The old days before Facebook or even the internet, the America’s Cup races were sailed on stately 12 meters in the light air of summer off Newport, Rhode Island. The most exciting thing I ever saw a twelve meter do was when several short-tacked through the anchorage at Breton Harbor, Newport, one evening . The 70′ boats sliced between the boats at anchor, delicately pirouetting to the sound of flying sheets and the flapping jibs, as those of us at anchor held our breaths when the beautiful, but large boats, cleared our respective sterns by inches. My, how things have certainly changed. The fact that crash helmets are standard equipment for the crew may say it all. Crash helmets? After watching the proceedings at the America’s Cup World Series in Plymouth, crash helmets are, definitely, a good idea. Those AC45 catamarans are truly wild boats.
[iframe: width=”560″ height=”345″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/Jvk4D-GlUgE” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen]
Thanks to Ulrich Rudofsky for pointing out the America’s Cup demolition derby.
I’m an old fart and a bit of a lover of tradition. What I think of those cats being the boat of choice in the America’s Cup isn’t fit for print. I won’t be watching.
They do remind me of Hobie Cats on crack. I am not sure myself that turning the America’s Cup into a waterborne Demolition Derby is necessarily an improvement.
Pingback: Your Father’s America’s Cup – Sailing the Stars and Stripes | Old Salt Blog – a virtual port of call for all those who love the sea