramatically changed during the past 30 years. There was not such a division between youth sailing and open events for me as there is now, so my experience growing up included IOR boats, MORC boats, Hobie 16s, Snipes, Santana 20s, etc. While today’s young sailor has more opportunities now to compete against their peers in many different venues, they are lacking the diversity in boats and adult interaction that help them really connect to the sport. <br />
<br />
The Worlds was an exhausting week, but meeting the young sailor and offering her that award was one of my personal highlights. I believe that seeing the handful of young people at the Etchells Worlds is something to build on, and I hope that parents allow their children to freely pursue all types of sailing, and not just what is offered on the youth sailing menu. -- Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt editorUnknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-10357294177352912292011-05-24T12:08:00.000-07:002011-05-24T12:08:02.231-07:00The Flintstones are back<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkf3w0X79vNnO4TImkSiiMBHYtMCURXTySr7_rL2YUvXw9NANEjHtbUTROXdqaVi0dlKdpulTYZB1IEaatsd0IpvCSWWiDcNX37vTXjuAb-APR5ks0MSvZpIZ_8vkSI5jGyIYZ/s1600/160x180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkf3w0X79vNnO4TImkSiiMBHYtMCURXTySr7_rL2YUvXw9NANEjHtbUTROXdqaVi0dlKdpulTYZB1IEaatsd0IpvCSWWiDcNX37vTXjuAb-APR5ks0MSvZpIZ_8vkSI5jGyIYZ/s1600/160x180.jpg" t8="true" /></a>It was on September 13, 2010 when the plan for the 34<sup>th</sup> America’s Cup was revealed, and a "new era" was promised by the boss of the defending team, Russell Coutts. The boats will be "cool", he said as he showed an impression of a 72-foot catamaran with a wing sail. “This will be a competition for the Facebook generation, not the Flintstone generation,” promised Coutts.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Facebook-Flintstone comment, which had innocent intentions to highlight the trend toward a younger competitor and audience, proved to be miscue. Not only was it a slap at the generation most connected to the Cup, but it failed to realize that Russell Coutts himself was in the largest Facebook age range (35-54), and that his parents were in the age range experiencing the greatest Facebook growth (55+). So much for cute comparisons.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Love it or hate it, the America’s Cup remains the most recognizable event for the sport, and it would be regrettable for the format to fail. But now there is cause for real concern. Is it possible that Sir Russell, the master tactician on the race course, is completely out of phase with his appeal to the younger generation? Guess what... <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Flintstones are back!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATNmhc2yyjFrbm0rB2WDu7-GG2IIDNQpPF99OI4ZD1rCXWh72QMnt4rrpCu3DLi_lOakCTpEiW5wir4Ls4YikxhqTxhFYtocBuw3Bq968JX1va6_tbebv9XAZhMfR7voixjM1/s1600/fred_flinstone.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgATNmhc2yyjFrbm0rB2WDu7-GG2IIDNQpPF99OI4ZD1rCXWh72QMnt4rrpCu3DLi_lOakCTpEiW5wir4Ls4YikxhqTxhFYtocBuw3Bq968JX1va6_tbebv9XAZhMfR7voixjM1/s200/fred_flinstone.gif" t8="true" width="146" /></a>This animated, prime-time American television sitcom that ran from September 30, 1960 to April 1, 1966, is back in production and is gearing for a 2013 premiere on the U.S. Fox network schedule. And if you’re paying attention, its fall release will now be competing for the same television audience as the 34<sup>th</sup> America’s Cup.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The irony is overwhelming. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><em>Story sources: </em><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/sailing/new-era-for-americas-cup-2078289.html"><em>The Independent</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://www.istrategylabs.com/2010/01/facebook-demographics-and-statistics-report-2010-145-growth-in-1-year/"><em>iStrategyLabs</em></a><em>, and </em><a href="http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/yabba-dabba-doo-seth-macfarlane-finally-gets-go-ahead-to-reboot-the-flintstones/?xrs=synd_twitter"><em>Deadline.com</em></a><em>.</em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-36018279495510999042011-05-23T15:30:00.000-07:002011-05-23T16:25:26.775-07:00Gettin’ Air<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn1B4VUxe0EhMn94sOCmywGHErz6gSkQtPfEF-ovz6w-rkQd6I2byWOvXaHqBnhRVCVT5Tx1m0n9Ah7DXJCw2ppU21pTD65gRkJ4szcZHsJcD5J0yM04yl7HOGr1_kw8H95Yy/s1600/Longobarda_1mr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn1B4VUxe0EhMn94sOCmywGHErz6gSkQtPfEF-ovz6w-rkQd6I2byWOvXaHqBnhRVCVT5Tx1m0n9Ah7DXJCw2ppU21pTD65gRkJ4szcZHsJcD5J0yM04yl7HOGr1_kw8H95Yy/s400/Longobarda_1mr.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>One of LONGOBARDA’s afterguard is flung into the air when the collapsing rig snaps the backstay taut. <strong>Who is that ‘daring young man on that flying trapeeze?’ </strong><br />
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Although it happened nearly 20 years ago, <a href="http://www.ultimatesailing.com/">Sharon Green</a> easily recalls shooting the Maxi Worlds off Newport, RI. “It was a distance race and they were approaching the finish after a full day of sailing in extremely rough seas.” In fact, says Sharon, “We had no right going out there ourselves: there were huge seas, and walls of water ... every time we’d come off a wave the boat slammed down and water flew everywhere. It was impossible to shoot.”<br />
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Longobarda and another yacht were sailing aggressively, and close. “I instinctively knew something was going to happen and grabbed my camera, and started firing through the walls of water. I heard the ‘Bang!’ of the rig as it started to come down; zoomed out and just kept shooting. I didn’t know I got the rig breaking, and this guy catapulting off the back of the boat, until I got the film back from the lab the next day.” <br />
