Cup Spy March 4: US reveal new direction; Swiss go cycling at 45kts; Siesta time for Luna Rossa
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-world.com/nz 6 Mar 2023 18:11 PST
7 March 2023
American Magic - AC40 - Day 2 - March 4, 2023 © Paul Todd/America's Cup
American Magic's sailing boss Terry Hutchinson says the team will get two AC-40's and repurpose one of those to be an LEQ12. Luna Rossa enjoys a double session interspersed with a siesta. Alinghi Red Bull Racing had their first serious sail with cyclors.
What happened in the Cup - March 4, 2023:
- American Magic sailed off Pensacola in the first of their AC40's. It was just their second sail, as they work through commissioning issues - of which there were relatively few - mainly around an unexpected battery change. American Magic decommissioned their AC75 on February 4.
- Luna Rossa sailed from Cagliari, managing to catch two different breezes either side of a siesta, and had two good sailing sessions in their custom designed LEQ12.
- Alinghi Red Bull Racing had a good sailing session in their AC75, off Barcelona, hitting speeds of up to 45kts. They used cyclors on the substantially altered AC75 decklout, for the first time. We have several images cut from RFS showing how the new setup works.
- Emirates Team New Zealand did not sail, either their AC75 or AC40 or LEQ12, and are not expected to sail until after SailGP Christchurch has concluded. They last sailed on February 28 in the LEQ12 and AC40-OD.
- INEOS Britannia did not sail their AC40 One Design. Their LEQ12 test boat T6 remains under repair following a capsize and battery fire on February 8. They last sailed their AC40-OD on March 1.
- No further news from the Orient Express Team (formerly K-Challenge).
American Magic - AC40 One Design - Pensacola - March 4, 2023 - Day 2
American Magic have started a new phase of their build up for the 37th America's Cup.
The New York Yacht Club's team had a good day in their AC-40 sailing in One Design mode. It was their second days of sailing the AC40.
Sailing boss Terry Hutchinson says the team will get two AC-40's and will repurpose one of those to be an LEQ12, which will undertake their prototype testing, and foil development for their AC75 raceboat.
In this regard, they are on a similar development trajectory, but different timelines, as Emirates Team New Zealand, who recently announced they too, are running an AC75 ex the 2021 America's Cup, alongside two AC-40's - one of which is a development boat - or LEQ12. ETNZ first sailed their LEQ12 test boat (a repurposed AC40)on November 2, 2022 and are yet to sail their AC75 this 2024 America's Cup cycle.
American Magic decommissioned their AC75 almost a month ago on February 4, having clocked up 44 days of sailing and setup, with their first sail on the AC75 Patriot, on October 15, 2022.
From the AC37 Joint Recon Team:
American Magic's first AC40 was craned into the water at 10:20. The programmers with their tablets arrived shortly after.
A member of the shore crew was observed grinding the small carbon sleeve/ collar that fits around the base of the mast.
Dock out was 11:30, America was towed out towards the middle of the bay where the M1 mainsail was hoisted.
The wind was 7kts out of the SE and was forecast to go right and build early in the afternoon.
The team towed America in a southerly direction towards the approaching breeze, and hoisted the J1 (the largest jib). They sailed for an hour and twenty minutes as the breeze increased to 10-12kt. The J3 (jib) was hoisted at 13:55 and quickly taken down while the team attended to the head of the sail for eight minutes. The J3 was used for the remainder of the day.
Multiple short breaks in sailing were observed while the crew: Made jib clew adjustments, changed the batteries, and dealt with the shut down issues discussed in the interview.
In all, America completed 46 maneuvers, covered a distance of 82nm, on 17 windward leewards, and was on foils for 145 minutes total. Top speeds were approximately 29k upwind and 38k downwind.
Sailing ended at 1715hrs. No sailing is expected tomorrow (March 5, 2023).
[S-W: American Magic achieved a dry tack/gybe percentage of 82% - which is good for just a second sail, but also what would be expected in this strength of breeze.]
Session Statistics - Pensacola - March 4, 2023 - American Magic - AC40 OD - Day 2
- Weather: Sunny 72°F
- Wind Strength: 12kts-15kts
- Wind Direction: S
- Sea State: <1ft
- Roll out: 1020hrs Dock Out: 1130hrs
- Dock In: 1745hrs Crane out: 1715hrs
- Total Tacks: 26 - Fully foiling: 22; Touch & Go: 2; Touch Down: 2
- Total Gybes: 20 - Fully foiling: 16; Touch & Go: 2; Touch Down: 2
- Dry Tack/Gybe Success % = 82%
Crew: Paul Goodison, Tom Slingsby, Riley Gibbs, Lucas Calabrese, Dan Morris, Andrew Campbell, Michael Menninger
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - LEQ12 - Cagliari - March 4, 2023 - Day 37
From the AC37 Joint Recon Team:
The Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team rolled out their LEQ12 at 6:30am; stepped the mast and craned the boat into the water, following the usual protocol for on board checks.
Dockout was scheduled at 8:20am to catch the light Maestrale NW offshore breeze with flat waters in the Gulf. Before docking out, in anticipation of a medium to light breeze, the bigger mainsail M1 was locked in the mast fittings followed by the usual inflation of the air chamber between upper battens.
The team headed towards Sella del Diavolo to fully hoist the main with the jib J1.5.
As the sailing action started, wind conditions looked pretty light with 8-10kn NW breeze.
After a few foiling maneuvers, straight line sailing for testing purposes seemed to prevail until the team RIB placed some marks to be rounded.
Having completed respectively three upwind and downwind legs recording almost 90minutes of uninterrupted foiling, a 30min break followed with the shore crew diving below deck with a bucket and tool boxes - perhaps for an electronic issue or simply empty battery to be switched.
