Thursday, April 19, 2007
Ready or not, here it comes…Dar una fiesta la 2007 ‘Copa Americana!Ole’ Spain, Ready for the America’s Cup?Uufta! Last time, Greenpeace tried to sink the French ACC Yacht Le Defi Areva, to the chants of arreviderci. Dennis Conner’s new boat, Stars & Stripes did sink! The Kiwi’s secret “hula” hull did its best at trying to imitate a submarine and now the America’s Cup is in Europe, on a lake in Switzerland.Now, this time; Russell Coutts is out and the Chinese are in. Shoshaloza hit a whale, the Swiss are “recanting” about their keel and tornados destroyed three boats last year in France. Where’s Dennis? The NYYC bailed and the billionaires have taken control, again!Though the view up here in Northern Minnesota can be a bit obscured…….the northern lights, again! Nothing can diminish the fact that an America’s Cup in Europe will be a once in a lifetime event.The Geneva Yacht Club in Switzerland has gone all out to scrap the remnants of the monotonous round robin series last time around and replaced it with a series of grand prix sailing events all over Europe, aptly named Acts 1-13. Like the start of a Broadway musical, these events gave all of those in attendance an amazing opportunity to witness the incredibly agile mono-hulls in action.The 2003 America’s Cup wrapped up with the predictable, Alinghi winning; the unthinkable, a yacht club on a lake, SocieteNautique Geneva; in a land-locked country, Switzerland; bolting the ‘Auld Mug into its trophy case!In an event which portended many great things, but ultimately fell flat in a series a repetitive matches yielding similar results. Alinghi proved to be a steady, yet capable ACC yacht beating all challengers to win the LV Cup and the right to face Team New Zealand’s radical, yet risky design in the America’s Cup final.The Kiwi’s handed over the trophy after losing 5 straight races over three agonizing weeks. After waiting out a wide range of weather systems, the TNZ yacht carried plenty of water, but ultimately failed to carry its weight around the 19.5 mile windward-leeward course.For the third straight time the America’s Cup final produced a whitewash shutout. As in 1995 & 2000, Alinghi Skipper Russell Coutts has yet to lose an America’s Cup match on the water.Coutts and tactician Brad Butterworth both from New Zealand, looked on with bittersweet emotion as they grabbed the “Cup from their countryman and took it to Europe.TNZ’s designers Tom Schnackenberg and Clay Oliver came up with an unorthodox idea of creating a 2nd , or false hull as an appendage to increase the waterline length of the boat without incurring penalties to, or reduction of the sail area.Nicknamed the “Hula”, the 20ft. long second skin section of the hull could not touch any part of the boat except at its fitting. With an inherent micro-millimeter gap along the waterline and an elongated torpedo-shaped bulb keel the TNZ boat took on tons of extra water in heavy seas.This design flaw led to gear failures and a splintered boom in the first race and a broken carbon fiber mast in the fourth race.The Rolf Vrolijk designed Alinghi, was not drawn to win races so much, as not to lose them.The ACC Boats will be “Turbocharged” for 2007. Version 5 of the America’s Cup Class rule allows amendments which should make the boats much faster downwind. The new class was introduced in 1990 and first sailed in the America’s Cup in 1992The yachts are 80 feet in length and with masts over 110 feet high can carry more than 3000 square feet of sail area.ACC yachts are comprised of exotic blends of carbon fiber and honeycomb. Different than 12-Meter yachts which used to be pounded and sanded into shape with aluminum, ACC boats are baked in warehouse sized ovens for several weeks before the hulls are cured and the fittings attached.After an Olympic-like selection process of 5 cities, Valencia, Spain on the country’s Mediterranean coast was chosen for its steady breezes over sites in France, Italy and Portugal.Valencia has done a remarkable job at designing new facilities and a harbor outlet, but, the weather is still suspect. There is such a short window for good offshore breezes on the Mediterranean, that if the ‘Cup races are pushed back into July they’ll have to bring in wind machines to make these boats go.The Prodigal ‘CupIn the biblical story, when the younger son traveled foreign lands with his initial riches; partied like there was no tomorrow, spent his remaining fortune, sinned and eventually tried to find his way home, it is now time for our “Cup” to come home.The America’s Cup has been away from home for almost 12 years now, the former length of a ‘Cup boat in meters As for the positive, The Europeans have paraded the “Auld Mug” all over the planet, from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Great Wall in China and the crowds at America’s Cup Acts 1-13 have been unbelievable, but enough is enough.Our ‘Cups honor is being stretched to the limit and its only seems a matter of time when provocative photos will emerge with the ‘Auld Mug” being straddled by some Spanish super model.I know the Europeans regard us as Puritanical Americans, but our ‘Cups honor has been defended over the years by the likes of; the Mayflower, Vigilant, Columbia and of course, Puritan in 1885.There have been some impressive opening Acts that have put these turbocharged monohulls on display in ports in Europe and aside from Oracle and Alinghi sailing in much appreciated events in San Francisco and Newport, Rhode Island, but, America has been devoid of any hint of this impressive class. It has fallen off the proverbial sailing radar in most all respects..That aside, the Europeans should be commended for breathing in new life to a moribund event.
