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Around the World of Sailing
30 May 2001
This weeks features:
Finish Line
Finish Line
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/my/0530/frw.htm
The semi finalists at the ACI Runhill Cup match-racing event are....
Team New Zealand's Bertrand Pace and Dean Barker, Prada's Gavin
Brady and Victory Challenges Magnus Holmberg.
Water Level Update
Weekly Water Level Update
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/my/0530/frw.htm
Weekly Water Level Update
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/my/0523/frw.htm
Here is an informative feature that used to appear in the
Friday edition of Sailing Daily. Below you'll find water
level info that pertains to Lake Michigan and Huron.
For information on other lakes see:
http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/levels/weekly.html
Reference Point Inches below Chart Datum - 1
Difference From 25 April 2001 +4
Difference from 25 May 2000 -2
Difference from long-term Avg. -22
Difference from Record High -51
Difference from Record Low +10
Forecast for 25 June 2001 +2
Rowing Reporter
Rowing Reporter
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/my/0530/frw.htm
The Rowing Reporter is a weekly column of commentary and
observations by Ike Stephenson, Marine Informationist. It
concentrates on the home waters of Around the World of Sailing,
Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake.
**********
Mackinaw Island/St Ignace Submarine Cable removal and
installation of new cable. This project will end June 30.
This is the 2nd replacement cable. the first cable was put
down last December. Hopefully this will prevent another
chaotic power outage as occurred during last year's Chicago
to Mac race.
The cable's are made in Europe. They run 3.5 miles, are
5 inches in diameter and have 3 inch in diameter conductors.
***********
Speed in Perspective
Foncia/Kingfisher an Open 60 trimaran recently won the
initial Challenge Mondial race at an average speed of
10.55 knots. Much of the race was sailed in light air,
and the ocean going speed machines averaged under 6 knots
while in the Mediterranean Sea.
The slowest official record held by one of these boats is
Francis Joyon's east to west solo transatlantic trip at
11.79 knots. The slowest Open 60 tri crewed record is
Steve Fossett's Lakota in the Fort Lauderdale to Monego
Bay race at 11.93 knots.
Still a 'slow average' of 10.55 is the equivalent to what
the ULDB 70 Grand Illusion averaged (10.59) from Victoria
to Maui.
There's no question the 60 trimarans are exceedingly quick.
In addition Foncia-Kingfisher's winning margin was only
12 minutes, showing the class to be competitive and fast.
*************
Famous Open 50 Sold
British sailor Pete Goss has sold his famous and
successful Open 50 to Alex Bennett. Bennett crewed for
Goss on the ill starred Team Phillips.
Built for the 1996-97 Vendee Globe Goss completed
the world circuit. He race the boat to a win in the 1997
Transat Jacques Vabre.
In 1998 under charter to Ellen Macarthur, Aqua Quorum now
renamed Kingfisher won the Route De Rum Transat.
In 1999 is was another win in the Transat Jacques
Vabre sailing as Pindar with Emma Richards and Marine Merron
on board.
In 2000 sailing again as Pindar with Emma Richards
in the solo sailor role the boat won Class 2 in the Europe 1
Transat.
Later Patrice Carpentier sailed the 50 footer as
VM Materiaux in the Vendee Globe. He came home 11th beating
3 60 footers.
As new owner Bennett begins a minor refit he clearly
owns one of the most successful Open class monohulls ever.
This fall he will try for the boats 3rd win in the double
handed Transat Jacques Vabre. He also plans to take on the
Route de Rhum which is a solo race.
*************
What's Official?
Bandied about often recently is the phrase,
"Memorial Day is the official start of summer." There
several issues with this.
To meteorologists we are in the midst of spring.
Spring will continue until the end of June. Meteorologically
speaking, summer will officially begin in July.
If you use the calendar and sky as a guide summer
will officially begin 21 June the date of the summer solstice.
Regardless of these definitions at a northern boat
yard there is a rush of pressure to get boats in the water
by Memorial Day. However, it sees as though often the
conditions don't meet the expectations of the official
beginning of summer.
In Muskegon this weekend the weather typically
failed to be summer like. High temperatures were in the
60's, lows in the 40's, grey the sky color and 3 straight
days with rain.
Perhaps all this talk of officially starting summer
somehow offended the weather gods....?