9 minute read
Sailing
American Magic Considers the America’s Cup
By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS
NEW YORK— In a Jan. 7 press release the New York Yacht Club and the American yacht racing team, American Magic, announced their intent to enter the 37th America’s Cup (AC37) advancing the count to four teams to date. American Magic represented the New York YC in the 36th America’s Cup making it an unexpected twist that they will return for the race.
“New York YC was represented by American Magic in the 36th America’s Cup in early 2021 in New Zealand,” said an article by Yachting World. “Their AC75 Patriot was widely tipped to be among the fastest until a devastating capsize and crash landing caused severe damage to the yacht and a near sinking.”
Although the team’s foiling AC75 could be repaired in time to return to racing, the fast turnaround never allowed them to get back up to speed. As a result, the boat continued to suffer knock-out effects from the damage, and the American challengers were first to be eliminated.
In June, the NYYC announced that it would return for the 37th America’s Cup but instead would be represented by the Stars & Stripes team (a rival American challenger that failed to get off the ground for AC36). Then in October, the club announced that it was “pausing our pursuit of the 37th America’s Cup” and would not compete.
The NYYC is closely associated with the America’s Cup. The club held the event from 1857 until they were eventually defeated in 1983 by the Royal Perth Yacht Club’s Australia II.
The NYYC and American Magic announcement has been universally welcomed. Skipper Terry Hutchinson in particular impressed fans with the leadership and sportsmanship shown by the American Magic team, after the crash in the last America’s Cup, when his boat capsized and sprung a hole in the hull during a race.
No crew positions have been announced for the new team yet. However, British Olympic Gold Medalist and American Magic wing trimmer Paul Goodison has been tipped to lead by some Cup observers.
This latest announcement comes after a prior statement by Ernesto Bertarelli, a sailing enthusiast that set up the organization, Alinghi, he and his Alinghi sailing team plan to enter the event after an 11year absence from America’s Cup racing.
“Together with the Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, and Challenger of Record, Britain’s INEOS Britannia, this means at least four teams have declared their intention to enter the next America’s Cup,” said the Yachting World article.
It remains to be known how many other teams are supposed to take part in addition to these four. But there are several rumors that 2021 runner-up, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, may well return to the America’s Cup arena, possibly alongside Ferrari as a technical partner.
Should that be applicable, it would make three of the five teams partnered with Formula 1 teams. In addition, INEOS Britannia has reinforced its existing relationship with AMG Mercedes Petronas, and a new relationship has also been announced between Alinghi and Red Bull F1 Racing.
The disclosure of the venue is proposed for March 31, 2022, with several possible venues up for discussion, including Auckland, New Zealand; Cork, Ireland; several Spain cities; and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
American Magic has stated their enthusiasm to participate on behalf of the NYYC in AC37; the venue announcement is expected on March 31.
SAILING 101 The Anatomy of the Sailboat
Ahoy sailors, welcome to the first article in a new series set on giving you a complete guide to the world of sailing. The Log will be compiling sailing information from experts so you will be well-versed in sailing in no time.
By: KATHERINE M. CLEMENTS
SOUTHERN CALIF.— There are many ways to learn to sail. You can jump in the boat with a friend and learn from experience, you can sign up for formal lessons, or if you can get your hands on a boat, you can try and teach yourself. No matter which method you prefer, it’s necessary to understand the boat and what it can do out on the water before you dive into your education. sailor familiarize themselves with where and how the boat operates. Knowing the different parts of the sailboat is important for both safety and being able to sail your boat as flawlessly as possible.
Block: This is the nautical term for a pulley.
Boom: The horizontal support for the foot of the mainsail extends aft of the mast. Aft is the rear of the ship, at the direction of the ship’s stern. This is what you want to watch out for when changing directions in a sailboat. It can give you quite a bump on the head if it hits you.
Bow: This is what the front of the boat is called.
Centerboard: This is a (usually fiberglass) plate that pivots from the bottom of the keel (a flat blade sticking down into the water from the bottom of the sailboat) in some boats and balances the vessel when under sail.
Cleat: Cleats are what lines (or ropes) get fastened to when they need to be kept tight.
Halyard: Lines that raise or lower the sails. (Along with the sheets, aka running rigging.)
Hull: The hull is the boat’s body and consists of everything below the deck.
Jib: This is the sail at the bow of
halyards
mainsail mast
headsail (jib)
sheets
boom
rudder
keel hull
ON THE HORIZONS
By: JORDAN B. DARLING
Los Angeles Yacht Club 2022 Opening Day Race (Jan. 29)
SAN PEDRO— The Los Angeles Yacht Club will host its 2022 Opening Day Race on Jan. 29 in the vicinity of Los Angeles Harbor. The race is open to yachts with a current Southern California PHRF handicap. Cruising or wooden hull class yachts with a SoCal PHRF certificate will use their applicable PHRF rating, Area C, Random Leg. Cruising class entries will be allowed for any yacht with a valid PHRF rating. Yachts in this class are subject to additional rules established in the sailing instructions, which were posted at 12 p.m. on Jan. 21. The warning signal for the first classes will be at 12:55 p.m. The race’s starting point will be approximately 1.5 nautical miles northeast of Los Angeles Harbor. There is a $40 entry fee, and entries are due no later than Jan. 28 at 6 p.m. Entries can be made online at the Regatta Network website at https://bit.ly/33kE8tA. This race follows the COVID-19 protocols set by federal, state and county restrictions.
