America's Cup 2007

[Smacksman]

Just got back from Valencia after watching the 13th regatta in the Louis Vuiton series in the build up to the America's Cup.

The interesting thing for me was that it was the last time they all sailed together, from China to Switzerland, before the knock out phase for the challengers.

I thought I'd better see it before it went back to NZ or the USA, but the boat speed of Alinghi was very impressive so maybe it will stay in Europe.

[Hwyl]

Nice to see you on here again, thanks for the update. I'm thinking it will stay in Europe too, although it's incumbent on me to support Edward Warden Owen (who is sailing for an Italian team). I understand the Swedish Victory team is mostly Brit's

[John B]

Hello Smacksman!

[Russ Manheimer]

Hello indeed. Your name just came up in response to my inquiry to ACB about a Smack charter in Maurice Griffiths cruising ground. It came up in this thread.
(http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=63867) Any suggestions?

I followed the Fleet Racing in Act 13 here. (http://www.americascupanywhere.com/) The starts at least looked pretty exciting. Wish they had more Fleet racing. The software was amazing; a virtual gods eye view of the action.

Thanks,

Russ

[rbgarr]

"The crew list for the Luna Rossa Challenge 2007 listed seventeen people
on the boat, with 5 of them in the afterguard. That's nearly 30% of the
team in upper management'. One of the positions is called the
'traveller', which we figured meant that the mainsheet traveller on an
America's Cup boat was such that it needed a dedicated person to adjust
it. Now we understand that is only partly true. Among those who fill the
'traveller' job on the Luna Rossa team is American Andy Horton, where his
responsibilities includes being the weather spotter at the top of the
mast on light days or manning the mainsheet traveller and standing
behind the helmsman with the tactician when the wind and/or wave
conditions do not allow someone to be up there. Therefore, in ACUP
parlance, 'traveller' is the noun form for 'travel' as in one who
travels up the mast or to the back of the boat." -- Excerpt from
Scuttleblog, http://tinyurl.com/3xdmpl

[Smacksman]

Hi all, thanks for the welcome back.

Russ, I've posted on that linked thread you mentioned and I think the link to Saxonia LO32 a few posts down is a good charter bet.

rbgarr, when the yachts come back into port, they usually have the 'traveller' up on the top spreader checking out the harbour traffic over the sea walls. Rather him than me!

The atmosphere was great with waves of cheering as the boats passed in and out of harbour and you always knew when the South African boat left their base as the Shosholoza song played from 1000 watt speakers.

And when the last race is over and the support boats tow them in they are doing about 15 knots and showing the 'max hull speed wave form' profile on their hulls. Quite a sight.

Sorry I havn't been here but after my South Atlantic trip I just never seem to have caught up. Oh well, keeps me young.

[rbgarr]

I understand there's to be a 'parade of the competitors' this weekend near the harbor for the shorebound. I bet that will be something to see.

[brian.cunningham]

Starts Monday
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sailing/2007-04-12-americas-cup_N.htm
http://images.usatoday.com/sports/_photos/2007/04/12/bmw-oraclex-large.jpg

Tech stuff
http://www.americascup.com/en/acmag/features/tech_design/index.php?idIndex=1257
It seems that every America’s Cup Class yacht has been racing illegally for the past few years, due to an oversight in the complex rules that govern Version 5 of the ACC design rules. BMW ORACLE Racing’s design co-ordinator Ian ‘Fresh’ Burns admitted yesterday in a press conference at the team base that the team’s boats – along with every other team’s boats – had been racing out of class.

Speaking of strange booms.
http://www.americascup.com/multimedia/images/img_traitees/2007/02/act12060624cb_7232_big.jpg

[Russ Manheimer]

Check out americascupanywhere.com (http://www.americascupanywhere.com/), it's $40.00 for the LVC and the defense. Real time virtual AC boats and you get to control the view. The Fleet starts were a hoot. You can also see archived races and fast forward through the dull bits. Needless to say it requires a high speed connection. You're given access from any machine so my Monday morning productivity may be low.

Enjoy,

Russ