Oracle Team USA – Page 26

October 23, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Team France Reacts to Airbus Partnering with Oracle Team USA

airbus-ceo-fabrice-brégier — AIRBUS CEO FABRICE BRÉGIER IN HIS OTUSA JACKET AT THE NYC PRESS CONFERENCE

In July, French sailor and “Voiles et Voiliers” blogger Loïc LeBras reported that Franck Cammas’s America’s Cup challenger, Team France, was in advanced negotiations with with a major European aerospace company. Although I and many others assumed it was Airbus, apparently it was another company, since four months later, the French-headquartered aerospace company announced that they have partnered with Oracle Team USA.

Team France issued this statement:

“The partnership between Oracle Team USA and Airbus shows how French skills and know-how in composites and more generally in high technology are at the forefront. This only reinforces our belief in the ability of a French team to win at last the most important sailing event in the world.”

A strong French challenger would bring much excitement to the 35th America’s Cup. Let’s hope that Team France finds the sponsors they need!

October 23, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Airbus in America’s Cup with Oracle Team USA

airbus-ceo-fabrice-receives-a-team-jacket — AIRBUS CEO FABRICE RECEIVES A TEAM JACKET FROM OTUSA SKIPPER JIMMY SPITHILL AT NYC PRESS EVENT.

Oracle Team USA and Airbus have announced a technology partnership for the 35th America’s Cup. Team France reacted gracefully to what must have been a disappointment to them.

As Official Innovation Partner of ORACLE TEAM USA for the 35th America’s Cup, AIRBUS will share the know-how of its engineers and experts in fields such as aerodynamics, instrumentation and simulation, composites, structures, hydraulics and data analysis to work with the ORACLE TEAM USA design team.

Watch the video of the announcement:

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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

August 10, 2014 By Jack Griffin

Updates on the teams

America's Cup Luna Rossa's AC45 converted for foiling, in Cagliari — America’s Cup Luna Rossa’s AC45 converted for foiling, in Cagliari

Italy’s Luna Rossa will hold an open house at their base in Cagliari on 28 August. Their online offer of 1,000 invitations for the public was totally booked in under an hour. We may see them announce their challenge at this event. This will be the fifth America’s Cup challenge for the team’s billionaire backer Patrizio Bertelli, CEO of the Prada fashion house and husband of Miuccia Prada. The rumor mill says that Luna Rossa will be the new Challenger of Record.

Luna Rossa won the Austria Cup in June in foiling GC32 catamarans, with Chris Draper (GBR) helming and Francesco Bruni (ITA) as tactician. Paul Campbell-James (GBR), who moved from Luna Rossa to Ben Ainslie Racing, took second. Third place went to Oracle Team USA strategist Tom Slingsby (USA/AUS) sailing with OTUSA trimmer Kyle Langford (AUS).

Keen sailor Kate Middleton, or more formally, Her Royal Highness Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, sailed against her husband Prince William on Emirates Team New Zealand’s older AC monohulls. The Duchess won.

Emirates Team New Zealand has already issued a press release about their challenge and will hold a briefing at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on 13 August. Funding for the teams comes from private backers, the New Zealand government and sponsors. “Emirates” is still in the team name, so apparently the airline continues as title sponsor. Team boss Grant Dalton (NZL) has said they have never been in such good shape with sponsors and that their design team is developing plans for their AC62.

ETNZ’s wing trimmer Glenn Ashby (AUS) won the 2014 A Class catamaran world championship with a foiling boat.

The Duchess of Cambridge showed her support for Sir Ben Ainslie’s British challenge, attending their launch event at the Royal Museums at Greenwich.

Ben Ainslie Racing began with strong private backing and is looking for commercial sponsors. They’ve begun construction of a striking team headquarters in Portsmouth with £7.5 in UK government funding. They have recruited talented team of designers and sailors with deep America’s Cup experience.

Potential sponsors are likely to be attracted by the team’s high public profile: Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR) announced the government funding for their team base in Portsmouth at a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron at 10 Downing Street.

America's Cup Artemis Racing's foiling AC45 training in San Francisco in April. — America’s Cup Artemis Racing’s foiling AC45 training in San Francisco in April.

Artemis Racing of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club has recruited a strong team of designers, builders and top sailors. Skipper and team manager Iain Percy (GBR) has said several times that he and team founder Torbjörn Törnqvist (SWE) “are very serious about dominating” the America’s Cup for the next 10 years. Their ambition and confidence are supported by their recruiting: Adam May (GBR) leads the design team. Loïck Peyron (FRA) plays multiple roles with both the sailing and design team. 49er gold medalists Nathan Outteridge (AUS) and Iain “Goobs” Jensen (AUS) also return to the team as helmsman and wing trimmer respectively. Christian Kamp (SWE) joiined the team in Spring and 2012 Star boat gold medalist Freddie Loof (SWE) has trained with the team.

Artemis Racing’s Nathan Outteridge won his second world championship in the foiling Moth in July.

America's Cup Franck Cammas (right) announced Team France in December, with Michel Desjoyeaux (left) and Olivier de Kersauson (center) — America’s Cup Franck Cammas (right) announced Team France in December, with Michel Desjoyeaux (left) and Olivier de Kersauson (center)

Team France announced their challenge in December 2013. Team leader Franck Cammas has won the Volvo Ocean Race and Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation. In 2013 he won C-Class catamaran world championship with a fully foiling boat. The team has not announced any recruits other than a marketing agency. They will depend on commercial sponsorship.

Franck Cammas won the 2014 C Class catamaran world championship in a fully foiling design. He is also preparing for the 2016 Olympics, in the Nacra catamaran, a mixed event, sailing with Sophie de Turckheim

Oracle Team USA strategist Tom Slingsby and wing trimmer Kyle Langford came in third in the Austria Cup in foiling GC32’s. Luna Rossa won the event.

Oracle Team USA has been training in their AC45s and also in Moths, to build foiling skills. Their “Foiling Camp” in Moths put smiles on many faces and provided some good natured banter when the intra-squad racing began.

Video: OTUSA Foiling Camp in Moths

Nathan Outteridge (Artemis Racing) and Chris Draper (Luna Rossa)