Oracle 17 flipped
Epic rescue required to save catamaran
ORACLE TEAM USA, the defender of the 34th America’s Cup, has capsized its giant AC72 catamaran on San Francisco Bay during a training session. No one on the crew was injured.
The capsize took place during the team’s eighth day on the water. Conditions were fresh, with building winds whipping up waves against one of the strongest ebb currents of the year. As the team turned the boat downwind, the front of the boat nosedived and the boat pitch-poled.
“When the nose went down, the wing hit and a few guys went in the water,” said tactician Tom Slingsby. “We were unsure if the wing would snap, so we all climbed off the boat.”
With the boat on its side, the sea conditions quickly inflicted damage on the wing. The boat was pulled out to sea by the strong current, and as darkness fell, the team was still working to secure the catamaran platform and bring it back to base. The wing is destroyed.
“There’s no question this is a setback. This will be a big test for our team,” said skipper Jimmy Spithill. “But I’ve seen these guys in a similar situation in the past campaign before we won the America’s Cup. A strong team will bounce back from it. This won’t stop us from winning the America’s Cup.”
Each team competing in the 34th America’s Cup and Louis Vuitton Cup (the America’s Cup Challenger Series) can build two AC72 boats. This was the first of two boats to be built and launched by ORACLE TEAM USA. The second is due to be launched early in the new year.
Event organizers say the setback to the American team won’t impact the 2013 racing calendar.
“This is a challenge for ORACLE TEAM USA,” said Stephen Barclay, the CEO of the 34th America’s Cup. “The team will assess how to fix the damage caused by the capsize to this boat and will adjust its program as necessary. We expect them to be ready to defend the Cup as planned.”
2012-10-17 @ 08:50
Lite dyrare än att knäcka övermasten på lasern.
2012-10-17 @ 09:27
Allt är ju relativt.. ;)
2012-10-17 @ 09:12
Är det detta som kallas tvärnit?
2012-10-17 @ 10:17
Bara att bygga en ny…
2012-10-17 @ 10:33
Årets flip? Larry äger numera kolfiberfabriken/varvet där de byggs? Vad händer med Artemis? Har ju inte sett deras AC72 segla någonting sedan de kom till USA..
2012-10-17 @ 10:34
Jösses!!
Dyrt sätt att utforska foiling.
Nu är jag glad amatör.
Men trycker att det ser ut som om vingen trycker ner fören. Samtidigt som farten minskar något.
Behöver foils i fören om man ska foila på undanvind.
Igentligen förutsägbart?
Spännande.
2012-10-17 @ 10:48
Tycker TNZ för ser lite bättre ut i förhållande till lift. Oracles ser ju nästan mindre ut än på 45orna.
2012-10-17 @ 11:05
Vinglöst eller rentav ett skrov till AC35?
2012-10-17 @ 14:34
New Zealand ser ut til å ha kontroll på sin AC 72, men det kan være at bølgene er større i San Fransisco.
http://www.sail-world.com/Europe/Americas-Cup:-Emirates-Team-NZ-sailing-in-35kt-winds/102903
Og i følge ryktene har de jibbet båten mens de foilet i ca 40 knops fart!
2012-10-17 @ 20:06
Ser ut att ha haft bra fart innan flippen! Kan orsaken till det hela månde vara wavepiercingförarna? Om man vänder en spade med bladet neråt vattenytan, kör den snabbt över ytan så strävar den troligen mycket snabbt neråt. Vänder man på bladet och gör om samma experiment blir troligen resultatet en planande spade. Detta är min amatörteori. Kanske finns det andra mättekniska fördelar som upphäver ökad risk för flipp som gör att risken är värd att tas?