America's Cup Anyone?

[Sadu]

Yep seems like we have been here before. Its always good to see the kiwis stick it to Oracle, hopefully they can finish the job.
TBH though I kinda lost interest with all the self serving rule changes and general controversy.

 

[aces-n-eights]

Watched the finals today - first time watching competitive sailing. Dumb question... what is the purpose of the cranking/pedaling?

 

[kh54s10]

Watched the finals today - first time watching competitive sailing. Dumb question... what is the purpose of the cranking/pedaling?

The controls, especially the use of the foils is hydraulically controlled. They are pressurizing the hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic energy is stored in accumulators. Kind of like charging a battery.

The US was dominated. They didn't have as good a boat, and made the most errors. When they were faster they could not use the speed to their advantage.

 

[JohnSand]

Congratulations to the Kiwis, they put on a sailing clinic.
I hope the racing is closer next time.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I couldn't watch any of it live, but from the highlights and articles I read it sounds like they just dominated the whole series.

I would really like to see both teams given the same exact boat to race, so it would be less about engineering and more about sailing. I sort of thought the same thing after the last Cup a few years back - clearly the US did some hard core tweaking to their boat after being beaten so many times to come back and make the run they did at it. After seeing that, which was awesome no doubt, it just made me wish that such a premier race like this was won on the boat itself rather than in the design/engineering room.

 

[Sailingeric]

I couldn't watch any of it live, but from the highlights and articles I read it sounds like they just dominated the whole series.

I would really like to see both teams given the same exact boat to race, so it would be less about engineering and more about sailing. I sort of thought the same thing after the last Cup a few years back - clearly the US did some hard core tweaking to their boat after being beaten so many times to come back and make the run they did at it. After seeing that, which was awesome no doubt, it just made me wish that such a premier race like this was won on the boat itself rather than in the design/engineering room.

Olson 30 or Melges 24. Plenty of them out there cheap enough even HBT.com could put a team together!

 

[day_trippr]

Olson 30 or Melges 24. Plenty of them out there cheap enough even HBT.com could put a team together!

LOL! Just imagining the drunken lot that would crew it is worth the thought

 

[JohnSand]

So, here we are four years later. Still amazing speed and technology, but much more competitive finals.
So far all the action has been on the first leg.

 

[day_trippr]

I love the evolution that led to the AC75 "flying boat" competition class design. Everyone loves speed, and these crazy hydrofoil designs provide plenty of that (did I read 50kph is within reach?)

Short of wind shifts I don't think it's unusual for the first leg leader to keep the advantage. It's pretty much a thing - it just resolves quicker now

Cheers!

 

[kh54s10]

For most of the races so far - 3-4 minutes of excitement at the start, then follow the leader. I'll watch it all but it is pretty boring.

 

[JohnSand]

I keep hoping for a race with some lead changes.

 

[Pkrd]

After the start we’re only watching to see a boat come off the foils in spectacular fashion.

 

[DuncB]

Would have been good to have had a start yesterday.

 

[Pkrd]

Now that’s exciting.

 

[JohnSand]

I certainly got my lead changes. Italy now needs three out of four to stay in it.