It’s the Format not the Boats

[KiwiJoker]

Nathan pointed out that so far Port Entry significantly advantages your start and the likelihood of winning the race. The worst case would be that the boat which, by draw, had the most Port Entries won the Cup.  

I think there is too little time in the box before the start, and 5 or even 10 minutes of Mano a Mano with boats this volatile would enhance the event.  I also think the artificially narrow racetrack is problematic, at once keeping the boats close together but making it very hard to pass.

I also think the races are too short.  I would target races that were closer to an hour in length.  The 18’s seem to be able to keep the audiences attention for that long, I expect the AC should be able to do the same.

SHC

Yes, yes, yes for more time in the start box, if possible a bigger start box.

Recognising the commercial need for max action for TV viewership, I think race lengths are about right.

The other biggie for me is a TV director who is an experienced sailor, preferably match racer,  who focuses his shots, cut and edits on showing a visually logical story.  Example: save shots of crowds cheering for a simple tack, or similar.  Avoid beauty and sweetening shots when one boat is rounding with another in their wake. I want new viewers to come away with a better appreciation of the sport and not a recollection of jumbled out-of-context action shots.

 

[KiwiJoker]

Get rid of the boundaries and the racing will be much more interesting. Also have both boats come into the start box at the same time like they used to.

Boundaries exist mostly for crowd control.  Always have.

 

[Meat Wad]

Well soon we'll see how it goes again.

 

[crashtack]

The crews are like hamsters, the skippers may as well be driving a car. Ok I’m vaguely into it because its a competition but its still as boring as fuck. Win the start = win the race so far and I cant see that changing much. You are right, once the ooh aah look at their speed and foils gets old (about 5 minutes) just like the emperors  new clothes there isn’t much going on, just some really dull racing at high speed. I would much rather watch the concup.

People seem to be culturally seduced into more is better, new is better. I dont think that foiling is an improvement in sailing skill as far as the relationship between crew work, playing on the chess board of water and wind. Everyone is focused on the platform, when really it should be about the sailors. They say its a technology race, really? If thats so, go and build a rocket or something. It just goes to show that most people dont sail, dont understand the sport and prefer silicone tits to the real McCoy. That’s all these boats are 75ft silicone titties, nice to look at but the thinking behind them is questionable 

AC has always been about the platform.

Yes, yes, yes for more time in the start box, if possible a bigger start box.

Recognising the commercial need for max action for TV viewership, I think race lengths are about right.

The other biggie for me is a TV director who is an experienced sailor, preferably match racer,  who focuses his shots, cut and edits on showing a visually logical story.  Example: save shots of crowds cheering for a simple tack, or similar.  Avoid beauty and sweetening shots when one boat is rounding with another in their wake. I want new viewers to come away with a better appreciation of the sport and not a recollection of jumbled out-of-context action shots.

I think the small start box is a blessing, bigger start box will just result in a longer lead/push battle on starboard tack, but not any more maneuvers

 

[Perpetual Toil]

How would requiring displacement mode inside the rounding rings work?

Getting up on the foils again would introduce a lot of skill based variables.

I’m not suggesting requiring displacement mode, but rather allowing races to go ahead in conditions where it is likely to occur. 

 

[DA-WOODY]

how about

once in Start Box .... No Exiting other than across the startline

 

[Tuesday]

How about 2 races of the 13 where each boat gets to start 2 minutes in front of the other one and has to try and maintain the 2 minute head start?  Each boat would sail each race in clear air and with modern computer graphics could be  made pretty compelling.  It would be interesting to see them come blasting in at 60 knots or so and then stuff it up at the starts!   It’s a little boring when one boat is constantly getting dirt or is being forced to sail on the slow half of the course...

 

[Boybland]

Make the start sequence a minute longer.

Make the course another 100 to 200 metres wider.

I think both of those would improve things quite significantly.

As it stands the start sequence consists of one 10 to 15 second chance for one boat to make something happen. Once on the course the boats never get enough seperation or time to wind up to really benefit from sniffing out a great shift or pressure change.

 

[dullers]

I find my self not watching the race and just the starts. It tells me who will win. I am a neutral in this with my boat (INEOS now land fill) It is a bit like a game of rugby where one team gets of to a 30 point lead in the first 20 mins. Then not much happens of interest after.

 

[firefly sailor]

Surely, a way better format, whatever they sail in would be 2 Boat team racing.....

 

[jurop88]

I propose a 'surprise start' i.e. the start is given between 3 and 5 minutes after the preparatory signal. The public see the time, the racers do not. For two minutes you must be ready to start in a better position than your opponent. A very short course, only one upwind/downwind leg. 3 to 5 races per day. Well, IMHO this could be enjoyable for the mainstream public but I learnt to race with the old 1-2-3-1-2-1-2 olympic course, 2hrs> race with the oppies...

 

[Stingray~]

I propose a 'surprise start' i.e. the start is given between 3 and 5 minutes after the preparatory signal. The public see the time, the racers do not. For two minutes you must be ready to start in a better position than your opponent. A very short course, only one upwind/downwind leg. 3 to 5 races per day. Well, IMHO this could be enjoyable for the mainstream public but I learnt to race with the old 1-2-3-1-2-1-2 olympic course, 2hrs> race with the oppies...

Fun idea!  

 

[jaysper]

Fun idea!  

The sailing equivalent of musical chairs?

 

[jaysper]

(INEOS now land fill)

Only landfill if the class changes.

However it seems to me that with relatively large differences between ETNZ and LR that INEOS wasn't actually such a bad boat. Off the pace for sure, but maybe not as much as was assumed during the Prada Cup final.

 

[Stingray~]

Only landfill if the class changes.

However it seems to me that with relatively large differences between ETNZ and LR that INEOS wasn't actually such a bad boat. Off the pace for sure, but maybe not as much as was assumed during the Prada Cup final.

Both INEOS and AM had their sweet spots, for sure. 

 

[jaysper]

Both INEOS and AM had their sweet spots, for sure. 

I still think AM had a damned good shot at being the challengers. My only concern about them was Hutch and Deano. They just don't seem up to the task.

 

[Chris Gough]

The speeds that these boats generate on a ridiculously narrow course doesn't do justice to sailing performance of crews due to inability to pass except due to a mistake from the boat in front .I also think that NZ are at a disadvantage with lack of racing competition in the Prada cup .All teams should have the benefit of equal racing in the leadup especially when these are new boats and tech .The holder of the cup must be allowed equal opportunity to maximize starts in competition as were the other boats

 

[Mitre cut]

Instead of having the entry line on the start box in the centre of the restart zone it should be offset 30% to the right so the starboard tack boat will boundary out quicker and be forced to sail out of the right and then they can both fight for the best spot. 

 

[Stingray~]

Instead of having the entry line on the start box in the centre of the restart zone it should be offset 30% to the right so the starboard tack boat will boundary out quicker and be forced to sail out of the right and then they can both fight for the best spot. 

Oooh, interesting idea. 

 

[accnick]

Only landfill if the class changes.

However it seems to me that with relatively large differences between ETNZ and LR that INEOS wasn't actually such a bad boat. Off the pace for sure, but maybe not as much as was assumed during the Prada Cup final.

Rita might be a very good boat with the right foils