LATEST AMERICA'S CUP NEWS

Has the idea of catamarans put TeamOrigin off the idea of the next America's Cup?  I wonder what Adam May might have to say about this new development.

Breaking news that TeamOrigin decide against America's Cup competition

Friday October 1st 2010, Author: andyn, Location: United Kingdom

Statement received from Team Origin:

TeamOrigin, the yacht racing team established by Sir Keith Mills, and skippered by triple Olympic Gold Medallist, Ben Ainslie, announced today that it will not be challenging for the next America’s Cup scheduled for 2013.

The team, which was set up in 2007, has been waiting for three years to enter the America’s Cup, which was delayed when the US team, BMW ORACLE Racing, took the Swiss team, Alinghi, through the US courts. The US team won the court battle and won the 33rd America’s Cup Match to become the America’s Cup Defender in February this year. The new US Defender has recently announced the format for the next America’s Cup, including the rules and type of boat to be raced. TeamOrigin has also been briefed by the Defender and has made numerous comments on both the regatta rules and class rule.

Having now had a chance to analyse the race format, the proposed fixed wing catamaran boat, the timetable, rules and costs, Sir Keith has concluded that the 34th America’s Cup is neither viable commercially, nor an attractive sporting contest for TeamOrigin. Therefore he has decided that the team will not submit a challenge when the challenge period opens on 1 November.

Sir Keith Mills, TeamOrigin Team Principal, “After three years of waiting in the wings to enter a British team in the America’s Cup I am bitterly disappointed that we will not be competing. However, the format and timetable decided by the Defender, BMW/Oracle, is simply not viable for TEAMORIGIN. We have assembled an outstanding team, led by Grant Simmer and Ben Ainslie, and I am personally very sorry that they won’t now get the chance to race for a British team in the next America’s Cup”.

Over the next couple of months TeamOrigin will be considering whether it will compete in other yachting events over the next few years.

catamarans vs. monohulls for the America's Cup

close racing upwind

close racing downwind

"C" class match racing

"C" class fleet start

After watching yesterday's performance by the women match racing it is hard to imagine that if they had been sailing catamarans could have been as close. As intense certainly, but even after having watched the "C" class cats a few weeks earlier, which are small and quite maneuvreable, they accelerate quickly with the wing sails; I am not yet ready to accede to the notion that match racing in catamarans would be as nimble. I will also agree that it is essentially uncharted territory. We have had a very long time to develop strategies in monohulls.
   We will not turn back the clock. The next America's Cup will be in catamarans. This is a decision that may well effect the future of sailing as we know it today.

America's Cup Finances

It is no longer new news that San Francisco is the only city being considered for hosting the America's Cup  in 2013 or 2014. A study conducted by Bay Area Council Economic Institute and Beacon Economics and published today in the San Francisco Chronicle states that hosting the Cup would generate $1.9 billion in economic activity, and have long term residual benefits. Read the full report http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/10/0719/
    Newport, despite being a sentimental favorite, could never really have been in the same league with San Francisco.

May 6th was quite a day

http://www.livestream.com/34thac 


http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/05/how_liebermans_citizen-strippi.html

High-Speed Trading Glitch Costs Investors Billions

Thursday started out like many other days; here in the northeast, passing showers gave way to bright sun and scudding clouds. A month ago we had flooding that dramatically changed many peoples lives, but the sun did come out again and spring came early this year.

    Then a burning oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, spewing oil uncontrollably. Then a failed bombing attempt in Times Square.

    A much awaited announcement concerning the future of the America's Cup, somehow seemed much less important and in the end was a good beginning but much ado about nothing.

   While we were all going about our daily lives, suddenly without warning the Stock Market had a catastrophic failure. This would not have happened in a gambling casino.

  As if should have been enough excitement for one day, Joe Lieberman and Scott Brown propose means to strip people of their citizenship; ignoring the Constitution. As if this would be a solution to the problem. A statement that might better be an offhand remark in a bar ; having resulted because of anger and frustration, spoken without having given it any reflection. In fact really giving the failed attempt, success. The bomb did not explode, but instead reacting with a statement like this is a victory, showing how easily we can abandon our values.

