"If I'm honest I'm finding it hardest now. At first I threw myself into the team, into Leah and the kids and into preserving Bart's legacy through the Foundation.

"But it's been comparatively quieter in the last few weeks and that's where the numbness has set in. It feels like a permanent hole. I have to look out at San Francisco Bay every day of my working life with Artemis. There's a particular part of the Bay I really don't like at all. It brings back horrific memories.

"I miss him most when I'm racing. I want to turn round to him all the time and seek his advice or reassurance. Of course, I can't. I know that it will affect me for the rest of my life."

A year after the Artemis incident, the sailors tell of the pain





To learn more about the Foundation, the Bart Project, Bart's Bash and to donate go to Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation



Bart's death was sailing's 'Ayrton Senna moment'

"Technology overtook safety," . . . "Speed was what we all chased. Our rivalries traditionally run deep. It's the same as in Formula One. We won't give each other an inch-worth of knowledge. It's always been highly protective."

"A lot of that has now changed. Designers and engineers across the board have been sharing information and knowledge with each other in the pursuit of safety."

"We're not just talking about the design of the boats. We're also exploring how better to survive when capsizing, the upgrading of helmets and life vests and improving impact on water."

Would be cool if true,except for that triangle thingy

Bermuda shortlisted to host America’s Cup 2017 (Update):
http://www.bermudasun.bm/Content/Ne...-to-host-America-s-Cup-2017/3/1297/77487

would something in the trade-wind belt(s) allow for more consistent wind patterns?

Looks like Team Oracle acquired some Foiling Phantom F18's for foiling training.

Closing shop in Sydney - looking ahead to foiling camp

Find the time to watch this. Everything you could possibly want to know from a design/engineering point of view.

Good stuff here . . .
Oracle and Team NZ designers reveal AC72 secrets

"The first reason was obvious - that it would be faster, and surprisingly given later events, foiling was also safer, noting that calculations showed that a conventional multihull of the AC72 type would be difficult in winds above 18kts, and even more so in a bear-away situation."

"In another series of load diagrams, Wilkinson elaborated on the forces operating on the AC72s, particularly around the foil cases with a lift of about six tonnes, a lateral force of seven tonnes, and a staggering 22 tonnes at the pivot point of the foil and 16tonnes on the control ram at the top of the foil - all contained within the AC72 hull structure."

"A couple of moments of truth for the US team were the nosediving incidents, the first of which wrecked the wingsail and almost completely destroyed the boat. The second had less dramatic results but was a significant learning experience. One of the tools used to analyse what happened in these incidents was a multiple moving plot of the data gathered from various key readout points, which would enable the forensic team to look at how the various elements interplayed, together with similarly time stamped video. In the example shown a nosedive incident was created when the afterguard tried to adjust the foil pitch control using hydraulics, which at the critical moment has lost pressure - the readout showed that a wingsail twist adjustment was being done at the same time draining the hydraulic pressure to the point where the foil control failed to work - triggering some re-design work to avoid a re-occurrence of the issue. In fact four changes to the hydraulic system were made to avoid a re-occurrence of this situation"

"Oracle improved upwind drive through increased lower aft loading. (interestingly this significantly increased the wingsail trim sheet loads, and the subsequent hydraulic demands required the crew to grind hard to maintain power from the race start to the finish)"

I don't care who you are, that is just bad-assedness

Oracle Team USA under stress

Here it is.
America's Cup protocol released

Document

Would appear ISAF is out, or am I missing something?

12. ISAF
12.1. The Regatta Director shall conclude any necessary arrangements with the
International Sailing Federation for and in respect of AC35, consistent with
the purpose and intent provisions of Article 2 and subject always to the prior
approval of GGYC and the Challenger of Record of the terms of such
arrangements.
12.2. The terms of this Protocol shall prevail over the terms of any arrangements
with ISAF and, other than the Regatta Officials (if applicable), no staff
and/or appointed representatives of ACEA shall be subject to any present
or future rules, regulations or other jurisdiction of ISAF and/or its Member
National Authorities for or in respect of the whole or any part of AC35.

Iain Murray welcomes America’s Cup rule changes as fairest ever

Opinion: Boycott the next America's Cup

ISAF is out.- Sail World

Safer, cheaper America's Cup

The new AC 62

Link takes you directly to AC62 Class Rules download


ac.mueva.eu/media/files/m192_ac62-class-rule-v-1-0.zip

So what happens to the AC72s? I can't see them going to St. Martin for the tourists to sail!

Jimmy Spithill "Maybe they've got the wrong people running Team NZ"