I agree. They’ll probably do the same thing AM is doing and test most of their full scale systems before migrating them to their new boats. My guess is that AM decided to test their full scale internal stuff first just because it’s a lot easier to hide any sneaky new stuff. Testing foil shapes now kind of puts all your secrets on display.
Yes - but they specifically said that's not what they are testing if you listen very closely. They are working with systems. That tells me a lot of the changes they are working with may be hydraulics efficiency, programming, and systems integration. There's a TON to be gained in those areas, and iterating your programming costs you nothing (as long as you don't crash).
I totally agree, which is why I said that there are undoubtedly gains to be made doing what AM is doing. But to suggest from these sidelines on which we sit this early in the game that this strategy by AM is the better one is perhaps understandable yet nonetheless rank speculation. Only time will tell. I will be very interested to see what happens.
yes, no one knows which strategy is the best. Every team needs to develop and practice with the system improvements that will be implemented into their new boat. AM is doing it now and some other teams will do it once they launch their new boat. AM will just step into the new boat and sail away, other will need to adjust and problem solve the scaled up versions of their systems.
This makes sense as we know AM are testing the boat in AC-75 V2 config with new sails, cyclors and bits and pieces, they are playing with the cyclor positions etc too and sail handling/trimming etc to see what works best. That's the V2 practical if you like whilst the speed tricks/foils etc are being worked on in secret.
obviously Ailinghi had the theoretical headstart with a larger window (20 days) on testing with an AC75 being a new team. BUT since only one of the returning teams have even bothered so far it's hard to say how much it ranks in the actual scheme of things. They have been allowed to sail one since Sep 22nd, so almost a three month window now.
americanmagic.americascup.com
www.sailingscuttlebutt.com
The segment beginning at around 52:00 of Part 1 is amazing, including about how when they first saw the images from New Zealand of them foiling their AC72 down the Hauraki Gulf they at Oracle initially thought it must surely have been photoshopped, and it gets even more amazing starting around 58:00 when Slingers describes the Oracle AC72 capsize.Sitting down with Tom Slingsby >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News
Series Four of Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast continues in fascinating fashion as double Olympic gold medalist Shirley Robertson sits down with one
www.americascup.com
The early minutes of Part 2 are also a great listen.
This was recorded back at the Plymouth SGP event but Slingers touches on AM starting around 56:00 of Part 2. It's a super-good listen.
