AC72 Oracle Team USA Spaceship has landed

beautiful

Those are some damn expensive cat trax!!

I have a feeling these things might actually foil.

Imagine the start of a fleet race of 10+ of these monsters!

With a little help.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/488263_457920384240571_877318440_n.jpg

In all fairness to the spaceship down under . . .

40 knots?

more here

NZ looks well suited for the big water in San Fran Bay. I'm going to be out there in a couple of weeks - hoping to stop by and see something.

BTW Jake, you can see the L foils in the video of ETNZ. At 1:09 in the video it looks like it's damn near flying . . .

Thanks. I'm wondering if the back beam can be trimmed?

Are the 72's all going to be of the same design/builder, like the 45's, or is it a 'box' rule, where we may see some vatiations?

Yes it's a box rule - http://noticeboard.americascup.com/governing-documents/ac72-class-rule/

really simple box rule by the way . . . <img src="<>/wink.gif" alt="wink" title="wink" height="15" width="15" />

batch-nominal elastic modulus of the fibers in an FRP laminate with the modulus measured with impregnated tows, by extensometers, between 1000 and 6000 microstrains; the Measurement Committee will accept the following testing methods (and may accept other similar methods): SACMA-SRM16, ASTM D 4018, or JIS R 7601;

Several of the rules I like:
No trim adjustments to foils
No water ballast
No boundary layer technology on hulls
Manual power only (no more generators, etc.)
Limited use of electronics, wireless, weather tracking, etc.
Inclusion of cameras and microphones for spectators.

WOW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WPDAf9jPjwQ

Anybody know why the # 17?

Jeremy, I know you've got some killer pictures. Bring it.

SWEET
Dirk designed my A cat and it looks an awful lot like that.

Larry likes 17, and he pays the bills.

Boat is getting ready to sail right now. Crew in Helmets and sailing gear getting on. Check out Jeremy all day for updates.

Why the center hull? Seems like extra weight for no gain in performance? I don't get it.

Structure support is my guess.

I think I saw an interview where Larry discussed 17 around the time of the DoG event. Wish I could remember the exact reason, but he's had a bunch of boats with that number, and apparently has won some major events running that number.

Mike

They broke a daggerboard on their first sail, the load on the tip of those L foils has to be immense.

video first sail

I'll post 'em here since I don't post, let alone even visit that internet cesspool...

At one point as I was watching 17 sail, I notices that the T Foil on the rudder was lifting more that the board. The boat was sailing bow down. I was about .25 miles off, so it was difficult to see exactly what was going on, but I assume that this is when the board broke.

Having seen the tips of F18 boards sink after a breakage, I assumed that the foil probably sunk. It was reported to me later in the day that one of the chase boats picked it up; it was floating.

Not wanting to disrespect the team, I called their media rep and asked permission to post the pics. He granted permission, and was appreciative of my respect.

I've got a few more. I'll post sometime.

Thanks Jeremy

Great pics, do we know what that box at the base of the wing is?

Counter balance for wing installation. That and the struts come off to sail.

the tiller look cool. so far i think this is the best looking 72. also are both the oracle boats going to be the same?