2022 Winter Regatta (Jan. 29)
VENTURA— The Ventura Yacht Club will host the 2022 Winter Regatta on Jan. 29. The regatta is open to all monohull boats whose skippers are members of the United States Yacht Racing Union and possess a current one-design certificate or a current PHRF certificate. Skippers will need to provide proof of a valid certificate with registration online or at the skipper’s meeting at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the race. There is a $35 entry fee if registration is received before Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. and $45 after that date; the registration deadline is Jan. 29 at 8:30 a.m. The race will start at 11:30 a.m., approximately one-half mile south of the Ventura whistle buoy. For more information or registration for the race, see the Ventura Yacht Club website at https://venturayachtclub.org/racing/.
2022 Around Catalina Races 1&2 (Feb. 5 and Oct. 8)
LOS ANGELES— The Los Angeles Yacht Club will host the first of two Around Catalina Races on Feb. 5. The race will start inside the Los Angeles Harbor, east pier 400, and the course will leave Catalina Island to port with a finish line between FL G and FL R at Angel’s Gate. The race is open to yachts with a current Southern California Area “C” Random Leg Rating PHRF handicap. In addition, skippers will need to provide a current PHRF certificate. Yachts entering the Feb. 5 race will also be included in the KENNETH WATTS Trophy Series if their handicap is -33 PHRF or faster. There is a $75 registration fee for each race. The Feb. 5 race, entries will need to be in by 6 p.m. on Feb. 3. To register for the race or find more information, see the LAYC website at http:// www.layc.org/. This race follows the COVID-19 protocols set by federal, state and county restrictions.
By: JORDAN B. DARLING
NO DATELINE— World Sailing released updated rankings for Fleet Racing on Jan. 11. The ranking is based on the performances of skippers in World Sailing ‘Graded’ events over the past 12 months. In November, the World Sailing Rankings Sub-Committee met to review the calculation method of the rankings and decide which grade events will be included in the rankings for the coming year. Competitors count their best six results over the previous 12 months. The time period is calculated on a rolling basis from the date the rankings are published. Events are graded and fall under 200 points, 100 points, or 50 points, with competitors receiving points based on their regatta placing; first place receiving 200, 100, or 50 points depending on the grade. Fleet rankings are for 470 (men, women, and mixed), 49er (men), 49er FX (women), Finn (men), Formula Kite (men and women), iQ Foil (men and women), Laser (men), Laser Radial (women), Nacra 17 (mixed), and RS:X (men and women).
Top US Rankings:
49er Men’s
Fourth Place: Andrew Molerus/ Ian MacDiarmid Tenth Place: Ian Barrows/ Hans Henken
49erX
Fifth Place: Stephanie Roble/ Maggie Shea
Formula Kite Women
Sixth Place: Daniela Moroz Seventeenth Place: Kirstyn O’Brien
Nacra 17
Fifteenth Place: Riley Gibbs/ Anna Weis
Laser
Fifteenth Place: Charlie Buckingham
Sailing 101
From page 22
the boat. The jib helps propel the boat forward.
Genoa: A foresail that is larger than a jib.
Keel: The keel is what prevents a boat from sliding sideways (“making leeway”) in whatever way the wind is blowing and stabilizes the boat.
Line: Lines are ropes. They are everywhere on boats. There is only one “rope” on a sailboat, the bolt rope that runs along the mainsail’s foot.
Mainsail: It’s all in the name; this is the boat’s mainsail. It is the sail attached to the back of the mast.
Mast: The mast is a large, vertical pole that holds the sails up. Some boats have more than one mast.
Painter: This is a line positioned at the front of small boats. It is used to tie the boat to a dock or another boat.
Rudder: The rudder is how the boat is steered. It is movable so that when you turn the wheel or tiller, the rudder directs the boat in the direction you would like to go.
Sheets: The lines that control the sails, (also known as running rigging.)
Spinnaker: The usually brightly colored sail used when sailing downwind or across the wind.
Stays and Shrouds: Some wires ensure the mast stays upright, even in hefty winds, (also known as standing rigging.)
Stern: The back of the boat.
Tiller: The tiller is a stick attached to the rudder and controls the rudder.
Transom: This can also be called the butt of the boat. It is the back part of the boat perpendicular to its centerline.
Wheel: The wheel works the rudder, steering the boat.
Winch: Winches help tighten the sheets and halyards. When these lines are wrapped around a winch (in a clockwise direction), a sailor can turn the winch with a winch handle, providing mechanical advantage, which makes it easier to bring in the lines.
Study these terms and distinguish where they are located on the boat. Retain that knowledge while the Log prepares for the next lesson in Sailing 101.
