News From Neptune

JULY 2008     SEPTEMBER 2008

August Blog Contents

August 29, 2008 Impressive New Trimaran Commissioned

(AP) ANACORTES, Washington - It's big enough to fill the diamond of a major league baseball field and is just a few feet shorter than an NBA court.

The new trimaran built for BMW Oracle Racing might not make it to the starting line of the America's Cup because of an ongoing fight in New York courts. But it certainly is impressing the sailors who are about to put it through its sea trials on Puget Sound.

"It's awesome, mate. The first time you see it in real life it's a shock factor, to be real honest," James Spithill, a helmsman for BMW Oracle Racing, said by phone Tuesday from Anacortes, Wash. "It's just so big. Obviously it's an extremely impressive boat; very, very powerful."

The three-hulled boat, which measures 90 feet by 90 feet, was commissioned Monday with the traditional smashing of a bottle of champagne across the bow. It was lowered by crane into Fidalgo Bay, and its giant mast was then fitted into place.

On Tuesday, BMW Oracle Racing began stress tests to make sure the carbon fiber boat can handle the enormous loads that will be put on it by the rigging.

BMW Oracle Racing, owned by Silicon Valley tycoon Larry Ellison, built the trimaran in anticipation of a one-on-one showdown against two-time defending America's Cup champion Alinghi of Switzerland.

Whether this boat ever sails for the oldest trophy in international sports depends on how the New York State Court of Appeals in Albany rules this fall.

Golden Gate Yacht Club, which backs BMW Oracle Racing, and Societe Nautique de Geneve, the club that backs Alinghi, have been at odds since the end of the last America's Cup in July 2007.

GGYC initially secured a court ruling that it was the rightful Challenger of Record, meaning it had the right to negotiate terms of a traditional multichallenger regatta with Alinghi. When the two syndicates couldn't agree to terms, it appeared they were headed toward a showdown in giant multihulls.

But last month, the New York Supreme Court's Appellate Division ruled 3-2 that Spain's Club Nautico Espanol de Vela, not GGYC, should be the Challenger of Record. That appeared to send the Cup back to its traditional format of several challengers vying for the right to face the defender in the America's Cup match.

GGYC filed a last-chance appeal.

Until there's definitive word from the court, the sailors will continue preparing their boat.

Spithill, a 29-year-old Australian who is preparing for his fourth America's Cup campaign, said he's trying not to think about the court case.

"We think we have a solid case," he said. "For us, at the end of the day, it's all part of our preparation. When you look at this boat you just think, 'Boy, who wouldn't want to see two of these boats race each other?' It's amazing. I can't tell you how many four-letter words people have used when they see it."

In a good way, of course.

Sea trials are expected to begin in early September. Deciding on a crew size will be part of the learning curve, Spithill said. Initial estimates are perhaps 14 or 15.

"It's something that I'm pretty excited about. The main thing with multihulls is you always try to sail as light as you can. But with a boat like this and the power it's got, it's also going to take a lot of physical effort by the crew. It's going to be an interesting few months."

Spithill thinks the trimaran can exceed 40 knots in the right conditions.

"We're going to be very, very conservative and take things very slowly," he said. "Obviously if things go wrong on a boat of this size, it can be extremely bad. The important part is to take our time."

(AP Photo / BMW Oracle Racing, Gilles Martin Raget)
Story By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports Writer
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

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August 28, 2008 Sailing Ships In Space?

Picture it -- a sail boat floating across the starry sky. Well, it's not exactly what you'll see, but it is an idea at NASA.

Solar sail propulsion uses sunlight to propel vehicles through space, much the way the wind pushes a sailboat through water. The technology requires intercepting the constantly streaming solar energy, called photons, with giant, reflective sails of lightweight material. Over time, the continuous pressure of the sun's light provides sufficient thrust for a small spacecraft to travel in space and alter its orbit. In fact, the only power required would be to run the "brains" of the satellite ship which consists of a few batteries to run a simple radio and computer.

Sounds easy, right? On Earth, solar cells have been turning sunlight into electricity for centuries, so why hasn't the space community succeeded in using solar power for in-space transportation?

Although the idea of "sailing" through space has been around since the 17th century, it's never quite come together. Both visionary astronomer Johannes Kepler and Russian space pioneer Friederich Tsander proposed the concept of sailing though space using only the force provided by the energy in sunlight. But at the time, materials strong, thin and durable enough to withstand the harsh radiation environment of space didn’t exist.

