I guess Mischa just kicks out and swings himself around the back of the sail to get to the other side? (kidding, a-cat does not permit continuous trapeze systems). He must be stepping around the front of the mast.
OK...so I broke down and researched it. It's pretty interesting but I do now understand why I've never seen one. You can see it pretty clearly in this image of a Flying Dutchman(click link for larger view)
Cammas made it work with a hard sail in the C, but went aft of the sail when tacking/gybing. It'll be interesting to see if Mischa goes with this setup, only photos I've seen are with the stock DNA, but fully flying which is awesome.
yep, and I'm trying to wrap my head around getting through the tack, gybe, trim and drive with that system connected to me...
I can create macrame with what I have now. Not worth the second saved hooking up for me. I've never seen anyone use a continuous trap on a cat, any cat. Here's Mischa's response to the tacking/flap question. "Mischa Heemskerk: I was trained by my Father since I was 12 to tack like that on the Nacra 6.0 which had a flap. The flap had an opening for the helm but I was the crew so under the flap was my way. My friend in the motorboat was laughing every tack and jibe."
Don't forget about Greg and Casey's Tornado.... Of course greg built one of the continuous systems for Casey... It did not take for her and so they went back.... It confused me looking at in person... AND it was a greg variation on a theme.
great fun!
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: 'A' Class Worlds in NZ - 02/03/1407:56 PM
a continuous trap on a cat would be like riding a superbike without a helmet. Fantastic until something goes wrong and if it does you'll probably die.
1981; the tornado that i crewed on had the continuous trap system still there from the last crew and they were pretty much the fastest boat in the fleet. We kept it on for an attempted come back campaign. I never thought it was that dangerous, but i would have used the normal system if it had been up to me. My trap seat had a closed loop on it instead of an open hook. it's that open hook that has nearly drowned people. In the Mischa photo, i see 2 battens in the way instead of a flap. Also it kind of looks like the clew attaches directly to the traveler?
What was old.... tried and true.... ie the hobie 16 style raised tramp.... Now used on a New A cat design at Worlds A cat / Hobie 16 style http://www.flickr.com/photos/8354518@N06/12337863685/in/photostream/
What was old.... tried and true.... ie the hobie 16 style raised tramp.... Now used on a New A cat design at Worlds A cat / Hobie 16 style http://www.flickr.com/photos/8354518@N06/12337863685/in/photostream/
I think the A-class requires that the daggerboards be inserted from the top of the deck in an effort to limit the complexity of the daggerboard shape. This is as opposed to having to insert an L-shaped foil from under the boat. I suppose that giant cassette technically meets the wording but probably not the spirit! Interesting work around, though.
(boy, these guys are hacking up some expensive boats!)
I though the cassette would be a good way to deal with the rules.. It seems it should be deemed legal as long as no "tools" are required. It would also seem to make a good testing platform for different configurations.
Apparently the problem is that the board still enters the cassette from the bottom, and the cassette is considered part of the hull... IMHO it's getting a bit silly.
Not sure how I feel about this. Yes, it's a development class, but there are rules to keep the competition somewhat fair, right?
Not being a development class guy, it's hard to pick a side...
Mike
I guess it boils down to the intent of the rule...My perception is that it was designed to prohibit L-shaped foils and was really an attempt to keep the boats from full on foiling. The guys have figured out how to start tinkering with the foiling thing anyway in spite of the rule...but it's still not easy. At the time, I thought it was a creative way to make a simple rule to limit those foils. However, in hindsight, it might have been smarter to define the limits of the foil in geometric terms.
I can see that a fully foiling A-class, class, is probably in our near future.
The Exploder with the large moveable cassettes has been given a measurement certificate and is good to race in the worlds, however the technical committee is contemplating whether the cassette is part of the hull or a hull appendage. So things could change.
My interpretation from reading others is that Landy really did this as an experiment, so we can all see if the L-foils are faster than the C's and J's. Plenty of discussion on SA, the cassettes are a few kg weight penalty. He also purposely wanted to push the rules, to see if the technical committee would ban them...
I don't think these are going to be faster round the track, you have to lift the weather board ala Hydros and Groupama. I haven't seen any other photos of the boat to know if there is a trick board upfucker setup to make that efficient.
