What's the "hobble" on the jib? The announcers kept referring to that as one of the reason several boats went over, or at least nearly over (the boats that flipped weren't able to release the jib because it was in the "hobble").

Again, the onboard mics were great. In the one capsize where they nearly saved it (except for the jib stuck in the "hobble"), you could hear someone on the boat saying, "We're OK, we're OK" as the bows came up and the boat rounded to weather. Of course, with the jib not being blown, it was only a matter of time before they went over...

As for their boat-on-boat tactics, it still amazes me that they even try for leebows or slam dunks. Especially after the completely disastrous "gybe to cover" in Portugal, you would think they would have realized by now that the speed of these boats is just not going to allow those sorts of maneuvers to pay, especially in the open water at the middle of the course. Maybe near a mark rounding. Maybe...

Mike