Luna Rossa Challenge. AC 36

[weta27]

This was around 5pm, just off Torpedo Bay, but they carried on sailing afterwards.

@airflownz will have some nice video footage of the incident, he was alongside me.

Here is a closer crop:

 

[weta27]

A bit blurry, but you get the idea ...

 

[Nodrog]

nice! the spill I saw was prob further out,  they would have been by northern leading, not certain on the timing, was sailing too... 

 

[MastaVonBlasta]

Up in the sky moment 11:55 into the video. I wish it was also shown in real speed, not just slow-mo

 

[Purple Headed Warrior]

Looks to me like they handled it pretty well....

 

[Revelry]

Is that a 12footer in the background of the first one? That bowsprit doesn't look ridiculous enough...

Great photos though, wallpaper-worthy stuff.

That was us!! Testing out a new kite off the short prod, quite a different sailing style with a high aspect shape. Seemed fast though! 

LR sailed underneath us, tacked around and we thought they were off to north head. Low and behold they pop in a bear away and are pointing straight at us. We just hold our course and they fly past tens of meters away. Bone quiet, barely heard a whistle. No wind shadow that we felt. Pretty hard to comprehend what was happening before you, then they were gone. 

Probably the closest we'll ever get to see these boats in action... then we had to negotiate the white water from all the case boats.

It's cool, I always catch the AC support taking notice of the 12. They probably don't get them in the northern hemisphere. We joke they're scouting for more crew... Nailed some good gybes today, just saying! 

 

[Zaal]

Did they add some sort of "blade" or "mini-keel" ?? Seems like it wasn't there at the splashing !!

 

[JALhazmat]

and they laughed at the stick on version that Ineos had in Sardinia..

 

[rh3000]

Looks to me like they handled it pretty well....

Still no pitch poles! Where is TC et al on this eh?

 

[enigmatically2]

Looks to me like they handled it pretty well....

Perhaps, but that sort of event for any team could mean they lose that race. So that top mark could be one to watch. 

I read something that says that the course limits will mean they will hit the edge in 1 minute from start, so I assume 2 mins side to side. Given the time lost for splashdown it does show how important all the corners are going to be. At least some races that  will decide the winner, not speed

 

[Xlot]

View attachment 405086 View attachment 405087

Did they add some sort of "blade" or "mini-keel" ?? Seems like it wasn't there at the splashing !!

Worth investigating ashore. But I’ve been stung too many times with false reflections on these shiny hulls

 

[Zaal]

Worth investigating ashore. But I’ve been stung too many times with false reflections on these shiny hulls

You are right, but look at these cropped images, seems to be really there, also from the back. I lightened the blacks when the boat was ashore and there's is a "separation line" like in the other pics. I'm pretty sure this "blade" keel is really there this time around  

 

[Zaal]

Here other two pics, I lightened the blacks of this photo, which was taken some days ago, and it's still there, so it's at least a couple days that they added this blade keel. It was easier to spot it with the bright  sunlight of the last sailing pics. 

 

[Xlot]

@Zaal I believe you, but to be sure there’s only one thing:

@weta27 and @mikenz2 your mission, should you choose to accept it, is ...

 

[Zaal]

@Zaal I believe you, but to be sure there’s only one thing:

@weta27 and @mikenz2 your mission, should you choose to accept it, is ...

Hahahaha this message will self destruct in five seconds 

 

[weta27]

Nah, just the various reflections ...

Too many conspiracy theories flying around here these days!

Here we go, nothing to see.

.... oh my goodness me????!!!

 

[Xlot]

This must be what they were installing the week they didn’t sail.

Shall we call it the Zaal keelet?

 

[Xlot]

I’m thinking that the combination of no masking, sailing in proximity of land and the infernal curiosity of enthusiasts must be giving ulcers to designers and team managers

Nothing escapes the SAAC Inquisition!    

 

[Zaal]

This must be what they were installing the week they didn’t sail.

Shall we call it the Zaal keelet?

It would be a honor for me, @Xlot my friend  But it's the awesome work of @weta27, @mikenz2 and others like them that make this "discoveries" possible, just as you said  

 

[weta27]

We were treated to a fantastic display, for over an hour, with LR doing laps of what seemed to be B Course, or possibly some hybrid of B and C.

These pics are not meant to be any indication of the quality of the sailing, which was very impressive.

I just like the splash shots!