Around the World of Sailing

23 January 2002

This weeks features:

Finish Line

In 1986 Phillipe Jeanot sailed solo in the Around Alone
from Sydney to Rio in 36 days, covering the 8155 miles at
9.25 knots.

The Volvo Ocean Race boats are expected to sail the 6700 mile from Auckland to Rio in 23 days or an average of 12.13
knots.

Water Level Update

Weekly Water Level Update
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1024/frw.htm

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

Difference from Chart Datum -1
Difference from last month -2
Difference from last year +9
Difference from long term average for January -14
Difference from Record High -46
Difference from Record Low +16
Forecast for 18 February 2002 -1

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.
****************

Readers Write
       William Toth wrote with a question, "Please,inform
me how secure a sponsor .Any guidence--where to search;
posible amounts.I'm going to South America and have a
notion to do some advertising."
       I replied, "Without knowing more about your specific
project such as size of boat, amount of crew, race or cruise
etc. I can't give much in the way of advice. Sailing is a
very tough sell.
       I will point you to a couple of articles that may be
helpful. One is on professional sailor Neal Petersen's
search for sponsors. This at
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/glsol070198.asp#How.
       Another is located at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2001/de/1219/frw.htm
and gives you some idea of the actual # of people who sail.
       Once upon a time the 'dot coms' were interested in
sailing sponsorship. See
http://www.torresen.com/sd/1999/december99/106.htm.
       Unfortunately neither I nor anyone I know has a pat way to
gain sponsorship for sailing.
***************
Great Britain America's Cup Challenge
       At this point in the America's Cup cycle teams
are still largely sailing previous generation boats.
The action is away from the public with early hours
in the gym and hours during the day testing and drilling.
      In the other hemisphere from New Zealand it's
hard to quite know the reality of the situation. If
you go by team websites then the British challenge
must be termed friendly and optimistic. Here then some
notes gleaned from their excellent website at
http://www.gbrchallenge.com
      How do you keep 2 boats sailing? Take broken
part off. Replace with duplicate from spares. Repair
broken part to replenish spares.
      Two crew are designated as boat captains. Peter
Thomas was involved building the VOR 60's Djuice and
News Corp. at Cookson's in Auckland.
      Craig Nutter sailed aboard Silk Cut in the Whitbread
Race. He also served as boat captain during the last
British challenge in '86/'87.
      Shore boss Ed Danby has a unique resume. Sailed
on Club Med in The Race. Sailed on ENZA the 2nd boat
to hold the Jules Verne Trophy. Was boat captain for New
Zealand's first cup campaign, Kiwi Magic in '86/'87.
******************
Weather Note
      On January 11th I paid a visit to the Climate
Prediction Center's US Weather threat assessment site.
It is located at:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/threats.html.
      Amongst the information there was a prediction
that it would by cold, windy and chilly by the 22nd. Further
there would be winter storms throughout and it would get
colder towards the 22nd.
      The site carries the following disclaimer: "the
models used to produce this assessment change, sometimes
markedly, from one day to the next."
      At some point between the 11th and the 22nd there
were some changes. In the 10 day period of this outlook
8 of the 10 days were above normal in temperature. In
fact the 22nd closed the period with a high of 49° only
3 notches from a record high. Far from the colder
towards the 22nd call.
      There were 3 consecutive days of snow. However,
the maximum snowfall was only 3.5 inches. If the
constant presence of winter storms had come about there
would have been more snow.
      This unsuccessful attempt at prediction seems to
jive with our out of kilter winter. Temperatures for
January are + 7.7° above normal. The current weather threats
map is empty for West Michigan so our atypical conditions
may continue.
****************
Boatminiums
      A new dictionary is out, in this case 'The Dictionary
of the Future'. The authors are : Faith Popcorn and Adam Hanft.
      One of the words predicted to be important is
boatminium. This is defined as a floating condominium.
It must be new as a Google search turns up no entries.
      I think in some cases the boatminium has arrived.
For instance I recall a conversation I had with a rep.
from a major sailboat maker. I was puzzled that they made
a boat without a chart table. Quite simple he said, they
know their customers aren't going to undertake long
navigationally intense voyages. Therefore can the chart
table and you have room for something like a microwave-
which is used while at the dock.
      Reading of this word also gave rise to a theory of
how to produce boatminiums. First visit a customers living
room. Take measurements, learn about the furniture etc.
Then duplicate said living room. Then enclose the replica
living room in a floating structure.
      This could be tied to a dock, never to leave except
to be towed back and forth for storage. It could have a
big screen TV, microwave, couches all the conveniences of
the home in a floating package. I wonder who my first
order will be from?