Around the World of Sailing

31 October 2001

Event News: Volvo Ocean Race
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1031/ms.htm

2nd place Amer Sports One Crew chows Down
Credit: ©Rick Tomlinson

Leg 1 of the Volvo Ocean Race was finally completed when 8th
place Amer Sports Too crossed the line early this morning in
Cape Town, South Africa. They were 6 days 5 hours behind
leg winner Illbruck.

Final Leg positions were as follows: 1. Illbruck 2. Amer
One 3. News Corp 4. Tyco 5. Assa Abloy 6. SEB 7. Djuice
8. Amer Too

Bart Simpson on shore crew duty
©Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Since the finish primary among the news has been a pair of
protests against Illbruck. One is in regards to a website
used for weather (see Rowing Reporter) the other for
modifications to their sail drive. Hearings on these will
begin tomorrow.

Leg 2 across the Southern Ocean to Sydney Australia will
begin 11 November. This means a short stopover for some of
the tailenders.

Stig Westergaard is sewing the blankets together to make sleeping bags aboard Djuice
Credit: Djuice

The race is being scored on a points basis, so rather than 6
days behind Amer Too trails by just 7 points. So, shore
crews will massage the boats, crews will rest and train,
planned and unplanned changes will occur and we will preview
Leg 2 next week.

Links: Position Report
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/result/position/leg_1/
Assa Abloy in 5th
http://www.assaabloyracingteam.com/popup/e_mail_from_crew_notpopup.asp

Theme: Haul Out and Winterizing
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1031/ms.htm

Attention Yanmar diesel owners. It's the time of year to
winterize your engine, which should include a lube oil and
filter change.
Marine Diesel Direct offers a way to save money on this
project. Filters for the JH2 series, GM series, QM/HM and
4JH engines are available in 12 packs. In the case of the
GM series buying in a 12 pack lowers the cost of an oil
filter from $ 9.85 to $ 7.39. Taking advantage of this also
helps you plan ahead and always have a filter when needed.

See http://shop.marinedieseldirect.com/cgi-bin/yanmar/

Event News: Jacques Vabre Preview Part I
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1031/ms.htm

November 4th is the start of the 5th Jacques Vabre Trans
Atlantic race. Sailed by double handed crews in Open class
mono and multi hulls the start is at Le Harve France, the
finish in Salvador De Bahia Brazil.

According to Vendee Globe winner Michel Desjoyeaux 6 of the
12 Open 60's can be thought of as potential winners. So
here's a stab at the boats, people and reasons they could
win.

Top among these 6 are Casto-Darty-But aka Kingfisher sailed
by Nick Maloney and Mark Turner. Winner of this years EDS
Atlantic Challenge and tops in reliability. Sill sailed by
Rolaind Jourdain and Gaël Le Cleac'h has narrowly been
beaten several times by Casto/Kingfisher. Bobst Group with
Bernard Stamm & Vincent Riou in harness is the Atlantic and
24 hour record holder. Temenos sailed Dominique Wavre &
Michèle Paret once held the 24 hour single handed record.

Ecover has long time skipper Mike Golding along with Marcus
Hutchinson running things. A fast off the wind boat.
Finally Fila won the Around Alone. Her two man crew will be
Bruno Laurent & Massimo Rufini.

There are 7 Open 50's. Two have standout pedigree. One
Dream-One Mission sailed by Alex Bennet and Paul Larsen
began life as Pete Goss' Aqua Corum. It's twice been a
Jacques Vabre winner. Setra Bio was the Class II Around
Alone winner as Cray Valley. Frenchman Eric Denamiel &
Jean-Pierre Amblard will be her sailors.

Look for a full report in next weeks ATWOS.

Links:
Full Competitors List
http://www.jacques-vabre.com/pages_uk/accueil_uk.htm
Foncia Kingfisher Trains
http://64.23.31.215/cgi-bin/ftp/4/2925low_tm.jpg

News:Boat Smart
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1031/ms.htm

Boat Smart

Boat Smart season wrap up from a historical view

By Senior Chief Tom Rau, Coast Guard Group Grand Haven, Mi

Note: This is the final Boat Smart Column for 2001. Thanks
to Chief Rau, and we look forward to carrying Boat Smart in
2002.

The Boat Smart column is like a ship's log. For over
fifteen years, Boat Smart stories have recorded the habits
of Lake Michigan boaters and rescue responders. Although
the primary purpose of Boat Smart is to promote safe
boating, it didn't occur to me until recently its historical
significance.

Imagine, readers a hundred years from now can read the
column and experience first hand stories based on real-time
events. Looking back a hundred years, I found no records
that cover Lake Michigan boating in the format of Boat
Smart. Sure, there existed ship's logs, United States
Lifesaving Service logs, and logs of ship wrecks and such
printed in newspapers, but I have found no historical
writings like the Boat Smart Lake Michigan chronicles.

