Blog Page – Page 69

October 14, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Royal Support for Ben Ainslie Racing’s America’s Cup Challenge

her-royal-highness-catherinef — HER ROYAL HIGHNESS CATHERINE, DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE AT LAUNCH OF BRITISH CHALLENGE IN JUNE 2014.

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has become the Royal Patron of The 1851 Trust, a new sailing charity connected to Britain’s bid to win the America’s Cup in 2017. The 1851 Trust is the charitable arm of the British challenge and will work with under-25s to encourage them to get involved in sailing and maritime industries.

The duchess said: “I am delighted to be Royal Patron of The 1851 Trust. I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed sailing from a young age and I know it is a great way of providing young people with the opportunity to develop skills and confidence. It is a hugely exciting time for sailing as the British challenger bids to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain. I am looking forward to being part of this journey and I hope that through the 1851 Trust we can engage and inspire a new generation into sailing along the way.”

The Duchess sailed with Emirates Team New Zealand last April, on a visit to Auckland with her husband, Prince William.

September 22, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Bart’s Bash sets World Record

America's Cup Bart's Bash

Four year old Freddie Simpson racing in Bart’s Bash with his late father’s Olympic teammate Iain Percy. Make your donation to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation on Freddie’s page, here.

Congratulations, if you raced in Bart’s Bash yesterday (21 September 2014) to help set the world record for most participants in a regatta. If you didn’t race, you can still make a donation, here.

Thousands of people from around the world took part yesterday in Bart’s Bash, a sailing race that looks set to smash the Guinness World Record for the Largest Sailing Race (24 hours). Set up to remember Olympic gold medallist Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson and to inspire the next generation of sailors, Bart’s Bash attracted over 18,000 participants of all ages and abilities, taking part at more than 700 sailing clubs in 68 different countries.

The Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre, in Weymouth, UK, was buzzing with over 200 sailors taking part. Foundation Trustee Iain Percy, who won a gold and silver medal with Bart at the last two Olympic Games in Beijing and London, today sailed with the older of Andrew’s two sons, four-year-old Freddie. He said: “It has been an incredible day. It has never happened in any other sports that so many people have come together to remember one person; it’s very special. And it was special for Freddie and I to sail together here on these waters, for the first time after the Olympics. Today is a celebration of Bart but most importantly a celebration of our sport. It’s been such a success; many people today were inspired to sail for the first time. It has been a great fun race, and that’s why it will last into the future.”

Follow the results, organized by lady helms, rookies, Olympians, light- medium- and heavy-wind… Results.

September 22, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Foiling AC45’s in AC World Series

“Development AC45’s” and “Racing AC45’s”

Luna Rossa has modified both of their AC45’s and is testing them at their base in Cagliari, Sardinia. But these boats will not race in the America’s Cup World Series. Read on, to learn why not.

“Racing” AC45’s – one design

ACEA announced last week that all six America’s Cup teams have agreed to a project to modify the AC45 catamarans for foiling in the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS). When will racing in foilers begin? Will the foiling AC45’s be one design? What wind speed will be needed to foil an AC45? Will the Youth America’s Cup be raced in foiling AC45’s?

Three teams, Luna Rossa, Artemis Racing and Oracle Team USA have already modified AC45’s for foiling. Ben Ainslie Racing will launch their modified AC45 within a few weeks. Each team has made the modifications differently. The trick for the America’s Cup World Series is to keep the AC45 a one design class and avoid an arms race in AC45 development. This means they will have the same shape daggerboards, rudder wings and rake control systems. The AC 45 Class Rule needs to be changed and the boats used for racing must all be modified by the builder, Core Composites. At least six AC45’s – one for each competitor – will need to be modified for racing. The question is when – before any racing begins, or part way through the series?

“Development” AC45’s – anything goes!

The Protocol strictly limits the number of daggerboards and wings a team can build for their AC62, but allows an unlimited number of daggerboards and wings on their development AC45’s. In fact, as long as the lower part of the hulls is the same shape as an AC45, they can build anything they want to test – a boat with wider beam, aerodynamic crossbeams, hydraulics, electronics, cockpits and grinding stations, daggerboard and rudder rake controls, you name it. Click any of the photos for more info some close-ups of AC45 daggerboard cages.

While developing their AC72, Oracle Team USA modified two AC45’s for foiling and tested hydraulic wing control systems.

Artemis Racing modified an AC45 for foiling in Spring 2013. Notice the straight daggerboards with angled winglets.

Luna Rossa has been testing curved daggerboards with straight winglets. For America’s Cup World Series racing, wind instruments would not be permitted under the current AC45 Class Rule.

September 19, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Tricky Questions about Foiling AC45’s in the America’s Cup World Series

2017 America's Cup - Luna Rossa has modified two AC45s for testing — Luna Rossa has modified two AC45s for testing

A few questions

ACEA announced this week that all six America’s Cup teams have agreed to a project to modify the AC45 catamarans for foiling in the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS). When will racing in foilers begin? Will the foiling AC45’s be one design? What wind speed will be needed to foil an AC45? Will the Youth America’s Cup be raced in foiling AC45’s?

