scuttlebutt
Date: Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:13:26 +1100
Subject: Scuttlebutt Extra
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Scuttlebutt Sailing News [1]
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Photographer Cory Silken provides us with a computer monitor calendar for April 2026. Click image to download.
Change is inevitable
by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
When it’s time, it’s time, and now is the time. Scuttlebutt is for sale.
Since 1997, Scuttlebutt has been providing sailing enthusiasts with their daily download of news, and when you report on the sport for that long, spending each day looking at the activity, you see a lot more than race results. You see the sport changing.
But when I assessed the state of the sport in 2020 [2], I was wrong. You can’t stop advancements, so accept it. Raise the bar and let everyone chase it. If they don’t want to, let them play pickleball. Want to make everyone happy? Sell ice cream. Worrying about affordability is futile. Success has always required extra zeros, and boat still stands for ‘bust out another thousand’
Everyone talks about AI in the workplace, but sailing loves technology too. Learning to sail is a barrier to entry… let instruments replace skill. Rather than spending years refining ability, buy gear and people to flatten the curve. You can’t take money to the grave.
The America’s Cup, always a source of future trends, is now replacing people. The AC75 Class initially had 11 crew but now has five sailors for the 2027 America’s Cup. Eliminating human error has been the focus, with onboard gadgets instructing when to turn, trim, and pose for the camera. Progress!
The pursuit of television ratings at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games for sailing will have new racing formats to emphasize last second theatrics. World Sailing wants College March Madness too. The shift toward high performance boats has removed the "large people" so athletes will now wear bikini tops and bottoms for the women and tight-fitting shorts for the men. Sex sells - beach volleyball can’t have all the skin.
Winning championships has changed. After a day of racing, I couldn’t get to the bar fast enough, but now debriefs cut into cocktail time, with GPS instrument data telling me what I did wrong. I don’t need reminding; I need Mount Gay to forget it. For sailing parties, Vakaros is developing a dating app to facilitate relationship starting. No liquid courage needed.
Speaking of Vakaros, now that their instruments have turned race starts into a video game, they plan to replace physical marks with virtual marks. If you thought robot marks were the future, think again. No more acrimonious moments at the turns as onboard video and GPS tracking direct traffic, with the yelling now at crew who forgot to charge the battery. Plus, those mark-set volunteers were a lonely bunch.
I have been producing Scuttlebutt Saling News for 25 years, and while media competitors have come and gone, one particular website both gave us credit for its existence and became the bane of ours. While I’d argue about keeping your enemies close, its founder has recently been removed and had his membership rescinded from a club we share. Karma is a bitch!
Anyway, I’m not sure what I will do without working seven days a week, alone, shackled to a screen with daily deadlines, but I’m open to try. People think I do nothing anyway, and AI will soon assure that. As for today being April 1st, that’s possibly a coincidence. Or not.
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
Remember it's April Fools' Day, not April Fool's Day. Don't be a Fool.
Scuttlebutt website [3] | Submit a letter or story [mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com] | Advertising Info [mailto:advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com]
Change your preferences [4] | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy [] | Forward this email
The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt do not necessarily reflect those of its editors or advertisers.
© 2026 Inbox Communications. All right reserved. 3346 Ullman Street, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
-----
Links in this document:
[1] http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com
[2] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/04/16/the-state-of-the-sport-in-2020/
[3] http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/about-scuttlebutt/
[4] https://scuttlebuttsailingnews.updatemyprofile.com/j-yddruutt-0D30E67E-ijtljumj-m
Subject: Scuttlebutt Extra
Having trouble reading this email? View it in your web browser. https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-e-yddruutt-ijtljumj-n/ https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-tw-yddruutt-ijtljumj-p/ https://email.sailingscuttlebutt.com/t/j-fb-yddruutt-ijtljumj-x/
Scuttlebutt Sailing News [1]
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Photographer Cory Silken provides us with a computer monitor calendar for April 2026. Click image to download.
Change is inevitable
by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
When it’s time, it’s time, and now is the time. Scuttlebutt is for sale.
Since 1997, Scuttlebutt has been providing sailing enthusiasts with their daily download of news, and when you report on the sport for that long, spending each day looking at the activity, you see a lot more than race results. You see the sport changing.
But when I assessed the state of the sport in 2020 [2], I was wrong. You can’t stop advancements, so accept it. Raise the bar and let everyone chase it. If they don’t want to, let them play pickleball. Want to make everyone happy? Sell ice cream. Worrying about affordability is futile. Success has always required extra zeros, and boat still stands for ‘bust out another thousand’
Everyone talks about AI in the workplace, but sailing loves technology too. Learning to sail is a barrier to entry… let instruments replace skill. Rather than spending years refining ability, buy gear and people to flatten the curve. You can’t take money to the grave.
The America’s Cup, always a source of future trends, is now replacing people. The AC75 Class initially had 11 crew but now has five sailors for the 2027 America’s Cup. Eliminating human error has been the focus, with onboard gadgets instructing when to turn, trim, and pose for the camera. Progress!
The pursuit of television ratings at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games for sailing will have new racing formats to emphasize last second theatrics. World Sailing wants College March Madness too. The shift toward high performance boats has removed the "large people" so athletes will now wear bikini tops and bottoms for the women and tight-fitting shorts for the men. Sex sells - beach volleyball can’t have all the skin.
Winning championships has changed. After a day of racing, I couldn’t get to the bar fast enough, but now debriefs cut into cocktail time, with GPS instrument data telling me what I did wrong. I don’t need reminding; I need Mount Gay to forget it. For sailing parties, Vakaros is developing a dating app to facilitate relationship starting. No liquid courage needed.
Speaking of Vakaros, now that their instruments have turned race starts into a video game, they plan to replace physical marks with virtual marks. If you thought robot marks were the future, think again. No more acrimonious moments at the turns as onboard video and GPS tracking direct traffic, with the yelling now at crew who forgot to charge the battery. Plus, those mark-set volunteers were a lonely bunch.
I have been producing Scuttlebutt Saling News for 25 years, and while media competitors have come and gone, one particular website both gave us credit for its existence and became the bane of ours. While I’d argue about keeping your enemies close, its founder has recently been removed and had his membership rescinded from a club we share. Karma is a bitch!
Anyway, I’m not sure what I will do without working seven days a week, alone, shackled to a screen with daily deadlines, but I’m open to try. People think I do nothing anyway, and AI will soon assure that. As for today being April 1st, that’s possibly a coincidence. Or not.
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
Remember it's April Fools' Day, not April Fool's Day. Don't be a Fool.
Scuttlebutt website [3] | Submit a letter or story [mailto:editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com] | Advertising Info [mailto:advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com]
Change your preferences [4] | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy [] | Forward this email
The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt do not necessarily reflect those of its editors or advertisers.
© 2026 Inbox Communications. All right reserved. 3346 Ullman Street, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
-----
Links in this document:
[1] http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com
[2] https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2020/04/16/the-state-of-the-sport-in-2020/
[3] http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/about-scuttlebutt/
[4] https://scuttlebuttsailingnews.updatemyprofile.com/j-yddruutt-0D30E67E-ijtljumj-m