Anybody Watching America's Cup?

[Bash]

Hunters Point. Great idea. Combine a bit of urban development in a blighted neighborhood with a bit of rich-guy recreation.

[Edit: Hey, wait a second. I'm in Sausalito, and you're moving these races the wrong way. Maybe we should consider San Quinton instead.]

[Sparohok]

Originally Posted by David M

Yup....Clipper Cove (between Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island) could be converted into a staging area. I still think Alameda would be better because of the much greater dock space, land area, available aircraft hangars and lighter winds

Not to mention water depth. Clipper Cove can be a tight squeeze with 6' draft, IACC boats draw, what, 15 feet? Whereas Alameda and Oakland Estuary are dredged for ships.

Martin

[sneuman]

For comparison, here's highlights of the 32nd AC. Couldn't be a different race than we saw last week:

YouTube - Official Podcast of the 32nd America's Cup: Match day 7

[David M]

Originally Posted by Sparohok

Not to mention water depth. Clipper Cove can be a tight squeeze with 6' draft, IACC boats draw, what, 15 feet? Whereas Alameda and Oakland Estuary are dredged for ships.

Martin

I wonder what those catamarans draw with their daggerboards up? I would imagine a channel could be dredged. They better though start the permit process now.

[Randy]

Listen to this discussion about holding the race in the Bay: America's Cup: Forum | KQED Public Media for Northern CA

[sneuman]

"Design has taken the place of what sailing used to be." - Dennis Conner.

[Stillraining]

Its been a let down for me to be sure...Not the same excitement level at all....OH Hmmm..................................Whats on Oprah?

[Randy]

The Alighni crew even though they lost said they'd prefer the multis.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Randy

The Alighni crew even though they lost said they'd prefer the multis.

Yes . . . not too many sailors ever say, "I wish this boat would go slower!"

TaoJones

[Randy]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

Yes . . . not too many sailors ever say, "I wish this boat would go slower!"

TaoJones

Actually that is what they said 'why go slow?'

[sneuman]

Was it exciting? Well, there was one exciting moment at the windward mark in race 2 that lasted about 5 minutes. Other than that, it's pretty much as many of us had predicted - no tacking duels, in fact no close racing at all. I'm not saying it's not possible to have a more exciting race than this in multis, but we sure didn't see it this time around.

[TaoJones]

What I think was exciting about the whole thing is that BOR went into the enemy camp, forced a showdown, captured their flag and escaped with no loss of life.

Really, if Ellison is true to his word, then the A-Cup has been liberated, and a return to truly exciting racing can be anticipated in future defenses - on go-fast boats. What's not to like about that?

TaoJones

[sneuman]

but if speed was all we were interested in seeing, we'd just watch dragsters on the strip.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by sneuman

Was it exciting? Well, there was one exciting moment at the windward mark in race 2 that lasted about 5 minutes. Other than that, it's pretty much as many of us had predicted - no tacking duels, in fact no close racing at all. I'm not saying it's not possible to have a more exciting race than this in multis, but we sure didn't see it this time around.

Yes this is what I meant exactly...well said

Im all for speed and all that jazz..Lets just get more competition in numbers of boats and actual boats not needing so perfict conditions to risk breaking something...It isnt going to happen at this level of $$$ I don't think...Politics aside...That is the Ho-Hum boring part I was speaking of.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by sneuman

but if speed was all we were interested in seeing, we'd just watch dragsters on the strip.

And some people do - I think it's inane.

But we all remember great America's Cup competitions. What Allinghi had tried to turn it into was a farce. I'm hopeful that Ellison will restore the competitive aspects of the A-Cup - and that there will be no retreat from the high performance, fast platform.

Can't you imagine competitive racing with multiple vessels over a course that makes sense in wing-sail multis? Ooooh, makes me tingle!