34th America's Cup: multihulls!

34th AC

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They're were some dirty rotten cheats that worked for Oracle in the AC 45 class and that reflects a management problem in Oracle. But to assess a penalty against the team in the Cup racing is a rotten betrayal of fairness and justice.
It's a joke to say that Oracle brought the Americas Cup into disrepute: after the last week of racing it is clear that Oracle has done more to reinvigorate the AC than any Team in history(with the possible exception of the 1983 Aussies). The last week has realized the vision that Elison had and proven the point the catamarans can provide nail biting excitement in AC racing. The boats the course and the results have shown that Oracle has raised the positive view of the the America's Cup to levels not seen in decades.
Disrepute, hell!!

 

well said Doug

 

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Thanks.

 

I don't believe that most of the top management knew what was going on.
And I also think if most did they would have been appalled by it.

You are disregarding that some people did bring it into disrepute, and others
enhanced the reputation. You then apply some form of eldritch calculus that
balances out the two actions. If there had been no cheating, maybe Oracle
could have been given an extra win or two as a reward.

I love the venue and the TV coverage has been brilliant. I hope it carries
through to other sailing events. But your opinion that the AC is the best
is coloured by your bias towards foilers. Some people find the present AC the
best ever; others find it mediocre, others hate it. If it wasn't for the
interesting tactics at the starts, I'd find most of the races pretty dull.

 

I agree with a lot that you said.

I hope that there are a lot more teams in the competition next time.
I want to see the variety of designs that would come out of trying to
manage foilers in flukier winds and larger waves.
It would also place a much greater premium on the skill of the whole team
as sailors and not just as powerful grinders.

 

34th AC

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I disagree again: some people may have brought the AC 45 World Series into disrepute(not likely) but have had absolutely no effect on the America's Cup-most especially in light of the last couple of weeks. Applying penalties for actions taken by a few in the AC 45 regatta to the America's Cup regatta is a miscarriage of justice!
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I have never said that "the AC is the best" I have said that this AC is the best of all previous AC's that have been televised. And I believe that the AC should be the pinnacle of sailing competition-this one has come very close to realizing the dream.
But I would never say it is the "best"-there is too much other sailing that is fantastic.
As to my "bias toward foiler's"-that is just BS. I have a bias toward the implementation of state of the art technology in sailing-foilers are just a part of that. But even in my most "biased" years I would have never thought that what has happened in the last year and especially the last two weeks- would have happened in my lifetime-could have ,yes-would have: not in a million years.

Go 17ers!!!

 

I hear ya.

This America's Cup has been a disaster and a disgrace.

Almost all the blame belongs to whoever wrote the stupid design rules which specify boats that are inherently unseaworthy.

The articulated wing sails, specified in the rules, have been used before in the so called "Little America's Cup" back in the 60's. By their nature they are not reefable and, if they use shrouds, they are unfeatherable on certain points of sail, notably down wind, as well. So now you have a boat that can't be sailed in the high end of ordinary day sailing weather.

This is ridiculous.

LE deserves to lose the cup.

How many race cancellations do we have so far?

Three? Four?

Hardly suited for an event that is supposed to be televised.

What is it they usually say in the entertainment business?

Oh. I remember.

The show must go on.

Now, the "show" is stopped for winds that are too heavy (because of the inherent unseaworthiness of the rule specified sail design) and now for winds that are too light, because the race might take too long (or maybe because the challenging boat might have an advantage).

Hardly the way to endear oneself to a TV show producer.

Assuming LE was behind the design rules, and admitting I know little else about him, he comes off to me as a bully and a coward.

The design rules were written so tightly that, as one person posted in a previous "America's Cup" thread, they all but specify a one design.

Who ever heard of maximum weight limits? Especially when the maximum sail area is already stated.

This to me gives a clue to LE's thinking.

A heavier boat might be able to sail to windward faster, especially in strong winds and a chop (conditions you are very likely to see in San Francisco Bay). A heavier boat is less likely to capsize too.

Was LE worried that a heavier boat, which wouldn't have a ghost of a chance against his in ideal conditions, might leave his capsized high flyer in its wake, in stronger winds? Winds he knew well to expect.

So now we have boats that are unsuited for the very conditions San Fransisco Bay is famous for.

A damned shame.

BTW- Though I don't care for foiling myself, I see no reason why AC boats should not foil. As long as they are seaworthy.

 

34th AC

Sharpii2, have you watched the racing since race 3?

 

Doug. Stop trying to convince these old hags to stop grumbling. They will do so whatever you say!!!

For something more interesting, is there a virtual eye playback of the port starboard incident in the last race?

Were Oracle putting on a show or was it for real?

Tried to search for it but was unsuucessful.

 

34th AC

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Found this-in the lower right is a little place to click for "historical". I didn't try it ,though. http://americascup.virtualeye.tv/

 

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My god, are we still racing??

Haven't the Kiwis... I mean hasn't the Kiwi boat, had a win yet??

Is there more racing today?

What amazing luck!

 

You have come up with a very novel idea in jurisprudence, Doug.
Giving Oracle credit for what they have achieved now, and applying it backwards in
time is very innovative. It's like giving them an indulgence to commit transgressions
with impunity for their present exemplary behaviour.

I also believe it could be construed as a criminal conspiracy to gain a
financial advantage. Their competitors lost races and that might have
affected their chances of gaining sponsorship. That's a long way from
committing a spur of the moment foul in a ball game.

I definitely can't see why that the AC should be the pinnacle of sailing.
The rules are too bizarre and arbitrarily biased in favour of the defender.
IMO, something a little more objective and where the weight of money is not
so important might be a better indicator of sailing ability.

 

* If Leo was part of your expedition to the planet Mars, he would be complaining all the time about the lack of Martians.

 

Huh?
The plucky Australian helmsman needs those token Northern Hemispheroids to
do the grinding. That's all I was implying

 

Luck? Bah humbug.
The Australian helmsman outwitted and outsailed the hapless kiwis.