Tagesberichte siehe Menu unten
22.03.2016
Cup Experience Monday News
Oracle's New Wing
Oracle Team USA has been testing a wing built to the America's Cup Class Rule. Remember that this rule defines the boats that will race in Bermuda in 2017. Up to now, Oracle had been sailing with wings that appeared to be modified AC45 wings.
Boat 3 with the AC Class wing, on the left. Notice that the trailing edge is curved while the trailing edge of the AC45x wing in Boat 2 has straighter segments. Photographer unknown.
Sailing with the AC Class wing. Notice that they had not yet covered with tape the gaps between the segments of the flap element. Image: OTUSA Sam Greenfield
Some details
Below is Oracle's AC45x wing before they added the panel of readouts below the wing.
And below is the same wing with the readouts added. Notice the gap between the wing and the readouts, where the camber control arm can be seen.
The next photo shows the new "AC Class" wing. Notice that the camber control arm setup is different, and there is no gap between the bottom of the wing and the readouts.
When I call this an "AC Class" wing, I mean its shape appears to comply with the AC Class Rule. Once the AC Class boats are launched, beginning 27 December 2016, the teams can only use two wings in them. Although there is this two-wing-limit for the race boats, the richer teams can build as many wings as they want for their test boats. Realistically, they will probably only build two.
SoftBank Team Japan 360° Onboard Video
Here is Oracle's first test boat, which they sold to SoftBank Team Japan. The team has set up their base right next door to Oracle in Bermuda.
Here is an onboard video from Team Japan. To use the 3D controls, watch it using the Chrome or Firefox browser. Pay attention to the grinders - you will see all four working hard when wing trimmer Chris Draper eases and trims the wing. Turn up the sound - at about 11 seconds in, you will hear the whine of the electric pump for the hydraulics. You'll hear it again at 55 seconds into the video. At 1:09 you can hear Dean Barker count down for a gybe and you'll see the port daggerboard going down and hear the electric pump running. Then you'll see the starboard daggerboard rise, again with the pump running. At 1:30 you'll see all four grinders working while Draper constantly adjusts wing trim. This almost certainly means they were sailing the boat with the grinding pedestals mechanically coupled to the wing winch, and were only using electrical power for the hydraulic pumps.
SoftBank Team Japan: Test Flight (360 Experience)
Watch the Video
Remember that in these test boats there is no restriction on using electric power or other stored energy. But when they start racing in their AC Class yacht in 2017, all power must be manually generated by the grinders.
Preparations Continue in Bermuda
The infill work continues in the South Basin at Dockyard. Our Bermuda friend who took this photo reports that work is scheduled to be complete by end of June.
Meanwhile, there is plenty of action on the Great Sound. Loïck Peyron of Artemis Racing posted this photo of four AC45x experimental boats - two from Oracle and one each from Artemis and Team Japan.
Artemis has also been two boat testing on the Great Sound. If you look closely, you can see that their newer boat, Turbo 2, is further from the camera. Turbo 1 has only one grinding pedestal per hull; Turbo 2 has two. Photo courtesy Artemis Racing.
The M32 catamarans were back in Bermuda in March, as we see below, with the two Oracle experimental boats. Photo couresy of M32 World.
Australia in Q1 2017?
Australian motorsports professional Tony Longhurst is heading up a group trying to bring the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series to the Gold Coast, near Brisbane. AC Regatta Director and Australian sailing legend Iain Murray has been there for meetings and press briefings.
Iain Murray pointing out a possible Gold Coast race area. You can read more here. Photos courtesy Ocean Magazine.
ACEA has previously announced that the teams agreed to hold one AC World Series event in the first quarter of 2017. Nothing has been confirmed.
Reader Questions to "Ask Jack"
Ask me anything about the America's Cup! I don't claim to know all the answers, but I usually can find someone with the information.
Just reply to this email, or use the "Ask Jack" page on my website.
Tomo: What does each flashing light on board mean, such as green flash or red flash?
Jack: Thanks for your question! Here is an article that explains all about the lights:
http://www.cupexperience.com/blog/2012/7/americas-cup-world-series-lights-on-ac45-what-do-they-mean/
And here is one with a video showing all of the lights in action in a real penalty situation:
http://www.cupexperience.com/blog/2012/4/briefing-fast-action-at-the-course-limits/
I published those articles during the AC World Series for the 2013 AC, but all the information is still valid.
Thanks for your questions. Keep 'em coming!
|
