New video from yesterday. One of the pins holding the 3rd flap in place slid up and the flap came loose. They got it fixed, punched some holes in the mylar skin to tie it up to be sure, and sailed it back home. They'll reportedly lower the wing to the side today and fix it on the boat while redoing whatever captures the rest of those pins. The weather is reportedly supposed to be crappy today anyway...they'll be back out sailing / testing this weekend.

They raked the wing back a little yesterday - the bow looks like it's riding a little better for the short bit we see in this new video. Watch how the rib is getting hammered in the waves!

well i know where you can get a "slightly used" 180' mast.
perhaps after the AC you can make an offer on the wing as well..

I think they aught to send the broken mast to "The Man Shed". He should be able to fix it up.

Back to it again fairing out the hull trying to make a boat the wing will have to wait! I do have an extra carbon mast I'll sell them for 10 million.

anybody know why the mast came down? What broke?

Bring me the mast. Bring it to me in pieces.

THATS HOT!
Thanks Jake!

Beautiful sleeve job Mike! I like the drywall screw, I used them too, repairing Flight Risk's wing mast. What's that mast from? A cat?

Dave

It looks like the giant multihulls are beginning to have their effect on the sailing public. From the Freep:

http://www.freep.com/article/200911...y-can-get-their-boat-out-of-Persian-Gulf

That is a great article, more about the stunted development of the bicycle and cats than the AC but very good on all counts. I had no idea recumbants had been banned long ago. I always wondered why we never see them in the Tour.

Now, can the Swiss get their boat back? Or will LE take BMWO to RAK?

why did they ban recumbents? Can't load the article. Is there a safety issue with them?

No, the article says that way back in time some French guy showed up to a big bike race with a recumbant and kicked everyone's butt, and then went on to set records, etc. so the Bike Union banned them, just like cats an the AC back in 1867. I'll try to cut and paste it.

Here: Something similar happened in cycling a half-century later when a second-class rider, Francois Faure, showed up for races in Europe with a recumbent bicycle on which the rider sat in a reclining position.

Faure soon was hammering first-class pros in major races and set world speed records for the kilometer, mile and one hour. Predictably, the International Cycling Union followed the line of the sailing establishment and wrote new rules that banned recumbents from its events.

The ICU has banned just about anything that smacks of advancing the technology. Frames with no seat stays, aero rider positioning for reduced drag in hour/distance events, it goes on and on.

Most people dont like change, and a lot of people have vested interests in keeping up status quo.


Give me wings

(And if you have not tried a recumbent, but like to ride bikes, you got to try one)

No comment necessary

What is that little triangle sail to the lower left in that picture? Is that the Wing's Spinnaker or a speed brake? ;^)

That has to be their guys training on the Hobie Cat. Can't imagine they'd let anyone else that close.

Mike

Alinghi striker..

Not the bright red sail to the right, the little triangle to the left.