BLACK & WHITE



Last evening was the International Schule Hamburg (ISH) Spring dance, the "Black & White." Here is the Dancing Queen all gussied up -- the preppy-punk look? -- for her Big Night Out....







Looking a bit danced-out upon arriving home with her school friend Fanny Aklundh who spent the night....







This morning preparing a Canadian breakfast with her Swedish girlfriend at our German home....







And then a little backyard badminton....







Not exactly amused that I took their picture while still in pajamas...

Newport to Ensenada Race

This annual race down the coast of SoCal from Newport Beach to Ensenada, Mexico is one of if not the largest races in the world each year. The 57th edition, with 460 boats competing, took place last weekend.

Reminded me of sailing the race as a guest of the organizers, Newport Ocean Sailing Assn (NOSA), yikes, 15 years ago while we were living in San Diego.

Here is a picture courtesy of our good friend Peter Huston (Buffalo, NY) that he recently dug up from god only knows where. Peter is in the then-cool white sunglasses. The gentleman aft of him is the late Ray Wallace, whom Peter says was a legendary navigator on the west coast.

The boat was the modified Swan 57 Ms. Blu owned by Harry Thommason, who didn't even make the trip because he was in China at the time. "That's probably the best borrowed boat deal I ever organized," says Peter.

Can you identify the "most-trusted" helmsman?

The Glove the Key and the Egg Shell



Meg's first "short story"



Once upon a time there was a little boy named George. He lived in a beautiful little house covered in vines. He loved his house. When he was eight he thought it was a castle and pretended he was a knight in shining armor, rescuing his mother, the princess, from his father, the fire breathing dragon. Marvin, George’s father, was offered another job in a different town far away. He took it. He knew how much George loved the old vine covered house. When George found out he was moving he went up to his room and cried. His mother had to give him three bowls of ice cream before he would calm down.



That night while his parents were sleeping, George crept out of his bed and took a box from his shelf. He got out the old glove he had found under his bed when he first played in his bedroom. “This is the symbol for my favorite room,” he whispered. He tip-toed down the stairs and took the extra key from under the door mat. “This symbolizes the love for my vine-covered house,” he said.



George put on his warm winter coat and opened the front door. He walked down the path to his backyard. He opened the gate and walked to the stream that flowed near by. George sat down next to the stream. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a little tiny white egg shell. The animal inside it had already hatched. He picked it up gently and said, “You symbolize the stream by my house, that I used to catch frogs in."



George put the egg shell in the box along with the glove and key. He closed it. The little boy made sure the lid on the box was shut as tightly as possible and put it into the stream. He walked back to his house, got into his bed and went to sleep.



The next morning George packed up all his things. His parents loaded everything into the car. George got into the car and they drove off. He looked back for his last view of the vine-covered house he had grown up in. He had a tear in his eye.



-----------



That's as far as she got, and I told her it needs a punch line and "moral." So she asked me to post it and ask you for any ideas, starting with:



Many years later....

SPRING HAS SPRUNG...

...here in Hamburg, and Meg has produced a picture she calls "Sweet Honey" in honor of the nice weather we are currently enjoying.





We are within 7 weeks of the longest day of the year here in the northern hemisphere, and as far north as Hamburg is (53 deg) means the days are plenty long. Sunrise today is at 0550 and sunset not until 2045, and of course it is light well before and after those times. On 21st June, it is 0450 and 2153, or more than two additional hours of sun time still to come.

UBS TROPHY -- AC RACING RETURNS TO NEWPORT IN JUNE



If this follow-up event to the one OBR hosted for Alinghi in San Francisco last September is even half as exciting, it will be more than worth the price of admission (regardless, it's free!).

Racing will be inside Narrangansett Bay -- starting off Fort Adams (at the very left of the picture above), then out to Castle Hill where the Bay meets Rhode Island Sound, then back to the finish line off Fort Adams. The viewing from shore should be every bit as spectacular as it was for the Moet Cup which was run off the SF city front between Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge. (Photo below from an earlier post shows the two OBR yachts in SF Bay for the Moet Cup last September.)

Following is one of the press releases that went out this evening after the press conference in Newport earlier today that announced the event....

UBS Trophy is the First America's Cup Class Event in 2004
ORACLE BMW Racing Previews the Duel With Alinghi in Newport

MUNICH, Germany and NEWPORT, R.I., April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- "This venue is absolutely perfect -- from an historical as well as from a sporting point of view. As the host city of the America's Cup from 1930-1983, Newport has witnessed many thrilling duels off its shores. I am sure that the UBS Trophy in almost two months will offer exciting sailing at the highest level. The conditions here on the American East Coast surely are among the best anywhere."

