3710 replies to this topic

[~Stingray~]

Could be fun to follow,

http://www.sail-worl...d=0&tickerCID=0

Australian A Class Championships 2012.

Until late this past week, it was touch and go with regards to whether or not the shipping container transporting six DNA A Class Catamarans from the Netherlands, would arrive in sufficient time for the 2012 John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Championships which get underway January 3 at the Wangi Amateur Sailing Club.

Fortunately, the container has safely arrived at Lake Macquarie. Glenn Ashby, James Spithill, John Kosteki, Dirk de Ridder, Tom Slingsby and Nathan Outteridge are now busy preparing their boats for the event. They should have the next four days to familiarise themselves with the attributes of their boats.

cntd

[scassani]

This would be fun to watch! Do you suppose the AC contingent will return to competition in monohulls? Could they still find the fun in it?

[~Stingray~]

Especially fun for Gashby fans!

I expect Glen will kick some serious ass; but yes, the rest of the competition should be good too.

[Indio]

This would be fun to watch! Do you suppose the AC contingent will return to competition in monohulls? Could they still find the fun in it?

You obviously haven't been following VOR.

[WetHog]

This would be fun to watch! Do you suppose the AC contingent will return to competition in monohulls? Could they still find the fun in it?

You obviously haven't been following VOR.

Yeah broken rigs, stealth zones, and picking up boats in the middle of a leg is compelling shit.

I am all for the AC returning to mono's, but the VOR has not carried the mono-hull flag very high to this point. Even you, Indio, must agree with me on that. I hold out hope that the VOR will get its groove back, but not until the leg from China to your homeland.

WetHog

[Te Kooti]

The news from the Viaduct involves two words.

Shit weather.

Tauranga/Mt. Maunganui have even cancelled their new year's eve festivities.

[Indio]

This would be fun to watch! Do you suppose the AC contingent will return to competition in monohulls? Could they still find the fun in it?

You obviously haven't been following VOR.

Yeah broken rigs, stealth zones, and picking up boats in the middle of a leg is compelling shit.

I am all for the AC returning to mono's, but the VOR has not carried the mono-hull flag very high to this point. Even you, Indio, must agree with me on that. I hold out hope that the VOR will get its groove back, but not until the leg from China to your homeland.

WetHog

I admit that the first 2 legs haven't exactly provided compelling results for the ETNZ in the Camper-with-ETNZ campaign. The only thing interesting in it now is to see whether Nicholson can can get a leg or in-port win for Camper, and if not what other "rogue" element is at fault.

[~Stingray~]

Coach Rod Davis interrupts his holiday to blog on “intelligence” games ….

We think it should have started with secret operations when we launched our 33ft development cats. You know, the camera in the building across the way taking pictures while the boats are being launched or towed just to see what changes had been made from the day before. Or maybe a conversation with a member of a rival team that is more like fishing than chatting.

http://www.emiratesteamnz.com/#!2011/12/coach-rod-bring-on-the-paint-balls

[ncs]

The news from the Viaduct involves two words.

Shit weather.

Tauranga/Mt. Maunganui have even cancelled their new year's eve festivities.

Last night was blustery and wet but this afternoon is great -- sunny, breezy and warm. Been out for a sail, looking forward to this evening. Happy New Years to everyone here on SA.

[Te Kooti]

Finally, summer is returning to the North Island.

And we can settle into the usual round of sunburn and shark sightings.

TNZ is on holiday.

But normal programming will soon resume.

Hopefully speaking two languages (English; Italian).

[~Stingray~]

Could be fun to follow,

http://www.sail-worl...d=0&tickerCID=0

Australian A Class Championships 2012.

This would be fun to watch!

Ashby fires the warning cannon

The last A Class Catamaran race Glenn Ashby sailed on Lake Macquarie, north of Sydney, was when he won the 2009 World Championship. Today he fired a warning canon in the practice race for what will certainly be one of Australia’s most competitively fought National titles, the 2012 John Cootes Furniture Australian A Class Championships being sailed once again on Australia's largest salt-water lake, the site of the 2009 A-Cat Worlds and the 2011 Moth Worlds.

This is not a usual Country nationals, there are more medals clinking here than you can believe.

contd

[Te Kooti]

Ian Taylor of Animation Research (Virtual Eye) has won an award in the New Year honours.

Ian is a Maori and, like TK, has Ngati Kahungunu (east coast) affiliations.

His childhood in a small Maori village was a sharp contrast to the high-tech world he now inhabits.

'Raised in the small East Coast settlement of Raupunga, halfway between Napier and Gisborne, he remembers a house with no electricity, his mother cooking on a coal range, reading Eagle comics by the light of a gas lantern and listening to Life with Dexter on a battery-powered radio.

'I still remember the day we got electricity in our house, the way a single light bulb filled the room with daylight, just at the flick of a switch.

'I don't think we called it technology in those days - but whatever we called it, it had a huge impact on me. At eight years of age I figured if you could do that by flicking a switch, you could do anything.'

RG has a good write-up of Ian in today's Sail-World.com - including videos showing the application of Virtual Eye technology to sports other than sailing.

Tena koe Ian!

Well done!

[Te Kooti]

Over Xmas and New Year I have been furiously devouring books about Maori arts the revitalization of Maori language in NZ.

But, just for a lark I bought an old book by George Lowe entitled "Because It is There."

About his role (with Hillary) on the 1953 Everest expedition and subsequent traverse of the Antarctic with Bunny Fuchs.

