29 Nov 2012
America's Cup - 43.6 knots - but who is counting?
Welcome to Sail-World.com's fourth America's Cup Newsletter for the 34th America's Cup.
Personal highlight this month on the America's Cup scene had to be the three hour sail on board Emirates Team NZ's AC
72.
The day had been put off two or three times, but was well worth waiting for, with winds around 18-25 knots and rain
squalls moving through the course on a typical Auckland day.
Previously I had sailed aboard an AC45 in Auckland soon after the boats were first launched. That day was at the
opposite end of the scale with a breeze of 4-6kts, and you could walk around the boat quite easily taking photos.
Not on this day on the AC72. There is some serious G-force on board these boats, as they accelerate.
We did two runs and two beats and a couple of short reaches. Peak speed was 43.6kts on one of the downwind runs, but the
AC72 didn't feel like she was terribly pressed, and maybe had another 10kts in her.
There was no feeling that ETNZ was on the limit of control - once set up this boat does all the work, which probably
explains why the 43.6kts didn't feel that fast.
Upwind, although slower at around 20-23kts, the AC72 is very impressive. Again the boat does the work. Pull a few
strings, and and whammo you're heading upwind like you've never sailed before. It feels like you are hanging onto a
speeding bullet.
This day, with new fairings, the AC72 got a bit too enthusiastic, occasionally foiling to windward, and then using the
50kts apparent windspeed, tried to go the whole way and fly.
We have a full description of the day in this edition, along with images. One of the conditions of the ride was that
cameras were not permitted aboard, so all shots are from off the boat.
Emirates Team NZ and Luna Rossa have raced for the second time in the Hauraki Gulf. While both yachts are foiling, we don't have the money shot yet,
which is of the two AC72's foiling in the one frame.
Racing aside, the Italian Challenger is on a steady work-up, remarkable for being able to get foiling on their first day
of sailing.
Their one hitch being a rigging incident, resulting in the top back section of the wing being damaged, and more
seriously, one crew member breaking a leg.
In San Francisco, Artemis Racing continues her steady build up, with three days of sailing concluded on the America's Cup course. Her crew seem to be
pleased with the progress made, and we have images, stories and video from the team's first days of sailing.
Not a lot from Oracle Team US in this edition. Not from a lack of trying on our part, with interview arrangements being accepted and then declined or
shifted at short notice. We then submitted a list of written questions, but have had no reply. That was a week ago.
The off the water action which is an integral part of the America's Cup has continued this month, with a protest being lodged by Luna Rossa
against Oracle Team USA over one incident, however Sail-World understands there have been others. Perhaps the surprising
thing about the images that have been released elsewhere, is that the cameras the team spies are carrying don't seem to
be big enough to be much use at the 200metre distance required by the AC Protocol.
The other surprise is from Emirates Team New Zealand who have all but announced that their first AC72 will be decommissioned in a couple of weeks and will not sail in the
normal two-boat approach against their second AC72 due for launch in early February.
We will be publishing further America's Cup newsletters, when there is sufficient content and/or on milestone occasions
- we expect this to be once a month, until the start of the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Good sailing!
Richard Gladwell
Sail-World's America's Cup News Editor
Richard Gladwell,
Sail-World.com's NZ and America's Cup Editor, Richard Gladwell, spent three hours on Emirates Team NZ's AC72 for a
training session on the Hauraki Gulf. Sailing in winds of up to 25kts the AC72 hit an amazing 43.6kts and didn't even
feel like she was breaking into a sweat. He reports on Wednesday's race and test session.... [more]
Sail-World,
Two America's Cup Challengers, Luna Rossa and Emirates Team NZ were on the Hauraki Gulf doe their second day of racing.