Predictions
Alinghi, SUI 100, As the defenders, they’re already in. Brad Butterworth, Ed Baird and
Peter Holmberg make a strong afterguard, but without Russell Coutts? The Swiss haveall the weapons, and maybe more, but will the malaise of in house training get the better of them in the America’s Cup finals? 5 to 1.
Emirates Team New Zealand, NZL 92, The Kiwis are back. With a vengeance ! Grant
Dalton brings a no bull shit campaign back in full stride. With areliable fast boat, don’t be surprised if the America’s Cuplands back in New Zealand via Dubai. 4 to 1.
BMW Oracle, USA 98, Larry Ellison’s powerful syndicate has everything to bring the ‘Cup backto San Francisco, CA, except perhaps a fast enough boat. After loftyexpectations and two years to get it right, USA 87 spent most of this spring getting chainsawed. 7 to 1.
Mascalzone Latino, ITA 99,Vincenzo Onorato worsts to firsts campaign, is the legitimate
dark horse threat with emerging star Vasco Vascotto at the helm. Watchout! Cool graphics on boat. 10 to 1
Desafío Español 2007, ESP 97, The home away from home team. With the addition of the ‘Cupveteran Paul Cayard, the team has the opportunity to make thefinal four. 15 to 1.
Luna Rossa Challenge, ITA 94, With Patrizio Bertelli as syndicate chief the Italians will never
win. The team has incredible talent with James Spithill at the wheeland with “Schnack” in the back….ground, but maybe if they takeBertelli’s cell phone and laptop away and put him on a slow boatto China, Prada will have a chance. 15 to 1.
Victory Challenge, SWE 96, Brings Red Bull’s big bucks to the race. Like the Formula One Team, beautiful racers, but, little chance. Though clearly, Sweden will be a stop on next years America’s Cup express. 25 to 1.
Areva Challenge, FRA 93, Areva, Areva, Areviderci! Much more was expected from this
team when Dawn Riley started putting the pieces together. The French hadmoney, talent and…. 50 to 1.
Team Shosholoza, RSA 83, From Capetown, South Africa this team has brought a lot of color
and flair to Valencia. For a first time challenger, don’t be surprised if theywin a few races. Hopefully, they will be back in 2010. 100 to 1
United Internet Team Germany, GER 89 The Germans are building for next time. My feeling
is that BMW will come home to roost in 2010 and JesperBank is a strong enough helmsman to build that teamaround. 100 to 1.
China Team, CHN 95, The Chinese are testing the Cup waters and will take the experience of
the international competition home with them for next years’ Summer Olympics.The Qingdau Yacht Club will be the host for those sailing events. 100 to 1.
+39 Challenge, ITA 85, Where do the British land, when their top sailors are left without a
home challenge, again? With the Italians. Strong sailing team with the Ian’s(Walker and Percy) aboard, but no money. 100 to 1.
