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Another Round of AC Documents Filed
The Golden Gate Yacht Club today responded to SNG's request for reconsideration with a memorandum of law opposing SNG's request.
Posted on the GGYC website, www.ggyc.com, the memorandum with exhibits affirms GGYC's confidence in the NY Court's earlier decision upholding the validity of GGYC's challenge.
The club is asking the Court to rule on this matter as quickly as possible.
* Will Ernesto Bertarelli look back on 2007 as his Annus Mirabilis or his Annus Horribilis? For the Swiss billionaire, it must surely have been both. The first half of the year, he presided over an America's Cup which could claim to have been one of the greatest ever. Not only that but he successfully defended it in a final which produced the closest racing in the event's history.
A few weeks later, Bertarelli's great works were in tatters, thanks to a greedy, self-serving Protocol (at least that's how it came across to most sane people), and a petulant refusal to negotiate with the Golden Gate Yacht Club.
After losing the court battle in New York and seeing Justice Cahn reject the Spanish Challenge of Record for the sham challenge that it was, Alinghi are building up to a second court battle. I quote Kimball Livingston from his excellent blog, because he always comes up with the lines I wish I'd had the wit to think of: "Alinghi's new lawyers (they used to have 'the best lawyers' but they fired them) are presently attempting to convince the Supreme Court of the State of New York that BMW Oracle Racing has challenged in a monohull 90 feet wide - that's not the way they phrase it; that's the way it logically parses." Kimball asked some of the most incisive questions at the press conferences in Valencia last summer, his Emo Philips style of delivery allowing him to ask things that others could never get away with. -- Andy Rice, sailjuiceblog.com
* On January 11, there will be another calendar call, much like the one today. As we explained on the 31st of December, at a calendar call, the Court clerk calls each motion returnable on that date, collects relevant papers and then distributes them to the Judge.
At today's calendar call, GGYC formally filed their opposition papers. The Court clerk then automatically scheduled the January 11 calendar call because they are accustomed to parties filing reply papers, in addition to the briefs that SNG and GGYC already submitted.
However, SNG is not permitted to file reply papers on the 11th on its motion for leave to renew and reargue, because it requested that the motion be returnable only eight days from the date they served it. But the clerks do not consider this issue when they automatically schedule these administrative events.
As previously advised there was no oral argument today, nor is any expected on January 11. Still, with Alinghi not being able to file any papers on that date and BMW Oracle having just filed theirs, we can't see what will be filed on the 11th.
There will be oral argument at the hearing on January 14. -- Valencia Sailing, valenciasailing.blogspot.com
* Alinghi is reading the challenge submitted by Golden Gate YC which refers to a "keel yacht", to quote the challenge, and the defender now states that despite the declared 90x90x3 dimensions of the certificate that accompanies the challenge, that the use of the term means GGYC must race Alinghi in a mono-hull. Given the precedent of 1988, Alinghi could then respond in a much faster multi-hull. Alternately, Alinghi suggests that using the term in connection with the certificate dimensions has made Golden Gate's challenge "non-receivable". How the NY courts will entertain these attempts by Alinghi in the upcoming hearing about a case that had apparently been decided, and where much has already been procedurally accepted by each side, is an open question. -- www.cupinfo.com
* Delving VERY deeply into semantics, Andrew Mason has a long piece entitled Can a multihull ever be a "keel yacht"? in the new English language section of Adonnante.com, see www.adonnante.com/article,7789,en,THE-INQUEST---Is-a-
Does The Portimao Global Ocean Race Have Legs?
The Portimao Global Ocean Race will have two types of boat: Open 50s and Class 40s. Hall reckons that in the former they are likely to have between four and seven entries. Among them will be Joe Harris and Gryphon Solo. Several skippers are attempting to acquire the Owen-Clarke Open 50 that was formerly Artforms and most recently Pegasusor Graham Dalton's Velux 5 Oceans boat. In addition to this are two French entries, one based in the Caribbean.
