All highly-developed societies have governmental bodies to monitor and protect an employee’s physical and mental wellbeing in the workplace.
These groups have an impact upon almost every facet of modern living whether you are driving in a car, visiting a supermarket or building an extension to your house. Without exception, all these groups – the Office of Health & safety (UK); the Department of Occupational Health & Safety (USA); L’Insitut National du Recherche et de Securite (France) or Bundesanstalt fur Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin (Germany) and so on – are criticised and ridiculed for overreaction and draconian and often unpractical and extremely expensive guidelines.
It could be imagined that offshore sailors are exempt from the dictates of these organisations as they roam the remote sea areas of the planet out of sight and far beyond the reach of beaurocracy and distant from the current climate of aggressive litigation culture. Certainly, cruising yachtsmen are – for the most part – unregulated and … Details
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In a fitting re-birth of the venerable Fort Lauderdale to Charleston Race, Roger Sturgeon’s STP65 Rosebud/Team DYT (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) crossed the finish line just before 10 p.m. on April 10, to break the 35-year-old race record set in 1974 by Ralph Ryder’s C&C 66 Phantom and set a new standard for the modern running of this event. Eleven boats started the 408-nautical mile offshore race at 2:00pm on April 8, just outside of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and finished outside of Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Although Rosebud/Team DYT clocked in at 1 day:7 hours:52 minutes: 49 seconds, on corrected time under IRC rules it finished second overall by less than nine seconds to Teamwork, the J/122 owned by Robin Team (Lexington, N.C.). Full results are posted on the event website www.fortlauderdalecharlestonrace.org.
‘We left a lot of room for other boats to break the (new) record,’ said Sturgeon of his boat’s 90-minute improvement on the 1974 record. ‘This should be great encouragement for others to do this race and go for the record… Details
For once, the seven-strong Volvo fleet is heading straight towards the scoring gate at Fernando de Noronha at speeds that feel fast, at least when compared with the drifting conditions and horrible rolling swell of the first 36 hours. The fleet has reached the southeast trade winds and speeds are up to a staggering 14 knots. ‘Fourteen knots seems like potential passing out/nose bleed speed, similar to the first few days that Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ hit the track,’’ says Ericsson 4’s MCM Guy Salter.
Telefónica Blue has pulled out a healthy lead of 13 nautical miles, but tracking her is Delta Lloyd in second place, and this team is on fire. Their strategy was to split leg six up and tackle it as several different races. Race one, from Rio de Janeiro to Cape Frio – is now accomplished, and now … Details
DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SAVE THE WAVES
This week YOU have the chance to actively oppose offshore oil drilling on our coast. The Department of the Interior’s Secretary Ken Salazar is holding a public comment hearing this Thursday, April 16, at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center in San Francisco. Government officials are seriously considering lifting the moratorium on offshore oil drilling in the United States. We strongly encourage you to come to this Thursday’s hearings and protect your local coastline from oil! Numerous citizen groups are holding a rally at the event and we need your presence to say no to offshore oil and yes to renewable energy.
In addition, if you would like to get more involved, there will be a pre-rally at the Sports Basement (1590 Bryant Street, San Francisco) on Wednesday, April 15 from 6 -9 PM. Come meet with others opposed to offshore drilling and screen print your own custom protest shirt with the San Fran-psycho crew.
Learn more and get directions to Thursday’s public hearing in San Francisco at www.nottheanswer.org
If you cannot attend Thursday’s hearing please submit to the U.S. Department of Interior your written comments opposing offshore oil drilling at www.mms.gov
WHAT:
Public hearing on proposed new oil drilling and rally
WHERE:
UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center
Robertson Auditorium
1675 Owens Street
San Francisco, CA
WHEN:
April 16, 2009
8 AM – 8 PM
WHY:Â STOP OFFSHORE DRILLING!
Thanks again for your help, Your friends at Save The Waves