Americans are the world leaders in high speed boat safety

[IMP-ish]

I don't think much of the "my country is better than your country" mentality. It's a pissing contest. Never could get into that "paint your face" mentality at sports games either. Still if you're going to get into a pissing contest, at least safety is a noble goal!

But racing speeds are so high now, can racing safety improvements help me without taking away what boating is for me? I'm still running 1970's safety equipment - a kill switch, a life jacket, that's it. I don't see myself enjoying boating in a capsule. To me, boating is 50-55 with the occasional open-her-up 65-70 run for a rush. What I like is being out there, feeling like I'm flying over the water with the water right there, the wind thru my hair. I like the wind on my face. I like the spray within arm's length. If I could go faster safely I would, but faster I think I'd need so much safety gear that I'd start to ruin it - kidney braces, neck braces, helmets, that seems hot and not so much fun. I'd be interested in safety systems which can improve safety but still keep it fun and free.

[FranklinRatliff]

Originally Posted by DCockey

Formula 1 fans will view this as heresy, but after over 25 years in the auto industry, first in research, then in advanced engineering and finally product engineer, I'm very skeptical of how much F1 and other forms of auto racing have actually contributed recently to today's automobiles.

The spinoffs from F1 have been as service providers to aerospace companies looking for fast turnaround of composite parts and prototype development.

[FranklinRatliff]

Originally Posted by IMP-ish

I don't think much of the "my country is better than your country" mentality. It's a pissing contest. Never could get into that "paint your face" mentality at sports games either. Still if you're going to get into a pissing contest, at least safety is a noble goal!

But racing speeds are so high now, can racing safety improvements help me without taking away what boating is for me? I'm still running 1970's safety equipment - a kill switch, a life jacket, that's it. I don't see myself enjoying boating in a capsule. To me, boating is 50-55 with the occasional open-her-up 65-70 run for a rush. What I like is being out there, feeling like I'm flying over the water with the water right there, the wind thru my hair. I like the wind on my face. I like the spray within arm's length. If I could go faster safely I would, but faster I think I'd need so much safety gear that I'd start to ruin it - kidney braces, neck braces, helmets, that seems hot and not so much fun. I'd be interested in safety systems which can improve safety but still keep it fun and free.

Personally, I think some of the most interesting boat racing of any kind going on right now is America's Cup.

[viking north]

The proper wording is "The Americas Cup" It's not owned but presently possessed (won)(bought)by a yacht club in the U.S. This race has degraded from a rich mans sport to one of the biggest advertisement billboards on the planet. One doesn't win this cup one simply buys it out from under the few competetors than can afford to enter. Eventually it will become so expensive to compete it will become a one boat race against it's previous record. The greatest degradation of this so called gentlemans sport was the the Dennis Conners cry baby entry of a catamaran against monohulls. Dennis whom i consider one of the worlds most capable racing sailers also has the distinction of re inforcing that spoilt brad view of the Ivey league Upper Class New Englanders. In plain English a poor sport indeed and in plainer Upper Class English , "I say old boy thats not cricket".

[FranklinRatliff]

Originally Posted by viking north

The proper wording is "The Americas Cup" It's not owned but presently possessed (won)(bought)by a yacht club in the U.S. This race has degraded from a rich mans sport to one of the biggest advertisement billboards on the planet. One doesn't win this cup one simply buys it out from under the few competetors than can afford to enter. Eventually it will become so expensive to compete it will become a one boat race against it's previous record. The greatest degradation of this so called gentlemans sport was the the Dennis Conners cry baby entry of a catamaran against monohulls. Dennis whom i consider one of the worlds most capable racing sailers also has the distinction of re inforcing that spoilt brad view of the Ivey league Upper Class New Englanders. In plain English a poor sport indeed and in plainer Upper Class English , "I say old boy thats not cricket".

And this is worse how than the one hundred years where the New York Yacht Club rigged the rules to keep the cup?

