CY Inbox: June 22 2017

June 20, 2017

Bermuda, Fast Cats and more

We’re still getting reaction and opinion on the relative interest in the America’s Cup. Plus some other interesting mail. All below:

 

 

 

America’s Cup

Sorry…..I am compelled to write again after seeing some of the negativeand misguided comments concerning the current Americas Cup and state ofsailing.

The Americas Cup series as it now envisioned is the formulas 1’s of the sailing world – fast, exciting with multiple lead changes throughoutthe race and spectacular maneuvers by the foiling cats.

This “new” way of sailing may not be for everyone but if you have seen it on television you will get hooked! This of course does not mean we forget about the old and traditional sail boats and sailing. Only a few can dream of being a formula1 driver either on land or on the water. We are regulated to driving Volkswagens or daysailors which most of us are happy to do. What we are seeing with the current Americas Cup is an attempt to get a larger audience involved is the sport of sailing and they have done a terrific job of doing this.

What most people don’t know is that they have two youth programs in place to get kids and teenagers involved in sailing. First is the ambitious youth education and sailing “Endeavour” program for kids to learn about the sport of sailing. The second is the “Red Bull 35’s” sailing, which has 12 national youth teams from around the world competing in foiling 35’s. These teenagers are having the time of their lives and will take the sport of sailing forward as they get older. Now how good is that! Lets open up our minds and look to the future.

Respectfully submitted Richard
Thompson, Bermuda

PS. Attached are some pictures of the old and new having fun in Bermuda. By the way the J Class boats and Maxi yachts are also having racing series before the finals take place for the Americas Cup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bermuda

Been to Bermuda, a great place to visit, the people are extremely friendly and fantastic sailing waters, they indeed deserve this event.
Have a back east friend who did the New York to Bermuda race and had a super experience.
Simply why not 2 divisions: monohulls and multihulls. Isn’t that what most racing events do? The Aussies and Kiwis especially love multihulls and will be determined to get this cup.

Bart Blainey
Victoria, BC

 

 

 

Foiling Cats

I think they’re great. I owned a Windrider Rave foiling trimaran for five years and sailed it on Big Rideau Lake. It had some very interesting sailing characteristics that make me appreciate what these guys are doing. There were only a few hundred of these built and if you look you can find one for less than $10K. 29.9 knots in a 17ft boat was a blast!

You can see videos on YouTube. Just enter Windrider Rave.

Peter Hannah

 

 

… and LORC Racing

A copy of an email I have sent to LORC…

To Whom It May Concern;

I understand that there is an issue with IRC and PHRF.

I have been sailing for over fifty years and I have been watching the recent inane battle for boat rating supremacy in Lake Ontario and I abhor the idea that a few people, namely Kevin Brown and John Crawley have had the effect of ruining the idea that sailboat racing is for everyone on the lake, in order to get their way, citing ‘elistism’ or the ‘true racing formula’. I have enjoyed competition on all levels, from club racing to national/international to world regattas, including SORC. The only place left on this planet locked is this stupid battle is right here in Toronto.

I have heard on far more than one occasion that the more you spend to get your boat measured and weighed, the better the rating you get. So it really isn’t about being a purist – is it? It is about THEM and $.

A case in point is the turnout for the Susan Hood Race. 7 IRC boats – that’s right – seven. I think there were over 80 boats in PHRF. Are we more interested in making this an elitist sport, or providing a fun and competitive atmosphere for all sailors to get out test their boat – and their own mettle? And in last year’s LO 300, only 12 IRC boats and over 80 finishers for PHRF. The writing is on the wall, Kevin and John.

We all know where the best competition is… PHRF.

PHRF is flourishing and IRC is failing. Let’s put the skill back into racing, get everyone out to race.. RCYC are you listening?

Regards,
Rob Wyers Toronto

 

 

AC as of Sunday

Having just watched the first day of the America’s Cup from the grandstand at the America’s Cup Village I can definitely say this is great for our sport of sailing.

The day started with seven J class yachts, the yachts used in the 1930’s for the America’s Cup, in an exhibition race on the America’s Cup course – the first time ever that seven J class yachts have raced together. Between the two Cup races there was an exhibition race for 32, 10 to 15 year old, kids from 10 different countries in Open Bic sailboats. In addition there are 12 countries racing in the Red Bull youth America’s Cup series and finally there is both super yacht and J class regattas going on during the off days from the actual Cup itself.

Every form of sailing is available to view during the 35th America’s Cup. The Endevour youth programmed being promoted by the America’s Cup Event Authority is the most exciting youth programme that I have seen in sailing, it has exposed over 1,500 young Bermudians alone to sailing and many thousands of others in other countries. The setting for the 35th Cup in the Great Sound of Bermuda is spectacular.

The ACEA has to be congratulated for exposing so many people, particularly young people, to the joys of our great sport of sailing. And of course the Kiwis have just dominated OracleTeam USA in the first two races – way to go Emirates Team New Zealand.

Geoffrey Frith
Bobcaygeon

Have your say. Send an email to CYonboard@kerrwil.com and share your opinion on the America’s Cup, handicap rules or anything else on the water!