Emirates Team New Zealand.

Priscilla

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It doesn't look as big waves as we are seeing in Ineos or LR videos at times, though I admit that is also hard to compare because NZ are sailing the bigger boat. Back to guessing
I haven’t sailed that area where the Frackers or Handbags are testing and the footage of their sessions show there is a far larger and longer swell compared to conditions in the back paddock on the sparkling Waitemata.
Conditions on the paddock frequently can rise well beyond being frisky too however in both cases wether here or in the Med these foilers are proving to be a reasonably robust bit of kit which is not a bad result for a race boat whose design is sooo biblically radical.
Here’s hoping that the regatta actual is not the off the foils flop fest lottery as witnessed in the last cycle.
 

enigmatically2

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The lighter winds might make it a flop-fest unless they build wings with lift. The waves would make it a crash-bang fest I suspect unless they have more stability.

Notable that the 2 teams sailing in those waves aren't (at least yet) bothering with v1s on legacy foils
 

JALhazmat

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Southampton
As long as wave height exceeds rudder/arm height it will be a shit show of stop start splash downs take offs, it will be like taking an F1 car rallying. hull form wont matter a bit if the foils get airborne at 40 kts either

if sea state behave that it will all be fine but not even GD controls that
 

Dogfish

Member
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201
You have to consider the flow of the water in the wave as this effects the AOA of the foil. So swell direction, and wave height play a part. Obviously some of those small surface waves have little impact on the ride but certain wave patterns may be more problamatic and require different tactics, but it maybe as simple as sailing a slightly different course in a race to optimise preformance that's for the teams to work out.
 

jaysper

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Wellington
Agree. It'll be a factor for sure, but an optimised hull shape (whatever that might look like) will minimise touchdown effect and keep 'em flying. Drag is still the enemy.
Yep.
All that other "stuff" is important but don't mean a thing if you're dragging a 4 by 2 through the water.
 

jaysper

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Wellington
I'm thinking there will be some teams whose regret is that the conditions were not favourable for them too many days flat or too many days big waves.
This is going to be an interesting cup!
I think it's like that for most cups I reckon.
Dirty Den got the conditions he wanted in Fremantle, ETNZ did in Bermuda.
 

Stingray~

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I think it's like that for most cups I reckon.
Dirty Den got the conditions he wanted in Fremantle, ETNZ did in Bermuda.
ETNZ did again in Auckland, after the 3-3 score tie the wind dropped and this helped extend whatever-else their advantages became. Most teams aimed at optimizing for the 12-15 knots range.

The windspeed differences could be even greater between the CSS and the AC Finals this next time in Barcelona, given how it drops off starting early October. It may be hard to have the correct foils to win the CSS, and then the AC too.
 

jaysper

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Wellington
ETNZ did again in Auckland, after the 3-3 score tie the wind dropped and this helped extend whatever-else their advantages became. Most teams aimed at optimizing for the 12-15 knots range.

The windspeed differences could be even greater between the CSS and the AC Finals this next time in Barcelona, given how it drops off starting early October. It may be hard to have the correct foils to win the CSS, and then the AC too.
Ah yes, good point.
In retrospect, it's a shame the weather turned ETNZs way.
 
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