oldbilbo
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Reports of a fatality following capsize of Artemis in San Francisco Bay here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22476320
Americas Cup Death
- Thread starter oldbilbo
- Start date
BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
That's very sad but they have gone to such a high level of performance, reward and hence risk, serious or fatal injury is inevitable.
Just like motor racing, really.
Just like motor racing, really.
pissativlypossed
Well-Known Member
Sad, it's Andrew (Bart) Simpson, double Olympic medal winner. I met him in Plymouth when he and Ian Percy were promoting Clarke's boat shoes.
saltylegs
Well-Known Member
very sad
BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
Yikes, that brings it a lot closer to home - even more sad
Sniper
Well-Known Member
Extremely sad news
[2068]
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Very sad news, but will such a high-performance, unstable formula be allowed to continue to race without changes?
D
Deleted member 478
Guest
Bernie Eccleston might disagree with you.
[2068]
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Just asking: capsizing a Hobie or Spitfire is one thing.
But a 72 foot catamaran weighing 6000kg travelling at 40kts+ ?
"Capable of top speeds in excess of twice the wind speed, the AC72 is thrilling fans as it challenges the very best sailors in the world, pushing them to their limits… and beyond."
But a 72 foot catamaran weighing 6000kg travelling at 40kts+ ?
"Capable of top speeds in excess of twice the wind speed, the AC72 is thrilling fans as it challenges the very best sailors in the world, pushing them to their limits… and beyond."
AOWYN
Well-Known Member
A friend who stayed with us while in London. One of the good guys. We shall miss him.
Seajet
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This is a sad loss of a great sailor and I feel for his family; but as for the Americas Cup...
Far from becoming more of a spectator sport as intended, with multihulls it has become even more of a circus; the only time it ever grabbed my attention was when the Kiwi's rose and bit the arse of the Americans !
Far from becoming more of a spectator sport as intended, with multihulls it has become even more of a circus; the only time it ever grabbed my attention was when the Kiwi's rose and bit the arse of the Americans !
AMCD300
Well-Known Member
Very Sad.
The America's Cup was here in Naples during the last leg. Certainly a spectacular event, whatever one's personal views.
RIP Andrew Simpson...
The America's Cup was here in Naples during the last leg. Certainly a spectacular event, whatever one's personal views.
RIP Andrew Simpson...
dunedin
Well-Known Member
Very sad, and a huge loss. RIP Bart.
Richard Shead
Slipped Anchor
Very sad indeed and I was only with his sister on Wedneday and woke to find a post on Facebook.
My thoughts are with his young family and of course his wider family.
My thoughts are with his young family and of course his wider family.
fantasia7628
Well-Known Member
Tragic and devastating news.
BlackwaterLad
Well-Known Member
A truly sporting sportsman. A terrible loss.
This is from Iain Percy talking to the mail last year about Sydney, before they became a Star team
‘When I qualified for the Games in 2000, Andrew was second in the trial, basically second best in the world, but we only send one per country,’ Percy acknowledges. ‘He gave up a year and a half to come and be my training partner; and this was before you got paid to do so.
‘He was there all the way through the Olympics, helping me read the winds from the cliffs around Sydney and sending down messages on the radio to the coach. We were a real partnership even when we were in single handed boats.’
And the partnership worked as Percy won gold with Simpson watching on.
‘I wasn’t jealous,’ the latter insists. ‘It made me want to be doing it myself, but I wasn’t jealous.
‘I was excited. To see one of your best friends win a gold medal is pretty cool.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ol...Percy-Andrew-Simpson-search-sailing-gold.html
This is from Iain Percy talking to the mail last year about Sydney, before they became a Star team
‘When I qualified for the Games in 2000, Andrew was second in the trial, basically second best in the world, but we only send one per country,’ Percy acknowledges. ‘He gave up a year and a half to come and be my training partner; and this was before you got paid to do so.
‘He was there all the way through the Olympics, helping me read the winds from the cliffs around Sydney and sending down messages on the radio to the coach. We were a real partnership even when we were in single handed boats.’
And the partnership worked as Percy won gold with Simpson watching on.
‘I wasn’t jealous,’ the latter insists. ‘It made me want to be doing it myself, but I wasn’t jealous.
‘I was excited. To see one of your best friends win a gold medal is pretty cool.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/ol...Percy-Andrew-Simpson-search-sailing-gold.html
lustyd
Well-Known Member
I can't remember where (may have been YM) but these boats were known to flip, and Oracle broke both theirs recently. Surely someone must now be looking at this and thinking a change is needed?
Ex-SolentBoy
Well-Known Member
Clearly a very tragic event, and the only thing that really matters is supporting the family and friends.
Pushing sport to the limits is dangerous.
But voluntary.
I competed internationally in aerobatics which is a very minority sport with probably less than 100 competitors in the UK.
I lost three friends to fatal accidents in the years I was active, but I, and most involved would have rejected anyone telling us we shouldn't do it, or we should do it differently.
Free world. Let's please keep it that way.
I really hope some authority doesn't "help" us by inflicting a bunch of restrictions on sailing.
Pushing sport to the limits is dangerous.
But voluntary.
I competed internationally in aerobatics which is a very minority sport with probably less than 100 competitors in the UK.
I lost three friends to fatal accidents in the years I was active, but I, and most involved would have rejected anyone telling us we shouldn't do it, or we should do it differently.
Free world. Let's please keep it that way.
I really hope some authority doesn't "help" us by inflicting a bunch of restrictions on sailing.
bbg
Well-Known Member
It isn't " the authorities" who are likely to make changes, but the organisers. An event that relies on sponsorship and public support is not going to want to be associated with fatalities.
Expect a heightened focus onsafety for this event and a rview for the next AC to increase the safety levels.
Expect a heightened focus onsafety for this event and a rview for the next AC to increase the safety levels.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
I do not see how these larger craft are better than the smaller cats or monohulls
They need longer courses & will go out of sight of the viewing public
They cannot be " match raced" as a monohull as any tack looses too much distance
They are less manoeuvrable so cannot go so close as a sudden puff of wind may make one accelerate & hit the other- ie when passing under the stern of the other-
The fixed wing sail cannot be feathered quite like a soft sail so the boat is harder to stop & acceleration is more sudden so pre starts are not so exciting as in monohulls
Due to manoeuvrability tactics down wind are hindered as one cannot cover or react in the way a monohull can
I suspect that in the actual cup each boat will sail its own course with no covering tactics etc & it will be as boring as the last cup race
They need longer courses & will go out of sight of the viewing public
They cannot be " match raced" as a monohull as any tack looses too much distance
They are less manoeuvrable so cannot go so close as a sudden puff of wind may make one accelerate & hit the other- ie when passing under the stern of the other-
The fixed wing sail cannot be feathered quite like a soft sail so the boat is harder to stop & acceleration is more sudden so pre starts are not so exciting as in monohulls
Due to manoeuvrability tactics down wind are hindered as one cannot cover or react in the way a monohull can
I suspect that in the actual cup each boat will sail its own course with no covering tactics etc & it will be as boring as the last cup race
