From Scuttlebutt:

IT'S ALL A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE
(Forbes writer Thomas Jackson spent a day racing as the 18th man BMW Oracle's USA 76. When it was all over, he challenged Damon Runyon's oft-quoted assertion that watching an America's Cup race "is like watching grass grow." Here are a few excerpts.)

The 25-meter hull is all carbon fiber, molded and baked--like a loaf of bread--in a 90 by 30-foot oven back in Anacortes, Washington. The sails are made from carbon-fiber thread, the $80,000 mainsail containing 13 kilometers of the stuff. The foresails cost a bit less ($30,000 each), but take a bigger beating during races. Each one is retired after just 60 tacks, which breaks down to $500 every time the boat comes about.

I will NEVER consider my Pentex racing sails as expensive again. That just proves and old saying. "You can tell the men form the boys by the price of there toys" !!!!

Doug Snell
Hobie 17
Sunfish
Soon to be Mystere 4.3
www.tcdyc.com

$500 a tack!? Cripes!

My guess is that the tactician has to take some courses in economics to make certain that each tack is economically viable. Either that or the boats will be staring each other down.

"I know what you're thinking. "Did he tack 60 times or only 59?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a carbon fiber jib, the most powerful jib in the world, and would tear your mast clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

HMMMM! 60 tacks! damn!
thats just crazy MONEY

talk about serious bling factor. $500 just to tack!

has anyone worked out how much an F1 car costs per corner? $500 per tack might work out a bargin for BMW

how about how much does it cost to fly a spinnaker each time considering those are the sails that usually get trashed the most.

Back in 2003 the F1 motor budget was 20 Million. Using 2-3 motors per weekend. Since then they have reduced it a bit.

Yes, they reduced the engines to 8 or 10 cylinders and require each engine to be used for 2 races. But no surprise, the teams have still figured out a way to spend as much money as ever.

$500 is for the jib per tack. That doesn't include the crew pay, mainsail, spinnaker, poles, lines, support crew, tenders, hulls, keels, refits, masts, rigging, carbon winches and other high-tech hardware, grinder stations and transmissions, cutting the bow off and putting a new one on, the team headquarters, the shipping, the airfare, the skirts for the boat, the designer fees, portage fees, room and board, the food, the gym, the trainers, the clothing, the .......

You have to remember the majority of the money backing BMW/Oracle comes from Larry Ellison. His lates adventures are building a 400 foot plus yacht, and building a Japanese estate in Woodside, Ca. that was budgeted for $40 million but ended up somewhere north of $120 mil. It has an eight acre man made lake.

Larry also decided that his two seat Italian trainer jet didn't have enough performance so he tried to buy a brand new F-16. The feds pulled the plug on that deal.

Larry wanted the St. Francis YC (A REAL money club) to be the club of record for his latest A/C challenge. When they objected because he wanted seats on the board, he went down the breakwater to the Golden Gate YC (a little low bucks club). They welcomed him with open arms. If Larry wins the A/C, the GGYC becomes the big dog on SF bay.

$500? Chump change.

Read this article: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/01/31/MNG62H06991.DTL

This guy built a Japanese style home for $200m and has a personal loan of over $1b(!), $80k is PEANUTS for this guy.

Skipper: "Ready about!"

Crew: "Will that be Visa or Mastercard?"

Welcome to... LARRY LAND!!!

bahahhawhabhwhwbahhbwahwbhab this made me seriously LAUGH! ahahahahahahahh awesome!

If you are looking for a pissing match comparing Americas Cup to F1. There is no comparison. The 20 mill was just for the engine budget not including testing. They have a 20 person crew they take to the track and all of their races are in different countries and the cars are flown to each event. Then you have the consumables such as fuel, tires carbon brake pads and rotors. Then you account crash damage which is rarely seen in Americas Cup.

To do a private test which is common, you have to rent the entire track and hire a safety team. The safety team is required by law for any testing that exceeds 55mph.

I switched from racing cars to sailboats and the budget differences are quite dramatic. The best part is that the testing is relatively free. Even sharing a track for testing is quite expensive.

Im am going to show this to my friends every time they complain about my cat being too expensive

This is just one quick google search:
http://www.fastmachines.com/archives/f1/001603.php

Sarah:

The GRIN from ear to ear after the first screaming reach will be worth all the money and ribbing you are taking. Did you get the email I sent you?

Doug

Ya I got the email.
I cant wait to try reaching with the Nacra A2 it looks like SOOOOO much fun!!