The AC 37 has started, news and rumours

[shanghaisailor]

More than enough with their D35 and foiler fleet. And again, the crew does not make much difference, unless for the kiwis who only have sailors, the designers make the difference.

well let's wait and see - they weren't good enough for the team last Alinghi iteration

 

[jaysper]

Big Bad Dennis was 45 when he won it back, 46 when he sailed the Cat but he faded after that and the reactions needed on an AC Class boat were somewhat less than on an AC75. Besides by the time the next Cup comes round Sir Ben will be 48 or 49. Perhaps his value would be more as a mentor or a coach. GBR is not short of quality younger sailors who would have 3-4 years to practice getting to grips with the AC75 

DC looks more Jabba the Hutt and  Ben more Han Solo.

Physical conditioning plays a big part in it all.

Besides as I've stated here previously it was shown pretty conclusively in F1 that reaction times are not the most important thing, the ability to anticipate is.

 

[shanghaisailor]

DC looks more Jabba the Hutt and  Ben more Han Solo.

Physical conditioning plays a big part in it all.

Besides as I've stated here previously it was shown pretty conclusively in F1 that reaction times are not the most important thing, the ability to anticipate is.

I love a good discussion. Time will tell ;-)

Any link to the research?

 

[Rennmaus]

Nice FP rebuttal.
One small annotation:

You wrote:

Of course you could always cut costs and run it in Lasers.

Only if these Lasers are 44 - 90 ft on LWL.

 

 

[jaysper]

I love a good discussion. Time will tell ;-)

Any link to the research?

Nah, sorry it was in a documentary about F1 a good number of years ago when people watched these funny contraptions called TVs. 

However it showed that F1 drivers didn't have reaction times beyond the ordinary but rather could anticipate what was coming next and prepare for it much better.

 

[idontwan2know]

Big Bad Dennis was 45 when he won it back, 46 when he sailed the Cat but he faded after that and the reactions needed on an AC Class boat were somewhat less than on an AC75. Besides by the time the next Cup comes round Sir Ben will be 48 or 49. Perhaps his value would be more as a mentor or a coach. GBR is not short of quality younger sailors who would have 3-4 years to practice getting to grips with the AC75 

Dennis's unsuccessful campaigns after 88 had a lot more to do with his shortcomings as a team boss and fundraiser as the game evolved than his slowing reflexes. I agree with your overarching point, that helming an AC75 is a younger man's game than the older boats.

Ben needs to either cede more responsibility for team management or get off the boat. Even stubborn as a mule Dalts realized this eventually, and he wasn't trying to steer.

 

[shebeen]

.

AC36 was not the cash cow for the New Zealand economy it was in the past purely because of COVID. Before the borders closed more than enough superyacht owners had expressed they would be coming and other tourist avenues were also expecting full occupancy.

I

in the short term no.

But while the rest of the world was reeling, NZ has been a shining star. Post covid,  NZ inc will emerge a lot stronger than it went in, and holding this event there will be a part of that.

So moving it away would be a silly move in the grand scheme of things, and  only a huge upfront payment could move this.  (AC35 Bermuda - $77m package from bermuda for a projected ~$250m return https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/12/08/bermuda-pay-77-million-host-americas-cup/)

 

[shanghaisailor]

Nice FP rebuttal.
One small annotation:

You wrote:

Only if these Lasers are 44 - 90 ft on LWL.

 

ha ha - good point, very good point - someone else who knows the DoG

 

[EYESAILOR]

DC looks more Jabba the Hutt and  Ben more Han Solo.

Physical conditioning plays a big part in it all.

Besides as I've stated here previously it was shown pretty conclusively in F1 that reaction times are not the most important thing, the ability to anticipate is.

Exactly.....and look at Tom Brady. Staying in shapoen is everything

 

[Xlot]

Nah, sorry it was in a documentary about F1 a good number of years ago when people watched these funny contraptions called TVs. 

However it showed that F1 drivers didn't have reaction times beyond the ordinary but rather could anticipate what was coming next and prepare for it much better.

Saw that. Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson dropping a ruler and Michael Schumaker catching it clapping hands. Notches on ruler indicating reaction time

 

[jaysper]

Saw that. Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson dropping a ruler and Michael Schumaker catching it clapping hands. Notches on ruler indicating reaction time

Actually the one I watched was far more documentary style with scientists and shit.

Not that I am dissing Professor Clarkson or anything 

But I still stand by my point that despite being on the wrong side of 40, Ben is in excellent physical shape and I don't doubt his ability to do another couple of cycles at least.

He just needs to stop trying to do it all.

 

[cbulger]

Clearly it's suboptimal to be CEO and Helm - especially for those campaigns that are the pet project of one billionaire.  The team CEO has to keep the money flowing - "no cash, no splash" as JB says.  For teams with one sugar daddy, that person has a much heavier hand on the team.  For INEOS, as soon as they crossed the line and were eliminated in the finals, 100% of Ben's attention was dedicated to entertaining the owner.   That is just one very visible example of how managing the "owner" distracts from leading the team on the water.