All I really know is this is going to be exciting to watch! Krantz you're on-site???
I thought the C Class guys had given up on foiling being faster upwind, on a standard windward/leeward course, a long time ago? Too much leeway or something? I know they are still doing it, but did they also change their course away from the traditional course?
All I really know is this is going to be exciting to watch! Krantz you're on-site???
He's racing. shipped his boat a couple of months ago.
From Mike on SA 2/5/14:
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I'm seriously looking forward to this event. Flight out of Atlanta this pm, arriving in Auckland on Fri am, and should be on the water that afternoon...
Landed yesterday morning. Plan was to set up the boat, get measured, and possibly go sailing. However, it was raining, blowing 30, and jet lag was kicking my a$$. So I checked in with the rest of Team USA, grabbed a bite, and called it a day.
Today, the sun is out, the forecast is for 10-15, and I hope to walk through measurement and go sailing this afternoon.
I thought the C Class guys had given up on foiling being faster upwind, on a standard windward/leeward course, a long time ago? Too much leeway or something? I know they are still doing it, but did they also change their course away from the traditional course?
Timbo, time to catch up to the latest event. Plenty of live coverage and interviews. Not going to spoon feed you, check out Groupama C.
Mike, have an awesome time, clearly having an epic year of sailing
Thanks for posting the updated results Tony. Do you know the age brackets to go with "Master, Grand Master and Great Grand Master"? Wondering where I'd fit in at age 54. I'm guessing they only break it out like that at the Worlds?
I see there's a Youth in first place with 3 bullets! Nice, especially given the stiff competition that class has.
Thanks for posting the updated results Tony. Do you know the age brackets to go with "Master, Grand Master and Great Grand Master"? Wondering where I'd fit in at age 54. I'm guessing they only break it out like that at the Worlds?
I see there's a Youth in first place with 3 bullets! Nice, especially given the stiff competition that class has.
From a NYYC laser thing, probably the same, not sure though. "The Masters format groups sailors by age: Apprentice Master (35 to 44), Master (45 to 54), Grand Master (55 to 64), and Great Grand Master (65 and older). A handicapping formula allows for all the sailors to be ranked in one fleet in addition to being scored among their respective age categories."
I think that youth is an Olympian.
Glad they got some racing in. Hope Mike, Skip and Ben didn't break anything.
I spent the morning in measurement/registration and got that sorted out.
The Worlds do not start until Tuesday, but today was the last day of the NZ Nationals. A lot of boats are using this as a tune up for the worlds.
Once I got on the water, I had missed the first couple of races, so I decided to just "pace" the fleet and do some boat speed checks.
Boat feels good, but no where near the speed downwind the leaders are showing. Those guys are sailing 3-5 knots faster than the rest of the fleet. Didn't see any foiling, but everyone was on the wire downwind.
The wind was extremely puffy and shifty. 5 knot holes, followed by 20 knot puffs. Lots of capsizes. Ben Hall flipped 3 times, Kiwi did it twice, and Skip only flipped once, but broke his mast.
Forecast for the worlds looks light, so everyone is working on their setup, so non-foilers may have an advantage to start with.
Here are a couple of shots Rebecca took from the hotel.
It's amazing that he's been able to figure out the A cat so quickly, if indeed he's only been on one for a week!? Maybe the 49'r is a lot more like the A cat than a Laser, with the trap and apparent wind sailing, etc. OR...maybe all the other A Cat Champions are just getting too old to hang with the 23yr. old?
Well, I guess we'll see if he can repeat in the upcoming Worlds. If he does, I'd say yes, the torch has clearly changed hands, changed a whole generation actually!
I was thinking about an A cat, but because of this kid, I'm thinking Wave!
It's amazing that he's been able to figure out the A cat so quickly, if indeed he's only been on one for a week!? Maybe the 49'r is a lot more like the A cat than a Laser, with the trap and apparent wind sailing, etc. OR...maybe all the other A Cat Champions are just getting too old to hang with the 23yr. old?
World champion, Silver medalist and winner of the Redbull/AC youth series. He's not exactly a hack. Apparent wind sailing is similar rather it be on one hull or two. We all thought we were so "specialized" ,maybe not. The AC seemed to tap into the skiff world more than the multihull world.
Quote
I was thinking about an A cat, but because of this kid, I'm thinking Wave!
