America's Cup Anyone?

[JohnSand]

If you haven't seen this you should. Big catamarans dueling at 40mph sailing above the water. Last time, (2013) NZ led 8 races to 1 before USA came back to win eight straight and keep the cup. Racing was scheduled to start today, fleet rounds first. Delayed due to weather. I will watch when I can.

 

[kh54s10]

I lost all interest in The America's cup years ago when most of the action was in the courts.. Then there was a great series of a 90 ft waterline monohull against a catamaran.....

The new catamarans are exciting and I will give it a look for a few minutes at a time but other than that.....

 

[JohnSand]

2013 is called The Greatest Comeback in Sports History.

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks for the HU, I'll look for it. I had stopped following the AC circus years ago. Although the cats are exciting to watch, mostly because of their high speeds, I prefer AC monohull racing as it was before the cats (and indeed, courts) took over.

I did a lot of (IOR) racing back in the days, then watching the 12 meter class was always a joy and such a great example of ultimate strategy, crewing, and boat handling, since they were so close in design.

 

[JohnSand]

I agree that tactics have changed since the 12 meters, and I miss that stuff. Speed kills, it always did, but in the past a slower boat could still win if sailed better. The new boats use tactics differently, though forcing a foul, or splitting tacks are still significant.
As a traditional boat sailor, I have nothing in common with these boats except water. The high tech carbon fiber cats are as different from my wooden ketch as modern Indy cars from a Model A. But they look like Star Trek and are really fun to watch.

 

[jrgtr42]

2013 is called The Greatest Comeback in Sports History.

The Patriots might argue that... but yes, I agree, a couple races penalty and they come back straight set to win the Cup, and those big cats were something else... though the 100' Trimaran in '09 was insane. Watching that thing flying 2 hulls?

I'll be following the series this time around. Don't know if I can watch it, either live or delay, but I have the app on my phone, and I follow the facebook page.
Having seen the Extreme sailing series - run on 35' cats a few years ago in Boston, the sailing is pretty intense. Adding in the foils amps it up a few degrees. Watching them go is amazing.

 

[arturo7]

Somebody needs to tell the Kiwis that it's not a bicycle race.

 

[Pkrd]

Somebody needs to tell the Kiwis that it's not a bicycle race.

Looks like it might be more like a rugby game this time around.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Watched today’s races, very enjoyable. Had to catch up on the current technology. I bet the other crews are jealous of the cyclists on the NZ boat.

Here's a hydrofoil designed by Alexander Graham Bell:

 

[bford]

If you haven't seen this you should. Big catamarans dueling at 40mph sailing above the water. Last time, (2013) NZ led 8 races to 1 before USA came back to win eight straight and keep the cup. Racing was scheduled to start today, fleet rounds first. Delayed due to weather. I will watch when I can.

What network shows it in the US now?

I've watched in the past and wouldn't mind seeing how it has evolved.

 

[Sailingeric]

40 to 50 knts SOG is crazy. I have done 15 knts SOG flying a kite offshore in the middle of the night and that was crazy fast feeling, know at any minute you could broach with a slight wind shift, with these boats one wrong move and you are pitch poling at highway speeds, it must be a big rush riding on one.. I have sailed and flown to Bermuda and it nice seeing my favorite place on TV

 

[JohnSand]

What network shows it in the US now?

I've watched in the past and wouldn't mind seeing how it has evolved.

NBCSN: NBC Sports Network

 

[bford]

Thanks. I was able to catch some of the action today.

It is amazing how much faster they are then the single hull boats of the past.

The on board cameras really give you a feel of how they are moving.

 

[shelly_belly]

Somebody needs to tell the Kiwis that it's not a bicycle race.

Shouldn't they all be pedaling, or did someone just now think of it?

 

[arturo7]

Shouldn't they all be pedaling, or did someone just now think of it?

I read that many teams are looking at it but the Kiwis are the first to try it. It makes a lotta sense.

It's pretty funny how the cyclist in front rests his head on the hull. He looks miserable.

 

[Pkrd]

Bump

 

[JohnSand]

Finals up next. Should be good, I hope it's great.

 

[bford]

When do the finals start? Or did I already miss the beginning of them? I just checked NBCSports and I don't see it on the schedule this morning.

 

[kh54s10]

The finals start on the 17th.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Looks like the first race of the Finals is this Saturday at 1 PM Eastern. https://www.americascup.com/en/event-schedule.html

Just saw the thread - glad someone started it. I grew up on a 30' S2 as my parents were very much into boating and sailed throughout Lake Michigan. One day we were filling up with fuel at the harbor when a drunk power-boater was steering his boat into the fuel dock. He left the wheel and hit our boat right there in the harbor. There was a lot of damage, and that was sort of the end of it for my parents so they repaired and sold the boat and got out of sailing.

Now that I'm older, I'd love to get into it and I love watching the America's Cup. Someday I'll get a little sailboat to run around Lake Michigan on.

 

[JohnSand]

It's never too late.

And the finals are on NBC, I think, not NBCSN.

 

[Pkrd]

Well that's a good start. 2-0 to us, which somehow is only 1-0.

Who wrote the rules again?

 

[Pkrd]

Pretty quiet in here...

 

[Sailingeric]

I saw the race yesterday. Dang NZ was kicking butt. I have not seen today's race, it is on DVR. I do get jealous of them in Bermuda. I have been a couple of times and it is one of my favorite places on earth.

 

[day_trippr]

As an oldster from the Newport glory days I found myself watching the Star Trek version of the AC challenge.
Cool to watch, I guess...

 

[Sailingeric]

As an oldster from the Newport glory days I found myself watching the Star Trek version of the AC challenge.
Cool to watch, I guess...

Search Youtube for the monohull racing. I watched race 7 of the 2007 Cup and it was good. A lot of using the right of way rules to sh!t on your competition. Not so much about speed but more of chess game on water.

 

[triethylborane]

Pretty quiet in here...

It is not popular in the USA like it is elsewhere, regardless of results. You might have pockets of interest, particularly on the coasts or on the great lakes region. In CO or HI, people will have no clue what you are talking about. I had a math professor in college (UMich) who was a kiwi and was addicted to it. He would post results and such on his door. A cousin of mine is into it, but he also races in the CYC Chicago to Mackinac on a 65' LOA hull as a crew member.

 

[JohnSand]

Well that's a good start. 2-0 to us, which somehow is only 1-0.

Who wrote the rules again?

Last time Oracle was penalized two races, for something that happened on a different boat in a different regatta. I think that this time the point was carried over from the round robins. I also think the rules committee is international.
Emirates has the faster boat so far, and is sailing better. I hope for more competitive racing, no matter who wins.

 

[Pkrd]

Emirates has the faster boat

 

[Pkrd]

If it wasn't for last time I'd be getting cocky right about now.