America's Cup 2021

Grazze53317 · 24 Jan 2021 at 21:05

Is anybody else watching?

The boats are amazing, 50+ mph in what I'd call a light breeze!

Helps that the Brits are doing so well but just from a technical perspective it's fascinating. I've no idea what most of the terminology is but racings racing and I'm really enjoying it.

Will Gill · 25 Jan 2021 at 09:04

I was going to be there

silly covid ruins everything!

amazing spectacle and yep 50knots in a 75ft yacht is just insane :eek:

I do a lot of yacht racing and to put it in comparison 20 knots is considered wicked fast!

here's a view from a yacht I could never afford (but crew)

Grazze53317 · 25 Jan 2021 at 10:17

Oh I bet your dissapointed. With a large amount of luck and skill hopefully it will be in the UK in a few years time.
Sail GP is set to come to the UK this year (or was I havent checked since last year), I think I may have to wonder down and have a watch, looks like a great day out.

I had to google the racing schedule as its a little confusing for an outsider.
The New Zealand team appear to have built a very expensive boat over the last ~4 years thats only going to be raced for a few days over christmas and in March during the final. Will these boats see more racing after the Cup?

Will Gill · 25 Jan 2021 at 10:28

Grazze53317 said:
The New Zealand team appear to have built a very expensive boat over the last ~4 years thats only going to be raced for a few days over christmas and in March during the final. Will these boats see more racing after the Cup?

Sadly probably not, the older AC boats (like the J classes) are still sailed and enjoyed largely because they can be crewed by amateurs (i crewed on lionheart which is based out of pendennis), the current multihulled foiling boats are for the professionals only

here's the 'cornish' J:

https://pendennis.com/yachts/lionheart/

this was proper sailing, not foiling like we have now!

Grazze53317 · 25 Jan 2021 at 10:49

Lovely looking boat. Very elegant.

R.e. your last comment, which im sure was in jest.
Is their a call within the community for Americas Cup to go back to traditional sailing or is it seen as expadning the sport etc...
I don't have the knowledge to appreciate traditional sailing and the nuances that decide a race but watching someone fluff a tack in real time at 50knts is obvious to the uninitiated.

Will Gill · 25 Jan 2021 at 11:15

Grazze53317 said:
Lovely looking boat. Very elegant.

R.e. your last comment, which im sure was in jest.
Is their a call within the community for Americas Cup to go back to traditional sailing or is it seen as expadning the sport etc...
I don't have the knowledge to appreciate traditional sailing and the nuances that decide a race but watching someone fluff a tack in real time at 50knts is obvious to the uninitiated.

It's up to whoever wins, they design the class and the other teams have to build boats to match. Obviously as technology advances so does boat design. At least this year they have sails again!

I wouldn't even want to begin to understand what is involved in going about in a 75ft boat at 50knots, I have access to speed boats that can do these speeds, the thought of turning on a sixpence at that speed would fill my pants with poo, and likely kill me!

Trifid · 26 Jan 2021 at 18:29

I'm watching. The technical achievement of these boats and skill to pilot them has very much caught my attention. It's a shame this racing is not well appreciated by the general public. The racing is also first class edge of seat stuff too, they have definitely got it right this year.

Will Gill · 26 Jan 2021 at 21:30

Trifid said:
I'm watching. The technical achievement of these boats and skill to pilot them has very much caught my attention. It's a shame this racing is not well appreciated by the general public. The racing is also first class edge of seat stuff too, they have definitely got it right this year.

I just found out, the canting foils weigh 900kg each :eek:

Every fact and figure involved with these yachts is otherworldly