Twenty Knots

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by colemj

I don't understand how you can translate that into crew skill. Were Oracle the better crew at the beginning with the Kiwi's admitting Oracle were the better sailors and they were winning because their boat was faster? Your point here makes no logical sense and it is a large stretch to attempt that connection.

Mark

I don't remember it that way. I recall ETNZ winning the first 6 out of 7 races and thinking to myself, "they are obviously the better sailors"; not thinking "OMG, Ellison didn't spend enough money and his inferior engineers didn't build a fast enough boat". Seemed pretty logical to me at the time.

But assume I was wrong and the two teams were evenly matched all along, it still doesn't explain how Oracle's boat suddenly got so much faster, which is of course, what everyone (including ETNZ) wants to know.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

But assume I was wrong and the two teams were evenly matched all along, it still doesn't explain how Oracle's boat suddenly got so much faster, which is of course, what everyone (including ETNZ) wants to know.

Pretty much all true, but I do believe it took a while for the Team Oracle sailors to get on pace with the "race ready" KIWIs. Then add in a dash of boat speed and what do you have? The courts (and inspectors) can figure out the rest.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

I don't remember it that way. I recall ETNZ winning the first 6 out of 7 races and thinking to myself, "they are obviously the better sailors"; not thinking "OMG, Ellison didn't build a fast enough boat". Seemed pretty logical to me at the time.

My point was that TNZ was a faster boat then than Oracle by all measurements. Yes, they were good sailors, but on races where Oracle did not make any mistakes and even had moves better than TNZ, they still lost ground.

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

But assume I was wrong and the two teams were evenly matched all along, it still doesn't explain how Oracle's boat suddenly got so much faster, which is of course, what everyone (including ETNZ) wants to know.

Yes, everyone wants to know, and some of us are waiting for actual facts before making judgements.

Mark

[savoir]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

I don't remember it that way. I recall ETNZ winning the first 6 out of 7 races and thinking to myself, "they are obviously the better sailors"; not thinking "OMG, Ellison didn't spend enough money and his inferior engineers didn't build a fast enough boat". Seemed pretty logical to me at the time.

But assume I was wrong and the two teams were evenly matched all along, it still doesn't explain how Oracle's boat suddenly got so much faster, which is of course, what everyone (including ETNZ) wants to know.

If the rumormill is correct then Oracle became so much faster after they installed a computer controlled foil adjuster. No human would be capable of being so accurate.

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by savoir

If the rumormill is correct then Oracle became so much faster after they installed a computer controlled foil adjuster. No human would be capable of being so accurate.

Ironically I rhetorically posited this question in post #16 way back when this thread started..

[Stu Jackson]

I'm the guy they almost ran over when they came under the Bay Bridge.

Lotsa fun that day!

Americas Cup

[neilpride]

Team New Zealand to take legal action against Oracle after America's Cup - reports - Story - 3 Sport - 3 News

[Jim Cate]

Did we not read that Oracle was preparing to go to court if they lost, challenging the two point penalty that they had received?

Crikeys, but I hate this sort of complication... it has so often sullied the AC racing in years past, it fair turns my stomach. I guess that the sort of egos involved at this level of competition just can't deal with defeat.

Cheers,

Jim

[Jimbo485]

I understand what you are saying, Jim. And I totally agree!

But you know what? This is the AC... and it wouldn't be complete without a good court battle. Compared to most previous AC court battles, at least this time it is the challenging team that is the plaintiff.

[Jimbo485]

If they get all the involved parties in one room, it might just turn into the first ever Kiwi civil war......... financed by a USA software baron.

[Paul Elliott]

At this point these rumors of legal challenges are just that: rumors. We shall see.

There's also a rumor that the Challenger Of Record will be the Hamilton Island Yacht Club (Australia).

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

There's also a rumor that the Challenger Of Record will be the Hamilton Island Yacht Club (Australia).

ooh. so who would Spithill steer for then I wonder?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

ooh. so who would Spithill steer for then I wonder?

I think you know as well as anyone, that if an Australian Yacht Club were the Challenger of Record, he would sail for Australia if he could. You can see his pride of the 1983 event here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-L3L_3dyOE

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I think you know as well as anyone, that if an Australian Yacht Club were the Challenger of Record, he would sail for Australia if he could. You can see his pride of the 1983 event here:

If that were the case, I bet Ainslie would skipper for Oracle. Did you see Ellison hugging him at the end?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by SVNeko

If that were the case, I bet Ainslie would skipper for Oracle. Did you see Ellison hugging him at the end?

No, I just thought that video of the 30th Anniversary of Australia winning the America's Cup was awesome and probably led to what we have today. Any excuse I can find to post it, I will because I think you would all enjoy it.

It would probably be great if Ainslie went against Spithill though. As you can see from that video, the British have been trying to get that Cup back for about 162 years or so.