America's Cup- Oracle Team USA foils again in San Francisco

by Sail-World on 7 Feb 2013
Oracle Team USA's rebuilt AC72, USA-17, has sailed for two days in San Francisco, and the team have released some images and video showing her in foiling mode.

Some changes have clearly been made to the boat - most obvious being removal of the former steering system, now replaced with a wheel, the same as Emirates Team NZ.

A new wingsail has been fitted, replacing the one that was smashed in the October capsize.

Skipper Jimmy Spithill describes her as a new boat.

Even from the photos several of the previous issues seem to remain. The platform is clearly twisting in some of the images from the second day of sailing, not that it is an issue provided the natural trim of the leeward hull, containing the daggerboard is not affected. But is several foiling images the boat is show in a bow up trim, which is not usually condusive to sustained foiling.

But with all America's Cups, and this one more so than others, it is early days - even although the team has just ten days sailing on their logbook.