Messing About In Sailboats

Poll Results: Most people think that the America's Cup has been surpassed

According to readers of this blog, nearly half feel that the America's Cup has lost its premiere position to other events (e.g. VOR, LV Cup, etc). A few feel that it was always over-rated. A third feel that it will either reclaim its past glory or still is and always will be the pinnacle of the sport.

Big caveat! This is based on less than 50 responses so its more of a straw poll than a statistically robust survey. That said the results as they stand have remained pretty much unchanged since the poll started.

I would love to hear comments on this. Polls are pretty good at reflecting the sentiment of a moment. They don't tell you much about why people responded the way they did. My assumption is that the interminable squabble between Larry and Ernie has done the damage. It may also be that people have felt this for a long time and that the recent fiasco just exacerbates the sentiment.

If they ever get on the water, I will re-run the poll and see if the sentiment has changed.

I personally hope that they have an exciting DOG race. Frankly AC or no AC seeing the monster tri vs the giganticat match-racing will be incredible to watch (hopefully). I then hope that they put this nonsense behind them and the winner can go on to hold an AC like Valencia which in my view was outstanding.

Thoughts anyone?

Poll: How has the bickering between Larry and Ernie affected the Americas Cup?

The ongoing litigation between Larry Ellison and Ernesto Bertarelli drags on. This article in last Wednesday's New York Times sums up the latest fiasco.  Arguably the last AC in Valencia was the best ever but since then it's just become depressing.

There are so many issues at hand. Is the Deed of Gift out of date in today's sporting world or are its ambiguities and resulting arguments part of what makes the Americas Cup special? Is the DOG race a farce or is it part of what makes the Cup different? Was Larry Ellison right to challenge Alinghi or would it have been better to accept Bertarelli's plan?

The big question is this: Is this very public argument irreparably undermining the Americas Cup? In the last few weeks I have heard a number of sources talk about other events taking over the mantle of premiere prize in sailing like the Volvo Ocean Race or the recent New York Yacht Club Invitational regattas.

Let me know what you think by answering the poll to the left or leaving a comments below?

What was I thinking?

I had an idea for a group writing project. The topic is moments of blind stupidity while sailing which left you saying to yourself "What was I thinking?".

Mine goes back about 5 years or so ago when I was back in the UK. We chartered a Sunfast40 (great boat!) from Sunsail in Port Solent and spent the weekend sailing round the Isle of Wight. On the Saturday, we sailed to Yarmouth, one of the truly nicest harbors in the world. On the Sunday morning we headed off West early with the tide past Hurst Castle aiming to round the Needles by breakfast.

I had it in my head that it would be great to cook breakfast sailing round the Needles.  I went below fired up the grill and stove and set to cooking up a classic English Breakfast - the Full Monty - eggs, bacon, toast, beans and a fried tomato. Some of the crew were feeling a little queazy and the smell of fried breakfast wasn't helping. In the end I think only three of us ate any of it.

I took the bacon grease-filled pan out from the grill, cooled it down by filling it with water out and laid flat over the sink. I then went up topsides to tuck in to a massive plate of fried cholesterol. It was a lovely late Spring day with a perfect breeze. With a combination of great sailing conditions, amazing scenery and a fantastic breakfast, I guess I forgot about the pan.

After heading South for about a mile past the Needles, we decided to tack and head East along the South Coast of the Isle of Wight. As the boat shifted from a Starboard heal to Port, the pan went flying.

The wooden sole was covered in a wet film of bacon grease spreading out over half the cabin. I went below to clean up and nearly slid the whole way down the boat.

It took me an hour of scrubbing with paper towels and salt to get the mess cleaned up.

What was I thinking?

If you have similarly moronic experiences, blog them and let me know and I will delight in sharing them. T-shirt to the best dumb thing done sailing.

Answers to the mystery photo

Blur.se posted this photo. I received some interesting suggestions on what it might be. Not sure I am convinced about any of them.

"Looks like someone glued on a camera mount to their bow."

"fish finder transducer."

"it's Joe Rouse's secret weapon for catching fish."

"something electromagnetic, stuck on with epoxy putty. Since it's above the water line, it wouldn't have anything to to with fish-finding or other underwater soundings. My initial thought was something having to do with keeping the anchor from swinging around..."

"i think is a earthing cable for lightening strikes as the tall aluminium mast are great electical conductors,"

Can anyone translate this Morse Code?

Yachting Monthly tweeted it today: .... .- .--. .--. -.-- / -... .. .-. - .... -.. .- -.-- / ... .- -- ..- . .-.. / -- --- .-. ... .

Anyone know what this is?

Re-posting this as the debate over what this is rages on. The opinions are wide-ranging.

It was posted on the Swedish site Blur.se

What's Your Dream Destination?

He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream and he sometimes wondered whose it was and whether they were enjoying it. Douglas Adams

This time of year, I find it's especially good to fantasize about dream sailing destinations?  I have many.

• Top of my list for tropical destinations is Fiji for a perfect combination of tropical paradise, great sailing, different culture and some cool diving.
• For my 50th birthday, I plan (we''ll see if it happens) to go to the Galapagos. I am a Darwin buff, but mostly for the animals, plants and stuff. I hear the sailing is a little tame but the diving is incredible.
• Working its way to the Top of my list is sailing around Cape Horn, the Beagle Channel and Ushuaia (sp?).
• At some point I want to sail the Classic Race Week in Antigua
• Schooner sailing in Maine

What are your dream destinations?

I will add these to the Great Places to Sail Map and post them as they come in.

Mystery Photo - Anyone know what this is?

This is not a quiz, as I genuinely have no clue what this photo is. I received a batch of great photos from Carlo Borlenghi taken at Acura Key West. This one is a mystery to me.  Does anyone have a clue?  I will give a shout-out to the best suggestions, especially funny ones.

Questions From The Community

From time to time, readers of this blog send me questions about sailing, boats or general nautical stuff that they would like answered. As I am usually clueless, I post the question and more often than not one of the few hundred people who read this organ every day provide answers. It's a pretty groovy, online community thing!

I thought that I might try something out. If you cast your eyes left, you will see a list of links called Questions From the Community. If you have any questions that you think the vastly-more-knowledgeable-than-I readers of this blog might be able to answer, email me and I will ask them.

Poll: Who would you rather take sailing? Barak, McCain, Palin or Biden?

Forget who you are going to vote for. The important question is who would you rather take sailing? Cast your eyes left and click on who you think would make the best sailing buddy.

Barak? who from this picture would might make a good navigator.

McCain? He clearly does a good pirate impersonation.

Joe Biden? I am not sure what he is talking about here but it maybe something to do with fishing. I hope so.

Or would you rather take Sarah Palin with you? Apparently she is no stranger to a pair of foulies.