Month: September 2011

REGATTA OR SHOW?

This is an issue that I believe all sailors are wrestling with. Sailing is such a small community, perhaps it is the thought that we are concerned about how sailing will survive two distinct camps, amateur and professional. Rod Davis has addressed the concerns, identifying the issue.

There is no question in my mind that the two events: the extreme 40 tour and the America’s cup are “shows” and are taking the sport in a different direction. We must recognize that it took a long time to get where we are and there is no stopping events.

 

THE BIGGEST QUESTION OF ALLBy Rod Davis, SeahorseThe show versus the competition. There is a new breed of regatta that Icall the ‘show’, because they have stepped into that murky bog thatseparates competition from theatre. The Extreme 40 and America’s Cup WorldSeries are the leaders in ‘show’ regattas, and if you believe everythingyou read in the media you could be forgiven for thinking that this is theway of all sailboat racing. Thankfully the vast majority of regattas areall about the competition.
To distinguish between the two, just answer this one simple question: whois the regatta run for? If your answer is the sailors, you have a regatta,if your answer is the sponsors, TV and the general public, then you have ashow.
It all sounds so wonderful. Get some sponsors to pay for regattas aroundthe world and for our sailing, then we can pay all our expenses and payourselves too. It will be like getting money for jam. The sponsors want tomaximise their exposure, so we seduce the media and the public!
Nice concept, but never forget this is a business deal… your sponsor willwant his pound of flesh and more. You have now entered the entertainmentbusiness. You might not think of it that way but your new boss certainlydoes. You will perform on their terms, not yours.
In the new world order of show regattas, sponsors’ ROI, TV airtime andengaging the public are the prime targets. Fact: the yachting fraternity issimply too small to justify the big money it takes to run events like theAmerica’s Cup World Series, or to participate in them. Just too small abase. Thus the need, and recent obsession, with taking yachting to themasses.
Many have tried, and few have been successful. The leaders are the Extreme40 series, the Volvo Round the World Race and, new to the scene but withBIG ideas, the AC World Series. The game plan is pretty basic: give thesponsors a viable return on their investment. The bigger the sponsorshipthe bigger the payback will have to be.
And how do you do that? Make it spectator friendly and exploit the magic oftelevision. And that, my friends, is a tough nut to crack.
It’s all about getting on TV. Sailboat racing is not a mainstream sport, sogetting a prime time slot is not easy. More like almost impossible. Youneed WOW factor. But if you can get airtime, get on the evening news aroundthe world, then it is fantastic exposure and free! Capsizes, great bigcollision – all good. Drama at sea – yep. Race results by themselves -nope, won’t make it to the airwaves.
Another emerging medium is live telecasts via the internet. Far cheaperthan TV but reaching people who actively seek out the event. Making onehand wash the other is part of the new world of professional sailing.
If you thought professional was just about being paid to sail… sorry; intoday’s world it has become all encompassing. The Coutts vision is a whollyprofessional take on our sport. Not just paying a few sailors, but ahundred people on the payroll to run all aspects of the event. Then buyenough powerboats to fill a marina to serve as marks, TV camera platforms,press boats, tents, cranes, the list is endless. We are talking big moneyhere, which comes from people or companies who want serious entertainmentto justify their investment.
When a sport or a section of a sport, any sport, dives across the line thatdistinguishes amateur, with foundations built on volunteering, andprofessionalism, then you are in for some interesting times. — Read on:http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=12691——–

ARE WE REALLY THAT PETTY?

Rob Douglas, the present holder of the world speed record under sail, and newly nominated for ISAF male sailor of the year.

TURNING LEMONS INTO LEMONADE
American Rob Douglas is the fastest sailor on the planet. On October 28,
2010, with the wind gusting to 45 knots, Douglas raised the bar further
than anyone had gone before, hitting a new record speed of 55.65 knots in
the manmade trench at Luderitz, Namibia.

Speed comes from strong, steady wind and flat water, and the virtues of the
Luderitz trench in southern Africa first helped Douglas set the outright
record in 2008 at a speed of 49.84 knots. Ever since, the Luderitz Speed
Challenge in October has been the de facto event for windsurfers and
kiteboarders to test the limits of speed.