Sailing terms in Spanish
America’sCup/Copa Americana The trophy originally called the “hundred guineas cup”.Ballast/Lastre The weight in the boat. Weight can be moved by shifting the crew and or equipment.Boat/Bote A vessel which floats on the water.Boom/Trueno The pole attached from mast to the foot, or bottom of the mainsail.Bow/Frente The front of the boat.Cover/Cubierta To stay between the mark and your opponent.Dock/Muelle EmbarcaderoDownwind/DeSotavento Sailing w/ the wind at your back.Goodbye/AdiosHeadwind/Viento de Fremte The direction of the wind in hour face.Hello/HolaHull/Vaina The frame or structure of a boat.Jib/Jib The forward sail set when heading into the wind.Keel/Quilla The torpedo shaped lead bulb that provides stability and keeps a boat from capsizing.Leeway/Deriva The downwind side of the boat.Mast/Mastil The center pole that the sails are attached to.Pole/Palo A spar attached to the main, which holds the spinnaker sail.Port/la Izquierda The left side of the boat or to the left.Rope/Lasso or Soga Ropes or sheets that run all over the boat, holding and controlling sails.Rudder/Timon The underwater steering appendage.Sail/Vela The “engine” of a sailboat.Sea/Mar The races will be held in Valencia, off the coast of Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea.Spinnaker/Vela Grande The colorful 4,500 square foot balloon sail hoisted for the downwind legs.Starboard/La Derecha The right side,or to the right.Tack/Volverse To turn the boat into the wind.To make Sail/Desplegar las VelasUpwind/la Corriente Into the wind, the first leg of a race.Water/AquaWin/Victorioso
From Twelve Meter Update, July 4th, 1986
Here Comes the Revolution!Radical, Front-Ruddered! 12-Meter christened inSan Francisco, CA at the St. Francis Yacht Club.The radical one has arrived. With an air of confidence amongst them, the members of St. Francis’s Golden Gate Challenge cheered, as San Francisco Mayor Diane Feinstein rocketed a bottle of magnum champagne across USA R-1’s bow on the first swing; and warned, “Aussies beware!”On a beautiful Tuesday afternoon with a shining blue sky above and an emerald bay below, to the delight of a thousand plus in attendance, the crew baptized the radical new boat with ceremonial streams of water. Taking an ode from mariners past, they poured forth from their buckets, signaling to all those present that the America’s Cup world as we knew it, was irrevocably changed forever.To the untrained eye, the revolutionary new boat is indistinguishable to USA 49 dubbed E-1. It looks similar above the waterline to most of the new 12-Meter yachts that are going down under to Fremantle, WA.But, to take a look below, which we can’t; lurks a radical new steering system, keel and hull shape which could be the high tech trump card which brings the America’s Cup from the waters of a former island prison, to the waters around a prison island.Feinstein was on hand to lend, what has been generous support from the City of San Francisco towards the St. Francis Yacht Club’s effort to land the America’s Cup. Proclaiming; “to the high tech and the non-high tech, we want to show once again, San Francisco is the city that knows how!”The revolutionary new twelve has been rumored to have everything under, ..…her hull, from the cutting edge of technology to the outright bizarre. This for sure, when pulled from the shed last week at Anderson’s Boatyard in Sausalito, the wind lifted up her security skirt just enough to reveal; a torpedo shaped bullet for a keel.The San Francisco Chronicle spilled the beans last week as writer Kimball Livingston reported that US-61 was sporting a rudder in front of the keel and in addition to another one in the back, or stern section of the boat.“He’s guessing”, says Tom Blackaller, who is the team’s sailing director and skipper. As for confirming these rumors, Blackaller, never lacking for something to say, offers either a vague response or “no comment”, both of which are entirely new additions to his vocabulary.“I am not saying I don’t know about the new boat because I do,” said Blackaller.Security for the new boat will be tight, though there was no word from the powers that be, that the Golden Gate Challenge was considering hiring great white sharks for patrol.Included in the Golden Gate Challenge’s high tech all-star team of scientists who are also longtime sailors are; naval architect Gary Mull, Alberto Calderon and Heiner Meldner.The new 12-Meter was built out of aluminum by R.E. Derecktor’s in Mamaroneck, New York and will carry the sail numbers US-61 into competition this fall.Meldner, a physicist from Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, here in Northern California is considered the world’s foremost authority on super computer simulations. His fluid dynamic programs have been incorporated on everything from the super secret skins on nuclear submarines to 12-Meter yachts.He was one of the chief architects behind Enterprise US-27’s fast hull design in 1977.