New America's Cup Boats

[casampson]

Check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQMn-R8wh1s

[Frenchy]

Really amazing- the engineering, skill of the crew, speed- it's mind-stretching.

[Neil Gordon]

Sorry, no opening bronze ports... no thanks.

[John Stone]

Sorry, no opening bronze ports... no thanks.

[mgphl52]

Sorry, no opening bronze ports... no thanks.

DITTO

[wikakaru]

I personally am a fan of fast foiling boats, stadium racing, and the Stan Honey style digital overlays for TV coverage. It makes sailboat racing watchable. If you've every seen any news footage of the America's Cup races from the 1970s, when the boats sailed out of Newport Harbor and the TV coverage of the race was just dots on the horizon for the next 4 hours, you have to agree that current race coverage is a vast improvement.

OK, so the boats aren't regal J-class yachts, or even the implausibly-shaped 12 meters heeling to a Narragansett Bay sea breeze. They're not pretty. But the technology is amazing, and the pace of development is rapid. I remember following in the sailing magazines the attempts of Vestas Sailrocket to break the 50 knot barrier, and it took years, maybe a decade for the little shoestring-budget team to make any progress. In the America's Cup, a few very rich men throw a lot of money at a problem and in a relatively short time something unexpected pops up.

The American Magic team has done their winter training in Pensacola for the past few years, so we have gotten to see them on the water quite often. Here is a photo (sorry it's not better but it was taken at maximum zoom on my little point-and-shoot camera) that captures part of my amazement at the current generation of boats. It was taken from our Cape Dory Typhoon. We are completely becalmed, with not even enough breeze for steerageway. There isn't a breath of wind on the water. And there, across the bay, is Defiant, up on foils, zipping along at...who knows?...20, 30, 40 knots. It was and awesome sight.

So what if I'm never going to go cruising in a boat that looks anything like that? I'm also never going to sail a J-boat or a 12-meter either. It doesn't mean it isn't amazing to watch.

Smooth sailing,

--Jim

IMG_4994a.JPG

[Frenchy]

No, Neil, you don't get opening ports with these- or an engine, a stove, bunks or a holding tank. You do get a pretty low
PHRF rating, though.

[Neil Gordon]

No, Neil, you don't get opening ports with these- or an engine, a stove, bunks or a holding tank. You do get a pretty low
PHRF rating, though.

Can you single hand, and steer with your foot?

[gonesail]

notice how calm the water is. one small wave over the bow and the boat will crash. kinda like motorized speedsters at the Bonneville Salt Flats really.

[robwm]

Towards the end of last year the local Austin Yacht Club somehow talked Terry Hutchinson into bringing a multi-media presentation about these boats and the next America's Cup here to Austin. The purpose, of course was to raise funds for the team and I gladly paid the modest fee to watch the show. The presentation was really interesting and explained many of the advanced concepts/technology embodied by these boats.

Hutchinson struck me as being able to sell ice in the Arctic; and I mean that as a compliment for his belief in the boats. He opened the presentation however by attempting to justify the development of these boats as a means for "reviving" interest in sailing and encouraging new generations to take up sailing. I was not convinced by this part of his arguments for the boats.

After watching the clips in the presentation showing the boats "flying" above the water I was thoroughly impressed by their technology; and speed. However, to me they did not meet my image of what a sailboat is, and what the art/skill of sailing entails and is about.

These boats are hybrids, basically airplanes flying on their side with a set of wings in the water. I felt their primary attraction to new sailors would be only their speed, and limited at that within a rather narrow range of conditions and maneuverability relative to sea and wind conditions. I seriously doubt the design will ever evolve into something akin to a blue water, or even coastal, cruiser enabling the enjoyment of the journey rather than the destination.

I viewed them then as I do now as the equivalent of drag racers; cars on the surface, but quite different in purpose when it comes to their original brethren.

I can understand the attraction that speed has and I am sure that there will be many that will be drawn in by the images of the boats flying over the water on those skinny articulated legs (they remind me of the tiny lizard that walks across a creek in one of the Planet Earth episodes!). I do not doubt that as cars gave rise to fans/practitioners of drag racing (or speedboats for that matter), these boats will generate their own fan crowd. However, I question whether they will catalyze renewed interest in sailing as a whole.

I do appreciate and admire the technology however, and, intend to and will enjoy watching the cup races. Just some of my thoughts. Best to all,

Robert

[John Stone]

Towards the end of last year the local Austin Yacht Club somehow talked Terry Hutchinson into bringing a multi-media presentation about these boats and the next America's Cup here to Austin. The purpose, of course was to raise funds for the team and I gladly paid the modest fee to watch the show. The presentation was really interesting and explained many of the advanced concepts/technology embodied by these boats.

