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SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE #1473 - WEEKEND EDITION 29-30 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...

HOW TO SAVE THE AMERICA'S CUP Excerpts from Vincenzo Onorato's editorial:

The whole problem stems from the protocol drawn up by Alinghi for the 33rd America's Cup which was presented at the end of the regattas in Valencia. This affirmation might appear a trite observation but, as time has passed, I have become increasingly convinced that very few people, including journalists have taken the trouble of reading this document. Whoever has done so with a minimum of attention, but with a sense of humour, will not have been able to hold back a smile, because this is a document designed to regulate a competition which totally lacks any sense of fair play: Alinghi claims the right to choose, at its sole discretion, the regatta judges, the committee, the umpires and themeasurers, even going so far as to state that they must be its employees; in short, it unilaterally lays down the rules of the game. Alinghi, again at its sole discretion, claims the right to accept a challenge or to penalise a rival.

To underline Alinghi's complete lack of respect for the role of "trustee", as sanctioned by the "Deed of Gift", the central document on which the regulatory framework of the event is based, it elected as "Challenger of Record" the Spanish Nautical Yacht Club, a non-existent club with no history or members, essentially a sleeping partner that would have given it complete and unconditional control of the event. Alinghi's team worked hard in the aftermath of Oracle's legal action brought before the Supreme Court of New York to cry scandal and present itself to the whole world as the poor victims attacked by the American bear which had in effect blocked the event by bringing it before the courts. It is worth dispelling any misconceptions on this point: the Cup was effectively brought before the Court by Alinghi, with its ignominously unsporting protocol. Oracle's legal challenge was a courageous salvage operation of the oldest sports trophy in known history. This explains why, here at Mascalzone Latino, we supported Oracle at the Supreme Court of New York with our "amicus brief".

I spent the entire summer of 2007 in a vain attempt to broker a settlement between Oracle and Alinghi. I knew that a sure-fire way of losing all the sponsors was to take the Cup to court and I wanted to avoid this.I established contacts with Oracle in order to discuss our points of view. Contrary to Alinghi's declarations, I found Russell Coutts very willing to talk. Oracle's primary motivation was the same as Mascalzone Latino's: to achieve an honest and reliable competition. So I drafted a protocol that broadly speaking included the same rules that governed the 32nd Cup, specifying that, in order to cut costs, the same yachts would be used as in the last event and the use of the new 90ft A.C. class would be postponed until the 34th Cup. In the meantime, the challengers would jointly draw up the new class rules, which would not give such unfair advantages to the defender. I obtained - I have to confess, to my great personal satisfaction - an informal guarantee from Oracle that if my draft protocol was accepted by Alinghi, they would immediately withdraw their legal action pending before the New York Supreme Court. The Cup would be saved, and also the date of the event and the economic interests of the city of Valencia. Then I presented the protocol to Alinghi, who did not even have the good manners to reply with a "no thanks, we're not interested."

In the autumn, Oracle proved all too ready to negotiate with Alinghi, to the point of accepting almost all the points imposed in the much discussed protocol, only to be turned down again with a scornful refusal.

Following the launch of the challenge, ACM sent us an invoice for fifty thousand euros which we paid immediately. Are we perhaps the only ones to have done so to date? They replied in writing that they would accept our challenge only if we withdrew our declaration filed with the Supreme Court of New York. This is not required by the protocol, but it is clear that Alinghi writes and rewrites the rules to suit its needs. I answered by reminding them that a citizen accepts the laws even if he doesn't agree with them and that in a democracy there is freedom of speech and criticism. The simple metaphor was not understood. ACM/Alinghi replied by claiming a public abjuration. It would have been pointless to remind them that the last Italian forced to make such a strong retraction was Giordano Bruno, in medieval times under the Holy Inquisition...

