Some Guys Just Can't Let Go Of The Past

Dean Barker's Bad Day.

Ever since this unfortunate (for the Kiwi's) day, it's been all down hill, according to Herb McCormick


Some guys just can't let go of the past. Dean Barker can; he's moved on from this black day, but aparently Herb McCormick can't.

There has been an excess of bitching about the America's Cup for as long as I can remember, actually. So the recent complaints are nothing new. But Herb's reminiscences turn ugly in this cruising world piece. According to Herb, it was all great in the good old days, and the people doing it now can’t do anything that pleases him.

He says, to summarize:

"the money become so obscene"

"Bertarelli and Ellison are two, well, loathsome individuals"

"they conspired to change the rules to suit their needs"

"...the next running of the event, in Valencia, Spain, in 2007: I couldn't possibly care less."


I think if the organizers did everything Herb asks for, he’d still bitch.

Zepher posted some of it in his blog (Friday August 26), which elicted some sympathetic comments.

Ok, here's my (contrary) opinion:

I still love the whole AC circus. I don't think the acts are a bore, I think they have been interesting and have been fun to follow. No, they don't mean that much, with old boats and little impact on the eventual cup competition. They are just sailboat races, but with the neatest big boats and heaps of talent. It's the big time buoy racing, folks, why be so down on it?

The cost?
I don't care where these fat cats blow their money, it's their money. Is the cost keeping out entries? Doesn't look like it to me. There are twelve teams sailing and four with a real chance is pretty good.

Coutts and Cayard out?
Yeah, that's too bad, but we'll live through it. These two and the others who couldn’t get along with the owners, and now can't sail, well, they are big boys, they can cut it, and I can still enjoy AC racing without them because there is still plenty of talent sailing these boats.

Nationality?
For every bad aspect (I too would enjoy national teams) there is a good point to be made. The change has opened it up for more teams to compete from more countries. This has leveled the playing field. Without it the Kiwis would simply own the cup for the next 151 years or so.

Valencia?
You don’t like their choice of venue. Well, opinions, are like assholes; everyone has one. It’s a venue. It’s got water and some wind, and I’m giving the guys who selected it the benefit of the doubt.

Ellison and Bertarelli?
Yeah they are slime balls and arrogant. So what, you’d rather have a crook like Bond or a mouth like Ted Turner? Conner is gone; so lots of guys from the past have burned out. Besides, Conner wasn't such a sweetheart when he was in it. Remember his cracks about the women's team in 1995, was it? Or his accusation that the Kiwi's were cheaters with their glass boat in '87. And you think the big wigs today are changing the rules to suit themselves? Do you know how to spell New York Yacht Club?

You know what? For all you guys who are bored, they aren’t holding this event for you, or for the elitist’s in the media, nor are they doing to make a buck. They are doing it to feed their egos and to try to win or keep the big prize. I like to watch them do it. We all like to root against Ellison and Bertarelli, don't we? And it is sure paying the salaries for a lot of sailors, designers, builders, etc. If you all don’t like it, switch the channel.

And Herb, maybe you need to change with the times. Things don’t stay the same, and there is no going back. It’s OK.

Fred Roswold

When Photographing AC Boats was Exciting

Peter Gilmore (Nippon, right) and John Cutler (America True) circling in challenging conditions, Louis Vuitton Series, 1999


Back in 1999 & 2000 when I was shooting the Louis Vuitton series as part of my America's Cup assignment we had a few really windy and grey days. The Haraki Gulf got plenty rough on some of those days, but the racing went on.

(The challengers didn't dare call it off, because Team New Zealand was always out with two boats, racing against each other, and always looking very controlled and casual, part of the plan I guessed)

I went out every day myself in the photo boats, on the fastest one I could get on, often that was the Kauwau Cat; it was a rugged, fast, metal, 45 foot open rib; great for charging around the race course in rough water. I had a lot of fun riding the waves in that boat, trying to hang onto my Nikon and the boat so we didn't fly off. You could tell when the boat got airborne because the jet drive would cavitate wildly. It did this with regularity. It was best if you stood up on days like that, sitting was hard on the back and butt.

The AC Boats were a handfull on a windy day, more so if the water was rough. I loved watching them and got a lot of great shots.