Meanwhile the breeze had dropped to marginal foiling conditions of 7-8 kts TWS(true wind speed). The LEQ12 was towed up onto its foils, and focussed on the execution of light wind maneuvers tuning their technique.
Even when slightly touching down, the LEQ12 was able to gain speed again and attain foiling mode on several occasions.
At 11:00am the breeze dropped below 6kn and team decided to head back to the Molo Ichnusa for lunch break, remaining in stand-by for a possible second dock-out to catch the incoming sea breeze.
Dock-out was scheduled for 1:30pm as the first signs of an 7-8kt SE sea breeze were spotted.
The main M1 was hoisted with the J1 jib and the LEQ12 foiled for approx 30 minutes until breeze shifted to S increasing to 10-12kn with choppier sea state.
The J2 was hoisted for some additional mark roundings completing several legs before finally hoisting back the J1.
The approximate take-off speed of 16-18kn in TWA 80 and TWS9-11kn has been newly matched by Recon RIB's GPS.
Throughout the day, several crew swaps were observed for helmsmen and flight controllers.
Certainly a productive day for the team with lots of sailing in a variety of conditions. On the day, an approx foiling total time of 225 minutes was recorded along with approx 71 maneuvers out of which 37 tacks and 34 gybes in addition to some mark rounding maneuvers. [Michele Melis AC-Recon]
"We got a great session in the morning with the Maestrale [the northwest wind, which blows from France, where it is called Mistral], and then we came in - had lunch - European style, obviously. Had a little siesta. And then when we got out there in the afternoon, for the sea breeze direction. It as a pretty unstable, funny day. But it just worked out beautifully on that course area where we got our own little private sea breeze for a couple hours," explained co-helmsman Jimmy Spithill, after the session.
"The hardest thing on days like today is really to pick the jib. And a lot of the time you, you just have to go with what you see. But then it can change quickly. And that happened a couple of times today. But besides that, I thought it was a pretty impressive day to go out and get a double session like that. So it was it was a great call."
Session Statistics - Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - LEQ12 - Cagliari - February 4, 2023- Day 29
- Weather: Sunny 14°C
- Wind Strength 10-12kts
- Wind Direction: NW to S
- Sea State: Chop
- Roll out: 0650hrs Dock Out: 0820hrs and 1330hrs
- Dock In: 1145hrs and 1615 Crane out: 1800hrs
- Total Tacks: 37 - Fully foiling: 26; Touch & Go: 6; Touch Down: 5
- Total Gybes: 34 - Fully foiling: 23; Touch & Go: 7; Touch Down: 4
Crew: Jimmy Spithill, Francesco Bruni, Marco Gradoni, Ruggero Tita, Andrea Tesei, Umberto Molineris, Vittorio Bissaro
Alinghi Red Bull Racing - AC75 - Barcelona - March 4, 2023 - Day 47
Today was the first real test for the cyclors and the reduced eight man crew, on the AC75.
The former Emirates Team NZ AC75 is allowed to be remodelled 100% above the sheerline - and the Swiss design team led by Marcelino Botin, who was with American Magic in the 2021 America's Cup - have removed the centre console dividing the original two crew trenches, which ran from the transom to the back of the mast. It is replaced with a more closed in deck area, that features eight crew pits, split into an inside and outside row.
The advantages of the increased deck area is that it will help shed water from what has always been a very wet boat. By splitting the crew into two "lanes" each side, the helmsman has a clear view forward, without having to be above the level of the crew ahead - improving visibility and reducing windage and drag.
From the AC37 Joint Recon team:
Alinghi Red Bull Racing rolled out their AC75 at 08:45, stepped the mast and craned in.
The team spent just over three hours preparing the systems on board, before docking out and hoisting the main in the port. Sailing commenced at 13:40, with the M1 mainsail and J3 jib used throughout the day.
The Garbi afternoon thermal breeze came through as forecast, coming from SSW, peaking at 16kn. With conflicting wind and wave directions, conditions on the water were not easy, though the residual NE swell had reduced from the previous days.
The team sailed five stints, covering over 65 Nautical Miles, and reaching speeds in excess of 45 knots. Eight crew were on board, individually in the newly constructed pods. This was the first sail for two of the crew, Thery Schir and Barnabe Delarze. The team took some time in between sailing stints to re-compose, adjust settings and communications. A batten was brought out of the lower section of a mainsail skin, though it is not clear why.
After one of the latest finishes of the winter, the team docked in and collectively washed the boat. After some deliberation about the jib track, the yacht was craned out and unrigged.
Session Statistics - Barcelona, Spain - March 4, 2023 - Alinghi Red Bull Racing - AC75 - Day 47
- Wind Strength: 12-15kts
- Wind Direction: SSW
- Weather: Sunny 12°C
- Sea State: Slight
- Roll out: 0920hrs Dock Out: 1240hrs
- Dock In: 1805hrs Crane out: 1900hrs
- Total Tacks: 26; Fully foiling: 6; Touch & Go: 12; Touch Down: 8
- Total Gybes: 23; Fully foiling: 7; Touch & Go: 9; Touch Down: 7
Crew: Arnaud Psarofaghis , Nicolas Charbonnier, Nicolas Rolaz, Arthur Cevey, Thery Schir, Barnabe Delarze, Pietro Sibello (coach) in sailing gear on chase boat - did not sail
Additional Images
This commentary was written and compiled from video, still images and statistical content extracted from the AC37 Joint Recon program and other material available to Sail-World NZ including photo files, and other on the water coverage from the 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2021 America's Cups.