The best solution now would be to hold the multi-hull challenge between Oracle and Alinghi, even if, yet again, the latter try to delay the event using every possible tactic. For the survival of the America's Cup, we must hope that Oracle wins, and after that we'll have to roll up our sleeves and work hard.

His full editorial at http://www.mascalzonelatino.it/home.html?MainID=1&SubID=35&ArticleID=198

ABOUT THAT TIMELINE... A meeting between the two parties (SNG and Golden Gate YC) provided no better outcome than any others that have taken place previously. The next two developments were somewhat surprising - being the alacrity with which Alinghi applied to the New York Supreme Court for a Hearing on the matter of the dates for the next America's Cup, and the second being the rapidity with which the Hearing was set up - being Wednesday of next week.

However was noted in the Emirates Team New Zealand story, Justice Herman Cahn has already commented on this matter in his pre-Easter decision. In the absence of a tolling agreement (to set the AC clock ticking again after the legal decision have been made), it would seem that the latest date for an America's Cup would be October 2008, but more probably the initial date of 4th July 2008 - just three months away.

With the foxing that is very much part of the America's Cup game, it is very hard to determine exactly what each side have in the bag. The Challenger are a little more obvious, in that they are believed to have a 90ft multihull in an advanced state of construction. However there have been no photos released or details announced of their Challenger, save for what has been disclosed in Court Hearings.

For its part, the Defender has a few more options - in that it can sail any vessel it likes, provided it is more than 44ft on the Load Waterline, and is built in Switzerland. Whether that is a fair Match for the Challenger, is irrelevant, if the precedent set in the Mercury Bay BC case is to be followed.

While some talk of forfeit of the America's Cup, there is no precedent and no provision in the Deed of Gift for this process (save for the dissolution of the Defending Club). -- Richard Gladwell, http://www.sail-world.com

* GGYC / BMW Oracle Racing's Tom Ehman said: “We believe that the right date for the match, under the rules set out in the Deed of Gift, is October 2008. As other challengers have also said, the sooner we get on and race this match the sooner we can all get back to a conventional America’s Cup regatta that includes all teams. “

Ehman also said that Ernesto Bertarelli’s repeated recent protestations that he now needed more time to get ready for the race were contradicted by Bertarelli’s own statements to reporters in December last year that Alinghi were even then preparing for a multihull duel on the water in July 2008.

WOMEN LOSERS IN MATCH RACING FOR 2012 Seems I am not alone in believing that the world governing body 'misspeaks' when ISAF trots out the argument that the media desires match racing to back in the Olympics. This is why they want to introduce it when the Games come here in 2012 and we go sailing on Weymouth Bay.

Not only this, but ISAF wants to make it an event for women too. The gender point is this. Women have already been dished out a duff deal by ISAF when in an extra women's event in 1996 (which was right) they decided to use the dull-as-ditch water Yngling class (which was wrong).

Women's match racing is not as well developed as it is the men. Fewer of them do it and they come from a smaller spread of countries too. So it looks as if we will have a new medal in 2012 for a sub-set of a sub-set.

It was another ISAF how-did-we-get-here-from-there? decision when it was made last November. Certainly women's match racing was not what the majority of countries urged in their submissions. And yet without much debate at the annual meeting the decision was made. "The media tell us the entire time match racing is good for the sport" was the justification used. Again. Hmmmm.

Transient television producers passing sailing by once every four years might like match racing because even they can work out that the boat in front is leading and they can shoot the race with fewer cameras but most of my cohort in the sailing media would rather see fleet racing in the Olympics any day of the week.

The America's Cup and the World Match Racing Tour is the place for match racing and it works superbly in both places.

... another thing about the decision. No one knows what class it will be in. Is there a good, small keel boat suitable for women and widely available throughout the world at reasonable cost? Not really.