What surprised me was that most of the pro-photographers, and these were some of the top sailing photographers in the world, hated it. "The light was bad." they said. "The photo boat is too rough!"

Well, I wasn't trying for post card sailing shots, and I hoped for more of those kind of days.

I shot about 7000 photographs, and most of them have never seen the light of day. If you want to see more of these, let me know (comment or email) and if there is some demand for it I'll post some.

What to do when it is too stormy to go sailing?

Tonight we had a nice night listening to great music and watching music videos posted on a blog,
Cliptip (music videos). If you like modern music and appreciate the artistry of a good music video, check it out.

Now, on the other hand, if you like sailing videos, try these guys:
The Wetass Chronicles.

Avoiding Bad Weather

Woody Goose, aground, keel ripped off, on New Zealand shore, 1998


Can Good Weather Forecasting Avoid This?


Re: Sue Corenman comments about the loss of boats in a storm that hit the northbound fleet from New Zealand this year.

Judy noticed the letters in Latitude. The gist of the story is that, as is usual at this time of year, lots of boats were about, maybe 30-40 boats sailing at the time, and they were hit by a severe low which developed to the north of New Zealand, right on their course. There was no loss of life, but some boats anchored in Minerva Reef were lost. Corenman deplored the loss of the boats and pointed out that with the weather information available now it was completly avoidable. She cited forecasters such as New Zealand's Bob McDavitt and the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's) GFS (Global Forecast System) computer models which are available to mariners via HF Radio grib files. Sue and Jim Corenman are directors of Sailmail Association which, through the "Saildocs" service, provide free grib files with the NOAA information. Corenman's point is that boats should not set out on a passage when there are definate indications of bad weather ahead. Good point, actually.

As Sue Corenman says, the forecasting now is amazingly thorough and Sailmail makes it possible for many yachts to have onboard the best and latest weather info available, no matter where they are in the world. We have come to count on grib file forecasts and place a lot of weight on information contained in them, and would be lost without them, although they don't always predict local weather conditions which we often find are contrary to the predictions for the wider area.

But Sue is a bit rough on the slower boats which might leave for a 12 day passage on a good forecast and get caught out in the middle of it with a low cell coming in a few days, and she doesn't touch on the "peer pressure" issue, where a rally, race, or a cruise has a set "start date" and they tend to want to leave on schedule, even in the face of a questionable forecast. This, I think, is a bigger issue, as the herding instinct tends to make people ignore what their own good sense might be telling them about an upcoming weather window. Considering the possibility that forecasters are being somewhat on the "safe" side, (I didn't say alarmist) and probably predict more low cells than actually show up, means that there is often a chance of scary weather included in the long range forecast.

However, she is absolutely spot-on that boats should be able to withstand 12 ft seas and 50 knots of wind. Most Kiwi's will tell you that on any passage to or from New Zealand, count on getting smacked at least once. Further, getting caught in Minerva Reef is bad seamanship. You only need a day or two of warning to be able to get out of an anchorage and get to sea when a storm is coming in a place of dubious protection.

Notice that Corenmans are in Friday Harbor? Wonderful place, we miss it dearly.

Fred Roswold, SV WINGS

Wings' Sailing Wisdom

I loved reading the sailing wisdom on Latitude's web site, Here is some of our own.

Fickle Feelings about Sailing:
When I am at sea I just can't wait to get to shore.

But a week or two in port...
I just have to get back to sea.

I don't know what's wrong with me but my grandfather had it too.

Mike Bombyk's Foredeck decree:
I don't know about the back of the boat, but the front of the boat is going to do a gybe-set.

Variations of Murphy's Law.
The only way to get some more wind is put up the biggest sail.
The only way to force that squall to dodge away is to get down all your sails, immediately.
The only way to guarantee some really big breeze going downwind: leave the 1.5 oz kite on the dock.
The only way to stop the rain from coming is put on your foul weather gear.

Philospohy of Spare Parts.
I'd rather have the inconvenience of needing that part and not having it one day sometime in the future than the inconvenience of carrying it around 365 days per year until then.

Argument against that too heavy boat:
Don't bother with just getting a full keel, extra heavy, crab-crusher, just build a concrete block house and stay home. Much safer.