Gavin Brady, helmsman of the ORACLE BMW Racing team, is looking forward to the UBS Trophy in Newport, Rhode Island. From 19 - 26 June 2004, the America's Cup Challenger of Record will face-off with the reigning America's Cup champion Alinghi. The one-week match-race series presents the last opportunity to test on American waters this year before the teams go to Europe for the first of the Pre-regattas for America's Cup 2007.

CEO Chris Dickson is convinced that the spectators will experience
spectacular match racing. In Newport he can call upon Gavin Brady and --
amongst others -- John Kostecki, Craig Monk, Ross Halcrow and Robbie Naismith. At the last meeting against one another in September in San Francisco, the ORACLE BMW RACING team defeated the Swiss team with Jochen Schuemann by 4:3.

Speaking about the goals of his team, Dickson said: "This year, Newport is the first opportunity to compete against the best crew of the last America's Cup. We will see where we stand in our training preparations."

Even today ORACLE BMW Racing is directing their vision towards France. In Marseille, from 5-11 September, the first of three America's Cup Pre-regattas this year, with the disciplines of fleet racing and match racing in the
program.

SOURCE ORACLE BMW Racing
Web Site: http://www.oraclebmwracing.com

Let me know if anyone interested in joining us then in Newport for the regatta.

LYNN G STEDMAN JR

In Memoriam







From 1897 through 1975 US Sailing, as it is known today, was the North American Yacht Racing Union. Thought by more than a few to be a bit of a starchy old boys club, NAYRU was comprised only of regional yacht racing associations representing formal yacht clubs, including Canadian clubs.



That all changed in 1975 when Lynn Stedman, then the "dean" of yachting in Detroit and a NAYRU Vice President, became President. Primarily for Olympic purposes the Canadians struck out on their own as the CYA, while NAYRU, renamed USYRU, became the USA's "national governing body." President Stedman deftly orchestrated the NAYRU/CYA disengagement, and then broadened the new USYRU to include voting representation from classes and offshore organizations as well as other previously disenfranchised groups. Lynn recruited into key posts new people from all over the USA, with a new emphasis on top racing sailors, especially women and younger people.



When Congress re-organized the US Olympic Committee in 1978, USYRU, by then broadly-based and well-organized, was held high as the "model" national governing body which other NGBs were expected to emulate. Lynn was enormously proud of this achievement. However, he always shared the credit with his predecessor, the late James Michael of San Francisco, who had been the first non-New England NAYRU President, and with Chicagoans Mark Baxter (late father of current US Sailing President Janet Baxter) and the late Richard Latham (Lynn's successor as USYRU President), among others. However, I think most of us then active in USYRU would agree that the key was Lynn's broad, inclusive vision, quiet but firm diplomatic skills, and his affable Midwestern "neutrality" that assuaged egos and gained the trust of sailing leaders on both coasts and in Canada.



Lynn also quietly championed racial non-discrimination. He discreetly resolved a potentially explosive issue involving a major southern yacht club -- standing up for equal opportunity without jamming it down the throats of private clubs.



After his presidency Lynn was an internationally-respected senior delegate to IYRU (now ISAF). He remained active as an international judge well into his 70's, serving many major events including both Mackinacs, the Canada's Cup, Congressional Cup and Admiral's Cup. The USYRU judges program was initiated in 1977 during his presidency. Lynn also served on the USYRU Appeals Committee, the "supreme court" of sailing in the USA, from 1975 to 1983.



Lynn was as much fun in the evenings as he was a diligent diplomat during the day. He was perhaps sailing's version of the "Music Man," having been the only person in the august history of the University of Michigan Marching Band elected as drum major his freshman year, let alone for four straight years. Ever the impresario, during the '80s and 90's Lynn organized and led what became known as the "Stedman Players," an eclectic, volunteer troupe of dubious distinction that provided USYRU meetings with much-needed comic, if not musical, relief.



Ken Weller was USYRU's Offshore Director from 1975 through 1993. "There have been 20 NAYRU/USYRU/USSA presidents," Ken writes. "I’ve known 14 and worked with 10, beginning with Lynn. All have been very capable people, but Lynn was special. There were those, like Lynn, who had good judgment; who also were excellent sailors and knew the sport well; who put enormous energy into the task; who listened without prejudice. But none shared to the same degree Lynn's human relations skill and talent for gently picking his way through political mine fields.



"With his firm yet light hand on the helm, Executive Committee meetings were a model of decorum and good-humor, ending on schedule if not earlier, with business successfully transacted, tangled objectives accomplished with relative ease and dignity, and all members feeling as trusted colleagues. Modest about his accomplishments, few knew his secret -- but in the weeks prior to a meeting he worked assiduously to 'grease every wheel and press every button' (his words); and at the meeting business purred along like a well-oiled machine."



Ken Weller concludes, "Lynn was always held in the highest respect and leaves a global trail of friendships. Those of us who are deeply saddened by his passing will also cherish our memories of Lynn, not only the warm camaraderie, but the standard and example he set for all of us."



