| | Scuttlebutt is published each weekday with the support of its sponsors, providing a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk…with a North American focus. Today's sponsors: APS - Doyle Sailmakers What every sailor has the urge to do by Matt Wierzbach, Program Director, Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan
Having spent the better part of the last week at the US Sailing Leadership Forum in San Diego, I have been thinking through why it is I have this unending drive to be on the water. While sailing schools and yacht clubs are rethinking why people join the sport, we attempt to find why we ourselves began and how we came to love it now, which is as difficult as any introspective exercise can ever be. What follows is my attempt. I began sailing, thanks to my mother putting me into the Sheboygan Youth Sailing Club at 10. My memory of that is so fogged by fifteen years of sailing that I have no idea if I was overly receptive of it at that time or not. More than likely, my mother simply made the decision and that was that; it wouldn't have been the first time and it wasn't the last. All I can recall from my first years are a few moments of a short activity with a girl I had a crush with, getting hit harder by the boom than I ever have since, and getting to ride along on the local GL70 for a Wednesday night race. My clearer memory of my sailing education begins to form around 14 years when I began to hate it. I was the non-athletic sort of teenager; always average at most things – sailing included. It was also around that age that I had my first capsize that resulted in taking in a large amount of water into my lungs, to the point that the coach threw me into the powerboat as a precaution. I suppose I was afraid after that, although as a teenager I was loath to admit such a thing. This was nearly the premature end of my sailing career; it was my mother who pushed me to try one more year, and I was promised that it could be my last. Clearly it wasn't. Writing this, working as a program director for a sailing-focused organization, and owning an old Pearson Triton, all point to some sort of life changing event at 16 years. Something changed. Somehow the switch got turned from land lubber to sailor. But what was it? - Read on | | |
The Epic Voyages and Extraordinary Times of Lin and Larry Pardey While not known for their racing exploits, few sailors in North America are as well known as Lin and Larry Pardey. Their cruising adventures have filled books and magazines, lecture halls , and video documentaries. With over 200,000 sailing miles, the Pardey's are now the subject of a newly released book by Herb McCormick titled 'As Long as It's Fun' . Here's a review of the book by Angus Phillips which was recently published in the Wall Street Journal… After nearly half a century of adventures in small boats on big oceans, sailing legends Lin and Larry Pardey have hung up their sea boots and retired to Kawau Island in New Zealand's Hauraki Gulf. You'd think that would provide time for Lin, who had a busy career writing about their exploits, to sum it all up in a tell-all autobiography. But she didn't. For reasons unknown, the Pardeys, who have done everything their own way since first laying eyes on each other in California nearly five decades ago, farmed their last big job out, and we're richer for it. "If they told me once, they told me a hundred times, 'Warts and all, we want it warts and all,' " says Herb McCormick, the author of the easy-reading treasure "As Long as It's Fun: The Epic Voyages and Extraordinary Times of Lin and Larry Pardey." This isn't to belittle Lin Pardey's writing. Her books and magazine articles were tight and tidy, informative and readable. They left readers lusting after the moonlit shores and starlit nights, the trade winds and palm groves and secluded anchorages, the nude swimming and hand-caught lobsters for lunch. Yet hardened seafarers knew something was missing. What about the puking? The dinners that wound up plastered to the overhead? The threats and fights, the hurricanes, the dragging anchors and those days on some far, friendless shore when the money ran out? As their editor for close to 30 years at the magazine Cruising World, Mr. McCormick had heard plenty of Pardey stories that didn't make it into print, and he scatters enough around the book to make the narrative downright lively. Like the time Lin spilled bottom paint all over Larry's polished, hand-hewn teak flooring, and he threatened to kill her, then settled for just throwing her overboard. Or the time they stomped off in separate directions, she to Rome by train, he to wherever by boat, and agreed to meet three weeks hence in the little seaside town of Manfredonia unless one or the other chose to just keep going. (As it happened, when Lin arrived four days early, Larry was already there, looking nonplused. "I can't find my underpants!" he complained.) - Read on | | |
America's Cup: Rules to be released by March but venue selection not known until summer The new version of the America's Cup Class Rule, which will produce a foiling, wingsailed catamaran in the 60-65 foot range, is on schedule to be released next month. Several potential America's Cup teams are cooperating in the rule writing process with the design firm Morrelli & Melvin. The Protocol for the 35th America's Cup, which defines rules specific to this event, is also on track for a March release. "We're working with the Challenger of Record from Hamilton Island Yacht Club to have a Protocol ready to issue in March," said Russell Coutts, CEO of Oracle Team USA. "An overriding theme of both documents is an effort to reduce costs and increase media exposure, so that teams can provide a better return to their sponsors for significantly less money than was required last time." The selection of the venue for the 35th America's Cup is likely to stretch into summer. Several venues are under consideration. "We need to take the time to assess each potential venue and ensure we get the best possible outcome for the America's Cup, the teams and the event commercial partners." Coutts said. Source: Event website Editor's note: Among the venues under consideration are the cities of San Francisco, Long Beach, and San Diego in California, Newport in Rhode Island, and the state of Hawaii. On February 11, San Diego Port commissioners voted unanimously to submit a bid, directing the port's staff to respond to a request for information from America's Cup officials by March 3. 