At different times, George Lowe and I suffered through the same NZ hgh school and he was a friend of our family. So I am interested in him.

There is a chapter on so-called "leadership" wherein he contrasts the personality and style of John Hunt (leader, Everest, 1953), Ed Hillary and Vivian Fuchs (Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition).

Lowe says John Hunt's wife sewed name tags into all the Everest expedition clothing. Lying in a tent with Sir John at the South Col (a few nights before Ed and Tenzing knocked the bastard off) Lowe told Hunt he had written a thank-you letter to Sir John's wife.

"You did what?" said Hunt.

Sir John so moved by Lowe's gesture he shed a few tears.

Lowe uses this incident to contrast John Hunt's leadership style with the Naopoleanic tendencies of Bunny Fuchs.

I have long been interested in the "leadership" of AC campaigns and, reading this, have concluded Grant Dalton and Sir Ed. have much in common.

I will not go into the details now. But recognising this builds confidence in what is happening in TNZ.

These days George Lowe lives up on the Norfolk Broads. Dogwatch, you had better go and say gooday! Or kia ora!

[Xlot]

^^

There may be something to it, but now we need your take on the Libra ad ..

[Te Kooti]

^^

There may be something to it, but now we need your take on the Libra ad ..

In my view, this advt. is clever and creative.

However, in NZ, spokespeople for the transgendered have objected.

They claim the advt. is "transphobic."

I do not see it that way.

However, to be on the safe side, Libra (and TV authorities) have pulled the advt.

Carmen, NZ's most famous drag queen, recently died (age 75) in Australia. So there has recently been quite a bit of publicity about transgendered people.

[Te Kooti]

Was rooting around in the TVNZ archive and found this.

TV footage of 1995 AC parade through the streets.

http://tvnz.co.nz/fo...z-video-3390469

[~Stingray~]

fresh,
http://etnzblog.com/#!2012/01/coach-rod-what-keeps-me-awake-at-night

For the Emirates Team New Zealand sailing team, 2012 is shaping up to be a tricky year.  The development work for the new AC-72, using our two SL-33s, and the launching of a 72 in July will require more time in New Zealand and less time overseas, which means less regatta training.

While that might sound great if you are a home body, we are fighting a war on two fronts, development (the Western Front) and racing (Eastern Front).

This year the team will not compete in Extreme-40 regattas. Last year we did nine events plus the three AC-45 regattas. Last year’s objective was led by a big push to tame the “cat”.

All our competition in the next America’s Cup now has two AC45 cats for next season. That is not really true, Oracle has four! But who is counting…..  Each cat needs only five sailors; the 72ft cats in the next cup have a crew of 11. Getting enough regatta time for the sailing team will take some creative thinking.

contd

[Te Kooti]

fresh,
http://etnzblog.com/...-awake-at-night

For the Emirates Team New Zealand sailing team, 2012 is shaping up to be a tricky year. The development work for the new AC-72, using our two SL-33s, and the launching of a 72 in July will require more time in New Zealand and less time overseas, which means less regatta training.

Yep, the familiar NZ problem. Being in the southern hemisphere and far from European (even North American) action.

However, at least it will be busy on Halsey St.

Busyness creates its own momentum and is better than the opposite.

During Alinghi/BOR legal wrangles, Dalts was unhappy and restless. He was VERY unhappy with the loss of the 2007 momentum.

He likes to be busy and thrives on it.

I think dropping the EX40 series is the right decisuion.

And, although Rod is correct, there will be plenty of AC45 sparring with LR.

Of course, the AC72 (n = 11) is another matter.

Big guys like Rob Waddell cannot hang around forever waiting for the call-back.

But, once they get it, there will have to be a lot of sailing.

And pumping iron in the Don Oliver gymnasium.

[Te Kooti]

Same old news from the Viaduct.

The weather is shit!

It being January, people are in tents and beach baches.

But it has been raining too much.

And, according to NIWA (the weather people), it will be like this until March.

Hopefully it will have come right before the Volvo stopover.

Or before. Beause TK is taking his tent to check out some ancestral land.

A couple of days ago big seas severed the grounded Rena. There is a tug tethered to the aft end. But the two parts are still on the reef.

[~Stingray~]

Good piece
http://www.sail-worl...velopment/92658
ex
Emirates Team New Zealand America’s Cup sailor Glenn Ashby is described on the Team website as a multihull specialist.

You could say that.

Since 1996 he has won 14 World championships across three multihull classes, including seven in the A Class. At the 2008 Olympic Games he won a Silver medal, sailing a Tornado with fellow Australian Darren Bundock. He has been sailing and coaching in the Extreme 40 class and was head coach with BMW Oracle’s 90ft trimaran for the 33rd America’s Cup win. Glenn is now the Emirates Team New Zealand 34th AC campaign wing trimmer and a member of the design team.

contd

[Te Kooti]

Because of shit weather, the Rena has finally broken into two pieces.

More oil + debris on its way ashore.

Attached Files

•  Rena in 2 pieces, 6 Jan 2012.bmp   750.23K   18 downloads

[knarly34]

Was rooting around in the TVNZ archive and found this.

TV footage of 1995 AC parade through the streets.

http://tvnz.co.nz/fo...z-video-3390469

Oh man that brings back memorys! Just listen to that music!

[moon unit]

By then the AC45 should be home and LR should have one as well.

The AC45 is in Auckland, unpacked and in the tent.