The London 2012 organisers will have to buy a fleet for Weymouth because this will be a supplied equipment class and countries around the world will scrabble around to find similar boats. The beneficiaries? The richer nations. The losers? The emerging nations, women and the sport. -- Tim Jeffery, his complete posting on his blog at http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/sport/timjeffery/march08/womenlosersinmatchracingfor2012.htm

OCEAN YACHT SYSTEMS SERVICE AGENTS SUPPORT CARIBBEAN SUPERYACHT REGATTAS 7 fully qualified OYS service agents are attending St Barth’s Bucket, headed up by OYS Technical Director, Mike ‘Jaffa’ Orange.

Trained service technicians from the UK, US and the Caribbean are all in attendance to ensure that yachts with OYS Nitronic rod and OYS PBO composite rigging are fully supported throughout the days of racing.

Celebrating their 10th year, OYS is the original company providing the largest and most comprehensive network of superyacht rigging support available worldwide. With trained technicians able to attend any boat, in any worldwide location within 24hrs, OYS has taken superyacht rigging service and repair standards to a whole new level.

For more information on the OYS Worldwide Superyacht Service Programme and Network, please visit http://www.oceanyachtsystems.co.uk

DALTON TO BERTARELLI: FORFEIT! Emirates Team New Zealand managing director Grant Dalton says that in view of Alinghi's stated inability to race BMW Oracle in the time frame stipulated by the Deed of Gift, forfeiture seems their best option.

The Societie Nautique de Geneve (SNG), in a letter to the Golden Gate Yacht Club,said it was impossible to build a boat in the seven months to October 2008, the date BMW Oracle has proposed for the Deed of Gift match.

The SNG letter proposed July 2009 for the match, which BMW Oracle has rejected.

Dalton said today: "Alinghi has had as much time to design and build a multihull as BMW Oracle. It is apparent that Alinghi was so certain of a victory in the New York Supreme Court that it had not developed a viable contingency should the judge rule in BMW Oracle's favour.

"Having admitted that they cannot be ready by October we believe that Alinghi should forfeit right now, allowing BMW Oracle and the other challengers to get the America's Cup back on track and minimising challengers' continuing financial hardship that they created.

"BMW Oracle has said all along its preference is for a conventional, multi-challenge America's Cup regatta and has consistently worked to achieve this outcome.

"We believe that given the opportunity, BMW Oracle would be only too willing to work with the America's Cup community as a whole to restore the Cup's standing to what it was at the conclusion of the last America's Cup.

"Regattas could be held in Valencia this summer sailing the 2007 Cup yachts; next year the new 90ft yachts could be racing and a multi-challenge America's Cup could be held in Valencia in 2010.

"All it would take is for Alinghi to do the right thing and help recreate a positive environment and let everyone get on with it."

Dalton acknowledged that BMW Oracle had spent considerable resources developing and building a multihull for the Deed of Gift challenge.

"They might well wish to force the issue with Alinghi and no one could condemn them for that." -- Warren Douglas, http://www.emiratesteamnz.com

THE PREMIER CIRCUIT The TP 52 Class should continue it’s inevitable journey toward becoming the World’s premier Grand Prix racing yacht, with another exciting round of ‘AUDI MEDCUP’ regattas at six venues on the Mediterranean Sea this year.

The first regatta will be for the City of Alicante Trophy, sailed out of the port of the city of Alicante, Spain on the Costa Blanca, starting on the 12th of May and racing through to the 17th.

The TP52 box rule is, in my humble opinion one of the best things to happen to racing keel yacht design, certainly in my life time and I’ve lived long enough to see the sort of boats that come from very bad design rules.

Considering New Zealand’s supposed isolation from the Northern Hemisphere, our Hi-Tech marine industry is more than mildly involved in the TP52 Class. In Auckland, Cookson Boats have produced yet another ‘Artemis’ for last year’s MED CUP winner, Torbjarn Tornqvist while Salthouse Boatbuilders have built a new ‘Mean Machine’ for Peter DeRidder. the 2006 MedCup champion. Further south, in Wellington, Hakes Marine have ‘delivered’ their fourth TP52 baby and this one, ‘AUDI Q8’ is for Italian sailor Riccardo Simoneschi, of Genoa, Italy. Riccardo campaigned ‘ANONIMO’ in the previous two MED CUP rounds but had no input into that yachts design or deck layout.

