America's Cup

PascalG

PascalG

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The lack of interest for the Americas cup always amazes me... yes, it's underway right now in Bermuda, with the challenge finals starting tomorrow and the Americas cup itself in about a week.

In the past people used to say I think was boring and that's something that I will concede... boats far offshore running at 10kts almost made baseball or NASCAR exciting.

Now that they have switched to foiling catamarans running between 25 and 45ktd, therefore is nothing boring especially considering the level of broadcasting technology

In the last few days the action has been edge of your seat grade. Challenger final will have New Zealand facing Sweden in a best of 9 series with the winner taking the defender, oracle team USA

Www.americascup.com has some clips... worth watching.
 
NZ doing a pitchpole this week was disturbing. But it certainly held the interest.
 
There was some close racing and lead changes beyond NZL Pitchpoling

It's on NBC sports 1pm with replays available on The NBC sports App
 
I agree w/Pascal - to a point: the coverage is technically beautiful, as is the scenery. NBCSports is doing all that one could as for. And, the racing is entertaining, but to me, about as entertaining as watching the Indy 500, or Formula One racing. It's not something that I can relate to. I know what sailing is like on mono-hulls, and even some small cats, but looking at the current AC racers is nothing like my experience. For me, the must watch is the footage of the Volvo Ocean Race - not remotely like something that I've done, but still similar enough so that I can understand the complexities of the sport.

And, as an aside, I miss the days when the sailors had to be from the country that the boats represent. Now it's not Sweden v.New Zealand, just one corporate mega-conglomerate versus another.
 
The new high tech "boats" have ruined the sport for me.
 
I lost interest when they quit using cloth sails.

George
 
I am not a sailor. Not counting messing about on a Sunfish & I don't think that I have been under sail more than 6 times my entire life. Sailing is boring. WRONG! Not with these foiling cats. In 15kts of wind your average dude in his overpowered OB won't stand a chance of keeping up with them. No relation to NASCAR. Left, straight, left, straight, foot in the tank left, straight.

The crews of these boats are highly trained athletes. Yes, everything is powered by hydraulics, but the crew power the hydraulics. The skipper does not simply sit at the wheel. He & the tactician are aware of everything around them, looking for subtle wind shifts & puffs on the course, while keeping an eye on what the other guy is doing & doing cross tacks with mere feet to spare & terrific speeds.

Exciting? You bet. Best seen & understood on TV but fun to be out next to the race box boundary when one of these things literally fly by on their foils. Since the start on May 26th I have been out almost every day acting as a spectator course marshal. The big benefit is having a front row seat for what they call 'stadium racing'. Commentary is provided on VHF ch20, which is a big help to all us non sailors around the course & on over the air TV.

For the traditional sailor 6 of only 8 existing J boats are here in Bermuda & they will be racing this Friday plus next Monday & Tuesday. Looking forward to going out to see some of that off the north shore of the island.

But wait! There is more. Some serious money in superyachts are here. Some of them real classics. Some of them downright ugly. Look up Maltese Falcon & Savanah for examples. Enough boat porn is around to satisfy anyone.
 
As much as I loved the days of monohulls and the 12 meters the Americas Cup has always been about the very best sailing has to offer. When you go back 100 years, that was the case. Go back to the 1930s and what many consider to be the golden age of yachting , the J class was as advanced as today's fooling cats are

The one thing is wished had not changed was the nationality requirement. But it is what it is

As to the 6 (or is it 7?) Js lined up in Bermuda... there is nothing as spectacular as a J Sorry to say that despite their incredible speed the americas cup catamarans look like toys compared to these 130+ sloops.

30 years ago, they were gone. Extinct. Then Endeavour was resurrected out of her muddy grave in England and restored to her former glory, and better. I will always remember seeing her race around st Barths when I lived there in the early 90s. Incredible sight.

Regardless of ones preferences, Power, sail, whatever... the Js are the ultimate on the water

http://www.jclassyachts.com/yachts
 
PascslG, you would have enjoyed being out in Bermuda today. Went out to watch the J boats, 6 of them, & the super yachts, including the Maltese Falcon, a few miles off the East End of Bermuda. My ride for the day was quite nice too. A Sabre Express 42. Light air so nobody was moving very quick but decent sea conditions for spectators considering the course was all open ocean.

After many days of being banged about skippering a course marshal RIB for America's Cup, sitting in the shade & having somebody else do the driving was a welcome change.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Arnold

Is there a video of today J class yachts?

Click to expand...


Don't know. I did see a few press boats out there & the America's Cup video power cat briefly but none hung around long after start. being pretty far offshore kept the weak stomachs inshore.
 
I've watched a couple of races and saw the vid of NZ Pitchpole, announced as capsize, and it's been interesting. Personally, I prefer F1, go Lewis Hamilton, but these "Boats" are every bit as advanced, the "sailors" are really athletes, and I'm really surprised there have not been a bunch of MOBs out there. I will watch the finals for sure.
 
One day away,!

The has been a couple of MOBs... Jimmy spithill skipper of OTUSA fell overboard I never practice and so did Nathan Outeridge skipper of Artemis... during a race! He was crossing during a tack and explained slipped straight overboard...

Over the years a number of F1 taken a shot at the cup on the design side, most recently Martin whitmarsh former McLaren boss who is running the British challenge. F1 has become dull... the turbo V6 sounds like crap and thee is way too many silly rules and steward interference... it's become formula nanny
 
Thanks for starting this thread Pascal.

There is a good movie that wraps around the Americas cup and the sail technology changes, "WIND". It was made in Newport RI back in the 1990's.
For those cold and rainy nights were we need a "boat fix" not to be confused with the original boatfix - George.
 
I actually liked watching the monohulls - lots of strategy and tactics that you had to plan well ahead. However, I do like watching the foiling AC as well. Now you have split second decisions in addition to think ahead tactics.
I got to go out and watch at least a dozen races when it was in SF Bay. Stunning to see how fast they really are.
 
Oh Oh, the US is not off to a good start in the finals. Double loss to the Kiwis today in very light air.
 
They haven't installed their cheater system yet
 
The NZ boat clearly "likes" light air.

I hope the next round is in stiffer winds.
 
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