Solar sail propulsion continued to captivate engineers in modern space history, and in recent years, several advances have been made toward testing and deploying solar sails on Earth and in low-Earth orbit by the space agencies of the U.S., Germany and Japan. In 2005, the nonprofit space advocacy organization The Planetary Society, launched Cosmos-1 into space on a Russian Volna rocket, but unfortunately the first stage of the launch vehicle never completed its scheduled burn, and never had a chance to deploy and demonstrate solar sail propulsion technology.

Through an innovative partnership between NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California, and several industry and academic partners, NASA tried the solar sail endeavor on August 2, 2008. The mission was called the NanoSail-D, and rode to the edge of space on the Falcon 1 launch vehicle, developed by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California. But, the second stage of the Falcon 1 never deployed, ending the NanoSail-D mission.

Still, a solar sail has yet to be successfully deployed in space. Whose next?

Image of a solar sail, the NanoSail-D which is made of extremely lightweight gossamer fabric designed to glide into space. Image Credit: NASA/MSFC/D. Higginbotham

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August 26, 2008 When Caught In A Storm

Thunderstorms in coastal waters are frequently unpredictable. Even with the best weather reports, along with constant and accurate observations of climatic conditions, boaters can still be caught in open waters in a thunderstorm. Then, with or without a lightning protective system, it is critical to take additional safety precautions to protect the boat's personnel. Here are some precautions to take during a thunderstorm:

* Stay in the center of the cabin if the boat is so designed. If no enclosure (cabin) is available, stay low in the boat. Don't be a "stand-up human" lightning mast!
* Keep arms and legs in the boat. Do not dangle them in the water.
* Discontinue fishing, water skiing, scuba diving, swimming or other water activities when there is lightning or even when weather conditions look threatening. The first lightning strike can be a mile or more in front of an approaching thunderstorm cloud.
* Disconnect and do not use or touch the major electronic equipment, including the radio, throughout the duration of the storm.
* Lower, remove or tie down the radio antenna and other protruding devices if they are not part of the lightning protection system.
* To the degree possible, avoid making contact with any portion of the boat connected to the lightning protection system. Never be in contact with two components connected to the system at the same time. Example: The gear levers and spotlight handle are both connected to the system. Should you have a hand on both when lightning strikes, the possibility of electrical current passing through your body from hand to hand is great. The path of the electrical current would be directly through your heart--a very deadly path!
* It would be desirable to have individuals aboard who are competent in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. Many individuals struck by lightning or exposed to excessive electrical current can be saved with prompt and proper artificial respiration and/or CPR. There is no danger in touching persons after they have been struck by lightning.
* If a boat has been, or is suspected of having been, struck by lightning, check out the electrical system and the compasses to insure that no damage has occurred.

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August 22, 2008 Fay Smashes Canadian's Sailboat

Canadian Gill le Houx hoped he could save his 64-foot sailboat that ran aground on Vilano Beach, but by Wednesday morning his optimism was dashed as angry seas from Tropical Storm Fay washed all but the boat's stern away.

His boat struck ground about 6:30 a.m Tuesday, and the U.S. Coast Guard spent the day trying to help him pull it back into deep water. Shawn Jackson, of Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, said Wednesday that le Houx, with the help of other boaters, tried one last time Tuesday night during high tide to pull his vessel off the shore. But he was unsuccessful."The boat started to break up between 10 and 11 p.m.," Jackson said.

Throughout Wednesday, waves crashed over the frame of the back of the boat that read "Lady Cecile," the title of his boat named after his mother, according to le Houx. Large debris, including wooden chairs and lumber from the side of the boat, drifted down Vilano Beach.

Le Houx had quit his job and sunk all of his money into refurbishing the 100-year-old wooden sailboat; he did not have insurance. He attempted to dock in St. Augustine to escape Tropical Storm Fay. He had sailed from Montreal and was on his way to Cuba. The 64-foot teak and mahogany sailboat first became stuck as le Houx was heading south. "Bad charts, bad weather, no sleep for three days," contributed to the grounding north of the St. Augustine Inlet, he said.

Lehoux was able to free the Lady Cecile but she was turned sideways as he tried to ground the boat. The waves and tides took over, he said. Le Houx eventually abandoned the boat. "The first mast broke and crashed right through the bow," he said. "The water was coming from the top. Pressure from the inside out split the boat."

Wednesday afternoon, Lehoux, 56, who is from Quebec City, Canada, was at the beach stacking debris from the wreckage. "I need a boom truck, which I cannot afford," he said. Lehoux said he hopes to find work and remain in St. Augustine until he can regroup. He will save money and continue on to Cuba, where he wants to open a travel agency.

