How about those Americas cup boats!!!

[kasbatts]

Not sure if any of you guys have seen any of this, or are interested, however as a Kiwi I have a vested interest and loving it!
Today our boat hit 47.5knts at one spot, that's 54 mph! Go the kiwi's!

Mind blowing, check it out as they slide the 72 foot long boat around the mark at the best part of 40knts, amazing stuff

http://tvnz.co.nz/americas-cup-2013/08-25-video-5543245

 

[Nicad]

Quite amazing how much performance has increased. I'd be scared to crew on one of those .
The video doesn't work in canada for some reason.

 

[Stevehose]

Same for USA

Quite amazing how much performance has increased. I'd be scared to crew on one of those .
The video doesn't work in canada for some reason.

 

[David]

I wonder what the annual operating budget is for an America's Cup team vs F1 ?

 

[kasbatts]

Try this You tube link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hubDP9Xe2-Y

Check out the woopsy we had the other day at 1.20 40 knts to 0 in about 2 seconds (still won though!)

Have a look at 14 mins at the speed and power of these things

 

[JFENG]

Even mkre

They were hitting these speeds in something like 20knts of wind. Amazing technology.

 

[rsporsche]

as a former olympic class sailor ... and having previously sailed on a 12 meter ( americas cup boats from the 70's + early 80's ... i am totally impressed by the technology of these boats. but i am bored by the racing. the LV cup racing in the 70's was incredible. the tactics before the start - and thru the race were worth studying). now - not so much.

foiling upwind? amazing. the speed around the marks - incredible. my old flying dutchman could hit 27 mph in gale force winds ... we could plane upwind ... but couldn't touch these boats. incredible. look forward to watching oracle vs. the kiwis.

 

[Polariscsl]

They are fantastic bits of kit, and the performance dimension they added to the cup was probably needed for the viewing public. I am also an ex British team 49er sailor and I think had these been on the horizon a few years ago I might have changed goals to try and get in this!

I have to agree slightly with RSPorsche though - Part of me still misses the beautiful 12m boats and the tactics that came with them.

RSPorsche - I absolutely love the Dutchman, I used to park my boats next to Rodney Pattisons old Olympic boat at 'Supercalifragalisticexpialidotious' which you may remember?!

 

[kasbatts]

I agree, and I think if us Kiwi's win it, it will possibly be going back to Mono hulls if the rumors are correct.

Go Team NZ!!

 

[JFENG]

Dont you wish

don't you wish you had this technology for those hot summer days when there was virtually no wind?

I used to race in the pedestrian classes (typical yacht club handicap stuff), and we all dreaded those afternoons when it'd take 3 hours to complete a 15 mile race.

 

[kasbatts]

Yep, Raced my Flying 15 for a few years and had a few races sloping around, doing 1 or 2 knots getting fried by the sun with the boom trying to take your head off, fun times
But on a good day, man I loved that boat, it was awesome down wind with the kite up, surfing down the swells, the whole boat used to vibrate under you, was probably only doing 10-12 knots max, but always feels like your going 30

 

[rsporsche]

yes, what we called the harry flatters ... when the smoke of a match goes straight up. i've raced my share of drifting matches -

Rodney Pattison - FD god of the 60's + 70's ... aka superdocious ... i used to know which company built that gorgeous wooden boat ... dark hull and deck. he won 3 olympics in a row - 68 to 76 with several world championships in between.

 

[Polariscsl]

Wasn't it a Mader built boat?

 

[rsporsche]

that's what i thought it was - their boats looked like furniture and generally the decks and hulls were visible wood. i was about to buy a mader when i was sailing, but on the way to a regatta, some truck ran into the back of the boat and turned it into toothpicks.

 

[dealhunter0]

Amazes me how many sailors are on here! I raced lasers all over the country growing up and dingies in college. These days work and family keep me busy but I get out and crew on a J105 a half dozen weekends a year.

The Americas Cup World Series was great – smaller boats, high speeds, lots of action. The 72s are cool, but I can't help think a slightly smaller, less expensive, less fragile boat would lead to tighter racing and a better overall event.

 

[kasbatts]

Go Team NZ!!

 

[TodB]

I hope Ellison is sand bagging early on because, clearly, the Kiwi boat is fast(er).

 

[kasbatts]

Maybe, I think up wind yes, not much elsewhere, although we did catch up downwind in that last race and there wasn't much in it, was closing very fast.

I tell you, this has galvanised the country, all of NZ will be watching the next one, if we win this thing, I tell you the country will go nuts!

watch this space!

Go team NZ!

 

[kasbatts]

1 to go!

 

[NewSixCoupe]

Hope NZ can prevail against the cheaters but if you've watched the last half dozen races you can't help but think that either something's up, or the Kiwis have completely forgotten how to sail their boat...