34th America's Cup: multihulls!

34th AC

I think this will be a Cup of many surprises......

 

Regardless of surprises, 72' foiling cats should put on one heck of a show.

"If only I could take one ride" will be (at least subconsciously) a common thought for just about all of us thrill seeking sailors watching via internet.

 

34th AC

You're so right-I was thinking about that today!

 

Don't rule Artemis out, I have a feeling boat 2 will be atleast better than ETNZ 1 and LR. They've got their wing figured out, and Törnqvist probably put twice as much money into boat two, it will foil well, remember that file submitted to the race committe a while back about foils much like Hydroptere?

LR is absolutely out to me, as ETNZ had that boat, then made a better one. I agree, I do see it hard for ETNZ to not win the LVC, but if they break something bad in the next month they might not have much sailing time before they have to ship it to SF, where Artemis already did. I think Artemis has a huge advantage as they have more 72 time on the bay than even Oracle.

Another way I think Oracle is lighter than the others is their bowspirit is held up by their furled/unfurled Gennaker, they never drop it, so they can save weight supporting the bowspirit.

On Friday 17 hit the bay wingless, any ideas what they might have been testing?

 

34th AC

From Scuttlebutt tonight:

FULL ACCESS

New Zealand Herald reporter Dana Johannsen hitches a ride on Team NZ's new
AC72 as it tests on the Hauraki Gulf.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It wasn't being made to sign a waiver before I hopped on board Team New
Zealand's new AC72 that made me nervous - apparently the team's legal
department are kept busy enough as it is.

Nor was it being handed a helmet and an oxygen bottle to strap around my
waist in case the super-sized racing machine should capsize and I get
trapped under water.

It was hearing skipper Dean Barker briefing on the on-board comms before
the start of the day's testing that he hoped to push the boat upwards of 40
knots - around 75km/h - on just its third day on the water and second
proper sailing day.

Looking at the faces of the design team on the chase boat, they too were a
bit uneasy about the skipper's plans.

But with the big event in San Francisco on the horizon, the sense of
urgency in the Team New Zealand camp has been ratcheted up several notches
since the launch of their second boat, New Zealand Aotearoa.

So as I gingerly climb aboard NZL05, I knew this was going to be no
pleasure cruise around the Hauraki Gulf.

Moving around the boat takes some getting used to. As I stagger about on
the netting like a new-born foal, clambering from one side to the other
whenever a tack is performed, the crew sprint past me, easily traversing
the distance between the two hulls in a couple of bounds.

I'm seated in the driest spot on the boat, right in the centre, but that
does not save me from the odd dousing.

It is the windward crew that are most in the firing line, though, with
Richard Meachem, the team's bowman, hunkering down to avoid the massive
shower of spray as the windward foil kisses the water.

Today is considered a calm day, with a flat sea and moderate winds, but
full wet-weather gear is a must.

The real ride begins when they head downwind.

During the testing of their first boat late last year, I watched in awe
from a chase boat as the giant catamaran with the same dimensions as a
tennis court (well, 3m wider, to be exact) flew above the water. It is
quite another thing to be on board experiencing lift-off for the first
time. -- Read on: http://tinyurl.com/ETNZ-021813

 

http://oracle-team-usa.americascup.com/team

1 1/2 Americans in the whole team?
Does not anybody know how to sail in the USA?
It sounds to me that they should rename the America's Cup to the 2nd Bledisloe Cup.....

 

It is hard to get aboard for anyone still sailing in the States. not being from another country I wasn't asked. Many Americans sail their armchairs and are reluctant to leave them without a well practiced rump in command.

 

I am absolutely certain there are plenty of Americans working for the Oracle AC team.

It is just sad how few are on the sailing team.

I guess I should change my support to "Go Oracle maintenance staff" or something similar.

 

34th AC

While I fervently wish the Nationality Rule was still in effect, it isn't unfortunately. I support Oracle*, the American Team, that is going to kick ***,
God willing and the creek don't rise.......
* Now that they got the damn boat foiling exceptionally well.....

 

You just have to get those aussies to try and remember which way up the boat is supposed to be. Going "Down Under" in San Francisco Bay is not a good look.

 

34th AC

---------------------
But it's good training and another Oracle first. Helps the guys keep "being first" foremost in their minds. It's all psycological......
Go Oracle!

 

And we've been practicing it!

 

Exceptionally well? No, just well.
ETNZ are foiling exceptionally well. I mean this in terms of control, stability and consistency. speed I have no idea.

 

34th AC

=================
No, I meant exceptionally well-something you achieve when first you pitchpole-another element in this contest that Oracle has done first and best(so far).

 

34th AC Oracle today

Some great pictures by Guilain Grenier:
To try to absorb the majesty of these great pictures--click-