Please select your home edition
Edition
A+T Instruments 2024 Leaderboard

America's Cup- Jury deflects Artemis claim over error on daggerboards

by Richard Gladwell on 25 Nov 2012
Artemis Racing’s AC72 with smaller volume daggerboards designed to a different AC Rule interpretation Sander van der Borch / Artemis Racing http://www.sandervanderborch.com

Artemis Racing, the Challenger of Record for the 34th America's Cup, have lost an appeal to the International Jury over their earlier daggerboard/hydrofoil measurement decision.

On October 7, the International Jury ruled on an application from Emirates Team New Zealand, that the Measurement Committee had exceeded its jurisdiction in issuing an interpretation that changed a Class Rule governing the AC72 catamarans to be used in the America's Cup Regatta starting in July 2013.

The key to that decision was whether or not the daggerboards used by the catamarans should be either raised or lowered when calculating the displacement of the canoe body of each hull of the catamarans.

The rule said that the canoe body could not be less then 45% of the total displacement. (Class Rule 1K states: hull means a canoe body, part of which displaces 45% or more of the AC72 Yacht’s displaced volume when floating in measurement condition;)


The Measurement Committee had made the ruling that the canoe body (normally the plain hull of a boat, without keel or rudder attached) should have its displacement measured with the dagger boards down.

Because the dagger boards have positive buoyancy, this ruling would have had the effect of reducing the size of the dagger boards, and possibly limiting the ability of the AC72 to sail in a hydrofoiled mode.

In the original decision Emirates Team NZ and Luna Rossa argued against the Challenger of Record and Defender Oracle Team USA, claiming that the Measurement Committee had effectively changed a class rule, which they were not permitted to do.

Surprisingly, regatta organisers America's Cup Regatta Management lodged a submission in support of the New Zealand and Italian teams - an unprecedented move which is understood to have displeased both the Challenger of Record and Defender. ACRM for the first time in America's Cup history, has been established as a body independent of the competitors and made a submission as it saw fit, rather than in bygone days when it, or its equivalent would have taken a position on such matters which would always have been solidly behind the Defender.

With a 3-2 majority in favour of the Emirates Team New Zealand position, it was possibly not surprising that the International Jury sided with the majority view, and ruled that the daggerboards could be in the raised position to calculate the canoe body displacement. (Such a rule is necessary as being the only real way to determine that a boat is a catamaran type (two equal hulls) and not a trimaran or proa or some other sort of multihull.)

The original Jury Decision was greeted with dismay by both the Challenger of Record and Defender.

Not surprisingly the Challenger of Record, who would normally speak for all, or a majority of the Challenger, decided to lodge an appeal to the same International Jury, claiming that they had committed the same error they accused the measurement Committee of doing - namely to effectively change a class rule, and had exceeded their authority.


The Jury Decision summarised the Artemis Racing claim thus:

6. AR (Artemis Racing) claimed that the Jury amended the CR (Class Rule) by noting in paragraph 56 of its Decision in AC16 (original decision #) that the Decision would have the effect of removing the '45%' limitation in CR 1.4(k) which was to allow a maximum of 10% for displacement of foils.

7. AR also submitted that neither the CR nor the Protocol give the Jury the right to remove or amend a CR. They submitted that the MC (Measurement Committee) in issuing PI (Public Interpretation) 22 had interpreted CR 1.4(k) without changing any of its words. To amend a CR requires the unanimous consent of all the Competitors.

8. AR further submitted they have spent two years researching and designing their AC72 Yacht based on the volume limits depicted in CR 1.4(k) and the removal of such limits 'renders much of that work meaningless, and sways the balance of foiling vs non-foiling in the favor of the foiling solution.' AR also claimed 'this Amendment unnecessarily favors the interest of on competitor.'


However the International Jury was not persuaded by the arguments advanced by Artemis Racing and supported by Oracle Team USA, and dismissed the claim that it had erred in its original Decision.

In the Discussion section of its decision on the appeal the International Jury noted that it had the right to make a determination under the Protocol, and that all it had done in its original decision was to remove
the additional conditions prescribed by the Measurement Committee, including the need for the daggerboards to be fully lowered.

The International Jury rules that all it had done was to reinstate the Class Rule as it had originally been written, and therefore the Jury’s Decision did not change a Class Rule as Artemis Racing had alleged.

The appeal by Artemis Racing was dismissed.

http://noticeboard.americascup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JN054.pdf!Click_here to read the latest Decision and http://noticeboard.americascup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/JN051.pdf!click_here to read the original Decision of October 7, 2012

For the full AC Class rule http://noticeboard.americascup.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/AC72_Class_Rule_v1-1_incl-Amendments-1-8.pdf!click_here

Hyde Sails 2024 - One DesignSelden 2020 - FOOTERsMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZ

Related Articles

Can a maxi achieve the Rolex Fastnet Race triple?
The fight to claim the prestigious monohull line honours prize is lining up to be a tough one The fight to claim the prestigious monohull line honours prize in the centenary edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Rolex Fastnet Race is lining up to be a tough one between the world's fastest 100ft maxi yachts.
Posted on 25 Jun
Kieler Woche Day 6
Double gold for France in Olympic classes Perfect sailing conditions marked the final of Kieler Woche in the Olympic skiff, dinghy, and surf classes: On Wednesday, June 25, the waters off Schilksee offered fresh to strong, challenging winds with flat waves.
Posted on 25 Jun
iQFOiL International Games at Kiel Overall
Kieler Woche delivers spectacular medal series showdown ahead of Aarhus Worlds The 3rd iQFOiL International Games at Kieler Woche came to a thrilling close today, with a full day of Medal Series racing under spectacular conditions.
Posted on 25 Jun
44Cup Marstrand 2025 day 1
Peninsula Racing and Team Nika share the limelight After a gale forced the cancellation of yesterday's practice racing, for day one of the 44Cup Marstrand, taking place off the familiar Swedish paradise island, there was a west to northwesterly that built as the afternoon progressed, to 17 knots.
Posted on 25 Jun
29th Superyacht Cup Palma Practice Race
Boats and breeze at the home of Mediterranean superyacht sailing The waiting is over and the moment has arrived — The Superyacht Cup Palma 2025 is up and running once again for the 29th time in the home of Mediterranean superyacht sailing.
Posted on 25 Jun
Ferrari Hypersail unveiled
The Prancing Horse enters the world of sailing Ferrari today unveils its new Ferrari Hypersail project, an unprecedented sporting challenge in the world of sailing that blends racing tradition with technological innovation.
Posted on 25 Jun
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more...
Posted on 25 Jun
Vale Hugh Treharne OAM
The Australian sailing community is mourning the passing of one of its greatest contributors The Australian sailing community is mourning the passing of one of its greatest contributors, Hugh Treharne OAM, who died peacefully surrounded by his loving family in Sydney last night.
Posted on 25 Jun
2025 X-Yachts Aurum Cup
Magnificent blue skies... but some tricky wind conditions! The 2025 X-Yachts Aurum Cup was held in Sydney over the weekend in magnificent blue skies... but some tricky wind conditions!
Posted on 25 Jun
Faithful look forward to Airlie Beach Race Week
Performance Racing category has already attracted 15 entries Just as Whitsunday Sailing Club is looking forward to 74 Islands Distillery Airlie Beach Race Week, so too are competitors, including those in the Performance Racing category where already 15 have signed up ready to race in the 37th edition.
Posted on 25 Jun