Like most here, I`m also madly in love with this boat, can watch the videos of it all day long. (Hmm, wonder why my work is suffering?).
My point was just that they shouldn`t make claims that are untrue, it is misleading and misinforming the general public who don`t know the truth. Perhaps their claim should be qualified by "in light to medium winds" - That would bring it closer to the truth. Not taking anything away from them, that machine is totally awesome.

Its also faster in a wider range of conditions. 28 knots in as little as 7 knots of breeze has been reported. Any video you see hydroptere in - its blowin stink.

After the cup, there's going to use DZ for speed attempt records.

First, we don't know what the top speed of USA-17 is....but I've heard (from some sources that have proven to be rather reliable) rumors that put USA-17 in Hydroptere category. Besides, Hydroptere is only fast on deep reaches and when the wind is just right...it goes upwind like a three toed sloth and can hardly move in anything under 18 knots.



While I do agree it's a bit presumptuous for them to make a wide blanket statement like that, in general and in the majority conditions and points of sail, I would say that USA-17 is faster than Hydroptere.

new video this morning

Jake,

Thanks for taking the time to keep us all updated on what's happening with this event. If it weren't for you I would probably know very little about the details of what is going on. After reading your first post on this thread I am baffled as to why you aren't writing for some top sailing magazine. Keep it up if you can. I really appreciate being able to get all of my info from this site.

Is this the verbiage you're looking for? "fastest course racing boats ever built." From "T minus 7" on SA's front page.

I'm leaving for Valencia on Sunday and will try to post some pics, by the looks of it I will be on a spectator boat for the starts.

So the UAE was safe to go sail in eh?

According to the UK Guardian - the US administration TODAY is deploying 2 patriot missile batteries to Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and.... *gasp* UAE.

Safe indeed Bertarelli!! You would have had Patriot Missile batteries protecting your little boat race that could have been anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere but you fucked up and went with the "Walden Pond" choice.

Hahaha.

Wow! That is a lot of anger no offset boy. It is Monday though... carry on.

Huh!

What did I say....?

Thanks Jake for your great summaries!.... SA really wore me out...

You confuse anger for glee.

And I'm president of the "Offsets are for Dummies (and Dings)" club :P

Alinghi broke something on their mainsail / mast today while out training. Initial reports point to the downhaul or something else relatively minor. Their sails came down and they were towed back in after about 1/2 day's worth of sailing. We probably will not hear what the exact breakage was (Alinghi has been exceptionally secretive about this kind of stuff - more so now). However, the seriousness can be easily judged by if the mast stays rigged and when they get back out for more training. I would get nervous for them if they don't get out sailing tomorrow.

I hope this race doesn't come down to who can keep their boats together longer.

"I hope this race doesn't come down to who can keep their boats together longer."
I`m sure it will play a factor - if it does, my money`s on the three-toed sloth to win..
If they can match Hydroptere`s speeds and go for some records after the DOG match, that will be something special.

I still cannot decide if we are seeing a trimaran or a catamaran with a pod on USA 17. The amas are longer than the main hull whick looks to be about 70 feet. Seems easy for them to fly on one hull, even in light breeze. Rudders and daggerboards on the amas. I really like this boat and I am not usually too enthralled by Tris, so I am thinking of it as a catamaran with a pod.

Big Fan of Catamarans,
Dan DeLave

The center hull on DZ is almost exactly 90 feet. Amas are 100+ feet.

It's a machine that was designed for maximum LOA for a 90' LWL..built for pure efficiency given a limit on water line length - it's hard not to admire it's lines simply from that perspective.

I do like the way Alinghi's catamaran looks too. I think it's a terrfic looking boat and the suspension system under it really makes it stiff. However, in nearly every video I see it sail, I get the feeling that when the breeze is up that the boat is just too light and they can't put the power down on the water. Hard to tell just from videos though. We should know in one week from tomorrow!

The International Jury (IJ) met for 6.5 hours today to hear the redress filings by BMWO today...they must have taken it seriously. Alinghi attempted to have the hearing behind closed doors but both BMWO and the IJ objected - it was apparently open door. The ISAF is really (finally) starting to show up as an independent party.

They expect some decisions in the morning (in Spain).

BMWO release on the hearing is here

no word on the IJ decisions this morning...but they did already rule on two significant issues before them yesterday.

1) whether the hearing should be open to media or not. Alinghi said no, BMWO said yes, IJ said yes.

2) Alingh countered that BMWO is not entitled to redress because it was speculative and no damage to BMWO has taken place. BMWO countered that the rules contain the word "possible damage" in regards the NOR redress rule #62. IJ ruled that BMWO is entitled to file for redress on these issues.

They're in the meeting now - apparently none of the media are texting reports out to the public like we had in the New York court hearings...but we should hear something soon.

IJ scorecard:

BMWO: 2
Alinghi: 0

Alinghi was towed out of harbor apparently for another day of training. Damage yesterday must have been pretty minor.

Alinghi broke their jib halyard this morning.

Trey must be doing their splicing :P