"nobody" (nobody13)
09/07/2013 at 09:00 • Filed to: america's cup
4
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"nobody" (nobody13)
09/07/2013 at 09:00 • Filed to: america's cup | 4
| 43 |
In just a few hours, the Kiwis from Emirates Team New Zealand will take on Larry Ellison's Oracle Team USA in a best of 17* series the America's Cup. The Americans won the Cup from Swiss club Alinghi in 2010 with their wing-sail trimaran USA-17, and have set about revamping the competition to better suit today's short attention spans.
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First of all, these aren't your grandfather's sailboats. The AC72s eligible for the cup are 72 feet long, 130 feet tall, 13,000 lb catamarans. Instead of the typical soft sails, AC72s are powered by rigid wing sails, which are essentially jumbo-jet wings turned on their sides. The wing trimmer can adjust each element of the wing to maximize speed and efficiency. These boats are capable of sailing at up to 3 times the speed of the wind. And have I mentioned foiling yet?
The AC72s can literally fly on the water, lifting all 13,000 pounds up on just a surfboard-sized daggerboard. Balancing 6.5 tons on just a daggerboard and a rudder can cause some problems, as the Kiwis found out during their first Louis Vuitton Cup Final race.
Foiling was not considered when designing the class rule, but ETNZ's designers figured out how to make it happen. The Kiwis have been foiling since nearly as soon as the boat was put in the water. Oracle has not done any competitive racing yet, so no one's not quite sure what they have up their sleeve.
Each race consists of five legs (reach, downwind, upwind, downwind, reach) in San Francisco Bay, right along the shore. They will attempt to race twice on each race day, but the winds were too strong during the LV Cup Final for that to happen.
The key to winning the Cup appears to be who can execute their foiling gybes the best. Gybes are the turns executed while going downwind. By staying up on their foils, a boat can keep their speed up to 5 knots faster than a boat that falls off of its foils. Another thing to watch for is whether either team can foil upwind. My money would be on Oracle Team USA, mostly because I'm a patriotic American, but also because I think they've got the better package.
Race one gets underway today at 1:15 Pacific US Time (UTC -7) on NBC in the US and the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! for most internationals.
*OTUSA has been penalized 2 points, so they will have to win 11 races, while ETNZ will only have to win 9.
Image credits (from top): !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ,
and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
smcg3
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 09:38 |
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What was Oracle penalized for?
OpenWheel
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 09:44 |
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Umm, can we race the 1200hp rescue boat at 2min into the video?
Hawkstrike6
> smcg3
09/07/2013 at 09:56 |
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Apparently, violating some rules back in 2012. Seems an odd way to apply a penalty, but then that's America's Cup.
seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 10:32 |
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Go NZ!
PyramidHat
> smcg3
09/07/2013 at 10:54 |
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From the San Jose Mercury News
The cheating dates back to the America's Cup World Series warmup event in 2012, when a handful of Oracle members hid bags of lead pellets in the forward posts of their smaller 45-foot catamarans...
Now, to be honest, I'm not sure how that improved the performance and handling of the boat, but there you go. I think the penalty is partly dinging Oracle for messing with the One Design philosophy (all boats have to be similar).
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PyramidHat
> seriouslywhyiskinjastillterrible
09/07/2013 at 10:56 |
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I know...I'm an American, but I find myself rooting for the Kiwi's, here...and I have nothing against Ellison, either...say what you will about the man, in two separate races (Sydney to Hobart and Fastnet, I believe) he pulled off the race course to help sailors in distress when a storm backed down over the race...something to be said for that...
JForce
> smcg3
09/07/2013 at 10:57 |
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There was an Americas Cup series held in smaller versions of the main boats, with multiple regattas all over the world between the same teams, a sort of warm-up/get people interested thing, and Oracle cheated by secretly adding lead to their boat in key spots.
MooseKnuckles
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 11:02 |
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OK, I'm going to sound like a real jackass because I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I'm sure you will know basically what/who I mean.
