America's Cup 2024: who likes it?

[Uguccione]

I mean the formula of the last few years with the flying boats.
The beginning of the end, in my opinion, was the arrival of the planing boats, the catamarans, which took away all the poetry of this beautiful competition.
I would really like to go back to the 100-foot monohulls...

 

[Uguccione]

My father was a great sailing enthusiast (a passion he tried in vain to pass on to his children); with his nutshell he toured the Mediterranean far and wide.
I don't think he would have liked this America's Cup.

 

[BingBong]

I hadn't realized that multihulls were now permitted - I kind of liked them in the Vendee, but to me, the Americas was always one for the big monohull dinosaurs.

I suppose we'd have some say if we were billionaires.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I had to research a tad to see what a flying boat was. So, do they not use a tiller at all? Just maybe the sail and shifting of weight? Very interesting. I am not a race fan in any genre, but boats interest me.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ok, so, yehhhh.... I just finished a couple of articles. They are driven completely by computers, because of the complex algorithms it takes to guide these things. Yeh... once computers get involved with something, i lose interest in it.
so, then like each participant is probably using the same software, so the winner is completely set by chance. Doesn't seem to be much of a race, IMO.

Correct me if I am wrong. I am merely going by what I skimmed in a couple of articles.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Ok, so, yehhhh.... I just finished a couple of articles. They are driven completely by computers, because of the complex algorithms it takes to guide these things. Yeh... once computers get involved with something, i lose interest in it.
so, then like each participant is probably using the same software, so the winner is completely set by chance. Doesn't seem to be much of a race, IMO.

Correct me if I am wrong. I am merely going by what I skimmed in a couple of articles.

In the race series, the navigator and skipper are critical in making split second decisions, whether computer aided or not. The crew also has to be in tip top shape and be able to react to hairy circumstances in an instant. And, yes, there are tillers- just extra long ones!

 

[Uguccione]

so the winner is completely set by chance

I am not an expert in sailing or even this new type of boat; let's say that the human component still has its weight, you still have to maneuver, mark the opponent, etc.... Then the boats do not all have the same performance. Today I saw Team New Zealand and Alinghi (Swiss team) and they seemed to me to be the fastest boats.
However, they look more like Formula 1, with fins instead of wheels, than sailing boats.
But that's how the world works today, the spectacle wins, speed, everything must be breathtaking.

It must also be said that the old America's Cup, with races that lasted hours and hours, did not have the right timing for televis ion.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I hadn't realized that multihulls were now permitted - I kind of liked them in the Vendee, but to me, the Americas was always one for the big monohull dinosaurs.

I suppose we'd have some say if we were billionaires.

I like the foiling boats, but the way they are televised needs improvement.

But, for the America's Cup, I'd much prefer monohulls, non-foiling.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I am not an expert in sailing or even this new type of boat; let's say that the human component still has its weight, you still have to maneuver, mark the opponent, etc.... Then the boats do not all have the same performance. Today I saw Team New Zealand and Alinghi (Swiss team) and they seemed to me to be the fastest boats.

Probably the difference in speed among all the boats can be measured in a fraction of a kilometer/hour. A slight wind shift, interference from another boat, choosing the wrong side of the buoy make the differences.

However, they look more like Formula 1, with fins instead of wheels, than sailing boats.
But that's how the world works today, the spectacle wins, speed, everything must be breathtaking.

It must also be said that the old America's Cup, with races that lasted hours and hours, did not have the right timing for televis ion.

Yes, even an hour is way too long for today's TV audience. But there's no reason the races couldn't have a series of ca. half hour or 20 minutes courses, but a lot more of them to win the cup. Same number of days, but 3 or so races each day.

I am afraid I am pissing into the wind as to any hope of making changes.

 

[kcghost]

I used to pay a lot of attention to the America's Cup in the 60's and 70's but completely lost interest when the lawyers began screwing the whole sport up. I swear we ought to have open season on the clowns.

 

[Uguccione]

Probably the difference in speed among all the boats can be measured in a fraction of a kilometer/hour. A slight wind shift, interference from another boat, choosing the wrong side of the buoy make the differences.

True, but in this type of race the boats are marked closely; if you start better (very important to start in front) and have a boat even just a little faster you have already won the race, the boat behind can no longer overtake you, you block its path, it tacks and you do the same, you control it and take it where you want. It is true that there can always be human error, technical failure, and therefore you can never know until the end, but usually whoever has the fastest boat wins.

 

[jpmcwjr]

True, but in this type of race the boats are marked closely; if you start better (very important to start in front)

Agree: the start is huge, but not definitive.

and have a boat even just a little faster you have already won the race,

Not so: Too many other factors come into play: A little faster is little indeed.

the boat behind can no longer overtake you, you block its path, it tacks and you do the same, you control it and take it where you want.

True in match racing, and much easier to do with monohulls. But with ten boats competing, you can't cover the fleet. Dual buoys give more options for choosing a course.

It is true that there can always be human error, technical failure, and therefore you can never know until the end, but usually whoever has the fastest boat wins.

Again, disagree, based on watching a lot of races in the GPSail matches over the last few years.

I haven't raced in years, but I used to skipper or crew on sailboats from 32' to 50', mostly around Northeast Harbor, ME.

 

[Uguccione]

True in match racing

Yes, of course I was talking about match races. It is true that in recent years there have also been fleet races in the qualifications, I was not considering them. Today however (they were racing in Barcelona) there were only match races.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I haven't raced in years, but I used to skipper or crew on sailboats from 32' to 50', mostly around Northeast Harbor, ME.

I'm impressed and glad to learn that about you. At about 14, I had an uncle that gave me a small wooden dinghy and a copy of Chapmans sailing and Seamanship. It was very old and eventually I lost it in a flood. But, by the time I turned 16, my interests turned to cars and girls.
I still have a romantic notion of boats, and my last sailing expedition was a rented catamaran in the Gulf that ended very quickly with it being plowed upon a sand bank. Ha ha. We ended up walking back to the harbor.

 

[mingc]

I love watching the ships lift up as they get onto their hydrofoils, the frantic activities of the crews, and the speeds they achieve.

I like that the Kiwis are good at it, along with rugby union.

I don't know enough about the sport to get nostalgic about pre-computer, foil-less boats or whatever. I think a race of driftwood lashed-together rafts would be tremendously boring.

I still want to understand how sailboats can go faster than the wind.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I still want to understand how sailboats can go faster than the wind.

This I did read about... as the boat gets lifted up and turned slightly to the side, it becomes more of a glider than a boat. So, you have lift going for you. Now, the physics of all of this... I am baffled also. But, I find it fascinating.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here's a not great photo of the AC75, which hit the official AC races today. They are much uglier than this photo shows.

Replay of races are available now on Youtube.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here's an AC40, which were used in the preliminary regattas. It has computer controlled height above water. The 75's do not.



These boats are amazing and all technology. I'd still rather have the AC decided on traditional craft.

 

[warren]

I find the changes in the AC fascinating. Not all are to my liking but, the modernizing is fascinating none the less.

 

[VDL_Piper]

I still remember 1983 very clearly and after 132 years of the Cup sitting in the trophy cabinet of the New York Yacht Club the longest wining streak in sporting history crumbled to Ozzie’s