Around the World of Sailing

21 August 2002

Event News: Verve Cup
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0821/ms.htm

This past weekend saw the sailing of the annual Verve Cup
regatta hosted by Chicago Yacht Club. According to
organizers it is the largest US regatta held in the month of
August.

Recently the Verve Cup seems to be an all or nothing event.
You're either seeking shelter from the sun and await wind or
staying in harbor as there's too much wind. In any event, it
coincides with the annual Air Show and the Blue Angels fly
regardless of wind.

On A course Evolution edged Equation by 1 point in the GL 70
class. Several boats sat out the heavy air Saturday
contests. In the Farr 40 class Bob Hughes and Heartbreaker
returned to form winning the first 2 races and taking the
class by 1.25 points over Inferno. Despite not winning a
race Team Intermec edged Foreign Affair a double race winner
in the Mumm 30 class.

One of the bigger fleets was the J 105's on B course. Here
USA 370 won 4 or 5 races for a big win. Ragged Edge a Farr
395 also had a big win over a mixed class of Sydney 38's and
Farr 395's. Muskegon boats finished 1-2 in the J 35 class
with Aftershock and 3 wins 1st, while Ragtime won 2 races
and finished 2nd.

Winnebago was the winner of the big fleet on C course the
Tartan 10's.
Link:
Results
http://www.chicagoyachtclub.com/VerveCup/Offshore/Results.htm

Theme Article: Sailing Education
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0821/ms.htm

When you think of sailing the American Red Cross may not be
the first group that pops to mind. However, they can help you
in both learning to sail and learning to swim.

The Red Cross offers sailing classes in a joint effort with
US Sailing. The material from last week's article on US
Sailing's classes largely applies to the Red Cross classes.

One way that the Red Cross can be helpful in sailing
education is through location. While sailing schools or
yacht clubs may not exist except in waterfront areas, the
Red Cross is largely universal in the USA. This allows them
to offer sailing in places like Kansas.

Further the Red Cross can help in teaching you to swim.
Most beginning sailing classes that are taught in dinghies
require participants to be able to swim. While there are
famed sailors such as Dennis Conner who can't swim, it's
pretty criminal to be a sailor and not a swimmer. As the
Red Cross states, "The best thing anyone can do to stay safe
in and around the water is to learn to swim." Children can
begin learning to swim at the age of 5 months, readying
them for life around the water.

A sailor who adds swimming, 1st aid/CPR, or life guarding
skills through the Red Cross is just adding to their
usefulness around the water.

Links:
US Sailing
http://www.ussailing.org
Sailing in Kansas
http://chapters.redcross.org/ks/wichita/sailrel00_2.htm
Red Cross Swimming
http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/aquatics/children.html

Event News: Around Alone Preview Part 1
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0821/ms.htm

September 15th is the starting date for the 20th anniversary
sailing of Around Alone. 14 boats are entered evenly split
between Open 60's in Class I and Open 50's in Class 2.

This first installment of profiles of the boats and skippers
focuses on the European professionals who predominate class 1.

Past form says one of these sailors will be the Around
Alone winner.

Simone Bianchetti, 34 is a professional sailor and resides
in Italy. He served in the Italian Navy, completed the 1st
leg of Around Alone 1994-95 and finished the most recent
Vendee Globe in 121 days.

Tiscali is a 1998 Open 60 designed by Marc Lombard. It was
formerly campaigned by Catherine Chabaud as Whirlpool.
Builder was Mag France material Carbon/Kevlar. Beam is 18.2
feet, draft is 14.75 feet. The boat nearly completed the
previous Vendee Globe dismasting near the finish.

Website: http://tgc.tiscali.com/

Thierry Dubois, 35, is a professional sailor from France.
Has has sailed 2 Vendee Globes, officially finishing
neither.

Solidaires is an Open 60 by Joubert & Nivelt. Duboius built
the boat himself of Glass/carbon fibre sandwich in 1998-99.
Beam is 17 feet, draft 14.75. The boat completed the most
recent Vendee Globe as a non-official finisher in 105 days.
The boat no longer carries its distinctive striped paint
scheme.

Website: http://solidaires.free.fr/

Bernard Stamm, 38, Finistere France, is a professional
sailor. He currently holds the east west Trans Atlantic
record for crewed monohulls.

Bobst Group Armor Lux is a Pierre Rolland designed Open 60
that Stamm build himself and launched in the summer of
2000. Material is Carbone-Airex-Epoxy. Site of the build
was Lesconil France. Beam is 18.5 feet, draft 14 feet.
Bobst Group started but did not finish the 2000 Vendee
Globe and completed the Transat Jacques Vabre.

Website: http://www.bernard-stamm.com

Patrick De Radigues, from Monaco is a professional sailor.
He completed the 1996 Vendee Globe, but not 2000 as he was
injured and could not continue.

Garnier is a Finot designed Open 60 formerly sailed by Yves
Parlier as Aquitaine Innovations. She was built in 1996
out of Carbon/Nomex Sandwich by Thierry Eluère. Beam is
19.3 feet, draft 14.75. Successes include 1sts in the Route
du Cafe and Route de Rhum transat's.

Emma Richards, 27, is a native of Scotland. For several
years she has been a professional sailor at the highest
level. Experience includes a Jules Verne Attempt, class win
the Jacques Vabre Transat and the most recent Volvo Ocean
Race.

