Cup Experience

Many America's Cup fans say this is their best source of information.

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More on Team USA’s daggerboard control system

In addition to the buttons on the wheel allowing Jimmy Spithill to control daggerboard rake, grinder Simeon Tienpont had controls. In his cockpit, pushbuttons on the sole (floor) and a control panel on the side allowed him to control daggerboard height, cant (angle side to side) and rake (angle fore and aft).

My article on the daggerboard control system has been featured in lots of places, from a Swedish sailing blog to TV3 in New Zealand. Watch the clip from TV3 here.

I’ve updated the labels on the photos in the article, to be more consistent describing the daggerboard box and the daggerboard cage.

Lots more details and marked up photos and diagrams here.

America's Cup Board Control Test Bed
America’s Cup Board Control Test Bed

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Please help! I need your pledge for my multimedia eBook

Only two weeks left to hit the pledge target on Kickstarter

If you have enjoyed my newsletters and the Cup Experience website, please make a pledge. You’ll be joining good company – two of the designers from one of the teams have made pledges.

Kickstarter is an “all or nothing” proposition: the project must reach its funding goal of $17,000 by December 20, or all pledges are cancelled and the project gets no money.

My multimedia eBook will have marked up videos and photos plus clear descriptions to help you enjoy the racing from the 2013 America’s Cup and to be a real expert for the next AC.

Please look at the short video about the project and visit the project page on Kickstarter. I hope you’ll make a pledge to help me publish the eBook.

Even a $1 “thank you” would be a help. And, you will see that there are cool rewards for higher pledge amounts.

Please forward the Kickstarter link to your friends. Tweet it and share it on Facebook, Google+ and other sites. Thanks!

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Video – Tacking faster – key to the Comeback

Team USA’s learned “to roll tack” during the America’s Cup Match

In the early races, Team USA was pushing a lot of water sideways in their tacks. And, they were about 4-5 knots slower than Team New Zealand in a tack. They learned to lift the leeward bow out of the water at the beginning of a tack, and “roll tack” onto the other hull. The first time they used the roll tack was in Race 8. With more pressure on them in the upwind leg, TNZ almost capsized. Watch this video to see Team USA’s improvement. 

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Ashby staying with New Zealand for next America’s Cup

Kiwis retain wing trimmer for 35th America’s Cup

 

Image: Gilles Martin-Raget Image: Gilles Martin-Raget

Wing trimmer Glenn Ashby announced his intention to stay with Team New Zealand for the 35th America’s Cup. Ashby was one of two Australian’s on board Team New Zealand’s AC72 in San Francisco. Speaking at the ISAF World Cup Melbourne, Ashby said that he was approached by Iain Murray, the new CEO of Team Australia, but only after he had re-committed to TNZ.

Image: catsailingnews.com Image: catsailingnews.com

A multihull specialist, Ashby has won 14 world championships in three classes, including seven in the A Class catamaran. He was the head coach for Oracle Racing’s successful 2010 challenge for the America’s Cup in the 90 foot trimaran with the 226 foot wing. When Team New Zealand guaranteed him a place on the boat for the 2013 America’s Cup, he made the move from Oracle to Team New Zealand. He was also deeply involved with the design process for Team New Zealand’s AC72.

With Team Australia as the challenger of record for the 35th America’s Cup, it was natural to assume that they would be talking to Ashby and his Australian teammate Adam Beashel, as well as the Australians on board Oracle Team USA: helmsman Jimmy Spithill, strategist Tom Slingsby and wing trimmer Kyle Langford. To date, Slingsby has announced his intention to stay with Oracle, and now Ashby is staying with Team New Zealand. No word yet on the other Aussies’ intentions.

 

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Five key moments in the America’s Cup racing

 

Here are five highlights from the America’s Cup Match. To me, the most important moments came in the first race, won by Team New Zealand, came in the very first race: We saw that the racing was close and the boats were evenly matched.

The score was not close until Team USA was well into their comeback.

Have a look at this short video. If you like it, have a look at my project to publish a multimedia eBook.