What a day in the sun.

TRIM TABS AND BUSTLES 1967

Remember that 1958 saw the first 12 meters built since before world war II. Now the America's Cup is into it's fourth event since 1937.
    Tank testing has shown that the concept of a trim tab with a rudder much further aft would be a breakthrough. Other boats would add bustle, ie. additional displacement aft but S&S who carried out design modifications on " Columbia" could not reveal what they had done in the design for "Intrepid".
"Columbia" was capably steered by Bill Ficker, who kept her in the game until the end.
   "Intrepid" would loose only once during the entire summer. She could outmanoeuvre the competition with ease. As far as I could tell most of the starts I saw, she would "sandbag" and still get to the weather mark first.  It should be noted the Bus Mosbacher was helmsman and probably the finest of his generation.
       "Dame Pattie" designed by Warrick Hood, might have been a worthy challenger had the defender been more like "Constellation"

      With each defense came new ideas.  As new information was developed, the problem was how to interpret properly that new information.

more 1964

The color photos are courtesy of Dick Enersen, crew of "Constellation" in 1964. Each photo is a story in itself. Dick looking very young indeed under the Connie shed sign. The final photo of Eric Ritter the helmsman, who stepped aside in the interest of the boat, greeting Harry Morgan, head of the selection committee bringing the good news that "Constellation" has been selected to defend.
   The black and white photo I believe was taken on a day when most of the other 12 meters lost their masts.
     I would like to hear from more of the crews out there. Thankyou Dick.

Another look at the 1964 summer

Looking back from today's perspective makes the gear and sails in particular look primitive. I is hard to imagine that the 12 meters of the era were the cutting edge of sailing.  Look at the boom vang in the earlier post. The mainsheet winch, practically the smallest winch on the boat for the largest sail; and four parts. Just think what that must have been like at the leeward mark.
    Hanks were still used on headsails. I believe an argument could be mounted defending hanks, tactically, look at the photo of the bow of "Constellation", Buddy Bombard is standing in the forward hatch, a jib would be stopped and hoisted through this hatch; sheets attached, at a leeward mark, a boat could carry the spinnaker right to the mark, breaking out the genoa at the last possible moment.
     Wooden boats built to lloyd's scantlings. Designers and builders did what they could to save weight. I would not be until 1974 when aluminum would be allowed and 1986 when the first fiberglass 12 meters came into being.
    Weather, was not much beyond the farmer's almanac. Statics accumulated over time were the only analysis available.
    Ash blocks with bronze bearings were still common. Lines were still large and heavy. Change came slowly

America's Cup 1964

      With each new challenge the design race increased. "Constellation" the newest Sparkman&Stephens design was only second best entering the August trails. "American Eagle" the Bill Luders design and build, was up  21 and zero, appearing unbeatable and in the difficult position of not having lost a race; not knowing what if anything to change.
       Eric Ridder stepped aside as skipper of "Connie"being replaced by Bob Bavier. Along with a few other changes and she went on to be selected to defend. Leaving Bill Cox the skipper of "American Eagle" stunned.
      The American trials were the highlight of the summer, the English challenger "Sovereign" was hopelessly outclassed.
     Olin Stephens, I believed, liked to make small incremental changes, As the season of 1967 would show; "Constellation" exhibited some of the genes that would become "Intrepid".
       The energy and enthusiasm ratcheted up with each challenge. The world was emerging from World War II, coupled with that was the easing of Taxes on the rich. America was truly on top of the world; and feeling that way.
     There are more stories connected with the summer of 1964 and this challenge deserves more time.

1962 America's Cup

1962 saw "Easterner" designed by Ray Hunt return, "Neferitti" designed and sailed by Ted Hood and a re-designed "Weatherly"(Phil Rhodes) back in Newport vying for the right to defend the America's Cup.

America's Cup 1958

It is important to put 1958 in historical context. This was the first challenge for the America's Cup since 1937; when it was raced for in "J" class yachts, around 130 feet in length. Life was different, a depression, a world war, taxes were higher than today, for the wealthy.