Pindar is a Finot designed Open 60 built by JMV Cherbourg in
1998 of carbon. Beam is 18.3 feet, draft 14.75. Original
name was Gartmore with Josh Hall as skipper. Pindar is
conventionally ridged. As Gartmore sailed the first 2 legs
of the previous Around Alone and finished the Vendee Globe
in 111 days.

Website: http://www.pindaroceanracing.com

Next week we will look at the contingent of North American
skippers most of whom are in Class II.

News: Boat Smart
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0821/ms.htm

Boat Smart is a weekly column written by Chief Tom Rau,
Group Grand Haven, U.S. Coast Guard and appears in a number
of newspapers. Chief Rau has been writing and promoting safe
boating since 1986. Many of his columns are taken from real
life experiences from Station St. Joseph/South Haven, where
Chief Rau is currently serving.

Increased access to Lake Michigan over last decade challenges authorities

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

The old saying "all roads lead to Rome" could well be said
of Lake Michigan. With so many roads leading to its many
harbors, bays and river channels, it could explain why the
State of Michigan leads the nation with registered
recreational water craft- 1,049,000 as of year 2001.

Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin also share Lake Michigan
and these states also enjoy easy assess to her waters. In
all, the four states that boarder Lake Michigan boast 2.2
million watercraft. Of course, not all these water craft
reach Lake Michigan, although, on an inviting summer
weekend, when the Lake buzzes with boats, it sure can seem
like it.

Then at lake's end sits Chicago, the Nation's third largest
City. And just 65 miles north of Chicago, Milwaukee host a
population of over a half million. When summer winds blow
guess where these folks head?

Not only then is the Lake readily accessible by millions, it
can be accessed by the least uninformed. Remarkably, the
only qualification a power boater requires is the ability to
turn a starter key or pull a starter cord. Understand, I'm
not picking on power boaters but merely illustrating a
cavalier attitude shared amongst recreational boaters: a
care-free, "what-me-worry " attitude that often finds rescue
responders at wits end, especially now as more people gain
access to the Lake.

In 1980 the State of Michigan boasted 617,723 registered
water craft, by 2001, the figured rocketed to over one
million. Demand for marina slips out pace supply. Lake
Michigan beach front housing and condo development has
exploded as it has around connecting lakes and bays.

When I first arrived at Coast Guard Station Manistee in
1983, there were few condominiums near the harbor mouth.
Now hundreds of town houses, condo units and cottages now
parade north and south of the harbor mouth, and developers
have plans to add more units. Once ignored, water front
property now host sprawling beachfront homes. Developers
have earth filled swamplands and built houses and condo
units.

The surge on water front property runs the entire length of
Lake Michigan from Michigan City to Leland Harbor. In South
Haven turn-of-the century beachfront Victorian homes have
been leveled and replaced with condos. Freeway systems have
crawled northward on both sides of the Lake allowing easy
access to northern waters and coveted fishing spots.

If you drive along the express way that skirts Lake
Michigan, you will encounter heavy population centers
between Muskegon and Michigan City. But drive north from
Muskegon and the population density noticeably diminishes,
however, don't be fooled, according to the 2000 Census, the
population between Leelanau and Mansion County since 1990
has increased by 21 percent. Benzie County alone has seen a
31 percent population increase. In all, the coastal counties
and nearby counties along Lake Michigan's eastern shore have
witnessed a 14.8 percent increase since 1990 compared to a
5.5 percent increase for other state-wide counties

Then there are the economic lures: the average boat launch
fee around the Lake is $5.00 or less. Many launch ramps
offer seasonal passes for as little $30 and in many
locations there's no charge at all. That's a heck of a deal
compared to other states, take California. A friend in
Saulsalito California reported a daily launch fee of $15 at a
bay side marina.

So, not only is the Lake accessible to millions at little or
no cost it is readily accessible from numerous river
channels, connecting lakes, bays and a number of private,
state and federal parks. On Lake Michigan's eastern shore
between Leland Harbor and Michigan City 18 ports bead the
260-mile-long coast. That averages out to a port every 14
miles. Although the distance between some ports is greater
and others less, it still illustrates the Lake's
accessibility to its heavily populated eastern shore. Add
Chicago and Milwaukee and ports north and we find the entire
lake system offers 66 sheltered harbors and nearly 1,100
miles of shoreline access.

As Lake Michigan access figures grow so to will the demand
for rescue responders. This concerns maritime officials who
have seen a sharp increase in shoreline population, water
craft activity, and beach goers, but not a proportionate
increase in rescue resources. Some resources, in fact, like
life guards, have been eliminated or reduced in numbers,
which places a greater demand on waterside rescuers who are
often hindered by heavy surf and shallow water.

Already this year we've seen 34 fatalities on Lake Michigan
and coastal lakes. As more people gain access to Lake
Michigan and nearby waters the greater the chance for deadly
mishaps. Sadly, many of these fatalities may have been
avoided had water smarts and caution been in mind. The key
then to driving down fatalities as countless more people
gain access to the Lake is for boaters to boat smart and
beach goes to be water wise. It's the best front line
defense we have.

Links:
Boat Smart
http://www.boatsmart.net/