37th AMERICA'S CUP PREVIEW WITH KEN READ
The decisions, details, design work, and training create a unique DNA for each program. The die has been cast, and in many ways, the America's Cup is over before the trials commence.
By Ken Read
As we all are aware, the America’s Cup Trials haven’t technically started yet, but for all practical purposes, the America’s Cup is over. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent. All the decisions, detailing and engineering, design work, and training have created a unique DNA for each program.
The die has been cast. Time will tell who made the right calls.
There are a few standout aspects of this Cup which I find interesting. First of all, the second-generation AC75s used for the 37th America’s Cup have morphed, as most Cup boats, to look fairly similar.
I know, I know. The devil is in the details, but when you look at this lineup of AC75s from a distance, with a reasonably untrained eye, they sure do look alike. That said, all the teams have taken incredible care of both aerodynamic and hydrodynamic properties. And all have generated exceptionally refined machines.
But to the more trained eye, the variations are more pronounced. Two reasons stick out to me: a change in anticipated weather conditions from Auckland to Barcelona; and the “Formula 1 Effect.”
The boats all feature low wetted surface hulls with different bustle shapes in order to pop out of the water in very light air, but also taking into account that Barcelona is expected to have a choppy/bumpy sea state compared to Auckland. The bustle down the centerline also determines how the boat connects to the water. In essence, the end plate effect connects the sail plan through the hull almost directly to the water. That has proven to be the trick and all of the teams manage this transition from sails to water (or lack of transition) a little bit differently.
By “Formula 1 Effect” I’m referring to how Red Bull and Mercedes innovations and design tools have influenced the Alinghi and INEOS programs. To my “untrained eye,” those two boats look the most radical - angular and even robotic. Clearly, there is a rhyme or reason for every little nip and tuck in the hull and appendage package. Comparatively, the American and Italian teams look to have faired their nips and tucks a little more aesthetically. We shall see how the Formula 1 world shapes up compared to the aesthetic world.
Which leads to the type of racing we can expect.
From a spectator’s standpoint (and from my commentator’s booth during the last Cup) the best possible outcome is pure chaos. Wipeouts and capsizes. On the foils, off the foils. Unpredictable and crazy good entertainment. The best event to watch during the last Cup cycle was the preliminary Christmas Regatta before the Trials even started. It was wild.
I’m afraid that we won’t see that level of craziness this edition - these teams are so well-practiced and well-coached. Combine that with the class rule change to bigger foils and more efficient flying systems that will limit the instability.
We saw this during the Preliminary Regatta last week. Pretty much 100% flight time on all the boats from the beginning to the end of each race. I guess we are just going to have to pray that the racing produces super-tight action and multiple passes because that’s about all we have left to make this edition of the Cup riveting.
Let's move on from the details of the AC75 that the pundits will compare ad nauseam over the next two months, and get into what I believe is THE major difference this time - how the Kiwis have organized the race schedule to include hard-nosed racing against their competition early in the event. This was certainly perceived as an Achilles Heel in their run to the last Cup.
Keep in mind the last Cup was in Auckland during COVID-19, but the cobwebs were obvious when the pre-regatta event started. These teams simply needed to go boat racing again, never mind having to try to tame these first-generation beasts around a crazy race track. The Kiwis got a little sailing in during the Christmas Cup and that was it. From there they went off on their own and never faced off against another team until the Finals.
But the Kiwis were smart this time. For starters, their All-Star Braintrust decided to forego the Olympics and concentrate on the Cup, in addition to sailing in what is arguably the closest form of Cup-style racing that you can get - the one design AC40 and SailGP. The Kiwis are thriving in SailGP, and as you can imagine, they’ve managed to peak competitively at the right time. But they've also set up the 37th America’s Cup schedule to participate not only in the Preliminary Regatta but also in the first two Round Robins against the Challengers. This could prove to be a huge advantage for the Kiwis.
I digress for a moment.
Back (way back) during my America’s Cup days, there was an unwritten rule that NOBODY trained with the Defender. It was “all Challengers against the Defender” period, end of story.
Looking back at the 12 Metre era, whoever won the Challenger Trials would often borrow sails or equipment (and even a bendy mast in 1980) from other Challengers because it was us vs. them in a big way. I remember things started to loosen up in 2000 with the Version 5 boats - but just a touch - when the Nippon team did some lining up with Team New Zealand. They got roasted for it!
How things have changed.
The Kiwis rigged the schedule to not just hone their racing skills but also to know exactly where the Challengers stand with regard to performance. The Kiwis get to show what they want to show not only this past week in the Prelims but during both Round Robins. And they don't have to show anything that they don't want to, because technically, they’re not sailing for points. They are through to the America’s Cup Finals no matter what. They are testing against their would-be adversary. And they are getting the entire crew race-ready far more effectively than their last campaign.
The way the schedule is set up is quite interesting for the rest of the teams. The Preliminary Regatta just ended and we are just days away from the “real” Round Robin racing. No time to totally reconfigure. They can't really mess around too much with regards to ramping up at a steady pace. They have to be able to hit the ground running because starting soon, these races count.
Another big difference is the fact that every team could build only three new foils, in total, which really limits how much substantive change we can expect.
And the shocking part of this is that one of the Challengers will be out in just a couple of weeks. After the double Round Robin ends on September 8th, one team is headed home. Think about that for a second. A team who has poured millions of dollars and countless hours (and dreams) into their quest for the Cup will be sent packing. I find that heart-wrenching to even think about.
After the double round robin series the Kiwis go off on their own and get everything dialed in, and the final four Challengers will head into the Semifinals followed by the Finals to sail for the Louis Vuitton Cup and their shot to challenge Emirate Team New Zealand for the America's Cup.
Interestingly there is one thing that all teams agree on - 3Di technology from North Sails. When looking at all the sails you see the unbelievable strength-to-weight capabilities in an aero package that powers unprecedented speeds.
But that is pretty much where the similarities end for the sails from team to team. Each syndicate has its own team of embedded North Sails aero, design, and engineering specialists who work solely on their team’s unique sail packages. And in today's complex America’s Cup back-rooms, these designers work hand in hand with what happens both above and below the water line.
Yes, it may appear all the 3Di sails look similar and have a North Sails logo in the corners, but the design, engineering, structure, and adjustability are completely different from boat to boat. How we firewall each team’s information and designs within the North Sails systems and manufacturing process is one of the things that we are most proud of. Every team manages its own sail package without anyone else, either competitors or even us within North Sails, knowing how they are trying to piece their aero puzzle together.
In summary, each team has been tasked to design the fastest boat through a very wide range of conditions, create a complete and organized plan, work on steady improvements within a tight schedule, and develop the best team, both on and off the water. Remember, reliability is key - don’t suffer a big setback because time is your largest asset. And don’t forget–all great sailing teams need a bit of luck from time to time.
Hmmm, now that I think about it - it sounds like the ingredients for success in any old sailboat regatta, doesn’t it?