For the Kiwi team, GD has the challenge of putting together multiple sources of funding is less certain than one sugar daddy, but has its advantages.  GD can insulate the sailing team from the whims of the sponsors and let them focus on winning, not entertainment. 

 

[dg_sailingfan]

I agree about the shake-up but perhaps not the person who should go. Maybe I'm being naïve here but what did Simmer actually bring to INEOS this time round?

He didn't bring the money in. He didn't lead the design team. He was supposed to manage the organisation but it was plagued with internal politics that resulted in delays in development that arguable cost them the chance to challenge (this is reference the interview with the French INEOS designer that talked about all the push back from members of the sailing team)....

Ben Ainslie hired Simmer because of his Experience when he announced him in 2017 after the Bermuda Cup but Simmer did bring nothing to the table. His Days as a good CEO/Manager are long gone. INEOS needs a younger CEO like Toto Wolff.
If I were Sir Jim Ratcliffe I'd offer Wolff 25M$ to get him out of his current contract with Mercedes F1 (big European Soccer Clubs do this all the time. Paris St. Germain paid Barcelona north of 150M$ to get Neymar out of his contract there) and manage my Team + let him pick the Design Team for my next AC Challenge.

 

[dg_sailingfan]

What I mean, is that it's too early to put Ben Ainslie behind a desk.

INEOS has a very skilled Driver when it comes to Foiling Boats in Leigh McMillan. They don't need Ben at the wheel. He's too old and weak!
My guess is that Pietro Sibello will helm the next Luna Rossa Challenge and Bruni will play Tactician like he did in the 2013 Cup.

 

[strider470]

INEOS has a very skilled Driver when it comes to Foiling Boats in Leigh McMillan. They don't need Ben at the wheel. He's too old and weak!
My guess is that Pietro Sibello will helm the next Luna Rossa Challenge and Bruni will play Tactician like he did in the 2013 Cup.

I had the same thought about Sibello, He is a top helmsman. But as it seems Max Sirena is willing to confirm Bruni and Spithill

 

[dg_sailingfan]

I had the same thought about Sibello, He is a top helmsman. But as it seems Max Sirena is willing to confirm Bruni and Spithill

This is not going to end up with the desired Result if Max confirms Spithill & Bruni again.

Your Italian Team has only minor problems compared to INEOS though!

The Brits need a complete Management Shake-Up and I stand by what I said: Get Toto Wolff. That guy hasn't won 6 F1 Constructors Championships in a row for a naught. He knows what's required to put a winning Team together and manage it!

 

[Xlot]

This Labour government was spending money like Nicholas Cage on speed PRIOR coronavirus.

They've since printed $60 Billion (I think) with more to come, so I would be surprised if they don't shake their money maker.

That’s a possibility, but again a condition would be budget oversight by gray government bean counters, who’d be sure to impose franciscan limits on payrolls

Also,  interesting take by S-W

https://www.sail-world.com/news/236216/Future-Americas-Cup-direction-still-unclear

They do seem to consider the 1:1 match as a red herring, if I read them right

 

[jaysper]

That’s a possibility, but again a condition would be budget oversight by gray government bean counters, who’d be sure to impose franciscan limits on payrolls

Also,  interesting take by S-W

https://www.sail-world.com/news/236216/Future-Americas-Cup-direction-still-unclear

They do seem to consider te 1:1 match as a red herring, if I read them right

I think it is too. As annoyed as I am with ETNZ it is just pathetic that the NZ Government haven't spent the last 3 years negotiating this next defence so that immediately at the conclusion of the match they could have either:

1. Cut a cheque for a hosting rights to the next defence, or 

2. Say fuck off, go defend elsewhere.

 

[crashtack]

This is not going to end up with the desired Result if Max confirms Spithill & Bruni again.

Your Italian Team has only minor problems compared to INEOS though!

The Brits need a complete Management Shake-Up and I stand by what I said: Get Toto Wolff. That guy hasn't won 6 F1 Constructors Championships in a row for a naught. He knows what's required to put a winning Team together and manage it!

What's wrong with spithill/bruni? They had the best starts out of anyone in ac75s, and relatively few tactical mistakes...

Taking 3 races (very nearly 5) off the rocketship that was etnz is no small feat

 

[jaysper]

What's wrong with spithill/bruni? They had the best starts out of anyone in ac75s, and relatively few tactical mistakes...

I agree. If Burling, Tuke and Ashby had sailed as well as Bruni/Spithill then the score line would have been a LOT more lopsided - might have even been the 7-0 I was predicting.

Look at the penultimate race where they drove ETNZ clean off the course before making a mad dash for the bottom mark. That whole race was a master class barring the single mistake Bruni made to head right rather than left on the next upwind leg.

If the LR boat was as fast (or even close to as fast), then ETNZ would have had no chance in that race.