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This is just one of the thousands of images Sharon is poring over, from three decades of the Ultimate Sailing Calendar. As she works to create the newest collection of images (“Sharon Green’s 30 Years of Ultimate Sailing” will release in October), Sharon has a few mysteries she wants to unravel. And the first is: who IS this airborne crew member? What happened to him in the aftermath? <br />
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<strong>Please post your information in the comments section.</strong>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-16807469611226429162011-05-10T11:04:00.000-07:002011-05-10T11:04:22.224-07:00Communication<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With the sailing season started in the Northern Hemisphere, or at least the warmer season for the hearty frost biters, I suspect everyone is eager to see strong participation in the sailing events they plan to attend. There are a lot of variables that lead to strong participation, but I fear that the days of ‘if we build it, they will come’ might be behind us. Motivating people is more vital than ever.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFFzrc_tfTcPpo00hEs20OjA1Ae0111zFqQzDlsOqqqOz_5kj6JbSmSTlG49tbvvmVi4LDXmwtIPSvFXmvjFf2Cbzx8OQRX47brv8dq9qYPJTYLSatmZAPJwpExnbq14FgBGz/s1600/ritchie_b_80_voyager_compass_42773big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFFzrc_tfTcPpo00hEs20OjA1Ae0111zFqQzDlsOqqqOz_5kj6JbSmSTlG49tbvvmVi4LDXmwtIPSvFXmvjFf2Cbzx8OQRX47brv8dq9qYPJTYLSatmZAPJwpExnbq14FgBGz/s200/ritchie_b_80_voyager_compass_42773big.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>On occasion I reminisce about communication, or at least, how communication has changed. Before the Internet, fleet and class communication was by letter and phone call. One provided a physical reminder and one provided an active reminder. While both were costly in terms of time and/or money, they had key qualities that motivated people. With the Internet, we have made communication so much easier, but I think, much less effective for motivating people. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Our society has shifted from personal communication to passive communication. If your mission is to get boats on the water, this might be a shift worth avoiding.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-56332578368726599692011-05-05T09:37:00.000-07:002011-05-05T09:58:19.162-07:00DancingNot sure what the motivation is for Sailing Anarchy’s frequent attacks on Key West Race Week. Maybe it's influenced by how Charleston Race Week hires SA to provide media for their event. <br />
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SA's latest attempt to diminish KWRW was in April when they posted a ‘report’ that the Melges 32 class would not return to KW and would have their own January event at another venue.<br />
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Apparently the class was only looking at alternatives in the event that KWRW did not occur. And as KWRW now <a href="http://www.premiere-racing.com/keywest12/pages/KW12_releases.htm">announces their confirmed plans for their 2012 event,</a> SA dances their way out of the earlier 'report'...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bMkoHjd9vIQnzflOzoCoBkMNBGR5RIfqOnyB08_Wsd2GGMFyR3ADLqSOisMYzzcfUsGRQkALBtuV5SmIdz11idNJaHpbtvy5v0188DxXlNZcenuMeL62o3jajohmIS34MIE4/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bMkoHjd9vIQnzflOzoCoBkMNBGR5RIfqOnyB08_Wsd2GGMFyR3ADLqSOisMYzzcfUsGRQkALBtuV5SmIdz11idNJaHpbtvy5v0188DxXlNZcenuMeL62o3jajohmIS34MIE4/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyUzEqNQfNqOUMnHHN-3gZZMaZLa5C78bVBuV9iSXXHylMPGJtwBkdJIMO4gBqQ-Ap4O5Ezzqac-qijiV-tWM6eLNDPnmxVptt8EcMdmf2D7gqOAiE6HQjog8SWBDrsqNLVMK/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyUzEqNQfNqOUMnHHN-3gZZMaZLa5C78bVBuV9iSXXHylMPGJtwBkdJIMO4gBqQ-Ap4O5Ezzqac-qijiV-tWM6eLNDPnmxVptt8EcMdmf2D7gqOAiE6HQjog8SWBDrsqNLVMK/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20113676.post-66251483527536752052011-05-03T06:36:00.000-07:002011-05-04T16:37:06.841-07:00Good intentions get trashedIt can be frustrating when good intentions get trashed. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">People ask for merchandise from Scuttlebutt, so when we found time to order t-shirts, we picked one of the Curmudgeon’s Observations that spoke positively of the sport. We then decided to donate any proceeds toward the fight against breast cancer, a disease that had entered Scuttlebutt editor Craig Leweck's family. The shirts are for sale in the <a href="http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/store">Scuttlebutt Store</a>.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDLU9D8ibiam_zIWUW346qYW-29oKEkvQrBs2eKKvIhO8clCdEIJFCRdpORGIDbty_-Y_n_24OaN5so2BvDtlzf8rHK4Gz1ud0cem_bijFS8BeDHAN91qUP4ZL5ysXdHhEN4t/s1600/SA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDLU9D8ibiam_zIWUW346qYW-29oKEkvQrBs2eKKvIhO8clCdEIJFCRdpORGIDbty_-Y_n_24OaN5so2BvDtlzf8rHK4Gz1ud0cem_bijFS8BeDHAN91qUP4ZL5ysXdHhEN4t/s200/SA.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Never in our wildest imagination did we anticipate this project would be strongly criticized. But this week Scot Tempesta of Sailing Anarchy blasted the project on his website. He called the effort “lame” and “patronizing”, and in his forum he justified his criticism because he found Leweck to be “a whiny douche”.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Usually Scot’s comments are not promoted here, but the level of misinformation and hatred within his posting pissed us off. However, the reality is comments like this are typical from Scot, so for anyone ever charmed by him, this is who he really is.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2