Americas Cup

[capnsensible]

The boats are getting launched for trials and work up ahead of the competition. Must make some traditionalist sailors heads explode.....

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Even us very non traditional sailors admit that a J class, or a 12 metre, is a better looking boat. But the AC has always been a technology race. Bring it on.

 

[bedouin]

I didn't really enjoy the last one that much - Americas Cup should be about match racing but - other than the start - there was very little of that.

But still watching those machines foil around the course is spectacular so I will probably watch some if it is available on free to view TV

 

[onesea]

I didn't really enjoy the last one that much - Americas Cup should be about match racing but - other than the start - there was very little of that.

But still watching those machines foil around the course is spectacular so I will probably watch some if it is available on free to view TV

It can come down to match racing, however it has always been about beating your opponent one way or another in design, afloat or in court by any means possible without getting caught.

Me and My misses will be watching she actually watched it before me and got me intrested.

 

[capnsensible]

There is this to look forward to:

Bit up from the Sigma 33 I used to race!

 

[Chiara’s slave]

There is this to look forward to:

Bit up from the Sigma 33 I used to race!

My regular racing machine was designed in 1910. We were considering popping out to Barcelona, but I think renewing our RYA qualifications somewhere warm is going to happen instead.

 

[capnsensible]

My regular racing machine was designed in 1910. We were considering popping out to Barcelona, but I think renewing our RYA qualifications somewhere warm is going to happen instead.

I did a few races on Victory class dayboats in Portsmouth and Gibraltar. Gib was warmer.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The GB boat is interesting. They’ve taken a slightly different approach, a winner? Or crash and burn

 

[Minerva]

I find it hard to get past such a waste of non recyclable, single use resources. Give it a year / 18 months and all the boats will be derelict and rotting away in a boatyard somewhere. But hey, at least we have paper straws to help save the environment.

 

[flaming]

I find it hard to get past such a waste of non recyclable, single use resources. Give it a year / 18 months and all the boats will be derelict and rotting away in a boatyard somewhere. But hey, at least we have paper straws to help save the environment.

Pretty sure carbon fibre is fairly recyclable?

I get the point, but in reality the resources put into 6 cup boats are tiny compared to, for example, the global plastic straw industry...

What I kind of struggle with is the idea that any part of the tech being developed for these boats is ever really going to find its way onto regular boats in years to come. I just think that the skill level required to sail these things is going to limit the application to a tiny percentage of professionals. I cannot imagine that weekend warriors like us will ever be foiling about...

 

[oldbloke]

The America's Cup has always been pointless from any logical, puritanical view. It has always beèn willy waving by very rich men. Its serves the same purpose as the tail feathers on a peacock, the Taj Mahal, The Cistine Chapel and Kim Kardashian's bum. Glorious and pointless and the world would be a sad grey place without them

 

[srm]

I cannot imagine that weekend warriors like us will ever be foiling about...

In the ten years I have been here the sailboards, kiteboards, and more recently inflatable wing powered boards that inhabit the bay on windy days, all year round, have all added foils. Quite entertaining to watch, especially when its an international competition.
As the saying goes, "never say never".

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I nearly bought a Wazp.

 

[flaming]

Foiling boards and dinghies are one thing. Foiling 30-40 foot yachts is a whole different ball game…

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Foiling boards and dinghies are one thing. Foiling 30-40 foot yachts is a whole different ball game…

Give it a few years. I think it’ll be a while before we see a 35ft foiling mono, but I do know that a well known manufacturer is working on a dayboat type foiling trimaran. I went to a member of the design team’s wedding last Autumn.

 

[flaming]

I would absolutely agree that a multi makes way more sense as an “Everyman” foiler than a mono.

 

[srm]

Looks as if there are a few players in the field, but still very early days yet:
Eagle Class 53: The foiling cruiser inspired by the America’s Cup - Yachting World
Foiling technology for cruisers; isn't it magic?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The one my American friend is working on will be in the 20-24ft range I believe, and designed for 2-3 people to day sail, picnic and RTB type sailing, and be ‘affordable’, ie the same cost bracket as existing boats of that size, and cheaper than some, eg the Diam, or Corsair.

 

[Daydream believer]

I went to a member of the design team’s wedding last Autumn.

Well, a couple of kids & a mortgage will soon scotch that bit of fun

 

[Ingwe]

I think the main inhibitor to at least partial foiling mono's (big mini transat boats rated for offshore) will be IRC as I suspect JPK and Jeanneau have probably gone about as far as they can with their current 33 foot boats and the only way to get a big speed increase for the next generation will be to add some form of foiling - but no one is going to want to spend £400k on a new boat to come last in every race.

For inshore full foiling the main impedement is how you launch the things as I am sure I am not the only sportsboat sailor who would happily switch to a foiling boat. It would already be possible to design a low 20ft sportsboat to full foil think the next gen of J70 but I am not sure how you easily launch the thing from a trailer like we do current boats so I think in the short term the most likely option is a full foiling one design multi along the lines of the current Diam 24's.