With the SL33 wing work now under way how can they keep this going and simultaneously run an AC45 proramme?

The same way ETNZ has been going for nearly all of 2011.

By flogging the shore crew??

[ncs]

With the SL33 wing work now under way how can they keep this going and simultaneously run an AC45 proramme?

The same way ETNZ has been going for nearly all of 2011.

By flogging the shore crew??

Until their morale improves or Sept-2013, whichever comes first.

[Indio]

With the SL33 wing work now under way how can they keep this going and simultaneously run an AC45 proramme?

The same way ETNZ has been going for nearly all of 2011.

By flogging the shore crew??

Until their morale improves or Sept-2013, whichever comes first.

Nicholson's results in the VOR Legs 1 & 2, in the in-port races and his constant up-beat BS won't be doing the shore crew morale much good.

[Te Kooti]

Nicholson's results in the VOR Legs 1 & 2, in the in-port races and his constant up-beat BS won't be doing the shore crew morale much good.

How much variance resides in the design?

And how much in the sailing?

Do you reckon Telefonica is the fastest boat?

Or just sailed better?

[maxmini]

Nicholson's results in the VOR Legs 1 & 2, in the in-port races and his constant up-beat BS won't be doing the shore crew morale much good.

How much variance resides in the design?

And how much in the sailing?O

Do you reckon Telefonica is the fastest boat?

Or just sailed better?

I think it migh be a combination of both, a little faster boat and sailed a bit better as well.

[maxmini]

Any further commitment noted by LR or has the eight questions by OR given them pause? Things were going along well up until that point . Times a waistin !

[Te Kooti]

News from the Viaduct.

Prada on-scene.

Accompanied by Chris Draper.

Weather?

Well, when does summer arrive?

[~Stingray~]

--


Stealth fighters, people power and the AC
Posted on 11 January 2012

Hal Youngren’s CV reads like something out of a spy thriller or action blockbuster. He has worked on projects ranging from the stealth fighter, to the development of supersonic planes, to human powered aircraft, to his current role with Emirates Team New Zealand looking after the aerodynamic design of the AC72 wing.

Hal after being educated at MIT in the United States went onto spend over a decade at Lockheed Martin working in their “Skunk Works” on the design of top-secret projects such as the F-117 stealth fighter, supersonic planes and even aircraft capable of orbiting the earth.

After leaving Lockheed he then worked on programmes with DARPA (the Defence Advanced Projects Research Agency) on developing unmanned, high altitude, very long range planes. These projects included the Predator Drone used by the United States in combat roles in places like Afghanistan and Iraq, and the ‘Vulture’ an unmanned solar powered plane capable of flying for five years without having to re-fuel.

Hal has also been a pioneer in the field of human-powered aircraft. As the Chief Engineer on the Daedalus Project in 1988 he set the current world record for flight distance and duration by a human powered aircraft with a 115km trip from Crete to Santorini.

For Hal the design challenges of an AC72 are surprisingly similar to his work with high-speed and human-powered aircraft.

“There are differences in kind but fundamentally the processes are the same. With high-speed aircraft we have to worry about shockwaves for instance which you don’t have to consider with AC72’s, while the need for symmetry on an AC72 wing in a way makes it much more challenging than designing an aircraft wing.

contd

[Xlot]

But Aotearoa has Richard Pearse on their team!

Erm TK, while I laud your nationalism, it so happens Pearse's reincarnation at ETNZ is an American

Since the website issue has been solved and the full design team identified, that person is Hal Youngren, universally known in the aero world as "Guppy" (but not, funnily enough, by GD who replied "Guppy who?" when I congratulated him in Cascais - "great guy" he added after my clarification).

For those of you in the States, there's the book "The Fullness of Wings" (didn't quite make the NYT bestseller list, got mine at McKay's for $1.00) that tells the story of a bunch of MIT students who built Daedalus, the human-powered plane that flew from Crete to Santorini in 1988. Many of those now work at Aurora Flight Sciences, while Guppy (and Mark Drela, by now an MIT professor) often consult. #2 Son interfaces with them, he recently co-authored a paper presented at the latest AIAA conference.

Apart from Alinghi, Guppy did work on a C-cat - but I haven't managed to know what ..

[maxmini]

But Aotearoa has Richard Pearse on their team!

Erm TK, while I laud your nationalism, it so happens Pearse's reincarnation at ETNZ is an American

Since the website issue has been solved and the full design team identified, that person is Hal Youngren, universally known in the aero world as "Guppy" (but not, funnily enough, by GD who replied "Guppy who?" when I congratulated him in Cascais - "great guy" he added after my clarification).

For those of you in the States, there's the book "The Fullness of Wings" (didn't quite make the NYT bestseller list, got mine at McKay's for $1.00) that tells the story of a bunch of MIT students who built Daedalus, the human-powered plane that flew from Crete to Santorini in 1988. Many of those now work at Aurora Flight Sciences, while Guppy (and Mark Drela, by now an MIT professor) often consult. #2 Son interfaces with them, he recently co-authored a paper presented at the latest AIAA conference.

Apart from Alinghi, Guppy did work on a C-cat - but I haven't managed to know what ..

I did think that was going to cause old TK a bit of heart burn as well.

Lets check off the high lights .

Born in the USA

USA educated , MIT.

Previously worked for Evil Ernie.

For the better part of 30 years he been collecting a pay check from the USA military "defense " contracts .

Bring back what ??