Argument against that too heavy boat:
You want to be OK if you hit a reef? How about, don't hit the reef?

Why own a boat?
I bought it so I could drive.

Joliga John.
In response to my exclamation: "John, we've got to get you to the hospital or you're going to die on this boat!"

John's answer: "There's worse places to die."

Joliga John.
After surviving two man-overboard accidents while single handing:
"You know, I really don't like the water that much."

Cruising Philosophy:
Yeah we want to get to Europe, its right at the top of our list. I'm sure we'll be there real soon, probably less than ten years.

Wing's lack of cruising modifications:
This boat is a great sailing boat, but it isn't that luxurious, or fancy. The only thing it has going for it is great sailing performance. If we ruin that, we'll have nothing.

Cruising Philosophy:
We aren’t on a journey; we’re just living on the boat in some different places.

Cruising Philosophy:
We like to arrive clean, well rested, and first

Need a Laugh? Try Songon

I hope this doesn't offend you too much, but when I need a laugh these days I often click here or at one of the other greenie weenie links on this page.

What really got me is that these guys at Songon have also posted a link to google news on their site.

Too Bizarre

I'm Tired of Handicapping System Complaints.

There have been a couple of discussions in the sailing community lately which force me to respond.

First, there are a lot of complaints, claims, and counter claims about various handicapping systems. In fact people have been complaining about PHRF, IMS and various "golf" handicap systems for years. It never changes. I get a little tired of it actually, but it's pretty easy to ignore.

When the loud mouth with nothing but his own intrests at heart, and who cannot possibly imagine that somebody else could be a better sailor, or even that it really doesn't matter who won, comes up to me in the clubhouse after the race and starts bitching about how he lost because the (PHRF, IMS, Golf, you name it) system is unfair to his boat, and that's why he lost and that's why he is quiting sailing, I just turn him off. Who cares if he is right or not about the rating, he's missing the point. Club racing (see my wingssail blog) is supposed to be fun. It's a recreation. It is not war. Your success or lack of it on the club race course does not establish your manhood, your value to humanity, your place in society, or your wealth. In club racing you go out and you try to do the best you can. If you and your crew do a great job you have fun and feel good. If you do a lousy job, you feel bad and then you say, "Oh Well, we'll have to work on that for next time, let's have a drink." You know who your competition is, and if he wins and you think it is the rating...so what. Go over to him and say "Congratulations, you guys were really fast today" When you see the big smile on his face it will make you feel good. Just don't mention the rating issue. You'll have more fun, have more friends, and you'll enjoy sailing a lot more.

What about those guys who supposedly buy the trophy with the hottest sails, equipment, pro crews, etc etc? Well, so what? You know they can out gun you, and you expect them to win. What you do then is, you try to get closer this week than you did last week. You know how you are doing, and that's what matters. And one of these days that guy is going to get bored and move off to some other venue.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I like to win, and I play the game alright. When we got to Hong Kong I told the handicapper a long tale of woe about how our boat wasn't fast anymore because of all the cruising equipment, and I gave a bunch of valid, but carefully selected statistics about how we compared to other boats, and it was all in fun, and he knew it, and we took the rating we got and we haven't complained. Now we've gotten to know the area and we've won a few races, and our rating is changing. Maybe we won't win so often. Do I care? Actually, it will be fine, I've won my share, I don't need to prove anything to these folks, and actually, it is much more important to me that the other guys have a good time too, because I need them to keep coming out so I can sail against them.

You know, I like it when another guy wins, then I get to make him feel good and then he's going to come back next week

Fred Roswold, SV WINGS, Hong Kong

GOLF HANDICAPPING SYSTEMS

Most of all I get really amused by the jokers who are dismissive of the "golf handicap systems" because these systems are supposedly going to reward the bad sailor who is going to get a rating break for his past performance and then he’s going to win over the serious guy who has done the most preparation and spent the most money.

In the first place, it ain't going to happen. I've been around various golf handicapping systems for a long time. I was involved in a pretty serious effort in the 80's to study the idea and we developed a very scientific program for making adjustments after each race, with all sorts of parameters, limits, multipliers, etc etc.

