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FD WORLDS WEEK IN NAPLES

Yacht club scene at FD Worlds, Naples, 1969. Mt. Vesuvius in the background.

FD WEEK IN NAPLES
by Warner Guedry

First race: wind, 8 SW building to 14 at finish; sea, light chop
The series began with confusion because the Committee used a white flag positioned about 300 feet to leeward of the leeward mark to designate the end of the starting line. Most boats, ourselves included, thought the red flag was the starting mark and most of those who knew better were forced over early by the rest of us. The result was two general recalls, which couldn't have pleased us more because we had miserable starts both times. We were impressed by the aggressiveness on the starting line. On the third start the flag end was definitely favored and a very popular place so we flipped to port to leeward of the flag with 1 1/2 minutes left and reached back frantically looking for a hole. We found two boat lengths and shot through on port at the gun into instant clear air. England's John Truett, winner of the practice race, was to leeward, going faster and pointing higher. We tacked away on a small header, mainly so we wouldn't have to watch John come up under our bow. Others were outpointing us, too, and we stayed alive by studying the compass and tacking on the headers. We rounded the weather mark eighth and were behind 4 English boats, 1 Austrian, and 2 Italians, and immediately picked up one of the Italians. We closed on the leaders on the reaching legs, caught the pack and passed the Austrian Seidl at the leeward mark. He immediately returned the favor by sailing away 10 degrees higher to weather. His boat, Hokus pokus, was a wooden 1 1/2 with baggy Raudaschl-Segel sails that outpointed everyone. We lost several boats and our composure while raking the mast aft in a vain attempt to find the right combination. The slot looked pretty good but the boat was mushy in the 8-10 mph winds. We were lucky under the circumstances to be in 8th place. On the run we decided to stay offshore on starboard and let Renevier, the Swiss champion, Truett and Seidl go inshore. We guessed right, and followed the 3 leading British boats in the better wind offshore, passing Renevier and Truett and getting within range of Seidl as we rounded for the beat in 5th place. The wind was up to 14 for the final weather leg as we rounded to port, headed inshore, and found the boat had come alive. We held off Truett easily while moving through Seidl's lee and trying not to notice how high he was pointing. Near the layline we figured we could cross Seidl on starboard, only to have the jib sheet foul in the guy hook. He crossed in front of us, tacked, and covered us to the finish on a slightly lifted starboard tack.

Finishes: Englishmen Keith Paul, Allen Warren, and Bishop were 1,2,3; Seidl, US, Truett, Renevier and 2 Italians and Lester of England rounded out the top ten.

Observations: The 4 English boats were very fast to weather in the 8-10 mph wind that prevailed on the first two beats, but we definitely had Truett and stayed with the Austrian in the 14 mph final beat. We felt we were as fast as anyone off the wind. We decided to make no changes in rig or sails (Mustos). The Committee gave notice that the white flag would be abandoned and they would use the leeward mark as the end of the starting line. They also invoked a one minute rule after a general recall which required boats over the line in the final minute to go around either end of the starting line before restarting.

Second race: wind, 6 SW building to 12; sea, light chop.
We started at the middle of the line on port, and were badly buried, so we tacked to starboard to clear our air. Back on port we looked good except for two problems: horrible boat speed and a noticeable inability to point. We rounded 18th and could barely see Truett, Seidl and the Italian pre-Olympic representative Massone, who had stayed on port tack after the start and made out like bandits. We were living only for the reaches and picked up 6 boats on the 2 legs, to begin the 2nd beat in 12th place. No combination of adjustments and profanities could get the boat pointing, so we lost 4 boats. Picked 2 back up on the run and began the final beat in 14th place, but at least the wind was up to 12 mph and the boat felt good again and wanted to point. Rather than follow the parade inshore on port we took a couple of hitches out and managed to pick up Eeckels of Holland and a German boat. We were gaining fast on two Italians but ran out of race course and finished a disappointing 12th, way behind Truett, Seidl, Massone, another Italian (Isemburg?), Warren 5th, and Bishop 6th.

Observations: We had to do something about our inability to point in the light air because the wind was building up too late during the races to do us much good. By studying the British, whose rigs were remarkably similar, we noticed their fixed spreaders had at most 1" intrusion into the shrouds and about 1" forward rake, while we were at 2 1/2 to 3" intrusion with slight forward rake. We shortened ours in hopes of inducing lateral mast bend earlier and opening the slot in less wind. On the weather legs we noticed that the boats which made out best in the two races had generally sailed inshore on port and gotten a slant up to the pin on starboard.