So my cousin's husband is Ken Read who has lead teams (Stars and Stripes, PUMA, no idea who else) in the Americas Cup and Volvo Ocean race.
I've only met him once, they live in Newport, I live in a small city in southern Ontario (Canada), and there is a 25-ish year age gap, so even at big family functions growing up I wouldn't have known who the hell they were specifically.
You being the Oppo expert likely know more about him, I've read he is one of the top sailors, and my uncle (his father in law) mentioned a couple weeks ago to me that he will be commentating for the races on NBC i believe and possibly for the summer olympics.
This post essentially has no purpose other than for me to say "hey look at me I know this guy who is good at what he does (or did)"
Bill B
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 11:38 |
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I'm having trouble finding the car in this post. I've been watching every one of these races on YouTube. I love it. They can be exciting to watch. The technology is absolutely amazing. But, I'm not sure why this is showing up in my automobile feed?
ScreenShot
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 11:48 |
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I'd like to see this preview discuss the course and how the bay is a unique part of this competition as well. Currents, winds, shallows, Alcatraz Island, etc.
sierrawhiskeygolf
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 12:13 |
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it's spelled JIBE.
Pujolslepetomane2
> smcg3
09/07/2013 at 12:26 |
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http://money.cnn.com/2013/09/05/new…
not much of a clue but i guess its like some of those NASCAR violations where you have to have a degree in advanced thermodynamics to figure out WTF they did wrong.
Dusty Ventures
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 12:32 |
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After watching the Youth America's Cup races I'm really excited for this. They showd Oracle Team USA practicing a few times and their two AC72s looked incredible. It'll be interesting to see which one they use in the race
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nobody
> smcg3
09/07/2013 at 12:44 |
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D'oh! That's what I get for writing at 1 in the morning. In the run up to the Cup, to get the teams ready for wing-sail catamarans, there was a race series of spec 45 feet long (AC45s) catamarans. OTUSA admitted to adding weight to their boats during the series. They forfeited all of their races in the America's Cup World Series, but the International Jury decided to dock them 2 points in the Final. I think its like penalizing a baseball team wins for using a corked bat during spring training.
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nobody
> sierrawhiskeygolf
09/07/2013 at 12:47 |
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"Gybe is more common in British English." If you're going to be a grammar Nazi, make sure you're right.
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nobody
> ScreenShot
09/07/2013 at 12:47 |
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Thanks for the feedback. I'll add a bit, but I'm by no means a sailor, so it'll be very dumbed down.
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nobody
> Dusty Ventures
09/07/2013 at 12:54 |
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Did they discuss Oracle's boats at all or were they just like, "Hey, look, it's Oracle"?
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nobody
> Bill B
09/07/2013 at 12:57 |
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1). No one forced you to click on the article.
2). Look at # boatlopnik . It's not common for Jalopnik to have posts about boats, but it's certainly not unheard of.
SteyrTMP
> Bill B
09/07/2013 at 13:01 |
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Well, if you squint really hard, with your head off to the side...
I believe BMW used to sponsor the Oracle team. There. It's car-related.
AZRCD
> SteyrTMP
09/07/2013 at 13:15 |
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Yes the 2010 challenger to The America's Cup was (eventually, but that's a different story,) BMW Oracle Racing. The boat was launched as BOR90 (because it was BMW Oracle Racing's 90ft trimaran.) It was renamed USA17 when they became the official Challenger of Record and the match racing began. Also, BOR90 / USA17 was the first boat to use a rigid wing sale, which while being like a jet plane's wing, is also like, say, the wings on many racecars, such as F1 cars. These cats are really the F1 cars of the ocean, moving at incredible speed, fully carbon fiber, stupid expensive, physic defying etc.
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Dusty Ventures
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 13:15 |
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They discussed the boats a bit, but didnt go too far in depth.
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AZRCD
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 13:16 |
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And I'm fairly certain Dean Barker pronounces it with a "W".
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SteyrTMP
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 13:26 |
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Total bullshit. I don't know how much the AC45 weighs, but say 7,000lbs... I highly doubt ADDING 5lbs on a different boat is worthy of hamstringing the defending champion team. Reeks of politics, a la Prost vs Senna in F1.