Timbo, So if that old geezer Glenn Ashby had won, you'd have bought an A class?
Hey Todd, your still a young guy as far as I am concerned. Heading for Admirals cup in March , pick up newer boat.
I heard, congrats. Don't think I'll be able to make it, work. There was definitely sarcasm in the geezer quote, although Jeremy was makin' alot of folks feel old at the Coconut Grove Invitational.
All right race fans, the worlds start today with a practice race at 13:00.
Still lots of tweaking going on in the boat park. This afternoon is the last chance you get to pick your foil/sail package and declare it for the worlds. I think most people are setting their boat up for low drag configuration. Long range forecast for the week shows it being a 10-15 week. There seems to be a subtle difference in foils for sub-15 knots vs 15+ knots. The guys that can actively adjust their foil AofA on the water may have an advantage if breeze comes on late in the day.
Forecast models are predicting 12-18 today, depending on whether you are using Meteo or WWO. (today's tip is check out weatherspark.com)
Good luck Mike ,Kick some Kiwi A$$(Not Andrew). Lifting a Rum and coke to you now. That Weather Spark site looks awesome. Thanks for the updates ,keep 'em coming when you can.
It's amazing that he's been able to figure out the A cat so quickly, if indeed he's only been on one for a week!? Maybe the 49'r is a lot more like the A cat than a Laser, with the trap and apparent wind sailing, etc. OR...maybe all the other A Cat Champions are just getting too old to hang with the 23yr. old?
You can probably bet he also knows a thing or two about training, coaching, and preparation as well.
It's amazing that he's been able to figure out the A cat so quickly, if indeed he's only been on one for a week!? Maybe the 49'r is a lot more like the A cat than a Laser, with the trap and apparent wind sailing, etc. OR...maybe all the other A Cat Champions are just getting too old to hang with the 23yr. old?
You can probably bet he also knows a thing or two about training, coaching, and preparation as well.
His training with the 7 time world champion clearly has nothing to do with it...
Just like Nathans foiling moth experience has no direct translation to a foiling A-cat and winning the practice race..
It's amazing that he's been able to figure out the A cat so quickly, if indeed he's only been on one for a week!? Maybe the 49'r is a lot more like the A cat than a Laser, with the trap and apparent wind sailing, etc. OR...maybe all the other A Cat Champions are just getting too old to hang with the 23yr. old?
You can probably bet he also knows a thing or two about training, coaching, and preparation as well.
His training with the 7 time world champion clearly has nothing to do with it...
Just like Nathans foiling moth experience has no direct translation to a foiling A-cat and winning the practice race..
Mike, what are you running, stock DNA?
Mike has an ASG 2 (Flyer2) w/ c boards and winglets, I believe. Old school but fast.
You gotta remember ,they were sailors not flyers as opposed to the other teams that put their decals below the waterline.
These boats sort of have redefined "waterline".
Unless it is a substantial difference between the two, industry practice is that the the graphics be installed to align with the shape of the vehicle since that is the largest point of visual reference...It's like aligning a pickup truck wrap with the ground instead of the body lines of the truck (factory light duty pickups have about a 2.5" difference between the front and the back elevations making all of the body lines slope down toward the front). ...but this is what happens when you have too many sailors and engineers making artistry decisions (speaking as one who lives in all three categories )
You gotta remember ,they were sailors not flyers as opposed to the other teams that put their decals below the waterline.
These boats sort of have redefined "waterline".
Unless it is a substantial difference between the two, industry practice is that the the graphics be installed to align with the shape of the vehicle since that is the largest point of visual reference...It's like aligning a pickup truck wrap with the ground instead of the body lines of the truck (factory light duty pickups have about a 2.5" difference between the front and the back elevations making all of the body lines slope down toward the front). ...but this is what happens when you have too many sailors and engineers making artistry decisions (speaking as one who lives in all three categories )
Actually it was a squid. Got squid ink all over the bow, and that stuff doesn't wash off. He was big enough that it slowed the boat from 10+ knots to 3 or so. I thought I had a big fish or something. He bounced off the bow, got stuck on the daggerboard and then the rudders.