Third race: wind, 14-18 S; sea, moderate confused chop.
After a general recall we got clear air on starboard at the leeward end, and after being pinned down for awhile finally tacked to port to see that Truett was off and running with Massone and Seidl looking good. We were 12th at the weather mark and in the confusion of getting clear with spinnaker in the moderate breeze I headed too high with the fleet instead of steering by the Olympic course computer and listening to Sandy's pleas to bear off. Everyone was too high except Truett, who was way ahead, and Isemburg of Italy, who had crossed our bow heading down in the right direction to 3rd place at the jibing mark. We broke Renevier's overlap to jibe 10th. It was a great close reach with a lot of infighting and we gained one boat. On the beat Dietrich of Germany pulled away from us to weather with good-looking North sails. We gambled as we approached the starboard layline by tacking to leeward of Eeckels of Holland, who was first of 3 starboard tackers. Couldn't quite lay it and there was too much sea to pinch up so we jibed around rather than take the risk. Got one boat back on the run and picked up 2 more to weather to finish 10th behind Keith Paul in Hullaballoo.

Finishes: Truett, Isemburg and then Massone of Italy, Seidl, Dietrich, 2 more Italians, Eeckels, Paul, US.

Observations: Truett won his second race by almost 3 minutes. His boat speed was so good that he got clear fast and then settled down to conservative tactics and increased his lead throughout the race. Seidl somehow continued to point extremely high with baggy sails even as the wind and sea increased. Obviously shortening our spreaders hadn't hurt our speed in the moderate air but we had not learned whether or not we were going better in gentle breezes. After 3 races we were in 8th place comfortably, without a really bad race yet.

Fourth race: wind, 10-16 WSW; sea, moderate chop.
Another general recall, which is just the thing to get the adrenalin running. With the committee end favored we tacked to port just below the line into the cone of protection offered by the large committee boat. Back to starboard and then at the gun we crossed the line and the committee boat anchor chain on port tack in clear air and headed inshore. Truett did it again by starting near the committee end, looking good to weather. Massone was to leeward and apparently decided to foot through the chop. We seemed to be moving well in about 10 mph wind for a change. Eleventh at the weather mark. Truett, Seidl, Warren and Eeckels disappeared. On the second beat headers lured us out to sea and off course; by leaving the parade we lost three boats. We fell into a hole on the run and failed to improve our position. We picked 3 boats up on the final weather leg and almost got the German Detrich, who, after the 4 races, is close to us but already has a DNF throwout.

Observations: Everyone is ready for the lay day and a trip to Capri.

Fifth race: wind, 25-35 N; sea, moderate to large waves during squall.
We prepared for a blow with 6 shirts for Sandy, 3 for me. We put the main on the green band, full vang and mast raked aft to open the slot. A front moved in from the west and we were at the pin on port and had THE START. The wind was strong, visibility poor, but we were close reaching on the compass heading to the weather mark. We were flying while others climbed high determined to make it a weather leg. Massone and Detrich fell back and we knew we would be first at the weather mark until guess who appeared close-hauled to leeward as the wind slackened slightly. Right -- Hucklebuck with Truett at the controls. It was a parade for the next 3 legs with Truett, US, Massone, Detrich and Paul very close in lighter and lighter wind. The run was actually a close reach. The chute set fast but Massone almost immediately sailed over us going higher and faster. We held off Keith Paul in Hullaballoo as Detrich fell back, but Paul got by us just before the leeward mark. The wind shifted slightly, giving us a one-tack beat, and we dropped to 5th at the line trying to cover a windward and leeward boat with a strongly favored finish line.

Finishes: Truett, Paul, Massone, Isemburg, US, Detrich.

Observations: We lost 2 boats on the close reach, probably because we weren't as well co ordinated in the puffs and we we might have had our weight a little too far forward. The English cheered us up by telling us that both boats used Bruce Banks chutes which have a slight edge over the Musto in a close reach and are almost equal downwind. We were very pleased with our weather boat speed in either the strong or light wind. The race should have been abandoned when the shift took away the weather work, but this was the only bad race in the series, and once again in extremely different conditions Truett came through.

