36th America's Cup discussion (finals in March 2021)

[jztemple2]

I know you are all just dying to discuss the upcoming America's Cup match happening in New Zealand next year . So I thought I'd start a thread . For those not familiar with the oldest competition in sports, here is the Wikipedia page. And here is the link to the official site. I chose today to start the thread because we finally have the official announcement on the dates for the Round Robins and Repêchage as well as the dates for the Prada Cup Final and the America’s Cup Match. And we also have some other information as well.

As part of the agreement, the wind range for racing in the America’s Cup Match will be 6.5 to 23 knots.

The agreed racing schedule for the America’s Cup Match has two races per day planned for March 6,7,10, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Additional reserve days have been scheduled but the intention is to complete the event on the weekend of March 13/14, weather permitting. Racing is planned from 4pm onwards each race day. The winner of the America’s Cup Match will be the first team to score seven points.

The parties also agreed on certain conditions in respect of the Prada Cup due to be issued by June 30 2020. The racing will consist of four Round Robin sessions over January 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24, followed by a repêchage round over January 29, 30, 31, and February 2, with the first-to-seven-points Prada Cup Final taking place over February 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22.

The following wind range for racing has been agreed:

Round Robins and Repêchage: 6.5 to 21 knots
Prada Cup Final: 6.5 to 23 knots

In addition the parties also confirmed Course Location Guidelines for the Race Director when selecting the Auckland racecourse locations for all the Auckland events including the Match for the 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada.

To view the Settlement Memorandum click here.

The first competitive action of the 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada will be in Cagliari, Sardinia from April 23 – 26 at the first of three ACWS regattas taking place during 2020. Further ACWS events will be held in Portsmouth, England on June 4 – 7, and in Auckland, New Zealand in December 17 – 20.

I've been following the Cup races since the 1970s so if folks have some questions I'd be happy to try to answer them.

[naednek]

Only question I have...

If it's America's Cup, why is it held in New Zealand...?

[Jeff V]

Only question I have...

If it's America's Cup, why is it held in New Zealand...?

I think they won last time?

I care about this as much as I do auto racing ("not at all" would be too strong...whatever is less than that). I always wondered who, besides the silly rich, were interested in such a thing. Then a visiting red neck from Texas came to town at the time our company was splitting into 3 -- he drew the short straw and was stuck with the financial spin-off (large the company I was with he was dotted-line report to me). We were supposed to go on a boat owned by another coworker being spun to the book company, but he canceled at the last second. So instead we went to Navy Pier, where to my utter disinterest they had an America's Cup racing event. The Oracle boat that was thrashed by New Zealand came in dead last out of 6 other boats in every heat. I was surprised to find the redneck was deeply interested in it and followed it closely, but then thought how similar it was to NASCAR and decided not really that surprising.

[Isgrimnur]

There's never been a fatality during the races, only one during testing.

[AWS260]

Only question I have...

If it's America's Cup, why is it held in New Zealand...?

The cup was originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, which was won by the schooner America.

[LawBeefaroni]

So if it had been won by the cutter Freak we'd be looking forward to the 36th Freak Cup?

[jztemple2]

A more visual look at the AC75 class design:


And a look at the boats in action:

[Jeff V]

The cup was originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, which was won by the schooner America.

[Cliff Claven] Many people don't realize that the schooner America was built and crewed by the landlocked, nascent country of Bolivia. They wanted to prove you don't need an ocean to sail a friggen boat, and boy did they. [/Cliff Claven]

[jztemple2]

The cup was originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, which was won by the schooner America.

[Cliff Claven] Many people don't realize that the schooner America was built and crewed by the landlocked, nascent country of Bolivia. They wanted to prove you don't need an ocean to sail a friggen boat, and boy did they. [/Cliff Claven]

Actually the Swiss syndicate, Alinghi, won the America's Cup in 2003, beating Team New Zealand. So lack of ocean access isn't necessary a detriment.

[Isgrimnur]

The cup was originally awarded in 1851 by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race around the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, which was won by the schooner America.

[Cliff Claven] Many people don't realize that the schooner America was built and crewed by the landlocked, nascent country of Bolivia. They wanted to prove you don't need an ocean to sail a friggen boat, and boy did they. [/Cliff Claven]

Actually the Swiss syndicate, Alinghi, won the America's Cup in 2003, beating Team New Zealand. So lack of ocean access isn't necessary a detriment.

Headed by Ernesto Bertarelli, born in Rome in '65, didn't move to Switzerland until '77.

[jztemple2]

I believe that there was a controversy about the requirement in the Deed of Gift that a challenging yacht club had to be able to hold a "properly constituted annual regatta on an ocean water course or an arm of the sea". IIRC it was resolved out of court, the need fo having challengers being foremost.

That requirement, about "an arm of the sea", was also involved when the Heart of America sought to challenge on behalf of the Chicago Yacht Club. I believe it was resolved by connecting the dots from Chicago through the Great Lakes to the St Lauwence river to the sea.

[Jeff V]

I believe that there was a controversy about the requirement in the Deed of Gift that a challenging yacht club had to be able to hold a "properly constituted annual regatta on an ocean water course or an arm of the sea". IIRC it was resolved out of court, the need fo having challengers being foremost.

