Blog Page – Page 108

November 9, 2012 By Jack Griffin

Google gets… Healthy Ocean Project. Streetview goes underwater

Google has now taken Streetview underwater:

We’ve added the very first underwater panoramic images to Google Maps, the next step in our quest to provide people with the most comprehensive, accurate and usable map of the world. With these vibrant and stunning photos you don’t have to be a scuba diver—or even know how to swim—to explore and experience six of the ocean’s most incredible living coral reefs. Now, anyone can become the next virtual Jacques Cousteau and dive with sea turtles, fish and manta rays in Australia, the Philippines and Hawaii.

This is really cool. Have a look, here.

Google Streetview underwater

Google Streetview now lets us explore the Great Barrier Reef, Hawaii and the Philippines.

This is not Google’s first contribution to ocean awareness… When Sylvia Earle met the head of Google Earth, she said, “Great, but what are you going to do about the other 70% of the planet?” You can see how they met her challenge here:

October 18, 2012 By Jack Griffin

Update: Oracle capsizes America’s Cup boat

In the Oct 17, 2012 CupExperience newsletter I reported on Oracle’s capsize, which destroyed the wing of their AC72 catamaran. The strongest ebb tide of the year – around 5.5 knots – carried the capsized America’s Cup boat under the Golden Gate bridge and about 2 miles beyond. The wing broke up and the boat was towed back to Pier 80 upside down. No one was seriously hurt.
Thanks to www.pressure-drop.us for the great sequence of photos in this post.

More good photos on the Oracle Racing media page, here. And a good video from TV New Zealand here.

AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

AC72 capsize sequence: bearing away – the bows start to dig in AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

AC72 capsize – the bows dig in more… AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

AC72 capsize – Lots of spray, the bows well dug in, not much rudder left in the water AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

AC72 capsize – Both rudders out of the water – no more steering AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

AC72 capsize – Rudders fully out of the water AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

Oracle Team USA AC72 – the capsize happened relatively slowly AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

Oracle Team USA’s AC72 – the capsize happened relatively slowly AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

The crew of Oracle Team USA’s AC72… just holding on now AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

Nothing to do but hang on to Oracle Team USA’s AC72 AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

Tenders attaching lines, hoping to right Oracle Team USA’s AC72 AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

Oracle Team USA’s AC72 passing under the Golden Gate Bridge in 5 knots of ebb tide! AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

Oracle Team USA trying desperately to right their AC72. AC72 catamaran Oracle Team USA 17 Capsize

The mast has broken off Oracle Team USA’s AC72

October 16, 2012 By Jack Griffin

Leaderboard – America’s Cup World Series 2012-13

Standings after two events, both in San Francisco, in Aug 2012 and Oct 2012:

2012-13 America’s Cup World Series Match Racing Championship
1. Oracle Team USA Spithill – 19 points
2. Emirates Team New Zealand – 16
3. Artemis Racing – White – 16
4. Oracle Team USA Coutts – 16
5. Energy Team – 11
6. Artemis Racing – Red – 8
7. J.P. Morgan BAR – 7
8. Luna Rossa Piranha – 6
9. Team Korea – 5
10. Luna Rossa Swordfish – 5
11. China Team – 3

2012-13 America’s Cup World Series Season Championship
Team (Skipper) SF1-SF2 – Total
1. Oracle Team USA Spithill (Jimmy Spithill) 86-79 – 165 points
2. Luna Rossa Piranha (Chris Draper) 85-36 – 121
3. Artemis Racing – White (Terry Hutchinson) 48-72 – 120
4. J.P. Morgan BAR (Ben Ainslie) 37-79 – 116
5. Team Korea (Peter Burling) 65-40 – 105
6. Energy Team (Loïck Peyron) 55-47 – 102
7. Emirates Team New Zealand (Dean Barker) 43-57 – 100
8. Oracle Team USA Coutts (Russell Coutts) 42-56 – 98
9. Artemis Racing – Red (Nathan Outteridge) 38-52 – 90
10. Luna Rossa Swordfish (Iker Martinez) 51-20 – 71
11. China Team (Phil Robertson) 15-28 – 43

(Scoring is based on points accumulated at event fleet racing championships.)

October 15, 2012 By Jack Griffin

Oracle AC72 catamaran testing – Oct 2012

USA17-1 foiling on SF Bay Day4, 1Oct’12

USA 17-1 foiling in Oct’12. Note the L shaped daggerboard and T shaped rudder on the windward hull.

The design battle rages. Oracle Racing has been foiling on their first AC72 catamaran, USA 17-1. Notice the “pod” below the wing. In theory, it acts as a wing extension and gives more power. In theory, because it needs to be closer to the water to be fully effective and the boat is heeling quite a bit here.

This AC72 catamaran has over 2,000 sensors, each being sampled 10 times per second. That generates about 1 GB of data for the performance team to analyze each day. In addition, they generate about 100 GB per day of video to analyze.

According to Ian “Fresh” Burns, foiling gives about 10% higher speed. But foiling makes the boat harder to sail, and on the tight race course in San Francisco, it might be more important to make boat handling and maneuvers simpler.

I’ll be curious to see how Artemis is set up when they launch their AC72 catamaran in San Francisco later this month! Will they be foiling or floating?

October 11, 2012 By Jack Griffin

Extreme 40 catamaran on San Francisco Bay

640w Extreme40 SF

Extreme 40 catamaran on San Francisco Bay during the America’s Cup World Series This is clearly one of the best “Cup Experiences” – a ride on an Extreme 40 catamaran. San Francisco startup Smart Recruiters found an exciting way to promote their business and have fun. We hit 21 knots with a reef in the main and the gennaker up. Not bad! And good for big smiles all around.

SmartRecruiters leverages cloud technologies to help enterprises post jobs, manage candidates and make the right hire. The mission of SmartRecruiters is to reduce unemployment by removing friction in the labor market. Its 20,000+ customers have created over 100,000 jobs. Founded in 2010, SmartRecruiters is backed by Mayfield Fund and is based in San Francisco, CA.