In recognition of his many achievements and contributions to the sport he so loved, in 1986 Lynn G Stedman Jr was awarded the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, the sport's highest service award in the USA. There can be little doubt, especially among those who knew and served with him, that Lynn was one of the USA's best-ever sailing leaders.



Lynn was equally successful in his insurance business, long considered one of the best in his field in the nation. He loved the business of helping people secure their financial futures, and worked to the day of the stroke early last week that ultimately claimed his life Friday morning.



As Shakespeare would have it, "His life was gentle and the elements so mix'd in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, ‘This was a man.’"



-- Tom Ehman



(This was written for US Sailing's website, and will be excerpted in Scuttlebutt this week.)





-----Original Message-----

From: kraulston [mailto:kraulston@comcast.net]

Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 11:34 PM

To: Tom Ehman, Jr.

Subject: Lynn Stedman



Hi Tom,



Please grab a hanky and sit down. We lost Dad.

He had a massive stroke on the 15th after he and

Joyce finished the taxes, mailed them and visited

his boat. He bought the boat late last Summer and

has joked since about joining the enemy with his

first real power boat. He has been fitting it out

ever since and had already put it in the water

this Spring (or was it still Winter) at the

Detroit Yacht Club. In spite of any health

problems he never stopped being active, and was

sharp as a tack. In fact, in the hospital, with

all the damage and not being able to talk, he

still found ways to communicate. He was taking

care of Joyce during this last week. He passed

away early Friday morning. I have been laying low

because I feel like I have been beat up and left

in a dark alley, so you are the first one I am

contacting. He loved you so much. IF you are in

town, there will be a memorial service on Friday,

then a proper wake at Bayview. Incredibly he went

with the same dignity and decorum he displayed

during his life. What a man.



Love, Kay



-----Reply-----

From: T F Ehman Jr [mailto:tfe@tfehman.com]

Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 11:34 PM

To: kraulston [mailto:kraulston@comcast.net]

Subject: Lynn Stedman



Dear Kay,



Heartfelt condolences...and thanks so very much for the note. It is 2345 Saturday evening here in Hamburg and I am just floored....



It was such a hoot to have dinner with Lynn and Joyce last summer at PYC, and Bill Martin, to say nothing of spending the week with you and Chuck. Lynn was in such great shape; and sounds like he was to the end. Dignity, indeed. Just the way we all want to go, I am sure.



We all loved him, too, Kay, and had nothing but the utmost respect for all he did for the sport. He was without doubt one of if not the best Presidents the org ever had, at least in my time. A terrific and special man. You are lucky to have had him as a loving father.



How is Joyce doing? Please give her a big hug from Leslie and me. Friday is going to very difficult, but will see what I can do.



Leslie and Meg are asleep. I think I shall go pour a small glass of port and have a quiet drink in Lynn's memory.



Hugs,



Tom

51st RACING SEASON ON PORTAGE LAKE...

...begins in just over a week. Photo, below, is from the PYC website and, presumably, was taken last year. I just like the pic.



The 18' Interlake class, popular on many of the Midwest lakes and the largest racing fleet at PYC, racing in an unusual easterly breeze. "Peach Mountain" is in the background, on the southeastern corner of Portage Lake (all of 1010 ft. above sea level -- the lake is at 850 feet or so). The radio tower belongs to the University of Michigan's FM station WUOM. As with many photos on the EFB, click to enlarge.

FLOPSY, MOPSY and -- DROPSY?



Easter brought new nicknames from Meg for Father, Mother and Daughter. When I pointed out that Dropsy was a medical condition with which she wouldn't necessarily want to be associated, Meg asked what it was and I had to admit to not being sure. So we googled it --



"Dropsy is a term used to describe the swelling of a fish's body. This causes the scales to stand away from the body like a pine cone in the forest, ... this is why it is also called pine cone disease. It is normally fatal...."



"Definition: \Drop"sy\, n.; pl. {Dropsies}. [OE. dropsie, dropesie,

OF. idropisie, F. hydropisie, L. hydropisis, fr. Gr. ?

dropsy, fr. ? water. See {Water}, and cf. {Hydropsy}.] (Med.)

An unnatural collection of serous fluid in any serous cavity

of the body, or in the subcutaneous cellular tissue.

--Dunglison."



"General Edema / Oedema Information

Edema, also known as water retention and dropsy, is the accumulation of fluid in spaces between the cells of the body. It may affect all parts of the body although it commonly occurs as swelling in the feet, ankles, and legs. The bloating and swelling causes muscle aches and pains and may affect the brain, causing headaches and irritability."