Seems Mischa is using a more standard setup either because of the conditions or maybe its not fully baked yet. From day 2 pics:
And an Ashby main, instead of the "Mischa Sails". Anybody know what sailcloth that is in the new Ashby's? I haven't seen horizontal lines like that before.
It was full on out there yesterday. Forecast was 12-16, but in reality there were recordings on the course of 8-31. Big holes, and monster puffs. Staying upright was a challenge...
Front beam broke, then one hull went left, and the other went right...
Today was another big air day. 18-21 with puffs around 30. Only a couple of guys were able to handle being on the wire downwind, most were just sitting in and hanging on.
On SA there is a good article from Bob Hodges about the foiling issue in the class. Spot on, and for a former and hopefully a future A catter his opinion mirrors my own. Even in a development class this is a big jump, and for me the foiling thats going on neither looks fun or safe, much less cheap. Sure it looks cool, but not for my aged body.
On SA there is a good article from Bob Hodges about the foiling issue in the class. Spot on, and for a former and hopefully a future A catter his opinion mirrors my own. Even in a development class this is a big jump, and for me the foiling thats going on neither looks fun or safe, much less cheap. Sure it looks cool, but not for my aged body.
You got a link or are you going to make me sort around on that awful website?
Bob does make a strong case to protect the amateur status of the Class Association, but the athletes are going to find/design a foiling class eventually - within two years... NACRA has designed a foiling kit for the C 20, and there is a belief there will be one available soon for the N 17.
I doubt these factory alternatives will catch on due to the arguments Bob presented. So it would make sense to establish a new foiling boat for the wealthy and athletic up and comers.
AHPC has already adopted a new marketing name: Goodall Designs. Maybe they have a lightweight foiler in mind. I would not be surprised.
I could see the F20c foiling kit catching on, since those boats are straight line honors machines. Nacra 17 kit? No, those boats are Olympics only and even the trust fund boys know where to draw the line. Maybe for 2020.
Not an A-class owner but a potential future owner. I agree with bobs assessment. Foil foiling moths are cheaper (darn hard to sail!) and the guys trapping downwind with the C-boards and t-foils are already very quick. Plus the boats are very slippery in light air; that's a tough combination to beat. If it ain't broke don't fix it...
I've said from the beginning that without active control the dynamics to foil steadily and consistently is not in the realm of average sailors. The kits being offered is great but it's just marketing the latest "cool thing" rather it is functional or not. Everyone keeps talking about foiling A's like they're common. There are 2 in the US that I know of and one of them is in NZ right now. The class was strong before foiling and it's not going to change. The sky isn't falling. Go to 42sec and 3:05 in the video to see how easy it is. My guess on the AHPC name change is that they are no longer made in Australia so they got rid of the Australian High Performance Catamaran moniker. Either way Goodall has been integral with AHPC for a very long time,and that's a good thing.
What happens to the US class when the top 10 leave the class and go compete against the other top 40 guys in the world on foiling A cats. After all... that is who they are competing against now and WHY they are competing... Foiling A cats are where the challenge is.. they don't care if they beat a class of 100 weekend warriors... they know who the competition is. Glen Asby wins the A class worlds... Nobody says.. Glen won the Worlds and beat 200 boats... or 20 boats.. What matters is the prestige of the Class and the talent in the class.
So, Do you really think the top ten guys give a fig about what the next 30 guys in the US fleet want... Hell no.... The crass thing to note is that Well It is a game of musical chairs... last guy to get out of their conventional boat loses a lot of bucks.
That is an almost certain outcome for the top 10 guys .. What do you think the next 10 guys in the pecking order do... I bet they follow the action as soon as they can... Again being crass.... It is a game of musical chairs... sell your gear before it is obsolete... Mostly, you jump to the new class because that is where the action has gone and that is what you truly care about. (its not about the parties... a veritable dick forest if there ever was one)
So, you have two classes... one with lots of energy developing foils and the other class going... wow.. the world changed fast! Is that a good thing? ... Is is sustainable?
The intention of the rules was clear.. No foiling... The rule failed.... Can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.. When Glen Asby is imploring the class to wake up... I listen.. I hate the answer (just like you do) ... but I think he is spot on. Let them figure out a proper way to fly an 18 foot single handed uni rig boat, call it an A class and let the musical chairs game continue....This is a no pain solution if the class grows by the way.