Sixth race: wind, 12-14SW;sea, moderate chop.
In the final race we had to beat the German or he had to finish below 13th for us to finish 7th overall. Likewise, we could possibly drop to 9th if Bishop, the English Hornet champion, or Eeckels placed high. The German got away to a beautiful 3rd or 4th place start while Bishop was forced by a leeward boat into irons and onto port. We went head to wind but still hit him and were forced over to port ourselves. He agreed to drop out, but as a result we started last. Bishop continued sailing so we hoisted a protest flag. When it blew off during a tack I cut off part of my shirt and flew that. (If you wear something red you are never without a flag;) Twentieth at the weather mark, we picked up 4 boats on the 2nd leg but worked too high on the 3rd leg and Cullinane caught us at the leeward mark. On the 2nd weather leg Truett, Massone, Detrich and Eekels leg the port tack parage inshore while we gambled and went out on starboard and looked great -- probably as high as 7th when we came back to port. We tacked to leeward of Keith Paul who was also wearing a big smile. We both sailed out on starboard looking for the header that the leg, and found we were sailing in a big circle. The rest of the fleet, which had gone inshore, were in a 25 degree lift, and our hopes were crushed. This was our throwout and our overall position remained 8th, as Eckels failed to overtake us, Bishop dropped out, and Germany held on to 7th easily.

Finishes: Truett, Massone, Spinelli, Detrich and Lester.

COMMENTS on the Open Week.

A new Schoonveldt 1 1/2 featuring adjustable jib leads, double-ended tiller, jib Klam Kleats, large mainsheet blocks, roller-bearing traveller, Proctor mast, and stiff boom.

First Impressions: Our first impressions of Naples upon arriving by train from Rome were of its great natural beauty. The bay was magnificent with the city rising behind it. We doubted that we could ever learn to drive in the traffic, which was composed of thousands of tiny Fiats rushing madly about like dodge-em cars. After the first day we moved from an air-conditioned tourist-type hotel into the Santa Lucia, which was an older, less expensive hotel that proved to be the nicest part of our stay in Naples. The weather was so pleasant we left the windows open and enjoyed the view of the bay. It was a lovely room that included a continental breakfast. The Yacht Club had nice facilities which looked more than adequate, but from the beginning we sensed a lack of organization. Our boat arrived safely on the third day. By this time we had decided that it would not be a blistering hot drifter as we had expected, but that we would probably have mild temperatures and good winds. We decided not to drink the water for health reasons so the powdered Gatorade brought in anticipation of high temperatures provided a good flavoring for the bottled purified water.

Boats: Wooden boats were most numerous with only a few fibreglass boats from England and Italy, and Cullinane's 1 1/2 bottom Plastrend. The new C. I. M. A. was an interesting 1 1/2 manufactured in Rome. It seems well equipped but is a new boat so it will be some time before it can be evaluated. The new Schooneveldt 1 1/2' s seemed to be well finished. There were many single and 1 1/2 bottom Bob Hoare boats and several Hoare hulls finished by other builders. The German boat was unique and surprisingly simple in rigging.

Equipment: Proctor masts were used by most boats, with the "B" section the most popular. Diamonds were rare -- the Germans used them with spreaders on the deHavilland mast. Most of the British used "Super B" masts except for one International and an experimental black carbon-coated Proctor mast. The spreader arrangements were very similar as most of the British seemed to adhere to Oakley's formula of 1" intrusion, 1" forward rake, and 14" from aft end of the mast to stays on the deck. Stiff Proctor booms were used by most boats on the theory that they would not free the leech excessively in light air and would induce proper mast bend in all winds.

Some boats used foam in the centerboard trunk to reduce turbulence.

There were several one-piece rudders made by Hoare that seem to be a good arrangement.

The Ruck-Zuck jib furler (as seen on page 26 of the May '69 FD Bulletin) was really easy to use. Only 3 or 4 quick pulls and the jib was furled.

The Germans used a worm gear that simultaneously adjusted the jib halyard and shrouds. The British had several boats with 2 winches in combination that took up or let out proportionally more cable on the jib halyard than they did on the shrouds. Pattisson also uses this arrangement.

There were many copies of the large sheave mainsheet blocks designed by David Hunt for Lewmar. Holt-Allen has a plastic cover over the top half of the sheave to avoid a jam-up.

Most boats now have spinnaker launchers and some way of adjusting the trapeze length while sailing: either through a jam cleat or several knots and a key hole in a plate.

Gibb Klam Kleats were used on the better boats for jib sheets, instead of the conventional cam cleats.

The boats that didn't have adjustments on the jib halyard used an up-and-down adjustment on the jib sheet lead through the deck to trim the leech.

Sails: Musto and Hyde were the most popular sails. Truett used them in combination with Bruce Banks and an occasional Seahorse. Massone used Musto. Seidl used Raudaschl- Segel. The other top ranking British used Musto, Banks or Seahorse, while the Germans were the only boat flying North sails. We used a Musto Hyde suit.

