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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1450 - WEEKEND EDITION 1-2 MARCH

Brought to you by boats.com Europe ( http://www.boats.com ) and Yachtworld.com Europe ( http://www.yachtworld.com ) Scuttlebutt Europe is a digest of sailing news and opinions, regatta results, new boat and gear information and letters from sailors -- with a European emphasis. Contributions welcome, send to editor@scuttlebutteurope.com

EDITORIALS, OPINIONS, AND THE RUMOUR MILL...

NEW MULTIHULL ORGANISATION The recently founded International Multihull Council (IMC) is actively seeking member organisations to promote multihull sailing and racing worldwide. Your organisation is invited to join, along with other national and international multihull class associations and builders.

The decision of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to exclude any Multihull Event from the 2012 Olympic Games has shown that we cannot entirely rely on others to promote our interests, so need to establish our own organisation to do so. As there is no representation for Multihulls within ISAF, either formally through a Multihull Committee, or informally, through the interests of individual Councillors, national multihull associations from several leading ISAF Member National Authorities (MNA) have jointly founded the IMC.

The founder Members are the National Multihull Associations of Australia, Great Britain, Netherlands and United States and are represented on the Executive Committee by Paul Pascoe (AUS) as President, John Williams (USA) as Vice President, Nick Dewhirst (GBR) as Secretary General, Edwin Lodder (NED) as Treasurer and Rod Waterhouse (AUS).

As stated in the Constitution, "The purpose of the Council is to promote catamaran sailing and racing. To this end the Council will agree upon matters of common interest, present the views of the membership to third parties, provide representatives on national and international bodies, arrange sponsorship and lobby for changes in the interests of the membership. The Association intends to complement the activities of clubs, classes, national and international sailing and sporting authorities."

While our immediate priority is the inclusion of Multihulls at the 2012 Olympic Games in Great Britain (the Sailing Regatta) the breakdown of process and representation within ISAF has also highlighted the need for an integrated lifetime multihull strategy, which should begin at entry level, with youth education and training. The new generation of rota-moulded catamarans now makes this feasible.

Balance between inclusiveness and proportionality has been struck as simply as possible by establishing two levels of membership. Full Membership is open to qualifying National Multihull Class Associations and International Multihull Class Associations, as defined respectively by IMC and ISAF. Affiliate Membership is open to Manufacturers of Multihull Classes and other National or International Multihull Class Associations. Initially, the fee for Full Membership is US$100 and Affiliate Membership is free.

President Paul Pascoe Vice-President John E. Williams Secretary General Nick Dewhirst

Minutes: http://scuttlebutteurope.com/pdf/IMCMinutes.pdf Constitution: http://scuttlebutteurope.com/pdf/IMCconstitution.pdf

* Editor... no website yet, coming this month...

ACC RACING THIS SUMMER??? The focus concerning the legal battle between the defender Alinghi and Oracle BMW could come to an end with the preparation of a new series of Acts scheduled to begin as early as 2008.

Although no official information from ACM (Americas Cup Management) has been released yet, the new series of events is thought to be attracting some of the key players of the 33rd America' Cup.

Apart from the obvious participation of the Defender, United Internet Team Germany, TeamOrigin, Shosholoza, Victory Challenge, Desafìo, one of the two French Teams, Emirates Team New Zealand and one team from China could all be in the game. Vincenzo Onorato, owner of Mascalzone Latino, also mentioned a possible entry too.

The project is believed to be well advanced and will provide exciting racing from spring to autumn 2008. The teams will use the ACC boats (America's Cup Class) with which they were supposed to sail in the year leading up to the 33rd America's Cup. Racing is expected to take place in Valencia, Cowes, Germany and Italy.

These Acts will help the teams to fill the great hole created by the "hostile-duel" and the legal battle launched by the BMW Oracle Racing last summer. Furthermore, it gets the teams back out on the water and the visibility for their sponsors. It also lets the DoG match where it belongs ie: in the Supreme Court of New York. And best of it all, it lets the America's Cup remains a "friendly challenge cup, between countries".