“The emphasis of the new design is control and acceleration”, explains Calderon. A rudder in front of the keel is expected to give the yacht quicker tacking capabilities and the key to next year’s attempt to acquire sailings “Holy Grail”; boat speed.The switch this time around for yacht designers is the emphasis on boat speed, because the legs on the new America’s Cup racecourse have been shortened by a mile to from 3.5 nautical miles.Controlling the start and arriving first to the mark, will be of paramount importance for teams racing on the heavy seas and strong winds off the Western Australian Coast on the Indian Ocean.US 61 “R-1” with Blackaller at the helm, will begin sail testing this week against Paul Cayard, who will steer US 49 “E-1”, out on our own “rough seas” off Point Bonita on the Pacific Ocean. Cayard has previous experience sailing during the New York Yacht Club Defense Trials aboard Clipper in 1980 and Defender in 1983.“It will take some time to learn how to sail the new boat,” explained Blackaller, who compared it to trying to ride a bicycle backwards. “Though, I don’t think that it will take an extraordinary amount of time.”In order to test out some of their ideas and to give the crew an opportunity to become more acclimated to the idiosyncrasies on the sailing behavior of the radical new boat, the syndicate built or modified a 40% version of a 12-Meter. It had been sailing at an undisclosed location for the past month.Design team coordinator Gary Mull explained that the 40% model was used to; “duplicate the sailing and performance qualities of the revolutionary concept.” “The 40% model will check to see if our design actually works other than in a computer,” said Mull, “and everything so far confirms that it has.”“I would guess that if other designers could see our new boat, that they will wish that they had thought of or had investigated our idea,” says Mull.The initial concept of a front rudder steering system has been credited to Calderon and his company, Advanced Aero-Mechanisms in La Jolla, CA. Calderon specifically worked on the idea of reducing hydrodynamic resistance to US 61’s hull.When asked as to how someone goes about designing a revolutionary new boat, Calderon replied, “you don’t start with Australia 2 (the winged keel 12-Meter that won the America’s Cup in 1983) and say; well, let’s add whiskers.”“You start with the function of the racing sailing boat,” said Calderon, then “with the foundations of physics and math you come up with the vehicle shape that does the function. Regardless of what has been done in the past with USA 49“E-1”, or anybody else, then you see how it compares to Australia 2 and it truly is a revolutionary boat.”USA 61 is 66’ long, with a 12.6’ beam and weighs is a just under 60,000 pounds. The crew onboard includes; Olympic Gold Medal winners Brad Lewis and Steve Erickson. 1985 North American Finn champion Russ Sylvestri, project manager Ken Keefe and on-shore operations are handled by Jim Taylor.During the event the Golden Gate Challenge announced the addition of a fourth major sponsor, Robert Mondavi Wineries from Napa Valley, CA. Mondavi will join Pacific Telesis, Coca Cola and Cray Computer Systems as the top level corporations on board to date. Mondavi will pledge $2.00 towards the challenge for every bottle of Chardonnay sold in the United States.Challenge executive member and chief supporter Bob Cole, put the effort in this light, “we are exuding confidence with very good reason.” Continuing, “we’re approaching the role of darkhorse and underdog, and that’s exactly where we intended to be all the time.”Blackaller puts it his way, “we are just a bunch of sailors chasing a dream.”Courtesy 12-Meter Update in the July 4, 1986 issue of Longitude 122 by Mark Wharton Reid. Excerpt from upcoming book, “The Chosen Twelve”.12-Meter Notes…….from July, 1986.In describing sailing off the coast of Santa Cruz, California this summer with his new boat Heart of America, skipper Buddy Melges exclaimed; “I don’t know how you bastards kept this place a secret for so long!” HOA will be debugging their new 12-Meter US-51 until August 14, when it will be loaded on a container ship for Australia.Peter Isler has resigned as the skipper of the Courageous Syndicate, as Leonard Greene’s troubled challenge goes through another change at the helm. Isler though, won’t be spending too much time on the docks as sources place him onboard Stars and Stripes with Dennis Conner.Isler’s resignation raises more questions about Courageous, US 26’s ability to be competitive this fall. Isler received kudos for his starting maneuvers during the 12-Meter World’s earlier this year, unfortunately once the racing was underway, the old boat would give way to the