These boats are much the same as formula one cars. Not something you are going to drive out to your local Wal Mart. Amazing technology with extremely talented drivers. They need to run on well prepared race courses but the results are other worldly.gonesail wrote: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.
I got to see the America's Cup races in Bermuda and would love to see these new boats fly. I feel they are a great improvement over the catamarans. It is still strange to see boats that are so fast the they generate enough apparent wind that there is no real down wind leg. I think the lack of spinnaker runs is the biggest loss. It definitely changes the game of match racing.
If you want to see true match racing, then there are the bumper boat series in Europe. Want to see J Boats duke it out? The have there own races as well. If you just want to see some of the most beautiful cruising boats in the world then head to Maine for a cruise of your own.
I will definitely be watching the America's Cup along with a whole lot of people who would never watch any other sailboat race, Steve.