America's Cup declining?

Americas Cup Ascending!

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Money. The onboard stuff is supposed to be there for the finals and the Cup itself. Just out of curiosity, did you watch the AC 45 racing?

 

I have watched some, and what I saw was pretty interesting. The race in Venice was my favorite, for example. However, it had very little in common with the current AC format. The boats were not foiling and were much slower, which allowed the human factor and tactical sailing to get the right importance. Close-quarter maneuvers and tricks were possible and fleet racing did contribute to the attractiveness factor too, imo. Same for the cockpit views, which were available. Wave-piercing bows, on the other hand, gave their contribution to the uncertainty factor - one never knew who's turn would be the next to dig the bow too deep and pitchpole.

I do not understand the money issue, referred to the on-board cameras. Should we collect some money and send them a box full of cheap Chinese-made GoPro-clones to install them on the boats?

 

except for a few rare occasions, I always thought match racing was the least exciting type of sailboat racing to watch (although I always still watched the AC.)
Yet I have found this series and these boat more exciting to watch than I ever thought I would. Even at a distance, the increased speed of these things really does make an impressive sight. The way they go head to (apparent) wind during a gybe is just mind blowing. Maybe that's a normal thing on big, even non-foiling cats, but not something I've ever been aware of. The actual competition between the boats is almost beside the point. Although if there was some close racing, it might add a bit more to the mix.

 

Frankly, that way of thinking and seeing a racing event is beyond me... Maybe that is where all the heated discussions about this edition of AC come from. Different mindsets at work.

 

Maybe this thread should be subtitled "The decline in interest for American spectators".As long as there are wealthy men keen to challenge,the event will live on.There is no reason why any of us should feel entitled to be entertained by the competition and the technology being utilised now will create bigger winning margins then ever before.With the preponderence of Kiwis on the boats I don't suppose there's too much hope of any local heroes emerging for the Americans to get behind.

 

America's Cup Ascending!

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We done got our local Aussies. Besides, Larry Ellison has got to be some kind of American hero for his guts, courage and vision in making such an exciting, profound and positive change to the America's Cup. Thanks, Mr. Ellison!

 

We race windsurfers on figure 8 slalom courses (which means you have tow weave through boats on the other leg repeatedly) at 30 knots +. Although they can turn faster than an AC72 that's a double-edged sword as fast turns can create collisions as well as avoid them. And yet significant issues are rare. Fast cats around the world race regularly with few incidents.

I agree we're certainly not going to see tactical match racing as it's traditionally been known with these sorts of immense boatspeed advantages, which are around 3 times as big as normal AC deltas, or more. Boatspeed differentials of10-15% make match racing tactics irrelevant. It's similar to trying to hold a Formula 16 cat back while sailing a Hobie 16.

The info that I have seen indicates that the rules were changed to get rid of the cameraman as part of the 37 recommendations introduced after the Simpson tragedy; see "http://www.cruisingworld.com/news/safety-for-americas-cup"

 

I think it is wrong to compare AC72 cats to windsurfs, moths or fast two-crew cats. The risk level is not only given by the speed by also by the number of failure modes and the potential consequences of an eventual accident. For example, at the same speed the level of risk is much smaller when just two persons are directly involved. A windsurf is nearly failure-free and only few persons could be potentially directly involved in an accident. Here we have 11 persons on each vessel, and vessels are designed with very low structural safety factors in order to keep them light-weight and balanced. As we have seen in the Artemis accident, even a well-organized support and rescue system has troubles in keeping the situation under control with so many people in water, some trapped under the boat.
This is more like a race between two buses full of people, rushing at full speed and occasionally performing a two-wheel trick. A risk level rises exponentially in such a situation, so if you can avoid adding more to it (like close-quarters duels) you make your life better and longer.

As about on-board cameras, have you seen what do modern sport cameras look like? They are smaller than the palm of your hand and the video quality is fantastic. Check this: http://gopro.com
So who needs a cameraman on board? all you need is a couple of these toys, a TV-signal transmitter, a few meters of electrical cables - and that's it. And I know they do have them on board, but the images are not being televised during races. Why?

I think the real reason for the non-televising of the on-board TV-cameras views is to be sought in the Artemis accident. I have no proofs for this line of thinking (except the fact that it is otherwise completely illogical to not show interesting cockpit views during races), but I believe that they want to avoid another potential death event be recorded and televised from too close distance. It would almost surely be a killer for the event, and perhaps for the whole AC72 class.

My opinion, that's all it is.

 

Yes, the consequences of a crash between two AC72s are indeed terrifying. The point I was making was that the likelihood of a crash may not be as high as some people who have not sailed high-speed craft think that it is.

I've used a GoPro windsurfing and on a foiler Moth. Whether they are the same as a broadcast quality pro camera and operator is an issue. The other issue is real but could be handled by a 10 second delay.

 

Any onboard video would have to be edited so that it all makes sense...tells the story.

Perhaps the AC, because it failed to sell the TV rights due to low interest, cant afford the staff needed to make onboard broadcasts.

 

I find that very improbable, Michael. They are definitely not starving...

 

I would add into that mix, litigation. The US is the home of 'ambulance chasing' lawyers and so to air ones dirty laundry before any lawyer can pounce on it to subvert fiction as fact and vice versa, is a good enough incentive I'd say!

 

Well, the Americas cup layed off a big slice of thier staff when they realized how few boats will participate. Certainly a portion of this staff was publicity, programing

Remember the original build up publicity was " A summer of racing "

So far there has been no racing, only a few Drive By runs... plus variuos rock concerts, free ice cream for the kids , Im a movie star loo !, over here !!, action

 

"Publicity and programming" is not the staff needed to make on-board broadcasts. Technical personnel is, and you don't lay off persons fundamental for the creation of your media product. You can think whatever you want about the organization of this event, but I am sure that they are not a bunch of clueless idiots like that. Please Michael, regain your senses!

 

Must be money.

Consider this..many years ago I was the captain of a racing yacht on the East Coast of NA. The yacht was chartered to make the hollywood film WIND. All us sailing crew were paid a big daily salary by the movie company. We were under strict orders to NEVER SPEAK. If we spoke our daily salary would multiply because we would be considered movie stars..not backround staff, props.

Perhaps this is also true at the AC