Added note on the ETNZ web site they have the area showing Hal's nationality as a blank . I guess they don't check drivers licenses any more .

[Te Kooti]

[I did think that was going to cause old TK a bit of heart burn as well.

Yea, well, he would not be the first foreigner sent to NZ for reeducation.

Unlike Mao - who sent errant citizens to the countryside - we sit 'em down with a lamington and glass of sauvignon blanc.

After that, we give 'em a surfboard and send them to Piha!

If, by that time, their rehabilitation is not complete, Dalts will take them for a ride on his motor cycle.

At that point they usually confess their errors and order another flat white!

P.S. This Hal bloke sounds very interesting!

[Te Kooti]

For the better part of 30 years he been collecting a pay check from the USA military "defense " contracts .

Here is a doctoral dissertation for someone.

How the US military-industrial complex has infiltrated the America's Cup.

Like Big-Bad-Dennis and SAIC.

Dennis was an unrepentant Republican prone to boogie with "defense contractor" mates!

And, as for Comrade Ellison?

Got his career off the ground by building software for the ....... CIA!

Remember them? Invented the "weapons-of-mass-destruction."

[JWR]

christ. how is this relevant? between this and the BARF chicanery... come on

[knarly34]

See the SL33's flying

http://www.3news.co....20/Default.aspx

[Te Kooti]

See the SL33's flying

http://www.3news.co....20/Default.aspx

The NZ "summer" continues to be crap.

140 k winds forecast for the central North Island.

If your boat is in Paremata harbour (RCs old stomping ground) on a mooring, watch out.

[~HHN92~]

For the better part of 30 years he been collecting a pay check from the USA military "defense " contracts .

Here is a doctoral dissertation for someone.

How the US military-industrial complex has infiltrated the America's Cup.

Like Big-Bad-Dennis and SAIC.

Dennis was an unrepentant Republican prone to boogie with "defense contractor" mates!

And, as for Comrade Ellison?

Got his career off the ground by building software for the ....... CIA!

Remember them? Invented the "weapons-of-mass-destruction."

According to DC, SAIC called the team and wanted him to come out and take a look at what they had. DC did not want to waste the time when he needed to be out raising funds for the campaign, but relented when MB told it may be worth his while.

According to DC, it was a presentation how AII went lower faster downwind and he lost the Cup, presented by the DoD. The saw it as a slight agains US technology to get beaten in something so basic as a sailboat racing in the AC. PArt of the reason why S&S 87 was a little different than some of the otehr 12's in Freo, other than Blackaller's R1.

It was DC's story and I guess he is still stickin' to it.

And no, the CIA did not 'invent' WMD's. C'mon TK, you're taking too many cheap pot shots lately.

[~Stingray~]

And no, the CIA did not 'invent' WMD's. C'mon TK, you're taking too many cheap pot shots lately.

good AC history again but on this part TK will likely compromise with an agreement that Karl Rove invented them.. okay, let's not go there

[Te Kooti]

good AC history again but on this part TK will likely compromise with an agreement that Karl Rove invented them.. okay, let's not go there

Just for fun I once went to a Security and Intelligence conference and met numerous CIA people.

One of them (a very attractive woman) gave a paper wherein she claimed they (the CIA) were overwhelmed with "information" (those glorious "facts") but lacked the skills to properly interpret data.

I nearly fell over because this problem infects many socio-political settings.

Hers was one of the better papers. But, in addition, there were several on intelligence failures - given by CIA, MI5 and CSIS personnel.

Reg Whittaker (Political Science, University of Victoria, Canada) was very very critical of the CIA - and the WMD debacle.

Plenty of wars have been started because of atrocious intellgence gathering. But, in the case of Iraq,, Bush et al knew there were no WMDs. So they just made up the story to justify the invasion and toppling of Saddam. To his credit, Colin Powell has been very clear about how much he despised being fed bullshit.

What was strange about the WMD myth was the fact Saddam - with all his faults - was a secular leader. He was not a nutcase Islamic fundamentalist. And, in many ways, Saddam and Bush were an echo of each other.

By getting rid of Saddam, Bush, Rumsfield, Cheney and the rest opened a space for fundamentalism. Today there is a struggle amongst those keen to occupy that space.

As for Karl Rove inventing WMDs it is possible.

[moon unit]

good AC history again but on this part TK will likely compromise with an agreement that Karl Rove invented them.. okay, let's not go there

Just for fun I once went to a Security and Intelligence conference and met numerous CIA people.

One of them (a very attractive woman) gave a paper wherein she claimed they (the CIA) were overwhelmed with "information" (those glorious "facts") but lacked the skills to properly interpret data.

I nearly fell over because this problem infects many socio-political settings.

Hers was one of the better papers. But, in addition, there were several on intelligence failures - given by CIA, MI5 and CSIS personnel.

Reg Whittaker (Political Science, University of Victoria, Canada) was very very critical of the CIA - and the WMD debacle.

Plenty of wars have been started because of atrocious intellgence gathering. But, in the case of Iraq,, Bush et al knew there were no WMDs. So they just made up the story to justify the invasion and toppling of Saddam. To his credit, Colin Powell has been very clear about how much he despised being fed bullshit.

What was strange about the WMD myth was the fact Saddam - with all his faults - was a secular leader. He was not a nutcase Islamic fundamentalist. And, in many ways, Saddam and Bush were an echo of each other.