AUDI Q8’ will feature a very strong all Italian crew, many of who were with the AC boat ‘PRADA’ last season and names that jump out of the line-up are Tommaso Chieffi and Philippe Presti. ‘Strong sponsorship also surrounds this Med Cup challenger. AUDI is the main sponsor, backed by Q8 as secondary sponsor.

‘AUDI Q8’ is on her way home to Genoa as I write this. Before she makes her way to Alicante in May, she will feature in the Genoa City centre on April 25, 26 and 27 as a back drop to, amongst other festive celebrations, a rock concert! This is obviously not a class for the faint hearted and although the AUDI Q8 team look like a very dangerous unit, they’ll be racing a very competitive fleet that could be in excess of twenty five yachts. There are world famous names on nearly every contender and extensive development of sails, foils throughout the fleet and hull design up-dates with the launching of several new craft. And of course, to keep New Zealand’s interest, top Kiwi’s feature on many of the boats, especially a Botin Carkeek design which will sail in the Emirates Team New Zealand livery.

A proven top contender and 2006 champion, Peter de Ridders ‘MEAN MACHINE’ is another yacht with a hefty line up of Kiwi sailors on board.

Winning the Audi MedCup Circuit is really difficult as it requires the best score from all races sailed across the six events that make up the season. Unlike past seasons, this year there will be no discard races. Mistakes or breakage will prove extremely costly to a team’s overall score and title chances, increasing the importance of consistent and reliable performance throughout the series. -- Excerpted from Jim Bolland's latest newsletter "A Brush With Sail" online at http://www.auldmug.com

LATE AVAILABILITY FOR ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK 26th April 2nd May 2008 Ondeck, official sponsors (and preferred Yacht Charter Company) of the 41st Stanford Antigua Sailing Week have just 1 X Farr 65 & 1 X Farr 40 left ready for you to ‘rock up and race’ in this world class event. We also have a very limited amount of availability for individuals on one of our Farr 65s and on Team Pindar’s Volvo 60. Full event management is included along with shore support and some fantastic opportunities for partying.

For more information contact sh@ondeck.co.uk or visit http://www.ondeck.co.uk

LEGION D'HONNEUR FOR ELLEN MACARTHUR At a ceremony at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich Thursday, BT Team Ellen skipper Dame Ellen MacArthur, was awarded France's highest decoration, the Legion d'Honneur by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

This was a formal recognition of the award that was bestowed upon Ellen after she set a new solo non-stop round the world record of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds in February 2005.

In his speech, the President highlighted the reasons why Ellen had been chosen for this prestigious award by saying that Ellen is a symbol of Franco-British friendship - adored by people from both countries and she symbolises something that unites the two countries.

Her passion for the sea - offshore racing is a passion for the French and she is so courageous especially given the fact that she was so young when she first sailed into the record books.

Not only is she a very brave person who has made people dream with her adventures on the sea, but she is also an extremely kind and generous person as evidenced by her work with the Ellen MacArthur Trust taking young people with cancer and leukaemia sailing to help them rebuild their confidence.

http://www.sail-world.com/indexs.cfm?nid=43007

MELGES 24 FLEET BATTLES THE MISTRAL Strong winds, waiting, and only four races total - mistral conditions arrived on schedule at last weekend’s Melges 24 SNIM Regatta in Marseille, France, canceling three of four days of racing. But current European champions Franco Rossini and team on ‘Blu Moon’ made time on the water count with a first and second place finish to help win the regatta. ‘Blu Moon’ and fourth place finisher ‘Marchingenio’ - sailing with 2006 World Champion Nicola Chelon - competed with the Ullman ‘Shark’ Dacron mainsail. Ullman Sails provides the sails and service preferred by champions.

