34th America's Cup: multihulls!

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by Doug Lord, Sep 13, 2010.

  1. SteveMellet
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    SteveMellet Senior Member

    I do find it mildly embarrassing for the US team to have very few US members represented in the team in the media - this might be my perception only, but the only Oracle sailing team members to get much interview time are Spithill, Bundock, Ashby and Coutts. I've watched almost all the racing and only heard John Kostecki once or twice, so the US sailors who are on board are not getting much airtime - not good if they want to build loyalty to the team in their own country.
    Then when the 72 was launched it became even more obvious that Oracle is actually Team Everywhere Else except USA. They interviewed the design team head who sounded Australian, and then Mark Turner, their manager, from the UK.
    It might be that 90% of the team are US, but the 10% that aren't are all in the top positions and are getting 90% of the media attention, so from the outside it looks like a foreign team with a USA badge. It doesn't really help that some rather important components of the boat were built in New Zealand, either. I don't care either way, as long as I get to see the racing.. though I'm backing team NZ, and mainly because they look to be the most home-grown team, with a boat built in NZ, as to me, that is the spirit of the game, even if the rules have been changed to allow the wealthiest teams to buy in the best skills.
    Perhaps Larry Ellison is showing us that, in order for the USA to defend the trophy, they need Auzzies on a made-in-NZ boat and a British manager. Oh yeah, and he just bought Ben Ainslie too.
     
  2. Roger Six
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    Roger Six Surge Protector

    Larry's just doing what other rich folk businessmen have done before him; he's outsourcing because his vision isn't about the nobility of the USA entry in the AC. He's all about the fame, glory and cash payback and everything else is just window dressing for the PR department. The AC is a big yawn and the greater sporting world will see it for what it is; a Side Show Bob freak session that lasts a minute, or two, in the consciousness of the viewing public.

    Nothing to see here. Move along, now.
     
  3. oceancruiser

    oceancruiser Previous Member

    I disagree with respect. Where I come from I have tried to get friends non friends non yachting orientated to watch the races when they where mono hulls. Every time they where disappointed

    1.

    did not understand the rules and commentators terms, although Pete Montgomery did an excellent job as far as commentators where concern, made the term awesome world famous. The American TV Commentators in my opinion, do the televised racing a disservice. All made comments that watching yacht racing on T.V. was like watching paint dry, [ non yachting viewers that is.]

    2. Not enough action spills and thrills.


    I think that with the multihulls now, it will become more popular like the flying 18's where, that where televised in Australia with spills although there is probably not enough participants for this AC series.

    I don,t think nationality makes a difference. Everyone knowns ORACLE is America and Emmirates is New Zealand, by the mere fact they are using the word TEAM and one can always research their web site. Also not every 11 supports their country's entry. Some supports a team for there mission statements and green statements and because on their enviromentally friendly sponsors.



    _________________
    "Let the sun shine, let the rain cease, let the lakes and rivers run dry so 2012AD, 2013AD & 2014AD they are good gold, elite gold medal winning years for N.Z.wines" NOW!!
     
  4. oldsailor7
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    oldsailor7 Senior Member

    Rodger Six.
    I am sorry you think the AC is just a big yawn. Maybe it is to you. You are entitled to your opinion.
    BUT:-
    This competition is an institution which has been going on for over 130 years. Believe It or not, it has a huge following throughout the world.
    It matters not that it is the plaything of very rich men.
    The important thing is that they fund the very expensive development of our favorite sport by pushing the envelope of sailing technology.
    It is a mega step forward that the committee governing the AC races has approved of racing in the most highly performing sailing boats of all time.
    This fact alone has injected a new spirit of excitement into the AC.
    The boats, the crews, the venue, all add to the expectation that the 34th AC will be an exceptional exhibition of speed, skills, and tactics.
    This will be ensured because the boats will be much more comparable in performance than the dissimilar multis in the 33rd AC races.
    I, and I am sure many others, just can't wait to see it.
     
  5. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    34th AC on Foils!

    ------------------------
    Well said, Paddy-I agree 100%!
     
  6. Roger Six
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    Roger Six Surge Protector


    Huge. As in, World Cup Huge? Or maybe Super Bowl Huge? I think not.

    Sailing may be your sport of choice, and good on you for believing that. But, it is an infinitesimal level of participation/interest worldwide compared to soccer and I do not see that changing any time in the future. I suspect that you guys are making way too much out of this single activity. The AC has routinely been fraught with time spent in dueling courtroom antics far more than we have seen on the water. That does not make for a potent audience draw.
     
  7. redreuben
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    redreuben redreuben

    Well thanks for your opinion Roger ! Gee bet your fun at parties !
    Ok move along, nothing to see here. :p
     
  8. Roger Six
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    Roger Six Surge Protector

    That would depend on the party, wouldn't it?

    Moderation in everything, Mr. Red, just simply moderating. Are you saying that the AC hype machine doesn't need it's own bit of moderation? Is it not true that the court room has seen far more in the way of action than has the race course?
     
  9. DGreenwood
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    DGreenwood Senior Member

    For someone that thinks the AC is a "Big Yawn", you seem to spend a lot of time here badmouthing it? Just Sayin...:D
     
  10. Roger Six
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    Roger Six Surge Protector

    Just sayin', D Green. There's a difference between the event and commentary on same. This thread has how many pages of useless info already, and you seem to think that it's not fair to add more? What's new and different here that hasn't already been done by others quite awhile ago? This isn't the space shuttle, not walking on the moon, not finding a cure for cancer. It's just an over-hyped sailboat race for rich folk to appease their egos; give 'em something to do. Kinda like Mitt Romney and his dancing horse.