newer, state of the art boats and drop to the back of the pack.Dennis Durgan, who was quietly dropped as co-helmsman of the Golden Gate Challenge has resurfaced with America ll. Durgan, a 2-time Congressional Cup winner and tactician aboard Freedom in 1980 will join the NYYC effort as a second helmsman to skipper John Kolius.America ll has been training with three 12-Meters in Fremantle and as to which one will get the call once the trials begin, executive director Tom Ehman says, “expect to be surprised”.As to the announcement that the Royal Perth Yacht Club may conduct some of the challenger races in the morning, when there is little or no wind, clearly before the notorious “Doctor” checks in; Ehman exclaimed, “over my dead body!”Faced with the daunting task of conducting more than 400 matches, between 18 boats (thirteen challengers and six defenders), in 10 weeks, the RPYC had hoped to expand the start times. But, off Fremantle, the sea breeze, the “Doctor”, fills in between 18 to 22 knots, doesn’t kick in until the early afternoon. Most of the boats have been designed with those wind ranges in mind.The wind nicknamed the “Doctor”, because it regularly brings relief during the hot afternoons in the Australian summer, by blowing the waves and welcome breezes off the sea, into shore on the beach and thankfully the notorious horseflies back in the desert where they belong.In our hopefully, but not to serious department comes word that the Yacht Club Italiano’s new boat Italia 2 apparently suffered more damage than originally thought. The yacht is currently under repair in Varese, Italy with damage to its deck and hull. The challenge which is sponsored by Gucci, hopes to resume their sailing schedule by the end of July.The boat, which was designed by Michael Trimming was damaged during its christening when the crane that lowered the new 12-Meter into the water collapsed, sending it straight to the bottom of the harbor, at the team’s training facilities on the Mediterranean Sea.Italia 2, ITA 19 was to test against its sister ship Italia, ITA 17 for the duration of the summer in La Spezia, Italy before shipping the faster of the 2 yachts,(or the one still floating) down to Fremantle, WA.Azzurra 4, Italia, reportedly has company in the shorter and lighter department of new 12-Meter yachts.Apparently, Sail America’s latest version of Stars & Stripes, and skipper Dennis Conner are not satisfied with his first two heavy weather 12-Meter yachts, opting to go for a new design, with a wind range for more moderate conditions.Stars and Stripes 87 will be christened in Waikiki, Hawaii on July 19. Sail America spokesman Sandy Purdon says her stay on the islands will be a short one as they ship out August 1st.England’s got game, as Ian Howlett’s new design Crusader One finally has hit the waters off Fremantle. Her design draws heavily from Howlett’s last 12-Meter, Victory 83 and Ben Lexcen’s Australia 2. Numbered K 24, representing the Royal Thames Yacht Club, she has a bulbous winged keel, with a larger than normal trim-tab.With Irish skipper Harold Cudmore at the helm Crusader one has been mixing it up with an ever improving South Australia, with SA coming out on top in three of the four races. The races, primarily sailed in lighter airs, gave K 24 an opportunity to benchmark an opponent for upcoming tests against her radical brother, Crusader Two, nicknamed “Hippo”.Crusader Two, K 25 was designed by David Hollom. It features a radical, “double chin” which Hollom, who designs model yachts, hopes will create as stiff of yacht as possible, with the displacement as far aft as permitted, to reduce pitching. K 25‘s hull allows for minimum waterline length to reduce the wetted surface, but Hollom has built an extremely long and narrow transom for the boat to increase the wetted surface when the boat heels over.It is the longest of the new 12-Meter yachts to be launched at over 73’. That makes it more than 7’ longer than the Golden Gate Challenges new revolutionary boat, USA US 61. Hippo has that noticeable “double chin” under the bustle. A winged keel is doubtful on this one, perhaps a bulbous endplate, with little or no wings. Hollom was assisted in the design by Herbert Pearcey and Stephen Wallace. New Zealand, Australia 87 Limited and Taskforce 87 will all be christening new 12-Meter yachts in the next few weeks. Australia 2 & 3 designer Ben Lexcen describes his new boat as; “just a plain Jane, that there is really nothing exciting about it other than its going to be fast and beat the hell out of everything.”
Posted by Mark Wharton Reid at 9:37 AM
1 comments:
Aaron said...
Your knowledge of the race historically is quite impressive...I wonder if I might impose on you to become a bit Sebastian Jungerish and explain scientifically why the sailing conditions off Valencia Spain are so pathetic at the moment...