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Alpari World Match Racing Tour Announces 2014 Schedule The Alpari World Match Racing Tour has confirmed the schedule of events for the 2014 ISAF Match Racing World Championship. The 2014 Tour will feature six stages across three continents spanning Europe, Asia and North America – with additional events expected in Europe and Oceania in the coming months. Over 30 match racing teams will go head to head during the season in their bid to be crowned Alpari World Match Racing Tour and ISAF World Match Racing Champion, together with a share in over US $1.4 million prize money. Sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation as one of only four 'ISAF Special Events', the Alpari World Match Racing Tour is one of the most challenging and hard fought world championships in sailing. Former Tour Champions include equal four time Champions Peter Gilmour (AUS) and Ian Williams (GBR), America's Cup and four time Olympic Gold medalist Sir Ben Ainslie, and last year's newly crowned Champion, 25-year-old US Virgin Islander Taylor Canfield. Once again central to the teams competing on the 2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour will be the eight 'Tour Card Holder' skippers. One team guaranteed a Tour card slot for 2014 and eager to defend its 2013 Championship Title is the USone Match Racing Team, skippered by Taylor Canfield. "US One is extremely happy with our 2013 performance as a first time Alpari Tour card holder," Taylor Canfield commented. "We have a special and talented team, which will remain the same for 2014 as we start the season as current World Champions. However, with new teams and new events, it's a clean slate and the standards are high. We will be competing with the same enthusiasm and drive to retain our title." 2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour Calendar
Stage 1: 5-9 June – Match Race Germany, Langenargen, Germany
Stage 2: 30 June-5 July – Stena Match Cup Sweden, Marstrand, Sweden
Stage 3: 31 July-3 August – Sopot Match Race, Sopot, Poland
Stage 4: 17-21 September – Chicago Match Cup, Chicago, USA
Stage 5: 21-26 October – Argo Group Gold Cup, Hamilton, Bermuda
Stage 6: 25-29 November – Monsoon Cup, Malaysia* (TBC)
Note: dates denote scheduled race days Click on headline for full report and video.
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Glenn Ashby takes early lead at A-Class World Championship Auckland, New Zealand (February 11, 2014) – The 2014 A-Class Worlds commenced today with a record fleet of 81 entries from twelve nations. The sailing world is now totally focused on catamarans, especially foiling catamarans, currently considered by many to be the hottest single handed class on the water. This year both Emirates Team New Zealand and Artemis have sent sailors to the A-Class Worlds, this event being the ideal extension for any America's Cup winter training. Emirates Team New Zealand has entered their two newest team members, Olympians Pete Burling and Blair Tuke, as well as 2013 America's Cup team members, Glenn Ashby, tactician Ray Davies, Pete Melvin, Luc Dubois and Nat Shaver. Chris Nicholson, skipper of the team's CAMPER entry in the Volvo Ocean Race was a late entrant skippering Dean Barker's catamaran after Dean's withdrawal so he can focus on the Extreme Sailing World Series which begins later this month in Singapore. Artemis racing entered their helmsman Nathan Outteridge. Today, in typical near perfect Auckland sailing conditions, the wind dropped for the start of the first race turning light and shifty. Australia's Nathan Outteridge seemed to have control of the race when he rounded the top mark with a lead of thirty seconds, before choosing the left hand side of the course where he sailed into a hole and dropped to an eventual twelfth place finish. Glen Ashby of Australia and Emirates Team New Zealand passed Outteridge to finish first ahead of Great Grand Master Scott Anderson (AUS) and Brad Collett (AUS). The wind increased slightly for the second race; the gauge showing a 7.2 knot average with gusts of 12 knots which saw those with more aggressive foils making the most of any increases in pressure. Outteridge dominated the second race providing another masterful sailing display on his downwind leg, and winning from Glen Ashby (AUS) with Steve Brewin (AUS) third. Later Peter Burling (NZL) was elevated to third when it was found that Steve Brewin was black flagged at the start. Nathan Outteridge stated that "the foils used today were aggressive and gave him a bit of extra lift." Day One Results (Top 5 of 81; 2 races)
1. Glenn Ashby (AUS) 1, 2 – 3 points
2. Scott Anderson (AUS) 2, 5 – 7
3. Andrew Landenberger (AUS) 8, 4 – 12
4. Nathan Outteridge (AUS) 12, 1 – 13
5. Ray Davies (NZL) 7, 6 – 13 Click on headline for full report and video.
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Skunked on on the south coast of New South Wales Jervis Bay, Australia (February 11, 2014) – The start of the Semi-Finals for the Hobie 16 Open World Championship was postponed today due to no wind. A forecast on Wednesday is for 6-12 knots from the East, with the schedule for the Semi-Finals to be completed by Feb 13. The top 56 teams advance to the Finals (Feb. 14-15). Report.