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nobody
> SteyrTMP
09/07/2013 at 13:29 |
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The penalty is total bullshit, but from what from I understand, adding weight to the bow of the boat allows it to cut through any chop much more efficiently.
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SteyrTMP
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 13:41 |
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Isn't the whole point to try to foil the entire time, and plane the rest?
Still, I think it was over-penalized. I wonder if the jury has wagers set on the NZ team.
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nobody
> SteyrTMP
09/07/2013 at 13:47 |
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Not in the AC45s.
Neither the 72s nor the 45s were originally designed with foiling in mind. The ACWS is a spec series, so teams weren't allowed to develop the 45s to make them foil.
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Dusty Ventures
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 14:22 |
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Also, I would be willing to hand over a medium size bag of money to any team willing to give me a ride on their AC72
JSWilson64_g
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 14:46 |
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So, what happens if the final score is USA 10, NZ 7?
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nobody
> JSWilson64_g
09/07/2013 at 14:50 |
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Then it would actually be 8-7, and the US would have one to win. That's why I put best of 17*, because it's not actually a best of 17, but there's no good way to describe what it really is.
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nobody
> Dusty Ventures
09/07/2013 at 14:53 |
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If the American's retain the Cup, there's a chance the next Final could be in Newport, RI. You've got 4 years-ish to advance through the sailing ranks like you've advanced through the rally ranks.
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sierrawhiskeygolf
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 15:35 |
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no-one spells it gybe, even british sailors. maybe you do, so i shouldn't say no-one. jibe is internationally used.
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TiredAndSleepy
> sierrawhiskeygolf
09/07/2013 at 15:37 |
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In boats with traditional sails, it's called duck!
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nobody
> sierrawhiskeygolf
09/07/2013 at 15:57 |
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4.2 million google hits for "gybe". 3.1 million for "jibe".
GTFAC.
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Dusty Ventures
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 16:25 |
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JSWilson64_g
> nobody
09/07/2013 at 17:19 |
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Ah, ok, so it's "until US wins 11 or NZ wins 9."
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nobody
> JSWilson64_g
09/07/2013 at 17:37 |
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Yes.
Mikeb23
> sierrawhiskeygolf
09/07/2013 at 21:46 |
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ISAF rule 18.4 Gybing:
When an inside overlapped or bowsprit overlapped right-of-way yacht must tack or gybe at a mark to sail her proper course, until she tacks or gybes she shall sail no farther from the mark than needed to sail that course. Rule 18.4 does not apply at a gate mark
The international rules of Sailing spell it gybe. That is the way I have always seen it spelled. Don't be a dick.
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kent-skinner
> PyramidHat
09/07/2013 at 22:23 |
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I'm rooting for the Oracle boats because they have fewer sponsor logos and look better because of it.
Not that I actually care who wins, but I'm off to YouTube to search for race videos.
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PyramidHat
> kent-skinner
09/08/2013 at 02:15 |
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Fair enough. Just today I was noticing that AC has become NASCAR with boats...hell, the Kiwi skipper even said "rubbing is racing"....
jeadly
> nobody
09/09/2013 at 13:01 |
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First to 9 wins, but Oracle starts at -2.
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jeadly
> Mikeb23
09/09/2013 at 13:07 |
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I've seen it spelled "Gybe", "Jibe" and "Gibe". I'm pretty sure the only way to be wrong is to declare that there's only one way to spell it.
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jeadly
> AZRCD
09/09/2013 at 13:13 |
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Yeah, Oracle and BMW took a split because zee Germans kept trying make the boats RWD.
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jeadly
> OpenWheel
09/09/2013 at 13:24 |
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I saw them testing the BOR90 in 2009 and the chase boat had 3 275hp engines on the back. I said "They're planning to keep up with something FAST." I don't think they foiled that boat as consistently as they do the AC72s though, so it's an indication of how much more speed you can get from a lighter boat by pulling it out of the water.