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The Next America's Cup in Multihulls

Discussion in 'General Sailing Discussion' started by brian eiland, Jun 19, 2009.

  1. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    Its Official

    ...courtesy of Scuttlebutt Europe

    Valencia, Spain: The America's Cup, sailing's most iconic event, has been re-energized and rejuvenated, ready for 2013 and the future. Six months of dialogue with potential teams and stakeholders followed, resulting in the transformed competition details that were released today.

    Highlights include:

    - New, exciting class of boat, the AC72 wingsail catamaran
    - New annual World Series starting in 2011
    - New Youth America's Cup from 2012
    - Transformed media for television broadcast and online
    - Shorter, action-packed race format
    - Race delays minimized - new boat and venues with reliable wind
    - Independent race management and fully empowered International Jury to avoid show-stopping disputes
    - Effective cost-cutting measures
    - Branding freedom for teams
    - One global website for all team and racing content

    The annual America's Cup World Series has been designed to create exposure and commercial sustainability for teams and their sponsors. The series featuring the cutting- edge catamaran will deliver exciting racing to new audiences ahead of the America's Cup Match in 2013.

    The AC72 class will be raced from 2012, and a second new boat will be used in next year's competition for the America's Cup World Series. Also powered by a wingsail, the AC45 is a scaled down one-design version of the AC72, and will provide a fast-track for competitors in wingsail technology.

    "We believe this new format and new boat will put the America's Cup back at the pinnacle of our sport. These changes will give equal opportunity to competitors and long-term economic stability to all teams and all commercial partners. We promised fairness and innovation and this is what we've delivered," said Russell Coutts, CEO of BMW ORACLE Racing.

    The Regatta Director of the independent organization America's Cup Race Management, ACRM, will be appointed jointly by the Challenger and Defender board members. A financial model for the next Defender to maintain this vision of independent race management allows teams and partners to plan long-term involvement.

    Limits on the number of boats, sails, equipment and support boats, as well as the introduction of no-sail periods will bring significant cost savings for all competitors. Crew sizes will be reduced to 11 members from 17.

    For the first time onboard cameramen will be part of the innovative media model that is designed to significantly enhance the television broadcasts and internet content in an effort to grow audiences and bring added value to teams and partners.

    In releasing the Protocol, the Defender has forfeited some of the rights traditionally enjoyed by the holder of the trophy in the interest of making the competition more balanced and fair. Majority approval of the competitors is required to amend the Protocol.

    In an effort to develop the next generation of best sailors, the new AC45 will be used for the Youth America's Cup beginning in 2012, a new initiative to provide young sailors a pathway to the America's Cup.

    Attached Files:

  2. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    i think it's exciting news. the AC must be and has been at the leading edge of sailing technology; wings and multi are the leading edge. They scaled it back a bit from 90x90 and are putting together a "junior" series plus a replacement for the defunct LV series.

    the biggest complain you hear about sailing as a "show-sport" is that it is boring which is real funny when coming from people who can sit and watch men walking on a lawn pushing a little white ball with a stick :) i think the speed of the multihull will increase the excitment.

    as to "the Americans won't mind cause they already have a great stepping stone from the last boat.... Any newby will have to play catchup...." i dont' think that is accurate. If anything, teh europeans still should have a significant advantage considering that they have been designing and building large racing multis for 30 years.

    as to the venue, san francisco has put together an interesting proposal, good to see that they are seeing the opportunity teh Cup is.

    http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/objec...s/2010/09/03/ba-cup0904_gr_SFCG1283556532.jpg
  3. 84far

    84far Senior Member

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    Very disappointing to see Americas Cup (The pinnacle of sailing) become nothing but a parade of 2 boats bang a corner and that's it.

    The skill level I, and others had to obtain to archive what I/they wanted in Teams/Match/Fleet Racing in mono's, and now a large majority of that I and othere have to piss it away. Talk about a slap in the face.

    I'll move on to the Volvo 70's, and other forms of mono's.

    Far
  4. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    sorry to break the news to you but the AC has always been about TWO boats duking it out... it won't be about just one corner this time... the only reason the last Cup was a run up and down was because it was a DOG match... you bet the next one will have a shorter course and lot more action.
  5. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Wasn't AC32 in the ACC V5 boats just up & down as well? Sure they went up and down twice, but there were no reaching legs.
  6. 84far

    84far Senior Member

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    Pascal, Cat's are about boat speed, the amount they loose through a tack will mean they will opt to bang corners, even a small knock wont make them tack...
    There's no pre-starts cause they will get caught head to wind. Which will also mean they wont be able to do much during the race.

    Kevin, I'm pretty sure your right, they were windward - returns. But they didn't loose to much boat speed in the tacks, so lifts and knocks played a bigger role, as well as pre-starts, and general mark moves, lee bows etc.

