Cup Spy Sept 21: Brits show off new wing foil - with 'fences'. Swiss set up for the high dive.

by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 22 Sep 18:28 PDT 23 September 2023

Two Cup teams sailed off Barcelona with American Magic focused on boat maneuvers, while the British tried a new style of wingfoil - equipped with 'Fences' designed to impede foil ventilation.

What happened in the Cup - September 21, 2023:

• Alinghi Red Bull Racing - launched but did not sail in preparation for the setup for the official opening of the Alinghi Red Bull Racing Base in Barcelona.
• American Magic - Put in a solid session in the AC40, moded as a test boat (LEQ12). Hydraulic issues curtailed the session late in the afternoon
• INEOS Britannia - Got back in their familiar groove - sailing in their test platform - LEQ12 - T6 for the first time in three weeks - and sporting a new test wingfoil with 'fences' which are designed to thwart the spread ventilation on the foil.
• Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - No report, meaning either they did not sail, or sailed only in their AC40-One Design and were not accompanied by the AC37 Joint Recon program team.
• Orient Express Racing Team - No report, meaning either they did not sail, or sailed only in their AC40-One Design and were not accompanied by the AC37 Joint Recon program team. The team are participating in this weekend's Italy SailGP regatta in Taranto.
• Emirates Team New Zealand - No report, meaning either they did not sail, or sailed only in their AC40-One Design and were not accompanied by the AC37 Joint Recon program team. Due to being without a wingsail for this weekend's Italy SailGP, the sailing team will not participate. There may be a change to ETNZ's sailing program to utilise this unexpected time.

AC37 Joint Recon Team Reports:

Alinghi Red Bull Racing AC75/B1 - Day 83 - September 23, 2023 - Barcelona

Alinghi Red Bull Racing began preparations for the day with the rollout of their AC75 at 11:00 for Flight Control System (FCS) checks. By 11:30, the yacht was craned in alongside the dock, without its rigging. This is the first time the yacht has been in the water in almost a month. The rudder has since been exchanged back to the original AC75_R0_0003 (ETNZ legacy rudder).

Without the Recon cameras, it was not possible to get a closer look and find any added details since the last roll out.

In anticipation of an upcoming event featuring Red Bull cliff divers, a wooden pilot ladder was connected at the yacht's aft. The yacht underwent several lift operations, initially lifted to a height of 20m at 12:20. This was followed by a reduction to 10m for the first round of test dives by the Red Bull divers. For the subsequent rounds, the yacht was raised to 15m and then again to 18m.

Meanwhile, preparation for another activity was under way.

A Red Bull slack line professional was spotted setting up the slack line over the AC40 at around 13:25.

By 13:55, the AC75 was lowered back into the water and placed alongside the dock. The planned FCS testing was abandoned, as the crew shifted focus to continue the setup for the event at the base later in the day.

INEOS Britannia - LEQ12/T6 - Day 75 - September 21, 2023 - Barcelona

From the AC37 Joint Recon Team (Justin Chisholm)

INEOS Britannia returned to testing in their silver LEQ12 T6 today after a three week break. During that time modifications had been made to the starboard 'banana' foil - with the addition of four foil fences on the upper forward face of the outer section of the wing - and a new rudder blade and elevator had been swapped in.

Both foil wings and stocks had been painted black. The boat rolled out of the shed on schedule at 0930 for the mast to be stepped before craning in took place at 1015. Before launch shore crew members were observed sanding the new foil fences for around 20 minutes.

After docking out on schedule at 1200 the M2-2 mainsail and J4-1 headsail were hoisted by 1230 and the boat left the harbour at 1240. T6 was up on her foils a couple of minutes later in an 11-12 knot southerly breeze and a moderate chop. This initial upwind run on starboard came to a halt eight minutes later after the boat was observed porpoising for 20 seconds or so before splashing down.

After a 15 minute pause the boat was back on the foils on starboard upwind but soon bore away for a fast 20 minute downwind run along the Barcelona shoreline. This session came to a halt with a controlled roundup after a foiling gybe.

Five minutes later T6 was off again upwind on upwind on port but stopped again four minutes later after a foiling tack. A ten minute upwind followed with three tacks before stopping. Five minutes later the boat was off again on a 10 minute fast downwind run which came to an abrupt halt with a big nosedive on the exit to a foiling gybe.