Lt. Steve Zukowsky, of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said his department is classifying the incident as a boat accident. He said Lehoux has arranged for a commercial company to remove the last of the boat and take away the debris. "Lehoux has been gathering debris and piling it up," Zukowsky said. "He has been taking an active effort to clean it up."

From the St. Augustine Record.

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August 22, 2008 Melting Arctic Ocean Opens New Shipping Frontier

Barrow, Alaska (AP) - Rapidly melting ice on Alaska's Arctic is opening up a new navigable ocean in the extreme north, allowing oil tankers, fishing vessels and even cruise ships to venture into a realm once trolled mostly by indigenous hunters.

The Coast Guard expects so much traffic that it opened two temporary stations on the nation's northernmost waters, anticipating the day when an ocean the size of the contiguous United States could be ice-free for most of the summer.

"We have to prepare for the world coming to the Arctic," said Rear Adm. Gene Brooks, commander of the Coast Guard's Alaska district.

Scientists say global warming has melted the polar sea ice each summer to half the size it was in the 1960s, opening vast stretches of water. Last year, it thawed to its lowest level on record.

The rapid melting has raised speculation that Canada's Northwest Passage linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans could one day become a regular shipping lane. And there is a huge potential for natural resources in a region that may contain as much as 25 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and gas.

But scientists caution that it could be centuries before the Arctic is completely ice-free all year round.

Still, conservative estimates indicate the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free in the summer within 20 years, although some scientists believe that will occur much sooner.

As it thaws, the receding ice has made ocean travel along Alaska's northern coast increasingly alluring, but ships can still be trapped by ice.

Earlier in August, three oil industry vessels bound for Canada became stuck in ice about 60 miles north of Point Barrow. The Coast Guard sent the icebreaker Healy to help, but before it could arrive from 300 miles away, the wind shifted and pushed the ice apart, freeing the vessels.

"They were able to get away," Brooks said. "The problem with this ice is it's very unpredictable."

Because of such risks, the Coast Guard established temporary bases this month in Barrow, the country's highest-latitude town, and at the North Slope's Prudhoe Bay, the nation's largest oil field. The bases will operate for a few weeks while Guard officials evaluate the need for the agency's services.

The Northwest Passage is also increasingly popular with tourists.

Chuck Cross has been leading excursions to the North Pole with his Bend, Ore.-based Polar Cruises since 1991, and he's noticed a big change over the years.

"It's amazing to me when I go to the pole how thin the ice is, huge open spots of water in some areas," he said. "Before, you spent more time getting there and more time in the ice. We'd have helicopters looking for breaks in the water for us."

The thaw has added urgency to the race among neighboring nations to claim a piece of the North Pole's resources. The U.S. is compiling mapping data that could bolster any claims for drilling rights.

Many countries have launched scientific expeditions, hoping to take advantage of a provision in international law that allows nations to claim rights over their continental shelf beyond the normal boundary of 200 nautical miles, if the claim can be supported with geologic evidence.

The Coast Guard is concerned that the increasing volume of ship traffic brings greater potential for oil spills, lost boaters and other mishaps.

"We have to ask ourselves whether we're prepared for these ships coming to our shores," said Mead Treadwell, who chairs the U.S. Arctic Research Commission. He testified in Congress this summer about the need to build new Coast Guard icebreakers to better protect traffic in its Arctic waterways.

Before the Coast Guard opened its base in Barrow, the nearest station where ships could stop for fuel and provisions was Alaska's Kodiak Island, almost 1,000 miles away.

Richard Glenn, an official with Arctic Slope Regional Corp., a Barrow-based company that represents the business interests of Alaska Natives, said the Coast Guard's arrival in his community is "like bread to starving people."

"When everything goes wrong — fall-time storms, tragic loss of vessels, lost people on land — there's nothing that's ever been so far away than the Coast Guard."

The town of 4,000 people has welcomed the agency and even supplied hangers for two helicopters.

But the warming climate has also disrupted an ancient way of life for many in the region, particularly hunters who use the floating ice as platforms for hunting marine mammals like bowhead whales and walrus. The same ice is vital to survival of polar bears, which are the first species declared as threatened because of climate change.

Snow also thaws much earlier each spring than in the past, meaning hunters can't travel as far along the tundra after it turns soggy. And the late arrival of fall affects weather patterns, creating dangerous sea currents and strong winds.

To adjust, Arctic communities hold later hunts, take smaller whales and share their food with others who have less to eat.

"It's affecting our hunting practices in more ways than one," said Harry Brower Jr., chairman of the Barrow-based Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. "If you take a step back and look at it, you definitely see the changes."

The head of the Coast Guard, Adm. Thad Allen, carefully avoids the debate over climate change. It's too early to say what the Coast Guard's future operations here will be, but Allen is certain his agency will have a key role as the Arctic landscape is transformed by warmer temperatures.