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Seve Jarvin on cusp of equally Iain Murray's 18-Foot record Seve Jarvin won his fifth Australian 18ft Skiff Championship on February 9, and now he sets his sights on leading his Gotta Love It 7 team of Sam Newton and Scott Babbage into the 2014 JJ Giltinan 18 Footer Championship (March 1-9), when he will be attempting to equal the record of his team manager Iain Murray as a six times winning skipper. Seve already has six wins in the championship, including one as sheet hand on Euan McNicol's Club Marine in 2005. His Gotta Love It 7 wins came in 2008, then 2010-2013, inclusive. Iain's wins were consecutive from 1977-1982. Click on headline for full report.
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New resource for boat buyers Norfolk, VA (February 11, 2014) – boats.com, the global online resource for boat enthusiasts and a division of Dominion Marine Media, today launched a buyer's resource for new boats called "Boat Reviews 2013." The downloadable PDF includes links to 204 written reviews, 16 video reviews, and 50 "First Look" videos produced by boats.com in 2013. It also features the "10 Top Boats of 2013" in five categories: fishing, pontoons, cruisers, runabouts and sail.
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Free Classified Ads Here are recent some of the recent posts in the Classified Ads Forum: * Hiring Boat Canvas / Sail Making (Newport Beach)
* Sailing Instructors Wanted - Saratoga Lake NY
* Selling 1974 Sabre 28 Located in Falmouth, MA (Free storage until May) Have an ad? Click here to post it in the Classified Ad Forum. | | |
GUEST COMMENTARY Scuttlebutt strongly encourages feedback from the Scuttlebutt community. You can add your comments directly to stories on the website, submit commentary by email or post your words on the Forum. Please save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere.
From Chris Bryant, Facebook:
So often when there is a tragedy at sea (regarding the Bounty, Scuttlebutt 4019), the press rushes in with the harshness of the sea and the heroics of those that go to sea. More than 1/2 of the time it is stupidity that allows mistakes to get to the point of death. I am glad the NTSB saw the follies of this captain as a major contribution to the sinking. I followed the investigation and truly feel they were still kinder than they should have been to the captain. This man's ego made so many mistakes that the crew who survived should be furious that the captain and the organization that risked their lives. The pleading the fifth by the ship's owner was an insult to the crew.
From Chris Graham, Facebook:
San Francisco better start getting its tourism act together (regarding America's Cup, Scuttlebutt 4019). It is its only valid draw to the city. After that, SF represents nothing more than any other large population city. The AC event brought more potential money-spending tourists than any other event and their social programs are at great risk without more events like this. Seems like there is an anti-rich bias held by many about sailing. It's still a great deal more fun than a rock concert.
From Andy Burton:
It's all very well to rail against sailing being an elite sport, but the fact remains; it is. Sailing is hard. Nuances abound and the lingo isn't easy or intuitive to pick up (though it's important to do so). There are knots to learn and a feel for the wind to cultivate. Sailing, or at least racing, is both athletically and mentally challenging. And sailing practically becomes a lifestyle for those who really enjoy it.
Joe and Jane Nascar will never embrace our sport and nothing we say or do is going to make it appealing to them. Society has changed; people want instant gratification. They want to be able to do something, rather than spend years learning something. We who sail know the rewards of sailing. We know it's never too late to learn; at my father's sailing school, we had a 92-year-old take classes with his nurse and one fellow who learned in his thirties and later sailed around the world singlehanded. Personally, after sailing for more than 50 years, I am starting to get a handle on just how little I know and am soaking up everything written by Dave Dellenbaugh and Lin Pardy, in hopes that I can improve my grasp of the sport. Sailors stay in the sport knowing that we can be competitive in a top class while sailing with our kids or even grandkids. We know that if we want, this sport gives us the option to sail away from the hustle of modern life and decompress while anchored alone in a quiet cove for a weekend...or a month. When I was very young, I desperately wanted to go racing on our big boat (a 23' Cub class) with my father. I wasn't sure what racing a boat entailed, but my father enjoyed it so I wanted to do it too. As a school teacher, my father knew how to motivate children; he cunningly made me earn the privilege of going out sailing with him; if my grades were good enough in school, then I could go. I worked like crazy to get those grades and got to go sailing. And was hooked. Perhaps the gurus marketing sailing could take a lesson from my father and target those who are smart enough and patient enough to learn to enjoy our sport. Something like, "Sailing. It's not for everybody, but maybe it's for you." Sort of the way the US Marine Corps encourages self-selection in those who want to become Marines.
From Christy Schisler - San Diego, CA:
I agree with everyone who believes that the way to retain young people (and adults for that matter), is to keep sailing interesting. Break away from rigid race training by adding fun elements. But what I believe should be mandatory, and is reckless to not include, is navigation.
Everyone on the water needs to know the rules of the road, how to read a chart for the local waters, and weather prediction - all at a local level, no matter where the next regatta is held. Navigation lessons can be presented in a challenging, yet fun format, without minimizing its importance. Every instructional sailing institution should make it an integral part of learning how to handle a boat, racing or recreational. This will serve the student who ages out of dinghies, and moves on to big boats. | | |
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Spending time with children is more important than spending money on children. | | |
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