e-Sheet - March 7, 2003
A periodic newsletter of the Lansing Sailing Club. Send info for publication to the Publisher by using the Contact Us page of the Lansing Sailing Club Web Site. Copies of previous e-Sheets are in the archives section of our web site at www.lansingsailing.org.
In This Issue
· Informal Sailor Gathering Next Wednesday at Spags
· Alingi Wins America's Cup - Plans Major Changes
· Work Party March 22 - Getting Ready for Docks In
· New Approach to Learning Racing Rules by UK
· UK Newsletter Includes Weather and Millennium Rig Articles

Sailing on TV
· Mar 16. America's Cup 2003 Review. ESPN2. 3:30 PM.
Coming Events
· Mar 12 (Wed). Informal LSC Gathering. 7:00-9:00 PM. Spagnoula's.
· Mar 22 (Sat). LSC Work Party to prepare for Docks In
· Apr 12 (Sat). Docks In
· Apr 13 (Sun). Get Boats Ready Day
· Apr 16 (Wed). Race Committee Orientation
· Apr 19 (Sat). Docks In - Alternate Date
· Apr 26 (Sat). Crewing Seminar
· Apr 27 (Sun). Lightning Race Day 1. Skipper's Mtg 12:30. 1st Race 1:00.
 
· Informal Sailor Gathering Next Wednesday at Spags
Lansing Sailors will gather for their usual second Wednesday informal social event on March 12 at 7 PM. The event will be at Spagnoula's which is located on the north side of Grand River between Cornell and Meridian Roads east of Okemos. There will be plenty to talk about with big changes announced for the next America's Cup and "Docks In" just around the corner.
 
· Alingi Wins America's Cup - Plans Major Changes
Switzerland's Alingi Challenge has won the America's Cup, beating Team New Zealand 5-0. Oracle immediately became the challenger of record and it didn't take long for the Alingi and Oracle to set forth some major changes they will make in the event. They are currently thinking the next cup will be held in 2007. The event will be somewhere in Europe, but not landlocked Switzerland. Lisbon, Sete, Marseilles, Barcelona, Palma, Malta and southern Italy are among the locations most often mentioned, with Lisbon and Sete the front-runners.

Here are some of the changes envisioned:
1. Made for TV. There will be major changes to lend this event more to television coverage. The site will be selected with reliable winds high on the list of priorities and races will be shortened so they can be completed in about 90 minutes (instead of more than 2 hours in this last Cup). Also, they will sail in a greater range of wind conditions (in this last cup, there were no races in winds under 11 knots or in winds over 19 knots). Television coverage of the just completed Cup was made extremely difficult by postponements, abandonments, and cancellations due to wind conditions.

2. Eliminate Nationality Requirement. Crew will not be required to maintain a residence in the country of the team they sail with. Alingi had a crew representing sixteen countries and most of the other challengers had crews from multiple countries.

3. Fleet Racing Component. Fleet racing championships on an annual basis in the US and Europe will be held - the first hopefully later this year in San Francisco. Fleet racing in the spring on 2007 will also be used to seed challengers.

4. Independent Race Management. Race Committees and judges will no longer be provided by the host, but be comprised of neutrals. This will eliminate the appearance of, if not actual, favoritism for the host team.

5. One Management. Both the defender and final series will be under management of one organization. Until now, the challengers' series and the cup match have essentially been separate events.

6. Access to Data. A syndicate that purchases an old boat will be entitled to buy its performance information as well. Old technical information up to and including the just-competed cup regatta could be sold until October 2004. The ideas is for new teams to be able to come in on a more level platform because they are not necessarily starting from so far behind some of the existing teams that it is very difficult for them to catch up.

 
· Work Party March 22 - Getting Ready for Docks In
A work party has been set for March 22 from noon until 4 to get ready for docks in. Hopefully we'll find a few dedicated members that can make themselves available. In addition, this is a good way for members to make up an outstanding duty obligation that may have carried over from last year.
 
· New Approach to Learning Racing Rules by UK
UK Sailmakers is developing a new web site feature that teaches the Racing Rules of Sailing - with Junior sailors being the primary intended audience. Their first Rules Quiz Challenge for Kids is at http://www.uksailmakers.com/rulesquiz/junior/. Take a look. I think you will agree, that this approach is not just for kids. It is a great way to begin teaching anyone the basics of the racing rules.

By the way, UK also has great quizes for the experienced racer. There are now 14 animated quizes and you'll find them through their web site at http://www.uksailmakers.com/.

 
· UK Newsletter Includes Weather and Millennium Rig Articles
UK Sailmaker's March Newsletter is now available. It has a great article on weather as well as info on the "X-Rig" (also called the "Millennium Rig") which has become a common sight along syndicate row in Auckland. Check this out at http://uksailmakers.com/newsletter/mar03/index.html.