AC is the pinnacle of sailboat racing. The wing is the pinnacle of tech for sailing. All the design work has involved a wing and a complete structural redesign would be needed for soft sails because things like sheet loads change dramatically.
The old wings were 13 stories high, and they are saying the new smaller wing will allow a smaller crew to step the wing. They seem to be implying that the new wing won't be as proportionally tall, making the boat not so overpowered. They were starting to de-power in winds above 12knts on the 72s. Would be nice if they could stay out sailing in solid 25knts. wind speed. The wings are still efficient in the stronger winds and the manageable sheet loads mean sheeting in and out can be done quickly. Cranking a giant soft main back in after easing in a gust while trying to foil upwind would be a huge problem to solve.
Also, there seem to be 6 potential teams going for those 4 spots if you add in the French and English to the list.. There is either going to be a lag time after the 45 racing when the top 4 build their boats, or some one may build a 62, but fail to qualify.

I recall reading some astronomical numbers for the masts and sails used while developing Dogzilla. I don't think I'd bank on them saving tons of money over the wings. With the sizes involved, rigging them was no trivial feat, to say nothing of managing them under sail (as mentioned above).

Mike

I know if I were Larry, and I wanted to keep the cup, I'd make it just as expensive as last time, to eliminate as much competition as possible. One of the ways you make it expensive is....

New Rules, New Boats, Wing Sails!

All the while, the only bad rap on the last cup was, it was too expensive, and nobody showed up (competitor wise) for the Challenger Finals. This new rule doesn't seem to fix that problem. If fact, it makes the previously built AC 72's and their wings obsolete, so the teams that already had a boat, now have to spend just as much money as last time, designing and building new boats/wings, nearly as big so there's not much cost savings there.

If you're Larry, and you want to keep the cup out of reach, it's a brilliant move. Your PR say, "Hey, we made it more affordable so more teams can compete." but in reality, you've put it further out of reach for anyone but the bazzillionairs.

If he really wanted to make it more competitive, he'd do it on the 45's, that's where the really close competition is, but then he might lose the cup too.

Are you talking about the last AC or all of the ones prior to that?

I think that the 12 meter rule was about the only time the AC was deemed "affordable" and that was using a very liberal definition of the term...

My limited recollection of the history of the Cup demonstrates a lot of the cutting edge of design and materials (which couldn't have been cheap at the time)... Marconi rig, winged keels, composite construction, laminated sails, etc.

why is this current iteration supposed to be different?

Bring on the Flux Capacitors!

The problem is, self-professed "Cup Affictionados" have selective memories. They see the 12-meters as the glory days. If you go back far enough, a case could be made that it was always about more money and fewer teams competing.

Mike

San Francisco officially out of America's Cup running

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee got an unwelcome letter late Tuesday night: As rumored, the city was ruled out of hosting the 2017 America's Cup sailing races.

Russell Coutts, director of the America's Cup Event Authority, e-mailed the mayor confirming news reports that San Francisco hadn't made the short list to host the 35th sailing regatta. San Diego, Chicago and Bermuda are still in the running.

"Given the tight timeline and demands from prospective teams to confirm the final venue, it has been necessary to continue reducing the shortlist of candidate cities," Coutts wrote. "We have therefore taken the difficult decision to no longer consider San Francisco as a possible candidate to host AC35."
http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/San-Francisco-officially-out-of-America-s-Cup-5545195.php

Spithill says that Challengers were offered second AC62

Spithill Interview Audio link 1


Audio Interview link part 2

more on San Francisco

Luna Rossa announces their team today

Will Shannon Falcone sail for the Italian syndicate?

Yes . . . . here's the team

Show me the money . . .

New Zealand has just 19 days left to live?

The British challenge is official.

Sir Ben Ainslie Launches British America’s Cup Challenge

Here's the video

Rule clarifications issued ahead of entry period

Copy of Amendments

"“There was a similar rule in the last Cup but this time there was some confusion that it might restrict guys from sailing in the Olympics, for example,” Spithill said. “That was never the intent and although we don’t think the original rule did that, we’ve worked on the language to make it perfectly clear that this applies to America’s Cup teams – not individual sailors – competing in events in conflict with the Cup.”

The changes to the Protocol take effect immediately, ahead of the entry period, which is open from June 9 through August 8, 2014."

Here is the audio interview with Grant Dalton.

Grant Dalton: What next for Team New Zealand?

SF is out? Fabulous...

Mike

Browsing through the surnames, I would say that the Italians won't have any problem with the nationality requirement!

Perhaps it's just Larry's negotiating tactics, looking for SFO to step up and supply mo'money?

I don't think so, SF seemed pretty upset about losing that $11m.
Although you would think that amount was easily offset by both tourist and team spendings.

From what I understand Bermuda is offering some very interesting tax breaks for the teams, which could be substantial considering wages are the biggest expense of the teams.

Chicago is also still on the list but don't really know a lot about the sailing there, is it any good?

Think we would see some 45 action in SF?

Bermuda sounds interesting, but do they have the port and infrastructure for all of this?

What does that $3million entry cover? Does that get you through the ac45 series?

Good stuff in these interviews. Jimmy doesn't let up on Dalton. Definitely worth your time.

"Oracle Team USA skipper Jimmy Spithill has launched an incredible attack on Grant Dalton, questioning whether he should still be running Team New Zealand.

Dalton's criticised the protocols for the next America's Cup and in particular the fact a $US2 million entry fee is required before the venue is confirmed.

Spithill has told Newstalk ZB Dalton is continually negative about the event and it might be time for someone else to take over.

"Well he's been in the role for over a decade now and certainly I think when you look into anything, whether it's business or when you look into sporting teams, I think the most important thing you judge a team on are results."

Spithill has named Brad Butterworth, Murray Jones, Simon Daubney, Mike Drummond, Warwick Fleury, all former America's Cup winners, as candidates to replace Dalton."