I guess it worked, and corrected times got closer, statistically speaking, but it didn't make the last place guy start winning. For one thing it was hard to change the ratings enough to make much of a difference, even over the course of a year. Maybe it made things closer, but it was hard to tell. Anyhow it was a lot of work to administer, and for that reason, and the fact that it really didn't do all that much for the club in general, I didn't like it much. We dropped it after one year.

Since then I've been racing in the South Pacific area, and now in Hong Kong. Everywhere we've been in this region we've been in some kind of a "golf" system, where each boat has a TCF (time correction factor) and adjustments are made, if not after each race, then once each year. It isn't too bad. In fact, I haven't had any complaints about the system, and I've yet to see the top sailors walk away in a huff, or the duffer with a foul bottom and poorly trimmed sails start winning everything.

In the end, it isn't about the rating system anyhow, it's about sailing well and having a good time. I'm fine with golf handicapping systems,

or without them.

Fred Roswold, SV WINGS, Hong Kong

Reaching Legs in Sailboat Races

Should sailboat races have reaching legs?

This has been a big topic in some circles. We don’t have as many reaches these days and a lot of people have been saying they want them back. So what’s behind it?

In recent years many races have had new courses which are just windward leeward courses, maybe several times around. The jibe mark, where you have ro reach out to it, jibe around and reach back in to the leeward mark, has been dropped. They have added other features, like short (very short) reaches at the top mark to a second top mark before you turn downwind just to keep the offwind boats away from the upwind boats still coming to the mark, and there have been gates added in place of a leeward mark which allows the boat to go through the gate and then turn either right or left before going upwind.

Well, aside from the fact that it is twice as much work for the race committee, and just won't work with permanent government marks, I never saw the reason for these changes. I think they were brought in by folks who either take things too seriously, or who just can't leave a good thing alone. I say let's keep it simple. We've got enough complication in this sport.

As for the reaches, I really miss them.

I love the reaches, and its not because we get this big "Wa Hoo" factor when we take off on a plane like the J105 guys; my boat won't plane in any circumstances. But there is little in sailing that we do which is more exciting then a hard reach with the pole on the headstay, the biggest kite up in 20+ knots of breeze, and everyone on the boat is totally wired. I love that kind of sailing. And I don't buy the idea that the reaches are just parades. There are still opportunities for overtaking, particularly on the reach to reach jibe, and when you are on the edge of control and catching up to a competitor at the bottom mark with a 6 knot speed differential because they did an early takedown...now that is exciting!

I remember one CYC race in Shilshole bay on a blustery fall Sunday when the reaches were right on the limit for spinnakers, at least for most of the crews out there that day, ours included. Well, we're keen, so of course we set our 1.5 oz anyhow, and after a bit of a rough set,and a lot of ruckus, we got it flying and we were off and charging down the first reach. Sachem, with Carl Buchan driving, was ahead, also with the kite up. Yeah, the jibe was hairy, but we did it and then we saw that Sachem was sailing with a jib, no kite. So, as we approached the leeward mark we were flying up on Sachem, and we had to decide whether to go over them or duck below. I gave Carl a shout, meaning to ask him if he'd let us go, because the last thing we needed was for him to take us up sharply in this breeze. I saw him turn around and look at me, but he didn't say anything or make a signal, so I decided, possibly a bit too late, to duck below him.

Well, I am never in my life going to forget the next few seconds. I pulled up on the tiller and we blasted through his stern wave about 20 feet behind his transom, going about twice his speed, and going as fast as WINGS ever goes. I didn't really know if we were going to get through that stern wave or if it was going to cause us wipe out, but at that point all any of us could do was hang on and see what happened next.

We made it, and let me tell you, there was plenty of "Wa Hoo's" going on aboard WINGS as we swerved around Sachem to leeward, hardly slowing at all, and came up infront of him at the mark, dropped the kite by blowing off the halyard, only as we turned up wind and couldn't fly it anymore, sucked that big sail under the jib and headed off upwind.

Well, I think Sachem probably made a cleaner rounding, cut inside us and beat us to the top mark, but it sure was fun.


Put the reaches back in.

Fred Roswold, SV Wings, Hong Kong