Having an organized event helps to defray the related costs. Electronic
timing equipment and personnel are needed, along with maintaining the
shallow trench so it’s groomed for speed. With the speed averaged over a
500 meter distance, organizers in 2010 dug a trench 750 meter long by 3 to
5 meters wide by 1 to 3 feet deep.

After a year of tuning his kites and boards for another record run next
month at Luderitz, Douglas finds himself on the outside looking in. “I have
heard that the Luderitz Speed Challenge is going to happen this year,”
replied Douglas, “but it will be a private event and I am not invited to
attend.” The event organizer is also excluding France’s Alexandre
Caizergues, who had raised the speed record to 54.10 knots just before
Douglas pushed if further to 55.65 knots.

Douglas has no idea why he is barred from the event. “I can only guess,”
said Douglas. “Sebastian Cattelan has never won the Luderitz Speed
Challenge and maybe with Alex and me not around he will have better luck.
Not real good for the sport but that’s the way it goes.” Attempts to
contact organizers of the Luderitz Speed Challenge have been unsuccessful.

Turning lemons into lemonade, Douglas is hosting a GPS speed event on at
Martha’s Vineyard on October 16-31. The 12 fastest kitesurfers in world
history will race, including multiple world record holder Alex Caizergues
and the fastest women sailor, Charlotte Consorti. The North American Speed
Sailing Invitational (NASSI) will have $30,000 in prize money, courtesy of
Lynch Associates and The Black Dog.

The event is organized by The North American Speed Sailing Project (NASSP)
and under specified conditions laid down by the International Kiteboarding
Class Association (IKA). — http://tinyurl.com/NASSI-092711

RACE, BUT NO RACE

The wind never appeared for the final day of racing for the 12 meter north american championships. That meant that the 12’s could not race, but the power boats could. Victory ’83 beat Courageous by one point in six races. I had stated earlier this was the only real race. Sorry to the others.

I am have often teased about big boats, like Rambler 100 having horsepower; it is seldom I see a boat with 1200 horsepower, in outboards!

12 METER NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011

It is the first official day of  Fall, and the first race of the first day of the 12 meter north american championships. 10 boats in three classes. The real regatta will be the match racing between Victory “83 (K 22) and Courageous (US 26) I would give Victory an edge upwind and Courageous the edge downwind. I expect that unless one or the other catches a wind shift, the two boats will never be more than a few boat lengths apart.

LIFT AND DRAG

A four bladed prop on the “J” class Ranger. Anyone who sails is obsessed with drag, a line in the water, wet sanding the bottom, clean leading and trailing edges. With the kind of money spent on these boats isn’t there a better solution?

Here is a really big crane lifting the rig from a really big boat, one that makes a
“J” class look small.

12 METER NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP

The sailing season is far from over. The twelve meter north americans start on thursday here in Newport. The twelve meters are truly elegant . The international cup sailed in swan 42 just finished (17 nations and 22 boats). Level racing is wonderful and sensible, particularly on a closed course.

I am just as enthusiastic about diversity. Pushing the limits of possibility.New materials have allowed people to do things that could only be dreamed of previously.

 

 

 

 

 

DRIVING MISS DAISY

The New York Yacht Club is the creator and host of the international cup. going into it’s final day tomorrow. 1o races have been sailed and the Royal Canadian Yacht Club is hold ing first place. The NYYC team is in second, with the Annapolis Yacht Club in third.

Today the racing was outside, on Rhode Island Sound, in a very shifty northwest breeze. The pressure was as variable as the direction.

GETTING READY TO LEAVE?

Shortly before hurricane Irene “Idec” capsized off Montauk. She has been in Newport since. It looks to me like the boat is ready to set off under jury rig for France, where the repair work will likely be undertaken. Note the boom and mast section on deck.

The America’s Cup World Series taking place in Plymouth England has been a bit of a demolition derby. Is that what sailing is supposed to be? I find it troubling. But the horse is out of the barn.