Here we are, 4 days after Australia announcing a return to the America's Cup and not a peep on the pre-eminent Australian Sailing forum page? For me, the America's Cup has been a big part of the first half of my life. From watching Australia II in '83, to being semi-involved for '87, and then on the front line for '92 and '95, I've lived the good life. I'm not a big fan of where the cup is going, but I'm still a big fan of the AC, which makes me ask the question, where are all the others! ;)
I got so excited I started watching "CHallenge" about 1983. Its actually quite good, apart from the bits where they go from port to starboard when changing scenes.
I get where you are coming from JonE. When I first watched the crew wearing crash helmets and speeding around I thought "how ridiculous!!". But after I watched a few times I still wanted my team to win, even if in ridiculous boats, and watched much more carefully and came to actually enjoy it. The tactics were there, just different and the massive bungle if the boat slows down and gets off its foils is the equivalent of your spinnaker falling under the bow (which I have done)!
Now I realise the main purpose of the crash helmets. After watching the races from time to time the TV coverage would switch to a boats intercom. So you can see the action and hear it. Sometimes tense messages between crew and very good for AC marketing. Get the younger generation interested by showing action versus dinosaurs 😆. I learnt some good stuff about sail trim. These boats are perfect. Anyway when sound switched to boats intercom the crew are shouting above howling noise and wind whistling. Because the boats are cruising at 35kts they are sailing in a gale all day. Hard work. Hence helmets and goggles. We are looking at sail plans that work without fail in 35kts+. Amazing.
Super hi-tech stuff. But is it in the tradition of the America's Cup? OK, still the preserve of the super-rich. Maybe we should get the billionaires to race their super-yachts. IMHO I would rather see the old rule 12m boats thrashing it out on an enlarged course which included real offshore weather.
