America's Cup, Slight Return

[Matt Smith]

Ok Boys, not many, if any comments on this so far. Four (lets say three for the sake of accuracy) up for the Kiwis. We Are Sailing.

[Bill Douglas]

Don't speak too soon.

But I have my fingers (and toes) crossed for a revenge win.

[WPOZZZ]

I stopped watching when they switched to Cats.

[Matt Smith]

That sounds similar to what my great grandfather said when they put the engine in the back of F1 cars. Yawn.

[cairns]

But I have my fingers (and toes) crossed for a revenge win.

Me too.

I stopped watching when they switched to Cats.

I guess you enjoy watching golf and the grass grow....

[Sunroof]

As a sailor I questioned the differences between the sail trim techniques on the New Zealand boat compared to the American vessel. On the American vessel they trim sails by using standard "winching" and man power through the use of arms. We will call them "grinders". On the New Zealand boat however, they set up the winching using world class triatheletes on bicycles (cyclers) that provided greater leg power resulting in less time to trim the sails. Granted Spithill made some strategic errors in tacking that slowed their progress, but the huge differences in distance in all four wins by New Zealand is extrodinary! Could the "cyclers" make the differences? Perhaps, but Spithill has this week to figure it out and back the American boat in the win column. His performance in San Francisco (2013) and a come behind eight wins to take the Cup has sailors like me confident he will find that set up to win races. In the meantime, going forward, I expect "cyclers" will be used in all Cup contenders in the future.

Bob
onboard "Breezin II"
Lake Lanier, GA

[nota]

the difference in wind speed is most of NZ's advantage
usa is better in high winds but this weekends has been light winds

[Scott Douglas]

Wind speed has a lot to do with it but the dagger board design will ultimately make the difference IMO.
NZ's are a lot thinner creating less drag. Do we really know what the NZ boat can do in high winds?

[mgatepi]

Much less resistance with the steel NZ Dagger boards.

[tevake]

Apparently they do have different foil boards for different conditions. Just have to make the right call before putting the boat in the water for the day's racing

Yes the sail trimming and board controls are done with hydraulics, the pressure is being maintained by the grinders/ peddlers. I do find the constant action in the pit a bit unusual and a little distracting.
The peddlers less so, plus they can put more power into the system than the conventional grinders. The upright sitting grinders with shoulders and arms flailing away surely creat more windage drag too. Again the Kiwi ingenuity coming thru. Do you notice a familure accent aboard most of the boats, yep that's the Kiwis they are everywhere in the sailing world.

Looking at the sail trim angles is revealing, even going down wind their boat speed brings the wind so far forward that the sails are way in closer to the centerline than imaginable. Sure makes jibing easier.

I'm really enjoying watching these amazing boats and crews. So much innovation at play and the crews are refining their boat handling as the races unfold.
The high speed make even little mistakes a big deal in relative position on the course, quite exciting.

Cheers Richard

[RF5BPilot]

They may not be pretty, but they sure are f'n fast! Holy smokes.

[tevake]

That bow down position while on foil is surprising to see, and a little awkward looking.

I really like watching the rise of the boats as they come up to foil speed. Probably won't be seeing much of that as the series unfolds, cause they just will not touch down during the races. 100% foil bourn racing, wow!

Steel foils, really? That's surprising.

Cheers Richard

[VincentVega]

Originally Posted by tevake

Looking at the sail trim angles is revealing, even going down wind their boat speed brings the wind so far forward that the sails are way in closer to the centerline than imaginable. Sure makes jibing easier.

I thought it was me, the boat just didnt look right. Too much apparent wind? Ha, thats crazy. I sail a simple old boat, these things are a completely different animal.

[mgatepi]

The steel foils are much thinner resulting in less drag. The US team is using Carbon Kevlar and are light but thick.

[rumlyne]

Looks like the America's cup people, after about 30 years, finally discovered
the Little America's cup.

[nota]

Originally Posted by mgatepi

Much less resistance with the steel NZ Dagger boards.

have you got a link on steel dagger boards ??

afaIk the boards are carbon fiber with change-able tips on both boats
they do have two sets of dagger-board foils and several tips
and as carbon fiber is stronger then steel and far lighter
I see no reason to use steel nor any reports of steel in the boards

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by tevake

Apparently they do have different foil boards for different conditions. Just have to make the right call before putting the boat in the water for the day's racing

Yes the sail trimming and board controls are done with hydraulics, the pressure is being maintained by the grinders/ peddlers. I do find the constant action in the pit a bit unusual and a little distracting.
The peddlers less so, plus they can put more power into the system than the conventional grinders. The upright sitting grinders with shoulders and arms flailing away surely creat more windage drag too. Again the Kiwi ingenuity coming thru. Do you notice a familure accent aboard most of the boats, yep that's the Kiwis they are everywhere in the sailing world.

Looking at the sail trim angles is revealing, even going down wind their boat speed brings the wind so far forward that the sails are way in closer to the centerline than imaginable. Sure makes jibing easier.

I'm really enjoying watching these amazing boats and crews. So much innovation at play and the crews are refining their boat handling as the races unfold.
The high speed make even little mistakes a big deal in relative position on the course, quite exciting.

Cheers Richard

I had the same thought re. the "grinders" being distracting. It is one thing when there is a flurry of grinding during a tack, now it seems to be a constant effort to keep the hydraulic system topped off for use when needed. At some point might as well use a set of batteries and reduce the crew count by 1/2?

Also, I like the graphics used on TV that show the distance between boats, otherwise it would be difficult to tell unless there is a close crossing of tacks.

I recently went land sailing, just like the current AC racing - there is really no "down-wind" sailing in the traditional sense, the sail is close-hauled or tighter most of the time.

[mgatepi]

NOTA
The steel dagger boards were discussed by the commentators after the race. I do not believe there are any details on these boards available......as with most new technologies.

Remember the Winged Keel???

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

I stopped watching when they switched to Cats.

and left Newport...

[nota]

I did some digging on this thread on sailing anarchy

The winning foils - Page 33 - America's Cup Anarchy - Sailing Anarchy Forums

and there is a new report of steel in the boards of NZ
funny google did not find it