America’s Cup - ETNZ launches 1st AC75 (new)

[CassidyNZ]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

I'm not sure if they are using them in the current Cup event but heads up displays were already used in the sunglasses during past events.

Maybe it's old tech already now...

Yep, in the DOG race between Oracle’s giant trimaran and Alinghi’s cat (33rd AC, Valencia 2010), Spithill wore a small backpack that collected data from the boat’s systems and sent it to a display in his sunglasses. Not new tech anymore.

[jmh2002]

This is especially for Fred / wingssail. Plenty of photography porn there

36th America's Cup - So you want to be an America's Cup photographer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc-Mb701f6M

[MicHughV]

jmh2002, I respect and value your opinion and insight, and you clearly are quite knowledgeable about the AC, but I provide my comment and/or question as to how "I" see things....I recognize that the AC has been evolving since the git-go, but we have moved from "sail" boats now to "flying" boats, which is a relatively "new" concept in the overall scheme of things......which is what I was trying to elaborate on.

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

...I provide my comment and/or question as to how "I" see things...

Yes, a new concept (as it is each time a new class is formed for the Cup)

But No, it has not "moved into a technology/designer event..."

It's frustrating when you repeatedly keep posting this.

You may see it like that, but it simply isn't correct.

Because the Cup has always been a technology/designer event, even since 1851.

Even Schooner America was purposely designed and built with all the latest technology, to be the fastest boat in the USA, and to go to the UK and win.

Nothing has changed in that respect.

[Boatguy30]

In the 1980 cup Lexen believed they had the fasted boat but didn’t sail very well. In ‘83 they had the wing keel and the faster boat and better team.

When you create the class, develop the concept and sail entirely on home waters. It’s pretty hard to get beat. Only took 130 years for the Australians to take it of NYYC.

But it’s hard to imagine a significant number of teams showing up to play this same game again.

[CassidyNZ]

Another perpetuated AC misnomer that always tickles me is when the English (in whatever guise) say “We’re going to bring the Cup back home”. When was the Cup ever in England? In the very first race it was won by the yacht America, went to that country and has never ever been held in England.

[MicHughV]

well, the AC was " borne" in England, though it did not have that name at the time...

It was originally known as the "Hundred Guinea Cup", and if you are a Brit, I guess that gives the cup a British birth right..

The Kiwi's keep hanging onto this cup, it might well become the NZ cup in time.

[CassidyNZ]

Yes well, I went to research this and the Wiki page says it was originally the £100 Cup. So is it £100 or 100Guinea Cup.

But then it goes on to say:

“After a long legal battle, the 2010 America's Cup was raced in 90 ft (27 m) waterline multihull yachts in a best of three "deed of gift" match in Valencia, Spain. The victorious Golden Gate Yacht Club then elected to race the 2013 America's Cup in AC72 foiling, wing-sail catamarans. Golden Gate Yacht Club successfully defended the cup.

Cheeky buggers. If it hadn’t been for an informational leak that discovered that ETNZ were experimenting with a foiling catamaran, the Oracle team would have turned up with an ordinary displacement catamaran.

https://emirates-team-new-zealand.am...RICAS-CUP.html

So believe Wiki at your peril.

[MicHughV]

well, I was born in an era of quids, shillings, farthings, etc...I seem to recall a quid being 1 pound and change and it was just a nickname for a pound......much like a buck is a nickname for a $, a shilling was 12 pennies...still have some of these old coins floating around somewhere...I took them to a coin dealer once, he offered me about $1 for the lots, so I kept them all.....
it took me forever to get used to the American " quarter"....

with all that, I ponder what the next cup challenge will be...and if will still be held in NZ...

The AC sure has it's fair share of shenanigans, for sure..

[jmh2002]

Somewhere I have a very interesting article about the history of the Cup. I'll try to find it.

I mean, about the trophy itself.

[Pelagic]

But....for me.....some of the magic of the AC......has gone missing.. McHu

I think when they perfect the downwind sail it will add its own magic

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

But....for me.....some of the magic of the AC......has gone missing.. McHu

I think when they perfect the downwind sail it will add its own magic

They did that centuries ago..

[jmh2002]

Originally Posted by jmh2002

Somewhere I have a very interesting article about the history of the Cup. I'll try to find it.

I mean, about the trophy itself.

I found it, sooner than I thought:

Henry Paget: Owner of the America’s Cup

https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2...-americas-cup/

The purchaser of the Cup was Field Marshall Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, Earl of Uxbridge, Baron Paget, de Beaudesert, and was also an Irish Baronet, of Plas Newydd in the County of Anglesey and of Mount Bagenall in the County of Louth, Knight of the Order of the Garter, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and Knight of the Grand Cross of the Royal Guelphic Order.

Paget presented the Cup to the Royal Yacht Squadron for use as a prize. There is no evidence that it was then destined to become the prize for the Squadron’s “all nations” race held on 22 August 1851, but sometime later it was allocated by the Squadron to the famous race and the rest is international sporting history.

If you are interested in that sort of thing, go on to read the full article. Paget himself has quite a personal history, losing his leg at the Battle of Waterloo. But he was also a sailor himself.

...the Battle of Waterloo, where Paget acquitted himself well, leading spectacular charge of the Heavy Cavalry to check and help rout the French Army at a critical juncture during the Battle.

Paget was a lifelong keen sailor, one of the original founder members in 1815 of The Yacht Club... which later became, with Royal patronage, the Royal Yacht Squadron.

He leased Cowes Castle until his death when the Royal Yacht Squadron acquired the lease of it’s now world famous club house.

His main racing yacht was the Pearl, a very successful cutter of 113 tones. It was said to be built by a Philip Sainty a well-known builder of fast smuggler cutters, who happened to be in Springfield jail for smuggling offences...

[MicHughV]

it's all a matter of perspective...I enjoy F1...sorta...kinda....maybe...have seen one live race...it was enuff...
same for the Daytona 500...sorta...kinda...maybe....seen one live race....it was enuff...
At the end of the day.....I like to drive my truck....

This past AC was interesting...sorta..kinda...maybe...
But for me, at the end of the day, I'd rather have Pelagic's schooner than an AC75.....it embodies the beauty of sail for me.......

Who knows...somebody might win the cup one day and say..." hey, let's race schooners next time around"....

Have to take it away from the Kiwi's first....not so easy...so the AC75's in one form or another are likely to remain for a while...

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I just wonder how this foiling concept will transfer to your basic sailboat. Yes, I know some smaller foiling race boats are already out there, but I'm talking your basic mom and pop type sailboat.
These AC75's sail in relatively calm waters only.....it's an F1 car....not suited for a dirt road....
The entire AC concept has moved into a technology/designer event..foils, double mainsails, etc, etc..but seems far removed from " sailing"....it's become more a case of "flying".....not being grumpy, as that is just the way it is...many regular "old fashioned" sailboat racing still to be found.

For sure, it is a "spectator" event, just like F1 racing, no other sailboat race has this type of "spectator" support. It's a "showcase" event, for sailors and non-sailors, so I can see and understand the concept of fast boats, just like fast cars, nobody wants to see station wagons roaring around a track either.

But....for me.....some of the magic of the AC......has gone missing..

Steve Callahan in this Cruising World article thinks that cruising boats probably won't foil airborne but will sprout foils to help increase speed, stability, and motion.
About half way down the article -
https://www.cruisingworld.com/story/...for-sailboats/