When you don't want to play at this level because you get lapped by a rock star on a foiling A cat... Well, you go race SCHRS locally ... I think that is better long term outcome then two A classes.
"What happens to the US class when the top 10 leave the class..."
Ain't gonna happen here. If all of this is dyer, why didn't the 18^2 set the pace as the next foiling superboat. No rules to stop them. Those pros (w/ the exception of Glenn) came to As to learn multihulls so they could get a piece of the AC pie. AC goes foiling so that's what you see their pros do. Do you really want the class direction to be decided by fully sponsored pros who, with the exception of 1 or 2, don't give a rip what happens to the class? You were whining about the cost before and how you couldn't and didn't compete, wait until the price of a reinforced,at weight,full rigged foiling boat hits the market. It will be 5-8x what you have been spending.
Mark, with US class president Bob Hodges stating he is against it, and frontrunner in the class Andrew Landenberger sailing conventionall as well I think your argument of the top 10 loses a little punch. It is certainly something being pushed to the limit this year at the worlds, even the rule that the "foils have to be inserted from the top" is being pushed with the hull cassette boat(Outteridge maybe), so personally I think the swing is way far right but this will bring about talks and a "better" solution that brings it back towards the middle in the end.
I didn't say I like the turn of events. It will be disruptive and $$$... no doubt. I just see this as simple physics based on the history of the class and what makes people go racing. Why not the 18square... simply because nobody of note was playing with one and running a big event. Not so with the A class.
Ah... the "who gives a rip about the class"
This is a myth... nobody gives a rip about the class... they care about their fun factor... Then, they get together with 50 people with the same interests...
I think it's too easy to "blame the pros".... The class is development.... the designers have always driven the boats forward...I don't see new designers jumping in.. What I see are lots of sailors getting a boat and making minor changes to what is current and going racing. I think they do this because it's fun and they get to have a go at their buddy... I don't think they do this to spiff up their resume... Next year.. who knows what will be fun.
At any rate.. you can't welcome and cheer all of the talent that shows up at your NA's or worlds and then say... O they don't care about the class.. They paid their dues, got a boat, and showed up. It's a one year commitment.
Everybody is acting on what they think is fun... and fun is racing against the other guys at your level...Somebody is left to trying to keep people in alignment with rules that work and events that you want to go to. ... that is a racing class.
When the rules changed to allow lifting foils.... It was only a matter of time.... Sure, semi lifting C foils and T rudders give you a slightly better sailing boat... but you can't stop that train at that specific station with a change in the rules.
You really have to ask the question of what is good for the class. The A-cats have seen a really nice growth pattern over the last decade. I agree that only the top of the class will be able to handle (and afford) the foiling as it develops we need to try and understand what it will do the class. To be perfectly honest, I got out for several reasons - but one of them was that I could see the pace of foil development heating up. I was at the point where I probably needed to upgrade my platform to get to the next level and when I looked at what was happening with the boats (and the skyrocketing costs) it gave me a little push to leave the class. Now, I do have other reasons, not the least of which is the fact that my best friend is now sailing with me constantly on my F18...so take that with a grain of salt.
There's probably something to draw from the moth class experience when they went foiling. I remember there being a pretty big division in the class about to foil or not to foil. It worked out well for them. I think the A's are a little different in that the cost of the boats is more than the moth and is quickly crossing a threshold of being in reach of the common (and even not-so-average) sailor's finances. It's probably worth investigating who was a Moth sailor before foiling and who is part of the class now. Then figure out if that same type of future a-cat sailor is out there. Switching to a full foiling class will change the composition of the fleet. Ben Hall has already made a good case for that with his Sailing Anarchy post.
There's another practical consideration as well...can I do this on the lakes where I normally sail? I've seen a wold champion Moth sailor take his boat out on Lake Keowee and it was anything but stable in a stiff lake breeze. I don't think it's possible to reasonably foil any of the current offerings on our lakes. With the additional speed and narrower apparent wind angles comes an increased sensitivity to wind shifts and changes in velocity.
The a-cat class has a huge decision in front of it and I don't think they will be able to live in both a foiling and non-foiling world. It's going to have to be one or the other because even the back of the fleet sailors have competitive spirits and want to play on a level field. The question is how popular does the class want to be in the future and can they achieve it in a full-on foiling mode. Can they sustain a healthy class with a full foiling future?
