Americas Cup

#1
Is anyone following the Americas cup sailing race?

It seems to be getting pretty close...and I nervously await one more win by team NZ!

On a side note- does anyone know what kind of life a professional sailor has- ie do they make enough from sailing to support themselves? If so, then I am a little envious...
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#2
Oh no. Team NZ is not gonna win. Team Oracle in SF Bay will keep the cup from returning to your neck of the woods, so to speak. ;)

I think the crew on boats like that are a premium commodity. I also think most of them are fairly well off to begin with. Americas Cup racing isn't exactly a redneck sport.
 
#5
They are televising the cup live in the morning over here. And hence have been arriving at work pretty cranky. Today especially. NZ really blew it.

...

I asked someone in the know re professional sailors. He said most from Aus and NZ would have pretty ordinary backgrounds. They are mostly dudes who just happen to be good sailors.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#6
Congratulations to Oracle Team USA, who overcame an 8-1 deficit in the series, to win the 2013 Americas Cup by a final score of 9-8. USA!!! :)
 
#7
I could be crazy and I am not a billionaire yachtsman ... I thought the punishment delivered to Oracle Team USA was excessive and so I am glad that they won.
 
#12
I don't think most people cared since the late 80s, or whenever Dennis Connor lost it and the cup went off to NZ for the better part of 2 decades. The gigantic space age boats and shorter, watchable races off the coast of SF definitely made things infinitely more interesting. I wonder if it will continue for the next one of if they will go back to more traditional vessels.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#13
From the New York Times:

...The Cup is the oldest major trophy in sport, dating to 1851, but Ellison and his very expensive lieutenant Russell Coutts have pushed it — in the face of considerable resistance — into a postmodern place: one where speed and thrills are the new expectation, along with innovative, high-quality television images and close-to-the-shore racing.

The consensus within Oracle is that there is no going back, and there are many in the rarefied Cup community who agree.

“I think this regatta has changed sailing forever,” Ellison said..
They also address the question of using smaller boats:

...Although it seems clear that Ellison and Oracle will defend in some type of high-speed multihull, probably a foiling multihull, the question is whether they will stay with the AC72 or switch to a smaller, potentially less expensive catamaran. The AC72s are high-maintenance yachts, requiring scores of people to launch and major maintenance to avoid breakdowns...
I love watching the Americas Cup. The boats are incredibly beautiful. This is the last best definition of a rich man's sport to which the rest of us are forever resigned to be merely spectators - and I can live with that. ;)
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
#14
I'm missing something... was there some point in America's history where there was considered to be some measure of romantic virtue in having a rich man's sport?
 
#15
I am unaware of such a period though I mostly grew up with peasant sports like croquet while dad was on the golf course and mom was at the tennis club.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#16
I'm missing something... was there some point in America's history where there was considered to be some measure of romantic virtue in having a rich man's sport?
I'm just commenting on both the beauty of the boats and the fact there's no way it's a sport I could ever be closely involved with... I'm not trying to argue the romantic virtue in anything. Not at all sure why you feel my comments need to be analyzed to mean anything more...
 

Glenn

Hall of Famer
#17
I don't think most people cared since the late 80s, or whenever Dennis Connor lost it and the cup went off to NZ for the better part of 2 decades. The gigantic space age boats and shorter, watchable races off the coast of SF definitely made things infinitely more interesting. I wonder if it will continue for the next one of if they will go back to more traditional vessels.
Good point about the length of the races. In this sport, a good move at the start can lead to a leading margin throughout the race so why not shorten the races? Thank goodness for Aussie and Kiwi sailors. ;)
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
#18
I'm just commenting on both the beauty of the boats and the fact there's no way it's a sport I could ever be closely involved with... I'm not trying to argue the romantic virtue in anything. Not at all sure why you feel my comments need to be analyzed to mean anything more...
Uhm... because I'm a pedantic jackass? Have we met? :p
 
#19
To own a boat such as Oracle etc you must be of reasonable means...I think anyone can be a sailor though.

In all honesty it would probably be easier for me to find a boat crew to sail with in Sydney than it would be to join a basketball club.

And boat building would be one of the more working class professions available in Aus.

I have no idea what it is like in America- but I would imagine if one lived in SF or Oakland it wouldn't be too hard to find a casual yacht club?
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
#20
"Casual yacht club?" I think I've heard of all of those words individually, but they don't appear to make sense in that particular configuration. Is that English?