February 2003 - Newsletter - UK-Halsey Sailmakers

As an extra bonus for those who purchased the Real Time Racing Rules Quiz CD, UK Sailmakers is releasing a free update that quizzes 11-13 to be download and run as if they were on the CD in the first place. At first UK Sailmakers planned to sell an updated version of the Rules Quiz CD once a new batch of quizzes was assembled, but due to programming advances, we can now let owners of the CD download the updates for free. We hope you enjoy the new quizzes. In the future, we plan to make all new quizzes available in the same way for free.

Running the update is simple. Once you download the update, choose "save to desktop". Then close or minimize your web brouser. Next, double click on the Updater's icon. As long as you let the quiz load into the folder it was originally programmed to load into, click on "Next" or "Agree" every time you are asked by the updater. Once you are done, the new quizzes will be installed along with a fix to Quiz 2 where one of the definitions couldn't be read completely.

If you want to purchase the Rules Quiz CD from our online store, Once you get the CD, you'll be able to use this update for quizzes 11-13 and
you'll be able to update the CD with future quizzes.

Another free download from UK Sailmakers is our fourth screen saver. This new version has over 20 full color images of racing and cruising boats. Sailing conditions photographed vary from surfing to bows crashing through waves to sedate summer sailing conditions. It's perfect for sharing the sport you love with other sailors as well as with non-sailors - to say nothing about giving you a few moments on the water during your work day. The screen saver will run for six months before you have to download a new copy from the web site again. Currently the screen saver only runs on PC machines. Click here to download. Another free download from UK Sailmakers is our fourth screen saver. This new version has over 20 full color images of racing and cruising boats. Sailing conditions photographed vary from surfing to bows crashing through waves to sedate summer sailing conditions. It's perfect for sharing the sport you love with other sailors as well as with non-sailors - to say nothing about giving you a few moments on the water during your work day. The screen saver will run for six months before you have to download a new copy from the web site again. Currently the screen saver only runs on PC machines. Click here to download.

UK UPDATE:
KEY WEST 2003
The following report was written by Scott Allan, President of UK Sailmakers in Annapolis, Md.

I had my first opportunity to compete with UK Sails at Key West Race Week. Bill Ward from my loft and I sailied Bert Carp's Donovan 27 REMEDY, which won the 2002 MORC Internationals. For the regatta we added two UK sails to REMEDY's inventory -- a 155% light No. 1 and a Carbon Tape-Drive Powerhead 2 mainsail.

Two consecutive cold fronts in the space of six days made for a cold and windy event. REMEDY, optimized for the light airs of the Chesapeake Bay, had tough competition with the MORC ‘A’ 30-footer INVINCIBLE, which was better suited to the big breeze.

There was one light air race that we managed to win before racing was scrapped for the day. We used the UK No. 1 in this race, gaining on larger boats and clinching the win on the last upwind leg. The sail was extremely light, had a fast shape, and didn’t move in puffs.

REMEDY performed better upwind in breeze than ever with her new carbon fiber UK main. We lost 2 races to the 30 footer in 15-20 knots of breeze by 22 and 8 seconds respectively. This sail also held its design shape very well and stayed board flat with maximum backstay applied. With the UK main, REMEDY was able to keep pace with a much larger, heavier boat. All other finishes were second to INVINCIBLE.

All in all, we were very happy with the performance of the UK . After seven races we racked up six seconds and a first, five points out of first and 15 points ahead of the third place finisher. After the regatta we examined the sails in the loft and found that they kept their designed shapes perfectly during the windy regatta. We look forward to many more races with these sails.

FROM THE J/80 COURSE AT KEY WEST RACE WEEK
AN OWNER'S REPORT

The most interesting experience was getting a new, untested, set of J-80 sails from Pedro Gianotti at UK Houston. We put them on the boat a day before the regatta and set our own rig tune as the regatta progressed. To our pleasant surprise we had boat speed and power from the get-go, the only thing we had to figure out was pointing ability.

HEATWAVE(USA 45), with Pedro Gianotti (the sailmaker who built the sails) onboard, had immediate results, and was always in the hunt for a top three finish. Our boat, INFINITY, with the same set of sails, was not too far behind all week long.

One thing that really impressed me was the quality and workmanship of the sails. When Friday's weather brought gusty north winds to 30 knots the last thing I had to worry about was the strength of the sails.

Downwind, of course, we had an advantage with a high shouldered Airex 600 kite designed and built by Kerry Klingler. This allowed us to run deeper than the rest of the fleet while maintaining the same speed.

Many heartfelt thanks to Pedro Gianotti and Kerry Klingler for putting forward a great design and a wonderful product.

Respectfully,
Uzi Ozeri
J/80 INFINITY USA 122

AMERICA'S CUP ON TV

The culmination of years of testing and design, months of elimination trials, court room dramas, innovative rule beating tricks comes to a head in New Zealand starting Valentine's Day. All the action will be on ESPN, a cable channel everyone can watch. The following is a schedule of the programming EPSN is planning to run.

February 10, 7:00 PM (ET): America's Cup Jubilee (ESPN Classic)
February 11, 2:00 AM (ET): America's Cup Jubilee (ESPN Classic)
February 13, 11:00 PM (ET): America's Cup Preview (ESPN2)
February 14, 5:00 PM (ET): America's Cup Preview re-air (ESPN Classic)
February 14, 7:00 PM (ET): Race #1 (ESPN2)
February 15, 7:00 PM (ET): Race #2 (ESPN2)
February 17, 7:00 PM (ET): Race #3 (ESPN2)
February 19, 7:00PM (ET): Race #4 (ESPN2)
February 21, 7:00PM (ET): Race #5 (ESPN2) if necessary
February 22, 7:00PM (ET): Race #6 (ESPN2) if necessary
February 24, 7:00PM (ET): Race #7 (ESPN2) if necessary
February 26, 7:00PM (ET): Race #8 (ESPN2) if necessary
February 28, 7:00PM (ET): Race #9 (ESPN2) if necessary
March 16, 3:30PM (ET): America's Cup 2003 Review (ESPN2)

For last minute changes, go to the Jobson Sailing web site at:

http://www.jobsonsailing.com/tvsched.html

SAIL DESIGNS THAT A YACHT DESIGNER CAN APPRECIATE

Greg Stewart, a naval architect for Nelson/Marek Yacht Design in San Diego, knows what it takes to make a fast boat. That's why the sails on his own boat are Tape-Drive sails from UK Sailmakers.

Greg's boat is a classic Six Meter named SPRIG that was built in 1930, which he races PHRF and in Six Meter regattas. “I got my first Tape-Drive sail when a longtime friend from UK Sailmakers in Japan, Hiro Hashiba, made me a mainsail for my 40th birthday in 2000. Since then I have worked with John Bennett and Hiro on the latest sail designs using the latest Kevlar/Carbon technology. When it was time to purchase additional sails for SPRIG, I wanted the same high-tech sails as the mainsail. So I purchased a Tape-Drive Kevlar/carbon jib and a spinnaker. Our performance the with new sails has been great and I look forward to many more wins.”

What does Greg Stewart like best about UK Sailmakers? “I enjoy working with John Bennett and Ray Lafleur at UK Sailmakers in San Diego. The service has been very good. They provide a good product at an attractive price supported by good service.”

MARMARIS RACE WEEK 2002

Above is MAT 10, the only boat with Tape-Drive sails in a 130-boat fleet at Marmaris Race Week in Turkey. She won her division and was first overall. UK Sailmakers newest loft in Turkey scored a major coup with this victory. This new UK loft is will continue to surprise its competitors.