That requirement, about "an arm of the sea", was also involved when the Heart of America sought to challenge on behalf of the Chicago Yacht Club. I believe it was resolved by connecting the dots from Chicago through the Great Lakes to the St Lauwence river to the sea.

Err....why yes, Bolivia did have access to the ocean in the 1850's. It was taken away by Chile in 1904. My mocumentary statement has not been disavowed.

[jztemple2]

Err....why yes, Bolivia did have access to the ocean in the 1850's. It was taken away by Chile in 1904. My mocumentary statement has not been disavowed.

A similar situation existed in The Sound of Music, where Maria married Captain Von Trapp of the Austrian Navy, Austria having continued to maintain naval personnel in spite of losing access to the sea after World War One.

[jztemple2]

Now I know many of you have been asking, what is it about these new AC75 boats that is so special? Well, here's a good in-depth look at how you make a boat... fly

[geezer]

It’s all been downhill since the Aussies ruined it with their stupid winged keel. Now the boats are *flying*. Truly, WTF. It’s like F1 except 170mph slower.

[jztemple2]

It’s all been downhill since the Aussies ruined it with their stupid winged keel. Now the boats are *flying*. Truly, WTF. It’s like F1 except 170mph slower.

So the moniker isn't ironic?

[geezer]

It’s all been downhill since the Aussies ruined it with their stupid winged keel. Now the boats are *flying*. Truly, WTF. It’s like F1 except 170mph slower.

So the moniker isn't ironic?

GTF off my lawn.

[jztemple2]

It’s all been downhill since the Aussies ruined it with their stupid winged keel. Now the boats are *flying*. Truly, WTF. It’s like F1 except 170mph slower.

So the moniker isn't ironic?

GTF off my lawn.

Of course I'm 66 myself. And I have yelled at kids to get off my lawn

[jztemple2]

It’s all been downhill since the Aussies ruined it with their stupid winged keel. Now the boats are *flying*. Truly, WTF. It’s like F1 except 170mph slower.

This is for you geezer, recorded in 2017 onboard one of the only three remaining J Class boats from the 1930s. Amazingly, there are now nine ten of these incredible yachts, six seven having been built since 2003.

[geezer]

It’s all been downhill since the Aussies ruined it with their stupid winged keel. Now the boats are *flying*. Truly, WTF. It’s like F1 except 170mph slower.

This is for you geezer, recorded in 2017 onboard one of the only three remaining J Class boats from the 1930s. Amazingly, there are now nine ten of these incredible yachts, six seven having been built since 2003.

Wow - nice find! Those J class boats are/were just stunning.

America’s Cup for me will always be the 12-Metre yachts, Dennis Connor (and the competing USA boat) and Stars and Stripes fighting it out to get the cup back. I’m amazed that that was high-drama, network tv for a few years, and I do think when the cats came along and turned it into an arms race it all got too arcane.

It’s not a 12-meter I don’t think, but one of the later Stars and Stripes boats still runs out of San Diego. I had a Catalina 30 out there for several years,and it blew by me like it had a motor on it one day. I can only imagine the cats and the foils.

[jztemple2]

Years ago my wife picked up three framed posters at a little shop somewhere because she thought I would like them. Turns out that they were posters of Stars & Stripes from the 1992 America's Cup defense. Here's one of them, they all hang in our living room.


You'll note that this is not one of the 12-meter boats, but it is the IACC USA-11 Stars & Stripes, which is available for public sails or private charters. And she sails out of San Diego!

[geezer]

Years ago my wife picked up three framed posters at a little shop somewhere because she thought I would like them. Turns out that they were posters of Stars & Stripes from the 1992 America's Cup defense. Here's one of them, they all hang in our living room.


You'll note that this is not one of the 12-meter boats, but it is the IACC USA-11 Stars & Stripes, which is available for public sails or private charters. And she sails out of San Diego!

Looks just like the one that flew by me on the San Diego Bay . It's just incredibly impressive (and huge) in person. Nice print, too.

[jztemple2]

A reporter's look at a ride in the British contender: America’s Cup: My day on Britannia

I am not sure whether my burning face is due to the sun, the wind, or the high pressure blasts of water over the gunwale as the foil went down my side to indicate the start of a tack or a gybe, but it certainly hurt, more like the spindrift in the Roaring Forties than anything else I have experienced.

It was fortunate that only my head was above the bulwark, as that pressure hitting my well protected body would have thrust me aft and overside.

This is not sailing as we used to know it. This machine, appropriately named Britannia, sponsored by INEOS and skippered and managed by Britain’s top Olympian Ben Ainslie, flies on foils each side, the leeward one down, the windard one up. There is no keel, reducing the friction and holding the mast upright.

[jztemple2]

The New York Yatch Club launched its second AC75 named Patriot this week in Auckland and a couple of days later it almost launched itself!

[jztemple2]

Preview for this week's America's Cup World Series in Auckland, New Zealand:

[jztemple2]

Today is the opening day of the America's Cup World Series in New Zealand. I broke down and bought the NBC Sports Gold AC package, which includes four streams; two onboards, a 3D graphics view of the race and the live feed from various cameras including a TV boat following the action. Just finished watching the first match... worth the price for an ultra fan like me

[jztemple2]

Well, it's been a quiet thread since apparently I'm the only one following the Prada Cup regatta to determine who will face New Zealand in the finals. If you haven't been following it, you missed a big shunt that hit the New York Yacht Club's entry American Magic.



And the result: