America's Cup is finally here!

[Midpack]

Sailors know, but for [-]the few[/-] anyone with a casual interest/curiousity re: sail racing, the best sailors in the world will be racing almost every day between now and the end of June in Bermuda. Where races used to take hours, typically a race takes about 20 minutes now. And instead of old guys in blue blazers, today's premier racing sailors have to be in peak physical condition, more so than many sports.

They are on NBCSN at noon CST almost every day over the next week. And they'll be on NBCSN or NBC over the next month.

Yesterday they had light winds, about 10-12 mph and the sail boats (now foiling catamarans) were mostly going 30-45 mph - 3 to 4 times wind speed! You might be surprised at how leading edge sailing has changed. FWIW

https://www.americascup.com/en/where-to-watch.html

 

[marko]

Great! When I was a teenager, we'd hop on down to Newport and cruise the docks even during race times. Back then --if you ignored the signs-- you could literally walk right up to the boats. I even stood on the deck of the Dame Pattie (until I got thrown off) and later bumped into Baron Von Bich.

Last year the replica of the 1853 "America" came to town and for $100 I went for a short cruise.

A do miss the "old guys in blue blazers" however!

 

[Fedup]

I came back from my morning swim and my husband was already watching this after the car race. It's so beautiful, Bermuda is now on my list to travel next.

 

[Luck_Club]

Sailors know, but for [-]the few[/-] anyone with a casual interest/curiousity re: sail racing, the best sailors in the world will be racing almost every day between now and the end of June in Bermuda. Where races used to take hours, typically a race takes about 20 minutes now. And instead of old guys in blue blazers, today's premier racing sailors have to be in peak physical condition, more so than many sports.

They are on NBCSN at noon CST almost every day over the next week. And they'll be on NBCSN or NBC over the next month.

Yesterday they had light winds, about 10-12 mph and the sail boats (now foiling catamarans) were mostly going 30-45 mph - 3 to 4 times wind speed! You might be surprised at how leading edge sailing has changed. FWIW

https://www.americascup.com/en/where-to-watch.html

Got to watch them practice last time in Newport. It was awesome! Saw the wreck when one of them completely flipped over, and drifted up the bay for about 30 minutes before being righted.

 

[bUU]

A bunch of us went out to lunch after church today and it was on the television in the restaurant. We were wondering if we were watching sailing or race flying.

 

[Helios]

Last yr watched oracle boat practice in bermuda. Was a thrill. This year crewed on the way old stars and stripes in cozumel. Need to make up another bucket list!

 

[imoldernu]

Gosh... any excuse for a long, rambling post.

DW and I were married in June 1958, after graduation and were living in Rhode Island... waiting for my Army deployment in in November of that year. It was the first year of the "12 meter" America's Cup (previous was the J Class... a much longer boat).

The Newport America's cup was a two boat race, (after the trials), between the US "Columbia", and the British "Sceptre". It was early in September, and the boats were very evenly matched. The Columbia (after a 5+ hour race) won by about a boat length.

It was an exciting time for us... going down to spend the week before the race in Newport, which was bustling with activity. One of my Bowdoin Classmates, Charlie Leighton, was involved, though I can't remember how. He later went on to own Nordic Track, and several sailboat builders and sailmakers, including Boston Whaler.. He showed us around town... Charlie was on my college sailing team with me, during my first year at school. As a lifelong sailor, he was Commodore, for many years, of the NY Yacht Club. Great and very humble guy.

In a way, being there for the America's cup, was compensation for my disappointment in being unable to compete in the 1959 Pan AM Games (swimming) in Mexico City... (New Bride, Army and a lack of money).

Newport always played a big part in our lives... Tall Ships, in 1976, and boat trips in my stepfather's "Big Enuff" 17' Thompson Runabout, from Barrington RI, up and down Narragansett Bay for many, many years. Not to mention the (underage) nights spent at the Sailors' Rest Bar, during the college years.

Oh yeah... Newport... also was there for the first Newport Jazz Festival.. 1954, I think... couldn't afford to go in, but sat on the roof of my dad's car, with my buddy, watching over the fence. Maybe Dizzie Gillespie and Oscar Peterson...

Thanks for the memories... Now, back to your sponsor.

 

[donheff]

Yeah, this, the TDF, and World Cup Soccer are all worth watching. The new America's Cup boats have inspired "foiling" on little one man racers with stiff windsurfing style sail and hydroplaning struts (or whatever they call them). I would love to have access to one of these little things.

 

[Midpack]

Yeah, this, the TDF, and World Cup Soccer are all worth watching. The new America's Cup boats have inspired "foiling" on little one man racers with stiff windsurfing style sail and hydroplaning struts (or whatever they call them). I would love to have access to one of these little things.

Me too, but they're a lot trickier than old school sailboats. I am considering buying one of these UFO Foiler - a little easier and cheaper than many other foilers.

 

[imoldernu]

Me too, but they're a lot trickier than old school sailboats. I am considering buying one of these UFO Foiler - a little easier and cheaper than many other foilers.

Ah me... 'tis but a dream. Latest for me was a 16' Hobie Cat, about 5 years ago... I don't bounce well any more.

 

[ggbutcher]

Me too, but they're a lot trickier than old school sailboats. I am considering buying one of these UFO Foiler - a little easier and cheaper than many other foilers.

I cut my teeth on Hobie 16s in the '70s and '80s. Catamaran sailing wasn't mainstream back then, but golly it was fun! Overpowered boats with just a wisp of wetted area. It wasn't a question of if, but when, would you tip the thing. Accordingly, that UFO Foiler looks like a hoot.

 

[pb4uski]

That UFO Foiler looks like a lot of fun... but $8k... ouch... cost per hour of use might be a bit high. I know that it isn't a lot in the whole scheem of things and having the coolest boat on the lake would be a hoot but it is more than I would usually spend on a sailboat that I would use 10-20 times a year.

I seem to recall that some people have retrofitted a Laser to foil but that was a pretty expensive endeavor too.

My Trac 14 cat is good enough I guess but I'll keep an eye on these in case I have a little windfall of some sort.

 

[Midpack]

That UFO Foiler looks like a lot of fun... but $8k... ouch... cost per hour of use might be a bit high. I know that it isn't a lot in the whole scheem of things and having the coolest boat on the lake would be a hoot but it is more than I would usually spend on a sailboat that I would use 10-20 times a year.

I don't disagree, but unfortunately that's very cheap for a new boat these days. A new motorcycle, dirt bike, RV, camper, powerboat, classic car, most race cars, flying, horses, even a jet ski would likely be more expensive toys. The most popular small foiler is probably a foiling Moth, they can run up to $50K new and they're tiny, unstable, very hard to sail - but very fast! One of the reasons sailing's popularity has declined substantially since the peak in the 70's-80's...sigh. Like golf.

Not arguing, just defending two of my favorite (beleaguered) pastimes hoping they at least survive my lifetime...I welcome the brave new world too.

 

[donheff]

If I still had a house on the water I would consider it. I had that much tied up in my windsurfers. Maybe I can talk my brother in law into getting one - he has a waterfront house where I outsourced my jet ski and boards. Not as much open water there as I had so not ideal for foiling.