Americas Cup and simpler days

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

I have not followed Americas Cup for a long time. Then I looked at some of those sailboats and thought "what the heck are those things".
Does anyone else but me think we should go back to having a race without so much technology where sailors actually use there sailing skills instead of using computers and sailboats that belong in space?
IMHO....I would love to see simpler sailboats sailed by sailors who can use there sailing skills and who actually are citizens of the country where the sailboat was built.
I also do not see the average citizen as interested in Americas Cup as before...and again I think it has to do with what I mentioned above.


Best,

Abe

Amen! It has become a race of technology not sailing.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

I have not followed Americas Cup for a long time. Then I looked at some of those sailboats and thought "what the heck are those things".
Does anyone else but me think we should go back to having a race without so much technology where sailors actually use there sailing skills instead of using computers and sailboats that belong in space?
IMHO....I would love to see simpler sailboats sailed by sailors who can use there sailing skills and who actually are citizens of the country where the sailboat was built.
I also do not see the average citizen as interested in Americas Cup as before...and again I think it has to do with what I mentioned above.


Best,

Abe

Clearly yer not a racer!
I'm a pretty nostalgic guy too though so I'd enjoy sailing on one of the older boats, but since they are not the height of technology, probably won't get too many spectators... or sponsors. We used to have plastic classic races around here that I'd love to get in on, but Covid has squashed that, and it has a very limited appeal.. and everyone knows I'll win anyway.

[Mickeyrouse]

I doubt that we could go back to the “good old days.” But I grew up when America’s Cup meant “ twelve meters.” The boats were beautiful, the contestants were”gentlemanly”, they were crewed and skippered by amateurs, and the contestants used local designs, crews, and construction. Everyone got together for the first time just a few weeks before the race. Local sailors were sailing boats that were not that different from the contestants, and could relate. These days, I feel like I have almost nothing in common with Cup boats or crews. What we now have is “progress”.....I guess.

[Cadence]

I'd almost bet todays Cup is of greater interest to non sailors than sailors.

[anchorbend]

Ahh! The good old days, no furler, no self tailing winches, no refrigeration, no GPS, No double braid rope, no auto pilot, no electronic knot and depth meters, poor sail material etc..

It was fun when I was in my teens but I happily admit that I really appreciate and utilize all of the above.

I think the new AC boats are fun to watch. Today's boats are marvels and the stadium seating is great for observing.

[Orion Jim]

I sailed down to Bermuda in 2017 to see the 35th America’s Cup. It was interesting but nothing which equaled the excitement which I felt when I sailed to Newport to watch the Cup events back in 1974, 77, 80, and 83. Rubbing shoulders with the crews at the Black Pearl and shaking Ted Turner’s hand were highlights for me.
In fact the highlight of the 2017 event for me was seeing the J Boats which held a race (in the lightest of conditions) outside St.George’s Harbor. Now those big racers will take your breath away.

[gonesail]

actually I find the whole thing with billion dollar go fast boats boring. very boring. To me these fragile things owned by ultra rich corporations are not boats anymore. They may as well be space shuttles. Much more appealing to non boaters than sailors. just one man's narrow opinion

[jen1722terry]

I guess I'm a bit of a dinosaur. I liked the old cup races. I also grew up with Stars, E scows, cat boats and even raced sneak boxes (a Jersey gunning boat).

The A-Cup events seem more like drag racing to me. To each his own.

Cheers!

[Cheechako]

I think the modern boats are cool... BUT, I think it should be a different named event and different race personally. America's Cup should be the ultimate mono race. It IS a tech race and has been, but it's not really sailboats or tech that is THAT much useful except for millionaires..
Otherwise, why not just go with airplanes or drones next time? Skip the whole water contact? None of this modern stuff is rugged anyway. Maybe a drone race with everyone in the world as qualifiers?

[250224]

The problem is in almost every sport: faster, higher, better has limits and now everything is optimized to death: cycling, football, formula 1... Something where white clothed gentlemen meet some weeks before to form a team won't fly

If you want simpler, museum-like or more accessible there are J-class races (in St. Barth I think), there's the Clipper around the world, ARC, Silver Rudder etc. Plenty of options.

But America's Cup imho is not about that, it's more, mmh, kinky (?) and must be at the forefront of what is technologically possible. Of course this involves (much) money, but it trickles down to research, engineers, athletes, builders, journalists.

Bertelli said it well, the winner can decide. And this unpredictable element is another thing that makes the AC interesting (in the long term).

[Cheechako]

Next America's Cup; Rule: Must touch the water once every minute!

[Bourne Free]

Americas cup is the Formula 1 of sailing, it is indeed all about the best and latest technology. As an engineer I enjoy that, it takes the best Team to win (designers, sailors, financial backers, etc).
I have always said "the richest boat wins" a race no matter what the race. If it is a one design shark 22, the guy with the newest sails best bottom prep and best trained crew typically wins.
Americans cup is exciting racing as is Van Deglobe (which is also about Money).

[ArlyB]

I agree with sailingabe's central point. As a long-time sailor and racing fan, I find the age of foiling boats interesting in the same way that I find LMP racing cars interesting. The tech knowledge gained from building such imaginative cars/vessels expands the general knowledge base significantly, but such cars/vessels also tend toward the :hot house flower" category of design. In car racing, the GT categories are far more popular than the prototypes because they are clearly derived from actual production cars. The day that I see a foiling boat sailing to Catalina Island or the Channel Islands, I may change my mind. Given the massive interest in the recent 12 Meter Cup in Newport, I suspect the sailing public interest is still there. As a cruising sailor, I love to watch the Santana 20's, Etchells, Thistles, even C-22s duel around a buoy course and even more so on a long course. Although watching the current AC boats is more enjoyable than the previous foiling cats, IMHO there is too much emphasis on design and too little on the sailing skill of skipper and crew.

[jmschmidt]

I'm with you on that. I am entranced by these foiling craft and the men who sail them but referring to the America's Cup today as a "yacht race" is a non-starter with me.

A yacht is a vessel that I can sleep in, eat in, and crap in.

[rickpyne]

Jim Cate
I have not been able to watch the A.C. live and find very little news of it in Aust.TV..
another event with all news controlled by the Murdoch Press....if you dont pay for Foxtel then pay again for 'extra coverage' ...no news no coverage..what is the Ozzie CF members views..