Cup Spy Jan 19: ETNZ has a blast in fresh winds and big seaway
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World NZ 19 Jan 18:57 AEDT
19 January 2024
Emirates Team New Zealand - LEQ12 Prototype - Day 56, January 19, 2024 - Auckland © Emirates Team New Zealand
After yesterday's shortened session, Emirates Team New Zealand was back on the Hauraki Gulf today, doing a short session on 2021 America's Cup Course C, before moving out onto Course B and Course A - where conditions would have been challenging to say the least.
The sea breeze which had been present for most of the week, leaving a nice seaway, turned into a strong easterly breeze, with murk and light rain. Readings around the course area had winds in the 15-25kts range. There was a rare surf break on Narrow Neck beach, on the edge of Course B.
Emirates Team New Zealand, from the Recon Team video, turned in an impressive performance, particularly in the AC40, which is known to be a challenging boat to sail in a seaway.
There was only two manoevres (one tack and one gybe) dropped in 40 tacks/gybes.
Emirates Team New Zealand - LEQ12 - Day 56 - January 19, 2024 - Auckland
ETNZ Day 56 dock out occurred at 11:15hrs. Weather today was overcast with scattered showers and a gradient breeze from ENE which tended NE as the session transpired.
Sails were hoisted off Mechanics Bay at 11:30hrs, the team initially opting for the M2-3 main and J2-2 Jib. The J3-2 was interchanged 30 minutes later however, as the breeze built.
The initial part of the session took place in the flatter water from North Head to Browns Island in the lee of Rangitoto Island. Over the last few days, the team gave the impression that they were struggling, at times, with the control of the new starboard foil. So it seemed that they were keen to warm up and ease into testing in the flatter water. After 30 minutes of sailing, the team appeared very comfortable. All manoeuvres were fully foiling, and they could be seen running some descent cant angles on the new foil and really starting to load it.
At 12:01hrs the team changed to the smaller J3-2 Jib as the breeze had significantly increased. It was averaging around 15 knots by now. After the change, the team practiced in the lee of Rangitoto for another 30 minutes before heading out passed Rangitoto Light House into some descent sea state which we predicted to be between 0.8m - 1.2m at times.
It looked as though the team was really trying to push the limitations of the boat and new starboard foil out in this sea state. Except for two failed manoeuvres, because of bad timing through waves, the boat, foil and team performed very well. The only real shakiness could be seen on the exit of higher speed gybes onto the new foil. It was obvious they were still not super confident with controlling this foil on the exits at high speed.
After short upwinds and downwinds in this larger sea state and breeze up around 20 knots at times, the team decided to bear away and head back to base. This bear away was the first seen on the starboard foil today and was completed very successfully. While on port sailing back toward North Head, the team carried out a few round ups and bear aways on the new foil, obviously becoming confident enough to start pushing it's limits. There were no issues seen and each manoeuvre was successful.
The team arrived back at Mechanics Bay at 13:35hrs where they displacement rounded up and dropped sails to end a very successful higher end training day.
After the session, we were able to catch up with ETNZ Aero and Hydrodynamic designer Simon Corkery for an interview regarding a few items from the sailing today.
AC Recon team: Sam Thom and Andrew Burgess
Crew:
Peter Burling, Nathan Outteridge, Andy Maloney, Blair Tuke
Session Statistics: Emirates Team New Zealand - LEQ12 - Day 53 - January 16, 2024 - Auckland
- Weather: 26 degreesC Overcast, light rain
- Wind Strength: 15-20kts
- Wind Direction: 050 degrees to 065 degrees
- Sea State: 0.2mtr to 1.0mtr
- Crane In: 1030hrs Dock Out: 1115hrs
- Dock In: 1355hrs Crane out: 1425hrs
- Sailing time: 153 minutes (2hr 33min)
- Sailing distance: 38nm (70.5km)
- Total Tacks: 54 - Fully foiling: 53; Touch & Go: 0; Touch Down: 1
- Total Gybes: 24 - Fully foiling: 24; Touch & Go: 0; Touch Down: 0
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.