"I'm agnostic to the science and the debate about what the cause is," he said. "All I know is there's water where there didn't used to be."

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August 21, 2008 Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)

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August 21, 2008 Take Precautions Before The Storm

As boaters prepare for whatever havoc tropical storms may bring, they have many tips to consider.

First, small boats should be removed from the water and moved to a secure location. These locations can be areas inland above flood areas. Also, the boat should be tied securely to the trailer and loose items should be removed.

Electronic systems should be turned off and batteries removed. Place blocks between the frame members and the axle inside each wheel.

Tie down the boat/trailer in all four directions.

Properly securing vessels left on the water also is essential. Capt. Rick Gross, a charter captain out of Catchers Marina on Anna Maria Island, has noticed that during past storms, some boaters did not leave enough line out to account for rising water levels. Boats can end up underneath or on top of docks, or break loose and drift away.

Gross tied six lines to his boat, in such a way that it withstands changes in water levels, which already have been shifting dramatically, partly because of strong, post-full moon tides.

"Some people tie their boats up thinking the water's gonna be the same," Gross said, "and the next thing you know the whole boat goes down, and when the tide comes back up, the corner of the boat is caught under the docks. The tide keeps coming back and there's no place for the boat to go. The water goes over the gunnel and the next thing you know, the boat is sunk."

Boaters should double- or triple-tie mooring lines to hold a vessel in the berth's center or off sea walls or dock pilings. Remember, nylon line will stretch 5 to 10 percent of its length. Preventers can be installed at the top of pilings so lines cannot slip.

Before mooring, ensure fuel tanks are full, clean fuel filters, bilges and cockpit drains, charge batteries, and make sure fire fighting equipment is in good order and life-saving equipment is in good condition and readily available.

All hatches, ports, doors, lazarettes and sailboat rudders should be secure. Also, lash down everything that cannot be removed, such as tillers, wheels and booms. If possible or applicable, remove and secure the mast.

Duct tape can help seal all openings and make the vessel as water tight as possible.

If boats must remain dock side, use or install heavy-duty fender boards (two feet by six feet) on bare wood center pilings.

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August 20, 2008 Last day for USA Stars Tornados

The American Star and Tornado teams took the same gamble going into this event: They committed to equipment packages that were exceptional in light air but hindrances in breezes over around six knots. John Lovell (New Orleans, La.) and Charlie Ogletree (Kemah, Texas.) chose to use a smaller, flatter gennaker that could be used upwind. They were depending on light air conditions for their weapon to work, but Ogletree said they only saw those ideal winds in one race of the ten-race Tornado series. They had banked on Qingdao to be a calm venue, but Lovell said, 'The ironic thing is this is the windiest Olympics I've ever sailed. How weird is that?' Ogletree said, 'Basically the Finns and Ynglings had the conditions we would have wanted.'

Asked to comment whether they thought they had made the right decision, Ogletree said, 'Hindsight is 20/20. But it's tough to say we regret it.' He continued, 'This Olympics taught me some tough lessons and how to deal with them. At the end of the day, it's a sailboat race.' Ogletree and Lovell won silver in Athens, so handling their position at the back of the pack was a challenging change of perspective. Lovell said, 'Of course I'm a little depressed. We made a big call, we gambled and it backfired. But you can't second guess yourself. We made a decision and that was it.'

John Dane explained that the USA Star was designed for light air from the keel and the hull to even the sails. He said they spent 40 days in Qingdao and looked at 20 years of weather data and the odds pointed to light air, but they still didn't get what they needed. On the six knot day, they finished in second and fourth, but otherwise they struggled in any more wind. He said of racing with their handicap, 'It's not enjoyable, but it's a great experience to be at the Olympics and I'm fortunate to be one of those few people who have been to the Olympics. I just wish I had done better for our country and the rest of the team.'

Sperry said of the campaign as a whole, 'We did it so right this time. We proved ourselves by being here and the boat turned out perfect. Sometimes this is life.' Sailing with his father-in-law, Sperry was glad to help the 58-year-old get to the Olympics. He said, 'I take pride in that. I helped give the old guy something he's always wanted. He's been a savior for a lot of people [providing housing to his employees after Hurricane Katrina] so he deserves it.' In the last race the wind dropped slightly and Dane and Sperry finished in fourth as opposed to their previous high scores. Sperry said, 'The breeze went to six knots and the boat ripped. That's the deal.'