Given the current circumstances, wouldn't that plan be the best thing for the next America's Cup? -- Sebastien Destremau, http://www.adonnante.com/en

THAT COWES CANTING KEEL CONTROVERSY... Round two from Ger O'Rourke:

Below are the IRC constitution objectives:

3. Objectives 3.1 To facilitate handicap racing based on the IRC Rule for a wide range of cruising and racing ballasted monohull keelboats by providing a system of measurement to classify boats for competition with single figure allowances based on time or distance. 3.2 To encourage design innovation consistent with stability, rounded performance, seaworthiness and safety. 3.3 To discourage unnecessary expense. 4.5 The IRC Technical Committee is appointed by the IRC Congress from representatives nominated by the RORC Rating Office & UNCL Centre de Calcul. The IRC Technical Committee has sole responsibility & authority over the technical content of the IRC Rule and reports to the IRC Congress.

Cowes decision now accepting that if 6 or so canters show an interest they will run a canting keel class is welcome but how is a class to begin if not allowed to race prior to 6 being available.

IRC handicaps heavily canting keels & due to such heavy handicapping loading there is evidence around the world that they are not competitive in shore. Therefore to create canting keel class time should be allowed to develop as was the case in down South. The actions of a few are going to scare owners away from them at the expensive of IRC's constitution, performance of multihull sailing a mono hull, youth experience & fun. Cowes are breaking the principles of IRC objectives above - IRC Rule for a wide range of cruising and racing ballasted monohull keelboats

Cowes asking owners to pin their keels is a total lack of understanding, grossly unsafe & liable to a serious accident breaching design. If an owner was to attempt the expense would be huge, to request is in breach of IRC constitution above 3.3 To discourage unnecessary expense.

There will never be enough of canters in the North if a small few self interested biased owners attempt to protect themselves, afraid of creating a class up North while our fellow Southern yachties are more openly advanced. Already down south such an IRC class exists and if we let them sail past us there will be a second generation of Northern sailors lacking in ability, technological advances.

Attempts to stop progress will harm IRC globally, the fact that the same small group of self interested owners are on some IRC Technical committees is a worry. 4.5 The IRC Technical Committee is appointed by the IRC Congress from representatives nominated by the RORC Rating Office & UNCL. There should be someone representing canters on this committee! Any one who has not sailed a canter is not qualified to decide their future in IRC racing (Cowes request to ping keels is an example)

Let a class of canting keel boats build by accepting the principles of the IRC above, let race in IRC bands until we get the half dozen at which stage break into their own class.

JAMES DADD ON THE COWES WEEK CONTROVERSY An excerpt from TheDailySail's interview:

RORC Chief Measurer James Dadd reckons IRC is getting better at equalising canting keelers, but says he sympathises with the position of Stuart Quarrie and the Cowes Week committee: "If you look down in Australia where there are the most canting keel boats racing within the general fleet - they are not winning every race or regatta. I think in general racing terms, we are dealing with the canting keels fairly well in IRC at the moment, but I do understand Stuart's concerns. With the style of racing that you have during Cowes Week, with lots of reaching and fetching, I can see their reasoning that canting keel boats might have an advantage because those are the conditions they do well. But it is difficult because you it is still new technology so you are only seeing canting keels on boats that are well campaigned. If you look at the crew lists on the boats and who is running the boats and how much time and effort is put into them, whether they are canting keel or fixed keels they should be up there winning, because they are such well run campaigns."

Dadd reckons that if their numbers are small, rather than requiring boats to fix their keels on the centreline, which they are not designed to do, they should be prohibited from competing instead... "which would be a shame, particularly when they have decided to make an exhibition event of the Open 60s going around the island. It is like composite standing rigging - canting keels are here, it is going to appear and I think we have to accept it. If you look at the polar diagrams from a Cookson 50 , a TP52 and an IOR 50 you'll find that the Cookson 50 and the TP52 polars look more similar than the TP 52 and the IOR 50. But no one complains about an IOR 50 and a TP 52 taking part in the same regatta..."

http://www.thedailysail.com

BUNDOCK CLAIMS HIS 6TH TORNADO WORLD TITLE Darren Bundock and Glenn Ashby of Australia have been crowned Tornado World Champions for 2008 after racing was abandoned on the final day of the regatta due to heavy rain and strong north easterly winds in Takapuna, North Shore City, Auckland. It is Bundock's 6th world title in the Tornado having won in 2006, 2003, 2002, 2001 and 1998.