When I first began writing the column, I made a decision not
to write how-to boat smart stories or belabor readers with
rules and regulations but rather to write about actual
search and rescue cases and related maritime issues and let
the reader learn from them. I have sure learned a great
deal. What I learned foremost is that Lake Michigan and
adjoining waters are very dangerous. Making readers aware
of those dangers I believe is the column's greatest value.

Looking forward a hundred years from now, I'm sure Boat
Smart readers will readily see these dangers. What they may
fail to see or understand is why boaters so often failed to
pay heed. Hopefully a hundred years from now recreational
boaters will have moved beyond that Pollyannaish mind set: a
blind optimism that underscores most recreational boating
fatalities. Statistics clearly show that most boating
fatalities occur in mild weather ('ideal boating day') or
what I call the Venus's-flytrap mode.

These sad fair weather tales have filled my column over the
years and I wish I could capsulate them and prescribe them
to boaters. Maybe in a hundred years this will be possible.
And in a hundred years I hope that life jackets are
mandatory for all boaters and that maybe more advanced
user-friendly life jackets will have evolved. Currently we
are moving in that direction with light inflatables and
upper body mesh life jackets (Type lll). But we have a long
way to go: annually, nearly 80-percent of all recreational
boating fatalities could have been prevented had the victim
worn a life jacket. I don't need a hundred years of
hindsight to decry that woeful figure, but I might need a
hundred years to explain it.

Another subject that no doubt will baffle 21st century
readers was boater ignorance. What will they think when
they look back to 2001 and note the only qualifications
demanded of boaters was the ability to turn a starter key or
pull a starter cord. That's it. And what will they think
when evidence of the period clearly showed that smart
boaters are safe boaters and ignorance killed thousands of
boaters. Eighty-eight (88) percent of boating fatalities
occurred on boats where the operator had not completed a
boating safety education course. But we don't have to wait
a hundred years to look back and see that smart boating
saved lives; this fact has already clearly revealed itself
in the last quarter of the 20th century.

During the last 30 years recreational boating fatalities
have been cut in half, reaching an all time low of 701
fatalities in the year 2000. A pretty impressive figure
when you consider recreational boats nearly doubled since
1971 to over 12-million registered boats. That dramatic
decrease in fatalities can be attributed to the
comprehensive National Recreational Boating Safety Program
established by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971. An
important part of this act allocated funding to states to
develop and expand their boating education and other safety
programs. Another important provision of the act required
boaters to carry safety equipment aboard recreational boats.
We are moving in the right direction and hopefully we don't
have to wait a 100 years to translate this had copy evidence
into mandatory boating education laws, which I believe will
come to pass, hopefully sooner that later.

Until then, agencies like the Coast Guard, marine sheriff
departments, DNRs, volunteer organizations like the U.S.
Power Squadron and Coast Guard Auxiliary and boat smart
writers will continue to preach the safe boating gospel,
which brings us today's sermon.

Following are tips from the gospel of safe boating for late
season boaters:

? Life Jackets As water temperatures plunge life jackets are
the first line defense against cold water emersion. Make
sure the jacket carries a whistle; water light and distress
flares (pocket rockets)

? Solo Boaters Solo boaters should carry a radio and cell
phone, and inform loved ones of boating plans. Remember
there are few if any boaters on the water in fall and early
winter thus a boater's only means of contacting rescuers
could be a marine radio, phone or visual distress signals.
WEAR A LIFE JACKET.

? Duck Hunters Duck hunters please wear a life jacket with
a whistle, flares, and flash light. Duck hunters who
capsize in shallow water can get enmeshed in mud. Several
years ago a Coast Guard helicopter had to air lift several
duck hunters who got stuck in the mud in a Ludington areas
lake. I can't stress enough the importance of duck hunters
carrying whistles and life jackets especially when packing
ammo.

? Boating Classes Fall and winter offers a wonderful
opportunity to pursue boating safety courses. Visit Group
Grand Haven's web site at www.uscg.mil/ghaven for boating
safety courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S.
Power Squadrons, Sheriff Marine Departments, and the DNR in
Michigan and northern Indiana.

In ending this final Boat Smart column of 2001, Coast Guard
command salutes the newspapers, magazines, newsletters, web
sites and radio stations that have carried Boat Smart to
over 200,000 readers and listeners. I'm convinced beyond a
shadow of a doubt that Boat Smart messages save lives. On
that historians no doubt will agree.

Special request. For the first time ever, I'm asking for
feedback regarding Boat Smart. Good, bad, or indifferent,
your input would be appreciated especially if it helps
improve the boat smart message.
E-mail Senior Chief Tom Rau at: trau@jackpine.com.