But then Dropsy is also a Bay Area band:



"Dropsy has many musical tendrils, emanating from the vicinity of a funky lounge, sometimes snaking into dark caverns. The band sounds friendly enough, but displays its canines at unexpected moments. Cooper's droll lyrics brim with invective, taunts, boasts, disturbing delusions and bad advice. Yet we feel that Cooper is somehow singing on our behalf, to a mutual enemy, in a bar on a tropical island. Things go swimmingly. Dropsy will entertain those who have outgrown the posturing of cool bands, craving instead the square thrill of well-delivered diatribes over cold martinis. -- Esther Caldwell, MULCH Magazine, September 2003."



Sounds just like Meg, eh? Maybe it comes from being an only child of square, older parents, tho am quite sure neither Leslie nor I crave well-delivered diatribes let alone cold martinis.



Regardless, this just came in my email from Meg, who is at her desk and on her computer all of five feet away from me....







Dumpkins? As in dumb? dumpy? But probably better than Flopsy!

HOW TIME FLIES....

Found on the internet from 1984 (the Maui GP) when Paul was both cool and young:



Now he's just cool, unlike his stuffy older brother?

LOUIS VUITTON BLENDER?



I have some new business cards that depict the Louis Vuitton Cup. Since 1983 the LV Cup has been presented to the winner of the America's Cup challenger selection series.







Meg says the LV Cup looks more like a blender. Oh dear, just what Bruno Trouble does not want to hear -- the world's most expensive cuisinart, and a manual one at that.



[P.S. Upon reading this, Grandma Jan emailed to say, "that's okay, just as long as it has a bottom so you can drink Moet out of it." Sharp as ever, Grandma Jan obviously remembers that the America's Cup is open at the bottom.]



Speaking of 1983, click here and then scroll down a bit to find the guest editorial I wrote for yesterday's Scuttlebutt about that final, and fateful race in Sep '83 when Australia broke the longest winning streak in sports history.

SOUTH AFRICAN AC CHALLENGE?

If Team Shosholoza actually files a challenge (requiring a 1 million Euro performance bond among other hurdles) and then gets to Valencia for the racing, it will be the first-ever AC challenge from that continent. Great for the Cup! Now we need one from South America.

Would be nice, too, to have one from Asia again. The Japanese challenged in 92, 95 and 00, and with their economy starting to improve perhaps we will see another though it does not seem likely for 07. Meanwhile, there appears to be a slim chance of a Chinese challenger, or even one from Malaysia, but don't hold your breath.

Team Shosholoza bought from the ex-Prada syndicate (now Luna Rossa) ITA-48, a 2000-vintage AC boat, and presented its colorful albeit busy new livery at a launching ceremony last week...



...and are now training off Cape Town in Table Mountain Bay, photographed here during, perhaps, a sail trimming drill....



We are told Shosholoza means "Go Forward" and is from a SA folk song in the same vein as the USA's "I've Been Working on the Railroad."

All involved in the next Cup hope they get their finances finalized and make it to the starting line.

BACK ON THE AIR



Apologies for the site being down the past week, but there were problems beyond my control when tfehman.com was "migrated" to a different server after the old webhost sold out to a new one.



"Anyone can become angry, that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way; this is not easy." -- Aristotle

MOSAIC EGGS

Mom and I decided to make a mosaic decoration with eggs. First we dyed them in different colors, and then after they dried I broke them up into small pieces and made a mosaic picture. It was hard work getting the pieces exactly where I wanted them and with out any special tools, just clumsy hands! They turned out not too bad though. And I just noticed Dad must have jarred the paper when he took the picture because some of the shells are outside the lines! Dootick!!

Meg

EASTER POEMS



Two Easter poems penned by Meg this weekend....



The Easter Egg Hunt



The eggs are all hidden

Decorations are up

The children are sleeping

Dreaming of Easter



The sun starts to rise

The house starts to stir

The children wake up

Ready to hunt



One egg is found

Followed by another

The children are excited

The parents are proud



The egg hunt is over

Decorations come down

The children want more fun

They can't wait until next Easter!





The Easter Bunny's Thoughts



These eggs must be hidden

I have to go fast

The children are waiting

It's Easter at last



I must hurry up

Before they come down

I can't disapoint them

If I don't want a frown



These eggs are all hidden

I have gone very fast

The children are coming

It was Easter at last!

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter to our friends and family wherever in the world you find yourselves this weekend. We are very happy to be at home, spending a quiet four-day weekend (Germans take Friday-Monday off). Today Leslie and Meg fulfilled our annual Easter Egg Tree tradition with full marks front yard and back....

ORACLE BMW RACING IN SFO

This pic is from San Francisco last September training for the Moet Cup, the intramural regatta with Alinghi; not a timely pic, I just like it.

Am just back from a month with the team in Auckland, and next week (5-8 April) we have meetings in Valencia with the organizers, AC Management and Valencia 2007, together with all challengers and prospective challengers as well as Alinghi. Will try to post a few pics from Valencia next week.