    People, you have to remember match racing is like a game of Chess, and there changing it to Snap, I can't see why people aren't getting this....? :confused: :confused: :confused:

    Put a skiff sailor in a multi and there fine.... put a multi sailor in a skiff and he/she will put it straight in the piss. :eek:

    Far
  7. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    Match Racing considerations

    “If you had asked us a week or two or even a month after the 33rd America’s Cup, we would have been thinking monohull,” Coutts said. “My concern was for the match racing side of the game, but when we went out and tried it, I was convinced that multihulls would be just fine for match racing, and possibly even more interesting.” Strong consideration will be given to a short first leg, to bring the boats to the first mark close together. “That would mean that the boats would round nose-to-tail,” Coutts said, “so the race could be won downwind, which would be interesting from a competitive point of view, also from a spectator point of view. And if we end up in a high-wind area, a reaching leg would be worth considering because you’d see the boats at peak speed.

    “Approaching marks in a high performance multihull, you really have to sail the boat to its optimum. If you alter course even in a small way, you lose a lot. It is harder for a boat in front to defend a lead position. Upwind and downwind that will be a major change, and I think you will see more passing.” And where did those one-design 45-footers come from? “Our team did the design,” Coutts said. To complete the fleet, “We’re talking to various builders around the world. The first boat is due to be launched at the end of December, and we’ll invite teams to sail on the boat in New Zealand at some time in January . . . Strange as this sounds, I actually don’t know who is building the prototype.” The 45-footers will eventually morph into “junior boats” on the circuit, but I don’t think anybody will be moving directly from Optis. Let’s think of them instead, post-2012, as a traveling venue for the farm teams.


    http://sailmagazine.com/racing/multihulls_and_more_ac34/



    BMW Oracle Racing has a prototype one-design 45-foot catamaran under way now, the first of a fleet of boats intended to launch the new regime. These are starter boats, if you will, to be raced in three events in 2011, and you can bet your bippy that San Francisco Bay is a strong contender for one of those slots. The plan is for declared teams (“at least eight challengers” according to BOR CEO Russell Coutts) to race against each other in the 45-footers through March of 2012, while they are building their 72-foot America’s Cup contenders. Subsequent racing moves to the 72-footers, with seven regattas in 2012. And yes, there are potential candidates for a Defender elimination series.

    ...Coutts did rise up thru the committed monohull ranks
  8. Blair

    Blair New Member

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    Gobsmacked and somewhat sceptical that the CEO doesn't know who is actually building the prototype AC45 when it is due for launching in December! Note his reference to NZ for a trial in January 2011 of the new design so perhaps assume it is being built here but who knows. Many of the previous Oracle build team members were Kiwis but they are modern sailing/boatbuilder mercenaries and would work anywhere of course.

    Far from convinced that a base line of 40m euros makes entry very attractive in today's recessionary environment coupled, as it is, with a need to adapt to new technology and format as well. Gets tiring.
  9. 84far

    84far Senior Member

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    Who's leg is he trying to pull here... oh right general public who don't have a clue.

    Far
  10. 84far

    84far Senior Member

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    The thing is the A/C have got a person like Coutts saying this, everyone will listen to him no matter what he says, because of what he has achieved. It could be wrong what his saying, Coutt's probably even disagrees with the use of Cats (who knows), but there chucking a ton of money at him to get the gerenal public to buy the idea of Cats...

    Far
  11. Blair

    Blair New Member

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    Again I am sceptical. I doubt that the cat decision dates back as far as Russell Coutts implies - suggesting it was made a month or so out from the last cup. Mike Drummond who heads the design at Oracle was still waxing on about monohulls perhaps offering the best sailing test when he was back home last Christmas clearly implying that a decison had not been reached then.

    You would have to imagine that the prototype 45 would not be the latest and greatest from their design team if they are to allow others to trial it next January - some tricks would be kept back surely as Larry and the team are not going to easily let go any edge that could avoid risk of them losing the Cup - especially given their level of time and investment.

    My view is that series-based multi venue approach will sap some of the majic out of the personality loaded 'battle of the billionaires' tradition that somehow evoked a wider interest than the yacht racing itself or even the design. Rather than compelling viewing of a rather obscene expression of huge personal wealth being poured down the scuppers in a passionate attempt to win a particular silver cup, it does look as though it is now morphing into the marketing department's business development plan to make money. Not a lot of real majic for many (us poor people) in that objective!
  12. 84far

    84far Senior Member

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    Blair, I agree on your thoughts. It's also good to see NZ in the mix of things. It will look like another regatta where the best boat will win, which is a shame as well. Another problem will be any small hickup will mean the loss of the race.

    Does anybody know a lists of teams that are thinking about entering...?

