Oracle Out Practicing

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Allan12210

Allan12210

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Jan 22, 2008
1,702
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
My wife and I were heading towards Loch Lomond a few weekends ago when Oracle came cruising up on a practice run. We shot this video from a couple of phones. Funny how it takes three weeks to edit 3 minutes of video. It was pretty exciting to be this close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z06lHg3DZEs

Gary Jobson will be returning to our club (Oakland Yacht Club) this evening (9/13) at 5:30. Anyone can come. We have invited him to be an honorary member. He gave a talk last May that was really good and he is very personable.
 
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Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
That was close! Ask Garry whether he thinks that squat, traditional head sail that requires tending is causing them to be so bad at tacking to wind? The Kiwis are winning races with a self-tending jib (or no jib!).

We need a miracle or the cup is going to New Zealand!
 
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frankiedogs

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Aug 14, 2011
76
33 Hunter Cherubini Sardis, MS
That video really puts in perspective on how fast that boat really is. You really have to be on you A game to avoid a collision with one of those boats in the same area as you are.
 
Allan12210

Allan12210

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Jan 22, 2008
1,702
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
Gunni said:
That was close! Ask Garry whether he thinks that squat, traditional head sail that requires tending is causing them to be so bad at tacking to wind? The Kiwis are winning races with a self-tending jib (or no jib!).

We need a miracle or the cup is going to New Zealand!
Click to expand

Good question. I'll ask him. They sure are fast upwind.
 
rardiH36

rardiH36

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Jun 21, 2007
2,118
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
Very Good! Memories for your lifetimes. Thanks for sharing.

Seems that Team Oracle was using Alchemie as an improvised turning mark!

We had a similar experience two weekends ago when "Luna Rossa" went by our stern no more than 50 yards away. Even more vibrant than my visual recollection is the auditory memory. The thing made an unworldly noise. A combination of harmonics and vibration. Sort of what George Lucas' sound engineers would came up with to make the Light Saber's even more menacing.
 

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Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,695
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Allan12210 said:
Good question. I'll ask him. They sure are fast upwind.
Click to expand
It appears the problem isn't boat speed but tacking speed and efficacy along with a smidge of tactics. Ask him about hull shape affect on tacking speed too if you can.
 
rardiH36

rardiH36

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Jun 21, 2007
2,118
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
frankiedogs said:
That video really puts in perspective on how fast that boat really is. You really have to be on you A game to avoid a collision with one of those boats in the same area as you are.
Click to expand
Actually, when these things decide to come close, there is nothing a plodding monohull sailboat can really do other than just maintain course. Sort of like a steam roller has no chance getting out of the way of a motorcycle heading right for it. The AC72's and also last year's AC45's seem to get a kick out of heading right at a sailboat. And then only a short (but safe) distance away finally veer away.

Does raise the question: Say, on a port tack, a monohull sail boat is poking along into the wind at 4kts and 1kts SOG into the flood current. On a starboard tack, an AC72 doing 35kts and being up on its foils is hardly affected by the current at all mis-judges its ability to maneuver and makes contact with the sailboat. Who's at fault at the Coast Guard hearing?
 
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Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Don S/V ILLusion said:
It appears the problem isn't boat speed but tacking speed and efficacy along with a smidge of tactics. Ask him about hull shape affect on tacking speed too if you can.
Click to expand
Don: Actually I think it is a combination of both. They have typically been 3-5 knots slower but the Oracle (do we know the definition of oracle) does not know how to tack.

Def: "a person who delivers authoritative, wise, or highly regarded and influential pronouncements."
 
Allan12210

Allan12210

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Jan 22, 2008
1,702
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
Gary Jobson came to our yacht club last night and gave us his insights on the advantages NZL seems to have over the Oracle team. He felt their upwind advantage came from them being considerably more efficient at executing maneuvers due to:

- The self tacking jib
- The fact that the jib has a shorter foot and longer luff (high aspect)
- The trampoline goes right to the edge of the hull, so no time is lost getting in or out of the grinding stations
- The mainsail moves right across without needing the boat to heel on the opposite tack to assist it in crossing
- NZLs tactitian is not distracted with grinding and therefore not looking around for feedback to pass on to the helmsman
- The NZL boat can reach off a couple of degrees and pick up an additional 3 kts of speed before tacking. That with the additional buoyancy of the NZL forward section of the hulls allows them to maintain momentum through the tack better.

Then he said to watch for the greatest comeback of all time before laughing. And we all laughed.

There you have it, straight from the expert.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,352
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Alan, nice report, thanks so much.

Gee, who woulda thunk that a tactician should call tactics?!? :) Too much Oracle electronics/software multitasking? :doh:
 
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