You have to experience it to understand...when you can still fly a hull downwind - you just don't need a spinnaker.

I don't think most folks realize the the power to weight of the A class. 18 feet, 150 sq ft sail and only 165lbs! Verrry efficient.

the power to weight is impressive however alinghi built something that looks like an A-cat with a spin pole... like an HT. its also in SUI where the HT is a robust class. I suspect they will pick a venue that suits them. wouldn't it be a sight to see if they chose a lake in Switzerland.

i wouldn't consider "need" as a prerequisite for getting a spinnaker.

The lower weight and shorter width of Alinghi's cat probably translate into an advantage in light wind and sea conditions, but the Deed requires that the venue takes place at sea.

They will probably choose a calm secluded bay in the Mediterranean, with high statistic probability of low winds and as difficult to fly from the US as possible. Maybe somewhere in Greece? Anyone knows calm windless bays in the Mediterranean?

Don't they have a deadline approaching to choose the venue?

Whatever the venue it has to be "on ocean courses, free from headlands..." and the course will alternate between a 20 mile to windward and return and an equilateral triangle course (with equal legs) of a total 39 mile length with the first leg to windward. Bays are out (which kinda baffles me this light air looking thing...I think they intend for the beam forward banana foils to make it work in the ocean).

Yes - August 8th is when we'll hear it.

What happens if Larry wins and he takes it to San Fran?

They would probably race out of San Diego (point loma) but they can get to the ocean from San Fran bay!

However, Larry Ellison has already indicated that if he wins, they'll probably go back to Valencia, Spain..but it's hard to tell how much of that statement was a PR move as Alinghi still had pretty good support in Valencia because they felt that Alinghi was their best chance at getting the AC back. Who knows?

Either way that's too bad. San Fran Bay is like a gigantic amphitheater. They'd have millions watching from shore. The moneyed set could set up their stately pleasure-domes on Alcatraz and chopper in. Such a deal!

Wait a minute, SF Bay is one of the best sailing venues in the world. On top of that, it lends itself beautifully to spectating. It's like a giant sailing arena. I cannot imagine a better venue to watch these monsters sail. Watching the old AC boats on SF Bay was awesome; the multi-monsters will be better. The only reason Ellison wouldn't immediately bring the cup to SF is facilities/infrastructure, which is far superior in Valencia. If the infrastructure can be put in, SF Bay would be incomparable.
edit: ooo hobie1616 beat me to the comment.

the issue is that this DOG multihull match is an expensive distraction from what they want to really do

which is to get the AC paying for itself and and supporting a huge contingent of international sailors, support crews and world wide sponsors

to do that they need to get a monohull race going as soon as possible after it's decided who's in control and for that it's best they both agree to valencia for 2012 which already has all the facilities waiting

if larry wins the multi match and then wins a quickly arranged mono series in valencia then i'm sure everyone would expect the next defence to be in the usa

what they would really hate is if nz won the monohull challenge and then took the cup down south where there are no sponsors, only a tiny poor population to milk for t-shirts and inconvenient time zones for the prime time audience up north:o(

and horror of horror nz are reported to wanting to go back to a nationality rule!

The south of France, Corsica, Sardignia, Baleares and northern Italy and Spain on the med side are way too risky for wind conditions.

Greece is mostly too windy as well, unless you are in a lee of a big island where the problem is gusts.

South Italy and south of Spain are possible. Valencia, Naples or Palermo for example. Malta is probably too exposed, but would fit your criteria as being difficult to get to from the US.

Venice or other cities in the north of the adriatic sea are good candidates: Flat water, usual low wind, close to Switzerland... As close as a lake as you can be. If it's good enough for X40, why not AC multihulls...

Some place in northern Africa may be suitable, there are some nice quiet areas in Tunisia for example, but they may lack the necessary infrastructure to accommodate two 100ft multihulls monsters...

cuba, bay of pigs

That we be a real coup!

I hear the winds off somalia are nice...

Was that Chinese olympic venue "ocean"? How'd those giant boats do in light air, algae/seaweed and fog?

This ain't the Olympics, it's the AC. But didn't the Chineese have a mono in the last Louis Viton cup? Or was it just a Chineese helmsman on some other boat?

I've always been in favor of bringing back the "Nationality Rule" where the boat and all the crew must come from the named country. It was much more interesting then. Now it's just about who can buy the best skipper/crew.

I got it... Florida Bay sometime when it's flat (September?)