By getting rid of Saddam, Bush, Rumsfield, Cheney and the rest opened a space for fundamentalism. Today there is a struggle amongst those keen to occupy that space.

As for Karl Rove inventing WMDs it is possible.

I know how he feels...

[Rohanoz]

Oh FFS, what is this thread even about anymore?!!
I come here to read about TNZ and happenings in Auckland. Fuck off if you have nothing to add. GA and PA cater for wasting valuable cyberspace.

[eric e]

if you come here

for the sailing

put

the kooki

on ignore

[Indio]

if you come here

for the sailing

put

the kooki

on ignore

..and you'll miss out on one very interesting point of view. ACA (SA in fact) would be so boring if every poster agreed with what everyone else posted. Enjoy the diversity of cultures, views, and experiences which makes being human so special. I'd rather read TK's comments on most subjects than the few malcontents who would put someone on ignore just because they don't agree with TK's opinions.

[eric e]

you need to get out more

if we all mouthed off

about the crap cluttering our brains

the place would become useless for it's primary goal

discussion about sailing

the kooki deserves no special pass

to insult whomever he likes

he's hypocrisy at it's highest

a good part of what makes society work

is knowing the time and place

while his hectoring may stimulate adolescent thought patterns

this is the wrong place at the wrong time

and he's only getting worse

[Indio]

you need to get out more

if we all mouthed off

about the crap cluttering our brains

the place would become useless for it's primary goal

discussion about sailing

the kooki deserves no special pass

to insult whomever he likes

he's hypocrisy at it's highest

a good part of what makes society work

is knowing the time and place

while his hectoring may stimulate adolescent thought patterns

this is the wrong place at the wrong time

and he's only getting worse

I don't know who is more dangerous: those who would advocate censorship, or those who would presume to know the "solution" involves getting "out more". It's interesting that the only ones who object to the frequent diversions from sailing discussions do NOT include those who own Sailing Anarchy. That's saying something.

But then there's always the standard ACA fall-back: if you don't like the topic of the thread, don't open or respond to it.

[DufferAlert]

"To give you a peek of how much the AC game has changed: For the 2007 America's Cup in Valencia ETNZ had 32 sailors and nine designers. For the 2013 Cup we have 11 sailors and 30 designers." - Rod Davis, Emirates Team New Zealand coach

[Xlot]

if you come here

for the sailing

put

the kooki

on ignore

..and you'll miss out on one very interesting point of view. ACA (SA in fact) would be so boring if every poster agreed with what everyone else posted. Enjoy the diversity of cultures, views, and experiences which makes being human so special. I'd rather read TK's comments on most subjects than the few malcontents who would put someone on ignore just because they don't agree with TK's opinions.

Hear, hear . In other words, the current twist on 33.4 broke this camel's back, for the time being.

But getting back to the original bone of contention, should TK try and re-educate Guppy he'll be inevitably stumped by the fundamental question: what's the point of having decent sauvignon blanc, when you haven't got lobster rolls to wash down with it?

[ncs]

Not new news from the NZ Herald:

Team New Zealand's SL33 catamarans, prototypes of the cup boat they are developing.

A deal struck with Luna Rossa will help Team New Zealand compete against the eye-watering budgets of the billionaire-funded America's Cup teams.

The Italian team's arrival in Auckland this week marks the beginning of the first formal collaboration between two teams in 160 years of the America's Cup.

Emirates Team New Zealand last year sold the Italian team the design to their AC72 - the new class of catamaran that will be sailed in next year's America's Cup.

Cont

[knarly34]

On a side note;

When the fuck is summer going to come to Auckland?


Wind and gales yesterday, shit rain and weirdness today.

Over it boys

[Albatros]

On a side note;

When the fuck is summer going to come to Auckland?


Wind and gales yesterday, shit rain and weirdness today.

Over it boys

was same here 6 months ago, and next autumn was brilliant and it kept on going, and going, and going ... if the analogy holds up, save your holidays for the next months

[eric e]

thought i had read

that the weather

will be more crap than normal

until march...

[Te Kooti]

The weather has come right again. Sort of.

The barge has returned to the Rena and they are getting ready to lift more containers.

But the outlook for February is not great. March is supposed to be ok.

[~Stingray~]

a tweet
--
1/13/12 3:13 PM
Luna Rossa AC45 is a badass looking boat. Can't wait to get her on the water.

[Rennmaus]

^
By whom?

[~Stingray~]

^
By whom?

oops
Iirc it was David Carr, listed as being with LR at http://www.americasc...go-as-observer/

[Rennmaus]

^
By whom?

oops
Iirc it was David Carr, listed as being with LR at http://www.americasc...go-as-observer/

Ta

[eric e]

do oracle allow team members to tweet?

i thought they wanted to control all media...

[Te Kooti]

Grant answers Cayard's "haircut" comments. From the NZH. Apologies if already posted:



Dalton said he was enjoying the close working relationship with Luna Rossa.

"It doesn't feel strange for me, because I can see we were doing it for the right reasons, but for the yachties they were initially like 'hang on a minute, we're selling kiwifruit to the Chinese here'," he said.

"And my argument to that is that, one, it's highly beneficial to us financially in an incredibly hard time. And two, I back our guys to beat [Luna Rossa]."

While such collaborations are allowed for under the protocol, Oracle and Artemis appear uncomfortable with the arrangement.

Both the defender and challenger of record went to the international jury seeking clarification on the rules they signed off on.