By the end of the event, both teams knew they had painted themselves into limiting design corners with their equipment and they just tried to have fun and enjoy the Olympics. The three oldest member of the team, Dane, Lovell and Ogletree, have said this will be their last Olympics, but Sperry has not yet decided.

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August 8 , 2008 Flag Bearer Sailors at the Olympic Opening Ceremony

QINGDAO, East China -- Many Olympic sailors felt proud of carrying the national flag of their own countries at the opening ceremony on Friday before sailing their nations to Olympic glory.

Ciara Peelo, Ireland's most dedicated Laser Radial sailor, led the 51-strong Olympic team at the National Stadium in Beijing. "The Olympic Games themselves are an inspiration. Honor will help to motivate me to do my best for my country at the Games," she said, the only female sailor of the Irish six-strong sailing team.

Brazil's legendary double gold medallist Robert Scheidt also hoped the honorary position would bring him luck while gunning for his third in a row of the Olympic gold. "It was quite emotional. Usually, they do not announce the flag bearer until right before the opening ceremony. It is very special to have a flag presented to me directly from the President," said Scheidt, Laser gold medallist in 1996 and 2004, Laser silver medallist in 2000.

Alejandro Foglia, the only sailor from Uruguay, is not only the flag bearer for the opening ceremony in Beijing, but also in Qingdao. "There are not very many Uruguayan athletes competing. I was selected because of my commitment to the sport," said Foglia, 24, from Laser class.

Barbara Kendall, windsurfer from New Zealand, is the first woman to parade her country's colors at the opening ceremony. "It is announced only a couple of days before the ceremony and it is quite an event," said the 40-year-old from Auckland.

Some 300 sailors and coaches left Qingdao on Friday morning for Beijing in two chartered planes to attend the opening ceremony.

Members of the American Delegation parade into the National Stadium for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

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August 7 , 2008 Barge Spills 165,000 Gallons

After nearly three days of constant pumping, the Coast Guard believes all of the recoverable oil has been removed from a damaged fuel barge in the Mississippi River, clearing salvage crews to remove the wreckage.

The Coast Guard on Wednesday estimated that 165,000 gallons of oil have been recovered from the barge's tanks, some resting on the river bed 80 feet below the surface.

Some of that oil may be mixed with water, inflating the final count, but it gives officials a better estimate of how much oil was actually spilled into the river in the July 23 accident, and it is much less than originally feared. The new amount means roughly 254,000 gallons of the 419,000-gallon load of No. 6 fuel oil was spilled, still the largest spill on the lower Mississippi since 2000.

More on this Breaking News can be found at the United States Coast Guard or The Times-Picayune. Story By Chris Kirkham.

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August 6 , 2008 President Bush Signs Clean Boating Act

Aboard Air Force One, The President signs into law "The Clean Boating Act of 2008", which exempts certain discharges incidental to the normal operation of a recreational vessel from regulation under the Clean Water Act.

President Bush signed S. 2766, “The Clean Boating Act of 2008,” which permanently restores a long-standing exemption for recreational boats from permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act. This signing eliminates a permit program for recreational boaters.

With the President at the signing are (left) Representatives Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH), a champion of this common sense legislation and (center) Patrick Tiberi (R-OH).


Photo credited by Christopher Greenberg

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August 6 , 2008 USS New York LPD-21

The USS New York LPD-21 was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center.

It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft. The USS New York will land Marines, their equipment and supplies, by embarked air cushion or conventional landing craft and Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles amphibious
assault vehicles, augmented by helicopters or vertical take off and landing aircraft. USS
New York will support amphibious assault, special operations, or expeditionary warfare
missions throughout the first half of the 21st Century.

Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, 'those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence,' recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. 'It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.'

The New York’s keel was laid on September 10, 2004 and the ship will be commissioned USS
New York in New York City in 2009.

The ship's motto? 'Never Forget'.

Ship Characteristics
Length: 684 feet (208.5 meters)
Beam: 105 feet (31.9 meters)
Displacement: Approximately 24,900 tons full load
Speed: In excess of 22 knots (24.2 mph)
Aircraft: Four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters or two MV-22
Osprey tilt rotor aircraft may be launched or
recovered simultaneously. The ship’s hangar can
store 1-2 aircraft.
Armament: Two 30 mm Close-in-Guns, for surface threat defense; two Rolling Airframe
Missile launchers for air defense
Landing Craft: Two LCACs (air cushion) or one LCU (conventional)
EFVs: 14 Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicles
Power plant: Four Colt-Pielstick diesel engines, two shafts, 41,600 shp
Crew: 360 Sailors (28 officers, 332 enlisted) and 3 Marines
Troops: 699 (66 officers, 633 enlisted); surge to 800 total.

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