Contact a local Ullman loft and visit http://www.ullmansails.com

LAUNCHINGS

SCHOONER ATLANTIC LAUNCHED Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Holland: ATLANTIC was designed by William Gardner, one of America’s foremost designers of the beginning of the 20th century. The builders then were Townsend & Downey at Shooter’s Island, New York. She was launched on July 28th 1903 and made her first trial trip in October at the rate of 15 knots. No one could then foresee that the schooner would gain enduring fame in 1905 under command of the renowned captain Charlie Barr setting the record for a transatlantic crossing from New York to The Lizard on the south coast of England at 12 days, 4 hours and 1 minute. A mono-hull record that stood for 100 years.

At 10:30am March 15, coinciding with local high water, the launching ceremony for the recreated ATLANTIC is performed by 9 year old Atlan Kastelein, whose father Ed is masterminding the build of the legendary schooner. ATLANTIC will be rigged and fitted out for a passage to the south of France early next year. There the finishing is expected to take another year.

The schooner measures 56.43 meters (185’) over the bows, excluding bowsprit and mizzen boom outboard of respectively 8.76 meters (28’8) and 4.05 meters (13’3). With her beam of 8.85 meters (29’) and draft of 5.00 meters (16’5) her displacement is 395 tons. From the different sail plans of the original, the record setting 1905 rig of 1,720m2 (18,500 square feet) has been chosen for the recreated yacht. Assisted by yacht historian John Lammerts van Bueren, Ed Kastelein has gathered copies of drawings of the original schooner from various archives in the USA, amongst which the MIT Museum in Massachusetts. Doug Peterson, acting as consulting naval architect, has digitized the original plans guaranteeing the authenticity of the lines and floatation. The structural designs for the construction by today’s methods and materials, like a welded instead of a riveted hull, have been produced by the naval engineering company MasterShip Services at Eindhoven. They too have completed the task of updating the design without changing an inch to the sacred aesthetics of the original. In the old design for example all 96 steel frames were spaced at 558.8mm (22 inches) and this has been adhered to for the sake of authenticity. The building takes place under Bureau Veritas classification for charter yachts.

It will still be a while before the new ATLANTIC will serve for luxury charter. Below decks accommodation is to be realized for twelve guests and eleven crew with every imaginable comfort. The crew quarters and the modern galley are ready to be installed. The pantry and laundry will follow within weeks.

Though not yet fully finished, ATLANTIC will be sailing again soon. And no doubt she will have a crack at beating the time the original yacht made to cross the Atlantic in 1905!

L'HYDROPTERE RETURNS Hydrofoiling trimaran l'Hydroptere returned to the French port of La Trinite sur Mer this week after six months of tweaks and refinements. After a long period spent configuring the flying trimaran for pure speed, the l'Hydroptere team took the opportunity of a quiet weather period to put the boat back in the water and to remast her.

Last season, the carbon bird broke two world speed records. In April 2007, l'Hydroptere broke a first record over 500 meters at an average speed of 44.81 knots and a second one over one nautical mile, a performance which made her the fastest craft over the last distance.

After this triumph, the team decided to temporarily set aside open sea trials in order to concentrate on breaking the 50 knot speed barrier. Thus, 2008 will be devoted to pure speed.

In order to accomplish this, studies and trials have been carried out by a team of engineers, in collaboration with the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. The rigging, the platform and the external parts have been finely modified to bring the boat's speed potential over 50 knots. -- Yachting Monthly, http://www.ybw.com/auto/newsdesk/20080228103217ymnews.html

http://www.hydroptere.com

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Boat is measured and tuned to International X-35 Class regulations.

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THE LAST WORD I like persons better than principles, and I like persons with no principles better than anything else in the world. -- Oscar Wilde

The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt Europe do not necessarily reflect those of its editors or sponsors.

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