The wrinkle in the protocol uncovered by ETNZ and Luna Rossa was that while the teams would have been allowed to build two new boats, by working together in a particular way they could get more out of that provision of the protocol than was contemplated.

The jury ruled over Christmas that the collaboration was legal, but imposed a few more limitations on the rule.

"The only variation that came out of that when the international jury ruled was telemetry switching - having both boats wired together. We're allowed to race train against each other," said Dalton.

ETNZ had another victory in the jury room over Christmas in regards to voting rights after Dalton protested over the ability for teams that have not paid their entry to the 2013 event to get a vote on matters affecting the 34th match.

"Because all these little teams are beholden to the defender because of the deals that have been done for their boats, we're always going to be out-voted, so Oracle could push through changes that we didn't see benefited the overall cup.

"We questioned whether it was right that a team that hadn't paid their entry should be able to influence bigger issues further down the road, and the international jury agreed with us."

It was an important victory as there are nine teams listed on the America's Cup website as "challengers", but only three of those - ETNZ, Luna Rossa and Artemis - have paid the entry fee to the main event.

While the world series, sailed in identical AC45 catamarans, has attracted several new teams, these teams have not been able to secure the funding to mount a challenge for the America's Cup proper next year.

Dalton said that Oracle helmsman Sir Russell Coutts' promises to cut the costs of competing in the cup were nothing more than "empty promises from a team funded by a billionaire".

"The 45s to a point have masked that because a lot of teams have signed up for that because you can be in a 45 for bugger all, and you need a lot to be in the cup."

[seis]

Dalton about AC72 building

[Te Kooti]

Dalton about AC72 building

Pretty unique!

A syndicate boss standing in the shed where the next AC winner is being built.

Hands on hips, shades in pocket.

Yep, all kiwi!

All the time!

[Te Kooti]

James Blake, son of Sir Peter Blake, has reached the Auckland Viaduct after rowing across the Tasman with his mates. I recently saw him at the Blake 10th anniversary event. Looks a bit like his Dad.
This from the NZ Herald.



The first New Zealand rowing team to cross the Tasman has made it home.

Team Gallagher, which has Nigel Cherrie, James Blake and Andrew McCowan on board, had been at sea for 55 days.

The fourth member, Martin Berka was dropped off in the Bay of Islands to spend time with his fiancee.

The goal was to raise funds to build an artificial coral reef and help one of Borneo's remote communities.

Campaign director and Atlantic Ocean rower Rob Hamill was at Auckland's Viaduct Harbour at 4pm this afternoon to meet the team as it came into the harbour.

One East Coast Bays resident said before the crew arrived that seeing the transTasman rowers is quite a sight.

Dozens of people turned out to support the rowers as they arrived.

[~Stingray~]

^ Agreed, would have been cool to see something to salivate over but it's nice that GD did this update.
--

By RG
America's Cup: An update from the Big Fella

Getting out of bed at 6.00am to talk on the phone to a bunch of fully wired sailing journalists spread across three continents, probably isn't the ideal start to a day.

So it was no surprise that 'Big Fella', as Iain Murray is known in his native Australia, was talking in short sentences. The words just rumbled out.

Murray was back in Sydney, having taken a break from his role as Regatta Director for the 34th America's Cup and World Series to compete in the Star class at the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, in Perth, do another Rolex Sydney Hobart, and take in a few other regattas besides. That's called taking a break.

In the first two weeks of December, the Perth regatta pulled the attention of the sailing world, as both the main 2012 Olympic Qualifier, and also for the enormous effort put in by the Western Australians to organise the jewel in the ISAF crown.

They took a leaf from the America's Cup book to take sailing to the people, both ashore and on public television, and live streaming and replay video on the interweb.

continued

[Mariner]

Dalton about AC72 building

Pretty unique!

A syndicate boss standing in the shed where the next AC winner is being built.

Hands on hips, shades in pocket.

Yep, all kiwi!

All the time!

I just cannot get enough of this guy. Their david vs goliath climb back up the AC mountain against OR is a terrific story line to follow.

[knarly34]

Spot the SL33's out the other day. Taken from North Head obviously.

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[dalenz]

This could qualify for Caption Contest.

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•  IMG_1508.JPG   98.6K   247 downloads

[SeanM]

ETNZ secures major sponsorship deal with OSH

[nav]

Engineers carry out trials of world's smallest travel-lift

[PDCWines]

This could qualify for Caption Contest.

The carnies check out the latest attraction

[Te Kooti]

This could qualify for Caption Contest.

Sailing Anarchy said "wear your hats."

So ... here is yours!

[nav]

This could qualify for Caption Contest.

Ministry of Works Sewer Maintenance team checks their SL33 before their race against the softies from Parks and Reserves.

[Dyneema_forever]

This could qualify for Caption Contest.

Look, we are testing J-Boards?

[~Stingray~]

Sweet

[Scarecrow]

This could qualify for Caption Contest.

Look, we are testing J-Boards?

If you look close the board in the stbd hull appears to be a T foil.

[~Stingray~]

ex from a good one here
http://www.americasc.../Extended-Play/
--
Glyn Davies, the build manager for ACRM, has been in Auckland since the beginning of December, overseeing the wing extension project.

"We're currently building 12 wing extensions to have ready for the teams for the first World Series event in Naples (in April). We're on a very tight schedule," he says.

