AC75 New Zealand

Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
2DB205CF-730F-4FF2-B968-4E4829C6BC9C.jpeg


There was a moment or two when the camera angle showed them closing on a marker where you could get a feel for how freaking fast they are !

I want one ! :)
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I watched the Live show. While it has good image of the course and the action on the, I prefer the replay when you can see the boats flying.


The grinders job are nothing like when racing the 12 meter boats. No sail changes. No crew on the rail. No tacking duels. Just speed.

I can appreciate the speed and technical effort used to achieve it. It is all so nuanced.

I enjoyed the sails being manually trimmed. The boats tacking duels. The crossings inches apart. The spinnaker runs. The boats being challenged by the water conditions.

There just is something missing in these new races.
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
I watched the Live show. While it has good image of the course and the action on the, I prefer the replay when you can see the boats flying.


The grinders job are nothing like when racing the 12 meter boats. No sail changes. No crew on the rail. No tacking duels. Just speed.

I can appreciate the speed and technical effort used to achieve it. It is all so nuanced.

I enjoyed the sails being manually trimmed. The boats tacking duels. The crossings inches apart. The spinnaker runs. The boats being challenged by the water conditions.

There just is something missing in these new races.
I enjoy the replay ability as it offsets the incredible speed during an “incident” :)

The sport of sailboat racing continues to evolve whether we like the “new” version or not. ;)

Certainly not unique to sailing. I could compare it to ice hockey, where straight bladed sticks evolved into the curved weapon of choice of Bobby Hull. I watch now and many of the players can “juggle” the puck on their sticks or bat it out of the air into the net. Today’s version is NOT the game I grew up playing:)

Some of the change is good as it is interesting to watch the trickle down from cup racing. That asym you are so happy with came from somewhere right? :)
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,993
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
That is a yes.

It is like watching Star Wars. The boats fly over the water. The waves and currents ignored. One mistake and it is like your out of the race. You have to guess at the fastest sail before you get on the boat because you have no time to set a new sail.

I guess it is why I still have a fascination about the old schooners that sailed.
 
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Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
That is a yes.

It is like watching Star Wars. The boats fly over the water. The waves and currents ignored. One mistake and it is like your out of the race. You have to guess at the fastest sail before you get on the boat because you have no time to set a new sail.

I guess it is why I still have a fascination about the old schooners that sailed.
Not that I have any real sailboat racing experience but in a “short” around the buoys race I assume you wouldn’t make many sail changes anyway so is it really much different? Windsurfing has always been like that, gear when I started would beat you to a pulp if overpowered, today’s gear just morphs and goes faster :) That all came from competitive racing


I also enjoyed watching the big boat racing that you reference as it resembles the gear most of us sail with.

I do think that foiling etc of the current era is here to stay though. I’m not sure all of us are up for doing 50k in 15k though ! ;)
 
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May 17, 2004
5,031
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
One mistake and it is like your out of the race.
I haven’t had a chance yet to watch this iteration, but this is one of the biggest complaints I had about the last cup. One bad tack falling off the foils and all the rest of the race and its tactics meant nothing.
When I try to watch the full day replays it tells me the videos are unavailable in my country :(. I guess I can only watch the highlight videos on YouTube.
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
I haven’t had a chance yet to watch this iteration, but this is one of the biggest complaints I had about the last cup. One bad tack falling off the foils and all the rest of the race and its tactics meant nothing.
When I try to watch the full day replays it tells me the videos are unavailable in my country :(. I guess I can only watch the highlight videos on YouTube.
Puzzled by your inability to “Relive”. This is screenshot of the URL that works for me here in Canada??
501D54B7-F8CC-40BB-AE7A-1A47ABFB9C40.jpeg


This is the actual link

For me the link presents a ~ 3hr video that has the prelude and all 4 races.

I’m not sure I agree with the one bad move kills all chance. For example in the first race yesterday the American boat blew a tack in the first leg and almost went over so NOT a quick recovery in today’s terms. The other boat had a massive distance lead but the USA boat pulled close enough to make it a race again. So any mistake based on 40k boat speed can look insurmountable BUT that speed can also close the gap quickly. :)
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
Sort of a gong show pre race yesterday as an altered course drove the need and to get all of the spectator boats out of the boundary area, some of the boats either didn’t like the idea or were just too dumb to realize that they should follow directions!

I’m wondering if this event will drive a change in the overall race format.
 

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
I have a friend who's serving as an umpire. He's there until March, getting paid to watch them. Nice gig.
AM Rangitoto.jpg
 
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Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
Not enough wind for yesterday’s racing. First race timed out and they cancelled the rest of the day.

Strange watching them struggle to finish the first race in displacement mode, “slogging” along at times at 10knots. Don’t know about anyone else but 10knots on my boat and I’m flying! ;)

Here they are on yesterday’s final downwind leg :)

9144F4FD-89B3-42AD-9E3D-F9817A7027C2.jpeg
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I watched the "Relive" day 1 just now here:
The highlights were good for my attention span. I have to say it was exciting. The boats look ungainly but the tacks were a lot less dramatic than I imagined. It is splashy when they come off the foils and in one shot almost comical. If someone were out of the cockpit it looks like they'd go overboard. No tethers that I saw. But tactics are back including a tacking duel, and a buoy room situation - which didn't work out for the Americans. The boats are a bit delicate. It's hard to imagine with all the money and preparation systems are failing. It's edgy technology and I guess you have to expect that. Racing was much better than the last rendition. I'll be watching more.
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
I have a friend who's serving as an umpire. He's there until March, getting paid to watch them. Nice gig. View attachment 188336
If he is one of the people in those relatively small vessels I hope he’s getting danger pay! :) Nice gig indeed.

I’ve watched Indy car races on TV and then had an opportunity in Vancouver to get up real close. NOT the same experience! ;) Jealous of your buddy.
 

PaulK

.
Dec 1, 2009
1,222
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
If he is one of the people in those relatively small vessels I hope he’s getting danger pay! :) Nice gig indeed.

I’ve watched Indy car races on TV and then had an opportunity in Vancouver to get up real close. NOT the same experience! ;) Jealous of your buddy.
They switch off between manning a communications booth and being on the water.