Prada Cup

[Kiwi_Roy]

Prada Cup on in 15 minutes
https://www.americascup.com/en/live

[pehayes]

Might be a little tighter racing now.  Prada still in command but Ineos showed well.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[pebra]

Forza Italia!

Racing on Pirellis probably great advantage 

[pehayes]

Well, that was quick.  Congratulations to Prada-Pirelli and too bad for UK.  America's cup final starts on March 5.  If Prada wins the finals, I wonder where they will host the next series?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

[JJ]

The Italians are going to the America's Cup.

https://www.americascup.com/en/news/1130_LUNA-ROSSA-PRADA-PIRELLI-WIN-THE-PRADA-CUP

Hooray for the Italians!!!

[kingoffleece]

A fun watch.  They absolutely destroyed the UK boat.  Like a gun to a knife fight.
Having sail raced for many years I can only grin and imagine how much fun it must be to be on such a fast boat.  Incredible technology.

[pebra]

Well, that was quick.  Congratulations to Prada-Pirelli and too bad for UK.  America's cup final starts on March 5.  If Prada wins the finals, I wonder where they will host the next series?

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA

Lago di Como, perhaps? 

[Moparnut72]

It was a great race. The skipper made some brilliant moves. The announcers in the beginning were saying the Italian boat was in a poor position, I thought the opposite having sailed myself. I may have heard wrong though, I had a dog barking at one of the cats at the time.
kk

[pebra]

Knowing nothing about sailing,  it was hard to understand what was going on and why the INEOS only won one race out of eight.

It appeared that the start of each race was pretty decisive?
Indicating the Italians were much better at tactics, at least at the start phase.

I've seen varying statements about which boat is the faster.
The latest statements indicated the Luna Rossa is fastest during today's conditions.
Is the speed of the boat in this case merely reflecting construction qualities, or also the skill of the mate?

Lastly, some have stated that the Italians sailed better, particularly executing tacks better.

I'd appreciate if anyone with sailing competence would comment on the races.

[Muzz]

Spittal is a genius at the start.

Ineos was an absolute dog at the start of the race series and improved out of sight.  Their boat however was designed for heavier conditions and overall the winds were pretty light.

Should be a good battle once the America's Cup gets under way. 

[pehayes]

Sail racing is tough to watch if you don't know the various rules.  Many are hard to understand for a non-sailor.  Many overlap and it can be confusing to determine which rule supersedes.  Anyone can sail a boat with some instruction.  Sailing FAST requires a subtle sense of the wind and gentle touch to the steering and sail trimming controls.  The important stuff happens at the start and whenever two boats converge close together.  Then it is tactical skill and huge bravery just prior to collision.

START - you would prefer to be as close to the right hand buoy or committee boat as possible.  Charging full throttle on a starboard tack (boom and sails hanging off the left side of the boat).  Beating as close to the wind as possible.  No sail boat can go straight up wind so it is a matter of angles and judgement.  And then hitting the line just as the countdown clock strikes zero.

Even better if you can be close to the left and slightly ahead of your opponent.  With tactical skill and right-of-way rules, you might force him to cross the line early for a penalty.  Once in the lead,  it is best to keep an eye on the boat behind and mimic or 'cover' whatever move they make.  Avoid a big split with one boat on the left and one far away on the right.   A minor wind speed or direction change or tidal velocity can really upset the standings.  If you stay near your opponent, any environmental effect is balanced.  Once you are ahead, you then try to cast a 'wind shadow' onto your opponent to reduce his drive.  Really hard to catch up and pass from behind unless going dead down wind.

All this applies to two-boat MATCH racing which is what we see in these CUP races.  Most weekend racers are in regatta competition where there are numerous boats and many more opportunities for tactical advantage.   It is a true joy to move a boat effectively with no external energy source other than the gently moving air.  I like to picnic and drink wine while I sail.  No way on these foil boats!

Old School purists don't like the foil boats.  Claim it isn't really sailing.  Nonsense.  The history of sailing is a continuous flow of technological advances to boats, gear, sails, etc.  Who knows what the next leap will be?  I miss the chaos of jibing a huge downwind spinnaker but that would be useless and impossible on a foil boat.

Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA
raced El Toro, Cadet, Lightning, Hobie-16, Lido-14, Etchels-22, Columbia 26

[Moparnut72]

I used to live in the next town over from the El Toro king. I have a Cyclone but haven't sailed it in 4 years, the sail burned up in my garage. I can't find a used one and the boat isn't worth whatit would cost to have a new one made. At my age it is a challenge to sail anyway. I do want to find another sailboat though, I just retired from outboard boat racing.
kk