America's Cup news- BMW/Oracle v Alinghi-Cat fight

Staredge · Post by **Staredge** » March 20, 2008 12:53 pm

America's Cup in Murky Waters

Looks like a best of three catamaran shoot-out. Maybe October, Maybe summer 2009. STILL fighting it out in court.

SharkOnLand · Post by **SharkOnLand** » March 20, 2008 1:41 pm

It's a sailboat race, people. Not whose attorneys can get the best deal.....

TropicalTroubador · Post by **TropicalTroubador** » March 20, 2008 2:39 pm

*Catamarans*?

Sigh...I guess the old twelve-meters weren't fast enough for everyone.

I'm *still* glad I got an "Oracle Racing" cap when I played GGYC last year.

Elrod · Post by **Elrod** » March 20, 2008 7:33 pm

Too many lawyers and rich guys, not enough sailors.

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » March 20, 2008 7:33 pm

Elrod wrote:Too many lawyers and rich guys, not enough sailors.

Amen.

Staredge · Post by **Staredge** » March 20, 2008 9:34 pm

Well, apparently this will be a one-off thing, with 2011 being the next real AC regatta. Rumours are that there'll be a new AC yacht.

I'd love to see a return to the 12-metres, but it isn't going to happen.

And I hate catamarans. I'll watch....but I hate cats.

diverg · Post by **diverg** » March 20, 2008 9:55 pm

It also possible that Alinghi will forfeit the match if forced to race this year. They claim they have not even started work on a CAT yet.

Bfan53 · Post by **Bfan53** » March 21, 2008 6:48 am

Sadly, the America's Cup event has done a death spiral and will never recover. It isn't a sailing competition among nations any more. It's become "corporate" with teams enlisting crew members that are professionals having no relation to the nation's flag they sail under. Team's budgets larger than some third world nation's GNP.

And now rumors of another "official" AC boat in the near future.....wait a waste of time and money.

diverg · Post by **diverg** » March 21, 2008 9:17 am

Bfan53 wrote:Sadly, the America's Cup event has done a death spiral and will never recover. It isn't a sailing competition among nations any more. It's become "corporate" with teams enlisting crew members that are professionals having no relation to the nation's flag they sail under. Team's budgets larger than some third world nation's GNP.

And now rumors of another "official" AC boat in the near future.....wait a waste of time and money.

Not a rumor. There will be a new AC class(boat) at the next tradtional AC most likely in 2011.

ragtopW · Post by **ragtopW** » March 21, 2008 10:47 pm

so... Americas Cup??
Is this like a Class between
Busch cup and Nextel Cup?
is there a Dodge in the Races??
Does Goodyear supply the Tires??
Where will the Drivers come from?
The Truck Series?
maybe the open Wheel or
the ARCA Series??
or the Hooters

Will there be a reality show to pick the next Driver????

what is the over under on when a major sponsor will sign??

diverg · Post by **diverg** » March 21, 2008 11:12 pm

ragtopW wrote:so... Americas Cup??
Is this like a Class between
Busch cup and Nextel Cup?
is there a Dodge in the Races??
Does Goodyear supply the Tires??
Where will the Drivers come from?
The Truck Series?
maybe the open Wheel or
the ARCA Series??
or the Hooters

Will there be a reality show to pick the next Driver????

what is the over under on when a major sponsor will sign??

Well if your a Larry Ellison type owner you really don't need sponsors although he does have one.

ragtopW · Post by **ragtopW** » March 21, 2008 11:26 pm

I just Googled this.. THEY don't even
have engines on those boats....
There's your problem..
Think of how much faster they would go with
some Horsepower..

diverg · Post by **diverg** » March 21, 2008 11:35 pm

ragtopW wrote: I just Googled this.. THEY don't even
have engines on those boats....
There's your problem..
Think of how much faster they would go with
some Horsepower..

Well the boats that are being designed may be able to hit 50mph in the right wind conditions.

Bfan53 · Post by **Bfan53** » March 22, 2008 7:02 am

diverg wrote:
ragtopW wrote: I just Googled this.. THEY don't even
have engines on those boats....
There's your problem..
Think of how much faster they would go with
some Horsepower..

Well the boats that are being designed may be able to hit 50mph in the right wind conditions.

It's always funny when a sailor & a non-sailor get into discussion like this.....but maybe "NASCAR meets the America's Cup" could be the next reality series for TV.

Come to think of it, the current AC "circus" isn't that far removed from being NASCAR on the water......

Staredge · Post by **Staredge** » March 22, 2008 1:37 pm

It's gotten as bad as NASCAR, with the sponsor logos all over the place. Like I said in the last AC thread:

America
Intrepid
Endeavour
Stars & Stripes
BMW/Oracle

Which one of these doesn't belong???

diverg · Post by **diverg** » March 22, 2008 4:48 pm

BMW/Oracle mentions having the DoG match in the Southren Hemisphere!! OMG!! I would so be there if at all possible. Do I hear Freemantle, Australia?

Bfan53 · Post by **Bfan53** » March 22, 2008 4:52 pm

diverg wrote:BMW/Oracle mentions having the DoG match in the Southren Hemisphere!! OMG!! I would so be there if at all possible. Do I hear Freemantle, Australia?

Freemantle would be an excellent sailing venue. Now if only the 12-meters were back again.......

Every Fall my wife & I visit Newport, RI and we love seeing the largest remaining collection of 12s under sail on Narragansett Bay once more. IMO, still the prettiest yachts under sail......

Sometimes "high tech" just can't replace classic beauty.

diverg · Post by **diverg** » March 22, 2008 5:22 pm

Bfan53 wrote:
diverg wrote:BMW/Oracle mentions having the DoG match in the Southren Hemisphere!! OMG!! I would so be there if at all possible. Do I hear Freemantle, Australia?
Freemantle would be an excellent sailing venue. Now if only the 12-meters were back again.......

Every Fall my wife & I visit Newport, RI and we love seeing the largest remaining collection of 12s under sail on Narragansett Bay once more. IMO, still the prettiest yachts under sail......

Sometimes "high tech" just can't replace classic beauty.

Here is the article that mention the possibilty of a Southern Hemisphere match.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gRH ... iptxMbt94w

SchoolGirlHeart · Post by **SchoolGirlHeart** » March 22, 2008 5:26 pm

Bfan53 wrote:Every Fall my wife & I visit Newport, RI and we love seeing the largest remaining collection of 12s under sail on Narragansett Bay once more. IMO, still the prettiest yachts under sail......

Sometimes "high tech" just can't replace classic beauty.

Almost positive you can pay to go out on a couple of the 12 meters in Newport

Bfan53 · Post by **Bfan53** » March 22, 2008 5:35 pm

SchoolGirlHeart wrote:
Bfan53 wrote:Every Fall my wife & I visit Newport, RI and we love seeing the largest remaining collection of 12s under sail on Narragansett Bay once more. IMO, still the prettiest yachts under sail......

Sometimes "high tech" just can't replace classic beauty.
Almost positive you can pay to go out on a couple of the 12 meters in Newport

Hi SGH,

Yes, and every year I say I'm going to do it, but just never have. Maybe our next visit to Newport the 4 of us can do that!