Emirates Team NZ photographer was on hand to capture the action... [more]
Sail-World,
Emirates Team New Zealand's MD, Grant Dalton, who also crews on the AC72 has confirmed that the boat which has done 24
days sailing, will be used as a spare boat only for the team. It is believed that the boat will be taken out of
commission around mid-December, and parts of it will be transferred to the teams new boat due for launch in early
February.... [more]
Richard Gladwell,
The Challenger of Record for the 34th America's Cup, Artemis Racing, have lost an appeal to the International Jury over
their earlier foil measurement decision. On October 7, the International Jury ruled on an application from Emirates Team
New Zealand, that the Measurement Committee had erred in their interpretation of a Class Rule governing the AC72
catamarans to be used in the America's Cup... [more]
Sail-World and Will Clark (Video),
Much of the current America's Cup is borrowed from the C-Class, who ironically sailed for the Little America's Cup.
Since the 1960's the C-Class have been built to a restricted class rule, or near-'box' rule, like the AC72's. Renowned
as one of the fastest boats on the planet, the 26ft C-Class have been the design hot-bed for catamarans, multihull and
wingsail development for several decades.... [more]
America's Cup.com,
Luna Rossa Challenge skipper Max Sirena is embarking on his fourth America's Cup challenge with the Italian syndicate.
He joined the fledgling team in 2000 as a mid-bowman, but now has chosen every man on the team. Sirena took time out
yesterday to review how the team has progressed after its late entry into the 34th America's Cup.... [more]
Sail-World,
America's Cup Challenger of Record, Artemis Racing have completed their third day of sailing in San Francisco and report
on their progress so far. Winds started light but later in the day came in at 15kts - a great breeze to test the AC72... [more]
ETNZBlog.com,
Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa went racing off Auckland this afternoon. It was not so much a spectacle as an
historic encounter as the two AC72 catamarans met on the water. It was the first AC72 race – practice or otherwise – to
take place.... [more]
Chris Cameron,
Emirates Team NZ was out sailing again in the Hauraki Gulf on Friday, ahead of an advancing front which hammered
Auckland over the weekend. Team photographer, Chris Cameron, was on hand to capture the action.... [more]
ETNZBlog.com,
Emirates Team New Zealand wing trimmer Glenn Ashby recalls only one anxious moment while sailing the AC72. It was the
time a squall hit them on Auckland Harbour just as they were about to round North Head. 'We had been in squalls before
but never when we either had to tack the boat or commit to bearing away. We were in close to 30 knots true wind speed.... [more]
Richard Gladwell,
Another milestone in the 34th America's Cup occurred today, November 19,2012 with two AC72's sailing on the Hauraki Gulf
for the first time. For much of the session Luna Rossa confined herself to being well offshore, while Emirates Team NZ
was much closer to the Takapuna shore. Later Sail-World's camera caught Luna Rossa on her mooring at sunset... [more]
ACM,
This week on America's Cup Discovered we talk all things AC72. We are onboard with Emirates Team New Zealand as their
impressive preparations are making news headlines. We have an exclusive interview with Oracle Team USA's CEO Russell
Coutts for an update after last months catastrophic capsize. We then catch up with Artemis Racing in advance of their
first sail on their newly launched AC72.... [more]
Sail-World,
Chris Nicholson, skipper of second place getter in the Volvo Ocean Race, Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand, had a
big day out when he joined the America's Cup sailing crew on the teams AC72 America's Cup Challenger. The video features
some excellent extended footage of the yacht foiling. Later in the day ETNZ's AC72 hit speeds of 43.6kts... [more]
Sail-World,
Luna Rossa Challenge 2013 shore team member, Fred Gastinet has been injured in a launching incident on Friday, November
16, just before midday. He suffered a compound fracture of the shinbone, requiring surgery. The top of the wingsail for
the AC72 catamaran has been damaged. The incident terminated the planned sailing session, and is expected to cause some
small delay in the team's workup program... [more]
Sail-World,
America's Cup Challengers are once again sailing out of two cities on opposite sites of the Pacific. In San Francisco,