Among the Class 40s the entry list is interesting because Hall says it is an entirely different group of sailors than those who have competed in the last Route du Rhum or the recent Transat Jacques Vabre. One of the few exceptions is Belgian sailor Michel Kleinjans who campaigned his Open 40 Roaring 40 in the last Route du Rhum. Kleinjans is currently looking at a Class 40 to build especially for the event. Another sailor based in Chile is building one, while over the US Brian Harris, one of Hall's former shore team, is looking to campaign an Akilaria (Harris is the US importer of the popular Marc Lombard-designed Class 40). In addition a couple of the Owen-Clarke designed Express 40s, built on the Isle of Wight have been bought by skippers wanting to take part in the race.
A slight problem is that under Class 40 rules, boats must be built to ORC Cat 1, whereas the Portimao Global Ocean Race requires Cat 0. However as Hall points out the biggest modification required to bring Cat 1 boat up to stratch would be fitting an additional watertight bulkhead.
If around sixty Class 40s have been built to date, Hall reckons only six or seven of them currently comply with Cat 0 (one of these was Ian Munslow's Route du Rhum boat, Bollands Mill). "We've got six people at the moment who are building new Class 40s to Cat 0 specifically to come and do our race, so that will expand. In my mind they should be Cat 0 for the transatlantic races. That is the ethos people like Ian Munslow had. If you are going to go offshore you might as well have the extra bulkhead."
The full article at thedailysail.com for subscribers
* To give a gift subscription to your favorite sailor (in my case, me!) go to
www.thedailysail.com/gift
Saintes Maries Delivers Good Conditions
The best conditions of the day were at the beginning of the session from 11am until 1pm with winds of 35-knots with higher gusts of 40-knots and a good angle of 125. The 'big' winds that were predicted throughout the weather circles for the later afternoon unfortunately did not materialize and the normally fluid southeast was tempestuous and moody with wide scopes of change in the wind strength measured at the start, middle and finish by the race crew.
This made getting the right moment difficult. Hats off to Antoine Albeau for a very good performance and for being in the right place at the right time. His speed of 47.69 is the third fastest of all time. Record holder Finian Maynard had an off day as he was unable to find the right tuning, gust or pick the right gear in the constantly changing conditions.
Personal bests were attained by David Garrel (45.96), Cedric Bordes (45.94), Thomas Gaudiot (42.71), Markus Poeltenstein (40.40) and Valerie Ghibaudo (39.93). Congratulations.
The live coverage on windsurfjournal.com was well received and the web media cooperation was a success. A big thanks must go out to the organization on the ground in France who all worked very hard to make yesterday happen.
The race for 50-knots is alive and well and we are looking forward to our next session here in Saintes Maries in the quest for this magical goal.
* This world record attempt will take place with a selection of competitors on a 1000M canal in Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, France. The event is slated to take place throughout the entire winter months of 2007/08 for a period of 5-months. This is the ideal time to harness the energy generated by the famous South-East and Mistral winds and the location is proven with eight outright world records in the past 20 years.
mastersofspeed.com
Slow 24 Hours For Joyon
Francis Joyon is regaining speed following his slowest 24 hours yet, after IDEC was forced to cross a high pressure system.
Francis Joyon (FRA), who is now just over 42 days into his solo round the world record attempt, recorded a 24-hour run of just 138.1nm (compared to his best of 616nm) in the early hours of this morning, after yesterday he slowed to speeds of 2-3 knots. As Joyon climbs up the South Atlantic, he has been forced to cross a large high pressure area which has resulted in the slowdown and seen his advantage over Ellen MACARTHUR's (GBR) record pace drop 400 miles in 24 hours to just over 3,000nm. However, this morning IDEC was recording more familiar speeds of 15 knots as he skirts around the western edge of the high at 34 degrees south and 31 degrees west.
Jean-Yves Bernot, the onshore router for Joyon, said the slowdown in speed had been predicted several days ago, "It has been three days since we knew that he would have to go through there [the high pressure system]," he explained. "We therefore were expecting 12 hours of calm that Francis of use to rest."
Bernot says his communication to Joyon yesterday morning was a simple instruction to take advantage of the calm conditions: "Today's programme: nap!""
