Cup Spy Nov 7: Three teams continue development. Kiwis kept ashore
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 8 Nov 2023 05:28 PST
9 November 2023
Alinghi Red Bull Racing - AC40 - Day 57 - Jeddah - November 7, 2023 © Alex Carabi / America's Cup
Three America's Cup teams sailed in Cagliari, Barcelona and Jeddah.
What happened in the Cup - November 7, 2023:
- Alinghi Red Bull Racing - sailed their two AC40s from Jeddah, venue for the next America's Cup Preliminary Regatta.
- Emirates Team New Zealand - Did not sail due to strong offshore winds in Auckland, today.
- Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - The Italians sailed their LEQ12 test boat off Cagliari.
- INEOS Britannia - The Brits were back on the water in their test boat/LEQ12 T6. They had a good session with one near capsize towards the end.
- American Magic - American Magic rolled out their AC75 Patriot, on Tuesday. We're expecting it to sail in Barcelona on Thursday.
- Orient Express Racing Team - Their AC40 is en route to Jeddah.
- All teams are/have shipped AC40s to Jeddah for the second Preliminary Event at the end of November. Organisers will obviously be monitoring the security and war situation in the surrounding territories, before giving the teams a green light to travel to the venue. In a prime time news item, ETNZ/ACE CEO Grant Dalton confirmed they were getting daily reports/advice from a leading international security company, and were monitoring the Middle East situation, and whether there was any implications for the upcoming Preliminary Event.
AC37 Joint Recon Team Reports:
Alinghi Red Bull Racing - AC40 - November 7, 2023 - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - AC37 Joint Recon Unit
Alinghi Red Bull Racing rolled out their AC40-4 (Yellow) and AC40-7 (Red, featuring Vilanova branding on the mainsail head) at 09:00hrs and 09:40hrs, respectively, from their base at Obhur Creek, Jeddah.
Both boats were rigged with one-design foils and sails in preparation for the day’s sessions.
The team docked out at 11:30hrs, with the red boat being towed to open waters for sail hoisting, while the yellow was rigged under the protection of the Obhur Creek breakwater, in hindsight a better decision considering the sea state. A significant chop of up to 1m was present, with wind speed recorded between 15-17kts at the beginning of the session.
Sailing commenced at 12:00hrs, with a quick pause to attend an issue with Bryan Mettraux's helmet communications on the red boat, which were quickly resolved allowing the red team to sail a long upwind towards the race area and join the yellow team.
In the second stint, both boats executed two long tacks and gybes, with the red boat showing slight handling inconsistencies. Both boats exchanged to J2 jibs after the first stint, as the wind eased to 8 knots.
The third stint was characterized by split tacks amid diminishing wind and residual waves, complicating manoeuvres.
As wind conditions continued to decline, measuring 4-5 kts, the yachts were towed to the start of the 1.5nm race course and J1 jibs were hoisted ahead of the final stint. The intention was for racing on the course, however this was abandoned, as multiple tow starts were attempted, but both yachts failed to maintain foiling for significant distances, leading to the decision to conclude the sailing day early.
The boats were towed back to base after an on-water session lasting three and a half hours, with a sailing time of 85 minutes. Of the 32 manoeuvres attempted, 75% were executed fully foiling.
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli - LEQ12 - Day 95 - November 7, 2023 - Cagliari - AC37 Joint Recon Unit
The Italian team Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (LRPP) rolled out their LEQ12 prototype at 10:00hrs, stepped mast and craned the yacht in by 10:15hrs.
The appendage configuration remained unchanged compared to Day 94 with Wing03 on starboard and Wing4 on port, shots of which have been taken from requested perspectives off and in the water.
Dockout was scheduled for 11:10hrs and the shore team run through the usual dock checks. As the yacht was being towed out of the harbour, the offshore Maestrale already seemed a bit patchy over the gulf. The pressure was measured 315 TWA 7-9 kts at 11:30hrs when main M1-2 and jib J2-2 were being hoisted.
Once all set, the LEQ12 was boarded by six crew, towed up on port tack and the first foiling stint started downwind for straight line runs executing a small number of gybes before trimming back up for some occasional tacks.
Further offshore, the breeze seemed to be stronger and more consistent blowing 12-14kts so perhaps better in range for the J2-2. After 20 foiling minutes, the yacht came to a stop for a crew swap in the guest seats on port. During the second foiling stint, lasting approximately 15 minutes, the LEQ12 has been observed sailing mostly downwind executing some gybes but mostly testing modes from VMG to high/fast.