Artemis Racing went sailing for the second day - with a little more breeze than on the first, and by all accounts had a
good session.... [more]
America's Cup.com,
Artemis Racing's AC72 hit San Francisco Bay under sail on Tuesday for the first time, with the team training for over
three hours in winds of 8-12 knots. It was a milestone moment for the team who has seen this inaugural test sail delayed
first by a damaged wing sail and then by structural issues with the platform during load testing last month. Includes
video... [more]
Richard Gladwell,
America's Cup Challenger, Emirates Team NZ's AC72, is out of the building shed in the Viaduct harbour and went for a
brief test sail today, ahead of resuming her development program this week. The enhancements to the AC72 have not been
specified are are believed to include the addition of aerofoil fairings to the beams, and other enhancements. See video
in this story... [more]
Sail-World,
The Italian America's Cup Challenger, Luna Rossa was out on the Hauraki Gulf on Friday for what appeared to be a good
training session in a light onshore breeze, which later changed to a moderate offshore breeze as she entered the
Waitemata Harbour.... [more]
ETNZBlog,
Here's the second part of the interview Sailing World editor Dave Reed had with Emirates Team New Zealand technical
director Nick Holroyd. The interview was first published in the October issue of sailing World magazine.... [more]
ETNZBlog,
A few weeks ago, Dave Reed, editor of the US magazine Sailing World, interviewed Emirates Team New Zealand technical
director Nick Holroyd. The story offers an interesting insight into the AC72 design process. Part 1 of his report:
Emirates Team New Zealand hit the water first and fast. Dave Reed interviews Nick Holroyd who admits: 'It's far more
complex than anything I've ever been involved in.... [more]
Sander van der Borsch,
Top international photographer Sander van der Borsch, team photographer for Artemis Racing presents a further gallery of
images from the launch and christening of the team's first AC72, launched in San Francisco on November 3, 2012... [more]
Richard Gladwell,
Last Thursday week, before the launch of Luna Rossa's America's Cup Challenger in Auckland, Team Patron, Patrizio
Bertelli, and skipper Max Sirena, held a media conference in the Sofitel for New Zealand media. Most of the key New
Zealand sailing media were there. Following is a record of the conference with the general sports media questions
stripped out.... [more]
Erik Simonson,
The wingsail was installed and Artemis Racing's AC72 was christened today in Alameda, San Francisco. It was a long day
for the Artemis team, the Challenger of Record for the 34th America's Cup, and one which began before dawn. The hull was
moved to water's edge in the darkness and loaded via crane slowly as the sun began to rise.... [more]
Artemis Racing,
Artemis Racing has now launched its first AC72 catamaran, marking a major milestone in the team's quest for the
America's Cup. Thousands of design and build hours came together today when the AC72 was launched at the team's base in
Alameda. Barbro Osher, Consul General of Sweden in San Francisco and Godmother of Artemis, christened the AC72 in the
presence of the entire team and their families.... [more]
Richard Gladwell,
Luna Rossa Challenge were able to get their AC72 foiling on their first day of sailing on the Hauraki Gulf on Friday
(NZT) It was the first day of sailing for the Italian America's Cup Challenger starting in light winds which slowly
increased top around 15 knots.... [more]
Chris Cameron,
Join Emirates Team NZ photographer Chris Cameron as he jumps in a helicopter, and for the first time, gets a birds eye
view of the AC72 ripping around Auckland Hauraki Gulf.... [more]
Carlo Borlenghi,
Italian America's Cup Challenger, Luna Rossa, was out sailing on the Hauraki Gulf today - just a week after being
launched in Auckland. It was a grey day in Auckland, which started with light winds before the breeze came in to a
modest strength - ideal for a first sail.... [more]
Jennifer McHugh,
Artemis Racing, Challenger of Record for the 34th America's Cup, announced today that French multihull legend Lock
Peyron will join the Swedish crew during this month's AC72 training. 'It is fantastic to have Lock join Artemis Racing.
Lock has no peer when it comes to large multihulls.' said Paul Cayard, CEO of Artemis Racing.... [more]
Rod Davis,
Double Olympic medalist and long time US and NZL America's Cup crew, skipper and coach, Rod Davis provides some answers
to a question he's often asked – 'what do you do out there all day?'... [more]
ENDS