MIKE GALLAGHER Loc: New Zealand

Team NZ wins. 4 down, 5 to go. First to win 9 races takes all.

Team USA uses postponement card for Race 6. (Each team has one card to use for any reason, eg in case of mechanical breakdown. In this case it's a tactical move by Team USA and its Australian skipper - a bit like going 'All In' with 2 and 9 unsuited - a bit risky. But it gives them a day-and-a-half to practise sailing.
Because of the International Jury penalising Team USA 2 race wins the score is:
Team NZ 5 - Team USA minus 1
Roll on!
Mike.

Bruce with a Canon Loc: Islip

not a fan of boats sans engines. That said, I watched these crews work their crafts and I am simply amazed at the choreography, team work. As much as that I am amazed at the speed at which these yachts accelerate and turn.

SpeedyWilson Loc: Upstate South Carolina

I agree. I've never watched a race before, but the new cameras, and the on screen graphics, make everything a lot more enjoyable.

I'm hooked.

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

I don't like the cats in this race... I don't like the fact that the crews are from all over the world... It used to be one country against another. Still is in name, but it is just a formula 1 race now- whoever backs the boat is the only winner. I find no national pride in it.

I'd prefer the 12 meter class... and the rules governing where the boat and equipment and the crew were made from the country of origin to make it interesting again.

Imagine the Olympics if Bol was hired by China to run for them.

proteus1 Loc: NEVADA

You bet the 12 meters are the way to go ! ! ! !



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Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

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bcheary Loc: Jacksonville, FL

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TonyP Loc: New Zealand

Sorry, but its never been about one country against another.
The oldest sporting trophy in the World has always been between yacht clubs.
In 1851, a New York Yacht squadron, forget which, sailed the schooner 'America' to England to compete for what was called the 100 Guinea Cup.
They won and immediately renamed it the America Cup (after their boat).
Since then, America has made it more and more difficult for anyone to take the Cup away.
Culminating in Dennis Connor surprising us, NZ, by secretly building a catamaran.
He then, obviously, thrashed our single hull and its always been a Cat since.

Money talks. Once again, America, with its 100's of millions to spend, now buys crews (including NZers) to hold on to the Cup.
Go Team New Zealand tomorrow
Hope this sets the record straight.
Cheers :thumbup:

Bill Houghton Loc: New York area

You are right for the most part. If is more of a Yacht Club against Yacht Club. The Hosting Yacht Club can set the rules as far as Hull construction. When NZ won the cup, they changed the rules as to Hull Length and design. And New Zealand came out with hull that was just short being the length of Queen Mary II. Dennis, being who and what he is, decided to save his millions show that under the new rules written by NZ, that you didn't need a mono hull to win the race. I feel that it also true that the New York Yacht Club was very unfair in there translation of rules should an opposing Yacht Club show up with a winner design. This becomes apparent when two years after each race, held every two years, there boat would show up with the same design incorporated into there new hull that would have been disqualified in the previous race. But in short it was NZ that opened the race to CAT's or any other design. So as far as I'm concerned, it now a free for all. And have no desire to watch it.

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

Not true, the cup became known as the Americas cup after the name of the first boat to win it. If it was the "Indefatigable " then it wou have been named the "Indefatigable cup" . In the day where the common conception of good boat design in Great Britan, then still the naval power of the world, that a boat should have the bow shaped like a cods head and narrow behind, the America showed up as a very different design. A statement from some observer was " If she is right, then we're all wrong".

It was an open match to anybody, of any design. She didn't win as much money as she could have in the real race because she sailed some pre races for stakes and people who would have bet on the race around the Isle of Wight saw how she kicked all challengers ass. When during the final race for the cup, the Queen saw her, she asked who was in second... the answer was- "there is no second".

The boats have changed designs over the century's till they agreed upon the 12 meter class. Which is a formula of sorts where if you add sail area you must reduce other dimensions and weight... more complicated then that... but that is the gist. So a strategy must be decided upon due to the sailing season. As the races to determine the final challenger take so much time, wind and ocean conditions change with the season. This does indeed give a decided advantage over the defender, as their boat design was built around the conditions that exist when the expected final would be.

The keel on Australia II was designed by the Dutch Naval Architect Peter van Oossanen”. The Australia team was in fact breaking the rules by using a designer not born an Australia Citizen. The Australian executives wouldn’t sign a contract stating "they had complied by all the rules of the event”

The crews were all from the same country. Now American captains, or Kiwi's or French sailors can be found on the same crew to the highest bidder, for..lets say a landlocked country like Switzerland. It was not like that before.

And the Kiwis prompted Connors use of a cat. New Zealand, exploiting a loophole in the century old Deed of Gift, demanded an immediate challenge in 1988. The Kiwis showed up in a giant 134-foot waterline boat. So Conners entered a much smaller but faster hard-winged catamaran. The best of three series went to the Americans and after numerous court challenges – the teams spent far more time battling in a courtroom than they did on the water – the result stood. Within the rules, but against the spirit of the race. But it was started by the Kiwi's

Don't point the finger without knowing the true history or the rules.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

I know the history (and many of the rules).
To say NZ prompted Connors to use a multi hull is like saying, "if you leave a camera living around, you prompt a thief".

Ah well, history has always been written by the winer.
:wink:

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

No.... NZ showed up with a boat that was not a 12 meter... apparently it was within the rules to do so. The traditional accepted 12 meter class would not have been able to compete with that boat. There was no time nor inclination to match the class boat that NZ brought. NZ demanded an immediate race... all indeed within the fine print of the rules.

Connors responded irritably, as he was preparing for the "Real" 12 meter race some years in the future, which all comers were welcome to participate in under the traditional rules, with a boat he knew would defeat NZ quickly so he could get back to work...it was proven, exhaustively to be within the rules for him to do so.

So your analogy is all wrong... rather it should be, don't lead with your king, if it can be taken with a knight. NZ got out maneuvered at their own game of fine print ambush.

I have been following the race since the Rhode Island days. My original post was to lament the passing of the 12 meter class, and the country/team spirit of the race. All of which made for a very interesting competition IMHO. For this, I totally blame NZ and, to a lesser extent, Australia on ruining this particular race. If you win- and it would appear that you will, it will still be the America's cup... I just don't care anymore as it stands for nothing that it used to. Not that my "not caring" means anything.

I used to race Lightnings, and 16' Cat's... 16 Cats are not particularly pretty to look at other then their sails, they handle poorly, they point terribly, are uncomfortable to sit on, and you often end up bleeding. Can be a terrifying roller coaster or totally boring ride, all in the same tack. Yeah they can be fun... and the class cats in the America's cup are nothing but a very, very distant cousin to the 16' but ...yech.

It's your bed, you can lie in it.

Captkirk Loc: Masterton, Wairarapa, New Zealand

Hi Richie,
I can tell you that this nation is riveted by these battles on the water. Oracle is getting better and the racing getting closer every day. As a Kiwi I sit holding my breath as these 2 teams battle it out. Despite the fact that the US boat has an Aussie skipper, we have one american on our boat. He came to us, not us to him. Apparently he likes the camaraderie and team attitude of the kiwis.

TonyP Loc: New Zealand

What a load of rubbish! :thumbdown: