Sailing World (September, 2006)

118 Pages·2006·18.833 MB·English

HALYARD UPGRADES—Higher Tech, Lower Stretch p.48
KEELBOAT CLINIC—Faster Tacks, Start to Finish p.60
S
ailing
WORLD
Exclusive Interview
BRUCE FARR
Still seeking the
America’s Cup
p.21
Newport
Bermuda
2006
The Race: Bella Mente’s surprise
The Navigators: How the Stream was won
The Stories: From first to last, big and small
p.32
www.sailingworld.com
Bermuda Race class winner
Snow Lion, a new Ker IRC
50-footer p. 82
September 2006
$4.99 Canada $5.99
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TECH REVIEW
48/ Line Upgrade
When upgrading to high-tech
halyards, account for stretch.
September 2006 52/ Boat Review
The Salona 45 is a cruiser fit to race.
56/ Tech News
Farr Yacht Design’s GP-42 splashes,
On Test: Spinlock Deck Harness Pro
FROM THE EXPERTS
60/ Boathandling
Perfect your tack with keelboat
maestro Mark Ploch.
64/ Winner’s Debrief
Laser Midwinter East champ
Brendan Casey
66/ Stategy
Dr. Stuart Walker explains why we
sometimes do foolish things.
70/ Boatspeed
Andrew Kerr helps us make better
use of our pre-race prep.
74/ Rules
Feeling lucky? Dick Rose examines a
7362 Dave Doody guides the Swan 45 few common starting line gambles.
Plentytoward Bermuda.
FEATURES
GRAND PRIX
Gulf Stream Blues 32 76/ Making a Classic Turn
Schooner racing is a high-stakes
Two-hundred sixty-five crews tackle the 100-year-old Newport
game, and with each maneuver, there
Bermuda Race dilemma:east or west,where and when to cross the are plenty of strings to pull.
meandering Stream?
82/ Launches
By The Editors Snow Lion, Ker IRC 50
88/ According To
Fortifying the Fortress Walls 38
Whisper’s Hap Fauth plays hard
With a belligerent bunch ofchallengers honing in on Alinghi,the on the low-key Bucket circuit.
Swiss syndicate is doing all it can to shore up its Cup defense.
COLUMNS
By Stuart Streuli
Editor’s Letter 5
Cover photo: Dan Nerney/Rolex
Sailors’ Forum 6
Austrian Goulash 42
Starting Line 8
The quadrennial multi-class world championship put on by the
Jobson Report 17
sport’s ruling body wrestles with an identity crisis.
For The Record 21
R
GE By Chris Pastore Finish Line 90
N
SI
S Contributors 111
E
B
NY Cover Photo: Onne Van der Wal Ask Dr. Crash 112
O
T
SAILING WORLD September 2006 3

EditorDave Reed
Director of DesignWilliam Roche
Senior EditorStuart Streuli
Associate EditorTony Bessinger
Editors at LargePeter Isler,Gary Jobson The Pool Is Deep
Racing EditorsBetsy Alison,Ed Baird,Greg Fisher,
Terry Hutchinson,Tony Rey
Contributing EditorsBen Hall,Dave Powlison,
Dick Rose,Dr.Stuart Walker
Copy EditorJohn Wilson
WebEditorMichael Lovett
Web InternFranz Ritt
INTHISSPACELASTMONTH,IASKEDTO Lukowski,a co-worker ofHuhn who’d
Assistant Art DirectorShannon Cain
DesignerElizabeth Wishe hearfrom you more often,and lo and never sailed before,Steve Peirce,a casual
behold,you let me have it:the first letters cruiser who’d never raced,Tom Dent,
Editorial Director
John Burnham to arrive asserted that the sport is in a who’d had some crewing experience,
cataclysmic decline,and we better do and later, for the Chicago NOOD,
Publisher
Sally Helme [phone];[email protected] something about it,quick.Participation Michael Gusmano,a 14-year-old who
is spiraling downward,waterfront access was new to sailing,eager to learn,and
Marine Advertising Sales
Associate Publisher is disappearing,youth sailing is down helped them make weight.Ofeach ofhis
Jason White [phone];[email protected]
the tubes,the sport is too elitist and no crew,Huhn simply asked for commit-
New England & Northern Europe
Michael Tamulaites [phone] longer fun,and the list goes on.One ment.His crew,in turn,asked him to
[email protected]
Southeast & Caribbean reader in particular lamented that the teach them how to race.
