Americas Cup

[Milosh]

Anyone been watching the races?

When the Kiwis win the next race (possibly tomorrow) they will take the Cup back to NZ.

13,000lb sailboats doing 50mph.

Home / America's Cup

America's Cup - YouTube

 

[fubar57]

I watched a race on TV years ago. There was no wind and the boats were drifting backwards. 30 minutes sitting on the edge of my seat.

Geo

 

[nuuumannn]

Yep, been watching every race, saw most of the Louis Vuitton racing as well. Those AC-72s are impressive boats, although I'm sure if Team NZ win the format will be changed and the AC-72s won't be used again. They are too expensive to build, which really narrows down the competition. I don't know if Grant Dalton will go back to a monohull, but whatever he'll decide will open up the competition again. The 12 metre America's Cup Class were beautiful boats, but nowhere near as fast as even the AC-45s.

 

[gumbyk]

I went for a walk between the races this morning, and the streets were very quiet.

Most businesses I think have accepted that while the race is on, that productivity will be almost zero.

I saw an brief interview with a jetboat operator, and he said that the AC72's are going slightly faster than their 700hp jetboats. considering how much heavier these yachts are, I'd hate to think how much power they are getting out of those wings.
And the hydrofoiling - 3 tonne boat flying on 1.4m2 of hydrofoil!

Brilliant pieces of engineering, but very expensive, especially considering that there are so few people who have the skills and knowledge to design and build them.

 

[N4521U]

I had a chance to watch them for about half an hour at a club................. then they put the TV's on the Rugby League.

I hadn't seen these boats before. Ahhhhh mayyyy zing!

Being from the SF area my jaw just dropped.
Made me homesick seeing the bridge, Alcatraz, the Marina Green, Fort Point...........

I'm hoping the Kiwis take it home.

 

[gumbyk]

Yeah, zero to 40 knots in 15 seconds is pretty impressive.

 

[nuuumannn]

Oracle have won race 12, but ETNZ has one more win and the cup is New Zealand's.

 

[Readie]

'Yeah, zero to 40 knots in 15 seconds is pretty impressive'

I bet they are a magnificent sight. I must catch up with the races.
Good luck NZ.

 

[Wayne Little]

Didn't know it was on till they mentioned it on the news!

 

[Gnomey]

They are certainly impressive pieces of engineering, for sure no other sail powered boats come anywhere near them. Just a shame they have cost as many lives as they have.

Not caught many of the races because of scheduling but still need to watch highlights at some point.

 

[silence]

Man, there's nothing to compare to sailing on the SF Bay. If any of you ever have the opportunity grab on with both hands (or you'll get tossed overboard!)!!

 

[Torch]

Been watching on and off,those ain't your daddies sailboats,very cool technology,good luck to both teams..

 

[parsifal]

I heard the American boat is actually skippered by an aussie. if so, go team "US"

 

[herman1rg]

I heard the American boat is actually skippered by an aussie. if so, go team "US"

Yes indeed and the Tactician onboard is English...................... Sir Ben Ainslie 4 time Olympic Champion in the Laser and Finn classes (single-handed yachts)

 

[gumbyk]

Yes indeed and the Tactician onboard is English...................... Sir Ben Ainslie 4 time Olympic Champion in the Laser and Finn classes (single-handed yachts)

(re)designed by kiwi's, with a number on the crew as well. Are there any Americans on the boat?

 

[Torch]

Hah,heard the NZ boat crew were sheep in human costumes.............

 

[Torch]

Congrats to the US for a heck of a comeback win for the Cup.

 

[N4521U]

An Aussie skipper beat the Kiwis.......................
the cup should come over here!

 

[nuuumannn]

Yes indeed; Oracle pulled off the come back of the year, but that's what happens when you throw enough money at your boat during the racing to make it go faster; rumour has it Boeing engineers were involved in assisting Oracle's boat's performance enhancements. ETNZ couldn't compete with that. That's America's Cup racing for you. As for Americans, I think there was one aboard as crew; the Oracle team manager is New Zealander Russell Coutts, who led Team New Zealand to victory in 1995.

I remember reading a phrase that was coined the last time that the British had a fighting chance at winning the America's Cup, back in 1934, the yacht Endeavour captained by none other than Tommy Sopwith versus Rainbow. The American boat won, largely due to Sopwith's crew's inexperience, but the phrase that summed it up was "Britannia Rules the Waves, but America waives the rules..."

 

[stona]

For some reason the way it has been reported here is that Sir Ben Ainslie won the Americas Cup with a bit of a hand from a few ex-colonials, mostly it seems from the antipodes, and a lot of American dollars

I actually know next to nothing about sailing, but there is just a hint of sour grapes methinks. It seems to me that the USA team staged a remarkable comeback and they should be heartily congratulated for that.

Cheers
Steve