    This thing will take place in the Bay and a crowd will gather, much like one does for a multi car crash on the freeway. They will hope for grand levels of carnage. It may, or may not happen. It will end and the folks will go back to work, smoke some dope and make plans to see a concert, take in a Giants', or 49er's, game and that will be the end of it. The likelihood of this causing anyone to go out and buy a boat and start sailing/racing themselves is slim to none. It's not a lifestyle event, but a singular point of disconnected entertainment that, once complete, will fade away from the memory as all of these AC's have in the past. I dare say; that there are more people watching trains go past at remote crossings than there are sailing fans.

    Just sayin' :p
     
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  11. groper
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    groper Senior Member

    yep just like hugely unsuccessful REDBULL AIRRACE, it blows in, we hope for carnage, and then its gone... i just wish i could be there to see it too!!! not looking to buy a plane just great entertainment for a day...

    like a music festival or
    a car race or
    who cares so long as were having fun ffs!
     
  12. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    ==========================
    6, you may think that the information in this thread is useless but you would be in the minority, for sure. Perhaps there are things you don't understand-feel free to ask any questions. Perhaps you know everything already-in that case why post here?
    The fantastic new multihulls with their wing rigs and use of hydrofoils are nothing short of a revolution in sailboat design and performance. Their altitude control systems-once we all understand them-will allow simpler and less expensive smaller foilers to the potential benefit of lots of sailing inclined people. The fact that the Americas Cup is being sailed in these extraordinary boats is a fantastic turn of events finally taking Cup design into a new age of materials and technology. It is an extraordniary event with new video technology being applied in a way thats lets non-sailiors in on high performance sailing-probably for the first time in history.
    Oh, by the way I still remember the day Dennis Conner lost the Cup and the day he won it back. I remember the day A2 broke in half and those fabulous sailing shots of leadbellies sailing in rough water in Australia. Saying the memory fades is complete BS......The memories these new boats built and designed to the nth degree of the best technology has to offer will be similarly long lasting-albeit for many, many more people who do give a damn.


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  13. DGreenwood
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    DGreenwood Senior Member

    I started to answer some of your points and came to the conclusion that you are sort of trolling here. I also came to the realization that you really don't know very much about this either. So I find myself somewhere between not being able to get up the energy to answer you and wondering why, if you can't contribute from a position of knowledge, who are you trying to convince and of what? And speaking of tiresome information...do you think you are the first person that has tried our patience with this point of view?
     
  14. oceancruiser

    oceancruiser Previous Member


    You may be bottom right to a certain degree but certainly not 100% not even 40%, this site is a yachting site for yachting oriented sports, business and commercial minded yachts people and it is only naturual we get excited. As expressed by another member the breakthrough in a vessel propelling it self through water matter by natures energy alone is the equivalent as the shuttle flight was to air travel. As for your comments re time spent routinely in dueling in the court rooms i disagree. Please state the number of court cases that have transpired compared to the number of races, and time durations on the water during the past 130 years. I doubt it would represent, at a guess 10%.

    World wide TV audience has been recorded at a higher level than most other world championships barring soccer, O games, tennis, and winter O games.

    I can remember freemantel and the breakthrough there with TNZ being the first to build in glass and the famous American statement, "Why would anybody build a yacht in fibre glass unless it was to cheat" Made by Dirty Dennis, Also I can remember Australia winning the cup and the ripples it sent throughout the world with the coverage that one single achievement got. It was huge. A lot of people had never heard of the Americas cup and what it stood for untill then. It made the statement that America can be beaten, which was huge and stimulated the rest on the yachting world to participate, despite all their rules that at that time disavantaged challengers untill Sir Peter Blake changed all that.

    Can you recommend a good Soccer forum ? :?: :?: :p
     

  15. Roger Six
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    Roger Six Surge Protector

    "Saying the memory fades is complete BS......"

    Now, now, Doug. There's no need to haul out the abusive commentary gambit in order to get your point across. Everyone has been respectful up to this point and this kind of harsh elevation of the discourse is not appropriate.

    I tell you what guys. Go to your local supermarket and start asking folks to name the location of the next AC. Ask them if they can name any of the teams involved. Ask them to tell you who won the last AC and who did the winners sail against to take the Cup. I'm of a mind that you won't find 10% of those questioned who can answer any of the questions correctly and you'll be lucky to find that many. There's your memory quotient right there, all tidied up. Heck, average people can't even point out Korea, or Thailand, or New Zealand, on a world map. Or tell you the capitols of the countries sitting right next to them. And those things were studied in school for extended periods of time, not like the brief hype machine that is the AC, which is here today and gone tomorrow.

    There are a few events on this planet that really leave a lasting impression and sailing boat races are not one of them. The USA has over 300 million people and less than 1% of that population has any idea as to what is going on with the AC. It's worse in other parts of the globe where technology has not brought big time sporting news to the masses in any substantial fashion. No need to argue this, because the details of this kind of retention/awareness have long ago been settled through research. If you doubt that, then make use of Google, if you please. The mistake I think that you are making is that you are morphing your interest and your knowledge onto the rest of the world and it simply doesn't work that way.

    Catamarans with wing sails, lifting foils and carbon fiber everything? Really? This is something new? It's probably best to not try to resell the same basic format as revolutionary, when it has been done before and it's been a few years since that event.
     
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