34th America's Cup: multihulls!

A close race would be within 10 seconds, very close would require a photo-
finish as it does in many other events.
For me, an exciting race is one where the lead changes several times.

 

34th AC

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No, I think it will take time sailing to fix most problems. Probably more time than is available this go-round.

 

34th AC

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Well, you must be more excited now than you were two weeks ago: there have been lead changes in the last two races. Imagine what might happen two weeks from now!

 

I agree wholeheartedly about the tech side. Personally, it has elements
(lifting surfaces and multihulls) that I have been researching for nearly 20
years so I love that aspect.
I don't agree with your other point: if the races aren't closer interest will
wane in the AC. Furthermore, if they don't reduce the cost of entering (by
making the boats smaller) it could fade even faster because the number of
contestants will be minimal.

 

A lead change in the first few seconds is hardly exciting, Doug. A "wheelie" at
the end of the race is a very weak substitute for lack of tension too.

Only a very close series of races or some real spills and thrills will improve it
now.

 

34th AC

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I don't think you're right Leo-I've watched every Americas Cup race ever televised and the vast majority of them were settled at the start and yet interest has only grown. And now that watching the boats has its own high level of excitement it will only grow more no matter how close the races are.
Not to mention all the technology that has been brought to bear to bring the race and the crews to the people like the shorter course, the finish in front of the crowd, the superimposed deliniation of the course parameters on TV and last but not least the incredible speed of the boats.
This is a fresh approach to an old problem that simply adds a level of interest to the racing that was not possible in the old days.

 

Are the crowds larger for the LV compared to previous series?

 

Another idea is a combination of hand and foot cycling...It can generate more power, I believe

 

Watch basketball games.

 

The power definitely would be greater using the methods you described here
and before, but what are the disadvantages?
Would it take longer to stop, "disconnect" and then kangaroo hop over to the
other side of the boat?

 

Round ball games are boring too. A 0-0 result in football is better than the
races we have had so far


This is the sort of thing I want to see in the AC:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EirTnQG1an4

And a nice quiet commentary!

 

Race 2 had more of the same as race 1, I have to feel for the guys on Artemis - whether it is their rudder winglet size or the weight or time on boat they can't seem to get foiling. Knowing how good these guys are it must be amazingly hard to get the boats foiling in race conditions in a stable manner as Outerridge and Percy should be able to do it in a coma if mortals could foil easily.

I hope for their and the racings sake that Artemis can get up on the foils. I am surprised that they can't make a heap of rudders and test them out. I would think that it would only take less than one week to make the rudders if a team worked day and night. They should have started a while ago though.

cheers

Phil

 

They are hopelessly out-classed and are now just making up the numbers.
Tweaking what they have is not going to make up the huge margins they have
lost by.

 

And lessons will be learnt thereby.

 

34th AC

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In the past, there was no place a crowd could go to watch the racing-now they can for the first time in the America's Cup.