Ben Ainslie’s BAR flipped their second ‘T2’ AC45 test boat in initial testing during December when a hydraulic systems’ failure led to a wing inversion… that’s a windward capsize to you
WINNING BEFORE THE START – Terry Hutchinson
The race to the buffet… aka the Ft Lauderdale- Palm Beach race was held last month in a light southerly breeze. This race starts off the entrance to Ft Lauderdale and runs along the coast north to the finish between the two channel marks in Palm Beach. From there it is an unseemly rush to the Sail Fish Club where the doors are thrown open and the fleet is treated to the world’s biggest buffet!
One thing that remains unrestricted is the number of gauges and readouts. The crew must trim the jib, wing and foils manually, but they can have as many dials and displays as they can process while grinding constantly and blasting around at over 30kt. Oh, and while making tactical decisions at the same time.
However, Andy Rice’s three-part ‘Lateral Question’ series with Kevin Ellway and Alan Smith in Seahorse last autumn calls into question the entire AC school of thought on foiling and foil controls. Ellway and Smith believe that wand-controlled flaps (elevators) on T-foils provide more stability and safety, and they have mathematical models and experimental data to bolster their case. Comprehensive as they were, those three articles leave unanswered the question of whether wand and flap systems can be scaled up to cats longer than 20ft.
But why not? Both the Antonov 225 heavy payload transport and the SR-71 Blackbird used hydro-mechanical flight controls. The offshore racing school was probably inspired by maths as well as surrealism when VPLP put ‘Dali moustache’ foils on their latest Imoca 60s. Hugh Welbourn might in turn question whether that inspiration came from his own Dynamic Stability System, which was used with success on Wild Oats.
Today the brilliant François Gabart is leading the charge towards possible offshore full foiling with the new Ultime class. Foiling 100ft multihulls racing singlehanded around the planet in 2019 may make 49ft AC Class yachts look timid. And no one seems to be exploring Paul Larsen’s use of Bernard Smith’s stability concept on Sail- rocket2to post 65.45kt way back in 2012. No one except Larsen and Malcolm Barnsley, that is. Stand by – the best is yet to come.
Onboard the Bella Menteit was the culmination of a week’s train- ing for the team. We use this time as an opportunity to get the work list for the 2016 season developed and determine areas of weak- ness to focus on improving. As discussed last month, so much of the 2016 season is already determined. I don’t think any of us on Bellabelieve that we are going to just boatspeed our way out of situations. Momowill be the boat to beat in 2016 as she is simply just a newer design that is well sailed; through design alone she should be better. We have to continue to squeak every ounce of performance out of Bellaand trust that our pre-season work and sailing well will make up for being four years older in design.
Back up to Palm Beach, the fleet started in a rainy, light, pre- frontal breeze. For Bellait was heinous! We lumbered along directly into a 3m swell and chop with a soft sail on, trying our hardest not to break anything. While first to finish, it was Stephen Murray’s Car- keek 40 Decisionthat won our class. In fact, a small boat race all the way and a reminder as we face 2016, and more medium-dis- tance racing, that we have to make sure that whatever the situation we are in on the Bellawe are always making the most of it. Other happenings: preparation, preparation and preparation. The new year will be met with high expectations for Quantum Key West Race Week in January and then the Farr 40 World Championship in February (still ticked off from the 1pt loss) and so need to come out firing on all cylinders. As I write, though, it is great to see the increased entry for Key West – things now seem to be going quite well for our sport.
Final thoughts. At this writing I just came from downtown
Anna polis where I witnessed the burning of the Annapolis Yacht Club. Quite a sickening feeling as AYC is a place that as a family we always love going to and just hanging out.
Probably that in itself describes the vibe that AYC puts out. The good news is nobody was seriously hurt and a building and its artefacts can be replaced. Our ability to rebound, as an AYC family, will be strong, and as sad as I feel about it right now I am already looking forward to the new beginning and a new era. Happy New Year and many thanks to the Seahorseteam for their patience… and their commitment. Standing by in an abnormally warm MD looking forward to 2016.
SEAHORSE 11
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