As the yacht entered a patch with less pressure, approx 6-8kn, it came off the foils during a gybe. The prototype was then quickly towed up twice but came hullborne both times exiting the tack maneuver from starboard to port tack. As the pressure had suddenly died completely, the J2-2 was lowered and the team awaited for some pressure as the sky was clearing on NW side.
Just when the J1-1 was about to be hoisted, some more breeze filled in reaching 7-9kn 310° TWA (True Wind Angle) and the team opted for the J1.5-2. Another tow-to-foil followed and the LEQ12 started its third foiling stint on starboard tack, proceeding with an intense phase of upwing moding, especially high/slow adjusting port cant and hence heel, before transiting into several reaching runs on both tacks looking at endplating performance.
In addition, several hard bear aways followed by hard trim ups have been observed on both tacks before heading downwind for two additional long straight-line runs again endplating when feasible. After almost 40 minutes, the yacht came to a stop as the pressure dropped again below 5 kts and the team took chance for lunch break.
As the pressure picked up again, the forth foiling stint began on starboard tack and, once again, the LEQ12 seemed to sail close hauled just right above minimum foiling speed and, when about to touch down, bearing away to build again.
Then it transited into a reach course, tacked and repeated the same routine sailing on port tack before the wind picked up reaching 13-15kn 320 TWA. For the last short stint the J1.5-2 was lowered and the J2-2 was re-hoisted. Once up and foiling by tow, the LEQ12 completed several tacks before falling hullborne perhaps due to an increased leeward heel and larger ride height dropping the board. The wind had dropped again and in the following 15 minutes the team tested some light air self take off on both tacks without any success and sails were lowed at 1420hrs.
Following has been recorded for the entire day: 92 foiling minutes, 16 tacks and 12 gybes [Michele Melis AC37 Joint Recon].
INEOS Britannia - LEQ12/T6 - Day 80 - November 7, 2023 - Barcelona - AC37 Joint Recon Unit
Team INEOS Britannia rolled out their LEQ12 T6 at 09:30hrs, with foil wing and flap #1 on the port side, and foil wing and flap #2 on the starboard side.
The broken LEQ R01 rudder from two weeks ago had been repaired and was on the water for the second day in a row.
T6 was craned to the water at 10:15hrs and the team docked out at 11:30hrs, as planned, with Ben Ainslie, Giles Scott, Leigh McMillan and Iain Jensen. No unusual movements were detected during the boat´s preparation process, just usual routine activities.
The same mainsail as yesterday was hoisted at 11:50hrs and the J2-2 ten minutes after, while coming out of the harbor.
Today´s training consisted mainly of sailing in a straight line on target speeds and angles, combined with some specific movements for testing and checking the control systems.
To begin with, at 12:15hrs one upwind-downwind was performed doing five tacks and six gybes, respectively on each leg, with the wind increasing consistently in intensity.
At 12:40hrs there was a short break to replace the J2-2 for the J4-2. Immediately after, two long upwind-downwind were executed sailing on target speed and angles.
After the second downwind a five-minute break took place and then the team repeated yesterday´s exercise of sailing upwind on both tacks doing zig-zag, easing and trimming-in both sails while changing course, probably to continue to test potential new features on their sheeting systems.
After the exercise, INEOS Britannia did one long downwind sailing on targets, and then stopped for a break from 15:00hrs till 15:20hrs.
At 15:20hrs, with stronger wind intensity and a quickly building sea state, one more upwind-downwind was performed, sailing on the upper range of their J4. On the upwind T6 ventilated and splashed down in two opportunities, while on the downwind after gybing from starboard into port they were very close to capsize, achieving a very nice and important save.
In addition, as yesterday, during today´s sessions, there were a couple times in which different members of the crew did some manual adjustments on the mainsail clew.
A building south-westerly breeze prevailed during today´s session, very stable in direction slightly turning right during the day from 205° to 215° and building in intensity from 12 to 17 kts measured at sea level.
T6 entered the port at 16:10hrs, sails were lowered at 16:20hrs, the boat docked at 16:40hrs and craned out of the water at 17.00hrs, indicating the end of the day.
Sebastian Peri Brusa – AC37 Joint Recon on INEOS Britannia
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