America's Cup Multihull Battle Set For February 2010

[downeast450]

For me, it is a real loss not having the series elimination races and the world wide coverage of some amazing sailing. The battle over the Deed of Gift match has eliminated the most exciting displays of the best sailing talent in the world. It has done a disservice to racing.

I am interested in the performance of the multihulls and their single elimination series. It doesn't involve what most of us know as racing. It is a performance display of engineering milestones. Imaging having a fleet of maned ultralights scouting for wind 1000M out. Wow!

I am feeling cheated. I was looking forward to watching the duels in the box and following the animations. O-well!

I hope they don't decide to open the Tour De France to only the two fastest motorcycles in the world for a one day race.

Down

[smackdaddy]

I look forward to the race - but I agree that it's become something different.

I'm still a fan of the VOR and Vendee - and now the Clipper. Great races.

[PCP]

Originally Posted by downeast450

For me, it is a real loss not having the series elimination races and the world wide coverage of some amazing sailing. The battle over the Deed of Gift match has eliminated the most exciting displays of the best sailing talent in the world. It has done a disservice to racing.

I am interested in the performance of the multihulls and their single elimination series. It doesn't involve what most of us know as racing. It is a performance display of engineering milestones. Imaging having a fleet of maned ultralights scouting for wind 1000M out. Wow!

I am feeling cheated. I was looking forward to watching the duels in the box and following the animations. O-well!

I hope they don't decide to open the Tour De France to only the two fastest motorcycles in the world for a one day race.

Down

I agree, except for the motorcycles on the Tour de France

[smackdaddy]

With all the doping in the TdF - it has become all about technology too. Maybe not motorcycles - but chemically-fueled-bio-mass-driven-bicycles?

[tonybinTX]

Anyone know how to catch the AC coverage in the US?

[PCP]

I have just read on Sail Magazine a very good article about speed prediction on both boats.

The article is signed by Ian Campbell and that guy is a kind of wizard on the subject.

He says that the American boat will prevail and by a considerable margin, providing that the "team can keep the rig in the boat"

I believe that this competition with these boats is going to bring new developments to the sail state of art, but I found shameful the way all the others teams were kept apart.

I find also ridiculous the upper wind limit set for the racing conditions: 15k

I believe we will see a lot of races interrupted by excessive wind and also a lot of failures in those boats. They are optimized for light winds and probably don't have the extra strength that is needed for a reasonable safety margin.

I believe that the possibility of a capsize while racing is probably a real one.

I also believe that the winner will be not the fastest but the one that could finish the races and remain in one piece.

I only wish they could race on these conditions:

YouTube - Trimarans - Lunatic Sailing

[PCP]

Originally Posted by tonybinTX

Anyone know how to catch the AC coverage in the US?

The races are going to be transmitted live on the internet.

[SailingStNick]

Here's the link.

Can someone give me the run down of why this is all of the sudden a trimaran race, instead of several monohulls racing to race the defender? I know there's a long history of the America's Cup.

[PCP]

Between a cat and a trimaran.

Long story. It was to be like you have said, the teams had already chosen the boat (a mono hull) and then BMW Oracle made a court claim saying the Spanish challenger defy was not by the book (a technicality).

An US court gave reason to them, and BMW Oracle was the new Challenger.

BMW Oracle chose to put all the other teams out of the game and opted for a giant trimaran on a single defy with Alinghy.

[WanderingStar]

I see it differently. Alinghi was trying to control all facets of the race, including the judges. Oracle fought and won in court the right to fight it out on the water.