Not news: foiling AC45’s in America’s Cup World Series

The Protocol already provided for the possibility of changing the AC45 Class Rule and moving to foiling in 2016. At the 9 September press conference Luna Rossa skipper Max Sirena expressed his wish to move to foiling for all AC World Series racing. Three teams, Luna Rossa, Artemis Racing and Oracle Team USA have already modified AC45’s for foiling. Each team has made the modifications differently. The trick is to keep the AC45 a one design class and avoid an arms race in AC45 development. This means the AC 45 Class Rule needs to be changed and the boats used for racing must all be modified by the builder, Core Composites. At least six AC45’s – one for each competitor – will need to be modified by Core Composites. The question is when – before any racing begins, or part way through the series?

News: agreement to continue the ACWS in 2018

The big news this week was getting all six teams to agree to continue the America’s Cup World Series in foiling AC45’s in 2018, regardless of who wins the America’s Cup. Read more.

AC45’s for racing and AC45’s for development

America’s Cup World Series racing will take place in one design AC45’s, with standard hulls, crossbeams, daggerboards, rudders, rigging and wings. Just as the AC45 already has a standard wing extension for light air, perhaps we will see two different daggerboard shapes – one for foiling conditions and another for displacement mode in light air, or for the Youth America’s Cup. Each team will need at least one “class legal” AC45 for racing and for their youth team.

For development, the teams will continue modifying other AC45’s to test ideas for their AC62. Until the AC62’s are launched around September 2016, we may see a lot of interesting AC45 development, as these photos show.

OTUSA's Experimental AC45e in 2012 with wing control system in bulge — OTUSA’s Experimental AC45e in 2012 with wing control system in bulge

Keeping costs down??

The Protocol strictly limits the number of daggerboards and wings a team can build for their AC62, but allows an unlimited number of daggerboards and wings on their development AC45’s. In fact, as long as the lower part of the hulls is the same shape as an AC45, they can build anything they want to test – a boat with wider beam, aerodynamic crossbeams, cockpits and grinding stations, daggerboard and rudder rake controls, you name it.

Luna Rossa has modified two AC45s for testing — WE CAN SEE LUNA ROSSA’S DAGGERBOARDS AND WIND INSTRUMENTS. WHAT HAVE THEY ADDED THAT WE CAN’T SEE?

Different boards for foiling and for displacement mode?

You can be sure all the teams will test a number of daggerboard shapes. Depending on which venue is chosen for the America’s Cup Match, teams may need different sets of daggerboards for their AC62 – one set for foiling in moderate to strong wind and another, lower drag set, for displacement mode in light air. Remember how time ran out on Emirates Team New Zealand in Race 13 last September? The wind was at times barely strong enough to fly a hull, let alone foil. Might they have finished within the time limit if they had used lower drag, non-foiling boards?

IN 2013 ARTEMIS SHOWED STABLE FOILING USING STRAIGHT DAGGERBOARDS WITH ANGLED WINGLETS.

We’ll probably see daggerboards optimized for stable foiling on the one design AC45’s. But the teams will test a wide range of shapes on their development AC45’s.

If you like the details, keep reading…

The current AC45 Class Rule does not allow wind instrumentation, navigation electronics, hydraulic controls or anything else not on a standard AC45.

THE CURRENT AC45 CLASS RULE ONLY ALLOWS THE DAGGERBOARDS TO MOVE UP AND DOWN. THIS CLOSEUP SHOWS THE STANDARD DAGGERBOARD HOUSING. NOTE, TOO, THE LOCATION OF THE FITTING FOR THE LIFTING POLE.

America's Cup 2013 - Oracle's experimental AC45 daggerboard cage with rake and cant controls — America’s Cup 2013 – Oracle’s experimental AC45 daggerboard cage with rake and cant controls

Photos and more info about AC45 test boats and surrogates here.

Jack Griffin - Cup Experience Editor — Jack Griffin – Cup Experience Editor

Questions? Ask Jack

Send me your questions here or with an email to askjack@dev.cupexperience.com

September 18, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Harvey Schiller’s First Points on the America’s Cup Scoreboard

commercial-commissioner-harvey-schiller — COMMERCIAL COMMISSIONER HARVEY SCHILLER AT THE LONDON PRESS CONFERENCE, 9 SEPTEMBER 2013

Less than two weeks after being named Commercial Commissioner for the America’s Cup, Harvey Schiller announced that all six teams have committed to continue to race foiling AC45s on the America’s Cup World Series circuit in 2018, following the conclusion of the 35th America’s Cup in 2017.

“I’m pleased all of the competitors have agreed on a way forward, beyond the current America’s Cup cycle,” said Harvey Schiller, the Commercial Commissioner for the 35th America’s Cup.

“To have the teams give certainty to all stakeholders as to what will happen following the racing in 2017, regardless of who wins, is a huge step forward for all involved.”

This will finally give some degree of continuity from the current America’s Cup cycle to the next. If the teams have agreed to continuing the America’s Cup World Series in foiling AC45’s it implies that all teams will agree to race the 2021 (?) America’s Cup in foiling wing sail catamarans. Whether the agreement holds or not remains to be seen, but at least we now have a glimmer of the continuity that has been hoped for in the past.