Around the World of Sailing

3 October 2001

This weeks features:

Finish Line

Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1010/frw.htm
Playstation's record breaking crew is as follows:
Steve Fossett (USA) / Skipper, Stan Honey (USA) / Navigator,
Ben Wright (AUS) / Watch Captain, Dave Scully (USA) / Watch Captain,
Gino Morrelli (USA) / Boat Designer/Crew,
Peter Hogg (NZ) / Crew, Shaun Biddulph (UK) / Crew,
Dave Calvert (USA) / Crew, Paul Van Dyke (USA) / Crew
and David Weir (USA) / Crew

Water Level Update

Reference Point

Inches below Chart Datum -0
Difference from last month -0
Difference from last year -1
Difference from long term average for September -19
Difference from Record High -59
Difference from Record Low +12
Forecast for 5 November 2001 -2

Rowing Reporter

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.
****************
VOR Grant Dalton and Outside Assistance
On 30 September SEB made a stop at Madeira to pick up a
replacement headboard. Their shore team coordinated
internationally from Australia with the part flying with a
team member from Sweden.
Later this week Djuice will make a similar stop at
Fernando de Noronha where two of their shore team members
await. This after Chessie Racing made a stop near Cape Horn
in the previous race.
While the stops are a reality not all are in favor. Primary
among the doubters is Amer Sports One skipper Grand Dalton.
Looking back at the archives this was Dalton in 1998, "But
then you have a rule that says to racers that under some
circumstances, outside assistance is fine, and if you do it
right you won't even get penalized. Then," he maintained,
"you begin chipping away at the very reason for this event."
'Dalts' has not softened at all, saying "I didn't understand
it then and call me old fashioned, but I don't understand it
now." He further comments, "The Race we dealt with this by
imposing a 48 hour minimum stop time, increasing by 12 hours
each time. The rational was simple, thru no fault of their
own, the prepared boats (the ones that haven't broken) have
a potential of being compromised by a boat making repairs
(who in practice wasn't as well prepared)."
The thought is that with all the money and sponsorship race
organizers want to work hard to keep a full fleet. However,
Dalton's suggestion of borrowing from the rules of The Race
would seem a better balance between the commercial and
competition sides.
---------
Tale of 2 Gales
Tuesday morning in Muskegon as I contemplate an autumn
cross lake delivery. Winds are blowing from the South,
25 knots. At 2300 Monday wind bumped from 12 to 19 knots
and then to 22 at 0100. South 25 at Lake Michigan buoy.
Forecast is all gale warnings. 30 knots on Tuesday, 35 at
night, up to 35 again on Wednesday.
A gale warning means winds of 34 to 47 knots. Winds have
remained high 27 knots in Muskegon, with 6 foot waves and
21 knots at the south Lake Michigan buoy. Consistently over
15 and up to upper 20's at the South Lake Michigan buoy.
In the end prudence ruled and the trip was postponed. Even
though it could have been a fine sail, pushed by a gale....
Meanwhile to the east there's a gale brewing in the North
Atlantic. Steve Fossett knows this, "We will be going out
ahead of a low which could become a monster low."
The start was fast, "We're sailing along at about 28 knots
in a 30 knot wind." Navigator reports, "We are holding about a
constant pressure of 1012 Mb." After the 24 hour record is
set navigator reports, "We are still managing to stay in
front of our cold front/gale. The wind is currently 33knots
from SSW."
The weather map for the day of the finish (Wednesday) shows
the record producing weather system. Pressures of 982 and 1001.7.
Winds west and just south of west at 20 and 30 knots. A cold
front pressing towards their destination stretching from over
10° of latitude which is approximately 500 miles.
Two gales faced by different sailors with different purposes.
Both successful although one quite a bit more famously than the
other.
*************
Sydney-Hobart Info Bits
26 December will be the date of this years as yet
unsponsored Sydney to Hobart race. The lack of sponsorship
maybe behind a new fee. The organizers will charge a $ 75.00
per crew fee. A nice touch charging to sail in the notorious
Bass Strait!
Each crew is required to have 2 people with a First
Aid Certificate. Another reminder sailors, visit the Red Cross,
http://www.redcross.org/ and add first aid and CPR to your
skills set.
Have you ever seen the Storm sails on your boat? Sydney
Hobarters will. Prior to the start they must sail past the Race
Committee with storm sails set.
Finally, a chance perusal of the race records appended
to the Notice of Race shows a Great Lakes connection. In the
31 to 37 foot category the record holder in 3 days 7 hours is
Pied Piper a Peterson 36.
Richard Jennings originally owned this boat
whose current Pied Piper holds the Chicago to Mackinac mono hull
record. Jennings sold the boat to Ted Turner who skippered the
boat in the 1975 Sydney to Hobart that gained Pied Piper the record.
**********
Boating Class Links
The subject of this weeks Boat Smart Column is boating
education. It is the opinion of this reporter that the last
thing that is needed is government mandates of any form. It is
also my opinion that a society of life long learners carries
nothing but benefits.
When it comes to boating education two of the best
options are offered by Boat US and the US Power Squadron.
Boat US offers an online boating course located at
http://www.boatus.com/onlinecourse/.
If you prefer to take a class in a traditional class
room setting then you should see the US Power Squadron. Their
website http://www.usps.org has a searchable online schedule
for their classes. They offer classes nation wide.
Perhaps the most powerful incentive to take one of
these classes is to beat your insurance company out of a
few dollars.
For more on safety classes and tests see
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/fe/0221/0221_ms.htm#Test