Examining this from a different angle, there is enough interest in it that there will probably be a foiling class of catamarans sometime in the near future. What should that look like? Should it be a random set of novelty offerings from various manufacturers with no real organization or is it legitimate enough (i.e. not "just a fad" ) that there should be a class of racing cats to support it?
What is the ultimate foiling small boat? Should it have two hulls or one?
My first computer was more than a months wages...... the one that I'm using to type this post cost less than a 1/3rd of a weeks wages...
technology has come a long way in a very short space of time
why wouldn't foiling be the same ?
yeah its in its infancy at the moment so costs /designs/ installs etc are going to be out of the general populations reach as are the boats that run these systems....
If we could go to eBay and 'buy-it-now' a foiling kit that WILL get your boat up and foiling with a cost of around a grand and a Saturday morning to install it.... who here wouldnt have it on their watched items ? who here would be buying it NOW ???
I cant afford an A-class, its simply beyond my means and it would take a huge commitment from me and the family to be able to get one...... and once its home in the shed ..... like our computers these days ... its already out of date ....
but if I could strap on a set of foils and be flying for a grand.......
Jake, I think you ask a great "big picture question"
If you are going to foil... what is the best platform?
After all... a cat was a better speed solution then any monohull of even twice the size ... and when you added surf... the basic design was a clear winner. The other feature that seemed to work was the form stability.... cat's are not "tippy" So you got boats that worked from 3 to 30 and worked for newbies and rec sailors.
I haven't seen any of the mach 2 moths... but I would see the guys having to drag their moth I boats out to 4 feet of water sideways and then in breeze under 5 knots... the experience was unbearable. (some poor guy tried to race 12 miles from SSA to West river and never got out of the river...)
So... what does a foiling single handed cat get you over a foiling monohull? The A cats are not surf friendly... so that feature is moot. Do you get more speed with control having 4 foils with a cat? Do you get stability in big breeze and waves? Do you get light air sailing with the wide platform? I don't know...
I think you have to let the development class guys go for it in the A class box. (The elite guys are going to go for it anyway... soooo might as well hang on for the ride) Proof will be on the water....
Everyone seems to agree... adding lifting foils makes the boat easier and safer to sail in big breeze..NathanO in making the case for foiling A's said the crude first gen boat was much better in breeze up to 25... That in and of itself is a huge plus factor over the generation of boat that I have. Add in masts not breaking and the experience of sailing an A cat gets better.
Emirates Team New Zealand sailors Glenn Ashby and Blair Tuke have taken out 1st and 2nd at the A Class Worlds in Takapuna. More when official results are published...
Everyone seems to agree... adding lifting foils makes the boat easier and safer to sail in big breeze..NathanO in making the case for foiling A's said the crude first gen boat was much better in breeze up to 25... That in and of itself is a huge plus factor over the generation of boat that I have. Add in masts not breaking and the experience of sailing an A cat gets better.
Is that really the consensus? I haven't sailed a foiling boat so I can't really offer an opinion...but it doesn't look easier. It actually looks a whole lot harder and riskier. What it does do, however, is increase the speed so when you do wipe out you have a better chance of being thrown clear.
Nathan Outeridge walks us through the foil setup and gives his view on the foiling situation. What is clear though is that if the rules stay like they are these boats will stay hard to control, foiling is not gonna go away.
Nathan sure makes it look easy and fun. however, as Jake said, many of our locations would seem to make it a miserable experience.
It will be interesting what happens if a company like Exploder puts Nathans boat on the market soon. Isn't the stock boat about half the price of a DNA? It could still be cheaper than the DNA and sell like hotcakes.
My first computer was more than a months wages...... the one that I'm using to type this post cost less than a 1/3rd of a weeks wages...
technology has come a long way in a very short space of time
why wouldn't foiling be the same ?
yeah its in its infancy at the moment so costs /designs/ installs etc are going to be out of the general populations reach as are the boats that run these systems....
If we could go to eBay and 'buy-it-now' a foiling kit that WILL get your boat up and foiling with a cost of around a grand and a Saturday morning to install it.... who here wouldnt have it on their watched items ? who here would be buying it NOW ???
