From: hall@trl.oz.au (Roger Hall)
Subject: Re: New AC Rules
Reply-To: hall@trl.oz.au
Organization: Telecom Research Labs.
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 04:43:24 GMT

Greetings,

In article 1ia6e5INNnmb@cat.cis.Brown.EDU, jfh@cs.brown.edu (John F. Hughes) writes:
>In article <1993Jan4.182824.13958@rsd0.rsd.dl.nec.com> dave@rsd.dl.nec.com (Dave Rogers) writes:
>>
>>In case ya'll didn't see it in the Jan 1993 issue of Crusing World.
>>There are some interesting developments in the offing for the next
>>America's Cup.  A joint committee of challengers and defenders has
>>issued proposed new rules to cover some of the oversights in the
>>previous AC.  
>>
>>	- max of two new boats
>>	- strict limitations on nationality of participants
>>	- ban on use of titanium
>>	- max weight of all sails on board limited
>>[...]
>>	- limitation on exotic designs 
>
>I propose a rec.boats project: let's redesign the AC. I propose a few more
>alterations (which others should feel free to reject). 
>
>(1) All races to be sailed in sequence (no lay days) unless winds are 
>      gale force or higher
>(2) No electronics (now *that* would save money)
>(3) One race (of five) to be sailed offshore at night.
>
>
>Of course, this would make the AC a test of something altogether different
>from what it test now. But it would be a test of things that *I* am
	      ^^^^^^^^ 
What specific *qualities*  does the current AC format cover?
Some things come to mind as :-
	Yacht design
	Manufacturing
	Technology
	Crew work/teamwork
	Tactical
	Financial management... :-)


>interested in, and since this is *my* pipe dream...
What specifically did you have in mind apart from seaworthiness (see below)?

>
>For those who say "But what about the trickle-down, from all those high-tech
>inventions of the AC into ordinary craft?," I can only say that some of 
>the worst possible things have trickled down (e.g. Wing Keels, of all things),
Agreed, note I crew on a 50 footer with a cut down keel that now has a bulb
and wings... a rotten thing to keep clean and has reduced the performance.

>and that I'd rather see great innovations in seaworthiness trickle down. 
>
>Of course, at the same time, I'd like to see the Little America's Cup 
>modified too, with the C-class rule modified to say "No more than 25 feet
>LOA. No other restrictions." I'd still like an Olympic course, though. Perhaps
>an even better rule would be "No more than 300 sq feet of sail/wing area."
>
>-John

I have to bight on this one, where are all the challengers for the Little
America's Cup (LAC or 'ac')? I sail at McCrae YC (on my B2/3 class cat),
and where we hold the current LAC title. Since the challengers are so few,
erh none, the designers, L.Cunningham et al., have gone off for the world
speed record.

L.Cunningham et al,are now trialling a *device* ( doesn't look real yachty - 
I'm told as I haven't seen it yet myself) for the world speed record. 
So far, according to one of the crew, she's a bit unsteady... indeed,'unsafe'
was supposedly Lindsay's comment at present.
The bugs are being ironed out and *the attempt* to be early Feb'93. I'll be
attending the attempt.

For those interested in the more theoretical aspects: 3 'pods' are planing
surfaces not hydrofoils, the pilot enclosed in a capsule is suspended above
the pods. At present, achieves Vs/Vt >2.0 easily.  With winds easily exceeding
20kts and flat water available, the sailing world speed record will be broken,
the only question is by how much?  

For this craft, seaworthiness is definitely not being tested, only speed
obtainable. 

regards,
Roger.

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