Hutchinson struck me as being able to sell ice in the Arctic; and I mean that as a compliment for his belief in the boats. He opened the presentation however by attempting to justify the development of these boats as a means for "reviving" interest in sailing and encouraging new generations to take up sailing. I was not convinced by this part of his arguments for the boats.

After watching the clips in the presentation showing the boats "flying" above the water I was thoroughly impressed by their technology; and speed. However, to me they did not meet my image of what a sailboat is, and what the art/skill of sailing entails and is about.

These boats are hybrids, basically airplanes flying on their side with a set of wings in the water. I felt their primary attraction to new sailors would be only their speed, and limited at that within a rather narrow range of conditions and maneuverability relative to sea and wind conditions. I seriously doubt the design will ever evolve into something akin to a blue water, or even coastal, cruiser enabling the enjoyment of the journey rather than the destination.

I viewed them then as I do now as the equivalent of drag racers; cars on the surface, but quite different in purpose when it comes to their original brethren.

I can understand the attraction that speed has and I am sure that there will be many that will be drawn in by the images of the boats flying over the water on those skinny articulated legs (they remind me of the tiny lizard that walks across a creek in one of the Planet Earth episodes!). I do not doubt that as cars gave rise to fans/practitioners of drag racing (or speedboats for that matter), these boats will generate their own fan crowd. However, I question whether they will catalyze renewed interest in sailing as a whole.

I do appreciate and admire the technology however, and, intend to and will enjoy watching the cup races. Just some of my thoughts. Best to all,

Robert

Well said.

[mgphl52]

Robert & John,
I agree with both of you. I also don't quite follow how these "new boats" will encourage new young sailors as the "cost of entry" is quite high (to put it mildly).
As a retired software technician, I have great respect for technology and the awesome advances we've seen in the last 30+ years.
On the "other side" I also long for true sailing competitions were a) boats look like boats... and b) boats can survive higher winds and actual swells.
And, yea... most all of the boats for many years have been extremely expensive, but they "usually" were what we considered racing, mono-hull sailboats... oops, until Dennis Connor blew it and then attacked the standard in an attempt to recover. Well, he did that but only to lose it once again!

My guess is the legendary Americas Cup racers from years past are asking "WTF???" about the boats we've seen for the last twenty+ years.

PS: If I remember correctly, CUP racers used to *sail* across the Atlantic to compete in these races; I doubt *any* of the "foil" boats would want to attempt that?

[Ben Miller]

Defender was built out of an electrifying combination of steel, aluminum, and bronze. It was launched in 1895, won the cup, and was broken up in 1901. Even back in the day these were purpose-built race boats that weren't expected to have a long lifespan after they'd done their job. Also, the men sailing them were racers and I'm pretty sure at least some of them would have killed for the chance to sail something like the current AC boats.

I would argue that anything that raises the profile of sailing is going to have at least some positive draw. Will it create a flood of new sailors? Nope. But it will show at least a few people that sailing isn't a dead sport for old beardy guys (sorry) who like playing with rope.

That said, I doubt that the people running these race programs really care that much about bringing new people into sailing. They want to win the race, full stop. The rest is just PR.

[Frenchy]

I'd second your comments, Ben. These boats aren't relatable, true. They can be enjoyed for what they are, though - a leap forward
in technology, engineering and speed. As you alluded, maybe it'll spark some interest in sailing, which like golf, is dying. Mostly
what I see on the water is old people like me. - Jean

[John Stone]

Concur with all that’s been said except I don’t think America’s Cup is inspiring much sailing.

But, I think there may be a resurgence in blue water sailing and cruising...the two are not the same of course. I’ll just call it “live aboard”sailing. It seems to be booming on YouTube. Sure, a lot of the sailing channels mean a lot on T&A to increase views. They seem to be mostly young people. Lots of reasons for long term live aboard sailing whether it be blue water or coastal cruising. Lots of renovation of older boats going in to support their goals. I think it’s great for the sport and great for people who are out doing something healthy, vigorous, independent, adventurous. It’s a noble pursuit in my opinion.

Seems like they are trying to make a living the best they can. Youtube is making it possible through adverts and patreon. It’s not the way we were raised because the technology wasn’t there. The income streams available to the Pardeys, Roth’s, Hiscocks, etc, aren’t available anymore. Sailing rags are full of advertising. They pay almost nothing. I’m not sure where book writing in sailing is these days. Most sailing books that are successful are how-too books anyway—and the ones I have seen are not that great. So, these folks are being entrepreneurial...good on ‘em.

I only subscribe to two sailing channels—Roger Barnes and Free Range Sailing. I see the others in my feed occasionally—I fall victim to click bait too LOL. I am, after all, only human...mostly anyway. Some of these folks are making serious offshore passages. I think it has to be inspiring to other young people. Lots of great photography and film editing.

Anyway, at a minimum, I think there is a resurgence going on for live aboard sailing.