"We came back to Auckland from the last event in San Diego, set up the factory and started work in December. We're fortunate to have been able to hire a 'dream team' of boat builders here and have been able to get into production very quickly."
--

[nav]

Might as well chuck a few of these up to go with ^^



It seems this is not being done by Core but rather that the 8 workers IM mentioned earlier have been hired and set up independently.

Construction? Two parts (Spar ext and Flap ext), four moulds?

BUT they have solid surfaces! AC72 technology? The new standard?

The framing, what little there is of it is completely different to the lower wing as well

Materials? Kevlar & ? A response to the tip damage in previous crashes?

Who can get the scoop? (edit: Oh yeah, it's in the next ACUncovered isn't it)

[GauchoGreg]

Might as well chuck a few of these up to go with ^^



It seems this is not being done by Core but rather that the 8 workers IM mentioned earlier have been hired and set up independently.

Construction? Two parts (Spar ext and Flap ext), four moulds?

BUT they have solid surfaces! AC72 technology? The new standard?

The framing, what little there is of it is completely different to the lower wing as well

Materials? Kevlar & ? A response to the tip damage in previous crashes?

Who can get the scoop? (edit: Oh yeah, it's in the next ACUncovered isn't it)

Well, they probably don't have to worry about people falling through these extensions , so solid surface is not a hazard.

[~Stingray~]

Interesting pics. Wasn't expecting solid surfaces and until now didn't quite grasp how big these will be either.

--
A couple of Rhino/CFD images, kinda fun:
http://www.dynamic-f.../wingsails.html

[~Stingray~]

'Like a big Lego Set'



"Emirates Team New Zealand's design team has never been busier ... the first AC72 build is underway and as technical director Nick Holroyd explains building one of the big cats is like putting together large Lego blocks and all the while the designers are working on the Sl33 and what might make them go faster."

[Te Kooti]

What a joke!

Sir Michael Fay - who grew rich by flogging NZ state assets to foreigners - is now objecting to the sale of NZ farmland to Chinese investors.

This from a man who mostly hangs out in Switzerland so as to avoid paying taxes in NZ.

More here:

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10780905

[ncs]

Wasn't expecting solid surfaces and until now didn't quite grasp how big these will be either.

Same here. On close inspection these strap-ons look unnecessarily heavy for the worst place to add weight. Lots of filler in joins, high tolerances, noticeable asymmetry.

[eric e]

 rollerball6.jpg   85.62K   21 downloads

[nav]

 rollerball6.jpg   85.62K   21 downloads

Nice.

No more of this "The best sailors in the fastest boats" nonsense then - now it's "Get hard or go home!"

Yes clean you can use it

[nav]

Here's the explanation for the use of Kevlar ++ Starting at 13:00

1 hour to mount, 15 mins to demount.

Fly-a-hull in 5kt

Venturi cooling system!

They're in Beach Haven guys - go suss it out......



This week's show heads to Auckland to check in with Luna Rossa Challenge. The Italian team has just launched their new AC45 and we hear what skipper Max Sirena has planned for training with Emirates Team NZ. While in New Zealand we stop by the factory to uncover the new wing extensions designed to boost the speed of the AC45s in light winds. Then back in San Francisco we pay a visit to the America's Cup Event Authority office where plans are in advanced stages of preparation for both 2012 and 2013. Olympic hopeful and America's Cup World Series commentator Genny Tulloch shares an action packed California day with us

[Te Kooti]

Dear Max,

For Chris'sake mate, this is NEW ZEALAND.

Wear a hat!

You and everyone else!

Cheers, TK

[Te Kooti]

New Zealanders are accustomed to getting home on the smell of an oily rag.

And, if you listen to GD in this "uncovered" programme, the LR/TNZ partnership is a way of 2-boat testing.

Without the expense of owning two boats (and paying two crews) - eg. Artemis - or 4 - boat profligacy (Oracle).

LR is the Ex40 crew + newbies (eg. Draper).

It will be interesting to see how the LR/TNZ partnership plays out in Naples.

[~Stingray~]

It will be interesting to see how the LR/TNZ partnership plays out in Naples.

(scared to ask, but..)
What do you mean?

[SW Sailor]

What will be interesting is just how quickly LR will come up to speed in the AC45's given their multihull expertise and with Draper involved.

Not sure exactly what role Draper will play, but he did pretty well with TK in relatively short order and he now has a seasoned team of cat sailors to work with.

They still have a learning curve to come down but they also have TNZ as a sparring partner to accelerate the process, and when the 72's get splashed the reset button is pressed for both teams.

[Rennmaus]

It will be interesting to see how the LR/TNZ partnership plays out in Naples.

(scared to ask, but..)
What do you mean?

Look up if any Italians have been involved in Gallipoli. Maybe there's a hint somewhere... It may be all cultural, tho.

[nav]

What will be interesting is just how quickly LR will come up to speed in the AC45's given their multihull expertise and with Draper involved.

Not sure exactly what role Draper will play, but he did pretty well with TK in relatively short order and he now has a seasoned team of cat sailors to work with.

They still have a learning curve to come down but they also have TNZ as a sparring partner to accelerate the process, and when the 72's get splashed the reset button is pressed for both teams.

From a couple of the quotes in ACU#23 it sounded as if Draper was essentially in a 'consultancy' type role. Something like "he's there to make sure we don't make any mistakes", rather than him being seen an integral part of the team/crew. Waste of talent IMO if he doesn't end up racing on one boat or another though.

Things can change obviously though - time will tell.