There are plenty of affordable sail boat racing series. Who cares if there is one only a few teams can afford to enter?

[viking north]

Ok i'm confused-- you promote the event (most interesting), I demote the event (my post),-- you agree(rigged rules) -- do we agree to agree ?? .
My point being all these commercial competitions have become such a money and advertisement racket the term "sports" just doesn't apply.

[FranklinRatliff]

Originally Posted by viking north

Ok i'm confused-- you promote the event (most interesting), I demote the event (my post),-- you agree(rigged rules) -- do we agree to agree ?? .
My point being all these commercial competitions have become such a money and advertisement racket the term "sports" just doesn't apply.

America's Cup is no different than a major motorsports series such as Formula One or NASCAR Sprint Cup, other than being only one boat per team instead of having multiboat teams.

The rigged rules I referred to were back in the old New York Yacht Club days.

[viking north]

And what of the catamaran verses a monohull--that wasn't rigged rules--or it's closest cousin manipulation. Christ they even tried to disqualify the wing keel. Remember if you don't win you don't get to make all that endoresment money. This race has become just a whore to big buisness. I'm not going to dilute the level to which this race has fallen by comparing it to all the commercialization in other sports. Sailing is a gentlemens sport and every effort should be made to keep it so--Old school yes but at least old school had values and honor-- what the F--k do we have today--greed--win at all cost-- and to hell with everyone else. I'm old enough to have observed this and I might as well end in style "Power to the Occupancy Movement", just maybe they'll bring sanity back into the system.

[FranklinRatliff]

Originally Posted by viking north

And what of the catamaran verses a monohull--that wasn't rigged rules--or it's closest cousin manipulation. Christ they even tried to disqualify the wing keel. Remember if you don't win you don't get to make all that endoresment money. This race has become just a whore to big buisness. I'm not going to dilute the level to which this race has fallen by comparing it to all the commercialization in other sports. Sailing is a gentlemens sport and every effort should be made to keep it so--Old school yes but at least old school had values and honor-- what the F--k do we have today--greed--win at all cost-- and to hell with everyone else. I'm old enough to have observed this and I might as well end in style "Power to the Occupancy Movement", just maybe they'll bring sanity back into the system.

New Zealand made the challenge, remember? Not my problem they didn't understand what open rules meant.

Having money didn't make the old school wealthy gentlemen. It just meant they were rich.

[viking north]

Still sour grapes in the eyes of the world fans-- can't tell you how many negative comments i've heard over the years on that little incident. However it's all water under the bridge now and I seem to recall right after the cup was back in Dennis's hands all agreed to ban cats - and you wonder why interest is waning--I didn't even watch the last race-- first time in my life not doing so. Well old boy it was good posting with ya -no good beating a dead horse so to say---Happy Racing--Geo.

A yacht is not defined by the vessel but by the care and love of her owner---

[tunnels]

Originally Posted by FranklinRatliff

Whether it's the detaching driver capsules in drag boats or Unlimited hydroplanes where the cockpit remains integral with the hull, Americans are the world leaders in boat safety for speeds of 200 mph or higher.

What a load of useless cobblers !!
I belong to the flat earth society and you should never travel faster than angles can fly !! So there .
Of coarse the world is flat !! how can you print it on a piece of paper ??.
got some new fangled printer have we??
How does water stay on a round ball ?? its not stuck there with super glue ! Idots !!

[FranklinRatliff]

Originally Posted by tunnels

What a load of useless cobblers !!
I belong to the flat earth society and you should never travel faster than angles can fly !! So there .
Of coarse the world is flat !! how can you print it on a piece of paper ??.
got some new fangled printer have we??
How does water stay on a round ball ?? its not stuck there with super glue ! Idots !!

Your comments are ignorant and pointless (and semi-literate).

[tunnels]

Originally Posted by FranklinRatliff

Your comments are ignorant and pointless (and semi-literate).

I hope you read your own post ??