Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine Pipe Glands

America's Cup- AC45 high speed wipeout video's and images

by Oracle Racing and Sail-World on 12 Apr 2011
05/04/2011 - Auckland (NZL) - ORACLE Racing - AC45 training - Sailing on the edge - AC45 heads down the mine OracleTeam USA www.oracleracing.com

Last week, Oracle Racing were out training on the Hauraki Gulf in strong-to-high winds between 25 and 35 knots with a sea running. They were sailing off the wind under North Head when a strong puff hit. The leeward bow dug in the water and the trampoline was nearly engulfed before control was regained, before the distribution of buoyancy in the hull allowed the bow to pop out and avert calamity.

Coach Philippe Presti captured the puff – estimated by observers at 30 to 32 knots – from the accompanying RIB. The excitement is measured by the RIB crew, whose voices rise as the bows dig in and the rudders come out; as is relief when the submerged bows break the surface the crew regains control.

'We were actually happy afterward,' said Dirk de Ridder, the wing trimmer who was riding the tender during the mishap.

'We’ve done similar things with other 40-footers and had bad results. We’re very happy we could get out of it. Nothing was damaged. The wing hit the sideshrouds very hard, but there was no damage. It was a very good day in the end.'





This video plus the one two weeks ago of the four 45s flying in formation are great illustrations of added bow volume at work. The ORACLE Racing Design Team created the AC45 to perform in a wide range of conditions and sea states and through aggressive maneuvers. To aid those performance characteristics, the bows of the AC45 were designed with extra length and volume.

To make the catamaran interesting in the light winds expected at some venues the wingsail rig was made tall. But the tall rig means this extra horsepower has to be managed in stronger winds and that is solved by making the bows longer and fuller.

Added bow volume also lessens the cat’s tendency to pitch-pole, where the bows dig in and the stern flips overhead.

The video above video shows how the added buoyancy kept the cat upright before the wing could be eased and order restored.

The full image sequence of the second mining attempt is below:








Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise BOTTOMCollinsonCo 728x90 BOTTOMSwitch One Design

Related Articles

4 Ultim rocketships to contest Rolex Fastnet Race
The giant 32m long by 23m wide flying trimarans are taking part in the 100th anniversary edition While the 50ft flying catamarans competing at SailGP Portsmouth this weekend will be impressive, charging out of the opposite western end of the Solent will be giant 32m long by 23m wide flying Ultim trimarans taking part in the 100th anniversary edition.
Posted today at 6:45 pm
SailGP comes to Portsmouth!
We speak to the sailors ahead of the weekend The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth takes place this weekend, with the 12 teams competing in F50 catamarans close to the waterfront, where a massive grandstand has been built for the spectators.
Posted today at 5:41 pm
SailGP: No practice racing at Portsmouth
The Practice Race was a fizzer, however the future of the SailGP fleet development was revealed. The scheduled Practice Day failed to fire at SailGP Portsmouth, after the forecast, admittedly light, breeze failed to male an appearance. The self propelled start marks were making a much better speed than the F50s.
Posted today at 4:14 pm
McIntyre Mini Globe Race Leg 3 Preview
The race to South Africa starts from Vuda Marina Fiji on 26th July In a world-first sailing challenge, 15 solo sailors from eight countries are navigating identical 5.8-meter (19-foot) self-built plywood yachts around the globe— The fleet has enjoyed a five week stopover in Fiji at the end of Leg 2.
Posted today at 1:26 pm
Third time Finn World No.1 for Alessandro Marega
Maintaining the top spot in the Finn World Ranking List Italy's Alessandro Marega maintains the top spot in the Finn World Ranking List for the third consecutive release. He remains World No. 1 with an 80-point lead over France's Laurent Hay.
Posted today at 1:18 pm
World Sailing Nations Cup to make grand return
After a seven-year hiatus, World Sailing has officially opened the bid process for host cities After a seven-year hiatus, the World Sailing Nations Cup, the ultimate event to crown the world's top match-racing nations, is making its much-anticipated return.
Posted today at 9:08 am
2025 WASZP Pre-Games in Weymouth Day 2
A classic British summer's day as sailors launched beneath a blanket of grey cloud and drizzle The second day of the WASZP Pre-Games served up a classic British summer's day as sailors launched beneath a blanket of grey cloud and with a hug of fresh drizzle.
Posted today at 5:25 am
Moth take a big step forward at Garda Worlds
The just concluded Int Moth Worlds at Lake Garda, Italy were technically much more complex than NZ The just concluded Int Moth Worlds at Lake Garda, Italy were technically much more complex than the 2024 World Championship, held just six months ago in New Zealand.
Posted on 17 Jul
Dates set for 2026 Congressional Cup & Ficker Cup
2026 will mark the 61st edition of the iconic Congressional Cup event The LBYC and World Match Racing Tour today announced the dates for the 2026 Long Beach Yacht Club Congressional Cup and Ficker Cup, both official stages of the World Match Racing Tour, the longest running global professional sailing series.
Posted on 17 Jul
SailGP reveal new Southampton technology facility
SailGP Technologies have opened the doors on their new tech HQ, in Southampton. SailGP Technologies have opened the doors on their new tech HQ, ahead of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth, UK, this weekend.
Posted on 17 Jul