[~Stingray~]

It will be interesting to see how the LR/TNZ partnership plays out in Naples.

(scared to ask, but..)
What do you mean?

Look up if any Italians have been involved in Gallipoli. Maybe there's a hint somewhere... It may be all cultural, tho.

Eek, that is precisely the answer I was scared to see! Thanks a lot...
--
I think we figured out in the Naples thread that LR should be the next 2 boat team. And there have tweets by I forget who suggesting that've been rotating two crews on LR1 this week, so perhaps CD will get one of the helms in Naples. Could be interesting to see whose boat Sirena sails on, will he 'switch' to LR-Draper?

[~Stingray~]

On airing views and on AC45's racing, in Auckland

http://m.nzherald.co...jectid=10782073

[~Stingray~]

It will be interesting to see how the LR/TNZ partnership plays out in Naples.

(scared to ask, but..)
What do you mean?

Look up if any Italians have been involved in Gallipoli. Maybe there's a hint somewhere... It may be all cultural, tho.

This Il Moro memory is an interesting read, it shows as fresh today for some reason.
http://peacefulamazon.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/now-were-serious-the-americas-cup-and-the-il-moro-syndicate-the-chronicles-of-jo-mares/

[Te Kooti]

Not exactly news friom the Viaduct. But, out of respect for Bondy, this goes here. Bondy found his wife dead in a swimming pool. This from the NZ Herald:




Australia's Alan Bond distraught at finding wife dead in pool
5:30 AM Monday Jan 30, 2012 Australian businessman Alan Bond yesterday struggled to find the words to describe the death of his "beautiful wife" of 17 years, Diana Bliss.

Mr Bond, the man who bankrolled the America's Cup-winning Australia II syndicate in 1983, phoned the ambulance on Saturday morning after finding his wife's body, reportedly in the swimming pool, at their home in the upmarket Perth suburb of Cottesloe. Australian media reports said Mr Bond tried desperately to resuscitate his wife.

Yesterday morning Mr Bond, 73, was asked how he was feeling as he arrived back home from church.

"It's so new, I mean, we are ..." said Mr Bond, pausing and clearly having difficulty speaking.

"I lost my beautiful wife."

Later his daughter, Jody Fewster, made a brief statement saying her father was too distraught to say anything more but confirming Ms Bliss, 57, had been sick for a while.

"The family is devastated, her [Ms Bliss'] friends are devastated and Dad just can't talk at the moment.

"We would really appreciate a little bit of privacy at this time.

"I just really appreciate your interest because she was beautiful but that's about all we can say at the moment. We hope we'll be able to put something in writing and put that down to share with everyone but at the moment really Dad can't speak to anyone."

Friends said Ms Bliss suffered from depression and anxiety and had been recently treated in hospital. But the former flight attendant turned theatre producer was regarded as a "ray of sunshine" to those who knew her.

Mr Bond and Ms Bliss married in 1995 after he and his first wife, Eileen Hughes, divorced after 37 years of marriage. They had separated three years earlier.

Police have ruled out suspicious circumstances and the coroner is investigating the death. A post-mortem examination is expected to be done within days.

Once one of Australia's most prominent businessmen, Mr Bond was declared bankrupt in 1992 with personal debts totalling A$1.8 billion ($2.3 billion).

He was subsequently convicted of fraud and served four years in prison.

- APNZ

Copyright ©2012, APN Holdings NZ Limited

[Te Kooti]

Look up if any Italians have been involved in Gallipoli. Maybe there's a hint somewhere... It may be all cultural, tho.

No, but many NZ'ers fought at Monte Cassino in Italy.

I have a 91 yr. old friend in Kerikeri who fought both campaigns there. Two winters in cold, mud and mayhem.

His son was my flatmate at university. Not long ago the son died in a diving accident.

This elderly NZ'er has no other children and lost his wife years ago.

But, whenever possible, I take him out for a coffee. Sometimes we do not say much. But he knows why I am there.

To assure him he is not forgotten. And to say how much we appreciate what he has done for his country.

Like Gallipoli, Monte Cassino was a catastrophe.

There are better ways of solving problems.

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[Rennmaus]

Oh.

[Te Kooti]

his Il Moro memory is an interesting read, it shows as fresh today for some reason.
http://peacefulamazo...es-of-jo-mares/

ACHTUNG! Read this! One of the best things ever written about the AC. Funny too!

But what about this?

"We take the transit and drive to the Mont Blanc tunnel unable to bask in our achievement of a job well done. We’ve pissed off a Mafia boss, our boat hasn’t yet won, and it might not, and we’re never coming back to Italy. We drive in silence"

Is he suggesting Raoul Gardini was a mafia boss? Seems like it.

If so, where does that leave Cayard?

[Te Kooti]

Australia's Alan Bond distraught at finding wife dead in pool
5:30 AM Monday Jan 30, 2012 Australian businessman Alan Bond yesterday struggled to find the words to describe the death of his "beautiful wife" of 17 years, Diana Bliss.

Australian media are handling this tragedy with uncharacteristic sensitivity.

Pretty clear she suffered from anxiety and depression and took her own life.

No foulplay suspected.

Pretty hard on Bondy.

She was only 57 and a big part of his life.

[~Stingray~]

[~Stingray~]

^ caption is

Emirates Team New Zealand relaunches its AC45 in Auckland … it’s Auckland’s anniversary day so the team is going sailing to join in the annual regatta where yachts large and small, old and new go racing as they have done for more than 150 years.