As predicted Takapuna Beach is being buffeted by 25-30 knot winds and breaking waves, with low visibility on the race course on what would have been the final day of competition at the Tornado World Championships in this Olympic year. Competitors packed the club house to await a final decision for organisers which came at 12:45 to abandon racing for the day and close the championship.

Despite a 14th and a 23rd on the first day of racing the Aussies fought back and concluded the regatta five points clear of second place.

Canadian's Oskar Johansson and Kevin Stittle have impressed the Tornado fleet sailing with consistency throughout the event and winning the silver medal in a fleet that was stacked with the top 20 ranked Tornado sailors in the world. Not only have they qualified Canada for an Olympic berth they have also signalled to the fleet that they'll be serious medal contenders in China.

Also demonstrating consistency throughout the regatta was French pair Yann Guichard and Alexandre Guyader unfortunately having their poorest result in race eight which turned out to be the final race of the event. Ultimately it cost them the silver medal by the narrowest of margins finishing on equal points with the Canadian's but having to settle for the bronze.

Canada, Austria, New Zealand and the Ukraine have earned Olympic qualification for their respective nations beating out Russia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Poland and Venezuela for the final four places which have been decided here at Takapuna.

It was Aaron McIntosh and Mark Kennedy who earned the place for New Zealand finishing the regatta in 12th place overall, well ahead of the next best placed kiwis Bruce Kendall and Blair Tuke who finished 26th. While national qualification is one step on the road to becoming part of the New Zealand Olympic sailing team for Qingdao in August, McIntsoh and Kennedy may yet have more work to do to persuade the New Zealand selectors that they have medal potential and should join the team as inclusion is not automatic. -- Jodie Bakewell-White

Top ten results:

1. Darren Bundock & Glen Ashby, AUS, 34 points 2. Oskar Johansson & Kevin Stittle. CAN, 39 3. Yann Guichard & Alexandre Guyader, FRA, 39 4. Roland Gaebler & Gunnar Struckman, GER, 44 5. Francesco Marcolini & Edoardi Bianchi, ITA, 46 6. Mitch Booth & Pim Nieuwenhuis, NED, 52 7. Fernando Echavarri & Anton Paz, ESP, 70 8. John Lovell & Charlie Ogletree, USA, 71 9. Xavier Revil & Cristophe Espagnon, FRA, 72 10. Billy Besson & Arnaud Jarlegan, FRA, 73

http://www.takapunaworlds.org

LAUNCHINGS * Debuting at the Dinghy Show this weekend is the Alto.

This two-person, single trapeze design offers fast, exciting, and fun sailing, in a comfortable, responsive and controllable racing dinghy. It is an ideal fast club racing class suitable for a wide range of both crew weights and ages, male or female. -- http://www.altoboats.com

* Xcruising Line - World Premiere During the X-Yachts Gold Cup 2008, X-Yachts will present its third model line in the X-Yacths range - the Xcruising line.

The Xc 45 will, as the first yacht in this line, be presented to the international press and will compete in the Family Class. (The Xc 42 is planned for launch six months later).

* The new updated Blaze will be shown or the first time next week end at Alexandra Palace. It is the result of a detailed re-engineering of the boats deck tooling and a switch from polyester to epoxy. The builders Cirrus/Rondar say the boat will now be much easier to build down to target weight on a volume basis. The deck tooling needed to be replaced anyway and with 10 years experience the class association suggested a number of detail changes to layout and fittings. The exhibited boat will also have an all Harken fit out, carbon boom and carbon wing outers.

Class sail maker North have switched sail material for 2008 with CA input and this has greatly improved all round visibility.

The association will be encouraging anyone with an 'under used' Blaze to advertise with them at the show and a list of pre-used boats will available. A series of 'Try-a-Blaze' days are also planned. -- Yachts and Yachting, http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=140182

See also http://www.cirrusrace.com and http://www.blaze-sailing.org.uk

* Owen Clarke Design LLP reveals their latest generation Class 40 racing yachts.

Available as either, semi custom or limited production designs the latest generation of Class 40 designs are now well advanced.