The race committee and yacht club: The lines were good except for the confusion in the first race caused by using a separate flag near the leeward mark for the end of the starting line. The Italian naval ship used by the RC was a little large, but perhaps they felt it gave them a good view of the starting line. The courses were good except in the 5th race when a squall shifted the wind at the start, took away the weather leg and turned the race into a reaching parade. It should have been abandoned, The poor organization at the Circolo Canottieri Napoli Yacht Club was probably caused by a general lack of interest on the part of their members. The children at the Yacht Clubs in Naples were interested only in the cocktail parties. They crowded in ahead of the participants and devoured the setups and snacks during parties which were distinctive only for their brevity, Some of the English sailors finally organized a couple of good get-togethers. Lunches were not available for purchase and the Yacht Club restaurant and all other restaurants didn't open for lunch each day until after the start of the race. We chose to make sandwiches rather than sail all day after eating only a continental breakfast.

Weather: Delightfully mild temperatures with 12-14 mph wind average and trapeze used in all races.

Truett's 'Hucklebuck IV', a Hoare 1 1/2 wIth all the goodies

The British: Rodney Pattison won 5 of 6 races and Keith Musto finished third in the Worlds. Truett won 5 of 6 and 3 other English boats finished 4th, (6th, and 10th in the Week, Is there any doubt that they dominate the Class? The real question is why! With slightly over 200 boats compared to our 1200 their advantage is one of quality not quantity. Graduates of the many dinghy classes are attracted to the FD as Pattison was. Bishop of England finished 10th and has only recently moved to the FD from the Hornet class where he was a champion. Because they aren't spread over as much geography as in the U. S. they sail against each other more often. As a result John Oakley had the advantage of tuning up against his countryman and world champion Dick Pitcher, and 'Young Rodney," as the English call him, had to sail faster than Oakley to become the Olympic representative. Musto, Truett, Paul, Warren and Lester represent talent in depth who know they must become better than Pattison. From this hothouse of competition Bob Hoare learns to build better boats. Musto-Hyde, Bruce Banks, and Seahorse are challenged to build better sails. Proctor is constantly looking for a better answer and so on through the marine industry.

Since we speak practically the same language and since they are so willing to pass on what they know we found them a great source of information. I talked with Musto and Truett for hours and learned a great deal. They are free with what they know because they don't have any deep dark secrets -- they just do everything a little better.

In Conclusion: Sandy Clark and I are convinced that we have learned a great deal and are sailing faster as a result of this exposure to international competition. The U. S. should be represented in every major international competition if we are determined to improve our international standing. The British are far ahead and are not standing still. An international regatta schedule should be drawn up now indicating those races in which U. S. teams will compete for the next 3 years. A budget should be drawn up that would indicate what financial help we could expect from USISA. Certainly Bob Allan of the USISA would appreciate our being more foresighted than we have been in the past and would be placed in a better position to help us. Trials to select our representatives should be well planned and publicized and held in conditions similar to those expected in the competition. We were happy to be selected in Ft Worth, but didn't feel that 13 boats were representative of the talent currently in the class. Is a lake in Jackson, Mississippi the best place to select representatives for the heavy seas of Australia? Well-planned trials would bring our best teams together more often each year instead of just at the Midwinters, Nationals and North Americans. These ideas aren't original. They have been voiced before by Bill Roberts, Bob James and others. I repeat them because we still haven't solved our organizational problems.

U.S. representation would have been individually prohihitively expensive without aid from the USISA. We are fortunate to have Bob Allan who is interested in the class and capably handles our relations with the USISA. Any individuals, yacht clubs, or organizations making tax-free contributions to the USISA should designate the FD class and funds will be reserved for our use.

Warner Guedry and Sandy Clark in Naples.

International understanding was increased greatly at the Week by the Russian entry who came with a huge bus, all the best equipment, coach and interpreter but no crew. Arnaldo Rabago's brother Mario came as spare crew from Guadalajara, Mexico, and teamed up with Leontrev to become without question the most colorful team on the course. They communicated with everything except a common language and finished 21st.

We thought about selling our boat and bringing a new boat back, but we decided not to for several reasons. Those for sale were either too old or too expensive. New templates may find problems in existing boats. A used boat bought now will be at least four years old in 1972, Also, we couldn't decide whether or not a 1 1/2 bottom is the best answer. Many of the British are against them because they float too high and stern down when capsized. They point out that the weight of the raised cockpit can be better used to stiffen a single bottom and that outweighs the advantage in crewing a 1 1/2. We got so confused with all this advice that we took down our for sale sign and sent tired old Gaudy to the high winds of Kingston for what might be her toughest test.