Jan MacMillan [phone] difficulty of finding a consistent and In the months following Huhn’s first
[email protected]
Mid-Atlantic & Southern Europe competent crew had driven him from major regatta (Key West in ’05,where he
Ted Ruegg [phone];[email protected] racing his PHRF boat.The local talent finished mid-fleet),they frequently trav-
West Coast & Pacific Rim
Claudette Chaisson [phone] pool had been drained ofany “good”tal- eled 1.5 hours to Lake Carlyle,Ill.,to
[email protected] ent,and what was the sense in showing learn how to get the most from the boat
Central US & Eastern Canada:
David Gillespie [phone] up each week with an incompetent crew? and themselves.They used the drive
[email protected]
After the first few letters,I felt dis- time to talk through the mechanics ofall
Classified and Special-Section Sales
Michelle Roche [phone] heartened.Was I naïve in thinking the sorts of maneuvers.And as he gauged
[email protected]
Advertising Coordinators:Trish Reardon,Maggie Wakefield sport was OK and taking care of itself the team’s steady improvement,Huhn
despite influences beyond our control? I realized that each ofhis inexperienced
Non Marine Advertising Sales
DetroitFocus Media & Marketing [phone] carried this burden to the Lands’End crew were sponges who doggedlywanted
West CoastSteve Thompson;Mediacentric Chicago NOOD in June,but once there, to learn and contribute to the better-
Director of Marketing the doom and gloom ment ofthe team.
George Brengle [phone];fax [phone] just didn’t seem to Though well into
Events ManagerJennifer Davies “With persistence will
Events AssistantJennifer Myer ring true. The vibe their second year,the
come the realization
was undeniably up- questions haven’t
Operations & Administration
Network AdministratorDavid Wright beat,and teams were that ‘a steady crew stopped flowing,and
Office ManagerKathy Gregory
doing what comes is better than a good unfamiliar situations
Production naturally—compet- still arise,so there’s a
Production ManagerRobin Baggett crew any day.’’’
Advertising Services ManagerLindsey Martins ing and connecting. great deal ofpatience
[phone] And then,on the final required of Huhn.
Advertising DesignDirectorSuzanne Oberholtzer
Production ArtistsJohn Digsby,Monica Alberta, day,someone helped me shed the unease Enlisting a neophyte will never work,he
Wendy Crenner,Shannon Mendis I’d been shouldering. says,unless you’re willing to constantly
I was in the regatta tent hunting for work with them.However,he adds in the
John Huhn,the winning skipper ofthe same breath,with persistence will come
J/105 class and the regatta’s overall win- the realization that “a steady crew is bet-
Terry SnowPresident;Russ CheramiDirector of
Corporate Sales;Martin S.WalkerAdvertising ner.I found him and his crew holding ter than a good crew any day.”
Consultant;Bruce MillerVP, Consumer Marketing;Dean court at a table to the left ofthe awards They arrived in Chicago as a bunch of
PsarakisBusiness Director, Consumer Marketing;
Leigh BinghamSubscription Director, Consumer stage.I needed a few quotes for my daily unknowns,having never raced on Lake
Marketing;Peter WinnPlanning & Development web report,but came away with much Michigan,but after three days of per-
Director, Consumer Marketing;Vicki WestonSingle
Copy Sales Director;Lisa EarlywineDirector of more.Huhn,as it turns out,bought his plexing conditions,they were standing
Production Operations;Jay EvansDirector of New Media J/105 two years ago and faced the afore- under the tent, amazed at having
Technologies;Mike SteaDirector of Network &
Computer Operations;Nancy CoalterController;Dinah mentioned crew dilemma.St.Louis snatched their 20-boat division and the
PetersonCredit Manager;Sheri BassDirector of Human
doesn’t exactly have an overabundance of regatta’s big title.Huhn admits they may
Resources;Heather IdemaResearch Director;Dean
TurcolDirector of Communications top-level sailing talent,so the 37-year-old have been “lucky squirrels stumbling
Lightning sailor set out on a crew-build- upon a nut”that weekend,but regardless
ing crusade;he even contemplated plac- they’re having fun climbing the learning
ing an ad in the local newspaper. curve,and in the end,they’re proof
55 Hammarlund Way,Middletown,RI 02842 With the assistance ofhis tactician and positive that the sport can be kept alive,
[phone];fax:[phone]
[email protected] capable crew boss Ralph Godkin,they one new crewmember at a time.
