AC Wipe Out

[shemandr]

Just saw video of Team NZ planting the bows at the start of race 2 against Britain. The announcer called it a pitch - pole. I would say not really as the boat didn't flip end for end. Still a major wipe out. Strangely it seemed pretty orderly for what it was. Whatever the problem was it happened in an instant. That would worry me if I was on one of these boats. Oh, and all sailers are reported safe.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-...-before-start-amid-wild-conditions-in-bermuda

 

[thinwater]

If the mast will not sink, what did you expect? That's a pitchpole.

 

[Jackdaw]

Yea anytime you plant your bow its a pitchpole. Obviously usually of cats and tris, but you can pull it off on a mono-hull if you work at it. Here a Beneteau Figaro II does a faceplant while doing 20 knots.

Regarding the AC wipeout, every airplane pilot knows what happens if your elevators get stuck in the down position.....

 

[Jackdaw]

One other thing about wipeouts; round ups, round downs, faceplants.... after a while good crew gets used to them and knows what to expect. We occasionally round up while racing..... its a bit of heel followed by a lot of noise and spinnakers flapping. Not big deal, and the crew gets along with their jobs of making it better. But new people on the boat act the like world is about to end. On that video you can hear the french coach doing a 'yee-ha'. He knows its OK and will sort out. The kiwi did the same, but for sure the risks (speed and height) were higher. Thats dangerous stuff.

 

[Gunni]

Video. Scary out of control lift onto the foils. The boat came up fast and began to yaw immediately.

 

[Jackdaw]

Video. Scary out of control lift onto the foils. The boat came up fast and began to yaw immediately.

Actually its pitch.

All the control of the flying is on the trim tabs on the rudders. But they are small and easy to cavitate. Once the bow started down all the control surfaces in New Zealand could not have stopped that.

 

[JRacer]

Is that considered "Over Early" ;-)

 

[Gunni]

Watch the video carefully, they come up and rotate a good 20deg. (yaw), it looks like the correction dropped the bows (pitch).

 

[Jackdaw]

Watch the video carefully, they come up and rotate a good 20deg. (yaw), it looks like the correction dropped the bows (pitch).

I did... its fun to talk about sailboats in aeronautical terms! ;^)

After it got up, it yawed CCW, maybe a steering action as after you start foiling to can drive deeper... and then rolled CCW, maybe a heel in a puff that hit them. Then the big bow down. We'll have to wait for the final NTSB report! ;^)

 

[Jackdaw]

Is that considered "Over Early" ;-)

Maybe OFS (On Fish Side) ;^)

 

[Gunni]

Reminds me of taking off from the Virgin Gorda "airport" in a crosswind. When the wheels left the goat pasture the plane rotated 45 degrees and lifted like we were chained to a skyhook, me looking down and watching the run way disappear to starboard. My wife told me to quit screaming.

 

[RussC]

Regarding the AC wipeout, every airplane pilot knows what happens if your elevators get stuck in the down position.....

That would be an outside loop. the AC would have been fine if he just had more altitude.

 

[walt]

Another video where you can see a somewhat abrupt down wind turn just before the capsize

 

[Jackdaw]

Another video where you can see a somewhat abrupt down wind turn just before the capsize

For sure. They were 'hot' and overstood on the committee boat before they starting flying. As soon as they were 'up' that HAD to turn down to make the starting line. Then it got messy.

 

[Gunni]

And THAT is why they wear body armor in the Americas Cup.

 

[JRacer]

Goin' for the "Hook" ;-)

 

[LeslieTroyer]

I wonder if he lost lift on stb foil when crossing the Brits wake. If there was lots of air still in the wake the frothy water might not support the foil.

Les