I cant afford an A-class, its simply beyond my means and it would take a huge commitment from me and the family to be able to get one...... and once its home in the shed ..... like our computers these days ... its already out of date ....
but if I could strap on a set of foils and be flying for a grand.......
Nathan Outeridge walks us through the foil setup and gives his view on the foiling situation.
What is clear though is that if the rules stay like they are these boats will stay hard to control, foiling is not gonna go away.
Wow, I had not realized they've come up with a way to adjust the angle of attack of the J boards, by sliding the top of the board, fore and aft, just like they did on the AC72 boats! And they've got a way to tweak the rudders at the top as well, to adjust the angle of the T foils on the bottoms.
In my opinion T-foil rudders and flexi-J foil boards are here to stay. This week they were proven faster in both light and heavy air conditions. From talking to Glenn and Nathan, I think we are going to see more development towards longer/higher aspect rudders and deeper J-foils. This will allow the "foils" to stay in the water longer when going through waves/chop and also increase the stability of the platform.
The video and pics showed lots of crashes, but I also saw lots of stable flights for several hundred yards or more. There were also just as many crashes by non-foiling boats. I capsized four races in a row. It was blowing 15-20 with gusts approaching 30 at times. The wipeouts were pretty spectacular, and the leeward gate roundings were exciting at times to say the least...
Realistically the A-cat is going to develop into a boat that is more physically demanding to sail at the top level (but what boat isn't). Currently the sailors are using their weight to stabilize the boat and that involves quickly shifting your weight fore/aft and aggressively trimming to adjust ride height.
Personally I think leaving the existing rules in place and allowing the well-funded teams to continue to explore all of the possibilities is the right path. Somebody is going to come up with a solution that works for all of us.
We are entering an exciting phase of the A-class once again. It wasn't the end of the world when the class weight dropped to 75kg, carbon masts were introduced, or surface piercing bows were introduced. These were all improvements that revolutionized and reinvigorated our class. That's part of what makes the A-Class so exciting.
The sky isn't falling, that noise is innovation knocking at the door once again.
Shocking story from NZ, some Brit moved his boat around the park and forgot to look up now and then resulting in a fried mast. Luckily he was wearing rubber soles.
Shocking story from NZ, some Brit moved his boat around the park and forgot to look up now and then resulting in a fried mast. Luckily he was wearing rubber soles.
Shocking story from NZ, some Brit moved his boat around the park and forgot to look up now and then resulting in a fried mast. Luckily he was wearing rubber soles.
![[Linked Image]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10587353/web/1419049_10152017912957958_90734524_o.jpg)
(kidding, a-cat does not permit continuous trapeze systems). He must be stepping around the front of the mast.
![[Linked Image]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/2008_Cannonball_Regatta_-_Flying_Dutchman.jpg)
doh.
![[Linked Image]](https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31/1781055_1443930945836531_1098437850_o.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t31/1025271_1443931005836525_613691461_o.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://scontent-a-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t31/1074357_1443930985836527_739307663_o.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/156295_628385907216533_230187543_n.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4037474/Sunrise%20on%20the%20Hauraki%20Gulf.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjeZHB0leJA/Uvi7_cAcbsI/AAAAAAAAXqk/XyZoKj51Oa0/s1600/AClass2014Worldsnathan.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PcZlLPOLjUI/UfDECskKGCI/AAAAAAAAhio/hbCeUO9lWVY/s1600/13_044475_LVC2013.jpg)
)
![[Linked Image]](http://www.sailingeventstakapuna.com/media/gallery/gal52f9b7fc2932c.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kw4dN1yesUk/Uvx51-tyWNI/AAAAAAAAFEA/Iswg7cuxeag/s1600/Takakapot.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QDEpNQxBX2g/Uvx518OLXpI/AAAAAAAAFD8/LfzQGLfseyQ/s1600/Takakapot1.jpg)
) that there should be a class of racing cats to support it?
![[Linked Image]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V-q_mvc9YHo/UwGQn8vG2gI/AAAAAAAAAZY/xU_a0CgxXUQ/s1600/IMAG0470.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh97/pmeloche/miscellaneous/AnimatedGIF-WorfFacepalm.gif)
![[Linked Image]](https://scontent-b-ams.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/1146573_1458968300999462_1228117240_n.jpg)