I just watched the "replay" of the LV Cup Race #7 on TV, where the Kiwis beat the Italians to go up 6 - 1 in the series.
Gee, you'd think they could have figured out that it gets WINDIER as the day progresses.
The reason for this post is to simply point out the basic stupidity of the announcers when they talk about the "Cone of Alcatraz" during the early portions of the broadcast.
Aerial views show the course is SOUTH of Alcatraz. The wind generally comes from a basic W direction, mostly during these summer months even some SW.
So the "CONE" (which means its LEE) has to be EAST of the island, NOT south of it. Which, for those of us who sail here, it IS. One "hides" behind Alcatraz or uses the currents to ones advantage when actually racing in monohulls.
The effect of a current of one to two knots on boats doing 54 miles per hour on FOILS (gag me!) is negligible.
The BS spouted by the announcers is really disappointing. They got the currents wrong, they used the phrase "ebb TIDE" repeatedly (apologies to jazz musicians
) but eventually figured out that they should use the word current instead of tide.
But boy, are they lame.
The ONE guy who KNOWS what's happening on The Bay is Kimball Livingston. He "wrote the book" on The Bay, called, interestingly enough "Sailing The Bay" and I guess the only reason they didn't have him on camera enough is that they claimed he didn't smile enough, and/or he would have caught them out.
Given the BS they spout during the racing commentary, I don't blame him.
Our local baseball announcers, Kruik & Kuipe (Giants), and Korach & Catroneo (As), could do a LOT better, and they don't know squat about sailing.
Really lame announcing and displays. They have great graphics, but they keep doing "inside" shots of guys racing across trampolines when the MOST important graphic TO VIEWERS of the races should be the aerial view of the BOATS, not the helmeted crew, at the marks.
I had expected a much better presentation, given all the technology that Stan Honey has developed. Geez: meters ahead or behind when nautical miles would suffice but were never mentioned, and constant Knots vs MPH.
I sure hope they get better announcers and commentary for the AC in September.
Gee, you'd think they could have figured out that it gets WINDIER as the day progresses.
The reason for this post is to simply point out the basic stupidity of the announcers when they talk about the "Cone of Alcatraz" during the early portions of the broadcast.
Aerial views show the course is SOUTH of Alcatraz. The wind generally comes from a basic W direction, mostly during these summer months even some SW.
So the "CONE" (which means its LEE) has to be EAST of the island, NOT south of it. Which, for those of us who sail here, it IS. One "hides" behind Alcatraz or uses the currents to ones advantage when actually racing in monohulls.
The effect of a current of one to two knots on boats doing 54 miles per hour on FOILS (gag me!) is negligible.
The BS spouted by the announcers is really disappointing. They got the currents wrong, they used the phrase "ebb TIDE" repeatedly (apologies to jazz musicians
) but eventually figured out that they should use the word current instead of tide.But boy, are they lame.
The ONE guy who KNOWS what's happening on The Bay is Kimball Livingston. He "wrote the book" on The Bay, called, interestingly enough "Sailing The Bay" and I guess the only reason they didn't have him on camera enough is that they claimed he didn't smile enough, and/or he would have caught them out.
Given the BS they spout during the racing commentary, I don't blame him.
Our local baseball announcers, Kruik & Kuipe (Giants), and Korach & Catroneo (As), could do a LOT better, and they don't know squat about sailing.
Really lame announcing and displays. They have great graphics, but they keep doing "inside" shots of guys racing across trampolines when the MOST important graphic TO VIEWERS of the races should be the aerial view of the BOATS, not the helmeted crew, at the marks.
I had expected a much better presentation, given all the technology that Stan Honey has developed. Geez: meters ahead or behind when nautical miles would suffice but were never mentioned, and constant Knots vs MPH.
I sure hope they get better announcers and commentary for the AC in September.