    Far
  13. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    Russell Coutts & Paul Cayard

    If you looked back in history a little bit (2007) I think you would find another monohull sailor, Paul Cayard (lots of Volvo experience BTW) suggesting a world wide series of racing aboard multihulls:
    "Any sailor with their ear to the ground-or is the dock more accurate-over the past few years has heard the rumor that Russell Coutts and Paul Cayard are starting their own professional sailing circuit. Coutts, a famously tight-lipped individual, even confirmed a few rough details in an interview with Sailing World in October of 2005."

    http://www.sailingworld.com/article/Cayard-Interview-Trumpeting-the-World-Sailing-League
  14. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    Here are the builders:
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/rodney-times/4131802/Cup-battle-to-fill-Rodneys-sails

    Still likely less than a new development anything else.
  15. Blair

    Blair New Member

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    Thanks Brian - feel a bit embarassed myself as I knew about the facility that Oracle set up in Warkworth (some 60kms North of Auckland) some 3 years ago and to not have been aware that it was now back in production doing something quite newsworthy.

    Perhaps the greater embarrassment however is reserved for Sir Russell Coutts as the CEO of Oracle Racing who, according to the recent article you linked to, apparently didn't even know that their very own yard and staff he employs were building their own design prototype AC boat!

    Very poor corporate management surely. I reckon a prudent CEO should be a tad more aware as to the purpose of the cheques he signs don't you think? Larry E. should have a stern word with him.
  16. Blair

    Blair New Member

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    Just to note - according to the article in the Rodney Times (a community newspaper) that Brian Eiland cleverly sourced the choice of venues for the 34th AC is either San Fancisco or Rome? Also reported that the Oracle Racing boatyard in Warkworth is building 6 of the AC 45 junior versions, not just one prototype. The designer is said to be Tim Smyth who's also living locally apparently.

    Brian - you seem to be right on the button that the announced format and design dimensions are very consistent with the proposal that Cayard and Coutts promoted some years ago.

    Still say - where's the majic of the auld mug?
  17. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    America's Cup Newsletters - Reaction, Rule announced, etc

    I do understand where you are coming from...its a big change. We'll just have to wait and see how this grand experiment works out.

    Meanwhile here is an interesting set of articles related to the 'new age' of America's Cup:
    America's Cup Newsletters - Reaction, Rule announced, and Regatta Director named...
  18. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    Facebook Generation vs Flintstone Generation

    BMW-ORACLE have taken a big gamble on the future of the America's Cup at the expense of the current fanbase. Coutts was least convincing when he delivered a line that defined those who were in favor of more traditional match racing in monohulls as cavemen and dinosaurs.

    He said: "We are going after the Facebook generation, not the Flintstone generation."
    _____________________________________________________________________________

    ...interestingly just found these quotes...

    * From Gregory Scott, Kingston, ONT:
    It has long been established that to set yourself apart in politics, finding
    a 'wedge" can be a ticket to notoriety. Now notoriety comes in many forms.
    Starting a campaign with the words: "This will be a competition for the
    Facebook generation, not the Flintstone generation," as Russell Coutts said
    Monday, lacks a certain nation building quality. To insult the significant
    percentage of the remaining marketplace for sailing, that are still actually
    interested, seems to be foolhardy.

    Oh it will no doubt create notoriety, but if any of the myriad of articles
    noting the decline in sailing are in any way true - then this is the final
    nail. Having grown up in business around marinas and yacht clubs, the
    Facebook Generation isn't paying the bills. The slips are full of
    Flinstoners and they aren't coming to Russell's party.

    Curmudgeon's Comment: Interestingly, most of the comments on the
    Scuttlebutt Facebook page have not been in support of the catamaran vision.
    So much for slogans.

    CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION
    "There are no gains without pains." - Benjamin Franklin, politician,
    inventor
  19. brian eiland

    brian eiland Senior Member

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    WOW, great CNN presentation on C-class wing sailed cats

    Scuttlebutt: Video of the Week !! (3 great videos)

    (September 17, 2010) Olympic medalist Shirley Robertson hosts the CNN MainSail show as the program visited the 2010 International C Class Catamaran Championship, affectionately known as the Little America's Cup. Six teams competed in Newport, RI on August 22-28, with Canadians Fred Eaton and Magnus Clarke defending the title they first won in 2007.

    Robertson spent time sailing the boats and at the New York Yacht Club. There, she met with the designers and the sailors who have created these sailing speed machines for decades. With the recent announcement of the multihull and wing combination for the 34th America's Cup, the show provides an insightful look at what may lay ahead for the 2013 Match.

    http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/media/10/0917/
  20. 84far

    84far Senior Member

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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLfekPLvUvE

    The cup should be in bigger versions of TP52!

    I have also lost all respect for coutts, that guy is now a clown in my books... and I am the Facebook generation, and when I have kids (hopefully thats a few years away ;) ), I'm going to put them in boats where you can learn proper boat handling skills... a monohull.

    Can someone send me a txt when there back in mono's :D

    Far