Hey, I spent 7 years on the A320 family, another 5 on the Mega Bus,(A340).
Maybe they'll comp me some time!
The Bermuda race should be good, every-time I landed there the wind was 20kts or better.
http://advertisementfeatu…gn=airbus_adcontent_emea

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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Pretty cool stuff!!!

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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I'm all for international stuff, but I do have to choke on the America's Cup Oracle team. Somewhere along the line a friendly and interesting international challenge sport turned into a lump of grey clay. Not only have they diminished the American sailors, they are doing the same now to our industries. If they needed some actual aero support, couldn't they at least have tried Boeing, or any one of our plane builders? I love this foiling technology, but the guys behind the America's cup (Oracle) have gone a very very long way to make me lose my interest in this event.

I hate to say this but I actually hope the Oracle guys lose so someone else can drive that boat. I don't even feel very bad about saying this because this team is about US as ................I am way more inclined to root for the Kiwi's or any of the other teams. Sad

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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Quote

but I do have to choke on the America's Cup Oracle team

what is your actual complaint here?

dmgbearSS

I don't even feel very bad about saying this because this team is about US as ................

Oracle is doing exactly what the America's Cup has been all about since we originally won the thing in 1851 (and then immediately renamed it).
The America's Cup is a world challenge, and Oracle is engaging the world to take part.
The Cup races are bringing sailing back into the public's awareness, which is no small task since Congress killed the US sailing industry in the 90's by "taxing the rich".
America's Cup boats are crewed by the best available, frequently crews "stolen" from other countries.
It is a truly international sport, and a world-wide competition.

You see grey clay, I see a global village.
You see American sailors diminished, I see international teams of world-class sailors.
I am proud of Oracle as a sponsor and a team.
Have you been to any yacht club regattas recently? Their memberships are shrinking, and some are accepting beach cats now, as there is a resurgence in beach cat activity, arguably due to the America's Cup catamarans.
People are buying 30 year old cats because they have seen the AC cats racing.

i understand your frustration with the American Aerospace industry.
The America's Cup is not responsible for their present condition, nor the resolution.

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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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I just think that the best US sailors and best US technology would make it easier to support the "US" team. As it is, I can more closely identify with the Kiwis. So I guess I will just cheer them on. At least if they win they will hold the race in their own country.

I understand that what the America's Cup is trying to be is a sailing version of F1 and to a point I would like to see that too, but this thing has turned into something totally else.

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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Quote

I understand that what the America's Cup is trying to be is a sailing version of F1 and to a point I would like to see that too, but this thing has turned into something totally else.

I respectfully disagree

Seems to me: the America's Cup is an elitist game to see who can throw the most money into a race and earn bragging rights...

the cup is not about or for the "public" in any way shape of form.

Sure HostCity and TV outlets want to make it seem like a public event, and make money off it by hosting or broadcasting it... but if the last couple events should prove that is not even close to the purpose.

The event was held in San Fran. And despite huge crowds, lots of publicity, and fan-fare.. it was neither profitable for San Fran, nor was not broadcast on tv (i think they may have shown one or 2 races at 3am, but certainly not real coverage). Now it's in the middle of the atlantic ocean, with almost no way for people to spectate.



Edited by MN3 on Mar 02, 2017 - 09:37 AM.

I wonder who buys more Oracle products, Airbus or Boeing.

Larry always goes to the money.

My 2 cents worth:
The America's Cup is a great opportunity to introduce more people to the sport. I was at Navy Pier last year (or year before) for some of the demonstration races and the turnout was very strong by spectators.
It showed a lot of people that sailing could be cool.
Grew up sailing, but was fortunate to be spawn of sailing people and also fortunate to live on lake(s). Not that easy for many people to be that fortunate.
So... Anything that highlights sailing to more people, I am good with. I know that the Cup could be more inviting to more people, but for those of you that have organized sailing trips, races and regattas, you know how it can become difficult with everyone having an opinion and an agenda, so I say, just keep sailing and innovating, so that we can bring more interest to our sport, in whatever way possible.

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Supercat 15
Windrider 17
Several Sunfish and Sunfish clones
Ratboat built from Zuma and Sunfish parts
Shallow water sailor in the Delaware Bay
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Well said Windwardde

I just think if the Kiwis win that the next America's Cup would be massively more interesting, no matter what boat/rule/class they chose. So the end result would be much more interesting to all us mere mortals. Larry has more than run his course on this series. If buying less Oracle stuff helps push him out of the picture, so much the better. Maybe I should be rooting for the SAP team.

Yes it is an elite race, but us peons should get to help make the elites know they are doing something interesting to the rest of us.

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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Don't get me wrong. We all have to have our favorites and our nemesis's.
I love to watch the Patriots, but I want to see someone else win!

Even this type of dialogue about the Cup is great. Keeps it in people's mind.

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Supercat 15
Windrider 17
Several Sunfish and Sunfish clones
Ratboat built from Zuma and Sunfish parts
Shallow water sailor in the Delaware Bay
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Across the fleet many of the skippers/helms/tacticians are kiwis; and I _so_ wish the cup goes back to Auckland.

Those guys had some bitter days after San Francisco, and it was a rather arbitrary loss.

(I lived there for a good decade, and I consider myself a kiwi... that's where my heart is.)

I can remember watching Dennis Conner win the cup back for America and then being challenged again by a Kiwi named Michael Fay. Fay's challenge was met in the form of a catamaran which dominated the races between it and the behemoth KZ-1.
I remember me and a friend would stay up late at night and watch the races and I loved that catamaran!!!! Stars and Stripes!!!!

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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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I just saw this on Scuttlebutt:

NOT LOVING IT (#4783)
The America's Cup has been ruined. Hopefully not for life. Great boats, great speed, great technology, but a bunch of rich plonkers with entirely their own interests at heart. I pray to Neptune that Team NZ can win it and actually can bring some sanity to the event.
- Mark Runtzler

I agree.

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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@martyr - That catamaran you remember is now in Coconut Grove, Miami. It sits in a marina I regularly sail from.

dmgbear55 - America's cup has _always_ been about outrageously expensive boats. Some might not look the part now, but they sure were obscenely expensive when they ran.

I'm good with the obscenely expensive boats and campaigns and even the extraordinarily rich people behind the races. My problem is with the the way they are running the show these days. The Deed of Gift has always been a strange document to organize a race around, but to a point it has worked pretty well for many years. What is going on now is a big departure from that document.

At a point in time I was really good with this newer arrangement. It was great when I could sit at my computer and watch in either real time or the delayed races with all fantastic new display tools. Paying to watch races on a phone is not that interesting and for sure I won't be going to Bermuda to watch this spectacle. I would pay a small amount to be able to watch the entire series on my computer and or tolerate ads in the feed. They have just made it really difficult for those of us in the cheap seats to stay interested.

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dg
NACRA 5.2 #400
This End Up
Original owner since 1975
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