Owen Clarke Design has been continually analysing and updating information in the expectation that a new Class 40 would be required for races commencing in the 2009 season. Changes in the class rules, observation from on the water and forecasts for the future development in the class have influenced some of the new yachts parameters. The systematic analysis of a number of new hull designs has been undertaken and the existing hull form as seen for example on the Jaz 40 has been used as a comparison datum.

This new ORC Category 1 maximum beam design is aimed at Class 40 owner/drivers who want more horsepower within the Class 40 rule restrictions. To achieve the minimum 4500kg weight all the internal structure where appropriate doubles as the supports and panels for the class mandatory bunks and domestic fit out requirements. A posted fabricated keel fin along with under hull rudders will be the standard appendages. Since the Class 40 rules limit upwind sail area to 115 m2, the reaching and downwind sail areas are only limited by what the yacht is able to carry and the sailors' ability to handle the sail sizes. With this in mind the rig has been relocated further aft allowing for a significant increase in size of the headsails, spinnakers, code sails and gaining a much higher aspect ratio mainsail. The new rig will be available in either two or three spreader arrangements.

The first custom design of this latest generation is for a renowned UK based sailor, who will be making an entry into the Class 40 racing circuit with this new yacht in 2009 culminating in the Route du Rhum of that year.

Meanwhile a limited production run of 6-8 boats is due to be made by UK based Osprey Racing Yachts. Construction is due to commence in April 2008 with the first boat launched in October 2008. -- http://owenclarkedesign.com

* Artist Frank Boelter has constructed a 9-metre paper boat from the stuff used to make Tetrabrik packs and is sailing it up the Elbe. The 37-year old artist came up with the idea one breakfast time, while he was sitting at his kitchen table fiddling with an empty milk carton, which he cut up and made into a scaled-down model. See how they built it after the jump.

A 1884-sq ft sheet of Tetrapak was folded to make the boat, which is almost 30 feet long and weighs 55 pounds. Named "Bis Ans Ende der Welt" or Until The End Of The World, the $217 boat took just two hours to construct, and Frank reckons it will survive forty days (and, I assume, forty nights) before it disintegrates into a soggy mass of sinkability. -- Gizmodo.com, http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/origami-for-sailors/giant-paper-boat-made-from-tetrabriks-allows-real-sailors-on-board-292996.php

* Thirty years after the movie thriller 'The Spy Who Loved Me' hit the silver screen "sQuba" is the first car that can actually 'fly' under water.

With the "sQuba," the world's first real submersible car, the movie fake now becomes reality for visitors of the Geneva Motor Show (March 6th - 16th, 2008). Rinspeed boss Frank M. Rinderknecht (52) is known for his extraordinary automotive creations. The acknowledged James Bond enthusiast and Swiss automobile visionary kept revisiting this scene in his mind over and over: "For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water. Now we have made this dream come true."

And it is this submerged stabile flight at a depth of 10 meters that sets the "sQuba" apart from military vehicles. While the latter can go under water, they are limited to driving slowly over the submerged ground. Rinderknecht: "It is undoubtedly not an easy task to make a car watertight and pressure resistant enough to be maneuverable under water. The real challenge however was to create a submersible car that moves like a fish in water."

It also had to be a sports car that was converted into a diving dream in the facilities of Swiss engineering specialist Esoro. In a first step the combustion engine was removed and replaced by several electric motors. Three motors are located in the rear. One provides propulsion on land, the other two drive the screws for underwater motoring. They are supported by two powerful Seabob jet drives in the front, which 'breathe' through special rotating louvers from HS Genion (for opening and closing the water intake). The rotating outlet jets were designed to be extremely light yet twist resistant by using high-tech nano materials, so-called Carbon Nano Tubes.

http://www.rinspeed.com/pages/cars/squba/pre-squba.htm

FEATURED BROKERAGE 40' Schock 40, 76,500 GBP, tax paid. Located in Jersey, Channel Islands, UK.

Canting keel, designed by W. D. Schock.

Brokerage through South Pier Marine: http://www.yachtworld.com/southpiermarine/

Complete listing details and seller contact information at http://uk.yachtworld.com/core/listing/boatFullDetails.jsp?boat_id=1848971

THE LAST WORD If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all. -- Noam Chomsky

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