www.sailingworld.com started from scratch,pulling in Brian —DAVE REED
Subscriber Services [phone];Outside U.S.[phone]
Occasionally, we make portions of our subscriber list available
to carefully screened companies that offer products and 5
services we think may be of interest to you. If you do not want
to receive these offers, please advise us at 1-866-436-2460.
[email protected]
Dinghy Serendipity Once A Racer LETTER OF THE MONTH
I’MANEVACUEEFROMTHENEW YOUR EDITORIAL IN THE JULY/ How About Some Respect?
Orleans area,and I was pleased August issue (“Hello? Anyone NORMALLY,I NEVER LOOK BEYOND THE PRETTY PICTURES AND
to read Aaron Kuriloff’s article Out There?”) almost brought dream ofboats that are way out ofmy league,let alone think
on Southern YC (“Southern tears to my eyes. Of course about writing a response,but your editorial encouraged me.
YC Rebounds,” March ’06), there are people out there. I am an avid sailor and racer,but ifyou’ve never heard my
where I did most ofmy sailing. However,the ones who sub- name before,don’t feel bad.I would surmise that even Catali-
I moved to the Dallas area scribe to or otherwise read na Yachts doesn’t know who I am,and I own and race a Catali-
shortly after Hurricane Katri- Sailing Worldare far too busy na 25.When I turned to page 21 to read what I’d hoped would
na,which brings me to men- to write letters.As a former be a great story about the type of sailor I am,a small-lake
tioning Gary Jobson’s report over-energized racer type, I dude,Gary Jobson’s article on Cheney Lake let me down.
on lake sailing (“The Sailing’s can relate to the experience.In In 2005,the Ninnescah Sailing Association held the Catalina
Great,Even When It’s Land- 1940,the United States initiat- 25 Nationals,but were we mentioned in the article? No.But the
locked,”July/Aug.’06). ed a draft,and one poor soul fact that no one knows who we are seems to be the norm.I have
Since moving to Dallas I have in Palm Beach,caught up in raced in the last six Nationals,from Portland,Oregon,to Cleve-
found several man-made lakes the situation, sold me his land Race Week this year,and to date,have not found one major
that offer competitive sailing. Ventnor Moth.The deck was sailing magazine that has covered our class’s trials and struggles.
One in particular is White Rock stove in,there were a couple of The Catalina Association is well organized and has more than
Lake,a small one located close broken ribs,and a full-length 900 members.True,we are trailer-sailors,but hey,we race too.We
to the center ofthe city.There’s crack in a bottom plank.To an spend top dollar for quality sails and equipment,and some ofus
a very competitive fleet ofFly- 11-year-old it looked like a travel thousands ofmiles a year to race.The boat isn’t sexy,nor
ing Scots, a clubhouse that new Herreshoffclassic. does it have a worldwide reputation,but we face the same issues
houses the Corinthian Sailing It took me several weeks to as any other fleet in trying to be competitive and finding venues
Club,and the membership is rebuild the boat.I sanded the that will let us sail.We buy yours as well as other sailing rags in the
friendly.This has reintroduced bottom until it shone,and ap- offchance someone will cover our boats and races.Would you
me to sailing small boats,some- plied multiple coats of rather have one customer who buys your magazine and owns a
thing I haven’t done since at- thinned enamel,wet and dry $300,000 yacht,or 600 customers who own $10,000 boats?
tending Tulane. sanding between coats. The I could be wrong,but the little guys should have a feeling of
FRANK COLLINS topsides were painted canary value,opportunity,and pride when they read magazines such
IRVING, TEXAS yellow because my caregiver as yours.Fifteen minutes offame can sell magazines.
demanded the ability to spot
WILLIAM A. MEINERT JR.
me on the water at a glance.
NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA
The local yacht club spon-
sored monthly races and I en- happens to sail a parallel calls have on the outcome ofthe
tered every one.As I got more course, still find my hands race,especially a short one.It’s
into the sport I tried to become reaching out to tweak a line or easy to draw a parallel to the of-
more competitive.I learned to improve the trim somewhat. ficiating at the Soccer World
sail better and I spent a lot of HOWARD BERNBAUM Cup.The referees are under big
time getting the boat ready for MERRITT ISLAND, FLA. scrutiny and some will never
the next regatta.After about return to “showtime”events.
four years,it occurred to me I Sailing umpires could be good,
Olympic Format Woes
was racing more and sailing a but they need to keep improv-
lot less.I’d do my three heats I WITNESSED THE STAR FINALS ing and learn from sailors in
and then spend the rest ofthe during the recent Kiel Week each and every class.As it is
month getting the boat ready. 2006 regatta,and it was a very now,they seem to know it all
That boat got sold and ulti- sad ending to a nice event. and they are not very consider-
mately replaced with an Abaco The problems in the medal ate as to what the sailors view as
dinghy with a little cuddy. I race were numerous: the legal versus illegal kinetics.
leisurely sailed that boat as far course was much too short, MAGNUS LILJEDAHL
as time and food would per- anyone who took a penalty MIAMI
mit,taking my time to smell was out ofcontention,and the
The X-35 One-Design, reviewed the roses as well as the coffee. course location was absurd. Address letters to Editor,Sail-
by Dieter Loibner in our The racing was fun,but far too The most serious problem ing World, 55 Hammarlund N
wJuitlhy/ RAoungsutsatn i shsaured,w isa reeq. uAipllp Xe-d frantic. Now that I’m old, I was the officiating.For years, Way, Middletown, RI 02842 or NGMA
35s are outfitted with Ronstan look with a benevolent eye at sailing has been self-policed, by e-mail to editorial@sailing- KI
gear, as will be the X-41 One- the kids screaming along in and it still is.The judges need to world.com. Include your full ER
N
Design, due out this winter. their modern sleds,and,ifone understand what impact their name and address. AB
6 SAILING WORLD September 2006

Starting Line
Starting Line
Simplicity Rules for SF Bay Speed Sailors
LAST JUNE, MORE THAN 20 Speed Week.Over four days, means.And it was the wind- cludes formal ratification.
velocity addicts met on San while the afternoon seabreeze surfers,unsurprisingly,that What they did accomplish,
Francisco Bay in formal recog- blew and the flood tide laid went the fastest.At 37 statute however,was to establish a
nition of their shared afflic- the water flat,they ramped up mph they weren’t even close new form ofsailing competi-
tion.They set aside tactics and to speed and shot across a to the outright record (held tion on San Francisco Bay,an
rules,embracing the art of 500-meter box as fast as their by a windsurfer at 56.04 alternative to regatta style rac-
sailing in its purest form;con- crafts would take them. mph),but as organizer Matt ing.“Everyone went into it
verting wind into propulsion. They made their runs Jones pointed out,no out- knowing it was going to be N
A
“It’s an easy concept for aboard windsurfers, kite- right records will ever be set hard to get truly fast speeds,” M
G
N
anybody to understand,”says boards, Hobie Trifoilers, here.The water is too choppy says Bill Weir,who tied for KI
Matt Jones,organizer of the 18-foot skiffs,a Formula 40 even on a flood tide,and any first place overall.“But it was a ER
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inaugural San Francisco catamaran,and several other current over one knot pre- great chance to go head-to- B
A
8 SAILING WORLD September 2006