     Olin Stephens had designed "Vim" for Harold Vanderbilt in 1939 (sail # 15) "Columbia" (sail # 16) built in 1958 both at Nevins' yard in City Island. "Vim" pressed "Columbia" and made the selection committee's job a hard one.

12 METER ERA RE-UNION

If anyone asked my advice I would tell them that the New York Yacht Club should have Bruno Trouble, Louis Vuitton organize the parties for the re-union in September.
    If you attended the party in Cowes during the Jubilee, you would understand why. The best sailing event party I have ever attended.

The 12 meter era of the America's cup is announced

Go to the New York Yacht Club site or click on the link to read about the reunion. I would very much like to hear from anyone who sailed and may have stories and/or photos they might be willing to share.

Sceptre, K 17 the British challenge 1958

Sceptre, sail number k 17, was the Royal Yacht Squadron's challenger, built in Scotland, designed by David Boyd. launched in April 0f 1958.

Despite her results against Columbia, the American defender, she demonstrated many clever ideas. As is often the case, good ideas are overlooked, regardless of  how good they might be, if the end result is not a winning outcome.

Another example the comes to mind is "Independence" designed in 1901 by B.B. Crowninshield for Thomas W. Lawson. The story is complicated, the point here is that she had many very innovative ideas that were clearly not lost on Nat Herreshoff, as his next design for a defender incorporated these ideas.

Columbia, was better sailed and had better sails

These photographs os "Sceptre" I took in 1975, somewhere along the south coast of England.

America's Cup 1958

Columbia the first 12 meter built after world war II and the first 12 meter to defend the America's Cup.

The "J" boat era was brief 1930-1937 and few boats were built. Prior to the J's the boats were built to the universal rule with fundamentally a waterline length as the only restriction. and in earlier events time allowances were part of the game.

Back to 12 meters, City Island,NY was the home of the greatest boat building yards in the East,rivaling those in Europe. Certainly during the 12 meter years, any syndicate wanted to have their boat built by a City Island boatyard. There was without question a community of skilled craftsman that were attracted there. Additionally, The major naval architects were based in New York, as were the men with the money. It made sense to have easy access to a construction project. If you lived in Greenwich or White Plains, City Island was on the way home.

Sparkman&Stephens dominated the 12 meter years having 5 designs defend between 1958 and 1980. Two of them being two time defenders.(in the history of the America's cup there have been 3 two time defenders)

Olin and Rod Stephens lived briefly in City Island, Rod working at Nevins Yard, learning the practical aspects of boatbuilding. and Olin's early designs were built there.

The Sears family committed to build the first 12 meter, once the class was determined for the America's Cup competition, the first after world war II.

I had the pleasure to sail "Columbia" US 16 her sail number, in the America's Cup Jubilee in 2001. Henry Sears, the grandson of the original syndicate head, brought his scrap books, a true joy to listen and read a first hand story.

I will continue this thread along with photographs for the entire span of the 12 meter years.

For those of you interested I have a number of books related to these years for sale.

The 12 meter era of the America's cup

In September of this year there will be a re-union of the 12 meter crews from the years 1958-1987 . Columbia (US 16 through USA US 61)

August 28,1851 Cowes, Isle of Wight

The photo is the Yacht America, taken in Newport, RI sometime before world war II. She was probably on her way to the Naval Academy in Annapolis where she met her end. The photo was taken by a friend of the family from a rowboat.

The newspaper article is from September 20, 1851 recounting the race between the "America" and "Titania"

26 years ago in 12 meter history

The New York Yacht Club lost the America's Cup 26 years ago this September. Change is always troubling for anyone. I have always regarded this event as: the right thing happened for all the wrong reasons.

Change is inevitable, we all know, but all resist nonetheless. This was one of those occasions. It breathed new life into the Cup life.

12 meter world championship

Tomorrow is the first day of racing for the 2009 world championship for 12 meters. Unfortunately there are no boats from outside the United States; in fact all the boats are from Newport. The 12 meter class is an ISAF class and guided by the regulations of ISAF. It is unfortunate that participation is down,it may give the winner a sense of a hollow victory.