Since yesterday afternoon, Joyon has been picking up speed as the high pressure system moves from west to east as had been predicted. As he heads north towards the equator, Bernot predicts that Joyon will encounter northwesterly and then northeasterly winds in the 15-20 range with relatively flat seas. In these conditions IDEC should be able to reach speeds of 18 knots, making yesterday's slowdown a temporary blip in his record attempt. -- from the ISAF, sailing.org
The Record To Beat
Record: Round the World, non-stop, singlehanded
Yacht: B&Q
Skipper: Ellen MACATHUR (GBR)
Dates: 28 November 2004-7 February 2005
Elapsed time: 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds
Distance: 21,760 nm
Average Speed: 12.66 knots
Trimaran IDEC - www.trimaran-idec.com
World Sailing Speed Record Council - www.sailspeedrecords.com
Cut Away The Rig
Elaine Bunting on what, sadly, seems to be increasingly an important subject:
On the subject of how best to cut away your rig after a dismasting, I got this interesting reply from former colleague Mike Kopman.
'I did a similar test to Chris Tibbs on rig severing devices when I was at Yachting Monthly, with much the same results. The one you did not mention, and a tool that proved most effective when we were dismasted on a rod-rigged 95ft Farr sloop a few years ago, is an angle grinder.
'It was the only thing that would do the job on such big rod. I think the Shootit will deal with rod up to 9mm only, or wire to 12mm. Not sure about Norseman or similar hydraulic cutters; they may go bigger. Of course, angle grinders need electrical power, but many even moderately sized cruising boats have inverters or generators aboard these days.'
Just two points here. Some hydraulic cutters can sever larger diamater wire. Holmatro make one suitable for wire up to 16mm (pictured at left).
I take Mike's point about the angle grinder, depending on the conditions at the time. However, I think the idea of using a 240v man-killer tool on the deck of a bucking, wet boat absolutely terrifying. I can't think of power tools on boats at all without remembering how poor Lizzie McMullen was electrocuted and died while polishing Three Cheers before the OSTAR.
Elaine's most recent blog piece refers to this earlier article, another must-read: www.yachtingworld.com
On The Coffee Table This Weekend
"The Royal Ocean Racing Cluib: The First 75 Years"
By Ian Dear, published by Adlard Coles. 256 pages, hardcover.
Every yacht club bar should be required to have a copy on hand to settle arguments and bets. An indispensable history not just of the RORC but of offshore racing, its rules, boats, skippers and other luminaries.
My favorite chapter? "No Beardy Weirdies Please", which deals with the struggle that all clubs have at some point: what requirements for membership should a club enforce? If you name includes the words ocean and racing that becomes rather important... This chapter deals with proposals from John Illingsworth and others to up the standards of admission to the club, citing members who'd been eligible after just one race in light conditions.
Peter Green's circular to members in 1961 opined: "The whole matter boils down to the question, what sort of club do we want. There seems to be to be three alternatives. 1) We continue much as we are at present. Though the membership is growing, due to deaths and resignations the rate of growth is slowing down and this is likely to continue for the future. 2) A much smaller club composed of a collection of "nautical beardy weirdies." 3) A much more select and smaller type of yacht club.
He believed either of the last two alternatives would mean a much diminished membership which would result in a huge increase in subscriptions if the present clubhouse was to be retained. 'The "beardy weirdies" probably could not afford it and the third category who could afford it probably would not be interested in ocean racing.'
A higher standard of qualification might raise the status of the club and make yachtsmen more anxious to join, but it would also make it more difficult for yougn people to qualify, especially those in the services. Probably Illingsworth's proposal would, the commodore concluded, 'exclue far more worthy members than undesirables. The club is big enough and strong enough to wear a few of the latter.'
Ian Dear is an accomplished author, and the joyous readability of this book shows it. His other works include Enterprise to Endeavour: The J-Class Yachts, The America's Cup: An Informal History and The Royal Yacht Squadron 1815-1985.
Illustrated with 16 pages of colour and over 130 black and white photographs. "The First 75 Years" is available at all good bookshops (publishers Adlard Cole Nautical) but is also available to RORC members at the Clubhouse at the special price of 7.50 GBP (plus p+p if necessary). Price to the public in bookshops is about 30 pounds.
The Last Word
I went on a diet, swore off drinking and heavy eating, and in 14 days I lost two weeks. -- Joe E. Lewis
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