Plan B Forum

I mean "our cup" flippeth over.:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KNql99zT6s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-FlN97Y ... re=related

The designs are just staggering. The number that first got my attention after the mast height on the AC72 is that the AC45 only weighs 3,000 lbs! with the power that sail generates it is like sailing a leaf in a hurricane!

Approximate Dimensions…….. AC72 ……..……..……..……..…….. AC45

Length Over All …….. …….. ……..72 ft …….. ……..…….. 44.13 ft ……..
Beam …….. …….. …….. ……..  46 ft …….. …….. ……..22.6 ft ……..
Draft …….. …….. …….. ……..  14 ft 5 in …….. …….. ……..
Mast Height …….. …….. …….. 131 ft 7 in …….. …….. 70 ft 6 in AC45 See Note 1
Displacement …….. ……..  12,555 -  13,007 lbs …….. 3086 lbs
Sail area …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. …….. ……..
Wing only …….. …….. ……..  2744 -  2798 sq ft …….. 915 sq ft AC45 See Note 1
Gennaker …….. …….. …….. ……..  3444 sq ft+ …….. …….. 515 sq ft AC72 Estimated
Main & Gennaker …….. ……..  6242 sq ft+ …….. …….. 1430 sq ft AC72 Estimated


yrs,
rubato

When the fly along at up to 44 knots they are going to flip. The crew wear crash helmets.

No, this is not our father's America's Cup (and I rather miss the old style 12 meter yachts, and racing in Newport).

The 12-meter boats practiced here in Monterey Bay for two of the cups. Very graceful boats. Not very fast, by comparison, but elegant.

yrs,
rubato

Sailing is about elegance and seamanship, not pure speed. Leave that to the cigarette boats.

These days I'm more interested in the Volvo Ocean race than the Cup.

The switch to catamarans was a travesty. I wish they would all sink (with no loss of life, of course).

I've sailed catamarans. A little tricky but much faster than my sunfish.