Just watching the replay. It seems Tucker and Andy have never heard of A and C class cats and really don't have a concept of what headsails do. Stating they won't be able to go as HIGH without the jib. Clueless.
I agree - but our group will be a tough crowd to get the details up to our standards while appealing to the masses!
I was astonished at how little (if anything) NZ lost without the jib. It looked like NZ got hooked into a big puff on their first jib-less downwind run but LR wasn't going to catch them anyway. Jibs will be important to maneuverability at the pre-start but maybe we see them put them on furlers and just get them out of the way as the wind builds?
LR and oracle both have a line around the inside of the wheel, but like you, I can't see how it controls anything. I've heard it mentioned twice. Plus ,I thought all that foil stuff had to be fixed/ non-adjustable. The only use I see for the jib is getting out of irons if you got luffed up in the pre start, and the drag penalty may not be worth it. You'd have to believe with all the money dumped into R&D they'd have this figured out. C's and A's use only mains/wings because it is the most efficient use of the allowed sail area. Marstrom also advocates this on their cats big and small. The other idea is maybe ETNZ dumped the jib on purpose to give their sister ship a chance at getting a point and not being behind the 5 min. cut off.
"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"
The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea Isak Dinesen If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most. E. B. White