A capsize looked imminent as the boat slowly rounded up but the crew got the foils under the boat quick enough to prevent it happening.

After 10 minutes of checking over the boat - including a visit from boat captain Chris Schirmer carrying a long bag marked 'Sucka' - the British crew was off again on a 20 minute upwind session in 14-15 knots of breeze.

After a battery change at 1500 T6 set off again on a series of windward leeward laps that came to a halt outside the harbour at 1555. Throughout the day the crew appeared focused mainly on straight line sailing in low mode with the bustle skimming the surface. As well as the nosedive there were several big splashdowns.

Sails were dropped by 1612hrs and the team docked in at 1625hrs. Another T6 sailing session has been scheduled for tomorrow (Friday September 22).

Crew: Dylan Fletcher, Giles Scott, Bleddyn Mon, Leigh McMillan, Ben Cornish (5th man)

Session Statistics: INEOS Britannia - LEQ12/T6 - Day 75 - September 21, 2023 - Barcelona

• Weather: clearing skies 26 degreesC
• Wind Strength 11-14kts
• Wind Direction:180 degrees - 200 degrees
• Sea State: 0.5mtr chop and 0.8m swell
• Crane In: 1015hrs Dock Out: 1200hrs
• Dock In: 1625hrs Crane out: 1700hrs
• Total Tacks: 13 - Fully foiling: 5; Touch & Go: 5; Touch Down: 3
• Total Gybes: 17 - Fully foiling: 11; Touch & Go: 5; Touch Down: 1

American Magic - LEQ12 - Day 66 - September 21, 2023 - Barcelona

NYYC American Magic team went for another sailing day in Barcelona, fully focused on maneuvers on their last sailing session of the week.

"America" the team's modified AC40, was rolled out at 9:00h and after their usual mast procedures and daily dock-chat they docked out at 11:00h with exactly the same configuration as yesterday. 1.

Paul Goodison, Lucas Calabrese, Riley Gibbs, Andrew Campbell and Michael Menninger where onboard today when they hoisted the main and J1 inside the port with 6knts breeze from 180º outside the harbour. Once ready, they started sailing at 11:24h and foiling upwind at 11:32h when we saw a lot of splash on their bow. The team followed with a long downwind consisting of eight fully foiling gybes before stopping on the last touch-down manoeuvre for the first battery swap of the day.

We noticed challenging conditions making their bow up and down when the recon boat was following them in a straight line, they were non-stop powering/depowering the main with increasing sea state and wind gusts oscillating between seven to sixteen knots. Near Port Forum the chaseboat stopped alongside and they changed crew configuration while lowering the J1 and hoisting the J3-3.

At 12:50h and for 1hour 22 minutes they did three long upwind and downwind legs close to shore. They were apparently having more difficulties during this period as we saw them noise-diving several times and losing all their speed in the touch-down tacks and gybes.

At 14:12h they went for another battery swap followed by the last fifteen minutes downwind, where they did eleven foiling gybes.

Lucas Calabrese let us know in today's interview that they had an hydraulic problem, and at three o'clock they lowered the sails and decided that they were done for the day, towing the AC40 back to port and docking in by 15:40hrs.

The new Jib skin AM-LEQ_JS1 #J2-C-1 version B which they did not used today, has been launched in today's Component Declaration. The team will be off from sailing the next four days and they have plans to be back on the water Tuesday next week.

Elia Miquel - Recon Unit NYYC

Crew: Paul Goodison, Lucas Calabrese, Michael Menninger, Andrew Campbell, Riley Gibbs

Session Statistics: American Magic - LEQ12 - Day 66 - September 21, 2023 - Barcelona

• Weather: 26° C
• Wind Strength: 6kts - 16kts
• Wind Direction: 180° - 200°
• Sea State: 0.6mtr from SE
• Crane In: 0900hrs Dock Out: 1100hrs
• Dock In: 1540hrs Crane out: 1640hrs
• Total Tacks: 29 - Fully foiling: 14; Touch & Go: 4; Touch Down: 11
• Total Gybes: 33 - Fully foiling: 30; Touch & Go: 0; Touch Down: 3
• Foiling Time: 2hr foiling time from a 4hr on water session.

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. Its format is intended to give Sail-World readers a snapshot of all teams' progress on a given day or period.