I probably know less about catamarans and racing than anybody else here, but I was wondering if it is really possible that a catamaran could beat a trimaran, especially in a case where each designer is doing his best to optimize speed.
Do you think BMWO is a tri? It sailed 99% of the time as a cat (center hull out of the water). So a cat has beaten another cat. The big differences are in the size (length and width) and the rig, maybe in the LIDAR (doppler laser) wind measure equipment. I don't know about the weight difference. Overall BMWO has the better package for the wind speeds we saw yesterday. Maybe in other wind conditions the race will be closer, maybe not.
I guess technically when either one is riding on one hull they're a mono...
After watching the replay, I'll change my earlier comment about A looking faster through the tacks. The main thing on that I noticed during the live coverage was that it looked like a lot of time was spent on BOR just getting ready (the ant march of crew from one ama to the other for instance). After watching it again on replay, I'd say A is toast there as well unless they learn to get the boat back up to full boil quicker.
On the cat versus tri thing - the tri config helps the tacking. When the boat comes down as she turns, that main hull is most of what is in the water (amas are touching, but not carrying the main load). There's generous rocker in that one hull, so the boat is going turn a lot easier than A. When A goes through the turn both hulls are in the water, not much rocker to the hulls (forward anyway). She still seems to turn nice given that. The headsail management looks easier on A going upwind and tacking - would only affect things if wind was light enough for BOR to use the jib upwind.
I was also noticing on the replay that A pitches a lot more in the waves upwind - I hadn't noticed it as much watching live. There was a definite contrast to BOR being more steady and A pitching. So, wing or no, A having gone to the straight boards might have also been a mistake.
The big overlapping sail downwind on A just looked like a main-choker to me. I think they may have relied too much on the light air experience from Lake Geneva - what works there may not have as much direct use in other venues. Seeing how much camber was put into BOR's wing downwind made A's sails look way too flat.
And I think it's obvious that A's crew/team doesn't have the knowledge of the desired settings for each wind range and sea state - too much effort hunting for the right config. I think they found it at points on the course but by then BOR had put more distance on them.
So, my new winter project - canting wing sail and banana boards on my F-27...
