Americas Cup - thrilling racing at last

Woodlouse said:
I'm still going to say it, I just think Oracle likes more breeze. True having Ainslie on board does seem to have stopped them from performing the same mistakes they kept making at the beginning but the wind has been nearly five knots greater since he's been on board as well.

At that level of sailing any tweaks to the boat and any improvements in teamwork would be negligible despite what the commentators say.
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I tend to agree that Oracle likes more breeze, but we will only know if we ever see another race in lower winds. I think they really have learned during the racing, and are sailing better now than in Race 1. Yes they are all good sailors but they hadn't been race-tested the way the Kiwis were and I think they have been getting stronger.

As for the tactics - yes some errors with Kostecki. But anyone who says that Ainslie hasn't really added much or isn't really doing much hasn't been watching closely. It isn't all about tacking in the other boat's face. Upwind in Race 12 yesterday was a good example. A couple of minutes away from the top mark Oracle tacked onto starboard in a position that made it clear that they were going to the lay line. That gave TNZ a choice: make two tacks to Oracle's one, or follow Oracle. Making two tacks would generate a split at the top mark but would cost an extra tack. If TNZ only makes one tack they don't get a split and have to follow Oracle all along the lay line, potentially eating dirty air the whole time.

Either way Oracle gains an advantage. It may not have been obvious but it was a really good tactical move to set up and force that gain.
 
bbg said:
I tend to agree that Oracle likes more breeze, but we will only know if we ever see another race in lower winds. I think they really have learned during the racing, and are sailing better now than in Race 1. Yes they are all good sailors but they hadn't been race-tested the way the Kiwis were and I think they have been getting stronger.

As for the tactics - yes some errors with Kostecki. But anyone who says that Ainslie hasn't really added much or isn't really doing much hasn't been watching closely. It isn't all about tacking in the other boat's face. Upwind in Race 12 yesterday was a good example. A couple of minutes away from the top mark Oracle tacked onto starboard in a position that made it clear that they were going to the lay line. That gave TNZ a choice: make two tacks to Oracle's one, or follow Oracle. Making two tacks would generate a split at the top mark but would cost an extra tack. If TNZ only makes one tack they don't get a split and have to follow Oracle all along the lay line, potentially eating dirty air the whole time.

Either way Oracle gains an advantage. It may not have been obvious but it was a really good tactical move to set up and force that gain.
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I think you may be reading to much into that. The right hand mark was clearly the favoured mark (the wind was light inshore) and Ben said that in the post race interview. As the lead boat you just want to sit on the layline forcing the opponent to eat dirty air or overstand. Simple as that.
 
bbg said:
I tend to agree that Oracle likes more breeze, but we will only know if we ever see another race in lower winds. I think they really have learned during the racing, and are sailing better now than in Race 1. Yes they are all good sailors but they hadn't been race-tested the way the Kiwis were and I think they have been getting stronger.

As for the tactics - yes some errors with Kostecki. But anyone who says that Ainslie hasn't really added much or isn't really doing much hasn't been watching closely. It isn't all about tacking in the other boat's face. Upwind in Race 12 yesterday was a good example. A couple of minutes away from the top mark Oracle tacked onto starboard in a position that made it clear that they were going to the lay line. That gave TNZ a choice: make two tacks to Oracle's one, or follow Oracle. Making two tacks would generate a split at the top mark but would cost an extra tack. If TNZ only makes one tack they don't get a split and have to follow Oracle all along the lay line, potentially eating dirty air the whole time.

Either way Oracle gains an advantage. It may not have been obvious but it was a really good tactical move to set up and force that gain.
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Good tactics, yes, but to take your example, you don't have to be Ben Ainslie to see the advantage there, and if you're already the boat in front it doesn't really take much nifty tactical work to set it up.

It would be interesting to see another race with slightly lower winds and a flood tide again, like at the start of the racing because that will be the proof of Oracles improved performance. I doubt we'll get to see it though.
 
Not fading down the ETNZ mics when Ian Murray gave them the good news was clearly an epic fail. Sorry kids!
 
Probably a stupid question but what is the intermittent flashing green light on the stern for? I'm guessing a signal the boats sailing close to its capsize point or summat?
 
Wandering Star said:
Probably a stupid question but what is the intermittent flashing green light on the stern for? I'm guessing a signal the boats sailing close to its capsize point or summat?
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I think it indicates at least one thing: that they are within a certain distance to the boundary (5 lengths, as I recall). It gives the port-tack boat right of way when tacking away from the boundary, for those 5 lengths. It might indicate other things as well (possibly the 3 length circle around marks). I'll try to look it up before the next race.
 
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_America's_Cup#Course
The racecourse is delinated by a boundary. Going outside of the boundary draws a penalty which is indicated by blue lights onboard the boats. The green lights onboard the boats will flash whenever the boat is within three boatlengths of the boundary, or a mark. Whichever boat enters the three boatlength circle around a mark, they will generally have mark rights and be allowed to round without worrying about the other boat. The exception is when there is an overlap between the two boats. If an overlap exists, room must be made to ensure both boats round the mark safely
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bbg said:
I think it indicates at least one thing: that they are within a certain distance to the boundary (5 lengths, as I recall). It gives the port-tack boat right of way when tacking away from the boundary, for those 5 lengths. It might indicate other things as well (possibly the 3 length circle around marks). I'll try to look it up before the next race.
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Thanks BBQ and A1Sailor.
 
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